Fyrst a Prologe .

GOd that is good hym selfe / fayre in his Angels meruelous in his sainctes / merciful apon synners / haue mercy on vs nowe and euer / and gyue vs grace to holde the way of trought in these dayes of great tribulacyon for now many that semed to be stable in vertue fallen from theyr holy purpose dreding losse & bodely paine : Mat. 24. Quoniam habundauit iniquitas refrigescit caritas multorum . as Chryst sayd That th abundaunce of wyckednes shall coole the charite of many / for Sathan hath nowe destroyed thys worlde by hys leuetenaunt Antechryst / that men be borne aboute in diuers doubtes as waues of the see / wredchydly diuided in diuers opinions one agaynst another . But seynt Paule dyd sette one accorde amonge the chisten people saynge / ther is but one Lorde that all men shulde loue and dred / one faythe that all men shulde kepe and byleue with out varyenge / Ephe. 4. Vnus dn̄s: vna fides & vnum baptisma . &c. and one Baptyme that all men shuld haue & stedfastly holde without defouling . Alas howe is this vnyte broken that men vnruled walken after their lustes as bestes in the corne : truly the wycked man that Christ spake of hath done thys dede for he hath sowen faves & cokle vpon the sede of god . Math. 13. Inimicus homo super seminauit zi zannia . Thys wycked enemye is Antechriste / that cloutyth hys lawes as rotten Ragges to the clene cloth of Christes gospell . And waketh in malice as Iudas chylde / why for Simon slepith and taketh non hede . O thou wycked man is there any othere man that may saue soulles than Iesu Chryst / god said by the mouthe of Moyses I shall smyte / and I shall hele and there is none that can delyuer or rydde from my hande / ☞ Apocalipsis . 1. who hathe the keyes of Dauid to open heuen gates / and none othere closyth / to close / and then none othere openeth / sayncte Iohn sayeth holy and true Christe hath the keye of Dauid that openeth / whiche castith downe / and than no man reyseth / who reyseth and than no man castyth downe . Iob sayeth / whan the Lorde god hathe dystroyed there may none other buylde / ♣ Iob. & when the Lord god castyth in pryson ther may none other delyuer or quyte hym of his bondes . And therfore in the vertue of this name Iesu / standeth al mannes saluation / as it is wrytten in th actes of th aposteles . Actuum . 4. seynct Peter sayde . There is none othere name vnder heuen geuen / but thys name Iesu / whereof we may saued be / for alonely in the vertue of thys name Iesu is the remyssyon of synnes / as it is wrytten / Luce .xxiiij. It behoued to be prechyd amonge the people / penaunce & remission of synnes in the name of Iesu art thou nat then a wycked man / a folyshe-herde / a cruell beste / the son of perdicion And Antechrist hym selfe that pretendest in the / & in thy members / to blesse & to cursse to bynde & to vnbynde besydes this name Iesu / people without nombre folowynge the & thy deuyded lawes ben deuided from Christe Ihu / and go with the blyndefolde into hell for euermore and thys is great sorowe / so ferforth that Chryst maketh lamentacyon and mournyng ther vpon saynge / Iohis. v. Tu es qui vēturns est an alium ex pectamus . I haue come in the name of my father and ye haue not taken me when another shall come in hys owne name him shall ye take / and thys is Antechryste . And seyncte Iohn Crisostome / vpon these wordes of the gospel / Mathei . xxj . Lucerna pe dibꝪ meis verbum tull domine . For who that wyll not receyue Christ in payne of synne he is compelled & constrayned to receyue Antechrist / and therfore in this tyme of tribulacion & hydeous darkenes / let vs seke the Lanterne of lyght wherof the prophet spekith . Lord thy worde is a Lanterne to my fete / Neque verba neque malagina sa nauit illos / sed omnipotens sermo tuus qui sanat omnia . for as fer as the light of this Lanterne shyneth / so far darknes of syn & cloudes of temptacyon of the fende vanyssheth away & may not abyde . And euermore when thys Lanterne lighteneth into an herte / it purgyth it & clensith it from corrupcion / it swagyth & healyth gostely sores / as the wyseman sayth / that nether herbe nor plaster hathe heled them / but Lorde thy myghty worde that heleth al thynges . For truly Lord when thou dyed apon the crosse thou dydest put in thy worde the spryt of lyfe / Verba que ego locutus sum spiritus et vita smit . & gauest to it power of quickenyng by thyne owne precious bloud / as thou said thy self . Io. vj. The wordes that I spake to you / bene spryte and lyfe . &c.

¶ A peticion of th auctor .

Iacobi . 2. Multum valet deprecatio iusti assidua . DEre Brother in Christ helpe me with your prayer to almighty god : for seinct Iames saith The busy praier of a right wyse man is moche worthe . Ye haue desyered me to take thys trauayle apon me / whiche is full chargeous to me / but as towarde our swete Lorde god nothynge is impossyble as Chryste sayde and in thys fayth . Math. 19. Marci . 10. Luce. 18. Isaye . 18. Deus ipse ola opera operat in nobis . Ysaye sayde . The Lorde god hym selfe wyrcheth all our workes in vs / fayle we not then god in good leuing . And he may not faile to geue vs suche wysdom / as is nedefull to vs & to tempre our tonge / & gyue vs true organ / & redy speche / in edefyeng of our neyghbour / for without the helpe of the spirite of god our labour were but lost / as Christ said / that it was not we that coulden speke profitably / but the spirite of the father that speketh in vs / for th apostels & other holy men / Math. 18. Non enim vos estis qui loquimini sed spiritus prins vestri quiloquitur in vobis . that trauayled in dedly letters / meked them selfes as simple ydiottes : as Hierom sayd / that prechers vnlerned bene sent for to preche / that the faith of the true beleuers shuld be trowed to be brought in ( not by mannes vertue ) but by the spech & doctrine of god . And seynt Austen wryting vnto Simplician sayth . what suffren we / what here we / vnlerned men arisen & catche heuen . And we with our clergi ben drenched in hel . And seinct Gregory in his Moralles affirmith this sentence and sayth . Ryght as trouth incarnate / that is Christ in manhede chosith simple poore ydiottes to hys prechynge so agaynwarde Antechriste is for to chase stourdy and doble men hauynge the wysdom of thys worlde for to preche his falsehede . Haue we then ful faythe in our lorde Iesu with perfyte lyuynge and this Lorde throughe your prayer shal lead this warke after his owne pleasure / and brynge it to a perfyte ende to hys honour and glory / and to profyte & edificacyon of his faythefull seruauntes . Amen .

