Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	congregation_n	embrace_v	great_a	77	3	2.1335	3	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03769	Of the expresse vvorde of God A shorte, but a most excellent treatyse and very necessary for this tyme. Written in Latin, by the right reuerend, lerned, and vertuous father Stanislaus Hosius, Bishop of VVarmia, Cardinal of the Holy Apostolyke See of Rome, and of the presidents in the late general councel holden at Trent. Newly translated in to English.	Hozjusz, Stanisław, 1504-1579.; Stapleton, Thomas, 1535-1598, attributed name.	1567 (1567)	STC 13889; ESTC S116558	106,428	242

great and especiall grace of God is personally present yea so as without any labor studye or industrie although they neuer aske seeke or knocke yf they be of their number and sect it is so from God him self dispeÌ„sed vnto them that they being holden vp with the handes of Aungells that is kept with angelicall protection can neuer hurt their foote against any stone can neuer offend or fall into any errour Thus farre Vincentius And coulde he possibly with more notable markes haue painted foorth the heretikes of our age theÌ„ in this place wee see he hath done For what doth SathaÌ„ more earnestly attempt by theÌ„ then to persuade meÌ„ to throwe theÌ„selues downe to let theÌ„selues fawll from the doctrine and tradition of this high Churche which Christ callyth the Citee builded on a hyll VVhich thing so soone as he hath once perswaded theÌ„ hath he atteynid the vndoubted victorye For vntill a man throwe him self from that high Cite yn vayn are all the attemptes of Sathan But so soone as he letteth him self fawll downe from thence so soone as he is departyd from the fowld and seuerith him self from the rest of the flocke then is he immediatly becoome a praye to the wolf To this one end therfore doth the diuell bend all his force that he may leade men to throwe them selues downe from the high and infallible doctrine of the church To sett nowght by the traditions therof to followe and esteme rather the priuatt spiritt of them selues or of any one man then the interpretatioÌ„ and consent of the Catholike and vniuersall Churche wher vnto is promysed the spiritt of truth Neither is he without scripture wherby he indeuoureth to persuade the same For it is written sayth he walke not in the precepts of your fathers In vayne doo they worship me teaching the doctrines and coÌ„maundements of men That yf in any one thing he may persuade a maÌ„ to throwe him self downe to departe from the precepts and ordonauÌ„ces of his forefathers and from the doctrine and traditioÌ„s of the Churche then hath he wonne him within his reache then doth he easely fynd the meanes that he shal daily throwe him self downe deeper Neither is there any doctrine theÌ„ so farre wyde from all pietye or godlynes wherin he doth not easely stayne and infect his mynd In this one thing therfore doth he spend his whole studye and trauaill to accustome men to throwe them selues downe and not to make any accompt of the sence and generall coÌ„sent of the whole churche but especyally to resist and withstand the ordonaunces therof VVhich thing as of all other heretikes so Martiu Luther their capitaine and standard bearer in this our age wee see dilligeÌ„tly and very handsomly practysed For what other thing soundeth he in all his wrytings but that men should throwe them selues downe That they should cutt them selues from the churche resist the decrees therof and what so euer shee commaundeth in despight to doo the contrary As for example The Churche coÌ„maundeth thee to fast in the lent and toward the feast of Easter to confesse thy sinnes and to come to the receauing of the sacrameÌ„t But what sayth Luther to this Thus he sayeth Because it is so appoynted by the churche for the self same cause will I not doo it and yf it had not commaunded me I would haue doon it but I will now doo it at some other tyme which the Churche hath not appoynted at what tyme and in what sorte so euer myne owne free will shall moue me Likewyse The eleuation of the SaerameÌ„t he thinketh a thing indifferent But bicause the Churche hath thowght good it should be lift vp therfore in despite of the Churche he teacheth it must be forborne Ageyn to receyue the sacrameÌ„t in one or bothe kyndes in many places he writeth to be indifferent for that nothing is commaunded therof by any precept of God as of necessitee yet in his booke which he intituled of the foorme of the masse he sayeth Yf by chawnce the councell should so decree then would wee not receyue yt in bothe kyndes but in despight of the couÌ„cell vse only the one kynd or neither of bothe and not bothe and holde them for accursed that by the auctoritee of the councell should vse bothe But what doth a Councell represent but the Churche Sathan therfore by this his not obscure member commaundeth to do all thinges contrary to the decrees therof yea and that yn despight of the same and by that his worthy lymme yet cryeth Throwe thy self downe And doth not he throwe him self downe who followeth not that which is vniuersall catholyke receiued and allowed by generall consent of the whole world which professeth the name of Christ but more willingly reposeth him self in that which some one fantastycall man hath better leekyd VVho albeit he be perhapps reputed circumspect and discrete yett when he speakyth of hiÌ„ self vttereth nowght ells as the Truthe it self bearyth witnes but a very lye For maye a man more throwe him self downe then to slippe from that sence and vnderstaÌ„nding which is vniuersall and common to all vnto that which is but priuatt that is from trowth to fashed which man vtterith wheÌ„ so euer he speaketh of himself The very same song therfore which the diuell himself songe vnto Christ in the desert the same doth he euen now sing by his members to Christians Neither doth he vrge any thing more then that they should throwe themselues downe and lett goe the vniuersall and auncient faith of the catholyke Churche He promyseth by his membres and yet still teacheth that in the congregations of his communion there is a certain great peculiar and personall grace of God He persuadeth the vnlerned yf a man imbrace the priuatt and especyall faith of his members that he though he be not only vtterly voyde of good workes but allso drowned in all kynd of wickednes must yett be well assured he is in state of grace and that the Aungells shall one daye take him vp in their handes and leade him straight to heauen That beyng preserued by their protection he shall not once hurt his foote against any stone but standeth highly in Gods fauour yf he continewe to the end This he will haue his meÌ„bers to make so full and assured accompt of that they must thinke there can be no greater synne or wickednes committed then once to doubt neuer so litle therof which persuasion is coÌ„mon to all heretikes For the Lutherans doo no lesse carnestly exact this of their followers then do the Zwinglians and Anabaptistes of theirs when in the meane tyme fyer and water do not more disagree then the doctrines of these men do one from an other so as it caÌ„not be by any reason but some of them are leekly rather by the handes of diuells to be throwen into the bottomles pyt of hell â–ª then that the

weyght Doo wee not heare MelancthoÌ„ complayne that where hee wrote the confession of Augspurg they now goo about to take from him the name and honour therof For the Illyricans doo gredely challenge that to them selues and labour to exclude from the same the MelaÌ„cthonists with their maister whom as in diuers other things they shewe to haue gone froÌ„ the mynd of his maister Luther so doo they lowdly charge him in the doctryn of the sacrament to haue ioyned him self to Caluin his lore Of which thing Caluin him self also dooth not a lytle glory Now yn that matter which they will haue to bee the summe of the Gospell which is os Iustification Lord how sore Melancthon and BreÌ„tius dissent the one from the other while Brentius defendeth Osianders opinion which the Melancthonistes thinke most execrable So amoÌ„g the disciples of Luther there is litle agreement of the principal doctrines of our religion wherof very contenciously they quarrell emong them selues and be as it were heretikes one to an other so as they neede not to be better blasoned then them selues blasone one an other VVherfore of right Luther must suffer by the lawe which him self gaue to others that there be no disputation allowed to the followers of his doctrine but that so sone as it apperith they be of that sort they bee presently coÌ„demned vnheard For it is no more trewe of the Zuinglians then of the Lutherans which is sayd by the disciples of Luther that they are to be restrayned not by writing but by the Mace and power of the magistrate especially synce neither these bringe almost any thing that was not more then a thousand yeres past condemned for heresie But wee may seeme to haue wandered somwhat from our purpose VVherfore let vs returne to the matter froÌ„ whence wee haue by occasion a litle declyned VVee haue shewyd you before that eueÌ„ at that tyme when that most auncient doctor Tertullian floorisshed heretikes vsed to vauÌ„t to talke and to holde foorth before them the scriptures and that Tertullian doth vtterly forbid all disputation with them or triall of the controuersies to be referred to the scriptures but would haue theÌ„ putt ouer to the tradition of the Churche But dooth not S. Cyprian allso complayne of the deceyts of the diuell who transfigureth him self as it were in to an aungell of light and suborneth his ministers leeke vnto the ministers of iustice teaching night for daye damnation for saluation desperation vnder the veyll of hoape infidellite vnder pretence of fayth and finally Antechrist vnder the name of Christ that while they falsly report thinges not all together vnleekly they may by their subteltie chase and driue awaye the very truth it self Nothing could be sayd more trewly then that which wee fynd to be written by Cyrill All heretikes gather the occasions of their errour owt of the scripture inspired by God corrupting those thinges by their owne malice which by the holy Ghost were well geuen and vttered and so kendling vpon their owne heddes an vnquenchable fier S. Augustin allso sayeth that heresies and peruers doctrine intangling and throwing downe headlong the sowles of men in to hâ—â—â— cometh of none other grownd but wheÌ„ thinges well written in the scriptures are not well vnderstanded and when that which is not well vnderstaÌ„ded is rashely and bouldly vtteryd for a truth And therfore S. Ambrose did thinke good in this sort to describe heretikes Heretikes sayth he are they which by the very wordes of the lawe do impugne the lawe for they adde vnto the wordes of the lawe their owne sence and vnderstanding that by the authorite of the lawe they may sett foorth the shrowdnes and malice of their owne mynd For wickedness knowing authorite to weygh muche worketh her snares vnder the name therof to the end that sythens an yll thing by it self can not be acceptable it may be commended to the world vnder the name of a good thing VVhen they which in the Councell of Carthage were by Agrippinus assembled sayd it was no trewe baptisme which was geuen by Schismatikes and heretikes did they not saye they so found it in the holy scriptures and seemed to coÌ„firme that their sentence by the expresse word of God This councell yet afterward by the auctoritte of the Churche was disanulled But let vs heare Vincentius Lirinensis talke of that matter So great excellency of witte sayth he was in those fathers suche flowing vaynes of eloquence suche a number of them that affirmed it so great leeklyhood of truthe in so many texts of the scripture but after a newe and yll sort vnderstanded that me thinke all their great agreement conspiring in one could neuer haue been ouerthrowen yf only the profession of nouelty which was the only cause of all that great styrre so much then mayntayned defended and extolled had not discredyted the whole matter They therfore were destitute not of textes and authoritees of scripture but of the trewe vnderstanding of them VVherfore S. Hilary doth very well warne vs. Remember sayth he that ther is no heretike but faulsly affirmeth that all the blasphemyes he vttereth are warrantyd by the auctoritee of scripture For hereof Marcion when he readeth the word of God vnderstandeth it not Hereof Photinus could not fynd by his doctrine Iesus Christ to be a man Herof Sabellius when he could not vnderstand this text My father and I be all one could not fynd God the father nor God the sonne Herof Montanus by his madde weemen went about to maynteyn a newe holy Ghost Herof Maniche and Marcion hated the lawe because they found it written the letter kylleth and the Prince of the world is the diuell They vtter all the scriptures without sence and pretend fayth withowt faith For the scriptures consist not in reading but in vnderstanding not in thwarting but in charitable consent and vnitee VVhom S. Hierom following in his booke against the Luciferians sayeth Let not heretikes flatter them selues if they seeme to fynd somwhat in some chapiters of the scripture which they thinke coÌ„firmeth their heresies since the diuell him self hath allso alleaged places owt of the scripture and the scriptures coÌ„sist not in reading but in vnderstaÌ„ding In leeke sort wryteth allso Athanasius of the ArriaÌ„s If sayth he meÌ„ reading some goodwordes of the holy scripture written in these fellowes bookes will therfore by and by take blasphemies for blessinges it will allso come to passe that wheÌ„ they see Iues of this our tyme diligeÌ„tly to read the lawe and the prophetes they will also with the Iues denye Christ Perhapps also hearing the Maniches vouche certayne places of the Gospells they will with them denye the lawe and the prophetes But if throwgh ignorauÌ„ce they do so boyll and babble let them learne out of the scriptures how the diuell him self the inuentour and deuiser of heresies for feare of

