A sum OR A BRIEF collection of holy signs, sacrifices and Sacraments, even since the beginning of the world.  
And the true original of the sacrifice of the Mass. Translated out of French into English by N. Lynge.  Matthew. 15. 
Every plant which my heavenly father hath not planted shallbe plucked up by the roots.  
PRINTED AT LONDON by Roland Hall, dwelling in gutter Lane, at the sign of the half Egle and the Key.  
1563.   

THE EPISTLE OF THE Author to the Reader.  
COnsidering the controversies stirred up among those that call themselves christians (some striving to hold the vain superstitions descended unto them, from their predecessors, some also inventing new sects, schisms, and heresies, and other in number fewer, desiring utterly to root out the darkness of ignorance, that the light of the verity might shine) me thinketh that the most dangerous poison that Satan useth to make men mad with all, hath been drawn out of the mine of the Mass, stuffed with good end, & covered with good intention. And although many have sore travailed to discover with descriptions, anatomies, & other works of the Mass, this minable rock yet always more & more to mine, & contermine this fort, which seemeth unminable (after I had read the Elassopolitains commentaries treating of the number, dignity, power & conditions of the high bishops, chief priests & sacrificers sins the creation of the world) I have drawn out a brief sum of the holy signs sacrifices, & sacraments ordained of god from time to time, the corruptions crept successively into the church of god, & specially here is described the true original of the Mass, about the which, presently men are fallen into so great contentions, & divisions. For some inveigh against it as lately forged, other defend it by long possession. And by these altrications the church of christ hath been marvelously threshen with the flail of sedition. But if thou (faith full reader) wilt have patience of what sect so ever thou be, papist, or protestant (reading this short discourse, & tarrying till thou have the books of the commentaries in their integrity) thou shalt know certainly what the original of the mass is, partly very ancient & partly new, who were her founders & patrons: & to th'end that thou mayst beassured of the histories faithfully gathered: have recourse to the authors quoted in the mergent. Our good god inspire thee with his holy spirit.   

THE TRANSLATOR to the Reader.  
AFter I had read this little book set forth (by a certain godly learned man) in the French language, it liked me so well, that partly for the worthiness of the matter, and partly for mine own exercise in that tongue, I applied myself to bring the same in to our English speech: minding nothing less than to have it printed, till that I was earnestly moved thereunto by divers godly people, whose just request, I could not justly withstand. The book doubtless will sufficiently commend itself if the envy of such, as are to much delighted with idolatry and superstition, do not let & hinder the same. The things herein contained may seem to some strange, and perhaps are unknown to the most, and therefore at the first sight will be marveled at of many. But thou (good christian reader) perusing this short discourse, and perceiving that the most parts of the mass sacrifice, were invented by Numa Pompilius the second king of the Romans and a great conjuror, 700 years before the incarnation of jesus Christ, cease marvelling and consider that it is no strange thing, if man (according to the saying of the Poet) be still savouring of that which he first learned, and was brought up in. The bishops of Rome (which were the greatest corrupters of the holy sacrament & true service of god, with beggarly and superstitious ceremonies) had long time been noselled in the religion of Pompilius. Is it then strange, if they (according to the new fangleness of man's brain, scarce at any time contented with the simplicity of god's word) did bring in their wont ceremonies used in their sacrifices invented by Numa the conjuror, to adorn and deck (as they thought) the gospel of christ jesus, unto the which they were lately converted and turned? In the time of the apostles, & many years after the Mass was not hard of, and no ceremonies were used, but such, as were commanded by our Lord & saviour christ, as preaching of the word, & ministering of the holy sacraments. etc. But afterward when man waxed weary of the heavenly Manna, diligent search was made to find out pleasant things for him to play withal. Then in place of preaching, came in massing, in place of sincere ministering the holy sacraments, came in abominable witchcraft, conjuring, and idolatry, & in place of the true honouring of god, came in these trumperies & trifles of Numa Pompilius: namely, the vestments, the aulbe, the tunicle, the holy water conjured to drive away devils, the altar, the burning of tapers or torches, the traversing along the altar with crossyngs, beckyng, and bowings, and prayers toward the East, the procession and banners, the relics, and carrying of shrines by the priests clad in white surplyces, & their crowns shaven, the Confiteor to he and she saints, the Organs, the canticles, the hymns, and odes, the censor, and the incense, the offertory, the eating of little round cakes consecrated in their sacrifices to their gods, & in th'end this pleasant song, Ite missa est. Be not these abominable additions to the only sufficient word of God? Peter was justly reproved for causing the gentiles to observe the ceremonies of the jews: And shall they be commended that cause the christians to keep and observe the vain & superstitious rites and traditions of the idolaters gentils? Cerrainly I think, if Paul were present to answer them by word he would affirm that which he hath written: They are worthy to be reproved for as much as they go not simply to the truth of the gospel, but professing christianity themselves cause other (that do seldom hear any preaching, or if they do hear it, do hardly understand it) to observe & keep the blind ceremonies of the infidels, and heathen, wherein the rude and ignorant put such confidence (by means their senses be continually occupied about the same) that christ is quit shut out, his gospel not regarded, & his due worship in spirit & truth unknown. And if any would object that some or the most part of the ceremonies above mentioned, were first among the jews, and therefore aught or may be retained by us: I answer, that whatsoever was abolished by the coming of jesus christ may not now be observed, without denying of him.  
Fot in retaining of them, we do seam to doubt weather he hath fulfilled that which was figured and shadowed by the same. Wherefore sins the ceremonies of the jews, and the superstitious inventions of the Gentiles are by the scriptures condemned. Let those that be true christians, use such only as may be to edification, and not to contention, to instruction, and not superstition, to unity, and not vanity, in such sort that the faithful be not spoiled of their liberty, and that by necessity they be not compelled unto those things, from the which they be made free by the gospel of jesus Christ. I will (faithful reader) hold thee no longer, beseeching thee to give god hearty thanks for purging the church of England from so many blind and dumb ceremonies, & earnestly to pray that the rest (which at this day do molest the godly, and minister occasion to the adversary to slander the true professors of gods holy gospel with discord and dissension) may be also shortly rooted out. So that god may be freely worshipped, the godly comforted, the enemy confounded and his people truely taught.  
N. LYNGE.   

A sum or a brief collection of holy signs. Sacrifices and Sacraments instituted of god even since the beginning of the world. And of the true original of the Sacrifice of the Mass.  
IN THE TIME ordained before of God, by his unsearchable and uncomprehensible wisdom after he had created man to his own Image and likeness to th'end that he might stir him up to fear and obedience, and give unto him also some exercise of virtue to acknowledge his God his creator, there were ordained many signs Sacrifices and Sacraments. First to our first father Adam and to his successors being bodily men, were ordained corporal signs of god, the better to approven and make known his obedience. To wit, 
Trees of life. Gene. 2.3. Euseb. Theodor. & Sever.  the trees planted in the midst of the herber and earthly paradise. These trees although they were of no other quality than the other plants, yet they were dedicated and consecrated of God to serve for sacraments, (that is to say) for holy signs, their quality then dedicated and hallowed to serve as a seal, for a witness attestation and approbation of the godly will. For the infinite goodness of god willing to make known, the fellowship, bond, and alliance, contracted with man his creature, created to his own likeness, hath from time to time ordained outward and corporal signs, which man might see and behold with his corporal eyes, to serve for assurance, gage, and pledge, of the divine covenant: like as to our first & common father were ordained trees, and corporal fruits, left and given unto him to keep, without wasting, eating, or consuming in pain of everlasting death. We must then believe by faith, that the trees and fruits were not signs or sacraments of vanity, as a simple picture, but more that uponthem did hang both life & death they containing the sign and the thing signified. 
prover. 1.2.3.  Wherein did consist the knowledge and wisdom to fear god and obey him. This was the cause wherefore they were called the fruits of knowledge of good and evil, and the trees of life. For in keeping these fruits hallowed, in obeying god everlasting life was promised, contrariwise in abusing these Sacraments in goyinge against the will of god, declared by outward tokens everlasting death and damnation was gotten.  
For other exercises of man toward god, 
Sacrifices before the law written.  to the end that he might reverence, honour, and worship him, many and divers sacrifices were celebrated, yea before the law written by Moses. 
Psalm. 50.  And although the almighty God creator of heaven & of earth hath no need of man's works neither is nourished with the blood of beasts, or fruits of the earth: Yet he hath always desired to draw man unto him in fear & outward obedience by Signs, Sacrifices, and Sacraments: In such sort that the sacrifice of the lambs offered by Abel was pleasing unto god. 
Gene. 4. Hebreo. 11. Gene. 6.7.9.  Noah likewise, after the great floods passed, in sign of knowledge and obedience toward God did erect an altar, offered and lifted up sacrifice of sheep without spot and of birds, wherewith he did make sacrifices sound and pleasing unto god. By these examples it is easy to know that sacrifices did not begin in the time of Moses: But the innocent and just lamb represented by the sacrifice of Abel (the figure of jesus Christ) was slain and offered up from the beginning of the world. 
Apoco. 13.   
After the rigour of the flood comen for the punishment of the offences of the tyrants of the earth, in sign of reconciliation and covenant renewed, 
rainbow. Gene. 9  our good god did ordain the sign of the Bow in heaven, for a gage and assurance of the divine mercifulness. This sign and heavenly Bow, although before it did appear in the thick clouds, a token of rain to come: Yet before it had never been a mark dedicated to serve man for a sacrament or holy sign, until it was ordained of God a sign of the covenant contracted with good father Noah and his offspring.  
Unto the faithful Patriarch Abraham another covenant and alliance was contracted by the wisdom of God, 
Circumcision in the year of the world. 2048.  which he gave unto him for a gage and assurance of him and of his posterity, the outward sign of circumcision to serve for a sacrament and perpetual mark of the divine will. It was ordained unto him to circumcise his children males within eight days after their birth, 
Gene. 17.  in pain of being rejected from the number of those people, which God had adopted or chosen.  
To the same people of Israel was ordained the sacrifice of the unspotted Lamb, the blood whereof spilled, 
Pascal lamb.  should preserve the people from the appointed death in Egypt, 
Exodo. 12.  the flesh also was ordained to be eaten, & in celebrating the feast every year in the day called Pasque, in sign & commemoration of their deliverance from Pharaos' bondage, 
Exodo. 12.  with the sign of the communion of the flesh of the paschal Lamb, it was ordained to eat unleavened bread seven days in pain of death.  
Other holy signs were sent of god to his elect people, always to draw them to his fear & obedience. As the sign of the cloud a token of the way to guide the people by day, 
Cloud.  
Pillar of fire. Exodo. 13.  the flaming & fiery pillar to conduct them by night out of the hands of Pharaoh the tyrant. Moreover, the sign of the division of the red sea of Arabia thorough the midst whereof the elect people of god did pass. 
The division of the red sea in the year 2453. 1. Corin. 10. Tite. 3.  By the which wonderful signs god would signify t'holy sacrament of baptism, afterward ordained by the sign of water, which is the laver of regeneration & renewing of the holy ghost.  
During the time that the elect people of god were holden in the wilderness of Arabia, 
Manna.  to them was ministered food of heavenly bread, 
Exodo. 16.  wherewith they were nourished xl years. This holy sacrament instituted by the power of god was in such great admiration, that every of the people said, Manhu, what is this here? they did see the heavenly Manna given unto them without travel, 
1 Corin. 10. john. 6.  a sign of the living bread descended from heaven & giving life to all the faithful.  
Also another marvelous sign was ordained of god by the rock flowing of lively water in Horeb to quench the thirst of thirsty people, 
Water of th● Rock. Exodo. 17. Num. 20. 1. Corin. 10. john. 19  a sign & figure of the true rock jesus Christ, out of whom did issue water & blood to estaunche the thirst of all sinners for evermore.  
The signs & sacraments aforesaid, were not only ordained of God, 
divers sacrifices ordain of god in th● year of the world. 245  but also the law of sacrificers was published by Moses as signs, figures, and shadows of the Sacrifice performed by jesus Christ.  
The sacrifices are either public or particulars, 
Holocausta.  some were have offerings, sacrifices consumed with fire: 
Division of sacrifices drawn out of Exdo. Leuiti. and Num.  other were of beasts slain: and offered up to eat, some were of earthly beasts, other were beasts of the air. Among the earthly beasts were such as were most obedient as Beaf, and Veal, sheep and Lamb, the Goat & the Kid: 
Beasts for sacrifices.  Among the birds also the most tame, the Pigeon and the Turtle. Of sacrifices some were public, other were particular, the public either were daily, 
Days appointed for sacrifices.  or else seven times a day, or in the new moons, or in time of abstinence, or else in three feasts celebrated in a year: To wit, in the days of sweet bread, when the Paschal Lamb was offered and eaten without leavened bread, 
Exod. 23.  in the time also of harvest of first fruits, and in the feast of Wine and olives toward the end of the year. 
Search the book of Philo the jew, & ●osophus.  It was commanded every day to offer two Lambs, the one in the morning, the other at night after that the altar was perfumed with incens & sweet adours. Also some of the Sacrifices were ordained for corporal things which were offered with shedding of blood, other for incorporal things without blood. The sacrifices called Holocaustes did concern only the honour of God, 
Holocaustes Philo the jew in his treatise of beasts appointed for sacrifices. josephus. lib. 3. cap. 10. de antiqui. iudai.  because all the sacrifice was consumed with fire, for the which sacrifice Holocaustes, the male & not the female was received, that is to say, the Beaf, the Lamb, and the Goat of one year. For the sacrifice for health, it was indifferent to take male or female, always three parts of the sacrifice was reserved for the priest. To wit, 
Levi. 1.2.3.4.  the fat, the two kidneys and the kall or the fat of the flanks. 
Sacrifice for health.  Another difference there is also betwixt the sacrifice for health, and the sacrifice celebrated for sin, for in the one was ordained to eat all the sacrifice in two days, 
Sacrifice for sin.  and in the other for sin it was enjoined to eat all in one day only. By reason whereof some sacrifices were called Holocaustes, other for health and other for sin. The sacrifices for sin, were divers aswell for because of the persons as for the offerings. For he that sinned by ignorance, 
Sacrifice for the sin of ignorance.  was cleansed by offering an Ewe or a she goat: but the cleansing of sin done wittingly was cleansed with a Ram. The sin of the great priest was cleansed by offering of a calf: 
Sacrifice for the sin of the high priest prince, magistrate & particular person. levit. 3.4.5.6. Sacrifice for the man polluted. For the woman delivered levit. 12. Sacrifice for the Leprous. Levi. 14.  of the prince by offering a goat & a bull, that of the magistrate with a goat, that of any particular, with the offering of a female. The sacrifice for cleansing of sin done against god was done with a Ram. The sacrifice for a man polluted was with an Ewe or a she goat: for cleansing of a woman after her childbirth was a lamb of one year, a young pygion & a turtle. For the cleansing of Lepre, were two birds a live pure and clean, cedar wood, & Isope, two whole lambs & one Ewe of a year with flower & oil. Another sacrifice also was made for the person polluted by seed shed or menstruous with ij. turtles, 
Sacrifice for the polluted menstrual.  and two young pigeons. If the great sacrifices did fail, than did they repair to doves, pigeons & turtles, th'one for the  offering, tother for the food of the priests. And in all sacrifices there was pure flower without leaven, salt, incens & oil. 
Levyn & honey forbidden in all sacrifices. A sacrifice for the woman suspected of adultery Num. 5.  And it was not lawful to offer any thing with leaven or honey upon the altar. Always in the sacrifice ordained for the purging of women suspected of adultery, there was no incens nor oil as in other sacrifices, but for her was offered water mixed with dust or ashes gathered on the pavement of the temple. Again there was another sacrifice celebrated for them which had made the great vow called Naserius, 
Sacrifice of the Nazereus Num. 6. Philo the jew in the ttearie aforesaid.  when the time of their devotion was done, it was ordained unto them to offer iij. sacrifices, a lamb, an ewe & a ram. One (to wit) the lamb for the burnt offering, the second (being the ewe) for the salvation, & the third for health. Moreover, the hears of him which made the sacrifice should be cast into the fire with the  offering to be burned.  
I have thought good to discourse the diversity of sacrifices, briefly to th'end to make known the great goodness of our god, who by the law of sacrifices published by Moses, would (as with a bridle) restrain the rude people of Israel, which could not forget the idolatries of Egypt wherein they had been nourished 400 & 30 years under the tyranny of Pharaoh. But what strait laws, what ceremonies & sacrifices so ever were ordained for them, ever this people did fall to Idolatry abusing the law of god, and corrupting the holy sacraments and sacrifices, as it shallbe declared hereafter. If any man desire to know more of the multitude and diversity of sacrifices, let him read the books of Philo the Jew, and josephus of the judaical antitiquities, following that which Moses hath plainly written in his books of Levitick and Numbers.  

The ark of witness. Exd. 25 27.28.  Another sign & sacrament instituted of god by the ark of the covenant described in Exodus, being a holy sign dedicated to receive the holy & heavenly answers, to th'end to bring the people to the remembrance, fear, and obedience of god. To honour and accompany the ark of the covenant. Many other exterior signs were ordained of god, as the ornaments and consecration of priests, specially the ornament called the Ephod, 
Ephod.  the which & the sacrifices the Israelites did abuse by their idolatries.  
Another holy sign there was of the purging & sprinkling water, 
purging water consecrated Num. 19  ordained by god to Moses & Aaron the high priest. This sprinkled water was consecrated with ashes gathered by a clean person of the sacrifice offered in Holocausta. To wit, of a Cow all red with out any spot, & which had never been laboured. The Wood ordained to make the fire for the burntoffering was cedar & Hisope, Purple with Crimson. With this water were sprinkled polluted persons for the purging & cleansing of their corporal defyling.  
At the entering of the temple or tabernacle was a Laver made of Brass, 
Exod. 38.  and forged first with thimages of the women of Israel, in this Laver was put the sprinkling water, wherewith the sacrificers are sprinkled, before the celebrating of their sacrifices, to the end they might be purified & obtain grace & remission of their sins.  
After the death of the great priest Aaron, the people of Israel unthankful to god for the goodness sent them of him, murmuring as annoyed with the heavenly Manna freely given unto them for their nurture, were punished by the biting of venomous serpents. But the merciful god gave unto them an holy sign whereby they should be saved & restored to health (to wit) the brazen serpent, 
Brazen serpent.  
john. 3.7.  lifted up in the air a figure of jesus Christ crucified.  
These were in sum the most part of the signs, sacrifices & sacraments ordained of god in the first church of the Israelites, figures of the true & perfect sacrifice performed by jesus Christ, the true Messiah & everlasting priest, sitting at the right hand of god the father.  

