libertie In this behalfe therfore God the father of heauen seing their licenciousnesse to be bothe intolerable and incurable hathe chosen aparte some of the nombre of his ministres and hathe enlumined them wyth the lyght and shynyng beames of his spirite that knowyng the Popes tyrannye and wicked lordlynesse haue also throughlye perceaued the truthe of Goddes worde These men haue layed their haÌ„des to worke and brought light into the worlde that tuÌ„bleth in darkenesse haue reproued openly the cruel and horrible abominacions of the papacie admonishing euery body to beware of theÌ„ By meanes wherof that sea hath felt exceding great losse and where as no power of emperours was hable hitherto to dryue it to a downefall nowe beyng a great parte dyminished in it selfe and in his membres bothe in his honour and rychesse it beginneth euen already to come to nought For froÌ„ hencefurth the Germaines whome this light shone furst vnto wolde not renne gadding to Rome ther seke soule helth seing they knew Christ Iesus to be the true way of saluacion And they haue no mynde to buye Romishe pardones and bulles with money seyng they vnderstode that synnes are forgeuen by Christ that men are certified by faithe of the forgeuenesse therof What nede many wordes That most gayneful fornace of the popes pikepurce Purgatorie is quenched out with the lyuely waters of the Gospel amoÌ„g the Germaynes and al the battefowling tooles knackes of the sea of Rome are despeched quyte out of the waye Hereof those most holy fathers haue complayned in euery place And where as before they turned the deafe eare to other mennes complaintes nowe they beginne to coÌ„playne them selues with faire flattering wordes most large ê“mises and muche feyned holynesse they haue gone about to bring them that are instructed in the doctrine of the truthe and haue renounced papistrie vnder the yowke of their tyrannie agayne But whan they preuailed nothyng for all their craftes by and by they besought ayde of Emperours Kinges Princes cities and people they begonne to arme them agaynst the professours of the truthe whome they crye out on and saye they folowe a newe and an hereticall religion In this case therfore the Magistrates beyng stered vp by the popes incensementes begonne violently to rage with force of armes against the faithfull seruauntes of Christ And than a man myght haue sene them that confessed Christ to be the onlye waye of saluacion burned wyth cruell fyre hanged vpon galowes choked in waters slayne wyth sweorde and murthered wyth al kyndes of deathe Yea the mater came to so merciles a crueltie that they spared none nother man nor woman yonge nor olde And yet those noble rutterkines of the churche dyd more cruell feates than these for they enticed princes and people whome so euer they coulde for money to stere vp warres amonge them selues and to extinguishe the religion that is contrary to them wyth sweorde and fyre So that hangmen were sent out of these parties and raunged about here and there to murthre the ministers of the worde by what meane so euer they coulde And they founde and toke vp burners whom they hyred priuely to thrust vnder fyre so to spoile bothe the faythfull christianes and their cities and fieldes And yet this read purpled churche embrewed with the blood of sayntes not satisfied with all these as wicked cruell dedes as they were ceassed not before they perceaued these haynous and bloody warres brought vpon sely sorowful Germanye stered vp all them that they trusted to make batail against it Bring vs out here the frutes of charitie O you bishoppes Shewe here som special token of christen gentilnesse O you pope pleasing slaues Is it the office of charitie to murdre men whoÌ„ Christ hathe redemed with his blood to spoile cities to waste fieldes to marre corne to defile matrones and maideÌ„s and finally to renne rageing after al kyndes of iniuries and reproches with sweorde and fire vpon all ages man woman and childe But they are heretikes saye they and no true christen people that we persecute And the chaste spouse of Christ the churche is by these heretikes most impudently defiled and also the seameles coate of our saueour Iesu is by their rashenesse and false doctrines miserably torne and rent in pieces which we goo about to amende and repaire agayne Ha will you nedes be bothe most bloody tirannes and most shameles lyers to you cruell blood thirstye wolues what adoo haue you to speake of Christes coate For by you it was cutte in pieces and marred all ready a great while agoo yea and by most wicked loctecasting as it was before tyme among the souldiours of the Iewes it cam in to most filthie mennes handelinges Therfore you are not sory for tearing of Christes coate but it greueth you that the vaile of wickednesse and the clooke of impietie is through the preaching of the gospel cut in pieces which you being couered withal haue continually hitherto practiced al kynde of wickednesse and beasly lust without correction It greueth your hartes that the sackes are open and torne which you haue hitherto hidden the true Ioseph Iesus Christes cuppe and all other your church robberies in Now your sleightie shiftes are open your lies are open your false deceates are open nowe is your more than the Sicilianes tyrannye open and abhorred of all men Your tyrannye was the toole with the which you raged together by heapes not only against mennes bodies but against their soules also It is the commyng of this gaire to the open light that greueth you hereof cometh your lamenting this is the cause of your sorowe taking For as touching the horrible cryme of heresie which is alwaies in your mouthe which of our sorte is it I beseche you that you coulde coÌ„uince haue you yet hitherto proued any of them an heretike They are heretikes that make who is an heretike new articles of the faithe contrary to the truthe of the scripture and doo stiffely mayntene them This cryme is most farre from vs. For ther is none of the articles of the apostolike faithe and Crede that we denye And moreouer we deuise no newe ones we chaunge none wrongfullye we nother take from nor put to any thyng touchyng any of them But suche masking visours you hade nede of to bryng the doctrine of the truthe and of the true faythe in to hate and contempt wyth the simple and rude common people by meanes of this horrible and slaunderous reporte of vs to be heretikes But yf ye loued the churche of Christ so muche as you boaste in wordes to doo yf you cared so muche for the noble and most valeaunt nacion of the Germaynes truely you testifye this your loue and care wyth moste vniuste and most vnworthy behaueours in that you visite it wyth abominable force of armes and moste cruell haynous enemies procured out of euery countrey Did Christe our Lorde entreprise to trayne the worlde to his lore by
than in heauen cursed be they and let them not be beleued how gaye felowes so euer they be how fynely so euer they cā tell their tale and of how high autoritie so euer they are But if sō be so wilfully stubburne and blinde that they will rather beleue them thā Christ our saueour geuing vs so faithfull monicion we must nedes let them alone to doo after their owne lust They shall fele like wretches one day to their owne great payne what a guyde it is that they haue folowed Secondarily the Lorde warneth Goo not furthe vs that we goo not out if they either teache a false Christ or shewe Christ any wher elles thā in heauē Which wordes although they may be expoūded to meane concerning the bodie that the Lorde forbiddeth all stacions and pilgrimages that are done for saluacion and religion yet they ought chiefly to be applied to our soule mynde so that the soule goo not out from Christ our Lorde and saueour nor seke saluation any wher elles but sattle it self in him wyth an assured and vndoubting faithe And herein verily are all thinges closed that make vnto our saluacion For like as a man may fynde the fauour of God the father the remission of synnes and saluacion in Christ alone euē so as many as go out frō Christ thīke scorne to beleue stedfastly in him can not chose but goo out quyte from life and saluacion Therfore it is very muche profitable for vs to knowe louing brethren in Christ after what sorte we may abide in the Lorde and tary with him still vnto the ende specially seing we heare him saye Not euery one that saithe Lorde Lorde shall Math. 7. entre into the kingdome of heauen but he that dothe the will of my father which is in heauē These same wordes teache men what becometh them to doo that are desirous to abide in Christ and entre wyth him in to the kingdome of heauen We must nedes doo God the the heauenly fathers wil Mary what that is we may knowe by the wordes of Christ him self and the Apostles And furst in dede the Lorde him self speaketh of the will of the father Io. 6. chap. and saithe This is the wil The will of God is that we beleue in his Sonne of him that sent me that al that see the sonne and beleue in him haue euerlasting life Therfore the will of God is good holsom vnto vs which hathe this appointed ende that we shall haue euerlasting saluacion but with this condicion that we should knowe the sōne and beleue in him whom he vouchedsafe to sende in to the worlde for our sakes Thā the furst point of Goddes wil requireth of vs a very a certain a perfite and an vnwauering faithe in Christ our Lorde saueour to cleaue fast vnto him withall and to seke in him alone for those thinges that are necessary to com to eternal saluacion And this faithe requireth a certain a perfite knowlage of Christ to thintent that least while we make boast of our faithe we carye in our hearte nothing but as it were a bare and a vayne fātastical opiniō but we must beleue faithfully and without al doubting those thinges that are set furthe vnto vs in the worde of euerlasting truthe by Christ our Lorde This worde describeth our saueour How the scriptures describe Christ vnto vs after this sorte Iesus Christ is the true and natural sonne of God the father of all one substaūce nature maiestie with the father frō euerlasting And at the tyme appointed he became mā for our sakes not by layēg awaye his godhead but by receauing of Māhead so that he which was God from euerlasting is now bothe very God very mā in one inseperable persone And forasmuche as he became man he suffred all thinges that a man may do synne only except For he was borne as man growed waxed strong in body streynght processe of age He was weary with trauailīg he rested he suffred bothe hongre thyrst he also wept for sorowe of hearte Yea he was afrayde of deathe of the paynes of deathe yet he abode them paciētly strongly for our sakes But before the tyme of his deathe approched his will was to haue his diuinitie knowen to men not only by miracles wonderous signes but also opening the wil of his father he gaue vs a certain and an absolute doctrine of saluacion and blessednesse He chosed disciples also that after he had instructed them with his spirite in the doctrine of the truthe he might at his ascēding in to heauē sende them furthe in to all the wyde worlde And whan he dyed he satisfyed his fathers righteousnesse by his deathe and offring him selfe for vs once for all he made a sufficient sacrifice for the clensyng of the synnes of the worlde For by his deathe he brake the olde serpentes head all to clattred his power and toke his streynght from hym and than by his glorious resurrection he ouercame deathe it self At last whan he went vp in to heauen he set heauē gates wyde open for vs again the which synne hade locked vs out of and wolde haue the fleshe which he toke of vs to be the earnest peny and pledge of our resurrection and saluacion in heauen And now he sitteth in heauen and is our only and supreme bishop which as he offred his body a sacrifice for our synnes euen so dothe he make intercessiō for vs continually before our heauēly father so as we as muche endaungered with synne as we are may safely approche to the throne of grace Such a maner Christ I saye and suche a maner saueour the oracles of the scripture purporte vnto vs and the will of God the father is that we stedfastly beleue him to be such a one and that we goo not about to seke any wher elles those thinges that are geuen vs in him Now the faythe that we talke of is not a certaine bare and a vayne fantastical opiniō that consisteth in bare wordes and in nothing elles but in the speche of the mouthe but it is a quicke lyuely strong power whiche beyng by the spirite of God graffed in mennes consciences conteyneth all the hole mater of saluacion and religiō For it is necessary for vs also to know God the father that we maye be truly and faythfully grounded in Iesus Christ Goddes owne sonne If we acknowlage him rightly to be suche a one as he is we shall feare him also and not that only but also we shall loue him aboue all other thinges beyng boūden to him with suche feare and loue as children owe to their natural parentes we shal willingly obeye him in al thinges Out of the spowte of the same foūtayne shall spring what so euer can be required also vnto externall religion For in this faythe we shall not heare the ymaginacions of our owne reason but haue respecte onlye vnto
