greate hinderaunce of the Church do preach ofteÌ„times Such as are not able to discharge it themselues appoint certain religious and wise persons men wel learned not in the rules of Bucer or your Martyr but in the holy scripture and in the bokes of the holy Fathers to instruct the people with chast pure and religious doctrine And as we see it come to passe especially in such as are bleare eyed that if they be either put into an extreme dark place or els loke ouer steddily vpoÌ„ the sonne beames thei leese their sight euen so if meÌ„ either be altogether turned away froÌ„ the light of God or els wil looke to intentiuely vppon it before the blearednes of their minde be healed they are striken stone blinde Wherefore it is very wisely and warily prouided of vs that we neither suffer the common people to lacke the light of Gods word any time neither do we dasel their eies so muche with the brightnesse thereof which they are not able to abide that they may be therewithall miserablie blinded We bring therfore none other thing in our sermons but that which we iudge effectual to bring men to the loue of godlines and folowing of charitie to the hatred of sinne and forsaking of vncleanes of lyfe And for this cause doe we set before their eyes oftentimes the crowne of euerlastinge glorie and the paine of the euerlasting torment But the daungerous questions of darke and secret matters we do for good consideration leaue vntowched in such sermons as are made vnto the people The authoritie of Bishops is great in so much that it is not very hard for them to restreine the vnbrideled lust of disordered persons and to remoue them that be obstinate in sin from the Communion of the Church Neither are such menne chosen to be Bishops as may be either for basenesse despised or for folishnes set at naught or for notoriouse vices reprehended and so do much hurt by their example The times of the yeare are so consecrated and diuided with ordinarie and solemne ceremonies that at all tymes there is somewhat done in the Church which may renew in vs the remembrance of Gods graces and benefites And to beginne at the Moneth of Decembre we are then styrred vp to remembre that time in the which the holy Fathers of the olde time loked for the coming of the Sonne of God into the earth and besought him with continuall prayers to hasten it and had a most earnest desire to see it that we might the better vnderstande howe muche we are bound and endebted to God which hath graunted vs the ioyfull fruition of that moste excellent fruit which the old Fathers very holy men and of God intierly beloued so griedily lusted and longed after When the daie of Christes birth is come we keepe watches and singe hymnes and Psalmes by note our organs also and others instruments sound euery where to the honour and praise of God euery thing doth then stirre vs vp to beholde the Sonne of almightie God the most excelleÌ„t Lord and maker of al the world lying naked and crying in a mangier in the weake fourme of a sucking babe We heare then with the eares of our heartes the voices of Angels bringers of that glad tydinges and we endeuour by faith to doe our homage with the sheapeâ—erdes vnto the King that is borne vnto vs and fixing our selues in the conteÌ„plation of him wee receiue the fruicte of incredible ioye The first day of Ianuarie the Churche putteth vs in minde to beholde the wound which our Sauiour receiued that daie and the Mysterie of circumcision and the moste dreadefull name of Ihesus which is the pleadge of our saluation and the lesson which was then geuen vs of that most perfect obedience and so by the strength and signification of this moste holie name we labour muche more cheerefully to atteine to the saluation which is promised vs. What should I here saie of the most bright starre which appeared to the Gentiles in the furthermost partes of the East How might I expresse the incredible ioy and pleasure of the holie man Simeon when he bare the child in his armes What should I here rehearse the exceeding gladnesse and cumfort the which Anna the widowe conceiued or els the godli prophecies which shee pronounced when shee beholde the Child All these thinges hath the Churche set before our eyes with solemne pompe and procession and candels burning to the intent they should sincke the deeper into our heartes Now when the time of fasting draweth nero we behold how Christ was baptised by Iohn in the floud Iordane we here the voice of the Father we consider the fast wherwith the sonne of God punished his owne bodie we record the tentations and wilie practises of Satan against him we endeuour our selues as muche as we can to set out the victorie of Christ we call to minde the homage of Angels which brought him meate and serued him By this exaÌ„ple of Christ we are taught that we ought to kepe ftil that puritie and cleanes whiche we receiued in the holie fount of Baptisme that we should receiue the voice of the father commaunding vs to obeye him with heart and minde that we should subdewe the body with fasting and encounter with our old enemie the dinel to the end that â–ª at the length the battaile being fought and the victorie by the mightie protection of God atchieued we might be refreshed with heauenly foode and comforted by the ministerie of Angels When the time approcheth in the which we mind to celebrate the supper of our Lord â–ª to do so holy a worke with the greater deuotion we prepare our selues much more diligently then at other tymes and we doe it with gladnes and feare together Then doe we consecrate the holy Oiles by the which are fignified diuers gyftes and graces of the holy Ghost according as S. Denyse and other holy Father write and we minister the body of our Lord to al such as are readie to receyue it and we wash the feete of poore men not only with water but also with many teares sometimes and by this example we cause suche as looke on to powre out teares abondantly But when we behold attentiuely Christ hanging on the Crosse when we consider how he was scorned reuiled tormented and put to death when we pray for the saluation of all menns when we come bare-footed to worship Christ in his Image when we bring in God him selfe complaining of our misliuing when we craue pardon for our synnes in moste humble and lowly wise what man thinke you is then in the Churche which is not foorth with stirred vp to forsake synne and to folow a better ordre of life But when Easter day is come we vse suche honour and pompe we sing suche Hymnes and Psalmes to aduaunce the victorie and triumph of Christ raised from death to set out the sacke and spoile of
shamefull language when he had vttered most horrible and diuelish blasphemie when he had wasted spoiled and burned all holie thinges when he had committed all these outrages and villanies then was he thought a meete man to be taken into gods pricuie counsell and a persone woorthie to whome God besides all other secretes shoulde mercifully reuele that mysterie also of the deuising of purgatorie Then did this great wise man vnderstand at the length that S. Augustine which held that we should praie vnto God in our Sacrifices for the dead that S. Cyprian which laied this most grieuous punishment vpon such as appointed Priestes in their testamēt to be tutours or gouernours to their children that there should no sacrifice be offred vp for them in the churches that S. Chrysostome whiche referred this ordinaunce to the tradition of the Apostles that S. Denise to passe ouer a numbre of others which wrote very diligently of the care that is to be had for the departed in the faith and of praiers that are to be made vnto God for their deliueraunce Luther I saie vnderstood from heauen that al these men had ben in great errour and folie Trulie the capitaine of this your faction had a great commoditie of his naughtines and folie if after the reising of such broiles and troubles in the worlde he was deliuered by the benefite of God from that errour in the which those holie Fathers most Godlie and wise men excellently wel learned in the Scriptures linked vnto Christe with a most streight band of heauenlie loue were quite drowned If no man can thus perswade him selfe vnlesse he be peeuish frantike and starke mad void not only of al godlie religion but also of common sense who doth not see that this opinion of Luther is wicked ād detestable taught and set out by none other then by the enemie the diuell But this saie you is not witten in the scripture What then The thing which the Apostles taught by word of mowth which their schollers deliuered