offering and hys going in once in the yeare into the inner temple signifie the offering wherewyth Christ offered hymselfe and Christes goyng in vnto the father to be an euerlasting mediator or intercessor for vs. Neuerthelesse Rochester proueth the contrary by a shadow by a shadow verely For in shadowes they walke with out all shame and the light will they not come at but enforce to stoppe and quench it with all craft and falshod lest their abhominable iugling shoulde be sene If any man looke in the light of y e new testament he shal clearely see that that shadow may not be so vnderstād Vnderstand therfore that one thing in the Scripture representeth diuers thynges A Serpent figureth Christ in one place and the Deuill in an other And a Lyon doth lykewise Christ by Leuen signifieth Gods worde in one place and in an other signifieth thereby the traditions of y t Phareseis which sowred altered Gods word for theyr auauntage Now Moyses verely in y ◠sayd place representeth Christ and Aaron which was not yet hye Priest represēted not Peter onely or hys successour as my Lord of Rochester woulde haue it for Peter was to litle to beare Christes message vnto all the world but signifieth euery disciple of Christ euery true preacher of Gods worde For Moyses put in Aarons mouth what he should say and Aaron was Moyses Prophet and spake not hys owne message as the Pope and Byshoppes doe but that which Moyses had receaued of God and deliuered vnto hym Exod. 4. and also 7. So ought euery preacher to preach Gods worde purely and neither to adde nor minish A true messenger must doe his message truely and say neither more nor lesse then he is commaunded Aaron when he is hye priest and offereth and purgeth the people of their worldly sinne which they had fallē in in touching vncleanly thynges and in eating meates forbidden as we sinne in handling the chalice and the Alter stone are purged wyth the Bishops blessing representeth Christ which purgeth vs from all sinne in the sight of God as the epistle vnto the Hebrues maketh mentiō When Moyses was gone vp into the mounte and Aaron left behynde and made the golden Calfe there Aaron representeth all false preachers and namely our most holy father y ◠Pope which in like maner maketh vs beleue in a Bull as y t Bishop of Rochester ful wel alleageth the place in hys sermon If the Pope be signified by Aaron and Christ by Moyses why is not the Pope as well content with Christes law and doctrine as Aaron was with Moyses What is the cause that our Bishops preach the pope and not Christ seyng the Apostles preached not Peter but Christ Paul ij Cor. iiij sayth of hym selfe and of his felowapostles we preache not our selues but Christ Iesus the Lord and preach our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake And. i. Cor. iij. Let no mā reioyse in men For all thynges are yours whether it bee Paul or Apollo or Peter whether it be the world or life or death whether they be present thinges or thynges to come all are yours ye are Christes Christ is Gods He leueth out ye are Peters or ye are the popes And in the Chapter folowyng he sayth Let men thus wise esteme vs euē the ministers of Christ c. And. ij Cor. xj Paul was gelous ouer his Corinthians because they fell from Christ to whom he had maried thē did cleaue vnto the authoritie of men for euē then false Prophetes sought authoritie in the name of the hye Apostles I am sayth he gelouse ouer you with godly gelousie For I coupled you to one mā to make you a chast virgine to Christ but I feare lest as the Serpent deceaued ◅e through his suttiltie euen so your wittes should be corrupt from the singlenesse that is in Christ And it followeth If he that commeth to you preached an other Iesus or if ye receaue an other spirite or another Gospell then might ye well haue ben content that is ye might haue well suffered him to haue authoritie aboue me But I suppose sayth he that I was not behynd the hye Apostles meaning in preaching Iesus his Gospell and in ministring the spirite And in the said xj Chapter he proueth by y ◠doctrine of Christ that he is greater then the hye Apostles For Christ sayth to be great in the kingdome of God is to do seruice and take payne for other Vpon which rule Paul disputeth saying if they be the ministers of Christ I am more In labours more aboundaunt in stripes about measure in prison more plenteously in death oft and so forth If Paul preached Christ more then Peter and suffered more for hys congregation then is he greater then Peter by y e testimony of Christ And in the xij he sayth In nothing was I inferior vnto y ◠hye Apostles Though I be nothing yet the tokēs of an Apostle were wrought amōg you with all pacience with signes wōders mighty dedes So proued he his authority not with a bulle frō Peter sealed with cold lead either with shadowes of the old Testament falsly expounded Moreouer the Apostles were sent immediatly of Christ and of Christ receaued they their authoritie as Paul boasteth him selfe euery where Christ sayth he sent me to preach the Gospell i. Corint i. And I receaued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you i. Cor. xi And Gal. i. I certifie you brethrē that the Gospell which was preached of me was not after the maner of men that is to witte carnal or fleshly neither receaued I it of man neyther was it taught me but I receaued it by y t reuelation of Iesus Christ And Gal. ij He that was mighty in Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision was mighty in me among the Gētiles And 1. Timoth. 1. Readest thou lykewyse And Iohn xx Christ sent them forth indifferently and gaue them lyke power As my father sent me sayth he so send I you that is to preach and to suffer as I haue done and not to conquer enemyes and kyngdomes and to subdue all temporall power vnder you wyth disguised hypocrisie He gaue thē the holy Ghost to bynde and loose indifferently as thou seest And afterward he sent forth Paule wyth like authority as thou seest in the Actes And in the last of Mathew sayth he all power is geuen me in heauē and in earth goe therfore and teach all naciōs baptising them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer I commaunded you The authoritie that Christ gaue thē was to preach yet not what they would imagine but what he had commaunded Loe sayth he I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world He sayde not I goe my way and loe here is Peter in my stede But sent them euery man to
Princes and to all that are in authoritie how to rule vnto Gods pleasure vnto their owne profite For there is not a perfecter life in this world both to the honor of God and profite of his neighbour nor yet a greater crosse theÌ„ to rule christianly And of Aaron also see that thou make no figure of Christ vntill hee come vnto hys sacrifisyng but an example vnto all Preachers that they adde nothyng vnto Gods word or take ought therefro Note also how GOD sendeth his promise to the people and Moyses coÌ„firmeth it with miracles and the people beleue But when temptatioÌ„ commeth they fall into vnbelief and fewe byde standyng When thou seest that all be not Christen that will be so called and that the crosse tryeth the true from the fayned for if the crosse were not Christ should haue Disciples enough Whereof also thou seest what an excellent gift of God true fayth is and impossible to be had without the spirite of God For it is aboue all natural power that a maÌ„ in time of temtation when GOD scourgeth hym should beleue then stedfastly how that God loueth him and careth for hym and hath prepared all good thyngs for hym and that that scourgyng is an earnest that GOD hath elect and chosen hym Note how oft Moyses styred them vp to beleue and trust in God putting them in remembraunce alway in tyme of temptation of the miracles wonders that GGD hath wrought before tyme in their eye sight How diligently also forbiddeth hee all that might withdraw their hartes from God to put ought to GODS word to take ought from it coÌ„maundyng to do that onely that is ryght in the sight