The Jewel of Joy, Masque (2 of 3)

The Jewel of Joy · Masque (2 of 3)

Neyther wyth fyne clothe, nor wyth Saten Dam…ske, veluet nor wyth cloth of gold, did God apparayll Adam, neyther dyd he trime and set forth oure grandmother Eue wyth sumptuouse apparayle, of cloth of syluer, or clothe of golde, neyther dyd he set vponupon hyr head a french hode wyth an edge of golde besydes pearles and precious stons and suche other trime trames, I can not tell what, but he clothed thē boeth wyth symple garmentes of leather, not that they shoulde reioyce and be proude of theym, but to vse theim as thynges necessarye to couer theyr wretched nakednes, and to defende theim from the cruell stormes & fearce tempestes of wynde, raine, snow hayle. &c.

Euse.

As in other thynges, so lykewise in apparel is the world at thys presente, wonderfullye fallen frome the first institution of thynges,

For if wee shoulde compare the chyldrene wyth the father, I meane, if wee shoulde consider what apparell God appoynted vntounto Adam, and what is vsed nowe a dayes, a manne shoulde fynde as greate differ…nce betwene theym, as is betwene the Sunne, and the leaste starre in lyghte and bryghtenes, to beholde the vayne and folish light fashyons of apparayle vsed amōg vsus, it is to much wōderful. The madnes of EnglisheI thinke no realme in y^e worlde, men in theyr apparell.no, not among the Turkes and Sarazyns dote so muche in the vanitie of theyr apparell, as the Englyshe men do at thys presēt Theyr cote muste be made after the Italian fashion, theyr cloke after the vse of the spanyardes, their gowne after the maner of the Turckes, their cappe muste be of the frenche fashion, and at the laste theyr dagarde muste be Scottish wyth a venecian tassel of sylke. I speake nothynge of theyr dublets and hoses, which for the moste parte are so minsed cutte, and iagged, that shortlye after they become boeth torne & ragged. I leaue of also to speke of the vanitie of certayne lighte braynes, which bicause nothing should want to the settyngforth of theyr fondenesse, wyll rather weare a Martē chaine the price of. viii. d, thē they would be vnchayned. O what a monster and a beaste of manye heades is the Englyshe manne nowe become? To whom maie he be compared worthely, but to Esoppes crow? For as the crow decked hyr selfe wyth the fethers of all kynde of byrdes to make hyr selfe beautifull, euen so doeth the vaine Englyshe man for the fonde apparelynge of hym selfe, borow of eueryevery nation to set forth hym self galaunt in the face of the world He is an Englishe mā, he is also a Italiā, a Spaniard, a Turke, a Frencheman, a Scot, a Uenecian, and at the laste what not? He is not much vnlyke a mōster called Chimera, which hath thre heades, one like a Lyō, an other like a Gote, the thyrd lyke a dragon. I passe ouer the lighte and wanton apparel of women now a dayes, partlye bycause it is so The apparell of women.monstrous, and partlye bicause I hauehave not bene nor yet am veri muche acquaynted wyth theim, wherby I myght be the more able to discribe theyr proude Pecockes tayles, if not at the full, whiche were an infinite, laboure yet at the leste somewhat to set it forth as a painter doth, y…r he do lay on colours. But of thys am I certaine, that they obserue not in theyr apparell the rule of the holye scriptures. For. S. Peter i. …. iii.sayeth, that the apparayll of honest and vertuous women shold not be outewarde wyth broyded hear, and hangyng on of golde, eyther in puttynge on of gorgeous apparel, but lette the hydde man which is the herte be without al corruption, so that the spirite is before god a thyng much sette by.

For after this maner in the olde tyme did the holy women which trusted in God, tyre them selues and were obediente to theyr husbandes, euen as Sara obeyed Abraham and called him Lord, whose doughters ye are as long as ye do well.

Hereto agreeth the sayinge of S. Paul to Timothe, Lette the i. Timothe. ii.womē aray them selues in comely apparell wyth shamefastenes and discrete behauour, not wyth broyded hear, eyther Golde or pearles, or costelye araye, but as it becometh women y^t professe godlines thorow good works. A game to Titus he saith. Speke Titus. ii.Titus 2to the womē that they be in such rayment, as becometh holines. Solomon in the description of an vnhonest woman amonge other proprieties rehearseth sumptuouse and galaunte apparel, Prouer. vii.Prov 7callynge it whoreishe apparell fit to deceiue soules, signifiyng that thys to muche costelye and proude apparayle is more mete for whores that lye awayt to allure men vntounto theyr louelove, then for honest womenne whych professe Godlines.

Phi.

As filthy, beggerlike & sluttishe apparel becometh not christē women, if they hauehave, or ryghtously and wyth honestie maye hauehave other: so lykewyse is it not conuenient for them to weare to muche sumptuouse, costely, and galaunt araye. It is inough for chast and pure maydes to weare cleane and simple apparell, as a testimony of the vncorruption & cleannes boeth of theyr mynd & bodye wythout the flaringe out and coleryng of theyr heare, w^t out the payntyng of theyr faces, without the puttyng on of wanton and light aray, wherby they be entised rather to prid & whordome thē to humilitie, shamfast nes, & cleannes of life. It is sufficiente also for honeste maried wiues, that they be so appareled that they please their husbands, they that decke theym selues to please the phanseis of other, and to make theim selues gaseyngestockes to the world, practise rather the maners of whores, then the conditions of honest women There is nothing that doth better adourne, garnishe, and sette forth an honest woman, then sobrietie, shamfastnes, cleannes of life, honest cōuersatiō, integritie of maners, scilēce, feare towarde God, louyng obedience toward hyr husbande, comely behauour in countenaunce, in lokynge, in goynge, in speakynge, in doyng and at the last to weare such apparell, as serueth for hyr state & degre, She that is endued wyth these goodly and Godli vertues atoresayed is a verye fayre and beautifull woman, thoughe hyr face maye tyghte well be resembled to the colour of an Ethiope and she maye saye as it is wrytten an… ….in Solomons Balades. I am blacke, yet am I fayre. For thoughe she be blacke in colour of face, yet is she beautifull in mynde, And looke howe muche the mynde excelleth the bodye, euen so muche doeth the beautye of the mynde excede the fayrnes of the face.

Christo.

Hester was a very Godlye and vertuous woman, yet did she weare glorious apparell.

Phile.

I graunt but ye muste consider that she was no priuate personne, nor one of the base sorte, but she was the moste worthy womā in the realme, euē the kynges wyfe, notwythstandynge howe lyttle she delited in that gorgious apparell, whyche she was compelled to weare for to serue hir state and degre, these hyr wordes do euidently shewe. Thou knowest, O lord saith she my necessitie, that I hate the token Hester. ….of preheminencie, and glory or worshyppe, whyche I bear vponupon my heade, what tyme as I must shewe my selfe and be sene and that I abhorre it as an vncleane cloth, and that I weare it not, when I am quiet and alone by my selfe.

Do we not also read, that when she prayed to the Lord, she laied away hyr glorious apparel, and put on the garmentes that serued for sighynge & mou…ninge?

Agayne, do we not also reade that when the Iewes at anye tyme dyd humble theym selues in the syght of God, and woulde obtayne any at hys hand, y^t they laied asyde theyr galaunte appa rel, & put on sack cloth? Laid thei not awaye their precious oynte…ētes & sca…red ashes and dung vponupon their heaues? this meante somewhat.

Euse.

Of thys am I sure that holy Iohn Baptist did weare verye homelye apparell. Mathewe. iii.Hys rayment saith the scripture was of Camels hear, and he had a gyrdle of leather aboute hys loynes. It is to be thought also that Christe and hys Apostles, which were but pore mē, had not very sūptuous apparel to weare. And. S. Ihō writeth. He y^t saith that he dwelleth in Christ, ought …. Iohn. ii.John 2to walke euē as Christe walked. How can gorgious and galaūt apparel then agre w^t christē professiō? Is the disciple aboue his maister, or the seruaunte aboue his Lorde? Doeth no… Sayncte. Paule in hys Epistle to the Hebrues declare, y^t certaine faithful …br. xvi.and godly persōs walked vp and downe in shepes skinnes & gote skinnes & were highly cōmended of God? Doth not sainct Iames Iacob. v.rebuke the riche men, that hauehave suche plentie of garmentes, that they be motheeaten? Doeth he not also reproue suche as wyl accepte and make much of thē that be clothed in goodli apparel, and Iacob. ….neglecte the pore, whiche are but homely apparelled? Was it for nought that Christe sayed to the people of Saint Iohn Baptise, what went ye out to se a man clo Math. ….thed in softe rayment? Beholde, they that weare softe clothynge are in kynges houses. Is it in vaine, y^t Sainct Luke in the discri…tion of the rich gloton decla …. xvi.reth, that he was clothed in purple and fyne whyte? Do we not reade also, that Kynge Herode Act. xii.Acts 12was arayed in royall apparrell, whē the Angel of the Lord smote hym, so that he dyed a very miserable death? To reherse what the doctoures of Christes churche wryte of the vanitie of gorgious apparell, agayne to declare out of prophane histories how greatly the noble princes and mightie Emperours euē amōg the Ethnyckes abhorred sūptuous rayment, both time and tong should fayle me.

Phi.

It is very syttynge A rule for apparell.and prayse worthy ynough for al degrees of personnnes to weare apparell accordyng to their state and callynge, so that vanitie, excesse and reioysyng therin be banished. But confusedly eueryevery mā or woman to weare as them lyketh, is boeth wythout ordre and greatly discōmendable, & oughte by the higher powers to be redressed. To be shorte in this behalfe, it shall be conuenient for so many as professe Christ alwayes to set before y^e eyes of their mynd thys saiynge of the Apostle, hauyng i. Timo. vi.fode, & wherewyth we may be couered: let vsus be content. For we broughte nothynge into the worlde, neither shall we cary any thynge out of it. And he appareleth hym selfe wel, whiche forgetteth not to cloth the pore according to this cōmaūdemēt of god. Whē y^u seest the naked, cloth him …sa. …viii. Act. ixActs 9as we reade of the noble & vertuous womā Tabitha, which made cotes & garmētes for y^e pore.

The.

If these thynges were deeplye weyghed and considered, they that so greatly delighte in sumptuous apparayle, woulde sone cease from that vanitie, and no more repose their delectatiō in it. For these garmentes, whiche we nowe set by verye muche, within fewe yeres we put thē to vile offices and threwe them away vponupon the doūghili, so that we hauehave litel occasion to reioyse in them.

Phile.

Trueth it is, as these thynges aforesaide be proued to bringe no perfecte felicitie nor true ioye to menne, so lykewyse these that remaine, whatsoeuer they be, make a man nomore truely ioyful than the other. To pamper the beally and to fare deliciously is reputed Of ….amonge the voluptuous Epicures an highe & singular pleasure, yet these meates & drynkes which are so deraely bought, and wherin many so greatly, delight become afterwarde so vyle and lothsome, that we can neither abyde the syghte nor the smell of them. What doeth yesterday fasting profit the gredy appetite of y^e day folowing? O short & vaine pleasure.

