Answer to the Devilish Detection of the Bishop of Winchester, Title page – To the reader
An anſvver to the deuilliſh detection of Stephane Gardiner, Biſhoppe of Wyncheſter, publiſhed to the intent that ſuch as be deſirous of the truth ſhould not be ſeduced by hys errours, nor the blind & obſtinate excuſed by ignorance.
Compiled by. A. G.
Iudicum. vi.
¶ Oh let thē periſh from the erth, and from vnderunder the heauen, all the Idoles that hauehave not made the heauē & the erthe, deſtroye you theyr groues and altares, If they be goddes let them reueng them ſelues.
¶ Anno. 1547. the. 24, of Ianuary
¶ In the viii. leafe i. page and xiiii. line: for ſtaine mne, reade, ſame mine.
To the Reader.
DEarely beloued (bought wyth the ſame bloude, and therfore parte takers of the ſame kyngedome) becauſe the Lorde oure God is the God of knowledge, and wyll hauehave ſuche ſeruauntes as by knowledge in trueth wythout fleſhely fantaſies, either of fained goddes or any fonde worſhip of mans madde brayne (who alwaies from the beginneinge hath renne after vanities) wyll be radie to geue anſwere of their faieth in him, the God of lyfe and of the hope conceiued by his onelyonly worde: it becometh all his …o labour for knowledge, that they maye walke vpright in the waie of their Lorde, and by no halting ignoraunce to ſlide furth of the ſame and ſo to prouoke his worthi diſpleaſure. And as he is the God of louelove, peace, vnitie and concorde, and will hauehave vsus al tied together with the bonde of louelove and made therby (in hym) all one bodie: ſo doeth it become vsus wyth open hertes, wythout all doubleneſſe, one to enſtructe an other, to the edifiynge of oure brethern, that in ſure grownded fayth we maye louelove together and ſo enioye the hope of our vocacion. Therfore, though mi talent bee verie ſmal and no principall gifte either of eloquence or learninge, but onelyonly a louelove of the trueth geuen vntounto me, yet ſeinge the worlde is ſo blinded with Idolatrie, and ſo beewitched with popiſhe ſophiſtrie, and euen nowe the ſpirittes and powers of darcknes worcke the chiefe myſterie of iniquitie and wickedneſſe, to ſet vp and maintaine the moſte weake Idole that euer was in the worlde, in the ſteade of the moſt mightie and euerliuinge God: I coulde thincke it no leſſe thē my moſt bounden dutie, openly to beare wittneſſe vntounto the truthe. And where as the wordes of truth, hauehave bene ſlandrouſly and ſpitfully named the ſaieinges of the deuil by the ſpiritual crafte of a ſouldiour of Sathā, which by painted wordes woulde tranſform him ſelf into an angel of lyght. Whoſe boke is ſpred euerie where, and receiued in manie places more reuerentlie then the bleſſed bible, the holie worde of God. Yet no mā hath (ſo farre as I know) once opened his mouth or taken penne in hand, to make anſwere to this blaſphemouſe meſſenger of the proude Senacherib neglectinge the liueinge God, for the littel I dole that he maketh God or no God at hys pleaſure, who ſuffreth Miſe to eate him and the wicked to deuoure him. Lette all other men do as they ſhall thyncke good, wyth ſilence to let ſuche thynges ſlip. Truly if I coulde ſaye nothinge thereunto but onelyonly naye, denienge Idolatrie and renouncynge all ſuperſticion therin maintained: I iudge it my parte to publiſhe my faith, rather then by my ſilence to ſeame to conſent to ſuche diuilliſhe doctrine. So alſo do I eſteme it the dutie of the faithful in this perillous tyme, plainely to profeſſe the Lord the liueuinge God, to be the onelyonly God in heauen a boue and in the erth beneth: leſte bi our ſilence for ſakinge hys cauſe here vponupon erth, we be forſaken in his heauenly palace. For lyke as in herte we do beleue to oure rightuouſnes: ſo muſt we neceſſarily confeſſe to oure ſaluacion, as Paule teachethe.ii. Corh. xi.
