GRace and peace from the Lorde the liueinge God , who hath all our hertes in hys hande to moue and stere to what shall lyke hym best , who onely knoweth the hertes of men , and therefore oneli is the iudge of the thoughtes and intentes of vs all , what or whan so euer we speake or thinke . whose daye and iudgment is without regarde what man ( which is but flesh and bloud , and therefore ful of erroure and blindnesse ) shall dispute , and determine and iudge . I paciently loke for and a bide whan as all darnell , drake and weede shall be caste into the hell fire and all the good graine shal be gathered into God his owne garner , vnto whome we lyue all the tyme that we walke vpon the earth . And when we die yet are we sure that we are his owne , by the raunsome that his dearely beloued sone Christ ( our Lord and heade ) hath paied geueinge the holy gost into our hertes as a most suer wittnesse of the same , teacheinge vs to crie . Aba father , whereby we knowe that though we die , yet we die vnto hym to lyue euer after cowpled and ioyned in one kinde and nature vnto our heade Christe , who as he is fully God , and of equale powre wyth his father , so shal he make vs like vnto hym when he shal appeare ( after our porcion and measure ) partakers of his godly nature , like as he hath in hys world ( though but in a shadowe and cloude , in regarde of the fulnesse that shal be declared ) be gonne al redy to regenerate and begete vs a newe ▪ creature , by the holy gost workinge by the worde of hys trueth , that we nowe resembling the image of God whereunto we were made , maye be continually occupyed in the workes of hys kingdome , as be these . Iustice , peace ▪ and ioy in the same holy gost , geuear of al goodnes . For he that by these workes serueth Christe is acceptable to God and conmended of men Thys s●me ●●e euer lasteinge God without begininge and without endinge , he geue me grace ( to the fortheraunce of his glorie ) to make answere to that deuellishe detection the sophistrie of Sathan published by Stephane Gardiner bishope of Winchester , for the maintenaunce of the popishe Idole , the dombe God , and poetical chaungling , wher by , not onely the true liuinge God is neglected his true honoure obscured and defaced , the preachinge of hys worde almoste set at nought : but also , all kindes of poperie , as images , blessing , kissinge , shaueinge of crownes , supersticion of garmenets and such like , are craftily , by subtile pointes of the popes sophistri and wordes filthy , framed for such merchaundise , confirmed and established , as thought al the whole heape of these triffes heaped vp together were the religion of a Christian man : wher as to knowe God for our true God , and whom hehath sent , Iesu Christ , and by this knowledge to be borne a new and to kepe our selfe immaculate and vnde filed from the worlde is : the true and perfecte religion demaunded of vs true christians . The other is but countrefaite what so euer ●his sophistrie doeth name it ) because our maister christ ( who can not lie ) doeth saie ful plaine . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .

They worshipe me in vaine , teacheinge the doctrine and preceptes of men &c. And where he bringeth in this texte in the ende of his boke , nothing so ful as our sauior Christ did speake it ( as he knoweth well inowgh if he haue so muche Greke as he braggeth abrode ) he addeth therunto his owne glose , as though he coulde vtter the wordes of christ the sone of God , much more wiselie by hys babling . Yet am I content to let his own glose be his owne iudge in these matters . His wordes bee these . They worshippe me in vaine , with the teachinge of such as remaine in the estate of men onely , & then teach their owne & for them selues , for al such teachinge is like the teachar that is to saye carnal . Let eueri man ( that hath not his conscience al redie brenned wyth the hote pro●e ) marke whether hys owne glose make against him , and all the ceremonies that hys father the pope , beinge ( I trowe ) but in the estate of a man , and that a carnal man , hath made , though Winchester go aboute craftily ( accordinge to the cannon lawe whereof he is sworne by solemne othe doctoure and teacher ) to make him more than a man . And marke againe good christen hertes , what they win by theyr gloses and multiplied wordes , wherby in fayth it were verie easy to confute them all , euen by the testimonies of their owne doctours ( as Bucere , Ecolampadius , and Frith haue done perfectlie well , if these men woulde suffer there bokes to come to lyght ) For these papistes do so mixte the trueth and salsehed together ( for without some ground of trueth noman woulde beleue them ) that the one piece of the tale standeth commonly with the trueth and the other vttereth their salshed .

