The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.

¶ The obedience of a Christen man, and how Christen rulers ought to gouerne, Wherein also (if thou marke diligently) thou shalt finde eyes to perceaue the craftie conueyaunce of all iugglers.

Set forth by William Tyndall. 1528. Octob. 2.

William Tyndall other∣wyse called Hitchins to the Reader.

GRace, peace, and increase of knowledge in our Lord Ie∣sus Christ, be with thee rea∣der, and with all that call on the name of the Lord vnfay∣nedly, and with a pure consci∣ence. Amen.

Let it not make thee dispayre, neither yet discourage thee (O Reader,) that it is for∣bidden thee in payne of life and goods, or that it is made breaking of the Kinges peace, or treason vnto his highnesse to read the worde of thy soules health: but much rather be bold * 1.1 in the Lorde, and comforte thy soule, for as∣much as thou art sure, and hast an euident to∣ken through suche persecution, that it is the true worde of God: which worde is euer ha∣ted of the worlde, neyther was euer without persecution, (as thou seest in all the stories of the Bible, both of the newe Testament, and also of the olde) neyther can be, no more then the Sunne can be without his light. And * 1.2 forasmuch as contrariwise thou art sure that the popes doctrine is not of God, which (as thou seest) is so agreable vnto the world, and is so receiued of the world, or which rather so receaueth the world, and the pleasures of the worlde, and seeketh nothing but the possessi∣ons of the worlde, and aucthoritie in the world, & to beare a rule in the world, & perse∣cuteth the worde of God, & with all wilinesse driueth the people from it, and with false and sophisticall reasons maketh them afeard of it: he curseth them, and excommunicateth them, and bringeth them in beleef that they be dam∣ned if they looke on it: and that it is but doc∣trine to deceaue men: and moueth the blinde powers of the world to slay with fire, water, and sworde, all that cleaue vnto it: For the * 1.3 world loueth that which is his, and hateth that which is chosen out of the world to serue God in the spirite, as Christ sayth to his Di∣sciples. Iohn. 15. If ye were of the world, the world would loue his owne: but I haue chosen you out of the worlde, and therefore the world hateth you.

An other comfort hast thou, that as the * 1.4 weake powers of the worlde defende the do∣ctrine of the worlde: so the mighty power of God, defendeth the doctrine of God. Which thing thou shalt euidentlye perceiue, if thou call to minde the wonderfull deedes whiche God hath euer wrought for his word in ex∣treame necessitie, since the worlde began, be∣yond all mans reason. Whiche are written (as Paule sayth, Roma. 15.) for our lear∣ning, (and not for our deceauing) that we through patience, and comfort of the scripture might haue hope. The nature of Gods word * 1.5 is to fight agaynst hypocrites. It beganne at Abell, and hath euer since continued, and shall (I doubte not) vntyll the laste daye. And the hypocrites haue alway the world on their sides, as thou seest in the time of Christ. They had the elders, that is to witte, the ru∣lers * 1.6 of the Iewes, on theyr side. They had Pilate, and the Emperors power on theyr side: They had Herode also on theyr side. Moreouer, they brought all theyr worldlye wysedome to passe, and all that they coulde thinke▪ or imagine, to serue for theyr purpose. Fyrst, to feare the people withal, they excom∣municated all that beleeued in him, and put * 1.7 them out of the temple, as thou seest Iohn. 9. Secondly, they founde the meanes to haue him condemned by the Emperors power, and made it treason to Cesar, to beleeue in him. Thirdly, they obtayned to haue him hanged as a theefe, or a murtherer, which after theyr belly wisedome, was a cause aboue all causes, that no man should beleeue in him: For the Iewes take it for a sure token of euerlasting damnation, if a man be hanged. For it is written in theyr lawe, Deutero. 21. Cursed is whosoeuer hangeth on tree. Moyses also in the same place commaundeth, if any man be hanged, to take him downe the same day, and bury him, for feare of polluting or defi∣ling the countrey, that is, least they shoulde bring the wrath and curse of God vpon them. And therfore the wicked Iewes themselues, which with so venemous hate persecuted the doctrine of Christ, and did all the shame, that they coulde do vnto him, (though they would fayne haue had Christ to hang still on the crosse, and there to rotte, as he shoulde haue done by the Emperors lawe, yet for feare of defiling theyr Sabboth, and of bringing the wrath and curse of God vpon them,) begged of Pilate to take him downe. Ioh. 19. which was against them selues.

Finally, when they had done all they coulde, and that they thought sufficient, and when christ was in the hart of the earth, & so many billes and pollares about him, to keepe him down, and when it was past mans helpe, then holpe God when man coulde not bring * 1.8 him agayne, Gods truth fetched him agayne. The oth that God had sworne to Abrahā, to Dauid, & to other holy fathers & Prophetes, raysed him vp agayne, to blesse, and saue all that beleeue in him. Thus became the wise∣dome of the hypocrites foolishnes. Loe, thys was written for thy learning and comfort.

How wonderfully were the children of * 1.9 Israell locked in Egipt? In what tribulati∣on. combraunce, and aduersitie were they in? The land also that was promised them, was farre of, and full of great cities, walled with high walles vp to the skye, & inhabited with * 1.10 great giantes: yet Gods truth brought them out of Egipt, and planted them in the land of

the giantes. This is also written for our lear¦ning: For there is no power agaynst Gods, * 1.11 neyther any wisedome against Gods wise∣dome•• he is stronger and wiser, then all his enemies. What holpe it Pharao, to drowne the men childrē? So little (I feare not) shall it at the last helpe the pope, and his byshops, to burne our men children, whiche manfully confesse, that Iesus Christ is the Lorde, and that there is no other name geuen vnto men, to be saued by: as Peter testifieth, Actes. 4.

Who dryed vp the red sea? Who slew Go∣lias? * 1.12 Who did all those wonderfull deedes, which thon readest in the Bible? Who deli∣uered the Israelites euermore from thra••dom and bondage, as soone as they repented, and turned to God? Fayth verely, and Gods truth, and the trust in the promises which he had made. Read the xj. to the Hebrues, for thy consolation.

When the children of Israell were ready to dispayre, for the greatnes & the multitude of the Giantes, Moyses comforted them e∣uer, saying: Remēber what your Lord God hath done for you in Egipt, his wonderfull plagues, his miracles, his wonders, his migh¦ty hand, his stretched out arme, and what he hath done for you hetherto. He shall destroye them, he shall take theyr hartes from them, and make them feare, and flye before you. He shall storme them, and stirre vp a tempest a∣mong them, and scatter them, and bring them to naught. He hath sworne, he is true, he will fullfill the promises that he hath made vnto Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob. This is writ∣ten * 1.13 for our learning: for verely he is a true God, and is our God as well as theyres, and his promises are with vs, as well as with them, and he presente with vs, as well as he was with them. If we aske, we shal obtain: if we knocke, he will open: if we seeke, wee shall finde: if we thyrst, his truth shall fullfill our lust. Christ is with vs vntill the worldes ende. Math. y^• last. Let this little flock be bold therefore: for if God be on our side, what matter maketh it who be against vs, be they byshops, cardinalles, popes, or what so euer names they will?

Marke this also, if God sende thee to the sea, and promise to goe with thee, and to bring * 1.14 thee safe to lande, he will rayse vp a tempest agaynst thee, to proue whether thou wilt a∣bide by his worde, and that thou mayst feele thy fayth, and perceiue his goodnes. For, if it were alwayes fayre weather, and thou neuer brought into such ieoperdy, whēce his mercy onely deliuered thee, thy fayth should be but a presumption, and thou shouldest be euer vn∣thanckfull to God, and mercilesse vnto thy neighbour.

If God promise ritches, the way therto is * 1.15 pouertie. Whom he loueth, him he chasteneth: whome he exalteth, he casteth downe: whome he saueth, he damneth first: he bringeth no man to heauen, except he send him to hell first: if he promise life, he slayeth first: when he buildeth, he casteth all downe first: he is no patcher; he can not builde on an other mans foundation: he will not woorke, vntill all be past remedy, and brought vnto such a case, y^• men may see, how that his hand, his power, his mercy, his goodnesse, and trueth hath wrought all together: he will let no man be partaker with him of hys prayse, and glorye: his workes are wonderful, and contrary vn∣to mans workes. Who euer (sauing he) de∣liuered his owne sonne, his onely sonne, hys deare sonne vnto the death, and that for his e∣nemies sake, to winne his enemye, to ouer∣comme him with loue, that he might see loue, and loue againe, and of loue to do likewise to other men, and to ouercome them with well doing?

Ioseph saw the Sunne and the Moone, and xj. starres worshipping him. Neuerthe∣lesse * 1.16 ere that came to passe, God layed hym where he could neither see sunne, nor moone, neyther any starre of the skye, and that many yeares, and also vndeserued, to norture him, to humble, to meeke, and to teach him Gods wayes, and to make him apt and meet for the roome and honor, against he came to it, that he might perceiue and feele, that it came of God, and that he might be strong in the spirite to minister it godly.

He promised the children of Israell a * 1.17 lande with riuers of milke and honny. But brought them for the space of fourty yeares, into a land, where not onely riuers of mylke and honny were not, but where so much as a drop of water was not, to nourture them, and to teach them, as a father doth his sonne, and to do them good at the latter ende, and that they might be strong in their spirite, & soules, to vse his giftes and benefites, godly, and af∣ter hys will.

He promised Dauid a kingdome, and im∣mediatly * 1.18 stirred vp king Saule against him, to persecute him, to hunt him as men do hares with greyhoundes, and to ferret him out of euery hole, & that for the space of many yeares to tame him, to meeke him, to kill his lustes, to make him feele other mens diseases, to make him mercifull, to make him vnderstand that he was made king, to minister, and to serue his brethren, and that he shoulde not thincke that his subiectes were made to mi∣nister vnto his lustes, and that it were lawfull for him to take away from them life & goods, at his pleasure.

Oh that our kinges were so nourtured * 1.19 how a dayes, which our holy byshops teache of a farre other maner, saying: Your grace shal take your pleasure: yea, take what plea∣sure you list, spare nothing: we shall dispence with you, we haue power, we are Gods vi∣cars: and let vs alone with the realme, we shall take payne for you, and see that nothing be well: your Grace shall but defende the fayth onely.

Let vs therefore looke diligently where∣unto * 1.20 we are called, that we deceaue not our selues. We are called, not to dispute as the popes disciples do: but to dye with Christ, that we may liue with him, and to suffer with him, that we may raigne with him. We be cal∣led vnto a kingdome, that must be wonne w^t suffring only, as a sicke man winneth health. * 1.21 God is he that doth all thing for vs, and figh∣teth for vs, & we do but suffer onely. Christ sayth, Iohn xx. As my Father sent me, so sende I you. and Iohn xv. If they persecute me, then shall they persecute you. and Christ sayth Math. x. I send you forth, as sheepe a∣mong

wolues. The sheepe fight not: but the shepheard fighteth for them, and careth for them. Be harmeles as Doues therfore, saith Christ, and wise as serpentes. The doues i∣magine no defence, nor seeke to auenge them∣selues. * 1.22 The serpentes wisedome is, to keepe his head, and those partes wherein his life re∣steth. Christ is our head, and Gods word is that wherin our life resteth. To cleaue ther∣fore fast vnto Christ, and vnto those promi∣ses which God hath made vs for his sake, is our wisedome. Beware of men (sayth he) for they shall deliuer you vp vnto theyr counsels, and shall scourge you, and ye shall be brought before rulers, and kinges for my sake: the bro¦ther shall betray, or deliuer the brother to death, and the father, the sonne: and the chil∣dren shall rise against father and mother, and put them to death. Heare what Christ sayth more, The disciple is not greater thē his ma∣ster, neyther the seruaunte greater or better then his Lorde: if they haue called the good∣man of the house Beelzebub, how much ra∣ther shall they call his household seruants so? And Luke xiiij. sayth Christ, Which of you disposed to builde a tower, sitteth not downe fyrst, and counteth the cost, whether he haue sufficient to performe it? lest when he hath layd the foundation, and then not able to per∣forme it, al that behold it, begin to mocke him, * 1.23 saying: this man beganne to builde, and was not able to make an ende: so likewise none of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, can be my disciple. Whosoeuer therefore casteth not this aforehand, I must ieoberd life, goods, honor, worship, and al that there is, for Chri∣stes sake.) deceaueth him selfe, and maketh a mocke of himselfe, vnto the godles hipocrites & infidels. No man can serue two maisters, God, and Mammon (that is to say) wicked riches also. Mathew. vj. Thou must loue Christ aboue all thing: but that doest thou * 1.24 not, if thou be not ready to forsake all for hys sake: if thou haue forsaken all for his sake, then art thou sure, that thou louest him. Tri∣bulation is our right baptisme, and is signifi∣ed by plunging into the water. Wee that are baptized in the name of Christ (sayth Paule Rom. vj.) are baptized to dye with him. * 1.25

The spirite through tribulation purgeth vs, and killeth our fleshly witte, our worldly vnderstādyng, and belly wisedome: and filleth vs full of the wisedome of God. Tribulation is a blessing that commeth of God, as witnes∣seth Christ, Math. v. Blessed are they that * 1.26 suffer persecution for righteousnes sake, for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen. Is not this a comfortable word? Who ought not ra∣ther to chuse and desire to be blessed w^t Christ in a little tribulation, then to be cursed perpe∣tually with the world for a little pleasure?

Prosperitie is a right curse, and a thing * 1.27 that God geueth vnto his enemies. Wo be to you ritch: (sayth Christ; Luke. vj.) loe, ye haue your consolation: wo be to you that are ful, for ye shall hunger: wo be to you that laugh, for ye shall weepe: wo be to you when men prayse you, for so did theyr fathers vnto the false prophetes: yea, and so haue our fa∣thers done vnto the false hypocrites. The hi∣pocrites with worldly preaching, haue not gotten the prayse onely, but euen the possessi∣ons also, and the dominion, and rule of the whole worlde.

Tribulation for righteousnes, is not a * 1.28 blessing onely: but also a gift that God geueth vnto none saue his speciall frendes. The A∣postles, Act. v. reioyced, that they were coun∣ted woorthy, to suffer rebuke for Christes sake. And Paule in the second epistle & third chapter to Timothe, sayth: All that will liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecutiō. And Philip. j. he sayth: Ʋnto you it is geuen not onely to beleue in Christ, but also to suffer for his sake. Here seest thou, that it is Gods gift, to suffer for Christes sake. And in the 1. Pet. 4. sayth: Happy are ye, if ye suffer for the name of Christ, for the glorious spirite of God resteth in you. Is it not an happy thing, to be sure, that thou art sealed with Gods spirite vnto euerlasting life? And verily thou art sure therof, if thou suffer patiently for his sake. By suffring art thou sure: but by perse∣cuting canst thou neuer be sure. For Paule Rom. 5. sayth: Tribulation maketh feeling, * 1.29 that is, it maketh vs feele the goodnesse of God, and his helpe, and the working of his spirite. 2. Cor. 12. the Lord sayd vnto Paul: My grace is sufficiēt for thee: for my strēgth is made perfect through weaknes. Lo, Christ is neuer strong in vs, till we be weake. As our strength abateth, so groweth the strength * 1.30 of Christ in vs: when we are cleane emptied of our own strength, then are we ful of Chri∣stes strength: & looke how much of our owne strength remayneth in vs, so much lacketh there of y^• strength of Christ. Therfore sayth Paule, 2. Cor. 12. Ʋery gladly will I re∣ioyce in my weaknes, that the strength of Christ may dwell in me: therfore haue I de∣lectation (sayth Paule) in infirmities, in re∣bukes, in need, in persecutions, and in anguish for Christes sake: for when I am weake, * 1.31 then am I strong. Meaning, that the weak∣nes of the fleshe, is the strength of the spirite. And by flesh vnderstand, wit, wisedome, and all that is in a man, before the spirite of God * 1.32 come, and whatsoeuer springeth not of the spirite of God, and of Gods woorde. And of like testimonies is all the scripture full.

Behold, God setteth before vs a blessing and also a curse. A blessing verely, and that a glorious and an euerlasting, if we will suffer * 1.33 tribulatiō and aduersity with our Lord, and sauiour Christ. And an euerlasting curse, if for a little pleasure sake, we withdrawe our selues from the chastysing & nurture of God, wherewith he teacheth all his sonnes, and fa∣shioneth them after his godly will, and ma∣keth them perfect (as he did Christ,) and ma∣keth them apte, and meete vessels to receiue his grace, and hys spirite, that they might per¦ceaue and feele the exceeding mercy which we haue in Christ, & the innumerable blessinges, and the vnspeakeable inheritance, whereunto we are called, and chosen, and sealed in our sa∣uiour Iesus Christ, vnto whome be prayse for euer. Amen.

Finally, whome God chuseth to raigne euerlastingly with christ, him sealeth he with his mighty spirite, and poureth strength into * 1.34 his hart to suffer afflictiōs also with Christ, for bearing witnesse vnto the truth. And this is the difference betwene the children of God

and of saluation, and betwene the children of the deuyll, and of damnation: that the children of God haue power in theyr hartes, to suffer for Gods worde, which is theyr life and sal∣uatiō, their hope, and trust, and whereby they liue in the soule, and spirite before God. And the children of the deuyll in time of aduersity flye from Christ, whome they followed fay∣nedly, theyr hartes not sealed with hys holy & mighty spirite, and gett them to the standerde of theyr right father the Deuyll, and take his * 1.35 wages, the pleasures of this world, which ar the earnest of euerlasting damnation: which conclusion the xij. chap. to the Hebrues, well confirmeth saying, My sonne despise not thou the chasticing of the Lord, neither faint whē thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord * 1.36 loueth, him he chasticeth: yea, & he scourgeth euery sonne whome he receaueth. To, perse∣cution and aduersitie for the truthes sake is Gods scourge, and Gods rod, and pertaineth vnto all his children indifferently: for when he sayth, he scourgeth euery sonne, he maketh none exception. Moreouer sayth the text: If ye shall endure chasticing, God offreth hym∣selfe vnto you, as vnto sonnes: what sonne is it that the father chasticeth not? If ye be not vnder correction (whereof all are partakers) then are ye bastardes, and not sonnes.

Forasmuch then as we must needes bee baptised in tribulations, and through the red sea, and a great, and a fearefull wildernes, & a land of cruell Giantes, into our naturall coū∣trey▪ yea, and in asmuch as it is a playne ear∣nest, that there is no other way into the king∣dome * 1.37 of life, then through persecution, & suf∣feryng of payne, & of very death, after the en∣sample of Christe: therefore let vs arme our soules with the comforte of the Scriptures: How that God is euer ready at hand in time of neede to helpe vs: and how that such ty∣rants and persecutors, are but gods scourge, and his rod to chastice vs. And as the father hath alway in time of correction the rod fast in his hand, so that the rod doth nothing, but as the father moueth it: euen so hath God all ty∣rantes * 1.38 in hys hande, and letteth them not do whatsoeuer they would, but as much onely, as he appoynteth them to do, and as far forth as it is necessarye for vs. And as when the childe submitteth himselfe vnto hys fathers correction and nurture, and humbleth himself altogether vnto the will of his father, thē the rod is taken away: euen so when we ar come vnto the knowledge of the right waye, and haue forsaken our owne will, and offer our selues cleane vnto the will of God, to walke which way soeuer he will haue vs: then tur∣neth he the tyrantes: or els, if they enforce to persecute vs any further, he putteth them out of the way, according vnto the comfortable ensamples of the scripture.

Moreouer, let vs arme our soules with the promises both of helpe and assistance, and * 1.39 also of the glorious rewarde that followeth. Great is your reward in heauē, sayth Christ, Math. 5. And he that knowledgeth mee be∣fore men, him will I knowledge before my father that is in heauen. Math. 10. and, Call on me in time of tribulation, and I wyll de∣liuer thee. Psal. 65. and, Beholde the eyes of the Lord are ouer them thet feare hym, and ouer them, that trust in hys mercy: to deliuer theyr soules from death, and to feede them in time of hunger. Psal. 46. And in Psal. 47. sayth Dauid, The Lorde is nygh them that are troubled in theyr hartes, and the meeke in spirite will he saue. The tribulations of the righteous are many, and out of them all will the Lord deliuer them. The Lord keepeth al the bones of them, so that not one of thē shall be brused. The Lord shal redeeme the soules of his seruauntes. And of such like consolati∣on are all the Psalmes full: woulde to God, when ye read them, ye vnderstood them. And Math. 10. When they deliuer you, take no thought what ye shall say: it shall be geuen you the same houre what ye shall say: for it is not ye that speake, but the spirite of your Fa∣ther which speaketh in you. The very heares of your heades are numbred, saith Christ also Math. 10. If God care for our heares, he much more careth for our soules, which he hath sealed with his holy spirite. Therefore sayth Peter, 1. Pet. 4. Cast all your care vp∣pon him: for he careth for you. And Paule 1. Cor. 10. sayeth: God is true, he wil not suf∣fer you to be tempted aboue your might. And Psal. 71. Cast thy care vpon the Lord.

Let thy care be to prepare thy selfe with * 1.40 all thy strength, for to walke which way he will haue thee, and to beleue that he will goe with thee, & assist thee, and strengthen thee a∣gaynst all tyrātes, & deliuer thee out of al tri∣bulatiō. But what way, or by what meanes he will do it, that committe vnto him, and his godly pleasure, and wisedome, and cast that care vpon him. And though it seeme neuer so vnlikely, or neuer so impossible vnto naturall reason, yet beleue stedfastly that he will do it: and then shall he (according to his olde vse) chainge the course of the worlde, euen in the twinckling of an eye, and come sodenly vpon our Gyantes, as a theefe in the night, and cō∣passe them in their wyles, and worldly wise∣dome, when they crye peace, & all is safe, then shall theyr sorrowes beginne, as the panges of a woman that traueileth with childe: and then shall he destroy them, and deliuer thee, vnto the glorious prayse of hys mercy and truth. Amen.

ANd as pertayning vnto them that despise Gods worde, counting it as a phantasie, or * 1.41 a dreame, and to them also that for feare of a little persecution fall from it, sette this before thyne eyes: how God since the beginning of the world, before a generall plague, euer sent his true prophetes, & preachers of his word, to warne the people, and gaue them time to repent. But they for the greatest part of thē, hardened theyr hartes, and persecuted the worde that was sent to saue them. And then God destroyed them vtterly, and tooke them cleane from the earth. As thou seest what fol∣lowed the preaching of Noe in y^• olde world, what folowed the preaching of Loth among * 1.42 the Sodomites, & the preachyng of Moses, and Aaron among the Egiptians, and that sodenly against all possibilitie of mans witte. Moreouer as ofte as the children of Israell fel from God to the worshipping of images, he sent his prophets vnto them: and they per∣secuted * 1.43 and waxed harde harted: and then he sent them into all places of the world captiue.

Last of all he sent his owne sonne vnto them: and they waxed more. hard harted then euer * 1.44 before: And see what a fearefull example of his wrath, and cruel vengeance he hath made of them vnto all the worlde, now almost fif∣teene hundred yeares.

Vnto the olde Brittaines also (which dwelled where our natiō doth now) preached * 1.45 Gildas, and rebuked them of theyr wicked∣nes, and prophesied both vnto the spirituall * 1.46 (as they will be called,) and vnto the lay men also, what vengeaunce would follow, except they repented. But they waxed hard harted: and God sente his plagues, and pestilences a∣mong them, and sent theyr enemies in vppon them on euery side, & destroyed them vtterly.

Marke also how Christ threateneth thē that forsake him, for whatsoeuer cause it be: whether for feare, eyther for shame, eyther for losse of honour, frendes, lyfe, or goodes▪ He that denyeth me before men, him will I de••y before my father, that is in heauen. He that loueth, father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me, all thys he sayth Math. 10. And in Mark. 8. he sayth: Whosoeuer is a∣shamed of me, or my wordes, among this a∣dulterous and sinfull generation, of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed, when he com∣meth in the glory of his father, with his holy * 1.47 Angels. And Luk. 9. also: None that layeth his hande to the plowe, and looketh backe, is meete for the kingdome of heauen.

Neuerthelesse yet, if any man haue resi∣sted * 1.48 ignorantly as Paule did, let him looke on the truth which Paule wrote after he came to knowledge. Also if any man cleane against his hart (but ouercome with the weaknes of the flesh) for feare of persecution, haue denied as Peter did, or haue deliuered his booke, or put it away secretly: let him (if he repente) come again, and take better hold, and not di∣spayre or take it for a signe that God hath for∣saken him: for God ofttimes taketh hys * 1.49 strength euen frō his very elect, whē they ei∣ther trust in theyr own strength, or are negli∣gent to call to him for his strength. And that doth hee to teach thē, & to make thē feele that in that fire of tribulatiō for his wordes sake, nothing can endure and abide, saue his word, and that strēgth onely, which he hath promi∣sed. For the which strength he will haue vs to praye vnto him night and day, wyth all instance.

THat thou mayst perceyue how that y^• scri∣pture * 1.50 ought to be in the mother tounge: and that the reasons which our sprites make for the contrary, are but sophistry and false wiles to feare thee from the light, that thou mightest follow them blindfolde, and be theyr captiue to honor theyr ceremonies, and to of∣fer to theyr belly.

First God gaue the children of Israell a law by the hande of Moses, in their mother tounge, and all the prophetes wrote in theyr mother tounge, and all the Psalmes were in the mother tongue. And there was Christ but figured, and described in ceremonies, in riddles, in parables, and in darck prophecies. What is the cause that we may not haue the olde Testament, with the new also, which is the light of the olde, and wherin is openly de∣clared before the eyes, that there was darckly prophesied? I can imagine no cause verely, except it be that we should not see the woorke of Antechrist, & iugglyng of hipocrites: what shoulde be the cause, that we which walke in the broad day, should not see, as well as they that walked in the night, or that wee shoulde not see as well at noone, as they did in y^• twy∣light? Came Christ to make the world more blinde? By this meanes, Christ is the dark∣nes of the world, and no•• the light, as he saith him selfe, Iohn. 8.

Moreouer Moses saith, Deut. 6. Heare Israell, let these wordes which I cōmaunde thee thys day sticke fast in thine hart, & whet * 1.51 thē on thy children, & talke of thē as thou sit∣test in thine house, & as thou walkest by the way, & when thou lyest downe, & when thou risest vp, & binde them for a token to thyne hand, & let them be a remembraunce betwene thine eyes, & write thē on the pos••es & gates of thine house. This was commaūded gene∣rally vnto all men: How cometh it that gods word pertaineth lesse vnto vs, thē vnto the? Yea, howe commeth it, that our Moysesses forbid vs, and commaund vs the contrary, & threaten vs if we do, & will not that we once speake of Gods worde. How can we whette Gods word (that is, to put it in practise, vse, & exercise) vpō our children & houshold, whē we are violently kepte from it, and knowe it not? How can we (as Peter commaundeth) geue a reason of our hope, when we wot not what it is that God hath promised, or what to hope? Moyses also commaundeth in the sayd chapter: If the sonne aske what the te∣stimonies, lawes, and obseruaunces of the Lorde meane, that the father teach him. If our childrē aske what our cerimonies (which * 1.52 are moe then the Iewes were) meane: no fa∣ther can tell his sonne. And in the xj. chapter, he repeteth all againe for feare of forgetting.

They will say happely, the scripture re∣quireth a pure minde, and a quiet minde. And therefore the lay man because he is altogether combred with worldly busines, can not vn∣derstand them. If that be the cause, then it is a plaine case, that our prelates vnderstand not the Scriptures them selues: for no lay man is so tangled with worldly busines as they are. The great thinges of the worlde are mi∣nistred by them: neyther do the lay people any great thing, but at their assignement.

If the Scripture were in the mother tongue, they will say, then would the lay peo∣ple vnderstande it, euery man after his owne wayes. Wherfore serueth the Curate, but to teach him the right way? Wherfore were the holy dayes made, but that the people shoulde * 1.53 come and learne? Are yee not abhominable scholemaisters, in that ye take so great wages * 1.54 if ye will not teach? If ye would teach, how could ye do it so well, and with so great pro∣fite, as when the lay people haue the scripture before them in theyr mother tongue? for then should they see by the order of the text, whe∣ther thou iugledest or not: and then woulde they beleue it, because it is y^• scripture of god, thoughe thy liuyng be neuer so abhominable. * 1.55 Where now, because your liuing, & your prea∣ching are so contrary, and because they grope out in euery sermon your open, and manifest lyes, and smell your vnsatiable couetousnes,

they beleue you not when you preach truth. But alas, the Curates them selues (for the * 1.56 most part) wot no more what the new or olde Testament meaneth, then do the Turkes: neither know they of any more then that they read at masse, mattens, and euensong, which yet they vnderstande not: neyther care they, but euen to mumble vp so much euery day (as the Pye and Poymgay speake, they wot not what) to sill vp theyr bellies withall. If they will not let the lay man haue the woorde of God in hys mother tounge, yet let the priests haue it, which for a great part of them do vn∣derstand * 1.57 no latine at all: but sing, and say, and patter all day with the lips onely, that which the hart vnderstandeth not.

Christ commaundeth to search the scrip∣tures. * 1.58 Iohn. 5. Though that miracles bare recorde vnto hys doctrine, yet desired he no fayth to be geuen eyther vnto hys doctrine, or vnto hys miracles, without recorde of the scripture. When Paule preached Act. 17. the other searched the scriptures dayly, whether they were as he alleaged them. Why shal not I likewise see, whether it be the scripture y^• thou alleagest: yea, why shall I not see the scripture and the circumstaunces, and what goeth before and after, that I may knowe whether thine interpretation be y^• right sence, or whether thou iuglest, and drawest the scri∣pture violently vnto thy carnall and fleshlye purpose? or whether thou be about to teache me, or to disccaue me.

Christ sayth, that there shall come false prophets in his name, and say that they them¦selues are Christ, that is, they shall so preache christ that mē must beleue in thē, in their ho∣lines, and thinges of their imagination w^tout gods word: yea, & that agaynst Christ or An∣techrist that shall come, is nothyng but suche false prophetes that shall iuggle with the scri∣pture, and beguile the people with false inter∣pretatiōs, as all the false prophetes, scribes, & pharisies did in y^t old Testamēt. How shall I know whether ye are agaynst Christ, or fals prophetes, or no, seing ye will not let me see how ye alleage the scriptures? Christ sayth: By theyr deedes ye shall know them. Now * 1.59 when we looke on your deeds, we see that ye are all sworne together, and haue seperated yourselues from the lay people, and haue a se∣uerall kingdome amōg your selues, and seue∣rall lawes of your owne making, wherewith ye violently binde the lay people that neuer * 1.60 consented vnto the making of them. A thou∣sand thinges forbidde ye, which Christ made free, and dispence with them agayne for mo∣ney: neyther is there any exception at all, but lacke of money. Ye haue a secret counsell by your selues. All other mens secretes & coun∣sels know ye, and no man yours: ye seek but honour, riches, promotion, authoritie, and to raigne ouer all, and will obey no man. If the father geue you ought of curtesie, ye will cō∣pell the sonne to geue it violently, whether he will or not, by crafte of your owne lawes. These deedes are against Christ.

When a whole parish of vs hyre a schole∣maister to teach our children, what reason is it, that we shoulde be compelled to pay thys scholemaister his wages, and he should haue licence to goe where he wil, and to dwell in an other contrey, and to leaue our children vn∣taught? Doth not the pope so? Haue we not geuen vp our tithes of curtesie vnto one, for to teach vs Gods worde? and commeth not the pope, and compelleth vs to pay it violent∣ly to them that neuer teach? Maketh he not one Parson, which neuer commeth at vs? * 1.61 yea, one shall haue v. or vj. or as many as he can get, and wotteth oftentimes where neuer one of them standeth. Another is made Ʋi∣care, * 1.62 to whom he geueth a dispensation to goe where he will, and to set in a parishe priest which can but minister a sort of dumme cere∣monies. * 1.63 And he because he hath most labour and least profite, polleth on hys part, and fet∣teth here a masse peuy, there a trentall, yon∣der dirige money, and for his beadroule with a confession peny, and such like. And thus are we neuer taught, and are yet neuertheles compelled: ye compelde to hyre many costly scholemasters. These deedes are verely a∣gaynst Christ. Shall we therefore iudge you by your dedes, as Christ commaundeth? So are ye false Prophetes, and the Disciples of Antechrist, or agaynst Christ.

The Sermons which thou readest in the Actes of the Apostles, and all that the Apo∣stles preached, were no doubt preached in the mother tongue. Why then might they not be written in the mother tounge? As if one of vs preach a good sermon, why may it not be written? Saint Hierome also translated the Bible into his mother tounge: Why may not we also? They will say it can not be transla∣ted into our tounge it is so rude. It is not so rude as they are false lyers. For the Greeke tounge agreeth more with the English then wyth the Latin. And the properties of the * 1.64 Hebrue tounge agreeth a thousand tymes more wyth the Englishe, then wyth the La∣tyn. The maner of speaking is both one, so that in a thousand places thou needest not but to trāslate it into the English, worde for worde, when thou must seeke a compasse in the Latin, and yet shalt haue much worke to translate it welfauouredly, so that it haue the same grace & swetenesse, sence & pure vnder∣standing with it in the Latin, & as it hath in the Hebrue. A thousand partes better maye it be translated into the English, thē into the Latin. Yea, and except my memory fayle me, and that I haue forgotten what I red whē I was a childe, thou shalt finde in the Eng∣lishe cronicle, how that kyng Adelstone cau∣sed * 1.65 the holy Scripture to be translated into the tounge that then was in Englande, and how the Prelates exhorted him thereunto.

Moreouer seyng that one of you euer * 1.66 preacheth contrary to an other: and when two of you meete, the one disputeth & brau∣leth wyth the other, as it were two scoldes. And forasmuch as one holdeth this Doctor, and an other that: One foloweth Duns, an * 1.67 other Saint Thomas, an other Bonauen∣ture, Alexāder de hales, Raymond, Lyre, Brygot, Dorbell, Holcot, Gorram, Trum∣bett, Hugo de sancto victore, De monte regio, De noua uilla, De media villa, and such lyke out of nūber. So that if thou had∣dest but of euery authour one booke, thou couldest not pyle them vp in any ware house

in London, and euery authour is one con∣trary vnto an other. In so great diuersitie of spirites, how shall I know who lyeth, and who sayeth truth? Whereby shall I trye thē and iudge them? Ʋerely by Gods worde which onely is true. But how shall I that do, when thou wilt not let me see scripture?

Nay say they, the scriptures is so harde that thou couldest neuer vnderstand it but by the Doctours. That is, I must measure the mete yarde by the cloth. Here be twenty clo∣thes of diuers lengthes & of diuers bredthes. How shall I be sure of the length of the mete yarde by them? I suppose rather I must be first sure of the length of the mete yarde, and thereby measure, and iudge the clothes. If I must first beleue the Doctour, then is the Doctour first true, and the truth of the scrip∣ture dependeth of hys truth, & so the truth of God springeth of the truth of man. Thus Antechrist turneth the rotes of the trees vp∣warde. What is the cause that we damne * 1.68 some of Origenes workes, and alowe some? How know we that some is heresy, and some not? By the scripture I trow. How know we that Saint Augustine (which is the best or one of the best that euer wrote vpon the Scripture) wrote many thynges amisse at the beginning, as many other Doc∣tours * 1.69 doe? Ʋerely by the Scriptures, as he hymselfe well perceaued afterward when he looked more diligently vpon them, and reuo∣ked many thynges agayne. He wrote of ma∣ny thinges which he vnderstode not when he was newly conuerted, yer he had throughly seene the Scriptures: and folowed the opini∣ons of Plato, and the common perswasions of mans wisedom, that were then famous. * 1.70

They wyll say yet more shamefully, that no man can vnderstād the Scriptures with∣out Philautia, that is to say, Philosophy. A man muste first bee well seene in Aristotle, yer he cā vnderstand the Scripture say they. * 1.71 Aristotles doctrine is, that the worlde was wythout beginning, and shall be wythout ende, and that the first man neuer was, and the last shall neuer be. And that God doth all of necessitie, neither careth what we doe, nei∣ther wyll aske any accomptes of that we do. * 1.72 Wythout thys doctrine how coulde we vn∣derstande the Scripture that sayth, God created the world of nought, and God wor∣keth all thyng of hys free wyll, and for a se∣cret purpose, & that we shall all ryse agayne, and that God will haue accomptes of all that * 1.73 we haue done in thys lyfe. Aristotle sayth. Geue a man a lawe, and he hath power of hymselfe to doe or fulfill the lawe, and becō∣meth righteous wyth workyng righteously. * 1.74 But Paule and all the scripture sayth, that the lawe doth but vtter sinne onely, and hel∣peth not. Neyther hath any man power to doe the lawe, tyll the spirite of God be geuen hym through fayth in Christ. Is it not a madnes then to say that we coulde not vn∣derstand the Scripture wythout Aristotle? * 1.75 Aristotles righteousnes, and all hys vertues spring of mans free wyll. And a Turke and euery Infidell and Idolater may be righte∣ous, and vertuous wyth that righteousnes & those vertues. Moreouer Aristotles felicitie and blessednes standeth in auoyding of all tri∣bulatiōs, and in riches, health, honour, wor∣ship, frendes and authoritie, which felicitie pleaseth our spiritualty well. Now without these and a thousand such lyke pointes, coul∣dest thou not vnderstand Scripture, which * 1.76 sayth that righteousnes commeth by Christ, and not of mans will, and how that vertues are the fruites, and the gift of Gods spirite, and that Christ blesseth vs in tribulations, persecution, and aduersitie. How, I say, couldest thou vnderstād the scripture with∣out Philosophy, in as much as Paule in the * 1.77 second to the Collossians warned them to be∣ware least any man should spoyle them (that is to say, robbe them of their fayth in Christ) thorough Philosophy and deceitful vanities, and thorough the traditions of men, and or∣dinaunces after y^e world, & not after Christ▪

By this meanes then, thou wilt that no man teach an other, but that euery man take the Scripture, and learne by hymselfe. Nay * 1.78 verely, so say I not. Neuerthelesse, seyng that ye wyll not teach, if any man thyrst for the truth, and read the Scripture by hym∣selfe, desiring God to open the dore of know∣ledge vnto him, god for his truthes sake wil, and must teach hym. Howbeit my meaning is, that as a mayster teacheth his prentice to know all the poyntes of the mete yarde, first how many inches, how many feete, and the halfe yarde, the quarter, and the nayle, and then teacheth him to mete other things ther∣by: euen so will I that ye teach the people * 1.79 Gods lawe, and what obedience God requi∣reth of vs vnto father and mother, mayster, Lord, King, and all superiours, and wyth what frendly loue he commaundeth one to loue an other. And teach them to know that naturall vename, and byrth poyson, which moueth the very harts of vs to rebell against the ordinaunces and will of God, and proue that no man is righteous in the sight of God, but that we are all damned by the lawe. And then (whē thou hast meeked them, and feared them wyth the lawe) teache them the testa∣ment, and promises which God hath made vnto vs in Christ, and how much he loueth vs in Christ. And teach them the principles, and the ground of the fayth, and what the sa∣cramentes signifie, and then shall the spirite worke wyth thy preaching, & make thē feele. So would it come to passe, that as we know by naturall wit, what followeth of a true principle of naturall reasō: euē so by y^e princi∣ples of y^e fayth, & by y^• plaine scriptures, & by the circumstāces of the text, should we iudge all mēs exposition, and all mens doctrine, and should receaue the best, and refuse the worst. I woulde haue you to teach them also the properties, and maner of speakinges of the scripture, and how to expound prouerbes and similitudes. And then if they goe abroad, and walke by the fieldes, and medowes of all ma∣ner doctours and Philosophers, they coulde catch no harme. They should discerne the poyson from the hoonny, and bring home no∣thyng, * 1.80 but that which is holsome.

But now do ye cleane contrary, ye driue them from Gods worde, and will let no man come therto, vntil he haue ben two yeres mai∣ster of art. First they nosel them in sophistry, and in benefundatum. And there corrupt they their iudgementes with apparent argumēts, and wyth alleaging vnto them textes of Lo∣gike,

of naturall P•…•…ia. of metaphisike, and morall Philosophy, & of all maner bookes of Aristotle, and of all maner Doctours which they yet neuer sawe. Moreouer one holdeth this, an other that. One is reall, an other no∣minall. What wonderfull dreames haue they * 1.81 of their Predicamentes, vniuersales, second intentions, Quidities, Hecseities. and Rela∣tiues? And whether Species sundata in chimerae, be •…•…aspecies. And whether this proposition be true, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 eus est aliquid. Whether eus be ••quiuocum, or 〈…〉〈…〉. ••ns is a voyce onely say some. Ens is 〈…〉〈…〉 saith an other, and descendeth in∣to ens crea•…•…▪ and into e••s increatum per mod••s in∣•…•…s•…•…os. whē they haue this wise brauled viij. x. or xij. or moo yeares, and after that their iudgementes are vtterly corrupt: then they beginne their diuinitie. Not at the scripture: * 1.82 but euery man taketh a sundry Doctour, which Doctours are as sundry, and as di∣uers, the one cōtrary vnto the other, as there * 1.83 are diuers fashions and monstrous shapes, none like an other, among our secres of reli∣gion. Euery religion, euery vniuersitie, and almost euery man hath a sundry diuinitie. Now what soeuer opinions euery man fyn∣deth wyth his Doctour, that is his Gospel, and that onely is true with him, and that hol∣deth he all his life long, and euery man to maintaine his Doctour with all, corrupteth the Scripture & fashioneth it after his owne imagination, as a Potter doth his claye. Of what text thou prouest hell, will an other proue purgatory, an other Lymbo p••trum, and an other the assumption of our Lady: And an other shall proue of the same text that an Ape hath a tayle. And of what texte the Graye Fryer proueth that our Lady was without originall sinne, of the same shall the blacke Fryer proue that she was conceaued in ori∣ginall sinne. And all this do they wyth appa∣rent reasons, with false similitudes, and like∣nesses, and with argumentes and perswasi∣ons of mans wisedome. Now there is no o∣ther diuisiōn or heresy in the world saue mās * 1.84 wisedome, and when mans folishe wisedome interpreteth the scripture. Mans wisedome * 1.85 ••••atereth, diuideth and maketh sectes, while the wisedome of one is that a white coate is best to serue God in, & an other saith a black, an other a graye, an other a blew: And while one saith that God will heare your prayer in this place, an other saith in that place: And while one saith this place is holyer, and an other, that place is holyer, and this religion * 1.86 is holyer then that, and this Saint is grea∣ter with God then that, & an hundred thou∣sand like thinges. Mans wisedome is plaine idolatry, neither is there any other idolatry thē to imagine of God after mans wisdome. God is not mans imagination, but that onely which he saith of himselfe. God is nothyng but hys law, and his promises, that is to say, that which he biddeth thee to doe, and that which he biddeth thee beleue and hope. God is but his worde: as Christ sayth Iohn. 8. I am that I say vnto you, that is to say, that which I preach am I. My words are spirite and life. God is that onely which he testifieth of himselfe, and to imagine any o∣ther thing of God then that, is damnable ido∣latry. Therefore saith the 118. Psalme. Hap∣py are they which search y^• testimonies of the Lord, that is to say, that which God testifi∣eth, and witnesseth vnto vs. But how shall I that doe, when ye will not let me haue his * 1.87 testimonies, or witnesses in a toūge which I vnderstand? Will ye resist God? Will ye for∣bid hym to geue hys spirite vnto the laye as well vnto you? Hath he not made y^e English tounge? Why forbidde ye hym to speake in the Englishe tounge then, as well as in the Latine?

Fynally that this threatning and forbid∣ding the laye people to reade the Scripture * 1.88 is not for loue of your soules (which they care for, as the Foxe both for the Geesse) is euident and clearer then the Sunne, in as much as they permitte and suffer you to read Robbin Hode & Beuis of Hampton, Her∣cules, Hector, and Troylus, with a thou∣sand histories and fables of loue and wanto∣nes, and of rybaudry, as filthy as hart can thinke, to corrupt the mindes of youth with∣all, cleane contrary to the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles. For Paule (Ephes. v.) sayth: see that fornication and all vncleannes or couetousnes be not once named amonge you, as it becommeth Saintes: neither fil∣thines, neither foolishe talking, nor gesting whiche are not comely. For this ye knowe that no whoremonger either vncleane person or couetous person (which is the worship∣per of images) hath any enheritaunce in the kyngdome of Christ and of God. And after sayth he, thorough such thyngs commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of vnbeliefe. Now seyng they permitte you freely to reade * 1.89 those thynges which corrupte your myndes, and robbe you of the kingdome of God and Christ, and bring the wrath of God vpon you, how is this forbidding, for loue of your soules?

A thousand reasons moe might be made (as thou mayst see in Paraclesis Erasmi, & in his preface to the paraphasis of Mathew) vnto which they should be cōpelled to holde their peace, or to geue shamefull aunsweres. But I hope that these are sufficient vnto them that thyrst the truth. God for his mercy and truth shall well open them moe: yea, and other secretes of hys Godly wisedome, if they be diligent to cry vnto him, which grace graunt God. Amen.

¶ The Prologue vnto the booke.

FOr asmuch as our holy Prelates and our ghostly religious, which ought * 1.90 to defēd gods word, speake euil of it and do all the shame they cā to it, & rayle on it & beare their captiues in hād, that it causeth insurrectiō & teacheth the people to disobey their heades & gouer∣nours, & moueth thē to rise against their Princes, and to make all common and to * 1.91 make hauoke of other mēs goodes: ther∣fore haue I made this litle treatise that foloweth cōteinyng all obedience, that is of god. In which (who soeuer readeth it) shal easly perceaue, not the cōtrary onely & that they lye: but also the very cause of

such blasphemy, and what stirreth thē so furiously to rage and to belye the truth?

Howbeit, it is no new thyng vnto the word of God to be rayled vpon, neither is this the first tyme that hypocrites haue ascribed to Gods worde the vengeaunce * 1.92 where of they thē selues were euer cause. For the hypocrites with their false doc∣trine and Idolatry haue euermore ledde the wrath and vengeaunce of God vpon the people, so sore that God could no lē∣ger forbeare nor differre his punishmēt. Yet God, which is alwayes mercyfull, be∣fore he would take vengeaūce, hath euer sent hys true Prophetes and true Prea∣chers, to warne the people that they might repent. But the people for the most part, and namely the heades and rulers through comfort and persuadyng of the hyopcrites, haue euer waxed more hard harted then before, and haue persecuted the word of God and his Prophetes. Thē God whiche is also righteous, hath al∣wayes poured his plagues vppon them without delay. Which plagues the hypo∣crites ascribe vnto Gods word saying: see * 1.93 what mischeue is come vpō vs sence this new learnyng came vp and this new sect and this newe doctrine. This seest thou Hieremias. xliiij. Where the people cryed to goe to their old Idolatry agayne say∣ing: sence we left it, we haue bene in all necessitie and haue bene consumed with warre and hunger. But the Prophet aun∣swered them, that their Idolatry wēt vn∣to the hart of God, so that he could no lenger suffer the maliciousnes of theyr owne imaginations or inuētions, & that the cause of all such mischieues was, be∣cause they would not heare the voyce of the Lord and walke in his law, ordinaun∣ces and testimonies. The Scribes and the * 1.94 Phariseis layd also to Christes charge (Luke. xxiij.) that be moued the people to sedition. And sayd to Pylate, we haue found this felow peruertyng the people and forbiddyng to pay tribute to Caesar, and sayth that he is Christ a kyng. And a∣gayne in the same Chapter, hee moueth the people (sayd they) teachyng through∣out Iury and began at Galile euen to this place. So likewise layd they to the Apo∣stles charge, as thou mayst see in the A∣ctes. S. Cyprian also and S. Augustine and many other mo made workes in defence of the word of God against such blasphe∣mies: So that thou mayst see, how that it is no new thyng, but an old and accusto∣med thyng with the hypocrites to wyte Gods word and the true Preachers of all the mischieue which their lying doctrine is the very cause of.

Neuer the later in very dede, after the preachyng of Gods worde, because it is * 1.95 not truly receaued, God sendeth great trouble into the world: partly to auenge hym selfe of the tyrauntes and persecu∣tours of his worde: and partly to destroye those worldly people whiche make of Gods word nothyng but a cloke of their fleshly libertie. They are not all good that folow the Gospell. Christ (Math. xiij.) like neth the kyngdome of heauen vnto a net cast in the Sea that katcheth fishes both good and bad The kyngdome of heauen is the preachyng of the Gospell, vnto which come both good and bad. But the good are fewe. Christ calleth them * 1.96 therfore a litle flocke. Luke xij. For they are euer few that come to the Gospell of a true entent seekyng therin nothyng but the glorye and prayse of God, and offe∣ring thē selues frely and willingly to take aduersitie with Christe for the Gospels sake and for bearyng recorde vnto the * 1.97 truth, that al men may heare it. The grea∣test nomber come and euer came and fo∣lowed euen Christ hym selfe for a world∣ly purpose. As thou mayst well see (Iohn vj.) howe that almost fiue thousand fo∣lowed Christ and would also haue made hym a kyng, because he had well fedde them. Whom he rebuked saying: ye seke me not, because ye saw the miracles: But because ye eat of the bread and were fil∣led, and droue them away from him with hard preachyng.

Euen so now (as euer) the most parte seke libertie. They be glad when they * 1.98 heare the vnsatiable couetousnes of the spiritualitie rebuked: When they heare their falsehood and wiles vttered: When tyrāny and oppressiō is preached against: When they heare how kynges and all of∣ficers should rule christenly and brother∣ly, & seke no other thyng saue the wealth of their subiectes: and when they heare that they haue no such authoritie of God so to pylle and polle, as they doe and to raise vp taxes and gatherynges to mayn∣teine their phantasies and to make warre they wote not for what cause. And there∣fore because the heades will not so rule, will they also no longer obey, but resiste * 1.99 and rise agaynst their euill heades. And one wicked destroyeth an other. Yet is Gods word not the cause of this, neither yet the preachers. For though that Christ hym selfe taught all obedience, how that it is not lawfull to resiste wrong (but for the officer that is appointed thereunto) and howe a man must loue his very ene∣my, & pray for them that persecute him and blesse them that curse hym, and how

that all vengeaunce must bee remitted to God, and that a man must forgeue, if hee wil be forgeuen of God. Yet the people for the most part receaued it not. They were euer ready to rise, and to fight. For euer when the Scribes and Phariseis wēt about to take Christ, they were afraide of the people. Not on the holy day (sayde they Math. xxvj.) lest any rumour aryse a∣mong the people. And Math. xxi. They would haue takē him, but they feared the people. And Luke. xx. Christe asked the Phariseis a question vnto whiche they durst not aūswere, lest the people should haue stoned them.

Last of all for as much as the very Di∣sciples * 1.100 and Apostles of Christ, after so lōg hearyng of Christes doctrine, were yet ready to fight for Christe cleane agaynst Christes teachyng. As Peter (Math. xxvi.) drew his sword but he was rebuked. And Luke. ix. Iames and Iohn would haue had fire to come from heauen, to cōsume the Samaritanes, and to auenge the iniury of Christe: but were likewise rebuked, if Christes Disciples were so long carnall what wonder is it, if we be not all perfect the first daye? Yea in as much as we bee * 1.101 taught euen of very babes, to kil a Turke, to slea a Iewe, to burne an hereticke, to fight for the liberties and right of the Church as they cal it: yea, and in asmuch as wee are brought in belefe, if wee shed the bloud of our euen Christen, or if the sonne shed the bloud of hys father that begat hym, for the defence, not of the Popes Godhead onely, but also for what so euer cause it bee, yea though it be for no cause, but that his holynes commaun∣deth it onely, that we deserue as much as Christ deserued for vs, when he dyed on the crosse: or if we be slaine in the quarel, that our soules goe, nay flye to heauen, and be there ere our bloud be cold. In as much (I saye) as we haue sucked in suche bloudy imaginatiōs into the bottome of our harts, euen with our mothers milke, and haue ben so long hardened therein, what wonder were it, if while we be yet young in Christ, we thought that it were lawful to fight, for the true word of god? Yea and though a man were throughly persuaded that it were not lawful to resist his kyng, thoughe he would wrongfully take away lyfe and goodes: Yet might he thinke that it were lawful to resist the hi∣pocrites and to rise, not agaynst his kyng: but with his kyng to deliuer his kyng out of bondage and captiuitie, wherin the hi∣pocrites hold hym with wyles and false∣hode, so that no man may bee suffered to come at him, to tell him the trouth.

