Apoc. 2. ād you haue collered with hym or now blessed be godde that hath euer aided you so well I suppose he maye well holde you at the baye but truly he will not be so willynge I thynke to ioyne with you as with vs yongelynges Syr I beseche you let your seruaunt reade this my bablinge vnto you and nowe and then as it shall seme vnto you beste let youre penne runne on my booke spare not to blotte my paper I geue you good leaue As touchinge this Antoniane whome I haue here made mine aduersarie leste paraduenture anie ymagination mighte carrie you amisse and make you thinke otherwise then I ment Knowe you that I haue alluded to one Antonie a mooste cruel Bisshoppe of the Arianes and a very violent persecuter of them that were Catholique Victor li. 3. de persequut Aphricae and of a righte iudgemente To whome Hunericus a Tyrante of the Vandales knowing Antonies fearcenes committed his whole autoritie that he should either turne the Christians which beleued well vnto his false Religion or els to punish and torment them at his pleasure Which thing Antonius toke in hande to doe and executed the same againste a greate numbre but specially againste two mooste godlie Bisshoppes and most constante in the doctrine whiche was according to godlinesse Tit. 1. The name of th one was Eugenius an aged man thother was named Habet deum This Latter as it appeareth by Victors Historie of the persecutions of the Vandales booth the Tyranne and the false counterfaicte Bisshoppe desiered muche to haue turned vnto their mooste pestilēt heresie This Habet deum was bisshope of the Citee Tamallune wher Antonie hadde ben bisshoppe before And when Antonie hadde vexed hym as the storie sayeth with diuerse and sundrie persequutions and hadde fownde the souldiar of Christe allwaies constante in his Confession it is sayd that at lengthe in a greate rage he swoore and sayd to his frendes on this wise yf I make hym not of our Religion then am I not Antonie it is incredible what harmes and troubles he putte hym to what crueltye he practised against him and it wer to longe now to describe the same vnto you But the man of god stoode allwayes vnmooueable and in the confession of Christes fayth remayned euer vnto th ende the constante and vnfoyled souldyare of Christe Thys goode Bisshoppe Habet deum I praye to godde our heauēly father to geue me grace that I maye fathefully folowe throughe our Lorde Iesus Christe Amen Syr I haue cawsed my man not onely to reade your armour vnto me but also to write it owte H. Laty. for it is not onely no bare armour but also well buckled armour I see not how it could be better I thāke you euē frome the botome of my harte for it and my praier you shall not lacke trustinge that you do the like for me For in deede there is the helpe c. Manie thinges make confusion in memorie And if I were as well learned as was Sainct Paul I woulde not bestowe muche amongest them further then to gaule them and spur-gall to when and where as occasion were geuen and matter came to minde for the lawe shall bee their shote anchour staye and refuge Fare you well in Christe A treatise agaīst the errour of transubstantiation made by the fornamed Reuerende father Nic. Rydley Byshop of London in the time of his emprisonmente MAnie thinges cōfounde the weake memorie A fewe places well weighed ād perceiued lightneth the vndstandinge Trueth is there to bee searched with diligence where it is certaine to be hadde Though God do speake the trueth by man yet in mannes worde which God hath not reueled to bee his a man maie doubt without mistruste in God Christ is the truth of God reueiled vnto man from heauen by God himselfe and therefore in his worde the trueth is to bee founde whyche is to bee embraced of all that be his Christe biddeth vs aske and wee shall haue Searche and we shall finde Knocke and it shal be opened vnto vs. Therfore O heauenly father autour and fountaine of all truth the bottomeles Sea of al true vnderstanding send doune wee beseche thee thy holye spirite into oure hartes and lighten oure vnderstanding with the beames of thy heauenly grace We aske the this O heauenlie father not in respect of our desertes but for thy deare Sonne oure Sauiour Iesus Christes sake Thou knoweste O heauenlye father that the controuersie aboute the Sacrament of the blessed bodie and bloude of thy deare Sonne oure Sauioure Christe hathe troubled not of late onelie thy churche of England Fraūce Germanie and Italye but also manie yeares agoe The fault is oures no doubt therof for we haue deserued thy plage But O Lorde be mercifull and relieue our miserie with some light of grace Thou knoweste O Lorde howe this wicked worlde rolleth vp and doune and rieleth to and fro and careth not what thy wil is so it may abide in welth Yf truth haue wealth then who are so stoute to defende the truth as they But if Christes crosse bee laiede on truethes backe then they vanishe straighte awaie as waxe before the fiere Truthe in tyme of affliction hath sevin frendes But these are not they O heauenly father for whome I make my most mone but for those selye ones O Lorde whiche haue a Zeale vnto thee those I meane whiche woulde ād wisshe to know thy will and yet are lette holde backe and blinded by the subtilties of Sathan and his ministers the wickednes of this wretched world and the sinfull lustes and affections of the fleashe Alasse Lorde thou knowest that we be of oure selues but fleash wherin there dwelleth nothing that is good How then is it possible for man without thee O Lorde to vnderstande thy truth in deede Can the naturall man perceiue the will of God 1. Cor. 2. O Lorde to whome thou geuest a Zeale of thee geue them also we beeseche the knowledge of thy blessed will Suffer not them O Lorde blindelie to bee ledde for to striue against thee as thou didst those alas whiche crucified thine owne deare sonne Forgeue thē O Lorde for thy deare sonnes sake for they knowe not what they doe They do thinke alas O Lorde for lacke of knowledge that they doe vnto thee good seruice euen when againste thee they do moost greuouselie rage Ioan. 16. Remembre O Lorde we besech the for whom thy Martir Steuen did praie Acto 7. and whome thy holy Apostle did so truelye and earnestly loue that for their saluation he wished hymselfe accursed from thee Rom. 9. Luc. 23. Remembre O heauenlye father the prayer of thy deare sonne oure Sauioure Christe vpon the crosse when he saide vnto thee O Father forgeue them they knowe not what thei do With this forgiuenes O good Lorde geue me I beseche the thy grace so here briefelye to sette forth the saiyngs of thy sonne our Sauiour
muche your sacrifice is auailable as who saye it is so much auailable that the valeu cā not be expressed nor to deare boughte with bothe landes and goodes Esa. 64. The eye hath not sene and the eare hathe not hearde c. This is a fine spunne threade a conninge pece of worcke worthelie qualified ād blaūched be ye sure But oure nobilitie will not see they will not haue that religion that hathe the crosse annexed to it Al popishe thinges for the moste parte are mannes inuentions where as they oughte to haue the holie scripture for the onlie rule of faithe When Paule made allegation for him selfe before Felix the highe deputie he did not extende his faithe beyonde the worde of god writtē beleuing all things saieth he which are written in the lawe Acto 24. and the prophetes making no mention of the Rabbins Moreouer they haue Moses and the prophetes saieth Abrahā in the parable not their persones Luc. 16. but their writinges Also faith cometh by hearinge and hearinge by the worde of god Rom. 10. Luc. 11. Hieron in 23. Matth. Aug. cōt lit Petil. l. 3. c. 6. And agayne blessed are they which heare the worde of god c. The thinges which haue not theyr authorite oute of the scriptures maye as easely be despised as allowed sayeth S. Hierome Therfore whether it be of Christe or of his church or of any other maner of thinge which belongeth to oure faythe and liffe I will not saye Yf we sayeth S. Augustine which are not worthy to be compared to him that sayed Yff we Gala. 1. butt that also which forthwith he addeth Yf an Aungell frome heauen shall teache any thynge besides that ye haue receiued in the scriptures of the lawe and gospell accursed be he Diotreph ▪ is described Ioan. ep 3. Our Diotrephes with hys papistes are vnder this Curse But how are the scriptures saye they to be vnderstanded De doctr Christ. S. Augustine answereth giuynge this rule The Circunstances of the scriptures sayeth he lyghten the scriptures and so on scripture doth expownde another Li. 3. c. 28. to a man that is studiouse well willinge and often callynge apon godde in contynualle prayer who geueth his holye spirite to them that desyre it of him Luc. 11. 2. Pet. 1. So that the scripture is not of anie priuate interpretation at anie tyme. For such a one thoughe he be a laye man fearinge godde is moche more fytte to vnderstande holye scriptures then any arrogante and prowde prieste yea then the bysshop hymselfe be he neuer so greate and glystering in all his Pontificalles But what is to be sayed of the Fathers How are they to be estemed S. Augustine answereth giuyng thys rule also that we shulde not therfore thinke it true bicawse they saye so doo they neuer so moche excelle in holynes or learnynge but if they be able to prooue theyr sayeng by the canonicall scriptures or by goode probable reason Ep. 19. ad Hieron meanynge that to be a probable reason as I thinke Which doth orderly folow apon a righte collection and gatheringe oute of the scriptures Lett the Papistes goo with theyr longe fayth be you contented with the shorte fayth of the sayntes which is reueled vnto vs in the worde of god written Adew to all popissh phantasies Amen For one man hauing the scripture and goode reason for hym is more to be estemed himself alone then a thowsand such as they eyther gathered together or succeding one another Panorm C. significasti extra de appellat The fathers haue both herbes and weedes and papistes commenly gather the weedes and leaue the herbes And they speake many tymes more vehemently in sounde of wordes then they dyd meane in dede or then they wolde haue done if they hadde forseene what sophisticall wrāglers should haue succeded them Now the papistes are geuen to brawle aboute wordes to the mayntenance off theyr owne inuentions and rather folow the sounde of wordes then ▪ atteyne vnto the meanynge of the fathers so that is daungerouse to truste them in citynge the fathers In all aeges the deuel hath styrred vp some lyghte heades to esteme the sacramentes butt lyghtly as to be emptie and bare signes whome the fathers haue resisted so fearsely that in theyr feruour they seme in sownde off wordes to runne to farre the other waye and to geue to moche to the sacramentes when they dyd thynke more mesurably And therfore they are to be redde warely with sownde iudgement But our papistes and they seme but a litle soundinge to their purpose they will owte face brace and bragge all mē it must nedes be as they will haue it Therfore ther is no remedie namely now when they haue the mayster bowle in theyr hande and rule the roste but patience Better it is to suffer what crueltye they will putte vnto vs then to incurre goddes hyghe indignation Wherfore goode my Lorde be of goode cheare in the Lorde with dew cōsideration what he reqwireth of you and what he doth promesse you Our commē enemye shall doo no more then godde will permitte hym 1. Cor. 10. Godde is faythfull which will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength c. Be at a poynte what ye will stande vnto sticke vnto that and lett them both saye and doo what they liste They can butt kylle the bodie which otherwise is off it self mortall Neyther yet shall they doo that whan they liste but when godde will suffre them when the howre apoynted is comme To vse many wordes with them it shall be but in vayne now that they haue a bloudye and deadely lawe prepared for them But it is verie requisite that ye geue a reasonable accowmpte off your fayth if they wille qwietly heare you Elles ye know in a wicked place off Iudgement a man may kepe silence 1. Pet. 3. after the example off Christe Lett them not deceiue you with theyr Sophisticall Sophismes Luc. 23. and fallacies you knowe that many false thynges haue more apparence of truthe then thynges that be moste true therfore Paule geueth vs a watche worde Coloss. 