Answer to the Devilish Detection of the Bishop of Winchester, Treatise · Part 22
❧ An anſwere to diuers queſtions
IN the ende of your boke, we loked for a ſubſtanciall reherſall of your ſtronge argumentes where with you hauehave cōfirmed this mattier that you hauehave taken in hande But we find a rable of confuſed queſtians nothinge partaynige to this purpoſe) which we muſt touch, or els you wyl ſaye that you are not anſwered. And therfore do you craftely heape theſe to gether in the ende of your boke, that in the wrappeynge vp of ſo many matters you may hauehave credite of the cō mune people, as a profeſſed patrone of they… vſed errours: and cauſe vsus to be deſpyſed as the contemners of all theſe thinges that you do ſtyfly mayntayne. This is deuilliſhe ſophiſtrie & ſubtiltie of Sathan, mindeinge nothinge but contencion, debate & ſtrife, when one ſtynge is ſtinged, to ſhote forth an other. Yea it is rather the mōſtrouſe & poyſōful nature of Hidra that Hercules ſlewe, whē thou haddeſt ſtriken of one heade, to hauehave. vij. or Hidra the monſter the hercules ſlewe.moe ariſeinge in his place. When you cā not ouercome by argumentes in the matter we hauehave in hande: then ſtricke you vp newe alarum to a newe fielde of contencion.
Thus ſhal we neuer hauehave don, if we now a freſhe take in hand to anſwer you. Fyrſte you demaunde, which is the true faſt? which is the true prayer? Then what place the preachinge of Godes word owght to hauehave in the church? what place the doctri…e of men may hauehave in the worſhype of God? Agayn, whether the ſacrament ought to be miniſtered in boeth the kyndes, or but in breade onelye? For you wyll euer be inuentynge newe mat tiers to occupie mens mindes in contencion, and to affraye ſimples ſoules from the ſcriptures. And becauſe you wyll maintayne all poperie (thought you perceiue it is nothing) you can fynde faute with nothynge that the popehath inuented. But when you are demaunded of any of his trifles a lone: you ſaie My Lordes anſwere in priuate communicacion.they are nothing. And yet you wil hauehave thys large heape of nothinges, to be the maſſe (as you call it) and whole heape of our religion and euerie one ſeuerallie, to be neceſſarie to your eſtate. Agayne by your boke we hauehave iuſt occaſiō miniſtred (were it not that we would gladly auoide cōtēcionto examin this mōſtrouſe geare to their worthineſſe, and to ſpeake of al your nothinges, dombe ſignes, & lieing ſhadowes, that your father & you hauehave heretofore inuēted. But thā ſhould we neuer hauehave done, for euerie one of theſe argumētes would aſke an whole boke, lyke as the mattier of the ſacrament hath done: you hauehave ſo blinded the trueth in thē all with your deceiueable Hypocriſie. I deſire all good hertes therfore: to marke the mattier as it is, howe you labour to ſtir cōtēciō, how we in no caſe would enter therinto, vnleſſe we were prouoked. Right ſorie that we hauehave ſo great occaſion. Firſt through your gros blindnes, which being the eies & ſeing nothing, the ſalt & become vnſaneourie and the doumbe dogges that can not barke: hauehave brought the worlde into the pyte of blindneſſe. And agayne, becauſe you lyke ſwyne wil not onelyonly wallowe in your mire ſtil: but alſo like wild boares labour to deſtroie the vine…ard, to roote forth al the ſwete rotes of the choſē vine, & craſhe the braunches with your teth Settinge vp your briſtles & ſharpeing your teeth againſt al thē that wold driue your wicked gardiuars out Stephane Gardinar.of the lordes viniyard. We are therfore cōpelled to ſhap you ſome anſwer, leaſt you glorie ſtil in your wickednes, & cōtinewe ſo terrible that no mā dare reſiſt you. For faſting & prayeing therfore, read the. vi. and. vii. of Math. where you maye learne of Chriſtes owne mouth, the true praier & faſting much better thē by the biſhopes bablinge, For they teach the mattēs & maſſe (mūbled in a tōge that the people do not vnderſtād) to be the prayer vntounto the which the holie word of god & the preaching of his glad tidinges of ye goſpel, muſt giuegive place. And for this the biſhop alledgeth this ſaieing of Gregorie. The preachinge of Gods wrod muſt gene place to mattens.the goſpel is not good: when it occupieth the tyme of praier. And therfore on Chriſtemas day whē the church hath. iij. maſſes: he ſayed he could not ſpēd ſo much time with his audience that daye as he was wo…t to do.
