Answer to the Devilish Detection of the Bishop of Winchester, Treatise · Part 24
❧ The ceremoneis (wherof the popeiſh religion ſtandeth) the byſhop calleth nothynge, and yet lyke Farthynge, they all ioyned togither make vp the heape.
THerfore maye we ſpeake generally of your tradicious and ceremoneis whiche you cal farthynges, that fyl vp the heape of your fonde religiou, if euerye one of thē …eperate alone be nothynge (as you do playnely graunt) ſurelye it is a goodly maſſe and heape that ariſeth of In the. cxxvi. …eafe of my lordes boke & the. xvii. liue,ſo manye nothinges.
Conſider your owne exemple doeth a ſhauen crowne make a prieſt? you anſwere, naye it is nothynge. And you ſaye the dwell cal…eth it a fleſhe marke. But I cal it the marcke A ſhauen crowne is no thynge.of the beaſte, becauſe the pope… (no doubte) is that cruell beaſte and Antichriſte paynted in the prophetes and Apocalipſes, whoſe marck you muſte nedes graunte it to be that you maye vſe hys marchaundiſe. For God the father commaunded hys prieſtes that in no caſe they ſhoulde be ſhauen rounde on their Leuit. xix.heades, neither by ſhaueinge deforme theyr bearders. And Chriſt hys ſonne which came to appoynte a more ſpirituall prieſtehode: woulde not commaunde any ſuche groſſe, carnal and fleſhelye ceremonie, but left ſuche thynges to oure libertie. Nowe be cauſe you would declare your ſelues whō you woulde folowe: you wylbe ſhauen rounde in your heades, and for to kiſſe women more ſwetelie your beardes ſhall no ſoner waxe ſharp but you wyl ſhaue thē ſmothe agayne. You wilbe like the Idolatrouſe prieſtes of Iſis, boeth in your ſhauinge and your womanlyke wearinge of lyuen and ſyde garmentes that lyke maye fauour like. But to procede wyth your popeiſh… prieſthod. Doeth a longe gowne make aprieſte? Naye, it is nothynge. For thā A lōg gowne is nothynge.the phariſeies (who loued to walke in longe robes, and made wyde the ſkyrtes of theyr gownes as ours doe) had bene prieſtes good …outh. Doeth the name make a prieſt. As maiſter perſone. ſir Iohn, or my Lorde byſhope Naye (ſayeth our maiſter Chriſte) wo vntounto you phariſeis that wilbe called maiſters and hauehave the vayne title of Rabby, he that exalteth hym ſelfe ſhalbe brought lowe.
Doeth the anoynteinge make a prieſte? Naye Chriſte (the chiefe prieſt yea the firſte and onelyonly prieſte of the newe teſtament, becauſe he onelyonly coulde offer vntounto hys father a ſacrifice pleaſant and acceptable, in whome all the ceremoniall prieſtehode ceaſed being nowe a ppoynted to an euerlaſteinge prieſthode, not ſtandeinge in Ceremonies as dyd the Leuites, but after the order of Melchiſedech was not anointed wyth bodilye oyle in to hys priſtehode. Peter, Paule, Iames, Iohn and all the other Apoſtles and diſciples, the miniſters and diſpoſers of the treaſurs of God and his miſteries: were not anointed The Apoſtles werenot a…ointed withoutward oyles.wyth outwarde oile, but wyth the in warde oyle of the ſpirite. They hadde the thynge it ſelfe, and we hauehave the ſhadowes onelyonly and the outwarde ceremoneis, whyche are nothynge in verie dede, ſeyng that they be voide of the bodye and thynges that they ſignifie and are become lyeynge ſignes. Thus is your anoynteinge in verie dede nothynge. Or elſe to ſpeake in playne Englyſhe, it is a lyeynge ſigne and deceyuable ſhadowe.
Doeth the powre that you byſhopes geue to ſacrifice Chriſte agayne for the quike and the deade make a prieſt? Naye ſurelye.
For you hauehave no powre tobe come newe prieſtes, and ſo to ſacrifice Chriſte agayne, as the Epiſtle to the Hebrues doeth teache you & we hauehave ſpokē herof at the beginning. Wherfor thys is a lye intollerable, and leſſe thē nothynge to grounde the true prieſthode vponupon.
If you blowe vponupon your conſecrate creature that you call prieſte, and ſaye Accipe ſpiritum ſanctum, Doeth that make hym a prieſte? You dare not ſaye thys were nothing for then were it ſome what that you vſe in Chriſtenynge of children, wherin you make miracles euen after the ſame ſorte. It muſte …eades be ſome what therfore, and ſurelye it is ſomewhat.
Yea it is agreate deale to muche, that you ſhoulde take vponupon you to geue that you neuer hadde and mocke the geuer therof wyth your maſſinge geſtures and mumblinges, euen as you do in your maſſe when you breath out the wordes of Chriſte ouer the breade and wyne, to the intent to worcke the ſtraungeſte miracle by them that euer was wrought.
