continue this day to morrow aÌ„d the nexte daye cÌ„ So that he lefte not the ministracioÌ„ of the worde / nether for the kynges plesur nor yet for fere of dethe Also we haue opynly / Dani. 3. that the thre chyldern wolde not obey to the coÌ„mandiment of kyng nabuchodonosor / by cause it was ageÌ„st the worde of God / lykewyse we haue an exaÌ„ple / where as the kynge darius commandyd that no man shulde axe any peticyoÌ„ / Danie 6. eyther of god or maÌ„ with in the space of xxx days but of hym only / Not with stondynge Daniell went in to his hovse / and thryse in a daye made hys prayers to god of Ierusalem / for the which thyng he was put in to the denne of liones / the whiche he dyd obey as in suffering of the payne but not in consentyng to the vnryght commandement / So that Christen men are bound to obey in sufferyng the kynges tyranny / but not inconsentyng to hys vn lawfulle commandiment / alle ways hauynge a fore theyr yies / Mat. 10. the confortable sayng of oure M. christ Fere not them that kylle the boddy / which whaÌ„ they haue done they cane no more doo / 1. Pet. 3. Also S Petter / happy are ye if yov suffer for ryghttusnes sake / neuer the lesse fere not / thovgh they seme terebille vn to yov neither be trublyd but sanctify the lord god in youre harte And let theÌ„ not fere but that their father of heuyn hathe care for them / And shalle delyuer them / And also brynge his godly worde vn to lyght whaÌ„ yt shalle plesse hys eternalle wille / ageÌ„ste the whyche no tyrante is abylle to wyth stond But whane the tyraÌ„tes thynke them selfe most suer of the vyctory / and be alle reddy prouydyd to burne Susanna / Dani. 13. thaÌ„ shalle he reyse vp a danielle that shalle caulle a gayne the sentence of the lecherous prystes / And whan Ioseph is solde in to Egypt / and there cast in prison than wille he make him lorde ouer alle Egypt yee and also ouer them that solde hym Genes 37. et 39. He brengeth also to passe that proud Aman be he neuer so grett in the kynges fauoure shalle be hangyd on hys awne gallowes / that he made for mardocheus the Isralyte / Also whan Pharao hathe commandyd vnder payne of dethe to destroye alle the men chyldern of Israel / Than cane he fynd the menys to saue Moses ye and that on the watter Exod. 2. where as alle the power of Egypt coulde not saue the kynge / yee and he norryshyd hym in the kynges hovse / at the kynges cost ye and by the kynges doughter / Dyd pharao supposse thys or was there any counselle of Pharaos that coulde preuaylle agenste this was there any wysdom or tyranny in the erth that was abille to extincte moses nay verely Furtheremore whaÌ„ Israell hath byn in egipte .iiij. C. yerys in grett captiuite and thralduÌ„ / yet agenst Pharaos wille kepith he hys promis and deliuereth them and makyth watter fyer and erthe to serue them / and whan alle Israel was in dispayre and pharao the tyrant was reddy to sucke bloud Than shewed oure God his myghtty power what can Israell thynke whan he hath the red see a fore hym / And pharao with alle his might and power after hym / and of euerye syde a grett mountayne / what hope hathe he by mans myght / by mans power / by mans wysdom / by mans pollisy / for to be deliueryd none at alle But a fore Israelles carnalle yie alle thing ys in extreme dysperacyon Psal 2 But now you prynces that Iudge the erthe lerne and take hed / here coÌ„mith the god of Israell / whoÌ„ all Egypt hath dispysyd / skornyd mokkyd and coÌ„demnyd and sheweth hys myght where as nothyng can helpe but he wonly / and where the tyrantis rekkyn to be most suer of victorduÌ„ / Act. 12. there bringyth he all theyr malys too an ende And whaÌ„ herod hath peter in preson faste bound in chenys / and of euery syde of hym a sodyare and kepers sett at the preson dore euerye man in his offyce watchyng that peter shall not escape for herod in tendeth the day folowyng too brynge hym forthe to wonderynge and also to dethe Than agenst herodis wyll / a boue all his might a boue alle his wysdum and polycy / notwythstondinge alle the sodyarâ—s and gaolars of the preson / cometh the power of oure eternalle god and ledeth Peter thorow the fyrste and the second warde / yee and the brason gate must wylfully open / and lett Peter out / whome oure lorde god wolde delyuer Shortly / what shulde I brynge meny examples to proue godes power and to declare how the trouth of god and hys childerne be alle ways in persecucyon / but the ende is all ways glory vnto them wherfore this won example / of oure Master Christe shalle be sufficient to stablish and to confirme alle febylle hartes / and also to molyfye alle stonye hartes / and fynallye to confound / the violent tyranny of mortalle tyrantes which be but stubbilles keye and duste / and in a moment be brought to a lumpe of stynkyng carryon / consyder oure master Christe which is the very trew sone of god / Mat. 27. 28. and god him selfe and yet ys he crucyfyde and put to dethe / as a sedicious person / as a malefactor as a theffe / as a traytoure / yee and as an heretyke / he is layde also in the graue and a grete stone a fore the dore / and sodyars that were not of the commen sorte / but of the Romayns / be sett dylygently to kepe the graue wyth alle the polycy and wysdum that the bysshopes coulde devysse / and alle that he shulde not rysse vpp agayne acordynge to hys worde / but alle this could not helpe for the powre of god wold not be lett / hys veryte coulde not be proued false / hys worde coulde not be oppressed / but whane the tyrantes thought to make theyr tryumphe off vyctorye / than were they most overcumme / for yt ys neyther watter nor fyer / see nor Londe / heueÌ„ nor erthe / dethe nor helle / that cane let god to defende his chyldern / or to bring forthe his godly word to lyght / and to kepe his eternalle promysys / Therfore let Christen meÌ„ not fere to kepe the worde of god and faste there by to abyde / and not to deny yt for any tyranny / for the day shalle come whane it shalle be gretly to their glory / And Sodom / and Gomor shalle be more easelye handlyd / than suche prynces / that do persecute the holy worde off God Now is it clear made that we can not resyst this temporalle power in no wysse by vyolence / but if we haue wrong either we must do the
