the lorde And God dydle theyer workes and how they were conuerted from theyer euyll waye / and he chaunged his decre of sodeÌ„ vengeaunce to be browght vpon them / Nether dyd he destroye them as he had Ionas .iij. and .iiij. spokeÌ„ by the prophet Ionas / whose euyll affection God also reproued for that he was sorye to be cowntyd as a false and lyinge prophet the cytye beynge saued to the whiche he had prophecyed extreme subuersioÌ„ Wherby it is euident that there is no thinge more pleasant vnto God â–ª then that men with the amendement of theyer disposition and maners myght auoyde the sworde of his celestiall wrath shakyd at theyer heades And allthowgh that euery hole natioÌ„ or citty wyll not put awaye theyr vyces yet the amendment of some and syngulare men is very acceptable vnto the lorde And it optayneth the puttynge awaye of vrgent payne and greuous punisshemeÌ„t or elles truly a mitigation therof yf we muste nedes be slayne withe the stubborne harted For wheÌ„ the Gothians dyd inuade Rome Halarich and Radagaste beinge Halarich and Radagaste heade Captaynes to the Gothians theyr Captayne 's / a greate parte of the cyttezynnes were infideles / and they layde all the cause of that cruell warre destruction vpon Christen religion / and the despysed honourynge of ydoles And they requyred their teÌ„ple and abolysshed superstitions for to be restored and set vp agayne An other parte of them puttyng their truste in God / and flyinge to hys celestyall helpe / by theyr prayers made in the name of Christ obtayned remission of all theyer synnes Therfore the cyttye beynge taken / Halarich the emperoure of the Gothians dyd commaunde that no man sholde be spoyled in the temples of the Christianes / wherefor the good people flyinge to the lordes howses as in to a Saynctuarye were defendyd by the helpe of God and amongst them certen in infideles I caÌ„ not tell whyther I may saye professynge or sodenly faynynge the christen relygion When in the meane tyme the cyttye was defyeled with robberyes slaughter / fyer / the forcynge of women and rauysshynge of virgyns At the same tyme the Duke or captayne of the HuÌ„nians called Subtarus the brother of Mazuchus whyche brought forthe Attyla Subtarus the brother of Mazuchus father to Attyla borne in Scythia / and called the scourge oâ— god for the greate destructioÌ„ that he made in Germanye / which after he had sub dued Hungary and ouer throwne Aquncia / a cytty in Italye / returnynge home agayne / dyed was choked wyth immoderate bledynge the scourge of god / the gothianes aÌ„d the Germanes beynge dyuersely vexed dyd inuade the Burgundions whiche haue theyer habitation by the ryuer called Rhene / the formar inhabiters therof beynge dryuen awaye / that the same thinge myght chaunse vnto them that Publius Mimus dothe teache Thou muste loke to be dealte with all thy selfe as thow dealeste with other men Wherfore the Burguâ—dions vtterly mystrustinge theyer owne power / myght / weapons do turne them all to gether to the helpe of god And forbycause they had serued by the commoÌ„ fame / that the God of the christianes dothe euermore helpe his deuoute clientes whith his moste present power They do all with one consente embrace the faythe of christe And the .vii. daye from theyer baptisme thre thowsand Burgundions dyd come vpon the infinite multitudes of theyer enemyes / and ten thowsand of them beynge slayne togyther with theyer Duke They constraynyd the residue with fearefull flight to recoyle backe to theyer owne contrye Truly how moche goodnes the chaungynge of an euyll ordered lyffe dothe brynge vnto men can not to be showed in this place / and it is euery where declared in the doctrine of godlynes Chapt. xij IT foloweth therfor that I may teache it to be an Esaie thynge to traÌ„sfourme ower lyuynge to put awaye the bourdeÌ„ of iniquite / for the whiche the veÌ„geauÌ„ce of god both wyth other instrumeÌ„tes / also wyth the weapons of the turkes inuadith christeÌ„dome with ragynge violence / so that we do not disdayne to vse those facultyes whiche god him self fe dothe offer vnto the same thynge / and to walke in the ryght waye whiche the holy scriptures doth showe / and not the fayned traditions inuentyd by sophysters of contention / confession and satisfactions But leste I sholde be to full of wordes in a matter that is very playne I do thinke or iudge repentaunce as it is takeÌ„ after the maner of diuinite / for the amendemeÌ„t of all ower lyffe and a newe returninge vnto god to be verye well diffined in the wordes of the .xxxvi. Psalme / whyche also be repeted in the Epistle written vnto the Hebrues after this maner Departe from euyll do the thynge that is good and dwell for euer Now we vnderstoÌ„de that thinge to be good / that is right and honeste Agayne we houlde that â–ª thinge to be euyll that is false fylthye of the whiche .ij. thinges god doth alowe the one / he commaundith and perswadith and promyseth gyftes vnto it / and he prayseth and honoureth and rewardeth it The other he improueth / he forbiddyth / he dyswadith / he rebuketh aÌ„d he persequteth it with payne and punisshements Therfor What it is to do penauÌ„ce to repent truly to do penaunce / as dyuines speake / and to correcte ower lyffe is to caste owt of ower mynde and all the purpose maner of owerlyuynge / those thinges / whiche be coÌ„traye to the will of god / whither we ower selffe receyued them by ower owne affectioÌ„ and error / or whither they weare deliuered vnto vs by some other men / as it were with handes / and to do / yea and with greatest studye to ensue those thinges whiche are a greable vnto the supreme lawe moste perfyt reason / that is to saye vnto the minde of god / so that he whiche before tyme dyd superstitiously worship thinges created let hym now religiously worship