But as all your whole heape is but a multitude of nothinges: ſo are you your ſelfe nothynge (yea and that leſſe is) the ſhodowe of no thynge. And all your creatures that you hauehave coniured vp of nothyng ſhal ſhortly be diſſolued againe into nothinge, When Chriſt onelye and his prieſthode ſhalbe ſome thing, as he him ſelfe is al in al thinges & cōtinueth our one oneli Biſhop & hight prieſt for euer who hath ſatiſfied for the ſinnes of al, by ffering him ſelfe (once for al) a liuely ſacrifice vntounto god his father at whoſe right hād be ſitteth as it is writtē Hebrues the tenth. Thys high prieſt or biſhop offering one oblaciō for ſi…e ſitieth at the right hande of god for euer.
Truely, the prieſtes of the olde lawe were manye becauſe death dyd take them awaye. But Chriſt becauſe he remayneth for euer, hath an euerlaſtinge prieſthode. And becauſe theyr prieſthode was vnperfect, therfore was Chriſt appoynted to be a prieſt after the order of Melchiſedech, without any ſuche ſucceſſiō of other prieſtes, to folow in his ſteade and therfore ſayed the prophete. Thou art a prieſte for euermore, after the order of Melchiſedeche.
The lawe of Moyſes made men prieſtes but the worde of the oth whiche was aboue the lawe, did ordein the ſonne a prieſte, made perfect for euermore. He made this preſthode perfect and fulfilled all his ſacrifices at once when he offered him ſelfe.
Thus do we perceiue it to be a lyeynge powre that biſhopes do chalenge in makyng theyr prieſtes.
To take a prieſt therfore (as you do) for Learne to knowe a true prieſte.a ſacrifier for ſynne is iniuriouſe vntounto Chriſt and we knowe none ſuch in the newe teſtament, for that preſthode muſt neades ende with the lawe of ſacrifice. But to take a prieſt as Malachie doeth the lyppes of the prieſte ſhall kepe knoweledge, and they require the lawe at his mouthe, for he is the angell and miniſter of the Lorde of hoſtes. Here fynde we a better marke then the beaſtes marke or the fleſhe marke: that is to ſaye, knowledge, whereby onelyonly he doeth the meſſage of his Lorde and maiſter, and inſtructeth his ſhepe in the lawe of God. By this marke are true prieſtes tried and knowne.
Wherefore ſayeth God by his prophete Oſee. Becauſe thou haſt refuſed knowledge Oſee. iiii.I wyll put the backe that thou ſhalte be no prieſt before me. This knowledge is the anointing of the ſpirite, without the whiche The anoynting of the ſpirite.the bodily anoyntinge is playne deriſion of the ſpirite and hypocriſie, and without this, the ſyde gowne and wyde ſkyrtes, ſerue to nothinge but to make them to be magnified before men. Suche therefore as hauehave the anointinge of the ſpirite, maye you biſhoppes anoynt if you pleaſe, and appoint to be miniſters of Chriſtes flocke, to diſtribute his worde and ſacramentes.
Nowe maye we marke by thys we hauehave heard: whether we may ſty… cal your diſguiſed prieſthode (w…che ſtandeth in ſhauinges, oyntings, garmētes, geſtures, beckinges, blowynges, croſſynges, kyſſynges, and the farthynges wherof the whole heape ariſeth) the true prieſthode, or rather iudge all theſe thinges to be nothynge, and therfore your prieſthode to be conterfaite, whiche foloweth no learnyng or knowledge to be the meſſengers of the Lorde, but Idlenes, whoredome and Idolatry, to be the mēbres of Sathā, folowing holines in outwarde ſhewe only of your ceremonies, killinge & ſleaing the true prieſtes, preachers and meſſengers whiche are the angels of God. Theſe knowinge the ſtewardſhip appointed vntounto thē: feare the wo & euerlaſting dānation hanging ouer their heades, if thei do not preach the meſſage of their maiſter: But (I am righte ſure) you thinke me ouerlonge in this mattier.
Let vsus go farther with your farthinges therfore. What maketh a biſhop? An whole heape of ceremonies (you ſay) whiche cōſidered ſeuerally alone, are nothynge. What is a broade crowme, as brode as. x. prieſtes crownes: doeth not this make a biſhop? No this is nothynge. Doeth a miter make a biſhop. No ſurely. Do the gliſtering gloues make a biſhop? No, they are nothinge. What do al the lordly poſſeſſiōs, & the lōge traine folowing? Ah now we ſteare, for theſe thinges are ſomwhat. Thei make you lords, but not biſhops What maketh you biſhops then? for we can ſee nothinge in you but this geare & ſuch like Wherefore, you make vsus beleue that you be like biſhops as the other be prieſtes, That is to ſaye, cōterfaite, patchinge together of the cloutes of ceremonies, & thinges of noughte (if you were waighed in the ballāce of equite) leſſe thē farthinges, yea lighter thē nothinge.
