day vse another starting hole for cofessing that it is a detestable thing to mingle themselues with the Idolatries of the Painims they wil not that this extend it selfe to the superstitions of the Papacie as though all the impieties of the Panims had not bin the corruptions of the true seruice of God FroÌ„ whence I pray you drew the Panims al their ceremonies but from the holy fathers The mischief was that they corrupted that which was wel instituted of God And yet all the abhominations that euer were in the worlde had this goodly cloke of the name of God of Religion but this made them not therfore iustifiable neither might the faithful communicate with them Let vs procede farther Although that I agre he◠〈◊〉 with theÌ„ that ther was a difference betwixt the idoâ—â—â—â—eof Papists and that of the Painims in times past yet they caÌ„not deny but that God as straightly forbad his olde people the Idolatrie of Bethel as the Idolatrie of straunge contries When the Calues were set vp in Dan and Bethel it was doone vnder the name of God yea of him which broughte his people out of Egypt But forasmuche as the Seruice there established was contrarie too the doctrine of the Lawe God condemned all those that went thither to defile them selues And truely these thinges the Supper of Iesus Christ and the Popish Masse are thinges no lesse repugnaunt and contrary one to the other then the sacrifices of Moyses Ieroboham Wherfore whence came that dispensation to goe to the Masse vnder coulour that it is but an altering or disguising of the Supper of Iesus Christe Contrarywise I say that they whiche truely feare God oughte too haue it in a double detestation for asmuch as it more manifestly prophaneth the holy ordinance of the sonne of God then if it had not beene so contrary and repugnant vnto it Let vs then briefely holde this rule that all the inuentions of men which are set vp to corrupte the simple puritie of the word of God and to ouerthrowe the seruice which he demaundeth and alloweth they are very sacriledges wherewith a Christian man may not communicate without blaspheming of God that is to say without treading his honor vnder his feete I knowe very wel that this rigour wil seeme harde and intollerable to them that would haue a man to handle them according to their appetite But what woulde they that I should dâ—â— heerein knowing them to be so delicate I would â—â—â—re them if it were posible for me But yet must boâ—â— I and they suffer condemnation when God once speaketh They say they finde no man more seuere herein then I am But I would them to vnderstand that hitherto I haue handled them but too gentlely which beeing so they cannot be exempted from that which the Prophet Ieremie requireth of the Iewes Iere. 10.2 who were Captiues in Babylon It was not onely forbidden them to goe to the abhominations of the Chaldeans or to make shew to consent vnto them but an expresse commaundemente is giuen them to shewe that they should count it a moste vile and filthie sauour His words are these You shall say vnto them The Gods which haue not made Heauen and earth shall perishe from the earth and from vnder the Heauen There is one circumstance woorthy to bee well marked that the Prophete hauing written his Booke in Hebrewe coucheth this verse in greate Caldaâ—y letters as though he had pressed the Iewes to chaunge their language to the ende to shewe more playnly the disagrement they had with the idolaters Nowe let them hardly goe and complayne of me as though I were too excessiue And yet I neuer required half so much of them as the Prophet doth But whether I speake of it or holde my peace wee ceale not to be all bound to that Law which GOD hath laid vpon vs. And indeed it is not without cause that God speaking vnto his faithfull he layeth vnto them Yee are my witnesses and mâ— serâ—â—◠〈…〉 chosen Esay 44.2 Whosoeuer will approue himselfe to be a member of Iesus Christe must shewe that this title agreeth vnto him so that they that through their fâ—â—se dissembling and hypocrisie bury this testiâ—â— of the tâ—â—th can in no wise be excused And what 〈…〉 them I pray you who all their lif◠〈…〉 â—â—err it aâ— they do who not only hid their chrâ—â—â—â—â— professioÌ„ 〈◊〉 the end they may shew no signe therof before men but do commit acts altogither coÌ„trary to it There remaineth nothing then to the Children of God that are iâ— the midst of such pollutions but to afflict their soâ—â—â—â— by the example of good Lott yea to speake againste euill according as GOD shall giue them the meane and opportunitie Nowe let vs come too speake of those Idolaters which at this day beare the sway I haue already somewhat touched the Masse Now although this bee a blasphemie so foule