A Disclosing or Opening of the Man of Sin, Book 2 · Part 9
¶ The manne of ſynne.
¶ 1 Ageynſt the rytes and ceremonyes of the churche 2 comparinge the maner of vveddynge 3 and maryenge of vyrgyns vntounto the beaſtlye faſhyon of a ſavvte bytche 4 Ageynſt mennys lavves 5 and tradycyons.
¶ Hys dyſcloſynge.
STyll is my lorde reparynge hys brokenHiere. 2. Ioſue. 13. Eſaie. 12. Cant. 4. Ioan. 4. pyttes, to holde in the fylthye waters yf it maye be. In no wyſe can he awaye with the wholſom watter, that refreſheth to lyfe euerlaſtynge. All hys neybers wolde he hauehave of the ſame dyet that he ys of, ſo charytable ys he, makynge thys good prouyſyon for thē. He thynkethByſſhoppes ſeke onlye the ſowles deſtruccyō. god to lacke wytte and hys ſonne dyſcreſſyon, and therfor he wyll non of ther rewles. There ys an other waye whiche pleaſeth hym moche better, and that he wyll hauehave obſerued in hys dyoceſe, ſo longe as he ys lorde ordynarye of londō.1. Cor. 1 Deut. 12. Eſaie. 5. The law dable rytes and ceremonyes of hys mother the holye churche of Rome whych brought hym vp of a whelpe ād gaue hym the ſwete ſucke frō her pappes,It wyll not away that ys bredde by the bone. The bragges of ſer Iohan. Thynges of no profyht. ſchall not droppe awaye, ſo longe as he maye vpholde them. A ſort of noughtye heretyques hath writtē ageynſt thē now of late, but yt maketh no matter (ſayth owr ſer Iohā) for my lorde hath condēpned all ther bokes in a ſachell. I maruele what my lorde meaneth by all thys ruffelynge abought matters of no wayght nor yet godlyneſſe. In all the newe teſtament ys no mencyon made of theſe .ij. wordes Ceremonyes and Rytes in the latyne, neyther i the Goſpels nor yet in the Epyſtles, neyther in the Actes nor yet i the Apocalyps. I wolde fayne knowe thā what we hauehave to do wyth them? lyke wyſe in theNo mēcy on of thē in all the ſcripturs. Pſalmes ād Prophetes we rede not of thē by thoſe .ij. termes, ſauynge ones in Ezechiel, ād that ys but a reherſall of thynges done in fygure. In Moyſes .v. bokes and in other hyſtoryall treatyſes are they oft ſpoken of in dede, and there are they toEze. 44. Exod. 18. 3. Reg. 2. Hebre. 9. vsus but ſhaddowes of good thynges to come, whych we are at a poynt with, hauynge Chriſt p̄ſēt. yet rytes are there more reprehended than prayſed, as the verye ſuperſtycyouſe cuſtomes of the paganes.2. Para. 28 3. reg. 18 Math. 10. But what doth my lorde meane, yf he ſchuld go to the beſt of them? wyll he make vsus Iewes ageyne? wyll he make vsus bonde ſeruauntes, and chriſt hathGal. 3. 4. &. 5. Rom. 6. Amos. 5. made vsus fre chyldren? Saynt paule ſayth. If we clogge owr ſelues ageyne with that yoke, we fall from grace, we go quyte from chriſt, and hys deathe ſchall profyght vsus nothynge. Therfor there ye offreZach. 7. bebr. 7. Thomas aquinas prinia. 2. vsus wronge. Your owne lawes and doctrynes beſydes the ſcpiture, graūteth abrogacyon of the lawes ceremonyall. If ye brynge vsus in anye rytes therfor taken of the heythen cuſtomes, as are your ſayntes holydayes, your proceſſyons, your letanyes, your dyryges, your ſenſynge of aulters,Heithē cuſtomes are become criſten ceremonyes your knelynge to Images, your callynge vponupon dead menne, your kyſſynge of reliques, your coniurynge of ſpretes your conſecracyons, vowes, and ſacrifyces for ſynne, with ſoche other, ye do vsus great iniurye alſo. Non that ſetteth hande to the plough (ſayth chriſt) and loketh ageyn backe, ysfytt for the kingedome ofLuce. 