2. 2. Tim. 2. Let no man deceiue you with lyklynesse of speache Neither is it requisite that with the contentiouse ye shuld folow strife of wordes which tende to no edification butt to the subuersion of the hearers and the vayne bragginge and ostentation of the aduersaries Feare off death doth moste perswade a greate number Be well ware of that argument for that perswaded Shaxton as many men thoughte after that he hadde ones made a goode profession openly before the iudgement seate The flessh is weake but the willingnesse off the spirite shall refressh the weakenes off the flessh The number off the cryars vnder the aultare must nedes be fulfilled Apoc. 6. if we be segregated therunto happie be we That is the greatest promotion that godde geueth in this worlde Phil. 1. to be
Idolatrie and sacrilege is not be done to the holie Sacramēt then also the wicked I meane the impenitent murtherer adulterer or suche like do not receiue the naturall substāce of the blissed body and bloud of Christ finallie then doth folow that Christes blissed bodie and bloud which was once onely offered and shed vpon the crosse beinge auailable for the synnes of all the worlde is offered vp no more in the natural substaunce therof neither by the prieste nor anie other thinge But here before we goe any further to searche in this matter and to wade as it were to searche and trie oute as we maie the trueth therof in the scripture it shall do well by the way to knowe whether they that thus make aunswere and solution to the former principall question doe take awaye simplye and absolutlye the presence of Christes bodie and bloud from the sacrament ordeined by Christ and duely ministred according to his holye ordinances and institution of the same Vndoutedlye they do denie that vtterly either 〈◊〉 to saie or to meane the same And therof if any 〈◊〉 doe or will doubte the bookes whiche are written alreadye in this matter of them that thus doe answeare will make the matter plaine Nowe then you will saie what kinde of presence do they graunt and what do they denie Vuhat kīde of presence is to be graunted in the lordes supper Briefelye they denie the presence of Christes bodye in the naturall substance of his humaine and assumpte nature and graunt the presence of the same by grace That is they affirme and saie that the substance of the naturall bodie and bloud of Christ is onelie remainynge in heauen and so shall be vntill the latter daie when he shal come againe in glorie accompained with the angelles of heauen Matt. 24 ▪ to iudge both the quicke and the deade And the same naturall substance of the verie bodie and bloude of Christe because it is vnited to the diuine nature in Christe the seconde person of the Trinitie therfore it hath not onelye life in it selfe but it is also able and doth Ioan. 6. geue life vnto so manie as bee or shall be partakers thereof that is that to all that doo beeleue on his Ioan. 1. name which are not born of bloud as Iohn saith or of the will of the fleshe or of the will of man but are borne of God though the selfe same substance abide still in heauen and they for the tyme of their pilgremage dwell here vpon the earth by grace I saie that is by the life mētioned in Ihon Ioan. 6. and the properties of the same meete for oure pilgremage here vpon earth the same bodie of Christe is here presente with vs Euē as for example wee saie the Sunne whiche in substaunce neuer remoueth hys place out of the heauens is yet presente here by his beames light and natural influence where it shineth vpon the earth For gods worde and his Sacraments be as it were the beames of Christ which Malach. 4 is Sol Iustiticie The Sunne of righteousenes Thus thou haste hearde of what sorte or secte soeuer thou be wherin doth stande the principall state and chiefe pointe of all the cōtrouersies whiche doe properlie perteine vnto the nature of this Sacrament As for the vse therof I graunt ther be many other thinges wherof here I haue spoken nothing And now leste thou iustly maist complaine and saie that I haue in openinge of this matter doone nothing els but digged a pitte and haue not shutt it vp againe or broken a gap and haue not made it vp or opened the booke and haue not closed it againe or elles to call me what thou listest as Newtrall Dissembler or what soeuer els thy luste and learning shall serue thee to name me worse Therfore here nowe I will by Goddes grace not onlye shortly but also so clearely and plainelie as I can make the nowe to knowe whether of the foresaide two aunsweres to the former principall state and chief pointe doth like me beste Yea and also I will holde all those accursed whiche in this matter that nowe soe troubleth the churche of Christe haue of God receiued the Keye of knowledge and yet goe about to shutte vp the doores so that they them selues will not entre in nor suffre other that woulde And as for myne owne parte I considre boeth of late what charge and cure of soule hath been cōmitted to me wherof God knoweth howe soone I shall be called to geue an accoumpt and also nowe in thys worlde what peryll and daunger of the lawes concerning my life I am now in at this presente time what folye were it then for me nowe to dissemble with God of whome assuredlye I loke and hope by Christ to haue euerlasting life Seing that suche charge and daunger both before God and manne do compasse me in rounde aboute on euery side therfore God willing I will franklye and freelye vtter my minde And thoughe my bodie be captiue yet my tounge and my penne as longe as I maie shall freelye set furth that whiche vndoubtedlye I am perswaded to bee the trueth of Gods worde And yet I will doe it vnder this protestation call me a protestante who liste A protestation I doe not passe therof My protestation shall be this that my minde is ād euer shal be God willing to set furth syncerlye the true sense and meaning to the beste of myne vnderstanding of Gods most holye worde and not to decline from the same either for feare of worldly danger or els for hope of gaine I do protest also dew obedience and submission of my iudgment in this my writing and in all other mine affaires vnto those of Christes churche whiche bee truelye learned in Gods holye worde gathered in Christes name and guided by his spirite An ansvvere to the cheefe question ▪ After this protestation I doe plainelye affirme and saie that the seconde aunsweare made to the chiefe question and principal pointe I am perswaded to be the verye true meaning and sense of Gods holie worde That is that the natural substaunce of breade and wine is the true materiall substaunce of the holie sacramente of the blissed bodie and bloude of oure sauioure Christe And the places of scripture wherupon this my faithe is grownded be theis both concernyng the Sacrament of the bodye and also of the bloud Fyrst lett vs repete the begynning of the institution of the Lordes supper wherin all the three Euāgelistes and S. Paule almost in wordes do agree sayng that Ihesus tooke bread gaue thankes brake and gaue it to the Disciples sayng take eate This is my bodye Christe calleth verie breade his bodie Here it appereth plainlye that Christ calleth verye bread his bodye For that which he tooke was very bread in this all mē doo agre and that which he tooke after he had gyuen thankes he brake and that which he tooke and brake he gaue it
that this saiyng of this writer is none otherwise to be vnderstanded Yet can I saith the thirde papist finde out a fine and a subtill solution for this place and graunt all that yet is saide both alowing here the writer and also that he mente of the vesselles of the Lordes table Vuinch in the same place For saith he the body of Christe is not conteined in them at the Lordes table as in a place but as in a misterie Is not this a pretie shefte and a mistical solution But by the same solution then Christs bodie is not in the Lordes table nor in the priestes hande nor in the pixe and soe he is here no where For they will not saie that he is either here or ther as in a place This answere pleaseth so wel the maker that he hymselfe after he hadde played with it a litle whyle and shewed the finesse of his witte and eloquence therin he is contented to geue it ouer and saye But it is not to be thoughte that Chrisostome woulde speake after this finesse or subteltie and therefore he returneth againe to the seconde aunsweare for hys shootte anker whiche is sufficientlye confuted before Another shorte place of Chrisostome I wyll reherse which if any indifferencie maie be hearde in playne tearmes setteth fourth the trueth of this matter Before the breade saieth Chrisostome writinge ad Cesarium Monachum Chriso stome ad Caesariū Monachum be hallowed we call it breade but the grace of Godde sanctifiynge it by the meanes of the prieste it is deliuered nowe from the name of breade and esteamed worthy to be called Christes bodye althoughe the nature of breade abyde in it still These bee Chrisostomes woordes wherin I praye you what canne be said or thoughte more playne agaynste this erroure of Transubstantiation then to declare that the bread abideth soe styll Vuin in his aunsvucre to the 201. obiection And yet this soe plaine a place some are not ashamed thus shamefullye to elude it Saiynge wee graunte the nature of breade remaineth still thus for that it maie be seen fealte and tasted and yet the corporall substaunce of the breade therfore is gone