prophecie of our Sauiour Christ shall for euer euer abide true Euery plaÌ„t that my heauenly father hath not plaÌ„ted shall be plucked vp by the rootes Of the Massing Priest FOrasmuche as no man hath authoritie and power to consecrat make and offer the body and bloud of Christ as the Papistes teach but he onely whiche is a priest lawfully made and appointed no neither Aungels nor Archaungels neyther blessed Mary nor any Sainct in Heauen Pope Gaius the firste of that name ordayned that he whiche shoulde be a Massemonger or Godmaker that is to saye a prieste shoulde as it were by degrees ascende and come vp vnto the order of priesthoode Therefore he appoynted that suche one as woulde be a priest and saye Masse shoulde fyrst of all be a doorekeper secondelye a Reader thyrdelye an Exorciste or Coniurare fourthlye an Acholute a lyghter and carier of Candles fyftlye a Subdeacon sixtly a Deacon and seueÌ„thly a priest Plat. Polid. c. Pope Calixte the fyrst appoynted y t y e aforesayd orders shuld be geueÌ„ foure times in the yeare y t is to say at y e Embring dayes whereas before they wer geuen only in y e moneth of December so y t whosoeuer wil be a Massing priest must diligently attend vpoÌ„ those times Plat. Valent. Vannius Pope Boniface the fyrst made a decree y t no man shoulde be made a Massyng Prieste before he were thirtye yeres of age Grat. Dist. 78. Cap. Si quis triginta Pope Zacharius the fyrst notwithstaÌ„ding fearyng that Ladye Masse would wante Chaplens and customers dispenseth wyth the former acte and graunted that a man might bee made a Massyng Prieste at the age of .xxv. yeares if necessitye so required Lib. Concâ—l Pope Anicetus ordayned y t the Massing priest should weare no long haire nor bearde but y t he should haue Aures patentes and y t he shuld haue his crown shauen as rounde as a bowle Gratian. Dist. 23. Cap. Prohibere fratres Plat. Pope Leo the fyrst made a decree y t no man that is bonde should be admitted to be a Massemonger Dist. 54. Cap. Episcoporum Nullus Pope Bonifacius the fyrst commaunded y t no banckeroute or endebted person shuld be admitted vnto y e Clergye Plat. Lib. Concil Pope Calixt y e first appointed y t whosoeuer wil take vpon hym the order of a Massing priest must forsweare mariage leade a single lyfe Grat. Dist. 27. Ca. Presbyteres Nauclerus Pope Gregorye the fyrst made a decree y t none y t had bene twice maryed shuld be admitted to be a priest Dist. 33. Cap. Maritum duarum Pope Gelasius the fyrst ordained y t no dismembred person shuld be admitted vnto y e order of priesthode Grat. Dist. 55 Cap. Si euangelica Pope Clement the fyrst appoynted y t the priest after he had sayde Masse should continue fastyng by the space of three houres before he eyther eate or drinke Dist. 2. de consec De tribus Gradibus And Gratianus witnesseth that a priest also ought to come to Masse fasting De cons. Dist. 2 Can. Liquido Item Cap. Sacramenta altaris Of the dignitie and power of the Massing Priest and of the honour that is due vnto hym be he good or bad PRiestes are worthye to be honoured of all men for the dignitie whiche they haue of GOD. For God hath geuen them power to bynde and to loose as it is written Whatsoeuer ye shall bynde vpon earth shall also be bounde in heauen And whatsoeuer ye shall losen vppon earth shal bee losoned also in heauen For a priest after a certaine manner is lyke Mary the Virgine And thys is declared by three thinges Fyrst as the blessed Virgine dyd conceaue Iesus Christ by fyue woordes as is it mentioned in the Gospell of Luke Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum So lykewyse the Prieste maketh the true bodye of Christ by these fyue woordes Hoc est enim corpus meum And as whole Christ immediatly after the consent of Mary was in her wombe so lykewyse immediatly after y e pronunciation of y e wordes of consecration the breade is transsubstaÌ„tiated turned into y e true body of Christ. Secondly as the blessed Virgine after shee had broughte forth Christ dyd beare hym in her handes layde hym in y e maunger so likewyse y e priest after the consecration immediatly lyfteth vp the body of Christ and laieth him down again beareth him handleth him in his hands Thirdly as y e blessed Virgine was saÌ„ctifyed in y e wombe before she conceaued Christ so likewise y e priest receaueth orders is annoynted before he consecrateth For without taking orders he could consecrate nothing and therfore a lay-man although he be neuer so holy can do nothing in this matter although he should pronounce the wordes of consecration In consideration whereof we must know y t the dignitie of priests after a certayne manner doth farre excel the dignitie of Angels For power to make y e body of Christ is geueÌ„ to none of the Angells so that the baseste and moste inferioure prieste in the worlde can doe that whiche the greatest and highest Aungell in heauen can not do Therefore Barnarde sayeth O the worshipfull dignitye of priestes in whose handes the Sonne of God as in the Virgines wombe is incarnate Wherefore Austen sayeth that in the consecration of the holy hoste all the heauenly courte serueth hym that is to say the priest and the Lorde of heauen commeth downe vnto hym Ambrose therefore also sayth writing vpon Luke Doubte thou not but y t the Angels are there present when Christ is present vpon the altare so y t priests are to be honoured aboue all Kinges Princes Knyghtes and men of Nobilitie For a prieste is higher than Kynges more blessed and happye than Aungells beyng the maker of hys maker and therefore he is worthye to bee honoured c. Yea let it be graunted that the priest bee euill yet is he to be honoured for y e dignitye of priesthoode as it is declared in the decrees Priestes although they bee euill yet ought we to honoure them for the sacramentes sake 1. Quaest. 1. Sacramenta c. Sermones Discipuli in Sermon 28. De honore As there are nine quiers or orders of Angells in heauen so like wise ar there nyne dignities of priestes Fyrst Priestes are aboue all Kynges and Princes of the earth as God sayeth by Ieremye I haue set thee thys daye ouer Nations and Kingdomes And this to bee true appeareth thus The dignitye of the prieste is such and so great y t it lyeth in his power to consecrate and make Kinges but all the Kynges of the worlde are not able to make one Priest And for a profe thereof that priestes be greater and of farre more excellencye than Kinges are it is to be noted y t there is no Prince so greate whiche doth not bowe