Chri.

Thys bealy chere and bancketinge bryngeth no… onelyonly to man a transitorye delectacion, and such pleasure as sone passeth away, but it also wasteth a mannes substaunce and pearceth hym wyth the dartes of pouertie, as Solomon sayeth, he that hath pleasure in bancketes Pro. xxi.Prov 21shall be a pore man, and who so delyteth in wyne and delicates, shal not be riche. Agayne he sayeth, keepe not cōpany wyth wyne bibbers and ryotous eaters of fleshe, for such as be dronckardes and ryotous shal come to pouertie.Pro. xxiii.Prov 23

Euse.

They shall not onelye come to pouertie, but such as are ryotous persōs shall get to them selues thorow their distēperaūce and excesse of eatynge and drinckinge diuers sickenesses and diseases very harde to be put a way as the same Solomō sayth, who hath wo? who hath sorowe? who hath strife? who hath brawlinge? Pro. xxiii.Prov 23and who hath woundes w^tout a cause? Or who hath red eyes? Euen they y^t be euer at the wyne, & seeke excesse. Loke not thou vpō the wyne, howe red it is, & what coloure it geueth in the glasse. It goeth downe softly, but at y^e laste it biteth like a serpent, & styngeth like an adder. Hither maketh the saiynge of the wyse man. Be not greedy in eueryevery eatinge, & be not Eccle. xxxvii.Sir 37to hasty vponupon all meates. For excesse of meates bringeth sicknes, & glotony cometh at the laste to an vnmeasurable heate. Thorow surfet hauehave many one perished, but he that dieteth him selfe temperatly, prolongeth his life. Our Luke. xxi.Luke 21Sauiour Christ cōmaundeth vsus to beware of excesse in eatynge & drynckynge, when he sayeth, take heede y^t your hertes be not ouercharged with surfetyng & dronckenshyp. S. Paule also sayeth. Be not druncken w^t wyne wherin is excesse.

Phile.

Of these holy Ephe. v.Eph 5sentenses maye ye gather y^t there is no cause, why any mā shoulde reioyse in banckettinge, except he hauehave a pleasure to procure his owne destruction, which cometh by no meanes soner then by pouertie and sicknesse, which spryngeth out of delicate t…e, as I maye leaue of to speake of other incōueniences, yea & pestilēces to mans life, which issue frō bācketting in like maner.

Euse.

It is an easy thing to gather out of the ho ly scriptures not only sētēces, but histories also, which declare what destructiō to mā bāketting, drūckēship, & the study of y^e bealy bringeth. Did not Adā & Eue thorow eating y^e forbiddē fruite caste not only, thē selues but al their poste Gene. iii.Gen 3ritie in to damnacion? How was Noe much laughed to scorne euē of his owne son whā through his droūkēship, he fell on sleape & lay naked wyth his priuities? Into Gene. ix.Gen 9what abhominable vncleanes did loth fall thorow dronckēnes, when he cōmitted incest with his Gene. xix.Gen 19owne doughters? Did not y^e childrē of Israel giuegive them selues to bankettynge and afterwarde fel to the worshipping of the golden calfe committyng most shamful Idolatrie? Was not Holofernes Ex… xxxii.Exod 32that myghtye and valiaunte captayne in hys dronckennes Iudeth. xiii.Jdt 13slayne of a woman? Is not that rich man, whych would hauehave no Luke. xvi.Luke 16pity vponupon Lazarus and therfore was after hys death caried into hel fire, described of blessed Luke Math. xiiii.Matt 14to fare dētely eueryevery daye? What shall I speake of kynge Herode page missing whyche in the mids of hys banketyng was cōtente to graunte that holy Iohn Baptistes head shoulde be striken of? It is therfore conueniēte for a christen mā to remembre in all hys eatynge Of the fauour of greate men.and drinkynge christen sobrietie and alwayes to auoyde excesse, leste he fal into some of those incōueniēces, wherof is made mē tiō afore.

Theo,

But what say y… to the fauour of noble mē? maye we not reioyce in that?

Philem.

Ther are not a fewe, whych couuet nothyng so greatly as to be in fauour wyth greate men, and to be placed in their houses, thin kynge by thys meanes to auoyd the cruell dartes of fortune, to obtayne wealthy lyuinges, and to hauehave al thynges at their own wil & pleasure, but I se not, why any mā should repose his chiefe delectation in the fauour of any noble man, seing y^t holy scripture sayth. Put not your trust in prin Psal. …. ….ces, nor in y^e childrē of mē, in whō there is no health. And the Prophet sayeth. … be he, y^t putteth his trust in mā, and maketh fleshe his arme.

Chri.

How vayne Ieremy. xvii.Jer 17a thyng the fauour of great men is, the historie of Amā declareth, which was so high in his kinges Hester. vii.Esth 7fauoure, y^t he mighte do what he liste, kyl, saue, exalt, depresse, lyfte vp, pluckedowne, & as we say cō mōly, binde beares, & yet was he not shortly after caste out of fauour on suche sorte, y^t he was immediatly hāged on the same gallowes, whiche he had newly prepared for an other?

Euse.

There is nothyng more vncertē thā the good wyl of great men. For whō they nowe louelove, streightwayes they hate, and such as hauehave done most forthē, are mani times least regarded, & most cruelly entreated. Howe hādled king Alexāder his most trusty coūsellers, which Alexander.so ofte had put their liues in i…opardy for him? How tyrātlike did he slea thē, & yet no cause why… I leaue to speake of Nero y^e monster Nero.of nature, whiche caused his owne mother to be slaine, & suche as had done moste for him. Who was so much in fauour wyth the Emperour Iustini…s Bellisa…iꝰ & Narses, which… …ing most noble warriours su…d diuers Iustinian.kyngdomes to the …yre, but how were thei … Bellisarius y^e most valiaūt capteine w^t out deserte had at y^e Emperours cōmaūdemēt both his eyes plucked out, & afterward was cōpelled to begge his bread from dore to dore, and at the laste dyed miserably a moste wretched beggarre. Narses also, if he had not fled, had bene moste vnworthely handeled, so are good men m… ny tymes recompensed for theyr intollerable paynes, and paynfull seruice. Of suche ensamples the bokes of Histories are full. Whereof we maye learne howe vayne & to much folishe a thyng it is to trust in the fauour of noble men, so farre it is of, that any man maye worthely reioyse in it.

Chri.

I can none otherwyse do but marueyle at the madnes of some men, whiche rather chose Seruing menidlely to spēd their tyme in great mennes houses wyth thys hope to hauehave some what at the laste to lyue wyth al (which many tymes chaunceth neuer) then in their youth to learne some honeste occupation, whiche may… defende them at all tymes from the bitter stormes of needy and cruell fortune. Of all creatures are they slaues moste miserable, and for the moste parte come to the most wretched ende. A yonge courtea… an olde beggar. Ah howe many hauehave I knowne, whiche after twentie or-thirtie yeres seruice hauehave ben wyth great displeasure dryuen awaye, and so dyed moste wretchedly? And thus is that cō mon saiynge founde true. Seruice is no heritage. Seruing mē may well be cōpared to Esoppes tothlesse greyhounde, whiche so longe as he coulde hunte wel, folowe & get his praye, was muche made of, but when he beganne to waxe olde and coulde catche no more, he was no more loued of his maister, but rather hated, despised & beaten. Nothynge nowe adayes is deare, where profit is absēt. If these thynges were well pondered, menne woulde not so headlonge and wythout consideration runne vntounto seruice, there to spend the flour of their youth & whē crocked olde age cometh eyther to go a begging, or els to be put in some almes house. But howe so euer the matter goeth, of thys am I sure, y^t no man ought to reioyse neyther in men, nor yet in mennes seruices, seinge that nothing is more vncerteyne then their fauour, seing also that cruel fortune doeth oppresse so sodenly noble mē many tymes, that they being turned to a base state, hauehave neither to succoure them selues, nor yet to healpe their pore seruauntes.

Philemon.

Well, thus hauehave we searched the principall thinges, that perteyne vntounto man outwardly, wherein the folyshe world doeth most chiefly reioyse, and we hauehave found among them all not one thynge, wherein we maye worthely glorie and repose oure delectation.

Theo.

Trueth it is, but what saye you to the inwarde natural gyftes' of man, as wysedome, strength, knowledge and suche other gyftes of the mynde?

Philemon.

Heare what God sayth by the Prophet. Iere ix.Jer 9Let not the wyse man reioyse in his wysedome, nor the strong mā in his strength, neither the ryche mā in his ryches, but who so wyl reioyse, let hym reioyse in thys, that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me, for I am the Lorde whiche do merciemercy, equitie and rightuousnesse vponupon the earth. Therefore hauehave I pleasure in suche thynges, sayeth the Lorde. Whether we hauehave respect to the body or to the mynde, if we fynde any good thyng in them, it is the gift of god, as S. Iames sayth. Iacob. ….EueryEvery good gift & eueryevery perfecte gifte is from aboue, and cometh downe frō the father of lyghtes, and therfore ought no mā to glo ry neither in hym selfe nor in the g…ftes, but in God alone the gyuer, as S. Paul sayth, what hast …. ….thou, that thou hast not receiued? If thou haste receyued it wherefore dost thou reioyce and glory as thoughe thou haddest not receyued it? But wherefore do we tary longe before we come to our matter, whyle we labour to shew Of many^t there is nothyng in the worlde, wherein we maye worthily reioyse, seinge that man hym selfe, whiche is the principall creature y^t euer God made in thys worlde is but vanitie, and not worthie, wherein any true and perfect delectation ought to be se…? Are not these the wordes of the holy scrip ture▪ EueryEvery man that lyueth, is altogether vanitie. What is the body of man, cometh it of neuer so noble house, but earth, duste ….and asshes? Or as S. Barnard sayeth, a stynckynge sperme or seede, a sacke of dounge and the meate of wormes. Who wyl re ioyse in such a body? to garnish suche a bodye wyth golde, siluer pearles, precious stons, owches galaunte apparell, sumptuous garmēts. &c, What other thing is it, then to couer a dunghyl w^t clothe of golde? Nowe as towchynge ou…e inwarde manne, I meane the soule, what are we?

What hauehave we receyued of Adam In what case hath he sette Iohn. ii… Rom. v…i:John 2Rom 5vsus, before wee be regenerate by Christe? Are we any other thing then flesh, and f…eshely minded? As Christe sayeth. That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh. And sayth not blessed Paule, that we …. ….are the children of wrath? Is not our herte vncleane, lewde, wycked Pro. xx.Prov 20and vnsearcheable? Are not our senses, Imaginations, and thoughts, euen from our infancye, Ieremi. xvii. Gene. viii.Gen 8euyll and noughte? Are not al our rightuousnes like a cloth Es…i. lxiiii.Isa 1defiled with mēsture? Are we not all hypocrites, liynge chyldren, Esai. ix.Isa 9workers of iniquitie, vnprofita ble seruauntes, synners, vngodly, Luke. xvii.Luke 17and of our selues al y^t nought is? What hauehave we then either of oure selues, or in oure selues (I meane before our regeneration) wherof we mai worthely reioyce

Chri.

