The firste parte of the Christian instruction, and generall so[m]me of the doctrine, conteyned in the holy Scriptures wherein the principall pointes of the religion are familiarly handled by dialogues, very necessary to be read of all Christians. Translated into Englishe, by Iohn Shute, accordyng to the late copy set forth, by th'author Maister Peter Viret. 1565. Ouersene and perused, accordyng to the order appointed, by the Queenes maiesties iniunctions.

❧ John Shute, to the faithfull reader, Grace mercy, and peace from God the father, thorowe our Lord Iesus Christ.

COnsiderynge that God requi∣reth no more of man, for his innumerable benefites (which he hath & doth from time to tyme bestow vpon him) but onely frāck obedience, the whiche he can no wise yelde duely vnto him, except he knowe him, and he can not know him but by his word, and for that ther be many aduersaries at this day, who will not haue men to deale with the word of God, nor to receiue any Religion, but such as shall be giuen vnto them by generall Councels: I haue thoght good to turn into y^• English toūg this litle worke, framed by the right famous, worthy & god∣ly learned man, M. Peter Viret: wherin you may see what cōmoditie the Church of God, hath reapt from time to time, of the Decrees and determinations of generall Councels, & of the ordinaunces & decretalles of Popes. And bycause that a number of these whiche so greatly reuerence Councels are Atheistes and Epicuriens, saying in their hartes there is no God, and do scoffe and fleere at the word of God, being ouer well sene in the principles of the Popes diuinitie, which say that there is no God, and that all that euer is spoken of Ie∣sus Christ is but fables, and the whole Scriptures lyes, as by their lyues right well they do declare. And least that any should thincke that I speake this of malice and without pro¦uing any thing, I thincke it not amisse somwhat to say of the vertuous actes of these worthy fathers, who haue bene the heades of a nomber of general Councels, & haue there ruled the roste, by their holy Ghost, whom they haue there had at theyr owne will and pleasure. The Pope Alexander the vi. deuising on a tyme with the Frēch kings Ambassadour sayd * 1.1 vnto him these wordes: That fable of Iesus Chryste hath brought to vs great riches. Besides this H••eronimus Marius, in hys worcke intituled Eusebius Captiuus, speakynge of this Pope Alexander the vi. sayth of him among other thynges: what nedeth it to recite the abominable and detestable actes of Alexāder the vi. This Alexāder when he had made an a∣liaunce with deuils, he gaue him selfe wholly vnto them and became their subiect, to the end that by their meane he might

attaine to the Papall dignitie, whiche thyng they promised & did fulfill: after that he gouerned him selfe in so holy a sorte that afterwarde durynge his lyfe he neuer entreprised any thynge, without their counsell. There are manye thinges in writyng, whiche are very notable, and worthy of a Pope of Rome and successor of S. Peter: for there are in the Latin certaine excellent verses and very worthy to be noted, which set forth very well the prayses of this most holy father, the sence wherof doth folow here. Alexander selleth Crosses, al∣tares yea & Iesus Christ him self: first he bought thē, wher∣fore, he may well sell them. Rome passeth on from one vice to an other, and from the flame to the fire vnder the gouern∣ement of this Spaniarde, Tarquinius, was the vi. kyng of the Romanes, Nero the vi. Emperour. And this the sixte of his name. Rome hath euer ben plagued vnder those sixtes: this Alexander caused Gemma (who was fled to Rome for succor, beyng brother to Baiazet Emperor of Turckie) to be poisoned for the som of CC. M. Ducates, whiche he receiued of the sayd Baiazet. This Alexander to maintayne his tyran¦ny, called to his ayde Baiazet Emperour of the Turckes a∣gaynst the French kyng Charles the viii & enforced hym self by al meanes possible to make the realm of Naples, yea and the very Citie of Rome it self, the frontieres of y^e Turckysh Empire: he caused the toong•• and hands of Antonie Manci∣uell, a man meruelously well learned to be cut of, bycause he had writen an Oration, very elegantly agaynst the wicked maners & most abhominable and villanous lyfe of the sayde Pope. On a time this pope made a very sumptuous bāquet, in the whiche he had commaunded to gyue to drinke, to cer∣taine riche Senators and Cardinals, whom he had conuited thyther, of a flagon tempered with poyson, & his taster mis∣takyng the flagon: gane hym to drincke of the same flagon, whereof he dyed with those Senators and Cardinals, thys Alexander, as soone as he was Cardinal, became a Negro∣mancer, coūselled with deuils whom he had familiar, if they wold be so gratious vnto him (who was their obediēt vassal & humble disciple) as to help hym in his practise & sute which he made for the Papal dignitie: wherunto they frāckly graū¦ted, conditionally that he should make solēne othe in the pre¦seuce of y^e prince of darcknes, y^• he should shew hym selfe an assured protectour of Satan, & hys infernall cōmon wealth:

whereunto the Cardinall assented. Onely requiryng that whē this homage and othe should be gyuen: it would please the deuill not to appeare vnto hym in his hydeous and feare full forme, but rather in mans shape in the likenes of a Pro¦thonotarie, whiche thyng beyng graunted, at a day appoin∣ted: in the sommer tyme, the Cardinall conueyed him selfe se¦cretly alon•• into a chamber in a certayne place called mount Cauallus, and there came vnto him my Lord the Prothonota∣rie, beyng a man of a meane age very honorably apparelled, who after certayne deuise and discourse hadde, assured him, that he should be Pope, who beyng then full of ioy enquired of the tyme, and how long he should raygne. This reuerend prothonotarie made hym a deceptiue aūswere, full of doubt∣fulnes, to wit that he should raigne xi. and viii. the Cardinal foolishly persuaded him self that he should raygne in the Pa¦pall dignitie. 19. yeares, albeit that the promes was but for xi. yeares and. 8. monethes when Innocent the. 8. was dead Rodericke Borgia was created and established Pope, who forthwith named hym selfe Alexander the vi. now he did for the space of. 11. yeares and 8. monethes meruelously trouble and oppresse Italie, he beyng old began to be diseased & sicke wherupon he kept his bed, and commaunded one of his ser∣uauntes named Modena (who was most priuy and familiar with hym of al those of hys Court) to go into his garde robe and to bryng hym a litle booke richly set, with gold and pre∣cious stones: which was in a certaine boxe or drawer, which he appointed hym vnto. This litle booke contayned all the sortes and kyndes of illusions and enchauntements of Ne∣gromancie, where at, this old man determined to enquire & to assertaine him selfe, of the ende and closyng vp of his lyfe: this seruaunt accordyng to the commaundement of his mai∣ster, went to the place, and as he was entryng in at the dore of the chamber, he saw one fit in the Popes chaire, who was very lyke vnto hys maister, which when he saw (beyng hor∣ribly affrayd) returned and ran to his maister, without brin¦gyng the boke with hym, to whom he declared what he had sene: which thyng when the Pope vnderstood fully, and saw his seruaunt so affrayed: he let hym alone for a tyme, after∣warde he so wrought with hym, that he caused hym to go a∣gayne to hys garde robe, to see if he could espie the aforesayd Pope: & whether he would say any thyng to hym or no. The

