Hancigitur Gregorie patched the peticions diesque nostros Innocentius the first ordeyned that the prieste shoulde kysse and the paxe shoulde be geuen â–ª to the people Sargins ordeyned the agnus dei Alexander the firste dyd ordeyne that the bread shoulde be vnleuened water shuld be mixed with wine In your secretes you haue a beadrol of benefactors another of halowes â–ª makeinge your mas a memorie of theÌ„ not of christ so that in good faith we think in coÌ„scieÌ„ce that we can not haue a fiâ—ter terme to haÌ„dle our matter with al theÌ„ to cal this mas of yours popeish for vpoÌ„ the pope it is grounded he was woÌ„tte to be named in the middle of it was the onely maker of it in his remeÌ„brauÌ„ce it is done Chrisogonus and other popeishe haue it done in theyre remeÌ„braunce what better name therfore can we geue it then popeishe You also mayntayneing the same in mine opinion can haue no fitter name geuen you then papistes for the fautours and maintayners â–ª of the same sectes religioÌ„s are named after the authors of the same sectes and religioÌ„s as wel in the good parte as in the ill If the pope therfore wer author of these things theÌ„ is it but reasoÌ„ that you the mayntayners therof be called papistes And I thynke not coÌ„trarie but you lyke the name verie well for you renownce it not at all neytther doe you mislyke any thynge that subtyle Antichriste dyd inuent but do stiffly take parte wyth the cruell papistes in the defence therof I thinke you are ashamed or else your herte wyll not serue you to renownce that your profession perchance the othe that you made of olde doeth somewhat trouble your conscience Well ye passe it ouer wyth silence so that we maye take you as you are and be nothynge deceyued in calleyng you papiste For if we were deceiued in you you woulde neither mayntayne popeishe mattiers so styfelye nor yet accuse so greuousely the wickednesse of this tyme wherin men laboure so greatelye to de face the Popes doeynges Yea ye woulde at the leaste waye once in so longe a boke haue taken occasion to speake agaynste some popeishe madnesse But cleane contrarie the more do ye establysh the popes kyngdome And at the lenght in the ende of your boke to declare your selfe a sworne papiste you make the popeishe ceremonies as gowne crowne and other baggage of popeishe inuentions the farthynges wherof your religion wholely standeth Let them that haue eyes to se and eares to heare iudge what you ar ThaÌ„ bring you a profe made bi reasonne and senses of man against your God ⧠That the papistes call their God some tyme is eaten of a mouse sometyme waxeth grene mould red moulde and blewe mould and so forthe Therfore it is no God Al thys you solute wyth the diuill saieth the diuell refresheth hys yongelynges and stil your tonge renneth vpon the diuel wherfore I feare me he is with in you For of the a boundaunce of the herte doeth the mouthe speake sayeth Christe It woulde become a christian bishoppe to name Christe more oft then the deuell You confesse afterward that these thiges be true and yet your solucion is heare that the diuel saieth it Than adde you thys reasone of the Deuel you saye ⧠God is impassible incorruptible and immortal But that which the papistes mak their God is corruptible for the mouse doth eate it the handes doe breake it mans teeth maye teare it It maye also be burned Ergo it is no God but an Idolle ⧠Then go you about to illude thys with a lyke argument whyche is verie craftie sophestrie sayeinge that you wil reasone after the same sorte and saye ⧠God is impassible Christe was God ergo he suffered not Or thus ⧠God is impassible Christ suffered ergo he was not god Surelye you are a subtile Sophiste and ful able to deceiue But take your solution wyth you You do reasone as the sophisters saye a simuli but not a sufficienti simlitudine The sufferinge by a mousse is nothynge lyke the sufferinge of Christe who must needes thus suffer for vs and so enter into hys glorie In whome no thinge was doene but that hys father dyd decre before That by death as Paul saieth he might do awaye hym that had the authoritie ouer death euen the deuell whoe coulde not kepe hym captiue but he dyd rise agayne and triumphe in the fleshe neither coulde his fleshese corruption Thus are you deceiued double First for that you haue no scripturs whithys your handyworke shoulde be called God Secondly because it can by no ordynaunce profite or commoditie suffer of the mouse or corruption as Christ hath done for our siâ—nes So that I maruaile greatly you be not a shamed to compare it wyth Christe either in calleinge it God or in the suffering of it by a mouse Is the passioÌ„ of Christ our onely saluacion no more regarded of you but that you dare couple it wyth such similitudes Christ as he was God coulde not suffer but in hys flesh he suffered for vs and yet â–ª coulde not that same fleshe of hys se corruptioÌ„ as Dauid wittnesseth But this your whiteâ— and rownde thynge doeth daiely corrupt and perishâ—… wherfore it is not Christes flesh Wherfore if I might optaine so much faâ—…e of my prynce and people as dyd Ihâ—… amonge the Israelites I woulde boeth destray this your Idole and his groues of ceremones wherin you hid him bid Baâ—ll aueÌ„ge him selfe But your God is so weake that you muste desende hym wyth fyre Let hym do but so muche as a snayle doeth and put oâ—t hys horne forthe of hys shâ—ll to afayre his enimies and we wyl saye he is God and all together that you desire But the backes cattes and birdes are not afrayde of hym in the churche Therfore as Baruch sayeth he is no God But we wyll leaue all the reuenge aunce boeth of thys Idole it selfe and you the makers therof vnto oure Lorde the liueinge God for he promyseth he wyll repayre it and so hath he doene euen from the beginninge of the worlde and yours is at hande Your boke byshopye Stephane is verie longe and tediousel and your talke subtyle that if I shoulde to your worthynesse examine euerie sentence it would not be answered in fewe wordes Yet I truste your mattier and argumentes shall be sufficiently ope ned and your popeishe herte vtterred and your sophistrie coÌ„futed in this mine answere of my fayeth and hope whiche I haue conceiued of the liueing God and his soÌ„ne Christe oure sauioure In your tenth leafe you do vehemently prouoke vnto fayeth grounded vpon the worde of God and hys omnipotencie For the omnipotencie you are alredie answered that it is no good argument to saye that because God is almighti he is a piece of bread duste asshes or such vile thynge No you do blaspheme the
Christ Think not straing that the thing is writteÌ„ in the persone of God for al truth is of god Gâ—ie pacient eare therfore vnto our God sayth as we haue done toyour deuill sayth al thys while The coÌ„plaint of God against Idolatours HEare the worde of the Lorde thou proud Babilon Thou people of Sodome spirituall Egipt heare the word of the Lord For asmoche as the lord Iesu Christ is daily crucified daily slayn daily set forth in mocking sacrifice the bloud of the testameÌ„t is trodeÌ„ vnder fote and the arke of the couenaÌ„t is driuen awaye He that despiseth the lawe of Moyses sayth the Lorde is vnder ij or iij. witnesses condemned and howe muche more shall he be punished that treadeth vnder foâ—e the sonne of god despiseth his word and doeth vnhalow the bloude of the testament whereby he was saÌ„ctified and worketh coÌ„tumeliously against the spirite of grace It is God O you prynces of Sodom that geueth sentence in thys matter Before the hygh Iudge shall you be condemned you seed of Babilon because it hath pleased God to admonishe you fyrst bi Moyses and then by the prophetes and last of al by his own sonne to turne into the way of trueth But you contrarie wise do wyllingly folow the waye of wickednes And wheras the Lord sendeth daiely for the fruite of his viniâ—â—rd â–ª you entreate his seruants at your pleasure Some of them you do beate some other you slea and that more is you do neither reuerence nor forbeare his onely begotten sonne but rageynge like men in a furye you haue with one whole consent taken him slain him and cast him out of the vyneyarde which was his own enheritaunce Heare therfore theÌ„ wicked nacioÌ„ and know that he whom thou hast caste awaye in the corner stone where vpon whatso euer buylding is stablisshed it groweth vp to be a holi temple vnto the Lord and