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. Imprinted at London for W. C. 1609. To the right worshipful and worthy lover of learning and virtue, Sir john Brett. Such as from time to time have employed their studies, in publishing those labours that have been thought worthy the view and acceptation of others, have likewise for the most part selected such patrons, (aswell strangers as of acquaintance) as have been known and reputed to be learned, well minded, or well descended: Imitating which Custom and prescription, (adventuring the pardon of your discretion) I have inboldned myself upon good notice taken of your honourable disposition, to present this Treatise unto your favourable acceptance, tending to no idle or unprofitable substance: I humbly entreat you will be pleased to vouchsafe of my goodwill, and favour a scholars pen with your gracious acceptation, who answers in well wishing what he wants in worths. So shall I rest devoted unto you, and bestow my future studies to effect matter of better deserving. Ever remaining in all humble duty, ready to be commanded by you. W. C. 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 the 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 approve and make known his obedience. Trees of life. Gene 2.3. Euseb. Theodor. & Sever. To wit: The trees planted in the midst of the Harbour and earthly Paradise. These trees although they were of no other quality than the other plants, yet they were dedicated & consecrated of God to serve for Sacraments, (that is to say) for holy signs, their quality then dedicated & hallowed to serve as a seal for a witness, attestation & approbation of the godly will. For the infinite goodness of g●d 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 & 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, & 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 upon them did hang both life and death they containing the sign and the thing signified. Proverb. 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 going against the will of God, declared by outward tokens everlasting death and damnation was gotten. For other exercises of man toward God, to the end that he might reverence, Sacrifices before the Law written. honour, & worship him many & divers sacrifices were celebrated, yea before the law written by Moses. And although the almighty God creator of heaven & of earth hath no need of man's works, Psalm. 50. 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 and outward obedience by Signs, Sacrifices, and Sacraments: In such sort that the sacrifice of the lambs offered by Abel, Gene. 4. Hebre. 11. Gene. 6.7.9. was pleasing unto God. No 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. Apoc. 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, our good God did ordain the sign of the Bow in heaven, Rainbow. Gene. 9 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 off spring. 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, Exod. 12. the flesh also was ordained to be eaten, and in celebrating the feast every year in the day called Pasque, in sign & commemoration of their deliverance from pharao's bondage, Exod. 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, Cloud. a token of the way to guide the people by day, the flaming and fiery pillar to conduct them by night out of the hands of Pharaoh the tyrant. Pilelr of fire. Exod. 13. Moreover the sign of the division of the red sea of Arabia through the midst whereof the elect people of God did pass. The division of the red sea in the year 2453. 1 Cor. 10. Tite. 3. By the which wondered signs, God would signify the 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, Exod. 16. wherewith they were nourished 40. years. This holy sacrament instituted by the power of god was in such great admiration that every of the people said, Manhu, 1 Corin. 10. joh. 6. what is this here they did see the heavenly Manna given unto them without travel, a sign of the living bread descended from heaven and giving life to all the faithful. Also another marvelous sign was ordained of God by the rock flowing of lively water in Hereb to quench the thirst of thirsty people a sign & figure of the true rock jesus christ out of whom did issue water & blood to staunch the thirst of all sinners for evermore. Water of the Rock. Exod. 17. Num. 20. 1 Corin. 10, john. 19 The signs and sacraments aforesaid, divers sacrifices ordained of God in the year of the world. 2455. were not on●y ordained of God, 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 here offerings, sacrifices consumed with fire: other were of beasts slain, Division of sacrifices drawn out of Exod. Levi. and Num. 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 Beef, Beasts for sacrifices. and Veal, sheep and Lamb, the Goat & the Kid: 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. ●earch the book of Philo ●he jew, and josephus. It is commanded every day to offer two Lambs the one in the morning, the other at night after that the Altar was perfumed with incense and sweet odours. 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. in lat. 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 & the Goat of one year. For the sacrifice for health it was indifferent to take male or female, Levi. 1, 2.3.4. always three parts of the sacrifice was reserved for the Priest. To wit, the fat the two kidneys & the kall or the fat of the flanks. Another difference there is also betwixt the sacrifice for health, Sacrifice for health. and the sacrifice celebrated for sin, for in the one was ordained to eat all the sacrifice in two days, & in the other for sin, it was enjoined to eat all in one day only. Sacrifice for sin. By reason whereof some sacrifices were called Holocaustes, other for health and other for sin. The sacrifices for sin, were diverse aswell for because of the persons as for the offerings. Sacrifice for the sin of ignorance. For he that sinned by ignorance, was cleansed by offering an Ewe or a she Goat: but the cleansing of sin done wittingly was cleansed with a Ram. Sacrifice for the sin of the high Priest, Prince, Magistrate & particular person. levit. 3.4.5.6. The sin of the great Priest was cleansed by offering of a calf: 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. Sacrifice for the man polluted. For the woman delivered. levit. 12. 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 pigeon & a turtle. Sacrifice for the Leprous. Levi. 14. For the cleansing of Lepre, were 2 birds alive, pure & clean, cedar wood, and Isope, 2 whole lambs & one Ewe of a year with flower and oil. Another sacrifice also was made for the person polluted by seed shed or menstruous, Sacrifice for the polluted menstrual. with 2. turtles, & 2. young pigeons. If the great sacrifices did fail, than did they repair to doves, pigeons and turtles th'one for the offering, the other for the food of the Priests And in all sacrifices there was pure flower without leaven, salt, leaven & honey forbidden in all sacrifices. A sacrifice for the woman suspected of adultery. Numb. incense and oil. 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 incense nor oil as in other sacrifices, but for her was offered water mixed with dust or ashes gathered upon the pavement of the temple. Sacrifice of the Nazereus, Numb. 6. Philo the jew in the treatise aforesaid. Again there was another sacrifice celebrated for them which had made the great vow called Naserius, when the time of their devotion was done, it was ordained unto them to offer three sacrifices a Lamb, an Ewe & a Ram. One (to wit) the Lamb for the 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 the 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 430. 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 it shall be declared hereafter. If any man be desirous to know more of the multitude & diversity of sacrifices let him read the books of Philo the jew ●nd josephus of the judaical antiquities, following that which Moses hath plainly written in his books of Leviticus and Numbers. The Ark of witness. Ex. 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 and heavenly answers to the end to bring the people to the remembrance, fear and obedience of God, to honour & accompany the Ark of the covenant Many other exterior signs were ordained of God, as the ornaments and consecration of Priests, Ephod. specially the ornament called the Ephod the which and the sacrifices the Israelites did abuse by their Idolatries. Another holy sign there was of the purging and sprinkling water ordained by God to Moses and Aaron the high Priest. Purging water consecrated. Numb. 19 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 without any spot, and which had never been laboured. The Wood ordained to make the fire for the offering was Cedar & hyssop, Purple with Crimson. With this water were sprinkled polluted persons for the purging and cleansing of their corporal defilings. Exod. 38. At the entering of the Temple or Tabernacle was a Laver made of Brass, & forged first with the images 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 and 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 and restored to health (to wit) the brazen serpent lifted up in the air a figure of jesus Christ crucified. Brazen serpent john. 3.7. These were in sum the most part of the signs sacrifices and sacraments ordained of God in the first Church of the Israelites figures of the true and perfect sacrifice performed by jesus Christ, the true Messias and everlasting Priest, sitting at the right hand of God the Father. Sacraments broken by Adam Gene. ●. Now resteth the sum to bring forth, how man by his own proper fault did fall in oblivion and disobedience of God his creator, abusing God's favour, and corrupting the holy signs, sacrifices, & sacraments ordained to him. What persuaded our first father and his companion to bide 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 and corruptions hereafter described, into the which all men are fallen savouring of the corrupted lump of Adam. Leaving the particular corruptions of the signs, Corruption of the sacrifice by Aaron. Exo. 32 Deut. 9 sacrifices and sacraments before the law written by Moses we will begin to bring forth briefly the most notable error committed by the most great sacrificers, as Kings, Priests and others having the chief government of the people. When Moses was abiding in the 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 incense, and celebrated sacrifice causing the common people to worship the molten Image. Was not this an abusing of the Sacrifices ordained of God, and a corrupting of the true usage of the same, in causing the calf to be worshipped in place of the slain and offered sacrifice, as it was appointed in the law: Corruption of the sacrifice by Nadab. & Abihu. Levi. 10 Numb. 11. His sons also Nadab & Abihu, were not they consumed with fire, for abusing the use of sacrifices in taking unhallowed wood and corrupting the law? The people of Israel unthankful for the goodness done unto them in being delivered from the Pharaonical captivity, did they not murmur against the holy sacrament of heavenly Manna, when they did disdain and contemn this bread of life, josua. and demanded flesh to eat: Achan the son of Charms, did not he violate the law of the holy signs, when he committed sacrilege, and kept back the spoils of jerico vowed & consecrated to God for sacrifices: If any more curiously desire to see the continual abuses and corruptions of the people themselves, judg. 2.3.6.8.9 let him read the histories of the judges of Israel, and in all times he shall find man never to be content with the true worshipping ordained of God. But in steed of outward signs ordained of God to draw the people to fear and obedience, they have forged inventions. And in place of reverencing the altars and ark covenant in the name of the only God being (outward sacred signs:) The Israelites infected with the Idolatries of their neighbours, the Syrians, judges. 10 Sidonians, Moabites, Ammonites and Philistines did erect altars unto their strange Gods, The ungentle sacrifice of jephtha. judg. 11. Baal and Astaroth. jeptha, judge and Captain of the Israelites, did not he corrupt the law of Sacrifices when he sacrificed his own proper daughter, excusing himself by a vow, which he made, judg. 8.9: Idolatry by the Ephod. judg. 17.18. which was not appointed to him of God: The holy sign ordained of God for the high Priest to celebrate sacrifices in (called Ephod) the uppermost garment was not it abused by Gedeon, captain of the Israelites, when as of the spoils of the Madianits and 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 and holy sacraments, when they usurped by long possession to have this privilege of the people, 1 Sam. 2. that when they did sacrifice, & the flesh of the offered sacrifice was seething, their boy or servant having a three grained flesh-hooke 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 and detestable corruption practised by the priests and chief sacrificers, under the pretence of sacrifices: What greater corruption can be declared, then that of the sons of the chief Priest Ely, called Ophni & Phinees? Ophni Phinies, corrupters of the sacrifices 1 Samuel. 4. Who under the 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. Which they set in the Temple of their God Dagon, 1 Samuel 7.6. The ark of the holy covenant. but God not suffering this holy sign thus to be profaned, threw down the Image Dagon, & sent grievous punishments to the Philistines in such sort that they were constrained to restore the Ark of the covenant of God. Against corruption of holy signs. This holy sign was so precious that forasmuch as the Bethsamits (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 and slain by the vengeance of God. This example might make all those to tremble which enterprise to abuse the holy signs and sacraments ordained of God. 2. Samuel. 6. Vzzah. Vzzah 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 the one side was he not punished with death? Of others abuses committed by the Israelits there is many examples, Osias. 2 Chron. 26. Osias was punished with leprosy for abusing the sacrifices, in taking upon him the ministry of encensing appointed to the priests only Saul he first elected King of the Israelites was slain and his kingdom given unto another (as was declared before of Samuel) for abusing the sacrifices, Saul. 1 Sam. 13. joseph. lib. 7 cap. 4. of the jews antiquities. and suffering his people to commit the like abuses. His successors in the kingdoms of juda and Israel have not they always continued in abusing and corrupting the sacrifices and sacraments ordained of God, when they did offer sacrifices to the Gods, Astaroth of the Sidonians, 1 Kigs. 8.11. to Chantos of the Moabites, and to Melcom or Moloch of the Ammonites, in so much that they builded temples and oratory's, even to offer incense, and to do sacrifices unto them. jeroboam 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 Kine in the two Temples of Bethlel and 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 and 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, and particular oratory's builded on the tops of hills and thick forests consecrated, in violating the law of sacrifices ordained by God in the holy temple, within the holy city. 1. Kings, 15. For particular examples of the abuses committed against the true use of sacrifices, the history of Ma●cha mother of king Asa is manifest, who erected an Image of the God Pan, and did consecrate and dedicate unto him a thick forest, offering sacrifices unto it. Achab another king of the Israelites did erect an Altar, Achab. 1. Kings. 16. and made sacrifices to the God Mars, otherwise called Baal. unto whom he dedicated a groan, to satisfy his wicked wife jesabel. He caused also another Altar and Temple to be erected to the God of the Tyrians, he ordained Priests, Sacrificers, joseph. lib. 8. chap. 10. and instituted four hundred false Prophets. Ochosias'. His son and successor Ochosias' taught of his father to corrupt the use of the sacrifices, 2. Kings. 1. did not only offer to Baal (otherwise called Mars) but went forward in greater abuse, he builded a Temple unto the God of Accoronites called by josephus, Myos, joseph. lib. chap. 1. and by the Greeks Priapus, unto the which God, he did sacrifice. To be short, what more abominable corruption can be described, Purgatory. 2. kings. 16. 2. Kings. 16.23 In the book Alcoran. Asoar. 29.46. Asoar 5. ignem gehenna non nisi numero dierum preterminato animas sentire docet Alcor. liber & ad diem vetitatri omnes accedere operum ●orum mercedem accepturas Asoar than the invention of the fire Purgatory? wherewith 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, notwithstanding that it was in the time of Moses, yet the Idol Moloch in the valley of Ennon, was not cast down till the reign of King josias, more than nine hundred years after Moses. Nevertheless this abuse doth continue among the Arabians and Africans to this present, so that the Alcoramists and Mahometists have this belief that the souls of the departed, must passed through 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 and corruption of holy signs sacrifices and 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 & carnal men did stick more to the visible signs and outward ceremonies, then to the things signified by the Sacraments: Apo 13. for in place of circumcisiing their hearts, Deut. 10.30. and cutting away of the old skin of sin, to be regenerated and purified by the blood of the heavenly sacrifice offered before all worlds, 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, and to circumcise the forekinne of their hearts, in putting away the foreskin of their natural corruption. The like is come to pass of the sacrifices and 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 lift up his spirit to heaven to comprehend and conceive that which is figured and 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? Esry. 1. I am weary of your offerings of sheep. Moreover, I take no pleasure in the blood of beasts, lambs, and goats offered. Wherefore travel you to address Altars unto me? I will none of your offerings and vain sacrifices, I abhor your incense, I can not suffer your new moons, your Sabbaoths, your assemblies, and your feasts: all is but vanity. I hate your feasts of new moons (O Israelites) and 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. Psalm. 51. Esay. 66. jerem. 7. Moreover I will not receive of the house of Israel any Bull, because your sacrifices are not pleasing unto me. Eccle. 7. I am as well pleased with the offering of a beast, as with the murdering of a man, and with the offering of Incense, as with the worshipping of an Idol. Wherefore then (saith God) do ye take so much pains to seek Incense unto Sabba, and odours from far countries, to offer and 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, oblations, Amos. 5. and 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, Psalm. 51. follow equity, love mercy, and of an humble and contrite heart, fall down before him, for obedience is more worthy than sacrifice, or the fat of offered Rams. 1. Samuel. 15. What gave an occasion to God to put away those sacrifices and sacrament which he himself had ordained, bu● 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 and 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, and in the mean time turned away from the true worshipping of God, addressing themselves to creatures. As to stars, to the queen of heaven, and other strange Gods, offering to them incense, building for them temples, preparing for them priests, chaplains and sacrificers to offer unto them oblations and sacrifices. Moreover to accomplish this corruption they did sacrifice with the blood of innocents offering of them and causing them to pass through 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 and sacrifices ordained of God) it was said unto them by the Prophets, 4 Esdr. 1. that God would no more of their feasts, of their new Moons, of their circumcision, nor of their sacrifices, celebrated by people idolatrous and full of blood. When the unsearchable wisdom of God did perceive the hardness and infidelity of the people of Israel, which did ever continue to commit idolatry, by corrupting the holy signs sacraments, and sacrifices in place of acknowledging the infinite goodness of God, which had delivered them from the pharaonical 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, and other envious people: Nevertheless this rude people did continue in their idolatries taught them by their Priests, Sacrificers, Kings, and 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 raising up of wars, by captivity & bondage, by dividing of the kingdom parted between Roboam and jeroboam, the successors of Solomon plunged in the depth of idolatry, in 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 these people, 4 King. 15.24 to much hardened and waxed old in their Idolatries, were taken into miserable bondage, under thy tyranny of Infidels, Assyrians, & 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: Ioseph. 13. cap. the jewish antiquity. they fell again to their Idolatries, more than ever before, under the government of their Sacrificers and high Priests, which joined the temporalty and spiritualty so together, that they were clad with Sceptre, josephus in the book of the antiquities of the jews. Royal and Crown. Then succeeded the heresies of the Pharisees, of the Saducees, Esseens, Galileans, Masbutheens, Hemerobaptistes and Samaritans, corrupted by the diversity of strange nations which had inhabited and 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 Annoys did worship their God Nebahaze and Thartace, the Sepharuainenses did hold upon their Gods. Aaramelech & Anamelech. Unto the which Gods they sacrificed their children causing them to pass through the fire. Thus then, when all kind of Idolatry was spread among the Isralites, the sacrifices were altogether corrupted, the Priests became buyers and sellers, covetous tyrants and 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. Io ephus lib. 18. cap. 3 Eu●rop. lib. 1. cap. 2. The order also, the law & election of the high Priests was corrupted, & their dignity abastarded altogether, insomuch that without regard of the levitical race, the high ptiestes were appointed by Consuls or Lieutenants of Rome as pleased them. And whereas before they continued during their lives, now they changed yearly And when as the Sceptre was taken from the stock of juda, Genes. 49. and 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 human 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 corrupte● with the leaven of sin: Even so by the second Adam jesus Christ we are by grace purged from our offences. To our first and 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 and evil, the rainbow, circumcision, the lamb without blemish, the bread without levain, the cloud, the fiery pillar, the red sea divided, the heavenly Manna, the water of the rock, the immolation and offering of beasts for sacrifices, the ark of covenant, the brazen serpent, the purging water, the Temple builded in the midst of the holy City: All which sacred signs, sacrifices and 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 and 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 and uncorrupt. He was sacrificed as the just & innocent Lamb, Paschal lamb. john. 1. Hebr. 13. his blood being shed to preserve us from the tyranny of Satan, 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 leaven, without corruption, and spot, whereof we must eat for our spiritual nourishment, to the end we may celebrate the feast of the pharaonical passage in the land of liberty. 1 Cor. 5. The cloud, fiery pillar and red sea. He was the cloud, the fiery pillar, the red sea divided, which hath conducted us, which hath delivered us from the hands of our enemies, 1 Cor. 10. john. 19 out of whose side opened, came blood and water for our salvation and redemption. He was the heavenly Mamna sent from heaven to nourish us for ever, The heavenly Manna, the rock flowing water of life. 1. Corin. 10. and the true rock from whence flowed water to quench the thirst of all those for ever, which thirst 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 and offerer abiding forever a sacrificer at the right hand of God his father. Heb. 9 He entered into the heavenvly sanctuary, builded not with the hands of men, but with the hand of God. The ark of witness. He was the true Ark of covenant & appointment, by the which God did manifest and 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, Brazen serpent john 3. to give health to the sickness of all those which did turn toward him, and 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 trynity is worshipped. The host and holy water. He was the true and holy sacrifice whereof was made the purging water for the cleansing of all spots, having by his own ashes, that is by his own body offered up, john 19 sprinkled and 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 the incarnation, death and resurrection of jesus Christ, our Saviour, our mediator, our everlasting sacrificer, and mercy obtainer, the infinite goodness of God was yet more manifested by the new band, Heb. 9 new covenant and new coming of the son of God incarnate: For by his new testament confirmed by the death of the testator, Rom. 8. he hath made us fellow heirs and 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, S. Augustine in his 3. book of the christian doctrine. cap. 9 there were left unto us two sacred signs and holy sacraments, 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 regeneration and life everlasting, two holy sacraments, Sacraments of the new Testament. under two holy signs. To wit, the water of Baptism, & the bread, and wine, for the partaking of his body, and that his grace might extend to all nations, God did choose those tokens & signs which were most common & 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. Moreover the Circumcision was ordained for the men only, A comparing of the circumcision with baptism. Exod. 12. and not for the women: there was also a day set for Circumcision, the eight day after the nativity: and the cutting of the skin was painful and grievous. But the grace of God having abolished by his incarnation and perfect sacrifice, Genes 17. 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, as well men as women, without difference of days, Num. 19 & 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 Lustral & Expiatory, as may appear by reading of ancient histories. To the end than that the grace of God, by jesus Christ might extend to all the world generally, to all nations, countries and 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 and obedience. Tit. 3. Galath. 3. By the which sign he instituted the holy sacrament of baptism, for a note & assured mark of our regeneration, and purifying, represented sacramentally by the virtue of the holy ghost, in the which sacrament God doth assist and assure us to be borne a new and made one with Christ jesus, to be renewed & made members, of his members, and that he will receive us as clad and incorporate into him and 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 & ceremonies, concerning their religions, as well 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 & blood of our Saviour jesus Christ under the forms, holy signs and sacraments of bread and 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 this body and blood represented really by the Bread and Wine, consecrated for spiritual food & 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 diverse 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, & eternal life, given us by the blood of our Saviour jesus Christ, But as the Israelites too gross and carnal, did rest in the exterior signs, Corruption of the Sacraments. 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: Sacrament of Baptism corrupted. But some have brewed and corrupted the use of the holy sacrament of Baptism with adjurations and conjurings, suggling of salt, of oil, of tapers, cream, blowings, hoods, or biggins, with an infinite number of crosses, on the forehead, on the eyes, Theodor. in his book of the fables of heretics. on the nose, on the back, on the breast, on the shoulders, on the mouth, to chase away Devils: For the Massalians heretics authors of conjuring, and crossing, do say that the child borne is accompanied with his Spirit or Devil, which cannot be chased away but by adjuration and conjuring. Ca sine. Ca post. quam de consecratione distinct. 4. 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, with spettell and purging snivel, Ephetath. per Satyr. 2. What greater corruptions could there be described then these abominable inventions, as if the blood of jesus Christ had not been sufficient for our regeneration and purgation: 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, Gala. 3. Ephe. 4. 1 Cor. 15. if there were not spettell conjured snivel, oils, salt, biggins, cream, torches or tapers, or milk or honey invented by other Heretics. Other more subtle Magicians, Tertullian in his book of the crowned Soldier. pythagorians instructed in the Massalian doctrine have added moreover to pronounce 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 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 oil, of spettel & other minglings, invented by the corrupters of the holy sacraments: The body and blood of jesus Christ, wherewith we be clad by the holy water of Baptism was it not sufficient to preserve us from all tempests without borrowing of Biggins and Crisomes? And for another more great corruption and 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 Marcionistes, Quintilians Cataphriges, Montanists, Pepuzians, Priscillians and 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 Israelites, 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 the Catabaptists, anabaptists, Antipedobaptists and other heretics, & schismatics which not contented with the pure and sincere institution of God, did more rest in the outward signs, then in that which by them was represented in spirit. He that desireth to know more particularly the abuses and corruptions invented at diverse times by diverse humours of men, let him read our Ecclesiastical commentaries. It remaineth presently to come to the corruptions of the other holy sacrament of the supper and communion of the body and blood of jesus Christ. By this short discourse, a man may clearly know how variable and frail man is, always having abused the grace of god. For like as from the beginning of the law and instruction given unto them, the people of Israel did ever corrupt the true use of sacrifices, holy signs, and sacraments ordained of God: even so is it come to pass of the law of God by jesus Christ, having instituted the manner to communicate his body and blood under the figures and holy signs of bread and wine. The which holy sacrament was abused in the time of the Apostles by the Corinthians: Against whom the holy Apostle did write epistles, Sacrament of the supper corrupted. 1 Cor. 11. to the end to bring them to the true & 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 cap 37. & lib. 11. cap. 5. Certain of his sect did ordain the use of the holy Sacrament to be celebrated the 14. Moon, Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 24. Histo, tripart. lib. 9 cap 38. & 39 as the jews did. It is said, there were of this sect. Polycrates bishop of the Ephesians, Philip Hieropolitan, Policarp, Truseas Melite and Narcissus Bishop of jerusalem. Of the contrary opinion were Victor bishop of Rome, & Eleuther his predecessor, with Theophile Bishop of Palestine. This contention continued more than 300. years after the Apostles. Some celebrated the feast of Easter after the Equinoctial, when the Sun did enter into the sign of Aries. Other observeth the month Nanthisoc, called by the Romans Aprill. Some said (to wit) the Quartodecio man's, that it was instituted by S. john, to celebrate in the 14. Moon. Others advanced themselves to be taught by S. Peter, whereas yet there was no evident appearance of any thing. The Montanists Phrygians condemned the Quarto decimans observers of the course of the Moon, and that they ought to order themselves by the course of the Sun, beginning at the Equinoctial in Prime-tide: And by this means they celebrated eight Ideses of April, which is the 14. day of the same month; Provided that it fell upon the Sunday. There was not only contention for the use of the sacraments in what days it should be celebrated, but also there was great division among the Christians for ceremonies invented to prepare themselves to receive the same worthily: Euse. lib. 5. cap. 4. For some (as the Romans) did keep the fast three weeks before Easter: The Illyrians and all Greece with the Alexandrians did ordain a Lent to fast six weeks Others ordained seven weeks of fasting, leaving off from five days to five days. More and more to corrupt the holy sacrament of the supper, there was restored another judaical ceremony, by the differences of meats: Histo. tripart. cap. 8. For some (during the time of fast) forbade eating of flesh and fish. Other forbade eating of flesh only, permitting to eat fish & fowls, which they said according to Moys. did take part of the substcane 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, abbrogated and put away, by the grace and law of jesus Christ. Colos. 2. Galath. 4. Heb. 7. But was there ever any holy Apostle of God, 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 and a distinction of days & meats, but their doctrine did tend only to teach good life, and the true worship of one God only. Wherefore we must needs conclude that the ceremony and feast of Easter, to celebrate the supper of our Lord God is proceeded of mere custom: Histo. Tripart. lib. 9 cap. 38. For none of the Apostles hath left any thing in writing touching the same. To moderate such dissensions and corruptions many counsels were assembled, one at Sangaria in Bitine, by the which (to avoid all contentions) it was permitted to every one to celebrate Easter when he would. Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 23. Another counsel was holden at Cesaria by Theophile Bishop of that place, and by Narcissus' Bishop of jerusalem. Another council in Achay. And another council was holden at Rome by Victor, Bishop of that place. After these little corruptions, there succeeded greater from time to time, In the year of Christ. 114. according unto the humours and affections of the Bishops of Rome, Alexander the first of that name, Platine. Sabellieus. 