clensing liuing mennes hearts by faith hearing and beleeuing the gospell why do they suffer any priestes in saying masses so dangerously and damnably to abuse the word of god and the churche and spouse of Christe contrary vnto the gospell of Christe yée that know that gods word is abused if it be not so plainly red preached or pronounced as may make men to vnderstand knowe and beleeue gods truth and that the séely soules and simple persones hated and contemned héer liuing in this world be the church and spouse which Christ hath purchased purified sanctified vnto him selfe by his owne bloud I beséeche you beware of those procters of purgatorie whiche by their masse bring themselues and all theirs into suche a madde mase as too imagine that their woords which cannot be heard and vnderstand to comforte the consciences of the liuing may in any wise serue to saue or deliuer the soules of the deade or that those landes and goods which be bestowed to replenish their temples with their owne idle bellies and with carued and painted images be any other things than the open and abhominable spoile robbery of the liuely stones members and ministers of the holie Churche and mysticall bodie of Iesus Christ. This sinfull abuse is like to cause England to be sore plaged especially bicause of suche men as did pretende a loue vnto Christes gospell to gette abbay Landes and churche goodes into their handes and nowe consent to expell and persecute the gospell to kepe the same in their hands and in the meane time neither be ashamed nor afraid of their manifest and manifold periurie in suche solemne othes for the purchase and possession of their lands goodes for the inheritance of the Crowne for the iuste authoritie of the king for the vsurped primacie of the pope for the profession both of godly religion and of vngodly Idolatrie and Superstition as by the woords of their owne mouthes taking God to witnesse they haue shewed them selues afore all the worlde periurers theeues and traitoures vnto their countrey vnto their king vnto GOD and vnto man vndoutedly these euill abuses bée sure tokens of sore vengeaunce Likewise all abused oblations and sacrifices do rather prouoke than appease the anger and wrathe of God towardes man as was wel séene in the sacrifice of Caine lacking faith and in the multitude of sacrifices offered of the Israelites with bloudie haÌ„ds of vncharitable gotten goods Wherfore the lord crieth saying that he is ouerburdened sore greeued and wearied with many sacrifices He sayth the hands of the offerers be bloudy he hateth al burnt offerings of spoile and robberie euery thing is spoile and robberie afore God that is gotten or kept vncharitably amongst men O howe vncharitably did the Pharisies catch and kéepe vnto themselues by their traditions the riches and releefe which yong men did owe vnsoo their olde impotent parentes by Gods commaundement They did pretend such a seruice towards god the father the church their moother as though al oblations coÌ„ming vnto their hands for the mayntenance thereof should best haue pleased god and most profited the people and their parents when as in déed by teaching such their traditions so contrary vnto Gods coÌ„maundements they did rob God of his honor the churche of holinesse the people of their riches and poore parentes of due and necessarie releefe and reuerence And much like or farre worsse is the manner of them which to maintaine masse as dayly sacrifice for the séely soules in Purgatorie according vnto mans imagination contrarie vnto Gods word do robbe the liuely members of Christ vpon earth â—f the comfortable light of the Gospell and of charitable reléefe of men pretending nothing to be so much vnto gods glory and all mennes profite as the masse which in deede maketh gods house of prayer a deÌ„ of theeues too rob God of his honor and gods people of much riches and of all godlinesse For pretending to honor God vpon the altare and to releeue soules in purgatorie by the sacrifice of the masse they dishonor God in heauen and dangerously blinde the mind and cumber the consciences of meÌ„ vpon earth with such doctrine and déeds according vnto the fantasie of man contrarie vnto the coÌ„mandement of God as bée indéede afore God a stinking sacrifice of vile abhomination bycause they be vncharitable and vnfaithfull Nothing can be acceptable vnto god without fayth that worketh by charitie Fayth commeth by hearing of the worde of god So whosoeuer doth not learn by the worde of God to beléeue in God and liue in charitie but will