We muſt beware (as Paule warnethe, and the biſhope taketh the ſame text) firſt ofal, that our ſenſes be not corrupted from the ſimplicite and ſing leneſſe that is in Chriſte, as the ſerpent begiled Eua. We knowe but one God. We are maried vntounto one. We knowe but one Chriſt made man and none other creature for ourcauſe. This thing as we beleue it in herte: ſo muſte we in mouth …o… feſſe the ſame, if we wyll walke in the ſimplicitie and ſing lineſſe that is in Chriſte, as becometh chriſtians. For if the hert and mouth go together, then is it ſing leneſſe, otherwiſe it is doubleneſſe and diſſembling. But there is one other ſimplicitie (as it hath bene compted, & as the worde hath bene abuſed) which is verie foliſhnes. This maye we cal the ſimplicitie, that Antichriſte woulde hauehave ſtyl to reigne amonge vsus, and therefore his champion, when he brought in the texte of Paulle: lefte out the principall wordes (Que eſt in chriſto) Whyche is in Chriſte, as their olde texte hath it. And thorowe out hys whole boke, he woulde driue vsus to be ſimple. That is to ſaye, to folowe as we be led like blinde men: that the proude papiſticall prelates, ſtill leadeinge vsus into the pitte of perdicion, abuſeing our wines and goodes, maye ſaye in their connentes. Let them alone, let them offer ſtill vntounto Imeages, a pice of bread or any thinge elſe of a good intent, all is well done that is done of a good intent,
They maye worſhip a ſtocke or a ſtone, let them folow their auncient fathers. They are good ſimple ſoules. They do as we and oure doctours teach thē. If we let thē knowe al trueth: they wilbe as wiſe as we, and then they wyll ſmally regarde vsus. Thys is their workeinge, theſe are their wordes, howe ſo euer they hauehave clok…d hertofore, all the worde nowe ſeeth it. Let vsus beware therfore, of this thir ſimplicitie, and let vsus no longer thynke that this their doctrine is'true, that al ſhould he well done that is done for a good intent, and that it is well done in all thinges to beleue theyr doctours. For this ignorante opinion that thei hauehave grounded in their hertes hath hitherto ſtopped the waie to all knowledge, and nowe letteth faith to be grounded and cauſeth men to continew ſtyll in their olde errowres, wythout any deſire to come out of blindneſſe. Conſider therefore (good reader) a gaynſte their blinde leſſons: that Saull was caſte from hys kyngedome, for his good intent, euen becauſe he intended to do ſacrifice vntounto the Lorde, of the beſt and fatteſte of the Amalechites. And yet maye thys ſeme a gloriouſe intent.
The biſhoppes of the Iewes and the Idolatours of al ages folowed theyr good intent: euen when they put Chriſt and all hys prophetes and Apoſtles to death. The byſhop of Norwich when he burned pore Bilney, folowed his good intent our other byſhopes alſo, burneninge and murtheringe theyr bretherne in priſone and out of priſone: folowed theyr good in tentes, But God is the iudge of the intētes and thoughtes of vsus al, and ſercheth the verie raine and the holes of our hertes. Yea the lord our god abhorreth and the prophetes reproue vsus alwayes: becauſe we wyll do euerie man that ſemeth good in his owne eies
Sayth not the Lorde by hys prophet Eſaye. Myne intentes are not your in entēs, and mi wayes are not your wayes. But …o, ſo farre as the heauen is from the erthe, ſo high are my wayes aboue your waies, and mine intentes aboue your intentes. For the beliefe of their doctours and the prelates of the churche (which thinge the biſhoppe laboureth alwaies to eſtabliſh) remembre that Chriſte ſaith, if the blynde leade the blynde: boeth fal into the pitte. And thou muſt doub tleſſe cōmpt their writtinges euē verie blindnes, in regarde… of the light of goddes moſte certaine worde which muſt be the rule of thi life, the foūdacion of thy fayth, and the light vntounto thy feete. As for theyr auncientie: be ſure to take Chriſt for they guide, who was before all. And ſaye with S. Paule, fayth is of heariuge, not of the worde of any mā: but of the worde of God.
Therefore ſaieth God the father with open voice from heauen. This is my dearely beloued ſonne in whom is my delight, heare you hym.
Now if any be ſo fainte herted and ſo deluded by other, that they thyncke they maye ſtill diſſeinble wyth the hypocrites in their owtwarde doetnges: I ſende them to the exemple of Daniel, who praied with opē windowes, and (wyth his three companions) refuſed to honour the golden Image, & would not diſſemble outwarde worſhip, nother content them ſelues with the pureneſſe of theyr owne hertes (thoughe they myght therby hauehave eſcaped the fire) conſideringe that the glorie of God coulde not be ſo fo…dered, but rather hindered by theyr walkeinge in the waye of the wicked. Therfore ſaieth the prophet Dauid. Happie is he that nether ſtādeth ſitteth nor walketh (that is to ſaye) hath nothinge Pſal….to do wyth them, other openly or priuily, by any colour or diſſimulacion.
Eliazar had ſuch like counſell of hys frendes, that he ſhoulde eate fleſhe onelyonly whiche ii. Mach. vii.was lawfull, and diſſemble to eate the vnlawfull. But he ſaide it was not lawfull for him to diſſemble, and ſo cauſe many to be deceiued through his hipocriſie: for ſo he might eſcape the death of the body, but the hand of God he could not auoide. For this cauſe did Paule reproue Peter for his diſſemblinge be fore the gentiles. And he teacheth the Corinthians Galat. ii.againe, that there is no companie of light and darckeneſſe, no deſſemblinge to be partaker boeth of the cup of Chriſte and of deuilles.
