penauÌ„ce to be preached in remyssyon of synnes whiche maner of preachynge the aposties after his assention obserued contynuallye exhortynge the people vnto penauÌ„ce and to the drede of God whiche is the begynnynge of wysedome the inseparable companion of penaunce and necessaty introduction to fayth The worde of God bryngeth for the penance accordyng as we rede in the actes of the apostles .iii. the at saynt Peters preaching thei were compuncte in hearte and offred them selfe to pennaunce This vnfayned pennaunce leadeth men to faythe and is the entre to the gospel Mar. i. Do ye pennaunce sayth Christ and beleue the gospell Which beleif can not be attayned wythoute the dreade of God For it is the fulnes of scyence whereby we come downe first to know oure self so ascende to the knowlege of God by his word whereoute through hearynge fayth taketh her effect The maiestie of goddes worde is of that nature to prostrate the presumpcyon of mannes wysedome affyaunce in our selues exylyng thaffections of carnall liberte mouing vs wyth a readynes of minde certayne trimbling feare to say with saynt Paule Lorde what wyllest thou vs to doo Thys reuerent drede had Cornelius Centurio whan the ioyful messenger of God appeared vnto hym to whoÌ„ with feare abashed he sayd Lorde who art thou in whose commendation it is written there Actes .x. that he was a deuout man and dreding god Likewise Luk. iij. yâ— shepe herdes whan yâ— aungell of glad tidinges appeared to them and yâ— brightues of God shone rouÌ„d about theÌ„ hauyng thys drede were astonnyed in them selues to whom the aungell spake Be not afrayd â—o I shew you great ioye that shall be to all people for there is borne a Sauyoure which is Christe oure lorde In Exodo it is wrytten .xiiii. yâ— people feared God and so beleued hym hys seruaunt Moyses And they that drede god sayth the wysemanne shall not be vnfaythfull to hys worde Alsoo Saynt John rehearseth in his Apocalypse sayinge I sawe an aungell flyenge by the myddes of heuen hauing the euerlastinge Gospell that he shoulde preach to the dwellers vppon yearthe to euery nacion trybe and tonge and people saying wyth a greate voyce Feare ye God But now cometh the aungell of Sathan wyth his ydle iustifycations and vayne promyses cleane contrarye perswading that we nede no workes of penauÌ„ce nor satysfaction for our synnes lyth Chryste hath satysfyed for vs all ready onely to beleue is ynoughe wythdrawynge people from the godly drede How be it leaste his disceate shulde be easelye perceaued he transfygureth hym selfe into a trewe angelles lykenes sometime tea chynge vertuouse maners brotherlye charyty the example of Christes actes oure nedefull accomplyshment of theÌ„ wherin he wolde seme to profyte a few to the intente he myght begyle many And dyuers of hys Disciples counterfeytyng the apostles fashyon other whyles alledge scryptures in theyr right sences with the same deuoute synceryte that Sathanne hym selfe dyd in temptynge Chryste when he sayd to him God hath commaunded his aungelles c whiche was the very scrypture truelye recyted all though to a wronge purpose But where as he in his owne person coulde not ouercome Christ our head he ceasseth not to supplante vs hys Christen members by hys false Disciples and is lyke styll to preuayle oure merytes deseruing the wrath of god excepte he of hys infinyte goodnes and gracyous pytie vouchesafe to reconcyle vs agayne vnto hys fauour and be oure protectour whose mercy is the onely staye that we be not all consumed Therefore lette vs drawe nere with confydence to the throne of grace the we may gette mercy and fynde grace to helpe vs at nede contynuallye hauynge in oure remembraunce the voyce of the aungel sayinge Feare ye God and geue hym honoure for the hour of iudgement commeth And worshyp ye hym that made heauen and yearth the sea and fountaynes of waters to whome be prayse for euer wythout ende Amen Fare ye well Nicholas Wyllyam NOw welcom good brother froÌ„parties of beyonde the sea We haue sore longed for your safe retourne hopynge to heare some newes from oure Euangelyke brotherne of Germanye and in what maner the Gospell doeth prosper there and go forward W. Syr I thanke you for your welcommynge Howbeit concerynge your desyre to