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HOw can Antichrist bée bet∣ter knowen, then by thys token, that hée condemneth Scriptures, and maketh it heresie and high treason against the kynges grace for lay men to reade ho∣ly scripture. As though it were alone∣ly a possession and an heritage of cer∣tayne men that bée marked alonely with exteriour signes, and the truth
to say wyth the token of the beaste: as with shauē crownes, long gownes * 1.1 and baners about their neckes. They that haue these tokens bée the heyres of holy Scriptures, and may reade it at their pleasure, though they vnder∣stand as much as a Popingaye. But holy Scripture, that is sent vs from heauen, yea and that by the sonne of God, to destroy all heresies: this ho∣ly scripture shall ingender in lay men heresie: If this bée not the doctrine of Antichrist, I know not hys doctrine. Tell mée what can bée more contrary to Christ, then by violence to oppresse the scriptures, and to cōdemne them as vnlawfull, yea and as heresie, for certaine men to reade, and to say that there bée certayne secrettes in them that belonge not for lay mē to know. And that this thing shall not bée de∣nyde (for I know they bée slipper that I haue to doe wyth, and there is no holde of them) therefore wyll I recite an open acte that all the worlde doth remember.
My Lord of Londō opēly at Pauls * 1.2 crosse was not ashamed with intolle∣rable blasphemes to condemne the ho¦ly testament of Christ Iesus hauing * 1.3 for hym, but a damnable collour and and a deadly reason of the deuill, that was, how there were in the translati∣on so many heresyes, that all yt world knoweth that it was abhominable & and a deadly lye, though it were a lord¦ly lye. But such probations doth God all wayes let them haue, that bée a∣gaynst his holy veretye. But let vs graunt that that translation was so false. Why dyd not you there take vp∣on * 1.4 you openly for to amend it and to set forth truely the holy testament of Christ. You must néedes graunt that there is an holy testament of his in earth (except you will denye Christ as I doubt not but that you will in ef∣fect) Wheare is it? Why haue we it not? If that weare not it? Why doe not you set yt very true testament out. You were ready to condemne an o∣ther * 1.5 mans faythfull labour and dily∣gence: but you had no charytie to a∣mende it. You thinke alwayes to dis∣ceaue the world with your holy hypo∣crisy. Men bée not so blinde but that they can well indge, If you had con∣demned that testament all onely bée∣cause of errours, yet at yt least wayes you should both of charitie, and also of dutye haue set forth the trew text, and then would men haue thought, yt you condemned the other by the rea∣son of errours. But men may now e∣uydently sée, yt you dyd not condemne it for errours sakes, (For how sholde they iudge errours that bée so vnlear∣ned) but all onely béecause that the ve∣ritie was there in, yt which you could * 1.6 not abyde that men should knowe: & that dyd the processe of your sermon and also your tyranny that doth folow wil proue. But my Lord I say to you, and to all yours if you doe not amend it shall bée to your eueralsting damna∣cyon: for God will not take this re∣buke at your hand. Remember that hée hath sworne (by the mouth of hys * 1.7 Prophet) by hys right hand, and by the myght of his strength, that hée wil defende this cause. Bée not these lord∣ly wordes, of the eternall God, think you to make hym forsworne? Remem∣ber how the holy ghost threatyneth you in an other place saying, if a man * 1.8 dyd dispise the lawe of Moses, hée must without any mercy dye. Howe much more are they worthy of punish¦ment, that doe treade the sonne of God vederneath their féete, and des∣pise the bloud of his testament. How thinke you is not this openly agaynst you, that condemne not all onely Christ, but also his blessed worde, & all that longeth to hym, Take awaye Christes word, and what remayneth béehynde of Christ? nothing at all. I * 1.9 pray you my Lorde to whome was this worde fyrst preached? to whome was this written? all onely to priestes and not vnto lay men? yea was it not written to all the worlde? yes truely. Wherby will you conuerte a Turke or an Infidell, not by holy Scrip∣ture? When they bée conuerted, what wil you learne them? what wyll you géeue them to reade, any other thing then holy Scripture? I thinke nay. Now will you make your owne countreymen, your owne citizens,
your owne subiectes, yea your owne brethren, redéemed with Christes blessed bloud, worsse then Iewes and Infidels? But there is no reason, nor no brotherhod, nor no Christen cha∣ritie that can mooue you, or that can helpe you, for you are so blynded and so obstinate against Christ, that you had rather all the worlde shoulde pe∣rishe, then his doctrine shoulde bee brought to light: but I doe promyse you, if God doe spare mée lyfe, and géeue mée grace, I shall so set it out, if you doe not reuoke it, that it shall bée to your vtter shame and confusi∣on: finde the best remedye that you can. I doe beléeue stedfastly, that god is mightier then you: and I doe rec∣ken * 1.10 and faythfully beléeue, that you are ten tymes worsse then the greate Turke: for hée regardeth no more but rule and dominiō in this worlde: and you are not therewyth content, but you will also rule ouer mēs cons∣consciences, yea and oppresse Christ and his holy worde, and blaspheme and condemne his worde. Was it * 1.11 not a holy connsell of the Chaunce∣ler of London, to counsell a certaine marchaunt to buye Robyn hoode for his seruauntes to read? What should they doe wyth vitas patrum, and with bookes of holy Scripture? Also the same Chauncelour sayde to an other man: what findest thou in the Gos∣pell but a story? what good canst thou take there out.
