liuings liue more welthily and at ease than euer they didde afore or the Protestantes doe in their liberty nowe Marke howe like them selues they be and agreing with themselues As long as kinge Henry liued and all the time of blessed kinge Edwarde they taught they preached they subscribed they sware and beleued all thys that they now deny As oft as they had anye liuinge in anye College of the vniuersities as oft as they tooke degree in the scholes as oft as they tooke any benefice and whan they were made Priests or Byshoppes so ofte they sweare and forsweare all that nowe they denye Periurye in other menne is punished with bearinge papers losse of their eares and other worldlye shame but these menne abusinge the gentilnes of the Prince beyng thus oft forsworne are counted holye in the worlde The Papistes in their religyous monsters haue â—o kind of munkes Freers Chanons Nunnes differing in their coates than anye people haue some be white some blacke some graye differinge in their shoes some hauinge whole some halfe some nothinge but sooles vnder the foote differinge in shauinge their heades some more some lesse differing in meates some eatinge fish only some flesh and fishe at their dayes and times appointed differinge in places for some neuer go abroade but are kept stil with in the compasse of the house some walk abroode at their pleasure and some locked vp in stone walles diffring in their seruice for euery order had his diuerse order of masse and Mattins in manye pointes differinge in their Saintes or rather their Goddes whose names they beare whom they worshippe and stryuinge which of them shoulde be the holiest Some holde of Francis some of Benet some of Dominic some of Brigitte and others of other as they lust to deuise In their schole menne is founde more diuersity of opinions than among any sort of Philosophers Some hold of Thomas some of Dominus some of Albertus some of other as they like for there be so manye that almost they can not be reckened Which thinges being all considered and knowen of all men to be true except they be wilfully blind howe can they saye that they agree in one vnitye of the trueth Pilate and Herode agreed to crucifie christ so these in mischeues agree to set vp supersticion but in their priuate opinions none are more contrary and diuers In their pilgrimages pardons reliques fastinges what diuersities and striuing whiche shoulde be the greatest Amonge so manye Ladies and Roodes what striuinge in euery countrye which shoulde be the holiest and worke most miracles Amonge pardons Boston beare the name and yet other would compare among reliques the bloud of Hales passed other vnto their iugling was knowen Fastinges were mo than I know Some vsed Saint Rinians some oure ladies some the golden Fridayes some euerye Wednesdaye some halfe Lent some whole some with fishe only other as they luste What reason is it that they whyche fasted oure Ladyes faste some fastinge to bread water ended it in iii. yeares space other in eatynge fishe had vii and why shoulde they folowe the Ladye daye in lent more than other Ladie dayes and why yearelye doe they chaunge theyr daye c. Whan these and such other their doinges are proued to agree in one and good reason shewed for their doynges they maye better charge other menne wyth disagreinge but they maye thynke it shame to burthen other wyth that wherein they be most gilty themselues There is none more disobedient then the newe Byshops and Preachers now a dayes whyche disoveye the vniuersall church of Christ the whych Church who so euer wyll not obey oure sauyour in the Gospell commaundes vs to take theym as infydelles As where the vniuersall Churche of Chryst commaundes Masse and senen Sacramentes as necessary for our saluacion they call it abhomination with their blasphemous mouthes Where the â–ª Churche commaundes to faste they commaund to eat Where the Church coÌ„maunds coutynual prayer of the Clergy they cal it superslicyon blynd ignorance where the Church commaundes the clergie to liue in chastitye they commaunde and exhort the Clergy to mariage where the Churche and all lawes ciuyll and canon yea the lawes of the Realme do prohibit maryage of Pryestes they alowe maryage of Pryestes â—beyinge no lawe but folowe their owne carnall lustes Yea where the Queene hays geuen strayte commaundement to abstayne from fleshe in Lent and other dayes commaunded by the Churchâ— the newe Preachers and Protestants haue eaten flesh openly to the great sclaunder of other O God howe manye lyes in so fewe lynes The vnyuersall Churche of Chryste agrees in the necessarye Artycles of oure Saluation but in certayne outwarde orders and Ceremonies euerye Countrie differs from other wythout anye dyshonoure to Godde I declared afore how we agree with the vniuersall churche and confesse the necessarye Christian articles of our fayth religion saluation better than they also I touched some diuersities of out warde orders in the Churche whereof many or all were tollerable and nowe by occasion of these matters mynistred by him I shall touche some moe He layes to our charge that we disobey the vniuersall churche if he meane in those thinges which afterwarde folow I am content to trie with him Where vnder y â— name of masse he vnderstands the Romish latin masse it appeares afore how many sundry good sortes of ministring the Lordes supper