to the posteritie whiche hath ben most constantly holden and beleeued from the primitiue Churche till our times whiche hath ben approued by the beleefe and full agreement of the whole Church for so manie hnndred yeares shall Luther a seditious mad selowe after so manie ages garishly auowch it to be a feined matter Shall men whiche take vpon them to be both Godlie and religious folow him as a God of heauen that attempteth most desperatly to assault heauen For he maketh warre against heauē which taketh vp armour against the faith of the Church No no saie you you would not thinke what manner of man he was For he I tel you woulde allowe nothing vnlesse he fownde it written in the holie scriptures Well sir I will not nowe handle that matter whiche is by the holy Fathers discussed long a goe howe the gospell consisteth not only in thinges written but also in customes and ordinaunces receiued without any writing deliuered vnto the Churche by worde of mowth and order of the Apostles how much the sure and groūded authoritie of the Church which is the piller and staie of truth is to be esteemed of howe great value and importaunce the agreement of all holy men in one minde without anie varietie ought to be all these thinges I will nowe omit and aske you one question how Luther when he saied there was a purgatorie to prooue it alleaged the testimonies of the holie scripture if there were no testimonie in the scripture that proued that there was a purgatorie Then againe when he saied that there was no Purgatorie by what testimonie of the Scripture thought he that Purgatorie might be vtterly disprooued Brought he anie one place by the whiche he might conuince that there is no Purgatorie Dowbtlesse not one Such therefore was his presumption that what so euer came into his head that woulde he constantly affirme and againe the selfe same thing if it misliked him would he vtterly denie And yet his disciples for sooth find no fault at all neither with his inconstancie neither yet with his lewd fasshions but what so euer the drowsie blowbol draueled out ouer his pottes that toke they vp so griedily as though it had ben good gospell But lest you should saie that it can not be shewed by the testimonie of the scripture that there is a purgatory although it be not necessarie yet besides those places whiche are wont to be alleaged for the proofe thereof I thinke it good to bring a fewe of the whiche that is one of S. Marke where our Lorde when he had saied that hel into the which al such shalbe throwen downe as esteeme more their bodilie pleasure then their dewtie towardes God shoulde haue this propertie that the worme of them that shall be tombled down headlong into it should neuer die and their fyer neuer be quenched he brought in foorthwith these wordes for euerie man shalbe seasoned in fyer and euery sacrifice shalbe seasoned in salt In this place there are two thinges to be noted One is that there is a worme that is to saie a vexation or torment of cōscience gnawing and molesting the minde the whiche shal haue an ende and that there is a torment of fyer also the whiche in like manner shall haue and end in some men For otherwise our Lorde woulde neuer haue brought that place out of Esaie their worme dieth not and their fyer is not quenched By the whiche place we are taught that there is one torment euerlasting and an other that lasteth but for a time For so muche therefore as this worme and fyer is a torment or vexation of minde and of tormentes there is one whiche is appointed by the iudgement of God to last but a time and the other to continew for euermore is it not euidently prooued that there is a purgatorie for so is the place of punishment called in the whiche by the sentence of God the sowles are purged within a certaine time of suche spottes of venial offences as they had gathered in this life An other thing worthy to be noted is this that no synne shal escape vnpunished For euen as in the old lawe it was not lawful to offre vp any Sacrifice without salt so is it not lawful for our soules to approch vnto the throne of Gods maiestie vnlesse their vncleanes be before clensed by salt and fyer that is to say by the rigour of Goddes iudgement and by dewe punishment that when al the spottes of vncleane affection be put out and quite consumed the faithful sowles may come to haue such a puritie and cleerenes that thei may be able to receiue the brightnes of God in them selues and be likened and confourmed to the glory of God For although by the mercy of God synne is taken quite away in such as stay them selues vppon a liuelie saith yet are they for the most parte so bounde with some knot of the law that they must needes satisfie
trust no more to fraude deceit and lying For it is like that hauiÌ„g receiued the brightnes of heauenly light ye dispised foorth with al worldly thinges and were inflamed with the desire of heauenlie life yea and that more is of the diuine nature it selfe Who caÌ„ deny if this be so but that so wonderful an alteration of life doth most manifestly declare the verie presence of Christ him selfe But I would faine learne this of you whether you alone in al England doe enioye these so great benefites or whether thei be common to al suche as haue receiued the brightnes of your new gospel If you alone haue the fruitioÌ„ of this light with so great fruict of the heaueÌ„lâ— vertue the glittering of this newe gospel hath brought no great commoditie to your couÌ„trei for it should haue furdered not any one particular maÌ„ but the whole coÌ„mon weale Oh say you euerie one for as the sonne rising driueth awaie the darkenes from the eyes of al men euen so the brightnes of this gospel putteth awaie the myste that was cast ouer all mens heartes Al thinges are now laid open al thinges are come to light Ther are no faultes in the worlde no wicked offences no heinouse crimes no none at al. Ther is great good cause if this tale be true whie we should forsake our owne countrei and come to dwel in EnglaÌ„d that we might be partakers of this your felicitie with you For what could a man desire more of God then alwaies to behold suche a countrei where for the greater part neither coueteousnes norsensualitie nor hatred nor pride nor contention nor rashnes nor any other spot of vncleane life may take place But Sir I praie you What was the let whie you vsed no iustice or godlines before this new sonne beames shone vpon you Horrible superstition you saie for we beleeued that through the vertue of a peece of lead and the mumbling of a few praiers whiche we vnderstoode not al our offences were forgeauen vs what soeuer we had done in this worlde What saie you is it to be thought you were al so mad that you wolde thinke a sinne conceiued in the hart to be forgeauen through the vertue of a peece of lead or by the pronouncing of praiers the mind being otherwise occupied What a great dulnes of witte was that what a straunge folie who had put that errour into your hartes Were there no men emongest you learned in the holie scriptures to teach you that al the hope of saluation consisteth in the grace and mercie of Christ Trulie I hold vp my handes most humbly vnto the immortal God as you pretend to doe yeelding him most hartie thaÌ„kes that it was my chaunce to be borne and brought vp in Spaigne where no man if he be a Christian was euer so foolish as to thinke that there is any other waie to pourge synne but only by the grace and goodnes of Christ The which to atteine the necessarie and onely meane is according to the doctrine of Christ him selfe to detest and forsake vice to confesse our sinnes coÌ„mitted with bashfulnes and sorow to withdraw our selues froÌ„ sensualitie to coÌ„tinencie froÌ„ vice to honestie froÌ„ malice to charitie to enter into a new trade of life and to exercise our selues in holy workes Now sir of you trusted so much to lead that ye thought it of force to blot out sinne you were not wel in your wit If you saie that al England was in the like blindnes you bring a great slaunder of madnes vpon your countrie that hath brought you vp and placed you in so great worship No say you I saie not so But I meane by the name of lead in the whiche we saw the name and image of the bishop of Rome engraued the authoritie and iurisdiction of the Pope him selâ—e the which manie hundred yeres agoe was holden and esteemed as a thing verie holie of our Fathers and afterward of vs. This authoritie which we sometime reuerenced being now instructed by the most cleere doctrine of this gospel I doe neglecte despise contemne and thinke it to be esteemed as