The baterie of the Popes Botereulx, commonly called the high altare. Compiled by W.S. in the yere of oure Lorde. 1550

¶ The baterye of the Popes Botereulx .

AS it is a poynt of infamye in a valeant warryour to steale on his enymyes ere they be ware , or to go aboute to entrappe them , and haue them at a vauntage , vnlesse he do fyrste gyue them a notable warnyng , eyther by the thunderinge of a bombarde , eyther by the bounchynge on a drumslade , eyther by scrikinge of a trumpet , eyther els by some other couragiousse alarme , noyse , or shoutynge , whereby hys audacitie , hardynes , and confidence of victorie , myght rather be insituated vnto his enemies than crafty wyles , sely cowardnes and distruste of hauynge the vpper hande : so myne enemyes peraduenture wold impute vnto me the lyke in glory & reproch , if I do not admonysh them before hand of my proposed conflict in besieging their Botereulx . Forth auoidinge wherof ( and for that in no wyse I may be faynt or false harted , as longe as I war vnder the most triūphātestādert blased with the gioriouse armes of the moost victoriouse Lyon of the trybe of Iehuda ) let them therfor take this for a warning pece that now I intend furthwith ( for euerye man knoweth the open war is proclamed betwixt vs long ago ) to batter , bet down , & arase not the oldman nor the yong man , but an other like fortres of the old mans making , for the onli defence of his made god : whych fortres the papists cal an alter : the god the sacrament of the alter . But they might as wel & as anagogicalli cal their alter the tower , & their houeringe god hanged therouer , the hauke of the tower . But as I can gyue their god no propre name : ( so at this time for the pariforme , proporcion , & situation of it I wil name their alter a Botereulx , which if we by might of the lord of hosts can bater down to the ground the popes church shal greatly stagger , the papists wonderously wauer , and their god euer houer .

Nowe therfore ye Papistes take hede to your Botereulx , for now I go in hand to charge my baterynge pieces , and say not but that I giue you warnyng that neyther the outworne puisaunce of the douty captain Moses , who was so mightye for a time , nor yet the presence of your erthly God , the glitteringe of his triple crown , ne yet the coniuring charecters crosewise grauen shal be a sufficiente fortification for to defend your sayd Botereulx : No though ye cluster & daube it round about with woll , clods turfes , erth , mire , dyrt , & such trishtrashe : no no though ye pray in aide the greate Turke , the Soulden the Sophy & al the Saracens , yea and though al the hereticall sectes of the whole world came to you and practyse on your syde all the wicked sectes that their high general Sathan shall suggerate into theire braynes . Take hede therfor yet ne left that your Botereulx haue not a stedfast foundacion : For if we can proue that it be founded vpon Moses and not on Chryst : than was it destroyed in effecte . M.D.lxxvii . yere a goo .

But fyrst or we go about the demolicion of this Botereulx , bi the good dylygence of master Grammer the chiefe vndermyner , we wyll searche what foundacion it is of : and bicause the first Botereulx or altare was vsed amongest the Hebrues : we wyl see what was the primatiue name that they gaue it ( for thereby wee may happen to thrust open one window ) for truly thei according to the veri vse therof , in their holy langage , named the alter Midhsbach , that is the sacrary or the place to offre vp sacrifice on . The priest , the offycer or the doer therof , thei called medhsa beach The sacrifice or the offeryng they named it Dhsebach . So lykewise the grace of the Greke tong shal declare vnto them the self nature of the same vocables & that by the help of these words : Thysiasterion , Thyscos or Thytes , Thysia . Which words a man shal not lightly expresse with the lyke concinnitie nother in latyn nor English except a man wold speake on this wyse , Sacrarium , sacrificus , sacrificium : that is sacrari , sacraficer , sacrifice . And than do we take this word sacrarye for an altare , whiche worde altare and none other , all Nacions that receiued the faith at their hands of the see of Rome : do vsurpe stil in this significacion . Neuertheles ye do now perceiue bi the Etimology and true exposition of the aboue said Hebrue and greke words : that thei be so nighe of kinne in betokening , and so like in speakinge in those languages , as be these thre wordes in Englishe : House , husbande , & husbandry . So the ye can not wel denye but that they be so coniugate , yoked , and knitte togither , as well in signification as in syllabication , that vnneth one of them can not be seuered from an other : nor the nature of one of theym canne be declared wythout makynge mencion of the other : nor one can be abolished , forbidden or destroyed : excepte the other two be abolyshed , forbidden & distroyed also . Therefore may you gather that we do not greatly stray frome our hygh way , at what time so euer we speke of sacrificer , or of sacrifice besyde this terme Altare .

Now therfore O thou Lorde of Hoostes , make my face to preuayle agaynst all lyinge braggers faces : and harden thou my forhed agaynst their forheades : so that my forhead be harder than an adamant or flynt stone , that I may be lesse afrayde of them . O thou most myghtie Lorde Iah , defend me against the cankred malyce and wycked pollecye of the Popes soldiours , who ( I dare wel saye ) wyl not onelye stand styflye in defence of theyr popysh fortres , but with a terrible countenaunce bi gnasshing their tethe togyther wyl step forth , vibrate and shake their venymous dartes towardes me thretenyng me after thys sorte . Thou vnexercised tyron , thou fresh water soldyoure : thou yongeman I saye : dareste thou approch vs ? darest thou assault vs ? dareste thou once aduenture to assiege oure inuincible fortresse ? Yea , or thinkest thou it possible for any gunne shote to brose the weakesse part of the wals , which continued so manye . M. yeares vnassaulted , vnuiolated , & vntouched ? whose mortare is waxen as harde as the flint stone , whose stones are as hard as stele , & whose timbre is as toughe & as durable as it were of fyr tre . Recule therfore my good sonne recule . But bycause we perceiue the to be so desperate a felow that thou wilt sance remedy , other sinke or swymme , and either take a fal or giue a fal , & ether hab or nab , we thinke it best for vs ( least peraduenture thi captain come with greater force vpon vs than we loke for ) to make our selues in a redines to defend our holye altare which the calleste Botereulx , yea this Botereulx shall not passe on thy baterye ( but god forgiue me to misname so holy a thynge ) but nowe I perceiue the olde sayde sawe to be to true . Qui taug●t picem , comquinabitur ab ea . I will say no more , but good inough .

And nowe not to dissemble , ye are a starcke heritike , in that you do fantasy to haue our altares throwen downe in al churches . But thys is a wonderful matter , that we must be faine to proue that whiche our mother the holy churche of Rome had neuer in question , but let vs alone with this matter , & wolde god we could proue our transubstanciation , oure purgatory fyre , our popes primacy & other like matters of no lesse importance as wel & as euidentli as we can proue this . The maner of the papistes in wrestyng the scripturs For we can proue how our altares had their beginning .ii. M. & odde . C. yeres passed , as any Christen man that listeth may reade Genesis capitulo octauo . How the holye Patriarke Noe , after that he had come oute of the Arke , buylded an altare to the lord and toke of euery cleane beaste , and of euerye cleane foule , and offred sacrifices in the altare . And the lorde smelled a swete sauour : And the Lorde sayd in hys herte : I wyll not procede to curse the ground any more for mans sake , for the imaginacion of mannes herte is euell from his youth &c. And Abraham likewise builded an altare vnto the lord euen in that place where he had appeared vnto hym and dyd call on the name of the Lorde . And Iacob also beyng commaunded of the Lord and bycause he had heard hym in the daye of hys tribulacyon , buylded an altare vnto the Lorde : and called the place the God of Bethell : bycause that God had apeared vnto him there , when he fled frome he face of his brother . &c.

And farther ye shal reade how that God after that he had yeuen the ten Commaundementes , by the hande of Moses commaunded also thus . An altare of earth thou shalt make vnto me , and theron offre thy burnt offringes , and thy peace offringes , thi shepe and thine oxen in al places where I shal put the in remembraunce of my name , thithir wil I come vnto the , and blesse the. Item . Exodi . xxix . Seuen dayes ( sayth the lorde ) thou shalt reconcile vpon the altare & sanctify it , & it shal be an altermost holy . Exo. xxx . And thou shalt make an altare to burne incence . Of Sethim woode shalt thou make it , a cubit long & a cubite bredth : euen fowre square shall it be , and .ii. cubites hye . &c.

Item .iii. Reg. xviii . The holy Prophet Elias vtterly to bringe to confusion the false God Baall & his prophetes & to set furth the glory of the liuynge God : toke xii . stones accordynge to the numbre of the twelue Tribes of the Sonnes of Iacob , & with the stones he made an altare , in the name of the lord &c.