a sainte In the yeare c. 1336. Volat Christ. Massae Pope Sixtus the fourthe made Bonauenture the Grayfryer a saint In the yeare c. 1471. Chron. Chronica Pope Alexander the thyrd made Barnarde the Monke a saint In the yeare c. 1161. Iacobus Meyer Pope Innocent the eyght made Heliopolde sometyme Duke of Austria a Saint In the yeare c. 1484. Chroni Ioannes Stella Pope Innocent the thyrd made Hughe of Lincolne a saint In the yeare c. 1195 Fasciculus Temporum Pope Clement the fourth made Hedwigis sometime Duchesse of Polonia a saint In the yeare c. 1165. Ioannes Laziardus Fasciculus Temporum Ioannes Stella Pope Boniface the nynth made Brigite the Nunne a saint In the yere c. 1379 Ioan. Laziardus Chron. Pope Leo the nynth made Vuolfgange Byshop of Ratisbone a sainte In the yeare c. 1049. Chron. Pope Gregory the seuenth made Iohn Gaulbert the Monk a saint In the yere 1073. Chron. Pope Innocent the second made Hughe the Charterhouse Monke a sainte In the yeare c 113 â–ª Chron. Pope Boniface the eyght made Lewes Kyng of Fraunce a saint In the yere 1290. Ioan. Laziard Chron. Pope Innocent the fourth made Edmunde Archebishop of Cantorburye a saint and Peter de verona the Blackfryer he canonised also for a saint willed hym to be taken for a confessour saint In the yere c. 1242. Sabell Ioan. Stella Ioan. LaZiard Chron. Pope Eugenius the fourth made Nicolas de Toleto an Austen frier a sainte In the yeare c. 1430. Ioan. Stella Chron. Pope Clement the fyfte made Pope Celestine a saint vnder the name of Peter In the yeare c. 1304. Ioan. Laziard Pope Paschalis made Charles y e great a Sainte In the yeare c. 1164. Christi Massaeus Pope Leo the tenthe made Fraunces the Heremite a saint In the yere 1507 â–ª Christ. Massae Pope Alexander the thyrde which I had almost forgotteÌ„ made Thomas Becket Archbishop of Cantorbury a saint In the yeare c. 1161. Plat. D. Barns Pope Alexander sayth the Englishe Festiuall sent letters into England to the Archbishop Stephen and to other Abbottes and Prelates commaunding them to take vp Thomas Beckettes bones and to lay them in a shryne and to set it where it might be worshipped of all Christen people Then the Byshop ordayned a day when y t should be done So ouer euen while they might haue space he toke with hym the Byshop of Salisburye and other monkes and Clerkes many and wente to the place where Thomas had layen fyftye yeres Then they kneled al on y e earth praying to Thomas deuoutly of help Then foure tooke vp the tombe with great dreade and quakyng and there they founde a little writing whiche was thys Here lyeth and resteth Thomas Archebyshop of Cantorburye Primate of Englande and the Popes Legate slayne for the ryghte of holye Churche the fyfte daye of Christmasse Then for greate deuotion that they had of the syghte all cryed Sainte Thomas Saint Thomas And then they toke the head to the Archebyshop to kysse and so they kyssed it al. And then they beheld his woundes and sayd They were vngratious that wounded thee thus And so layde hym in a shryne and couered it with clothe of golde and set torches aboute it brennyng and the people to watche it all nyght Then on the morowe came all the states of thys lande and bare the shryne to the place there as it is nowe with all reuerence and worship that they coulde The author of the festiuall sayeth y t thys Thomas did weare harde hayre next his bodye and a breche of y e same the whiche was so full of vermyn y t it was an horrible syght to see And yet he chaunged but once in fortye dayes The same author also writeth that the aforesayde Thomas Beckette made hys Confessoure euerye Wednisdaye and Fryday to beate him with a rodde vpon his bare body as a childe is beaten in the Schole that is to say on the arsse that he myghte suffer worthye penaunce Ranulphus Cestrensis in his Chronicle writeth that when Thomas Becket was translated Stephen Archbishop of Cantorburye duryng the said solemnitie founde haye and prouender to all men that would aske it in the way betwene London and Cantorbury Also in the day of the Translation he made wyne to runne in pypes continuallye in diuerse places of the Citye and so y e coste that Stephen made in thys solemnitie his fourth successour Bonifacius hardly payed it In Polichron Lib. 7. Cap. 34. Pope Alexander the thyrde ordained y t none shoulde be taken for a saint except he wer fyrst canonised and admitted to be a saint by y e byshop of Romes bull In the yeare 1161. Dec. 3. Tit. 46. Ca Reliquijs Polydor. Pantaleon From the tyme that the Popes began fyrst to canonyse to make saints vnto the reygne of Pope Iohn the .xxii. there are founde to be canonysed fyue thousande fyue hundred fyftye and fyue Saintes y t the Popes haue made as writteth the author of the Chronicle entitled Fasciculus Temporum Isuardus the French Monke diligently searching out the number of saintes found that euery day in the yeare there are moe than CCC Saintes to be serued suche a multitude of newe saintes haue the Popes of Rome brought into the Churche of their owne authoritye whom they haue sainted partly for fauour partly for mony partly of a blind zeale and partly for the satisfying of other mens corrupte affections And these must we take for saints worship pray vnto call vpon make our Intercessours Mediatours and Aduocates and yet know we not for all the popes canonisation whether they be saintes in heauen or deuils in hell It is much to be feared least this common saying be founde true in a greate number of our Popishe saintes The bodies of many are worshipped on earth whose soules are tormented in hell fier Of the Reliques of Saintes POpe Paschalis the firste deuised first of al the glorious setting out to sale of saints Reliques In the yeare c. 820. Fasciâ— Temp. Chron. Germ. Pope Clement the first commaunded that the Reliques of Saints should be reuerently kepte and had in greate honour In y e yeare c. 1300. Clement Lib. 3. Tit. 16. Capi. 1. Volat. Pantal. Pope Gregory y e fourth made a decree y e masse should be sayd ouer the bodyes of the Martyrs In y e yeare c. 831. Pol. Pope Boniface the fifth decreed that such as were but Benet Colet should not touch the Reliques of Saints but they onelye whiche are Subdeacons Deacons and Priestes In the yeare of our Lord. 617. Onuphrius Panuimus â—ac Phil. Bergom Pope Sergius y e first deuised the gorgious shrines of saintes to kepe Reliques in In the yeare c. 684.
The Reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of Religion as haue in times past bene brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherentes faithfully gathered out of the moste faithful writers of Chronicles and Histories and nowe newly both diligently corrected greatly augmented to the singuler profit of the Readers by Thomas Becon 1563. Esay 5. Wo be vnto them that call euill good and good euill whiche make darknesse light and lighte darkenesse that make soure swet and swete soure Wo be vnto theÌ„ that are wise in their owne sighte and thinke theÌ„selues to haue vnderstaÌ„dyng ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath Saint Martines ¶ Cum Priuilegio THOMAS BECONVS SACROSAÌ„C TAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR Ora expressa vides viuos imitantia vultus Quod potuit calimo pictor arte vides Mentis quam nullus potuit tibi reddere pictor Effigiem scriptis praebuit ipse suis. ¶ A Prophecie of Antichrist ANtichrist shall be borne in great Babilon of an Harlot that shal come of y e tribe of DaÌ„ He shalbe replenished with y e deuill in his mothers woÌ„be He shalbe nourished with spirituall euils mischiefes He shal rule ouer the whole world He shal subdue all maÌ„kind vnto him by foure maÌ„ner of wayes First he shall bring the coÌ„mon people vnder his dominion by terrour feare for he shal exercise great cruelty tyraÌ„ny against the true worshippers of god SecoÌ„dly he shall win vnto him the noble personages suche as be in authoritye by geuyng theÌ„ greate gifts riches wherof he shal haue great abouÌ„dauÌ„ce plenty for al the hid mony shal be open vnto him Thirdly w t his wisedome eloqueÌ„ce which shalbe wonderful and incredible he shal make the clergy to cleaue vnto him for he shall haue great knowledge of al arts of the scripture Fourthly thorow signes and wonders he shall deceaue such as despise the world as monkes suche like For he shal shew wonderfull signes and tokens He shal be thought to cause fyre to come downe from heauen to consume his aduersaries before him and to raise vp the dead to geue witnesse of hym But he shall not rayse vp the dead in deede But thorowe hys witchcraft and forcery he shall cause the deuill to enter into the body of some damned dead persoÌ„ this shal he cary about him by this shall he so speake that euery maÌ„ shall thinke hym to be aliue as it is written of hym His comming shall be by the working of SathaÌ„ with al lying power signes wonders in all deceauablenesse of vnrighteousnes among theÌ„ that perish The Iewes and al misbeleuing persons out of all places of the worlde shall flock flow vnto him But thorow the preaching of Enoch and Hely the people shal forsake him returne vnto the true and christeÌ„ religion wherof shal ensue greate persecution and manslaughter in so much that all in a manner shal suffer hard martirdome He shal rule and obtaine the monarchy by the space of three yeares an halfe Afterward he shall pitche his tente in the mouÌ„t Oliuet to the ende that he may destroy the rightuous But he shall not preuayle For in the very same mount shal he be found sodenly dead For he shalbe slaine at the commaundement of God with the breath of the Lordes mouth as it is written the Lord shal cast downe Hedlong and vtterly destroye in the holy hill the stoutest gyaunt of the whole worlde After these thynges peace and righteousnesses shall spryng vp and the earth shalbe filled full of the knowledge of the Lorde so that the Gospell of the kingdome shalbe preached in al the worlde For there shal go vp sauiours vnto the mount of Sion to iudge the hill of Esau and the kyngdome shal be the Lordes Osey 14. Who so is wise shal vnderstand this and â—e that is right instruct will regard it Math 24. Who so readeth it let him vnderstand 2. Timoth. 2. The Lorde geue the vnderstandyng in all thynges A Table of the principall matters contayned in this Booke 1 Of the Pope of hys vsurped power fained authoritie fol. 1. 2 Of the Popes election 15 3 Of Cardinals 18 4 Of Bishops 19 5 The othe whiche the popishe Bishops vse to swear wheÌ„ they are coÌ„secrated 24 6 Of Priestes 26 7 Of the single lyfe of Priestes 32 8 Of the Mariage of Priestes 35 9 Of Uowes and that the vowe of chastitie hindereth not him or her froÌ„ mariage whiche hathe not the gift of continencie 37 10 Of benefices and Prebendes 39 11 Of impropriations of benefices 42 12 Of tythes offrings 45 13 Of monastical sectes 46 14 Of heremites of theyr sondry orders 46 15 Of anckers anckresses and all other recluses 52 16 Of monkes of the diuerse sectes of the same 54 17 Of Chanons and of the diuersitie of them 66 18 Of Friers and of their manifold sectes 66 19 Of Nunnes and of their diuers orders 73 20 Of the Monastical apparell and who was the fyrste deuiser therof 76 21 Of teÌ„ples or churches 77 22 Of Church yardes 79 23 Of Churche goods 80 24 Of the ornamentes of the Churche 80 25 Of Images to be had in Churches 85 26 Certayne godly lawes of Emperours and kinges against the hauing of Images in Churches with the aduise consent and iudgemeÌ„t of diuers godly learned men 88 27 Of Baptisme 95 28 Of the Lordes Supper commonly called of the Papistes The Sacrament of the aultar 97 29 Of receiuing the Sacrament vnder both kindes according to Christes institution 102 30 Of receauing the Sacrament vnder one king accordyng to the Popes tradition 103 31 Of confirmation or Byshopping of children 105 32 Of Matrimony 106 33 Of auriculer coÌ„fessioÌ„ 107 34 Of annointyng or extreme vnction 108 35 Of prayeng for the dead 108 36 Of diuine seruice as thei cal it Mattens Prime and Houres Euensong Complain c. 109 37 Of playne song Prickesong Discant c. 116 38 Of singing in the church the iudgement of diuers learned men 117 39 Of the Masse and of all the partes therof 122 40 Of certayne decrees appertaynyng vnto the Masse 138 41 Of y e massing priest 14â— 42 Of the dignitie and power of the massing priest of the honor that is due vnto him be he good or bad 148 43 Of the ceremonies of the Popishe Churche 158 44 Of holy water and the vertue of the same 158 45 Of holy bread and the power therof 162 46 Of Procession 162 47 Of sensyng Idem 48 Of candeâ—s bearyng on Candlemasse day Idem 49 Of ashes spryncklyng 165 50 Of palmes bearing 165 51 Of Palmes ashes candels and halowyng Idem 52 Of crepynge to the Crosse. 166 53 Of halowyng the paschal Idem 54 Of Oyle and Creame and of the halowyng of the same Idem 55 Of the fire on Easter euen and of the halowyng therof 167 56 Of halowyng the fonte on