But Paule ſetteth furth other maner of farthinges, where he deſcribeth a biſhoppe. The biſhop (ſayeth he) muſte be fautles, the huſbande of one wife, watchfull, ſobre, milde harberouſe, apt to teache, no drunckarde, no fighter, not deſirouſe of filthy gayne, but vprighte, flyinge ſtryfe, flyinge couetouſneſſe, that ruleth his owne houſe well, whyche hath his chyldren in ſubiection wyth al reuerence. Lo, here be farthinges of great waight and value, euen whē they be cōſidered eueryevery one alone by hym ſelfe. Theſe are the good farthynges therefore, that make the good biſhoppes, and the other are the nothinges that make the Idol biſhops, thinges of no value. All the firſt farthinges maye well be wyped awaye & the man neuer the worſſe: but wype awaye theſe farthynges that Paule nameth, and you can hauehave no good biſhop.
Nowe for the ſubſtaunce of oure religion which as you ſay ſtādeth in theſe farthinges of your popiſhe ceremonies: if you do meane of the popes religion, we do graunte it onelyonly and wholy to ſtande in ceremonies and ſhadowes, as your prieſthode doeth. And if may well ynough be wyped awaye as nothynge. Your mumbling in a tonge not vnderſtande (whiche you call your prayer) is nothinge. Your croſſing, bleſſyng and wagging of fingers, is nothing. Your creeping to the croſſe is nothyng: yea it is an euyl thyng. Your halowyng and caryinge of candles, is nothing. Your kneelyng, knockyng, and holdynge vp of handes to thys, whiche we hauehave proued to be breade, is nothynge, if an Idole maye be nothinge, or Idolatrie nothinge. Your ſuper ſtitious coniurynge of the good creatures of God, to dryue awaye diuylles and diſaſes, whiche you call the makynge of holy water, Holy water,is notynge. Your caſting of the ſame aboute your beds, is nothinge. No, your ſuperſtitiō of creatures in your choſē faſtes, is nothing. Yea all that euer the Pope hath bylt (whiche you biſhops do maynteyne) is nothinge, yea leſſe then nothing, the ſhadowes of nothing, and the vayne dreames of nothynge. Thus is your popiſhe religion nothynge, & worſſe then nothynge, and ſhall come to nothynge, euen as your abbayes hauehave done, which had their foundations of ſo many nothinges, and by their nothinge had heaped together all thynges, ryches, landes and tenementes.
But learne, O biſhop, I pray you, that all your nothynges are not regarded before God. But this is euerlaſting lyfe, to knowe God, and whō he hath ſent Ieſu Chriſt, that the knowledge of god may make the chriſtē man, lyke as it maketh the good prieſt & true biſhop. And thys is alwayes ſomthynge (diuide it as ſmall as yo… can) cōtinually miniſtred by our heade Chriſt, accordynge to the capacitie of eueryevery mēbre. Thys knowledge of god bringeth furth louelove, peace, rightuouſnes and ioye in the holy goſte, whiche is the ſubſtaunce of the chriſtian religion, as Paul ſayeth. The kyngdome of God (ſayeth he) is not meate and drinke: but ryghtuouſneſſe, peace, and ioye in the holy goſte.
Biſhop Stephane, you talke fondly in reporting vsus to bid men eate al the day longe, and other thinges that folowe. Your popiſhe doctrine is, that men may drynke al the daye longe, ſo they eate but once in the daye, howe muche they eate then it forceth not, nor howe deinteth meate, ſo it be not fleſhe. Fyue diſhes of fiſhe, for one of fleſh, breaketh no faſt at al, mary it is to be thoughte, that the multitude The perfec… on of the biſhops faſte.of diſhes is the perfectiō of your faſte as appeare…h in your ſeruice on fiſhe daies (as you …al them) & that euē in your moſt holy houſes & coleges. Yea the ſcholars in your coleges are allowed as muche to their diners on the faſting dayes as they hauehave to diner & ſupper both on other dayes. But if a mā eate a piece of biefe or bakon, an hen or a capon: Oh abominable hereſie, treaſon and lowlardy. He is worſſe then a Iewe or a Turke.
Agayne, where you cal the hearing of the Goſpell preached (whiche oughte to be the chiefe cauſe of our aſſēble) the falſe teachyng of the Deuil: you declare of what ſpirite you be. You neuer hearde man diſprayſe prayer, onleſſe it were popiſhe prayer, which is lippe labour that no man taketh profite by.
