scysmatyques and obstynate Papistes yf they shuld not reade soche pratye Poesyes amonge Lete no manne thinke other wyse but that Pantolabus and soche other inteÌ„deth sumwhat by soche subtyle workemanshippe The Bisshopes winketh at it as though there were in it non heresye whan it is all stinkinge heresye by their owne confession They are wele contented whaÌ„ they playe soch bussye partes and wyll not be acknowe of it but leteth them alone If anye of them leape so farre that he is hanged vp for treason they care lyttle for it for they thinke thy haue so lost but a knaue 3 After a farre fett style and curyouslye compassed processe cometh Pantolabus at the last to his full desyre Exhortynge all menne to praye here for the kynge with as lyttle true deuocion as he that myndeth nothynge lesse And yt maketh no matter neyther For moche better yt is to be vnprayed for than to be prayed for out of stynkynge heresye as all their Papistrye is non other The prayer which ought to be made for kynges for them that are in auctoryte ought to aryse of the sacred scripturs whereof they haue their auctorytees and not out of sâ—ynkynge heresye as yt is here requyred Saynt Paule exhorted Timothe which was no papistycall masse sayer but a preacher of the Gospell sufferynge daylye persecucions for the same before all other thynges to praye for kynges and for all other which were in hyghe power that Christes disciples and true beleuers myght lyue vndre them a peaceable lyfe in all godlynesse And this is our prayer also with contynuall teares Wherin we desyre the lorde for his eternall mercyes sake alwayes to preserue him But oute of stynkynge heresyes we praye not for him neyther out of Mattenses nor Masses eueÌ„songes nor complynes which are the verye frutes of the Beast of Rome least we shulde by those blasphemouse prayers brynge vpon him the great indignacion of God The frutes are euermore all one with their tree in goodnesse as those fylthye obseruacions with their first fylthye begynner haue they neuer so fayre colours of gods seruice gods owne worde Christes Gospell the vtteraâ—â—ce of his name with soche other yet are they abhomynacions vnspekeable after that ydo latrouse handelyâ—ge 4 So farre are these blynde Papistes from the true sprete of Christ that nothynge they ryghtlye vnderstande of the scripturs This text of Dauid Domine in virtute tuâ—â—letâ—bitur rex super salutare tuum exulâ—abit vehementer Perteyneth alone vnto Christ and not to anye earthlye kynge For in that whole Psalme is described his triuÌ„phaunt glorye with his reuengement ouer them w t hath him persecuted of cruell hate spyght Christes humanyte is it that is so ioyfull of the strengthe that yt hath gotten which is the Godhede That is yt which reioyseth so ernestlye is so excedynge glady for the sauynge helthe of mankynde which yt hath by y â— gyft of God obtayned He hath his hartes desyre with the ful request of his lyppes which is the eternall mercye of the Lorde That manhode was preuented with lyberall blessynges now yt hath a crowne of immortalyte He axed lyfe for him and for his lyfe was geuen him for euer and euer Magna est gloria eius in salutari tuo c. His glorye is great Lorde sayth Dauid in that sauynge helthe and compassed he is now of the w t eternall felycite Soche mockers as is Pantolabus shall ones fele his hande ones will he fynde out all them that so spyghtfullye hateth him As an hote kyndeled ouen shall they at that daye apere the fyre euerlastynge will deuoure them for euer â—ot ashamed is this dissemblynge mocker and pestylent hypocrite in his glosynge flat teryes ydolatrouslye to abuse his Prince For what is ydolatrye els but a worshyppe geuen to a creature which peculyarlye belongeth vnto God And full therof is all the seruyce homages and doynges of the Papistes the Lorde ones delyuer all Christen princes from them A mysterye 1 And the quene also Vvhere so euer she go 2 And for the sauegarde Of oure prince Edvvarde 3 Vvhom I praye Iesu Longe to contyne vve Amen The openinge 1. ERnest is Pantolabus yet styll in requestes sprynggynge out of his gentyll Genealogye of stynkynge heresye For therin he homblye requyreth all these thynges by his owne confessyon afore Herin he desyereth the dilygent