presume vppon his owne ymagination to offer vnto God the sacrifice of his seruice according as hée seeth in the fashion of this world commonly hée caÌ„ not attaine vâ—to saâ—uation by fayth in Chryste as Abel did but deserue damnation for his owne doings as Cain did He that liueth in idlenesse vpon other mennes labours or that is much occupied in anie other than in his owne office cannot offer his own body in diligent doinâ— of his owne dutie as a sacrifice holie liuelie and acceptable vnto God for hee hath no faith working by charitie according vnto Gods worde but some such wittie and worldly policie as by couetousnesse and ambition is framed alwayes according vnto the fashion of the worlde Such were the priestes pastors in Israell féeding theÌ„selues not the flock Such were the prelates in Ierusalem voyde of humble diligence in godly doctrin full of arrogant businesse in ciuill matters Suche were the carnall Gospellers and couetous worldlings and painted prelates in England euer pretending such religion and reformation as best pleased the King the Quéene or highest in authoritie and neuer ceassing in shifting and séeking for their owne safetie profite and vainglorie to turne many things froÌ„ euill vnto worse vnto the great slaunder of godly religion vtter abolishment of all reformation Suche hauing no liuely faith in Christes merits desired and deserued the shadow of death vnder diuellishe abuses in a solemne Masse The grosse vices in manifest abuses afore were neuer so euill and abhominable as was in Christes time the fine coloured hipocrisy of those which once caused Christ to bée crucified at Hierusalem or of suche as yet take vppon them dayly to sacrifice Christ in all places AdaÌ„ in Paradise abused an apple a small trifle neglecting many good gifts of God they in Hierusalem in al places teache kéepe mens traditioÌ„s neglecting making of no force the coÌ„maundementes of God. Many men at other times abhominably sinned concerning godly Matrimonie and natural séed moued only by couetousnesse or carnall beautie to take wiues and kéepe whoores or otherwise vnnaturally to satisfie their filthie lusts these Priests through couetousnesse and ambition with vsurped authoritie did then in the Iewishe Synagoge and do nowe in the Romish churche abuse the amiable daughters of the holy citie the consciences of deuoute men in the spiritual Hierusalem also vnkindly conuey and corruptly abuse
yoke of the law to force men thoroughe feare to fall into Desperation which should by the libertie of the Gospell be allured of loue to walke in the way of saluation And it is a perillous presumption of man with gréeuous offence against God and a great blemishing of the gospell to renue the same or deuise any other such like sacrifices or Ceremonies as God hathe now once abolished by the light of the gospel And finally there can be nothing more contrary vnto the truth of god the comfort of man than to imagin any bodily presence of Christ vpon earth with men vnto whome he sayde it was expedient that he shuld depart from them for else the holy Ghost the comforter should not come vnto them But if I depart sayth Christ I will send him and he when he commeth shal reproue the worlde of sinne of righteousnesse and of iudgement but he shall comforte you and hée shall remayne with you For beholde through his power and presence you preaching the Gospell haue me alwayes wyth you in all tymes and places euen vnto the ende of the worlde Thus therefore it is euident howe that al other things did serue in other times and places so that now remaineth vnto vs only the Gospell of Christe with suche spiriall presence of Christe as is the power of God vnto the saluatiō of all that do beléeue For all that do beleeue the Gospel be made children of God to enherite his heauenlye kingdome membres of Christes mysticall body to be liuely stones of an holy churche and temple garnished not with golde siluer copper or colour in caruings or paintinges to please the eyes of men but with holynesse and righteousenesse acceptable afore god The goodly costly ornamentes deckings of the tabernacle of Moses of the temple of Salomon curiously wrought by the hands of cunning workmen serued but for a season coulde no longer continue either to please God or profit man But faith which worketh by charitie is in hearing of the gospel wrought in the harts minds of men by the inspiration of the holy gost with beautiful frutes of charitable works shall alwayes shyne and set forth the glory of God in the church of Christe for Christes