We could alledge .vi. hundred places out of the bible beside these that we now recited , which shold styl make on oure parte if nede requyred , but bicause they are so comenly knowen of all men we wyl at this time ouerpasse them : for we trust that we haue alredy brought auctorities inough to proue the auncientie , the laudabilitie , & continual acteptaūce of alters before almighti God in the old law . But now to proue the confirmacion of them bi the new law ye shal read these other textes . But first marcke well how that Chryst himselfe sayd Mat. v. If thou offrest thy gift at the altare , and ther remembrest that thy brother hath ought against the : leaue than thine offringe before the altare , and go thy way firste and be reconciled to thy brother , and then come & offer thy gyft . Lo ye may se here how the altare is twyse spoken of , and that where the reason consysteth but of very few wordes . Item ye shal reade of this word altare in the xxiii . chapt . of the same Euangelist , wher Christ himselfe also sayth : from the bloud of the rightouse Abel , vnto the bloud of zacharias the sonne of Barachias whom ye slew betwen the temple & the altare , Item Lu. i. Ther appered vnto zacharias an Angel of the lord standing on the right side of the altare , of incense . Item Act. xvii . As I passed bi ( saith . s . Paule ) & beheld the maner how ye worship your gods , I found an alter wherin was written : to the vnknowen god . And again , the holy Apostell Paule to putte vs herein oute of all doubtes , sayeth :

Do not you knowe howe that they which minister about holy thinges lyue of the sacrifice ? and they whyche wayte on the alter , are partakers of the alter ?

More ouer in the sixte chapter of the Apocalipsis ye shal reade of an altare to .

And when he had opened the fifth seale ( sayth Iohn ) I saw vnder the altare the soules of them that were killed for the worde of god , and for the testimonye whiche they had . &c. And in the eyght chapter of the same Apocalipsis , you shall reade of thre altares , and so nighe togither , that they fall within the compasse of thre lines almoste , and one of them beynge a golden altare . &c. Item Apoca. xi .

Than was geuen me a reed ( sayth thys holy Euaungelist ) like vnto a rodde , and an angel stode and said . Ryse and measure the temple of God and the altare , & them that worshyp therin : and the quyre that is within the temple . &c. Lo syr , here ye maye playnelye reade in the verye texte of a temple , of an altare , & of a quyre to , & yet these men of the new learning , wyl nether haue temple , altare , nor quyre , or at the leaste wayes if they muste haue a temple , they by their wyl , woulde haue it to be without quyre , withoute altare , without images , and without any maner of holy ornamentes , vestimentes , and deckynges . Yea , they wold haue it like a barne , or like a mannes dwelling house , hauynge neyther respecte to the fashyon of the tabernacles , nor the temples of the Hebrues , nether to the temples of the church of Rome

But blessed be God , that lefte vs in the holye wryte suche manifeste testimonyes as wee haue nowe rehearsed , whereby we maye easilye confound all such naughty heritikes as wil presume to talk against our laudable ceremonies , or any other decent things which haue bene accustomed to be had in our temples and haue continued amonge all nations since Christ was borne , & many hundred yeres before , as I haue already declared by sondry textes of the scripture , as well of the new testament , as of the olde . And beside all thys we might ratifye the same by diuerse places of our Canon lawe , vnles it were now abrogated , & by th auctoriti of very auncient doctors For doth not the holy doctour . S. Augustine . Li. xxi . cap. x. De ciui . dei ( speaking of the infideles ) wryght thus . They vnto their gods haue builded temples also , & haue set vp alters , & haue offred sacrifices . Now bicause these felowes of the new lerning can scant away with the lerning of old catholike doctours , we wil cite no more of their work : But shal we not be as blameles as . s . Paule to bring in for our purpose such places of noble Poets , as may be thought conuenient . For as I remember Ouid in a certaine place of hys worckes writeth much after this sence .

Whan Medea was come home , without the dores she stode ,

Vsynge no mannes companye , whyle she was in that mode .

Twey alters than of soddes she made , and garnished with bowes :

And a blacke Kamme she Sacrificed , to twey greate Goddases .

Ye may read also in the chiefeste Poete among the Latines , as thus .

Firste with these thre thrūmes of thre hewes , I the enuiron do ,

And rounde aboute these altares eke , wyth thyne image I go .

But bicause men now a daies giue no credite in a maner to poetry and not very much to the gloses of the olde fathers we wil allege no mo places of them nother : trusting the al good catholike people wil be established by these sufficient proues which are brought hitherto , & seyng the alters haue been vsed & had in such condigne reuerence euer since Noes floude ( & who is it that can tell the contrarye but that Cain and Abel the sonnes of Adam offred their oblacions vpon altares ? ) And wher al maner of nacions thorowe out the wide worlde ( were they neuer so ignorant in true knowledge ) ether by the instinction of the Lawe of Nature printed by Gods fyngere in their hertes , ether by imitacion of Gods owne electe people , the Hebrues thought it very expedyent and no lesse necessarye to buylde them altares whereupon they myght offre theire sacrifices to worship , pacifie , and gratifie theyre God wythall . Without which altares as most agreable instruments euery man knoweth no sacryfce can be conuenientlye offred or orderly frequented . Wherfore let al them that do regard the good and holsom constitucions of the holy churche of Rome : herken , embrace and cleaue vnto them that mainteigne altares as thinges most necessary and most fetest to minister the sacrament of the altare vpon : in which sacrament for a sacrifice ( as sayeth . s . Augustine ) al christen men offre vp them selues in the selfe same offring , which the church doth celebrate . Ergo to conclude of the whole summe of all the prymisses , altares must nedes be had in al churches to minister the sacrament of the alter vpon . Now therfore hence fourthe let vs haue no more ado about this mater , for ye se how plainly how largely and howe trulye we haue taken paines to discusse it : yea & I warrant you that this ergo shall greue to the guttes ( if they so escap ) all those altary heretikes specially the bragger which wold so faine bater oure Botereulx ( as he termeth it ) nay I warant you we haue batered him out of the way : wher art thou I say thou baterer of our Botereulx ? where art thou ? yt is to the that we speke ? No ? The Papistes triumph before the victory . not as muche as one woorde ? why than mum bouget , and we are content . Heih let vs be of good chere , our fortresse shall not yet downe .

And if youre fortresse shall not yet downe , I tell you , I the selfe man that you thought you had nowe of late slayne or at the lest wayse put to sylence , it is euen he that telleth you agayn that your fortresse shall down if not yet , yet shortli . And it shal not only be throwen downe , but it shal be arraced & made euen handsmothe with the ground . For now I haue you by the back , I haue spied , al your succour , all your refuge , all your pore pieces , your disordered ordinaunce & your harmeles harneys . For youre pieces are so pore that euen shortly you shal not drinke a halfe penyworth of ale by them : your ordinaunce are so disordered that thei are liker to destroy your owne men than others : & your harneys are so harmeles that their werers some hornwode or dronken . For the head piece lieth cast down & troaden : the gauntletes are worne on the fete , the sappodines on the handes , the collar on the ancles , the vambraces on the legges : the greues on the armes : & all the rest are no righter placed . Neyther wyll I denaye but that all your armoure be verye strong of them selues , of the ryght makynge , and of greate force if ye coulde welde them : but bicause you haue stolen them oute of oure Captayn his armory , and entend also so vnshamefastly to abuse them agein his honour and magnyfycence they shal stande you in no stede ( & howe can they , seynge ye can not rightlye vse them ? ) whan ye shall haue most nede of them .

But nowe to put on our armour that we maye immediatlye go thorowe with this oure begon combate , and to speake more playnely . Al the testimonyes that you broughte on your behalfe oute of the olde testamente , are as true , as nothynge is more true : neyther ( as I signifyed before ) do I doubte anye thinge of the trueth of them : and I thinke no lesse of the other textes which you alledged out of the newe testamente .

Neuertheles I am not so dull , so farre seduced , nor so void of al godly vnderstandynge , but that I perceiue howe craftely , and howe subtilly ye go about by your long recitall of all the sayde textes , to blinde and cast duste in the eyes of the vnlearned and symple people , who haue not that capacitie that they ( by comparynge together the olde law & the new ) can comprehend how to seuer the one frome the other , or to knowe in what point the one agreyth or disagreeth wyth the other , or howe to accord them togyther : for they both are one in effecte , though diuersly set forth . They both tend to one ende : but the one is consummate and ended , the other endureth to the laste daye .

Neither is it any wonder at all , if the vnlearned people , or the carnally learned attaine not the descretion to examine the exacte difference betwene the lawe and the Gospell , or can not iustely discusse after what sort the lawe is abrogated , and after what sort the obseruation of the lawe is damnable in a christian . Yea it is no wonder I saye , though the worldlye wise manne can not right lye iudge in such diuine matters , seinge that some of the holy apostles were in the same takinge , whiles it pleased the gloriousse maiestye of GOD as it were to wythdrawe his Spirite frome them ( therefore good Lord do not thou put vs out of thy presence , neither take awaye thy holye Spirite frome vs ) for what caused Peter and Iames to attribute ouer muche vnto the law of Moses , but that they were destituted ( for that while ) of the spirite of God : which Spirit neuer abode ( I meane continually ) vpon anye man sauing on christ only .