a thing of naught of all wise men Whie then M. Haddon what needed you the name of lead to signifie this authoritie Did you it to make it more odiouse Or rather thought you by iesting at the woord to gette the greater applause of your compagnions For I knowe that pleasaunt sporters as you be are muche delighted with iesting and like to contend not so much with argumentes and sentences as with scoâ—fing and as it seemeth to me with an vnsauerie kind of pratling In suche like scoffes and tauntes Martine Luther your youthlie Patriarke and olde wanton was a great doer And I dowbt not but some of your clawebackes when he came to this place tooke vp a great laughter and bound it with an oth that it was meruelous pleasauntly spoken and excellently wel handled For al thinges are so farre out of course and dew order that it is a verie easie matter for a sawcie reprochful scoffer to get the name of a merie felowe and pleasaunt compagnion But as concerning this matter although the Bishop of Angra hath disputed verie learnedly of the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome yet wil I reason with you as with a seculare man and ciuilian of the said matter in few wordes First of al let this be a grounde worke or foundation The Church of Christ is one and not manie Then let this be agreed vppon It is not ynough for a Prince whiche maketh lawes to establish a common weale to set them out except he also appoint gouernours and inferiour magistrates Let this also be the third ground for so much as you like wel myne opinion as touching the order of a Monarchie that it is most expedient for a common Weale well appointed with customes and lawes to be vnder the rule of one Prince For many doe teare and dismembre a coÌ„mon weale but one by supreme authoritie vniteth and as it were with glew ioineth together the heartes of the people It was therfore most agreable to the best maner of gouernement when the Prince of al Princes vnder whose euerlasting Empire are subiected both heauen and earth intended to set vp a heauenlie coÌ„mon weale in earth that he should first make Lawes and then creat Princes and Magistrates which might according to the prescribed order of Lawes and equitie rule this common weale Suche were the Apostles and the rest of the Disciples of Christe Last of al lest the band of this societie might be dissolued and the peace of the Citie distourbed he appointed a Monarchie and gaue the supreme gouernement thereof vnto Peter Are not these thinges commonly knowen of all men Ymagine you to obscure and darken thinges most clearely spoken Trust you so muche to your malice that you thinke your selfe able to wrest the wordes of the Gospell from the true meaning to serue the filthie appetite and lust of
of mouth How many such things are recited of Cyprian Chrysostom Augustine and the rest of the holie Fathers How much do they reuerence al such holy ordinaunces as were decreed in general CouÌ„cels I do here omitte an infinite nuÌ„ber oftestimonies which do plainly coÌ„uince this madnes of you or rather of your Maisters for so much as not onely the greatest learned men of our age but also the most holy Fathers of other ages haue in these points very learnedly disputed against your opinion For in times past al heretikes in a manner held this opinion that nothing ought to be receiued vnlesse it were written in the holie Scriptures minding withal to wrest and corrupt the holie Scriptures with their owne interpretation But the holie Fathers most earnestly defended the contrary alleaging Argumentes and Examples brought euen from the Apostles time and by the decrees of CouÌ„cels directed they al their doinges Wherfore suche thinges as you report of Christ of his Disciples and of the holie Fathers are al most euidently false You say it is not true that your Doctours should take any thing vppon them aboue the coÌ„mon sort of men Can you ymagine any greater arrogancie in the worlde theÌ„ to presume to reforme the church being somewhat impaired with newe Iawes and statutes whiche neither Athanasius nor Basile nor Cyprian nor any other of the holi Fathers euer thought vpon and to set such wordes and countenance vpon the doctrine of their new Gospell as though they had done althinges by ordre and appointment of Christ him selfe You say that I am not able to shew any fault or dishonestie in the worlde in their life That is true if we must needes stand to your opinion For so much as emongest you neither filthie pleasure of the bodie nor rebellion nor any other disordre or outrage are accompted as faults You find faulte with me for that I cease not to trifle daungerously and to hinder the estimation of most graue personages by whose diligence your Churche hath ben set in a maruelous goodly ordre You could say no lesse for such as you doe commend being your selfe both for vertue and authoritie a very graue sire must needes be verie graue men Then you saie You laie to our charge that the companies of virgins and monkes which were sometimes inclosed in Monasteries to keepe the Diuine seruice of God and to mainteine the chastitie os their bodies were by our men let out to the vncleane pleasure of the flesh and al other licentious liuing that their howses were laied wide open for gaine that lawes were made that no religion shoulde hinder the pleasure of the bodie What you meane by their gaine I vnderstand not For I neuer suspected that they did for their gaine coÌ„mit any vile or filthy acte But you doe in this as you doe commoÌ„ly You can not wel tel neither what you do say nor what you would say Then how impudently is that spoken that foloweth Oâ—t vpon this ouer malepart and licentiouse desire whiche you haue to peruert all thinges We confesse yea and with all our heartes confesse that through the moste holie aduertisement of our menne those downgeous of all wickednes are fallen downe into the whiche the tender young maidens and the seelie boyes were violently thrust in to their so great hinderaunce in good manners as I can not for bashfulnesse well declare Oh what a shamefaste and may denlie fellow is this What is that I praie you that you woulde not for shamefastnes expresse Nothing in the wordle for immediatly after you bring in these woordes Those same shoppes of lewdnes had litle other thing in them but only a certaine pharisaical continuance of praiers in an vnknowen tongue Their other more secrete exercises might wel be likened to the old reuelles of Bacchus in Rome Tel me I praie you most presumptuous and impudent railer could you hane vttered any more spiteful reproche against the poore monasteries of holi virgins if your goodly maidenlines and modestie had not staied you Compare you the greene arbour of Christ the house of chastitie the representation of heaueÌ„ly life with the most horrible and filthy reuels of Bachus whiche were sometime moste sharply pounished by the lawes of the Romaines And yet you say forsooth that your may denlie modestie wil not suffer you to expresse their secrete vices Pleasure you so much in your stinking eloquence Like you so wel to taunt and reuile chastitie to ioyne the defence of your most barbarus and vile acte with the reproche of Christ As though the worlde knewe not that you ouerthrow those holy Monasteries not for any displeasure you beare to naughtines and vice but for the hatred you beare towardes chastitie And of like the greadie desire you had of the goods and possessions with the which the Nonnes and Monkes were mainteined holpe the matter well foreward If you had had no face at al no shame no bashfulnes in the world how could you with more vile and filthie language haue dishonested so holie a trade of life The exercise of Religious and chast life you cal the downgeon of wickednes â–ª that is to say a sincke of al vice a cannel of filthines a standing poole of vnclean pleasures Could any thing be more impudently spoken And yet you content not your selfe with al this stincking sturre of wordes but you say moreouer that the tender young maidens and the seelie boies were violently thrust into the said Monasteries to their greate hinderance in good manners What meane you by this What would you say What geaue you the worlde to vnderstande Is there any vice so heinouse that it may not be wel comprised in this your shamelesse talke After this there foloweth the moste beastlie word of all the rest where you cal the holie discipline of cleane life and continencie a shoppe of naughtines As for the Pharisaical continuance of praier which is but a tricke proceding of Luthers railing sprit I wil let it passe But wherto teÌ„deth the comparison which you make with the most vncleane and detestable rebels of Bacchus Is mans heart able to deuise any thing so abhominable that you may not wel coÌ„prehende it within the compasse of this your moste base and vile language Why then what is that which you can not expresse for bashfulnes Doutlesse nothing wherof it foloweth that you are vtterly void of al shame bash fulnes and honestie For I can not tel how it cometh to passe that the more a man vseth the companie and familiaritie of such men as you commende the more shamelesse is his behauiour But to the intent you may the better see howe heinouse and wicked an offence you haue coÌ„mitted against your owne self I think it good to declare the original of the name and institutioÌ„ of Monkes There are two kind of men within the folde of Christes church The one is of them which liuing a coÌ„mon life coÌ„tent them selues with the commendable exercise