onely the true liuing god / Whiche before was periured / may now kepe his othe aÌ„d perfourme those thinges where vnto he is sworne Whiche before was an homicyde may now abhore from slaughter bloode Whiche before was a breaker of wedloke and an vnclene person may now houlde matremonie in holy reuerence and lyue chastely Whiche dyd hurte his bretherne with crafte and gyles may now abstayne from iniuries and do good to as many as he is able to proffit Vnto the whiche thinge there is nede of a sure and perfyt knowlege of synne and vertue / whiche the boke of the ten commaundementes of the lawe of god dothe breffely expresse / and also the doctryne of Christe whiche with his passioÌ„ and death doth iustifye the wicked with owte any of theyr owne workes / or of any creature so that men onely will knowe them self fe to haue ofteÌ„ded and coÌ„fesse the same vnto god againste whoÌ„ they
take awaye the causes of all ower euilles there can no thinge be browght better more sure then that whiche is the moste sincere and brefeste concell Truly that ower vngratious dedes beynge amended and ower contumacye and disobedience seta syde / by the whiche we haue despised hyther to the preceptes of the lorde ower god and father we may come agayne in to fauor with the gouernoure of all thinges The same thinge how moche it is honeste and fayer / and how it owght to be done with greateste studye / all thowgh none other proffit therof sholde be set forthe it hath no nede of probatioÌ„ For why seyng it is a fowle thinge to offende ower parentes / or ower kinsefolke / or ower frendes and companions / or any other deseruinge well of vs / and by ower offence to breake frdeship / a fowler thiÌ„ge to beare hatred still / a moste fowle thinge not to wyll to do ower diligence that the offences might be taken awaye / and frendeship renewed What a more vnworthye thinge is it and ioyned to gether with greater fylthines / to haue offendid ower celestiall father / whiche hathe garnished vs with infinite benefites / and to proroge enmitye not to wyll to be browght agayne in to fauor with hym that was hurte / and may by good right vtterly destroye vs / and yet he rather requyreth vs to eschue the paynes to posses with pleasure his goodnes neuer spente That repentaunce and amendement of lyuinge is truly proffittable vnto all men / cyttyes / people / and kyngedomes The storyes of the bible do teache euery where and it is recorded in very many places of the holy scripture planely pronounced Owte of the which onely / we wyll towche a fewe thinges For Hieremye the .xviij. Chap. declarynge the parable of the pottare / in whose iudgemeÌ„t it is set / to breke the vessell quickely now beyng made or beynge brokeÌ„ to make it agayne Towcheth very plesantly the power strength of repentauÌ„ce or of the new ameÌ„demeÌ„t of the formore lyfe that he might dryue awaye the euyls haÌ„ging ouer ower heades so greatly eueÌ„ now suppressinge or thrustynge vs downe on euery syde For euen thus he sayth May not I do with yow as the pottar doth o yow howse of Israell sayth the lorde / behowlde ye house of Iere. xviii Israell ye are in my hande euen as the claye in the pottars hande I wyll speake sodeÌ„ly agaynst a peple agaynst a kingedome that I may roote it owt / destroye waste it / but if that pepole agaynste who me I haue so deuised coÌ„uerte from theyr wickednes I wyll repeÌ„t also of the plage that I had deuysed to bringe vpon them What caÌ„ be spokeÌ„ more clerely The oratour of beste approued faithe moste worthy to be beleued maketh promyse wyth the wordes of god that he wyll call backe his punysshement / yf men wyll amend theyer synnes for the whiche he had determyned to plage and correct them For god dothe not kepe warre wyth man kynde But he perscuteth ower offences and desyreth to saue the people the very worke of his fingers Nether owght the twysted and dysagreable interpretations of sophisters to be herde of thretenynge of diffinytion and predestinatyon But the promyse of god is to be embraced and houlden sure wyth all ower harte / euen as it were wyth an holy Anchore whiche doth promyse remissyoÌ„ of synnes and forgyuenes of payne vnto all men how many so euer wyll by his helpe ameÌ„de theyr disposityon / and maners and dedes In the whyche thinge god is not chaunged nether is there wyth hym any inconstancye The nature â–ª aÌ„d mercyfull inclinatyon of God to warde vs moste myserable sinners of whose nature this is the propretye to wyll well vnto all men / to helpe them / to exhorte theÌ„ to indeuour theÌ„ selffe for to take healthe To call them backe from perissheynge To chasten them wyth whyppes / to spare them beynge ameÌ„dyd and to enryche them with good thynges O the ineffable clemencye of god whyche stryueth to make his enemyes traytours / his frendes wyth louynge kyndenes O the moste mercyfull swete and confortable voyce a faythefull witnes of greateste goodnes and declaringe to carefull synneâ—s the moste sure hope of helthe What speaketh Ezechiel vnto the Israelytes of hys tyme / when the lorde had thretened a greate while by his seruantes the Prophetes that Nabuchodonosor kinge of Babilon sholde destroye the natioÌ„ of the Iwes oneles they wolde amende If I saye vnto the wicked thow shalt suerly dye / and so he turneth from his sinnes doth the thinge that is laufull and right in so moche that he gyueth Eze. xviii the pledge agayne / restoreth that he had takeÌ„ away by robbery / walketh in the commaundementes of lyffe and doth no wronge then shall he surely lyue and not dye And a little aboue iÌ„ the same chapter it is furthermore added / as truly as I lyue sayth the lorde god I haue no pleasure in the deathe of the wycked But moche rather that he wolde turne from his synne and lyue Turne yow Turne yow O ye of the house of Israhel