acceptable because they were not in al poīts done according to Goddes worde Wherfore except blessing be made after the worde which is a dewe thankes geuyng for our redēption in Christ and shewing forth of the Lordes death in suche wise as the congregacion may be edified and also a taking and eating after Christes commaundement as it is not in the masse This ys my body which is the latter parte of the sacrament hath neuer no place neither can be verefied For Christ cōmaunded aswell take ye and eate ye as this is my body Chadsey Christ sayd take eate this is my body and not take ye eat ye phil No did master doctor be not these the wordes of Christ accipite manducate do not these words in the plural nōber singnifie take ye eat ye not take thou eat thou as you would suppose Chadsey I graunt it is as you saye phil Lykewyse of consequency you master doctor must nedes deny which you haue sayd that these words this is my body being only spoken be sufficyent to make the body bloude of Chryste in the sacramēt as you haue vntruly sayd London Then came in the bishop agayne and sayde what is that you would haue master doctor deny phil My lord master doctor hath affirmed that these words this is my body spokē by the priest only do make the sacramēt London In dede if master bryges should speake these wordes ouer the bread wyne they would be of none effect but if a priest speake them after a due maner they are effectuall and make a reall body Phil. Master S. hath sayd otherwise London I thinke you mystake him for he meaneth of the words duely pronounced Phil. Let him reuoke that he hath sayd thē must it nedes folowe that this is my body hath no place except blisse take eate duely go before And because the same do go before this is my body in your sacramēt of the masse it is not the sacrament of Christ neyther hath Christ present Chadsey If this is my body onelye do not make the sacrament no more do blysse take and eate Phil. I graūt that the one without tho ther can not make the sacrament And it can be no sacrament onles the hole action of Christ doth concurre together according to the fyrst institucion Chadley Why then you wil not haue it to be the body of Christ onles it be receyued phil No verely it is not the very body of Christ to none other but to suche as condignely receyue the same after his institucion London Is not a loafe a loafe being set on the table though no body eat therof phil It is not like my lorde For a lofe is a lofe before he be set at the table But so is not the sacrament a perfect sacrament before it be dewly ministred at the table of the lord London I pray you what is it in the meane while before it is receiued after the wordes of consecraciō spokē answer me phil It is my lord the signe begon of a holy thing and yet no perfecte sacrament vntil it be receiued For in the sacrament there be two thinges to be cōsidered the signe and the thing it selfe which is Christ and his hole passion it is that to none but to suche as worthily receyue the holy signes of bread wine according to Christes instituciō wynsor Ther were neuer none that denyed the wordes of Christ as you do did not he saye this is my body phil My lord I pray you be not disceyued we do not deny the wordes of Christ but we say these wordes be of none effect being spoken otherwyse than Christ did instuute them in his last supper for an example Christ bydde the church to baptyze in the name of the father the Sonne the holy Goost yf a priest saye those words ouer the water and there be no chyld to be baptised those words onely pronounced do not make baptysme And agayne baptysme is only baptysme to such as be baptized to none other standing by L. Chamber I pray you my lorde let me aske him one question what kind of presence in the sacrament duely ministred according to Christes ordinaūce do you allowe Phil. Than do I confesse the presence of Christe holly to be with all the frutes of his passyon vnto the worthy receyuer by the spirit of God and that Chryst is therby ioyned to him he to Chryst L. chamber I am answered London My lordes take no hede of him For he goeth about to disceyue you His similitude that he bryngeth in of baptisme is nothing lyke to the sacrament of the altare For yf I should saye to syr Iohn Bryges being with me at supper My lorde is better skilled in bely cheare than in Christes sacramentes and hauing a fatt capō take eat this is a fat capon Although he eat not therof is it not a capon styll and lyke wyse of a pece of beefe or of a cup of wine yf I saye drinke this is a good cup of wine is it not so because he drinketh not therof Phil. My lord your similitudes be to grosse for so highe mysteries as we haue in hand as yf I were your equall I could more playnly declare and ther is muche more dissimilitude betwene common meates and drinkes than ther is betwene baptysme and the sacramēt of the body and bloud of Christ Lyke must be compared to like and spiritual thinges with spirituall not spiritual thinges with corporal thinges And meates drinkes be of their owne natures good or euil your wordes commēding or discōmēding do but declare what they are But the sacramentes be to be cōsidered according to the word which Christ spake of thē of the which take ye and eate ye be some of the chief concurrent to the making of the same without the which ther can be no sacramentes And therfore in Greke the sacrament of the body bloude of Christ is called Coenonia a cōmunion And lykewyse in the gospel Christ commaunded sayeng Diuidite inter vos diuide it among you Chadsey S Paul calleth it a communicacion Phil. That doth more expressely shewe that there must be a participaon of the sacrament togyther London My lordes I am sory I haue troubled you so long with this obstinate man with whom we can do no good I wil troble you no lēger now And with that the lords rose vp non of them sayeng any euil word vnto me halfe amased in my iudgement God worke it to good Thus endeth the syxt part of this tragedie the seuēth loke for with Ioye The vij examinaciō of Iohn Philpot had the .xix. of Nouembre before the bishops of London and Rochester the chaunceler of Lychefeld D. Chadsey master Dee bacheler of diuinitie SYrra come hither How chaūce you come no soner is it wel done of you to make maister chaunceler and me to tary for you this houre wel sworne my lorde by the fayth of my body halfe an