Sacraments broken by Adam. Gene. 3.  Now resteth in sum to bring forth, how man by his own proper fault did fall in oblivion and disobedience of god his creator, abusing gods favour, and corrupting the holy signs, sacrifices, and sacraments, ordained to him.  
What persuaded our first father and his companion to hide themselves at the hearing of god's voice, but because they had abused the holy sign, and broken the law of the fruits to them forbidden? This holy sign which our first and universal father had abused, was the original of other vices & corruptions hereafter described, into the which all men are fallen savouring of the corrupted lump of Adam.  
Leaving the particular corruptions of the signs, sacrifices and sacraments, 
Corruption of the sacrifice by Aaron. Exod. 32. Deute. 9  before the law written by Moses, we will begin to bring forth briefly the most notable errors committed by the most great sacrificers, as kings, priests, and others having the chief government of the people.  
When Moses was abiding in mount Synay to receive the commandments of God, his brother Aaron the high priest forged a calf of gold, of the golden earrings given unto him by the people of Israel, he builded an altar offered incens, and celebrated sacrifice, causing the common people to worship the molten Image.  
Was not this an abusing of the sacrifices ordained of god, & a corrupting of the true usage of the same, in causing the Calf to be worshipped in place of the slain & offered sacrifice, as it was appointed in the law? 
Corruption of the sacrifice by Nadab and Abiu. Levi. 10. Num. 11.  His sons also Nadab & Abiu were not they consumed with fire, for abusing the use of sacrifices in taking unhallowed Wood & corrupting the law? The people of Israel unthankful for the goodness done unto them in being delivered from the Pharaonical captivity, did they not mumur against the holy sacrament of heavenly Manna, when they did disdain and contemn this bread of life, & demanded flesh to eat? 
iosua. 7.  Acham the son of Charms did not he violate the laws of holy signs, when he committed sacrilege, and kept back the spoils of Hierico vowed & consecrated to god for sacrifices? If any more curiously desire to see the continual abuses & corruptions of the people themselves, let him read the histories of the judges of Israel, 
iud. 2.3.6, 8.9.  & in all times he shall find man never to be content with the true worshipping ordained of God. But in stead of outward signs ordained of god to draw the people to fear & obedience, they have forged inventions. And in place of reverencing the altars, & ark of covenant in the name of the only god being (outward sacred signs): 
judg. 10.  The Isrelites infected with the Idolatries of their neighbours, the Syrians, Sidonians, Moabites, Ammonites & Philistines, did erect altars unto their strange gods, Baal and Astaroth. jephtha, judge & captain of the Isralites: did not he corrupt the law of sacrifices when he sacrificed his own proper daughter? excusing himself by a vow, which he made, which was not appointed to him of god? 
The ungentle sacrifice of jephtha. iud. 11.  The holy sign ordained of god for the high priest to celebrate sacrifices in (called Ephod) the uppermost garment, 
judg. 8.9. idolatry by the golden EPhod. judg. 17.18.  was not it abused by Gedeon captain of the Isralites when as of the spoils of the Madianites & of their earrings he made an Ephod of gold, whereby the people fell into great idolatry? How long time was this holy outward sign Ephod abused, an image being erected by the mother of Michas in Silo, priests & sacrificers appointed expressly to sacrifice thereunto, an altar builded and the true use of sacrifices corrupted? So long as the temple continued in Silo, into what wicked manners did the priests and sacrificers fall, which were ordained of god for the ministry of sacrifices & holy sacraments, when they usurped by long possession to have this privilege of the people, that when they did sacrifice, and the flesh of thoffered sacrifice was seething, 
1. Samuel. 2.  their boy or servant having a three grained fleshoke of iron in his hand, had liberty to catch out of the pot or cauldron, all that he could carry with his hook? further the levitical tyranny was such, that this servant of the priest had liberty to demand of the sacrifice giver, flesh to roast for the sacrificer, otherwise to take it by force even as he would. Was not this a great abuse & detestable corruption practised by the priests & chief sacrificers, under the pretence of sacrifices? What greater corruption can be declared, than that of the sons of the chief priest Ely, called Ophni & Phinees? 
Ophni, Phinies, corruptera of the sacrifices. 1. Samuel. 4.  Who under pretence of devotion committed shameful whoredom with the covered women behind the holy Tabernacle instituted of god, for the which wickedness they were miserably slain, and the ark of covenant taken away by the Philistines. 
1. Samuel. 5.6.  Which they set in the temple of their god dagon, 
The ark of the holy covenant.  but god not suffering this holy sign thus to be profaned, threw down the image dagon & scent grievous punshiments to the Philistines in such sort that they were constrained to restore the Ark of the covenant of god, This holy sign was so precious that for as much as the Bethsamites (which were not of the order of the Levites) had abused it 50000. of the common people, and 70. of the chief rulers were rooted out & slain by the vengeance of god. 
Against corruption of holy signs.  This example might make all those to tremble which enterprise to abuse the holy signs and sacraments ordained of god.  

2. Samuel. 6. Osa.  Osa also for that he abused the same sacred sign (notwithstanding that he did it of a good intention) for to lift up the Ark of witness hanging to much on thonside) was he not punished with death? Of others abuses committed by the Isralites, 
Osias. 2. Chron 26.  there is many examples, Osias was punished with liprosie for abusing the sacrifices, 
Saul. 1. Samuel. 13. joseph. lib. 7. cap. 4. of the jews antiquities.  in taking upon him the ministry of encensing appointed to the priests only. Saul he first elected king of the Isralits' was slain & his kingdom given unto another (as was declared before of Samuel) for abusing the sacrifices, and suffering his people to commit the like abuses. His successors in the kingdoms of juda & Israel have not they always continued in abusing & corrupting the sacrifices & sacraments ordained of God, when they did offer sacrifices to the gods, 
1. Kings. 8.11.  Astaroth of the Sidonions, to Chanios of the Moabites, & to Melcom or Moloch of the Ammonites, in so much that they builded temples & oratory's, even to offerencens & to do sacrifices unto them.  
Hieroboam king of the Israelites, 
Hieroboam, 1. Kings. 12.  did not only cause a Golden calf to be erected, as the high priest Aaron had abused before, but also did ordain two Golden Cows in the two Temples of bethel & Dan, and ordained strange priests corrupting the law of God, and causing them to do sacrifice after the fashion of Aaron. 
1. Kings. 14.  This idolatry & corruption of sacrifices did continue among the Israelites more than .400. years during the reign of their kings, who had taught them to corrupt the true use of the sacrifices in chapels & particular oratory's builded in the tops of hills & thick forests consecrated, inviolating the law of sacrifices ordained by God in the holy temple, 
1. Kings. 15.  within the holy city. For particular examples, of the abuses committed against the true use of sacrifices, the history of Maacha mother of king Asa is manifest, who erected an image of the god Pan, & did consecrate & dedicate unto him a thick forest offering sacrifices unto it. 
Achab. 1. Kings. 16.  Achab another king of the Israelites did erect an altar & made sacrifices to the God Mars, otherwise called Baal, unto whom he dedicated a Grove to satisfy his wicked wife jesabel.  

joseph. lib. 8. chap. 10.  He caused also another altar & temple to be erected to the God of the Tyrians, he ordained Priests, Sacrificers, and instituted four hundred false Prophets. His son & successor Ochosias' taught of his father to corrupt the use of the sacrifices, 
Ochosias'.  did not only offer to Baal (otherwise called Mars) but went forward in greater abuse, 
2. Kings. 1. joseph. lib. 9 chap. 1.  he builded a temple unto the god of Accoronites called by josephus Myos and by the Greeks Priapus, unto the which god he did sacrifice.  
To be short, what more abominable corruption can be described, 
purgatory.  than the invention of the fire Purgatory? 
2. Kings. 16. 2. Kings. 16.23 in the book Alcoran. Asoar. 29.46. Asoar. 5.  where with the Israelites did transgress causing their children to pass through the fire in Tophet, a valley of the sons of Ennon, sacrificing unto the God Moloch. This corruption of sacrifices, not withstanding that it was in the time of Moses, 
ignem gehennae non nisi numero dierum preterminato animas sentire docet Acorani liber, & ad diem veritatis omnes accedere operum suorum mercedem accepturas Asoar.  yet the Idol Moloch in the valley of Ennon, was not cast down till the reign of good King josias, more than nine hundred years after Moses. Nevertheless this abuse doth continue among the Arabians & Africans to this present, so that the Alcoramists & Mahometists have this belief, that the souls of the departed must pass thorough the fire to be purged and purified from their offences.  
By this brief gathering a man may clearly perceive that from the beginning of the world, man by his own fault hath fallen into the bottom of error & corruption of holy signs, sacrifices & sacraments, ordained to him of god. But the principal abuse, 
cause of the corruption of sacraments.  whereof is sprung the original of all idolatry entered by this means, that fleshly and carnal men did stick more to the visible signs & outward ceremonies, then to the things signified by the Sacraments: 
Apo. 13.  for in place of circumcising their hearts, & cutting away the old skin of sin, to be regenerated and purified by the blood of the heavenly sacrifice offered before all worlds, 
Deut. 10.30.  they have taken circumcision carnally for the cutting of the carnal skin. Wherefore did they not follow the interpretation of god, by Moses to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts? Wherefore did not the children of Israel give credit to the good prophet jeremy, 
jerem. 4.  which admonished them of the spiritual circumcision, & to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts, in putting away the foreskin of their natural corruption. The like is come to pass of the sacrifices & holy signs ordained of god, for figures of the sacrifice fulfilled by jesus Christ: For the carnal man resteth in the corporal blood of earthly beasts, where he ought to life up his spirit to heaven to comprehend & conceive that which is figured & signified by the sacrifices of beasts offered up. For this therefore the justice of God is declared by the Prophets. What need have I (saith the Lord god) of your sacrifices? 
Esay. 1.  I am weary of your offerings of sheep. Moreover, I take no pleasure in the blood of beasts, lambs, & goats offered. Wherefore travel you to address altars unto me, I will none of your offerings & vain sacrifices, I abhor your incens, I can not suffer your new Moons, your Sabothes your assembles, & your feasts: all is but vanity. I hate your feasts of new Moons (O Israelites) & your solemn feasts. I am weary in suffering so much. You have goodly directed your prayers unto me, I will not hear you any more, for the abuses which you have committed with your hands imbrued with blood. Moreover I will not receive of the house of Israel any bull, 
Psalm. 51. Esay. 66. jerem. 6.  because your sacrifices are not pleasing unto me. I am as well pleased with thoffering of a beast as with the murdering of a man, 
Eccle. 7.  & with the offering of Incens, as with the worshipping of an Idol. Wherefore then (saith god) do ye take so much pains to seek Incens unto Sabba, & odours from far countries, to offer & make sacrifices unto me wherein I delight not? Who hath moved you (O Israelites) to erect images unto the Gods Moloch, and the star Rompham during the time that you were in the Wilderness, where I did nourish you with my heavenly Manna? Your feasts be odious unto me, your offerings, 
Amos. 5.  oblations, & sacrifices for the health, I will reject, your offerings do displease me. 
Mich. 6.  After what manner should one prepare himself to god? Shall it be by sacrifices of Bullocks of one year? Doth God take pleasure in a great number of sheep offered unto him? Or in a great quantity of holy oils? To him saith the Prophet shall I offer of the first borne, for the remission of sins.  
Our good God hath very clearly declared that service which he commandeth, follow equity, love, 
Psalm. 51.  mercy, and of an humble and contrite heart, fall down before him, for obedience is more worth than sacrifice, or the fat of offered Rams. 
1. Samuel. 15.   
What gave an occasion to God to put away those sacrifices and sacraments which he himself had ordained, but the abuse and corruption which the Israelites had committed, taking over grossly the Signs and Ceremonies, ordained to draw them to fear and obedience?  
For in place of conceiving that which was figured by the signs & corporal sacrifices they did rest in the flesh of the beasts offered. And in stead of cutting away the foreskin of their hearts, they rested in the carnal circumcision, & in the mean time turned away from the true worshipping of god, addressing themselves to creatures. As to stars, to the queen of heaven, & other strange Gods, offering to them incens, building for them temples, preparing for them priests, chaplains & sacrificers to offer unto them oblations and sacrifices.  
Moreover, to accomplish this corruption, they did sacrifice with the blood of innocents, offering of them, & causing them to pass thorough the fire of purgatory in the valley of Tophet. Wherefore (for the abuse committed by the children of Israel against the holy sacraments, 
4. Esdr. 1.  sacred signs & sacrifices ordained of God) it was said unto them by the prophets, that god would no more of their feasts, of their new Moons, of their circumcision, 
4. Esdr. 1.  nor of their sacrifices celebrated by people idolatrous and full of blood.  
When the unsearchable wisdom of god did perceive the hardness & infidelity of the people of Israel, which did ever continue to commit idolatry, by corrupting the holy signs, sacraments, & sacrifices, in place of acknowledging the infinite goodness of god, which had delivered them from the Pharaonicall tyranny, which had nourished them in the Wilderness, which had brought them into the fruitful land promised unto them. And which so many times had succoured them in the wars against their neighbours, the Canaanites, Moabites, Madianites, Philistines, Ammonites, Syrians, Sidonians, Sicyonians, & other envious people: Nevertheless this rude people did continue in their idolatries taught them by their priests, sacrificers, kings, & princes, without turning to the true worshipping of one only God.  
Wherefore after the great mercy and long tarrying of the just judge, which by all manner corrections would have brought again his people by divine vengeance particularly, as by reasing up of wars, by captivity and bondage, by dividing of the kingdom parted between Roboam and Hieroboam, the successors of Solomon plounged in the depth of idolatry, by inward wars among the people divided, and by other scourges accustomed to correct those whom God doth favour, to the end to bring them to his fear and obedience. In the end this people, to much hardened, and waxed old in their Idolatries, were taken into miserable bondage, under the tyranny of Infidels Assyrians, 
4. King 15 24  and Idolatrous babylonians, their realms quite overthrown.  
But within a little while after, that, this self same people, by the great mercy of God was delivered from the hands of unfaithful tyrants, was set again at liberty, and was restored to their land of promise: they fell again to their Idolatries more than ever before, 
josephus lib. 13. cap. 18. of the jews antiquities.  under the government of their Sacrificers & high Priests, which joined the temporalty & the spirituality so together, that they were clad with Sceptre Royal and Crown. Then succeeded the heresies of the Phariseis, of the Saducees, Esseens, Gallileens, Masbutheens, 
josephus in the book of the antiquities of the jews.  Hemerobaptists & Samaritans, corrupted by the diversity of strange nations, which had inhabited & subdued the country of Samaria near unto judea. For the babylonians did worship for their god Soccobenoth, the Cutheens & Persians having for their God Mergal or Mergel, the Hematenses called upon their god Asima, the Ananoys did worship their god Nebahaze & Thartace, the Sepharuainenses did hold upon their gods Adramelech and Anamelech.  
Unto the which gods they sacrificed their children, causing them to pass thorough the fire.  
Thus then, when all kind of idolatry was spread among the Israelites, the sacrifices were altogether corrupted, the priests became buyers & sellers covetous, tyrants & Idolaters, the people paid tribute to the tyrants of Rome, their country of judea made one with the Province joining unto Syria under the power of the Romans. 
josephus lib. 15. cap. 3. josephus lib. 18. cap. 3. Eurrop. lib. 1. cap. 12.  The order also, the law & election of the high priests was corrupted, & their dignity abastarded altogether, in so much that without regard of the levitical race, the high priests were appointed by Consuls or Lieutenants of Rome as pleased them. 
Genes. 49.  And where as before they continued during their lives, now they changed yearly. And when as the Sceptre was taken from the stock of juda, & her kingdom quite overthrown, as before it was prophesied: The incomprehensible greatness of God did manifest itself by his son begotten before all worlds, which did so humble himself, that he took humane flesh of the Virgin's womb to redeem his people, and restore them to grace before God.  
For as in Adam by his breaking and abusing of the holy sign given unto him to keep, 
A conferring of Adam with jesus christ.  all the lump of mankind was corrupted with the levaine of sin: Even so by the second Adam jesus Christ we are by grace purged from our offences. To our first & universal father Adam was given a holy sign to exercise his obedience, and to his successors was given other holy signs, sacrifices & sacraments instituted of God, as the tree of life, the fruits of the tree of knowledge of good & evil, the rainbow, circumcision, the lamb without blemish, the bread without levain, the cloud, the fyrypillour, the red sea divided, the heavenly Manna, the water of the rock, the immolation and offering of beasts for sacrifices, the ark of covaunt, the Brazen serpent, the purging water, the temple builded in the midst of the holy city: All which sacred signs, sacrifices & sacraments, were figures of that which was accomplished by jesus Christ.  

jesus christ the tree of life. Apoca. 2. Rom. 11.  For first he was the true tree of life planted in the midst of the garden of God, in whom & by whom we which were bastard trees are grafted and set, to the obtaining of eternal life: he hath given us the keeping of the fruits of the tree of wisdom by his holy gospel, and commanded us to keep it whole without abusing, without corrupting, without adding or diminishing, in pain of eternal death.  

Rainbow.  He hath been as the celestial Bow bended in the air to assure us of the band and covenant contracted between god and us that we should be no more drowned in the flood of sin. He was circumcised to accomplish the law in himself, 
Circumcision Gala. 4.  that he might cut away the foreskin of our hearts, to spoil us of our old corrupted skin in Adam. 
The burning bush.  He was the flame in the burning bush, taking flesh in the womb of the virgin conceived by the grace of the holy ghost, without the seed of man, the holy virgin as the bush, remaining nevertheless perfect & uncorrupt. He was sacrificed as the just and innocent Lamb, his blood being shed to preserve us from the tyranny of Satan, 
Pascal lamb. john. 1. Hebr. 13.  and to open unto us the passage into the land of promise the kingdom of heaven. 
Bread of life. john. 6.  He is the true bread which came down from heaven, without levaine, without corruption, and spot, whereof we must eat for our spiritual nourishment, to the end we may celebrate the feast of the Pharaonicall passage in the land of liberty. He was the cloud, 
1. Corin. 5. The cloud, fiery pillar & red sea.  the f●rye pillar, the red Sea divided, which hath conducted us, which hath delivered us from the hands of our enemies, out of whose side opened, 
1. Cor. 10. john. 19  came blood and water for our salvation and redemption.  

The heavenly Manna, the rock flowing water of life. 1. Corin. 10.  He was the heavenly Manna sent from heaven to nourish us for ever, and the true rock from whence flowed water to quench the thrust of all those for ever which thrust and believe in him. It was he that made the sacrifice of health for the defacing of our sins, 
Sacrifice. Heb. 7.8.9.10  the sacrificer and sacrifice, the offering & offerer abiding for ever, a sacrificer at the right hand of God his father. He entered into the heavenly sanctuary, builded not with the hands of men, 
Heb. 9  but with the hand of God. He was the true ark of covenant & appointment, 
The ark of witness.  by the which god did manifest & declare his oracles and in the which he did rest to accomplish his divine and incomprehensible mysteries. He was as the brazen serpent fastened to the cross, 
Brasent serpent. john. 3.  to give health to the sickennesse of all those which did turn toward him, & behold him in faith.  