of that opinion that to despise the Sacramentes is a moste heinouse trespasse when you vnderstoode that there was a man in the worlde so lewde and wicked that he woulde goe aboute to take awaie and abolish this most worthie pleadge of the loue of God this most sure staie of all Christian Religion conteming in it all the graces and benefittes of God could you I saie speake familiarly vnto him could you salute him gentelly could you shewe him anie token of loue Haue you neuer reade in S. Iohn that he that saieth good morrowe to wicked menne is become partaker of their wickednesse But you haue not onely spoken familiarly to this Martyr but also commended him aboue the skies and you haue saied that that same golden couple of olde men were brought into your Iland by the prouidence of God to shine ouer you which had alreadie the goodly brightnesse of the newe sonne risen emongest you with a muche cleeter light Are you so sottish M Haddon that you vnderstande not howe muche you haue disteined your estimation by that countenaunce and shewe of gentlenesse towardes him For what can be more infamous then to be familiare with a fraÌ„tike and naughtie felowe But if you like his Doctrine also then is it plaine that you keepe not the Sacramentes at al for so much as you haue vppon an vnsetled pange without al order wisedome or discretion taken awaie the greatest Sacrament and that that is of al other most wonderfull Whie then say you that you wonder if there be any kind of professours in diuinitie in the worlde that despiseth and setteth at naught the Sacramentes But let vs now consider the description of your Church the which you set before our eyes to behold that we may vnderstand by it that you haue had none other maister in Religion but only the holy Ghost You say thus First of all bicause faith is by hearing we sende downe into all partes of our realme teachers of the holie Scriptures to instructe the people in all pointes of godlines and to infourme them in the true woorshipping of God Out of what fountaine sprang these Doctours If they came out of the schoole of Luther Bucer or Caluin they can teach the people no godlines being them selues open enemies to all godlinesse It were therefore muche more tolerable to haue no doctours at all then to be infected with the most corrupt Doctrine of wicked menne If they sprang out of any other heade then is it manifest that there is not emongest you any one and simple Doctrine but diuerse opinions fondly iarring within them selues It followeth Then haue we a common order of praier out of the holie Scriptures confirmed by the authoritie of a Parlament for so doe they terme the consent of the estates of our Realme from the which we suffer no man to depart By what order lawe or authoritie is this done that a Councel or as you cal it a Parlament should so impudently vsurpe the office of the Catholike Churche to make orders for praiers prescribe how religion ought to be vsed and not suffer any man to depart from the order which it hath decreed For in holie thinges it is not lawfull for these menne to geaue lawes but to take lawes For otherwise they shall disturbe the common weale if they wil not content them selues with their owne vocation but will thrust them selues into other mens doinges and they shal marre Religion if they will in matters apperteyninge to them onely that susteine the personne of the Churche take vppon them to meddle and transpose the dignitie of Priestes to them selues You say afterwarde Prouiding both in the one and in the other so muche as we coulde that the commaundement of the holie ghost be obeied the whiche willeth that such as speake in the Churche should vse the word of God and that there should be one common and agreable Doctrine emongest them all You doe verie wel vndowbtedly But wherehence riseth this so great debate and hourlie bourly for Religion in your Churches Wherefore are the confessions and Credes so often chopped and chaunged in places where Luther hath had a great name And we prouide saie you that the Sacramentes be ministred verie neere vnto the prescribed order of the holy scriptures and according to the example of the old Church in the whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ first ordeined them himselfe with his Apostles O valiant men worthie to be commended aboue the heauens O glorious attempte O liuelie courage of lustie blouddes the which thought yt not ynoughe to approche neere vnto the holines of the olde Church but they would presse euen at the verie hard heales of them It followeth All these thinges are set out in our owne mother tongue bicause it is a great madnes for a man to babble out before God he can not tell what and it is directely againste the most wholesome doctrine of S. Paule and all the auncient examples of the Apostolike Churches It is not you only that teache such as vnderstand not the Latine to praie in their owne tongue For we also doe not suffer such as are ignorant in the Latine speach to serue God but only in their own mother tongue and there are manie bookes of praiers and holy scriptures writen not by Parlament as you call it but by holie Priestes the whiche being firste examined by the prelates of the church are sent abroad euerie where and by them are children women and simple folkestrained in the knowledge of their dewtie towardes God And the thinges that are thus written they are not taken out of euerie mans fantasie but out of the holie Scriptures and out of the writinges and examples of holie men So that there lacketh not omongest vs anie discipline of manners nor example of vertue nor good bringing vp in true religion to al such as coulde not imploie them selues to the studie of learning We haue also manie sermoÌ„s by the whiche men are stirred vp to the loue of godlines and religion But in preaching we vse much discretion and warines that none of those questions be opened emongest women and ignorant folkes which are not verie necessarie vnto saluation and yet maie quickely intangle their mindes with verie troublesome dowbtes and scruples For as S. Gregorie of Nazianzene saieth verie wisely it is not conuenient to reason and dispute of God neither to al men neither in the presence of all men neither at all times neither of all matters neither without good discretioÌ„ For there is required to the doing of this thinge a meruâ—lous cleanes of sowl and body a veri calme and wel setled mind good time coÌ„uenient oportunitie earnest zeale much fearfulnes and exceding great moderarion For ther is no man so simple that he can not vnderstand the difficultie of euery question but there are few so witty that they caÌ„rid theÌ„ selues out of the briers when they are once fallen in And this is the cause whie