ys abylle and also wolde make them worthy to reseue their peticions / so that if men had faithe they shulde perfytly know that they had nede of no more than this won Christ that they shulde nor ought not seke to no other mediator / eyther to optayne any thing / or els to make them worthy but shulde know and confesse both in worde and dede / that Christ alonly is abylle ynough yee and so myghty and so mercyfulle / that all other fayned and invented mediators of meÌ„ be vyle / fylthy and abhominable of them selfe / to be coÌ„pared to hym If this faith I say ware prynted in the hartes of men / thaÌ„ what shulde they or could they desyer more thaÌ„ this won mediator Iesus Christe / what coulde they haue that of him by him they coulde not optayne truly nothinge that they coulde ryghttully axe / as alle scripturs bere wyttnes But now lett alle these makers of new godes cumylate theÌ„ selfe to gether on a hepe / shew me but won place ye won Iote / or won example in holye scripture that euer meÌ„ dyd pray to saynctes or woÌ„ that entered in to heueÌ„ by saynctes prayers christe assended as the scripturs be playne in to heueÌ„ by his awne power / now wolde I know of these new godmakers by whose power aÌ„d helpe that the fyrste sayncte came in to heueÌ„ / saye not by the intercession of saynctes for I wyll say than that there wer none in heueÌ„ / nor bi his awne holines for thaÌ„ dyed christ in vayne / yf he came by christ woÌ„ly why may he not alone helpe vs thyther hys power is not wekyd / hys marcye is no lesse towarde vs than yt was towarde him Now here yov se alle the causys that brought the fyrste saynte to heueÌ„ / these causys be sufficieÌ„t yee and alonly a lowed of the scripturs of god / ergo they be also sufficient for vs / yf we wylle beleue the scripturs of god But now to declare make thys matter open I will resite the wordes of the scripturs / fyrst I wille speke of images / of whome spekith Moses these wordes Exod. 20 Deute 5 Thou shalte make the no graueÌ„ ymages nor similitude of any thing that is in heueÌ„ aboue or in erth by nethe / or in watters vnder the erth / thov shalte nether honour nor worshyp theÌ„ Be not these wordes playne agenst all maner of images or similitudes for if sayntes be in heueÌ„ or in erth / or vnder the erth / here be their fygurs excepted other to be honoured or worshupped marke that he excepteth bothe honoring also worshypynge / now what cane yov geue to ymages that is neyther honour / nor worshyp It maketh no matter to me / whether yov call yt latria or dulia / if it be eyther honour or worshypp thaÌ„ is it agenst scripture / if it be neyther / thaÌ„ is it nothing but avoyd name inueÌ„ted of youre insaciable couytusnes to disseue symple meÌ„ with and to heepe innumerable goodes to youre selfe / for yf yov had no more profitâ— by ymages thaÌ„ yov haue deuocioÌ„ to theÌ„ / than shulde they be sone lefte dovne / who hathe sene a precius offering of a prest geueÌ„ to any image but we se dayly howe ye robbe images of other mens oblacioÌ„s But lett vs returne to oure purposse / Duns on this texte saith / Duns 3. distin 9 â–ª that by yt was yt forbyddeÌ„ to make ymages a fore the incarnacion of christ cÌ„ Now must yov prove where they be a lowed syns the incarnacioÌ„ aÌ„d shew with manifest scripturs where this texte is coÌ„deÌ„ned in the new testameÌ„t or els it stondeth faste ageÌ„ste yov after youre awne M. Duns / whome yov dare not denye Also the prophete / a maÌ„ did plante a pinaple tre / the rayne did noryshe it / Esa 44. ther off was made a fyer vn to meÌ„ / he toke of it wermed him / burnt yt baked bred there with / aÌ„d of the other parte he made him a god / did honour yt / prayd vnto yt saing / delyuer me for thou arte my god / marke the processe of the prophete / fyrst the maÌ„ plaÌ„ted this tre / than he burnte parte of yt baked brede with it / of the other parte he made him a god whoÌ„ he honoured worshyped / marke also if all these be not trewe and fulfyllâ—d of youre ymages / of the won ys made youre god whiche yov do honour / and of whoÌ„ yov desyer to be delyuered / sum from dethe / sum from syknes / sum from pestilencie / sum froÌ„ poverte / sum from theuys / sum from yvylle fortune / sum from hangynge / sum from drovnynge / and sum to saue yov from the tothe ake / sum to saue your horsse / sum your pyges / aÌ„d sum to helpe your wymeÌ„ with chylde / with many other thinges more / so that for everye thing that yov wyll desyer you haue a god to aske yt of / now of the other parte is made a payre of gaullous / is not this trew is not this plaine of what other thing in erthe cane the sayng of the prophete be veryfyd but of youre images and if yt maye be veryfyd of an hundred other thinges yet ys yt also trewe of youre ymages and vn to them a greyth most peculiarly / the prophete speketh not of won thyng only but of alle thinges that be lyke / now delyuer youre godes if yov cane / they wille not be delivered with the answere the doctour Rydley dyd wons make vn to me / that there was no maÌ„ so blynd nor so mad or foolyshe for to honour the stocke the stone that stondeth a fore them / but they refer the honour to that thinge that the image dothe represent / I answere good Master doctour / I pray yov telle me won thynge / what dyd Cicero with alle the holle senatours of Rome dyd they not honour that same thinge that stod a fore them and yet as yov say they did referre yt vn to the thing that was there by represented these men were wyse men and as well lerned in their tyme as yov / aÌ„d yet yov see for lake of knowlege of the trouth they honoured stockes and stones / I am suer yov wylle not excusse them from ydolatrye yee and that by cause they dyd honoure the stockes and stonys / and not alonly for honourynge of the thyng that was represented 3. Reg. 12. Also what dyd Roboam whaÌ„ he dyd sett vp .ij. goldeÌ„ cauluis in bethell and sayd to the people Go no more to Hierusalem be holde thy godes Israell Vvas not thys done to the honour of god for they were not so mad as ye say to thynk that those caluys were goddis / but they dyd honour them in the honoure of god and that was well declared in theyr
god / nor practys of christen men / nor exposycion of doctors / nor youre awne lawe / nor yet any statute of counselles that wylle hold agenst yov yov be meruelus giantes / how shall a man behaue hym selfe to handylle wyth yov / yt is not possible to ouer come yov / for yov wylle admytâ— nothynge that is agenst yov But yet wyll I not so leue yov / but I wylle fyrst declare yt manifestly / that yov be contrary to christe / In prohe In Epist ad Ephes Li. 1. and to alle holy doctours S. Hierom / repreueth yov very sore in these wordes O Paula and Eustochium / yf there be any thyng in this lyffe that dothe preserue a wyse man and dothe persuade hym to abyde wyth a good wylle in the oppressions and the thravlledoms of the world I do rekken that specially yt is the meditacioÌ„s and the studdy of holy scripture seyng that we doo dyffer from other creaturs specially in that that we be resonable and in that that we cane speke / now is reason and alle maner of wordes conteyned in godly scriptur / where by that we may lerne to know god and also the cause wherfore we be created / wherfore I doo sore marvelle / that there be certen men the whiche geue theÌ„ selfe / to slouthefullnes / and sluggyshnes aÌ„d wille not lerne those thinges / that be good / but rekken those men worthy to be reproued / that haue that good mynd cÌ„ Marke how that this was wrytten to two wemen / that were lerned Also he rekneth nothyng better / than to studdy holy scriptures / he also meruelyth / that serten wylle neyther studdy scriptures them selfe nor yet lett other men studdy them / It is well knowen / that these wordes prycke no men but yov / and yov be so slothefulle and so geueÌ„ to voluptuousnes / that yov youre selfe wyll not studdy scriptures nor yet suffer other meÌ„ to studdy theÌ„ but yf yov doo studdy them / it is to diffene youre symple pore brother there by / and to mayntayne youre abhominable lyuynge / with wrestyng and wryngynge of them other profite coÌ„meth there none of youre studdy / as all the worlde knoweth For you may not preche / but whaÌ„ yov haue damnablye coÌ„demned christes blessed worde or els by vyolence / made some of youre poore brethern heretikes / than come yov wyth alle youre gorgius estate / pompe and pryde / to out face christ and youre symple brother / wyth youre outward damnable pryd a fore the face of the world / but my lordes / leve of youre fasynge and youre brasyng / for oure lorde whose cause we defend agenste yov / wylle at length not be out fased Remember how the holy gost prayth agenst yov saynge / iudge them lorde / Psal 5 that they may falle from their cogitacions / expelle them lorde for they haue prouoked the / dought yov not but this holy sprett wylle prevaylle agenste yov / though god suffer yov for a sesonne yet hathe he tyll this day defended hym selfe his godly wordes agenst all the proude crakynges of the world / and thynke yov that he wylle nowe take a faulle at youre honde nay nay / he shall fyrste thrust yov out hedlynges that alle the worlde shall take example by yov / this is my beleue For that word that yov haue condemned doth thus lerne me / wherefore iff yov do not reuoke the condemnacion of the newe testament / and ordeyne that alle christen men may rede holy scriptur yov shalle haue the grettest shame that ever men hade in this worlde for yov ar neuer abylle to defend yt by no menys / nor by no power that is in erthe / and if alle power in erthe wylle withstonde yt / he shalle rather bryng theÌ„ alle to duste and raysse vpp of stonys newe rulars yov wormys meat / yov stynkyng carrion yov nurryshement of helle fyer / how dare yov thus presume agenste youre god omnipotent whether wyll yov flye to a voyd his danger heuen and erthe / watter and fyer / sone / mone / and starrys / saynctes and angelles / man and childe / be agenst yov and holde yov a cursed what though the deuylle laffe on yov for a seson / Rememâ—er the ende / but god geue yov his grace / that I losse not my labour a boute yov But now lett me a soylle youre carnalle reasons that yov bryng for yov The fyrst is this euyll men doo take an occasion of heresy out of scripturs / wherefore yt is best they haue yt not / I answere lyke wyfe good men doo take an occasion of goodnes there of ergo the people ought to haue yt / but wylle yov condemne alle thynges where by men doo take occasion of evylle Than must yov fyrste put out youre awne yies for by them take yov occasyon to see meny idylle thynges yov must also dystroy youre hondes youre fette youre tonge / and alle that yov haue for these do yov mysse vse very often / yov must also distroy youre awne hartes wherby yov haue not alonlye occasion of evylle / but yov doo thinke evylle in very dede / yov must also destroye alle fayre wemen / for of them take yov sore occasions of evylle / yov must also burne alle your goodes and destroy alle youre richys / for of them meÌ„ take occasion to be theuys and yov to be proude / yov must also distroye all winys / for of them men take occasion to be drunken / yov must distroy alle mettes / for they geue men occasion of gluttyny / yee yov must distroye the marcy of god / of the which evylle men take boldnes in their myschyffe / breuely what is there soo good a thynge but that evylle men cane take an occasion of evylle / yee and that of Christe him selfe / as 1. Corin. 1. S. Paule saith which vnto to the Iuys is offence / and vnto the gentylles occasioÌ„ of folyshenes / and yet for alle this yov maye not dystroye Christ / but he must remayne stylle and so lyke wyse the gospelles / for though that the evylle man which wyl neuer be good reseue of it occasioÌ„ of evyll / yet there be meny thousandes that reseue there by their saluacion Now be cause the spyder gethereth poyson of the good herbis / it were no reason therfore to dystroy alle good herbys Mar. 1â— A nother of youre reasons / there be serteÌ„ sentences in scripture that do not beloÌ„ge for everye maÌ„ to know / as oure M. Christ faith / vnto yov is it geueÌ„ to know / the mysterys of the kyngdoÌ„ of heueÌ„ / vnto theÌ„ is it not geueÌ„ I aÌ„swere whome mene yov whaÌ„ yov say / vnto yov it is geueÌ„ / yf yov mene the aposles alonly their successors thaÌ„ may not yov rede holy scriptur / for yov be not the successors of the appostles / by my lorde of
never so muche / noo not somuche as if the housse were fyer to saue eyther the housse or hym selfe Also yt is not lawfulle so longe as he there stondeth neyther to praye to hym nor yet to offer to him whiche offering wolde bothe helpe the poore man his wyffe chylderne and seruantes / but lett them suffer yov to take thys wormye god in to youre hondes agayn / and than ys he lordâ— ouer all the worlde / than maketh he ryche men and poore men / than maketh he men blynd / and blynd to se agayne / than maketh he lame men wholle / than maketh he wemen with chyld / yeâ— and also bringeth them welle to bed Then expelleth he deuylles / than telleth he thinges to come / thane rulethe he in heuen and erthe and in watter / breuely he defendethe bothe kynge and kyngdom / Is not here a sudden mutacion / and alle is by cause he hathe gotte him a new Master and a new place O yov hypocrites thynke yov that men be so blynde that they cane not se thys falsed yov wolde make them blynde in dede the which wold make them to honoure stockes and stonys yee and that in the name of an other thing the whiche also they knowe not / whiche of yov alle hath sene oure ladye or any other saynt where by you may lerne to make hare symylitude and yf yov haue nothing to laye for yov / but bycause she was a woman / thane is youre Image as muche the symilitude of an harlott of the stuys the whiche berythe alle the shape that belongeth to a naturalle woman as well as oure lady / nothwithstondinge that oure blessed lady ys a virgyn and the other a struÌ„pet / yet in exterior formis and shapes that may be sene and iudged by senses be they alle won / ye and youre ymage in alle exterior sygnis is a grete delle more lykker vn to an harlott / than to a puer and a blessed meke virgyn / and yet ar yov not a shamyd with these damnable shaddowes / bothe to priuate god of his honoure aÌ„d also compelle youre simpelle brethern to this shaÌ„fulle idolatrye If yov wille loke youre selfe see clearly youre idolle in a puer mirrour / rede the .vi. chapter of Baruch / Baruc. 