they haue or shall receyue of god So that they shal imagine them selues hable to deserue so much glory that god is not hable to repay and rewarde the thynge that he oweth vnto them And therfore shall they fell their merites to other meÌ„ as thoughe they had superfluous and to manye And because they can neuer sell or giue so many but that they shal alwayes haue a number remayninge they shal make oure holy father the pope the inheritour of theyr merites that he maye accomplyshe all thinges for all men requisit And this riche treasorer of merites he shall sell wonderfull dearely in his Iubilies and pardones so fonde an opinion shall they haue that they shal thiÌ„ke theÌ„ selues hable to deserue gods fre electioÌ„ and shal thinke gods heuenly prouidence and all thinges that belonge to saluacion to hange vpon theyr fre will and vpon theyr pope Beelze Yf it be so as ye say then is free wil a greate Lorde shal be a boue god him selfe For as I perceaue he shall either chose or refuse healthe or condempnacion like a lord and god as his seruaunt shal minister occasions and tyme conuenient vnto him so shall the will of god be lyke a bonde woman and the wil of man like vnto a Quene it shal be necessary not that manne shall applye hys will to gods wyll but that god shal applye hys will to mans wyl Neither canne god chose men without the popes license So that incase god had neuer so reproued and reiected any manne and the pope in whose hande all power is mindeth to saue thesame manne gods determinacion shal be voyde And so shal the pope be greater theÌ„ Christe and mannes fre wil also because the whole saluacion of al man kynde shal be in theyr owne power But Christe aunsweringe the children of zebedee of whome the one disired to syt on the right hand of Christe and the other on the left sayed it was not in him to geue that thinge because all hong vpon gods free election and Christe also sayed not trewe when he so saied for he shoulde haue graunted that al depended vpon the pope and mans free wil. Luci. Yf he were not suche a one he shoulde not be Antichriste And because the election of god dothe abase a man casteth hym down more theÌ„ any thing els whiche thinge manne beinge naturally inclyned to esteme highely himselfe can not abyde therefore shal it be an easy thynge to perswade to menne that al the whole matter hangeth vpon hys owne fre wil and not vpon god Therefore wil the pope neuer forsake thys office to promote and further this our purpose by al the meanes that he canne and that for many other causes but chiefly for that mannes merites shall be as it were a grounde worke of all hys marchandise and vauntage Howe beit that he maye the beâ—tâ—r sell and vtter theÌ„ he shal mingle some merites of Christ amongest them and shall boast that he hath the key of al these treasures and ful authoritie to distribute to apply to sel and to giue al at hys will and pleasure And also a tyme there shall come when the worlde shal beleue because they shal thynke hym a god in earthe indued with moste greate authoritie that he can bothe bynd and loose saue or condempne when it shal be hys pleasure Nowe maye ye easelye perceaue whether menne wyl runne to hym or not to bye heuen and paradise of hym Oh howe many and howe abhominable fantasyes shall menne committe when they shal saye to them selues what care I of thys am I suer that I canne be absolued for money What a number of soules shal bee damned thinking to be saued by theyr own merites by the popes pardones and absolutions because they shal be without faythe and without Christe Out of thys deuelyshe fouÌ„taine shal spriÌ„g Iubilies statioÌ„s pardoÌ„s absolucioÌ„s dispensacioÌ„s relaxations an infinit number of monstors whiche dayly they shal deuise to sel Christ and hys merites and heuen and paradise with all Furthermore we will cause that this oure mischeuouse paricideÌ„ shal by his fraude and craft perswade Christian menne that Christe with al hys merites passion death and benefites be not sufficient to saue I will not saye the reproued and reiected sorte but euen the very chosen of god be it that they beleue in Christe with neuer so lyuely a faythe For they muste moreouer of necessitie confesse all theyr synnes bothe open priuate euen the verye inward thoughtes and desiers yea all the brauÌ„ches and circumstances of them and disclose al thinge whether they be to be spoken or not to a priest of hym apoynted Beelze This thinge is not possible to bee done for theyr synnes be innumerable Luci. Suerly oure priestes can not deuise a better waye to holde mens consciences in a perplexitie doutefull and vncerteyne And so when men shal bee in a continual doutinge whether they be in the fauor of god or not they shal runne oft to oure prieste and his gayne shall alwayes increase in that he shal receaue wel for his absolutions Beelze Yf there shoulde suche a tyme come when I myght see Christian men disclosing theyr secretes euen suche as be of greatiste weight and that