And by theyr often mumbling of mattēs and maſſe, patched togither by popes & Pretates, and ſeldome or neuer preaching of the pure word of God it: maie appeare that they prefer the inuencions of man before God & his goſpel. But if thou marke the. xiiii. to the ▪ i Corch. xiiii.Cor. thou ſhalt perceiue theſe to be madnes.
And to vnderſtande what faſte God requireth, reade Eſai, the. lviii. Chap, and Zacharie the. vii. For the reproufe of theire fiſhe faſt: marke that Chriſt ſayeth. That thynge whiche goeth into the mouth, defileth not a Mat. xvmā. And Paule ſaieth. The kingdom of god cōſiſteth not in meate & drincke, and that nothinge is prophane or vnholi of it ſelfe. Alſo that the mea…e cōmēdeth no mā vntounto god for then ſhould the monkes of the charterhouſe hauehave bene more cōmēdable. And cormorātes Rom. xiiii.in their kynd, were moſte to be praiſed. But Paule ſayth, that if we do eate, we gayne no thynge therby, & if we do not eate, we ſhall loſe nothinge at all. This doctrine that teacheth vsus to abſtaine frō fleſh or any other creture that God hath created to be taken wyth thākes geueing: is called the doctrine of diuil les, …. Timoth. iii.becauſe butter egges, & fleſh, are as well ſā …ified in the creatiō as other creatures, and were created of God to be takē with thākes geuing, at the wil, pleaſure & cōmandemēt of man whome he made Lorde ouer them, to vſe them for hys neceſſitie.
Paule therfore commaundeth, that no mā Coloſſ. ii.iudge vsus in our meate and drinke or parte of the holye daye, whyche were but ſhadowes: before the comeinge of Chriſte, who was the bodie. A…d ſeynge we hauehave hym alredie and yet gape after ſhaowes: maye not Paulle ſaye as he dyd to the Galathians. You obſerue dayes, monethes, tymes and yeres? I feare me leſte I hauehave laboured in vayne amongeſte you.
For the chaſteinge forth of deueles by faſtinge and prayer: fyrſte marcke what Chriſt How faſteynge driueth forth diuillesanſwereth. He ſaieth that the Apoſtles could not becauſe of their incredulitie, and weakeneſſe of fayeth. And afterwarde he addeh theſe two (faſteinge and prayer) as weapons and worckes of fayeth whiche can not be ſeparated from ſayeth, …either can be founde in the olde bottelles of the hypocrites.
Thys praier, when it ſtriueth agaynſt the deuell: it ſurmounteth all worldely thynges and pleaſures. And the ſame is alſo the onelyonly true faſte. To neglect (for the tyme) al worldly things to neglect meate & drinke a…d what ſo euer bodili pleaſure or deſire maie be imagined: that in prayer the mynde maye be lifted aboue the heauē vntounto the throne of God.
But than (ſaye you) your good Hipocrites and popeiſh votaries hauehave experince of thys. But Chriſt ſhal witneſſe againſt you wher he teacheth that theſe are the workes of the newe man, and can not be receiued in the patched clokes of hipocriſie. You hauehave experience you ſaye, of driueinge awaye Diuelles by praier and faſteing. But what diuell it is you dare not tell, leſte we ſhoulde take you wyth a lie. For if you do meane the deuill of lecherie: I hauehave hearde Phiſians ſaye, that your fyſhe Fiſhe prouo…faſte ſtireth hym vp, and we ſe euerie where that he reigneth amongeſte you for all your faſtinge and coniuring of holy water for the ſame purpoſe. But we wyl let paſſe thys lieinge doteage. As for the diligent preachinge of Chriſtes worde and hys glade tydynges: it ſhoulde not nede to cōtend with you if you were chriſtē byſhopes. For Chriſt admoniſheth hys Apoſtle Peter to feede, hys ſhepe & his lambes. Paule ſayth, he is ſēt to preach and not to baptiſe. Muche leſſe to mumble a paier of mumbling mattens, ful of blaſphemouſe collectes. He ſayth againe. Wo be vn tome if I do not preach. He admouiſheth Timotheus (yea he obteſteth him before God and the lord Ieſu Chriſt which ſhal iudge the quicke & the deade whā he ſhal appeare in his kingdō (to preach the word & to be inſtāt ther …, in lyme and out of tyme. Naie ſay our byſhopes, not in …atens tyme, nor in the fore …one becauſe the worde … muſte geue place to our popeiſhe matens and maſſe.
