Agaynst the possessyons of the clergye Harkyn what great auctorytes shall nowe folowe, for proffe thereof.

Agaynst the possessyons of the Clergye . HArkyn what great auctorytes shall nowe folowe / For proffe thereof .

VNder reformacion of holy and deuoute clerkys it semyth that all the reasons which any of the clergy be able to make for the kepyng of theyr temporall possessions be but weyke & of small auctoryte / consyderyng that the contrary therof is commaundyd and approuyd by the olde testament by the new testament / & in many of theyr canon lawes / and by the seyenges of the apostels and many holy doctors . And also that the reformacion and correccyon of all enormytees in the clergy belongeth to pryncys and here in Englande vnto the Kynges grace our moste drad souerayne lorde .

¶ Fyrste by the auctoryte of the olde testamente it aperyth that the clerge ought nat to haue possessions . Cap. .i.

¶ It is wryten numeri .xviii. god sayd to Aaron . ( Pactum pacis est sempiternum tibi ) . & .c.

The pacte & couenaunt of peace is euer lastyng before god to the and to thy sonnes in a perpetuall ryght / In theyre lande ye shall possede nothynge / nor ye shall haue no parte amonge them / I am thy parte and herytage amonge the chyldrene of Issraell / To the chyldrene of Leui I haue geuyn all the tythes of Issraell in possession for the mynstraciō that they serue me in the tabernacle . & .c.

¶ They shall possed nothynge els but be contente with the offrynge of tythes And as it is sayd Esai .xliiij. there shall be no herytage to them , I am theyr herytage / ye shall gyue them no possession in Issraell / I am theyr possession .

¶ Also it is sayd . hier .xlviii. Cursed be he that doth the worke of god fraudylently or neclygently .

¶ Also exodi .xxiii. thou shalte nat take rewardes which blyndyth wyse men & subuertyth the wordes of iuste men .

¶ Secondarely it apperyth by the new testamente that the clergy ought nat to haue possessions . Ea. .ij.

¶ Also in the holy gospell Chryst sayde Io .xii. he that mynistryth to me let hym folow me / and primo Io .xii. he that seyth he wyll dwell in Chryst must walke as he walked but Chryst walked all his lyfe in pouerte without hauyng any temporall possessions and alwey refused them / th● it must nedys folow that they that haue possessions folow nat Chryst ¶ Also .i. pe. ii. Chryst sufferyd for vs / leuyng yo● example that ye myght folow his steppys ¶ Also hebre .xii. let vs beholde the auctor of the feyth and fulfyller thereof Ihu which dyd put a wey all Ioy / & suffred 〈◊〉 crosse content with confusion .

¶ Also Mathew .xvi. he that wyll come after me lett him forsake his wyll & take his crosse and folow me .

¶ And Luc .xiiij. onlesse that a man renounce to all men that , that he possedeth he can nat be my dyssyple .

¶ Also Luc .xij. sell your possessyons and gyue almys Also Math .xix. Lowe haue forsakyn all and haue folowed the

¶ Also Actu .ij. The appostels solde theyr possessyons and substance and deuydyd it to them that had nede .

¶ Also it appereth that Christ wyllyd his appostels and dyssyples to haue payne in this world and no pleasure when he sayd Mathew .x. Lo I send you into the world to be lyke to shepe in the myddys of the company of wolfes and Math .vij. Entre you by the paynfull gate it is A streyt and paynfull wey which leadyth to lyfe and there is but few that fynd it .

¶ And Mathew .x. Be ye nat wyllyng ●o haue possessions of golde nor syluer nor money nor two cotes / Also Colo .iii. sauer ye those thyngys that be a boue and nat those that be vpon the erth / and many other placys of scrypture affyrme the same that the clergy which call them selfes the successors of Chrystes appostels to whome Chryst sayd that they were the lyght and salte of the yerth shuld haue no possessions .

¶ Thrydly it apperyth by many o● theyr owne lawes in the decres that the clergy ought nat to haue possessions .

