vs? What neede hee to leaue here any sacrifice for our sinnes, of the priestes to be dayly offered? MarginaliaThe bodye of Christ not left to be a sacrifice for sinne, but onely for a sacrament.I do not finde in the Scriptures of God nor of his Apostles, that the body of Christ ought to be made a sacrifice for sinne: but onely as a Sacrament and commemoration of the sacrifice passed, whiche Christ offered vpon the aulter of the crosse for our sinnes. For it is an absurditie to say, that Christ is now euery day really offered as a sacrifice vpō the aultar by the priestes: for then the priests should really crucifie him vpon the aulter, whiche is a thing of no Christiā to be beleued. But euē as in his supper, his body and his bloud he deliuered to his disciples, in memoriall of his body that should be crucified on þ^e morow for our sinnes: So after his ascēsion, did his Apostles vse þ^e same (when they brake bread in euery house) for a Sacramēt, and not for a sacrifice, of þ^e body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. And by this meanes were they put in remembraunce of the great loue of Christ, who so entirely loued vs, that willyngly he suffered the death for vs, and for the remission of our sinnes. And thus did they offer them selues to God by loue, beyng ready to suffer death for the confession of his name, and for the sauing health of their brethren, fulfilling the new commaundement of Christ whiche sayd vnto them: A new commaundement do I geue vnto you, that you loue one an other, as I haue loued you. But when loue began to waxe colde or rather to be frosē for colde, through the anguish and anxietie of persecution for the name of Christ: then priestes did vse the fleshe and bloud of Christ, in steede of a sacrifice. MarginaliaHow the memoriall of the sacrament, came to the realtie of the sacrifice it selfe.And because many of them feared death, some of thē fled into solitarie places, not daryng to giue them selues a sacrifice by death vnto God through the confession of his name, and sauyng health of their brethren: Some o- worshipped Idols, fearing death, as did also the chief bishop of Rome, and many other mo in diuers places of þ^e world. And thus it came to passe, as that whiche was ordayned and instituted for a memoriall of þ^e one and onely sacrifice, was altered (for want of loue) into the realitie of the sacrifice it selfe.

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¶ After these things thus discussed, he inferreth consequently vpon the same, an other briefe tractation of wemen and lay men  

, whether in defecte of the other, they may exercise the action of prayer, and ministration of Sacraments belonging to priestes: wherin he declareth the vse receaued in the Popes churche, for women to baptise, which, saith he, cannot be wythout remission of sins. wherfore seinge that wemen haue power by the Pope to remitte sinne, and to baptise, why may they not aswell bee admitted to minister the Lordes supper, in like case of necessitie? Wherin also he maketh relation of Pope Iohn. 8. a woman Pope   , mouing certaine questions of her. All whiche for breuitie I pretermitte, procedyng to the ministration of prayer, and blessyng or sanctification, appropriate to the office of priestes as followeth.