who so euer doeth fall vpon this stone he shalbe shakeÌ„ in pieces which thynge the Iewes stoÌ„blyng vpon his humiliti do shew vnto the world to haue â–ª ben truly spoken euen lyke as the ruâ—nâ— of the gentyls shall shortly declare vpon whom 〈…〉 uer thys stone shall fal for he shal most spedily be broken to powder that the whole world mai at leÌ„gh lerne how horible a thing it is to fall into the handes of the lyuynge God whose vengaunce is sore and greuouse against his enemies Lyke as his mercy is redie towarde the chyldren of mercy the Niniuites for an example who at the preachinge of Ionas onely dyd penaunce in ashes and sakclothe and so escaped the aduengeynge haÌ„d of the almighti But you that liue now in the later ende of the worlde beynge admonishede by a thousande oracles and warninges of the prophetes threateninge battail famine an pestilence do not chaunge your wycked purpose but suffer all the wordes of Chryst his prophetes and Apostles concernynge the wrath of God in the later dayes to be spokeÌ„ in vayn No man renueth his herte no man chaungeth his maners Ther is not one that doeth good no not one But the more that your wyckednese is opened by the scripturs the more that Moyses chasteneth your malice the more earnestly that my true messengers sayeth the Lord would drawe you froÌ„ your errours so much the more fyersly you resiste my spirite boastyng forth your powre wysdom and counsels so filled wyth your owne â—…es and subtyl inuencions that you resist all spiritual knowledge and nourishe euen agaynste your conscience these gros er rours and carnal blindnesse not much vnlike vnto Cayn your forefather whiche not beynge coÌ„tented with the dignitie of the firste birth neither yet restrained bi the word of chastimeÌ„t killed his brother Abel deseruyng no suche thing at his hande I praye you what did Pharao and the Egiptians when they were admonished by Moyses and Aaron but in resisteing the opeÌ„ wil of God heap vp his displeasure against theÌ„ Herode also and the wicked phariseis alwaies persecuteynge the Iust and ascribing the workes of the spirite to the powre of Belzebub or the deuyll with sinneing against coÌ„science brought ven geaunce vpon theyr heades So doeth the world saith the Lorde alwaies striue against the spirite And this is the onely sinne that coÌ„demneth the world that I send forth the ligh of the spirite to driue awaie the darkenesse of vyce errour and men loue darkenesse more theÌ„ lyght It is my vse sayeth the Lorde allwayes to send forth my worde before I iudg the worlde that they whych with brasen forheades and IroÌ„ neckes do obstinatly opprese the trueth â–ª shoulde haue nothynge to excuse theyr synne Thus dyd I send Noe and Loth before I destroyed the worlde wyth water and the. v. cyties wyth fier Thus haue I seÌ„t my prophetes also to gyue warneynge vnto Israell and Iuda of my wrath toward them And this same ordre do I obserue coÌ„tinually like as Iam the same god to dai to morewo and for euermore And now shortly I must go into IudgmeÌ„t Wherfore morne houle Oh you wicked vpon the miseries whyche shal chaunce vnto you you I say whych are the inueÌ„ters of new Idols and the dispisers of me your euerlasteing God For your god in whom your hope resteth shal perish And wheÌ„ you shal strech forth your handes vnto heaueÌ„ yet wil I not here you saith the Lord because you haue made you Idols wyth the same handes that you lyft vp towarde me Your Idoles therfore shall be turned into sparkes of fyre your selues into stubble ther shalbe none to quentche it Once I wyl awake and not alwayes suffer so greate reproch as to be dispiced where a dead Idole whiche hath neither sense moueynge lyfe nor breath shall be receyued and embraced It is I I saye that doeth gyue lyfe and breath to al creatures it is I that lend streÌ„gh and all the natural powres whyche you do mispeÌ„d in making of your Idoles vtterly for gettynge that I am the same that made your parent Adam vnto myne owne likenes I adourned and decked hym wyth no smal gyfts Reason and iudgemeÌ„t I gaue him and ordeyned hym gouernour ouer al other creatures You haue forgotten also that immediatly after this my great mercie shewed vnto youre said parent He despising the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of me hys creatour chose rather to be subiect vnto the most vile creature of al foloyng the Idole of his owne herte thaÌ„ to cleaue firmely to my worde Thys newfound God therfore doeth vnto thys daye dwell vnder my cursse and shal do for euer and shall crepe on his breaste sucking therth in steade of his breade Yet haue I not vtterly for saken this your rebelliouse kinde at diuers and sundrie tymes Firste I called againe to my mercie the same your forefather who by the remorsse of his coÌ„science fled my sight Againe after that man kinde was encreased and wickednesse dyd growe more and more in so much that if I
reine you of that foule carion and leade you home to take heede of your maisters folde And to teache plainely what is carion we do take it to be what so euer you do bringe into the church of Christ as his religioÌ„ without hys holy worde and the liuely spirite of God The same I saye is that stinckinge carion that Paulle calleth Anathema and the prophet warneth vs we touche it not And Iohn biddeth vs that we do not so much as saye Ane and salute the bringers therof leste we be compted partakers of their iuell workes I wyll passe with silence the roten ragges and carion bones of your reliques and suche lyke ware that sauoure little of the spirite of life and of the worshipeing of god in spirite and trueth But for thys thinge we haue in hande lettinge slippe all other your vnsauourie cerimoneis and carianlyke relyques more stinckinge carion surely and more poisenfull sophistrie causeinge deathe and murren of so many soules was ther neuer in the worlde then the gloses and dreames of your idle braines about this mattier that we shal now handle as shalbe proued plainelie by the grace of the liueinge God Your termes of realities qualites accedentes and dimencions sauour nothinge of the spirite of God and therefore are they fleshe and carion The whole course of your boke labouringe to make Christe really and naturally present vnder these fourmes qualites and quaÌ„tities sauoureth of the rotten pastures and stinckinge fleshli braines of your dreameinge doctours Dunse Thomas de Aquino and petrus Lombardus Therfore is this the carion wherof we muste be ware This is the diuellishe sophistrie wherwyth the world hath bene so loÌ„g bewitched in such sorte that in the steade of the liuelie feading of their soules by the worde of God the breade of lyfe you haue filled theire eares and eies with darcke termes dombe signes and deceiueable shadowes allwaies beateinge and burninge the poreshep bleatinge a gainste the filthy stinckinge carion of your popeishe and I dolatrouse tradicions What other thinge let all men iudge betwexte vs are these sophisticall termes of realitie quantitie accedentes dimentions and alteracions whyche are the onely foundacion of your boke and the establishement of thys fleshly doctrine but the vsuall termes of the subtile sophistes of Cambrige and exforde and the Sorbonistes of parise They can not be founde in the bokes of the holy spirite of the holy scripture of God â–ª and therfor are they fleshely sophistrie and stinckeinge carion Thys your boke all grounded vpon man which is but flesh vpon the darcke sentences and blind termes of blind teachers as Iohn Damascene and such other can be likened to nothinge so well as to carion The whiche mattier is picked out of the maister of the sentences or carionouse sophismes chouse whether you wyl call hym And where you woulde seme to be most spirituall about the words of Christ Hoc est corpus meum ther you are all to gether carnalle and fleshly You wil haue a carnall chaunge a carnal presence a carnall sacrifice A piece of paste as we saye fleshe and bloude as we saye to be carnally worshipped wyth fonde gestures A creature to be made the creatoure A vile cake to be made God and man Which doctrine beinge examined by the spirite of God the triar of all trueth shalbe founde Idolatrouse carion The residue of your preface would haue vs captiue to you Christes vikeres to your doctours and mainteners These haue you alwayes heretofore called the churche of Rome But nowe that