slaunderinge them selues contrary bothe to the lawe of god and the lawe of nature and oftentymes also with no smal offence of their neighbour to a wicked thiefe shoulde also suffer their wiues their doughters sisters to opeÌ„ y e botome of their hartes matters of no honesty not alway to a gelded maÌ„ but most coÌ„monly to a vicious verlet I would be bold to saye they were the most foles in the vniuersall world But tell me in good fayth what profit shoulde insewe of this deuelishe folishenes yf it shoulde bee brought in to our churche Beelze Oh it should muche increase and amplyfie the honour of our byshop and hys members and bee a very greate gayne and profit to hys churche For then should men beleue that he by hys ministers did pardone synnes and not god and that the same syns were not forgeuen by the vertewe of the passion of Christ but by the vertew of the absolution that they herd the priest speake And in confession mentioÌ„ shal be made of all thinges sauyng of Christ and so shall we bury Christ together with his passion and death god with his grace And more ouer what a greate commoditie shall it bee to the pope trowe you when his ministers by thys means shall knowe all the secrets of princes I passe ouer how that in hearing of women secretly disclose theyr dishonestie with al the circumstaunces thereof and all vnhonest thoughtes and desieres suche confessours being inflamed with the communicacion and consideringe craftely howe theyr myndes bee inclined will beginne many fayer and handsom snares which they may easely make whereby to holde them euen as it were by the heere of the head when they are once made pryuye to their
the counsells for otherwyse is your argument playne false or at the least waye so made in a circle that in disputacion it beginneth agayne where it began before to no purpose Papi Yf it were so that the Bishoppe of Rome were Antichrist in dede as you saye yet for asmuche as he hathe bene accounted of Christian menne for Pope so many hundreth yeres and the chiefe Byshoppe of all other then the churche of Christe had decayed longe agone contrary to hys promes who sayed I am with you vnto the worldes ende Tho. arch As touchyng this poynte the same answere shall bee made to you nowe that was made in tymes past to Helias when he thought none aliue to imbrace the faythe of God but himselfe alone to whome God sayed I haue preserued to my self seuen thousandes who hath not bowed their knees before Baal Euen so is it nowe for in Europe Affrike and Asia there were alwayes manye christian menne who wurshipd not Antichrist Papi What were they al Heritikes Thomas arch They were by youre sayinge for they woulde neither obey Antichriste neither beleue purgatory neither woulde they kepe the feaste of Easter vpon the sondaye Hen. Ye haue reasoned now enough and enough now we see playnly that this felowe of whom we moued this questioÌ„ was is veâ—y right Antichrist FroÌ„ hence forth we wil in no wise consent to his euilnes lest god continue his anger agaynst vs. We haue suffered to longe a great deale so intolerable a tiranny We will proue suerly whether he be God iÌ„ yearth or not And whether we haue more full authoritie in oure owne dominions and kingdomes then he hath or not Papi Then shal your maiestie loose your title of defender of the fayth Hen Nay we wil be called the destroyers of the false faythe of Antichriste and maynteners of the trewe fayth of Christe Kynge Edwarde the sixte The Lorde Protectour Edvvardâ— ALexander the great dyd sette so muche by the honor and glorie of the worlde that when his father Philippe ouercame moe and moe Cities and contryes daylye and all other men reioysed very much of hys victories Yet he alone beynge of tender age lamented very muche therefore not withstandynge that he ought to haue bene ioyfull and glad beinge his fathers onely heire of all hys kyngdomes thynkynge that hys father woulde preuent hym and take awaye all occasions from hym whereby he mighte compasse the dominion of the worlde by hys owne wit and industrye wherof shoulde insewe worthye renowne and immortall memorie esteminge a kingdome as nothynge without glorye But for as muche as it hath pleased God to lighten our mynde with the cleare bryghtnes of heauenly doctrine therby to gyue vs knowledge that he hath placed vs in thys seat of a king that we shoulde direct the vse of oure scepter royall and the sterne of oure gouernement not to the glorye of the worlde but to the glorye of hym so muche more we be studious of the glorie of God aboue that the glory of the world as we know that the one is heauenlye excellent and durable and the other vayne slydynge awaye and able to continue but for a whyle And we can not but lament euen from the botom of â–ª our heart euen in this tender age of ours when we see our onelye Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe with no small rebuke of hys heauenlye and eternall father dryuen out of his seat kingdom such a cruell and wicked