¶ Also it appyryth by the canons of theyr owne lawe that they ought nat to haue possessions / for there it is sayde thu● Dyst .xlvii. omnes .

The louers of the worlde be stronge in wordely thynges and weyk in heuenly thynges / Also in the councell of toletane it is comaunded by many auctorytes as it apperyth .xii. ● . i . that clerkes ought to haue no possessions . Ca. clicos nich●● / and there .xij. ● .i. clericus ●●i / and there / Ca. duo sunt genera cristianorum / And in euery of the sayd places it appereth & is / prohybyt to them / to haue any possessions .

¶ Also they that be constytutyd in holy orders ought nat to take seculer cures / dyst . lxxxviij . E●us / aut sacerdos .

¶ Also a bysshop may nat take the tuycion of testamentes nor the charge of wordly thyngys / but ought to gyue him selfe only to redyng prayer / and prechyng the worde of god / dyst .lxxxviij. E●us nullam .

¶ Fourthly it appereth that temporall possessyons ben forbedyn to the clergy by the seyeng of the appostels and of many other holy doctours . Cap .iiij.

¶ Fyrst saynt Austen de contemptu mund seyth / he that possedeth any thyng in erth is remoued from the discyplyn of Chryst / From whens do they arrogauntly take to them the power of losyng & byndyng which in the yerth presume to possede any faculte / & why be nat they asshamed to say / that the lorde is the part of myne herytage / the which wyll nat forsake yerthly possessyons / Why do they ete the synnes of the people / yf they take tythys with the chlidyrne of Leui / how shall they take parte among other trybus / Augustinus de contemptu mundi .

¶ And yet he seyth there farder / where god is the auctor of all good thynges / yf the wordely thynges were verely good thynges / he wolde neuer haue dyspysed them / nor wolde neuer haue comaundyd them to be dyspysed of his folowers .

¶ Also saynt Austen in his .xxxvi. & .xxxvij. sermon ad fratres in Heremo / seyth he that serueth the alter must lyue of the alter / let hym nat be proude / nor let 〈◊〉 nat be made ryche by his clerkchip / & .i. Timo .vi. Kepe ye iustyce be nat wyllyng to make wynnygꝭ but ye hauyng fode & cloth / be ye content therwith / for he that doth celebrat or prechyth or baptisyth for that / that he shuld ge●uere there by . with out doute doth put a wey hym selfe from the heuenly goodes of thou let to gyue the sacrament / what ●ouerte so euer thou be in , thou arte no ●heperde / nor mynyster of Chryst but a Marchant / for he that for the munystraciō●f the sacrament taketh money or rewarde or maketh any couenaunte is a geaysite & sellyth the sacramente and betrayeth ●is sauiour with Iudas .

¶ Also saynte austen wrytyth in the , ix . ●oke of his confession , ye seke a blessed ●yfe in the regyon of deth / & there it is nat ¶ Also agaynst such temporall possessions of the clergy ye may rede an nother lytel ●reatyse called spec●m episcoporum seu preatorū , wherin it is suffycyently shewed that the clergy ought to haue no possessions ¶ Also saynt austen in his .xxxvii. ser●on ( ad fratres in heremo ) seyth let vs ●ut forth our selfe in all our myndes in ●ych trybulacyon / in knolege in charite ●at feyned / in watchynges in presoninēes / in plages / in the word of truth / and so hauyng no thyng / possedyng Chryst let vs possede all thynges / This is the lyte of blessyd men / This is the helth of prestes / This is the rest of the seruauntes of god / This is the wyll of the fryndes of god / and this is our sanctyfycacyon / That we may put forth our self●ꝭ in all thynges as the mynysters of god in mych ꝑacience / in trybulacion in necessite gyuynge to no man any offence / that our seruyce / or mynestery shuld nat be reproued nor rebukyd .

¶ And here to agreyth saynte Peter .i. pe. ii. seyeng This is grace when any man for the consentyng to god doth suffre pacyently iniury / what grace or thanke is it yf ye beyng synners / suffre wronge as who seyth none / but yf ye doyng well do suffre pacyently / That is thankful to god / in to that thyng ye becalled .