readers of his worke to praye for the quene also which was sumtyme called the ladye kateryne howarde He shulde seme to be some blynde chaplayne of hers by the blynde zele he sheweth here For he wolde haue her remembred where so euer she go in the waye or out of the waye Trulye that prayer were of a straunge kynde yf yt shuld so be made as yt is here requyred Who hath harde prayers made for menne to go where they will or whan they are out of the ryght waye to contynue so styll I thynke fewe menne lyuynge I wolde haue no soche querestre of Baals quere nor yet soche a chaplayne of Bels college to praye forme as poore a man as I am Moche better grace parauenture had bene hers yf she had chaunced of no soche ghostlye fathers For where as the scripturs are contempned their verytees sett at nought what els can folowe but vyce which alwayes requyreth an yll ende The true loue of Gods worde is neuer without his feare Neuer can that creature outragyouslye offende which foloweth the true lyne therof A â—anterne to oure fete is that worde of the Lorde and a lyght vnto oure pathe wayes in this shadowe of deathe the eternall father geue vs his grace to folowe yt 2 Fynallye Pantolabus exhorteth all his readers to praye for the sauegards of our most worthye prince Edwarde If this were out of the Genealogye of stynkynge heresye as yt is also therin yt were moche more pleasynge vnto God He abhorreth all that is straunge and not lyke fashyoned to the exemplar that he hath left in the scripturs He turneth awaye his face dysdaynouslye from all mockynge sacrifyces inuented by menne and not commaunded of him As is the Papistycall Masse with all other blasphâ—mouse obseruacions of that monâ—truouse madame the â—athanycall Synagoge of Antichrist Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron the hyghe Prest were consumed in the Lordes wrathe for offerynge sâ—raunge fyre vncommaunded Accursed is he which addeth his owne inuencyon vnto the Lordes seruyce or anye thynge els that the scripture commaundeth not I counsell therfore all faythfull beleuers syncerelye to praye in sprete and in veryte after Christes holye doctryne for their most worthye kynge and the prince his naturall sonne that the one maye succede the other as Salomon ded Dauid as Iosaphat ded Asa in the faythfull wayes of the Lorde And this haue they good cause to do yf they remembre all thynges As their delyueraunce from the greate Golye of Rome with sufferaunce to reade the scripturs which is their syngular sowleâ— helthe What though some of
A mysterye of inyquyte contayned within the heretycall Genealogye of Ponce Pantolabus is here both dysclosed confuted By Iohan Bale An. M.D.xlii ¶ Marke in the capytall letters of this boke the. A. B. C. with the name of the Author I wyll shewe the sayth y e Angell to Iohan the mysterye of the greate whore of y e Beast that beareth her Apoca. 17. ☜ Emprynted at Geneua By Mychael Woode 1545. The Preface EVydent is yt dere frynde in the Lorde vnto them which are in the scripturs exercysed that our eternall God for his owne â—â—lye honoure created man at the first and all other creaturs for mannys behoue This ones conceyued by fayth in Abell and Enos at the preachynges of Adam Seth for the first age prouoked the one to offre vp sacrifice vnto hi the other to call vpon his most gloryouse name In this godlye offyce was Noe founde ryghtouse Abraham sayth full Moses myghtye Dauid holye Helias feruent and manye other more in their sortes zelouse for all the other ages Farre to longe were yt and tedyouse vnto the readers to recyte the examples of all the fathers in that behalfe Iesus Christ the onlye fulfyller of all ryghtousnesse in all his sore trauay le here sought the onlye glorye of his heaueÌ„lye father and taught the same lesson aboue all other to be obserued of his In the manyfolde temptacions of sathan in the wildernesse he pacieÌ„tlye answered to that was suggested but the presumed dishonour of God in no case coulde he suffre The holye Apostles and manye other Godlye mynysters haue euermore daungered their syues in the lust quarell of the same If we than wetyngly shuld suffre him in this age to be blasphemed all these godlye exaÌ„ples reiected we myght thereby rather apere