Truly nothing at al.

Phile.

It is conuenient therfore, seyng hitherto we hauehave found nothing wherin we mai worthely reioice, to sequester our ioye, our mirth, oure delectation, from worldely thynges, and to traunsfer it vntounto the Lord our God accordyng to thys admonicion of the holye Phllyp. iiii.Apostle. Reioyce in the Lorde alwaye, yea once agayne I saye Reioyce.

Theo.

But we woulde gladly heare, what earnest occasion we hauehave to reioyce in God.

Philem.

My desyre is to declare thys thynge aboundauntly vntounto you, if ye will heare.

Euse.

We all wyll gladlye geue eare.

Phile.

God in whom we are The benefits of God towarde manso instantly mocioned to reioyce euē frō the begynning, had such fauour to mā, y^t whē the Angels for theyr disobediēt prid, & proud disobedience were worthely cast downe headlonge into hell, ther perpetually to remayne in most Iob. iiii. ii. Peter. ii.Job 42 Pet 2greuouse & intollerable paynes, he wyllynge agayne, to furnishe the celestiall mancions wyth other Creatures, made manne, not lyke vntounto other bruite beastes, but accordynge vntounto hys owne Similitude, lykenes, and Image, not to be a fyre brand of Gene. ii.Gen 2hell, but heyre of his most glorious and regal palaice, not to perishe for honger, but to enioy all kinde of pleasures most aboundantlye, not to be subdued of other, but as Lorde & chiefe ruler vnderunder God his creator & maker to hauehave y^e dominiō of all beastes fyshes, and foules, of all landes medowes & pastures, of al trees herbes & flowers, and what soeuer other thynge is comprehē ded in thys greate and vnmeasurable worlde. Yea the hygh element, the sunne, the mone, the starres, the daye, the nyghte, the water, the fyre, the colde, the heat the rayne, the wynde, and what so euer other thyng ye canne reken besides, did he make not only to shew forth his glory, might and power, but also for mannes conforte, wealthe, ioye and pleasure.

Chri.

O the vnoutspekeable goodnes of god toward mā.

Phile.

HaueHave we not here a greate occasion vnfaynedlye to reioyce in the Lorde our God, and for euer and euer to glorify, celebrate and magnify hys most glorious and blessed name? To make vsus lyke to hys owne similitude? to appoynt vsus heyers of his moste glorious mansion? to …due vsus wyth the fruition of so manye goodlye and swete pleasures? to make vsus rulers and Lords ouer al hys creatures in the worlde? to prepare all thynges for oure solace, ioye, and conforte? Who is so flynte herted, that melteth not at the hearynge of these thin ges so pleasaūt and swete? Who is so estranged frome God, that he applieth not w^t all mayne to embrace so gentle, so kind, so louinge a Lorde, yea suche a Lord as is altogyther set to magnify man, to exalt hym vntounto the high heauens, to place hym amonge the holye Angelles, and blessed spirites, to kysse and kull hym as his dear dearling & welbeloued heyer? Canne that man reioyce inoughe in his Lorde and maister, whyche of a base slaue maketh hym a man of honoure of a begger a man of greate possessiōs, of a vi…e condition, a mā of hygh & noble renoume.

Euse.

Trulye the goodnes of God towarde man can not be expressed.

Phile

Yet are these benifites. whych one man geueth to an other more vyle then dust, if they be compared to y^e precious giftes heretofore rehearsed, whiche God gaue to man. But marcke what foloweth.

Theo.

Saye on, we besech the.

Phile.

Satan that old & subtile serpent perceiuing man to be made of God for this entēte, y^t he should enherite that glory, frome the whyche for hys intollerable arrogancye he was moste worthely deiecte and caste …ene. iii.downe, craftelye, subtilly, & lyke him selfe w^t manye swete pro… ses and faire flaterynge wordes at the laste allured oure grandmother Eue to the traunsgression of Gods commaundemente, and she lykewyse hyr …, so that by this me…s … they and theyr posteritie were not onelyonly depriued of those pleasurs and commodities, whyche I rehearsed heretofore, but also vtterli dāned for theyr disobediēce. And al this came to pas thorow the enuy of Satā, as y^e wise mā …. …saith. God created m… to be vnde stro…ed, yea after y^e image of his own liknes created he him. Neuertheles thorow enu… of the deuyl death entred into the world.

Christo.

O lamentable chaunce. Nowe is man become of the Image of God, the Image of the deuill, of the heyre of glorye, the enheritour of euerlasting paine of immortall, mortall, of good & Godly, wicked and deuillishe, of fre, a bonde slaue wyth all hys powers to Satan, sinne, death, hell, desperation. &c.

Euse.

But what, enioied that rauenynge woulfe his pray?

Phile.

Nothynge lesse, for God whych is gentle, and the self gentilnes moued wyth louynge compassion, tender zeale and fatherly pity towarde man, forgettyng the displesure y^t mā had done to him thorow hys disobediēce castyng al hys sins behind his backe, enflamed w^t no lesse louelove towarde mā cōcernyng hys saluatiō (beholde what grace & mercy doth) then he was before the traunsgressiō, & minding to shew hym selfe of no lesse puissaunce and strēgth to recouer & saue mā, thē Satan was to destroy & cōdēne …. iii.mā, came into Paradice, sought hym vp, made garmētes for him to couer hys nakednes, sēt hym into thys world, made him Lord ouer all, and promised hym that the sede of a woman, euen Iesus Christ hys owne sonne borne of Mary the vyrgin, shoulde deliuer him from the power of Sathan, reconcile hym to his Godly fauoure, satisfye for hys wyckednes, make hym a newe man, endue hym wyth hys holye spirite, fynallye, thorowe hys merites and good workes bring him vntounto the celestiall enheritaunce from the whyche Satan at that presente had exiled hym. Thys Iohn. xiiii.John 14promise was so fayethfull (for God hym selfe spake it which is …. ….the selfe trueth, whyche can not lye, which is iuste in al his wordes & agayne so cōfortable, that Psalm. …xiv.Ps 14so manye (I meane Adam & hys posteritie) as did apprehend and laye hand on that wyth earneste fayeth, were fre from that miserable thraldome, wherinto they were cast thorow Satans willnes, receyued into fauour, taken as moste deare chyldren, and recounted perfectly rightuous, for the assured perswation and vndoubted faith, y^t they cōceiued in the blessed s…de Iesus Christe at the tyme promised of God the father. So that so longe as they liued in thys present world, they liued in the fauour of God, and when they departed from hence God appointed theyr bodies to reaste in the earth, placed theyr soules where hys good pleasure was vntounto the commynge of his sonne, thē to receiue that blessed ioye and heauenly felicitie, that they had loste thorow their disobedience, Iesu Christ that most blessed sede workynge thys saluation for mā, no… for any good dedes that we had done, but of his own mere mercy and tender pity.

Theo.

O here is the good …. …v.shephearde, that soughte vp the loste shepe, & when he had foūde it layed it louyngelye vponupon hys shoulders, & …ēderly brought it home agayne to the shepefolde. O here is y^e most swete, louing, & tender father, which w^t so greate ioy & embrasing armes receiued home againe the lost son. O here is y^e merciful Samaritā, whych Luke. x.Luke 10py…ying the woūded man being half dead, poured wine & oileinto his woūds, bound thē vp, laied him vpō his beast, caried him to an inne, & paid for his healīg.Mathe. xviii.

O here is that moste puisaunte Math xviii.Matt 18kynge, whyche of his owne liberalitie forgaue hys seruaunt the ten. M. talētes which he ought. O here is y^e mighty Lo…d, which trode downe the wyne p…sse alone, Esai. ….alone, neyther was there anye at all that holpe hym.

O here is that moste louyng sauiour, that saueth his people frō all theyr synnes. O here is that Math. i.Matt 1diligente Phisitian, that is ready at all tymes to healpe the diseased, Math. ix.Matt 9to refreshe theym that labour… and are laden. O here is that myghty Dauid, that slewe Math. xi.Matt 11Golias, and deliuered the Israelites from the cruel Philistiās. O here is that mooste valiaūte i. Re…. xxi.Emperour, whych for our sakes hath cōquered Satā, …el, death, synne, desperation, damnation, O…. xiii.wyth al the powers infernal. O here is that tender herted louer, i. …. xvthat can no more forget vsus, then …. x…ix.a mother can forget the chyld of hyr wombe, and though she forget hyr chyld, yet can not he forget v…. For he hath written vp vsus in his handes, so that we are alwayes in his sight. To whom is not here opened an exceading greate and large windowe to reioyce in the Lorde oure God, except we be estrāged frō al that is God or Godly.

Phile.

I am glad brother Theophilus to heare you speake on thys maner. But lette vsus go forth. After so many pleasures shewed to man, which all thorowe hys owne faulte he so wyckedly loste, after so greate a synne committed agaynste the diuine maiestie, so frelye to forgeue man, so to accepte hym into hys fauoure, so to louelove hym, that he promiseth to send downe from hys moste glorious throne hys owne dearly beloued son to make a perfect recōciliation & euerlastynge agremente betwene hym and man, that they may for euer and euer dwell togyther in ioyefull glorye. Oh what a feruente charitie, and vnmeasurable louelove of God is this?

Who canne worthelye either by herte thynke, or by tonge expres or yet by penne sette forth the exceadynge greatenes of Goddes kynde hertye louelove towa…d man? The Kynge of all Kynges, the Apo…. …ix.Lorde of all Lordes, yea, that Lord to whose maiestye al thinges Philyp. i….are obediente boeth in heauen, earth, and Hell, so to set his mynd on man beyng but a pore vile, and miserable creature, yea of all mortall Creatures moste synne…ull, mooste disobediente, mooste frayle, and readye to fal, so to louelove and tender hym, that Romayn. viiito do hym good, to brynge hym vntounto glorye and honoure, he dis Iohn. iii.John 3dayneth not, but mooste wyllyngelye vowchesafeth to sende downe hys onelye begotten and dearelye beloued sonne, yea and that into thys synnefull vale of miserye here to become manne, to be circumcised, to be made obediente to the lawe, to be baptised, to preache, to worcke miracles, to honger, to thyrst, to watche, to faste, to praye, to suffer all kynde of aduersitie, to be persecuted, to be laied wayte for, to be snatched at, to be blaphemed, to be rayled vponupon, to be conuented before worldly tyrātes, Bishops priests, lawiers. &c, to be scorned m…d, buffeted, whipped, crow ned w^t thorne, nailed on y^e crosse, s…d, …earsed to y^e hert wyth a sp…re, & at the last diynge the mos… desp…ful & shameful death that coulde be inuented of the wycked worldelynges vntounto the vtter defaceynge of thys blessed seede Christe, and of hys Godly doctrine, yea, and all thys for the louelove that he beareth toward mā. Oh what a kindnes is this? what louelove, what amitye, what herty frendshyp? Far be it frome vsus, deare brethren, to be so stony herted, & vngodlye, that we feele not thys tender louelove of God toward vsus.