¶ Capitulum tertium . ¶ What Antecrist is in general with .vi. condycions .

TO speake generally yf ye demaunde me who is Antechrist I aunswere and say that he ( whose lyfe and doctryne is contrary to Christes : Iohis. 2. Nunc autem sunt multi antechristi . is an Antechrist / as seyncte Iohn said / forsothe nowe bene many Antecristes . And therfore sayth seynct Austen . who that lyueth contrary to Chryst ) is an Antechrist / be thou within or be thou without / be thou high / or be thou lowe / be thou spiritual ( as they call it ) or be thou temporal / be thou riche or poore / Pope or page or of any degree thou canst rekene / yf thou lyue contrary to Christ / thou art but chafe wherof Christe speketh sayeng that the chafe shal brine with fyer that may not be quenched . Maih. 3. And the soull that is but chafe shall euer suffre and neuer bye / as the prophete sayth . Ysa . ix . Euery proude soule that ryseth in swellynge agaynst god / Ysaye . 9. and euery body defouled in Glottony & Lechery shal be into swellynge & mete of the fyre that shall euer brenne him with most greuous payne .

Sex petam contra spiritum sanctum . Six synnes there be agaynst the holy goste that toke the wretched soull in to thys chafe / but for asmoche as no daunger is feared but it be fyrste knowen / therfore we shall name them vnto you in thys lytle treatice for the lernynge of the small vnderstanders .

Presumptio . 1. The fyrste is presumpcyon / that is the bolnynge or swellynge of a proude spirite without dred of godes ryghtwysnes / and of thys synne all maner of malyce and wretchydnes taketh rote that reygneth in mankynde amonge lerned and leude / Qui non timet non poterit iustificare Ecclesiastica . 15. for the wyseman sayth / that he that dredeth not can not be iustyfyed or made ryghtwyse . For sothe I saye in whome thys synne of presumption hath no lordeshyp in hym the deuyll is ouercome for he that dredeth the lorde shall do good thynges and agayne but yf thou holde thy selfe continually in the drede of god thy house shal be sone tourned vpsydowne / Ibidem . 27. that is thy body and soull shal be tourned from god into the deuelles seruyce .

Disperacion . 2. The seconde syn is Dysperacyon or wanhope / that is ouer lytle trust of godes mercy . Seynct Austyne saythe that the drede of godes ryghtwysnes / and hope of hys mercy bene .ij. yates of lyfe / for by them we entren here into grace and after into blysse / as the prophete saythe . Our Lorde is wel pleased apon them that drede hym / & that trust in his mercy / and againwarde presumpcion & disperacion bene .ij. yates of deth by the which me entren into sinne & incombrance / & after into payne of hel . Iohis. 2. Seyncte Iohan geueth vs lore against this syn & sayth . My litle sonnes / these thynges I wryte to you / that ye synne not in the synne of dyspayre / but yf it so be that any of you haue synned we haue an aduocate agaynste the father Iesu Chryste our iust Lorde / and he is the purchaser of mercy for our synnes / not only for ours / but for the synnes of all the worlde . Iesu / is for to say a sauyour for he hathe plenty of medecyne to saue al mankynde / yf they wyll take thys medecyne and be saufe . Gregorius For seyncte Gregory saythe He sleyth him selfe that wyll not kepe the byddynges of hys leche .

The thyrde syn is Obstinacy or hardnes of hert that wyl not be contrite for compunction / nor softe with pyte / nor moued with prayer / nor feared with thretteninges / it settith not by betinges but vnkynde agaynste all the workes of God / vnfaythefull in councell / ferse and woode in Iugement / vnshamefast in synne / hardy in peryll a Cowarde in manhode / folehardy agaynste god / forgetfull of tyme paste neclygente in tyme presente and inprouydente for the tyme to come and shortely to saye / Bernardus 5. de . 9. Lincōln̄ deō 190. thys is the synne that neyther dredyth god / ne shameth man / for thys synne one Lynconln̄ teacheth a medecyne sayenge / that an harde hert wolde be brayed in a morter of stone with an heuy pestle : thys morter is the bodye of Chryste penetrate / and wounded in hys passyon / the pestle is the drede of dampnacyon / that foloweth after the synne . O thou harde harted wretche / nyghthe to the bodye of Chryste / and for drede of dampnacyon confyrme the to hys passyon . &c. The .iiij. synne is fynall Impenitence / that is he that wyll neuer be penitent or sorowfull for hys synne / but contynually leadeth hys lyfe after the lustes of hys fleshe / ouercommen with the deuell / the worlde and the fleshe / for no man dothe very penaunce to god / but he that fully leuyth that syn / for the whiche he suffreth penaunce / thus sayth Sayncte Austyn / but for they holden moche worshyp to blase theyr name in erth they maken a fayned shryfte to a pryste & taken parte of sacramentes they buylde churches with other ornamentes / and fynde prystes to rede and synge / they releuen the poore nedy / Math. 6. Nonne ala plus est quam esca & corpus plusque vestimentum . and amenden places that be peryllous / but euer more they lye harde tongeled as froste / in olde custome and synne . To these vnrepentant or impenitent persones speketh Gregory / most sharpely in hys Pastoralles vpon Mathewe / whether is not the lyfe more then mete / and the body more than cloth / here thys doctour sayth . He that geueth mete or clothe to the poore nedy and is polluted or defouled in wyckednes of bodye and soule / the thynge that is moste he geueth to synne / and the thynge that is lefte he geueth to ryghtwysnes / hys goodes he geueth to god / but hym selfe to the deuel / for he settyth more pryce by worldly rychesse then he dothe by bodye and soull / and loueth moste that god loueth leste / wherfore he is tourned to hate : god hathe gyuen vnto man .v. precyous gyftes / the leste of them is wordly goodes / better then these is mannes bodye that god hathe endowed with kyndely strength and graunted hym reason to vse / thys worlde hym selfe to chastyce clothe or fede / aboue these twayne is mannes soull that berythe godes image and hys lykenes . Lorde what proffyt were it to wyn thys worlde / and brynge thy soull vnto dampnacyon / and the body is a lothesume careyn when the soule is departed therfrom . But godes grace passeth these .iij. for where hys grace fayleth / no wysdome auayleth . Loke well that these thynges be not myspente / nether worke thou any of them besydes theyr ordre / but that the streynght all to one ende to wyn vnto the promyse and gyfte of god that is the blesse perdurable . Romanos . 1 An dinitias bonitatis , &c. But howe thou tournest thys ordre vpsydowne . Seynte Poule asketh a questyon of the. whether dyspisest thou the ryches of the goodnes of god and patience / and longe abydyng of thy god . Knowest thou nat that the goodnes of god ledyth the or dryuith the to penaunce truly after thyne hardnes and thyne vnrepentaunt herte / thou treasourest to the wrathe in the daye of wrathe / and reuelacyon of the ryghtwyse iugement of god / that shall yelde to eche man after hys workes .

