Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	church_n	read_v	tongue_n	2,635	5	7.5388	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19367	A supplication exhibited to the most mightie Prince Philip king of Spain &c. VVherin is contained the summe of our Christian religion, for theprofession whereof the Protestants in the lowe Countries of Flaunders, &c. doe suffer persecution, vvyth the meanes to acquiet and appease the troubles in those partes. There is annexed An epistle written to the ministers of Antwerpe, which are called of the confession of Auspurge, concerning the Supper of our sauiour Iesus Christ. VVritten in French and Latine, by Anthonie Corronus of Siuill, professor of Diuinitie.	Corro, Antonio del, 1527-1591.; Corro, Antonio del, 1527-1591. Epistle or godlie admonition, to the pastoures of the Flemish Church in Antwerp. aut	1577 (1577)	STC 5791; ESTC S116690	149,833	422

liberally to better or more godly vses than doth D. Aegidio by whose good deuotion and almes poore widowes are holpen fatherlesse childrē cherished a great number of pouertie relieu●● This speach so grauely procéeding fr● so fatherly a personage besides one o● so great credit authoritie to declar● the truth to your Maiestie did notwithstāding greatly moue me offēd me when I hearde him vtter al these things against such men whom I did both honor in my hart estemed to be the very pillers supporters of the church the true sincere iudges of christianitie howbeit partly the authoritie of him that spake it partly the good will which I know him to beare me the credite of his report hauing experiēce hereof himself seing it with his eies wrought not a little with me on the other side the rather to giue eare vnto it to enquire further therof whervpō after more talke had of these matters betwixt him and me I requested him to helpe me to the sight in writing of the accusatiōs the articles layd against D. Aegidio with the determinations of the diuines or Qualifications as they terme thē the which he graūted me very willingly therwithal gaue me the ●y of the Apologie made by the same D. ●gidio in his own defence purgatiō 〈◊〉 the reading wherof I fel in a marue●s admiration For Aegidio that cō●ly was accōpted to be an enimy to ●hrist referred al his writings to the ●ly euerlasting honor and glory of Christ cōfessing the singular ioy cō●●rt of christē men womē only to cō●st in his death passiō in the cōtinual ●mebrance meditation thereof He was called an infidel yet he extolled with highly set forth the force vertue therof which is quite contrarie to al hipocritical pharisaical workes the sundry sortes of superstitiō which mē had deuised to please God withall To be short most mightie prince the writings workes of the mā did so greatly inflame my minde the me thought I did euidently sée the very true liuely image of christ crucified expressed therin since which time I had a gret desire to haue some cōferēce with the said D. Aegidio diligētly to peruse his sermōs expositiōs vpon certain bokes of the holy scripture whiche when I cōpared with the S●mons writings of the popish Pri●● and Monkes eyther treating of Pu●gatory or the Popes Bulles or rath● Burles as they were well and wo●thily termed or written in aduaunc●ment of mans merites and superstit●ous workes I noted so great a diuer●tie betwixt thē as is betwixt day an● night light and darkenesse truth an errour finally betwixt the doctrine 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost and the deuice of man braine Whē I was in this touched 〈◊〉 so earnest a zeale of pure religiō I ha● also other friends whom the Lord vse as meanes instrumēts to enflame my desire of further knowledge the which was first kindled in me by the working of the holy spirite for by this occasiō I came first acquaynted w D. Cōstantino whose learning grauitie wisedome profounde knowledge in Diuinitie no man knoweth better than your Maiestie surely al Spayne had him in great account and admiration therefore I came also acquainted with Gasper Baptista a very honest and iust man with Garcia ab Arias with Maestro Scobar Iuan Goncales and diuers other very learned and godly preachers Besides this I did with great diligēce inquire for Luthers workes and other wryters of the Protestantes which the Inquisitours themselues did lende me at the first very willingly as one of whome they had no maner of suspitiō Wherein I did acknowledge the singular prouidēce of God who to cure my blindenesse made the Inquisitours themselues his instruments and by their handes gaue me suche bookes for my better instruction which they had before taken frō others By meanes wherof it came to passe that in shorte space I profited greatly in the knowledge of true and perfect religion Then began God to open the eyes of my vnderstanding to giue me as it were certain spectacles by meanes wherof I espied many horrible abhominable things which before time were vnknowen to me and no such things in my