temple of god john. 2.  He was the true temple of God wherein the holy ghost doth dwell, in whom and by whom one god in trinity is worshipped. He was the true & holy sacrifice whereof was made the purging water for the cleansing of all spots, 
The host & holy water.  having by his own ashes, that is by his own body offered up, 
john. 19  sprinkled & watered with water issuing out of his side, all people believing in him.  
The ceremonial law being thus accomplished not by figures, but really executed by th'incarnation, death, & resurrection of jesus Christ, our saviour, our mediator, our everlasting sacrificer, & mercy obteyner, the infinite goodness of God was yet more manifested by the new band, 
Hebr. 9  new covenant & new coming of the son of God incarnate: 
Rom. 8.  For by his new testament confirmed by the death of the testator, he hath made us fellow heirs & inheritors of the kingdom of heaven with God.  
For assurance of this heavenly succession gotten to us by grace, after that he had finished the ceremonial law, and abolished the same (as we have showed) by the sacrifice perfectly made by the everlasting Sacrificer, there were left unto us two sacred signs and holy sacraments, 
S. Augustine in his 3. book of the christian doctrine. chapter. 9  wherein God hath used more favour and more special grace, than ever he did before his incarnation, in this that he hath delivered us from the servile law of circumcision, of difference of meats, and of divers sacrifices ordained in the first church of the Israelites, and in discharging us of this heavy burden, he hath so much the more comforted us in ordaining unto us for a memory and remembrance of our regencration and life everlasting, two holy sacraments, under two holy signs. 
Sacraments of the new testament.  To wit, the water of Baptism, and the bread, and wine, for the partaking of his body, and that his grace might extend to all nations, God did choose those tokens and signs which were most common and easy.  
For Circumcision was a special mark for Abraham and his posterity, the which Circumcision other nations were not accustomed to use, although Herodote a Greek in the history which he writeth of the manners of the Egyptians, 
Herod lib. 2.  doth attribute unto them the custom to circumcise, especially their Priests. But it is easy to conjecture, that he had heard speaking of the jews dwelling in Egypt for the space of four hundred and thirty years observing the circumcision. 
A comparing of the circumcision with baptism. Exod. 12.  Moreover the Circumcision was ordained for the men only, and not for the women: there was also a day set for Circumcision, the eight day after the nativity: & the cutting of the skin was painful and grievous. 
Genes 17.  But the grace of God having abolished, by his incarnation and perfect sacrifice, the rigour of the ceremonial law, as well for the difference of meats as of days, hath left unto us by his new will and covenant, the holy sign of water common to all, aswell men as women, 
Num. 19  without difference of days, and in this holy sacrament the child baptised feeleth no grief, as he did feel in cutting of the skin.  
This sign of water, to represent unto us the purging and cleansing of our sins by the blood of jesus Christ, was common not only to the jews, which were wont to use their cleansing water, but also to the Gentiles and all nations who had in use the cleansing and washing with this water called Lustrale & Expiatorye, as may appear by reading of ancient histories.  
To the end then that the grace of god, by jesus Christ might extend to all the world generally, to all nations, countries & provinces, as well circumcised as uncircumcised, jews as gentiles, god did choose the sign of water most common, so much the more applying it to the commodity of man to draw him to fear & obedience. By the which sign he instituted the holy sacrament of baptism, for a note & assured mark of our regeneration, & purifying represented sacramentally by the virtue of the holy ghost, 
Titus. 3. Galath. 3.  in the which sacrament god doth assist & assure us to be borne a new and made one with Christ jesus, to be renewed and made members of his members, and that he will receive us as clad and incorporate into him & by him.  
Like reasons might be brought for the other holy sacrament ordained of god by his new testament, to wit, 
Sacrament of the holy supper of jesus Christ.  of bread and wine. Which signs, tokens figures and notable forms, all nations have been accustomed to use in their sacrifices, oblations, and ceremonies, concerning their religions, aswell circumcised as uncircumcised, aswell jews as Gentiles. Also the two kinds of foods for the nourishment of man are contained under bread and wine. For these causes our good god desiring to draw unto him all nations, to nourish and minister most necessary food unto them, did institute the communion of the body and blooud of our savour jesus Christ under the forms, holy signs, and sacraments of bread & wine. For as we are assured by the mark and element of water in baptism to be regenerate and renewed in the body and blood of jesus Christ represented by the sacrament of holy water, by the virtue of the holy ghost. Even so are we nourished by the communion of his body and blood represented really by the bread and Wine consecrated for spiritual food and nourishment everlasting and quickening by the power of the holy Ghost. Wherein God favoured us much in discharging us of bloody sacrifices ordained in the first church of the Israelits, which were wont to be charged with many and divers sacrifices celebrated with the shedding of the blood of earthly beasts, after the diversity of offences, and persons offending. All which sacrifices were ended, and put away by the shedding of the blood of the just and innocent Lamb, 
Heb. 9,  jesus Christ, which by his perfect sacrifice hath utterly abolished all other sacrifices reserving unto himself the dignity of the great and everlasting sacrificer, sitting at the right hand of God his father. But he hath favoured us so much, that in place of the abolished sacrifices, he hath instituted the two holy sacraments before mentioned to assure us of our regeneration, our purging, our adoption, our nourishment, and eternal life given us by the blood of our saviour jesus Christ.  
But as the Israelites to gross, 
Corruption of the Sacraments.  and carnal, did rest in the exterior signs, corrupting the true use of the sacraments and sacrifices given unto them of God. Even so like abuse, yea, greater corruptions, are come unto our two holy Sacraments left unto us by the new testament of jesus Christ, for the sacrament of Baptism succeeded in the place of Circumcision, man (conceived of corrupted clay) would not be contented with God's holy institution: But some have brewed & corrupted the use of the holy sacrament of baptism with adjurations & conjurings, 
Sacrament of Baptism corrupt.  juggling of salt, of oil, of tapers, cream, blowings, hoods, or biggyns, with an infinite number of crosses, on the forehead, on the eyes, on the nose, on the back, on the breast, 
Theodor in his book of the fables of heretics.  on the shoulders, and on the mouth, to chase away Devils. For the Massalians heretics authors of conjuring and crossing, do says that the child borne is accompanied with his spirit or devil, 
Ca sine: Ca postquam de consecratione distinct. 4.  which can not be chased away but by adjuration and conjuring. And for this cause this holy sacrament of Baptism hath been corrupted so far, that they have added thereunto strange terms of the Syrian language, 
Ephetath. per Satyr. 2.  with spittle and purging snyvell.  
What greater corruption could there be described then these abominable inventions? as if the blood of jesus Christ had not been sufficient for our regeneration and purgation? 
Gala. 3. Ephe. 4. 1. Cor. 15.  And as if God had not been of power sufficient to perfect and regenerate us by the holy sign of water representing the blood of jesus Christ, if there were not spittle conjured snyvell, oils, salt, biggyns, cream, tourches or tapers, or milk, or honey invented by other heretics.  
Other more subtle Magicians, 
Tertulian in his book of the crowned soldier.  pythagorians, instructed in the Massalian doctrine, have added moreover to pronunce twenty times over the man child presented to Baptism the name of a Devil (which they say) doth accompany him, by that means to adjure and conjure him away. And at the Baptism of a wench, to say the same thirty times. Was there ever such detestable corruption in the sacrament of circumcision? Wherefore (O Massalians) have you brewed your oils, in the holy sacrament of Baptism? Following the heresy of Marcus & Marcosus, 
Epipha. lib. 1. tom. 3. heres. 34.  which commanded to anoint the children that were to be baptised. The holy sign of water instituted by the hand of God, was it not sufficient to represent the precious blood of jesus Christ for our regeneration & purification, without brewing of greases, of oils, of spittle, & other minglings invented by the corrupters of the holy sacraments? The body & blood of jesus Christ wherewith we be called by the holy water of Baptism, was it not sufficient to preserve us from all tempests without borrowing of biggins and crisomes? And for an other more great corruption & abuse it was permitted unto women to baptize, 
Tom. 1. Epipha. lib. 1. heres. 42. & lib. 2. tom. 1. heres. 49.  following the error of the Marcionists, Quintilians, Cataphriges, montanists, Pepuzians, Priscillians & Artotirites. Was it ever permitted unto women by the law of god to administer the holy sacraments or sacrifice instituted in the first church of the Isralites, or in the new testament of jesus Christ. In the History of Moses it is recited, 
Exod. 4.  how that his wife Sephora, moved with a womanly rage, took the stone or knife wherewith she circumcised her son, but it is not written that she, or any other her like, hath at any time been permitted to minister the holy sacraments. By such corruptions of the holy sacrament of baptism, Many heresies have sprung up by Catabaptists anabaptists Antipedobaptists & other heretics, & schismatics, which not contented with the pure & sincere institution of god did more rest in the outward signs than in that which by them was represented in spirit. He that desireth to know more particularly the abuses & corruptions invented at divers times by divers humurrs of men, let him read our ecclesiastical commentaries. It remaineth presently to come to the corruptions of the other holy sacrament of the supper & communion of the body & blood of jesus Christ. By this short discourse a man may clearly know how variable & frail man is, always having abused the grace of god. For like as from the beginning of the law & instruction given unto them, the people of Israel did ever corrupt the true use of sacrifices, holy signs & sacraments ordained of god: even so is it come to pass of of the law of god by jesus christ, having instituted the manner to communicate his body & blood under the figures & holy signs of bread & wine. The which holy sacrament was abused in the time of the apostles by the corinthians: Against whom the holy apostle did writ epistilles, 
Sacrament of the supper corrupted. 1. Cor. 11.  to the end to bring them to the true and sincere observation of this holy Sacrament. Let no man therefore hereafter think it strange if the successors of the Apostles from time, to time have corrupted the true use of this holy Sacrament. And the more they were distant from the time of the Apostles of jesus Christ, the more they fell into corruption: Yea abominable: turning the use of the Sacrament into a depth of Idolatry. First into what contention, fell the church that was next unto the apostles, 
Ecclesiastical history,  about the determining of the days wherein the holy sacrament should be celebrated? Sabatius the heretic did institute the celebration of Easter with unleavened bread after the manner of the jews. 
Histo. tripart. lib. 9 ca 37. & lib. 11. cap. 5  Certain of his sect did ordain the use of the holy Sacrament to be celebrated the xiiij 
Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 24. Histo. tripart. lib. 9 cap. 38 & 39,  Moon, as the jews did. It is said, there were of this sect Polycrates bishop of the Ephesians, philip Hieropolitain Policarp, Truseas Melite and Narcissus, bishop of jerusalem. Of the contrary opinion were, Victor bishop of Rome, & Eluther his predicessor, with Theophile bishop of Palestine. This contention continued more than three hundred years after the Apostles. Some celebrated the feast of Easter after the Equinoxall, when the Sun did enter into the sign of Aries. Other observed the month Xanthisoe, called by the Romans April.  
Some said (to wit) the Quartodecimans, that it was instituted by Saint john, to celebrate in the xiv. Moon. Others advanced themselves to be taught by Saint Peter, whereas yet there was no evident appearance of any thing. The Montanists Phrygians condemned the Quartodecimans observers of the course of the Moon, and that they ought to order themselves by the course of the Sun, beginning at the Equinoxall in Primtyde: And by this means they celebrated the eight Ideses of April, which is the xiiij day of the said month. Provided that it fell upon sunday.  
There was not only contention for the use of the sacraments in what days it should be celebrated, 
eves. lib. 5. cap. 4.  but also there was great division among the Christians for ceremonies invented to prepare themselves to receive the same worthily. For some (as the Romans) did keep the fast three weeks before Easter. The illyrians and all Grece with the Alexandrians did ordain a Lent to fast six weeks. Others ordained seven. weeks of fasting, leaving of from five days to five days.  
More and more to corrupt the holy sacrament of the supper, there was restored another judaical ceremony, 
Histo. tripart. cap. 8.  by the differency of meats. For some (during the time of fast) forbade eating of flesh and fish. Other forbade eating of flesh only, permitting to eat fish and fowls, which they said (according to Moses) did take part of the substance of the water. Some also did ordain to eat dry bread and water only. Others fasted till noon without distinction of meats. And to be short, there was in the beginning an infinite number of customs & corruptions in the use of the holy sacrament of the supper, by ceremonies brought in by the difference of days and meats, abrogated & put away by the grace and law of jesus Christ. But was there ever any holy Apostle of god, 
Colos. 2. Galath. 4. Heb. 7.  which ever left in writing any law or commandment, for the distinction of days or meats, to celebrate the holy supper of jesus Christ? Their intention was not to institute a religion of feasts & a distinction of days and meats, but their doctrine did tend only to teach good life, & the true worship of one god only. Wherefore we must needs conclude that the ceremony & feast of Easter, to celebrate the supper of our Lord God, 
Histo. tripart. lib. 9 cap. 38  is proceeded of mere custom. For none of the Apostles hath left any thing in writing touching the same.  
To moderate such dissensions & corruptions many counsels were assembled, one at Sangaria in Bytine by the which (to avoid all contentions) it was permitted to every one to celebrate Easter when he would. 
Euseb. lib. 5. chap. 23.  Another counsel was holden at Cesaria by Theophile bishop of that place, and by Narcissus' bishop of jerusalem. Another counsel in Achaye. And another counsel was holden at Rome, by Victor bishop of that place.  

In the year of Christ. 114.  After these little corruptions, there succeeded greater from time to time, according unto the humours & affections of the bishops of Rome, 
Platine Sabellie.  Alexander the first of that name, being come to be superintendant of the Roman church, the first of the successors of the Apostles of jesus Christ, and also the first of the corrupters of the holy sacrament of the supper, ordained to mix water with the wine before the communion: wherein he meant to reform the gospel of jesus Christ, which had instituted the communion of his body & blood, to be under two kinds bread and wine, but Alexander added a third kind (to say) water. 
Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 27. & lib. 6. cap. 14.  He restored also the judaical ceremony of unleavened bread (called sweet bread) to celebrate the Easter as the jews did. Following therein the Ebionites, which taught that the ceremonial law of Moses was necessary for salvation: as also Symmachus an heretic in Palestine had taught. If jesus Christ was circumcised to accomplish the ceremonial law, is it therefore needful for us to be circumcised? Moreover if it pleased him (to accomplish the ceremonial law) to use in the days of sweet bread, unleavened bread: Is it therefore necessary to turn again unto the rigour of this ceremony abrogated by the sacrifice perfectly ended by jesus Christ? 
Cel. lib. 39 cap. 21.  In what place of the holy gospel cold Alexander ever find to mix water with the wine? And for to bind Christians to unleavened bread, is it of any more value, than his invention, to chase away devils with water salted & conjured? And as touching his conjured water ordained by him, we will show hereafter that the original thereof came from Neuma Pompilius the great conjuror and Roman Idolater. But as for the mingling of the water with wine, that should seem to be taught by the religion of the ancient Idolaters, which were wont in celebrating their sacrifices, in one chalice to consecrate the water with the bread, specially in the feast dedicated to the Sun, which the Persians did worship, called of them Mythros. 
justin in his apology.  And in the feast also of Nephalies' water was used for the sacrifice. According to this comparison, justin martyr maketh relation of the custom observed among the idolaters, & Christians, for the bread, wine, & water consecrated. By the one, that is to say by the idolaters, in the name of their Idols: & by the Christians in the name of their true God. Always this first corruption in the usage of the holy sacrament by the mingling of water with wine beyond the commandment & ordinannce of God, 
Inno. lib. 4. cap. 5.  did not continue without controversy: For the Greeks were of a contrary opinion, that it was not necessary to mix water with wine, and that they would not follow the corruption of Alexander. Amarcanus was of the same advice that Alexander was: saying that it was necessary to mingle it with water.  
The subtle Sophiste Scot doth affirm absolutely that it is not necesssarye the water to be mingled with the Wine, because (sayeth he) it cannot be changed and transsubstanciated into blood if first it be not changed into Wine.  
Other more ingenious would rather interpretate the institution of Alexander, saying the Wine to be converted into blood, but as for the water, it was transsubstantiated into the water which came out of the side of jesus Christ.  