The .v. synne is Enuy agaynste thy brothers grace as when thy neyghbour is wyse well gouerned / praysed or borne vp / ryche welthy stronge / fayre or vertuous in great abundaunce of grace / then thys enuyous man sklaundreth / vpbreydeth / repreueth / dispyseth / hatith / hindreth / scorneth & pursueth / to defoule his brothers grace / Prouerbiocum . 14. as moche as he may / as the wysmen sayth . A man walkynge in the hygh waye and dredynge the Lorde / is dyspysed of hym that walketh in the wronge way / whan Iesu Christ had cast out a deuel from a man that was dombe as it is wrytten in the gospeles of . Math. xij . Mar. iij. Math. 12. Marci . 3. Luce. 11. Luce. xj . Anone thys man began to speke to puplysshe thys myracle amonge the people . Than the Scrybes and Pharysees enuyous sectes / that were a false religyon sclaundred Chryste saynge that he dyd thys myracle in Belzebub prynce of deuelles . Belzabub is to say a god of Flyes / or elles a god that maketh dyscorde . Lorde sythen they durst saye thys of Chryste / hed of al mannes soull / howe moche warse ( yf warse may be ) shall they auenture to saye of hys poore seruauntes prechers the truth of hys lawe / but Prelates and Fryers in these dayes ben accombred with thys synne agaynste the holy goste / and shamefully sclaundren / her symple brether / the trauaylen through Christes holy lawe to cast yuel maners from theyr soules prechynge the gospell to Chrystes intente / to tourne the people to vertuous lyuyng / they say Thys man hathe eaten a flye / that geueth hym lore of godes lawe / thys is more foly to eate a flye then be a god and chase these flyes / thus haue they brought theyr malice aboute / to sclaunder for heretyckes that speke of god & so dryue they the people from the fayth that they dare not wyrche ne speke for sclaundre . But truly they be not wordye Chryste that feare barkynges of these houndes for none is worthy to be with his Lorde / that shameth his seruyce in well or in woo / and suche men shewe them selfes traytours to god / that with theyr deuelysshe langage defamen theyr brethern / and sayenge / that the fende may and wyll make wyse hys members that serue hym in synne but so wyll not Christ hys beloued seruauntes that lyuen in clennes to serue hym in vertue . O I praye the who harde euer a fouler blasphemy / certaynly thys dyspyte stretched into the godhede / to be ponysshed in the daye of iugemente / for goddes lawe teachethe / forbede hym not that can doo well / but yf thou mayst doo well / doo it . The preste shulde not be letted to preache the truth / neyther the people to speke of theyr beleue as it is taught in the booke of Numeri . vi . Numer. 11. where it is wrytten that Heldad and Medad prophesyed / al be it that they were not lycenced by Moyses . Iosue the Duke and minister of Moyses / grutched agaynst these men / and complayned on them to Moyses . And Moyses sayde to Iosue . why arte thou so enuyous towardes me / who may lete or withdrawe that all the people prophecye / if god gyue them hys spyrite . This maner of doynge is also confyrmed in the gospel of our lorde Iesu Chryste . Seynte Iohn the Euaungelyste complayned / to Chryste sayenge . Master we haue seen a man / castynge out deuelles in thy name that foloweth not vs / and we haue forbydden hym . Alas se then howe dare our bysshhopes for shame offende agaynste these both godes lawes / and doke theyr prestes on euery syde / geuynge them charge on payne to do pryue them theyr offyce / that they preach not the treuth . But after the bely fasshyon . And Seyncte Ierom commendyth in prestehode prechynge the gospel & blessyng the people before the sayeng of masse . Dist. 56. 1. Corin. 1. Non me mi sit christus baptizare sed euangelizare . And Seynct Paull sayth / that Christ sent hym to preche & not to baptyse . So by this it apereth that prechynge the gospel is the hyghest feruyce that may be done to god . But here the enemyes of trouth obiecten and leyen / for them this text of Seynct Paule . How shall they preche / but yf they bene sente with thys texte they blynden moche people cuttynge the sentens frome the wordes . Ro. 10 , Quomodopredicabūt nisi mittantur . For Poull meanethe that prestes shulde preache . For they be sente bothe of god and of the bysshopes for to do that offyce / as the Mayster of the sentence sayeth in hys .iiij. boke / and the .iiij. and .x. Distinctyon . It is th offyce of a deken to preche the gospell / then by the more stronger reason it apperteineth to a preste . For Seincte Ierom and Seyncte Bede accorden together sayenge . ryght as th apposteles is the forme of bysshops / so in .lxxij. discyples is the fourme of prestes . But Chryste gaue charge / bothe to these / bysshopes / and also to these prestes sayenge . Math. 10. Ecce ego mitto vos . Lo I sende you as shepe amonge wolues . And Christe Iesu assygnynge .lxxij. dysciples / sent ●…em to preche . Howe shall these bysshopes maynteyne these constitucyons agaynste god and holy saynctes . Luce. 10. Designauit 72. et misit . &c. It shal be more sufferable to Sodom and Gōmer / than to thys people that thus dyscorden godes ordenaunces .