and shamefull as nothing can bee more yet notwithstanding there are yet found aduocates of so ill a cause who in this behalfe slinke backe and yet will they nill they they are constrayned to confesse that which I say that is that the Masse in it selfe is a renouncing of the death of Iesus Christ and a sacriledge forged by Sathan vtterly to abolish the Sacrament of the supper They cannot likewise denie but that the Prayers made vnto Saintes and suffrages that are made for the deade are wicked abuses whereby the inuocation of the name of God which aboue all others is moste holy is prophaned notwithstanding medling them selues withsuch filthinesses amongst the Papistes they think that they are not faultie What should we doe heerein say they It is not lawfull for vs to reforme these thinges which we knowe to be euill For we are priuate men and they who haue publique authoritie maintaine them wherefore it behoueth vs to goe thorow that way I graunt them all that they say but this is nothing to the pâ—â—â—â—â— It is not their parts to reforme the common 〈◊〉 â—f the people and no man requireth it of the◠〈◊〉 man may admonish them to reforme them seâ—â— the which belongeth to their duetie It is not sayd vnto them that they should purge the Churches or the streetes but that euerye one shoulde keepe his owne bodie and soule in puritie and labour by all meanes that GOD may be honoured in his owne house These twoo things are diuerse enough too abolish the masse out of any Countrie are not to bee fouâ—â—e there when he cannot let the vse of it But yet they eftsoones returne to the foote of their songe that is that they renounce not the death passion of Iesus Christ because they haue no such intent But I aske of them what it is that a Christian man confesseth with his mouthe but that same that hee beleeueth with his heart That the acte which they commit is altogither contrary too Christian profession is notorious enoughe So that asmuche as lyeth in them
accursed is this so lighte a matter that after wee haue doone it wee shoulde onely wipe our mouth and saie that we haue committed some little faulte Let vs therefore put away these shiftes seeing they serue to no other purpose but to make vs boulder in euill without lessening our faulte any whit There are yet some others which are more impudente For not onely they labour too wreste the worde making men beleeue that it is not so great enormious a sinne but they most plainely and flatly maintaine that it is no sinne at all It is sufficient say they that GOD bee serued with the hearte verie well if the heart were not double For where there is an integritie and soundnesse there the body shal neuer be drawne into a contrary paâ—â—â— I would knowe of them what it is that carryeth their feete too the Church when they goe to heare Masse Their legges would neuer sturre of their owne motion They must therefore needes confesse that they haue some manner of affection to serue the idolles yea in that they desire too beholde them with the enimies of the trueth and that their life is more precious vnto them then the honour of God But albeit their impudencie be too too shameful in such sorte that I am ashamed to dispute against it as though they had some colour of reason yet neuerthelesse it behoueth to doo it forasmuch as they please them selues so much therein are as it were so drunken therwith It is inough as they thinke if God bee worshipped in spirite But whereto then shal the body serue 2. Cor. 6.20 Saint Paule exhorteth vs to serue the Lord with both because they belong vnto him God hath created the body and shal it be permitted therewith to do homage to the Diuell It were much better that they shewed them selues to be flat Manichees denying that God were the creator of the whole man If they had the least taste in the world of the Gospel they would neuer burst out into such licentious libertie For they shew that they know not what it is to haue bin bought by the bloud of the sonne of God And if it be so howe should wee hope for the resurrection of the fleshe vnlesse it were for that Iesus Christ is the Redeemer both of our bodies and soules Saint Paule in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians and the 7. Chapter giueth vs warning that wee ought not too bee the seruauntes of men seeing that wee were bought so dearely Hee therefore that giues himselfe too the seruice of Idolles treadeth he not the blood of Iesus Christe vnder his feete which is the price of the immortall glory that we wait for in our bodyes And to what reason is it that our bodyes should be defyled and prophaned before Idols seeing that the crowne of life is promised vnto theÌ„ in heauen Is this the meane to enter into the