O Lord God where art thou? why * 1.12 sléepest thou? why sufferest thou this blasphemy. Thou hast defended thy Prophetes with wild fire from hea∣uen, and wilt thou suffer thy onely fonne and thy heauenly word, thus to bée despised, and to bée reckened but as a story of Robin hoode. Rise vp good Lorde. Rise vp, thy enemyes doe pre∣uayle. Thy enemyes doe multiplye, shew thy power, defend thy glory. It is thy contumely and not ours, what haue we to doe with it but alonely to thy glory. Reuenge this cause or thy enemyes shall recken it not to bée thy cause. O thou eternall God thoughe our sinnes haue deserued this, yet looke on thy name, yet looke on thy ve∣ritie. Sée howe thou art mocked. Sée how thou art blasphemed, yea & that by them, that haue taken on them to defend thy glory. But now heauenly father, séeyng that thou hast, so suffe∣red it: yet for the glory of thy name, geue some man strength to defend it, or els shalt thou bée clearely taken out of the hartes of all men. Wherefore most gracious Lord, of thy mercy and grace I beséech thée, that I may haue the strength to defend thy godly word to thy glory and honour, and to the vtter confusion of thy mortall ene∣myes. Helpe good Lorde helpe, and I shall not feare a thousande of thyne enemyes. In thy name will I begyn to defend this cause.
First commeth thy faythfull ser∣uaunt * 1.13 Moses, true and iust in all thy workes, and hée commaundeth faith∣fully & truely, with great threatnings that man, woman and child should di∣ligently read thy holy word: saying. Set your harts on all my wordes the which that I doe testifie vnto you this day, that you may commaunde them vnto your children, to kéepe, to doe, & to fulfill all thynges that bée written in the booke of this law. Marke how hée commaūded them, to learne their children all thynges that bée written in this booke, and so to learne thē that * 1.14 they might kéepe and fulfill all things that were written in yt booke: Moses made nothing of secretnes, & will you make secretes therin? how shall men fulfill those wordes that they knowe not. How can men knowe the very true way of God & haue not the word of God: is not all our knowledge therin? The Prophet sayth, thy word is a lanterne vnto my féete and a light vnto my pathes. Hée calleth it a lan∣terne * 1.15 and light, yea and that vnto all men: and you call it but a story, darke∣nes, and a thyng of secretnes, yea and occasion of heresie, how can the occa∣sion of darknes geue light, how can a lanterne bée a thing of secretnes, how can the veritie of God bée occasion of heresie? The holy Prophet sayth, bles∣sed * 1.16 is the man that setteth his delecta∣tion * 1.17 in the will of God, and his me∣ditation in Gods law night and day.
Here sayeth the spirite of God, that men bee blessed, that study the word of God: and you say that men bée he∣retickes for studying of it. How doth the spirite of God and you agrée?
Also S. Paule commaundeth vs to * 1.18 receiue the helmet of health, and the sword of the spirite, the whiche is the worde of God. I pray you to whom doth hée here speake? to Priestes one∣ly? How many of your Priestes dyd hée knowe? yea was not this Epistle written to the whole Churche of the Ephesians? And dyd not they read it? were not they lay men: and why shall not our lay men read, that they red? Moreouer doth not Paule call it the sword of the spirite: is it not lawfull for lay men to haue the spirit of God? Or is the spirite of God not frée but bound alonely to you. Also S. Iohn * 1.19 sayth, if any man come to you & bring not this doctrine, receiue him not into your house nor yet salute hym. Here the holy ghost would we should haue no other doctrine, but holy scripture: and you will take it alonely from vs. Furthermore this was written vnto a woman and to her children and you will yt no other man, wyfe nor childe shall reade it. But if we should receiue your Priestes into our houses, after this rule: I thinke we should not bée greatly cōbered with them, for their are few of them that haue this word. Also our M. Christ saith vnto the pha∣resies, search you scriptures, for in them you thinke to haue eternall life. Our Maister sent the Pharisies to * 1.20 scriptures, and you forbyd Christen men to reade them: who had a worse sprite then they? and yet they iudged better of holy scriptures thē you doe. For they iudged to haue lyfe in thē, & you iudge to haue heresyes in thē: so that you bée ten tymes worse to scrip∣tures, thē euer were they. Also Paule saith, all scripture geuen by insperati∣on * 1.21 of God is profitable to teach, to improoue, to enforme, io enstruct in righteousnes, that the man of God may bée perfect, and prepared vnto all good workes. You will not denye but but scripture is geuē vs of God? Ergo it foloweth. &c. S. Paul saith it is profi¦table to learne with: and you say that it is dawnable & good to learn herises with. S. Paule sayth it is good to im∣prooue * 1.22 heresyes, and you say it engen∣dereth heresyes. S. Paule sayth it is good to informe, and to instruct righ∣teousnes: and you say to enforme he∣resies. S. Paule sayth that the man of God may be perfect by it, and you say that the Priestes al onely shal haue it, so that you play ouerthwart with. S. Paule in all thinges. Also S. Paule sayth, you may all interpretate scrip∣ture, one by one, that all men may learne, and all men may haue com∣fort, but let your wynes kéepe sylence in the congregation. Marke how that all men may prophesye: which S. Augustine doth declare, for inter∣pretating Scriptures. Therefore, it belongeth not all onely to priestes. Also hée sayth that women must hold their peace, which hée néede not to cō∣maund if they were vnlearned.