vnderstanding of the scriptures is promysed of almighty God So as there can be no surer argument that a man speaketh his owne that is a lye then when he departeth from the sence exposition and consent of the Churche For theÌ„ althowgh he bring neuer so many texts of the scripture hee may vtter in dede the expresse word of the diuell but neuer can he in that sorte bring foorth the expresse and pure worde of God For it is as certayn that the diuel openeth the mowth of them which teache Gods word being owt of the Churche as that God him self openeth the mowthes of them which beyng of and with in the churche doo vtter the same And this is the cause that when so euer ther is in the Church memory made of an EuaÌ„gelist or any other notable doctour that both in the entry of the Masse and in the Canonicall howres this text of Ecclesiasticus is read In the midle of the Churche he opened his mowth VVherby is signifyed that God openeth the mowth to no maÌ„ vnlesse he be with in the Churche From the true sence and vnderstanding wherof who so euer differeth his mowth not God but the diuell doth open How famous so euer any doctour of the Churche bee yet yf he be not with in the Churche if he consent not with the sence of the Churche it is certayn that God opened not his mowth But yf any man speake coÌ„trary to the sence and consent therof wee need not doubt to saye that the diuell opened his mowth VVho so euer therfore vttereth his owne vttereth a lye and he that speaketh of God speaketh the truth but he speaketh of God which vttereth the scriptures not at aduenture or by his owne priuat sence but with the sence that is common to all that is with the sence of the catholyke Churche And that is it which is truly and properly caullyd the word of God when to the wordes of the scripture not our owr owne sence but the commoÌ„ sence that is the sence of the Catholike Churche is applyed which to be the very trewe sence and meaning of God is not to bee doubted For thus wee reade noted by Socrates that the Emperour Constantine calleth the sentence of all them which were assembled in the councell of Nice the sentence of God For the voyce of the Church is the voyce of God speaking by her He therfore is a Catholike and a right beleuer and syche as can by no meanes vtter vntruth which being mindfull of that is written woo be vnto foolishe prophetts which followe their owne spirite and see nothing followeth not his owne but the spirit of the Churche not his owne imagination or conceyte but the sence and consent of the Churche Yea thowgh the wordes of the scripture should seeme not very open and playne which syche a one bryngeth foorth yet because he produceth them with the sentence of the Churche he vttereth the very worde of God But if a man will applye therunto his owne proper conceyte if he will temper the scriptures with his owne imagination for he ioineth his owne sence to the scriptures which contendeth so earnestly not for the true vnderstanding of the diuine scriptures but for his owne that he will haue that to bee the scriptures which is his when he owght rather to make that his which is the scriptures yf I saye he obstinatly defend syche his sentence against the common sence and coÌ„sent of the whole Churche he is an heretike and a schismatike And bring he neuer so many testimonies of the scriptures yet he vttereth not the pure word of God but the expresse worde of the diuell Ther is therfore no authoritee taken from the scriptures when it is sayd that heresies spring not so myche of them as of the lewde and faulse vnderstanding of them This is an owld complaynte made by S. Basill that the deprauers of the truth doo not applye their vnderstanding to the scripture but violentlye drawe the mynd of the scriptures to their owne will But notable is the counsell of S. Clement that when the lawe of God is read it bee not read or tawght according to the vnderstanding of a mans owne brayne for there are many thinges in the diuine scriptures which may with force bee drawen to syche sence as eche man shall fancye to him self And therfore sayth he must we learne the vnderstanding of the scriptures of him which keepeth them being orderly deliured vnto him by his forefathers according to the truth VVhich counsell Rufinus writeth those ij lights of Grece Basill the Great and Gregory NaziaÌ„zene to haue followed VVho wheÌ„ they gaue them selues to the only study of the scriptures remouing from them al other secular bookes of Greke writers they followed not in seeking the true vnderstanding therof their owne fanceys but the writings and authoritee of the fathers whom they allso knewe to haue learnyd that rule of trewe vnderstanding from the Apostolike succession But how farre do they differ froÌ„ the dealing of these fathers who rashly faull them selues to the wayghing of euery scripture and beleeue it according to their owne iudgement not passing at al vpon the sence exposition of the fathers to wbom they thinke it iniurious to be put ouer But what may bee sayd more rightly to these men by vs then that which wee reade to haue been sayde to the Manichees by S. Augustin Yow see sayth he your dealing tendith to this end that all auctoritee bee takeÌ„ from the scriptures and that euery mans priuat mynde should tell him what were in eche scripture to be allowed and what to be disallowed That is in effect that the mynde should not by faith bee subiect to the auctoritee of the scriptures but should make the scriptures subiect to the fancye of the mynd So as nothing pleaseth him because it is found written and receiued with high and great auctoritee but therfore it seemeth well written because in some respect it pleaseth his fancye VVherunto doest thow committe thy self thow wretched and frayle sowle all wrapped in cloudes of the fleshe VVherunto doest thow committe thy self Maye wee not well saye also to these men where bestowest thow thy self thow miserable and wretchyd sowlle wrapped in cloudes of fleshe VVhere bestowest thow thy self VVilt thow haue that what so euer pleaseth thee wee should take for scripture and howld that for the pure and expresse word of God And why not that which hath semed good to al that is to the vniuersal Churche VVhat an intollerable pryde is this VVhat an arrogancy and swelling of the mynde VVilt thow so challenge to thy self alone the spirit of God and so pull it from all others that what so euer sense thow wilt bring owt of the scriptures wee showld bee bound to beleue that neglecting the sence and vnderstanding of the whole churche can there be a greater arrogancy or a greater tiranny then this It