be certyfied of them whom ye call euangelyke bretherne I assure you vnfaynynglye that I lyke theyr maner euerye daye worse worse N. What haue ye so sodenly changed your mynd and begynne nowe to fall from the Gospell forsakyng Goddes worde W. Truelye I haue chaunged my mynde from exrours and wronge opinions but neuer entendynge to renye Goddes worde or Christes gospell whereof as farre as I can perceaue they be destitute and muche wyde N. To proue that it were impossible seyng ye can not denye but that they haue Chrystes Gospell in theyr vulgar speche impreÌ„ted fre for euery body to loke vpon with contynuall exercyse of euangelyke preachynge of Goddes worde W. In verye dede they haue the exteriour letter with some outwarde apparaunce of zeale towarde it But for all that as towchynge an euangelyke lyfe or a christen conuersation with faythfull fruytes behoueable to the same they be neuer a deale nerer in effecte than were the Jewes whyche woulde haue made Christe theyr kynge not for anye syncere loue that they had to folowe hym in vertuous lyuinge or for reuerence of hys godly worde but onelye in that they thought he would haue satisfied their carnall appetytes and seditious affections wherof to be auctoure he was afterwarde wrongfully suspect eueÌ„ as we see now a dayes hys gospell euyll spoken vpon thorowe the sclaunderouse be haue oure wycked demeanour of them whom in contempt of good people ye call euangelike ChristeÌ„ brethren auauncynge them selues to be onelye the trewe folowers and obseruers of Christes gospell where as theyr lyuinge manifestly repugneth So that after my iudgemente the cheife captaynes of them may be lykened to Theudas Judas Act. v. which vnder a colour of Messias comynge the very sauiour and redemer from all bondage whose offyce wrongfully vsurpynge by false promyses of lybertye peruerted much people of the Jewes for to folowe theÌ„ to theyr vtter vndoyng and finall destruction N. These sedytious personnes to applye vnto Martyn Luther and his folowers is both agaynste the treuth witnes of your owne conscience yf ye duely examyne it For it is playne that thys Theudas and Judas of a presumptious affection and vnquyetnes of mynde wythoute auctorytie of Goddes worde or preferremente of hys honoure sedycyously moued the people to folow theÌ„ not God where as Martyn Luther with such other euangelike preachers auaunce not presumptuouselye them selues but god onely nother perswade the people to folowe them but Christe whose Gospell longe season obscured by mennes tradicions they labour to bryng vnto lyght and to restore the captyued conscyences of ignoraunte folke vnto the fredome of Goddes word whereof muche people nowe a dayes
lustes makynge yâ— whiche is vnlawefull lawfull which say that good is euell euell is good callynge lyghte darcknes and darknes lyght N. We shal finde theÌ„ among whiche prech suche thinges as ye cal heresye for no such cause but preache it bold elye before great audience where they for theyr preachyng be brought in great dauÌ„ger W. Thoughe they do fall in harme yet haue they hope to wynne theyr fauour or els why are they so desyrous to haue so many ley meÌ„ present at their examinatioÌ„s N. They make of it a reasonable cause for .ii. coÌ„sideratioÌ„s One is to thintent they might not be wrongefullye oppressed in corners another is because they would that people shulde bear witnes of their constancy in confessynge the trouthe for Christes sake W. These coÌ„syderations in theym yf they were true as thei be false were yet of small efficacite against the euangelike perfection As touchynge the fyrste God promyseth yf hys seruauntes be wronged pryuelye he wyll reuenge them opeÌ„ly And Christ in the gospell exhortynge vs to suffraunce byddeth his discyples to be ioyful in persecution saying yâ— happy are ye when ye are belyed euyll spoken vpon and extremelye dealte withall for my names sake The other appearethe to be an excuse of vaynglory couetynge wordly prayse where as they perceiue that people fauourynge theyr parte wyll interprete to theyr commendation what so euer they say though it be agaynste scripture coÌ„trary to all verite Saynte Peter wylleth vs to geue accounte of oure fayth to euery bodye and that myldely with