fideles is ecclesiae sacrificio sciunt al which the faithful know how it is performed in the sacrifice of the church of which church sacrifice al the sacrifices of the old testameÌ„t were shadowes VVhich sacrifice of praise and thankes-geuing he in a number of places expresly calleth the sacrifice of Christs body and that it was offered not by al Christians a like but by a certaine order of priesthod as he plainly declareth in the same booke and proveth out of the scriptures ¶ VVhere M. B. saith that the name Masse came in vvhen the sacrament began to be perverted the Latin kirk to decay the Romane kirk to fal by this vve learne vvhen according to M. B. censure the Romane church fel. For euerie Protestant allovveth it a time of puritie integritie according to his ovvne humor fansie some 300. yeres some 400. some 500. And thus far our English Ievvel extended the puritie florishing estate of the Latine especially the Romane church some allovv it 200. yeres more But for the first 400 or 500. yeres fevv of the learned Protestant make any doubt but that the Romane church vvas pure and sincere in al parts of religion So taught one of our English Pâ—otomartyâ—s Ridley prelate of London in these vvords The patriarch of Râ—me in the Apostles time and long after was a great maynteiner and setter forth of Christs glorie and above al other countries regions there especially was preached the true gospel the sacraments were most duly ministred And as before Christs coming it was a citie so valiant that al the world was subiect to it and after Christs passion divers of the Apostles there suffered persecution for Christs gospel so after that the Emperors became Christians the Gospel there florished most S. Austin saith our M. Ievvel and other godly fathers rightly and wel in old time yelded great reverence to the see of Rome as for diuers other reasons so also for the puritie of religion which was there preserued a long time 600. yeres after Christ without spot For which puritie and constancie in the same that church was most famous aboue al others and might be a standard vnto them And Iohn Calvin vvriteth Because it was a thing notoriously knowen true without al questioÌ„ that from the Apostles age vntil theirs there was no alteratioÌ„ of doctrine nether in the church of Rome nor in other places the fathers tooke this for a principle and sure ground able to overthrovv al errors vvhich nevvly sprong vp that they gainsayd the truth vvhich had bene constantly preserued and maynteined by common consent from the time of the Apostles VVhich iudgement of Calvin and those other learned Zuinglians I note to control M. B. rash sentence in deputing the fal and decay of the Romane church to that time vvhen by these mens more sound more learned verdit that church vvas most pure perfit and withal hereby I can plainly convince him of falshod and heresie in preaching as he doth Touching the first the sacrament saith he began to be peruerted and turned in to a sacrifice with the falling estate of the Rom. kirke and them comes in this peruerse name of the Masse VVhen was this About 400. yeres after Christ For then vve find this name masse in the Councels Doctors vvritings applied more commonly to such signification as vve novv vse it S. Ambrose in Milan testifieth of him self that he said Masse missam facere caepi Ambros lib. 5. epist 33. â— Leo maketh mention of the same epist 81. ad Dioscorum 88. ad Episcopos Germaniae Galliae S. Austin sermo 91. de tempore 237. 251. Cassian lib. 2. Canon orat noctur ca. 7 lib. 3. canon diurn oral cap. 5. 6. 11. lib. 11. ca. 15. Yea some bishops martyrs of the Romane see far more auncieÌ„t then any of these vvriters vse the vvord though seeldoÌ„ as appeareth by S. Damasus in Pontificali in Alexandro 1. by Papirius Massonus de Episcop vrbis lib. 1. fol. 11. in Pio. 1. As for Councels in sundry very auncient as in Concilio Rom. sub Sil vestro 1. Concil Carthag 2. can 3. Carthag 4. ca. 84. Concil Agathensi ca. 21. 47. Concil 3. Arelaten cap. 3. Concil â— Aâ—â—â—lianenâ— ca. 28. Concil Milevit cap. 12. both the masse is plainly named and the distinction of masses vsed in the primitiue church is described the one called missa catechumenorum the other missa fidelium the masse of learners or novices in the faith to vvhich al indifferently vvere admitted Heretikes Iewes Paganes the masse of peâ—â—â—â—e baptized Christians from the presence and sight of vvhich masse not only the forenamed Heretikes Iewes and Pagans but also the vnchristened though otherwise favoring Christianitie yet for reverence of these dreadful mysteries vvere excluded Thus vve find that long vvithin 500. yeres after Christ the name of Masse vvas very frequent in the Romaine and