his enemyes than seruauntes his haters than louers This consyderacion first moued my mynde after that I had seane a thre years ago an abhomynable Iest made vndre the tyttle of a Genealogye of heresye by two diuerse prentes spred abrode amonge the people to dysclose the great mysterye of iniquyte thervndre contayned and to restore agayne the peruerted scripturs with the names of those Godlye menne which are oblocuted therin In this will no man that is godlye be offended but thynke that I haue herin done my bounde dewtye Though the compylet therof by the mercyfull Goodnesse of God be conuerted to repentaunce as I am credyblye infourmed that he is yet remayneth his blasphemouse doctryne amonge the coÌ„mon people in a wonderfull nombre of coppyes I thought yt therfore mete not vtterlye to destroye my labours but for the abolyshment of those wycked blasphemyes to suffre them passe at large yet I instauntlye desyre the readers of my boke not to thynke anye thynge therin spoken agaynst him which is now becommen Gods seruaunte but agaynst that olde pestysent Papyst Pantolabus which styll yet blasphemeth Christ and his most faythfull wytnesses Him wolde I not haue them to space so longe as he dwesseth on the earthe and that is that prodygyouse Iest or Generacyon of heresye Vnsemelye were yt so manye swete scripturs to remayne so depraued and so manye Godlye menne so slaunderouslye reported the veryte in them both so spyghtfullye abused for his names sake which hath wrought wyckedlye Though Adam recanted his errour and Dauid his wycked workinges Peter his denyall of Christ and Paule his tyrannouse turmoylynges yet are they not hydden in the scripturs but made fiyll open to all the worlde in reâ—uke and warninge vnto vs of soche execrable euyls Neuer y â— lesse yet those vyces so rebuked are now vnto them no rebuke but a syngular prayse rather where as they are rehersed beige wholle remitted in Christ. The great synne of Adam which is the onlye grounde of deathe in all meÌ„ is yet euerye yeare proclamed happye amoÌ„ge the Paschall ceremonyes WhaÌ„ Christ leaneth his churche vnrebuked and vntrobled forsynne than rouneth she a straye by manye sâ—râ—unge and vncommaunded worshyppinges Than reygneth she commoÌ„lye in a wycked peace and abhominablye playeth the whore abusynge her selfe in the cowche of Iesabel Apoca. 2. as of longe tyme hath done the Romyshe Synagoge And so becommeth she no longer his chosen spouse but a reproued congregacion Moche more honoure is ours whan our synnes are rebuked by the scripturs than whan the scripturs remayne by vs reproued and slaundered Amonge the prophane Phylosophers Poetes was euer the verite had in honoure and preferred farre aboue all fleshlye amyte Moche more than ought it so to be vsed amonge vs which are of the ChristeÌ„ scole The rebukes of this boke wayeth vpon the matter and not the man the spyghtfull blasphemer not the godlye recanter That his fylthye vomete is proued here abhomynacion by the scripturs to the intent that people shuld detest it and not therwith be poysened can be vnto his name no derogacion but rather a lawde amonge them that are godlye wyse Verye vncomlye were it that fylthynesse shuld haue fauer and so be cowcheâ— vp as a precyouse treasure amonge menne of Christen honeste Rather is it mete that it were throwne fourth so manifesilye knowne for that it is euen verye fylthynesse in dede I haue no doubt therof but. I. â— becomminge the seruaunt of God vtterlye nowe detesteth that fowle Papyst Pantolabê° that Romyshe rybalde that ryotouse rayser with all his prodigiouse Poesyes and wolde haue him rather bayted awaye withe botchers dogges than anye longar to wayte vpon him Full glad are we to heare it that froÌ„ Sodome he is lately departed leauige that beast there behinde him to receyue the lordes double plage and that his selfe nowe trauayleth I trust towardes the mounte of sauegarde That he is becomen of a wolfe a lambe of a Saule a Paule and of a spyghtfull persecuter a godlye Christen preacher it is vnto vs no smal reioyce We lawde that heauenlye lorde which thus of mere pytie and mercye hath founde out his almost peryshed shepe layed him vpon his shulders and brought him ageyne to his folde If he styll perseuer