allowlynes We haue no president of the appostles that euer they disdained to answer before the infidele iudges tyll the vulgar multitude were by them or that they requyred assystence of greate men to be recordes of theyr wordes Wher fore I meruel what conscience these persons haue whiche are so importune to be examined in presence of rude seculers ignoraunt people when they answer so doubtfully that the beste learned can not well construe theyr me anynge And in Pryncypall articles wherevpon dependeth our saluacion or dampnation some answere so nakedly with blynd shyftes that they be able to brynge vnlearned people into erroure of things wherof they neuer douted before vsynge euer ouerthwart speche and quaylynge sentences of double vnderstandynge wyth protestations of hypocrysye after thys fashion In good fayth I thynke there is a purgatorye albeit I can not tell whether I may beleue it or no. I suppose that confessyon made to a preiste and pylgrymages maye be well done but I fynde them not in Scripture I beleue in these words of christ this is my bodye but as concernyng his bodely presence in forme of breade to saye any thinge it is aboue my capacitie and I dare not meddle with so dyffuse maters I rekeÌ„ that I may beleue yâ— doctours of the church yf they speak not agaynste the worde of god c. To vse such aÌ„vages in weyghtye causes to put in question a fresshe the cases defyned by generall counsels as thoughe we were vncertayne of our beleif new to begyn agayne I repute it no spyryte of truthe sekynge goddes honoure and edification of theyr neighbour Nor I dout not but at the day of iudgement they shal make a more seryous aunswere This consideracioÌ„ is also as I haue sayde very playnlye false For wheÌ„ these sly shyftes fayle theÌ„ they shew no constancy of their vnfaythfull doctryne but falsely forswere them self and saye they neuer sayde so the hole audience detesting theyr periury all saue onely theyr owne sect whiche as for periury pardon eche other To speke of manyfest mysliuers and open transgressours whom may we well exempte consyderynge howe prone and redy the hole world is from the moste to the leaste to declyne and fall vnto euyll Our faythe whiche God hath geuen vs to buylde good workes vppon is waxen barrayne and fruteles Charite likewise wherin we shuld be tryed to be the very disciples of Christe is waxed cold through the excesse of iniquite Amiable conâ—oroâ— with christen vnite whervpon all vertue fasteneth her fundation is fallen in ruyne to the fre entresse of hatefull discencâ—oÌ„ lyberte of alvyces In euery state and degre yâ— one barketh at the other one obiecteth agaynste another his saultes â–ª eche of them farynge other to be causes of theyr myseries yet neuer a one fashioneth him selfe towarde any amendment for hys owne parte N. By my trouthe I deme the people would be good ynough if they had good heades W. I deny not that verely but the better that the heades be the better were the body lyke to be and yâ— euyll yâ— is in euyll heades descendeth down into euery part and maketh all the bodye the worse And yet surely if the people be euyll the synne of them causeth God sometyme to send them heades of the same sute both popes emperoures kynges cardynalles bysshoppes preistes and curates For it is the synne of the people as Job testifieth that causeth God to suffer hypocrytes sometyme to raygne ouer them Hypocrites he calleth them that represente the personages of these estates whose partes they do playe for a countrnaunce and do the contrarye in dede And as far as I haue redde in the byble all the while the people of Israell were good obeying goddes lawes and sought his honour God gaue them gracious gouernoures vertuous priestes and trewe Prophets But as sone as they swarued fel vnto ydolatry he sent theÌ„ for theyr punyshmente vngracious princes vycyous prelates and false prophetes so that no difference was betwene the people the prestes nor yâ— people could not ymagyn so outragious abominations but princes and prestes bothe were redy to fortefye them in theyr vnhappynes N. yet yf ye remember well the storyes of the byble ye shall fynde yâ— the traÌ„sgressioÌ„ of goddes lawes amoÌ„ge the people redounded fyrst froÌ„ yâ— heades by theyr pernicious