Chri.

Ther is in myne opinion no fayethful manne, no true professoure of Christe, that doth not earnestly reioyce at the hearing of these most heauenlye benifites promised t… mā of god in this blessed sede Christ Iesu.

Phile.

Moreouer after the promise made to oure fyrst parents concernyng theyr recōciliatiō to be made by the blessed s…de Iesu Christe, whereby they wyth all their posterity were in the meane season wel conforted, enarmed agaynst Sathan, blessed and saued, howe frendelye euer after dealte God wyth man? What be nefit was ther, wherof man was not made partaker? In what kynde of benignite dyd man at any tyme (I speake of the faythful congregation) perceiue the tē der bowelles of God to be spared agaynste him? What desired he, and obtayned not hys requeste? Howe ofte dyd God familiar…ye … viii. …. … c.talke wyth man by hys holy Angelles? Was he not so louing to man, that he sente hys Angelles to eat and drinke and to be mery with hym? If anye plage or misfortune were imminēt & at hand for the vngodly, did he not declare it to man, and so prouided G…n. viii.for hym that he was fre from all daunger? How many victorious battels gaue he to man agaynste his enemies▪ How dyd he so accō panie him at all tymes, y^t he euer found fauoure euen amonge the Barbarous & straungers? Howe wonderfully deliuered he his peo …rod. xii.ple frō the Egiptians▪ How mer u…ilously fed he thē w^t y^e meate of angelles frō heauē? How mighte ly did he subdue y^e heathē Kinges & brought his people into y^e land of behest a land that flowed with Gene. xii. xv. xviiGen 12milke and honie, a land full of al plentie & pleasure. But what shal I speake of this moste singulare benefite, that he gaue hys law to Psal. xviii.Ps 18mā, yea such a law as is pure, tur neth soules, giueth wisdom to ba bes, maketh hertes mery, lighteneth eies, and is sweter than the ho…ye and honie combe. Prophetes Esa. …vii ….Isa 7also gaue he to man to premo…she and aforewar…e hym if any mischife were at hād, to teach hym his holye ordinaunces, to re newe the promes of sendynge the blessed sede Iesu Christ for mans saluaciō, that he might not waxe fainte in fayth, but wyth valiaūt hope loke for that blessed Sauioure. And whan the tyme predefined and tofore appointed from euerlasting was come of sēdinge doune this blessed sede and glori …ala. iiii.ous Messias, howe fayethfully and no les louyngly sent he hym …sai. vii.into y^e wombe of the most blessed Uirgine Mary thorow the wonderful Math. i.Matt 1operacion of the holy gost ther to take very fleshe wythout Luke. x. ii.Luke 10the sede of man, ther to take on hym humayne nature, and to be come of that holy maide perfecte and true manne, as he was before Rom. ….of god perfect and true God.

Christo.

Woulde God this thing were no les of all menne truely Gala. iiii.Gal 4beleued, than it is in the holye scriptures aboundanlye proued.Io…n. i.

Euse.

The Anabaptistes in thys our time do vehemētly impugne thys Article of oure fayeth, and affirme obstinately, that Christe. toke no flesh of the blessed virgin The Anabaptistes.Mary, but brought his body with hym from heauen.

Theo.

Of thys matter, if I remember well, y… taughte vsus, Neyghbour Philemō, in your new yeres gyft.

Phile

This Article, that Christ toke natural fleshe of Mary the virgin, is so necessarye vntounto saluacion, that who so euer beleueth it not, beleue the other in vaine, neither is he of God, but of the diuell, as Saincte Iohn sayeth, derely beloued, beleue not eueri spirit, but i. Iohn. iiii.1 John 4proue the spirites whether they be of God for many fals Prophetes are gone forth into the world By this know ye y^e spirit of God EueryEvery spirit that confesseth, that Iesus Christe came in the fleshe is of God. And eueryevery spirite that doth not cōfesse, that Iesu Christ came in the fleshe, is not of God. And thys is that spirite of Antichriste, of whome ye hauehave hearde that he shoulde come, and he is nowe all redie in the worlde. And thys most pestilent heresy, which The deniynge of Christes incarnacion is an old heresy.the apishe Anabaptistes hauehave renewed in these our dayes (as Satan is neuer idle, nor ceaseth in his membres to disquiete the cō gregation of Christ) was holden many hundred yeres paste of diuers heretikes as Marcion, Cerdon, Manicheus, Ualentinus, Apelles, and suche other ofspringes of the deuyll, and was condemned and confuted by dyuers greate learned men. But to oure matter. And because we shoulde not feare to come vntounto thys oure Lord and sauioure Iesu Christ, all that euer he dyd, was done in suche humilitie and lowelynes both of outward behauioure and mynde, that it woulde allure any resonable creature in the worlde with highe boldnes and faythful courage to come vntounto hym. He was not borne of a noble Empresse, nor of a deuoute vowe…e, Luke. ii.Luke 2nor yet of an holy Nunne but of a pore mayd in a pore stable, and porely wrapped in pore clo…es. In stead of a mighti and galaūt Esal. i.garde of m…n, he was accompanied with o…en and asses. Thus became Christe poore, whan he ii. Cor. viii.2 Cor 8was rych and the Kynge of glorye, that we thorow hys pouertie shoulde be made riche. Moreuer he beynge wythout al synne and Lorde of the law, became subiect to the lawe, and was circumsised accordynge to the lawe. He was Luke. ii.Luke 2obediente to hys mother Marye and to Iosephe hir husband, and ledde a pore l…fe w^t them vntounto the age of thirty yeres, and wrought diligentely for hys liuynge after the maner of other menne. At the age of. xxx. yeres he was baptised Luke. iii.Luke 3of blessed Iohn, sonne to zachary the Prieste. After his baptisme Math. iii.Matt 3was he led of the holy Gost Math. iiii.Matt 4into, Wyldernes, where he fasted. xl. dayes and. xl. nyghtes, and was greuously tempted of sa…an Immediatly after humbly & low Marcke. i.ly at the cōmaūdement of his hea uenli father he toke on him the office Luke. iiii.Luke 4of preaching declaringe free remissiō of synnes to so manye as repente in fayth. And as he was pore in worldly riches & lowly in Math. iiii.Matt 4mind, so did he chose pore & hum ble men to be his disciples, y^t they i. Cor, i.might go & b…are abrod like faith ful ministers y^e heauēly riches, of I…. ii.his exceding mercy toward man.

Christ.

Not wyth out a cause. For the riche galaūte, and pompous. worldlynges are no fit vessels t… Math. vi.Matt 6c…rye the treasures of the kyngdome of heauen, so vnequally Luke. vi.Luke 6matched are Christe and Mammon, heauen & earth, Golde and Math. xi.Matt 11gods worde, light and darcknes They maye pretend and beare an outwarde fac… to the worlde as thoughe they were the Apostles and ministers of Christe, as Iudas, Simon Magus, and The dis…ples of Christe,suche other dyd, but inwardelye and afore God th…y are the Apostls and ministers of Satan, and whan they seme moste of all to talke of Christe, of Christes doctrine & of hys glory, than are thei most of all ennemies of the crosse of Christe, seke the condemnacion both of his doctrine and glory, and laboure to stablishe their owne drousy dreames, lowe…ye lawes, croked cōstitutions, diuel lishe decres, Antichristian actes, and al for their God y^e belly. So swete a thynge is it to these false ministers and craftie apostles of Satan, to tomble, and walow in all kyndes of carnall pleasures and worldly riches. Christe therfore knowynge all suche Bellye goddes to be vnapte for the prea chynge of the Gospell as he was pore and humble him selfe, so did he chose to be hys ministers and Apostles por… homble menne, …i shars, day labourers, tolgatherers, & such other vyle personnes & abiectes of y^e worlde. These appointed he vntounto the office of prea chyng his heauenly fathers wil. These made he dispensatoures and Stuwardes of the misteries of god. These commaunded he to goforth and preach the Gospell, the ioyful and glad …idings the fauoure of God towarde i. Cor. iiii.1 Cor 4manne Repentaunce, fayeth, fre remission of sinnes, in his bloud, peace, tranquillite of conscience, euerlastinge lyfe. &c.

The.

These your wordes doeth blessed Paul …. …or. ….affirme sayeing, the folishenes of God is wiser then mē & y^e weakenes of god is stronger then men. Brethrē ye se your calling, how y^t not mani wise mē, after the flesh, not many mightie, not manye of hie degre, are called: but god hath chosen the folishe thynges of the world to confound the wyse. And god hath chosē the weake things of the world to cō …oūd the things which are mightie. And vile thin ges of the world & thinges which are dispised hath god chosē, yea & thinges of no reputacion, for to bring to noughte things of repu tatiō, y^t no flesh should reioyce in his presēce.

Phi.

Againe, to shewe his humilite & lolines, how was he cōtent at eueryevery mans desire to …o whither thei wold hauehave him, & gladly to do, what so euer they re quested him? Did he not heale y^e deseased? Restore y^e blind to their sight? The deaffe to their hearig The dūbe to their speaking? The Math. iiii.Matt 4dead to their life? Yea y^e very Lepers did he not disdaine to purge & cl…se of their leprosie, & to touch w^t his own handes, whō the fine Math. viii.Matt 8Pharises y^e lusty lawers, y^e solēne saduces, y^e sawsy scribes, the brag ing byshopes, y^e pattering priests w^t y^e whole rable of y^e hypocritish sort disdained once to loke vponupon: so far is it of, y^t these holy fathers sought any remedy at al to helpe y^e pore disseased. After many tra gedies had betwen Christe & the spiritual sorcerers w^t y^e other pō pouse worldlings for his doctrin The passion of Christe.& miracles whā the time came ap poynted of hys heauenly father frome euerlastinge, that he for mans reconciliation, and pacifiyng of the diuine wrath, shoulde offer hymselfe▪ a swete and euerlastynge Sacrifice to God hys father, wherby he myght redeme man from the tiran…y of Satan paye hys raūsome by the price of his dere herte bloude, fatisfie for hys offēses, set a perpetual peace betwene God the father and mā and by hys death and passion bringe an whole sea of heauenlie treasures to the faythful penitēt sinners, wyth what alacritie and cherefulnes of mynd, wyth what desire and redines went he to his glorious passion?

No kinde of payne,

Did he disdayne,

For to sustayne,

To do man pleasure,

Hys owne herte bloude,

To shed on the rode,

It dyd hym good,

To make man al pure.

Euse.