beleâ—ueth that there was nothing apointed and ordeined of God from before the begynning of the worlde without verie great counsell iustice and reason And contrarie wise thei that saie that God hath sorted out of the common lumpe of mankind such as he woulde directe vnto euerlasting glorie and such as he would apoint vnto euerlasting daÌ„nation vpoÌ„ none other reason or coÌ„sideration but bicause him listed so to doe how so euer they maintaine the prouidence of God in word they denie it in deede For he that taketh awaie the meaning and reason taketh awaie prouidence But will you see how like a babler you prosecut the rest of your matters Your woordes are these At the length when you haue scholded your fill you begynne to conclude somewhat making a totall somme of all suche thinges as you complaine haue ben ouerthrowen by our men and you aske what thing hath succeded in their roome O M. Haddon I haue iust cause to complaine For I see none other thing set vp in the steede of them but only that woorshipfull acte of yours in the which you glorie so muche and therfore you repete it verie often For the superstitious ydleâ—es of lurking hypocrites saie you we haue set vp the necessarie busines of Christian profession for wandering pleasures most honourable marriage for the dreames of mens inuentions the holie Scriptures of God the Father and of our Lorde Iesus Christ The wast and hauoke of holie thinges I see but what you haue restored in their roome I see nothing as I told you before except it be for most godlie quietnes most wicked stirring for the loue of chast life filthie and incesteouse ribaudrie for the puritie of most holie doctrine most pestilent errours of desperate felowes Would God saie you ye had here broken of your most reprochful epistle Of like you are not ashamed of your tauntes which you haue gathered together without anie cawse in the world I assure you I am wearie of the rehersal of them To what purpose is it to repeate so often without argumeÌ„t without comely grace without any likely hod of truth those your so shameles and vnreasonable errours in the eares of the Quenes maiestie yea in the eares of al Christ endume How staÌ„deth this geare together M. Haddon Saied you not before that I was an excellent framer of wordes and sentences Confessed you not that you liked wel my kind of vtteraunce Haue you not called me often times in this your booke Cicero his scholer Wherfore then saie you now that my epistle was written without anie argument as for the comelie and pleasaunt grace I wil saie nothing By like when you commended mine eloquence you spake not in earnest and as you thought You dalied with me Sir pleasaunce you dalied and the ladie Venus in the honour of whome you haue prophaned and vnhalowed the teÌ„ples of chastitie hath besprinkled you with her comelie and pleasaunt graces Howbeit I thinke this very much to be misliked in this your pleasauntnes that it can not be well perceiued when you speake in earnest and when you sport But peraduenture you thinke it a coÌ„mendation of a sharpe witte to speake darkly and therefore you vse it in disputation also But howe often you caste me in the teeth with the name of Cicero As though I shoulde be ashamed of hym or els thought my selfe hable to expresse in my writinges anie parte of his witte vehemencie and copie as though I had studied Cicero only and had not spent verie muche time in other â–ª the highest pointes of learning But you like a foxie lawier and wilie proctour haue made a verie good prouiso that no man maie wel laie the name of Cicero to your charge For you speake nothing in cleane speach nothing plainly nothing distinctely nothing orderly nothing grauely nothing eloquently What so euer liketh you you put it in and then you prooue it not by argument and reason but by railing and shameles talke At the length as though you had wonne the field you pricke me with the bristles of your reprocheful tongue you presse me with a numbre of apish questions â–ª you triumph like a noddie before the victorie Whervpon you saie thus What saie you good sir And then S. Paul detesteth it Ierome Osorius is not afraied to auouch it As though I affirmed that thing whiche you there denied or els meaned to dispute with S. Paul and not with Luther And again What saieth Ierome Osorius And again Doe I make anie thing Doe I chaunge anie thing And with these woordes for sooth you would haue seemed to be a vehement speaker 〈◊〉 this of the M. Haddon if you can bicause your 〈◊〉 lucke was to chaunce vpon such a maister which brought you vp so foolishly and so ignoraÌ„tly that these questions are then both graâ—e and vehement in deede when the aduersarie iâ— coÌ„uinced by some firme and sure argument For otherwise they are verie â—olish and to be laughed at for so much is they haue no vehemeÌ„cie or strength in the worlde but only a declaration of a certaine pitifull pang or heat of the stomake So God healpe me as I could not sometime although your talke seemed vnto me verie much to be pitied hold my selfe froÌ„ laughing And so I am fully discharged of my promise whiche I made you that in case you could driue me either by grownded reasons or els by true exaÌ„ples to geaue my assent vnto you I would not refuse it For neither haue you brought anie argument neither alleaged any example that was to the pourpose and yâ—t as though you had borne your self like a pretie man you rage and reuel in wordes and keepe a meruâ—lous pitifull and frantique stirre I can not deuise what wicked sprite it should be that put you in mind to take this charge of writing vpon you Yet I meane not but that you maie doe as you thinke good neither wil I limite you in suche sorte that you maie not in writing shew your selfe to be as foolish as you list And to put you in good comfort take this of my worde that no man which is of anie iudgement wil find fault with you for being to much a Ciceronian THE THIRD BOOKE IT foloweth now that we make answere vnto your other complaint in the whiche you seme to take that part of myne epistle very grieuously wherin I reckened vp the impudencie the robberies poysoninges conspiracies and other detestable vices so manie that my maister Cicero as you faie neuer heaped vp moe against Verres with the whiche I shoulde saie that England was atteinted Wherin you shew verie plainly that you read those my letters with litle heede For it was neuer my meaning to condemne all Englande of suche vices For I knowe there are in that Iland verie manie godlie and religious men which neuer fel from the holy church but would gladly yeald their liues for the glorie of Christ if neede so required Yea manie haue alreadie
but railinge for argument madnesse for reason impudencie for true exaumples you keepe such a raginge stirre as though you hadde alreadi◠wonne the fielde with greate honour But we on the other side are wont to declare by authoritie of the holie Scriptures by testimonies of the holy Fathers by fetching the Monumentes and Recordes of al the Antiquitie finally by reason by vse by experience by a number of examples that thys kinde of gouernement hath allwaies bene in the Churche and that who so euer goeth about to appaire it is a breaker of peace an ouerthrower of Religion a woorker of sedition a puller downe of the Churche whiche is one and a fettor vp of diuers and sundrie churches diuersly sundered and diuided within them selues a bringer in of infinite most filthie vices and trowblesome errours As for the mart of Purgatorie which you speake of we answere you that there is no such thing If at any time in so many hundred yeares ther hath ben any bying and selling of holie thinges vsed the holie Churche alloweth it not but banisheth it out of the bounds of the Christian common weale as a most pestilent and pernicious abuse Likewise of Images we say that al we that liue in the holy catholik faith are able to prooue both by reasons argumentes and examples that euen frō the primitiue church especially after it might be done for tyrannes there hath ben Images set vp in churches to the euerlasting remembraunce of vertue to moue men to godlines and religion to the glorie and honour of Christe the whiche is seene in the wonderfull vertue of holie men We saie moreouer that the errour of those men that threw downe Images was condemned by manie authorities of the holy Fathers by diuers decrees of generall councels the whiche thing your maisters be they neuer so shameles can not denie vnlesse they wil first burne al the writinges of holie fathers al histories and records all the decrees of general Councels What shoulde I here reason of the reuerence and honour which was of old time geauen vnto sainctes Could you neuer spare a litle time from the fine woorkes of Accursius to bestow in the reading of Gregorie Nazianzene Basile the Greate Hierome and Ambrose If you coulde doe it you shoulde see it in their bookes howe many times godlie personnes came together in the olde time what resortes and assemblies there were made what eloquent Orations were pronounced in the commendation of Sainctes how greate multitude of the common people pressed thither to heare them But nowe if I woulde shewe you with what feruente zeale and deuotion verie many men were wont to continue all night at the Tombes of Martyrs it were a hard matter to expresse it None of al the holy Bishops in those daies did once put backe the common people from hearing the cōmendation of Martyrs no man disswaded