father he be one And none in the spirite of God can deuide Christ frō the substaunce of God the father onles a natural sonne may be of an other substaūce than his father which nature dothe abhorre Who can abyde the eternall generacion of the sonne of God to be denied synce it is written of him his generacion who shal be able to declare Esa 53. Is ther any true christiā hart that grudged not at suche faythles blasphemours Can the eye eare tongue or the other senses of the body be cōtent to heare their creatour blasphemed not repyned should not the mouth declare the zeale of his maker by spittyng on him that depraueth his diuine maiestie which was is and shal be God for euer Apoc. 3. Yf God as it is mencioned in the Apocalipse wil spew ypocrites out of his mouthe suche as he neither hotte nor colde in his worde why maye not than a man of God spitte on hym that is worsse than an hipocrite enemye to the godhead manifested in the blessed Trinitie which wil in no wyse be persuaded to the cōtrarie Iohan. 2. Yf Christ with a whippe droue out the of temple suche as were prophaners therof ought not the seruaūt of God by some lyke outwarde significacion reproue the villanie of those as go about to take awaye the glorie of him that was the buylder of the tēple Yf there were as muche zeale in men of the truth as there is talkatiue knowlege they would neuer be offended with that which is done in the reproche and cōdemnacion of frowarde vngodlye men whome nothing can please but singularities and diuisions from the churche of Christ which ought to be the mother and mystres of vs al to leade vs Gala. 4. into al true knowledge of the worde of God and not ymagine by ignoraūce takyng the word of God dayly an other Gospel and an other Christ as euery sect dothe separating thē selues frō Christes spouse which is the same that is the accōplishement of truthe Ephe. 1. hitherto neuer knewe O insatiable curiositie O arrogaunt selfe loue the original of al these heresies O pestilent canker of thyne owne saluacion O Arrian the ryght inheritour to Lucifer Esay 14. that would exalte his seate and be lyke to the hyghest whose fal shal be lyke where the synne is equal Yf God dyd hyghly allowe the minister of Ephesus Apoca. 2. for that he could in no wise abyde such as said they were Apostles and were not indede howe maye any laye vncharitablenes vnto me which for the loue of my swete Christ do abhorre al phantastical Arrians in suche sorte as al men ought to do that loue the sonne of God vnfaynedly Yf Moses be cōmended by the scriptures Act. 8. for strykyng an Egiptian that dyd iniurie to one of the people of God howe may he iustly be blamed which dyd spit at him that doth suche iniurie and sacrilege to the sonne of God as to plucke him from his eternal and propre godhead was there euer creature so vnkynde was there euer man so temerarious to stryue against the glory of his glorifier was there euer heretike so bolde and impudent as the Arrian is that durst take frō the sōne of God the glorie which he had with the father frō the beginning Yf Christ be the beginning Apoca. 1. ending of all thing as he testifyeth him self to S. Iohn how may he be but a creature like vnto others who may dissemble such blasphemy that hath any sparke of the spirite of God who may heare with patience the right wayes of the Lorde peruerted by these deuilishe holi Arriās hold his peace A lyuely fayth is not dōme but is alwayes ready to resist the gainesayers as Dauid sayth I haue beleued therfore I haue spoken Speake than you that haue tonges to prayse confesse against these Arriās exalte your voice lyke a trompet that the simple people maye beware of their Pharisaical venome and be not deceaued as now many are vnwares of simplicitie Suffre them not to passe by you vnpointed at yea yf they be so stonte that they will not ceasse to speake against God our saueour and Christ as they are al newe baptised enemies therto refraine not to spit at suche inordidate swyne as are not ashamed to tread vnder their fete the precious godhead of our saueour Iesus Christ Our God is a gelous God and requireth vs to be zelous in his cause Yf we can not abyde our owne name to be euel spoken of without great indignacion shall we be quiet to heare the name of our God defaced and not declare any signe of wrath against thē It is writtē be angry and synne not A man than maye shewe tokens of angre in a cause which he ought to defende without breache of charitie The prophet Dauid sayeth shal I not hate them O Lorde that hate thee Psal 138. vpon thyne ennemyes shall I not be wrathful I wil hate them with a perfect hatred they are become myne enemyes Aaron bycause he was not more zelous in goddes cause whan he perceiued the people bent to ydolatry entred not into the lande of promyse God loueth not luke warme souidiars in the batel of fayth but suche as be earnest and violent shall inherite his kyngdome Therfore S. Paule biddeth vs to be feruent in spirit you that are to colde in these dayes of the cōntet of the gospel aswel against these arch heretiks as others wherof there be at these daies stered vp by the Deuill an infinite swarme to the ouerthrow of the gospell if it were possible I exhort you not to iudge that euil which God highlie commedeth But rather to pray that God will geue you the lyke zeale to withstande the enemies of the gospel neyther to haue any maner of felowship with these Antichristes whom the deuil hathe shitten out in these dayes to defyle the Gospel which go aboute to teache you any other doctrine The gospel pure in K. Edw. dayes than you haue receyued in kyng Edwardes dayes in the whiche praysed be God al the synceritie of the gospel was reuealed according to the pure vse of the primatiue church and as it is at this present of the trew catholike church allowed through the worlde The spirite of God the holye Goost the thirde persone in Trinitie whom these wicked Arrians do elude and mocke hath taught the church according to Christes promise al truth and shal we nowe receyue an other vaine spirite whome the holy fathers neuer knewe Trye the spirites of mē by goddes worde and by the interpretacion of the primatiue churche who had promyse of Christ to receyue by the cōming of the holy goost the true vnderstanding of al that he had spokē and taught after the which we haue ben truely taught to beleue three persones in one deitie God the father frō whom and God the sonne by whom God the holy Goost in whō al