seruaunt beyng entred into the chamber agayne, found there hym whom he had sene there before but he was far greater: he that sat asked hym, why he came thyther, and what he had to do there: who beynge excedyngly affrayde & in maner out of breath, aunswered, that he came for a certayne garment for the Pope, Then the deuill cast forth an horrible grone, & sayd to hym, what Pope? I am Pepe my self. when Alexāder vn¦derstood this, hys maladie encreased, & his death approched. Shortly after one appareled lyke a courtier, came to the chā¦ber where the Pope laye, and knocked very lowdly, saying that he must nedes speake with hym. The doore beyng ope∣ned vnto hym, he came and spake with the Pope, all others wer retired from them. The Pope and he talked very secret∣ly, but mē might se be their coūtenances, that they wer very earnest and in great contention betwene them selues, & that the Pope was not well cōtent, for he sayd to hym: how may this be? my tyme is not yet expired, thou knowst that I had 19. yeares, wherof I haue passed but. 11. & 8. monethes. wher upon they heard the courtier aunswere hym boldly, you dyd mistake that worde, for I sayd not. 19. yeares, but I ment. 11. yeares and 8. monethes, should be the raigns of thy Papacy, and therfore thou must needes dye. Now albeit the Pope re¦quested instantly, that he would haue consideration of hys lyfe, and terme of yeares concernyng hys Papacy: it was as if he had spokē to a deafe man, for al hys exceptiōs, requestes and allegations could stand hym in no stede: for al that were in the chamber might well see, that the deuill was more per∣fect in Arithmetique, then was the Pope, and in the ende it was easyly cōcluded that Alexander had erred in hys accōp∣tes. Finally to cōclude the matter, when Satan departed frō thēce, forthwith the soule of the Pope: most miserably depar¦ted frō hys body, with horrible cryes and feareful gronyngs and bewaylyngs. And in this sort most miserably, wretched∣ly and wickedly, dyed the Pope Alexander, surnamed the 6. leauyng to hys sonne his patrimonie, greatly engayged and encombred, & the Italians theyr Romane common wealth, wholly confused disordered and spoyled, to the end he might be an example, to all ages to declare how that thynges euyll goten are consumed & spent miserably & wickedly, ••ontanus writeth that thy•• Pope, had a daughter whō hys sonne dyd vse and so dyd the Pope hym selfe, her name was Lucresse,

Sanazarius, the Italian Poete, in hys Epigrames and 2. boke speakyng of this Pope Alexander & notyng hys incest, sayth thus. O Lucresse, will Alexander yet still couet thee? O hor∣rible case, he is thy father. In the worcke intituled l'Estat do l'Eglise, it is writen of this Pope Alexander, that not only he dyd vse hys daughter Lucresse, but hys sonne dyd the lyke, wherupon she is called his wife, his daughter, and daughter in law. &c. Vrspergensis noteth of Bregory the. 7. otherwise na¦med Hildebrand, that the common wealth of Rome, and the Churche was in great daunger vnder him, by meanes of er∣rors and new Scismes, whiche were neuer heard of before, & that he dyd vsurpe the Papall seat by tyranny, & not be law∣full election. The Councell holden at wormes, in the yeare. 1080. sayth of Gregory the. 7. that it is certayne that he was not chosen of God, but that he dyd shamefully thrust him self in by disceate and money, and did turne vp syde downe the order of the Churche, and troubled the state of the Christian Empire, and framed the destruction of both the body & soule of the Catholicke kyng, and dyd defend the periured kyng, & dyd sow discord among such as did accord, and strife among the quiet, offences among the brethren, diuorce among the maried, and sturred vp and chaunged all thinges that might tend to quietnes among such as were of honest lyfe. we ther¦fore beyng gathered together by God agaynst the sayd Hil∣debrand, who preached nothyng but sacrileges & fires, main tayned the periured and murderers, and brought the vniuer fall and Apostolicke fayth of the body and bloud of the Lord into doubt, being an obseruer of diuinations and dreames, & an open Nigromancer, hauing a familiar spirit, and leauing in this sorte the true fayth, we iudge that he ought by lawful auctoritie to be deposed, driuen frō his seat, and perpetually condēpned, if he leaue not hys seat when he shal vnderstand these thyngs. I refer such as wil vnderstād more of the said Gregory to the readyng of the Cardinal Benno, hys worcke, wherin the lyfe of the sayd Gregory is set forth. Moreouer I wish them in Platina. to consider the lyues of Iohn the. 8. Sil¦uester, Bennet the. 8. with many others. Also in Sabellicus, in hys. 9. Eneide and first and 2. booke, where they shall see of the Popes afore writē. Also in the Cōmentaries of that wor¦thy mā Iohn Sleydan in hys. 21. boke, where he mencioneth of an Italian, whiche wrote a booke very sharpely agaynste

Paul the. 3. namyng hym therin Antechrist, declaring that in the tyme of Innocent the Pope he was committed to prison beyng a wicked prelat for if murders, and for the poysoning of his mother, & his nephew, wherby the inheritaunce might come to hym further, after that he was deliuered out of prisō he made great fute for a Hatte of a Cardinall, and was three tymes refused by the Cardinals: in the end his sister Iulia Fer¦nese, obtayned it. For she threatned the Pope Alexāder the. 6. that frō that time forth, she would neuer be at his cōmaund∣ment, the Pope fearing her displeasure accepted him into the troupe of Cardinals: further, that he poysoned an other sister of hys, and vsed an other of them, and also his nee••e and hys own daughter, and for that that he would the more liberally enioye her, he found the meane to poyson her husband Bose Sforce: he was also a great Nigromācer, as witnesseth Slei¦dan in his Cōmentaries and. 19. booke, & Iohn Bale, in the lyfe of the said Paul the 3. in his act. Roma Pontificum, wher he fully declareth the vertues of him. Let vs see one mo among a great nōber of these reuerend fathers, Clemēt the. 8. of that name borne in Florence, bastarde to Leo the. 10. (his nephew I should say) named before Iulius, Cardinal Priest of the title of S. Laurēce in Damase. &c. It is writen of him in certaine Cōmētaries vpon the articles of the Doctors of Paris, that this Clemēt was a bastard, empoysoner, homicide, bawd, si∣moniaque, Sodomit, periured, whoremaster, negromancer. Church robber, and a worker of all wickednes. &c. Such as wil vnderstād more of the goodnes & of the lyues of such ho¦ly fathers, I referre thē to the readyng of the Florentine hy∣story of Machiauell, let them read Volateran. Sabellicus, Platina Iohn Bale act. Rom. pont. Iohn le Maire in hys woorke of Scismes, the sea of histories. Fascicul. tēp. Naucle. supplimēt. chro. with a nomber of others, whō for briefty I do omitte. Tru¦ly these fathers ar iolly folowers of Christ, who ought chief¦ly to be folowed, he sent his Apostles abrode into the world commaundyng thē to preache the Gospell to all men, and to * 1.2 baptize in the name of the father, the sonne & the holy ghost, &c. the Pope commaūdeth hys to hallow Churches, water, bread, oyle, belles, chalices, grene bowghes, candles with such lyke traishe, & to sing Masses for the liuyng, and for the dead, and to apply them to sondry vses, but the pulpit is not greatly encumbred with them, and whē they do preach, they

