and false religion And a nother doctrine and religion receaued to the former religion and doctrine directe and manifest contrary some mē therfore wil doubte whether the first doctrine and religiō be godly or the later doctrine and religion receaued be the truer and better to be folowed I will commende vnto youre godly remembraunces right honorable lordes not such doctrines as any new writers call of their awne heedes false doctrines and doctrines of deuyls or the doctrines of lyenge masters But the same doctrines that Christ and his Apostles expresly call false doctrines and the doctrines of Deuyls So that your lordships nor any other shall haue any iust cause to be ignorante what be the doctrines of deuyls and who be wycked preachers and lyenge masters the wicked secte of Antichrist who also is the heed Antichrist The people serue Antichrist and yet do not knowe hym Although doubtles righte honorable lordes I well perceaue the multitude of the worldly people so plaged of God with blindnes and hardnes of hearte that all though they with all dyligence studie and obedience dayly do serue Antichriste the greatest aduersary of God and of Christe yet do they not knowe nor vnderstande hym to be Antichriste christ nor do perceaue his crafty illusiōs his hypocrisie and disguysed fashons So that except a man consider beholde hym assuredlye by the light of Gods worde he shal neuer vnderstande espie nor perceaue hym although he had a subtyle and pregnant witte as clere and wel seyng eyes and as craftye a brayne as euer had man He cōmeth in so disguysed vnder the colour of holynes Yea and that in the name of Christ vnder the pretence to condemne al false and erronious doctrines and heresies Which thing all Christen princes and all other good men wil be most diligent and glad to do But herin he most subtilie and shamefully begileth al men For he and his adulterouse generation will chalenge to him and to them autoritie power only geuen to determe discerne and to iudge what is heresie errour Antichrist in the name of heresie condēneth the trueth what is false doctrine And by that meanes be the doctrine neuer so true and godly yf it soūde any thinge against his vsurped power his pryde his profite his vngodlye decrees and lawes made in generall Counseils and other his false and wicked determinations and iudgementes he will condemne it for heresie And he that preacheth it hym will he accurse callyng him the enemie of God and of al the holy church a seditious person not worthye to dwell in any comen wealth But yf Emperours Kynges other ciuill gouernours rulers wolde examin his doctrines and trye them by the light of Gods heauenly worde and proue all his other procedinges how they agree with the same They should then sone perceaue vnderstāde knowe that he himselfe although he calleth him selfe the head of the church and Christes vicar vpon earth the successour of the Apostles yet should they fynde and proue hym to be the head Antichrist the Arch-heretique the man of Synne and childe of perdition And al his sectes to be the sectes of perdition that departe from the fayth that also attende to the spirites of errour denyeng the Lorde that bought them But for as moch right honorable lordes as no man can wel put any diuersitie betwixt two extreme cōtraries except he perfitly vnderstande and knowe bothe the contraries I will first describe and set forth vnto your good lordships Christ who is contrarye to that wicked Antichrist according as the holy scriptures Ioh. 5. which as Christ sayeth beare true witnesse of hym And then I will also paynt in his lyuely colours that Arch heretike Antichriste that extreame contrarye to Christe But no nother wyse then Christ and his Apostles in the holy scriptures haue reueled and euidētly expressed and declared hym So that the one contrarye compared and set nere to the other contrarie shall expresse declare and set forth the other more euidently playnlye and more aparauntly Fyrst Christe is as muche to saye Christ as annoynted as Iesues Christe was of God the father not with oyle creame coniured of our Bishoppes but with the holy Ghoste who in the holy scriptures Psal 44 and. 88. is called the oyle of gladnes by whome God enlighteneth enstructeth and teacheth his holy Churche of the which he hath appointed and authorised Christe to be the Supreme head Kinge Phil. 2. Hyghbisshop and euerlasting Priest Who beyng equall with God his father dyd vouchsafe of his mere mercy good wil to descende from heauen toke on hym our vile nature not forsaking his diuine nature but ioyning them together both natures remayning not diminished hurt or altered became a perfite man in all natural miseries like vnto vs excepte only synne Ro. 5.8 Col. 2. And euen then when we were his enemies he