them that they be not a shameful slauÌ„der to the gospel as already they haue begon to be to the great grief of al faithful hartes Nowe wil I turne to the Arrian agayne who transfygureth himselfe into an Angel of light as Sathan oftentymes dothe that he myght vnder the cloke of holynes more myghtely deceaue the simple folke The Arrians comer fait holines And verely he is a deuil incarnate he hath a name that he lyueth in dede is dead Iudge them not by their outwarde shewe wherin they extoll them selues wonderfully Apoc. 3. Iohan. 7. and dare simple mens eyes lyke larkes For our maister Christ prophecied of suche false hypocrites to come gyuyng vs warning to beware of suche as preteÌ„de the simplicitie of a shepe outwardly Mat. 7. and yet inwardly are rauenyng wolues deuouryng the soules and bodies of meÌ„ vnto perdition Act. 20. S. Paule departing from Ephesus sayd there shoulde ryse vp men speakyng peruerse thinges that they myght make scolars to ruÌ„ne after them S. Peter setteth me fourthe these Arrians lyuely in their colours 2. Pet. 2. and in maner pointeth at theÌ„ with his fingre there hath beÌ„ sayeth he false prophetes among the people as there shal be among you false teachers which priuely shal bryng in pernitious sectes yea denyers of the Lord who hath bought them procuryng to them selues swift destruction and many wil folowe their poysons by whoÌ„ the waye of truth shal be euil spokeÌ„ of c. who be suche Iudases vnto Christ as these Arrians which ceasse not to betraye him of his eternal deitie who slaunder more the truthe than these denyeng Iesus to be the God of truthe These be they of whome the Apostle Iude speaketh which transpose the grace of our God into wanton ymaginacioÌ„s of their owne braynes and deny God who is the only Lorde and our Lorde Iesus Christ My mynde therfore sayeth he is to put you in remembrauÌ„ce for asmuche as ye ones knowe this that the Lorde after that he had deliuered the people out of Egipt destroyed theÌ„ which beleued not The Angels also which kept not their fyrst estate but left their owne habitacion he hath reserued in euerlasting chaynes vnder darkenes vnto that iudgemeÌ„t of the great day c. EueÌ„ so shal the Lord destroy these vnbeleuing Arrians whom he did ones through baptisme delyuer froÌ„ the bondage of syn bycause they haue forsaken the deitie of Christ their original iustice coÌ„pared hym vnreuerently vngodly to them selues to whom eternal fyer belongeth which is prepared for the deuil for these ArriaÌ„s his chief angels Worse they are thaÌ„ the deuils which in the .8 chap. of S. Mathew did acknowlage him to be the eternal sonne of God in the actes of the Apostles they confessed Paule and Barnabas Act. 16. which were that seruauÌ„tes disciples of Christ to be the seruauÌ„tes of god most high The deuils in S. Iames do beleue treÌ„ble at the maiestie of Christ Iames. â— The Centurion in the .28 of S. Ma. acknowledged him verely to be the son of God But these helhoundes are offended at his eternall maiestie and would haue him no better than them selues by creation Is this your profession of Christ O you Antichristes doth your fayned holines tend to this ende to dishonour him that is most holiest and one God with the father and the holy Goost of al holynes O you painted hipocrites dothe your counterfaited loue and dissemblyng patiens go about to abase the eternal loue of God his beloued sonne O you haters of God put of your shameles visardes o you vnbeleuing Arrians put of your Angelical infidelitie walke as you be O you deceauers of the people you say ye se and yet be altogether blynded for he that seeth not Christ to be the euerlasting sonne of God seeth no lyght for he is the very lyght Iohan. 1 by whome al men be illyghtened Seke therfore of him your eye salue lest in your blyndnes ye stomble shortly to eternal darknes 1. Iohan. 1 O what huge blyndnes are they in which saye they haue no synne in theÌ„ as S. IohnÌ„ playnlye affirmeth that who so euer sayeth he hath no synne is a lyar And Dauid sayeth that al men be lyars Psal 116. Esay 67. The ê“phet Esay sayeth that our ryghteousnes is lyke the clothe of a monstruous womaÌ„ Shal we beleue lyars before the faythful seruauÌ„tes of God Yf they knowe not them selues is it any maruail though they knowe not God He that is vnfaythful in a lytle wil be also vnfaythfull in muche he that is not ashamed to belye himselfe it is no wonder though he be so bolde to belye an other better than him self Howe may a purblinded man behold the brightnes of the sunne who is so sore diseased as he that beyng verie sycke beleueth that he is hole Who knoweth not our fleshe as long as it is in this corruptible lyfe to be a loÌ„pe of synne Yea and who fealeth not the lawe of synne which is in our membres styll to stryue against the lawe of our mynde Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 12. S. Paule who was taken vp into the thirde heauen and sawe suche thinges as is not lawful for maÌ„ to speake of whose godly lyfe surmouÌ„teth the rable of these ArriaÌ„s and yet he durst not be so bolde as to compare in