preach nothyng els but lyes, as their owne dreames, phau∣tasies, Legenda aurea, a Scripture of their owne inspiration, & theyr owne traditions, decrees, and ordinaunces. Christ or∣deined onely two Sacramētes, which two they haue corrup¦ted and added to thē fiue, bycause that Christ did not so well know what is meete for his Church as they do, O horrible * 1.3 presumption. God him selfe when he had created man in Pa¦radise, sayd: It is not good that man be alone, we will make * 1.4 hym a helper. The Apostle s. Paul saith: It is good for a mā not to touche a woman, yet to auoyde fornication, let euery man haue his owne wife, & euery woman her own husband. * 1.5 The Apostle saith, mariage is honorable among al mē & the bed vndefiled: but God will iudge the whore masters and a∣dulterers, these wordes are generall and haue regarde to all men and to all estates. Iesus Christ did not onely alow ma∣riage: but did also honor it with his presence In Cana of Gali∣lee. S. Augustine in hys treatise of the goodnes of mariage sayth, in his. 21. Chap. that he dare not preferre the virginity of S. Iohn, before the mariage of Abraham. S. Ambrose in hys first booke sayth. Touching virgins S. Paule sayth. I haue no cōmaundmēt of the Lord, but I do coūsel or aduise, if the doctor of the Gentils had no commaundemēt, who is he that might haue any? And truly he had no cōmaundment, but he did counsell therunto, for virginitie can not be cōmaū¦ded, it may wel be desired, for that which is not in our pow∣er is not to be cōmaūded, but it is to be wished for. Origens vpō S. Mathew in his. 24. Homelie sayth. That they which do forbid men to marry, do enforce thē to a licentious villeni forbiddyng that which is expediēt. The like he sayth of those that cōmaund abstinence from meates, and such lyke, where vnto the faithfull may in no wise be cōstrained, he sayth that they lay he any burdens, on the shoulders of men cōtrary to the wil of Christ: who sayth, My yoke is pleasant & my bur∣then light & easy. &c. Eusebius in hys Ecclesiasticall historie. 3. boke. 30. cha. reciteth, that S. Clement writyng against such as did condempne mariage, among other thynges sayth, wil they reproue the Apostles: S. Peter had a wife. So had Phi¦lippe, Paul also had a wife, as appeareth by one of hys Epi∣stles, in the whiche he is not ashamed, to send salutations to her: whom he sayth he would not carry about the countrey with him, bycause he would be the more ready to preach the

Gospell. Many of the auncient fathers were maried as Pa∣triarkes, Prophetes, and Bishops of the primitiue Church. Yet is not the Pope affrayde to say (and stand agaynst God and Christ) that mariage is vnclennes, pollution and carnal filthynes, as it is said in the. 4. of the sentēces. Dist c. 17. chap. 4. and his decret. 27. Quest. 2. chap. whiche begynneth. Cum so∣cietas Tertulian in his prescriptions agaynst the heretikes, sayth. It is not in our power or choise lawful▪ to bring in, to chuse or alledge for authoritie, that whiche any other hath brought in, or alledged for hys own pleasure: for we haue the Apostles of the Lord for our authors, who haue brought in nothing for theyr own pleasure▪ nor any new thing, but haue faithfully preached and taught to the nations, that discipline which they receyued of Christ S. Augustine vpon S. Iohn in the. 46. treatise and. 10. chap. sayth, if they whiche sit in the chaire of Moses do teache the lawe of God, it doth then fo∣lowe that God teacheth by them: but if they will teache any thyng of theyr owne, heare them not, nor yet do it. &c. And in the. 6. against Faustus. chap. 16. & in the. 18. booke. chap. 12. doth cal by the wordes of Christ (not onely false Prophetes but al¦so theeues and murderers) all such as dare preach any other thing to the people of God, thē the Canonical Scriptures: & against such he alledgeth the saying of Christ, al those y^• came before me, are theeues & murderers, S. Paul in his. 1. Epistle to the Galathiās doth accurs••e him, that bringeth any other doctrine thē that which he hath taught, yea if it wer an Aū∣gell of heauen. Further in hys Epistle he sayth, that whiche I receyued of the Lord, the same also deliuer I vnto you. &c. It is not so with these men, of whom we haue alreadie spo∣ken, they deliuer vnto vs their own traditions, inuentions and dreames in the stead of the worde of God. And I doubt not (although these men haue nothing in their mouthes but the fathers, the fathers which must authorise the scriptures vnto thē) if the fathers liued in these daies, but they wold be as readye to persecute them as they are to persecute those which in these dayes do professe Christ. Let it be seene, how many of them were which suffered in the late tyme of theyr late persecution that did denie any one article of the Christi∣an fayth, but they did by Gods grace most costantly affirme them, euen sealing them vp with their bloud: examine Theo∣doret, Epiphanius and Augustine, Fathers of great holynes and

doctrine, who haue largely written of heresyes, and let it be seene whether they maintained any one of those which they cite, no not one: let vs see how many Arrians, Anabaptistes Pelagians, Marcionistes, Nestorians, Ebionistes, or any other kind of heretikes they did then execute. I suppose the number wil appeare very smal, for they are al in leage with Sathan. I doubt, not but (if the Gospell had as fatte a smo∣king kitchin tyed vnto it, as haue the Romyshe rytes) we should haue a great number of Gospellers: for this kitchin * 1.6 is of great effecte among the Romanistes. S. Chrisostome vpon S. Mathew in his. 48. Homelie. chap. 24. sayth thus: There are some which do greatly seduce through lyes & vn∣trouthes, they preach Christ, they teach the fayth, they haue also churches, orders and elders as the faythfull haue. They do also read the Scriptures of God, it semeth that they geue the same baptisme and the sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Iesus Christ, likewise they honour the Apostles & Mar∣tyrs, and by these meanes they do greatly abuse the vnder∣standing, not only of the simple, but also of such as are wise. who shall he be that Antichrist shall not be able to shake or moue? partlye doing the workes of Christ, and the antichri∣stians, fulfilling in a sorte the dueties of christians, vnlesse it be peraduenture such an one as doth consider that which the Apostle sayth: if Sathan can transforme himself into an An∣gell of lyght, is it then a greate matter for hys ministers to be transformed lyke to the minister of iustice? whose end shal be according to their workes and not according to their fay∣ned show of Christianitie. S. Hierom vpon the. 9 cha. of the Prophet Osee fayth: I do no•• fynde by the aūcient hystories that any other haue deuided the Church, and seduced the peo¦ple of the houshould of God, but onely the Priestes and Pre¦lates, whom God hath appoynted to be the spialles & watch mē for the Christiās against y^• enemies of the church S. Ber∣nard in hys Appologie, to williā the Abbot sayth. The wals of the Church do shyne, but the pore are in distresse, the stone * 1.7 workes of her, are clothed with gold, but she leaueth her chil¦dren naked. Isichius vpon Leuiticus. boke. 4. chap. the. 14. sayth They may well bee called the deckyng of the house that doo maintaine it: to witte those orders of men, whiche teach god¦lynes or godly thynges, for of suche is the Churche made in dede, and not (as many do thinck••) of wood and stones.