lest two bodies be confused together and Christ shoulde be thoughte impanate What contrarietie and falsehoode is in this answeare the simple manne maye easilie perceiue is not this a plaine contrarietie to graunt that the nature of breade remaineth so still that it maie bee seen fealte and tasted and yet to saie the corporall substance is gone to auoide absurditie of Christes impanation And what manifest falsehoode is this to say or meane that yf the breade shoulde remayne styll then muste followe the inconuenyence of impanation as thoughe the verie breade coulde not be a Sacramente of Christes bodye as water is of Baptisme excepte Christe shoulde vnite the nature of breade to his nature in vnitie of person and make of the breade God Nowe let vs heare Theodoretus whiche is the laste of the three Greke authoures Theodorete He writeth in his dialoge Contra Eutichen thus He that calleth his naturall bodie corne and breade and also named himselfe a vine tree Dialog 1. euen he thesame hath honoured the Symboles that is the sacramentall signes with the names of his body and bloud not chaunginge in dede the nature it selfe but adding grace vnto the nature What canne be mor plainlye saide then this that this olde writer saieth that although the Sacramentes beare the name of the bodye and bloude of Christ yet is not their nature chaunged but abydeth still and where is then the papistes transubstanciation The same writer in the 2. Dialoge of the same worke Dialog 2. againste the aforesaid heretique Eutyches writeth yet more plainlie against this error of transubstantiation if any thing can be saide to be more plaine for he maketh theretique speake thus agaīst him that defendeth the true doctrine whom he calleth Orthodoxus As the sacramentes of the bodie and bloude of oure Lorde are one thinge before the inuocation and after the inuocatiō they be chaunged and are made another So likewise the Lordes bodie saith the heretique is after the assumption or ascention into heauen turned into the substaunce of Godde theretique meaninge therby that Christe after his assention remaineth no more a man To this Orthodoxus aunswereth thus and saieth to theretique Thou art taken saith he in thine owne snare for those misticall symbolles or sacramentes after the sanctification doe not go out of their owne nature but they tarrie and abide still in their substance figure and shape yea and are sensiblye seene and groped to bee the same they were before c. At these woordes the papistes doe startle and to say the truth these wordes be so plaine so full The Cutle is a sea fish vuhich casteth as it vuere an yncke about herand so by making the vuater blacke escapeth taking Pli. li. 9. Cap. 29. and so cleare that they can not tell what to saye but yet will not cease to goe about to plaie the Cutles and to caste their colloures ouer them that the trueth whiche is so plainlie tolde shoulde not haue place This authour wrote saie they before the determination of the church As who would saie whatsoeuer that wicked man Innocentius the Pope of Rome determined in his congregacions with his monkes and friers that must bee for so Suns saieth holden for an article and of the substaunce of oure faith Some do charge this authour that he was suspected to be a nestorian which thing in Chalcedon Councell was tried and proued to be false But the foulest shift of all So ansvueres D. Morman in the conuocation house and yet the beste that they canne finde in this matter when none other will serue is to saie that Theodoret vnderstandeth by the woorde substaunce accidents and not substaunce in dede This glose is like a glose of a laweyer vpon a decree the text wherof beginneth thus Statuimus that is wee decree The glose of the lawyer there after manie other pretie shiftes there sette fourth whiche he thinketh will not well serue to his purpose and therefore att the laste to cleare the matter he saieth thus Distinct. 4. Cap. statuimus After the minde of one Lawyer veldic saieth he statuimus id est abrogamus that is or expounde we doe decree that is we do abrogate or disanull Is not this a worthy and Goodlye glose Who will not saie but he is worthye in the Lawe to be retained of Counsell that canne glose soe well and fynd in a matter of dyfficultie suche fyne shyftes and yet this is the Lawe or at the leste the glose of the lawe And therfore who can tell what parrell a manne maye incurre to speake against it excepte he were a lawyer in deede whiche canne kepe himselfe oute of the briars what wynde soeuer blowe Hitherto yee haue harde three writers of the Greke Churche not all what they doe saie for that
Certē godly learned and comfortable conferences betwene the two Reuerende Fathers and holye Martyrs of Christe D. Nicolas Rydley late Bysshoppe of London and M. Hughe Latymer Sometyme Bysshoppe of Worcester during the tyme of theyr emprysonmentes Wherunto is added A Treatise agaynst the errour of Transubstantiation made by the sayd Reuerende Father D. Nicolas Rydley M.D.LVI Ryghte deare in the sighte of the Lorde is the death of his sainctes Psal. 116. To The Reader GRace and peace c. Good Christian Reader her are sett forthe for thine instruction and comforte certen learned and comfortable conferences Betwene the two Reuerende and godly fathers M. Rydley and M. Latymer whose bodies the Romishe tyrannie of late hathe tormented and fier hathe consumed whose sowles mercie hathe embraced and heauen hathe receiued yelding th one vnto the enemie to deathe for testimonie of the truthe commending thother vnto god in suer hope of lyfe Wher vnto is also added a learned treatise and a cleare confutation of the fonde and wicked opinion of Transubstantiation written by the said M. Ridley And forasmuche as these their scrolles and writynges wer by goddes good prouidence preserued and as it wer raked owte of the asshes of thauthors cōteinīge as well cōfortable cōsolatiō for suche as are in the schole of the crosse as also goode ād profitable admonitiō for them which eyther of ignorāce either of infirmitie or by flattering of them selfes with vayne pretenses do yelde vnto the wicked worlde the reuerence due to the reuerende fathers the zeale towardes the setting forthe of the tried truthe and the readye goode will to conforte and confirme weake consciences would not suffer the any lenger to wante these smalle treatises and yett no smalle treasures That as in life thei profited the by teaching and in deathe by example so after death they may doe the goode by writing And albeit the matter of it selfe is sufficiente to commend it selfe yet it cannot be but the worthines of the writers will encrease creditte and giue no small authoritie to the writynges M. Latymer came earlier in the morning and was the more auncient workeman in the lordes vineyarde Matt. 20. who also may verie well be called as diuerse learned men haue termed hym the Apostle of Englād as one much more worthie of that name for his true doctrine for his sharpe reprouinge of sinne and superstition then was Augustine bisshop of Canturburie for bringing in the popes monkerie and false religion M. Ridley came later aboute theleuenth howre but no doubte he came when he was effectuallye called and frō the time of his calling became a faithfull labourer terrible to the enemies for his excellent learning and therfore a meete man to ridde owte of the lordes vineyarde the sophisticall thornes of the wrangling aduersaries which dyd well appeare in all disputations and conferences that wer in his tyme and partlye doth appeare in these shorte treatises folowing But what shal it nede in manye wordes to prayse them whose lyfes wer moste commendable whose deathes wer most glorious in office and vocation bothe lyke in labour and trauail bothe faithfull in learning and iudgemēt both sounde in minde and maners bothe milde but in goddes cause bothe stoute For neither threatned deathe neither loue of present lyfe could shake the foundation of theyr faithe firmely grounded apon the suer rocke Christe Matt. 7. They redemed libertie of conscience with the bondage of the bodie and to saue their lyfes they wer content to lose their lyfes This was not the worke of the fleshe but the operation of goddes mightie spirite who hathe euer frome the beginning not onlye builded but also enlarged his churche by the sufferance of his sainctes and sealed his doctrine with the bloude of his martyrs as S. Augustine speaking of the persecutions in the primatiue church doth well declare in theis wordes Ligabantur includebantur caedebantur De ciuita Dei lib. 22 cap. 6. torque bantur urebantur multiplicabantur That is to saye The Christians wer bounde wer emprisoned wer beaten wer tormented wer brente and yet wer multiplyed Yf Iustinus Martyr when he was yet an heathen Philosopher as he confesseth of hym selfe was moued to embrace the fayth and religion of Christe Apolog. 1 in beholding the constante patience of the martyrs which suffred for Christe in his tyme how muche more oughte the patiente suffringe and voluntarie death of these notable fathers with many other learned godlye men in our dayes whose names are writtē in the booke of lyfe not only moue but also pearce ād perswade all godly heartes constantely to remayne in the truthe knowen For vndoubtedly the truthe of the cawse they suffred for is moste euidente by goddes worde and hath ben so fully taughte so clearly sette forthe by many and sundrye writynges that it is open to the Consciences of all the worlde euen of the verie aduersaries themselfes that persequute it greater is theyr damnation excepte it be to such whome the godde of thys worlde 2. Cor. 4. malice ambition auarice or ignorance hath blynded Which thynge nedeth none other proofe especially for the realme of englande but only to call to mynde with what conscience and constancie these pyllers of the church that can nott erre haue walked in Religion these twentye yeares by paste how they not longe agoo receiued and allowed thynges which with fyre and fagotte they persequute now and shranke frome that thē which now they moste earnestly mainteyne And allthoughe ther appeared in the latter dayes a shadow of stowtenesse in a few yet it was in dede nothynge For it sprange not owte of any zeale to the cawse or clearenesse of conscience but rather owte of a lyke subtylle and foxye presumption as the Syrians once conceiued when they putte themselfes in the daunger of Kinge Achab sayeng 3. Reg. 20. Beholde we haue hearde that the kinges of the howse of Israel are pitefull and mercyfull For owte of all dowte K. Henry theyghte coulde as easely haue obteined at winchesters handes and others a conformytee in puttyng downe the Masse and all the reaste what so euer hath ben done by order sence if he hadde earnestly minded it as the abolisshinge of the pope monkerye pylgremages reliques with lyke baggage all which are now agayne thinges well estemed and couered as all the resydew is with the clooke of the Catholike church But to returne to the matter we haue in hāde in this littel treatise goode read thow shalte perceiue another māer of spirite thow shalte thīke if thow thi selfe be not verie dulle that thow hearest men speake which hadde learned the lessō of thapostles that is Acto 4. to obei godde rather thē mā ād hadde not learned the Romisshe Epicures lesson to applye fayth and religiō to the presente state of policie to turne with the tyme and serue all seasons men before death deade vnto the worlde accowmptynge with S. Paule all other thynges to be