reuyued vs and offered hymself to God his father vpon the crosse as a sacrifice to be slayne for the redēption of oure sinnes Heb. 10 By which this his only one sacrifice ones performed for vs not for a litle season but for euer he hath made holy and perfite them that be and shal be made holy and perfite And by this meanes he hath reconcyled vs to God his father Eph. 2. pacifienge his fathers wrath that then was against vs thorough his bloodshedinge and paynfull death And he that was without synne became a ful 2. Cor. 5. iust and perfite satisfaction for oure synnes Eph. 2. Col. 2. And hath taken awaye the curse and condemnation of the lawe delyueringe vs from the cruell curse and iudgemente therof And after thorow his awne power he ouercame death and ascended to heauen where he continueth oure aduocate mediatoure and only sauioure from oure synnes Ioan. 10. Oure onely waye and doore by the which we must enter into eternall ioyes To whom only we be boūde to geue the honoure and thankes for our redemption from synne hell Ezech. 43 Luk. 2. and death euerlastinge And therfore to obeye and serue hym all the dayes of oure life in holines and righteousnes accordinge to oure callinge Herin haue I described and declared to your honorable lordships oure redemer and only sauioure Iesu Christe and his only office and benefites most mercifully exhibeted and done to vs. By the which description your Lordships maye / with moch more facilitie ease haue certayne sure vnderstanding knowlege of Antichrist the other extreme contrary to Christe This Antichriste must not be vnderstanded and taken righte honorable Lordes for one naturall man what is Antichrist that by nature is as all other be a miserable synner or that he shuld be a certen wicked persone that shuld be begotten betwixt a Freere and a Nonne or betwixt a Monk and a Nonne according to olde wiues fables and winter tales But this name Antichriste is the name of
al heretikes by crafte gyle and falsheed seduced and begyled the Emperours and kinges and robbed them of their dominions and powers wherby the hath exalted him selfe not only aboue them but also aboue God And then became he a most cruell tyrant and made lawes of death for all soch as he and his fylthy secte did adiuge heretikes Therby colourably to morther and destroye all soch as did ones speake or preach against his vsurped power or by any meanes reueyle his iniquitie for that calleth he and all his filthye generation of infideles heresie Which exemple of makinge of lyke lawes oure english bishops did compasse and bringe to passe about the yere of oure Lorde 1420. then beinge a bishop Lorde Chaunceloure and a nother lorde priuey Seale wherby being in great authoritie high estimation amongest the nobles and counselours thorow flattery circuÌ„uented the kinge and his counsaill and other of the nobles to make a law in Englande to suppresse heresie spronge vp in this realme But what that heresie was that must only be adiudged by the Antichristes lawes and by his sworen secte the generation of infideles the enemyes of God aduersaries of Christe For as it is reported by cronicles it was the reuelation of Antichristes iniquitie that he calleth heresye Forther to colour their cruel tiraÌ„nie they sayed with their forfathers the Bishops Priestes Scribes and Phariseys and the rest of the Iewish clergie It is not lawfull to vs for to sley any man And as for vs ye may trust well inough we be to holy to deceaue you You maye frely wtout scrupulositie of conscieÌ„ce crucifie whome so euer we committe in to voure handes For if he be not an euill doer we wil neuer deliuer him vnto you You re honours neade neuer to examine the cause but boldly burne him Oure soules for youres His blood vpon oure heades And by soch subtile meanes made all Kinges and Officers of EnglaÌ„de that haue bin synce their tourmentours and hange meÌ„ A goodly office that they haue sett all kinges and you right honorable lordes in They haue made the kinge and you their hange men not a whit better And yet for al their warrantyse puttiÌ„ge their soules for youres though ye wash neuer so cleane your haÌ„de with Pylate wheÌ„ ye thus morther the innocentes for their saith in Iesu Christe be assured that Gods curse will not departe from you youre howses excepce ye spedelye repente But how that law agreeth with Gods worde it shal appere Euen as God the deuel Christ and Antichrist light and darkenes First God by his Prophet Esai sayeth Esai 11. they shal not hurte nor shall they kil in all my holy hyll By this holy hil meaniÌ„g this his church Wherfore yf youre lordly Lorde bishops were true ministres in this church they wold not morther any man for his faith / or for want of a good faith which he can not haue of his awne power and studie