1583 Edition | Book 8 | Page 1199 
But here come in blinde gloses (albeit to no purpose) to excuse this application.MarginaliaApplication of the Masse idolatrous. For vniuersally amongest all the people, who is he that thinketh otherwise, but that thys worke is auaylable for the whole Church? Yea the Canon of the Masse it selfe declareth no lesse. And why then doe some of these craftie sophisters dally out the matter wyth their glosing wordes, denieng that they make any application of their Masses, when they know full well that the errour of the people is confirmed by this their doing: although they themselues do thinke otherwise? Albeit how few be there in very deede which do otherwise thinke?
[Back to Top]We ought not to dissemble in Gods matters. Let vs vse them as the holy Scripture teacheth, and as the auncient custome of the primitiue Church doth leade vs. MarginaliaThe olde institution of Christ is not to be altered by new inuentions.Why should any man be so presumptuous to swerue from auncient custome? Why now do they defend the errours of other which haue peruerted the institution of Christ?
[Back to Top]Now, although some perhaps wil pretend and say, that he maketh no application of his Masses, yet notwithstanding he so dealeth in handling the ceremony priuately by himselfe, that he thinketh this his oblation to be high seruice done to God, and suche as God requireth: whiche is also erroneous and to be reproued. For why, no seruice nor worship perteining to God ought to bee set vp by mans deuise, without the commaundement of God.
[Back to Top]Wherefore I beseeche you for the glorye of Christ, that you will not defend the article of this Acte cōcerning these priuate Masses, but that you will suffer the matter to bee well examined by vertuous and learned men. All thinges that we here with vs do, we do them by euident & substantiall testimonie of the primitiue Church, which testimonie I dare bee bolde to set against the iudgementes of all that haue since followed, such as haue corrupted the aunciente doctrine and old rites with manifold errours.
[Back to Top]As touching the other articles, they haue no neede of any long disputation. MarginaliaAgainst vowes of Priestes single life.Vowes that be wicked, fayned, and impossible, are not to be kept. There is no doubt, but thys is the common perswasion of all men touching vowes, that all these wilworkes deuised by man, are the true seruice and worship of God:MarginaliaThe commō errour concerning vowes. and so thinke they also whyche speake most indifferently of them. Other adde there vnto more grosse errours, saying, that these works bring wyth them perfection, and merite euerlasting life. Now all these opinions the Scripture in manye places doth reprooue. Christ saith
CloseMark 7: 7.
Close1 Tim. 4: 1.
CloseCol. 2: 18 and 20.
Vnto these also are annexed many other corrupt & wicked abuses. The whole order of Monkery, what superstition doth it conteine: What prophanations of Masses, inuocation of Saints, colours & fashions of apparell, choise of meates, superstitious prayers without all measure? MarginaliaCauses why vowes ought to be broken.Of which causes euery one were sufficient, why these vowes ought to be broken. Besides this, a greate part of men are drawne to this kinde of life chiefely for the bellyes sake, and then afterward they pretend the holines of their vowe and profession.
[Back to Top]Furthermore, this vowe of single life is not to all men possible to be kept, as Christ himselfe sait
CloseMatt. 19: 12.
MarginaliaThe 6. articles make the uowe of Priestes as streight as the vowe of Monkes, which is contrary to their owne lawe.But this causeth me muche to maruell, that this vowe of Priestes in your English Decree, is more straite and hard, then is the vowe of Monkes, whereas the Canons themselues doe bind a Priest no farther to single life: but onely for the time that he remaineth in the ministery. And certeynely it made my hart to tremble when I reade thys Article which so forbiddeth matrimony, and dissolueth the same being contracted, and appointeth moreouer the punishment of death for the same. Although there haue bene diuers godly Priests which in certeyne places haue bene put to death for their mariage, MarginaliaNo lawe of death euer established for Priestes mariage, before the 6. Articlesyet hath neuer any man hetherto bene so bold to stablish any such lawe. For euery man in a maner, wel perceiued that all well disposed and reasonable persons would abhorre that crueltie: and also they feared least the posteritie woulde thinke euill thereof. Who would euer thinke, that in the Church of Christ, wherein all lenitie towarde the godly ought most principally to be shewed, such cruelties and tyrannie could take place, to set forth bloudy lawes to be executed vpon the godly for lawfull matrimonie?