such Philippians to whome it is geuen nott only to beleue butt also to suffer c. But who is hable to doo these thinges Surely all our habilitee all our sufficience is off godde He requireth and promyseth Let vs declare our obedience to hys wille whan it shal be requisite in the tyme of troble yea in the myddes of the fyre Whan that numbre is fulfylled which I wene shall be shortely then haue at the papistes when they shall saye Peace 1. Thess. 5. all thynges are safe when Christe shall comme to kepe his greate Parlamente to the redresse off all thynges that be amysse But he shall not comme as the papistes fayne hym to hyde himself and to playe bopiepe as it wer vnder a piece off breade but he shall comme gloriously to the terrour and feare off all papistes but to the greate consolation and comforte of all that will her suffer for hym 1. Thess. 4. Conforte your selfes one another with these wordes Lo syr her haue I blotted your paper vaynely and played the foole egregiously but so I thoughte better then not to doo your reqweste at thys tyme Pardon me and praye for me praye for me I saye praye for me I saye For I am sometime so fearefull that I wold creape into a mowschoole sometyme godde doth visitte me agayne with his comforte So he commeth and goeth to teach me to fele and to knowe myne infirmitee to thintente to geue thankes to hym that is worthye least I shuld robbe hym of his dutye as manye doo and almoste all the worlde Fare you well What credence is to be geuen to papistes it maye appeare by theyr rackynge wrythinge wrynginge and monstrously iniuryeng of goddes holy scripture as appeareth in the popes lawe But I dwell her now in a scoole of obliuiousnesse Fare you well ones agayne And be you stedfaste and vnmoueable in the Lorde 1 ▪ Cor. 15. Paule loued Timothee meruelouse well nott withstanding he sayeth vnto hym Be thow partetaker off the afflictions off the gospell and agayne 2. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 4. Apoc. 2. Harden thy selfe to suffer afflictions Be faythfull vnto the death and I will geue the a Crowne of lyfe sayeth the Lorde To H. Latymer IN writyng agayne ye haue done me an vnspeakeable pleasure and I praye that the Lorde maye reqwyte it you in that daye N. Rydl. For I haue receyued greate comforte at your wordes butt yett I am nott so fylled withall but that I thurste moche more now thē afore to drinke more of that Cuppe of yours wherin ye mingle vnto me profytable with pleasaunte I praye you goode father let me haue one draughte more to comforte my stomacke For surely except the Lorde assiste me with his graciouse ayde in the tyme of his seruice I knowe I shall playe but the parte of a white lyuered knight But truly my truste is in hym that in myne infirmitee he shall trye hymself strōge and that he can make the cowarde in his cawse to fighte lyke a mā Syr now I looke dayely when Diotrephes with his warriours shall assaulte me wherfore I praye you goode father for that you are an olde sowldyar and an experte warriour and godde knoweth I am but a yonge sowldyar and as yet of smalle experience in these fyttes helpe me I praye you to buckle on my harnesse And now I wolde haue you to thynke that these dartes are caste at my heade off some one of Diotrephes or Antonius sowldyars The obiection of the Antoniane All men meruelle greately why you after the libertee which you haue graunted vnto you Anton. obiect 1. more then the reaste doo not goo to Masse which is a thynge as you knowe now moche estemed off all men yea and off the Qwene her selfe The answer Bicawse no man that Layeth hande on the plowghe and looketh backe N. Ryd Luc. 9. is fytte for the Kyngdome off godde And also for the selfe same cawse why S. Paule wolde not suffer Titus to be circūcised which is that the truthe of the gospell mighte remayne with vs vncorrupted Gal. 2. and againe Gal. 2. Iff I buylde agayne the thinges which I destroyed I make my selfe a trespasser This is also another cawse least I shuld seeme by owtewarde facte to allowe the thynge which I am perswaded is contrarie to sownde doctrine and so shulde be a stumblynge stocke vnto the weake But woo be vnto hym by whome offense commeth it wer better for hym that a Milnestone wer hanged abowte his necke and he caste into the myddes of the sea Matt. 18. Marc. 9. Except the Lorde helpe me ye saye Truthe it is For withowte me sayeth he ye can doo nothinge moche lesse suffer death off our aduersaries H. L. Ioan. 15. through the bloudye Lawe now prepared against vs. But it foloweth if ye abyde in me and my wordes abyde in you aske what ye will and it shall be done for you What can be more comfortable Syr you make answer your selfe so well that I can not better it Syr I begynne now to smelle what you meane by traueling thus with me Yow vse me as Bilney dyd ones when he conuerted me pretending as though he wold be tawghte off me he sowghte wayes and meanes to teache me and so doo you I thanke you therfore moste hartely For in dede you minister armour vnto me wheras I was vnarmed before and vnprouyded sauinge that I geue my selfe to prayour for my refuge What is it then that offendeth you so greately in the Masse Anto. obiect 2. that ye will not vouch safe ones eyther to heare it or see it And frome whence commeth thys new religion apon you haue not you vsed in tymes paste to saye Masses your selfe N. Ryd Ansvu. I confesse vnto you my faulte and ignorance But knowe you that for these matters I haue done open Penaunce Longe agoo both at Paules Crosse and also openly in the pulpett at Cambridge and I truste godde hath forgeuen me this myne offence for I did it apon ignorāce But if ye be desyrouse to know 1. Tim. 1. and will vouchsafe to heare what thynges doo offend me in the Masse I will rehearse vnto you those thynges which be moste cleare and seme to repugne mooste manifestly agaynst goddes worde And they be these The straunge tounge The wante off the shewynge off the Lordes death The breakynge of the Lordes commawndement of hauyng a communion The sacrament is not communicated to all Matt. 26. vnder bothe kyndes accordynge to the worde off the Lorde The signe is seruyllie worshipped for the thinge signiffyed Christes Passion is iniuryed forasmoch as this Masse sacrifice is affirmed to remaine for the purginge off sin̄es To be shorte The manyfolde superstitions and triflynge fondenes whych are in the Masse and abowte the same H. Laty. Better a few thynges well pondered then to troble the memorie with to moche You shall preuayle more with prayeng then with
studyeng thoughe mixture be best For so one shall alleuiate the tediousnesse off the other I entend not to contend moche with thē in wordes after a reasonable accowmpte off my fayth geuen for it shall be butt in vayne They will saye as their fathers saied Ioan. 19. Whē they haue no more to saie We haue a lawe ād by our lawe he owght to dye Be ye stedfast ād vnmouable saieth saincte Paule ād agayne persistito stande fast 1. Cor. 15. 2. Tim. 3. Ioan. 15. Col. 1. And how ofte is this repeted if ye abide yf ye abide c. But we shall be called obstinate sturdie ignoraūte headye and what not So that a man hath nede of muche patience hauing to do with suche men But yow knowe how great a crime it is to separate your selfe from the communion or feloushippe of the churche and to make a schisme or diuision Anton. obiect 3. You haue ben reported to haue hated the secte of the Anabaptistes and alwaies to haue impugned the same More ouer this was the perniciouse erroure of Nouatus and of the heretikes called Cathari that they woulde not communicate with the churche I knowe that the vnitye of the churche is to be retained by al meanes and the same to be necessarye to saluation N. Ryd Ansvu. But I do not take the masse as it is at this daye for the communion of the churche but for a popisshe deuyse wherby bothe the commaundemente and institution of oure sauior Christe for the ofte frequēting of the remēbrance of his deathe is eluded and the people of god is miserablye deluded The secte of the Anabaptistes and the heresie of the Nouatians oughte of righte to be condemned for as muche as with oute anye iuste or necessarie cause they wickedlye separated them selfes from the communion of the congregation for they did not alledge that the sacramentes were vnduelye ministred but turninge awaie their eies from them selfes wher with accordinge to saincte Paules reule they oughte to examine them selfes 1. Cor. 11. and castinge theyr eyes euer vpon others either ministers or communicātes with them they alwaies reproued some thinge for the which they absteined from the communion as from an vnholie thinge H. Laty. Hilarius contra Auxent I remembre that Caluine beginneth to confute the Interim after this sorte withe this sayeng of Hilarie The name of peace is beautifull and the opinion of vnitee is fayre but who doubteth that to be the true and onlye peace of the churche whiche is Christes I woulde you hadde that litle boke there shulde you see how muche is to be geuē to vnitie Rom. 15. S. Paule when he requireth vnitee he ioyneth streyght withall Secundum Iesum Christum accordyng to Iesus Christe no further Diotrephes now of late dyd euer harpe apon vnitye vnitye Yea Syr quod I but in veritee not in poperye Better is a diuersitee then an vnitye in poperye I hadde nothinge agayne but scornefull gieres with commaundement to the Tower But admitte there be in the masse that perauenture mighte be amended or at leaste made better Anton. obiect 4. yea seing you wil haue it so admitte ther be a faulte yf yow do not consente therto why do you troble your selfe in vaine Cypr. l. ◠ep 2. Au. ep 152. doo not you knowe bothe by Cyprian and Augustine that communion of sacramentes dothe not defile a man but consente of dedes Yf it wer anye one trifling ceremonie N. Ryd Ansvuer or yf it wer some one thinge of it selfe indifferēte althoughe I woulde wishe nothinge shulde be done in the churche whiche dothe not edifie the same yet for the continuance of the commen quietnes I coulde be contente to beare it But for asmuch as thinges done in the masse tende openlye to the ouerthrowe of Christes institution I iudge that by no meanes either in worde or dede I oughte to consente vnto it As for that whiche is obiected oute of the fathers I acknowledge it to be wel spokē if it be