S. Augustine in his book of the relics chapter. 26. & 64.  This first corruption of Alexander did give occasion of many other to succeed. for some invented greater brueyngs to mingle it with blood drawn out of young infants to mixed with the bread of t'holy supper of jesus Christ, as the Cataphriges, which began a kind of transubstantion of wine into blood really & corporally. 
Epipha. lib. 2. Tom. 1. heres. 49.  Some other adjoined thereunto chease called Artotirites, that is to say, chease bread. Others also abusing this sacrament, in steed of wine took water, under pretence of moor greater abstinence. Other ordained to temper the bread with wine, which the Massalians do yet hold in their missal sacrificers.  
For another more detestable corruption of the holy sacrament, some bishops of Rome have forbidden their Massalian sacrificers to minister unto the christian people (which they call lay) the body of jesus Christ under both kinds, but only under the holy sign of bread, and not of wine, the which they kept for the Priests Massalians sacrificers. 
Math. 29. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11.  Is not this corruption directly against the holy gospel & institution of the supper of jesus Christ which hath ordained and commanded all faithful to eat his body & drink his blood. When he took the cup used he not these proper terms, drink all of this wine in memory & remembrance of my blood shed. Hath he used any other terms for eating of his body by the figure of bread, than he hath done for drinking of his blood by the sign of wine? If one should compare herewith the holy sign ordained of god in the church of the Israelites, a figure of the communion of the body of jesus christ (which was the pascal lamb) the flesh whereof was commanded to be eaten of all persons without exception, for as much as they were circumcised: Was there ever any difference in the eating of the paschal Lamb, and celebrating of the passover of the jews among the Levites of the stock of the Priests and the other common people? For another detestable corruption, the Massalians have instituted by their missal Idolatries, to sacrifice and offer the body and blood of jesus Christ, in reiterating (by that means) the sacrifice of jesus Christ perfectly ended, and can not be done again: for that it was not after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchisedech, 
1. Cor. 11.  an everlasting sacrificer, who hath left no successor. Also the holy apostle when he admonished the Corinthians reverently to celebrate the supper of jesus Christ, did he command them to sacrifice? No, but to communicate and eat together the body and blood of jesus Christ. The beginning of the holy supper was not to kill, offer, and ordain a sacrifice, to offer to God: But only to eat and drink at the holy feast prepared for us by jesus Christ the everlasting sacrifice and everlasting sacrificer, which hath reserved unto himself only this eternal priesthood. And yet nevertheless hath left his holy institution a banquet ordained for us of bread & wine representing his body and blood.  
After the corruptions abovesaid, Satan the diligent Babylonical builder employed all his forces & strengths, to build an invincible fortress of Idolatry: to the end to fight against & utterly throw down the kingdom of jesus Christ, when he did enterprise the building of the Mass to be brought in, in the place of the holy sacrament of the supper, as we will briefly and so clearly declare, that the most hard hearted pharisees (made old in their ancient Idolatries) shall acknowledge by the verity of histories their errors and abominable heresies.  
Before the painting out of this Maze of error (whereinto the Massalians are plunged) I have thought it necessary, briefly to discover the ancient religion of the Romans, the reign of the occidental empire, & of the emperors which have exercised both the temporal office, & the dignity of the great bishops supertendents of the religion & church of Rom. All other (as well as I) shall confess that the Roman religion all together for the most part to have been instituted by Neuma Pompilius the second king of the Romans, 
Titenile lib. 1 Decad. 1.  
Funestral in his book of magistrates of Rome.  about 700 years before the incarnation of jesus Christ. Then were instituted the bishops which afterward were brought to a certain number, unto four, than the number was augmented to eight, and by Sylla to fifteen. In the college of bishops there was one chief bishop, which was chosen by the other less bishops of the same order and dignity, like as the little bishops purple Cardinals have practised the election of the great Roman bishop, of their estate order and dignity. This Pompilian religion hath been so well observed by the Romans from the father to the son, that it hath been impossible to destroy and pluck up the same, but hath continued to this day, as every one may easily perceive by this little collection.  
To confirm this point there is none that can be ignorant, which lusteth to read the Roman histories, that before the incarnation of jesus Christ there was not one King, Consul, Dictator, or Roman Emperor instructed in the law of God. But all were Idolaters, & Infidels, following the religion of Neuma Pompilius the conjuror. And that more is, after the incarnation of jesus Christ, for the space of 300 years or there abouts, there was no Emperor, 
Euseb. in his book of the church history the years of Christ. 34. 68 94. 112. 113. 167, 202, 238, 254, 257, 276, & 292.  nor Roman council which would change his religion to embrace the law of jesus Christ. But contrariwise they have laboured with tooth and nail to exercise all kind of cruelty against the church of jesus Christ, as the ecclesiastical histories do largely declare, painting out great persecutions under the great Roman bishops, to wit, Claud. Tiber. Nero, Claud. Domitian Nero, Fla. Domitian, trajan, Elie Hadrian, Antonian Phisopher, Septime Severe, jul. Maximus, Max. Quin. trajan, Dece, Licime, Valerian, Valere Aurelian & Diocletian. All which were emperors and governed the empire & romain religion for 300 years after the incarnation of jesus Christ, and in their moneys, sepultures, monuments, titles and authentic letters, did hold the name of great bishops & high priests, as diligently is gathered in a book of the antiquities of Rome, wherein be described the Images, moneys, & monuments, of the ancient Emperors of Rome, 
In the book entitled the discourse of the religion of the ancient Romans by William de Choul. bay lie of Dauphin.  which were all called great bishops, by these titles, jul. Ces. Pontif. max. Tiber. Nero Pontif. max. Claud. Nero. pontiff. max. Vaspasianus Ces. pontiff. max. Traianus Impera. Pontif. max. Marc. Aurel. Antonn. August. Pontif. Heliogabalus summus sacerdos Aug. Adrianus Imper. Pontif. max. Galerius Maximinianus Pontif. max. Tit. Ces. Pontif. max. Commod. Impe. pontiff. max. Flavius Constantius Aug. Pontif. max. Which being than Emperors & great bishops would suffer none other head in the religion & Roman church than themselves, being always enemies of jesus Christ. For when the Apostles did preach Christ to be the sovereign priest, great and everlasting sacrificer without any successor after the order of Melchisedech, the tyrants of Rome and their lieutenants, did take an occasion to condemn jesus Christ, fearing that the authority of the Emperors and great Roman bishops should be diminished. With what furor were they enraged for the space of 300 years against the Christians & Christ's religion, 
In the Catalogg of Emperors, in the end of the history of Nicephors the year of Christ. 410.  to defend their ancient religion of Pompilius? what answer was given to Theodose thmperour by the senate & senators of Rome, when it was put forth unto them to change their religion, and to receive the religion of jesus Christ. They showed that they had possessed their Pomlian religion more than 1000 years, and that all changing of religions were the destructions of common wealths.  
Wherefore consisting in their old Roman religion, they remained without receiving of the law of jesus Christ. By these histories it is easy to be resolved that for the space of 400 years and more, the bishops of Rome (which called themselves Christians) could never obtain of the Senate & Roman Senators to receive the holy gospel, much less could they convert the Roman Idolaters, causing them to forsake their inveterate Idolatry. For the bishops of Rome were to much occupied in restoring the judaycall & Pagans ceremonies for the distinction of meats, 
In the canon revealed by clement bishop of rome 21, 22, 62, 95.  ordinance not to fast sunday and Thursday, to set an order for table clothes, veals, vessels of gold and silver, sersors and tapestry, and other ornaments of the altars, which consumed with age, were ordained to be burned and the ashes to be put into the fount. Other were marvelously occupied to restore the judaycall ceremonies, of sweet bread, & travailed their spirits greatly to corrupt the true usage of the holy sacraments instituted of god, 
Alexander the first of that name bishop of Rome in the year of Christ. 110.  by mingling of water with wine, bruwing of salt with the water to make it purged and conjured to drive away devils. Other also did travel to institute Corporasses of five linen to lay up the consecrated hosts, 
Xistus bishop of Rome in the year of Christ. 121.  & to ordain also albes & other vestments of the priests for their sacrifices of white colour without spot. 
Silvester bishop of Rome  Some did torment their brains, to invent the feasts of dedication & consecration, with conjuring with salt to drive away devils. 
Higinus bishop of Rome in the year of christ. 140.  And some other to invent oils and creames to corrupt the holy sacrament of baptism. Moreover (during the reign of these tyrants, Emperors, 
Fabian bishop of Rome in the year of christ 240.  & great bishops) the bishops of Rome desiring to make their names continue for ever, did dream in their spirits to build temples, not unto the honour of God, 
Pius bishop of Rome in the year of christ 144.  but in the name of their he & she saints canonised by them at their pleasure. Other did occupy themselves to ordain that the consecrated bread and wine falling upon the ground, should be left to the sacrificer, and the rest remaining should be bourned with fire: and the ashes should be laid up among the relics. Other did travail to set an order among chalises, 
Zepherin bishop of Rome in the year of Christ. 200. Calixtus bishop of Rome in the year of christ. 220. Eutich bishop of Rome in the year of christ 282.  whether they should be of glass or of wood. And by other were instituted solemn ceremonies four times a year, to bring Christians to the bondage of distinction of days. Some were occupied merueylouflye to ordain the offering and consecration of fables, to celebrate funerals in purple garments after the manner of the vestment called Trabea, the which the idolaters did use in triumphs celebrated in the honour of their Gods. 
The red robes of Cardinals.   
And the like purple garment is used of the Cardynalles to this day. Others were occupied to invent a confirmation for young children, 
Silvester bishop of Rome in the year of Christ 314.  and that the Bishops only should consecrate the cream: To honour also the Bishop of Hostiense, by whose hands the Bishop of Rome must be consecrated, with a cloak called Pallium. And to invent an infinite number of other unnecessary ceremonies, contrary to the liberty of the gospel given unto us by jesus Christ. How was it than possible that the first Bishops of Rome should draw the princes and Senators Romans unto the law of the Gospel, during 300 or 400 years after the incarnation of jesus Christ, seeing they did not labour but to corrupt the use of the holy sacraments, and to restore the judaical ceremonies, and Idolatries of the Heathen the ancient Romans?  
But here might one object one Philip which some vaunt to have been converted to holy baptism (the manners of whom were so wicked that they gave occasion to the most credible authors, to describe him unworthy the name of a christian. One might bring in Constantyn the great, 
Chronicle of john Baptist.  which caused the counsel of Nice to assemble: but his residence was in Grecia being called the emperor of the East. And yet would he never receive the sign of Baptism, 
Histo. tripart. lib. 3. cap. 12.  to be regenerate by the blood of jesus Christ, until he was lxv. years old, at what time he was baptized by a bishop of Nicomede Arian, named Eusebe, the same Constantine being at point of death. Silver than the bishop of Rome, must not crack that he converted this Emperor to the faith. For this same Silvester would not assist the assemble of the counsel holden at Nice in the year of jesus Christ 327. How soever it be, it is convenient to have recourse always to the verity of Histories, wherein is recited the answer of the Senate and Senators of Rome, to the Emperor Theodoze, more than 60 years after the death of the said Constantine the great: Which was, that they would not receive the law of jesus Christ, but observe their ancient law Pompilian, to avoid the ruin of their common wealth, which might come by the changing of religion. Whereby may be well gathered, that than the law of god was not received nor approved at Rome by the Senate and Senators.  
It resteth that presently we come nearer to the time following. After the decease of Theodoze, the Roman Empire of the West began so to bow, that in short time it was quite put out by Wandeloys and Alayns, 
Paul. Emil. lib 1. the year of christ. 412. 154.  which were the chief that sacked Rome, burned the most part of it, and ravished the proper daughter of the Emperor Theodore: whom they married to Ataulphe king of the Goths. 
Blond lib. 2. Decad. 1.  A little while after succeeded the Huns. Then Attilia king of the Goths, which usurped Italy.  
About this time the Roman Empire of the West was spoiled of all Germany, Acia, Sarmatia, 
Procop. lib. 3. of the war of the Wandales in the year of christ 486.  and all the Provinces tributaries, unto Danube: spain also, Aquitania, Gascoigne, Bourgoyne, & all the Gauls did revolt from the romain tyranny. Then succeeded the Ostrogots with their king Valemir, Theodemer, Theodoricke & other Heathen and Infidels. 
The year of christ. 550. 554  The Visigothes also, all usurpers successively of Italy. Afterward reigned Totilas, which forced, rob and burned Rome, 
Paul. Emil. lib 1. the year of christ. 568.  and all Sicily. In the end the Lomberds conducted by their kings Alboin did reign, which usurped italy. These barbarous nations, idolaters, and Infidels did serve as whips ordained of God to punish the Idolaters of Rome committed by them, which had knowledge of the holy Gospel. And yet turned back from the true worshipping of god: Violating and corrupting the holy sacraments by the inventions of men: To punish also the infidelity and obstinaty of the Emperors and Senators of Rome, which first of all caused their lieutenants, and officers appointed in judea to crucify Christ and his holy Apostles, to persecute the Christians, and always to resist the law of the Gospel, to maintain their religion Pompilian.  
Thus we may conclude, that during the space of 400 years, the Roman church of Emperors and Senators hath ever been contrary and enemies to the law of jesus Christ. Than afterward (the occidental Empire being overthrown) Rome and all italy was ruled and governed 300 years or there about, by Kings, Princes, and Dukes, idolaters and Infidels, namely by the Wandales, by the Goths, by the Huns, by the Ostrogothes, by the Visigothes, and by the Lumbards', in such sort, that during the space of 700 years or there about, after the incarnation of jesus Christ, there was no Emperor, King, nor prince, of Rome, which would embrace the law of jesus Christ. The which gladly and shortly I have declared, to the end that the reader think it not strange, that I have here showed the sacrifice of the Mass, to have taken his beginning of the ancient religion instituted by Neuma Pompilius, more than 700 years before the incarnation of Christ.  
And so afterward also the same sacrifice hath been continued by the Idolatrous Romans inveterate & hardened so in their Pompilian religion, that they would never put away the same.  
But to the end that nothing in the Roman histories be kept close which might obscure the clearness of the verity, during the tyranny & usurping of the nations aforesaid, 
In the year of christ. 572.  in Italy was erected a little Lordship at Ravenna, which continued about 183 years, 
Plantin. Blond. Volatteran.  until it was ravished by a bishop, which invested himself and encroiched into the chair of S. Peter by the means of a donation and dismission practised by Pepin in the year 758, in recompense of a tyranny exercised by Zacharie Grec. bishop of Rome, 
Paul. Emul. 2. Blond. lib. 10.  who spoiled the true inheritors of the crown of France, namely Chilperic, or Childeric, whom he shut up in a Cloister, to make the kingdom to fall to the said Pippin, the son of Charles martel bastard. This donation of Pippin thus given to the great Roman bishop, was the first original of the greatness of the Popes of Rome, who do hold unto this day the Lordship of Ravenna (800 years being passed) with a great number of towns a long the Sea Hadriatick, 
Blond. lib. 1. Paul. Emul. 2.  committed unto them by Pepin contrary to the express commandments of Constantin than reigning Emperor of the East in Grecia.  
Whiles this little lordship was continued at Ravenna, 
The year of christ. 588.  long time before the donation of Pepin, the bishop of that place seeing that there were no more Emperors of Rome (which was governed and kept under by barbarous people and Infidels) lift up his horns in such sort that he preferred himself to be bishop of Rome, 
Sabellie.  & made himself the head of the Church, and also himself and his successors bishops of Ravenna, so long as the Lordship hath continued. This was the first little Antichrist which would take upon him a tyranny in the church, to follow the earthly tyranny of his Lordship.  
afterward there rose up another greater Antichrist in Constantinoble, 
In the year of christ. 600. Blond. lib. 1.  named john bishop of that place: Who seeing the occidental Empire of Rome overthrown, 
Greg. lib. 4. of his epistles, cap. 26.  and the other of Constantinople highly exalted, he would also follow the tyranny of the world, and stir up a spiritual rule in the church of jesus Christ. He caused himself to be declared (by a counsel holden at his pleasure) bishop Ecumenique, 
the year of christ 604.  that is to say, general and head of the whole church. 
Plantin. Sabellie.  But soon after the great Bishops of Rome gave such order, that by treason the Emperor Maurice in Constantinople was cruelly slain, he, his wife, and family, by wicked Phocas: who to recompense this detestable murder committed by the advise of the Church of Rome, always contrary to jesus Christ, 
the year of christ. 612.  he declared Boniface the third of that name the general head of the church of God, taking upon him the authority of jesus Christ the great and everlasting high Priest, the only spouse and head of his church. Who can better describe an Antichrist, than he that doth enterprise a tyranny in the church of God, a polygamy in the church the spouse of jesus Christ attributing to himself that power, 
Marc. 26.  which jesus Christ hath reserved to himself, to be perpetual with his church, by the virtue of his holy spirit to conduct and govern the same? May not he rightly be called antichrist which doth enforce himself directly to go against the holy Gospel of jesus Christ, who commanded his apostles (when he sent them to preach his word) that they should not institute a Monarchy in the church, as the Princes, Kings, 
Math. 23. Luc. 11. Marc. 2.  and tyrraunts of the earth? That none amongs them should enterprise to call himself the head or greater than other: but all as brethren were humble being assured to have one head, and one heavenly father, which will tarry with them and assist them for ever, to inspire and conduct them to his holy will. Is not he of good right Antichrist, which will have himself called the successor of jesus Christ in the great bishopric, and in the high priesthood by him exercised? The which dignity he hath reserved to himself, abiding a high sovereign priest for evermore: who hath left no successor in his dignity as Aaron did & his successors in the dignities of the high priests of the jews: But is after the order of Melchidech a king and high priest without any successor in his dignity. Wherefore then (O Antichrists of Rome) have you taken upon you the dignity of the highest bishops as the heads of the church of God, and usurped also the authority of jesus Christ, causing yourselves to be called most blessed and most reverend fathers and Popes, having instituted a college of little purple bishops to choose the great bishop, but only to the end to renew the ancient roman religion of Neuma Pompilius, the first author of your pontifical dignities.  
About the same time that Phocas the cruel murderer did erect an Antichrist in the roman church, Mahomet was risen in the church of Arabia, instructed by the Monk Sergius, about the year 620, for this apostate heretic, seeing the law of God altogether corrupted by the traditions of men, and the holy Gospel contemned, sects and divers heresies sowed, as well by the jews, Pharisees, Esseens, Saducees, Masbutheans, galileans, 
Seek the church histories.  Hemerobaptists, and Samaritans: as also by the Christians, Simoniaques, Nicolaites, Cerinthiens, Memandriens, and Ebronites, Valentinians, Cardonians, Marcionistes, montanists, Cataphryges, Tatians, Eueratites, severians, Artemonistes, Porpherians, Helchesaites, novatians, Sabellians, chiliasts, Paulianistes, Manicheans, Automousiastes, Arians, Eunonians, Macedonians, Ewomiotheophroniens, Ewomidentichiens, Aetians, Donatists, Luciferiens, Patripassians or Theopathites, Photiniens, Marcellians, Paulosamosetans, Apolinaristes, jovinianistes, Pelagians, Acariens, Olimpiens Quaternitaries Monothelites. And other heretics having corrupted the true usage of the holy Sacraments, ordained of god. Seeing also specially the Messalien sect to prosper in their ceremonies, taken partly out of the judaical laws, & partly out of the heathen Idolatry he invented the great Alcoran decree. Wherein he set many Chapters and articles called Azoares, which are as laws and rules of the Machomette religion.  
This preface and brief discourse of the roman History, me thought necessary to recite before I would begin to describe the original of the sacrifice of the Mass. Always to bring the reader to understand the verity of the fact, How the Empire of Rome hath been governed until the decay thereof, about the year of Christ four hundred and ten, and how the barbarous idolaters did usurp the same, for the space of three hundred years, how also the Antichristes' did rise, and in the end, the Empire of Rome was transferred to the Almains, which keep it to this day, five hundred years being passed.  

OF THE Mass.  
TO begin this our little treatise of the Mass, first of all it is convenient to interpret this term Mass, 
The original of the term of the Mass.  of the ancient Romans called Missa. Some have honoured this Missal sacrifice to have taken his beginning of the hebrews, bringing in the place of Daniel speaking of Maozin, 
Daniel. 11.  as if they would signify the Mass by Maozin. But this term is very strange from Missa, or Mass. And there is other Hebrew words which are more nearer, to wit, Messa, which is as much to say as conculcation or treading down, whereof mention is made in the history of the Kings of Israel. Another term also is found, 
4. Kings. 11. Missa.  very conformable unto this common term Mass, namely messal, that is to say, 
Ios. 19 messal.  hell or grave. But I am well assured that the high priests of Rome will not take the original of their sacrifice of the Mass from the hebrews, acknowledging their Mass and messal to be a conculcation, grave, or hell. 
Messal. Hell.  Further (to speak the truth) the Author of the roman religion Neuma Pompilius never thought of the Hebreus when he first instituted the Mass. Much less term this Missa or Mass can have his original of the Greeks, seeing they have no sacrifice of that name, not withstanding that some have made some reason to bring in this term of Greek Myzein, that is to say in English, to whisper, or hide in secret. As if the Messalian sacrificers had received of the ancient Greeks idolaters, to keep secret the chief and principal words of their Masses, to the end they should not be understand of th'assistance, but have observed to mumur, & blow between their teeth the Canons, & other special words, which neither they understood themselves, nor other, which beheld them. Nevertheless, neither the Hebrew terms nor Greek vocables in no wise can be appropriated to the Missal sacrifice. Wherefore it behoveth to have recourse to the true original of the term Missa or Mass taken of the ancient Latyns the Romans, 
Mass taken of the ancient Latins Romans.  which were accustomed to use these terms, Missus, Missa, Missilis, and Missio. As we say in English a messenger, a message, and missives, for letters sent. For when the ancient Idolaters Romans would give leave unto the assistance at their Sacrifices celebrated to go home, they caused to be pronounced in the end of the Sacrifice these words. 
Apud Graecos Sacerdos functus misterio sic renunciabat: Laois aphesis qua●… populum missum faceret.  I, licet, Missa est. Depart it is permitted the assembly hath leave to retire or depart. And in process of time, for that this song did note unto the people a licence to go home moste agreeable and desired, as a song and term most comfortable and pleasant, it hath been kept, 
Apul. lib. 11. de asin. a●●  and the sacrifice honoured with this term Mass or Missa. To confirm this point, there is two thousand years paste, and the same terms be song yet unto this present day, Ite Missa est, which doth signify a leave given to the company or assembly to depart and go home.  
In such sort that those which do haunt the temples or churches, as soon as they do understand this pleasant song, Ite Missa est, a man may see them ordinarelye to awake, & leap for joy, as being assured to have licence to go to dinner.  
The Arabian Machomistes instructed of long time by the monk Sergius, as we have declared, have this term of the Mass in great commendation, 
In the book of the description of Africa by John Leon Affricain. Messa of the Turks.  with which vocable they have honoured three towns or Cities called Messa situate upon the mouth of the Ocean, upon the point which doth make the beginning of the mount Atlas.  
near unto the same towns in the suburbs, there was a temple much re●e●ensed by the Idolatrous Turks, for that they did believe that in Messa should be borne the just bishop promised & prophesied by Machomet. They did believe also that upon the coast of the said place of Messa, jonas was cast after he was swallowed up of the Whale.  

Messalamen. In the book of the great turks court by frere Antony Gueffrei  They have also this name Messalamains in as great honour as we have the name of Christians. As if they would signify by this vocable Messalanian saved.  
Moreover, the Mahomatists do honour also their priests with the name of Mass, 
in the book above said. Messen. Messit.  calling them Messen, and their temples Messit or Meschit. Those than which are enforced to bring to light the Anatomy or description of the Mass, the pieces, the grounds, the patches, & encreasements, ought to describe it with great reverence, having due respect to the ancient religion Pompilion and Alcoran of Mahomet.  
Now after that we have resolved the name of Mass, and of Missa, in the Latin tongue, 
pontiff. book 1. of commentaries.  to have taken her beginning of the ancient romain idolaters, & not of the Greeks or hebrews. It behoveth us to come to the garments of the Messalian sacrificers. But in passing by we must not omit the name Bishop, to have his original also of the Romans as we have declared in our commentaries. Also the name Papa or Pope had his beginning of the ancient idolaters, who were wont to call upon their God jupiter calling him Papa jupiter, specially the Bithinians and Scythes. The which name Pope is taken of the Greek word Papus that is to say great father. And also the very title written upon all the requests presented unto the great Roman Bishop, is most blessed father, and to the less purple Bishops most reverend father, and to the little bishops reverend father. Holding all this word father or Papa, a great father, which was wont to be a common name for all bishops. But afterward the great roman bishops did reserve it for themselves only. There is also another name reserved for the little bishops, called curates, which are superintendentes in every little parish, 2having borrowed this name Curate of the ancient Curious of Rome. If one will not deduce the etymology or signification of the same from the Greek word Cura, 
Cura. Curio, sacerdos, Cure, qui in sua cura, id est in sua parrochia sacris praeerat. Tit Liu. lib. 1 Decad. 1.  that is shaving or polling, for that the ancient Curious & Sacrificers had their pollings & head shaven after the form of the babylonians, or of the Herculians bishops, called for the same cause Stephanophores, as bearing a crown upon their heads. Wherefore me thinketh that all the members of the missal sacrifice had their beginning of the Pompilion religion, & that one should do wrong unto the ancient romain idolaters, 
Tit. Liu. Fenest. Pompo. Let.  if he should take from them the original of the names of Mass, of bishop, & of curate, as it is justified and evident by the ancient romain histories. Touching the vestments of the Mass sacrificers Neuma ordained that it should be white, called by the Latin word Alba an aulbe. The which name aulbe hath continued to this day for the vestiment of the priest celebrating Mass. 
Aulbe. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. Super tunicam aeneam pectori tegumen. Tit. lib. Deca. 1.  Above the aulbe was also ordained for the sacrificer to wear a little jacket painted in colours. And above that an ornament for the breast of brass or copper, afterward changed into gold or silver, which the Massalians called a Cheasuble, 
Chasuble.  they used also a vail to cover their head in sacrificing called an ammas first instituted by Aeneas. 
Virgil. lib. Even. 3. purpur●o velare comas adoper tus amictu, fit capite ante aras phrigio velamus amictu.  These be the principal vestments instituted by Numa, more than 700 years before the incarnation of jesus Christ. True it is that afterward many enrichementes of the jews were added thereto, as the Stole, the Ephod, the Zone, or Girdle, the metre or There, and certain other ornaments, the goodlyer to garnish the great whore of Babylon.  
But the Massalians willing to disguise the original of their vestments of the mass have imagined the aulbe to figure the conversation of jesus christ in his flesh, 
Titleman in ●racta. de ex●osi. myniste. missaes. & Ga●e Biel. in lib. ●e exposi. missaes.  or the purity of his body incarnate in the womb of the virgin. Other do interpret the white colour to signify chastity and continence. Others playing and mocking the passion of jesus christ do sophistically signify by the aulbe, the white garment presented by Herode unto christ when he was sent back (as a fool) to Pilate. Philo the jew a more excellent philosopher, in his treatise of dreams, doth subtly say the aulbe doth signify the certainty of the most clear light of god, which he calleth ens: the linen also whereof the aulbe is made, they do interpret the subtlety of the scriptures. And as touching the ammas invented by Aeneas, they disguise it to be the veil wherewith christ was covered when the jews in the house of caiphas did mock him in buffeting him. Titleman one of the most subtle massalians doth sophistically say by the ammas to be signified the divinity of christ hid under the humanity. Some other also do confess the ammas to be come in, in place of the Ephod of the jews. The zone, the manipule and the stole, which be three kinds, they figure the three cords wherewith christ was bond and led before the priests, and before the lieutenants of the Romans in jewrye. Biel another subtle massalian doth interpret by zone the rods wherewith christ was whipped, by the stole laid a cross, to signify the gibber or gallows that christ carried upon his shoulders. The manipule also carried upon the left arm to figure the bond of love wherewith christ was holden. Another mummery by the zone wherewith the aulbe is trussed to signify the bond of the charity of god. The stole put upon the ammas in the neck of the massalian in form of the cross to figure the obedience of jesus christ unto the death of the cross. The manipule carried upon the left hand to figure eternal felicity of jesus christ. Another sophistry by the ammas to figure faith, by the stole the humility of obedience, by the manipule, the watch and hearty devotion of the massing sacrificer. Titleman doth surmise otherwise of the manipule on the left hand, to be figured the force and battle of christ against all powers visible and invisible, as a bockler against all temptations: and the hems of the manipule to figure a final perseverance. He doth sophist also by the left hand to be understand the human infirmity of christ, the which bound with the manipule, doth figure christ holden as it were overcome by the divinity. Brunus another Massalian doctor doth imagine by the manipule the care of the massing priest to chase away evil affections, or otherwise to figure the cord wherewith Christ was bound by the jews: by the Stoel, to be figured the yoke of the Lord, the which the Massalian ought to have garnished with arms of righteousness on the left side & on the right. The other painted ornament first instituted by Neuma the magician they have disguised it with the name of planet as a wavering vestment, others wise called a cape or a chasuble, which they do sophist to represent the purple to be presented unto christ in the judgement hall of Pilate, to mock him, calling him king of the jews. Another sophistry by such a garment to be figured the nature of christ, where the deity was hid. Philo the Jew platonising, doth interpret by this vestment decked with divers colours, to be figured the stars & heavenly signs. Then the Massilian sacrificer thus rigged with his aulbe, Ammas, his zone, manipule stars, & with his chasuble or cape of divers colours, must stretch out his arms, to play two personags at one, representing by his chasuble or cape (whereof the part before is less than that behind) the first church from Abel to christ. And by the part behind more large & also enriched with the sign of the cross to figure the christian people. This chasuble must accord with the Ammas which was before upon the bed, to signify the conjunction of christ and his church. The aulbe also must be agreeable to the chasuble to signify christ to be applied unto our infirmities. Beside the vestments above said, Philo the Jew doth add the mitre to figure the rial diadem of the massalians which ought to have their heads anointed with cream, 
Philo in lib. de profug.  or with holy oil to signify the princeliness of the priests. The which ornament of the mytte is now reserved for the great sacryfycers only.  
It resteth to descend to the description of the parts of the Mass, the original whereof particularly we desire according to the truth. first to the masses called high celebrated on Sundays. The Massalian sacryfycers, have taken of the religion Pompilian to conjure a cleansing water called hollywater, 
Apul. lib. 11. of the golden Ass. Proclus in li. de sacrifi. & Gag. Proel. Platoni ca●u.  consecrated to sprinkle the assystauntes at the sacrifice. The comuration and enchanting instituted by Neuma was of sea or salt water, for this cause saith he, that the salt was participant of a fiery nature, or of ●●er very apt to purify.  