iudgement And to declare to your Maiestie by what wayes God did leade me as it were by the hande to a further knowledge of his truth I will in the beginning shew vnto your good grace the means wher by I first attained to perceyue the tyrannous dealing of the Pope and his Inquisitours For whē I weyed with my selfe and pondered in my minde the great darkenesse and ignorance that we were in I considered how necessary a thing it were for vs to be instructed in the holy and sacred Scripture which God had left for the encrease and confirmatiō of our faith On the contrary part when I perceyued howe the Pope and his Inquisitours with all the reste of their sect laboured tooth nayle to kéepe men from the reading of the worde of God when I dayly hearde cruell Edicts and Proclamations published against suche as had either Bible or Testament in their mother tong I straightway bruste out into these wordes with my selfe saying Are these the decrées Edicts of the true Ministers of God God expresly by his word cōmaundeth that all men should read the Scriptures these men directly do countermaūd it God apointing Iosua to be the ruler and guider of his people enioyneth him to take his lawe as a rule to direct order all his enterprises by the people would not receyue him but with condition that he should guide gouerne them according to the prescript worde of God wheras the Inquisitours are growne so bold that they dare inhibite Princes and Magistrates the reading of the Scripture I reade in Iohn that euery man ought to search the scriptures for asmuch as they do beare witnesse of Christ The Inquisitours beare vs in hande that it is onely meant of the learned sorte whiche vnderstand Latin that it is punishable with death for any other man to presume to read thē in their mother tong Moreouer Paule taught me that the iust man liueth by his faith in another place that faith is gottē by hearing the word of god The Inquisitours teach the cōtrary that the faith belefe which the church holdeth generally is sufficiēt for the behoofe of euery particuler person And if a mā had asked thē the questiō what maner of faith that is which is the true church they did answer in effect the same which the Pope the Cardinals the Bishops and Inquisitours declare by their fruites and represent in person of whose fayth and workes they woulde haue all other men wholy to depend And truly this inhibition of reading the holy Scriptures me thought did sounde much both against all good reason and policie For what Prince and potentate is there

Maiestie and haue libertie to maintaine and retaine among them the Gospel of Christ though it coste them a greate parte yea theyr whole substance to purchase it than to stoupe and yéelde their necke to the heauy yoke of Idolatry and tiranny of the Papists But at this present partely for feare of war and persecution and partly of your highnesse displeasure they are content to bée quiet and to kéepe silence waiting a good time when your Maiesty woulde bée so gratious vnto them as to permitte them to serue God duely and in that sorte that he hymselfe hath in his holy word prescribed and appointed Wherfore moste dradde soueraigne at my firste commyng my chiefe desyre was to teache and to perswade the people to refraine from the dooing of suche like things as before my commyng had bin rashly lightly attempted by some to wit from the breakyng and plucking downe of Images the ouerturnyng of Altars and Churches and Monasteries as they call them For one thought it was very reasonable and conuenient for vs if we will serue and worshippe God and call vpon him as he hath appoynted vs to doe that is in spirite and in truth to permitte and suffer other also to liue somewhat after their owne liking and forasmuche as they are perswaded that they can not without offence to God reiect these superstitious and Iewish ceremonies to let them alone there wyth for a time and to take their fill thereof yelding for a season to their infirmities and ignorance and praying to god for them that it would please hym to lighten their vnderstandings with the shining beames of his glorious Gospel And after that by the good exāples of our modesty and our conuersation of life to moue to allure and to enflame them to embrace true religion and forsake their olde Idolatrye and false seruice of God. And bicause your Maiesty may briefly vnderstande the chiefe articles of oure religion wherein wée dissent from the Pope and his popelings I will kéepe the order well neare in declaring my minde concerning true religion that I haue heretofore obserued in the discourse which I haue made in detecting their errors and abuses the whiche declaration shall only containe that doctrine which I haue learned and takē out of the word of God and holy Writ and endeuoured myselfe accordingly to preache and sette foorth to your Maiesties subiects And for breuitie sake I will not debate nor amplify the proofes and reasons that I haue for the