accordinge to his callinge Heshall become of a forener a cytezen with the Sayntes and a glouryouse partyner with Christ in his eternall heritage He shall also haue for his lust labours in the lordes vyneyarde here besydes his penye wages his peculyar prayse in the sanctyfyed congregacyon of the ryghtouse The eternall father lorde Iesê° Christ indue so w t his sprete both him vs that we maye vnto the ende perseuer faithfull to the counfort of his electes Amen Finis ¶ The mysterye of iniquite doth styll worke and is disclosed by the lyght of the lordes comminge 2. Thes. 2. The Table ABbotes hanged for treason 31 Antibaptystes Papistes all one 53 Antichrist what he is 54 Apostatâ— falselye applyed 62. 63 Benedictus xii a lecherouse Pope 21 Bysshoppes and prestes marryed 18 Bonifacius what yt meaneth 20. 27 Captaynes for holye churche 30. 42. 65 Clemenâ—the vii Pope 22
ayre Effuderunt sanguinem corum tanquam aquam What they are that haue y â— true beleuers in soche deadlye derysioÌ„ it were easye ynough to perseyue though we had nothinge els to proue it but this present Genealogye Neuer shall ye â—e that spiritualte of theirs persecute anye other thaÌ„ the louers of the truthe Wynchestre at this houre honteth nether for thefe nor murtherer aduouterer nor whore keper If he ded there shuld not so manye of them so boldelye diuell at the next dore to him But there shall not apere a reader of Christes gospell that he shall not haue by the sleue by and by He sâ—yth not Pantolabus here which is an heretyque in dede yf an heretyque be a peruerter of y â— scripturs for they are of an other veyne that he coueteth He shuld not els be his mothers owne darlynge HEre though I seme sumwhat to digrede yet shall it be no digressyon but a necessarye relaâ—yon consyderyng that Pantolabus hath so spyghtfullye accused matrymonye for synne Sumwhat shall it be nedefull to shewe here to the commendacyon of that godlye estate of lyuynge and to the vtter reproche and shame of the contempners therof by the scriptures chronicles To non other ende ded y â— Pope w t his prelates first inhybyt prestis their marryage but to apere therby an holy spirituall kyngdome deuyded from the prophane multitude to lyue in all voluptuousnesse deceyt Marke fyrst their vngodlye sprete by this The lorde coÌ„maunded not Dauid to put from him Bersabe after the death of Vrias for the aduouterye afore committed but both allowed her after for his wyfe also greatlye loued the seconde frute of her begotten which was Salomon The Rome churche as a congregacyon cleane contrarye to God in that coÌ„maunded their prestes first not onlye to forsake their most lawfull wyues but also to leaue their most dere chyldren as frutes of fornicacyon which cruelte we haue also felt in this age And thus hath holye wedlock bene vnto them euer sens a most pernycyouse poyson and stynkynge whoredome with buggerye a most suffren remedye of their naturall dyssease Soche hath bene their sathanycall tyrannye euer sens A great aduersarye to that holye office was Pope Nycolas the first in the yeare of oure lorde D. ccc.lxiiii tyll Huldrichus the good bishop of Augusâ—a in Germanye withstode his deuyllyshe hypocresye yet was a wyfe non impediment to holye â—aynt Nycolas longe afore that which was of a coÌ„mon cytezen made the archebisshop of Myrâ—hea and metropolytane of all the whole lande of Lycia Nomore was it to Ignaciê° Hermas Anâ—anus Pheleas Spiridion Valens Hilarius Polycrates Dionysius Corintheorum Tartulianus Cheremon Basilius senior Gregorius Nazianzenus Eupsichtê° Philogonius Vitalis Apollinaris Vrsinê° Pharo Burgundus Genebaudus Geroldus and a great sort more which had both wyuâ—s and chyldren yet they all were prestes and bisshoppes Moche better sayth Baptista Mantuanê° was their â—yfe in marryage than is now the lyfe of the spiritualte without it For a great consyderacyon sayth Pius the Seconde Pope otherwyse called Eneas Siluius was marriage first inhibited to prestes but for a moche greatter ought yt ageyne to be graunted them Saynt Peter y â— holye Apostle was not ashamed at Antiochia whan his wyfe was ledde vnto death to cal her by her name which was Eolam or in the latyne Perpetua after writers And to saye vnto her in the myddes