And therfore when in the olde tyme it was commaunded to assemble the church, Moyses did not bring together tymber, stones and such like, but the people, the elders & the Leuits. Saint Chrysostome of his resignatiō or banishment, Hom. 20 sayth. The church consisteth not of walles, but of the multi∣tude of good people. S. Bernard vpon the Cantique•• in his 33. sermon sayth: Now, from whom shal the church hyde her * 1.8 self, all are frendes and all are enemyes, all are allies and all are aduersaries, al are of the houshold, and none is at quiet, al are neighbours, and euery mā seketh his own profit, they are the ministers of Christ & serue Antichrist, they walke in honour with the goods of the Lorde, & yet they honour not the Lord, frō thence cōmeth that beautie of the whore which thou dayly doest see, clothed as players of staige playes, ap∣parelled as a king: of this thou seest the golde vpon their brydles, fadles and spurres, of this are the tables furnyshed with meates and vessells, of this are the dronkennesies and gluttonies, of this proceedeth the harpe & viall, from thence are the flowing wine presses, & the ful sellers: the one equall with the other, of this are the litle boxes and pottes full of swete oyntmentes and sauours, of this are their pursses fil∣led, for this cause wil they be, & ar the princes of the Church, the Prouostes, the Deanes, the Archdeacons, the Byshops and the Archbishops, and such things come not lawfully to passe, but because they walke in the affaires of darknes, here¦tofore it hath bene spoken of and nowe is the time come and fulfilled. Beholde in peace my bitternes is very bitter. It * 1.9 hath beene heretofore bitter in the death of the Martyrs, af∣ter that more bitter in the controuersies of the heretiques, & now it is most bitter in the maners of the seruauntes of the housholde: they can neyther be driuen awaye nor auoyded, they are so strong and so infinitely encreased. The wound of the Church is in her entrayles and bowells, and it is incu∣rable, and therfore is her bitternes very bitter, &c. S. Hil∣larie writing against Aurentius sayth these wordes: I warne * 1.10 you to beware of Antichrist, you doe to much esteeme the walles, seeking the Church of God in the gorgiousnes of buildinges, thinking that the vnitie of the faythfull is there conteyned, doe we doubt whether Antichrist haue hys seate there or no. The mountaines, the woodes, the lakes, prisons and wildernesses are more assured vnto ••e and more safe,

for the Prophets being in them hidden did prophecie. Saint Bernard vpon the. 90. Psalme, and verse 6. sayeth, in maner al the Christians seke their own gayn, & not the gaine of Ie∣sus Christ. And they haue turned ouer the very offices of the ecclesiasticall dignitie, into shamefull and dishonest gayne, and into affaires of darknes, and do not in these things seke the saluation of soules but the pleasures of riches. For thys cause are they roūded, for this cause do they haunt the chur∣ches, say Masses an•• sing Psalmes. At this daye they striue by proces & go to lawe for Bishoprikes & Archbishoprikes, in such sorte y^• the reuenues of y^• Church are vestowed in su∣perfluities and vaine vsages: there resteth no more but that the man of sinne the sonne of perdition be reueled, &c. Saint Bernard in his sermon of the conuersion of S. Paul sayth, O Lord God, those whom we see to couet the chiefe places in thy church and possesse the principalitie: they are euen the first that persecute thee. They haue taken the Arke of Sion, and they haue possessed the castle, and afterward haue frely through the power therof set the whole ci••ie on fyre: their cō¦uersation is miserable, the subuersiō of thy people is lamen∣table. S. Bernard in his boke de consid••r ad Eugeniū, toward the ende of his. 4. booke speaketh to the Pope in this sorte: what is it that thy flatterers saye vnto thee, goe to hardely * 1.11 thou byest them with the spoyle of the churches: The lyfe of the poore is sowen in the gates of the riche. The siluer shy∣neth in the dirte, mē runne thither out of al par••es, the poo∣rest caryeth it not awaye, but he that is strongest, or ells hee that runneth moste spedelye: this custome, or rather deadlye corruption, began not in thy time, God would it might end in the same. In the meane time thou art adourned & decked preciously, if I durst say it, thy seate is rather a close of deuils then of shepe. Dyd S. Peter so: Did S. Paul so mocke? Thy court doth vse rather to receaue the good, then to make any good, for such as are euill do not amend in thy court, but the good do there waxe worse. Bernard also sayth: Beholde the * 1.12 common murmure and complaint of all the Churches, they crye out that they are wounded and corne in peeces. There are very fewe or none ar all, who feare not that woūd: doest thou aske what wound it is? The Abbotes are robbed and spoyled by their bishops, the Bishops by their Archbishops. It is a maruell if any man be able to excuse it. In so doing, you do very wel declare that you haue plentie of power, but

