Marginalia1556. Aprill.MarginaliaExamples of King Manasses.latrous religion (before put downe by Ezechias hys father) brought the wrath of God vpon the people: so that the scripture sayth: Marginalia4. Reg. 23.Notwithstanding the reformation made by Iosias, the Lorde turned not frō the fearcenes of his great wrath, wherewith he was angry agaynst Iuda, because of the prouocation wyth the which Manasses prouoked hym. And the Lord sayd: euen Iuda wyll I take away from my presence, as I cast away Israell: and I will cast away this city of Ierusalem, and the house wherof I said: my name shall be there. MarginaliaExamples of Ieroboam.Ieroboam, who at Bethel and Dan erected vp a new found seruice of God, and not onely sinned him selfe, but also made al Israell to sinne wyth him: so that not onely hee was damned for commaunding, but the wrath of God came vpon all Israell, for obeying that his vngodly commaundement. Yet was it not so hainous offence to bring in an Idolatry neuer yet heard of, as after reformation made by the godly kinges and Princes, by the vertuous & holy Bishops, by the Prophetes and seruauntes of God, to reiect and cast of the worde and true religion of God, and to receiue agayne a damned impiety.

MarginaliaFoule Idolatry set out with fayre shewes and pretenses.This most haynous offence is now offered vnto vs: although the same bee paynted and coloured wyth the name of reformation, restoryng of religion, auncient fayth, wyth the name of the catholicke church, of vnity, catholicke truth, and wyth the cloke of fayned holynes. These are sheepe skins, vnder the which (as CHRIST sayth) rauening Wolues couer them selues. But Christ willeth vs to looke vpon their fruites, whereby we may know them: and truly this is no good fruit, to case a side Gods word and to banish the English seruice out of the churches, and in the place of it, to bring in a Latin tong vnknowen vnto the people. Which as it edifyeth no man, so hath it bene occasion of all blyndnes and error among the people. For afore the blessed reformation begon by the most noble Prince of godly memorye the Queenes good father, and by our late holy and innocent king, her good brother finished:MarginaliaIgnorance wilfully mayntayned. it is not vnknowen what blindnes and errour we were all in, when not one man in all this realme vnlearned in the latin, coulde say in Englishe the Lordes prayer, or knew any one article of hys beliefe, or rehearse any one of the. x. commaūdementes. And that ignorance, mother of mischief, was the very roote and welspring of all idolatry, Sodomiticall monkery, & whorish chastity of vnmaried priestes, of all whordome, dronkennes, couetousnes, swearyng, and blasphemy, with all other wicked and synful lyuing. These brought in the seuere wrath and vengeaunce of God, plagyng synne with famine and pestilence: and at last the sword consumed and auenged all their impietie and wicked lyuing. As it is greatly to bee feared the same or more greuous plagues shall now agayn follow.

MarginaliaSeruice in Latin not to be edacted.We cānot therefore consent nor agree that the word of God and prayers in our English toung which we vnderstand, should be taken away from vs, and for it a Latyn seruice, we wot not what (for none of vs vnderstand it) to be agayne brought in amongest vs, specially seing that CHRIST hath sayd: MarginaliaIohn. 11.My sheepe heare my voyce and follow me, and I geue to them euerlasting lyfe. The Seruice in English teacheth vs that we are the Lordes people, and the shepe of his pasture: and God commaundeth that wee harden not our hartes, as when they prouoked the lords wrath in the wildernes, lest hee sweare vnto vs, as hee dyd sweare vnto them, that they shoulde not enter into hys rest. MarginaliaAgainst Latin Mattins.The Seruice in Latine is a confused noyse: which if it be good (as they say it is) yet vnto vs that lacke vnderstanding, what goodnes can it bring? S. Paul commaundeth, that in the churches all things should be done to edifying, which we are sure is Gods cōmaūdement. MarginaliaIn the Popes seruice there is no edifiyng: what fables be in it the Lord knowethBut in the Latin seruice nothing is done to edyfying, but contrarily, all to destroy those that are already edified, and to driue vs from Gods word and truth, and from beleuing of the same, and so to bryng vs to beleue lyes and fables, that temptyng and prouoking God, we should be brought into that iudgement that blessed Paule speaketh of, saying: Marginalia2. Thess. 2.Antichrist shall come, according to the working of Satan, with all maner of power and signes and lying wonders, in all disceaueablenes of vnrighteousnes in those that peryshe: because they haue not receued the loue of the truth that they might be saued. And therefore God wyll send them strong delusion, that they should beleue lyes and be damned, as many as haue not beleued the truth, but haue approued vnrighteousnes. Thus altogether drawen from God, we shall fall into his wrath through vnbeliefe, tyll he sweare vnto vs, as he did vnto the vnfaithful Iewes, þ^t such infidels shal not enter into his rest.