confirmation of our religion but wil briefly and summarily and by the waye as it were will lightly touch the arguments taken oute of the holy scripture that make for the proofe of our parte and the disproofe of our aduersaries Wherby it shall remaine as a testimony to our posteritie and appeare most manifestly that the inquisitours of Spaine haue vsed great iniustice and abused their commission in persecuting mée for an heretike and therewith also your Maiestye maye well perceiue what kinde of doctrine it is that I woulde haue preached vnto your subiects And bycause perhaps it would be too ●ong and too tedious to entreate of all the points particularly that are at this daye called into controuersie I will only handle fiue or sixe of the chiefe articles and moste necessary of the religion wée professe wherevppon all Christes religion wholy dependeth and is sustained and that your Maiesty may also more easyly iudge the oddes betwixt our doctrine and our aduersaries I will as briefly as is possible lay before you their proofes and argumēts takē out of their own works and speciallye oute of that booke whiche one Ruardus Taperus a diuine of Louane chiefe inquisitour for the lowe Country hathe in the name and behalfe of all the Diuines and Romishe Clergy dedicated vnto your highnesse the whyche séeing it is authorized by youre Maiesties priuiledge I truste all men of that part wil bée contented to take the proofes and confirmatiōs of the Romishe reilgion out of the booke as out of the storehouse of their diuinity For at this daye it is a very hard a difficulte matter to gather any certaine doctrine oute of the reste of popishe diuines consideryng they doe in so many poyntes dissent and disagrée among themselues one condemnyng an other in so muche that certaine famous Vniuersities haue especiallye noted and coted the errors of these men that were accompted the sure stakes and pillers of the Churche of Rome as for example Thomas Aquinas the Maister of the Sentences Durandus Scotus and suche other whom the Romish Clergy hath in greatest price and estimation Of the word of God the holy scripture and the authoritie therof the reading therof in the mother tong SEing that the Church as saith the holy Apostle is builded vppon the foundation of the apostles and prophets whyche is Iesus Christ that heauenly and euerlasting worde it is reasonable and conuenient that we also shoulde beginne the grounde of our confession and faithe of that worde of euerlasting lyfe wherevnto the Churche leaneth and wherein shée reposeth hir whole trust and ●fiaunce Firste and formoste therfore ●e confesse that the word of God which ●e Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was before all ●ings and from the beginning the whi●e both was with God and was and is ●od it selfe The same worde we con●sse was incarnate and conuersaunt ●nd continuing heere among vs a long ●me to the ende to reconcile mankinde 〈◊〉 his father and to preache vnto them ●hose name was called Iesus that ther●y might bée signified vnto vs that re●mption and euerlasting saluation was ●●rchased for vs by the benefit of hym ●he same surnamed Christe to signifie ●nto vs the anointing of the euerlasting ●riesthood of his kingdom that endureth ●r euer of his most certaine and true ●eaching And forasmuche as the same ●ernall and almightie God can neyther 〈◊〉 séene nor comprehended in the com●sse of mās vnderstanding he determi●ed and perordayned to distribute and ●stowe vppon men the treasures of hys ●isedome and grace by thys hys Legate and Ambassador sent from aboue Wher● vppon he is worthely termed the word o● God begotten of God from euerlasting and before the creation of Heauen an● earth This is the same Iesus that from the beginning spake vnto the Patria●ches and Prophetes imparting to them the will of his father being the very so● of God the shining brightnesse of his fathers glorye the expresse Image of hy● substaunce who vpholdeth and may●tayneth all thinges by this his most myghtye woorde and by the whych all thynges were erected bothe visibl● and inuisible And by thys worde beyn● the eternall and liuely worde we mean not any such thing as can be eyther set● down in paper or written with inke Fo● our meaning is that that word only m●● be written with inke whiche either pr●céeded foorth of hys owne mouth beyn● here in Earthe or out of the mouths 〈◊〉 some of hys ministers at hys wyll an●