Christe in his members than he was in tymes paste The aduersaries of Gods truth haue no delight nor pleasure in heauenly and spirituall thyngs but like bellie beastes only borne to consume the good frutes of the earth they desire and seke after nothyng but the thynges of this world that their sonnes as the Psalmographe sayth may grow vp as the younge plantes and that their doughters maye be as the polyshed corners of the temple that their garners maye be full and plenteous with all manner of store â–ª that their shepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in their stretes that their Oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decay no leding into captiuitie and no complayning in their stretes If all thinges go well and prosperously with them then are they mery and diligently offer sacrifice to to their God the belly But if any aduersity come then knitte they the forehead and worke their malice vpon Gods word and the faithfull professours of the same The worde they call heresie erroure doctrine new and straunge seditious and cause of rebellion of all other plages wherwith the commoÌ„ weale is afflicted The professoures of thys worde they blaspheme they â—aile vpon they curse with booke bell candle they excommunicate they apprehende they accuse they condemne they stocke they cheane they manacle â–ª they racke and in fine they most cruelly with sweard fyre and halter brynge them vnto an ende so farre is it of that these Epicures and bellygods do as they ought render thankes to God for his corporall benefites so richely poured vpon them and vpon other his creatures Now as touching the spiritual benefites and heauenly giftes of the minde as the knowledge of the holy scriptures the vnderstanding of the Lordes blessed will the preaching of the Gospel the true administration of the SacrameÌ„ts the abolishment of all false worshippings superstitions c. wherwith God in this our age hath most mercifully blessed vs â–ª far passing many other nations that be vnder the heauens as these wise wicked worldlinges knowledge not the benefits of the body nor yet are thanckfull to God for them so likewise are they altogether vnthanckfull for the gifts of the minde whiche do so far excel the other as gold surmouÌ„teth coper or siluer tynne For lyke as Owles caÌ„ not abyde the golden and glysteryng beames of the Sunne nor the light of y e day so in lyke maÌ„ner caÌ„ not these bellygods and Antichristes slaues suffer the glorious and pleasaunt light of Christes most glorious and pleasaunt Gospel They crye out with the wicked of whoÌ„ the Prophet maketh meÌ„tion on thys manner Se not Loke not out right thynges for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs. Loke out erroures Get you out of this way Depart out of this pathe and turne the holy one of Israel froÌ„ vs. In the trifling traditioÌ„s â–ª croked constitutions idle inueÌ„tioÌ„s drousy dreames deuilish decrees false fables fond fantasies of meÌ„ is theyr whole delight as for the sincere pure religion of God that they vtterly neglect set at nought coÌ„teÌ„ne despise And if for shame they seme to approue alowe any part therof yet they do so maÌ„gle it bring it in captiuitie to the traditioÌ„s of meÌ„ that it looseth the sincere simplicitie simple sinceritie whiche it receaued of the holye Ghost Some of theÌ„ are not ashamed so to diminish the authoritie of Gods sacred scriptures that they affirme the word of God to be so far the worde of God as the Church doth allowe it meaning the pope his spiritual shauelinges as though God gaue vs in his holy Scriptures an vnperfecte doctrine and not sufficiently authorised of him without the consent of Antichrist of hys broode Is not this to set God to schole and to make him a Nouice So should it follow that the word of God is grounded on the Church not the Churche on the worde of God Is not this right Antichrist that should turne y e rootes of trees vpwarde Christ saith speaking of his Church My shepe heare my voyce Againe he that is of god heareth the wordes of god IteÌ„ Euery one that is of y e truth heareth my voice And the holy Apostle saith speaking to the faithfull congregation of God Ye are no straungers and forreyners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christe hymselfe beyng the head corner stone in whome what buyldyng soeuer is coupled together it groweth vnto an holye temple in the Lorde The worde of God is not buylte vpon men althoughe neuer so holye and perfect neyther receaueth it any authoritie of maÌ„ although of neuer so greate excellencie wysedome and power but such as are the congregation of God are built vpon the worde of God whatsoeuer authoritie they haue euerye one in their degree and office they haue it altogether of Gods worde without the whiche word there can be no Church for asmuch as there caÌ„ be no faith as the Apostle saith Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing commeth by the worde of God so farre is it of that either pope or Cardinall or anye other person hath any power to geue authoritie to the worde of God whiche already is authorized by the most hygh and supreme power euen God himselfe Some obiect olde and auÌ„cient customes affirming that this our religion as they terme it new and straunge disseÌ„teth in order and vsage greatly from the manner heretofore practised in our temples I graunt neither can the sinceritie of Gods worde suffer and abyde such olde vnsauory croked customes as heretofore haue bene vsed in the popish Religion as the coniuring of salte water bread bowes flowers fire ashes caÌ„dles c. creping to the crosse worshipping of Images calling vpon dead Sainctes sensing of altares Idols praying in a strauÌ„ge tong offering the missall sacrifice for the quicke and for the dead receauyng of the Sacrament vnder one kind with a thousand moe errours and heresies and other greuous abuses which of longe vsage and custome in tymes past haue bene exercised among vs taken for true Godlynesse But who knoweth not â–ª that custome ought to geue place to reason and truth for reason and truth exclude alwaye put out of place custome be it neuer so olde and auncient laudable and commendable Christ is the truth therfore ought we rather to followe the truth than the custome If thou lay to our charge custome sayth S. Gregorye Thou must marke what the Lorde saith I am saith he the way the truth and the life He sayd not I am the custome but I am the truth Custome without truth saith Saint Cyprian is nothing els thaÌ„ an olde errour Therfore leauing the error let vs followe the truth When the truth is once come to light saith Saint Austen let custome geue place For who doubteth that
such as the pope fauoureth not but that he shuld rather eschew them as enemies turne away from them as heathen persons For seing sayeth he that the dead that is to say y e pope abhorreth theÌ„ much more y e fete that is all Princes Kyngs Rulers all other kinde of people ought so to do and vtterly deteste them Ioan. Laziardus Pope Clement the fyrst made a constitution that all Emperours kings princes shuld be subiecte to the church of Rome both in spirituall and temporall matters acknowledge the pope to be their head Chron. Ioan. Laziardus Celestinus Pope Sixtus made a decree that if any man wer euill entreated of his Metropolitane it shuld be lawfull for him to appeale vnto the Sea of Rome mother and head of the vniuersall churche of Christ throughout al y e worlde 2. Q 6. Cap. Si quis putauerit Pope Fabian the fyrst ordained that euery maÌ„ might lawfully appeale vnto the sea of Rome although sentence wer pronouÌ„ced against him In y e yere â–ª c. 242.2 Qu 6. ca. Licet Iac. Phili. BergoÌ„ Pope Leo the thyrde made a decree that the decrees of the bishop of Rome should be more regarded set by than al the iudgementes writings boâ—â—es of the best learned In the yere c. 817. Iacob Phil. Bergom Pope Eugenius the fourth gathered a councel at Florence in the which wer present many great learned men both Grekes and Latines In thys councell it was required of the Grekes and of the Indians that they shuld celebrate the Lordes Supper with vnleuended bread according to the decree of Pope Alexander the fyrst and y t they shoulde grauÌ„t y t there is a purgatorie to purge soules after this life agayne that they shuld confesse the bishop of Rome to be the true vicare of Christ the very successour of Peter and the supreme head of Christs church thorowout y e world But they woulde not obey the Popes request but boldly answered that they would continew in the fayth and doctrine whiche their Churches from the beginnyng had receaued of the Apostles In the yeare c. 1433. Ioan. Philip. Bergom Chron. Pope Boniface the eyght vpon a certayn great and solemne feast apparelled in hys Pontificalibus was