helpe to resyst synne / but onely by gods worde / as our sauiour christ dyd / wherin he must fyxe a sure and constāt faythe Mat. .iiii. Faythe causeth vs and all ours / to be acceptable in the syght of God Roma xiiij For a conclusiō / whatsoeuer is not of fayth that same is synne And wtowte a constante and sure fayth / it is impossyble to please God Heb. xi All men maye well perceyue / that by the lawes and by the iuste execution of them / although synne may be for a tyme cohybyted and restrayned / yet it can not be suppressed and abholyshed / but onely through fayth For there was neuer more godly lawes made for the punyshmente of synne / nor neuer more iuste and godly executyon of lawes admynistred / and yet there was neuer more synne raygnynge For cyuyle lawes made by man / can not be of greater effycacye or strength / nor worke greater perfectyon vertue and good wyll in man / than the lawe of god but the lawe of God not onely worketh no obedyence or vertue / but rather through occasyō takē of the infirmyte of the fleshe / steareth vp synne / as sayethe Paul Ro. vij I knowe not what luste dyd meane / except the lawe had sayed thow shalte not luste But synne toke an occasyon by the meanes of the commandemente / and wrought in me all maner of cōcupiscence / for verely wtoute the lawe / synne was dead I ones sayth Paul / lyued wtout lawe But when the cōmandement came / synne reuyued / and I was dead / and the very same commaundement which was ordeyned vnto lyffe / was founde to be vnto me an occasyon of deathe Ro. vij But nowe graciouse lorde / for asmoche as it appeareth / that the lawe of God was not geuen to take awaye synne / but rather to declare and to punyshe synne moche lesse any lawe made by man / can auoyde and put away synne But faythe is the true Instrument appoynted by God / wherby synne is ouercome exiled Act. xv As the scripture sayeth / that God through faithe / dothe puryfye make cleane all hartes Io. xv Also Christ sayethe / nowe are yow cleane / by the meanes of the wordes / whiche I haue spoken vnto you This faythe shall cause / noryshe and breade / true obeydyence / and all other vertues in your graces subiectes hartes / wherby they shall be enforced to laboure not onely to obserue kepe Godes lawes / but also all your graces ordynances commaundementes and lawes / without grudge or murmuracyon This faythe as the Apostle sayeth commethe by hearinge of Gods worde preached / wherof Byshops Parsons / Vicars / suche other called to haue spirituall cure / be or shulde be dylygent mynisters / to whose vocatyō iustely parteyneth to declare and publyshe Gods worde syncerely truely / to all the people cōmytted to their spirituall charge Rom. x. Most myghty Prynce wherfor if the Pastours appoynted to preache teache Gods worde / wtin this your graces realme / doo not dyligētly instructe teache the people cōmytted to their spirituall charge with the sayd worde / accordinge as they be cōmaunded in the scriptures Act. xx i. Pe. v. Mal. ij Proue xxix Act. xx i. Pet. v. and Malache xx all kyndē of synne shall increase and abounde / the people vtterly be devyded As sayethe the holy ghoste When the worde of God is not preached the people perysheth Also the Wyse mā sayethe Sa. xiij All men be vayne in whom there is not the knowleage of god Wherfore without any doubt the wāte and lacke of preaching of godes worde syncerely and truely hathe bene the very originall grounde and cause of all the insurrection / cōmotiō / dyscention / which hathe rysen or begone within this your graces real me or any parte therof For through the want of preachyng of Godes worde syncely haue entered in all popyshe blyndenes / vayne dead ceremonyes / mēnes tradycyons be crept into the conscyences of the symple innocentes in the steade of the lawe of God Yea ydolatrye and all hypocrysye with detestable superstycyon for lacke of the lyght of Godes worde / is become Gods seruyce And yet notwtstandinge this wante lack of knowleage in Godes worde the euyll which cōmethe manyfestly therof / the more it is to be lamented / there be many popishe monckes which late were Abbottes to whom not onely vnworthely / but also vniustely / were geven greate pensyons and many of their covent mo◅kes hauinge nother lernynge nor other godly qualytyes apte meate or convenyent to be in spirituall pastours be nowe admytted to haue cure of soules And some suche which ded neuer knowe what is a soule / nor yet be able to haue cure ouer one soule / be nowe admytted to haue charge ouer an hundreth and many moo / to the increase of all yngnorācye and all popishe blyndnes / the hyghe waye meanes to let in all kynde of synne / to the vtter dampnacion of all the soules commytted to their spirituall charge Alas doo nother the patrones of suche benefyces / nor yet the incumbentes pōder or regarde Gods threatenyngs by his Prophete Ezechiell sayeng / As truely as I lyue sayeth the lorde for asmuche as my shepe are robbed and deuowred of the wilde beastes of the felde hauynge noo shepeherde / and seing that my shepherdes take noo