puritie with Christ neither to affirme that he was without synne but acknowlaged synne to be in his body and desyred that it might be taken froÌ„ him to whome it was not graunted but that it should remayne with hym for his spiritual exercise and by grace to ouercome the same that where synne haboundeth there grace should super abounde Why do ye clense the outwarde sydes of your stynkyng vessels O you impure glorifiers of your selues and se not the inward abominacion which is in you Ye saye ye be swete before the Lorde and beholde you stynke before the face of the hole worlde but specially before God and al his saintes for howe can God but abhorre al suche as do take away the swete sauour of his diuine nature froÌ„ his sonne and to attribute that excellency to them selues which is not in them Gen. 6. Hath not God himselfe witnessed of mans impuritie sayeng that al the thoughtes of man be only prone vnto euil Is not this inclination to euil which lurketh in our fleshe sinne and the natural corruption which we sucked from our fyrst pareÌ„tes learne to knowe thy selfe better than shalt thou iudge more vprightly of the soÌ„ne of God clense thyne inwarde filthynesse and synne by an humble and repentauÌ„t confession of thyne owne vnworthinesse and wickednes towardes thy redemer and than thyne outward shewe of holynes myght be somwhat worthe which nowe is double deuilishnes for want of true knowledge both of thy selfe of fayth to God Knowe thyne owne pouertie and miserie and come to thy saueour which is ryche with God and
gase ye knocke ye worship ye offre ye sacrifice ye for the quicke and the deade If this be not blasphemy to God and his sacrament to adde and to plucke away in this sorte and that contrary to the mynd of all auncient writers and contrary to the example of Christ and his Apostles tell me Harpesfild I know you haue gathered the saienges of the doctors together which make for your purpose I will talke no longer with you And so to the end as is written afore The next daye after dyner I was brought into my lordes vpperhalle and there he called me before him and his Regester before Doctor Chadsey in the preseÌ„ce of two homely geÌ„tilmen and a priest which I knew not sayeng I Do here laye vnto this man in your presence requiring you to be witnes against him as much as you know in any of theÌ„ these artycles this boke of the cathethisme made in king Edwards daies Also these conclusyons agreed vpon both in Oxforth and Cambryge also I lay vnto him that he hath despised the censures of the churche and hath standeÌ„ accursed more then this twelf-moneth and neuer required absolution therof Howe say you wa st thou not accursed by my lord Chaunceler Phil. I was excommunicated by him wroÌ„gfully and without any iust cause and without order of law being neuer personally cyted London Dyddest thou not tell me the other day when I required thee to come to the masse that thou wast excommunicated and therfore by the lawe couldest not heare masse How loÌ„g hast thou ben thus excoÌ„municat Phil. More than this twelfe moneth this halfe London Lo you may heare what he saith write it Phil. But as you would haue written that I haue sayd I haue ben thus long excommunicated so also let him write that I dyd require of my lord chauÌ„celer that dyd excommunicat me my absolutioÌ„ but he would not geue it me sayeÌ„g that I was excoÌ„municatus ipso iure because I was an heretike as it plesed him to call me therfore accursed by your lawe and so coÌ„maunded me to prison where I remayne Why do you not require absolutioÌ„ at my lordes handes here nowe A gentilman Phil. Because he is not myne ordinarie neither hath by the lawe any thing to do with me of ryght Lond. What an obstinate fole is this I tel thee I wil be thyne Ordinary whether thou wilt or no. Phil. And bycause of this your vnrighteous force towardes me I haue appealed from you and require you maister Regester that my appeale may be entred in wryting London Haue you heard suche a froward felowe as this he semed yesterdaye to be very tractable and I had a good hope in him I tel thee thou art of my diocese Phil. I am of Wynchester dioces and not of London dioces London I praye you maye not a man be of two dioceses at once Phil. No that he can not London Lo wil you see what an ignorauÌ„t foole this is in the law in that which he would seme to be sene I tel the a maÌ„ may be of thre dioceses at once as if thou were borne in LondoÌ„ by reasoÌ„ therof thou shouldest be of my dioces or els yf thou were not borne but haddest a dignitie here also thou arte to be couÌ„ted of my dioces or els by reason of thy habitacion in my dioces Phil. In none of these respectes I am of your lordships dioces But for al that this wil not folowe that I dwellyng at Winchester am at that present of London diocese Lond. What wil you laye therof wilt thou recant yf I proue it Phil. But what shal I winne yf you do not London I wil gyue the my byshoprik yf I proue it not phil Yea but who shal delyuer it me yf I winne London Thou arte an arrogauÌ„t foole Entre their othes and take these wytnesses depositions I must be gone to the parliament house A strauÌ„ge kynsman of myne After this spake vnto me a priest standing by askyng me whether I was kyn to my lorde Ryche or no Phil. I said he said so himselfe vnto me the other daye but how I knowe not Chadsey I heard him say that he was his very nigh kynsman Balaeamit kynsman Why then you I must be of kyne for he is my very nygh kynsmaÌ„ How chaunce it that you I be of contrary iudgementes Phil. It is no maruel that for Christ prophecied that the father shal be deuided against the sonne the soÌ„ne against the father for his truthes sake The Bala You do hold as I vnderstaÌ„d against the blessed sacrameÌ„t of the altare against the holy masse phil Yf you can proue it a sacrament I wil not holde agaynst you The Bala What proue it a sacrameÌ„t ê™ a Doth not S. Paule saye Quae oculus non vidit auris non audiuit quae preparauit