to hang vppon theyr sléeues and to be vnder their countenaunce which delight in nothing so much as in the sauour thereof séeing suche things as saith the Apostle be brittle and laste but a little season and vanishe awaye lyke smoke And what shall it auaile any man I beséeche your Maiesty if he win the whole worlde and wallow in all kind of worldly pleasure at will and lose eternall life yea and hys owne soule For if the delights and pleasurs of this world be momentane and shorte then surely our miseries and calamities that we suffer here ●n this world manfully in the defence of ●he glorie of God are lesse than the ex●éeding ioys that God hath prepared for ●s wherof he hathe giuen vs good assu●aunce Among the reste of their abuses and ●eremonies whyche be infinite if a man ●houlde goe aboute to peruse them al I had almoste vnawares ouerpassed the worshipping of Images and Crosses a matter very necessary to be remembred considering the horrible Idolatrye that they brought in vnder the cloke and coloure of certayne blinde distinctions of Latria dulia hyperdulia in worshippyng stockes and stones with honour and reuerence not alonely the Images of their Saints as they call them but the reliks and the counterfaits of such Images as haue bene heretofore at any time or in any place had in reputation as appeareth manifestlye by the Images of oure Lady as they call hir of Montserat and Guadaloup whiche are not onely sought vnto with great deuotion and reuerēce but also their pictures and portrature drawne to the likenesse and similitud● of the same Idols Besids this the thin● that I maruelled at moste of all was t● sée where dyuers pictures represente● all one Idoll yet one to be had in mor● peice of the common people than the other wyth more deuotion to bée soughte vnto and worshiped more richly presented with iewels ornaments as it is easy to sée throughout your whole Realm of Spaine And here it maye please youre Maiesty also to call to mynde their doctrine of Monkery and cloystering and theyr vowes of perpetuall chastitye obedience and pouerty the whyche of what soete and condicion they bée and howe much they auaile and helpe a man to the better seruing of God I referre all men to the consideration of their dissolute and vncleane liues that take these vowes vppon them to iudge and to estéeme But that whyche is moste worthe the ●●rking and oughte leaste to bée forgotten is that these false and lying do●ures to the ende that their rules and ●ders of Monkery shoulde be the more ●dde in price and estimation wyth all ●en haue so farre passed the limits and ●undes of modestye and shamefaste●sse that they haue not bene ashamed 〈◊〉 affyrme and to preache openlye that ●e profession of Monkerye dothe purge man as perfectly and maketh him as ●ghteous before God as Baptisme ●d that other Christians are but once ●ly regenerate but Monks and Nunnes ●gyther wyth theyr coules and vailes ●e receyue as it were a seconde or double regeneration O moste hor●ble blasphemy and intollerable in chri●ian eares what a deuillishe arrogance ●nd presumption is this to bée so mala●erte to compare the dreames and fan●asticall rules of Benet Frauncis Domi●icke and suche lyke wyth the moste sa●red institution of Baptisme yea and ●o place them in lyke degrée therewyth ●heras our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ hath instituted and ordeined Baptis● for a signification and a seale to vs that true oblation and w●shing by 〈◊〉 whiche Christe the immaculate lam● that was slaine for our sakes did wa● and clense his Church by shéeding h● moste precious bloude But if any m● woulde enter straightly into the exam●nation and tryal of their liues that ha● bene so often washed and regenerate I feare me he should find it too hote a ●uour to suffer any time without a spe● all good perfume And therfore to spea● my fansie briefly this their filthy a● vncleane lyfe is a greate euidence a● proofe that by this seconde regenerati● they are become the im●s of the Deuil that before peraduenture hadde som● marks and tokens of adoptiō in Chris● The whiche thyng was no small grief● vnto me to sée the good and godly ord●● and profession of Monkes that was 〈◊〉 tyme paste to be so fondly defiled by the● of oure tymes and so quite altered fro● their firste institution For there is no● so ignorant that hath bin any thing conuersaunt in any antiquities and aunti● histories but he may sée that the per●uted Christians in the first infancy of ●e Churche to auoide the crueltie of the ●thnike Princes and to the ende they ●yght serue God wyth more fréedome ●nd with lesse feare did accustomablye ●ée into desert places wherevppon they ●oke their names at the firste and were ●alled Monkes as men solitary and se●uestred from the companye of men to ●ue aparte from other in more perfecte ●tudy and meditation of Christes religion and in more safety and securitie to ●nstruct others in the same Afterwards ●n processe of time the sages of that tyme ●ōsidering the great vse that the Church shoulde haue of learned men to teach and instructe the people in the Principles and precepts of Christianity caused certaine schooles to be erected and for the better training vp of youth bothe in the knowledge of holy scripture and vnder good discipline they did place suche men as liued solitary before incertaine Colledges or Monasteries to this ende and purpose that out of those places as frō storehouse they might alwais choose a● and able ministers pastors for the co●gregation to preache