The syxt synne / is fyghtynge agaynste treuth that man knowith that is as when trouthe is tolde to the gyltye / that is not dysposed to be amended / then he maketh blynde and vngrounded reasons with sutle sophisticall damnynge / the truth agaynst hys owne conscyens / with a bolde face hauynge no shame / as the prophete Ieremie sayth . Ieremie . 3. Frons mulieris meretricis facta est tibi & no luisti erubescere &c. The face of an harlot is made vnto the / and thou woldest not be asshamed . But as Paule sayth Ryght as Iambnes & Membres agaynste standen Moses in the syght of Pharao so these agayne standen treuthe as men corrupte in theyr owne concyens . And yf thou wyll knowe what these men be / aske of . Seynct Peter and he wyll tell the / for he clepethe them by theyr names / in hys epystle where he sayeth / that they bene mayster lyers that shall brynge in amonge the people sectes of perdicyon / that is of losse and deth / though ye rysen with Lucyfer / and maken your nestes amonge the sterres . Thense ye shall / fall and dyssende with the same Lucifer into hell there to be eternally tormented in payne that shall laste / and endure for euermore .

☞ Zacharie . 11. Sume tibi vasa pastoris stulti . &c ☞ The Lord sayeth by the prophete zacharie . Take to the the vesselles of a folysshe sheparde for lo I shall suffre Antechriste to be reysed by in erthe / the whiche shall not visite them that be forsaken / nor seke them that be scatred nor hele them that be seke . ☞ Romanos . 8. Qui non hebet spiritu christi / nec est cuin● . O thou folysshe pastor / Antechryste Antechryste god saythe thou arte an ydoll hauynge a bysshops habyte . But neyther vertue / spirite / lyfe ne dede that longyth to a bysshop . For Paule sayth / that he whiche hathe not the spirite of Chryste he is not his seruaunte / al be it that he haue the outwarde tokens And therfore sayth seynct Iohn the .v. Apo. 16. Quintus angelus effudit . angell powred his crwette vpon the sete of the beste / and his realme is made darke / and they byten theyr tonges to gether for sorowe / and they blasphemyd god of heuen / for ther sorowes and theyr woundes / and they dyd no penaunce for theyr dedes / that is to meane Archebysshopes and Bysshopes bene the sete of the beste Antechrist for in them he sytteth & reygneth ouer other people in the darkenes of his heresye / and in thys they delyten them magnifyenge with theyr tonges ther false ordenaunces the which is sorowe to them that bene of true vnderstandyng and thus they put abake godes lawe / for prechyng of Christes gospell that which bene sorowes to them gendrynge synnes in theyr soules / that wounden him to the deth . And beyng thus wounded shall neuer do medefull penaunce of dedes / for the whiche they shal be dampned . Lyncoln sayth . I dred . I quake & hugely I am aferde : but I dare not be styl / left peraduenture the sentens fal on me that the ꝓphete sayeth . wo to me : Ysaye . 6. De in quia tacui . that I haue bene styll . The well / the begynnynge / and the cause of all ruine and myschyefe is the courte of Rome . Rome . Nowe by th auctoryte of god / & one accorde of holy saynctes shewyth an open conclusion sadly grounded in true beleue / that in the courte of Rome / is the heed of Antechryst / and in archebysshopes and bysshopes / is the body of Antechrist / but in these patched / and clouted sectes as Monkes Chanons and Freers / is the venemous tayle of Antechriste / these .iij. partyes be verefyed of th apostle Iude sayng . wo to them that walketh in the way of Cayne ( these bene false possessioners ) And wo to them that bene shade out for mede in the errour of Balam : these bene myghty nedlesse beggers / and wo to them that haue perysshed in the contradiccyon of Chore. These ben proude and stourdy maynteners . Howe this Antechrist shal be distroyed god hym self teacheth by the prophete Danyel : Danyel . 8. Sine manu conteretur . sayenge that thys Antechrist shal be dystroyed without hande / that is without the power of man . For Paule sayeth . Christ shall sle Antechryst with the spiryte of hys mouthe ( that is with the holy worde of his lawe ) and the lorde shall dystroye hym with the shynynge of his comyng / that is with tournyng of mennes hertes by grace to his lawe a litle before his danie ▪ But god taught more playnly this lord to Iob. 40 Lo ( sayeth god ) the hope that Antechryst hathe in riches / and in worldly fauour / shall brynge hym to nought / and all men saynge he shal be throwen downe hedlyng . So that all the people shall make waylynges vpon him with greate lamentacyon / cursynge waryenge & dampnyng him with al his false ordenaunces &c.

¶ What is Antechryst in specyall with .v. condicions . Capi. v.

BVt nowe at the laste / we shall brynge to mynde holy Dauid the kynge that had geuen to him the full spirit of prophecye / and he seynge the commynge of Antechrist / his lyuynge and his fall / marketh .v. hydeous assaultes that he shall haunte agaynst the seruauntes of god Psal. 9. Constitue dne legeslatorem super eos . The first assaulte of Antechrist / is his constitucions / as the prophete sayth . Lord suffre thou to ordeyne a law maker vpon the people in payne of theyr synnes for that they consent not to the trought / that is thus to meane / Antechryste vsith falce lucratyfe or wynnyge lawes / as ben absolucions / indulgenses / pardones / priuileges & all other heuenly treasure that is brought into safe / to spoyle / the people of their wordly goodes and pryncipally these newe constitucions / by whose auctorytie Antechryste interditeth churches / someneth prechers / suspendith receyuers : & priueth them theyr benefice / cursyth herers / and taketh away the goodes of them / that furtheren the prechynge of the trought ye thoughe it were an angell of heuen . But yf the prest shew the marke of the beste / that they haue properly tourned into a newe name callynge hit a speciall lettre of lycence / for the more blyndynge of the people . The seconde Assaulte of Antechryst / Despicis oportunita tibꝪ in tribulacione . &c. is tribulacion / as the prophete sayth . Antechryste vexeth the people ouermyghtely / in huntynge the people on mawmetry / and doynge of Idolatry / but euer Antechryst maketh them to wene that they gone on pylgremage . And therfore he is warned of god by the prophete sayenge . Ysaye . 5. wo to you that sayen / good is yll / and yll is good puttynge lyght into darkenesse and darkenesse into lyght . Tornynge swete into bytternes / and bytter into swetnesse . And thus dothe Antechryste whan he translateth vertues into vices / and vices into vertues / as pylgremage into outrage / and outrage into pylgremage / and for this wawarde intent god despyseth Antechrist with all blyndefelde people / and lateth al theyr myspended goodes in theyr most tribulacion . The .iij. assaulte of Antechrist is inquificiō as the prophete sayth / that Antechrist enquyreth secheth and harkeneth / where he maye fynde any man or woman that wryteth lerneth redith or studyeth goddes lawe in theyr mother tonge : to leade theyr lyues after the pleasynge wyll of god . Anon he catcheth them in hys sensures / and after smyteth as he may moste hurte them / but he shall not make thys inquisicion after the multitude or greatnesse of hys wrathe . For god shall refrayne or abrydge the power of his malice / so that he shall nomore do than god wyll suffre him that knoweth the mesour of his dedes to proue his seruauntes by the fornays of penaunce acceptable . And Antechryst with these men thus herted in malice inexcusable .