But lo thus are you led by your phantaſticall farthynges, frō one triſtle to an other, frō one creature to an other. You lynke together your wyckedneſſe as it were wyth a chaine and draw together your wretchednes as it were wyth a cable, tyl ſuch tyme as you come to the greateſt abomination (as you ſay) by degrees. Your phanell is nothynge, your albe is nothing, your ſtole is nothyng, your gyrdle is nothynge, your veſtiment is nothynge, your blowyng is nothynge, your bleſſyng is nothynge, your croſſyng and kykyſſyng is nothynge. But the holdyng vp of your Idol to be worſhypped, is ſomethinge. For, the ſet vp any creature to be worſhypped as God, is abomination, and abominable Idolatrie.
Thus by degrees come you to the highe miſterie of wickednes. And thys cauſeth you that you can not be cōtented with the ſtate of byſhops, but you wyll be Lordes, yea aboue lordes & princes, as you do both preache and wryte, becauſe you can make that which neither kynge nor angel can make, that is to ſay Chriſt God and man. You are the chyldrē of thys worlde and therfore the worlde can not hate you. And therfore hauehave you ben ſo craftie to creepe in by litle and litle & to make vp the great heape of your baggage, which you cal the ſubſtaunce of your religion. And therfore do you nowe fyght wyth fyre & faggot, for the conſeruation of the ſame, that it maye conſerue you in your lordly dignities.
Thus hath your worldly witted fathers euen from the begynnynge fought wyth the ſayntes of God, whoſe bloud cryeth frō vnderunder the aultare and aſketh vengeaunce, & ſhal be hearde ryght ſpedily.
Marke (good biſhops) whom▪ you hauehave alwaye murthered euen frō the begynnyng. Whiche of the Prophetes of the olde teſtament, did eſcape chiefe prieſtes and byſhops?
And ſyth the comyng of Chriſt: your murthers are innumerable. I wyll not, nor cā not recken them. Dyd not Chriſte hym ſelfe dye by the conſpiracie of Annas, Cayphas and other biſhops, becauſe he rebuked the worlde of blyndenes? Al ſuch as you hauehave murtherd ſence that tyme: hauehave cleare teſtimonies of theyr innocencie, by ſome of your owne ſcribes and wryters. Had not Huſſe (whō yon Huſſe.accompt the Arche heretike) foure ſeales of the noble men of Morania, to wytneſſe his innocent lyfe and godly learnynge to your curſed & cruel counſayle at cōſtaunce. Doeth not Pope Piꝰ, otherwyſe called Eneas Silnius, Pogius the Florentyne, Platina Sabellicus and other your owne men, reporte well of hym?
But to come home, boeth to your owne tyme & countrey. Who doth not bewaile the tiranny that you ſhewed vntounto that innocent lambe Bylnaye, who (beinge demaunded in Bylnay.deriſion by a proude papiſt, when he went to his death, why he wroughte no miracles (beinge ſo holy as he was accompted) anſwered wyth mylde voice & countenaunce. God onelyonly (ſayed he) worketh miracles and wonders and he it is that hath wrought thys one wonder in our eyes, that I being wrongfully accuſed, falſly belyed, opprobriouſly and ſpytefully hādled, impriſoned, buffetted, and condempned to the fyre: yet hitherto hauehave I not once opened my mouth with one euyl worde agaynſt any of you. This paſſeth the worke of nature, & is therefore the manifeſt miracle of god, who wyl by my ſuffering & death, be glorified and hauehave his trueth enhaunced.
What report hauehave you gottē for the murthering of Hunne in the lowlars towre? You Hunne.had neither felonie nor treaſon to laye to his charge: yet moſt vilanouſly dyd the chauncelour of London murther that honeſt man for his owne childes criſome. I wyl ſay nothing of the prieſt that was found hanging in your porters warde. And fiue hundreth mo, wherof ſome hauehave by your tirannouſe handlyng, for ſworne the truth & forſakē theyr maiſters.
Some for feare of your tirāny hauehave renne out of their wittes, ſome hauehave forſaken their coūtreis, choſyng rather to …ue like baniſhed men: then to ſuffre your cruell and babilonical bondage. I coulde reken many, whoſe life is yet in the eyes of the worlde, and the cauſe of their death vtterly vnknowne, vnleſſe it were for ſpeakynge agaynſte your popiſhe madneſſe.
Wherfore dyed Barnes, Therome, & Garret? in the late ſtorme of your capitayne of Barnes.Norfolke, ſteared for his kinſwoman. They were neither declared felons nor …aytours. Norfolke.They dyd not ſtryue wyth you agaynſt the god of bread. But this was their death (ſo far as I could learne) becauſe they preached man to be iuſtified by fayth in the bloud of Chriſt onelyonly, & by none of your popiſhe inuentions.
Ohtirāny intollerable. You hauehave to long blynded our gouernours & made them your butchars and tormentours.