tyraunte placed in hys roume Wherfore we be very desierfull to restore Christ into his own former place agayne that by him god may be honoured not myndinge in any wise to suffer suche abhominacion to remayne within oure dominions All Christian menne haue euer more abhorred the name of Antichrist and shall we haue hym at home with vs. Knowinge hym to be suche a one as he is and shall leue hym vnbannished out of the coastes of our countryes That shal neuer be Suerly all the treasures honours frendeshippes pleasures and all the happie condicions of thys worlde canne neuer make vs happye no not so muche as in thys lyfe so longe as we see not Christe him selfe not Antichrist reigne in the hartes of his subiectes The maiestie Royall of kynge Henry the viii of famouse memory oure naturall father began thys worthye and noble enterpryse that we intende whose steppes we will followe for the performauÌ„ce of hys wyll seynge that he beinge preuented with deathe coulde not brynge that thinge to suche perfect end as hys mynd was at the fyrste attemptinge therof We haue determined therefore to pursewe the famouse enterprise of oure moste famouse father and not onely to plucke vp by the rootes and vtterlye baÌ„nishe out of our kingdome the name of Antichrist and his Iurisdiction but also clearely to purge y e mindes of oure subiectes from all wycked idolatry heresie and superstycyon and suche lyke deuelishnes as by hym was brought in And for asmuche as there is none other thynge that moueth vs thus to doe but the onelye glory of god we dout not but that Christ wil be with vs and will rule oure councelles and doynges with his holy sprite And althoughe I dout not but that you study likewise with an earnest feruentnes of spirite to set forthe this high glory of god yet haue we thought good to disclose thys oure intent and purpose to you being our dearely beloued and faythful couÌ„saylours To thintent that thys godly dede maye be the more spedely brought to passe Counseil Suerly your maiesty could haue tolde vs nothynge that could haue pleased vs better either that canne be more to the glory of God more profytable to the common welthe or elles more worthy and honorable to a Christian kynge Wherefore we be compelled to render immortal thankes to God and hauinge a tast of youre graces wisdome by thys thing to hope for greater and more excellent enterprises of you then any manne would conceaue in that we perceaue so muche sage and auncient wisedome in thys your so tender age and so feruent a Zeale to the settinge forth of goddes glorye For thys thynge is commonly seen by the common course of nature that suche menne as be of the common sort and of slender corage be colde and slacke in the waye of the Lorde yea and be many tymes offended with suche a confusion and varietie of iudgementes when they see noble men so caryed with a blynde and a wicked zeale with all that euer they canne make for the defense of wicked Babilon and of theyr deuelishe Antichrist not stayinge with blody handes and blody hartes to bee glutted and made dronke with the bloude of Christe and of his electes many times also haue they the better hand as the heauenly prophet Daniel prophecied But your pryncely maiestie as one indued with a high and a heauenly courage haue intended a gloryouse enterpryse and that beinge styrred vp and inflamed thereunto with a feruent zeale to the
al the rest of thapostles and namely to Paule who wryteth in special wordes that he labored more then all the rest did in the ministery of preaching Yea and Christe himselfe before he spake these wordes to Peter commaunded the selfe same thynge to all the Apostles sayinge goe ye throughe out the vniuersall worlde and preache the Gospell to all creatures So that it can not be sayed that the office of preachynge was gyuen by Christe onely to Peter and to the Byshoppes of Rome in ordinary succession after him by whose appoyntment it shoulde also descend to other For then must it be graunted that there hath bene very fewe lawefull and trewe Byshoppes whiche had lawefull authoritie to preache and so fewe that Peter onely maye bee accountyd the trewe Byshoppe whiche preached lawefully and a fewe besides who were by him appoynted in such countryes where as he preached By thys meanes Paule and the elleuen Apostles and suche as were by them conuerted to the faythe neither were truely bishoppes neither yet preached lawefullye because they neither had their Bishoprike neither authoritie to preache of Peter And more ouer none after the death of Peter should haue bene made Bishop neither haue licence to preache besydes the Byshoppe of Rome And truely the Byshoppes of Rome haue committed a greuouse offence in that they haue hyd this large and greate authorytye of theyrs that they had so necessarye in the churche of God Then replied master Falsidicus euen as Peter quod he loued Christ more earnestly then the rest of the Apostles as it is plaine by the wordes of his aunswere when Christe