¶ Also .ii. Thi .iii. All they that wyll lyue makely in Chryste shall suffer / persecucyon pacyently . ¶ And saynt Bernard seyth in his declamacyons / A clerke hauyng his part in yerth shall nat haue his parte in heuyn / And Io. xv. I haue chosyn you from the worlde / and Math .xxiiii. and Luc .xxi. se that none begyle you / Many one shall come in my name sayeng that I am Chryst , and they shall begyle many folkes / And Ro .viii. yf ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye . Also rede more of this Matter . Col. iii. Iac .iii. & iiii . & .i. Corynthe .vi. and .ii. Coryn , iiii . And saynt Bernard , in his declamacyons and in the lxvi . sermon super cant seyeth , The worst heresy / of all is to make lyes vpon the trew doctryne , nat with tonge only but in lyuyng And ad Philypenses iii. Clerkes lyuyng plesantly be called enmyes of the crosse of Chryst , and glorye shal be to there confucyon / whiche sauore yerthly thynges .

And saynt Bonauenture ( in stimulo din●amoris super exposicione oracionis dn̄ice ) seyth / that it is more shame to a clerke to desyre hōour ryches or possession in this world than it shuld be to the some of an Emꝑrour , to desyre the offyce of A gonge farmere .

How the clergye haue theyr goodes by a wrong wey and kepe from the pore folkys the goodes of the church . Cap .v.

¶ Also saynt Barnarde in his declamacyons seyth / the goodes of the church be the patrymonye or inherytance of pore men and they be kepte from them by cruell sacrelege / And how the Clergy hath long tyme woluptuously deuoured the possessions and goodes of Chrystes church ye may rede well fygured in the olde lawe Danielis . .xiiii. by the prestes of an Idoll / called / Bell / the story whereof nowe folowith .

¶ There was sumtyme , an ydoll called Bell the which the Kyng with his people and prestes worshyppyd euery day for a god / to whom was geuen euery day as the master of the hystoryes seyth .iii. busshels of flowre .xl. shepe .vi. mesurs of wyne / The Kyng and the people beleuyd that Bell / had ben a lyuyng god / and that he had Eten all / but of trouth The prestes with theyr wyffes and chyldren deuouryd all in theyr voluptousnes whereupon the Kynge sayd to Daniell . thynkest nat thou that Bell is a lyuyng god Seest thou nat / how moch he etyth and drynketh / and danyell sayd / kyng see that thou Erre nat / This Idoll Bell is Clay withinforth / and brasse withoutforth / he neuer etyth ne drynketh / and the kyng beyng dysplesyd and angry therewith called hys prestes and sayd to them / on les ye tell me who etyth this dayly fode ye shall dye / But yf ye can shewe and proue to me that Bell etyth it / this Daniell shall dye / because he hath blasphemed Bell / and Daniell sayd let yt be as ye haue sayd / and the kyng and Daniell went to the temple of Bell & the prestes sayd / loo we shall go forth & now thou kyng put here the mete and the wyne and set them to gether and shyt the dore and seale it with thy Ryng & when thou shalte enter this temple agayn to morowe / but if thou fynde all eten we shall dye / or els Daniell that hath lyed agaynst vs / These preestes had made craftyly vnder the borde a secrete dore or entre / and thereby , they came in always / & deuouryd that vytell It was so / that after that those preestes were gone forth / the Kyng sett that accustomed vytell before Bell and Daniell comaundyd his Chyldryn to bryng hym asshys / and syftyd it in the flore of the temple before the Kyng and so the Kyng / and Daniell went owt and shytt the dore / and sealed it with the Kynges rynge and so departed / The preestes after theyr olde custome / Entred therein that nyght with theyr wyfes and chyldren / and dyd ete and drynke all that the Kyng had there sett ouer nyght / The Kynge ●ose erly on the next mornyng and Daniel with hym / & they came to the dore that was sealed ouer nyght / & the Kyng sayd to Daniell Daniell is this Seale hole and he sayd all is hole and safe / and as sone as the dore was opened / the kyng loked on the table & cryed out with a lowd voyce , Bell / thou arte grete / & in the is no crafte , nether / gyle / and Danyell lawghed / And held the Kyng , that he shuld enter no farder / and sayd be hold the pauyment or flore / And wyselye / thynke wose steppys be these / And the kyng sayd / I see steppys of men , women , & of childryn , & therewith the kyng was angrye / & toke those prestes , there wyuys , and theyre chyldryll , & then they shewed theyr secrete Dorys / by the whiche they were wont to enter / & to consume all the sayde sacryfice / then the Kyng kyllyde those prestes / and gaue to Daniell , the power ouer Bell , and he subuertyd and ouer threwe Bell and his temple ( Morally ) Now / In this maner yt standyth with manye of the Clergye at these Days / specyally with symonyte Clerkes / craftylye and vniustelye entryng In to theyre curys / to the voluptuous Dyspendyng of the goodes of the churche / for where it ys wrytyn Iohan .x.