Deus diligentibus that such thinges as the eye hathe not sene neither eare heard God hath prepared for them that loue him Phil. That sayeng of S. Paule concerneth nothing your sacrament but is ment of the heauenly ioyes that be prepared for al faythful beleuers The Bala Why theÌ„ I perceyue you vnderstande not S. Paule by God you are deceaued phil You ought not to sweare kynsman yf you wil I shal so cal you without disworship of our kynred I vnderstand S. Paule as well as you and knowe what I say And with that shewed him a Greke testament with Erasmus traÌ„slacion and with the olde also demaunding him which text he was best acquaynted withall Balaamit I knewe Greke to once as well as you I care not which you reade Phil. You knowe them then all alyke you vnderstande the one as well as the other with this my Balaamit kinsman departed in a furye The next day after I was brought downe agayne after dyner to the chapel and ther my Balaamit kinsman to verify the scriptures that a mans owne kinsfolks shal be his ennemis came in with the bishop as a witnes agaynst me And there the bishop caused an other that came to him about other maters to sweare also to be a witnes agaynst me which was a priest also sayeng YOu shall sweare to depose all the truth of certen articles you shal be enquired of concerning this man And here I according to the lawe do bring them forth in thy presence Phil. My lord I do not agre to the production of them but do appeale from al these and others your procedinges agaiÌ„st me And require you master regester that my appeale may be entred I wil geue you for your laboure Regester Your appeale shal be entred at leasure whom do you appeale vnto tell me I appeale to a hygher iudge Phil. as to the lieutenaunt of the archebishopryke of Cantorbury for I know not who is bishop therof at this present With that the bishop went away my balaamit kinsman loked byg vpon me but sayd neuer a worde This I
the most enemies of the Gospell I Am amased and do tremble both in body and soule to hear at this daye certen men or rather not men but couered with mannes shape persons of a beastly vnder standing who after so many and manyfolde benefites and graces of our Lorde God and saueour Iesus Christ manyfested to the hole worlde and cōfirmed with so euidēt testimonies of the Patriarches Prophetes and Apostles approued by wōderous signes and vndoubted tokens Rom. 1. Hebr. 1. declared to be both God and Man by the spirite of sanctification the eternall sonne of God with power the very expresse ymage of the substaunce of the father and reuealed vnto vs in these later tymes in the fleshe borne of the sede of Dauid in the which he hath taught vs truely and maruelously finished the mysterie of our saluation and is ascēded in bodye into heauen frō whence his diuinitie abased him selfe for our glorie and sitteth in equall power at the ryght hande of the father in his euerlasting kingdome notwithstanding are not ashamed to robbe this eternal sonne of God our most merciful saueour of his infinite maiestie and to plucke him out of the glorious throne of his vnspeakable deitie O impietie of all others most detestable O infidelitie more terrible then the palpaple darkenes of Egipt O flaming fyrebrandes of hell as I may vse the termes of the Prophet Esay Esa 7. against suche apostatas was it not ynough for you to be greuous vnto men by so manifolde sectes heresies The Arrians haue manye heresies diuiding your selues frō Christes true catholike church as neuer hitherto hath ben hearde of any hereticall segregacion but will also be molest vnto my God the eternall sonne of God What hart maye beare suche blasphemye what eye maye quietly beholde suche an enemye of God What membre of Christ maye alowe in any wyse suche a membre of the deuil What Christian may haue felowship with suche ranke Antichristes Who hauyng the zeale of the glorie of God in his hart can not burst out in teares and lamentacions to heare the immortal glorie of the sonne of God trode vnder the fete by the vyle sede of the serpent whose heade by his eternal Godhead he hath beaten downe Gene. 3 and therfore now lyeth byting at his hele lurking in corners but he shal be crushed in peces vnto eternal woo after he hath spewed out al his venome for brighter is the glorie of our God and Christ than it maye be darkened by al the rowte of the prince of darkenes who dwelleth in the lyght which is vnaprocheable although these dead dogges do take vpon them with their corrupt sight to pearce and vlemishe the same to their owne blinding for euer Yf the good king Ezechias after he had heard the blasphemies that Rabsaces vttred against the liuing Lord tare his royal garmentes in peces in testimony of the sorowe he had cōceyued for the same shall we be stil at the blasphemous barkinges against our Lorde and shewe no token of indignacion for the zeale of his glorie Yf Paule and Barnabas perceyuing the people of Listris Act. 14. to take the honour of God and attributing the same to creatures rent their garmētes in signification that we all shoulde declare by some outwarde meanes the lyke sorowe when we heare or see the lyke blasphemie howe maye we with patience abyde to heare the robberie of the maiestie of our Christes equalitie with God Phil. 2. who as saint Paule witnesseth thought it no robberie to be equal with God what faythful seruaunt can be content to heare his maister blasphemed And yf perchaunce he shewe any iuste angre therfore al honest men do beare with his doyng in that behalfe and can not you good christian brethren and systerne beare with me who for the iuste zeale of the glorie of my God and Christ beyng blasphemed by an arrogaunt ignoraunt and obstinatlye blinded Arrian makyng hym selfe equal with Christ sayeng the God was none otherwise in Christ thā God was with him makyng him but a creature as he was hym selfe vaunting to be without synne as wel as Christ dyd spit on him The cause why I did spit Partly in declaracion