Oh wherfor wyll yow dye These and many suche wother thinges doth god speake by his Prophet Ezechiel the .xxxij. the .xviij. Chapters / whiche do well expresse the power of repentaunce and of turnynge agayne to the mercye of the lorde aÌ„d the studie of godlynes But what thinge sholde we God hath sworne to be mercyfull to vs yf we wyl repent seke to be more sure then the promisse of the supreme verite and that with an othe added therunto Iohn the baptisie threteneth vnto synners the wrath of god whiche shall destroye them and the whyche Iohn the Baptyste Mat. iii. shall cutte downe the vnfrutefull tree as it were with an axe set vnto the roote / but the same Iohn doth also declare that the waye to auoyde all maner of euylle is by the amendement of the former lyffe / and he sayth to the Phariseys and to those that came to the baptisme of repentaunce O ye generatioÌ„ of dipers who hathe put yow in minde to flye froÌ„ the veÌ„geanÌ„ce of god hangynge ouer yower heades Peter also promiseth vnto the Iewys Peter Actes .ii. knowlegynge the cruell haynouse offence of crucifyinge the sonne of god moste sure healthe if they wolde repent and be baptised in the name of Christe the sauioure And that we maye taste also of Moses the fountayne or springe of all diuynyte whiche when he semeth to be the moste cheyfe styffe demaunder of diuine iustice Moses Deutero xxviii aÌ„d Leuâ— xxvi neuerthelesse in the enumeration or nombrynge of rewardes and paynes Leuitici the .xxvi. Chapter and Deuteronomium the .xxviij. he showith greateste hope of health vnto synners not obstinate / but to soche as be peniteÌ„t and wyll forsake their euyll offences / in so moche that he promyseth the
haue sinned whiche alone by hym self fe may forgyue synnes let it not greue meÌ„ onely that they haue leapte ouer the diuine lawes / but let them houlde also a sure purpose aÌ„d studie froÌ„ henseforth to liue after the prescrybed couÌ„cells of godes worde Soche repeÌ„tauÌ„ce the true worshippers of god owght euermore deuoutely to remeÌ„bre / the whiche is allwaye bothe effectuall and houlesome / purifyinge the hartes with fayth and the whiche doth lose the knotte of all ower synnes / so that god doth not remembre them any more / as the Prophetes Eze. xviij are wonte to speake / That is to saye / he doth not impute that they shole be tormented with payne appoynted / for whye that were to requyer and persequte synnes and not to forgyue them Nether doth god receyue any other satsfaction then the bloode add death of his onely begotten sonne whiche the true fayth doth knowlege leuynge to the remission of sinnes / and not to beynge aÌ„d sellynge lyke hucksters that the fyne may begyueÌ„ to the preistes whiche they haue ordined / that parte of ower synnes might be redemed of pardoners and parte scowerde awaye in the fyers of purgatorie Truly the church is satisfied wheÌ„ she seyth a maÌ„ chaunged and conuertyd vnto vertu and godlines / that he whiche dyd lately offende wiht wickednes and fylthye lyuinge vnworthy of the compayne of holy men now beynge traÌ„sfourmed by the grace of god bryngeth Ioye is houlden worthy of the folowship of the churche Truly we do not disalowe that he whose mynde is trobled with any dauÌ„gerous dowte caste in to his conscience sholde aske councell of meÌ„ that are experte in diuine matters namely of his owne curate / whiche maye lyfte vp his afflicte coÌ„science with the coÌ„forte of diuine promises also showe hym the meanes the reason by the whiche in tyme to come he may be ware to offende god But to ruÌ„ne froÌ„ corner to corner froÌ„ ryfte to ryfte lyke as swyne do wheÌ„ they seke after acornes to serche owte the secretes of meÌ„nes myndes with auriculare coÌ„fessions It rather coÌ„firmeth the tyrannie Prestes â—wght not to be so curious in the serchige owt of other meÌ„nes synnes as to gyue theÌ„ good couÌ„cell of a fewe theÌ„ it doth fourther ChristeÌ„ godlynes How doth it chauÌ„ce theÌ„ that to alter ower maners disposytyon and actes when they be euyll and nawght / and to directe the course of ower lyuynge vnto the marke of godes wyll pleasure and coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t semeth vnto many meÌ„ of ower tyme a verye harde thinge also wyll TheÌ„ afterward let hym coÌ„sider that euery warke semeth to be very difficulte Degetius before a maÌ„ proue it as Degetius sayth / that many thinges of insuperable diffycultie in the opinioÌ„ of meÌ„ to be browght to passe with little busines wheÌ„ a proffe of theÌ„ is made WheÌ„ ElephaÌ„tes were firste browght forth agaynste the multitudes of the Romanes the greatenes of the beastes made the greately afrayde draue the meÌ„ of warre owte theyr place / whiche had neuer before fowght with Elephantes But wheÌ„ they dyd assaye to set fote by fote by theÌ„ / to stryke theyer hoked noses with theyr swordes to thrust theyr speares in to theyr bellies that thinge was turned in to a game The lorde pronownceth that it is not onely an harde thiÌ„ge but also Mat. xix 〈◊〉 Luk. xviâ—j a thiÌ„ge vnpossible that ryche meÌ„ sholde entre in to the kingedome of heaueÌ„ But the same lorde teacheth also that no thinge is vnpossible with god / that those meÌ„ caÌ„ not entre in to the kingedome of heaueÌ„ that put theyr trâ—â—â— in theyr riches Furthermore it is to be thowght that it is far away a more Esaye thinge to caste awaye the yoke of hellisshe Pharao theÌ„ to Hollyshe Pharao sygnyfyeth the â—yâ—yll beare it Set before yower eyes a maÌ„ very desirous of honoure and dominioÌ„ / and what doth he suffer Yea what greuous cares is there whiche he doth not deuoure / that the may excell othermeÌ„ Set before yower eyes the lyffe of a tyrant whych with thretenynges and violence had rather haue enemyes then by iuste gouerninge to retayne faythfully freÌ„des ready