Qui non intrat ) & .c. he that entreth nat by the dore in to the fold of shepe but elswhere / he is a theffe & a lurker / he that entryth by the dore / he is the sheperd of the shepe / but suche symonyte clerkēs enter nat by the dore that ys / Chryste / but by a backe dore or by the wyndowe / Soentrynge with a very purpose to consume the offerynges & goodes of the Churche , In theyre vanytes / and voluptous lyfe / And they procure to them selfe many thynges / bothe temporall and spiritual , vnder the pretence that god in his poore membrys shall ete & spend yt / And no dowte / many thynges be geuyn to them on this hope , and truste / that they may the more quietly Attend to the study of contemplacion , and to the prechyng of the worde of god / and because that of the temporall goodes / geuyn them for that porpose / they shuld haue but a strayte and a bare / lyuyng / accordyng to the seyeng of saynt Paule .i. ●ion .vi. Habentes . &c. we hauyng fode and coueryng / let vs be with these thynges content and of the remnaunt Chryst in his pore people shulde be fed accordyng to the seyeng of Chryil . Math .xv. ( Quod v●i ) That which ye haue done to one of myne ye haue done to me / But yet I meane nat that euery preste shuld haue a lyke lyuyng For a bysshop &c. or other put in offyce and romys of charge oughte to haue sufficyente to maynteyn theyr necessary charge without superfluite / And that men of the church shuld geue the goodes of the church to pore men that remaynyth ouyr and a boue theyre necessary fode and clothyng / Iohn abbot de villa ) witnessyth in a sermon that begynnyth thus / Tulerunt lapides vt iacerent in eum .

How the goodes and possessions be mispendyd and mysused by many of the clergy . Ca. vi.

¶ Vnder the auctoryte of saynt ambrose and saynt / Hierom , they wry●e thus They be theues & Rauenours & extorcinors that misuse the goodis of the church / They raueyn and plucke trome the pore men / the greate plenty that they haue / for all shulde be the pore menys syuyng that is lefte a boue theyr necessary fedyng and clothyng / and therto Agreyth saynt Bernard as it is before sayd & an other holy doctore called Flore seyth that all that thou kepest or reteynyst to thy selfe / aboue necessary fode & symple clothyng of the goodes of the aulter it is nat thyns but it is Thefte Rauen Extorcyon / an● sacrelege / & so now seyth an holy doctor called / ( Filius fabrilingnarii in distructoriū vicōrum parte .vi. Cap. .xxi.