And what made so manye vaine ceremonies and damnable supersticions as well oute of the Lawe of Moses as out of Hethens rites to crepe into Christes religion , but bycause that the spirite of GOD hadde departed frome the maynteners thereof , and for that the pure gospell ne was not discretely seuered from Moses his lawe , nor wel purged of the Heathen and infidels their folyshe traditions ? As for an exemple . To praye and our faces turned eastwarde , to faste these imbringe dayes , haue we taken of the Heathen , or infideles .

And to truste that we do a good dede in restinge and ceassinge onely frome bodilye laboure and excercise , on Sondayes or Holye dayes and not rather to the entente that we might giue our selues wholy to reste and cease to worcke or excercyse oure owne carnall worckes , and to heare the worde of GOD preached , occupiynge oure selues in prayers and meditation to godwarde .

Such vngodly idle rest & mock holy day , haue we sucked oute of the dug of Moses law , & to offer bodilye sacrifices , is to be fathered vpon the same Moses , & not vpon Iesus Christe : whyche misfatherynge hath filled Christes churche with so many popyshe altares , as we shal anon begin to declare more particulerly , according to the measure or gyfte whych we receiued of Christ . But bicause the altares were made but for Sacrifices sake , we shal fyrst speke somwhat of sacrifices

And in as muche as this worde sacrifice is but a borowed terme in Englyshe , and therefore the signification therof not communely knowen , we shal open to the vnlearned what is mente by sacrifice . What sacrifice is Sacrifice is an offering vp of our work , which we exhibite to God , whom we acknowledge to be suche one , that worthely we ought to present this our seruice or worshyppe vnto . Which seruice , worship , or reuerence ( as is afore sayd ) is naturallye planted in the hertes of all men , as well of the Heathen as of the Iewes , of the learned as of the vnlearned : & euen in the hertes of them that neuer heard of god , which thing causeth such as haue not the true knowlege of gods word ( as it were children bi making of babes , or the like trifeling imitations ) to inuent sondry kindes of sacrificing or worshipping him whom they take for god . All which sacrifices & worshipping being inuented bi the fantasy of the corrupt & sinfull nature of man , & not grounded on true faieth , is no better estemed for acceptable worship before god , than is the babe or the pupet of the childs making thought to be a perfite workemanship in the iugment of a seuere & a sage old father . And therfore ( me thynketh ) it is no lesse folli for vs , who professe Christes doctrine to learne of the Heathen people ( to whom the misterye of the euangelye is not reueiled ) any poynte of religion , then if prudente princes , learned lawiers , honeste husbande men , would consulte wyth infantes or chyldren of two or thre yere of age , how to rule their Realmes , pleade their pleadynges , or to husbande their husbandrye . For it is to euident as wel bi prophane as holi scripture , how the Heathen nations dyd not onely swarue from the true worshipinge of god , but dyd greuously displease hys diuine maiestye . And thoughe God shewed him self vnto them by the worcke of the Creation of the worlde , yet they haue not praysed nor thanked hym accordinglye , but became vayne in their imaginations and their folyshe hertes were blynded . Whan they counted them selues wyse , they became foles : and turned the glory of the incorruptible god , into the image of a corruptible man , and of byrdes , and four foted , and of creping beastes . Wherfore god likewise gaue them vp vnto their hertes luste , into vncleanenes , which turned the truth of god into a lye , and worshipped and serued the creature more than the creator , whych is blessed for euer . Amen . Therfore god gaue them vp vnto shamefull lustes . For their women chaunged the naturall lustes into the vnnaturall : lykewyse the men also left the natural vse of the woman , & brent in their lusts one on another , & man with man wroughte filthines , & receiued in them selues the reward of their erroure , as it was according . And as thei regarded not to knowe God , euen so God delyuered them vppe vnto a leude mynde , that they shoulde do those thynges whyche were not comely , beynge full of all vnrighteousnes , fornicacyon , wyckednes , couetousnes , maliciousnes full of enuye , murther , debate , disceite , euel condicioned , whisperers , backbyters , haters of god , disdainfull , proude , boasters , bryngers vp of euell thinges , disobediente to father and mother , without understanding , couenaunt breakers , vnlouinge truce breakers , vnmercifull .

Whiche men though they knew the righteousnes of God , considered not how that they which committe such thynges , are worthy of death , not only they the do the same , but also they which haue pleasure in them that do them . And fathermore besyde all this mischeuous absurditie that S. Paule declared by them , the wicked imaginacion of theire corrupte nature beyng not regenerate of the spirite of God did so far contrary to nature it selfe , Psa. cvi . Leui. xx . that thei kylled men yea their owne begotten chyldrene and sacrificed them not to God nor yet to the creatures of god , but euen to verye deuyls . And if you ( I meane you altare pryestes ) do delyght to learne the Heathens maner of sacrificynge , recorde well these verses in your mynde .

Et capita inferno et , A memorādum for the Papistes . patri transmittite lumen .

Geue heads to Pluto the God infernal . And Saturne his father , the fire iustral .

But how hydeouse , how terrible & howe deuelish a thing it is for any Christian to folowe any such mens rites or ceremonies : I leaue to the iudgment of any godlye man .

Neyther wyll I denye but that the Heathen had altares amongest them , but onely inuented , made , and occupied for no better purpose , than is nowe before sayd : whyche is to saye , to offer vp Sacrifices vnto Deuelis .

And as many so euer as lyste to offer vp sacrifices vnto Deuilis : they maye full well grownde theyr procedyngs vpon the heathens learnyng , & so builde as many altares as shall please them and mayntane the same as longe as they may .

But nowe to returne to the sacrifices of the Iews . The Iews had diuers sacrifices or sortes of offerynges ( whose names in the Hebrue tonge I wyl nowe omitte , for thes Englysh printars are so thryfty as to haue neuer an Hebrue letter to printe wythal .

But I wyll name theym as they be communely englyshed , that is : Peace offerynge , Synne offerynge , Meate offeryng , Drincke offeryng , Waue offerynge , Heaue offerynge .

All whych sacrifices or offerings are comprehendyd in these two names : Pacifiyng Sacrifice , and Gratifiyng Sacrifice .

The occasion of the Pacifiynge Sacrifice , Th occatiō of the pacifiyng sacrifice . was the laps or fall of our forefather Adam , by whose fal all mankynde halteth , hoppeth and walloweth in the dyrty Puddle of synne , lyith cheyned wyth the Iron cheynes of Gods Wrath and vengeaunce , taken Captyues of the Prynce of thys world , and become Enimies and Rebelles agaynste the God of myght .

For whose presumptuouse Defiaunce and sturdy Rebellion , it lay in no mans powre to make a loue-daye bytwene God and man , nor paye so greate a raunsome as was iustly to be demaundyd .

Therfore if man wold recouer hys old fall , go an vpright gate agayne , aryse vp oute of the fyllthye puddle of synne , be released of the vntollerable cheynes of Gods wrath and vengeaunce , and be deliuered out of the captiuite of the deuel , & brought agayne into the amytie , fauour and frendshyp of God : than by al iustice it behoued him to pacify the ire and indignacion of God with as full satisfaction and with as dewe and as plentiful compensacyon as shoulde counteruayle the transgressyon and displeasure whyche was perpetrated agaynst the gloriouse maiestie of the great god . But now who was able to make satisfaction for so heynouse a displeasure ? Was there anye man vpon earthe able to do it ? no not one . Was there any Angel in heauen able to do it ? no not one nother : for why should any other creature then man satisfy or make amendes for mans fault ?

And it resteth nowe that man is vtterly lyke to remayne oute of the fauouor of god and so consequently , to continue in the miserable thraldū of the deuell . But alas for sorow to se how man is deseruedly condemned by the righteouse iudgement of god which no mans conscience can iustly gaynsay . Oh is there than no help ? is ther no remedi ? is ther no refuge ? No surely : there is no refuge at all : vnles this onely shyft may be allowed , that is to appeale from the seuere iustice of God , vnto his greate mercy , and to make an humble and an herty peticyon vnto hys grace to send his dere sonne into the worlde to be incarnate and to become man to pay a full raunsume vnto God for man to delyuer man out of the Deuyls captiuitie , to reconcyle , & make at one God and man , & to offer him selfe vp for a pacifiynge Sacrifice vnto his father for mannes transgression .

Whiche thing the vnspeakeable mercye and the naturall kindnes of God beynge not required dyd vndeseruedly graunt vnto man as he was yet hys very enemie and most disobedient rebell .

And thys was the sole and onelye raunsome that redemed Adam and all hys posteritye oute of the greadye chawes of the olde Serpente , Al the pacifiyng sacrifices of Moses lawe were but significations of christes sacrifice . thys was the sole and onelye propiciatory sacrifice that pacified the yre of god , that wholy satisfied for mannes synnes , and restored man againe into frendeship and fauour of God .

And so all the Pacifiynge Sacrifices that euer GOD instituted and commaunded hys Seruaunte Moses to publyshe and sette forthe to the Israelites or Iewes dyd alonelye signifye the sayde Sacrifice of Christe .