are infinite past al nombre that are dayly blustred vp of hym whiche like as he walketh about as a roaring Lyon to destroy vs so is he most craftie in layeng of snares 1. Pet. 5. and false deceaueable baytes yet we ought before al thinges to considre two maters false doctrine the griefe of the crosse and persecution which are speciall snares to ouerthrowe our weaknesse withall For the deuil knoweth the disposicion of our nature that in diuine and heauēly affaires it is wonderfull dull and drowsye and maye very easely be deceaued but in other causes in religiō specially it estemeth euery thyng accordyng to the successe and spede so it is offended at persecution and aduersite By reason wherof we se that he vseth alwaies this knacke against the flocke of Christ that either he deceaueth the simple sorte with falsly cōceaued opinions or disquieteth them with cōtentions and wrangling disputatiōs or els he feareth them with the crosse of persecution and bloody warres of cruelly procured tyrannes Yf any man wolde require examples herof he shal mete them so thick that he shall not nede to take muche paine in searching of them For the deuelishe dreames of the Nazarenes maye stande for an example whiche iomble the lawe and Christ together and make his merite of none effecte And whan those dreames were euen scarcely repressed ther was persecucion done by that monstre of nature Nero. Hervnto we maye make rehersal of Cerinthus and his successour that prodigious slaue of lechery pryde crueltie Domitianus Among these we wil reckē Arrius and the tyrānes that folowed his heretical madnesse And lyke as the nerer we drawe to th ende of the world so muche that more pernicious and more perilous is euery thing so in our tyme we see that myghtye houge Antichrist the bishop of Rome farre excede al his predecessours in tyranny and so outragiously raue wyth bothe these sweordes that a man can not wel discerne with whether he dothe hurte the churche The vertue of the Popes doctrine the sorer For he hath brought in doctrine that is cleane contrarie repugnaunt to the true doctrine For it draweth men from God maketh them to serue creatures it teacheth mē also to seke saluacion in their owne merites and to trust in their owne strenghtes He hath also forged suche a kynde of religiō as hath more twitle twatle toyes in it then the Leuitical lawe and al the supersticion that euer the gentiles vsed Yea it is patched together with parte of both of them and is most farre of frō spirite truthe Ioh. 4. And yet vnder pretense of this religion he is aduaunced to so highe power and tyranny that he is hable to compel them that repyne against it to represse them that speake against it to kil and slea them that resiste can not beleue it Therfore the lyeng spirite of errour playeth the deuil in the churche at this daye and the Bishop of Romes tyrānical swoord layeth on load withal and that not vpō priuate persons now as in tymes past long ago but vpon most myghtye Princes the most famous cyties yea vpon al sortes of people his sweorde is drawen maketh streames of blood to renne downe euery where For now we see great cities takē and throwē downe fieldes laide waste honest wemē and maydēs defiled with abominable lecherie and yong babes also either killed or elles which is the more horrible maymed of their limmes We se the flowre of youthe brought to the horrible wyckednesse of buggery and al hole Germany in the meane space euery where cruelly vexed And albeit that chosen instrumēt of Satan Antichrist rage with open tyranny yet by ioynyng lyes to his tyranny his drift is to cloke his deuillishe attemptates and the occasions therof to enueagle the vnlearned and simpler sorte with false forged causes craftily to cause many folkes to hate the truthe of the Gospel true religion Let vs awake therfore brethren seing we are placed in the watche towre let vs reproue the sweorde not that is yet commyng but presently come and layeth on loade yea and batheth it self all ready in the bowelles of the flocke For in this case ther is many a mannes faithe assayed Ther be som whych bicause they perceaue not the feate of forgeing of lies are sone begyled Ther be some which bicause they can not discerne the true doctrine ymagined supersticiō asondre take falshead for truthe And som ther be that are yet still afraide of the thōder bolt of the Romyshe curse that is to saye Antichristes curse And som ther be also which are so offended whan the crosse and heate of persecucion cometh that after that triall euery mā maye plainly perceaue they receaued the sede of the Gospell in to stonye grounde In this case therfore is our diligēt cure required good brethren In this behalfe it standeth vs necessarily in hande to shewe our selues faithful watchemen so as the people being warned by vs maye be hable to knowe false fained doctrine to beware of forged supersticion to shonne the baites snares of lies and in no wise to be offēded whā persecuciō cometh And principally it shal be our parte to geue the onsette vpon the autour of so haynous a mischief the bishop of Rome whom not only the prophetes but also Christ and thapostles according to the histories directly proclayme to be the right mightie houge Antichrist He it is therfore whom our duetie is to reproue to set him out plainly in his colours for the congregatiōs to loke vpon him that no man be amased by reason of his falsly causeles vsurped persone or title or be afrayde of his vayne gōneshotte of wordes bicause of his pratīg power And against forged supersticion lyeng doctrines ther is doutles no presenter a remedye than to knowe the truthe For where the lyght of the truthe spreadeth out his beames ther maye the deuil put vp his pypes for any hurt he can do with his darke dongeon of lyes As for the talkes of some fyne fyngred tēdrelinges they are not worth the hearing which bycause they are afrayde of their owne carcasse and pelfe wolde in no wise haue an enemye of so great myght power spokē against to be prouoked through such maner of open mouthed playne declaraciōs Is ther not vnquiet trouble ynough otherwise saye they Is ther not dissension tumultuous vproares ynough besides what auaileth it to throwe fire in to the fornace and oile in to the fire I beseche you good brethren felowe curates beare wyth me though I answer these men playnly home at fewe wordes For I coulde easily cōtemne their prittle prattle talking if ther were not som of their company that loke to be reported not only for fanonrers of the gospelles truthe but euen doctours also and that not of the cōmon sorte of doctours Who forasmuche as they wōderfully myslike this worke which I purpose to
their children nephues alliaunce and kinsfolkes ther should not of S. Petres most ample and most riche patrimonie scarce so muche as a cotage returne to their successours Wherfore seing these great and most notorious wickednesses wherwith they defile them selues are most notably knowne euen to the coÌ„moÌ„ people we nede not to be oner loÌ„g in speakig of their daily vsed naughtynesse For inasmuche as though they are the most shameles of al men yet they can not by any mouthe saye naye to this gayre what nede we to talke of their intemperauÌ„ce ruffionyng glâ—â—â—nie horekeping of their most waÌ„ton sayeÌ„ges doinges And if you lust let theÌ„ be witnesses that be the louingest fauourours of the see of Rome which haue ben not the seers of this gayre only but also a great parte theÌ„ selues And yet they shall neuer be hable either to clooke or to excuse this stynking synke of mischieues and this horrible hell of wicked doinges by any reasones that euer they can make Therfore this furst title that Paule geueth them is expounded or elles I am begyled playnly ynough and largely ynough agayne and therof also it is most manifest that the same title agreeth wyth no man in the worlde better than with the bishop of Rome forsomuche as out of his doctrine and example of lyuing all these abominacions which we haue made rehearsal of flowe as out of a most plenteously springing fouÌ„taine all which are contrarily repugnaunt against the veritie of faythe against the lawe of charitie against the innocencie of lyfe The seconde title that the Apostle Paule decketh Antichrist wythall is The sonne of perdicion that he nameth him The sonne of perdicion But this title we must nedes take twoo maner of wayes that is to saye both actiuely and passiuely so as furst he is in dede lost and daÌ„ned him selfe than he also loseth destroyeth al those that be his complices and folowers and maketh them bonde slaues to euerlasting death and damnacion But after what sorte this title also is aptely fitte for the bishop of Rome it maye be declared in fewe wordes For furst it is manifest by the autoritie of the gospelles doctrine that all they are lost and subiecte to eternall damnacion that nother beleue in Iesus Christ nor cleaue to his faythe doctrine For Christ is the waye the light the truthe And he is the onely Io. 14 10. dore by the which al we must entre in to his shepe folde that is to wete into the congregacion of saintes and who so euer seketh any other dore or coueteth to entre in any other waye he bewrayeth him selfe to be a thefe and a robber And thervpon we heare IohnÌ„ Baptist saye The father loueth the sonne and hath geuen him all thinges Io. 3. into his hande He that beleueth his sonne hath euerlasting lyfe and he that beleueth not the sonne shall not se lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on him Nowe it is not possible that ther shoulde be any saluacion wher it is sure that the wrathe of God abydeth But for asmuche as the bishop of Rome beleueth not in the sonne of God nor hath not al his faythe truste set in Christ alone the only saueour of the worlde it must nedes be that the wrath of God abideth vpon him and that he is the lost and bonde slaue of daÌ„nacioÌ„ And the byshop of Romes hole lyfe doctrine argueth that he is most farre of from the faythe in Iesus Christ which beyng made maÌ„ for our sakes redemed vs all with his precious blood vpon the altare of the crosse brake the power and lordship of deathe through his deathe and by his glorious ascension in to heauen set open the gates of euerlasting blessednesse vnto vs wretched synners and now before God the father of heauen he appeareth our only patron and mediatour and maketh sure entraunce for vs vnto the throne of grace For if aman note the B. of Romes doctrine Obiter but euen lightly by the waye as you wold saye he teacheth not Christ to be the only waye of saluacioÌ„ but besides him he setteth out innumerable other wayes as so often repeted sacrifices of masses the hipocriticall exercice of false penaunce auricular confession the most sitte bayte of all treason conspiracie sedicion lechery and all wickednesse markettes of pardones the colde scalding fyre of purgatorie pikepurce prayeng to sayntes departed and infinite other For although he confesse Christ Iesus the saueour of the hole worlde in wordes and in mouthe and so glorieth in his name yet he denyeth him so often as he attributeth to an other whether it be saynt or worke and merite the offices that perteyne to none but Christ alone For by what reason shall we saye that he beleueth that our Lorde Iesus Christ beyng sacrificed once for all vpon the altare of the crosse offred a perpetuall sufficient sacrifice vnto God the father for our synnes whan he goeth about to offre hym dayly afreshe at the celebracion of the Masse How shall he beleue that he was deliuered and fully redemed from the filthynesse of his sinnes by Christes merite which goeth aboute to redeme him selfe wyth his owne merites of his owne workes How shall he also knowe Christ Iesus to be his onlye Mediatour Patrone intercessour whych hathe infinite other whether they be he sayntes or she sayntes instede of mediatours intercessours And yet it is certain that men are brought to that point by the B. of Romes doctrine that they folow both these many other thinges that are cleane coÌ„trari to Christ and his doctrine Therfore this is euidently manifest also that the Bis of Rome is most farre of mater in dede from the faythe in Christ although he vse to professe him with his mouthe bragge much of his name As for this mater the example of his life is not behinde also in bearing what faithe is playne recorde of For faithe is a certain lyuing and a continuall working power energie that sitteth not idle in mennes consciences and is not as many false christianes thinke a certain naked and vayne opinioÌ„ that is desritute of certain reasones but it is a good tree and nourished with perpetuall iuyce which beareth no euil nor rotten frute but is alwaies abundauntly full of good and acceptable frutes to God of innocencie and charitie But it is now proued allready by sufficient demonstracion that the bishoppes of Rome haue no charitie they haue also no innocencie of life and maners but they are most farre of bothe from the true faithe and true religion Wherupon this plainly foloweth also that they beare in no condicion that good tree of a syncere faithe in their heart but rather that euil and vnprofitable one at whose roote the are is allready set that it maye be cut of and ouerthrowne and cast in to the vnquencheable fire of hell Therfore who will hensfurthe acknowlage the bishop of Rome to be the
