The Confutation of the 13 Articles, Article 12
Shaxton. The twelfe Article.
SEcrete Auriculer confeſſion, is expediente and neceſſarie, to be reteyned, continued, & frequented in the churche of Chriſte.
Crowley.
If you had ſayed in the churche of Antichriſt, I would hauehave holden well wyth you For in deede, it is ſo neceſſarie therein: that wythout it, that whoryſhe church could not lōg cōtinue. In this corſhrift are wrought al theyr maliciouſe miſteries. In it be the pore ſimple creatures taught to delyght in ignoraunce, and to be ware of the readynge or hearynge of the ſcripture in the Englyſhe tonge, contrarye to Chriſte. Iohn .v.
In thys ſecrete ſchole are they confirmed in the hope of the popes pardōs to be ſet abrod agayne contrarye to Chriſt in Math .xxiiii. Here are they enſtructed to beleue, that your maſſes & diriges are meritoriouſe boeth for the quycke & the dead, cōtrary to the .ix. and x. chapter of. S. Paule to the Hebrues. Here are they commaunded to multiplie prayers and repete oure Ladies pſaltare vponupon theyr beades. Or if they dare not occupie beades, to numbre theyr prayers on theyr fyngers, contrarye to Chriſte. Mathew, vi, Chapter. Here learne they to putte difference betwene daye and daie, and meate and meate, contrarye to Paule in the .ii. chapter to the Colloſſians. Here are they taughte to worſhippe God in Images, the makynge and hauyng wherof is not only forboden, but alſo accurſed of God hym ſelfe, in the .xiiii. chapter of the boke of wiſdome, and the .xxvii. of Deu. In thys hel houſe are the ſimple people taught to yarne heauen by theyr wyll worckes. As by buildyng and enrychinge of Abbays by fonndynge of chauntries and Anniuerſaries, by payntinge and gildinge of poſtes and by geuynge of boke, bell, chalice, and other ornamentes (as you call them) to youre Turkiſhe temples, contrarye to the Lordes expreſſe commaundemente. Deut, v. chapter. Here are they taught to thynke them ſelues well iuoughe, and theyr conſciences cleant diſcharged of all ſynne whereof they hauehave made relation to the prieſts, though they neuer falte any parte of true repentaunce, but do incontinent returne to theyr olde vice, as the ſowe to the puddel, and the dogge to his vomite, contrarye to Peter in the .ii. chapter of his .ii. epiſtle.
To be briefe in thys hell, they learne all ſuperſtition & vaine truſt in their own workes & inuētions: & forgette all the true & ſure truſt that they ought to hauehave in the only ſauiour & redemer Chriſte, How neceſſarie an implemēe this is, to be retained in the churh or cōgregatiō of Chriſt, let thē iudge in whō the ſpirite of God dwelleth, by whoſe inſpiration, they know what the church of Chriſt is. I am certayne by the ſcriptures, that as it is vſed, it is abominable in the ſight of God And therfore not to be ſo vſed as it is. And how it ſhould be amēded, otherwiſe then by taking it clean away, I can not ſee, vnles we hauehave newe miniſters appoynted, whych are no fauourers, but enemies to the abuſe.
It is neceſſarye therefore, that thys order be retayned (yea newlye begonne) in the churche of Chriſte: that wounded conſciences maye ſeke theym an experte and learned Phiſitian to whome they maye open theyr payne and griefe, and at whoſe hands they maye receiue the confortable medi…s of the ſpirite, gathered out of the pleaſaunte garden of the ſcripture. But to be bounde to reſorte perelpr to ſuche blynde pottcaties, as do neyther knowe ſymple from compounde nor medicine from poyſon: is neythere tō be retayned nor ſuffered in Chriſtes church.