heauenly kingdome of God to wallow our selues in Sathans stewes Moreouer it is not said in vaine that our bodyes are the temples of the holy ghost Wherfore they who knowe not that they ought too keepe them in all holynes they sufficiently declare that they neuer vnderstoode any thing of the Gospel they shew also that they knowe not what belongeth too Iesus Christ not to his grace For when it is sayd that wee are bones of his bones and flesh of his flesh this plainly sheweth that we are ioyned to him bothe in body and soule And therefore a man can no sooner defile his body with any superstition but he depriueth himselfe of that holy vnion through which we are made members of the sonne of God Let these subtile doctours answere me if they haue receiued baptisme only in their soules hath not God ordayned that this signe should be ingrauen in our fleshe Should therefore the body in which the marke of Iesus Christe is engrauen be defiled with contrarie Abhominations Is the Supper onely receyued of the soule and not also with the handes and with the mouth GOD hath put the Armes and Badges of his Sonne vpoÌ„ our bodyes and shoulde wee beray them with dutie and dounge It is not lawefull too imprinte twoo Coynes vpon one peece of Golde or to set two contrary seales one vpon another to a publike instrument and writing and shall a mortall man take vpon him to falsifie baptisme the holy Supper of Iesus Christe and say there is no euill in it Such men truely are worthy that their seruants should make them beleeue that they were well minded to serue them in sleeping and sporting themselues and yet not moouing a finger to doe any thing If they alledge that it is not all one for asmuch as wee haue neede of their seruice that are vnder vs I answere that seeing God without hauing any neede will imploy vs to his honor that it is a great shame for vs that in doing all things quite contrary to his wil would be quite rid of him and yet a greater shame that a worme of the earth a stincking carrion would haue more preheminence then his creator It behoueth a man yet too speake more grosely to such beasts They say that it is lawfull for them to dissemble amongst Papistes Who is it then that giueth them the breade they eate there And who is it that maketh the earth to bring foorth fruite If they cannot deny but that God nourisheth them as others wherfore doe they homage to the deuill with their bodyes If they were Christians I would vse more waightie reasons to witte in demaunding of them to what end we liue heere beneath but it is pitie that they who wil through their subtleties so dally and iest with God should become so brutish that they must be handled as men voyde of common sense It seemeth to them that they haue said sufficiently to thâ— mater when they say they doe no-nothing in this behalf but for feare But if this collour may take place then it must be said that Ioseph should haue don no euil to haue committed whordom with his maistresse not seeking the fulfilling of his pleasure but only to yeelde to the violence which shee offred him This had then bin folishly don of him to suffer so much and to lay himself open to such infamie seeing he had the meane to escape it But it rather becoÌ„meth vs to hold vs to the testimonie of the holy ghost who praiseth this constancie of his If men doe no euill in playing the idolaters to auoid the rage of Papists He that shall bee his maisters bande shall not offende A man shal be excused when he poysoneth his neighbor or when he committeth any treason for feare of offending him to whom he is subiect This article is much stoode vpon but as I haue said there is no hardnes or doubt in it but it is good to see into what confusion they fall who imagine by their cunning sleights to escape the iudgement of god There are diuers which at this
abide to be awakened by vs to the ende too make them feele theyr euill I put the case that they did not commit Idolatry with the Papistes yet can they not deny but that this is a miserable and cursed bondage that they cannot be suffered too call vppon the name of God and too confesse Iesus Christe The holy Ghoste when thee woulde peerce the heartes of the faithfull who were captiue in Babylon putteth this sentence into their mouth Psal 137.4 How shal wee sing the prayses of the Lorde in a straunge lande I confesse that the kingdome of God is at this day throughout all the worlde and that there is now no difference betweene Iudea and other Countreis But I say notwithstanding that the Countrey where the seruice of God is abolished and true religion cast of it well deserueth to be accounted for a strange and prophane Countrey It must needes bee then that they whiche haue no remorse not too