them from that moste earnest deuotion towardes the Saintes no they did rather exhort al such as were present to visit their Monumentes to praise and honour them to obserue and keepe such woorshippe as was dew vnto them For they sawe in those assemblies when the name of Martyrs was sette out with heauenlie prayses that not the nature of the bodie but the grace of God and the almightie power of Christe him selfe was dewlie honoured in them For if the Christian menne in those daies kept the signes of the holie Crosse and the Images of Sainctes whiche were of deuotion sette vppe in Churches with such reuerence if they were oftentimes put in minde by those signes to plucke vppe their heartes and to remember the vertue whiche those domme Images did represente was it not muche more conuenient that the liuely Images of Christe shoulde be honoured with greater feruencie and that all suche as serued God truely and heartilie to doe this honour the better should visite the Tombes of Martyrs and Churches builded in the honoure of them And is it not euidently sene that the Sainctes are by the operation of the holy Ghost shapen to the likenes of God and that they beare a very true and expresse Image of Christ As touching your pastime that you make with Purgatorie for you must needes haue a snatche at euery thing can there be broughte any grauer testimonie against you then that which the manne that was sent as you saie from heauen hath geuen openlie Who is that saye you It is that Luther whome you honoure and reuerence whome you make a God whome you affirme to haue ben borne for youre saluation Hee sayed more then once or twise and abidde by it that there was a Purgatorie and that he did not weene thinke or beleue it but certainely knowe it to be so For proufe whereof he constantlie alleaged that place of S. Mathew where Christe said that the synne of suche as did wilfully resist the testimonie of the holie Ghoste shoulde neuer be forgeauen neither in this worlde neither yet in the worlde to come by the which wordes it is signified that some hope of forgeuenes is mercifully shewed by God vnto many men euen in the worlde to come He alleged also that place out of the Machabees where Iudas made oblations for the synnes of such as were departed With these and other the like argumēts and allegatiōs he was earnest to proue that there was a Purgatorie How then If Luther saied there was a Purgatorie and you will warrant it that Luther was sent from God and if he were sent from God so long as he was in that embassage he coulde not lie it is manifestly prooued by his authoritie the whiche you maie not gainsaie that there is a purgatorie If there be no purgatorie Luther lied If Luther lied he was not sent from God but from him that is the father of lying Choose therefore whether you like better For either the authoritie of Luther shal cōfirme that there is a purgatorie or els the feined tale of purgatorie as you terme it shall conuince Luther of vanitie and madnes But he afterward denied purgatorie That is no wonder For not only he but all his ofspring saie nowe one thing and now an other they correct and alter manie thinges neither can they staie them selues in anie one degree but rather when they haue once begonne an errour they heape and increase it with a numbre of other errours But I would faine learne of you M. Haddon whether of these two opinions whiche are mainteined both by Luther think you to be the truer The later saie you Well then the former he receiued not of God Then was he not as yet sent from God But after he had disteined him selfe with incestuous wedlocke after he had allured his contrei men to rebellion after he had defied chastitie and all holines after he had stirred vp such broile and sedition in the common weale that he coulde not appeace it him selfe afterward when he had railed against the state of the church with most reprochfull and
not while you haue time lest you doe increase through this your presumption the plague that hangeth ouer you As for the hope which I conceiued as you saie of your Quene and therfore wrote those my letters vnto her it repenteth me not as yet of my doinges If I haue donne any good it will appeare at the lengthe If I haue donne none yet the signification of my good heart towardes her can not be but wel taken of her if shee wil continue in her accustomed courtesie and gentlenes You saie I shall not bring her to be of myne opinion no althoughe I should write sixe hundred millions of Philippicall Orations I would faine knowe how you are able to auouche that Thinke you that she is of nature so barbarous and sauage that although I doe detecte the craftie dealinge and priuie practises of naughtie felowes and prooue them vnto her by Argumentes inuincible by reasons more cleere then the sonneshine at noone-tide if I set before her eyes the filthines and lewdnes of this counterfeict religion which they haue most wickedlie and heinously deuised if I declare vnto her in plaine words how childish your reasons are wherwith you goe abouâ—â— to mainteine their cause and how il fauoredly thei hang together think you I sai that she wil notwithstaÌ„ding althis rather imbrace your most detestable opinion to her certaine and vtter vndoing then cal to mind againe the true Religion which hath ben forgotteÌ„ for a time through the default and naughtines of such as should haue put her in remembrance of it to her most assured saluation and glory euerlasting If reason shal ouercome heâ— if the authoritie of holie Fathers shall cause her to yealde if the Lawe of God shall put it into her heart that shee wil desire to forsake and detest this your secte yet haue you so good affiaunce in your owne force and so little estimation of the sharpenesse of her witte and iudgemente that you dare warrant that vnlesse you geaue her leaue shee shall neuer retourne doe what shee can vnto that godly order of Religion whiche her moste noble Progenitours obserued and kepte very honourably to their great profit and immortal glorie Shall you Syr haue her at your commaundement and becke shal you take order with her shal you prescribe her what shee shal beleue in such sort that for feare of falling into your displeasure she shal not regard her owne life and dignitie but shal rather suffer her selfe to be carried awaie into euerlasting tormentes and damnation then to gainsaie your opinion be it neuer so vngodlie heinouse and wicked yea and mainteined with neuer so fond and peeuish kinde of talke But be it Admitte she be so much an vnderling vnto you that shee dare not for her life once dissente from you in any thing What if shee shalbe moued by the instinct of the holy Ghost What if Christ him selfe shal stirre her heart to consider and enioye his graciouse giftes What if God wil set vp such a light before her heart that shee may see how certaine wicked persons woorke priuie treason against herlyfe and persone And that I may say nothing els what if she shall receiue but onely such a smal quantitie of the light of God that shee may see that Luther with his disciples and folowers were neuer moued by the holy Ghoste but pricked foreward by the fendes of hel and that they came not to instructe men with wholsome doctrine but to infecte them with moste pestilente errours What Wil you this notwithstandinge holde her backe will you shackle her in such sorte that she shall not possibly geue eare to the holy warninges and counsels of God To continue in a wicked opinion being once conuinced as erroneouse is the parte of a dul and blunt wit to be afraid of the vniust displeasure of her own subiects is a token of a base and cowardlie heart but to refuse the gift of Gods mercy to reiect his gratious aid when it is offred is an argumteÌ„ of an vngodli aÌ„d naughty mid So shal it com to passe that you while you desire to put the worlde to vnderstand what a perilous felowe you are shal falsely charge that Princesse whome you reporte to be moste excellentlie fournished with all vertues passingly well adourned with many singular qualities with dulnes of wit with feintnes of heart and with the crime of impietie Truely M. Haddon she is very much beholdinge vnto you for your goodly seruice if you haue by your diligence so besette her on euery side that although she see her self tombled doune headlong into euerlasting death and damnatioÌ„ yet she may not be so hardy in her hert if you saie nay to it as once to which or step aside to auoide the daunger that hangeth ouer her lest in so doing shee might trouble your patience more grieuouslie perhappes then a man would