6. where in you shalle fynd these wordes / * Their stockes be pulyshed of the carpenter / * and they be gilded and siluered / * but they be false and can not speke / How thynke yov haue not youre images these properties * Their godes haue goldyn crounys on * their hedes from whome the prystes dothe take * a way golde and syluer and spend it on theÌ„ selfe / * They geue also of it vn to their strumpittes and decke their harlottes / * and whan they haue takyn it a way from their harlottes / * than decke they there with their godes agayne / wherefore know that they be no godes Be not alle these thynges fulfilled on yov do not yov take a way their oblacions and there with maynteyne youre pompe and pryde / and decke also youre harlottes * say not nay for alle the worlde wille condemne yov for opyn lyers / * the matter is so playne * Their godes haue a septer like a man / and lyke a Iudge of a londe / but they cane not slee hym that offendeth them / where fore fere them not Doth not thys agre with youre godes Note how bolde the prophet is which dare crake with youre godes and saythe how that they can not hurte their enymys / where fore he biddeth vs that we shalle not fere them / Now if yov thynke that this be not spokyn of youre godes not with stonding that none of these thynges they be voyde of go to theÌ„ and â—rye but remeÌ„ber that yov crye a loude for they be very thicke of heryng or peraduentur they be gone forthe attoune and occupide Therfore I say crye whope aloud / and byd them if they be godes or wille haue any honour that they wille now avenge them selfe of theyr enymys / If they cane do notyng / thaÌ„ wille we lay vn to theÌ„ this mocke of the ê“fyt will not fere theÌ„ * They haue a swerde in their hande / and an axe / * but they caÌ„ not delyuer theÌ„ selfe froÌ„ batylle nor froÌ„ * theuys there fore tere theÌ„ not / * A ryghtwyse maÌ„ is better that hathe none Imagys for he shalle be fre from obprobriusnes * How thynke yov haue not youre godes alle these tokyns how many theuys haue yov hangyd for robbyng of youre godes but youre godes neuer sauyd theÌ„ selfe from theuys Moreouer / why make yov so suer lockes and so suer dorys yf youre godes be abille to kepe youre godes I thynke yov fere not their ruÌ„ning a way Fur theremore why kepe yov so grett bandoges / yf your godes be abylle to saue their godes froÌ„ theuys But my thynke that baÌ„doges be myghtyare thane youre godes also yov truste more to theÌ„ / for they defend bothe you aÌ„d youre godes yov duÌ„me stockes where is alle youre reson where is all youre wyt where is alle youre wisduÌ„ where is alle youre pollycy where is alle youre godly faythe that you ought to haue in the god of heuyn Are you not a shamyd thus grosly to disseue men yee and with those thynges which you cane neither defend with scriptur nor yet with any reson / but peraduenture you wille say that the prophet speketh here of idolles and not of Images I answere / I pray you what calle yov IdoluÌ„ is it not as muche as imago iÌ„ latin which we call iÌ„ inglish an image but we wil not vary for the name let vs go to the ê“ê‘tis / haue not youre Images all these propertis that the prophet laieth to these thinges which you cal idoles can you say nay can you proue that coÌ„trary Doth not experience lerne vs that they be all won Now what matter ys yt what name you geue them whan the propertis and the very thynge ys all won Moreouer the prophete Dauyd dothe defyne an Idolle wyth these propertis / Fyrst it hath yies and can not se / yt hath a nosse and can not smell / it hath a mought and can not speke / yt hath erys aÌ„d caÌ„ not heare / it hath hondes and can not fele it hath fete aÌ„d can not goo cÌ„ Now which of all these propertis hath not youre Idollis what wyll you make now of theÌ„ The prophet dauyd maketh an Idolle of that thyng / that hath these propertes and wyll yow make a god and a helper of them will you pray to them / will you offer to them will you runne from place to place to seke them There ys no distinccion / there is no subtylty that cane helpe you for more reuerens more seruice more honor More
haue why do they not put them bothe in vse for they must say as the Iuys sayd / we may kille noman This is the article that did byte yov for yov can not be content with the office of a bysshop but yov wille be also kynges but how that stondeth with godes lawe and with youre othe I haue declaryd yt to oure nobille prince I doute not but he wille put yov to the trial of these articles The .9 Article They saye they be the successors of christ aÌ„d of his apostles / but I can se them follow none but Iudas / for they bere the pursse / and yf they had not so greate possessions I am suer an C. wolde speke agenst them where now dare not one for losse of their promosyon As for this artycle I wil ouer come you with the witnes of alle the worlde yov may well coÌ„demne yt for heresy / but it is as trew as youre pater noster / Iudas solde oure master but once / and yov selle hym as oftyn as he cometh in youre handes The .10 Artycle THere is not the greatyst pharisye in thys churche / but I am suer I prycke him with these wordes and he knowithe that these thynges be trewe though he say the contrary aÌ„d that do I wel knowe This artycle dyd I speake by cause of doctour Rydle which on a tyme grauntyd in master doctour buttes house that the bysshops were clear out of order And therfore I say that I know yt The .11 Article THese ordynary bysshops aÌ„d prelattes do folow that false prophete balaaÌ„ for they wolde curse the people but by the prouisyon of god they are compellyd toblesse theÌ„ / that ys to say / to teache them to lyue wel though they theÌ„ selfe lyue most myschevously so the Assis whych they ryde a pon that is the commen people haue their lyuys in abhominacyon Thys ys the heresy for it speketh agenst the holy fathers which be almost as holy as Balams asse whych dyd ons speke the word of god to a good purposse and so do they neuer / but I graunt that I dyd offend in callyng you ordenary bisshops for I shulde haue callid yov inordinate buchers / and as for that that I coÌ„pare yov to balaam it is youre awne lawe .ij. q. vij Secutisunt / And .c. Nos si And as for youre lyuyng alle the world knoweth it The .12 Article THey sett vp an Idolle to dyseaue the people with alle whych is callyd Baal peor / Or baal phegor which is iÌ„terpretated gaspyng that is their lawes and constitucions that gaspe and gape to mayntayne their worldly honoure / they cause vs do sacryfyce by fayre wymeÌ„ that is by their carnall affeccyons and sweate wordes that god of Israell is for gottyn / aÌ„d so by theyr sweat wordes and benedyctyon they disseue simple people These be the false masters that 2. Pet. 2. S. Peter speketh of / these be the fovntayns with out watter for they geue no good doctryne to the people where ys the heresy in thys by cause I coÌ„pare youre lawys to baal / but loke whether the interpretacion of the word do a gre with the nature of youre lawes or not what do al youre lawes but mynyshe the auctorite of princes / and of al other lordes and exalte youres only calle yov not that a gaspyng Idolle let thys article stoÌ„d tyll yov be able to