to styke by hym ageynst all fortune Behoulde Dionisius the sworde whiche Dionisius dyd hange vp that it myght lye ouer and aboue the heade of a certen Philosopher meruelynge at the wreched condition of tyrantes Sett before yower eyes the hellyshe spryte of an eniuous man Sett before yowr eyes the lyffe of a couetous niggarde / of a mecher / of a Glutton and yow shall perceyue those men to beare a moste greuous burthen that lede a lyffe repugnynge to the lawes of god And to traÌ„sfygure the same in to a better state is to caste a waye a greate fardell And on the contrarye syde yow shall se the lordes yoke Mat. xi to be verye lyght / as he saythe in the gospel a swete burthen yf yow loke narowly vpon the lyffe of a moderate man / whiche beynge a rulare in the publike weale dothe bere hym selfe in his office iustly and truly / whiche beynge a priuate person is obedient to the lawes / gentle / fayer and symple / chaste / sobre / and profitable I wolde haue it also to be consydered how many tymes those men whiche are a lyue to the worlde do begyle theÌ„ selffe of that pleasure and felycite that The louers of the worlde gape many tymes after those thinges that they can not optayne they couet moste / and how they alter daylye / and somtyme euery houre the trade of theyer lyuynge in to contrarie thinges / and often tymes they haue hope set before them of very lytle proffyt As those men whiche be conuersant in greate meÌ„nes houses / whiche go a warfare / whiche playe the marchaÌ„t meÌ„ But yow will saye the mighty meÌ„ of power doth let that the synceryte oft the christeÌ„ doctrine the rites of the churche and honestye of maners Myghtye men of power may gnashe theyr tethe agenst the lorde his Christ / that is to saye his verite but they can not ouercome it whiche in tymes paste was in the people of god and owght allwaye to be present can not be called backe agayne for why the iÌ„feriour magistrates do ouer moche behoulde theyer superiours / euery man or the fewer in nombre hath a respect to te greater multitude Nether do the townes and lordes whiche peraduenture houlde but the iurisdictioÌ„ of one parisshe / suppose that any thynge owght to be atteÌ„ptyd oneles the lorde of the hole countrey called an Erle go before theÌ„ And vnder a lyke maner the Erle loketh vpoÌ„ the Duke The Duke vpon the Kynge The Kinge vpon hym that is greater then he / or vpon mo Kinges And the same folyshe obseruation whiche is a more vnworthie thinge is sene in the ecclesiasticall officys
the scripture or prechinge of any man / as of Enoch or Moses Whether by the conteÌ„platioÌ„ of gods meruelus handyworke in any parte of the worlde declaring hym to be the moste wise and cheyfe workemaÌ„ and maker of the worlde beste and moste myghtye Whether it was showed theÌ„ by the reuelation of Angels or by the onely fynger and worke of god withoute the helpe of any creature coÌ„mynge from the lorde / that is to saye by the holy and coessenciall sprite of god / so that they obtaynynge by the worde of god necessarye wysdome vnto saluation dyd possesse and declare them selues in dede to be the chylderne of god cittizynnes of the newe Ierusalem Reue. xxi which descendeth froÌ„ aboue / so that they were members of the true and primatiue church / whose names are wrytten in heauen / whiche church truly is nether ended in the spaces of tymes nor yet interrupted or cut asondre with the lymytes of places / natioÌ„s / tonges dominioÌ„s Ca. iij BVt for because maÌ„ is coÌ„posed or made of soule body / it ought to be iudged both most profitable also moste iuste that the inwarde religioÌ„ / fayth / or godlynes be represented and excercysed in the outwarde comely gesture and ceremonyes euen as it were in a glasse and in an obscure thinge Aknowlegynge god The vse or abuse of Christes sacramentes / declare whither thou louâ—ste ordesâ—i saste Christes religion with mouthe and handes and with all thy holebodye / and as I myght so speake with all thy faculties / power and goodes preachinge and praysynge hym / whom with in thy harte thou reuereÌ„tly aknowledgest to be the euerlastyng fountayne of all goodnes And as the outewarde comely gesture or honourynge of god is like or agreable to the inwarde religion so that it ought not to differ from it no not an heare bredeth / And as all godly meÌ„do reuerently exercyse and with all diligence defende the ceremonye or sacrameÌ„t instytuted of god / and as it is a cleare tokeÌ„ of a mynde chaced awaye and forsakeÌ„ of the true religion to neglecte the outewarde comely gesture action and fayer vse of the sacramentes of god / eyther to corrupte them / or when they be corrupted to wyll to defende the abuse of them Euen so for the tyme / or as the diuersite of tyme dyd requyer there hath bene variacion made in the cerimonyes / and yet in the meane season godlines and religion as adpertaynynge vnto the very substance of the thinge it self fe was saued and preserued whole sounde For why wother were the sacrameÌ„tes instituted of god deliuered vnto owre firste parentes in paradyse Diuerse were the sacramentes aâ— diuerss tymes as the tree of lyfe and the tree of knowlege of good and euyll where they myght exercyse religioÌ„ Whother were the sacryfyces permitted vnto the sayntes or holy men after the fall of Adam and Eue / and the reparatioÌ„ promysed by the blyssed seede vnto the tyme of Moses Wother ceremonyes were delyuered by the same Moses vnto the Israelytes / the olde libertye in the meane tyme beynge lefte or reserued vnto wother nations where in the patriarchs with playne or single sacrifices did celebrate the misteries of Christe An other maner fourme of holy ordinaunces or sacrameÌ„tes was instituted after the sonne of god beynge incarnate had perfourmed all his promisses / and by his deathe the synne of