Eius aquae aspersione, peccata, presertim periuria, mendatiaque dilui credebant.  
Blond. lib. de Rom. trium. Ovid lib.  
Fast 3. in the law of the discourse the religion by Choul. i Holy water stocks of two sorts.  
Diis superis sacra facturus corporis ablutione purgabatur: cum vero inferis litandum erat sola aspersio sufficiebat.  
Blond. lib. 2. de. Rom. trium Macro. lib. 3. Satu. cap. 1. In Delii Apolonis templo praecipua erat equa sacrificantium usui accommoda quam ad alios usus hausisse magni criminis instar erat. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4 cap. 17.  
Platine Si cinis vitula aspersus populum iudaerum mundebat, multo magis aqua sale conspersa populum sancti ficat & insidias diaboli avertit ca aquam de consecrat. distinct. 1.  
Law of god corrupted.   For this cause the aunciaunt Roman idolaters did sprynckle with this salt water conjured (as with Mercury water) purging and cleansing the faults of the people, specially of perjured and liars. To conserve this water hallowed and conjured, they had two sorts of holy water vessels. The one great fixed and made fast at the entry of their temples, where they did worship their Images: to the end to sprynckle with the same salted water those which did enter into the said temples. The other holy water vessel was cariable, to transport of the same water through their temples or houses: to the end to water them for their cleansings & purifyings. They which ought to celebrate the Mass, if it were to the inferior gods, it was sufficient that the sacrificing priest did sprynckle himself with the same purging water. But if the sacrificer did celebrate Mass to the superior gods, he must bathe his whole body, and wash all his members. It was also defended to apply this purging water to any other use, save for cleansings and purginge. Alexander the first of that name: next successor of the apostles of jesus christ. And one of the first corruptours of the holy sacraments ordained of god, following the same institution of Pompilius continued this Idolatry of conjuring and consecrating of holy water, to chase away devils. But the better to colour this Pompilian witchcraft he invented this comparison. If it be so (saith Alexander) that the ashes of a red cow offered up in sacrifice mingled with water of the fountain purified the people of the jues. By much greater reason the water conjured with salt should purify christians & chase away devils. Is not this a breaking & corrupting of the holy law of god, to accord with the Romans taught in the ancient doctrine and religion of Neuma Pompilius the conjuror. If Alexander had not been so much given to the use of salt, instituted by the ancient idolaters for their cleansing water, he would rather have followed the judaical ceremony, 
Num. 19  and have ordained ashes to consecrate the purging water. And where he would think to vizor his doing by the miracle of Elizeus which did purify the water with salt. 
4. Kings. 2.  Moses' also did the like with the wood showed unto him, when the people of Israel were in such necessity of sweet water to drink. 
Exod. 15.  But by these miracles it is not recited that Elizeus nor Moses had instituted a purging water to purify the people of the jews. And it shall not be found, that there was at any time amongs the judaical ceremonies any other purging water, but with the ashes of the beast offered up for  sacrifice. 
Num. 19  Wherefore Alexander and his like must freely acknowledge the invention of their Salt and conjured water for the purging of sins, to have taken his original of Neuma Pompilius, more then. 700. years before the incarnation of jesus Christ.  
This purging water was so well observed of the Roman idolaters, 
Histo. tripart. lib. 6. cap. 35.  that more than. 360. years after the incarnation of jesus Christ, it is recited how the Emperor Valentinian entering in-into the temple of the goddess fortune, 
Valentinian the emperor against holy water sprinkled.  a sacrifycer watching the said Temple did sprinkle him with this blessed purging salted water, which he had taken out of the holy water stock being at the entrance of the said temple, wherewith the Emperor being chafed smote the Pryest holding the holy water stick, saying he was rather defiled then purified. By these true Histories the Massalians may vaunt themselves, the first part of their Mass sacrifice to be very ancient. And that their holy-water stocks, 
Holy water very ancient.  & salted cleansing & purging water, are of the ancient doctrine of Neuma pompilius & not of the evangelical doctrine of jesus Christ, which they call new doctrine, & new Testament, as differing from the ancient Ceremonies of the jews and Panyms' idolaters. But again I cannot marvel enough, wherefore Alexander did enterprise the restoring of the Pompilion idolatry, 
Against salt holy water of Alexander pope of rome  seeing he had a mean to reinstitute the ceremonial water after the fashion of the jues. And this doing to follow rather the law of god then Neuma Pompilius, for he had easy means to recover ashes to make a purging water after the manner of the jews: namely of holy and precious ashes, to say of the ashes kept in their shrienes, and coming of curtains Towels & vessels consecrated, 
Ca Omnes de consecrat. destinct. 4. & ca Altaria. & ca Vestimenta. destinct. 1.  which the bishop Cleament predecessor of Alexander had forbidden to be applied to any profane use. But being worn with oldness, to be burned in the fire. And the ashes to be put into the Fount. Were not these holy ashes, to have moved Alexander to restore the ashy and purging water after the manner of the jews, if he had not been so denty of salt and found a better taste, to continue the ancient Roman religion? Other ashes might have been found by the successors of Alexander: To wit, 
Ca Altaria de consecrat. distinct.  of the round hosts unleavened & consecrated, which the great bishop Higinus ordained to be burned (which falling upon the earth might not be left for the massing sacrificer) and the ashes of the same hosts to be put into the shrines. Other ashes also might have been gotten of the rats, mice, and other beasts devouring the said consecrated hosts, and ordained to be burned, 
In lib. cantel. Miss.  and the ashes to be put into the shrines.  
Seeing then that Alexander would not follow the ceremonial law of God, to ordain a water blessed, salted, consecrated and conjured: Why did he not at the least put his salt in the host of the Massalian sacrificer, 
levit. 2. ●●  which they say is offered to God as a health sacrifice? In doing whereof he should have followed the ceremony of Moses, by the which he commanded that salt should be offered in all sacrifices, & therewith to sprinkle the sacrifice offered for health. But if Alexander and his successors would have followed the law of God, they would have invented nothing of their own brains, they would never have made themselves so renowned to have left the memory of their institutions. 
The occasion of inventing new idolatries.  For this occasion they would in nothing follow the law of God, but contrariwise have forbidden to put salt into the round hosts consecrated to celebrate the missal sacrifices. They have forbidden also to put ashes into their holy water, to the end that in all their institutions, men should know, that they borrow nothing of the law of God, nor of the law of Moses, much less of the evangelical law of jesus christ, but only have taken thought to bring in inventions, notwithstanding that they were invented by thancient paynim and Roman idolaters 700 years before the incarnation of jesus Christ. To finish this first part of the Mass: it had been more expedient (O Massalians) that in place of your sacrifices, and conjured salt water, wherewith you sprinkle the people to have clearly declared the holy gospel, causing the people to understand, 
The true holy water of all christians.  that the purifying and washing of their sins, did hang only on the blood of jesus Christ, who is strong enough to drive away devils, to bring us from hell, 
Hebre. 9  to preserve us from death everlasting, and to deface in us all spots of sin, without using of adjuration and conjuring with salt, to drive away devils, according to the witchcraft of Pompilius, and the heresy of the Samaritains, 
Epipha. lib 1. tom. 1. sec. 9 & 17. conte. haec.  which did believe to be purified by washing themselves every day with holy water.  
After the Asperges song, 
2. part of the mass.  and the holy conjured water sprinkled upon all the altars, Images, and assistance at the missal sacrifice, 
Procession.  followed the Procession, which some would attribute to Agapet bishop of Rome. 
Platine  But it was instituted more than a thousand years before him: 
Tit. Livius in his decades.  which the ancient Roman idolaters did call Supplication.   Chi Rho and Alpha and Omega 
But in place of painting there the name of jesus Christ they have painted the Images and liknesses of divers gods and goddesses he saints & she saints patrons of every parish. This in sum is the beginning of the Missal procession, for the second part of the Mass. Was there ever so great Idolatry amongs the Isralites, when they would celebrate their feasts of sweat bread, to eat the paschal lamb a figure of the holy sacrament of of the supper, which the massalians have disguised by their sacrifices of the Mass? did they ever cause to be carried in procession the flesh & blood of the unspotted lamb? Did they ever lay it up in shriene to be carried in procession throughte the streets? The brazen serpent (notwithstanding they abused it) did they ever cause it to be borne in a shrine upon the shoulders of the priests which had their heads and beards shaven. 
In the year of Christ. 1264.  As the great bishop Vrbain did ordain to carry in procession the consecrated host by the massalians. And instituted a solemn feast a thursday every year, to th'end to turn the use of the sacrament into a more detestable idolatry, than all his predecessors had done before him? After the sprinkling or holy water, & the procession done Neuma ordained that the Massing sacrificer to celebrate the sacrifice, 
3. part of the mass, are the altar, taper and light.  being clothed with his aulbe, & chasuble or tunicle painted, the head crowned, & beard shaven should approach to the altar, to the end to make all things ready for the sacrifice furnished with a Lamp or Taper light which commonly was of Tede or pinapole tree. 
ovid. lib. 4 de fast. Apul. lib. 11. de asin. aur. Plutar in Neuma.  For without an altar & fire no sacrifice could be celebrated. He ordained also that the massing priest should turn himself to the alter toward the East. Porphier the heretic did not only continue this Pompilius witchrast but also did ordain the porches & thimages to be turned toward the East, to the end the those that entered into the temples in bowing themselves before them should address their prayers toward the East, 
Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17  like as the Perlians do worship the sun in the east. Be not these institutions Massalians and Pompilions contrary to the ancient ceremonial law of the jews, in the which it was forbidden to address prayers toward the East, for a difference from the ancient idolaters.  
Acknowledge then (O Massalians) that the erection of your altars toward the East, 
Exod. 20. levit. 26. Deut. 5. Esay. 40.  your lamps and tapers light, your pictures & Images reverenced in your missal sacrifices to have taken their beginning of the ancient Roman religion appointed by you from one to another. For the pictures & images wherewith your altars be decked and adorned to celebrate your missal sacrifices, can not take their original of the law of God, that which doth not forbid only the suffering of any Images in the churches, but also to make them, and reverence them. Unto whom can God be made like? What Image, picture, or what portraiture can be invented for him? Nevertheless, by a most detestable and abominable heresy, 
Abominable idolatry  you (O Massalians) have caused the Image and likeness of the Trinity one God and three persons to be printed in your round hosts which you cause to be worshipped.  
Nevertheless the two doctors Massalians Titleman and Biell interpret the altar otherwise, when the massing priest doth approach laden with his chalise of gold to figure Christ carrying the cross unto the mountain of calvary, than the priest kissing the altar to figure the marriage and wedding sing of christ with his church. The right hand of the altar to figure the people of the jews, and the left hand the people of the Gentiles. 
Durand. lib. rubr. de m●tat.  For this cause Durand a subtle massalian hath written, that the missal memory ought to begin at the right hand of the altar, and on the same part to end. And yet notwithstanding the principal aperies are celebrated at the left hand of the altar. Touching the fire and lighted taper, they figure christ: as being the fire that consumeth the rust of our sins, or otherwise the fire of charity compassing about the christian people, and the bourning taper to signify the light of faith, the joys to come, and the incarnation of christ.  
Be not these detestable sophistries, the which Neuma the Sorcerer never thought of, when he instituted the altar, the fire, and the burning taper to sacrifice.  

4. part of the Mass.  To continue the order of the missal sacrifice, the Massalian priest approaching to the altar, the taper burning and clad and adorned with his aulbe and chasuble turning his face toward the East, beholding the Images gilded and carved, before all things must say his Confiteor and confess himself, 
Confiteor.  in acknowledging his offences, 
Rem divinam facturus ad suam levandam culpam se inprimis rerum dicere debebat & noxae penitere ac fateri admissum, vultunque submittere. Alex. ab Alex, lib. 4. cap. 17 Blond. lib. 1. de Rom. trium.  and ask pardon of the gods and goddesses, of the he saints and she saints, requiring just and reasonable things. As Pythagoras doth say in his golden verses, and Orpheus in his hymns, for Neuma the Sorcerer esteemed the conscience of the Priest massalian to be well purged by his confession. And that without Confiteor the sacrifice could not be well celebrated.  
Behold than, neither Damaze nor Pontiam bishops of Rome, can not give the glory to themselves that they first instituted the Confiteor, For the Massalian sacrificer: for more than a thousand years before them, it was forged by the ancient Roman Idolaters. And yet is continued to this present day, that the priests celebrating their missal sacrifice shall pronounce or mumur a Confiteor, in a language neither understand of them, nor of the assistaunts, addressing their prayers and requests unto the gods and goddesses, to the he saints and she saints, in place of reverencing, honouring, praying, & worshipping the true, only and almighty God, creator of all goodness.  
Nevertheless, the Alcoran of Titleman doth interpret the Confiteor of the Massalian to signify the confession of christ for the sins of the people. 
Cap. 9   
After the Confiteor murmured to observe the religion and ceremonies of Pompilius, 
5. part of the mass.  the massing priest ought to toss and retosse, turn and return, 
Turn & beckings.  along the altar: Lifting up his hands, than letting them down? 
Hae sunt ver●…igines in sa●tis a Numa ●nstitutae dex ●eram ad os●ulum far 〈◊〉 se in orbē●ircumagere. ●lond. lib. ●le Rom. trium. Macro. in Sa●urnali.  with prayers and meditations toward the East. For Neuma the sorcerer, had an opinion of great holiness to be in these tournynges' bowings & conversions of the priests body. This is the occasion (as a man may conjecture) of the adding to of this pleasant song at the entrance of the Mass, when the sacrifycer beginneth to make his nods, & turns, I will enter (saith he) unto the Altar of god which maketh my youth to rejoice. 
The entrance of the mass.  Hath he not just cause of rejoicing seeing the Table cloth laid, the Table furnished, the banquet prepared the Music of organs, and other instruments sonding, the odours and encensing, the cup full of wine, the collation ready, the pot and offering to fill his purse? Be not all these means to rejoice the youth of the sacrificer, entering unto the altar, to mass, turn, & dance after the manner prescribed unto him by the Magician Numa Pompilius? 
Plin. lib. 28.  And not only the Romans, but also the other idolaters in celebrating their sacrifices were wont to turn, and return, lifting up the right hand unto their mouth then turning all their body, the which turnings and noddings were accounted holy.  
Titleman in his alcoran doth recite that the massing sacrificer in making his traversing a long the altar, doth make .7. courtesies or salutations unto the assistance in his sacrifice. To the end to chase away the .7. deadly sins by the sevenfold grace of the holy ghost. but in making his .7, courtesies in his Mass dance, he ought to turn himself toward the assistance (except before the preface, and kissing the pax) what time he is occupied in the breaking of the round host, to transubstanciat him into an accidence without a substance.  
These beckynges' bowynges, 
6. part of the mass. Organs.  tournynge, and towynges finished by the Massalian sacryfycer, Numa ordained the sound of organs, flutes, and Vyolles, to sing hymns, praises, and songs, to the honour of their gods in the name of whom, the Myssall sacrifice was celebrated.  
This part of the Mass hath been enriched with divers songs, by divers bishops of Rome. Some as Flaman & Diodore did institute Anthems Thelesphore, 
Antiphones.  
collects.  that Collects: Leon or Gelase the Graduels, 
Graduels.  Gregory or Gelase, the Traictes, 
Sequences.  Gothgere abbot of sandal, the Sequenses. Which are divers songs of music serving to adorn & enrich the missal sacrifice. But if the commentaries of the ancient Romans bishops instituted by Neuma were discovered, 
Hymnorum plures species erant, hypingos Dianae, Apollini pean & prosoedia Dionisio dithiranibus, Cereri julus: Veneri erotichus: praeter quos fuere prosoedion, hyporchema, & stafimon. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17.  much greater diversity, of songs ballets hymns, odes & cantiles, should be found dedicated and consecrated to divers gods & goddesses. even like as the diversity of divers songs of music hath increased according to the diversity of divers Missal sacrifices ordained to divers gods & goddesses he saints and she saints. For like as the ancient idolaters did celebrate their sacrifices to divers gods & goddesses. So the Massalians continued the celebration of their Masses to divers he and she saints, One in the name of our lady, another in the name of Saint Sebestian, 
divers masses  other of the holy ghost & other of Requiem, 
Drye masses.  in so much that they made a difference betewene dry Masses & other common Masses, wherein they made the sop steeped in wine. In such sort that thereof came an infinite number of Missal sacrifices unto divers he and she saints. Unto the which were song divers songs and sequences. Be not these horrible and abominable corruptions of the holy sacrament of the supper of jesus Christ, thereof having made an Idolatry after the fashion of the ancient sacrifices instituted by the conjuror Neuma? Wherefore the Bishop Vitalian ought not to glorify himself that he enriched the sacrifice of the Mass with the sound of Organs. For more than 1200 years before him this institution was published by the Magician Neuma.  
But to stuff this Babylonical sacrifice, the massalian Alcoranists have interpreted the diversity of their musical songs, by a pythagorical, philosophy. Touching the collects, that is to say, the patched prayers they have commanded, that they shallbe song in number odd, to wit, 3, 5, or .7. the .3. to figure the trinity the .5. to represent the five wounds of christ, the .7. to figure the .7. words of christ upon the cross, or else the .7. gifts of the holy ghost. Moreover for a more subtle pythagorical divinity, the Massesayer ought not to pass the number of .7. by the ordinance of pope Innocent the third of that name: the sophist Biel in his alcoran of the interpretation of the Mass, doth add that the number of the collects should be equal to the prayers of the secrets, that is to say prayers of the Massmonger murmured in secret to the end they be not contemned of the people. After the collects is the song of the gradual more sharp & grave a figure of the confession of the publicans having heard the preaching of john baptist. notwithstanding the song of the gradual was not song in the Missal sacrifices from Easter unto the feast of pentecost, to figure the blessed estate of the world to come.  
Further beside the sound of organs, 
7. part of the mass.  and songs of Music the ancient Romans idolaters were wont to use in their sacrifices perfume of encens which they caused to be keeped in a little vessel called Acerra a censor. 
Perfume of incense.  In this little Frankensens' coffer were put the odours which the sacerficer did take to incense the Altar, the Images, 
Blond. lib. 1. de Rom. trium. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. iliacis temporibus veteres non thu●e, sed cedri, & citri fumo deos adolebant. Platine  the hosts or sacrifices specially in the Masses celebrated unto the god janus, and unto the goddess Vesta, which took pleasure in incense & wine offered unto them. For in the time of the Troyans', in stead of incense, cedar and Citron were used for perfume. It was not then Leo bishop of Rome that first instituted the use of incense and encensing in the Missal sacrifice. For more than .700. years before the incarnation of jesus Christ the ancient Roman idolaters did use incense in their sacrifices. 
Tit. livi. lib. 3 Decades. 3.  And also the Romans did retain the word in latin. Thus, which signifieth incense, of the ancient word Thyo, that is to say I sacrifice, because the idolaters did use in all their sacrifices incense, 
Tit. livi. lib. 9 Decad. 3.  they had also a portable encensor to incense withal. Nevertheless, some write that the ancient Roman idolaters celebrating their sacrifices unto the Goddess Ceres used the gum of Pine called Tede, 
ovid. de fast. lib. 3.  in stead of incense, for which cause Ceres was called of the poets Tedifere.  
By the Alcoram of Titleman, the incense is interpreted the prayer of the Massalian, for that it doth mount up into heaven in a savour of sweetness, even as the smoke of incense doth rise up on height. He doth sophist also with Biel his companion, the censor to figure the grace of the holy ghost. These subtle Alcoranists allege the place of Toby, who chased away the devil by the perfume of the broiled liver. The same Biel interpreteth otherwise, the incense to figure Mary Magdalen's anointing of christ, and because christ was twice anointed, the incense must be also offered twice in the missal sacrifice.  