9. Gene. 19. Luce. 17. Ioan. 4. god. ye knowe, lothes wyfe for doynge ſoche a feate, was turned into a ſalt ſtone, Chriſt hath ſayd alſo in Iohā, that the true worſhyppers ſchuld worſhypp god onlye in ſprete and in veryte. Than are they the falſe woſhyppers whych worſhyppThe falſe worſhyppers. in outwarde thynges, ſpecyallye the outwarde thynge ſelfe. As for baptym and the ſupper of the lorde are chriſtes holyeBaptim and the ſupper inſtytucyons, and non of your popyſhe ceremonyes. Happye yt ys that ye cā not accuſe theſe beretyque bokes for ſpeakynge ageynſt the ryght vſe of them. Bycauſe of the truſt that the Iewes had in the cō maūdedCeremonyes deteſted of the lorde. ceremonyes, god deteſted them. Here. 7. Eſa. 1. pſal. 50. Amos. 5. zach. 7. ād Mychee. 6. moch more the wātō rytes of your p̄ſcripcyon. The Ceremonyes of criſtē mē (yf ye wyl hauehave thē ſo called) are now ſpūall offerynges of the hart. 1.The churche ys now all in ſprete. cor. 10. Eph. 5. Col. 3. for the true chriſtē churche ys all frō within. pſ. 44. The outwarde are all for the benyuolence, ayde, confort, and other nedes cōcernynge owr neyber. Tobi. 4. Malach. 2. Rom. 13. Eph. 4. Eccle▪ …. Eſa. 28. Math. 7. 1. Ioā. 3. AndNo ceremonye maye bid the conſcience. though we graunt vntounto thoſe that be honeſt and ſemelye for an outwarde comelyneſſe in thynges neceſſarye, yet ought they nat to bynde owr conſcyence or be anye part of owr iuſtyfycacyō. Neyther maye they be ſuperſtycyouſe, or in anye poynt ageynſt chriſtes doctryne. But ſoThe criſtē rytes moſt ſupſtycyouſe of all other. ys owr chriſten relygyon (as you call yt, and as I wolde yt were) clogged with your heythnyſh rytes, that neyther Iewe nor Saracene, Arabyane nor Turke wylcome vntounto owr faythe, thynkynge ther owne rytes moch better, as they maye wele ynough. To whom'ye wyl hame vsus referre the clauſe that here foloweth, that ysA comparyſō falſelye gathered of Bō ner. to ſaye, Comparynge the maner of weddynge to the beaſtlye faſhyon of a ſawte bytche, we cā not wele tell, ye hauehave putt yt here ſo dyffuſelye. As wele maye yt extende to yowr ceremonyes as to the bokes, ſtandynge in place here as yt doth. Vvell, we wyll take yt that ye meane theA doubt vndyſcuſſed of my lorde bokes. But than there ys a doubt ageyne, whether ye meane all the bokes or part of thē, bycauſe ye hauehave not here declared yt. If ye meane all, than hauehave ye marred your markett in prouynge your ſelfe a lyar, for in dede the moſt of them ſpeaketh lyttleA lyar ys hys lorde ſhypp proued both wayes. or nothynge of marryage. If ye meane ſome one pertycular boke, yet are ye a lyar alſo for falſelye reportynge yt, and ſo ſchall ye be a lyar both wayes. Para uēture yt ſayth (as yt maye fullwell) that your neglygēt preſtes or ignorāt hob lurches doth Ioyne thē togyther, with whoThe popyſhe maner… marryages. ſchall hauehave thys womā and a fewe other bablynges more, geuynge them no maner of godlye iſtruccyōs how they ſchuld in the feare of god behaue themſelues the one to the other in that comelye eſtate of1. Theſ. 4. Hebr. 13. Gene. 2. lyuynge. Neyther do they tell them what marryage ys, nor yet to what ende yt was inſtyſtute of god. They declare1. Cor. 7. 1. Theſ. 4. Tobie. 