Latin church vvhen as yet that church vvas far from decay and faâ— nay vvhen according to Calvin and those other famous Superintendents the church of Rome was most pure and had altered nothing of the doctrine received from the Apostles but for her constancie in reteyning the â—aâ—e might serue for a Standard and light to al other churches of Christendome ¶ By vvhich ground also and graunt of these excellent men I condemne secondly M. B. his preaching of heresie vvhereas he saith that when the sacrament was turned in to a sacrifice it was idolatrie and that forsooth began vvith the name of Masse For vvith this perverse name Masse the sacrament began to be perverted This collection I say is very foolish vvicked heretical For if in collecting the 4. names vvhich out of the auÌ„cient fathers he attributeth to the sacrament he had faithfully told his auditorie vvhat he had found he could not haue so blindly stumbled as to vvring idolatrie out of a sacrifice or preach that the sacrifice began vvith the name of Masse vvhereas the more auncient fathers cal the sacrament a true sacrifice some hundreds of yeres before the decaying and falling time of the church vvhich he signifieth that is before the name of Masse vvas practised And vvhen the name Masse began to grovv in vse even then they stil reteyned that other more auncient terme and caled it stil sacrifice both in preaching vvriting ten yea tvventie times for one more oft then Masse And therefore to make the name Masse any occasion of the sacrifice vvhich name and beleef of sacrifice vvas vniversal at lest 200. or 300. yeres before the name of Masse grevv in vse is as poore and peevish a devise as lightly might fall in to a sicke mans brayne This is to set the cart before the horse to make the river cause of his fountayne to make the child beget his father as much as to charge M. B. vvith the invention of heresies published
in the church VVherefore the ministerie of the word is not coÌ„mon to them al Christians Here vnto he answereth I confesse that it is not permitted to women to speake as nether to men that be dumbe For I beleeue that albeit this right is common to al yet no man can nor ought to practise it but only he who is fitter then other to him other are bound to yeld place that order comlynes may be kept And to speake in publike assembly besides the spirite there is required a good voyce eloquence memorie other natural gifts which who so wanteth he must yeld his right to an other So Paule forbiddeth wemen to speake not altogether but in the church that is to say where are men able to speake that for order honesties sake For a man is more fit then a woman and the spirite doth more inspire men then women this is the meaning of Paules place Otherwise how should Paule alone withstand the holy ghost who saith Ioel 2. your daughters shal prophecie and Act. 21. Philip had 4. daughters that prophecied Out of al vvhich much more to like effect he draweth this conclusion Order therefore honestie requireth that men speaking wemen should hold their peace But where men speake not there it is necessarie that wemen speake By al which we see that the word of god forbiddeth not wemen to prophecie that is in the new gospel to preach no not amongst men much lesse amongst wemen which is the highest office consequently nether to minister the communion baptisme which is a great deale lesse if so be that they haue better learning vtterance then men haue as oft tymes it chaunceth or if the minister through negligence and ignorance be not able to preach the word which perhaps in Scotland England is very common And of this same opinion with Luther are Pèter Martyr and Huldrike Zuinglius Of the same opinion were the first reformers of our English church M. Horne bishop so called of VVinchester others who of this matter write thus There is so much required in a spiritual minister that al men be not meete for the office therefore with good reason wemen be debarred from it Albeit at some time it pleaseth god to vse their Ministerie VVherefore me thinke euen in this point we must vse a certain moderation not absolutely in euery wise to debar them herein as it shal please god to serue Christ I pray yow what more vehemency vseth S. Paule in forbidding wemen to preach then in forbidding them to vncouer their heads And yet yow know in the best reformed churches of al Germanie al the maydes be barehedded which the preachers learned men make no great accompt of As much to say that it is a thing indifferent for wemen to preach minister the Sacraments may wel be suffered no lesse then it is that maydes go with their heads vncouered which S. Paule forbiddeth with like vehemencie as he doth their preaching yet the best reformed churches