O the vnoutspeak…able fa uoure of God towarde man. If he had sent downe faythful Abra …ā, or any other of the old Patri arches or aunciente holye Prophetēs to hauehave suffered for mans saluatiō, it had wythout al doubt bene a token of singulare great fauoure toward man: but to send downe hys onelyonly begotten and derely beloued sonne from hys glorious throne, yea and that for Rom. v.Rom 5his enemies, for their health and saluacion, it is louelove passynge all louelove, it is charite farre exceading all charite, it is fauoure rather to be depely maruelled at than a ble worthily to be expressed. The sonne of god to be come man and suffer dath for our sake. Oh how cā we otherwise thē ernestly and frō y^e very hert reioyce in y^e Lord oure God?

Christ.

Truly to much iron herted are all thei, which reioyce not in y^e blessed incarnaciō & glorious death of this most ble ssed sede Iesu christ our Lord by whom so many & so excellēt treasures of heauēli goodes hauehave fre ly chaūced vntounto vsus. Al things euē vntounto the very death did he for our health, & saluation, yea, & y^t so cōsūmat & perfecte, y^t ther was no thing left behind vnaccōplished y^t might turne vntounto our wealth, cō modite & profit cōcerning our redēpciō. Let the turckes bost their …he turkes.Mahumet and reioyce in hym so much as thei list, let Papistes auaunce …he papistestheir pope & triumphe in him so much as is possible, let the rich worldlinges magnifie their T…e christiāswicked mamon & reioyse in it ful their hertes, let y^e glistering hypo crites delight in their god the bel ly euē vntounto the vttermost, yet let vsus, let vsus I say, y^t professe Christ aright only reioyse in Christe, in Ga. vi.Christes natiuite, passiō, bloud & death, as s. Paul saith, god forbid y^t I should reioyse in any thinge, but in the death of our lord Iesu Christ. For so louinge & gentle a Sauioure can no wher be found so fauourable & liberal a Lord cā no where be sought out. In this sauioure & lord therfore let vsus re ioyse, & in none other.

Theo.

The papistes can not broke this doctrine The papistesy^t Christ alone (y^e most highe & euerlastinge priest) hath by hys death & passiō in offeryng vp his Ephe. vi.Eph 6own blessed body a swet smelling sacrifice to God the father so plē tuously, so omnisufficiently, so at the ful made satisfacion for oure sinnes, y^t we nede none other sacrifice satisfactory to put awaye our wickednesses.

Phile.

No mar Of the masse.uel, for in defacing the glory & honour of y^e true & onli sacrifice Iesu Christ, thei set vp & magnifie an Idol of their own makīg whiche is y^e masse & presume in y^t to offer sacrifice dayly for y^e synnes of the quicke and deade, & crake that it is of no les price, valoure strength and vertue, than the passion and death of Christ…is. Againe, that what so euer christ did for the saluacion of man vponupon ….the altare of y^e crosse, they do the very same at the masse.

Chri.

O extreme blasphemy. Whoe euer denied y^e Lord that bought them, if these popishe massemon ii. Peter. ii.2 Pet 2gers do it not? Who iustly may be called the enemies of the cros of Christe, if the mumblynge Massehunters be not the verye Phil. iii.Phil 3same? Whoe at anye tyme hath troden vnderfote the sonne of God, and counted the bloude of the testamente, wherewyth the fayethfull are sanctified, as an Hebru. ….vnholy thynge and done dishonour to y^e spirite of grace: if these shamelesse sacrificers hauehave not done it? And yet it is a worlde to Masse hunters.se, what a numbre there are not onelyonly of the ignoraunt and vnlearned, but of them also whych bragge boeth of wysedome and learnyng, that cleaue to this Idolatrous masse wyth to the and naile, that defend it to the vttermoste wyth swerd, fyre, and halter, that maintayn it wyth their tyches & possessions, that striue for it wyth as stronge reasons, and arguments, as they canne, partely bicause they are afrayed M…y y^e Pa… are loth to forg… t…e masse.(I speake of the Popeishe priestes) lea…t thys commune whore theyr masse should be driuen out of the game place, and by thys meanes theyr kitchen shoulde ware colde, and theyr idle bea…ies be no more fedde with the labours of other mennes handes, p…rtelye bicause they thynke, if thys abhominable strompet the masse were banyshed oute of the temples (I speake of the rude & ignoraunte people) all true religion were gonne, al christen deuotiō were perished, in so muche that they coulde not tell what to do for to please god, nor yet how to worship him, partly (I speake of the worldly wise) bicause they wyll geue no place to the trueth leste if they should consēte to the puttynge awaye of thys mooste stynkinge and filthye whore the masse that old baude and grādmother …. xvii.of whoredome and abhominations of the earth, they shoulde be compelled to graūte as they thynke, to theyr greate shame and ignominie, that both they hauehave bene blynde, and also led other blind these many yeres and so they sholde lose theyr estimation, renoume, and fame, amonge the people, which things they mooste chiefelye hunte and haucke after. For they louelove the Iohn. xii.John 12praise of men more then the glory of God.What incom modities folow the masse

Euse.

Certes so longe as that Popeyshe Masse shall be continued in the churche and beleued to be a sacrifice for the sinnes of the quicke & deade: Idolatrye shal beare rule among vsus infidelitie shall lye couched in y^e hertes of mē, Supersticion shal neuer be exiled frome the bondes of Christianitie, Hypocrisye shall styll fytte in the consciences of menne, the vsurped power of the Byshoppe of Rome, shall not loose hyr strengthe, the fruites of Christes deathe shall neuer be truly knowne, neyther our heauenlye father worthylye thancked for them, the purgyng fornace of the Italiā bishop shal neuer be quēched, the idle shauē nation of the popeish masse mō gers shall styl be mainteyned in theyr disolute and beastlye maner or lyuynge, the papisticall sa crificers shall not cease to blaspheme that most swete smelling sacrifice Iesu Christe that most hygh and euerlasting bishoppe, the holye & blessed supper of the Lorde, shall neuer be truely frequented and vsed in the churche of Christe, to be shorte, an whole sea of euyls shall raygne, florysh and triumphe in the christen cō gregatiō.

Phile.

Truly I thinke there is no christen herte, whych considerynge these thynges tofore rehearsed lamenteth not to se so greate an euil and pestilēce as the masse is, to reygne amōg theim that professe Christ, yea & to be had in so hygh price, that it is beleued to be of no lesse strē gth and vertue thē the glorious passion of oure Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christ. But let vsus se, howe thys wycked opinion of the sacrifice of the masse agreeth The sacrifice of the massewyth Gods moste holy worde.

The Papistes affirme that the synnes of the quicke and deade, are put awaye by the sacrifice of theyr masses, whiche they mumble daily. Against thys deuillish doctrine must we set (as an inuisible bulwarke) thys texte of blessed. S. Paule. It became vsus to Hebrue. viihauehave suche an hye prieste, as is holye, innocente, vndefiled, seperate frō sinners, and made higher then heauen, whyche neadeth not dayly (as the other priestes) to offer Sacrifice fyrste for hys owne synnes, and then for the syns of the people. For this did he, that is to saye, Christe, once for all, when he offered vp hym selfe. Lette these sacrificers here note, that no prieste can offer any sacrifice for oure synnes but suche a one as is holy, innocent vndefiled. &c. whyche is Iesus Christe alone. Seyng then that they wante thys holynes, innocency, puritie. &c. It is euidente by. S. Pauls wordes, that they can not sacrifice neyther for the quicke nor for the dead.

Agayne blessed Paule sayeth, that thys euerlastynge priest Ie sus Christe, neadeth not daylye (as the other priests) to offer sacrifice, whyche by one oblation of him selfe hath deliuered for euermore so manye as beleue in hym, from al theyr sinnes. Uerili these missars are altogither amise. What wyll they say now?

If Christe neade no more to offer sacrifice, muche lesse neede the priestes. If one oblation of Christe be altogyther suffitiente thē are the dayly oblatiōs of the popish massemōgers vaine and vnprofitable. If Christe offered hym selfe once for al, then canne not the papists offer hym so oftē as it pleaseth them. Whereof it maye be concluded, that they do no thynge in theyr satisfactorye masses but blaspheme the Lord and hys annoynted, seynge they so arrogantly arrogate vntounto thē selfes power to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people, when this one oblation of oure Sauioure and Lorde Christe Iesus is all whollye suffitiente, and thorowlye able in euerye poynte euen vntounto the vttermooste to saue all the electe & chosē people of God, yea and y^t so abūdaūtlye & at the ful, y^t henseforth there nedeth no reiteraciō nor no renewing therof. If ther were no mo scripturs to cōdemne this wicked opinion of the Sacrifice of the masse but thys one tofore recited, it myght seme to any christen iudgement sufficient to subuert, ouerthrowe & tople downe, what so euer the Papists hauehave builded vponupon the sande of theyr owne inuentions these certayne hundred yeres.

What is chaffe in comparison Ieremy. xxiii.Jer 23to wheate, sayeth the Lorde? Is not my word lyke fyre, sayth the Lord? and lyke a twibytte cleauynge the rocke of stonne? But lette vsus rehearse mo scriptures. The blessed Apostle saith. Christ Hebrues. ix.beyng a bishop of good thinges to come came by a greater and a more pe…fit tabernacle, not made w^t hands, y^t is to say, not of this maner buildinge, neyther by the bloude of Gotes or calues, but by hys owne bloude entered he once for all into the holye place, and founde eternall redemcion.

Agayne in the later ende of the same chapter, Christe is not entred into y^e holye places that are made wyth handes (whyche are but similitudes of true thyngs) but into the very heauen, for to appeare nowe before the face of God for vsus. Not to ofter hym selfe ofte as the hygh prieste entereth into the holy place euerye yere with strange bloude, for thē muste he often hauehave suffred sēce the worlde began. But nowe in the ende of the worlde, hathe he appeared once for all, to put syn to flyght by the offerynge vp of hym selfe. And as it is appoynted vntounto mē, that they shall once dye, and then commeth the iudg mente, euen so Christe was once offered to take away the synnes of many. Blessed Paule hath no shyfte of descante, but singeth euer one songe, nothinge lesse thē pleasaunte to the eares of these Sacrificers. He affirmeth that Christe by hys owne bloude entered into heauen once for all, & found eternall redemption.

Where we maye learne y^t Christ Ephe. v.Eph 5is so swete a smellynge sacrifice to God the father, y^t by the once offeryng vp of him selfe, he hath founde euerlastynge redemption. Redēption and remission of synnes is so plētuously purchased by the deathe of Christe, that it remaineth for euermore. The papisticall sacrificers do greately erre therfore, whych take vpō thē daily to sacrifice for the sins of the quicke & dead, as though Christes sacrifice endured no lē ger and were of no more effecte and vertue.

Christo.

O blasphemouse hypocrites.

Phile.