Yea ſome of thē can preach openly at Paules croſſe, that we hauehave little neede of the Doctrine preached at Poules croſſeworde eyther written or preached, becauſe oure hertes maye teache vsus what is good or badde.
A they hauehave all agreed wyth one accorde, that the worde of God is il for pore men vnderunder the degre of gentell men. But remembre (O biſhopes) that Moiſes hath taught vsus that the herte of man (wyth all hys inuencions) is and hath bene nought elſe but euyll, euen frome the cradle. And therfore the ſame Moyſes by the ſpirite of God geueth warneinge vntounto all men boeth gentle men and yeomē: to hauehave the word of his doctrine in their hertes and ther ſoules, and to hang them for a ſigne in theyr hādes (though you deride them that carie it at their girdles) he commaundeth alſo that it be continually before theyr eies, and wrytten in the gates, the dores, and the poſtes of oure houſes. He commaundethe to teache it oure Children, that they maie continually occupie theyr mindes therin. He commandeth farther, that whan we ſit in the houſe, whan we walke in the waie, when we lye downe & aryſe againe we ſhoulde be therin occupied,
Read the pſalm (Bleſſed are the vndefiled Pſalm. cxviii.in the waye, which walke in the lawe of the Lorde. Bleſſed are they which ſerch his teſtimonies) and ther ſhall you perceiue that the worde of God ſhoulde be the delyte of the life the fode of the ſoule, the lyght …o the fo…e ſtepes, the rode of the yonge man to breake his luſtes, the exerciſe of his lyfe, the cōforte in aduerſite, the bridle in proſperitie, the medicine in ſickeneſſe, the onelyonly fode in health, the relefe in werineſſe, the baniſment of vilanie, ſufferinge no ſhame to aſſalt, the cauſe of reioyſeinge in baniſment and impriſoneinge, in extreme age, the releyfeinge of werineſſe, cauſeynge all quietneſſe. Yea in death the geuer of lyfe, and in lyfe ioye euerlaſteinge.
Is not this thinge worthie to be preached in the tyme of mattens and maſſe? to be preached, red, and hearde inmattens, maſſe and euenſonge tyme? to be learned of men women, children, plowemen, yemen, gentillmen fre men, bound men, and generally of al chriſten men? Oh biſhope recant for ſhame.
Now to diſcuſe what place the doctrine of My lorde recant for ſhame.mē ſhould hauehave in the worſhip of God marck that God ſayeth. That which I cōmaund the that onelyonly do thou, neither adde thou any thynge, nor diminiſhe therfrom. Marcke agayne, howe Mada… and Abihu, the chyldrē Exemples of mens inuentions.of Aaron, dyd offre vntounto the Lorde ſtraunge fyre that was not commaunded them: & fyre came furth frō the Lorde & deuoured them. So ſtraunge a thing it is to ſet vp a ſtraūge thinge of our owne braine. Oze for touching the Arke of God, was ſtryken to death, notwythſtandynge he dyd it of a good entent. Howe thynke you then wyll God receyue your fonde doctrines and ceremonies?
Saule the firſte kynge of the Iſraelites, was thorowe a foliſhe intent of his owne put from his kyngdome. Beinge comman̄dded i. Reg. xv.to deſtroye the Amalechites wyth all theirs, he ſaued the beſt and fayreſt, intēding to do ſacrifice therwyth vntounto the Lorde. But God aſked hym by the prophet, in this wiſe. Wyl the Lorde hauehave holocaſtes & offeringes, and not rather obedience vntounto the voice of the Lorde? But thys place do you falſ…y alledge for the obedience vntounto men: euen in like maner as you do wraſte thys texte alſo. In …ayne do they worſhyp me teachyng the doctrines and preceptes of men. But we dare examine the ma…tier by your owne gloſes.
You are content to graunte that ſuche doctrines and preceptes of men, as be taught of their owne braines whē they were but in the ſtate of men onelyonly: were but vayne worſhip. And then talke you of Lycurgus and of Numa Pompilius, but in the popes kyngdome al doctrine was good, for he was aboue this ſtate of a man (as it ſhould ſeme, becauſe you can fynde no faute wyth his doinges) yea & all you biſhops and your prieſtes are more then mē alſo (as may appeare by your boke) for what ſo euer you ſaye, we muſte beleue you or els we diſpiſe God. Thus cā you alledge ſcriptures, and can proue thys by a text i. Theſſ. iiii.of Paule. Non ſpernit hominem ſed De…m. He doeth not diſpiſe man but God. Whiche Leuite. xix. xxv.text is ſpoken of the precept of God wrytten in Leuiticus, whiche forbyddeth the to defraude thy brother, whiche Paule alledgeth a litle before, and therfore warneth the Theſſalonians, not to ſet lyghte of that lawe the authour wherof was not any mā but God. But you write of authoritie. You may writh ſcriptures as ye luſte.