you maye deceiue if it be possible the verie electe by a false name calling it Christes church But in verie dede it is the sinnagog of Sathan and the church of Antichriste because you are in liueinge so contrarie to Christe and because you set â–ª and establish therin the ceremonies of Antichrist and bannishe the pore shepe from the worde of theyr shepherde seldome or neuer preacheinge vnto them Christe but your owne baggage nor yet sufferinge the pore lambes to reade and feade of hys worde and pasture But we all are not so folishe thus to be enchaunted We haue Iesu Christe before oure eies crucified by your predicessours which boasted them selues to be the church â–ª Whome alone we learne to knowe to heare and to folowe nowe in these latter daies because your fathers boeth of Rome and of Englande haue led vs out of the waye vn whoreinge in to Babilon and haue hitherto taught vs to worshipe suche thinges as by their nature are no goddes But nowe seing that we knowe God yea rather seinge that we are knowne of God we wil not returne agayne to your weake Idoles and your beggerie ceremonies to the whiche you woulde haue vs slaues and do seruice a freshe But marke and take it for an answere We haue begone in the spirite and we nether wyll nor can be made perfite by the fleshe We wyll make subiecte our senses and captiue our vnderstandinge to all trueth of goddes holy word but to no lies of your idle braines and couetous conspiracie We are no longer vnder the schole of your popeish tradicions for we are all the children of God because we haue beleaued in Christe Iesu For so many of vs sayeth Paulle as are baptised we are clade with Christe so that there is no Iewe nor Greke no exception of yoman from Ientleman or man from womaÌ„ but wee are all one in Iesu Christe Therfore wil we staÌ„d in the liberti wherin Christ hath deliuered vs and we wyll no more be wrapped with your seruile bondage knowinge that whoso trobleth vs shal receiue his iudgement who so euer he be Therefore all the fruites of the fleshe and al the workes of darckenesse set a parte adulterie Idolatrie and suche like we will walke in the workes of the spirite loue Ioye peace gentlenesse liberalitie goodnesse faith mildenesse and sobrenesse And we wil glorie in nothinge â—aue onely in the crose of oure Lorde Iesu Christ by whome the worlde is crucified vnto vs and we vnto the worlde beinge fully parswaded that Christe is the good shepeherde that putteth his soule for his shepe and that al you bishopes are but hirlinges workyng for wages whiche scatter the fâ—oke barcke not for the shâ—pe But he knoweth his shepe and is knowne of them His voice onely wil they heare hym onely wyll they folow and he onely geueth vnto them euerlasting lyfe they shall neuer perish No man shal be able to take them out of his hande for his father and he be all one Thus are we beinge grounded vppon oure heade and maister Christ by faieth the very true church of Christe againste the whyche the gates of hel can not preuaile ⧠An answere concerneinge the true vnderstandeinge and wisdoÌ„e that God geueth to all men that aske it in sure fayeth wherin is declared the true vnderstandinge of these wordes Hoc est corpus meum Winchesters text THe first chiefe and principall point of
fleshe profiteth nothinge thought it were eaten euerie meÌ„bre after other But the spirite giueth life Who leadeth vs to the fode that bringeth lyfe euerlasteinge And thus by the spirite whiche onely isprofitable we vnder stande these wordes Take and eate thys is my bodie which is giuen for you That like as I geue the bread to be eaten wyth the bodilie tethe so do I geue mi bodie to be eaten bi faith and that of the spirite For nowe shal it be geuen vnto the death that you maye haue lyfe And thus is my fleshe verie meate and my bodie breade and fode whiche maye be taken and receiued onely spiritually and not carnally bodilie or really In lyke maner therfore as you do bodilie take this brad at my hande eate it wyth your mouth and so receiue it into your stomake and bodie for the fode and sustentacion of your naturall lyfe so muste â–ª you by fayth the onely meane wherby ye maye eate or haue me present vpon erth receiue my body beleueing that my bodie is geuen for you that where you were deade frome God by your synnes I haue brought youfurth to leue in good workes vnto my father who compteth you nowe aâ—… children an heâ—ers prepared to euerlasteingâ—… lyfe so many as belieue truste in my deathâ—… Thus doeth Christe geue the breade to bâ—… eaten bodily with the mouth but hys bodiâ—… to be eaten spiritually in the spirite by faith And thys is it that good byshop Augustine sayeth What doest thou prepare thy teeth and thy bealiâ—… Beleue and thou haste eaten It is fleshe as I haue saied before what so euer bringeh not lyfe and therfore it profiteth nothing so ar al things that ar don without faith wherfore if christ might be eaten with the mouth as he might be in dede if he were bodilie in the breade which boeth fayethfull and vnfaythful do eate then myght Christe be eaten wythout fruite whiche is contrarie to the manifeste worde of God which affirmeth that who so euer eateth him hath euerlasteinge lyfe We do conclude therefore that there is but one onely eateinge of the bodie of Christ whyche is perceiued of the faythfull onely none otherwyse then these wordes whyche is geuen for you and whyche is shed for the remission of sinnes are proper and peculiar vnto them onely And to tell you somewhat of your sophistrie WhaÌ„ you reasone in this wyse Thys is the bodie of Christe therfore 〈◊〉 is naturally really and bodily hys bodie It is a fallax or deceiueable argument of sophistrie affirminge that simpliciter quod est modo aliquâ— Thys câ—n euerie sophiste of Cambridge tell you And we knowe that it is small reasone to conclude that Iohn baptist was thâ— same Elias that was dead many hundred yeres before hys tyme because Christe saâ—ed that he was Elias except we shoulde be of the opinion of the fonde Phylosophers who helde that the soules of men departed went into other newe bodies and so coÌ„tinued stil immortal In like maner whaÌ„ Iosephe saieth that the. vii fatte oxen are vii good yeres and the. vii leane one 〈◊〉 vii yuell yeres â–ª we maye not coÌ„clude that oxâ— or â—ieÌ„ aâ— natural yeres More ouer wheÌ„ Christ saieth that the worde of God is a sede it is but a slender argument to saye therfore it is a bodylye sede An hundred suche places maye be brought And yet if thei can bring but one place where God hath sayed This is such a thynge and woulde haue at corporally so to be I wyll gladly geue place vnto them thoughe it be so that the thynge do not appeare to be as God hath sayed it is But I do know â—…m certaine in my beliefe that al the workes of the Lorde be trueth And as he hath sayed that they be so shall they be and are in dede either in spirite or else in the sight of all men bodilie ¶ An answere coÌ„cerneing the knowledge of The seÌ„ses and a declaracion of al the. xii Articles of the fayth whyche euerie true Christian man muste beleue in herte and Confesse wyth moUth THus far haue I brought in mi faith plainely contrarie to no place of scripture except you call Your gloses scripture And where I myght haue your owne doctours to confirme the same yet wyll I not stir contencion so farre Knoweinge that no thynge hath bene so popeishlie thaught neither worshiping of Images and Idoles praieing to saintes and fond pilgrimages nor yet monasteries monkes purgatorie and the poppe hym selfe but it hath bene by theÌ„ and their subtile argumeÌ„tes diuised and by their writeinges set forth and maintained Wyth dainger therfore haue we folowed them ouer long But nowe you maye not thyncke styll to leade vs captiues from Christe whome we loke for spedilye to come into iudgement wyth vs when we shalbe iudged by his word and not by their writeinges We haue folowed you to longe beinge but blynde guides gropeinge after your blynde wayes in the darcke wythout wit reasone or faith but onely because your holie father of Rome and that holie mother churche dyd so belieue and teach and nowe at lengh as our holy mother church of Englande doeth leade and therfore maye you worthyly cal vs as you do beastely blinde and therfore far from the knowledge of our religion But nowe that your father is fallen and weseke for our father in heauen