A consolacyon for chrysten people to repayre agayn the lordes temple with certayne places of scrypture truely applyed to satysfye theyr myndes for ye expellyng of ydolatry, [et] to instruct the[m], of loue and obedience. Compyled by nycholas wyse

WHat christian hert way lyth not , whiche doth cogytate and remembre how vncharitably the people of god haue bene dysceaued & that of no lytle tyme , through crafty scole maisters . And false prechers . Coll. ii . which more regardynge the satysfyenge of these detestable apetytes than the saluacion of the precyous soules of men , haue kept them from the trewe knowledge of his holy gospell , that shulde instructe them the perfyte and redye way vnto hym , whiche sayde . Mat. xi Eccl. vi Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are ladyn and I shall refresshe you . i. Pe. ii . Esa. liii So that the people haue bene as shepe strayeng in wildernes knowing not whyther to go . Iohn . x Pro. xxxvii . And yf ony hearyng the voyce of theyr trewe shepeherde , began to take the streyght pathe or way towardes hym , mat . vii there were a sorte of rauenyng wolues alwayes wayting redye to rent and deuoure them , but oure mercyfull Chryste beynge the good shepherde of his flocke . Iohn . x Ezech. xxxiiii . Miche . v. Nowe hauyng compassyon vpon the great dystruccyon of hys shepe . Sendes abrode his seruauntes and faythful mynysters to seke and gather them whiche were scattered abrode , togythers agayne / whom the wolffes and papystycall foxys dare not abyde to trye withall . But yet alas for pytye / ther is a great noumbre of Chrystes flocke , whiche haue bene kepte so long from heryng the voyce of their shepherde , that scarsly they knowe hym , Ioh. iiii nowe callynge them vnto him . They stand in a stay dowtyng whether it be he and his mynysters that calles them or not . And some wyll harken nothyng at al vnto his voyce , so that many ronne hedlynge styl into suche snares as were inuented to take them in . Whose myserable estate I know not what to say vnto . What wold you that Christ shuld do more for you then he hathe done , Ioh. iii. Rom. v i. Pe. iii he hathe gyuen his lyfe for the redempcion of your soules , & hath left vnto you his holy Testament that therin ye maye beholde and vnderstande what hys godlye wyll is . And though it haue bene longe kept frome you . yet nowe of hys mercyfull goodnes ye haue fre lybertye to pervse it . Also he hath apoynted vnto you true & faythfull mynystres of his worde / with sure & strong defenders / agaynst suche as were wonte to be deuourers of his shepe . What thing els do you lacke / these thinges are the excellent giftes of the grace of god , and yf ye lacke grace & strength to come vnto hym / why call ye not for it . And aske it of hym in whom ye haue a promyse by christ that what so euer ye desyre of the father in his name / it shal be gyuen you I meruayll ye consyder and remembre not howe suche as toke on them Iohn . ● Mat. xxi . Mat. xi to be youre pastours in tyme paste haue pylled you . If ye wyll styll folow them / ye may well be resembled to a frowarde or folysshe shepe that wyl ronne among the breres and rent the woll from his awne backe / or in to a dyke & drowne hym selfe / your wyttes in this dothe appere to be no better then a shepes wyt / god hathe gyuen you the vse of reason / & to none other creature but vnto man onely . And for as moche as ye wyll obstynatly abuse that noble and excellent gyfte / wherby onely ye excell that bruyt beastes . I can not se but your foly is inexcusable . Thynke you it shall be a suffycyent excuse for you to say / the bysshops / the preestes / and suche as were our gostly fathers taught vs this to do / & our fathers this many yeres before vs haue folowed this way . Truely what way so euer your fathers folowed / yf it were not the same way / that christ apoynted them by his gospell to walke in / without the great mercye of god be reserued vnto them , ma● . ●v the blynd folowers with the blynde guydes are fallen both in the pyt . Howbeit I suppose verely yf the gospel of god had ben so preachid vnto your fathers as it is vnto you , they wolde haue repented there yngnoraunces and iniquites moche more than many do now at this tyme / ye and yf the gospel myght haue had fre passage and to be preached vnto all creatures as Cryst commaunded his dyscyples to do , Ma● xvi . i Mat● xxviii . Ioh. xi I thynke verely that Idolatrye shulde neuer haue crepte in to the churche of Cryst as it hath done . For it is to be supposed that when the bisshop of Rome / with suche as pretended to be the successours of Christ & his appostles / delyted not in pouerte / but toke pleasure in pryde , and coulde no longer away with the rule that theyr mayster Chryst had prescrybed