3. not vntounto them that yt ys an onlye remedye ageynſt fornycacyon, and ought to be vſed with moche honeſte, clenneſſe, and ſoberneſſe, after the Godlye example of Tobias and Sara. But turne them forth togyther with tyrlerye tregobett, neyther barell better hearynge. Hoppe whore, and ronne thefe. I am as good asMy lorde hath here a ſawte bytche of hys owne thu, and I beſure we thy whoreſons hart, tyll they fall to the tryall of the matter for the beſt game to catche thē an heate. And what ys thys els, but dogge and bytche? Is yt ſo haynouſe a matter to tell you of thys? The examples therof are to euydēt a brode. Vvho ſo euer be rebuked for therHereſye ys yt to rebuke the anoynted charmers. vycyouſe lyuynge, your anoynted muſtre maye not be ones touched. Your ſer Nycolas nydypolles maye not ones be blowne vponupon, but ſtraytwayes yt muſt be proclamed hereſye. O father of heauen, whan wyll ye be aſhamed of yowr lewdeneſſe? Neyther ſpeake ye here of theTher owne honour here ſought, and not Gods. thynge ſelfe, but of the maner of vſage of the Ceremonye therof callynge yt weddynge and marryage, as though yt were ij. dyuerſe thynges. I thought this blaſt was for ſome matter of yowrs. I wolde hauehave marueled, yf ye had ſought ſo moche honour to marryage. But I wondreIt ys latelye fallen from a Sacrament to a Ceremonye. ſore how yt now becommeth but onlye a ceremonye, and was ſumtyme one of your ſacramentes? Surelye ye hauehave conceyued ſome dyſpleaſure ageynſt yt now of late. And I thynke yt ys for that ye hauehave knowne preſtes gone ſo faſt vntounto yt within fewe years, contrarye to your holye decrees and canons, to the deſtruccyon of your Sodome and Gomor, whych yeSodome and Gomor deſtroyed by marryage. hauehave gloryouſlye maynteyned euer ſens the dayes of Anſelme .iiij. hondreth years and more.
3 But where as ye wryte that ye marrye vyrgyns, yt ys not true, ſpecyallye in ſoche marryages as yow promote. I hauehave harde of, and knowne dyuerſe of yourAn other ſawte bytche of my lordes owne fedynge. generacyon that hath marred virgyns before they hauehave marryed them, yea, ſumtyme in the ſelfe mornynge afore, whyls the pyes were in bakynge, ſo ſpūallye hauehave they vſed that godlye ordynaunce. I thynke thvs be yet worſe than dogge and bytche. Neyther ys yt true in other marryagesPreſtre… rather marre thā make in marryage where as yow are no medlers, yf ye make a dyfference betwyne wyues and vyrgyns. For wyues they are before they come there, els are they made nou by yow. The lorde hath knytt them togyther afore in one mutuall knotte of louelove, Vvhych yow hauehave nomore power to knytt ageyne than ye hauehave to dyſſolue yt. As for grace and the holye ghoſt whomPreſtes wyll geue that they hauehave leaſt ſtore of. ye pretende therin to dyſpenſe, lyttle nede hauehave yow to geue them from yow, hauynge ſo ſmall ſtore at home. Neuer ſawe I menne ſo full of thoſe gyftes and ſo rydye to geue them, hauynge ſo fewe of thē in ther owne lyuynge. He that made the bande a fore hath plentye of them wythMath. Gene. 2. Eccl. 18. Pſal. 83 Prou. 12. Eccle. 3. out yow. At hys hande muſt they nedes be had, and not at yowrs. The couplynge of thē in the face of the congregacyon deſpyſe we not, but greatlye allowe vponupon manye conſyderacyons neceſſarye, were yt godlye done, as there ys nothynge cleane in your handes. Notwithſtandynge all thys, in marryage and out of marryage we wolde call them a chaſt virgyne, as2. Cor. 11. Eſa. 57. Ezech. 23 Paule doth the corryntheanes, were they clere from the aduoutrye of your Romyſhe lawes and cuſtomes. But that wyll not be in your dayes.