thinke And yet am I moued to refreine to write vnto her â—ny more of the same matter for verie iust and good causes For I think I haue very wel discharged my duety both in my letters which I sent vnto her as also in this answer which I write against your booke if it happe to come to her hands Either therfore the things that I haue already written shall haue sufficiente force and strength to make her heart to yelde or els I shal not be able to doe it although I write againe And in deede I haue not so much vacante time that I may spend it without any fruict or profite Let vs now come to your good couÌ„sel wherin you aduertise me that I should not once haÌ„dle the holi scriptures you coÌ„mend my wit and my eloqueÌ„ce you do not mislike But you say that I am to be reckoned emongest the Oratours and Philosophers and not emongest the Diuines My bokes of nobility for it is like you neuer read any otheâ— bookes of myne you sale you like very wel I am right glad that my wrâ—tinges are commended by a manne so finely learned and so trymly nourtered and your friendly counsell I take it in good worth And therfore it liketh me to speake vnto you Syr newe Diuine with the selfe same verses as Horatius feineth him selfe to haue vsed to Damasippus a new Stoike Syr Waulter for your counsel true a barber maie you haue Sent from the Gods and Goddesse eke your worthie heard to shaue But howe came you to be so well acquainted with me Who tolde you that I haue not bestowed a great deale more studie in Diuinitie then in Cicero Demosthenes Aristotle and Plato You coÌ„mend my wit what then think you that the study of Diuinitie is mete for dul heads onely and drawlatohes â–ª You like my eloqueÌ„ce 〈◊〉 you therefore that the holy Scriptures would be handled of rudesbies only and homly felowes Wheras you geue authoritie to women to tinkers and tapsters to the rifferaffe of al occupations to iangle and prate at rouers in Scripture matters wil you
he saith vnto Moyses I wil haue mercie on whom I haue mercie and I wil haue compassion on whom I haue compassion S. Paule geueth a reason wherfore no man can possibly laie any vniustice to God For the defence of Gods iustice standeth altogether in his mercie For that often repetition of Gods mercie signifieth his great constaÌ„cie in geauing mercie And the mercy of God quiteth his iustice of al slauÌ„den As though oure Lorde him selfe should saie I am by nature so merciful that I pleasure in no thing more then in pardoning of syns and in keeping a most coÌ„stant and euerlasting mercie to mainteine them whome I haue receiued into my protection It may therefore be sene very wel when I do punnish syn â–ª that such as are coÌ„demned do perish through their owne default For if thei would come to good order thei might obtein the like mercy and be saued But forsomuch as of their own accord thei estemed more darkenes then light bondage then freedom â–ª pouertie then riches death then life it was iust that they shoulde be throwen downe headloÌ„g into bitter paine and torment And so by this place which S. Paul allegeth after a heueÌ„li sort of the assured nes of Gods mercie we see his iustice vtterly discharged of al slander Wherfore in the calamity of the Iews no maÌ„ could finde any lacke of truth in God but he might well blame the vnfaithfulnes and wicked stubbornes of them that would not be saued by the mercie of God Then to coÌ„firme this saying aÌ„d to teach vs that al hope of saluatioÌ„ is to be referred to the merci of God which is so freely offred to al meÌ„ he saith It is not therfore in hi that willeth neither in him that ruÌ„neth but in God that taketh mercy Wil importeth a desire ruÌ„ning signifieth an earnest endeuour to honestie the which both are compreheÌ„ded in the benefit of God For it is he the which with often calling vpoÌ„ me causeth me to wil it is he also the which geueth a cheerefulnes vnto my wil. Howbeit neither my desire neyther my cherfulnes shal haue ani good successe vnlesse he of his mercie shall bring both my wil and my earnest endeuour to perfection For our strength is appaired our hopes vanish al to nothing so often as the mercie of God for our vnkindnes of heart departeth from vs. When I therefore doe any good woorke it is to be ascribed neither to mans will as being naturallie inclined to honesty neither to my earnest endeuour but only to the mercy of God But that it might appeare yet more plainely that the Iewes fell not through the vniustice of God as vngodlie men reported but through their owne vnfaithfulnesse and wilfull sinne he reherseth the like example of naughtines and lacke of beleefe For God vsed the like meanes in callinge Pharao to honestie and fraying him from vnbeleefe But he of a pride and stubbornes which was in him would abuse the mercie of God to his farre greater punishmente and damnation Vppon this S. Paule bringeth in these wordes For the Scripture saith vnto Pharao for this haue I stirred thee vp that I maie shewe my power in thee and that my name may be declared in al the earth In the which place two thinges are to be noted The first is that Pharao was not driuen to suche outrage by any violence oâ— force of Gods behalfe as S. Paule declareth him self unon after The other point is that the wickednes of Pharao was therfore tolerated a great while of God the most wise and bountiful Lord of al things which out of euil thinges draweth euermore some good and bringeth thinges disordered into good order that by shewing one example of â—â—ueritie he might kepe a great many men in wel doing And this may appeare much better if we will trie the wordes at the Hebrew fountaine for this sentence might very well be translated after this sorte For this cause haue I suffred thee to stand that I may shâ—we my power to theo and that my name may be honoured in al the earth He sayeth not I haue taken away thy wittes from thee and I haue caused thee to be madde that thou shouldest continually rebell against mee but I haue suffred thee a greate while and haue differred thy due punnishmente that I mighte reserue it to the greater setting out of my glorie and the saluation of many men He called Pharao both to faith and also to honestie But for so much as Pharao regarded not the goodnesse of God but ranne on like a wild colt vpon an vnbridled affection it stode verie wel not onely with Goddes iustice but also with his mercie that many menne should by the most iust example of Pharao be put in feare and so brought to good ordre For as the gouernours of common weales doe vse to out of with constant seueritie such as they can not redresse by lighter punishmentes to the ende that they may by the terrour of that punishment keepe the rest of the citizins in ordre euen so doth that most high gouernour shew sometimes an exaÌ„ple of seueritie vpon them that wil not be refourmed but wil vpoÌ„ sinne wickedly coÌ„mitted heape a shamelesse defence that he maie by the deathe of those lewd persons benefite the whole and that he may in punishing the wicked shew many points of his high mercie What is the cause then that we see that word so often repeted And God hardened the heart of Pharao To hardeÌ„ is to gâ—ue vnto wicked men which do abuse good thiÌ„gs vnto malice some matter with the which they may encreace their syn and stubbornes Knowest thou not saith S. Paule that the goodnes of God mooueth the to penaÌ„ce But thou according to thy hardnes and vnrepentaunt hart doest treasure vp to thy self displeasure In like maner therefore God caused not that hardnes in Pharao but Pharao refused the mercie of God and of a certaine hardnes and frowardnes that was rooted in him abused the clemeÌ„cy of God vnto greater syn and so encreased the heape of Gods wrathe towardes him euery day more and more Now marke how wonderfully the Apostle linketh together his argumeÌ„ts â–ª First of al he declareth that to be a true Israelite cometh not of mans nature but of the grace of God Then he confirmeth the iustice of God by the greatnes of his grace which is offred freely to al men that wil vse it For by that mercie it is euidently seene that such as perished perished through theyr owne default and this doth he declare more plainly by the example of Pharao the whiche refused the mercie of God and was willingly forlorne that it might be gathered by this that the Iewes fell in like manner through their owne wilful blindnes bicause their hearte was to obstinatly bent and harâ—lened in wickednes and that their daÌ„nation is not to be imputed vnto God which called them to saluation â–ª but vnto their owne naughtines and stubbornes
