eies Sayth not the Lorde by hys prophet Esaye Myne intentes are not your in enteÌ„s and mi wayes are not your wayes But â—o so farre as the heauen is from the erthe so high are my wayes aboue your waies and mine intentes aboue your intentes For the beliefe of their doctours and the prelates of the churche which thinge the bishoppe laboureth alwaies to establish remembre that Christe saith if the blynde leade the blynde boeth fal into the pitte And thou must doub tlesse coÌ„mpt their writtinges eueÌ„ verie blindnes in regardeâ— of the light of goddes moste certaine worde which must be the rule of thi life the fouÌ„dacion of thy fayth and the light vnto thy feete As for theyr auncientie be sure to take Christ for they guide who was before all And saye with S. Paule fayth is of heariuge not of the worde of any maÌ„ but of the worde of God Therefore saieth God the father with open voice from heauen This is my dearely beloued sonne in whom is my delight heare you hym Now if any be so fainte herted and so deluded by other that they thyncke they maye still disseinble wyth the hypocrites in their owtwarde doetnges I sende them to the exemple of Daniel who praied with opeÌ„ windowes and wyth his three companions refused to honour the golden Image would not dissemble outwarde worship nother content them selues with the purenesse of theyr owne hertes thoughe they myght therby haue escaped the fire consideringe that the glorie of God coulde not be so foâ—dered but rather hindered by theyr walkeinge in the waye of the wicked Therfore saieth the prophet Dauid Happie is he that nether staÌ„deth sitteth nor walketh that is to saye hath nothinge to do wyth them other openly or priuily by any colour or dissimulacion Eliazar had such like counsell of hys frendes that he shoulde eate fleshe onely whiche was lawfull and dissemble to eate the vnlawfull But he saide it was not lawfull for him to dissemble and so cause many to be deceiued through his hipocrisie for so he might escape the death of the body but the hand of God he could not auoide For this cause did Paule reproue Peter for his dissemblinge be fore the gentiles And he teacheth the Corinthians againe that there is no companie of light and darckenesse no dessemblinge to be partaker boeth of the cup of Christe and of deuilles Oure membres must be the weapons either of rightuousenes other else of vnrighttuousenesse there is no meane for styll and ware politicke persons And therfore sayeth our maister Christ he that is not with me is againste me And he that doeth not gather doeth scatter These wordes of Christe and suche like and none other cause whatsoeuer any man shall imagine haue compelled me to publish my fayth and in the name of the liueinge God to make answere to one boke whiche of all other I estemed most perilouse and poysonful boeth for the authorite of the writter and the subtile handellinge of hys mattier in the maytaineinge of that Idole which al the worlde hath worshipped so many yeres The name of the boke is the detection of the diuillysh sophistrie The authour that made it is Stephaue Gardiner bishop of Winchester the chiefe mantainer of the popeishe tradicions as appeareth by al hys dedes writinges How I haue vsed my self in the same I shall shewe at fewe wordes Because I did take vpon hande to confute his boke I coulde kepe no comely order but as the wordes do leade me so am I compelled to go forwarde Yet haue I not written hys whole texte in my boke because it woulde â–ª haue ben to much tediouse and ouer longe but onely his â–ª chiefe mattier and principall argumentes whereof I truste not one hath escaped vntouched I lest of the residue thinkeing it a verie vaine thinge to contende about trifles as I should haue done of necessiâ—e in waigheinge euerie worde and ponderinge euerie sentence The boke is so farre spred a broabe that I can not belie hym but it shalbe a witnesse againste me in euerie corner For it was plentuousely imprinted by Iohn Herforde in aldergate strete at LoÌ„don and is to be solde at the signe of the bell in poules church yarde I haue principally and chiefe laboured to establishe the true fayeth in the liueinge God by the reproueinge of the false and fained goodes SecoÌ„dly I haue taught the trwe vnderstandinge of the wordes of the supper of the Lorde and the right vse of the same Whiche two my chiefe purposes howe faithfully I haue done them the fathfull shall iudge knowynge the voice of of theyr shepeherde In mine answere to his wordes I truste no man shalbe offended with any vnchrist an rayleinges though great accasioÌ„ be offerred on his parte bringeinge our argumentes so spitfully in the name of deuill with yea sayeth the deuell as though the deuell where a destroier of Idoles whâ—e onely hath bene theyr mainetainer and vpholder from the be geninge of the worlde vnto this daye Yet I do thynke nothynge lesse then to satisfie all men wyth my writtinges more then other haue done before mi time with theirs much more wittie more lerned and godly No I do suppose the hight lerned maye finde many fautes there'with as I â–ª acknowledge mi self far vnder the perfection of theyr high lerninge Neuerthelesse I trust in God that it is not all together so rude nor vnfruitfull but that the vnlerned for whome it is chiefe lie written shall encrease bi it in knowledge caste of much supersticion and take conforte of conscience Whome also I beseche euen for the loue â–ª of God and â–ª as they tender their soules health not to caste awaye this bokethough they reade somethinge therin that they neuer harde before but rather desire of theire moste mercifull father that theyr olde errours wherwith they haue bene deceiued by blind teachers maie be taken awaye And if there be any that can not sodaineli caste of the olde skine wyth the serpent and forsak theyre olde ignoraunce coÌ„firmed with longe custome let theÌ„ desir of God so much grace that they maye more quietlie then hath ben accustomed heare men talke of the fayth they haue conceiued in the liueinge God For than shal it be wel with the christian religion wheÌ„ the one parte maie boldelie and wyll redily gyue answere of the hope they haue conceiued and faith whereby thei trust to be saued and the other parte wyll mekeli heare what is spoken and quietely suffer the lambes to feede of their swete pasturs So shall the prophecie be fulfilled The lambe shal lodge with the woulfe the leoparde and the goâ—e shal lie together The calfe the lion and the shepe shall dwell together and a little childe shalbe their herde and driue them which thinge I trust partely shall be fullfilled in oure tyme vnder our little Iosias to whom God graunt the abundaunce of hys grace And most fully vnder the true Iosias
the olde testameÌ„t where the Idoles of the heatheÌ„ ar named in the singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet for to settâ— forth the vnitie of the godhead alwaie with this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the plural nuÌ„bre is adioined a verbe of the singuler as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And also in the hygh name of God which the Iewes had in so high estimacioÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth sigâ—ifie vnto vs that onely euerlasteing powre wherbi al thinges haue their being is manifestli opeÌ„ed the vnitie indiâ—…sible Of this spirit is it writeÌ„ thus He that hath not the spirite of Christe is none of hys And agayne Who so ener are led by the spirit of God they are â–ª the childreÌ„ of God So â–ª that as we can not be wythout God or Christe su can we not be wythout this spirite proceadeinge from them boeth as Christ him selfe witnesseth saieinge The conforter euen the holye goste whome my father shal sende in my name Againe WhaÌ„ the holy â–ª goste shall come whom I shal send from my father Of this spirite dyd the prophetes speake muche vnder the name of water and fire as Esaie I shall poure forth my spirit vpoÌ„ the thirstie miâ—floudes vpon the drie land I shal poure forth my spirit vpon thy sede and my blesseing vpon thy buddes and the same shal saye I am the lordes Lyke vnto these are there other places as in Esaie xii Eze. xxxvi Psal C. xlvi lxiii This spirit together wyth the father and the sonne this Trinitie and Vnitie that can not be diuided do we belieue and teach not by a blynde saiynge of any doctoure as you do but by the worde of God and the worke of his spirite whiche is able to leade vs into all truth neuer faileth his church builded vpon the rock Christe agaynste the which the gates of hel can not preuaile For by this spirit thus workyng faieth in Christ and loue to God and maâ— is knowne the true church as Iohn sayeth By thys do we knowe that we dwell in hym and he in vs because he hath geuen vs of hys spirite And Paule saieth generally to alâ— the faithful Do you not knowe that you are the church of God and the spirit of God dwelleth in you If any man do defile the teÌ„ple of God him wyl God destroye Thys church of God is holy which you are wher he doeth not meane of the Popes Churche though it wer builded of v. M. proude cardinales and bishopesse much les of our english church built vpoÌ„ the blind ignoraÌ„ce sinful lyueing but of x. oâ— xi horned Miters for three or foure of you woulde all were well so it were not longe of theâ—… but of that onely Churche whyche doeth alwayes knowe heare and folowe the voice of Christe theâ—â— heade and shepeherde and wyll not harkeâ— to the voyce of any straâ—nger Who though they be but. ii or iii. gathered together in the name of Christe beinge alwayes dispersed abrode by the Idole shepherde yet is Christ in the middes of them and shal at the length gather them all in one that ther maye be one shepherde and one folde Thys church is washed this church is sanctified and made holie This churche is iustified by the name of the Lorde Iesu and by the spirite of oure God sayeth Paule Christe so loued thys churche that he spent him selfe for hyr to make hyr holye clenâ—ed throughe the fountaine of water by hys worde that he myght make hir vnto hym selfe a gloriouse churche haueinge no spot blemish or wrinckle or any such thynge But you wyl doubt still O byshopes whether of vs be thys church Whether you gloriouse in the worlde or we despiced Firste therfore marke the fouÌ„dacioÌ„s of this church for ther can no man laie anye other then that is al redye layed the Lorde Iesu Christe ⧠The fyrst foundacion Whome the fayeth hath set as the chosen stoâ— for the fouÌ„dacioÌ„ of the tru church Sion ⧠The seconde foundacion Christe is the heade of thys churche ⧠The threde foundacion And heade shepeherde of thys folde For the fyrste all men iudge that you al ledgeinge so muche mans lawaâ—es establisinge and buildinge your fayeth wyth mans â—â—raâ—y settinge your cousciences vpon your doctours who are but fleshe and bloude do not so greately regarde Christe as we do whyche wyl haue hym oure onely foundacion and wyll admitte nothinge but that is spoken by hys spirite in his scriptures This fayle you in your fyrst foundacion Secondelye if Christe be heade and maister who dyd come humble meke and pore rideinge vpon an asse not hauinge an house where to â—aye hys heade dispisinge al worldly an outwarde glorie when the people would haue made him a kinge why do you ride on mules trapped wyth goulde Why haue you suche castelles holdes parckes and palaices Why wyll you be Lordes worldelie and take to you suche outwarde glorie Christe sayed that hys kyngedome was not of thys worlde and why wyl you beare suche rule heare Yea Christe forbade you to be called maister and why wyll you be called Lorde On the contrarie parte we haue the worde of Christ our heade for vs. Who sayeth Ther is no seruaunt greater then his Lorde and maister If they haue persecuted me they wil persecute you If they haue kept my word they wil kepe yours If the world do hate you knowe that it dyd hate me before it dyd heate you If you were of the worlde the worlde woulde loue that which is his owne But because you are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you forthe of the worlde therfore the worlde hateth you Yet do I leue you peace and my peace do I geue vnto you but not as the worlde geueth do I geue it vnto you â–ª Yea more ouer they shall curse and excommunicate you whyche was your olde practise o prealates and not onely that but the time shal come that who so euer sleath you shall thincke that he doeth high sacrifice vnto God And thys shall they do because they neither knowe my father nor peâ— me Tyrdlye If Christe be the heade shepeherde and dyd for your exemple saye that the learneynge whyche he taught was not hys but his fathers that sent him howe daâ—e you be so boulde to grownde so many thynges on your doctours Christe coÌ„maundeth you to feade hys flocke but you â—…ea them Christ coÌ„maundeth you to edifie but you distroye Christe byddeth you go into all the world to preach his word to al the worlde and to preach hys worde to al creatures but you saie naye none shal haue it but geÌ„tlemeÌ„ the other pore knaues shal haue a sophistrie boke of your gloses I praie you whoÌ„e make you the heade shepeherde in this and al your doeinges Not Christe but your doctours and Idle braines
Hancigitur Gregorie patched the peticions diesque nostros Innocentius the first ordeyned that the prieste shoulde kysse and the paxe shoulde be geuen â–ª to the people Sargins ordeyned the agnus dei Alexander the firste dyd ordeyne that the bread shoulde be vnleuened water shuld be mixed with wine In your secretes you haue a beadrol of benefactors another of halowes â–ª makeinge your mas a memorie of theÌ„ not of christ so that in good faith we think in coÌ„scieÌ„ce that we can not haue a fiâ—ter terme to haÌ„dle our matter with al theÌ„ to cal this mas of yours popeish for vpoÌ„ the pope it is grounded he was woÌ„tte to be named in the middle of it was the onely maker of it in his remeÌ„brauÌ„ce it is done Chrisogonus and other popeishe haue it done in theyre remeÌ„braunce what better name therfore can we geue it then popeishe You also mayntayneing the same in mine opinion can haue no fitter name geuen you then papistes for the fautours and maintayners â–ª of the same sectes religioÌ„s are named after the authors of the same sectes and religioÌ„s as wel in the good parte as in the ill If the pope therfore wer author of these things theÌ„ is it but reasoÌ„ that you the mayntayners therof be called papistes And I thynke not coÌ„trarie but you lyke the name verie well for you renownce it not at all neytther doe you mislyke any thynge that subtyle Antichriste dyd inuent but do stiffly take parte wyth the cruell papistes in the defence therof I thinke you are ashamed or else your herte wyll not serue you to renownce that your profession perchance the othe that you made of olde doeth somewhat trouble your conscience Well ye passe it ouer wyth silence so that we maye take you as you are and be nothynge deceyued in calleyng you papiste For if we were deceiued in you you woulde neither mayntayne popeishe mattiers so styfelye nor yet accuse so greuousely the wickednesse of this tyme wherin men laboure so greatelye to de face the Popes doeynges Yea ye woulde at the leaste waye once in so longe a boke haue taken occasion to speake agaynste some popeishe madnesse But cleane contrarie the more do ye establysh the popes kyngdome And at the lenght in the ende of your boke to declare your selfe a sworne papiste you make the popeishe ceremonies as gowne crowne and other baggage of popeishe inuentions the farthynges wherof your religion wholely standeth Let them that haue eyes to se and eares to heare iudge what you ar ThaÌ„ bring you a profe made bi reasonne and senses of man against your God ⧠That the papistes call their God some tyme is eaten of a mouse sometyme waxeth grene mould red moulde and blewe mould and so forthe Therfore it is no God Al thys you solute wyth the diuill saieth the diuell refresheth hys yongelynges and stil your tonge renneth vpon the diuel wherfore I feare me he is with in you For of the a boundaunce of the herte doeth the mouthe speake sayeth Christe It woulde become a christian bishoppe to name Christe more oft then the deuell You confesse afterward that these thiges be true and yet your solucion is heare that the diuel saieth it Than adde you thys reasone of the Deuel you saye ⧠God is impassible incorruptible and immortal But that which the papistes mak their God is corruptible for the mouse doth eate it the handes doe breake it mans teeth maye teare it It maye also be burned Ergo it is no God but an Idolle ⧠Then go you about to illude thys with a lyke argument whyche is verie craftie sophestrie sayeinge that you wil reasone after the same sorte and saye ⧠God is impassible Christe was God ergo he suffered not Or thus ⧠God is impassible Christ suffered ergo he was not god Surelye you are a subtile Sophiste and ful able to deceiue But take your solution wyth you You do reasone as the sophisters saye a simuli but not a sufficienti simlitudine The sufferinge by a mousse is nothynge lyke the sufferinge of Christe who must needes thus suffer for vs and so enter into hys glorie In whome no thinge was doene but that hys father dyd decre before That by death as Paul saieth he might do awaye hym that had the authoritie ouer death euen the deuell whoe coulde not kepe hym captiue but he dyd rise agayne and triumphe in the fleshe neither coulde his fleshese corruption Thus are you deceiued double First for that you haue no scripturs whithys your handyworke shoulde be called God Secondly because it can by no ordynaunce profite or commoditie suffer of the mouse or corruption as Christ hath done for our siâ—nes So that I maruaile greatly you be not a shamed to compare it wyth Christe either in calleinge it God or in the suffering of it by a mouse Is the passioÌ„ of Christ our onely saluacion no more regarded of you but that you dare couple it wyth such similitudes Christ as he was God coulde not suffer but in hys flesh he suffered for vs and yet â–ª coulde not that same fleshe of hys se corruptioÌ„ as Dauid wittnesseth But this your whiteâ— and rownde thynge doeth daiely corrupt and perishâ—… wherfore it is not Christes flesh Wherfore if I might optaine so much faâ—…e of my prynce and people as dyd Ihâ—… amonge