occasion And as towchynge false prophetes and yll prestes God him selfe greuously complayneth vpon them shewing how the people are seduced by them to the pollutynge of hys name and violation of his lawes Whose enmious wickednes Ezechiell Hieremye with diuers other prophets declare at length Dyd not the Belial preistes Ophni Phines by theyr pestylent example and le cherours lyuynge corrupt manye one vpon whome God takynge vengeaunce they loste theyr lyues in battayl and the arke of God wherof they had the cure takeÌ„ by the Philisteis xxx thousande fyghtyng men of the Israhelyte people were slayne in one daye Likewise yâ— chyldren of Samuell whiche were iudges of yâ— people not en suynge theyr fathers steppes but set vpon couetousnes toke rewardes and peruerted iugemente by whose occasyon the people were moued to aske a kynge vnto theyr desolation Moreouer the storye of kynge Saule is playn for whose pryuate disobedience the hole lande of Israell smarted full â—ore Kyng Dauid thoughe he was a blessed maÌ„ yet brought vnto folye for to nomber his people they were fayne to
As concernyng the olde testamente God him selfe promyseth in dyuers places that asynner shall be forgyuen hys synnes whensoeuer he wyl do penaÌ„ce wherfore seig we haue so euident exhortatioÌ„s of scripture mouynge vs to penaunce â–ª and manyfolde warnynges to correct our lyues through the the pacyent suffraunce of god happy are we yet if now atlast ere that it be to late we coulde faythfully saye wyth Job perfourming yâ— dede lord we haue hard yâ— wyth our eares therfore we repreheÌ„d our selfs do penauÌ„ce N. yet wote I not well what ye call penaunce W. I haue ones told you yet I tell you agayn I call penauÌ„ce a chauÌ„ge of our lyfe in castyng of yâ— synfull old man with his dedes and doynge on anew man of vertuous conuersacyon whiche by fayth hope and charyte and the good workes yâ— come of them as prayer almouse sorow for his synne and payne gladly taken and susteyned for the same is renewed in to the knowledge fauoure of god accordynge to his ymage that made him N. how shuld laye meÌ„ come to this knowlege when yâ— gospell is lockyd fro them W. The gospell of Christe whiche is goddes worde is free and can not be bouÌ„de nor kepte froÌ„ any Christen man N. By saynt Marye for all that laye people maye not be suffred to haue the newe testament in englysshe whyche I call the gospell W. O ye meane Tyndals Gospell N. In dede though Tyndall was the traÌ„slatour it is the worde of God and the verye same testament whyche ye haue in latyn of the euangelystes puttynge forth W. yetlerned meÌ„ and good men haue founden suche fawtes in his corrupt translation that it is for the same well and lawfully forbiden N. if they be good men as ye saye the haue founde it fauty I should reken theÌ„ better a great deale which wold amend it W. Though it were amended sufficiently corrected yet wyll I not saye that it is expediente for laye people to haue it considering the time as it is nowe N. Whye ye sayd that the gospell maye not be kept froÌ„ christeÌ„ men W. No more it maye thoughe it be restrayned from the laye people in theyr vulgare tonge For the worde of God whiche is the worde of fayth as Scripture sayth is nere the in thy mouth in thy harte to thintent thou mayste do it N. Than I pray you where saynte Paule sayth that fayth cometh by herynge and herynge cometh by the worde of God how can we haue it without preachynge or information of it by readynge of scrypture W. Outwarde preaching and lyterall redyng of scripture are necessary meanes to attayne vnto the knowlege of the spyrite N. Wherfore then is the Gospell wythholden from the laye people W. I sayd they be two thynges necessarye but I sayde not that both twayne be to euerye man necessary But it is necessarye that euery man haue the tone or the tother and so haue they for they haue the worde of God preched expouned vn to them N. ye as the preistes lyste with false gloses W. Wyth the same gloses that the olde holy doctours sayntes haue made other maner of meÌ„ thaÌ„ Luther Tyndale which now corrupt the trewth wyth theyr false gloses N. But why should not the comeÌ„ people haue the scrypture them self in theyr own mother tong W Because of theyr abuse makyng of