This seest thou, that it is the bloudy doctrine of the Pope, which causeth dis∣obedience, * 1.102 rebellion and insurrectiō. For hee teacheth to sight, and to defende hys traditions, and what soeuer he dreameth with fire, water and sworde, and to diso∣bey Father, Mother, Master, Lorde, Kyng and Emperour: Yea, and to inuade what * 1.103 so euer lād or natiō that will not receaue and admit his Godhead. Where the pea∣ceable doctrine of Christe teacheth to o∣bey, and to suffer for the word of God, & to remit the vengeaunce and the defense of the word to god, which is mighty and able to defende it, which also as soone as * 1.104 the worde is once openly preached, and testified or witnessed vnto the world, and when he hath geuen them a season to re∣pent, is ready at once to take vengeaunce of his enemies, and shoteth arrowes with heades dipte in deadly poyson at them, and poureth hys plagues from heauen downe vpon them, and sendeth the mo∣ren and pestilence among them, and sin∣keth the Cities of them, and maketh the earth swalow them, and cōpasseth them in their wyles, and taketh them in theyr owne trappes and snares, and casteth thē into the pittes whiche they digged for o∣ther men, and sendeth them a dasyng in in the head, and vtterly destroyeth them with their owne suttle councell. Prepare * 1.105 thy mynde therefore vnto this litle trea∣tise and read it discretly, and iudge it in∣differently, and when I alledge any Scrip∣ture, loke thou on the text, whether I in∣terprete it right: whiche thou shalt easely perceaue, by the circumstance and pro∣cesse of thē, if thou make Christ the foun∣dation and ground, and build all on him, and referrest all to hym, and findest also that the expositiō agreeth vnto the com∣mon Articles of the faith, and opē scrip∣tures. And GOD the father of mercy, whiche for hys truthes sake raysed our Sauiour Christ vp agayne to iu∣stifie vs, geue thee hys spirite to iudge what is righteous, in his eyes, and geue the strength to abyde by it, and to mayntayne it withall patience, and long suffe∣ryng, vnto the example and edifying of his congrega∣tion, and glory of his name.

Amen.

The obedience of all de∣grees proued by Gods word and first of children vn∣to theyr elders.

GOd (which worketh all in all thynges) for a secrete iudgement and purpose and for hys godly plea∣sure, prouided an houre that thy father and mo∣ther should come together, to make thee throughe them. He was present with thee in thy mothers wombe and fashioned thee & brethed lyfe into thee, and for y^t great loue he had vnto thee, prouided milke in thy mothers brestes for thee agaynst thou were borne: mo∣ued also thy father and mother and all other to loue thee, to pitie thee and to care for thee.

And as he made thee through them, so hath he cast thee vnder the power & authoritie of them, to obeye and serue them in his stede, saying: honor thy fa∣ther and mother. Exo. xx. Which is not * 1.106 to be vnderstand in bowyng the knee and puttyng of the cappe onely, but that thou loue them with al thyne hart and feare and drede them and wayte on their commaundementes, and seke their worshyp, pleasure, will and pro∣fite in all thynges, and geue thy life for them, counting them worthy of all ho∣nour, remembryng that thou art theyr good and possession, & that thou owest vnto thē thine owne selfe, and all thou art able, yea and more then thou art able to doe.

Vnderstand also that what soeuer * 1.107 thou doest vnto thē (be it good or bad) thou doest vnto God. Whē thou plea∣sest them, y^• pleasest god: whē thou dis∣pleasest thē, thou displeasest God: whē they are angry with thee, god is angry w^t thee: neither is it possible for thee to come vnto y^• fauour of God againe (no though all the aūgels of heauē pray for thee) vntil thou haue submitted thy self vnto thy father and mother agayne.

If thou obey (though it be but car∣nally * 1.108 (either for feare, for vayne glorie or profite) thy blessyng shalbe long lyfe vpon the earth. For he sayth, honour thy father and mother, that thou mayest liue long vpon the earth. Exod. xx. Con∣trarywise * 1.109 if thou disobey them, thy life shalbe shortned vpon the earth. For it foloweth. Exod. xxj. He that smiteth his father or mother shalbe put to death for it. And he that curseth (that is to say, rayleth or dishonoured hys father or mother with opprobrious woordes) shalbe slayne for it. And Deut. xx••. If any man haue a sonne stubburne and disobe∣dient, which heareth not the voyce of his father and the voyce of hys mother, so that they haue taught hym nurtoure and he regardeth them not, then let his father and mother take hym, & bryng him forth vnto the Seniours, or elders of the Citie and vnto the gate of the same place. And let them say vnto the Seniours of that Ci¦tie: this our sonne is stubburne, and dis∣obedient. He will not harken vnto our voyce: he is a rioter, and a dronkard. Thē let the men of the Citie, stone hym with stones vnto death: so shall ye put awaye wickednesse from among you, and all Is∣raell shall heare and shall feare.

And though that the temporall offi∣cers (to their owne damnation) be ne∣gligent in punishing such disobedience (as the spirituall officers are to teache it) and winke at it or looke on it tho∣rough the fingers: yet shall they not scape vnpunished. For the vengeance * 1.110 of God shall accōpanie them (as thou mayst see Deut. xxviij.) With all mis∣fortune and euill lucke, & shall not de∣part from them vntill they be murde∣red, drownde or hanged, either vntill by one mischaunce or an other they be vtterly brought to nought. Yea & the world often tymes hangeth many a man for that they neuer deserued, but God hāgeth them because they would not obey and harkē vnto their elders: as the consciences of many well finde when they come vnto the galowes. There can they preach and teach other, that whiche they thē selues would not learne in season.

The Mariage also of the children * 1.111 perteineth vnto their elders, as thou mayst see. i. Cor. vij. and throughout all the Scripture, by the authoritie of the sayd commaundement, child obey father and mother. Whiche thyng the heathen and gentiles haue euer kept and to this day keepe, vnto thee great shame and rebuke of vs Christē: in as * 1.112 much as the weddyngs of our virgins (shame it is to speake it) are more lyke vnto the saute of a bitche, then the ma∣riyng of a reasonable creature. Se not we dayly three or foure calengyng one woman before the Commissary or Of∣ficiall, of whiche not one hath the con∣sent of her father and mother. And yet hee that hath most money, hath best right, and shall haue her in the despite of all her frendes and in deffiaunce of

Gods ordinaunces.

Moreouer when she is geuen by the iudge vnto y^t one party, & also maried, euen then oft tymes shall the contrary party sue before an hyer iudge, or an o∣ther that succedeth the same, & for mo∣ney deuorce her agayne. So shameful∣ly doth the couetousnes and ambition of our Prelates mocke with the lawes of God. I passe ouer with silence how many yeares they will prolōg the sen∣tence with cauillations and suttletie, if they be well monyed on both parties, * 1.113 and if a damsel promise ij. how shame∣full Councel they will geue the second, and also how the religious of Sathan do separate vnseperable matrimonie. For after thou art lawfully maryed at the commaundemēt of father and mo∣ther, and with the consent of all thy frendes: yet if thou wilt be disgised eke * 1.114 vnto one of them, and sweare obediēce vnto their traditions, thou mayst diso∣bey father and mother, breake the othe which thou hast sworne to God before his holy congregation, and withdraw loue and charitie the hyest of Gods cō∣maundements, and that dutie and ser∣uice which thou owest vnto thy wife: whereof Christ can not dispence with thee. For Christ is not agaynst God, but with God, and came not to breake Gods ordinaunces, but to fulfill them. That is, hee came to ouercome thee w^t kindnes, and to make thee to do of ve∣ry loue the thyng which the law cōpel∣leth thee to doe. For loue onely and to do seruice vnto thy neighbour is the fulfillyng of the law in y^t sight of God. To be a Monke or a Frier, thou mayst thus forsake thy wife before thou hast lyne with her, but not to be a seculare priest. And yet after thou art professed, the Pope for money wil dispence with * 1.115 thee, both for thy coate and all thy obe∣dience, & make a seculer Priest of thee: likewise as it is simonie to sell a bene∣fice (as they call it) but to resigne vpon a pension, and thē to redeine the same, is no simony at all. Oh crafty iugglers * 1.116 and mockers with the word of God.

¶ The obedience of wiues vnto their husbandes.

AFter that Eue was deceaued of the Serpent, God said vn∣to her Gene. iij. Thy lust or ap∣petite shall perteyne vnto thy husband, and he shall rule thee or raigne ouer thee. God whiche created the wo∣man knoweth what is in that weake vessell (as Peter calleth her) and hath therefore put her vnder the obedience of her husband, to rule her lustes and wanton appetites. i. Peter. iij. exhor∣teth wiues to bee in subiection vnto their husbandes, after the ensample of the holy wemen whiche in old tyme trusted in GOD, and as Sara o∣beyed Abraham and called hym Lord. Whiche Sara before she was maried, was Abrahams sister and equall with him: but as soone as she was maried * 1.117 was in subiection, and became with out comparison inferior. For so is the nature of wedlocke by the ordinaunce of God. It were much better that our wiues folowed the ensample of the ho¦ly wemen of old time in obeyeng their husbands, then to worshyp them with a Pater noster, an Aue and a Credo, or to sticke vp candles before their images. Paul Ephe. v. sayth: wemen submitte your selues vnto your own husbādes, as vnto the Lord. For the husband is the wiues head, euen as Christ is the head of the congregation. Therfore as the congregation is in subiection to Christ, likewise let wiues be in subie∣ctiō vnto their husbādes in all things. Let the woman therfore feare her hus∣band, as Paul sayth in the sayd place. For her husband is vnto her in y^t stede of God, that she obey him, and wayte on hys commaundementes. And hys commaundementes are Gods com∣maundements. * 1.118 If she therfore grudge agaynst him. or resiste hym, she grud∣geth against God, and resisteth God.

¶ The obedience of Seruauntes vnto their Maisters.

SEruauntes obey your car∣nall masters with feare and tremblyng, in singlenesse of your hartes as vnto Christ: not with seruice in the eye sight as mē pleaseres: but as the seruauntes of Christ doyng the wil of God from the hart with good will, euen as thoughe ye serued the Lord, and not men. Eph. vj. And i. Pet. ij. seruauntes obey your masters with all feare not onely if they be good and curteous: but also though they be froward. For it commeth of grace, if a man for conscience towarde God endure grief suffering wrongful∣ly. * 1.119 For what prayse is it if when ye be buffeted for your faultes, ye take it pa∣ciently? But and if when ye do well, ye suffer wrong and take it paciently, thē is there thanke with God. Hereunto

verely were ye called. For Christ also suffred for our sakes, leauing vs an example to follow hys steppes. In what so euer kynde therefore thou art a seruaunt, during the tyme of thy co∣uenauntes, thy maister is vnto thee * 1.120 in the stede and rowme of God, and God thorough hym feedeth thee, clo∣theth thee, ruleth thee, and learneth thee. His cōmaundementes are Gods commaundementes, and thou ough∣test to obey hym as God, and in all thinges to seeke his pleasure and pro∣fite. For thou art his good and posses∣sion, as hys Oxe or hys Horse, in so much that who so euer doth but desire thee in hys hart from him without his loue and licence, is condēned of God, which sayth Exod. xx. See thou once couet not thy neighbours seruauntes.

Paule the Apostle sent home One∣mus * 1.121 vnto his maister (as thou readest in the epistle of Paule to Philemon). In so much that though the sayd Phi∣lemon with his seruaunt also was cō∣uerted by Paul, & obeyed vnto Paule and to the worde that Paule preached, not hys seruaunt onely, but also him∣selfe: yea and though that Paule was in necessitie, and lacked ministers to minister vnto hym in y^t bondes which he suffered for the Gospels sake: yet would he not retaine the seruaunt ne∣cessary vnto the furtheraunce of the Gospell, wythout the consent of the mayster.

O how sore differeth the doctrine * 1.122 of Christ and his Apostles, from the doctrine of the Pope, and of his Apo∣stles. For if any man wyll obeye nei∣ther father nor mother, neither Lord nor maister, neither King nor Prince, * 1.123 the same needeth but onely to take the marke of the beast, that is, to shaue himselfe a Monke, a Fryer, or a priest, and is then immediatly free and ex∣empted from all seruice and obedience due vnto man. He that will obey no man (as they will not) is most accep∣table * 1.124 vnto them. The more disobedi∣ent that thou art vnto Gods ordinaū∣ces, the more apt & meete art thou for theirs. Neither is the professing, vow¦ing and swearyng obediēce vnto their ordinaunces, any other thyng, thē the defiyng, denying & forswearyng obe∣dience vnto the ordinaunces of God.

¶ The obedience of Subiectes vnto kinges, Princes, and rulers.

LEt euery soule submit himself vnto * 1.125 the aucthoritie of the hyer powers. There is no power but of God. The powers that be, are ordayned of God. Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the po∣wer, resisteth the ordinaunce of God. They that resist, shal receaue to them∣selues * 1.126 damnation. For rulers are not to be feared for good workes, but for euill. Wilt thou be without feare of the power? Do well then, and so shalt thou be praysed of the same. For he is the minister of God, for thy wealth. But and if thou do euill, then feare. For he beareth not a swearde for nought. For he is the minister of god, to take vengeaunce on them that do e∣uill. Wherefore ye must needes obey, not for feare of vengeaunce onely: but also because of conscience. Euen for this cause pay ye tribute. For they are Gods ministers seruing for the same purpose.

Geue to euery man therefore hys dutie: Tribute to whom tribute be∣longeth: Custome to whom custome is due: feare to whome feare belong∣eth: honour to whome honour pertei∣neth. Owe nothing to any man: but to loue one an other. For he that lo∣ueth an other, fulfilleth the lawe. For these commaundementes: Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steale: Thou shalt not beare false witnes: Thou shalt not desire, and so forth: if there be any other commaundement, are all com∣prehended in thys saying: Loue thyne neighbour as thy selfe. Loue hurteth not his neighbour: therfore is loue the fulfilling of the lawe.

AS a father ouer his children is * 1.127 both Lorde and iudge, forbid∣ding one brother to auenge hymselfe on an other, but (if any cause of strife be betwene them) will haue it brought vnto hymselfe or his assignes, to be iudged and correct: so God forbiddeth all men to auenge themselues, and ta∣keth the aucthoritie and office of auen∣ging vnto himselfe, saying: Vengeance is myne, and I will rewarde. Deut. xxxij. Which text Paule alleageth Rom. xij. For it is impossible that a man should be a righteous, an egall or an indiffe∣rent iudge in hys owne cause, lustes and appetites so blinde vs. Moreouer when thou auengest thy self, thou ma∣kest not peace, but stirrest vp more de∣bate.

God therefore hath geuē lawes vn∣to all nations, and in all landes hath put kinges, gouerners, and rulers in

hys owne stede, to rule the world tho∣rough them. And hath commaunded all causes to be brought before them, as thou readest Exod. xxij. In all cau∣ses (sayth he) of iniury or wrong, whe∣ther it be Oxe, Asse, shepe or vesture, or any lost thing which an other chalen∣geth, let the cause of both parties be brought vnto the Gods, whome the Gods condemne, the same shall paye double vnto his neighbour. Marke, the iudges are called Gods in the * 1.128 Scriptures, because they are in Gods rowme, and execute the commaunde∣ments of God. And in an other place of the sayde chapter, Moses chargeth saying: see that thou rayle not on the Gods, neither speake euill of the ruler of thy people. Who so euer therefore resisteth them, resisteth God (for they are in y^• rowne of God) and they that reliste, shall receaue the damnation.

Such obedience vnto father and mother, mayster, husband, Emperor, * 1.129 King, Lordes and rulers, requireth God of all nations, yea of the very Turkes and Infidels. The blessing and rewarde of them that kepe them, is the life of thys worlde, as thou rea∣dest Leuit. xviij. Keepe my ordinaunces and lawes: which if a man keepe, he shall liue therein. which text Paule rehearseth Rom. x. prouing thereby that the righteousnes of the law is but worldly, and the rewarde thereof is the lyfe of thys worlde. And the curse * 1.130 of them that breaketh them, is the losse of thys life: as thou seest by y^• punish∣ment appointed for them.

And whoseuer keepeth the lawe (whether it be for feare, for vayne glo∣ry or profite) though no man rewarde hym, yet shall God blesse him aboun∣dantly, * 1.131 and send hym worldly prospe∣ritie, as thou readest Deut. xxviij. What good blessinges accompany the keping of the lawe, and as we see the Turkes farre exceede vs Christen men in worldly prosperity for their iust keeping of their temporall lawes. * 1.132 Likewise though no man punishe the breakers of the lawe, yet shall God send hys curses vpon them till they be vtterly brought to nought, as thou readest most terribly euen in the same place.

Neither may the inferior person a∣uenge hymselfe vpon the superior, or violently resiste hym for what so euer wrong it be. If he doe, he is condem∣ned in the deede doyng: in as much as he taketh vpon hym that which belon∣geth to God onely, which sayth, Ven∣geaunce * 1.133 is mine, and I will rewarde. Deut. xxxij. And Christ sayth Mat. 26. All they that take the sworde shall pe∣rishe with the sworde. Takest thou a sworde to auenge thy selfe? so geuest thou not rowme vnto God to auenge thee, but robbest hym of his most hye honour, in that thou wilt not let hym be iudge ouer thee.

If any mā might haue auenged him selfe vpon his superior, that might Da∣uid most righteously haue done vpon * 1.134 kyng Saul which so wrongfully per∣secuted Dauid, euen for no other cause, thē that God had annointed him kyng and promised him the kyngdome. Yet when God had deliuered Saul into y^t handes of Dauid, that he might haue done what he would with him as thou seest in the first booke of kynges the xxiiij. Chapter, how Saul came into the caue where Dauid was. And Da∣uid came to hym secretly, and cut of a peace of his garment. And as soone as he had done it his hart smote him be∣cause hee had done so much vnto hys Lord. And when his mē couraged him to slea him, he aūswered, the Lord for∣bid it me, that I should lay myne hand on him. Neither suffered he his men to hurt him. When Saul was gone out, Dauid folowed and shewed hym the peece of his garmēt and sayd: why be∣leuest thou the wordes of men that say, Dauid goeth about to do thee harme: perceaue and see that there is neither euill nor wickednesse in my hand and that I haue not trespassed against thee, and yet thou layest awayte for my lyfe. * 1.135 God iudge betwene thee and me and auenge me of thee, but myne hand be not vpō thee, as the old prouerbe sayth (sayd Dauid) out of the wicked shall wickednesse proceede (but myne hand be not vpō thee, meanyng that God e∣uer punisheth one wicked by another) And agayne (sayd Dauid) GOD be iudge, and iudge betwen thee and me, and behold & pleate my cause, & geue me iudgement or right of thee.

And in the. xxvj. Chapter of the same booke, when Saul persecuted Dauid againe. Dauid came to Saul by night, as he slept and all his men, and tooke away his speare, and a cuppe of water from his head. Then sayd Abisai Da∣uide seruaūt, God hath deliuered thee thine enemie into thine hand this day, let me now therfore nayle hym to the ground with my speare, and geue hym but euen one stripe and no more. Da∣uid

forbad him saying. Kill hym not. For who (sayd he) shall lay handes on * 1.136 the Lordes annoynted & be not giltie? The Lord liueth, or by the Lordes life (sayd he) he dyeth not except the Lord smite him or y^• his day be come to dye, or els go to battaile, & there perish.

Why did not Dauid slea Saul, seyng he was so wicked, not in persecutyng Dauid onely, but in disobeying Gods * 1.137 commaundements, and in that he had slayne. lxxxv. of Gods priestes wrong∣fully? Ʋerely for it was not lawfull. For if he had done it, he must haue sin∣ned agaynst God. For God hath made the kyng in euery Realme iudge ouer * 1.138 all, and ouer him is there no iudge. He that iudgeth the kyng iudgeth God, & he that layeth handes on the king, lay∣eth hand on God, and he that resisteth the kyng resisteth God, and damneth Gods law and ordinaunce. If the sub∣iectes sinne they must be brought to y^t kynges iudgement. If the kyng sinne * 1.139 he must be reserued vnto y^t iudgement, wrath and vengeaunce of God. And as it is to resiste the kyng, so is it to re∣siste his officer, whiche is set or sent to execute the kynges commaundement.

And in the first Chapter of the secōd booke of Kings, Dauid commaunded the young man to be slayne, whiche brought vnto him the crown & brace∣let of Saul, and sayd to please Dauid with all, that he hym selfe had slayne Saul. And in the fourth Chapter of the same booke, Dauid commaunded those two to be slayne whiche brought vnto hym the head of Isboseth Sauls sonne, by whose meanes yet the whole kingdome returned vnto Dauid, accor¦dyng vnto the promise of God.

And Luke xiij. When they shewed Christ of the Galileans, whose bloud Pilate mingled with their owne sacri∣fice: he aūswered, suppose ye that these Galileās were sinners aboue all other Galileās, because they suffred such pu∣nishment? I tell you nay: but except ye repent ye shall lykewise perish. This was told Christ, no doubt, of such an entent as they asked him. Math. xxij. * 1.140 Whether it were lawfull to geue tri∣bute vnto Cesar? For they thought that it was no sinne to resist an Hea∣thē Prince: as few of vs would thinke (if we were vnder the Turke) that it were sinne to rise agaynst him, and to ryd our selues from vnder his domi∣nion, so sore haue our Bishops robbed vs of the true doctrine of Christ. But Christ cōdemned their dedes, and also the secrete thoughtes of all other, that consented thereunto, saying: except ye repēt ye shall likewise perish. As who should say, I know that ye are within in your hartes, such as they were out∣ward in their dedes, and are vnder the same damnation: except therfore ye re∣pent betimes, ye shall breake out at the last into lyke deedes, and likewise pe∣rish, as it came afterward to passe.

Hereby seest thou that the kyng is in thys worlde without lawe, & may * 1.141 at his lust doe right or wrong, & shall geue acomptes, but to God onely.

An other conclusion is this, that no person, neither any degree may be ex∣empt from thys ordinaunce of God. Neither can the profession of Monkes and Fryers, or any thyng that the Pope or Byshops can laye for them∣selues, except them from the sworde of the Emperour of kings, if they breake the lawes. For it is written, let euery soule submitte hymselfe vnto the auc∣thoritie of the hyer powers. Here is no man except, but all soules must o∣bey. The hyer powers are the tempo∣rall kynges and Princes, vnto whom God hath geuen the sword to punishe who soeuer sinneth. God hath not ge∣uen them swordes to punishe one, and * 1.142 to let an other goe free, and sinne vn∣punished. Moreouer, with what face durst y^• spiritualtie, which ought to be the light, & an example of good lyuing vnto all other, desire to sinne vnpuni∣shed, or to be excepted frō tribute, toll, or custome, that they would not beare paine with their brethrē, vnto y^• main∣tenaunce of kings and officers orday∣ned of God to punishe sinne? There is no power but of God (by power vnderstand the aucthoritie of kynges and Princes.) The powers that be, are ordayned of God. Whosoeuer therfore resisteth power, resisteth god: Yea though he be Pope, Byshoppe, Monke or Fryer. They that resiste shall receaue vnto themselues damna∣tion. Why? For Gods worde is a∣gainst them which will haue all men vnder the power of the temporall sworde. For rulers are not to be fea∣red for good woorkes, but for euill. Hereby seest thou that they that re∣siste the powers, or seeke to bee ex∣empt from their aucthoritie, haue euil consciences, and seeke libertie to sinne vnpunished, and to be free from bea∣ring payne wyth their brethren. Wilt thou be without feare of the power? So do well, and thou shalt haue laude of the same (that is to say of the ruler)

with good liuing ought y^t spiritualtie to rid them selues frō feare of the tēpo∣rall sword, & not with craft and with blyndyng the kynges & bryngyng the vengeaūce of God vpō them, & in pur∣chasing licence to sinne vnpunished.

For he is the minister of God for thy wealth: to defend thee from a thousand inconueniences, from theeues, murde∣rers and them that would defile thy wife, thy daughter and take from thee all that thou hast: yea life and al, if thou did resist. Furthermore though he be * 1.143 the greatest tyraunt in the world, yet is he vnto thee a great benefit of God and a thing wherfore thou oughtest to thanke God hyghly. For it is better to haue somwhat then to be cleane stripte out of altogether: it is better to pay the tenth then to loose all: it is better to suffer one tyraunt then many, and to suffer wrong of one then of euery mā. Yea and it is better to haue a tyraunt vnto thy king then a shadow, a passiue kyng that doth nought him selfe, but suffer other to do with hym what they wil, and to lead hym whether they list. For a tyraūt though he do wrong vn∣to thee good, yet he punisheth the euill and maketh all mē obey neither suffe∣reth any mā to polle but himself onely. A kyng that is soft as silke and effemi∣nate, that is to say turned vnto the na∣ture of a woman, what with his owne lustes, whiche are as the longyng of a woman with child, so that he can not resiste them, and what with the wyly tyranny of thē that euer rule him, shal∣be much more greuous vnto y^t realme then a right tyraunt. Read the Croni∣cles and thou shalt finde it euer so.

But & if thou do euill, thē feare. For * 1.144 hee beareth not a sworde for nought. For he is the minister of God, to take vengeaunce on them that do euill. If the office of Princes geuen thē of God be to take vengeaunce of euill doers: then by this text and Gods word, are all Princes damned, euen as many as * 1.145 geue libertie or licence vnto the spiri∣tualtie to sinne vnpunished, and not onely to sinne vnpunished thē selues: but also to opē sanctuaries, priuileged places, churchyardes, S. Iohns hold: * 1.146 yea and if they come to short vnto all these, yet to setfoorth a neckeuerse to saue all maner trespassers frō the feare * 1.147 of the sword of the vengeaunce of God put in the handes of Princes to take vengeaunce on all such.

GOd requireth the law to be kept of all men let them keepe it for what soeuer purpose they will. Wil they not keepe the law: so vouchsafeth he not that they enioy this tēporall life. Now are there three natures of men, one all * 1.148 together beastly, which in no wise re∣ceaue the law in their hartes, but rise agaynst Princes and rulers when soe∣uer they are able to make their partie good. These are signified by them that worshypped the golden calfe. For Moses brake the tables of the law ere he came at them.

The second are not so beastly, but re∣ceaue the law, and vnto them the law commeth: but they looke not Moses in the face. For his countenaunce is to * 1.149 bright for them, that is, they vnderstād not that y^• law is spirituall, and requi∣reth the hart. They looke on the plea∣sure, profite and promotiō that folow∣eth the kepyng of the law, & in respect of the reward keepe they the law out∣wardly with woorkes, but not in the hart. For if they might obteine like ho∣nour, glorie, promotion and dignitie and also auoyde all inconueniences, if they broke the law, so would they also breake the law and folow their lustes.

The thyrd are spirituall and looke Moses in the open face, & are (as Paul sayth the secōd to the Romains) a law vnto them selues & haue the law writ∣ten in their hartes by y^t spirite of God. These neede neither of kyng nor offi∣cers to driue them, neither that any man profer thē any reward for to kepe the law. For they do it naturally.

The first worke for feare of y^• sword onely. The second for reward. The thyrd worke for loue frely. They looke on the excedyng mercy, loue & kyndes which God hath shewed thē in Christ, and therfore loue agayne and woorke frely. Heauen they take of the free gift of God through Christes deseruyngs, and hope without all maner doubtyng * 1.150 that GOD according to his promise, wil in this world also defend them and do all thyng for them of hys goodnes and for Christes sake, and not for any goodnes that is in them. They consent vnto the law that it is holy and iust, & that all men ought to doe what soeuer God commaundeth for no other cause, but because God cōmaundeth it. And * 1.151 their great sorow is, because that there is no strength in their members to do that which their hart lusteth to do and is a thyrst to do.

These of the last sorte keepe the law of their owne accorde and that in the hart, and haue professed perpetuall

warre against the lustes and appetites of the flesh, til they be vtterly subdued: yet not through their owne strength, but knowyng and knowledgyng their weakenes cry euer for strength to god which hath promised assistance vnto al that call vpon him. These folow God and are led of his spirite. The other ij. are led of lustes and appetites.

Lustes & appetites are diuers and * 1.152 many and that in one mā: yea and one lust contrarie to an other and the grea∣test lust carieth a man altogether away with him. We are also chaunged from one lust vnto an other. Otherwise are we disposed when we are children, o∣therwise when we are youngmen, and otherwise when we are old, otherwise ouer euen, and otherwise in the mor∣nyng: yea somtymes altered. vj. tymes in an houre. How fortuneth all this? Because that the will of man foloweth * 1.153 the witte, and is subiect vnto the witte & as the witte erreth so doth the will, and as the witte is in captiuitie, so is the will, neither is it possible that the will should be free where the witte is in bondage.

That thou mayst perceaue & feele y^t thyng in thine hart and not be a vayne sophister, disputyng aboute woordes without perceauyng, marke this. The roote of all euil, the greatest damnatiō and most terrible wrath & vengeaunce of god that we are in, is natural blind∣nes. We are all out of the right way, e∣uery mā his wayes: One iudgeth this best, an other that to be best. Now is * 1.154 worldly witte nothyng els but craft & sutletie to obteine that which we iudge falsly to be best. As I erre in my witte, so erre I in my wil. Whē I iudge that * 1.155 to be euill, which in dede is good, then hate I that which is good. And when I suppose that good whiche is euill in deede, then loue I euil. As if I be per∣suaded and borne in hād that my most frende is myne enemy, then hate I my best frend: and if I be brought in belefe that my most enemy is my frend, Thē loue I my most enemy. Now when we say, euery man hath his free wil, to do what him lusteth I say verely that men do what they lust. Notwithstan∣dyng, to folow lustes is not fredome, but captiuitie & bondage. If God opē any mans wittes to make him feele in his hart, that lustes and appetites are damnable, and geue hym power to hate and resiste them, then is he free euen with the fredome wherewith * 1.156 Christ maketh free, and hath power to do the will of God.

Thou mayst hereby perceaue that * 1.157 all that is done in the world (before the spirite of God come & geueth vs light) is damnable sinne, and the more glori∣ous the more damnable: so that, that which the world counteth most glori∣ous is more damnable in the sight of GOD, then that which the whore, the thefe, and the murderer do. With blind reasons of worldly wisedome mayst thou chaunge y^e myndes of youth and make them geue them selues to what thou wilt either for feare, for prayse or for profite, and yet doest but chaūge thē from one vice to an other. As the per∣suasions * 1.158 of her frendes made Lucrece chast. Lucrece beleued if she were a good huswife and chast, that she should be most glorious, & that all the world would geue her honour, & prayse her. She sought her own glory in her cha∣stitie and not gods. When she had lost her chastitie, then counted she her selfe most abhominable in the sight of all men, and for very payne and thought which she had, not that she had displea¦sed God, but that she had lost her ho∣nour, slew her selfe. Looke how great her paine and sorrow was for the losse of her chastitie, so great was her glorie and reioysing therein, and so much de∣spised she them that were otherwise, and pitied them not. Which pride God more abhorreth thē the whoredome of any whore. Of like pride are all y^e mo∣rall vertues of Aristotle, Plato and So∣crates, and all the doctrine of the Phi∣losophers the very Gods of our schole men.

In like maner is it for the most part of our most holy Religion. For they of lyke imagination do thynges whiche they of Bedlem may see, that they are but madnes. They looke on the mira∣cles * 1.159 which God did by the Saintes to moue the vnbeleuyng vnto the fayth and to confirme the trouth of his pro∣mises in Christ, whereby all that be∣leue are made Saintes: as thou seest in the last Chapter of Marke. They preached (sayth he) euery where, the Lord workyng with them and confir∣myng their preachyng with miracles that folowed. And in the fourth of the Actes) the Disciples prayed that God would stretch forth his handes to doe miracles and wonders in the name of Iesus. And Paul. i. Corin. xiiij. sayth, that the miracle of speakyng with di∣uers tounges, is but a signe for vnbe∣leuers, and not for them that beleue.

These miracles turne they vnto an o∣ther purpose saying in their blynde * 1.160 hartes. See what miracles God hath shewed for this Saint, he must be ve∣rely great with GOD. And at once turne them selues from Gods word, and put their trust and confidence in the Saint and his merites, and make an Aduocate or rather a GOD of the Saint, and of their blind imagination make a Testamēt or bond betwene the Saint and them, the Testament of Christes bloud cleane forgotten. They looke on the Saintes garmentes and * 1.161 lyues or rather lyes, which men lye on the Saintes: and this wise imagine in their hartes saying: the Saint for wea∣ryng such a garmēt and for such dedes is become so glorious in heauen. If I do likewise, so shall I be also. They see not the fayth and trust, whiche the Saintes had in Christ, neither the the word of God whiche the Saintes preached, neither the entent of the Saintes, how that the Saintes dyd such thynges to tame their bodies and to be an ensample to the world, and to teach that such thynges are to be despi∣sed which the world most wondreth at and magnifieth. They see not also that some landes are so whote that a man can neither drinke wyne nor eate fleshe therein: neither consider they the com∣plexion of the Saintes, and a thou∣sand lyke thynges see they not. So whē they haue killed their bodies and brought them in that case, that scarce with any restauratiue they can recouer their health agayne, yet had they leuer dye then to eate fleshe. Why? for they thinke, I haue now this. xx. xxx. or xl. yeares eaten no flesh and haue obtei∣ned I doubt not by this tyme as hye a rowme as the best of them: should I now loose that? nay I had leuer dye: and as Lucretia had leuer haue bene flayne, if he had not bene to strong for her, then to haue lost her glorie, euen so had these. They ascribe heauen vnto their imaginations and mad inuenti∣ons, and receaue it not of the liberali∣tie of God, by the merites and deser∣uynges of Christ.

He now that is renewed in Christ, kepeth the law without any law writ∣ten * 1.162 or compulsion of any ruler or offi∣cer, saue by the ledyng of the spirite onely: but the naturall man is entised and moued to keepe the law carnally, * 1.163 with carnall reasons and worldly per∣suasions, as for glorie, honour riches and dignitie. But the last remedy of all when all other fayle, is feare. Beate * 1.164 one & the rest will absteine for feare: as Moyses euer putteth in remembraunce saying: kill, stone, burne. So shall thou put euill from thee, and all Israell shal heare and feare, and shall no more do so. If feare helpe not, then will God that they be taken out of this life.

Kynges were ordeined then, as I * 1.165 before sayd, and the sword put in their handes to take vengeaunce of euill do∣ers, that other might feare, and were not ordeined to fight one against an o∣ther or to rise agaynst the Emperour to defende the false authoritie of the Pope that very Antechrist: Byshops * 1.166 they onely can minister the temporall sword: their office, the preachyng of Gods word layd a part, which the wil neither do nor suffer any mā to do, but slay with the temporall sword (whiche they haue gotten out of the hand of all Princes) them that would. The prea∣chyng of Gods word is hatefull and contrary vnto them: Why? For it is impossible to preach Christ except thou preach agaynst Antichrist, that is to say, them whiche with their false doc∣trine and violence of sword enforce to quenche the true doctrine of Christe. And as thou canst heale no disease, ex∣cept thou begyn at the roote: euen so canst thou preach agaynst no mischief, except thou begyn, at the Byshops. Kinges they are but shadowes, vayne * 1.167 names and thynges idle, hauyng no∣thing to do in the world, but when our holy father nedeth their helpe.

The Pope contrarie vnto all con∣science * 1.168 and agaynst all the doctrine of Christ, which sayth my kyngdome is not of this world (Iohn. xviij.) hath vsurped the right of the Emperour. And by policie of the Byshops of Al∣many * 1.169 and with corruptyng the Elec∣tours or chosers of the Emperor with money, bryngeth to passe that such a one is euer chosen Emperour that is not able to make his partie good with the Pope. To stoppe the Emperour that he come not at Rome, he bringeth the French kyng vp to Milane, and * 1.170 on the other side bryngeth he the Ʋe∣netians. If the Ʋenetiās come to nye, the Byshops of Fraunce must bryng * 1.171 in the French kyng. And the Soche∣ners are called and sent for to come and succour. And for their labour he geueth to some a Rose, to an other a cappe of mayntenaunce. One is called most Christen king: an other defender of the fayth: an other the eldest sonne

of the most holy seate. He blaseth also * 1.172 the armes of other and putteth in the holy crosse, the crown of thorne, or the nayles and so forth. If the Frēch kyng go to hye, and crepe vp other to Bo∣nonie or Naples: then must our Eng∣lish * 1.173 Byshops bryng in our kyng. The craft of the Byshops is to entitle one kyng with an others Realme. He is called kyng of Dennemarke, and of * 1.174 England: he kyng of England and of Fraunce. Then to blinde the Lordes and the commons, the kyng must cha∣lenge his right. Then must the lande be taxed and euery man paye, and the treasure borne out of the Realme and the land beggerde. How many a thou∣sand mens liues hath it cost? And how many an hundred thousand poundes hath it caried out of the Realme in our remembraunce? Besides how abhomi∣nable * 1.175 an example of gatheryng was there? such verely as neuer tyraunt sence the world began did, yea such as was neuer before heard or thought on, neither among Iewes, Saresens, Turkes or Heathen sence God crea∣ted the Sunne to shyne: that a beast should breake vp into the Temple of God, that is to say, into the hart and consciences of men, and compell them to sweare euery man what hee was worthe, to lende that should neuer be payd agayne. How many thousandes forsware thē selues? How many thou∣sandes set them selues aboue their ha∣bilitie, partly for feare lest they should be forsworne and partly to saue their credence? When the pope hath his pur∣pose, then is peace made, no man wo∣teth how, and our most enemy is our most frend.

Now because the Emperour is a∣ble to obteine his right: French, Eng∣lish, Ʋenetians and all must vpō him. O great whore of Babylon, how abu∣seth * 1.176 she the Princes of the world, how dronke hath she made them with her wyne? How shamefull licences doth she geue them, to vse Nichromancy, to hold whores, to diuorse them selues to breake the fayth and promises that one maketh with an other: that the confes∣sours shall deliuer vnto the kyng the confession of whom he will, and dispē∣ceth * 1.177 with them euen of the very lawe of God, whiche Christ him selfe can not do.

¶ Agaynst the Popes false power.

MAthew. xxvj. Christ sayth vnto Peter, put vp thy sword into his sheth. For all that lay hand vpon the sword, shal perish with the sword, that is, who soeuer without the cōmaunde∣ment of the temporall officer to whom * 1.178 God hath geuē the sword layeth hand on the sword to take vengeaunce, the same deserueth death in the deede do∣yng. God did not put Peter onely vn∣der the tēporall sword, but also Christ him selfe. As it appeareth in the fourth Chapter to the Galathiās. And Christ sayth Math. iij. Thus becommeth it vs to fulfill all righteousnes, that is to say, all ordinaunces of God. If the head be then vnder the tēporall sword, how can the members be excepted? If Peter sinned in defendyng Christ a∣gainst the temporall sword (whose au∣thoritie and Ministers the Byshops then abused agaynst Christ as ours do now) who can excuse our Prelates of sinne which will obey no man, neither * 1.179 Kyng nor Emperour? Yea who can excuse from sinne, either the Kynges that geue, either the Byshops that re∣ceaue such exemptions contrarie to Gods ordinaunces, and Christes do∣ctrine?

And Math. xvij. both Christ and al∣so Peter pay tribute, where the mea∣nyng of Christes question vnto Peter is: if Princes take tribute of straun∣gers onely and not of their children, then verily ought I to be free whiche am the sonne of God, whose seruaūtes and Ministers, they are and of whom they haue their authoritie. Yet because they neither knew that neither Christ came to vse that authoritie, but to bee our seruaunt and to beare our burthen and to obey all ordinaunces, both in right and wrong for our sakes and to teach vs: therfore sayd he to S. Peter. Pay for thee and melest we offend thē. Moreouer though that Christ & Pe∣ter (because they were poore) might haue escaped, yet would he not for feare of offendyng other and hurtyng their consciences. For he might well haue geuen occasion vnto the tribute gatherers to haue iudged amisse both of him and his doctrine: yea and the Iewes might happely haue bene of∣fended thereby, and haue thought that it had not ben lawful, for them to haue payd tribute vnto Heathen Princes and Idolaters, seyng that he so great a Prophet payd not: Yea and what o∣ther thyng causeth the lay so litle to re∣garde their Princes, as that they see * 1.180 them both despised & disobeyed of the spiritualtie? But our Prelates whiche

care for none offendyng of consciences and lesse for Gods ordinaunces, will pay nought: but when Princes must fight in our most holy fathers quarell and agaynst Christ. Then are they the first. There also is none so poore that then hath not somewhat to geue.

Marke here how past all shame our * 1.181 schole Doctours are (as Rochester is in his Sermon agaynst Martin Lu∣ther) which of this text of Mathew di∣spute that Peter because he payd tri∣bute, is greater then the other Apo∣stles, and hath more authority and po∣wer then they, and was head vnto thē all, cōtrary vnto so many cleare textes, where Christ rebuketh them saying: that is an Heathenish thyng that one should clyme aboue an other or desire to be greater. To be great in the king∣dome of heauē is to be a seruaunt, and he that most humbleth hym selfe and becommeth a seruaunt vnto other (af∣ter the ensample of Christ I meane & his Apostles, and not of the Pope and his Apostles, our Cardinals and By∣shops) y^e same is greatest in that king∣dome. If Peter in paying tribute be∣came greatest, how commeth it, that they will pay none at all? But to pay tribute is a signe of subiectiō verely, & the cause why Christ payed was be∣cause he had an houshold, and for the same cause payed Peter also. For he had an house, a shippe and nettes, as thou readest in the Gospell. But let vs go to Paul agayne.

Wherfore ye must needes obey, not for feare of vengeaunce onely: but also because of conscience. That is though thou be so naughty (as nowe many yeares our Pope and Prelates euery where are) that thou nedest not to o∣beye the temporall sword for feare of * 1.182 vengeaunce: yet must thou obey be∣cause of consciēce. First because of thine owne conscience. For though thou be able to resiste, yet shalt thou neuer haue a good cōscience, as lōg as Gods * 1.183 word, law and ordinaunce are against thee. Secondarily for thy neighbours conscience. For though through craft and violence thou mightest escape and obteyne libertie or priuilege to be free * 1.184 from all maner dueties: yet oughtest thou neither to sue or to seeke for any such thing, neither yet admit or accept, if it were profered, lest thy fredome make thy weake brother to grudge & rebell, in that he seeth thee go emptie and he him selfe more ladē, thy part al∣so layd on his shoulders. Seest thou not if a man fauour one sonne more then an other, or one seruaunt more then an other, how all the rest grudge, and how loue, peace and vnitie is bro∣ken? What Christenly loue is in the to thy neighbour ward, when thou canst * 1.185 finde in thyne hart to go vp and down empty by him all day long and see him ouer charged, yea to fal vnder his bur∣then, and yet wilt not once set to thyne hand to helpe him? What good consci∣ence cā there be among our spiritualtie to gather so great treasure together, and with hypocrisie of their false lear∣nyng to robbe almost euery man of house and landes, and yet not there∣with content, but with all craft and wilenes to purchase so great liberties and exemptions from all maner bea∣ryng with their brethren, seekyng in Christ nothyng but lucre? I passe ouer with silence how they teach Princes * 1.186 in euery lande to lade new exactions and tyranny on their subiectes more and more dayly neither for what pur∣pose they do it say I. God I trust shall shortly disclose their iugglynge and bryng their falshode to light, and lay a medecine to thē, to make their scabbes breake out. Neuerthelesse this I say, that they haue robbed all Realmes, not of Gods word onely: but also of all wealth and prosperitie, and haue driuen peace out of all landes & with∣drawen them selues from all obediēce to Princes, and haue separated them selues from the lay men, countyng thē viler thē dogges, and haue set vp that great Idole the whore of Babylō An∣tichrist of Rome whom they call pope, and haue conspired agaynst all com∣mon wealthes, & haue made them a se∣uerall kyngdome, wherin it is lawfull vnpunished to woorke all abhomina∣tion. In euery Parish haue they spyes and in euery great mans house, and in euery tauerne and alchouse. And tho∣rough * 1.187 confessions knowe they all se∣cretes, so that no man may open his mouth to rebuke what soeuer they do, but that he shalbe shortly made an he∣reticke. * 1.188 In all Coūcels is one of them, yea the most part and chief rulers of the Councels are of them: But of there Councell is no man.

Euen for this cause pay ye tribute, that is to witt, for consciences sake, to thy neighbour, and for the cause that foloweth. For they are Gods Mini∣sters seruyng for the same purpose. Because God will so haue it, we must obey. We doe not looke (if we haue

Christes spirite in vs) what is good profitable, glorious and honorable for vs, neither on our owne will, but on Gods will onely. Geue to euery man therefore his dutie: tribute to whom tribute belongeth: custome to whom custome is due: feare to whō feare be∣longeth: honour to whom honor per∣teineth.

That thou mightest feele the wor∣kyng of the spirite of God in thee, and lest the bewtie of the deed should de∣ceaue thee, and make thee thinke that the law of God whiche is spirituall were contēt and fulfilled with the out∣ward and bodyly dede it foloweth. Owe nothyng to any mā: but to loue * 1.189 one an other. For he that loueth an o∣ther fulfilleth the law. For these com∣maundementes: thou shalt not com∣mit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steale, thou shalt not beare false witnes, thou shalt not desire, and so forth if there be any other commaū∣dement are all comprehended or con∣tained in this saying: loue thy neigh∣bour: * 1.190 therfore is loue the fulfillyng of the law. Here hast thou sufficient a∣gaynst all the sophisters workeholy & iustifiers in the world, which so mag∣nifie their dedes. The law is spirituall and requireth the hart, & is neuer ful∣filled with the dede in the sight of god. With y^e dede thou fulfillest the law be∣fore * 1.191 the world & liuest thereby, that is, y^• enioyest this presēt life and auoydest the wrath and vengeaunce the death and punishment which the law threat∣neth to them that breake it. But before God thou keepest the law if thou loue onely. Now what shal make vs loue? * 1.192 Ʋerely that shall fayth do. If thou be∣hold how much God loueth thee in Christ, and from what vengeaunce he hath deliuered thee for his sake, and of what kyngdome he hath made thee heyre, then shalt thou see cause inough to loue thy very enemie without res∣pect of reward, either in this lyfe or in the lyfe to come, but because that God will so haue it, and Christ hath deser∣ued it: Yet thou shouldest feele in thyne harte that all thy deedes to come, are abundantly recompensed all ready in Christ.

Thou wilt say haply, if loue fulfill the lawe, then it iustifieth. I say that that wherewith a man fulfilleth the law declareth hym iustified: but that which geueth him wherewith to ful∣fill the law, iustifieth hym. By iustifi∣yng * 1.193 vnderstande the forgeuenesse of sinnes and the fauour of God. Now sayth the text Roma. x. the ende of the law or the cause, wherfore the law was made is Christ, to iustifie all that be∣leue. That is, the law is geuen to vtter * 1.194 sinne, to kill the consciences, to damne our deedes, to bryng to repentaunce and to driue vnto Christ: in whō God hath promised his fauour and forgeue∣nesse of sinne vnto all that repente and consent to the law that it is good. If * 1.195 thou beleue the promises then doth Gods truth iustifie thee, that is forge∣ueth thee and receaueth thee to fauour for Christes sake. In a suretie wherof and to certifie thine hart, he sealeth thee with the spirite. Ephe. i. and. iiij. And. ij. Cor. v. sayth Paul. whiche gaue vs his spirite in earnest. How the spirite is geuen vs through Christ, read the viij. chapter of the Epistle to the Ro∣maines and Gallat. iij. and. ij. Cor. iij. Neuerthelesse the spirit, and his frutes * 1.196 wherewith y^• hart is purified, as fayth, hope, loue, pacience, long sufferyng and obedience, could neuer be sene with∣out outward experience. For if thou were not brought sometime into com∣braunce, whence God onely could de∣liuer thee, thou shouldest neuer see thy fayth, yea except thou foughtest some∣tyme agaynst desperation, hell, death, sinne and powers of this worlde, for thy faythes sake, thou shouldest neuer know true fayth from a dreame. Ex∣cept thy brother now and then offen∣ded thee, thou couldest not know whe∣ther thy loue were Godly. For a Turke is not angre, till he be hurt and offen∣ded, but it thou loue him that doth thee euill, then is thy loue of God: likewise if thy rulers were alway kinde, thou shouldest not know whether thyne o∣bedience were pure or no: but & if thou canst paciently obeye euill rulers in all thyngs that is not to the dishonour of God, and when thou hurtest not thy neighbours, then art thou sure, that Gods spirite worketh in thee, and that thy fayth is no dreame, nor any false imagination.

Therfore counceleth Paule Rom. xij. recompense to no man euill: And on your part haue peace with all men. Dearely beloued auenge not your sel∣ues: but geue rowme vnto the wrath of God. For it is written vengeaunce is myne and I will reward, sayth the Lord. Therfore if thy enemie hungre, * 1.197 feede hym: If he thurst, geue hym drinke. For in so doyng thou shalt heape coales of fire on his heed (that

is, thou shalt kindle loue in him.) Be not ouercome of euil (that is, let not an other mans wickednesse make thee wicked also). But ouercome euill with good, that is, with softenes, kindnesse, and all pacience winne him: euen as God with kindnesse wonue thee.

THe law was geuē in thūder, ligh∣tenyng, fire, smoke and the voyce * 1.198 of a trumpet and terrible sight. Exod. xx. So that the people quaked for feare and stode a farre of saying to Moyses. Speake thou to vs and we wil heare: let not the Lord speake vnto vs, left we dye. No eare (if it be awaked and vnderstandeth the meanyng) is able to abide the voice of the law: except the promises of mercy be by. That thun∣der except the rayne of mercy be ioy∣ned with it, destroyeth all and buildeth not. The law is a witnesse agaynst vs and testifieth that God abhorreth the the sinnes, that are in vs and vs for our sinnes sake.

In like maner when God gaue the * 1.199 people of Israell a kyng, it thundred and rained that y^• people feared so sore that they cryed to Samuell for to pray for them, that they should not dye. i. Reg. xij. As the law is a terrible thing: euen so is the kyng. For he is ordeined to take vengeaunce and hath a sword in his hād and not pecockes feethers. Feare him therfore and looke on hym as thou wouldest looke on a sharpe sword that hanged ouer thy head by an heare.

Heades and gouerners are ordei∣ned * 1.200 of God, and are euen the gifte of God, whether they be good or bad. And what soeuer is done vnto vs by them, y^t doth God, be it good or bad. If they be euill, why are they euill? vere∣ly * 1.201 for our wickednesse sake are they e∣uill. Because that whē they were good we would not receaue that goodnesse of the hand of God and be thankefull: submitting our selues vnto his lawes and ordinaunces, but abused the good∣nesse of God vnto our sensuall & beast∣ly lustes. Therefore doth God make hys scorge of them, and turne them vn∣to wilde beastes, cōtrary to the nature of their names and offices, euen into Lyons, Beares, Foxes, and vncleane Swine, to auenge himselfe of our vn∣naturall and blind vnkindnesse, and of our rebellious disobedience.

In the Cvj. Psalme thou readest, he destroyed the riuers, and dryed vp the springes of water, and turned y^t fruit∣full land into barennesse, for the wic∣kednesse of the inhabiters therein. Whē the children of Israell had forgotten God in Egipt, God moued the hartes of the Egiptians to hate them, and to subdue them with craft and wilynes. Psal. Ciiij. and Deuteronomiun. iij. Moyses rehearseth saying: God was angry wyth me for your sakes: so that the wrath of God fell on Moyses for the wickednesse of the people. And in the secōd Chap. of the second booke of kynges: God was angry with the people and moued Dauid to number them when Ioab and the other Lords wondred why hee would haue them numbred, and because they feared lest some euil should folow, disswaded the kyng: yet it holpe not. God so harde∣ned his hart in his purpose, to haue an occasion to slay the wicked people.

Euill rulers then are a signe that * 1.202 God is angry and wroth with vs. Is it not a great wrath and vengeaunce that the father and mother should hate their children, euen their flesh and their bloud? or that an husband should be vnkinde vnto his wife or a master vnto the seruaunt that wayteth on his profite, or the Lordes and Kynges should be tyrauntes vnto their sub∣iectes and tenauntes which pay them tribute, tolle, custome and rente, labo∣ring and toyling to finde them in ho∣nour, and to mainteine them in their estate? is not this a fearefull iudgemēt of God and a cruell wrath that the ve∣ry Prelates and shepheardes of our soules whiche were wont to feede Christes flocke with Christs doctrine, and to walke before them in lyuyng there after, and to geue their lyues for them, to their ensample and edifiyng, and to strengthē their weake faythes, are now so sore chaunged that if they smell that one of their flocke (as they now cal them and no lenger Christes) do but once long or desire for the true knowledge of Christ, they will slay hym, burnyng him with fire most cru∣elly? What is the cause of this, and that * 1.203 they also teach false doctrine confir∣myng it with lyes? veryly it is the hād of God to auenge the wickednes of them that haue no loue nor lust vnto the truth of God, when it is preached, but reioyse in vnrighteousnes. As thou maist see in the second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians: Where he speaketh of the comming of Antichrist. Whose commyng shalbe (sayth he) by the workyng of Sathan with all mi∣racles signes and wonders which are

but lyes, and in all deceanable vnrigh∣teousnes among them that perish, be∣cause they receaued not any loue to the * 1.204 truth to haue bene saued. Therefore shall God send them strong delusion, to beleue lyes. Marke how God to auenge his truth, sendeth to the vn∣thankefull false doctrine and false mi∣racles to confirme them, and to harden their harts in the false way, that after∣ward it shall not be possible for them to admitte the truth. As thou seest in Exod. vij. and viij. how God suffered false miracles to be shewed in y^t sight of Pharao to harden his hart, that he should not beleue the truth, in as much as hys sorcerers turned their roddes into Serpēts, and turned wa∣ter into bloud, and made frogges by their inchauntment: so thought he that Moses did all his miracles by the same craft and not by the power of GOD. And abode therfore in vnbelefe and pe∣rished in resisting God.