For after that the worlde had continued aboute two thousande yeares wythout lawe , or any other prescribed maner of liuynge , than nature it selfe dyd minyster : at the laste it pleased the hyghe maiestie of God ( that the mooe myghte be saued ) to establyshe a lawe , The b●● of Moses lawe . whiche shoulde as it were declare and open the Lawe that was obscurate , darckened , and farre degenerated by the sinister corruption , which liniallye did issue from the fyrste father Adam into all hys ofsprynge .

Howebeit as God dyd not gyue thys lawe , vnto all Nations , but only to the Iewes beyng but a few in numbre in comparison of all the people in the worlde , so dyd not he forthwith open the misteries conteined therein , but ouer shadowed them with manifold sacrifices , and diffuse rites and ceremonies being significations of good thynges to come .

And moreouer as the lord went before them in the wildernes the day time in a piller of a cloude to lead them the waye , and the nyght tyme in a pyller of fire to giue their corporal eies lyght , that they might iorney both day & night toward the land of promyse : so lykewyse dyd the tender loue of God practise in furtheringe them to the very lande of promission : for he did so tempre hys traditions which he commaunded vnto them that they which were neuer wont before to be grouerned by the light of anye morall lawe ( and therefore grosse , rude , and pore blind ) might be traded vnder a clowdye and misticall doctrine , but yet hauing many sparcles of his sunny bright gospell , and so the eies of their mynde beyng nother vnmeasurably darkned nor noseled in blindnes , nor yet ouermuche daseled and ouercome wyth the eyeing of shyning brightnes , they mighte rather atchiue the ende of their spirituall progresse .

And therfore all the ceremonies conteined in this law were none other thing , The ceremonies of the lawe but introductions to lead vnto Christe .

And all these fleshe sacrifices betokened the fleshe sacrifice of Christes bodye , once offered vpon th altare of the crosse . But nowe to beate downe the Iewishe bulwark that the Popes souldiours haue round about their fortresse , we will recite certaine testimonies , as well out of the olde testamente , as of the new , whyche shal euidently proue that god delighteth not ( though he required them for a time ) in the externe oblation or the vtter offerynge of the sacrifices commaunded by hym in Moses hys lawe . The abrogation of sacrifice .

Wherefore he declared the same by the mouth of diuerse of his prophetes , as it is written . Mala. i. I haue no pleasure in you , sayeth the Lorde of hostes : and as for youre meat offerynge . I wyll not accepte it at your hand . Again . Ose v. They kyll sacrifices bi heapes : and turne farre from the lorde , and I haue bene a rebuker of them all . And agayne . Prou. xv . The lorde abhorreth the sacrifice of the vngodly . &c. Item Eccle. xxxiiii . The hiest doth not alowe the giftes of the wicked . And God hath no delite in the offerings of the vngodly , nether may sinne be reconsiled in the multitude of oblations . Who so bringeth an offering out of the goodes of the pore , doth euen as one that killeth the sonne before the fathers eyes . And in the .l. Psal. I wil not reproue the ( saith the lord ) bicause of thy sacrifices , or for thy burnt offerings , bicause they were not alway before me . I wil take no bullock out of thy house : nor no he goates out of thy folde . For all the beastes of the foreste are myne , and so are the cattell vpon a thousande hylles . I knowe all the foules vpon the mountaynes : and the wild beastes of the feild are in my syght . If I be hungry , I wyl not tell the : for the whole worlde is mine , & al that therin is . Thinkest thou that I wil eate Bulles fleshe , and dryncke the bloude of goates ?

And in Ieremy .iii. Chapter you shal read , not of the abrogation of Sacrifices onely , but also of the abrogation , & disanullynge of all the lawe , The abrogation of the olde lawe . and of the olde testamente withall . The texte goeth thys . When ye are increased and multiplied in the lande , than ( saieth the Lorde ) there shal no more boaste be made of the arcke of the Lordes testament . No man shal thinke vpon it , nether shal anye man make mention of it : For from thence forth it shall neither be visited nor honoured with giftes .

Moreouer in the .xxxi. Chapter of the same prophete , you shall not alonely reade , of resoluyng and repellyng of the olde couenaunt or testamente and the cause therof , but also of the substitution of the newe , & of the description , nature , and tenure of the same .

The new testament prophecied of . And the words of the text be these : Beholde , the daies wyll come ( saith the Lorde ) that I wil make a new couenaunte with the house of Israell , and wyth the house of Iudah : not after the couenaunte whyche I made wyth their fathers , whan I toke them by the hande , and ledde them oute of the lande of Egypte , whiche couenaunt they brake : Yea euen whan I as an husbande had rule ouer them , sayeth the Lorde .

But thys shall be the couenaunte that I wyl make with the house of Israell after those dayes , sayth the Lorde . I wyll plante my lawe in the inner part of them , and write it in theyr hertes , & wyl be theyr god , and they shal be my people , & from thence forth , shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother , and saye : knowe the Lorde , but they shall all knowe me , from the loweste to the hyeste , sayth the Lorde . For I wyl forgiue their misdedes , and wil neuer remember their sinnes any more .

These testimonies ( I thyncke ) shall easilye perswade euerye true christian ( whyche hath not a verye Iewyshe herte ) to be certified that as wel the carnall gratifiyng sacrifices required in Moses lawe , be as vtterli determined , and as clearly abolished , as the other pacifiynge sacrifices , whom mooste speciallye we treated of hytherto .

And if the gunne shote of these olde culuerynge pieces and double Cannons haue not sufficientlye ouerthrowen the bulworcke of the sayde Popyshe forteresse , we wyll yet shote of a piece or two of strong newe ordinaunce of Sacres and Apostles : whereof we shall furnyshe thys for one .

Hebr. viii ix . The newe testamente weareth oute the olde : Nowe that whyche is worne out and waxed old , is ready to vanishe awaye . For that first tabernacle verily had ordinaunces and seruynges of GOD and outewarde holines . &c. But into the seconde wente the hye Prieste alone , once in the yere , not wythout bloud whyche he offered for him selfe , and for the ignoraunce of the people .

Wherewyth the holye gooste this signifieth , that the waye of holines was not yet opened , whyle as yet the fyrste tabernacle was standing . whyche was a similitude for the tyme than presente , in whych were offered giftes and Sacrifices , and coulde not make perfite ( as perteynyng to the conscience ) hym that dyd the gods seruice only with meates and drynckes , & diuerse washinges and iustifiynges of the flesh , whych were ordeyned vnto the time of reformation . Hebru . x. For it is vnpossible that the bloude of Oxen and of Goates shoulde take awaye synnes .

Wherfore whan he cometh into the the worlde , he sayth . Sacrifice and offeringe thou wouldest not haue , but a body hast thou ordeyned me . Burnte Sacrifices and synne offeringes haste thou not alowed . Than sayd I , Lo I come : in the chiefeste of the boke , it is written of me , that I shuld do thy wil , O God . Aboue whan he had sayde . Sacrifice and offerynge , and burnt sacrifices and synne offeryngs thou wouldest not haue , neither haste alowed , whiche yet are offered after the lawe : than sayde he : Lo , I come to do thy wyll O God . There taketh he away the fyrste , Al bodely sacrifices ended in Christe . to establyshe the later . In which wil we are sanctified by the offeringe vp of the bodye of Iesus Christe once for all .

So than nowe , if it be a cleare case , and that by the playne textes of holy scripture , that synce Christ was once offred on the altare of the crosse , al carnal sacrifices and al maner of offerynges that euer were wont to be offered vpon the altares be wholy extinguished , vtterli void and of none effect . And in as muche as no man ( beynge in hys ryghte wytte , whan he aduisedly perceyueth , and playnely vnderstandeth that the cause of the fyrste Inuention and buildynge of the Altares was for none other purpose , That altares discontinue with the sacrifices but to burne , or to offer sacrifices or oblations vpon , whyche maner of sacrifices God wyl no longer accept ) but he wil straight wayes acknowlege that there ought not anye altare to remayne to any vse among vs christians , after the death and passion of our maister Christe : at which time as he protested hym selfe , sayinge : Consummatum est , it is finished , signifiynge therby , that Moses lawe was not onely by hym preuented , fulfilled & finished : but that the same lawe , or any commaundement , rite , ceremonie , or any other parte therin conteined ( as concernynge anye burthening or iurisdiction ouer the christians ) was to al intentes tolled , taken away , and fully determined and ended , and the gospell as it were a newe lawe surrogated , confirmed , & established in steade of the old . The temporal lawiers . You se how the temporal lawiers can tell on their fingers endes whyche is the aunciente commune lawe of the Realme , whyche be the customes of olde boroughes , territories , and contries , whiche is statute law , and which not , what estatutes be exspired , what statutes be mitigated , what repealed , & what euiued . Or what statutes continue but from parliament to parliament , and what statute expoundeth an other , yea or what braunches of any statute is cut away by the vygoure and egged force of an other statute : Howe many do agre and concurre in one thynge , and howe manye be contrary one to an other .