demaunded him whether he loued hym more feruentlye then the rest dyd so had he more authoritie gyuen vnto hym ouer the shepe of Christ then the rest of the Apostles To this answered thimbassador of CoÌ„staÌ„tinoble And where I praye you haue you founde that Peters aunswere was to Christ that he was more earnestly beloued of him then of the rest of y e Apostles Not withstandyng that he was so demaunded yet hys aunswere was onely in thys wyse Thou knowest O lorde that thou art belouyd of me He sayed not Thou knowest O Lorde that thou arâ—e more feruentlye belouyd of me then of the rest For so coulde he neuer haue sayed without greate suspicion of arrogancie because it was vnknoweÌ„ to hym how much y e rest loued Christ. But let it be graunted that Christ was more earnestly beloued of Peter then of the rest doeth it therefore folowe that Christ gaue him more power Or in case he gaue hym more was it therfore most of all For it is not all one thing to saye fede my shepe and to saye be thou head of my churche or elles Take thou more authoritie then the other Apostles And as for that Christe demaundyd of him thryse whether he loued hym or not it was done for thys ende and purpose that hys loue beinge declared by thryse confessynge myght counteruayle and somewhat make amendes for his fault WheÌ„ he thrise denied him he minded to haue Peters loue sealed as it were warranted before he would commit vnto him the cure of soules that all menne myghte knowe no man can bee a good shephard onles he loue Christ earnestly Furthermore yf your reason were a good reason it shoulde rather folowe therof that Christe declared Ihon the chiefe Byshop then Peter For it is written of Iohn this is the disciple whom Christ loued Wherfore if he were beloued of Chrisâ— aboue other he gaue vnto him more worthye gyftes replenished him more abouÌ„dantlye with grace and therfore placed hym aboue the other and namelye for that he was more mete for the purpose by the reason of the excellent giftes whiche he receiued at Goddes handes And so much the more bycause it shoulde rather appeare that Ihon loued Christ more then the other did was loued againe of Christ knew hiÌ„ more thorowly therfore more like to be iudged worthye to feed the shepe of Christe Yt maybe proued that Christ would haue ordeined hym the vniuersall shepard not onely by reason of the noble light of the heuenly spirit wherwith he was indued and was alwayes nighe and familiare to Christe and amongest all the rest of thapostles he alone folowed him to the crosse but chiefly for thys cause that when he was vpon the crosse he committed his mother vnto him in whome only as you your selues doe confesse the lyuely churche of Christe remayned after Christes death For al thapostles were not a litle afrayed and dismayd with that terryble dolefull sight of Christes death vpon the crosse accordingly as Christe had told hym before And if Iohn were not ordeyned the supreme head of the churche of Christe then muche lesse was Peter Then sayed master Falsidicus will ye see howe Christe ordeyned onely Peter to be the chiefe Pastor of all Reade the Gospel of Luke and there shal ye fynde spoken onely to Peter Thou shalt be a fisher of menne Thereunto aunswered thimbassadour And will you see how Christe ordeyned not Peter to bee the chiefe Pastor of all Reade the Gospell of Mathewe and Marcke and there shal ye finde the same spoken also of Christ to Andrewe and the two sonnes of zebedei Wherfore it foloweth that Peter onely was not assigned of Christ to be the fisher of men Yea and consequently not alone of his owne shepe Christ neuer sayed to Peter onely fede thou my shepe be thou onely a fisher of menne To the onely will I gyue the keyes of the kingedome of heauen No he neuer saied so much as this be thou onely a shepard and a fysher aboue the reste of thapostles Take thou more authoritie then they haue But he sayed in simple and plaine wordes I will gyue vnto thee the keyes of the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ and so he kept promes Mary he gaue thesame keyes also to the reste of thapostles And that this is trew it is euident For Christe gaue the keyes to Peter and to the reste of thapostles after his resurrection from deathe standynge in the middest of them when he had saluted them and shewed hys handes and hys syde that they should both see and know him that talked with them and deliuered them the keies to be in dede very Christe the sonne of god he sayed vnto them as Iohn wryteth Euen as my father sent me so I send you As though he had sayd my father sent me in to thys worlde that I shoulde preache the gospel as Esay the prophet saied longe agoe Therfore do I send you euen of thesame fashion throughe out the worlde to preache thys glad tidinges that I am nayled vpon the crosse and dead for the sinnes of the whole worlde that I am the onely and euerlastynge redempcyon and reconciler who haue purchased the fauour of the eternall father to all mannekynde by the price ranâ—ome of my bloude and that al the synnes of al the menne in the worlde be pardoned and