And therfore speake they longe matter and are not content to saye plainely a spade but they muste necker it as they do in theyr mattens and saye , spa●a a●ade . As for me I haue learned to cal breade , bread , & to speake althinges plainelie . Therfore by the open scriptures , wyll I make them answere to their questions . For al the scripture inspired from God , is profitable boeth to teache and to reproue , to correcte and to instructe in rightuousnesse , that the man of God maye be perfecte and fite for euerie good worcke .

So that if ther be any ▪ good worke ▪ to be taught or yll worck ●o be rebuked we must go to the scripture onely , as to the toutchstone and onelye triall of al trueth .

For wyth scriptures did Christe driue awaie the deuil , and not wyth holy water , as you are reported to saie that the deuil greatly dreadeth it , and so do ye still commaunde that it shal be made a coniured water euerie sonnedayes in ▪ euery churche , to driue furth deuilles . But he thoughe he were boeth god and man , alledgeth scriptures alwayes to confirme his saienges , and commandeth his hearers to sherch the scriptures . So doe Peter , Paule , Iames , and Iohn .

Wheras Paul beinge brought vp at the fete of Gamaliell the greate lawier , was redie inoughe to haue disputed out of the Thalmud of the tradicions of their fathers , whiche he saieth he hath ernestely studied beinge ou● of the phariseies , and interpretour of that law , and such one as by the outward wordes of the lawe could not be found fantie , Gala. i. Phili. iii. Yet dyd he accompte all thys , boeth lerneinge and outwarde holinesse ( whyche other men did take as no smal gainne and ●●cre ) to be damage and hindrance for Chirst , whom so sone as he was called to publishe & preach he did not compare wyth the docters of the Iewes , neither wyth Gamaliell , Annas or Laiphas . But knoweinge his learneinge to be more liuely than was theirs ( whyche being but f●esh and bloude , coulde teach onely carnall and f●eshly thinges ) went streight in to Arabie , there to publishe thys glade tidinges , euer teachinge by the scriptures that Christ , did come this to suffer in the flesh , and that he was after that , entred into his glorie .

So do I intende ( after the measure of my talent ) to answere by the lernige of my master Christe , whom onely . I do take to be al sufficiens in all trueth , so that he can neither be deceiued nor deceiue , to whose wysdome no man can adde one iote or title to make better that he hath made , to institute or ordeine ( whose whether you wyll call it , because ye are so contenciouse , aboute trifles that you maye seme to saye some what ) better then he him selfe hath ▪ instit●ted and ordeined , or yet in speake better then'he hath spoken . And in this be halfe , I must ( euen of brotherly loue ) desire all indifferent arbitours and iudges of my writinges , that if they do reade any bitter worde or heare anie sharpe sentence againste the mainteiners of thys Idole : they do not impu●e it to anye pride or arrogancie but to the vnworthynes of the matter , that man shoulde be so mad to set vp a creature most vile & moste weake in the steade of the Lorde of hostes whose pouer is incomparable . In the which thing , being a cause 〈◊〉 so great importaunce , and weight if I should coldely or faintly speak or write I myght well be thought worthy to be one of them whome Iohn prophecieth , for theyre faynte hertes , worthie to be v●…etted vp againe , being nether hote nor colde . I do feare me the plage of God hath worthyly commen vpon many in thys same royalme , for thys onely vice . But God , he is mercifull if we wil repente .