desireinge hys kingedom to come vpon the erthe and praieing for the foode of our soules his heauenly breade whiche you haue so longe banished and neither woulde your selfe enter into his kingedome nor suffer them that woulde to enter accordeinge to the sayeinge of Christe our sauioure we knoweynge that what so euer is not of fayth is sinne and that fayth is of heareynge not of you Byshoppes and your doctours but of the worde of God whyche can deceiue no man nor yet be deceiued desire and require you to beate into oure heades no longer as articles of oure faith your chaunge of suâ—… staâ—… your accidentes qualities and quaÌ„tities in fourme and vnder the fourme of dreade to go awaye from it when the bread musteth and brenneth you knowe not how For thys your answere is an euident argument that you knowe as little howe it came ther. And thinke not much I praie you that we do in thys mattier â—…ye your crafte â—…d falsehode not onely wyth scriptures but also wyth oure reasones and outwarâ—e senses The whyche three that is to saye Fayeth grownded vpon the worde of God reasone that caâ—â—e not be resisted and the senses as sight tasteinge smellinge and felinge which can by no learneinge but by your schole be deceiued Yet you woulde haue vs wholely captiuated vnto you in all these thinges that you might leade vs wher you lyste to make vnseÌ„sible chauÌ„g where you blowe and blesse crosse and kisse No faile in thynges far distant as is the â–ª sinne moue and sterres and diuers other thynges he senses maye
needfull that you bishoppes whiche buyld your selues a newe churche cleane coutrarâ— both in life and learning vnto the church oâ— Christ shoulde haue al thinges newe chaunged both rites or ceremonies wordes thâ— thynges them selues and their names Anâ— yet in the. xiiij leafe you saye thus The true churche hath taughte playnelyâ— that the substaunce of bread is chaunged inâ—… to the substaunce of Christes naturall body Is it not the churche of Rome that you meane I am sure it is For vnto suche tyme as your holy father Bonifacius and Innocentius Byshoppes of Rome became the vniuersal heades and fathers and their stout chaÌ„pion Peter the LoÌ„barde and other worldly clerkes blynded wyth ambitiou and bewitched wyth schole learnyng and such like doctrine of the Deuyll Sophistrie and contentious babblynge thys chaunge of substaunces was neuer imagined But cleane coÌ„trary wyse The true churche euen from the begynnyng hath fed of the spirituall meate that folowed them that is hath had their coÌ„forte in Christe beinge the lambe all readie slayne before the begynnynge of the worlde The promysed seede of the woman who should breake the serpentes heade The seede in whom all nations of the earth shoulde be blessed They haue I say by their fayth eateÌ„ the same spiritual meate and druÌ„ckeÌ„ the same spiritual drynke and therfore haue ben fedde wyth thys onely fode of the soule and haue gotten the forgyuenes of their synnes and therefore lyfe euerlastyng by the same fayth in the death of Christe that we haue Who if he be a sufficient Sauiour in that he dyd come in the fleshe and thereby onely taketh away sinne you shal neuer driue vs to seeke him as a sauiour rauÌ„some for syn in your â—oÌ„iured bread vnseÌ„sible chauÌ„ge of substaÌ„ce This spiritual feadeinge of Christ crucifiede you maye learne in Augustine Chrisostome and all the olde doctours saueinge that some of theÌ„ in al thinges that they wyl magnifie do speake so at learge that they open many holes to subtile sophisters to establyshe their craftilie inuented sophismes of sacrifice and realitie And some of them slide from the spirite to the fleshe both in this and other mattiers ¶ A declaracion of the true churche what sorte of people haue bene the same church euen from the beginninge TO trie therfore thys true churche which hath coÌ„tinued in the doctrine not of the fleshe but of the spirite euen froÌ„ the the beginninge Who also did not knowe any other waye to heauen then Christe not eaten fleshe bloud and bones but hoped for and beleaued vpon to be the light of the heathen the glorie of Israell and the saluacion of the whole worlde That like as by fleshe and by man euen the firste man Adam all the worlde was loste and deade so by Christe takinge the flesh of man named the secound Adame all shoulde be saued and haue life Vnderstande that the true church hath alwayes had this belife of Christe Firste that he was to come and nowe that he is come in the fourme of maÌ„ in none other fourme of any other creature And thys church though it were alwaies a little flocke as Christ our heade calleth it yet was it neuer destitute either of thys spiritual knoweledge or yet of trwe teachers and maintainers of the same But God allwaies of his goodnes hath continually stirred vp his faithful witnesses of his trueth to the coÌ„deÌ„nacion of the world whiche canne go no farther then the fleshe leadeth Firste had we Adame who liued many yeres after Abel was slaine and taught hys posteritie of this sede promised by God For he perceiued by the death of thys innocent that â–ª a lambe should be slaine as Iohn sayth he was Nain euen from the beginuing of the worlde and dyd firmely belieue because of the promise made that by the sede of the womaÌ„ and none other creature the heade of the serpent should be broken After these we had Seth Enoch Mathusalem Noe and Sem. After them or rather in the time of Sem so sone as wickednes did beginne to springe againe God sent faithful Abraham taught him the sacrifice of his soÌ„ne Christ In whom taking the nature of man and so offred a sacrifice vnto his father lest we should seke any other sacrifice but Christ comeyng in the flesh and dieyng for vs in the same the true faith hath this only foundacion Than folowed Isac Iacobe and Iosephe Men taken forth of their own kinredes and â—ontries and but a fewe and smal numbre in regarde of the greate multitude that myght be laied against theÌ„ if any multitude might appres the truth yet did they spread leaue behinde them the true trade of the spirituall worship of God and full trust in him onely vnto the worldes foloweinge Than whan Ioseph was almost forgotteÌ„ not of the faith full but of the Egiptians God stirred vp Moyses and he teacheth plainely that the lorde shal raise vp a man euen like him and he that wyll not heare hym shall dye Thus teacheth he lyfe by the spiritual â–ª eating of Christe that is to saye by the hearinge of his worde and receiueinge hym into oure hertes by saieth acknoweledgeing that by the deathe of hys fleshe all fleshe liueth Yet for all the wonderfull worckes that this Moses wroughte for al the plain teacheinges that he taughte so that he was worthyly called the faithfull minister of the house of God onely Iosue and Caleb are alowed of God amonge the greate nombre of manye thousandes that Moyses led that it maye clearely appeare that many are called and fewe founde fayethfull witnesses of the trueth to his chosen churche which hangeth onely on the hande of the liueinge God not regardeing fleshe or any outward thing but onely the worcke of the spirite and the promise to be perfourmed bi Christ GOD and manne in all thynges After all these God sterred vp Gedeon the beater downe of Idolatrie and other such iudges vnto the time of Samuel Dauid and Elias who made hys complainte sayeinge Lorde they haue destroyed thine altares and slayne thy Prophetes and I am lefte alone and they seke my life In this mannes steade was Eliseus taken from the 〈◊〉 low to be an ernest witnesse After him folowed Esaias and streighte after him Hiereâ—…ias Than Daniell and after hym Zacharias Onias and the faythfull wittnesses of the Machabees Than Simion Zacharias and Iohn Baptiste who alwayes called vppon the liuing God and trusted vpon hym so that no manne can deny me but that thys your God impanate is your God onely whom our fathers knewe not at any time Worthy therfore is he to be stoned to death that teacheth anye suche newe God to the posterietie All these had the same spirituall meate and the same spirituall drincke for the refreshing of their soules that we nowe haue because they were of the true church whereof Christ is the heade of whom as of the first begotten all spirituall kinreddes haue theyr