all the worlde beynge redemed and saluation repared by an euerlastynge sacrifice ascendynge in to heauen / he had fullfilled all thinges that were promissed to the fathers prefigured in the rites of the holy ceremonyes For why Christe deliuered vnto the churche a fewe sacramentes in nombre / as saynte Augustine sayeth / and they were of most Saynte Augustyne noble signification and holyeste obseruatâ—or For Iesus christe owre lorde and sauioure did institute and ordeÌ„ the glory / the prayse or commendation of grace the doctryne of repentaunce when he commaÌ„ded his Apostles that they goynge in to Mar. xvi Math. x. al the world sholde teache in his name repentance and fre forgyuenes of synnes not the choppyng chaungyng of superâ— stytyous tradytyons of men mixed with his pure worde And he commaunded the same thinge to be obserued vnto the ende of the worlde / bydding theÌ„ also to baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy goste vnto the remission of synnes and newnes of lyffe He also coÌ„maunded his worshippers to breake the breade of his holy supper and to distrybute it amonge the bretherne and to drynke the wyne of the holy cuppe in the remembrance of euerlastynge healthe purchased by his deathe with moste large and Mat. xxvâ— Luc. xxii hartye gyuynge of thankes Fynally he wylled holy congregations to come together in his name to make supplication Ioen xvi vnto god the father by the name of hym what so euer good thinges we desyer to optayne or what so euer euyll thinges we wolde haue dryuen awaye / and to gyue thankes vnto the prayse of the Creator and Gouernoure of all thynges Vnto the whyche relygyon whiche the sonne of God dyd make moste goodly / and delyuered to his people to be conserued Thinges necessarie to be required for the â—onseruâ— of the christen religion and reuerently exercysed / there is diuerse thinges very necessary to be required / as apte and mete ministers to preache the worde / and to celebrate the sacramentes There muste an honest place be appoynted where in the ministration of soche holye thinges maye iustly be executed A tyme also is to be prescribed in the whiche the people beynge voyde of the care of erthly thinges may congregate or come together aboute soche godly and necessarye busynes Riches and ornamentes mete and conueuient / may not be wantyng / with the whyche the temples dedicate to the lordes name maye be buylded and repared when they are in dekaye / the pore people maye be socoured / the ministers of the Christen doctryne the true worship of god may be kepte and norysshed All whiche thinges for as moche as they pertayne vnto the vse of diuine administration are worthely taken for holy and halowed thinges / in them to put / to hyde or to coloure gyle dysceyte / is a very wicked and a theuissre thinge But how many so euer there be / whiche haue the outewarde relygion â–ª of Christe common amonge them / whyther they do it from their harte or faynedly for some temporall proffyt / in what part of the erthe and vnder what Prynce so euer they be / they are nombred for souldiours partaynynge to the churche and the ChristeÌ„ people / whose heade is Christ And of this moste Christe aloue is the heade of the churche ample and large Kingedome / none other man can holde the ceptre / that is to saye rule and gouuerne it / then Christe the onely kynge
and haue stretched owte my hande and no man regarded it / but hath despised all my councells and set my correctyon at naught therfor shall I also laughe in yower destructyon / and mocke yow wheÌ„ that thinge that yow feare shall Prouer. j. chaunce vnto yow / euen when the calamities falleth in sondenly lyke a storme and yower destruction lyke a tempest / yea when trouble and heuines cometh vpon yow Then shall they call vpon me but I wyll not heare them They shall seke me early but they shall not fynde me / and that be cause they hated knowlege and receyued not the feare of the lorde but abhorred my councell and despysed all my correction Therfor shall they eate the frutes of theyer owne waye and be filled with theyer owne inuentioÌ„s And in the .xxviij. Chapter He that turneth awaye his eare from hearynge the lawe Prouerbâ— xxxviij his prayer shall be abhominable Agayne in the .xxi. Who so stopeth his eares at the cryynge of the poore he shall crye Pro. xxi hym self fe and not be herde Mycheas also saythe / O heare thys ye prynces of the house of Iacob and ye Iudges of the howse of Israell Sholde ye not know what ware laufull and right But ye hate the Mithi iiâ—â— good and ye loue the euyll / ye plucke of mennes skinnes and theflesshe from they â—r â–ª bones / ye choppe theÌ„ in peaces as it were in to a cauldroÌ„ and as flesshe in to a pot Now the tyme shall come that wheÌ„ they call vnto the lorde he shall not heare theÌ„ / because that thorow theyr owne Imagynations they haue dealte so wyckedly The lorde also speakth in his Prophet Esaye the firste Chapter sayynge when yow houlde owte yower handes / I wyll turne myne eyes from yow and thowgh ye make many prayers I wyll heare no thinge at all â–ª for yower handes are full of blowde Wasshe yow therfor and make yow cleane / put awaye yower euyll thowghtes owt of my syght / cease from Esay â— doyinge of euyll / lerne to do right and apply yower selffes to equyte ce And in the .lviij. of Esay God professeth him self fe to be very harde and playnely inexorable vnto the wycked as it is euident by Iuexorable / that caÌ„ not be wâ—ue and obtayned by prayer these wordes Beholde the Lordes hande is not shortened that it can not helpe / nether is his eare so stopped that it may not heare / but yowre greate offences hath separated yow from yower God and yowre synnes hydeth hys face from yow that he heareth yow not / for yowre haÌ„des are polluted wyth bloude / and yowre fyngers embrued with vnryghteousnes c. Now Sayntes whyther they be deade or â—â—yne can not preuayle by prayer to helpe the wylful resysters of gods spryte and truth that the prayers of sayntes whyther they be departyd from the dutyes of this lyffe / or whether they be yet styl lyuyng in the erthe can not put away those calamytyes which God the ryghteous Iudge bryngeth vpoÌ„ the obstynate offenders and the wylfull synners agaynst the holy goste the onelye testimonye of Iohn the Euangelyste in his fyrste epistle doth sufficiently declare / where as he sayeth there is a synne vnto death / for the whyche saye I not that a maÌ„ sholde pray The Lorde also sayeth in the gospel that synne agenst the â— Ioan. v. Mat. xij holy goste shal nather be forgyueÌ„ in thys worlde nor in the world to come But Ieremy declareth it more euideÌ„tly / speaâ—inge of the sayntes / which whyles they were alyue obtayned very moch by their feruent Ierâ—m xv prayers Though Moyses and Samuel stode before me yet haue I no herte to this people dryue them awaye owt of my syght that they maye go some vnto death / some to the sworde / some to huÌ„ger / some into captyuyte And of the lyuynge sayntes there is a famylyar example Ieremye the .vij. Praye not thow for thys people / nether gyue thow thankes nor make intercession for them for in no wyse I wyll heare them Why seist thou not what they do in the cyttyes of Iuda and in the stretes of Ierusalem And the same thinge is also repeted Ieremye the .xi. Iere. xâ— chapter after thys maner It is fownde owte that whole Israel and all the cyttyzyns of Ierusalem are gone backe They haue turned them selues to the blasphemyes of theyer fore fathers whyche had no lust to heare my wordes And a lyttle after it followeth therfor praye not thow for thys people / byd nather prayse nor prayer for them for thowgh they crye vnto me in theyer trouble yet I wyll not heare them ce It is a place well set forth and moste worthy for to be looked vpoÌ„ very inwardly / for as moche as saynt Hierome that notable doctor of most famous memory interpreting the same not onely clerkely but also playnely sayeth Of these wordes we lerne that he wasteth his labor in vayne which prayeth for an other man wheÌ„ he is not worthy to receyue of god the thynge that is prayed for And that an other mannes righteousnes Ierome al though it be neuer so excellent may not defende the iniquite of other men it is moste playnely expressed the xiiij of Ezechiel That laÌ„de whych sinneth Ezâ—c xiiij agaynste me and goeth forth in wickednes I wyll stretche owte mine hande vpon it and destroye all the prouisioÌ„ of theyr breade / and sende derth vpon them to destroy man and beaste in the lande And though these thre men Noe / Daniel / and Iob were amonge them yet shall they in theyer righteousnes deliuer but theyer owne sowles / sayeth the lorde of hostes And a lyttle beneth it is sayde yf these thre men were in the lande as truly as I lyue sayeth the lorde god they shall delyuer nether sonnes nor daughters but onely be saued theÌ„ selues Wherfore it is wrytten Esay the thirde byd the righteous Esay iii. do well for they shall enioye the frutes of theyer studyes / but wo be to the vngodly in theyer wickednes for they shall be rewarded after theyer workes And in Habacuc the seconde chapter an excellent diuyne sentence is proponed / and set forthe with the whiche ower mynde may be fortifyed and kept suer euen as it were wyth an holy anchore in all parells and temptations He that is vnfaythfull his lyffe is not in safegarde within hym self fe 〈…〉 cuc â—â— but the ryghteous shall lyue by his fayth The Apostles also gyueth often warnynge that euery man sholde be honeste in all poyntes and kepe a good conscyence hauinge with in them self fe an holy reioy synge / for as moche as euerye man shall Balat vi beare his owne burthen in the day of the lorde and reape that he hath sowed For the promyse of god made vnto Abraham Be. xviij that the Sodomytes sholde
of Antichriste shall neuer be lackynge vnto the worldes ende / whyche maye excercyse troble or persecute the churche of god dyuerse mayes / That Christe the Kynge of glorye may beare rule in the middeste of his enemyes / whiche shall defende his faythfull seruaÌ„tes from all euyll / and shal rendre vnto his enemyes not onely temporall afflictions / but also excepte they repent in tyme eternall punysshementes in the worlde to come But for because it wolde be a longe processe to dispute of the Antichristen doctrine and the damnable traditions of men I wyll be contended to haue admonisshed and gyuen yow warnynge that the prophet Zacharye doth represent as it were in a shadow mistically â—he sigâ—ificatioÌ„â—f the fly â—â—g hoâ—e â—â—ch â— expresse in the fift chapter by the flying dooke whiche what maner a lernynge it is to what men it is acceptable / with what wynges it is carryed a loste froÌ„ the ertue what in conclusion it bryngeth to passe and what ende the false doctryne of religion obtayneth v. Cha. THerfore these thinges being layde as the foundations whiche hither to we haue spoken generally of the Christen and Antichristen religion we do turne oure style vnto the religion of Mahumet / whyche the nation of the Turkes hath obstinately holden these seuen hondre the yeres and more And de yet styl defende and labor as moche as they can with moste cruell warres to amplifie the same / for the prescription and maner of worship pynge God / and to optayne blessed lyffe by the title of Mahumet the moste excellent The law of Mahumet what it is / and what it coÌ„tayneth Prophete hath certen thinges very well knowne / to be folyshe and dyshoneste / which so greatly do not taste or sauour of the celestyall fountayne / that they also differ far and wyde from all good reason / and the