caried about the citie of Rome on mens shoulders gaue the people large blessings with wagging his fyngers ouer them on euery syde The nexte daye after he put on an imperial robe decking himself like an Emperour and coÌ„maunded a naked sweard to be borne before him and he himself sitting vpon his moyle gloriously cryed out with a loud voice saying Ecce duo gladij hic Behold here are two sweardes calling himself Lord of the whole worlde concerning both temporal and spiritual matters This is that monsture of whom it is writteÌ„ Intrauit vt Vulpes vixit vt Leo moritur vt Canis That is to saye he entred in as a fore he liued as a lyoÌ„ he dyed as a dogge In the yeare of our Lord. 1290. Albertus Crantzius Fascic Temp. Pantal. Pope Leo the fourth so greatly estemed both himselfe and his authoritye that he offered hys feete vnto princes to be kyssed and honoured In the yere c. 858. Volat. Plat. Pantal. Pope Innocent the thyrd fyrste of all crowned Otho the Emperour and afterward depriued him agayne saying It lyeth in my power both to set vp to plucke down emperours kings and princes at my pleasure For all power is geuen vnto me both in heauen and in earth In the yere of our Lord 1195. Sebast. Frank. Chron. Temton Fasc Tempâ— Paulus Phrig c. Pope Alexander the thyrde did not only with martiall armours resiste the Godly and noble Emperour Frederike but at the laste thorow the might of other princes subduing him compelled y â— aforesayd Emperour before he wuld geue hym absolution be at one with him to lye flatte down vpoÌ„ the ground before hym in the syght of the people and the pope setting hys foote in the emperors necke cried out with a loude voyce and sayd ScriptuÌ„ est Super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis conculcabis leonem draconem That is to saye It is written Upon the Adder the Cockatrice shalt thou walke and thou shalt treade downe the lion the dragon In the yeare c. 1161. Nauclerus â–ª Sabel Iaco. Phil. Ioan. Char. This pope made compelled Lewes King of Fraunce and Henrye King of Englande to be his lackies to runne on fote by him y e one holding his horses bridle on the right side the other on the left syde leading him with greate pompe thorow the citie Totiacum vnto Ligris Chroni Sigebertus Pope Hadriane the fourth was not a little angrye bicause the Emperoure helde with his hand the left stirrope and not the right when he came down of hys horse aboute the yeare c. 1158. Albertus Crantz Otho Frisius Pantaleon Pope Calixtus the second wheÌ„ he returned vnto Rome caused pope Benet whom the Emperor had before set vp to be apprehended and to be set vpon an horse so ryde before him vilanously al the way his face being turned vnto the horses arse holding the horse tayle being in his hande in steade of a bridle Afterwarde he threw him into prison where he most miserably dyed About the yere c. 1120. Chron. Fasciculus temporum c. Pope Celestine the third crowned the emperour Henry the fyfte holding the crowne betwene his fete And wheÌ„ he had put the crown vpoÌ„ the emperours heade he smote it of with his fote againe saying y t he had power to make Emperours and to put them down agayne In the yeare c. 1195. Crantz Pope Cornelius ordayned y t no othe shoulde be required of the pope excepte it were for the mayntaynaunce of holy church In the yeare c. 255. Ranulphus Cestrensis Chron. Pope Gregorye the seuenth for dyspleasure that he bare vnto Henrye the Emperoure wrote vnto the princes people that liued vnder y e Emperours dominion that they should by no meanes obey the Emperour but rather resiste hym and hys authoritie and take him no more for Emperour but rather for an vsurper of the empyre The emperour perceauing this malicious purpose of y e pope wrote againe vnto him on this manner When Christ coÌ„mitted the sheepe vnto Peter he excepted Kings The pope aunswered the Emperor in his letters on this wise WheÌ„ Christ gaue y e keyes vnto Peter he excepted no man by this meanes chaleÌ„ging power authoritie ouer al Emperours Kings Princes and Rulers vnto whom notw tstanding by y e worde of God both pope Bishop w t all the spiritualty as they terme them ought to shewe obedience euen from the very heart not only for conscience sake In the yeare c. 1073. Christianus Massaeus Sabast. Frank. Chron. Pope Boniface the eight wrote vnto
in a manner by the reason of that vse coulde it by heart and song it in stretes and hie wayes so that it came to passe that wheÌ„ certain shepheardes did synge it in the fielde and layed breade vpon a stone at the pronouncing of those wordes of consecration the bread was turned into fleshe But the shepheardes by Gods iudgement were striken vnto death for their presumption thorowe fyre that came downe from heauen Therfore the holy fathers haue decreed y t those words should be spoken in silence forbiddyng all men vnder payne of excommunication that no man presume to speake those wordes but priestes onely when they are at the altar yea and that at Masse agayn when they haue on their Massing garmentes Thys tale telleth Guil. Durandus in his booke called Rationale diuinorum officiorum also Ioannes Billet in his boke de diuinis officiis Honorius in his treatise de geÌ„ma animae wherof thou mayest learne two thinges Firste that in the primatiue churche and â—ong after wheÌ„ Christen religion was moste pure the wordes of the Lordes Supper or as the papistes terme them of consecration were not spoken in hocker mocker as they be now but playnely openlye and distinctly that al myght heare theÌ„ vnderstand them and learne them vnto their great comforte â–ª and edifying Secondly y t the words of consecration were at that time of so great vertue y t whosoeuer pronounced them ouer the bread were he Lay or Spiritual priest or Ploweman Byshop or Butcher the breade was strayghtwayes tourned into the naturall bodye of Christ as we may see here by y e shepeheardes whiche were laye men and not holye annoynted whiche were in the fielde and not in the Church whiche had on their shepeheardes clokes and not halowed vestments whiche had but a coÌ„mon stone to laye their breade on and no halowed altare And here mayest thou see y t any laye man if he can pronounce the words of consecration hauing bread layed on a stone may make Christes body as wel as y e priest For if y e lay men by y e vertue of y e words could make Christes bodye at that tyme be thou certayne and well assured y t they bee able to doe the same euen nowe also notwythstandyng the holye fathers decrees to the contrarye For the vertue of Goddes worde abydeth alwayes one If the Massemonger therfore can make hym y t made them as theyr doctryne declareth then can the Laye man lykewyse make theyr maker and so maye the Laitie stryue with the spiritualtye to the vttermost in God makyng Nowe that the popyshe priestes can make God whiche made them although I coulde bryng forth and alledge manye authorities euen oute of theyr owne bookes yet will I at thys presente contente my selfe with one or two sentences which are written in a boke called Stella Clericorum The authors wordes ar these I ste qui creauit me dedit mihi creare se qui creauit me sine me creatur mediante me That is to say in Englyshe He that made me gaue me power to make hym and he that made me withoute me is made by the meanes of me Agayne he sayth Cum ergo tantae dignitatis sit sacerdos quod creator sit sui creatoris totius creaturae ipsum perdere vel damnare inconueniens est Which is thus Englished Seyng then that a priest is of so great dignitie that he is the maker of hys maker and of euery creature to destroye or to condemne hym it is not conuenient Pope Alexander the fyrste