Againe he sayeth, that nowe in the ende of the world Christ hath appeared once for all to putte synne to flight, by the offering vp of hym selfe, as though he shoulde say, Many sacrifices were offered of the priestes of the olde lawe, but none of theym coulde put synno to flyghte. Therfore Christe the hyghe prieste in these laste dayes became manne, and was not offered of anye other, but he offered hym self, yea and that once for all for the sinnes of so manye as vnfaynedly repente and trulye beleue, and hys oblation for euer & euer abydeth of so greate strength, vertue and power, that that alone & none other, chaseth awai, & putteth to flight the sins of many both of Iewes & gētils if thei beleue. Once again he sai Hebru. x.eth. We ar sāctified & made holi bi y^e oblatiō of christes bodi once for al. Are not these words plain inough? How oft doth. S. Paul resite the oblatio of Christes body, yea & that once for all, & stifly affirmeth that by that once offerynge vp of him selfe we are per fectly sanctified and made holy. What nede thē hauehave we of y^e sacrifice of y^e masse to be made holye, if there were any suche sacrifice, as the papisticall sacrificers faine? It foloweth also in y^e same chapter. EueryEvery prieste is readye daylye ministerynge, and often times offreth one maner of offerynge, whyche canne neuer take awaye synnes. But thys manne that is to saye, Christe, when he had offered for synnes one sacrifice, whyche is of value for euer, sate hym downe on the ryghte hande of God, and from thenceforthe tarieth, tyll hys foes be made his fote stole. For with one offerynge hath he made perfecte for euer them that are sanctified: thys one sentence maketh to fall flatte vponupon the grounde, al that euer the Papistes hauehave builded for the mayntenaunce of theyr Missall sacrifice. Fyrste he sayth that all the sacrifices, whych the Note this ya note it wellother Priestes offer, can take away no sinne. Secōdly, y^e Christ offred one sacrifice for our syns, whyche is of value for euer, by the whiche one Sacrifice he excludeth all other. Thirdely y^e he sate hym downe on the ryghte hande of God the father, & there tarieth tyl the daye of iudgmēte Thē can he be offered and sacrificed no more, what so euer the Romain. vi.pedlerlyke Papistes chatter as S. Paule sayeth, Christe raysed frō the deade, dieth no more.

Death shal hauehave no more power ouer hym. For as towchynge that he dyed, he dyed as concernynge sin once, but as towching that he lyueth, he liueth to God. Fourthlye, that wyth one offerynge he hath made perfecte for euerthem y^t are sanctified. If we be made perfecte wyth one offerynge, whych is the oblation of Christes body vponupon the aultare of the crosse, what imperfection remayneth there in vsus, that wee shuld hauehave nede of the missal sacrifice: If one Sacrifice make vsus perfecte for euer, what neede wee to hauehave so manye sacrifices offered daylye in the Popeyshe masses? All these scriptures tofore aledged shew euidētly, that y^e death of Christ is a sacrifice so omnisufficiēte, so perfect, so abso lute, so cōsūmate, so plētuous at the full, y^e it alone maketh cleane for euer the faythfull from their synnes w^toute any repeticion or renewing.

Euse.

Curssed therfore are these papistical Sacrificers whyche so arrogantly dare presume to offer and sacrifice Christ agayne, as though the fyrst oblation & sacrifice were imperfect.

Phile.

God amende them, turne theyr hertes, and geue thē grace to know hys trueth. For what other thynge is it to set vp a new oblation, then to anulle the olde to make God a lyar, to denye Christe as Sainte Peter ryght well prophesied of suche subtyll ii Peter. ii.2 Pet 2Sacrificers.

For he that sayeth, that synnes are forgeuen by the masse, & that the masse is a Sacrifice for the synnes boeth of the lyuyng and of the Deade, he muste eyther graunte that the alone Sacrifice of Christe vponupon the crosse is not sufficiente for the fayethful, or els that the missal sacrifice is a mockeynge of Christe and a plain scorning of god the father. O abhominatiō. Why is Christ called an euerlastynge Prieste, Psal. …ixPs 9but that hys sacrifice once done on the aultare of the crosse endu reth for euer in ful strength and power for so manye as beleue, though they synne neuer so ofte, if they returne vntounto God, & seke remission of theyr synnes in the precious bloude of oure alone sauiour Iesus Christ? As sa…ct i. Iohn, ii.Iohn sayeth. If any man synne wee hauehave an aduocate wyth the father, Iesus Christ the rightuous, and he it is that obtayneth grace for our sinnes, not for our syns onelyonly, but also for the sins of the whole worlde. What nede …, ….we thē moe oblations? S. Paul sayeth, without effusion or sheadynge of bloude, there is no remission of syns. If the papistes therfore wyll hauehave theyr masse a sacrifyce, so is it proued by the

wordes of the Apostle that they crucifie Christ agayne and shede his bloude

Christopho.

O bloudy sacrificers. What Christen herte can byde to be presente, where such ignominie is done to Christ the lord?

Phile.

He that sacrificeth is greater than the sacrifice, so doth it folow that the pristes are greater than Christe the Kynge of glori? He offered vsus a sacrifice to God, and go we aboute to offer hym. Agayne, he that sacrificeth, Prouer. ….oughte to be so pure as the sacrifice, and whoe, I praye you, can be so pure, as Christe our sacrifice? Whoe is able to saye my herte is cleane, and I am fre frō synne? To presume to offer sacrifice for the synnes of the people, is it anye other thynge than to, make them selues Christes and sauiours, and to saye wyth that moste proude Angel, as it is writ Esai. xiiii.Isa 14ten by the prophet, I wyll clyme vp aboue the cloudes, and wil be like the highest of al? Do not thei go aboute to shewe them selues equale to Christe, yea Christ hym selfe, which take vponupon thē to offer sacrifice for the sinnes of the people? What other thing did Christ A comparison betwen Christ and the Masse mongers.but take awaye oure synne? If our Massemongars do the same are they not Christs in dede? And yet thys prerogatiue hauehave they a boue Christe, that wher as Christ coulde not obtayne pardonne for our sinnes but by suffering great paines, yea & very death, they do it w^tout any paynes taking at al. Christ was mocked & scorned thei be praised & much made of. Christ was accused of heresy and treasō: they be coūted good catholike mē and fulle deuote fathers. Christe was pricked to the braynes with a crowne of thorne, they hauehave a bald patch vponupon their heades in stead of crownes, & some hauehave on their cappes & miters for catching cold. Christ was stript naked of all hys clothes: they be clad in sylke, saten, damaske, veluet and cloth of golde. Christe bare hys owne crosse of woode vponupon hys shulders whan he went to suffer: they hauehave crosses of golde and syluer borne before them. Christ was nayled vntounto the crosse: they stande at the altare wyth turne, returne and halfe turne. Christe hanging on the crosse prayde for his very enemies: thei standinge at the altare praye for such as be their patrones, Founders, Bene factours, and for suche as hyere them for monie. Christe paciently suffered the blasphemyes and opprobrious wordes y^t causeles were spoken agaynste hym, they if any man offende them, streight waies accuse, condeme, cursse and excommunicat them. Christ with hys sacrifice soughte to do good to other: they wyth their sacrifices seke to brynge men to superstition, to wrap thē in Idolatry, to graffe in them wycked opinions, but aboue al thynges to enriche Corban, Corban, that they may hauehave plenteously, wherwith to fede their idle and beastly bellies. Christe at hys passion had vineger and gall geuen hym to drinke: but thei hauehave bread of the fineste and wyne of the beaste to eate and drincke. Christe offered hys owne blessed bodye a swete smellynge sacrifice to God the fa ther for the synnes of the people: they offerre a wafer cake and … sponefull of wyne, makynge the people to beleue that it is a sacri fice, whyche they offer pro salute uiuorum et requie omnium fidelium defunctorum. For the health of them that be aliue and the rest of all the faythfull that are dead. Christe after he had offered hys sacrifice, sayd. Consummatum est, Iohn. xix.John 19EueryEvery thyng is done and pefectly finished, that maketh vntounto the saluaciō of man, yea and that by this my one oblation. They can not say so, neither bring they any thyng vntounto perfection. For theyr sacrifices are so imperfecte, that they are as redye to offer to morowe as to day, and neuer the bet ter. Christe after the oblacion of hys most blessed bodye, commended hys spirite into the handes of hys heauenly father, and died straight wayes, they after they hauehave offered their newe founde oblation, faull to bancketynge, drinckynge, gullynge and glossynge, to huntynge, whoring, dis inge and cardynge, and all the dayes of their life they liue dissolutely in moste vayne pleasures boethe of the fleshe and of the worlde. What feloweshippe and agremente is there here I praye you, betwene Christe and the Massemongers? betwene the ob lacion of Christ & the popish sacri fice, betwene the Masse and the death of Christe? Ye maie se into what absurdities and to muche inconueniences these pedlerlyke Papistes faulle, whyle they stablish an Idole of their owne makynge. How saye ye, are they not goodly Christes and pretye sauioures?

Theo.

Christes? They are euen suche Christes, as the true Christ hym selfe speaketh of in the Gospell of Sayncte Mathewe. Ther shal aryse, sayth he, fals Christes and false prophetes. Here they be called Christes, but ther is added vntounto it, False, so that they be Math. xxiiii.Matt 24false Christes, fayned Christes liynge Christes, deceyteful Christes.

Christo.

Of suche Christes, Christe gaue vsus warnynge and bade vsus take hede, saying, if any man shall saye vntounto you. Behold heare is Christ, or there is Christ beleue hym not. …f they shall say vntounto you. Beholde he is in the wyldernes, go not out. Beholde he is in the pixe, beleue them not. Lo, I hauehave told you afore hand. These popishe Masse mongers are the ministers of Satā, which chaūge themselues into Angelles ii. Cor. xi.2 Cor 11of lyght. These are those men that hauehave corrupt mindes, which are wythout all trueth, whyche thyncke that luc…e is godlines. These are those false Prophetes and false teachers whiche, sayeth Sayncte Peter, shall priuelye …. vi.brynge in damnable sectes, euen deniynge the Lorde that hath bought them, and brynge vponupon them selues swifte damnacion, and many shal folowe theyr dam ii. Peter. iii.2 Pet 3nable wayes, by whome the way of trueth shall be euyl spoken of, and thorowe couetousnes shall they wyth fayned wordes make Marchaundise of you, whose iudgemente is nowe not farre of, and theyr damp…acion sleapeth not.

Philemo.