They know farther ( euen as redilye as their Pater noster ) all the boke cases that remaine in writing the yere of the raygne of the kinge , and the Terme also , and the better opinion of the Iudges , and what case ruled and what not .

And I know wel that such knowledge requireth as greate , as diligente , and as industrious a studie , as for to be perfect in the bible and al the good writers and expositers thereof .

Yet you , who glorye to be called by the name and title of doctours of diuinitie , or bachiler of diuinitie , and professe the exacte knoweledge thereof , The diuines . are not ( as it semeth by the confuse hotchepotte that you haue made of your learnynge ) so perfitelye sene in your science , as they in theyrs . And yet their ignoraunce is more excusable than yours , & their Practise more tollerable also than yours , for their ignoraunce or practice : shal onli preiudice or endomag a man of his worldely goodes , disherite him of his earthly landes , or losse of hys body , which is nothing in comparison of the soule , whome your ignoraunce and preposterous practice shall disinherite of the land of promise , which is the kingdome of heauen .

But shall wee be folishe , grosse , and vnapte in spiritual feates , and in thynges longynge to the Soule , and only wise and circumspect , polityke and fitte in al worldely matters whyche appertayne to bodily affayres ? That the lerned papistes be more vndiscrete & folysh , than the vnlerned simple people . Or shall the learned be more fonde than the vnlearned ? or doeth muche learnynge make a man madde or doultishe ? For what husbandman ( be he neuer so simple ) wil be about to plow his land wyth a whelebarowe , to harrowe it wyth a slede , or to carye with an harow ? What husbandman , I say is so folyshe , as to go aboute to wede hys corne with a sithe , to mowe his hey wyth a wedinge hoke , and to tedde the same with a rake ? Is a leaden cesterne made for to sayle on the sea ? is a shyp made to be drawen of horses as a waggen vpon the land ? do noble men build sumptuous palaces for their horses to stand in , and lye them selues in olde ruinous stables ? or do men ordain fetherbeds for their dogges , and lye themselues in kennellis ? Who maketh a Garnar of an Ouen , or an Ouen of a Garnat ? Or who maketh a threshynge flore in hys dwellyng house , and a herth in hys barne ? Who can make a pleasaunte and a soote banketyng house , of fylthy Schamebles or of a stynking Slaughter house ?

Yea or who had not rather haue hys supper layed on a fayre Table before hym than on a bloudy Butchars Cradle ?

And so lyke wyse ( to apply some of these straing Anagogies & darke saynges to oure purpose ) is not a Garnar more mete to lay vp grain in , than an Ouen ? Is it not more mete to make a threshynge flore in a barne than in a mans dwellynge house ? And to make an herth to kendle fyre on in the myddes of a mans house , than by the mowes syde in hys barn ? And so who can make the Iewes olde slaughter Synagoge to serue for the newe Euangelyke banketynge . Temple ? Or who had rather ease the heauenvly banket of the Lordis Supper on a Iewish , a heathelyk or a Popysh altare : then on a decent and a fayre comly Table ?

The vnbeleuynge Iewe defiyth Christes Table and his supper also . The vnfaythfull heathen thynke scorne of the same . The pope & his papists make of it a god or a popet

The Iew abhorryth vtterly our Religion . The Heathen in no sauce can awaye wyth it .

The Pope is well contented to be called a christian , The pope dissembleth . yea to be thoght to be Christ him self , so that ye geue hym leaue to lyue lyke a Iewe or an Heathen . And shall we seke vpon them ? Shal we be partakers of their damnable Ceremonies , of theyr execrable Rites , and cursed Vsages ? Or is Christes religion so vnperfit of it selfe , so neady & beggerly that it muste borowe imbring fastes of the Heathen , borowe altares of the Pope , and borowe vestimentes of the Iewes ? beside an vnnumerable sorte of other like baggage , Wedes in our religion . whych hath bene weded nowe of late oute of Christes religion , and now restored home to the owners therof .

Therefore lette vs either render home againe vnto the Heathen , the supersticion of the imbrynge daies and to the pope his halowed altares and vnto the Iewes , Exo. xxix . their Aarons vestimentes : or els let vs like good Companions ioyne togyther in a league wyth them , The wicked prouision of mannes fantasye . and be tenauntes in commune , and put oure religion wyth theirs in hotche potche , & according to the lawiers vulgar terme Qui primum happat primum cappat . And by my fey that peraduenture were greate wisedome : for so dyd oure fathers & ancesters : and were it not good felowship to do as they did ? Yea were it not good policy to holde on the bigger side ? And are not more in numbre of the Papistes Heathens and Iewes than of the Christians ? yea no doubte , thrise so many at the leaste : why then let vs be of one religion with them , & they wyll take vs as their frendes , and we lykewyse wyl take their parte . And so , we beyng than so many in numbre , and gathered togither and rayed in a puisaunt and a myghtye army , shall rushe into heauen , whether God & hys angels wyll or no. And if all fayle , after that wee haue made mery by the waye , in the dominion of the Popes purgatorye , we wyl march forward and come to the large and wyde kyngedome of the Prynce of thys worlde , euen the myghty prynce Satan ( who refuseth no man ) and there shall wee be so curtesly enterteyned , so choisely cherished , and so muche made of , as though we were his owne dere chyldren . For he loueth them alyfe whoe be at defiaunce wyth Iesus Christ , & haue forsaken him for theyr souerayne . Nowe as ye haue heard the fantasticall aduisement , & brayneles councell of mans naturall wyt , ( who perceyueth not the thynges that belong to the spirite of god ) so herken what the spirit of god speaketh by the mouth of hys chosen vessel , s . Cor. ii . s . Paule , euen by these wordes .

Dearlye beloued , fle from worshippinge of idoles . s . Cor. x I speake vnto them that haue discretion , iudge ye what I say . The cuppe of thankes geuynge , wherwyth ye gyue thankes , is it not the partakynge of the bloude of Christe ? The breade that we breake , is it not the partakinge of the body of Christe ? For we beynge manye are one breade and one bodye , in as muche as we are partakers of one breade . Beholde Israell after the fleshe . They that eate sacrifices , are thei not partakers of the altare ? What shall I nowe say then ? Shall I say that the idole is any thynge ? Or that whyche is offered vnto the idole is anye thyng ? Naye . But thys I saye , that loke what the Hethen offer , the offer thei to deuils & not to god . Ye can not drink of the cup of the lord , & of the cup of the deuils . Now wold I not that ye shuld be in the felowship with deuils , Ye can not be partaker of the lordes table , & of the deuils ? Or will ye prouoke the lord ? Are we stronger than he ? I may do al thinges , but al things are not expedient . I may do al thyngs , but all thynges edifye not .

Nowe I truste that as many of vs as haue receyued the spirite of God shall sone perceyue by the meanyng of the texte nowe before rehearsed , that the christians in no wyse maye be partakers with the Heathens or Iewes in idoles , altares , sacrifices offerynges , or suche other vnchristenlyke ceremonies .

For ( as the same Apostle sayth ) what felowshyp hath ryghtuousenes with vnrightuousenes ? ii . Cor. vi what company hath lyght wyth darckenes ? howe agrreeth Christ and Belial ? or what parte hathe the beleuer with the vnbeleuer ? howe accordeth the temple of god wyth images ? &c.

But nowe I praye you , do you not see wyth what a care , with what a diligence , and wyth what an earneste affection the holye Apostle of Christe exhorteth , The gret ●iligence ●f saynte counceleth , and calleth vpon the christians , lest they shoulde kepe company or be yoked wyth the Heathen or the Iewes , Paule the Christes religion shold not be mingled . or leste they should admit and receyue anye of theyr supersticious rites , or wycked ceremonies , and myngle the same wyth Christes religion ?

Yea , & the Apostles dyd so much abhorre , eschew and feare , lest such confuse mingle mangle of straunge supersticions ( whether they were of the Heathens vayne rites , or of the Iewes lawe ) in so muche that they bade not onely farewell to all the ceremoniall and Iudicial lawe of Moses , but also ( bycause they woulde differ frome the Iewes in keping holyday ) they translated and chaunged the celebration of the saboth from Saturdaye to Sonday . For the seuenth day wherupon by one of hys ten commaundementes God commaunded vs to rest , was on Saturday , and not on Sonday . The lyke affection and mynde was Constantine the Emperour of ( abhorrynge the memorial of the vaine Heathens Goddes ) whan he sued vnto one Siluester the fyrste , Byshoppe of Rome , that it myghte be decreed , that the dayes of the weke whyche had before the names and tytles of the Sunne , The names of the daies in the weke bi a decre altered . Mone , Mars , Mercury , Iupiter , Venus , & Saturne , shoulde be called the fyrst ferye , the second ferye , the thyrde fery , the fourthe , the fyfte , the syxte , the seuenth : in lyke maner as the Iewes counted theyr dayes from the Saboth daye .

But it pleased hym that the first fery myght be called Dies Dominicus also , whyche we name Sondaye , and that Saturday should be called Sabatum , of the olde holydaye and reste of the Hebrues .