not of iustice, you do it because you are able to doe it: but the question is, if you ought to doe it. You are ordayned to con∣serue to euery man his honour, and degree; & not to be enui¦ous toward him. &c. S. Paule doth rightwell setforth in his colours this Romishe prelate (whiche will be called Sanctis∣simus, or most holy) in his second Epistle to the Thessaloni∣ans and. 2. chap. naming him the sonne of perdition, the man of sinne. &c. S. Peter also in his. 2. Epistle and. 2. chap. doth most liuely paynt out the maners and life of this Romyshe rabble of Prelacy. Furthermore in the distinctiōs. distinct, 34 cap, Lector, glose & distinct, 82, chap, prisbit. and in the Canon of the Apostles. 17. quest, 4, chap, Si quis, distinct, 40, chap, Si papa, di∣stinct, 96 chap, Satis, chap, Simplici, & Incipitis. It is written in these canons, that the power and authority of the Popes is such, that they are able to dispense against the doctrine of the Apostles, agaynst the right of nature, & consequently against the Gospell and woorde of God. &c. O horrible blasphemy. Christ cōmaunded that none should adde, or diminish from his word, his word must be our guide or Scholemaster and instructor, and yet in these dayes the number will saye, it is not for vs to read the Scriptures, it appertayneth onely to priests, Fryers and Monkes to read & vnderstand the scrip¦tures, as though the kingdome of heauen belonged only to such: truly if y^• thei which liue as it were in solitary life haue nede to be armed with the vnderstāding of the Scriptures, to heale their wounds which thei daily receiue in the battail of this mortall lyfe, being ••isburdened of a great number of cares, which he is charged with that is burdened with office of Magistrate or of rule in the cōmon welth, and also that he is charged with, that is burdened wyth wyfe, childrē & fami¦lye: he that is in thys sorte burdened shall haue more oftē oc¦casiō to offend the maiesty of God, then he that is not so bur¦dened, wherefore it is the more nedefull that he haue his me¦dicine prepared wherewith to heale his deadelye woundes which he dayly receaueth by meane of sundry occasions geuē vnto him: which medicine is y^• vnderstādyng of gods word, wherewith he mai assuredly furnish himself against al temp∣tatiōs, as witnesseth the Psalmist saying: The words of the Lord are pure, euen as the siluer which frō the earth is seuē times tryed & purified. Eusebius in his ecclesiasticall historye * 1.13 6. boke. 15. chap. alledgeth the Epistle of Alexander bishop of Ierusalē, against Demetrius, & doth reproue him saying: That

which thou sayest in thy letters, affyrmyng that it was neuer sene, nor knowē, that secular & lay men should dispute of the * 1.14 fayth in the presēce of Byshops: I know not what hath mo∣ued thee to affyrme so manifest a lye, for so much as when so euer any is found sufficient & meete to instruct and teach the people, the bishops haue accustomed to desyre thē to take the matter in hand, So dyd our brother Neon Byshop, to Euelp••' in the citye Larande, & the Byshoppe Celsus to Paulin in the ci∣tye Iconie, & the Byshop Atticus to Theodore in y^e city Synnade: and there is no doubt but other byshops do the lyke in their dioces: when they fynde any man mete to profyt the people. Iohn Gerson, a greate pyller of the papacie, in the fyrst parte of hys examination of doctrynes sayth, that the fyrst veritye is so sure, that any symple man not beyng authorised may be so excellently sene & instructed in the holy Scriptures, that mē ought to geue more credyte to hys affyrmation in matter of teaching, thē to the doctryne of the Pope: for it is playn that we ought to geue greater credyte to the Gospell, then to the Pope: & within fewe wordes after he sayth, that if a generall Councell should be holden, & that such a wel instructed man were present there, if that the greatest nūber should through malice or ignoraunce declyne and decree anye thyng agaynst the Gospel, such a lay man myght lawfully stand agaynst the whole generall Councell. Panormitan, albeit he were a greate Idolater of papacie, in the chap. significasti, extra, de electronib{us} sayth these woordes: In matters concernyng the fayth, the saying of a laye man oughte to haue place, before the saying of the Pope, if hys saying bee more probable, and better au∣thorysed by the olde and newe Testament. Sainte Hie∣rome in hys fyrste tome writyng to Marcelle, encouragyng her to goe to Bethleem sayeth: In the vyllage of Iesus Christ there are none but rusticall men, there is nothynge heard on anye syde, but Psalmes: The plowe man hol∣dynge the plow by the tayle, doth singe Alleluya: the haruest mā beyng at his labour sweating, doth passe the time in sin∣gyng of Psalmes: and the laborer in the vineyard with hys hooke cutting the vynes, doth syng some thynge of Dauid: such are the songes of that countrey, such are (as men cōmon¦ly say) theyr songes of loue. S. Hierome in the proem of his 1. booke of his exposition vpon the Epistle to the Ephesiās in the. 9. Tome sayth: All words and al sentences are contey¦ned in the boke of God, by the which also we know God, &

are not ignorant of the cause of our creation. I do not a litle maruell that some haue ben so gyuē to folly and sluggishnes that they would not learne those things which are excellent, but haue thought, & do thinck worthy of blame, al those that are gyuē to such studies: to whom albeit I could make more stricte aunswer, & soone leaue them offended or pleased, I say that it is much better to read the Scriptures, then to be gre∣dy and to fish for riches, and to gather & heay them together. S. Hierome vpon the. 6. chap. to the Ephesians sayth if he cō¦maund the lay men of the Ephesians, & such as be occupyed in the affayres and busines of this life (as men see amōg the commō people) to instruct and bryng vp theyr children in all godly discipline and learnyng, what may men then thincke of Ministers and elders? of whose order and maner of lyfe he wrote to his disciple Timothe saying, hauyng theyr children subiect in all reuerence. &c. Primase Byshop of Vtica, in the countrey of Affricke, & disciple to S. Augustin, writing vpō the. 3. chap. of the Epistle to the Collosiās sayth: let the word of God dwel plētuously in you. &c. Hereit it is playnly decla∣red, that the lay people ought also to haue the word of God, not onely slenderly, but also aboundantly, and also that they ought to admonish & teach one an other. Theophilacte vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians the. 6. chap. shewyng fathers & mothers, by what meanes they shal make their childrē obedi¦ent and ready to do theyr cōmaundement, declareth the cause of theyr obedience, to the cōmaūdemēt of theyr father saying: fathers prouoke not your childrē. &c. If thou wilt haue thy children obedient, bryng them vp and exercise them in Gods worde, accustome them to sermons, and say not that it belon¦geth to Monckes onely to read the holy Scriptures: for tru¦ly it is rather the office of euery Christian man, & namely of hym that is occupyed in the affayres and busines of thys world. And y^• more y^• he nedeth help, so much y^• more nedeth he to vnderstand, for he is the more tossed with the sourges and assaultes of this worlde. It shall be much for thy profite, that thy children do heare and read the holy Scriptures: for out of them they shall learne, honor thy father & thy mother, but thou doest the contrary. Thou bringest thē vp in the stu∣dy of the writynges of the heathens and Gentils, out of the whiche they learne very noughty thyngs: which happen not vnto thē, if they be instructed in the holy Scriptures. &c. S. Chrisostome vpon Genesis, in his. 5. Homelie. 6. chap. and. 1.