Furthermore hée will that womē shall learne of their husbāds at home: How shall their husbandes learne them if they bée vnlearned thēselues? Also S. Paule geueth testimony of * 1.23 Tymothy that hée was learned in ho∣ly scriptures, from his childhode, the which were able to instruct hym vnto saluatiō, by fayth that is in Christ Ie∣su. Here you not how Tymothe was learned in holy scriptures béefore hée was eyther priest or byshop, yea being but a childe? the which as S. Paule sayth, weare able to enstruct hym, and you say they bée able to condemne mē. Is not this cleane cōtrary against S. Paule: are you not ashamed? What works shall Antichrist doe more cōtra∣ry to Christ thē these bée? let all christē * 1.24 men write the déedes of Antechrist & they must all agrée in this that hée shal condemne scripture. But that shall be not doe, without some colour of right and of holynes: and you condemne it hauyng no colour, nor no shadow of holynes, but all onely reason of flesh∣lynes, and of starke madnes. Thinke you if the great Turk would receaue such reasons as yours bée, yea and a great deale better agaynst hys Ma∣homet, that hée coulde raigne so
long as hée hath done.
Nay doubtles, and yet you loke to bée alowed agaynst Christ, the ryght sonne of God (yea and that of Chri∣sten men) which coulde not bée hard agaynst mahomet.
Also our M. Christ commaundeth his Apostles that they should preach y• * 1.25 Gospell vnto all creatures, & as Ma∣thew sayth, that they should teach mē to kéepe all manner of things that hée hath cōmaunded them: Marke that the Gospell, must bée preached to all manner of men not to priestes onely, the Apostles must also learne to kéepe all thinges of the Gospell, which they can not doe without they know them no if these thinges that the Apostles: dyd learne should ingender or be any occasion of heresies, then the holy A∣postles were occasion (by theyr doc∣trine) of heresies. Yea and that at the commaundement of our M. Christe, what néede the Apostles to learne vs any thing that might bée occasion of heresie? were wée not in heresie bée∣fore they came? were wée not all dis∣posed of our nature vnto all maner of mischiefe? and yet after your learning they come and learne that thing that is occasion of heresie. But of your * 1.26 conscience, are you not ashamed, thus damnably to blaspheme the heauenly worde of God? thus shamefully to cō∣demne Gods worde? thus presump∣tuously to vndertreade the gifte of ye holy ghost? yea and that vnder the pre¦tēce of holynes, & of Christēdome, as though you dyd fauour Christ. Will you make Christ an auctor of heresy, and that vnder the name of holynes: will you by your holynes, and your damnable hipocresye, condemne our M. Christ, the auctor of all goodnes? But brieflye if you woulde teach no∣thing, but that which our M. Christ hath left to bée taught, we should not haue so many heretykes as we haue. For nowe men bée no heretykes for speking agaynst Scripture (for you graunt that men speak scripture) but for speaking agaynst your law: for ye cause bée they made heretykes, and by ye bée they proued heretykes. Now let euery Christen man Iudge in hys conscience if this bée right or lawfull. Is not this a merueilous thing, let a man liue in fornicatiō, in whoredome in theft, in murther, drunkennes, in extortyon, in bribery, briefly in all mā∣ner of mischyfe, and you will haue no∣thing to doe with thē, you will scarsly reproue hym: yea hée shall bée a great officer vnderneath you, & greatly in your fauour. But let a man come and * 1.27 preach ye very true Gospell of Christ, and thereby reprooue your damnable lyuy••g, and thē béegynneth hée to bée an heretycke, & it shall cost you great labour, if you make hym not an here∣tyke in déede. And yet haue you no∣thing that you can reprooue in hym as concerning hys lyuyng, but all onely that hée preacheth the Gospell. Is not thys a merueilous heretyke? whose lyuyng you must néedes graunt to bée good. And also you can not prooue, but that his learning is of Christ: but all onely that it pleaseth you not: no you dare not take in hand to prooue it false but all onely by vyol••ce you will con∣demne it. Thinke you that God will thus suffer? remember what hée sayth by the holy Prophet: Thou hast re∣proued * 1.28 the vnfaythfull people, & hast destroyed the wicked, and takē away their name for euer. The Lorde hath prepared his trone of Iudgmēt, doubt you not but hée shal shortly reprooue you. His trone is set, & to the Iudge∣mēt must you come, where you shall neuer bée able to defēd this cause, but you must perishe for euer. But here will you say that you preach the Gos∣pell to the people, and that is inongh: for they néede not to haue it in Eng∣lyshe. I aunswere, I pray you when was there any lawe that euer men were bounde to kéepe, but that it was geuen them in wrighting? I will not say that you doe not teach them the right Gospell, for you know it not. But how are they able to beare away * 1.29 that thing ye they doe but heare? And if they may heare it of you, why may they not also reade it? But looke on S. Luke that wrot his Gospell that men might know for a certayne, those thinges that they were informed of.