that eateth this bread shall liue for euer You see how the promisse of eternall lyfe was made to the bread and not to the cuppe And in all that sixth chapiter of S. Iohn is made no mencion in any one word either of the cuppe or of the wyne VVhy doest thow therfore complayne O Sathan why doest thow so often dull our eares with thy vayne boasting of the expresse worde of God VVheÌ„ what so euer is browght foorth of the scriptures if it be rightly vnderstanded seemeth muche more to make to the allowing of the receyued order of the Churche then to the maintenaunce of this thine errour But there is no cause why a ChristeÌ„ man should thinke that Sathan passeth so muche for the cuppe For he knoweth wel inowgh it is no whyt materiall to saluation whether a maÌ„ vse the cuppe or no synce by his lymmes Luther Bucer and Philipp Melancthon he doth manifestly confesse nothing touching the vse of the cuppe to be commaunded by Christ as necessary to saluation Full well knoweth he that it was very trewe which by the fathers in the CouÌ„cell of Basill which councell wee knowe in this matter to be receyued and allowed was fully decreed that whether a man coÌ„municate in one or bothe kyndes so it be done by the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche it profiteth the worthy receyuer to saluation Therfore this offendeth him not that a man should communicate vnder one forme neither dooth he force to haue him communicate vnder bothe But that it should be doone according to the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche because in that sorte and none otherwyse it profitteth the receyuers to saluation that is it Lo that chiefflly offendeth Sathan And that they should not coÌ„municat in that sort that is to saye according to the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche that is it which he is so earnest abowt VVell Sathan will be Sathan for in the Hebrew Sathan is as myche to saye as an aduersary He therfore will still be an aduersary both to Christ the head and to his body It is an ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche which is the mysticall body of Christ that wee should communicat vnder one forme he will haue it doone vnder bothe But suppose the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the Churche which is the mysticall body of Christ were so that we shoulde communicatt vnder bothe formes Then wil you haue it done either vnder one alone or vnder neither of bothe But wil you heare the beast vtter his owne wordes VVe recited them before but it shall not be a mysse to heare him agayne Thus he speaketh by his chosen vessell Luther If perhapps the councell should so decree then would wee not receyue in both kindes but then chieffly in despight of the councell would we vse either the one or neither of both and not both and playnlie hould theÌ„ accursed which by auctoritee of syche councell should vse both See you now to what end Sathan teÌ„deth He seeketh not so myche to haue the vse of the cuppe permitted to the layetie but that all things in despight of the Church should be doone contrary to the decrees therof He is a right Sathan He is the enemye of Christ the head and of his body He is Antichrist VVherfor what so euer it hath pleased Christ to decree by the mowth of his churche allbeit he knoweth the same to be right and agreable with the worde of God yet dooth he all wayes with toothe and nayle earnestly withstand it And looke what song he being the head of his body and lymmes did once synge to our head and maister Christ the same by his members doth he now recorde to vs being the members of Christ Throwe thy self downe That is to saye as wee haue before heard Vincentius Lirinensis interprett it Lett thy self fawll downe from the doctrine and traditioÌ„ of this high churche which is reputed the church of God Followe not that which seemed good to the churche but that which leeketh me Imbrace the vnderstanding of some priuatt man who being inspired with my spirit shall not doubt to arrogat any thing to him self and to derogatt all thinges from others and followe not the sence and coÌ„sent of the whole christian worlde wherunto it is certayne the Spirit of Christ wanteth not Therfore so often as you shall heare Sathan saye owt of the Gospell For it is written Drinke ye all of this so often thinke you heare him saye nothing els but that which he sayd to Christ Throwe thy self downe For this is it which he seeketh to persuade wnto men that they should despyse the churche which is the grownde and piller of truthe that in the interpreting of the scriptures they should geue more auctoritee to their owne priuatt iudgement then to the decree of the churche That they should howld for nawght her ordinaunces and cutt them selues of from the body of the churche VVherfore as touching the vse of the sacrameÌ„t wee may well saye to these men as S. Augustine sometyme sayde to the Donatistes The faulte is not in the sacramentes but in the separation The fault is not in communicating vnder one or both formes but yf thow communicat contrary to the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the churche in that only is the faulte And doubtles so great a faulte as that all wickednes compared with this is as a strawe in respect of a beame Then what a kynde of religion is this of some men that saye they are moued with the feare of God and loue of his lyuely word for that is their maner of speache to thinke it necessary for them to receyue the cuppe As who should saye that in the space of this 600. yeres wherin Polonia with the countries adioyning hath receyued and helde the faith of Christ there hath been no man that hath feared God no man that loued his lyuely worde no nor is at this daye in the whole Christian worlde but only syche as hath been inspired with the spiryt of Luther VVhat an arrogaÌ„cy what a deuilif he and odious pryde is this so to arrogat vnto thy self alone the feare of God and the loue of his lyuely word that thow wilt vtterly pull the same from all others were they of neuer so singular pietye and godly lyfe VVhat be these men ells then degenerated childreÌ„ and as the prophett caullyth them the seed of the harlott and adulteresse that dare thus charge their holy elders and blessed forefathers of so extreme impietye as that none of them should feare God or loue his word and that syche fathers from whom they haue receyued both the rules of well liuing and the doctrine of true belefe VVhich many of them allso haue left vnto vs sealed with their bloud by whose trauayll it came to passe that wee first heard the name of Christ that being drawen out of most thick clowdes and darknes of idolatry wee are sett

in the bright and shinyng light of the truth These are they forsothe which so religiously embrace the expresse word of God saying vnto vs honour thy father and thy mother But let vs waygh a litle what feare of God this is wherwith they saye they are so strykeÌ„ that they may not forbeare the cuppe Sure this is syche an other feare as the Iues semed to be in when they doubted to enter into the place of iudgement lest they should be defyled They had a great conscience to enter into the place of iudgement thinking that by entring therinto they were greuously defyled but to deliuer vp Christ to the gentills to be scornyd whipped and crucified therin had they no religion or conscience at all but rather thought it an offence of conscience and religion to haue done otherwyse For they persuaded them selues that they fulfilled the commaundement of God in deliuering the sonne of God to the GeÌ„tills to be done to death VVe haue a lawe sayd they and by that lawe he owght to dye because he made him self the sonne of God They seemyd to them selues by the expresse word of God to shewe that they rightfully deliuered Christ to the Gentills to be put to death and theryn were so litle troubled with any scruple of conscieÌ„ce that they thowght they should haue committed a wycked act yf they had done otherwyse But what should they not with myche lesse fault for any cause haue entred in to the iudgement place then haue crucified Christ the sonne of God But euen syche is their religion which saye they are forbidden by their conscience to content them selues with receiuing the sacrameÌ„t in one kynd Very rightly are they touched with the place of the Psalme They trembled for feare where was no cause of feare and that which Christ him self sayth in the Gospell They straine a gnat and swallowe downe a camell They will seeme to feare God They knowe the churche by the expresse word and precept of God is to be heard and that the custome receyued and allowed by the same is to be receyued and kept yet when the holly catholike Church the mysticall body of Christ which he so loued that he gaue his true and liuing body to death for the same when that I saye is in daunger to be deuyded in to many partes and to be no lesse cruelly torne and reÌ„t then the true and liuely body of Christ was of the Iues there shewe they no feare or scruple of conscience at all But euen as the Iues when they deliuered the true body of Christ to be rent of the tormentors affirmed they did it according to the expresse word of God saying VVe haue a lawe and by that lawe he owght to dye Euen so these men when they are entred into the leeke councell against the mysticall body of Christ when they seeke all the wayes and meanes they can to deuide and cut the same into many partes which their attemptes greate is the pittye haue had to speedy successe taking their entry with the matter of the cuppe will needes seemes to do it according to the expresse word of God still cryeng allso VVe haue a lawe drinke yee all of this and by this lawe the mysticall body of Christ the Churche must be deuyded and cut in soonder How wonderfull are these sleightes of Sathan How great is the subteltie of his crafty deuises Of that very thing which Christ would haue to be a sacrament of pietye a tokeÌ„ of vnitee a bond of charite he seeketh to make a cause of dissencion a matter of deuisioÌ„ and a fyrestone of hatred For what ells is there done in this sacrameÌ„t but as S. Pawll sayeth the death of our lord is shewyd And for what cause dyed he Verely to gather in to one as s Iohn sayeth the children of Israell which were dispersid Christ therfore dyed that he might gather together vnite and make vs one body of which matter he allso would this sacrament to be a token For wee which be many be one bread and one body in that wee participate of one bread But here SathaÌ„ the true Antichrist not only in word but in deed the very enemye of Christ did therfore cast in this contention about the cuppe to separat deuyde disperse and cut in pieces the church which Christ by the sheading of his precious bloud hath gathered together so as therby he might make voyd the benefitt of the crosse and death of Christ to them that should followe this wicked and sacrilegious counsell of separation Our lord sayth S. Augustine did in this sacrament marke and seale vs by this he would vs to appertayne vnto him in this table did he consecrate the mystery of peace and vnitee he that receiueth this mystery of vnitee and howldeth not the bond of peace he taketh not a mystery for him self but a wittnesse against him self But will you knowe how great a wickednes he committeth then harken to S. Pawll who telleth the that he is giltye of the body and bloud of our lord that is to say he hath committed no lesse wickednes and shall be gilty of no lesse crime then euen they who with their owne haÌ„des whipped Christ shed his bloud crucified his body and put him to greuous death And this is the thing which Sathan seeketh that diuisioÌ„ may be wrought in this sacrament of Vnitee so as therby Christ may be crucifyed agayne and as it were scornyd and mockyd at But shall it be thus euen with him which calleth it the sauing word Deserueth this to be called the sauing worde which coÌ„deÌ„neth to euer lasting death Verely this is no sauing word Drinke of the cuppe for Iudas dranke of the cuppe and was condemned many heretikes many false bretherne many confessing Christ and yet denying his power haue dronke of the cuppe But how To death and euerlasting damnatioÌ„ not to lyfe and eternall saluation But wilt thow knowe what is this sauing word It is a short worde and an easy Looue Charite is this sauing word which who so hath not lett him drynke of the cuppe so myche as he will yett shall he gayne euerlasting death eternall saluation he shall neuer atteyn therby For it is trewe that is writteÌ„ he that loueth not dwelleth in death but he that loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the lawe And can he possibly seeme to loue his neighbour which doth so iudge of them that haue auctoritee ouer him and whom he is commaunded to obey that they neither haue nor euer had any feare of God or loue to his sauing word but allwayes endeuoured them selues to oppugne and withstand the same Surely these are not signes of loue but of hatred Seemeth he to loue his neighbour which doth not only separat him self from one person but from all which truly professe Christ and from the vniuersall catholyke churche condemning his fathers and