ye not by anye meanes inferre or goe about to proue thereby that thesame authoritie belonged onely to Peter but to all thapostles ioyntly and the whole churche together And yet can I not perceaue howe these reasons hange together Christe sayed checkingly that two swordes were enough ergo Peter had the supreme authoritie bothe spirituall and temporall geuen vnto him Then would master Falsidicus without dout haue made some preaty aunswere as his fashyon is yf the Pope had not coÌ„maunded hym to holde hys peace fearinge leste thys hatefull dysputacyon of bothe swordes should offend themperour Whereof he sayed to Falsidicus that it was sufficient for this present to reteyne the one sworde that is to say the chiefe dominion in spirituall matters to permitte the other of temporall matters to Ceasars maiestie Mas. A wonderfull liberalitie Lepi. But ye muste knowe that he graunted thys but for a tyme yea and againste his will For hys left arme is weake and small because he is not accustomed to vse it but let hym alone suffre his strengthe with a litle excercise to come to hym and yee shall see him halt and lame as he is shed more bloude alone then all themperours of the worlde though ye put theÌ„ together Then master Falsidicus fynding other matters to talke vpon sayed You know ryght well master embassador that Christe kepeth promes and if he geue a name to any man at any tyme that name is not a voyde name it is not the bare sounde of a voyce but the trewth of the thinge it selfe is also agreable to the name And because Christe sayed to Simon from henceforthe thou shalt bee called Cephas whiche by interpretacion signifieth a head ye muste of necessitie graunt that Christe gaue in deede that whiche he promysed with speciall and playne wordes Simon was called Cephas that is to saye a heade then it foloweth that he was a heade by the name that Christe gaue him ergo he was a head in dede that the trueth might be agreable to the name To this thembassador aunswered Truly ye be worthy to be burned for yf ye burne them which depraue the wrytinges of thapostles what ought ye to doe to them which peruerte falsely the wordes of Christ himselfe Christe sayed to Peter thou shalt be called Cephas and Cephas is a worde of the language of the Sirians Whiche is as muche to saye as Petra that is a stone But you deprauinge the holy scriptures saye that Christe sayed thou shalâ—e be called a head this do you to th ende that you would drawe all sentences as thoughe it were halynge them by the necke writhing them to your peruerse purpose and in the meane tyme corrupting the trueth and the maiestie of holy scriptures Mas. I maruayle that he was euer afterwarde called Peter and not rather heade if it bee so that thys name Cephas signifie a head and not Petra which is a stoone as master Falsidicus did contende But tell me I praye you was he not ashamed to speake any more Lepi. Nay then he semed but as it were to beginne to proue the primacie of Peter Mas. And what thing brought he therfore Lepi. First formost thus he saied Euen as it is euident by the scriptures of the olde testament that the fyrste begotten was the Lorde ouer all hys brothren euen so because it is euident that Peter was the fyrste begotten of Christ he must be lord ouer all the rest supreme head of y e whole church of Christe Which thiÌ„g may be proued by that that Peter as the chiefe moste worthy parson speaketh alwaies first for them all and amongest the reste he was alwayes accounted and named the first Yea be it that it could not bee proued by anye worde of God that Peter was declared supreme head by Christ yet ought we to beleue it forasmuche as we muste assuredlye perswade our selues that Christe ordeyned his churche well and therefore that it was done by a certayne â—easoÌ„ order for wher as a certaine order is not obserued ther must al thinges of force be ful of coÌ„fusioÌ„ And certayne order can there none be where as there be not degrees of meÌ„ higher and lougher But where as there is a higher degre of men there muste ye ascende and come to one as to a supreme head that the nature of order maye bee preserued whiche bycause it can not procede so farre but that it muste haue an ende onles there shoulde be some supreme head established it shoulde come all together to nothing Now likely it is not that Christ appoynted any other head then Peter ergo Peter was the supreme head The selfe same thynge maye be proued of the order of natural thynges where all thynges be referred to one as to a chiefe beginninge and originall cause For not onely in any ciuile gouernaunce of man yf the common welthes be well ordered there is one supreme head but amongest brute beastes also we see thys dignitie of order obserued Bees haue their kynge who gouerne the baser sorte of the common people and ouersee them to doe their dewties The Cranes haue one chief guide â–ª whom