theyr owne gloses many also for theyr vnworthynes accordynge to Christes coÌ„maundement forbiddynge to cast perles before swyne or to gyue holy thynges to dogges Dyd not saynt Paul forbidde women to speake the worde of god in congregacyons for the auoydyng of abuse and dysorder Also dyd not he and Bar nabas forsake preachyng to the iewes because of theyr vnworthynes N. That is not a lyke case for the text is playn that the iewes wylfully resisted the worde of god and wolde not receyue it But these people are so desyrous that they putte theym selfes in no small ieopardye many tymes for the hauyng of it W. I graunt there be some which of a good mynd are desirous to haue the gospell in theyr mother toÌ„ge for the erudycioÌ„ coÌ„fort of theyr soules But they that be suche good folk may be wel sufficiently fed with the gospell punched so wyll they rather chese to be than to haue the scrypture ronne in euery rasshe bodyes hande the wold abuse it to their owne harme and other meÌ„nes to For well ye wot many ther be and as it appeareth in Almayne where they haue the scripture translated alreadye the more part and farre the greater multitude are not lesse vnworthye in receyuinge it then were the Jewes in the wylfull resistaunce of Christes gospell whiche couet it onely for the libertie to be free from the exercyse of penaunce and doyng of good workes to rayle and iest of other mennes fawtes wyth out any correctioÌ„ of their owne synfull lyues nothyng conformable to the vertue of the gospell whereof to bable manye wordes they are not dombe Marke it there substauncially in cities and townes where ye se the people most ryfest most busye to prate of the Gospell whether they be or not as gret vsurers disceiuers of they re neyboures blasphemous swerers euyll spekers and geuen to all vyces as depely as euer they were This I am sure of and dare boldely affirme that sythe the tyme of this new contencious lernyng the drede of God is greatlye quenched and charitable compassion sore abated Shall ye not se there a cock brayned courtier that hath no more fayth than a Turke lesse christen maners thaÌ„ a Pagane with lordelye couÌ„tenauÌ„ce knauyshe conditions whiche takyng the name of god iÌ„ vayne shall vnreuerently alledge the gospell with scoffyng and scornynge in reprehensyon of the clargye where as hys owne â—ewd lyuynge is so vnthryfty that ye can not aspy one good pyont in hym except it be vpon his hosen nor a nynche of honesty besyde his apparayle nor scantly therone neyther beyng al to hacked and iagged wyth dowble weapen redy to fyght and syngle wyt busy to brawle and chyde more lyke a furious tormentour of Herode than apacyeÌ„t dysciple of Christ Shal ye not also se there a marchauÌ„t peraueÌ„ture made a gentyll maÌ„ by promocion ere euer that he had a good yemaÌ„s condicyoÌ„s whych gettynge hys chefe substaunce as many do there by vsury false dysceyte of trewe people and other wrongfull wayes wyll take vpon hym to preache the Gospell agaynste the auaryce of relygious persones how they hauyng theyr bare necessary foode ought to parte the resydue of theyr gooddes with pore people where as he hym selfe hath thousandes lyenge by hym in store vnoccupyed and wyll nother help his poore neyghbour nor scarcely gyue a galy halpeny to a nedy creature in extreme necessyte And at theyr belly festig days amonge such of theyr affynyte which are not so wyse nor well lerned as they wolde be sene yf it chaunce them to haue
A dialoge describing the originall ground of these Lutheran faccions and many of their abuses Compyled by syr William Barlowe chanon late byshop of Bathe Anno. 1553. ¶ A preface of this booke to the reader IN this presente Treatyce folowyng gentle reder is not onlye vttered and disclosed the beastlye begynnynge of Luthers furious faction in Saxony with the sedicious Scismes of the sacramentaries Swynglius Oecolampadius and other of Swycerlande but also verye playnlye here is shewed theyr monstruous maners and mutabilitie theyr cankered contencions and horrible ipocrisy their deuely she deuyses and bytter blasphemye with infinite lyke reliques of that raylynge relygion wherby the christian reader shall ryghte well perceaue what fylthy frute buddeth out of this frantike fraternitie