the Israelites I woulde boeth destray this your Idole and his groues of ceremones wherin you hid him bid Baâ—ll aueÌ„ge him selfe But your God is so weake that you muste desende hym wyth fyre Let hym do but so muche as a snayle doeth and put oâ—t hys horne forthe of hys shâ—ll to afayre his enimies and we wyl saye he is God and all together that you desire But the backes cattes and birdes are not afrayde of hym in the churche Therfore as Baruch sayeth he is no God But we wyll leaue all the reuenge aunce boeth of thys Idole it selfe and you the makers therof vnto oure Lorde the liueinge God for he promyseth he wyll repayre it and so hath he doene euen from the beginninge of the worlde and yours is at hande Your boke byshopye Stephane is verie longe and tediousel and your talke subtyle that if I shoulde to your worthynesse examine euerie sentence it would not be answered in fewe wordes Yet I truste your mattier and argumentes shall be sufficiently ope ned and your popeishe herte vtterred and your sophistrie coÌ„futed in this mine answere of my fayeth and hope whiche I haue conceiued of the liueing God and his soÌ„ne Christe oure sauioure In your tenth leafe you do vehemently prouoke vnto fayeth grounded vpon the worde of God and hys omnipotencie For the omnipotencie you are alredie answered that it is no good argument to saye that because God is almighti he is a piece of bread duste asshes or such vile thynge No you do blaspheme the
begin ninge who commynge downe from oure heauenlye father dyd declare hym selfe to be the hed corner stone of the true church thoughe the byshoppes refused hym in their buildeinge And when he ascended vp agayn leading capteyue wyth hym captiuitie hyrselfe he gaue gyftes vnto menne makynge one sorte Apostles an other sorte Prophetes some other Euangelistes some Shepeherdes and â—eachers These onely be appointed to be the ministers of his church in the new testament that they shoulde all together in spirite and trueth boeth worship him and cause other to do the same for the spirite is the worcker of al diuiding to eueri one as pleaseth him The bodye of thys churche then is not one membre as of long tyme you haue named your selues onely to be the church but it is many membres as the Apostle witnesseth amonge the whyche membres I feare me you shall not bee worthy to be numbred onles you do amende your life so contrarie to Christ the heade of this churche For thys churche hath he begotten vnto hym selfe by his worde as the parent and onely mother therof that it should be without spot or wrinkle gloriouse holy and without blame and especially saithe Paul the bisshope muste be such a one that no man sholde find any faute with him Thus writethe he to his dearely beloued Timothe and Titus makinge it moste euident and playne vnto vs that you bishopes prestes teachinge for your gaine sake or els teachinge nothinge at all are not the true byshopes and members of the true churche but the hierlinges and hypocrites that haue no parte in the Kyngdom of God and his Christe who dyd come â–ª pore not hauinge wher to laie his heade and dyd chuse pore sheperdes to be his first witnesses and after them fishers toulers and tentmakers And the words that he spake to his disciples are far ouer harde for you byshopes to bear Who so doeth not saieth he for sake father mother goodes lyfe and al together for my sake and the Gospell can not be my disciple Moreouer wher as the bishops of the Iewes and chife priestes doe crie TeÌ„plum domini Templum domini As thoughe they them selues and none other were the true church Christe answereth that the sonne of man shalbe betraied to the chief priestes and they shall condemne hym vnto the death so that they were none of the trwe churche thoughe they were of the seéde of Leui to whome the gouernance â–ª of the churche was promised and performed In like maner you so longe as you persecute Christe hys members and burne his worde crie you holie church neuer so much you shalbe no more of the true churche then â–ª they were For ther is all one worcke and purpose in you boeth that is to saye to miantayne your pompe and estimacion your powre and your holynesse before the people But now is the time come that the thing which â–ª was most holy in the sight of the world as you your iewels haue bene shalbe abominable â–ª vnto God Yet one other thing nothinge pleasaunte to your lordlike stomakes He that wilbe the cheife in this church must be the seruante of al Like as the sonne of manne did come not that he shulde haue seruice done vnto hym but that he him selfe shuld serue and giue his soule for many As many therfore as we finde agreable withe this heade Christ as were the. xij Apostles and all the true disciples who continued together in the breaking of breade and praier acceptinge none of the possessions of this worlde as their owne but makinge all that was theirs commune to the necessitie of their brothers we esteme to be the true and faiethful membres of this church Paule also geueinge him selfe for the Gospell to be imprisoned stoned and slayne was of thys churche Stephane also stoned for the defence of GOD his glorie and Antipas the true and fayethfull witnesse of Christ slaine at Pergamis Ignatius the scholar of Iohn who suffred for the Gospel Ignatius I saié Who so ernestly desired the breade of God the heaueÌ„ly bread of life whiche is the flesh of Iesu Christ the sonne of the liuing God who was borne in the last ende of the world of the seede of Dauid and Abraham and desyred to drincke the bloude of hym that is wythout corruption and the life euerlasting All these I saye we knowe to be the lyuelye membres of Christes true churche but not these onelye whiche sufferred vnder the Romishe tirantes but theim also the whiche in al countreis and at al tymes haue witnessed and suffered for the trueth â–ª of God his word for all are created for hys glorye and God hath not at any tyme or in any place ben altogether without hys witnesses if the world woulde receiue theim He sente into oure naâ—ion Iosephe of Aramathia He stirred vp Gildas he enstructed the plowemen oâ— kent and other contries of whome we haue the monumentes After warde dyd he sende Robert Grosheade who boeth by worde and by writinge dyd rebuke the worlde of blynde iudgement Then came the greate clarke that wrate so mani godli bokes Iohn Wicklife of whose workes though Subincolepus the bishop of Prage did bren to the uombre of two hundred yet are ther manie of them reserued vn to thys daye by the prouision of God to the coÌ„fusion of the kingdome of Antichrist cleare testimonie that the worlde before vs hath not ben vtterly destituted of true know ledge thoughe frome tyme â–ª to tyme whan the lyghtte hath come into the worlde the kingdome of darckenes the children of pridâ— haue loued darkenesse better then light and therfore haue laboured to extinguishe it and haue prohibited these bright sterres to geuâ— lighte saue onelye to a fewe whome he had chosen and longe a fore appoynted euen to the weake abiectes and caste awaies in the sight of the world of the whyche sorte parte were slaine and part liued vnknowne to the worlde for this litle flocke euen from the beginninge hath not bene of the wife and stout worldely men and therefore sayeth Christ I thanke the father that thou haste hid these thynges frome the wyse and prudent and haste shewed the same to littleones smallye regarded And Esaie saieth I wyll destroie the wisedome of the wise and the vnderstaÌ„ding of the prudent wyl I caste awaye And agayne Where is the wise Where is the scribe and interpreter of the law wher is the disputer of this worlde Hath not the Lorde made folyshe the wisdome of this worlde For after that the worlde by hir wysedome could not know God in his wisdom it pleased god by the folishenesse of preachinge to make salfe them that beleue This preachinge of the liuing god whiche sent his sonne an euerlasting sacrifice for the lyfe of the worlde caused the sacrifices to waxe colde and that was it that caused the priestes of the Iewes to persecute the christians so sore that