dare to make protestation of their faith nor to celebrate or set foorth the name of God that they be altogeather blockishe Now let the children of God take heede by this admonition not to become blockish with them Cōcerning those which babble scorning and deriding vs in this asking whether no man can goe to heauen but by Geneua wold to GOD that they had the heart and care to assemble thēselues together in the name of Iesus Christ in what part soeuer they becom that they would erect some forme of a Church aswel in theyr owne houses as in their neighbours to do for their part that which wee doe here in our Churches But what in disdaining to vse the meanes that GOD hath geuen vnto them they will be counted religious and so be saued This were euen asmuch as if they shold aske whether they might not ariue at the Hauen going quite cōtrary and whether they might not by tempting God boast of his fauour But let them be as bolde and bragge as they list too breake the yoke yet let all the faithful take heede how they lyft vp thēselues with them who soeuer hath not the meane to be in a Christian Church wher god is purely worshipped at the least let them mourn day and night with Dauid Thine Altars O Lorde there is nothing that I desire but thine Altars my god and my king And let this fire remaine alwayes kindled in all good heartes too the ende that whatsoeuer may fal out that they think it not paineful to endure any thing that the length of time coole them not from seeking alwayes to purchase to be gathered into a flocke and to come to Christes fold Moreouer that euery one aduise well with him selfe howe hee may moste speedily gette him selfe too the standarde so soone as our Lorde shall geue him the meanes For this is the way too witnesse that a man dooth not faintlye make this requeste too dwell in the house of God Nowe too conclude it remaineth that wee marke well that which Dauid addeth that is That he shal finde the beautie of the Lorde and will consider his Temple For this is not all to exercise our selues with the faithfull in all the outward order of the Church vnlesse we haue our eyes bente to this ende to knowe GOD better and better Heere there are two things requisite one is that we be diligent to frequent sermons and publique praiers The seconde is that we knowe wherefore wee frequente them For manye come thither with a foolishe deuotion imagining that they haue well acquitted themselues whē they haue shewed themselues at Church Let vs therefore my brethren take good heede For it is to be feared leste the most parte finde themselues condemned either in the one or in the other Howe many be there that flee Sermons and think themselues best at ease if they neuer heare any speaking thereof But I leaue them there as those that fully shew them selues too bee contemners of God Onely I speake of the contempt or coldenes that is in many who neuer remember to come to the Sermon vnlesse that the Sunday put them in minde thereof and yet they imagine they haue doone well as though they woulde make vppe a number togither of many running too God The Bell maye well ringe dayly but it is enoughe if they shewe them selues at the ende of the weeke They are called foure times euery sunday but they come very notably if they be found there once For there are that can sufficiently dispence with themselues for cōming once in xv dayes To be short the greatest sort of the multitude verifie the olde Prouerb The nearer the Churche the further from God Yea and some be of the number of those whoe haue forsaken their coūtrey to come here to serue God there are who yet in this behalf behaue themselues negligently enough What is too be doone then forasmuche as God hath shewed himselfe vnto vs let vs beholde his beautie But wee must not cast behinde our backe the manner of beholding it and that is that wee bee rauished in the loue thereof and chaunged into his likenesse as S. Paule sayth 4. Cor. 3. 18. And that wee may the better doe this it is meet that we be more attentiue then we are or haue been accustomed too be too marke that which God setteth foorth vnto vs in his Temple For what is the cause that we reape so little fruite but that we doe not more diligently apply our study to that which is there saide and doone Thus we haue our eares beaten with continuall doctrine whereas our heartes are no whit touched Moreouer there are a great many which neuer heare vnderstand a whole sermon thorow but here and there a woorde or halfe a worde rather with out regarde Wherefore it is not without cause that Dauid speaketh of visiting the temple of the Lorde so diligently And in very deede the great treasures of the wisedome of God which are there fet out vntoo vs worthily