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 and blood, to be under two kinds, Bread & Wine, but Alexander added a third kind (to say) Water. He restored also the judaical ceremony of unleavened bread (called sweet bread) to celebrate the Easter as the jews did, Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 27. & lib. 6. cap. 14. following therein the Ebionites, which taught that the ceremonial law of Moses was necessary for salvation: As also Symmachas 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: It is therefore necessary to turn again unto the rigour of this ceremony abrogated by the sacrifice perfectly ended by jesus Christ? In what place of the holy Gospel could Alexander ever find to mix water with the wine? Cel. lib. 39 cap. 21. And for to bind Christians to unleavened bread. Is it of any more value, than his invention, to chase away Devils with water salted and conjured? And as touching his conjured water ordained by him, we will show hereafter that the original thereof came from Numa 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 consecrated the water with the bread, specially in the feast dedicated to the Sun, which the Persians did worship, called of them Mythros. And in the feast also of Nephalies', just. in his apology. water was used for the sacrifice. According to this comparison, justin Martyr maketh relation of the custom observed among the idolaters, and Christians, for the bread, wine, and water consecrated. By the one that is to say, by the idolaters, in the name of their Idols and 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 & ordinance of God did not continue without controversy: Inno. lib. 4. cap. 5. 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 Sophist Scot doth affirm absolutely that it is not necessary the water to be mingled with the wine, because saith he it cannot be changed and transubstantiated 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 transubstantiated into the water which came out of the side of jesus Christ. This first corruption of Alexander did give occasion of many other to succeed: For some invented greater bruing to mingle it with blood drawn out of young Infants to mixed with the bread of the holy supper of jesus Christ, S. Augustine in his book of the relics. cap. 26. & 64. as the Cataphriges which began a kind of transubstantiation of wine into blood really & corporally. Epipha lib. 2. Tom. 1. heres. 49. Some other adjoined thereunto cheese called Artotirites, that is to say, cheese bread. Others also abusing this sacrament, in steed of wine took water under pretence of more 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. Is not this corruption directly against the holy gospel and instition of the supper of jesus Christ, Matth. 29. Mark. 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. which hath ordained and commanded all faithful to eat his body, and drink his blood. When he took the cup used he not these proper terms, Drink all of this wine in memory and 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 the 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 paschal 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 Passeover 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 means) the sacrifice of jesus Christ perfectly ended & cannot be done again: for that it was not after the order of Aaron, 1. Cor. 11. but after the order of Melchisedech, 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 & 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 and wine, representing his body and blood. After the corruptions abovesayde, Satan the diligent babylonical builder employed all his forces & strengths, to build an invincible fortress of Idolatry, to the end to fight against, and utterly to throw down the kingdom of jesus Christ, when he did enterprise the building of the Masle 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 Messalians are plunged) I thought it necessary, briefly to discover the ancient religion of the Romans', the reign of the occidental empire, and of the Emperors which have exercised both the temporal office, and the dignity of the great bishops superintendents of the religion & Church of Rome. Tit. Liu. lib. 1. Decad. 1. All other (as well as I) shall confess that the Roman religion altogether for the most part to have been instituted by Numa Pompilius the second King of the Romans', Funestella. 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 Syl●a to 15. 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 and Infidels, following the religion of Numa Pompilius the conjuror. And that more is, after the incarnation of jesus Christ, for the space of 300. years or thereabouts, 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 Philosopher, Septime Severe, jul. Maximus, Mar. Quin. trajan, Dece, Licime, Valerian, Valere Aurelian, and Diocletian. All which were Emperors and governed the Empire and Roman 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 and high Priests as diligently is gathered in a book of the antiquities of Rome, wherein be described the Images, In the book entitled the discourse of the religion of the ancient Romans' by william de Choa●bayly of Dauphin. monies, and monuments of the anancient Emperors of Rome, which were all called great Bishops, by these titles, s●l. Ces. Pontif. max. Tiber. Nero Pon if. m●x. Claud. Nero. Pontif. max. Vaspasianus Ces. pontiff. max Traianus Impera. Pontif. max. Marc. Aurel. Anton. August. Pontif. Holiogahalus summas sacerdos Aug. Adrianus Imper. Pontif. max. Galerius Maximini●ans Pontif. max. Tit. Ces. Pontif. max. Com●●od. Imp. pontiff. max. Flavius Constantius Aug. Pontif. max. Which being then Emperors and great Bishops would suffer none other head in the religion and Roman Church then 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. In the Catalogue of Emperors, in the end of the history of Nicephore the year of Christ 410. With what fury were they enraged for the space of 300. years against the christians and Christ's religion, to defend their ancient religion of Pompilius? what answer was given to Theodose the Emperor by the senate and 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 Pompilian religion more than 1000 years, & 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 and Roman Senators to receive the holy Gospel, much less could they convert the Roman Idolater, causing them to forsake their inveterate Idolatry: For the Bishops of Rome were too much occupied in restoring the judaical and Pagans ceremonies for the distinction of meats, ordinance not to fast Sunday and Thursday, In the cannon revealed by Clement Bishop of Rome. 21. 22 62. 95. to set an order for table clothes, veals, vessels of gold and silver, sensors and tapesterie, & other ornaments of the altars which consumed with age, were ordained to be burned and the ashes to be put in the fount. Other were marvelously occupied to restore the judaical ceremonies of sweet bread, and 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, brewing of salt with the water to make it purged and conjured to drive away Devils. Sixtus Bishop of Rome in the year of Christ 121. Other also did travel to institute Corporasses of fine linen to lay up the consecrated hosts, and to ordain also albes and 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 and consecration, Higinus Bishop of Rome in the year of Christ 140. with conjuring, with salt to drive away Devils. And some other to invent oils and creames to corrupt the holy sacrament of Baptism. ●abian Bishop of Rome in the year of Christ 240. Moreover (during the reign of these Tyrants, Emperors, and great Bishops) the Bishops of Rome desiring to make their names to continue for ever, did dream in their spirits to build Temples, Pius Bishop of Rome in the year of Christ 144. not unto the honour of God, but in the name of their he and 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, & the rest remaining should be burned with fire: and the ashes should be laid up among the relics. Zepherin Bishop of Rome in the year of Christ 200 Other did travel to set an order among chalises, 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. Calixtus Bishop of Rome in the year of Christ 220 E●tich Bishop of Rome in the year of Christ 282 Some were occupied marvelously to ordain the offering and consecration of fables, to celebrate funerals in purple garments after the manner of the vestiment called Trabea, the which the Idolaters did use in triumphs celebrated in the honour of their Gods. The red robes of Cardinals. Silvester bishop of Rome in the year of Christ 314. And the like purple garment is used of the Cardinals to this day. Others were occupied to invent a confirmation for young children, 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 then possible that the first Bishops of Rome should draw the Princes, 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. Chronicle of john Baptist. One might bring in Constantine the great, which caused the Council 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 to be regenerate by the blood of jesus Christ, until he was 65. ye ears old, Histo. tripart. lib. 3. cap. 12. at what time he was baptized by a Bishop of Nicomede Arian, named Eusebe, the same Constantine being at point of death. Silvester then Bishop of Rome, must not crack that he converted this Emperor to the faith: For this same Silvester would not assist the assembly of the Council holden at Nice in the year of jesus Christ. 327. How so ever 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 same 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 then 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 & Alayns, Paul. Emil. lib. 1 the year of Christ. 412. 15. 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. A little while ●fter succeeded the Hunnes. Blond. lib. 2. Decad. 1. Then Attilia King of the Goths, which usurped Italy. About this time the Roman Empire of the West was spoiled of all Germany, Asia, Sarmatia, Procop. lib. 3. 0 the war of the Vandals in the year of Christ 486. and all the Provinces tributaries, unto Danube: Spain also, Aquitania, Gascoigne, Bourgoyne and all the Gauls did revolt from the Roman tyranny. Then succeeded the Ostrogothes with their King Valemir, The year of Christ. 550. 554 Theodemer, Theodorike and other Heathen and Infidels. The Visigothes also, all usurpers successively of Italy. Paul Emilia lib. 1 the year of Christ. 568. Afterward reigned Totilas, which forced, rob, and burned Rome, and all Sicily. In the end the Lombard's conducted by their King's 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 obstinacy of the Emperors and Senators of Rome, which first of all caused the Lieutenants, & officers appointed in judea to crucify Christ & 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. Then afterward (the occidental Empire being overthrown) Rome and all Italy was ruled & governed 300. years, or there about, by Kings, Princes and Dukes, idolaters and Infidels. namely by the Vandals, by the Goths, by the Hunnes, by the Astrogothes, 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 not strange, that I have here showed the sacrifice of the mass, to have taken his beginning of the ancient religion instituted by Numa 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 and 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 and usurping of the nations aforesaid, in Italy was erected a little Lordship at Ravenna, which continued about 183. years until it was ravished by a Bishop, which invested himself, and encroached into the chair of S. Peter by the means of a donation and demission practised by Pepin in the year 758. in recompense of a tyranny exercised by Zacharie Grec. Bishop of Rome, 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 unto the said Pippin the son of Charles Martell 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. land. lib. 1. cull. Emil. 2. (800. years being passed) with a great number of Towns a long the Sea Hadriatike, committed unto them by Pepin, contrary to the express commandements of Constantine then 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, Sabellic. and 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 Constantinople, In the year of Christ. 600. Blond. lib. 1. named john Bishop of that place: Who seeing the occidental Empire of Rome overthrown, and the other of Constantinople highly exalted, Greg. lib. 4. of his epistles, cap. 26. 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 council holden at his pleasure) Bishop Ecumenique, The year of Christ. 604. that is to say, general and head of the whole Church. Platin. Sabellic. 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, Mark 26, a polygamy in the church the spouse of jesus Christ attributing to himself that power 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. Luke 11. Mark 2. and tyrants of the earth? That none amongst 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 in his holy will. Is not he of good right Antichrist, which will have himself called the successor of jesus Christ in the great Bishopric, & 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 and his successors in the dignities of the high Priests of the jews: But is after the order of Melchisedech a king & 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 & 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 Numa 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 diverse heresies sowed, as well by the jews, Pharisees, Esseens Saducees, Masbutheans, Galileans, Hemerobaptists, and Samaritans: as also by the Christians, Simoniaques, Nicolaits, Cerinthiens, Menandriens, & Ebionites, Valentinians, Cerdonians, Marcionistes, montanists, Seek the Church histories. Cataphriges, Tatians, Eueratits, Severians, Artemonistes, Porpherians, Helchesaites, Novatiens, Sabellians, Chiliastes, Paulianistes, Manicheans, Automousiastes, Arrians, Eunonians, Macedonians, Ewomiotheophroniens, Eunomioentichiens, Aetians, Donatists, Luciferiens, Patripassians or Theophatites, 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 law, and partly out of the heathen Idolatry he invented the great Alcoran▪ decree, wherein he set many chapters & articles called Azoares, which are as laws and rules of the Mahomet Religion. This preface & 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 Emperor of Rome hath been governed until the decay thereof, about the year of Christ 410. And how the barbarous idolaters did usurp the same: for the space of 300. years how also the Antichrist's did rise, and in the end the Emperor of Rome was transferred to the Almains, which keep it to this day, 500 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 Daniel. 11. speaking of Maozin, as if they would signify the Mass by Maozin. But this term is very strange from Missa, or Mass. And there are 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. 4. Kings. 11. Missa. Another term also is found, very comfortable unto this common term Mass, namely messal, josua. 19 messal. that is to say, 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 Hebrues, acknowledging their Mass and messal to be a conculcation, grave, or hell. Further to speak the truth the Author of the Roman Religion Numa Pompilius never thought of the Hebrues, when he first instituted the Mass much less this term Missa or Mass can have his original of the Greeks, Messal. Hell. seeing they have no sacrifice of that name, notwithstanding that some have made some reason to bring in this term of Greek Miz●in, that is to say in English, to whisper or hide in secret. As if the Messalian sacrificers had received of the Greeks idolaters, to keep secret the chief and principal words of their Masses, to the end they should not be understood of the assistance but have observed to murmur and blow between their teeth the Canons, and 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 Mass taken of the ancient Latins Romans. taken of the ancient Latins the Romans, which were accustomed to use these terms, Missus, Missa, Missilis, and Missio. As we say in English a Messenger, a Message, and Messivenes for letters sent: For when the ancient Idolaters Romans would give leave unto the assistance at their Sacrifices celebrated to go home, Apud Graecoes Sacerdos functus misterio sic renunciabat Laois aphesis quasi populum misum faceres they caused to be pronounced in the end of the sacrifice these words. I, lieet, Missa est. Depart, it is permitted the assembly hath leave to retire or departed. And in process of time, for that this song did note unto the people a licence to go home, most agreeable and desired as a song and term most comfortable & pleasant it hath been kept and the sacrifice honoured with this term Mass or Missa to confirm this point there is two thousand years past, Apul. lib. 11. de asin. au. and the same terms be sung yet unto this present day, Ite Missa est, which doth signify a leave given to the company or assembly to departed 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 ordinarily to awake, and leap for joy, as being assured to have licence to go to dinner. The Arabian Mahomistes instructed of long time by the monk Sergius, as we have declared, have this term of Mass in great commendation, In the book of the description of Africa by john Leon Affricain. with which vocable they have honoured 3. 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 reverenced by the Idolatrous Turks, Messa o the Turks. for that they did believe that in Messa should be borne the just bishop promised and prophesied by Mahomet. 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 Turk's Court by friar Antony Gefferie. They have also this name Messalamaines in as great honour as we have the name of Christians. As if the would signify by this vocable Messalanian saved. Moreover the Mahematists do honour also their priests with the name of Mass, calling them Messen, In the book above said. Messen. Messit. 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 paths and encreasements, aught to describe it with great reverence, having due respect to the ancient religion Pompilian and Alcoran of Mahomet. Now after that we have resolved the name of Mass, and of Missa, in the Latin tongue, to have taken her beginning of the ancient Roman idolaters, and 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 that name Bishop, to have his original also of the Romans' as we have declared also 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 Scitheses. 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, having 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. Cairo. sacerdos C ur 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 Pompilian Religion and that one should do wrong to the ancient Roman idolaters if he should take from them the original of the names of Mass of Bishop and of Curate, Tit. Liu. Fenest. Pompo. Let. as it is justified and evident by the ancient Roman histories. Touching the vestments of the Mass Sacrificers Numa ordained that it should be white, called by the Latin word Alba, an alb. The which name Aulbe hath continued to this day for the vestiment of the Priest celebrating Mass. Above the alb Aulbe. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. Super tunicam aeneam pectori tegumen. Tit. lib. Deca. 1. 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, they used also a vail to cover their head in sacrificing, Chasuble. Virgil. lib. Even. 3. purpureo velare comas ad opertus amictu sit capite ante aras phrygio velamus amictu. called an amice first instituted by Aeneas. These be the principal vestments instituted by Numa, more than 700. years before the incarnation of jesus Christ. True it is that afterward many enrichments of the jews were added thereto, as the Stole, the Ephod, the Zone, or Girdle the Mitre or There, and certain other ornaments, the goodlier to garnish the great whore of Babylon. Titelman in tracta. de exposi. myniste. miss & Gaber. Biel in li. de exposi missae. But the Massalians willing to disguise the original of their vestments of the mass have imagined the alb to figure the conversation of jesus Christ in his flesh, 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 & mocking the passion of jesus Christ do sophistically signify by the alb, the white garment presented by Herod 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 alb doth signify the certainty of the most clear light of God, which he calleth ens: the linen also whereof the alb is made, they do interpret the subtlety of the scriptures. And as touching the amice invented by Enea. they disguise it to be the vale wherewith Christ was covered when the jews in the house of Caiphas did mock him in buffeting him. Titelman one of the most subtle Massalians doth sophistically say by the amiae to be signified the divinity of Christ hid under the humanity. Some other also do confess the amice to be come in, in place of the Ephod of the jews. The zone, the maniple & the stole which be 3. kinds, they figure the 3, cords wherewith Christ was bound and led before the Priest, & before the Lieutenants of the Romans in ●ury, Biel another fubtel Massalian doth interpret by zone the rods wherewith Christ was whipped, by the stole laid a cross to signify the gibbet or gallows that Christ carried upon his shoulders. The maniple also carried upon the left arm to figure the bond of love wherewith Christ was holden. Another mummery by the zone wherewith the alb 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 maniple 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 maniple, the watch and hearty devotion of the massing sacrificer. Titelman doth surmise otherwise of the maniple on the left hand, to be figured the force and battle of Christ against all powers visible and invisible, as a buckler against all temptation: and the hems of the maniple to figure a final perseverance. He doth sophist also by the left hand to be understood the humane infirmity of Christ, the which bound with the maniple, doth figure Christ holden as it were overcome by the divinity. Brunus another Massalian doctor doth imagine by the maniple the care of the massing priest to chase away evil affections, or otherwise to figure the ●ord wherewith Christ was bound by the jews: by the Stole, to be figured the yoke of the Lord, the which the Massalian ought to have garnished with arms of righteousness on the left side and on the right. The other painted ornament first instituted by Numa the magician they have disguised it with the name of planet, as a wavering vestiment, otherwise called a cope of a chasuble, which they do sophist to present the purple rob 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 platonicing, doth interpret by this vestiment decked with divers colours, to be figured the stars and heavenly signs. Then the Massalian sacrificer thus rigged with his alb, Ammas, his zone, maniple stars, & with his chasuble or cope of divers colours, must stretch out his arms to play two personages at once, representing by his chasuble or cope (whereof the part before is less than that behind) the first Church from Abel to Christ. And by the part behind more large and also enriched with the sign of the cross to figure the Christian people. This chasuble must accord with the Amice which was before upon the head to signify the conjunction of Christ & his church. The alb 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 or with holy oil to signify the princeliness of the Priests the which ornament of the mitre is now reserved for great Sacrificers only. Philo in lib. de profug. 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 Sacrificers have taken of the religion Pompilian to conjure a cleansing water called Holy Water, Apul. lib. 11. Of the golden Ass. Proclas in lib. de sacrifi. & Gag Procl. Platonicatu. consecrated to sprinkle the assistants at the sacrifice. The conjuration and enchanting instituted by Numa was of sea or salt water, for this cause saith he, that the salt was participant of a fiery nature, or of fire very apt to purify. For this cause the ancient Roman idolaters did sprinkle with this salt water conjured (as with Mercury water) purging & cleansing the faults of the people, Eius aquae aspersione, peccata presertim periuria, mendatiaque dilui credebant. Blond. lib. de Rom. tri●m. Ovid lib. ●ast. 3. In the law of the discourse of the religion by Choul. i Holy water, stocks of two sorts. specially of perjured & liars. To conserve this water hallowed & conjured they had two sorts of holy water vessels. The one great fixed & made fast at the entry of their Temples, where they did worship their Images, to the end to sprinkle with the same salted water those which did enter into the said Temples. The other holy water venssel was cariable to transport of the same water through their Temples or houses, to the end to water them for their cleansings and purifyings. Dijs superis sacra facturus corporis ablutione purgabatur cum vero inferis litandum erat sola aspertio sufficiebat. Blon. lib. 2. de Rom. trium Macro. lib 3. Satu. cap. 1. In deliis. Apolonis templo praecipua erat aqua sacrificantum usui accommoda quam ad alios usus hausisse magni crimiminis instar erat Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap 17. Platina. Si sinis vitula aspersus populum judeorum mundebat multo magis aquasale conspersa populum sanctificat & insidias diaboli avertit ca aquam They which ought to celebrate the Mass, if it were to the inferior Gods, it was sufficient that the sacrificing Priest did sprinkle himself with the same purging water. But if the sacrificer did celebrate Mass to the superior Gods, he must bathe his whole body, & wash all his members. It was also defended to apply this purging water to any other use, save for cleansings and purge. Alexander the first of that name, next successor of the Apostles of jesus Christ, and one of the first corrupters of the holy sacraments ordained of God, following the same institution of Pompilius continuing this Idolatry of conjuring and consecrating of holy water, to chase away Devils. But the better to colour of 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 jews: By much greater reason the water conjured with salt should purify Christians and chase away Devils. Is not this a breaking and corrupting of the law of God, de consecra. distinct. 1. Law of God▪ corrupted. to accord with the Romans, taught in the ancient doctrine and religion of Numa 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, Num. 19 he would rather have followed the judaical ceremony, 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. King. 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. Num. 19 And it shall not be found that there was at any time amongst 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 Numa Pompilius, more than seven hundred years before the incarnation of jesus Christ. Histo. tripart. lib. 6. cap. 35. This purging water was so well observed of the Roman idolaters, that more than 360. years after the incarnation of jesus Christ, it is recited how the Emperor Valentinian entering into the Temple of the goddess Fortune, Valentinian the Emperor against holy water sprinkled a sacrificer 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 Priest holding the holywater-sticke, 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. Holy water very ancient. And that their holy-water stocks, and salted cleansing and purging water, are of the ancient doctrine of Numa Pompilius and not of the evangelical doctrine of jesus Christ, which they call new doctrine, and new Testament, as differing from the ancient Ceremonies of the jews & Painyms' idolaters. Against salt holy water of Alexander Pope of Rome. But again I cannot marvel enough, wherefore Alexander did enterprise the restoring of the Pompilian Idolatry, seeing he had a mean to reinstitute the ceremonial water after the fashion of the jews. And this doing to follow rather the law of God than Numa 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 shrines, and coming of curtains, Ca Omnes de consecrat. distinct. 4. & ca Altaria & ca Vestimenta. distinct. 1. towels and vessels consecrated, which the Bishop Clement predecessor of Alexander had forbidden to be applied to any profane use, But being worn with oldness, to be burnt 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 dainty of salt and found a better taste, to continue the ancient Roman religion? Other ashes might have been found by the successors of Alexander: Ca Al●aris de consecrat. distinct. To wit, of the round hosts unleavened and 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, muce, and other beasts devouring the said consecrated hosts, and ordained to be burned, and the ashes to be put into the shrines. In lib. cautel. Miss. 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 into the host of the Massalian Sacrificer, which they say is offered to God as a health sacrifice? levit. 2.5.6. In doing whereof he should have followed the ceremony of Moses, by the which he commanded the 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 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 to have taken thought to bring in inventions, notwithstanding that they were invented by the ancien 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, The true holy water of all Christians. to have clearly declared the holy Gospel, causing the people to understand, 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, to preserve us from death everlasting, Hebr. 9 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 Samaritans, Epi●● a lib. 1. tom 1. ●ec 9 & 17. conte. hec. which did believe to be purified by washing themselves every day with holy water. ● part of the Mass. After the Asperges song, and the holy conjured water sprinkled upon all the Altars, Images and assistance at the missal sacrifice, followed the Procession which some would attribute to Agapet Bishop of Rome. Procession. Platina Tit. Livius. in his decades. But it was instituted more than a thousand years before him, which the ancient Roman idolaters did call Supplication. But in place of painting there the name of jesus Christ they have painted the images & likenesses of diverse Gods and Goddesses▪ he Saints and she Saints patron● of every parish. This in some is the beginning of the Mistall Procession for the second part of the Mass. Was there ever so great Idolatry amongst the Israelites, when they would celebrate their feasts of sweet bread, to eat the Paschal Lamb a figure of the holy sacrament 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 shrine to be carried in Procession throughout 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. As the great bishop Vrbain did ordain to carry in procession the consecrated host by the Massalians: In the year of Christ. 1264. And instituted a solemn feast a thursday every year, to the end to turn the use of the sacrament into a more detestable idolatry, than all his predecessors had done before him; After the sprinkling of holy water, & the procession done Numa ordained that the Massing sacrificer to celebrate the sacrifice, being clothed with his alb, 3. part of the mass, are the Altar, taper, and light. & chasuale 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 pinaple tree. ovid. lib. 4. de fast. Apul. lib. 11. de asin. aur. Plutar. in Numa For without an Altar or fire no sacrifice could be celebrated. He ordained also that the Massing priest should turn himself to the Altar toward the East. Porphier the heretic did not only continue this Pompilius witchcraft but also did ordain the porches and the images to be turned toward the East, to the end that 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 Persians do worship the Sun in the East. Be not these institutions Massalians & 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 Messalians) that the erection of your Altars toward the East▪ your lamps and tapers light, Exod. 20. levit. 26. Deut. 5. Esay. 40. your pictures and 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 and Images wherewith your Altars be decked and adorned to celebrate your missal sacrifices, can not take their original of the law of God, the 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 3. persons to be printed in your round hosts which you cause to be worshipped. Nevertheless the two doctors Massalians Titelman and Biell interpret the Altar otherwise, when the m●ssing Priest doth approach laden with his chalice of gold to figure Christ carrying the cross unto the mountain of calvary, th●n the Priest kissing the Altar to figure the marriage and wedding sign 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. For this cause Durand a subtle Massalian hath written, that the missal memory ought to begin at the right hand of the Altar, Durand. lib. 4. rubr. de mutat. and on the same part to ●nd. 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 fi●e of charity compassing about the christian people, and the burning taper to signify the light of ●aith, the joys to come, and the incarnation of Christ. Be not these detestable sophistries, the which Numa the Sorcerer never thought of, when he instituted the Altar, the fire, and the burning ●aper to sacrifice. To continue the order of the missal sacrifice the Massalian Priest approaching to the Altar, 4. part o the Mass. the taper burning and clad and adorned with his alb & chasaul turning his face toward the East, beholding the Images guilt and carved, before all things must say his Confiteor, and confess himself in acknowledging his offences, and ask pardon of the Gods & goddesses, rem divinam facturus ad svam levandam culpam se in primis rerum dicere de. bebat & novae penitere as sateti admissum, vultumque submittere. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. Blond. lib. 1. de Rom. trium. of the he Saints and she Saints, requiring just and reasonable things: As Pythagoras doth say in his golden verses, & Orpheus in his hymns, for Numa 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 then neither Damaze nor Pontiam Bishops of Rome, cannot 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 unto this present day, that the Priests celebrating their missal sacrifice shall pronounce or murmur a Confiteor, in a language neither understood of them, nor of the assistants, addressing their prayers & requests unto the Gods and Goddesses, to the he saints and she Saints, in place of reverencing, honouring, praying, and worshipping the true, only, and almighty God, creator of all goodness. Nevertheless, the Alcoran of Titelman 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 & return, along the Altar: lifting up his hands, Turnings and beckings. He●ūt vertigines in sacris a Numa institute dexteram ad osculum far & see in orbem circumagere. Blond. lib. de Rom. trium. Macro. in Saturnali. than letting them down, with prayers and meditations toward the East. For Numa the sorcerer, had an opinion of great holiness to be in these turnings, bowings, & conversions of the Priest's 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 sacrificer beginneth to make his nods, and turns, I will enter (saith he) unto the Altar of God which maketh my youth to rejoice. The entrance of the Mass. He hath not just cause of rejoicing seeing the tablecloth laid, the Table furnished, the banquet prepared the music of organs, & other instruments sounding, 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 Pommlius? Plin. lib. 28. And not only the Romans', but also the other idolaters in celebrating their sacrifices were wont to turn & return lifting up the right hand unto their mouth then turning all their body, the which turnings and noddings were accounted holy. Titelman in his ●l●or an doth recite that the Massing sacrificer in making his traversing along the A●tar, 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 is occupied in the creaking of the host, to transubstantiate him into an accidence without a substance. These beckings, bowings, turnings, Six part of the mass. Organs, and towing finished by the Massalian sacrificer, Numa ordained the sound of Organs. Flutes and Viols, to sing hymns, praises, and songs, to the honour of their Gods in the name of whom, the Missal sacrifice was celebrated. This part of the Mass hath been enriched with divers songs, by divers Bishops of Rome. Some as Flaman and Diodore did institute Anthems, Thelesphere, Antiphones. the Collects: Leon or Gelase the Graduels, Gregory or Gelease the Traictes, Collects. Gothgere abbot of Sandal, the Sequences. Graduels. Sequences. Which are divers songs of music serving to adorn and enrich the missal sacrifice. But if the commentaries of the ancient Roman Bishops instituted by Numa were discovered, much greater diversity of song●, Hymnorum plures species erant. hypingos Dianae, Apollini pean & prosoedia Dionysio dithiranibus, Ceteri julus: Veneri erotichus: praeter quos fucre prosoedion, hyporchema. & stafimon. Alex. ab Alex lib. ac. 4.17 ballets, hymns, odes and canticles, should be found dedicated and consecrated to divers Gods and 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 and Goddesses, he Saints and she Saints. For like as the ancient idolaters did celebrate their sacrifices to divers Gods and 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 Sebastian, other of the holy Ghost, divers Masses. & other of Requiem, insomuch that they made a difference between dry Masses and other common Masses, Dry 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 sung 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 Numa? 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 Numa. 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 shall be sung 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 Masses air 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 Massemunger murmured in secret to the end they be not contemned of the people. After the collects is the song of the gradual more sharp and grave, a figure of the confession of the publicans having heard the preaching of john Baptist. Notwithstanding the song of gradual was not sung in the Missal sacrifices from Easter unto the feast of pentecost, to figure the blessed estate of the world to come. 7. part of the Mass. Further beside the sound of Organs, and songs of Music the ancient Roman idolaters were wont to use in their sacrifices perfume of incens which they caused to be kept in a little vessel called Acerra a censor. Perfume of incense. In this little Frankincense coffer were put the odours which the sacrificer did take to incense the Altar, the Images, Blond. lib. 1. de Rom. trium. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 4. ca 17. Iliacis temporibus veteres non thure, sed cedri, & citri, fumo deus adolebant. Platina. the hosts or sacrifices specially in the Masses celebrated unto the God janus, and unto the Goddess Vesta, which took pleasure in incense and wine offered unto them. For in the time of the Trojans, 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 the incense & incensing 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 incensor to incense withal. Nevertheless, some writ that the ancient Roman Idolaters celebrating their sacrifices unto the Goddess Ceres used the gum of Pine called Tede, Ovid de fast. li. 3 in stead of incense, for which cause Ceres was called of the Poet's Tedifere. By the Alcoran of Titelman, 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 high. 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 & 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, Platina. which some would have attributed to Leo Bishop of Rome, 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 Numa had instituted the ministers of the Religion, as Bishops, Augurs, Sauliens, Feciaux, Blond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium. Curious and others, he ordained also the means how to nourish and entertain them, he commanded to make of the common revenues foundations, for the nourishment & maintenance of the religions Vestales. Following his example many particular persons did the like. Sacerdotiorum sive beneficiorum duo erant genera unum quorum collatio ad remp. aut principem aut ad pontificum collegium specta. bat: Alterum quorum collatio, ad aliquam familiam eiusque successores pertinebat. quae beneficia viris patronatus censebantur. Blond. lib. 2. 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 commonwealth, 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 then when he was created Bishop, more than two hundred years before the incarnation of jesus Christ. This was their first revenue of the Massalian sacrificers to have benefices richly founded. A dispense for many benefices. The second revenue was the Offertory, Tit. Livius lib. 30. or offering, the Offectorie and oblations. The founding of benefices. Vacations and setting over. Offertory. The third revenue was the vocations of 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, Tertia sa●erdoteorum opulenta, saluti omnibus inveniebat quas inferiores superioribus pontificibus impendebant quale apud nos est cum pontifici romano fructus primos antistites & his minores sacerdotes ad obu tinenda beneficia pecuniam dissoluunt. Blond. lib. 2. de Rom. trium. Cicero in oratione pro domo sua ad pontifices. Blond. lib. 3. de Rom. trium. 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 and house of Cicero (when he was banished) were confiscate to the College of the priests, and dedicated specially to the sacrifices celebrated in the temple consecrated to the goddess Liberty. Passing by I thought good to recite this sum of the ancient Roman sacrificers, to the end that unto all it may be known, that all the abuses and Idolatris succeeded in the Church of jesus Christ are not new: but had their original restored and taken of the ancient Roman idolaters: As the foundations of Masses, Obites: Monethminds, the dispensing of many benefices, annuals, vacantes, translations, offerings, and Mass box, amercements and confiscations, adjudged by the sentence of the bishop of Rome as are also other ordinances restored by the new Roman Bishops and 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 Idolatrous priests, which strived amongst themselves, whether had more enriched the Church by foundations, legacies, bequests, offerings, and other inventions: in such sort that the heathen idolaters and infidels which did usurp again the temple, presently called the Church of Saint Peter at Lians, did fight against the Christians of Rome which would have dedicated the same to their devotion. cap. 35. After the offertory the Alcoran of Titelman doth hold that the Musse-monger must for a time keep silence 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 hear aways & there aways, as we shall hereafter declare. After the offertory we must come to the 9 part of the Mass, 9 part of the Mass the round host of flower. the most rich and most daitie for the Massalians. That is, the host or sacrifice. Wherein doth consist the principal end or mark of the Mass sacrifice. In the time of the conjuror Numa the Romans had not yet in use to kill and offer up the blood of beasts. Plutar. in Numa. Pollux in enom. lib. 6. Misteriis peractis, qui sacris intererant rotundis panibus quos in honorem deorum adhibebant stantes vescebantur nec nisi sacrificio perfecto vesci licebat Alex. ab. Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. 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 were diverse hosts, that is to say, diverse little round cakes, dedicated unto diverse Gods like as they had diverse sacrifices of the Mass. With the same round hosts was offered (the altars serving in place of tables.) And whiles the sacrificer and assistants at the sacrifice did eat and communicate together the foresaid little round cakes, consecrated to the honour of their Gods, there was sung Hymns, and pleasant songs. Some playing upon Organs and Cymbals. Before the devouring of this round host printed with pictures, the Massalian Dostors 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 and Massalians interpret the third cross to signify the treason of judas who delivered his master into the hands of the jews. Beside the aforesaid 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, twain his hands, two in his feet, and one in his right side. Of the which five crosses, the three first must be made on the chalice and upon the round hosts to figure the delivering of Christ unto the Priests, Scribes and 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, the other upon the chalice alone, to play the two persons of Christ and judas, which the Massalian sacrificer doth continuing still his mocks and 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 thief hanging upon the cross which repent himself. But in smiting of the stomach must be with the 3 hindermost 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 3. hours that christ hanged upon the cross dead. Then after the Massalian hath kissed his chalice there are yet 2. crosses more, to figure the mystery of the blood and water issuing out of Christ's 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, and 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 weep of the virgin Marie, 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 white keepeth silence, to figure the silence or rest of Christ in the tomb. Another aperie or mummery doth the Messalian play with his round host, the which he layeth upon the paten to figure the unity of the divinity with the humanity, but when he playeth the secret mystery, than the host is hid out of sight. Re d●uina & ceremoniis celebratis sacerdos tunc. I, licet sucelamabat. quà voce illos qui interfuerant. missos faciebat. Alex. ab. Alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. The sacrifice thus finished and the little round hosts eaten, Numa ordained to sing these words, I, licet (vel) Ite missa est, that is to say, go it is granted, the assembly 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, Parts of the Mass ordained by Numa 700. years before the incarnation of jesus Christ. the Casual, the holy purging water conjured with salt to chase away Devils, the Altar, the Taper-light, the turnings and traversing along the Altar, with prayers & meditations, toward the East, the Processions with Shrines and Relics, carried upon the shoulders of the Priests, clothed in white surplice and crowns upon their heads: the Confiteor made to the he Saints and she Saints, the playing on the Organs, the Canticles, Paeans, Hymns and Odes, the Censor and the Incense, the communion of little round bread consecrated in the name of their Gods, & in the end this song Ite missa est, do ye not acknowledge (O ye Massalians) that ye have borrowed all these parts and members of your Mass of Pompilians Religion? Why do you hold this word Mass, seeing jesus Christ did name it a supper or the partaking of his body? Why have ye taken these Vestments, the Aulbe, Matth. 27. Luk. 20. Mark. 14. 1 Cor. 11. & painted Chasual proper to the ancient Roman 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, them unto the holy gospel of jesus Christ, the which doth assure you in his name to drive away Devils, Mark. 16. and not with witchcraft and salt. Who but the spirit of Numa, did inspire you to shave your crown round, & to deck yourselves with white surplices, to bear the Shrines and Banners in Procession? When jesus Christ celebrated his holy supper, and instructed his Apostles of the communion of his body and blood, did he command them to follow the religion of the ancient Roman idolaters, to have their Altars enriched with Images, to use turnings and traversing along the altar, to be shorn round, to have aulbes and chasuals, adressing their prayers and confession to he & she Saints, to pipe with Organs, to perfume their altars & Images with Incense, to go to the offerings, to carry money to the priests box, to eat little round hosts consecrated, and 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 Hostilius, 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, Platina. Volateran Kyrie eleyson: For Gregory did greatly esteem this number nine, Kyrie eleyson. Quoties prodigium nunciebabatur sacrum novendiale per novem dies agebatur. even as the ancient Roman idolaters had recourse to the novendiall sacrifice or signs, and monstrous wonders. He did also ordain that in the Mass sacrifice should be sung two words of Hebrew, to accompany the two words in Greek. And that at certain times men should sing these two words Allelu ya: Tit. Livi. lib. 1 Decad. 1. 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 holdeth the gradual, as the Alcoran of Titelman 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 & not to sing Hebrew words, & invent crosses & dumb mummeries? Be not these corruptions of the holy sacrament of the supper ordained of God? ordained Gloria patri. Agnus dei kissing the paten. Some other have enriched the missal sacrifice as Damase bishop of Rome with a Gloria patri. Sergius with an Agnus Dei, song three times (which Titelman 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 excelsis by Symmachus, Cap. 56.57. the which song pronounced in a voice sweet and base, doth signify as holdeth the Alcoran of Titelman the warlike & childish voice of Christ, being yet in the Cradle. O Blasphemy and detestable mummery of the son of God. Leo the second instituted the kissing of the Pax, which the Alcoran of Titelman 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 three 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, & of the everlastingness to come. Moreover the forging of the Canon of the Mass is attributed to Alexander, Gelase, Syricie, The Cannon of the Mass. Leo and Pelage. These be pieces patched too, according to the humours of the Bishops of Rome the authors and restorers, the sounders and augmentors of the Mass sacrifice. Platina. Sabellicus. The best enriching instituted in the Mass sacrifice must not be forgotten to wit, certain places of the old and new Testament called the Epistles and Gospels. The Epistles & Gospels cut in the Mass. The which the Massalians have cut and mingled with the Pompilian Idolatry, & therein have profaned the law of God, even as did the Apostate Sergius, Doctor of the Mahomet, the the which decked the Alcoran with many places of the holy Bible, and patched a hodge-podge of fables and heresies, with 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 cushon to figure the humbleness of heart. The subdeacon receiveth not the blessing of the Massing Sacrificer as the deacon doth, for this cause (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 stole croswise hanging upon his shoulders one end over the other, to figure force and 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 Titelman) 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 Mahomet, the long possession whereof Turk's presently have had for these 900. years past, having conquered Countries, Against Turk's Realms, 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. Where 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, 4 King. 16.23. Against the idolatry of the brazen serpent. & accustomed usage, for the space of 1200. years before this Idolatry was altogether destroyed by the good king josias? Did the Israelites murmur against the virtuous King Ezechias when he destroyed the brazen serpent, which was made by the express commandment of God, 900. years before. Where the same people excused of their Idolatries committed in Dan & Bethel, wherein are the Images of 2. heiffers of gold instituted by their King jeroboam, under pretence of long possession, and that they had continued this Idolatry for the space of 300. or 400 years. The jews, Against the image set up in jeroboam. 3 King. 12. Against the infidelity of the Iewe●. now vagabonds, shall they be excused before the majesty of God, by showing the long possession of this ceremonial law instituted of God himself three 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 & your predecessors have used, sold, and 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 1000 years. This is not an excuse sufficient to bring in long possession and usage of long time observed, for the confirmation of your Idolatries: For if God of his mercy and wonderful patience did suffer the jews in their unfaithfulness, the Turks in their Alcoran law and 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 have fallen & turned from the true worshipping and ordinance of God: even so as briefly before we have declared of the Israelits the chosen people of God, the which notwithstanding that they had Moses and the Prophets which did admonish them by many miracles and threatening how they should honour God and 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, then after submitted under the yoke of Kings, as in a Monarchy, & last of all brought under the government of the priests having gotten both the temporalty and spirituality, the law of God hath been corrupted, the sacrifices and sacraments defaced and 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 and bastard people? But these Massalian heretics cannot vaunt themselves of very long possession of their Mass sacrifices except of the 9 pieces, before described, restored and borrowed of Numa Pompilius for the other parts of the Mass were invented at diverse times by diverse antichrists corrupters of the holy sacraments ordained of God. And to understand the times and years of the chief builders, Agapet Pope of Rome, reigned in the year of Christ 533. and brought in the procession after the order prescribed by Numa. The Confiteor was restored by Damase reigning the year 577. The Kyrie eleyson & the Litanies, by Gregory reigning in the y. 593. The Graduell the Collects & the Traict, by Gelase, reigning in the year 493. The Sequences by Gothere Abbot of Sandale. The Gloria in excelsis by Symachus reigning in the year 508. The Incens and 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 Cannon forged by Gelase, Siricie, Leo, and Pelagi reigning in the year 800. The transubstantiation instituted by the bishops of Rome about the year of Christ 162. Wherefore of what impudency are these Alcoranists Mass Doctors to be condemned, the which falsely 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 think it, when as this great whore of Babylon hath not been restored with her deceit and mask of holiness till long time after the incarnation of jesus Christ. But it behoveth to return to our history of Rome, Continuing Histories. more and more to discover the true original of the Mass. We have declared in discovering the parts and chief members of the Mass sacrifice, how the ancient Romans before they were accustomed to sacrifice with the blood of beasts 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 and Idolatry of Numa Pompilius insomuch as they have decked the little round hosts with Images and pictures, Abominable idolatry. printed within the round circle of the said hosts to the end to make them more holy, Against the idolatry of the round Hosts. even to be worshipped, by the invention of Honorius Antichrist of Rome, in the year 1226. the which Numa the conjuror never practised, nor yet came to this abominable idolatry. What more detestable heresy can be discovered then to paint the majesty of God in form and likeness of a man, as the Antropomorphits imagine. 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, and to print them full of pictures and the likenesses of men, to adjure and conjure with cross and blessings odd or even, and 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, and fihure, signifying really & sacramentally his body by the virtue of the 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 the time of Numa Pompilius, those that assisted at the sacrifice of the Mass did eat together standing in the 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) too too abominable, & 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 part to any other is a communion, & by a marvelous wicthcraft to cause the assistance at the sacrifice to believe that they have communicated together with the Priest, notwithstanding 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 3. 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 present the three fashioned body of Christ in the sepulchre sleeping, in the earth lying, and after rising again. The other subtle doctor Biell, 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 Mahomet, by the means of one round host devoured by the Massalian. But you (O Massalians, may here object unto me the use of the primitive 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. 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 the assistants within the temple. A communion of holy bread. But in this ancient communion doth abide nothing but an Image only; Because the Massalians abusing the holy sacrament, have preserved for themselves only the little round host consecrated to be devoured, without giving any portion unto the assistants: unto whom they leave the bits of holy bread, Notable differences between the round host & the 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, and the holy bread with salt. The round host is printed full of pictures, and the holy bread is without print or picture. The round host is worshipped, and the holy bread is received with thanksgiving. The round host is devoured of the Priest, and the holy bread is divided among the assembly to communicate and 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 the ancient Law of the idolaters, and the law of the Gospel. Provided always that they agree in one point that is, that both in the one and the other there is a corruption of the holy sacrament of the supper ordained of God. Transubstantiation. It resteth to come down to the deep Maze of Idolatry. 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 Bishops 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 their Sacrifices, specially the sheep, the Sow, the Goat, and the Beef, which first were ordained by evander King of Arcadic. 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, Hosts of meal are changed into flesh, and wine into blood. but have in time invented a new witchcraft 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 transubstatiation of the Mass? Wh●n the children of Israel were wearied with the eating of Manna and the heavenly bread, demanding flesh, was the Mauno 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. This heresy began to spread abroad greatly in the time of Antichrist Nicolaite, In the year of Christ 1062. Chronolog. Fon. Volater. crept into the Roman bishopric by the conspiracy of Hildebrand, having chased away by force, the other chosen Bishop, namely Benedict the 12. of that name in the year of jesus Christ 1062. Lanfranc. de sacr. Afterward it advanced itself by a conspiracy 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 deane 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 and evil, Trees of life. forbidden to our first father Adam, as holy signs and Sacraments of fear and obedience, whereupon did hang life and death, were they changed & converted into knowledge or death, leaving the nature of trees and fruits, and reduced into an accidence without substance? heavenvly Manna, and the rock flowing water. the Manna from heaven, and the rock flowing with water of life sacraments agreeing with the holy sacrament of the supper, were they changed into an accident 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 off for a note and mark of the covenant unto the good patriarch Abraham, & his posterity, was it changed into an accident without substance? The blood of the Paschal lamb for the assurance of the health of Israel, Pascal lamb. was it changed into another substance? The flesh of the unspotted lamb, ordained to be eaten in the day of the Passeover, a true figure of the holy Sacrament of the Supper, was it changed into an accident 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, notwithstanding that they did represent really and sacramentally, that which they did figure, and 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 and holy fathers of Israel were adopted, grafted and regenerated by faith in jesus Christ, begotten before all worlds: and that they were nourished and got everlasting life by jesus Christ, A conference of the faith of the ancient father's of Israel with ours. and that they and we have but one only God, and one only jesus Christ our mediator and redeemour. 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, and we that are after the incarnation. But they and we are the Church of God bought with the blood of the just and unspotted lamb jesus Christ. Furthermore that they had faith in the promise to come: and observed the sacraments and holy signs of the sacrifice which ought to be finished by jesus Christ. And that we by the new law do celebrate the memory & 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 heavenvly bread, and 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 and 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, and 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, and to declare the hardiness and stiffneckedness of Pharaoh) pleased to do marvelous things by Moses and 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, and into frogs, the dust of the earth into louse, and further to make the sailable 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 and marks of the assurance of the thing signified; Wherein the might of God is more renowned and magnified by giving unto us with the holy sign the thing represented, by the power of faith and the holy Ghost, then if the self sign were really changed by some visible miracle. For the Sacraments do contain in them more spiritualness the fleshliness, for which cause God did always blame his people Israel by his Prophets, for taking his Sacraments over fleshly, as we have before briefly declared. The exposition of jesus Christ of the communion of his body. 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, and how these sacramental words ought to be understood, to eat his flesh and drink his blood, when the Capharnaites your predecessors were offended, did he teach by his interpretation, that to eat his flesh ought to be understood by a little round host transubstantiated? The round host of flower and the wine to be no more bread and wine but an accidence without substance? Is this your abominable Witchcraft the doctrine of jesus Christ? john. 6. Nothing less: but jesus Christ as a true law giver, unto whom the interpretation of his law appertained, answered unto the Doctors Capharnaites, that they were to gross and carnal, and that they did abide in the flesh as ye do (O Massayers:) Notwithstanding that the flesh alone profiteth nothing: saying that these sacramental words were spiritual. john. 5. The flesh (saith he) profiteth nothing, it is the spirit that quickeneth. Moreover (O Massayers) how can you safely make to agree your transubstantiation with the doctrine of jesus Christ, which doth promise and assure to give everlasting life to those which eat his flesh and drink his blood, if yea take these words carnally? For you cannot be ignorant that your bodies (notwithstanding that they have devoured the little round hosts transubstantiated into flesh and bone, and supped and licked the wine changed into blood) do die and are mortal, by the necessity of the law. Wherefore life everlasting promised by this communion, may not be understood 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 and heavenly, and that the flesh profiteth nothing, but the spiritual word and communion of the body and blood of jesus Christ by faith and in spirit giving everlasting life. john. 6. 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 thirst, but shall have everlasting life. Are not these terms sufficient plain to interpret this holy sacrament of the body and 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 and author of the sacramental law is described, when jesus Christ was asked of Nicodeme the mean how a man could be regenerate and borne again. Is it possible (saith Nicodeme) that a man should enter into his mother's womb and 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, and transubstantiate into a carnal womb to be thereby again engendered and 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 the one of these two holy sacraments we be regenerate, and by the other nourished. And the regeneration is as marvelous unto man's wisdom, as the nourishment. 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 and his blood, namely that these sacramental terms must be spiritually understood, and not carnally: for the flesh profiteth nothing, but the spirit quickeneth. john. 3. That which is of the flesh, is fleshly, that which is of the spirit, is spiritual. The holy Apostle giving unto the Corinthians that which he received at the hand of God, did admonish them of the second coming of jesus Christ, in looking for the which he commanded to communicate the body and blood of jesus Christ by breaking of bread, and 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 (O Massalians) with this issue, when as by your Magic you say that every day you cause to come down, and make return the body of jesus Christ in flesh and bone, before the time appointed of his second coming be come. Tit. Livius. 1. Decad. 1. This witchcraft was restored by you from the first author of your Mass sacrifice Numa pompilius, Valerius. Max. lib. 1. cap. 3 who by his witchcraft gave to understand that he caused his Nyphe and Goddess Aegerie and also his jupiter Eticius to descend from heaven, by whose means the heavenly secrets and mysteries were revealed unto him. Even so by our witchcraft the round host consecrated, is transubstantiated into the true and real body of jesus Christ: john. 19 Exod. 12. Numb. 9 The bread being no more bread. How have you learned this boldness to bruise and break in pieces the body of jesus Christ, Corruption of the holy sacraments. 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, Against transubstantiation. which crucified jesus Christ, but without bruising and breaking his body in pieces, as it was propheceied before. And that more is, you are not content to break it in 3 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. To confirm your witchcraft of transubstantiation, have ye not ordained to preserve your little round printed hosts, the which you do keep and lay up so curiously in boxes and shrines after they be changed into flesh and bone, Harman. contr. and into the real body of jesus Christ. Is not this a detestable heresy to believe that the body of jesus Christ can receive corruption? Blond. Platina. Yea, and often it is eaten of worms, mites, rats and mice. Can you interpret, that this is an accidence without a substance, seeing that your hosts become often stinking, and corrupt within your boxes: Many times also devoured of earthly brute beasts, the which you cause to be burned and their ashes to be put into the place for Relics. When the Bishop of Rome Victor the third of that name, received poison by your transubstantiated wine was it an accidence without a substance? Or when the Emperor Henry the seventh of that name, was poisoned in eating a little round host consecrated, was it an accidence without a substance, seeing it gave him his death's 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 and bone, to be called the heavenly bread, the bread which came down from heaven, the bread of life, and the bread of Angels. Now it remaineth to bring into judgement the subtle reasons of the Massayers,, The exposition of the sacramental words. which for the whole foundation of their witchcraft do carnally 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 and 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 and signify the communion of his body by the bread, and the drinking of his blood by the wine, and the cup. All will confess that the true and principal nourishment of the body of man is contained under the kinds of bread and wine, so the true bread is often taken in the holy scriptures for the nourishment and life of Man. But let us begin to bring in the places of the Bible. Genes. 3. To the first man created to the likeness of God, for punishment of his offence, Genes. 28. was it not said unto him before, that he must eat his bread in the sweat of his body? Is there any man so ignorant that he will not confess all the food and life of man, to be understood by the bread? When jacob prayed unto God to give him bread and 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, and that with this heavenly bread the children of Israel were filled, was not this term bread understood of the heavenly Manna sent of God for the nourishment of the people of Israel? This Manna is not called the bread of heaven, and the bread of Angels given unto the people without travel. Genes. 41. Genes. 47. Numb. 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 three Angels appearing to him, did he not offer to them cakes baked in the ashes? Gave hen ot 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 nourishment. When one will describe a famine and dearth, john. 4. Psalm. 104. Matth. 4. Luk. 4. john. 6. Matth. 4. doth he not say, there lacketh bread? When God promiseth any favour unto people keeping his commandments, doth he not give them assurance of sufficient bread? when he commanded the poor, as his members, did he not command to give them bread? It is then the bread that nourisheth and maintaineth the heart and life of men. Luk. 9 Matt. 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 entice him to change stones into bread? 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, Matth. 6. Luk. 11. 