not onlie the Apostles were scaterid among the heathen but also Ioseph of Arimathia a capitain that buried Christ did fle as our olde cronicles do report bi the prouideÌ„c of god brought the faith into this realme of Englande then called Bretan This persecutioÌ„ of the true churche whiche was the flocke dispiced was stil encreased by the bisshopes of the Iewes criynge that the disciples of Christe were disceyuers teaching a newe faieth errours and herisies goynge aboute to withdrawe from the lawe of Moyses as aperithe throughout the boke of the Actes of the Apostles And this endured xlii yeres vntil the Iewes were coÌ„pellid to forsake their owne contrey being vanquishide and ouercome and by the greate and iust punishemeÌ„t of god distroyed by Titus and vespasianus The disciples also being scatered thorow the heathen but fewe in numbre and as yt were a sede for haruest apointyd did so preache the onely and euerlastynge god and his sone Christe sent in the fleshe to gyne light vnto the world that Idoles began to decay so that the priestes of the Idoles aÌ„d the work men and makers of al suche Idoles yea and their owne brethern the Iewes did in al places moue and sterre persecution Thus was this pore churche beynge but here and there an hanfull to gether caried before kynges Emperowres scourged imprisoned stoned beheaded but in all this did they ouer come through their head Christ who gaue theÌ„ suche spirite and wysedom that no man coulde resist So that the more christiaÌ„ men wer put to deathe by fore and cruell tormentes the more boldli and maÌ„fulli did newe souldiours arise in their stedes Nowe when the helly powre can not preuayle by this way of open tyranny agaynst Christes true churche then dothe the deuille send forthe the disciples and shcolars of the preistes of these Idols whiche were the subtyle philosophers and especially the Grekes of Athens who bringgynge forth reasones of Aristotle and suche other did subtilly dispute agaynste the resurrection In so muche that in his time Paule sayd we do preache Christ crucified to the Iewes an occasion of falling and to the grekes folishnes The Romaines also were at that tyme bothe enstructed withe the Grekes sciences and puffed vp so proudely wyth their great conquestesâ— that they accompted all other menne barbarouse and foleyshe in regarde of them selues So that thei smalli regarded this weake and wearish company of Christ and his scholares that the saying of Christe myght be true the worlde loueth his own and though the sound of their voice wente thorowe the world and they did continually growe and encrease yet did the world persecute them for the space of iii. hundred yeares And at that time wer they most cruelly handled bi Maxentius the tirant Then god stirred vp Constantine who shewed greate fauoure to christian men suffered them frely to preache gaue them leue to builde churches and at the later ende of his life was christened in Nicomedia Now persecution of the church began to cease and than streight began the name of christen men and Christes churche to be coÌ„mune to many but so many heresies sectes and dissentions did arise vp by subtelite of the deuill and by this crafte stopped the truthe in suche sorte that the true church was but in fewe Euen then the chief of your doctours menne suerly whom I neuer do dispise but when you do bringe them as witnesses agaynst the truthe the best lerned I sai of al your doetours partli blinded by the greke philosophy wherin they were noselled euen from their infancie and partly driuen therunto by the subtill arguments of the crafti heretickes Arius Macedonius Nestorius Eurites and suche other were coÌ„pelled to write many suche thinges as they did afterwarde retracte and recante as their own workes do sufficiently witnes testifyinge of them selues that they were faâ—e to take suche weapons in hande some time as had but smal grounde in holie scripture But to go forthe withe our purpose thus was the church of Christ in the time of Constantinus euen in the dispite of the wicked groune vp into estimation and made so generall of so small beginning that al the children of god might openly beholde that the folyshenes of god is wiser then men and the weakenes of god is stronger then men But such is the estate condicion of men agayne by the prouidence of God that nothinge sholde longe continewe in prosperite And if at any tyme it chaunce so to doe we waxe ouer proude and so forget who is the geuer therof Yet did the churche florish so long as the bishopes did preache the gospell of Christe in pouertie so longe as the bishope of Rome was not lord ouer the empier but a feder of Christes flocke so long as al other bishopes were no lordes but pastours and herde men watching carefully vp on their folde not de sirynge dominion rule and worldlye gouernaunce neyther sekyng theyr owne honoure and gayne But teachinge their britherne the kingdome of God Suche good bisshoppes were Athanasius and Epiphanius Such good bisshopes were the membres of the true church for yet wer they not so proud to name them selues God makers but ministers of God seruantes apointed to bestow his treasures And as they wer begotten children of the churche of Christ by the worde of truthe so did thei liue and growe vp by the same word and by no mans doctrine Thus continued they in christian pouertie to the yere of our Lorde ccccc xix When Iustinius the Emperour of Constantinople did call them forth agayne beinge longe disquietid and sore oppressed by the continuall warres of all realmes and prouinces and boeth he and Iustinianus hys sisters sonne dyd shewe vnto theÌ„ greate beâ—euolence and fauour He gaue them greate giftes and appointed them salares and wages TheÌ„ was Agapitus byshop of Rome sent to the emperour by Theodocius to bring al thinges vn to a christian vnitie This Agapitus was so holy a man that as he entred the gates of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople a certayn blind man receiued hys sight Then folowed Gregorius magnus after whome we reade of no true preachinge of the worde of god by any bishoppes And therfore dyd the bishopes and their scholars from that daye forward growe into a Sâ—nagoge of sathaÌ„ firste gounded in pride and ambicion as appeareth by their owne histories Bonifacius the thirde optaiueinge of Phocas to be byshoppe of all bishopes and to be the spirituall heade of the churche puttinge Christ from his office whom onely al christiaÌ„ meÌ„ must acknolege the spiritual head of his church though all Kinges and gouernours be by god appointed the ciuile heades of the bodye politicke This dyd he growe vp by little and little he I saye and hys successours euen to the highest estate of Antichrist banisheinge Christe hys worde and his fourme of liueinge seting him selfe in the hertes and consciences of men the uerie true churche of God nameing hym selfe an
in remembraunce in his absence That they had thys mattier in no admiration is an euidente argumente that they dyd take it for no suche straunge miracle aboue all miracles as you do make it for the circumstauÌ„ces as we haue largely spoken before and for the plainenesse of the wordes we merueyle why you wyll darcke them wyth your termes of reallie carnallie and suche other Why you â—yâ—de gloses sayinge Thys is in the fourme qualities quantities and accidentes of breade and do not saye playnely this breade is the bodie of Christ God and man This cuppe is the selfe same new testament that God dyd swere by him selfe he woulde perfourme vnto Abraham And euen lyke as the â—uppe is not the testament but the signe of the testament made before vnto the fathers and nowe perfourmed in the death of Christe the vnspotted lambe so thys breade whiche we see is not the fleshe of Christe gyuen for the lyfe of the worlde For then the worlde myghte haue bene saued and the synnes done awaye by the offeryng of the bread longe before Christ â—ad suffered For you do moste blasphemouslie teache that the offeringe of the same breade doeth take awaye synnes notwythstandynge that Christe hath by his owne onelie sufferynge fullie satisfied and taken them awaye But to your wordes agayne I thinke it much better to pretermitte further occasion of that myght be my prayse to expounde vnto you the scriptures Byshoppe Stephane You neede very litle to feare thys mattier For I neuer harde man prayse you nor but fewe of your felowes for expoundynge of the scriptures But for burnynge them I heare many men talke muche of you and saye it is no meâ—ueyle thoughe you hate them because you were broughte vp in the Popes lawe who in his moste highe holynesse treadeth the holie worde of God vnder his wicked feete In the bryngynge in of your greke authour where you taunte them that loue not your Popishe bablynge in the latine tonge that no man vnderstandeth sclaunderynge them that they loue not the latine tonge wherein no doubte they laboure more and are greater fartherers then you can or wyll be it myghte ryghte well haue bene passed ouer wyth silence if you had loued your owne honestie For you and all the Popishe Prelates in the worlde are not able to iustifie it that you shoulde thus babble before the people in a tonge they do not vnderstande if we moghte be hearde wyth indifferent iustice But you haue the worlde on your syde because you are of the worlde and the worlde loueth his owne And the lyghte is comen into the worlde but man loueth darckenesse more then the lyghte It muste needes be trewe that Christe oure maister sayeth to the Prelates before your tyme. The worlde can not hate you but me it hateth because I do wytuesse of it that the worckes of it be euyll ⧠The answeare to Doctoure Damascen whom Wynchester rehearseth in greke FOr the testimonie of Damascen whoÌ„ you brynge in as your chiefe wytnes thys I haue to saye Fyrste he is a suspected person beynge at the tyme when the Pompe of the Romayne byshoppe or Antichriste beganne to exalte hym selfe aboue euerie thynge that was god and godlie Secondly he maynteyned Idolatrie with suche contention that he deserued to haue his ryghte hande stryken of and hanged in the markette place as an open offender â—oeth in that crime and other whereof he was before the Emperoure Leo accused