well vnderstanded But it is mente of them whiche suppose they are defiled yf anie secret vice be either in the ministers or in them that communicate with them And is not mente of them whiche doo abhorre superstition and wicked traditiōs of men and will not suffer the same to be thruste up on them selfes or vpon the churche in steade of goddes worde and the trewethe of the gospel The verye maye bones of the masse are all to gither H. Laty. detestable and therfore by no meanes to be borne withal so that of necessitye the mendinge of it is to abolisshe it for euer For yf yow take awaie oblation and adoration which do hange vpon consecratiō and transubstantiacion the most papistes of them all will not sett a button by the masse as a thinge which they esteame not but for the gaine that foloweth theron For yf the Englyshe communion whiche of late was vsed wer as gainefull to them as the masse hathe ben heretofore they woulde striue no more for their masse From thens groweth the griefe Anton. obiect 5. Consider into what daungers you caste your selfe yf you forsake the Churche and you can not but forsake it if you refuse to goo to Masse For the Masse is the sacrament off vnytie withowte the Arke ther is no saluation The Churche is the Arke and Peters shyppe Ye knowe thys saying well in oughe Aug. li. 4. de Sym. c. 10. In ep post col contra Donat. He shall not haue godde to be his father which acknowlegeth not the Churche to be his mother More ouer withoute the Church sayeth S. Augustine be the lyfe neuer so well spente it shal not enheritte the kyngdome of heauen The holie Catholique or vniuersalle Churche which is the communion of sayntes N. Ryd Ansvuer 1. Tim. 3. Apoc. 21. Ephes. 1. the howse of godde the Citee of godde the spowse of Christe the bodie of Christe the pyller and staye off the truth This Church I beleue accordinge to the Creede Thys Church I doo reuerence and honour in the Lorde But the rewle off this church is the worde off godde accordyng to which rewle we goo forward vnto lyffe And as many as walke accordyng to thys rewle I saye with S. Paule peace be apon them Gala. 6. and apon Israel which perteyneth vnto godde The guyde off this Churche is the holie ghooste The markes wherby this Churche is knowen vnto me in this darke worlde Phil. 2. and in the myddes of this Crooked and frowarde generatiō are these The syncere preachinge of goddes worde The due administration off the sacramentes Charitee and faythfull obseruynge off Ecclesiasticall discipline accordyng to the worde off godde And that Church or congregation which is garnisshed with these markes is in verie dede that heauenly Hierusalem which consisteth of those Apoc. 21. Ioan. 3. Gala. 4. that be borne frome aboue Thys is the mother of
vs all And by goddes grace I will Liue and dye the Chylde of thys Churche Forthe off thys I graunte ther is no saluation and I suppose the residew of the places obiected are rightly to be vnderstanded of thys churche only In op im Homi. 49. in Matth. In tymes paste sayeth Chrysostome ther wer many waies to knowe the Churche of Christe that is to saye by goode lyffe by miracles by chastitee by doctrine by mynistringe the sacramētes But frome that tyme that heresies dyd take holde off the churches it is onlye knowen by the scriptures which is the true church They haue all thinges in owtwarde shewe which the true church hath in truthe They haue temples lyke vnto ours c. And in th ende concludeth Wherfore only by the scriptures doo we knowe which is the true churche To that which they saye the Masse is the Sacramente of vnitie I answer The breade which we breake accordinge to the institution of the Lorde 1. Cor. 10. is the sacramente off thunitee of Christes Mysticall bodye For we beynge manye are one breade and one bodye forasmuch as we all are partakers of one breade But in the Masse the Lordes institution is not obserued for we be not all partakers of one breade but one deuoureth all c. So that as is it is vsed it maye seme a sacramente off singularitee and off a certen speciall priuelege for one secte off people wherby they maye be discerned frome the reaste rather then a sacrament off vnitee wherin our knyttinge together in one is represented Yea Whatt felowshyp hath Christe with Antichriste H. Laty. Therfore is it not lawfull to beare the yoke with papistes Cōme forthe frome amōge thē and separate your selfes frome them sayeth the Lorde It is one thinge to be the churche in dede another thinge to countrefayte the churche 2. Cor. 6. Wolde godde it wer well knowen what is the forsakynge of the churche In the kynges dayes that deade is who was the churche of Englande The kinge and hys fautors or Massemongers in corners Yf the kynge and the fautors of his procedinges why be not we now the churche abidinge in the same procedinges Yf clancularie Massemongers myght be of the churche and yett contrarie the kinges procedinges why maye not we aswell be off the churche contrarienge the qwenes procedynges Not all that be couered with the title off the church are the churche in dede Separate thy selfe frome thē that are suche saieth S. Paule frome whom 1. Tim. 6. The texte hath before Yff anie mā folowe other doctrine c. he is pufte vp and knoweth nothinge c. Weighe the hole Texte that ye maye perceaue what is the fruyte of contentiouse disputations But wherfore are such men sayd to knowe nothynge when they knowe so many thynges You knowe the olde verses Hoc est nescire sine Christo plurima scire Si Christum bene scis satis est si caetera nescis That is This is to be ignorante to knowe manie thīges withoute Christe Yf thow knowest Christe well thow knowest inough though thow knowe no more Therfore would S. Paul know nothing 1. Cor. 2. but Iesus Christe crucified et c. As manie as are papistes and massemongers they maie well be saide to knowe nothing for they know not Christe forasmoche as in theyr massinge they take much awaie from the benifite and merite of Christe Anton. obiect 6. That church which you haue described vnto me is īuisible but christes church is visible knowē For els why would Christ haue saide dic Ecclesie Tel it vnto the church Matt. 18. For he hadde commaunded in vaine to goo vnto the churche yf a man can not tell whiche is it N. Ryd Ansvu. The churche which I haue described is visible it hath members whiche maie bee seen and also I haue afore declared by what markes and tokens it maie be knowen But if either our eies are so daselled that wee can not se it or that Sathan hath brought suche darkenes into the worlde that it is hardde to discerne the true church that is not the faulte of the churche but either of our blindenesse or of sathans darkenesse But yet in this most depe darkenesse there is one moste cleare candle which of it selfe alone is able to put awaie all darkenesse Thy worde is a candle vnto my feete and a lyght vnto my steppes Psal. 119. The church of Christe is a Catholique or vniuersall church dispersed throughout the whole world Anton obiect 7. 2. Tim. 2. Matt. 25. Mat. 3.13 This church is the great house of God in this are good men and euel mingled together goates and sheepe corne and chaffe it is the nette whiche ga thereth of all kinde of fishes This churche can not erre because Christe hath promised it his spirite which shal lead it into all truth Ioan. 16. Mat. 16.28 and that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it that he will bee with it vnto th ende of the worlde What so euer it shall lose or binde apon earth shal be ratified in heauen c. 1. Tim. 3. Cōtra epi. funda c. 5. This churche is the piller and staie of the treuth this is it for the whiche S. Augustine saith he beleueth the gospell But this vniuersall church alloweth the Masse because the more parte of the same alloweth it Therfore c. I graunt that the name of the churche is taken after three diuerse maners in the scripture N. Rydl. Ansvu. Sometime for the hole multitude of them which professe the name of Christe of the which they are also named christians But as S. Paul saith of the Iew Rom. 2. Rom. 9. Not euery one is a Iew that is a Iew outwardly et c. Neither yet all that bee of Israell are counted the seed Euen so not euery one which is a christian outwardly is a christian in deed Rom. 8. For if any manne haue not the spirite of Christe the same is none of his Therfore that church which is his body and of which Christ is the heade standeth onely of liuing stones and true christians 1. Pet. 2. not only outwardly in name and title but inwardli in harte and in truth But forasmuch as this church whiche is the seconde takinge of the churche as touching the outward felowshippe is contained within that great house and hath with the same outwarde societie of the sacramentes and ministerie of the woorde many thinges are spoken of that vniuersall church whiche S. Austen calleth the mingled churche whiche can not truely be vnderstanded but onely of that purer parte of the churche So that the rule of Tyconius concerning the mingled church may here well take place Augu. de doc Crist. l. 3. cap. 32. When there is attributed vnto the whole churche that whiche canne not agree vnto the same but by reason of th one parte therof that is either for the multitude
church and beinge so gathered in the name of Christe they haue a promesse off the gyfte and guydinge of his spirite into all truthe But that anie such counsell hath at anie tyme allowed the masse such a one as ours was of late in a straunge tounge and stuffed with so manie absurditees errours and superstitions that I vtterly denye 2. Cor. 6. and I affirme it to be impossible For like as ther is no agreement betwixe lyghte and darknesse betwixe Christe and Belial so surely superstition and the syncere Religion of Christe will worship and the pure worshippinge of godde such as godde requireth of his Ioan. 4. that is in spirite ād truth can neuer agree together But ye will saye wher so greate a Companie is gathered together it is not credible but ther be two or three gathered in the name of Christe I answer If ther be one hundreth goode and two hūdreth badde forasmoche as the decrees and ordinances are pronounced accordinge to the greater numbre of the multitude of voyces what can the lesse numbre of voices auayle It is a knowne thinge and a commē prouerbe Often tymes the greater parte A prouerbe ouercommeth the Better As touching general counseils H. Laty. at this present I haue no more to say thē you haue sayd Only I refer you to your own experience to thinke of our cōtry parlaments and conuocations how and what ye haue there seen and heard The incōstancie of the Englissh parlamentes ād conuocations The more part in my time did brīg furth the sixe articles for thē the king wold so haue it being seduced of certē Afterward the more part did repel the same our goode Iosias willing to haue it so The same articles now again alas another greater but wurse part hath restored O what an vncertaintie is this But after this sort most commonly are mans procedings God be mercifull vnto vs. Who shall deliuer vs from such tormēts of mind Deathe the best phisition to the faithful Therfore is death the best physitiō but vnto the faithful whom she together and at once deliuereth frō all grieffes You must thinke 〈◊〉 this written vpon this occasiō because you woulde needes haue your paper blotted Anton. obiect 9. Yf the matter shoulde go thus that in generall counsailes menne shoulde not stande to the more numbre of the whole multitude I meane of them whiche ought to geue voices then shoulde no certaine rule bee lefte vnto the churche by the whiche controuersies in waightie matters might bee determined but it is not to bee beleued that Christe woulde leaue his churche destitute of so necessarie a helpe and sauegarde N. Ryd Ansvu. Ephes. 