deserue that a man shoulde settle himselfe carefully to marke them But as I haue already touched God woulde not that we shoulde so marke them that we shoulde returne emptie and without profite from them Let vs knowe therefore that the doctrine hath profited and shewed her fruite in vs when wee are dewly reformed to serue God and this is it that Dauid meaneth in the 84. Psalme which wee haue alledged before That they that dwel in the house of GOD shall prayse him To what end therefore doe we assemble our selues Wherefore is the Gospell preached vnto vs Wherefore haue we Baptisme and the Lords Supper vnlesse it be that God may be magnified in vs Nowe this praise consisteth not onely in the tip of the tongue or the lippes but it stretcheth out it selfe thorowe our whole life And therefore it is saide in another place I will wash my handes ô Lorde in innocencie and then I will enter into thy Aultar Psal 26.6 We see nowe what the true
whether they woulde be so scrupulous to tarry there still There is none that would not boldly aduenture too forsake his Countrey that hee might not starue for hunger I put a case which is not yet so priuiledged that is if a man shoulde geue them sixe times as much substaunce as they haue in a strange countrey whether they wold make any great curtesie too goe quickly take possession To what purpose serueth it them to pretend these colours seeing that may appeare to be farre from their hearte which they speake There is no question here of going into their enimies lande where they shall be constrained to beare armes against their prince to make warre with their naturall Countrey but onely of seeking a place peaceably to serue God where nothing shall let but they may praye for their Prince and for all his subiectes Too bee shorte suche a iourney is none other but suche as they make dayly for some earthly commodities whiche is deuoyde of all crime and offence But yet let vs see whether necessity doo not sufficiently excuse them that goe Loe God who sayth Seeke my face The princes of the wolde butte against him and turne their backs towards him or rather they robbe the poore soules of their common foode and in steede of Gods face they set before theyr eyes the maskes of superstitions Must they be preferred before the liuing God If GOD be to be heard we must go rather a thousand miles of to see his face where it is shewed thē to lie nestling in our nests So then as often as Princes wil attempt any thing in preiudice of him who hath all soueraigne authoritie aboue them men do them no wrong in obeiyng him Albeit besides that which I haue saide suche kinde of men shewe sufficiently that they neuer greatly wayed nor considered theyr owne state and condition And what a miserable captiuitie is it in whiche they are holden Onlesse their cōscience were too too sluggishe it were impossible but that they shoulde be in continual anguishe and distresse as though they were tormented in Hell And howe is it permitted vnto them too honour GOD in their houses We neede not go farre for an example If any of them haue a childe borne vntoo him his duetie is too offer him vp too GOD with prayers and geuing of thankes requiring the Seale of saluation through Baptisme to be imprinted into his body Now we knowe that Baptisme is soo corrupted in the Popedome and so defiled with superstitions and filthinesses that a childe cannot receiue it but he muste out of hande be defiled with it So a father cannot baptise his childe without sinning And if he absteine yet he is in the same transgression yf there were no more but the offence which he giueth too men in refusing the Sacrament that the sonne of God hath instituted And what a perplexitie is this that a man can neither do not leaue vndoone suche a thing but he must geeuously offende GOD I omit the rest because that this one example alone is more then enough But when a man shall so miserably languish all the dayes of his life not knowing which way too turne him yet in death great assaultes shall assaile him and then wyll the Diuel haue his whole armie in a redynesse against him If the miserable Captiue were in time too fore let from seruing of GOD in respecte of his wife and family then he shall be in woorse case then euer before They therefore who doubt whether it bee lawfull for thē to rid themselues foorth of such filthiemud or rather from such an hellish gulfe vnder the colour of subiection they owe to their earthly Princes certainely they ouerthrow the whole order of nature It is very certaine that the prayer that God woulde haue vs too make to him for our princes is agreeable too the authoritie that he hath geuen them ouer vs and also to that duetie wherewith he hath bound vs vnto them 