be in other countries at this day and haue bene of olde time Therefore he makes a loude lie in sayinge or thinking that who so euer disagrees from their Popish masse disobeies the vniuersal Church for the most part of Christendome neyther does at this daye nor at any time hais vsed it In the substaunce and doctrine of the holye Communion we agree with the scripture and the catholicke Church though we differ in some peice of the outwarde order of it from other countries but we prosesse an open disagreeinge from the Romish sinagoge both in the order and substaunce thereof The Churche of God accordinge to the scriptures does professe and beleue that all faythfull Christians worthely coming to the lordes table receiue by faith in those holy misteries the body and bloude of Christ whiche was giuen broken and shed for the sinnes of the whole world this we teache beleue and folow aud exhort all men often to prepare them selues worthelie thus to receiue The Popish Synagoge contrary to Saint Paule teach practise beleue and persecute with fire and fagot all gainsayers that in the sacrifice of their bread and wine the creatures be chaÌ„ged from their natural substaunce and are made a God to be worshipt whan they lifte it ouer their heades hange it in a corde ouer the Altar or carye it aboute the fieldes and if the people will bie trentals or masses of it at their handes they can swepe purgatory cleane and make soules flie to heauen as thicke as duste These haue no ground woorke on Goddes
generall order for the hole worlde nor the hole worlde neuer obeyed nor receyued anye The Popes Portuis Missall hais bene oft chaunged as I proued afore and euery countrie hais their diuers order of seruice Aarons sonnes did plainly against gods expresse commaundement and therefore were iustly plaged Ours do not so and therfore they be not in like case but vndeseruedly blamed Clementes wordes and Ciprians whan they are proued to be truly alledged touch not vs but suche as he is for they knew no such priestes nor church as he meanes nor anye such were many yeares after The papistes differ verye litle from Iewes for both of them set their hole religioÌ„ in ceremonies and olde customes We sticke stifly to the word of God only and bilde not on such vain foundations Therfore he bringes that canon against himselfe and his sort beinge as supersticious as the Iewes and blynded obstinatlye in errours as heretickes Whether is it lawefull for Priestes that saye the Communyon also to celebrate masse THe holye Martir Saint Ciprian sayes It is not leafull by and by afore penance done to consecrate or touch with his wicked handes the body of oure Lorde and with his polluted mouth to receyue the bloud of oure â—orde but first let him doe penaunce Does thou thinke says Saint Cyprian that our Lorde wilbe so sodenly mitigated whom thou hais refused hais more esteamed thy worldly liuing then him Saint Cyprian says the blynd loue of their patrimonye and wordly goods hais deceyued many and bound them as it were in stockes and fetters that they can not folow christ A great number for feare of woordes of suche as be not good haue refused their faith not cast downe by any violence of persecutioÌ„ but by a voluntary lapse haue cast downe their selues although they haue perceyued the Byshops and a greate number of the clergie not to be afrayed to lose all their lyuinges not fearing losse of goods or imprisonment or banyshment from their fryendes yea all readye to suffer death in this case Our Sauiour in the gospell sais No manne can serue ii maisters that is to say the Communion decreed and appointed by the laite parliement against the consent of the clergye in christes Churche and also celebrate masse decreed and apointed by the clergye in sacrate synodes representinge the whole estate of christes churche S. Paule sais ye can not be partakers both of the table of our lorde and the table of the deuilles S. Ciprian sayes It is an horrible abhomidation to fare about to serue both Ball and christ it is contimely and not religion it is iniurye and not deuotion if thou communicate of the cup of christ with the deuils hitherto be S. Cyprians wordes S. Paule sais we haue an altar whereof they may not eate that serue the Tabernacie By these examples it is euident that the Priestes may not minister the communion to one sort and Masse to an other sorte In tripartita Historia it appeares the catholyckes and the Arrians did not communicate one with another Whether it be lawfull for Priestes to say Masse whiche saye no communion but only read Psalmes and chapters to the people in sâ—eade of seruyce SAint Ciprian sais the verity is not to be dissembled it is nought to halte vppon both the partes If God be the Lorde folow him If Ball folowe him Euen so it mattens and Euensonge be the ordinaunces of christes church vse theym if the Psalmes and chapters vse them It is no lesse offence to alowe a schisme with assent than to offer to idolles S. Austin sais such as be in schisme that is to say in sacraments or diuine seruice seperated from the vnity of christs mistical body not in â—oining together of christian meÌ„bers not in the band of peace which is expressed in the sacrament of the altar they may consecrate receiue this sacrament but it is not profitable to theÌ„ but very hurtful wherby they shalbe iudged more greuously of