Insidiatur vt capiat pauperem . The .iiij. assaulte of Antechrist is persecucyon as the prophete sayeth . That Antechrist sittyth in the ease of thys worlde with ryche men in theyr dennes . But the poore meke symple and lowly / them he espyeth and pursueth / he ouerlepeth and ouerronneth rauesshynge them bothe bodely and gostely . Iob. 40. For god sayth vnto Iob / that hath a truste and a trowynge that Iordan may flowe into his mouthe . And therfore he maketh hys dwellynge place in the herte of the see as our Lorde sayeth by hys prophete / ♣ Eze. 20. that Antechryste maketh hys boste and sayeth by hys prophete . I haue sytten in the chayre of god in the hert of the see / whan thou arte but man & no god . But euer in fatte countres walowynge & habundyng of worldly goodes there is Antechrist with his clerkes buyldyng theyr nestes . And yf thou loke witterly aboute / thou shalt fynde them amonge woodes and waters / as seyncte Iohan sayth / that he sawe out of the mouth of the dragon that is the heed of Antechryst / ☞ Apocalipsis . 10. Vidi de ore draconis et de ore bestie et de ore pseudo prophete tres spiritus inmundos ex isse in modum ranarum . & out of the mouth of the beste that is the body of Antechrist and out of the mouth of the false prophete / that is the tayle of Antechryst . Thre vnclene spirytes to haue passed out in the maner of frogges / syttynge in holes by the water brynke / purchasen of the grounde aboue & on the erthe besyde them but that that is vnderneth them they woll not her thankes neyther lose ne lese it . So these . iij. vnclene spirites crokyng in Couetyse / Glotony / and Lechery / betoken Antechryste with hys .iij. partes for they purchasen of lordes that bene aboue them moch parte of theyr good with the tonge of flattry and fayned Ipocresy / and of the commoners aboute them / they wylen in theyr handes moche parte of theyr catayle / but that they haue wonne they holden faste agayne th auctoryte of goddes lawes . And with these rycheses they noryshen wylde stourdy / & lawles men / that pursuen them that woll ought say agaynste this cursyd synne . But in thys persecutyon / the prophete comforteth the seruauntes of god sayenge . God is our refuge and our vertue / god is our helpe in trybulacions the whiche haue ouer moche / or passyngly founden vs / wherfore we shall not drede whylles that men lyuynge after thys worlde bene troubled / and hylles shullen be borne ouer into the herte of the see that is to say . True men shall not be abasshed though proude flesshly men be comforted to Antechriste and helpen him in hys persecutyon .

The .v. assaulte of Antechryst is execucyon / Capere pauperem dnm attrahit eum . as the prophete sayth . whan Antechryst saith that he auayleth not in these forsayde tourmentes / than he executyth hys malyce agaynste Christes chosen / as saynct Iohn sayth . That the beste of the erthe shall geue power to the beste of the see / for in this tyme of execucyon . The vicious parte of the lay / se from the highest degree to the lowest / shall consent to execute the wyckednes of the vicious parte of the clergy . Than shal this prophesye be fulfylled psal. 78. They shal shede out innocent bloude / and no man shall dare bury theyr bones / for they shall caste theyr fleshe to fowles of the ayer / and theyr careyns to bestes of the erthe . Than sayth the prophete that whan Antechryste weneth he hath lordeshyp ouer al the seruauntes of god reysynge vpon them guiues of diuerse tormetry then shal he fal to open repreue for euer more The full tyme of Antechriste dureth .iii. yeres and an halfe / but that the gospell doth remytte / and elles shulde nat all fleshe be made saue / thys tyme was fygured vnder Ely the prophete . And kynge Achab that wycked man / Regum . 3. cap. 17. Iacobi . 5. Regum . 28 Danyel . 7. there shewyth the story that the raine was stopped .iij. yeres / and .vj. monethes / seynct Iames bereth wytnes of this thinge in his canon epystle . The flyenge of Dauyd from kynge Saule marketh this tyme who so taketh hede and rede that boke to the last ende . Also the lesynge of Hierusalem dyscloseth thys tyme as Iosephus telleth . Danyel taught this nombre also in time and tymes and halfe a time / and this is .iij. yeres and demy / as saynt Hierom declareth in his boke & seyntes of the myghtye Macabeus vnder thys tyme made clene theyr Temple / wherfore saynte Iohan in his Apocalipse / often times reherseth thys nombre whan he speketh of Antechryste . And Chryste kepeth thys nombre for the tyme of his prechynge out take that leste by vertue of hys passyon sayncte Iohn Crysostom / vpon Mathewe ca. 57. saythe / by thre yeres and .vj. monethes / the sacryfyce of goddes praysynge that shulde be in mannes mouthe / the sacryfyce of ryghtwysnesse that shulde be in mannes workes / and the sacrafyce of peace that shulde be in tretynge of Chrystes body / shal be taken awaye from all faythfull through stronge woodnesse of Antechryste / then shall all true chrystiane fle the face of Antechryste / so that none shall nowe entre into the churche to doo due seruyce to theyr god / after thys the people shall tourne with all theyr myght bothe chrystiane and Iewes / to the kepynge of goddes lawe and doynge of vertuous penaunce as Paule wytnessynge sayth . Blyndnes fell by parte in Israell vnto the tyme that plentye of hethen gentles shulde entre into chrystendom . ☞ Ro. 11. And then in th ende of the worlde that is after the destruccyon of Antechryste al Israell shal be made saue . Enocke and Ely become No man loke after Enoke and Ely in persone for than they maye lyghtelye be begyled / but in spyrite and in vertue nowe they be come : to make mennes hertes redy afore christes home / to whome be glory nowe and euer . Amen .