As for your place to the Hebrues, maketh for thē that preach the worde of God, whoſe Hebr. xiii.fayth we ſhoulde folowe, and conſider the ende of their conuerſation.
If you wyl be tryed to be ſuch miniſters: you muſt proue vntounto vsus your miniſtration, ii. Corh. iiii.in muche ſufferaunce, in afliction, in neceſſitie, in carefulneſſe, in ſtrokes, in impriſonment, in ſeditiōs, in labours, watchyng, faſtynges, in pureneſſe, in knowledge, in gentleneſſe of minde and liberalitie, in the holy goſt, in louelove not fayned, and in the worde of trueth. &c.
Dare you ſtyll cal your ſelues miniſters? Then muſt you be the diſpoſers of theſe miſteries of God. And ſo longe as you ſyt in the ſeate of Moyſes preachyng the worde of God: ſo far wyl we beleue you. And ſo far as you are the folowers of Chriſte: we wyll folowe you. But if you bringe not his word, i. Corh. xi.we dare not ſaye A…e vntounto you, nor receyue you into our▪ houſes. No we do take you for the vncleane beaſtes that do not diuide the houffe.
Suche are the ſhepeheardes (as Iheremie ſayeth) that are fed wyth the wynde, whiche Iherou. xxii. xxiii.ſcatter the ſhepe, caſte them furth, and do not viſit the flocke. The prieſt and the prophete are boeth defiled, wherfore they do doeth folowe a ſlipperie waye in the darcke, wherein they ſhalbe dryuen furth, and fal in the ſame: for I ſhall brynge the daye of their viſitation vponupon them, ſayeth the Lorde.
They are al like Sodomites in my ſight, & the people lyke Gomorrha. With wormewod and ga…e therfore, wyll I feede thē. For al pollution is cōmen vponupon the earth (ſayeth the Lorde) by the prophetes of Iheruſalem (men moſte highly eſtemed in outwarde holineſſe) But thus ſayth the Lorde of hoſtes. Geue no eare to the prophetes that deceyue you.Gyue none eare to the wordes of theſe prophetes that deceyue you. For they ſpeake the viſiō of thir owne hertes, & not of the mouth of the Lorde.
Thus are we playnely taughte howe perilouſe a thinge it is, to folowe the doctrines of men, be they neuer ſo highly aduaunced wyth titles of holyneſſe. Yea we are by the mouth of God admoniſhed aboue all thynges to beware of them that promiſe peace & quietneſſe, folowinge but the ſhreudneſſe of their owne hertes and foliſhe inuentions, for it is a kynde of Idolatrie, not to ſticke vntounto his worde, as vntounto the thynge onelyonly ſufficient. Of ſuche prophetes therefore, as brynge their owne inuentions: doeth he ſaye. I dyd not ſende them, & they ranne. I did not ſpeake vntounto them, and they dyd prophecie. If they had ſtande in my counſayle and publiſhed my wordes to my people, they ſhoulde hauehave turned them from their wycked wayes, and from their wycked inuentions. I dyd heare howe they tolde lyes & dreames in my name by the diſceites of their herte, cauſynge the people to forget my name for their dreames, (as is it come to paſſe thys daye) Therefore ſayeth the Lorde of hoſtes agaynſt ſuch prophetes. He that hath a dreame, let him tel his dreame, and he that hath my worde let hym Ezechi. xxxiiiſpeake my worde truly. What mingleſt thou chaffe wyth the …heate? Are not my wordes lyke fyre, ſayeth the Lorde, and lyke the mall that breaketh the ſtone? Therfore to you prophetes, that ſteale my wordes, euerie one frō his brother, dreamynge furth your lyes deceyuyng my people wyth your lyes & your miracles, where as I dyd neuer ſende you, nor yet commaunde any ſuche thynge to my people as dyd not profite them. You are the heauy burden that I can no lōger beare and therfore I wyl caſte you awaye.
Agayne Ezechiell in the ſpirite of God, doeth thus prophecie agaynſt you that hauehave Ezech xxxiiijthe names of ſhepeherdes and wyll not feede his flocke with his worde but feede your ſelues by your craftie inuentions and cauſe the ſhepe to go aſtraye in the wylde mountaines of your errours.
