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M. Hardinge.
As for Libertines, what other Substance hath your Gospel,* 1.1 bisides carnal libertie, and licentious liuinge?* 1.2 To breake the vowe of chastitie solemly made to God, by whose grace, and your endeuoure it might wel haue benne kepte, and to breake it for wantonnesse, and to satisfie luste: is not that pro∣per to Libertines? To geue ouer fastinge, watchinge in prayer, and ConfesSion of Sinnes, whiche shoulde be made to a Prieste, by* 1.3 whom onely (excepte in case of necessitie) God promiseth forgeuenes: To regarde no Tradition, though it came from the Apostles: briefly, to teache that al kinde of outwarde Godlines is superstitious, and Pharisaical, and that euery mā must without staggaring, or doubting be∣leue, that him selfe shalbe saued, if he haue Faith,‡ 1.4 doo he what him liste, is this no pointe of libertie? VVhat made so many malepert Prentises, pleasante Courtiers, discoursinge Parlamente Machiauellistes, and al other what so euer fleash wormes, Merchātes, idle artificers, to embrace your Gospel, rather then the grauer and deuouter sorte of men, whiche be weaned from the pleasure of this life: but that it was plausible to the VVorlde, and pleasant to the Fleashe, from whiche that kinde of men are moste hardly drawen? And yet foresoothe doo not ye foster vp Libertines.
VVho can recken the sectes that be in Germany,* 1.5 being* 1.6 sixteene or moe professed in some one towne? Bemelande is almoste as ful of Heresies, as of Houses. Silesia is as bad, and Morauia a Countrie there adIoininge is neuer a whit better. And yet do not these Sectes bud, where your Gospel is freely, and openly preached?