churche is the elect kinred the Kingly Priesthood the holie assemblie and the peculiar people which God hath called oute of darknesse vnto his maruellous light for to shewe and set forth his vertues They be surely built vpon the foundation of the Prophetes and the Apostles fast framed vnto the heade corner Christe in faithe euer working and fashioning them by charitie so conformably vnto the example and doctrine of Christe set forth by the Prophets Apostles and Euangelists that al diuelish deceytfulnesse in the world can neither blynde nor bring them to mistake and forsake their Lord and sauiour Christ ▪ and his holy Catholike Church for they in Faith doe euer sée the face of Christe and the forme and fashion of Christes churche in holy Scriptures euen so as God by his worde dothe sufficiently shewe to be séene knowne and reuerenced of all men at all tymes and in all places But suche men as care not for the scriptures can not cléerely sée or knowe any thing that is good and godly but boldly and blyndely in all thinges misiudge mystake and mislike Christ and his holye Churche according vnto the common custome and mannes fonde imagination For when as they will not learne to vnderstand know the truthe by the worde of God then they do deserue to be deceiued with lyes by the crafte of the Diuell in learning suche sayings as lacketh all knowledge and vnderstanding What knowledge or vnderstanding gette they which learne to saye that they doe beléeue as the Churche teacheth and bée taught to say and confesse their beléefe in a straunge Language When as they say I doe beléeue as the Churche teacheth and the Churche teacheth them that vnderstand no Latine to say Credo in Deum Patrem omnipotentem c. Surely in suche sayings they learne to vnderstand and perceiue nothing but take what soeuer commeth by the craft of the deuill into their imagination so highly that they wil neuer hūble themselues to be taught of gods spirite by gods word truly For there is no lesson that lyketh and pleseth them so wel as the lesson of that Doctor which sayth Say that thou beléeuest as the Church doth and my soule for thyne O what auayleth it a man to say wordes the whiche he doth nothyng perceyue in mynde nor declare in déeds or who is able in heauen or earth to paye the price or guage the pledge of mannes soule but onely Christ the sonne of God Take héede for the falling of their Doctor or teacher into the Dungeon of damnation is no excuse for them that wylfullye folowe a blinde guide They are wilfull and blynd which refuse the gospell of God and folow the Doctrine of men They deserue to bee damned for folowing a blinde guide which will not be taughte the Christian Beléefe but in suche a tongue as they can vnderstand neuer a worde which wil not be persuaded to beleue the holy catholike church but in such sort as they shal neither beléeue nor know the Gospell of christ For they which learn by the Gospel to know Christ and beléeue in him haue a lyuely Faythe working by charitie not of selfe loue séeking by their owne merites to saue themselues or to haue vainglorie but knowing and beléeuing that they be saued wholly by Christes merites onely of a pure loue towardes God and their neighbour without any truste or looking vnto the worthynesse of their owne déeds they be earnestly bent vnto good woorkes to the glorie of God and the profite of all men Thou that lackest the light of the gospel maist say that thou beléeuest as the church doth and yet thinke in thy heart that thou by thy good déedes maist be saued yea that thou wouldest not do good deedes but that thou beleeuest by them to win heauen And so trusting to winne Heauen by thy good workes which the truth of the gospel teacheth can not be purchased but by Christes bloud and doing all thy workes for loue of thy selfe without pure loue of God and thy neighboure albeit thou say vnto men that thou beléeuest as the Church doth yet afore God thy heart and mynde is voyd of Christen faith and godly charitie and far from any true loue of Christ and his Gospell CHAP. VI. Certayne differences of chaste loue and of corrupte loue of Christianitie and of Idolatrie of Christes Churche and of Antichristes kingdome of the Masse and of the Communion THere is a greate difference betwixte the pure loue of honeste matrimonie and the filthy loue of vile harlotrie If the harlot knowe she shall not be forsaken then will she set light to offend hir paramour in daliance with other the more assured that an honest matrone is of hir husbandes loue the more diligent will