¶ What is the churche only appropried to god with theyr names / lykenesis and condicions . Ca. vi .

TO spek of holy church Fyrst we take grounde of the gospel where Chryste sayeth . Math. 19. Porte inferi non preualebunt aduersus eam Nicholaus de Lira . That the gattes of hel shal not preuayle nor haue myght / agaynst holy church / vpon this texte Lyre sayeth . That the church is not in men by way of power or dignite spirituall or temporall for many Princes / and high Bysshopes & other of lower degree : state and dignite are founden to be apostates or haue gone backe from the fayth / wherfore the churche standeth in those persons in whome is knowynge and very confessyon of fayth and trouth . But for the more clere declarynge of this matter / and auoydynge of obiections that may be put forth we shall vnderstande / that ther bene .iii. churchis of the which goddes lawe ofte maketh mencyon : Tres Ecclesie . and moche they dyuersen eche from other / to them that taken good hede : but here wytles foles bene accombred that labour not to lerne to knowe theyr dyuersytees . The fyrst churche is called a lytle flocke as Chryste sayeth . ☞ Prima ecclesie . Luce. 12. Drede ye not my lytle flocke / hit pleaseth your father to gyue you a kyngdome / and thys churche is cleped the chosen nombre of them : that shal be be saued as it is wrytten / that the sonnes of wysdome bene the churche of ryghtwysemen / Ecclesia . 3. and the nacion of them is buxoume to god and louyng to hys euen christen . ♣ Ephe. 5. This church is called a clene mayden as Paule sayth . Chryste hath chosen hym a glorious churche hauynge neyther spot nor wemme or any suche other / Distinc . 13. but that thys churche may be holy and vndefouled to thys accordeth Lyncoln sayenge that holy churche of god is a chaste virgin christes glorious spouse without spot or bleyne . The .iij. tyme thys churche is called chrystes spouse of thys mariage Paule beryth wytnes saynge . I haue maryed you to one man : that is not to an auoutrer / Corin. 10. but to a laufull man Christ Iesu / that I may present you to god / a clene chaste mayde at the day of dome / and thus we say in the dedycacyon of the materiall churche . Thys day holy churche a glorious spouse is maryed to Chryst her souerayne . Iohannes . 6 This churche is lykened to a woman with chylde as Chryste sayeth . A woman when she trauayleth she hath paynes . Apo. 12. Thys churche is lykened to a woman clade in the sonne / as sayncte Iohn in Thapocalips sayeth / I sawe a wounderfull syght and that was a woman clade in the sonne Thys churche is also lykened to Peters lytle bote beynge in the myddes of the see / this bote both sanke and swame . Math. 14 Mar. 6. Luce. 8. But drowne myght hit neuer / so holy churche suffereth many perells / and some tyme bodely dethe by pursute of enemyes / but it shal neuer be dampned . This church is lykened to Paradyce / Eze. 30. thus sayth the prophete . Cedre trees were not hygher then he in paradyse of god . wher vpon saynct Austen sayth . Paradyce is holy churche the .iiij. flodes ben the iiij . gospelles wryten of Mathewe / Marke / Luke / and Iohan / that were fygured in lykenes of .iiij. bestes / that is a man / a Lyon / a Calfe an Egle / for these precheden Christ the whiche is to gether / man / knyght / preste / and god / and by these .iiij. Story . Allegory . Morall . Anagogical we ben taught in story what is done / in allegorye what we shulde beleue / in morall what we shall do / and in Anagogye what we shall hope . The trees that beren fruyte / bene good lyuers here in erthe . The fruytes of these trees / bene good workes of saynctes the tree of lyfe is the sayncte passynge all saynctes our lorde Iesu Chryste . The tree of knowynge good and euell / is the free choyse of mannes wyll . Thys is holye churche onely propred to god that serueth hym in vertue nyght and daye / but howe euer we speken in dyuers maners or lykenesse of thys holye churche / they teachen not elles / but this one name that is to saye the congregacyon or gadrynge to gether of faythefull soules / that euer more kepen faythe / and trought in worde and dede to god and man and reysen theyr lyfe in syker hope of mercy and grace and blysse / at theyr ende and helen thys buyldynge in perfyte charyte / that shall not fayle in wele ne wo / of thys spake sayncte Paule / Corinth . 3. Templum enim dei sanctum est / quod estis vos . to the Corintheans and in them to all other sayenge The temple of god is holy and that be ye so than by thys hit apperethe that the soull of euery faythefull of euery cristen man / is the sete and very temple of god / we le oughte than euery man to be ware and wyse that hathe the greate god lorde of Israell dwellynge in hys soull . And so sayth sayncte Austen . O thou christen soull a wake / and yf there by any vertue of charyte in the that susteyneth all thynges / folowe thou the steppes of thy lorde / take hede howe many thousande marters haue made asmoche playne waye to the / there haue passed before the virgynes / chylder / yonge dammeselles and maydens / and yf thou dredyste / aryse thou soule for he shall leade the / that is the waye / the trought and the lyfe / the waye that errethe not / the trought that neuer begyled / and the lyfe neuer faylynge / waye in example / troughte in promyssyon / lyfe in mede . And to thys entente / Cryste lykened mannes soule to a woman with chylde / for in her trauayle she hathe stronge paynes / but whan she hathe borne the chylde into thys worlde / she hathe no mynde of her payne / for Ioye of the chylde . Thus wandrythe holye churche / in erthe in prayers / fastynges / and in waylynges / in abstinens / in tribulacions and in anguyshe / in persecucyon / in nede : and in pryson / in colde / in hungre / and in heuynes / in bondes / in fetters / & great dystres / in thyrst in payne / & in blame / in reproche / in sclaundre / and in shame / in pacyens / pyte / and long abydyng / in simplenes / lykenes / & sighes / in wepynge / waylynge / & in wo / in fortune / in sobrenes and in chastite / in spedynes in largenes / and in charite . These be the gronynges of mannes soull / that longeth in harte after Chryste her spouse / tyll she haue brought forthe her selfe a chyld of god into blysse perdurable / & than for the greatnes of godes rewarde / the more she suffred the more is her Ioye / for so sayth seynct Paul that the passions of this time bene as no paynes in regarde to the glory that is to come / that shal be shewed in vs for than we shal be endowed with .iiij. doweryes in our bodyes . 1. Cor. 15. Of the which seynct Paull spekyth / sayenge that the body that is sowen in corrupcyon / shall ryse without corrupcion / in this church of god at the day of dome . And this dowre is cleped immortalite or vndedlynes / that body that is sowen vnworthy / shall ryse in glory : and this dowry is called clerenes / that body that is sowen in infyrmyte or instablenes / shall ryse in vertue / & thys dowry is called Agilite or swyftenes . That body that is sowen bestiall shall ryse spirituall / and this dowry is called subtylite . But there bene other foure dowryes of substanciall medes / with the which we shal be dowred in our soul . The first dowry is called impossibilite / the seconde is tuicion / the .iij. perpetuall charyte / the .iiij. is fruytion . Or after this maner to speke more playnly : the first is knowlege without errour / the seconde is mynd without forgettynge / the thyrde is wel without contradiccyon : and the .iiij. is thus of the godhede and loue of god euerlastynge . O what a woundrefull ioye is thys / where the soul shal be fedde with the syght of the godhed : & certes / this is ioye without wrechydnes / rest without busynes / mirthe without heuynes / surety endeles / of al discorde lotheles . This is conforte in al gladnes : of purueyans / careles . Ysaye . 