sensibly conteined except you wyl folowe theyr scholes that can when they lyft haue a be in a boxe or coniure a spirite into a bote But these are vanities and your argument is froÌ„ one contrarie to an other not from one like to an other for the bodie and spirite are â—ontraries and haue cotrarye propreties ⧠Of the quotidian miracles wherin iâ—… opened Escam se dedit FInally to make an ende of your Chapâ—… which is spent in settinge forth of coâ—…une and quotidian miracles as the alteracion and dissolueinge of stones in the earth to norishe the corne and sede and such like which are compted no miracles beâ—…cause thei are so common it maketh cleare agaynst you For if these thynges be well worthy to be had in admiracion as they are in dede yet for their continuall course and re course no man compteth theÌ„ as miracles or wonders Howe much more vanitie and foÌ„dnesse is it to compt those things for miracles which no man can either se fele or perceiue Whyche neyther can be taught by reasone nor bi seriptures to be miracles or wonders but are the imaginacions of Idle brayues whiche by such faiâ—ed miracles would maintaine their owne holines â–ª Histories do witnes that Hildebrande otherwise called Gregorie the. vii commanded a faste for iii. dayes that thys miracle myght appeare in hys kynde But the mattier was concluded without anireuelacion A lyke tale is ther written in your popeish boke Idlay that shoulde be done at haye aâ—… â—…aye in Sussex But remeÌ„bre alwaies dear brethren that Antichrist shall come wyth beâ—…yed myracles and wonders wyth al powre after the workeynge of the deuyll and disceit fullnesse of vnryghtfulnesse The text that you brynge in Memoriam â—…irabilium suorum â—t escam se dedit smelleth of the porteous wher the psalmes are so corrupted that if dauid that made them were vpon the earthe he woulde not â–ª acknowledge them to be hys The lyuely spirite of the prophet is so far gone frome them and suche aconfuse barbarouse stainmeringe is almost in them all In the hebrue the wordes ar these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In englyshe he made a memorie of hys maruaylouse workes The lord is gracious and mercifull he dyd gyue a praye to them that feared him And he wyl remeÌ„bre hys couenaÌ„t for euer This psalme is written of the wonderful worckes of God whiche he wrought in destroieyng the Egiptians and saueyng the Israelytes where in appeareth a perpetual memory to be made of hys powre iustice and mercie As for any fedeing of them carnally and bodily with him selfe neyther the Israelites nor yet â–ª Dauid knewe any suche But onely they all dranke of the spiritualâ—… stoue that folowed theÌ„ the ston was Chriâ—… And the worde which is traunslated in laâ—… esca in englishe meate doth signifie a spoyle or a praye whych agreeth verie well to the rych spoyle that God gaue to the Israelyteâ— at theyr departynge out of Egypt Thus may euery man that hath eyes se how they wreaste all thynges for theyr purpose And thoughe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be sometyme translated esca because in the olde time they did get their meate by praye yet do the papistes falsely corrupt thys text For they reade in theyr porâ—…teous EscaÌ„ se dedit He gaue hym selfe meatâ—… And you bishopes allegyng it for your purpose are far deceiued As for the exposicion of the scriptures though you do accuse vs ther in euen as we wyll answer before God at the great and dredful day we haue brought them forth playnly in the same wordes and sens that they were spoken neither by craft wreasted nor bi ignoraunce adulterated as many of yours may sone be proued and that welmost thorowout the whole porteous and masse boke where they be wholly disfygured The lyuyng God â—e Iudge betwene vs in thys crime as he wyll I doubte not The voâ—istes whoÌ„ you deride I do not mayntayne in theyr seuses concernynge the spirituall vnderstandynge of the scriptures not beinge yet clearely opened and exercised but in the hertes and consciences whereby they dyd grudge and were offended at the open blasphemies and Idolatrie that they sawe maynteyned and therefore went about accordynge to the measure of theyr knowlege to reforme errours Wherfore though they dyd fayle because the tyme of cleare lyghte was not yet come and God worketh his worke by certeyne degrees yet so longe as they professe Christ to be come in the flesh and agree wyth vs in the. xii articles of oure fayth we muste acknowledge them as oure brethren not deridynge their simplicitie but releauinge their ignoraunce and weakenesse wyth our wysedome and learnynge as we our selues woulde desire to be handled For if we shoulde haue ben cast awaye when we were ignoraunt howe shoulde we haue come to knowledge Their mattier I do not defende But in that you woulde oppresse vs wyth their ignoraunce it semeth rather sophistrie then any substantiall argument Returne you therefore vnto our interpretation in the begynnyng and the declaration of our faytâ— whyche you are not able to coÌ„fute and lay not other mennes ignoraunce to our charge And knowe that God though he haue a longe tyme suffered your ignorauÌ„ce and Idolatrie yet nowe doeth he sendâ— you warnyng to repent shewyng hys light euen vnto the vnlearned and to lytle babes For nowe is the tyme at hand when Christ â–ª God and man shal come downe from heaueÌ„ with glorious maiestie whom you hang vp in a hand if it be al true that you say ful vn reuerently Whom euery whoremonger and sodomite feareth not to handle yea and to bragge abrode that they make hym and sacrifice hym when they lust He shall come I say ryght shortly to make the wicked tremble and quake for this contempt whiche shal then be confessed ¶ The playne openyng of this text Do this in the remembraunce of me and other textes of the scripture DO this in the remembraunce of me doth much busye your braynes O bishop and first for that you bring in the Deuyl lurkynge in so lytle a word as but you make vs to suspect that he maye lurke in a byshop especially if we can proue that you byshops ought to be the angels of lyght and some of you are nowe be come both in learnyng and liuyng the stout souldiours of Sathan breathyng furth nothyng oute at your mouthe but the Deuyll sayth it when you your selfe teach nothynge in a maner but Idolatry and deuylyshe doctâ—yne For what thyng I pray you aunswer if you dare for shame is there in the worlde or hath bene at any tyme concernynge anye deuylishe doctrine but Bishops haue defended itâ—… In liuynge when you saye Christ must bee preached Byshoppes arâ— so abhominable and so contrary to Christ that ether Christ and his Apostles which thyng is horible to be imagined or else you proude byshoppes are the deuyls dearlynges Whoso lusteth to compare the texte and open worde to your
interpretations and similitudes shal sone perceine your gloses to be of smale knoledge For Paule knowyng that suche shoulde come after hym as woulde not suffer holesome doctryne expouneth his owne wordes strayght wayes declaryng them to be of the outward remembraunce of Christes death which is doone in this Sacramente as in all other bothe of the olde Testamente and of the newe and not of the inwarde memorie must be continual at al tymes and not in the eating of this bread only So oft as you eate thâ—s bread and drinke this cup sayth Paule you shewe forth the death of the Lorde to the tyme that he come as Erasmus doeth translate it and after the olde translation you shal shewe furth the death The greke worde â–ª 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 causeth thys ambiguitie For it may be either the present tyme of the indicatyue or the present of the imparatiue commaundyng the memorie to be done And so agreeth it wyth Luke Do thys in the remeÌ„braunce of me So agreeth it with the passeouer in whose steede we haue it for they had speciall commaundemente of lyke remembraunce of the worke of God Thus agreeth it wyth diuers other commaundementes for the merueylous worke of God to be had in memorie as appeareth by Iosue the. iiij and Erod xiiii And vpon these are the verses of Dauid knowen to be true Great are the workes of the Lorde and worthy to be searched furth that all delite and pleasure maye be in them Glorie and maiestie are his workes and his ryghtuousnes remayneth for euer He made a memoriall of his workes etc. The Hebrues do vse the imparatyue for the future tens of whose phraces the newe testament is full Thys memorie of the workes of God