geue backe admitte euen as the whoremoÌ„ger will haue it But she is sayeth S. Paul i. Ti. iij. a pyller ground of the trueth She standeth sure sayth he is a sure grounde And not a false or deceyuable grounde But a grounde of trueth which neither lyeth nor deceyueth neither gothe aboute with any lyes But whatsoeuer wauereth or doubteth the same can not be truth And whereto were a Churche of God profitable and necessary in the worlde yf she woulde wauer and be vnstable of her wordes Or institute euery daye some newe knacke nowe geue this and nowe take awaye that yea where vnto were such a God profitable that woulde teache vs so to wayuer and to doubte Theologyes of the Papistes as the Theologie of the Papistes teachet that men muste doubte of mercy Vvhereof is writteÌ„ ynough besydes For all though the Papistes in all other causes had ouercome yet be they condeÌ„ned in this Chyef Article that they teache That we muste doubte of the grace of God yf we be not worthy ynough before through oure oune satisfaction or merites intercession of saynctes There be their Bookes writtinges seales Cloysters Mynsters also yet their bayly shauen Crounes and masses to beare witnes And for as muche as they teache this Article that they stoude vpon their owne workes and doubtes as they can none other So is it euident that they muste nedes be the Churche of the deuill Wayes vnto saluation For there can be no more wayes than these two The one whiche trusteth vnto Goddes mercy The other that buyldeth vpon oure owne merites and workes The fyrst is the waye of the olde Churche and of all the Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles as the scripture witnesseth The other is the waye of the Roomyshe Bysshop and of his Churche This can noman denye no not H.M. and all the deuills them selues There standeth as often hath ben sayde recorde Bookes Bullus Sealles Vvrittinges Mynsters Cloysters so that it may be testifyed by all the worlde And there is S. Pet. Act. iiij There is none other name geueÌ„ whereby we may be saued but onely Iesus Christ Act. iiij Agaynst this sayeth the kyng of Rattes at Rome No not so But there are many other names wherby the people muste be saued specially Myne name after that all such as I will S. Frauncys Dominyke and all propre workes that bryng in mony vnto me And lay kyng Emperour vnder fote Here is holynes saluation Christ is no more necessarye nor profitable c. Church of christ suffereth no lyes nor false doctrine But to come agayn to oure matter That the Churche of Christ dothe not lye nor deceyue must they confesse them selues in despite of their hartes Where woulde they elles become They must saye That she is a rocke Matth xvi agaynst the which hell gates can not preuayle Math. xvi Or as S. Paule gloseth the same a piller and grounde of truth i. Ti. iij. This I saye to graunte we thanke them not Euen so sayeth also the Crede of the children that she is a holy Catholyke church And S. Paull i. Cor. iij. The tempel of God is holy whiche ye are i. Co. iij But whosoeuer defyleth the temple of God hym shal God destroye Therfore can may the holy church a byde no lyes nor false doctrine But she must teache nothinge but mere holynes and truthe that is onely the worde of God And yf she teache any lye then is she cleane Idolatriouse and the whorys church of the deuill Goddes seruice of the kynges of Israel What did it profite vnto the kynges of Israel to boaste that they serued the God of Israel whiche had brought them oute of Egypte There with named and meaned they The very God of their fathers And did also obserue the whole lawe of Moyses But for as much as they besydes that did also honour Calues or Baal or at the least there with of mannes imagination Did institute newe Goddes seruice to the honour of the very true God So was it all lost For agaynste the same was Goddes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t Thou shalt haue none other God besydes me And Moyses Deu. iiij and xij had coÌ„maunded Deut. iiij xij that they shoulde not pretende any newenes or alteration or of their owne imaginatioÌ„ sayeng What soeuer I commaunde the that shalt thou do Thou shalt take nothinge from it nor put any thinge there vnto Thou shalt not tourne from it to the lefte hande nor to the righte hand That is Thou shalt neither make it better nor worse neither diminyshe nor alter any thinge Vvhereof we reade in the Prophetes in dyuers places howe that they rebuked kynges Priestes and the people because they inuented dayly newe wayes and did not abyde in the righte waye and onely pathe Onely the way vnto saluatioÌ„ is the word of God For whatsoeuer steppeth a syde froÌ„ the worde of God whiche onely is the waye as he sayeth I am the waye the truthe and