¶ Volde god that the Kyng / and othe● noblemen . & .c. Founders of the gret● almys geuyn to the churche / wolde d● lyke as the kyng before wrytyn with Dani●● dyd as to sete theyr seales so that the● wolde set there seales of ryght consideracion and of discrecion and then the shulde well . Fynde on the one syde 〈◊〉 ●he grete wastfull spendyng of the oblacions of the churche in muche vayne apparell and wordely pompe / and so they shulde well se and perseyue the steppys & pathys of such voluptuous And symonyte cler●es / which ys theyr manyfest affeccions , In the Duste of the vanite of this world / ●hat is to sey / In the vanite of superfluous apparell of them selfes / theyr seruantes / And theyr Horsys , and therewithall the ●yng and his Noble men on the other ●yde myght well see And consyder ma●y good poure men and women compel ●yd and forsyd for nedynes , hunger , and ●hurst / by lamenes & blyndnes / to begge ●om Dore , to Dore , and no dowte but 〈◊〉 doyng the Kynges grace & hys noble ●en , fownders and geuers of the greate ●emperall possessions to the churche , shuld ●y theyr dyscrecions sone see and perceyue ●hat Chryste in / his pore people hath had ●till or none of theyr superfluous / and ●perabundant possessions / but that the ●oluptuous minystres of the temple , nat enteryng by the Dore that is Chryst / bu● by preuey poster●e gates / and wyndous and by secrete weys theuyshly haue clymed therto and haue stolen and deuo●ryd the sacrifys and goodes of the churche that hath ben offred to god / And do●tours as saynt Austen / saynt Bernard and other sey that suche prestes be not onely theuys / And the worst sacreleges but also symonytes Herytyks / And traytours to god / And how god thretenyth such yll cura●ꝭ / ye may rede Hiere .xxiii.

¶ And it must now be remembred and considered that when Constantyne the Emperour gaue his temporall possessions and Empyre to the churche / and when pope syluester them Receyued / yet after warde at that tyme ther was a grete doute contrauercy / and altercacion / amonge the Clergy / wether that gyfte & the receyuyng thereof yf any such were / were lauful● or no as it apperyth in fasciculo temporum / And then those that were of the couetous clergy concluded that it was both lawfully geuyn / And lawfully receyuyd / agayns the mynd of those which were good / And for the contynuance and mayntenaunce thereof / They then put and lefte in wrytyng theyre opynyons / and weke aucrorites to remayne ꝑpetuallye / The effect wherof is set in the seyd boke callyd / Fasciculus temporum & therefore / It semyth that yf these forsayde wrytynges with theyre opynyos & weke Auctorytes were Dyscretelye red and newlye lokyd on / And so were layde In one syde , of the balance of any deuout Clerkes conscyence / nat corruptyd with Auaryce ( That is rote of al yllys and the seruyce & bondage of Idolles ) Nether with arrogancy and pryd of this world / And on the othersyde of the sayd balance were layd the manyfolde Auctorytees before wryttyn / to the contrary therof then yt wold appere / that there ys none euyn weyght betwene them / And that the furst wryttyn opinyons and weke Auctorytes , of that Clergye alowyng both the geuyng and Receuyng of theseyd temporall possessions to be lawfull / be ouer weke / & natable to counterpeyse the other syde of the balance / which settyth and takyth Auctoryte of .iiii. most stronge and most suffycyent groundes of goddes lawes / That ys to saye / Of the olde testament and the newe testament / the gospelles of Chyrst some decrees of the lawe canon / And of wrytynges of dyuers of the apostelys / And of many other holye doctours now seyntis in heuyn / as ys before wryttyn / where the other do nat so / nor haue no suche auctoryte / and in confyrmacyon hereof / The reuerend fader in god Iohn now bysshoppe of Rochester in a sermon , which he made for the confutyng of the heresyes which he sayde were of Martyn luter seyth among other of his good seyenges ther that saynt Ambrose seyth of saynt Peter that he is called Petra / because that he furst amonge the gentylys dyd establyshe the grounde of our feyth / and as a ston vnmoueable or no● asye to be remouyd he conteynyth in him / ●nd stayeth all the frame and gretnes of the worke of Chryst .