and highe estimation of his loueinge mercies ought to be had in perpetual remembraunce therfore doth Dauid brast furth into suche wordes by the vehemeÌ„cie of the spirite saying Oh al you seruauÌ„tes of the Lorde praise you the Lorde Optabilis laus eius Psalme Cxlvii His praise is to be wished and desired and therfore we desire praye that his name may be sanctified hallowed renowmed and praysed Sanctificetur nomen tuum Ex ore infantium et lactantium perfecisti laudem The prophete truly instructed by the spirite of God knoweth that he hath made perfecte his prayse by the mouth of infautes suckelynges and babes and therefore byddeth he that yonge men and maydens olde men and childreÌ„ should prayse the name of the Lorde sayinge that this prayse becometh all his holions It was the course of the olde testameÌ„t and the Iewes vse the same at thys daye that the whole congregation shoulde after the lawe and prophetes reade vnto them acknowledge theyr synnes and gyue thankes for theyr beuefiâ—es or elles promise to do the thynges commaunded and wyth one herte and mouth thus glorifie God And the same ordre continued amongest vs tyl suche tyme as you byshoppes by your arrogant ignoraunce dyd shutte vp the kyngdome of heauen whiche standeth chiefely in the renowmynge praysynge and glorifiynge of God and neither woulde entre in your selues no suffre them that woulde entre Paule alloweth thys generall praysynge and preachyng of Christes benifites and woÌ„ derous workes saying So oft as you come together euery one of you hath a songe hath a doctrine hath a tonge hath a reuelation hath an interpretation Agayne you maye all prophecie one by one that al may learne and al maye haue conforte But bishoppes wyll none of thys It is ynough say you to haue it done once for all it needeth not to be done againe Yea you wyll not haue it done at all You wyl haue vs muÌ„ble al our life longe in a blinde and vnknowne laÌ„guage But the sermon and preaching and shewing furth of the lordes death muste be in our liuing after the exeÌ„ple of the bishoppes and prelates in loue charitie and the contempt of the worlde Not in makynge a sermon wyth the tonge declaring howe Christe died for vs. Oh blynde guides you oughte to wishe that the name of God and the special worke of his mercies in the death of his sonne Christe mighte be moste largely renowmed praised and sanctified in the coÌ„gregation not only by the mouth of sucklinges and babes by the lowest by the highest by the smallest by the greateste but if it were possible that the very stones should brast furth his praise And wheras we are all to slacke and negligeÌ„t in reÌ„dering thankes for this great benifit that we haue thorow the death of Christ good bishoppes woulde encourage vs and steare vp this heauy slackenes in vs callyng vpoÌ„ vs to be thankeful But coÌ„trariwise you discourage vs so muche as you can possibly commaundinge that we shall not euery man preache furth the Lordes death in this moste worthy sacrameÌ„t but in steede therof you do by your coÌ„maâ—â—demeÌ„t establishe your Idolatrous sacrifice wherwith we must be fully contented and satisfied and not so hardy as once to demaunde in it any one worde to be spokeÌ„ to the edification of the vnlearned So that your bishoppe Deuyll lurketh in thys worde not more wickedly working his purpose to put to silence the death of Christe theÌ„ in the greatest but that euer was made Howe be it if we myghte opteyne of our noble Prince as no doubte we shall if your Deuyll do not ouer renne all together if we myghte opteyne I saye the thynge that Paule commaundeth that nothynge shoulde be spoken in straunge language in the congregation wythout an enterpretoure that we myghte all wyth knowledge and not wyth blynde mumblynge matteâ—s worship god gyue glorie to his name your Idol woulde wax so sicke Idoubte not that you should staÌ„de nede of some expert maister of phisicke to see his water Doctour Buttes if he were on lyue coulde do it ryght well Where as you deride thys thynge that euerie man shoulde make a sermon I wyshe that euery man coulde do it and wyll exhort them that can do it eneÌ„ for the loue of God that they do it more diligently For I do nothynge feare that they wyll be ouer ready to the thinge that is good No I haue dwelled fully seuen yeres in a place where I neuer hearde sermon But for the declaration of the text vnderstande that we do not thynke euery maÌ„ bounden and coÌ„maunded to make a sermoÌ„ but to reioyce blesse God Which is all one borowed of the Hebrue language to acknowledge in our herte and if occasion to profite the coÌ„gregation or the ordre of the churche and assemble do permitte it to confesse wyth the mouth the death and benifite of Christe and generally to gyuâ— thankeâ— together in comlinesse and ordre that by the multitude thus praysyng and gyuing thankes the honoure of God maye be amplified and we the better reseÌ„ble that heauenly HierusaleÌ„ where they do incessantly syng praise criynge wyth one voice Sanctus sanctus that is holye holy holy And
and truth wil I be worshiped And suche worshipers do I seke as with pure mindes flye vp aboue the heauens and wishe that myne impere and kingdome maye be delated and my name helowed and renowâ—â—ed celebrated and prased in al though al creatures Such worshipers I saie do I seke as can coÌ„prehend and perceiue Christ sitting â–ª at my right hand and wyll seke hym without the helpe of any creature These worshipar wyll I regarde and to their sacrifices wil I haue respect For their high bishop hath an euerlasting priesthod wherbi he may fully saue al theÌ„ that wil com vnto me by him whom I haue made the gouernour of holy thynges and of the true ta bernacle which I my selfe and not man haue made which must therfore be coÌ„prehended receiued without the help of any creature vpon earth neither must these worshipers seke Christe here nor ther nor renne after him in anie places vpon earth where any man shall name him to be Muche lesse shall these true worshipers seke me the incomprehensible God tyed to any one place or creature for heauen is mi seate and thearth my fotestole euen as my prophete Esaie dyd witnesse vnto you when he demaunded what house you wold build vnto me or what place I woulde reste in seinge that my hande hath made all My seruaunt Paule also hath sayed vnto you that I the Lorde God haue made the worlde and al that is therin yea the heauens also haue I made howe shoulde it be theÌ„ that I might dwell in temples made with mans hande who is one of the creatures that I my selfe haue made And eueÌ„ as I dwell not in the temples made with mans hand so am I not worshiped wyth the workes of mans haÌ„d as once standing nede of any thinge For I the Lord geue breath to al liuing thynges and haue of one bloude made al the kinde of man and haue caused hym to spread ouer the whole face of earth appointinge prescript tymes and limeting the borders of their dwellynges that they maye seeke me theyr God and trye whether they can by gropeing find me Yet not withstandeinge I am not far froÌ„ euerye one of you For through me you are do lyue and are moued So that ther is no ignoraunce canne excuse you because you nede not â—o secke my kyngedome farther then in your selues And to ressemble my Godly powre and worshippe wyth golde siluer stone or ani other creatture named and coÌ„uerted into the stead of me the onelie and almightie your god you shall not be excused â—i any ignoraunce for by my workes you maie knowe me from my worckes and much more from your owne worckes If you therfore can not be able resemble my godlie powre by any of your Imaginacions howe muche lesse able shal you be to shet vp me the immortal immensurable and incomprehensible God whom the heauen of heauens is not able to conteine in a little box of golde siluer or any other meatall in breade wine or any other creature setteinge vp a newe and strainge I dole of the whiche neyther you nor your fathers haue hearde one worde of my mouth imagineinge a strange worship of your own Idle braines not withstandeinge that my sonne Christe doeth crie agaynst you sayeinge In vaine do you worshipe me teacheinge the doctrines and preceptes of men His most fayethful seruauntes also ceased not to threaten sharpe plages vnto all them that shoulde adde to or take fro chaunge or alter any one worde of all that theye had receiued of