the Hebionytes begaÌ„ne to sprynge who would needes haue all the ceremonies of the lawe also as precysely obserued and kept as the very Gospell and therfore vtterly denied that this sacrament might be made in leauened bread because all oblation offred to our lord ought by the lawe to be with out leaueÌ„ the contrary was decreed that is to saye That the sacrament should be made of leauened bread VVheÌ„ yet the thing in his owne nature is indiffereÌ„t neither seemeth it muche materyall whether you make it in vnleauened or in leauened bread But after the heresie of the Hebionites ceased the Latyn churche thought good to returne agayne to their intermitted manner of consecrating in vnleauened bread Thus wee see our holy fathers thought not good by permission to noorishe heresies but by meere contrary decrees to suppresse them But somwhat they saye is to be graunted to the multitude which require this VVhat yf the multitude should propound this pointe of doctrine that only God the father were to be adored and called vppon but Christ to be holden only for an aduocate Shall we say that this is straight wayes to be graunted because the multitude required it The matter goeth yll when we shall rather chose to followe the vnlearned multitude then the iudgement of those who are properly called to this office Namely synce it is truly sayd that the multitude is the mother of sedition and contumacye and the small nomber the mistrese of discipline The multitude ought to be gouerned and not to gouerne ought to obey but not to prescribe lawes That kingdom is in an hard and pittefull case where the Rule and gouernemeÌ„t standeth in the multitude As in all other thinges so chieffly in matters of religion it is diligently to be considered not who or how many doo requyre but what the thing is that is required The multitude requyred of the Apostles and their followers that they should denye Christ and offer incense to idolls The power and auctoritee did also earnestly aduyse theÌ„ therunto But what did they to this VVee must sayd they obey God rather then men And so they were ready to indure al kynd of punishemeÌ„t yea to laye downe their neckes vnto theÌ„ rather theÌ„ they would do that they required yea and by their martyr dome they ê‘formed in deed that they had spokeÌ„ VVhat your part is to doo most vertuous kyng in the suppressing of heresies you are not ignorant You are taught this also by the lawes of your contrey to the keeping wherof you bound your self by an othe when you were inuested in this your kingdom Verely all men which will be accompted ChristiaÌ„s especially wee that be bisshops and guides of religion must rather desire a thowsand deathes then once to denye Christ. But he denyeth Christ not only which confesseth him not to be God and acknowlegeth him only for an aduocat or he which dooth not beleue euery poynt and article which the infallible auctoritee of the canonicall scriptures prescribeth vnto vs either of his diuinite or of his humanite but allso he which dooth not in all pointes communicatt with the vnitee of his churche For Christ is both the head and the body The head is the only begotten sonne of God and his body is the Churche they be as husband and wyfe two in one fleshe VVherfore he dooth as myche denye Christ which dooth so dissent from his body the Churche that he thinketh the communion therof not to be spred ouer all but to be found separat in some one part as he which dissenteth from the holly scriptures in any point touching Christ him self the head therof as S. Augugustine teacheth vs in many places There is extant in Eusebius an epistle of Dionysius AlexaÌ„drinus to Nouatus wherin he writeth that martyrdome indured for not deuyding the Churche is as glorious as that which is indured for refusing to committe idolatry Yea and surely in my iudgement saieth Dionysius it is so myche more glory For there he suffreth martirdome but for his owne soule but here for the whole churche VVherby wee may see it is no lesse greuous offence to deuide the Churche or by assent to allowe a schisme then to offer incense to idolls Let it therfore be farre from a christian man and namely from a Bisshopp by and by to geue his assent wheÌ„ a multitude or power requireth a separation from the Churche of God It is to be wished that it may please God to geue vs this mynd rather to suffer our bodyes to be deuyded from our soules then by our assent to allowe any sacrilegious deuise of separation from Christ or his body the churche Of this mynd as it becometh all Christians to be so chieffly vs that be bisshopps yf wee will duely execute the office of good pastors It is well remeÌ„bred most vertuous kyng how when your highnes came first to the gouuernement of this Realme and that some thing was then requyred of you which partly tended to separation your highnes curteously as your manner is and yet well and flatly denyed their request saying you could not without offence of your conscience graunt the same vsing farther in the presence of your councell and a very notable assembly of the people this saying of Christ VVhat auayleth it a man yf he gayne the whole word and suffer his soule to perishe or what exchaunge may a man make for his soule Your princely crowne the empyre of your large and populous kingdome and of so many dominions adioyning therunto were not so deere vnto you that the losse or hazard of any of them could once moue you to do any thing that should seeme to be against your faith and religion And why should not the lyke wordes now allso serue for answer Vnlesse perhapps this separatioÌ„ seeme of lesse importaunce then the other being now required to permitt a deuisioÌ„ to be made from the holly Catholike Church being the body of Christ But some what is to be grauÌ„ted say they in respect of a publyke tranquillitie And I pray you was not then allso the publyke tranquillite of the kingdome preteÌ„ded VVas it not said that great troubles would ryse yf the request were not graunted Yet God did forsee and prouyde for the tranquillitie of your kyngdome And yf tranquillite and quyet be to be bought with so great losse of suche a number of sowlls it were better as the Prouerb sayeth that heauen and earth should meete and a thousand tymes to indure the losse of this mortall lyfe then being deuided from the body of Christ to lead a whyle a happy lyfe heare in yearth in the iudgement of common men and soone after to change the same with euerlasting death and hell tourments that neuer shall haue end Lighter is the losse of goodes and lyfe then of the soule the losse wherof is not to be recouered I reason not as though it were true which they seke

to persuade that it should myche perteyne to the preseruation of the tranquillite of your Realme yf the vse of the cuppe were graunted to those which require it to whom it may well be sayd you wotc not what ye aske But it is in deed most certayne and vndoubted that yf the thing they require be graunted that shall bryng to your kyngdom mycbe greater troubles The wyse and pollityke men of this world which haue written of common welthes haue taught vs how perillous to euery common welth is innouation and chaunge Namely of lawes or auncient manners VVhich they haue proued by a similitude taken of the body of man In so myche as they which leaue their accustomed manner of diet and chose vnto them selues a new hardly and very seldom doo it without hazard of their health VVherfore they thinke it better to tollerat some faultes of the lawe makers and magistrates For that it is often seen that in diuers cases there cometh not so myche good of correcting an errour vnorderly as hurt in that therby men are by lytle and lytle accustomed not to obey the magistrat So as ofte to chaunge lawes seemeth to be none other thing but to withdrawe all the force and credit from the lawes and to accustome men by litle and lytle to the attempting of moe and greater alterations And ofte we see that thinges which in them selues seeme small do proue causes of great mischieffes And doo wee not euen presently before our eyes see those thinges thus to haue happened both emong our neighbours and euen emong them allso which in this your realme applyed their myndes to innouatioÌ„s I could touche soome by name which at the beginning requyred but the cuppe which allso soone after they vsurped to them selues But did they rest there No but after receyued and imbracyd the whole confession of Augspurg And within a whyle reiecting that tooke the Picardican religion And after that the Gehennian I woold haue sayd Geneuian but that Gehennian and Geneuian be all one which Lysmaninus the Apostata baÌ„nyshed by your highnesse king SigismoÌ„d dooth now openly professe VVhat they will doo in the end I knowe not perhapps they will faull to Suenckfeldius I woold any man coulde shewe me any one contrey where the cuppe hath by priuatt aucthoritee been begoonne to be vsurped where very sone after many other and most horrible heresies haue not followed VVithin the memory of our Grandfathers in the kingdoÌ„ of Bohemia our next neyghbour first fell this coÌ„tentyon about the cup which soome Cittyes of their owne aucthoritee vsurped to themselues But what moÌ„strous heresies did not presently ensue How few townes coold yee find in Morauia or Bohemia where the vse of the cuppe was receyued in which you might not see sixe or seuen sectes at once and all miserably deuided one from an other But in Germany which with owt great sorrowe and wooÌ„der wee caÌ„not behould wherof did this Sathanisme take beginning but of the cuppe These sleyghtes which by the members of Sathan are vsed and framyd against true pietye seeme myche lyke vnto a wedge which being very thiÌ„ne at the edge semeth scarce entryd into the wood wheÌ„ soone after it throwghly cleaueth and deuydeth the same in soonder But albeit the first edge be but thinne yet maketh it a waye to the growing thicknes that followeth so as when the first part is receiued and edge entryd of necessitee the rest followeth vntyll at the last the whole peece be soondered And yf a man woulde saye the cuppe to be the thinne and sharpe edge of this destroying wedge he shall no whit erre froÌ„ the truth For where the same hath been receyued wee see the thicke parte of the wedge hath followed First the Augustane confession which toke away both priesthood and sacrifice and brought God him self as it were in to an equallite of degree so as he should haue no more honour dooÌ„ vnto him then to mortal men TheÌ„ entryd by and by a thicker part which was the Tigurin and Lascan coÌ„fessioÌ„ which tooke away those ij sacramentes to witt of the supper of our lord and of baptisme which yett the Augustane confessioÌ„ had of curtesie left vnto vs to the end that as that confession had left their followers with owt priesthood or sacrifice so this would farther allso leaue theirs withowt sacramentes And this secte findeth no lesse fault with the Lutherans then it dothe with vs that be Christians But coÌ„demneth both of idolatry because we both are persuaded though after a diuers sorte that the very body and bloud of Christ is conteyned in the sacrament And therfore as by their iudgemeÌ„t wee made of that a certayne ydoll so doo we also as they saye of the sacrament of baptisme in that wee attribute therunto remission of synnes and beleue our selues to be saued thorowgh the fonte of regeneratioÌ„ Looke therfore what we seeme to the Luthe rans the same do the LutheraÌ„s seeme to the Sacramentaryes that is to saye idolaters At last foorth cometh Suenckfeldius who taketh away not only the whole scripture but allso all outward ministery of the word and maketh the Sacramentaryes Lutherans and vs Christians idolaters all a leeke who hauing regard to the bare letter meaning the canonicall scriptures seeke there in to fynd our saluation And this was the last but or end of the wedge whose first part being entred and receyued how thinne so euer the edge therof seemed wee see how by litle and litle all the rest of this Sathanisme brake in as more largely wee haue opened in an other booke Thus doo you see most vertuous kyng wherunto the matter is now brought How after that in despight of the churche the cuppe in the beginning had encroched how greate a forwardnes and swaye grewe therby to the rest of the Sathanisme VVho so euer is a Christian man at the lest yf he be of any pietye can not easely be induced to depart from the sense and consent of the vniuersall churche But so soone as a beginning of departure in any one thing is made now is it more hard to fynd the end then it was to see the beginning So as not without cause it hath been taken for an old prouerb the beginning is more theÌ„ the halfe of the whole which wee may see manifestly verefyed in them which at the first by the only vse of the cuppe wowned theÌ„ selues out from the knot of the churche who sone after receiued if not all other sectes yet at the lest the whole LutheraÌ„ heresie owt of hand Haue wee not to good proufe of this matter in Germany There was set forth a certain Interim religioÌ„ as muche to saie as religion put to daying how well I will not saye but at the lest by auctoritee suffred and receyued allmost of all sauing only a few But I pray you with them that receyued it was the