of the Lord that they should make no maner Image to kneele downe before it yea that they should make none aultare of hewed stone for feare of Images to fle the heathen Idolatries vtterly and to destroy their Idols and cut downe theyr groues where they worshypped and that they should not take the daughters of them vnto their sonnes nor geue their daughters to y t sonnes of them and that who soeuer moued any of them to worshyp false Gods how soeuer nighe of kynne he were they must accuse him and bryng him to death yea wheresoeuer they heard of man woman or Citie that worshypped false Gods they should slea them destroy the Citie for euer and not builde it agayne and all bycause they should worship nothing but God nor put confidence in any thing saue in his word Yea and howe warneth he to beware of witchcraft sorcerie enchauntment nicromancie and all craftes of the Deuill and of dreamers â—othsayers and of miracle doers to destroy the word and that they should suffer none such to lyue Thou wilt hapely say they tell a man the truth What then GOD will that we care not to knowe what shall come He will haue vs to care onely to kepe his commaundementes and to committe all chaunces vnto hym He hath promised to care for vs to kepe vs from all ill All thynges are in hys hand he can remedy all thynges and will for his truth sake if we pray hym In his promises onely will hee haue vs trust and there rest and to seke no farther How also doth he prouoke them to loue euer rehearsing the benefites of God done to them already the godly promises that were to come And how goodly lawes of loue geueth hee to helpe one an other and that a man should not hate his neighbour in hys hart but loue him as himself Leuit. 19 And what a charge geueth he in euery place ouer the poore and nedie ouer the strauÌ„ger frendlesse and widowes And when he desireth to shew mercy he rehearseth with all the benefites of God done to them at their neede that they might see a cause at the least waye in GOD to shew mercy of very loue vnto their neighbours at their nede Also there is no lawe so simple in apparaunce thoroughout the v. bokes of Moses but that there is a great reason of y t makyng therof if a man search diligently As that a man is forbyd to sethe a Kydde in hys mothers milke moueth vs vnto compassion and to be pitiful As doth also that a man should not offer the syre or damme the youÌ„g both in one day Leuiticus .xxij. For it might seme a cruell thyng in as much as his mothers milke is as it were his bloud wherfore god wil not haue him sodde therin but will haue a man shew curtesie vppon the very beastes As in an other place hee commaundeth that we mosell not the Oxe that treadeth out the corne whiche maner of threshyng is vsed in hoate countreys and that bycause we should much rather to be liberall and kynd vnto men that do vs seruice Or happely GOD would haue none such wanton meate vsed among his people For the Kydde of it selfe is nourishyng and the Goates milke is restauratiue and both together might be to rancke and therefore forbydden or some other lyke cause there was Of the ceremonies sacrifices and tabernacle with all hys glory and pompe vnderstand that they were not permitted onely but also commaunded of GOD to lead the people in the shadowe of Moyses and night of the olde Testament vntill the lyght of Christ and day of the new Testament were come As children are lead in the phantasies of youth vntill the discretion of mans age be come vpon them And all was done to keepe them from Idolatrie The tabernacle was ordeined to the entent they might haue a place appointed them to do their sacrifices openly in the sight of the people and namely the Priestes whiche wayted thereon that it might bee sene that they dyd all thynges accordyng to Gods worde not after the Idolatry of their owne imagination And the costlinesse of the Tabernacle and the beauty also pertayning therunto that they should see nothyng among the heathen but that they should see thinges more beautiful at home because they shoulde not bee moued to follow them And in lyke maner the diuers fashions of sacrifices and ceremonies was to occupy their minds that they shold haue no lust to follow the Heathen the multitude of them was that they should haue so much to do in keepyng them that they should haue no leysure to imagine other of their owne yea that Gods worde might be there by in all that they did that they might haue their fayth and trust in God which he cannot haue that followeth either hys own inuentions or traditions of meÌ„s makyng without Gods worde Finally God hath two testaments the olde and the new The olde testament is those teÌ„porall promises which God made the children of Israell of a good lande and that he would defend them and of wealth and prosperitie of temporall blessinges of which thou readest ouer all the law of Moses but namely Leuiticus 26. and Deut.
man a lier as Scripture sayth For the truth of God lasteth euer to whom onely be all honour and glorie for euer Amen The ende of the Parable of the Wicked Mammon ¶ The obedience of a Christen man and how Christen rulers ought to gouerne Wherein also if thou marke diligently thou shalt finde eyes to perceaue the craftie conueyaunce of all iugglers Set forth by William Tyndall 1528. Octob. 2. William Tyndall otherwyse called Hitchins to the Reader GRace peace and increase of knowledge in our Lord Iesus Christ be with thee reader and with all that call on the name of the Lord vnfaynedly and with a pure conscience Amen Let it not make thee dispayre neither yet discourage thee O Reader that it is forbidden thee in payne of life and goods or that it is made breaking of the Kinges peace or treason vnto his highnesse to read the worde of thy soules health but much rather be bold in the Lorde and comforte thy soule for asmuch as thou art sure and hast an euident token through suche persecution that it is the true worde of God which worde is euer hated of the worlde neyther was euer without persecution as thou seest in all the stories of the Bible both of the newe Testament and also of the olde neyther can be no more then the Sunne can be without his light And forasmuch as contrariwise thou art sure that the popes doctrine is not of God which as thou seest is so agreable vnto the world and is so receiued of the world or which rather so receaueth the world and the pleasures of the worlde and seeketh nothing but the possessions of the worlde and aucthoritie in the world to beare a rule in the world persecuteth the worde of God with all wilinesse driueth the people from it and with false and sophisticall reasons maketh them afeard of it he curseth them and excommunicateth them and bringeth them in beleef that they be damned if they looke on it and that it is but doctrine to deceaue men and moueth the blinde powers of the world to slay with fire water and sworde all that cleaue vnto it For the world loueth that which is his and hateth that which is chosen out of the world to serue God in the spirite as Christ sayth to his Disciples Iohn 15. If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but I haue chosen you out of the worlde and therefore the world hateth you An other comfort hast thou that as the weake powers of the worlde defende the doctrine of the worlde so the mighty power of God defendeth the doctrine of God Which thing thou shalt euidentlye perceiue if thou call to minde the wonderfull deedes whiche God hath euer wrought for his word in extreame necessitie since the worlde began beyond all mans reason Whiche are written as Paule sayth Roma 15. for our learning and not for our deceauing that we through patience and comfort of the scripture might haue hope The nature of Gods word is to fight agaynst hypocrites It beganne at Abell and hath euer since continued and shall I doubte not vntyll the laste daye And the hypocrites haue alway the world on their sides as thou seest in the time of Christ They had the elders that is to witte the rulers of the Iewes on theyr side They had Pilate and the