As for me O Lord thou knoweste al thinges , thou knoweste mine herte , & serchestmy thoughtes . Thou woteest that it is neither of malice nor presumption that I do write any worde in this boke , but only for the pride of the papistes , and especially for the wicked malice of proude A man , which seaketh how to destroie thy seruantes , labourethe to oppresse thy light sent nowe in these la●er daies at the tyme apointed , into the worlde , prouoketh vs wyth bitter wordes , to make answere in thy cause , calling vs diueles , and the reasones made againste Idolatrie for the an anseinge of thy glorie , he calleth the dy●eles wordes and saieinges , which blasphemies cause me that I can not geue place but somethinge answere to his worthinesse , and not geue place to such shamelesse writinges .

Thoughe I coulde be content ( & that with good wyll so that it were no derogacion to thy glory ) not onely to passe with silence all tauntes , rebukes , che●kes , and raileinges , yea and to suffer all crueltie and tirannus tormentes that he doeth excogitat or finde out againste vs : but also to kisse hys verie fote steppes , and call him Lorde at euerie worde , to kneele and lowte as do hys flatterers . But then l●●e we forsake thy cause , we can not haue thy worde in worthy reuerence , magnifieinge thine enimie .

Take thou in good worthe therefore ( O Lorde ( these oure doinges . Make them serue thy glorie . Be mercifull to thy seruantes , and stoppe the mouth of thine enimies that thi wil may , be knowne and fulfilled among vs in erath , as it is amonge thin angelles in thine heauenly palace So be it .

To your firste wordes therefore ( bishope Stephane , pardone me I praye you that I do not cal you Lorde , boeth because I haue learned by scripture that Christes byshopes Math. xxiii . maie take no suche vaine titles , and also that you ought to calenge no suche authorite of Iames . iii. Lordeshipe ouer your lotte and people appointed vnto you , and Peter and Paule , the i. Peter . v. good shepeherdes do we name without such vaine titles of Rabby ) you wil haue vs consider i. Chap. Howe full of iniquity that tyme is . howe full of iniquitie thys tyme is . Let vs consider it for the loue of God ( O bishopes ) but not takeinge iniquitie as you do , to be what so euer thinge is againste the tradicions of your Romish father , who nowe worketh the cheife misterie of iniquitie , and euerie one of you helpeth after to his poure , in kepeinge downe the worde of God , clokeinge your hipocrisie wyth contrefaite holinesse , and tourneinge backewarde so farre from Christe : that euerie man maye see who is the wicked man , and the aduersarie or Antichriste , lifteinge hym selfe againste euerie thinge that is God or godlie , So that nowe your shameles writinges of your doctours and maintainers : do recorde howe you can make God , create the creatoure of heauen and er●h , and so make him a creature , that where he hath but once created the , thou maiste be out of his det and cre●… him a thousande tymes . Oh abhominable blsasphemie A man to make God , at whose terrible maiestie , heauen and erth doe tremble . Oh shamlesse iniquitie , to create thi creatoure without whome thou falleste in to duste and asshes . But you wyll saye ( O bishope ) that ther is no suche blasphemie in your bokes , neither can you perceiue the wickednesse of the popes pardones , and pilgrimages whyche are destroied in this tyme , The Sodomatrie babilonical bondage , supersticiouse blindnesse of the Abbaies , whych oure kinge hath most christenlyke confounded . But for this oure mattier , I saye . I plucked halfe a leafe out of a boke lieinge tied in chaines for a Iewell in the greate cathedrall churche , Lincolne minstre , whiche hath thys plaine greare , by these plaine wordes . O sacerdos , nonne creaui te , et dedi tibi potestatem creaudi me ? quare si non sacrificas , et c. O prieste , haue I not created the , and geuen the poure ●o create me ? And suche other shamful geare .

There is none so blinde as they that wil not se . And seinge suche blindesse is in you bishopes , who shoulde haue hade the eies to haue espied thys ware longe before it hade ben brought into the churches contrarie to the worde of God : how can it be but bi your carelesse negligence , the worlde is waxen ful of blindenesse , miserie and all kindes of iniquitie , for the whiche you shal answere at the dreadfull daie whan the bloude of euery one of your shepe that perisheth shall be required at your hande . Let vs consider yet if you please , thys wickednesse some thynge more deaplye .