the gospel a bro● among the people But after corruptio● and ignorance was crepte in and th●● Poperye hadde gotten the vpper hande Gods worde was layde asyde and neglected and the youth bestowed all theyr time in chaunting and howling both day and night and in so blinde ceremonies full of superstition and Idolatry contenting themselues wyth a coule the badge and cognisaunce of their second regeneration Is it possible then that ther shuld be any man liuing eyther so farre from God or so carelesse of his owne saluation that beholding daily with his eyes so greate and so horrible a corruption and deprauation of all thyngs and knowing them to bée contrary to the Maiestye of God odious in his sighte and abhominable wyll notwythstandyng continue therein and be partaker wyth others of theyr wickednesse I passe euer that the Gospell was made a playne marchaundise an open shop therof kepte in Chur●s to buy and sell and to exchaunge 〈◊〉 other wares the most precious bloud Christe For what other thyng I beséeche 〈◊〉 are their proclamations and In●gences Remission and forgiuenesse ●ynnes dispensations processions 〈◊〉 rogations bulles and suche other ●e but an open sale of Christes bloud 〈◊〉 it were by the drumme and standerd 〈◊〉 so muche that the deade can not reste ●ietly by them but they wyll haue ●em in

foure certaine pointes and that more to reueale the slender edification that their readers may hope for of such lessons than to encumber our selues with the confutation of such vanities Touching that which you say of our inheritance of the originall sin and frée will lost the worlde it selfe doth declare well inough at this daye that euery one hath gotten a good lumpe of the inheritance of the corruption of Adam and the originall sinne as they call it and your writings shewe that you haue had youre parte thereof And I beléeue as you say that men nowe a dayes haue not any Frée will séeing it maye be further beléeued that there be a great many that haue slender sense and well worse vnderstanding as being altogither ruled and caried ouer by their affections Touching the matter of the incarnation of the sonne of God and redemption of man I coulde well haue pardoned you the obmission of the subtill questions you vse therein searching curiously the house wherein Christe dwelleth Item what make we of ascension or the signification of this worde heauen or the righte hande of God so that you woulde teache vs the true meane to receyue Iesus Christ into our selues séeing it pleaseth him in respecte of his goodnesse to make his dwelling in the hearts of the faythful and regenerate Otherways of what vse is Iesus Christe to vs being so far from the hart of man as you make him B. 4. Touching youre place of iustifying fayth I vnderstande not your language where you say that only fayth by meane whereof we take as of a hande the benefite of Iesus Christe to obtaine iustification regeneratiō and health the whiche indéede is true but immediatly after you say that by the Sacramentes are imputed and applied to vs the iustice and merite of Iesus Christe B. 4. Item in the same doctrine of Iustification you say it is a moste harde question to know what is that true Iustice which makes vs iust and agréeable to god with atteinment of eternall life but I had rather that without so many argumentes confutations and subtilties you hadde shewed to the poore and ignorant people what is the christian iustice and by what meane shée is giuen to vs B. 5. In the tractate of good workes you saye that the workes which men oughte to call good are those whyche God demaundes in hys worde and that those which be regenerate and guided by the spirite of God are they whiche shewe the fruites of a good Trée I beléeue it well and conclude vpon your saying that who hath not zeale loue charitie who suffereth not all things with pacience taketh euery thing in the best part couereth the faults of his neighbor and laboureth not to put peace in place of dissention can not haue regeneration And touching the rest of your questions whether good workes concurre in iustification as a cause formall or efficient the simple people haue not to doe contenting themselues wyth this beliefe that regeneration and faith without good works is a méere hipocrisie thing dead and that it is necessary that our new obedience serue as witnesse of our reconciliation and iustification Nowe deare brethren as I am voide of intent herein eyther to examine or exaggerate the newnesse of youre confession and much lesse to confute it by argumentes so I will leaue to the consideration of the Reader youre excuse in cutting off the commandement of the liuing God vnder pretext of certaine gloses and distinctions vnworthy to be vttered for here we doe not dispute whether the commaundement not to make anye images of veneration be a commandement particular or an appendix of an other whether it be ceremoniall or morall but wée will here mayntaine that it is an audacitie moste