and synfull Synagoge of Sathan infernallye inuented to seduce symple soules Neyther canne there be a more open marke to publyshe the pestiferous practises of these peruerse preachers and wycked generation than here is most lyuely and truelye set fourth to the worlde by the auctor hereof who had euident experience of theyr maners fashion and order of all states of them beynge longe time by his owne confession in theyr companye and conuersaunte with them euen with those whiche were of the hyghest reputation both for sobrenes of lyfe fame of literature whose doynges doctryne to muche myslyked him that for no hatred to them nor yet fauour to other but euē for the discharge of his owne cōscience instruction and information of suche as be catholike he thoughte it necessary playnelye to shewe the veritie thereof to the ende that suche as nowe be addict to their horrible and hay nous heresies when they shall perceaue and se in theyr life and learnynge theyr crafty and colourable iugglynge lewde lyuynge and deuelyshe disagreynge of a muster of monstruous maried monkes and false fleshlye freers shal by goddes grace both forsake theyr fashions deteste theyr doctryne and leaue theyr learnynge whiche boke dyalogue beyng for this intent and godlye purpose longe agoo set forth and printed it hath ben thought good for diuerse consideracions the prynte beynge nowe worne out yet eftesones at this present to be reuiued communicate to the catholyke readers wherfore good reader callynge to remembraunce the olde wyttie sayinge Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Happy is he whom other mens perylles or daungers do make circumspect or ware Folow thou the counsell of S. John who in the. iiii chapter of his canonicall epistle sayth as foloweth Nolite credere omni spiritui sed probate spiritus siex deo sint That is to saye Geue not credyt to euery spirite but do you proue yf they be of God Farewell in God ¶ A preface of the auctoure to the readers ¶ Grace from God the father and from oure lorde Jesu Chryst with the assystence of the holy gooste WHere as I consyder O Chrysten readers the daūger of wrytynge in the peryllous season of these latter dayes largelye depaynted by Saint Paule euen as it proueth now in dede that certayn persons depart from the fayth and geue hede to desceatefull spyrytes and deuelysh doctrine through simulation of false wordes bi whose meanes it is come so to passe that a lyttle faulte is not onelye taken to the worste but what so euer is well done spoken or wrytten is oftymes interpreted amysse no marueyl though I so vnlearned greatly abashe to put my selfe in ieopardy of these rauyshing wolues pytyles soule murtherers whiche byte with theyr teeth and preache peace with theyr tongues seynge that famous clerkes of pregnaunte wyttes of excellente erudition and singuler vertue haue so litle auayled in wrytynge agaynst them not that these new teachers of auncyente heresyes late auctors of olde inueterate scysmes are so profounde in knoweledge of Scriptures eyther so inuycte of reasonable argumentes that they haue not ben many tymes ouercome as they be dayly van quyshed but because of theyr shameles pertinacite where as they be prostrate and lye grouelynge vpon the grounde destitute of reason voyde of good argumentes and wythoute any sence of trueth then strogle they to woorey men with wordes of conuycyous maledictions and sedicyous slaunders not afrayd to despyce theyr souerayns withowte regarde of theyr power contemnynge all auctoritie contrarye to the doctryne of Saint Peter saying Be ye subiecte to euery manne for our lordes sake vnto the king as cheife and vnto the gouernours as to those that are sent by hym for the ponyshmente of the euyll rewarde of the well doers for so is the wyl of God that doyng wel ye maye stoppe the mouthes of folyshe and ignoraunt people as free and not as a colour hauynge the lybertye of malyce but as the seruauntes of God Notwithstandyng in theyr solempne prefacyes and paynted tytles of theyr errours they begynne wyth dulcet salutations of glosinge perswasyons vnder the pretence of a godly zeale oftymes repetynge the word of God the gospell of Chryste hys promyses hys charyte c. whereby they wold perswade to rude people that