In the administration of the Lords supper, which we confessed to be the holy Cōmunion, and partaking wyth

CHRIST & his holy congregation, MarginaliaThe true vse of the Lordes supper extincted.we haue learned Gods holy commaundementes, and at the rehearsall of euery one of them, to aske God mercye for our most greeuous transgressions against them, and to aske grace of God to keepe them in tyme to come, that the same maye not onely outwardly sound in our eares, but also inwardlye by the holy ghost be written in our hartes.

We haue learned also the holy prayer made for the Queenes Maiesty: wherein we learne that her power and authority is of God: therefore we praye to God for her, that she and all Magistrates vnder her, may rule according to Gods word, and we her subiects obey according to the same.

MarginaliaCauses why the Commissioners cōmaundement ought not to be receaued.Truly (most honorable Commissioners) we can not thinke these thinges euyll, but thinke them most worthy to be retained in our churches, and we would thinke our selues not to haue true subiectes harts, if we should go about to put away such godly prayers, as put vs perpetually in memory of our bounden obedience and duty to God and our rulers. For, as we thinke, at this present þ^e vnquiet multitude had more nede to haue these things more often and earnestly beaten & driuen into them (specially geuen in many places to sturre and trouble) then to take from them that blessed doctrine, whereby onelye they may to their saluation, be kept in quiet.

MarginaliaReceauing in both kyndes.Furthermore, we cānot forsake that blessed partaking of the body and bloud of our Sauiour IESV CHRISTES institution, ministred with such godly prayers, exhortatiōs and admonitions, teaching vs the knowledge of God, the exceding loue and charitye of our louing redemer CHRIST, breaking hys bodye vpon the crosse for our synnes, and sheeding his most precious bloud for our redemption, which we in eatyng that blessed bread, and drinking of that blessed cup assuredly beleue that we receaue, and be perfectly ioyned with CHRIST and his holy catholicke church into one body, and into one vnitye and brotherly loue, whereby ech member faithfully embraceth other. We must nedes confesse this institution of CHRIST to be most holy and godly, whereof we haue the onely comfort in conscience against sinne & damnation, with the assurance of saluation, and whereof hath ensued reformation of many haynous synnes, much lawyng, strife and contention is ended: dronkennes, whordome, and other vices in some reformed: goodnes and vertue increased and nourished.

MarginaliaThe Masse hath nothing in it but an heape of ceremonies.In the latin Masse we neuer had no such edifying, but onely we saw a great many of ceremonies & straūge gestures: as turnynges of the Priest, crossinges, blessinges, brethinges, washing of handes, and spreading abroad of his armes, with like ceremonies that we vnder stand not. And concerning the Latin toung wherein the Priest prayeth, we wotte not whether he blesseth or curseth vs. We are not partakers of the Sacrament, as CHRISTES institution appointeth we should be. In the ministring of the Sacrament the Priestes alter the institution of CHRIST, committing theft, and sacrilege, robbing vs of the cup of CHRISTES bloud, contrary to CHRISTES commaundement, saying: Drinke ye all of this.

MarginaliaThe people robbed of Gods word.They robbe vs also of Gods worde, speakyng all thinges in Latin, whiche nothyng edifieth vs either in faith or maners. CHRIST commaūded not that his Supper should be ministred in an vnknowen toung: but for asmuch as faith commeth of hearyng, and hearing commeth of Gods word, how cā we beleue CHRISTES word & promise made vnto vs in this holy Sacramēt, saying: This is my body brokē for you, & this is my bloud of the new Testamēt which is shed for you, for the remißiō of sinnes, if þ^e same promises of CHRIST either be not at all recited, or els so recited in Latin, þ^t the cōgregatiō vnderstādeth not or heareth not what is spokē? S. Paul saith thus, reciting þ^e saying of Esay: As truly as I lyue, saith the Lord, all knees shall bow vnto me, all tounges shall geue prayse vnto God. MarginaliaPhil. 2.Also he saith: All tounges must confesse, that IESVS CHRIST is the Lord, vnto the glory of God the father. The holy ghost came vpon the Apostles in fierie tounges, so that they spake the tounges of all nations vnder heauen. S. Paul ministred to the Corinthians and preached to them in their owne mother toung, MarginaliaAll thinges done in the church ought to bee in a knowne tongue.and rebuked the bringyng in of straunge tounges into the congregations. We cannot thinke it to be well, that so holy an Apostle rebuked. And what soeuer vertue the Latin toung hath to such as vnderstand it, to vs English men not vnderstanding it, it is altogether without vertue and edifying, & therfore vnmete for our churches.

MarginaliaThat Priestes be not had in honour, it is their owne fault.The Priestes complaine that we lay men loue them not, nor haue them in honour. But it is their own fault. For how should we loue them, that onely seeke to keepe