the lyfe Io. xiiij appeare it as good and fayre as it maye So is it notwhitstanding doubtles errour lyes and death For it is without the word of God that is withoute the waye truthe and lyfe And what nede shoulde we haue of the worde yf we withoute the same coulde fynde wayes for oure selues Psal xxix For the worde is onely the lanterne of oure fete and the lyght of oure pathes which lighteth in the darke places of the worde as S. Peter sayeth ij Pet. i As that kepeth not the same alwayes before his eyes whither can he go elles than in darkenes So that light is in darkenes to thintent that we shoulde guyde oure selues therafter in darkenes New articles in the new papisticall churche Nowe let vs behold the newe Articles one after another which are come vp in the newe church of the Romyshe Bysshop So do we fynde that they be al withoute Goddes worde that is withoute waye truthe and lyfe onely of mannes deuotion or good semynge or of the Popes iniquite inueÌ„ted Therfore as the Papisticall churche is full of Pardons propre merites Fraternities worshippinges of saynctes monkerye masses satisfaction and suche lyke of the aboue named percelles as Goddes seruices Euen so is she therwith full of Errours lyes Idolatrye vnbeleue Murther and summa full of all deuils churches For they can not saye that the worde of God teacheth suche pointes Church can not erre But nowe that they muste confesse that the holy Catholyke Church muste be holy and a grounde of truthe withoute errour and lyes Quia Ecclesia non potest errare So muste they lykewyse confesse that they are not nor yet caÌ„ be the same holy church seynge they be full of suche abhominable errours lyes and Idolatrye But they are the very runne awaye depaâ—tinge wycked harlott of the deuill whome she followeth and serueth in suche horrible lyes But myght some simple harted soule as men calle
them saye What myght it hurte that men kept the worde of God and did suffre besydes that all these peeces or at the leaste some of them that myght be suffered lykewyse also to remayne To this I make answer They maye be called goodherted people But they be euill harted and deceyuable hartes or people For thou hearest that it can not be To teache any other thinge besydes the worde of God To serue any other besydes God besydes the lyght of God ordeyned in darkenes to lyght another It is doubteles and erronious wysshe and an errour yea although it were but one clause only For the church shoulde nor can not teache any lye or erroure No not in any poynte Yf she teache one lye then is it al false as Christe sayeth Luce. xi Luc. xi Take hede therfore that the lyght be not darkenes in the yf nowe thy body be thorouly lyghte so that it haue no part of darkenes than shal it be whole lyghte that is it must be lyght altogether and no part of darkenes there remayuynge Onely Goddes worde or trueth and no errour nor lye must the Churche teache and howe were it also possible to be otherwyse seyâ—ge Goddes mouth is the Churches mouthe And agayne God can not lye no more can the churche also ⧠Distinction betwene the doctryne and the lyfe TRuth it is to speake after the lyfe that the holy church is not withoute synne accordyng as she knowelegeth in the Pater noster forgene vs our trespasses Mat. vi And i. Iohn i. yf we saye that we haue no synne we lye and make God a lyar whiche calleth vs all synners i. Ion. i Roma iij. Psalm .xiiij. and .li. But the doctryne may not be synne nor repronable neyther is she comprehended in the Pater noster where we saye forgeue vs oure trespasses for she is not of oure doynge but euen Gods owne word which can not synne nor do vnryghtuousely Rom. iij psa xiiij Psal li. For a preacher ought not to praye the Pater noster nor to seke forgeuenes of synnes when he hath preached yf he be a ryghte preacher But he oughte to saye and boaste with Ieremye Lorde thou knowest that whatsoeuer is gone oute of my mouthe is ryghte and pleasaunt vnto the. Ier. xvij Yea he muste boldely saye with Saynte Paul and with all the Apostles and Prophetes Hec dixit dominus Hec dixit Dominus Thys hath God spoken hym selfe Et iteruÌ„ I haue ben an Apostle and a prophete of Iesu Christe in thys sermon Here is it not necessary yea not good to aske forgeuenes of synnes as though he had taught vntrewely For it is Gods word not my worde which God may or can not forgeue me but must coÌ„firme it laude it croun it saye Thou hast taught the truth for I haue spokeÌ„ by the and the word is myne Whosoeuer can not boaste thys of hys preachyng let hym ceasse from preachyng for he lyeth vndoubtedly and blasphemeth God Yf the word should be syn or vntrew where after should or could theÌ„ the lyfe be directed there should surely the one blynd leade the other