of that sorowe which I had to heare suche a proude blasphemour of our saueour as also to signifie vnto other there present whom he went about to peruert that he was a person to be abhorred of al christians and not to be companied with al. Yf this my fact seme to some that iudge not al thinges according to the spirit of God vncharitablye Yet let them knowe that God who is charitie allowed the same Luke 12. For it is written in the Gospel that Christ came not to set vs at peace with men in the earth but at diuision and that is for his cause and truthe And who so euer wil not abide with Christes churche in the truthe we ought not to shewe the pointes of charitie vnto any suche Math. 12.18 but to take him as an heathen and a publicane Yf any man sayeth S. Iohn̄ bring not vnto you this doctrine which I haue taught you saye not God spede 2. Ioh. 1. vnto him for who so sayeth God spede vnto suche a one is partaker of his euel doinges Consider you therfore that haue loue and felowship wit suche that the same dampnacion shal fal vpon you therfore as is dewe to wicked heretikes God wil haue vs to put a difference betwixt the cleane vncleane 2. Cor. 6. and to touche no vncleane persones but to go out from them And what is more vncleane than infidelitie who is a greater infidele thā the Arrian who spoyleth his redemer of his honour and maketh him but a creature What felowship is there betwene light and darkenes what concord can ther be betwene Christ Belial Neuer was there more abominable Belials than this Arrians be The ignoraunt Belials worshipped the creatures for the creatour But these peruerse Arrians do worship Christ who is the creatour of al thīges Gal. 1. Rom. 9. 1. Ioh. 5. by whom as S. Paule testifieth both in heauen and in earth al thinges visible and inuisible were made who is God blessed for euer and as S. Iohn̄ witnesseth very God and lyfe euerlasting but as a creature lyke vnto themselues what christiā tonge may cal him to be a good man that denyeth Christ to be the author and worker of al goodnes as the Arrian dothe Wo be vnto them sayeth the prophete that call euil good and good euel Iudge therfore vprightly ye children of men condempne not the iuste for the vnrighteous sake neyther by any meanes seme to allowe either in worde or dede the wicked who saye ther is no God Iohan. 5. for they that honour not the sonne honour not the father and he that hathe not the sōne hath not the father Iohan. 14 And yf we beleue in God we must also beleue in Christ for the
thinges visible inuisible do coÌ„sist haue their beyng and lyfe In the which beleue we were baptised by the institution of Christ in to the name of the father the sonne the holy Goost Mat. 28. And shal we now begin to stande in doubt of this most firme fayth the which froÌ„ the beginning hath ben coÌ„firmed besydes the vndoubted testimonies of the scriptures with the precious bloud of an infinit nomber of martirs and coÌ„fessours It is no maruaile thoughe these Arrians denye the holy goost to be God who refuse the testimonie that he made of him selfe in fiery tongues to the primatiue churche Act. 1. Math. 3. and before that in the likenes of a Doue at the baptisme of Christ They must nedes denye the spirite of truth who be led by the spirite of errour vnder the colour of Godlynes denyeng their true sanctifier instructour whom Christ euidently taught to be an other comfortor besydes him The holy goost is an other comforter besides Christ And therfore to th ende he should so be beleued appeared visibly as Christ dyd but as their corrupt faces bashe not to denye the eternall sonne of God so are they not ashamed to denye the holye Goost to be God The Arrians are past shame their forehead is lyke the forehead of an hore hardened with counterfaited hypocrisie styffnecked wretches they are that wyll not yeld to the truth though it be neuer so manyfestly layde before their face they haue sworne to runne after their master the deuil wtout staye to draw with theÌ„ as many as they can in the which they are very diligent The Lorde confounde them the Lorde conserue his electe from their dampnable poyson the Lorde open al christian eyes to beware of them The Lorde gyue al his churche an vniforme zeale minde to abhorre them to cast faith froÌ„ them You that be of the truth haue any zeal of God in you stere it vp bynde it against these enemyes of our lyuyng God which is the Father the Sonne the holy Goost to whome be al honour praise and glorie for euer Canst thou be angred with thy brother beyng lawfully called to be a mynister in Christes church and to be a teacher in the same for spitting at an obstinate aduersarie of Christ refusyng to obey the truthe and declare no maner of indignacion against the Arrian the thefe that robbeth thy God of his honour Doth the iniurie of the Arrian more offende thee than the defence of thy redemer please the Art thou not ashamed rather to take part with an Arrian than with a true christian Thou wouldest seme to haue charitie by bearing with the wicked and contrarie to al charitie thou backbitest thy brother for doyng that which thou shouldest rather do than to haue any familiaritie with thee Yf thou dwel within the churche of Christ what hast thou to do with them that be without Which go about nothing els but to buyld a new Babilon and to destroye al the Godly order of the Gospel I tel thee plaine that I am nothyng of that face but gyue God thankes that I heare euil for wel doyng Yf I should please meÌ„ I could not please God I maruaile that there should be so litle zeale in a true christian hart that it can seme to take the part of an ArriaÌ„ We can not scrue Christ and Baal how long wil meÌ„ halt on both sydes let your halting be healed Yf ye be vnfainedly of the truth abyde in the truthe let al your wyl be toward the ê“fessours of the truth in the vnitie of Christes church least you might appeare to be scatterers with heretiks rather thaÌ„ gatherers together with Christ Do ye