Moreouer why did y• Apostle write
yea and that vnto lay men, séeyng that they were so diligent in preachyng I dare boldly say as you bée▪ But let vs sée howe lay men were forbydden to read holy Scripture in the Apostles * 1.30 tyme? The noblest of Thessalonia, whiche receiued the worde, searched the Scriptures dayly, whether those thinges that Paule preached were so or not, here haue you playne that lay men searched Scriptures to knowe whether Paules doctrine were true or not, and also how they read dayly Scriptures. And now come you and say that lay men shall read no Scrip∣tures but alonely receiue thē of your * 1.31 preaching? What if you preache lyes (as it will bée prooued to your face that you doe) shall it not bee lawfull for them to search Scriptures, but to learne your lyes?
Here will I recite how a great pre¦late of Christ Churche (the first letter of his name is Doct. Allen) did inter∣pretate * 1.32 and declare certaine places of Scripture, to the ghostly instruction of Christes Churche as all men may iudge.
The first place was this a thrée fold cable is hard to breake, by this thrée fold cable, hée vnderstode, the Reue∣rent father in God my Lorde Cardi∣nall. The first fold was, that hée was * 1.33 an Englishmā borne, the which was a strong thing and hard to withstand. The second fold was that hée was Le¦gate & that not after the common ma∣ner, but Legatus a latere, this is sprōg out of the blessed side of our holy fa∣ther the pope. This was a strong fold and could not bée lightly broken. The thyrd sold, hée was a Lord and that of the kinges counsel. This was a strōg * 1.34 fold, and all these thrée together dyd make so strong a cable that no man within the Realme might breake it or withstand it. I was sore afrayde that hée should haue reckened the noble & the royall bloud, that this thréefolde cable dyd spryng out of, then had it béen so strong, that the strongest Oxe in the butchers stall could not breake it. This exposition dyd I here and sat by hym, therefore I can testifie it the better.
The seconde Scripture was this from Syon shall come out a law, and * 1.35 the word of God frō Ierusalem. This did hée expounde on this maner. The commaundement of the most reuerēt father in God Lord Legate, is come from his highe Palace, and from his noble grace hither vnto you.
The thyrde Scripture, was this Sumite Psalmum & date tympanū, this dyd hée expounde on this maner, I haue done my visitatiō, now geue me my money. How thinke you by this holy Doctour, and this Prelate of Christes Church hath hée not wel de∣clared holy Scripture, is hée not wor∣thy to bée beléeured? What reasō were it that lay men shoulde searche Scrip∣tures, then might they reprooue this noble prelate? what order ware that? It were right if hée were well serued ye hée had a thréefold balter to stretche * 1.36 him in. But by such doctours as these bée, must the poore people bée ruled & if they wil search for the veritie them selues, then must they bée heretickes bycause they will not beléeue these ho¦ly fathers. But let vs procéede in our matter agaynst these blasphemers of Gods word: Priscila & Aquila dyd ex∣poūd * 1.37 vnto Apollo which was a great learned man y• perfite vnderstanding of scriptures. These were lay persōs and yet were they so learned in scrip∣tures yt they wer able to teach a great Doctour. And now lay men may not read Scriptures. This was alowed by Peter, and Paul. But their succes∣sours will condemne it as heresie.
Also Eunuches that was the trea∣surer * 1.38 vnto the Quéene of the Ethio∣pians dyd read Esay the Prophete. The whiche hée vnderstode not, till God sent him Philip to declare it vn∣to him. This was a lay man, and also an infidell and yet was not forbidden of God to read Scriptures. But ra∣ther holpen to the vnderstandyng of them and now will you forbid Chri∣sten mē, to read holy Scriptures, that are sworne vnto them, yea and also to defende them vnto death.