proue it heresy The .13 Article NOw they selle vs / they selle the people / they selle holy orders / they selle church halowyng / there ys no better marchandysse in chepesyde / wilt thow knowe what is the price of a church halowyng no lesse than .xl. shelinges / they sel pardoÌ„s remyssions of synnes as opeÌ„ly as a cowe and an oxe is solde for thei never graunt them with out monny The suffrigan of ely dyd aske of master Iohan pur golde .xl. shelinges and the offringe for halowynge of S. Edwardes in Cambrige / yee and he wolde not do it so good chepe / but bi cause he had a goddoughter buryed in the churche yarde / But this may be prouyd by exampillys ynow for bryng ye forth one churche in all Englond that yov haue hallowyd with out monny or with out hope of mony / and I wyll graunte my conclusyon false / and as for youre pardoÌ„s all the worlde knoweth youre handelyng I dare say yt is the best marchandyse in the worlde as yov handill yt The .14 article VVylte thou know what their benedictyoÌ„ is worthe They had rather geue the ten benediccions than one halfpeny Is not thys a sore heresy you ryde thorow streates and townys blyssynge man and stone but yov never geue halfpeny to man nor to chylde The .15 Article NOw is come a pardon wherby they say that they haue power to send an huÌ„dred soules to heuyn / and if they may so doo with out any further respect than may they lykewysse send a nother hundred to helle for yt followeth in the texte quodcunque ligaueris / that is what soeuer thou bindest Is not this a sore heresy to say that you may not rule thys matter at youre iudgement / but this is a meruelous texte / QuodcuÌ„que ligaueris / for yt bindeth in helle and losythe in heuyn / and openeth mens pursys and cofers in erthe / yt deposith prynces / yt interdyteth londes yt losyth a man out of his cote / yee oftyn tymes yt losethe a man from his wyffe / yee and the horsse out of the carte And all ys done by this text Quodcunque ligaueris / is not thys a mervelous texte that hathe so great power I know not such a nother in aâ— the hole Bible The .16 Article IT ys abhominable to here how they preache and teache that they may absolue a pena a culpa / which I am suer that yt is â—mpossible as they vnderstond it Make of this what yov can / and loke of youre awne scolasticall doctours The .17 Article VVhat ys the cause that they forbyd vs thou we shuld not dyscusse how great their power is but by cause that they wold make all meÌ„ foles holde vs in ygnoraunce / youre awne scole men saye that the popis power is so great that no man can nor maye dyscusse yt / but this ys for from herysy The .18 Article THey haue a law most abhominable and coÌ„trary to godes lawe and cheryte to excoÌ„munycate the people foure tymes in a yeare / that ys to saye the men that rayse the rent off an housse / that must you vnderstonde yff yt belonge not to the church / for yff yt belonge to the church / thou mayst rayse yt everye moneth once and no man shall cursse the. Also they cursse them that be not buryed in their parish church / that must be vnderstond yff that they be ryche men / for yf they be poore they may be buryed amonge the fryars The bisshope of bathe sayd there was
content to admytt all these men to be fulfyllars and doars of the lawe Au. despiâ—â— lit And now that you shall not say that this is my dreme / here be S. Augustines wordes / the doars of the law shal be iustifyed / so must yt be vnderstonde that we may knowe / that they can no nother wysse be the doars of the lawe except they be fyrst iustifyed not that iustificacioÌ„ belongyth vn to doars but that iustificacion dothe precede all maner of doynge cÌ„ Here yov not that iustificacion is fyrst geuen that men myght be abylle to doo the workes of the lawe Glossa This is also the exposicion of your commen glosse / I haue mervelle you studye yt no better Also you haue a nother scripture / and that ys this / Cornelius a gentylle did greate almes / and prayd vnto god all ways / Acto 10 vnto whome that angelle spake on this maner Thy prayars aÌ„d thy allmesses are come vpp in to remembraunce in the presens of god / of this texte you gether that his good workes did helpe to iustifie him / I answere the holy gost hathe opinlie declared him selfe there / for he saith that this Cornelius was a deuote man and one that feryd god / how coulde thys be with out that God had taught him inwardly by faith / ye how coulde he know god and that deuotely / but by faith Ergo he was iustifyed a fore god by his faithe / but the worlde knew not his iustificacion / and therfore that holy gost dothe declare his inwarde iustificacion whan he saith that he was deuote and feryd god also dothe shew opynly the frutes of thys Iustificacion / whan he saythe that he dyd allemesse Moreover yov haue there that the holy gost felle on them a fore they were baptisyd in watter the whiche declarythe opynly that they were Iustifide a fore god / This is welle declaryd also in youre awne lawe whose wordes be these / Cornelius Centurio / 2. q. 7 NoÌ„ oÌ„nes Episcopi beyng yet a hethen man / was Iustifyde by the gyfte of the holy gost here haue yov playnly that he was Iustifyed by the gifte of the holy gost a fore alle good workis / For he was an hethyn maÌ„ A nother scriptur yee haue whyche is this / if I haue alle faith / Soo that I may transeposse monÌ„tayns and haue no cheryte I am nothynge / of this gether yov that faithe with out cheryte can not Iustifie / I answere This can yov not gether of S. paule for it is opyn that he spekyth not of that thyng where bi that men may be iustified / but allonly he techith howe they that be iustified must worke with cherite it is also playne that he spekith not of fayth that doeth Iustifye inwardlye / but of that faythe that dothe worke outwardly The whiche is callid a gifte of the holy gost / as the gyfte of tonges / The gifte of prophicyes / the gifte of healing / the gyfte of interpretacion / as it is opyn in the chapter a fore Now this faythe ys not geuyn to Iustefye / but allonly to doo myracles / wonders and sygnys by / and therfore saithe paule / if I had all faith so that I coulde moue mouÌ„tayns Mat. 7. Also it is opyn that sertyn men shalle say vn to Chryst be holde we haue done miracles aÌ„d caste oute deuyles in thy name yet he shalle say to theÌ„ / truly I knowe yov not / So that this faythe is a gyfte of god that iustifythe not / no more than the gyfte of sciens or prophicies And somtyme is it in the churche some tyme not / and yt is neuer of necessite there to be / but the faithe that we speke of whiche dothe beleue the promyses of God / and styckythe faste to the blessed bloud of Christ / hathe no nother vertue but to iustifye / must nedes iustify where so ever he ys / and he stycketh so fast to godes worde / that he lokyth for no miracles This faith is neuer out of the church / Ioan. 17. for yt ys the lyffe of the church / and yt is the faith that oure master Christe prayd for that yt myght neuer fayle / aÌ„d therfore S. Paule whan he describythe this faith / he calleth yt a faythe that worketh by cheryte / not that yt iustyfyeth by cherite / for as he sayth there playnly / Gala. 5. yt is neyther circumcision / nor yet vncircumsicion that is of ony vallure in christ Iesu / but faith Here dothe he playnly exclude from iustificacion the hyest worke of the law circumcision / and setteth faith alone not the gyfte of faithe that dothe miracles / but the gyfte of faithe that worketh by cheryte / and that yov shall not thynke this to be my dreme here brynge I yov Athanasius whose wordes be these Atha ad Rom. There are .ij. maner of faithys won ys iustifying as that of the which it is spokeÌ„ / thy / faith hathe saued the / A nother ys called the gyfte of god where by miracles be done / of the which yt ys wrytten if yov haue faith as a grayne of musterd sede cÌ„ So that here haue yov playne that faith dothe iustify only / and parfyttly / a fore alle maner of workes / that is / faith is geuen of god frely in to oure soules vn to the which faith iustificacyon is allonly promised and is alonly imputed and rekkened of god / neuer the lesse this faith in tyme and place convenient / ys of that strength that he must nedes worke by cheryte / not for to be iustifide there by / for if he wer not a fore iustyfyed / yt were not possible that he coulde haue cheryte / for after youre awne scolle men an infidelle can not haue cheryte / but that he is a freseruant vnto god for the loue that he hathe vnto him / the which loue seketh not in god his awne profytte nor his awne auauntage / for than were he wykked but seketh alonly the wylle off god and the profite of other men / and worketh neyther / for loue of heuen nor yet for fere of helle / for he knoweth well that heuen / wyth all the Ioys there of ys preared for him from the begenynge of the world / not by him / but by his father and yt must nedes follow as contrary wysse the infydelle and the wykked man dothe not worke hys wykked dedes / by cause he wolde haue helle or euerlastynge damnacion to his rewarde / but he wolde rather the contrary / not withstondinge / helle and euerlastinge damnacion must nedes follow his wykked dedes Finallye a ryghtwyse maÌ„ is a fre seruant of godes / and worketh not as an hyerelyng for iff it were possible that there were no heuen yet wolde he doo no lesse good / for his respect is to the maker and the lorde of alle rewardes Nowe
bewraye him selfe But shortlye / yt the deuill wolde come in his awne ê‘son disgysyo / Tel me how it were possible that he could be more coÌ„trarie to christ his holy apostillis / thaÌ„ those meÌ„ that call theÌ„ selfe the holy church / yee take a waye the name off the church / set in her stede the name of the deuyll how wil you thaÌ„ knowe a bisshop froÌ„ the deuyll By their workis nay trewly / for they be all one yet wyll ye be the hedys of chrystis church / ye the holy church here selfe / not so ye wyked not so Vvherefore that this blessyd spouse of christ / maye be knowyn froÌ„ the opyn abhominable whores harlatis / therefor wil I bi godis grace set out what holy church is where bi meÌ„ shal know her This worde Ecclesia / bothe in the new testament and the olde / is takyn oftyntymys for the hole congregacion and the holle multitude of the people bothe good and bad / as it is in the boke of numeri / Nume 20 why haue yov brought the congregacion or churche of god in to wildernes also in a nother place / 3. ReguÌ„ 8 The kynge turnyd his face and blessid the holle congregacion or churche of Israell / â— Corin. 4 and alle the churche of Israell stode lykewysse in the newe testament S. Paule to the CorynthiaÌ„s / I haue sent vn to yov Tymothe the whyche shalle lerne yov my ways / that be in christ Iesu / 1. Corin. 11 as I do lerne euery where in alle coÌ„gregacions Also in an other place do yov dispisse the congregacion of god aÌ„d shame them that haue not In alle these placis and in many mo is it opyn that this greke worde ecclesia is takyn for the hole congregacion bothe of good aÌ„d bad / where fore this is not the church that we wille greatly speke of / for in this churche are Iuys and Sarasens / Murtherars aÌ„d theuys / baudys and harlotes though we knowe them not Ephesi 5. But there is a nother holy churche of the which S. paule spekyth yov men loue youre wiuys / as christ hathe louyd the churche / and hathe geuyn hym selfe for hyr / that he myght santyfye hyr / And clense hyr in the fovntayne off watter thorow the word of liffe / to make her to hym selfe a glorious churche with out spot or wrynkille / or any suche thynge / but that she myght be holy and with out blame Here haue yov the very trewe churche of christ / that is so puer and so clene with out spot But whereby is she puer and clene not by hyr awne meritis nor by hir awne myght / not by exterior araye / not by golde nor syluer nor yet by precious stonys / neither by myters nor crosestaues / nor by pillers nor polaxis / but whereby than by Chryst only whiche hathe geuyn hym selfe for that intent that he wolde make her clene and there fore saithe S. Paule / He gaue him selfe that he myght santifie hyr / that he might clense hyr make hyr to hym selfe a glorious churche Also in a nother place yov are wasshid / yov are sanctifyde / yov are iustifyde in the name of Iesus christ / and in the sprete of god Se my lordes / howe the churche is washed bi christ aÌ„d bi his holy sprete / and not by youre blessingis / 1. Corin. â— not by youre sprytualle ornamentis / nor by youre spritualle holy watter / for these thynges caÌ„ not helpe the holy churche for she is holy in sprytte aÌ„d not in outward hypocrysye / she is also clensyd by christes blessyd bloud / and not by outward disgysyngis This dothe S. Augustine well prove sayinge Of christ is the churche made faire / first was she fylthy in synnys / Augustinê° de verbis dnÌ„i ser 50 afterwarde by pardon and by grace was she made fayre cÌ„ here S. Augustine saithe that christ hathe made his churche fayre / and that by his grace and his pardon / And not by youre pardons / nor by youre grace for thys churche / stondythe by Christis eleccion / and not by youres and if Christ haue not wasshid yov and chosyn yov than be yov none of this churche though yov ryde with a thousande spretualle horses / aÌ„d haue alle the spretual tokyns in erth / Ioan. 6. for aÌ„d if the sone of god haue dylyuerd yov thaÌ„ are yov trewly deliuerd / ye can not make by al youre powre and holynes that we shalle al ways fynde good ale or wyne where there hangyth out a grene sygne / And wille yov with youre sprituall sygnes aÌ„d tokins make the church of god to followe yow / or by them assigne out where the church shall be nay nay my lordis / yt wyll not be but they that beleue that Chryst hath wasshed them from their synnes / and styke fast vn to his meryttis and to the promysse made too them in him only / they be the churche of god / aÌ„d so puer and so clene that yt shall not be lawfull no not