Wo vntounto the ſhepeherdes of Iſraell (ſayeth the Lorde) whiche do feede them ſelues, The true de ſcription of our prelates.oughte not the flocke to be fed of the ſhepeherdes? But you hauehave eaten the mylke, you are clothed wyth their woll, you ſley that whiche is fat and feede your ſelues and wyl not feede my flocke. You conforte not the weake, you heale not the ſicke, you bynde not vp the broken, you ſeeke not that whiche periſheth, but wyth power and rigour do you rule ouer them. Thus are my ſhepe ſcattered becauſe they hauehave no ſhepeherde, and deuoured wyth wylde beaſtes. They go wanderynge in the mountaynes and are ſcattered thorowe the earth, and no man doeth ſeeke them. No man doeth ſeeke them, I ſaye. As truly as I do lyue (ſayth the Lorde God) becauſe my flocke is thus ſpoyled & my ſhepe denoured, whylſe the ſhepeherdes do feede them ſelues and diſpiſe my flocke. Lo, I my ſelfe wyll require my flocke at the handes of theſe ſhepeherdes, and they ſhal neither feede my flocke nor yet them ſelues any lōger. For I wil deliuer my flocke out of their mouthes ſayeth the Lorde.
Thys is the talke that God the father hath thorowout the olde teſtament agaynſte you that wyl not be cōtent to feede his flocke wyth his worde onelyonly, without the ſowre leuen of mannes doctrine. He calleth you men fed and led with the winde of errours, Idole ſhepeherdes, yea deuouring wolfes that wyl neuer be ſaciate.
Seinge then, that boeth the ſcriptures and your owne lyues do teſtifie of you, that you are ſuch rotten trees or rather poyſoned ſtockes: what fruites of heauenly doctrine ſhall we loke to ſpringe from you? Do men gather grapes of thornes, or figges of thyſtles? The yuyl tree cābring no good fruite. Chriſte therefore (in the newe teſtament, and in his firſte ſermon) gyueth vsus warnyng of ſuche Idole ſhepeherdes, ſayinge. Beware of Math. vii.theſe falſe prophetes whiche come to you in ſhepes clothynge, for inwardly they are rauenyng wolfes.
And after that he had rebuked them that Math. xvi.would ſeme to know al thynges, & yet could not ſee the tyme of their viſitation, callynge them Hypocrites, wicked nation & aduoulterouſe generation that coulde not marcke or ponder the ſigne of Ionas the Prophete: ſtreightwaye he admoniſhed his to take hede not of the leuen of breade, but of the ſeuen of the doctrine of the ſcribes and phariſeis. Neither dyd he at any time rebuke ſo ſharply, as when he dyd ſpeake of theſe blynde ſhepeherdes, & their doctours ſhewing how theido Marke. vii.teach the traditous of mē to put the preceptes of God out of place, & that all their doctrine maketh for their corban and lucre, & that thei do all thynges to be ſene of men. Thus do you alſo, folowynge the trade of your fathers. Math. vi. Math. xxiii.For couetiſe, worldly pompe and hypocriſie: do eſtabliſhe all the workes and doctrines of men that you do cal ſo neceſſarie.
Reade the damnation that Chriſt him ſelfe pronounceth agaynſt you in the. xxiii. of Mathewe. Where he gyueth vsus oure leſſon alſo, that we ſhall keepe & obſerue your doctrines ſo longe as they come furth of the ſeate and doctrine of Moyſes. But in no wyſe to folowe your workes.
He teacheth in the beginnyng of his preachyng, that o…les our ryghtuouſnes do farre Mat. v.paſſe the ryghtuouſnes of the ſcribes & phariſeis (who onelyonly were accompted the church in thoſe dayes as you woulde be nowe) we can not entre the kyngdome of God.
The ſtate of the phariſeis and you (O biſhops, leſt you ſhould murmour and grudge The phariſeis and byſhops al one.at my playne wrytynges) is in thys caſe of your doctrines for the feedynge of Chriſtes …locke, all one. Neither hath any of you authoritie either to make lawes or interprete the ſcriptures (for boeth hauehave one ſtrength & muſte be done by the ſame ſpirite) you hauehave none authoritie, I ſaye, o…er the flocke, further then you hauehave the worde of God for you. And bryngynge that worde, you maye ſaye: he that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth God.