their Lorde the father of spirites Wherfore because your fathers haue for saken me and folowed strange gods serued them and worshiped them they haue forsaken me â–ª and my lawe haue they not kept And you haue done worsse theÌ„ your fathers For euery one of you walketh after the wickednes of his owne herte striuinge alwaies howe you maye stop your eares agaynste my wordes and admonicions Loo therfore I wyl fyll all the inhabitauntes of the earth and the kynges which sit in their hygh thrones the preistes and the Prophetes together with drunkennes And I wyl scatter theym one brother from another and the father froÌ„ the chylde I wil not spare them nor haue pitie on them but wil vtterly destroy them Harken and geue eare and beware you do not rage for the Lord hath spokeÌ„ it Geue glory vnto the Lord your God before it wax darke and before your fete do stumble in the darke hilles when you shal loke for lyghte and lo ther is nothynge but the shadowe of death and deepe darkenesse Oh Popes and Princes and glorious Prelates high couÌ„terfait names called byshops to you al I saye whych holde the worlde in darkenes If the Morian can chaunge his skinne or the Leoparde her spottes then can you also do well suckyng wickednes with the mylke of your mothers This shalbe your charge therfore and the portion prepared for you Because you forget me and trust vnto lyes I wil disclose your thoughtes and your shame shall appeare Your lustes your lechery your wiked fornication shall I disolose Let no man praye for thys sorte of people They synne vnto death and their plages are vncurable If you faste I wyll not heare your prayers If you offre offerynges I wyll not receyue them For when you were corrected with famine you dyd not regarde it WheÌ„ you were chastened whyth the pestilence and diseases you refused al discipline Stormes teÌ„pestes and earthquakes floâ—des and breaches of the sea you count not to be sent by my haÌ„de One of you therefore shal dygge in the bealy of an other and you shall be consumed with the sworde of my furie Lo I wyll sende fishers whiche shall fâ—she after you by the sea and hunters whiche shall hunte you in euery hyll mountayne and cragy rocke For myne eyes are vpon your wayes and shortly I wyll sende my spirites whiche I haue created for a vengeaunce the fyre the stormy hayle famyne death the teeth of beastes serpentes and the sworde whiche beinge readie in my wrathfull displeasure do torment all thynges at my commaundemente and especially death bloude debate oppression tiranny and the sworde are create for the wicked and therwyth I beate downe myne enemies be they neuer so proude I the Lorde do create all these thynges that my name maye be terrible vnto the heathen and my power knowne thorowout the earth I demaunde of you O Byshoppes of my flocke I wyll aske you stande vp and gyue me answere of your wayes Is there any of your newe founde Goddes that can gyue you rayne or that can saue them selues from the tiranny if neede require Is there any of these Goddes that can saue hym selfe and his worshyppers furth of my hande when I sende fyre and the sworde vpon them Yea tell me thys rather Hath either you or your parentes founde any wyckednesse in me that you are departed from me and folowe vanities
worlde to come haueynge before their eyes all the prophetes who suffered for the trueth and all other martyrs and wytnesses whome the worlde hated and was vnworthye to haue styll amonge theim considerynge that the scriptures can not lye whych sayeth that who so euer wyll lyue godlye in Chryste shall suffer persecution all your perswasions are but vayne and of none effect For they loke onely vp into heauen for theyr rewarde where Chryste theyr heade whych suffered lykewyse at the hand of the wycked synners reproche rebukes and moste bytter tormentes spytefull shame and paynful death rayneth for euermorewith me hys father Further more where you are about to oppresse wyth the Maniches Messalyans and other sinister opinions you follow your father whose nature is to accuse the chyldrene of God You stande vp lyke Sathane our aduersarie like the deuill our accuser Frythe if you hadde suffered hym to lyue would haue ben able to haue answered you for hys boke whych is yet on lyue you are not able to confute That onely fayth whych Luther taught hath destroyed a greate parte of your popeysh kyngdome Wycklifes Wycket dyd open the waye to perceyue your wylful blindnesse Hys necessetie setteth forth the glorie of God who as he alone created all thynges in heauen earth and hel wythout the helpe of any other so by hys wisedome and powre â—…lone wythout the helpe of any creature doâ—… he gouerne and preserue all thynges orâ—…reinge euerie thynge vnto thende moste wiâ—…lye and so myghtily that no man can let the same If thys oure myghtie Lorde and maystâ—… haue by hys secrete worckes styrred our hâ—…tes to bewaile your blyndenesse and to be wrath and greued wyth your tirannye and by the same worckes long suffered you that he myght make manifeste the vesseâ—les ' of his mercie whome he hath created vnto glorie differing hys vengeaunce that you myght haue inste tyme of repentaunce suffereinge the cruell Pharaos to oppresse hys chosen and all you wycked tirantes and Lorde lyke byshopes to deride and skorne not onely theÌ„ but hys sonne Christe also yet knowe for certen that God our father doeth not leaue his worcke vnperfete and vnfinished But leke as Sathan could streach out hys hande no farther vpon Iob then God permitted and appoynted him and as the rageinge princes and wicked priestes coulde do nothynge vnto Christ but that the hand of the father had longe before appoynted for the lambe was slayne euen froÌ„e the beginning of the world lyke as the princes arisinge and rageyngâ—…gainst good his Christ can do nothing but that which his counsel hath first decreed and determined so when they haue shewed all theyr crueltie and laughed theyr fyll â–ª at the fall of the innocent he will finish his worke he wil destroy the wicked and laugh at theyr destruction The Lord shall deride and skorn them Then shall he speake to them in hys angre and in his wrath shal he ouer whelme them This is the worke of the Lord and the necessitie ineuitable Beware beware I saye that you do not suffer the aduengeing hand of God as More and other mockers haue done for wadeinge into thys secret worke of God with such lewde oppression and dirision As for vs we do accordinge to the scriptures confesse this same necessitie and gyue God our merciful father most hertie thaÌ„ks that he hath so wyselie and inyghtilye established his workes that no man or any other creature can change any one of them No not so much as to make one heare white or blake For this cause do we singe in our hertes and gyue thankes vnto God for all his workes For all the workes of the Lorde are excedynge good and conuenient in theyr due seasone Man ought not to aske what is this or what is that for at tyme conuenient they shal be founde all perfecte The workes of all flesh are before hymrand ther is nothynge hyd from hys eien He seeth from euerlasteinge vnto euerlasteinge and ther is nothing to wonderful to him Ther is no euil done in the citie but he turneth it to his glorie The vnrightuousenes of vs doeth commend hys iustyce Than may not man saye what is this or that For vnto the good all thinges are turned into good And all the â–ª wayes of the Lorde are playn and strayte vnto the Iuste but the vngodly stumble at them For the good good thinges are created euen frome the beginninge and euyl things for the vngodly All thinges necessarie for manues lyfe were created frome the begynninge water fyre Iron salt wyne oyle and clotheinge All these thinges are created to the faythfull to the best but to the vngodly all these thinges are created for vengeaunce and in theyr rigorousenesse haue they fastened theyr tormentes â–ª In the tyme of the ende they shall poure out theyr strength and pacifie the wrathe of him that made them Fire death honger hayle oppression strife swerd and bloude shedeynge noysome beastes scorpions and serpentes are created for the wicked And thoughe all flesh be troubled with such lyke miseries yet vij folde are they poured forth vpon the vngodlye And they shalbe all found redie to fulfill the commaundementes of theyr Lorde vpon the earth and wheÌ„ theyr houre measure is appointed