all the rest doeth folowe The shepe also haue their shepehard whose voyce they know whom they folowe and at whose commaundement they be So that loke howe muche the church of Christ is more excellent more perfect then other thynges that belonge to manne and is also better gouerned so much is it the more lykely that there must be one supreme head in it at whose commaundement all menne must hange as thoughe he were a God To these reasons the imbassador made aunswere Yf the first begotten amongest thapostles ought to be lord of al the rest as Falsidicus said eueÌ„ nowe for as muche as Andrewe was called before Peter to the office of the Apostleshipe Peter shoulde not take the lordshippe awaye from hym whiche of ryght shoulde haue a better tytle to it But trueth it is that Christ is the first begotten amongest his brethren he is onely the lord of all And all the worthines of the first be gettyng whiche was shadowed in the first begotten of the olde testament is fulfilled in Christ hymselfe Nowe bycause that the kyngdome of Christ is altogether spirituall he maye be accounted greater higher and more excellent not that is first borne to Christe in this worlde nor he that is richer or more noble after the fleshe not he that is better learned but he that excelleth more in godlynes hath receyued more lighte and strengthe of the holy gost And althoughe Peter vsed ofteÌ„ times to choppe in and speake firste by the reason of his boldnes hys zeale hys earnestnes and age yet foloweth it not of that that he had authoritie and dominion ouer the rest of the Apostles neither that he was their Pope Neither is he whiche speaketh fyrste in any congregacion to be thought the head of all the rest For then in dede
Rome intendeth to attayne to the dignitie of y e chiefe priest and supreme head of Christes churche his studie is nothyng els but to make himselfe equall with Christ in spirtie knowledge vertue power and in all other giftes and graces Now whether thys be a blasphemous mynde or not iudge you For that man which hath not the spirite of god is not worthie to be called a membre of Christe or a prieste or els a christian manne No he is not worthie the name of a manne for hys greuouse offences Yea he ought to bee banyshed from all christian mennes company be excomunicated from the churche of Christe Yt can not be without a merueylous heynouse offence and a deuillishe pride ones to be so bolde to desire to haue the title of the supreme head of the churche of Christe Where as Paule describeth y e true image of y e church of Christe he sayeth Christe is ascended on highe and hath gyuen giftes to menne some to be Apostles some to be Prophetes some to bee Euangelistes and some to be Doctors And it is not to be doubted but he would also haue ordeined some other supreme head in earthe yf he had iudged it a thyng necessary And the holygoost in thys place whiche should haue made so muche for thys purpose woulde not onely haue expressed the thyng by the mouthe of Paule but also woulde haue named thys chiefe dignitie When Paule myndeth to persuade the Ephesians to remayne together in one spirite knyt with the bonde of peace the argumentes that he vseth be these saying that yf they be true christiaÌ„ men they be thevery membres of one body and they all haue one spirite euen as they all be called to one ende and haue one Lorde Iesus Christe one fayth one baptisme one onely god and eternall father No doubt he woulde haue also sayed in thys place and they haue one Byshope in earth who kepeth the churche of Christ in order and concorde yf he had euer mynded to appoynt suche a byshop Mas. Yf Paule had euer spoken such wordes he had lyed galantly For the bishops of Rome wil indeuour themselues to the vttermost of their power to moue coÌ„tencion and to set christian princes together by the â—ares for their owne inrichynge Lepidus That thyng maye chaunce to bee true But I praye you let me tell on my tale Then thimbassador sayed furthermore yt is not vnknowen vnto you that when the congregacion of the Corynthians auaunced themselues some time in the name of Peter some tyme in the name of Paule and some tyme of Apollo Paule chid theÌ„ bitterly for so doing he sayd not I wyll not haue you thiÌ„ke here after y t I am the head of the churche neither yet Apollo But Peter onely But he rather concluded all maner of men and sayed thus What were you baptised in the name of Paule was Paule euer crucified for you as though he had sayed Truely ye bee neitheir baptized in the name of Paule neither in the name of Peter neither of Apollo neither was there any of theÌ„ crucified for you but ye be baptized in Christs name only Only he suffered for you death vpon the crosse Onely he hath redemed you and saued you from sinne Onely he is your head from the which all heauenly giftes desceÌ„d Onely he is your lyghte youre wisdome youre lyfe your saluacion and therfore muste ye acknowledge hym onely and alone to bee youre supreme head in whose name