trauell and many troubles in wildernesse where as their bodies and carkases all died and perished their wiues children were ofte and gréeuously plagued And euen so when as a man is called in witnessing of Gods truth by any deathe to come spedily out of this world into heaueÌ„ then if for feare or loue of freÌ„des goods hée vtterly wil refuse deny so to forsake all come vnto God he shall deserue that God with long wretchednesse in this worlde shold destroy him and plage all that is hys For in fleeing from spéedie passage by a fierie fagot which is sodenly ended hee shal fall in daunger of a fiery feuer or of some such sicknesse as shal most miserably consume his body euer biting and burning by a little a little to make him to feele long sorowes of life vnder a slow deathe Yea in refusing to come with a courage beyng louingly called of God vnto life euerlasting he runneth in danger to dispaire when as by fearful death hee shal be forced to forsake this world this life and euery suche thing as hée nowe lyketh and loueth Many fearing to bée shutte vp in a stinking prison where as godly men haue euer found most swéete consolations of Goddes spirit doo flée from the truthe and fall into snares and banâ—s of the diuell drawne with grudge grief of conscience vnto moste vile and filthie seruice of sin superstition and idolatry Many also bee so addicte vnto their owne countrey there abiding in the shadowe of death vnder Idolatrie that they will not desire séek and find the churche of Christ in other places openly assembled in suche sincere profession of Christen Religion as God dothe blesse and beautifie with the riches and grace of his cléere truth comfortable countenance Many knowing and liking the truth inwardly in their mind yet frame themselues in outwarde apperance to please the world hauing their owne conscience to witnesse that in purposing so to please bothe God and man they can not long escape the iudgement shame confusion of vnfaithfull flattering dissembling bothe with God man For in halting vppon both sides they can not vprightly stand or go with either party but in bowing vnto Baal they fall from god And hauing good knowledge of God and yet giuing occasion of offence to the simple that lacke knowlege they deserue worse than a milstone to be tyed about their necke and to be drowned in the sea bycause they seeing vngodlinesse doe wittingly presume afore the face of God to bring them selues and others folowing their example in danger of the same that they sée is vngodly by going to Masse and pretending a loue and knowlege vnto the gospell they make the simple ignorant to think that the Masse is not vngodly or that for policye a faythfull Christian may company with the vngodly at vngodlynesse A man may haue iust occasion to kéepe or change any place but neuer to yelde or agrée vnto any euill and vngodly thing It is not the flying from place to place only but from the vngodly fashion of this worlde vnto newnesse of life that can profite man and please god So therefore vse all places as may helpe beste to the amendment of your liues And where as ye do sée Idolatry mainteined forced by authoritie fary not in that countrey except God haue so there prouided for you that ye shall not be forced for feare of man to bowe vnto Baal for to flatter please worldly powers to heare or say the vngodly Masse And if ye come forth of youre countrey for loue of youre pure religion reste not but in suche places as haue the riche blessings of sincere godly doctrine and discipline If yée forsake your countrey for Christes cause doe not leaue Christes Churche Gods blessings grace and chéerful countenance to please Christes enimies When as God shall sende his messanger in the spirit power of Helias then they that halte vpon both sides shall bée sharply rebuked they that be neyther hote nor colde shall bée cast vp vomited and spued forthe as moste vngodly and wicked They that flatter Princes and mock and persecute prophets and preachers shall bée in daunger of fire from heauen to destroy them The priests of Baal shall not escape the rage of the people stirred of zele in seing howe abhominably by them they haue of long time ben deceiued God dishonored All suche as bée of the house and kinred of the kind conditions of Achab Iesabell in getting vnrighteous possessions in sheding innoceÌ„t blood in vsing and maynteyning idolatrie shall féele zelous Iehu executing wrath and vengeaunce of God vppon them vnto the third and fourth generation of them WheÌ„ suche as Peter that before a woman was