fal bothe in the pitte yf the leadlyne or square rule shoulde be false what shoulde or coulde the mayster then frame thereafter There shoulde the one croked make the other without ende or measure Euen so here also can the lyfe wel be synne and vnryghteous yea alas it is to vnryghteous but the doctryne must be lyue ryght and sure withoute al synne Church teacheth onely Gods worde Therfore muste in the churche nothynge but onely the sure pure and onely worde of God be preached Yf thesame fayle then is it no more the church but the scoolehouse of the deuyl Lyke as an honest womaÌ„ as the Prophetes vse suche illusyons euermore ought to heare no more but her husbandes word within the house and to be dwarde for yf she heare any other mannes worde whiche perteyneth not to her husbandes bedde then is she surely a harlot Al these thinges are spoken to that ende that the church must onely teache Goddes worde and be sure of thesame whereby she is called the grounde and piller of trueth and buylded vpoÌ„ the rocke holy and vnrebukeable Church can not erre that is as we saye ryght and truely The church can not erre for Goddes word whiche she teacheth can not erre But whatsoâ—uer is taught otherwyse or doubted whether it be Goddes word or not thatsame can not be the churches doctryne but muste be the deuils doctryne lyes and Idolatrye For the deuyl can not saye seyng he is a lyar and the father of lyes thys sayth the Lorde But as Christ Ioh. viij sayeth Iohn viij Er proprijs Oute and of hym selfe must he speake that is lye Euen so must also al hys chyldren withoute Goddes worde speake of them selues that is lye Nowe beholde my deare frende what a wonderful thyng is it that we so surely teache Goddes worde yet be so weake and for great humilite so fearful that we do not gladly boaste oure selues That we be the churche witnesses ministers and preachers of God and that God speaketh through vs c. Notwithstandyng that we be the same vndoubtedly for so muche as we surely haue and teache hys word Thys lowelynes and fearfulnes cometh thereby that we do earnestly beleue Gods worde to be suche a glorious and excellent thyng that we knowelege oure selues to vnworthy that throughe vs suche a greate thynge shoulde be spoken and done which lyue yet in flesshe and bloude Nature of false Prophetes But oure aduersaryes deuyl Papiltes seetes and al the worlde they be bolde and vnshamefast and dare folyshely proclayme for great holynes here is God we are Gods church Ministers Prophetes and Apostles lyke as al false Prophetes haue done alwayes But lowlynes and feare in Goddes worde hath alwayes ben the ryght token of true holy church boldnes presumptuousnes in maÌ„s imagnation hath ben the ryght token of the deuyl as it may also playnely be perceyued in the papistical decrees Thys is spokeÌ„ of the doctryne whithe must be pure syncere namely the deare blessed holy and onely word of God withoute any addition But the lyfe which dayly must frame purifye sanctifyed it selfe after the doctrine is not yet al pure or holy whilest this wormes bagge flesshe and bloude lyueth Samaritane Luce. x Neuertheles whilest he is a purifyenge or sanctifyeng and stil furth suffereth hymselfe to be healed by the Samaritane and dothe not destroye hymselfe further more and more in vnclenlynes It shal be graciously for the wordes sake through the whiche he suffereth hym selfe to be clensed remitted freely and clearly forgeuen and not imputed vnto hym and muste be called cleane For thereby becommeth not the holy catholyke churche a harlot or vnholy whylest she cleaueth purely and surely to the word which is her holynes and abydeth in thesame Ye are cleane saith Christ Ioh. xv
also ought to be receyued none otherwyse then yf God dyd speake it hym selfe So do I take confessyon for suche Absolutions sake to be a wholesome confortable profitable thynge wherein a sorowful miserable conscience may seke and fynd conforte and helpe Rehersal of synnes And whosoeuer doth despyse it that he despyseth Goddes word and is not worthy of the sacrament howe be it the rehersall of synnes is not necessary but it is sufficient that a man notifye that thyng which at that same tyme doth pricke or encombre his conscience Matrimony Priesthode Euen so nede not men also to make a Sacrament of matrimony priesthode For they are neuertheles holye orders ynough in them selues Therfore is penaunce nothing elles but the exercyse power of baptisme That these two sacramentes remayne baptisme and the supper of the Lorde besydes the Gospell wherein the holye Ghoost doth plenteously offer geue and worde remissyon of synnes vnto vs. Masse But for al abhominatiōs do I hold the masse whiche is preached and sold for an oblation or sacrifyce and good worke