whatsoeuer theye wryte or teache are the same thynges be they neuer so contrary euen as the comen sorte of vngracyous wretches do whych in tellyng lyes reporte of slaūders will call into theyr recorde the trouth of God the holy enange lystes the blessed sacramentes and all the misteries of oure beleef not for any faythfull reuerence towarde them but to the entent that they myght be better beleued in theyr falsehod Many thynges whyche are put forth vnder the tytle of the worde of God is not his true worde in effecte no more thā all those whiche beare the name of Christen men be not al chrysten men in trouth dede Man lyueth not onely by breade sayth scripture but in euery worde that commeth oute of the mouth of god Mark here christē reders the worde that procedeth oute of the mouth of God to y◠which we oughte nother to adde nor to take any thynge awaye from it Arrius Pelagius Maniche us wyth suche other whome the moore parte of these sectes confesse to be heretykes dylygently layde the worde of God for theym but not owte of hys mouth for they applyed it by wronge interpretations to the settyng for the of theyr heresyes and not to the glory of God Saynt Pauie heled syck folke and draue the wycked spyryts from them that were possessed through goddes worde in the name of Jesu whose doyng the chyldren of Sceue assayde to counterfete with lyke wordes to whom the spyrit aunswered I knowe Jesu and Paule but what are ye and so greuously assawtynge them he preuayled agaynst theyr presumpsion The aged Prophet of Bethell by whose desceate the manne of God sent out of Juda to Jeroboham was slayne alleged the worde of God The false Prophete Sedechias with his cōpany .iiii. C. in nomber falselye promysed kynge Achab vyctorye to his destruction layenge for theyr auctorytye the worde of God Ananias resysted the true Prophete Jeremye prophesyenge to the captyne
mighte grow vnto such welthye substaunce that beggers and nedy people fewe or none shoulde be founde among them whiche ought to be called a golden worlde or a tyme of felicite N. And cam it not so to passe in conclusion W. No nor neuer shall I make you assuraunce for the goodes ar wasted no mā can tell howe ye at this houre the prynces and lordes of y◠cytyes are more hungry to pyll pole then euer they were The commons also in lesse welth endutyng more greuous oppression then euer they dyd wyth no fewer myserable persons then they had before all thynges at out of measure scarce eche complaynynge to other of theyr calamities infortunate withoute remedy of redresse or hope of a better chaunge N. Oure lorde forbyd that it shuld chaunce so here W. yet lacke there not in Englond that wyshe ful hartely after suche a ruffelyng chaunge the more parte suche as hope to wyn and haue nothynge to lese and yet some so mad that haue of theyr owne and whyche happely myght repent it fyrst of all I let passe my lord cardinals acte in pullynge down suppressīg of religious places our lord assoile his soule I wyll wrestle with no soules he knoweth by this tyme whyther he dyd well or euyll But thys dare I be bolde to saye that the countreis where they stode fynde suche lacke of them that they would he had let them stand And thinke you then that there wold be no lack founden if the remanaunt were so serued to Iwene men wold so sore mysse theym that many which speke agaynst thē wolde sone laboure his owne handes to set them vp agayne N. In good fayth youre wordes make me so amased that I can not tell what I may say to the matter I se the lyuynge of the cleargy is farre wyde from the doctrine of christ example of the apostles the Lutherans by your saying be inworse case both destitute of catholik fayth good christen maners wythout anye better lykelyhode excepte by the meanes of a generall reformation W. Who shoulde be the auctours of this reformation N. The pope other christen princes W. I put case that manye of theim be as wyde oute of the ryghte waye as the other N. That can ye tell partely concernyng thys Popes holynesse for ye were latelye at Rome W. In very dede I heard pyteously of it by other mens reporte but I sawe it not peraduenture I sawe the lesse because I taryed so lytell whyle there Notwithstanding it fortuned me to talke with an Italyan