MarginaliaAnno. 1555. October.my death it is with the Churche of England, I meane the congregation of the true chosen children of God in this realme of Englāde, whiche I knowledge not onely to be my neighbors, but rather the congregation of my spirituall brethren, and sisters in Christ, yea, members of one bodie, wherein by Gods grace I am, and haue been grafted in Christe. MarginaliaTo die in the truth against theeues, and to die for the truth against Christes enemies, compared.This Churche of Englande had of late of the infinite goodnesse, and aboundant grace of almightie God, greate substaunce, great riches of heauenly treasure, great plentie of Goddes true and sincere worde, the true and wholsome adminstration of Christes holie sacramentes, the whole profession of Christes religiō, truely and plainly set forthe in Baptisme, the plain declaration and vnderstanding of the same, taught in the holie Cathechisme, to haue been learned of all true Christians.

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MarginaliaTruth taught in the church of England.This churche had also a true and sincere forme, and maner of the Lordes Supper, wherein, accordyng to Iesus Christes owne ordinaunce, and holie institution, Christes commaundementes were executed and doen. For vpon the bread and wine set vpon the Lordes table, MarginaliaTrue ministratiō of the Lords supper.thankes were geuen, the commemoration of the lordes death was had, the bread in þ^e remembraunce of Christes bodie torne vpon the crosse, was broken, and the cuppe in the remembraunce of Christes bloud shedde, was distributed, and bothe communicated vnto all that were present, and would receiue them, and also thei were exhorted of the Minister so to doe.

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All was doen openly in the vulgare tonge, so that euery thing might be bothe easly heard and plainly vnderstande of all the people, to gods high glorie, and the edification of the whole churche.MarginaliaSeruice in the vulgare tōgue. This churche had of late the whole diuine seruice, all common and publicke praiers ordained to be saied, and heard in the common congregation, not onely framed and fashioned to the true vaine of holie scripture, but also set forthe accordyng to the commaundemente of the Lorde, and sainct Paules doctrine for the peoples edification, in their vulgare tongue.

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It had also holie and wholsome MarginaliaHomilies in the church of England.Homelies, in commendation of the principall vertues: whiche are commended in Scripture, and likewise other Homelies against the moste pernicious and capitall vices that vseth (alas) to raigne in this realme of England. This church had in matters of controuersie, MarginaliaArticles set forthe for matters of controuersie.articles so penned, and framed after the holie Scripture, and grounded vpon the true vnderstandyng of Gods worde, that in short tyme, if thei had been vniuersally receiued, thei should haue been able to haue set in Christes Church, muche concorde and vnitie in Christes true Religion, and to haue expelled many false errours and heresies, wherewith this Churche (alas) was almoste ouergone.

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MarginaliaTheues of Samaria in Christes church, Sabei, Chaldei.But (alas) of late into this spirituall possession of the heauenly tresure of these Godlie riches, are ente-tered in theeues that haue robbed, and spoiled all this heauenly treasure awaie. I maie well complaine on these thieues, and crie out vpō them with the Prophet, saiyng: Deus venerunt gentes in hæreditatem tuam. &c.  

Psalme. 72. O Lorde God, the Gentiles, Heathen nations are come into thy heritage: Thei haue defiled thy holie Temple, and made Ierusalem an heape of stones, that is: thei haue broken and beaten doune to the grounde thy holie Citie. MarginaliaRobbing of Christs church.This Heathenishe generatiō, these Theeues of Samaria, these Sabei and Caldei, these robbers haue rushed out of their dēnes, and haue robbed the Churche of Englande, of all the foresaied holie treasure of God: they haue caried it awaie and ouerthrowen it, and in the stede of Gods holie woorde, the true and right administration of Christes holie Sacramentes, as of MarginaliaBaptisme mixt with mens fantasies.Baptisme and others, thei mixte their ministerie with mennes foolish fantasies, and many wicked and vngodlie traditions withall.

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In the steede of the Lordes holie Table, thei giue the people, with muche solemne disguisyng, a thyng whiche thei cal their Masse, but in deede and in truth, it is a verie maskyng, and mockerie of the true Supper of the Lorde, MarginaliaThe Lordes supper turned to the Masse.or rather I maie call it a craftie iugling, whereby these false theeues & iuglers, haue bewitched the minds of the simple people, that thei haue brought them from the true worship of God, vnto pernicious Idolatrie, and make them to beleue that to be Christe our Lorde and Sauiour, whiche in deede is neither GOD, nor man, nor hath any life in it self, but in substaunce is the creature of bread and wine, and in vse of the Lordes table, is the Sacrament of Christes bodie and bloud: and for  