We hauehave textes almost innumerable conteyned in the holye scriptures, whyche declare that Christ alone by hys bloude hath perfectely wrought oure re demptiō, satisfied for our sinnes, pacified the wrath of God, and brought vsus agayn into fauoure. But if ther were no mo places of the scripture to condēne the sacri fice of the Masse, but thys one, whyche Christe hangynge vponupon the crosse, sayed. EueryEvery thynge is Iohn. xix.John 19made perfecte, it were sufficiete. For if Christe by his death hauehave made all thynges perfecte, than lefte he nothynge imperfect. So doeth it truely folow that the papistical sacrificeynge for the synnes of the quicke and deade is damnable, iniurious and despitful to the blessed passiō of christe, seinge Christe made all thynges cōsūmate and perfecte by his pre cious death and by that alone ob tayned perpetuall remission for al the synnes of the faythful. For his glorious death and bytter pa ssion is euē now of as ful strēgth and of as much vertue, as it was what time he suffered, and so shal cōtinewe vntounto the worldes ende, as blessed Paulle sayeth, Iesus Christ yesterday and to day, & the same continueth for euer. Therefore is he called an euerlastynge Hebrn. xiii.priest, because he doth al thinges perfectly, & requireth none other to healpe hym as he him selfe sayeth by y^e prohet, I am he that tea cheth rightuousnes, & am of power Esai. lxiiiIsa 63to helpe. The cōgregation of the faithful speaketh. Wherefore thē is thy clothinge red, & thy rai mēt like his y^t treadeth in the win presse? Christe answereth, I hauehave troden the presse alone, & of al peo ple ther is not one w^t me. Neither Iohn. i.John 1Abrahā nor Isac, neither zachary nor Iohn Baptist, neither Mary nor Elizabeth, neyther Peter nor Paulle, neyther man nor Angell hath payde our raunsome by his bloude shedynge, but Christe alone, alone, that moste pure and i. Pet. i.1 Pet 1vndefiled lambe, whyche taketh a waye the synnes of the worlde. In hym alone and in none other Act. iiii.Acts 4is all oure health and saluacton Neyther is ther any other name Esai. liii.Isa 53giuen vntounto mē, wherin thei must be saued, but onelye the name of our most blessed lord and bounte ous sauioure Christe Iesu that Kynge of glorye. He onelye hath taken on hym oure infirmities & Math. viiii.Matt 9borne our paynes. He was woū ded for oure offences, & smittē for i. Peter. ii.1 Pet 2our wyckednes. The chastisment of our peace was laide vpō him, and w^t his stripes we are healed. Esai liii.Isa 53As for vsus we hauehave gone al astray like shepe eueryevery one hath turned his own way. But the Lord hath Psal cxixPs 19heaped together vpō him the iniquitie of vsus all. He suffered violence and was euyll entreated, and dyd not yet open his mouth. He was led as a shepe to be slain Iere. xi.Jer 11yet was he as styl as a lambe before the shearer, and did not open Math. xxvi.Matt 26hys mouth. He was had a waye …. viii.frō presonne, hys cause not heard and wythout any iudgement. Al ii. Cor. v.2 Cor 5thys suffered he for our sake & to put awaie our iniquities. Yea he was cut of frō the groūd of the li uing, which punishment dyd go vpō him, sayth God, for the transgression of my people, whych in dede had deserued y^t punishment It pleased the lord thus to burst hym wyth plages, and to smite hym wyth infirmities, that when he had made hys soule an offerynge for synne, he might se long lastynge seede. He hath iustified the multitude, and borne awaye their synnes. These wordes are spoken by the Prophete, whyche teache vsus manifestly, that ther is no sacrifice, that deserueth remission of synnes to vsus, or pacifieth the wrath of God styred vp agaynst vsus thorowe synne, but on Esai. liii.Isa 53ly the death of Iesus Christ. By the meanes of Iesu Christe, sayeth Sayncte Paulle, ye whyche Ephe. ii.Eph 2sometime were farre of, are made nye by the bloude of Christe. By Ephe. i.Eph 1Christe we hauehave redempcion tho rowe his bloud, euen the forgeue nes of synnes accordynge to the ryches of his grace. God hath de linered vsus frō the power of darck nes, and hath translated vsus into the Kyngedome of hys deare sonne, by whom we hauehave redemtion thorowe hys bloude, euen the forgiueues of sinnes. It plea Colo. i.sed the father, that in him should all fulnes dwel, and by him to re concile al thinges vntounto himselfe and to set at peace by him thorow the bloud of his crosse boeth thin ges in heauē & thinges in earth.

This is a true sayeinge and by all meanes worthy to be reaceyued Timo. i.of vsus, that Christe Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners. There is one God and one mediator betwen God and man Timo. ii.euen the mā Christ Iesus, which gaue hym selfe a raunsome for al men. Ye know, sayeth blessed Pe i. Peter. i.1 Pet 1ter, howe that ye were not redemed with corruptible thingse (as siluer and golde) from your vain conuersacion, but wyth the precious bloude of Christe, as of a lambe vndefiled and wythout spot. The bloud of Iesus Christ gods owne sonne, maketh vsus per fectly cleane, sayth S. Iohn, frō … …ohn. ….al synne. Agayne he sayth, Christ loued vsus and washed vsus from oure synnes in hys owne bloude If these sentenses were truely knowen of the Laye people and vnfaynedly beleued, they would sone geue ouer their popyshe sacrifices, and onelyonly cleaue, as they oughte, to the alone sacrifice of the highe and euerlasting Priest Iesus Christe, which he once for …ebru. i….all offered vpō the aultare of the crosse. They woulde leaue to run madyng to y^e masking Masse of the papistes, and make more hast vntounto godlye sermons and vntounto the holye and blessed Supper of the Lord.

Euse.

Me thincke these Massemongers, whiche make of the Lordes Supper a priuate Of the Lords Supper.churlish breakefaste, for as much as they eate and drincke alone, and make th… people beleue that in their Masse thei offer Sacrifice for their synnes boeth of the liuynge and of the deade, and boste that their Masse is of as great vertue and strength as the passion of Christ for the satisfaction of our wickednesses, besides their intollerable blasphemies a gaynste the Lorde and hys annoynted, offende greatly against the dignitie and the ryght vse of the Lordes Supper. For Christe whan he instituted thys blessed Supper to be celebrated wyth breade and wyne and appoynted them to be the holye misteries of hys bodye and bloude, gaue no commaundemente to offer and sacrifice for the sinnes of y^e quicke and the deade, but to eate and drinke these holy misteries in the remembraunce of hys death, as he hym selfe sayeth, Do thys in Luke. xxii.Luke 22the remembrance of me. Hereto agreeth. Sainct. Paule, so ofte, sayeth he, as ye shall eate of thys i. Cor. ii.1 Cor 2bread, and drincke of thys cuppe ye shall shewe the death of the Lorde tyll he come. So that the Lordes Supper was not instituted of Christe to be a sacrifice propiciatorye, satisfactorie, expiatory, and I cā not tel you what: but onelye a commemoration or remembraunce of that sacrifice, which could not but once be offered, and a certayne confirmacion or seale for the infirme and weak linges, that they be redemed by Christ, bi Christes passion, bloud and death, that hereby they may be assured of the fauoure of God of remission of sinnes, if they sted fastly beleue, that Christe hath sa tisfied for their synnes vponupon the crosse, and in thys fayth eate and drincke the misteries of hys bodye and bloud. For whan so euer the true Christians eate & drinke the bodye and bloude of Christe Marke well.in fayeth and wyth a beleuinge spirite, their synnes are forgeuen them no les than if Christe euen at that presente hadde died vponupon the crosse, not for the eatyng and drinckynge, but for the fathers sake in Christes bloude, so mightye in operacion is Christe, and so presente is he at euerye howre vntounto so manye as beleue in hym and are gathered togither in hys name. For he is the eternall god, therefore hath hys death an eter nal & euerlastynge fruite.

Christ.

Ye hauehave taught vsus Neighboure Philemon many goodli and god ly thynges concernyng the sacrifice of Christ which beate downe the sacrifice of the popishe masse euen vntounto the grounde, yea they driue it downe euen vntounto the pit of hel, from whens it firste came. Nowe wyll I reherse vntounto you agayne, what I hauehave redde and hearde of the papistes concernynge this matter, that ye maye se what their opinion was and is of the Masse and of the sacrifice thereof.

Phile.

I praye you speake on.

Christ.

The Masse, saye they, makein men holy, yea it maketh them ryghtuous and deliuereth them from sinnes. The Masse is a sacrifice, and not the sygne of a The doctrine of the papistssacrifice onelye. In the Masse is the bodye and bloude of Christe truely offered for the quicke and conserninge the Masse.deade. The masse of a prieste, be he neuer so naughti, is profitable ex opere operato Christ w^t his pa ssion satisfied for originall synne and instituted the masse to be an oblacion for the synnes committed dayely, boeth mortall and ve niall. To heare masse is the hono ringe of God, whither the hearer vnderstandeth it or not. Missa soundeth sacrifice, ergo the masse is a sacrifice, Missa is deriued of Mitto, to sende, for in the masse the lamb, that is to say, Christ is sente vntounto the father to forgeue oure synnes. The Masse deliuereth s…ulles from purgatorye, for asmuche as it is a satisfactory sacrifice for synnes. Not onelyonly the sacrifice of Christ, wherin he offered hym selfe, was a sacrifice for synne, but we also offer for oure sinnes a continual sacrifice in the masse. The sacrifice of Christ obtayneth mercy onelyonly for original synne, and for the synnes paste. The sacrifice of the masse euerye daye, is the true sacrifice for synnes. Althoughe Christ was once offered on the crosse in the open likenesse of fleshe, yet is the same Christe dayelye offered on the altare at masse. The wordes of con secracion duly spokē of the priest there is made a transubstantiacion of wyne into the bloude of Christe and of the bread into hys bodye. EueryEvery man may lawfully worshippe the hoste consecrated. Althoughe Paule calleth the sacramente of the Supper breade, yet maye we not beleue therefore that the substaunce of breade remaineth in the sacrament. Christ saide. Hoc est corpus meum. This is my bodye, therefore muste we nedes holde, that there is a transubstantiacion, and that the substaunce of breade is chaunged in to the bodye of Christe. The bodye of Christe is presente in the Masse so greate and large, as it was, whā it hanged on the crosse Forasmuch as Christe that most hyghe maiestie of God is present at the masse, therefore is it verye godly to appointe many ceremonies, that Christ may be entertay ned honorably. Masse ought not to be sayed but in an holye place and vponupon an altare of stone, for Christe him selfe is called a stone The masse amonge al the suffrages for the deade, doeth profitte moste of all for the deliueraunce of soulles out of purgatory. By hearinge of masse we maye obtayne not onelyonly spiritual goodes but all maner of corporall and temporall goodes also. The cannon of the masse is godly and catholyke and it was ordeyned of the Apostles. The masse, ex opere operato, iustifieth and taketh away the giltines of the faute and payne in thē, for whom it is done With y^e sacrifice of the Masse the satisfactiōs of the deade are rede med. The masse, ex opere operato geueth grace, and beyng applied for other deserueth vntounto them ex opere operato, forgyuenes of the faute and payne, and obtayneth what so euer we hauehave nede of in al oure lyfe. In the olde testamēt ther was a byshop, that offered sacrifices for the synnes of y^e people, therefore in the newe testamente muste ther be priestes and Byshoppes to offere sacrifices for sinnes. The body of the Lord once offered on the crosse for originall synne, is continually offered for dayly sinnes vponupon the altare, that by thys meanes the churche maye hauehave a gyfte, wher wyth they may pacifie the wrath of god. It is an heresy of the Arrians to holde that the masse is not a sacrifice for the quicke and the deade. Howe saye ye Neigheboures to thys doctryne of the massekynge papistes? Is it not good stuffe?