of al Germanie with the learned men ministers there make no great accompt of it It were very easie to proue this by a number of other Protestant writers authorities especially English where a womaÌ„ being supreme head of the church from whence al ecclesiastical power authoritie is deriued to bishops and ministers who hauing in her as writeth my I. Archbishop of Canterbury the supreme gouernemeÌ„t in al causes ouer al persons as she doth exercise the one apperteyning to matters ciuil temporal by the Lord Chauncellor so doth she the other concerning the church religion by the Archbishops what reasonable man can deny or doubt but that a woman in whom is the fulnes of al ecclesiastical gouernement may geue vnto a woman some inferior peece thereof no lesse then she geueth the excercise of many parts vnto the Archbishop who receiueth al his order power from her And whereas king Harry imparted the exercise of his like supreme ecclesiastical regiment to my L. Crumwel Erle of Essex his subhead in the church of England and vicegerent for and concerning al his iurisdiction ecclesiastical who can with any probabilitie of reason yea without incurring manifest treason deny but that as K. Harry a man gaue vnto my Lord of Essex so the Quene a woman may geue vnto my Lady of Essex or any other al her iurisdiction ecclesiastical especially for that it is by supreme authoritie so precisely defined that the Quene may assigne name and authorise whom so euer she shal thinke meete and conuenient and for such so long time such persons being naturally borne subiect as Ladies vvemen are to vse and execute vnder her al maner of iurisdiction spiritual or ecclesiastical And if the pattie thus assigned named authorised be also vvel spoken and learned then not only mans lavv but also gods as Luther and the English doctors haue before taught iustifieth such wemens both preaching al other ministring For if they may haue the greater authoritie to preach and yet to be supreme head of the church is much more then al inferior offices belonging to the edification of the church aâ— baptizing ministring the coÌ„munion binding losing calling Synodes c. may much more be exercised by them as Luther disputeth manifest reason convinceth and our English Iewel together vvith the Qâ—ea ler of this new Divinitie in Cambridge teacheth VVho by authoritie of S. Fabianus an auncient Pope and Martyr 1400 yeres sithence and also of S. Bernard vvil needs proue against D. Harding that in the Primitiue church wemen no lesse then men made the sacrifice of the altar and that of bread wine after the order of Melchisedech VVherefore to returne to our matter of making vp an euangelical communion hereof it appeareth I suppose sufficiently that 3. or 4. Euangelical gossips meeting together and eating and drinking in such â—oâ—t as hath bene said make a very true real perfect and absolute coÌ„munion touching al substance required by the Protestant doctrine And therefore I vvish them selues to iudge vvhether Martin Luther that reuerend Father as M. Fox calleth him vnderstanding throughly their meaning and sense had not some cause to say that Christ had bene very vnwise he vseth a more vvicked terme vvhich I vvil nor English to haue instituted a peculier supper whereas otherwise the world is ful of such suppers quum caenarum huiusmodi totus mundus alioqui plenus sit vvhich after they haue turned and tossed so many vvaies as they can vvil proue nothing but as Luther affirmeth it a poore and vulgar banquet or rather a rustical compotation For if 3. or 4. vvemen so meeting and gossiping make such a coÌ„munion then 3. or 4. men vvemen consequently as many men boyes may serue to do the like so there is no rustical cortage where there is
and vvithout al apparence of truth there is no sentence or vvord in the vvhole scripture vvhich insinuateth any such matter whereof more shal be said when I come to talke of the first and principal end The Ievves for that they vvere circumcised loved doubtles one an other the better and this vvas some cause of mutual loue yet vvas not this the reason vvhy circumcision vvas ordeyned Like vvise the eating of their paschal lamb together was one good occasioÌ„ to mainteyne love vnitie yet was it no cause or end why that sacrameÌ„t was instituted much lesse vvhy the sacrameÌ„ts of the nevv testameÌ„t were ordeyned which haue more diuine causes of their institution and worke more diuine celestial effects then did those carnal Iewish sacrameÌ„ts The like is to be said of that other part vz This sacrameÌ„t was instituted to the end that to the princes of the world who are enemies of our religioÌ„ we might of enly â—vow testifie our religion For which opinioÌ„ there is never a word or sillable