ordayned that the bread whiche the prieste hath at hys Masse shoulde bee but of a small quantitye saying Thys oblation the lesser it bee the better it is Guilielmus Durandus Pope Alexander also commaunded that the breade shoulde be vnleuened bread whiche the prieste vseth at hys Masse Platina Sabelli Lib. Concil Poly. Christ. Massaeus Whye theyr singing cake is rather rounde than otherwyse Antoninus maketh thys reason The hoste sayeth he is made round after the manner of a penye bicause Iudas solde Christ for thirtye pens Guilielmus Durandus writeth thus The hoste is formed rounde bycause the earth is the Lordes and al y t is therin y e round world all y t dwel in it y t the outward fashion therof may signifie him that wanteth both beginning and ending Pope Alexander likewyse appoynted y t the wine in y e chalice shuld be myngled with water to signifye the vnion vnseparable felowship of Christ hys church Ioan. Laziard â— Ioan. Stella Libro Concil Grat. Sabel Pope Honorius the third commaunded y t the Missall bread shoulde be heaued and lifted vp aboue the Priestes heade at the sacryng tyme as they call it and y t all the people should fal down and worship it In the yeare of oure Lord. 1214. Extra de celeb Miss Can. Sanâ— cum olim Gabriel Biel super Canone Missae Lect. 14. et Lect. 50 Dec. 3. Tit. 1. Cap 10. Pantaleon Here may al men see how auncient a thing thys Pope holy sakeryng is which notwithstanding the blynd and sely shepyshe symple soules thynke to be y e beste part of the Masse Uerely it is a little more than three hundred and fortie yeres olde A deuilishe an Idolatrous inuentioÌ„ is it not altogether vnlyke to the setting vp of the golden calfe in the wildernesse Pope Gregorye the ninth ordayned y t the sacryng bel shoulde be rong wheÌ„ the priest lifteth vp the Missall bread Chalice aboue hys head to moue the people to beholde that new found God whiche is not as the true God ought to be worshipped in spirite and truth but in knockyng knelyng and liftyng vp of handes In the yeare c. 1225. Anselmus Ryd Pope Leo Pope Victor Pope Nicolas Pope Innocent Pope Honorius pope Vrban â–ª Monke Lanckfrancke Monk Gratian Fryer Thomas Fryer Bonauenture and such lyke monstures belly Gods inuented fyrst of all the God of the altare and made of the Sacramente or holy sygne of Christes body and bloud the true naturall real corporal carnal substantiall c body of Christ GOD and man fleshe bloude and bone synowes guttes and loynes euen as he was borne of Marye the Uirgine and hanged on the Crosse no breade nor wyne remayning but the substance of breade tourned into the substaunce of Christes naturall bodye and the substance of wyne chaunged into the substance of Christes naturall bloude So that we handle hym with oure handes put hym in our mouthe teare hym with oure teeth eate hym digest hym c and partely with theyr Sophistrye they persuaded and partely with theyr tyrannye they compelled the people so to beleue as the cruell and bloudye papistes lyke wyse doe in thys our age where the deuill and the Pope reygne whiche dayes was not knowen nor heard of in y e Church of Christe so newe is the doctryne of transubstantiation and of theyr missal
downe hys necke in confession to the Prieste and humble hymselfe before the priest as before God being in dede Goddes vicare Therefore God oute of hands exalted the Priestes aboue al men and aboue all creatures as a certaine Doctor sayth speakyng of Priestes Although by nature ye bee men yet in dignitye ye excell all men Agayne A Prieste is hygher than Kynges more blessed and happye than Aungells and the maker of hys maker Secondly God hath honoured them in temporall thinges For those thinges which God reserued vnto himself that is to say the tenthes y e offerings the fyrst frutes and the other Patrimonyes of Christe crucifyed he hath freely geuen to y e priests for the sustentation and mainteinaunce of their body that they being free from laboure when other meÌ„ must nedes worke for their liuing may y e more quietly serue God in spirituall thinges Thyrdly God hath honoured them in geuing them suche immunities priuileges liberties and fredomes that no earthlye Prince hath iurisdiction ouer them neither king neither Prince neither any other seculare maÌ„ no neither dare any man lay violente hande vpon them no not vppon the lessest of y e order For whosoeuer doth the contrary he is excommunicate with the greater excommunication eo facto both in heauen and in earth Uerely God doth so defend theÌ„ y t none dare trouble theÌ„ eyther in worde or in deede insomuche y t whatsoeuer displeasure is done vnto any of them he thynketh it to be done to hymselfe as the Lorde hymselfe sayeth by y e Prophete Zacharye He y e toucheth you toucheth the apple of myne eye Agayne in the Psalme he sayeth touch not myne annoynted so y t priests are not to bee molested so muche as with a worde but they ar to be honoured as the Lorde sayde to Moses and Aaron I wil blesse them y e blesse you and curse them that curse you In consideration wherof the priestes and meÌ„ of the church are priuileged insomuche that whosoeuer doe make or cause to bee made or to be kepte any statutes that bee agaynste the libertyes of the priestes and men of the Clergye they are strayght wayes excommunicate accursed Item no worldely Prince dare make exactions vppon the Clergye neyther dare any man aske any kynde of paymentes or take any thing of the Clergye For if he doe he is out of hande excommunicate neyther can he be absolued from the aforesayd excommunication excepte he make restitution at the full Fourthly God hath honored the priestes in that he hath committed vnto them the soules of the faythfull that is to say the holy Churche of the whiche Chrisostome saith The church is more honourable than heauen and the aungels all other creatures Christ hath loued the Churche more than himselfe for whose sake he came downe from heauen into this world and serued for it xxxiii yeares and at the laste suffred bitter death for it and doth nowe geue vnto it his body for meate his bloud for drinke and after this life he geueth himselfe vnto it for a rewarde Moreouer he hath committed thys welbeloued Churche to priestes with all the giftes that is to say the Sacramentes For the order of priesthood onely hath power to baptise except it be in necessitie at whiche tyme it is lawefull for euery man and woman to baptise Also he alone hath aucthoritie to minister the Sacrament of confirmation Item the priest alone hathe power to heare confession to geue absolution and to enioyne penaunce accordynge to this saying of Christ take the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye forgeue they are forgeuen them but whose synnes ye do retayne they are retayned IteÌ„ he alone hath power to minister the SacrameÌ„t of extreme vnction c. In this incomprehensible dignitye God hath singularely honoured them aboue all other men Ye are that lyght of the worlde sayth he For as the worlde shoulde be nothynge without lyght euen so is the Churche nothyng without priestes Fiftly God hath honored theÌ„ in this that he hath streightly charged all men to be obedient vnto them as vnto him selfe of what condition or state so euer they be as he sayth He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Whatsoeuer is not lawefull sayth Austen it is the shepheardes office to forbyd and the duty of the flock to heare and to obey Therfore all men muste obey the Priestes euen as Christ when they commaunde them to faste to kepe holy day c. Therfore the Lorde threatneth them that are disobedient and rebell agaynst the commaundement of Priestes saying he that is proude