almighty god S. Paul says Not only they that do euil be worthye death but also they that consent to the doers The holy ghost does cry by his Prophete Esay saying get you hence go forth beware that you touch no vncleane thing The scripture sais thou shalte loue the lorde god with all thy heart with all thy strength c. god loues no halfe seruice As for example it is writen in the booke of kings that kinge Dauid sent his seruauntes to comfort Anon for the death of his father all be it Kynge Anon tooke theym as espies and caused the haulfe of their beardes to bee shauen and cut their clothes by their buttockes and so sent them backe agayne to Kynge Dauid But whan Kynge Dauid heard of thys he would not suffer them to come in his sight at Ierusalem but commaunded them to tarie at Hierico vntil their beardes were growen out againe euen so suche Priestes as hais gone out of Christes Church and entangled them selues with any part of this religion against the decrees of the Churche are not worthye in ministracion of sacramentes to come in the presence of the faithfull that continue still in Christes Churche vntil they be reconcyled and haue done penaunce for their lapse into schisine Whether is thys to bee called a wicked time that suche heresye and schisme does reigne NO rather it is a blessed tyme for now god tryes his family as Saint Cyprian sais for the longe rest and peace whiche hayes bene in Christes churche afore time caused the clergye to be almost on sleape by reason wherof deuout religion was not in a great number of Priestes in workes was small mercye no discipline in manners Saint Paule sais It is mete that there be herefye that the good maye be tried so that suche as haue grace to stande this troublous tyme and be not spotted with schisme shalbe kyndred more feruent in the loue and feare of God and such as be fallen in lapse if they will seke to come backe againe to oure mother holye Churche with penaunce that is with prayer satisfaction and teares she shittes her bosome from none that will so come for God is nere at hande to all that call on him in vertue and will reioyse more in theym then in other But some are not be gathered out of schisme says Cyprian so that suche as be whole and stedfast be thereby wounded nor he is not a profitable and wise pastor that gathereth the shepe that be diseased scabbed or sicke into the whole flocke afore they be whole least they infect al the flocke Nor the Byshoppe muste not haue a respect to the greatnesse of the number for better it is to haue one good Priest that feareth God than a thousande that be euill this sayes S. Ciprian Answere to the vii viii and ix UUhat a foole is he that goes about to proue by so manye balde reasons cloutinge such patched pieces together that
of thys Reame be declyned from the steppes of Sainct Austin and other blessed fathers and Sauntes whych hadde Masse and vii Sacramentes in the Churche and God was honoured night and daye in the Churche wyth deuyne seruyce I thynke there is no man so simple but he maye easelye perceyue except malyce haue blynded hys hearte As in Saint Paules Churche in London by the decrees of blessed Fathers euerye nyght at Mydnyght they hadde Mattyâ—s all the fore none Masses in the Churche wyth other deuyne seruyce and contiuuall prayer and in the Steple antimes and prayers were haâ— certayne tymes That the people of this Realme be swarued from the steppes of Austin I wyll not greatlye stycke wyth hym to graunte but how not in fallynge from anye goodnesse that he vsed for that they eyther keepe styll or the better in stede of it but in refusynge suche abuses as he fyrste beganne and synce hys tyme the Churche of Goode hays bene ouer loden by the Popes oppression withall And because he says that we swarue from Austin and other blessed Fathers and Saintes which hadde masse and vii sacramentes who those Fathers and Saintes be I woulde he â—adde named theym that it myghte be sene how truly he sais I thinke he durst not nor yet can least he be taken with a lowd lie I thinke he meanes that Austin which is called thapostle of Englande and not that other Austin which is taken for one of the iiii Doctors of the Churche There is great difference betwixt them two both in auncientye of time in learninge and godlynesse Thenglysh Austin lyued here vi C. yeare after Christe the other in Aphric CCCC and that the elder Austin and blessed fathers afore him agree better with our reformed religion than with their Popery I boldlye affirme and if hee or his partakers haue or can saye anye thinge to the contrarye they shoulde proue it better than they haue done hitherto or elles the worlde maye iudge that they more proudlye brag as Golias did Gods people than can truly proue it But as Dauid wyth his slinge and stone ouercome that mighty Giaunt so I doubt not but they shall finde many that with the simplicitye of Gods trueth shall be able to confounde their wicked subtilitye I am sure he meanes chefelye the doctrine of the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloude â–ª but in that he is already ouer matched I remember in the time of that blessed kinge Edwarde the. vi D. Kidlay late Bishop of London came in visitacion to Camebridge and because that doctrine of the Sacrament semed straunge than to manye he propounded this proposicion to the hole vniuersitye to dispute on That it