And if suche vigilante circumspection and carefull mynde to flee from hauynge any mutual conuersation ( as wel in wordes as in thinges ) with the Iewes & other infidels had styll continued in christen mennes hertes euer since the Apostles tyme hytherto : Maister Negligence careles , holpe the Pope to set vp his altares . than neded no man to trauayle at thys presente daye to wryte or inueyghe againste the vniuste intrusion of altares .

But well worthe the tyme of the olde prymatiue church , whan euerye thynge ( as Polidorus Vergilius recordeth ) in the administration of the Lordes supper was playne , ☜ syncere , and wythoute any minling of ceremonies , contaynynge more vertue than solemnitie .

Herken than to thys testimonye ( al ye Papistes ) and giue good credite vnto it , ( for he that fyrst wrote it ) is the Pope his owne countrey manne .

For surely he speaketh herein as trulye as dyd the bishop Cayphas whan he affirmed that it was better that one man should dye for the people , than all the people shoulde peryshe .

But woulde God it had pleased hys holye Spirite to speake by the mouth of the pope , as he hath done bi the mouth of Balaam , Cayphas and of other as euyll menne . Than shoulde not all the people haue perished , but rather one manne . And would God I saye , that thys Polidorie of Polidorus had ben more liberally bestowed on the common people in Englande . Than would they more frelye and wyth a better wyll obeye and imbrace the ecclesiastical proceadynges of the hygher powers . And seynge than that of a verye trueth ( accordinge to the golden sentence of Polidorus ) the religion of Christe was replenished wyth more vnfeyned holines , and garnished wyth manye mooe godly vertues , before it knewe any thynge of these newe founde solemne ceremonies , and holylyke traditions .

What the deuill than was it , that put into the Popes braynes , to ouer charge the religion wyth so manye folde vayne ceremonies , and so diuerse pernitious traditions ? it was but euen the same deuill that sette a worcke Mahometh the notorious false prophete to play the like part . Yea it was the selfe same blynd deuyll that maketh euen at thys daye all the Papistes and the Mahumethistes to adhere & stycke to their false goddes the Popes and Mahamethes disceitful lawes & vaine traditions , more than to the Lorde Christ , and hys healthsome gospel .

But nowe to let passe these two greate vsurpers of Christes dignitie and moste hyghe power , and to let them syncke in theyr owne sinne and to talk no more of them but rather styckinge stedfaste to our tacklynge to defende oure selues frome the dartes whom we se already directed , and shaken agaynste vs by oure aduersaryes the poysonfull Papystes .

Howe be it bycause my chiefest entente is , to wryte thys treactyse for them that be vnlearned , I wyl fyrste open and declare somewhat of the nature of one terme lately borowed of the Latines , and therfore not so well knowne of euerye Englyshe Reader : whyche terme peraduenture I shall haue occasion to vse nowe and than , ere I shal haue done wyth this matter .

What is ●o allude The terme is to Allude . And a manne doeth allude , whan he speaketh that whyche hath a priuye respecte or resemblaunce to an other thynge : as somtime a man alludeth to a worde as thus .

The good mome is fole a towne , meanynge that the good manne is forthe of the towne . Here the allusion is in mome and foole , for man and forth . Sometyme a man alludeth to a practice or a dede doynge , as when I saye : Let me alone with hym for I wyll walke hym , I wyll dresse hym lyke a Lennarde , I will make Stockefishe of hym . &c. And sometime a man alludeth to an history as thus .

By lyke oure Kynge ( God saue hys grace ) after his fathers departynge , dyd aske of GOD in hys prayer Wysedome , and vnderstandyng & not long lyfe , neither riches neither reuengment on his enimies seynge the Lord hath so endued his herte wyth suche vnspeakable wisdome & vnderstandyng &c. and hys maiestie wyth such ryches and honour &c.

Nowe in so sayinge the allusion is had vnto the history of Solomon iii. Reg. iii. And so at the laste to re : turne frome alludyng to defendyng .

Where soeuer therfore , ye do read in the newe testament of thys word altare : if ye marke it well and circumspectly , ye shall clearly perceiue that the vse therof is not ther awhyt renewyd or confirmyd , but by some occasion spoken of , and rather determined , ended , and adnulled .

As in the .v. of Math. The text I wyll not reherse now , because it is here once before rehersed , the sence wherof ( though in many wordes ) is not farre disagreable from this .

〈…〉 place of Math. expounded You Iewes , sayth Christ , which receyued a Lawe of my Father by the ministerie of Moses : by whych Lawe ye were commaunded to vse certaine outwade ceremonies , as it wer to enure your selfes in a religion and that it shoulde appeare to all nations , that you were my fathers owne peculiar People .

And ye were also commaundyd by the same Lawe , that when so euer you shuld transgresse or breake the same or any Article therof : that then you shoulde offer vp Sacrifices or Offeryngs vnto my Father where ye myght be blamelesse , holden excused and be acquited by the same lawe , al youre former trespaces & synnes notwithstandyng , and rather iustified before the worlde , than in the presence of God .

But sence ye haue altogether abused the sayed sacrifices , chewynge the Barcke therof , and grossely fedynge on the vtter parte of it , takynge no fode of the inner pyth , neyther haueynge any regarde to those thynges which were chiefly signified by the same sacrifices : my father hath warned alredy by the mouthe of hys Prophetes , that he passethe nought of your sacrifices and offerynges that you offer vnto hym on Altares ( whiche were but tokyns of inwarde holynes ) but the sacrifices and offerynges whych he is reconciled and pleased wythe al , are these : Psal. ii . a stomake broken with repentaunce , and a herte smytten & wounded with sorow , Ose . vi . and to shew mercie one to an other . And if ye wil offer vp these , my Father shall neuer despise them . Therfore thou Iewe whan so euer thou brekest ani of the x. commaundementes , as whan thou kyllest anye man , other by thought or dede : whan thou arte angrye with thy brother by hys faulte or misdemeanour , or els whan thou hast geuen him occasion ( by reuilyng , scofyng or callyng hym knaue or other wise by vseyng or practiseyng anye dispytfull worde or dede towardes hym ) to be moued to wrath and to be displeased wyth the.

Than if thou wylt pacifye the wrath and Indignation of my Father for the Iniurie and displeasur that thou hast don to hys seruaunt : verilye I tell the it auayleth the nothyng at all , to come and offer any maner of bodily sacrifices or oblations vpon the altare : yea & though thou be come nere vnto the altare and thy gyft wyth the , euen redy to be offered ( if it chaunce the than to remember any maner of displeasure betwixt the and thy brother ) thou must not , I saye , offer vp thy gyfte immediatly ( as though thy offering should rather pacifie & more please my father than brotherly loue and concorde ) thou muste not I say go that way to worke : but thou must leaue thy gifte ( as a thynge nought worthe of it selfe ) before the altare : and than go thy way to satisfye thy brother , to please thy brother , and to reconcile the to thy brother . And whan thou hast after this sort pleased the seruaunt , than maist thou the bolder approch to the presence of the maister : s . Ioh. iii and than if thou wilt neades offer vp thy gyfte , he wyll rather accepte it , and take it in good worthe .

Nowe haue you heard howe litle Christe doeth attribute vnto sacrifices and offerynges , for whose vse altares are ordeined , and onelye serue . For ye muste speciallye note thys , that Christe in thys place expounded & opened vnto the Iewes moste chyeflye , the true vnderstandynge and meanynge of their lawe wyth the ryghte vse of the ceremonies thereof .

For it fared than wyth theim as it dyd wyth me , whan I was a holye Papiste , at what tyme I was at thys poynte wyth god . That if I had hearde masse boeth sondaye and holye day , The chiefest points of the popes religion . had sayde our Lady mattens , or our ladyes psalter , kissed and lycked deuoutly saintes fete ( for so called thei their images ) and besprynkeled my selfe well fauouredlye wyth coniured water , & had done the supersticious penaunce enioyned to me by my goostly , shall I saye enemye or father ? Than I say was I at such poynte wyth God , I thought it , and assuredly beleued that I had done my full dutie vnto hym , thoughe I neuer once called to remembraunce the benefite of Christes death , as wel in satisfiyng and pacifiynge for all the trespaces and synnes of my former euill life , and naughty conuersation .

Yea besides all thys popysh and deuillishe presumption , I thought farther , that if I had done the saide vayne workes & such other no better , The wicked vnthankefulnes of a Papiste . that I was no more beholden vnto god than he was to me ; neither gaue I him more thankes for par , donyng me of my synnes : than one marchaunt man geueth to another for the optaynynge a peny worthe for a penie .

But thankes be vnto the Lorde who of hys mere clemency , deliuered me out of thys blynde popyshe heresye , and vouchsafe of hys lyke goodnes to worcke the semblable myracle in as manye as yet continue in suche damnable errour .

But nowe againe to come to the purpose .