¶ Nowe saynt Peter so conteynyng & ●ayeng all the frame of Chrystes werke i. pe. ii. Bydyth the clergy to be subiectes ●o euery humany creature for god / and not to be lordes of Castelles & Townes ●nd of other temporall possessions / and ●aynt Paule / saynt / Iames / saynt / Ma●hewe / and manye other holy doctours / ●onferme the same / that pouertye / Mi●erye and subieccyon ought to be in the clergye / as before ys sayde .

Wherefore yt ys to be thought that no clerke shuld vsurpe to speke / ne to wry●e / in mayntenance of the foresayd weke opynyons which those of the clergye dyd ●olde at that tyme , which semeth to bere ●o strength / For they be now by many●old and grette auctorytes vtterly cō●owndyd .

¶ And here yt is to be consyderyd that ●myghty god / in the olde lawe and in the new lawe hath by his worde and ordynaunce prouydyd for prestes and clarkys a lyuyng in pouerte and in tribulacion forbedyng to them the hauynge of temporall possessions . as is before wryten And Chryst so lyued hym selfe here in this worlde .xxxiii. yeres / and after his ascencion his appostels and dyscyples / and other clerkes whiche that succedyd them dyd so lyue & dyd so teche by the space of .iii. C. yeres & god sayth that his ordinaunce & worde shall stand & be permanent for euer . Num. xviii . pactum & .c. the pact and couenaunte of peace is euer lastyng before god ( & ps̄ . C. C. xviiii . thy wor● good lorde shall a byde for euer , and ps̄ . C. x. he hath comaundyd for euer his testamente / and the Euangelystes / Math. Marke and Luke say ( Verba mea non preteribunt . & .c. my worde shall nat pas A way / and saynt Paule seyeth . Ro. xiii they that resyste the ordynaunce of god getteth damnacion to them selfes and saynt Iohn euangelyst seyth that godde● worde is god hym selfe ( et deus erat ver●um ) And he seyth also ( Sermo tuus ve●itas est ) Thy sermon is veryte / And Saynt / Austen in his meditacyons seyth Principium . & .c. The begynnyng of ●hy word is truyth / that is the begynnyng of thy word which was thy word in the begynnyng , Wherefore it semyth to fo●ow that who so euer denyeth the word of god he denyeth god hym selffe , that is ●ery trueth and so he is made straunge ●nd alenatyd from the spryt of truth , that ●s god the holy gost / and Chryst hath promysyd / Math. x. to denye all suche persons before god his fader that is in he●yn , That denye hym in this world / wherefore euery good man shulde pray and saye with the psalmyste / Ps. cc. xviij . Good lorde take nat from my mow the / ●he worde of truyth / and all the apopstels ●nd holy Doctors before rehersyd dyd ●uer preche / and haue lefte behynd them In wrytyng the sayd word & ordynaunce of god / & haue made thereof constytucyons and holy canōns affyrmyng pouertye / and for beddyng alwes temporall possessyons to be in the Clergye , and haue set them In the boke / of holy decres to be perpetuallye obseruyd and kepte by the clergy / affyrmyng the bokes & vyolators thereof to be blasphemours / in the holy gost , which as saynt / Mathew , wytnessyth / Math. xi . Is Irremyssilbe in this worlde and In the world to comme / All this nat withstondyng sythen the tyme of the Emperoure constantyne and of pope Syluester which was .iii. C. yers after Christes , byrth , The couetous sorte of the clergy do wrytte that temporall possessions and temporall auctorytes hath cumme to th● by myraclis , wheruppon the pope hath commaundyd that no man shal be so hardy to speke there agaynst / yet , a generall councell hath affyrmyd this proposicion / Luc. xiiii . ( Nisi ●s renunciaunit omnibus que possidet non potest meuus est discipls ) which semyth to be heretycal in his lyterall sens as it apperyth in a boke of Eneas siluius of the councell of Basyll / in the cōdēnacyon of the .xii. artycle of Iohn , wykelyff . In thes matters semeth to be a great seysme & contrariete & where .ii. suche contraryes be / bothe of them can nat be trwe / and it may wel be sayd , that the holy goost was nat present at the makyng of them both / whereby the kynges laye subiectys be brought into a meruelous perplexite & daungere of heresye / for nat knowyng whether / of those .ii. contraryes is to be best beleuyd / For we haue but one god / one fayth / and one kyng to whome of necessyte all we his laye subiectes must praye and humbyll make intercessyon to be easyd of the sayd ꝑplexyte Scysme & contraryte / for it may be well sayd to the clergye in this case as Christ sayd to the pharasyes & fals Ipocrytis / Math / xv . ye haue nat ratifyed nor alowed nether regardyd the commaundement of god / but your owne tradycions / wherfore it may please the Kynges hyghnes to say to the clergy with Christ all plantynges or graffynges that my heuenly / fader hathe nat plantyd / or graffyd / shal be pluckyd vp be the rote .