64 Corinth. 2. This wytnessith the prophet Ysaye & seynct Paule in his epistle sayth that bodely yie hath not sene / ne eare hath herde / ne hert of man thought : what thynges they be that god hathe ordeyned or prepared to them that loue him . P Lorde who shall not auance his feble wyttes to thynke on that louely company that prayseth in heuen the goodnes of thys inscrutable godhede / father and sonne and holy goste . To begynne at Mary Christes mother / quene of heuen / lady of th erthe and Impresse of hell . Nyne orders of Angelles in glorious wyse that dwellynge in theyr heuenly selles / to do the pleasynge wyll of god : in heuen and in erthe / as theyr order asketh . And patriarkes our elder fathers that streytly kept the byddinges of god : there they resten of all theyr trauayle in lond of life with double mede . Ther bene ꝓphetes that sene in spirite the mystery of Chrystes incarnacyon they tolde the commynge of this lorde in hope abydynge mannes saluacion . Euangelistes ben there hygh in blysse that walken with Christ and wryt his wordes . Apostelles sent into all the worlde and Christes discyples to preche the gospell turnyng Iewes & hethen me to Christes lawe / there they sitten on seetes vpon .xij. trones and shallinge with Chryste in the dome the xij . tribꝪ of Israel Math. 19. There ben marters that shede there bloude & suffered paynes to enlarge theyr ioye / and for they passed by fyre & water they haue founde refresshynge to theyr soules / also ther be confessours that opened christes lawe to thys worlde / and neyther for felony ne for shame wolde neuer deny / that blissyd lord / ther ben virgins in body and soull that kept them in clennes from luste of fleshe . And to this blisse be taken both leryd & lewde that done ther vttermoste wyll to kepe goddes commaundementes no tonge may tel the sothe as it is . 〈…〉 But thus we seien to amende our deuotion that we myght haue that blysse in mynde / & take a parte among these saynctes . But saynct Iohan when he was ledde in spirite sawe in heuen a wonderfull syght and for to chere mankynde in erthe / he left it wrytten in his boke that is to say . ☞ Apocalipsis . 13. Sainct Iohan sawe a woman clade in the sonne / and mone vnder her fete / and a crowne vpon her hed of the .xij. sterres / this woman betokeneth mannes soull / as we toke wytnes of Christ before / and certayne thys was a blyssedfull syght to se the church in her weddynge clothes / the sonne that thys churche is cladde in / is that moste worshypfull garnement our saluacyon / that excellent and moste commendable lyuerey our redempcyon / that holy and moste precious cloth our chrystendome / and our relygion / for thys Chryste betoke vs when we were baptized as Paule sayeth . Gal. 13. Quicumque baptizati estis christum induistis . All ye that be baptyzed ye be clade Chryste / Iesu the son beryth lyghtnesse of our baptym for certayne propertyes that it hath of the sonne / other lyghtes borowe there shyning / bothe mone & sterres in theyr due course and elles they ben ouerleade with darkenes / that may not comforte to nyght ne day . So all mannes warke in worde and dede borowith there lyght at Chryste . Iesu for he is the sonne of ryghtwysnesse as Mardoche saythe in the spyryte of god .8 . that is to saye Lyght and son is vpsprynge to vs and meke lowly men vphaunsed in hys saynctes the boke declareth what thys is to meane / Psal. 113. lyght is vpsprongen to rightnesse / that wandren in darkenesse of his lyfe / and thys is our lorde Iesu Chryste that of hys owne mercy hathe shewed / the people . And thys we rede of true beleue in the story of our blessed Lady / that is to say / Mary a virgyn hathe borne the souerayne sonne of richtwisnes that is godde● 〈…〉 heuen Christ Iesu bothe god & man / 〈…〉 man doth that fayleth this lyght / it 〈◊〉 yndelinge and the doungī on of hel / and whan thys sonne shyneth in hys workes he growith by hete of grace / and rypeth that shynen in thys crowne ben the .xij. artycles of the comon crede / that is to say . Credo in deum . &c. Thus shulde that soull be arayed that is chosen to be Chrystes spouse / and worthyly is holy church lykened to a woman / for a woman bryngeth forth bothe sonnes and doughters of her wombe / but not without helpe and the worchynge of mannes sede . So our mother holy churche bereth in her bely soules to be borne to the blysse of heuen / but neuer without the helpe and worchynge of the grace of our lorde Iesu Chryste / Iohan . 16. Sine me non potestis facere . as the gospell wytnesshyth / sayenge . without me ye may do nothynge / that is to say medefully or thankworthy . Here some men obiecten and sayen / that the gospell is not of auctorytie / but inasmoche as the church hath auctorysed & chanonised it for they sayen . No man knowith suche wordes to be gospel / but as the church hath determyned in her determinacyon / this conclusion semeth to smacke heresy / Gene. 2. by the wytnes of saynct Austen sayeng on this wyse . Heresy is false teachynge contrary to holy writ ful hardely defended most because of worshyp & worldly wynnyng / & sithen al these ben founden in this forsayd obiection it is full suspect of heresye / for it is wrytten from the begynnynge that god ordeyned man to be hed and lorde ouer the woman . And agaynwarde the woman to be vnderloute & subiect vnto man . ♣ Ephe. 5. But Paule sayth . This great sacrament of knyttyng to gether a man & his wyfe betokeneth the knyttyng to geder of Christ & his church / shal not than mannes soull vnderloute to Christ in worde & dede / in this spirituall maryage more perfictly than this woman can or may in the sacrament of fleshe / saynct Iamys distroyeth this obiection sayeng / ☞ Iaco. 1 that god hath wylfully & of his owne wyl gotten vs through the word of truth / that we may be sum begynnynge of his creature / and thys creature is one passynge creature holy churche / that was chosen in the tyme of grace / by the water of clensynge by Christes bloude of agayne byenge / and by the vertue of the holy goste hallowyng were it not agaynst reason . Ye and open heresy to maynteyne that the worde of god that hath gotten this creature holy churche / Cant. 6. Pulcra vt luna . shulde not be of auctoryte without auctorisyng of thys creature holy church / wherfore this conclusyon approued we graunt of beleue / that the churche is vnderloute to Christ & his word in .iiij. maners . Fyrste as the mone to the sonne / the churche is fayre as the mone . Ysaye . 55. The seconde as th erth to the fyrmament of whome it is made plentuous or watrede as dewe comythe downe from the fyrmament and tourneth not thether agayne . But watrethe th erth and makethe hit plentuous of fruytes so the worde of god norysshethe holy churche and makethe hit to brynge forth good fruytes . The .iij. maner as the flesshe to the spyryte / Iohens . 6. of whome it is quyckened for it is the spyryte that quyckeneth and geueth lyfe .