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 the sacrificers celebrated by the Priests of the Hebrues, there was a law prescribed of the bread ordained of God, Exod. 21. Levi. 4.21. Matth. 11. 1 King. 21. Esay. 30. Proverbs 20. Ezec. 4. namely, sweat bread without leaven, other bread there was called show bread which the priests did renew every week & eat, which David used, being presented unto him by Achemelech the high Priest, cotrariwise this term bread is applied unto bread of wickedness, unto bread of lying, Malac. 1. Psal. 23. Ezech. 12. Oze. 7. Deut. 8. Matth. 4. Luk. 4 unto bread of sorrow, unto unclean bread of idolatry, unto unclean bread offered at the Altar, unto the bread of trembling and 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 Massesaiers Capharnaits, Math 25. ye must not be so hardened & rooted in your fleshliness,, 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 as when it is said that man liveth not by bread only, Math. 15. Mark. 7. but also by all that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Sometime also bread is taken for the word of God and for doctrine, when jesus Christ commanded his Apostles to take heed for eating of the leavened bread of the Scribes and Pharisees, are not these terms of bread, and leaven taken and interpreted for the doctrine of the Pharisees, heretics? When the woman of Canaan did demand grace and 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 it unto dogs? In this answer is not the bread taken for life and health, and not only for the corporal nourishment: Seeing then that bread is taken for the life of man, the which hangeth chief of bread and wine, and that the goodness of God willing to apply itself unto our infirmities would choose those two signs, notes and marks notable, to signify his body and blood, namely, bread and 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 and represent really and sacramentally life to be given unto us, yea everlasting life by the communion of the holy bread and wine consecrated, figures and signs of his body and blood. Matth. 6. Mark. 14. john. 5. jesus Christ spoke these words: That the bread was his body and 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 for ever. Is this to bring in that by this word (is) jesus Christ is turned & transubstantiated into bread, and is no more Christ, but an accident without substance. O detestable heresy: O Massalians have ye no more reason to interpret carnally these words, (this is my body) to change the bread into his body, then when he affirmeth that he is the bread, to change him into bread, considering that it is written, that the partaking of this bread giveth life everlasting, jesus Christ said, john. 6. Matth. 26. john. 6. Hoc est corpus meum. He saith also: Hic est panis qui de coelo 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, and author of the holy sacrament, who putting forth his institution said in the first place that he was the bread of life, then after that this bread is his flesh and his body, which must be given for the health of the world. He said that his flesh is true food and his blood the true drink, he saith, that he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood, shall abide in him. How doth he interpret this eating? jesus Christ doth interpret it himself by these words: john. 6 He that cometh unto me stall never hunger, he that believeth in me shall never thirst, Is not this the true eating and the true drinking never to have hunger, and never to have thirst. Behoveth it to get faith, which consisteth in spirit: behoveth it to address ourselves unto jesus Christ our heavenvly bread, our spiritual drink, to fill us for ever, to quench everlastingly our thirst of sin, to run into a witchcraft of transubstantiation, and to forge an accidence without a substance. Wherefore (O Massalians) have ye invented another interpretation, then 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 and life by faith and hope that he is the saviour of the world, incarnate, dead and crucified to give us eternal life, and after rose again, ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God his Father, abiding an everlasting Priest propiciator, mediator and redeemer. Let us return again to this term (is) which tormenteth the brains of the Mass sayers so sore, john. 15. to imagine a transubstantiation. If jesus Christ hath said that he is the true vine, that God his Father is a husbandman, ●ohn. 14 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 and us into vine branches? 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, and that he is the Shepherd and 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, Matth. 5. saying to them, that they were the salt of the earth, did he change and transubstantiate them into pillars of salt as he did the wife of Lot? Genes. 28. If jesus Chrrist 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 transubstantiated into a piece of stone? 1. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 6. If the Apostle have said that Christ is the rock out of the which did come the living water to wash us clean 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 more men, but changed into an accidence without a substance? I foresee well (O Massesayers) 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 and covenant of God. Genes. 17. Numb. 10. Psal. 68.94. Mattfl. 21. john. 2. In the other holy sacrament of the communion of the Paschall lamb, is it not said that the Lamb is the Passeover or passage? Is this to bring in a witchcraft of transubstantiation. Will you not confess (O Massalians and changers of substances) that in these places of holy scriptures, speaking of the sacraments, this word (is) cannot otherwise be expounded but to signify: and that circumcision was the sign and mark of the band and covenant contracted between God and Abraham, that the Paschal lamb was also the sign of the 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 dicression and humility, without sophistry and witchcraft to understand sound the true meaning of words, and not to abide in the letter that killeth: but to receive the word of God in spirit that puickneth. If then the holy Ark be named the Lord, and 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, and to fear and 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, and the wine is his blood, that the cup is the new Testament, that by these outward signs of bread and wine, he might cause us to understand our life and nourishment of salvation to stay only upon jesus Christ, and that by his death and bloodshedding we are so assured of everlasting life, as the bread and wine are nourishment for the body, and that it pleased him to ordain these holy signs to serve us for sacraments for the trial and confirmation of our faith: is this an occasion to play the Capharnaits or the Nicodemianes to doubt of the power of God, how is it possible to eat the body and drink the blood of jesus Christ? How is it possible to be regenerate and 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 simply that the body & blood of jesus Christ is offered unto us really & sacramentally to communicate for our nourishment, and to give us everlasting life by the bread and wine consecrated with giving of thanks the bread being truly his body: and the wine his blood, which ought to be received worthily by faith, and in pureness of conscience, as holy signs and marks of the godly badge, without inquiring ever subtly the means, otherwise than jesus Christ hath interpreted (saying) the flesh profiteth nothing, it is the spirit that quickeneth, and that his words were spirit and life, Ought we to doubt that God hath not the power to make us partakers of the body and blood of jesus Christ, by the holy signs of bread and wine consecrated, the bread nevertheless remaining bread, and 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 as he did of the communion of his body & blood by the holy figures of bread and wine. Was it not as easy for God to make the wine to be changed into blood, or the bread into flesh, as for Moses & Aaron to change the water of the river into blood to approve the hardness of Pharaoh, or when the clouds were turned into the flesh of Qailes, 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 and not transubstantiated, which are neither vain nor fantasies, but are outward signs, which we can see, touch, eat & taste, abiding in their substance, and nevertheless representing sacramentally, that which is comprised and 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 and of the supper. If it be lawful to make comparisons of the 2. holy sacraments of Baptism and of the Supper, A comparison of the two holy Sacraments. notwithstanding that there is difference between regeneration, which doth not reiterate (for it sufficeth once to be regenerate and borne again.) But the nourishment must be often done again, according to to the order of nature, and 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 as well in baptism, as in the supper. By the blood of jesus Christ we be regenerate and by the same blood nourished. By the blood of jesus Christ we are renewed, set, and graffed, and by the same blood we are kept and preserved from hunger and thirst for evermore. By the blood of jesus Christ we are spoiled from the old corrupt skin, and clad with his body, of the self same also we have our nourishment and 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, and 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, and bread and wine for the supper of jesus Christ, are holy signs, earnest, gauges, paunes, marks, seals and sacraments, instituted of God for proof and assurance of our saith. Well, then (O Massalians) seeing ye have invented a witchcraft of transubstanttiaion 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 and 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 and wine? What difference can you show, but Sophistries, Sophisms, and Mass subtleties. If ye continue your heresy by this word (is) it is also found in the water of Baptism, which is called renewing and regeneration, the same is also named the holy Ghost, and the garment with which, & by which, we are clothed, renewed and borne again in the blood of jesus Christ. Then seeing (O Massalians) that you confess that ye cannot find a second Berengarie to make a decree of recantation to the end to enlarge your witchcraft of transubstantiation, unto the holy water of Baptism, and by the same mean to change your spettell and salt water, your oil, your creames, your salt water & other drugs, wherewith you have corrupted the holy sacrament of Baptism. Wherefore then are ye so hardened and 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 and blood by your whispering witchcraft, Luk. 1. Malach. 4. A comparison of the Sun with jesus Christ. (as jupiter Elicius did) before the day appointed of his second coming? 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 the great and bright star. ●he which S. ●ustine the Martyr used in ●is treatise of ●he exposition of faith. cap. 2. And even so the spiritual light is given unto us by jesus Christ, who hath restored us to light, out of the night and darkness of sin. Well then (O ye Capharnaites, carnal and gross) understand now a comparison sufficient enough to show you the infinite power of God to be much more perfect than your abominable invention of transubstantiation? Do ye not acknowledge if you have not your eyes blinded and holden in depth of the darkness of frowardness, that the Sun doth give unto us his light, his beams, his force, his heat & strength, And yet the body itself of the Sun doth rest and abide in heaven? Do not ye say ordinarily in your common language, when the window of the house towards the sun is open, that the sun cometh into the house? Yet the sun remaineth always in heaven? Behoveth it to snatch and catch the body of the sun, causing it to come down and to transubstantiate in this earthly place before it can give his heat, his beams, his light, and nourishment to plants, herbs, trees, and 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 and strength of his body, by his beams, by his light, and by his heat sent down into the earth really, and 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 his force & virtue of his body and blood, shed for us, by the beams, light and 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, and to offer to us his body & his blood, to enter within us, if by faith and 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 and power, without drawing it out of heaven to change the substance thereof? The son is one only body created abiding in heaven, the cause of the growing of plants, trees & herbs, which giveth nourishment by force and heat unto all things living upon the earth, and in one and the same moment hath power to quicken, heat & nourish an infinite number of plants, trees, herbs and earthly creatures, without separating, dividing or plucking his body from heaven to transubstantiate it. The body also of jesus Christ which he hath carried into heaven, and set at the right hand of God, hath it not more force, more virtue, and more strength to regenerate us, to feed and nourish us, to give his virtue, his light and his beams, to inspire, quicken, sustain, lighten, and in a moment make us through faith partakers of his body and blood: to make us members of his members, knit together in him, and by him, by his true promise contained under the bages and holy signs, left unto us till that the second coming of his humanity be seen upon the earth. Wherefore (O Massesayers) have ye invented this witchcraft of transubstantiation, to blaspheme against God, to lesson his power and less to esteem his power and virtue, than 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, jesus Christ as God aideth all. unleavened and printed full of pictures which you cause to be worshipped seeing that Christ as God, doth aid his church everlastingly, and hath power to regenerate feed and nourish us, yea with everlasting life & food, by his promise witnessed and assured by his holy sacraments of Baptism, and of his holy supper. For other comparisons (O Massesayers, familiar & homely) consider how the earthly and mortal princes are esteemed, reverenced and honoured for the sacred signs ordained by them. I will only set forth unto you two, that is to say, Wax & Metals, of the one is made the seal of the prince, wherewith is sealed graces, pardons and forgivenesses, the letters & privileges, granted by the prince He that counterfeiteth this seal, is he not punished for treason, even as if 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 transubstantiate, but remaineth still wax, yet after that it hath received the reverend print of the Prince it is no more called wax but the prince's seal. The metals of gold and silver marked for the coin of the prince to serve for money, although they be 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, and the same substance they were before? this only difference there is, they are appointed and stamped with the print of the prince, which doth really represent him, in such sort, that he that clippeth & counterfeiteth this money, 1. Cor. 11. is punished as for the crime of treason, and as he had hurt the proper person of the prince: By much better reason the bread and wine consecrated and marked to be sacraments of the body and 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 the interpretation of jesus Christ and his Apostles, ne yet with similitudes and familiar comparisons to bring you to the true way and certain form ordained of God for the celebration of his holy sacraments in abolishing of your Mass Pompilian Idolatries casting away also your abominable witchcraft of transubstantiation, at the least, yet will ye give no credit unto the interpretation of the ancient doctors of the church. Hear then that which S. Augustine doth recite against Adamantine, even as the blood in many places of the holy scriptures is called the water & the rock Christ. August. cap. 12. authorities of ●he ancient doctor's. The exposition of saint Augu●●ine. So is the bread called the body of jesus Christ, the which three places must be expounded to be figures and signs. When that saith the same doctor, jesus Christ spoke these words, ●ib. de doctri. ●●risti. & in pre●●ti. Psal. 3. Hoc est corpus meum. This is my body, and gave them bread. He gave them the sign of his body, for he thought otherwise that it was a thing unlawful, & too uncourteous to devour the flesh & body of jesus Christ if there were not a figure there, namely, lib. 10. de candes cap. 5. sacrificium de consecr. distinct. 2. the bread to put us in mind of the flesh and body of jesus Christ to have been offered up, for our life, and everlasting food. Moreover the same doctor useth this interpretation, the visible sacrament is the Testament, that is to say, the holy sign of the invisible sacrifice. The like interpretations are described by Tertullian against Martion the heretic: Tertul. lib. 1. & 3. 4. wherefore then O Massalians have ye not followed the holy doctors of the Church, which would not blaspheme against God by a witchcraft of transubstantiation? but have freely acknowledged the sacrament to be a sign or holy visible figure signifying in spirit & by faith the which is invisible? quid paras deutem & ventrem crede & manducasti. ca quid de consecratione. distinct. 2. August. in by, de remedi. 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, poeniten. & in john. tract. 25. cap. 6. S. Hieron. in epist. ad Eph. saying the flesh of jesus Christ is understanded fleshly when there is mention made of the shedding of blood, Ca dupliciter eadem distinct. and crucifying of the body of jesus Christ for our salvation: 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, who disputing against the heretics Eutychians and nestorians, Saint. Gelase. against Eutychius & Nestorius doth affirm that the bread and wine consecrated & made sacraments, do not leave in substance still to be bread & wine, but are figures and signs of the body and blood of jesus Christ by the mystery of the sacrament. S. Ambrose in his book of sacraments cap. 11. Will ye have more large witnesses of S. Ambrose who upon the Epistle to the Corinthians hath expounded eating and drinking the bread and the wine, Origin. in Levi. homil. 7. to signify the flesh and the blood of jesus Christ, offered for us? Origen also in his homilies hath expounded the sacraments to be figures, which must be examined spiritually and not carnally, S. Chrys. in ●omil 31. cap. 15. come. 1 Psal. 22. for this faith saith he that the letter killeth, if it be not understood spiritually when it is written to eat the flesh of Christ. Wherefore Saint Chysostome warneth to honour this sacrament in offering the soul unto God, for which Christ was crucified and that by this holy sacrament of bread and wine, is signified unto us the likeness of the body and blood of jesus Christ. To make an end, it behoveth to be ruled by the holy interpretation of our doctor jesus Christ and 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 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 and nourished with heavenly bread in the health of our souls, to come to life everlasting. Let us then be assured in jesus Christ as members of his body: 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, all we the faithful are the body of jesus Christ, saved and redeemed by his body crucified & blood shed for us. Thus dwelling and abiding by faith in jesus Christ, eating him, & drinking his blood. Let us believe surely that he was crucified dead, and risen again, & his body ascended into heaven, sitting on 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. How to receive rightly the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. FOr as much as by the opinion of transubstantiation and consubstantiation in the sacrament, the one holden by the followers of the church of Rome, the other by those which follow the opinion of Luther, the truth of the manhood of the son of God contrary to the truth of the word of God, & the best ancient writers is apparently and plainly denied; though in words & tongue they both do seem to confess it, yet must it needs follow upon both these opinions, that the truth of his humanity is clean taken away, and a new imagined humane body in steed of a true natural body given unto him, even such a body as is invisible which cannot be felt nor touched, which holdeth and occupieth no certain place, but is in all places at once, infinite, incomprehensible and not distinguished nor differing in natural qualities from the divinity, all which is contrary to the instruction and plain truth of holy scripture, by which all christian men are taught to believe, that all true properties and qualities of an human real and natural body are unchangeable remaining and being in the person of our Saviour Christ of whose real natural human body, holy scripture thus affirmeth, that by the power of his divinity, dwelling in the same bodily, it is ascended and seated in the heavens, at the right hand of God, of whom it is thus affirmed by lively voice from heaven in the first of the Acts, Acts. 1. This jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come as you have seen him go into heaven. In the which place the Apostle Saint Peter affirmeth in the 3. of the Acts he must have continual permannece and abiding and be contained according to the proper and true nature of his human flesh, until his coming again to judgement, saying: And he shall send jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the heavens must contain, until the time that all things be restored which God had spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world begun. So that in his human real natural flesh, he is not nor shall not be on earth naturally or supernaturally, until his said coming to judgement which doctrine notwithstanding it is assured and most true according to the instruction of holy scripture, that his divinity is unseparable from his humanity, and his humanity from his divinity, his divinity extending itself to all places both in heaven and earth, being everlasting, infinite, incomprehensible, comprehending and containing all things by his divine power & majesty, and his humanity being contained, seated and resting locally in the heavens, the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth in the same, not being so contained of it, but that it filleth the same and all other places also; The incomprehensibleness of which unseparable conjunction, of the divinity and humanity of our Saviour: Being perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting: no earthly similitude may fitlier serve to express then the most shining and glorious body of the Sun, the body whereof God hath locally set in the firmament, to give light unto the world, and to cherish, comfort and nourish all things therein, with his heat; for as the light & heat remain by the divine ordinance of God unseparably joined to the body of the Sun, which by the true power of God is placed and fixed in the firmament, and yet with his light and heat filleth all the world; so remaineth the divinity of the Son of God unseparably joined to to the humanity, locally placed and seated in the heavens, by which conjunction he is not letted from spreading, extending and filling all other places also, who in his divine essence, power and great majesty, filleth and worketh all in all things, according to the true and plain doctrine of holy scripture, & yet the humanity according to the proper & unchangeable nature of the same, remaineth undoubtedly seated, and being but in one place at once, being circumscriptible, local & dwelling in heaven, from whence he shall come in most triumphant and glorious manner, to judge both the quick & the dead: retaining & keeping still the essential properties of his true, real, natural body, hloding and occupying but one place at once, his divinity overspreading and enlarging itself, to all places, according to the excellent power, majesty and essential properties of the same. Which sweet and comfortable doctrine, and undoubted article of our faith, the doctrine and opinion of transubstantiation and consubstantiation, do flatly and plainly impugn and overthrow, as before hath been showed, by which doctrine also of transubstantiation, the truth of the blessed Sacrament, is in plain truth denied, what colours, pretences, shifts or shows so ever be made to the contrary: for how can there be a sacrament of Christ's precious body and blood, when as by the doctrine of the church of Rome the elements of bread and wine (which by the power of the word of God are made a holy sacrament (are taken away & changed into the real natural flesh and blood of Christ, and after which change nothing but the very substance of Christ remaineth, and he is really, carnally & corporally present? which if it be so true as they would have it, & as they with fire & sword would force every one to believe, then must Christ's real, natural carnal body be a sacrament of his body, and not the elements, which by their doctrine have no essence or being at all, but by the power of the word are transubstantiated into the carnal body of Christ, or else there remaineth no Sacrament at all, which for shame I think they will not affirm for the undoubted truth is, that the substance itself of Christ's body and the Sacrament of the substance, which are the elements being distinct several things, cannot so be changed or give place the one to the other, that one self same thing should be both: seeing the true nature and property of a Sacrament is according to the doctrine of holy scripture, to declare, offer & give to all the faithful and true believers, that receive the same with a lively faith, another thing then that itself is both in show and substance, or else it should nor cannot be properly a Sacrament: for a Sacrament, as the divines do term it: Is a visible sign, What a Sacrament is. substance and pledge of invisible grace given to all them that receive the substance of the elements by which they are and shall be made partakers of the invisible grace, offered & given to all them that through the working of the holy Gghost have a true faith to receive the same invisible grace by the elements, as the sacrament of circumcision, and the passover in time of the law did declare, give, testify and assure unto al● the children of Abraham the believing Jews the merciful promise of God, that God was, is, and would be their God, their redeemer and deliverer, from sin and Satan's power for ever: of which their captivity under sin and Satan, their thraldom in Egypt, from whence they were delivered was a figure. The Sacrament also of Baptism & the Lords Supper, do declare, give, testify, seal up and assure through the unspeakable working of the holy Ghost, unto all the true believers, in Christ, their full and perfect deliverance from sin and Satan's power, their participation, and fruition of perfect holiness in jesus Christ, and in the end the reward of everlasting life, purchased▪ given & bestowed by his means and for his sake, who paid the price of their redemption: of all which the true believers are made partakers in the instance of receiving the outward elements in Baptism & the Lords Supper, through the working of the holy Ghost in them, and unfeigned, steadfast & true faith. It belongeth not therefore to any sacrament, or to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, by the doctrine of God's word, that the elements should be changed into the very and natural substance of that whereof it is a sacrament, either by transubstantiation or consubstantiation, for that were to fetch Christ again from above, and give him a real, natural or supernatural corporal presence here upon earth, and so to make him be in all places at once, contrary to the true nature of his true human body, and contrary to the doctrine of holy scripture, which teacheth not any presence of Christ on earth again in his human flesh, until the time appointed before remembered, but plainly showeth the contrary: declaring further, that as many as come to this sacrament and communion of the precious body and blood of Christ with a true and lively faith, fruitful in true repentance and in a virtuous and godly life, the holy Ghost worketh in them a lifting up of their hearts and minds into heaven, where Christ si●teth at the right hand of God, and there through the operation of the same Spirit in the instance of receiving the sacrament, they receive, apprehend and feed upon, in a true, unfeigned and lively faith, the true real and natural body of jesus Christ the son of God, whereby their bodies and souls are preserved, nourished and strengthened, to the attainment of everlasting life by his changing & purging all their corruptions and uncleanness, and by his distributing and uniting unto every of them the true properties and excellent graces of his natural holy body, as his wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, all which is as truly made theirs by and through his gracious imputation, as if they and every of them had in their own proper nature, attained unto, and fulfilled the same, of which excellent graces, the fruit and reward shall follow of glorification and life eternal. Of all which benefits this sacrament and the sacrament of Baptism are appointed unto the faithful to be as tables and glasses, The use of the Sacrament. wherein they may plainly see and behold all the great mercies of God towards wretched and miserable sinners plainly drawn and figured, that whereas the word doth as a lively trumpet sound out his gracious goodness to the ears of the faithful, these sacraments do serve as instruments and conduits to convey it to the eyes, taste, feeling and comfort of all the senses: so that when their bodies are made partakers of the sacrament and outward elements, their souls in the same instant (through the mighty working of the holy Ghost) are fed by the instrument of true and lively faith, with the most holy, real, natural body & blood of Christ: through the lively power also of which holy spirit they are moved & stirred up to give continual praise, honour and thanks for these his bountiful mercies, & rich treasures bestowed upon them: For in this sacrament and communion of the body and blood of Christ there is showed, declared and given unto all and every of the faithful, the death and sufferings of Christ, the participation they have with him, and all the benefits which they receive by his passion, whereof they are put in mind in this sacrament by four Similitudes. First, by breaking and receiving of the bread. Secondly, by pouring forth and drinking of the wine. Thirdly, by the nourishment which their bodies receive by these elements, by the unity of many corns whereof the substance of the bread, and the unity of many grapes whereof the substance of the wine is made. Fourthly, by the conversion that these elements have into the substance of the receivers. By the breaking and receiving of the bread, and by the pouring forth, and drinking of the wine, the faithful are put in mind of the death, passion and sufferings of Christ, whose body was broken both before & on the Cross, & his blood drawn forth & shed, not for any cause of his own, but for remission of their sins, which is given and they receive by his passion, for; by the nourishment which the bodies of the faithful have, of these elements they are put in mind, that as these elements do in the using and receiving of them nourish their bodies, and comfort & sustain their natural flesh & blood, being the outward man, so the body and blood of Christ apprehended and received through the working of the holy ghost by the instrument of the true and lively faith of the receivers, who through the operation of the same spirit, do by their faith apprehend and feed upon the true, real and natural body of jesus Christ, the son of God, which feedeth & nourisheth their bodies and souls, unto life everlasting, by his distributing unto every of them according to his gracious imputation, the true, real and natural properties of his undefiled body and blood, as his wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, his holiness, innocency, his perfect and full satisfaction of the law of God, his incorruption both in will and nature, his suffering and satisfaction of the wrath and justice of God, due unto us miserable sinners, his victory against sin, death, the devil and hell, his glorification and eternal happiness, of all which every of the faithful are and shall be as verily made partakers by receiving this heavenly food the bread of life, the body and blood of Christ, as if they in their own persons had wrought, suffered & fulfilled whatsoever Christ suffered for them, and were in full possession of the reward, whereof Christ is in possession, and hath prepared and purchased it also for them: the certainty and assuredness whereof is approved unto every of their hearts and souls by the steadfast, sure and undoubted promises of the word of God, delivered by Christ's own mouth in the 6. of john, john. 6. I am the living bread which came down from heaven, if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever, and the bread which I give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world: verily, verily, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you; whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day: For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. I am the bread of life; this is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that he that eateth of it should not die; he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever, and he that eateth me, even he shall live by me, he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him: I am the bread of life, he that cometh unto me shall not hunger, and he that believeth in me shall not thirst: and this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seethe the son and believeth in him should have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day: Verily verily, say unto you, he that believeth in me hath everlasting life, he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. By this and many other sweet and comfortable promises of our Saviour in his word it appeareth plainly, that life is promised to all the faithful and true believers: And seeing by our saviours own words none can be partakers of this life but such as truly eat his flesh & drink his blood, it must needs follow that truly to believe in Christ, is truly to eat his flesh & drink his blood, and that without true faith it is impossible to be partaker of the true, real & natural flesh and blood of Christ. To be partaker also of the flesh of Christ, is not carnally to apprehend & feed upon his material, natural substance, for in that sense our Saviour saith, his flesh profiteth