What ſhould I ſpeake of the laſt perſecution, whē you cauſed to be proclamed that no boke of chriſtian religion ſhould be brought into this Realme frō beyonde the ſea? Howe many dyd you then murther, & woulde hauehave done mo, had not the Kinge by his power plucked out of your clawes, one whom you had with ſmall equitie examined, and wyth leſſe iuſtice cōdemned? What iuſtice did you ſhewe in that you dyd ſo ſhamefully racke Anne Aſkue after ſhe was condemned? But Anne Aſkue.ſhe ſhewinge more conſtancie then hath bene communely ſeene in a woman: ſhal nowe after the death of hir body, worke you ſhame to all your poſteritie?
Was Laſſels wyth the other his felowes Iohn Laſſelsmartyrs (cōfeſſinge the liuinge God and his ſonne Chriſt the only ſauiour) worthily burned with fire, & (as you did raſhly determine and iudge) condemned and deſtroied in body and ſoule?
What were they? whoremongers, Idolatours, adulterers, theues, extorſiouers, or mā quellers? VponUpon ſuche cometh the wrath of God, & ſuche hauehave no parte in the kingdome of God. But you ſuffre to lyue & you ſhewe no power agaynſt them. No you are not any thynge terrible vntounto ſuche: for they dwell at your noſes, they eate at your tables, and are The biſhops darlinges.your darlinges. But who that ſpeaketh any thinge agaynſte your popiſhe Idols & brainſicke inuentions (hauehave he neuer ſo faythful an hert to God, and be he neuer ſo truſtie to his prince) yet muſt he be an heretike, a traytour a lowlar and all together.
This doeth the worlde eſpie at the length & talketh of you. I woulde this talke mighte make you leaue your euyll doinges: and to learne at the leaſt to do ſome parte of your dutie before the wrath of God fal vponupon you. But I do feare me al wordes are but wynde with you. OnelyOnly vexation and chaſtiſement wyll giuegive you vnderſtandinge. For lo, here you ſaye ful finely and like a popiſhe prelate that woulde hauehave all thinge broughte to the olde blyndenes and ignoraunce, and to ſuche captiuitie, and bondage that no man ſhoulde talke of his fayeth but vnderunder my Lordes licence, though Peter commaunded the contrary. You ſaye that of fayth there is ſo muche talke & tattelinge (to vſe your owne termes) that true beliefe is gone. Surely if you call thys true beliefe, the Romiſhe beliefe of pardones & pilgrimages, when we myght hauehave no talke of …ure fayth, but were cōmaunded in payne of curſinge, and burninge, to beleue… as the churche of Rome beleueth, like as you can knowe none other true churche, nor none other good men, but ſuche as folowe that church: I graunt your beliefe is fore waſted, & I truſt ſhall right ſhortly cōſume like ſtubble with the fyre of Goddes worde, and true workes of merciemercy, peace, and louing kindne… ſhall ſpringe furth whē men (knowynge tha… your Pope holy workes are but the madnes of idle braynes) ſhal worſhip the liuing God in ſpirite and trueth. But lo, you wyll hauehave here the carte to go before the horſſe, and wyl hauehave vsus to do theſe workes before we knowe them, ſaying that doing is the way to knowledge, where cōtrary wiſe, al wel doing muſt needes ſpringe of knowledge, as the onelyonly thinge that maketh our deedes good.
And becauſe you biſhops are ſo ſlowe in preaching good workes that God requireth: the people muſte needes be ſtacke in doinge them. For you ſhould be the ſalt of the earth. The ſalt is …ſauourie.But ſeinge that you be become vnſauourie, howe cā you ſeaſon other? You preach your owne inuentions, the preceptes and cōmaundementes of men, and them muſt we needes knowe and confeſſe, or els muſt we be brent. But it is a daungerous thynge to knowe the ſcriptures (and eſpecially for pore men) and to talke of oure fayeth. Thys doctrine of yours ſpoyleth vsus of fayeth, and bringeth vsus into the Idlenes of workes. Oh diueliſhe ſophiſtrie, and the ſpirituall ſubtiltie, ſtryuing agaynſt all godlines.
Sathan him ſelfe coulde not diuiſe ſuche a reaſon to hinder our fayth and ſtop knowledge. The Popes biſhops only could do it.
But marke howe this ſophiſtrie is cōfirmed and proued. The Biſhoppe (for lacke of ſcriptures) bringeth furth Cato an heathē mā who diſpiſed the greeke poetes, becauſe the youth of Rome waxed effeminate, & whi…ſe Cato.they ſet their delite in them, thei rather reioyced in readinge of battayles then fightinge them ſelues. But what is this to vsus chriſten men, whiche oughte to be readie to gyue anſwere of oure fayth to e…e…ie one that aſketh vsus? which ſhoulde talke of the wyll of God towardes vsus, and his holy cōmaundemētes when we lye downe and when we riſe, when we go by the waye and when we ſit at the table, compting our ſelues then to be moſt happie when we were moſte delited therin, daye and night as Dauid ſayeth.