Let vs receaue all thinges of God * 1.205 whether it be good or bad: let vs hum∣ble our selues vnder his mighty hand and submitte our selues vnto his nur∣ture and chastising, and not withdraw our selues from his correction. Read Hebr. xij. for thy comfort: and let vs not take the stafe by the end or seke to auenge our selues on his rodde, which is the euill rulers. The child as long as he seketh to auenge him selfe vpon the rodde hath an euill hart. For he thinketh not that the correctiō is right or that he hath deserued it, neither re∣penteth, but reioyseth in his wicked∣nes. And so lōg shall he neuer be with∣out a rodde: yea so long shall the rodde be made sharper and sharper. If he knowledge his faute and take the cor∣rection mekely and euē kisse the rodde and amende him selfe with the lear∣nyng and nurture of his father & mo∣ther, then is the rodde takē away and burnt.

So if we resiste euill rulers sekyng * 1.206 to set our selues at libertie, we shall no doubt bring our selues into more euill bondage & wrappe our selues in much more miserie and wretchednes. For if the heades ouercome, then lay they more weight on their backes & make their yoke sorer and tye them shorter. If they ouercome their euill rulers, then make they way for a more cruell natiō, or for some tyraunt of their own nation, whiche hath no right vnto the crown. If we submitte our selues vn∣to the chastisyng of God and mekely knowledge our sinnes for whiche we are scourged, and kisse the rodde, and amende our liuyng: then will GOD take the rodde away, that is, he will geue the rulers a better hart. Or if they continue their malice and perse∣cute you for well doyng, and because ye put your trust in GOD, then will God deliuer you out of their tyranny for his truthes sake. It is the same * 1.207 God now that was in the old time & deliuered the fathers and the Pro∣phetes, the Apostles and other holy Saintes. And what soeuer he sware to them he hath sworne to vs. And as he deliuered them out of all temptation combraūce and aduersitie, because they consented and submitted them selues vnto his will and trusted in his good∣nes and truth: euen so will he do vs if we do likewise.

When soeuer the children of Israell fel from the way which God cōmaun∣ded them to walke in, he gane them vp vnder one tyraūt or an other. As soone as they came to the knowledge of thē selues and repented crying for mercy and leaning vnto the truth of his pro∣mises he sent one to deliuer them, as the hystories of the Bible make men∣tion.

A Christen man in respect of God * 1.208 is but a passiue thing, a thyng that suf∣fereth onely and doth nought, as the sicke in respect of the Surgion or Phi∣sition doth but suffer onely. The Sur∣gen launceth and cutteth out the dead flesh, searcheth the woundes, thrusteth in tentes, sereth, burneth, soweth or sticheth, and leyeth to corsies to draw out y^• corruption, & last of all leyeth to healyng plaisters & maketh it whole. The Phisitiō likewise geueth purga∣tions and drinkes to driue out the di∣sease and then with restauratiues brin∣geth health. Now if the sicke resiste the raser, the searching yron, and so forth, doth he not resiste his owne health and is cause of his owne death? So like∣wise * 1.209 is it of vs, if we resiste euil rulers which are the rodde & scourge where∣with God chastiseth vs, the instru∣mentes wherewith God searcheth out woundes and bitter drinkes to driue out the sinne and to make it appeare, and corsies to draw out by the rotes the core of the poxe of the soule that freateth inward. A Christen mā ther∣fore * 1.210 receaueth all thyng of the hand of God both good and bad, both sweete and sowre, both wealth & wo. If any person do me good, whether it be fa∣ther

mother and so forth, that receaue I of God and to God geue thankes. For he gaue wherewith, and gaue a commaundement, and moued his hart so to do. Aduersitie also receaue I of the hād of God as an wholesome me∣dicine, though it be somewhat bitter. Temptation and aduersitie do both kill sinne, and also vtter it. For though * 1.211 a Christen man knoweth euery thyng how to lyue: yet is the flesh so weake, that he cā neuer take vp his crosse him selfe to kill and mortifie the flesh. He must haue an other to lay it on hys backe. In many also sinne lyeth hidde within and festereth and rotteth in∣ward & is not sene: so that they thinke how they are good and perfect & kepe the law. As the younge man. Math. xix. sayd he had obserued all of a child, and yet lyed falsly in his hart, as the text folowing well declareth. When all is at peace and no man troubleth vs, we thinke that we are paciēt and loue our neighbours as our selues: but let our neighbour hurt vs in woorde or deede, and then finde we it otherwise. Then fume we and rage and set vp the bristels & bend our selues to take vengeaunce. If we loued with godly loue for Christes kindnes sake, we should desire no vengeaunce, but pitie him and desire God to forgeue and a∣mend him knowing well that no flesh can do otherwise the sinne, except that God preserue hym. Thou wilt say what good doth such persecution and tyranny vnto the righteous? First it maketh them feele the woorkyng of Gods spirite in them, and that theyr fayth is vnfayned. Secondaryly I say * 1.212 that no man is so great a sinner, if he repent and beleue, but that he is righ∣teous in Christ and in the promises: yet if thou looke on the flesh and vnto the law there is no man so perfect that is not founde a sinner. Nor any man so pure, that hath not somewhat to be yet purged. This shall suffice at this time as concernyng obedience.

BEcause that God excludeth no de∣gree from his mercy. But who so euer repenteth and beleueth his pro∣mises (of what soeuer degree he be of) the same shalbe partaker of hys grace: therfore as I haue described the obe∣dience of them that are vnder power and rule, euen so will I with Gods helpe (as my dutie is) declare how the rulers whiche God shall vouchsafe to call vnto the knowledge of the truth ought to rule.

¶ The office of a Father, and how he should rule.

FAthers moue not your chil∣dren vnto wrath: but bring them vp in y^• nurtour and in∣formation * 1.213 of the Lord. Ephe. vi. and Collos. iij. Fathers rate not your children, least they be of desperate minde, that is, least you discourage thē. For where y^• fathers and mothers are weywarde hastie and churlishe, euer brauling and chiding: there are y^t chil∣dren anone discouraged and hartlesse, and apte for nothing, neither can they * 1.214 do any thyng aright. Bryng them vp in the nurtoure and information of the Lord. Teach thē to know Christ, and set Gods ordinaunce before them, say∣ing: sonne or daughter, God hath cre∣ated thee and made thee, thorough vs thy father and mother, and at his com∣maundement haue we so longe thus kindely brought thee vp, and kept thee from all perils, he hath commaunded thee also to obey vs, saying: childe o∣bey thy father and mother. If thou meekely obey, so shalt thou grow both in the fauour of God & man, & know∣ledge of our Lord Christ. If thou wilt not obey vs at hys commaundement: thē are we charged to correct thee, yea, and if thou repent not and amende thy self, God shall sley thee by hys officers, * 1.215 or punishe thee euerlastingly. Nur∣toure thē not worldly, & with worldly wisedome, saying: thou shalt come to honour, dignitie, promotion, and ri∣ches, thou shalt be better then such and such, thou shalt haue iij. or iiij. benefi∣ces, and be a great doctoure or a By∣shop, and haue so many men wayting on thee, and do nothing but hauke and hunte, and lyue at pleasure, thou shalt not neede to sweate, to laboure or to take any payne for thy lyuing and so forth, filling thē full of pride, disdaine, and ambition, and corrupting theyr myndes wyth worldly perswasions. Let the fathers and mothers marke how they themselues were disposed at all ages, & by experience of their owne infirmities, helpe their children and keepe them from occasions. Let them teach their children to axe maryages of * 1.216 their fathers & mothers. And let theyr elders prouide mariages for them in season: teaching them also to know, that she is not hys wyfe which y^• sonne taketh, nor he her husband which the daughter taketh wythout the consent and good wyll of their elders, or them

that haue aucthoritie ouer thē. If their frends wil not marry thē, then are they not to blame, if they marry thēselues. Let not y^t fathers & mothers alwayes take the vtmost of their authoritie of their children, but at a time suffer with them, and beare theyr weaknesses, as Christ doth oures. Seeke Christ in your children, in your wiues, seruants, and subiectes. Father, mother, sonne, daughter, maister, seruaunt, kyng and subiect, be names in the worldly regi∣ment. In Christ we are all one thing, * 1.217 none better then other, all brethren, & must all seeke Christ, and our brothers profit in Christ. And he that hath the knowledge whether he be Lorde or kyng, is bounde to submitte hymselfe and serue his brethrē, and to geue hym selfe for them, to winne them to Christ.

¶ The office of an husband and how he ought to rule.

HUsbandes loue your wiues, as Christ loued the congre∣gation, and gaue hymselfe for it, to sanctifie it, and clense it. Men ought to loue their wiues, as their owne bodyes. For this cause shall a man leaue father and mo∣ther, and shall continue with his wife, and shall be made both one flesh. See that euer one of you loue his wyfe euen as hys owne bodye: All thys sayth Paul. Ephe. v. and Collo. iij. he sayth husbādes loue your wiues, and be not bitter vnto thē. And Peter in the thyrd chapter of hys first epistle sayth: men * 1.218 dwell with your wiues according to knowledge, (that is, according to the doctrine of Christ) geuing reuerence vnto the wife, as vnto the weaker ves∣sell (that is, helpe her to beare her in∣firmities) and as vnto them that are heyres also of y^e grace of lyfe, that your prayers be not let. In many thynges * 1.219 God hath made the men stronger then the women, not to rage vpon them, & to be tyrantes vnto then, but to helpe thē, but to beare their weakenesse. Be curteous thereaefore vnto them, and winne thē vnto Christ, and ouercome them with kyndnes, that of loue they may obey y^• ordinaunce that God hath made betwene man and wife.

¶ The office of a maister, and how he ought to rule.

PAule Ephe. vi. saith: ye mai∣sters do euen y^e same thinges vnto thē (that is, be maister after y^e example & doctrine of Christ, as he before taught y^• seruauntes to obey vnto their maisters as vnto Christ) putting away threanings (that is, geue * 1.220 thē fayre wordse, & exhort thē kyndely to do theyr dutie: yea nurtour them as thine own sonnes with y^• Lords nour∣tour, that they may see in Christ a cause why they ought louingly to obey) and remember (saith he) that your maister also is in heauen. Neither is there any respect of persons wyth hym, that is, he is indifferent and not parciall: as great in hys sight is a seruaunt as a maister. And the third chapter to the Col. saith he: ye maisters, do vnto your seruaunts that which is iust and equal, remembring that ye also haue a maister in heauen. Geue your seruaunts kinde wordes, fode, rayment and learnyng. Be not bitter vnto them, rayle not on them, geue thē no cruell countenaunce: but according to the ensample and doc∣trine of Christ, deale with them. And when they labour sore, cherishe them * 1.221 agayne. When ye correct thē, let Gods worde be by, and do it wyth such good maner that they may see how that ye doe it to amende them onely, and to bring them vnto the way which God biddeth vs walke in, and not to auēge your selues, or to wreke your malice on them. If at a tyme thorough hasti∣nes ye exceede measure in punishing, recompence it an other way and par∣don them an other tyme.

¶ The dutie of Landlordes.

LEt Christen Landlordes be content wyth their rent and * 1.222 olde customes, not reysing y^• rent or fynes & bringing vp new customes to oppresse their te∣nauntes: neither letting two or three tenauntryes vnto one man. Let them not take in their communes, neyther make parkes nor pastures of whole parishes. For God gaue the earth to * 1.223 men to inhabite, and not vnto sheepe and wilde deare. Be as fathers vnto your tenauntes: yea be vnto them, as Christ was vnto vs, and shew vnto them all loue, and kyndnes. What soe∣uer busines is among thē, be not par∣ciall, fauouring one more thē an other. The complayntes, quarels, and strife that are among them, counte diseases of sicke people, and as a mercifull phi∣sition heale them wyth wisdome and good councell. Be pitifull and tender harted vnto them, and let not one of thy tenauntes teare out an others

throte, but iudge their causes indiffe∣rently and compell them to make their diches, hedges, gates and wayes. For euē for such causes were ye made land∣lordes, and for such causes payde men rent at the beginning. For if such an order were not, one should sley an o∣ther, and all should goe to wast. If thy tenaunt shall labour and toyle all the yeare to pay thee thy rent, and when he hath bestowed al his labour, his neigh∣boures cattell shal deuoure his frutes, how tedyous and bitter should his life * 1.224 be? Se therefore that ye doe your du∣ties agayne, and suffer no man to doe them wrong, saue the kyng onely. If he doe wrong, then must they abyde Gods iudgement.

¶ The dutie of Kynges, and of the Iudges and Officers.

LEt Kynges (if they had leuer be Christen in deede then so to be called) geue themselues all together to the wealth of their Realmes after the ensample of Christ: remembryng that the people are Gods & not theirs: ye are Christes inheritaunce and possession bought with his bloud. The most despised * 1.225 person in his Realme is the kynges brother, and felowmember with hym, and equall with him in the kyngdome of God and of Christ. Let him therfore not thinke him selfe to good to do thē seruice, neither seke any other thing in them, then a father seketh in his chil∣dren, yea then Christ sought in vs. Though that the kyng in the temporal regiment be in the rowme of God and representeth God him self, and is with out all comparison better thē his sub∣iectes: yet let him put of that and be∣come a brother, doing and leauing vn∣done all thinges in respect of the com∣mon wealth, that all men may see that he seketh nothing, but the profet of his subiectes. When a cause that requireth execution is brought before him, then onely let him take y^e person of God on him. Then let him know no creature but heare all indifferently, whether it be a straunger or one of his owne Re∣alme, & the small as well as the great and iudge righteously for the iudgemēt is the Lordes. Deut. i. In tyme of iud∣gement he is no minister in the kyng∣dome of Christ: he preacheth no Gos∣pell, but the sharpe law of vengeance. Let him take the holy iudges of the olde Testament for an example and namely Moses which in executing the * 1.226 law was mercylesse, otherwise more then a mother vnto them, neuer auen∣gyng his owne wronges but suffering all thing, bearing euery mans weake∣nes, teaching, warning, exhorting and euer caryng for them, and so tenderly loued them, that he desired God either to forgeue them, or to damne hym with them.

Let the iudges also priuatly when * 1.227 they haue put of the person of a iudge exhort with good counsell and warne the people & helpe, that they come not at Gods iudgemēt: but the causes that are brought vnto them, when they sit in Gods stede, let them iudge, and cō∣demne y^e trespasser vnder lawfull wit∣nesses and not breake vp into the con∣sciences * 1.228 of men, after the example of Antichristes disciples, and compell thē either to forsweare them selues by the almightie God, and by the holy Gos∣pell of his mercyfull promises, or to te∣stifie against them selues. Which abho∣minatiō * 1.229 our Prelates learned of Cay∣phas Math. xxvj. saying to Christ: I adiure or charge thee in the name of the liuing God, that thou tell vs whe∣ther thou be Christ the sonne of God: * 1.230 Let that which is secret to God onely, where of no profe cā be made nor law∣full witnesse brought, abyde vnto the commyng of the Lord which shall opē all secretes. If any malice breake forth, that let them iudge onely. For further authoritie hath God not geuen them.

Moyses Deut. xvij. warneth iudges * 1.231 to kepe them vpright and to looke on no mans person, that is, that they pre∣ferre * 1.232 not the hye before the low, the great before the small, the rich before poore, his acquaintaunce, frende, kins∣man, countrey man or one of his own nation before a straūger, a frend or an aliant, ye or one of their own faith be∣fore an infidell: but that they looke on the cause onely to iudge indifferently. For the rowme that they are in, and the law that they execute are Gods, which as he hath made all, and is God of all and all are his sonnes: euen so is he iudge ouer all, and wil haue al iud∣ged by his law indifferently, and to haue the right of his law, and will a∣uenge the wrong done vnto the Turke or Sareson. For though they be not vnder the euerlastyng Testament of God in Christ, as few of vs which are called Christen be, and euen no mo thē to whom God hath sent his promises and poured his spirite into their harts

to beleue them, and through fayth gra∣uen lust in their hartes, to fulfill the law of loue: yet are they vnder the Te∣stament of y^e law naturall, which is the lawes of euery land made for the com∣mon wealth there, and for peace and vnite that one may lyue by an other. In whiche lawes the infidels (if they kepe them) haue promises of worldly things. Who soeuer therfore hyndreth * 1.233 a very infidell from the right of that law, sinneth agaynst God, and of him will God be auēged. Moreouer Moy∣ses warneth them that they receaue no giftes, rewardes or bribes. For those two pointes, fauoryng of one person more then an other, and receauyng re∣wardes, peruerte all right and equitie and is y^e onely pestilence of all iudges.

And the kynges warneth he that * 1.234 they haue not to many wiues, lest their hartes turne away: and that they read alway in the law of God, to learne to feare him, lest their hartes be lift vp a∣boue their brethren. Which ij. pointes, wemen and pride the despising of their * 1.235 subiectes, which are in very deed their owne brethren, are the common pesti∣lence of all Princes. Read the stories and see.

The Shyriffes, Bayly arauntes, Constables and such like officers may let no man that hurteth his neighbour scape, but that they bryng them before the iudges, except they in the meane time agree with their neighbours and make them amendes.

Let Kinges defende their subiectes from the wronges of other natiōs, but picke no quarels for euery trifle: no let not our most holy father make them no more so dronkē with vayne names, * 1.236 with cappes of maintenaunce, and like bables, as it were popetry for childrē, to begger their Realmes and to mur∣ther their people, for defendyng of our holy fathers tyrāny. If a lawfull peace * 1.237 that standeth with Gods woorde be made betwene Prince and Prince, and the name of God taken to recorde and the body of our Sauiour broken be∣twene them, vppon the bonde whiche they haue made, that peace or bonde can our holy father not dispence with, neither lowse it with all the keyes he hath: no veryly Christ can not breake it. For he came not to breake the law but to fulfill it. Math. v.

If any man haue broken the law or a good ordinaunce and repent & come to the rightway agayne, then hath Christ power to forgeue hym: but li∣cence to breake the law cā he not geue, much more his disciples and vicares (as they call them selues) can not do it. The keyes wherof they so greatly bost * 1.238 them selues are no carnall things, but spirituall, and nothing els saue know∣ledge of the law and of the promises or Gospell: if any man for lacke of spiri∣tuall feelyng desire authoritie of men, let him read the old Doctours. If any man desire authoritie of Scripture Christ sayth (Luke. xj.) woe be to you lawyers for ye haue takē away the key of knowledge, ye enter not in your sel∣ues, and them that come in, ye forbyd, that is, they had blynded y^• Scripture whose knowledge (as it were a keye) letteth into God, with gloses and tra∣ditions. Likewise findest thou Math. xxiij. As Peter aunswered in the name * 1.239 of al: so Christ promised him the keyes in the person of all: Math. xvj. And in the. xx. of Iohn he payed them saying: receaue the holy Ghost, who soeuers * 1.240 sinnes ye remitte they are remitted or forgeuen, & who soeuers sinnes ye re∣taine they are retained or holden. With * 1.241 preachyng the promises loose they as many as repent and beleue. And for that Iohn sayth receaue y^t holy ghost. Luke in his last Chapter sayth: then o∣pened he their wittes, that they might vnderstand the Scriptures and sayd vnto them: thus it is written. And thus it behoued Christ to suffre and to rise agayne the thyrd day. And that re∣pentaunce * 1.242 & remission of sinnes should be preached in his name amōg all na∣tions. At preachyng of the law repent men, and at the preachyng of the pro∣mises do they beleue & are saued. Pe∣ter in the second of the Actes practised * 1.243 his keyes, and by preachyng the law brought the people into y^t knowledge of them selues, and bound their consci∣ences, so that they were pricked in their hartes, and sayd vnto Peter and to the other Apostles, what shall we doe? Then brought they foorth the keye of the swete promises saying: repent and be Baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes, and ye shall receaue the gift of the holy ghost. For the promise was made vnto you, and vnto your chil∣dren, and to all that are a farre euen as many as the Lord shal call. Of like ex∣amples is the Actes full, and Peters Epistles, and Paules Epistles and all * 1.244 the Scripture, neither hath our holy father any other authoritie of Christ or by the reason of his predecessor Peter

then to preach Gods word. As Christ cōpareth the vnderstandyng of Scrip∣ture vnto a keye, so compareth he it to a net, and vnto leuen and vnto many other thinges for certeine properties. I maruell therfore that they boast not * 1.245 them selues of their nette and leuen, as well as of their keyes, for they are all one thyng. But as Christ biddeth vs beware of y^• leuē of the Phariseis, so beware of their counterfeted keyes and of their false nette (which are their traditiōs and ceremonies, their hipo∣crisie & false doctrine, wherewith they katch, not soules vnto Christ, but au∣thoritie and riches vnto them selues.

Let christen kynges therefore keepe * 1.246 their fayth and truth, and all lawfull promises and bondes, not one wyth an other onely, but euen wyth the Turke or whatsoeuer infidell it be. For so it is right before God, as the scriptures and exāples of the Bible testifie. Whosoe∣uer * 1.247 voweth an vnlawful vow, promi∣seth an vnlawfull promise, sweareth an vnlawful oth, sinneth against God, and ought therfore to breake it. He ne∣deth not to sue to Rome for a licence. For he hath Gods word, & not a licēce onely: but also a commaundement to breake it. They therefore y^• are sworne to be true vnto Cardinals & Byshops, that is to say, false vnto God, the king, and the realme, may breake their othes lawfully without grudge of conscience by the aucthoritie of Gods worde. In makyng them they sinned, but in repē∣tyng and breakyng them they please God hyghly, and receaue forgeuenes in Christ.

Let kynges take their dutie of their subiectes, and that is necessary vnto y^t defence of the realme. Let them rule their Realmes them selues, wyth the helpe of laye men that are sage, wyse, learned, and expert. Is it not a shame aboue all shames & a monstrous thing, that no man should be founde able to gouerne a worldly kyngdome saue by∣shops * 1.248 and prelates, that haue forsakē the worlde, and are taken out of the worlde and appoynted to preach the kyngdome of God? Christ sayth, y^t hys kingdome is not of this world. Iohn. 18. And Luk. 12. vnto y^• young mā that desired hym to bid his brother to geue hym part of the inheritaunce, he auns∣wered, who made me a iudge or a de∣uider * 1.249 among you. No man that layeth his hand to the Plowe and looketh backe is apt for the kingdome of hea∣uen. Luke. ix. No man can serue two maisters but he must despise the one Math. vj.

To preach Gods worde is to much for halfe a man. And to minister a tem∣porall kingdome is to much for halfe a man also. Either other requireth an whole man. One therfore can not well do both. He that auengeth himselfe on euery trifle is not mete to preach y^t pa∣cience of Christ, how that a man ought to forgeue and to suffer all thynges. He that is ouerwhelmed with all maner riches, and doth but seeke more dayly, is not meete to preach pouertie. He that will obey no man, is not mete to preach how we ought to obey all men. Peter saith Act. vj. It is not meete that we should leaue the word of God and serue at the tables. Paule sayth in the ix. chapter of the first Corinthe. Wo is me if I preach not a terible saying, ve∣rely for Popes, Cardinals, and By∣shoppes. If he had sayd, wo be vnto me, if I fight not & moue Princes vn∣to warre, or if I encrease not S. Pe∣ters patrimonie (as they call it) it had * 1.250 bene a more easy saying for them.

Christ forbiddeth hys disciples and * 1.251 that oft (as thou mayst see Math. xviij. And also xx. Mark. ix. and also x. Luk. ix. and also xxij. Euen at his last sup∣per) not onely to clime aboue Lordes. kynges, and Emperours in worldly rule, but also to exalt themselues one aboue an other in y^e kingdome of God. But in vayne: for the Pope would not heare it though he had commaunded it tenne thousand tymes. Gods worde should rule onely and not Byshoppes * 1.252 decrees, or the Popes pleasure. That ought they to preach purely and spiri∣tually, and to fashion their liues after, & wyth all ensample of godly liuyng & long suffering, to draw all to Christ: and not to expounde the Scriptures carnally and worldly, saying: God spake thys to Peter and I am his suc∣cessour, therefore thys aucthoritie is myne onely: and then bring in the ty∣ranny of their fleshly wisdome, in prae∣sentia maioris, cessat potestas minoris, that is, in the presence of the greater, y^• lesse hath no power. There is no brother∣hod where such philosophy is taught.

SVch philosophy, and so to abuse the scriptures, and to mocke with Gods word, is after the maner of the Byshop of Rochesters diuinitie. For he in hys * 1.253 Sermō of the condemnation of Mar∣tin Luther, proueth by a shadow of the olde testament, that is, by Moyses and Aaron, that Sathan and Antichrist our

most holy father the Pope is Christes vicare & head of Christes cōgregation.

Moyses (sayth he) signifieth Christ, and Aaron the Pope. And yet the epi∣stle vnto the Hebrues proueth that the hye Priest of the olde lawe signifieth Christ, and his offering and hys going in once in the yeare into the inner tem∣ple, signifie the offering wherewyth Christ offered hymselfe, and Christes goyng in vnto the father to be an euer∣lasting mediator or intercessor for vs. Neuerthelesse Rochester proueth the contrary by a shadow: by a shadow ve∣rely. For in shadowes they walke with out all shame, and the light will they * 1.254 not come at, but enforce to stoppe and quench it with all craft and falshod, lest their abhominable iugling shoulde be sene. If any man looke in the light of y^e new testament, he shal clearely see, that that shadow may not be so vnderstād.

Vnderstand therfore that one thing in the Scripture representeth diuers thynges. A Serpent figureth Christ in one place, and the Deuill in an other. And a Lyon doth lykewise. Christ by Leuen signifieth Gods worde in one place, and in an other signifieth there∣by the traditions of y^t Phareseis which sowred & altered Gods word for theyr auauntage. Now Moyses verely in y^• sayd place representeth Christ, and Aa∣ron * 1.255 which was not yet hye Priest, re∣presēted not Peter onely or hys succes∣sour, as my Lord of Rochester woulde haue it (for Peter was to litle to beare Christes message vnto all the world) but signifieth euery disciple of Christ & euery true preacher of Gods worde. For Moyses put in Aarons mouth, what he should say, and Aaron was Moyses Prophet, and spake not hys owne message (as the Pope and By∣shoppes doe) but that which Moyses had receaued of God and deliuered vn∣to hym. Exod. 4. and also 7. So ought euery preacher to preach Gods worde purely, and neither to adde nor minish. A true messenger must doe his message truely, and say neither more nor lesse then he is commaunded. Aaron when * 1.256 he is hye priest, and offereth and pur∣geth the people of their worldly sinne, which they had fallē in in touching vn∣cleanly thynges, and in eating meates forbidden (as we sinne in handling the chalice, and the Alter stone, & are pur∣ged wyth the Bishops blessing) repre∣senteth Christ, which purgeth vs from all sinne in the sight of God, as the epi∣stle vnto the Hebrues maketh mentiō. When Moyses was gone vp into the mounte and Aaron left behynde, and made the golden Calfe, there Aaron representeth all false preachers, and namely, our most holy father y^• Pope, which in like maner maketh vs beleue in a Bull, as y^t Bishop of Rochester ful wel alleageth the place in hys sermon.

If the Pope be signified by Aaron and Christ by Moyses, why is not the Pope as well content with Christes * 1.257 law and doctrine, as Aaron was with Moyses? What is the cause that our Bi∣shops preach the pope and not Christ, seyng the Apostles preached not Pe∣ter, but Christ. Paul. ij. Cor. iiij. sayth of hym selfe and of his felowapostles: * 1.258 we preache not our selues but Christ Iesus the Lord, and preach our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake. And. i. Cor. iij. Let no mā reioyse in men. For all thynges are yours, whether it bee Paul, or Apollo, or Peter: whether it be the world, or life, or death: whether they be present thinges or thynges to come: all are yours & ye are Christes & Christ is Gods. He leueth out ye are Peters, or ye are the popes. And in the Chapter folowyng he sayth. Let men thus wise esteme vs, euē the ministers of Christ. &c. And. ij. Cor. xj. Paul was gelous ouer his Corinthians, because they fell from Christ, to whom he had maried thē, & did cleaue vnto the au∣thoritie of men (for euē then false Pro∣phetes sought authoritie in the name of the hye Apostles) I am sayth he ge∣louse ouer you with godly gelousie. For I coupled you to one mā, to make you a chast virgine to Christ: but I feare lest as the Serpent deceaued •…•…e through his suttiltie, euen so your wittes should be corrupt from the sin∣glenesse that is in Christ. And it fol∣loweth: If he that commeth to you preached an other Iesus, or if ye re∣ceaue an other spirite or another Gos∣pell, then might ye well haue ben con∣tent, that is, ye might haue well suffe∣red him to haue authoritie aboue me. But I suppose (sayth he) that I was not behynd the hye Apostles: meaning in preaching Iesus & his Gospell, and in ministring the spirite. And in the said. xj. Chapter, he proueth by y^• doc∣trine of Christ, that he is greater then the hye Apostles. For Christ sayth, to be great in the kingdome of God, is to do seruice and take payne for other. * 1.259 Ʋpon which rule Paul disputeth say∣ing: if they be the ministers of Christ I am more. In labours more aboun∣daunt,

in stripes about measure in pri∣son more plenteously, in death oft and so forth. If Paul preached Christ more * 1.260 then Peter and suffered more for hys congregation, then is he greater then Peter by y^e testimony of Christ. And in the xij. he sayth. In nothing was I in∣ferior vnto y^• hye Apostles. Though I * 1.261 be nothing, yet the tokēs of an Apostle were wrought amōg you with all pa∣cience, with signes & wōders & migh∣ty dedes. So proued he his authority & not with a bulle frō Peter sealed with cold lead, either with shadowes of the old Testament falsly expounded.

Moreouer the Apostles were sent immediatly of Christ and of Christ re∣ceaued they their authoritie, as Paul boasteth him selfe euery where. Christ * 1.262 (sayth he) sent me to preach the Gos∣pell. i. Corint. i. And I receaued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you i. Cor. xi. And Gal. i. I certifie you bre∣thrē that the Gospell which was prea∣ched of me, was not after the maner of men (that is to witte, carnal or fleshly) neither receaued I it of man, neyther was it taught me: but I receaued it by y^t reuelation of Iesus Christ. And Gal. ij. He that was mighty in Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision, was mighty in me among the Gētiles. And 1. Timoth. 1. Readest thou lykewyse. And Iohn xx. Christ sent them forth indifferently, and gaue them lyke po∣wer. As my father sent me (sayth he) so send I you: that is, to preach and to suffer, as I haue done, and not to con∣quer enemyes and kyngdomes, and to subdue all temporall power vnder you wyth disguised hypocrisie. He gaue thē the holy Ghost to bynde and loose in∣differently, as thou seest: And after∣ward he sent forth Paule wyth like au∣thority, as thou seest in the Actes. And in the last of Mathew sayth he: all po∣wer is geuen me in heauē and in earth, goe therfore and teach all naciōs, bap∣tising them in the name of the father, & of the sonne, and of the holy Ghost, tea∣ching them to obserue whatsoeuer I commaunded you. The authoritie that * 1.263 Christ gaue thē was to preach, yet not what they would imagine, but what he had commaunded. Loe sayth he, I am with you alwayes, euen vnto the ende of the world. He sayde not I goe my way, and loe here is Peter in my stede: But sent them euery man to a sundry countrey, whether soeuer the spirite caried them, and went with thē him self. And as he wrought with Pe∣ter where he went, so wrought he with the other where they went, as Paul boasteth of him selfe vnto the Galathi∣ans. Seyng now that we haue Chri∣stes * 1.264 doctrine and Christes holy promi∣ses, and seyng that Christ is euer pre∣sent with vs his owne selfe, how com∣meth it that Christ may not raigne im∣mediatly ouer vs, as well as the Pope which commeth neuer at vs? Seyng also that the office of an Apostle is to preach onely, how can the Pope cha∣lenge with right, any authoritie where he preacheth not? How commeth it al∣so that Rochester will not let vs be cal∣led one congregation be the reason of one God, one Christ, one spirite, one Gospell, one fayth, one hope, and one Baptisme, as well as because of one Pope?

If any naturall beast with hys worldly wisedome striue, that one is * 1.265 greater then an other, because that in congregations one is sent of an other, as we see in the Actes. I aūswere that Peter sent no man, but was sent him selfe, and Iohn was sent, and Paul, Sy∣las and Barnabas were sent. Howbeit such maner sendynges are not world∣ly, as Princes send Ambassadours, no nor as Friers send their limiters to gather their brethrenhedes which must obey whether they will or will not. Here all thyng is free and willyngly. And the holy ghost bringeth thē toge∣ther whiche maketh their willes free, and ready to bestow them selues vpon their neighbours profit. And they that come, offer thē selues, and all that they haue or cā do, to serue the Lord & their brethrē. And euery mā, as he is found apt and meete to serue his neighbour, so is he sent or put in office. And of the holy Ghost are they sent with the con∣sent of their brethren and with their owne consēt also. And Gods word ru∣leth in that congregation, vnto which word euery man confirmeth his will. And Christ which is alway present is the head. But as our Bishops heare not Christes voyce, so see they him not * 1.266 present: and therfore make them a God on the earth, of the kinde (I suppose) of Aarons calfe. For he bringeth forth * 1.267 no other frute but Bulles.

For as much also as Christ is as great as Peter, why is not his seate as great as Peters? Had the head of the Empire ben at Ierusalem, there had ben no mention made of Peter. It is verely, as Paul sayth in the xj. Chap. of the ij. Epistle to the Corinthians.

The false Apostles are disceatful wor∣kers, and fashion them selues like vn∣to the Apostles of Christ. That is the * 1.268 shauen nation preached Christ falsly, yea vnder the name of Christ preached them selues, and raigne in Christes stede: haue also taken away the keye of knowledge and haue wrapped y^• peo∣ple in ignoraunce, and haue taught thē to beleue in them selues, in their tra∣ditions and false ceremonies: so that Christ is but a vayne name, and after * 1.269 they had put Christ out of his rowme, they gate them selues to the Empe∣rour and kyngs, and so long ministred their busines till they haue also put thē out of their rowmes, & haue got their * 1.270 authorities from them and raigne also in their stede: so that y^• Emperour and kynges are but vayne names and sha∣dowes, as Christ is, hauyng nothyng to do in the world. Thus raygne they in the stede of God and man and haue all power vnder them, and do what they list.

Let vs see an other poynt of our great clarke. A litle after the beginning * 1.271 of hys Sermon, entendyng to proue that which is clearer then the sonne & serueth no more for his purpose then Ite missa est serueth to proue that our Lady was borne without originall sinne: he alledgeth a saying that Mar∣tin Luther sayth, which is this, if we af∣firme that any one Epistle of Paul or any one place of his Epistles pertei∣neith not vnto the vniuersall Church, that is, to all the congregation of them that beleue in Christ, we take away all S. Paules authoritie. Wherupō sayth Rochester. If it be thus of the woordes of S. Paule, much rather it is true of the Gospels of Christ and of euery place of them. O malicious blyndnes. First note his blindnes. He vnderstā∣deth by this worde Gospell no more but the foure Euangelistes, Mathew, Marke, Luke and Iohn, and thinketh not that the Actes of Apostles and the Epistles of Peter, of Paul & of Iohn * 1.272 and of other like, are also the Gospell. Paul calleth his preachyng the Gos∣pell. Rom. ij. and. i. Cor. iiij. and Gal. i. and. i. Timoth. i. The Gospel is eue∣ry where one though it be preached of diuers, and signifieth glad tidynges, * 1.273 that is to witte, an open preachyng of Christ and the holy Testament & gra∣cious promises that God hath made in Christes bloud, to all that repent and beleue. Now is there more Gospell in one Epistle of Paule, that is to say, Christ is more clearely preached, and moe promises rehearsed in one Epistle of Paul, then in the. iij. first Euange∣listes. Mathew, Marke & Luke.

Consider also his maliciousnes, how wickedly and how craftely he taketh a∣way y^e authoritie of Paule. It is much rather true of the Gospelles, and of e∣uery place in them then of Paule. If * 1.274 that which y^e foure Euangelistes wrote be truer then that which Paule wrote, then is it not one Gospell that they preached, neither one spirit that taught them. If it be one Gospell and one spi∣rite, how is one truer then the other? Paule proueth his authoritie to y^e Ga∣lathians * 1.275 and to the Corinthians, be∣cause that he receaued his Gospell by reuelation of Christ and not of man: & because that when he com••••ed wyth Peter and y^e hye Apostles of hys Gos∣pell & preaching, they coulde improue nothyng, neither teach hym any thing: and because also that as many were cō∣uerted and as great miracles shewed by his preaching, as at the preaching of the hie Apostles, and therefore will be of no lesse authoritie, thē Peter and o∣ther hie Apostles: Nor haue his Gos∣pell of lesse reputation then theirs.

Fynally that thou mayst know Ro∣chester * 1.276 for euer, and all the remnaunt by him, what they are within y^e skinne, marke how he playeth bo pepe with y^e Scripture. He allegeth the beginning of the tenth chapter to the Hebrues. Vmbram habens lex futurorum bonorum, the lawe hath but a shadow of thynges to come. And immediatly expoundeth the figure cleane contrary vnto the chap∣ter folowing, and to all the whole epi∣stle, making Aaron a figure of y^t Pope, whom the Epistle maketh a figure of Christ.

He allegeth halfe a texte of Paule. i. Timoth. iiij. In the latter dayes some shall depart from the faith, geuing hede vnto spirites of error and deuilish doc∣trine: but it foloweth in the text, ge∣uing attendaunce or hede vnto the de∣uilishe doctrine of them which speake false thorow hypocrisy, and haue their consciences marked with a hote yron, forbidding to mary, and commaūding to absteine from meates which God hath created to be receaued wyth ge∣uing thākes. Which two thynges who * 1.277 euer did saue y^e Pope Rochesters God, makyng sinne in the creatures which God hath created for mās vse to be re∣ceaued wyth thankes? The kyngdome of heauē is not meate and drinke sayth

Paule, but righteousnes, peace, and ioye in the holy Ghost. For whosoeuer in these thynges serueth Christ, plea∣seth God, and is alowed of men. Rom. xiiij. Had Rochester therfore not a cō∣science marked wyth the hote yron of malice, so that he can not consent vnto the will of God and glory of Christ, he woulde not haue so alleaged the texte which is contrary to none saue them∣selues.

He alleageth an other text of Paule in the second chapter of his second epi∣stle to the Thessalonians. Erit dissessi•• primum, that is sayth Rochester, before the comming of Antichrist, there shall be a notable departing from the fayth. And Paule sayth. The Lord commeth not except there come a departing first. Paules meaning is, that the last day commeth not so shortly, but that Anti∣christ shall come first and destroy the faith, and sit in the temple of God, and make all men worship him, and beleue in hym (as the Pope doth) and then shal Gods worde come to light againe (as it doth at thys tyme) and destroy hym and vtter his iuggling, and then cōmeth Christ vnto iudgement. What say ye of this crafty cōueyar? Would he spare, suppose ye to alleage & to wrest other doctours pestilently, which fea∣reth not for to iugle wyth y^• holy scrip∣ture of God, expounding y^• vnto Anti∣christ which Paule speaketh of Christ? No be ye sure. But euen after this ma∣ner wise peruert they the whole scrip∣ture and all doctours, wresting thē vn∣to their abhominable purpose, cleane contrary to the meaning of the text, & to the circumstaunces that goe before and after. Which deuelishe falshod lest the lay men should perceaue, is the ve∣ry * 1.278 cause why y^• they will not suffer the Scripture to be had in the Englishe tounge, neither any worke to be made, that should bring the people to know∣ledge of the truth.

He alleageth for the Popes authori∣tie, Saint Ciprian, Saint Augustine, Ambrose, Hierome, and Origene: of which neuer one knew of any authori∣tie, that one Bishop should haue aboue an other. And Saint Gregory allea∣geth he, which would receaue no such authoritie aboue hys brethren when it was profered hym. As the maner is to call Tully chiefe of Oratours for hys * 1.279 singular cloquence, and Aristotle chiefe of Philosophers, and Ʋirgill chiefe of Poets, for thir singular learnyng, and not for any authoritie that they had o∣uer other: so was it the maner to call Peter chiefe of the Apostles for his sin∣gular actiuitie and boldnes, and not that he shoulde be Lord ouer his bre∣thren, contrary to hys owne doctrine. Yet compare that chiefe Apostle vnto Paule, and he is found a great way in∣ferior. This I say not that I woulde that any man shoulde make a God of Paule, contrary vnto hys owne lear∣ning. Notwithstāding yet this maner of speaking is left vnto vs of our el∣ders, that when we say the Apostle sayth so, we vnderstand Paule for hys excellency aboue other Apostles. I would he would tel you how Hieroin, Augustine, Bede, Origene, and other doctours expound this texte vpon this rocke I wyll builde my congregation: and how they enterpret the keyes also. Thereto, Pasce, pasce, pasce, which Ro∣chester leaueth without any Englishe, signifieth not Pol••, shere, and shaue. Ʋpon which texte beholde the faithfull exposition of Bede.

Note also how craftely he would en∣feoffe the Apostles of Christ with their * 1.280 wicked traditions and false Ceremo∣nies, which they themselues haue fay∣ned, alleaging Paule. ij. Thessal. ij. I aunswere that Paule taught by mouth such things as he wrote in his epistles. And his traditions were the Gospell of Christ, and honest maners & liuing, and such a good order as becommeth the doctrine of Christ. As that a wo∣man obey her husband, haue her head couered, keepe silence, and goe wo∣manly and christenly apparelled: that children and seruauntes be in subiec∣tion: and that the younge obey their elders, that no man eate but he that la∣boureth and worketh, and that men make an earnest thing of Gods word, and of hys holy Sacramentes: and to watch, fast, and pray, and such lyke, as the Scripture commaundeth. Which thynges he that woulde breake were no christen man. But we may well cō∣playne and crye to God for helpe, that * 1.281 it is not lawful for the Popes tyranny, to teach y^• people what prayer is, what fasting is, and wherefore it serueth. There were also certayne customes al∣way which were not commaunded in paine of hell or euerlasting dānatiō, as to watch all night, and to kysse one an other: which as soone as the people a∣bused, then they brake thē. For which cause the Byshops myght breake ma∣ny thynges now in lyke maner. Paule also in many thynges which God had

made free, gaue pure and faythfull coū∣cell without tangling of any mans cō∣science, and without all maner com∣maundyng vnder payne of cursing, * 1.282 payne of excommunication, payne of heresie, payne of burnyng, payne of deadly sinne, payne of hell, and payne of damnatiō. As thou mayst see. i. Cor. 7. Where he counceleth the vnmaried, the widowes, and virgines that it is good so to abyde, if they haue the gift of chastitie. Not to winne heauē ther∣by (for neither Circumcision neither vncircumcision is any thyng at all, but the kepyng of the commaunde∣mentes is altogether) But that they might be without trouble, and might also the better wayte on Gods worde and s••elyer serue their brethren. And * 1.283 sayth (as a faithfull seruaunt) that he had none authority of the Lord to geue them any commaundement. But that the Apostles gaue vs any blynd cere∣monies wherof we should not know the reason that I denye and also defie, as a thyng cleane contrary vnto the learnyng of Paul euery where.

For Paul commaundeth that no * 1.284 man once speake in the Church, that is, in the congregation, but in a toung that all men vnderstand, except that there be an interpreter by: he cōmaun∣deth to labour for knowledge, vnder∣standyng, and feelyng and to beware of superstition, & persuasions of world∣ly wisedome, philosophy, and of hypo∣crisie and ceremonies, and of all ma∣ner disguising, & to walke in y^• playne and open truth. Ye were once darke∣nes (sayth he) but now are ye light in the Lord, walke therefore as the chil∣dren of light. Ephe. v. how doth Paul also wish them encrease of grace in e∣uery Epistle? How crieth he to God to augment their knowledge, that they should be no more children waueryng with euery winde of doctrine, but would vouchsafe to make them full men in Christ, and in the vnderstan∣dyng of the mysteries or secretes of Christ? so that it should no be possible for any man to disceaue them with any entisyng reasons of worldly wisedom, or to beguile them with blind ceremo∣nies, or to lead them out of the waye with superstitiousnes of disguiled hy∣pocrisie: vnto which ful knowledge are * 1.285 the spirituall officers ordeined to bring them. Ephes. iiij. So farre it is away that Christes Apostles should geue them traditions of blind ceremonies without signification, or of whiche no man should know the reason as Ro∣chester whiche loueth shadowes and darkenes lyeth on them: God stoppe his blasphemous mouth.

Consider also how studiously Ro∣chester * 1.286 alledgeth Origene, both for his Pope, and also to stablish his blind ce∣remonies with all: which Origene of all heretickes is condemned to be the greatest. He is an auncient Doctour sayth he, yea and to whō in this point great fayth is to be geuen: yea verely * 1.287 Aristotle and Plato and euen very Ro∣bynhode is to beleued in such a point, that so greatly mainteineth our holy fathers authoritie, and all his disgui∣singes.

Last of all as once a craftie theefe whē he was espied and folowed, cryed vnto the people. Stoppe the thefe, stop the thefe. And as many to begyn with all, cast first in an other mans teth that which he feareth should be layd to his owne charge: euen so Rochester layeth to Martin Luthers charge the slaying & murtheryng of Christen men, because they will not beleue in his doctrine, which thing Rochester and his brethrē haue not ceased to do now certein hun∣dred yeares, with such malice that whē they be dead, theyrage burnyng their bodies, of which some they them sel∣ues of lickelyhode killed before secret∣ly. And because that all the worlde knoweth that Martin Luther slayeth no mā, but killeth onely with the spiritu∣all sword, the word of God, such can∣kred cōsciences as Rochester hath. Nei∣ther persecuteth, but suffereth persecu∣tion: yet Rochester with a goodly Ar∣gument proueth that he would do it if he could. And marke I pray you what an Oratour he is, and how vehement∣ly * 1.288 he persuadeth it. Martin Luther hath burned the Popes decretals: a mani∣fest signe, sayth he, that he would haue burnt the Popes holines also, if he had had him. A like Argument (which I suppose to be rather true) I make. Ro∣chester and his holy brethrē haue burnt Christes Testament: an euident signe verely that they woulde haue burnt Christ him selfe also if they had had him.

I had almost verely left out the * 1.289 chiefest point of all. Rochester both ab∣hominable and shamelesse, yea & sterke mad with pure malice, and so adased in the braines with spite, that he cā not o∣uercome the truth that he seeth not, or rather careth not what he sayth: in the ende of his first destruction, I would

say instructiō as he calleth it, intēding to proue that we are iustified thorouh holy workes, alleageth halfe a texte of Paule of the fift to the Galathians (as his maner is to iuggle and cōuey craf∣tely) fides per dilectionem operans. Which * 1.290 texte he thys wise Englisheth: fayth which is wrought by loue, and maketh a verbe passiue of a verbe deponent. Rochester will haue loue to goe before and fayth to spring out of loue. Thus Antichrist turneth the rotes of the tree vpward. I must first loue a bitter me∣dicine (after Rochesters doctrine) and then beleue that it is wholsome. When by naturall reason, I first hate a bitter medicine, vntill I be brought in belief of the phisition, that it is holesome, & that the bitternes shall heale me, and then afterward loue it of that beliefe. Doth the childe loue the father first, & thē beleue that he is his sonne or heire, or rather because he knoweth that he is his sonne or heire and beloued, ther∣fore loueth agayne? Iohn sayth in the * 1.291 third of his first epistle. See what loue the father hath shewed vpon vs, that we should be called his sonnes. Be∣cause we are sonnes therefore loue we. Now by fayth are we sonnes as Iohn sayth in the fyrst chapter of his Gospel. He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God, in that they beleued on hys name. And Paule sayth, in the thyrd chapter of hys Epistle to the Galathi∣ans, we are all the sonnes of God by the faith which is in Iesus Christ. And Iohn in the sayd chapter of hys epistle sayth. Hereby perceaue we loue, that he gaue hys life for vs. We coulde see no loue nor cause to loue agayne, ex∣cept that we beleued that he dyed for vs, and that we were saued thorough his death. And in the chapter folowing sayth Iohn. Herein is loue: not that we loued God: but that he loued vs, and sent his sonne to make agreement for our sinnes. So God sent not hys sonne for any loue that we had to hym: but of the loue, that he had to vs, sent he hys sonne, that we myght so loue & loue agayne. Paule lykewise in the 8. chapter to the Romaynes, after that he hath declared the infinite loue of God to vs ward, in that he spared not hys owne sonne, but gaue hym for vs, cry∣eth out saying: who shall separate vs from the loue of God? shall persecuti∣on, shall a sworde? &c. No, sayth he, I am sure that no creature shall separate vs from the loue of God, that is, in Christ Iesus our Lord: as who should say, we see so great loue in God to vs warde in Christes death, that though all misfortune should fall on vs, we can not but loue agayne. Now how know we that God loueth vs? verely by fayth. So therefore, though Ro∣chester * 1.292 be a beast faythlesse, yet ought naturall reason to haue taught hym, that loue springeth out of fayth and knowledge: and not fayth and know∣ledge out of loue. But let vs see the text. Paule sayth thus. In Christ Ie∣su, neither circumcision is any thyng worth, nor incircumcision: but fayth which worketh thorow loue, or which thorow loue is strōg or mighty in wor∣king, & not which is wrought by loue, as the iuggler sayth. Faith that loueth Gods cōmaundemēts iustitieth a mā. If thou beleue gods promises in christ, and loue his commaūdementes, then art thou safe. If thou loue y^e commaū∣demēt, then art thou sure y^• thy fayth is vnfained, & that gods spirit is in thee.

How fayth iustifieth before God in the hart, & how loue springeth of fayth, and compelleth vs to worke, and how the workes iustifie before the worlde, & testifie what we are, & certifie vs that our fayth is vnfayned, and that y^e right spirit of God is in vs, see in my booke of y^e iustifiyng of faith, and there shalt thou see all thyng aboundantly. Also of the controuersie betwene Paul and * 1.293 Iames see there. Neuer the later, whē Rochester sayth, if faith onely iustified, then both the deuils and also sinners that lie still in sinne should be saued, hys argument is not worth a strawe. For neyther the deuils nor yet sinners that continue in sinne of purpose & de∣lectation, * 1.294 haue any such fayth as Paul speaketh of. For Paules fayth is to be∣leue Gods promises. Fayth (sayth he) Rom. x. cōmeth by hearing, and hea∣ring commeth by the worde of God. And how shall they heare wythout a preacher, and how shall they preach ex∣cept they be sent? As it is writtē (saith he) how beautifull are the fecte that bring glade tydinges of peace, and bringe tydynges of good thynges. Now when sent God any messengers vnto the deuils to preach them peace, or any good thyng: The deuill hath no promise: he is therefore excluded from Paules fayth. The deuill beleueth that * 1.295 Christ dyed, but not that he dyed for hys sinnes. Neither doth any that cō∣senteth in the hart to continue in sinne, beleue that Christ dyed for him. For to beleue that Christ dyed for vs, is to see

our horrible damnation, and how we * 1.296 were appointed vnto eternall paines, and to feele, and to be sure that we are deliuered therefrō thorough Christ: in that we haue power to hate our sins, and to loue Gods commaundements. All such repent and haue their hartes loosed out of captiuitie and bondage of sinne, and are therefore iustified tho∣rough fayth in Christ. Wicked sinners haue no fayth, but imaginations and opinions about Christ, as our schole men haue in their principles, about whiche they braule so fast one with an¦other. It is an other thyng to beleue y^• the kyng is rich, & that he is rich vnto me, and that my part is therein: and that he will not spare a peny of his ri∣ches at my neede, when I beleue that the king is rich I am not moued. But when I beleue that he is rich for me, & that he will neuer faile me at my nede, then loue I, and of loue am ready to worke vnto the vttermost of my pow∣er: But let vs returne at the last vnto our purpose agayne.

WHat is the cause that laye men can * 1.297 not now rule, as well as in times past, and as the Turkes yet doe? Ʋe∣rely because that Antichrist wyth the miste of hys iugglyng hath beguiled our eyes, and hath cast a superstitious feare vpon the world of christen men, & hath taught thē to dread, not God & his worde, but hymselfe and his word: not Gods law and ordinaunces, prin∣ces and officers which God hath set to rule the world, but his owne law and ordinaunces, traditions and ceremo∣nies, and disguised disciples, which he hath set euery where to deceaue the world, and to expell the lyght of Gods worde, that his darcknes may haue roome. For we see by dayly experience of certayne hundred yeares lōg, that he which feareth neyther God nor hys worde, neyther regardeth father, mo∣ther, mayster, or Christ hymself, which rebelleth against God ordinaunces, ri∣seth * 1.298 agaynst the kynges, and resisteth hys officers, dare not once lay handes on one of the Popes annoynted: no though he sley hys father before hys face, or do violence vnto his brother, or defile his sister, wife or mother. Like honour geue we vnto his traditions & ceremonies. What deuotion haue we when we are blessed (as they call it) with the chalice, or when the Byshop lifteth vp his holy hand ouer vs? Who dare handle the chalice, touch the Al∣ter stone, or put his hand in the fount, or hys finger into the holy oyle? What reuerence geue we vnto holy water, holy ••yre, holy bread, holy salt, halow∣ed belles, holy waxe, holy bowes, ho∣ly candels, and holy ashes? And last of all vnto the holy cādle commit we our soules at our last departyng. Yea and of the very cloute which the Byshop or his chapplen that standeth by, knitteth about childrens neckes at confirmatiō, what lay person durst be so bold as to to vnloose the knot? Thou wilt say, do not such thinges bring the holy Ghost and put away sinne and driue away spirites? I say that a stedfast fayth or belefe in Christ & in the promises that God hath sworne to geue vs for hys sake, bringeth the holy Ghost as all the Scriptures make mention, & as Paul sayth (Actes. xix.) haue ye receaued the holy Ghost through fayth or beleuing? Fayth is the rocke where on Christ * 1.299 buildeth hys congregation, agaynst whiche ••ayth Christ Math. xvj. hell gates shall not preuaile. As soone as thou beleuest in Christ, the holy Ghost commeth, sinne falleth away and de∣uils flye: when we cast holy water at the deuill or ryng the belles, he fleeth, * 1.300 as men do from young children, and mocketh with vs, to bring vs from the true fayth that is in Gods word vnto a superstitious, and a false belefe of our owne imagination. If thou haddest fayth & threwest an vnhalowed stone at his head, he would earnestly flee and without mockyng, yea though thou threwest nothyng at all, he would not yet abyde.