this holy vse, for the whiche the lorde

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hath ordained them in his Table, to represent vnto vs his blessed bodie, torne vpon the crosse for vs, and his bloud there shed, it pleased hym to call them his bodie and bloud, whiche vnderstanding Christe declareth to bee his true meanyng, when he saieth: MarginaliaLuke. 22.Doe this in the remembraunce of me. And againe, S. Paule likewise dooeth sette out the same more plainly, speakyng of the same Sacrament, after the wordes of the consecratiō, saying: Marginalia1. Cor. 11.As often as ye shall eate of this bread, & drinke of this Cuppe, ye shall set forthe (he meaneth with the same) the Lordes death vntill his commyng againe. MarginaliaThe Lordes cuppe robbed.And here againe these theeues haue robbed also þ^e people of the Lordes Cuppe, contrary to the plaine wordes of Christ, written in his Gospell.

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MarginaliaPrayers turned to an vnknowne tōgue.Now, for the common publike praiers, whiche wer in the vulgare tongue, these theeues haue brought in againe a straunge tongue, whereof the people vnderstande not one worde. Wherein what doe thei els, but robbe the people of their Diuine seruice, wherein they ought to praie together with the minister: and to praie in a straunge tongue, what is it, but (as saincte Paule calleth it) barbarousnes, childishnes, vnprofitable follie, yea, and plaine madnesse?

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For the godlie Articles of vnitie in Religion, and for the wholesome Homelies, MarginaliaIn steade of Homelies the Popes decrees set vp.what dooe these theeues place in the steede of them, but the Popes Lawes and Decrees, liyng Legendes, fained fables and miracles, to delude and abuse the simplicitie of the rude people. Thus this robberie and theft is not onely committed, naie sacrilege and wicked spoile of heauenly thynges, but also in the stede of the same, is brought in and placed, the abominable desolation of the tyraunte Antiochus, of proude Senacherib, of the shamelesse faced kyng, and of the Babilonicall Beaste. Vnto this robberie, this thefte and sacrilege, for that I can not consente, nor (GOD willyng) neuer shall so longe as the breathe is in my bodie, because it is blasphemie against God,MarginaliaThe Popes doctrine containeth blasphemy to god, treason to Christ, is cōtrary to Gods word, is a subuersion of true godlines, and destruction of mans soule. high treason vnto Christe our heauenly Kyng, Lorde, master, and our onely Sauiour and Redemer, it is plaine contrary to Gods woorde, and to Christes Gospell, it is the subuersion of all true godlinesse, and against the euerlastyng saluation of myne owne soule, and of all my brethren and sisters, whom Christ my sauiour hath so dearely bought, with no lesse price, then with the effusion and shedyng foorthe of his moste precious bloud: Therefore, all ye my true louers in God, my kinsefolke and countreimen, for this cause (I saie) knowe ye that I am put to death, whiche by Goddes grace I shall willyngly take, with hartie thankes to God therefore, in certaine hope without any doubting, to receiue at Gods hande again of his free mercie and grace, euerlastyng life:

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Although the cause of the true manne slaine of the theefe, helpyng his neighbour to recouer his goodes againe, and the cause wherefore I am to be put to death in a generalitie is bothe one (as I saied before) yet knowe ye that there is no small difference. MarginaliaComparison betweene Popish persecuters and strong theeues.These theeues against whom I doe stande, are muche worse then the robbers and theeues of the borders. The goodes whiche thei steale, are muche more precious, and their kindes of fighte are farre diuers. These theeues are worse (I saie) for thei are more cruell, more wicked, more false, more deceiptfull and craftie: for those will but kill the bodie, but these will not strike to kill bothe bodie and soule. Those for the generall theft and robberie, bee called and are in deede theeues and robbers: but these for their spirituall kinde of robberie, are called Sacrilegi, as ye would saie Churche robbers. Thei are more wicked: For those goe about to spoile menne of worldly thinges, worldly riches, gold and siluer, and worldly substaunce: these goe about in the waies of the Deuill, their ghostly  

father, to steale from the vniuersall Churche, and particularly from euery man, al heauenly treasure, true faith, true charitie, and hope of saluation in the bloude of our Sauiour Iesus Christe, yea to spoile vs of our Sauiour Christe, of his Gospell, of his heauenly Spirite, and of the heauenly heritage of the kyngdome of heauen, so dearly purchased vnto vs, with the death of our Maister and Sauiour Christ. These be the goodes and godly substaunce whereupon the Christian before God muste liue, and without the whiche he can not liue: These goodes (I saie) these theeues, these churche robbers, goe about to spoile vs of The whiche goodes, as to the manne of God thei excell, and farre passe all worldly treasure: so to withstande euen vnto the death, suche theeues as go

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