That the correccyon of all such and other enormytyes in the clergy belongyth to the Kyng and to his seculer power . Cap. .vii.

xxiii . q̄. iii. ( Qui potest obuiare ) there it is sayd that he that may punyshe malefactours and doth it nat / is the very fauorer of theyr wykednes .

xxiii . q̄. v. ( Sunt quidam enormia )

There it is sayde that all outragyous offensys shall be punyshyde by seculer Iugys .

xxiii . q̄. v. ( de Liguribus et venetecis ) There it is sayd that the seculer power shall constrayne and correcte all scismatykes and heretykes

xxiii . q̄. v. ( Regum officium ) there it is sayd the kynges offyce is to punyshe all yll folkes and to releue good folkes xxiii . q̄. i. ( Si apud carnales dn̄os ) There it is sayd that he that refucyth or dyspysyth to bere or to gyue reuerence to the powers of rulers , shall lacke his rewarde in heuyn .

xxiii . q̄. v. ( Qui malos ꝑcutit ) there it is sayde that he is the very minister of god that punyssheth and strykyth yll folkes for theyr offencys .

xxiii . q̄. v. ( Si propterea ) there it is sayd that the wronges of the sacramentys of Chryst / must be auengyd by kyngys . saynt Paule / ad tit. .i. byddyth / vpon cause geuyn to punysh offenders straytly and hardely to make them hole & sound in the feyth . And there he sayeth farther Take no hede to theyr Iwysshe fables nether to the comaundementes of men that turnyth them selfe from the trowth for as well theyr myndys as the consciences ben fowle spotted .

They knowelege them selfe to knowe Chryst and yet in theyr dedys they deny hym for they be abhomynable And vnfeythfull & frowardly dysposyd to euery good werke Et ps. xviii . it is spoken of them thus ( Narr / auerunt michi ) & .c. wyckyd men haue tolde me fables but nat as the law / & saynt Paule . Ro. xiii . seyth . ( Omnis anima ) . & .c.

Euery soule is subiecte to the superyour powers / There is no power but of god they that be / be ordeyned of god / so that he which resistyth power resistyth the ordynaunce of god / they that resyst get to them selfes damnacyon / for pryncys be nat ordynyd to the fere of good werkes but of euyll / yf thou wylte nat dred power do good / and thou shalte haue laude therof He is mynyster of god to the in good thynges / yf thou do euyll dred / he beryth nat the swerde without cause / he is the mynester of god , vengaunce in wrath to hym that dothe euyll / therefore of necessyte be ye subiecte nat only for wrath / but also for conscyence .

¶ And seynt Peter seyth . i. Pet. ii . ( Subiecti igitur ) & .c.

Therfore be ye subiect to euery humayn ●reature for god to the vengaunce of euyll doers & laude of good men .

¶ Now for the loue of god . That clerke that lustyth to reproue or impugne the forsayd auctorytese or the applyyng of the same let hym do it louyngly and charytably ye & ●t the leste by lyke auctorties & by no lesse . which yf they can nat do / let them forsake theyr abusys & conforme thē selffys to the word of god / and to lyue thereafter God graunt the same / Amen .