Emperors power on theyr side They had Herode also on theyr side Moreouer they brought all theyr worldlye wysedome to passe and all that they coulde thinke â–ª or imagine to serue for theyr purpose Fyrst to feare the people withal they excommunicated all that beleeued in him and put them out of the temple as thou seest Iohn 9. Secondly they founde the meanes to haue him condemned by the Emperors power and made it treason to Cesar to beleeue in him Thirdly they obtayned to haue him hanged as a theefe or a murtherer which after theyr belly wisedome was a cause aboue all causes that no man should beleeue in him For the Iewes take it for a sure token of euerlasting damnation if a man be hanged For it is written in theyr lawe Deutero 21. Cursed is whosoeuer hangeth on tree Moyses also in the same place commaundeth if any man be hanged to take him downe the same day and bury him for feare of polluting or defiling the countrey that is least they shoulde bring the wrath and curse of God vpon them And therfore the wicked Iewes themselues which with so venemous hate persecuted the doctrine of Christ and did all the shame that they coulde do vnto him though they would fayne haue had Christ to hang still on the crosse and there to rotte as he shoulde haue done by the Emperors lawe yet for feare of defiling theyr Sabboth and of bringing the wrath and curse of God vpon them begged of Pilate to take him downe Ioh. 19. which was against them selues Finally when they had done all they coulde and that they thought sufficient and when christ was in the hart of the earth so many billes and pollares about him to keepe him down and when it was past mans helpe then holpe God when man coulde not bring him agayne Gods truth fetched him agayne The oth that God had sworne to AbrahaÌ„ to Dauid to other holy fathers Prophetes raysed him vp agayne to blesse and saue all that beleeue in him Thus became the wisedome of the hypocrites foolishnes Loe thys was written for thy learning and comfort How wonderfully were the children of Israell locked in Egipt In what tribulation combraunce and aduersitie were they in The land also that was promised them was farre of and full of great cities walled with high walles vp to the skye inhabited with great giantes yet Gods truth brought them out of Egipt and planted them in the land of the giantes This is also written for our learning For there is no power agaynst Gods neyther any wisedome against Gods wisedomeâ— he is stronger and wiser then all his enemies What holpe it Pharao to drowne the men childreÌ„ So little I feare not shall it at the last helpe the pope and his byshops to burne our men children whiche manfully confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lorde and that there is no other name geuen vnto men to be saued by as Peter testifieth Actes 4. Who dryed vp the red sea Who slew Golias Who did all those wonderfull deedes which thon readest in the Bible Who deliuered the Israelites euermore from thraâ—dom and bondage as soone as they repented and turned to God Fayth verely and Gods truth and the trust in the promises which he had made Read the xj to the Hebrues for thy consolation When the children of Israell were ready to dispayre for the greatnes the multitude of the Giantes Moyses comforted them euer saying RemeÌ„ber what your Lord God hath done for you in Egipt his wonderfull plagues his
seruauntes of Christ doyng the wil of God from the hart with good will euen as thoughe ye serued the Lord and not men Eph. vj. And i. Pet. ij seruauntes obey your masters with all feare not onely if they be good and curteous but also though they be froward For it commeth of grace if a man for conscience towarde God endure grief suffering wrongfully For what prayse is it if when ye be buffeted for your faultes ye take it paciently But and if when ye do well ye suffer wrong and take it paciently thē is there thanke with God Hereunto verely were ye called For Christ also suffred for our sakes leauing vs an example to follow hys steppes In what so euer kynde therefore thou art a seruaunt during the tyme of thy couenauntes thy maister is vnto thee in the stede and rowme of God and God thorough hym feedeth thee clotheth thee ruleth thee and learneth thee His cōmaundementes are Gods commaundementes and thou oughtest to obey hym as God and in all thinges to seeke his pleasure and profite For thou art his good and possession as hys Oxe or hys Horse in so much that who so euer doth but desire thee in hys hart from him without his loue and licence is condēned of God which sayth Exod. xx See thou once couet not thy neighbours seruauntes Paule the Apostle sent home Onemus vnto his maister as thou readest in the epistle of Paule to Philemon In so much that though the sayd Philemon with his seruaunt also was cōuerted by Paul obeyed vnto Paule and to the worde that Paule preached not hys seruaunt onely but also himselfe yea and though that Paule was in necessitie and lacked ministers to minister vnto hym in y t bondes which he suffered for the Gospels sake yet would he not retaine the seruaunt necessary vnto the furtheraunce of the Gospell wythout the consent of the mayster O how sore differeth the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles from the doctrine of the Pope and of his Apostles For if any man wyll obeye neither father nor mother neither Lord nor maister neither King nor Prince the same needeth but onely to take the marke of the beast that is to shaue himselfe a Monke a Fryer or a priest and is then immediatly free and exempted from all seruice and obedience due vnto man He that will obey no man as they will not is most acceptable vnto them The more disobedient that thou art vnto Gods ordinaūces the more apt meete art thou for theirs Neither is the professing vowing and swearyng obediēce vnto their ordinaunces any other thyng thē the defiyng denying forswearyng obedience vnto the ordinaunces of God ¶ The obedience of Subiectes vnto kinges Princes and rulers LEt euery soule submit himself vnto the aucthoritie of the hyer powers There is no power but of God The powers that be are ordayned of God Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God They that resist shal receaue to themselues damnation For rulers are not to be feared for good workes but for euill Wilt thou be without feare of the power Do well then and so shalt thou be praysed of the same For he is the minister of God for thy wealth But and if thou do euill then feare For he beareth not a swearde for nought For he is the minister of god to take vengeaunce on them that do euill Wherefore ye must needes obey not for feare of vengeaunce onely but also because of conscience Euen for this cause pay ye tribute For they are Gods ministers seruing for the same purpose Geue to euery man therefore hys dutie Tribute to whom tribute belongeth Custome to whom custome is due feare to whome feare belongeth honour to whome honour perteineth Owe nothing to any man but to loue one an other For he that loueth an other fulfilleth the lawe For these commaundementes Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnes Thou shalt not desire and so forth if there be any other commaundement are all comprehended in thys saying Loue thyne neighbour as thy selfe Loue hurteth not his neighbour therfore is loue the fulfilling of the lawe AS a father ouer his children is both Lorde and iudge forbidding one brother to auenge hymselfe on an other but if any cause of strife be betwene them will haue it brought vnto hymselfe or his assignes to be iudged and correct so God forbiddeth all men to auenge themselues and taketh the aucthoritie and office of auenging vnto himselfe saying Vengeance is myne and I will rewarde Deut. xxxij Which text Paule alleageth Rom. xij For it is impossible that a man should be a righteous an egall or an indifferent iudge in hys owne cause lustes and appetites so blinde vs. Moreouer when thou auengest thy self thou makest not peace but stirrest vp more debate God therefore hath geuē lawes vnto all nations