in al the new testameÌ„t it is spokeÌ„ without al learning sense or reasoÌ„ Doubtles in the primitiue church vvhen the Saints martyrs Apostolical men were most abundaÌ„tly endued with gods holy spirit most perfectly knevv the vse of this sacrament if this had bene any end vvhy Christ ordeyned it that by the vse of it they should testifie and openly avow their religion to Christs enemies they would not so diligently haue excluded al Pagans and infidels from the presence of this sacrament as before is noted It should not haue bene so carefully provided against not only Pagans and infidels but euen the very Christians in mind yet vnbaptised that al such should be debarred from seing this sacrament as we find they were by the order of al the auncient Masses or Liturgies amongest which that of S. Iames the most auncient hath this precise rule when after certain general prayers they approched to the celebration of this dreadful mysterie Nullus Catechumenorum c. let none of the learners or novices in Christian faith let none of them which are yet vnbaptized to which number the other Apostles adioyned by witnesse of S. Clement nulluâ— infidelis nullus hareticâ—s let no Pagan or infidel let us heretike let none of them which may not lawfully pray with vs enter in Recognoscite vos invicem haue regard and consider wel one an other The like whereof we find practised 400. yeres after in the masse of S. Chrysost VVhere after the gospel when began that masse which was called missa fidelium the Deacon speake as before in S. Iames masse Quicunque Catechumeni recedite Al yow that be novices or learners in the faith depart Let no novice but only the faithful remayne If this had bene one end why this sacrameÌ„t was instituted what meant the most auncient fathers bishops and doctors both in the first church vvhen al was ful of Pagans enemies of Christ and also many yeres after even in the time of S. Austin when Christians vvere far more multiplied and the governement of the world was in their hands yet so long as Pagans lived among Christians stil to conceale the knowlege of this sacrament from the eye and vnderstanding of the enemies of Christs religion which they did so diligently and so generally that in S. Athanasius it is obiected as a great impietie and straunge act to his adversaries the Arrians that they talked of such matters in the audience of infidels For thus he chargeth them Thorough the iniquitie of these Arrians inquirie and examination was made of church matters of the chalice and table of our lord in the presence of the civil governour and his troupe of soldiars in the audience of Iewes aâ—d Pagans quod nobis incredibile atque admirable visum est which to vt seemed a straunge case and very vncredible For what man wil not count it detestable before a foreyne iudge in the presence of novices and greene Christians and that worse is of Pagans and Iewes to make disputes of the body and blud of Christ Did these blessed saints thinke one end of this sacrament to be that they might openly testifie their religion and maner of worshipping to the Infidels enemies of Christ vvho would not speake of their maner of worshipping of this sacrament of the chalice of the altar in the hearing of infidels and enemies of Christ And this same closenes we find coÌ„tinually in the fathers writings in such sort that coÌ„monly when they wrote preached they vsed secret speaches as it were watch words to signifie their meaning to the end they might conceale this sacrament from Pagans infidels make the knowlege of it proper and peculiar to Christians whereof to omit the more auncient writers whose vvritings every where shew fâ—ith such their vvarines and circumspection even in S. Austin vve find that the same secret maner of speaking and preaching vvas yet continued As for example to note a fevv places out of one of his bookes Then saith he that sacrifice of Christes body and blud was not quod norâ—â—â— fideles which the faithful know wel inough VVhich sacrifice is now in practise thorough the whole world Again Christ â—coke in to his haÌ„ds quod fideles norunt that which the faithful know Again It is a true sacrifice quod fideles norunt as the faithful know Again VVhat is that which in the church is secret and not publike The sacrament of baptisme and the sacrament of the Eucharist Opera nostra bona vident Pagani sacraments vero illis occultantur The Pagans them selues see our good workes but as for our sacrameÌ„ts they are â—id froÌ„ them Again Thow art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec fideli bus loquor I speake to the faithful If the no vices Catâ—chumeni vnderstand me not let them shake of their slouth let theÌ„ make hast to knowlege It is not convenient