head of the sayntes and faithfull people Who will cal him holy father yea rather holynesse it selfe Finally who can saye that he is the leader vnto saluacion and the portour of heauen gate whan by the example of his owne life and preceptes and decrees of his wicked doctrine he bewrayeth him self according to the apostle Paules sentence to be bothe Antichrist and the sonne of perdiciō Hereof also that other mater is gathered that like as he him self is lost euen so dothe he make all the disples of his religion and secte boūde slaues to perdicion and euerlasting deathe For how cā it possibly be that they shal be hable to com to the heauēly hal of blessednesse which folowe a guyde that gothe with straight and stedfast steppes the hye waye to hell How shall we also saye it maye be that they should be vnited to Iesu Christ the only redemour of vs all which haue chosen suche a one to be their guyde that is against Christ in al thinges and robbeth him of his honour and shamelesly attributeth the same to other In this case therfore it is necessary to vse most diligent circūspection In this behalfe it standeth vs in hande strongly to sharpen oure wittes Herein it behoueth vs to open the eyes of our minde most dearly beloued brethren in Christ For it is no flyrting mater as many men thinke to sticke stil in the B. of R. wayes so to holde harde the popishe religion to the naile The saluacion of soules is in hasarde dearly beloued For either we must be vnited to the heauēly father by the intercessiō and benefite of one only Christ so lyue for euer or elles be drawen awaye from him perishe with Antichrist for euer And ther is so much the more greuous presēt daūgier henging ouer our soules that the Lorde wold haue the knowlage of his worde to be opened vnto vs. For inasmuche as the lyght of Goddes worde hathe discussed and wyped away those greuous and horrible darkenesses of Antichristianitie so as the health geuing face of Christ and also the compasse of this cruell beastes mouthe and the seate of abominacions is shewed openly before our eyes we maye neuer from hensfurthe eyther pretende ignoraunce to clooke our vnbelefe or excuse it wyth the godlynesse and feruencie of our zele or good intent For God hathe prescribed the rule of his worde vnto vs for this ende that we shoulde honour hym according to his owne commaundement and that we shoulde not folowe that folishe carnall zele of ours which is wythout knowlage of all truthe The stubburnesse of suche men is muche lamentably therfore to be bewailed brethren which whā they heare Goddes worde wyth their eares and are conuicte with the truthe therof in their consciences so as they may see their errours and fele the intolerable burthen of suche exceding tyrānie yet had rather sticke stiffely to their knowen supersticion than to folowe Christ the only waye of saluacion But whā men most myserably become to that poīt that a mā may warne exhorte them all but lost labour we must permitte them to their owne appetite For they shal surely fele that their stubbernesse shal-be ones a great deale to their cost Now are we come to the thrid title An aduersary wherwyth Paule painteth out the persone of Antichrist which conteyneth the self same propretie and the disposiciō of so mightie abominablenesse the certain sure marke for the which he is called Antichrist For he calleth him an aduersary that is he myndeth to set him out to be-suche a one that shoulde be against cōtrary and in al thinges as it were vtterly sette foranempst Christ of whose name title he only braggeth The right vnderstanding of this worde Aduersary It is plaine that he glorieth in the name of Christ Wherupon euen the right vnderstanding of this worde teacheth this that he shal be an aduersary to Christ our Lorde and gayne-saye all those thinges that are set out by Christ either in doctrine or in example of life wyth the statutes of his doctrine and wyth the example of his life Than if we can geue the bishop of Rome this title also wyth sufficient demonstracion as his owne propre good as in dede we haue ouercome all that we toke in hande to proue yet hitherto it shall also manifestly appeare that the B. of Rome is necessarily that very right and great Antichrist altough the autoritie of all the worlde crye out against it which if it wolde contrary the worde of God were non autoritie at all And forasmuche as all thinges that are in Christ our saueour maye be comprehended in his life doctrine as in two most general chaptres it behoueth that we considre them bothe that it maye therby euidently appeare that the B. of Rome dothe contrarie to Christ both in life and in doctrine and therfore is his aduersarie and very Antichrist And furst of all we will speake of bothe their lyues that is to saye of Christ and Antichrist Christ Iesus ordred his life so as The difference betwene Christes life and Antichristes the B. of Rome most lowe humilitie proceding from the hearte might appeare most clearly in all his sayenges and doinges For we reade that he vsed so muche lowlynesse and modestie that he was cōuersaunt among his disciples not like a maistre or a Doctour but as a seruaunt and a waitour As it is proued in that he serued their cōmodities not in teaching them only in refreshing and defēding them and in other thinges innumerable but also in that solemne last supper whiche he hade with thē he washed al their fete But from this spirite of christian humilitie the B. of Rome is so farre of that lyke the most cruel tyrannes the mencion of whom euen the gentiles take for hainous and filthie he setteth out his fete to be kissed not of the cōmon rascal sorte of people only but also of very princes kinges and emperours yea is not ashamed to treade the Lordes anointed neckes vnder his abominable fete which insolent foile the right valeaunt Emperour Friderichus Barbarossa was compelled per force to susteyne Christ was the most studious seker of his fathers glorie wēt about Ioh. 5. and. 12. only to aduaunce it But the B. of Rome neclecting that in al thinges setteth his studie vpō his priuate glorie his owne propre honour after suche sorte that he thinketh he must not spare extreme force of armes yf any man offende him in any condicion Christ spent the better parte or tyme of his lyfe among the cōpanies of the poore nedy sicke afflicted he him selfe also was borne in extreme pouertie became poore for our sakes in so muche that he hade not wher he myght hyde his head susteined the greuous burthē of pouertie paciently to make vs ryche with the benefites treasures of euerlasting blessednes But the B. of Rome folowing farre wyde other
vpon with his trayne of daunceing lecherous ruffianes buggerours wil be vnder the iudgement of no man nor rendre accompt of his office vsing vnto no maner mā in the worlde although he bring infinite soules of men that were redemed with the precious blood of Christ and bynde innumerable people prentices with the cōmon enemie of mankynde the Deuil vnto the slaughter-house of euerlasting damnacion And euen this man it is that taketh vpon him to be the head of the churche and the only and most high shephearde of Christes shepefolde Is it than the propretie of an head to rage against his owne membres and to cast them vpon sweorde and fire to be destroied Is it the propretie of a shephearde to renne madde vpon his flocke worse than a wolfe wolde If the B. of Rome hurt the bodie of such as be his if he rashly hurt the name of them that be his if he take awaye their goodes for filthie lucres sake the apostolike Canones despeche him quyte out of his office And shall all the hole churche than suffre him rageingly to renne vpon mēnes soules to destroye them without correction But to thintent they might mitigate the outrage of their blasphemie by som maner of clooked pretense they deuised to adde this to Except he be deprehēded out of the waye from the faithe Forsothe a goodly addicion O you blocke headed Canonistes Will you than saye that these be the workes of faithe for the Pope to make innumerable people bonde men to the euerlasting fyre of hell Or shall we saye that he hath faith which maketh them subiectes to the tormentes of hell whom Christ the sonne of God hathe by his deathe and bloodshead deliuered free from hell But this conclusion of this Canon was not added without the prouidēte of God For by this meanes it is euident that the B. of Romes faithe is not a lyuely and a healthe geuing faith whervnto iustificacion and saluacion is commonlye attributed in the scriptures but a certain other faithe farre contrary from it Which like as it is in their power to withdrawe mennes soules from saluaciō and make them bonde slaues vnto perdicion so it pulleth all them that obeye his lawes awaye from Christ the only redemour of the worlde and depryueth and danined so hathe he bounde all other that obey his voice vnto damnacion He is also that great and notable Aduersarie Which is contrary to Christ in al thinges and repugneth cleane contrary against his life and doctrine and is a tyranne most insolent most arrogaunt and most disdayneful exalted in his blasphemous hearte not only aboue miserable and mortal mē but also aboue the almightie and immortal God Let them therfore haue him in admiracion honour him reuerēce him folowe him who so euer hade rather perishe than to be saued But let vs deare brethren in Christ rendre thākes continually to god the father and his sonne Iesus Christ our supreme king and only bishop which hathe vouchedsafe to reueale vnto vs the filthe of so exceding abominacion and to deliuer vs from his tyrannye and to set vs free by the aide of his worde Let vs also praye that he wolde bring other in to the knowlage of his truthe and to vpholde vs with such constauncie of faithe that we maye be hable to cōtinue stil in the knowne truthe and to serue him constauntly in the middle of the stormes and floodes of tentacion and to cleaue vnto him inseperably without shrynking that we be not euerlastingly lost with Antichrist the sonne of perdicion but that we maye be made partakers of the saluacion and kingdome which was prepared before the making of worlde by our lorde Iesus Christ our only redemour and saueour To him be glorie praise and thankes geuing for euer worlde without ende Amen Thus endeth the thrid Homilie The .iiij. Homilie In this .iiij. Homilie are described the workes and weapones of Antichrist and whom he shall haue power to fal vpon and destroye with his workes and weapones LIke as it is not only profitable and holsome for all maner of men but also necessary to the atteynyng of saluaciō to haue the true certain and sure grounded knowlage of our Lorde and saueour Iesus Christ that they may cleaue harde vnto him with a faste and a constaunt saithe and through him to obteyne eternal saluacion and life euerlasting so is it no lesse profitable and necessary that in these later dayes we knowe them also which set out themselues falsely as though they were Iesus Christ that is to saye as though they were saueours and redemours In whose nombre specially aboue other that great and notable Aduersarie of our Lorde Christ and of all faithfull that is to wete the very right Antichrist is to be knowne that we maye auoide his wiles subtil craftes fraudes and most pernicious deuises and escape the dānacion that he purueyeth and purchaceth for those that his be Moreouer wher as ther are by the spirite of Satan many falsely feyned fables of Antichrist by reason of the which it is so farre of from vs to com in to the knowlage of him that we shall rather be blinded seduced and deceaued it is necessary for vs to respecte the vnfailing truthe of the holy scripture to thintent that being ledde by the doctrine of it we maye learne to knowe him in dede And for that cause I haue lately brought furthe of the scripture two most manifest plaine places for the declaracion of this mater wherin ther are allready three specialties declared which paynt out the disposicion and propreties of Antichrist and shewe what a maner a one he is as it were poyntyng 4. Antichristes workes him with a mānes fyngre Therfore it cōsequētly foloweth that we steppe ouer now to the fourthe specialtie or principal mater wherin are declared his most special chief workes whervnto he is geuen and by the which he vttreth him self openly And albeit these self same maters are comprehēded of the apostle Paule the desyrous mā Daniel the prophet in those places which I rehearsed before yet for asmuche as they are ouer shorte ther in playne openyng of them we must here marke the. 11. chap. of Daniel wherin many thinges right worthye to be knowne concerning the mysterie of Antichrist but specially concerning his workes are in this maner written He shall bring in men to forsake the couenaunt wickedly that they may worke by craftye wiles through hipocrisie but the people that will knowe their God shall haue the vpperhande and prospere But the king shall doo what he lusteth he shall exalte and amplifie him self against all that is God yea he shall speake maruelous thinges against the most hyghe God and he shall haue prosperous fortune so long till the wrathe be fully consūmate whā wickednesse shal be come to the highest He shall not regarde the God of his fathers nor care for the lust of women Yea he shal not care for any God for he shall exalte