As for thynges indifferent, you muſte ſay as Paul ſayed vponupon this your owne exēple. If any mā be cōtentiouſe: the church of God knoweth no ſuche cuſtome. So that rather then any ſuche bitter contention as is nowe adayes, ſhoulde continue it were better that all your in uentions were refuſed. For ſeinge that your authoritie is gyuē to edifie by louelove and charitie: you maye not abuſe it and deſtrye by bitter braulynge and cruell contention, for ſuche thynges as were not good before you named them ſo, nor yuyl before you did forbid them.
Thus do I take many of your doctrines of men to be indifferent. As to ſtande vp at the Goſpell, to praye or preach bare headed, to eate fiſhe this daye or that daye. All theſe thynges being indifferent in their kinde, that Superſtition maketh all thinges euyllis to ſaye, nothinge yuyll being voyed of ſuperſtition: are by ſuperſtition made yuyll. For that chaungeth good into yuyll. Yet are the beſte of theſe doctrines but vayne worſhippe Iohn. iiii.of God, euen in their beſt vſe. For his worſhip ſtandeth in ſpirite and trueth.
But you hauehave other doctrines and that verie manie, that are manifeſtly yuyll, becauſe you do therein adulterate the worde of God as dyd the phariſeis when they added their gloſes to the cōmaundementes of God. As when God ſayed. Thou ſhalte louelove thy neighboure: they added, hate thyne enemie. God ſayed. Thou ſhalte not ſwere, but they added vntounto the precepte. Paye vntounto the Lorde the thynge that thou ſweareſt. Agayne, dyd not the olde phariſies wyth their ſowre leuē, Math. vi.(whiche is Hypocriſie) make vnpleaſante and vnſauerie the two ſpeciall workes of the newe man, Faſtynge and prayer. Dyd not Chriſte hym ſelfe continually rebuke them, Math. xv.becauſe thei brake the commaundementes of God for their owne traditions & doctrines? where God the father had giuen commaunmente to honoure father and mother: they cryed for their gayne, their corban and offerynges.
Where God aſketh the whole herte and thereof onelyonly meaſureth all oure doinges: their teachynge is to worſhippe wyth the lippes, though the herte be farre from me, ſayeth the Lorde by his Prophete. In vayne therefore do they worſhippe, teachynge the Eſai. xxix.doctrines as preceptes of men. The whiche doctrines, ſyth their firſte beby…ynge, the true Prophetes of Chriſte ſeekynge the onelyonly honour of God: hauehave frō time to time, laboured to cōfute, & to reſtore to their worthi…es, the preceptes of God, & his holie cōmaū dementes which euer more (amongeſt hypocrites) hauehave ben in ſmall reputation in compariſon of their owne inuentions. In ſomuch that all theſe Prophetes whom God ſent to beate downe the blynde errours of mennes dreames: were hated, perſecuted from Citie to Citie, ſcourged, ſlayne and crucifyed. So that all the bloude of the iuſte whiche was and ſhall be ſhed vponupon the earth from Abell to the worldes ende: maye be heaped vponupon the Hypocrites in the daye of aduengeaunce, when they ſhall be adiudged to the fyre and tormentes prepared for the Deuyll and his Angelles.
If any man do not fully perceiue by this we hauehave ſpoken, that the olde Phariſeis and ours be not all one in their doctrines, their Hypocriſie and cruell tiraunie: I deſire him to conſidre the mattier depely, and to cōpare ſubſtantially, the olde and newe thinges togither. Concerning the holie wordes of our Math. v.maiſter Chriſt, and moſt depe opening of the lawe of God his father, corrupted by the gloſes of the olde Phariſeis: our newe Phariſeis hauehave founde out a newe doctrine. They ſaye that Chriſtes wordes are counſayles and no preceptes. And therof hauehave they foūded and grounded opera ſupererogationis. Workes that they maye diſtribute for money. For faſting Math. vi.& praying (whiche are the newe wynes that wyl breake the olde veſſels) he that hath eyes may ſee that the olde phariſeis were not ſo yuyll as are the newe, who hauehave added more to the wickednes of their prediceſſours. For where Chriſte dyd rebuke the other bu… of hypocriſie & vaine glorie. Ours hauehave added herunto, ſuperſtition of daies, times, meates & drynkes, & hauehave made their prayers vtterly nothing but a lippe labour, becauſe it is done in appointed wordes and preſcript numbre, in a tonge that the man whiche prayeth doeth not vnderſtande. And therfore his lippes labour, but his herte is voyed of knowledge what he ſayeth, wherefore it can hauehave no profite.