and condemned Thyrdelie you woulde mayuteyne his honestie by the wytnesse of an honeste man Ecolampadius But we discharge you of thys testimonie euen-by the testimonie of the same Ecolampadius in the begynnynge of his boke whiche he dyd wryte concernynge the wordes of the supper and reproued your blindenesse euen by your owne Doctours I am not mynded sayed thys greate Clerke Ecolampadius who translated your Doctoure Dasmascen to accuse and publyshe to theyr shame Thomas Aquinates neyther Alberte nor yet Dunsse nor any of the newe fellowes but Peter the patcher of the seÌ„tences whom they call theyr maister who also hath rubbed his erroure vpon other that patche vp other mennes wrytynges As Damascen and Gracian dyd Agayne a little after Peraduenture Damascen and other that folowed hym wryte in suche sorte but the reader that is wyse can be little moued thereby For he doeth by many argumentes declare hym selfe neyther to be sounde nor substantiall Agayne Lyke as Paule sayed When I was a chylde I dyd speake lyke a chylde sayth he When I had small knowledge and had all thynges in admiration wythout iudgemente I dyd wryte some thynges whiche nowe I do not onely not defende but I wyshe them abolyshed and burned if they be vnprofitablie published in any place and if I obteine my desire therein I wyll be glad and reioyce By lyke thys boke of Damascene whiche he had translated was one of them whiche he dyd not greatly allowe for it was not publyshed whylse Ecolampadius lyued but after his death within these sixe yeres Surely Augustine in that he made a boke of retractations wyllynge vs to receyue the wrytynges of no manne farther then they are agreable to the scriptures maye teache vs ryghte well that we maye refuse Damascene I wyll therefore aske none of your fellowes whether you be an honeste man But I wyll trye boeth Damascene and all your Doctours by the infallible testimonie of the worde of God And because you do defende hym wyth a miracle we put you out of doubte suche lyinge miracles openlie maynteynynge Idolatrie ' cause vs to gyue the lesse credite vnto hym For Christe sayeth that Antichriste shall come wyth wonders and lyinge signes in suche sorte that the verie electe if it were possible shall be deceyued Wherefore sayeth Christe if they saye lo here is Christe lo there is Christe beleue them not etc. Ireneus wrytynge agaynste heresies at the begynnynge of thys iuglynge aboute thys Sacramente in his tyme wytnesseth that there was one Marcus Magnus the scholar of Valentyne the heretike whyche puttynge mixed wyne into the chalice dyd fayne hym selfe to gyue thankes therewyth and caused the wyne to chaunge coloure sometyme redde and sometyme purple by longe multipliyng of his enchaunting wordes that grace from aboue myghte seme to droppe downe bloude into his chalice by his inuocation And therfore he did couet that they which were present should tast of that cup that the grace whiche was called downe by hys enchauntment might also drope vpon them Again he gaue â—uppes of mixed wine vnto women coÌ„maundeinge them to geue thankes in hys presens And when they had so done he toke a muche greater chalise than the other which he had geuen to the woman and poured out of the cupe wherin the Eucharistia and thaÌ„kes geueing of the womaÌ„ was made into the other greater cup and reherseing his charmes he caused the grater cup to be filled wyth the wine that was in the cup that was
or â—haung him into a peice of bread in your temples and kepe him out in one host consecrate as you call it but in a thousande cakes as you would haue it what lyke reasone of conparisoÌ„e is betwen Christ teaching in the temple verie man as the scriptur witnesseth and al the people sawe and hard and your ImaginacioÌ„ of Christ god and man to be presently at one time vpon infinite aulteres whiche no scriptureâ—…oâ—s nameth nor eye can espye nor reasone approue Yea further wher you haue no place of scripture to tech that Christ was euer in two teÌ„ples at once or in ii places at one time preseÌ„t in bodelie preseÌ„ce coÌ„uersaÌ„t Therfore wyll I set Stephane the fyrste martyr agaynst the Auctorite of Stephane Gardinar And if men be not blynded wyth this man bycause he is a byshope I doubte not but the fyrst StephaÌ„ shall haue the more Credite The first Stephan agaynst the hypocrityshe byshopes of the olde law bosting of Solomons temple and the holynesse ther onely estemed confirmed wyth hys death that God doeth not dwell in the temple of Solomon though it pleased hym afore tym to shewe therin the tokens of hys fauoure powre most preseÌ„tly vnto al them that firmlye and stedfastly called vpon his â—…her but he confessed wyth the prophet Esai that the heauen is hys seate and the earth is hys fote stole The hyghest therfore dwelleth not in any temple made wyth mans hande For what house sayeth the prophet caÌ„ you build vnto me or what place shall I reste in hath not myn handes made al these thynges sayeth the Lorde If thys be not cleare testimonye ynough marke what Paul witnesseth wyth StephaÌ„ God whyche made thys worlde and all thynges that are in it seynge he is the Lorde of heauen and earthe he dothe not dwel in teÌ„ples made wyth manes hande c. These iii. faythfull wytnesses Esai the prophet Stephane the fyrst martir and Paul the Apostle are more worthy to be beleued and may be followed wyth lesse daunger then half a dosen braggeynge englyshe byshopes I mean suche as you are whych would haue suche a newe chaunglynge churche as shal not be founde agayn throughout the worlde Of the worde institucioÌ„ and how that the papistes do make Christe to haue a bodie Imaginatyue or phantastical THat you do vse here thys worde the institutioÌ„ of Christ agaynst the whych word you do dispute so spit fully in your boke folowing I am glade you may be found your own coÌ„fonÌ„der And now I trust you wyll gyue vs leaue to name the institution of Christe because you beynge a bishope do vse thys terme institution But let passe suche triflynges Agayn that by the alteracion of place the bodie is not multiplied but is all wayes one the same bodie in x. thousaÌ„de places at once Thys you do affyrme in effect though your termes be darkened wyth variacion the application and Alteracion because you are ashamed to speake playnly All meÌ„ that haue any wyt reasone or knowlege may per ceaue your folly And especially by that you haue â—oâ— other thyng to proue your impossible proposition but that the Imagination of man may be in so many places Oh wicked bishoppe wylt thou make Christe to haue â—n Imaginatiue bodie lyke vnto mans Imaginacion or phantasie how standeth thys wyth the argument of Paul wherin resteth the chiefe hope of our resurrection If Christ be rysen sayeth he so shall we ryse agayne If his fleash therfore be otherwise theÌ„ ours shalbe as no doubt it is if it be lyke the Imaginacion of man beynge in euery place wheÌ„ it lusteth then is thys argumeÌ„t of Paul but vayne Agayn if our bodies shalbe thus able to be in all places when we shall ryse agayn then shall we not ryse lyke men but lyke spirites Yea lyke gods Surely Paul in that he sayeth that we shalbe lyke the heauenly AdaÌ„ and beare the Image of him like as we haue borne the Image the earthely maketh Christ verie man which must be the fyrst fruites of them that rise agayne And therfore our only hope of resurrection is that as he dyd aryse so shall we in our fleash see our God Thyâ— assersion of yours calleth agayn the errour of Marcion if it be not resisted And your doctour Damascen can scantly excuse hym selfe of the same heresie The philosophers that â–ª saied anima est tota in toto et tota in qualibet parte the whole in the whole y e whole in eueri part thei could not se howe it was yet neuertheles toke it so to be yet what a coÌ„tradictioÌ„ is it to saye the parte is the whole And further do not the wordes of men spoken to a multitude passe wholely to euery one of the hearers eares indyfferently that sta de wythin the coÌ„passe of hearynge And if the matter be intelligible to them al do not eche one heare and vnderstande one as moche as an other beynge the speach but of one and not diminished by the participation of the multitude You brynge in for similitudes these thynges that are so fare contrarie as can be For what can be more vâ—lyke and disagreyng in theyr proprities then the soule and the bodye than the voyce of a man and the man hym selfe what a blynde reasone is thys The soule is spred thorow out the body ergo the bodie may be scatered into places infinitely distant What reasone is in thys The voice and wordes of man may be harde of an infinite numbre Ergo Christ as he is verie maÌ„ may be in al places innumerable vnlese you wyll make Christ to haue a phantasticall bodie as the sophisters dispute whether a voice haue a bodie or no. As for your excuse because your own coÌ„science doth pricke you wherin you say that these similitudes do nothynge attayne to expresse thys your mysterie you deserâ— lyke thankes wyth Albinus that was ouer busie in writting the hystories of the which he professed him selfe ignorant You saie they be in many thinges vnlike but you can shewe nothing wherein they be like but in your Imaginacion If you woulde haue proued by similitudes that Christes bodye is in many places at once you should haue shewed and declared vnto vs that some one bodye hath bene in two places at once and than we woulde haue beleued you Or thus myght your similitude haue serued The soule of man is spred thorowout hys membres and so like wyse is the spirite of Christ spred tho row out his church which coÌ„sisteth of his spiritual members compareinge thus spiritual thinges vnto spiritual and not spiritual vnto bodilily for they differ moste clearely in the thynges wherin you woulde haue them lyke For the bodie by the creation of God hath alwayes his determinate quantitie and therfore his certaine place But as the spirite for lacke of quantitie occupieth no place so can it not be in anie place circuÌ„scribed or