could not be proued by any auncient writer Greke or latin which liued a thousande yeare sins or within D. yeare after Christ that the substance of the bread was chaunged in the sacrament to the substaunce of Christes bodye There was the eldest and stoutest champions of the bole vuiuersitye and the pertest lustye yonge princockes also that coulde be pyked out to saye what they coulde ii or iii. dayes together and one while they hadde liberty to speake what they could in defence of it and an other whyle to speak against them that w tstode it with what reasons or autorities they could deuise But the pithy solutions of that godlye learned Byshop were so stroÌ„g than that vnto the world chaunged his enemies praised him and wondert at his learnyng and liked the doctrine so well that their lusty yonker would haue turned Bishop Crammers boke into latin yea maried to as was nedefull if the good Kinge had liued a while longer If this be true in the chefest point of their religion as it is most true in deede that they haue not one auncient writer without wraistinge to seme to make for them it is much more true in the rest There is another conference of late betwix the reuereÌ„d Bishop of Sarum and D. Coole wherein that learned father laies to their charge that for the rest of their trashe whiche they reuerence as bolye reliques they haue neyther Scripture auncient writer Doctor nor generall counsell to defend their doinges The writinges of good Crammer and these learned Byshops are in print and yet vnconfuted and in strength althoughe one attemted with small praise of late to defende D. Coles parte but if they coulde haue gainstand it no manne doubtes of their good wil. They neede not to feare their recognisans fire nor fagot nor anye punnyshement accordinge as they deserue theyr bloudy lawes are laid on slepe though their hartes be bloudy still And because he but onely names particularly masse and. vii Sacramentes and proues it not to bee so I will not vse many wayes in desprouing it for he is not a man of that autority learning nor credite that because he sais it is so therefore streight it must be so be beleued For I maye saye it is not so wyth as good reason as he yf sayinge wythoute proofe were sufficient For their masse I saide inoughe afore and proued of what auncienty it was I declared afore how Gregories masse boke was allowed vii C. lxxvii yeares after Christ and also how Austin by Gregories commaundement oute of suche dyuerse orders of massinge as ye see in other Countries patched their order of masse together that they vsed here in Englande Seing than by their owne Doctours confession it is manifest to be so many yeares after Christ afore their masse tooke place here or els where I may boldlye saye that neuer one holye father afore Gregory knew nor alowed anye suche kinde of massinge for than was no suche thinge made nor vsed These vnto they be aunswered are sufficient For their vii sacramentes I wil not saye muche at thys tyme because he standes not anye thynge in the proofe of theym The question is meter for the learned sorte than the people to try out such narow points The controuersy is more about the woorde and name than the thynge it selfe and vse of it Wee vse vi of theym that he calles Sacramentes as well as they thoughe not without great reason we forbeare to call theym all Sacramentes and differ muche in the doctrine the order and vsinge of theym with other ceremonies and language than they do Baptisme the lordes supper confirmation of Children mariage orderinge of ministers we vse theÌ„ al as wel as they thoughe not in the same sort that they and teache the people to haue theym in reuerence better than they Confession is left free to all that fele theym selues burdened in conscience and wante eyther counsell or comfort and the weake and ignoraunt are moued to resorte to a learned minister to receyue the comfortable promises of absolution and forgeuenes of sinne by the liuely worde of God applied to so troubled a minde as a souerain salue for al such grefes The only controuersye in number than betwix vs is for extreme vnction whether that be so
deliuerance from such supersticion They crake muche of blessed fathers and yet name not who they be but much it shall not skill for their dedes wil proue their holines what great holynes was thys to haue mattins at midnight when folke were on slepe in their beds Is not commen praier to be had at such houres whā the people might resort commenly vnto it cōueniently if midnyght be such a time most conuenient let the world indge I graunt in the primatiue church gods people hadde their prayers earlye afore day because at other tymes they were not suffred but in those assembles were not onelye munkes or Priestes but all sortes and degrees of men were gathered to pray here Sermons and receiue the Sacramentes for at other times of the day they durst not for the greatnes of persecution In Paules and Abbayes at their midnight prayers were none commenlye but a fewe ballynge Priestes yonge queristers and nouyces whyche vnderstode not what they said the elder sort kept their beddes or were woorse occupyed A prayer not vnderstande in the hart but spoken with the lippes is rather to be counted praiting and ballyng than prayinge wyth good deuotiō The elder sort both in Cathedrall Churches and Abbaies almost neuer came at their