Though that at the beginnyng mi∣racles * 1.301 were shewed through such cere∣monies, to moue the infidels to beleue the word of God. As thou readest how the Apostles annoynted the sicke with oyle and healed them, and Paul sent his pertelet or Iirkyn to the sicke and healed them also. Yet was it not the ce∣remonie that did the miracle, but fayth of the preacher and the truth of God, which had promised to confirme and stablish his Gospell with such mira∣cles. Therfore as soone as the gift of miracles ceased, ought the ceremonie to haue ceased also: or els if they will needes haue a ceremonie to signifie some promise or benefite of GOD (whiche I prayse not but would haue Gods word preached euery Sonday, for which entent Sondayes and holy * 1.302 dayes were ordeined) then let them tel the people what it meaneth: and not set vp a haulde and a naked ceremonie

without significatiō, to make the peo∣ple beleue therein, and to quenche the fayth that ought to be geuen vnto the word of God.

What helpeth it also that the Priest * 1.303 whē he goeth to Masse disguifeth him selfe with a great part of the passion of Christ, and playeth out the rest vnder silence with signes and profers, with noddyng, beckyng and mowyng, as it were Iacke an apes, when neither he him selfe neither any man els woteth what he meaneth? not at all verely, but hurteth and that excedyngly. For as much as it not onely destroyeth the fayth & quencheth the loue that should * 1.304 be geuen vnto the commaundements, and maketh the people vnthankefull, in that it bringeth them into such su∣perstition, that they thinke that they haue done aboundantly ynough for God, yea & deserued aboue measure, if they be present once in a day at such mummyng: But also maketh the in∣fidels to mocke vs and abhorre vs, in that they see nothyng but such apes play among vs, where of no man can geue a reason.

All this commeth to passe to fulfill the prophesie which Christ prophesied. * 1.305 Marke. xiij. And Luke. xxj. that there shall come in his name which shall say that they them selues are Christ. That do verely the Pope and our holy or∣ders of Religion. For they vnder the name of Christ preach thē selues, their own word, and their own traditions, and teach the people to beleue in them. The Pope geueth pardons of his full power, of the treasure of the Church and of the merites of Saintes. The Friers lykewise make their benefac∣tours (which onely they call their bre∣thren and sisters) partakers of their masses, fasting, watchynges, prayings and wolward goynges. Yea and whē a nouice of the obseruauntes is profes∣sed * 1.306 the father asketh him, will ye kepe the rules of holy S. Fraunces? and he sayth yea: will ye so in dede sayth he? the other aunswereth: yea forsoth fa∣ther. Then sayth the father, and I pro∣mise you agayne euerlastyng lyfe. O blasphemy. If eternall life be due vn∣to the pilde traditions of lowsie Fri∣ers, where is the Testament become that God made vnto vs in Christes bloud? Christ sayth Math. xxiiij. And Mark. xiij. that there shal come Pseudo-Christs. * 1.307 Which though I, for a conside∣ration haue translated false Christes, kepyng the Greeke word: yet signifieth it in the English false annoynted and ought so to be translated. There shall come (saith Christ) false annoynted and false Prophetes, and shall do miracles and wonders, so greatly that if it were possible, the very elect or chosen should be brought out of the way. Compare the Popes doctrine vnto the word of GOD, and thou shalt finde that there hath ben, and yet is a great goyng out of the way, and that euill men and de∣ceauers (as Paul prophesied. ij. Timo. iij.) haue preuailed and waxed worse and worse, beguiling other as they are beguiled them selues. Thou tremblest and quakest saying: shall God let vs go so sore out of the right way? I aun∣swere it is Christ that warneth vs, * 1.308 which as he knew all that should fol∣low, so prophesied he before and is a true Prophet, and his prophesie must nedes be fulfilled.

GOd annoynted hys sonne Iesus with the holy Ghost, and therfore * 1.309 called him Christ, which is as much to say as annoynted. Outwardly he dis∣guised him not but made hym like o∣ther mē and sent him into the world to blesse vs, and to offer him selfe for vs a sacrifice of a swete sauour, to kill the stench of our sinnes, that God hence forth should smell them no more, nor thinke on them any more: and to make full & sufficient satisfaction or amendes for all them that repent, beleuyng the truth of god, and submitting them sel∣ues vnto his ordinaūces both for their sinnes that they do, haue done and shal do. For sinne we through fragilitie ne∣uer so oft, yet as soone as we repente and come into the right way agayne, and vnto the Testament whiche God hath made in Christes bloud, our sinnes vanish away as smoke in the winde, and as darkenes at the com∣myng of light, or as thou cast a litle bloud or milke into y^t mayne see. In so * 1.310 much that who soeuer goeth about to make satisfactiō for his sinnes to God ward, saying in his hart, this much haue I sinned, this much will I doe agayne, or this wise will I lyue to make amendes with all, or this wil I do to get heauen with all, the same is an infidell, faythlesse and damned in his deede doing, and hath lost his part in Christes bloud: because he is diso∣bedient vnto Gods Testamēt, and set∣teth vp an other of his owne imagina∣tion, vnto which he will compell God to obey. If we loue God we haue a cō∣maundemēt to loue our neighbour al∣so,

as sayth Iohn in his Epistle. And if we haue offended him to make him a∣mendes, * 1.311 or if we haue not wherewith, to aske him forgeuenesse, and to doe and suffer all thynges for his sake, to wynne him to God & to norish peace and vnitie: but to Godward Christ is an euerlastyng satisfaction and euer sufficient.

Christ when he had fulfilled hys * 1.312 course, annoynted hys Apostles and disciples with the same sprite, and sent them forth without all maner disgui∣sing, like other men also, to preach the attonemēt and peace which Christ had made betwene God and man. The A∣postles likewise disguised no man, but chose men annoynted wyth the same spirit: one to preach the worde of God, whom we call after the greeke tounge * 1.313 a Byshop or a Priest, that is, in Eng∣lishe, an ouersear and an Elder. How he was annointed, thou readest. i. Ti∣mothe. iij. A Byshoppe or an ouersear * 1.314 must be faultlesse, the husband of one wife. (Many Iewes and also Gentils that were conuerted vnto the faith, had at that tyme diuers wines, yet were not compelled to put any of thē away, which Paule because of ensāple would not haue preachers for as much as in Christ we returne agayne vnto y^• first ordinaunce of God, that one man and one woman should goe together) he must be sober, of honest behauiour, ho∣nestly apparelled, harbarous (that is, ready to lodge straungers, apte to * 1.315 teach, no dronckard, no fighter, not geuen to filthy lucre: but gentle, abhor∣ring fyghting, abhorring couetousnes, and one that ruleth hys owne house∣holde honestly, hauing children vnder obedience wyth all honestie. For if a man can can not rule hys owne house, how can he care for the congregation of God? he may not be younge in the fayth, or as a man would say a No∣uice, least he swell and fall into y^t iudge∣ment of y^t euill speaker, that is, he may not be vnlearned in the secretes of the fayth. For such are attonce stubburne, and headstrong, and set not a little by themselues. But alas, we haue aboue twenty thousand that know no more scripture then is written in their por∣toues, and among them is he exceding well learned that can turne to his ser∣uice. He must be well reported of thē y^t are without: least he fal into rebuke, and into the snare of the euill speaker, that is, least the infidels which yet be∣leue not, should be hurt by hym, and driuen from the fayth, if a man that were defamed were made head or o∣uerseer of the congregation.

He must haue a wife for two causes, * 1.316 one, that it may therby be knowē who is mete for the rowme. He is vnapt for so chargeable an office, which had ne∣uer housholde to rule. An other cause is, that chastity is an exceeding seldom gift, and vnchastitie exceding perilous for that degree. In as much as y^• peo∣ple looke as well vnto the liuyng as vnto the preachyng, and are hurte at once if the liuing disagree, and fall frō the fayth, and beleue not the worde.

This ouerseer, because he was takē * 1.317 from hys owne busines and labour, to preach Gods word vnto the parishe, hath right by the authoritie of hys of∣fice, to chalenge an honest liuyng of y^t parishe, as thou mayst see in y^• Enan∣gelistes, and also in paule. For who will haue a seruaunt and will not geue hym meate, drinke, and rayment, and all things necessary? How they would * 1.318 pay hym, whether in money, or assigne hym so much rent, or in tithes, as the guise is now in many countreies, was at their libertie.

Lykewise in euery congregation * 1.319 chose they an other after the same en∣sample, and euen so annointed, as it is to see in the sayd chapter of Paule, and Act. vj. Whom after the Greeke word we call Deacon, that is to say in En∣glish, a seruaunt or a minister, whose office was to helpe and assiste y^e Priest, and to gather vp his dutie, and to ga∣ther for the poore of the parishe, which were destitute of frends and could not * 1.320 worke, common beggers to runne frō dore to dore, were not thē suffered. On y^t Saintes dayes, namely, such as had * 1.321 suffered death for the worde sake, came men together into the church, and the Priest preached vnto them, and exhor∣ted them to cleaue fast vnto the worde, and to be strong in the fayth, and to fight against the powers of the world, wyth suffering for their faythes sake, * 1.322 after the ensample of the Saintes. And taught thē not to beleue in the saintes and to trust in their merites, and to make Gods of them: but tooke the saintes for an example only, and pray∣ed God to geue them lyke fayth and trust in hys worde, and lyke strength and power to suffer therefore, and to geue them so sure hope of the lyfe to come, as thou mayst see in the collectes of Saint Laurence and of Saint Ste∣phen in our Lady matens. And in such

dayes, as we now offer, so gaue they euery mā his portion according to his abilitie, and as God put in his hart, to the maintenaunce of the priest, Deacō, and other common ministers, and of the poore, and to finde learned men to teach, and so forth. And all was put in the handes of the Deacon, as thou mayst see in y^e lyfe of Saint Laurence, and in the histories. And for such pur∣poses * 1.323 gaue men landes afterwarde to ease the parishes, and made hospitals, and also places to teach their children, and to bring them vp, and to nourtour them in Gods worde, which landes our Monkes now deuour.

Antichrist.

ANtichrist of an other maner hath sent forth his disciples, those false annointed of which Christ warneth vs * 1.324 before, that they should come & shewe miracles and wonders, euen to bring the very elect out of the way, if it were possible. He annointeth them after the * 1.325 maner of y^• Iewes, and shaueth them & shoreth them after the maner of the Heathen Priestes, whiche serue the I∣doles. Hesendeth them forth not with false oyle onely, but with false names * 1.326 also. For compare their names vnto their deedes, and thou shalt finde them false. He sendeth them forth as Paule prophesied of them. ij. Thess. ij. wyth lying signes & wonders. What signe * 1.327 is the annointing? that they be full of the holy ghost. Compare them to the signes of the holy ghost which Paule reckoneth, and thou shalt fynde it a false signe. A Bishop must be faultles, the husband of one wyfe. Nay sayth y^t * 1.328 Pope, the husband of no wife, but the holder of as many whores as he list∣eth. God commaundeth all degrees, if they burne, and can not liue chast, to marry. The Pope saith, if thou burne take a dispensation for a Concubine, * 1.329 and put her away when thou art olde, or els as our Lawyers say, si non caste tamen caute, that is, if ye liue not chaste, * 1.330 see ye cary cleane, and play the knaue secretly. Harbarous, yea to whores and baudes, for a poore man shall as soone breake his necke as his fast with them, but of the scraps and wyth the dogges, when dinner is done. Apt to teach, and as Peter sayth. j. Pet. ij. ready alwayes to geue an answere to euery man that axeth you a reason of the hope that ye haue, and that wyth meekenes. Which thing is signified by the bootes which doctours of diuinitie * 1.331 are created in, because they should be ready alwayes to goe thorough thicke and thinne, to preach Gods worde, & by the Byshoppes two horned miter, * 1.332 which betokeneth the absolute & per∣fect knowledge that they ought to haue in the new Testamēt and the olde. Be not these false signes? For they beate onely and teach not. Yea saith y^t Pope * 1.333 if they will not be ruled, cite them to * 1.334 appeare, and pose them sharply, what they hold of the Popes power, of hys Pardons, of his Bulles, of Purgato∣ry, of ceremonies, of confession and such like creatures of our most holy fa∣thers. If they misse in any point, make heretickes of them and burne them. If they be of mine annoynted and beare * 1.335 my marke, disgresse them, I would say disgraduate them and (after the exam∣ple * 1.336 of noble Antiochus. ij. Mach. vij.) pare the crownes and the fingers of them, and tormēt them craftly, and for very payne make them deny the truth. But now say our Bishops, because the truth is come to farre abroad, and y^t lay people begyn to smell our wiles, it is best to oppresse them with craft se∣cretly, & to tame them in prison. Yea let vs finde the meanes to haue them in the kyngs prison, and to make treason of such doctrine: Yea we must styrre vp some warre one where or an other, to bryng the people into an other ima∣gination. If they be Gentlemen ab∣iure them secretly.

Curse them iiij. times in the yeare. * 1.337 Make them afrayde of euery thyng and namely to touch mine annoynted, * 1.338 and make them to feare the sentence of the Church, suspentiōs, excōmunicati∣ons and curses. Be the right or wrōg, beare them in hand that they are to be feared yet. Preach me and mine autho∣ritie, & how terrible a thyng my curse is, and how blacke it maketh their soules. On the holydayes which were ordeined to preach Gods word, set vp long ceremonies, long Matines, long Masses, and lōg Euensonges, and all in Latin that they vnderstand not: and * 1.339 roule them in darkenes, that ye may lead them whether ye will. And lest * 1.340 such thinges should be to tedious, sing * 1.341 some, say some, pype some, ryng the * 1.342 belles and lulle them and rocke them a slepe. And yet Paul ij. Cor. xiiij. for∣biddeth * 1.343 to speake in the church or con∣gregatiō * 1.344 saue in the toung that all vn∣derstand. For the lay man thereby is not edified or taught. How shall the

lay man say Amen (sayth Paule) to thy blessing or thankes geuyng, when he woteth not what thou sayst? He wot∣ted not whether thou blesse or curse. What then sayth the Pope, what care * 1.345 I for Paul. I commaunde by the ver∣tue of obedience to read the Gospell in Latine. Let them not pray but in La∣tine, * 1.346 no not there Pater noster. If any be sicke, go also and say them a Gospell and all in Latin: yea to the very corne and frutes of the field in the procession weeke, preach the Gospell in Latine. Make the people beleue, that it shall grow the better. It is verely as good to preach it to swyne as to men, if thou preach it in a toung they vnderstand not. How shall I prepare my selfe to Gods commaundementes? How shal I be thankefull to Christ for his kind∣nes? How shall I beleue the truth and promises which GOD hath sworne, while thou tellest them vnto me in a toung which I vnderstand not?

What then saith me Lord of Caun∣terbury to a Priest that would haue * 1.347 had the new Testament gone forth in Englishe: What (sayth he) wouldest thou that the lay people should wete what we do?

No fighter, which I suppose is sig∣nified by the crosse that is borne before * 1.348 the hye Prelates and borne before thē in procession: Is that also not a false signe? What Realme can be in peace for such turmoylers? What so litle a * 1.349 Parishe is it, but they will picke one quarell or an other with them, either for some syrplis, cresome or mortuary, either for one trifle or other, and cyte them to the arches? Traytors they are to all creatures and haue a secret con∣spiration betwene them selues. One * 1.350 craft they haue, to make many kyng∣domes and small, and to norish olde titles or quarels, that they may euer moue them to warre at their pleasure. And if much landes by any chaunce, fall to one man, euer to cast a bone in the way, that he shall neuer be able to obteine it, as we now see in y^e Empe∣perour. Why? For as lōg as the kyngs be small, if God would open the eyes of any to set a reformation in his Re∣alme, then should the Pope interdict * 1.351 his land, and send in other Princes to conquere it.

Not geuen to filthy lucre, but ab∣horryng couetousnes. And as Peter sayth. i. Pet. v. Takyng the ouersight of them, not as though ye were com∣pelled thereunto: but willingly.: Not for desire of filthie lucre, but of a good minde: not as though ye were Lordes ouer the Parishes (ouer the Parishes quoth he) O Peter Peter thou wast to * 1.352 long a fisher, thou wast neuer brought vp at the arches, neither wast master of the Rolles, nor yet Chaunceler of England. They are not content to raigne ouer kyng and Emperour and the whole earth: but chalenge authori∣tie also in heauen and in hell. It is not inough for them to raigne ouer all that are quicke, but haue created them a Purgatory, to raigne also ouer the dead, and to haue one kyngdome more * 1.353 then God him selfe hath. But that ye be an ensample to the flocke (sayth Pe∣ter.) And whē the chief shepheard shal appeare ye shall receaue an incorrup∣tible crowne of glory. This abhorring of coueteousnes is signified as I sup∣pose by shauyng and sheryng of the * 1.354 of the heare, that they haue no super∣fluitie. But is not this also a false signe? yea verely it is to them a remē∣braunce to shere and shaue, to heape benefice vpon benefice, promotion vp∣pon promotion, dignitie vpon digni∣tie, Byshopricke vppon Bishopricke, with pluralities, vnions and Tot quots. * 1.355

First by the authoritie of the Gos∣pell they that preach the word of God in euery Parish and other necessary ministreys, haue right to chalenge an honest liuyng like vnto one of the bre∣thren, and therewith ought to be con∣tent. Bishops and priestes that preach * 1.356 not, or that preach, ought saue Gods word, are none of Christes, nor of hys annoyntyng: but seruauntes of the beast whose marke they beare, whose worde they preache, whose law they mainteine cleane agaynst Gods law, and with their false sophistry geue him greater power then God euer gaue to his sonne Christ.

BUt they as vnsatiable beastes not vnmindfull why they were shauen and shoren, because they will stand at no mans grace, or bee in any mans daunger, haue gotten into their owne handes, first the tyth or tenth of all the * 1.357 realme. Then I suppose with in a litle or all together the third foote of all the temporall landes.

Marke well how many personages * 1.358 or vicarages are there in the Realme, which at the least haue a plow land a peece. Then note the landes of By∣shoppes, Abbotes, Pryors, Nunnes, knyghtes of Saint Johns, Cathedrall Churches, Colleges, Chauntryes and

Frechapels. For though the house fall * 1.359 in decay, and the ordinaunce of the foū∣der be lost, yet will not they loose the landes. What commeth once in, may neuer more out. They make a Frecha∣pell of it, so that he which enioyeth it shall do nought therefore. Besides all this, how many chaplaynes do Gen∣tlemen finde at their owne cost in their houses. How many sing for soules by testamentes. Then the prouing of Te∣stamentes, * 1.360 the prising of goodes, the Byshop of Caunterburies preroga∣tiue. Is that not much thorough the Realme in a yeare? Foure offeryng * 1.361 dayes and priuy tythes. There is no seruaunt, but that he shall paye some∣what of his wages. None shal receaue the body of Christ at Easter, be he ne∣uer so poore a begger, or neuer so younge a lad or mayde, but they must paye somewhat for it. Then mortua∣ryes * 1.362 for forgotten tythes (as they say) And yet what Parson or Ʋicar is there that will forget to haue a Pygin house to pecke vp somewhat both at sowing tyme, and at haruest whē corne is ripe. They will forget nothing. No man shall die in their debt, or if any mā do, he shall pay it when he is dead. They will loose no thing. Why? It is Gods, it is not theirs. It is Saint Cudberts rentes, Saint Albans landes, Saint Edmondes right, Saint Peters pa∣trimony say they, and none of ours. I∣tem if a man die in an other mans pa∣rishe, * 1.363 besides that he must pay at home a mortuary for forgotten tythes, he must there pay also y^• best that he there * 1.364 hath. Whether it be an horse of twenty pound, or how good so euer he be: ey∣ther a chayne of golde of an hundreth marke, or fiue hundreth pounde, if it so chaunce. It is much verely for so little payne taking in confession and in mi∣nistring the Sacraments. Then bead∣rolles. Item chrysome, Churchinges, banes, weddinges, offering at wed∣dinges, offering at buriynges, offe∣ring to Images, offering of waxe & lightes, which come to their vauntage, * 1.365 besides the superstitious wast of waxe in torches and tapers thoroughout the land. Then brotherhoodes and par∣doners. What get they also by confes∣sions? Yea, and many enioyne penāce * 1.366 to geue a certayne for to haue so many Masses sayde, and desire to prouide a chappellayne themselues. Soule mas∣ses, diriges, monethmyndes, yeare myndes, Alsoulday and trentals. The mother Church and the hie altar must haue some what in euery Testament. * 1.367 Offeringes at Priestes fyrst Masses. Itē no mā is professed, of what soeuer religion it be, but he must bring some∣what. The halowing or rather coniu∣ring of Churches, chappels, altars, su∣peraltares, chalice, vestimēts & belles. Then booke, bell, cādlesticke, organes, chalice, vestimentes, copes, altere clo∣thes, syrpleses: towels, basens, ewars, shepe, senser and all maner ornaments must be founde them freely, they will not geue a myte thereunto. Last of all what swarmes of beggyng Friers are there. The Parson shereth, the Ʋicare * 1.368 shaueth, the Parish Priest polleth, the Frier scrapeth, and the Pardoner pa∣reth, we lacke but a butcher to pulle of the skinne.

What get they in their spirituall * 1.369 law (as they call it) in a yeare, at the arches & in euery dioces? what get the Cōmissaries, and Officials with their somners and apparitars by bawdery in a yeare? Shall ye not finde Curates * 1.370 inough which to flatter the Commissa∣ries and Officials with all that they may go quite them selues, shall open vnto them the confessiōs of the richest of their Parishes. Whom they cite pri∣uely, and lay to their charges secretly. If they desire to know their accusers, nay say they, the matter is knowen well inough, and to more then ye are ware of. Come lay your hand on the * 1.371 booke, if ye forswere your selfe, we shal bring proues, we will handle you, we will make an example of you. Oh how terrible are they? Come and swere (say they) that ye wilbe obedient vnto our iniunctions. And by that craft wryng they their purses and make them drop as long as there is a peny in them. In three or foure yeares shall they in those offices get ynough to pay for a By∣shops bulle. What other thyng are these in a Realme saue horsleches and euen very maggotes, cankres, & cater∣pillers, which deuour no more but all that is grene, and those wolues which Paul prophesied should come & should not spare the flocke. Actes. xx. Chap∣ter. And whiche Christ sayd should come in lambes skynnes, and bad vs beware of them and iudge them by their workes.

THough as I before haue sufficiēt∣ly * 1.372 proued, a Christen mā must suf∣fer all thyng, be it neuer so great vn∣right, as long as it is not agaynst Gods commaundement, neither is it lawfull for him to cast any burthen of

his backe by his owne authoritie, tyll God pull it of which layd it on for our deseruinges, yet ought the kynges e∣uery where to defend their realmes frō such oppression, if they were Christen, which is seldom seene: and is an harde thyng verely, though not impossible. For alas they be captiues or euer they * 1.373 be kyngs, yea almost er they be borne. No man may be suffered about hym but flatterers, and such as are fyrst sworne true vnto our most holy fa∣thers the Byshops, that is to say, false to God and man.

If any of the nobles of the realme be true to the kyng, and so bolde that he dare councell him that which should be to hys honour, and for the wealth of the realme. They will waite a seasō for hym (as men say) They wyll pro∣uide a ghostly father for hym. God bring their wickednes to light. There is no mischiefe wherof they are not the roote, nor bloudshedde, but thorough their cause, either by their counsell, or in that they preach not true obedience, and teach not the people to feare God. If any faythfull seruaunt be in all the courte, he shall haue twēty spies way∣ting vpon him, he shalbe cast out of the courte, or (as the saying is) conuayed to Callice, and made a captayne, or an Ambassadoure, he shalbe kepte farre inough from the kynges presence.

The kinges ought I say to remem∣ber * 1.374 that they are in Gods steede, & or∣dayned of God, not for themselues, but for the wealth of their subiectes. Let them remember that their subiectes are their brethren, their fleshe & bloud, members of their owne body, and euē their owne selues in Christ. Therefore ought they to pitie them, & to rid them from such wylye tyrāny which encrea∣seth more and more dayly. And though that the kynges by the falshod of the Byshops and Abbottes, be sworne to defend such liberties: yet ought they * 1.375 not to keepe their othes, but to breake them. For as much as they are vnright and cleane agaynst Gods ordinaunce, and euen but cruell oppression, contra∣ry vnto brotherly loue and charitie. Moreouer the spirituall officer ought to punish no sinne, but and if any sinne * 1.376 breake out the kyng is ordained to pu∣nishe it, and they not: but to preach & exhort thē to feare God, and that they sinne not.

And let the kinges put downe some of theyr tyranny, and turne some vnto a common wealth. If the tenth part of such tyranny were geuen the kyng yearely, & laide vp in the shyre townes agaynst the realme had neede, what would it grow to in certayne yeares? Moreouer one kyng, one lawe, is Gods ordinaunce in euery realme. Therefore ought not the king to suffer them to haue a seuerall lawe by them∣selues, and to draw hys subiectes the∣ther. It is not mete will they say, that a spirituall man should be iudged of a worldly or a temporall man. O abho∣mination: * 1.377 see how they deuide and se∣parate themselues? If the laye man be of the worlde, so is he not of God. If he beleue in Christ, then is he a mēber of Christ, Christes brother, Christes fleshe, Christes bloud, Christes spouse, coheyre wyth Christ, and hath his spi∣rite in earnest, and is also spirituall. If they woulde robbe vs of the spirite of God, why should they feare to robbe vs of worldly goodes? Because thou art put in office to preach Gods word, art thou therefore no more one of the brethren? is the Maior of London no more one of the Citie, because he is the chiefe officer? Is the kyng no more of the realme because he is head thereof? The king is in the roome of God, and * 1.378 hys lawe is Gods lawe, and nothyng but the lawe of nature and naturall e∣quitie, which God graued in the harts of men. Yet Antichrist is to good to be iudged by the lawe of God, he must haue a new of hys owne making. It were mete verely that they went to no lawe at all. No more needed they, if they woulde studie to preach Gods worde truely, and be contented wyth sufficient, and to be lyke one of theyr brethren.

If any question arose about y^• fayth, * 1.379 or of the scripture, that let them iudge by the manifest and open scriptures, not excluding the laye men. For there are many founde among the laye men, which are as wise as the officers. Or els when the officer dyeth, how coulde we put an other in hys roome? Wyl•• thou so teach xx. xxx. xl. or fifty yeares, that no man shall haue knowledge or iudgement in Gods worde saue thou onely? Is it not a shame that we * 1.380 Christē come so oft to Church in vaine, whē he of foure score yeare olde know∣eth no more then he that was borne yesterday.

Moreouer when the spirituall offi∣cers haue excommunicate any man, or haue condemned any opinion for he∣resy: Let not the kyng nor temporall

officers punish & sley by & by at their * 1.381 commaundement. But let them looke on Gods worde, and compare theyr iudgement vnto the scripture, and see whether it be right or no, and not be∣leue them at the fyrst choppe, whatso∣euer they say, namely in thynges that pertayne vnto their owne authorities and power. For no mā is a right iudge in his owne cause. Why doth Christ cō∣ma•…•…de the Scripture to be preached vnto all creatures, but that it pertai∣neth * 1.382 vnto all mē to know them? Christ referreth him selfe vnto the scriptures Iohn. v. And in the. xj. Chapter of Mathew, vnto the question of Iohn Baptistes Disciples hee aunswered. The blind see, the lepers are clensed, the dead arise againe &c. meanyng that if I do the workes which are prophe∣sied that Christ should do when he cō∣meth, why doubt ye whether I be hee or no, as who should say, aske y^• scrip∣ture whether I be Christ or no, & not my selfe. How happeneth it then that our Prelates wil not come to the light also that we may see whether their workes be wrought in GOD or no? Why feare they to let the ••ay men see what they do? Why make they all their examinations in darkenes? Why exa∣mine * 1.383 they not their causes of heresie openly, as the lay men do their fellous and murtherers? Wherefore did Christ and his Apostles also warne vs so di∣ligently of Antichrist, and of false Pro∣phetes that should come? Because that we should slomber or sleepe carelesse, or rather that we should looke in the light of the Scripture with all diligēce to spie them when they came, and not to suffer our selues to be disceaued and led out of y^• way? Iohn biddeth iudge the spirites. Whereby shall we iudge them but by the Scripture? How shalt thou know, whether the Prophet be true or false, or whether hee speake Gods word of his owne head, if thou wilt not see the Scriptures? Why sayd Dauid in the second Psalme be learned * 1.384 ye that iudge the earth, lest the Lord be angry with you, and ye perish frō the right way?

A terrible warnyng verely: yea and looke on the stories well, & thou shalt finde very few kinges sence the begin∣ning of the world that haue not peri∣shed from the right way, and that be∣cause they would not be learned.

The Emperour and Kynges are * 1.385 nothyng now a dayes but euen hang∣men vnto the Pope and Byshops, to kill whosoeuer they condemne, with∣out any more a do, as Pylate was vnto the Scribes and Phariseis and the hye Byshops, to hang Christ. For as those Prelates aunswered Pylate (whē he asked what he had done) if he were not an euill doer, we would not haue brought him vnto thee. As who should say, we are to holy to do any thyng a∣misse, y^u mayst beleue vs well inough: yea and his bloude on our heades, sayd they, kill him hardly, we will beare the charge, our soules for thyne: we haue also a law by which he ought to dye, for he calleth him selfe Gods sonne. Euen so say our Prelates, he ought to dye by our lawes, he spea∣keth agaynst the Church. And your grace is sworne to defend the liberties and ordinaunces of the Church, and to maynteine our most holy fathers au∣thoritie: our soules for yours, ye shall do a meritorious dede therin. Neuer∣theles as Pylate escaped not the iudge∣ment of God, euen so is it to be feared lest our temporall powers shall not. Wherfore be learned ye that iudge the * 1.386 earth lest the Lord be angry with you and ye perish from the right way.

Who slew the Prophetes? Who slew * 1.387 Christ? Who slew his Apostles? Who the martirs and all the righteous that euer were slayne? The kynges and the temporall sword at the request of the false Prophetes. They deserued such murther to do, and to haue their part with y^e hypocrites, because they would not be learned, and see the truth them selues. Wherfore suffered y^• Prophets? * 1.388 because they rebuked the hypocrites which beguiled the world, and namely Princes and rulers and taught them to put their trust in thynges of vanitie and not in Gods word. And taught * 1.389 them to do such deedes of mercy as were profitable vnto no man but vnto the false Prophetes them selues onely, makyng marchaūdise of Gods word. wherfore slew they Christ? euen for re∣buking * 1.390 the hipocrites: because he said, wo be to you Scribes and Phariseis hypocrites, for ye shut vp the kyng∣dome of heauē before men Math. xxiij. that is, as it is writtē. Luke. xj. ye haue taken away the keye of knowledge. * 1.391 The law of God whiche is the keye wherewith men bynde, and the pro∣mises which are the keyes wherewith men loose, haue our hypocrites also ta∣ken away. They will suffer no man to know Gods word, but burne it and make heresie of it: yea and because the

people begyn to smell their falsehode they make it treason to the kyng and * 1.392 breakyng of the kynges peace to haue so much as their Pater noster in En∣glish. And in stede of Gods law, they bynde w^t their owne law. And in stede of Gods promises they lose & iustifye * 1.393 with pardons and ceremonies, which they them selues haue imagined for their owne profite. They preach it were better for thee to eate fleshe on good Friday then to hate thy neigh∣bour: but let any man eate flesh but on a Saterday or breake any other tradi∣tion of theirs, and he shalbe bounde & not losed, till hee haue payd the vtter most farthing, either with shame most vyle, or death most cruell, but hate thy neighbour as much as thou wilt and thou shalt haue no rebuke of them, yea robbe him, murther him, and thē come to them and welcome. They haue a sā∣ctuary for thee, to saue thee, yea and a neckuerse, if thou canst but read a litle Latinly, though it be neuer so soryly, so that y^• be ready to receaue y^• beastes marke. They care for no vnderstan∣dyng: it is inough, if thou canst rowle vp a payre of Mattens or an Euen∣song and mumble a few ceremonies. And because they be rebuked, this they rage. Be learned therefore ye that * 1.394 iudge y^• world lest God be angry with you, and ye perish from the right way.

Wo be to you scribes, and phariseis ypocrites, sayth Christ, Math. xriij. for * 1.395 ye deudure widdowes houses vnder a coulor of long prayer. Our hypocrites robbe not the widdowes onely: but Knight, Squyre, Lord, Duke, Kyng, and Emperour, and euen the whole world vnder the same couloure: tea∣ching the people to trust in their pray∣ers, and not in Christ, for whose sake God hath forgeuen all the synne of the whole worlde, vnto as many as repēt and beleue. They feare thē with pur∣gatory, and promyse to pray perpetu∣ally, * 1.396 least the lādes should euer returne home agayne vnto the right heyres. What hast thou bought with robbyng thy heyres, or wyth geuing the hypo∣crites that which thou robbest of other men? Perpetuall prayer? Yea perpe∣tuall payne. For they appoint thee no tyme of deliueraunce, their prayers are so mighty. The Pope for money can * 1.397 empty purgatory when he will. It is verely purgatory. For it purgeth and maketh cleane riddaunce: yea it is hel. For it deuoureth all thynges. Hys fa∣therhode sendeth them to heauen with scala coeli: that is, wyth a ladder to scale * 1.398 the walles. For by the dore Christ, wil they not let them come in. That dore * 1.399 haue they stopped vp, and that because ye should buye ladders of them. For some they pray dayly which gaue thē perpetuities, and yet make Saintes of them, receauing offeringes in theyr * 1.400 names, and teaching other to pray to them. None of them also which taketh vpon them to saue other wyth their prayers, trusteth to be saued thereby * 1.401 themselues, but hyre other to pray for them.

Moyses taketh recorde of God that he tooke not of any of the people so much as an Asse, neither vexed any of * 1.402 them. Numeri. xvj. Samuell in y^t fyrst booke of kynges the xij. chapter, asked all Israell whether he had taken any mans Oxe, or Asse, or had vexed any man, or had taken any gift or rewarde of any man. And all the people testifi∣ed nay, yet these two both taught the people, and also prayed for them as much as our prelates doe. Peter. j. Pe∣ter. v. exhorteth the elders to take the ouersight of Christes flocke, not for fil∣thy lucre: but of a good will euen for loue. Paul. Act. xx. taketh the Priestes or elders to recorde, that he had taught repentaunce and fayth, and all y^• coun∣cell of God. And yet had desired no mans golde, siluer, or vesture: but fedde himselfe with the labour of hys handes. And yet these two taught and prayed for the people as much as our Prelates doe, wyth whom it goeth af∣ter the common saying, no penny, no Pater noster. Which Prelates yet as they teach not, but beate onely, so wote they not what prayer meaneth.

Moreouer the lawe of loue which Christ left among vs, is to geue and not to receaue. What prayer is it then that thus robbeth all the world cōtra∣ry * 1.403 to that great commaundemēt which is the ende of all commaundementes, and in which all other are conteyned. If men should continue to buie prayer foure or fiue hundred yeares moe, as they haue done, there would not be a foote of grounde in Christendome, nei∣ther any worldly thyng, which they y^• will be called spirituall onely shoulde not possesse. And thus all shoulde be called spirituall.

Wo be to you Lawyers, for ye lade men wyth burdēs, which they are not able to beare, & ye yours selues touch not the packes wyth one of your fin∣gers saith Christ Luke. xj. Our Law∣yers

verely haue laden vs a thousand * 1.404 tymes more. What spirituall kynred haue they made in baptime, to let ma∣trimonie, besides that they haue added certaine degrees vnto the law naturall for the same purpose. What an vnbea∣rable burthen of chastitie do they vio∣lently thrust on other mēs backes, and how easely beare they it themselues? How sore a burden? How cruell a hāg∣man? How greuous a torment? yea & * 1.405 how paynefull an hell is this eare con∣fession vnto mens consciences. For the people are brought in beliefe, that with out that they can not be saued. In so much that some faste certayne dayes in the yeare, and pray certayne superstiti∣ous prayers all their lyues longe, that they may not die without confession. In perill of death, if the Priest be not by, the shippemen shriue themselues vnto the Mast. If any be present, they runne then euery mā into his eare, but to gods promises flye they not: for they know them not. If any man haue a deathes wounde, he cryeth immediatly for a Priest. If a man die without shrift many take it for a signe of damnation. Many by reason of that false beliefe die in desperation. Many for shame keepe backe of their confession xx. xxx. yeares, and thinke all the while that they be damned. I knew a poore woman with childe which longed, and being ouer∣comen of her passion, eate fleshe on a Friday, which thing she durst not con∣fesse in the space of xviij. yeares, and thought all that while that she had ben damned, and yet sinned she not at all. Is not this a sore burden that so wey∣eth downe the soule vnto the bottome of hell? What shoulde I say? A great booke were not sufficient to rehearse y^• snares which they haue layde to robbe men both of their goodes, and also of the trust which they shoulde haue in Gods worde.

The Scribes and Phariseis do all their workes to be sene of men. They set abroade their Philacteries, & make long borders on their garmentes, and loue to sit vppermost at feastes, and to haue the chiefe seates in the synagoges, that, is in the congregations or coun∣cels, and to be called Rabby, that is to saye maisters sayth Christ. Math. xxiij. Beholde the deedes of our spiritualtie, and how many thousand fashions are among them to be knowen by? Which as none is like an other, so loueth none * 1.406 an other. For euery one of them sup∣poseth that all other polle to fast and make to many captiues: yet to resiste Christ, are they all agreed least they shoulde be all compeld to deliuer vp their prisoners to hym. Beholde the monsters how they are disguised, with miters, croses, and hatt••s, with cros∣ses, pillers, and pollaxes, and wyth thre crownes. What names haue they? my Lord Prior, my Lord Abbot, my * 1.407 Lord Byshop, my Lord Archbishop, Cardinall and Legate: if it please your fatherhod, if it please your Lordship, if it please your grace, if it please your holines, and innumerable such like. Beholde how they are esteemed, and * 1.408 how hie they be crept vp aboue all, not into worldly seates onely: but into the seate of God, the hartes of men, where they sit aboue God himselfe. For both they & whatsoeuer they make of their owne heades is more feared and dread then God and his commaundements. In them and their deseruinges put we more trust, then in Christ and hys me∣rites. To their promises geue we more fayth, then to the promises which God hath sworne in Christes bloud.

The hypocrites say vnto the kings and Lordes, these heretickes would haue vs downe first, and then you, to make of all cōmon. Nay ye hypocrites * 1.409 and right heretickes approued by o∣pen Scripture, the kinges and Lordes are downe already, & that so low that they can not go lower. Ye treade them vnder your feete, and lead thē captiue and haue made them your bonde ser∣uaunts to waite on your filthy lustes, and to auenge your malice on euery man, contrary vnto the right of Gods word. Ye haue not onely robbed them of their lād, authoritie honour and due obediēce, which ye owe vnto them, but also of their wittes, so that they are not without vnderstādyng in Gods word onely: but euē in worldly matters that pertaine vnto their offices, they are more then children. Ye beare them in hand what ye will, and haue brought them euē in case like vnto them which when they daunce naked in nettes, be∣leue they are inuisible. We would haue them vp agayne, and restored vnto the rowme and authoritie which GOD hath geuen them, and whereof ye haue robbed them. And your inward false∣hode we do but vtter onely with the light of Gods word, that your hypo∣crisie might be sene. Be learned ther∣fore ye that iudge the world, lest God be angry with you, and ye perish from the right way.

Wo be to you Scribes and Phari∣seis, hypocrites. For ye make cleane y^t vtterside of the cuppe and of the plat∣ter, but within they are full of brybry & excesse, saith Christ. Mat. xxiij. Is that * 1.410 which our hypocrites eate and drinke and all their riotous excesse any other thyng saue robbery, & that which they haue falsly gotten with their lying do∣ctrine? Be learned therefore ye that iudge the world, and compell them to make restitution agayne.

Ye blinde guides sayth Christ, ye strayne out a gnat & swalow a camell. Math. xxiij. do not our blinde guides also stomble at a straw, and lepe ouer a blocke, makyng narow consciences at * 1.411 trifles, and at matters of weight none at all? If any of them happen to swa∣low hys spitle or any of the water wherewith he washeth his mouth, ere he goe to Masse: or touch the Sacra∣mēt with his nose, or if the Asse forget to breath on him, or happen to handle it with any of his fingers whiche are not annoynted, or say Alleluia in stede of Laus tibi Domine, or Ite Missa est in stede of Benedicamus Domino, or poure to much wine in the chalice, or read the Gospell without light, or make not his crosses a right, how trembleth he? how feareth he? what an horrible sinne is committed? I cry God mercy, sayth he, and you my Ghostly father. But to hold an whore or an other mans wife, to bye a benefice, to set one Realme at variaunce with an other, and to cause xx. thousand mē to dye on a day is but a trifle and a pastime with them.

The Iewes boasteth them selues of * 1.412 Abraham. And Christ sayd vnto them. Iohn. viij. If ye were Abrahams chil∣dren, ye would do the deedes of Abra∣ham. Our hypocrites boast them sel∣ues of the authoritie of Peter, and of Paul & the other Apostles, cleane con∣trary vnto the deedes and doctrine of Peter, Paul and of all the other Apo∣stles. Which both obeyed all worldly authoritie and power, vsurpyng none to them selues, and taught all other to feare the kynges and rulers, and to o∣bey them in all things not contrary to the commaundement of God, and not to resiste them, though they tooke a∣way life and goodes wrongfully, but paciently to abyde Gods vengeaunce. This did our spiritualtie neuer yet, * 1.413 nor taught it. They taught not to feare God in his commaundementes, but to feare them in their traditions. In so much that the euill people which feare not to resist a good kyng and to rise a∣gainst him, dare not lay handes on one of them, neither for defilyng of wife daughter or very mother. When all * 1.414 men lose lyfe & landes, they remaine alwayes sure and in safetie, and euer wynne somewhat. For who soeuer cō∣quereth other mens landes vnright∣fully, euer geueth thē part with them. To them is all thyng lawfull. In all Councels and Parlamentes are they the chief. Without them may no kyng * 1.415 be crowned, neither vntil he be sworne to their liberties. All secretes know they, euen the very thoughtes of mens hartes. By them all thinges are mini∣stred. No kyng nor Realme may tho∣rough their falsehode liue in peace. To beleue they teach not in Christ, but in them and their disguised hypocrisie. And of them compell they all men to buy redemptiō & forgeuenes of sinnes. The peoples sinne they eate & thereof waxe fat. The more wicked the people are, the more prosperous is their com∣mon wealth. If kinges and great men do amisse, they must builde Abbayes & Colledges, meane men builde chaun∣treis, poore finde trētals and brother∣hodes and beggyng Friers. Their owne heyres do men disherite to en∣dote them. All kynges are compelled to submitte them selues to them. Read the story of kyng Iohn, and of other kynges. They will haue their causes auenged, though whole Realmes should therefore perishe. Take from them their desguising, so are they not spirituall. Compare that they haue taught vs vnto the Scripture, so are we without fayth.

Christ sayth Iohn. v. Chapter: how * 1.416 can ye beleue which receaue glory one of an other. If they that seke to be glo∣rious, can haue no fayth, then are our Prelates faythlesse verely. And Iohn. vij. he sayth: he that speaketh of hym selfe, seeketh his owne glory. If to seke glorie and honour be a sure token, that a man speaketh of his owne selfe, and doth his owne message & not his ma∣sters: then is the doctrine of our Pre∣lates of them selues, and not of God. Be learned therefore ye that iudge the earth, lest God be angry with you and ye perish from the right way.

Be learned lest the hypocrites bring * 1.417 the wrath of God vppon your heades & compel you to shed innocent blould: as they haue compelled your predeces∣sours to slay the Prophetes, to kill Christ & his Apostles and all the righ∣teous

y^• sence were slayne. Gods word * 1.418 pertaineth vnto all men: as it pertei∣neth vnto all seruaunts to know their masters will and pleasure: and to all subiectes to know the lawes of theyr Prince. Let not the hypocrites do all thing secretly. What reason is it that * 1.419 myne enemy should put me in prison at his pleasure and their diet me, and handle me, as he lusteth, and iudge me him selfe and that secretly, and con∣demne me by a law of his owne ma∣kyng, and then deliuer me to Pylate to murther me? Let Gods word try eue∣ry * 1.420 mans doctrine, and whom so euer Gods word proueth vncleane let him be taken for a leper. One Scripture * 1.421 will helpe to declare an other. And the circumstaūces, that is to say, the places that go before and after, wil geue light vnto the middle text. And the opē and manifest Scriptures will euer im∣proue the false and wrong exposition of the darker sentences. Let the tem∣porall power to whō God hath geuen the sword to take vengeaunce, looke or euer that they leape, & see what they do. Let the causes be disputed before them, and let him that is accused haue rowme to aunswere for him selfe. The * 1.422 powers to whom God hath commit∣ted the sword shall geue acountes for euery droppe of bloud that is shed on the earth. Then shall their ignoraunce not excuse them, nor the saying of the hypocrites helpe them, my soule for yours, your grace shall do a meritori∣ous deede, your grace ought not to heare them, it is an old heresy cōdem∣ned by the Church. The king ought to looke in the Scripture, and see whe∣ther it were truly condemned or no, if he will punish it. If the king or his of∣ficer for him, will slay me, so ought the kyng or his officer to iudge me. The kyng can not, but vnto his damnatiō, lend his sword to kill whom he iud∣geth not by his owne lawes. Let hym that is accused stand on the one syde and the accuser on the other syde, and let the kynges iudge sit and iudge the cause, if the kyng will kill and not be a murtherer before God.

Hereof may ye see, not onely that * 1.423 our persecution is for the same cause that Christes was, and that we say no∣thing that Christ sayde not: but also that all persecution is onely for rebu∣king of hypocrisy, that is to say, of mās righteousnes, and of holy dedes which man hath imagined to please God, & to be saued by, without Gods worde, and beside the testamēt that God hath made in Christ. If Christ had not re∣buked y^t Phareseis because they taught the people to beleue in their traditions and holynes, and in offeringes that came to their auantage, and that they taught the widowes and thē that had their frendes dead, to beleue in their prayers, & that through their prayers the dead should be saued, and thorough that meanes robbed them both of their goodes, and also of the testament and promises that God had made, to all that repented, in Christ to come, he might haue bene vncrucified vnto this day.

If Saint Paule also had not prea∣ched against circumcision, that it iusti∣fied not: and that vowes, offeringes, and ceremonies iustified not: and that righteousnes and forgeuenes of sinnes came not by any deseruing of our deedes, but by faith or beleuing y^e pro∣mises of God, and by the deseruing & merites of Christ onely, he might haue liued vnto this houre. Likewise if we preached not against pride, couetous∣nes, lechery, extorcion, vsury, symo∣ny, and against the euill lyuing both of the spiritualtie as well of the tempora∣litie, and against inclosings of parkes, reising of rent and fines, and of the ca∣rying out of wolle out of the realme, we might endure long enough. But toutch the scabbe of hipocrisie or pope∣holynes, and goe about to vtter their false doctrine wherewith they reigne as Gods in the hart and consciences of men, and robbe them not of landes, goodes, and authoritie onely, but also of the testament of God, and saluation that is in Christ: then helpeth thee nei∣ther Gods worde, nor yet if thou did∣dist miracles, but that thou art not an heretike onely, and hast the deuill within thee, but also a breaker of the kinges peace, and a traytor. But let vs returne vnto our lying sygnes a∣gayne.

WHat signifieth that the Prelates * 1.424 are so bloudy, and clothed in red? that they be ready euery houre to suf∣fer martyrdome for the testimony of Gods worde. Is that also not a false signe? When no man dare for them once open his mouth to aske a question of Gods worde, because they are rea∣dy to burne him.

What signifieth the pollaxes that * 1.425 are borne before hye Legates A Latere: What so euer false signe they make of them, I care not: but of this I am sure,

that as the olde hypocrites when they had slayne Christ, set pollaxes to keepe him in his s••pulcre that he should not rise againe: euē so haue our hypocrites buried the testament that God made vnto vs in Christes bloud, and to kepe it downe, that it rise not againe, is all their studie: wherof these pollaxes are the very signe.

Is not that shepardes hoke the Bi∣shopes crose a false signe? Is not that white rochette that the Byshops and Chanons weare so like a Nunne, and so effeminatly, a false signe? What o∣ther thinges are their sandals, gloues, myters, & all the whole pompe of their disguising, then false signes in which Paule prophesied that they shoulde come? And as Christ warned vs to be∣ware of wolues in lambes skinnes, & bad vs looke rather vnto their fruites * 1.426 and deedes, then to wonder at theyr disguisinges. Runne throughout all our holy religious, and thou shalt finde them likewise all clothed in falshod.

¶ Of the sacramentes.

FOrasmuch as we be come to signes, we wil speake a word or two of the signes which God hath ordeined, that is to say, of the sacramentes which Christ left amongest vs for our comfort, that we may walke in light and in truth, & in feling of the power of God. For he that walketh in y^• day, stumbleth not, when contrariwise he that walketh in the night stumbleth. Ioh. xi. And they that walke in darknes wote not whe∣ther they goe. Ioh. xij.

This worde sacrament is as much to say as an holy signe, and represen∣teth alway some promise of God. As * 1.427 in the olde Testament God ordeined that the raynebowe should represent and signifie vnto all men an oth that God sware to Noe, & to all men after hym, that he woulde no more drowne the worlde thorough water.

¶ The sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ.

SO the Sacrament of the body and bloude of Christ, hath a promise an∣nexed, which the Priest should declare in the Englishe tounge. This is my body that is broken for you. This is my bloud that is shed for many vnto the forgeuenesse of sinnes. This do in remēbrance of me sayth Christ. Luk. 22. And 1. Cor. 11. If when thou seest the Sacramēt, or eatest his body, or drinc∣kest * 1.428 his bloud, thou haue thys promise fast in thine hart (that his body was slayne, and his bloud shed for thy sins) and beleuest it, so art thou saued and iustified thereby. If not, so helpeth it thee not, though thou hearest a thou∣sand masses in a day, or though thou doest nothing els all thy life long then eate his body or drinke his bloude: no more thē it should helpe thee in a dead thyrst, to beholde a bushe at a tauerne dore, if thou knewest not thereby that there were wine within to be sold••.

¶ Baptime.

BAptime hath also his worde and promise, which the Priest ought to to teach the people, and Christen them in the Englishe tounge, and not to play y^• popengay with Credo say ye, ••olo say ye, and Baptismum say ye, for there ought to be no mumming in such a matter. The Priest before he baptiseth, asketh saying: beleuest thou in God the father almighty, and in his sonne Ie∣sus Christ, and in the holy ghost, and that the congregation of Christ is ho∣ly? And they say, yea. Then the Priest vppon thys fayth baptiseth the childe in y^• name of the father, and of y^t sonne, and of the holy ghost, for the forgeue∣nes of sinnes, as Peter saith. Act. ij.

The washing without the worde helpeth not: but through the worde it purifieth and clenseth vs. As thou readest Ephe. v. How Christ clenseth the congregation in the fountayne of water through the worde. The word is the promise that God hath made. Now as a preacher, in preaching the * 1.429 worde of God saueth the hearers that beleue, so doth the washing, in that it preacheth and representeth vnto vs the promise that God hath made vnto vs in Christ. The washing preacheth vnto vs, that we are clēsed with Chri∣stes bloudshedding, which was an of∣fering and a satisfaction for the sinne of all that repent and beleue, consenting and submitting themselues vnto the will of God. The plunging into the water signifieth that we die, and are buried with Christ, as concerning the olde life of sinne which is Adam. And the pulling out againe, signifieth that we rise againe with Christ in a newe life full of the holy ghost, which shall teach vs & guide vs, & worke the will of God in vs, as thou seest. Rom. vj.

Of wedlocke.