regarde of my shepe / but feade them selues onely / and not my shepe Ezech. xxxiiij Therfore here the worde of the lorde o ye shepherdes / thus sayeth the lorde God Beholde I my selfe will vpon the shepherdes / and requyre my shepe from their handes / and make them cease from feadinge of my shepe Yea the shepherdes shall feade them selues nomore / for I will delyuer my shepe owte of their mowthes / so that they shall not deuoure them after this If this threatenynge be not suffycient warnynge monycion to suche blynde shepherdes / yet at the lest let them feare Goddes curse pronownced in the same chapiter agaynst suche neglygent and ingnorāt shepherdes / sayenge Woo be to the shepherdes of Israell that feade them selues / shulde not the shepherdes feade the flocke / yow haue eaten vp the fatt / yow haue clothed yow with the wolle / the best fedd haue youe flayne / but the flocke haue yow not noryshed / heauen and erthe shall muche rather perishe / than these wordes wherwith God threatened suche pastours shal be found vntrue / That is / I will requyre my flocke of the handes of the shepherde Suerly most myghty prynce it is to busye an office / tomuche and laborouse for one spirituall shepherde althoughe he were very expert and connynge to guyde ordre / and kepe / two or thre flockes of shepe / specially beyng so farre dystāt one from an other / that the sayd shepherde can not be dayly present with them / to
contynually exercyse their lustes and iniquyties As Paul saythe They be agaynste all men forbyddinge vs to speake to the people wherby they myght be saued / The .ij. that they myght fulfyll their iniquyte and synne contynually Haue not some of the byshops with their retynewe at this daye practysed their olde polycy to extinguyshe the light through all Englande / that they myght ones agayne leade vs quyetly in darckenes Is not there a lawe made through their crafte subtylte which geueth power to certayne coÌ„myssioners wherof the byshoppes chaunceler or coÌ„myssarye shal be named to be two of the coÌ„myssioners / which shall haue full power to take into their custodye all suche bokes wherin is conteyned any clause or artycle repugnaunte to any of the syx artycles / and the same bokes to burne and dystroye as to the discretion of thre of them shal be thoughte expedyent Marke well what they purpose by this estatute Are there any bokes which write agaynste the popes prymacie / but they also write agaynste some of the syx artycles Their coloure is to take awaye all bookes which wryte agaynste the syx artycles / but their very inteÌ„te purpose and meanyng is to take awaye all bookes whiche conteyne any godly lernynge that write agaynste the byshop of Romes prymacy Howe cruelly doo the byshops punyshe all theÌ„ which pretende to haue lernynge and specially in Godds worde Suche they call heretyques and persecute wich puttynge them to open shame / with enprysonmeÌ„te / and in conclusyoÌ„ with deathe most fearefull and paynefull All this they doo to dyscorage all men from the studye of Gods worde / fearinge leaste that by suche studiouse braynes which learne Gods worde and publyshe the same their iniquyte shulde be made manyfest What studye and paynes they take to kepe the light from the people But no man which knowethe the scriptures will meruell of this their policye and crueltye Ioâ— iij. For saynt Iohan declarethe their practyse playnely sayenge He that doth euyll hateth the light / and why because his workes whiche be euill shulde not be reproued by the light And for asmuche as oure byshops countenauÌ„ce of lyuinge / their greate possessyons / and lordely domynyons in them agreeth with Godds worde / as deathe with lyffe / God with the deuill / light with darckenes / therfore they hate the light which declarethe the same / and studye to suppresse the same by all chaft and polycye And seinge they can so craftely iuggle and haue suche frendshipe and fououre to conuey / brynge to passe / that all bookes shall come into their hande vndre the coloure of the syx artycles / it is to be feared that shortely they will by lyke crafte subtylte and frendshipe procure the Byble in Englyshe to be taken from the layete / then we shal be ledd in darcknenes by our Byshops and other blynde gydes and not Pastoures at theyr pleasure and will / whiche is the effecte of all theyr study laboure and purpose Nowe most valeaunt defender of Christ / it appearethe playnely howe many myseryes we be wrapte in / through the vngodly electyon of suche as be admytted to haue spirytuall cure and offyce to teache Godds worde / whiche not onely haue lytle lernynge / but also they be enemyes to all men whiche can and doo preache Gods worde sycerely and trewly / because they lyue contrarye to the same / as I haue before declared / And this is the origynall grownde / and cause of the abundaunce and increase of darkenes and of synne / as also of the longe contynnaunce of popishe blyndnes whiche hathe raigned in this realme so longe Wherfore yf the byshops and other elected and appoynted to be shepherdes accordinge