The Prophet Hieremie sayeth also Iere. 7. Behold these men saye vnto me where is the worde of the Lorde Let it come Where as I neuer the lesse leading the flocke in thy wayes haue compelled no man by violence for I neuer desired mans deeth This knowest thou well Here Hieremie sayeth that he leading the flocke in the Lordes wayes compelled none by violence to walke therin This doctrine and exemple geuen by Hieremie agreeth but sclenderlye with Antichristes canons decrees lawes nor with the law newly reuyued by your lordships consentes and laste of all with youre bishops mortheringe and tormentinge of your lerned men Also when Christe going vnto Hierusalem Ioan and Iames entered in to a citie of the Samaritanes to make prouision for Christe But the citesins wold not receaue Christ Wherfore Ioan and Iames retourned to Christ and shewed to him the vnkindnes of the citesins sayeng vnto him Master will thou that we commaundye fyre to come from heauen and consume them Iesus turned to theÌ„ / and rebuked them sayenge You know not of what spirit ye be The sonne of man is not come to destroye meÌ„s lyues but to saue them If your lordly lorde bisshops were Christes true seruaÌ„tes then wold they folow his doctrine and example As Christ sayeth He that serueth me let him folow me Ioh. 18. Ioan. 12. And he that foloweth me walketh not in darknes But all men maye perceaue that this their mortheriÌ„ge is mere contrary to both Christes doctrine and example and vtterly bewrayeth them to be the seruantes of Antichriste As Paul sayeth 1. Tim. 5. Good deades be manifeste and they that be euyll can not be hid The parable of Christe of the tares sowed by the enemie vpon the good seed which the master wold not haue draweÌ„ vp vntill harueste leste drawinge vp the tares Math. 3. the good wheate shuld also haue ben drawen vp declareth manifestlie that Christe wold not any man of an euil faith to be killed for his euill faith For if Paul had byn tormented to deeth for waÌ„te of a good faith wheÌ„ he was a persequuter of Christes church He theÌ„ had neuer bin the Apostle of the gentiles ne yet the most laborious worke man that euer wrought in Christes vinyard And if Sainte Augustine had fouÌ„de so cruell tyraÌ„tes to haue persequuted him to deeth before he was coÌ„uerted by God at the preachinge of S. Ambrose theÌ„ the church had waÌ„â—ed at this daye as godly a doctor wryter as euer wrote in Christes church sence the Apostles But ouer besides Christes doctrine and exmple which be not any errours or vperfite doctrines the Apostles doctrine is that the seruante of God shulde not stryue 2. Tim. 2 but to be geÌ„tle to al men apte to teach and one that can suffer the euill with mekenes and can enforme them that resiste the trueth He sayeth not can kill them that resiste the trueth but can enforme them For neither he nor nay maÌ„ can know when it shall please God to open the eyes of his heart and to geue vnto him a perfite faith which now ys holdeÌ„ captiue in vnbelefe at the wil of the Lorde This doctine of the Apostle although you wil not geue credite therto yet proueth it manifestly before all men that your lordly lorde bishops be not the seruauntes of God that shuld suffer the euill accordinge to Christes doctrine and example And also this doctrine of the Apostle proueth that youre law reuyued is against the doctrine of Christe and of his Apostle And therfore is a wicked law inuented by Antichriste and his filthy genratioÌ„ and sluttish secte of infideles to subuert extinguish al godly knowleage faith Also the Apostle sayethrif ther be any that obeyeth not oure teachinges 2. Thes 3 sende vs worde of him by a letter and haue no company with him that he may be ashamed And counte him not as an enemie but warne him as a brother Perceaue ye not honorable lordes
can not erre nor commaūde any vnrightuousnes Sainte Paul right honorable lordes setteth forth a nother doctrine of deuels the abstinence from meates in certen tymes and dayes and for conscience sake supposinge the meate to be prophane and vngodly and againste Gods wil and pleasure to be eaten Soch abstinence from meates Paul calleth the doctrine of deuels because it is mere contrary to Christes wordes and the holy scriptures For meate sayeth Paul commendeth vs not to God 1. Cor. 8. nether yf we eate be we the better nether yf we eate not be we the worse Math. 15. For that which entreth in to the mouth defileth not the man but that which procedeth out of the hearte sayeth Christe Also Sainte Paul exhorteth all men that they regarde not soch ordinaunces made by men lyke as the ordinaunces made by God sayenge Collo 2. Let no man trouble youre conscience aboute meate and drinke Wherfore if you be deed with Christe sayeth he from the ordinaunces of the world