But this is ſtraunge doctrine vntounto you, becauſe you are none of Paules biſhops. For he gaue his biſhops in commaundement to be iuſtant in the worde in tyme and out of tyme. No, you are an engliſhe biſhop, thynkinge the worde of God to be good but at An Engliſhe biſhoppe.thoſe times that you wyll appoynt, and that to a fewe gentlemen to whom you durſt not denie it. And to buſilie occupied marchauntes whom you do eſpie not ſo muche to regarde it as they hauehave done, giuinge them this knot in the ende of your boke, that … they wax wā ton, they ſhalbe put to ſilence as well as women, and yomen are all readie.
Oh Stephane, this is thy worke, as the chiefeſt engliſhe captitaine that euer Antichriſt had. For thou workeſt thy workes as his enemie, but thou arte his friende. Thou wouldeſte ſeeme an Angell, but thou arte a fiende.
I beſeche all good men therefore, that as they tendre their ſoules health, they wyl take heede to your ſwete poyſon and flatterynge wordes, & alſo to your darke termes whiche you do bringe furth of other languages. For by them chiefly hauehave we ben deceiued, & euer ſyth we hauehave miſtruſted your fayre wordes, and marked the mattier in our owne mother tonge and naturall language. We hauehave by litle and litle, euer more & more eſpied your ſubtilties.
Before we had the Creede in Engliſhe: we …lde not know that this preſence of the bodie naturally and really, that is to ſay, in his verie nature as he was man and a ſenſible thing and ſubſtaunce, was contrarie to three of the moſte manifeſt article of our fayth.
Moreouer, where you adde as a coucluſion, fully proued and perſuaded vntounto al good men, that Chriſte is really preſent in the Sacrament … the aultare, to feede oure weake bodies & ſoules, wherby to make vsus ſtronge to come to him and ly…e wythout ende: ſurely I can not perceiue howe you can perſuade this thynge to any good man, that marketh the Articles of his fayeth concernyng the aſcendyng of Chriſte, and his ſittynge at the ryghte hande of his father and his comynge thence to iudge the quicke & the dead, though you hauehave wyth your darke termes deluded and blynded many good ſimple ſoules, whō you woulde not ſuffre to hauehave and knowe their beliefe otherwiſe then in the lati…e tōge, and ſo taken at your handes, that you might mixt therwith your gloſes, ſo craftely handled and blynded with your ſophiſtrie termes (as really to be in the ſacrament whiche you ſaye before is accidentes) that the thynge it ſelfe and ſubſtaunce maye be really in accidentes. And then ſhall it not onelyonly be a ſpirituall meate to feede the ſoule: but alſo a bodily fode to feede your bodies like fleſhly Ca parnaites that wyll eate Chriſte as he was man walkyng vpō earth, to the fode of your bodies.
To make you ſtronge (you ſaye) to come vntounto hym. What ſtrength is it wherby you Fyll the bealie to come to Chriſte.come to him? Bodily, or ſpirituall? Oh men voyed of the ſpirite. You wyl feede the body, to hauehave the ſtrength of the ſpirite to come vn to Chriſt. Where learned you any like leſſon in the ſcriptures?
This is your well doinge and well ſpeaking without knowledge. Firſte laboure for knowledge of the worde of God and leaue the ſubtiltie of your owne brayne, and you ſhal boeth ſpeake more wiſely & worke more godlie I warrant you.
Chriſt teacheth in the. vi. of Iohn, that to come vntounto him is to beleue in him, ſayinge. He that cometh vntounto me ſhal not be hungrie, and he that beleueth in me, ſhal neuer be thirſtie. And a litle after, he calleth this the eatinge of the breade of life, the eatinge of hym ſelfe, and his fleſhe, ſaynge. I am the liuinge breade that came downe from heauen, if any man eate of this breade, he ſhal louelove for euer. And the breade whiche I ſhall gyue is my fleſhe, whiche I ſhall giuegive for the life of the world. He that eateth my fleſhe and drinketh my bloude, hath euerlaſting life. And he that eateth my fleſhe and drinketh my bloude, abideth in me and I in him. Then anſwereth he to the blynde Caparnaites, that woulde eate him really and bodilie, as the meate of their bodies. My wordes are ſpirite & life, the fleſhe profiteth nothinge. Wherefore I ſaied vntounto you, that no man can come vntounto me, except it be giuen him of my father. And this power giuen of the father to receiue Chriſte: is taughte in the firſte of Iohn. He came into his owne (ſayeth Iohn) and his owne did not receiue him. But ſo many as did receiue him, he graunted them to be made the children of God. They (thinke you) that did receiue him bodilie, & eate him really (to vſe your termes) to feede their bodyes and ſoules, to make them ſtrong to come to him.
What neede ſuch mē to make thē ſtronge to come to him, when they hauehave him in their bealies, and hauehave eaten him alreadie?