for Peter to say that they be vnclene / but where they be Iue or greke / kynge or subiect / Carter or cardinalle / bucher or bisshop / TaÌ„cardeberar or caÌ„nâ—lcater / fre or bouÌ„d / fryer or fydler / Monke or Miller if they beleue in Christis worde / and styke faste to his blessed promysys / trust only in the meryttis of hys blessed bloude / they be the holy church of god yee and the very trew church a fore god / and yow with all youre spirytuall tokyns / and with all youre exteryor cleÌ„nes / remayne in youre fylthynes of synne / from the whyche all youre blessynges / all youre pardons / All youre spiritualyte / all youre holynes / caÌ„ not clense you / nor bryng you in to this church Boste / Crake / Blaste / Blesse / Curse tille youre holly yies starte out of youre hed yt wyll not helpe you / for Christ chousythe hys church / at his iudgemeÌ„t not at youres The holy gost ys fre / and in speryth where he wyll / he wil neyther be bound / to Pope nor Cardynall / archebysshop nor Bysshop / Abbot nor Pryor / Deken nor Archedeken / Parson nor Vyckar / too Nunne nor Frear Breuelye come all the holâ— tabbylle of yow to gether that call youre selfe the holy churche and exclude all other yee and take sonne / mone / and stars to helpe yow with all the frendes yow haue in heuen and erthe and yet shall yow not be of holy churche except that you haue the sprite of christ and be wasshid in his blessed bloud / For the holy churche of christ is nothyng els but that congregacion / that is sanctifyed in sprete / redemed with Christis bloud / and stykkyth fast and suer alonly to the promissis that be made theryn So that the
that yov doo / as consernynge youre mynistracyon / but that yov wille haue mony for yt / not so muche as wasshynge of a hepe of stonnes where by haue yov gotten alle youre great possessions / but alonly vnder the collour / that yov be Christes holy bisshops Monye ys a merchaunte For monny you make whordom as lawfulle as matrimonye For monye / stollen good shalle be better than heritage For moÌ„nny / you make vsery lawfulle merchandis For mony / alle synnes be vertue yee and also haue grett perdon to theÌ„ For monny / yov sell man / wyfe / mayd and childe kynge and Londe For monny you make as good merchandis / of womens preuytyes / as a goldsmyth dothe of gylted platte yov wylle rekken that this is a shame for me to wrytte / but yt is more shame for yov to doo yt / and iff yov did not these shamfulle dedes I shulde haue none occasyon to make this shamfulle wrytinge / take yov away the cause and I wyll take a waye the wrytinge yee yov are not so content / but you sell Christ yov selle the blessed sacrameÌ„t off his flesh and bloude / yov selle his holye worde / yov selle all other sacramentes / breuely yov selle / alle maner of thynge that euer he lefte in erthe to the comforte of mans solle / and all for monny / ye and not so content but yov make also molawes and mo statutes / and dyspence wyth theÌ„ for monny / and alle these thynges doo yov / by the auctorite of the keyes / that bothe open heueÌ„ and helle / and a mans coffer and also his pursse yee and sumtyme they losse the cotte from his backe Oure master Christe saith vnto yov / yov haue reseued yt fre geue yt fre agayne / and yov geue nothyng fre / but I know youre answere yov wille say that yov sell not youre masse nor sacramentes nor the worde of god / but the laboure that yov haue aboute them O thou deuylle whan wylte thou be with out an excuse / whan wylte thov graunte they selfe gylty Telle meye that be with out shame / yf yov do selle but youre labour is it not sore and an vnlawfulle pryse to selle yt so dere what bisshop caÌ„ deserue by his labour a thousande pounde by yere / and yet some of them haue a great delle more / and labour nothynge at all How dere wylle these meÌ„ selle their labour yf they shuld be tankerdeberars / they wold make watter derar than wyne / yee telle me what labour there is wyth in the royalme that is halfe so dere solde as their ydylnes ys But yov bellygodes dyd not Christes appostles take paynys and labours / a bought the ministracion of the worde and in fulfyllynge of their office / more in one day than yov â—oo in alle your lyuys / and yet was it not lawfulle for them more to reseue thane a lyuynge for oure Master Christ saide / the worke man is worthy of his mette / Mat. 10 so that oure master wolde that they shulde reseue no more but necessarie / 1. Cor. 9· Also S. Paule saithe oure lorde did orden that they which preche the gospelle shulde lyue on the gospelle / marke how he saith they that preche the gospelle / now which of yov all dothe preche the gospell / Hierom. not one and yet wylle yov enioye these innumerable possessions Saynt Hierom sayth on his same texte / you must lyue on the gospelle / Chrisosto ad Ti. 5. but not be ryche / also Chrisostom saithe / I say boldly that the bisshops and prelates off the churche / may haue nothynge but meate aÌ„d drynke clothe cÌ„ Here haue yov planly / that yf yov dyd laboure faith fully truly in the go gospelle / yov coulde haue but a lyuynge there on / no lordly possessions / but now do yow nothynge in the worlde / but exercysse tyranny on theÌ„ that wold preche the gospelle / make lawes statutes / to destroye them / Chri. s 6. de anathemate the holye gospelle of god / so that Chrisostom speketh well of yov / Be holde I see men that haue no trew sence of holy scripture / yee they vnderstonde nothynge at all therof / to passe ouer meny thynges for I am a shamed to calle theÌ„ mad men / try fyllars wranglars they be suche as know not what they saye nor of what thing they speke / but aloÌ„ly be they myghtye bolde to make lawes / to cursse condeÌ„ne those thinges of the whiche they know no thinge at alle cÌ„ Be not these youre workes who can saye / but that these wordes be spokeÌ„ of yov who maketh statutes lawes but you who curseth coÌ„deÌ„neth but yov how cane yov lay these thinges from yov how can yov avoyd theÌ„ so longe shal they be layd ageÌ„st yov / tylle yov caÌ„ brynge in one that is gyltye of theÌ„ / I tkynke that will be loÌ„ge / yet wille yov haue these greet possessions / be also greet lordis doynge nothyng there fore at alle / but allonly play the parte of a bishop / as a Christemasse game player / dothe of a kynge / as a puppet which springeth vp doune crythe pepe pepe aÌ„d gothe his waye / so do yov make a countenaunce of greet holynes / of greet perfeccioÌ„ / but alle the world caÌ„ testify what yov do in dede Moreouer you are more bounde to the gospell / thane all other men be in the world for there by haue yov all youre honoure / all youre ryches / alle youre lordly possessioÌ„s / if the gospelle were not / men wolde no more regarde yov / thane they do coblers / yet deserue yov worste of all meÌ„ of the gospelle / wherefore I cane no more say vn to yov / but the wordes of oure m. christ / wo be vnto yov hipocrites the which shyt heueÌ„ gates a fore ohter meÌ„ / and as S. Luke saith / Mat. 23. Luce. 11 yov haue takeÌ„ away the key of sciens / and neyther enter in youre selfe / nor yet suffer other that come to enter in / now lett me see / how alle youre keyes / and alle youre power cane asoylle you from thys same woo that oure Master Christ dothe here lay vnto yov This worde of god byndeth yov to euerlastynge daÌ„ nacion let vs see yf youre pykelocke cane opeÌ„ this locke / than wyll I say that yov haue the keyes off heuen or els not I thynke yov may seke all youre clogge with keyes and fynde not one that wylle open this locke Finis ¶ Fre wille of man / after the faulle of Adam / of hys naturalle strength / cane doo nothynge but synne ☜ IN this article wyll we not dispute / what man may do by the commen influence geuen hym of god / ouer these inferior and worldlye