dedes with these external maters he shall see them countrefaict al that they ê“fesse so goodly that lady Hipocrisie her self could not handle that mater more fittly They saye they haue forsaken the world whan no maÌ„ in all the worlde lyueth more drowned Their wilful Pouertie with the worlde the forcastes of the worlde than they doo For they doo not only flowe in all kyndes of voluptuous pleasure but also they set al their hole myndes studies vpoÌ„ al thinges that this worlde desireth or dothe I wold fayne haue theÌ„ answer me whether they caÌ„ shewe me in al the wyde worlde wher is more enuye more hatred more euill will more pride more contencion ambicioÌ„ bralling stryuing than in monasteries which as they saye are disseuered from the worlde But what is their pouertie want of propretie Forsothe this that they walowe in most pleynteous habundaunce of wealthe and like most mightie princes haue al the worlde to welde at coÌ„maundement nother fele they any pynching of pouertie ne yet want of thinges necessarie Yea a maÌ„ maye fynde of them which wher they had either a very small or elles no lyuyng of enheritaunce nor substaunce at al thrust them selues in to one monastery or other and professe wilfull pouertie but there hauing habundaunce of al thinges they leade a lyfe without wante of any thing and at leynght beyng made eyther Abbotes or Priours or Prouincialles either Bishoppes and Cardinalles yea and Popes to they clymbe to the most highe These holy men can clymbe no higher except they chauÌ„ce to clymbe to the galowes estate of wealthe pleasure and empire And yet for al that they saye they vowe pouertie where as they catche holde of suche maner of occasiones that they maye be made superiours to the most mightie princes kinges vpon earthe Therfore are they most subtil sleightie Siomedes which whaÌ„ Glaucus that is to saye the rude coÌ„mon people taketh no hede chaunge copper for golde And a maÌ„ shal fynde no great differeÌ„ce froÌ„ this gaire yf he marke their obedieÌ„ce that they vowe For by reason of that obedience they loke aloft euen against all Magistrates Cloistre obedience and gouernours openly bicause they boast them selues to be exempte that no man in al the worlde hathe ought to do to meddle with them If the lauful Magistrate that is ordayned of God demaunde any thing of them they laye for theÌ„ selues streight wayes their exempcion priuilege of the churche which setteth them fre froÌ„ al charges that the coÌ„mon people and publike state are burthened wtal But in case any man wolde go about to coÌ„straine them to frame theÌ„ in to an ordre by by they make warre agaiÌ„st him laye at him with cursing thoÌ„dre boltes of Romishe excoÌ„municacions wherw t euen emperours them selues haue ben so ofteÌ„ so shreudly haÌ„pred that they are taught to their cost to be afraid of it yet stil to this day Therfore what shall we cal their obedience elles but that for asmuche as they are lordes ouer all men they passe not a pynne of the Magistrates they make all people their seruauntes and lyke Penelopes wowers and an vnprofitable burthen of the common wealthe they deuoure and coÌ„sume in loytring idlenesse those thinges that can scarcely be earned and goten together with the toyle and trauaile of a great sorte of sore labouring meÌ„ And after the same rate if we wil speak Cloistre Chastitie the truthe we must speake of their Continence and chastitie which will not suffre theÌ„ in any wise to be called fathers without a cause For with their chastitie they are wont to fill all the worlde ful of bastardes to laye baites to deflowre honest maydens in euery place and to entice all other women of what place ordre or condicion so euer they were vnto hooredome and that with suche shamelesnesse that they will not let to play the hooremoÌ„gres partes euen at their holy seruice tyme. For to this vse serue so many drinkes and sibber sawces that they charme by the deuilles connyng in their masses to make women madde vpon their loue To this ende are so many maidens and matrones entired in their whispering eare shrifte To this purpose serue som mennes feyned sickenesses that haue geuen masse priestes friers and cloisterers occasion to rauishe both maydeÌ„s and maried women And doubtles this rule is so notablye knowne to al meÌ„ that a man can scarce fynde any so beggerly a suburbe or so pelting a village which hathe not ben garnished with som example of horedome by these kynde of men I talke not here of their filthier and more abominable trickes which we shal speake somwhat of in their owne place But who is that brethreÌ„ that hath brought in these sortesof men Who is he that hathe layde suche a burtheÌ„ and heauy weight vpon sely wretche people Euen the B. of Rome which hathe not only coÌ„firmed their ordres rules with the autoritie of his testimonie and priuilege but also bicause no quicke spurre Magistrate maye correcte theÌ„ nor robbe him of this his so honourable a baudie barne teame he nameth them in al his wrytinges most deare children Than the B. of Rome is euen he that according to Danieles sayeng hathe made right stowte and notable mightie hipocrites which haue done all thinges concerning faithe religion and outwarde conuersacion of life by subtile fleightes with false colour able pÌ„teÌ„ces Hereunto perteyneth not only the life and behaueours of them that are called spirituall persones which in euery thing are like to the state of MoÌ„kerye as the right childreÌ„ of al one father but all the hole religioÌ„ of al maner of folkes lyuing vnder the papacie ought also to be referred hereunto For it is nothing elles but a certain mere hipocrisie as to let many other thinges passe the only forme of their popishe penauÌ„ce if ther were nothing elles is hable to proue to be true For although a maÌ„ were soiled in the synke of al the synnes that are in the worlde and ledde a life full of al myschief and wickednesse all the hole yeare long yet the only tyme of lent though a man contynue still in synnes were hable to make him holy righteous For if a man faste from fleshe that space assone as he hathe goten him a massemonging priest to be his goostly father as verteous a man as him selfe Nay his goostly enemye and therfore the more gentil hathe ones whispered out all the raggemanrolle of his synnes in his care and greased his fiste with some peÌ„ce and bought a masse or twoo by by he hathe full forgeuenesse of al his synnes and may fall again to the same trade of life and geue him self to the same vices and filthye synnes that he did before Besydes this it is more cleare than the sunne light that ther can non so outrageous none so cruel non so haynous non so abominable a synne be committed
stones and other gaye gaire as they can not denye seyng all the hole god seruice that they occupie them selues withal is as I saye For bicause thou must serue this God Mayzim a right ther must nedes be a chalice of golde and a patine of golde or elles gilt at least Ther must be also vestimentes and copes of silke or velwet dashed wyth gold and precious stones Ther are tapers sticked on euery post and light lampes hanged rounde about the churche And the roofe of the churche maketh a dynne wyth their synging organe pyping so that if a man marke euery one of their knackes in the right kynde all their god seruice is rather like the ruffling and ioyly swashing of a princes courte than the forme of religion Now this is the thrid worke manship of Antichrist which the most excellent prophete Daniel ascribeth vnto him Fourthely He shall not care saithe Daniel for the lust of women that is 4. Antichrist shal not care for the lust of women he shall haue no laufull affection of loue towardes women For Daniel speaketh not here of the vnhonest filthie loue and beastly lecherous lust but he meaneth that naturall lauful loue which almightie God graffed in to mennes heartes at the furst original beginnyng of thinges for the generacion and preseruacion of mankynde and did therwythall by his grace ordayne the holy bande of matrimonie mynding that man should not lyue alone but in the lawes of wedlocke or matrimonie which we call the laufull coupling together of one man and of one woman according to Goddes institucion The lust of this loue that is to saye the loue of wedlocke saithe Daniel Antichrist shall not care for nor shall haue any mynde vnto it Well now like as I haue shewed that the sayenges of Daniel doo hitherto agree directly to the B. of Rome euen so shall I be hable to proue this no lesse manifestly For furst of all this kynde of men speake of the holy state of wedlocke which the autoritie of all the hole scripture declareth to be Goddes owne ordinaūce after suche sorte that they deme it a prophane an vncleane state For how shall they chose but thinke it a prophane and an vncleane state seing they will not haue the Ministres of the churche in any wise to meddle with it forbidde them in their open lawes frō mariage And bicause we should vnderstāde that this is the very propre workemanship of Antichrist he went about this by and by at his furst entraūce seing it was he that should by leasure worke the mysterie of iniquitie For as the historie writours make reporte in the dayes of Emperour Constantine the great ther were some at the coūsail of Nice which thought it good to bynde bishoppes Ministres and diacones from mariage Howbeit their sentence was at that tyme repressed by Paphnutius a man bothe of a singular godly life and of a notable constaunt faithe For he confessed mariage to be honourable and that it is chastitie for a man to lye with his owne wife and persuaded the Counsail that they should not make such a lawe as might ministre occasion either to thē or to their wyues to cōmyt fornicaciō Neuertheles albeit the furst waye spedde not yet they went to their bulynesse an other waye neuer ceassed till wyth alluring now these men now those men to saye as they said they obteyned their purpose and yet it could not be brought to passe amōg the Germanes vntill it was almost to late that is to saye about CCCCC yeares agoo in the dayes of Emperour Henry that 4 it was brought about by helhounde hildebrande called Gregorie the 7. the varlet of all wickednesse and mischief But to tell what frutes haue proceded of this law it nedeth not much rehearsal For in this case though no mā speake a worde their owne beastly lustes tel their owne hooremonging declareth their owne cuckolde making wherwyth they haue defiled the hole churche cryeth out vpon them Well if we take here this worde lust either for the only loue to womē or for the desire of womanes cōpany we must speake that of these most holy and most blessed fathers God before that is to filthie to badde to be spoke yea no christiane cares could abyde it but that the playne truthe of the mater wolde force mē to speake For we must saye that these mē are not so muche enamoured with the lust naturall cōpany of womē as they are mare woode vpō the abominable beastly lust of buggery which synne God reuenged in tymes past with flamyng fire frō heauē commaūded it to be punyshed with like correctiō And yet these helhoūdes so haūt it are so rageing madde vpō it that it is manifest bothe they and theyr courtyers committe it and no man saithe blacke is their eye In this behalfe I wil take recorde to as many as by any euil lucke haue euer ben brought to that Sodomitical stewed state and haue hade to doo in Popes Cardinalles and bishoppes courtes retinues Fyfthly Daniel saythe that Antichrist shal also rewarde them with his 5. Antichrist geueth rewardes to suche as obeye him treasures that wil be content to serue to honour to acknowlage that God Mayzim of his And Daniel maketh menciō here of three maner of rewardes For furst he sayth that he shal aduaunce them to honour that is to say with glorious titles and names Secondly he shal make them lordes ouer many people Thirdly he shall distribute the lande vnto them with rewardes Which thinges yf we wil searche the dedes and stories of bishoppes of Rome we maye fynde to be euen as Daniel tolde before Furst the very tricke of their owne workmanship is to set vp those that be of their secte with highe honourable titles to aduaunce their names with glorious gaye stiles So in tymes past he adourned Pipine with the stile of Most christian Kyng bycause The stile of most christian king geuē by the B. of Ro. to pipine the traitour he ayded the sea of Rome and delyuered the God Mayzim from the power of Lumbardes enriched him also with great landes exceding great priuileges And the Frenche kynges beare them selues highe vpō the honour of that stile euen at this present daye Lykewyse mynding to decke the king of Englande also with a new stile Defendour of the faith he gaue him aboue 20. yeares agoo the name of Defendour of the faythe in so much that he made a great a do without regarde of the kinges regal estate to haue set the king bycause of that stile agaīst Lutere the most earnest aduersary of the sea of R. most inuincible beater downe of the Popes tyrānie But what nede we to make rehersal of kinges other folkes of whom some are called most renowmed some catholike some defendours of the sea Apostolike whan we see before our eyes a mightie rable of popishe prelates that bragge