The honouring of the father and mother: they compt chief…y to be done in their corban, Math. xv.offering maſſe pence and trentalles for them when they be deade. Muche worſſe is thys pointe then that of the olde Phariſeis.
To turne awaye the herte frō the lyuing God, that deliuered out of Egypt: They Math. xxiii.hauehave ſought vp and mainteined ten thouſand Idoles. They binde heauy burdens of lawe, doctrines and traditions, to oppreſſe the pore people. Yet do they al thinges vnderunder the pretence of holines, euen when they deuour wydowes houſes. They louelove the firſte ſeates in feaſtes and counſayles, & to be ſaluted▪ lordes & maiſters, they ſhit the kingdome of heauē, they make proſelites, they teache blinde doctrine, they are blynde guydes, they are but painted ſepulchres, full of deadly poyſon of the olde ſerpentes ſeede. Wherefore they d… ſtyl ſlea the true preachers, that do admoniſh them of their wicked life, falſe doctrines and vaine worſhippe: that they (being both in the miſerable & malicious blindnes of the Phariſeis and lyke crueltie of Cain their father) may be iudged giltie of all the bloud of their bretherne.
Beware of ſuch falſe prophetes (ſayth our Math. vi.maiſter Chriſt) thei come vntounto you in ſhepes clothinge, but inwardly they are raueninge woulfes. By their fruites ſhall you knowe them. Do men gather grapes of thornes and figges of thiſtles? Can ſuch wicked woulfes bringe furth doctrines and leſſons good and profitable for Chriſtes poore flocke? Naye ſuche as the tree is, ſuche muſte the fruite needes be.
If the blacke Morian maye chaunge his The morian and leopard…ſkynne, or the Leoparde hir ſpottes: then maye you teache good doctrine (O Popiſhe doctours) you proud prelates, brought vp in Sophiſticall ſciences and Ceremonies, and ſworne proctours of all popiſhe maoneſſe.
Your doctrine ſtādeth onelyonly in meate and drinke, which is nothinge of the kingdome of God. In diſtributions of holy dayes and ſa…thes, whiche are but ſhadowes. You hauehave a conterfaite humilitie and ſuperſtition as it were of Angels: but you go furth proudely in thinges you knowe not, puffed vp in vaine by your carnall myndes. &c. To be ſhorte, what are all your doctrines? Are they not of thys ſorte?
Toutche not the chalice, for it is holy. Toutch not the bread, for it is God. Toutch Toutch not.not the wyne, for then thou wylte iudge it to tary ſtyl vnchaunged in his kinde. Hādle not the corporace nor the karchiefe ther…, vnleſſe thou hauehave glo…es. Taſte not ſteſhe on the friday nor in the vigils of deade ſainctes. Taſte no butter nor cheeſe, nor in a… wiſe no egges in lent. Whiche lent would be handled if we had leaſure, but God wyll graunte vsus ſome other time more meete for this mattier.
Fiſhe you ſaye is an holy meate in this your ſuperſtition. Thus hurt you the body, & by your bodily doing, do nothinge further true holines. For God him ſelfe is a ſpirite, & is worſhipped in ſpirit, not in carnal doctrine & preceptes of toutching, taſting & handlyng.
Therfore (ſaith Paule) if you be dead with Chriſt frō traditions of the worlde: why are ye (as yet liuing in the worlde) led with their Colo…. ii.doctrines that ſay toutch not, taſte not, handle not. Which all do periſhe in the vſinge of them, and are after the commaundemētes of men, whiche thinges hauehave the ſimilitude of wyſedome in choſen holineſſe and humbleneſſe, and in that they ſpare not the body, and do the fleſhe no worſhip vntounto his neede.
Marke howe Paule calleth all your doctrines foreign wil holines. Becauſe Wyl holinesthey come of your fonde willes, & of no precept or cōmaundemēt of God. Such is your doctrine forbidding men to receiue the ſacrament in boeth the kindes (make the beſt you can of it) grounded … wyl holineſſe. For you ſay that the ſacramēt is not miniſtred in both the kindes as Chriſt did diſtribute it: becauſe we laye men wyl not hauehave it. If we laye men hauehave any ſuche wyll contcarie to the wyll of Chriſte (who ſayed, Bibite ex hoc omnes, drinke of this you all. Diuidite inter vos, diuide this amōge you) it is a fonde wyll holineſſe, and choſen holineſſe. But you ſaye we do forbeare it of a reuerence.