to vtter our mysteries to them And so â—â—â—th in a number of like places VVhereby we see the old Christians did not account this to be one end why this sacrameÌ„t was ordeined For doubtles if they had the first primitiue Christians most constant mattyrs in the citie of Rome vvould never have sought out those crypâ—a those hid secret gâ—ottes vaultes vnder the earth those desert solitarie places they vvould never so studiously have mett in the nights in out-corners far of from the sight concourse presence of the Pagans notwithstanding never so many proclamations made by the persecuting Emperours If Christs ordinance had bene to the coÌ„trarie the Apostles vvould not haue ministred the sacrament in private hovvses but in the open streetes And as in the temple of Salomon and places of most resort in synagoges and publike consistories they preached Christ in the face of Christs enemies and enemies of Christian profession so there
vvhich they cal sanctifying It is a fowle vntruth to sâ— that without whispering vve account the vvords of Christ to lacke their force And vvhen he calleth consecration incantation that is an vntruth Sâ—â—â—â—ical blasphemous because it reacheth not only to aâ— the auncient primitiâ—e church as hath bene shewed but also to Christ him self For vve vse the vvords of Christ as Christ did and vve vse them no otherwise to no other end vvith no other intention or effect then Christ did and commaunded to be done and the church of Christ first and last old new in the East and VVest in Europa Asia and Africa vsed vniversally vvithout control vntil these vvicked and prophane mockers of Christ and al religion set a vvorke by Satan brake lose in to the vvorld Besides al vvhich falsitie impietie heresie blasphemie and ignorance â— true religion this man seemeth to be ignorant of common learning and philosophie for that he supposeth â—â— magike and incantatioÌ„ to depend of vvhispering vvhere as such inchanters and impostors play their parts no more by whispering then by speaking vvith a cleare voyce as M. B. byndeth his ministers to speake vvhen they eate their supper ¶ The seuenth vntruth vvith vvhich I vvil end â—oâ— if I vvould note al I should be to tedious euery sentence almost conteyning nought els but such grosse and palpable falsities and the same accompanied vvith a number of folowers is vvhere he preacheth thus After the words of consecration are this way whispered they presâ—pâ—â—â—â— such a hid and monstruous vertue to be inclosed in the sillables one blasphemous vntruth that the vertue and power which flowes from the words there is two are able to chase away wholy the substance of bread there is a third and that the power which flowes from these words is able to rug pul downe the flesh and blud of Christ that sits at the right hand of his father there is 4. at lest This ministerlike kind of speech that is to say this vvitles and frantike kind of railing and blaspheming and lying that vve suppoâ—e such hid vertue to be inclosed in the sillables and flow from the words he continueth and thus repeateth to make good his former raylative speech of incantation against vvhich he disputeth very gravelie and the more gravely the more ridiculously because he disputeth against the false conceit of his owne fansie and not against any faith of ours His argument is this VVe deny that any vertue is inclosed in the sillables For if there were such a vertue and power inclosed in the sillables by that reason there should be a vertue in the figure and shape of the letter that makes vp the word Now there is no man wil thinke that there is any vertue in the figure or shape of the letter ergo c. Doubtles a profound argumeÌ„t vvhich if M. B. could have vsed vvel towards Iohn Knox that famous incestuous adulterer and Apostata M. B. his predecessor the chief Scottish Apostle of this age the Scottish ministers vvhich now rule he might perhaps have much refrayned and vvithdrawen both him them from their vsual magicke familiar coniuratioÌ„ of spirites For of Knox it is testified that even in Geneva vvhere he vvas to pretend a litle honestie he vvas much geven to such kind of study and of the Scottish ministers it is publikely witnessed by one vvho speaketh of his certaine knowlege that no other science and so belike not the Iustitutions of Iohn Calvin nor yet the vvord of the Lord is more ordinarle and 〈…〉 liar there or more diligently studied or had in mor◠〈…〉 and esteeme then magicke and witcheraâ—â— As for the 〈…〉 liks any creature that is not bereft of common 〈…〉 may soone perceive that this point of incancatioÌ„ â—posâ— pose any vertue or power to lye inclosed in the sillables no more toucheth them then the man in the moone For they know and