M. Hardinge. The .6. Diuision.
Thus he wrot•• before he had conceiued perfite hatred against the Churche. But after that he had beene better acquainted with the Diuel, and of him, appearinge vnto him sensibly, had beene instru∣cted with argumentes against the Sacrifice of the Masse, 51* 1.1 that the memorie of our Redemption by Christe wrought on the Crosse, might vtterly be abolished▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉wr••te hereof farre otherwise. Si quo ca••u Concilium statueret, minime omnium nos vellemus vtraque specie potiri••imo tunc primum in despectum Concilij, vellemus aut vna, aut neutra, & nequaquam vtraque poti••••, & eos plaue anathema habere, quicun{que} talis Concilij authoritate potirentur vira{que}. ••f in any case the Councel woulde so ordeine, we woulde in no wise haue bothe the kindes: but euen then in despite of the Councel, we woulde haue one kinde, or neither of them, and in no wise bothe: and holde them for accursed, who so euer by authoritie of such a Councel wold haue bothe. These woordes declare, what spirite Luther was of. They shewe him like him selfe. VVho so euer readeth his bookes with indifferent iudgement, shal finde that sithens the Apostles time, neuer wrote man so arrogantly, ne so dispitefully against the Churche, nor so contrarily to him selfe. Whiche markes be so euident, that who so euer wil not see them, but suffereth him selfe to be caried away into errour▪ hatred of the Churche, and contempte of al godlines, either by him, or by his scholars: excepte he repente and returne, he is guiltie of his own damnation, vtterly ouerthrowen, and sinneth inexcusably, as one condemned by his owne iudgement. But for excuse hereof, in his booke of the Captiuitie of Babylon, he confesseth, that he wrote thus, not for that he thought so, nor for that he iudged the vse of one kinde vnlawful, but bicause he was stirred by hatred and anger so to doo. His woordes doo sounde so muche plainely. Prouocatus, imo per vim raptus. I wrote this, saithe he, otherwise then I thought in my harte, prouoked, and by violence pulled to it, whether I would or no. Here I doubte not, but wise men wil regarde more, that Luther wrote when his minde was quiet and calme, then vvhen it vvas enraged vvith blusteringe stormes of naughty affections.