decorative images of Past Masters authors

<skip to content>

Search:

collapse sectionExport a Citation collapse section Print View
click to hide main text hide main text
click to show just this volume just this volume
2 occurrences of THE MASSE IS IDOLATRIE. All wirschipping, honoring, or service inventit by the braine of man in this volume.
[Clear Hits]

SUBSCRIBER:


Annotation Guide: Learn how to use Using Hypothes.is annotation tools in Past Masters.

All Collections > The Works of John Knox. Electronic Edition. > Volume 3 > volume 3 > a vindication of the doctrine that the sacrifice of the mass is idolatry. > [vindication]
cover image forThe Works of John Knox. Electronic Edition.

The Works of John Knox. Electronic Edition.

Volume 3
Volume 3
A VINDICATION OF THE DOCTRINE THAT THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS IS IDOLATRY.
[Vindication]

[Vindication]

THE FOURT OF APRYLE, IN THE YEIR 1550, WAS APPOYNTIT TO JOHNE KNOX, PREACHER OF THE HALIE EUANGELL OF JESUS CHRYST,†1 TO GIF HIS CONFESSSIOUN WHY HE AFFIRMED THE MASSE IDOLATRIE: WHILK DAY, IN PRESENCE OF THE CONSALE AND CONGREGATIOUN, AMANGIS WHOME WAS ALSO PRESENT THE BISCHOPE OF DUREHAM†2 AND HIS DOCTOURIS, ON THIS MANNER HE BEGYNNETH:—

THIS day I do appeir in your presence, Honorable Audience, to gif a reasone why so constantlie I do affirme the Masse to be, and at all tymes to haif bene, Idolatrie, and abominatioun befoir God. And becaus men of great eruditioun in your audience affirmed the contrarie, most gladlie wold I that heir thai wer present, ether in proper persone, or ellis by thair learnit men, to ponder and wey the causis movyng me thairto; for unles I evidentlie prufe myne intente be Godis halie†3 Scriptures, I will recant it as wickit doctrine, and confes my self maist worthie of grevous punishment.

How difficill it is to pull furth of the hartes of the pepill the thing whairin opinion of holynes standeth, declareth the great tumult and uprore moveit aganis Paule by Demetrius and his fellowis, who, by Idolatrie, gat great vantage,†4 as oure preistis have done be the Masse in tyme past. The people, I say, heiring that the honour of thair great goddes Diana stude in jeopardie,

― 34 ―
with furious voyces cryed, "Great is Diana of the Epheseianis;" As thai wold say, We will not haif the magnificence of our great goddes Diana, whome not onlie Asia but the haill warld wirschippeth, called in doubt, cum in questioun, or contraversie: Away with all men intending that impietie. And heirunto wer thai movit be lang custome and false opinioun.

I knaw that in the Masse hath not onlie bene estemit great holines and honoring of God, but also the ground and foundatioun of oure religioun. So that, in opinioun of many, the Masse takin away, thair resteth no trew wirschipping nor honouring of God in the erth. The deiper hath it persit the hartis of men, that it occ