kyng Pipine beyng bewitched wyth the persuasion of this errour gaue Rauenna and all the Exarcheship wyth many other places which he hade taken from the Emperour of the Grekes vnto the churche of Rome to make amended for his synne that he hade done bothe in wrongfully taking the kingdome vpon him and in muche effusion of blood which he hade vniustly spilte After that Pipines sonne Carolus magnus being deceaued with the like errour confirmed that his father had geuen and gaue more also of his owne And that made him without any other consideracion to leaue so many churches enriched so many colleges and monasteries excedyng rychely endued wyth his substaunce Than his sonne Lewis which was called Pius succeding his father vouched safe vpon the same persuasions not only to confirme the gifte of his graundfather and of his father but also to geue the citie of Rome and all the liberties therof frely vnto the bishoppes of Rome Other princes also folowed their example and so did lordes and gentilmen Yea citezines and vplandishe menne as many as were somwhat wealthie gaue wonderfull muche treasure of golde and siluer to serue the God Mayzim withall and so they furnished Antichrist his with exceading great abundaunce of richesse In the meane space ther crept out Cloisterer◠fratres in vnum knaues all quod william Somer a newe kynde of men Cloistre men and of them ther became diuerse ordres which were the actiuest men alyue in scraping of rychesse together For they get not only great treasures of ready money but also very large possessions of lādes in a shorte space Herein I wil be reported to the wealthe of them that lyued after the most beggerlye sorte among them euen the fraūcisce friers the Dominike friers whom they called by an other name Friers preachers For albeit their ordres were confirmed by autoritie of the bishoppes of Rome with in these LLC. yeares past that is to saye the yeares of our Lorde M. LLXX and. M. CCxxiij yet they haue goten so muche substaunce and richesse with in so shorte a tyme as were ynough to fynde many thousauntes a lyuing Besides this we see that they haue builded so many monasteries muche fairer than kinges and princes palaces so as a man can not fynde either any king or emperour that were hable to beare the costly charges therof And yet not content with these they haue gotē together so many ymages of great wedges of golde and siluer so many chalices so many patines so many candlestyckes so many dishes and infinite other suche kynde of vesselles of golde and siluer yea and so many copes and vestmētes broudred with golde set with precious stones that if they were laide all vpon an heape they were hable to excede the wealthe of Craesus and Myda This we maye saye furthermore as the truthe of the mater it selfe appeareth that these holy theues that are the chiefest braggers of pouertie are come to so highe wealthe that a poore greasy graye frier may walke all the worlde ouer almost and cost him neuer a peny bicause he may fynde euery daye a house of graye friers and ther lyue as it were of his owne among his brethren And indede these mē are the most beggerly of al the mēbres that Antichrist hath I speake not now of mytred bishoppes and swashing abbottes which wil be called and regarded as princes and kepe astate as if they were Lordes I speake not of Cardinalles and popes which goo farre beyōde worldly princes in wealthe in streynght of reignyng Tushe the deuil is so muche these mennes good Lorde and they haue so muche dominion ouer the treasures of the earthe that those thīges be euē their owne good which other men haue the possession of and are not yet deliuered vnto their handes For assone as their desire is to enlarge their substaunce they haue an hundred knackes in their budget to pike mennes secrete treasures out of their priuie coafers For the helpe of this mater serue their oft chaungeing and encreaceing of their pardon bulles their newe staciōs newe foūde reliques and preaching of the crosse against the inuasions of the Turkes and other suche like trickes wherw t their custome is lyke vnsaciable cormoranes to rauine deuoure vp all to them selues These be the sixe workes of Antichrist which are mencioned in the. 11. chaptre of Daniel Now remayneth the seuenth and 7. Antichrist moueth batail agaīst the Sayntes last worke of Antichrist which is specified in fewe wordes by Daniel in his 7. Cha. where he writeth that the litel horne that is to saye Antichrist made batail against the saintes preuailed against them And in dede this is his owne right natural worke for wtout it he could in no wise be Antichrist For seing Antichrist is the aduersary of Iesus Christ our Lorde only saueour bothe in name and mater he must nedes make warre against all them that faithfully beleue in Christ are sanctified by his merite death For they are not only called saintes in who be called Saintes in the scriptures the scriptures which ar departed this lyfe and reigne in heauē as the rude sorte of popishe people are wont to thinke but al suche also as are sanctifyed clensed washed by the blood of the sonne of God yea all maner of faythfull people that knowe that they are scoured cleane from the filthe of their sinnes by the only merite of Christes death passion and stedfastly beleue that they are made righteous before God the father shall lyue after this lyfe for euer and enioye the benefites of suche a ioyous felicitie as neuer shall ende And these sayntes hathe the B. of Rome alwayes made bataile against with the violent force of his tirannie as one that could neuer abyde the faith religiō that they were of For yf men holde of none but only Christ yf they put their hole trust in the merite of his death yf they confesse him to be the sole only saueour and redemer of al the hole world thā maye the B. of Rome put vp his pypes thā may he take his leaue of his great gainyng money marte thā his pardone marchaundise stynketh thā his Bulles are not sette a strawe by than gothe his great gaynes of golde and siluer awaye that hade wonte to come in for the soules that lye pewling in the paynles paynes of his pikepurce purgatoire Than may he pisse out the flamyng fire of that colde scalding house for any more vaūtage it bringeth But how wold ye haue mē to abyde this that are all together geuen to delices voluptuoussnesse and pride Therfore ther is clashing of olde harnesse and batail is a brewing against the Lordes sayntes wherunto the B. of Rome bothe geueth the on sette and taketh vp the mater As for this gaire we may see it to be true more clearely thā the daye light if we note what hathe happened wtin the space of this one age
Senacherib king of the Assirianes and the most wofull ende of many suche tirannes as they were Now let these suffice to be spoken in the fourth place concernyng Antichristes workes and practices Wherby it appeareth most manifestly as it dothe by the other sayenges that are meÌ„cioned before that the B. of Rome is that notable and mightie houge Antichrist whom God wold haue reuealed in the oracles of his worde by Daniel and the rest of the prophetes Now therfore let vs passe ouer vnto the fifthe special poiÌ„t of that we 5. Antichristes weapones haue in hande that we maye considre with what weapones Antichrist shal obteyne enlarge mayntene his kingdom And these it is necessary for vs to haue skilful knowlage of that we maye the more handsomly beware of them and arme our selues the more strongly against his tirannie For as in feates of warre it is a good piece of the victorie if a man can knowe his enemies weapons put by the strokes euen so the same is specially requisite for vs in this sore fraye of Christ our king And as for the hole furniture and all the weapones wherwith Antichrist dothe bothe defende him self make batail against other the apostle Paule in his seconde epistle to the Thessalonianes comprehendeth them all in fewe wordes sayeng that Antichrist shall come after the working of sataÌ„ with all power and with lyeng signes and wondres and with all deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse In these wordes we must note brethren that the apostle saithe all Antichristes power al his streynght and all his weapones shal be deuillishe so that he teacheth vs that Antichrist shall ordre all his affaires after the working of sathan Therfore if we marke what kynde a thing the what the power of Sathan is power of sathan is we shall also most perfitly perceaue what Antichristes streynght and weapones be And albeit Paules wordes might suffice to make this mater playne yet let vs hear Christ the eternal wisdoÌ„ of God the father speake which talketh thus of sathan the prince of the worlde He was a murtherour from the begynnyng Io. 8. and stode not in the truthe for the truthe is not in him Whan he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne for he is a lyer and the father of lies Christ here comprehendeth all the streynght and all the weapones of the deuile in two kyndes murther lyeng By this worde Lyes he vnderstandeth Lieng al that is contrarie to the truthe and also his sleightes his giles his false fraudes and deceaueablenesse aswell in wordes dedes as in miracles doctrine And this terme Murther coÌ„teyneth al wrongful violeÌ„ce Murther al temerarious atteÌ„ptates al the force al the tirannie and all the power that men are violeÌ„tly pressed withal And that these haue ben alwaies that deuilles tooles weapones it is manifest by many examples sence the begynnyng of the worlde For thus he deceaued our furst pareÌ„tes with false ê“mises robbed them of paradise of their blessed state asmuche as in him laye he spoiled theÌ„ also of euerlasting life And afterwarde through murther he made warre bi their furst begoteÌ„ soÌ„ne Cayn against true religioÌ„ the folowers therof euer sithence he hathe shewed him self such a one as his furst frutes hade shewed that he wolde be Now seing the holy goost reporteth that Antichrist shal be armed with the deuilles weapons LyeÌ„g and murther it standeth vs in hande to trye these also to be in the B. of Rome whom scripture they haue for their trinkettes they are not ashamed to saye that they lacke that but they rather heape lies vpon lies and bring out a certain new lyeÌ„g blasphemous glose Tushe saye they al is not coÌ„teined in that scriptures that is necessary for man to obteyne saluacion by As for the autoritie of the holy goost they are not afraide of it which making answer to their blasphemous sayeng speaketh by the apostle S. Paule in plaine wordes All scripture geuen by inspiracion 2. Timo. 3. of God is profitable to teache to reproue to amende and to informe in righteousnesse that the man of God may be hole or perfite prepared to all good workes What can be spoken more clearely more pithily more euideÌ„tly thaÌ„ these wordes be The apostle Paule the chosen instrument of God being endued with the spirit of Christ saieth that all the scripture is inspired of God and that therfore it is profitable and effectuall not only to teache to monishe and amende but to this vse that also the man of God may be hole perfite and fitte to doo all thing that God iudgeth to be good is good in dede Howbeit those most shameles and most lyeng deceauours without reuerence to the autoritie of these wordes wher they dare not denye but the scripture is inspired of God yet they saye it is vnperfite and prate that all thinges are not conteyned in the scripture that man hathe nede of to saluacion and to religion And is God vnperfite O shameles impudencie Shall we cal that vnperfite which is set furth by god through the spirit of truthe and thinke that perfite and absolute which was inueÌ„ted by the rashe reason of man But Note well Paules wordes teache vs a greater mater yet thaÌ„ al this For if the scriptures make a man perfite fitte vnto all good workes than can it not be a good worke that is required hauing Good workes non autoritie of the scriptures to beare it therfore they shall neuer worthily be called good workes which they require besides the autoritte of the scriptures Let these vayne helhoundes lose and ridde them selues out of this knotte if they can But they must nedes fight with lyes the very owne propre weapons of satan that in thus speaking they may both plucke the vnlearned rude coÌ„mon people from the truthe of the scriptures and also to tye them to the licke peny tradicions of mennes deuising Yet to vttre them selues more openly they doo not only set vp these kinde of lies but also they fight with false tokens and lyeng woÌ„ders wherof Paule maketh mencioÌ„ here Christ hath biddeÌ„ vs to beware of theÌ„ For who is it that knoweth not the endles heape of tokens that flyering friers muÌ„myng massepriestes were wont to prate openly of in the papacie For somtyme they feyne that soules appeare make mone vnto them somtyme they declare miracles wrought by ymages somtyme they preache of wonders wrought by the bread God of the aultare infinit suche other trickes they ymagine dayly wherby they maye the more easily cheoppe men downe into the kyngdome of darkenesse hold theÌ„ downe surely whaÌ„ they haue them once ther. Therfore brethren to thintent we be False tokens not begiled herein we must note that ther be false signes wonders that by two maner of false meanes For furst ther are oftentymes signes feyned that are false in dede