lawfull priesthood and sacrifice restored agayne according to the forme prescribed in that booke No. Nothing lesse But the Interimistes be and were a like with the other Lutherans but that some where they absteyned from fleshe in the lent and on the fridaye and in their diuine seruice or rather prophane to forbeare the calling of it by the right name Sacrilegious they vse in some places surplises and other priestlyke vestiments But in your owne kyngdom doo wee not see the like wher the cupp by great sacrilege is vsurped Is not there both the priesthood and sacrifice leekewyse abrogated Doo not laye men arrogat to them selues the office of Priestes Do they not take on them power which they haue not to make the body of Christ and so geue vnto the communicantes mere bakers bread For how can he make the body of Christ to whom power is not geuen so to doo In fyne Sathan sayth nothing ells when coÌ„trary to the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the churche he commaundeth the layety to drinke of the cuppe but euen that which he somtyme sayde to Christ him self Throwe thy self downe that is to saye Leaue the tradition of the churche Cast away all obedieÌ„ce therunto Make none accompt of the auctoritee of the councells But a Christian man feareth yet to throwe him self downe because he seeth great perill therin and therfore long deliberateth with him self whether he were best so to doo or no. But yf he haue once begoÌ„ne to throwe him self downe then is it not in his owne power to stay him self but that without recouery he falleth hedlong downe to the bottome S. Augustine writing vpon that text of the Psalme He builded the earth on a sure foundation which shall neuer be remoued but continew from generation to generation Interpreteth the earth to be the churche and the water which runneth by and cometh to nothing in an other Psalme he expoundeth to be heresies And for prouision that waters flowe not in to the churche that is to saye that heresies may not drowne the same great cliffes and baÌ„kes are set against the sayd floudes VVhich bankes may well be interpreted to be the decrees of councells But though the bankes be neuer so strong yet yf there be neuer so litle a hole made into the same straight waye the whole waight of the waters lyeth there vppon and soone breaking downe the banke farre and wyde ouerfloweth whole fieldes pastures and villages so as nothing may then stay the violent course thereof This hole therfore is then opened when against the ordinaunce and obseruaunce of the churche the cuppe is permitted to the laytie For who may let why by this hole how small so euer it be all kynd of heresies breaking downe the bankes that is to saye violating the decrees of councells may not violently breake into the churche VVhich considered it is a wonder to see that there want not some which are not asshamed to promyse tranquillite vnto the church and to your highnes kyngdom if against the ordinauÌ„ce and obseruaunce of the churche the cuppe might be graunted vnto the laye people Yf the peece of wood may be preserued whole and sound which the first part of the wedge seeme the edge therof neuer so thinne is driuen and entred into yf it may be prouided that the thick part therof driuen with many blowes shall not yet at all cleaue the peece yf the corne fieldes and meddowes may be preserued where into the flouddes by breache made in the banckes doo with great force flowe in and can not easely fynd a waye owt agayne yf a man may be preserued who hath throwen him self downe hedlong from an high tower yf he may stay him self in the middest of his faull so as coming hedloÌ„g to the ground he breake not his neck or bruse some other part of his body theÌ„ may in deed that kingdom be safe sownd and quyet wherin the cuppe is vsurped in despight of the churche and councells Many ther be which require a councell but to what end or to what effect may it be yf after thinges therin well determyned it be laufull to the most abiect kynd of men to doo all thinges contrary in despight therof VVill the auctoritee of councells be more regarded and feared then dyettes and parlamentes But haue not wee seene before our eyes in despight of the kyng and the parlament many thinges done contrary to that which hath in those assemblies been decreed yea and syche thinges as before the decrees made they durst not haue done And shall wee there hoape for tranquillite and quietnes where no auctorite of councells assemblies Bisshopps or princes is regarded VVhere it is sought that we should be without lawe without kynge without priesthood sacrifice sacramentes yea and without a God to VVhere it is so earnestly laboured to buyld and make of that Citye which hitherto hath been of one touÌ„ge and one language a new found Babylon wherin is so great confusion of tounges that no man can heare the voyce of his neighbour But what nedeth more Your self know most vertuous king how wheÌ„ some thought good to graunt the cuppe to some clamorous persons so that they would rest there they refused to accept it with that condition Fewe there are in your kingdom that will be contented only with the cuppe no not many which will staye vpon the confession of Auspurge Most of them that are departed from vs are either Picardines Caluinistes Laskanistes Nestorians or SeruetiaÌ„s of which sectes no one will be satisfied with the only permission of the cuppe VVho so readeth the Apologie of the Picardines shall therin fynd that they seeme only to follow the Boemians being willing to rest only vpon hauing the communioÌ„ in bothe kyndes and in all other thinges shewe them selues in maÌ„ner as catholyke as they which are in deed true and perfyt catholikes in all poyntes Againe Petrus Paulus Vergerius who the last yere came into your kingdoÌ„ for none other cause but only to stirre seditioÌ„ therin brought foorth letters written to certayne persons which letters he allso caused to be printed But was this first the part of an honest maÌ„ Verely yf he had had any shame yf any sperk of honesty had been in him he would neuer haue attempted any syche matter But herein he shewed him self a man voyde of all humanitee and ignorant of the honest course and trade of lyfe emong men synce to publishe letters priuatly written is none other thing but as Cicero sayd to take from this lyfe the societye of lyfe and the commodite of secret and familyar talke between absent frendes He publisshed allso in print ij letters of Paulus Quartus the Bisshop of Rome and not content therwith he woÌ„derfully darkened and deformed with his owne Gloses and wrong interpretations those thinges which were therin godly and vertuously written Heare what he writeth in his notes vpon the

that no man should in any one thing dissent from him then let him proue him self to be a God Couertly meaning therby that he sought to be reuerenced as a God and to haue his word adored of all men as the word of God brefly that it were no more laufull for any man to dissent from his mynd then from the senteÌ„ce of god Thus you see his very fellowes thought intollerable this his exceding pryde wherby he presumed to sytte in the temple of God euen as he were god himself But dooth not Caluin allso coÌ„playne that the churche of god is to imperiously bownd to the deuyses of Luther How greuously dooth he take it that they dresse him vp with the spoyle of S. Iohn Baptist and call him Helias by whom all thinges were to be restored VVith which falshed they did no lesse distayne the name of Luther sayth he then the Egyptians did the body of Hieremy by worshipping his sepulchre And yf sayth he the name of Helias were to be graunted to Luther yet was it a poynt of sacrilegious temeritee to affirme him to be the last Helias as though the hand of God were shortnyd that he could not hereafter send a better or at the lest an other as good as he For by what oracle was it oppened vnto them that the treasures of the mighty power of God were so myche diminisshed and wasted in the person of one man that out of so great and incomprehensible a number the lyke of him might not be found Here Caluin could not dissemble the grudge he had coÌ„ceyued in that Luther was thus caulled the last Helias wherby no place was now left for him who thought himself in no poynt inferiour but rather superiour to Luther But Ioannes Alasco who dooth seeme almost to consent with Caluin beside that in many places he shewyth himself to thinke very yll of Luther as it is noted by Erasmus Albere he writeth thus allso of the Lutherans that when all their stuff is spent then they vse to flee to the Confession of Augspurg as to their shooteanker and make sayth he so myche a doo of that that there want not emong them yea and not of the meanest sort which say they had rather dowbt of the doctrine of the Apostle Pawll then of Luthers or of that which is contayned in that Confession You see how the sacramentaryes themselves can not beare that the contentes of Luthers bookes or of the Augustan confession should be receyued as the word of God though with some for all that it be of more pryse then the word of God And shall wee ChristiaÌ„s beare that which the lewde Zuinglians can not beare And shall wee suffer that to be obtruded vnto vs for the expresse word of God which wee most certainly knowe and haue proued to be the expresse word of the diuell But some there be perhapps that will in this case geue the lesse credyt to the iudgement of the Zuinglians for that the world seeth they dissent from the doctrine of Luther Let vs see therfore what iudgement the Lutherans them selues haue one of an other I thinke no man will denye but the Confessionistes be LutheraÌ„s VVherof though Andreas Osiander were himself one yet dooth he not complayne that with his followers the Confession of Augspurg is more regarded then the word of God And that they which procede masters of art and professors of diuinitee at VVittemberge abiure the word of God and sweare to be subiect to the worde of Melancthon Marke yee how this fellow condemneth the disciples of Melancthon of idolatry and warneth them to flee from this idoll But to come to Melancthon himself did not he at the first with tooth and nayle defend and esteeme no lesse then the very word of God these doctrines of Luther That man hath no free wyll that all thinges happen by absolute necessitee that man feelith no more what God dooth within him then the Anuyll feelith what the hammer dooth that workes are not necessary to saluation that no rytes or ceremonyes owght to be admitted into the Churche Yet afterward complainyng that he had been to seruilly bond to Luther he reiected these his toyes and came to a better mynd For which cause yet he bred to him self so great hatred yea euen of his owne disciples that they pittefully reuyled him and sought to exclude him from the Confession of Augspurg wherof it is knoweÌ„ he was the Author But Mathias Flaccus is not affrayed to arrogat yet more vnto him self and sticketh not to pronounce his master Melancthon to whoÌ„ he was behoulding and all the adherentes of his doctrine vnworthy to be accoÌ„pted other then very Ethnikes and Publicans And to make his meaning playne he thus interpreteth him self that no good maÌ„ought to haue any familiaritee freendship or coÌ„pany with them And to him which not being especially bound to them by necessitee of lawe should doo any of these thinges he pronounceth the contagion of their lepre and so without all doubt the wrath of God And that I thinke was the cause that at the last conference at VVormes Schneppius Merlinus Strigellius Saâ—â—erius and certayn other Illiricans departed thence without doing any thing for that they thought the fellowship of Melancthon and Brentius both whom Flaccus had excommunicated from his congregation was of them to be auoyded Namely synce none of them gaue any shewe of inclination to any syche retourne or amendment as they requyred VVho therfore is there which dooth not now see as cleer as the day light that these be the idolls which the Prophetes and Apostles so earnestly exhort vs to flee from The heretikes I say of this our age Luther Caluin Melancthon BreÌ„tius Flaccus they commaund vs to flee as from the vyper and Cockatryce for so doo they emong them selues and by their owne iudgement one of an other condemne them selues But may not wee myche the more iustly accompt them for syche as they are become not only by the iudgement of the Catholike Church which wee are commaunded to harken vnto but allso by their owne iudgement one of an other And shall there now be any man that may persuade vs which acknowledge and honour only one God to adore the word of these heretikes as the expresse word of God O Christ which hast allmost this 600. yeres shyned ouer this countrey with the light of thy Gospell rather take from vs all our worldly goodes the sweet fruition of this lyght yea all thinges which are in this world most dere to mortall men then once to suffer vs to be remoued froÌ„ this mynd wherin wee are determyned rather to doo and suffer all thinges then to depart from that thy holly word which allmost 600. yers past was by thy goodnes deliuered and impartid to our nation and in stead therof to receyue their word which set them selues in the Temple as Gods and so thrall our selues to