[Back to Top]But they brake their vowes, will the Byshoppes say. MarginaliaWhy Priestes vowes ought not to stand.For (as I sayd) that vow ought not to stād seing it is turned to a false worshyp of God, & is impossible to be kept. Agayne, although it stoode in force, yet it should not extend to thē which forsake the ministery. Finally, if the Bishops here would haue a care and regarde to mens consciences, they should then ordaine Priestes without any such profession or vow makyng, as appeareth by the old Canons, how that many were admitted to the ministery without professing of any vow, and the same afterward, when they had maried their wiues, to haue remayned in the ministery, as is testified Cap. Diaconi. Distinct. 28. MarginaliaDist. 28. cap. Diaconi.
[Back to Top]Certainely what here I may cōplayne, I can not tell. First, in this Article I can not impute it to ignoraūce that they do. For no man is ignoraūt of the commaundemēt of God, which sayth: Let euery man haue his wife for auoydyng of fornication. Agayne, who is so blynd but he seeth what a life these vnmaried Priestes do liue? The complayntes of good mē are wel knowen. The filthynes of þe wicked is to-to manifest. MarginaliaBishops restraine Priestes mariage against all reason and excuse.But peraduenture your Byshops holding wt the sect of Epicures, doe thinke that God is not offended with filthy lustes. Which if they so thinke, then doe we susteine doubtlesse a hard cause where such must be iudges.
[Back to Top]I am not ignoraunt that this single life is very fitte to set out the glory and brauery of Byshops and Colledges of Priestes, & to mainteine their wealth and portely state, and this I suppose to be the cause why some do abhorre so much that Priestes should be maried. But O Lamentable state of the Church, if lawes shuld be so forced to serue, not the veritie and the will of God, but the priuate gayne and commoditie of men. MarginaliaComplaint of vniust lawes seruing to the luker of mē against the glory of God.They erre which thinke it lawfull for them to make lawes repugnaunt to the commaūdement of God & to the law of nature, so that they be profitable to attaine wealth and riches. And of trouth frō my very hart I do mourne & lament, right noble Prince, both for your sake & also for the cause of Christes Church. You pretende to impugne and gaynestād the tyrāny of the Romish Byshop, and truly do call him Antichrist, as in deede he is: & in the meane tyme you defēd and maintaine those lawes of that Romish Antichrist, which be the strength & sinowes of all his power, as priuate Masses, single lyfe of Priestes, & other superstitions. You threaten horrible punishmentes to good men and to the mēbers of Christ, you violently oppresse and beare down the veritie of the Gospell begynnyng to shyne in your Churches. This is not to abolish Antichrist, but to establish him.
[Back to Top]I beseech you therfore for our Lord Iesus Christ, that you file not your conscience in defendyng those Articles which your Byshops haue deuised and set forth touchyng priuate Masses, Auricular confession, vowes, single life of Priestes, & prohibition of the one halfe of the Sacrament. It is no light offēce to establish Idolatry, errours, crueltie the filthy lustes of Antichrist. If the Romane Byshop should now call a Councell, what other Articles chiefly would he deuise and publish vnto the world, but the very same which your Byshops haue here enacted.
[Back to Top]Vnderstand and consider I pray you, MarginaliaThe subtiltye of Sathan in abusing the power of Princes to maintaine his kingdome.the subtile traynes and deceites of the deuill, whiche is wont first to set vpon and assayle the chief gouernours. And as he is the enemy of Christ from the begynnyng of the world, so his chief purpose is by all craftie and subtile meanes, to worke contumely agaynst Christ in sparsing abroad wicked opinions and setting vp Idolatry: and also in pollutyng mākind with bloudy murthers and fleshly lustes: in the workyng wherof he abuseth the policies and wittes of hypocrites: also the power and strength of mighty Princes: as stories of all tymes beare witnes what great kyngdomes & Empires haue set themselues with all might & maine, agaynst the poore Church of Christ.
[Back to Top]And yet notwithstāding God hath reserued some good Princes at all tymes, out of the great multitude of such giants, and hath brought them to his Church, to embrace true doctrine, and to defend his true worshyp: MarginaliaExample of good Princes.as Abrahā taught Abimelech, Ioseph the Egyptian kynges: and after them came Dauid, Iosaphat, Ezechias, Iosias excellyng in true godlynesse. Daniell conuerted to the knowledge of God the kynges of Chaldea & Persia. Also Britāny
CloseI.e., Brittania or Britain. Constantine was born in England and his mother was believed to be English.
Yet agayne therefore I pray and beseeche you for our Lord Iesus Christ, that you wil correct and mitigate this Decree of þe Byshops: In which doyng you shall aduaūce the glory of Christ, and prouide as well for the wealth of your owne soule, as the sauegarde of your Churches.