Also S. Paule sayth. Let the word * 1.39 of God dwell in you plenteously. S. Paule woulde that lay men shoulde
learne the worde of God, yea & that plenteously. And you commaunde that they shall haue nothinge of it. How standeth your nothing wyth Saint Paules aboundaunce. Aboun∣dantly, and nothing, bée farre a sun∣der. But thus doe you alwayes agrée with S. Paule and with holy Scrip∣ture. And if you woulde say playnely in wordes that your déedes doe de∣clare openly, then were wée in no * 1.40 doubt of you: for all y• worlde woulde take you, as you bée taken béefore God, that is, for the Antichristes that the world looketh for. Neuerthelesse, doubt you not, but God shall declare it openly at his time, to your vtter confusion and damnation. For doubt lesse you neither holde with Christ, with his holy doctours, nor yet with your owne lawe, where they bée a∣gainst you: but all these must bée ex∣pounded and wroonge vnto your car∣nall purpose, or els you make it here∣sie. But thinke you that the father of heauen (which for the great tender loue, that hée had to mans soule, sent hys onely sonne to redéeme it, and al∣so to géeue it a lawe to liue by, out of his owne mouth) shall thus suffer it loste thorough your hypocrisie? and his godly worde to bée ouer frodden for the mayntaynyng of your world∣ly glory? Nay doubtles, for if it were possible that hée coulde more regarde your pompe and pride, then mans soule and his godly word: yet were it vnpossible that euer hée should so dis∣pise the swéete bloude of his blessed sonne swéete Iesus. Wherefore looke vppon your charge.
But to our purpose, S. Augustine * 1.41 is openly against you in these words. My brethren, reade holy Scripture in the which you shall finde what you ought to holde, and what you oughte to flye. What is a man reputed with∣out learning? what is hée? Is hée not a shéepe or a Goate? Is hée not an Oxe or an Asse? Is hée any better thē an Horsse or a Mule, the which hath no vnderstandyng. &c.
Here S. Augustine moueth men to reade holy Scripture: and you com∣maunde them not to reade it. S. Au∣gustine sayth: they shal know in them what to doe, and what not to doe, & you say they shal learne nothing ther∣out but heresies, S. Augustine sayth, a mā without learning of scriptures, is no better then a brute beast: are not you good fathers that will make all your childrē no better thē beastes? Also Athanasius: If thou wilte that * 1.42 thy children shall bée obedient vnto thee, vse them to the wordes of God. But thou shalt not saye that it béelon∣geth alonely to religious men to study Scriptures: but rather it béelongeth to euery Christen man, and specially vnto hym that is wrapped in the bu∣sinesses of this worlde: and so much * 1.43 the more, because hée hath more néede of helpe, for hée is wrapped in y• trou∣bles of this worlde: therefore it is greatly to thy profite that thy children should both heare and also reade holy Scriptures, for of them shall they learne thys commaundement: Ho∣nour thy father and thy mother. &c.
These wordes bée playne inough against you, they néede no exposition: And the doctour is of auctority, wher∣fore answere you to hym. Also Chri∣sostome * 1.44 that was a Byshop as well as you bée, cōdemneth your sentence openly, saying: I béeséeche you that * 1.45 you will oftentimes come hither, and that you will diligently heare the les∣son of holy Scripture, and not alone∣ly when you bée here, but also take in your handes when you are at home the godly Bibles, and receaue the thyng therein with great studye, for thereby shall you haue great aduan∣tage. &c.
These wordes bée so plaine, that I can adde nothyng to them, woulde you that wée shoulde take you for by∣shops, and for holy fathers, that bée so openly agaynst Scripture, and so centrary to holy doctours? That will I neuer doe while I liue. I will ne∣uer looke to sée other Antichristes then you, and so will I take you, till I sée almighty God conuerte you. Also the same doctour saith. Which of you all that bée here, (if it were required) coulde say one Psalme without the * 1.46 booke, or any other part of holy scrip∣ture,
not one doubtles. But this is not alonely the worste, but that you bée so slow and so remisse vnto spiri∣tuall thinges, and vnto deuillishnesse you are hotter then any fier, but men will defende this mischief, with this excuse, I am no religious mā, I haue a wife and children, and a house to care for. This is ye excuse wherewith * 1.47 you doe (as it were with a pestilence) corrupt all thinges: for you doe rec∣ken that the studye of holy Scripture béelongeth alonely vnto religious men, when they bée much more ne∣cessary vnto you then vnto them. &c.
Here may you sée that your dam∣nable institution was in the hartes of men in Chrisostomes dayes, & howe they woulde reade no scriptures: but you sée hée condemneth it, and calleth it a pestilēce, and will you now bring it in agayne? If you had but a lousie statute of your owne against mée, or an other man, you woulde call vs he∣tikes. But you neither regarde Chri∣stes holy worde, nor holy Doctours, nor yet any other thinge ye is agaynst you. But let vs sée what your owne lawe saith to this: If Christ (as Paul * 1.48 sayth) bée the power and the wisdome of God, thē to bée ignoraunt in scrip∣tures, is as much as to bée ignoraunt of Christ. &c. Here haue you playnely that to take away scriptures from lay men, is as much as to take away Christ frō them, the which no doubt but that you doe intēde in your harts to doe, and that thing God knoweth, and your workes doe declare it, the which God shall aduenge full straitly ouer you. Also in an other place. I will set my meditation in thy iustifica∣tions, * 1.49 and I will not forgette thy wordes, the which thing is excéeding good for all Christen men to obserue and kéepe. &c.