nothing: But to be partaker of the spiritual graces of his true natural flesh in receiving his precious body and blood, by a true faith, as before, which is the very precious food whereby the soul liveth, and is sustained to life everlasting, and is apprehended only by saith, whereby also Christ is said truly to dwell in us, and we in him: and therefore all the wicked and unbelievers which come unto the communion of the body & blood of Christ, are refusers, mockers and despisers of his body and blood, and by receiving the sacrament unworthily, do most worthily eat and drink their own damnation, seeing by their lack of true faith and belief, they refuse, mock & despise, yea and violently thrust away from them so precious a treasure as the body and blood of Christ's is, and come not with reverence to receive and feed upon the same by a true & lively faith, as all the believers do, who without great reverence and dread, with acknowledgement of their own unworthiness, dare not presume to come to this holy table of the Lord, and communion of the body & blood of Christ; having also a true faith working by charity, fruitful in true repentance and in a virtuous godly life, which they have received and do acknowledge to be of the free gift of God through the unspeakable working of the holy Ghost, the same true faith in every of their hearts; by which every of them doth in their mind and soul partake and feed upon the true, real and natural body & blood of Christ seated in the heavens at the right hand of God, whither through the work of the holy Ghost, and by their true faith they are lifted up in the very instance of receiving these sacramental elements, according to Christ our saviours own institution in remembrance of his death and passion: For which cause every one is commanded to try and examine himself whether he have this gift of true faith; which is required to be the instrument & mean to be made a true partaker of this precious body and blood: and by the body and blood of the spiritual graces of the same, whether he be in true charity and in the way of true repentance, and of a virtuous and godly life, before he eat of this bread, and drink of this cup, lest eating & drinking of this holy sacrament unworthily, because he cometh without true faith, fruitful in the effects aforesaid, he put from himself, and be a mocker, also a despiser of the precious treasure of Christ's, real natural flesh and blood offered by these sacramental elements of bread and wine: and so worthily pluck upon himself his own just damnation in as much as by lack of true faith he hath not received but refused and despised the rich iewelis that was offered whereby Christ would have dwelled in him and he should have dwelled in Christ for ever, according to his most merciful promise made in his word. By the similitude of union of many corns and many grapes in these sacramental elements, the faithful are put in mind, that as the bread which they receive and eat in the sacrament was made of many corns, and by the liquor of water kneaden into dough, and yet is but one bread: and as the wine was made of the juice of many grapes, and yet is but one wine: so they that receive and eat Christ's body and drink his blood by a true and lively faith, watered with the liquor of godly and true charity, are made one body and one flesh with him, as lively members, and fruitful branches of his mystical body the Church, which is the whole company of God's children which are in heaven and in earth; of which fellowship and mystical body these elements are a sacrament as well as of his natural body, declaring the perfect conjunction which all the faithful of the church militant here on earth, have with their fellow members the church triumphant, together with their head jesus Christ, who all make but one body of Christ, being compact & knit together to him as to their head, according as the Apostle Saint Paul affirmeth in the 1. to the Corinthians, cap. 10. The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the b●o●d of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we that are many are one bread and one body, because we all are partakers of one bread. In the 12. chapter of the same epistle he saith For as the bodies is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body which is 〈◊〉, though they be many, yet are but one body, even so is Christ: for by one spirit we be all baptised into one body, whether we be jews or Grecians, bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit. Therefore if one member suffer all suffer with it, if one member be had in honour all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ and members for your part. By which words the Apostle showeth that all the faithful both in heaven & in earth make but one mystical body of Christ, and that the whole Church together make but one Christ, being all in particular the several members of his said mystical body, whereof he himself is the head: of which firm and steadfast conjunction, Baptism & the Lords supper are an effectual declaration and resemblance, and perfect seals of assurance to all the faithful: for by Baptism is declared their new birth into one spirit, and by their participation of the body and blood of Christ is manifestly, showed, opened, sealed & assured unto them their new planting & incorporating into Christ's body, who b●●ng made lively members of the same, they are guided, governed and ruled by one self same spirit of Christ, according as the Apostle affirmeth in the 4. chapter of the epistle to the Eph●sians, There is one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your vocation. There is one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God & father of all, which is above all, through all, and in you all. That we be henceforth no more children, wavering and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the deceit of men and craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but let us follow the truth in love, and in all things grow up unto him which is the head, that is, Christ, by whom all the body being coupled and knit together by every joint for the furniture thereof, according to the effectual power which is in the measure of every part receiveth increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love, till we all meet together in the unity of faith and knowledge of the S●nne of God, unto a perfect man, and unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ: And in Gal. 3. it is thus said: For ye are all the Sons of God by faith in Christ jesus for all ye that are baptized into Christ have put on Christ. By which words the Apostle noteth, that all the whole church are but as one man in Christ jesus, making but one mystical body of Christ, whereof the sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper, are a declaration, resemblance, testimony & perfect seal of assurance; so that Christ being now head of his church, and the Church, which is the company of the faithful, being made one body with him, he nourisheth and feedeeth all and every member of the same, and through the work & grace of his holy spirit, joineth them together by their particular joints so that every part hath his just proportion of food, that at length through the virtue received & extended from him, as from their head, every part may grow up to perfection: in which communion and fellowship of the members of Christ together with their head, great comfort is laid up to a true Christian soul: For as the Apostle saith, if one member suffer, all suffer with it, and if one member be had in honour, all the members rejoice with it; because that which is comfort and honour to one, is comfort and honour unto all, in as much as all be made partakers thereof through Christ their head, who by the lace of love hath united and fast joined them one with another, and coupled them all to himself, through his exceeding charity, spreading itself and overshadowing them all, that in all good things, as also in their evil afflictions and sorrows Christ himself with all his members do partake and common together, according as by himself is affirmed in his word, that whatsoever is done to the least & lowest of his members in his said mystical body, be it good or evil, it is done unto him, he being the head of that body from whence every member draweth his life and feeling: for how can a man offend the least part of the body, being a lively and quick member, and the whole body and head not feel it: and what suffereth the furthest part of the foot that the whole body and head suffereth not, seeing that it is the head that giveth m●tion sense and perfect feeling to all the body & every member of the same? and what suffereth the furthest, lowest and least part of the foot that the whole body and head suffereth not: and what benefit also can be done unto any little part of the foot, in which all the body, and specially the head, taketh not comfort and rejoiceth? So than if any one member be feeble and weak in faith, yet the church's faith, which is the company of all the faithful joined to and with their head is stable, and assured strong: and if the repentance of some one member be sudden, small and short, yet the repentance and sorrows of the church joined with her head, is plentiful, deep, large and sufficient, whereof this short and sudden repentant, this poor and little but yet truly grieved member hath communion: if the love and charity of any one member be languishing and faint, but yet true and unfeigned, yet the love of the church and spouse and head of the church, whereunto that member with all the rest is laced and linked, is infinite exceeding fervent and strong, of whose infinite love, the weakest & feeblest hath as full partaking & communion as the strongest lastly, if any one member be spotted and stained, and defiled with the filthiness of sin, yet the head and rest of the members to which it is joined by a true though never so little and weak faith, and in whom it rejoiceth through the bond of true and unfeigned love, though never so languishing, faint and cold love, springing of that weak, and yet true faith; this head, I say, jesus Christ, through whom it hath communion with the rest of the members, and partaketh of all that the head and the rest of the members have from the head, are fair and beautiful: by which faith and love, flowing of the same, through the special and alone working of the holy Ghost, whatsoever the head or any of the members have had, have, or shall have by distribution of grace, from the head, is made common to the beautifying of the weakest, feeblest, the most defiled and foulest member: for so the head hath distributed to all the members to help one another, that the most honest parts do cover, keep, and honour the less honest, according as the Apostle affirmeth. To all the true believers then that have true faith, true charity, & true honesty without hypocrisy, though never so weak, cold, and small in comparison of others, the faith, the charity, the prayers, the fastings, the alms deeds, the virtue, the temperance, the patience, the chastity, the cleanness the weakness the broth●●ly kindness, the love, and whatsoever else may be named of the benefits and graces of the head our Saviour jesus Christ, or distributed by him, by any special grace, to the beautifying of any the members, redoundeth to the comfort, benefiting, and honesting of the least, and lowest of the faithful in the mystical body of Christ. For what grace or benefit can be in the head, whereof all the members receive not comfort, seeing they are made partakers thereof▪ To conclude, such is the comfort of the least and lowest of the faithful in this mystical body of Christ, that no pen nor tongue in this life, can serve to express it, neither any heart able fully to conceive it; the full knowledge and feeling whereof, is laid up for the life to come, forasmuch as no hea●t is strong nor large enough to conceive or bear the joy thereof in this mortal life. Out of which mystical body, being the holy church of God, the spouse and body of Christ, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bones, there is no salvation, forgiveness of sin, or soul's health to be found, hoped or looked for; and in this body whereof Christ is the head, there is no condemnation to any the faithful and true believers, how grievous soever their sins seem unto them: so that if Satan do summon any of them, to answer for their debts and sins, in that the wife is no person to be sued, but the husband, every of the faithful may well bid him enter his action against their husband Christ, and he will make him a sufficient answer: for being once knit by a true & lively faith unto this head, and body of Christ, there shall no sin so far prevail, as to have full dominion over them, and be able ever to separate them from the love, favour, grace, benefits and mercies of God, which are in Christ jesus, both for that they have communion, partaking and fellowship of Christ himself, and of all the benefits of his suffering and passion being made partakers also of all his virtues and graces, and through him, of all the good, virtues, and holiness distributed or to be distributed by him, to all or any member that ever hath been, is, or shall be, of his said mystical body the church; so that the whole church doth still pray for them by Christ's commandment, Forgive us our sins, lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil; yea Christ himself being their head, their redeemer, their Saviour, their only stay, and cause of all this comfort, doth pray for them, and whatsoever is evil in them, that he taketh away, and whatsoever is good in them, that he taketh and distributeth amongst them, and through his own virtue and power purgeth and cleanseth them from all their uncleanness, & filthiness both of body and soul, being true members of his said mystical body, as all and every one is indeed, and without all doubt, having never so little of true saith, which faith is not as a cause, but as a certificate or instrument given them of God, whereby the faithful themselves may be certain of their good husband Christ, and therefore when their conscience feeleth itself disquieted for fear of God's judgement against sin, they may in no wise look upon the worthiness and sufficiency of their own faith, because they never believe so fully and sufficiently as they should and ought to believe; but only let them look on God's grace, eternal mercy, and peace in Christ, so shall they be at quiet when they look for their salvation, altogether out of themselves, in God's mercy in Christ jesus; in whose lap if they rest their head, then are they happy and shall find quietness indeed. The other part of the communion which the members of Christ's mystical body have, and aught to have one with another, is touching the temporal blessings of this present life, who being all laced and knit together by the bond of true charity, they do, and are at all times ready to communicate, for the mutual help and comfort one of an other, all such temporal blessings as God hath bestowed upon them for the use and necessity of their life, as to pray one for another, to help, comfort, and counsel one another, in all things needful, either for soul or body, to minister to the necessities one of another, in a frank & liberal distribution of alms deeds, according to such measure as God hath dealt to every one: a power and ability to help and relieve such as are in need, misery, or want, either by poverty, sickness, imprisonment, or banishment: by which outward deeds of charity, their faith and love to God is witnessed and declared; as on the contrary, by their covetousness, hardness of heart, and unmercifulness to the poor, they give plain witness and testimony, they neither love nor believe in God, what flourish or boasting soever they make to the contrary, according as Saint john affirmeth in his first epistle, and 3. chap. saying, My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue only, but in deed, and in truth: & whosoever hath this world's goods & seethe his brother have need, and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? be loved let us love one another, for love cometh of God, and every one that loveth is borne of God, and knoweth God; he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. In this appears the love of God towards us, because God sent his only begotten son into the world, that we might live through him: herein is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us first, and sent his son to be a reconciliation for our sins: beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another; no man hath seen God at any time, if we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfect in us: God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him; we love him because he loved v● first: if any man say he love God, and hate his brother, he is a liar, for how can he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, love God whom he hath not seen? and this commandment have we of him, he that loveth God, should love his brother also. By this instruction of the Apostle in this epistle it appeareth that it is a false, lying, and vain boasting of any man, to say he loveth and believeth in God truly, when he shooteth up all his compassion from the help of mankind, which bear the image of God in the person of our Saviour Christ, which was both God and man, who presenteth himself to us to be beloved in them which bear the image of his manhood. For no man can truly say he heartily loveth the father, but he must also love the son; and although the son be naughty, and unthrifty, yet for his father's sake he must help to better him, and even lament and be sorry for the sons wickedness, even so much the rather, seeing God hath appointed, and by his holy ordinance commanded that whatsoever any true Christian man is, or whatsoever he hath, he should thankfully receive it as of the free bounty and gift of God, who himself is the fountain and full treasure of all good things, the only author and giver of every good and perfect gift, giving and distributing to every one of the abundance of his riches & treasures; to this end and purpose, that each should communicate to other, of the goods they have received, for the supply of each others want and necessity: For which cause every true Christian man must love good men in Christ, and evil men for Christ's sake, who so loved us when we were his enemies, that he gave up of his own life for our redemption; let him embrace the one because they are good, the other nevertheless to make them good, let him forgive and pray for his enemies, persecutors & slanderers, that God would turn their hearts, open their blind eyes, and give them true knowledge of himself his word & commandments: in whose nature let him see and behold, as in a glass, the image of his own crookedness & corruption; for there is no man so mad, cruel, furious, or hard hearted, but all other as of themselves are as far wide from God as he; so that every man which escapeth the filthiness and corruption of the wicked and ungodly, may thank God that keepeth him by his grace from that or the like impiety, as for example, thou seest a man that is a thief, a whoremonger, and an heretic, or idolater, there thou seest even thine own image and picture, for if God keep thee not of his merciful grace and goodness, out of such vices, thou wouldst be even as evil and bad as he, and seeing thou art not such a one, glory in God, and not in thyself, hate not, nor be not angry with those which are diseased in sin, no more than a faithful physician hateth a sick man, but rather lament and be sorry for their evils, be thou an enemy only unto sin and vice; the greater the disease is, the more care will true charity have to remove it is he an adulterer, or hath he committed sacrilege, or is he a jew, Turk, Heretic, or Infidel? hate the adultery, sacrilege, heresy, idolatry, and infidelity of the man, and seek to remove, purge, and cleanse these vices, wherewith the man is defiled, and wherein he is wrapped and entangled through his own fault; so that the man may be saved which God made, let every true Christian will well, wish well, and do well unto all men unfeignedly, not hurting them which have deserved it, but doing good to them which have not deserved it, according to the instruction of the Apostle, Gal. 6. & Ro. 12. Whilst we have time let us do good unto all men, especially unto those which are of the household of faith. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, seed him, if he thirst, give him drink, for in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. For a true Christian man must be glad and rejoice for all men's commodities as for his own, and so to take to heart and be sorry for an other man's harms, as if they had fallen upon himself, and to weep with them that weep, and to joy in all manner good things with them that rejoice, as the same Apostle also teacheth. He must not think with himself after the fashion of the worldlings, and wicked men, what have I to do with this fellow? he is a man unknown to me, he is a stranger, he never did aught for me, he hath hurt me some times, but he never did me good: he must, I say, think none of these things, but remember only what Christ hath done for thee, who willeth his kindness showed towards thee, should be requited, not in himself, which thou canst not, nor shalt not be able to do; but to show such kindness for his sake towards all men, as he requireth of thee, distributing of such bodily or ghostly goods as he hath given thee to the relief of others necessities, even to the uttermost of thine ability. For so doth the holy scripture teach every christian man, in many places of the same, as Luke 3. v. 11. Let him that hath two coats part with him that hath none, and he that hath meat let him do likewise: by which two examples of food and raiment, the faithful are warned by a common care and endeavour, and by a particular special care in every one to provide, that the necessities and wants of the poor be helped, and supplied, according as God shall have dealt to them a portion of ability to do it, for so is it commanded in other plac● of the scripture, as in the 1. of Tim. the 6. chap. Charge them which are rich in the world, that they be ready to give, and glad to distribute, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may attain eternal life and Math. 6. Lay not up for yourselves treasures the upon earth, where the rust and moth doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal. & Math. 7. Whatsoever you would that men should do to you, even to do you unto them, for this is the law and the Prophets. &, Luke. 12. Sell that you have, and give alms, make you bags which wax not old, a treasure that never can fail in heaven, where no thief cometh, nor moth corrupteth: and according as God had commanded in his law, that a merciful respect, and diligent care should be had of the poor, so holy Toby in his 8. chapter giveth this instruction to his son, Give alms of thy goods, and turn never thy face from the poor, and then the face of the Lord shall never be turned away from thee: be merciful after thy power, if thou hast much, give plenteously, and if thou hast little, do● thy diligence, gladly to give of that little, for so gatherest thou thyself a good reward against the day of necessity, and in the second to the Corinth. the 9 chap. it is thus written: He that soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly, and he that soweth liberally, shall reap also liberally; as every man wisheth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerful giver and: in 13. to the Hebrews, the 16. verse, it is said, to do good and to distribute, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is pleased: & Pro. 20. he that hath mercy upon the poor dareth unto the Lord, and the Lord will recompense him that which he hath given. By all which places and many other in holy scripture it appeareth what love, tender care and compassion by the ordinance and commandment of God is appointed to be had and showed upon such as are in misery and want. By which kind of Communion and bond of charity, all mankind without exception are united and knit together; but of the first none can or may be partakers but only the faithful, which are the elect and chosen children of God, the true members of the Church, joined to their head jesus Christ, among which company all the members are so compact, united & knit together, that all make but one body of Christ, and therefore ought thus to think one of another; he is my brother & coheir in Christ, a member of the same body, redeemed with one blood, a fellow in the common faith, called to the very same grace & felicity of the life to come: how can any then that is a true member of Christ, of which body thou professest thyself also a member, be a stranger unto thee, to whom thou art coupled with so many bonds of unity? And as concerning the outward goods of this life, the godly, and true members of christ, in whose hearts alone this true charity is rooted by and through the working of the holy ghost do and aught to be ready at all times to make partakers not only their friends and such as be of the household of faith, but even the wicked and unbelievers, their enemy's persecutors and slanderers, distributing of the outward goods of this life unto all men in general, as their prayers, their counsel, help and comfort, their relief, charity & alms, whose prayer for the ungodly concerning the outward and temporal blessings of this world, God hath showed by many examples in his word, that he hath both heard and granted, as at the prayers of Moses and Aaron, he removed the plagues from Pharaoh, at the prayers of the Prophet of God, the dried hand of jeroboam was restored to his former strength; and so will GOD still hear the prayers of his children for the ungodly, so far as it standeth with his good pleasure and advancement of his own glory; commanding his children not to be like the wicked and ungodly to do good only in respect of reward, or for some special bond of alliance or friendship, as our Saviour affirmeth that the Publicans & unbelievers do. Mat. 5. For if you love them which love you what reward have you, do not the Publicans even the same? and if you be friendly to your brethren only, what singular thing do you, do not even the Publicans likewise? but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you, give to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away thy face, that you may be the children of your father which is in heaven, for he maketh his sun to shine upon the evil and upon the good, and sendeth rain on the the just and on the unjust, ye shall therefore be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect: & thus our saviour hath showed by this his commandment what the true rule of charity is, by which his children are united and knit together, even in all things both bodily and ghostly to communicate & participate one with another, seeing from the outward bodily participation he hath not separated the wicked and unbelievers, but hath first linked and tied them also to his own children in the outward participation of the goods of this life. By which doctrine all the children of God are put in mind that they must suffer nothing to let or hinder their charity in any the outward things & temporal blessings before mentioned, but even to be liberal, pitiful & compassionate unto all, for that they are of the same kind and flesh with them: & yet nevertheless to have their minds and eyes of their souls lifted up higher to that communion and participation which they have of all things with their brethren, the true members of the holy and undefiled body of Christ, who is their head: so that whatsoever is bestowed upon any one member, it redoundeth to the whole body, and from thence unto the head, and the head of Christ is God; whereof it followeth that the good which is done to any one member, it is done to Christ, it is done to God. Which lively work of true charity, the head, who is our saviour jesus Christ, worketh by the grace of his holy spirit in all and every true member of his body, the Church, the body and every part thereof drawing all their life and feeling, the power and strength also of every good and virtuous work and of every godly act from the head, to whom all the honour, glory and praise is due for all the good that is done or can be done either in this life or in the life to come: only let all the faithful be quickened in their charity when they feel it to begin to wax cold and faint, by this spur, that albeit to their fleshly eyes and judgement, which is always during this life corrupt and blind, there appeareth no kindness, goodness, virtue or any good quality in some one or divers men, whereby they may be stirred to love him or them, but rather causes stirring and provoking them to a hatred, loathing and detestation of their persons, for the filthy corrupt vices which they see and behold rooted in them; yet according to the rule, ordinance & commandment of God, their own blind judgement forsaken, they must show themselves enemies only unto sin and vice, not hating their persons for the faults, but hate the faults for love of the persons, seeking by counsel, correction and chastisement how to purge and cleanse them from their filthiness, wherein by wallowing themselves they are defiled, and wherein as with fetters, bands and cords, they are wrapped, holden and entangled: let the faithful for the love which God hath showed them, be stirred and provoked to secure, help, counsel, and comfort all men in general, not so much for any thing they can see or discern in them, as for the love of God and his mercy's sake which he hath showed them in jesus Christ, let them help to bear up their infirmities, and when they fall let them help to lift them up by admonishment, by counsel, by prayer and good example; and where there is power and need also require it by correction and chastisement to draw them from their evils. Further for their bodily necessities, let them be liberal & bountiful in distributing their alms, and thus by this which hath been showed, it appeareth first, that true faith doth certify and assure us of all the sweet promises and mercies of God in our conjunction together with the rest of the members unto Christ our head, and of the communion and participation that we ought to have and shall have in all things both bodily & ghostly, together with our head: our obedience to the word and commandments of God, our true & unfeigned love & charity doth certify and assure us, and doth give witness also and testimony thereof unto others, that our faith is true, lively, and unfeigned, our tender compassion and mercy our frank hearted & liberal distribution of alms doth declare and manifest unto all that our charity is true, unfeigned, fervent, pleasing and acceptable unto God, and of the right kind which it ought to be. To conclude, this is that which is meant by the mystery of unity in the Sacrament, that all the faithful are united together, with their head jesus Christ, by and through his power and grace, to be partakers and communicate one with another in all things both bodily and ghostly, heavenly & earthly: the faithful likewise, through the bond of the same charity, drawn from their head, must make partakers and communicate unto the unfaithful and unbelievers all the outward temporal blessings of this present life; in all which outward temporal things, they must be as one with them to communicate, help, and relieve them, according to the true rule of charity, and mystery of unity in this Sacrament; in which last kind of unity all mankind without exception are and aught to be according to the holy ordinance of God in his word, united, and knit together. By the similitude of conversion, the faithful are put in mind, certified and assured, that as the bread & wine being taken and received, is turned into the substance of their bodies: so every of the faithful apprehending and receiving Christ's real natural body and blood in the instance of receiving the sacrament, by their true and lively faith are through the operation of the holy ghost, turned into the true nature of his precious body and blood, that is, they are every one changed & renewed, and made bone of his bones and flesh of his fl●sh, so that from thenceforth Christ abideth in them and they in him, and they be made one flesh and one blood with Christ, and Christ is made one flesh & one blood with them, not by transubstantiation or consubstantiation, which cannot be without the overthrow of his true humanity: neither doth holy Scripture teach us so; but thus doth holy scripture teach, that the faithful are made flesh of Christ's flesh by his disposing, and distributing unto them according to his gracious imputation, the true nature▪ essential properties and qualities of his flesh and blood, that is, every of them are by his imputation as truly made partakers of the perfect holiness & wisdom of his bodily person, of his incorruption both in will & nature, of his obedience and satisfaction of the law of God, of his passion and sufferings of the curse & wrath of God due to sinners, of his victory against sin, death, the Devil and hell, and shall be also made partakers of that immortality and everlasting happy life, whereunto he is entered, and which he hath purchased for them that truly believe in him, even as verily as if every of them were one self same bodily person, flesh and blood in real and natural substance with him; so that now all and every of the faithful may say and comfort themselves after this manner: In thee our most gracious God & merciful Lord jesus Christ, each of us hath a portion both of blood and flesh, therefore where that flesh whereof I am a part doth reign, there I believe I do and shall reign; where my blood hath dominion, there I trust I have & shall have dominion; where my flesh is glorious: there I know I am & shall be gloririous, & although I am yet a sinner, yet I doubt no whit of this participation of grace; although my sins do hinder me, yet my substance doth require it, and although mine own offences do exclude me, yet the communion of nature which by his gracious imputation he hath given me, hath brought me again to this grace and favour. For the Lord is not so unkind that he can hate his own flesh, his own members, his own bowels, whereof I am a part, seeing Christ himself hath vouchsafed to be made one flesh and one blood with me & all the rest of his members, the faithful & true believers that is, Christ hath taken the nature and quality of our flesh and blood, having caused all our sins to be imputed and laid to his charge, as bearing the person and body of us all, having in his true natural body & flesh suffered the wrath and curse of GOD for our sins, as if himself had been guilty of them, and had