8. part of the mass. Plin. lib. 1. cap. 3. Offertory.  For another part of the missal sacrifice celebrated by the ancient idolaters, was the Offertory, of the first fruits offered, to the honour of the gods in the name of whom the sacrifice was celebrated. This Offertory was for the massing sacrificer, which he might freely carry into his own house, for the nourishment of himself and his family: notwithstanding there were other offerings distributed to those that were needful. After by the covetousness of the Massalians, this usage was changed into an offertory or offering of silver or gold to enrich the coffer, which some would have attributed to Leo bishop of Rome, 
Platine  notwithstanding that the Offertory was practised more than a thousand years before him. And to the end to justify this by the Roman histories: When Neuma had instituted the Ministers of the religion, as Bishops, Augurs, Sauliens, Feciaux, Curious and others, 
Blond. lib 2. de Rom. trium.  he ordained also the means how to nourish and entertain them, he commanded to make of the common revenues foundations, for the nourishment and maintenance of the religions Vestales. following his example many particular persons did the like. 
Sacerdotiorun sive beneficiorum duo erant genera, unum quorum collatio ad rep. aut principem aut ad pontificum collegium spectabat: Alterum quorum collatio ad aliquam familiam eiusque successores pertinebat, quae beneficia vitis patronatus censebantur. Blond. lib. 2. de Ron trium. A dispense for many benefices. Tit. Liviuius lib. 30. The founding of benefices. Vacations & setting over Offertory. Tertia sacerdotiorum opulenta, a solutionibus inveniebat, quas inferiores superioribus pontificibus impendebant quale apud nos est cum pontifici romano fructus primos antistites & his minores sacerdotes ad obtinuenda beneficia pecuniam dissoluunt. Biond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium. Cicero in oratione pro domo sua ad pontifices Blond. lib. 3. de Rom. trium.  So that benefices became rich by foundations. The same benefices were of two sorts. The one at the presentation & bestowing of the prince, or of the common wealth or of the college of bishops. The other were at the presentation of some particular patrons of the said benefices, by whom they were founded and endowed with great riches. Of the which benefices the great bishops of Rome have usurped authority to give dispensation to have two at once, even as it is recited in the history of Livy, of Fabius Maximus, who had by dispense two benefices than when he was created bishop, more than two hundred years before the incarnation of jesus Christ. This was then first revenue of the Massalian sacrificers to have benefices richly founded. The second revenue was the Offertory, or offering, the Offertory and oblations. The third revenue was the vocations and the first fruits, which the Idolatrous Roman Bishops were accustomed to take, for the vacation of the benefices which they gave, sold, or dispensed with.  
The fourth revenue was deaths, annuals, legacies, and bequests given, to pray unto their gods for the souls of the departed. The which is verified this day by the monuments and tombs of the ancient idolaters.  
The first revenue was amerciaments, condemnations and confications levied by the bishops of Rome: as the place & house of Cicero (when he was banished) were confiscate to the college of the priests, & dedicated specially to the sacrifices celebrated in the temple consecrated to the goddess Liberty. Passing by I thought good to recite this sum of thancient romain sacrificers, to the end that unto all it may be known, that all the abuses and Idolatries, succeeded in the church of jesus Christ are not new: But had their original restored & taken of the ancient roman idolaters: As the foundations of Masses, Obites, Mounthmindes the dispensing of many benefices, annals, vaccantes, translations, offerings & Mass box, amercementes and confiscations, adjudged by the sentence of the bishop of Rome, as are also other ordinances restored by the new Roman Bishops & continued from the one to the other. 
The year of our lord. 383. Blond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium.  To this purpose it is recited in the Roman histories that since the reign of the Emperor Valentinian the xii of that name, great sedition happened at Rome between the christians, & the idolaters priests which strived amongs themselves, whether had more enriched the church by foundations, lagacies, bequests, offerings & other inventions: in such sort that the heathen idolaters & infidels which did usurp again the temple presently called the church of S. Peter at Lians, did fight against the christians of Rome which would have dedicated the same to their devotion.  
After the offertory the Aleoran of Titleman doth hold that the mass monger must for a time keep silence, 
Cap. 35.  to figure the flying of christ or fear of the disciples to confess him before the jews. Then after the sacrificer doth sing on high Per omnia secula seculorum for this that christ after that he was in secret did show himself openly in the house of Lazarus, Then he singeth sanctus sanctus sanctus: to signify the song of the jews when christ entered into jerusalem. This music ended the sacrificer must secretly murmur, between his teeth, counterfeiting sadness without any turnings, but yet he must play a dumb mommerie by signs of crosses drawn here aways & there aways as we shall hereafter declare.  
After the offertory we must come to the ix. part of the Mass, 
9 part of the Mass the round host of flower. Plutar in Numa.  the most rich & most dentie for the Massalians. That is the host or sacrifice. Wherein doth consist the principal end or mark of the mass sacrifice. 
Pollux in onom. lib. 6. Mysteriis peractis, qui sacris intererant, rotundis panibus, quos in honorem deorum adhib ebant stantes rescebanntur nec nisi sacrificio perfecto vesci licebat. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17  In the time of the conjuror Numa the Romans had not yet in use to kill & offer up the blood of beasts But about the end of the Mass sacrifice, it was ordained to eat and communicate together within the temple little round Cakes consecrated to the honour of the gods in whose name the Mass was celebrated. The little round hosts of fine flower were eaten by the sacrificer and the assistants standing and not sitting. The flower whereof they were made was called Mola, whereof cometh this word immolare, to offer.  
There was divers hosts, that is to say, divers little round cakes, dedicated unto divers gods like as they had divers sacrifices of the Mass. With the same round hosts was offered wine (the altars serving in place of tables.) And whiles the sacrificer and the assistaunts at the sacrifice did eat & communicate together the foresaid little round cakes, consecrated to the honour of their gods, there was song hymns, and pleasant songs. Some playing upon organs and cymbals.  
Before the devouring of this round host printed with pictures, the massalian doctors have ordained that the Sacrificer shall use adjurations and conjuring by signs of the cross, first he ought to make three crosses upon the round host to figure the threefold doctrine of christ. To wit, by the father, by himself, and by the holy ghost, in pronouncing these words: Haec dona, haec munera, haec sancta sacrificia illibata. Other doctors Alcoranists & Massalians interpret the third cross to signify the treason of judas who delivered his master into the hands of the jues. Beside the foresaid three crosses, doth follow five more, to figure the five days of respite from palm sunday to good friday, or otherwise to represent the five wounds of christ, two in his hands two in his feet & one in his right side. Of the which five crosses, the three first must be made upon the chalice & upon the round host to figure the delivering of christ unto the priests, scribes & pharisees: or to figure the price that christ was sold for, to wit three times ten which is .30. pence. The two other crosses are separately made: the one (being the fourth) upon the host, tother upon the chalice alone, to play the two persons of christ & iudas: which the massalian sacrificer doth continuing still his mocks & mummeries, stretching out his arms to figure christ stretched on the cross. Then he lifteth up his round host printed full of pictures to cause it to be worshipped. And that he beginneth again to make three other crosses. One upon the host, another upon the cup, and the third upon himself, to play the personages of three estates: of those that be in heaven, in purgatory, and in earth.  
He smiteth afterward upon his breast, to play the parsonage of the these hanging upon the cross, which repented himself.  
But the smiting of the stomach must be with the three hyndermost fingers of the hand, for the thumb and the next finger be reserved to consecrate and transubstantiate the round host. Moreover he must smite his breast three times to figure the threefold offence of the heart, mouth and deed. In lifting up his voice to represent the thief or the centurion, which confessed god in the passion. Six other crosses are made once again, three upon the chalice covered, to figure the three hours that Christ hanged on the cross on live: and the three other crosses are made upon the chalice discovered (with the round host lifted up again) to figure the three hours that christ hanged upon the cross dead. Then after the massalian hath kissed his chalice there are yet two crosses more, to figure the mystery of the blood and water issuing out of christs side. Beside the dumb mummeries abovesaid, the priest must take the covering cloth from the chalice, and cover it with the plantyn to figure the breaking of the vail of the temple in the midst at the death of christ. This done the round host is put from above the chalice, & is couched under the corporas to figure the burying of christ. The priest thus having played the person of the hanged thief, of the traitor judas of christ, & of the publicans, playeth afterward the parsonage of the centurion, in singing the Pater noster. But the Alcoran of Durand expoundeth by the seven petitions of the Pater noster the seven weepings of the virgin mary, or the seven virtues, or the seven gifts of the holy ghost, or the seven Beatitudes, or the seven deadly sins. This song finished, the Massalian a little while keepeth silence, to figure the silence or rest of christ in the tomb. 

Re divina & ceremoniis celebratis, sacerdos tunc, I, licet succlamabat, qua voce illos qui inter fuerant, missos faciebat.  
Alex ab Alex lib. 4. cap. 17 Parts of the mass ordained by Neuma 700 years before the incarnation of jesus christ.   Another aperie or mummery doth the Massalian play with his round host, the which he layeth upon the paten to figure the unity of the divinity with the humanitle: but when he playeth the secret mystery, than the host is hid out of sight.  
The sacrifice thus finished & the little round hosts eaten, Numa ordained to sing these words: I, licet (vel) It●e missa est, that is to say, go it is granted, the assemble is suffered to go home. Be not all these parts of the Mass sacrifice ordained by Numa the conjuror more than 700 years before the incarnation of jesus Christ, to wit, the vestments, the aulbe, the chasuble, the holy purging water conjured with salt to chase away devils, the altar, the taper light, the the turnings and traversing along the altar, with prayers and meditations toward the East. The processions with shrines and relics carried upon the shoulders of the priests clothed in white surplices & crowns upon their heads: the Confiteor made to the he saints & she saints: the playing on the Organs, the Canticles, Peanes, Hymns, and Odes: the Censor and the Encens: the communion of little round bread consecrated in the name of their gods: and in th'end this song Ite missa est: Do ye not acknowledge (O ye Massalians) that ye have borrowed all these parts & members of your Mass of Pompilians religion? Why do you hold this word Mass, 
Math, 27. Luke. 20. Mark. 14. 1. Cor. 11.  seeing jesus Christ did name it a supper, or the partaking of his body? Why have ye taken up these vestments, the Aulbe, & painted Chasuble proper to the ancient romain idolaters, of the which garments Christ ordained nothing? Why have ye given more credit unto the witchcraft of Pompilius to chase away devils with salt water conjured, & called holy water, then unto the holy gospel of jesus Christ, the which doth assure you in his name to drive away devils, & not with witchcraft of salt? 
Mark. 16.  Who but the spirit of Neuma, did inspire you to shave your crown round: & to deck yourselves with white surplices, to bear the shrines & banners in procession? When jesus Christ celebrated his holy supper & instructed his apostles of the communion of his body & blood, did he command them to follow the religion of the ancient romain idolaters, to have their altars enriched with images, to use turnings & traversing along the altar, to be shorn round, to have aulbs & chasubles, addressing their prayers & confession to he & she saints, to pipe with organs, to ꝑfume their altars & images with incense to, go to the offerings, to carry money to the priests box, to eat little round hosts consecrated, & last of all to sing Ite missa est?  
But I well perceive (O Massalians) your Mass subtleties, whereby you shall confess to me, that the body and chief parts of the Mass took their beginning and creation of Numa Pompilius.  
Nevertheless the deckings and enrichings were invented by other bishops of Rome: specially by a monk called Gregory the first of that name, that came to the Popedom. Who was instructed in the Magic and Philosophy of Pythagoras, and had also studied the laws of Tullius Hostillius, king and successor of Numa, to the end to make his name everlasting by adding some new thing to the missal sacrifice, he ordained to sing nine times these words in Greek, 
Platine. Volaterran Kyrie eleyson  Kyrie eleyson. For Gregory did greatly esteem this number nine: even as the ancient roman idolaters had recourse unto the novendiall sacrifice for signs and monstrous wonders. 
Quoties prodigium nunciabatur, sacrum novendiale per novem dies agebatur Tit. livi. lib. 1 Decades. 1.  He did also ordain that in the Massesacrifice should be song two words of Hebrew, to accompany the two words in Greek. And that at certain times men should sing these two words Allelu ya: and certain times they should not.  
In place of which Allelu ya, is sung another song called the tract, with sharpness of voice prolixity of song, and heaviness of notes of music, to figure the miseries of this world, and he that singeth Allelu ya, must be higher than he that houleth the graduel, as the alcoran of Titleman doth recite.  
Is there not witchcraft enough in your sacrifice (O Massalians) unless ye put thereunto Hebrew and Greek words? and mingle together Pythagorical numbers and novendiall songs, and institute a difference of days to sing and not to sing Hebrew words, and invent crosses and dumb mummeries? Be not these corruptions of the holy sacrament of the supper ordained of God? 
Platine. Sabellie.  Some other have enriched the missal sacrifice, 
Gloria patri Agnus dei Kis●●g the Paten ordained.  as Damase bishop of Rome with a Gloria patri, Sergius with an Agnus dei, song three times (which Titleman expoundeth to figure the Ascension of Christ) Innocent the kissing of the priests Paten.  
The which paten of gold by the doctrine of the Alcoran doth signify the divinity of christ. 
cap. 14.  The Gloria in excelcis by Symmachus, the which song pronounced in a voice sweet & base, 
Cap. 56.57.  doth signify (as holdeth the Alcoran of Titleman) the warlike & childish voice of Christ, being yet in the cradle. O blasphemy and detestable mommry of the son of god. Leo the second instituted the kissing of the pax: which the Alcoran of Titleman sayeth doth signify the union of christians. 
Pax kissing.  And that the kissing of the pax came in, in the place of the holy communion observed in the first church next the Apostles.  
This kissing of the Pax was song of the Massalian saying these words Pax domini: and making 3. crosses upon the Chalice when the third part of the host is cast into the wine, to figure the incarnation of Christ: or for the threefold peace, of the time, of the spirit, and of the everlastingness to come. Moreover the forging of the Canon of the mass is attributed to Alexander, 
The canon of the mass.  Gelace, Syricie, Leo, and Pelage. These be pieces patched to, according to the humours of the Bishops of Rome, the authors and restorers, the founders and augmentours of the mass sacrifice.  
The best enriching instituted in the Mass sacrifice must not be forgotten to wit certain places of the old & new testament called the epistles and gospels. 
Platine. Sabellie.  
The epistles and gospels cut in the mass.  The which the Messalians have cut & mingled with the Pompilian Idolatry & therein have profaned the law of god, even as did the Apostate Sergius doctor of the Machomet, the which decked the Alcoran with many places of the holy bible, & patched a hodge-podge of fables & heresies, which the holy law of god.  
The massalians have ordained two persons to sing the epistles and gospels to the end to enrich their Massedaunce: to wit, the subdeacon, who marcheth before to play the person of the first law of the jews: and the deacon. which cometh after with more great dignity to represent the law of the gospel: the which deacon carrieth upon his breast a quoshon to figure the humbleness of heart The subdeacon receiveth not the blessing of the Massing sacrificer as the deacon doth, for this (say the Massalian doctors) that God sent his prophets invisibly.  
But the deacon playing the parsonage of the law of the gospel, he receiveth blessing as being sent among wolves, because christ sent his Apostles as men visibly. It is ordained that the deacon shall wear a stoell crosswise hanging upon his shoulders, one end over the other, to figure force & continence joined together in the massmonger. The deacon playing his pagen and singing some piece of the gospel in a language understanded neither of him nor of the assistants must turn himself toward the north standing upright. Because (saith Titleman) the north part is cold and malicious. And therefore he must make a cross to chase away the devils of the north. Be not these sorceries and conflicts more horrible than all the commentaries of the ancient Roman bishops idolaters?  