1. Tim. 2.2 Nowe Saint Paule exhorteth vs that men should pray vnto God for Kings and Magistrates too the ende that we might leade a peaceable and quiet life with al honestie and feare of God This subiection and obedience therefore which wee owe vntoo our earthly Princes is ouermuch stretched out when they would haue the seruice and honour of the king of heauen to geue place vnto it It is verye true that those poore Iewes must tarry in bōdage at Babylō vntil that time was fulfilled that god had appoīted vnto thē But these mē with whō I cōtend let thē shew that we are boūde too depriue our selues of our owne accorde of those same spirituall benefites which God hath bountifully bestowed vpon his children They feele the necessitie wherewith they are greeuously oppressed their infirmitie prouoketh them and God sheweth them the remedy What reason then is there that they shoulde not dare too helpe themselues to the end to complain of those who snatch the bread out of theyr handes There is also another reason of the husbande towards the wife and of the wife towards the husband Forasmuche as God hath knit them togeather as it were into one fleshe the one should not doo well too forsake the other vnder colour of seeking God Not for that they should depart frō him to maintayne thēselues togeather but because that ech one ought diligently to labour that he might also draw his companion with him Loe then what they ought to doo that is that the husband doo shew the wyfe howe miserable and vnhappy they are that are separated from the Communion and fellowship of the Faithfull that are destitute of the woord and Sacraments which are the vndoubted pledges too make vs assured that God dwelleth with vs And that therefore he exhort her not to distrust but too be of good comfort and yf so be that he cannot win her so soone as he would that he therefore leaue not of vntill he haue obteined his purpose Although that the wife be vtterly against it yet that he leaue not of to deale importunatly with her vntyll that she shew herself altogether obstinat and wilful If after he haue done al that which he shal be able can no longer remaine there he is altogether free at libertie for he hath performed his duety to the vttermost for any thing that was in him his wife might haue followed him as she was boūd ought to haue doone Although that such a kinde of departure from the wife is no deuorse but the husbande goeth before to leade his wife the way Now concerning the wife in asmuch as she is not the head she is bounde with a more straight bonde Therefore she is bounde too labour by all maner of meanes asmuch as shal be possible for her too perswade her husbande to the setting of both them two at libertie When she shall haue diligently perfourmed all this asmuch as she shal be able yet is she not therefore at libertie
they renounce and forsake that which is of pure faith I will speake yet more familiarly The masse is a sacrifice wherein the Papists will offer vppe Christ to bee reconciled too God If this were true Iesus Christe by his death and passion had not purchased righteousnesse not euerlasting saluatioâ— for vs let a man goe aboute the bushe as farre as he will yet hee must come to this poynt All they that goe to Masse vnder the title of deuotion protesse too consente heerein So that asmuch as lyeth in them they shewe that they holde not their redemption perfecte by the death of Iesus Christe Aâ—â— there bee some which bounde them selues a liâ—â—◠〈◊〉 narrowlye that is that they reserue but 〈…〉 â—â—ist or highe Masse in which it seemeth to thâ—◠〈…〉 â—â—re is more conformitie with the supper of Ieâ—â—â— Christe And in deede a man might saye that the Masses whiche are saide aswell by those hedge Preistes as whiche by those Chanons and Chaplaynes and all those are founded vppon some particular deuotion whiche they sette out euery day to sale are as Harlotes of the Stewes The Parishe Priestes Masse is as a stumpet that shroudeth her selfe vnder the name of her husbande to keepe her selfe in the reputation of an honest woman Although the similitude bee not altogither fitte For a married whore will alwayes yet haue some shame from giuing ouer her selfe too all commers but that same Parrishe Priestes Masse is the moste common idolatrie of all others So farre is it off that they that paint her out with this coulour keepe here yet any trace of the supper of Iesus Christ yea as if a theefe were euer the better when hee shall be apparelled with the spoyle of him whose throte hee hath cutte and shall bee mounted vp vpon his Horse Wee seeke say they the supper of Iesus Christe Seeing we cannot haue it pure in the tyranny in which we liue we must content our selues too take