of the multitude Swete wyfe remeÌ„bre thy Lorde Iesus Christ feare not theÌ„ which sleyth the bodye for they can do no harme to the sowle Onlye couetousnesse ambycion interdicted this marryage which hath geuen or casion to wonderfull mischeues as I haue declared at large in my answer for Tolwyn ageynst the Bysshop of London To whom I haue added these historyes folowynge vpon iust occasyons here geuen me bycause they are yet so good vnto marriage Pope Iohan the. viii was a woman was begotten with chylde by her owne dere chaplayne chamberlayne a Cardinall which God at that tyme wolde haue known to the worlde that their churche might apere as it was in dede all whorishe fylthye and beastlye lyke as the Apocalips hath described her yet was the worlde so blynde that it neuer perseyued it tyll nowe of late years Marozia caused her husbande Guido which was than Marques of Chuscia to strangle Pope Iohan the .ix. with a pyllowe and to slee his brother Peter that the bastarde which she had by Pope Sergiâ—s the thirde whan she was his concubyne myght be saynt Peters vycar after his father As he was sone after in dede and was called Pope Iohan the .x. Iohan the .xii. Pope begate of his whore Iohan the .xiii. Pope in short space after was stryken to death of the denyll as he was in doynge an other holye acte of bytcherye By the auctorite and commaundement of this holye vycar of sathan ded saynt Donstane here in Englande forbydde Prestes their wyues and had thervnto the assistence of kynge Edgare By the which occasyon Oswaldê° than bisshop of Worcestre expelled the canons out of their cathedrall churche and out of .vi. churches more of his dyocese and thrist in monkes there to supplye their romes onlye bycause they worlde not leaue their wyues for he his selfe had also bene a monke Eâ—helwoldus in lyke case the bisshop of Wynchestre ded the same selfe holye acte also at the same tyme in his dyocese for â—e arose also of y â— same generacyon The prestes not coÌ„tented w t so spyghtfull an â—niurye thought they wolde be euen with saynt Donstane for it as they were in dede For whan he shuld make his purgacyon before the kynge in y â— generall synode for soche matters as they had by that tyme bulted out he had moche a do to saue all thynges honest yet had he both the prelated and kynge vpon his syde For holye fathers wyll at a tyme be as wanton as other poore menne and smell after smockes for all their holynesse Holye Tomas Becket wold sumtyme for his pleasure make a iournaye of pylgrymage to the prymerose peerlesse of Stafforde as his holye lyfe mencyoneth He that shall narrowlye serche saynt Hieromes Epistles shall fynde him sumwhat famylyar with Marcella So shall he fynde Saynt Gregorye with Domicella and also saynt Bonifacius the archebisshop of Magunce with Tecla and Lieba .ii. Englysshe women of his owne cuntre natyue After the death of kynge Edgare this bredde moche trouble in Englande For the great menne of the realme put out y â— monkes by vyolence and restored agayne the Prestes with their wyues tyll soche tyme as a counsell was holden at Wynchestre Where as the prestes were agayne dyscharged by vertu of a voyce which came from a rode in the freyter wall here was propre packynge or els from the deuyll speakynge in him For in dede the deuyll loueth wele and first sought out that holye kynde of chastyte for to bewtyfye therwith the Popes
one scripture trulye applyed nor yet after anye honest sort declared But as a blinde sorgeon or dogge leche he hath turned it all into one blynde eyesalue to blynde menne all togither True is it in him that Saint Iohan ded saye Though the lyght doth shyne in the darkenesse yet wyll not the darkenesse receyue it Moche water cometh by the myl 〈◊〉 they saye that the myller taketh not in 3 Now coÌ„cludeth Pantolabus his lonâ—â— lowsye circumstaunce conceruinge Doctor Barnes and his companye shewinge vs hete that all they thre are burned And not a lyttle glad is he and his generation therof for so moche as they thre ded them so deadlye noyaunce by their preachinges It cost them no small stodye to bringe it to passe nor yet small diligence and labour to haue it so to their mynde But yet had they w t it a sowle displeasure for so moche as there