midnyghte prayer it was thought inough to knolle the belles and make menne beleue that they rose to praye therefore they haue not so much to crake of this their doinge The Papistes haue a rule of their owne makynge to say their mattins in which I thinke was a great cause of these early mattins and also of saying theym ouer night Ante tempus meritum in tempore debitum post tempus peccatum To saye Mattins afore the tyme due is a merit to saye them in due time it is duty but after the appoincted time is sinne But as all their religion is of their own deuysynge so is their rewarde God hais made them no suche promise and therfore they can clayme nothynge at hys handes For their continuall massynge afore noone we prayse Godde that hais delyuered vs from it as a thynge contrarye to hys holye wyll and ordynance Saint Paule sayes that whan they came together to eate the Lordes supper they shoulde tarye one for another but these shorne shaueling shameles priestes woulde neyther receyue together one of theym with another nor yet let the people haue anye part with them Enery one wold crepe into a corner to an aultar alone there lifte vppe on highe eate and drinke vp all alone sell good penyworthes and blesse them with the emptye Chalice Than all was well as they thought and Godde well serued but to breake Gods Commaundemente of receiuinge together they passed not of it so that thei might folowe their owne deuyse I know their shift in writhyng this text to their purpose and sayinge that Saint Paule spake this of that feast whych they vsed than to haue whan they receiued the communyon but that wrasting wil not serue for both for that feast and al other kind of eating to fil theyr belly s. Paul gaue that Commaundemente that folowes If any man be an hungred lette him eate at home haue ye not houses to eat and drinke in or do ye despise the congregacion of God seynge that Paul speakes there but of twoo sortes of eatynge the one for hunger to fille their belies the other fedynge the soule with the spirituall foode of Chrystes bodye and bloude for nouryshinge and feding our weake bodyes he byddes vs eat at home but for the liuelye foode of oure soules in the sacrament of his body and bloud he biddes vs tary one for another for it is the seale and band of brotherlye loue as well as the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloud Euery piller in the Churche commenlye had his altar euerye altar his priest and his God to whome the Altars were dedicate thus like menne not regarding Gods commaundement they folowed their owne deuises and yet hauing the truth reueled they harden their heartes and stop their cares that they will not learne For climbing vp to the top of the steple to sing their antimes I demaund of them to shew a reason if there be any why it is done there rather than on the ground and why on such saint dais rather than on other why that tyme of the yere rather then other Whan Baals priests were assēbled against y ◠Prophet Elias to trie whether of them serued the liuyng God and Baals priestes beganne to praye and cal on their god but he woulde not heare theym Elias said crie louder perauenture your God is busy he is chasing his enemies from home or on slepe so vnto ye finde a better aunswere I am contente freelye to lende you this wythout payinge anye peny for it that ye maye francklye saye ye goe vp to the top of the steple to call on your god that he may the more easelye heare you standing so highe rather than on the grounde so farre of and at night whan other suters take their rest for al the day long perauenture he hais bene otherwaies occupied and nowe waringe olde his hearinge decayes so muche that if ye stande not nere hande and crye loude he can not helpe you These and such other are mete for them that serue straunge Gods but he that calles on the liuinge Lord knowes him to be present in all places and therefore makes no suche difference of them Againe if according to their owne doctrine a praier made in a halowed place be better than that which is made in an vnhalowed than better it is to stand on the grounde than to climbe on height for the top of the steple was neuer halowed as the church was beneth Whā suche folishnes is wisely proued we shal streight waies beleue it First searche whether the faith and religion nowe vsed was taught wyth the blessed fathers in Christes Churche in tymes paste ye shall proue by no recorde of autoritye or Chronicle tha◠this manner of seruyce nowe vsed in the Churche was euer harde tell of afore Luthers time whyche is not xl peare agoe therefore it is to be reiected and putte awaye as a newe fangled doctryne and schismaticall therefore come backe agayne into the olde blessed fathers stepes In that he denies this faith and religion euer to be heard tel of vnto within these xl yeares and bids trie the recordes whither it be true that he sais and semes to charge vs with forsakinge the olde faith and fathers alledginge the Epistle to the Ebrewes that be that comes to Godde muste beleue and that without faith it is not possible to please God and Iere. that we shoulde searche out the olde way and walke in it I am well content to stand with him in these pointes and proue that this fayth and religion was taught in Christs church continuallye from the beginning and that this seruice nowe vsed goes nearer the order appoynted in