cursed to cut off from the law of oure God any one worde séeing specially that that summe and content of cōmandement is so shorte and compēdious that it conteineth but ten commandemētes the which if god woulde haue abridged he knew better how to do it than wée and therfore such as vndertake to correct his stile and accuse him of prolixitie giue sufficient proofe of their abhominable temeritie But let vs nowe come to the principall poynte of your debate and auncient question the which vpon a brauery you séeme to renue vppon euery purpose and place without hauing respect to the gret slaunder of those that bée weake Firste you vtter the summe of your confession of the Supper in these wordes Credimus igitur Christo affirmante quòd corpus sanguis eius verè ac realiter in sacra Coena adsit deturque externo modo accipiendum cùm Pane vino non fide tantùm aut spiritualiter idque tam ab indignis quàm à dignis sumantur contraria docentes cum Augustana confessione consentiendo damnamus That is to saye Wée beléeue in Chryste who assureth vs that his body and bloud be truly and really in the sacred Supper and that it is gyuen vs in taking it outwardly wyth the bread and wine not only with faith and spirituallye the whyche body is eaten aswell of the vnworthy as of those that be worthy And those that shall teache the contrary wée sticking to the confession of Auspurge do condemne them Sée here my brethren youre goodlye entrie of the article of your supper whiche we may not improperly liken to that of the newe inquisitors who condemne anathematize excommunicate and call Heretikes and cut off from the communion of the Churche all those whiche receiue not their cōfession which me think you doe also as of purpose to maintayne yours of Auspurge as though it were a fifth Gospel or new article of the Créed What shall we say brethrē to these matters haue you no shame that men of good iudgement and vnderstandyng shoulde reade suche arrogant and rashe wordes Who are they that haue se● the authour of the confession of Auspurge or that of yours in such aucthoritie or degrée of the Churche that they may pronounce sentence of damnation agaynste suche as will not admitte theyr interpretation vppon a place or Texte of the Scripture What is hée of anye iudgement at all who will not feare to forsake the tyrannie of the Papistes to euer into an nther almoste of like condition Wée call the Pope Antichriste tyrant and butcher of mens consciences bycause that wythout libertie to heare men speake he cōdemneth and excommunicateth them and yet your doings are nothing inferior to his crueltie in pronouncing condemnation not onely agaynste your enimies but also againste suche as you receiue for youre brethren and companions in the worke of the Lorde and w●o no lesse for the duety of Christians than to take away the slaunder from the Churche of Christe doe searche by all theyr possible meanes to lyue in loue and friendshippe with you I coulde willingly say to the authour of youre confession as the Apostle sayth my brother my friend what art thou that condemns the seruants of another

in the whole worlde that woulde thinke it an indifferent matter to commaunde his subiects to obserue kéepe his lawes and ordinances whiche neyther his officers wil suffer them to reade nor to haue in theyr custodie For if that were so then shoulde eyther the Prince be suspected to go aboute to intrappe his people within the daunger of lawe or the Rulers vnder him thought not only not obedient subiects but rebelles against theyr Princes will considering that it is a very harde and a difficulte matter to kéepe lawes except a man be skilfull and conuersant in them and by meanes thereof vnderstande them perfectly What thought I with my selfe Mahomet was neuer so cruell against his secte and followers For he left his Alcorane in wryting as a compēdious and brief Abstract of his sect and heresie to the end that euery one both old and yong learned and vnlearned Lay mā or Clergie man might learne in theyr owne naturall language to know and to follow the doctrine religion of him whome they had chosen for their Captaine and supreme head How much more requisite were it then that the most rightuous lawe and most sacred worde of our God should be redde and in perpetuall meditation with them that professe themselues to be schollers of his schoole and members of his Church To be shorte as I was in this cogitation I became fully persuaded in cōscience that the Pope and his Cardinals the Inquisitoures and their adherents and all the other their complices and confederates in the like tiranny were the professed enimies of Gods kingdome and his glory sworne traytours against the Maiestie of Christe and the very meanes and instrumēts of Satan wherby he inueigled many miserable soules spoyling them of the foode sustenaunce of their spirituall life which consisteth in the worde of God and compelling the poore flocke of Christ to begge the crummes of that