whic as though ye yet lyued in the world are ye leed with man traditions Touche not tast not handle not All which perishe thorow the veraye abuse after the commaundement doctrines of men Which thinges outwardlye haue a similitude of wysedome by superstitiō humblenes by hurting of the body in that they do the fleshe no worship to the nede therof S. Peter also thought it not meete for hym to eate certen meates that were forbidden in Moses law to be eaten as thinges that were vncleane Act. 10. To whome in a vision was answer geuen that he should not saye that thinge to be comen and vncleane that God had purified thorow his eternall worde Hebr. 13. It is therfore good sayeth Paul to stablish oure heartes in grace and not in meates which profited not them that walked therin 1. Cor. 10. Doutles honorable lordes Sainte Paul wold not haue commaunded generally that we shuld eate of all kinde of meates that come to be solde in the shambles askinge no thinge what they be for conscience sake yf it had not ben lawfull by Gods lawes to eate of all kindes of meates and that in all tymes and dayes so that they be eaten temperatly for the necessitie of the bodie and not for wanton lust to please the flesh and also eatē with out offence of the weake brethrē eatē with thākes geuyng for the same to God that feadeth al thinges But who right honorable lordes hath forbodē these flesh meates and whit meates to be eaten in Lent other prescript tymes Euen he that hath vsurped power to make offences synne of that which God nor his Apostles taught to be synne or offence Of whōe S. Paul warneth you to beware to marke them decline frō them For soch sayeth Paul Rom. 13. sserue not our Lorde but their belies And by pleasaūt wordes blessinges they seduce begyle the heartes of innocentes But wherfore hath our holy father made restraint of meates to be eaten in certayne tymes for conscience sake so manifest contrary to the doctrine of them that he bosteth to be his predecessours Verely that he might set forth his vsurped power And also that as S. Peter sayeth he might make marchaundise ouer vs in couetousnes 2. Pet. 2. For money he will geue licence to eate what you wil to do what you will And therfore all his lawes made of restrainte forbiddyng of those thinges that God lefte free are but a playne arte and crafte deuyse made to begyle the people of their money This moste honorable Lordes I haue sette forth two of Antichristes false doctrines not after myne awne fātesie but as Paul nameth them the doctrine of deuels that you might not be any furder deceaued by the preachers of them And also that you maye assuredly certifie youre consciēces that al they that preache and defende the same doctrines ben vnfaynedly Antichristes disciples which be spirites of erroure that haue departed from the faith or els the Apostles doctrine is erronious and false But that cā not be true Also oure master Christe admonisheth vs to beware lest any mand deceaue vs. For many shall come sayeth Christe in my name sayenge Mat. 24 I am Christe shall deceaue many Who is he that cometh in Christes name sayeng I am Christe None doutles who be they that saye they be Christ but he that vsurpeth to hym Christes office power holynes which no man doeth but the Romish Antichrist and his sluttish secte Euen they that vsurpe absolute power geuen to them to remitte and to forgeue synnes to the people Against thē that vsurpe Christes power and place whiche is the onlye power grace and office of Christe and not of any man Wherfore that man that vsurpeth vpon hym that office of Christe is the very same that sayeth I am Christe that is so anoynted and authorised of God that I haue absolute power geuen me from God to forgeue synnes as Christe hath For euē in soch maner of speaking all his filthy secte sittinge in their whorish confessions boost them selfes that they sit in Gods stydde and rowme to forgeue the synnes of soch as confesse their sinnes to them sayenge in their false absolutions in a tonge that the confessed vnderstandeth not By the authoritie of Peter and Paul and by the authoritie to me committed I forgeue the thy synnes to me confessed But nether Peter ne yet Paul did forgeue synnes by their awne authoritie grace or power but only by the preaching of the gospel Act. 4. As Peter sayeth ther is no nother name vnder heauen geuen vnto men nether is ther any other by whom we must be saued Act. 10 but the name of Iesu Christe For to hym all the prophetes beare witnes sayeth Peter remission of synne to be had thorowe his name Also sayeth Paul be it knowen vnto you men and bretherne Act. 13. that thorow this mā meaning Christe remission of synnes is preached and that by hym all that beleue are iustified from all thinges from the which ye could not be