A Disclosing or Opening of the Man of Sin, Book 2 · Part 10
The manne of ſynne.
¶ 1 Ageynſt communyon 2 and hovvſelynge at eaſter / 3 and vnderunder one kynde / 4 ageynſt inuocacyon of ſayntes / 5 ageynſt maſſe / 6 mattens and euenſonge.
¶ Hys dyſcloſynge.
Thys folower of Balaam ſeketh yetNum. 23▪ 2. Ioan. 1. Heb. 2. 2. Pet. 2. more colours of deceyt, to optayne the rewarde of inyquyte. The drye foūtayne ys he without water, and the cloude carryed forth, of a tempeſt, to whom ys reſerued the myſt of darkeneſſe for euer. He vttereth proude wordes toIude. 1. Pſalm. 16 Ioan. 8. 2. Pet. 2. Luce. 11. Prou. 26. Eccle. 34. Act. 13. entyce vntounto wantonneſſe ageynſt god. Hys labour ys to brynge mēne into bondage of ſynne, ād to make the laſt errour worſe than the firſt. He enforceth the dogge to turne ageyne to hys vomete, and the ſowe that was waſhed to wallowe her a geyne in the myre. Se what a cūpaſſe thys ſubtyle charmer fatcheth, to call the peple backe, leaſt they ſchuld clerely fall frō ther olde errours. But ſett yowr hart at reſt yeZach. 3. Math. 7. Ioan. 10. Cant. 5. Math. 17. Hiere. 23. Eſa. 55. Ezech. 7. Eccle. 51. Oſee. 11. Luce. 11. craſtye Sathā, for non wyll folowe yow but dogges and ſwyne, ſoch as neuer regardeth the graces of the lorde. The lambes knoweth ther ſhepeherd. Hys voyce wyll they heare, as ther heauenly father hath cōmaūded. They wyll nomore be acquaynted with the voyces of ſtraungers. Eſaye hath ſent ye worde, they wyll geue nomore moneye for the thinge that fedeth not. They wyll ſpende nomore laboure about that ſatyſfyeth not. Ye laye yokes verye faſt vponupon mēne (ſayth oſeas) but ye eaſe thē not of ther burthen. Theſe bokes (ſayth my lorde) are ageynſt the communyon and howſelynge at eaſter, and ſpecyallye1. Pet. 4. Act. 2. Ioan. 13. vnderunder one kynde. Vvhat the cō munyō ys we are throughlye aſſertayned by the ſcripturs.
… But of your eaſter howſell we can not ſkyll. And therfor ye hauehave done wele here to make them dyuerſe. Surelye yt ys the moſt lerned poynt we ſe in yow yet, for they are dyuerſe in dede. So dyuerſe,Luce. 11 Math. 12. 2. Ioan. 1. 2. Cor. 6. Luce. 22. Math. 26 Marci. 14▪ Col. 2. that the one ys with Chriſt, the other ys ageynſt hym. The one allureth vntounto hym, the other ſcattereth frō hym. And no maruele, ſeynge the one ys of Chriſt, the other of Anticriſt. Chriſt ſayd vntounto hys dyſcyples, Take yt and deuyde yt amonge yowr ſelues, And ſo cōſtytuted therin a mutuall perticipacyō of hys bodye ād blood. Yow wyll ſuffre nō to touche yt, be they neuer ſo cleane that daye, bycauſe they1. Cor. 11. hauehave not yowr oyles. But ye geue euerye manne hys brekefaſt alone, bycauſe yt ſchuld be no communyon. After thys ſortIoan. 13. receyued Iudas a ſoppe alone, as non of that communyon. Ye thynke ye hauehave done wele in changynge Chriſtes ordynaū ce.Ioannes cuſpinianus de ſaracenis. Alas wretched creaturs, ye hauehave done moſt wyckedly. No ſaracene nor Turke dare change one Iote of Mahometes lawe (whych ys but a wretched thynge) ād yow ſpare not to alter the ſett purpoſe of the eternall god. And where as yewyll ſuffre no laye mēne to takeyt in ther hādesColo. 2. Treno. 3▪ yt ys but a ſuperſtycyoſe nyceneſſe of ye. For chriſtes dyſcyples were neuer ſmered with yowr popyſhe greaſe and yet they layd handes vponupon yt. Yea, Euſebius ceſarienſis and Dyoniſius Alexandrinus alſoHiſto, tri pertit. Lib. 9 ca. 30. writeth that a yonge ladde ded mynyſtre yt vntounto one Serapion at Alexādria, as he laye a dyenge, and yt was than wele allowed. Theodoſius the emprour had yt geuen hym into hys owne handes by the aſſygnaciō of ſaynt Ambroſe the byſſhoppIacobus de voragine. of millayne. Hypolitus a laye manne ded mynyſtre yt vntounto hys how ſholde ſeruaū tes, and is yet to thys daye commended of manye auncyent wryters for ſo doynge. The communyon ys a mutuall ſocyeteEpheſ. 4. Rom. 12 1. cor. 10 Gala. 2. of menne in one Chriſten faythe, knytt together in one brotherlye louelove, as members in one bodye to ther head, in the true partycypacyon of that heauēlye myſterye VntoUnto thys communyon was Paulus and Barnabas receyued, whan Peter, IohanandActo. 6 Ioan. 2. Apo. 18 Iames gaue them ther ryght handes of felyſhypp.