and will not obey the commaundement of the Priest let hym dye the death An example hereof haue we in Dathan Abiron and Chore whiche rebelled agaynste Moses and Aaron and therefore the earth opened and swalowed them vp quick Sixtly God hath honored them by giuyng them power to bynde and to loosen as it is written Whatsoeuer ye shall binde vpon the earth c. This power of binding and losoning is vnderstande one waye of excommunication whiche is the spirituall swearde and it is greatly to be feared An other way this power is to be vnderstand of the absolution of sinnes Therfore the Bishop wheÌ„ he maketh priestes bloweth and breatheth vpon them saying Take the holy Ghost c. Seuenthly God hath honored them in that they are called aungels in the scriptures Therefore sayth Gregory All that are termed by the name of a priest are called Aungels But wherefore are they called aungels Verelye bicause they haue certayne properties with the angels First bicause it is the office of aungels to minister vnto God and vnto men as the Apostle saith All AuÌ„gels are ministring spirits So likewise is it the dutye of priestes to serue God day night and to minister vnto men with the Sacramentes Secondly bicause an aungell is pure in lyfe so in lyke maner ought euery priest to be chast and pure in his life and conuersation For to liue chast is an aungelike life as Ambrose saith they that are not maried nor do mary are as aungels in earth Damascen sayth Abstinence from mariage is the folowyng of aungels Thyrdly it is the office of Aungels to enforme and instructe men by good inspiration So likewise is it the priestes duty to do by the word of god Fourthly it is y e duty of aungels to prayse god so likewise are the priestes bounde vnder payne of deadly synne to say eueryday theyr mattens prime and houres euen â—ong c. vnto the prayse of God Eyghtly God hath honored y e priests in this that they are in some poyntes like to the most blessed virgine Mary First as the most blessed virgin Mary did conceaue thorowe fyue wordes the true body of Christ Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum so likewise the priest thorow fiue words Hoc est enim corpus meuÌ„ maketh the body of
Christ. And as immediatlye after the consent of Marye whole Christe was in her wombe so likewise out of hande after the wordes of consecration be pronounced by the priest the bread is turned into the substance of the very body of Christ secoÌ„dly as the blessed virgine after she had brought forth Christe bare hym in her handes and layde him in the cribe and tooke hym vp agayne so likewyse the priest after the consecration lifteth vp Christ and layeth him downe agayne and beareth hym vnto the sicke and handleth him with his handes Thirdly as the blessed virgine was saÌ„ctified in her wombe before she conceaued Christ as it is written The most high hath saÌ„ctified his tabernacle so in like manner the priest receaueth holye orders before he coÌ„secrateth for he could not consecrate excepte he were ordered And therefore a Laye man be he neuer so holye can do nothyng in thys matter althoughe he pronounceth the wordes of consecration Ninthly God hath honored the priestes aboue Aungels yea and somwhat also aboue the dignitie of blessed Mary the virgine First in the dignitie of keping For a priest is bound to kepe many soules as the Byshop is bounde to looke vpon al the diocesse and the Pope the whole worlde and the Curate hys parishe as Bernarde saith O how worthy kepers are they which so carefully watche that they may kepe the soules that are committed vnto them from euerlastyng death But an Aungell hath but one soule committed vnto hym for to kepe as Bernarde testifieth Great is the dignitie of soules that euery one of them euen from the very tyme of their birth shoulde haue an aungel appointed for to kepe them Secondly in taking and touchyng the body of Christ. The angels doe but see God as it is written Their aungels see the face of my Father whiche is in heauen But in this is the priest greater than the AuÌ„gell for he doth but see God but the priest handleth hym yea and eateth him which was neuer giueÌ„ to any Aungell so to do but it sufficeth hym to beholde God Thirdly in consecratyng the bodye of Christe And in this point the priest doth not onely excell the Aungels but also after a certayne manner Marye the Mother of Christ so that the lessest priest on earth is able to do that whiche the greatest Aungell in Heauen can not doe Therfore saith Barnarde O the dignitie of priestes worthy to be had in great reuerence in whose handes as in the wombe of the Virgine the Sonne of God is incarnate Austen also saith In the consecration of the holye host the whole court of Heauen doth seruice to the priest yea and the Lorde of heauen commeth downe vnto him Likewyse saith Ambrose vpoÌ„ Luke Doubt thou not but that Aungels are there preseÌ„t when Christ is present on the altare wheÌ„ he is offered so y t Christ may well say to euery priest y t which is writteÌ„ in Esay What coulde I haue done more for thee haue not done it Furthermore we must know that euerye maÌ„ is bouÌ„d to honour priests seing y e god himself hath so many sundry waies garnished beautified theÌ„ with suche so great honour But contrary to this do all they that dishonour priestes and in this they greuouslye offende God as Henricus de vrimaria writing vpon the fourth commaundement saith Wo be vnto them and euerlasting damnation hangeth ouer their heades that do dishonour priestes speake euill of them diffame backbite them for they crucifie the Sonne of God againe For so often as thou backbitest or â—laundrest a religious person or priest so often dost thou put a crowne of thorne vpon Christes head For they are the head vpper parte of the Churche militante So often as thou doest any displeasure vnto them so often dost thou fasten Christ with nayles to the crosse So often as thou raylest vpon them so often dost thou spit Christ in the face And so often as thou dost euill entreat them and find faulte either in their speaking or doying so often dost y u thrust Christ vnto the hart with a speare God therfore willing to shewe howe greatly he detesteth that synne hath made it euident with that wonderful punishment and vnwonted paine whiche Dathan Abiron and Chore suffered whom the earth dyd swalowe vp quicke bycause they dyd mysuse the Priestes Of these thynges aforesayde it euidentlye appeareth y t priestes euen of dutye ought to bee honoured of all men In sermonibus discipuli Germ. iii. Dom. 14. Post. Festum Trinitatis O ye Priestes which are the buckelars and officers of y e true Salomon that is to saye of Iesus Christ and the chamberlaynes and dispensatoures or stewardes of the mysteryes of God Consider marke diligentlye in what degree and dignitye ye are set ouer all the goodes of the Lorde What could God doe more for the Priestes than to geue them power for to make hymselfe to handle hym to eate hym to geue him to other Therefore remeÌ„ber your selues and consider well y e noble priuilege of your dignitye Althoughe glasse bee made of vyle matter and stuffe yet is it reproued founde to be more clere than golde and siluer so likewise euery priest be he neuer so great and greuous a sinner yet doth he farre excell al other creatures both Kinges and Princes is of greater dignitie than al y e creatures y t are Ye are sayeth S. Peter speakyng to priestes a chosen generation a royall priesthoode an holy nation a wonne people not only of a temporal election but also of an eternall predestination O the worshipful dignitie of priests if ye liue worthily and priestlike within whose handes as in the Virgines wombe the sonne of God is incarnate and made man O heauenly mysterye which y e father and y e sonne and y e holy ghoste doth so maruelouslye worke by you y t in one and in the same moment the same God whiche sitteth ruleth in heauen is a sacrifice in your hands The heauen wondreth at so noble a priuilege the earth marueleth man is greatly astonied hell quaketh for feare the deuell trembleth and shaketh all y t is on hym the Aungelike highnesse is in great admiration What then shall I priest geue agayne vnto the Lorde for all thinges that he hath geuen me As for an example He that hath made me hath geuen me power to make hym yea he that made me without me is made by the meanes of me c. Consider therefore O ye Priestes the maruelous dignitie of your excellencye that God hath not onely ordained you before al other people but he hath also made you passing all other creatures which he hath created vnto the prayse and glorye of his name c. Sauyng y e Aungels reuerence whose number is infinite I say playnly that ye are greater than Aungells and doe farre excell their dignitye largo modo loquendo For to whiche