whiche except moste greate necessite dyd requyre it I suppose it not to be lawfull to brynge theÌ„ into the eares and thoughtes of honest men Some thynges it contayneth that be verye tryfles and mete for nothynge but to moue men to laughter / and are of alyaunce vnto olde wyffes tales A gayne some thynges be so craftely buylded after the symylytude of honestie and wysdome / that to the iudgemeÌ„tes of meÌ„ they appere to be moste holy ordinanÌ„ces Moreouer therbe certeÌ„ thinges contayned therin so like and agreable to the lawe of Moses and doctryne of the gospell / that a man wolde suppose at the tyrste syght they had bene deryued oute of the fountayne of celestyall oracles to Oracles diuine answeres or sentences teache men wisdome and to make them blissed For Mahumet cryeth oute of the Iues infidelete / and he contendeth that Christe was conceyued of the holy golls and borne of Marye a pure virgyn And he calleth hym the greate Prophete of God and the worde and sowle and spirite of God / whiche shall come to iudge the whole worlde Nether wolde Mahumeth seme at any hande to be Christes enemye or that he wolde abolyshe his doctrine But onely to take vpon hym to correcte those thinges that were depraued and thruste in craftely of other men Also Machumetes doctryne doth valiently resiste certen oulde heresyes condemned by the worde of god and iudgemeÌ„t of the catholike churche as of the Anthropomorphites / which helde opinion that god The â—â—ereâ—â—e of the Anthrepomorphytes was compacte and had soche another bodye and members as a man In conclusioÌ„ he cutteth the throte a sondre of the heathen superstition vtterly denyinge the pluralite of godes Neyther will he grauÌ„te any vse of Images in any maner of wyse to stande with religioÌ„ And leste I sholde make to longe a processe this is the begynnynge the ende and the hole summe of Mahumetes law / that there is one onely eternall and lyuinge god / whiche made The hole 〈…〉 me of Mahurâ—e 〈…〉 laâ—â—e breffely expressed whiche doth conserue and gouerne all thinges what so euer is contayned within the circuite of the rounde worlde And that Mahumet beynge the cheffe messenger of god and aboue all other knowynge the secretes of his deuyne mynde dyd neuer teache or brynge for the any thinge to be beleued or in the lyuynge of men to be kepte and obserued whiche was not drawne or deryued owte of the verye mowth and harte of the true god And that to beleue hym so faythfull a master of the truthe is to beleue god / whiche vsed so familiarly his prophet Mahumet / but to reproue and despise hym is as greate an offence as to set euen god hym self te at haught / which had sent that heauenly doctor to instructe men in the truthe And that the folowers of Mahumetes doctryne as the right begotten chyldren of faythfull Abraham and ayeres of the deuyne pronises shall for a truthe receyue in this worlde all maner of good thinges and in A very fay or promyse to make fooles fayne and a cruell threte to make cowardes afterdâ—â— the worlde to come to dwell for euer in paradise where they shall haue plentye of all maner of pleasure But the conteÌ„ners and for sakers of his lawe whiche is descrybed in the autenticke instrument whiche they call Alcorane as the wicked ennemyes of god they shall be plaged not onely with temporall but also with eternall paynes and punisshementes / their soules beynge called a gayne to their bodyes in the daye of generall resurrection But let it be so that Mahumets lawes were brought in not by any synfull man / but by the holy prophet of god / but by an archangell / and that not certeÌ„ but the moste parte of them all be a greable vnto deuyne scrypture Let vs also admitte that all the folowers of Mahumet be men moste happye and fortunate / and let euery one of them howlde the kingedome of riche prosperus Araby And let their lyfe in an owtwarde showe seme or apere to be most holy Neuerthelesse because the doctryne of Mahumet doth not holde Christ for the heade in whome onely the buyldynge of the house and people of god is ioyntelye knytte to gether And for as moche as it Ephe. ij layeth not the reasons or effectes of religion and true beatitude vpon the foundatioÌ„ of the prophetes and Apostles it is a plaÌ„tatioÌ„ not whiche the celestiall father hathe planted But an erthely or rather a diuyllyshe plantation whiche the lorde Iesus in a tyme appoynted shall plucke vp by Math. xv the rootes with the spirite of his mouthe But what maner a foundation of the euerlasting verite is it whervnto the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ or churche of the godly leaneth cleneth fast sure Verely that Iesus of Nazareth crucifyed vnder PoÌ„tius Pylate dead buryed is Christe very God and maÌ„ in the vnyte of persone and sauyoure of all the worlde / but cheffely of the faythfull / by whose bloode onely and deathe and ryghteousnes cometh all the remyssion of
synnes / Rom. iii. 1. Corin. â— iustification / redemptioÌ„ / the fauor of God / eternall lyfe the perfruitioÌ„ of godly beatitude But to whome is it graunted to be partetakers of soche a greate inestymable benefyte To them that bye it for money To them that do chalenge it by the truste of their awne merite or any other creature No truly But vnto them that beleue with the harte whych doth iustyfye and knowlege wyth the mouth vnto their health Christ to be theyr sauyour The which thinge for as moch as the Turkes Româ— â— profession dothe vtterly denye and resiste as moche as it maye The eternall veryte compelleth vs to confesse that this greate multytude beinge in a maner infynyte the whych to be remembred is an horrible thynge of Mahumetanes / of Turkes and Saracenes and of other nacyoÌ„s / be not the people of God / but his extreme aduersaryes and a verye diuillyshe and a contrarye