and in all landes hath put kinges gouerners and rulers in hys owne stede to rule the world thorough them And hath commaunded all causes to be brought before them as thou readest Exod. xxij In all causes sayth he of iniury or wrong whether it be Oxe Asse shepe or vesture or any lost thing which an other chalengeth let the cause of both parties be brought vnto the Gods whome the Gods condemne the same shall paye double vnto his neighbour Marke the iudges are called Gods in the Scriptures because they are in Gods rowme and execute the commaundements of God And in an other place of the sayde chapter Moses chargeth saying see that thou rayle not on the Gods neither speake euill of the ruler of thy people Who so euer therefore resisteth them resisteth God for they are in y ◠rowne of God and they that reliste shall receaue the damnation Such obedience vnto father and mother mayster husband Emperor King Lordes and rulers requireth God of all nations yea of the very Turkes and Infidels The blessing and rewarde of them that kepe them is the life of thys worlde as thou readest Leuit. xviij Keepe my ordinaunces and lawes which if a man keepe he shall liue therein which text Paule rehearseth Rom. x. prouing thereby that the righteousnes of the law is but worldly and the rewarde thereof is the lyfe of thys worlde And the curse of them that breaketh them is the losse of thys life as thou seest by y ◠punishment appointed for them And whoseuer keepeth the lawe whether it be for feare for vayne glory or profite though no man rewarde hym yet shall God blesse him aboundantly and send hym worldly prosperitie as thou readest Deut. xxviij What good blessinges accompany the keping of the lawe and as we see the Turkes farre exceede vs Christen men in worldly prosperity for their iust keeping of their temporall lawes Likewise though no man punishe the breakers of the lawe yet shall God send hys curses
commit greuous murther also It is vnright in y e sight of God and man that thy child should be at an other mans cost be an other mans heyre Neither canst thou or thy mother haue lightly a quyet conscience to God or a merie hart as long as it so is Moreouer what greater shame caÌ„st thou do to thy neighbour or what greater displeasure what if it neuer be knowen nor come any child thereof The preciousest gift that a maÌ„ hath in this world of God is the true hart of his wife to abyde by him in wealth wo to beare all fortunes with him Of that hast thou robbed him for after she hath once coupled her selfe to thee she shal not lightly loue him any more so truly But haply hate him and procure hys death Moreouer thou hast vntaught her to feare God and hast made her to sinne agaynst God For to God promised she and not to man onely for the law of Matrimonie is Gods ordinaunce For it is written Genes xxxix When Putiphars wyfe would haue had Ioseph to lye with her he answered how could I do this wickednesse and synne agaynst God yea verely it is impossible to sinne agaynst man except thou sinne agaynst God first Finally read Chronicles stories and see what hath folowed of adulterie What shall we say that some Doctours haue disputed and douted whether single fornication should be sinne when it is condemned both by Christ and Moses to And Paule testifieth 1. Cor. 6. that no fornicatour or whore keeper shall possesse the kyngdome of God It is right that all thâ— that hope in God should bryng vp their trute in the feare and knowledge of God and not to leaue his seede where he careth not what come therof Wherefore if thy right eye offende thee plucke it out and cast it froÌ„ thee for it is better for thee that one of thy meÌ„bers perish theÌ„ that thy whole body should be cast into hell And euen so if thy right hand offende thee cut it of and cast it froÌ„ thee For it is better for thee that one of thy members perishe then that thy whole bodye should be cast into hell This is not meant of the outward meÌ„bers For then we must cut of nose eares hand and â—ote ye we must procure to destroy the seing hearing smelling tasting and tealing and so euery man kill himselfe But it is a phrase or speach of the Ebrue tongue and will that we cut of occasions daunsing kissing riotous cating and drinking the lust of the hart and filthy imaginations that moue a man to coucupiscence Let euery man haue his wyfe and thinke her the fayrest and the best conditioned and euery woman her husband so to For God hath blessed thy wife and made her without sinne to thee which ought to seeme a beautifull fayrenes And all y â— ye suffer together the one with the other is blessed also and made the very crosse of Christ and pleasauÌ„t in the sight of God Why should she theÌ„ be lothsome to thee because of a little suffering that y u shouldest iust after an other that should defile thy soule â—lea thy conscience and make thee suffer euerlastingly It is sayd whosoeuer putteth away his wife let him geue her a testimoniall of the deuorcemeÌ„t But I say vnto you who soeuer putteth away his wife except it be for fornication maketh her to breake wedlocke and who soeuer marieth the deuorced breaketh wedlocke Moses Deut. xxiiij permitted hys Israelites in extreame necessitie as when they so hated their wiues y t they abhorred the company of them then to put them away to auoyde a worse inconuenience Whereof ye read also Mat. xix And he knitte thereto that they might not receaue them agayne after they had bene knowne of any other persons Which â—cence y e Iewes abused and put away their wiues for euery light or fayned cause and whensoeuer they lusted But Christ calleth backe agayne and enterpreteth y e lawe after the first ordinaunce and cutteth of all causes of deuorcement saue fornication of the wiues partie wheÌ„ she breaketh her matrimony In which case Moses law pronouÌ„ceth her dead and so do y e lawes of many other couÌ„treyes which lawes where they be vsed there is the man free without all question Now where they be let liue there the man if he see signe of repentaunce and amendment may forgeue for once If he may not finde in hys hart as Ioseph as holy as he was coulde not finde in his hart to take Christes mother to hym when he spied her with childe he is free no doubt to take an other while the lawe interpreteth her deede for her sinne ought of no right to bynde him What shall the woman doe if she repent and be so tempted in her fleshe that she cannot liue chaste verely I can shew you nothing out of the scripture The office of the preacher is to preach the x. commaundements which are the lawe naturall and to promise them which submitte themselues to keepe them of loue and feare of God euerlasting life for their labour thorow fayth in Christ and to threateÌ„ the disobedient with euerlasting payne in hell And his punishment is if any man haue offended thorow frailtie when he is rebuked turne and repent to receaue him vnto grace and absolue hym and if any will not amende wheÌ„ he is rebuked to cast him out among the infidelles This I say if the temporall power shut her vp as a conuict person appointing her a sober liuyng to make satisfaction to the congregation for her dampnable example they did not amisse It is better that one misdoer suffer then that a common wealth be corrupt Where the officers be negligent the woman not able to put her selfe to penaunce it she went where she is not knowen and there marry God is the God of mercy If any man in the same place where she trespasseth pitied her and maryed her I coulde suffer it were it not that the libertie woulde be the next way to prouoke all other that were once weary of their husbandes to commit adultery for to be deuorced from them that they might marry other which they loued better Let the temporall sworde take heede to theyr charge therefore For this is truth all the temporall blessings set in the lawe of Moses for keeping their lawes as wealth and prosperitie long life the vpperhand of their enemies plenteousnesse of fruites and cheape of all thyng and to be without pestilence warre and famishment and all maner other abhominable diseases plagues pertayne to vs as well as to them if we keepe our temporall lawes And all the cursses and terrible plagues which are threatned throughout the law of Moses as hunger dearth warre and dissentioÌ„ pestilence feuers and wonderfull and straunge fearefull diseases as the sweate pockes and falling sicknesse shortyng of dayes that the sworde hunger and such diseases