aduaunce your kind aboue the Angels And now you wyl haue hym cowpled with your wrechede creatures worse then your selues But he hath taken the forme of the children of Abraham And for his elect seed was he coÌ„tent to be come man disdayneing all other formes Loke no more therfore for my son Christe vpoÌ„ the earth in the bread the box or the chalice But heare in heauen shal you seke hym wher he reigneth at libertie with me his father from whom he sendeth down the holie gost the spirite of comforte into the hertes of mine elect to strengthen them against all the assaultes of the serpent I feade inwardly my shepe driueÌ„ from the pasture of my word Yea I geue life euerlasting to so many as by him onely wyll come to me his father Thus doeth he sitte at my ryght hande and fulfilleth al in al things spiritually Not beinge bodylie present in euery place where you wyll like charmers muÌ„ble foure words vpon dombe creatures Here in heauen you are sure to haue him your aduocate In the bread you haue no such promise With what fayeth then can you seke him ther. He promised you that he woulde sende the holie gost after his going froÌ„ you but he neuer taught that he was profitable to be chaunged into breade When he returned vnto me froÌ„ the earth then did he send in fyrie tonges visibly the spirite of our powre wisdom which taught the cleare vnderstandynge of the misterie that he had wrought before in the earth This spirite taught the hope of your callinge and that our wonderful worke in you that beleue how that I raysed my son Christ from death and set him at my right hande in heauenly thinges Whense you would most vilaniousely pluck him down turne him into bread and swalowe him like flesh into your bealies which grosse blindnesse and SythiaÌ„ crueltie my flolâ—…l abhor My flocke shal learne nowe other â—…inge of the flesh of my sonne Christ â–ª â—ut that onely which is by the knoweledgâ—… and beleueing of my mercies in my sonne â—…nd therfore shall they follow no tradicions of the world nor sticke to any creatures but say with mine olde seruaÌ„t Dauid I wl loue the O lord my strenth the lord of my succour my refuge my sauiour my buâ— lar the horne of my salucioÌ„ Yea the more boldely because of my newe testameÌ„t Saiâ— thus O heaueÌ„ly father thoughe heaueÌ„ and earth do perish and all creatures tourne to naught yet liuest thou O lordof heaueÌ„ and earth in me thou liuest whose son I am bi adoption thi spirite geueing witnesse of this thing Yea Christe the strength might and powre of thi right haÌ„d liueth no maÌ„ is able to driue him froÌ„ the place whether thou hast exalted him Of this am I sure and so loÌ„g as he is saulfe I am sure to be saulfe for I am partaker of his nature substaÌ„ce powre according to the gifte of Iesu my sauiour that dwelleth in me Not carnally eateÌ„ but spirituallye receiued by fayeth wherby I knowe that he is my heade and I one of hys members Thus may you learne O my little flocke whan you haue for sakeÌ„ al creatures to be assured of fauour and optaine the sownde and sure taste of yâ—… saluacion and euerlasteynge lyfe and 〈…〉 and fele the hope of your calleinge â—…hall neuer suffer you to come to confuâ—… and so reioyce as my son wilded you of no powre earthlye neither of carnall eatinge of Christ nor 〈◊〉 dynge vpon serpentes but that your names are written in the boke of lyfe in the heauenes Vnto the other sorte which may worthely boaste of their powre if it be true that they saie because they caÌ„ make God or cal down God into the chalice for all is one matter in effecte I will an swer as I did of olde by my prophet Esaye I abhor your Sabothes your sacrificies and all your ceremonies Yea what do I care for your masse muÌ„bling whiche banisheth the memorie of my sonne and setteth a newe Idole to prouoke my zelouse indignacion against you What care I for your gletteringe miters seynge you banishe my word What care I for your fasteyuge and prayeinge seinge your handes are of full of bloude your fingers full of â–ª wickidnes What care I for the swarme of your ceremonies y e whole heap of your farthings where vpoÌ„ your religion staÌ„deth seiâ—g your lippes tell lies Geue â—are and tremble for the wickednesse of your handes for the Lorde hath spoken it ⧠An answere to the principal pointes that follow after the doctours in the bishop of winchesters boke NOw go to you papistes who had rather er with your father the pope with his doctours his furred hods and forcked caps then to saie trueth with Christes despised membres wyll you follow the broud way that leadeth to perdicioÌ„ because the multitude doeth enter into it Nay rather coÌ„tend and labour to enter the narrow and straight waye whiche leadeth vnto lyfe which is the waye of knowledge and truth wherein fewe do walke I knowe your doctours are gloriouse You call them sainctes and I truste they be so accepted of God But Christ and his Apostles though they were not so glorious and well taken in the worlde yet was ther more truth in their wordes and writings Yea sure it is to be fea red â–ª ther is some priuie flatterie and vntrueth closely â–ª cloked in the darke sentence of their longe bokes where the wrytinges are so coÌ„mendable in the worlde and so phausible in generally to all the heape of the papistes the vpholders of Antechrist For after olde custom and auncient ordre the scriptures of God maie not be reade in the scholes til such tyme as the maister of the sentences and the heape of your other doctoures haue stopped Iacobs welles the louelye fountaynes of the heauenly water with the fillthy mud of their gloses â–ª Yea the filthieste of that floâ—… let hym lye let him dote let him bable whaâ— helusteth yet shall he be alowed boeth in lâ—… ten and in englishe when the worde of God wheÌ„ the new and olde testament shalbe breÌ„â—… with fire Yea the maynteners therof whâ—… are the onely holions of God because they maynetayne the holie worde of God shalbâ—… destroyed and brent together with the bokeâ— of the Gospell that they mayntayne Surely your perswasion maye do muche to the worldely mynded when you compaâ—… these ii contraries togither The gloriouse doctours the sayntes by the pope canonised and by al worldely powers maynetayned renowmed and worshiped vnto the out castes of the world stil barkynge at the vices which are abominable scrapeing the eares of men wyth the sharp reaseinge trueth and therby deserueinge as the worldelye suppose worthely to be expelled banished or burned But vnto the godlye whose desyre is to be lyke their master Christ in sufferinge with him in this worlde that they may after rayne wyth him in the
together with you into the blinde pit of darknesse Thus haue you led our fathers before vs so many as would take you for their scho maisters and had none other secrete motion of the spirite to lifte their hertes vp into the heauens dâ—…nge the ayde and healpe of al other â—râ—… And yet 〈◊〉 can not content your selues with the kingdome that you haue vsurped in the consciences of men where none ought to reigne but God more then these thousande yeres onlesse you maye styll haue the same authoritie in establishinge your popetrie and Idolatrie beating euermore into oure eares that your Idolatrous and superstitious religion hath continued these M. D. yeres Where as we partly haue declared might more at large declare were it not to tedious that it hath crept vp onely with your wicked papacie and possessions of the churche and hath continued onely the tyme that Sathan hath bene lose and sent furth into the worlde to worke his wyll when you his stoute souldiour dyd shit vp the kyngdome of God his worde and neither woulde enter in your selues nor suffre them that woulde entre But now that the lambe hath vnlocked the boke Sathan begynneth to roare for feare of the fal of his kingdome and you bishoppes his champions do rage and fight agaynst God his worde yea agaynste euery thinge that is God or godly But we shal ouercome by the bloude of the lambe and by the worde of his witnesse And therefore do we ieoperde oure soules vnto death not onely against the Romishe Antichriste but the Mahumetaine also who is like to reigne ouer vs as a worthy plage for slidynge from the worde of God eueÌ„ as he hath many yeres reigned ouer many christian nations whiche boeth in life and learning