MAtrimony or wedlocke is a state or a degree ordeined of God, and an office wherein the husband serueth the wife, and the wife the husband. It was ordeined for a remedy and to en∣crease the worlde, and for the man to helpe the woman, and the woman the man with all loue and kyndnes, and not to signifie any promise that euer I heard or redde of in y^• scripture. Ther∣fore * 1.430 ought it not to be called a Sacra∣ment. It hath a promise that we sinne not in that state, if a man receaue hys wise as a gift geuen to him of God, & the wife her husband likewise: as all maner meates and drinkes haue a pro∣mise that we sinne not, if we vse them measurably with thankes geuing. If they call matrimony a Sacrament be∣cause the scripture vseth the similitude of matrimonie, to expresse the mariage or wedlocke that is betwene vs and Christ. (For as a woman though she be neuer so poore, yet when she is ma∣ried, is as rich as her husband: euen so we whē we repent and beleue the pro∣mises of God in Christ, though we be neuer so poore sinners, yet are as rich as Christ, all his merits are ours with all that he hath). If for that cause they call it a sacrament: so will I musterde seede, leuen, a net, keyes, bread, wa∣ter, and a thousand other things which Christ and the Prophetes, and all the scripture vse, to expresse the kingdome of heauen and Gods worde wythall. They prayse wedlocke wyth their * 1.431 mouth, and say it is an holy thyng, as it is verely: but had leuer be sanctified wyth an whore, then to come wythin the sanctuary.

¶ Of Order.

SUbdeacon, Deacō, Priest, Byshop, Cardinall, Patriarch and Pope, be names of offices and seruice, or should be, and not Sacraments. There is no promise coupled therwith. If they mi∣nister their offices truly, it is a signe that Christes spirite is in them, if not, that the deuill is in them. Are these all Sacramentes, or which one of them? Or what thyng in them is that holy signe or Sacrament? The shauyng or the annoynting? What also is the pro∣mise that is signified thereby? But what word printeth in them that cha∣ract: that spirituall seale? O dreamers and naturall beastes without the seale * 1.432 of the spirite of God: but sealed with the marke of the beast and with cank∣red consciences.

There is a word called in Latine Sa∣cerdos * 1.433 in Greeke Hiercus, in Hebrue Co∣han, that is, a Minister an officer, a sa∣crificer or a Priest, as Aaron was a Priest and sacrificed for the people and was a mediator betwen God & them. And in the English should it haue had some other name then Priest? But An∣tichrist hath deceaued vs with vn∣knowen and straūge termes, to bring vs into confusion and superstitious blyndnes. Of that maner is Christ a Priest for euer, and all we Priests tho∣rough hym and neede no more of any such Priest on earth to be a meane for vs vnto god. For Christ hath brought vs all into the inner temple within the vayle or forehanging, and vnto the mercy stoole of God. And hath cou∣pled vs vnto God, where we offer e∣uery man for himselfe y^e desires & peti∣tions of his hart, & sacrifice and kil the lustes & appetits of his flesh with pray¦er, fasting, & all maner godly liuing.

An other worde is there in Greeke called Presbiter, in latin, Senior, in eng∣lishe an elder, and is nothing but an * 1.434 officer to teach, and not to be a media∣tor betwene God and vs. This nedeth no annointing of man. They o•• y^t olde testament were annointed with oyle, * 1.435 to signifie the annointing of Christ and of vs thorough Christ with the holy ghost. This wise is no man Priest but he that is chosen, saue as in time of ne∣cessitie euery parson Christeneth, so may euery man teach his wife & hous∣holde, and the wife her children. So in time of neede if I see my brother sinne, I may betwene hym and me rebuke him, and damne his deede by the lawe of God. And may also comfort them that are in dispayre with the promises of God, and saue them if they beleue.

By a Priest then in the new testa∣ment * 1.436 vnderstand nothing but an elder to teach the younger, and to bring thē vnto the full knowledge and vnder∣standing of Christ and to minister the Sacramentes which Christ ordeyned, which is also nothyng but to preach Christes promises. And by them that geue all their studie to quench the light of truth, and to holde the people in darcknes, vnderstand the disciples of Sathan and messengers of Antichrist, what soeuer names they haue, or what soeuer they call themselues. And as concerning that our spiritualtie (as they will be called) make themselues

holyer then the lay people, and take so * 1.437 great landes and goodes to pray for them, and promise them pardons and forgeuenes of sinnes, or absolution, without preachyng of Christes promi∣ses, is falsehode and the woorkyng of Antichrist: and (as I haue sayd) the ra∣uenyng of those wolues which Paul (Act. xx.) prophesied, should come af∣ter hys departyng not sparyng the flocke. Their doctrine is that mar∣chaundise wherof Peter speaketh say∣ing: through coueteousnes shall they with fayned wordes make marchaun∣dise of you. ij. Pet. ij. And their reasons wherewith they proue their doctrine are (as sayth Paul. i. Timo. vj.) super∣fluous disputynges, arguynges or braulyngs of mē with corrupt mindes and destitute of truth, whiche thinke * 1.438 that lucre is godlynes. But Christ sayth. Math. vij. by their frutes shalt thou know them, that is by their filthy couetousnes and shamelesse ambition and dronken desire of honor, contrary vnto the example & doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles. Christ sayd to Pe∣ter, the last Chapter of Iohn. Fede my sheepe, and not shere thy flocke. And Pet. sayth. i. Pet. v. Not being Lordes ouer the Parishes: but these shere, and are become Lordes. Paul saith. ij. Cor. ij. Not that we be Lordes ouer your faith: but these will be Lordes & com∣pel vs to beleue what soeuer they lust, without any witnes of Scripture, yea cleane contrary to the Scripture, whē the opē text rebuketh it. Paul sayth, it is better to geue, thē to receaue. Act. xx. But these do nothyng in the world but lay snares to katch and receaue what so euer cōmeth, as it were the gapyng mouth of hell. And. ij. Cor. xij. I seeke not yours but you: but these seeke not you to Christ, but yours to thē selues, and therfore lest their dedes should be rebuked will not come at the light.

Neuerthelesse the truth is, that we are all equally beloued in Christ, and God hath sworne to all indifferently. According therfore as euery man bele∣ueth Gods promises, longeth for thē, and is diligent to pray vnto GOD to fulfill them, so is his prayer heard, and as good is the prayer of a cobler, as of a Cardinall: and of a bocher, as of a Byshop: & the blessing of a baker that knoweth the truth, is as good as the blessyng of our most holy father the Pope. And by blessing vnderstand not * 1.439 the wagging of the popes or Bishops hand ouer thyne head, but prayer, as when we say, God make thee a good man, Christ put his spirite in thee, or geue thee grace and power to walke in the truth, & to folow hys cōmaūde∣mentes &c. As Rebeccas frendes bles∣sed her whē she departed, Gene. xxiiij. saying. Thou art our sister: grow vn∣to thousand thousandes, and thy seede possesse the gates of their enemies. And as Isaac blessed Iacob Gene. xxvij. say∣ing. God geue thee of the dew of hea∣uen, and of the fatnes of the earth, a∣boundaunce of corne, wyne and oyle &c. And Gene. xxviij. Almighty God blesse thee and make thee grow, and multiply thee, that thou mayst be a great multitude of people, and geue to thee and to thy seede after thee the bles∣sings of Abraham, that thou mayst pos∣sesse the land wherin thou art a straū∣ger which he promised to thy graund∣father and such lyke.

Last of all one singular doubt they haue: what maketh the Priest, the an∣noynting or puttyng on of the handes or what other ceremonie or what wordes. About which they braule and scolde one ready to teare out an others throte. One sayth this, & an other that, but they cā not agree. Neither cā any of them make so strong a reason which an other can not improue. For they are all out of the way, and without the spi¦rite of God to iudge spirituall things. Howbeit to this I aūswere, that whē Christ called. xij. vp into the moūtaine and chose them, then immediatly with∣out any annointing or ceremony were they his Apostles, that is to witte, mi∣nisters chosen to be sent to preach his Testament, vnto all the whole world. And after the resurrection whē he had opened their wittes, and geuen them knowledge to vnderstand the secretes of hys Testament, & how to bynde & loose, and what he would haue thē to do in all thynges, then he sent them forth with a commaundemēt to preach and bynde the vnbeleuyng that conti∣nue in sinne, and to loose the beleuyng that repent. And that commaundemēt * 1.440 or charge made thē Byshops, priestes, Popes and all thyng. If they say that Christ made thē priestes at his Maun∣dey or last Supper when he sayd, do this in the remembraūce of me. I aun∣swere, though the Apostles wist not then what hee ment, yet I will not striue nor say that agaynst. Neuer the latter the commaundement and the charge which he gaue them made thē Priestes.

And Actes the first, when Mathias was chosē by lotte, it is not to be dou∣ted but that the Apostles, after their common maner, prayed for him that God would geue him grace to mi∣nister his office truely, and put their handes on him, and exhorted him and gaue him charge to be diligent & faith∣full, and then was he as great as the best. And Actes. vj. When the Disci∣ples that beleued had chosen. vj. Dea∣cons to minister to the widdowes, the Apostles prayed and put their handes on them, and admitted them without more adde. Their putting on of hands * 1.441 was not after the maner of the dome blessing of our holy byshops with two fingers: but they spake vnto them, and tolde them their dutie and gaue them a charge and warned them to be fayth∣full in the Lordes busines: as we chuse temporall officers and read their duty to them, and they promise to be fayth∣full ministers, and then are admitted. Neither is there any other maner or ceremonie at all required in makyng of our spirituall officers, then to chuse an able person, and thē to rehearse him his dutie and geue him his charge and so to put him in his rowme. And as for that other solemne doubte, as they call it whether Iudas was a Priest or * 1.442 no, I care not what he then was: but of this I am sure, that he is now not onely Priest, but also Byshop, Cardi∣nall and Pope.

¶ Of Penaunce.

PEnaunce is a word of their owne forgyng to disceaue vs with all, as many other are. In the Scripture we finde panitentia repentaunce. Agite poeni∣tentiam, do repent: Poeniteat vos, let it re∣pēt you. Metanoyte in Greeke, forthinke yo, or let it forthinke you. Of repen∣taunce * 1.443 they haue made penaunce, to blinde the people and to make them thinke that they must take payne and do some holy dedes to make satis∣faction for their sinnes, namely such as they enioyue them. As thou mayst see * 1.444 in the Cronicles, when great kynges and tyrauntes (which with violence of sword conquered other kynges landes and slew all that came to hand) came to them selues, and had conscience of their wicked dedes, then the Byshops coupled them, not to Christ: but vnto the Pope, and preached the Pope vnto them, and made them to submit them selues and also their realmes vnto the holy father the Pope, and to take pe∣naunce, as they call it, that is to say, such iniunctions as the Pope and Bi∣shops would commaund them to do, to build Abbays, to endote them with liuelode, to be prayed for for euer: and to geue them exemptions and priui∣lege and licence to do what the lust vn∣punished.

Repentaunce goeth before faith and * 1.445 prepareth the way to Christ, and to the promises. For Christ, commeth not, but vnto them that see their sinnes in the law and repent. Repentaunce that is to say, this mornyng and sorrow of the hart lasteth all our liues long. For we finde our selues all our liues long to weake for Gods law, and therfore sorrow & morne longyng for strength. Repentaunce is no Sacrament: as faith, hope, loue, and knowledge of a mans sinnes are not to be called Sa∣cramentes. For they are spirituall and inuisible. Now must a Sacrament be an outward signe that may be sene to signifie, to represent, and to put a man in remēbraunce of some spirituall pro∣mise which can not be sene but by faith onely. Repentaunce and all the good dedes which accompanie repentaunce to slay the lustes of the fleshe are signi∣fied by Baptisme. For Paule sayth * 1.446 Roma. vj. (as it is aboue rehearsed.) Remember ye not (saith he) that all we whiche are baptised in the name of Christ Iesus, are baptised to dye with him? we are buryed with him in Bap∣tisme for to dye, that is, to kil the lustes and the rebellion which remayneth in the flesh. And after that he sayth, ye are dead as concernyng sinne but lyue vnto God, through Iesus Christ our Lord. If thou looke on the profession * 1.447 of our harts, and on the spirit and for∣geuenes which we haue receaued tho∣rough Christes merites, we are full dead: but if thou looke on the rebellion of the flesh we do but begyn to dye and to be baptised, that is, to drowne and quench the lustes, and are full baptised at the last minute of death. And as cō∣cernyng the workyng of the spirite we begyn to lyue, & grow euery day more and more both in knowledge and also in Godly lyuyng, accordyng as the lustes abate. As a child receaueth y^e ••ull soule at the first day, yet groweth day∣ly in the operations & workes therof.

¶ Of Confession.

COnfession is diuers? One foloweth true fayth insparably. And is the

confessing and knowledging with the * 1.448 mouth, wherein we put our trust and confidēce. As when we say our Credo: confessing that we trust in God the fa∣ther almighty, and in his truth & pro∣mises: & in his sonne Iesus our Lord, and in his merites and deseruinges: & in the holy Ghost, and in his power, assistance and guiding. This confession is necessary vnto all men that wyll be saued. For Christ saith Mathew. x. he that denyeth me before men, hym will I deny before my father that is in hea∣uen. And of this confession sayth the holy Apostle Paule in the x. chapter. The beliefe of the hart iustifieth: and to knowledge wyth the mouth maketh a man safe. This is a wonderfull text for our Philosophers or rather so∣phisters, our worldly wyse enemies to the wisdome of God, our deepe & pro∣founde welles wythout water, our cloudes wythout moysture of rayne, that is to say, naturall soules without the sprite of God, and feeling of godly thynges. To iustifie and to make safe are both one thing. And to confesse with the mouth is a good worke, and the frute of a true fayth, as all other workes are.

If thou repent and beleue the pro∣mises, then Gods truth iustifieth thee, that is, forgeueth thee thy sinnes, and sealeth thee with hys holy spirite, and maketh thee heyre of euerlastyng lyfe through Christes deseruinges. Now if thou haue true fayth, so seest thou the exceeding and infinite loue and mercy which God hath shewed thee freely in Christ: then must thou needes loue a∣gayne: and loue can not but compell * 1.449 thee to worke, and boldly to confesse & knowledge thy Lord Christ, and the trust which thou hast in his word. And this knowledge maketh thee safe, that is declareth that thou art safe already, certifieth thine hart, and maketh thee feele that thy fayth is right, and that Gods spirite is in thee, as all other good workes doe. For if when it com∣meth vnto the point, thou hast no lust to worke, nor power to confesse, how couldest thou presume to thinke that Gods sprite were in thee?

An other confession is there which * 1.450 goeth before saith, and accompanieth repentaunce. For who so euer repen∣teth doth knowledge his sinnes in his hart. And who soeuer doth knowledge his sinnes, receaueth forgenenes (as ••ayth Iohn in the first of his first Epi∣stle.) If we knowledge our sinnes he is faythfull and iust to forgeue vs out sinnes, and to clense vs from all vn∣righteousnes, that is, because he hath promised, he must for his truthes sake doe it. This confession is necessary all our liues long, as is repentaunce. And as thou vnderstandest of repentaunce, so vnderstand of this confession, for it is likewise included in the sacrament of Baptime. For we alwayes repent and alwayes knowledge or cōfesse our sinnes vnto God, and yet dispayre not: but remember that we are washed in in Christes bloud, which thing our baptime doth represēt, and signifie vn∣to vs.

Shrift in the eare is verely a worke of Sathan, and that the ••alsest that e∣uer * 1.451 was wrought, and that most hath deuoured the fayth. It began among the Greekes, and was not as it is now, to reckē all a mās sinnes in the priestes eare: but to aske coūcell of such doubtes as men had, as thou mayst see in S. Hierome, and in other authors. Nei∣ther went they to Priestes onely which were very fewe at that tyme, no moe then preached the worde of God, for this so great vantage in so many mas∣ses saying, was not yet founde: but went indifferently, where they saw a good and a learned man. And for be∣cause * 1.452 of a litle knauery which a Deacō at Constantinople plaide thorough cō∣fession with one of the chiefe wiues of the citie, it was layde downe agayne. But we Antichristes possession, the more knauery we see growe thereby dayly, the more we stablishe it. A chri∣sten man is a spirituall thing, and hath Gods word in his hart, and gods spi∣rite to certifie him of all thing. He is not bound to come to any eare. And as for the reasons which they make are but persuasions of mans wisedome. First as perteining vnto the keyes & maner of bynding and loosing is e∣ough aboue rehearsed, & in other pla∣ces. Thou maist also see how the Apo∣stles vsed them in the Actes, and in Paules Epistles, how at the preaching of fayth the spirite came, and certified their harts that they were iustified tho∣rough beleuing the promises.

When a man feeleth that his hart * 1.453 consenteth vnto the law of God, and feeleth hymselfe meeke, pacient, curte∣ous and mercifull to hys neighbour, altered and fashioned like vnto Christ, why shoulde he doubt but that God hath forgeuen him and chosen him and put his spirite in hym, though he ne∣uer

cromme hys sinne into the priestes eare?

One blynde reason haue they say∣ing. * 1.454 How shall the Priest vnbynde, loose and forgeue the sinne which he knoweth not? How did the Apostles? The Scripture forsake they and runne vnto their blinde reasons, and draw the Scripture vnto a carnall purpose. When I haue tolde thee in thyne eare all that I haue done my life long, in order and with all circumstances after the shamefullest maner, what cāst thou doe more then preach me the promises, saying: if thou repent & beleue, Gods truth shall saue thee for Christes sake? Thou seest not myne hart, thou know∣est not whether I repent or no, ney∣ther whether I consent to the law, that it is holy, righteous, and good. More∣ouer whether I beleue the promises or no, is also vnknowen to thee. If thou preach the law and the promises, (as the Apostles did) so should they that God hath chosen repent and be∣leue and be saued: euen now as well as then. How be it Antichrist must know all secretes to stablish his king∣dom, & to worke his misteries withall.

They bryng also for them the sto∣rie of the x. lepers, whiche is written * 1.455 in the. xvij. Chapter of Luke. Here marke their falsehoode, and learne to knowe them for euer. The fourtene Sonday after the feast of the Trinitie, the begynnyng of the vij. le•…•…n is the sayd Gospell and the viij. & the ix. les∣sons with the rest of the seuenth is the exposition of Bede vpon the sayd Gos∣pell. Where, saith Bede, of all that Christ healed, of what so euer disease it were, he sent none vnto the Priestes, but the lepers. And by the lepers en∣terpreteth the folowers of false doc∣trine onely, which the spirituall offi∣cers, and the learned men of the con∣gregation ought to examine, and re∣buke their learning with Gods word, and to warne the congregation to be∣ware of them. Which, if they were af∣terward healed by the grace of Christ, ought to come before the cōgregation, and there openly confesse theyr true fayth.

But all other vices (saith he) doth God heale within in the conscience.

Though they this wise reade at mat∣tens, yet at hie masse, if they haue any sermon at all, they lie cleane contrary vnto this open truth. Neither are they ashamed at all. For why they walke altogether in darcknes.

¶ Of Contrition.

COntrition and repētaunce are both one and nothyng els but a sorowful & a mournyng hart. And because that God hath promised mercy vnto a con∣trite hart, that is, to a sorowfull and re∣pentyng hart, they to beguile Gods word and to stablish their wicked tra∣dition, haue fayned that new word at∣trition saying: thou canst not know whether thy sorrowe or repentaunce be contrition or attrition, except thou * 1.456 be shreuen. When thou art shreuen, thē it is true contritiō. Oh foxy Pharisay, that is thy leuen, of which Christ so di∣ligētly bad vs beware. Math. vj. And the very prophesie of Peter thorough couetousnes with fayned wordes shall they make marchaūdise of you. ij. Pet. ij. with such gloses corrupt they Gods word, to sit in the consciences of y^• peo∣ple, to lead them captiue, and to make a praye of thē: byeng and sellyng their sinnes, to satisfy their vnsatiable coue∣tousnes. Neuerthelesse the truth is, when any man hath trespassed agaynst God. If he repēt and knowledge his trespasse, God promiseth him forgeue∣nesse without eare shrift.

If he that hath offended his neigh∣bour repente and knowledge his fault askyng forgeuenes, if his neighbour forgeue him, God forgeueth him also, by his holy promise. Mat. xviij. Like∣wise if he that sinneth openly, when he is openly rebuked, repent and turne, then if the congregation forgeue hym God forgeueth him. And so forth who soeuer repenteth and when he is rebu∣ked knowledgeth his fault is forgeuē.

He also that doubteth or hath hys consciences tangled, ought to open his minde vnto some faythfull brother that is learned, and he shall geue hym faythful councell to helpe him withall.

To whom a man trespasseth, vnto him he ought to confesse. But to con∣fesse * 1.457 my selfe vnto thee O Antichrist, whom I haue not offended, am I not bounde.

They of the old law had no confes∣sion in the eare. Neither the Apostles nor they that folowed many hundred yeares after knew of any such whispe∣ryng. Wherby then was their attritiō turned vnto contrition? yea why are we whiche Christ came to loose, more bound thē the Iewes. Yea and why are we more bounde without Scripture? For Christ came not to make vs more bounde, but to loose vs and to make a

thousand thynges no sinne which be∣fore were sinne, and are now become sinne agayne. He left none other law with vs, but the law of loue. He loo∣sed vs not frō Moyses to bynde vs vn∣to Antichristes eare. God had not tyed Christ vnto Antichristes eare, neither hath poured all his mercy in thether, for it hath no recorde in the old Testa∣ment, that Antichristes eare should be Propiciatorium, that is to witte, Gods * 1.458 mercy stole, and that God should crepe into so narow a hole, so that hee could no where els be founde. Neither dyd God write his lawes neither yet hys holy promises in Antichristes eare: but hath graued them with his holy spirite in the hartes of them that beleue, that they might haue them alwayes ready at hand to be saued therby.

¶ Satisfaction.

AS pertainyng vnto satisfactiō, this wise vnderstād, that he that loueth God hath a commaundement (as S. Iohn sayth in the fourth Chap. of his first Epistle) to loue his neighbour al∣so: whom if thou haue offended thou must make him amendes or satisfactiō, or at the lest way if thou be not able, aske him forgeuenes, & if he will haue mercy of God, he is bound to forgeue thee. If he will not: yet God forgeueth thee, if thou thus submit thy selfe. But vnto Godward Christ is a perpetuall * 1.459 and an euerlastyng satisfaction for e∣uermore.

As oft as thou fallest through frail∣tie, repent & come agayne and thou art safe & welcome, as y^u mayst see by y^e si∣militude of the riotous sonne, Luke. xv. If thou be lopen out of sanctuary come in agayne. If thou be fallen from the way of truth come thereto agayne and thou art safe, if thou be gone astray come to y^e folde againe & the shepheard Christ shall saue thee, yea and the aun∣gels of heauen shal reioyce at thy com∣myng, so farre it is of that any mā shal beate thee or chide thee. If any Phari∣sey enuye thee, grudge at thee, or rayle vpon thee, thy father shall make aun∣swere for thee, as thou seist in the fore rehearsed likenes or parable. Who soe∣uer therfore is gone out of the way by whatsoeuer chaūce it be, let him come to his Baptisme agayne and vnto the profession therof and he shalbe safe.

For though that the washyng of Baptisme be past, yet the power ther∣of, * 1.460 that is to say, y^t word of God which Baptisme preacheth lasteth euer and saueth for euer. As Paul is past and gone, neuerthelesse y^e word that Paul preached lasteth euer and saueth euer as many as come therto with a repen∣tyng hart and a stedfast faith.

Hereby seest thou that when they make penaunce of repentaunce and cal it a Sacrament and deuide it into con∣trition, confession and satisfaction they speake of their owne heades and lye falsely.

¶ Absolution.

THeir absolution also iustifieth no man from sinne. For with the hart do men beleue to be iustified with all sayth Paul. Roma. 10. that is, through fayth and beleuyng the promises, are we iustified, as I haue sufficiently pro∣ued in other places with y^• Scripture. Fayth (sayth Paul in the same place) commeth by hearyng, that is to say, by hearyng the preacher that is sent from God and preacheth Gods promises. Now when thou absoluest in Latine, the vnlearned heareth not. For how, saith Paul. i. Cor. xiiij. when thou bles∣sest in an vnknowen toung, shall the vnlearned say Amen vnto thy thankes geuing? for he wotteth not y^u sayst. So likewise the lay wotteth not whether thou loose or bynde, or whether thou blesse or curse. In like maner is it if the lay vnderstād Latine or though the Priest absolue in English. For in hys absolution he rehearseth no promise of God: but speaketh his owne wordes saying: I by the authoritie of Peter and Paul absolue or loose thee from all thy sinnes. Thou sayst so, which art but a lying man and neuer more then now verely.

Thou sayst I forgeue thee thy sinnes, and the Scripture (Iohn the first) that Christ onely forgeueth & ta∣keth away y^e sinnes of the world. And Paul and Peter and all the Apostles preache that all is forgeuen in Christ and for Christs sake. Gods word one∣ly looseth and thou in preachyng that mightest loose also and els not.

¶ Who soeuer hath eares let him heare and let him that hath eyes, see. If any man loue to be blinde, his blindnes on his owne head and not on mine. * 1.461

THey alledge for thē selues the say∣ing of Christ to Peter Math. xvj. Whatsoeuer thou byndest on earth, it shalbe boūde, & what soeuer thou loo∣seth, and so forth. Lo say they, what so∣euer

we bynde & what soeuer we loose here is nothing excepted. And an other text lay they of Christ in y^e last of Ma∣thew. All power is geuen to me sayth Christ, in heauen and in earth: go ther∣fore and preach &c. Preachyng leaueth * 1.462 the Pope out, and sayth loe all power is geuen me in heauen & in earth. And thereupon taketh vpon him temporall power aboue kyng and Emperour, & maketh lawes and byndeth them. And like power taketh he ouer gods lawes and dispenseth with them at his lust, makyng no sinne of that whiche God maketh sinne, & maketh sinne where God maketh none: yea & wypeth out Gods lawes cleane and maketh at his pleasure, & with him is lawful what he lusteth. He bindeth where God looseth & looseth where God bindeth. He bles∣seth where GOD curseth and curseth where God blesseth. He taketh autho∣ritie also to bynde & loose in Purgato∣ry.* 1.463 That permit I vnto him: for it is a creature of his owne makyng. He also byndeth the aungels. For we read of Popes that haue commaūded the aun∣gels to fet diuers out of Purgatory. * 1.464 Howbeit I am not yet certified whe∣ther they obeyed or no.

Vnderstand therrfore that to bynde and to loose, is to preach the lawe of * 1.465 God and the Gospell or promises, as thou mayst see in the third chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians: Where Paule calleth the preaching of the law the ministration of death, and damnation, and the preaching of the promises then ministring of the spirite and of righteousnes. For when the law is preached, all men are found sin∣ners, and therefore damned: and when the Gospell & glad tydinges are prea∣ched, then are all that repent and be∣leue, founde righteous in Christ. And so expounde it all the olde doctours. * 1.466 Saint Hierome sayth vpon this text, whatsoeuer thou bindest, the Bishops and Priestes sayth he, for lacke of vn∣derstanding, take a litle presumption of the Phareseis vpon thē. And thinke that they haue authoritie to bynde in∣nocentes, and to loose the wicked, which thing our Pope and Byshops doe. For they say the curse is to be fea∣red, * 1.467 be it right or wrōg. Though thou haue not deserued, yet if y^e Pope curse thee, thou art in perill of thy soule as they lie: yea and though he be neuer fo wrongfully cursed, he must be fayne to * 1.468 buy absolution. But Saint Hierome sayth as y^e Priest of the olde law made the lepers cleane or vncleane, so byn∣deth and vnbyndeth the Priest of the new law. * 1.469

The Priest there made no man a le∣per, neither clensed any mā, but God: and the Priest iudged onely by Moy∣ses law, who was cleane, & who was vncleane, whē they were brought vn∣to hym.

So here we haue the law of God to iudge what is sinne, and what is not, and who is bounde, and who is not. Moreouer if any man haue sinned, yet if he repent and beleue the promise, we are sure by Gods word that he is loo∣sed & forgeuen in Christ. Other autho∣ritie then this wise to preach, haue the Priests not. Christes Apostles had no other thē selues, as it appeareth tho∣roughout all the new testamēt. Ther∣fore it is manifest that they haue not.

Saint Paule sayth i. Corinth. xv. * 1.470 When we say all thinges are vnder Christ, he is to be excepted that put all vnder hym. God the father is not vn∣der Christ, but aboue Christ, and Chri∣stes head. i. Corinth. vi.

Christ sayth Iohn. xij. I haue not spoken of myne owne head, but my fa∣ther which sent me, gaue a commaun∣dement what I should say, and what I should speake. What soeuer I speake * 1.471 therefore, euen as my father bad me so I speake. If Christ had a law what he should doe, how happeneth it, that the Pope so runneth at large lawlesse? Though that all power were geuen vnto Christ in heauen and in earth: Yet had he no power ouer his father, nor yet to raigne temporally ouer tem∣porall Princes: but a commaundemēt to obey them. How hath the Pope thē such temporall authoritie ouer king & Emperour? How hath he authoritie aboue Gods lawes, and to cōmaunde the Angels, the saintes, and God him∣selfe?

Christes authoritie which he gaue to * 1.472 his Disciples, was to preach the lawe and to bring sinners to repentaunce, and then to preach vnto them the pro∣mises which the father had made vnto all men for his sake. And the same to preach onely sent he his Apostles. As * 1.473 a kyng sendeth forth his Iudges, and geueth them his authoritie, saying: What ye doe, that doe I. I geue you my full power. Yet meaneth he not by that full power, that they should de∣stroy any towne or Citie, or oppresse a∣ny mā or doe what they list, or should raigne ouer the Lordes and Dukes of

his Realme and ouer hys owne selfe. But geueth them a lawe with them & authoritie to bynde and loose, as far∣forth as the law stretcheth and maketh mention: that is, to punishe the euill, that doe wrong, and to auenge y^e poore that suffer wrong. And so farre as the law stretcheth, will the king defend his Iudge agaynst all men. And as the tēporall iudges binde & loose tempo∣rally, so doe the pristes spiritually, and no other wayes. How be it by falshod * 1.474 and subtiltie the Pope reigneth vnder Christ, as Cardinals and Byshops do vnder kinges lawlesse.

THe Pope (say they) absolueth or looseth a poena et culpa, that is from * 1.475 the faulte or trespasse, and from the payne due vnto the trespasse. God if a man repent forgeueth the offence one∣ly, and not the paine also, say they, saue turneth the euerlasting payne vnto a temporall payne. And appointeth se∣uē yeares in purgatory for euery dead∣ly sinne. But the Pope for money for∣geueth * 1.476 both, and hath more power thē God, and is more mercifull thē God. This doe I saith the Pope of my full power and of y^e treasure of the Church, of deseruinges of martyrs, cōfessours, and mērites of Christ.

First the merites of the Saintes did not saue themselues, but were saued by Christes merites onely. * 1.477

Secondarily God hath promised Christes merites vnto all that repent: so that whosoeuer repenteth is imme∣diatly * 1.478 heire of all Christes merites and beloued of God as Christ is. How thē came this foule monster to be Lord o∣uer * 1.479 Christes merites, so that he hath power to sell that which God geueth freely. O dreamers, yea O deuils and O venimous scorpians, what poyson haue ye in your tayles? O pestilēt lea∣uen, that so turneth the sweete bread of Christes doctrine into the bitternesse of gall.

The Friers runne in the same spi∣rite * 1.480 and teach, saying: do good deedes and redeeme the paines y^• abide you in purgatory, yea geue vs somewhat to doe good workes for you. And thus * 1.481 is sinne become the profitablest mar∣chaundise in the worlde. O the cruell wrath of God vpō vs because we loue not the truth.

For this is the damnation & iudge∣ment of God, to send a false Prophet vnto him that wil not heare the truth. I know you saith Christ, Iohn. v. that ye haue not the loue of God in you. I am come in my fathers name and ye receaue me not, if an other shall come * 1.482 in his own name, him shall ye receaue. This doth God auenge him selfe on the malicious hartes whiche haue no loue to his truth.

All the promises of God haue they either wypte cleane out, or thus leaue∣ned * 1.483 them with open lyes to stablishe their confession with all. And to kepe vs from knowledge of the truth, they do all thyng in Latin.

They pray in Latin, they Christen in Latine, they blesse in Latine, they * 1.484 geue absolution in Latin, onely curse they in the English toung. Wherein they take vpon them greater authori∣tie then euer God gaue them. For in their curses as they call them, with booke bell and candle, they commaūde God and Christ and the aungels and * 1.485 all Saintes to curse them: curie them God (say they) father, sonne and holy ghost, curse them virgine Mary. &c. O ye abommable, Who gaue you autho∣ritie to commaūde God to curse? God commaundeth you to blesse, and ye cō∣maunde him to curse. Blesse them that persecute you: blesse but curse not, saith S. Paul Roma. xij. What tyranny wil these not vse ouer men, which presume and take vpon them to be Lordes ouer God and to commaunde him? If God shall curse any man, who shall blesse and make him better? No man can a∣mende him selfe, except God poure his spirite vnto him. Haue we not a com∣maundemēt to loue our neighbour as our selues? How can I loue him and curse him also? Iames sayth, it is not possible that blessing & cursing should come both out of one mouth. Christ cō∣maundeth. Math. v. saying: loue your enemies. Blesse them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you. Pray for them that do you wrong and perse∣cute you, that ye may be the children of your heauenly father.

In the marches of Wales it is the maner if any man haue an Oxe or a * 1.486 Cow stollē, he commeth to the Curate and desireth him to curse the stealer. And he commaundeth the Parish to geue him euery man Gods curse and his. Gods curse & myne haue he, sayth euery man in the Parish. O mercyfull God what is blasphemy, if this be not blasphemy & shamyng of the doctrine of Christ?

Vnderstand therfore, the power of excommunication is this. If any man sinne openly and amendeth not when

he is warned? then ought he to be re∣buked openly before all the Parish. And the Priest ought to proue by the Scripture, that all such haue no part with Christ. For Christ serueth not but for them that loue the law of God, and consent that it is good holy and righ∣teous. And repēt sorrowing & mour∣nyng for power and strength to fulfill it. And all the parish ought to be war∣ned, to auoyde the company of all such, and to take them as heathen people. This is not done that he should pe∣rish, but to saue him, to make him a∣shamed & to kill the lustes of the flesh, that the spirite might come vnto the knowledge of truth. And we ought to pitie hym, and to haue compassion on him, and with all diligence to pray vn∣to God for him, to geue him grace to repent and to come to the right way agayne, and not to vse such tyranny o∣uer God and man, commaūdyng God to curse. And if he repent we ought with all mercy to receaue him in a∣gayn. This mayst thou see Mat. xviij. and. i. Cor. v. and ij. Cor. ij.

¶ Confirmation.

IF confirmation haue a promise, then it iustifieth, as farre as the promise extendeth. If it haue no promise, then is it not of GOD as the Byshops be not. The Apostles and Ministers of * 1.487 God preach Gods word: and Gods signes or Sacramentes signifie Gods word also, and put vs in remēbraunce of the promises which God hath made vnto vs in Christ. Contrarywise An∣tichristes * 1.488 Byshops preach not & their Sacramentes speake not, but as the disguised Byshops mum, so are their superstitious Sacramentes domme. After that the Byshops had left prea∣chyng, then fayned they this domme ceremonie of cōfirmation to haue som∣what at the lest way, whereby they myght raigne ouer theyr Dioceses. They reserued vnto them selues, also the Christenyng of Belles and coniu∣ring * 1.489 or hallowyng of Churches and Churchyardes, and of Altares and su∣peraltares, and holowyng of Chalices and so forth, what soeuer is of honor or profite. Which cōfirmation and the o∣ther coniurations, also they haue now committed to their Suffragans: be∣cause * 1.490 they them selues haue no leysure to minister such things, for their lustes and pleasures and aboundance of all thinges, and for the combraunce that they haue in the kynges matters and businesse of the Realme. One kepeth * 1.491 the priuey seale, an other y^• great seale, the thyrd is confessour, that is to say, a priuey traytor and a secreat Iudas, he is President of the Princes Counsaile, he is an Ambassadour, an other sort of the Kynges secret Counsaile. Wo is vnto the Realmes where they are of y^t coun∣sell. As profitable are they verely vn∣to the Realmes with their Counsell, as the Wolues vnto the Shepe, or the Foxes vnto the Geese.

They will say that the holy Ghost * 1.492 is geuen thorough such ceremonies. If God had so promised, so should it be, but Paule saith Galat. iij. that the spirite is receaued thorough prea∣ching of the fayth. And Actes tenth, while Peter preached the faith, the ho∣ly Ghost fell on Cornelius and on hys houshold. How shall we say then to that which they will lay against vs, in the eight chapter of the Actes of the A∣postles. Where Peter and Iohn put * 1.493 their handes on the Samaritans, and the holy Ghost came? I say that by putting or with putting, or as they put their handes on them, the holy Ghost came. Neuerthelesse the putting on of the hāds did neither helpe nor hinder. For the text sayth they prayed for them that they might receaue the holy ghost.

God had made the Apostles a pro∣mise, that he woulde wyth such mira∣cles cōfirme their preaching, and mou•• other to the fayth. Mar. the last. The Apostles therefore beleued and prayed God to fulfill his promise, and God for his truthes sake euen so did. So was it the prayer of fayth that brought * 1.494 the holy Ghost, as thou mayst see also in the last of Iames. If any man be sicke saith Iames, call the elders of the congregation, and let them pray ouer hym, annointing hym with oyle, in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of fayth shall heale the sicke. Where a promise is, there is fayth bolde to pray, and God true to geue her her petition. Putting on of the handes is an indif∣ferent thing. For the holy Ghost came by preaching of the fayth, and myra∣cles were done at the prayer of fayth as * 1.495 well without putting on of the hands, as with, as thou seest in many places. Putting on of the hands was the ma∣ner of that nation, as it was to rent their clothes, & to put on sackecloth, & to sprinkle themselues with ashes and earth, when they heard of or saw any sorowful thing, as it was Paules ma∣ner

to stretch out his hand, when he preached. And as it is our maner to holde vp our handes, when we pray, and as some kisse their thome nayle, and put it to their eyes, and as we put our handes on childrens heades, when we blesse thē, saying: Christ blesse thee my sonne, and God make thee a good man: which gestures neither helpe nor hinder. This mayst thou well see by the xiij. of the Actes, where the holy Ghost commaunded to separate Paul and Barnabas, to go and preach. Thē the other fasted and prayed, and put their handes on their heades, and sent them forth. They receaued not the ho∣ly Ghost thē, by putting on of hands, but the other as they put their handes on their heades prayed for them, that God would goe with them & strength them, and coraged them also, bidding them to be strong in God, and war∣ned them to be faythfull and diligent in the worke of God, and so forth.

¶ Anoyling.

LAst of all commeth the anoyling wythout promise, and therefore without the spirite and without pro∣fet, but altogether vnfruitfull and su∣perstitious. The sacramentes which they haue imagined are all wythout promise, and therefore helpe not. For * 1.496 whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne. Rom. xiiij. Now without a promise can there be no fayth. The sacraments which Christ himselfe ordeined, which haue also promises, and would saue vs * 1.497 if we knew them and beleued them, them minister they in the latine toūg. So are they also become as vnfruitfull as the other. Yea they make vs beleue * 1.498 that the worke it self without the pro∣mise saueth vs, which doctrine they learned of Aristotle. And thus are we become an hundred tymes worse then the wicked Iewes which beleued that the very worke of their sacrifice iustifi∣ed them. Against which Paul fighteth in euery epistle, prouing that nothyng helpeth saue the promises which God hath sworne in Christ. Aske the people what they vnderstand by their Bap∣time or washing. And thou shalt see * 1.499 that they beleue, how that the very plunging into the water saueth them: of the promises they know not, nor what is signified thereby. Baptime is called volowing in many places of * 1.500 England, because the priest sayth, ••olo say ye. The childe was well volowed (say they) yea and our Ʋicare is as fayre a volower as euer a priest with∣in this twenty miles.

Beholde how narowly the people looke on the ceremony. If ought be left out, or if the childe be not altoge∣ther dipt in the water, or if, because y^• childe is sicke, y^t priest dare not plunge him into the water, but poure water on his head, how tremble they? how quake they? how say ye sir Iohn say they, is this childe christened enough? hath it his full christendome? They be∣leue verely that the childe is not chri∣stened: yea I haue knowen Priestes * 1.501 that haue gone vnto the orders againe supposing that they were not priestes, because that the Byshop left one of his ceremonies vndon. That they call cō∣firmation, the people call Byshoping. They thinke that if the Byshop butter the childe in y^e forehead, that it is safe. * 1.502 They thinke that the worke maketh safe, and likewise suppose they of an∣oyling. Now is this false doctrine ve∣rely. For Iames sayth in y^• fyrst chap∣ter of hys Epistle. Of his good wyll begat he vs with y^• word of life, that is, with the worde of promise. In which we are made Gods sonnes & heires of the goodnes of god before any good workes. For we can not worke Gods will tyll we be hys sonnes and know hys wyll and haue hys spirite to teach vs. And Saint Paule sayth in y^t fyft chapter of hys Epistle to the Ephesi∣ans. Christ clensed the congregation in the fountayne of water thorough the worde. And Peter saith in the first of his first epistle. Ye are borne anew, not of mortall seede, but of immortall seede, by the worde of God which li∣ueth and lasteth euer. Paule in euery Epistle warneth vs that we put no trust in workes, and to beware of per∣swasions or arguments of mans wis∣dome, of superstitiousnes, of ceremo∣nies, of Pope holynes, and of all ma∣ner disguising. And exhorteth vs to cleaue fast vnto the the naked and pure * 1.503 worde of God. The promise of God is the Anker that saueth vs in all tēp∣tations. If all y^• world be against, vs, Gods word is stronger then y^e world. If the world kill vs, that shall make vs aliue agayne. If it be possible for the worlde to cast vs into hell, from thence yet shall Gods worde bring vs agayne. Herby seest thou that it is not * 1.504 the worke, but the promise that iustifi∣eth vs thorough fayth. Now where no promise is, there can no fayth be,

and therefore no iustifiyng though there be neuer so glorious workes. The Sacrament of Christes body af∣ter this wise preach they. Thou must * 1.505 beleue that it is no more bread, but the very body of Christ, flesh, bloud, and bone, euen as he went here on earth, saue his coate. For that is here yet, I wot not in how many places. I pray thee what helpeth all this? Here is no promise. The deuils know that Christ dyed on a Fryday, and the Iewes also. What are they holpe thereby? We haue a promise that Christ and his body and his bloud, and all that he did and suf∣fered, is a sacrifice, a raunsome, and a full satisfaction for our sinnes: that God for his sake wyll thinke no more on them, if they haue power to repent and beleue.

Holy worke men thinke that God reioyceth in the deede selfe, without a∣ny further respecte. They thinke also that God as a cruell tyrant, reioyceth and hath delectation in our payne ta∣kyng without any further respect. And therefore many of them martyr them∣selues wythout cause, after the ensam∣ple of Baals Priestes which (iij. Reg. xviij. cut themselues to please theyr God with all, and as the olde heathen pagans sacrificed their children in the fyre vnto their Gods. The Monkes of the Charterhouse thinke that y^• very eating of fishe in it selfe pleaseth God, and referre not the eating vnto the chastening of the body. For when they haue slayne their bodyes wyth colde fleme of fisheating: yet then will they eate no fleshe, and sley themselues be∣fore their dayes. We also when we of∣fer our sonnes or daughters, and com∣pell or perswade them to vowe & pro∣fesse chastitie, thinke that y^• very payne and that rage and burning which they suffer in absteining from a make, plea∣seth God, and so referre not our chasti∣tie vnto our neighbours profet. For when we see thousandes fall to innu∣merable diseases therby, and to die be∣fore their dayes: yea though we see thē breake the commaundementes of God dayly, and also of very impatiency worke abhominations against nature, to shamefull to be spoken of: yet wyll we not let them marry, but compell them to continue still wyth violence. And thus teach our deuines as it ap∣pereth by their argumentes. He that taketh most payne, say they, is greatest and so forth.

The people are throughly brought in beliefe that the deede in it selfe with∣out any further respect saueth them, if they be so long at Church, or say so ma∣ny Pater nosters, and reade so much in a toung whtch they vnderstand not, or goe so much a pilgrimage, and take so much payne, or fast such a superstiti∣ous fast, or obserue such a superstitious obseruaūce, neither profitable to him∣selfe nor to hys neyghbour: but done of a good entent onely say they, to please God withall, ye to kisse the paxe they thinke it a meritorious deede, when to loue their neyghbour, and to forgeue hym, which thyng is signified thereby, they studie not to doe, nor haue power to doe, nor thinke that they are bounde to doe it, if they be of∣fended by hym. So fore haue our false prophets brought y^• people out of their wittes, & haue wrapped thē in darck∣nes, and haue rocked them a sleepe in blyndnes and ignorauncy. Now is all such doctrine false doctrine, and all such fayth false fayth. For the deede plea∣seth * 1.506 not, but as farre forth as it is ap∣plyed vnto our neyghbours profet, or the taming of our bodyes to keepe the commaundement.

Now must the body be tame onely, and that wyth the remedies that God hath ordeined, and not kylled. Thou must not forswere the naturall remedy which God hath ordeined, and bryng thy selfe into such case that thou shoul∣dest eyther breake Gods commaunde∣ment or kyll thy selfe, or burne nyght and day wythout rest, so that thou cāst not once thinke a godly thought: ney∣ther is it lawfull to forsake thy neygh∣bour, and to withdraw thy selfe from seruing him, and to get thee into a den, and lyue idlely profitable to no man, but robbing all men, first of fayth, and then of goodes and land, and of all he hath, wyth makyng hym beleue in the hypocrisy of thy superstitious prayers and Popeholy deedes. The prayer of fayth, and y^e deedes thereof that spring of loue are accepted before God. The prayer is good according to the pro∣portion * 1.507 of fayth, and the deede accor∣ding to the measure of loue. Now he that bideth in the world, as Monkes call it, hath more fayth then the cloy∣sterer. For he hangeth on God in all thynges. He must trust God to sende hym good speede, good lucke, fauour, helpe, a good mayster, a good neygh∣bour, a good seruaunt, a good wyfe, a good chapman marchaunt, to send hys marchaundice safe to land, and a thou∣sand

like. He loueth also more, which appeareth in that hee doth seruice al∣wayes vnto his neighbour. To pray one for an other are we equally boūd, and to pray is a thyng that we may al∣wayes doe, what so euer we haue in hand, and that to do may no man hyre an other: Christes bloud hath hyred vs all ready. Thus in the deede deliteth God as farforth as we do it either to to serue our neighbour with all, as I haue sayd: or to tame the flesh, that we may fulfill the commaundement from the bottome of the hart.

And as for our payne takyng God reioyseth not therin as a tyraunt: but pitieth vs & as it were morneth with vs, and is alway ready and at hand to helpe vs, if we call, as a mercyfull fa∣ther and a kynd mother. Neuer the la∣ter hee suffereth vs to fall into many temptations and much aduersitie: yea him selfe layeth the crosse of tribulatiō on our backes, not that he reioyseth in our sorrow, but to driue sinne out of y^• flesh, which can none otherwise be cu∣red: as the Phisition and Surgion do many thinges which are paynefull to the sicke, not that they reioyse in the paynes of the poore wretches: but to persecute and to driue out the diseases which can no otherwise be healed.

When the people beleue therfore if they doe so much woorke or suffer so much payne, or go so much a pilgri∣mage, that they are safe, is a false fayth. For a Christen man is not saued by woorkes, but by fayth in the promises before all good woorkes, though that the woorkes (when we worke Gods commaūdement with a good wil, and not workes of our own imagination) declare that we are safe and that the spirite of him that hath made vs safe is in vs: yea and as God through prea∣chyng of fayth doth purge and iustifie the hart, euen so thorough workyng of deedes, doth he purge and iustifie the members, makyng vs perfect both in body and soule after the lykenesse of Christ.

Neither nedeth a Christen man to * 1.508 runne hether or thether, to Rome, to Hierusalem, or S. Iames: or any other pilgrimage farre or nere, to be saued thereby, or to purchase forgeuenes of his sinnes. For a Christen mās health and saluation is with in him: euen in * 1.509 his mouth. Roma. x. The word is nye thee, euen in thy mouth and in thyne hart that is the word of faith which we preach sayth Paul. If we beleue the promises with our hartes and confesse them with our mouthes, we are safe. This is our health with in vs. But how shall they beleue that, they heare not? And how shal they heare without a preacher sayth Paul Roma. x. For looke on the promises of God, and so are all our preachers domme. Or if they preach them they so sause thē and leuen thē, that no stomacke can brooke them nor finde any sauor in them. For they paynte vs such an eare confession * 1.510 as is impossible to be kept, and more impossible that it should stand with the promises and Testament of God. And they ioyne them penaunce, as they call it, to fast, to go pilgrimages, and geue so much to make satisfaction with all. They preach their Masses, their me∣rites, their pardons, their ceremonies, and put the promise cleane out of pos∣session. The word of health and salua∣tion is nye thee, in thy mouth & thyne hart sayth Paul. Nay say they, thy sal∣uation * 1.511 is in our faythfull eare. This is their hold, thereby know they all se∣cretes, thereby mocke they all men and all mens wiues, and beguile Knight, and Squier, Lord, and Kyng, and be∣tray all Realmes. The Byshops with * 1.512 the Pope haue a certaine conspiration and secret treason agaynst the whole world. And by confession know they what Kings and Emperours thinke. If ought be agaynst them, do they ne∣uer so euill, then moue they their cap∣tiues to warre and to fight, and geue them pardons to slay whom they will haue taken out of the way. They haue with falsehode taken from all Kynges and Emperours their right and du∣ties, whiche now they call their free∣domes, liberties, & priuileges & haue peruerted the ordinaunces that God left in the world, and haue made euery Kyng sweare to defend their falsehode * 1.513 against their own selues. So that now if any man preach Gods worde truly and shew the fredome and libertie of the soule whiche we haue in Christ, or entende to restore the Kynges agayne vnto their duties and right, and to the rowme and authoritie which they haue of God, and of shadowes to make thē Kynges in deede, & to put the world in his order agayne: then the Kynges deliuer their swordes and authoritie vnto the hypocrites to ••lay him. So dronken are they with the wine of the whore.

¶ The text that foloweth in Paule wil they happely lay to my charge and

others. How shall they preach except * 1.514 they be sent, sayth Paul in the sayd. x. to the Romaines. We wil they say, the Pope, Cardinals and Byshoppes: all authority is ours. The Scripture per∣teineth vnto vs and is our possession. And we haue a law, that who soeuer presume to preach without the autho∣ritie of the Bishops is excommunicate in the deede doyng. Whence therefore hast thou thine authoritie wil they say. The old Phariseis had the Scripture in captiuitie likewise, and asked Christ by what authoritie doest thou these thynges? as who should say: We are phariseis & thou art none of our order, nor hast authoritie of vs. Christ asked them an other question, and so will I do our hypocrites. Who sēt you? God? * 1.515 Nay hee that is sent of God, speaketh Gods word Iohn. iij. Now speake ye not Gods worde, nor any thyng saue your own lawes made cleane contra∣ry vnto Gods worde. Christes Apo∣stles preached Christ, & not them sel∣ues. He that is of the truth, preacheth the truth. Now ye preach nothyng but lyes, and therefore are of the deuill the father of all lyes, & of hym are ye sent. And as for mine authoritie or who sent me: I report me vnto my workes as Christ Iohn. v. and. x. If Gods word beare recorde that I say truth, why should any man doubt, but that God the father of truth and of lyght hath sent me as the father of lyes & of dark∣nes hath sent you, and that the spi∣rite of truth, and of light is with me, as the spirite of lyes and of darkenes is with you? By this meanes thou wilt that euery man be a preacher will they say. Nay verely. For GOD will * 1.516 that not, and therfore will I it not, no more then I would that euery man of London were Mayre of London, or euery man of the Realme Kyng ther∣of. God is not the author of dissention and strife, but of vnitie and peace and of good order. I will therefore that where a congregation is gathered to∣gether in Christ one be chosen after the rule of Paul, and that hee onely preach, and els no mā openly: but that euery man teach hys houshold after the same doctrine. But if the preacher preach false: then whosoeuers harte God moueth, to the same it shalbe law full to rebuke and improue the false teacher, with the cleare and manifest Scripture, and that same is no doubt a true Prophet sent of GOD. For the Scripture is gods, and theirs that be∣leue and not the false Prophet.

SAcrament is then as much to say as an holy signe. And the Sacra∣mentes which Christ ordeined preach Gods word vnto vs, and therfore iu∣stifie and minister the spirite to them that beleue, as Paul thorough prea∣chyng the Gospell was a minister of righteousnes, & of the spirite, vnto all that beleued his preachyng. Domme ceremonies are no Sacramentes, but superstitiousnes. Christes Sacramēts preach the fayth of Christ as his Apo∣stles did & thereby iustifie. Antichristes domme ceremonies preach not y^• fayth that is in Christ, as his Apostles our Byshops and Cardinals do not. But as Antichristes Bishops are ordeined to kill who soeuer preach the true faith of Christ: so are his ceremonies ordei∣ned to quench the faith which Christes Sacramētes preach. And hereby maist thou knowe the difference betwene * 1.517 Christes signes or Sacramentes, and Antichristes signes or ceremonyes, that Christes signes speake, and Anti∣christes be domme.