And as I was thus tangeled , and abhominablye deceyued , and trayned , and brought vp in tender age , in the Popes holilyke Religion before Christes seconde byrthe here in Englande , euen so were the Iewes before hys fyrste byrthe in Iudea wonderously deceyued , and shamefully seduced and that by the fayned newe Doctryne that their Popes I meane theyr scribes and Pharises hadde brought into their churche .

And for to roote that doctryne oute of the Iewes lawe , was the occasion of Christes Sermon in the sayde place of Mathew .

So lykewyse in the .xxiii. chapter of the same Euangeliste he exhorteth the Iewes for to dooe all thynges bothe greate or small that the Scribes and Phariseis preached vnto them , as long as thei tumble not oute of Moses chayre , nor swarue not from teachyng the sincere & pure lawe of Moses . There among other matters he doth sharply condemne theyr blynd doctours for a certaine constitucion that they had made , beynge ledde wyth auarice or couetuousenes : The summe and effecte of whyche constitution whych they had made be conteined in these fewe wordes .

Who so euer swereth bi the temple that is nothynge : but who so euer swereth by the gold of the temple , he is bounde by hys othe . And who so euer swereth by the Altare that is nothynge , but who so euer swereth by the offerynge that is vpon the altare , he is bounde by hys Othe .

Thys constitution of theirs doth Christe confute wyth naturall reason callyng them foles and wonderous blynde , that they woulde institute so grosse , and so farre frome reason , a tradition as this is .

But I thynke that Christe wyll neuer say to the Pope for hys fine Canons , decrees , and constitutions ( though they were made for the like purpose ) as he dyd to the scribes and phariseis : But I wyll not vndertake that he wyll not ( as he called Herode ) saye vnto hym on thys wyse . Thou wyly Fox , why didest thou loose that , whyche I bounde ? or why dideste thou bynde what I dyd loose ?

Nowe I praye the gentle Reader do not blame me for this short digression , but rather the fox , whose craftye wiles caused the same . And thus from Pope to Papiste . Thou Papist , euen thou that of late woldest defend thyne altare with this text and so thou mayste in dede if thou wilt subdue thy necke vnto the heauie yoke of Moses his lawe , vnder which law al those people wer subiect to whom Christ preached as is aforesayd . And if thou wylt be content to lyue vnder the lawe of Moses , than hath Christe dyed in vayne for the : and therefore gette the hence vnto the Iewes , whyche styll loke for a worldely Christe to come .

But thou good Papist that art wyllynge to renounce thy Poperye and to receyue Christianitye , thou muste consider , that where so euer Christe doeth inculcate the lawe of Moses vnto his contrey men after the flesh ( I meane the Iewes ) that he doeth it chieflye to thys entente , that they shoulde wythdrawe their necks from the vntollerable yocke and heauy burthen of the lawe and receyue the easy yocke and the lig●● burthen of his most blessed gospel .

For the lawe , M●● 〈◊〉 . Iohn . i as Saynct Iohn sayeth , was geuen by Moses , but grace and trueth came by Iesus Christe .

Euerye good christian therefore muste marcke thys also . That the merciful lord Iesus Christe ( whose nature and propertye was not to striue nor to breake a brosed rede ) thoughe the strength and vygoure of the law and prophetes extended no lenger but to the tyme of Iohn the Baptiste as Christe hym selfe dyd signifye the same vnto theym , and declarynge that the kingdome of heauen being the Gospel succeaded and was at hande euen before hys passion : yet dyd he rather permitte or somewhat derogate than vtterly abrogate the law of Moses vntyll such tyme as he thorowe his bloude and Death sealed vppe and stablyshed hys newe Testamente , whych then immediatly dyd wear-out the olde . Therefore euery Christian that is as prudent as the Serpent fyrste ( all the circumstancis beyng wel perpensed ) wyll be ware to beleue euery sentence and euery word wrytten in the newe Testament as parte therof , or confirmyd by the same : as where Christe declareth the Lawe &c. or where Christe in the same .xxiii. cha. speaketh of an altare menyng nothing lesse then to confirme or renewe the vse of altars emonge hys christians but all togither to vpbrayde the Iewes for succedyng theyr wicked auncesters cruelnes in kyllyng of Prophetis .

Here hys owne wordes are these . Beholde I sende you Prophetis & Wise men , and Scribes and some of them you shal kyll and crucifie and some of them shall you scourge in your Synnagoges , and persecute them frome Citie to Citie : that vpon you maye come all the ryghtuouse bloude , whyche hath ben shed vpon earth , from the bloud of rightuouse Abell , vnto the bloud of zathe sonne of Barachias whome ye slewe bitwene the Temple and the altare &c. But ful lyttle ( god knoweth ) wotteth he what an Altare meanith that wol alledg thys place for an altare .

And euen of lyke force be the .ii. places before rehersed , in the biginyng of the boke , on the papistes behalfe , whych places were chopped out of the first cha. of . s . Luks gospel & of the .xvii. of his boke of the actes . But I can not denay but one might gather thereof suche an argumente as this . The Iewes had theyr altares , and the Heathen had theyr altares , Ergo the christians must haue altares . But either I am a simple Logician or els the argument wolde better frame , and a more true consequent folowe after thys sorte . The Iewes had altares , & the Heathen had altares also , ergo the Pope beyng a participle must haue halteres lykewise . But I promes you there be two places , one .i. Cor. ix . & the other , Heb. xiii . whych myght happen to make one that is not somewhat trauailed in the scriptures to thincke verili the alters be there spoken of as things apertaining to vs that hold of Christes newe Testament , where it is nothynge so . For the texte to the Corh. hath thus . An nescitis quoniam qui in sacrario operantur , que de sacrario sunt edunt ? Et qui in altario deseruiunt , cum altario participant ? Ita et Dominus ordinauit ●is qui Euangelium anunciant , de Euangelio viuere . Wher the greke texte for Altario hath Thysiasterion , which signifieth Sacrarium a place for holy thynges , as wel as Altarist an altare . But to make no moe wordes than nede : Preachers of the gospel . all the argument of . s . Paul in thys place tendeth to proue that they wych preach the gospel , oughte of duitie to haue a competent liuyng therby . And to perswad the Corhinth . therto : he vseth thys Induction . Whye , you Corhinthians , do you not remember howe you your selfes before ye had receiued the preachyng of Christes gospell , dyd fynd such as ministered in the temples of the Idoles ? And do you not se emonge the Iewes also howe the priestes & the Leuites which wait on the altare , haue the offrings deuided among them toward their sustinaunce and liuing ? And why should not he likewise that taketh pains to preach the gospell haue a liuing also ?

The authour of the gospell willed and ordeyned that the true gospellers shoulde haue a liuynge : yet had I rather vse greate scarcitie , & worcke wyth myne owne handes , than to be onerous and chargeable vnto you .

Neuertheles if ye denay a liuyng to an other that shall require it of you , if he preache the Gospell vnto you , ye must nedes be adiudged to contemne and set nought by the holye wordes that are preached vnto you , and euen despise the authoure thereof , whiche is the Lord Iesus Christe . &c.

And. S. Thomas and Remigius ( as we haue nowe declared this place accordynge to their mind ) do thynke that Sacrarium here hathe a relation vnto the idoles of the heathen , and Altarium vnto the sacrifices of the Iewes . Now therfore who so deliteth in the heathens deuillyshe idolatry , or Iewish sacrifices he maye well inoughe wreste thys place to maintane his altares : whiche thing I had leuer he dyd than I. But nowe or we set vpon to bater , and beate downe the heade corner stone of their Popishe Botereulx : we wyl fyrst declare yet one grammer terme mooe , for the vnlearned sake , whyche thoughe it be no hygh point of diuinitie , neuertheles who so hath not the knowlege therof , hys diuinitie is but humaniti , or rather carnalitie , than true knowledge in diuine matters .

And so the grammarians cal it a speach spoken by a fygure called Metonimya , whan the thynge contayned is mente by the name of the thyng that contayneth it . Metonymia or d●nomination . As whan wee saye , reache hyther the cuppe : meanynge to haue the dryncke contayned in the cuppe . Thys figuratyue speache vsed Christe him selfe whan he saide . Luk. xxii . Thys cuppe is the new testament in my bloud . Wher he ment of the wine , and not of the cuppe . And likewise Mathew .xxiii where he speaketh by the name of the City vnto them that dwelled in the citie , sayinge : Ierusalem Ierusalem , thou that slayest the prophetes . &c. Suche maner of speache is also muche vsed in the olde Testamente . As Esai . i. Heare O heauen and herken O earth . And in an other place . Howle ye ships of Tharsis .

And so the Papistes must eyther graunt that , that kind of speache is vsed in the text , that we shall anone rehearse hereafter , or els must they graunt that the Iewes ( whose altares or rather Sacrifices and forbydden meate , the writer of the Epistle alludeth vnto ) were wonte to eate vp theyr altares beynge made of stones or of other metall harder than stones . And that wer hard meat in dede . Yea that were meate alone for Ostriches ? Yea or rather stone meate were more mete for such as haue stony hertes , Ostriche is a beast that swaloweth gaddes of stele & digesteth them . as haue al Papisticall Doctours who againste their conscience , knoweledge , and learnynge , and beynge all destitute of the spirite of God , cry and shoute for the defence of their welbeloued altares , Habemus altare , Habemus altare , Habemus altare .

