Cap. 17. There excesse in buil ding of great Churches and costly houses & Cloisters▪

ALso Friars builden many great Churches, & costly waste houses and Cloisters, as it were Castles, and that without need, where thorough Parish Churches, and common waies beene paired, and in manie places vndone. And so they teachen in deed that men shoul∣den haue heritage and dwelling Citie in earth, & for∣get Heaven against S. Paul. For by this new housing of Friars, though it raine on the Auter of the Parish Church, the blind people is so deceiued, that they will rather giue to waste houses of Friars, then to Parish Churches, or to common waies, though men, cattle, and beasts beene perished therein. Before that Friars comen in, there was more people, and the earth more plenteous, and then were Churches enowgh. What skil is it now to make so much cost, in new building, and let old parish Churches fal downe? And if mē say∣en that in these great Churches God is fayre served; certes great houses make not men holie, and onlie by holinesse is God wel serued. For in heauen that was so faire Lucifer serued God vntruely and so did Adam in Paradise. And Iesu saies that tho great Temple of Hi∣erusalem that was a house of prayer, and sometimes Gods house, was made a den of thiefes, for couetous Page  36 preachers dwelliden therein. But Iob serued Gode full wel on the Dunghil, and so did Adam out of Paradise, and Christ before when he prayed in hills and desarts, and baptisteke. And therfore Christ and his Apostles made no great Churches ne Cloisters; but wenten fro countrie to countrie, preaching the Gospel and teach∣ing men to doe there almes, to poore men and not to wast houses. For Christ tawght men to praie in spirit and truth, that is, in good wil and deuotion and holie liuing. And to destroie this hypocrisy, he ordained the Temple of Hierusalem showld be destroied for sinne done therein.