not se what a rable of newe founde scaterers ther be such a sorte as neuer at ones hath beÌ„ heard of in one realme the one contrarye to the other The deuil hath shakeÌ„ out his bagge of heresies against the gospell So that the deuel myght seme to haue powred out al his poysons at ones against the gospel And wyl you that glorie of the truth go about by worde dede helpe to maintayne any suche in their headdy errours he that toucheth pitche can not chose but defyle his fyngers therwith Be not deceaued sayeth S. Paule for wicked talke corrupteth good maners 1. Cor. 14 Therfore watche ye righteously and synne not for many therbe that haue not the knowlage of God I speake it to your shame 2. Tim. 2. Saint Paule willeth vs to be more circuÌ„spect in talking or acquainting our selues with suche then men at this daye be to their incorragemeÌ„t strenghtnyng in their errour The wordes of an heretike as he sayeth in an other place eateth lyke a canker 2. Tim. 2 And therfore wrytyng vnto Tyte Tit. 3. he commaundeth al Christian persones to auoyde an heretike after once or twyse warnyng knowing that such a one is peruerted and synneth and is dampned by his owne iudgement And to the Thessalonians he also sayeth 2. Thes 3. we commaunde you in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that you wythdrawe your selfes froÌ„ euery brother that walketh inordinatly not according to the institutioÌ„ which they haue receaued of vs. There can be no felowship betwixt fayth and infidelitie he that is not with Christ is his enemy Luke 11. he that is an enemie to the vnitie and peace of Christes churche he maye not be coupled with vs. And Salomon rendreth a cause why Prou. 16. A peruerse man in his mouthe doth carye perdicion and in his lippes hydeth fyer Agayne he sayeth an euil man obeyeth the tounge of the vnrighteous Prou. 17 but the Iuste harketh not to lyeng lippes Also Ecclesiasticus warneth sayeng Eccle 28. Hedge thyne cares wyth thornes and do not heare a wycked tounge This haue I touched to gyue you warning howe to behaue your selues with the Arrians and other sismatikes and heretikes whome al godlie ordre and good learning displeaseth the which yf our Christian brethren and systerne did well way and folow there wolde not be so many stoute heretikes as there be I doubt that the heretikes be better prouided for than the poore faithfull afflicted flocke of Christ If you heare that ther is conteÌ„tion betwene vs and theÌ„ that be in prison maruaile not therfore neyther let your mindes be alienated from the truth any thing therby for as it is writteÌ„ it is necessary the heresies should be 1. Cor. 11. that the elect might be tryed Christ and Antichrist can neuer agree 1. Ioh. 2. And as S. Iohn saith Antichrist is come and there is nowe many Antichristes they ar gon out from vs such as were non of vs for if they had they wold haue coÌ„tinued with vs by thys sayeng of S. Iohn we maye wel trye and knowe all the rowte of Antichristes generacion suche they be as breake the vnitie of Christes church neither abide in the
light The Arrians lurke in corners and be coy to shew ther faith lest his doynges should be reê“ued By this ye may know that these Arrians with other heretikes are borne of that prince of darkenes who walke continually vnder cloudes with great difficultie will shew them selues onles it be to some simple personnes whom they thinke apt to be deceaued Therfore turne your eares froÌ„ them al ye that be vnlearned when they endeuour to depraue your faith with an other Christ and meanes of saluacioÌ„ thaÌ„ you haue heard before of And byd them fyrst shew their new founde saith to the elders and ministers of Christes trew church and afterwarde yf they allow the same as sound and pure you will gladlie harken vnto them otherwise not for no ê‘son ought to take vpoÌ„ him the office of a doctour except he be called thervnto by the ordinarie alowauÌ„ce of the church of God Rom. 10. as S. Paule testifieth how shal they preache except they be seÌ„t Marc. 4. Therfore Christ in S Mark biddeth al ê‘soÌ„nes take hede what they heare There are innumerable sorts of heresies entred into the world so that we may iustly gather these to be the euill daies that Christ spake of before Math. 24 in the which yf it were possible the very electes should be deceaued be ye therfore strong in your faith grouÌ„ded vpon the rocke vnmoueable what soeuer storme come vpon you or mystie winde blowe against you Many inordinat personnes of this tyme do runne Iere. 23. whom the Lord hath not sent as hieremie sayeth and saye the Lorde sayeth thus thus where as the Lorde neuer spake any suche thing as they of their phantastical brayne do ymagine and thorough ignorauÌ„cy do misconstre to deceyue others and themselues also Therfore the Lorde biddeth vs not to harken to their wordes Proue these wandering glittering spirites by this rule which I haue tolde you and than be you assured ye can not be deceaued though there aryse ten thousande more heresies thaÌ„ there be It maye trouble an inconstaunt mynde to se so many at once but he that knoweth the deuils diligence to deface Christes Gospel maye not wonder therat for he knoweth his tyme is but short and seeth the gospel so triumphe thorough the death of faythful martirs that he is wood therat therfore worketh his vttermost trusteth to make some stoute arrogaunt martirs for the stabishement increase of his kingdome that vnder the name of christ as he hath had in tymes past that the simple people might be brought in a mamering of their faith stande in doubte whome they myght beleue that therby he might more lyghtly seduce them into his snares Beholde I haue gyuen you warnyng that ye be not deceaued by these wanderyng starres and emptie cloudes which nowe a dayes are caried about with so vncertayne wyndes that a man can not tel where to fynde them neyther they themselues knowe from whence they came neither whither they would They wil entre into heauen by the wyndow