wherevpon now all mynsters and cloysters do stande but God willynge shal shortly be layde For although I haue ben a great shameful abhominable synner and haue spente and loste my youthe also damnably yet are these my greatest synnes that I haue ben suche a holy freer with so many masses by the space of xv yeres haue so abhominably offended martyred and plaged my deare Lord. But thankes and prayse be geuen vnto hys inestimable goodnes for euer that he hath brought me oute of suche abhomination and yet dayly preserueth me althoughe I am very vnthankeful and strengthened me in fayth Chastite Pouertie Obedience Wherfore I haue perswaded and yet do perswade to leaue and forsake the mynsters and cloysters with their vowes to geue themselues abroade in the ryght order of Christe to thintent that men may escape frō such abhominatyon of masses and blasphemous holynes as chastise pouerte obedience whereby men intende to be saued for as godly as it was in the primitiue churche to kepe virgyns so abhominable is it nowe that men thereby denye the helpe grace of christ For we cā lyue wel ynough virgyns wydowes and chaste withoute suche blasphemous abhomination Images Images belles masse garmentes dechynge and trymynge or Churches aulter lyghtes and suche lyke holde I indifferent and at libertie Howe be it I take Images oute of the scripture and of good hystoryes very profitable wherfore I holde not with the destroyers of al Images Resurrection of the deade Laste of all I beleue the resurrection of the deade at the last daye bothe of the good and the badde that euē there euery man maye receyue in his body accordynge to hys deseruinge and that the good shal lyue perpetually with Christe and the wicked dye euerlastingly with the deuyll and hys Angels For I holde not with them that teache That the deuyls also shall at the laste come to saluation Thys is my faythe for thus beleue all true Christians and thus teacheth vs the holye Scripture But what soeuer I haue here spoken to litle shal my bokes sufficiently testifie declare Vvherfore I desyre al faythful hartes to beare my recorde to praye for me that in thys fayth I may perseuere and make myne ende For whiche God forbidde yf I shoulde throughe temptation persecution or necessite of death saye any other thyng It should be false and I will knoweledge openly by thys that it is false and of the deuils inspiratiō whereunto helpe my my Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ blessed for euer and euer AMEN Of the right Olde Church what where and who she is and where by she maye be knowen THe cause wher fore the papistes do cal vs heretykes is thys They saye that we be fallē frō the holy churche haue set vp another newe churche Here vpon is to be answered For as muche as they boaste thēselues that they be the ryght churche so ought thei to proue the same yf thei by any ground for we desyre not much groūd proue the same then will we yelde oure selues come and saye Peccauimus miserere nostri But yf they cā not proue it thē must thei nedes confesse be it willyngly or vnwillyngly that they be not the churche that we cā not be heretikes for falling frō that vyle church Yea whylest there is no mediation so muste we be the church of Christ they the churche of the deuil or cōtrariwise Therfore lyeth very much on this poynt that mē proue which is the tru church As lōg as that profe is not there it is in vayn that the one part boaste thē selues the church cal the other heretykes The one partie must nedes be false wrōg Two maner of churches But there be two maner of churches frō the beginnyng of the world vntill the end the which s Angustyn calleth Cayn Abel And the Lorde Christe cōmaundeth vs that we should not receyue the false church discerueth him selfe two churches one true another false Math. vij Beware of false Prophetes which come vnto you is shepes clothynge c. mat vij Vvheras Prophetes be euē there be churches wherein thei teache Yf the Prophetes be false thā be the churches false also which beleue follow the prophetes Now could we neuer as yet hitherto obtayn of the papistes that they would shew wherfore that they are the right church but they stande onely vpon the saynge of Mat .xviii. That men muste heare the churche or elles they must be lost Matth. xviij And yet in the same place Christ saith not who where or what the church is but wheresoeuer the church is euen there should mē heare her Euē thatsame do we cōfesse say also but we aske where who is the church of christ not of the name but of the beyng do we aske Lyke as yf I should aske a dronken man beyng halfstepyng half wakyng or a foole I praye the tell me who or where is the Church And he shoulde answer me tenne tymes one after another nothing elles but thus