they contende and labour with all their possible policie diligence to drawe all other people in to that same pitte of wickednes that they theÌ„ selues are fallen into it chauÌ„ced by the inspiracion of the holy goost that our most deare sonne in Christ the most valeaunt most religious prince Charles emperour of Rome alwaies Augustus purposed to take weapon in hande against the same bothe Goddes enemies his rebelles whose godly laudable purposes excellent deuises for the christen coÌ„mon weale we shall ayde with all the treasures that we the holy churche of Rome haue for the healthe of the godly for the defense of religion for the honour of God and for the publike peace and tranquillitie In dede these be the beastes owne wordes which as they meane bloodily so with certaiÌ„ foxlike wylynesse they clooke the bloody meanyng vnder the holy and honourable names of the churche of God of peace of religion and of traÌ„quillitie But if any man thinke this vnauaileable to proue his tirannie withall let vs marke the mater it self brethreÌ„ and the subtil fatches of this bloody tragedie CaÌ„ the miserable murther of the right blessed Io. Diasius maÌ„ IoaÌ„nes Diasius the Spanyarde be nowe out of mynde whoÌ„ his owne brother slewe with his hande here in the myddle of Germanie this yeare the. 26. daye of Marche And yet the most cruell brother murtherour and thief escaped quyte awaye and suffred not according to his desartes Open your eies therfore brethren knowe the abominable ê“cedinges and driftes of Antichrist and all his ympes by one mannes wicked dede The B. of Rome hathe whetted Diasius axe for your heades The Spanyardes com vpon you Your cause the cause of your wyues and your children is in hande and Antichrist layeth about him so woodly he is so furious he is so desirous to haue vs destroied that he maketh it laufull for a man to murther his owne brother and geueth such murtherers hyre for their labour Therfore Antichrist fighteth with bothe those sweordes that Paule ascribeth vnto him For he hathe theÌ„ that are desirous to ouercome by flattery prouoke by promises and â—o enueagle by persuasiones whoÌ„ so euer they perceaue to knowe the truthe of the mater and to be ouermuche vnfrendely to the B. of Rome But for al that in the meane tyme they make hotte warres the enemies sweorde slasheth Germanie is on fire in euery corner Antichristes power rageth in euery place Therfore let vs watche brethreÌ„ let vs holde vp our heades praye continually that our Lorde wold vouchesafe to help his churche to deliuer it from that haÌ„des of the furious rageing enemie Now forasmuche as in this fifth point we haue learned by ê‘fite tokens proues that the B. of Rome is that right mightie houge Antichrist 6. Vpon whom how farre Antichrist hathe power to rage before we make an ende of this place ther is an other mater also to be knowen I meane that we may vnderstaÌ„d vpon whoÌ„ Antichrist hathe power to rage wyth his weapones how farre God permitteth his furie to exteÌ„de against the sayntes This dothe Paule teache in few wordes in the ij epistle to his Tessalonianes writing thus His comming is after the working of sathaÌ„ with al power lieÌ„g signes woÌ„ders with al deceaueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse in them that perishe bicause they receaued not that loue of the truthe that they might haue ben saued And for that cause God shall sende theÌ„ strong delusion that they shoulde beleue lies that all they might be daÌ„ned which beleued not the truthe but hade pleasure in vnrighteousnesse These wordes of Paule are full of comfort For like as Christ our saueour dothe in Matthewe make playne significatioÌ„ that Antichristes miracles shal smally yea nothing auaile to deceaue the electe eueÌ„ so Paule also teacheth that God suffreth his tiraÌ„nie to be exerciced only vpoÌ„ them whom the iustice of God iudgeth to be destroied daÌ„ned But least we shoulde thinke that God dothe saue some daÌ„ne some wtout certain discrete iudgemeÌ„t like a tiraÌ„ne he telleth by by in the wordes folowing who they be saith they be those that hate the truthe wil not receaue it nor doo after it haue more delyte in the darkenesse of lies thaÌ„ in the light of the truthe And they that be suche persones are vsed to be blinded by the iust vpright iudgemeÌ„t of God that being deceaued with lies false deceates they may be in subiectioÌ„ to the yowke of Antichristes tiraÌ„nie yea they rather thrust theÌ„ selues vnder his subiectioÌ„ for their owne pleasures For seing all maner of vnthankfulnesse is odious before God and worthy of punishement yet that kynde of vnthankfulnesse wherby the most bouÌ„teous benefite of Goddes grace that is to saye the knowlage and playne declaracion of his worde and truthe is wont to be contemned and reiected dothe iustly deserue of all other the most sore punishement This mater hathe exaÌ„ples ynowe in euery place of the scriptures Yet the most notable and most horrible example hereof is in Pharao For while he did not only not receaue nor allowe the truthe of Goddes worde the most holsom warnynges of God but also reiecte them wyth an vnthankful heart and wyth threattenyng blasphemous wordes he was cast in to so great a folye and blyndenesse by the iust iudgement of God that he could not considre his present miserable destructioÌ„ but threwe him self and his in a wilful lust of wickednesse headloÌ„g in to the rageing reade sea And it dothe not muche diffre froÌ„ this that we reade chaunced to wicked Achab which while he dephieth the holsom monicions of Micheas the prophet dothe after the pestilent counsailes of the false prophetes he falleth in to pÌ„sent destruction The like iudgement of the righteous God fell vpon al Israel whan they were seduced wyth the lies of the false prophetes in the daies of king Zedechias and of the prophet Ieremie while they renouÌ„ced the courteous monicioÌ„ of the Lorde God And in dede if we beholde the furst springing vp of Antichristes tirannie we shall see that the same mater chauÌ„ced at that tyme also in euery poynt For while the people mynding to gratifie the B. of Rome were better content to receaue the vse of ymages and to be instructed and taught by them in the mater of Christian faithe and of christian life than by the holy scriptures they were taught suche lessones by their ymages as the deuil is vsed to teache his scholares I meane supersticion abominable and wicked Godseruice and ther vpon as the case was amoÌ„g the heatheÌ„ Idolaters in tymes past ther folowed al kynde of vice wickednesse yea that errour by littel and littel crept vp so high that at lenght we were made subiectes to Antichristes yowke in al maters were coÌ„pelled mawgre our heades to allowe al his trynkettes for good ware to be obedieÌ„t
to al his Canones and statutes We nede not to make long rehearsal of thīges done lōg agoo but let vs beholde the state of thinges that are presently in al mennes eies in all mennes handes Almightie God our most merciful father tedring the treason ruinous state that we haue suffred hathe vouchedsafe in these our dayes to reueale vnto vs through the light of his worde al that is necessary vnto saluacion And yet here a man may fynd an infinite multitud of mē whiche being geuē to the affectiō of their owne fleshely fantasie hade rather be gouerned guyded by lies false doctrine thā by the light of the truthe yea Hearke my gentilmen Iackes on bothe sides to this saing mary to thintēt they may frely folowe their owne affectiones filthy fleshely lustes and serue all vicious wickednesse their trade is not only to be haters of the truthe which they embraced before but also as muche as in thē lieth to psecute oppresse it But if we loke vpō the life behaueours religiō of those same mē we shal see more clearely thā the daye light that it is the iust iudgement of God which Paule maketh mēciō of in this place For the wicked helhoundes are dropped in to so great a folishe fōdenesse are so farre past thē selues that now they haue reiected dephied the true preachers of God the trade of Goddes holy worde they The praise of Maidē priestes heare those mē obey their doctrine whom they see most shameful hooremōgers cuckold makers dycers drōkerdes ful of al kynde of vices yea they require to be pourged of their sines at those mēnes hādes whō they knowe to be the very bonde slaues of al wicked synnes mischief They also wil be taught by those mē whom they them selues confesse to haue lesse learnyng than an asse And yet they are not cōtēt to be thus fōdly madde but now in this daūgerous peril that al Germanie stādeth p̄sētly in they holde with those mēnes entreprises and further their intētes with al their diligēce power yea with their prayers bothe priuately and openly who as al mē may Italiane◠Spanyardes Antichristes garde see are the most deadly enemyes of the common wealthe of our coūtrey For shall we thinke any man to be so folishe and ignoraunt that he can not perceaue what malicious heartes the Italianes and Spanyardes beare to all Germanie Is ther any man so deafe and doltishe that he neuer hearde how they raile against vs They thinke it not ynough to call vs barbarous rude beastes lowtes fooles and dogges but their maner is to burthen vs also wyth the horrible cryme of heresye yea they thinke it laufull for thē to exercice all kynde of wickednesse tyrannie and merciles So they are welcome in to England also to traitourous popishe priestes to hoores bawdes cuckoldes c. crueltie vpon the Germaynes as though they thought the Germaynes not worthy to be coūted among the nombre of men And yet we see these men the most welcome gestes that hearte can thinke vnto many in Germany yea ther be sō that beleue they shal be defended and haue a mery worlde by these mennes marcial powers which haue alwaies hitherto by so many euidēt tokēs vttred their malicious heartes against all Germanes But this is the very iust iudgement of God that they which hate the light of the truthe shall not only be blynde but being robbed also of their commō witte they shall not be hable to see that they see with their open eies nor heare that they heare wyth their owne eares Now must we diligently obserue in this place louīg brethrē in Christ what is our office to doo if we be desirous to escape this greuous hurt of so pernicious a blindenesse That is we must beware that we be not so vnthankefull we must arme our selues also wyth such faithe and diligence as maye worthily receaue the light of Goddes worde and truthe whā God offreth it vs. Wherin aboue all thinges we must beware of this brethrē that we geue not our myndes to our owne priuate affections nor set more by them than by the knowlage of the truthe For who so euer hathe mynde to folowe his owne pleasur shall neuer com to the true faithe Therfore it standeth vs in hande to tame our affectiones and to bring thē vnder the obedience of the spirite And among other thinges this also dothe muche hurt for folkes to hunt gredily after the pleasures of carnalitie and present prosperitie of worldly thinges for that we see is the cause of the greatest wickednesse that can be the vndoing to many a one at this daye For ther be some that coulde be well content to beare the gospell and the glad tydinges of saluacion purchaced by Christ if it wanted the crosse and stormes of persecuciō But whan they see them once com they not only let the most holsom doctrine of the gospell god and greuously blaspheme it but also they dare raile most deuillishlye against Christ our Lorde him selfe But let the inuincible heartie māful constauncie of the most holy men that were our auncettours make vs heartie in this behalfe brethren For with how glad an hearte and with what thankes to God shal we thinke that they wold haue receaued that doctrine of the gospell if any man hade preached it vnto them in the dayes of the emperour Lewis the. 4. Whan they abode the thōderclappe and most heauy burthen of Antichristes curse eightene yeares space like right hartie true men to the emperour And shall we than being perfitly instructed by the lighte of the truthe be more cowheardly afraide of this enemye the B. of Rome than they were Shall it be sene that we are more colde and faynter hearted to Christ our king and saueour than they were to their emperour that was but a mortal man And shall we passe lesse of our faithe that we haue promised to Christ than they did of their fidelitie that they promysed to a mortal man Deliuer your selues brethren from the slaunderous infamye of so great a wickednesse Thinke it a goodly thing for you to folowe the vertuous heartynesse of your elders Thinke it well done to bring mennes soules out of bondage in to libertie though you should sheade your heart blood for it Take it for a goodly mater a ioyous for you to suffre deathe for the loue of your countrey for your wyues your children and for the sauing of mennes soules and for the glorye of our saueour Christ Ther are the fotestepppes of so many martires that are gone before vs and the example of Christ him self that it is not possible for vs to shrinke without to muche shame But aboue all thinges it shal be necessary for vs to pray heartily and continually that he wolde vouchesafe to deliuer vs from the tyrannye of Antichrist and to instructe vs with his spirite and faithe that we may
