Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

The Protestants.

1. You do shamefully abuse those words, in making a praier of them, which was but a forme of salutation vsed by the Angel: neither can you say them in that sense they were vttered in by the Angel. Also you offend in the vaine repe∣tition of them vpon your beades, as the heathen did, Math. 6.7. and in commit∣ting idolatrie, in the inuocating of the Virgine, and praying vnto her in these words: who is a creature and not a God to be called vpon.

2. What mysterie soeuer be contained in these words, yet the people vnder∣stand nothing at all. And though we denie not but that the words are holy and mysticall, yet it followeth not that they should be vsed for a prayer.

3. What great account they make of the Aue Mary, it may appeare by this: that they thinke they may alter and change it, and adde to it at their pleasure: as by Pope Sixtus the 4. there was a clause more added vnto the common Aue Mary, in this manner: Haile Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee,* 1.1 blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruite of thy wombe Iesus Christ, and blessed is Anna thy mother, of whom thy virgines flesh hath proceeded without blot of originall sinne. What a fearefull thing is this, that they should thus dare to adde vnto the scriptures? How can they now escape that iudge∣ment that is threatned against all those that doe adde, or take ought to or from the word of God? Apocal. 22.18.

Thus farre of such questions and controuersies, as concerne the king∣dome of Christ, which is his Church: of the which we haue now entreated at large: first in generall of the whole, and then of the seuerall parts and mem∣bers thereof in order. Now follow those controuersies, which belong vnto the

Priesthood of Christ, the third excellent and glorious office of our Sauiour: which his Priesthood is partly seene in his intercession and mediation for vs, partly in his sacrifice, where we are to handle the great and waightie controuer∣sies of the Sacraments, by the which the sacrifice of his death is applied vnto vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fox. p. 800.