of the Aungels hath God geuen that whiche he hath geuen to the priest I meane Whatsoeuer ye bynde on earth shal be bounde also in heauen Note there are two keyes that is to say of knowledge and of power geuen of the Lord to blessed Peter and to other men not to al meÌ„ but to Priestes alone and to their successoures For althoughe God alone forgeue synne yet neuer or verye seldome dothe he forgeue synne withoute his ministers that is to say Priestes Whiche thyng may be proued by the Lepers to whome when the Lorde had healed them he sald Go shewe your selues to the priestes and humbly obey them And whyle they were goyng they were made cleane It maye also bee proued by Lazarus whom when the Lorde had raysed vp he sayd to hys Disciples Loose hym and let hym go But wherfore dyd not the Lorde hymselfe loosen hym from y t knots of the byndings which had losoned hym froÌ„ y e bondes of death And wherfore dyd he not commaunde Mary and Martha hys systers to loose him or hys kynnesfolke the Iewes whiche were nerer vnto hym by the course of nature than the Disciples of y e Lord Verelye to declare manifestlye and to proue playnly that the power to loose and to bynde is geuen of the Lorde to priestes alone Beholde how great the goodnesse of God and the worthinesse of priestes is For the Lorde himselfe worketh good somtime euen by them y e are euell and that to thys ende bycause the keyes of the Churche should not be despised or set at nought of the faythfull For although priestes sometime haue not thys power ex merito yet haue they it ex officio dignitatis And if any priest â—e vnworthye which god forbid y t hurteth hymselfe it hyndreth thee nothyng at all Beholde what greate power is geuen to you priestes For your tounges are made the keyes of heauen O how great dignitie saith Bernard hath god geuen to you How great and excellent is y e prerogatiue of y e priestes order He hath preferred you aboue the Kynges of y e earth He hath exalted thys order of priestes aboue all men Yea as I may speake more highly he hath preferred you before Aungells thrones and powers For as he toke not Aungels but Abrahams sede to bryng to passe redemption so lykewyse hath he committed y e consecration of his body and bloude not to Aungells but to men that is to saye to priestes only Seing then y t a priest is of so greate dignitie y t he is the maker of hys maker him to destroy or to condemne it is not conuenient c. This is a very heauenly priuilege this is an exceding great glory this is a grace excelling all grace a priest to holde God in hys hands We beleue are thorowly perswaded y t the celebration of so noble a mysterye is committed to none of the Aungels to none of the Archeaungels nor to any other heauenly spirites but to your order onely c. For on the altare thorowe the mouthe and the handes of y e priestes the bodye of Christ is made euen that very bodye whiche is on the right hand of God c. O ye priestes howe greate a thing is this that at the lifting vp of your handes Kynges bowe down their heades yea Kings and Queenes offer giftes to you All the Churche or congregation confesseth calleth you fathers and desireth you to praye for them c. O the worshipfull holynesse of priestes handes O blessed and happie exercise O the true ioye of the worlde where lowe things ar ioyned to y e most high thinges when Christ handleth Christ y e priest y e sonne of God Thou hast a delight to be with the sonnes of men Therefore sayth Peter speakyng of priests ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthoode an holy Nation a wonne people c. O ye priests consider the excellencye of your moste noble dignitye For the lord hath enriched beautified you before al other his creatures Verely priestes ar worthy to be honoured seing y e the Lord hath geueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ passing al other so greate grace and honoure in the worlde Ex lib cui titulus est Stella Clericorum Of the ceremonies of the popyshe Churche Of holy water POpe Alexander the fyrst as y e papistes fayne ordayned water mingled with salte to bee halowed afterward sprinckled vpon the people to put away their sinnes and to make theÌ„ holy and pure He also commaunded y t it shoulde bee kept both in churches and in houses to chase and dryue away deuills and wicked spirites not onely oute of houses wher meÌ„dwel but also out of y e hearts of the faythfull as though fayth and y e deuel could dwel together in one heart In the yere c. 110. Grat. Plat. Sabel Lib. Concil D. Barns Pâ—antal The wordes of pope Alexanders canon ar these We blesse y e water mingled with salte for thys purpose that all that bee sprinckled therewith may bee made holy and pure whiche thyng we commaunde all Priestes lykewyse to doe For sayeth he if the ashes of an heyfer sprinckled made holy and clensed the people from veniall synnes Muche more water sprynckled wyth salte and halowed with holye prayers doth sanctifye make holye and clense the people from veniall synnes And if the salte being sprynckled by Helizeus the barennesse of theâ— water was healed Howe muche more salte being halowed with Godlye prayers taketh awaye the barennesse of such thynges as appertayne to man and sanctifyeth and pourgeth them y t are defiled and multiplyeth suche goodes as we haue nede of and turneth away y e disceates of the deuill and defendeth men from al naughty and wicked fansies c. De conse Dist. 3. Cap. Aquam sale conspersam Lib. Concil Is not this good stuffe is not this worthy to be called gods seruice Oughte not y e people to ryse vp make curtesy to the Popyshe shauelynge when he sprinckleth theÌ„ with water of so great vertue Are not the scriptures here wel applied Doth not this ceremony make Christ Iacke out of office with all hys workes and merites God haue mercy on vs and shortly confouÌ„d Antichrist Guilihelmus DuraÌ„dus sayth y t the holy water hath deserued to haue of God so great vertue that as outwardly it washeâ—h the body from filthynesse so inwardly cleÌ„seth the soules from sinnes O blasphemye intollerable This is y e goodly Godlye Catholyke doctrine wherwith the vngoodly vngodly Papistes infecte the mindes of such Christians as are simple and light of belief yea wherwith they caste the soules of all suche as put their confidence and trust in these pylde begarly and lousy ceremonyes into euerlastyng damnation And yet must they be called laudable ceremonies well worthy and God will to be frequented and vsed in the Churche of Christ. And the teachers of thys doctrine the ministers of these