Theo.

God hauehave mer cy on vsus. I hauehave not heard more blasphemous doctrine in my life agaynst the trueth of Gods most blessed word, nor more iniurious and dispiteful agaynst the glorious passion of our onelyonly Lord & sauioure Iesu Christ. O to much miserable is that realme, where suche doctrine is taught. Bonde slaues and wreched captiues are they to Satan and to hys Antichristian sinagog, where such tea chers reigne and bare rule. Oh, whan wyl these papistes cease to speake blasphemies againste the sonne of the liuinge God? The teachers of thys doctryne are ryghte chaplens to that beaste, which had seuen heades and ten hornes, and opened hir mouthe to speake blasphemies agaynste God and hys name and agaynst hys holye congregation wyth so Apo. xiii.many as inhabite the heauens. These are those marked Marchauntes, whiche hauehave committed abhominable whoredomme wyth that fylthey and vncleane stromppette Babylon, and wepe nowe because no man wyll bye their marchaundise nor their ped lary any more, their golde, syluer and precious stones, their pearle raynes, purple and scarlet, their Apo. xv…iiornamētes, their franckensence, wyne and oyle, their fyne flower and wheate with the bodyes and soules of mē.

Phile.

I hauehave spent the more tyme in declaringe vntounto you the wycked opinion of t…e papistes concerning the sacrifice of the masse and cōfutinge of the same, because ye shoulde reioyce in none other thyng as touching your redempcion & satisfactiō for your sinnes & a perfecte atonmēt made betwene God and vsus, but onelyonly in the death and passion of oure Lorde and sauioure Iesu Christ, as S. Paule sayeth, God forbid that I shoulde reioyse in …ln. vi.anye thynge, but in the death of oure Lorde Iesu Christe. Nowe the sacrifice of the masse beynge reproued, and proued of no force and vertue to put awaye the synnes of the quicke and deade, as the papistes hauehave falsely taught and made the folishe simple people to beleue for lucr…s sake, of what price, I praye you, is the masse nowe to be estemed? It agreeth nomore with christes supper, …n antithe…s betwen the Lordes supper and the po pes Masse.thā Christ & Belial, light and darckenes, trueth and falshode. Christe made a sermon before he ministred the sacramente of hys bodye and bloude to hys Disciples: the papistes say masses the deuill and all and yet no sermon at all. Christ sate at the table and turned hys face to his Disciples Iohn. xiiii. xv xvi. Math. xxvi.John 14Matt 26whan he gaue them the misteries of hys bodye and bloude: the papistes sequester them selfes Marcke. xiiii.from the people, they stand at an altare and turne their backes to Luke. xxii.Luke 22the multitude. Christe reheresed the wordes of the institution of hys supper openly, yea and that in suche a tonge as al hys Disciples vnderstode: y^e papistes whisper to them selues playenge silence glome, and vtter althinges in a straung tong that no manne vnderstādeth what is spokē, nor for the moste parte them selues neyther. Christe gaue the sacramente of hys bodye and bloud to hys Dysciples for to eate: the papistes gyue nothyng to any man but eate and drincke altogether them selues. Christe ministered the misterye of hys bodye in com mon breade, the papistes minister printed waferre cakes other wyse not cōmonly vsed. Christ mi nistered wyne to be a cōmemoracion of hys bloude shedeynge to his Disciples: the papistes minister to the people not onelyonly wyne but water also myngled theyr with. Christe gaue the sacrament of his bodye and bloude into the Disciples handes: the papistes put it in the peoples mouthes, not sufferynge them to touche it wyth their handes for their to muche base filthines. Christe deliuered the sacrament to his Disciples sittyng at the table, the papistes cōpel y^e people to receyue it kneling vponupon their kenes. Christ deliueringe the breade and wine to hys Disciples, sayde vntounto thē take ye: eate ye, and drincke ye, the papistes say, beholde, honour worshippe and reuerence youre maker here. Christ instituted his supper to be a remembraunce of hys death and passion, whiche is the onelyonly sacrifice for the synnes of the people, the papists affirme that their massekyng Masse is a perfecte sacrifice fo… the quicke and the deade, and of as greate vertue and strenght as the blessed passion of our sauioure christ is. Christe deliueringe the miste ries of hys body and bloude to hys disciples tolde them that his body shoulde be broken for them and hys bloude shead for them and many into the remissiō of sin nes, the papistes shame not to lie that Christe by hys death satisfied onelyonly for original synne and the synnes paste, as for all oure synnes what so euer they be, veniall or mortal, they be put away by the sacrifice of y^e masse. Christ deliuered the sacramente of hys body and bloude vnderunder both kin des to hys disciples, the papistes steale awaye from the common people the misterye of Christes bloude. Christe gaue to hys Disciples the sacramente to be eaten for a remembraūce of his death, the papistes holde it vp aboue their heades and commaund the people to worshippe it as God. Christe ministered the sacrament in suche apparel, as he did customably weare, the papistes put on maskyng apparel, Albes, girdels vestimentes, coopes, subdeacon, deacons, tunicle and what not? Christe playnly and puerly ministered the sacramente to hys Disciples wythout … ceremonies: the papistes muste hauehave sensers, belles, candles, …, paxes, corporasses Superaltaries altare clothes, cruetres napkins besides their dowkynges and lowtynges, their turnynges and returnynges, their gaspynges and gapynges, their knelynges and winkinges their mockinges and mowynges, their crossinges and knockinges, their kissynges and lickeynges, their noddynges and nosynges, their washynges and wypynges, th…ir booynges and bleatinges, as I may speak nothynge of their prostracions and inclinacions, of their commemoracions and histrionicall gesticulacions, more meate for madde braines and dronckardes than for graue and sober honeste men. Christe commaunded hys Disciples to receyue the sacramente so ofte as they woulde: the papistes appoynte the common people onelyonly to receyue it at Easter, or whan they be in perell of death. Christe wylled hys Disciples so ofte as they eate of that sacramentall breade to remember hys death tyl he come, he mea neth vntounto the iudgemente: the papistes say they hauehave hym al redye in there handes and in theyr mouthes, in theyr boxes and in their pixes. Christe dyd not appoynte anye parte of the sacramente to be reserued after the cō munion: the papistes reserue it and hāge it vp wyth an haltar in the pixe, sence it, carye it about in procession and make a pageaunt of it. Christ appoynted his sacramente to be eaten in the remembraūce of his passiō, the papistes kepe it so long, that it corrupteth waxeth moul…, & breadeth ful of wormes. Christe in the institutio of the mistery of hys body, sayed. …hys is my body, which is geuē Luc. ….for you. Do thys in the remembraunce of me. The Papistes in theyr consecration, as they cal it, mangle the wordes of Christe, in some place addinge of theyr own to the wordes of Christe, and in an other place leauynge altogyther oute. In the consecracion of the bread they hauehave Enim, which Christe hath not, nor anye word for it in the Hebrue tonge. And herein do they greuously offende Dent. xii.agaynste God, whyche commaū deth that nothyng should be added to hys worde. Agayne they leaue oute thys confortable promis…. Prou xxi.Prov 21quod pro uobis datur. which is geuē for you, wherin our chefe consolacion, ioye and comforte is Apo. xxx.cōtained. And here again do thei not a lityll offende agaynste the hyghe maiestye of God, seynge they plucke so many wordes frō the institucion of Christe. They are also verye theues & enemies to vsus seynge they depryue vsus of so swete and confortable promise wherin is cōprehēded the misteri of our saluatiō. Christ in deliuering the cup of the mistery of his Math. xxvi. Luke. xxii.Matt 26Luke 22bloud spake these words, Drinke ye all of this. This cup is y^e new Testament in my bloude, whych is shed for you and for manye into the remission of synnes. The Papists rehearse not the words in the consecration of the wyne (as I maye go forth to vse theyr terme) in all poyntes, as Christe dyd, but adde moe vntounto them, as though there were a certayne im perfection or insuffitiencye in the wordes of Christe. Theyr words are these. Thys is the chalice of my bloude a newe and euerlastynge testament, the misterye of fayeth, whiche for y…u and many shall be shed for the remission of synnes. Although in the additiō of these wordes there is no vntrueth, yet is it not conueniente for any man whych is but fleshe, earth, duste, and ashes, to putte Iohn. iii.John 3oughte to the wordes of Christe, whyche is the wysedome of the father, and knoweth beste what Ecclesi. xis mooste expediente for the settynge forth of his glory. If a mā Collo. ii.adde anye thynge to the Testamente and laste wyll of any mortall manne, or doe plucke oughte therfro, his faulte is counted very Notegreate, and he hym selfe for euer after discredited bycause he hath so vniustly dealte wyth his neyghboures wyl. In what estimation then are they to be hadde whyche corrupte the testamente and laste wyll not of man onelye but of God and man also, wherin are bequethed not worldely & transitorye thinges, but thyngs heauenlye and perpetuall. Neyther is thys blessed testamēt sealed wyth waxe, but wyth the preciouse and deare herte bloude of our Lorde and sauioure Christe Iesus, to mancle this heauenlye testamente, to corrupte thys blessed wyll, wherein is bequethed vntounto vsus, the fauoure of God, remission of al our sinnes & eternal lyfe, if we truely repent, and earnestly beleue, is much vnsittyng for any christen man, neyther are suche manckelers, and corruptours, suche theues and robbers, anye more to be beleued of the faithful congregation.

Christe (as I may once make an end) after he had fed his disciples Math. xxvi.Matt 26with the holy misteries of his bo Mathe. xiiii Iohn. xvii.John 17dye and bloude, gaue thankes to God the father, and so prepared him self thorow earnest praier vntounto the death. The Papistes after they hauehave once droncke and eate vp all togyther, they gyue no thankes, wherby the cōmune people are edified, excepte it be when they blesse wyth the empty cup, or byd theym go home wyth Itemissa est. Well thys maye ye easly perceyue, howe greatly the Popysh masse differeth from the true institutiō of the Lords supper, and that they agre togyther as Christe and Beliall, lyghte and darcknesse, trueth and falsehode. & ce.

Christo.

It shall therfore be conuenient for all true christian hertes no more to repose the trust of theyr saluation in the Sacrifice of theyr Popeyshe masse, nor in anye thynge apperteynynge to the same, but onelyonly in the blessed passion, in the precyouse bloude, & gloryouse death of oure Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ, which by the alone Sacrifice of hys mooste holye body, hath euen vn to the vttermoste, and at the full payed our raunsome, & broughte vsus euerlastynge healthe.