secte Whiche holdeth not religion in reuerence / but is taken in the snare and tayed faste by the heles with the rustye fetters of cankerd superstition Whyche doth not posses the diuine promyses / but is subiect vnto thretenynges and moste greuous damnation / vnto the whiche secte who so euer are ioyned hartely and with a fre wyll They do not walke in the waye of true healthe and blyssed felicite But they caste theÌ„selfe headelinge into extreme darkenes / into euerlastynge deathe / into the felowshyp of the dyuille and in to the depe whorlepole of desperate infelicite Where for I thinke it not good to passe by with silence by what Author in what tyme this moste pernycious secte was fyrst made / theÌ„ the which truly there was neuer any wother more largely opened and sprede abrode / or that hath coÌ„tynued longer many prodigyous signes and wonders aperynge in the firmament / in the see and in the erth to gyue warnynge before hande that a greate plage sholde come vpon all the erth / oneles men wolde flye vnto the mercye of God / and correcte the peruersyte of their euyll disposytioÌ„ moste corrupte lyuyng Cha. vi IN the yere froÌ„ Chrystes byrth ccccc and .lxxxvij. Mahumet was borne in a village called Ittacip / not far of from the most famous cytye of welthy Arabye called Mecha / nere to the red see Whan aÌ„d where Mahumet was borne At the whych tyme Mauricius I can not tell whither I may saye dyd holde or spoyle the Empyre of Constantynople wyth couetuousnes and falshed brybrye But Gregorie by his syrname called Greate / dyd exercyse the offyce of the Bysshopryke of Rome / whyche dyd lade and troble rather then tryme the churche with ceremonyes And he dydsome thynge oppresse the Christen relygyon it selfe And eueÌ„ now there was a contentioÌ„ betwyxte the Bysshops / as an euyll eggecasse in / for the prymacye of the churche / Iohn the Patryarche of Constantinople requyrynge that in that cytye myght be the heade of all whother churches where there was bothe the seate of the Empyre and the vniuersall Prelate of the cheffe churche and generall Bysshop of all the whole Chrysten worlde / whych thynge Gregorye the Romyshe puppet did let and forbyd / contendynge Rome to be the oulde or auncient seate of the Empyre / and the Romysh churche buylded of Peter not to be inferior to any whother but the appellation or name of vnyuersal preiste or byshop agreynge and perttaynynge to the precursor of Antichriste he dyd refuse Neuerthelesse Precursor the messenger runnynge before to prepare hys wayes shortely after the death of Gregorye / Bonyface the thyrde dyd optayne wyth moche contentioÌ„ and stryffe of Phocas the Emperoure whyche dyd succede Mauryce that Rome sholde be called holden estemed the heade of all churches beinge nothynge afrayed of Antichristes companye / whych Gregoyre dyd ascrybe to the tytle or name of generall bysshop Nether dyd he feare any thynge at all the name of a tyrante / whych Cypryane dyd attrybute to thys name Pope or bysshop of bysshops Nothinge dyd he regarde these wordes and exaÌ„ple of Christ / which sayeth Lerne of me / for I am meke lowly Mathe. xi in harte The heathen princes do rule as lordes ouer theyr subiectes after theyr owne arbitriment But yow shall not do so c. Therfor the moste ambitious and cursed contention beynge spronge vp betwyxte the bisshops of the curch / Mahumet was borne whiche constitutinge or ordininge a newe superstition and Kingedome myght in processe of tyme throwe or caste oute of the churche the moste prowde titles and lables of mytars and bragges of those men wiche falsely vsurpe with moste detestable pryde for to be called the vicares of Christe and dryue them awaye euen as one wedge dryueth oute an other His fathers name was Abdalam by nation a Persian and an Idolater But amonge the people of Arabye called Scenites / he was a maÌ„ not vnnoble or vyly estemed The name of his mother Abdelam â—mma parentes to Mahumet was called Emma / borne of the trybe or kinred of Ismael / whiche people did professe knowlege yea euen then the doctrine of Moses in so moche that they did circuÌ„cyse theyr childreÌ„ / and dyd other thinges afther the manner and custome of the Iewes Therfore whyles both the parentes dothe forge and fasshion the childes mynde after the institution of theyr owne secte / so as it chaunced they did distracte or drawe it a sondre in to diuerse partes so that he wolde not appllye or Ioyne hymselffe constantly to any of them Nature had annourned / granisshed and decked Mahumet with excellent gystes if he wolde haue vsed them well and she had brought hym forthe a man apte and mete vnto noble affayers All the whiche A bre 〈…〉 scription of Mahumetes qualityes thinges he tourned vnto the destcuction bothe of hym self fe and of all the worlde whyles he dyd followe his owne euyllâ— lustes and wolde not resiste the suggestions of the dyuille and dyd obey the moste vngracious masters of mischeffe For by all the partes of his lyffe euen from his childe hoode vpwarde he was euermore doynge and dyd bringe for the moste detestable dedes by the wytnes and declaration whereof his mynde was wel knowne to be couetous / cruell / vnryghteous / desirous and very gredye of honoure and dominion prone and redye to all manner of foule and filthye pleasure The proportion / beutye / or shape of hys bodye was passynge excellent and his myght and strengthe very greate to sustayne and heare all manner of labore / sauynge that thorowe his inteÌ„perancye he had gotteÌ„ at the laste the fallynge syknes He declared his mynde many maner of wayes to be stronge / valiante / and full of bouldenes bothe to vndertake and to dryue a ways greate daungers His witt was quicke in consideration / and suttle in all the chaÌ„ge and shyftes of polycye / and of moche abilite whyche