afrayde to confesse Christe bée so recouered and encouraged by Gods spirite that boldly they wil charge the chiefe rulers the high Priestes and all the people euen to their faces that they haue forsaken and condemned the Gospell of Chryste whiche is the power of God vnto saluation of all that do beléeue and required taken the masse whiche is the author and maker of sedition murder of mens soules then shal ye heare and see that there is no way to escape the wrath and vengeance of God but by fléeing now from this frowarde and peruerse generation vnto that sauing health whiche God in Christe by the light ministerie of the Gospel doth shew send offer to you Therfore now when as God doth shew vnto you the abhomination of desolation standing in the holie place When as hée dothe giue you warning of vengeance that is coÌ„ming flée from ignorance vnto knowledge froÌ„ vice vnto vertue from worldlinesse vnto godlinesse and loke not backe at the losse of any thing as the wife of Lot did and was turned into a salt piller nor looke not aside at any terrible stormes and raging waues which might cause you like vnto Peter to fainte for feare and sinke in worldely wretchednesse as in the water but set your eyes and your heartes wholly vpon the promis and prouision of God as Abraham did so shall ye be strong in faith and take and kéepe the right way eueÌ„ vnto the ende For thou shalt see finde and féele in leauing or loosing any thing to take and beare the crosse of Christ manifold recompence héere and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting and paynful death vpon earth spéedy passage vnto the ioyes of heauen in close prison and bonds of the body libertie of conscience to solace the minde in heauenlie meditation and in expulsion or fléeing from kindred and countrie entrance into a christen congregation garnished with all godlinesse belonging vnto Christes kingdome And for the loue and desire to sée and enioy the restitution and aduauncement of this kingdome rather than of any worldy wealth vain glory or tyrannous emperie do not woorke or wish vengeaunce vnto other least that it fall vppon your selues or else least that
So Adam in Paradise by the abuse of the fruite of one trée contrary vnto Gods commaundement shewed suche a sinfull minde as was disobedient vnto God paysoned by the Diuell to preferre a fantasie of false persuasion vnto all the profits and pleasures in Paradise of Gods gracious gifte and prouision So commonly in all realmes and countries and notably in England they whiche receiue great honours possessiōs dignities and offices to be well vsed vnto the honor of God and to the profite of all men Yet for the imagination of priuate pleasure or profit in the abuse of some little things doe deserue death and damnation vnto themselues with losse of al things that is theirs The Israelites placed by Gods prouision in the Lande of promisse by their owne craft and crueltie plucking some parts and parcels one from an other did at lengthe deserue the losse of all together both lands and goodes and themselues to bée taken of strangers and vsed as captiues For the vncharitable getting and kéeping one from an other is the iuste cause of cruell spoyle and losse of all together So Achab in getting a vineyard did lose a kingdome when as he negligently abusing the policie of Iesabel did abhominably sinne in sheading Nabothes bloud Take héede O England for no man can vse more gentle words and liberall promises vnto thée for the inheritaunce of thy croune thā Achab did vnto Naboth for his vineyard and yet by the policie of Iesabel with the consent of the rulers and elders of Iezrael was Naboth spoiled cruelly bothe of his life and of his enheritance and so Achab ioyned the vnrighteous possession of a vineyarde vnto his kingdome not of malice willing the crueltie of Naboths death but of couetousnesse taking the profite of Iesabels policie which was a woman rather encouraged than corrected chastised by the King the countrey to expulse and persecute Gods Prophets for the fauoure shée bare vnto Baals priests And these things then neglected of the king the rulers the cōmons and the countrey as small trifles were soone after rewarded and plagued of God with greate and gréeuous vengeance O Lorde when and with what wilte thou rewarde them that haue more vncharitable gaines than righteous possessions that haue conueyed by couetousnesse pretie portions of a kingdome vnto little or nothing of their owne enheritance that can be content to take profite of other mennes euill policies