committed and done them in his own body and flesh; so that the sins of every of the faithful are fully satisfied for, condemned and punished in the real natural flesh and blood of Christ, eu●n as verily as if he were the self same bodily person, sinful flesh and blood, and substance of all and every of the faithful. And this is the conversion & change of the faithful into Christ, & of Christ into them, truly represented, declared and assured in and by this sacrament & communion of his precious body and blood, as it evidently appeareth by that which the Apostle speaketh in the 8. to the Rom. and 3. verse. and 5. of the 2. to the Corinth. and 21. verse. God sending his own son in the similitude of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. For he made him to be sin for us which knew no sin, that we should be made the righteousness of GOD in him. By which words the Apostle meaneth not, that the holy body of Christ was defiled with any the sins of mankind, but that he was the true sacrifice propitiatory unto God for the sins of mankind, having borne away and taken upon himself all their sins in his own real natural body, flesh and blood, as if he himself were the particular person of every of them and had committed their several sins, and as though he himself were the self same bodily person, flesh and blood in essence and substance, nature & quality of every of the faithful being sinners & transgressers of the Law of God, guilty of the wrath, judgement▪ eternal damnation & curse of God; from which punishments our Saviour Christ hath acquitted every of them by his death, passion & suffering, and all that have or shall hereafter truly believe in him. By which their faith through the working of the holy ghost as Christ is apprehended and converted into them, & hath borne away their sins upon himself, and the punishment due for the same; so are they also and every of them converted into Christ, and are made partakers of the righteousness of God in him, according as before hath been remembered: wherein the infinite justice & mercy of God most lively appeareth to the eyes, understanding, taste and feeling of all the faithful: infinite in justice; for that no satisfaction could or can satisfy the justice of God for the recompense or redemption of the least sin in mankind, but that the same must be fully punished for the satisfaction of God's infinite justice, in the true, real & natural flesh of man; which satisfaction our Saviour Christ made for mankind, who came down from heaven and was made man of the substance of his mother, that in the frail flesh of mankind he might take upon himself and suffer all the punishment due unto sinners, that as many as believed or should to the end of the world believe in him, might not perish but have everlasting life. For christ in the power of his divine nature to which he joined our flesh, suffered the wrath, curse & punishment of God due for sin, which no mortal creature being only man, was or could be able to bear or overcome, for which cause the son of God made himself flesh, to the end that according to gods infinite justice the sins of the faithful might be borne away and fully punished in his flesh: wherein his infinite justice did most brightly shine & appear. His infinite mercy herein appeareth, that where the sins of the faithful be fully punished through the sufferings of jesus Christ for the satisfaction of God's justice, it appeareth plainly unto them that they are freely forgiven & pardoned, because in them, as in their own persons, their sins are not nor shall ever be punished, nor any satisfaction made or to be made unto GOD by themselves, Christ having borne the wrath and full punishment of God due unto them for sin, and quite freed & discharged them, so that neither their sins shall be laid to their charge, nor any punishment nor purgation due for the same, required at their hands. Which plainly setteth forth and declareth unto all the faithful Gods infinite and unspeakable mercy, whereof this sacrament & communion of his precious body & blood, is a plain declaration, resemblance & perfect seal of assurance unto all the faithful But the Church of Rome with her followers, as by the Doctrine of transubstantiation they do deny the truth of the manhood of the son of God; so by the same doctrine they deny also and abolish the truth of the Sacrament, and the end of the institution of the same which was to put the faithful in mind of the great love of God, and sufferings of Christ for them: for so, saith the Apostle, You shall show the Lords death till he come. It serveth also to put them in mind of all the benefits received by his precious body and blood, who gave his body to be broken, and his blood to be shed for their sins; and by this holy sacrament, giveth to all true believers his real natural flesh and blood, to be their spiritual meat & drink, to preserve and nourish their bodies and souls unto lif● everlasting; and to declare, testify, and assure unto them their union that they have with him, as members making one body, distributing unto all and every member, the spiritual graces and virtues of his most excellent, real, natural, holy body; which spiritual and immortal food of their bodies and souls, is received from their head jesus Christ, who distributeth and sendeth it down, to the nourishment of all his members, even as the food of this mortal life is received by means of the head, and sent down to the nourishment of all our earthly members; whereof these outward elements are a fulll declaration, and a perfect seal of assurance to all the faithful, being by the institution of God, made a holy sacrament, to represent the same unto them, and by his holy ordinance appointed to carry the very name of his body; which is signified by these elements, offered unto all, and given to the true believers: wherein God of his infinite goodness and mercy apply himself to the dullness of the capacities of his children, who without these outward pledges (being signs, tokens, and remembrances of his great mercy) would never have conceived, and would have been ready also to forget the infinite benefits & mercies of God, purchased for them by the death and passion of his beloved son; which God in his excellent wisdom hath so lively declared and set forth in these Sacramental elements, because the real natural bodily presence of Christ did not so plainly make the same known and open to the understanding of his disciples, and the Church. For which cause our Saviour did institute, command, and celebrate this holy Sacrament, whiles he was yet bodily present amongst his disciples, both for that his bodily presence was not long to continue, but to departed away from them, whereof this Sacrament was to keep a remembrance amongst them; as also of all the benefits received, and to be received by all, and every of the faithful, by his most precious body & blood, given up to be crucified, broken, and shed for their sins; whereof these sacramental elements did and would make a more lively declaration to the senses and understanding of his Disciples and the Church, through the grace of his holy spirit, working in every of their hearts, then by his bodily presence they were able to conceive. For which cause it pleased our Saviour to give to this Sacrament, the name of his body, because in this Sacrament, the true, real and natural holy body of Christ is offered to all given to the true believers, received of them by a true and lively faith, with praise and thanksgiving, as before hath been remembered. Of which true, real, natural, holy body, the wicked and unbelievers are not, nor cannot be partakers, either worthily, or unworthily, as th● church of Rome imagineth by their doctrine of Transubstantiation, or as the Lutherans imagine by their doctrine of Consubstantiation, but coming to this holy Sacrament without true faith, they receive the same sacrament unworthily, whereby they eat and drink their own damnation, as the Apostle saith in the 1. to the Corin. ver. 29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation, because he discerneth not the Lords body, but rejecteth & despiseth the same by receiving the holy Sacrament unworthily, & without true faith. For when they presume to receive the holy Sacrament without a true faith, to be thereby made partakers of the true, natural, holy body and blood of Christ, they receive, as Augustine saith, by their unworthy receiving the holy Sacrament without true faith, the bread of the Lord, but not together by and with the same, the bread the Lord; that is, they receive the Sacrament, but not that which is signified, declared, offered unto all, and given through the work of the holy Ghost, by and with the Sacrament, unto all the true believers; and seeing the wicked & unbelievers have wilfully put from them, rejected and despised that, which they might have received (if they had come with true faith) they do worthily eat & drink judgement to themselves, as the Apostle saith, for not discerning the body of the Lord. Whereby it doth also most evidently appear, that there is neither consubstantiation, nor transubstantiation in the Sacrament; for seeing the wicked eat & drink judgement to themselves, by their unworthy receiving the holy Sacrament, it must therefore needs follow, that they are thereby no partakers of the true natural body & blood of Christ, of which, whosoever eateth or drinketh, receive life, and not death; for the true natural body of Christ is not judgement to any, but life unto all that receive it; therefore that which the wicked eat and drink, is not the body of Christ, neither by transubstantiation nor consubstantiation, but the Sacrament of his body, as Augustine saith; by receiving whereof unworthily, they eat & drink judgement, for the reasons and causes before remembered. For the avoiding of which fearful and intolerable punishment, it is necessary to show somewhat of the preparation requisite to be made by every Christian man, both before, and at his presenting himself to this holy table of the Lord. Before the receiving then of the blessed Sacrament, every true Christian man ought thus to consider with himself: First, by a sound knowledge, and good discretion to meditate and imprint deeply in his heart, what he doth either refuse or receive, when he presenteth himself at the Communion and holy table of the Lord; & what he himself is that doth receive. The thing he doth refuse, or receive, in, by, and with this holy Sacrament, if he come with a true and right faith, or refuse if he come not so, is jesus Christ perfect God, that made all things of nought, and perfect man, that died for mankind on the Cross. He that receives must remember and know himself to be a man, and not a beast, and therefore must present himself to this Sacrament like a man, in whom the image of God is renewed, through the work & grace of the holy Ghost, all malice and beastliness of sin being subdued, and not suffered to reign; and in stead thereof, true faith and godliness, though not perfect, which is reserved to the life to come, being firmly grounded and planted; lest if he come like a beast, in unfaithfulness, and unholiness, he be found an unworthy partaker of this blessed Sacrament, by which means he doth not receive, but refuse and put from him the precious body and blood of the son of God, to his own just and eternal damnation. Secondly, he must not presume to come but with great devotion, dread, and reverence of heart: for seeing jesus Christ, who offereth himself to be received is holy and all holiness, he must labour diligenly to receive him, in as much devotion & holiness as he may, earnestly confessing and bewailing his former sins and wickedness, and making earnest and hearty prayers unto God for pardon and forgiveness of the same. It behoveth him therefore in all humbleness and lowliness of heart, before he receive this blessed Sacrament, to examine & search diligently his own heart and conscience, confessing before God in the secret of his heart, the miseries of all his sins and offences, having displeasure and grief at himself, with deep sigh & sorrowings for all the uncleanness of his body & soul, lamenting and bewailing that he is yet so carnal, so worldly, so wilful, & unmortified in all his passions, so full of motions, of concupiscences, of his sinful flesh, so unwary & ill ordered, in all his words and deeds, and so encumbered with vain fancies, so much inclined to outward worldly things; so negligent and careless to the attainment of spiritual and heavenvly things; so ready to laughing and wantonness; so busy in things easy and pleasing to the flesh, so slow and hardly drawn to hearty sorrow, and earnest repentance for his sins and offences, or to any care of his soul's health, being so quick and curious to hear and see the vanities and pleasures of this world, so niggardly and scarce to give, so greedy and covetous to scrape together hold, and keep; so rude and unmannured, so prodigal, riotous and gluttonous in raiment, meat, and drink without all hunger, desire, or thirst to the word of God, the precious clothing and food of the soul, so attentive to toys and fables, so sleepy to all holy exercise, so lightly displeased and rigorous to reprove other men's faults, so deaf, blind, & froward, to hear, see, or amend his own faults, so glad in prosperity, so feeble in adversity, so oft purposing many good things, so seldom bringing any of them to effect; all which defaults, and many other which he seethe and beholdeth in himself, when he hath with great sorrow and displeasure at himself for his own frailness in his secret heart confessed and bewailed unto God, let him then in a full purpose through the grace of God set himself to amend his sinful life past and to profit alway from better to better; and with great reverence of heart, let him be afraid as of himself, knowing his own wretchedness and unworthiness to approach and come near so worthy a Lord as Christ is. For if a man defiled with filthiness & stink, be unworthy to stand in the presence of a king, how much more unworthy is any man, as of himself to receive Christ in the precious Sacrament? For why, all our good deeds are but as uncleanness in his sight; what are our sins then? nevertheless his goodness and his pity is more than all our wretchedness; and therefore with all humbleness and lowliness, and with a reverent dread in a full trust and confidence of his great mercy let him go unto him, for his worthiness shall make him worthy: let him offer himself in humble and hearty prayer unto God committing unto him both his body & soul, to be made by his grace, and through the working of the holy Ghost in his heart, a worthy partaker of this holy Sacrament, that together in, by and with the same he may receive and be partaker of the real, natural, holy flesh and blood of Christ, through which he may be purged of all his sins, and receive grace of good life. For why, for that cause amongst other was this holy Sacrament ordained that a man through offering of his prayers to God, and partaking of this Sacrament should ask pardon and forgiveness of all his sins, and grace of good life, and should obtain it. If time therefore do suffer before the receiving of the blessed sacrament▪ let him meditate or say on this manner. Lord all things be thine that are in heaven and in earth, I desire to offer myself unto thee in a free & perpetual offering; so that I may be perpetually with thee in singleness and simplicity of heart, I offer me this day to be thy servant, in thy service: and although I am unworthy to serve thee, yet art not thou unworthy to have my service; make me therefore worthy of that which thou art worthy of, so shall I be worthy of that which now I am unworthy of: make me as thy will is, to cease from sin, that as my duty binds me, I may serve thee, I offer also unto thee O Lord all my sins and offences that I have committed before thee, from the day that I might first offend unto this day, that thou vouchsafe through thy great goodness, to put away all my sins out of thy sight and remembrance, and to cleanse my conscience of all mine offences, restoring me again to that grace, that I through sin have lost; and that thou forgive me all things past, receiving me, merciful Lord, into the blessed kiss●ngs of peace and of forgiveness: for what may I do, but meekly contesse and bewail my manifold sins, continually craving mercy of thee for the same; forgive me, merciful Lord, now I beseech thee; for all my sins disp●ease me● much, and by the help of thy grace I will never commit them again, but sorrow for them, and be ready to do penance and satisfaction before thy congregation & Church, to the uttermost of my power and ability▪ for all the injuries that I have done, to the offence of thy Church, or to the hindrance and hurt of any my Christian brethren or sisters, by any the offences I have committed. Forgive me Lord, forgive me my sins, and for thy holy name, save my soul, that thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood: I commit myself wholly to thy mercy, I resign me into thy hands, do with me after thy goodness, and not after my wicked deservings. I offer also unto thee all the good works which through thy grace have been wrought or done by me; which because they are few and very imperfect, through my frailty and great wretchedness, I beseech thee to amend them, and sanctify them, and make them liking and acceptable unto thee; & alway make them better & better, & bring me though I be a slow & unprofitable servant, to a blessed & happy end. I offer also unto thee, my prayer & peaceable offering, for all them that have hindered me, grieved me, and wrought me sorrow; and also for all them whom I have at any time made heavy, troubled, grieved, or injured in thought, word, or deed, wittingly, or ignorantly, that thou forgive us altogether our sins & offences against thee, and of each of us against other; and that thou Lord take from our hearts all envy, suspicion▪ wrath, variance, pride, indignation, and contention, and whatsoever may let charity, or diminish fraternal love that each of us should have to other. Have mercy Lord, have mercy on all them that ask thee mercy: and give us grace that we may receive thy precious body and blood, which thou really and truly offerest unto all, and givest unto all thy children the true believers in this blessed Sacrament, that through the lively power of this thy holy body, received by us in a true steadfast and unfeigned faith, by and through the operation of the holy Ghost, we and all thy whole Church may receive remission of sin, and obtain everlasting life. And after this meditation, let him vow and promise, & purpose also with himself through the grace of God, and by the working of the holy Ghost, ever after, more diligently to serve God, for seeing a man is busy to serve an earthly Lord with all his dilignece, much more should we be diligent to serve our Lord God, and to lift up our hearts unto him; and to consider the greatness of God, and the wretchedness of ourselves, how great and how worthy God is, how little, & how unworthy ourselves are: consider also the great love of God, that would take to himself that is so worthy, the frail & weak estate of mankind, not for any cause of his own, but for the great love he bore unto us: consider also his unspeakable and rich mercy towards miserable and wretched sinners, who not only offered himself to death, for us on the cross, but also giveth himself to us in the Sacrament to be our spiritual meat ann drink, and to be fully with us, and in us. Wherefore let every Christian man if he have time, before the receiving of the blessed Sacrament, say thus in his heart. Lord I know well that all works and deserts of men, be they never so holy, are not worthy to receive thee, how mu●h more am I unworthy, that each day sin, and as a man uncorrigible dwell still therein? O Lord, why do I such despite unto thee, for to cast thee my precious Lord into the foul pit of my conscience? for surely there is no dung more stinking then my soul is, O Lord what shall I do? shall I lay thee in that foul place? surely Lord I durst not, but in hope of thy mercies; but I believe and am assured that thy mercies are endlessly more than all my sin, and therefore in full trust of thy goodness, I offer myself to receive thee, as a sick man receiveth a medicine thou art the most sovereign salve and I am sore sick: therefore I take thee to be made whole through thee, and the sicker that my soul is, the more desire I have to be healed, and the more need I have of thee, for why, in healing of my deadly sickness, shall well be showed and commended the greatness of thy goodness, that wilt help and heal so wretched a creature, and bring me to the possession of everlasting life, through the merits of thy precious death and passion. And thus must we that are sick in sin, receive this healthful medicine of the holy Sacrament, the body and blood of Christ: and when we feel through it any comfort to our souls, let us ascribe that comfort not to ourselves, but to the goodness of God, which so comforteth and refresheth our souls, by feeding us with his own flesh and blood, of his own great mercy & grace. & let us thus think with ourselves, lo thus doth our Lord unto us, to show us our wretchedness and miseries, wherein we lie entangled, unless we be loosed by him; and to overcome our wickedness with the plenty of his goodness; for he maketh us that are dead in sin, to feel life, and being rotten and stinking worms to taste heavenly sweetness. O Lord God sith thou art so merciful to us, that now live in sin, as to feed us with the heavenly bread of thy own flesh and blood in this holy sacrament, by which food through the working of the holy Ghost, we are nourished and cherished in body and soul, unto life everlasting; let our hearts from henceforth in this most cheerfully rejoice, that our God, our spouse, and our love, is made unto us our spiritual meat and drink, to strengthen our bodies and souls, that we may grow up to life everlasting: the bilsse of Saints, the joy of Angels, the son of the highest father, maketh himself our spiritual nourishing, the light of the world, the son of righteousness, the wisdom of God is made the food of our soul, the redeemer of man, the brightness of heaven, the matter of all mirth, and the Lord of joy, vouchsafeth for to feed us with himself: what kindness, what courtesy, what token of love might be more. Wherefore since we have him let us not from henceforth suffer our hearts to delight in any creature, for it were a great unkindness, and vile wretchedness of us, after the receiving of so worthy a meat, so precious and sweet as it is, to settle ourselves to the liking and lust again of the world and of the flesh. Keep us therefore sweet jesus from such wretchedness and unkindness, and be thou our meat and our food, our lust and our liking, and make us continually to hunger after thee, and to feed on thee with greedy desire, for thy sweetness sufficeth unto all the world: & why vouchsafest thou, merciful Lord, to feed us with this heavenly bread, and with this so precious food of thine own flesh and blood? what seest thou in us? or what findest thou in us? or what profi● shalt thou have of us? surely none; but thy great love constraineth thee to do thus unto us: since therefore thou which art the sovereign goodness, the whiteness of endless light, and mirror without spot, vouchsafest thus lovingly to come to us, to dwell in us, and to feed us; how is it that we stinking wretches desire not most earnestly to welcome thee, & devoutly to receive thee? it is great shame to us; but Lord we beseech thee to take away our shame, and to make us to amend. Give us daily this heavenvly bread, & make us daily to receive the precious body & blood of thy son our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, either ghostly, or both ghostly and sacramentally through a true, lively, & unfeigned faith so that thou mayst continually be with us, and we with thee, for thou hast so limed us with thy love, and so glued us with thy grace, that we may n●t departed from thee: grant therefore thy grace, that Christ in us, and we in Christ, may dwell perpetually, and that we may worthily bear this name, sith of Christ we are called Christian. By this which hath been showed, it appeareth how Christ's real, natural, holy flesh and blood is received, in, by, and with the Sacrament, wherein, as hath been also showed, there is not any consubstantiation, nor transubstantiation. It hath been showed also what preparation must be used, that we receive not this holy Sacrament unworthily, whereby Christ is refused and clean shut out from us, and we refused and clean shut out from him, to the eternal damnation of our own souls. From which danger God of his great mercy deliver us, and give us grace that we may at all times be made thankful and worthy receivers, to the praise of his name, and the attainment of everlasting life, through his only son our Lord jesus Christ: to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour, glory and praise, now and for ever. Amen. LAMENTATIONS, mournings and woes, pronounced by the Prophet Isaiah against impenitent sinners. Hear O heavens, Esay against impenitent sinners. cap. 1. and hearken O earth, for the Lord hath said, I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against me: A sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of the wicked, corrupt children. They have forsaken the Lord, and provoked the holy one of Israel to anger. They are gone backward, for they fall away more and more. The whole head is sick, and the whole heart is heavy; from the soul of the foot, unto the head, there is nothing sound therein, but wounds and swellings, and sores full of corruption. When you come to appear before the Lord, who requireth this at your hands, to tread in my Courts, and when you shall stretch out your h●nds. I will hide mine eyes from you, and though you make many prayers I will not hear, for your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean, take away the evil of your works from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, defend the widow. If you consent and obey, you sha●l eat the good things of the land: but if you refuse and be rebellious, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. How is the faithful city become an h●rlot? it was full of judgement and justice lodged therein: but now they are murderers; thy Princes are rebellious and companions with thieves, every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards; they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the widows cause come before them. Therefore saith the Lord God of hosts, the mighty one of Israel; ah I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies, and the strong shall be as tow, and the maker thereof as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them. Enter into the rocks, and hide thee in the dust, from before the fear of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty. The high look of a man shallbe humbled, and the loftiness of men shall be abased, and the Lord only shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts is upon all the proud and haughty, and upon all that is exalted, and it shall be made low. The people shall be oppressed one of another, and every one by his neighbour. The children shall presume against the ancient, and the vile against the honourable. The trial of their countenance testifieth against them, yea they declare their sins as Sodom, they hide them not. Woe be unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Woe be unto the wicked, it shall be evil with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him. Woe be unto them that join house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place, that ye may be placed by yourselves in the midst o●●he earth. This is in mine ears, ●aith th● Lord of hosts: surely many houses s●all ●ee desolate, even great and 〈◊〉 without inhabitants; woe ●ee unto them that ●ise up early to follow drunkenness and to them that continue until ●●ght, till the wine do inflame them▪ ●oe unto them that are mighty ●o drink wine, and to them that are str●ng to power in strong drink; and the harp and viol, timbrel, and pipe, and wine are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the Lord, no● consider the work of his hands. W●e unto them that speak good of evil, and evil of good, which put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for sour. Woe unto them that draw iniquity with the cords of vanity, and sin as with cartropes. Therefore hell hath enlarged itself, and opened his mouth without measure, and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth amongst them, shall descend into it. Make the heart of this people fat, make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert, and he heal them. Then said I, Lord, how long, and he answered, until the cities be wasted without inhabitants, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, for the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of hosts. Therefore will the Lord cut off both head and tail in one day. The ancient and the honourable man, he is the head, and the Prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of the people cause them to err, and they that are led by them are devoured. Therefore shall the Lord have no pleasure in their young men, neither will he have compassion of their fatherless, & of their widows. For every one is an hypocrite & wicked, and every mouth speaketh folly. Therefore by the wrath of the Lord of hosts shall the land be darkened, and the people shall be as the meat of the fire. No man shall spare his brother, for wickedness burneth as a fire, it devoureth the briers and the thorns, and will kindle in the thick places of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke: and when he shall look to the earth, behold trouble, and darkness, vexation, and anguish: yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. Woe unto them that decree wicked decrees, and write grievous things to keep back the poor from judgement, and to take away the judgement of the poor, that widows may be their prey, and that they may spoil the fatherless. What will you do in the day of visitation & destruction, which shall come from far? to whom will you fly for help, and where will you leave your glory? without me every one shall fall amongst them that are bound, and they shall fall down amongst the slain: yet for all this his wrath is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. And in that day did the Lord of host call unto weeping and mourning, and to baldness, and girding with sackcloth; and behold, joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and kill sheep; eating flesh, and drinking wine, eating and drinking for tomorrow we shall die. And it was declared in the ears of the Lord of hosts: surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you, till you die, saith the Lord God of hosts. Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and he maketh it waste, he turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof, and there shall be like people, like priest, like servant, like master, like maid like mistress, like buyer, like seller, like lender, like borrower, like giver, like taker to usury. The Earth shall be clean emptied, and utterly spoiled; for the Lord hath spoken this word. The earth lamenteth and fadeth away, the world is feebled and decayed, the proud people of the earth are weakened. The earth also decayeth because of the inhabitants thereof. For they transgress the laws, they changed the ordinances, and broke the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are desolate, the inhabitants of the land are burned up, and few men are left; and he that flieth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh out of the pit shall be taken in the snare, for the windows from an high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake, the earth is utterly broken down. The earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly, the earth shall reel to and fro like a drunken man and shall be removed like a tent, and the iniquity thereof shall be heavy upon it, so that it shall fall and rise no more. No man calleth for justice, no man contendeth for the truth, they trust in vanity, and speak vain things, they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity, for their hands are defiled with blood, and their fingers with iniquity: their lips have spoken lies, and their tongue hath murmured iniquity: they run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are wicked thoughts; desolation and destruction is in their paths, the way of peace they know not, and there is no equity in their doings: they have made them crooked paths, whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace: therefore judgement turneth backward, and justice standeth far off, for truth is fallen in the streets, and equity cannot enter, yea truth faileth, and he that refraineth from evil, maketh himself a prey. And when the Lord saw it, it displeased him that there was no judgement. Therefore will he tread down the people in his wrath, and make them drunk in his indignation, & will bring down their strength to the earth, and they shall go forth & look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shallbe an abhorring to all flesh. O yea heavens be astonished at this be afraid, jer. against impenitent sinners. chap. 2. and utterly confounded, saith the Lord, for my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters to dig them pits; even broken pits that can hold no water. The Priests said not, where is the Lord? and they that should minister the law knew me not: the Pastors also offended against me. & went after things that did not profit. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy turning back shall reprove thee, know therefore, and behold it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of Hosts: though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap; yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord, thou disobedient Israel, return saith the lord, & I will not let my wrath fall upon you, for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not alway keep mine anger. O yea disobedient children, turn again, saith the Lord: for I am your Lord, and I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. Thou shalt call me, saying, my father, and shalt not turn from me; and thenceforth they shall follow no more the hardness of their wicked hearts. A voice was heard upon the high places, weep, & supplications of the children of Israel, for they have perverted their way and forgotten the Lord their God. O ye disobedient children, return, and I will heal your rebellions. Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. O jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayst be saved, how long shall thy wicked thoughts remain within thee? & in that day, saith the Lord, the heart of the King shall perish, and the heart of the Princes and of the Priests shall be astonished, & the Prophets shall wonder; destruction upon destruction is cried, for the whole land is wasted. Wherefore gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl, for the fierce wrath of the Lord is not turned back from us. I beheld, and lo the fruitful place was as a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce wrath. For thus hath the lord said, the whole land shallbe desolate: yet will I not make a full end; and when thou shalt be destroyed, what wilt thou do? Thy ways and thine inventions have procured thee these things, such is thy wickedness. Therefore it shallbe bitter, therefore it shall pierce unto thine heart: for my people is foolish, they have not known me, they are foolish children, and have no understanding, they are wise to do evil, but to do well they have no knowledge. Then said I, ah Lord GOD, surely thou hast deceived this people, saying, ye shall have peace, and the sword pierceth unto the heart. They have denied the Lord, and said it is not he, neither shall the plague come upon us, neither shall we see, sword nor famine. O Lord are not thy eyes upon the truth? Thou hast stricken them, but they have not sorrowed, thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a stone, and have refused to return. How should I spare thee for this? Thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: though I fed them to the full, yet they committed adultery, & assembled themselves by companies in the harlot's houses. They rose up in the morning like fed horses, for every man neighed after his neighbours wise; shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord? Lo I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the lord, which is a mighty nation, and an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say; whose quiver is an open sepulchre, they are all very strong, and they shall eat thine harvest; and thy bread they shall devour thy sons & thy daughters, they shall eat up thy sheep, and thy bullocks, they shall eat thy vines and thy figtrees; they shall destroy with the sword thy fenced cities wherein thou didst trust. For amongst my people are sound wicked persons that layeth wait as he that setteth snares, they have made a pit to catch men. As a cage is full of birds: so are their houses full of deceit, thereby they are become great and waxed rich, they are waxen fat and shining, they do overpass the deeds of the wicked, they execute no judgement, no not the judgement of the fatherless, yet they prosper, though they execute no judgement for the poor. An horrible and filthy thing is committed in the land the Prophet's prophecy lies, and the Priests receive gifts in their hands, & my people delight therein. Shall not I visit, for these things, saith the Lord? or shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Trust not in lying words, saying, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, this is the temple of the Lord: behold you trust in lying words that cannot profit. But this thing commanded I them, obey my voice, & I will be your God, and ye shall be my people, and walk you in all my ways which I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they would not obey nor incline their ear, but went after the counsels and stubbornness of their wicked heart, and went backward and not forward. Therefore shalt thou speak all these words unto them, but they will not hear thee. Thou shalt also cry unto them, but they will not answer thee: but thou shalt say unto them, this is a nation that heareth not the voice of the Lord their GOD, nor receiveth discipline, truth is perished & clean gone out of their mouth. Therefore thus saith the Lord, behold mine anger and my wrath shall be powered out upon this place, upon man and upon beast, and upon the tree of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground, and it shall burn and not be quenched, and the carcases of this people shall be meat for the souls of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth, and none shall fray them away, and death shall be desired rather than life of all the residue that remaineth of this wicked family, which remain in all the places where I have scattered them, saith the lord of Hosts. How do you say we are wise, and the law of the lord is with us? lo, certainly in vain made he it, the pen of the scribes is in vain, the wise men are ashamed, they are afraid and taken: lo they have rejected the word of the lord, and what wisdom is in them? Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields unto them that shall possess them: for every one from the least to the greatest is given unto covetousness, and from the Prophet even to the Priest, every one dealeth faslly, for they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweet words, saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace: for behold I will send serpents and cockatrices amongst you which will not be charmed, and they shall sting you, saith the lord. Oh that my head were full of water, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people. Oh that I had in the wilderness a cottage of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them, for they be all adulterers, and an assembly of rebels, and they bend their tongues like their bows for lies; but they have no courage for the truth upon the earth, for they proceed from evil to worse, and they have not known me saith the lord. Let every one take heed of his neighbour, and trust you not in any brother, for every brother will use deceit, and every friend will deal deceitfully, and every one will deceive his friend and will not speak the truth, for they have taught their tongues to speak lies, and take great pains to do wickedly. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceivers, because of their deceit they refuse to know me, saith the lord. Therefore thus saith the lord of hosts, behold, I will melt them, & try them, for what shall I else do for the daughter of my people? their tongue is an arrow shot out, and speaketh deceit; one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but his heart he layeth wait for him. Shall I not visit them for these things saith the lord? or shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Hosts, the God of Israel, behold, I will feed this people with wormwood, and give them waters of gall to drink, for death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to destroy the children without and the young men in the streets. Speak, thus saith the lord, the carcases of men shall lie even as the dung upon the field, and as the handful after the mower, and none shall gather them. Thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man glory in his strength, nether the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me; for I am the Lord which show mercy, judgement and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, learn not the way of the heathen, & be not afraid for the signs of heaven, though the heathen be afraid of such. Every man is a beast by his own knowledge▪ for the pastors are become beasts, and have not sought the lord, therefore have they no understanding, and all the flocks of their pastures are scattered. O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself, neither is it in man to walk, and to direct his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with judgement, not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing, power out thy wrath upon the heathen that know thee not and upon the families that call not upon thy name: let me see thy vengeance on them, for unto thee have I opened my cause. O lord, if I dispute with thee thou art righteous, yet let me talk with thee of thy judgements; wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? why are all the in wealth that rebelliously transgress? Thou hast planted them, and they have taken root, they grow and bring forth fruit, thou art near in their mouth, & far from their reins: O lord thou hast ordained them for judgement, and O GOD thou hast established them for correction. Give glory to the lord your God before he bring draknes, and or ever your feet stumble in the dark mountains, and whiles you look for light he turneth it into the shadow of death and make it as darkness. But if you will not hear, this my soul shall weep in secret for your pride, & mine eye shall weep and drop down tears, for the crown of your glory shall come down from your heads. O lord though our iniquities testify against us, deal with us according to thy name, for our rebellions are many, we have sinned against the. O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in the time of trouble, why art thou as a stranger in the land, as one that passeth by to tarry for a night? why art thou as a man astonished, & as a strong man that cannot help? yet art thou, O lord in the midst of us, & thy name is called upon us; O forsake us not. Thus saith the lord unto this people, thus have they delighted to wander, they have not refrained their feet. Therefore hath the lord no delight in them, but he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: when they fast I will not he●re their cries, I will not accept them, but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine and by the pestilence. We acknowledge, O lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against thee, do not abhor us for thy name's sake, cast not down the throne of thy glory, remember and break not thy covenant with us. Are there any among the vanities of the gentiles that can give rain, or can the heavens give showers? is it not thou O lord our God? Therefore will we wait upon thee, for thou hast made all these things. Then said the lord unto me, though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet mine affection could not be towards this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them departed: and if they say unto thee, whither shall we departed? then tell them, thus saith the lord, such as are appointed to death, unto death; & such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for famine, to the famine; & such as are for the captivity, to the captivity: and I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord; the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear in pieces, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth to devour, and to destroy. Thou hast forsaken me, saith the lord and gone backward; therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee, for I am weary with repenting. Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to be spoiled without gain, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders. Behold, saith the lord, I will send out many fishers, and they shall fish them; and after I will send out many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, & out of the caves of the rocks: for mine eyes are upon all their ways, they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes. And first I will recompense their iniquity & their sin double, because they have defiled my land, and have filled my inheritance with their filthy carrions and their abominations. Thus saith the lord, cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and withdraweth his heart from the lord, for he shall be like the heath in the wilderness, & shall not see when any good cometh: but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness in a salt land, and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the lord, and whose hope the lord is, for he shall be as a tree that is planted by the water, which spreadeth out her roots by the river, & shall not feel when the heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green and shall not care for the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful and wicked above all things, who can know it? I the lord search the heart, and try the reins even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his works. As the partridge gathereth the young which she hath not brought forth so he that gathereth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool. O Lord the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shallbe confounded, they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord the fountain of living waters. heal me, O Lord, and I shall be whole, save me, and I shall be saved, for thou art my praise. Then the word of the Lord came unto me saying, I will speak suddenly against a nation, or against a kingdom to pluck it up, and to root it out and to destroy it, but if this nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their wickedness, I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring upon them. And I will speak suddenly concerning a nation & concerning a kingdom to build it, and to plant it: but if it do evil in my sight, & hear not my voice, I will repent of the good that I thought to do for them Thus saith the Lord God of Hosts, the God of Israel, behold I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns, all the plagues that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks & would not hear my words; but they said desperately, surely we will walk after our own imaginations, and do every man after the stubbornness of his wicked heart. Behold, I will bring a plague upon this place, the which whosoever heareth it, his ears shall tingle, and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, & by the hand of them that seek their lives, and their carcases will I give to be meat for the souls of heaven, and to the beasts of the field, and I will feed them with the flesh of their sons, and with the flesh of their daughters, and every one shall eat the flesh of his friend, in the siege and straightness wherewith their enemies that seek their lives shall hold them straight. Woe be unto the pastors that destroy & scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto the pastors that feed my people, ye have scattered my flock, and thrust them out, and have not visited them. Behold I will visit you for the wickedness of your works, saith the Lord: for both the Prophet and the Priest do wickedly, and their wickedness have I found in my house, saith the Lord: wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness, they shall be driven forth, and fall therein: for I will bring a plague upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets, behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the Prophets is wickedness, gone forth into all the land of jerusalem, they strengthen also the hands of the wicked, that none can return from their wickedness: they are all unto me as Sodom, & the inhabitants thereof as Gamorah. They say still unto them that despise me, the Lord hath said, ye shall have peace, and they say unto every one that walketh after the stubbornness of his own heart, there shall no evil come upon you. Therefore behold, I even I will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you and bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame which shall never be forgotten. I have not sent these Prophets; saith the Lord, yet they ran; I have not spoken unto them, and yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel, and had declared my words unto my people, than they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the wickedness of their inventions. How long do the Prophet's delight to prophecy lies, even prophesying the deceit of their own heart. Is not my word like a fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the stone? Therefore behold, I will come against the Prophets saith the Lord, which have sweet tongues, and say, he sayeth, behold, I will come against Prophets saith, the Lord, that steal my word, every one from his neighbour: behold I will come against them that prophecy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies and by their slatteries, and I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they bring no profit unto this people, saith the Lord. For thus hath the Lord God of Israel spoken unto me, take the cup of wine of this my indignation at my hands, and cause all the nations to whom I send, to drink it, and they shall drink and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send amongst them. Therefore say thou unto them, thus saith the lord of hosts the God of Israel, drink & be drunk, & spew, & fall & rise no more, because of the sword which I will send amongst them: but if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then tell them, thus saith the lord of hosts, you shall certainly drink; for lo, I begin to plague the city where my name is called upon, and should you go free? you shall not go quit. For I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the lord of hosts. The Lord shall roar from above, and thrust out his voice from his holy habitation, he shall roar upon his habitation, and cry aloud, the sound shall be to the ends of the earth, for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, and will enter into judgement with all flesh, and he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the lord. Thus saith the lord of hosts, behold, a plague shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the costs of the earth, and the slain of the lord shall be at that day, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth: they shall not be mourned, neither gathered, nor buried; but shallbe as the dung upon the ground. Thus my soul was far off from peace, I forgot prosperity, remembering mine affliction, and my mourning, the wormwood, and the gall, my soul hath them in remembrance and is humbled in me. It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions sail not. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that trust in him, & to the soul that seeketh him. It is good both to trust, and to wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth, for the Lord will not forsake for ever, but though he send affliction, yet will he have compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies: for he doth not punish willingly, nor afflict the children of men in stamping under his feet all the prisoners of the earth. Wherefore then is the living man sorrowful? man suffereth for sin. Let us search & try our ways, & turn again to the lord. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens. We have sinned and have rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared: thou hast covered us with wrath and persecuted us, thou hast slain, & not spared. Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass thorough: thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people; all our enemies have opened their mouth against us. Fear and a snare is come upon us, with desolation and destruction; the joy of our heart is gone, our dance is turned to mourning: therefore our heart is heavy: for these things our eyes are dim. The crown of our head is fallen; woe now unto us that we have sinned. O thou son of man, behold they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out amongst them, and I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them as a man that rebuketh, for they are a rebellious house: but when I shall have spoken unto thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them: Thus saith the Lord God, he that heareth, let him hear, and he that leaveth off, let him leave off, for they are a rebellious house. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, because your multitude is greater than the nations that are round about you, and ye have not walked in my statutes, neither have you kept my judgements: behold, I, even I come against thee, and will execute judgement in the midst of thee, even in the sight of the nations. For in the midst of thee the fathers shall eat their sons, and the sons shall eat their fathers, and I will execute judgement in thee, & the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds: the third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, & with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee, and another third part thereof shall fall by the sword round about thee, and I will scatter the last third part into all winds. And I will draw out a sword after them, neither shall mine eye spare thee, neither will I have any pity. Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, & I will cause my wrath to cease in them, & I will be comforted; & they shall know that I the lord have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my wrath in them. Moreover I will make thee waste, & abhorred amongst the nations that are round about thee, and in the sight of all that pass by, so shalt thou be a reproach and shame, a chastisement, and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgement in anger & in wrath, and in sharp rebukes. I the Lord have spoken it, and they shall know that I am the Lord, and that I have not said in vain, that I will do this evil unto them. He that is far off shall die of the pestilence, and he that is near shall fall by the sword, and he that remaineth and is besieged, Cap. 7. shall die by the famine. Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon them, so will I stretch my hand upon them, and make the land waist and desolate in all their habitations, and they shall know that I am the Lord. Cruelty is risen up into a rod of wickedness, none of them shall remain, nor of their riches, nor of any of theirs, neither shall there be lamentation for them. An end is come, the end is come, it watcheth for thee, behold, it is come now, I will shortly power out my wrath upon thee, and fulfil mine anger upon thee, I will judge thee according to thy ways, and I will lay upon thee all thine abominations. The sword is without, and the pestilence and famine within, he that is in the field shall die with the sword, and he that is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him, all hands shall be weak, and all knees shall fall away as water. They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold cannot deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord; they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels, for this ruin is for their iniquity: when destruction cometh they shall seek peace, but shall not have it. Calamity shall come upon calamity, and rumour shall be upon rumour: then shall they seek the vision of the Prophet, but the law shall perish from the Priest, and counsel from the ancient. The king shall mourn, and the Princes shallbe clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people in the land shallbe troubled. I will do unto them according to their ways, and according to their judgements will I judge them, and they shall know that I am the Lord. Thus saith the Lord God, Woe unto the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing, because with your lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad, and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, because you have spoken vanities & seen lies, therefore behold, I am against you, saith the Lord God, and my hand shall be upon the Prophets that see vanities, and divine lies, they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writings of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; for I will deliver my people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord. And the word of the Lord came unto me saying, son of man say unto her, Cap. 22. thou art the land that is unclean, thou hast offended in thy blood that thou hast shed, thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come unto thy term, In thee have they despised father and mother, in the midst of thee have they oppressed the stranger, in thee have they vexed the fatherless, and widow, in thee are men that carry tales to shed blood. Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast polluted my sabbaths: in thee have they taken gifts to shed blood, thou hast taken usury, and the increase, and thou hast defrauded thy neighbour by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord God. There is a conspiracy of her Prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion, ravening the prey, they have devoured souls, they have taken the riches and precious things, they have made her many widows, in the midst thereof her priests have broken my law, and have defiled my holy things, they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither discerned between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned amongst them her Princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey to shed blood, and to destroy souls for their own covetous lucre. The people of the land have violently oppressed by spoiling, and robbing, and have vexed the poor and the needy, Ezechiel. yea they have oppressed the stranger against right: & I sought for a man amongst them, that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it; but I found none. Behold therefore I have smitten my hand upon the covetousness that thou hast used, and upon the blood which hath been shed in the midst of thee. Can their heart endure; or can their hands be strong in the days that I shall have to do with thee? I the Lord have spoken it and I will do it; as they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, & to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger, and in my wrath, and will put you there, and melt you, and you shall know that I the Lord have powered out my wrath upon you. Say unto them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn you, turn you from your evil ways, for why will you die? When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, Cap. 33. and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. But if the wicked return from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. Ye lean upon your swords, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbours wise, should ye then possess the land? Also thou son of man, the children of thy people, that talk of thee by the walls, and in the doors of houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh from the Lord, for they come unto thee, as the people useth to come, and my people sit before thee, & hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouths they make jests, and their heart goeth after their covetousness, & lo, thou art unto them as a jesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can sing well, for they hear thy words, but do them not. Say thus unto them, thus saith the LORD GOD, as I live, so surely they that are in the desolate places shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give unto the beasts to be devoured; and they that be in the courts, and in the caves shall die of the pestilence; them shall they know that I am the Lord, when I have laid the land desolate, and waste because of their abominations which they have committed. woe unto the shepherds of Israel that feed themselves, Cap. 34. should not the shepherds feed the flocks? ye eat the fat, and ye you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed, but you feed not the sheep. The weak have you not strengthened, and the sick have you not healed, neither have you bound up the broken, nor brought again that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost, but with cruelty and with rigour have you ruled them, and they were scattered without a shepherd; and when they were dispersed they were devoured of all the beasts of the field. Therefore ye shepherds hear the word of the Lord: As I live saith the lord God, surely because my flock was spoiled and my sheep were devoured of all the beasts of the field, having no shepherd, neither did my shepherds seek my sheep: but my shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my sheep. Behold, I come against the shepherds, and will require my sheep at their hands, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep, neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more, for I will deliver my sheep from their mouths, & they shall no more devour them. For thus saith the lord God, behold I will search my sheep, and seek them out, I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, & will strengthen the weak: but I will destroy the fat, and the strong, and feed them with judgement, because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the weak with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad, therefore will I help my sheep, and they shall no more be spoiled, & I will judge between sheep and sheep. And ye my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are mine, and I am your GOD, saith the Lord God. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your body, and will give you an heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you; and cause you to walk in my statutes, & ye shall keep my judgements, and do them, and ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and ye shallbe my people, and I will be your God. I will also deliver you from all your filthiness. Then shall you remember your own wicked ways, and your deeds that were not good, and shall judge yourselves worthy to have been destroyed for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Be it known unto you, that I do not this for your sakes, but for my holy names sake; saith the Lord God. Therefore be ashamed, and confounded, O house of Israel, for your own ways. Daniel against impenitent sinners. cap. 9 We have sinned, and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, yea we have rebelled, and have departed from thy precepts and from thy judgements, for we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his ways which he hath laid before us by the ministry of his servants the Prophets. Therefore hath the Lord made ready the plague and brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doth: for we would not hear his voice. Many shall be purified, made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly, and none of the wicked shall have understanding, but the wise shall understand. Hear the word of the Lord ye children of Israel, Osea against impenitent sinners. Cap. 4. for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, & stealing, and whoring they break out, & blood toucheth blood: yet let none rebuke nor reprove another; for thy people are as they that rebuke the priests, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee, that thou shalt be no Priest to me; and seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children: as they were increased, so they sinned against me, they eat up the sins of my people, and lift up their minds in their iniquity. And as thieves wait for a man: so the company of the Priest's murder in the way by consent, for they work mischief. Therefore will I change their glory into shame, and there shall be like people like Priest, for I will visit their ways upon them, and reward them their deeds. Their drunkenness stinketh they have committed whoredom, their ruler's love to say with shame, bring ye: whoredom, and wine, and new wine take away their hearts. Therefore shall the Land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off. The Prophet shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. They will not give their minds to turn unto their God, for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, & they have not known the Lord. The Princes of judah were like them that remove their bounds: therefore will I power out my wrath upon them like water, I, even I will spoil and go away, I will take away and none shall rescue it. woe unto them, for they fled away from me, destruction shallbe unto them, because they have transgressed against me, though I have redeemed them, yet have they spoken lies against me. I have written to them the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing, and they consider not in their heart that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own inventions have beset them about, they are in my sight, for the wickedness of their inventions I will cast them out of mine house, I will love them no more, all their Princes are rebels, my GOD will cast them away, because they did not obey, and they shall wander amongst the nations. They turn judgement to wormwood, Amos against impenitent sinners. cap. 5. and leave off righteousness in the earth: they have bated him that rebuked in the gate, and they abhorred him that speaketh uprightly; therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time, for it is an evil time, for I know your manifold transgressions, & your mighty sins, they afflict the just, they take rewards, and they oppress the poor in the gate. Therefore the Lord God of Hosts, the Lord saith thus, mourning shall be in all the streets, & they shall say in all the high ways, alas, alas, and they shall call the husbandmen to lamentation, and such as can mourn to mourning. Cap. 8. Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water: but of hearing the word of the Lord, & they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east shall they run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Gap. 9 Behold the eyes of the lord are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it clean out of the earth, and I will slay the last of them with the sword; he that flieth of them shall not fly away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered: though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven thence will I bring them down, and though they hide themselves in the top of Carmell, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the Sea, there will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them; and though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them, and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil and not for good. For behold the Lord cometh out of his place, and will come down, Micheas against impenitent sinners. cap. 1. and tread upon the high places of the earth, and the mountains shall melt under him. So shall the valleys cleave as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are powered downward. Woe unto them that imagine iniquity, Cap. 2. and work wickedness upon their beds, when the morning is light they practise it, because their hand hath power, and they covet fields, and take them by violence, and houses, and take them away, so they oppress a man and his house, even man and his heritage; the women of my people have you cast out from their pleasant houses, and from their children have you taken away my glory continually. They that prophesied, prophecy you not, they shall not prophecy unto them, neither shall they take shame; if a man walk in the spirit, and would lie falsely, saying, I will prophecy unto thee of wine & strong drink, he shall even be the Prophet of this people. Therefore thus saith the Lord, behold against this family have I devised a plague, whereout ye shall not pluck your necks, and ye shall not go so proudly: for this time is evil. Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that deceive my people, and bite them with their teeth, and cry peace; if a man put not in their mouths, they prepare war against him, the heads thereof judge for rewards, and the Priests thereof teach for hire, & the Prophets thereof prophecy for money; yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the LORD amongst us? no evil can can come upon us. They hate the good and love the evil, they pluck the skins from them, and their flesh from their bones, and they eat also the flesh of my people, and flay off the skin from them, and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces as for the pot, and as the flesh within the cauldron. Cap. 6. For the rich men thereof are full of cruelty, and the inhabitants thereof have spokn lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths. Shall I justify the wicked balances & the bag of deceitful weights: therefore also will I make thee sick in in smiting thee, and in making thee desolate because of thy sins: thou shalt eat, and not be satisfied, and thy casting down shallbe in the midst of thee, and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up unto the sword. Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? shall I give my first borne for my transgression, even the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul. He hath showed thee O man what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee, surely to do justly, and love mercy, and to humble thyself to walk with thy God. Are ye the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? The good man is perished out of the earth, Cap. 7. and there is none righteous amongst men, they all lie in wait for blood, every man hunteth his brother with a net, to make good for the evil of their hands, the Prince asked, and the judge judgeth for reward, so they wrap it up. The best of them is a briar, and the most righteous of them is sharper than a thorny hedge: the day of thy watchmen, and of thy visitation cometh, than shallbe their confusion. Trust you not in a friend, neither put your confidence in a Counsellor; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom, for the son revileth the father, the daughter riseth up against the mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law, & a man's enemies are the men of his own house: therefore will I look unto the Lord, I will wait for God my saviour, my God will hear me, I will bear the wrath of the Lord, for I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgement for me, then will he bring me forth to the light, and I shall see his righteousness. Who is a God like unto thee? that taketh away iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage, he retaineth not his wrath for ever, because mercy pleaseth him; he will turn again, and have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities, and cast all our sins into the bottom of the sea: thou wilt perform thy truth to jacob, and mercy to Abraham, as thou hast sworn to our fathers in old time. The Lord is slow to anger, Naham against impenitent sinners. cap. 1. but he is great in power, & will not surely clear the wicked, the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. The Lord is good and as a strong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him. God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth, the Lord revengeth, even the Lord of anger, the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies: who can stand before his wrath, or who can abide in the fierceness of his wrath? his wrath is powered out like fire, and the rocks are broken by him. O Lord how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? Habaeuck against impenitent sinners. Cap. 1. even cry out unto thee for violence, & thou wilt not help: why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold sorrow? for spoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention: therefore the law is dissolved, & judgement doth never go forth, for the wicked doth compass about the righteous, therefore wrong judgement proceedeth. Then shall they take courage; and transgress, and do wickedly, imputing this their power unto their god. Thou art of pure eyes, and canst not see evil, thou canst not behold wickedness: wherefore dost thou look upon the transgressors, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? O Lord thou hast ordained them for judgement, and O God thou hast established them for correction. Art not thou of old, O Lord my God, my holy one? I shall not die, but I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord is my strength, he will make my feet like hinds feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. The Lord is in his holy Temple, let all the earth keep silence before him. The great day of the Lord is near, Zephaniah. against impenitent sinners. Cap. 1. it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the strong man shall cry there bitterly, that day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble & heaviness, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of obscurity and darkness, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the strong cities, & against the high towers▪ in the same day also will I visit all those that dance upon the threshold so proudly, which fill their master's houses by cruelty and deceit, and I will bring distress upon men that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the lord, and their blood shall be powered out as dust, and their flesh as dung, neither their silver nor their gold shallbe able to deliver them, in the day of the lords wrath, but the whole land shallbe devoured by the fire of his jealousy, for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land. Gather yourselves, even gather you O nation not worthy to be loved before the decree come forth, & ye be as chaff that passeth in a day, and before the fierce wrath of the Lord come upon you, and before the day of the Lords anger come upon you: seek you the lord all the meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgement, seek righteousness, seek holiness, if so be that ye may be hid in the day of the lords wrath. I said surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction, so their dwelling should not be destroyed, howsoever I visited them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their works, she heard not the voice, she received not correction, she trusted not in the lord, she drew not near unto her God: her Princes within her are as roaring lions, her judges are as wolves in the evening, which leave not the bones till the morrow, her Prophets are light and wicked persons, her Priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have wrested the law. The just lord is in the midst thereof, he will do none iniquity, every morning doth he bring his judgement to light, he faileth not; but the wicked will not learn to be ashamed: therefore wait upon me, saith the lord, until the day that I rise up to the pray, for I am determined to gather the nations, and that I will assemble the kingdoms, to power upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce wrath: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. Sure then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the lord to serve him with one consent. In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy works wherein thou hast transgressed against me. For than will I take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice of thy pride, and thou shalt no more be proud of my holy mountain: them will I leave in the midst of thee an humble, and a poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the lord: the remnant of Israel shall do none iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shallbe feed, & lie down, & none shall make them afraid. Ha●●ai against impen tent sinners. cap. 1. Now therefore saith the Lord of hosts, consider your own ways in your hearts: ye have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough; you drink, but you are not filled; you claoth you, but you are not warm; and he that earneth wages, putteth the wages into a broken bag; you looked for much, and lo it came to little; & when you brought it home, I did blow upon it, and I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the wine, and upon the oil, upon all that the ground bringeth forth, both upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands: I smote you with blasting, with mildew, and with hail, in all the labours of your hands: yet you turned not to me, saith the Lord. Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, Zacharie against impenitent sinners. Cap. 7.8. saying, these are the things that ye shall do, speak every man the truth unto his neighbour, execute true judgement, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother, and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart, and love no false oath, for all these things are the things that I hate, saith the Lord: but they refused to hearken, and puled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear, yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words of the Lord of hosts sent in his spirit by the ministry of the former Prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts. I have loved you, saith the Lord, yet you say wherein hast thou loved us? Malac. against impenitent sinners. Cap. 1. A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master; if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O ye Priests that despise my name; & ye say, wherein have we despised thy name? my covenant was with Levy of life & peace, and I gave him fear▪ and he feared me, and was afraid before my name; the law of truth was in his mouth, & there was no iniquity found in his lips; he walked with me in peace, and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the Priests lips should preserve knowledge, & they should seek the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts: but ye are gone out of the way, ye have caused many to fall by the law, ye have broken the covenant of Levy, saith the Lord of hosts; therefore have I made you also to be despised and vile before all the people, because you kept not my ways, but have been partial in the law, from the days of your fathers have you gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them: return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts; but ye said wherein shall we return? your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord; yet ye say what have we spoken against thee? ye have said, it is in vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his commandments, and that we have walked humbly before the Lord of hosts. Therefore we count the proud blessed, even they that work wickedness are set up, and they that tempt God, yea, they are delivered. Then spoke they that feared the lord, every one to his neighbour, and the lord harkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the lord, and thought upon his name, and they shall be to me, saith the lord of hosts, in that day, that I shall do this, for a flock, and will I spare them, as a man that spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall you return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God, & him that serveth him not. For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly shallbe stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the lord of hosts, and shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise, & health shall be under his wings, and you shall go forth, and grow up as fat calves, and ye shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be dust under the souls of your feet, in the day that I shall do this, saith the lord. Cum fueris felix, quae sunt adversa caveto, Rursus in adversis mel●us sperare memento. Prospice qui veniunt hos casus esse ferendos, Nam levius laedit quicquid praevideris ante, Nec multum timeas ventur● tempora fati, Non timet is mortem, qui scit contemnere vitam. Passibus ambiguis fortuna volubilis errat, Et manet in nullo certa tenaxque loco: Sed modò laeta manet, vultus modò sumit acerbos, Et tantum constans in levitate sua est. Omnia sunt homini tenui pendentia filo, Et subito casu quae valuere ruunt. Tutior in terris locus est quam sedibus altis. Nam fortuna levat infima, summa premit. Et quodqunque libet tibi dat fortuna rapitque, Irus & est subito, qui modò Croesus erat. Singula quid repetam? nil non mortale tenemus, Pectoris exceptis ingenijque bonis. Ludit in humanis divina potentia rebus, Et certam praesens non habet hora fidem, probet, ut purget, ut puniat, ut mercatur manifestetur gloria poena datur. Itaque fac timeas et quae tibi laeta videntur, Dum loqueris fieri tristia posse puta. Deoptimo correctionis modo carmina composita ex diversis auctoribus. Moribus ingenuis cultus si charus amicus Esse nolit, perfer, post modò mitis erit: Cumque mones aliquem, nec se velit ipse moner●, Si tibi sit charus noli desistere coeptis. Ferreus assiduo consumitur annulus usu, Interit assidua vomer aduncus humo. Quid magis est aurum saxo, quid mollius unda? Dura tamen molli saxa cavantur aqua. Gutta cavat lapidem non ut sed saepe cadendo; Corr●pe sic charos non ut sed saepe monendo. Flectitur obsequio curnatus ab arbore ram●●, Franges si vires experiere tuas. Obsequio tranantur aquae, nec v●●cere pos●is Flumina si contra qua rapit unda nates. Obsequium tigresque domat, tumidosque leones, Rustica paulatim taurus aratra sumit. Tempore difficiles veniunt ad aratra iuuencae, Tempore lenta pati fraena docentur equi. Itaque ne cesses monitis sapientia crescit: Rara datur longo prudentia temporis v●u. Sola salus servire Deo, sunt caetera fraudes: Declaratur in his versibus ex libello venerabilis Richardi Barclei militis. divitias mundi fragiles qui cord sequetur, Perdidit aeterni ●ertissima gaudia coeli. Si tibi pulchra domus, si splendidae mensa; quid inde? Si tibi sp●nsa decens, si sit generosa; quid inde? Si tibi sint nati, si praedia magna; quid inde? Si fueris pulcher fortis dinesque; quid inde? Si doceas alios in qualibet arte; quid inde? Si faveat mundus, si prospera cuncta; quid inde? Si rota fortunae te tollat ad astra; quid inde? Annos si regnes foelix per mill; quid inde? Tam cito praetereunt, ut vanitas, ut nihill inde: Sola manet virtus qua glorificabimur inde. Ergo Deo servi, quia tot tibi provenit inde: Quodque fecisse voles in tempore quo morieris, Hoc facias invenis dum corpore sanu● haberis, Et quocunque Die nil sancti egisse videbis, Hunc tibi vel penitus deperijsse puta. Ex eodem libello de eadem materia haec carmina componuntur. SInt tibi divitiae, sit honos, sit larga supellex Esse tamen vel sic bestia magna potes: Denique quic quid eris, nisi sit justitia tecum, Magna quidem dico, bestia semper eris. The Conclusion. A prudent man seethe the plague, and hideth himself; but the foolish go on still, and are punished. Blessed is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill. The fear of the Lord leadeth to life, and he that is filled therewith shall continue, and shall not be visited with evil. A short exhortation and dialogue, showing that Christ is to all true Christians life and joy, and that death is their advantage. IT is good that we have sometimes griefs, sickness and adversities; for they drive a man to behold himself, and to see that he is here but as an exile in imprisonment & banishment, wanting heavenly light, in a world and valley of misery, covered with darkness and shadow of death, where a man is oft times defouled with sin, encumbered with passions, disquieted with dreads, bounden with charges, busied with vanities, blinded with errors, overcharged with labours, vexed with temptations, overcome with delights and pleasures of the world and of the flesh, and grievously tormented, sometimes with sickness, penury and need: in which world there are also divers kinds of Devils, which do nothing day and night, but range up and down, seeking whom they may devour, whose continual care and only desire is to devour the souls whom God hath created, who whether we sleep or wake, eat or drink, or whatsoever we do else, lie in wait for us night and day, by all means, by all subtlety and craft, now openly, now covertly, aiming at us with their poisoned arrows to destroy our souls. Behold they have laid infinite traps to take and entangle our feet, and all our ways have they filled with snares to catch our souls; they have laid snares in riches, snares in poverty, snares in meat, snares in drink; in pleasures snares, in sleep snares, in watching, snares: they have laid snares in our words, snares in our works, and snares in all our ways; and yet such is our extreme madness, that albeit we do continually behold these Dragons before our eyes, with open mouth, prepared to devour us; yet nevertheless we snort and sport in our security & carelessness, as though we were safe before them, who desire nothing, but our destruction: Our enemies to murder us watch always & sleep not, and we sleep and watch not for our salvation, as one temptation goeth, another cometh, & the cause is, for we have lost our innocency. It is marvel therefore that any man can be merry in this life, if he consider well how far he is banished out of his heavenly country, and in how great peril to perish everlastingly his soul standeth: but through lightness of heart, & negligence of our defaults we feel not, nay we will not feel the sorrows of our own soul, but oft-times we laugh, when we ought rather to weep, and mourn: for there is no perfect liberty, nor true joy, but in the fear of God, and in a good conscience: never give thyself to any manner undiscreet mirth, for no manner of thing, as nigh as thou mayest have done, sorrow for thy sin, and meditate continually on thy mortality and death, according to the counsel of Solomon in his book of Eccles. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years approach wherein thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them, whiles the sun is not dark, nor the light, nor the moon, nor the stars, nor the clouds return after the rain: when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves and the grinders shall cease because they are few, & they wax dark that look out by the windows, and the doors shall be shut without, by the base sound of the grinding, and thou shalt rise up at the voice of the bird, & the daughters of singing shall be abased: and thou shalt be afraid of the high thing, and fear shall be in the way, and the Almond tree shall flourish, and the Grasshopper shall be a burden, and concupiscence shall be driven away: while the silver cord is not lengthened, nor the golden ewer broken, nor the pitcher broken at the well, nor the wheel broken at the cistern, and dust return to the earth, as it was, and the spirit return unto God that gave it; For man shall go to the house of his age, he shall lie down and be quiet, he shall sleep and be at rest, the eye that hath seen him, shall see him no more, and his eye shall return to see no more pleasure: for as the cloud vanisheth and goeth away, so he that goeth down to the grave, shall come up no more, he shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more: for he shall go and shall not return, even to the land of darkness and shadow of death shall he go, into a land, I say, dark as darkness itself, and into the shadow of death, where there is no order, but the light is there as darkness, and the just and the wicked shall sleep together in the dust, and the worms shall cover them, they shall be brought unto the grave, and they shall remain in the heap, the grave shall be their house, and they shall make their bed in the dark, they shall say unto corruption, thou art our father, and to the worm, thou art our mother, and our sister, and the slimy valley shall be sweet unto them, and the worm shall feel their sweetness. There shall the wicked cease from their tyranny, and they that have laboured valiantly shall be at rest, there shall the prisoners rest together, & hear no more the voice of the oppressor, there shallbe small and great, and the servant shallbe free from his master, and every man living shall draw after them, as before there were innumerable: we shall be brought all unto death, and to the house appointed for all the living; For in the hand of the Almighty is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind: the days of man are determined, & the number of his months are with him, he hath appointed him as bounds, which he cannot pass, & man knoweth not the hour of his death: for when his flesh is upon him, he shallbe sorrowful, & while his soul is in him it shall mourn but when death shall come, than he sleepeth, and riseth not: for he shall not wake again, nor be raised from his sleep, until the heavens be no more. For all shall go to one place, all was of the dust, & all shall return to the dust. But though after our skins, worms destroy this body, yet shall we see God in our flesh, whom we ourselves shall see, and our eyes shall behold and none other for us, though our reins be consumed within us, for our redeemer liveth, and he shall stand the last on the earth, and he shall bring every work to judgement, with every secret thought whether it be good or evil. Therefore take away grief, anger and envy out of the heart, and cause evil to departed from thy flesh, & think oft on the saying of the Apostle, in the 9 to the Hebrues. It is appointed unto all men that they shall all once die, and after that cometh the judgement. So Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many, and unto them that look for him, he shall appear the second time unto salvation; for we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things that he hath done in his body, according to that he hath done in his body; according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil. This death then unto which all flesh shall come, is either an entrance, or gate to perpetual liberty and pleasure, or to perpetual prison and pain: the death which maketh entrance to everlasting pain is termed Ghostly, and the sickness which warneth of the same is also Ghostly: which Ghostly sickness and infection proceedeth of the malice of Satan, and corruption of our own wicked nature, driving all of whom it taketh hold either to error in religion, error in life, or error in both. Of error in life, the book of Wisdom speaketh, saying, Seek not death in the error of your life, destroy not yourselves through the works of your own hands. And of error in religion it is spoken in the 106. Psalm, and 39 verse. Thus were they stained with their own works, & went a whoring with their own inventions. The like whereof is affirmed in the 2. Epistle of S. john, where it is said, He that transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God, he that continueth and abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son; which commandment and lesson our Saviour had taught before in the Gospel of S. Matthew. the 15. chapter, and the 9 verse. And in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines & commandments of men: as do all the heathenish idolaters, jews, Infidels, Turks, Heretics & Miscreants, which do worship false gods or honour and serve the true God after a false manner, according to the inventions and commandments of men, embracing doctrines and traditions for the worship and service of God, more than are delivered in the holy scriptures, the word of God, and some also contrary to the same, according as doth the Court or Church of Rome, and all the company of Catholic Papists, disciples and followers of the Court and Church of Rome, which ghostly sickness, infection of error in religion, error in life, or error in both, bringeth with it everlasting death both of body and soul, if the infected truly penitent, renouncing and detesting all his former errors, both of religion & life, be not washed, purged, and cleansed in the precious blood of jesus Christ the son of God; & so through God's merciful grace and goodness granted in his beloved son be forgiven, and fully pardoned of the same▪ according as S. Paul affirmeth, That without blood nothing can be made clean, and the blood of Christ shall cleanse our conscience from all sin, It is then necessary for you and all others that look and hope for salvation, to believe and hold steadfastly unto your lives end, the true holy Catholic and Christian faith, contained summarily in the articles of our belief, according as the same hath been of ancient time gathered and drawn out of the scriptures of the old & new testament, the holy written word of God, and is more amply and large declared in those holy books, with all other things taught in those books necessary for a Christian man to instruct him fully, perfectly, and sufficiently in the way to everlasting life. Quest. Do you then truly and unfeignedly believe that all things pertaining to the true worship and service of God, and for the instruction and guiding of your soul in the right knowledge of the way to everlasting life and salvation, are sufficiently and fully contained and taught in the holy written word of God, of the old and new Testament, and will you hearty and unfeignedly renounce all other faiths, worship and service of God, not being most truly contained and taught in those holy books? Answ. I believe and embrace that faith, worship and service of God, contained and taught in the holy books aforesaid, as only & fully sufficient through the grace of God's spirit, to instruct and teach my soul in the way to everlasting life: and I do heartily & unfeignedly renounce all faiths, worship and service of God, more than that, or contrary to that which is most truly and sufficiently taught and delivered in those holy books of the old and new Testament. Rejoice then and be of good comfort that god doth give you grace to believe and hold steadfastly the true ancient Catholic Christian faith of our Lord jesus Christ, contained and fully taught in the holy books oforesaid. Qu. Do you as all true believers & christians, confess according as you are taught in gods holy word, that you have not spent the time of your life past so holy & uprightly as you ought to have done, having in thought, word, & deed many times and ways transgressed the most holy commandments of god, deserving thereby the sentence & condemnation, of eternal punishment and hell fire? Answ. I confess it. Quest. Are you truly and unfeignedly hearty sorry for it? Answ. I am, and I beseech God by his grace to make me truly penitent of all my offences and trespasses. Quest. Have you an earnest desire, and steadfast purpose through the power of God's grace to amend your sinful life passed, and to lead a new life according to God's holy will and commandments, all the rest of your days, that God shall grant you life? Ans. I do earnestly desire it, and I beseech God who is the giver of all goodness to direct me by his grace so to do. Qu. Do you truly, unfeignedly and steadfastly believe that Christ the Son of God, and saviour of the world hath died and shed his blood for you, and hath by his death and the shedding of his most precious blood washed and cleansed your soul from sin, & given unto the same by his gracious imputation, perfect wisdom, righteousness, sanctification & redemption through himself, that your body and soul may be delivered through the merits of his death from everlasting damnation, and obtain everlasting life? Ans. I believe, and I beseech God of his mercy to help mine unbelief, and to increase and strengthen this faith in me unto my lives end. Quest. Do you steadfastly believe that there is no help, comfort nor salvation for your soul or body, but through the precious death and passion of jesus Christ the son of God, who knowing no sin was made to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, according as the Apostle declareth in the 5. of the 2. to the Corinth's and last verse: For he made him to be sin for us which knew no sin, that we should be made the righteousness of God in him? he alone being, as the same Apostle affirmeth, our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. An. I do steadfastly believe it. Q. Are you heartily glad, and thankful for this great mercy bestowed upon you? An. I am, and I pray God give me grace so to be. Be of good comfort then▪ and while your soul is in you, be thankful unto God for this his great mercy bestowed upon you, and in the precious death & passion of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ put your whole trust, commit yourself unto him, and with his precious body & blood, cover your soul, and enfold and wrap yourself wholly in it, and say unto him after this manner: O my sweet Saviour, for this thy names sake be it unto me, according to this thy name look upon me a sinful wretch calling upon thy holy name, and O saviour, be unto me a saviour for thy name's sake: For surely there is no man just in the earth that doth good, and sinneth not, neither any that can say I have made my heart clean, I am clean from my sin. Thou only art the holy of all holiest, and I am the filth of all sinners: but Lord if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, say thou also unto my soul, I will be thou clean. Who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanse thou me from my secret sins. Thou Lord hast said also in the gospel that the whole need not the Physician, but they that are sick, and hast also most graciously bidden us to come unto thee when we feel ourselves travailed and heavy loaden, saying in most sweet and comfortable words, Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy loaden, and I will refresh you. I come therefore unto thee because of thy sweet bidding, sore travailed and loaden with the burden of my sins which are so heavy upon me, that I am not able to look up, yea they are more in number then the hairs of my head, and my heart hath failed me, but Lord let it be thy pleasure to deliver me, make haste O Lord to help me, for I am sore charged, and cumbered with many evil temptations, my heart is also entangled and oppressed with many evil passions which come of my flesh, of the world, and of the devil, and there is none that can help me or deliver me, nor that can make me free and safe, but only thou my Lord God, my only saviour, to whom, I commit me. Refresh me which am so travailed, lighten me which am so burdened; thou art the most sovereign physician, and my soul is also sore sick in sin, heal me which come to be made whole through thee, the sicker that my soul is, the more desire it hath to be healed, and the more need hath it of thee. Turn not thy face away therefore from me, neither cast thy servant away in displeasure, leave me not, neither forsake me O God of my salvation: for why? in healing the deadly sickness of my soul shall well be showed and commended the greatness of thy goodness that wilt help and heal so wretched a creature: if thou receive me into the large bosom of thy mercy, the place will not be the more straightened, or lessened by me. It is true Lord that I have sinned, and in the whole course of my life have multiplied many offences, and no repentance or punishment of myself may suffice to satisfy thy justice. But I humbly beseech thee to forgive me O Lord, forgive me, & destroy me not with my transgressions, be not angry with me for ever by reserving evil for me, neither condemn me into the everlasting damnation of hell darkness, and pains prepared for the Devil and his angels, for thou art the God, even the God of them that repent, and in me thou wilt show all thy goodness, for sure it is that thy mercies are endlessly more than mine offences, and though my transgressions are infinite, yet more infinite are thy mercies. Therefore if thou shalt enter into judgement with me thy poor and unworthy servant, I will lay before thee the rich righteousness of thy beloved son jesus Christ my saviour, which he hath purchased & given unto me by his precious death: I will lay his righteousness given unto me between my soul and thy judgement, otherwise Lord I may not, nay I dare not contend with thee, for thine angry threatenings towards sinners are importable, but thy merciful promises are unmeasurable and unsearchable, for thou art the most high Lord of great compassion, long suffering, and most merciful. Thou Lord according to thy great goodness hast promised repentance, and forgiveness to them that sin against thee, and for thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners that they may be saved; I therefore a most wretched sinner bewail my manifold sins, & earnestly repent me of my former wickedness and ungodly behaviour towards thee, and all my christian brothers & sisters gone before me, or remaining still in this present world, for I have sinned against heaven and against thee, and I am no more worthy to be called thy son; & though for mine unworthiness I am not able of myself to purchase thy pardon having been thy prodigal & wasteful child which have wasted all the substance of my life in sin, & am fallen to great wretchedness, yet I beseech thee blessed Lord to look upon me with the eyes of thy pity, and receive me in the rejoicings of peace, and grant me the blessings of forgiveness, and do away the wickedness that I have done, that I may appear clean unto thee, as thou madest me, and receive me again into favour; and if thou answer unto my Soul, thou hast deserved damnation, Lord I confess that I have sinned above the number of the sand of the sea, and my transgressions are exceeding many. I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments, & ● am not worthy to behold and see the height of the heavens for the multitude of mine unrighteousness, but I lay before thee between mine evil deserts, and thine unsearchable and terrible judgement, the death and sufferings of my saviour and redeemer, which hath given his most precious body to be broken, and his blessed blood to be shed as a just recompense for all mine offences, in whom only thou art pleased, & through whom thou canst not be offended with me: receive O Lord, the merits of his precious death and passion, for those merits which I ought to have had, and alas have not; & now Lord I say again, I put the most clear shining and glorious body of thy beloved Son my Lord and saviour between me & thy wrath, between my sinful soul and thy fearful and terrible judgements, & in the triumphant & victorious merits of his most precious death and passion, I commend my soul LORD into thine hands, for in that, that I live now in the flesh, I live by the faith in the son of God, who hath loved me, & given himself for me, through whom, and for whose sake I am assured that thou wilt save me that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. Therefore will I praise thee for ever all the days of my life, for all the powers of the heavens praise thee, & thine is the glory for ever and ever, Amen. Finis.