be hable to persiste manfully in the truthe that we haue receaued and finally to be saued in Christ To him be honour glorie and praise for ouer and euer Amen Thus endeth the fourthe Homilie The .v. Homilie In this .v. Homilie is described the ende and final destruction of Antichriste and what christen faithfull peoples duety is to doo in the rage of Antichristes tyrannye IN these other foure Homilies louing brethren in Christ I haue hitherto playnly declared those scriptures that serue to knowe the feate the springing vp the persone the workes and the weapones of Antichrist by which if they be compared with the seate starting vp persone workes and weapones of the bishop of Rome we must nedes confesse that what so euer is spoken of Antichrist by the prophet Daniel and the apostle S. Paule agreeth rightly with the B. of Rome in euery condicion And therfore this must of necessitie folowe that the B. of Rome which delyteth to be named the head of the churche Christes vicare the portour of heauen gate yea and holynesse it self is that vndoubted and mightie houge enemie of our saueour Christ that is to saye Antichrist the manne of synne the sonne of perdicion that highe abominacion whiche nestleth his seate in the tēple of God and exalteth him selfe aboue al that is named God in that he to muche sawcely taketh that vpon him selfe which belongeth to none but to the only grace and power of God Nowe remayneth the last mater which maketh mencion of the fal and destructiō of Antichrist which also is to be knowen by the places before rehearsed wherof we may sucke not only excellent good learnyng but also exceadyng muche comforte But the Apostle Paule speaking of the ende destruction of this vngracious The ende and destructiō of Antichrist wicked monstre sayeth The Lorde shal destroy him with the breathe of his mouthe shall despeche him with the brightnesse glorie of his cōming that is to saye at his bright glorious cōming Two thinges therfore the apostle wold haue vs to note cōcerning the destructiō of Antichrist Furst he sayeth that he must be destroyed and slayne with the breath of the Lordes mouth which saieng is takē out of Esay as I sayd a litel before For Esay speaking of Christ our Lorde of his workes reporteth the self same mater in the very same wordes And ther we must more depely marke the meanyng of that wordes Antichrist is destroyed with the breathe of the Lordes mouthe wherby we maye the more easely vnderstande that these are also fulfilled The breathe of the Lordes mouthe is that eternall almightie worde of God by the which it is manifest that al creatures were made at the beginnyng of the worlde are conserued euē vnto this daye And this worde the Apostle sayeth shal be the sweorde wherwith Antichrist must nedes be destroyed And in dede the same Apostle calleth the worde of God a swcorde writyng thus to the Hebrewes in the. 4. Chap. The worde of God is quicke and mightie in operacion sharper than any two edged sweorde and pearceth through euen vnto the diuiding asondre of the soule and the spirite and of the ioyntes and the marye and iudgeth the thoughtes and intentes of the hearte Surely they that haue their synnes opened reproued by this worde perceaue by experience that it is suche a maner of sweorde in dede Furthermore whan the same apostle armeth vs and trymmeth vs against our cōmon enemye he reacheth vs the sweorde of the spirite which is the worde of God wherwith Christ our saueour him self hathe taught vs to fight by his owne example For whā sathā that wicked temptour came to him being as he was very man in dede Christ dothe warde and stryke by all Satanes blowes with this one only sweorde holding out against euery assault of temptacion suche fitte textes of goddes worde as he might put him to flight and breake his weapones withall Wherfore seing we see the deuil him self ouercomen with Goddes worde long agoo we shall thinke that Paule hade good mater to saye teache vs that Antichrist the chosen instrument of the deuill shall also be ouercome and destroyed with the breathe of Goddes mouthe that is by the worde of God But the mysterie of this sentence we must more depely searche out Paule in the same place treating of Antichristes weapones and workes said that his power and working shal be deuillishe that being trymlye furnished in false wyles and lies he shall doo all that the prophetes reporte of him yea that he shall reigne like a king in mennes consciēces through the power of lies For ther wolde neuer a man in all the worlde receaue so haynous an abominacion that knewe perfitly what it were But forasmuche as he crepeth in to mennes consciences with wylie craftes and false sleightes he dissēbleth him self to be an other maner a felowe thā he is in dede Yea by the reason of false citing and expounding of places of the scriptures he knoweth the cast howe to couer his monstrous face Anone after they whome with his false doinges he hathe made tame fooles haue once receaued him he reigneth ruleth the rost in their cōsciences after suche sorte that they geue credence to him and doo what so euer he biddeth them and refuse what so euer he forbiddeth them yea they passe their tyme being all together addicte to hym Now seing all Antichristes tirannie and emperious kingdome hathe none other sure foundacion but only lyes and false craftes it must nedes haue a downefall also assone as the lyght of Goddes worde that is the lyght of eternall truthe shyneth into mennes consciences and reproueth craftye sleyghtes and lyes For it is not possible for men to geue credence to lyes any more which knowe them to be lyes but it maketh them rather to be abashed to be so shamefully deceaued and to beare a deadly hate vnto them that made thē to do amysse by their deceauyng Than therfore Antichrist hathe lost bothe his lyfe his royaltie through the sweorde of Goddes worde albeit he lyue yet still in bodye and reigne still in very many of his membres But that we maye perceaue this gayre more certainly we must note the mater it self that is how it dothe fittlye accorde to the condicion of the B. of Rome Whan the bishop of Rome began to be desirous to beare the bell he set out himself al his purposes for men to see not to be suche as they were in dede but painted florished ouer with sondry countrefait colours For at the furst that simple rude cōmō people must nedes be persuaded that Petre had the supremacie yea the principalitie among Christes Apostles at leynght was brought to Rome and there preached the Gospel and that he was the furst bishop of the church of Rome By this reason the supremacie of other churches myght be translated to the churche of Rome this
this senteÌ„ce conteyned in the worde of God and in the holy articles of our faithe For we learne by bothe that our Lorde Iesus Christ is the only waye the only doore and gate of saluacion wherby we may entre in to the kingdome of heauen Furthermore they teache vs that Christ Iesus is the only head of his churche the only and chief priest the only sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde and the only mediatour and aduocate vnto God the father for maÌ„kinde so that as many as vouchesafe to beleue in him shall lyue for euermore and as many as will not receaue and acknowlage him to be their saueour shal be vtterly cast awaye Hereof we haue testimonies occurraunt in euery place of the scriptures For Christ our Lorde speaketh alowde saieth with plaine wordes I am the life the light and the truthe No maÌ„ cometh to the father but by me Io. 14. Also Io. 10. Verily I saye vnto you I am the dore of the shepe Al euen as many as came before me are theues and murtherers but the shepe hearde them not I am the dore by me if any man shall entre he shal be saued and go in and come out and shal fynde pasture And a litel after I am that good shepheard A good shepehearde geueth his life for his shepe To the same purpose are many other such like sayenges in other places as these Come to me all ye that labour and are heauy laden and I shall geue you rest Math. 11. If any man thirst let him com to me drinke He that beleueth in me as the scripture saithe ther shal flowe ryuers out of his bely of lyuing water Io. 7. Also This is the worke of God that you beleue in hym whom he hathe sent I am the bread of life He that cometh to me shal hongre no more and he that beleueth in me shall thirste no more Io. â— To the same effecte we must referre the wordes that we reade the apostles spake and wrote by the inspiracion of the same spirite Petre speaking of Christ before the priestes Act. 4. saithe This is the stone that was refused of you builders which is the chief of the corner and ther is saluacion in non other For ther is noÌ„ other name vnder heauen geueÌ„ vnto meÌ„ wherin we most be saued And the apostle Paule iudgeth hym self to knowe nothing but Iesus Christ eueÌ„ him that was crucified 1. cor 2 And in an other place God forbyd that I should reioyce but in the crosse of Iesu Christ Gala. 6. Also Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners of whom I am chief 1. Tim. 1. And agayne For Christ was not offred vp often but once for all to take awaye the synnes of many Hebr. 9 Ther is one God and one mediatour betwene God and men the man Iesus Christ 1. Timo. 2. c. And what doo all these places reporte els but that Iesus Christ alone is geuen vnto vs of God the father that we might be saued in hym setting all our hole fayth assuredly on him seyng by only fayth we haue free accesse vnto hym Hereof than this must nedes folowe that we must recken them vndoubtedly cast awaye from saluacion and as Iohan baptist sayeth vnder the wrathe of God that will not beleue in him Finally yf we will beleue in Christ Iesus we must of necessitie acknowlage hym to be the only saueour of the worlde after suche sorte as the scriptures purporte hym to be But that shalt thou neuer doo nor neuer shalt be hable to doo yf thou wilt folowe the bishop of Rome and receaue his faythe and doctrine For howe shalt thou acknowlage Christ to be the only heade of the churche yf thou say the bishop of Rome is the heade of the same also How shalt thou also confesse Iesus Christ truly to be the chief highe Priest of all the hole worlde yf thou wilt acknowlage the bishop of Rome also to be the head and vniuersall bishop or priest of all churches How shalt thou beleue Christ to be thy only righteousnesse and satisfaction yf thou seke to be saued by the ryghteousnesse of thyne owne workes merites How shalt thou be hable to beleue Christ to be the only sacrifice for the synnes of all the hole worlde and that he beyng offred vpon the aultare of the crosse made full satisfaction vnto his fathers righteousnesse yf thou wilt confesse that he in his owne naturall humane body is offred vp daily by dronkeÌ„ hooremoÌ„ging filthy varlettes I meane the greasy masse priestes for the synnes both of the quicke of the dead How shalt thou beleue that Christ Iesus is the only mediatour and aduocate of al men if thow praye and call vpon the sayntes departed coÌ„tinually to be mediatours for thee Finally with what faithe shalt thow acknowlage Christ to be the only waye of saluacioÌ„ and the doore of true blessednesse if thou stryue to goo to heauen by the merites of thyne owne workes that is to say by fasting shryuing masses staciones and by the protectioÌ„ and aide of popishe bulles and pardones or by broiling in the burnyng colle pitte of the popes purgatorie Doest thow not see that this gaire is cleane contrary repugnauÌ„t to that faithe which teacheth vs to sticke to Christ alone Therfore thow must of necessitie confesse that thow cannest not chose but be most farre of from beleuing faithfully in Christ if thow wilt folowe the doctrine of the B. of Rome and embrace the faithe that he setteth furthe And if thow be voide of faithfull beleuing in Christ doubtles the wrathe of God abideth vpon thee in that thow wilt not geue credence to the sonne of God So that in case thow goo on still in thy infidelitie once receaued and contynue still a membre of the popishe faith and of that popishe churche thow cannest loke for non other iudgement but to be cast with thy head Antichrist at the last daye in to vnqueÌ„ceable fire For here appeareth no maner of meane for vs but either we must be saued by him which only hathe saluacion in him felf or be excluded from him and be damned for euer more Therfore the papistical faithe and religion must not be reckoned a certain light ignoraunce and tryfling errour which thow maiest easily excuse nother must we beleue that any man in all the world can be saued in case he sticke stubbernly vnto it In this behalf most louing brethren in Christ our soules are in hasarde it is their cause that is in hande yea and so in hande that we may make them bounde slaues through our wilfull stubburnesse vnto eternall damnacion And therfore the mercifull and most gentill harted doctour of all the worlde Iesus Christ as he instructeth vs in al other thinges so he geueth vs faithfull warnyng in this behalf For in Matthewe he biddeth Matth. 7. vs beware diligently of these false ê“phetes that we should obserue them and note them in