Leaue of all groſſe imaginations of the fleſhe that profiteth not, and folowe the doctrine of the ſpirite: and Iohn wyll teach you and declare playnelie who receiueth Chriſte and cometh vntounto him. For all muſte needes be one thing, to come to Chriſt and to receiue Chriſte. Reade this that …oloweth therefore, whiche you mumble vp at euerie Maſſe in euerie corner, and yet wyll you not ſuffre the people to vnderſtande it. Quotquot autem receperunt eum, dedit eis vt liceret filios dei fieri, videlicet hijs qui credidiſſent in nomen ip…ius. Quino… exſanguinibus, neque ex voluntate carnis, neque ex voluntate viri, ſed ex deo nati ſunt. So manie as receiue him, he graunted thē to be made the children of God (that is to ſaye) ſo manie as beleue in his name. Marke home diligentlie Iohn declareth him ſelfe of the receiuinge of Chriſte by fayth And further Which are not borne of bloude, neither by the wil of the fleſhe, nor by the wyll of man, but are borne of God, as 1. Pet. i.Peter ſayeth. Borne againe, not of mortall ſeede, but by the worde of the lyuinge God.i. Pet. ii.
This is the milke not of the bodie (ſaieth Peter) but it is the meate and milke of the ſoule, that knoweth no gile.
Thus renneth all the ſcripture, by metaphors and borowed ſpeache from bodilie meate to ſpirituall meate, from the bodilie teeth and eatinge, to the ſpirituall eatinge by the ſoule, whiche can be done by faith onelyonly. So that he whiche is not borne from aboue of the ſpirite: can neither ſee the kingdome of God, nor come vntounto Chriſte, let him eate the breade (wherein you ſaye is really the fleſhe) ſo longe as you luſte. For this muſte needes be true. That whiche is borne of the fleſhe, is fleſhe, and that whiche is borne of the ſpirite, is ſpirite.
Euen like as Moyſes ſet vp the ſerpent in the wilderneſſe, that ſo many as woulde come vntounto it mighte be ſaued from the firie ſerpentes: ſo likewiſe was the ſonne of man exalted that al that do beleue in him ſhoulde not periſhe, but hauehave euerlaſting life.
Againe. So hath God loued the worlde, that he hath giuen his onelyonly ſonne, that who ſo beleueth in him, ſhall not periſhe, but hauehave life euerlaſtinge.
Againe. He that beleueth in him ſhall not be condemned. And he that beleueth not in him is condemned all readie, becauſe he beleued not in the name of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God.
Thus may we ſee that fayth (and not ea…inge of Chriſt really in the ſacrament) doeth …aue, and bringe life euerlaſting. And not to …eleue in the onelyonly begottē ſonne of God: is …amnation of bodie and ſoule. So is it not to …enie your gloſes really preſent, and bodilie …aten. Yea mainteininge this groſſe opinion: …ou can not eſteme him to be the ſonne of the …uinge God, nor beleue the worke that his …ather hath wronght in his death.
For God the father dyd not ſende hys …ne in the fourme of breade or any other creature, but onelyonly in the fourme of man, to the entent to exalt man therby, to make man of his houſeholde, to giuegive life vntounto man by his ſonne Chriſte, to raiſe him againe wyth Chriſte and cauſe him to ſit together wyth Ephe. ii.Chriſt amonge the heauenly ſpirites. And to ſhewe furth in the worlde to come, the paſſing richeſſe of his grace, in his godneſſe towardes vsus by Chriſte Ieſu.
We beleue in the onelyonly begotten ſonne, whiche was made man to ſaue the worlde▪ wherefore we can not be condemned, though we do ſeeke none other ſtraunge beliefe of really preſent and bodiſie eaten to feede the bodies, whiche thinges are not taught in the ſcriptures.
You do not beleue in the onelyonly begotten ſonne made man, but made breade to take awaye ſinnes: wherfore vnleſſe you do repent, your dānatiō is at hande, becauſe you beleue not in the name of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God, whiche is the onelyonly begotten ſonne, as he is man, cōceiued by the holie goſte and borne of the virgin Mary, not as he is bread blowen with your ſtinkinge breathes. Neither is he the onelyonly begottē ſonne of God, as he is wine whiſpered into your chalice.
Howe do you beleue in this name (the only begotten ſonne of God) whē the ſcriptur… teacheth you that there is none other name vnderunder heauen, wherby men ſhould be ſaued, and yon do ſaye that there is an other thinge (whiche ſome name the Maſſe, and ſome the ſacrament of the aultare) that ſaueth from ſinnes, and is a ſacrifice boeth for the quicke and the deade, and (as your man Damaſcen wryteth) it purgeth all diſeaſes and incommodities.