iustified by the law of Moses For he is the lambe of God that taketh awaye the synnes of the people / sayeth Ioan baptiste Ioh. 1. And euē so sayeth the Angell to our lady Math. 1. that he shall saue his people from their synnes Wherfore nether by the authoritie of Peter / nor of Paul ne yet by any absolute autoritie to them committed excepte by the autoritie of preachinge of the gospel to the people that trulie repente beleuinge constantly to haue remission of their synnes by the deeth and bloodshedinge of Iesu Christ hath other bisshop or priest any autoritie to forgeue synne Lamente therfore my Lordes the miserable state of this realme consideringe that there can be no remission of synnes geuen but onlye thorow the preaching of the gospell which none of oure priestes thorow all the realme do practise
in their whorish confessions nor yet know they what is a gospel moch lesse caÌ„ they preach the gospell Halas by what meanes do these beastes of the bely geue remission of synnes to the people when they speake not one worde of Christe that the confessed doeth vnderstande or perceaue But in their absolutions they geue penaunce to the confessed fastinge certen dayes lyplabour in sayenge of thinges they vnderstande not masses to be sayed and almes to be geuen for the satisfaction of their sinnes Thus burye they Christes passion and deeth and bloodshedinge which only be oure satisfaction for oure synnes And no nother can be And although God by his prophete Esai commaundeth all pastours that haue the spirituall charge of soules Esai 43. to shew vnto his people their synnes sayenge Crie and cease not Lyft vp thy voyce as a trumpet Esai 58. shew my people their synnes Notwithstandinge this commaundemente of God geuen to all them that haue spirituall charge of soules Antichriste myndinge to shew to the world that he thinketh him selfe wiser theÌ„ God and that he can make more godly and holsome prouision for soule health then God hath made a law that all people of euery kinde once in the yere at the leest shal confesse and shew their synnes to their awne Pastour or curate God commaundeth that the pastoure shall shew to the people theyr synnes But Antichriste commaundeth cleane contrary that the people shall shew their synnes to their curates By these meanes the people for the most parte beleue that they haue remission of their synnes because they haue nombred their synnes in to the eares of their confessoure Or els for what cause shulde we confesse theÌ„ to our curates For euery man knoweth what is synne that he shal be damned yf he forsake not his synne yf the priestes execute the commaundemente of God geueÌ„ by Esai Esai 58. But the simple people thinke verely that when the curate pronounceth a certen sownde and voyce of wordes ouer their beedes which they thinke is an absolutioÌ„ froÌ„ their sinnes although they vnderstande not one worde what he sayeth yet beleue they that the wordes that he speaketh hauinge his hande vpon their heedes haue vertue and power to forgeue to them their synnes euen because the priest sitting in Gods stede as they thinke and as the priestes boaste them selfes to do pronounceth and speaketh them Wherin all be deceaued lamentablye Assured meanes wherby euery man maye haue remission of sinnes But doutles he that earnestly repenteth his sinfull life fully mynded neuer after to returne to the same theÌ„ trusteth coÌ„stantly to Gods promise made of remissioÌ„ of sinnes to hym for the passion deeth of oure sauioure Christe / the same hath remissioÌ„ of his synne althouth he neuer nombre them in to the eare of any preist And then yf he fealinge and perceauinge true repentaunce and faith in his hearte will resorte to any prieste to receaue absolution and remission of his synnes wherof he is assured by Gods promise the same declareth hymself to mistrust Gods promise made to hym of remission of his synnes and then is he an infidele that by no meanes can haue remission of his synnes And if he be not fully mynded to forsake his former euill lyfe and neuer to retorne to the same againe then can he not haue any trust to haue remission of his synnes because that is promised to them only that for euer forsake their synnes And therfore if he mindeth not to forsake his synnes he goeth in vayne to his curate to haue remissioÌ„ of his synnes And if he repenteth his synnes and beleueth as I haue said then doeth he euyll to fatch remission of his synnes wherof he is assured already by Gods promise to be forgeuen And therfore his goinge to his curate to be confessed is veraye vayne and a poynte of infidelitie Oh that the curates of EnglaÌ„de wold theye and obserue Gods commaundemente geuen to them by the mouth of his prophete Esaia But that will they neuer 〈◊〉 But their master Antichristes