A Brief and Pithy Sum of the Christian Faith

4 The Papists abolisheth the true intercession of Jesus Christ.

4 The Papistes aboly•heth the true intercession of Iesus Christ.

And concerning the other point of this priesthood of Jesus Christ, y• is to say the intercession towards God his Father, although y• papists put Jesus Christ always before as y• principal, and without whom they can no thing do (as they say▪) nevertheless is he not spoiled by them of his honour when they be not contented with him only? And in stead to go directly to him, which •yddeth us come to him so lovingly, they run to others (yea which often times be rather in hell then in Heaven) as if there were some creature in Heaven or in earth, which might bear us more affection, or that were more readier to hear us, or who might be more acceptable to the Father, then the only ⟨p. 132⟩son of God^a. It is he only which gave him self to death for us: which is with us, & continually doth as it were desire us by his holy word, to assure our selves of his love, and to prepare us to him, as to the only way to go right to the father. But there is yet a worse, which is that they will make Jesus Christ subject to his mother. In crying out with a loud and hie voice, Roga patrem, jube natum: that is to say, pray the Father, command thy son, and jure matris impera, that is to say, command as a mother. And in brief, there is scant one title given to Jesus Christ nor prophesy of him which they do not attribute to her, calling her Queen of Heaven, porter of Paradise, their life, their sweetness, treasurer of grace, the refuge and advocate of sinners, in dishonouring him all that they may, and also making the poor people to understand that they honour her, contrary to all the word of God, and to the writings of the most ancient Doctors: witness that which Epiphanius wrote