were as holy as we be now coÌ„pted If thys thynge I saye shall come to passe as no man knoweth Goddes secrete working but suche onely as it shall please him to endue with this knowledge we shall be redie both to speake and write as we nowe do for the glorie of God against al Idolatours so far as God shal open our hertes and giue vs strength For without his audacitie and boldnesse of spirite poured into vs we shall stande in as gerate feare to perfourme thys as we shoulde be to write against your abominations knowing your crueltie towardes theÌ„ that haue hertofore moued your pacieÌ„ce What other men haue written in the fauour of Mahumete I can not tell But thys do I see with myne eyes that you bishoppes do opeÌ„ a great dore for him to entre in at by the Idolatrie that you do maynteyne in settyng vp so weake a creature to be God For what playner waye can ye haue to impunge the christian religion then to fynde it to be grouÌ„ded vpon so fonde a foundation as this weake Idol of yours And on the other side by your wicked life and tirannouse handlynge of the pore flocke of Christ you ministre great occasion for vs to thyinke that we shall lyue vnder the turckes as quietly and safly as vnder you both in auoydynge the Popishe Idolatrie and also in escapynge of outragiouse tiranny Beware howe your malice leadeth you to minister suche occasions For though we abhorre eueÌ„ froÌ„ the bottomes of our hertes the turrkeshe Mahumete and his lawes and are ready to wryte and speake agaynste them in the defence of our Christ and his religion rather wishyng to dye then to be subiect vnto him yet thys present necessitie and more greuous bondage that we suffre nowe vnder the byshoppes the lymes of the Romishe Antichrist are so intollerable that we had rather proue any thynge then longe to abyde it If they ouercome here the victorie wyll hardly be stayed from conquest in the reste Call backe your tiranny therefore aboute the worshyppynge of thys Idoll Surely it is full tyme as you saye for you to stryue for your God and to encourage your companions to sticke to their taklynge for if we maye once get the victorie herein all the residue of your Poperie wyl haue a foule fall Note our simplicitie as much as you wil and skoffe on styll wyth the Deuyll is simple iwys we wyll neuer be ashamed to call breade breade so longe as we haue Luke the Euangelist and Paule the Apostle of Christ to take our parte Come you in wyth your double gloses and put furth two faces in owne hoode in euerie thinge you go about as longe as you luste But it is an high mattier to vnderstand what breade meaneth and what the worlde signifieth you saye Go to go to And all the worlde what so euer the worlde signifieth wyll shortly deride you and thynke you worthy of your ii forcked myters for your doublenesse ⧠Of thys name Masse and of the diriuation of the same NOw labour you to haue this name Missa or Masse diriued of an Hebrue worde wherein I wyll not greatly contende thoughe it make not much for your purpose because I know the subtiltie of the generation that fyrste named it whose caste it is alwayes to busie mens myndes wyth straunge names darcke termes and subtile disputations aboute the same to holde men occupied in trifles and to keepe them froÌ„ the playnes of the trueth Other wise they could haue ben coÌ„tent to haue named it the breaking of the bread with Luke or the supper of the Lorde wyth Paule But for the nature of the Hebrue worde Lerne what Sanctes Pagninus wryteth in Thesauro lingue sancte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Missa sufficientiaÌ„ significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Sufficientiam voluntatis aut spontis manns tue TarghuÌ„ Deut. xv xviii pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est sufficieÌ„tia habet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rabbi Selomoh in coÌ„meÌ„taries exponit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficieÌ„tiaÌ„ Rabbi AbrahaÌ„ hoc pacto scribit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Daghessatur samech nam deducitur a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est signâ—m Iheroâ—iâ—nus OblationeÌ„ spontaneaÌ„ manâ— tue Vnde dicuÌ„t noÌ„ nulli quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est oblatio que fit deo propter aliquod munus personale quibus non assentior cum nullus ex Hebreis doctoribus hoâ—dicat quos legerim Hactenus Pagninus These wordes declare the nature of this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by diriuatioÌ„ euen froÌ„ the original Whiche howe wel it agreeth with our englishe word masse let the learned iudge It caÌ„ not be tried hereby that it is a sacrifice for the quicke for the dead but rather cleane coÌ„trarie by that whiche Pagninus affirmeth Ther is yet an other Hebrue worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifiynge a tribute whiche some men saye is the originall because of the contribution and payment that was gathered for the reliefe of the pore in the beginning There is also a verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which betokeneth to melte or to be dissolued awaye where of you may diriue Missa if you wyll
of the fleshe nor by the wyll of man but are borne of God as Peter sayeth Borne againe not of mortall seede but by the worde of the lyuinge God This is the milke not of the bodie saieth Peter but it is the meate and milke of the soule that knoweth no gile Thus renneth all the scripture by metaphors and borowed speache from bodilie meate to spirituall meate from the bodilie teeth and eatinge to the spirituall eatinge by the soule whiche can be done by faith onely So that he whiche is not borne from aboue of the spirite can neither see the kingdome of God nor come vnto Christe let him eate the breade wherein you saye is really the fleshe so longe as you luste For this muste needes be true That whiche is borne of the fleshe is fleshe and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite Euen like as Moyses set vp the serpent in the wildernesse that so many as woulde come vnto it mighte be saued from the firie serpentes so likewise was the sonne of man exalted that al that do beleue in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life Againe So hath God loued the worlde that he hath giuen his onely sonne that who so beleueth in him shall not perishe but haue life euerlastinge Againe He that beleueth in him shall not be condemned And he that beleueth not in him is condemned all readie because he beleued not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God Thus may we see that fayth and not eaâ—…inge of Christ really in the sacrament doeth â—…aue and bringe life euerlasting And not to â—…eleue in the onely begotteÌ„ sonne of God is â—…amnation of bodie and soule So is it not to â—…enie your gloses really present and bodilie â—…aten Yea mainteininge this grosse opinion â—…ou can not esteme him to be the sonne of the â—…uinge God nor beleue the worke that his â—…ather hath wronght in his death For God the father dyd not sende hys â—…ne in the fourme of breade or any other creature but onely in the fourme of man to the entent to exalt man therby to make man of his householde to giue life vnto man by his sonne Christe to raise him againe wyth Christe and cause him to sit together wyth Christ amonge the heauenly spirites And to shewe furth in the worlde to come the passing richesse of his grace in his godnesse towardes vs by Christe Iesu We beleue in the onely begotten sonne whiche was made man to saue the worlde â–ª wherefore we can not be condemned though we do seeke none other straunge beliefe of really present and bodisie eaten to feede the bodies whiche thinges are not taught in the scriptures You do not beleue in the onely begotten sonne made man but made breade to take awaye sinnes wherfore vnlesse you do repent your daÌ„natioÌ„ is at hande because you beleue not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God whiche is the onely begotten sonne as he is man coÌ„ceiued by the holie goste and borne of the virgin Mary not as he is bread blowen with your stinkinge breathes Neither is he the onely begotteÌ„ sonne of God as he is wine whispered into your chalice Howe do you beleue in this name the only begotten sonne of God wheÌ„ the scripturâ—… teacheth you that there is none other name vnder heauen wherby men should be saued and yon do saye that there is an other thinge whiche some name the Masse and some the sacrament of the aultare that saueth from sinnes and is a sacrifice boeth for the quicke and the deade and as your man Damascen wryteth it purgeth all diseases and incommodities Furthermore We do beleue that Iesu Christe is the Christ that is the anoynted of God to offre the sacrifice wherewyth onely the father coulde be pleased and therefore are we borne of God You do say that you are the Christes and anointed priestes to offer styll for the sinnes of the people Who is your father but he that woulde darken the sacrifice of the onely begotten sonne of God and sit in the temple of God boasting him selfe for God being in deede the aduersarie and is lifted vp agaynst euerie thinge that is God