Hereby seest thou what is to be thought of all other ceremonies, as halowed water, bread, salt, bowes, belles, waxe, ashes, and so forth, and all other disguisinges and Apesplay, and of all maner coniurations, as the coniuring of church and churchyardes and of alter stones & such like. Where no promise of God is, there can be no fayth nor iustifiyng, nor forgeuenes of sinnes. For it is more then madnes to looke for any thing of god, saue that he hath promised. How farre he hath pro∣mised, so farre is he bodū to them that beleue, and further not. To haue a * 1.518 fayth therefore or a trust in any thing, where god hath not promised is plaine idolatry, and a worshipping of thyne own imagination in stede of God. Let vs see the pith of a ceremony, or two, to iudge the rest by. In coniuring of holy water they pray, that whosoeuer be sprinckled therewith may receaue health as well of body as of soule, and likewise in makyng holy bread and so forth in the coniurations of other cere∣monies. Now we see by dayly experi∣ence that halfe their prayer is vnheard. For no man receaueth health of body thereby. No more of likelihode do they of soule. Yea we see also by experience that no man receaueth health of soule thereby. For no man by sprinckling himselfe with holy water, and wyth eating holy bread, is more mercifull

then before, or forgeueth wrong, or be∣commeth at one with his enemy, or is more patient and lesse couetous, and so forth. Which are the sure tokens of the soule health.

They preach also that the wagging of the Byshops hand ouer vs blesseth vs,* 1.519 and putteth away our sinnes. Are these workes not against Christ? How can they do more shame vnto Christes bloud? For if the wagging of the By∣shops hand ouer me be so precious a thyng in the sight of God that I am thereby blessed, how then am I full blessed wyth all spirituall blessinge in Christ as Paul saith Ephe. j? Or if my sinnes be full done away in Christ, how remayneth there any to be done away by such phantasies? The Apo∣stles knew no wayes to put away sin, or to blesse vs but by preaching Christ. Paule sayth Gal. ij.* 1.520 If righteousnes come by the law, then Christ dyed in vayne. So dispute I here. If blessing come by the wagging of the Byshops hand, then dyed Christ in vayne, and his death blesseth vs not. And a little afore, sayth Paule, if while we seeke to be iustified by Christ, we be yet found sinners (so that we must be iustified by the law or ceremonies) is not Christ then a minister of sinne? So dispute I here. If while we seeke to be blessed in Christ we are yet vnblessed, and must be blessed by the wagging of the By∣shoppes hand, what haue we then of Christ but curse? Thou wilt say: When we come first to the fayth, then Christ forgeueth vs and blesseth vs. But the sinnes which we afterward commit are forgeuen vs through such thinges. I aunswere: * 1.521If any man repent true∣ly and come to the fayth and put hys trust in Christ, thē as oft as he sinneth of frayltie, at the sygh of the hart is his sinne put away in Christes bloud. For Christes bloud purgeth euer and bles∣seth euer. For Iohn sayth in the second of his first epistle. This I write vnto you that ye sinne not. And though any man sinne (meaning of frailtie and so repent) yet haue we an aduocate with the father, Iesus Christ which is righ∣teous, and he it is that obteineth grace for our sinnes, and Heb. vij. it is writ∣ten. But this man (meaning Christ) because he lasteth or abideth euer, hath an euerlasting priesthod. Therefore is he able also euer to saue thē that come to God through hym, seing he euer li∣ueth to make intercession for vs. The Byshops therefore ought to blesse vs in preaching Christ, and not to deceaue vs and to bring the curse of God vpon vs, wyth wagging their handes ouer vs. To preache is their dutie onely, and not to offer their feete to bee kis∣sed, or testicles or stones to be groped. We feele also by experience that after the Popes, Byshoppes or Cardinals blessing we are no otherwise disposed in our soules then before.

Let this be sufficient as concerning the sacramentes and ceremonies, with * 1.522 this protestation, that if any cā say bet∣ter or improue this with Gods word, no man shall be better content there∣with then I. For I seeke nothing but the truth and to walke in the light. I submit therefore this worke and all o∣ther that I haue made or shall make (if God will that I shall more make) vnto the iudgements, not of them that furiously burne all truth, but of them which are ready with Gods worde to correct, if any thing be sayde amisse, & to further Gods worde.

I will talke a worde or two after * 1.523 the worldly wisdome with them, and make an ende of this matter. If the sa∣cramentes iustifie, as they say, I vn∣derstand by iustifiyng forgeuenes of sinnes. Then do they wrong vnto the sacraments, in as much as they robbe the most part of them through confes∣sion of their effect, & of the cause wher∣fore they were ordeined. For no man may receaue the body of Christ, no mā may marry, no man may be oyled or aneiled as they call it, no man may re∣ceaue orders, except he be fyrst shriuen. Now when the sinnes be forgeuen by shrift afore hand, there is nought left for the sacramentes to doe. They will aunswere, that at the least way they encrease grace, and not the sacramētes onely, but also hearing of masse, ma∣tens and euensong, and receauing of holy water, holy bread, and of the Bi∣shops blessing, and so forth by all cere∣monies. By grace I vnderstand the fauour of God, and also the giftes and * 1.524 working of his spirite in vs, as loue, kyndnes, patience, obedience, merci∣fulnes, despising of worldly thynges, * 1.525 peace, concorde, and such like. If after thou hast heard so many masses, ma∣tens and euensonges, and after thou hast receaued holy bread, holy water, and the Byshops blessing, or a Cardi∣nals or the Popes, if thou wilt, be more kinde to thy neighbour, and loue him better then before, if thou be more obediēt vnto thy superiors, more mer∣cifull,

more ready to forgeue wrong done vnto thee, more despisest the world, and more a thyrst after spiritu∣all thynges, if after that a Priest hath taken orders he be lesse couetous then before: if a wife after so many and oft pilgrimages be more chast, more obe∣dient vnto her husband, more kynde to her maydes and other seruauntes: if Gentlemen, knightes, Lordes, and kinges, and Emperours, after they haue sayd so often dayly seruice wyth their Chappellaynes, know more of * 1.526 Christ then before, and can better skill to rule their tenauntes, subiectes, and realmes christenly then before, and be content with their duties, then do such thinges encrease grace: if not, it is a lie. Whether it be so or no, I report me to experience. If they haue any other enterpretations of iustifiyng or grace, I pray them to teach it me. For I would gladly learne it. Now let vs goe to our purpose agayne.

¶ Of miracles and worship∣ping of Saintes.

ANtichrist shal not only come with lying signes, and dis∣guised wyth falshod, but al∣so wyth lying miracles and * 1.527 wonders, saith Paule in the said place ij. Thess. ij. All the true miracles which are of God, are shewed (as I aboue rehearsed) to moue vs to heare Gods word, and to stablishe our fayth ther∣in: and to confirme the truth of Gods promises, that we might without all doubting beleue thē. For Gods worde thorough fayth bringeth the spirite in∣to our hartes, and also life, as Christ sayth Iohn. vi. The wordes which I speake are spirite and lyfe. The worde also purgeth vs and clenseth vs, as Christ sayth Iohn. xv. ye are cleane by the meanes of the word. Paul sayth. i. Timo. ij. One God, one Mediatour (that is to say, aduocate, intercessor, or an atonemaker) betwene God & man: the man Christ Iesus which gaue him selfe a raunson for all men Peter sayth of Christ Actes. iiij. Neither is their health in any other: neither yet also a∣ny other name geuen vnto men wher∣in we must be saued. So now Christ is our peace, our redemption or raun∣som for our sinnes, our righteousnes, satisfactiō and all the promises of God are yea & Amen in him. ij. Cor. i. And we for y^t great and infinite loue whiche God hath to vs in Christ, loue him a∣gayn, loue also his lawes, & loue one an other. And the deedes whiche we * 1.528 hence forth doe, do we not to make sa∣tisfaction or to obteine heauen: but to succour our neighbour to tame y^t flesh that we may waxe perfect and strong men in Christ, and to be thankefull to God againe for his mercy, and to glo∣rifie his name.

COntrarywise the miracles of An∣tichrist * 1.529 are done to pull thee from the worde of God, and from beleuyng his promises and from Christ, and to put thy trust in a man, or a ceremonie wherin Gods word is not. As soone as Gods woorde is beleued, the fayth spread abroad, then sease the miracles of god. But the miracles of Antichrist, because they are wrought by the deuil, to quench the fayth, grow dayly more and more: neither shall cease vntill the worldes end among them that beloue not Gods worde and promises. Seest thou not how God loosed & sent forth all the deuils in the old world among the Heathen or Gētiles? And how the deuils wrought miracles, & spake to them in euery image? Euen so shal the deuill woorke falshode by one craft or an other, vntill the worldes end amōg them that beleue not Gods word. For the iudgement and damnation of hym that hath no lust to heare the truth, is to heare lyes, and to be stablished and grounded therein through false mira∣cles, and he that will not see, is worthy to be blind, and he that biddeth the spi∣rite of God go from him, is worthy to be without him.

Paul, Peter, and all true Apostles preached Christ onely. And the mira∣cles did but confirme and stablish their preachyng, and those euerlastyng pro∣mises & eternall Testament that God had made betwene man and hym in Christes bloud, and the miracles dyd testifie also that they were true ser∣uauntes of Christ. Paul preached not him selfe, he taught not any mā to trust in him or his holynes, or in Peter or in any ceremonie, but in the promises which God hath sworne onely, yea he mightyly resisteth all suche false do∣ctrine both to the Corinthians, Gala∣thians, Ephesiās and euery where. If * 1.530 this be true (as it is true and nothyng more truer) that if Paul had preached him self, or taught any mā to beleue in his holynes or prayer or in any thyng, saue in the promises that GOD hath made and sworne to geue vs for Chri∣stes sake, he had bene a false Prophet:

why am not I also a false Prophet, if I teach thee to trust in Paule or in hys holines or prayer, or in any thing saue in Gods word as Paul dyd.

If Paule were here and loued me * 1.531 (as he loued them of his tyme of whō he was sent and to whō he was a ser∣uaunt to preache Christ, what good could he doe for me or wishe me, but preach Christ and pray to God for me, to open myne hart, to geue me his spi∣rite, & to bring me vnto the full know∣ledge of Christ? vnto which porte or hauen, when I am once come, I am as safe as Paule, felow with Paule, ioyntheyre with Paul of all the pro∣mises of God, and gods truth heareth my prayer as well as Paules, I also now could not but loue Paul & wish him good, and pray for him, that God would strength him in all his tempta∣tions & geue him victory, as he would do for me. Neuerthelesse there are ma∣ny * 1.532 weake, and young consciences al∣wayes in the congregation which they that haue the office to preach ought to teach, and not to disceaue them.

What prayers pray our Clergy for vs which stoppe vs and exclude vs frō * 1.533 Christ and seke all the meanes possible to kepe vs from knowledge of Christ? They compell vs to hyre Friers, Monkes, Nunnes, Chanons, and Priestes, & to buye their abhominable merites, and to hyre the Saintes that are dead to pray for vs, for the very Saintes haue they made hyrelynges also: because that their offeryngs come to their profite. What pray all those: that we might come to the knowledge of Christ, as the Apostles did? Nay ve∣rely. For it is a plaine case, that all they which enforce to kepe vs from Christ, pray not that we might come to the knowledge of Christ. And as for the Saintes (whose prayer was whē they were a lyne that we might be groun∣ded, stablished and strēgthed in Christ onely) if it were of God that we should this wise worshyp them contrary vn∣to their owne doctrine, I dare be bold to affirme that by the meanes of their prayers, we should haue bene brought long a go vnto the knowledge of God and Christ agayne, though that these beastes had done their worste to set it. Let vs therefore set our hartes at rest in Christ and in Gods promises, for so I thinke it best, and let vs take the * 1.534 Saintes soran example onely, and let vs do as they both taught and dyd.

Let vs set Gods promises before our eyes, and desire him for his mercy and for Christes sake to fulfill them. And he is as true as euer he was, and will do it, as well as euer he dyd, for to vs are the promises made as well as to them.

Moreouer the end of Gods mira∣cles is good, the ende to these miracles are euill. For the offerynges which are * 1.535 the cause of the miracles do but mini∣ster and maynteine vice, sinne and all abhomination, and are geuen to them that haue to much, so that for very a∣boundance, they ••ome out their owne shame, and corrupt the whole worlde with the styuch of their filthines.

Therto what soeuer is not of fayth is sinne, Roma. xiiij, Fayth commeth by hearyng Gods woorde Roma. x. when now thou fastest or doest any thyng in the worship of any Saint be∣leuyng to come to the fauour of God or to bee saued thereby if thou haue Gods worde, then is it true fayth and shall saue thee. If thou haue not Gods woorde, then is it a false fayth super∣stitiousnes and Idolatry, and damna∣ble sinne.

Also in the Collects of the Saintes with whiche we pray God to saue vs through the merites or deseruynges of the Saintes (which Saintes yet were not saued by their owne deseruynges them selues) we say Per Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dominū nostrum, that is for Christ our Lordes sake. We say saue vs good Lord tho∣rough the saintes merites for Christes sake. How can he saue vs through the Saintes merites for Christes sake and for hys deseruyng merites and loue? Take an example. A Gentleman sayth vnto me I will do the vttemost of my power for thee, for the loue whiche I owe vnto thy father. Though thou hast neuer done me pleasure, yet I loue thy father well, thy father is my frend and hath deserued that I doe all that I can for thee &c. Here is a Testa∣ment and a promise made vnto me in the loue of my father onely. If I come to the sayd Gentleman in the name of one of his seruauntes whiche I neuer saw, neuer spake with, neither haue a∣ny acquaintaunce at all with and say: Syr I pray you be good master vnto me in such a cause. I haue not deserued that he should so do. Neuerthelesse I pray you doe it for such a seruauntes sake: yea I pray you for the loue that you owe to my father doe that for me for such a seruauntes sake. If I this wise made my petition, would not mē

thinke that I come late out of S. Pa∣trikes * 1.536 Purgatory, & had left my wittes behinde me. This do we. For the Te∣stamēt and promises are all made vn∣to vs in Christ. And we desire God to fulfill hys promises for the Saintes sake: yea that he will for Christes sake do it for the Saintes sake.

They haue also martyrs which neuer preached Gods worde, neither dyed therefore: but for priuileges and liber∣ties * 1.537 which they falsely purchased con∣trary vnto Gods ordinaunces. Yea & such Saintes though they be deade, yet robbe now as fast as euer they did, neither are lesse couetous now then when they were aliue. I doubt not but that they will make a Saint of my Lord Cardinall, after the death of vs that be aliue, and know his iuggling and crafty conueiaunce, and will shrine him gloriously, for his mightily defen∣ding of the right of holy Church, ex∣cept we be diligent to leaue a comme∣moration of that Nimroth behind vs.

The reasons wherewith they proue their doctrine are but fleshly: and as * 1.538 Paule calleth them, entising wordes of mans wisdome, that is to witte, sophi∣stry and brauling argumentes of men with corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth, whose God is their bellye, vnto which idole whosoeuer offereth not, the same is an heretike, and wor∣thy to be brunt.

The Saint was great wyth God when he was aliue, as it appeareth by the myracles which God shewed for him, he must therfore be great now say they. This rea••ō appeareth wisdome, but it is very folishnes wyth God. For the myracle was not shewed that thou should put thy trust in the Saint, but in the worde which the saint prea∣ched, which worde if thou beleuest, would saue thee, as God hath promy∣sed and sworne, & would make thee al∣so great wyth God, as it dyd y^e Saint.

If a mā haue a matter wyth a great man, or a kyng, he must goe fyrst vnto one of hys meane seruauntes, and thē hyer and hyer till he come at the kyng. This entising argumēt is but a blinde reason of mans witte. It is not like in the kingdome of the worlde, and in the * 1.539 kingdome of God and Christ.

With kynges for the most part we haue none acquaintaunce, neither pro∣mise. They be also most cōmonly mer∣cilesse. Moreouer if they promise, they are yet mē as vnconstant as are other people, & as vntrue. But with God, if we haue beliefe, we are accompted, and haue an open way in vnto hym by the dore Christ, which is neuer shutte, but through vnbeliefe, neither is there any porter to keepe any man out. By him saith Paul Ephe. ij. that is to say, by Christ we haue an open way in vn∣to the father. So are ye now no more straungers and forreiners (sayth he) but citizens wyth the Saintes, and of the housholde of God. God hath also made vs promises and hath sworne: yea hath made a testament or a coue∣naunt, and hath bounde hymselfe, and hath sealed his obligation wyth Chri∣stes bloud, and confirmed it wyth mi∣racles. He is also mercifull and kinde, and cōplayneth that we wyll not come vnto hym. He is mighty and able to performe that he promiseth. He is true and can not be but true, as he can not be but God. Therefore is it not lyke with the kyng and God.

We be sinners say they, God wyll not heare vs. Beholde how they flee from God as from a tyraunt merci∣lesse. Whom a mā counteth most mer∣cifull vnto hym, he sonest flyeth. But these teachers dare not come at God. Why? For they are y^e childrē of Caine. If the Saintes loue whome God ha∣teth, then God and his Saints are de∣uided. When thou prayest to y^e saintes, how doe they know, except that God whom thou countest mercilesse, tell them? If God be so cruell and so ha∣teth thee, it is not likely that he wyll tell the Saintes that thou prayest vn∣to them.

When they say we be sinners: I an∣swere, that Christ is no sinner, saue a * 1.540 satisfaction, and an offering for synne. Take Christ frō the saintes and what are they? What is Paule wythout Christ? is he any thing saue a blasphe∣mer, a persecuter, a murtherer, and a shedder of Christen bloude? But as soone as he came to Christ he was no more a sinner, but a minister of righ∣teousnes, he went not to Rome to take penaunce vpon him, but went & prea∣ched vnto his brethren the same mercy which he had receaued free, wythout doing penaunce or hiering of Saintes or of Monkes or Fryers. Moreouer if it be Gods worde that thou shoulde put thy trust in the saintes merites or prayers, then be bolde. For Gods worde shall defend thee and saue thee. If it be but thine owne reason, then feare. For God commaundeth by Moyses Deut. xij. saying: what I cō∣maund

you, that obserue and do, and put nothing to, nor take ought there∣fro: yea and Moses warneth straitly * 1.541 in an hundred places, that we do that onely which God commaundeth, and which seemeth good and righteous in hys sight, and not in our owne sight. For nothing bringeth the wrath of god so sone and so sore on a man, as the i∣dolatry of his owne imagination.

Last of all these arguments are con∣trary to the argumentes of Christ and of his Apostles. Christ disputeth, Luk. 11. saying: If the sonne aske the father bread, will he geue him a stone? or if he aske him fish, will he geue him a ser∣pent? and so forth. If ye then (saith he) which are euill can geue good giftes to your children, how much rather shall your heauenly father geue a good spi∣rite vnto them that aske him? And a little before in the same chapter he say∣eth: If a man came neuer so out of sea∣son to his neighbour to borow bread: euen when he is in his chamber, & the dore shut, and all his seruantes wyth him: neuerthelesse yet if he continue knocking and praying, he will rise and geue him asmuch as he nedeth, though not for loue, yet to be rid of him, that he may haue rest: As who should say: what will God do if a man pray him, seing that prayer ouercommeth an e∣uill man? Aske therfore (sayth he) and it shall be geuen you, seeke, and ye shal finde, knocke and it shalbe opened vn∣to you. And Luke 18. he putteth forth the parable or similitude of the wicked Iudge which was ouercome with the importunate prayer of y^e widow. And concludeth, saying: Heare what the wicked Iudge did. And shall not God aduenge his elect which cry vnto hym night and day? Whether therefore we complaine of the intollerable oppressi∣on and persecution that we suffer, or of the flesh that combreth & resisteth the spirite, God is mercifull to heare ••s, & to helpe vs. Seest thou not also how Christ cureth many, and casteth out de¦uyls out of many vnspoken too, how shall he not helpe, if he be desired and spoken to?

When the old pharisies (whose na∣ture is to driue sinners from Christ) asked Christ why he did eat with pub∣licanes and sinners. Christ aunswered that the whole neded not the phisition but the sicke. that is, he came to haue cōuersation with sinners to heale thē. * 1.542 He was a gift geuē vnto sinners, and a treasure to pay theyr debtes. And Christ sent the complayning and dis∣dayning pharisies to the Prophet O∣seas * 1.543 saying, Go and learne what thys meaneth, I desire or require mercy, and not sacrifice. As who should say, * 1.544 Ye pharises loue sacrifice and offring, for to feed that God your bellies with∣all, but God commaundeth to be mer∣cifull. Sinners are euer captiues and a pray vnto the Pharises and hypo∣crites, for to offer vnto theyr bellies, & to buy merites, pardons, and forgeue∣nes of sinnes of them. And therefore feare they them away from Christe, with argumentes of theyr belly wyse∣dome. For he that receaueth forgeue∣nes free of Christ, wil buy no forgeue∣nes of them. I came (sayth Christ) to call, not the righteous, but the sinners vnto repentaunce. The pharisies are righteous, and therefore haue no part with Christ, neithe•• need they: for they are Gods themselues & sauiours. But sinners that repent partaine to Christ. If we repent, Christ hath made satis∣faction for vs already.

God so loued the world, that he gaue hys onely sonne, that noue that beleue on him should perish, but should haue euerlasting life. For God sent not hys sonne into the world, to condemne the world, but that the world through him might be saued. He that beleueth on him shall not be damned, but he that beeleeueth not is damned alreadye. Iohn. iij.

Paule Rom. 5. sayth: Because we are iustifyed through fayth, we are at peace with God through our lord Ie∣sus Christ, that is, because that God, which can not lye, hath promised and sworne to be mercyfull vnto vs, and to forgeue vs for Christes sake, we * 1.545 beleue and are at peace in our consci∣ences, we run not hither and thither for pardon, we trust not in thys fryer, nor that monke, neyther in any thing, saue in the woord of God onely. As a childe when his father threateneth him for his fa••t, hath neuer rest til he heare the worde of mercy and forgeuenes of his fathers mouth againe, but assone as he heareth his father say, Goe thy wayes, do me no more so, I forgeue thee this fault: then is his hart at rest, then is he at peace, then runneth he to no man to make intercession for him. Neyther though there come any false marchant saying, what wilt thou geue me, and I will obtayne pardon of thy father for thee. Will he suffer him selfe to be beguiled? No, he will not buy of

a wilie fox, that which his father hath geuen him freely.

It foloweth: God setteth out hys loue that he hath to vs. that is, he ma∣keth it appeare, that men may perceiue loue, if they be not more then stocke blinde. In asmuch (sayth Paule) as while we were yet sinners, Christ dy∣ed for vs. Much more now (sayth he) seeing we are iustifyed by hys bloud, shall we be preserued from wrath tho∣rough him: for if when we were ene∣mies we were reconciled to God, by the death of hys sonne, much more see∣ing we are reconciled we shall be pre∣serued by hys life. As who should say, If God loued vs when we knew him not, much more loueth he vs now we know him. If he were mercifull to vs while we hated his Lawe, how much more mercifull will he be now seeing we loue it, and desire strength to fulfill it. And in the viij. he argueth: If God spared not his owne sonne, but gaue him for vs all, how shall he not wyth him geue vs all thinges also?

Christ prayed, Iohn xvij. not for the Apostles onely, but also for as many as should beleue through theyr prea∣ching and was heard, whatsoeuer we aske in his name the Father geueth vs Iohn. xvi. Christ is also as mercifull * 1.546 as the saintes. Why go we not straight way vnto him? Ʋerely because we feale not the mercy of God neyther be∣leue his truthe. God will at the least way (say they) heare vs the sooner for the saintes sake. Then loueth he the saintes better then Christ and his own truth. Heareth he vs for the saintes sake? so heareth he vs not for his mer∣cye: For merites and mercye can not stand together.

Finally if thou put any trust in thine owne deedes, or in the deedes of any other man, of any saint, then minishest thou the truth, mercy, and goodnes of God. For if God looke vnto thy wor∣kes, or vnto the workes of any other man, or goodnes of the saint, then doth he not all thinges of pure mercy, and of his goodnesse, and for the truthes sake which he hath sworne in Christ. Now sayth Paule Tit. 3. Not of the righteous deedes which we did, but of his mercy saued he vs.

Our blinde disputers will say: If our good deedes iustify vs not, if God looke not on our good deedes, neither regard them nor loue vs the better for them, what need we to do good dedes? I aunswer, God looketh on our good deedes, and loueth them, yet loueth vs not for their sakes. God loueth vs first * 1.547 in Christ of his goodnes and mercy, and poureth his spirit into vs, and ge∣ueth vs power to do good dedes. And because he loueth vs, he loueth our good deedes: yea because he loueth vs he forgeueth vs our euill dedes, which we do of frailtie and not of purpose or for the nonce. Our good dedes do but testifie onely that we are iustifyed and beloued. For except we were beloued, and had Gods spirite, we could ney∣ther do, nor yet consent vnto any good deed. Antichrist turneth the rootes of * 1.548 the trees vpwarde. He maketh the goodnes of God the braunches, and our goodnes the rootes. We must be first good after Antichristes doctrine, and moue God, and compell him to be good againe for our goodnesses sake: so must Gods goodnesse spring out of our goodnes. Nay verely Gods good¦nesse is the root of al goodnes and our goodnes, if we haue any, springeth out of his goodnes.

Prayer.

OF Prayer and good deedes, and of the order of loue or charitie I haue aboundantly written in my booke of the iustifying of fayth. Neuer the later that thou maist see, what the prayers and good workes of our monkes and friers and of other ghostly people are worth, I will speake a woord or two, and make an end. Paule sayth Gal. 3. All ye are the sonnes of God through fayth in Iesu Christ: for all ye that are * 1.549 baptized haue put Christ on you. that is, ye are become Christ himself. There is no Iew (sayth he) neither Greeke, neither bond nor free, neither man nor woman, but ye are all one thing in Christ Iesu. In Christ there is neither french nor english, but the frenchman is the englishmans owne selfe, and the english the frenchmans owne self. In Christ there is neither father nor sonne neyther maister nor seruaunt, neyther husband nor wife, neither king nor sub¦iect: but the father is the sonnes selfe, and the sonne the fathers owne selfe: and the king is the subiects owne self, and the subiect is the kinges own self, and so fourth. I am thou ••hy selfe, and thou art I my selfe, and can be no nea∣rer of kyn. We are all the sonnes of God, all Christes seruauntes bought with hys bloud, and euery man to o∣ther Christ his owne selfe. And Col. 3,

Ye haue put on the new man which is tenned in the knowledge of God after the image of him that made him (that is to say, Christ) where is (sayth he) neyther Greke nor Iew, circumcision nor vncircumcision, barbarous or Sci∣thian. bond or free: but Christ is all in all thinges. I loue thée not now be∣cause * 1.550 thou art my father, and hast done so much for me, or my mother, and hast borne me, and geuen me sucke of thy brestes (for so do Iewes and saracens) but because of the greate loue that Christ hath shewed me. I serue thee not because thou art my maister, or my king, for hope of rewarde, or feare of payne, but for the loue of Christ: for the children of fayth are vnder no law (as thou seest in the Epistles to the Ro∣manes, * 1.551 to the Galathians, in the first to Timothe) but are free. The spi∣rit of Christ hath writtē the liuely law of loue in their hartes, whiche driueth thē to worke of theyr owne accord fre∣ly & willingly, for the great loues sake onely which they see in Christ, & ther∣fore neede they no law to cōpell them. Christ is all in all things to them that * 1.552 beleue, and the cause of all loue. Paule sayth Ephes. 6. Seruantes obay vnto your carnall or fleshly maisters wyth feare and trembling, in singlenes of your hartes as vnto Christ: not wyth eye seruice as menpleasers, but as the seruantes of Christ, doing the wyll of God from the hart, euen as though ye serued the Lord and not men. And re∣member that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth, that shall he receiue a∣gaine of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Christ thus is all in all thinges and cause of all to a christen man. And Christ sayth Math. 25. In as much as ye haue done it to any of the least of these my brethren, ye haue done it to mee. And in as much as ye haue not * 1.553 done it vnto one of the least of these, ye haue not done it to me. Here seest thou that we are Christes brethren, and cuē Christ him selfe, and what so euer we do one to another that do we to Christ If we be in Christ we woorke for no worldly purpose, but of loue. As Paul saith 2. Cor. 5. The loue of Christ com∣pelled vs (as who shoulde say) wee worke not of a fleshly purpose: For (sayeth hee) we knowe hencefoorth no man fleshly: no though we once knew Christ fleshly we do so now no more. We are otherwise minded, then when Peter drewe hys swoorde to fight for Christ. We are now ready to suffer with Christ, and to lose life and all for our very enemies to bring them vnto Christ. If we be in Christ, we are min¦ded like vnto Christ, which knew no∣thing * 1.554 fleshly, or after the will of the flesh, as thou seest Math. 12. when one sayd to him: Lo, thy mother and thy brethren stande without, desiring to speake with thee. Hee aunswered, who is my mother, and who are my brethren? And stretched hys hande ouer hys Disciples saying: see my mother and my brethren: for whosoe∣uer doth the will of my Father which is in heauen, the same is my brother, my sister, and my mother. He knew not his mother in that she bare him, but in that she did the will of his Fa∣ther in heauen. So now as God the Fathers will and commaundement is all to Christ, euen so Christ is all to a Christen man.

Christ is the cause why I loue thee, why I am ready to do the vttermost of my power for thee, and why I pray for thee. And as long as the cause abi∣deth, so long lasteth the effect: euen as * 1.555 it is alwayes day, so long as the Sun shineth. Do therefore the worst thou caust vnto me, take away my goodes, take away my good name: yet as long as Christ remayneth in my harte, so long I loue thee not a whit the lesse, and so long art thou as deare vnto me as mine owne soule, and so long am I ready to doo thee good for thine euill, and so long I pray for thee with al my hart: for Christ desireth it of me, and hath deserued it of me. Thine vnkind∣nes compared vnto his kindnes is no thing at all, yea it is swallowed vp as a little smoke of a mightie winde, and is no more scene or thought vppon. Moreouer that euill which thou didst to me, I receaue not of thy hande, but of the hande of God, and as Gods scourge to teach me pacience & to nor∣ture me. And therfore haue no cause to be angry with thee, more thē the child hath to be angry with his fathers rod. or a sicke man with a soure or bitter medecine that healeth him, or a priso∣ner with hys fetters, or he that is pu∣nished lawfully with the officer that punisheth him. Thus is Christ all and the whole cause why I loue thee. And * 1.556 to all can nought be added. Therefore cannot a litle mony make me loue thee better, or more bound to pray for thee, nor make Gods cōmaundement grea∣ter. Last of all, if I be in Christ, then the loue of Christ compelleth me. And

therfore I am ready to geue thee mine & not to take thyne from thee. If I be able I will do thee seruice frely: if not, then if thou minister to me againe, that receiue I of the hande of God, which ministreth it to me by thee: For God * 1.557 careth for his and ministreth all thin∣ges vnto them, and moueth Turkes and Saracenes, and all maner infidels to do them good as thou seest in Abra∣ham, Isaac and Iacob, and how God went with Ioseph into Egipt, and gat him fauour in the prison, and in e∣uery place, which fauour Ioseph recei∣ued of the hand of God, and to God gaue the thankes. This is God and Christ all in all, good and bad receiue I of God. Them that are good I loue because they are in Christ, and the euill to bring them to Christ. When any mā doth well I reioyce, that God is ho∣noured, and when any man doth euill I sorow because that God is dishono∣red. Finally in as much as God hath created all, and Christ bought all with his bloud, therefore ought all to seeke God & Christ in all, & els nothing.

But contrariwise vnto monkes, * 1.558 friers, and to y^• other of our holy spiri∣tualtie the belly is all in all, & cause of all loue. Offer thereto, so art thou fa∣ther, mother, sister, and brother vnto them. Offerest thou not, so know they thee not, thou art nether father mother sister brother, nor any kynne at all to them. She is a sister of ours, hee is a brother of ours say they, hee is verily a good man, for he doth much for our religion. She is a mother to our co∣uent: we be greatly bound to pray for them. And as for such and such (say they) we know not whether they be good or bad, or whether they be fish or flesh, for they do nought for vs: we be more bounde to pray for our benefac∣tours (say they) and for them that geue vs, thē for them that geue vs not. For them that geue little are they little bound, and them they loue little: and for them that geue much they are much bound, and them they loue much. And for them that geue nought are they naught bound, and them they loue not at al. And as they loue thee when thou geuest: so hate they thee when thou ta∣kest away from them, and run all vn∣der a stoole, and curse thee as black as pitch. So is cloyster loue belly loue, * 1.559 cloyster prayer belly prayer, and cloy∣ster brotherhode belly brotherhode. Morouer loue that springeth of Christ seeketh not hir owne selfe (1. Cor. 13.) but forgetteth her selfe, and bestoweth hir vpon hir neighboures profite, as * 1.560 Christ sought our profite and not hys owne. He sought not the fauour of god for himselfe, but for vs, yea he toke the wrath and vengeance of God from vs vnto himself, and bare it on his owne backe to bring vs vnto fauour. Like∣wise doth a Christen man geue to hys brethren, & robbeth them not as friers and monkes do: but as Paule com∣maundeth Ephes. 4. laboureth wyth his handes some good worke to haue wherewith to helpe the needy. They geue not but receiue onely. They la∣bour not, but liue idely of the sweat of the poore. There is none so poore a widow, though she haue not to finde hir self and her children, nor any mony to geue: yet shall the frier snatch a chese or somewhat. They preach, sayst thou, and labour in the woorde. First I say, * 1.561 they are not called and therefore ought not: for it is the Curates office. The Curate can not (saist thou.) What doth the theefe there then? Secondarily a true preacher preacheth Christes testa∣ment only and maketh Christ the cause and reward of all our deedes, and tea∣cheth euery man to beare hys crosse willingly for Christes sake. But these are enemies vnto the crosse of Christ, and preach theyr belly which is theyr God: Ephes. 3. and they thinke that lucre is the seruing of God. 1. Tim. 6. that is, they thinke them christen one∣ly which offer vnto their belies, which when thou hast filled, then spue they out prayers for thee, to be thy reward, and yet w••t not what praier meaneth. Prayer is the longing for Gods pro∣mises, which promises as they preach them not, so lōg they not for them, nor wish them vnto any man. Theyr lon∣ging is to fill theyr paunch whom they serue, & not Christ: and through sweet preaching and flattring woordes de∣ceaue the hartes of the simple and vn∣learned. Rom. 16.

Finally as Christ is the whole cause * 1.562 why we do all thing for our neighbor, euen so is he the cause why God doth all thyng for vs, why he receaueth vs into his holy Testament, and maketh vs heyres of al his promises, and pou∣reth his spirit into vs, and maketh vs his sonnes, and fashioneth vs like vn∣to Christ, and maketh vs such as he would haue vs to be. The assuraunce * 1.563 that we are the sonnes, beloued, and heires with Christ, & haue Gods spi∣rite in vs, is the consent of our hartes,

vnto the law of God. Which law is all * 1.564 perfection, and the marke whereat all we ought to shoot. And he that hitteth that marke, so that he fulfilleth the law with all his hart, soule, and might, and with full loue and lust, without all let or resistance is pure gold and needeth not to be put any more in the fire, he is straight and right, & needeth to be no more shauen: he is full fashioned like Christ, and can haue no more ad∣ded vnto him. Neuerthelesse there is none so perfect in this life that findeth not let & resistance by the reason of o∣riginall sinne, or birth poyson that re∣mayneth * 1.565 in him, as thou maist see in the liues of all the saintes throughout all the scripture, and in Paul Rom. 7. The will is present (sayth he) but I fynde no meanes to performe that whiche is good. I doo not that good thing which I would: but that euill do I which I would not. I finde by the law that when I would do good, euill is present with me. I delite in the law as concerning the inner man, but I finde an other law in my members re∣belling against the law of my minde, & subduing me vnto the law of sinne. Which law of sinne is nothing but a * 1.566 corrupt and a poysoned nature which breaketh into euill lustes, and from e∣uill * 1.567 lustes into wicked deedes, & must be purged with the true purgatory of the crosse of Christ: that is, thou must hate it with all thine hart, and desyre God to take it from thee. And then whatsoeuer crosse God putteth on thy backe, beare it paciently, whether it be pouertie sickenes or persecution or what soeuer it be, and take it for the right Purgatory and thinke that God hath nailed thee fast to it, to purge thee therby. For he that loueth not the law * 1.568 and hateth hys sinne, & hath not pro∣fessed in his hart to fight against it, and mourneth not to god to take it away & to purge him of it, y^• same hath no part with Christ. If thou loue the law and fyndest that thou hast yet synne han∣gyng on thee, where of thou sorowest * 1.569 to be deliuered and purged: as for an example, thou hast a couetous mynde and mistrustest God and therfore arte moued to begyle thy neighbour & arte vnto him mercylesse, not caring whe∣ther he sinke or swymme so thou maist winne by him or get from him that he hath: then get thee to the obseruaunte which is so purged frō that sinne that he will not once handle a peny & with that wyle doth the suttle foxe make the goose come flying into his hole ready prepared for his mouth without hys labour or swet, & buy of his incrites, which he hath in store, & geue thy mo∣ney not into his holy hāds but to offer him that he hath hired either with part of his prayers or part of his praye to take the sinne vpon him and to handle his money for him. In like maner if any parson that is vnder obediēce vn∣to Gods ordinaunce (whether it be sonne or daughter, seruaunt, wife or subiect) consent vnto the ordinaunce, & yet finde contrary motions: let him go also to thē that haue professed an obe∣dience of their owne making, and bye part of their merites. If thy wife geue the ix. wordes for three, go to the char∣terhouse and bye of their silence: And so if the absteinyng of the obseruaunt * 1.570 from handling money heale thine hart from desiryng money, & the obedience of them that will obey nothyng but their owne ordinaunce, heale thy diso∣bedience to Gods ordinaunce, and the silēce of the charterhouse Monke tan••e thy wiues toung, thē beleue that their prayers shall deliuer thy soule from the paines of that terrible and feareful Purgatory which they haue fayned to purge thy purse withall.

The spiritualtie encreaseth dayly. * 1.571 Mo prelates, mo Priestes, mo mōkes, friers, chanons, nunnes and mo here∣tikes, I would say heremites with lyke draffe, Set before the y^• encrease of S. Fraūces disciples in so few yeares. Rekē how many thousands, yea how many twenty thousādes, not disciples onely: but whole cloisters are sprong out of hell of them in so litle space. Pa∣teryng of prayers encreaseth dayly. Their seruice as they call it, waxeth longer and longer and the labour of their lippes greater, new Saintes, new seruice, new festes, and new holy dayes. What take all these away? Sinne? Nay. For we ••ee the contrary by experience & that sinne groweth as they grow. But they take away first * 1.572 Gods word with fayth, hope, peace, vnitie, loue & concorde then house and lād, rent & see, tower & towne, goodes and cattell, and the very meate out of mens mouthes. All these lyue by Pur∣gatory. When other weepe for their frendes they sing merely when other * 1.573 loose their frendes, they get frendes. The Pope with all his Pardons is grounded on Purgatory. Priestes Monkes, Chanons, Friers with all other swermes of hypocrites do but

empty Purgatory and fill hell. Euery Masse, say they, deliuereth one soule out of Purgatory. If that were true, * 1.574 yea if ten Masses were inough for one soule, yet were the Parish Priests and Curates of euery Parish sufficient to scoure Purgatory. All the other costly workemen might be well spared.

¶ The foure senses of the Scripture.

THey deuide the Scripture in to foure senses, the litterall, tropological, allegoricall and anagogicall. The litterall sēse is become nothing at all. For the pope hath taken it cleane away & hath made it his possession. He hath partly locked it vp with the false and counterfayted keyes of his traditions ceremonies & fayned lyes. And partly driueth men from it with violence of sword. For no man dare abide by the litterall sense of the text, but vnder a Protestation, if it shall please the Pope. The chopologi∣call sense perteineth to good maners (say they) and teacheth what we ought to do. The allegory is appropriate to fayth, and the anagogicall to hope and thinges aboue. Tropologicall and an∣agogicall are termes of their own fay∣ning and all together vnnecessary. For they are but allegories both two of thē and this word allegorie comprehēdeth them both & is inough. For tropologi∣call is but an Allegory of maners & a∣nagogicall an Allegorie of hope. And Allegory is as much to say as straūge * 1.575 speakyng, or borowed speach. As whē we say of a wanton child, this sheepe hath magottes in his tayle, he must be annoynted with byrchin salue, which speach I borow of the shepheardes.

¶ Thou shalt vnderstand therefore * 1.576 that the Scripture hath but one sence, which is the litterall sense. And that litterall sense is the roote and grounde of all, and the ancre that neuer fayleth wherunto if thou cleaue thou canst ne∣uer erre or go out of the way. And if thou leaue the litterall sense thou canst not but go out of the way. Neuer the latter the Scripture vseth prouerbes, similitudes, redels, or allegories as all other speaches do, but that which the prouerbe, similitude, redell, or allego∣ry signifieth is euer the litterall sense which thou must seke out diligently. As in the English we borow wordes and sentences of o••e thyng and apply them vnto another and geue thē new significations. We say let the sea rise as hye as he will, yet hath God appoin∣ted how farre he shall goe: meanyng that the tyrauntes shall not do what they would▪ but that only which God hath appointed them to doe,〈…〉〈…〉thou lepe▪ whose litterall sense〈…〉〈…〉nothing sodēly or without ad•…•… Cut not the bowe that thou〈…〉〈…〉vpon: whose litterall sence is,〈…〉〈…〉not the comyns & is borowed •…•…∣ers. When a thing spedeth not we••, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 borow speach and say, the bishop hath * 1.577 blessed it, because that nothing spedeth well that they medle with all. If th•• porage be burned to, or the meate ouer rosted, we say, the Bishop hath put his foote in the potte or the Bishop hath playd the Cooke, because the Bishops burne who they lust & whosoeuer dis∣pleaseth them. He is a pontificall fel∣low, that is, proud and stately. He is Popish, that is, superstitious and faith lesse. It is a pastime for a Prelate. It is a pleasure for a Pope. He would be free & yet will not haue his head sha∣uen. He would that no man should smite him and yet hath not the Popes marke. And of him y^t is betrayd & wo∣teth not how, we say, he hath bene at shrifte. She is master Persons sisters daughter. He is the Bishops sisters sonne, he hath a Cardinall to his vn∣cle, she is a spirituall whore, it is the Gentlewoman of the Personage, he gaue me a Kyrieleyson. And of her that aunswereth her husbād vj. words for one we say, she is a sister of y^e char∣ter house, as who should say, she thin∣keth that she is not bounde to kepe si∣lence, their silence shalbe a satisfaction for her. And of him that will not be sa∣ued by Christes merites, but by the workes of his owne imagination we say it is a holy workeman. Thus bo∣row we and fayne new speach in eue∣ry toūg. All fables prophesies and re∣dles are allegories as Ysopus fables & Marliens prophesies and the interpre∣tation of them are the litterall sense.

So in like maner the Scripture bo∣roweth woordes and sentences of all maner thinges and maketh prouerbes & similitudes or allegories. As Christ sayth Luke. iiij. Phisition heale thy selfe. Whose interpretation is do that at whom which thou doest in straūge places, & that is the litterall sense. So whē I say Christ is a lambe, I meane not a lambe that beareth woll, but a meke & a paciente lambe which is bea∣ten for other mens fautes, Christ is a

vine, not that beareth grapes: but out of whose roote the braunches that be∣leue, sucke the sprit of life, and mercy, & grace, and power to be the sonnes of God & to do his will. The similitudes of y^e Gospel are allegories borowed of worldly matters to expresse spirituall things. The Apocalipse or reuelatiōs of Iohn are allegories whose litterall * 1.578 sense is hard to finde in many places.

Beyond all this, when we haue found out the litteral sense of y^e Scrip∣ture by the processe of the text or by a like text of another place. Then go we and as the Scripture boroweth simi∣litudes of worldly thinges euen so we agayne borow similitudes or allego∣ries of the Scripture and apply them to our purposes, which allegories are * 1.579 no sense of the scripture: but fre things besides the Scripture and all together in the libertie, of the spirite. Which al∣legories I may not make at all the wilde aduentures: but must keepe me with in the compasse of the faith & euer apply mine allegory to Christ and vn∣to the fayth. Take an ensample, thou * 1.580 hast the story of Peter how he smote of Malchuses eare and how Christ hea∣led it agayne. There hast thou in the playne text great learnyng, great frute and great edifieng which I passe ouer because of tediousnes. Then come I, whē I preach of the law and the Gos∣pell, & borow this example to expresse the nature of the law and of the Gos∣pell and to paynt it vnto thee before thine eyes. And of Peter & his sword make I the law and of Christ the Gos∣pell saying, as Peters sword cutteth of the eare so doth the law. The law damneth, the law killeth, and man∣gleth the conscience.

There is no care so righteous that can abyde y^• hearyng of the law. There is no deede so good but that the law damneth it. But Christ, that is to say the Gospell, the promises and Testa∣ment that God hath made in Christ healeth the eare and conscience which the law hath hurt. The Gospell is life, mercy & forge••enes frely, and all toge∣ther an healing plaister. And as Peter doth but hurt & make a woūde where was none before: euē so doth the law. For when we thinke that we are holy & righteous & full of good deedes if y^• law be preached a right, our righte∣ousnes and good dedes vanish away, as smoke in the winde and we are left damnable sinners onely. And as thou seest how that Christ healeth not till Peter had woūded, and as an healyng plaister helpeth not till y^• corrosie hath troubled the wounde, euē so the Gos∣pell helpeth not, but whē the law hath woūded y^e conscience and brought the sinner into y^e knowledge of his sinne. This allegory proueth nothyng nei∣ther cā do. For it is not the Scripture, * 1.581 but an exāple or a similitude borowed of the Scripture to declare a text or a conclusion of the Scripture more ex∣presly and to roote it and graue it in the hart. For a similitude or an exam∣ple doth printe a thing much deper in the wittes of a man then doth a plaine speakyng and leaueth behynd him as it were a stinge to pricke him forward and to awake him with all. Moreouer if I could not proue with an open text * 1.582 that which the Allegory doth expresse, then were the Allegory a thyng to bee gested at and of no greater value then a tale of Robyn hode. This allegory as touching his first part is proued by Paul in y^e. iij. chap. of his Epistle to the Romanes, where he sayth. The law causeth wrath. And in y^e vij. chapter to the Romanes. When the law or com∣maundement came, sinne reuiued, and I become dead. And in the ij. Epistle to the Cor. in the third chap. the law is called the minister of death and dāna∣tion. &c. And as concernyng the second part Paul sayth to the Rom. in the v. chap. In that we are iustified by faith we are at peace with God. And in the ij. Epistle to the Corinthiās in the. iij. The Gospell is called the ministratiō of iustifying and of the spirite. And Gala. iiij. The spirite cōmeth by prea∣ching * 1.583 of the faith &c. This doth the lit∣terall sence proue the allegory & beare it, as the foundatiō beareth the house. And because that allegories proue no∣thyng therfore are they to be vsed so∣berly and seldome & onely where the text offereth thee an allegory.

And of this maner (as I aboue haue done) doth Paul borow a simili∣tude, a figure or allegory of Genesis to expresse the nature of the law and of the Gospell, and by Agar & her sonne * 1.584 declareth the propertie of the law and of her bonde children which wilbe iu∣stified by deedes, and by Sara and her sonne declareth the propertie of the Gospell and of her free children which are iustified by faith, and how the chil∣dren of the law which beleue in their workes persecute the children of the Gospel which beleue in the mercy and truth of God and in the Testament of

his sonne Iesus our Lord. And like∣wise do we borow likenesses or alle∣gories of the Scripture, as of Pharao and Derode and of the Scribes and Phariseis, to expresse our miserable captiuitie and persecution vnder An∣tichrist the Pope.

The greatest cause of which capti∣uitie * 1.585 and the decay of the fayth & this blindnes wherin we now are, sprang first of allegories. For Origene and the doctours of his time drew all y^e Scrip∣ture vnto allegories. Whose ensample they that came after folowed so lōg, till at the last they forgat y^• order, and pro∣cesse of the text, supposing that y^e scrip∣ture serued but to faine allegories vp∣pō. In somuch that twenty doctours expounde one text xx. wayes, as chil∣dren make descant vpon playne song. Then came our sophisters with the•••• * 1.586 Anagogicall and Chopologicall sence & with an antetheme of halfe an inch, out of whiche some of them drawe a threde of ix. dayes long. Yea thou shalt fynde inough that will preach Christ, and proue what soeuer poynte of thee fayth that thou wilt, as well out of a fabell of Ouide or any other Poet, as * 1.587 out of S. Iohns Gospell or Paules Epistles. Yea they are come vnto such blyndnes that they not onely say the litterall sence profiteth not, but also that it is hurtful and noysome and kil∣leth the soule. Which damnable doc∣trine * 1.588 they proue by a text of Paule ij. Corinth. iij. Where he sayth the letter killeth but the spirit geueth life. Lo say they the litterall sence killeth and the spirituall sence geueth life. We must therfore, say they, seeke out some chop∣logicall sence.

Here learne what sophistrie is, and how blind they are, that thou mayest abhorre them and spue them out of thy stomake for euer. Paule by the letter meaneth Moyses law, which the pro∣cesse of the text folowyng declareth more bright then the sunne. But it is not their guise to looke on the order of any text, but as they find it in their do∣ctours so alledge they it, and so vnder∣stād it. Paule maketh a comparisō be∣twene * 1.589 the law and the Gospell, & cal∣leth the law the letter, because it was but letters grauen in two tables of cold sto••e. For the law doth but kill and damne the consciences, as long as there is no lust in the hart to doe that which the law commaundeth. Con∣trary wise he calleth the Gospell the administration of the spirite & of righ∣teousnes or iustifying. For whē Christ is preached and the promises whiche God hath made in Christ are beleued, the spirit entereth the hart, and looseth the hart, and geueth lust to do the law, and maketh the law a liuely thyng in the hart. Now as soone as the hart lu∣steth * 1.590 to do the law, then are we righ∣teous before God, & our sinnes forge∣uen. Neuerthelesse the law of the letter graued in stone, and not in the hartes was so glorious, and Moyses his face shone so bryght that the children of Israell could not behold his face for brightnes. It was also geuen in thun∣der and lightning and terrible signes, so that they for feare came to Moses & desired him that he would speake to them & let God speake no more. Lest we dye (sayd they.) If we heare him any more: as thou mayst see. Exod. xx. Wherupon Paule maketh his compa∣rison saying: if the ministratiō of death thorough the letters figured in stones was glorious, so that the childrē of Is∣raell could not behold the face of Mo∣ses for the glory of his countenaunce: why shal not the administration of the spirite be glorious? And agayne: if the administration of damnation be glo∣rious: much more shall the admini∣stration of righteousnes excede in glo∣ry: That is, if the law that killeth sin∣ners & helpeth thē not to be glorious: then the Gospel which pardoneth sin∣ners and geueth them power to be the sonnes of God & to ouer come sinne, is much more glorious. And the text that goeth before is as cleare.

For the holy Apostle Paule sayth, ye Corinthians are our Epistle, which is vnderstand and read of all men, in that ye are knowen how that ye are the Epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written: not with ynke (as Moy∣ses law) but with the spirite of the ly∣uing God: not in tables of stone (as the ten commaundementes) but in the fleshy tables of the hart, as who shuld say, we writ not a dead law with inke and in parchemen••, nor graue that which damned you in tables of stone: but preache you that which bringeth the spirite of lyfe vnto your brestes, which spirite writeth and graueth the law of loue in your hartes and geueth you lust to do the will of God. And furthermore, sayth he our ablenes cō∣meth of God which hath made vs a∣ble to minister the new Testamēt, not of the letter (y^t is to say not of the law) but of the spirite. For the letter (that is

to say the law) killeth: but the spirite geueth life (that is to say the spirite of God) whiche entreth your hartes whē ye beleue the glad tydinges that are preached you in Christe, quickeneth your hartes and geueth you life & lust and maketh you to do of loue and of your owne accorde without compul∣siō, that which the law compelled you to do and dāned you, because ye could not doe with loue, and lust, and na∣turally. Thus seest thou that the letter signifieth not the litterall sence and the spirite the spirituall sence. And Rom. ij. Paul vseth this terme Littera for the law. And Rom. vij. where he setteth it so playne, that it the great wrath of God had not blinded them they could neuer haue stombled at it.

God is a spirite and all his wordes * 1.591 are spirituall. His litterall sence is spi∣tuall, and all his wordes are spiritual. When thou readest Math. j. she shall beare a sonne & thou shalt cal his name Iesus. For he shall saue his people frō their sinnes. This litteral sence is spi∣ritual and euerlasting life vnto as ma∣ny as beleue it. And the litterall sence of these wordes, Math. v. blessed are the mercyfull, for they shall haue mer∣cy, are spirituall and life. Wherby they that are mercyfull may of right by the truth and promise of God challenge mercy. And like is it of these wordes, Math. vj. If you forgeue othermen their sinnes your heauenly father shall forgeue you yours. And so is it of all the promises of God. Finally all gods wordes are spiritual, if thou haue eyes of God to see the right meanyng of the text, & whereunto y^• Scripture pertey∣neth, & the final end and cause therof.