Paule in his firste Epistle to the bishop Timo. i. Timothe , saieth that the spirite telleth for certayne , that in the latter daies , some shall departe ●…hat diuil●… sophistrie from the fayeth , attendynge vnto deceptfull spirites and doctrine of diuelles , speakeinge falsely by dissemblinge hipocrisie haueinge their consciences marked with the hote yrone .

And that we shoulde not doubt of thys diuellish sophistrie and open iniquite : he addeth two speciall properties , that is , to prohibite or forbid mariage , and commaunde to abstaine from meates whyche God hath created to be receiued wyth thankes geueing , as the good ceatures of God . Who foloweth the diuelles doctrine moste in these to pointes : is not harde to be iudged of al the world

Yet muste we futhermore consider the spirit●es you saye which thinge we ▪ are not loth Beleue not e●…ie spirite . Iohn . iiii . to do ( for Iohn teacheth vs so ) mistrusteinge our owne iudgment . And Iohn sayeth that euerie spirite that confesseth Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh , is of God . This do we all confesse , whome you call at your pleasure heretikes , and saye that we wyll doubte in all together . But we knoweinge certenlie Iohn . i. Timo. iii. by the scriptures , that he was manifestely declared in the flesh to be verie man , and perfectly declared in the spirite to be God in the wonderouse workinge of his miracles , was sene amonge the angelles , was beleued in the world , and receiued into glorie , where he reigneth equale wyth his father , sittinge at the ryght hand of God , from whense we no thing doubt , but we shal se him come down as the apostles dyd se hym go vp into the heauenes . Act. i. In the meane season we beleue stedfastly that he is with his faiethfull church by hys holy spirite euen to the worldes Ephe. v. ende . For the which he gaue him selfe to sanctifie it and cleuse it , in the fountaine of water bi the worde , to make it vnto him selfe a gloriouse congregacion wythout spot or wrynckle or any suche thynge , but that it shoulde be holy and wythout blame , Where contrarie wyse , you ( whiche accompte your selues onely , men of the churche ) and spirirituall men , as the onelye partakers of the spirite ( doe wyth out scripture or reasone ) teache vs laye and lewde men ( as ye call vs ) onelye wyth swerde and fire , that Christe was not verie man haueinge a naturall bodie . For you saye that thys his bodie that he had maie be in . x. thowsande places at once . Whiche property , howe well it agreth with a natural bodie : al that haue any knowledge maye decerne . Againe you saye that this bodie of the same lengeth and breadeth that it hanged vpon the crosse : maye be closed in a little boxe , contrarie to the ordinaunce of mans naturall bodie in the creacion . And where we se nothynge but a piece of breade ( for you can not teache vs by the scriptures that the breade is chaunged ) we must neades beleue , that their is a bodie , besides the bread because you saye so thought there can be perceiued neither quantitie nor qualitie , that is to saye , nothynge parteininge to a bodie . As for your answere of fayeth constrained to beleue thys wythout either scripture or ▪ reasone , that it maye haue merite , and that all these be naturall reasons : I shall answere whan I come at those wordes .

In the meane tyme marke your owne maliciouse wickednesse , how you wil haue ▪ Christ to haue a bodie , nothynge lyke the naturall bodie of man , but insensible and infinit yet by your subtilties to be comprehedend , and wythin your listes , bandes and boxes , to be contained and haue hys measure appointed , but in no parte agreable to our natural bodi which he did voultchsalfe to take vpon him .