Tome sayth: I besech you that we be not negligēt as concer∣ning our health, but rather y^• our talke be of spiritual thigs, and that some one take in his hand the boke of God, and cal∣lyng hys neighbours to hym, he do water his owne soule, & theyrs with godly sentēces, to the end that we may chase frō vs the treasons, and awaytes of the deuil. S. Chrisostome in his. 3. sermō of Lazar saith: I do alwais exhort you, & wil not cease but stil exhorte you to gyue heede, not onely to what is said here, but also when you come home into your houses, that you be cōtinually occupyed in the readyng of the Scrip¦tures: whiche I haue not left to vrge thē with in particular, that haue ben conuersaunt with me, and let no mā say vnto me (these wordes are cold and of smal effect) I am an aduo∣cate or lawyer, I am occupyed in the affayres of the common¦wealth: I am a man of occupation. I haue a wife, I haue a charge of children. I am burdened with house kepyng, I am a man of the world, it is not for me to read the Scriptures, but it is for those that haue forsaken the worlde, which dwel in mountaines, & lead a cōtinent & solitarie life. Man, what sayst thou? hast not thou to do with the readyng of the Scrip¦tures, bycause thou art occupyed with many cares and busi∣nesses? But thou hast greater neede of it then they haue. For they haue not so great neede of the helpe of y^e Scriptures, as you haue, whiche are tossed & turmoyled among the sourges and wanes of wordly busines: for truly, the Monckes and so litarie men, which dwell in the desertes, are without proces and wordly cares, & haue none acquaintaunce with any, but do Philosophe & study for knowledge in peaceable quietnes and sucetie: and as they were in a sure hauē, haue fruition of things permanent & certaine: and cōtrarily we (beyng tossed with infinite wordly cares and busines, as it wer in the mid¦dest of the sea) haue alwayes nede of continual solace and cō∣forte of the Scriptures. They are farre of frō the cōbatte, but thou art dayly in the battayle, bycause thou receyuest many woundes: therfore hast thou greater nede of remedy. S. Hie∣rome writyng to a Lady named Gaudence, of the bringyng * 1.15 vp of her daughter ••acatulla sayth: when the litle & yong may∣den shall come to the. 7. yeare of her age, and that she begyn∣neth to haue shame, and to know wherof she ought to be si∣lent, & to doubt of that which she should speak, let her then learne the Psalter, by hart, vntyll she come to the. 12. yeare of her age, that she lay vp a treasure in her harte of the bookes

of Salomon, of the writinges of the Apostles & Prophetes, writing also to an other good Ladye named Leta, exhorting her to instruct her daughter in the holy Scripture, euen frō the cradle, saying thus: let her embrace the booke of God, in the stede of precious stones & sylke, in the which bookes let her delight, not in their goodly couerings of sōdry colours, but in the distinct erudicion, being corrected according to the fayth: let her first learne the Psalter, & by such songes let her withdraw her selfe from the world. Let her learn out of the Prouerbes of Salomō to liue vertuously, let her learne out of Ecclesiastes to tread worldly things vnder fee••e, & out of Iob example of vertue and pacience: let the Gospel be conti¦nually in her handes, let her thorowlye learne the actes and Epistles of the Apostles. And when shee hathe in thys sorte enriched the Cabinet of her harte with such treasures, let her learne by harte the Prophetes, the bookes of Mo∣ses, of the kings, the Paralipomenon, Esoras, and also He∣ster, & last of al the song of songes, called in latin Canticū Can¦ticorū; for if she shuld read it first she might be hurt by it, not vnderstāding the holy sōges of spirituall mariages, by those carnal phrases: let her auoyd al the Apocripho bokes, let her haue also continuall excercise in the workes of Cipriā, Atha∣nase & Hillary. S. Chrisostom in his. 31. Homeli vpō s. Iohn the. 4. chap. sayth: who is he of vs I pray you, who when he is returned home to his house doth any thing belōging to a Christian? who is he that searcheth & soundeth the meanyng of the Scriptures: Truly not one, but we finde oftentymes tables and dice, but very seldome bokes, & if any haue bokes, they kepe them shutte vp, as thoughe they had none, or els they employ theyr time in beholdyng theyr braue painted co¦ueringes or fayre figures & letters. &c. S. Chrisostome vpon S. Iohn in hys. 10. Homely. 5. Tome and. 1. chap. sayth: And * 1.16 you shall be much more sharpe & subtil, not onely to heare & vnderstand, but also to teache others. &c. And within fewe lines after in the same Homelie he sayth, they which ar neg∣ligēt haue yet an other excuse verye vn apt, to wit that they haue no bookes. This were a very vayne aunswere for the riche to make, but for so much as many poore men do often tymes make this excuse, I will some thyng say to them: and * 1.17 will aske thē, if they haue not al theyr tooles & instrumētes, which do belong to theyr occupatiōs & craftes not withstan¦dyng theyr pouertie. Is not this then a great foly to excuse

thē by theyr pouertie, & yet they so prouide that they wāt no¦thing belōgyng to theyr occupatiōs, & yet they excuse thē sel¦ues vpō theyr pouertie & occupatiōs, in a matter which is so cōmodious vnto thē. S. Chrisosto. in his. 3. sermon of Lazar sayth: Seest thou not the workers of metals, gold smythes, siluer smithes, & such like mē of occupatiōs, that they haue al theyr tooles redy which belōg to their occupations? & albeit that hūger pinch them, & pouertie afflict thē, yet had they ra∣ther endure any kynde of these miseries, thē to sel any instru¦ment that belongeth to their occupation, by the whiche they liue. &c. S. Chrisostome in the same sermon sayth, that a man may get great holynes and perfection by reading of the holy Scriptures, and the holy Ghost hath so tempered them, that he would haue sinners and Publicans saued: yea & to the end that the Idiots and vnlerned should be without excuse tou¦chyng the hardnes of the vnderstandyng therof, he hath wil¦led that the thynges therin spoken, should be so easy euen at the first sight, that men of occupation & laborers, seruaunts, women, widowes, and such like that are most ignoraunt of all others, might by the readyng therof obtayne vnderstan∣ding. &c. The Scripture is the power of God to saluatiō, by it we knowe God and Christ, by it we knowe our selues, by it we are taught our duety toward our neyghbour, by it we learn to obei our prince, by it we know the true Prophet frō the false: the Scriptures ar to be preferred before al the wri∣tings of men, it is the touche stone wherby we ought to exa∣mine * 1.18 the doctrines of men. Cyril sayth, it is necessary for vs that we folow the holy Scriptures, & not to swarue in anye thyng that is commaunded in them. S. Ambrose vpon the. 1. Epistle to the Corinthes &. 4. chap. saith: what soeuer is not receiued frō the handes of the Apostles is full of wickednes. Cyprian in Sermon •• de lapsis: And how dare they ordeyne and decree any thing without Christ, whose hope and fayth, ver∣tue and glorye is whollye in hym? Origine vpon Ezechiell Homili. 7. lette vs folowe no man, and if wee will folowe any, wee haue Christe set foorth to vs to followe. The actes of the Apostles are set forth vnto vs, & we know the doings of the Prophetes by the holy volumes, that is a sounde exā∣ple to folow: & Theophilactus vpō the Epistle to the Romains the last chap. sayth: They whiche bryng any thyng beside the determinations and doctrine of the Apostles, they bryng in offences, heresies and dissensions, Ireneus aduersus Valentini & similiū scripta lib. 2. cap. 56▪ Leane to the holy Scriptures, which