2 Vvherof your how ſell ryſeth, or wher vponupon yt hath cawte that name, we cā not wele tell. Vnleſſe yt be vponupon thysEx. 6. ſynodo. queſt. Ca Nullus epiſco. How ſell ye? that ys to ſaye, thoſe wares for there ys nothynge els but merchandyce in yt. The one ſelleth hys maſter with Iudas, ād the other byeth the holyeghoſt with Symon magus. And to maynteyne thys rewle, muſt tythes and offerynges with other deuocyōs and dewtyes be payed, the whole accōptes therof than made in confeſſyon. I coude wryte manyeEſa. 3. Hie. 23. Dani. 14. thynges cōcernynge ther craftye cloyninge and pyllage of the poore labourynge menne and womenne, ſeruaūtes and prenteſes, to be catchynge yet of ſūwhat, but for thys tyme I lete yt paſſe. Thys your Eaſter how ſell was firſt inſtytute by popeplatina in vitis pōt. Innocencius. 3. de pen. & re Zepherinus and after confermed by a popyſhe decretall called, Omnis vtriuſ que ſexus. The communyon of Chriſt ys fre to hys peple, and bounde to no daye, but all dayes at ther pleaſure boūde vntounto yt, for they are now no ſeruauntes to the daye, but the daye vntounto them. For the lorde created not manne to ſerue the daye, but theMarci. 2. Math. 12. Luce. 6. Gala. 4. Col. 2. daye to ſerue manne. How hapneth yt (ſayth ſaynt Paule) that ye turne ageyn to the weake and beggerlye tradycyons, de ſyerynge a freſhe to be in bondage? Ye obſerue dayes ād monethes, tymes and years I am in feare of yow, leaſt my labours be in vayne amonge yow.The artycle of the Eucharyſtye in both kyndes.
3 In the ende of thys artycle, ye condempne theſe bokes for admyttynge both kyndes ī the Eucharyſtye vntounto the laye peple (as yow name them) though they be vntounto Chriſt more holye thā yow whych hath the popes vnccyons. Vvhether yow be the heretyques or they that made the bokes, lete Chriſt be iudge. He erneſtlye commaundedMat. 26. Marc. 14. Luce. 22. hys dyſcyples to drynke of yt all. And they dranke of yt all, ſayth Marke. Yow ſaye, hande of in peyne of burnynge or els hangynge, bycauſe Eckius dronkē dyuynyte hath ſo taught yow. Parauēture ye wyll ſaye with hym, that theAn argument out of Eckius dyuynyte 1. Cor. 11. Ambroſius et Hieronimus. bodye ys not without the blood? Chriſt knewe that alſo ſo well as yow. Yet mynyſtred he the chalyce, as ye call yt. Saynt Paule in lyke caſe writynge a lawe of chriſten lyuynge vntounto the Corintheanes (whych were laye menne and no preſtes) commended both kyndes vntounto them, lyke as he had of the lorde receyued, and yow make lawes of deathe for yt. In the wycked counſell of Conſtaunce was ytBaptiſta panecius ſermone 56. atque alij. firſt inhybytt in the .xiij. ſyttynge, by pope Iohan the .xxiij. whych was there depoſed for poyſenynge hys predeceſſour Alexāder, by the falſe workynge of Mar ſilius de parma a pheſycyane. Vvhere as the holye menne of God Ioannes huſs and Hieronimus de praga for withſtandyngePanormitanus. Acta conſilij Baſilienſis. yt, were done to moſt cruell deathe, in the yeare of ower lorde. M .cccc. xv. yet was yt .xxiij. years after graunted ageyne vntounto the Bohemes in the generall counſell of Baſyll after manye great dyſputacyons. And therfor yt ys a ſore matter to putt menne to deathe for, but that ye muſt folowe the ſteppes of yowr fathersGeneſ. 4. Math. 23. Ioan. 10. Zach. 11. to be partyners with them in that plage. Both muſt ye be theues and murtherers depryuynge the peple as wele of helthe as of lyfe.