and not by the dore and therfore lyke erraunt theues shal be cast out Beware of curiosite my dere brethren and systerne for she is an vnsatiable beast and the cause of muche infidelitie and wyckednes she is alwayes desirous of alteration to heare newes and can not be permanent on one sure grounde Dyna as it is wrytten in the Genesis beyng ful of curiositie Gene. 34. and desyrous to see the women of a straunge countrey was rauished lost her virginitie and was the destruction of Sichem Dauid was curious to behold the beautie of Bethzabe 2. Reg. 11. and became therby an adulterer a murtherer was the cause of many thousandes destruction 2. Reg. 24. by the curiouse nombring of his people Therfore of experieÌ„ce he geueth good counsel sayeng in the psalmes turne awaye thyne eyes that they se not vanitie Turne I saye awaye from these heretikes shewe not them a cheareful countenaunce lest they receyue an incouragement therby to wynne the vnto them and thou by curiositie be entangled thorough their hipocrisie and peruerse talke As many as abode in the Arke of Noe were not drowned by the flood of Noe. Euen so as many as abyde in the true church of Christ shall receyue no hurte by all the blustering and corrupt waters which the dragoÌ„ that persecuteth the church into wildernesse dothe in thapocalips cast out after her to the ende to drowne her therwith Apoca. 12 You that staÌ„de in doubt of any thyng by the suggestion of these newe founde heretikes runne to the pure catholike churche of Christ for your sure instructioÌ„ which praysed be God at this daye dothe gloriouslye appeare and shyne spyte of the gates of hell in all Germany and in the borders of Fraunce at Geneue and in the kyngdomes of Denmarke and Pole besydes that whiche of late ye haue sene in your owne countrey in Englande now by the wyl of God vnder affliction and persecution aswel for our synnes as for the trial of the people of God for as an auncient father S. Ciprian sayeth He that hath not the churche for his mother hathe not God for his father we haue but one mother sayeth Salomon in his Ballets Cant. 6. and she coueteth to gather vs vnder her winges lyke a louyng heÌ„ne her chekins and yf we abide there we are assured from al the rauening vermyne of heretikes and though there shal fal on euery syde of thee milliaÌ„s yet shall they not aproche nere vnto thee But yf after curiositie thou go out astraye some Kyte or other will snatche thee vp to the prince of the ayre from where thy fal wil be great Yf thou wilt be assured of the eternal kingdome of God be stable in thy faith flee from sectes and heresyes abyde in the vnitie of Christes spouse his true churche Remembre that in olde tyme it was forbydden the people of God to mary with any foreyn nacioÌ„ that was not of the house of Israel in significacioÌ„ that the church of God should neuer ioyne them selues with suche as be of a straunge religioÌ„ and of hereticall opinions contrary the catholike faith cursed is he saith Hieremie that dothe the worke of the lorde negligentlie and with drawith his swerd from blood Iere. 48. In the lawe he is commaunded to be stoned that goeth about to turne vs froÌ„ the lyuing Lord Gent. 13 and to moue vs to worship creatures for the creatour and that the same should cast the first stone at him whom he went about to peruert And what do these Arrians els go about but to wil vs to worshippe their new founde Christ whom they affirme to be but a creature in place of our true Christ the eternall sonne of God our creatour redemer and gouernour who is God to be praised honoured with the father and the holy goost world without ende The Prophet saith in the psalmes there must be no new God among Goddes people but if Christ shoulde be as they say but a made and appoincted God of the father as princes of the earthe be called Gods theÌ„ should he be a new God and so by the worde of God not to be taken of vs for God neyther to be worshipped or called vppon Iere. 17. for as the Prophet Ieremy testifieth cursed is the person which putteth his confidens in man and setteth fleshe to be his strenght These wicked Arrians are worse than the Iewes for they were offended with Christ whom they toke but for a creature for saieng he was the sonne of God But the Arrians blinder than the Iewes taking him for God would haue him to be onlye a creature lyke to them selfes in all poinctes and not very God of Goddes substaÌ„ce They make the Iewes more ryghteous than Christ and do iustifie them for crucifieng of him for the chieffe cause why they crucified him was as it doth appeare by S. Iohn bicause he made him selfe equall with God being but a maÌ„ as they toke him to be onely What ChristiaÌ„s eares do not glome at this great impiety who hauing any zeale of God wil not cry out ah deuil ah Lucefers brood ah Marathans cursed of God vntil his commiÌ„g wo be to the Arius the father of this wicked progeny woo be vnto you vile childerne folowers of his horrible impietie God of his mercy turne froÌ„ you suche as of ignorauncy simplicitie be deceaued but you that be arrogant vncurable in your blasphemy The lord for his glory sake and for example to others to beware of suche detestable impietie consume you with fyer froÌ„ heaueÌ„ as he did Chore Dathan and Abiron let the grounde oh lord open and let hem go downe alyue vnto hell let them be put out of the boke of lyfe and let them not be reckoned amoÌ„g the righteous let theÌ„ haue thy traitour Iudas rewarde let theÌ„ breake a sonder in the middest let their bowelles gushe out to their shame for euer let their guttes issue out behinde as Arrius guts did let them die in their owne dong with their father and be abhorred of al the world for euer let their porcion be with Zodome and Gomor let their stinking smoke be done out neuer let the iust reioyce when they shall see the reuengaunce of the glory of Christ let them praise him one God with the father the holy goost for euer and euer AMEN FINIS Vincit qui patitur