mē ought to heare the Churche Howe shoulde I heare the church not knowing who or where she is Yea saye they we Papistes haue abydē in the first old church frō the Apostles time hitherto therfore be we rightly descēded frō the olde churche remayne hitherto but ye be fallē frō vs are become a new churche agaynst vs. Answer But howe then yf I should proue that we abyde by the right old church yea that we be the right old church and that ye be fallē from vs that is frō the old church haue reared a newe church againste the old church that same let vs heare Baptisme Fyrste wil nor can no man denye this that we as wel as the papistes came out of the holy baptisme are called christians of the same Now is baptisme no newe thinge nor
xij Vvho hath nowe the newe offallynge Churche haue it the olde we whiche do abyde by the ryght old heade and abhorre the newe deuelysshe heade Or haue they it That worshippe the newe deuelysshe heade kysse hys fete and receyâ—e blessyng of hys two fyngers that exalte hys doctrine aboue the worde of God and honoure not the old ryght heâ—de with one knelyng yea also not oâ—es remeÌ„bre hym and hys blessynge vhich he hath purchased for vs with â—ys hole body and bloude But thys desolation is so â—…homynable and horryble Abhomination in Popery that to speake of it a littel helpeth nothynge And yet no Angels longe is able to declare it sufficiently That thynge which Goddes owne monthe nameth abhomination must nedes be a greater abhomination than all tonges can expresse Vvorshyppyng of sainctes Tenthly who hathe commaunded you to sette vp thys newe Idolatryer That ye do institute worshippyng of saynctes Canonyse saynctes ordeyne fastynges and holy dayes to honoure them euen as though they were goddes themselues that men do put theyr trust and confidence in their merites more then in Christ hymselfe and in hys bloude and merites whome you haue set forth and declared vnto vs as a iudge whome we must pacifye obteyne grace of hym by hys mother and by the intercession and merites of all saynctes with our holy seruice Churches of the heathen In so muche that youre churche in thys article is become nothynge elles then the churches of the heathen whiche worshypped Iupiter Iuno Venus Diatra and other dead persons And lyke as the Romayns in theyr citie of Rome dyd edificate a Pantheon Euen so haue ye also buylded a Pantheon that is a churche of al the deuyls Thys shal ye not fynde in the writtynges of the Apostles nor in the yonge Churches after them which in tymes past also would not suffer the Images of fayncies so that muche bloude was shed for it I omitte that they shoulde worshyppe pray to the saynctes which onely is dew to god Matrimony coÌ„deÌ„ned Eleuently who hathe coÌ„maunded you to make hys newe ioye That ye condemne and sclaunder matrimony and iudge it vncleane vncomely for goddes seruice haue ye that of the Apostles or of the primatiue old church Yes truely for S. Paul saith .i. tim iiij That ye should come vnder hypocrisye and departe and steppe a syde froÌ„ the faith old church as a very harlot of the deuyl whiche shoulde receyue suche doctryne of the deuyl and preache agaynst matrimony and yet lyue youre selues in dissemblyng chastite that is in al maner of vnclenlynes i. tim iiij Thys neweltie sewe with her noble frutes that the grounde wyl beare you no longer And God with hys iudgement hath begoÌ„ne to preasse into it to hallowe thys newe holy church euen into hel fyre And wil not be intreated to the contrary Thys knowe we Thanked be God Abuse of the teÌ„porall swoord in the papacye Twelftly who hath commaunded you to make this newnes That ye rule and warre with the worldly sweard and vse the same for the mooste parte for to shede innocent bloude Haue ye sene ye sharp eyed flitter myse that the Apostles or old churche subdued the worlde with the sworde or augmeÌ„ted the churche by battayl whence come ye then I praye you that boaste your selues successours of the old church cal vs the newe waueryng Churche which notwithstandyng holde with the olde churche and came of the same But ye came of that runne away the deuyls harlott your new murtherysh and lyenge Church Purgatorye reliques There are yet many more of those newe knackes as purgatory reliques hallowynge of churches and of suche swarmynges the hole decrees and decretall with other innumerable bokes full of cleane newe inuentions whereof the olde Churche and the Apostles neuer knewe But who is able to recyte al the multitude of this fond or duste yea poyson and deuelysshe lyes Thys shal suffise at thys preseÌ„t to shewe howe shamefully the Papipistes by theyr H. M. lye when they cal vs to newe runne away Heretical churche But that theyr broken edged sworde gothe throught theyr