AFter my humble and bounden duety remembred, welbelo∣ued Mother,* 1.1 this shalbe to wishe you increase of grace and and godly wisedome, that yee may see and perceiue the craftye bewitching of Sathan our mortal enemy, which as I haue diuers times declared vnto you, doth not openly shewe himselfe in hys owne likenes, but vnder colour of deuotion deceiueth them that keep not a dilligent eye vpon him,* 1.2 but hauing confidence in mans traditions and customes of the worlde, leauing the com∣maundementes of God, and Testament of his Sonne Christ Ie∣sus our Lord, doe grow more into superstition & hipocrisie, then into wisedome and true holynesse. For this is most true, that Sa∣than the enemy of soules, dothe by his ministers make many be∣leue, that those thinges whiche they compell vs vnto for theyr bellyes sake, haue many godly significations, although they be most contrary to Gods will, as doubtlesse they be, euen as did the serpent in Paradise to our first mother Eue. What (sayd he) hath God commaunded yee shall not eate of all the trees in the Garden? The woman sayd of the fruites of the trees in the Gar∣den we may eate: but of the tree in the middest of the Garden, sayd God, see ye eate not, least ye dye.* 1.3 Euē so our Ministers now a dayes say: hath God commaunded ye shall not make you anye Image or likenes of any thing? Yea forsoothe. Tush say they, what harme can they doe? May we not remember God the better whē we see his Image or Picture? For they are good bookes for the lay men: but in deed they be better for the priestes, because they receiue the offeringes.
And looke howe truely the promise of the serpent was kepte with Eue, so is the perswasion of our Priests found true to vs.* 1.4 For as Adam and Eue did become like God in knowing good and euill, so are we in remembring God by hys Image. For Adams eyes were so open, that he lost both innocencye and righteous∣nes, and was become most miserable of all creatures: and euen so we remember Christ so well by Images, that we forget his com∣maundements, and count his Testament confirmed in his bloud for starke madnesse or heresie: so miserably haue wee remembred him, that of all people we are most blinde:* 1.5 and this doth followe vpon our presumption, when wee remember God by breking of hys law, and therefore surely except we repent shortly, God wil remember vs in his wrath, & reward vs with his plagues: as sure as there is a God it will come to passe.
But I know the craftines of them herein (I thanke God) whi∣che wil say: Where went he to schoole?* 1.6 Is he wiser then our great Doctours that studyed all their life? And loe, they saye that it is good hay, although we smell it musty our selues, yet must we be∣leue it is sweete, and then pay them well for theyr so saying, and all is safe. But I might saye agayne: What sir, be ye wiser then Christ, and God hys father, or the holy Ghost? What wiser then the Prophetes, and the holy Apostles, and all the holye Martyrs? I pray you sir, where had you your high learning? It is higher thē God (being in heauen) is able to teache, or haue ye set it lower in hell then euer Christ durst to venter? For it is some straunge learning belike, that Christ nor his Apostles could neuer attaine to the knowledge of it. But vayne men are neuer without some shift: For peraduenture they will not be ashamed to saye, that Christ cōming on his fathers message, did forget half his errād by the way. For I dare say, the greater halfe of theyr ceremonyes were neuer commaunded by Christ: Yea I doubt it would bee hard to finde one in the Churche perfectly as hee lefte: so Ro∣mishly hath Antichrist turned the church vpsidedown for lukers sake.
Beloued Mother, as I oftentymes sayde vnto you, euen so now I beseeeche you from my very hart roote in Christ, to con∣sider