All the Scripture is either the pro∣mises * 1.592 and Testamēt of God in Christ and stories perteining thereunto, to strength thy faith, either the law and stories perteining therto to feare thee from euil doing. There is no story nor gest, seme it neuer so simple or so vyle vnto the worlde, but that thou shalt finde therein spirite and life and edifi∣eng in the litterall sense. For it is gods Scripture written for thy learnyng and comforte. There is no cloute or tagge there that hath not precious re∣liques wrapt therein of fayth, hope, pacience and long sufferyng and of the truth of God, and also of hys righte∣ousnes. * 1.593 Set before thee the storie of Ruben which defiled his fathers beo. Marke what a crosse God suffered to fal on the necke of his elect Iacob. Cō∣sider first the shame among the heathē, when as yet there was no moe of the whole world within the Testament of God but he and his houshold. I re∣port me to our Prelates which sweare by their honor whether it were a crosse * 1.594 or no. Seest thou not how our wicked bylders rage, because they see their bil∣dynges burne, now they are tryed by the fire of Gods word, and how they stirre vp the whole world, to quench the word of God, for feare of loosing their honour? Then what busines had he to pacifie his children? Looke what a do he had at y^• defiling of his daugh∣ter Dina. And be thou sure that the brethren there were no more furious for the defiling of their sister, then the sonnes heare for defiling of their mo∣ther. Marke what folowed Ruben, to feare other that they shame not their fathers and mothers. He was cursed and lost the kyngdome and also the Priestdome, and his tribe or generatiō was euer few in number as it appea∣reth in the stories of the Bible.

The adulterie of Dauid with Bar∣sabe * 1.595 is an ensample, not to moue vs to euill: but if (while we folow the way of righteousnes) any chaunce driue vs aside, that we despayre not. For if we saw not such infirmities in Gods elect, we which are so weake and fall so oft should vtterly dispaire & thinke that God had cleane forsaken vs. It is therfore a sure and an vndoubted con∣clusion, whether we be holy or vnho∣ly, we are all sinners. But the differēce * 1.596 is, that Gods sinners consent not to their sinne. They consent vnto the law that it is both holy and righteous and mourne to haue their sinne taken a∣way. But the deuils sinners consent vnto their sinne and would haue the law and hell taken away and are ene∣mies vnto the righteousnes of God.

Likewise in the whomely gest of * 1.597 Noe, when he was dronke, and lay in his tente with hys priuy members o∣pen, hast thou great edifyeng in the litteral sence? Thou seest what became of the curied children of wicked Ham which saw his fathers priuie mem∣bers and gested therof vnto his bre∣thren. Thou seest also what blessing fell on Sem and Iaphet which went backward and couered their fathers members & saw them not. And third∣ly thou seest what infirmitie accompa∣nieth Go••s elect be they neuer so ho∣ly, which yet is not imputed vnto thē. For the fayth & trust they haue in God

swalloweth vp all their sinnes.

Notwithstandyng this text offe∣reth * 1.598 vs an apte and an hansome alle∣gory or similitude to describe our wic∣ked Ham, Antichrist the Pope, which many hūdred yeares hath done all the shame that hart cā thinke vnto the pri∣••ey mēber of God which is the word of promise or y^• word of faith as Paule calleth it Rom. x. and the Gospell and Testamēt of Christ wherewith we are begotten, as thou seest. i. Peter. i. and Iames. i. And as the cursed children of Ham grew into gyauntes so migh∣tie and great that the children of Isra∣ell semed but greshoppers in respect of them: so the cursed sonnes of our Ham the Pope his Cardinals, Bys∣shops, Abbots, Monkes, and Friers are become mighty gyauntes aboue all power and authoritie, so that the children of faith in respect of them, are much lesse then greshoppers. They heape mountayne vppon mountayne * 1.599 & will to heauē by their own strength by away of their owne making & not by the way Christ. Neuer the latter those gyaūtes for the wickednes & ab∣hominatiōs which they had wrought, did God vtterly destroy, part of them by the childrē of Loth, and part by the children of Esau and seuen nations of them by the children of Israell. So no doubt shall he destroy these for like ab∣hominations & that shortly. For their kyngdome is but the kyngdome of lyes and falshead which must needes perish at the commyng of the truth of Gods word, as the night vanisheth a∣way at the presence of day. The chil∣drē of Israell slew not those gyauntes, but the power of God, Gods truth & promises as thou mayst see in Deut. So it is not we that shal destroy those gyauntes, as thou mayst see by Paule. ij. Thess. ij. speakyng of our Ham An∣tichrist. Whom the Lord shall destroy (saith he) with the spirite of his mouth that is, by the wordes of truth) and by the brightnes of his comming (that is, by the preachyng of his Gospell.)

ANd as I haue sayd of allegories, * 1.600 euen so it is of worldly similitudes which we make either whē we preach either when we expound the Scrip∣ture. The similitudes proue nothyng, but are made to expresse more playnly that which is contayned in the Scrip∣ture and to lead thee into the spirituall vnderstanding of the text. As the simi∣litude of Matrimony is taken to ex∣presse the Mariage that is betwene Christ and our soules and what exce∣dyng mercy we haue there, wherof all the Scriptures make mention. And the similitude of the members, how e∣uery one of them careth for other is taken to make thee feele what it is to loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. That * 1.601 preacher therfore that bringeth a na∣ked similitude to proue that which is contayned in no text of Scripture nor foloweth of a text, count a deceauer, a leader out of the way and a false Pro∣phet, and beware of his Philosophie and persuasions of mās wisedome as Paul. i. Corinth. ij. sayth: my wordes * 1.602 and my preachyng were not with en∣tysing wordes & persuasions of mans wisedome but in showyng of the spi∣rit and power, that is, he preached not dreames confirming them with simi∣litudes: but Gods word confirmyng it with miracles and with working of the spirite the which made them feele euery thing in their hartes. That your fayth, sayth he, should not stand in the wisedome of man: but in the power of God. For the reasons and similitudes * 1.603 of mans wisedome make no fayth, but waueryng & vncertaine opiniōs one∣ly: one draweth me this way with his argumēt, another that way, & of what principle thou prouest blacke an other proueth white, and so am I euer vn∣certaine, as if thou tell me of a thyng done in a farre land and an other tell me the contrarie, I wote not what to beleue. But fayth is wrought by the * 1.604 power of God, that is, when Gods word is preached, the spirite entereth thyne hart and maketh thy soule feele it and maketh thee so sure of it, that neither aduersitie nor persecution, nor death, neither hell, nor the powers of hell, neither yet all the paynes of hell could ones preuayle agaynst thee or moue thee frō the sure rocke of Gods word, that thou shouldest not beleue that which God hath sworne.

And Peter. ij. Pet. i. sayth we fo∣lowed * 1.605 not deceauable fables, when we opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lord Iesus Christ: but with our eyes we saw his maie∣stie. And agayne, we haue (sayth he) a more sure word of prophesie, wherun∣to if ye take hede, as vnto a light shy∣nyng in a darke place, ye do well. The word of prophesie was the old Testa∣mēt which beareth record vnto Christ in euery place, without which recorde the Apostles made neither similitudes nor argumēts of worldly witte. Here∣of

seest thou, that all the allegories, si∣militudes, * 1.606 persuasions & argumentes which they bryng without Scripture, to proue praying to Saintes, Purga∣tory, care confession and that God will heare thy prayer more in one place thē in another, and that it is more merito∣rious to eate fish then flesh, and that to disguise thy selfe & put on this or that maner cote is more acceptable then to go as God hath made thee, and that widowhode is better then matrimony and virginitie then widowhode, and to proue the Assumption of our Lady and that she was borne without origi∣nall sinne, yea & with a kisse say some, are but false doctrine.

Take an example how they proue * 1.607 that widowhode and virginitie excede matrimony they bryng this worldly similitude. He that taketh most payne for a man deserueth most and to him a man is most bound, so likewise must it be with God and so forth: now the wi∣dow and virgine take more payne in resisting their lustes then the maryed wife, therfore is their state holier. First I say, that in their owne sophistry a si∣militude * 1.608 is the worst and feblest argu∣ment that can be and proueth lest and soonest deceaueth. Though that one sonne doe more seruice for hys father then an other, yet is the father free and may with right reward thē all a like. For though I had a thousand brethren and did more thē they all, yet do I not my dutie. The fathers and mothers also care most for the lest and weakest and them that can doe lest: ye for the worst care they most and would spend, not their goodes onely: but also their bloud to bryng them to the right way. And euen so is it of the kyngdome of Christ as thou mayst well see in the si∣militude of the riotous sonne. Luke. xv. Moreouer Paul sayth. i. Cor. vij. It is better to marie then to burne. For the person that burneth can not quietly serue God in as much as hys mynde is drawē away & the thoughts of his hart occupyed with wonderfull and monstrous imaginations. He can neither see, nor heare, nor read but that his wittes are rapt and he cleane from him selfe. And agayne, sayth he, Cir∣cumcision is nothyng vncircumcision is nothyng: but the kepyng of the cō∣maundementes is all together. Looke wherein thou canst best kepe the com∣maundemētes thether get thy selfe and therin abyde, whether thou be widow wife or mayde, and then hast thou all with God. If we haue infirmities that draw vs from the lawes of God, * 1.609 let vs cure them with the remedyes that God hath made. If thou burne mary. For God hath promised thee no chastitie, as long as thou mayst vse the remedy that hee hath ordeyned: no more then hee hath promised to slake thine honger without meate.

Now to aske of God more then he hath promised commeth of a false faith and is playne Idolatry: and to desire a miracle where there is naturall re∣medy, is temptyng of God. And of payne takyng this wise vnderstand. He that taketh payne to kepe the com∣maundementes of God is sure therby that he loueth God and that hee hath Gods spirite in hym. And the more * 1.610 paine a man taketh (I meane pacient∣ly and without grudgyng) the more he loueth God and the perfecter hee is & nearer vnto that health which y^• soules of all Christen mē long for & the more purged from the infirmitie and sinne that remaineth in the flesh: but to loke for any other reward or promotion in heauen or in the life to come then that which God hath promised for Christes sake and which Christ hath deserued for vs with his payne takyng, is ab∣hominable in the sight of God. For Christe onely hath purchased the re∣ward, and our payne takyng: to keepe the commaundemētes doth but purge the sinne that remayneth in the fleshe, and certifie vs that we are chosen and sealed with Gods spirite vnto the re∣ward y^t Christ hath purchased for vs.

I was once at the creatyng of Do∣ctours of diuinitie, where the opponēt brought the same reason to proue that the widow had more merite then the virgine, because she had greater payne for as much as she had once proued the pleasures of Matrimony. Ego nego Domine Doctor said the respōdent. For though the virgine haue not proued, yet she imagineth that the pleasure is greater then it is in deede and therfore is more moued & hath greater temp∣tation and greater paine. Are not these disputers they that Paule speaketh of in the sixt chapter of the first Epistle to Timot. That they are not content with the wholesome woordes of our Lord Iesus Christ, & doctrine of god∣linesse. And therefore know nothyng: but wast their braynes about questiōs & strift of wordes, whereof spryng en∣uy, strife and rayling of men with cor∣rupt mindes destitute of the truth.

As pertainyng to our Ladyes bo∣dy, where it is or where the body of Elyas, of Iohn the Enangelist and of many other be, perteineth not to vs to know. One thing are we sure of, that they are where God hath layd them. If they be in heauē, we haue neuer the * 1.611 more in Christ: If they be not there, we haue neuer the lesse. Our dutie is to prepare our selues vnto the com∣maundemētes and to be thankefull for that which is opened vnto vs, and not to search the vnsearchable secretes of God. Of Gods secretes can we know no more then he openeth vnto vs. If God shut, who shall open? How then can natural reason come by the know∣ledge of that which God hath hyd vn∣to him selfe?

Yet let vs see one of their reasons wherewith they proue it. The chief reason is this, euery mā doth more for his mother, say they, then for other, in like maner must Christ do for his mo∣ther, therefore hath she this prehemi∣nence, that her body is in heauen. And yet Christ in the xij. chapter of Math. knoweth her not for his mother: but as farrefoorth as she kept his fathers commaundementes. And Paule in the ij. Epistle to the Corinthians v. chap. knoweth not Christ himselfe fleshly or after a worldly purpose. Last of all God is free & no further bounde then he bindeth him selfe: if hee haue made her any promise he is bounde, if not, then is he not. Finally if thou set this aboue rehearsed chapter of Math. be∣fore thee where Christe woulde not know his mother, and the ij. of Iohn where he rebuked her, and the ij. of Luke where she lost him and how ne∣gligent she was to leaue him behinde her at Ierusalem vnwars and to go a dayes iorney ere she sought for hym y^• mightest resolue many of their rea∣sons which they make of this matter, and that she was without originall sinne: read also Erasmus annotations in the sayd places. And as for me I cō∣mit all such matters vnto those idle belyes which haue nought els to doe, then to moue such questions and geue them free libertie to holde what they lyst, as long as it hurteth not the faith, whether it bee so or no, exhortyng yet with Paule all that will please God and obtayne that saluation that is in Christe, that they geue no hede vnto vnnecessary and braulyng disputati∣ons, & that they labour for the know∣ledge of those thinges without which they can not be saued. And remember that the sunne was geuen vs to guide vs in our way and woorkes bodyly. Now if thou leaue the naturall vse of the sunne and will looke directly on hym to see howe bright he is and such like curiositie then wil the sunne blind thee. So was the Scripture geuen vs to guide vs in our way and woorkes ghostly. The way is Christ & the pro∣mises in hym are our saluation if we long for them. Now if we shall leaue that right vse and turne our selues vn∣to vayne questions and to searche the vnsearchable secretes of God: then no dout shall the Scripture blinde vs as it hath done our schole men and our suttle disputers.

ANd as they are false Prophetes which proue with allegories, simi∣litudes and worldly reasōs that which is no where made mention of in the Scripture. Euen so counte them for false Prophetes whiche expounde the * 1.612 scriptures drawing thē vnto a world∣ly purpose cleane contrary vnto the example, lyuyng, and practisyng of Christ and of hys Apostles and of all * 1.613 the holy Prophetes. For sayth Peter. ij. Pet. i. no prophesie in the Scripture hath any priuate interpretation. For the Scripture▪ came not by the will of man: but the holy men of God spake, as they were moued by the holy ghost. No place of the Scripture may haue a priuate exposition, that is it may not be expounde after the will of man or after the wil of the flesh or drawen vn∣to a worldly purpose cōtrary vnto the open textes, and the generall articles of the faith, and the whole course of the Scripture and contrary to the liuyng and practising of Christ and the Apo∣stles and holy Prophetes. For as they came not by the will of mā so may they not bee drawen or expounde after the will of man: but as they came by the holy ghost, so must they expoūd & vn∣derstād by the holy ghost. The Scrip∣ture is that wherewith God draweth vs vnto hym and not wherewith we should be leade from him. The Scrip∣tures spring out of God and flow vn∣to Christ, and were geuen to leade vs to Christ. Thou must therfore go alōg * 1.614 by the Scripture as by a lyne, vntill thou come at Christ, which is y^e wayes end and restyng place. If any mā ther∣fore vse the Scripture to draw thee frō Christ and to nosell thee in any thyng saue in Christ, the same is a false Pro∣phet. And that thou mayst perceaue

what Peter meaneth, it foloweth in y^• text. There were false Prophetes a∣mong the people (whose prophesies * 1.615 were bely wisedome) as there shalbe false teachers among you: which shall priuely bryng in damnable sectes (as thou seest howe we are diuided into * 1.616 monstrous sectes or orders of Reli∣gion) euen denying the Lord that hath bought them. (For euery one of them taketh on hym to sell thee for money, that whiche God in Christ promiseth thee freely) and many shall folow their damnable wayes, by whom the waye of trouth shalbe euill spokē of (as thou seest how the way of trouth is become heresie, seditious, or cause of insurrec∣tiō, & breaking of y^e kyngs peace, & trea¦son vnto his hyghnes.) And through conetousnes with fayned wordes shal they make marchaundise of you. Co∣uetousnes * 1.617 is the conclusion: for coue∣tousnes and ambitiō that is to say, lu∣cre and desire of honor is the finall end of all false Prophetes and of all false teachers. Looke vpon the Popes false doctrine, what is the end thereof and what seeke they thereby? Wherefore serueth Purgatory? but to purge thy * 1.618 purse, and to polle thee, & robbe both thee and thy hayres of house and lāds, and of all thou hast, that they may be in honour. Serue not Pardons for * 1.619 the same purpose? Whereto perteineth praying to Saintes, but to offer vnto * 1.620 their belies? Wherfore serueth confessi∣on, but to sit in thy conscience and to * 1.621 make thee feare and tremble at what soeuer they dreame, and that thou wor∣ship them as Gods: and so forth in all their traditions, ceremonies, and con∣iurations they serue not the Lord: but their belies. And of their false expoun∣dyng the Scripture and drawyng it contrary vnto the example of Christ, and the Apostles and holy Prophetes vnto their damnable couetousnes and filthy ambition take an example.

Math. xvj. When Peter sayth to * 1.622 Christ, thou art the sonne of the liuyng God, and Christ aunswered, thou art Peter and vpō this rocke I will build my congregation. By the rocke inter∣pret they Peter. And thē commeth the Pope & wilbe Peters successour, whe∣ther Peter will or will not, yea whe∣ther God will or will not, and though all the Scripture say nay to any such successiō, and saith, loe I am the rocke, the foundation, and head of Christes Church. Now sayth all the Scripture * 1.623 that the rocke is Christ, the fayth and Gods word. As Christ sayth Math. vij. he that heareth my wordes & doth * 1.624 therafter is like a man that buildeth on a rocke. For the house that is build on Gods woorde will stand, though hea∣uen should fall. And Iohn. xv. Christ is the wine and we the braunches, so is Christ the rocke, the stocke and foū∣dation wheron we be built. And Paul i. Cor. iij. calleth Christ our foundatiō, and all other, whether it be Peter or Paule, hee calleth them seruauntes to preach Christ, and to build vs on hym. If therfore the Pope be Peters succes∣sour, his dutie is to preach Christ one∣ly * 1.625 and other authoritie hath he none. And. ij. xj. Paule marieth vs vnto Christ and driueth vs from all trust & confidence in man. And Epht. ij. sayth Paule. Ye are build on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes, that is on y^• word which they preached, Christ beyng, sayth he, the head corner stone, in whom euery buildyng coupled to∣gether groweth vp into an holy tem∣ple in the Lord, in whom also ye are built together & made an habitatiō for God in the spirit. And Peter in y^• ij. of his first Epistle buildeth vs on Christ, contrary to the Pope, whiche buildeth on hymselfe. Hell gates shall not pre∣uaile agaynst it, that is to say, agaynst the congregation that is builde vppon Christes sayth and vpon Gods word. Now were the Pope the rocke, hell gates could not preuayle agaynst him. For the house could not stand if the rocke and foundation wheron it is builte did perish: but the contrary see we in our Popes. For hell gates haue preuayled agaynst them many hūdred yeares, and haue swalowed them vp: if Gods word be true and the storyes that are written of them: yea or if it be true that we see with our eyes. I will geue thee the keyes of heauen sayth Christ, and not I geue. And Iohn xx. after y^t resurrecciō payed 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and gaue y^• keyes to them all indifferently. What soeuer thou byndest on earth, it shalbe bounde in heauen, & what soeuer thou lousest on earth it shalbe loused in hea∣uen. Of this text maketh the Pope what he will, and expoundeth it con∣trary to all the Scripture, contrary to * 1.626 Christes practising, and the Apostles, and all the Prophetes. Now the scrip∣ture geueth record to himselfe and euer expoundeth it selfe by an other open text. If the Pope thē can not bryng for his exposition the practisyng of Christ or of the Apostles and prophetes or an open text, then is his exposition false

doctrine. Christ expoundeth him selfe. Math. xviij. saying: If y^• brother sinne agaynst the rebuke him betwixt him & thee alone. If he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother: but if he heare thee not, thē take with thee one or two and & so forth as it standeth in the text. He concludeth saying to them all, whatso∣euer ye bynde in earth it shalbe bound in heauen, and what soeuer ye louse on earth it shalbe loused in heauē. Where byndyng is but to rebuke them that sinne and lousing to forgeue them that repent. And Iohn. xx. Whose sinnes ye forgeue they are forgeuen and whose sinnes ye hold they are holden. And Paul. i. Cor. v. byndeth, and ij. Cor. ij. louseth after the same maner.

Also this byndyng and lousyng is * 1.627 one power, and as he byndeth so lou∣seth he: yea and byndeth first ere he cā¦louse. For who can louse that is not bound. Now what soeuer Peter byn∣deth or his successour (as he wilbe cal∣led and is not, but in dead y^t very suc∣cessour of Sathan) is not so to be vn∣derstood, that Peter or the Pope hath power to commaunde a man to be in deadly sinne or to bee damned or to go i••to hell saying: bee thou in deadly sinne, be thou damned, go thou to hell, go thou to Purgatory. For that expo∣sition is contrary to the euerlastyng Testament that God hath made vnto vs in Christ. He sent his sonne Christ to louse vs from sinne and damnation and hell, and that to testifie vnto the world sent he his Disciples Actes. i. Paule also hath no power to destroy, but to edifie. ij. Cor. x. and. xiij. How can Christ geue his Disciples power agaynst him selfe and against his euer∣lastyng Testament? Can he send them to preach saluation & geue them pow∣er to damne whom they lust? What mercy and profite haue we in Christes death and in his Gospell, if the Pope which passeth all men in wickednesse hath power to sende whom he will to hell, and to damne whom he lusteth? we had thē no cause, to call him Iesus, * 1.628 y^• is to say sauiour: but might of right call him destroyer. Wherfore then this bynding is to be vnderstood as Christ interpreteth it in the places aboue re∣hearsed, * 1.629 & as the Apostles practised it and is nothyng but to rebuke men of their sinnes by preachyng the law. A man must first sinne agaynste Gods law ere the Pope can bynde hym: yea and a man must firste sinne agaynste Gods lawe ere hee neede to feare the Popes curse. For cursing and binding are both one, & nothyng sauing to re∣buke * 1.630 a mā of his sinnes by Gods law. It foloweth also then that the lousyng is of like maner, and is nothing but forgeuing of sinne to them that repent * 1.631 throughe preachyng of the promises whiche God hath made in Christe in whom onely we haue all forgeuenes of sinnes, as Christ interpreteth it, and as the Apostles and Prophetes pra∣ctised it. So is it a false power that the Pope taketh on hym to louse Gods lawes, as to geue a man licence to put awaye hys wife to whom God hath bound him, and to bynde them to cha∣stitie which God commaūdeth to ma∣ry, that is to wite, thē that burne and can not liue chaste. It is also a false power to bynde that whiche Gods worde maketh free, makyng sinne in the creatures whiche God hath made for mans vse.

The Pope which so fast lowses and * 1.632 purgeth in Purgatory, can not with all the lousinges and purgations that he hath, either louse or purge our appe tites and lust and rebellion that is in vs agaynst the law of God. And yet the purging of them is the right Pur∣gatory. If he can not purge them that are alyue, where with purgeth he thē, that are dead? The Apostles knew no no other wayes to purge, but through preachyng Gods word which worde onely is that that purgeth the hart, as thou mayst see Iohn. xv. Ye are pure, sayth Christ, through the word. Now the pope preacheth not to them whom they fayne to lye in Purgatory, no more then he doth to vs that are a liue. How thē purgeth he them? The pope * 1.633 is kynne to Robin good fellow which swepeth the house, washeth the dishes and purgeth all by night. But when day commeth there is nothyng found cleane.

Some man will say the Pope byn∣deth them not, they binde them selues. I aunswere hee that byndeth him selfe to the pope and had leuer haue his life and soule ruled by the Popes will thē by the will of God, and by the Popes word then by the worde of God, is a foole. And he that had leuer be bonde then free is not wise. And he that will not abyde in the freedome wherein Christ hath set vs, is also mad. And he that maketh deadly sinne where none is and seeketh causes of hatred be∣twene him and God is not in his right wittes. Furthermore no man cā bynde

him selfe further then hee hath power ouer him selfe. He that is vnder the * 1.634 power of an other man can not bynde him selfe without licence, as sonne, daughter, wife, seruaunt and subiect. Neither canst thou geue God that which is not in thy power. Chastitie can•• thou not geue further then God lendeth it thee, if thou can not lyue chast thou art bounde to mary or to be damned. Last of all for what purpose thou byndest thy selfe must be sene. If thou doe it to obtayne thereby that whiche Christ hath purchased for thee freely, so art thou an infidell, and hast no part with Christ, and so forth. If thou wilt see more of this matter loke in Deut. and there shalt thou finde it more largely entreated.

Take an other ensample of there * 1.635 false expounding the Scripture. Christ saith Math. xxiij. The Scribes and the Phariseis sit on Moyses seate, what soeuer they byd you obserue, that ob∣serue and do: but after their workes do not. Lo say our sophisters or hypo∣crites, lyne we neuer so abhominably, yet is our authority neuer the lesse. Do as we teach therfore (say they) and not as we do And yet Christ sayth they sit on Moyses seate, that is as long as they teache Moyses doe as they teach. For the law of Moyses is the lawe of God. But for their owne traditions & false doctrine Christ rebuked thē, and disobeyed them, and taught other to beware of their leuen. So if our Pha∣riscis * 1.636 sit on Christes seate and preache him, we ought to heare them: but whē they sitte on their owne seate, then ought we to beware as well of their pestilent docrine as of their abhomi∣nable lining.

Likewise where they finde mention ma••e of asword, they turne it vnto the Popes power. The disciples sayd vn∣to Christ Luke. xxij. Loe here be two swordes. And Christ aunswered two is inough. Loe, say they the Pope hath ij. swordes, the spirituall sword & the tēporall sword. And therfore is it law∣full for hym to fight and make warre.

Christ a litle before he went to hys passion, asked hys Disciples saying: when I sent you out without all pro∣iusion lacked ye any thyng. And they sayd nay. And he aunswered, but now let hym, that hath a walet take it with him & he that hath a scrippe likewise, and let hym that hath neuer a sword sell his co••e and by one: As who shuld say, it shall go otherwise now then thē. Then ye went foorth in fayth of my word, and my fathers promises, and it fed you and made prouision for you, & was your sword and shilde and defen∣der: but now it shall go as thou rea∣dest Zacharias. xiij. I will smyte the shephearde and the sheepe of the flocke shalbe scattered. Now shall my father leaue me in the handes of theswicked, and ye also shalbe forsaken and desti∣tute of faith, and shall trust in your sel∣ues, and in your own prouisiō, and in your owne defence. Christ gaue no cō∣maundement, but prophesied what should happen. And they because they vnderstode hym not, aunswered here are two swordes. And Christ (to make an ende of such babblyng) aunswered two is inough. For if he had commaū∣ded euery man to by a sword, how had two bene inough? Also if two were inough, & pertained to the Pope one∣ly, why are they all commaunded to buy euery man a sword? By the sword therefore Christ prophesied that they should be left vnto their own defence. And two swordes were inough yea neuer a one had bene inough. For if e∣uery one of them had had ten swordes they would haue fied ere mydnight.

In the same chapter of Luke not. * 1.637 xij. lines from the foresayd text. The Disciples euen at the last Supper as∣ked who should be the greatest. And Christ rebuked them and sayd it was an heathenish thyng and there should be no such thing among them, but that the greatest should be as the smailest, and that to be great was to do seruice as Christ did. But this text because it is brighter then the sinne, that they cā make no sophistrie of it, therfore will they not heare it nor let other know it.

FOr as much now as thou partly seest the salshed of our prelates, how all their study is to disceaue vs and to keepe vs in darknes, to sit as Gods in our cōsciēces, & hādle vs at their plea∣sure, and to leade vs whether they lust: therfore, I read thee, get thee to Gods word, and therby trye all doctrine and agaynst that receaue nothyng. Nei∣ther any exposition contrary vnto the open textes, neither contrary to the generall articles of the fayth: neither contrary to the liuyng & practisyng of Christ and of his Apostles. And when they cry fathers fathers, remēber that * 1.638 it were the fathers that blynded & rob∣bed the whole world and brought vs into this captiuitie wherein these en∣force to keepe vs still. Furthermore as

they of the old tyme are fathers to vs, so shall these foule monsters bee fa∣thers to them that come after vs, and the hypocrites that folow vs will cry of these and of their doynges fathers, fathers, as these cry fathers, fathers, of thē that are past. And as we feele our fathers, so dyd they that are past feele their fathers: neither were there in the world any other fathers then such as we both see and feele this many hun∣dred yeares, as their Decrees beare re∣corde and the stories and Chronicles well testifie. If Gods word appeared any where they agreed all agaynst it. When they had brought that a sleepe, then stroue they one with an other a∣bout their owne traditions and one Pope condemned an others Decrees and were sometyme ij. yea thre Popes at once. And one Bishop went to law with an other and one cursed an other for their owne fantasies, & such things as they had falsly gottē. And the grea∣test Samts are they that most defēded the liberties of the church (as they call it) which they falsly gote with blyn∣ding kings, neither had the world any rest this many hundred yeares for re∣formyng of Friers and Monkes and ceasyng of schismes that were among our Clergy. And as for the holy Do∣ctours as Augustine, Hierome, Cyprian, Chrisostomus and Bede, will they not heare. If they wrote any thyng negli∣gently (as they were men) that drawe they cleane contrary to their meanyng and therof triumphe they. Those Do∣ctours knew of none authoritie that one Byshop should haue aboue ano∣ther, neither thought or once dreamed that euer any such should be, or of any such whisperyng or of Pardons, or scouryng of Purgatory, as they haue fayned.

And when they cry miracles mira∣cles * 1.639 remember that God hath made an euerlasting Testament with vs in Christes bloud, against which we may receaue no miracles no neither y^• prea∣chyng of Paule him selfe if he came a∣gayn, by his own teaching to the Ga∣lathians, neither yet the preachyng of the aungels of heauen. Wherefore ei∣ther * 1.640 they are no miracles, but they haue fayned thē (as is the miracle that S. Peter halowed Westminster) or els if there be miracles that confirme do∣ctrine contrary to Gods word, thē are they done of the deuill (as the mayd of Ipswich & of Kent) to proue vs whe∣ther we will cleane last to Gods word and to deceaue them that haue no loue to the truth of Gods word nor lust to walke in his lawes.

And for as much as they to deceaue with all, arme them selues against thē * 1.641 with argumentes and perīnasions of fleshly wisedome, with worldly simi∣litudes with shadowes, with false Al∣legories, with false expositions of the Scripture contrary vnto the liuyng & practising of Christ and the Apostles, with lyes and false miracles, with false names, domne ceremonies, with dis∣guising of hypocrisie, with the autho∣rities of the fathers and last of all with the violence of the temporall sworde: therfore do thou contrariwise arme thy * 1.642 selfe, to defende thee with all, as Paule teacheth in the last chapter to y^• Ephe∣sians Gyrde on thee the sworde of the spirite which is Gods word and take to thee the shilde of fayth, which is not to beleue a ••ate of Robynhode or Ge∣stus Romanorum or of the Chronicles, but to beleue Gods woorde that ••a∣steth euer.

And when the Pope with his fals∣head chalengeth temporall authoritie aboue King and Emperour: set before thee y^• xxv. chapter of S. Math. Where Christ commanudeth Peter to put vp his sword. And set before thee Paul. ij. Cor. x. Where he sayth the weapons of of our warre are not carnall thynges, but myghty in God to bryng all vn∣derstandyng in captiuitie vnder the o∣bedience of Christ, that is, the weapōs are Gods word and doctrine and not swordes of yron and stele, & set before thee the doctrine of Christ and of hys Apostles and their practise.

And when the Pope chalengeth an∣thoritie ouer his fellow Byshops and ouer all the congregation of Christ by successiō of Peter set before thee y^• first of the Actes where Peter for all hys authoritie put no man in the rowme of Iudas, but all the Apostles chose two indifferently and cast lottes desi∣ring God to temper them that the lot might fall on y^e most ablest. And Actes. viij. the Apostles sent Peter, and in the xi. call him to rekening and to geue ac∣comptes of that he hath done.

And when the Popes law cōmaun∣deth * 1.643 saying: though that the Pope liue neuer so wickedly and draw with hym through his euill ensample innumera∣ble thousādes vnto hell, yet see that no man presume to rebuke him, for he is head ouer all and no man ouer him: set before thee Gallates. ij. Where Paule

rebuketh Peter openly. And see how both to the Corinthiās, and also to the Galathians he will haue no superiour but Gods word, & hee that could teach better by Gods worde. And because * 1.644 when he rehearsed his preachyng and hys doynges vnto the hygh Apostles, they could improue nothyng, therfore will he be equall with the best.

And when the Friers say, they do more thē their dutie, whē they preach, * 1.645 and more thē they are bound to: to say our seruice are we boūd (say they) and that is our dutie, & to preach is more then we are bound to. Set thou before thee how that Christes bloud shedyng hath bounde vs to loue one an other withall our might and to do the vtter∣most of our power one to an other. And Paul sayth. i. Cor. ix. Wo be vnto me if I preach not: yea wo is vnto him y^• hath wherewith to helpe his neigh∣bour and to make him better and do it not. If they thinke it more then their dutie to preache Christ vnto you then they thinke it more then their dutie to pray that ye should come to the know∣ledge of Christ. And therefore it is no maruell though they take so great la∣bour: yea and so great wages also to kepe you still in darkenes.

And when they crye furiously hold the heretikes vnto the wall, and if they will not reuoke, burne them without any more a do, reason not with thē, it is an Article condēned, by the fathers. Set thou before thee the saying of Pe∣ter. i. Pet. iij. To all that aske you, be ready to geue an aunswere of the hope that is in you, and that with mekenes. The fathers of the Iewes and the Bi∣shops, whiche had as great authoritie ouer them as ours haue ouer vs, con∣demned Christ & his doctrine. If it be inough to say the fathers haue condē∣ned it, thē are y^• Iewes to beholdē ex∣cused: yea they are yet in the right way and we in the false. But & if the Iewes be bound to loke in the Scripture and to see whether their fathers haue done right or wrong, then are we likewise bound to looke in the Scripture whe∣ther our fathers haue done right or wrong, and ought to beleue nothyng without a reason of the Scripture and authoritie of Gods word.

And of this maner defend thy selfe agaynst all maner wickednes of our spirites, armed alway with Gods woorde & with a strong and a stedfast fayth thereunto. Without Gods word do nothing. And to his word adde no∣thyng neither pull any thyng ther••rō, as Moyses euery where teacheth thee. Serue God in the spirite, & thy neigh∣bour * 1.646 with all outward seruice. Serue God as he hath appoynted thee & not with thy good intent and good zeale. Remember Saul was cast awaye of God for euer for his good intent. God requireth obediēce vnto his woorde & abhorreth all good intentes and good zeales which are without Gods word. For they are nothyng els then playne Idolatry and woorshyppyng of false Gods.

And remēber that Christ is the end * 1.647 of all thyng. He onely is our restyng place & he is our peace. Ephe. ij. chap. For as there is no saluatiō in any o∣ther name, so is there no peace in any other name. Thou shalt neuer haue rest in thy soule neither shall y^• worme of conscience euer cease to gnaw thyne hart till thou come at Christ: till thou heare the glad tydings, how that God for his sake hath forgeuen thee all free∣ly. If thou trust in thy workes there is no rest. Thou shalt thinke, I haue not done inough. Haue I done, it with so great loue as I should do? Was I so glad in doyng as I would be to re∣ceaue helpe at my neede? I haue left this or that vndone and such like. If thou trust in confessiō, then shalt thou thinke. Haue I told all? Haue I told all the circumstances? Did I repent inough? Had I as great sorow in my repentaunce for my sinnes as I had pleasure in doyng them? Likewise in our holy Pardōs & pilgrimages, get∣test thou no rest. For thou seest that the very Gods thē selues which sell their pardon so good cheape or some whiles geue thē freely for glory sake, trust not therein them selues. They build Col∣ledges and make perpetuities to be prayed for, for euer, & ladey^• lyppes of their beadmen, or chaplaynes with so many Masses, & Diriges, and so lōg seruice, that I haue knowen some that haue byd the deuill take their founders soules, for very impaciencie and weri∣nes of so paynefull labour.

As pertainyng to good deedes ther∣fore, do the best thou canst, and desire * 1.648 God to geue strength to do better day∣ly, but in Christ put thy trust and in the Pardon & promises that God hath made thee for his sake, & on that rocke build thine house and there dwell. For there onely shalt thou be sure from all stormes and tēpestes & from all wyly assaultes of our wicked spirites which

study with all falshead to vndermyne vs. And the God of all mercy geue the grace so to do, vnto whom be glory for euer. Amen.

¶ A compendious rehearsall of that which goeth before.

I Haue described vnto you the obedience of children, seruauntes, wines, & sub∣iectes. These iiij. orders * 1.649 are of Gods makyng & y^e rules thereof are Gods word. He that kepeth thē shalbe bles∣sed: yea is blessed all ready and he that breaketh them shalbe cursed. If any person of impaciency or of a stubburne and rebellious mynde withdraw hym selfe from any of these, and get him to any other order: let hym not thinke thereby to auoyde the vengeaunce of God in obeying rules and traditions of mans imaginatiō. If thou poulledst thine head in the worship of thy father and breakest his commaundementes, shouldest y^• so escape? Or if thou payn∣tedst thy masters image on a wall and stickedst vp a cādle before it, shouldest thou therewith make satisfaction, for the breaking of his cōmaundementes. Or if thou warest a blew coate in the worshyp of the kyng and brakest hys lawes shouldest thou so go quyte. Let a mans wife make her selfe a sister of the charterhouse and aūswere her hus∣band when he byddeth her hold her peace, my brethren kepe silence for me, and see whether she shal so escape. And be thou sure God is more gelouse o∣uer his commaundementes then man is ouer hys, or then any man is ouer his wife.

Because we be blynd, God hath ap∣pointed in y^e Scripture how we shuld serue him & please him. As perteynyng vnto his owne person he is aboundāt∣ly * 1.650 pleased when we beleue his promi∣ses and holy Testament which he hath made vnto vs in Christ, & for the mer∣cy which ••e there shewed vs, loue his commaundements. All bodyly seruice must be done to mā in Gods stede. We must geue obedience, honour, tolle, tri∣bute, custome, and rent vnto whō they belong. Then if thou haue ought more to bestow, geue vnto y^t pore which are left here in Christes stede that we shew mercy on them. If we kepe the com∣maundements of loue thē are we sure that we fulfill the law in the sight of God and that our blessing shalbe euer∣lastyng life. Now when we obey pa∣tiently and without grudgyng euill Princes that oppresse vs, & persecute vs and be kinde and mercyfull to them that are mercylesse to vs, and doe the worst they cā to vs, and so take all for∣tune patiently, and kysse what soeuer crosse God layeth on our backes: then are we sure that we keepe the com∣maundementes of loue.

I declared that God hath taken all vengeaunce into his own handes, and will auēge all vnright him selfe: either by the powers or officers whiche are appointed thereto or els, if they be ne∣gligent, he will send his curses vppon the trāsgressours & destroy them with his secret iudgementes. I shewed also that whosoeuer auengeth him selfe is * 1.651 damned in the deede doing and falleth into the hādes of the temporall sword, because be taketh the office of God vp∣pon him and robbeth God of his most high honour, in that he wil not patiēt∣ly abide his iudgement. I shewed you of the authoritie of Princes, how they are in Gods stede and how they may not be resisted, doe they neuer so euill, they must be reserued vnto the wrath of God. Neuer the latter if they com∣maunde to do euill we must then diso∣bey and say we are otherwise cōmaū∣der of God: but not to rise agaynst thē. They wil kil vs thē sayest thou. Ther∣fore, I say is a Christen called, to suffer euen the bitter death for hys hopes sake, and because he will do no euill. I * 1.652 shewed also that the Kynges and ru∣lers (be they neuer so euill) are yet a great gift of the goodnes of God, and defende vs from a thousand thynges that we see not.

I proued also that all men with∣out exception are vnder the temporall sword, what soeuer names they geue them selues. Because the Priest is cho∣sen out of the lay men, to teach this o∣bedience, is that a lawfull cause for him to disobey? Because he preacheth that the lay mā should not steale, is it ther∣fore lawfull for hym to steale vnpuni∣shed? Because thou teachest me that I may not kill, or if I do, the kyng must kill me agayn, is it therfore lawfull for thee to kil and go free? Either whether is it rather mete that thou whiche are my guide to teache me the rightwaye shouldest walke therin before me? The Priestes of the old law with their high bishop Aaron. and all his successours, though they were annointed by Gods commaundement and appoynted to

serue God in his temple and exempte from all offices & ministering of word∣ly matters, were yet neuerthelesse vn∣der the temporall sword, if they brake y^e lawes. Christ sayth to Peter, all that take y^e sword, shal perish by the sword. Here is none exception. Paul saith, all soules must obey. Here is none excep∣tion. Paule hym selfe is here not ex∣empt. God sayth Gene. ix. Who soeuer sheddeth mans bloud, by man shall his bloud be shed agayn. Here is none exception.

Moreouer Christ became poore to make other men riche, and bound to make other free. He left also with his Disciples the law of loue. Now loue * 1.653 seketh not her owne profite: but her neighbours, loue sceketh not her own fredome, but becommeth suretie and bonde to make her neighbour fre. Dā∣ned therfore are the spiritualtie by all the lawes of God, which through fals∣head & disguised hipocrisie haue sought so great profit, so great riches, so great authoritie and so great liberties, and haue so bedgerd the lay, & so brought them in subiectiō and bondage and so despised thē, that they haue set vp frā∣chises in all townes and villages for who soeuer robbeth, murthereth or slayeth them, and euen for traytours vnto the kynges person also.

I proued also that no kyng hath power to graūt them such libertie: but are as well damned for their geuyng, as they for their false purchasing. For as God geueth the father power ouer his children: euen so geueth he hym a commaundement to execute it, and not to suffer them to do wickedly vnpuni∣shed but vnto his damnation, as thou mayst see by Hely the hygh Priest. &c. And as the master hath authoritie o∣uer his seruauntes: euen so hath he a commaundement to gouerne them. And as the husband is head ouer hys wife: euen so hath he commaundemēt to rule her appetites and is damned if he suffer her to be an whore & a misse liuer, or submit him self to her, & make her his head. And euen in lyke maner as God maketh the kyng head ouer * 1.654 his Realme, euen so geueth he him cō∣maundement to execute the lawes vp∣pon all men indifferently. For the law is Gods and not the kyngs. The king is but a seruaunt to execute the law of God, and not to rule after his owne i∣magination.

I shewed also that the law and the kyng are to be feared, as thinges that were geuēin fire, and in thunder, and lightning, & terrible signes. I shewed the cause why rulers are euill, and by what meanes we might obtaine bet∣ter. I shewed also how wholesome those bitter medicines euill Princes are to right Christen men.

I declared how they whiche God hath made gouerners in the worlde ought to rule if they be Christē. They ought to remēber that they are heades and armes, to defend the body, to mi∣nister peace, health, & wealth, and euē to saue the body, and that they haue receaued their offices of God to mini∣ster & to do seruice vnto their brethrē. Kyng, subiect, Master, seruaunt, are names in the world: but not in Christ. In Christ we are all one and euen bre∣thren. No man is his own, but we are all Christes seruauntes bought with Christes bloud. Therfore ought no mā to seke him selfe or his owne profite: but Christ and his will. In Christ no man ruleth as a kyng his subiectes, or a master his seruaunts: but serueth as one hand doth to an other and as the handes do vnto the feete and the feete to the handes, as thou seest. 1. Cor. xij. We also serue not as seruauntes vnto masters: but as they which are bought with Christes bloud serue Christ hym selfe. We be here all seruauntes vnto Christ. For what soeuer we do one to an other in Christes name, that do we vnto Christ, & the reward of that shall we receaue of Christ. The kyng coun∣teth * 1.655 his cōmōs Christ himselfe, & ther∣fore doth thē seruice willingly, seeking no more of thē thē is sufficiēt to main∣teine peace & vnitie, & to defēde the re∣alme, And they obey agayne willingly and louingly as vnto Christ. And of Christ euery man seketh his reward.

I warned the iudges that they take not an ensample how to minister their offices, of our spiritualtie, whiche are bought and solo to do the will of Sa∣thā: but of the Scripture whence they haue their authoritie. Let that which is secret abyde secret till God open it, which is the iudge of secretes. For it is more then a cruell thyng to breake * 1.656 vp into a mans hart & to compell him to put either soule or body in ieopardy or to shame him selfe. If Peter that great piller for feare of death forsoke hys master, ought we not to spare weake consciences?

I declared how the kyng ought to ridde his Realme from the wily tyrā∣ny of the hypocrites, and to bryng the

hypocrites vnder his lawes: yea and how he ought to be learned, & to heare, and to looke vpon the causes him selfe, which he wil punish, and not to beleue the hypocrites, and to geue them his sword to kill whom they will.

The kyng ought to count what he hath spent in the Popes quarell sens he was kyng. The first viage cost vpō xiiij. hundred thousand poundes. Re∣kē sens what hath bene spēt by sea and land betwene vs and Frenchmen, and Scottes, and then in triumphes, and in Ambasiasies, and what hath bene sent out of the Realme secretly, and all to mainteine our holy father, and I doubt not but that will surmount the some of. xl. or. l. hundred thousand poūdes. For we had no cause to spend one peny but for our holy father. The king therfore ought to make them pay this money euery farthing, and fette it out of their myters, croses, shrines and all maner treasure of the Church, and pay it to his commons again: not that onely which the Cardinal and his Bi∣shops compelled the commōs to lend, and made thē sweare with such an en∣sample of tyrāny as was neuer before thought on: but also all that he hath gathered of them. Or els by the cōsent of the commons to keepe it in store for the defence of the realme. Yea the kyng ought to loke in the Chronicles what the Popes haue done to kings in time past and make them restore it also, And ought to take away from them theyr landes whiche they haue gotten with their false prayers, & restore it vnto the right heyres agayne, or with consent & aduisemēt turne them vnto the mayn∣teinyng of the poore and bringyng vp of youth vertuously and to maynteine necessary officers and ministers for to defend the common wealth.

If he will not do it: then ought the commons to take pacience and to take it for Gods scourge, and to thinke that God hath blynded the kyng for theyr sinnes sake and commit their cause to God: And then shall God make a scourge for them and driue them out of his Temple after hys wonderfull iud∣gement.

ON the other side I haue also vtte∣red the wickednes of the spiritu∣altie, the falshead of the Byshops, and iugglyng of the Pope, and how they haue disguised them selues, borowyng some of their pompe of y^e Iewes, and some of the Gentiles, and haue with suttill wyles turned the obedience that should be geuen to Gods ordinaunce vnto them selues. And how they haue put out Gods Testament and Gods truth and set vp their owne traditions and lyes, in which they haue taught y^e people to beleue & there by sit in their consciences as God, and haue by that meanes robbed the world of landes & goodes, of peace and vnitie, and of all temporal authoritie, and haue brought the people into the ignoraunce of God & haue heaped the wrath of God vpon all realmes & namely vpon the kings. Whom they haue robbed (I speake not of worldly thinges onely) but euen of their very natural wittes. They make thē beleue that they are most Christen, whē they lyue most abhominably, and will suffer no man in their Realmes that beleueth on Christ, and that they are defenders of the fayth, when they burne the Gospell & promises of God, out of which all fayth springeth.

I shewed how they haue ministred Christ, Kyng and Emperour out of their rowmes, & how they haue made them a seuerall kyngdome which they gote at the first in deceauyng of Prin∣ces, and now peruert the whole scrip∣ture to proue that they haue such au∣thoritie of God. And lest the lay men should see how falsely they alledge the places of the Scripture, is the greatest cause of this persecution.

They haue fained confession for the same purpose to stablish their kyng∣dome * 1.657 with all. All secretes know they therby. The Bishop knoweth the con∣fession of whom he lusteth throughout all his Dioces. Yea and his Chaunce∣ler commaundeth the ghostly father to deliuer it written. The pope, his Car∣dinals and Byshops know the confes∣sion of the Emperour, Kyngs, & of all Lordes: & by confession they know all their captiues. If any beleue in Christ, by confession they know him. Shriue thy selfe where thou wilt, whether at * 1.658 Sion charterhouse or at the obseruāts thy confession is knowen wel inough. And thou, if thou beleue in Christ, art wayted vppon. Wonderfull are the thinges that therby are wrought. The wife is feared and compelled to utter not her own onely but also the secretes of her husband, and the seruaunt the se∣cretes of his master. Besides that tho∣raugh confession they quench the fayth of all the promises of God, and take a∣way the effect and vertue of all y^e Sa∣cramentes of Christ.

They haue also corrupted y^• Saintes liues with lyes and fayned miracles & haue put many thinges out of the sen∣tence or great curse, as raysing of ••ente and fines and hyring men out of their houses, and whatsoeuer wickednes they them selues do, & haue put a great part of the stories and Chronicles ont of the waye lest their falshead shoulde be sene. For there is no mischieues or * 1.659 disorder, whether it be in the temporall regiment, or els in the spiritual wher∣of they are not the chief causes and euē the very fountayne and springes, and as we say, the wel head so that it is im∣possible to preach agaynst mischief ex∣cept thou begyn at them, or to set any reformation in the world except thou reforme them first. Now are they in∣durate and tough as Pharao, and will not bow vnto any right way or order. And therefore persecute they Gods word and the preachers therof, and on the other side lye awayte vnto all prin∣ces & stirre vp all mischief in the world and send them to warre, and occupy their myndes therewith or with other voluptuousnes, lest they should haue laysure to heare the word of God and to set an order in their realmes.

By them is all thing ministred and by them are all kynges ruled: yea in euery kynges conscience sit they ••re he be king and persuade euery king what they lust, and make thē both to beleue what they will and to doe what they will. Neither can any kyng or any re∣alme haue rest for their businesses. Be∣hold kyng Henry the v. whom they sēt out for such a purpose as they sent out our kyng that now is. See how the Realme is inhabited. Aske where the goodly townes and their walles and the people that was wont to be in thē are become, and where the bloud royal of the Realme is become also. Turne thine eyes whether thou wilt & thou shalt see nothing prosperons but their suttle pollyng. With that it is flowyng water: yea and I trust it wilbe short∣ly a full see.

In all their doynges though they * 1.660 pretend outwardly the honour of God or a common wealth, their entent and secret Councell is onely to bryng all vnder their power and to take out of the way who soeuer letteth them, or is to mighty for them. As whē they send the Princes to Hierusalem to cōquere the holy land and to fight agaynst the Turkes. What soeuer they pretende outwardly their secret entent is, while the Princes there conquere them more Bishoprikes, to conquere their landes in the meane season with their false hi∣pocrisie, and to bryng all vnder them, which thou mayest easely perceaue by that they will not let vs know y^• fayth of Christ. And when they are ones on hye, then are they tyrauntes aboue all tyrauntes, whether they be Turkes or Saracenes. How minister they pro∣uyng of testamentes? How causes of wedlocke? or if any man dye intestate? If a poore man dye and leaue his wi••e and halfe a dosen young children & but one cow to finde them, that will they haue for a mortuary mercylesse: let come of wife and children what will. Yea let any thyng be done agaynst their pleasure and they will interdite the whole realme sparyng no person.

Read the Chronicles of England (out of which yet they haue put a great part of their wickednesse) & thou shalt finde them all wayes both rebellious and disobedient to the kinges and also churiish and vnthankeful, so that, whē all the Realme gaue the kyng some∣what to maynteine him in his right, they would not geue a myte. Consider the story of K. Iohn, where I dout not but they haue put the best & fayrest for them selues, & the worst of kyng Iohn, For I suppose they make the Chroni∣cles them selues. Compare the doings of their holy Church (as they euer call it) vnto the learnyng of Christ and of his Apostles. Did not the Legate of Rome assoyle all the Lordes of the re∣alme of their due obediēce which they ought to the king by the ordinaunce of God? would he not haue cursed y^• king with his solemne pompe, because he would haue done that office whiche God commaundeth euery kyng to do and wherfore God hath put the sword in euery kynges hand? that is to wete, because kyng Iohn would haue puni∣shed a wicked Clerke that had coyned false money. The lay men that had not done halfe so great fautes must dye, but the Clerke must go escape fre. Sēt not the Pope also vnto the kyng of Fraunce remission of his sinnes to go and conquere kyng Iohns Realme. So now remission of sinnes commeth not by fayth in the Testament that God hath made in Christes bloud: but by fightyng & murtheryng for the Popes pleasure. Last of all was not kyng Iohn fayne to deliuer his crowne vnto the Legate and to yeld vp his Realme vnto the Pope, wherfore we pay Pe∣ter

pēce. They might be called the pol∣lyng pence of false Prophetes well i∣nough. They care not by what mis∣chief they come by their purpose. War and cōquering of landes is their har∣uest. The wickeder the people are, the more they haue the hypocrites in reue∣rence, the more they feare them and the more they beleue in them. And they that cōquere other mens landes, whē they dye, make them their heyres, to be prayed for for euer. Let there come one * 1.661 cōquest more in the Realme, and thou shalt see them get yet as much more as they haue (if they can keepe downe Gods word that their iugglyng come not to light) yea thou shalt see them take y^• Realme whole into their hādes and crowne one of them selues kyng therof. And veryly I see no other like∣lyhode, but that the land shalbe shortly conquered. The starres of the Scrip∣ture promise vs none other fortune, in as much as we denye Christ with the wicked Iewes, and will not haue him reigne ouer vs: but wilbe still children of darknes vnder Antichrist, and An∣tichristes possession, burnyng the Gos∣pell of Christ, and defendyng a fayth that may not stand with hys holy Te∣stament.