owne harte appeareth euideÌ„tly that they haue forsaken theyr olde Church and her olde brydegrome and are runne away from her as an archedeuils harlot whiche is not onely heretycal for that worde is to littel and to honeste for suche shameful knauerye but the Antichristishe harlot and goddes enemye yea that exalteth her selfe aboue God euen as her brydegrome would do also in heauen the deupls laste and most shamefull spouuse ij Th. ij But we for as much as we eschewe and abhorre suche deuelysshenes and newnes and holde oure selues agayn to the ryghte olde churche the virgyn and pure spouÌ„se of Christ Are we vndoubtedly the very old Church withoute all hooredome and newnes whiche remayneth hitherto vnto vs and we come of the same yea be regenerate of her as the Galathians were of S. Paul For we dyd also of late sticke earnestly in the hynder part of the hellysshe hoore the Popes newe churche which we lamente that we haue so shamefully spente so muche tyme paynes in the same denne But thankes and prayse be to God whiche of that reade blasphemous harlot hath delyuered vs. Yf yet suche newnes in the Papacye were but slyghte newne or coulde be then were they after some forte for tranquillities sake to be suffered lyke as one weareth and suffereth his newe coate But nowe cleaueth this deuelysshe poyson and infernall murther ther on The bysshop of Rome wyl haue his mennes tradicyons to be taken for goddes seruice c. That the coÌ„maundement of the churche muste be called holye Goddes seruice good lyfe spirituall conuersatioÌ„ wherein a man deserueth grace and lyfe yf he obserue it either wrath and death yf he do not obserue it This is of lyes to make trueth of the deuyl God and of hel to make heauen And contrary wyse Therfore is the popysshe church so ful of lyes deuyls Idolatrye hel murther and of all mischief that it swarmeth And it is here tyme to heare the voyce of the Angel Apo. xviij Come away from Babylon my people that ye be not partakers in her synnes that ye receaue not of her plages for her synnes are gone vp to heauen c. Apocal. xviij Image of the later iugement In tymes past where as the paynters paynted the later iudgement Payntyng of the popyshe churche thei fayned hel a great dragoÌ„s heade with a very wyde mouth wherein in the myddes of the flame stode the Pope Cardinals Bysshoppes priestes moÌ„kes Emperour Kynges Prynces all maner of men and women but no yonge chyldren I coulde not deuyse of a trueth howe the Popysshe church myght or coulde be more goodly compendiously and playnelyer paynted or descrybed for doubteles she is the deuourynge of hel where vnto she abydeth the Pope hymself and deuoureth al the world in the botomeles pit
cursed Antichriste shall sitte in the Tempell of God and not in a horse stable c. But of the Churche or membres of the Churche are ye no more But in that holy Churche of God do ye execte this youre newe of fallinge Churche the whorehouse of the deuill and innumerable whore domes and Idolatryes or Newelties whereby ye seduce the Christened and redemed soules with you And deuoure them through helles mouthe in the botomles pytte of hell with innumerable flockes To the harrible pitiefulnes and disquietnes of harte of all them that with spirituall eyes see and knowe the same But it is God that through his woÌ„derfull allmightie power by you amonge so many abhominatioÌ„s deuelyshe whoredomes yet saueth the yoÌ„ge babes through baptisme and some old folkes but very few that in theyr ende haue turned agayne to Christe of whiche sorte I haue knowen a greate nombre myselfe So that for all this The righte olde Churche with her Baptisme and Gods worde dothe still remayne amonge you And youre God the deuil through so many newe Idolatries with all youre deuelysshe whoredome was neuer able to destroy it cleane Church in Elias tyme .iij. Reg. xvij Euen as in the tyme of Elias wheÌ„ all howe be it they were all Goddes people that is suche as were called the holy Churche and boasted that God whiche had broughte them oute of Egypte was full of Baall Idolatrye and whoredome in all the whole lande that there was not one aulter left for God And yet for all that were reserued seuen froÌ„ thousand men of all the multitude of thousandes among the which were the Chyefest and the best which went all to the deuill And in the wildernes vnder Moses al dyede sauinge these two Iosua and Caleb Goddes worke is called Consummans and abbreuians that he saueth a certein fewe by his grace When the whole multitude in his wrath perissheth whereof S. Paule Rom. x. plenteously writteth Rom. x. EueÌ„ so did Daniel also propbecye longe before Da xij That vnder Anthechrist shoulde be a tyme of wrath and suche trouble as neuer was vpoÌ„ earth And S. Paull whiche