only ye must reioyce And theÌ„ to knyt vp his disputacioÌ„ He sayd not maÌ„ must esteme and take Apollo and me for the ministers of Christ and Peter for the lorde and mayster but putting Peter and him selfe and Apollo altogether he sayed Man must take vs as the ministers of Christ. And in thys poynt he agreeth with the doctrine of Christ who perceyuing his Apostles to contend amonge themselues for the highest place because they herd saye that Iames Iohn had obteyned a prerogatiue of Christe by the procurement of theyr mother that one of them should sytte at his ryght hande and the other at hys lefte he sayd ye knowe ryght well that the prynces of nacioÌ„s beare lordelye rule and menne of power doe exercise their myght ouer them But it shall not be so amoÌ„gest you But he that wyll be greater amongest you shall be youre minister he that wyll be chiefe amongest you shal be your seruannt For the sonne of manne came not to bee serued of other but to serue other hym selfe and to geue hys soule for a redemption for many Wherby it is easie to perceiue y t the church of Christ is al together spiritual And it is not possible y t any maÌ„ caÌ„ be a true priest neither a true christian manne in this spirituall churche of Christe onles he haue the spirite of god and he is to be thought greater that is more inriched with strength and habundaunce of the spirite So that for asmuche as Christe onely hathe the greatest plentifulnes of the spirite he muste without controuersy be iudged and estemed the chiefe and head preste of al other Wherfore yf the byshoppe of Rome desier the place of the chiefe byshoppe he muste of necessitie haue greatest haboundance of the spirite euen as Christe had and then when he is equall with Christe he shall also be chiefe byshoppe and chiefe heade equal with Christ but this also is necessary to bee knowen that the dominion of the spirite is verye diuerse and contrary eueÌ„ as Christ taught to y e dominion of y e flesh for amoÌ„gest carnall men suche as haue more riches more streÌ„gth more fauour amoÌ„gest meÌ„ more freÌ„dshipes more nobilitie of bloud they be y e lordes ouer other they coÌ„mauÌ„d they haue other ministers to theÌ„ they be honoured and obeyed many times they oppresse the weaker and vse tyranny ouer them But it is coÌ„trarywise in the spirituall churche of Christe for such as haue greater light of the spirite they be higher and greater And they that bee suche serue all other by the helpe of the spirite as menne that hath receyued greater gyftes of god more light of knowledge more grace more spirite and a greater talent So that he which hath receaued more habouÌ„dance of the spirite helpeth more and serueth more the necessities of other and setteth forthe the glory of god more plentifully And because Christe had most singular plenty of the spirite therfore came not he to bee serued but to serue for the helth of his chosen Yea he serued all without excepcion and that also humblinge himselfe extremely vntyll that he moued of an exceding greate loue spent hys own life vpon the crosse Therefore woulde Christe haue it knowen to hys chosen that yf ye wil haue a trew nobilitie and worthynes ye muste haue a spirite Christe abused not this spirituall greatnes of hys whiche was in the highest degre of honour therby to chalenge anye
outwarde shewe and shynninge and beutie it shal be most holy but yet in dede most pestilent Ye know right wel that the Lordes supper was instituted of Christ in the remembraunce of hys passion being destributed as it shoulde be in loue and apostolicall simplicitie was a thynge and is to thys day that hath brought muche comfort and consolacion to the chosen of God But nowe our holye father shall not onelye chauÌ„ge the substances of it but also chaunge the accidentes of it in the masse So that the supper of the Lorde shall no more bee the supper of the Lorde neyther in substaunce neither in fashion neither in lykelyhod neither in shewe but it shal bee all together contrarye and enemy to it selfe and full of wickednes and supersticion For wheras the Lordes supper was first ordayned of Christ to cal agayne the passion of Christ to the remembrauÌ„ce of the faithfull they to blot out that excedyng greate benefit of Christe shall boast that they offer Christe agayne to his father in their masses not for the quicke onely but also for the dead as thoughe they shoulde saye WheÌ„ Christ offered hymselfe once vpon the crosse to his father he made not satisfaction sufficiently enough for the synnes of all man kynde wherefore we offer hym agayne dayly nayle him agayne vpoÌ„ the crosse desiring the sainctes to helpe hym to make his oblacion perfect And where as Christ in the institucion of hys supper appoynted bread and wyne whose example hys ministers shoulde folowe teachyng what thing it is and to what ende as Christ dyd and exhortyng other that they shoulde lift vp their myndes into heauen being stirred by thys heauenly Sacrament that they shoulde haue their