Against the long possession and prescription of idolaters.  Doth not this approve the Alcoran of Machomet, the long possession whereof Turk's presently have had for these .900. the years past, having conquered countries Realms, 
Against Turk's  and empires, prospered in all their enterprises, & still observing the abominable law set out in the Alcoran? 
Against the people of Israel offering to Moloch.  Were the people of Israel excused before God (when they did sacrifice in the valley of Tophet to Moloch with innocents blood) by alleging the long possession, & accustomed usage, for the space of .1200. 
4. Kings. 16 23  years before this Idolatry was algetother destroyed by the good king josias? 
Against the idolatry of the brazen serpent. Num. 21.  Did the Israelits murmur against the virtuous king Ezechias when he destroyed the brazen, serpent which was made by the express commandment of god 900. years before? Were the same people excused of their Idolatries committed in Dan & bethel, 
Against the image set up by Hieroboam. 3. Kings. 12.  wherein were the Images of two heffers of gold instituted by their king Hieroboam, under pretence of long possession, & that they had continued this Idolatry for the space of .300. or .400. years. The jews, 
Against the infidelity of the jews.  now vacabonds shall they be excused before the majesty of god by showing the long possession of their ceremonial law instituted yea of god himself .3. thousand years ago?  
Also you (O massalians) can you allege against god the continuance and long possession of celebrating your Pompilian Masses long time, and that you and your predecessors have used sold & put to usury your Missal sacrifices? is this reason sufficient to ground upon long possession, as your predecessors senators of Rome did allege unto Theodose the Emperor, their Pompilian religion to have been observed more than a. M. years? This is not an excuse sufficient to bring in long possession & usage of long time observed, for the confirmation of your Idolatries. For if god of his mercy & wonderful patience did suffer the jews in their unfaithfulness, the Turks in their Alcoran law, & the christians in their Mass Idolatries: It is not for us to dispute of the incomprehensible secrets of god, but with all humility to take again the way of truth, when it shall please him to give it us, after long and deep darkness, whereunto the people in all ages hath fallen & turned from the true worshipping & ordinance of god: even so as briefly before we have declared of the Israelites the chosen people of god, the which notwithstanding that they had Moses & the prophets which did admonish them by many miracles & threatenings, how they should honour god & keep the law, nevertheless they never ceased by men's inventions to commit idolatries. So that during the reign of the prince's judges of Israel when the people were governed as in Aristocratia, than after submitted under the yoke of kings as in a monarchy, and last of all brought under the government of the priests having gotten both the temporality & spirituality, the law of god hath been corrupted, the sacrifices and sacraments defaced & defiled, and idolatry continued more than 1600 years from the law written by Moses, unto the incarnation of jesus Christ. What may one hope for then of the people of Rome instructed in all Idolatry as a dry tree, a heathenish & bastard people? But these Massalian heretics can not vaunt themselves of very long possession of their Mass sacrifices, except of the ix. pieces before described, restored & borrowed of Numa Pompilius, for the other parts of the Mass were invented at divers times by divers antichrists corruptours of the holy sacraments ordained of God And to understand the times & years of the chief builders, Agapet Pope of Rome reigned in the year of christ .533. & brought in the procession after the order prescribed by Numa. The Confiteor, was restoored by Damase reigning the year .577. The Kyrie eleyson & the Litanies, by Gregory reigning in the year .593. The graduel the collects & the Traict by Gelase reigning in the year 493. The Sequences by Gothere abbot of Sandale. The Gloria in excelcis by Simmach reigning in the year .508. The incens & the offertory restored from the ancient doctrine Pompilian by Leo the third of that name in the year .800. The kissing of the pax by Innocent the first of that name in the year .408. Agnus dei instituted by Sergius in the year .697. The commemoration of the dead invented by Pelagius in the year. 558. The Canon forged by Gelase, Siricie, Leo, & Pelagi reigning in the year. 800. The transubstanciation instituted by the bishops of Rome about the year of christ 1062. Wherefore of what impudency are these Alcoranists Mass doctors to be condemned, the which faulsely do affirm that the holy Apostles of jesus Christ did celebrate their missal sacrifice. seeing that this sacrifice was not restored to his integrity after Numa Pompilius but after Christ .800. years? In what approved histories is there mention made that such Idolatry was committed by the holy apostles of god? How is it possible to believe or to think it, when as this great whore of Babylon hath not been restored with her deceit & mask of holiness till long time after the incarnation of jesus Christ.  
But it behoveth to return to our history of Rome, more & more to discover the true original of the mass. 
Continuing of histories.  We have declared in discovering the parts & chief members of the mass sacrifice, how the ancient Romans before they were accustomed to sacrifice with the blood of bests did use little round cakes consecrated in the honour of their gods, the which standing they did eat within the temple about the end of the sacrifice. These little round hosts of wheat flower were taken up of the massalian sacrificers: but they have enriched the witchcraft & idolatry of Numa Pompilius in so much as they have decked the little round hosts with images & pictures printed within the round circle of the said hosts, 
Abominable idolatry.  
Against the idolatry of the round Hosts.  to th'end to make them more holy, even to be worshipped, by thinvention of Honorius antichrist of Rome, the year 1226, the which Numa the conjuror never practised, ne yet came to this abominable idolatry. What more detestable heresy can there be discovered then to paint the majesty of god in form & likeness of a man, as the Antropomorphits imagen? Who taught you (o massalians) to corrupt the holy sacrament of our lord jesus Christ's supper, in making little round hosts, if not Numa the conjuror? When jesus christ celebrated his holy supper with his apostles, did he ordain to have little round hosts, & to print them full of pictures & likenesses of men, to adjure & conjure with crossings & blessings odd or even, & to make them to be worshipped? Acknowledge then (o Massalians) your principal part of the mass to wit, your little round hosts to have taken their beginning of Numa more than 700 years before the incarnation of jesus christ, who never commanded you this roundness of hosts, nor that they should be rather round then square, three cornered, or eight cornered. But so far was he from choosing the figure of roundness after the fashion of Numa, that contrariwise when he instituted the holy sacrament of the communion of his body, he used breaking of the bread in morsels, which he distributed to his disciples for a simbol, sign, & figure, signifying really & sacramentally his body by the virtue of t'holy ghost. And the massalians have not only chosen the fashion round in their little consecrated hosts printed full of pictures to cause them to be worshipped after the manner of the ancient Romans, but further they have exceeded all idolaters. For in the time of Neuma Pompilius, those that assisted at the sacrifice of the Mass did eat together standing the said little round hosts consecrated. But since the Massalians have reserved for themselves the communion of the said little round hosts consecrated, using no charity toward those that stood by at their missal sacrifice. Is this to follow the ordinance of jesus Christ, who broke the bread and gave it to his Apostles? jesus Christ the everlasting sacrificer, was he alone at the altar, eating one little round host graven full of images, when he celebrated the holy communion of his body? Can you (O Massalians, toto abominable, and much less charitable idolaters than all the ancient Romans) so much play the subtle sophisters that you will make men to understand that your mass sacrifice (wherein the sacrificer alone devoureth all the little round host printed full of pictures without giving parts to any other) is a communion, & by a marvelous witchcraft to cause the assistants at the sacrifice to believe, the they have communicated together with the priest, not withstanding that they neither received nor did eat any portion of the round host.  
And beside this for a more extreme idolatry. the massalian doctors expounders do declare the round host to be divided in three parts, one for those which are in paradise, another for those which are in purgatory to have remission of their sins, and the third drenched in wine for those which are living in this world. But the Alcoran of Durand declareth the three parts of the host broken, to represent the three fashioned body of christ, in the sepulchre sleeping, in the earth lying, and after resing again. The other subtle doctor Biel, because he would not confess the body of christ in the round host to be bruised and broken, doth subtly define the breaking of the host to be done in an accidence without a substance. Be not these horrible heresies to make the souls to communicate which are in heaven, or in purgatory, instituted by Sergius doctor of the Machomet, by the means of one round host devoured by the massalian.  
But you (O Massalians) may here object unto me the use of the primative church observed in the communion of the holy supper, whereas every one of the assembly in the temple did take a portion of the broken bread consecrated to eat and communicate together. 
A communion of holy bread  The which use hath been kept unto this day in your Missal sacrifices celebrated upon Sundays, the which you cause to be distributed by morsels of holy bread unto thassistants within the temple. But in this ancient communion doth abide nothing but an image only. Because the Massalians absing the holy sacrament, have reserved for themselves only the little round host conscrated to be devoured, 
Notable differences between the round host & the holy bread.  without giving any portion unto the assistaunts: unto whom they leave the bits of holy bread, which are four square for the most part. The round host without leaven, and the holy bread is with leaven. The round host is without salt, & the holy bread with salt. The round host is printed full of pictures, & the holy bread is without print or picture. The round host is worshipped, & the holy bread is received with thanks giving. The round host is devoured of the priest, & the holy bread is divided among th'assembly to communicate & to eat together. The round host is steeped in wine, the holy bread is eaten without wine. To be short there is as great difference between these two kinds of communion, as there is between thancient law of the idolaters & the law of the gospel. Provided always that they agree in one point, that is, that both in the one & the other there is a corruption of the holy sacrament of the supper ordained of god. It resteth to come down to the deep Maze of Idolatry. 
Transubstantiation.  We have recited the history of the people of Israel, which did not content themselves with the heavenly bread Manna given unto them of God, during the time that they were in the wilderness: but did murmur against god and Moses their leader, requiring to eat flesh. The people also of Rome being Heathen and Infidels, were not contented with the institution of Pompilian touching the communion of the little round Cakes; 
Blond. lib. 1. de Rom. trium.   
But the bishiops of Rome, idolaters, did institute the kill and offering up of beasts, to the end to eat and communicate the flesh of the offerings in in their sacrifices, specially the sheep, the Sow, the Goat, and the Beofe, which first were ordained by evander king of Arcady. To the end therefore that the Massalian should not go out of kind from the Idolatries of their predecessors, they have followed this communion of flesh, and are not contented with the little round, unleavened hosts consecrated and printed full of pictures: but have in time invented a new witch craft, 
Hosts of meal are changed into flesh and wine in to blood.  to change their little hosts of flower into flesh and bone, the bread being no more bread, but an accidence without substance: and by this means to change their round host of meal into an host of flesh and blood. The wine also offered in their Mass chalices to be changed into blood: the wine being no more wine, but an accident without substance. Was there ever any witchcraft more abominable and heresy more detestable than this transubstantiation of the Mass? When the children of Israel were wearied with the eating of Manna, and the heavenly bread, demanding flesh, was the Manna turned into flesh bones and blood?  
When the Romans the ancient Idolaters did change their round hosts of meal, and demanded to eat of the flesh in their sacrifices, did they use this witchcraft of transubstantiation?  
Wherefore I do freely affirm that the Massalians have lately instituted this addition of the Mass, yea more than 1000 years after the incarnation of jesus Christ. 
In the year of Christ. 1062. in Chrono. log. Fon. Volater.  This heresy began to spread abroad greatly in the time of the Antichrist Nicolaite, crept into the Roman bishopric by the conspiraty of Hildebrant, having chased away by force the other chosen bishop, namely Benedict the twelve 
Lanfranc, de sacr.  of that name in the year of jesus christ 1062. Afterward it advance itself by a conspiraty holden in the Lateran at Rome during the ecclesiastical tyranny of Innocent the third of the name: about 200 years after the solemn recantation of Berengarius dean of S. Maurice of Angiers. 
Against transubstantiation.  Against the which abominable witchcraft & heresy, we must briefly bring in by the way of recapitulation the institutions of the sacraments ordained of god.  
First the fruits of the knowledge of good & evil, 
Trees of life  forbidden to our first father Adam, as holy signs & sacraments of fear & obedience, whereupon did hang life & death, were they changed & converted into knowledge or death, leaving the nature of trees & fruits, & reduced in to an accidence without substance? 
heavenly Manna, & the rock flowing water.  the Manna from heaven, & the rock flowing with water of life, sacraments agreeing with the holy sacrament of the supper, were they changed into an accidence without substance? 
Lambs offered by Abel.  the lambs without spot offered by Abel in sacrifice well pleasing to god, were they changed into another nature? 
Circumcision  The little skin cut of for a note & mark of the covenant unto the good patriarch Abraham, & his posterity, was it changed into an accident without substance? 
Pascal lamb.  The blood of the Paschal lamb for th'assurance of the health of Israel, was it changed into another substance? The flesh of the unspotted lamb, ordained to be eaten in the day of the passover, a true figure of the holy sacrament of the Supper, was it changed into an accidence without substance?  
The brazen Serpent, 
Brazen Serpent.  by the only sight whereof health was given unto diseases, left it to be a serpent of brass, was it changed in being ordained a sacrament and holy sign unto the people of Israel? The oblations offered in sacrifices, 
The offered sacrifices.  as well of earthly beasts as unleavened bread, and other holy signs ordained of GOD for Sacraments and holy Signs, to cleanse the people of Israel: Were they changed into an accidence without substance? All the holy Signs ordained of god in the church of Israel, not withstanding that they did represent really & sacramentally, that which they did figure, & not as a simple sign without effect, yet so it is that there was never none so horrible an heretic that did invent this witchcraft of transubstantiation. Yet must you confess (O Massalians) that the good & holy fathers of Israel were adopted graffed & regerated by faith in jesus Christ, begotten before all worlds: 
A conference of the faith of the ancient fathers of Israel with ours.  and that they were nourished & got everlasting life by jesus Christ, & that they & we have but one only God, and one only jesus christ our mediator & redeemer. And that they through faith did sacramentally communicate, and spiritually partake the blood of jesus Christ for their salvation and everlasting life. And there is no difference (as touching God) between them that were before the incarnation of jesus Christ, & we that are after the incarnation. But they & we are the church of God bought with the blood of the just & unspotted lamb jesus Christ. 
S. August. contra Faust. lib. 20. cap. 21. & 14. lib. 19 & con. Petilan. lib. 2. ca 37. 77  Furthermore that they had faith in the promise to come: and observed the sacraments & holy signs of the sacrifice which ought to be finished by jesus Christ. And that we by the new law do celebrate the memory and remembrance of the sacrifice already finished by jesus Christ, having the fruition of his promise accomplished. 
1. Cor. 10. August. in Psalm.  If then the Israelites did eat of the same heavenly bread, & drink of the same water of life (by faith) that we do in one only jesus Christ: If they had holy signs to represent actually & really the death of jesus Christ to come, even as we have had holy signs of his death present or past: they for the time to come, & we for the time past: Wherefore is it then that the Massalians have invented this new Witchcraft of turning one holy sacrament ordained of God into a Witchcraft of transubstantiation, and an accident without a substance? If god (to make known his power, & to declare the hardness & stiffneckedness of Pharaoh) pleased to do marvelous things by Moses & Aaron, 
Against the miracles alleged by the massalians. Exod 7.8.14.  in changing a rod into a Serpent, the water of the river into blood, & into Frogs, the dust of the earth into lice, and further to make the sayleable sea dry, and to do many other miracles: Is this to bring in a transubstantiation of little round hosts, unleavened, printed full of pictures, into an accidence without substance? In what place of the holy scripture (when there is mention made of holy Signs, Sacraments, or Sacrifices, ordained of God) is it said the Sign or Sacrament is changed?  
Contrariwise, God willing to accommodate himself to the infirmities of man hath ordained unto him from time to time common Signs, for notes & marks of the assurance of the thing signified. Wherein the might of God is more renowned & magnified by giving unto us with the holy sign the thing represented, by the power of faith & the holy Ghost, than if the self sign were really changed by some visible miracle.  
For the Sacraments do contain in them more spiritualness than fleshlynes, for which cause God did always blame his people Israel by his Prophets, for taking his sacraments over fleshly, 
The exposition of jesus christ of the communion of his body.  as we have before briefly declared. But tell me (O Massalians) when jesus Christ would expound, that he was the true bread of life which came down from heaven, to give everlasting life, & how these sacramental words ought to be understand, to eat his flesh & drink his blood, when the Capharnaites your predecessors were offended, did he teach by his interpretation that to eat his flesh ought to be understand by a little round host transubstantiated? The round host of flower, and the wine to be no more bread & Wine, but an accidence without substance? Is this your abominable witchcraft the doctrine of jesus Christ?  
Nothing less: But jesus Christ as a true law giver, 
john. 6.  unto whom the interpretation of his law appertained, answered unto the Doctors Capharnaites, that they were to gross & carnal and that they did abide in the flesh as ye do (O Massesayers:) Notwithstanding that the flesh alone profiteth nothing: saying that these sacramental words were spiritual. 
john. 6.  The flesh (sayeth he) profiteth nothing, it is the spirit that quickeneth. Moreover (O Massayers) how can ye safely make to agree your transubstantiation with the doctrine of jesus Christ, which doth promise & assure to give everlasting life to those which eat his flesh & drink his blood, if ye take these words carnally? For you can not be ignorant that your bodies (notwithstanding that they have devoured the little round hosts transubstantiated into flesh & bone, & supped and licked the wine changed into blood) do die & are mortal, by the necessity of the law. Wherefore life everlasting promised by this communion, may not be understand of the body nor of the mortal flesh. You must then of necessity acknowledge, for a sure interpretation that to eat the body and drink the blood of jesus Christ ought to be referred unto the life spiritual & heavenly, & that the flesh profiteth nothing, 
john. 6.  but the spiritual word & communion of the body & blood of jesus Christ by faith & in spirit giving everlasting life. This interpretation is often recited by the holy apostle john in many places when he useth these terms, he that cometh unto me, shall never hunger, he that believeth in me shall never thrust, but shall have everlasting life. Are not these terms sufficient plain to interpret this holy sacrament of the body & blood of jesus Christ, without running unto your witchcraft of transubstantiation. 
Conference of baptism unto the sacrament of the supper.   
Another like interpretation of the doctor & author of the sacramental law is described, when jesus Christ was asked of Nicodeme the mean how a man could be regenerate & borne again. Is it possible (sayeth Nicodeme) that man should enter into his mother's womb & be borne again? Did jesus Christ answer unto this demand, that in the holy sacrament of Baptism the water was turned into the body into flesh and into blood, & transubstantiate into a carnal womb to be thereby again engendered & borne? Is there not as great reason after your witchcraft here to use this answer as in the holy sacrament of the supper? for by th'one of these two holy sacraments we be regenerate, & by tother nourished. And the regeneration is as marvelous unto man's wisdom, as the norrishement. For after man's carnal judgement it seemeth unpossible, twice to be engendered. But our good god hath used like interpretation for the regeneration as he did for the communion of his flesh & his blood namely that these sacramental terms must be spiritually understand, & not carnally: for the flesh profiteth nothing but the spirit quickeneth. That which is of the flesh, 
john. 3.  is fleshly that which of the spirit is spiritual.  
The holy Apostle giving unto the Corinthians that which he received at the hand of God, 
1. Cor. 11.  did admonish them of the second coming of jesus Christ, in looking for the which he commanded to communicate the body & blood of jesus Christ by breaking of bread, & the cup of blessing called the new Testament and the new covenant contracted by the blood of jesus Christ. For as much then as we are assured of the second coming of jesus Christ. Being gone up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of god his father, until the day appointed that he must come again to judge the quick and the dead. How do ye agree (o Massalians) with this issue, when as by your magic you say that every day you cause to come down, and make to return the body of jesus christ in flesh and bone, before the time appointed of his second coming, be come?  
This witchcraft was restored by you from the first author of your Mass sacrifice Numa Pompilius: 
Tit. Livius. 1. Decade. 1.  who by his witchcraft gave to understand that he caused his Nymph & goddess Acgerie and also his jupiter Elicius to descend from heaven, 
Valcai. Max. lib. 1. cap. 3.  by whose means the heavenly secrets & mysteries were revealed unto him. Even so by your withcraft the round host consecrated, is transubstantiated into the true & real body of jesus Christ: The bread being no more bread. How have ye learned this boldness to bruise & break in pieces the body of jesus Christ according to the invention of Sergius the second of that name your predecessor bishop of Rome? Are not you more detestable hangmen, than your predecessors lieutenants of the church of Rome, 
iohn. 19 Exod 12. Num. 9  which crucified jesus Christ, but without bruising & breaking his body in pieces, as it was prophesied before. 
Corruption of the holy sacraments.  And that more is, you are not content to break it in three pieces, but in your Mass sacrifice ye have enterprised to drown or steep one portion of it in the wine changed into blood to devour it. 
Against transubstantiation.  To confirm your witchcraft of transubstantiation, have ye not ordained to preserve your little round printed hosts, the which you do keep & lay up so curiously in bores & shrines after they be changed into flesh & bone, & into the real body of jesus Christ? Is not this a detestable heresy to believe that the body of jesus Christ can receive corruption? Yea, 
Harman. contt.  & often it is eaten of worms, mites, rats & mice. Can you interpret, 
Blond. Platine.  that this is an accidence without substance, seeing that your hosts become often stinking, & corrupt with in your boxes? Many times also devoured of earthly brute beasts, that which you cause to be burned & their ashes to be put into the place for reliks. When the bishop of Rome Victor the iij. of the name, received poison by your transubstantiated wine, was it an accidence without substance? Or when th'emperor Henry the 7. of that name, was poisoned in eating a little round host consecrated, was it an accidence without substance, seeing it gave him his deaths wound? There is a more manifest appearance in the heavenly Manna given unto the people of Israel, 
Neem. 1. Psal. 78.104. john. 6. Sapi. 16.  the which notwithstanding that it became corrupt (if it were kept) yet being put in the secret place of the ark of the covenant, it was preserved without corruption: was it therefore transubstantiated into flesh & bone, to be called the heavenly bread, the bread which came down from heaven, the bread of life, & the bread of angels?  