that which is lefte waytinge when God will put to his hand Forsooth a goodly excuse Forasmuch as they haue no right and sounde vse of the Supper by way of prouision they protest that they account not Iesus Christ for their onely euerlasting Sauiour and they seeke euery morning a newe sacrifice to blot out their sinnes For all this is in the Parrish Priestes Masse aswell as in that of S. Nicholas or in those that are said for the dead They faigne to worship an Idoll and yet boaste themselues to seeke Iesus Christ And to the end they may not fight against God without a swoorde and a Buckler they bring foorth the authoritie of this man here and of that man there As if the absolution of a man could exempt them from beeing condemned of God I spare to say that they notably belie them whom they bring for their aduocates But admit it were so that a holy man for a time thought it not so greate an euill too goe to an high Masse yet yf afterwardes he knew the errour wherein he was his latter iudgement is so much the more to be beleeued for the condemnation thereof forasmuch as men may see that the power of God hath compelled him therevnto and he is plainly found to be ouercome in that thing which before he did holde and alowe of But what a blundering and stirre keepe they heere Imagine they too restraine God by the opinion or saying of a mortall man We know that there is nothing but the onely trueth that shall raigne in his iudgement without acception of persons Now the fact is this that the parish masse is instituted for to sacrifice Iesus Christ and to make an attonement with God aswel for the quicke as the deade and that a peece of bread is woorshipped there as if it were the soâ—â—e of God I doe not scanne euery thing by peecemeale there are a thousande other infections but I onely take the groffest Let them which seeme to agree hâ—â—â—â—â—â— waâ—â— theyr handes as much as they wyll in the ende they shal bee no more iust then Pilate was But this is marueilous that these good parishioners when Easter comes they goe to seeke some Chappell in a corner or some Fryer neyther hot nor colde that he may deliuer vnto them a counterfaite and bastarde supper If the parish Masse as they say be so like the supper of Iesus Christ why doo they not obserue it and keepe them selues to it But nowe after they shal haue beene at high Masse euery Sunday throughout the yeere that they may seeme to communicate aright in the sacrament of the Supper they sodenly reâ—â—â—nce it although we must not greatly woonder at suche inconstancie For it is the 〈◊〉 payment and iuste punishmente of all those which are not grounded vpon the trueth of God and God reuengeth him selfe vpon them making them alwayes to be shaken and to contrary theÌ„selues in that which they take in hand Touching such a paynted Supper I knowe that in their fantasie a man shall doe them great wrong to reproue it But how can we doe otherwise seeing it agreeth not to the rule of our maister I doe not condemne them because they doe it in secret For I knowe that the holy Supper was neuer better Ministred nor more holyly then when the disciples were withdrawne to doe it in secrete because of the tyranny of their enemyes But heerein there are two intollerable faults one is that they which patch vp such a Pageant of the Supper faigne that they haue their masse there would that it shuld be so thought the seconde is that their goodly father of whom they receiue it giueth it theÌ„ not as a Christian pastor but in the condition of a popish priest They think that they haue goodly bucklers and defences in saying that the singer of their Masse hath no intention to make them worship the bread or the wine that hee omitteth the Canon wherein are the greatest impieties and that he giueth the sacrament to all the company vnder bothe kinds But when this shal come before the great iudg they shall feele what they haue gotten by such goodly glosing pretextes yea they ought already to feele theÌ„ and I reporte me to the prickes stingings they haue in their consciences And this is the place where this matter must be decided For without making any longer enquiryes they knowe what they pretende to shewe aswell to the enemyes of GOD as to all the common people It must needes be that God denye himselfe if he allow an act of such a profession WheÌ„ all the men of the world sâ—all haue conspired togither to iustifie theÌ„ yet shal not the hablest of them be euer so absolued that he shal not halt downe right on both sides Now God hath declared by his prophet that no such halting shal euer be found good Concerning the man whome they take to be the minister of their Supper it is a very mockery to goe about to make him capable of any