professe that vvho soever pronounceth these wordes or sillables be he man vvoman or child be he King or Keisar or of vvhat degree and state soever if he be not lawfully called in the church of Christ to the office of priesthod the words and sillables pronounced by any such haue no more vertue and power then if they vvere pronouÌ„ced by a minister of the Scottish or Geneva creation Againe they know prosesse that if a lawful priest or bisshop pronounce them as many do both in their studies vvhen they reade S. Paules Epistles or the Gospels and in the church vvhen privatly they say their service and among other parts of scripture rehearse these vvords there is no more power or vertue in them then in any other vvords or sillables or sentences of the Gospelâ— and yet if there vvere any power or vertue included in the sillables the sillables being stil one like power and vertue should ensue of theÌ„ And therefore M. B. may soone perceive that vve have no such magical imagination of these or any like vvords Mary vvhen a lawful priest or bisshop pronounceth them as the substitute of Christ to that end and vvith that intention and meaning to do as Christ appointed now in this case that these vvords or any other of like effect substance have power vertue to vvorke that vvhich Christ ordeyned to be wrougâ—â— by them vvhat should I go about to prove vvhereas M. B. him self in the next page immediatly confesseth it For I vvil not trouble the reader vvith any distinctions vsual in Catholike vvriters because the simplicitie of this man is such that him self in this very page yeldeth as much to consute him self as I desire or the reader needeth to require For thus he vvriteth VVe deny there is â—â—y vertue inclosed in the sillables or resident in the word But we say there is a power conioyned with the word and vve say no more but al power is resident in the eternal word whereof tobe 〈◊〉 mention in the first of his Euangel Let that stand for 〈◊〉 that yet yow remeÌ„ber your owne words in your first sermon that as the Euangel is a mighty and pâ—tent instrument to our everlasting saluation so the sacrament is a potent instrument appointed by God to deliver and exhibite to vt the thing signified that is Christ Iesus And therefore vvhereas yow say There is not a drams weight of this vertue power resident in any creature but it is only in Christ Iesus vvhich no vvise man denieth so long as yow speake of this vertue to vvit such and in such sort as it is resident in our Saviour the fonteine origin author of al grace and vertue both in vvord and sacrament so yet if yow consider the vvord and sacrament as mighty and potent instruments ordeyned by Christ instrumentally to deliver vs Christ yow must allow vnto them some drams and some ounces to of vertue and power or
depends on good life and good conscience and not on faith alone that it is not sufficient for a man to leave sinne and leade a new life but he must vvithal lament for that which he hath committed and with a godly sorow deplore it and so forth in a number of the like Ipecified before VVhat vvisedome or probabilitie of reason can move a Christian to beleeve such preachers in other their assertions discredite them in these If reply be made that because they be contradictorie it is vnpossible to folow them in both is not this very reply a most sufficient and abundant cause cleane to shake them of to esteeme them for men vnsetled in any one faith and therefore very vnfit to be guides and lights ditectors and Apostles to others vvho as yet have no stayd faith of their owne And vvhat miserie is it vvhat grief of hart to a Christian of any zeale to see men vvhom God hath abundantly blessed vvith so rare gifts of nature both in body mynd as al straunge nations of Europe acknowlege to appeare eminently in the inhabitants of our Iland such meÌ„ to be mislead by so rude so savage so barbarous an heresie by so fond brutish vnreasonable ministers vvho ether vvriting vvith one pen or preaching in a maner vvith one breath at one time and place informe them vvith such contradictorie instructions S. Gregâ—â—â—â— that glorious Saint bishop of Rome vvhen he saw in Rome certain of our countrymen of Yorkeshire or the bisshoprick of Duâ—â—haÌ„ vewing their comely countenaÌ„ce good proportion of body vnderstanding that the country vvhence they came vvas then not Christened sighing from the bottoÌ„ of his hart Alas quoth he what a pitiful case is it that the autor of darknes should possesse so beautiful a people men of so fayre a face should inwardly cary so fowle a sowle But how much more pitiful lamentable is the case now that the same people indued by Gods prouidence with those gifts as largely as euer heretofore hauing by meanes of