The Grand Sacrilege of the Church of Rome, Title page 1 – Dedication 1
THE GRAND SACRILEGE OF THE CHVRCH OF ROME, In taking away the sacred Cup from the Laiety at the Lords Table: Detected, and conuinced by the euidence of holy Scripture, and Testimonies of all Ages successiuely from the first propagation of the Catholike Christian Faith to this present: Together with two Conferences; the former at Paris with D. Smith, now stiled by the Romanists B of Calcedon; the later at London with M Euerard, Priest: By DAN. FEATLY, Doctor in Diuinity.
Gelasius de consecrat. dist 2. cap. comperim…s.
Aut integra percipiant, aut ab integris arceantur: diuisio enim vnius eiusdemque mystery sine grandi sacrilegio non potest prouenire.
LONDON, Printed by Felix Kyngston for Robert Milbourne, and are to be sold in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Greyhound. 1630.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE, WILLIAM, EARLE OF Pembroke, Lord high Steward of his Maiesties Houshold, and of his most Honourable priuy Councell, Chancellor of the Vniuersity of Oxford, Knight of the Noble Order of the Garter.
ALthough I can challenge no interest in your Lordships fauour: yet your Lordsh, may challenge your interest in those fruits of my studies, which grew vnderunder the shade of your Honours protection in the famous Nursery of Religion and Learning, the Uniuersity of Oxford: which the more it flourisheth by the sweet influence of your Lordships wise and mild gouernment, the fairer and fresher Garlands of fame it still presents to your Honour. Since the Muses of Sion and Helicon chose you their Patron, their Reuenewes hauehave been so enlarged, the Libraries furnisht, the number of Professors increased, the Buildings raised and beautified, that you may rightly vse the Apothegme of Augustus: Vrbem lateritiam inveni, relinquam marmoream; or rather in the sacred phrase of the Scripture we may say of you, You found the Uniuersity built with Sycamores, you willieaue it built with Cedars: you found the foundations laid with Bricks, you will leaue them laid with Saphyrs. Yet the rearing of these high and stately buildings doth not erect so lasting a monument of your praise, as the repairing the collapsed discipline, and reuiuing of our ancient Statutes, the Characters whereof were more worne out in some mens manners, then in our bookes. But aboue all, the safe custodie of that pretious depositum of sauing Truth, no way clipt by schisme, nor adulterated by Popish heresie, nor embased by any semipelagian alloy, is to be accounted the Crowne of your glory, and our ioyes. This is that Palladium, which if wee lose, we are all lost: but if we keepe it (notwithstanding the treacheries of Iesuiticall Sinons, and Wodden engines of Antichristian Rome) Troia stabit Priamique arx alta manebit. Of this our most holy and orthodox …aith, because your selfe, and your Noble House hauehave been alwaies, and are at this day vnderunder his Maiesty, a principall defender and protector, I make bold to dedicate to your Honour this polemicall Tractate, wherein I charge the Church of Rome deepely with no lesse a crime then Grand Sacrilege, and to demonstrate foreign, I call in for witnesses against her of the best rank and note from the Apostles times downwara through all centuries, euen to this sixtenth now currant. That which the Iesuites hauehave so long clamored for; and many, in regard of the razing out, and defacing, and burning ancient records of truth, vnderunder the tyranny of Antichrist, hauehave thought infecible, I hauehave produc'd a catalogue of visible professors and eminent propugners of a maine Article of our reformed Religion in all Ages. And if my trauell herein, through many difficult, and vnbeaten pathes, may be thought profitable to the Church of God; I will proceed by the same line in other controuersies, as God shall inable, and your Lordship incourage.
Your Lordships humbly deuoted, D. F.