is the sure and vndoubted truth: it is a sure stone wherwith to build: when ye leaue this & cleaue to any other doctrines. &c. S. Augustine in his prologue of his. 3. boke of the trinitie sayth: Obey not my writinges as thou wilte the Canonicall scriptures, for what so euer thou shalt finde in thē, that thou beleuest not, the same beleue without douting: but in myne if * 1.19 thou finde any thing wherin thou art not persuaded thorow¦ly, beleue it not assuredly. Againe in his. 112. Epistle which he writeth to Paulm, he speaketh to the like end. Itē in his. 2. boke of Baptisme against the Donatists. 3. chap. he saith: you alwayes alledge to vs the letters of Cypriā, the sayinges of Cypriā, why take you authoritie of Cypriā for your Scisme, & refuse his exāple, to trouble the church? who is he that doth not well know that the Canonicall scriptures, as wel of the olde as of the new Testament, are conteined within limites which ar certain, & that the same is to be preferred to the wri¦tings of al the Bishops, y^• haue ben hereto fore? so y^t we may not in any thing doute or dispute of it, to wit whether y^• all y^• therin is be true or no, but it is lawfull to reprehēd the wri∣tings of y^e Bishops, which were writen before, or which wer writen after the cōfirmation of the Canonical scriptures, ei∣ther by word. &c. Moreouer Origene vpō the Prophet Iere¦mie in his. 1. Howelie sayth: we must needes call to witnesse the holy Scriptures, for without thē no mā ought to credite our sayings or writings. S. Hierom vpon s. Mathew fayth: That which is spokē without the authoritie of y^e scriptures, euen as it is spoken, so may it be reiected & contēned: & vpon Ieremie. 9. chap. sayth: The error of fathers & mothers & of aūcesters ought not to be folowed, but the authoritie of the scriptures, & the cōmaūdemēt of God, whiche he teacheth vs &c. And within fewe lynes after he sayth: Assuredly thorowe ignoraūce of the law, men shall receiue Antichrist for Christ. &c. S. Cypriā to Cecil in his. 3. boke of his Epistles &. 3. Epi¦stle saith: yf you do that which I cōmaūde you. I will not cal you my seruaūtes, but my frends. And also that Christ ought onely to be herd, the father hath borne witnes from heauen, saying: This is my welbeloued sonne, in whom I am well pleased, heare him: wherfore, if it be so y^e Christ onely ought to be herd, then ought we not to looke what any man before vs hath thought good to be done: but y^t which Christ, who is * 1.20 before all hath done: for we are not boūd to folow y^e custome of mē, but the truth of God, for so much as God sayth by his Prophet Esay, in y^e. 29. chap: They honor me in vain, teaching

the cōmaūdemēts & doctrines of mē. And again in y^e Gospel, Mathew. 15. you reiect y^e cōmaūdemēt of God to establishe your own traditions. And therfore deare brother, if anye of our predecessors, eyther through ignoraunce or simplicitye, haue not obserued that which the Lord hath taught vs to do by his example or doctrine, that same may be refused, for the symplenes therof, & may through the mercies of the Lord be pardoned him. &c. And shortly after he sayth, if we be the el∣ders & ministers of God & Christ, I fynd not that we ought to follow any but God & Christ, for somuch as he saith in the Gospel of Iohn chap. 8. I am the light of the world, he that followeth me shal not walke in darcknes, but shal haue the * 1.21 light of life. Lactāti' Firmian' in his. 6. boke of his godly institu¦tiōs. 8. chap. sayth: we ought not to follow mē but god. The canons & decrees of the Popes in the. 9. distinct. ca. Noli. & cap. Ego, & cap. Negare. & dist. 24 &. 1. quest. ca. Non affermam' say thus: Men must dwell vpon the holy Scriptures, & not vpon the sayings of men, how holy soeuer they be. &c. S. Chrisostome vpō S. Iohn, sayth in the end of the. 16. homelie: That mē of occupatiō do seeke & striue to be excellent in their occupaci∣ons, * 1.22 but the christiā can not render reasō of his religion: & if these handy occupations were not knowen, it were but losse of money, but the cōtempt of the christiā religiō carieth with it destruction of the soule, & yet we tranayle in so great mise∣rye & madnes that we bestow in thē all our studie & care, but the things which are most necessary for vs, and are most sure fortes of our saluation, we esteme not at all. It is it that let∣teth the heathens frō acknowledging their errour, and cau∣seth thē to scoffe at vs: for albeit they are groūded onely vpō lyes, to do al that which they do, & to defend the ignominie of their doctrine, we which serue y^e truth, dare not once opē our mouthes to defend that which is ours: why should they not condemne our great imbecillitie, & haue vs in supicion to be crafty & disceitful? why should they not speake euil of Christ as of a lyar, who by his fraud should haue abused the simpli∣citie of the multitude? we are cause of this blasphemie: for S. Peter in his. i. epistle. 3. chap. cōmaundeth vs to be alwayes readye to render reason to all that shall demaund vs of the fayth & hope that we haue. And again S. Paul Colo. 3. chap. * 1.23 let the word of God dwell plenteously in you, but what an∣swere make they to that which are more folish then the very fooles in dede. Blessed is euery symple one & he that walketh

surely. But that is the cause of all euills, for that: that many know not how to alledge aptly the testimonies of the scrip∣tures: for in this place we may not vnderstād the symple for the foolyshe and for him that vnderstandeth nothing, but for him that is not craftye and melicious. For if it shoulde be so vnderstode, it should be superfluous to say, be ye wyse there∣fore * 1.24 as serpentes and symple as doues. S. Ambrose vpō the 2. epistle to Tymothe. 3. chap. sayeth: All scripture geuen by inspiration from God, &c. It is manifest that all Scripture wherof God hath declared himselfe to be author, is profita∣ble, For it is geuē to that end that it shoulde profite the igno∣raūt, reforme the deformed, drawing the wicked into al good workes: for, by profiting a litle and litle in newnesse of lyfe, it maketh the mā of God, &c. The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring or conuerting soules, the testimonye of the Lord is * 1.25 faythful and sure, it geueth wisedome to the ignoraunt. The statutes of the eternall are righteous, reioysing the hart, the cōmaundement of y^e Lord is pure and doth lighten the eyes. And againe: Thy word is alampe or lanterne to my fete & a light to my steppes. The Prophet Esay in his. 8. chap. sayth, is there any where a people that asketh not councell of hys God? Should men turne frō the liuing to the dead? If any man want light let him loke vpon the law & the testimonie, whether they speake after this meaning. The lyght of the * 1.26 morning shall not be geuen vnto them. Moreouer the Pro∣phet sayth. Say to the childrē in the desert, walke not in the ordinaunces of your fathers, & obserue not al their statutes, & be not defyled with their idoles. I am the Lord your God walke in my ordinaunces and kepe my statutes and do thē. * 1.27 Itē the fountayne of wisedome is the word of the soueraign Lord God, & the entre into the same are his eternal cōmaū∣dements. And agayn: Search the scriptures, for in them you thinke you haue eternall life, and they bee they which beare * 1.28 witnes of me. And Iesus did many other thinges that are not written in this boke, in the presence of his disciples, but these things ar writtē to the end that you should beleue that Iesus is the annoynted sonne of God, & that in so beleuing you may haue life thorow his name. The holy scriptures are * 1.29 full of the lyke sayings. The auncient fathers are full of the worthines of the scriptures. S. Augustine in his. 56. sermon made to the brethren that were in solitude sayth: he that ma∣keth none accompt of the reading of the holy scriptures sent