or godly the wycked man the cursed childe Againe God the father sayed this is my dearly besoued sonne in whoÌ„ I am pleased and pacified heare you him We beleue this worde and wyll seeke no further but to thys onely begotten dearly beloued sonne of God Neither to pacifie the wrath of God for oure trespasses nor yet to seeke any other teacher of his wyll then the sonne of God whom we are commaunded to heare You wyll sette vp the Masse your owne worke to pacifie the father for the sinnes of the quicke the deade You wyll haue your owne doctours to descant newe gloses and these must the pore flocke of Christ heare beleue and confesse or els they shall be brent But to heare Christe the onely begotten sonne of god speake in the scriptures is poyson to al men vnder the degree of gentlemen and punishable by your lawes as in the cases of heresie What call you this but to make the onely begotten sonne of God an hereticke Call you thys the beleuynge in his name Thus maye we proue that you beleue in the Popes name whose lawes and wrytynges are reserued of certeyue men for certeyue purposes and are as muche practised and more stoutely defended then any thynge that Christ coÌ„maundeth Yea howe can we thinke but that you beleue more in the Pope when you defende his Actes more styfly then the lawes of the lyuynge God What if it shoulde be proclamed that no maner boke concernynge any parte of the Popes reâ—igion shoulde be broughte into the Realme and that al those which are brought in alreadie shoulde be brent coulde you byshopnes beare this thynge so guietly as you dyd diligently laboure to haue all sâ—che bokes of christen religion brent and banished But to make an ende where we beganne Iohn sayeth that euerie spirite that contelleth Christe to be comen in the fleshe is borne of God Thys do we conâ—esse that denie him to be come in breade wherefore we be borne of God And thus beleâ—ing in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oâ—ten sonne of God we can not be condemned But that spirite whiche doeth not confesse Christe to be comen in the fleshe is not of God And thys is the spirite of Antichriste of whom you haue hearde that he shal come and he is in the worlde alreadie Nowe seinge that we so many of vs as confesse Christe to be come in the fleshe be borne of God why shoulde nor we for the glorie of oure heauenly father aâ—d for oure saluation be so readie to laye downe oure soules in the faythfull handes of his câ—…todie as the spirite of Antichriste and the chyldren of this worlde are to speake 〈◊〉 â—or the mainteinaunce of Ido atric â—he kingdom of Antichrist to their owne 〈◊〉 â—amnation Worldly Pompe and
dignitie the maintenaunce of Idolatrie Popetrie hath caused the bishop to wryte his boke and to rayle agaynste the trueth And shall not the crowne of glorie whiche can neuer decaye the glory of the only euerlasting God steare faythful men to make answere for the trueth agaynst falsehode specially seinge that we haue thys playne testimonie spoken by the mouth of our sauiour He that confesseth me before men him wyl I confesse before my father that is in heauen and hym that denieth me before men shall I denie also before my father and his holy angels If I be blamed if I be imprisoned yea if I be burned for Christes cause the trueth yet am I happie by the opeÌ„ testimonie of Christ in Math. My name shall be restored in the heauens in the boke of lyfe to be a fayethfull witnesse I shalbe set at libertie for euer with Christ the sonne of God my bodie brent into ashes where it hath put of mortalitie shal be restored vnto me muche better immortall and incorruptible If I lose wyfe and childe father and mother I shal receiue for them an hundreth folde And for aduauntage aboue all for fâ—ll recoÌ„pence lyfe euerlasting Who wyl not be ammate and encouraged by such large promises ⧠God saue Kynge Edward from all errours God defende his tender age from all â—he subtile malice of al Hypocrites and trayâ—…urs The lyuyng God establishe his herte in the waye of the trueth for euer and euer So be it ⧠FINIS ⧠The Table A A Rehersall of the benefactours and founders of the Masse Fol. liij An Image can not be a womans husbande Fol. cxlij A declaration of the true churche Fol. lxv Augustine to Dardanius Fol. cxv A double errour Fol. cxxi At his departynge Christe commaunded his remembraunce to be celebrated Fol. cxlix A vaine muÌ„bling called the masse Fol. cxlix A double causion Fol. cl AbrahaÌ„ was iust before circumcisioÌ„ Fol. clxii An answere to the principal pointes after the Doctours Fol. clxvi A broade shauen crowne Fol. clxxi All men muste knowe etc. Fol. lxxviii Accidentes muste haue c Fol. lxxiiii A right bishop c. Fol. lxxv Al the workes of God c Fol. lxxix An apt similitude Fol. clxxxxvii Lit. Dd A shauen crowne c. Fol. clxxxxvii Dd A longe gowne Fol. clxxxxviii Dd An Englishe bishop Fol. ccvi Anne Askue Fol. cciiii B Beleue not euerie spirite Fol. xii Be no more Caparnaites Fol. xxxiiii By what fruite you may know theÌ„ Fol. xli Bonifacius putteth Christ out etc. fol. lxxii Bishops defende wyckednesse fol. cxxxix Baptisme is not estemed as it c fol. lxxxv Because all thinges are possible c. fol. clviii By the workes you shall etc. fol. lxxvii Beware of my Lordes lyes fol. clxxxxii Barnes fol. cciiii Bylnaye fol. cciii C Christ dyd not coÌ„secrate the bread fol. xxxvii Christ can not be eaten without fruite fol. xl Christes comyng is at hande fol. cxxxviii Christes fleshe gyueth lyfe fol. cxiv Christ is the verie vine fol. lxxxxvi Christ shal coâ—… againe visible fol. lxxxxvii Christ onely must be our bishop fol. clix Christ neuer preached traÌ„substaÌ„ c fol. clxiii Cato fol. ccvi D Doctour Buttes fol. cxli Damascen putteth water into c fol. cv DamasceÌ„ wil haue water made bloud fol. cv Damascen fol. cxi Dogges wyl not eate dogs fleshe fol. cxx Doctrine preached at Pauls crosse fo clxxxxi E Ecolampadius repented fol. ciii Exemples of mennes c fol. clxxxxii Cc. F Fewe are founde faythfull fol. lxvi Fyre can not preuayle fol. lxix Fayth receyueth Christes body fol. cxliii Feare not the breade God fol. clvii Fryth is not confuted fol. clxvii From the Elders c fol. clxxiiii Fishe prouoketh lust fol. clxxxx Fyl the bealy fol. ccvii G Go no farther theÌ„ your coÌ„mission fol. xxxvi God hath neuer forsakeÌ„ his churche fol. lxv God flryketh and healeth agayne fol. lxvii Gyue eare for God sayeth it fol. cxlv God regardeth them that worshippe hym in spirite fol. cl God is nere to euerie one of vs. fol. cli God is the father of spirites fol. cli God hath his ministers of venge c. fol. clii God giueth warning before ven c. fol. cliiij God is far in dette to his makers sol clvi God is not chaungable fol. clvi God accepteth iustice by fayth fol. clxiâ— God regardeth not the osferyng of signes or sacramentes fol. clxiii God ment vs good fol. clxiiii God regardeth none of our inueÌ„ c. fol. clxv God is pacient Fol. clxvii Gregorie Nazienzene Fol. clxxxvi Gods word must giue place c. Fol. clxxxix Gyue no eare c Fol. clxxxxiii Lit. Cc. H Howe full of iniquitie this time is Fol. xi Howe God giueth wisedome to al that aske it in fayth fol. xviii Howe the Papistes reason a posse c fol. xx He that hath eyes to see let him see fol. xxxv He that wyl fynde Christ fol. clx Hidra the monster fol. clxxxviii Howe fasting dryueth out c fol. clxxxx He that knoweth not God fol. lxxvii He that is once c fol. lxxix Holy water fol. cci Hunne fol. cciiii Husse fol. cciii I I woulde wishe my Lorde this c fol. xxxiii In two wordes lieth the whole etc. fol. xxxix If we wyl entre into Christes etc. fol. cxlv Iudas dyd not eate the body etc. fol. lxxxxiiii It is possible for God to chaunge etc. fol. cv Idols shal be brent fol. cxlvii Idols be thanked for Gods giftes fol. cliiii In what respect the fleshe of Christ was heauenly breade fol. clxi Iohn Lasselles fol. cciiii It is more easie to liue wel then Ill fol. clxix If thynges be auncient etc. fol. clxix If the prelates had had â–ª etc. fol. clxxiiii It is for the papistes profite fol. clxxvi K Knowledge of the senses fol. xli L Learne to eate the fleshe bloud c. fol. xxxiâ—i Learne to resist sophistrie fol xxxviii Learne to knowe the membres of Christes churche fol. lxviii Learne witte at the mouse fol. lxxxvi Let them that doubt etc. fol. clxvii Learne to auoyed offence etc. fol. clxxxiii Learne at the bishops to fast fol. clxxxiii Learne wherin to folowe Christ fol. clxxxvii Learne to knowe etc. fol. clxxxxix Dd M Marke what meate Christ c fol. xxxiii Marke howe God prouided etc. fol. lxvi Marke who hath ben the. c fol. lxx Maxentius the tirant fol. lxxi My Lorde woulde haue no traÌ„ c. fol. cxliii Marke the fruites of my lordes c. fol. lxxxii Marke my Lordes intent fol. lxxxâ—i Marke my Lordes sophistrie fol. lxxxvi My Lordes owne swerde stryketh of his heade fol. lxxxviii My Lordes wordes ende in ly fol. lxxxxv My Lorde hath loste his witnesse fol. câ—i My lordes similitudes serue not for his purpose fol. cvi Marke the constancie of the Doct. fol. cvii Marke thexaâ—…ation of these c. fol. cxxvi My lorde might haue ben asha c. fo cxxxvii Man hath made hâ—m Goddes fol. cxlviii More