Here is it playne that the bloud is geuyn out of the chalys and not out of the boddy / and in to faythefulle meÌ„s mowthis and not allonly in to pristes mowthis De coÌ„secÌ„ di 2. c. Siquocienscumê™ Also an other lawe / if that the bloud of christ be shed for remyssion of syns as oftyn as it is shede thane ought I lawfully for to reseue it I which do alle ways synne muste alle ways reseue a medecyn cÌ„ Here youre awne lawe saythe / that the reseuyng of the bloud is a medycinealle ways to be reseuyd of theÌ„ that synne yov wille not denye but that laymen synne where fore shulde they not than reseue a medecyn for their synne yov may perseue that this is not alonly spokyn of pristes but of synners Ad CorneliuÌ„ PapaÌ„ Furthermore S. Ciprian saythe Howe do we reache or howe cane we provoke men to shed their bloud for the confessyoÌ„ off christes name if we do deny them the bloud off chryst whan they shalle go to batylle Or how dare we able them vn to the victordum of marterdum / if we do not fyrst by ryght admitt theÌ„ to drincke the Cuppe of oure lorde in the coÌ„gregacyon c. Here is Cyprian opynlye agenst yov which wille that as meny shalle reseue the bloud of christ as do confesse the name of christ yee aÌ„d that out of the cuppe not out of the boddy Also S. Ambrose sayth to the Emperor Theodosyus / Ecclesiastica hist how shalte thow lyfte vpe they hondes out of that which dothe yet droppe vn ryghtwise bloud how shalte thov with those hoÌ„des reseue the boddy of god with what boldnes wilte thou reseue in to thy mought the Cuppe of the prâ—cius bloude seyng that thorow the wodnes of thy wordes so gret bloud is shed wrongfully cÌ„ Marke that the maner was in S. Ambrose tyme that lay meÌ„ shulde reseue the blessid bloude of christ ye and that out of the cuppe seuerally / and not out of the boddy wonly / where fore my lordes se to youre conscyens how yov cane discharge youre selfe a fore the dredfulle trone of christ Iesus / for makyng this detistable and damnable statute agenste the heuynly worde of god / aÌ„d agenste the vsse of holy churche aÌ„d contrary to the exposycion of alle holy doctours / It were to gret a thyng for yov so pÌ„umtuously to breke the statute of youre mortalle prince how muche more of youre immortale god whiche wille not be a voydyd with a carnalle resuÌ„ nor with condeÌ„nacyoÌ„ of heresy / nor yet with sayng there be Iuperdes perrelles and sclandres / for these proude crakes cane not there excuse yov nor yet helpe yov for I dought not but the grett Turke hath as good resons for hym as these be also as provd crakes as yov haue / thovgh peradueÌ„ture he vsythe theÌ„ not so hipocritly ageÌ„st god omnipoteÌ„t as yov do / but yet it wille not helpe hym / where fore now moste excelent and gracious prince I do with alle meknes / with all due subyeccyon admonyshe and exhorte youre moste noble grace / ye and the father of heuyn dothe opynly commaund yov vnder the payne of hys displesur / and as yov wille a voyde the danger of eternalle damnacyon / and also by the vertu of christes blessyd bloud aÌ„d as yov wille reseue remissioÌ„ froÌ„ al yovre synnes thorow the merittes of his glorious bloud / That you do defend with alle youre myght Christes blessyd worde aÌ„d hys swet bloude / his holy ordinaÌ„ce / suffer theÌ„ not so lyghtly to be oppressyd trodyn vnder the fote / youre grace may not consyder in this cause the multitude / nor the dygnite of meÌ„ / for yow be as good as the beste of theÌ„ / but youre grace must consider that it is god omnipotentes cause / it is christes cause / it is the worde of god / it is the bleued bloude of Chryst that is ouer trodyn / it is the ordynance that commyth out of heuen / and not out of couÌ„sellys ye aÌ„d geuyn by god hym selfe / and not by mans auctoryte / And now shall youre grace suffer this thyng so lyghtly to be broken by cause men do invente a carnall reason agenste it the devylle was neuer wyth out a reson / but that prouythe not the cause agenste godes worde Kynge Saul had no smalle reson for hym / 1. Reg. 15 whan he dyd saue Kinge Agag and the best shepe and oxen to offer to god / was not thys a resonable cause / to saue the bestys to godes honoure and to offer theÌ„ vp vn to god was it not a goodly shyne to saue the kinge rather than to kylle hym / what man wil rekyn it euyll to saue a maÌ„ what maÌ„ can iudge it evyll to saue bestis / ye and that the best to offer them to god was not god best worthy was not thys a good consyderacion was not this a good intent Fynallye yt ys ten tymys better than the reson of the counselle ys / aÌ„d yet Saull wyth all his good reson / with all his good deuocyon / wyth all hys good purposse / wyth all hys â—atte bestys ys repellyd of god for euer and alle by cause he stucke to his good inteÌ„cion and left the coÌ„mandement of god / Sum men wyll think it but a lyghte thyng whether they reseue the blessyd bloud by yt selfe or ellis with the boddy / but as lyghte as they thynke yt yet ys it godes worde yet is it Chrystis ordynaunce / yet did the apostles obserue yt / yet dyd the holy church so fulfyll yt / And yf the worde of god were awaye by reson yt were but a lyghte thyng to baptyse in watter or in wine / but the worde of god ys open that it must be done with watter and not in wyne and yet there is no cause why but the worde of god Moreouer by reson it was but a light thyng to say / zacha 9. Mat. 20. Be glad thou doughter of Syon be holde they kyng coÌ„myth to the syttyng on an asse aÌ„d on hare foole this saing by reson is not alonly Symple / but also foolyshe to say that a kynge shall come rydyng on an Asse yee and on a borowyd asse and there of to make so muche a doo as though yt were a notable thynge / who wold not now mocke a kyng yf he dyd soo ryde / not with stondynge all thys these be the wordis of god / ye and also fulfyllyd in very dede of oure Master Chryst in hys awne proper parson Luc. 2. Moreouer by reson / yt was but a mad tokyn that the sauyour of the worlde christ Iesus was borne / to say you shall fynde a younge chylde wrappyd in clouttes and layde in a crybbe / what ys thys to purposse what ys thys to proue that the sauyoure of the worlde ys borne wyll not reson mocke thys whan