Oure membres muſt be the weapons either of rightuouſenes, other elſe of vnrighttuouſeneſſe, there is no meane for ſtyll and ware politicke perſons. And therfore ſayeth our maiſter Chriſt, he that is not with me is againſte me. And he that doeth not gather, doeth ſcatter. Theſe wordes of Chriſte and ſuche like, and none other cauſe (whatſoeuer any man ſhall imagine) hauehave compelled me to publiſh my fayth, and in the name of the liueinge God, to make anſwere to one boke, whiche of all other I eſtemed moſt perilouſe and poyſonful, boeth for the authorite of the writter, and the ſubtile handellinge of hys mattier in the maytaineinge of that Idole, which al the worlde hath worſhipped ſo many yeres. The name of the boke is the detection of the diuillyſh ſophiſtrie. The authour that made it is Stephaue Gardiner, biſhop of Wincheſter, the chiefe mantainer of the popeiſhe tradicions, as appeareth by al hys dedes & writinges. How I hauehave vſed my ſelf in the ſame: I ſhall ſhewe at fewe wordes.
Becauſe I did take vponupon hande to confute his boke: I coulde kepe no comely order but as the wordes do leade me, ſo am I compelled to go forwarde. Yet hauehave I not written hys whole texte in my boke (becauſe it woulde▪ hauehave ben to much tediouſe and ouer longe but onelyonly his▪ chiefe, mattier and principall argumentes, whereof I truſte not one hath eſcaped vntouched. I leſt of the reſidue, thinkeing it a verie vaine thinge to contende about trifles, as I ſhould hauehave done of neceſſi…e, in waigheinge euerie worde and ponderinge euerie ſentence. The boke is ſo farre ſpred a broabe, that I can not belie hym but it ſhalbe a witneſſe againſte me, in euerie corner. For it was plentuouſely imprinted by Iohn Herforde in aldergate ſtrete at Lōdon, and is to be ſolde at the ſigne of the bell in poules church yarde. I hauehave principally and chiefe laboured to eſtabliſhe the true fayeth in the liueinge God: by the reproueinge of the falſe and fained goodes. Secōdly, I hauehave taught the trwe vnderſtandinge of the wordes of the ſupper of the Lorde, and the right vſe of the ſame. Whiche two my chiefe purpoſes howe faithfully I hauehave done them: the fathfull ſhall iudge, knowynge the voice of of theyr ſhepeherde.
In mine anſwere to his wordes, I truſte no man ſhalbe offended with any vnchriſt an rayleinges, though great accaſiō be offerred on his parte, bringeinge our argumentes ſo ſpitfully in the name of deuill, with yea, ſayeth the deuell, as though the deuell where a deſtroier of Idoles, wh…e onelyonly hath bene theyr mainetainer and vpholder, from the be geninge of the worlde vntounto this daye. Yet I do thynke nothynge leſſe, then to ſatiſfie all men wyth my writtinges, more then other hauehave done before mi time, with theirs, much more wittie, more lerned and godly. No, I do ſuppoſe, the hight lerned maye finde many fautes there'with, as I▪ acknowledge mi ſelf far vnderunder the perfection of theyr high lerninge. Neuertheleſſe, I truſt in God that it is not all together ſo rude nor vnfruitfull: but that the vnlerned (for whome it is chiefe lie written) ſhall encreaſe bi it in knowledge, caſte of much ſuperſticion, and take conforte of conſcience. Whome alſo I beſeche, euen for the louelove▪ of God, and▪ as they tender their ſoules health: not to caſte awaye this bokethough they reade ſomethinge therin that they neuer harde before, but rather deſire of theire moſte mercifull father, that theyr olde errours wherwith they hauehave bene deceiued by blind teachers, maie be taken awaye. And if there be any that can not ſodaineli caſte of the olde ſkine wyth the ſerpent and forſak theyre olde ignoraunce cōfirmed with longe cuſtome: let thē deſir of God ſo much grace that they maye more quietlie then hath ben accuſtomed, heare men talke of the fayth they hauehave conceiued in the liueinge God. For than ſhal it be wel with the chriſtian religion: whē the one parte maie boldelie, and wyll redily gyue anſwere of the hope they hauehave conceiued, and faith whereby thei truſt to be ſaued, and the other parte wyll mekeli heare what is ſpoken, and quietely ſuffer the lambes to feede of their ſwete paſturs. So ſhall the prophecie be fulfilled. The lambe ſhal lodge with the woulfe, the leoparde and Eſaye. xi.the go…e ſhal lie together. The calfe, the lion and the ſhepe ſhall dwell together, and a little childe ſhalbe their herde and driue them, which thinge I truſt partely ſhall be fullfilled in oure tyme vnderunder our little Ioſias, to whom God graunt the abundaunce of hys grace. And moſt fully vnderunder the true Ioſias Chriſte Ieſu our ſauiour, who onelye is the ende of all prophecies, in whome they al are made perfecte, with whome we ſhall enioye this perfecte peace, ſo many as defire to knowe the liuinge God, and whome he ſent downe to ſaue the worlde Ieſu Chriſt, nowe ſitting at his right hande, to whome be glorie For euer and euer. So be it
Iohn. iiii. Epiſto. i.
Who ſo knoweth God heareth vsus. An… he that is not of God heareth not vsus. And herby do we know, the ſpirite of truthe, and the ſpirite of errowre.