coÌ„maundementes wyll they deligently obeye although they bringe no commoditie spirituall or temporall to any man sauinge to their fylthie paunches Euery man maye well perceaue wherfore they be so gready to holde and to maynteyne this whorish confession Th causes why the clergie so earnestlie maynteyne auriculer confession and authoritie to heare testamentary causes c. Ouer besydes that they prouide for them selfes in their confessions where they maye be sped of a whore or two all the yere after Yet by these their coÌ„fessioÌ„s the chiefe Antichrist kepeth his sluttish secte of perdition in estimation with the comen people in whose coÌ„scieÌ„ces they sitte as God and execute Antichristes office that is to fill hell with soules And so in their confessions be euer ready to worke sedition and treason against both Emperoure kinge and al other gouernours of that Empire realme and dominion that ether coÌ„tendeth or striueth with their holy father Antichriste or speaketh against his vsurped power his false and craftie deceated wicked doctrines wherby he seduceth begyleth all men for the most parte leading them with a false confidence and fayth to haue remission of their synnes because they declare them to his filthy generatioÌ„ of serpentes And by these meanes innumerable soules be leâ—… 〈◊〉 to hell And moch sedition and treason is wroughte wherby moch bloodshedinge and murther is broughte to passe to the vtter subuersion and destruction of many Realmes As the last sedicion stirred vp in the North in Somerset shire Deuonshire and in other partes of this Realme be most miserable monimeÌ„tes and witnesses And this is not their only comen practise practised with vs in EnglaÌ„de but also the like practise was practised with the Princes of Germany that will neuer suffer their treasoÌ„s to be out of maÌ„s memory Wherfore this whorish confession wherof procedeth so moch euyll and mischefe to all realmes which also bringeth no profite with it but seduceth and begyleth many ought to be banished and abolished although they saye that they caÌ„not well gyue medicine or plaister that shal be holesome or profitable excepte they also know the particuler disease and grief Which answere oure holy father hymself desproueth For he geueth cleane remission a prenaet a culpa that is from peyne and synne to theÌ„ that neuer shewed their offences to hym and healeth all sickenesses and sores with this one plaister that is all that be truly sory and penitente for their synnes and be confessed to a priest haue cleane remission As for faith in our sauioure Iesus Christe it forceth not so thou be confessed it maketh no matter whether thou beleue in Christe or no. And yet without Christ are we all for euer remidiles damned Why do ye right honorable lordes / admit this blasphemous doctrine of remission of synnes without faith in Christ All that be truly sorry for their synnes
dispence or discharge Wherfore as they be minisers contrary and not according to Christes commauÌ„dement Euen so be they Antichristes that be euer against Christ in all his doctrine and forme of lyuing As Christ sayeth â–ª he that is not with me is against me Matt. 12. And how many so euer be come against me be sâ—…s by daye and nighte Ioan. 10. And consequently Christ myndinge to shew vnto you the coÌ„dicions wherby ye maye euer know who be spirituall theues sayeth the thefe commeth not but to steale to kill and to destroye Of their stealinges youre Lordships be not ignorauÌ„te How many beneficed men be within this Realme as well bishops as deanes Archedeacons persons uicars and prebendaries which take the profites from their benefices / and do not feede their flock with the word of God Mat. 4. with out the which the soules of the flocke caÌ„ not lyue Wherfore they steale the profites that do not the office And of their cruell mortheringe you haue to moch experience that nother of thefe mortherere robber or traytour but of the best lerned meÌ„ of this realme or that euer were in this realme Euen of soch as were hable to reproue and coÌ„trolle them in all thinges by Gods worde Wherin they deceaue and mocke you and all the people And to proue theÌ„ veraye theues And as youre lordships haue to moch experience of their stealinge and of their mortheringe Euen so shal your lordships not sayle to haue more certen and sure experience that they shal be most miserable destroyers of this realme of Englande and that at soch tyme when your lordships nor any of youre posteritie shal be hable to prouyde any helpe or remedie to redresse their destruction For euen as Christes wordes be vnfaynedly true that the thefe cometh not for any purpose but to steale and to kyll so must the residew of his wordes euer be founde to be true most certen and sure that is