eye set vpon Christ onely and so by faythe to vse hym for a heauenly foode of their soules they to auaunce their dignitie and authoritie and to cause themselues to bee accouÌ„ted goddes in yearth shal persuade menne falsly that libertie to minister that SacrameÌ„t is onely graunted to the anoynted shaueÌ„ oyled priestes of y e pope that y e supper of the Lord shal be translated by that heade of abâ—ominacion the Pope in to the masse And they shall boast y t these fat masse mongers with pronouÌ„cing certeyne wordes what they be I can not tell as it wer in an inchauntment haue not only by by coÌ„secrated but also transformed transubstantiated y e breade into y e body y â— wine into y e blude of Christ. This wil they doe not only to increase theyr estimacion but also y e men beinge deceaued by eatyng that host although they bee without faythe shall thinke they possesse Christ clothes heer al. Yea they shal bring men into the belefe that by the only hearynge of one of these masses or seyinge the hoste lyfted vp moste plentiful grace and pardone as they call it shal bee graunted And lyke erraunt theues they shall robbe the laytie of the cuppe that is to say of the one halfe of the supper agaynst the expresse word of god to declare that they be more worthye menne and in higher authoritie and that there is a greate difference betwene the common people and the popes anoynted They onely shal be fed in theyr priuat masses whome they shal not be ashamed to sell for money And they shal kepe the breade so by them consecrate in a boxe as it were in a prisoÌ„ that shal they set forth to the people to be worshipped as a god And they shall not only cary it about in theyr pompes and open shewes but it shall goe before the pope as though it were hys foote maÌ„ To be short Though the lordes supper be a thinge moste holy yet being chaunged into the masse it shall be a thing most pesâ—ileÌ„t Moreouer the supper which was ordeyned of Christe to be vnto all Christian meÌ„ as a pledge of his promes peace concorde thesamâ— being once abused shal bee thoriginal well sprynge of al discorde dissencion contencioÌ„ heresies sectes for the diuerse and sundrye opinions that men shall haue of thesame Sacramente We will also make a lawe that these priestes anoynted by the pope shall haue no wyues Beelze Why I praye you Luci. That they maye apeare outwardly altogether heauenly and celestiall lyke aungels so that therefore menne shall meruayle more at them and set the more store by them Yea and moreouer that the pope not theyr childreÌ„ may bee theyr inheritor But chiefely that they maye be without the troubles that chaunce in matrimonye and beinge at libertie vnder this coloure maye committe al kyndes of fylthenes that euer was done in all the world Beelze Thinke you they wil condemne mariage Luci. They shall saye it is a wicked thinge And thoughe it be agreable to nature ordeyned of god confirmed of Christe yet shal they forbyd it to theyr nonnes monckes and priestes to all theyr other creatures Yea and at certeyne tymes they shall forbid it to all menne and in certayne degrees that they themselues haue deuised that by the meanes therof they may get a greate suÌ„me of money for dispensations And at certayne tymes they shall forbid wholsome meate to be eaten which god hath created to be vsed to his glory and to bee taken with thankes geuinge At certeyne times of the yere he shal not suffer them to eate but once in the daye But all these thinges shal notwithstandinge bee despensed with al for money He shal make of thys sorte an infinit number of other preceptes whiche he wyl say be necessary to saluacion And so in making new articles of the faith he shal wander through al heresies which by mans iudgement and wisdome haue a certeyne lyklyhode to set forthe goddes glorye more worthelye And to comprehende thys large matter in fewe wordes I wil apply al the powers of my wytte that thys creature of ours may doe muche more hurt to the soules of menne then Christe hymselfe dyd good And it is not to be douted but that we wil make of this church a very Babilon Trewe it is that a thing of suche holynes can not be brought in a moment sodaynly to the highest degre of abhominacioÌ„ wherfore in this noble myschief we must goe forwarde by litle and litle lettinge none occasion slip y e oportunitie of tyme shal offer vnto vs. Nowe therfore shal you haue my lycence to departe requiringe you to loose no tyme Beelze We wil doe your commaundement Mychael Gabriell Christe CHRIST MYne angels see you not howe a mortall manne in earthe beinge moste viciouse and abhominacion it selfe with no smal iniurye and contempte of god aduentureth to settel himselfe in the holy place and to boast himselfe to be my Uicar and the vniuersall head of my churche See you not howe vnder that pretence he hath crucified me agayne and buried me agayne with all my greate benefites my gospell and my grace See you not howe he hathe defiled and infected the holy churche my