vnto them / supposyng they shulde neuer attayne to be lordes and maysters by that scyence . Then they layde theyr heddes togyther howe they myght peruerte and suppresse the gospell , and to oppresse all those the contrary to theyr myndes wolde stycke ther vnto , then made they decreys and lawes to serue for theyr awne purpose , & vnder a holy pretence set them forth to begyle the people withall . And when they had begyled kynges and prynces / & such as had theyr auctoryte by the worde of god . Then they sone perswaded that moost parte of the people therunto . And suche as wolde cleue to goddes gospell / and not to theyr constytucyons / were taken as heretykes and constrayned to adiure or to be brent . And when they had brought theyr purpose to passe somwhat according to theyr awne myndes / that the prynces and theyr people obeyed them . Then that antichryst the bysshop of Rome was not ashamed to exempt hym selfe from all prynces lawes / & to put the lawe and testament of the lorde god vnder his fote / as though god and man / heuen and earth had ben at his commaundement . But as for purgatory it was a palace of his awne / euery man knewe he mought do there what hym lyst . And after he had ( with the helpe of his louynge frendes ) attayned to the glory of his vsurped papystycall power / yf any prynce began to withstand his wycked pleasure out came the thonder bolte of excommunicacion to interdicte both hym & his realme / as the cronycles of Englande and Fraunce can specyfy . It is no meruayle though our fore fathers haue ben disceyued / and wandered in darkenes , seynge they were taught with blynd tradicions , & the lyght of goddes word were taken from them . Wherfore theyr foly is not so great in the syght of god , as ours , Ephe. v to whom the lyght is offered , & do refuse it . And as I sayd before , I thynke that dyuers of our fathers wolde haue repented moche more , then many of vs do yf goddes word had ben so preached to them as it is vnto vs . I haue herde some aske this questyon . We meruayle say they that this knowledge hath ben so longe kept from vs , & from our fathers in tyme past this many yeres , and that it is now come to passe more then in an other tyme . This is a very dyffuse questyon , howbeit ye shall here my mynde in it . ¶ It is .v. or .vi. thousande yeres past syns our fyrst father Adam , Ge● . iii transgressed the commaundement of the Lorde for eatynge of the apple . And it is nowe but a. M D. xxxviii . yeres syns our sauiour christ the seconde person in Trynyte suffered his passyon for the redempcyon of the synnes of all the world . i. Pe. iii Rom̄ v Math. xxvii . There were a great many of yeres from the tyme that Adam synned , vntyl christ payde the raunsome therof with his bloude , and many thousandes commytted synne in the meane season before Chryst came . Nowe yf any man coulde tell me why that Christ came no rather to redeme the worlde , eyther why that he suffred more than , then at another tyme , me thynke I could answere them dyrectly to their q̄styon . ¶ I can say no more but as the wyl of God the father was that his sonne shulde then come to saue the people , Luc. xix Ioh. iiii whome Abraham , Isaac , Iacob , nor any of all the holy fathers coulde saue ( yet were they as holy as al the bysshoppes of Rome that euer was ) So is it his godly wyl that his holy gospell whiche hath ben long kepte from vs , shulde nowe be preached agayne vnto vs . But to answere you why rather nowe then at an other tyme , or wherfore it hath ben so long kepte from vs . Ro. xii . Esa. xl . I wyl say with saynt Paule ( Quis enim cognouit sensum domini , Rom xi . Esa. xi . i. Co. ii . aut quis consiliatius eius fuit . ) Who hath knowen the mynde of the lorde , or who was his counsellers . Christ answered his disciples that demaunded of hym , yf he wolde at that tyme set vp the kyngdom of Israel agayn , sayeng . Act. i. Mat. xxii i. It belongeth not vnto you to know the tymes or seasons which the father hath kepte in his awne power . It is not mete for men to serche out the secretes of god nor to be of his counsel . Peraduenture I coulde gesse wherfore this knowledge hath ben taken awaye from the people , by other examples that I haue red in the hystoryes of the byble , of the chyldren of Israell , whiche often tymes forsoke the lawe of the lorde and fell to Idolatry , for the which they were punysshed with dyuers plages , and as long as their myndes were corrupted with Idolatry so long were theyr hertes & theyr eyes blynded , that they had no power to herken nor loke on the law of the lorde . Idolatry lykewyse I suppose hath ben the pryncypall cause that his gospell and his holy worde hath ben taken away from vs . i. Re. iii. ¶ Kynge Salomon that was kyng ouer