that he shall also destroye And although you now do not regard nor beleue Christes wordes to be true yet when you thinke least theron your infidelitie shal be requyred with the fealinge and peynful sufferinge the destruction of you and of youre posterytie and the most miserable chaunge and alteration of the state of this realme This miserable mischiefe ensueth and cometh of this misorder that the gouernaunce of this realme by your lordships consentes hath be committed and done agaynst God in makinge a bishop that by Gods worde and appointemeÌ„te was assigned to feed the flocke committed to his spirituall charge to leaue his office committed to hym by God to be executed and done to be a chauncelour wher by he was so occupied and busied in the hearinge of the matters affaires of this realme that he could not attende his flocke to feade them accorddinge to Christes commaundemente Wherby he was put out of that order and rule that God had appointed to him Beinge out of the which order appointemente of God he could neuer be coÌ„modietie or profite to this realme For he was entred into the office not by the dore Christ but ascended by a nother waye therfore was a thefe fromÌ„ whoÌ„e no good counsaill or any other godlines can procede nor more then of thornes maye grapes be gadered And that his doinges will proue to well For in that office he hath brought to passe by his counsaill and persuasion and by your lordships sufferauÌ„ces soch incurable euill that all Englande shall lamente and bewayle the same Not only in kyllinge the preachers and lerned meÌ„ of this realem but also in the vttâ—r destruction of this Realme the alteratioÌ„ of the state and honour of the same And although God hath delyuered you of that spirituall thefe Yet be your lordships and all the Realme burdened with a nother in the same office that shall do no lesse euil then the other hath done Yf so moch euill maye be done For as a ioynte ordeyned by God in the bodye is appointed and set in a dew order to helpe the bodie which ioynte beinge out of that order that God hath set it in can not be any commoditie and helpe to the bodie but great peyne and trouble to the bodye Euen in lyke maner if a bishop that is appointed and ordeyned by God to teach his flocke be taken from that office wher in God had assigned and ordered him he can neuer be profitable but great hurte and peyne to the bodie For I thinke that there is no man that hath any knowlege in the holy scriptures or any good conscience towarde God but he well knoweth that a bisshop that feedeth not his flocke is a thefe Otherwise he beleueth not Christe to be true in his wordes And if he be a thefe as the trueth sayeth he is then is his cominge for no nother purpose then to steale to kyll and to destroye And who so euer doubteth ther of doubteth whether Christe be true And I feare me that because the gouernours haue not beleued Christe to be true that they shall proue it true by experience to their great peyne Soch shal be the frutes of a bishop set in autoritie to be a counselour for the temporall affaires of the Realme that he is one of them that is come to steal to kill and to destroye Of whome God by his prophete Esai complayneth sayenge Esay 1. Heare oh heauens and herken oh earth for the Lorde speaketh I haue noreshed and brought vp childerne and they are falleÌ„ awaye from me How happeneth it that the righteous citie which was ful of equitie is become vnfaithful as an whore Rightuousnes dwelled in her but now mortherers In tymes past it was the office of Nero and of other tyrantes to tormentt men to death for their faith but now oure english bishops haue takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ them to put the tyraÌ„tes out of that office For they them selfes condemne both lerned and vnlerned for their faith and make you right honorable lordes to execute the office That they might set forth to all meÌ„ that they be the veraye theues of whom Christ that can not lie speaketh Whose cominge is for no nother purpose then to steale to kill and to destroye And yet to deceaue the people they be crepte in vnder the cloke of my lorde bishop a reuerende father But to this my lorde bisshops and their accomplisshes saye that they kil none for their fayth but for their heresie which ought of all Christen men to be abhorred and auoyded accordinge to the true sayeÌ„ge of the Apostle that commaundeth sayenge an heretike after he is twise reproued auoyd him 2. Tit. 3. But yet sayeth he not kil min but auoyd him As al the fathers of the primatiue church haue shewed manifest example in the exile of many that in veraye dede were heretikes approued by gods worde to be heretikes and yet were not persecuted to deeth for their heresyes Vntil Antichrist of Rome the heed of