that blessed Pope or other Apostolical bisshops bene established rooted in the ChristiaÌ„ faith 1400. yeres continually as the Scottish or almost a thousand as the English should vpon I know not vvhat weake pretence vpon friuolous light persuasion vpon the word of ministers most vnstable ignoraÌ„t vngrounded fal froÌ„ the Christian faith to an heresie so wicked sowle as is the Caluinian or Zuinglian coÌ„demned not only by al ChristendoÌ„ besides but also by those very schismatikes Arch-heretikes them selues who were the first authors of this schisme heresie Much better had it benâ— for vs neuer to have knoweÌ„ the way of iustice ChristiaÌ„ faith then vvhen once vve vvere put in possession thereof so carâ—lesly to neglecte it and so shamefully reiecte it embrasing in steed thereof the vncertain sansies of 2. or â— â—oâ—e â—editious Apostataes which is to put our selues in more damnable estate before God then vve vvere in that our first infidolitie as after Christ our Sauiour S. Peter the Apostle the auncient fathers teach ¶ And yet this vvhich I write let not the reader so interprete as though I supposed the learned the sober the vvise and discrete or the general number of â—ther nation so far seduced as to beleeve this ragged Caluinian Gospel For as in England the publike practise of certain bluddy persecutors the daily murthering or imprisoning spoiling of constant Catholikes the chief Theological argument vvhich for many veres hath bene vsed there for only religion though they cal it treason maketh thousands doubtles of civil honest natured men for sauing of their lives libertie and goods to them their vviues posteritie to frequent the Protestant churches vvhose harts yet can not possibly be induced by such bluddy and butcherly argument to beleeve that their priuate Parlament religion is the publike faith of Christ his Apostles so in Scotland not only reason persuadeth the like the religion of Scotland though it come from Caluin and Beza yet being as vveakely grounded as the English devised by as meane instruments in the nonage of K. Edward the sixt but also M. B. maketh a plain and comfortable confession to the same purpose For saith he I see our hail youth for the most part geuen to Papistâ—ie as likewise our noble men for the greatest part trauailes vtterly to banish the Gospel of Luther Iohn Caluin and Bezaes inuention And vvhat maâ—ueil is it if the youth and noble men be thus affected nâ—ther of vvhich ever perhaps liked your gospel the one because even by moral vvisedome and humaine discourse they see it to be nothing els but a vvild irreligious heresie the other because being free from grosse sinne iniquitie gods merciful hand vvithholdeth them from crediting such infidelitie in to which blindnes he coÌ„monly permitteth men to fal for punishment of sinne and naughtie life vvhereas the hote and zealous bretherne them selues vvho vvere the first stickleâ—s and earnest promoteâ—s thereof are now so far altered that they also make as light account of it as other the Nobilitie or the youth I or euen so M. B. testifieth saying that such also loath disdaine ofcast the Gospel whereas in the beginning they would haue gone some 20. some 40. miles to the hearing of this word they wil scarcely come now fra their howse to the â—irk and remayne there one howre but bides at home This is the very forme and essential proprietie of this new gospel Christian reader to please the eye or tast for a vvhile but in short space to lease both beautie and sweetenes and dislike both eye and tast It glittereth at the first like a painted puppet but a very few yeres or moneths take from it the counterfeit shape and leave it to be seene in his natural deformitie VVhen Carolostadius first began it and had made a treatise or two in defense of his opinion the bretherne vvere so feruent in setting it forward that as vvriteth Zuinglius they came flocking in great numbers to Basile vvhere his bookes vvere printed carying them avvay on their shoulders dispersed them yea filled vvith them almost everie citie towne village and hamlet non modo vrbes oppida pagos verum etiam villas ferme omnes oppleusruÌ„t and vvere so earnest in setting vp that opinion that as Vrbanus Regius a principal new Euangelist complaineth they accompted him not a right Christian though otherwise a right Protestant that vvas not a Carolostadian and refused to be present at a sermon or heare the Gospel and vvord of the Lord preached by any that was not of that sect A verbo per nos prâ—dicato abhorrent vvriteth Vib. Regius hoc vno nomine quod Carolostadianus non sum Quasi vero Carolostadiani soli mysticuÌ„ Christi corpus absoluant pro quo Christus sit mortuus A few yeres after came Zuinglius on the stage