and also themselues to deuise and practise craftie cruelnesse that haue burned and banished the preachers of the gospel of Christ to receiue and set vp sayers and singers of a ceremonious masse I write not these things to stirre vp cankred stomakes vnto enuie against other but to moue charitable men of pitie to pray vnto God for their countrey O England if that thou dost think that superstitious ceremonies worldly vanities and craftily cloked couetousnesse and ambition be but smal trifles yet shouldest thou be well assured that God will sometimes remember such smal trifles and not long delay the ful reward of more abhominable abuses in greater matters It is a great mater when as any things of great goodnesse either by Gods creation or institutiō be in any wise abused through mannes imagination So was woman created and commended of God vnto mā as a helper vnto comfort and natural séede giuen to the increase of mankinde being both together sanctified in matrimony vnto Gods glory and vnto mannes continuance comforte and commoditie But the floude in Noes time whiche drouned the whole worlde and fire with Brimstone which destroyed Sodome and Gomor did witnesse by vengeance how great and greuous a matter the abhominable sin of thē was whiche did mistake vnto themselues wiues for bodily beautie onely or otherwise misuse themselues in satisfying of their filthy lasts vnnaturally Also the Israelites in the lande of promisse did loue and take in mariage many straunge women hating and forsaking their own lawfull wiues yea they did offer their séede vnto Moloch sacrifising their children vnto Idols and with these euill abuses of these good things they so infected and poysoned the lande that it did euen vomit and spue out them as most vile filthinesse afore the face of God and man. Let all men take héede whiche knowe that God hath created man and woman and sanctified wedlocke vnto their necessary and comfortable felowship that they do nothing contrary vnto Gods ordinance either refusing suche comfortable helpe as they need of one wife or else abusing many women or worse wayes deuised taught by the Deuil to satisfie their filthy lusts that vnder pretence of honest loue to make godly matrimonie there be no craftely couered couetousnesse to commit abhominable ivolatrie Take héede all parentes and you that haue Wardes that yee offer not your séede vnto Moloch that ye sacrifice not your children vnto Idols ioyning them togither by your couetousnesse which is Idolatrie when as there is none suche loue in them as may make godly matrimony Yea all men ought to beware that they cloke not their gréedie couetousnesse and filthie lustes vnder the pretence of any godly purpose For when as Sichem Emors sonne being the head man of the citie of Sichem sought to satisfy his carnal lust with Dina Iacobs daughter persuaded the citizēs of Sichem through couetousnesse of gains to be had of other mens goods to take circumcision appéere in outward profession like vnto the Israelites in religion then that deuilishe purpose couered vnder that godly pretence prouoked vengeance to the vtter destruction of Sichem and all those citizēs Matrimony of gods institution circumcision as a sacrament to seale the profession of gods pure religion were good things according vnto gods ordinance but the abuse of them was a greate euill and a hainous sinne contrary vnto Gods commaundement and therfore is the plage and vengeance which fell vpon them written to be a warning that vengeance from God will fall vppon all Cities and countreys in the which suche hypocrites by suche abuses of Gods ordinances and sacraments do sore slander the true profession of Gods pure religion O England beware least that thou be found still to kéepe and flatter filthie lecherie couetousnesse and ambition cloked vnder the pretence of honestie religion and godlinesse Beware also of the false hearts of such flatterers as easily gaue any honor or authoritie from Christ and the king vnto the Pope to kéepe lands and goods from the crowne the Churche and the common wealth vnto themselues Englande demaunde of them that haue graunted vnto the Pope all authoritie why they do denie him his purgatorie and if they thinke that there is purgatorie wheras séely soules lie to be reléeued by saying masse why do not they restore and bestow al their lands and goods to maintein many masses for to ease and deliuer séely soules out of so great forments and miseries And if they do know that there can be no purgation for sinneful soules but onely Christes bloud