had as great loue to Christ as to other thinges to happen dayly vnto the shame of Christes doctrine among Priestes Fryers and Monkes partly with open whores partly with their sodometrie whereof they cast ech other in the teeth dayly in euery Abbey for the least displeasure that one doth to an other M. More might see what occasions of vnchasâ—itie be geuen vnto the Curates euery where by the reason of their office and dayly conuersation with the maryed And when he sayth neuer maÌ„ could finde that exposition till now there he sayth vntrue For S. Hierome hymselfe saith that he knew them that so expoâ—ded the text and rebuked them of Rome because they would not admit into the clergie them that had had two wiues the one before baptim and the other after saying if a man had killed xx men before his Baptime they would not haue forbidden him and why then should that which is no sinne at all be a let vnto him But the God of Rome would not heare him For Sathan beganne then to worke his misteries of wickednes And when he saith he that hath ten wiues hath one wife I say that one is taken by the vse of speaking for one onely As when I say I am content to geue thee one meaning one onely And vnto him that hath no helpe is there one helpe to looke for no helpe where one helpe is taken for one onely and many places els And when M. More sayth he that hath had two wiues one after an nother may not be Priest and that if a Priestes wife die he may not haue another or that if he were made Priest hauing no wife he might not after mary if he burnt I desire a reason of him If he say it hath bene so the vse then say I an whore is better then a wife for that hath bene y e vse of our holy father many hundred yeares But I affirme vnto M. More the contrary And I say first wyth Paule that the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke and by the same reason neither husband or wife but y t keeping of the commaundements and to loue euery man his neighbour as himselfe And therefore as meate and drinke were ordeined for mans necessitie and as a man may care drinke at all needes in all degrees so farre as it letteth him not to keepe the commaundementes and to loue his neighbour as himselfe euen so was the wife created for the mans necessitie and therefore may a man vse her at all hys neede in all degrees as farre as she letteth hym not to keepe Gods lawe which is nothing els by Paules learning then that a man loue hys neyghbour as himselfe Now I desire a reason of M. Mores doctrine what doth my second wife or my third hinder me to loue my neighbour as my selfe and to do him seruice against I come to be priest What let is your second wife to you to serue our holy father the Pope more then your first would haue bene And in like maner if my first wife die when I am a Priest why may I not loue my neighbour do hym as good seruice with the second as with y e first And againe if I be made priest hauing no wife and after burne and therfore mary why may I not loue my neighbour and serue hym wyth that wyfe as well as he that brought a wife with hym It was not for nought that Paule prophesied that some should departe from the faith attend vnto disceaueable spirites and deuelishe doctrine forbidding to mary and to eate meates which god hath created to be receaued with thankes of them that know the truth to buy dispeÌ„sations to vse lawfull meat and vnlawfull wiues And I aske M. More why he y t hath the second wife or hath had two wiues may not be a Priest or why if a Priestes first wife die he may not mary the second He will aunswere because the Priest must represent the misteries or secrete properties and vnion of Christ the onely husbande of his onely wyfe the church or congregation that beleueth in him onely That is as I haue in other places sayd the scripture describeth vs in matrimonye the mysteries and secrete benefites which God the father hath hid in Christ for all theÌ„ that be chosen and ordeyned to beleue and put their trust in him to be saued As when a man taketh a wife he geueth her himselfe his honour hys riches and all that he hath and maketh her of equall degree vnto himselfe if he be king and she before a beggers daughter yet she is not y e lesse Quene and in honour aboue al other If he be Emperour she is Empresse and honoured of men as the Emperour and partaker of all Euen so if a man repeÌ„t and come and beleue in Christ to be saued from the dampnation of the sinne of which he repenteth Christ is hys owue good immediately Christes death paine prayer passion fastyng and all his merites are for that mans sinnes a full satisfaction and a sacrifice of might and power to absolue hym 〈◊〉 pena et a culp 〈◊〉 Christes enheritaunce his loue and fauour that he hath wyth God his father are that mans by and by and the man by that mariage is pure as Christ and cleane wythout sinne and honourable glorious weibeloued and in fauour thorow y t grace of that mariage And because that the Priest must represent vs this signification is the cause why a Priest may not haue the second wyfe say they which popishe reason hath deceaued many wise as who can be but deceaued in some thing if he receaue all his doctrine by the auctoritie of his elders except he haue an occasion as we haue to runne to Moses and the Prophetes there heare see with our owne eyes and beleue no longer by the reason of oure forefathers when we see them so shamefully beguild themselues and to beguile vs in a thousand things which the Turkes see Now to our purpose if this doctrine be true then must euery Priest haue a wife or haue had a wife For he that neuer had wife can not represent vs this And againe he that hath an whore or an other mans wife hath lost this property and therfore ought to be put downe And againe the second mariage theÌ„ of no man is or can be a SacrameÌ„t by that doctrine And yet I will describe you the mariage of Christ as well by his mariage that hath had ix wyues and hath now the tenth as by his that hath now the first O will they say his wyfe was no virgine or he when they were maried Sir the signification standeth not in y t virginitie but in the actuall wedlocke We were no virgines when we came to Christ but coÌ„mon whores beleuing in a thousand Idoles And in the second mariage or tenth and ye will the man hath but one wife and
e soule after Rastels learnyng must proue that heauen and hell be here in earth or els there cā be none Sée this learned man y t would proue Purgatory by good Philosophy The second cause that Purgatory should be a good example to the liuing to put them in feare to do any like offence is not soluted of Rastell but I haue soluted it before and will yet satisfie you agayne because Rastell leaueth it out We haue here in y e world Moses the Prophetes that is y e old Testament yea also Christ his Apostles which we call the new Testament now if we beleue not these thē shall we not surely beleue although we had Purgatory hel to amōg vs. And this may well bee gathered of Christes owne wordes Luke xvj Where he brought in y e parable of y e rich mā Lazarus for y e rich mā being in paynes desired Abrahā to send Lazarus vnto his v. brethrē to warne them that they might not come into that fire Abrahā aunswered agayne y t they had Moses the Prophetes And added let them heare them Thē sayd the rich mā Nay father Abrahā but if any of them that are departed appeare vnto them then will they beleue it And Abraham concludeth on this maner If they beleue not Moses and the Prophetes no more wil they beleue if any of the dead should rise agayne And therfore may I likewise conclude that if they beleue not neither yet feare the paynes which Moses and