they shall not ouer passe his coÌ„maundementes Thus may al men coÌ„sidering the works of God Iudge without wauerynge that all his workes are perfect firme stable â–ª and vnchaungeable and he worketh euerie one in due seasone and when nede is So that a man nedeth not to saie this is worsse theÌ„ that for in due seasone they are all pleasant and good Wherefore geâ—e prayse and thaÌ„kes with whole herte and mouth vnto his name whiche worketh all in al thynges after his good pleasure Agayne you saye it is a more easy thinge to lyue well then to lyue euill Ah than why wyll you not playe the good byshope and lyue well accordeynge to your callynge onlesse you intende to be more rewarded for the labourouse parte of the tyrant papyste accordeynge to your owne mockeynge doteynge But nowe haue you yet one onely thinge to saye for your selues and that is this This doctrine hath continued a thousand yeares hath be so longe maintened by our doctours If this be a good argumeÌ„t cal agayne into Englande your greate Idole the pope and all his pardons Buylde vp his monasteries and restore his Images and Idoles which haue by the pope and his church ben so long mayntened and defended with the tyranny of fyre and fagottes Yea if tyme may be preiudiciall vnto the truth by it may you maintaine the murther of Abel the Sodomiâ—rie of the fyue cyties and the Idolatrie of the Babilonians because all these thinges be of suche auncientie And because â–ª we haue nothynge that hath so longe continued in the worlde neither that hath ben so generally receyued and maintened as sinne hath bene we shall by thys reasone prefer it before vertu
prophecie agaynst you that haue the names of shepeherdes and wyll not feede his flocke with his worde but feede your selues by your craftie inuentions and cause the shepe to go astraye in the wylde mountaines of your errours Wo vnto the shepeherdes of Israell sayeth the Lorde whiche do feede them selues oughte not the flocke to be fed of the shepeherdes But you haue eaten the mylke you are clothed wyth their woll you sley that whiche is fat and feede your selues and wyl not feede my flocke You conforte not the weake you heale not the sicke you bynde not vp the broken you seeke not that whiche perisheth but wyth power and rigour do you rule ouer them Thus are my shepe scattered because they haue no shepeherde and deuoured wyth wylde beastes They go wanderynge in the mountaynes and are scattered thorowe the earth and no man doeth seeke them No man doeth seeke them I saye As truly as I do lyue sayth the Lorde God because my flocke is thus spoyled my shepe denoured whylse the shepeherdes do feede them selues and dispise my flocke Lo I my selfe wyll require my flocke at the handes of these shepeherdes and they shal neither feede my flocke nor yet them selues any loÌ„ger For I wil deliuer my flocke out of their mouthes sayeth the Lorde Thys is the talke that God the father hath thorowout the olde testament agaynste you that wyl not be coÌ„tent to feede his flocke wyth his worde onely without the sowre leuen of mannes doctrine He calleth you men fed and led with the winde of errours Idole shepeherdes yea deuouring wolfes that wyl neuer be saciate Seinge then that boeth the scriptures and your owne lyues do testifie of you that you are such rotten trees or rather poysoned stockes what fruites of heauenly doctrine shall we loke to springe from you Do men gather grapes of thornes or figges of thystles The yuyl tree caÌ„bring no good fruite Christe therefore in the newe testament and in his firste sermon gyueth vs warnyng of suche Idole shepeherdes sayinge Beware of these false prophetes whiche come to you in shepes clothynge for inwardly they are rauenyng wolfes And after that he had rebuked them that would seme to know al thynges yet could not see the tyme of their visitation callynge them Hypocrites wicked nation aduoulterouse generation that coulde not marcke or ponder the signe of Ionas the Prophete streightwaye he admonished his to take hede not of the leuen of breade but of the seuen of the doctrine of the scribes and phariseis Neither dyd he at any time rebuke so sharply as when he dyd speake of these blynde shepeherdes their doctours shewing how theido teach the traditous of meÌ„ to put the preceptes of God out of place that all their doctrine maketh for their corban and lucre that thei do all thynges to be sene of men Thus do you also folowynge the trade of your fathers For couetise worldly pompe and hypocrisie do establishe all the workes and doctrines of men that you do cal so necessarie Reade the damnation that Christ him selfe pronounceth agaynst you in the. xxiii of Mathewe Where he gyueth vs oure lesson also that we shall keepe obserue your doctrines so longe as they come furth of the seate and doctrine of Moyses But in no wyse to folowe your workes He teacheth in the beginnyng of his preachyng that oâ—les our ryghtuousnes do farre passe the ryghtuousnes of the scribes phariseis who onely were accompted the church in those dayes as you woulde be nowe we can not entre the kyngdome of God The state of the phariseis and you O bishops lest you should murmour and grudge at my playne wrytynges is in thys case of your doctrines for the feedynge of Christes â—locke all one Neither hath any of you authoritie either to make lawes or interprete the scriptures for boeth haue one strength muste be done by the same spirite you haue none authoritie I saye oâ—er the flocke further then you haue the worde of God for you And bryngynge that worde you maye saye he that despiseth you despiseth God As for thynges indifferent you muste say as Paul sayed vpon this your owne exeÌ„ple If any maÌ„ be coÌ„tentiouse the church of God knoweth no suche custome So that rather then any suche bitter contention as is nowe adayes shoulde continue it were better that all your in uentions were refused For seinge that your authoritie is gyueÌ„ to edifie by loue and charitie you maye not abuse it and destrye by bitter braulynge and cruell contention for suche thynges as were not good before you named them so nor yuyl before you did forbid them Thus do I take many of your doctrines of men to be indifferent As to stande vp at the Gospell to praye or preach bare headed to eate fishe this daye or that daye All these thynges being indifferent in their kinde that is to saye nothinge yuyll being voyed of superstition are by superstition made yuyll For that chaungeth good into yuyll Yet are the beste of these doctrines but vayne worshippe of God euen in their best vse For his worship standeth in spirite and trueth But you haue other doctrines and that verie manie that are manifestly yuyll because you do therein adulterate the worde of God as dyd the phariseis when they added their gloses to the coÌ„maundementes of God As when God sayed Thou shalte loue thy neighboure they added hate thyne enemie God sayed Thou shalte not swere but they added vnto the precepte Paye vnto the Lorde the thynge that thou swearest Agayne dyd not the olde pharisies wyth their sowre leueÌ„ whiche is Hypocrisie make vnpleasante and vnsauerie the two speciall workes of the newe man Fastynge and prayer Dyd not Christe hym selfe continually rebuke them because thei brake the commaundementes of God for their owne traditions doctrines where God the father had giuen commaunmente to honoure father and mother they cryed for their gayne their corban and offerynges Where God asketh the whole herte and thereof onely measureth all oure doinges their teachynge is to worshippe wyth the lippes though the herte be farre from me sayeth the Lorde by his Prophete In vayne therefore do they worshippe teachynge the doctrines as preceptes of men The whiche doctrines syth their firste bebyâ—â—ynge the true Prophetes of Christe seekynge the onely honour of God haue froÌ„ time to time laboured to coÌ„fute to restore to their worthiâ—es the preceptes of God his holie coÌ„mauÌ„dementes which euer more amongest hypocrites haue ben in small reputation in comparison of their owne inuentions In somuch that all these Prophetes whom God sent to beate downe the blynde errours of mennes dreames were hated persecuted from Citie to Citie scourged slayne and crucifyed So that all the bloude of the iuste whiche was and shall be shed vpon the earth from Abell to the worldes ende maye be heaped vpon the Hypocrites in the