5. Christe who is the moste louinge spouse of his espoused the church who also gaue himselfe for it that he mighte sainctifie it vnto himselfe did geue vnto it abundantlye all thinges which are necessarie to saluacion but yet so that the churche shoulde declare it selfe obediente vnto him in all thinges and kepe it selfe within the boundes of his commaundementes and further not to seke any thing whiche he teacheth not as necessarie vnto saluacion Nowe further for determination of all controuersies in Christes religion Luc. 16. Christe himselfe hath left vnto the church not only Moses and the Prophetes Esa. 8. whome he willeth his church in all doutes to go vnto and aske counsell at but also the gospelles and the reste of the bodie of the newe testamente in the whiche whatsoeuer is harde in Moses and the prophetes whatsoeuer is necessarie to be knowen vnto saluation is reueled and opened So that nowe wee haue no neede to saie who shall clime into heauen Rom. 10. or who shall go downe into the depth to tell vs what is needfull to be done Christ hath done both and hath commended vnto vs the worde of faith whiche also is aboundantly declared vnto vs in his worde writtē so that hereafter if wee walke earnestly in this waie to the ser ching out of the trueth it is not to be doubted but throughe the certaine benifite of Christes spirite Luke 11. which he hath promised vnto his we may finde it and obtaine euerlastinge life Shoulde mēne aske counsell of the dead for the liuing saieth Esaie Esai 8. Let thē go rather to the law and to the testimonie et c. Christe sendeth them that bee desierouse to knowe the trueth vnto the scriptures saiynge Iohn 5. search the scriptures I remembre a like thing well spoken of Hierome Hieron in 23. Math. Ignoraunce of the scriptures is the mother and cause of al erroures and in another place as I remembre in the same authoure The knoweledge of the scripturs is the fode of euerlasting life But nowe me thinketh I enter into a verie broade sea in that I beginne to shewe either oute of the scriptures them selues or oute of the aunciente writers how muche the holy scripture is of force to teache the trueth of oure religion But this is it that I am nowe aboute that Christe wold haue the church his spouse in all doubtes to aske counsel at the word of his father writtē ād faithfully lefte and cōmēded vnto it in boeth testamētes the old and the newe Neither do we reede that Christ in any place hath laiede soo greate a burthen vpon the members of his spouse that he hath commaūded them to go to the vniuersall churche Rom. 15. What soeuer thinges are written saieth Paule are written for oure learninge And it is true that Christ gaue vnto his churche some Apostels some Prophetes some Euangelistes Ephe. 4. some shepards and teachers to the edifiynge of the sainctes till wee all come to the vnitie of faithe et c. But that all menne should meete together oute of all partes of the worlde to define of the articles of our faith I neither finde it commaunded of Christe nor written in the worde of God H. Latim There is a diuersitie betwixt thinges pertaining to God or faith and Politique or Ciuile matters For in the firste we muste stande onely to the scriptures whiche are able to make vs all perfecte and instructed vnto saluation 2. Tim. 3. if they bee well vnder standed And they offre thēselues to be wel vnderstanded onelye to them whiche haue good willes and geue themselues to studie and praier Neither are there any menne lesse apt to vnderstand them then the prudent and wise men of the worlde But in the other that is in Ciuile or Politique matters often tymes the magistrates doe tolerate a lesse euil for auoiding of a greater as they which haue this saiynge ofte in their mouthes Better an inconuenience then a mischieffe and it is the propertie of a wise man saieth one to dissemble many thinges And he that canne not dissemble can not rule In which saiyngs they bewraie themselues that they doe not earnestely weighe what is iuste what is not Wherfore forasmuch as mās lawes if it
and also be more hable to teache their childrē the same yet notwithstanding ther is not lyke necessitee of the vulgare tounge in Baptisme and in the lordes supper Baptisme is geuē to children who by reason of their aege are not able to vnderstande what is spoken vnto them what tounge soeuer it be The lordes supper is and oughte to be geuen to them that are wexen More ouer in Baptisme which is accustomed to be geuen to children in the Latin tounge all the substantial poyntes as a man wolde saye which Christe commawnded to be doone are obserued And therfore I iudge that Baptisme to be a perfecte and true baptisme and that it is not only not nedefull but also not lawfull for anie man so Christened to be Christened againe Butt yet notwithstandynge they oughte to be tawghte the Cathechisme of the Christen fayth whan they shall come to yeares of discretion Which Cathechisme who so euer despiseth or will not desirously embrace and willingly learne in my iudgemente he plaieth not the parte of a Christiane man But in the popisshe masse are wantynge certeyne substantialles that is to saye thinges commawnded by the worde of godde to be obserued in ministration of the lordes supper of the which ther is sufficient declaration made before H. Laty. Wher you saye I wolde wisshe surely I wolde wisshe that you hadde spoken more vehemently and to haue sayed it is of necessitee that all thinges in the congregation shulde be doone in the vulgare tounge for thedyffyenge and cōforte of them that are presente Nottwithstandinge that the childe it selfe is sufficientlye baptised in the Latin tounge Forasmoche as I perceiue you are so stifflie Anton. obiect 14 I will not saye obstinately bente and so wedded to your owne opinion that no gentle exhortations no holsome cownsayles no other kynde of meanes can call you home to a better mynde ther remayneth that which in lyke cases was wonte to be the only remedye agaynst stiffe necked and stubburne persones that is you muste be hampered by the lawes and compelled either to obey whether ye will or no or elles to suffer that which a rebelle to the lawes oughte to suffer Doo you not knowe that whosoeuer refuseth to obeye the lawes of the realme he bewrayeth himselfe to be an enemye to his cowntrey Doo you not knowe that this is the redyest waye to stirre vp sedition and ciuille warre Yt is better that you shulde beare your owne synne then that throughe thexample of your breache of the commē lawes the cōmen qwiette shulde be disturbed How can you saye you will be the qwenes true subiecte when as you doo openly professe that you will not kepe her lawes N. Ryd Ansvuer O heauenly father the father of all wisedom vnderstandinge and true strengthe I besech thee for thy onli sonne our sauiour Christes sake looke mercifulli vpon me wretched creature and sende thine holye spirite into my breaste that not only I maye vnderstāde according to thy wisedome how this pestilēt and deadly dart is to be borne of and with what aunswere it is to be beaten backe but also when I must ioyne to fight in the fielde for the glorye of thy name that then I being strengthened with the defence of thy right hande maie manfully stande in the confession of thy faieth and of thy trueth and continue in the same vnto the ende of my life through the same our Lorde Iesus Christ. Amen Nowe to the obiection I graunt it to be reasonable that he whiche by woordes and gentilnesse can not be made yealde to that is right and good shoulde bee bridled by the straite correction of the lawes that is to saie he that will not bee subiect to gods worde muste be punished by the lawes It is true that is commenly saide He that will not obeie the gospell muste be tamed and taught by the rigoure of the lawe But these thynges oughte to take place againste him whiche refuseth to do that is right and iuste according to true godlines not againste hym whyche can not quietelye beare superstitions and the ouerthrowe of Christes institutions but doth hate and detest from his harte suche kinde of procedinges and that for the glorie of the name of God To that which ye saie a transgressour of the commen lawes bewraieth himselfe to be an enemy of his countrie suerly a man ought to looke vnto the nature of the lawes what maner of lawes they bee whiche are broken For a faithfull Christian oughte not to thinke alike of all maner of lawes But that saiyng ought onelye truely to bee vnderstanded of suche lawes as bee not contrarie to gods woorde Otherwise whosoeuer loue their contrie in treuth that is to saie in God they wyll alwaies iudge if at any time the lawes of god and manne be th one contrarie to the other that a man ought rather to obeie God then manne Acto 4. And they that thinke otherwise and pretende a loue to their contrie forasmuche as they make their contrie to fyghte as it were againste Godde in whome consisteth the onelie staie of the countrie surelye I do thinke that suche are to bee iudged mooste deadly enemies and tratours to their countrie For they that fighte againste Godde whiche is the safetie of theyr countrie what doe they els but go aboute to bryng vpon theyr countrie a presente ruine and destruction But they that do so are worthelie to be iudged enemies to their countrie and betraiours of the Realme Therfore c. But this is the rediest waie ye saie to stir vp sedition to trouble the quiete of the commen welth therfore are these thinges to bee repressed in time by force of lawes Beholde Sathan doth not cease to practise hisolde giles Satā his ministers doo alvuayes charge the godly vuith sedition 3. Reg. 18. Hiere 26. ād accustomed subtilties He hath euer this darte in a readines to whorle againste his aduersaries to accuse them of sedition that he maie bringe them yf he can in daunger of the higher powers For so hath he by his ministers alwaies charged the Prophetes of Godde Achab saied vnto Elias art thou he that troubleth Iraell The false prophetes also complained to their Princes of Hieremie that his woordes were seditious and not to be suffered Did not the Scribes and Pharisies falselye accuse Christe as a seditious person Luc. 23. Ioan. 19 Acto 24. and one that spake againste Cesar Did they not at the laste crie if you let this manne go you are not Cesars frende The Oratoure Tertullus how doth he accuse Paule before Felix the highe deputie We haue founde this man saith he a pestilent felowe and a sterer of sedition vnto all the Iewes in the whole worlde c. But I praie you were these men as they were called seditious persons Christ Paule and the Prophetes God forbid But they were of false men falsely accused And wherefore I praie you but because they reproued before the people