The exposition of the sacramental words.  Now it remaineth to bring into judgement the subtle reasons of the Massayers, which for the whole foundation of their witchcraft, do carnally abide in this word Est, saying these words are expressly written. This is my body, this is my blood, when jesus christ did institute the communion of his body & of his blood under the signs of bread & wine. But I beseech all that are zealous of the honour of god diligently to consider the holy institution of the sacrament, by the which god would declare & signify the communion of his body by the bread, & the drinking of his blood by the wine & the cup. All will confess that the true & principal nourishment of the body of man is contained under the kinds of bread & wine: so that the true bread is often taken in the holy scriptures for the nourishment & life of man. But let us begin to bring in the places of the Bible. To the first man created to the likeness of god, 
Genes. 3.  for punishment of his offence was it not said unto him before, the he must eat his bread in the sweat of his body? 
Genes. 28.  Is there any man so ignorant that will not confess all the food & life of man to be understand by the bread? when jacob prayed unto god to give him bread & clothing, did not he understand by the bread all that was necessary for his nourishment? 
Exod. 16. Neem. 9 Psalm. 78. Sapi. 15. john. 6. Genes. 14.  when it is recited that god made it to rain bread upon the people of Israel in the wilderness, & that with this heavenly bread the children of Israel were filled, was not this term bread understand of the heavenly Manna sent of god for the nourishing of the people Israel?  
This manna is it not called the bread of heaven, & the bread of angels given unto the people without travel? 
Genes. 41. Genes. 47. Num. 21. levit. 26.  When Melchisedech would relieve the host of the good Father Abraham did he not present unto him bread and Wine? When Abraham would gratify and refresh the .3. angels appearing to him, did he not offer to them Cakes baked in the ashes. Gave he not to Agar bread for her nourishment? The mother of Isaac favouring her well beloved son, gave him bread. joseph in Egypt offered bread unto his brethren for their norrishement. When one will describe a famine & dearth doth he not say, there lacketh bread? When god promiseth any favour unto people keeping his commandments, 
iohn. 4. Psalm. 104. Math, 4. Luke. 4. iohn. 6. Math. 4.  doth he not give them assurance of sufficient bread? When he commended the poor, as his members, did he not command to give them bread? It is than the bread that nourisheth & maintaineth the heart and life of men. 
Luke. 9 Math. 15.  When Satan took upon him to tempt jesus Christ, to declare unto us that he was very man, did he not chose bread, to entire him to change stones in bread? 
Math. 6. Luke. 11.  When jesus Christ did celebrate his feasts, to give food one time unto 5000 men, the other time unto 4000 persons, did he not show his might under the sign of bread? when he taught us to make our prayers unto god did he not ordain the lords prayer, to beseech god to give us our daily bread? And not only in the holy Bible is there mention made of bread for corporal & common food. But also in the sacrifices celebrated by the priests of the hebrews, there was a law prescribed of the bread ordained of god, 
Exod 21. levit. 24. Math. 11. 1. Kings. 21. Esay. 30. prover. 20. Ezech. 4. Mala. 1. Psal. 23. Ezech. 12, Ozec. 7.  namely sweet bread without leaven. Other bread there was called showbread, which the priests did renew every week & eat, which David used being presented unto him by Achemelech the high priest. Contrariwise this term bread is applied unto bread of wickedness, unto bread of lying, unto bread of sorrow, unto unclean bread of idolatry, unto unclean bread offered at the altar, 
●eu. 8. Math. 4. Luke. 4.  unto the bread of trembling & unto the bread of tears. The Ephraimites also are called the bread of ashes not turned: that is to say in part baked & part not, circumcised idolaters. Wherefore, O Massayers Capharnaites, ye must not be so hardened & rooted in your fleshlynes, that you regard not the phrases of the holy scriptures in that which the term of bread is sometime taken for the earthly & bodily bread, 
Math, 15.  as when it is said, that man liveth not by bread only but also by all that proceedeth out of the mouth of god. Sometime also bread is taken for the word of god & for doctrine, when jesus Christ commanded his apostles to take heed for eating of the leavened bread of the Scribes & pharisees, 
Math. 15. Mark. 7.  are not these terms of bread & leaven taken & interpreted for the doctrine of the pharisees heretics? When the woman of Canaan did demand grace & mercy for the health of her daughter holden with a sore disease. Did not jesus Christ answer, that it was not lawful to take the bread of the children and give unto dogs? In this answer is not the bread taken for life & health, & not only for the corporal nourishment? Seeing then that bread is taken for the life of man, the which hangeth chief of bread & wine, and that the goodness of god willing to apply itself unto our infirmities would choose those two signs, notes & marks notable, to signify his body & blood, namely bread & wine, being two substances common to all nations, is that an occasion to imagine a carnal transubstantiation, as if without the same god were not able enough to figure & represent really & sacramentally life to be given unto us: yea everlasting life by the communion of the holy bread & wine consecrated, figures, & signs of his body & blood. 
Math. 6. Mark. 14. john. 6.  jesus Christ spoke these words, that the bread was his body & the wine his blood, he said also that he is the living bread, that he is the bread of life, that he is the living bread which came down from heaven, he saith also that he that eateth of this bread shall live forever. Is this to bring in that by this word (is) jesus Christ is turned & transubstantiated into bread, & is no more christ, but an accident without substance? O detestable heresy, O Massalians have ye more reason to interpret carnally these words (this is my body) to changed the bread into his body, than when he affirmeth that he is the bread, to change him into bread, considering that it is written that the partaking of this bred giveth life everlasting? jesus christ said hoc est corpus meum. He saith also: 
john. 6. Math, 26. iohn. 6.  Hic est panis qui de celo descendit: In both these places is there not this word (is) bestowed? Must we therefore bring in a witchcraft of transubstantiation, in place of sound interpreting of the scriptures, by a likeness or familiar comparison of bread with jesus christ, causing us to understand that by him life everlasting is given unto us? And by him our spiritual nourishment is given us like as by the bread we have our bodily food. How so ever it be we must always have recourse unto the true interpretation of jesus Christ, the true lawgiver, & author of the holy sacrament, who putting forth his institution said in the first place, that he was the bread of life, than after that this bread is his flesh & his body which must be given for the health of the world. He said that his flesh is true food, & his blood the true drink he saith, that he that eateth his flesh & drinketh his blood shall abide in him. How doth he interpret this eating? 
john. 6.  jesus Christ doth interpret it himself by these words. He that cometh unto me shall never hunger, he that believeth in me shall never thrust. Is not this the true eating & the true drinking, never to have hunger & never to have thrust? Behoveth it to get faith, which consists in spirit: behoveth it to address ourselves unto jesus Christ our heavenly bread, our spiritual drink, to fill us for ever, to quench everlastingly our thrust of sin, to run unto a witchcraft of transubstantiation & to forge an accidence without a substance. Wherefore (O Massalians) have ye invented another interpretation, than that of jesus Christ, who witnesseth that the flesh profiteth nothing, but the spirit quickeneth? and that his words are not carnal, but spiritual, giving spirit & life by faith & hope that he is the saviour of the world, incarnate, dead & crucified to give us eternal life, & after rose again, ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of god his father, abiding an everlasting priest propiciator, mediator & redeemer.  
Let us return again to this term (is) which tormenteth the brains of the Massayers so sore, 
●ohn. 15.  to imagine a transubstantiation. If jesus Christ hath said that he is the true vine, 
●ohn. 14.  that god his father is a husband man, and we are the branches. Is this to bring in this term (is) a Witchcraft of changing god into a husbandman, jesus Christ into a vine, & us into vinebranches? If jesus christ is said to be the unspotted lamb that blotteth out the sins of the world: is this to bring in a transubstantiation? if jesus christ hath said that he is the door of the sheepfold, by the which we must enter to salvation, & that he is the shepherd & we the sheep must we therefore ratch these places of the holy scripture so far, that necessarily we must believe a transubstantiation, for as much as this term (is) is there? When jesus christ admonished his disciples saying to them that they were the salt of the earth, 
Math. 5.  did he change & transubstantiate them into pillars of salt as he did the wife of Loath? 
Genes. 19  If jesus christ hath said by his apostles that we are the temple of god wherein the holy ghost doth dwell: is this to imagine that we are transubstantiat into a piece of stone? 
1. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 6.  If the apostle have said that christ is the rock out of that which did come the living water to wash us from our sins: 
1. Cor. 10.  is this craftily to devise a changing of jesus christ into a rock or material stone? 
1. Cor. 12.  If the apostles have witnessed that we are the body of Christ: Is this to bring in that we are vanished away, and are no moor men, but changed into an accidence without a substance?  
I foresee well (o massayers) more than hardened, that you will object, that in all these places before alleged wherein this word (is) is found, that no mention is made of sacraments, which must be deeply considered, for as much as they be holy mysteries ordained of god, which also is true. And also this word (is) is not only found in the holy scriptures before noted, 
Genes. 17. Exod. 12 13.  but also when there was speaking of the holy sacraments ordained before of god unto the people of Israel, was it not written that circumcision is the band & covenant of god? 
Genes. 17. Num 10. Psalm. 68.94. Math. 21. iohn. 2.  In tother holy sacrament of the communion of the paschal lamb, is it not said that the lamb is the passover or passage? Is this to bring in a witchcraft of transubstantiation? will ye not confess (o massalians & changers of substances) that in these places of holy scriptures speaking of the sacraments, this word (is) can not otherwise be expounded but to signify: & that circumcision was the sign & mark of the band & covenant contracted between god & Abraham: and that the paschal lamb was also the sign of t'holy passage: for remembrance of their deliverance from Egypt. The ark of the covenant for another sacrament whereof it is written, that it is the true power of the lord. Is this to say that it was transubstantiated into the majesty of god? It behoveth to interpret the holy scripture with discretion & humility, without sophistry & Witchcraft, to understand sound the true meaning of words, & not to abide in the letter that killeth: but to receive the word of god in spirit that quickeneth. If than the holy ark be named the lord & called god, for that in it he exercised his might, & showed his wonders and mysteries, to draw the people of Israel, by an outward sign to remember god, & to fear & obey him. Also if jesus christ is called the bread that came from heaven, the bread of life, that the bread broken is his body, & the wine is his blood, that the cup is the new testament, that by these outward signs of bread & wine he might cause us to understand our life and nourishment of salvation to stai only upon jesus christ, & that by his death & bloodshedding we are so assured of everlasting life, as the bread & wine are nourishment for the body, & that it pleased him to ordain these holy signs, to serve us for sacraments for the trial & confirmation of our faith: is this an occasion to play the Capharnaites or the Nicodemians to doubt of the power of god. How is it possible to eat the body & drink the blood of jesus christ? how is it possible to be regenerate & borne again? Then seeing we have a promise given unto us by the word of god, wherefore (o Massalians) have ye imagined a carnal transubstantiation, mistrusting the incomprehensible power of god? ought it not to suffice you to believe simple that the body & blood of jesus christ is offered unto us really & sacramentally to communicate for our nourishment, & to give us everlasting life by the bread & wine consecrated with giving of thanks, the bread being truly his body: & the wine his blood, which ought to be received worthily by faith, & in pureness of conscience, as holy signs & marks of the godly badge, with out inquiring ever subtly the means otherwise then jesus Christ hath interpreted (saying) the flesh perfecteth nothing it is the spirit that quickeneth, & that his words were spirit & life. Ought we to doubt, that god hath not the power to make us partakers of the body & blood of jesus Christ, by the holy signs of bread & wine consecrated, the bread nevertheless remaining bread, & the wine, wine. If it were otherwise, this should not be called a sacrament but a miracle, as when jesus Christ turned the water into wine that he used a miracle of transubstantiation changing water into wine But he did not then ordain a sacrament, 
john. 2.  as he did of the communion of his body & blood, by the holy figures of bread & wine Was it not as easy for god to make the wine to be changed into blood, 
Exod. 4.7.  or the bread into flesh, as for Moses & Aaron to change the water of the river into blood to apꝓue the hardness of pharoo, or when the clouds were turned into the flesh of quals which reigned upon the people of Israel, always god did not ordain these miracles to serve for ordinary sacraments, but would apply himself to our infirmity, giving unto us signs holy & not transubstantiated, which are neither vain nor fantasies, but are outward signs, which we can see, touch, eat, & taste, abiding in their substance, & nevertheless representing sacramentally, that which is comprised & signified by them, wherein our trial of faith doth stand, to declare us by a sacramental work to be of the number of them that are regenerated & nourished by the holy sacraments of baptism & of the supper. 
A comparison of the two holy sacraments.  If it be lawful to use comparisons of the two holy sacraments of baptism & of the supper, notwithstanding that there is difference between regeneration, which doth not reiterate (for it sufficeth once to be regenerate & borne again.) But the nourishment must be often done again according to the order of nature, & other differences largely described by the holy apostles and ministers of the word of god. Yet the same end, the same god, the same jesus Christ is showed & declared aswell in baptism, as in the supper. By the blood of jesus christ we be regenerate & by the same blood nourished. By the blood of jesus christ we are renewed, set, & graffed, & by the same blood we are kept & preserved from hunger & thrust for evermore By the blood of jesus christ we are spoiled of thold corrupt skin, & clad with his body, of the self same also we have our nourishment & everlasting life. By the blood of jesus christ we have access into the kingdom of heaven. And by the same blood we have the fruition of the kingdom, for unto the same purpose the holy apostle witnesseth, we are all baptized by the virtue of one holy spirit, & we have all drunk of one spiritual drink given unto us by jesus Christ. Be not these comparisons taken out of the holy scripture, to justify that jesus Christ is the only end, unto the which tendeth as well Baptism as the holy Supper? It followeth then that the signs of the sacramental water for baptism, & bread & wine for the supper of jesus christ, are holy signs, ernes, gauges, paunes, marks, seals, & sacraments, instituted of god for proof & assurance of our faith. Well then (o Massalians) seeing ye have invented a witchcraft of transubstantiation for the sacrament of the supper: 
Against the Massalians.  why have ye not also subtly devised the same witchcraft in the sacrament of baptism? why have ye not ordained the sacramental water (after that it is by you conjured & bewitched with salt to drive away devils) to be changed into the blood of jesus christ, the water to be no more water but accidence without substance, as ye have imagined of the bread & wine? What difference can you show, but sophistries, sophisms, & mass subtleties. If ye continue your heresy by this word (is) it is also found in the water of Baptism, which is called renewing & regeneration, the same is also named the holy ghost, and the garment with which, & by which we are clothed, renewed & borne again in the blood of jesus christ. Then seeing (o Massalians) that you confess that ye can not find a second Berengarie, to make a decree of recantation, to th'end to enlarge your witchcraft of transubstantiation unto the holy water of baptism and by the same mean to change your spittle & salt water, your oil, your creames, your salt & other drougges, wherewith you have corrupted the holy sacrament of baptism. Wherefore then are ye so hardened & waxed old in your Pompilian religion, that you would pluck jesus christ from the right hand of god, to make him to descend in body & blood by your whispering Witchcraft (as jupiter Elicius did) before the day appointed of his second coming? 
Luke. 1. Malach. 4. A comparison of the sun with jesus christ, the which S. justyne the martyr used in his treatise of the exposition of faith. chap. 3.  I can bring you in the similitude of the sun called by some apostles the sun of righteousness jesus christ, because that light cometh from heaven by this great & bright star. And even so the spiritual light is given unto us by jesus christ, who hath restored us to light, out of the night & darkness of sin.  
Well then (o ye Capharnaits carnal & gross) understand now a comparrison sufficient enough to show you the infinite power of god to be much more perfit than your abominable invention of transubstantiation. Do ye not acknowledge (if you have not your eyes blinded & holden in the depth of the darkness of frowardness) that the sun doth give unto us his light, his beams, his force, his heat and strength. And yet the body itself of the sun doth rest & abide in heaven? Do not ye say ordinarily in your common language, when the window of the house toward the sun is open, that the sun cometh into the house? Yet the sun remaineth always in heaven? Behoveth it to snatch & catch the body of the sun, causing it to come down and be transubstantiate in this earthly place before it can give his heat, his beams his light, and nourishment to plants, herbs trees & earthly creatures? Are ye so brutish (o Capharnaites) that ye will not confess the true son of righteousness jesus christ, to have much more power than this star of the sun create and mortal? If then the mortal creature have this power to give us the virtue, & strength of his body, by his beams, by his light, & by his heat sent down into the earth really, & effectuously the body notwithstanding abiding in heaven. It behoveth to believe that god the everlasting creator hath much more power to give us the true son of righteousness jesus Christ to give us the force and virtue of his body and blood shed for us, by the beams, light, & heat of his holy spirit, without constraining him by your witchcraft to be plucked from the right-hand of god, & to be drawn out of heaven by your transubstantiation into earth. Wherefore hath not jesus Christ this power to give us his light, & to offer to us his body & his blood, to enter within us, if by faith & pure conscience we will receive him by the virtue of his holy spirit, even as well & better than the son entereth into our houses by his might & power, without drawing it out of heaven to change the substance thereof? The sun is one only body created, abiding in heaven, the cause of the growing of plants, trees, & herbs, which giveth nourishment by force & heat unto all things living upon the earth, & in one & the same moment hath power to quicken, heat, & nourish an infinite number of plants, trees, herbs & earthly creatures, without separating, dividing or plucking his body from heaven to transubstantiat it. The body also of jesus christ which he hath carried into heaven & set at the right hand of god, hath it not more force, more virtue, & more strength, to regenerate us, to feed & nourish us, to give his virtue, his light & his beams, to inspire, quicken, sustain, lighten, & in a moment make us through faith partakers of his body & blood: to make us members of his members, knit together in him & by him, by his true promise contained under the bages & holy signs, left unto us till that the second coming of his humanity be seen upon the earth. Wherefore (o Massayers) have ye invented this witchcraft of transubstantiation, to blaspheme against god, to lessen his power, & less to esteem his power & virtue then the virtue of the sun his creature? wherefore will ye pluck the body of jesus christ from heaven before the time appointed, to change his substance into your little round hosts unleavened & printed full of pictures, 
jesus Christ as god aideth all.  which you cause to be worshipped, seeing that Christ as god, doth aid his church everlastingly, & hath power to regenerate feed, & nourish us, yea with everlasting life & food, by his promise witnessed & assured by his holy sacraments of Baptism, & of his holy supper. For other comparisons (o Massayers) familiar & homely, consider how the earthly & mortal princes are esteemed reverenced, & honoured for the sacred signs ordained by them. I will only set forth unto you two, that is to say wax & metals: of th'one  made the seal of the prince wherewith is sealed the graces, pardons, & forgevenesses, the letters & privileges granted by the prince. He that counterfeiteth this seal is he not punished for treason, even as if he he had hurt the very person of the prince. Doth not this seal represent the very person of the prince as if he himself were there present? yet the wax notwithstanding that it is called the seal of the prince) is not therefore transubstantiat, but remaineth still wax, yet after that it hath received the reverend print of the prince it is no more called wax, but the princes seal. The metals of gold & silver marked for the coin of the prince to serve for money, although they be called no more gold, nor silver, but have changed their names at the will of the prince, be it into the name of ducat, crown, shillings, pence, or other names, do they leave to be metals & the same substance they were before? this only difference there is, that they are appointed, & stamped with the print of the prince, which doth really represent him, in such sort, that he that clippeth or counterfeiteth this money, is punished as for the crime of treason, and as he had hurt the proper person of the prince. 
1. Cor. 11.  By much better reason the bread & wine consecrated & marked to be sacraments of the body & blood of jesus christ, do really represent him, & not in painting. Wherefore he that useth it unworthily shall have everlasting damnation, as a traitor to the majesty of god. If ye (o Massalians, Nicolaitains, & transubstantiators) are not sufficiently satisfied with thinterpretation of jesus christ & of his apostles, ne yet with similitudes & familiar comparisons, to bring you to the true way, & certain form ordained of god, for the celebration of his holy sacraments, in abolishing your Mass and Pompilian idolatries, casting away also your abominable witchcraft of transubstantiation, at the jest, yet will ye give no credit unto the interpretation of thancient doctors of the church? Hear than that which S. Augustin doth recite against Adamantin, 
August. ca 12. authorities of the ancient doctors. The exposition of saint Augustine.  even as the blood in many places of the holy scriptures is called the water & the rock christ. So is the bread called the body of jesus christ, the which three places must be expounded to be figures & signs. When that (saith the same doctor) jesus christ spoke these words, hoc est corpus meum, 
lib. de doctri. christi. & in prefati. Psal. 3  this is my body, & gave them bred. He gave them the sign of his body, for he thought otherwise that it was a thing unlawful, & to uncourteous, to devour the flesh & body of jesus christ, 
lib. 10. de can. des. cap. 5. sacrificium de consecr. destinct. 2.  if there were not a figure there namely, the bread to put us in mind of the flesh & body of jesus christ to have been offered up, for our life, & everlasting food. Moreover the same doctor useth this interpretation, the visible sacrament, is the testament, that is to sai the holy sign of the invisible sacrifice. The like interpretations are described by Tertullian against Martion the heritick: 
Tertul. lib. 1. & 3.4.  wherefore then (o massalians) have not you followed the authority of the holy doctors of the church, which would not blaspheme against god by a witchcraft of transubstanciation? 
 quid paras dentem & ventrem, crede & manducasti. ca  quid de consecratione distinct. 2. August. in li. de remedi. poeniten. & in ioh. tract. 25. cap. 6. S. Hierom in epist. ad Eph.  but have freely acknowledged the sacrament to be a sign or holy visible figure, signifying in spirit & by faith, that which is invisible? wherefore prepare ye the mouth & the belly to devour the flesh of christ corporally? why do ye not offer your souls by lively faith worthily to eat jesus christ? why did you not interpret the eating of the body of jesus christ by the notable distinction of the holy doctor jerom, saying the flesh of jesus christ is understanded fleshly when there is mention made of the shedding of the blood & crucifiing of the body of jesus christ for our salvation. 
Ca dupliciter ●adem distinct.  But spiritually when it is said, that the flesh is the true meat which must be eaten. For another holy doctor I will allege Gelase Bishop of Rome, 
Saint Gelase against Eutychius & Nestorius.  who disputing against the heritiks Eutychians & nestorians, doth affirm that the bread & wine consecrated & made sacraments, do not leave in substance still to bread & wine, but are figures & signs of the body & blood of jesus christ, by the mystery of the sacrament. 
S. Ambrose in his book of sacraments. chap. 11.  Will ye have more large witnesses of s. Ambrose who upon the epistle to the Corinthians hath expounded eating & drinking the bread & the wine, to signify, the flesh & the blood of jesus christ offered for us? 
Origin in Levi. homil. 7.  Origin also in his homilies hath expounded the sacraments to be figures, which must be examined spiritually & not carnally: for this (saith he) that the letter killeth, if it be not understand spiritually, 
S. Chrisostom in homil. 31. ca 15. come. 1. Psalm. 22.  when it is written to eat the flesh of christ. Wherefore S. Chrisostom warneth to honour this sacrament, in offering the soul unto god, for which christ was crucified, and that by this holy sacrament of bread & wine, is signified unto us the likeness of the body & blood of jesus christ. To make an end, it behoveth to be ruled by the holy interpretation of our doctor jesus Christ, & of his apostles, to honour & reverence his holy sacraments ordained of him for outward signs, to lift up our minds to heaven to take that which is represented by the same signs not to esteem them as vain paintings or fantasies, but worthily to receive them in lively faith by the virtue of the holy ghost, to the end to be fed & nourished with heavenvly bred, in the health of our souls, to come to life ever lasting. Let us then be assured in jesus Christ as membres of his body: 
1. Cor. 10.  Let us all come into unity to communicate one only bread, & to drink one only wine, made of many grains knit together, to the end that we may say with the holy apostle, 
1. Cor. 12.  all we the faithful are the body of jesus christ, saved & redeemed by his body crucified, & blood shed for us. Thus dwelling & abiding by faith in jesus christ, eating him, & drinking his blood. Let us believe surely that he was crucified, dead, & risen again, & his body ascended into heaven, 
D. August. in joan. tract. 30. Act. 1.3.  sitting at the right hand of god in a certain place, until that he return with his humanity, as he went up. Nevertheless his power & divinity are distributed unto us, & spread over all the earth, in all places, specially in the holy sacraments, which he hath left unto us for gauges, & outward trial of our faith, for a remembrance of the death and passion of our Saviour jesus Christ.   
FINIS.