The .iiij. ♣ Ephe. 1. maner as the bodye to the heed if whome it is gouerned for god the father hathe made hys sonne Chryste / the heed of the church / Collo. 1. and efte saynct Paule saith Coll. 1. Chryste is the heed of the body of the church / and euery chosen man and woman is called a son or a doughter of the churche / ☞ Ro. 12. but all to gether ben the fullbody of thys church as sainct Paule sayth . we many ben one body in Chryste Iesu forsothe eche of vs ben others members / but some chylder of this woman ben symple laborers / and for that they parten and deuyden their true labour or trauayle / therfore they represente the good loue of the holy goste / and these dreden the lorde and walken in the wayes of hys commaundementes / as the ꝓphete sayth . Psal. 127. Blessed be all labourers that drede the lorde & walken in hys wayes / for thou shalt lyue by the labour of thyne handes / thou arte blessed and wel shal be to the / and this is the lowest estate that we cal comons / some of these womans chyldren taken materiall swerde and ben made ministers of Chrystes godhed hauynge power and drede into wrathe / and vengeans of them that done yuell / and praysyng of them that done wel / and so by th auctoryte of saynt Iohan baptyst in the gospell of Chryst . Luce. 3. and of saynct Peter . 12. and of saynct Paule Rom. 13. and by the decre of saynct Ysodore . 23. q. 5. Principes / it apperteyneth to the order of knyghthode / to defende goddes lawe / to mainteyne good lyuers / and to iustifie or punyshe misdoers / and thys is cleped the seconde state in holy church / but some chyldre of this woman styren into hygh order of presthode / & ben ministers of Christes manhede and these haue wytte and wysdome to open to the people the way of truthe / and thys estate representeth the seconde person in trynyte / that is the wysdome of the father our lord Iesu Christ For sayncte Austyn sayth . Knyghthode representyng the power of the father / is the vyccar of the godhede / and presthode representynge the wysedome of the son is the vyccar of the manhede . And these knightes techynge vnto vs / the drede of goddes ryghtwysnes that punyssheth obstinate and open synners / turnynge from his lawe in shrewdnes of theyr hertes / and prestes techen vs by way of offyce the loue that god hath to hys people / that forgeueth them all theyr synnes when they come to hym and do very penaunce / than helpe prestes with sacramentes to please god and wynne his loue / for Paule monesshyth the prest Tymothy and in him al other prestes to take good intent to .v. thynges / Tymo . 4. in whiche fully theyr offyces standen / sayenge . Awake thou preste in busy prayer prayenge for the people deuoutly . The seconde is this . Trauayle the prest in the lessons of holy writ studieng goddes lawe / only . The thyrde is this Do thou the worke of the gospell prechyng goddes lawe truly . The .iiij. is this . Fulfyl thou the mynistery mynystrynge the sacramentes frely . The .v. is this . Be thou sobye in worde & dede / doynge & suffrynge lastyngly . Vpon these .iij. estates standes the church that is appropryd to god / and by the vertue of Chrystes incarnacion hit growith in mede to come to blysse . As Odo sayth / that Chryst Iesu toke flesshe and bloude in the maydene wombe and was borne bothe god and man to annex our kynde to hys godhed / for when he toke our manhede / he graunted vs his godhed . And in this tyme in specyall maner he first gaue ernest to thys churche / after thys was Chryste Iesu daptysed in Iordan and tempted thryse of the fende to lerne vs mekely to suffre temptacyon / and toke the deth vpon the crosse / by cruell iugemente of the Iewes . And than the churche was trought plyght to Chryste / cleped by name hys fayre clene spouse / and as she had grace by deuocyon of fayth / so she had worthynes of this name . But when thys church is gon to heuen / and restyth in blysse with Christ / her spouse / than is thys maryage fully sacred with deyntes euerlastynge delytes . whyles this lyfe dureth in erthe thys churche is cleped militant . And when she slepeth in Purgatory then is she cleped the church slopande . But when she restith of all her trauayle then she is cleped the churche triumphant . Or thus more playnely . A true soull here in thys lyfe / fyghteth agaynste the waues of synne to fle th assaultes of these .iij. enemys the fende / the worlde / and the wanton flesshe / in purgatory she clenseth her selfe from rust & corrupcyon . But in heuen she holdeth the towre & the victorye of all her enemyes / and hath wone the crowne of lyfe that god hathe graunted to his louers . &c.