Thus after you haue denied him ( by your wicked enuēcion ) to be a verie man , like one of vs ( sinne onely excepted ) whych the scripture teacheth plaine : After you haue denied christ to haue a verie natural bodie and verie flesh , then procede you to teach how he cometh in breade . And because you ●et Christes religion in your ceremonies as farthynges that make the heape : you set Iesu oure saniour , to come in al trifles and baggage , Yet to cloke your false speach wyth hipocrisie , you saye properly , that Christe consecrateth him selfe Folio . lvi . in those formes of bread & wine , with which worde consecrate , you ingle by your di●ilish sophistrie . For if ye meane , he haloweth him selfe into bread & wine ( which your word consecrate doeth signifie ) as lewde as you take vs , we woulde laught at your folie . If you woulde saye by that worde , he tourneth him selfe into the fourme of breade and wyne : so then your doctrine is that Christe cometh vnto vs in breade & wine . And we saye that he is comen all redie in the fleshe , and in the same fleshe is gone vp to heauen , and from thense shall come to iudge all flesh . You saye lo , here is Christe . Lo , there is Christe . Loke whose spirites you be . You are of the world and therfore speake you of the worlde , and the world heareth you . And like as by faieth so also by loue , saieth Iohn , is the spirite of Iohn . iiii . trueth and of errowre knowne asunder . Therfore let vs loue together , for loue is of God , and euerie one that loueth is borne of God .

He that loueth not knoweth not God , for God is loue . If we loue together God dwelleth in vs , and his loue is perfece in vs . If any man saie , I loue God , and doeth yet hate his brother : that man is a lier . For he that loueth not hys brother , whom he seeth : how can he loue God whom he seeth not : Howe your hote bourneinge loue ( whyche causeth you to bourne men that can not vnderstand your gloses ) can be of god I know not : but thys wotte I well that when the people of Samaria woulde not receiue Christe , hys Luk. 〈◊〉 . Apostles woulde haue had fire from heauen to bourne them . But Christe answered . You knowe not , whose spirites you are . The sonne of man dyd not come to destroy the soules of men : but to saue them . And you byshoppes haue your authoritie to edifie and not to destroie . But the olde serpent and his first begotten caine , them Pharao , next , Herod and the phariseis , the olde byshopes condemninge Christe , and you their successours , banisheinge his worde with crueltie : are of a contrarie spirite . And where you byd vs take Take heede of carion . hede of carion , surely your glose is a very carion , and the worde of God which you take a way from al men saue gentlemen & marchauntes is the onely fode and life of the soule , wher it liueth as Christ him selfe wittnesseth . Not Mathe. iiii . by bread only liueth man , but by eueri word that proceadeth out of the mouth of God . But the blacke birdes and rauenes , the pies and deuoreinge fleshe crowes , they fede vpon flesh , and theafore vpon carion . My wordes ( saieth Christe ) are spirite and lyfe . My spirite sayeth God shall no longer remayne with man , because he is fleshe . Therfore when the worde of God and the spirite of lyfe are not with your fleshly teachinge : it must nedes be carion . Suche is your flieinge about the dead as about carion , for filling of your paunches . For the deade carions haue made you riche in youre monasteries , chauntries and perpetuities . The deade carions of Becket , Benno , and darnel Gader , of Dunstane woulstane , Audrie and suche other haue filled your wide throtes so full , and you carie your praye so gredily in your monthes : that you are become dome dogges that you can not barcke but onelye at them that woulde reine you of that foule carion , and leade you home to take heede of your maisters folde . And to teache plainely what is carion : we do take it to be , what so euer you do bringe into the church of Christ ( as his religion ) without hys holy worde and the liuely spirite of God . The same I saye , is that stinckinge carion that Paulle calleth Anathema , and the prophet warneth vs we touche it not . And Iohn biddeth vs that we do not so much as saye Ane and salute the bringers therof , leste we be compted partakers of their iuell workes . I wyll passe with silence the roten ragges and carion bones of your reliques and suche lyke ware , that sauoure little of the spirite of life , and of the worshipeing of god in spirite and trueth . But for thys thinge we haue in hande , lettinge slippe all other your vnsauourie cerimoneis , and carianlyke relyques : more stinckinge carion surely , and more poisenfull sophistrie causeinge deathe and murren of so many soules was ther neuer in the worlde : then the gloses and dreames of your idle braines about this mattier that we shal now handle , as shal be proued plainelie by the grace of the liueinge God . Your termes of realities qualites , accedentes and dimencions , sauour nothinge of the spirite of God : and therefore are they fleshe and carion . The whole course of your boke labouringe to make Christe really and naturally present vnder these fourmes , qualites and quantities : sauoureth of the rotten pastures , and stinckinge fleshli braines of your dreameinge doctours . Dunse , Thomas de Aquino , and petrus Lombardus . Therfore is this the carion , wherof we muste be ware This is the diuellishe sophistrie wherwyth the world hath bene so long bewitched in such sorte , that in the steade of the liuelie feading of their soules by the worde of God , the breade of lyfe : you haue filled theire eares and eies with darcke termes , dombe signes , and deceiueable shadowes , allwaies beateinge and burninge the poreshep bleatinge a gainste the filthy stinckinge carion , of your popeishe and I dolatrouse tradicions . What other thinge ( let all men iudge betwexte vs ) are these sophisticall termes of realitie , quantitie , accedentes , dimentions and alteracions whyche are the onely foundacion of your boke , and the establishement of thys fleshly doctrine : but the vsuall termes of the subtile sophistes of Cambrige and exforde , and the Sorbonistes of parise ? They can not be founde in the bokes of the holy spirite of the holy scripture of God ▪ and therfor are they fleshely sophistrie and stinckeinge carion . Thys your boke all grounded vpon man , which is but flesh , vpon the darcke sentences and blind termes of blind teachers , as Iohn Damascene and such other : can be likened to nothinge so well as to carion . The whiche mattier is picked out of the maister of the sentences or carionouse sophismes , chouse whether you wyl call hym . And where you woulde seme to be most spirituall about the words of Christ , Hoc est corpus meum : ther you are all to gether carnalle and fleshly .