heauenly bread at the hands of Monkes Friers who tempering the same with their pharisaicall leuen made it bothe foystie and vnsauery foode and yet not withstāding made their marchandise thereof and solde it to the people at a very high pryce And here began I to conceyue a great griefe in my conscience and to féele as it were a corosiue at my hart beholding the cōmon people and the foolish superstitious womē runne by flockes here and there vp and downe to get them ghostly Fathers that might comfort and heale their wounded and guilty consciences I considered further that these tyraunts had forcibly entred and intermedled within other mens iurisdictions and liberties taking vpon them the interpretatiō of holy scriptures and yet in such sorte that they neuer opened their mouthes to preach the worde to the cōmon people but at their owne pleasures and their beste leasure at certayne times in the yéere as most commonly in Lent Aduent Sondayes and a few other festiuall dayes But O good Lorde what kinde of Scripture is it they preach such as they make their markettes of and sell for money prophaned with all kinde of Idolatrie and superstitiō corrupted with the idle deuises and cōstitutions of mans brayne seruing onely for the aduauncement and cōmoditie of the Pope and his champions without bringyng any quietnesse to afflicted consciēces or any perfect knowledge and instruction in the misteries of Christian religion for all there sermons and actiōs respect no other end And nowe I leaue it to the consideration of your Maiestie moste mighty Prince to weighe and consider what kinde of knowledge of God this people can haue ingrauen in their hartes that haue suche Pastors and Schoolers to teache them For myne owne parte I muste néedes confesse that the same God that by his holy Spirite hath wrought this alteration in me hath bene defaced by them and spoyled of his greatest and moste meruelous workes Mercie Iustice For these lying Doctors and teachers made him a cruell and seuere God against such as coulde not make satisfaction for their sinnes with money And if their doctrine be true which teach vs that those mē are more acceptable in the sight of God that make sumptuous magnificiall foundations of Abbeys and Monasteries that make large and ample donations for the maintenaunce of the same that buylde Chappels and Aultars in Churches that finde lights and giue siluer lamps that giue money to the maintenaunce of the Quyer that found perpetuall chaunteries and Diriges that giue fayre and rich suites of Copes woe is me therefore what shall become of poore labourers handycraftes men of the poore ploughman and others that get theyr liuing hardely by sweate of their browes that neither haue any money to bestow to suche vses nor scarcely sufficient to buy bread for their family with what face or coūtenaūce dare they presume to apeare in presence before such a goldē God and ●ne so desirous of presentes hauing no●hing to present him withall Surely the mercy that suche a God will shewe shall ●xtend but to a fewe Againe me thought ●hat that God of whome those Doctours did preach vnto vs was not perfectly iust and rightuous that woulde pardon the transgressions against his holy will and commaundement for gold or siluer or other presents whatsoeuer cōsidering that it is a great shame for a man of any credite or honestie to bée brybed with rewards and to pardon a trespasse for money For what can be more vile or deserue greater reproche than that a man should make the trāsgressing of the law but a money matter And yet the God of the Papists according to their doctrine as though he were not cōtented and satisfied with the euerlasting sacrifice and obedience of his sonne Christ selleth his grace and fauour for money is content to pardon the greatest and moste horrible offences that can be to him that giueth most money and in respect of masses oblations pilgrimages and suche like babl●● content to be recōciled vnto vs and to b● at a perfect vnitie and attonement wi●● vs Wherevpon I gathered and concluded that the conscience of man shoulde 〈◊〉 the sight of such a God be in a perpetual and continual feare and terrour alwaies restlesse hopelesse of finding any place o● stay in the mercies of god But if any b● the direction of Gods holy spirite had any assuraunce and certen affiaunce in suche goodnesse and mercies of God hée was straight-way called arrogant and presumptious heretike that durst presume to put such a confidence in God who was so wayward and daūgerous to please that the moste precious presentes that can be wil scarce cōtent him The which things I perceyued to tende wholy to this ende and purpose to kéepe them in continuall awe and dispayre and by this meanes to compell menne to runne with quaking and tremblyng consciences to theyr confession as to a moste safe and holy sanctuarie And to kéepe them in this perplexitie they did abuse many places of Scripture framed alwayes to their own ●yne and