our heartes diligētly and neuer forget that in any case which he vouchedsafe to warne vs of with such earnest fidelitie Moreouer whan he should expoūde in his holy sacred reuelaciō which it was his pleasure to shewe vnto his entierly beloued disciple Iohn̄ the sore and dredefull payne of Antichristianitie which he wold haue figured in the name of Babilon among other thinges he speaketh thus in great sadnesse Get you our from her my people be not partakers of her synnes that Apo. 18. you be not partakers also of her plagues Christ our faithfull schole maister biddeth vs get out frō thence that we be not made partakers of her wickednesse idolatrie and supersticion Yea and onles we doo so he threatteneth the payne to heng ouer our neckes Wold to God those men wolde pōdre and thinke vpō this in their heartes which for feare of losing of a litel paltring pelfe or elles for a muckering vile aduauntage sake hade rather he vnder the tirannie of Antichrist than to abyde stil in the feloweship of Christ and of his churche Yea and they also which witting and willing and with circumspecte aduisement deliberate for sight put their children in subiection to the churches of the popishe religion wher they are compelled to worship Idoles yea and though they knowe the true faithe yet dare they not confesse it I knowe what many will obiecte against me in this behalf if thow Note well make all them damned say they that folowe the trade of Antichrist that is of the B. of Rome thā must our fathers auncetours nedes be damned also In dede this is the cōmon querel of the papistes which they are alwaies prating and beating in to the rude vnlearned common peoples heades and trouble many folkes myndes therwithall which thinke it were a most vnworthye mater for them to beleue that their elders were the children of damnacion And this their meanyng is to gather hereof that if our auncettours which lyued vnder the popishe religion were saued than they may be saued by the same meanes also As for me I will speake somwhat sobrely of these maters nother will I searche nor rippe the iudgementes of God to depely For to what purpose were it to searche what maner of iudgemēt almightie God vsed towardes our auncettours which departed this life befor the truthe came to light Howbeit touching his grace and mercie we will not hope but the best in euery cōdicion namely seing it were not impossible for him to lighten them that erred and were deceaued with a common ignoraunce euen at the last breathe of their life that they might acknowlage receaue the true faithe in Christ and so be saued But in the meane space this we are sure of that if they were saued as we trust they were they were saued by non other reason nor waye but by the merite of Christ and not by the helpe of popishe supersticion Ther is no cause therfore why you should goo about to clooke your errours and supersticion with the exāples of our elders O you most shameles protectours of the Romishe abominacion For ther is no like comparison nor agrement in them Our elders could not see the light of the truthe which shyneth most brightly at this daye although they were men otherwise nother wilfully stubburne nor opēly wicked Besides this Christ our Lorde calleth them dāned lost which whan they hearde the worde of the gospel disdayne to be leue it or to heare it whā it is brought to them Wherfore seing our elders nother hearde nor could heare the gospell you shall neuer be hable to nōbre them among the rable of you which synne against the holy goost him self in that you wil nother heare the truthe whā it is offred you nor geue credēce to it whan it is playnly knowne And this so manifest a wickednesse dothe presse you so heauily that we may truly frely saye by the autoritie of Goddes worde that as many as at this daye in so great a light of the truthe doo folowe and defende the tirannie of Antichrist contrary wise doo wickedly persecute the health geuing worde of the gospell and the faithe that men haue in Christ shall at leynght be tormented with their head the Romishe Antichrist in the payne of euerlastīg damnacion except they learne to renounce their wickednesse in tyme turne their heartes to God with a true faithe And that they may so do spedily by the light of Goddes grace it shal be our partes continually to praye Let these now suffice to be spoken cōcerning the abominable cruel perilous tyrannye of Antichrist Secondely this is to be noted louing brethren in Christ that by Paules sayeng Antichrist shall endure til the last cōmyng of Christ vnto iudgemēt reigne by one maner or other For albeit he be dead flayne by the breathe of Goddes mouthe and with the sweord of Goddes worde in many folkes cōsciences yet he lyueth through his sleightes false wiles in many Antichrist abideth til the Lord's commyng peoples heartes yet still and bicause he abuseth their power against faithfull christianes he stereth vp batail continually Therfore we shall neuer be quyte ridde of him for good all as long as the worlde abideth in this state but he shal alwaies haue seruauntes and complices of his owne to rage playe the tyranne against vs withall So that it standeth vs in hande to watche cōtinually and fight like tal felowes night and daye that he ouercome vs not and pull vs vnder his fete Now brethren we haue sene the hole mysterie of that mighty houge Antichrist We haue sene that the B. of Rome is only worthy of this name and title and ought to be taken for Antichrist We haue sene how great haynous his abominacion is and how perilous a thing his religion is We shall therfore geue thankes vnto God from the botom of our heartes in that he hath vouchedsafe to reueale vnto vs so great an enemye to open his false snares vnto vs. And we shall pray vnto God also that it will please him to defende vs wyth the protectiō of his grace from all this enemies tiranny Now remayneth the last faithfull admoniciō of Christ wherby he teacheth vs diligently what we ought to doo in this last tyme of Antichrist For wher he hathe declared that periles shall aryse hereof he warneth vs to beware of them in these wordes Than if they shall saye vnto you Lo Matth. 24 he meanyng Christ is in the deserte goo not furthe Lo he is in closettes or secrete places beleue them not For like as the lightenyng cometh from the caste and shyneth in to the west euen so shall the commyng of the sonne of man be For wher so euer the dead carcasse is ther also shall the eagles resorte In these wordes most louing brethren in Christ we are taught three thinges which it is conuenient for vs during the reigne of
Antichrist not only to knowe but also to folowe And furst he repeteth the same that he hade spoken before and biddeth vs beleue Beleue thē not them not that saye Christ is here or there that is to saye that goo about to shewe vs a false Christ or tel vs that the giftes of God which are geuen vs by non but by only Christ are to be hade elles where Now that we may vnderstande folowe this warnyng as we should doo it is necessary for vs to call to remembraunce that sayenges that are spoken in the Homilies before bothe of the true Christ I meane the only saueour of this worlde also of the false Christes He is the true Christ whom the autoritie of the holy scripture describeth to be very God and very mā the only saueour of the worlde the only priest the only sacrifice for the synnes of the worlde yea the only head of the churche and mennes intercessour in heauen As many thā as shewe this Christ any wher elles than in heauen as many as appoint other heades of the churche other redemers of the worlde other sacrifices for the synnes of the worlde and other aduocates intercessours and mediatours are comprehēded in these wordes of Christ and those be euen they whom it is not laufull for vs to beleue or to geue credence vnto And this is so openly done in the papacie of the pope him self and his membres that no man can say naye to it For furst they are not wont to shewe Christ our Lorde in heauen which was crucified for vs and died which rose again and ascended in to heauen according to the articles of the apostles Crede but to tell folkes that he is either conteyned in a prety litel white cake or in churches consecrated for that purpose which they are not afraide to dresse with these written wordes Hic Deum adora Here worship God Are not these they than that shewe Christ our Lorde in closettes or secret places as he hī self told before hāde As we will speake nothing how their vse is to teach vs a farre other Christ thā is purported in the holy scriptures for the scriptures beare recorde that he was only incarnate made very mā for our sakes But these men not contenting them selues with that feyne him also to be impanate or embreaded Yea and they ymagine him to be such a one that he may be called euery daye in to a piece of breade by the priestes enchauntementes as though he were a certain new Elicius Iupiter Furthermore if they purpose to speake of those thinges that Christ our Lorde hathe purchaced with the merite of his owne death as of remission of synnes the grace of God the father iustice right of adopcion and the possession of euerlasting blessednesse than their maner is with such open wickednesse shamelesnesse to shewe them elles where thā in Christ alone that they can not denie it though they wolde neuer so fayne The Apostle Paule sayeth that Christ is made of 1. Cor. 1. and. 2. God vnto vs wysedō righteousnes sanctificacion redempcion that he knewe nothing els but Iesus Christ euen him that was crucified And in an other place declaring the certaintie of his doctrine he sayeth Although we Gal 1. or an Angel from heauen shall preache vnto you any other gospel than that we haue preached vnto you cursed be he But we heare the popishe shauelinges greasye doctours preache a farre other maner of Gospell than the Apostles haue sent vnto vs in their writynges For they teache righteousnes to be in mennes owne workes merites They teache folkes to seke forgeuenesse of synnes at the handes of wicked and hooremonging yea most filthie rakehell masse priestes As for the grace and fauour of god they ascribe it against Goddes commaundement vnto ymages that they set vp and therfore they vse to name them gracious as Our lady of grace such other Tushe yf a mā wold recken vp al the hole dong hil of popishe religiō vnto these he shal see that they ascribe al that is necessary vnto saluation to externall toyes and trifles And wher the scriptures shewe vs one only patron mediatour euē Iesus Christ very God very man they haue deuised as many mediatours patrones and intercessours besides him as they beleue ther be sayntes soules in heauē Therfore wil we nyl we we must nedes saye that they be the same that the redemour vndenyable scholemaister of the worlde maketh mencion of in this place What must we doo now in this behalfe you mē and brethren Christ saithe Beleue them not Lo our saueour geueth a shorte symple playne commaundement which is a present medicine against all the obiectiones that man can deuise Thow shalt take them to be deceauours as many as goo about to bring in this maner of doctrine and therfore thow shalt not beleue their sayenges Here therfore lieth all the autoritie The B. of Rome of the bishoppes of Rome of fathers and of the counsailes in the Dust which they holde them most chiefly by For if they wolde obiecte the B. of Rome as though men must nedes beleue him bicause he is with to ambicious a name and title called the head of the churche yet ther is no cause why we should be afrayd of hys autoritie For here we do heare the true and supreme head of the church and our chief priest saye Beleue them not Nother is ther any cause why they Counsailes fathers should vaunt of the canones of counsailes and decrees of fathers For the autoritie of them is spoken against by this counsaile which is the holiest counsaill that maye be hade or deuised and the presidēt and head of this counsail is the only begoten sonne of God and the eternal truthe of God who hauing communicacion in the presence of his welbeloued apostles of the deceauours that should com in the later age of the worlde commaūdeth them not to beleue them Now let them hearken to the decrees of fathers let them beholde the Canones of counsailes and make thē selues subiectes vnto the ymaginacions of most shameles vile men which sermore by lyes thā by the truth and hade rather be dāned than saued For wherto doo we passe vpon them any more Wherto doo we wretches take hede to the autoritie of coūsailes Cā not the autoritie of Christ deserue credence at our handes onles it be approued by the consent of mē Nay let vs rather heare Christ him self him that Christ ordayned to be the doctour of the gentiles If an angel from heauen preache any gospel besides that we haue preached cursed be he And If they saye vnto you Lo here is Christ or ther is Christ beleue them not Who so euer therfore dare be so sawcye as to declare forgeuenesse of synnes righteousnesse the grace of God and saluacion any wher elles than in Iesus Christ alone and to shewe him any wher elles