forbid me being not only a bishoppe and Prieste and long tyme exercised in the holy Scriptures with some profitte but also a man as you report your selfe both wittie and eloquent to followe this most godlie trade of learning Then by what equitie by what power by what autoritie doe you this shal it be lawful for you being a man of lawe to geaue ouer the statutes made for walles lights and eues gutters to despise and cast a side your obligations bargaines and couenantes to lay away the drawing of writes and suites in lawe and to take vppon you in Diuinitie as bold as blind baiard â–ª and to me to whom it aâ—perteyneth by office to instructe the Church committed vnto me in the holy Scriptures wil you not geue leaue to bestome much tyme and diligence in the studie of them You are iniurious two waies For you doe both violently intrude your selfe into other mens possessions and wroÌ„gfully thrust me out of myne owne by your vniust iniunctions Now those threates of yours howe weighty and graue are they What a great terrour doe they put into me You say thus If so be that you mind to vaunt your selfe to certaine men and so to assault vs any more I warne you now before that you come with farre better furniture then you haue done at this tyme. You tel me moreouer that in case you be dead before yet there shal not lacke such as shal breake the dint of my stroke Whereby I see that you could neuer so much as gesse what my meaning is I knowe that there are in that Iland many excelleÌ„t men both for wit learning and godlines which wil neuer molest me for so much as they agree with me in religion meruelously wel although you thinke it a matter not to be borne Then if any man doe write against me in case he wil coÌ„tend with reason argumeÌ„tes and examples I wil not refuse to dispute with him But if he fal to railing and reprochfull wordes I can not possibly be persuaded to make him answere For neither am I moued with any reproch neither can I looke that that victorie should tourne me to honestie where the maner of fight is so vnhonest If I shal see that there is any hope to win you and suche as you are to God I will not doubt to trie both by letters and prayers what good I am able to do Otherwise I wil not suffer my tyme wherof I haue litle to spare to be soâ—l bestowed For so doth S Paule teach vs that after one or two warnings wee should shonne the companie of suche menne as are obstinatly bent in erroneouse and wicked opinions for so much as they are condemned by their owne iudgement Wherefore I geaue you leaue to bende your selfe moste fiercely against me with tauÌ„tes and reproches Rore as much as you list crie out as lowd as you can For neither is it conuenient for my person neither yet comely for the office I beare to be moued with railing wordes or elles to make answere to euerie slaunder I neuer reuiled you whome I knewe not As for my epistle which you rend and teare with spitefull languague it hath not one reprochful word in it vnlesse perhaps you wil cal the most iust bewailing and most true declaration of errours and wicked vices a reproche And yet like a wilde bore thrust thorough with a venemous dart you raÌ„ne vpoÌ„ me as though you had ben wood But I was not only nothing disquieted with your reprochfull words but also moued to laugh at your fond talke I take my God to witnesse that if the loue which I beare to true Religion and godlines had not earnestly moued me I had neuer put pen to the paper to write against your booke But if you knew how much I pity your case and what a hartie desire I haue of your saluation for I would with all my hart as the dewty of a Christian man requireth yeald my selfe to die for the saluation of you and your countrei men you would surely be at one with me For I was not moued by anie euyl wil I beare you but it was verie charitie that prouoked me instantly to write I praie Christ our most bowntifull and almightie Lord I humbly besech him by his precious bloud shead for the saluation of al men by his woundes and most bitter passion by his death by the which he ouercame death by his victorie whiche he atchieued ouer the kingdome of Satan to deliuer that kingdom in the which hath ben sometime a dwelling place of vertue religion grauitie and iustice and is now disordered thorough the lewdnes of desperate felowes from errours and heresie to make the brightnes of his light to shine ouer them to bring them againe to the faith and vnitie of most true ReligioÌ„ to carie them backe vnto the fold of the catholike Churche to gouerne and mainteine them by the assistance of his holy spirite that al we which are now sundered in opinions maie at length agree in the vnitie of faith and loue of true Religion and so come to that euerlasting glorie to the great reioysing of al the holie companie in heauen Liber iste lectus est approbatus à viris sacrae Theologiae et Anglicani idiomatis peritissimis quibus tutò credendum esse existimo maximè cùm tantùm translatus sit ex Latino legitimè approbato Cunerus Petri Pastor Sancti Petri Louanis 3. septemb Anno. 1568. The Monarchie of the Church Mat. 16. c. Luc. 22. d. Caut 2. d. 2. Thessal 2. b. The rebellion in Fraunce Math. 7. â— The vviâ— lines of heretikes Heretiks enemies to chastitie Popular vvhat it is Clavvâ— backes of the court Heresse cause of ciuile vvarreâ— aÌ„d bloudâ— shead Heresie ouer â–ª throvve of Kings and king domes Prou. 3. d. Luthers death Mat. 7. 6 VnvvriteÌ„ truthes Mat. 5. d 10. 3. a 10. 4. c. Galat. 5. a 1. Cor. 11. â— Act. 15. e. The originall and institutioÌ„ of moÌ„kes Hâ—b 13. a. Exod. 19. c 1. Cor. 7. a Mat. 19. b Psal 72. d 1. Cor. 6. d 1. Tim. 3. b 1. Cor. 7. g 1. Tim. 5. b. 1. Cor. 7. g. 1. Cor. 7. b 1. Tim. 5. b â— Cor. 7. g Math. 1â— b. True libertie â–ª Imageâ— â—xod 25. b. Numer 2â— b. 4. Reg. 18. a. The Image of the Crosse â— Confession Num. 5. a Math. 3. b Act. 19. d. Iacob 5. d The profit of coÌ„fession Humilitie The effectes of coÌ„fession Satisfaction Math. 3. â— Esai 1â— b. The Sacrament of the Aulter Rom. 8. f. 1. Cor. 1â— 4. 1. Co. â—1 f. 1. Co. 11. g. Mat. 26. e Mar. 14. c Luc. 22. b. â— Co. 11. c. Synaxis Eucharistia The effectes of the SacrameÌ„t of the Aulter 2. IoaÌ„ 1. c. Praier in the vulgar tongue Discretiâ— in preaching Thinges requisite in a preacher â— Tim. 1. b Not necessarie tâ— haue the scriptureâ— in the vulgar tongue â— Cor. 12. b. 1. Cor. 1â— a. 1. Cor. 12. a. 1. Cor. 14. f. 1. Cor. 14. f. ConuenieÌ„ter disâ—idere are M. Haddons vvords in Latine Flatterie 1. Pet. â— c. Ro. 13. a. Rom. 13. a. 1. Tim. 2. a 1. Pet. 2. c. Laie men plagued of God for taking vpoÌ„ them the office of Priests Num. 16. a 2. Re. 6 â–ª a. 2. Paral â–ª 26. d. Daniel 5 â–ª g. Rom 8. a. Ro. 3. d Galat. 5. a Onlie faith iustifieth not Rom. 2. b. Luthers most daÌ„nable doctrine touching Workes Rom. 2. b. Mat. 7. 6. A sound and catholike doctrine touching vvorkes Gala. 5. a. Hebr. 7. c. Hebr. 9. 6. Works of the lavve do not iustifie Rom. 8. a. Gal. 5. c. Psal 61. d. Ro. 2. b. 2. Cor. 5. b Ro. 14. d. Mat. 25. d Ro. 10. c. The faith of the chuâ—che is fruâ—ful Io â–ª 15. b. Mat. 7. 6. Luthers faith fruitles Predestination Free Wil. Phil. 2. b. Apoâ— 3. d. Philip. 4. c Gala. 5. b. Rom. 9. c. 2. Tim. 2. c A learned expositioÌ„ of S. Pauls Wordes Rom. 9. b â–ª Rom. 11. c. Rom. 9. c â–ª Gen. 18. b. â—sounde and Cathâ— like conclusion Rom. 9. c. Election 1. Tim. 2. a Rom. 9. c. Rom. 9. c. Exod. 9. d. Rom. 9. â— Ibidem Rom. 9. d. Rom. 9. â— Esai 50. d Rom. 9. c. Prou. 1. a. Protag and Diag thought there vvas no God ProuideÌ„ce ProtestaÌ„ts denie Gods prouidence Vertue euer assaulted and yet preuaileth The state and belefe of the Catholike Churche Rom. 13. a Mar. 9. f. Crosses Images oâ— Saintes Gal. 2. d. The Catho like faith Heb. 5. c. Workes Free vvill Ceremonies Penance ConfessioÌ„ Mat. 10. d. Luc. 10. c. Io. 13. c. Our Lords Supper The office of bishops The times of the yere Aduent Christmas Nevvyeres daie Tvvelse daie Câ—delmas Lent The holy Weeke Easter Ascension Witsontide The feasts of Saincts The feasts of our Ladie Deut. 18. d. A mark to discerne a false Prophete by Ier. 20. a. Purgatory proued by Luther Matt. 12. c. â— Macab â—2 g. 1. Tim. 3. c. Purgatorie Marc. 9 â–ª g Esaie 66. a 2. Reg. 12. d. 1. Pet. 4. d 1. Pet. 3. d Ibideâ— â–ª 1. Cor. 15. d. Luc. 22. â— Mat. 2â— â— 1. Cor. 15. d. 2. Tim. 4. â— Often chaunging of lavves daungerous The firste founding of the protestantes Churche Gen. 7. â— Gen. 19. â— Damasipâ—us had no â—hing of a 〈…〉 but â—…ely a â—ard The â—â—ber â—…erfore â—â—ing 〈…〉 rd 〈◊〉 avvai â— Philophie Tit. 3. c.