to saluation he is farre wyde Very truly sayth a vertuous and lerned man The Clemency of God regardeth not with how great knowledge wee beleue but with how great deuotioÌ„ we loue that which we beleue And an other vertuous maÌ„ also sayeth In the last day wee shall not be asked how myche how sharpe and how lerned our vnderstanding was but how great our affection and zeale to our lord God that is how simple how right how vertuous humble and deuout and how willing and faythfull our seruyce toward him hath been VVhich thinges being so why doo we not rather spend our whole study and labour in this poynt which only and alone we knowe to be necessary to our saluation to reteyne among our selues mutuall loue and brotherly charitee which is the very proper marke of the childreÌ„ of God In so myche as the vnderstaÌ„ding of the scriptures is not to all men a leeke necessary The simplicitee of beleuing not the quicknes of vnderstanding keepeth safe the vnlerned multitude And as the same S. Augustine sayth The man which trusteth to faith hope and charitee and fast reteyneth them hath no need of the scriptures vnlesse it be to teache others And therfore by these three many lyue well in desertes and solitary places without bookes Now contrarely all men will search the scriptures and dispute of the sence and vnderstanding therof But that wher vnto as to a certayne marke al the scriptures are referred and that which those scriptures labour to inculcate in euery place into the eyes eares and myndes of men that Charitee I saie which only bringeth saluation no maÌ„careth to reteyne And verely looke how myche the oftener and more feruent disputation is made of the scriptures and of the expresse word of God so myche the more dooth Charitee which all the scriptures doo with one voyce sounde out vnto vs wexe could in the mindes of men And is it leekly that the sound vnderstanding of the scriptures and the expresse word of God is there wher Charite is wexen so could and hatred so hot VVhere besides rayling reuyling skofing and contumelyes a man can allmost read or heare nothing And where they them selues which are departed froÌ„ vs who had rather be called Gospellers then Christians doo not only fight against vs but allso one against an other with syche infest raÌ„ckorous and vnchristian myndes that no cruell Barbarians or enemyes of Christ his Crosse could deale more leeke enemyes Truly before this Gospell sprang vp which is proceded from none lesse then froÌ„ Christ wee neuer sawe any syche bitternes of myndes or cruell contentions Namely emong those whose office was to teache and open the Gospel of Christ And shall wee cal this the Gospell shall we call this the expresse word of God from the which all Charitee the thing most expressly commaunded in the Gospell is so vanished that euen they which glory to haue been the first which as them selues say haue of late brought to light the buryed Gospell doo so hatefully contend emong them selues burne with syche mutuall enuy and so byte one an other that it can not be long but wee must nedes see them consumed one of an other This is sure the expresse word of the diuell not the expresse word of God seing as I haue allredy so often sayd the expresse word of God is only Loue and Charitee That is it that imbraceth Vnitee that ioyneth vs all in one body that geueth peace and with pure hart keepeth the same And ChristiaÌ„ charitee can not be kept but in the Vnitee of the churche so that in vayne doth he vaunt him selfe to haue charite which doth not imbrace Vnitee But yf this expresse word of God Charitee be not kept any where but in the vnitee of the church who is there that can thinke that the expresse word of God can be found any where out of this vnitee And this is it that in this treatyce I shewed before that somtyme when two men bringe foorth one self text of scripture yet God openeth the mouth of one and the diuel of the other For he which hauing deuided him self from the churche alleageth it not with the common sence and vnderstanding of the Churche but with his owne priuat and wrested interpretatioÌ„ for so myche as S. Iohn sayeth VVho so euer speaketh of him self yea though he speake scripture yet vttereth he a lye the mouth of that man doth the diuell open and that which he speaketh is the word of the diuell But allthough following S. Ambrose wee sayd that Charite is the thing which imbra cyth and conteyneth vnitee and which makyth vs all one body wee would not be vnderstanded in that sence as though we meÌ„t therby that euyll and vniust men were excludyd from the body of Christ which is the churche For allthough Charitee which the scripture chieffly commendyth vnto vs be the proper marke of them which doo truly honour God wherby the children of God are discernyd from the childreÌ„ of the diuel and that those be only they which appertayne to the coompany of the Elect yet is there a certayne other congregacyon or churche of theÌ„ that are called from the which they be not excluded which are destitute of true charite so they reteyne that which S. Augustine calleth the loue of vnite by the which he sayeth the members of Crist are couppled vnto him The working wherof is to suffer al thing That ther may be as the same S. Augustine writeth a certain force of suffring houlding the sure handfast of vnitee which was signified by the pytche wherwith the Arke being a figure of the churche was fastned and sodred both within and without for euill men are to be suffred both with in and without lest the knot of peace be dissolued Of which charite allso S. Augustine writeth in an other place saying I do not thinke any maÌ„ to be so vnwyse as to beleue that he which hath no charite doth appertayne to the vnite of the churche wheÌ„ it is certayne that they doo belonge to the vnitee of the churche so long as they be not cut of from the same yea though they be destitute of the other effectes of charitee so that reteyning that force or vertu of suffring they be emoÌ„g them of whom S. Pawll writeth supporting one an other in charite carefull to preserue the vnitee of the spirite in the bond of peace But here these fellowes will denye that to be the churche of God which we professe and wherof we glory and reioyce to be the huÌ„ble children and wil go about to challenge that name to their congregation But I would fayne haue them shewe vs their churche I speake not now of the SacrameÌ„taries Anabaptistes heaueÌ„ly prophetes nor of the Campanians or Seruetians all which sectes they haue allredy throwen out of their congregation but let the Confessionistes or Lutherans shewe vs their Churche Melancthon and his

followers Brentius also with his bande are throwen foorth of that Churche which would be counted of the Augustan not Christian confession as wee may plainly see by the writinges of Mathias Flaccus and Ioachimus Merlinus who glory themselues to be vpright perfect Lutherans But yf any man will geue more credyt to the iudgement of Melancthon or of his disciple Iustus Menius then shal he fynd that they geue the like iudgemeÌ„nt of Flaccus as Flaccus doth of them VVhere then shall wee now fynde this churche of Luther Melancthon will not graunt it to be emong the Illiricans The Illiricans on the other syde say it is not emong the Melancthonistes or BrentiaÌ„s whom they haue allredy throwen out from the communion of their Churche And haue not thus the very followers of Luther by hellis he discord deuided allso their owne vnitee euen as their maister before did by most impious sacrilege diuide and separat him self froÌ„ the catholyke vnitee as from our lordes barne flower VVhere then shall wee seeke this church of theirs which neither of themselues wyll graunt to the other VVho is there so destitute of all reason that will not rather chose to remayne in that Churche wherin he was borne and allso regenerat in Christ which was the greater benefyt then forsaking this to betake him self vnto that which to them selues is so vncertayne and vnknowen But God forbid that a ChristiaÌ„ catholyke and right beleuing man should haue any doubt whether that churche wherin not only him self but his parentes his graundfathers and great grauÌ„dfathers haue been entred into the faith of Christ be the true church of God or no. For what were this ells but to doubt whether he be a ChristiaÌ„ man or borne of christian parentes and as it is written by the Prophet to stumble at none daye as in the darke God hath placed his tabernacle in the sunne He hath planted his churche as a citye vpon an hill which can not be hidden But of that matter our purpose is not to taulke any more in this place for that it apperteyneth not properly to this treatyse and for that as well in our christian confession as in our writing which we haue late pubblisshed against the prolegomena of BreÌ„tius we haue at large treated of that matter wher we haue taught you which be the markes of the true churche To wytte that it be one holy catholyke and Apostolyke churche wherof except one haue the chiefrule whose auctoritee all do acknowledge it can not be caulled the churche of God Now therfore we wyll not tary any lenger vpon this matter For that I trust wee haue sufficiently shewed that the expresse word of God wherof those meÌ„ brag so myche is not the word of God but the expresse word of the diuel For the cleer and expresse word of God is Charite VVhich that it may please God by his holy spirite to power into our hartes and once to geue ende to thies schismes and heresies and to restore to his churche the desired tranquillite wee humbly beseeche his infinite mercy VVhich no doubt he will do not for our merites wherunto most greuous punishementes are dewe but of his owne exceding great goodnes so that we amend our lyues and with confidence adressing our selues to the throne of his grace incessantly contine we in feruent prayer THE CONCLVSION THis myche I had to write vnto your highnes most vertuous Kyng of the expresse word of God at what tyme I was preparing to take my iourney to Rome and by that occasioÌ„ letted with myche and mani folde busynes How be it the faithfull hart I beare your grace enforced me to bestowe this trauayll in writing of this matter The great benefytes allso which without my desert you haue heaped vpon me being so great as I doubt whether any man haue receiued the lyke of any kyng of Polonia hath driuen me theruÌ„to VVherfore howe myche the more I ê“fesse and acknowledge my self bouÌ„de vnto you so myche â–ª the more carefull am I of your safety and namely of the euerlasting saluation of your soule For the defence wherof I will not only not flee any payne and trauail but most willingly aduenture my lyfe For it is possible ther want not some which do allso beate vpon your eares with thies wordes Throw thy self downe for it is writteÌ„ But I haue so great a confidence in your constancy and in the mercy of God that assisted therwith you will neuer imbrace their wycked counsells of separation or suffer their pestilent persuasions to haue any place with you For myne owne part yf I should see your highnes which God of his mercy forbyd slipping downe from that high tower of the church I would not fayle God geuing me streÌ„ghth yea though I should presently dye therfore but with my body receyue you faulling downe and with the death therof redeme the safegard of your sowll You knowe most worthy Kyng how often I haue imployed my trauaill in the defence of the sound and holly doctrine of the churche You know how synce the tyme your highnes pleasure was to haue me called to the office of a Bisshop I haue not spared any charges labours or perill to staye the declyning religion within this your kyngdom and dominions and to the vtter most of my power to susteyne and shore vp the same seeming redy to faull VVho can be a better witnesse then your highnes what study labour and diligence I haue imployed in auowing defending and proouing our auncieÌ„t ChristiaÌ„ Catholike and right religion But for that God is iustly angry with our synnes how litle good hath yet followed therof I see to my great grief This Sathanisme doth daily increase more and more For when men haue once begonne to throwe them selues downe then are they caryed daily downe hedlong more and more into the bottomles dungioÌ„ of errours For as it was in their power to let them selues fall so when they be once going it is not then in their power to stay them selues VVhat is now the state of your kyngdome your highnes seeth VVhyle euery man allmost hath none other thing to dispute of but of the expresse word of God VVhyle eche man arrogateth vnto him self the knowledge therof and will haue his owne fancy adored as the expresse word of God Yea and often is it seene that how myche the more vnlerned a maÌ„ is with so myche the more bouldnes he will take on him to taulke and dispute of that which he vnderstandeth not But lord how myche I feare lest while euery maÌ„ wil haue what so euer him self sayeth or deuiseth to be houlden for the expresse word of God we shall shortly recken emong vs so many Polonian Gods as allredy we see of Germayne Gods VVould God your highnes would be induced most vertuous Prince to harken to the Prophets and Apostles which styll crye vnto you Auoyde idolls For what can they be ells but idolls

