An exhortation to the carrying of Christs cross with a true and brief confutation…An exhortacion to the carienge of Chrystes crosse wyth a true and brefe confutacion…

In the primitive church, popes were martyred for Christs spouses safe, that is the church: but now one poisoned another, and one slew another, for the rose coloured ¹whore of Babylon's safe, that is, y• popish church. In. 160. years ⟨p. 79⟩there was near hand. 50. popes, whereas in no such time there were above. 33. emperors. And in the midst of this miserable state & time, this doctrine of transubstantiation was the popes beginning, as they might have lain sure from conspiring against princes, & one against another, to establish it, as the very principal pillar of all their power: and no marvel. For, this being admitted, then have they power over Christ, the king of all kings, y• he be where they will, when they will and as long as they will under their power. Where through the other must needs follow, y• if they have power over Christ and that in heaven, to brig him down at their pleasure: Much more than overall earth, emperors, kings, prices & people. Yea even over the devil, purgatory ⟨p. 80⟩and hell have they full power and jurisdiction, being now gods in earth, which sit in the holy place even as god, yea ²above God: to make what article of faith shall please them, as they have done this of transubstantiation: which might aswell be denied as granted, saith ³Duns, one of their own doctors, and master Gabriel also, if it so pleased the holy father and his spouse, the church of Rome. Before this time, all the fathers diligence, labour and care was to call men to the receiving of this sacrament, for the confirmation of their faith: that as verily as they did eat bread and drink wine here, so should they not doubt, but that by faith they did feed on the body of Christ, broken for their since, and on ⟨p. 81⟩his blood, shed for their iniquities.