4 For here ye holde your ſelfe alſo greued with theſe bokes (ye ſaye) for beynge ageynſt mennys lawes and tradycyons. IfThe artycle of mē nys lawes. ye coude ſo well hauehave ſeyd, ageynſt gods lawes, we had had yt of you ere thys. But bleſſed be owr lorde ye can not ſo ſpeake yt wout a great lye. The lawes of menne …e to be allowed, ſo longe as they ag…ello the lawes of God. For els are they no lawes, but vyolence and tyrannye. PryncesLawes of menne ought to agre with Gods lawe. Act. 5. 1. Mac. 2. Leuit. 10. 2. Reg. 17▪ and magyſtrates beynge the mynyſters of god, ought to make no lawes for ther priuate cōmodite, but for the publyque welthe of ther commōs. Neyther ought they to decre anye thynge ageynſt Gods honour. If they do, than thys rewle of the lorde muſt be obſerued. Neceſſarye yt ys rather to obeye God than manne. And ſo ye ought to tell thē. But whoo chylde there. Rather ſett ye them a worke thā ſtaye them, whan ſoche thynges are in doynge lyke olde temptynge ſerpentes. Mathathias1. Mac. 2. Exod. 1. Ioſue. 2. Math. 1. 2. Mac. 6. Act. 4. wolde in no caſe obeye the cruell decrees of Antiochus. Nomore wolde the mydwyues of egypt the vngodlye commaundement of Pharao. For dyſobeyenge a wycked precept, was Rahab bleſſed of God, ſo was Eleazarꝰ with the .vij. machabees ād ther mother. The apoſtles preached not whithſtandynge the inhybycyō of Annas, Cayphas, Ioannes, and Alexander with other of the hygh counſell ofAuguſt. de libero arbitrio. Iſidorus diſt. 4. & li. 2. ethimol. the Iewes. That conſtytucyon (ſayth ſaynt Auſtyn) ys no lawe at all, whych ys not ryghtoſe. A lawe (ſayth Iſidorus) ought to be iuſt, honeſt, eaſye to be borne, commodyouſe to the cōtre, reſpectynge tyme and place, neceſſary, profytable playne without cautels, for no pryuate welthe onlye, but for the cōmon profyght of the whole multytude made.
5 But as touchynge yowr lowſye tradycyons,Tradycyons of papvſtes. Hiere. 2. Ezech. 4. Eſa. 64. Amos. 6. 1. Tim. 4. Hiere. 25. Apoc. 1…. Marci. 7. wherwith ye loke to be lordes ouer the ſaythe and conſcyence of menne, the ſcripture ſayth they can mynyſtre to vsus no goodneſſe. For they are but chaffe, ſwylle, mennys dyrte, menſtrue, dreames, dronkenneſſe, Gall, wormwode, venomed dartes, fylthye waters, whoredome, abhomynacyons, errours, lyes, deuylyſhneſſe, the curſe and cuppe of the lordes indygnacyon, as I hauehave tolde yow afore. Ye can nō otherwyſe ſaye, but theſe your tradycyōs are mēnys cōmaundemētes, vnleſſe ye wyll be holden all together for Goddes. And Chriſt telleth yow playne, thatMath. 15. Marci. 7. Math. 23. …. Tim. 4. Act. 20. 2. Ioan. 1. 2. Petri. 2. Iude. 1. all they worſhypp hym in vayne whych worſhypp hym after them. Yea, he ſayth more to yow, that they make menne double the chyldrē of hell. Saȳt Paule ſayth alſo they are lyes ī hypocreſye, ād the verye doctrine of deuyls. Than what wolde ye hauehave vsus to make of them, whan they make ſo lyttle of them? Vvolde ye that we ſchuld beleue yow ād not them? Vvolde ye hauehave vsus counte them falſe lyers, and yow true ſpirituall menne? Be that farre from vsus. Though Chriſt ſent ye forth atMarc. 16. Luce. 21. Ioan. 15. Iacob. 