If any mā shed bloud in the church, it shalbe interoited, til he haue payd for the halowing. If he be not able the pa∣rish must paye or els shall it stand al∣wayes interdited. They wilbe auen∣ged on them that neuer offended. Full well prophesied of them. Paule in the ij. Epistle to Timo. iij. Some man wil say, wouldest thou that men should fight in the Church vnpunished? Nay but let the kyng ordeine a punishment for them, as he doth for them that fight in his palace and let not all the Parish be troubled for ons faule. And as for their halowing it, is y^t iuggling of An∣tichrist. A Christen mā is the temple of God and of the holy ghost, & halowed in Christes bloud. A Christē mā is ho∣ly in him selfe by reason of the spirite y^t dwelleth in him and the place wherin he is, is holy be reasō of him, whether he be in the field or towne. A Christen husband sanctifieth an vnchristē wife, and a Christen wife an vnchristen hus∣band (as concernyng the vse of matri∣mony) sayth Paul to the Corinthians. If now while we seeke to be halowed in Christ, we are found vnholy, & must be halowed by the grounde or place or walles, thē died Christ in vayne. How beit Antichrist must haue wherwith to sit in mens consciences, and to make them feare where is no feare, and to robbe them of their faith, and to make them trust in that can not helpe them, and to seeke holynes of that which is not holy in it selfe.

After that the old kyng of Fraunce was brought down out of Italy, mark what pageaūtes haue ben playes, and what are yet a playeng to separate vs frō the Emperour (lest by the helpe or ayde of vs he should be able to recouer his right of the Pope) & to couple vs to the Frēchmē, whose might the pope euer abuseth to keepe the Emperour frō Italy. What preuayleth it for any kyng to mary his daughter or his sōne or to make any peace or good ordina∣unce for the wealth of his realme? For it shal no longer last thē it is profitable to them. Their treason is so secret that the world cā not perceaue it. They dis∣simule those thynges whiche they are onely cause of, & simul discorde among them selues whē they are most agreed. One shall hold this, and another shall dispute the contrary: But the conclu∣siō shalbe that most maynteineth their falshead, though Gods word be neuer so contrary. What haue they wrought in our days, yea and what worke they yet, to the perpetuall dishonour of the Kyng and rebuke of the Realme, and shame of all the nation in what soeuer Realmes they go?

I vttered vnto you partly the mali∣cious * 1.662 blindnes of the Byshop of Ro∣chester, his iuggling his cōneying, his foxi wilenes, his bopepe, his wresting, rentyng and shamefull abusyng of the Scripture, his Oratory & aliegyng of heretikes and how he would make the Apostles authors of blind ceremonies without signification contrary to their owne doctrine, and haue set him for an ensample to iudge all other by. What soeuer thou art that readest this. I ex∣horte thee in Christ, to cōpare his ser∣mon and that which I haue written, and the scripture together and iudge. There shalt thou finde of our holy fa∣thers authoritie, and what it is to be great, and how to know the greatest.

Then foloweth the cause why laye mē can not rule tēporall offices which is the falshead of the Bishops. There shalt thou finde of miracles & ceremo∣nies without signification, of false an∣noynting & lyeng signes & false names and how the spiritualtie are disguised in falshead, & how they rowle the peo∣ple in darkenes and do all thing in the

Latin toung and of their pety pyllage, Their polling is like a soking consūp∣tion wherin a man cōplaineth of feble∣nes and of fayntynes and wotteth not whence his disease commeth: it is lyke a pocke that freateth inward and con∣sumeth the very marow of the bones.

There seest thou the cause why it is impossible for kynges to come to the * 1.663 knowledge of the truth. For the sprites lay awaite for them & serue their appe∣tites at all poyntes and through cōfes∣sion buy and sel and betray both them, and all their true frendes & lay beytes for them and neuer leaue them till they haue blinded them with their sophistry & haue brought them into their nettes. And thē whē the kyng is captiue, they compell all the rest with violēce of his sword. For if any man will not obey them be it right or wrōg they cite him, suspēde hym, and curse or excommuni∣cate him. If he then obey not they deli∣uer him to Pylate, that is to say, vnto the temporall officers to destroy him. Last of all there findest thou the very cause of all persecution, whiche is the preachyng agaynst hypocrisie.

Then come we to the Sacramētes, where thou seest that the worke of the Sacrament saueth not, but the fayth in the promise which the Sacramēt signi∣fieth iustifieth vs onely. There hast y^u that a Priest is but a seruaunt to teach onely and what soeuer he taketh vpon him more then to preach & to minister the Sacramentes of Christ (whiche is also preaching) is falshead.

Then cōmeth how they iuggle tho∣rough dōme ceremonies & how they make marchaūdise with fained words, penaunce, a poena & a culpa, satisfactiō, attrition, character, Purgatory picke∣purse and how through confessiō they make the Sacramētes and all the pro∣mise of none effect or value. There seest thou that absoluyng is but preachyng the promises & cursing or excommuni∣cating preachyng the law, and of their power, & of their keyes, of false mira∣cles & prayeng to Saintes. There seest * 1.664 thou that ceremonies dyd not the mi∣racles but faith: euē as it was not Mo∣ses, rodde that did y^• miracles but Mo∣ses fayth in the promise of God. Thou seest also that to haue a fayth where God hath not a promise is Idolatry. And there also seest thou how the pope exalteth him self aboue God and com∣maūdeth him to obey his tyrāny. Last of all thou hast there that no mā ought to preach but he that is called.

Thē foloweth the bely brotherhead of Monkes & Friers. For Christ hath deserued nought with them. For his sake gettest thou no fauor. Thou must offer vnto their belyes & thē they pray bitterly for thee. There seest thou that Christ is the onely cause: yea & all the cause why God doth ought for vs and heareth our complaint. And there hast thou doctrine how to know and to be sure that thou art elect and hast Gods sprite in thee. And hast there learnyng to try the doctrine of our spirites.

Then folow the foure senses of the Scripture of which three are no senses and the fourth that is to wite the litte∣rall sense which is the very sense hath the Pope taken to him selfe. It may haue no other meanyng thē as it plea∣seth his fatherhode. We must abyde his interpretatiō. And as his belles thinke so must we thinke, though it be impos∣sible together any such meanyng of the Scripture. Then hast thou the very vse of Allegories and how they are * 1.665 nothyng but ensamples borowed of the Scripture to expresse a text or an open conclusion of the Scripture and as it were to paynte it before thyne eyes, that thou mayest feele the mea∣nyng and the power of the Scripture in thyne hart. Then commeth the vse of worldly similitudes, & how they are * 1.666 false Prophetes which bring a world∣ly similitude for any other purpose, saue to expresse more playnly y^• which is cōteined in an open text. And so are they also whiche draw the Scripture contrary to the open places and cōtra∣ry to the ensample liuyng and practi∣sing of Christ, the Apostles and of the holy Prophetes. And then finally hast thou of our holy fathers power and of hys keyes and of hys bindyng and excommunicatyng and of his cursyng and blessyng with ensamples of euery thyng.

The end of the obedience of a Christen man.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The nature of Gods word is to be persecu∣ted.
• * 1.2

  The Pope is receaued and recea∣ueth and per secuteth.
• * 1.3

  Loue of the world is ha∣tred of God and his ho∣ly Gospell.
• * 1.4

  God defen∣deth his do∣ctrine hym selfe.
• * 1.5

  Gods word sighteth a¦gaynst hipo¦crites.
• * 1.6

  Nowe our master Christ was entreated••
• * 1.7

  The craft o•• the hypo∣crites.
• * 1.8

  Gods truth worketh w•• ders & ma¦keth the wisedome of the hypocri∣tes foolish∣nes.
• * 1.9

  The captiui¦tie of the Is∣raelit•••• vn¦der 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.10

  If〈…〉〈…〉with〈…〉〈…〉who can be 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.11

  If God be with vs, who can be against vs? Pharao s••ai∣eth the men children.
• * 1.12

  How Mo∣ses comfor∣teth the Is∣raelites.
• * 1.13

  Gods truth fighteth for vs.
• * 1.14

  God tryeth the fayth of his children.
• * 1.15

  God wor∣keth back∣ward.
• * 1.16

  Ioseph.
• * 1.17

  Israelites.
• * 1.18

  Dauid.
• * 1.19

  How Bi∣shops in∣struct kings.
• * 1.20

  Wherunto a christian is called.
• * 1.21

  Our fighting is to suffer while God fighteth for vs.
• * 1.22

  The wise∣dome of the Serpent.
• * 1.23

  He maketh a mocke of him selfe, that casteth not the ende ••re he begin
• * 1.24

  How is the Pope ••ure whiche ta∣keth all for Christes sake but for∣saketh nought.
• * 1.25

  Tribulation is ou•• Bap∣tisme.
• * 1.26

  Tribulation is a blessing
• * 1.27

  Prosperitie is a curse.
• * 1.28

  Tribulation in the gift of God.
• * 1.29

  Wherby the are the pope and byshops sure?
• * 1.30

  The weake•• to the world the stronger to Christ.
• * 1.31

  Weakenes of the flesh a the strength of the spirite
• * 1.32

  Flesh.
• * 1.33

  In ij. things we are put to our chois••
• * 1.34

  The diffe∣rēce betwen the children of God & of the deuill.
• * 1.35

  The deuils wages.
• * 1.36

  All Gods children are vnder cha∣sticing.
• * 1.37

  Which way go the By∣shops to hea¦uen then?
• * 1.38

  The tyrātes haue not po∣wer to doe what they would.
• * 1.39

  The promi∣ses of God are comfor∣table, yea they are all comfort.
• * 1.40

  A Christen mans care.
• * 1.41

  The despi∣sers, persecu¦tors & they that fall frō the word are threatened.
• * 1.42

  N•…•…. Loth. Moses and Aaron.
• * 1.43

  The Pro∣phetes.
• * 1.44

  Christ.
• * 1.45

  •…•…ildas,
• * 1.46

  ••hey be spi∣•…•…tuall: that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 de••ilishe: •…•…r the de∣•…•…ll is a spi∣•…•…t••.
• * 1.47

  We must in no case deny Christ.
• * 1.48

  God recea∣ueth them that come a∣gayne.
• * 1.49

  Why God letteth hys elect fall.
• * 1.50

  That the Scripture ought to bee in the Eng∣lish toung.
• * 1.51

  Whette th•• on thy chil∣dren that is exercise thy children in them, and put them 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••re.
• * 1.52

  No nor sy•• Iohn hys ghostly chil∣dren.
• * 1.53

  Holy dayes
• * 1.54

  Our Schole masters take great wages but teach not.
• * 1.55

  Why the preachers are not belo∣ued when they saye trouth.
• * 1.56

  The curates wotte not what a Bi∣ble meaneth
• * 1.57

  The Priests vnderstand ••o Latin.
• * 1.58

  Search the Scriptures.
• * 1.59

  Agaynste Christ is knowen by his dedes. A seuerall kyngdome.
• * 1.60

  Seuerall lawes. What christ lowseth ••re∣ly the Pope byndeth to lowse it a∣gayne for money. A secret coū∣sayle.
• * 1.61

  Person.
• * 1.62

  Vicare.
• * 1.63

  Parishe Priest.
• * 1.64

  The prop•…•…∣ties of the Hebrue toung agree with the English.
• * 1.65

  Kyng Adel∣ston.
• * 1.66

  Contrary preachyng.
• * 1.67

  Contrary Doctours.
• * 1.68

  Antechrist turneth the rootes of the tree vp∣ward.
• * 1.69

  The Scrip∣ture is the triall of all doctrine, & the right touch stone.
• * 1.70

  Philosophy
• * 1.71

  Aristotle.
• * 1.72

  Scripture.
• * 1.73

  Aristotle.
• * 1.74

  Paul.
• * 1.75

  Aristotle.
• * 1.76

  〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.77

  Philosophy Paul.
• * 1.78

  When no man will teach, if we desire▪ God will teach.
• * 1.79

  The order of teachyng.
• * 1.80

  The disorder or ouer thwar•• order of our 〈◊〉〈◊〉 men. The schole doctrine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 they call 〈◊〉〈◊〉 corrupteth the iudge¦mentes o•• youth.
• * 1.81

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.82

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.83

  Yet in this they all a∣gree, that no〈…〉〈…〉is saued 〈…〉〈…〉▪ 〈…〉〈…〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 th•…•…〈…〉〈…〉•…•…∣er▪ and that t••e Pope〈…〉〈…〉C•…•…st 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me〈…〉〈…〉to who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will and take them ••••om whom 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will. 〈◊〉〈◊〉: ye 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.84

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 simi∣〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.85

  〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.86

  Place.〈…〉〈…〉〈◊〉〈◊〉. •…•…s wise∣〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••s 〈◊〉〈◊〉∣••ol••t••y. ••hat •…•…od 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.87

  Then thinke the papistes their wicked lyfe will shew it selfe to theyr shame and confusion.
• * 1.88

  The Pope licenced the people to read & say what they would saue the truth.
• * 1.89

  But the one forbiddeth not theyr pompe and be••••y cheate, as the other doth.
• * 1.90

  Prelates not profes∣sors but p•…•…∣phaners of Gods word.
• * 1.91

  The obediē∣ce of mō•…•… not 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 t••ey 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no•• of〈…〉〈…〉but〈…〉〈…〉〈◊〉〈◊〉 say∣uyng.
• * 1.92

  The hyppo∣crites lay that to Gods worde which they themselues o••e cause of. God war∣neth ere he strike.
• * 1.93

  Whē God punisheth ••oo•…•…ry of the hipo∣crites: then say they: that new learning is the cause thereof.
• * 1.94

  Christ was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of •…•…∣tion.
• * 1.95

  Why trou∣ble folow∣eth the preaching of the Gos∣pell.
• * 1.96

  Christes flocke, a lit∣tle flocke.
• * 1.97

  As our Prelates do not take their voca∣tion to seke Gods glory and honour, but to liue easi∣lie, & pro∣mote them∣selues to dignitie.
• * 1.98

  Libertie.
• * 1.99

  God de∣stroyeth one wicked with an o∣ther. Gods word is not the cause of e∣uill.
• * 1.100

  Christes Disciples were long weake, and worldly mynded.
• * 1.101

  What the Popes do∣ctrine cau∣seth: he cō∣maundeth murther.
• * 1.102

  The popes doctrine is bloudy.
• * 1.103

  Christes doctrine to peaceable.
• * 1.104

  God auen∣geth hys doctrine him selfe.
• * 1.105

  How a mā ought to behaue him selfe in rea∣dyng of do∣ctours, and also in the Scripture.
• * 1.106

  Our fa∣thers and mothers are to vs in Gods stede.
• * 1.107

  What wee doe to our fathers & mothers, that we do to God.
• * 1.108

  The re∣ward of o∣bedience.
• * 1.109

  The re∣ward of di∣sobedience.
• * 1.110

  God auen∣geth diso∣bedience hym selfe though the officer will not.
• * 1.111

  Mariage.
• * 1.112

  couetous∣nes ma∣keth our spiritualitie that they cannot see that which a Turke is ashamed of.
• * 1.113

  Get her with child say they so shall thy cause bee best.
• * 1.114

  Gods com∣maunde∣mentes breake they throughe their owne traditions.
• * 1.115

  Money ma¦keth mar∣chaundise.
• * 1.116

  Iugglers.
• * 1.117

  Mariage altereth the degree of nature.
• * 1.118

  The hus∣band is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the wife in gods stede.
• * 1.119

  In suffe∣rynge wronges patiētly ••e folow the steppes of Christ.
• * 1.120

  The ma∣ster is vnto the seruan̄t in Gods stede.
• * 1.121

  Our spiri∣tualtie re∣tayne mens seruauntes not to ho∣nour God, but their. traditions and ceremo¦nies onely.
• * 1.122

  Christes doctrine & the Popes differre.
• * 1.123

  If thy ma∣ster please thee not shaue thy selfe a Monke a Frier or a Priest.
• * 1.124

  To obey no man is a spirituall thyng.
• * 1.125

  Rom. 13.
• * 1.126

  Kyngs. are chosen to suppresse the wic∣ked, & sup∣port the good.
• * 1.127

  An ••pte similitude.
• * 1.128

  Iudges are called Gods.
• * 1.129

  Blessyng.
• * 1.130

  Curse.
• * 1.131

  God re∣wardeth a•• obedience: though no mā els do.
• * 1.132

  God auen∣geth all di∣sobedience though no mā els do.
• * 1.133

  Vēgeance is Gods.
• * 1.134

  Dauid.
• * 1.135

  God de∣stroyeth one wicked by an other
• * 1.136

  God proui∣deth a mea∣nes to take the euil out of the way when they haue fulfil∣led their wickednes
• * 1.137

  Why Da∣uid slewe not Saul.
• * 1.138

  The kyng 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in the ro••••••e of god in this world.
• * 1.139

  The kyng must be re∣serued vnto the venge∣aunce of God.
• * 1.140

  It i•• not lawfull for a Christen subiect to resiste hys Prince, though he be an hea∣then man.
• * 1.141

  Kynges must make accompt of their do∣ynges one∣ly to God.
• * 1.142

  The kyng hath no po∣wer but to his damna∣tion to pri∣uiledge the spiritualtie to sinne vn∣punished.
• * 1.143

  A king is a great bene∣fite though he be neuer so euill.
• * 1.144

  Princes are ordei∣ned to p••∣uill do••rs.
• * 1.145

  The dam∣nation of Princes.
• * 1.146

  Sanctua∣ries.
• * 1.147

  Necke∣uerse.
• * 1.148

  Three na∣tures.
• * 1.149

  What it is to looke Moyses in the face.
• * 1.150

  Heauen commeth by Christ.
• * 1.151

  A Christen man seketh no more but Gods will.
• * 1.152

  Lustes.
• * 1.153

  Fre••ill.
• * 1.154

  Worldly witte.
• * 1.155

  The will is bond and ••ed.
• * 1.156

  Fredome.
• * 1.157

  All is sinne that sprin∣geth not of the spirite of God, and all that is not done in the light of Gods worde.
• * 1.158

  So do our spiritualtie in all their workes.
• * 1.159

  True mi∣racles are wrought to cōfirme the preaching, and not the God head of the prea∣cher.
• * 1.160

  Our hypo∣crites are blinde.
• * 1.161

  The religi∣ous looke vpon the out side onely.
• * 1.162

  The spri∣tuall man.
• * 1.163

  The natu∣rall man.
• * 1.164

  Feate is the last ••e∣medy.
• * 1.165

  Kinges de∣fend y^• false authoritie of the pope, their office punishing of sinne loyd apart.
• * 1.166

  Bishoppes minister the kinges du∣tie, their owne layde apart: yea, they perse∣cute their owne office.
• * 1.167

  Kynges do but waite on y^• Popes pleasure.
• * 1.168

  The iug∣ling of the Pope.
• * 1.169

  Bishops of Almany.
• * 1.170

  Mylane.
• * 1.171

  Byshops of Fraunce. A cappe of mainte∣naunce. Most Chri∣sten kyng. Defendre of the Popes Fayth. The eldest sonne of the holy 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• * 1.172

  Bl••••••ng of armes.
• * 1.173

  The Eng∣lish Bys∣shops.
• * 1.174

  The false∣hode of the Bishops.
• * 1.175

  O a cruell and an ab∣hominable example of tyranny: iudge them by theyr dedes saith Christ.
• * 1.176

  The whore of Babylō.
• * 1.177

  Confession.
• * 1.178

  Not Peter onely but Christ also was vnder the tempo∣rall sword.
• * 1.179

  The kings sinne in ge∣uing exēp∣tions & the Prelates in recea∣uyng them.
• * 1.180

  When the spiritualitie payeth tri∣bute.
• * 1.181

  Shameles iugglers.
• * 1.182

  They make no consciēce at any euill doyng.
• * 1.183

  They care for theyr neighbours as y^• wolfe doth for the shepe.
• * 1.184

  The euill ensample of the spiritu∣altie cau∣seth the lay to beleue that they are not bound to obey.
• * 1.185

  There is no Christē loue in thē.
• * 1.186

  What pur∣pose? euen to flatter the princes that they may abuse their autho¦ritie to sle•• who soeuer beleueth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Christ and to main∣teine the Pope.
• * 1.187

  Confessi••.
• * 1.188

  Prelates know all mens se∣cretes〈…〉〈…〉man the•…•….
• * 1.189

  ••oue ful∣filleth the law before God & not the out∣ward dede.
• * 1.190

  Agaynste workemen.
• * 1.191

  The deede fulfilleth the law be∣fore the world.
• * 1.192

  Faith ma∣keth a man to loue.
• * 1.193

  Iustifiyng.
• * 1.194

  The office or dutie of the law.
• * 1.195

  The bele∣uyng of Gods pro∣mises iusti∣fieth.
• * 1.196

  The spirite and the in∣ward ver∣tues are knowen by the out∣ward dede.
• * 1.197

  Ouercome thyne ene∣my with well doing.
• * 1.198

  The law.
• * 1.199

  The kyng.
• * 1.200

  Rulers are Gods gift.
• * 1.201

  Why the rulers are euill.
• * 1.202

  Euill ru∣lers are a signe that God is an∣gry with vs.
• * 1.203

  Why the Prelates are so wic∣ked.
• * 1.204

  The cause of false mi∣racles is: that we haue no lust vnto the truth.
• * 1.205

  The right way to came of bondage.
• * 1.206

  Euill ru∣lers ought not to be resisted.
• * 1.207

  God is al∣wayes one, alwayes true, al∣wayes mercifull, and exclu∣deth no mā from his promises.
• * 1.208

  A Christ•• man doth but suffer onely.
• * 1.209

  Euill ru∣lers are wholesome medicines.
• * 1.210

  A Christen man recea∣ueth.
• * 1.211

  How profi∣table aduer¦sitie is.
• * 1.212

  The grea∣test sinner is righte∣ous in Christ and the promi∣ses. And the perfec∣test and ho∣lyest is a sinner in the lawe & the fleshe.
• * 1.213

  Rigour in parentes towardes their chil∣children is to be es∣chued.
• * 1.214

  The right bringing vp of children.
• * 1.215

  The de∣struction & marring of children.
• * 1.216

  The mary∣age of chil∣dren with∣out con•…•… of their pa∣ren••es is vnlawfull.
• * 1.217

  In Christ we are all seruaunts, and he that hath know∣ledge is bounde.
• * 1.218

  Mē ought to rule their wiues by Gods worde.
• * 1.219

  Why the man is stronger then the woman.
• * 1.220

  Teach thy seruaunt to know Christ, and after Chri∣stes doc∣trine deale with hym.
• * 1.221

  Do all thyng with Gods worde.
• * 1.222

  Landlordes should raise no rentes, nor bring vp new customes.
• * 1.223

  God gaue ••he earth to men.
• * 1.224

  Landlordes should withstand the worng of the Te∣nauntes.
• * 1.225

  There is no respect of person a∣fore God.
• * 1.226

  Moyses.
• * 1.227

  Iudges.
• * 1.228

  O tyranny to compell a man to accuse him∣selfe.
• * 1.229

  Our Pre∣lates lear∣ned of Cay∣phas.
• * 1.230

  Secret sinnes per∣tayne vnto God to pu∣nishe, and open sinnes vnto the kyng.
• * 1.231

  ☜
• * 1.232

  Parcialitie in Iudges is wicked.
• * 1.233

  Parciali∣tie, & bribe takyng, is the pesti∣lence of Iudges.
• * 1.234

  ☞
• * 1.235

  Women, pride and cōtempt of subiectes, are the pe∣stilence of Princes.
• * 1.236

  Vayne names.
• * 1.237

  The holy father lonseth peace and vm••••e trace tr••uth and a•• honesty.
• * 1.238

  What the keyes ar•• & why they are so cal∣led.
• * 1.239

  The keyes are promi∣sed.
• * 1.240

  The keyes are payde.
• * 1.241

  To bynde and loose.
• * 1.242

  Repen∣taunce and forgeuenes come by preachyng.
• * 1.243

  Peter pra∣ctiseth his keyes.
• * 1.244

  The popes authoritie: is to preach gods word onely.
• * 1.245

  Beware of the net and of the leuen and of the counterfet keyes of our holy fa∣ther.
• * 1.246

  Not w^t an hereticke sayth the Pope.
• * 1.247

  Vnlawfull vowes or othes men are com∣maunded to breake.
• * 1.248

  Byshops.
• * 1.249

  Behold the face of the Pope and of the By∣shops in this glasse.
• * 1.250

  Peters pa∣trimonie.
• * 1.251

  The popes authoritie is impro∣ued.
• * 1.252

  Byshops haue capti∣ued Gods word with theyr owne decrees.
• * 1.253

  Rochester.
• * 1.254

  They walke in shadowes.
• * 1.255

  Aaron is euery true preacher.
• * 1.256

  Aaron re∣presenteth Christ.
• * 1.257

  Aaron ad∣deth no∣thyng to Moses law.
• * 1.258

  The Apo∣stles prea∣ched not Peter: but Christ.
• * 1.259

  Paule is greater thā hye Apo∣stles.
• * 1.260

  Paule is greater thē Peter.
• * 1.261

  Paul pro∣ued his A∣postleshyp with prea∣chyng and sufferyng: The By∣shops proue there Apo∣stleshyp w^t bulles & shadowes.
• * 1.262

  The Apo∣stles were sent of Christ w^t like autho∣ritie.
• * 1.263

  The autho¦ritie that Christ gaue was to preache Christes word.
• * 1.264

  ☞
• * 1.265

  ☞
• * 1.266

  Why By∣shops make them a god on earth.
• * 1.267

  Aarō made a calfe. And the Pope maketh Bulles.
• * 1.268

  The shauē nation hath put Christ out of hys ••owme, and all kin∣ges and the Emperour.
• * 1.269

  Christ is but a vaine name.
• * 1.270

  Proper ministers.
• * 1.271

  Rochester is proued both igno∣rant and malicious.
• * 1.272

  The Epi∣stles of Paule are the Gos∣pell.
• * 1.273

  What Gospell signifieth.
• * 1.274

  One Gos∣pell, one spirite, one truth.
• * 1.275

  The au∣thoritie of Paule, and of hys Gospell.
• * 1.276

  Rochester playeth bo•• pepe.
• * 1.277

  Neuer mā for bad to marry saue the Pope.
• * 1.278

  The cause why they will not haue the scripture in Englishe.
• * 1.279

  Tully chiefe of Oratours.
• * 1.280

  Rochester alleageth Paule for his blinde ceremonies contrary to Paules doctrine.
• * 1.281

  It is not lawfull for vs to tell what pray∣er is, what fasting is, or where∣fore it ser∣ueth.
• * 1.282

  Payne of cursing, damnatiō, and so forth.
• * 1.283

  If Paule had none authoritie: thē had Pe¦ter none, where had then the Pope this authoritie?
• * 1.284

  Rochester is impro∣ued.
• * 1.285

  Wherefore the spiritu∣all officers are orday∣ned.
• * 1.286

  Rochester alleageth heretikes for his purpose for lacke of scripture.
• * 1.287

  Robyn∣hode is of authoritie enough to proue the Pope withall.
• * 1.288

  Rochester is an Ora∣toure.
• * 1.289

  Rochester is cleane beside hymselfe.
• * 1.290

  If Roche∣ster be such a iuggler: What sup∣pose ye of the rest? let Rochester be an ex∣ample ther¦fore to iudge them all.
• * 1.291

  Faith is the roote: and loue springeth of fayth.
• * 1.292

  Though Rochester haue not the spirite to iudge spirituall thinges, yet ought reason to haue kept him from so shameful lying. But God hath blynded him to bring their falshod to light.
• * 1.293

  The con∣trouersy betwene Iames & Paule.
• * 1.294

  Why de∣uils haue none of Paules fayth, nor sinners that repent not.
• * 1.295

  A mā may beleue that Christ di∣ed and ma∣ny other thynges, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not beleue in Christ.
• * 1.296

  What it is to beleue in Christ.
• * 1.297

  Why say men can not rule.
• * 1.298

  Men feare the Popes oyle more then Gods cōmaunde∣ment.
• * 1.299

  Fayth dri∣ueth y^• de∣uil•• away.
• * 1.300

  Why doe not the Byshops make hym flee from shotyng of gunnes.
• * 1.301

  Ceremo∣nies dyd not the mi∣racle but fayth.
• * 1.302

  Let them tell what the cere∣mony mea∣neth.
• * 1.303

  The priest disguiseth hym selfe with the passion of Christ.
• * 1.304

  Domme ceremonies quench fayth and loue and make the infidels to mocke vs.
• * 1.305

  The pro∣phesie of Christ is fulfilled.
• * 1.306

  The testa∣ment of the obseruaun∣tes.
• * 1.307

  False an∣noynted.
• * 1.308

  Christes prophesis▪ be it neuer so terrible must be yet fulfilled.
• * 1.309

  Christ was neither sha¦nen nor shorne nor annoynted with oyle.
• * 1.310

  Hee that doth ought to make sa∣tisfaction or to get hea∣uen hath lost his parte of Christes bloud.
• * 1.311

  To our neighbour make we amendes.
• * 1.312

  The Apo∣stles were neither sha¦ue nor sho∣ren nor an∣noynted with oyle.
• * 1.313

  Byshop: an ouersear.
• * 1.314

  The true annoynting old Priest.
• * 1.315

  This oyle is not a∣mong our Byshops.
• * 1.316

  Priestes ought to to haue wi∣ues & why.
• * 1.317

  What the Priestes dutie is to do: & what to haue.
• * 1.318

  Men are not bound to pay the Priest in tithes, by Gods law.
• * 1.319

  Deacon what it sig∣nifieth and what is his office.
• * 1.320

  No beg∣gers.
• * 1.321

  How holy dayes and offerynges came vp.
• * 1.322

  Saintes were not yet Gods.
• * 1.323

  Why lādes were geuē vnto the spirituall officers be∣for we fell from the fayth.
• * 1.324

  False an∣noynted.
• * 1.325

  Shauyng is borowed of the hea∣then, and oylyng of y^• Iewes.
• * 1.326

  False names.
• * 1.327

  Lying sig∣nes.
• * 1.328

  No wife but ••n whore.
• * 1.329

  Take a di∣spensation.
• * 1.330

  Knaueate.
• * 1.331

  Bootes.
• * 1.332

  Miters.
• * 1.333

  Cite them.
• * 1.334

  Pose thē.
• * 1.335

  Make thē heretickes.
• * 1.336

  Burne thē
• * 1.337

  Curse thē.
• * 1.338

  Feare thē.
• * 1.339

  All in La∣tine.
• * 1.340

  Rolle thē.
• * 1.341

  Syng.
• * 1.342

  Ryng.
• * 1.343

  Lulle thē.
• * 1.344

  Rocke thē a slepe.
• * 1.345

  Pray in Latin.
• * 1.346

  Say them a Gospell.
• * 1.347

  What quod my Lord of Canterbu∣ry.
• * 1.348

  Crosse.
• * 1.349

  Turmoy∣lers.
• * 1.350

  The craft of the Prelates.
• * 1.351

  Interdict
• * 1.352

  Peter 〈◊〉〈◊〉 neuer to schole at the arches.
• * 1.353

  The Pope hath one kyngdome more then God hym∣selfe.
• * 1.354

  Shering what it signifieth.
• * 1.355

  Tot quot.
• * 1.356

  Bishops that preach not.
• * 1.357

  Tithes.
• * 1.358

  Temporall landes.
• * 1.359

  Frechap∣pell.
• * 1.360

  Testa∣mentes.
• * 1.361

  Offering dayes. Priuy tythes.
• * 1.362

  Mortua∣ries.
• * 1.363

  If he die frō home.
• * 1.364

  Thou must paye ere thou passe.
• * 1.365

  Pety pil∣lage.
• * 1.366

  Confession.
• * 1.367

  First Masse. Profes∣singes. Contura∣tions.
• * 1.368

  Parson. Ʋicare. Parishe priest. Fryers.
• * 1.369

  Spirituall lawe.
• * 1.370

  A proper commodi∣tie of con∣fession.
• * 1.371

  Laye your hand on the booke.
• * 1.372

  No man may auēge saue the kyng▪ and he is bound by his of∣fice.
• * 1.373

  Kinges are in captiui∣tie.
• * 1.374

  The dutie of kynges.
• * 1.375

  Vnlawfull othes ought to be broken, and may without dispensa∣tion.
• * 1.376

  The kyng only ought to punish sinne: I meane that is broken forth, the hart must remaine to God.
• * 1.377

  The sprite perteineth vnto the shauen onely.
• * 1.378

  The kings law is Gods law.
• * 1.379

  How men ought to iudge, que∣stions of the scrip∣ture.
• * 1.380

  We come oft to schole. But are neuer caught.
• * 1.381

  Kinges ought to see what they doe and not to beleue the By∣shoppes, namely, se∣ing their liuing is so sore sus∣pects,
• * 1.382

  It pertei∣neth vnto all men to know the scriptures.
• * 1.383

  ☞
• * 1.384

  Be learned ye that iudge the earth.
• * 1.385

  The kings are become Antichrists hangmen.
• * 1.386

  Be learned ye that iudge the earth.
• * 1.387

  Who slew the pro∣phetes.
• * 1.388

  Why were the pro∣phetes slayne?
• * 1.389

  What dee∣des of mer∣cy teach the hipocrited?
• * 1.390

  Why flew they christ?
• * 1.391

  The keyes.
• * 1.392

  Christ is a traitor and a breaker of the kynges peace.
• * 1.393

  How the hypocrites bynde and lose. ☞
• * 1.394

  Be lear∣ned ye that iudge the earth.
• * 1.395

  ••or rebu∣kyng this 〈…〉〈…〉. And for the same cause are we perse∣cutes.
• * 1.396

  They bee〈…〉〈…〉Purgatory that make perpetu∣•…•….
• * 1.397

  Why it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Pur gatory.
• * 1.398

  Scala C•…•….
• * 1.399

  The doore is stopt vys ye must clyme and scale the walles.
• * 1.400

  Some are prayed for and prayed to also.
• * 1.401

  The craft that hel∣peth other helpeth not his owne master.
• * 1.402

  Prayer was not sold in the old tyms.
• * 1.403

  Their pra∣yer brea∣keth the great com∣maunde∣ment of God. It is tyme that they were tyed by therfore.
• * 1.404

  The bur∣dens of our spirituall lawyers.
• * 1.405

  Confession tormenteth the consci∣ence: rob∣beth the purse of money, and the soule of fayth.
• * 1.406

  Bagges or bables to be knowen by.
• * 1.407

  Glorious names.
• * 1.408

  How are they este∣med?
• * 1.409

  Kinges are down: they can not go lower.
• * 1.410

  Our hypo∣crites lyue by theft.
• * 1.411

  Consciēces that are so narrow a∣bout tradi∣tions, haue wyde mouthes about gods cōmaunde∣mentes.
• * 1.412

  As the Iewes are the childrē of Abrahā: so are the Byshops the succes∣sours of the Apo∣stles.
• * 1.413

  The spiri∣tualty haue taught to feare their traditions.
• * 1.414

  They wynne somewhat alwayes.
• * 1.415

  ☜
• * 1.416

  They that seke honor haue no fayth, nei∣ther can they do Gods mes∣sage.
• * 1.417

  Be lear∣ned.
• * 1.418

  Gods wordought all men to know.
• * 1.419

  They do all secretly. ☞
• * 1.420

  Gods wordought so iudge.
• * 1.421

  ••he right way to vn∣derstād the scripture.
• * 1.422

  The kings haue a iudge be∣fore whom my soule for yours helpeth not.
• * 1.423

  Preach what thou wilt but rebuke nor hypocrisie.
• * 1.424

  The Pre∣lates are clothed in red.
• * 1.425

  Pollaxe••.
• * 1.426

  Iudge the free by hys fruite, and not by his leanes.
• * 1.427

  Sacra∣mentes are signes of Gods pro∣mises.
• * 1.428

  The pro∣mise which the Sacra∣ment prea∣cheth, iustifi∣eth onely.
• * 1.429

  How the sacramētes iustifie.
• * 1.430

  Matrimo∣ny was not ordeined to signifie any promise.
• * 1.431

  If wed∣locke be holy, why had they leuer haue whores thē wines?
• * 1.432

  Character.
• * 1.433

  Sacerdos.
• * 1.434

  Presbiter.
• * 1.435

  Priestes now ought not to be annointed with oyle.
• * 1.436

  The office of a Priest.
• * 1.437

  They will be holier, but their deedes be not holy at all.
• * 1.438

  Compare their dedes to the doc∣trine end deedes of Christ. and of his Apo∣stles, and iudge their fruites.
• * 1.439

  What bles∣sing mea∣neth.
• * 1.440

  The com∣maunde∣ment ma∣keth Priestes.
• * 1.441

  Putting on of hāds.
• * 1.442

  What Iu∣das is now.
• * 1.443

  A point of practise.
• * 1.444

  ☞
• * 1.445

  Repen∣taunce.
• * 1.446

  Repen∣taunce is signified by Baptime.
• * 1.447

  ☜
• * 1.448

  One con∣fession is to knowledge wherein thou put∣test thy trust.
• * 1.449

  If when tyrauntes oppose thee thou haue power to confesse then art thou sure that thou & art sate.
• * 1.450

  An other confession is to know¦ledge thy sinnes in 〈…〉〈…〉 vnto God.
• * 1.451

  Shrift.
• * 1.452

  Shrift was put downe for knauery a∣mong the Greekes: But is sta∣blished the•• by among vs.
• * 1.453

  How a mā shall know that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sinnes are forgeuen.
• * 1.454

  Blind rea∣son to their guide and not Gods spirite.
• * 1.455

  Learne to know them for they are verely le∣pers in theyr hartes.
• * 1.456

  Attritiō is of the leues of the pha∣riseis.
• * 1.457

  Whom a man offen∣deth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 must hee confesse.
• * 1.458

  It hath no recorde in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 y^• Scrip∣ture that God shuld crepe in, & hyde him 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in An∣tichristes eare.
• * 1.459

  Christ is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 euerla∣styng satis∣faction.
• * 1.460

  Baptisme •…•…steth e∣••er.
• * 1.461

  Of byn∣dyng and loosing and of the Po∣pes autho∣ritie or power.
• * 1.462

  The Pope chalengeth power not ouer man onely but ouer God also.
• * 1.463

  Purgatory is the Po∣pes crea∣ture: he may ther∣fore be bold there.
• * 1.464

  The Pope bindeth the aungels.
• * 1.465

  The true byndyng & loosing.
• * 1.466

  S. Hie∣rome a∣gaynst Bi∣shops and Priestes.
• * 1.467

  The curse is to bee feared.
• * 1.468

  The right maner of loosing.
• * 1.469

  ☜
• * 1.470

  Christ vn∣derstode this texte all power is geuē me in heauen & in earth: & also vsed it farre other wise then the Pope.
• * 1.471

  ☜
• * 1.472

  What au∣thoritie Christ gaue hys Apostles.
• * 1.473

  The right byndyng & loosyng.
• * 1.474

  How the Pope reig∣neth vnder Christ.
• * 1.475

  A poena et a culia is a proper brea•…•….
• * 1.476

  The Pope is more mightie & more mer∣cifull for money, thē God is for the death of his one∣ly sonne.
• * 1.477

  The me∣rites of saintes.
• * 1.478

  The me∣rites of Christ.
• * 1.479

  The Pope selleth that which God geueth fre∣ly.
• * 1.480

  Fryers.
• * 1.481

  Sinne is y^• best mar∣chaundise that is.
• * 1.482

  Christ pro∣phesied of Antichrist and tolde why he shoulde come.
• * 1.483

  The pro∣mises are either put out or lea∣uened, and why.
• * 1.484

  All is in Latin.
• * 1.485

  The Pope commaun∣deth God to curse.
• * 1.486

  A custome that is vsed in the mar∣ches of waies.
• * 1.487

  Gods sa∣cramentes preach Gods pro∣mises.
• * 1.488

  The popes sacraments are dumme.
• * 1.489

  Christe∣ning of belles.
• * 1.490

  Why Suf¦fragās are ordeined.
• * 1.491

  The By∣shops de∣uide all a∣mong thē.
• * 1.492

  Ceremo∣nies bring not the ho∣ly Ghost.
• * 1.493

  Putting on of hāds.
• * 1.494

  Prayer of fayth doth the mira∣cles.
• * 1.495

  The •…•…∣ting on o•• hands doth neither helpe nor hinder.
• * 1.496

  What soe∣uer is not of fayth, is sinne.
• * 1.497

  The latine tounge de∣stroyeth the sayth.
• * 1.498

  That the worke without y^• promise sa∣ueth, is unproued.
• * 1.499

  The pro∣ple beleue in y^• worke without y^• pr•…•…e.
• * 1.500

  Volow•…•…g.
• * 1.501

  ☜
• * 1.502

  The wor∣ke saueth not, but the worde, that is to say, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 promise.
• * 1.503

  ☜
• * 1.504

  Workes, be they ne∣uer so glo∣rious iusti∣fie not.
• * 1.505

  In all thing they leaue ou•• the promi∣ses.
• * 1.506

  How farre forth the deede is ac∣ceptable to God.
• * 1.507

  Our pray∣ers accep∣table accor∣ding to our fayth, ou•• deedes ac∣cording to the measure of loue.
• * 1.508

  A Christē mā nedeth not to go a pilgrimage to be saued therby.
• * 1.509

  Saluation is with in vs.
• * 1.510

  Confession.
• * 1.511

  ☞
• * 1.512

  Byshops worke there trea∣son tho∣rough con∣fession.
• * 1.513

  Kynges be sworne to the bishops and not the Byshops vnto the kynges.
• * 1.514

  How shall they preach except they be sent is expounded.
• * 1.515

  Howe to know who is sent of God and who is not.
• * 1.516

  No man may preach but he that is called & sent of god. ☜
• * 1.517

  The diffe∣rence be∣twene true Sacra∣ments and false.
• * 1.518

  A sayth without Gods pro∣mise is ido∣latrie.
• * 1.519

  The By∣shops bles∣sing.
• * 1.520

  How the Apostles blessed vs.
• * 1.521

  Repentāce and sure fayth in in Christ purgeth our sinnes.
• * 1.522

  The prote∣station of the author.
• * 1.523

  Confession robbeth the Sacra∣ments and maketh thē frutelesse.
• * 1.524

  What grace is.
• * 1.525

  Howe to knowe what iusti∣fieth: and what not: or what bringeth grace and what not.
• * 1.526

  With their Chaplayns quoth hee: God geue grace their Chaplayns at the last make them not so mad to say ser∣uice alone while they.
• * 1.527

  True mi∣racles draw to Christ.
• * 1.528

  The effect and force of our good deedes.
• * 1.529

  False mi∣racles driue from Christ.
• * 1.530

  He that teacheth to trust in a saint is a false Pro∣phet.
• * 1.531

  What he should pray that pray∣eth for his neighbour.
• * 1.532

  The 〈…〉〈…〉 be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and not decea∣ued.
• * 1.533

  The spiri∣•…•… pray not that we might come to y^• knowledge of Christ.
• * 1.534

  The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are but an en∣•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.535

  Offerings cause of the mira∣cles.
• * 1.536

  God y^• fa∣ther fulfil∣leth his pro¦mises to vs for Chri∣stes sake, & not for the merites of saintes as y^• Papistes taught.
• * 1.537

  All such Martyrs are the po∣pes mar∣tyrs & not Gods. For mar∣tyr signifi∣eth a wit∣nes bearer: now is he not Gods witnes that testifi∣eth not his worde.
• * 1.538

  The rea∣sons which they make for y^• wor∣shipping of Saintes are solued.
• * 1.539

  It is not like wyth kynges and God.
• * 1.540

  Christ is no sinner.
• * 1.541

  Nothyng bringeth a man sooner to confusiō then the I∣dolatry of his owne imaginatiō
• * 1.542

  ••hrist is a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 geue to •…•…rs.
• * 1.543

  God loueth mercy.
• * 1.544

  Hypocrites loue o••••e∣••ynges.
• * 1.545

  We are at peace in our consciences when we beleue con∣stantly ou•• sinnes are remitted throughe Iesus Christ.
• * 1.546

  Why we come not to Christ.
• * 1.547

  God loo∣keth on our good dedes
• * 1.548

  Intichrist turneth the rootes of the trees vnword.
• * 1.549

  In Christ•• we are one as good as an other equally be∣loued & in∣differently heard.
• * 1.550

  Christ is all to a Christen man.
• * 1.551

  The chil∣drē of faith worke of loue and nede no law to cō∣p••ll them.
• * 1.552

  We are all Christes seruauntes and serue Christ.
• * 1.553

  The con∣tempt or loue, we shewe one to another, the same shewe we to Christ.
• * 1.554

  Christ knoweth nothyng worldly 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not his •…•…¦ry mother.
• * 1.555

  As long as Christ aby∣deth so lōg a Christen mā loueth.
• * 1.556

  Money byndeth not Christ•• people to pray.
• * 1.557

  God careth for his.
• * 1.558

  The bely to a God & cause of all vnto our spiritualty.
• * 1.559

  ••••ll is of the bely & nothyng of Christ.
• * 1.560

  Christes loue forget teth her selfe: but Monkes loue thin∣keth on the bely.
• * 1.561

  Friers and Monkes ought not to preach.
• * 1.562

  Christ is the whole cause why God lo∣ueth vs.
• * 1.563

  Howe to know that we are Goddes sonnes.
• * 1.564

  The lawe is y^• mark: yea and the touch stone where w^t we ought to trye our selues & see how farre ••orth we are pur∣ged.
• * 1.565

  Our byrth poyson that remayneth in vs. resi∣steth the spirite.
• * 1.566

  ☞
• * 1.567

  The right crosse of Christ.
• * 1.568

  Hee that loueth not the law & hateth sin hath no part with Christ.
• * 1.569

  Howe to try the do▪ ctrine of our spiri∣tualtie.
• * 1.570

  If the pra∣yers & me∣rites of our reli∣gious men purge our lustes then are they of value and els not.
• * 1.571

  ☞
• * 1.572

  What the spiritualtis taketh a∣way with their pray∣ers.
• * 1.573

  Whē other wept, they sing, and whē other loose, they wynne.
• * 1.574

  All is of Purgato∣ry. •…•…ese Phisitions geue none other medi¦cines saue purgations onely.
• * 1.575

  Allegory. & what it si∣gnifieth.
• * 1.576

  The scrip∣ture hath but one sence.
• * 1.577

  ••orowe•• ••peach▪ ☜
• * 1.578

  The right vse of alle∣gories.
• * 1.579

  Allegories are no sense of Scrip∣ture.
• * 1.580

  ☞
• * 1.581

  Allegories proue no∣thyng.
• * 1.582

  If thou c•• not proue the allego∣ry with an open text then is it false doc∣trine.
• * 1.583

  The litte∣rall sense proueth the allegory.
• * 1.584

  They th•••• iustifie thē selues by their wor∣kes are the bond chil∣dren of the law.
• * 1.585

  The fayth was lost thorough Allegories
• * 1.586

  Chopolo∣gicall so∣phisters.
• * 1.587

  Poetry is as good di∣uinitie as the Scrip∣ture to our schole men.
• * 1.588

  The litte∣rall sense killeth say sophisters.
• * 1.589

  The letter killeth ex∣pound this
• * 1.590

  To loue the law is righteous∣nes.
• * 1.591

  The litte∣rall sense is spirituall.
• * 1.592

  What is to be sought in y^• Scrip¦ture and in the litte∣•…•… sense.
• * 1.593

  The story of Ruben.
• * 1.594

  Swear•• they by their ho∣nour? th•••• are they not ready to suffer shame for Christes sake.
• * 1.595

  The adul∣tery of Da¦uid.
• * 1.596

  The diffe∣rence be∣twen gods sinners & the deuils.
• * 1.597

  Nos.
• * 1.598

  The Pope is likened to Ham.
• * 1.599

  They will to heauen by away of their owne makyng.
• * 1.600

  The vse of similitudes
• * 1.601

  A simili∣tude with∣out Scrip∣ture is a sure token of a false Prophet.
• * 1.602

  Paul prea∣ched not worldly wisedome.
• * 1.603

  Simili∣tudes and reasons of mans wis∣dome make no faith but waueryng opinions onely.
• * 1.604

  Goddes word ma∣keth sur•• fayth for God can not lye,
• * 1.605

  Peter pre∣ached not fables and false simili∣tudes but the playne Scripture
• * 1.606

  ☞
• * 1.607

  Schole do 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.608

  Simili∣tudes are no good ar∣gumentes among the sophisters owne selfe.
• * 1.609

  We must ••ure our in〈…〉〈…〉with the remedies that God hath ordei∣ned & not tempt god.
• * 1.610

  What 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.611

  ☞
• * 1.612

  ☜
• * 1.613

  In expoun∣dyng of the Scripture we must haue a res∣pect vnto the liuyng and practi∣sing of Christ and of his Apo∣stles and Prophetes.
• * 1.614

  The scrip∣ture was geuen to leade vs vnto Christ
• * 1.615

  ☞
• * 1.616

  Settes or orders.
• * 1.617

  Couetous∣nes & desire of honour is the ende of all false doc∣trine, and that which false pro∣phets seke.
• * 1.618

  Purgatory
• * 1.619

  Pardons.
• * 1.620

  Praying to saintes.
• * 1.621

  Confession.
• * 1.622

  An exam∣ple of false expoūding y^• scriptures.
• * 1.623

  Christ the ••ayth, and Gods word
• * 1.624

  is the rocke and not the Pope.
• * 1.625

  The aucto∣rity of Pe∣ters succes∣sour ••o but to preach.
• * 1.626

  That expo∣sitiō to false which is a∣gaynst th•• o••en scrip∣ture or a∣gaynst th•• practising of Christ and of hys Apostles.
• * 1.627

  Binding 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lowsing is one power.
• * 1.628

  What Ie∣sus signifi∣eth.
• * 1.629

  What byn∣ding mea∣neth.
• * 1.630

  What cur∣sing mea∣neth.
• * 1.631

  What low∣sing mea∣neth.
• * 1.632

  ☜
• * 1.633

  The Pope is Robyn goodfelow.
• * 1.634

  Of our sel∣ues we can performe noth••ng, further thē God •…•…ll geue vs power.
• * 1.635

  Another example.
• * 1.636

  To sit on Christes sea••e. is to preach and confesse Christ.
• * 1.637

  Christ re∣buked de∣sire of pre∣heminence in his Dis∣ciples, but the Pope chalengeth it aboue all men as hy•…•… owne inhe∣ritaunce.
• * 1.638

  Fathers fathers.
• * 1.639

  Miracles miracles.
• * 1.640

  The wo∣mā of Lem∣ster was a solempne miracle.
• * 1.641

  The ar∣mour of the spiritualtie.
• * 1.642

  The ar∣mour of a Christe mā is Gods word and fayth.
• * 1.643

  ☜
• * 1.644

  Gods woorde a∣bout all mens iudge mentes.
• * 1.645

  Fryers be not bound to preach.
• * 1.646

  How God ought to be serued.
• * 1.647

  In Christ to rest of conscience onely.
• * 1.648

  Do good deedes and trust in Christ.
• * 1.649

  Gods worde is the rule of childrē, ser∣uauntes, wyues & subiectes.
• * 1.650

  ••o please God ••o to beleue hys promises, & to loue hys commaun∣dementes.
• * 1.651

  He that will auēge, robbeth God of his honour.
• * 1.652

  How 〈◊〉〈◊〉 soeuer the kyng is. 〈…〉〈…〉 vnto th•…•… great gift of God.
• * 1.653

  The Pope hath a law that none of his sprites may be suerty.
• * 1.654

  The kyng is but a seruaunt to execute the lawes of God.
• * 1.655

  How farre a kyng ought to seeke at his commons handes.
• * 1.656

  Note. 4
• * 1.657

  Confession.
• * 1.658

  The mani∣folde enor∣mities which their auricular confession did breede.
• * 1.659

  The Pope and his chapteyns were the fountaines of all euils in spiritual•• regiment, or tēporall.
• * 1.660

  Vnder an outwarde pretence of Gods ho∣nor, the po∣•••••• Clergie procured their owne dignitie.
• * 1.661

  The kee∣pyng down of Gods word, pro∣moted the Popes spi∣ritualties honour.
• * 1.662

  The By∣shop of Ro¦chester as a fit paterna to〈…〉〈…〉••ll y^•〈…〉〈…〉a•…•….
• * 1.663

  The cause why kings coulde not come to the knowledge of y^• truth.
• * 1.664

  Miracles are done by fayth and not by cere∣monies.
• * 1.665

  The vse of Allegories.
• * 1.666

  The vse of similitudes▪