Yea and I maye tell you thys Habemus altare , is their iudgelynge sticke , whereby they dooe Iuggle vnto the vnlearned , it is al their hibernacle and onely refuge agaynste all tempestes , and this is as well their shote anker as their halow at their hoysinge vp of their ankore .

But to hale in my saile and to land at the proposed hauen . The english texte of Habemus altare written . Hebrue .xiii. is thys : Be not caried aboute wyth diuerse & straung learnynges : for it is a good thinge that the herte be stablished wyth grace , and not wyth meates , which haue not profited them that haue hadde their pastyme in them .

We haue an altare , of the which they haue no power to eate , which serue in the tabernacle . &c.

Here he dothe in a maner make a bryefe rehearsal of all the chiefest maters that he entreated of before , addynge thereto diuerse godly sentences to perswade the Hebrues to abyde in thys learnynge : Inducynge them also , by alludynge vnto theyr lawe beynge but a shadowe to cleaue vnto the gospell , and to let go the shadow . And therfore he saith thus vnto them . And as you hadde certayne Sacrifices offered on the altares whereof it was not laweful euen for the very offerers to eat : so lykewyse haue wee a Sacrifice once offered vpon the altare of the crosse , wherof it is not lawfull for as many of you as be yet duskened wyth the shaddowe of the lawe to eate , nor to be patakers of it at al.

Nowe therefore muste the Papystes be thought not only to be of to childyshe a wytte and of no vnderstandynge , but rather furiouse and mad , if they continue to proue their stony altares by thys text .

And therefore woulde I thinke it an exceadyng good dede for such as inioye their ryght wytte , to pick out from amongest them selues as manye as are vexed wyth the spirite of the sayde kynde of phrenesy , and send them to Bedlem , or to their owne citye of Rome . For els they shall styll infect other , and do more hurte then euery man is ware of .

At the laste to drawe toward an ende in thys matter . Where thys worde altare is read in the .vi. viii . and .xi. Chapters of the reuelation of saint Iohn : if altare in those places , admittynge the lyke trope and figuratiue speache , do not signifye Christe also ( God knoweth ) it signifieth nothynge lesse than the confirmation of suche Altares as the Pope hathe fylled euerye corner of Christes churche wythall .

And if the Papystes ( after that all the testimonies , as wel of th old and the new testament haue fayled them ) go aboute to wreste the sayinge of the old doctours , for the stablyshyng of their altares , they shal get nothynge therby , but styl vtter their owne grosse ignoraunce , or theyr peruerse blyndnes . For wher so euer th old catholyke doctours , vsed thys worde altare for the lordes Table , than alluded they vnto the Iewes altare and mente thereby the crosse whyche serued as an altare to offer vpon the sacrifice of Christes naturall bodye .

And forsoth , ye Papistical priestes , as many of you as vnderstode the Latine , and marked what you reade ( and if ye hadde bene Bees , The Bee gathereth honi on the same flour that the Spider gathereth poyson . and not Spiders ) you might haue gathered the nature of thys maner of allusion or resemblaunce of Christes crosse vnto the Altares of the Iewes euen out of your own poysoned masse .

Whyche well myghte be called Massa , farrago , vel Chaos , quo sacra prophanis , miscebat Papa .

Euen a very hotch pot , in the whych the Pope put al maner of religions and al maner of rites & ceremonies , both good & bad , & lessons of holy scripture , and of vnholye scripture : thys hotch pot I saye ordeyned he , euen for hys deare children , & catch who catche maye : happe good or badde : happe holye , happe vnholy , happe godlye , happe deuillyshe .

For do you not remembre howe ye mumbled ( howe ye redde I wold saye ) in a certayne ryme of youre sayde hotche potte whyche began . Laudes crucis extollamus , nos qui crucis crult●mus . &c. O quam feli● quam pre clara , fuit hec salutis ara , rubens agni sanguine .

O howe excellent and howe happye , was thys Altare of tree , besprynckeled wyth Lambes bloud ?

And agayne in an other prose .

Ara crucis , lampas lucis , vera salus hominum . Whose sence in Englyshe worde for worde is thys . The altare of the cros , the lampe of light and the verye healthe of men .

Nowe thoughe your owne time makers of youre Popyshe seruyce haue vsed so manye Metaphories , so many tropes , and so manye borowed speches , vsurping one word for an other , vntyll at the laste they ran on the rocke of vnexcusable Idolatrye , and plaine superstition : you muste not therefore thyncke that the holye Doctours ranne so headlynge in their worckes , that they abused any one terme of Christes religion , wherbi the same might be a stomblinge blocke vnto anye , sauynge vnto the chyldrene of perdition , who continuallie stumble at the verye worde of God .

And to confesse the trueth , the old holy fathers and catholyke writers no doubte are worthye much commendation , for that thei greatly traueyled in reuolutynge and expoundynge the sacred Scriptures committyng to wryting theyr censures thereof : wyllynge and requyrynge that al their posteritie should gyue no farther credite thereto , than their censures and interpretations shoulde seme to be agreable vnto fayeth .

Whose worthye antiquitie and graue authority notwythstanding , wee yet neades muste preferre and esteme of more importaunce , and beleue also that he is a greate deale of a more infallible and vndeceyuable iudgemente , Act. ix . Galat. ii . whome the Euangeliste saynte Luke so to be , doeth beare wytnesse vnto vs .

And I meane none other , but euen oure Apostle Saynte Paule whoe calleth the borde where the Spirituall feaste of the Lordes Supper is celebrated and eaten vpon , the table of the Lorde .

O the depenes of the riches , both of the wysedome and knoweledge of GOD , who so manye hundreth yeares passed , dyd fore see that hys moste holye worde ne shoulde not be sette to a fall , Luke . ii . but to an vprisyng to all hys chosen people ?

And of thys place we maye gather , that it pleased God to poure more aboundaunce of foreknoweledge in hys Apostle Paules compendious doctrine , than in the large writing of the notable learned doctor Saynt Augustine .

For saynte Paule throughe the secrete aduertisement of the holye Gooste dyd knowe before hande , that if he hadde geuen the name of an Altare vnto the LORDE hys Table , that there would be in time to come certayne Iewysh teachers that woulde builde and sette vppe Popyshe altares in stede of tables to serue the Lordes supper vpon .

And surely the holy doctor . s . Augustyne nor anye other godly writer woulde neuer haue vsed thys terme altare so often after that sort as they dyd , if they had hadde but the leaste inckelynge in the worlde of foreknowlege what absurditie , what inconuenience and what mischiefe and abhomination haue ben grounded on their translated termes .

And I praye you what though sainte Augustine or other doctours vsed to terme the lordes supper the Sacrament of the altare , Sacrament of the altare . whych if it be as I take it ( I take it after the moste sounde and fayeth fulliste vnderstandynge ) the vnlearned people shoulde not be greatelye beholden vnto them for their straunge termes beyng so farre fetched . For thus I vnderstand them .

The Sacramente of the altare that is to saye : the sygne of the Altare , whyche altare betokeneth the crosse , whych crosse betokeneth the Sacrifice that was offered on the crosse , or the passion and deathe of Iesus Christe .

Wherefore good Christen breathren let vs that are homely felowes not be ashamed of the olde termes that wee haue at oure home in the texte of holy scripture , whyche calleth the reuerende and healthfull remembraunce of the Lordes death by breakinge of bread , i. Cor. x. i. Cor. xi . by the name of the Lordes supper , or the communion and partakynge of the bodye and bloude of Christe .

And the thynge wherat we ‡ ‡ Vel propter arto latriam vitandam tutius erit vt sedensquam genu flectens mense dominice populus accumbere assuescant . sit deuoutlye to eate the Lordes supper , lette vs boeth haue it , and call it the Lordes borde , or the Lordes table , and not a borowed towell , nor a Popyshe stone altare , nor yet a wodden altare , with a Superhaltare . And lette vs Presente wyth so far fetched termes and so dearelye boughte , the Popes glace , and hys fayre Ladyes of Rome .

Nowe bicause I truste that we haue vaunquished and geuen an ouerthrow to the chiefest part of the Popes souldiers , batered and beaten downe to the grounde the onely Botereulx , and the greate stay of hys stronge holde & Fortecesse : therefore shall oure trumpet blow a retreit in this battayle . Praised be the Lorde . Amen .

ii . Cor. ii .

¶ Thanckes be vnto God whyche alwayes geueth vs the vyctorye in Christe , and opened the Sauoure of hys knoweledge by vs in euery place .

For we are vnto God the swete sauour of Christe , boeth among them that are saued , & among them that perish . To these the sauour of deth to deth : to the other the sauour of life to life .