taketh his prophecye out of Daniel euen there sayeth also ij Thes ij That God shal be displeased suffce to come mightye erroures because meÌ„ receyued not the loue of truethe that they might be saued Heretikes arrianes I pray you let vs behold oure owne hittories that is The histories of the Christianite Vnder Constantius the sonne of Constantyn was the indignatioÌ„ of God so great that the heretikes of the Arrians had taken in all the churches of the world excepte twaâ—n And notwithstondinge at that tyme were the Bysshoppes and also the Arrians them selues learned wyse honest honourable earnest men before the world Vvhat shoulde than be vnder the Bysshoppe of Rome Vvhere as no Bysshoppe knoweth nor exercy seth his office But lyueth Epicuryshly and hoggysshly There must nedes be the very deuill Vvherefore the miserable blynde hardened Popyshe asshes muche lesse vnderstande Vvhat Churche or God is then a Cowe or Sowe vnderstandeth The church is a hygh depe hydden thinge that noman may know her nor see But onely must be taken beleued by the Baptisme Sacramente and worde Mans doctrine Ceremonies Shauen Crounes longe gounes Bysshops battes the hole popyshe rablement doth leade farre wyde from it eueÌ„ into the very holl I omitte that it shoulde signifie the Churche For to the churche pertayne also naked Children man woman Ploweman Citegen whiche haue neither shauen crounes Bysshoppes hattes nor yet masse garmentes vpon them Distinction / betwene the right and the false Churche Papistes sett as much by maÌ„s doctrine as by Gods worde HEre myght the papystes paradueÌ„ture desyre yea they will haue it by compulsion That suche newe Articles of their newe Churche shoulde besydes the olde Articles of the olde Churche be obserued or suffered yf not they woulde haue vs to be heretikes and tyd out of the waye For the Popysshe Asse is suche a dull Asse that he neither can nor will learne to discerne betwene Goddes worde and mans traditions But kepeth bothe lyke This do they declare thereby That they nowe often haue intended to make with vs an accorde or agreemeÌ„t and made as thoughe they woulde somethinge abate and that we shoulde also abate som what to thinteÌ„t that bothe to gether mighte be stablysshed showe be it they neuer mynded the same earnestly But onely to rente vs away and to trouble vs. Papistes Neuertheles men may see so muche therin howe that they haue sette them selues aboue God as the Antichristifshe blasphemours Thinkynge that that the doctrine shoulde be right as longe as they will And when they will no more that then it shoulde no more be right For they woulde haue the authorite somwhat to abate thereof or not at their pleasures And euen as they geue it or take it euen so shoulde we receyue it Offringe vs suche an abhominable filthnes shameles with oute any semblaunce very openly Whereby they them selues declare that they haue no more a subtill deuill that rydeth them as they had a certein hundreth yares a goue But the coÌ„preheÌ„sible Tulpyn Clubbyshe deuill that can couloure hym selfe no more for iniquitie Goddes worde to abate or chaunge For seynge they offer them selues somthinge to abate desyring the same also of vs they do testifie That they regarde as muche Mannes doctrine as Gods worde It lyeth not in God hym selfe to abate or chaunge his own worde For he can not denye and alter hym selfe And his worde abydeth for euer Vvherfore whosoeuer shoulde vndertake to abate or alter it the same muste nedes haue a hyer Power and authorite then God hym selfe For he would not haue altered Moses lawe yf he had not before by his worde promysed to alter it Vvherfore also noman will entreprise the same then the Antichriste as Daniel xij S. Paule do saye Da. xij Vvhiche exalteth hym selfe aboue God namely the Papacye What shoulde men nowe handle with suche people yea with suche dull and grosse asses whiche suppose that Goddes worde is a reede whiche is moued with euery blaste of wynde hither and thither whereof they haue the rule Or as they do rather thinke that it is a counter whiche after their damnable frowardnes muste signifie accordinge as they caste or laye it vpoÌ„ the rule Euen so pretely do they vnderstande what the church is yea euen therewith shew they aboundaÌ„tly that they despise God and his word highly and moreouer sette them selues aboue God and can not be his Church The holy Christen Churche I talke nowe with oure owne fellowes For with the Popyshe asses Clutters and stones is no vnderstandinge seynge nor hearing is not a reede nor Counter No she wauereth not nor geueth backe as the deuills harlott the Popyshe church which lyke an aduou tresse thynketh that she ought not to cleaue vnto her wedded husbaÌ„de But that she may lawfully swarue