Israell and had suche wysdome gyuen hym as neuer none had before hym , nor neuer shall haue after hym , iii. re. vi whiche buylded the temple of god in Ierusalem , as long as he walked in the wayes of the lorde al thynges dyd prospere with hym . In riches he dyd for his tyme excell all men . He had all the pleasures that his herte lyked . But at last he abused the giftes of god , his wysdome , his ryches , iii. re. xi . and fell to Idolatrye . He buylded hye houses vnto Idolles , and folowed not the Lorde vnto the ende as his father Dauyd dyd . And then though the lorde spared hym for his fathers sake , yet from his sonne was there taken .x. trybes . And at lengthe from his posteryte , whiche also fell vnto Idolatry , was taken the trybe of Iuda by the kyng of Babylon , ●●ii . Re. xxv . the Cyte of Ierusalem destroyed & the temple of god beaten downe to the ground . And the kyng with the chefest of his people and all his riches led captyue in to babylon . But when it pleased god to haue compassyon vpon his people , he delyuered them agayne from they captyuyte , and brought them to the lande whiche he before had gyuen them to possesse , where they buylded agayne the temple and the Cyte of Ierusalem that was dystroyed . i. Esd. iii. And when they layde the foundacyon of the lordes house they reioysed with all melody , they consydered the great mercy that God had done vnto them , & gaue hym thankes . But alas the people now adayes consyder not how they are delyuered out of Babylon , out of captyuyte and bondage from the bysshop of Romes heuy tradycyons , & brought agayne to the perfyte lawe of lybertye , to the Gospell of God that heuenly Ierusalem . Where is the Ioy and melody that ye shuld make for your delyueraunce . Where is the thankes and prayses that ye shulde gyue to God for his great mercy shewed vnto you . I thinke ye haue more feared the bisshop of Romes curses , them ye now regard the blessyng of god fallen vpon you . With what blessynge wolde you expecte , to be blessyd with all that a christen herte ought more to desyre , then a redy way vnto the kyngdom of heuen to be opened vnto you . Ge. xv iii. Ro. iiii . The Lorde made a couenaunt with Abraham that his seede shulde possesse a temporall kyngdome and regyment . Remembre what a kyngdome it is that is promysed vnto you , it is not a kyngdome that floweth with mylke and hony as theyrs dyd . Exo. ii ●xo . xiii It is a celestyal kyngdom the floweth with the grate & presence of god . The confort , ioy , & commodyte , wherof no tonge can expresse , neither herte can thynke . It is not a kyngdome that shal haue an ende , or where the īhabitours may be distroyed as they were by nabuchodonosor , iiii . Re. x●v . it is a kingdome that shal contynewe for euer . And the celestyal cytezens shal lyue in suche rest , that nothyng shall haue power to inquiet them . I merualye that ye are so vnthankful for this blessyng . Remembre ye not frome what bondage ye are delyuered ? Why hast ye no better to repayre agayne the temple of the Lorde , which oure ennemyes of Babylon sought for to dystroye . And through theyr fayned holynes begyled the rulers of the world , causynge them to commyt ydolatry , and to buylde vp hye houses for to honour & worshyp theyr Idols in . I do not so moche couet & desyre the excellent knowledge of lernyng & eloquence whiche the famous doctours , oratours , & poetes haue had ) wryting not onely in the latyn tonge , but also in our awne vulgar speche , wherby I mought excyte you to take plesure in redyng of this worke , as I ernestly desyre to moue you to take conforte and consolacyon in redyng & heryng of the worde of god , wherby ye mought perceyue and perfytely vnderstande that his lyuyng temple ( whiche is euen your selues ) hath ben longe tyme in decay , & now of his mercyful goodnes ( without our awn deseruyng ) brought agayn to his first foundacion , wherupon we haue fre liberte to bild . Is it not a shame & great rebuke to vs that we ( which haue receiued the name of christ , to be called cristiens ) shulde appere to be lesse thankful , & to take any lesse ioy & confort in repayryng of our temple , then the Iewes had ( whiche lyued onely vnder Mosyes lawe , to bylde agayn their temple of stone . when the peple were delyuered from their captyuyte , which Nabuchodonosor had led vnto Babylon , It was he that mought put to his handes for the buyldyng of the temple agayne . And when the buylders were layenge the foundacyon therof , the people gaue thankes and prayses vnto the lorde , And lauded hym with Symballes & trompettes . ●●●d . iii. And many of the auncyent fathers & preestes whiche had sene the house in his foundacyon before , wepte and cryed for Ioy so that the noyes gaue a great sounde .