4 And where as ye ſeke to maynteyne the inuocacyon of ſayntes, condempnynge theſe bokes for ſpeakynge ageynſt yt. Ye ſhe we yowr ſelfe a more folyſhe heretyque,Bōner folyſhe. Eckius obſtynate. Idolatour, and papyſt than anye that I can heare of els. Though maſter Eckius be a verye obſtynate aduerſarye to Chriſt and hys worde, and an vnſhamefaſt captayne of antichriſtes warres, yet ys he not ſo folyſhe ā Idolatour, as to allowwhat Eckius alloweth, the ſayntes. inuocacyon to the ſayntes, though he allowe them both veneracyon and prayer. Therfor ye are lyke in thys to ſtande fole alone without the helpe of hys doctrine or yet of anye other, vnleſſe ye ſeke to the olde quereſters of Baal, or the chapleynes3. Reg. 18. Dani. 14. Hiere. 51. Oſee. 4. of Bell the olde God of Babylon that ded eate vpp all the ſacryfyces as yower generacyon doth ſtyll. Vvhat I ſchuld write of thys I can not tell, yt ys ſo folyſhe. Sauynge that I remembre .viij. years ago I was afore Edwarde lee the archebyſſhopp of yorke. Vvhereas IThe author examyned vpō ſayntes worſhyppynge. An olde dottynge doctor dodypoll The anſwer of my lorde archebyſſhopp of yorke. was examyned vponupon the artycle of honourynge and prayenge to ſayntes, deuyded into .xvij. artycles. In the tyme of that examynacyon was there an olde doctour whych greatlye lamented (as my lorde doth here) that he myght no longar make inuocacyon to ſayntes, and thought hym ſelfe halfe loſt for yt, good doctour Downes ſtandynge by and ſmylynge at hys folyſhneſſe. VntoUnto whom the archebyſſhop ſayd theſe wordes. Speake not (ſayth he) of inuocacyon concernynge ſayntes. For that reſpecteth a peculyar worſhypp onlye due vntounto God. And with that the mā was pacyfyed, and argued no farder. So that I can ſe non agre with my lorde here in thys opynyon, vnleſſe they be blynde daſtardes and aſſeheades, as thys olde dottynge fole was. Thys ys yet ſūwhat worſeVvhat the popes hath graū ted vntounto ſayntes. than ys the popes doctrine. For though pope Sergius gaue them ſhrynes, Theodatus churches, Felix holye dayes, Gregorye veneracyon, Honorius prayenge to, Leo hympnes and pſalmodye, Iohan .vij. pycturs, Conſtantyne Images and tabernaclesIacobus bergomē ſis, Platina, et nauclerus. puttynge them in the maſſe. Theodorus waxe, Stephanus ſenſynge, and Alexander holye water, yet wa there non of them all that euer gaue them honour vnderunder the tyttle of invocacyon. That ys the onlye newe years gyft of my lorde of londō here, borowed altogyther of the olde Idolatours. And as moche worſhyppysPerottus & hermā nus torrē tinus ī elucidarīo. he worthy to hauehave for yt as had Heroſtratus, whych burned the great temple of Diana at Epheſus onlye be ſpokē of. Neyther graunteth the ſcriptur ſayntes honorynge, nor yet ther prayenge to. Neyther are they allowed there for interceſſours, medyatours, nor aduocates. In the primatyneThe ſayntes are no medyatours. churche were they had in memorye, onlye for imytacyon of ther godlye workes, but yet of non other than Chriſt had cōmaūded. For ſaynt Paule hys ſelfe wolde non otherwyſe be folowed of other, than he had folowed Chriſt afore.1. cor. 4. Phil. 3.