Furthermore. We do beleue, that Ieſu Chriſte is the Chriſt that is the anoynted of God to offre the ſacrifice wherewyth onelyonly, the father coulde be pleaſed, and therefore are we borne of God.
You do ſay, that you are the Chriſtes and anointed prieſtes to offer ſtyll for the ſinnes of the people. Who is your father but he that woulde darken the ſacrifice of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God and ſit in the temple of God, boaſting him ſelfe for God, being in deede the aduerſarie and is lifted vp agaynſt euerie thinge that is God or godly, the wycked man, the curſed childe.
Againe. God the father ſayed, this is my dearly beſoued ſonne, in whō I am pleaſed and pacified, heare you him.
We beleue this worde, and wyll ſeeke no further, but to thys onelyonly begotten & dearly beloued ſonne of God. Neither to pacifie the wrath of God for oure treſpaſſes: nor yet to ſeeke any other teacher of his wyll, then the ſonne of God, whom we are commaunded to heare.
You wyll ſette vp the Maſſe your owne worke to pacifie the father for the ſinnes of the quicke & the deade. You wyll hauehave your owne doctours to deſcant newe gloſes, and theſe muſt the pore flocke of Chriſt heare, beleue and confeſſe, or els they ſhall be brent.
But to heare Chriſte, the onelyonly begotten ſonne of god, ſpeake in the ſcriptures: is poyſon to al men vnderunder the degree of gentlemen, and puniſhable by your lawes, as in the caſes of hereſie.
What call you this, but to make the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God an hereticke? Call you thys the beleuynge in his name? Thus maye we proue that you beleue in the Popes name, whoſe lawes and wrytynges are reſerued of certeyue men for certeyue purpoſes and are as muche practiſed and more ſtoutely defended then any thynge that Chriſt cō maundeth.
Yea, howe can we thinke but that you beleue more in the Pope, when you defende his Actes more ſtyfly, then the lawes of the lyuynge God?
What if it ſhoulde be proclamed, that no maner boke concernynge any parte of the Popes re…igion, ſhoulde be broughte into the Realme? and that al thoſe which are brought in alreadie, ſhoulde be brent, coulde you byſhopnes beare this thynge ſo guietly as you dyd diligently laboure to hauehave all ſ…che bokes of chriſten religion brent and baniſhed?
But to make an ende where we beganne. Iohn ſayeth that euerie ſpirite that contelleth Chriſte to be comen in the fleſhe: is borne of God. Thys do we con…eſſe that denie him to be come in breade: wherefore we be borne of God. And thus bele…ing in the … o… ten ſonne of God, we can not be condemned.
But that ſpirite whiche doeth not confeſſe Chriſte to be comen in the fleſhe, is not of. God. And thys is the ſpirite of Antichriſte of whom you hauehave hearde that he ſhal come, and he is in the worlde alreadie.
Nowe ſeinge that we (ſo many of vsus as confeſſe Chriſte to be come in the fleſhe) be borne of God: why ſhoulde nor we for the glorie of oure heauenly father a…d for oure ſaluation, be ſo readie to laye downe oure ſoules, in the faythfull handes of his c…todie, as the ſpirite of Antichriſte, and the chyldren of this worlde are to ſpeake & … …or the mainteinaunce of Ido atric, …he kingdom of Antichriſt, to their owne … …amnation. Worldly Pompe and dignitie, the maintenaunce of Idolatrie & Popetrie: hath cauſed the biſhop to wryte his boke, and to rayle agaynſte the trueth. And ſhall not the crowne of glorie (whiche can neuer decaye, the glory of the only euerlaſting God) ſteare faythful men to make anſwere for the trueth agaynſt falſehode? ſpecially, ſeinge that we hauehave thys playne teſtimonie, ſpoken by the mouth of our ſauiour. He that confeſſeth me before men him wyl I confeſſe before my father that is in heauen, and hym that denieth me before men, ſhall I denie alſo, before my father and his holy angels.
If I be blamed, if I be impriſoned, yea if I be burned for Chriſtes cauſe & the trueth: yet am I happie, by the opē teſtimonie of Chriſt in Math. My name ſhall be reſtored in the Math. v.heauens in the boke of lyfe, to be a fayethfull witneſſe. I ſhalbe ſet at libertie for euer with Chriſt the ſonne of God, my bodie brent into aſhes (where it hath put of mortalitie) ſhal be reſtored vntounto me muche better, immortall and incorruptible. If I loſe wyfe and childe, father and mother: I ſhal receiue for them an hundreth folde. And for aduauntage aboue all, for f…ll recōpence: lyfe euerlaſting. Who wyl not be ammate and encouraged by ſuch large promiſes?
❧ God ſaue Kynge Edward from all errours. God defende his tender age from all …he ſubtile malice of al Hypocrites and tray…urs. The lyuyng God eſtabliſhe his herte in the waye of the trueth for euer and euer. So be it.
❧ FINIS. ❧