Christ of his euangelists and of his Apostles that in this aforesayd controuersie the light of thy trueth by the lanterne of thy worde maie shine vnto all them that loue thee Of the Lordes laste Supper do speake especially three of the Euangelists Matt. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 10.11 Mathewe Marke and Luke But none more plainelie nor more fully declarethe the same then doeth S. Paule partelie in the 10. but especiallye in the 11. Chapiter of the firste Epistle vnto the Corinthianes As Mathewe and Marke doe agree muche in forme of woordes Soe doeth lykewise Luke and S Paule But all foure no doubte as they were all taught in one schole and enspired with one spirite so taughte they all one trueth God graunte vs to vnderstande it well Mathewe setteth forth Christes Supper thus Matthev Vuhen euen vuas comme he satt dovune vuith the 12. c. Matt. 26. As they dyd eate Ihesus tooke bread and gaue thākes brake it ād gaue it to the disciples and sayd Take Eate This is my body And he tooke the cuppe gaue thankes and gaue it to them sayng Drynke ye all of this For this is my bloud of the nevue testament that is shedd for many for the remission of sinnes I saie vnto you I vuill not drinke henseforth of this fruyte of the vyne tree vntyll that daye vuhen I shall drinke that nevue in my fathers kingdome And vuhen they had sayd grace they vuent out Marke Novve Marke speaketh it thus And as they ate Iesus tooke breade blissed and brake Marke 14. and gaue to them and saide Take eate This is my bodie And he toke the cuppe gaue thankes and gaue it them and they all dranke of it and he saide vnto them This is my bloud of the nevve testamente vvhich is shedde for manye Verelie I saie vnto you I vuil drinke no more of the fruite of the vine vntyll that daie that I drinke that nevve in the kingedome of God Here Matthew and Marke doo agree not onely in the matter but also allmost fullye in the fourme of wordes Sauing that for thies wordes in Mathew gaue thankes Marke hath one word blessed which signefieth in this place al one And wher Mathew saithe drinke ye al of this Marke saith and they all dranke of it And wher Matthew saithe of this fruyte of the vyne Marke leaueth owt the worde this and saith of the fruyte of the vyne Nowe lett vs see likewise what agrement in forme of wordes is betwixte S. Luke and S. Paule Luke Luke vuriteth thus He toke breade gaue thankes brake it and gaue it to them saing This is my bodye vuich is geuē for you This doo in remembraunce of me Likevuise also vuhen they had supped he tooke the cupp saynge Luc. 22. This cupp is the nevue testamēt in my bloud vuich is shed for you S. Paule S. Paule setteth fourthe Christes supper thus the Lord Ihesus the same night in the vuich he vuas betrayed tooke bread and gaue thankes and brake and said ◠Cor. 11. Take eate this is my bodie vuiche is broken for you This doo in remembrance of me After the same maner he tooke the cupp vuhen supper vuas done saing This cupp is the nevue testament in my bloud This doo as often as ye drinke it in the remembraūce of me for as ofte as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cuppe ye shall shevue the Lordes death tyll he comme Here wher Luke sayth which is geuen Paule saythe which is broken And as Luke addeth to the wordes of Paule spoken of the cuppe which is shedd for yow so likewise Paule addeth to the wordes of Luke this doo as often as ye shall drinke it in the remēbraunce of me The rest that followeth in S. Paule both ther and in the x. chapter perteineth to the right vse and doctrine of the Lordes supper Thus the Euangelistes and S. Paule haue rehersed the wordes and worke of Christ wherby he dyd institute and ordeine this holye Sacrament of his blessed bodye and bloud to be a perpetuall remembraunce of hym selfe vntill his comminge agayne of hym self I saye that is of his bodye geuen for vs and of his bloud shedde for the remission of sinnes But this remembraunce thus ordeined as the awthor therof is Christ both god and man so by thallmighty power of god farre passeth all kind of remembraunces that any other man is able to make either of hym self or of any other thing for who so euer receueth this holye sacrament thus ordeyned in remembraunce of Christ he receyueth therwith either deathe or lyfe In this I doo trust we all agree For saincte Paule saith of the godlie receuers in the x. chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10. The cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the partaking or felowshipp of Christes bloud And also he saieth the bread which we breake and meaneth at the Lords table is it not the partaking or felowshippe of Christes bodie Nowe the partakinge of Christes bodie and of his bloude vnto the faithfull and godlie is the partaking or felowship of life and of immortalitie And againe of the bad and vngodly receiuers S. Paule plainlie saieth thus 1. Cor. 11. He that eateth of this breade and drinketh of this cuppe vnworthily he is gilty of the bodie and bloude of the Lorde O howe necessarie then is it if we loue life and would eschewe death to trie and examine oure selues before we eate of this breade and drinke of this cuppe For els assuredlie he that eateth and drinketh vnworthilie eateth and drinketh his own damnation because he estemeth not the Lords bodie that is he receiueth not the Lords bodie with the honoure whiche is due vnto hym And yet by that whiche was saide that with the receipte of the holie Sacramente of the blissed bodie and bloude of Christ is receiued of euerie one good or badde either life or death it is not meant that they whiche are deade before God hereby maie receiue life or the liuing before God cā herby receiue deathe For as none is meete to receiue naturall foode wherby the naturall life is norished excepte he be borne and liue before so no man can feede by the receipte of this holie Sacramente of the foode of eternall life excepte he bee regenerated and borne of god before And on the other side no man her receiueth damnation whiche is not deade before God Thus hitherto withoute all doubte God is my witnes I saie so farre as I know there is no controuersie among thē that bee learned in the church of Englāde concerning the matter of this Sacramente but all doe agree whether they be newe or olde and to speake plaine and as some of them odiouslye either do call other whether they bee protestantes papistes pharisies or Gospellers And as all do agree hitherto in the aforesaide doctrine so all doe deteste the wicked herisie of the
Messalians whiche be otherwise called Euchites Triparti histo lib. 7. cap. 11. whiche saide that the holie sacramente canne neither do good nor harme All doo also condemne these wicked Anabaptistes wich putte no difference betwene the Lordes table and the Lordes meate and their owne And because charitie woulde we shoulde if it be possible and so far as we maie with the safegarde of good conscience and maintenaunce of the trueth to agree with all menne therfore me thinketh it is not charitably done to burthen ani manne either newe or olde as they call them Charitie vuil belye no man further then suche do declare themselues to dissente from that we are perswaded to be the trueth and pretende there to be controuersies whereas none suche are in dede and so to multiplie the debate the whiche the more it doeth increase the further it doeth departe from the vnitye that the true Christiā should desire And againe this is true that the trueth neither needeth nor will bee maintened with lies It is also a true commen prouerbe that it is euen sinne to lye vpon the deuell For though by thy lie thou doeste seame neuer so muche to speake againste the deuell yet in that thou lieste in deede thou workest the deuelles woorke thou doste him seruice and takeste the deuils parte Nowe whether then do they godlye and charitablye The papistes do belie the prechars of the gospel whiche either by their penne in writyng or by their wordes in preaching do beare the simple people in hande that these whiche thus doe teache and beleue do goe aboute to make the holie Sacrament ordeined by Christe himselfe a thing no better then a pece of commen baken bread or that do saie that suche do make the holie sacramente of the blessed bodie and bloude of Christ nothing els but a bare signe or figure to represente Christ none otherwise then the Iuie bushe doeth represente the wine in a tauerne or as a vile person gorgiouslie appareled maie represente a kinge or a prince in a plaie Alas let vs leaue liyng and speake the truth euerie man not onely to his neighbour Ephe 5. but also of his neighbour for we are membres one of another saith S Paule The controuersie no doubte whiche at thys daye troubleth the churche wherin anye meane learned man either olde or newe doth stand in is not whether the holie sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ is no better thē a piece of cōmē breade or noe Or whether the Lordes table is no more to bee regarded then the table of any earthlye man or noe or whether it is but a bare signe or figure of Christe and nothing elles or no For all doe graunt that S Paules wordes do require that the breade whiche we breake is the partakinge of the bodie of Christe And all also doe graunte him that eateth of that breade or drinketh of that cuppe vnworthilie to bee giltie of the Lordes death and to eate and drinke his owne damnation because he estemeth not the Lordes bodie All do graūte that these wordes of S Paule when he saith if we eate it auantageth vs nothing or if wee eate not wee want nothing therby are not spoken of the Lordes table but of other commen meates 1. Cor. 8. Thus then hitherto yet we all agree But nowe lette vs see wherin the dissention doeth stande The vnderstanding of that wherin it doth chieflie stand is a steppe to the true searching furth of the trueth For who can seeke well a remedie if he knowe not before the disease It is neither to be denied nor dissembled that in the matter of this Sacramente there bee diuerse pointes wherein men counted to be learned canne not agree The chieffe pointes off controuersie abovute the sacramēt As whether there be any transubstantiation of the breade or no Any corporall and carnal presence of Christes substance or no