were the same selfe daye houre .iii. mightye captaynes of their holy assemblye hanged and quartered for treason before the same selfe people Lyke as the deathes of these ii companyes were diuerse so were their opinions and causes The one sort dyed for Christ the other for the Pope For vphold â—ge of Antichrist was powell Abell and fetherston hanged For helpinge downe his kingedom was Barnes Garade and Hierome burned Fortunate are they which suffred for Christ for their rewarde is sayed forth in the scripturs and promises of the lorde For the other is there neyther scripture nor promise Though they were most greuouslye tormented before menne yet was their hope full of immortalyte which now they fele ineffect Their sowles are now in the haÌ„des of God and sure to suffre nomore tormeÌ„tes Though they semed before the vnwyse to dye yet are they nâ—w in a lyfe moche better As sunne beames shall they shyne in y â— daye appointed and iudge y â— nacions which are now vnfaithfull 4 Wele maye that spyghtfull spiritual tâ— be called the kyngedom of Antichrist or beasiâ—ye bodye of Sathan as the Apocasyps doth name it for their beastlye workinge I thinke the deuyll of hell coude not more vnreuerently and mockingly handle the sacred scripturs than this wreched fellawe doth For here he bringeth in a text Ipsi sibi grauiores tenebre which he hath both spoyled of wordes astered in senteÌ„ce and distroyed for the true vnderstandinge puttinge the nominatiue case for the ablatiue And bycause he wolde be behinde with vs in no point of falshede he hath sent vs to seke it in the .xvii. Chapter of Ecclesiastes and there is no Chapter so called in the whole Byble In dede in the .xvii. Chapter of Sapience I fynde this clause Ipsi ergo sibi erant grauiores tenebris yea they were worse vnto them selues sayth Sapience than anye other darkenesse possible This was at that tyme spoken for the Egipcianes and now it extendeth to yow Papystes folowinge them in the same selfe steppes of Idolatrye The cause whye ye do so daÌ„pnablye erre is that ye will not be reformed by the wysdoÌ„ of God as the beginninge of that Chapter specifyâ—th but ye take your owne wayes in all thinges Frequenter enim sayth he preoccupaÌ„t pessiniâ— redarguente consciencia Oft tymes do they those wicked thiÌ„ges that their conscience rebuketh them of Whan ye haue practised deceyt spoken lyes exercysed fylthynesse done the innocent to deathe with soche other feates your myndes are not alwayes in quiet In token wherof ye go oft to confession yet are your lyues seldon the better A mysterye 1 I feare me sore There vvyll come more 2 Vnto that ende Except they amende 3 Vix corriguntur impij Eccle. 1. ¶ The openinge 1. OVt of no small charite aryseth this feare of Pantolabus least anye more shuld come to the ende of Barnes or be brent in the fyre as he was yea so brotherlye he tendereth that matter and with so moche Christen loue that he wolde not greatlye care to be the first that shuld accuse a true Christen beleuer yf he knewe his faythe throughlye As moche pyâ—â— hath he in those matters as hath eyther the foxe vpoÌ„ the chyckens or the wolfe vpon the lambe I wolde that Pantolabus shuld take care for his olde showes yf he hath them and not for Christes dere members For they must entre heaueÌ„ by the strayght gote as he ded not by the brode waye which leadeth 〈◊〉 to destruccioÌ„ They must suffre hatred wroÌ„ge spyght vengeaunce yll reportes persecucions exyle curses lyes blasphemies enprisonmeÌ„tes â—hyrst hongre and deathe of their bodies for ryghtousnesse sake elâ— shall they not be lyke meÌ„bers to their head For his spouse is a churche that suffreth not the prâ—â—de gentyll womaÌ„ that mustreth with myters canapees copes crysmatoryes crosses cruettes and candelstyckes A compâ—nye of bretherne there are vnderneth the aulter as Saint IohaÌ„ reporteth which daylye calleth to y â— lorde to haue their blood reuenged of that gorgiouse apareled gentyl woman which is dronken with the excesse therof and their nombre must be fulfylled with soche poor sowles And tyll that be fynished there must daylye folowe more nâ— remedy 2 Moche doubt hath Pantolabê° for this ende But he had more nede to take care for himselfe least an halter be