in his Articles ad Leon â–ª 10. Art 1. 6 10. 11. 12. 31. 32. The vvicked saienges of heretikes Hie. cap. 5. Esaie 30. S. HieroÌ„ in commentar ibidem Luthers doctrine vvorde for vvorde in lib. de Christi ana libertate in cap. Baby lonica â–ª The maner of pre achiÌ„g and vniforme doctrine of the catholikes The scriptures of the catholikes against Only faithe Matt. 3. Luke 1â— Rom. 8. 2. Tim. 2 Matt. 19 loan 3. Rom. 2. 2. Cor. 5. Eccles 16. Apoc. 22 Ioan. 5. Eccl. 9. Psal 18. Prou. 20 Iob. 9. 1. Cor. 4. Eccl. 5. Philip. 2. Prou. 28. Eccl. 1. Luke 24. 2. Io. 2. 2. Pet. 1. Iob. 9. Luc. 17. Eccle. 5. Mark 16. Ioan. 3. Deut. 31. Psal 26 Esai 35. Ephes 6. 1. Pet. 5 1. Ioan. 4. Rom. 5. Psal 22 Ibidem Psal 26 Psal 30 Rom. 8. Ioan. 6 Rom. 10 1. Ioan. 5. Brentius â—n his 2. pericope of his apologie ageinst Peter A soto Matt. 4 Mat. 4. Psal 90 Lib. 4. in Lucanâ— Heretikes traÌ„sformed ynto Aungells of ligh Vincentius Lyri nensis Heretikes vse the restimonyes of scriptures to confirme their doctryne The vvor kes of olde heretikes full of Scriptures Matth. 7. RaueniÌ„g vvolues 2. Cor. 11. Heretikes transfigured into the Apostles of Christ 2 â–ª Cor. 11. Sathan transformid in to an Aungell of light The deuil can find no easier vvay to deceiue meÌ„ vvith then by pretence of the vvord of God Matth. 4. Note CoÌ„gregations of heretikes Matth. 5. The first and principall attempt of Sathan to bringe a maÌ„ to heresie Ezech. 20 Math. 16. Ezech. 20 â–ª Marth 15. Martine Luther The ensign bearar of Sathan Preceptes of the Churche Prece ptes of Luther Vide Roffens inâ—â— theruÌ„ Aâ—t 28. ad Leo nem Lutherus iÌ„ libro de formula Missae Iohn 8. VVhat Sathan promesyth and persuadeth to heretikes So did Eunomius the Archeheretike persuade his scolers also August ad Quodnuâ—tdeum haeres 54 VVhat the LutheraÌ„s SvviÌ„ghans A nabaptists and al other sectes of heretikes doo all a leeke promesse to their follovvers Ioan â–ª 7. An other testimony vouched by the deuill out of holy scripture Ioan. 7. Ioan. 19. Sathan assalted the Apostles euen as he had befor assailed Christ him self The Crafty practis of the fauls Apostles in the primatiue Churche renued at this day by the heretikes of our age â–ª Galath 1. Chrysost in coÌ„meÌ„ tar ibideÌ„ The deceitfull preteÌ„ce of heretikes in al ages Sathan vseth to shrovvd him selfe vnder the name of the Gospel 2. Thess 2. 1. Thess 4. 2. Peter 3 Vnlerned and lightheadde persons depraue the scriptures August de fide operibus Cap. 14. Rom. 3. The heresie of iustisicacioÌ„ by faith only spraÌ„g eueÌ„ vvhill the Apostels yet liued and vvas by them selues impugned Galat. 5 1. Cor. 13 Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 3. Amost pestilent doctrine of protestants * Luther defendeth this proposition stoutely against Pope Leo Art 31. 32. Vide Roffen TertulliaÌ„ lyued in the yere of our lorde 230. TertulliaÌ„ i prescrip Cap. 15. The ende of disputiÌ„g â–ª vvith heretikes Tit. 3. Three causes vvhy heretikes ought not to be disputed vvith by scriptures The. 1. 1. Tim â–ª 6 Matth. 18. The 2. The. 3. So heretikes reiecte novve a dayes some the Machabees some S. Iames Epistle etc. Afâ—er this very sorte discourseth S. August lib â–ª de vtilit cred cap. 14. Clemens AlexaÌ„drin ' ageinst heretikes The levvd practys of the ovvld hereÌ„tike Marcion renved in our dayes by Martin Luther In lib. de Christ libert in Art ad LeoneÌ„ 10 Vide Reg. Angl de sacram coÌ„-LutheruÌ„ By the Bre thern of Zurich In praescript haeret Mar. Luther vppoÌ„ the. 28. psalme Leuit. 24. Tit. 3. 2. Tim. 2. li. 1. ca. 9. li. 8. cap. 14. The vvor des of CoÌ„stantin the Empour tooching the condeÌ„nacioÌ„ of the Arrian heresie Socrates lib. 1. aap. The agreiÌ„g senteÌ„ce of Bisshops in general covvncel is the sentence of Godd li. 2. ca. 19. The duty of Catholikes vvheÌ„ herely springeth vp a lib. 5. cap. 10. b lib. 5. cap. 12. c lib. 2. de perse d lib. 12. cap. 15. In epist de synodis Arimini Seleuciae congregatis * Vnderstande of this ArriaÌ„ heresy Nieephorus lib. 9. cap. 14. Augustinus de Agone christiano cap 29. The enmitie and dissension vvhich is bevveen the heretikes theÌ„ selues See the Apologie of Frid. Staphylus par 3. By Luther his ovvn sentence ther must no disputacions be heclde vvith heretikes The heretikes of this age bring almost nothing but that vvhich vvas a M â–ª yeres past condemned for heresy De simplicitate prae latorum Cyrillus Epist 28. Note vvherein heresy coÌ„sisteth Augustinus tract 18. in 10. Ambrosi in cap. 3. ad Titum Augustde baptis contra do natistas lib. 5. ca. 2. VinceÌ„tius Lyren in lib. aduersus hereses Hilariuâ— in lib. ad CoÌ„stantiquem ipse ei obtulit Marcion Photinus Sabellius MoÌ„tanus Maniche Hieron contra Luciferianos in ep is ad Gal. In orat contra Arrianos Chrysos in sermo ne aduer sus hereticos To. 3. Math. 4. Psal 90 Arrius produced xl texts of the scripture to mayntein his heresye August li. 1 contra Maximinum Matth. 18. Macedonius Nestorius Eutiches Concil Chalde Act 1. fol 776. In qua scriptura iacent duae naturae August Psal 90 Origen Hom. 31. in Luca. Math. 4. Caluin The vvor des of an Anabap. Lutheralso sayth I am sure my doctrine is froÌ„ heauen In principio lib coÌ„ tra Reg. Henr. A nue kid of prophetes sproÌ„g vp apon sight of the dissen sioÌ„ emoÌ„g the protestantes Lib 2. de Trinitate Note vvherihe resie consistcth Origen hom 3. in Exodum Ioh. 8. Psal 115. Ioan. 8. August li. 12. Confes ca. 25. Truthe is not ptiuat ot psonal but coÌ„moÌ„ to al. Ioan. 8. Throuth is only in the Catho like Chur che Eccles 15. VVhat is the true vvord of God li. r. hist Eccl. ca. 9. The voyce of the churche is the voy ce of God vtterid by her Ezech. 13. VVhat is the vvorof the diuell VVho is an heretike Basilius in Hexamerum hom 2. Lib. 10. RecongnitionuÌ„ epi. 5 â–ª Li. 2. hist Eccles cap. 9. An exaÌ„ple most vvorthy to be noted and folovved August li. 32. contra faustum cap. 19. The extreme arrogaÌ„ce of heretikes Luther his decree * These be Luthers ovvne vvordes in his booke De seruo Arbitrio Luthers vvordes as before 1. Cor. 8. 1. Cor. 8. 1. Cor. 3. Augus li. 32. cap. 19. coÌ„tra fau stum The race andissevv of heretikes in our age Luth de Seruo Arbitrio Non volo Iudicium sed obsequium requiro Carolstadius Zvvingli ' Caluin Pacimontanus SvveÌ„cksel dius The SvveÌ„cfel diaÌ„s vvordes * These are the vvordes vvith vvhich the Apologie of England iÌ„ the first editioÌ„ ignorantly in the later obstinatly and maliciously chargeth Hosiê° vvithal as his ovvne vvordes and as generally defended of al Catholikes Thou seest here Good reader they are the SvveÌ„cfeldiaÌ„s vvordes