from heauen, ought not onely to feare that peraduenture he shall not receaue euerlasting rewards: but also that he shall not escape the euerlasting punyshmentes, for it is so daūge∣rous vnto vs, not to read the deuine precepts, that the Pro¦phets with great sorrowe exclame & cry out: for y^t cause haue * 1.30 my people bene brought into captiuitie, because they had no knowledge: for he that is ignorant, shall be ignorant: out of all doubt he that in this world maketh none accompt to seke to know God by the holy Scriptures, God wil not vouch∣safe to know him in the ioyes euerlasting, we ought to be a feard to heare (after that the gates shall be shut) with the fo∣lyshe virgins, I know you not, I haue none acquaintaunce * 1.31 with you: you that worke iniquitie, depart you frō me: what meaneth this? I knowe you not; I am not acquainted with you, how knoweth he not those that he sendeth to the fyre? There is neyther of thē spoken without cause, for as it hath bene already sayd, suche as woulde not in thys world seeke to knowe hym by reading the Scriptures, GOD will not acknowledge them at the day of iudgement. We ought also not to heare negligently (but with attentiue eare & fear) that which is written in Salomō, he y^t turneth (sayth he) his eare * 1.32 frō the hearing of the lawe, his prayer shal be abhominable: wherefore he that will be heard at Gods hand, muste fyrste heare God. For how woulde he that God shoulde heare him when he doth so dyspyse hym, that he maketh none ac∣compte of the readyng of hys commaundementes? Saint Hierome in the proeme of his Commentaries vpon Esaye, to Eustochius, sayth: therfore I yelde vnto thee, and to hym by thee, that whiche I do owe, obeyng the commaundement of * 1.33 Christ, who fayth, searche diligently the Scriptures, Seeke and you shall finde: to the end that it be not sayd to me, as it was to the Iewes: ye erre, not knowyng the Scriptures, & the power of God & the wisedom of God: and truly after S. Paul, if Christ be the power and wisedom of God, & he that knoweth not the scriptures, the same knoweth not y^• power of God nor his wisedō. To be ignoraūt of the Scriptures, is not to know Christ. &c. S. Chrisostome in the Homelie. 29. vpon Benefis, sayeth: There is neyther griefe of body no•• mynde in the nature of man, but it may haue medicine of the Scriptures. &c. These are sayinges of great importance, and are true. They are no Legend lyes. They are confirmed by the word of God, whiche is the infallible truth, Then if man

know not God, as he ought to do, but by the Scriptures, & that none can be saued, but by the knowledge of God, and Christ: Thē must it nedes folow, that ignoraūce of y^e Scrip∣tures bryugeth with it damnation. I haue alledged here mo sayinges of the fathers, then I would haue done (& nothyng so many in number as I could haue done) but bycause the great swarme of aduersaries say, that it is not lawfull or ex∣pedient, that euery man should read the Scriptures, but ra∣ther that the people should be ignoraunt, affirmyng igno∣raunce to be the mother of deuotion: I could haue aūswered it to the full by the woorde of God alone, whiche woorde I thincke to be most sufficient: but bycause these kynde of men before named, wil not accept Christ, to be a true man of hys word, except he haue some of the doctors & fathers for wit∣nesses: Seyng nowe that it hath pleased our good God, in mercy so to deale with vs, as he hath in these our dayes, gy∣uyng vs such meanes & introductions to the true vnderstā∣dyng of his most sacred worde, as he hath not of many ages done to any nation, let vs now therfore call vpon the name of our mercifull and mighty God, desiring him to strengthē vs, to searche out this truth, and then in dede to practise the same in our lyues: least that he should in his iustice take that excellent Iewell of his worde from vs, and gyue it to a na∣tion that shall bryng forth the fruites therof. I hūbly beseche that good God, in y^e bowelles of his mercy, for hys Christes sake: that he will so direct our lyues, that by our good exam∣ple, such as he hath not as yet called to the true know∣ledge of his woorde, may embrace and receyue the same, and so profite therin, that in the ende we may be all of one sheepe folde, vnder the charge of our great shephearde Iesus Christe. So be it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Note the good actes of Popes, Reade the life of this Alexander in Io. ba, act Romanorū▪ Pontificum▪
• * 1.2

  A compari¦sō betvvene Christ & the Pope
• * 1.3

  Gene, 2
• * 1.4

  i, Cor, 7
• * 1.5

  Heb, 13, ••
• * 1.6

  Seducers of the people
• * 1.7

  Wherof the church con∣s••steth.
• * 1.8

  The cōplaīt of Bernard.
• * 1.9

  Esay, 38. d
• * 1.10

  Admonitiō of Hillary,
• * 1.11

  The descrip¦tion of the Romish Court.
• * 1.12

  Ad E••gen. l••b. ••e••tio.
• * 1.13

  Psal. 12
• * 1.14

  The scrip∣ture ought to be had in the vulgarae tounge.
• * 1.15

  Education of youth
• * 1.16

  Gōmoditie of the scrip¦ture.
• * 1.17

  Carelesse nesse of the Christians
• * 1.18

  Ad Regina•• derecta fide
• * 1.19

  Authority of the wry¦ting•• of the fathers.
• * 1.20

  Christ and not custom is to be fol∣lowed
• * 1.21

  Diui••••••um institut. lib. 6. cap. 8
• * 1.22

  Gredi desire of corporall things, and carelesnesse of spirituall things.
• * 1.23

  Pro••. 10. b
• * 1.24

  Math. 10. b
• * 1.25

  Collo. 3. b Psal. 19 Psal. 119
• * 1.26

  Ezech, 20. c
• * 1.27

  Eccle. 1, a
• * 1.28

  Iohn 5 Iohn, 20 g
• * 1.29

  In what re∣commenda¦cion God hath his Word,
• * 1.30

  Esay. 5. c Ose, 4. b 1, Cor, 14
• * 1.31

  Math, 25, ••
• * 1.32

  Prou, 18, ••
• * 1.33

  Iohn 5. f Math. 7 ••