bewixt him and his ende For he hath so plentuouslye deserued it as hath anye other ranke Papist of that affinite yf this Iest of his be but indifferentlye wayed As for those good menne whom he heeâ— moste cruellye blasphemeth without lerninge though their deathes were not verye preciouse in his folyshe iudgemeÌ„t bycause he is ledde of a contrarye sprete yet were they right pleasaunt to their lorde God in whose kyngedom nowe they rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob If they had dyed for fellonye murther whoredom or treason I wolde with Pantolabus haue iudged their deathes verye yll Se that non of you suffre sayth Saint Peter as an homicide thefe or yll doeâ— If anye manne suffre as a cristiane lete him not be ashamed therof but glofyâ—â—e God in that behalfe For w tstandinge the false kingedom of Antichrist in the beiytees quarell dyed they as it is euident to all ryght iudgementes and therfor their deathes are gloriouse The amendement which Pantolabus requireth here concerneth the obedience of that malygnaunt mustre of those mitred mahouÌ„des whoÌ„ he wolde in no wyse to decaye But lete him set his hart at rest for the lorde is almost at a point with that wretched wytcherye 3 VnplesauÌ„t euermore are the scripturs to Pantolabê° and that apereth wele by his monstruouse handelynge of them Here bringeth he in to coÌ„ferme his purpose a ragged patche out of the first chapter of Ecclesiastes otherwyse called the preacher but not as it is there spokeÌ„ For here it is Vix corriguntur impiâ— And there it is thus peruersâ— difficiâ—e corriguntur A verye harde thinge is it sayth he to make the croked strayght or the frowarde wele disposed Parauenture he hath made this
preciouse stone pearle But inwardlye decked with faythe hope charite and the rightousnesse of Christ. And outwardlye she is adourned with calamitees veâ—acions most slaunderouse rebukes and deathe 3 Glad are we to heare it that the ernest sprete of Christ is not yet extinguished in them for all yowr most cruell assaultes of penaltees inprisonmentes famishemeÌ„tes halters swerdes faggottes fryre and all other tormentes els A remnauÌ„t is there yet lest of them which hath not bowed their knees to yowr false God Baal To them hath the lorde promised a crowne of lyfe yf they perseuer stedefast to the ende For these do we praye dayly with teares w t are a brode in exylâ— that they do not swetue from that stedefast rocke at the venemouse suggestions of your fylthye generacion as some fleshly wantons hath done now of late to their sowles detriment Better had it bene for them that they neuer had geuen that is holye to dogges and swyne after Christes premonishementes than thus shamefullye to become swyne with them and so to treade his preciouse pearles vndre their fete For in so denienge the lordes verite before menne they haue shewed themselues what they are eueÌ„ the flesshlye louers of themselues and vnworthye of Christ. More harme haue they done than they which hyd the lordes treasure neuer openinge their mouthes to declare it Those are they which are neyther hote nor colde whom the lorde hath promised to spewe out of his mouthe or vtterlye to reiect them from the eternall herâ—tage of his clerlye racinge their names out of the boke of lyfe yf they repent it not sore 4 If those good creaturs whom PaÌ„tolabê° here spyghtfullye reporteth cleaneth fast vnto their bone we are greatlye ioyfull therof For a more manifest token caÌ„ not be that they are Christes members than that By that inseperable saythe apere they to be his naturall spouse in dede a bone of his bones and a rybbe of his rybbes Now are they by that meanes become his own dere meÌ„bers his misticall fleshe and bodye He that shall now persecute them shall persecute the apple of his eye so dere and preciouse are they vnto him For their faithfull perseuerauÌ„ce make we daylye intercessions with teares from our hartes which are now dispersed or scattred abrode in the regions of Samaria and Iudea for the persecucioÌ„ that is at HierusaleÌ„ With the wiges that the lorde hath graciouslye geueÌ„ vs which are his wordes and examples ded we flye into the wyldernesse so sone as we perseyued that the rode Dragon vometed waters to destroye the saythe