the Prophets yea and Christ and his Apostles haue prophesied to fall on the vnfaythfull then will they not beleue for feare of the paynes of Purgatory Now to the last pointe where Purgatory should be he aunswereth as you shall heare First y t it is a foolish question for hee can not aunswere vnto it by his Philosophy And then he sayth that no man can tell neither the place neither yet the maner of the payne Here maketh he S. Thomas yea and all our Scholemen fooles by craft partly because they take vpon them to aunswere vnto this question whiche he calleth foolish and partly because they fully determine that the place of Purgatory is the third place in hell and all to assigne fire to be the maner of y t payne And agayne in this last part hee proueth thē double fooles Once because they stoutly affirme that thyng which no man can tell as Rastel sayth And agayne because they restrayne God of his libertie that assigne any place make him oflesse authoritie then an inferiour iudge which hath no place assigned hym but may doe execution and punish the giltie in what place he will I wonder that our Scholemen may abyde this felow And then he sayth that Purgatory is in a place limitatiue And where soeuer God doth limitte the soule to bee purged there is the limitatiue place of that soule and there is the Purgatory of that soule So y t a man may gather by Rastell that the soules bee not limited to one place to be purged and punished And therto agréeth also his similitude of the iudge whiche assigneth one to be punished in one place and an other in an other place euen at his pleasure If such geare had come from beyond the Sea it should soone haue bene condemned although it had not bene halfe so greuous agaynst our Scholemen But let this passe as it is well worthy and let vs sée examine more of this new-fangled Philosophy NOw are we come vnto the sixte argument whiche begynneth in the. xij chapter the effect is this Repentaunce is the full payment and satisfaction of sinne and bryngeth remission therfore as soone as repentaunce is taken God of his iustice must geue remissiō and so there ought to be no Purgatory This argument is nothyng worth for the first part as we haue oftē proued is false For if repentaunce were the full payment and very satisfaction for sinne then dyed Christ in vayne Notwithstandyng if hee graunt this first part to be true neither he nor all his felowes shal be able to solute this argument whyle they lyue But because we will be short let vs passe ouer to his aunswere whiche is in the. xiij chapter In solutyng this argument hee groundeth hym on two lyes at once the firste is that God neuer geueth remission except he see in vs a conuenient cause counterpaysyng hys iustice What cause founde he in the man that was brought vnto hym sicke of the palsie to whom he sayd be of good comfort sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thée Math. ix Marke ij Luke v. what cause found he in the théefe that was crucified with him but that hee had bene an vnthryft all his life lōg And yet euen the same day that hee suffred with Christ was he partaker of ioye with him in Paradise Luke xxiij Where was Purgatory then where was the punishment that hee should haue suffered for his enormities If any mā should suffer in Purgatory it is like that this théefe should haue done it But he went from death to life neuer came in Purgatory wherfore I may conclude that no mā shall come there if there were any What cause I pray you doth Paule assigne as touching our redēptiō remission of our sinne forsooth no other but y t we were wretched sinners and the very enemyes of God Roma v. For sayth Paule if whē we were his enemyes we were reconciled vnto God through the death of his sonne much more now we are reconciled shall we besaued by his lyfe So that in vs is no maner cause of remission but onely miserie and sinne But the whole cause of the remission of our sinnes of our saluation is the bloud of Christ which hath fully counterpaysed the iustice of God the father hath pacified his wrath towardes vs that beleue He is the very Purgatory for all faithful which hath already purged our sinnes sitteth on the right hand of the father Hebr. i. The secōd lye is this he sayth that God of hys iustice must geue to euery thyng his own which own is the thyng that it deserueth to haue If this were true then should not one of vs enter the inheritaunce of heauen for we haue euery one of vs deserued death and damnation For as Paul saith Roma iij. we haue all sinned and want the glory whiche before God is allowed But we are fréely iustified through his grace by y t fayth that is in Christ Iesu If it be fréely through his grace then is it not by our owne deseruyng for thē grace were no grace And contrarywise if it be by our own deseruing thē is it not of grace for then deseruyng were no deseruyng Roma xj But the truth is this that God of his mercy had promised vnto our forefathers his deare sonne Christ that hee should deliuer them
are all ready damned in hell and some are all ready in heauen And to proue this true he alledgeth the parable of the rich mā Luke xv I am sure my Lord is not so ignoraūt as to say that a parable proueth any thyng But the right vse of a parable is this to expound an harde texte or poynte that was before touched could not entre into euery mans capacitie Neither are all thynges lyke which are spoken in a similitude neither yet all thynges true that are touched in a parable but we must consider the thyng wherefore they be spokē and apply them onely to that they are spoken for and let the residue go as William Tyndall hath well declared vnto you in the parable of wicked Mammon This parable is very hard to be expounded The cause is this no man can wel espye by the text for what purpose it was spoken But this should séeme to be the cause that there were many of the Phariseis other multitude which would not beleue the preaching of Christ although he confirmed his wordes with the authoritie of Moses and the Prophetes but they were curious and some deale phantasticall and therfore would they not beleue his woordes except some apparitions had bene made vnto thē that they might haue bene assured by them that were before dead that hys wordes were true Vnto such it is lyke that hee speaketh this parable playnly concludyng that they should haue no such apparitions of the dead and also that it was not necessary but that they had Moses the Prophetes to whom if they would geue no credence then should they not beleue although one of the dead should ryse againe tell it them Notwithstandyng let me graunt it hym that some are all ready in hell and some in heauen which thyng he shall neuer bee able to proue by the Scripture yea and which playnly destroyeth the resurrection and taketh awaye the argumentes wherewith Christ and Paule doe proue that we shall ryse yet I say let me graunt it hym to sée how he will cōclude What foloweth on that Neither it is credible sayth he that all whiche are cast into hell should streight way goe to heauen therfore must we put a Purgatorye where they may be purged I aunswere All that liue are faythfull or vnfaythfull If he be vnfaythfull then is he damned Iohn 3. If he beleue then is he not condemned but is gone from death to lyfe Iohn 3. 