Here is a counsell of your owne that hath admitted that all Christen * 1.50 men shall study Scripture. And will you now condemne it? Is there nei∣ther Scripture of God, nor practise of Christē men, nor exposition of Do∣ctours, nor your owne law, nor yet any statute of counsels that will hold agaynst you? You bée marueilous gi∣antes, how shal a mā behaue him selfe to handle with you? it is not possible to ouercome you, for you wil admitte nothyng that is against you. But yet will I not so leue you, but I will first declare it manifestly, ye you bée cōtra∣ry to Christ, and to all holy doctours. S. Hierome, reprooueth you very sore in these wordes. O Paula and Eusto∣chium, if there bée any thyng in this * 1.51 life that doth preserue a wise mā and doth persuade him to abide with a good will in the oppressions and the thraldomes of the world, I doe reckē that specially it is the meditations and the study of holy scripture, séeyng that we doe differre from other creatures specially in that that we bée reasona∣ble & in that that we can speake: now is reason and all maner of wordes cō¦teined in godly Scripture, whereby that we may learne to knowe God & also the cause wherefore we bée crea∣ted. Wherfore I doe sore marueile, y• there bée certein men the which geue thē selues, to slouthfulnes, & sluggish∣nes and will not learne those things, * 1.52 that bée good, but recken those men worthy to bée reprooued, that haue that good mynde. &c.
Marke how that this was written to two women that were learned. Al∣so hée reckeneth nothyng better, then to study holy scriptures, hée also mar∣ueileth, that certaine will neither stu∣dy Scriptures them selues nor yet let other mē study thē. It is well knowē, that these wordes pricke no men but you, and ye bée so slouthfull & so ge∣uen to voluptuousnes, that you your selues will not study Scriptures nor yet suffer other mē to study them: but if you doe study them, it is to deceiue your simple and poore brother there by, and to maintaine your abhomina∣ble liuing, with wrostyng and wryn∣gyng of them: other profite commeth there none of your study, as all the worlde knoweth. For you may not preach, but when you haue damnably condemned Christes blessed word or els by violence, made some of your poore brethren heretickes: then come you with all your gorgious estate, pompe and pride, to out face Christ
and your simple brother, with your outward dānable pride afore the face * 1.53 of the world. But my Lordes, leue of your fasing and your brasing: for our Lord whose cause we defend agaynst you, will at length not bée out faced. Remēber how the holy ghost prayeth against you saying: iudge them Lord, * 1.54 that they may fall from their cogitati∣ons: expell them Lord for they haue prouoked thée: doubte you not but this holy spirite will preuaile agaynst you, though God suffer you for a sea∣son, yet hath hée till this day defended him selfe & his godly wordes agaynst all the proude crakyngs of the world: and thinke you that hée wil now take a fall at your hand? nay nay, hée shall first thrust you out headlonge that all the world shall take example by you: this is my beléeue. For that word that you haue cōdemned doth thus learne me. Wherfore if you doe not reuoke the condemnation of the new Testa∣ment, and ordeine that all Christen men may read holy Scripture, you shal haue the greatest shame that euer men had in this world: for you are ne¦uer able to defend it by any meanes, nor by any power ye is in earth. And if all power in earth wil withstand it, hée shall rather bryng them all to dust and raise vp of stones newe rulers. You wormes meate, you stinking car * 1.55 rion, you nourishmēt of hell fire, how dare, you thus presume against your God omnipotent? whether will you flie to auoyde his daunger. Heauen & earth, water and fire, sunne, moone, and starres, saintes and angels, man and child, bée against you and holde you accursed. What though the deuill laugh on you for a season. Remem∣ber the ende, but God geue you hys grace, that I lose not my labour a∣bout you.
But now let mée assoyle your car∣nall * 1.56 reasons that you bring for you. The fyrst is this, euyll men doe take an occasion of heresy out of scriptures Wherfore it is best they haue it not. I aunswere lykewise, good men doe take an occasion of goodnes there of Ergo, the people ought to haue it: but will you condemne all thinges where by men doe take occasion of euill? Thē must you fyrst put out your own eyes for by them, take you occasiō to sée many idle thinges: you must also destroy your handes, your féete, your tongue, and al that you haue for these doe you mysuse very often, you must also destroy your own harts whereby you haue not alonely occasion of euil, but you doe thinke euil in very déede: you must also destroy all fayre womē, for of them take you sore occasions of euyll: you must also burne all your goodes and destroy all your riches, for of thē men take occasion to be théeues * 1.57 and you to bée proud: you must also destroy all wynes, for of thē men take occasiō to bée drōkē, you must destroy all meates, for they géeue mē occasiō of gluttony, yea you muste destroye the mercy of God, of the which euell men take boldenes in their myschief. Briefly what is there so good a thing but that euell mē can take an occasion of euill, yea and that of Christ hym selfe, as Saint Paule saith which vn∣to * 1.58 the Iewes is offence, and vnto the Gentyls occasion of folyshnes: & yet for al this you may not destroy Christ but hée must remayne stil, and so like∣wise the Gospell: for though that the euell men (which will neuer bée good) receiue of it occasion of euyll: yet ther bée many thousandes ye receaue there by their saluation.