4. Math. 15. the firſt to preache hys goſpell (whom ye now perſecute) he bad ye make no newe lawes, for he had made lawes ſuffycyent. Saynt Iames ſayth, there ys but one lawe geuer that cā ſaue and deſtroye. But yow put hys lawes a part, to hauehave yowr owne obſerued for auauntage. And nothynge do ye els after Sophonias, but fyll the lordesSoph. 1. Oſee. 12. Mat. 23. Oſee. 11. Eſa. 1. howſe with roborye and falſhede. Euermore are ye increaſynge lyes to deſtruccyon. All hypocrites yokes brynge ye vponupon the peple, to clogge them downe to hell, for nothynge make they towardes heauen. Paule the firſt pope of that name made your lēt ſeruyce, Vitellianus yowr ſyngynge with organes, Gregorye the firſt yowr ceremonyes, Theodorus yowrMartinus carſulanꝰ Hugo floriacenſis. paſchall, Honorius yowr letanye, Fabianus yowr oyle and creme, Felix yowr dedycacyons and aulters, Agapitus yowr proceſſyons, Caius your holye orders, Calixtus yowr embrynge dayes, Bonifacius .iiij. all hallowne daye, Felix .iiij. yowrPtolomaeus lucēſis. Godfridus viter bienſis. extreme vnccyons, Euticianus the bleſſynge of benes vponupon the aulter, Alexander yowr holye water, Paſchalis yowr relly ques, Gregorius .iij. yowr worſhyppynge of Images, Stephanus .iij. yowr ſenſynge of them, Virgilius candelmaſſe daye, Anicetus yowr ſhauynge, Sergius yowr ſhrynes, Zepherinus yowr chalyces, Le… Antoninus florē tinus. Ioā nes rufus dominicanus.ij. yowr paxe at maſſe, Vrbanus .ij. yowr ladye mattens, loānes .xix. all ſowle daye Sylueſter yowr confirmacyons of chyldren, Sauinianus yowr bell ryngynge, Hyldebrandus yowr vowe of chaſtyte, Bonifacius .v. yowr ſaynt waryes for theues, Mamertus the byſſhopp of vyenneGui Ihelmus durā di in racionali diuinorū (whych was no pope) yowr rogacyon daves, and the deuyll and all els. Vvith all theſe and with manye more beſydes ouer charge ye the peple. In all theſe kyndes of Idelneſſe do ye brynge thē vpp, ther chriſten dewtye commaunded clerelye layed a part. That wyll the iudge onlye demaū deMarci. 7. Math. 25. Iude. 1. 1. Ioan. 4. I. Theſ. 5. at the latter daye, whan all theſe ſchall go with yow to the deuyll. If I ſchuld cō ferre them with the ſyncere ſcripturs of the prophetes and apoſtles, they wolde apere the verye frutes of hell. Conſydre what the lorde ſayth by hys prophete Eſaye. Vvhye offre yow (ſayth he) ſo manyeEſa. 1. Zacha. 7. Hiere. 6. Amos. 5. Oſee. 3. Amos. 8. Oſec. 2. Math. 6. ſacrifyces vntounto me? I hauehave no pleaſure in them. Vvho hath requyred ſoche thynges at yowr hādes? Offre me nomore oblacyons, for yt ys but loſt labour. I abhorre yowr incenſe. I maye not awaye wyth yowr ſolempne feaſtes. Yowr aſſemblyes are all in vayne. I hate yowr faſtynges ād newe holye dayes, euen at my verye hart. They make me werye, I can not abyde th… Though ye holde out yowr handes, yet turne I myne eyes from yow. And though ye make many prayers, yet heare I nothynge at all. For yowr hādes are full of bloodHolye churche ſtandeth by that the ſcripturs condēpneth. Eſa. 29. Luce. 6. Full are all the ꝓphecyes of ſoche terryble chrettenynges ageynſt ſoche wretched beg gerye and beaſtlyneſſe. Yet thys do yow make the peples God. To thys holde they vpp ther handes. To thys ronne they by heapes. And vponupon thys wondre they, as though there were non other heauē. Thus yow blynde aſſes leade thē blynde with yow into the dytche of dampnacyon.