which we gatâ— by his worde â–ª ye shall be persecuted saith Christ from cyte to cyte For yf they haue persecuted me they shall also persecute you But as they shall pursue yow in one cyte flee yow alwayes into an other Not onlye was this Christes counsell but he ded it also in effect He fledde into Egypt in his yowthe he declyned from the malice of his enemies and he absented himselfe from the Iewes In that wyldernesse hath he prepared for vs as he ded for Helias to fede vs there for the space of a thousande ii hondred and thre score dayes A mysterye 1 For though they be gone yet is there behinde That are as blynde 2 As the other before Vvhich kepe in store 3 Full close and pryuelye Their cankered heresye 4 Stultorum infinitus est numerus Ecclesâ— 1. ¶ The openinge 1. NArrowlye doth Pantâ—labus loke to his matters now least all wolde away froÌ„ his holye mother to the great detryment of his popishe lyuinge Though frith Lambert Barnes and soche other be gone yet are there he sayeth of the same sort styll remayninge as yll to his generacioÌ„ as they Whose blood he wolde haue his holye mother to drinke so bloodthurstye is the spirituall hart of the manne and zelouse in her quarell He is verye glad that his good graciouse lorde of wynchestre doth sturre so wele aboute him as he doth He turmoyleth in their kynde these newe Gospell readers to cause all Englyshe menne to abhorre Christes testament but vnto the Stewes of LoÌ„don he is a full gentyll benefactor and founder Not onlye doth he leaue them vnrebuked of verye tendre sauer and loue but also full fatherlye he mainteyneth them with y â— lordelye wages of his seruauntes and sumtyme with the delycates of his owne table by the lyberalite of them I thinke this fatherlye beniuâ—lence of his is for some respect that he hath to the common welthe or els to qualyfye the great heates of his hote howsholde which euerye where tosseth lyke termagauntes with the blood of oure lorde the sowle the hart the fleshe the bodye the bones This is the holye Gospell that he maynteyneth Blynde are they called here of Pantolabus which will not folowe these vertuouse rewles to the vpholdynge of their markett in confessyons at lent But the eternall father delyuer his flocke from the abhominable blyndenesse of them 2 Non can ryghtlye se after the blynde opinion of Pantolabus vnlesse they be ledde blyndefelde in the darke by the sprete of his holye mother She must sett vpon their noses y â— spotted specularyes of her olde tradicions and customes or els is yt nothynge worth If they shulde be now without their Latine houres wherwith neuer manne yet was Christenlye edifyed their Christen relygyon were clerelye lost If they shuld not haue their accustomed wainlynges in the temple their processionynges their sensynges their holye water swyngynges with soche other ioyes of olde Troye they wolde thynke that heauen were out of the worlde and hell comen home to their dores This is the syght that Pantolabus requyreth non other wolde he the people to haue least they shulde in a whyle be moche godlyar wyse than he This houglye syght despysed Iohan Wyclef and Iohan Husse This fylthye syght contempned Mariyne Luther Melanchton It was nothynge for the appetyte of Oecolampadius and zwinglius with soche other more And that is the verye cause whye they are regestred here of Pantolabus for heretyques These are they that were blynde afore because they had not that syght of his holye mother And they which cometh after kepeth now yet styl in store the same selfe blyndenesse in his folyshe opinion and therfore he is not contented with them but wolde verye fayne haue them burned for heretyques yf yt myght be 3 Afore grefe is yt to the stomake of Pantolabus that anye shulde be alyue which fauoreth not the Pope This parauenture will be rekened a slaundre but the denyll of lye yt is What other is yt but to preferre a manne whan we magnifye his workes Are anye other thynges called vpon here than matters of Papistrye No verelye Not one poynt is sought here of Christes clere institucion Neyther his holye Supper nor Baptym compassion of y â— poore nor mutuall charyte nor yet the true preachynge of repentaunce by the Gospell of saluacion But here seketh Pantolabus with all