If it be good to folowe our wyll holineſſe and phantaſtical reuerence in this kinde: why do we not of like reuerēce forbeare the bread alſo, leſte it wax clammy and cleaue to the roufe of oure mouthes? for in the wyne we feele …one ſo vnreuerent a thynge. But for ſpillynge the wyne your doctrine is that we maye not meddle there wyth. But we thynke there is far more daunger in your great ſleaues and Faunelles whē you turne, toſſe and toye ouer and aboute the cuppe: then in vsus that hauehave the cuppe holden to oure heades like babes. So that if it be well done vponupon ſuche reuerence to forbeare the wyne: you (vponupon whom muche greater daunger hangeth) oughte to hauehave the greater reuerence. Therfore are either you vnreuerēt, or els are we not reuerent, but foliſhe in oure wyll holines, ſo many of vsus as wil not drinke of this cuppe as oure maiſter Chriſte hath cōmaunded vsus.
This is lyke the reuerence that the kentiſhmen had to the kynges horſſe when the The kentiſhe man.kinge cōmaunded him to open the gate. Iche am not worthy (quod he) to open the gate to my maiſter your horſſe, but hereby dwelleth maiſter Pecham a man worthy to do it. In lyke maner do they that wyll not come to drynke of the cup of the newe teſtament, whē Chriſt commaundeth them, ſaying wyth the kentiſhe man. Iche am not worthy to toutch it nor to drynke there of: but oure maiſter perſon or oure ſir Iohn are worthy men for the purpoſe.
But (oh blynde biſhoppes) we are not all ſo fonde, to be illuded ſtyll. For many hauehave reade your bokes wrytten for thys purpoſe to maynteyne your pompe and to keepe vsus as your vnderlynges: and therfore wyll we no lōger ſuffer you to ſay that we lewde men will not hauehave it. But we deſyre and require you for the louelove of God in his ſonne Chriſt by whom we are made al one perfect and knigeli prieſthod to offer vp our ſelues a lyueing ſacrifice, purified by the bloud of his vnſpotted lambe, whiche maketh perfecte all thinges in thys uewe teſtament, which he cō maūdeth vsus to deuide & generalli willeth vsus all to be partakers therof, that you do ſet vp no doctrine of wyll holyneſſe agaynſte the manifeſt worde of Chriſt the ſonne of God who ſayed. Drinke of this you all. For if you do, it muſt neades be ſtyl ſpoken of you that is ſayed by the prophet Eſaie. They worſhip me in vayne, teachinge the doctrynes & preceptes of men.
Now leſte any ſimple man ſhoulde be deceyued Beware of my Lordes lyes.wyth your iuglinge wordes, when you ſaye that good men might by the ordre of the churche cōmunicate vndre boeth the kindes though they hauehave contēted thē ſelues with the communion of one kinde, and that it was neuer denied but that all ſtates of mē might cōmunicate in boeth the kyndes, and that ther was …euer lawe made to the contrarie, neither any eſtate of men repelled a… vnworthye to receyue the one kynde as well as the other, but that they hauehave of theyr ſelues forborne reerently: I hauehave agaynſt you not onelyonly your canon lawe and popeiſhe decrees, whych you hauehave ſo perfectly learned, but your cruell ſtatute of the ſyxt articles alſo, wherein you made it death to defēde theſe open wordes of our Maſter Chriſt, Drinke of this you all. This is inough to caſt you in this mattier. For if it were lawfull for all chriſtē men to communicate in boeth kindes what crueltie cal you this, to make it to be proclamed fourth tymes in the yere in euerye church, and eueryevery monethmonth in all ſeſſions, aſſiſes, courtes, & lawe daies, that who ſo mayntayneth it to be lawful ſhalbe iudged an herityke and as an heryteke ſuffer death by burnynge? Is there any ſuch charitie in you as Paule had in the ſettynge forth of his doctrin concernynge that a woman ought to be couered in the congregacion? Or is the drinkinge of this cup a more wayghtie matter, or more hurtfull to them that do it? Chriſt commaundeth vsus to do this, and Paule doeth but reaſone in the other accordeynge to the lawe of nature. Why are you ſo ſhameleſſe then (Oh byſhopes) to kyll Chriſtes ſhepe for doeinge theyr maſters cōmaundement, and mayntaynynge his wyll, declared in his ſcriptures: ſeynge that Paul is readie (rather then there ſhoulde be any coutencion about it) to call his doctryne backe agayne, teachinge moſt plainely that the church of god ought not to mayntayne any ſuche doctryne of any man as may ſtyre any contencion, debate or ſtryfe