ad Gala. Note Caluin in commeÌ„t ad Gala. 1. Note hovve Caluin defineth the Gospell Quod accepistis Hiero. in Epist ad PamachiuÌ„ Oceanum * And vve English men almost these M. yeres VVhat nue Gospel it is by Caluins fentence vvhich heretikes seeke to obtrude vnto vs. Galat 1. Damasus in epist ad AureliuÌ„ Cartha Epis The breache of the Canons is one kinde of blasphemy against the holy Ghoste Galat. 1. Ezec. 14. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Ioan. 5. Note vvho be the idols vve must flee froÌ„ 2. Cor. 10 2. Thes 2. Hier. in 13. Zachari Psal 113. 1. Tim. 4. Cap 2. Idolls are doctrines contrary to the trouthe Cap. 8. August de vâ—â—a religione Cap. 38. 1 â–ª Reg. 7. Ezech. 16 Aug q 25. super Iosue cap. 23 Deuter. 13 Straunge Gods VinceÌ„tius expoundeth to be nevve doctrines â–ª 1. Cor. 11. Note Heretikes are to be fledd froÌ„ as the vvorst kind of Idolles Ezech 14. 1. Cor. 10 Sathans full inteÌ„t and final perpose The ciuill vvarre emong the heretikes theÌ„ selues LutheraÌ„s ageinst ZuingliaÌ„s etc. Note ZuingliaÌ„t against Lutheranes Caluin Alasco against VVestphalus Caluin his complaynt of Luther Ioannes Alasco Some LutheraÌ„s professe that they vvill sooner dought of S. Pavvl his doctri then of their M. Luthers The Confessionistes MelaÌ„cthoÌ„ him selfe against â–ª Luther MelaÌ„cthoÌ„ coÌ„playneth that he hade follovved Luther to seruilly Matthias Flaccus condemneth his M Melancthon and his follovvers iiij LutheraÌ„ doctors ageinst MelaÌ„cthoÌ„ Luthers ovvne der linge Matth. 18. Note the vertuous and godly prayer of the Author Ezec 12. 1. Cor. 10 Here the Author teacheth in fevve vvhat is in deed the expresse and liuely vvorde of god Gal. 5. Matt. 22. Rom. 13. 1. Tim. 1. Aug. in prologo Psal 140 In Psal 130. sermone 1. The force of Charitee Rom. 9. Li. 3. pedagogi ca. 21 Psal 11S Psal 18. August 1. Cor. 13 VVhy ther is suche a miste before the eies of heretikes that they see not the â–ª trouth Ephe. 4. Coloss 3. Pride is the greatest hinde rance to the attchi uing of knovvledge Prouer. 13. Epistol 56 Charite is the scope and end of the holy scripture Li. 1. de doctrina christiana ca. 36. t. Tim. 1. * Trotz a name of vncleanesse and fylthe The intollerable pride of the vnlerned multitude and of some vayne vveemâ—n allso Psal 1. Heb. 13. Matt. 7. Li. 1. Theologiae Dioscorides li. 4. Plinius li. 24. cap. 11. 1. Cor. 12. Note One self scripture taken vvith the right sence may be the vvord of Godd and being peruerted may be the vvord of the diuel The difference betvvene the vvord of God and of the diuell The vvoord of God aptly compared to the lode starre The marueilous blindnes of heretikes Psal 113. Hugo de S. Victore li. 1. par 10 ca. 6. de saciamentis Gerson in li. an Monachus pro studiis neglige re possit diuina coÌ„ siderat 9. August contra Epist Mani chaei quaÌ„ vocaÌ„t fun damenti li. r. ca. 39. de doctrina Christiana Heretikes can not possibly haue the expresse vvoorde of Godd * Note this vvell Gal. 5. Ambros in Ca. 3. ad Coloss Hovve to knovve vvhen the true vvoord of God is vttered Ioan. 8. De vnita te Ecclesiae ca. 2. 1. Cor. 13. vbi supra ca. 5. Gen. 6. Li. 1. contra Cres ca. 29. Ephes 4. The Conflict emoÌ„g heretikes about their priuat churches The true churche of Godd Esai 59. Psal 18. Matt. 8. The godly Zele of this lerned praelat The great pains and Care of Hosius in susteyniÌ„g the churche so sore assaulted and shaken by heretikes The cause vvhie heresies spriÌ„g and increase The state of couÌ„tres vvhere he resy taketh place Ezech 14. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Ioan. 5. Sap. 14. Eccle. 30. Esa 1. Hiere 2. Ezech. 14 18 20. Osee 8. Amos 2. Miche 1. Zacha. 13. Act. 21. A coÌ„pendious collection of the cheef matters treated of in this booke Malach. 2. Matt. 4. The great pietie religion and coÌ„staÌ„cy of the kinges of Polonia * Vladislaus kinge of Polonia refused the kingdom of Bohem in this respect

and prophettes For be it emong their famyliers or straungers in priuatt or in publyke yn their Sermons or bookes at feastes or yn the streates they neuer vtter anny thing of their owne but they seeke to ouer shadow it with some wordes of the scripture Reade the workes of Paulus Samosatenus Priscillianus Eunomius Iouinianus and the rest of the pestilent heretikes and thou shallt fynde there an infynitt heape of examples and almost no one half leafe omitted which is not paynted and coloured with sentences of the newe and ould Testament But looke now myche the more couertly they lurke vnder the shadowe of Gods word so myche the more must thow feare and be ware of them For they knowe their vnsauery fylthe would hardly at the first please any man therefore do they sprinckle it ouer as with a certayn sweet spyce of Gods word to the end that he which easely would fynd and reiect the errours of men may yett forbeare to contemne that which semeth to be drawen out of the word of God Therefore as they which geue vnto children some bytter drynckes do first annoynt the brimmes of the cuppes with hunny wherby their vnskilfull childishenes hauing fore tasted the sweett feareth not the bitter And as they which vtter vnholsome drogges of seedes and liquors vnder colour and names of medicynes whereby he that fyndeth written theron the name of a medicyne suspectyth not the poyson euen so do heretikes And heerof did also our Sauiour hym self forewarne vs Crieng out vnto the people Beeye ware of faulse prophetts which come vnto you in sheepes clothing and are with in raueniÌ„g wolues VVhat other thing is this sheps clothiÌ„g but the wordes vtteryd by the Prophets and the Apostles which they with playne and symple sinceryte did worke as it were fleses to that vnspotted laÌ„be which taketh away the sinnes of the world And what other be those rauening wolues but the fell and greedy wittes of heretikes which do allwayes trouble and assaylle the foulde of his churche and teare in pieces his flocke by all meanes they can But the more craftely to steale vpon the selly shepe keeping styll their woluish feersenes they lay asyde their woluishe shape and wrap them selues yn the sentences of Gods word as it were in certayne fleeses that when one feelyth the softnes of their woll he should not feare the sharpnes of their teethe But what sayeth our sauiour By their fruicts youe shal knowe them That is to saye when they begyn not only to vtter the diuin wordes but also to laye them abroade not only to vawnt therof but allso to interprett and expownd the same then lo is perceiued that Bitter that sower that Rage then doth the ayre of the nue poyson breathe foorthe then are opened prophane noueltyes Then maiest thow behowld the hedge cutt down the awncyent bowndes of the fathers caryed awaye the Catholyke faith troden downe and the doctrine of the Churche torne in pieces Suche are they whom the Apostle Pawll streeketh at in his second Epistle to the Corinthians saying Suche false Apostles leeke subtyll workmen transformed them selues into the leeknes of the Apostles of Christ what meanyth that How did they transforme them selues in to the Apostles of Christ The Apostles browght foorth examples owt of the lawe of God So did they allso The Apostles vouched the saienges of the Prophettes So did they to But when they beganne to expound leeke textes with vnleeke and farre contrary interpretations then were the playn dealers discernyd from the crafty the naturall from the paynted the right from the peruers and finally the true Apostles from the false and no maruaill sayth he for Sathan transformyth him self into an Aungell of light then is it no greate matter for his ministers to transforme them selues into the leeknes of the ministres of iustice Therfor according to the teaching of the Apostle Pawll when so euer false prophettes or false doctors vouche the sentences of the lawe of God by the wrong interpretation wherof they labour to buyld vp their errors it is not to be doubted but they followe the subtill deuises of their auctor the diuell which doubtles he would neuer haue inuentyd had he not found that same of all other to be the easyest waye to deceyue That where he would induce couertly a wycked and pernicious errour there to holde forth the auctoritie of Gods worde But some man perchaunce will aske me howe proue youe that the diuell vseth to vouche the scriptures Lett him I saye reade the Ghospell wherin it is written Then the diuell toke him vp that is to saye our lord and Sauiour and sett him vpon apynnacle of the temple and sayde vnto him If thou be the sonne of God Throwe thy self downe For it is written he hath geuen his aungells charge of thee that they keepe thee in all thy wayes They shal take thee in their handes lest thow happ to dashe thy foote against some stone VVhat will this fellowe do to vs wretchyd men who did with testimonies of scriptures geue the onsett euen to the very lord of Maiestye him self If thow be sayth he the sonne of God Throwe thy self downe why For it is written saith he The doctrine of this place is especially to be marked and remembred that when we see any man with suche an example of euangelicall auctorite bringe foorth the wordes of the Apostles and Prophettes against the Catholyke fayth wee nede not to doubt but it is the diuell that speakyth by him For eueÌ„ as then the head spake vnto the head euen soo do now the lymmes speake vnto the lymmes that is to saye the lymmes of the diuell to the lymmes and meÌ„bres of Christ the Traytorous to the faithful Churche robbers to the Religious and finally heretikes to Catholikes But what sayth he If thow be the sonne of God throwe thy self downe That is wilt thou be the sonne of God and receiue the inheritaunce of the heauenly kingdom then throwe thy self downe that is from this high churche which is reputed the churche of God and from the doctryne and tradition therof throwe thy self downe And if you aske one of these heretikes that perswadeth suche things to himself how ê“ue you or how will you teache vs that we ought to forsake and lett goe the vniuersall and auÌ„cieÌ„t faith of the Catholike Churche By and by for it is written sayth he And therwith all he presently getteth him a ThowzaÌ„d witnesses examples and auctorities owt of the lawe the Psalmes the Apostles and Prophettes wherwith beyng expouÌ„ded after a newe and lewd sorte the vnhappy soule is throwen downe headlong from the high Tower of the catholike Churche into the bottomles pitt of heresies Then with syche promises as followe do heretikes vse woÌ„derfully to abuse suche as be not heedfull and ware For they will not stick to promesse and teache that in their churche that is in the conuenticles of their coÌ„munioÌ„ the

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