and in oure communication I spake as I had harde that the pope and the emperour entended a reformation Why sayde he they haue begonne already I asked himwhere Se ye not quod he that they haue destroyed Lombardye Italye Naples also enpouered Fraūce to the ruynous decay of christēdome Beware sayde I what ye speake Yes quod he for I meane no dyshonoure to theyr hyghnes for they perfourme the wyll and commaundement of God as they of Syrya and Babylone dyd in destroying y◠euyll chyldren of Israhell to thintent the good myght prospere in theyr places Mary qd I that is clene contrary here for the good be destroyed and the euyll are encreased so that ueuer in Italye were seene so manye vagaboundes theues hores and harlottes as are in this present tyme. Well sayde he yf the good be rather destroyed as ye allege and the euyll are styll reserued it is a token that they haue escaped wyth an easy scorge the dredeful vengeaunce of God which remayneth for these that be left behynd Howebeit ye rede in stories of the byble that the sinfull world was fyrst destroyed before that ryghteous Noe was possessioner of the frutfull yerth blessed of God and the abomynable cities of Sodom and Gomor vterly subuerted erevertuous Loth ascended the mounte of hys refuge Also the reprobate people of Israhell were wholy extincte ere euer theyr elect chyldren entred the lande of promis Wherfore construe ye as ye please I feare me that the reformation of the worlde shall be wyth the sword of vengeaunce vppon the people for theyr iniquitie consyderyng y◠obduratiō of their hartes and harde necked stubburnes not moued at the wōderful tokens whyche dayly pronosticate the wrathe of God to be at hande With this he shranke awaye woulde tarye no longer N. Peraduenture he was afrayd to wade further in the truthe But beleue me yf ye wyl wher he spake of the destroyinge of euyll people I wene yf Luthe ranes be such as ye make them it were the redyeste waye for a reformation to kyll vp theym quyte W. I woulde rather wyssh them amended if it may be And as for kyllynge theym in some place it were no greate maistry But thē in some other places where wold ye fynd the people to do the execution N. We shulde lacke none in Englande I warrante you for there be manye of the cleargye that woulde be full glad of it marchauntes some thoughe many be on theyr syde Also ye myght haue a great sort of the cōmons and many courtyers though some of euery sorte fauoure Luthers wayes some great mennes seruaūtes beare men in hande that theyr souereins support such matters specially in tauerns marchaunts howses other places where they make thē selues no small fooles when wyse mē be forth a dores W. ye vnderstande not what ye saye N. Howe so W. For yf we wyll putte awaye all Lutheranes and all suche open heresyes we muste fyrste putte awaye many other synnes whiche haue broughte those heresyes in For trow ye that heresyes the moost terryble plage of God commeth not through synne of the peple prouokynge his yre and indignation whereby he sendeth amonge them false prophetes erronious teachers preaching matters accordynge to theyr waywarde appetytes N. yet prestes and clarkes are the bryngers vp of heresyes and the cheif mainteiners of them by occasyon of Popes Cardynalles byshops and other prelates of the cleargye W. I wyll neyther excuse nor accuse neither them nor other But I feare me that as for other synnes the cleargy and the lay to shall not nede to striue therfore but maye well agree together and parte the stake betwene them And as for heresyes thoughe some of the cleargy commenly begyn them yet yf we loke on olde cronycles wyth experiēce of our own tyme we shall well fynde that there hath not lacked some great temporal prynces nor a great nōber of lewde laye people to set them forth support them Was not the origynall grounde and cause of M. Luthers heresy to do pleasure to hys Prynce and to purchase fauour amonge the people In lyke maner Oecolampadius zwynglius Pharellus and other mo folowed the same trace When princes comonties ar first bent vpō affectiō agaynst the church or conceyue any straūge purpose cōtrary to Scrypture then immediately they fynde at hand suche lerned persons that can endeuoure theyr braynes in approuynge theyr