to theyr vocacyon and callinge / be not fyrste knowen and well proued to haue suche knowleage godly doctryne / so that they can also doo instantely dyligeÌ„tly preache Gods worde whiche is the light expellinge all darckenes of synne / then muste nedes synne encrease abounde without any restraynte or brydle For if the light whiche is amongest yow be darckenes / howe muche shall the darkenes be Matt. vi Youre grace and your cyuile power doo punnyshe synne / when it is done and coÌ„mytted / accordinge to the iustyce of lawes / as to your vocatyon office of right belongethe to doo But the office and dewtye of the Pastor is to preache Goddes worde / wherby he shall conuert the hart of the synner / whiche is willinge dissposed to doo synne / so that he shall not breake fourthe to doo synne in the acte / which the cyuyle powre for the example of other by equyte and iustyce is bounde to punyshe Therfore the dyligent executyon of the office of the pastoure shal be the pryncipall meane and occasyon that lesse synne shal be coÌ„mytted / and so the higher powers shall haue lesse occasyon to execute the extreame iustyce of lawes / and consequently many mens lyâ—es whiche nowe for lacke of the knowleage of Godes worde shuld be loste for coÌ„myttinge murder / felonye / and suche other offences / shall then be preserued that they shall not commytte suche offences / which the hygher powers by the lawes of equyte iustyce be compelled to coÌ„dempne and to punyshe with deathe Wherfore the godly tranquyllyte reste and peace of all this your realme soueraygne lorde / and the good order of the same hangeth and resteth moche vpon the godly and dyligent executyon of the office of pastors and of the spirituall shepherds dewly called and admytted accordinge to Godes worde Therfore it behoueth the presenter of the clercke to a benefyce and cure of sowles to be cyrcumspect and well ware what clerke he doth present / and that he haue good knowleage experience and proue of his clercke before he present hym For if a pastour doo not feade the flocke of Christe coÌ„mytted to his charge / the deathe of their sowles shal be required of his handes As the Prophete Ezechiell sayeth in the .xxxiij. Ezech. xxxiij chapi And if the patron willingely / other for kyndred / fauoure / frendshippe / seruice or money / present a clerke which he knoweth not to be so lerned in Gods worde / that he be able to instructe and teache the people coÌ„mytted to his charge bothe with the lawe of God and withe the gospell / every suche patron coÌ„senteth to the deathe daÌ„pnacion of the sowles coÌ„mytted to the charge of suche vnlerned preste And therfore suche a Patron shall also be punyshed with lyke payne / whiche is eternall / as the Apostell sayeth Rom. i. Not onely they that doo euill / but also they whiche consent therunto shal be punyshed with lyke payne What wyse man liuynge wolde hyer a shepherde to gouerne hys beastly worldly shepe which nother wolde nor coulde feade / handle / salue nor ones see his shepe coÌ„mytted to his charge Suche a wyse shepherde wolde shortely make his masters
the extreame necessyte of their christen bretheren This vayne hope in the loÌ„ge prayers of prestes no doubt graciouse lorde is a greate occasyon of moche pouerte amoÌ„gest the poore and neady of this yowr realme For the spedy remedy of this pouerte amongest your louinge subiectes / and the vtter suppressyon of suche vayne hope in the prayers of prestes to be made for your subiectes when they be deade / whiche is the greate cause of this myserable pouerte / it may please your magestye of your accustomed goodnes to call to your graciouse remembraÌ„ce that all the people of this your regyon be subiect vnto yowr gracyouse power / rule / and dominion as vnto their supreme hedd and gouernowre dewly by God appointed to gouerne them onely durynge their naturall lyues / but when it pleaseth God to take their sowles owt of this myserable worlde / than yowr grace is dyscharged of all gouernance / cure charge ouer theÌ„ / as of suche which after their death doo not appertayne to yowr grace / nor be of your Kyngedome / but onely of the Kyngedome of God vnder his gouernaunce prouysion and rule Into the whyche Kyngedome nother your grace nor noo other erthely prynce maye lawfullye vsurpe or take anye rule prouisyon care or gouernance for the soules entered therunto Seynge that your grace haue no auctoryte nor power ouer the soules departed you be not onelye dyscharged to gouerne to care or to prouyde for them beinge deade but muche rather to prouyde that they maye not be deceyuedde so vnder the coloure of longe prayer but that they maye be taughte syncerelye GODS worde whyle they be lyuynge vnder youre subiection so that they maye beleue constantelye and lyue godlye and then by Christes promesse bell gates shall not preuayle agaynste them moche lesse they shal haue any neade of suche straunge succoure and helpe of menne nothynge appoyntedde nor taughte by Goddes worde to be profitable or necessarye fortheyre soules after they re deathe Wherfore I