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MarginaliaThe order and office of prayer.Furthermore, as touching the function and office of praying and blessing, whereunto priestes seme to be ordeyned (to omit here the question whether wemen may pray in churches, in lacke of other meete persons) it remaineth now also to prosecute. MarginaliaThe lordes prayer.Christ being desired of his disciples to teache them to pray, gaue them the common prayer both to men and women, to the which prayer in my estimation, no other is to be compared. For in that fyrst, the whole honour due vnto the deitye is comprehended. Secondly, whatsoeuer is necessarye for vs, both for the time present, or past, or for time to come, is there desired and prayed for. MarginaliaMat. 6.He informeth vs besides to pray secretely, and also briefly: secretly to enter into our close chamber, and there in secrecy he willeth vs to pray vnto his father. And sayth moreouer, when ye pray, vse not much babling, or many wordes, as do the heathen. For they thinke in their long and prolixe praying to be heard. Therefore be you not lyke to them. MarginaliaThe artes of Necromancie, Southsaying, and witchcrafte how and from whō they came.By the which doctrine he calleth vs away from the errours of the heathen Gentiles: from whom proceede these superstitious maner of artes (or rather of ignorancies) as necromancy, the arte of diuination, and other spises of coniuration, not vnknowen to them, that be learned for these Necromansers beleue, one place to be of greater vertue thēan other, there to be heard sooner, then in an other. Like as Baalam being hyred to curse the people of God, by his arte of southsaying, or charming, when hee coulde not accōplish his purpose in one place, he remoued to an other, but he in the end, was deceaued of his desire. For he intending first to curse them, was not able to accurs them whom the Lord blessed, so that his curs could not hurt any of all that people. After like sorte the Necromancers turne their face to the East, as to a place more apt for their prayers. Also the Necromansers beleue, that the vertue of the wordes of the prayer, and the curiositi therof, causeth them to bring that to effect, which they seeke after, which is also an other poynt of infidelity, vsed much of Charmers, Sorcerers, Inchaunters, Southsayers & such lyke. MarginaliaAgainst exorcising of priestes.Out of the same arte (I feare) procedeth þ^e practise of exorcising, wherby diuels & spirits be coniured to do that, wherunto they are enforced by þ^e Exorcist. Also whereby other creatures lykewyse are exorcised or coniured, so that by the vertue of their exorcisme, they maye haue their power and strength exceeding all naturall operation.

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MarginaliaConiuryng or halowyng in the popishe church.In the church of Rome, many suche exorcismes and coniurations be practised, and are called of them benedictions, or halowinges. But here I aske of these Exorcisers, whether they beleue the thinges and creatures so exorcised and halowed, haue that operation and efficacie geuen them, which they pretend? If they so beleue, euery child may see that they are far begyled. MarginaliaHoly water cōiured.For holy water being of them exorcised or coniured: hath no such power in it, neyther can haue, whych they in their exorcisme do commaunde. For there they inioyne and commaund, that whersoeuer that water is sprinkled, al vexation or infestation of the vncleane spirit, shoulde auoyde, and that no pestilent spirite ther should abide. &c But most playne it is, that no water, be it neuer so holy, can haue any such power so to do, as it is commaunded, to wyt, to be an vniuersall remedye to expell all diseases. MarginaliaExorcistæ.This I woulde aske of these Exorcistes: whether in their commaundyng, they doo coniure or adiure the thinges coniured, to be of an hyer vertue and operatiō, then their own nature doth geue: Or els whether they in their prayers desyre of God, that he wil infude into them that vertue, which they require? MarginaliaThe absurditie and abhomination, in the popish exorcismes detected.If they in their commaunding doo so beleue, then doo they beleue that they haue that power in them, to the which the inferiour power of the thing exorcised must obey, in receauing that which is commaunded. And so doing, are much more deceaued, forasmuch as they see thēselues, that they which are so autorised to the office of exorcising, saye to the deuill being coniured: Go, and he goeth not: And to an other come, and he commeth not, and manye thinges els they commaund the inferiour spirite their subiect, to do, and he doth not. So in like case, when they pray to God to make the water to be of suche vertue, that it maye be to them health of mynde and bodye, MarginaliaWhere was the popes holy water then, in the great pestilence in the tyme of K. Edward. 3. pag. 484.and that it maye be able to expulse euery vnclene spirite, & to chase away all maner of distemperature & pestilence of the ayre (being an vnreasonable petitiō asked, & sore displeasing to God) it is to be feared least theyr benediction, theyr halowing and blessyng, is chaūged into cursing, accordyng to that saying that foloweth. And now O you priestes, I haue a message to say vnto you? If you wil not heare and beare well awaye in your mindes, to giue the glory vnto my name sayth the Lord God of hostes, I will sende scarcitie amongest you, & I will curse your blessinges. What thynges and howe many are blessed, or halowed in the churche, that in the halowyng therof displease God, and are accursed? And therefore accordyng to the saying of S. Iames, they aske and are not hard, because they aske not as they should, that they in in their own desires may perishe. MarginaliaIames. 4.Let a man beholde the blessyng or halowyng of their fire, water, incense, waxe, bread, wyne, the church,

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