5. The righteous man when hee dyeth shall rest in peace Sapi. 3. And euery faithful mā is righteous before God as y t whole Epistle to the Romaines proueth Ergo then euery faythfull man shall rest in peace and be tormented in the paynes of Purgatory And as touchyng this poynte where they rest I dare be bold to say that they are in the hand of God and that God would that we should be ignoraunt where they be and not to take vpon vs to determine the matter Peraduenture you would enquire of me sith the parable sayth that Lazarus rested in Abrahams bosome what Abrahams bosome is To that would I aūswere that Abrahams bosome were nothyng els then Abrahams fayth For all we are called the children of Abraham because of hys perfite fayth whiche we ought to folow In this fayth are many and in a maner infinite degrées notwithstandyng if it be no greater thē a mustard séede that is to say very small yet shal it saue vs. He that departeth in this fayth resteth in peace and wayteth for the last day when God shall geue vnto hys faythfull that is to his elect for onely are the elect faythfull the faythfull elect the crowne of his glorie which he hath prepared for them that loue hym This crowne doth Paule say that he shall receaue it in that day 2. Timo. 4. that is in the day of iudgement And in the meane season God hath so prouided for vs that they shall wayte vntill the number of their brethren which dayly suffer and shall suffer for Christ be wholy fulfilled and so shall they not be made perfite without vs. Hebr. xj If my Lord will vnderstād by Abrahams bosome heauen I will not be contentious let the Christen iudge which sentence semeth most true But this is once a cleare case that of this he cā proue no Purgatory For the vnfaythfull are all ready dāned and the faythfull rest in peace let him call that what he wil whether to rest in heauen or to rest in their fayth vntill the last day For I am sure there is no man so madde as to say that to rest in peace should signifie to lye in the paynes of Purgatory Furthermore this text shal rather make sore agaynst hym thē any thyng with hym For Lazarus whiles hée was lyuyng was not without sinne nor no man els 1. Iohn 1. so that no man as long as he hath breath in hys body can say that he is without sinne for then should hee make S. Iohn a lyar And yet was not Lazarus caried into purgatory to be purged of his sinnes which were remainyng in his body the houre of his death wherefore I may conclude that there is no such Purgatory For God is as iust vnto hym as vnto vs and therefore would he purge hym as well as vs agayne he is as mercyfull vnto vs as vnto him and will as wel forgeue vs as hym without broyling on y t coales in purgatory for his iustice and mercye are euer one and not alterable But our perfite purgatiō is the pure bloud of Christ which washeth away the sinne of the world And albeit we euer haue the remnauntes and dregges of sinne and rebellion of our mēbers as long as we haue lyfe yet are they wholy finished in death for of such efficacitie is Christes death that it hath turned the death of hys faythfull which was layed vpon vs as the payne of sinne into a medicine agaynst sinne which fully cureth it and maketh an end of it as it was well figured in Golias that was slaine with hys owne sword ANd where as my Lord bryngeth for his purpose Math. xij that mē shal geue accoumptes of euery idle worde I haue soluted that before agaynst M. More that I thinke he shal say hym selfe that he is aunswered For if men shall geue a rekonyng for them on the day of dome as the text sayth that should rather argue that there were no Purgatory wherein those sinnes should be purged for if they had bene purged before of them then shoulde they not geue an accoumpte for them And if it proued any thyng at all it should proue that there were a Purgatory after domesday which no man was euer so foolish as to graunt But the true vnderstādyng of this text is this There are two kyndes of men one faythfull the other vnfaythfull The faythful through their fayth in Christes bloud are all
and harder And the more y t word of God is preached the more obstinate are they and the more mischief intende they Then all their study then all their wisedome then all their labour then all their might then all their power then all their craft and subtiltie then all their frendes that they can make in heauen and in earth is nothyng els but to oppresse the word of God yea and they thinke all to litle for y t more it is preached the more they grudge and the woodder bée they After this maner was the hart of Pharao indurated whē that the word of God was declared vnto hym by Moyses hée had no grace to receiue it then the more that Moyses laboured in the worde the more sturdyer was hée in withstandyng of it and alwayes harder and harder This is also euidently séene in the corrupt nature of man for the more a thyng is forbydden hym the more desireth hée to doe it But what néede me to goe into Egypt to fetch an exāple to prooue this Looke of mine own countreymen if they bée not openly indurated and so blynded that no mā is able to defend them by any reason or law and therefore they take them selues to violence and oppression as Pharao dyd whiche bée the right signes and tokens of induration For the more y t word of God is preached and the veritie is declared vnto them the more sturdyer and obstinate bée they agaynst it And all theyr study all theyr wyttes all theyr counsels all their craft and mischief with all glosinges and lyinges and with blasphemyng of God hys preachers is nothyng els but to kéepe y t word of God vnder and to withstand that veritie which they know in their conscience must néedes goe foorth though all the world say nay And therfore will they heare no man nor reason with any man but euen say as Pharao dyd I will not let the people go◠But if they were not indurated the verye enemyes vnto the veritie they woulde at the lest wayes heare their poore brethrē of charitie know what they coulde say if they coulde prooue their saying to bée true then if they had y t loue of y e veritie as they haue but y e shadow they would geue inmortall thākes to god with great méekenes and with a low spirite receiue the heauenly verity and thanke their brethren hartely that they warned them of such a damnable way now in good tyme season But there is no loue to the veritie nor yet feare of God nor regarde to the daunger of their soules And why For they be children of induration and of blasphe my And therfore the more it is preached the more are they obstinate This is the verye induration that God worketh in mens hartes wherby they bée the children of darkenes Therefore let vs pray instantly to God to mollifie our hard harts for Christes deare bloud sake Amen That it is lawfull for all maner of men to read the holy Scripture HOw can Antichrist bée better knowen then by thys token that hée condemneth Scriptures and maketh it heresie and high treason against the kynges grace for lay men to reade holy scripture As though it were alonely a possession and an heritage of certayne men that bée marked alonely with exteriour signes and the truth to say wyth the token of the beaste as with shauē crownes long gownes and baners about their neckes They that haue these tokens bée the heyres of holy Scriptures and may reade it at their pleasure though they vnderstand as much as a Popingaye But holy Scripture that is sent vs from heauen yea and that by the sonne of God to destroy all heresies this holy scripture shall ingender in lay men heresie If this bée not the doctrine of Antichrist I know not hys doctrine Tell mée what can bée more contrary to Christ then by violence to oppresse the scriptures and to cōdemne them as vnlawfull yea and as heresie for certaine men to reade and to say that there bée certayne secrettes in them that belonge not for lay mē to know And that this thing shall not bée denyde for I know they bée slipper that I haue to doe wyth and there is no holde of them therefore wyll I recite an open acte that all the worlde doth remember My Lord of Londō opēly at Pauls crosse was not ashamed with intollerable blasphemes to condemne the holy testament of Christ Iesus hauing for hym but a damnable collour and and a deadly reason of the deuill that was how there were in the translation so many heresyes that all y t world knoweth that it was abhominable and a deadly lye though it were a lordly lye But such probations doth God all wayes let them haue that bée agaynst his holy veretye But let vs graunt that that translation was so false Why dyd not you there take vpon you openly for to amend it and to set forth truely the holy testament of Christ You must néedes graunt that there is an holy testament of his in earth except you will denye Christ as I doubt not but that you