Now béecause the spider gathereth poysō of ye good herbes, it were no rea¦son therfore to destroy al good herbes. An other of your reasōs: thrée bée cer∣tayne * 1.59 sētences in scripture y• doe not belōg for euery man to know, as our * 1.60 M. Christ sayth, vnto you it is geuē to know, the misteries of the kingdome of heauen, vnto them it is not geuen. I aunswere, whom meane you when you say, vnto you it is geuen: if you meane that Apostles & all onely there successors, then may not you reade ho¦ly scripture, for you bée not the succes∣sors of ye Apostles, by my Lord of Ro∣chesters auctorytie, but if you meane the Christē people, that haue y• spirite of God, as our M. Christ ment, then bée you excluded, for you haue not the sprite of God as ye effect doth declare,
therfore you may not read scriptures. Marke also that our mayster saith, vn∣to you it is geuen, as who sayth if it were not geuen you, you shoulde no more haue it then other men.
Now how can you proue that the vnderstanding of scripture is geuen to you▪ but now to ye text: our Maister Christ speaketh heare of the sprituall, and the right vnderstanding of holy scriptures, which is the gift of God onely, and hée speaketh not of study∣ing▪ or reading of holy scripture: for you haue in the same place, how that * 1.61 many dyd followe him, and heare his preaching, but yet they vnderstoode him not. Therefore this text maketh directly against you, and your works doe declare that you bée the hearers & readers of the worde of God, but the vnderstanding is not geuen you. But now wyllmy Lord of Rochester saye that you haue the very vnderstan∣ding as holy doctors had it, for though that scriptures in themselues and of their owne nature bée plainest, & best to bée knowen, yet bée ye holy doctors playnest vnto vs: wherefore hée that will vnderstand scripture must fyrst learne to vnderstand the doctours, & they shal bring hym to the true vnder∣standing of holy scripture, or els hée must erre. I aunswere: O my Lorde doe you wryte this with a safe conscy∣ence? thinke you y• you can discharge your conscience béefore the dreadfull face of Christ with this triflyng dis∣tynction, Quedam sunt notiora nobis, et quedam notiora naturae, I pray you if you wil proue that God were wise, would you béegin to proue it at your wisedome? if you would proue that God were aliue, woulde you proue it by that y• you bée aliue? if you would perswade a man to beléeue that there is a God, would you learne hym, that hée must néedes beléeue it, because y• there bée creatures? These thinges bée best knowen vnto you, and if you woulde prooue that a man hath a true sence of Scriptures, will you proue it, by that that hée hath the sence of the doctours? What if ye doc∣tours had taken a false and a contrary sence, (this case is possible) would you therefore say that the sence which the mā hath takē out of scripture is false. But I pray you my Lorde, after this this rule, how could men vnderstand scriptures, in Peter & Paules dayes when there weare no doctours. But after your owne learning, that same * 1.62 science which must proue the princy∣pelles of other sciences is fyrst knowē actualiter, & distinctly. Now bée all the pryncipels of all other doctours pro∣ued ••rew by holy scripture: therefore there is no saying nor exposition of ho * 1.63 ly doctours yt can bée perfectly knowē except that scripture bée fyrst knowen this is your owne dyuynitie you can not denye it, wherefore if you will proue that you haue the verytie you must proue it, béecause you haue the sence of holy scripture, and not the sēce of holy doctours. But doubtles I haue great meruell, that my Lord of Rochester, is neyther ashamed of mā, nor yet afrayde of the vengeance of God y• thus triflyth wt holy scripture.
Besides this you haue an other * 1.64 bauld reason, the Citie of London hath certeine priuileges and secrete counsels, it were no reason that all men should know them, this was my Lorde of Londons reason at Paules crosse, when hée condemned the new Testamēt. I aunswere my Lord: say of your cōscience, did you not speake * 1.65 these wordes to please my Lorde the Maior of London and his brethren? But I pray you is this a like simili∣tude of y• certeine counsels of mē, the whiche must bée kept secrete bycause they bée coūsels: and of the holy scrip∣tures the whiche were brought into this world not to bée▪ kept secrete, but to bée preached openly, as our mai∣ster Christ commaundeth, preach the * 1.66 Gospell to all creatures, heare you to all creatures, let these mē haue it (for all these bee of ye counsell) & kéepe you it from the residue. Furthermore our maister Christ saith in an other place, that I haue shewed you in secretnes, preach it on the tope of the house.