You wil haue a carnall chaunge , a carnal presence , a carnall sacrifice , A piece of paste ( as we saye ) fleshe and bloude ( as we saye ) to be carnally worshipped wyth fonde gestures . A creature to be made the creatoure . A vile cake , to be made God and man . Which doctrine ( beinge examined by the spirite of God the triar of all trueth ) shal be founde Idolatrouse carion .

The residue of your preface would haue vs captiue to you Christes vikeres , to your Seeke the trueth , at the ministers of the church . doctours and mainteners . These haue you alwayes heretofore called the churche of Rome . But nowe that you maye deceiue ( if it be possible ) the verie electe : by a false name calling it Christes church . But in verie dede it is the sinnagog of Sathan and the church of Antichriste : because you are in liueinge so contrarie to Christe , and because you set ▪ and establish therin the ceremonies of Antichrist and bannishe the pore shepe from the worde of theyr shepherde , seldome or neuer preacheinge vnto them Christe , but your owne baggage , nor yet sufferinge the pore lambes to reade and feade of hys worde and pasture . But we all are not so folishe thus to be enchaunted . We haue Iesu Christe before oure eies crucified , by your predicessours , which boasted them selues to be the church ▪ Whome alone we learne to knowe , to heare and to folowe nowe in these latter daies , because your fathers , boeth of Rome and of Englande : haue led vs out of the waye vn whoreinge in to Babilon , and haue hitherto taught vs to worshipe suche thinges as by their nature are no goddes , But nowe seing that we knowe God ( yea rather seinge that we are knowne of God ) we wil not returne agayne to your weake Idoles and your beggerie ceremonies , to the whiche you woulde haue vs slaues and do seruice a freshe . But marke and take it for an answere . We haue Gala. iii. begone in the spirite , and we nether wyll nor can be made perfite by the fleshe . We wyll make subiecte our senses and captiue our vnderstandinge to all trueth of goddes holy word , but to no lies of your idle braines and couetous conspiracie , We are no longer vnder the schole of your popeish tradicions , for we are all the children of God because we haue beleaued in Christe Iesu