mystruste not butte that youre magestye when you shall nexte intreate for the reformation of the enormytyes and abuses sprongeâ— vp in the christenne religion you wyll godlye reforme suche abuse and dissembledâ—â— couetousenes and certeynelye beynge to godlye remedye nor helpe for sowles departed whiche hathe noo strengthe nor effycacye of GODS worde whyche is the verye trewe foundacion of all the Christen religion and helpe for soules And in the meane season I doo no lesse thyncke and also praye hartelye to GOD that youre magestye wyll prouyde and make ordinaunce that all suche landes and possessyons whervpon so manye ydle hypochrytes and deceyuers be greate burdeyne and charge to youre realme whyche hytherto haue lyued vngodly and vnprofytablely maye from henceforthe be partelye conuerted to the supportation and mayntenaunce of common stooles whereby erroures crepte vp throughe ingnorance maye be throughe knoweledge repressedde and godlye learnynge and knowledge more plenteouslye planted and admynistred and partelye that youre poore louynge subiectes maye be more mercyfullye releued and succoured whyle they lyue vnder youre subiection charge and gouernaunce Thys godlye dystrybution most prudent Soueraygne of the landes and possessions ordeynedde and appoyntedde for the comforte succours and helpe of yowre poore louynge and lyuynge 〈◊〉 is muche more consonante and agreable to GODDES worde and more certayne dyscharge of youre graces conscyence then to suffer the same possessions to be vngodly caste awaye and consumed vnder suche false colowre and pretence to releue sowles departed of whome youre magestye haue nother cure nor charge nor can not assure to them by Goddes worde throughe suche longe prayers of prestes relesse of paynes after their deathe or anye other ayde comforte or succoure For wythoute anye doubte gracyouse Lorde yf suche hyredde prayers hadde bene godlye and necessarye for the sowles departedde other Chryste or his Apostelles wolde haue taughts it or at the least haue praysed or practisedde it and not so manifestlye reproued and thretened it sayenge Marc. xii Beware of them whych deuoure wyddowes howses vnder coloure of longe prayerres they re iudgemente shal be muche longer In all the newe Testamente there is no mencyonne made of anye suche offycer nor offyce institutedde nor appoyntedde to praye for the deade And yet all menne I thyncke wyll confesse that the truethe of GODS worde was mooste syncerelye setforthe and preached in the tyme of Chryste and of his Apostelles in whose tyme there was no suche craftye learnynge publyshedde nor taughte by them nor longe tyme after But then menne stablyshedde and grounded their religion and hope of healthe vpon Goddes worde whyche teachethe vs that who so beleuethe is saued and hathe no neade of longe prestyshe prayers and who so beleuethe not shal be condempned Betwene these extreame contraries there is no meane as saint Augustine sayethe Note here s. August in hys boke entyteled HypognosticoÌ„ fol. ix Wherfore I exhorte all them whiche contrary to all holy scriptures truste to the thyrd place there to haue release of paynes throughe the songe prayers of preastes that they wolde geue ouer suche fayned fantasye of men subtilly ymagyned onely throughe insaciable couetousenes of ambiciouse prestes to gette moneye therewythe to mayneteyne theyr vngodlye lustes and to lyue ydlely and delycately and to truste rather to the sure and infallyble trewethe of Goddes worde whyche wythoute doubte is to repent and beleue and vtterlye to forsake all synne and than constantelye to truste to Goddes promesse of mercye Here manifestly apperethe soueraygne Lorde in what myserable blyndenes the mooste parte of this youre realme haue longe tyme be led yea and almost drowned throughe the longe custome vsed therin Who is it that can not lamente I saye this deplorate and miserable sorte of blynde shepherdes Be not they boughte withe the same price wherwythe wede bought to be members of one bodye wherof Christ is heade If we be members of one bodye certeynlye we can not then but caste and feale not onely theyr euyll but also the lamentable estate of all other cast awaye through the Lorde I truste the punyshment is paâ—â—e wherwithe thou hall threatned the worlde to be punishedde wythe hunger and chryste not wythe hunger and thryste of breade and drynke Amos. viii but for lacke of hearynge thy worde Yt is nowe tyme lorde to shewe thyne accustomedde goodnes and mercye for the whyche we doo dayly and hartelye praye sayenge Throughe the tender mercye of God wherwithe he hathe dysyred vs Luce. i geue lyghte to vs whych fyfte in darckenes and in the shaddowe of deathe to guyde oure 〈◊〉 into the waye of peace Also it is a daungerouse thynge to admitte one to be aspyrytuall pastoure whose professyon and studye all hys youthe hathe bene in decrees and popyshe lawes For suche a studye for the mooste parte ingenderethe a popyshe harte If any suche be admittedde to be a pastoure he shall not onelye other seâ—â—eâ—ely in confessyon or by some other