5 Yet ys not the ragynge furye of my lorde pacyfyed for theſe bokes, but nedes they muſt be condempned for hauyngeMaſſe, mattens euenſōge offyces of anticriſt. mater ageynſt maſſe, mattens, and euenſō ge, though they be onlye offyces of antichriſtes relygyon, yea, rather ſuperſtycyō Vvhat yowr maſſe is we hauehave partlye declared afore as occaſyon hath bene offred vsus. If euerye pope ſchuld hauehave home ageyne the fedder he hath putt vntounto yt, ytA creature of the popes creacyon. ſchuld be a verye naked monſtre, not all vnlyke vntounto Iſopes choughe, whom we commonlye call Iacke dawe. Yet muſt yt be a ſacrifyce ſatiſfactorye for the quycke and the dead, to the great derogacyon ād blaſphemye of that onlye ſacrifice of ow… Hebre. 10 1. Pet. 1. Phil. 3.redemption, which Chriſt ones made for all. Theſe beaſtlye bellygoddes hath not bene aſhamed in ther ſcolaſtycall lernynge or deuyliſhe diuynite', to ſaye that the maſſe of the worke ſelfe delyuereth fromThe dirty dyuinite of papyſtes for ther maſſe. actuall ſynne, optayneth remyſſion, graunteth deſeruīge, geueth meryte, minyſtreth grace, and diſchargeth both the gyltyneſſe and peyne due thervnto, where as Chriſtes deathe is nomore but a dyſcharge for oryginall ſynne onlye, Yea, it is not longe a go ſens Stokyſlaye and other beſydes, myniſtred the ſame for a Chriſten doctrineStokyſlaye and Standyſhe, both blaſphemers. at paules croſſe. Standyſhe that blaſphe mouſe Idyote, maynteyninge the ſame ſelfe lowſye lewde lernynge, was not abaſhed to compare the precyouſe blood of Chriſt to the fylthye blood of a ſwyne in hys deuylyſhe preachinge. VvhichWhich I hauehave touched more at large in an other boke ageynſt hys ſlaunderoſe reproche of Barnes, Neuer are ſoche matters condempnedThe author ageynſt ſtandyſhe for Barnes. nor yet recanted. No, they are to ſwete to ther purſes, panches, and pratye pygeons of paules, to be throwne awaye ſo ſone. It were better a hondreth thouſande ſowles went to the deuyll, than they ſchuld loſe an ynche of thoſe wanton pleaſurs. Oh, wretchedneſſe, of menne. If there were inNo compaſſyon nor pyte in papyſtesbut deſtruccyō. yow but one ſparke of godlyneſſe, it wolde abhorre yow thus to delude, ſlee, dāpne, and deſtroye your poore ſymple bretherne with this wycked maſſe of yowrs Of whom ye boaſt chriſt ād hys apoſtles to be the authors, not beynge able throughlye to brynge one godlye māne for theNot criſt but antichriſt foū ded the Maſſe. Fylthye drynkes of ſynne. Apoc. 17 Prou. 15. Polydorus de rerum inuē toribus. Lib. 6. author therof as yt ys now. I ſpeake onlye of yowr patched maſſe, and not of criſtes wordes in the ryght kynde.
6 And as touchynge your mattēs and euenſonge, they are alſo fylthye drynkes of the ſame whores cuppe of Babylō, verye execrable and noyfull to them that ſchall receyue them in faythe without vnderſtandynge, as a fulfyllynge of ther dutye to god. Onlye are they inſtytucyons of popes, As of Damaſus, Gelaſiꝰ, Pelagius, Gregorius, Vitelianus, Vrbanus. And ſoche lyke. And of monkes agreynge to the ſame, As of Ioannes caſſianus, Paulus Diaconus, Iſuardus, Alcuinus, Rabanus, Oſmiidus, ād ſoche other more, takē outIoānes tritemius, & Ceſtrēſis. Math. 6. Eſa. 29. Lucae. 11. 3. Reg. 18. firſt of the ſupſticioſe vſe of the gētiles ād the hypocritiſhe cuſtomes of the pharyſees. Vvhan ye praye (ſayth Chriſt) ſpeake not moche as doth the heythen, nor ſtande not vp in the ſynagoges as doth the hypocrytes. For the one thynketh to be harde by moche bablynge, and the other ſeketh to be ſeane of menne. They both areMarc. 16. Ioan. 20. Math. 28. without rewarde of God. Vvhan Chriſt went from the worlde, he ſent forth non other but preachers onlye to inſtruct the multitude to lyue after the rewles whych he had afore taught by his goſpell. NowThe popes dylcyples are mattēſers and maſſers. commeth the pope which is of a contrarie relygion from hym, and he ſendeth forth mattens mongers, maſſe momblers, holye water ſwyngers, and euenſonge clatterers with other hypocrites els, to fulfyll the tyme with ther Idell ſuperſticyons, and clerelye to exyle the goſpell. And thys is the religyō that my lorde laboreth here with tothe and nayle to maynteyne. But GodHiere. 15. Pſal. 1. (I doubt it not) wyll ſhortlye delyuer his, and the wayes of the wvcked ſchall come to nought.