Whether adoracion onely due vnto God is to be done to the sacramente or noe And whether Christes bodie bee be there offered in deede vnto the heauenlye father by the prieste or noe Or whether the euell man receiue the naturall bodie of Christe or noe Yet neuerthelesse as in a man diseased in diuers partes commenlie the originall cause of suche diuers diseases whiche are spredde abrode in the bodie do come from some one chiefe membre as from the stomacke or from the heade euen so al those fiue aforesaide pointes do chiefely hange vpon this one question whiche is what is the matter of the Sacramente whether is it the naturall substance of breade or the naturall substance of Christes owne bodie The treuth of this question truelye tried out and agreed vpon no doubte shall cease the controuersie in all the reaste For if it bee Christes owne naturall bodie borne of the virgine then assuredlie seynge that all learned men in Englande so farre as I knowe both newe and olde graunt there to be but one substance then I say they must nedes graunt Transubstantiation that is a change of the substance of breade into the substance of Christes bodie then also they must graunt the carnall and corporall presence of Christes bodie then must the sacramēt be adored with the honour due vnto Christ himselfe for the vnitie of the two natures in one person then if the prieste do offre the sacrament he doeth offre in deede Christ himselfe and finallye the murtherer the adulterer or wicked mā receiuinge the Sacrament must needes there receiue also the naturall substaunce of Christes owne blessed bodye both fleash and bloude Nowe on the other syde if after the truthe shal be truly tryed owte it be fownd that the substance of breade is the materiall substance of the sacrament althowgh for the chaunge of the vse office and dignitie of the bread the bread in dede sacramentally is chaunged into the bodye of Christ as the water in Baptisme is sacramentally chaunged into the fountayne of regeneracion and yet the materiall substance therof remayneth all one as was before yf I saye the trewe solutyon of that former question wheruppon all these controuersies doo hange be that the naturall substāce of bread is the materiall substance in the holie sacrament of Christes blessed bodye then must it followe of that former proposition confessed of all that be named to be learned so farre as I knowe in Englande whiche is that there is but one materiall substāce in the sacramente of the bodie and one onelye lykewise in the sacrament of the bloud that there is no such thing in deede and in truth as they call transubstantion for the substance of breade remaineth styll in the sacrament of the bodie then also the naturall substance of Christes humane nature which he tooke of the virgine Marie is in heauen where it reigneth now in glory and not here inclosed vnder the forme of breade then that godlie honoure whiche is due vnto God the creator and maye not be done to the creature without
23. Euen as we call euerie good fryday the daye of Christes passion and euerie Easter day the daie of Christes resurrection When in verie dede there was but one daie wherin he suffered and one daie wherein he rose And why doe we then call them so which are not so in dede but because they are in like time ād course of the yeare as those dais were wherin those things wer done Was Christ saeth S. Austin offred any more but once and he offred hīself And yet in a sacramente or representation not onely euery solempne feast of Easter but also euery daie to the people he is offered For if sacramentes had not some similitude or likenes of those things wherof they be sacramentes they could in no wise be sacramētes And for their similitudes and likenes commēly they haue the names of the thinges wherof they bee sacramentes Therfore as after a certaine maner of spech the sacramente of Christes bodie is Christes bodie the sacramente of Christes bloud is Christes bloud so likewise the sacrament of faith is faith c. After this maner of speache as S. Augustine techeth in his questions Super Leuiticum et contra adimantum Question 57. it is sayed in scripture that seuen eares of corne be seuen yeares seuen kyne be seuen yeares and the rocke was Christe and bloud is the soule The whiche laste saiynge saieth S. Austen in his booke contra adimantum is vnderstanded to be spoken in a signe or figure for the Lorde himselfe did not sticke to saie This is my bodie when he gaue the signe of his bodie Cap. 13. For we muste not considre in sacramentes saieth S. Augustine in an other place what they be but what they do signifie Contra Maximium lib. ca. 22. For they be signes of things being one thing in themselues and yet signifiyng an other thing For the heauenly breade saieth he speakinge of the sacramentall breade by some maner of speach is called Christes bodye when in verye dede it is the sacrament of the bodye c. What can be more plaine or more clearely spoken then are theis places of S. Augustine before rehersed if men were not obstinately bent to mainteyne an vntrewth and to receiue nothing what so euer doth sett it fourth Yet one place more of S. Augustine will I alledge which is verie cleare to this purpose that Christes naturall bodye is in heauen and not here corporally in the sacrament and so lett him depart In his 50. Tract 50. in Ioan. Treatyse which he writeth vppon Ihon̄ he teacheth plainly and clearlie howe Christ being both God and man is both here after a certaine maner and yet in heauē and not here in his naturall bodye and substaunce which he tooke of the blessed virgine Marie speking thus of Christ and saing By his diuine maiestye by his prouidence by his vnspeakable and inuisible grace that is fulfilled which he spake Behold I am with yow vnto the ende of the worlde But as concerning his fleash whiche he tooke in his incarnation as towching that which was born of the virgine as concerning that which was apprehended by the Iewes and crucified vppon a tree and taken downe from the crosse lapped in lynen clothes and buryed and rose agayn and appeared after his resurrecton as coocerning that fleash he sayed Ye shall not euer haue me with yow why so For as concerning his fleashe he was conuersaunt with his disciples 40. dayes and they accompanying seing and not following him he went vpp into heauen and is not here By the presence of his diuine maiestie he did not depart as concerning the presence of his diuyne maiestie we haue Christ euer with vs but as concerning the presence of his fleash he said truly to his disciples ye shall not euer haue me with yow For as concerning the presence of his fleashe the church had him but a fewe dayes nowe yt holdeth him by fayth thowgh it seeth him not Thus much S. Augustine speketh repeting one thing so ofte and all to declare and teach howe we should vnderstand the maner of Christes being here with vs which is by his grace by his prouidence and by his diuine nature and howe he is absent by his natural bodie which was born of the virgine Marie dyed and rose for vs and is ascended into heauē and ther sitteth as is in tharticles of our faith on the right hand of god and thense and from none other place saith S. Augustine shall comme on the latter daye to iudge the quicke and the dead At the which daye the righteous shall then lift vpp their heades and the lighte of godes truth shall so shine that falsehood and errors shal be putte to perpetuall confusion Righteousnes shall haue the vpper hand and trewth that daie shall beare awaie the victorie all the Enemyes therof quyte ouerthrowen to be troden vnder foote for euermore O Lord Lord I beseach the hast this daye thē shalt thow be glorifyed with the glorye dewe vnto thy holy name and vnto thy diuine maiestie and we shall singe vnto the in all ioye and felicitee laude and prayse for euermore Here now wold I make an end for methink S. Augustine is in this matter so full ād playne and of that authoritye that it should not neade after this his declaration being so firmely grownded vppon goddes word and so well agreing with other awncyene awthours to bring in for the confirmation of this matter anye moe And yet I sayed I wold alledge three of the Latyne church to testefye the truthe in this cause Nowe therfore the last of all shal be Gelasius Gelasius which was a Busshop of Rome but one that was Busshopp of that Sea before the wicked vsurpation and Tyrannye therof spredde and brast owt abroade into all the worlde For this man was before Bonifacius yea ād Gregory the first In whose daies both corruption of doctrine and tyrannicall vsurpatiō did chiefly growe and had the vpper hand Gelasius in an Epistle of the two natures of Christ contra Eutichen writeth thus The sacramentes of the bodie and bloud of Christ which we receue are godly thinges wherby and by the same we are made partakers of the diuīe nature ād yet neuertheles the substaunce or nature of the breade and wyne doth not departe or go awaye Note thes wordes I beseach yow and cōsyder whether any thing can be more playnlye spoken then theis wordes be against the error of Transubstantiation which is the grownd and bitter roote whervppon springeth all the horrible errours before rehersed Wherfore seing that 〈◊〉 falsehood hereof doth appeare so manyfestly and by so many wayes so plainely so clearelie and so fullye that no man nedeth to be deceiued but he that will not see or will not vnderstand Let vs all that doo loue the truth embrase yt and forsake the falsehed for he that loueth the truth is of god and the lacke of the loue therof is the cause why God suffereth men to fall into errours and to perish therin yea and as S. Paule saith why he sendeth vnto them illusyons that they beleue lyes vnto their owne condemnatyon because sayth he they loued not the truthe This truth no dowbt is Goddes word for Christ him self sayth vnto his Father Thy word is truthe the loue and light wherof Almightye God heauenlye father giue vs and lighten it in owr hartes by his holye Spiryte throwghe Iesus Christ our Lorde AMEN Faultes escaped in printing and to be corrected as foloweth The 3. leafe pag. 1.21 lyne hym helfe reade himselfe In the seconde page 9. lyne ignoranee reade ignorance The 5. leafe pag. 1. lib. 6. trew wor reade trew worde The 7. leafe pag. 1. li. 9. phaatasticall reade phantasticall The 13. leafe pag. 1. li. 13. that is daungerouse reade that it is daungerouse The 16. leafe pag. 2. lin 19. te remayne reade to remayne The 18. leafe pag. 1. laste lyne maye bones reade marye bones The 21. leafe pag. 2. lin 25. pophetes reade prophetes The 24. leafe pag. 1. li. 26. thinke thinke putte forthe th one thinke The 50. lea pag. 2. li. 20. Christes reade Christe The 53. lea pag. 1. lin 6. whrein reade wherin The 55. lea pag. 2. li. 12. misterers reade misteries The 62. leafe pag. 2. li. 2 as none hath done hiterto before hym adde therūto Neither yet anie other Catholike man after hym