will in effect Wheare is it Why haue we it not If that weare not it Why doe not you set y t very true testament out You were ready to condemne an other mans faythfull labour and dilygence but you had no charytie to amende it You thinke alwayes to disceaue the world with your holy hypocrisy Men bée not so blinde but that they can well indge If you had condemned that testament all onely béecause of errours yet at y t least wayes you should both of charitie and also of dutye haue set forth the trew text and then would men haue thought y t you condemned the other by the reason of errours But men may now euydently sée y t you dyd not condemne it for errours sakes For how sholde they iudge errours that bée so vnlearned but all onely béecause that the veritie was there in y t which you could not abyde that men should knowe that dyd the processe of your sermon and also your tyranny that doth folow wil proue But my Lord I say to you and to all yours if you doe not amend it shall bée to your eueralsting damnacyon for God will not take this rebuke at your hand Remember that hée hath sworne by the mouth of hys Prophet by hys right hand and by the myght of his strength that hée wil defende this cause Bée not these lordly wordes of the eternall God think you to make hym forsworne Remember how the holy ghost threatyneth you in an other place saying if a man dyd dispise the lawe of Moses hée must without any mercy dye Howe much more are they worthy of punishment that doe treade the sonne of God vederneath their féete and despise the bloud of his testament How thinke you is not this openly agaynst you that condemne not all onely Christ
but also his blessed worde all that longeth to hym Take awaye Christes word and what remayneth béehynde of Christ nothing at all I pray you my Lorde to whome was this worde fyrst preached to whome was this written all onely to priestes and not vnto lay men yea was it not written to all the worlde yes truely Wherby will you conuerte a Turke or an Infidell not by holy Scripture When they bée conuerted what wil you learne them what wyll you géeue them to reade any other thing then holy Scripture I thinke nay Now will you make your owne countreymen your owne citizens your owne subiectes yea your owne brethren redéemed with Christes blessed bloud worsse then Iewes and Infidels But there is no reason nor no brotherhod nor no Christen charitie that can mooue you or that can helpe you for you are so blynded and so obstinate against Christ that you had rather all the worlde shoulde perishe then his doctrine shoulde bee brought to light but I doe promyse you if God doe spare mée lyfe and géeue mée grace I shall so set it out if you doe not reuoke it that it shall bée to your vtter shame and confusion finde the best remedye that you can I doe beléeue stedfastly that god is mightier then you and I doe recken and faythfully beléeue that you are ten tymes worsse then the greate Turke for hée regardeth no more but rule and dominiō in this worlde and you are not therewyth content but you will also rule ouer mēs consconsciences yea and oppresse Christ and his holy worde and blaspheme and condemne his worde Was it not a holy connsell of the Chaunceler of London to counsell a certaine marchaunt to buye Robyn hoode for his seruauntes to read What should they doe wyth vitas patrum and with bookes of holy Scripture Also the same Chauncelour sayde to an other man what findest thou in the Gospell but a story what good canst thou take there out O Lord God where art thou why sléepest thou why sufferest thou this blasphemy Thou hast defended thy Prophetes with wild fire from heauen and wilt thou suffer thy onely fonne and thy heauenly word thus to bée despised and to bée reckened but as a story of Robin hoode Rise vp good Lorde Rise vp thy enemyes doe preuayle Thy enemyes doe multiplye shew thy power defend thy glory It is thy contumely and not ours what haue we to doe with it but alonely to thy glory Reuenge this cause or thy enemyes shall recken it not to bée thy cause O thou eternall God thoughe our sinnes haue deserued this yet looke on thy name yet looke on thy veritie Sée howe thou art mocked Sée how thou art blasphemed yea that by them that haue taken on them to defend thy glory But now heauenly father séeyng that thou hast so suffered it yet for the glory of thy name geue some man strength to defend it or els shalt thou bée clearely taken out of the hartes of all men Wherefore most gracious Lord of thy mercy and grace I beséech thée that I may haue the strength to defend thy godly word to thy glory and honour and to the vtter confusion of thy mortall enemyes Helpe good Lorde helpe and I shall not feare a thousande of thyne enemyes In thy name will I begyn to defend this cause First commeth thy faythfull seruaunt Moses true and iust in all thy workes and hée commaundeth faithfully truely with great threatnings that man woman and child should diligently read thy holy word saying Set your harts on all my wordes the which that I doe testifie vnto you this day that you may commaunde them vnto your children to kéepe to doe to fulfill all thynges that bée written in the booke of this law Marke how hée commaūded them to learne their children all thynges that bée written in this booke and so to learne thē that they might kéepe and fulfill all things that were written in y t booke Moses made nothing of secretnes will you make secretes therin how shall men fulfill those wordes that they knowe not How can men knowe the very true way of God haue not the word of God is not all our knowledge therin The Prophet sayth thy word is a lanterne vnto my féete and a light vnto my pathes Hée calleth it a lanterne and light yea and that vnto all men and you call it but a story darkenes and a thyng of secretnes yea and occasion of heresie how can the occasion of darknes geue light how can a lanterne bée a thing of secretnes how can the veritie of God bée occasion of heresie The holy Prophet sayth blessed is the man that setteth his delectation in the will of God and his meditation in Gods law night and day Here sayeth the spirite of God that men bee blessed that study the word of God and you say that men bée heretickes for studying of it How doth the spirite of God and you agrée Also S. Paule commaundeth vs to receiue the helmet of health and the sword of the spirite the whiche is the worde of God I pray you to whom doth hée here speake to Priestes onely How many of your Priestes dyd hée knowe yea was not this Epistle written to the whole Churche of the Ephesians And dyd not they read it were not they lay men and why shall not our lay men read that they red Moreouer doth not Paule call it the sword of the spirite is it not lawfull for lay men to haue the spirit of God Or is the spirite of God not frée but bound alonely to you Also S. Iohn sayth if any man come to you bring not this doctrine receiue him not into your house nor yet salute hym Here the holy ghost would we should haue no other doctrine but holy scripture and you will take it alonely from vs. Furthermore this was written vnto a woman and to her children and you will y t no other man wyfe nor childe shall reade it But if we should receiue your Priestes into our houses after this rule I thinke we should not bée greatly cōbered with them for their are few of them that haue this word Also our M. Christ saith vnto the pharesies search you scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life Our Maister sent the Pharisies to scriptures and you forbyd Christen men to reade them who had a worse sprite then they and yet they iudged better of holy scriptures thē you doe For they iudged to haue lyfe in thē you iudge to haue heresyes in thē so that you bée ten tymes worse to scriptures thē euer were they Also Paule saith all scripture geuen by insperation of God is profitable to teach to improoue to enforme io enstruct in righteousnes that the man of God may bée perfect and prepared vnto all good workes You will not denye but but scripture is geuē vs of God Ergo