Also S. Paule sayth, the Gospell is * 1.67 declared openly through preachyng & in an other place God haue brought life and immortalitie, vnto light tho∣rough
the Gospell. Also our maister calleth it the light of the world: nowe * 1.68 who will set (as hée saith) a light vn∣der a bushell, and not rather openly that all mē there by may bée lightned. Wherfore my lord your similitude is very far vnlike: and if you were not a Lord, it were woorthy to bée despised. But doubtles it may bée wel thought * 1.69 that you were at a sore exigent, when you were compelled to prooue this thynge with so ••auld a reason. Who would haue looked for so simple a rea∣son in so earnest a matter of so wise a man, of so great a Doctour, of so wor∣shipfull a father, and of the Bishop of London, yea and of him that is called an other Salomon, notwithstanding such an haltyng similitude dyd hée ne∣uer learne in the Prouerbes of Salo∣mon: but it had béene a better simili∣tude, of the kings proclamatiō, which is proclaimed yt all men might know it and also kéepe it & no man is bound to kéepe it, till it bée proclaimed: like∣wise the Gospel was geuen for to bée proclaimed, and euery man is bound to kéepe it. Wherfore it must néedes bée proclaimed to euery man, and vn∣to you my Lorde. I beséeche God that you may bée one of them of whom it is spokē: To you is it geuē to know the misteryes of God.
The Pope and his cleargie wil not allow yt scripture to bee in yt mo∣ther & vul∣gar tongue of yt people.
This was Byshoppe Stokesley.
A common practise of Prelates to deface the scriptures.
The clear∣gie were more wil∣ling to finde faulte wyth the transla∣ting of the Scripture then to a∣mende it.
W. Tyndal
The onely cause why the Scrip∣tures were condemned by the By∣shops.
Esay. 61.
Hebr. 10.
The words of God was firste written to all nations and people, and not to priestes onely.
The By∣shoppes worse then the great Turke.
A worshyp full counsell of an vn∣preachyng Prelate.
The ear∣nest zeale of Doctour Barnes.
Doctour Barnes most ear∣nestly defē∣deth Chri∣stes cause.
Deut. 32.
Psal. 118.
Psal. 1.
The Pope and Christ are contra∣ry.
Ephes. 6.
A godly saying of S. Ihon.
The Pha∣risies iud∣ged better of the scrip∣tures of God, then our By∣shops dyd.
1. Tim. 3.
Papistes & S. Paule are contra∣rye.
2. Tim. 3.
One of the chiefest workes of Antichrist is to con∣demne the scriutures of God.
Mar. vlt. Mat. vlt.
The Pa∣pistes are blasphe∣mers of Gods hea∣uēly word.
Papistes abyde the true prea∣chers of the Gospell.
Psal. 9.
The euan∣gelistes and Apostles did not one¦ly preache, but also wrote the Scripture that all mē might read it.
Actes. 17.
Papistes preach lyes.
Dect. Alen expoundeth Scripture.
A Popish Doctors interpreta∣tion.
A foolish tale of a tubbe.
The Pa∣pisticall and vayne doc∣trine of Papistes.
Authori∣ties to prooue that the scriptu∣res ought to bee in the mother toungue.
Actes. 18.
Acte. 8.
Collos. 3.
The Pope and hys Clergy are the very ••lnte∣christes.
August. ad fratres. s. 3••.
In epis. ad Ephes. c. 6.
Scriptu∣res reache the com∣maunde∣mentes of God.
In Gen. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 9. ho 28.
A notable saying of S. Chriso∣stome.
I•• Mat. c. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hom. 2.
The scrip∣ture is meete to bee knowen of all states and sortes of people.
Di. 38. Si iuxta.
7. Sinod. c. Omnes et. d••. 38.
The rea∣dyng of the Scripture allowed by a counsell.
In prohe. In Epist. ad Ephes. Li. 1.
What bene∣fites we may re∣ceaue by readyng of Scripture.
The great arrogancy, pride & ty∣ranny that is in Pa∣pistes.
Psal. 5.
Doctour Barnes is vehement.
The Pa∣pistes first reason to prooue that lay men ought not to read Scriptu∣res.
Euill men will take occasion of euill of eue∣ry good thyng.
1. Cor. 1.
Math. 13.
An other reason of the Pa∣pistes.
What is meant by this saying, to you, is geuen the true vnder∣styng and interpreta∣tion of scrip¦tures.
Scotus. 11. Sent. di. 3. q. 3.
Scriptu∣res must bee first knowen & therby you may iudge the opinion of the Do∣ctours. whether they say right or not.
A third rea¦son of the Papistes.
Coūs•…•…s are to bee kept secret, but the Scripture must bee made knowen to all men.
Mar. v••••.
Ti. 1. 2. Tim. 2.
Iohn. 3. Math. 5.
A foolishe similitude made by Stokesley Byshop of London.