¶ This temple was but a temple of stone made by mennes handes to the honoure of god . And where the arke of promyse and couenaunt that the Lorde made with their fathers was put in , yet note howe they reioyced to se it set vp agayne . Nowe ye that be of Chryst , ii . co . vi . ye are as saynt Paule sayth the temple of god . Why reioyce ye not in the repayryng of your temple agayne , ye haue a sure & substancyall foundacyon to buylde vpon , whiche is layde alredy vnto youre handes . i. Cor. ii● Chryst hym selfe is youre foundacyon , and though your aduersaryes haue attempted to plucke downe some small stones therof . yet is ther a corner stone , mat . exi . i. Eph. ii which ioyneth the walles togyther , agaynst whom they had no power . i. Pe. ii . It is a stomblyng stone for all them the stryue agaynst it . They haue stryued so long agaynst this stone that they haue hurte them selues . your foundacyon and corner stone is bothe one thyng . It is christ which wolde haue his temple restored to his prestyne dignite . And now through his mercyful goodnes hath euery man fre lybertye to put thervnto his helpyng hande , accordyng to the gyfte and knowledge that is gyuen hym . But there hath ben a frowarde and crafty sorte of people that haue hyndered the buyldyng of the lordes temple a great whyle , as ther were some that hyndered the buyldyng of the Cyte and temple of Ierusalem Ther were a certayn of the hethen people whiche wrote theyr letters vnto the kyng of persia ( named artaxerses ) whiche ar that tyme had the Empyre in his dominion , i. ●●d . iiii . sayeng yf this Cytye be buylded , and the walles made vp agayne . Then shall not they gyue trybute , toll , and yerely costome . And it shal apere in Cronycles that this Cytye is sedycyous and noysome vnto kynges & regyons . And that they caused other also to rebel of old , with these & suche other thynges they mouyd the kyng to sende his commaundement that the worke shuld go no further forth , and then seaced the worke of the house of god at Ierusalem , and contynued so vnto the .ii. yere of Darius kyng of persia . And hathe not likewyse the bysshops of Rome & theyr adherentes ( long tyme fearing the decaye of theyr kyngedome ) perswadyd kynges and prynces , to beleue that suche a lyke matter shulde happen vnto them , and that it shuld be a cause of sedycyon , yf the temple of god shulde be renued and exalted agayne whiche is , yf that the people shuld haue the worde of god in theyr maternall tonge , they sayde it is to hye a matter for them to medle with all , they muste receaue it at our handes . And as we do expounde it vnto them . For well they knewe yf that matter came to passe , that then theyr crafte and falsehode wolde be spyed , they knewe that many of theyr constitucions and the true worde of god coulde not agre in one mynd togythers . And nowe when some of our holy prelates perceyued , that God wolde no longer suffre his Gospell to gyue place to theyr wycked purposes , but that it shulde come forthe in spyte of theyr beardes . Then beganne they to cloke the matter and as though they were innocent of all maner of harmes , when they sawe no remedy sayd , they were contented that it shulde come forthe in Englysshe , so that it mought be truly translated . They put great dowtes in the true translacyon therof . But howe many of them dyd there put to theyr helpyng handes for the translatyng of it . I thynke verely yf other men had not taken more payn therin then they dyd , it wold not yet haue come to that poynt that it is nowe come vnto . And how they wrested & peruerted the scryptures when they had them in theyr awne handes , and that all men were forbydden to medle therwith but them selues . It is euydent ynough to euery man that hath ony zele vnto the trueth . He is very symply lerned that doth not perceyue how wrongfully they haue applyed this sayeng of Christe to Peter . Tu es Petrus et dabo tibi claues . mat . xvi luce. vii . &c. And of the lepers that were clensed whome Christ bad to go and shew them selues to the preestes , leui . ●●●● whiche that famous clerke and doctour Erasmus in his paraphrases vpon the gospell dothe otherwyse expounde it , than I haue herde dyuers bothe preestes & freres whiche with that texte wolde bolster vp theyr auriculer confessyon . And an hundred suche places wrested they in scrypture , to make for theyr purpose . I wyll not moche treate of that matter , for suche as be well lerned , whom god hath raysed vp to set forth the trueth of his glory & to repayre agayne , his temple haue both wrytten & spoken of theyr false peruertyng of the scryptures moche better then I can do . But truely I thynke in my conscience that they shal rendre a strayte rekenyng for the people of god whom they haue dysceyued with the scryptures so vntruely applyed & taught vnto them , I pray god to graunt them his mercye , for the thynge is not so lyght as euery man thynkes it to be ▪ It dothe appere in the fyrst boke of Esdras , i. Esd. i after that god had styred vp the spyryte of Cyrus kynge of persia to haue the house of god buylded agayn at Ierusalem in Iuda , and that he had gyuen fre lyberty to all them that were of his people , ii . Para. xxxvi . and had byn captyue long tyme in babylon to go home into theyr owne lande agayne to buylde the house of the lorde , ther were a certayne of the hethen people as ye haue red before that letted the goynge forthe of the worke after it was begon , so that it stode in a stay , vntyll kynge Daryus tyme whiche afterward reygned ouer the persians . Thys Darius founde out in the lybrary house of kyng Cyrus his predycessour that he had gyuen in commaundement to buylde the house of the lord at Ierusalem . ● . ●●● . vi . Wherfore he mouyd with the same zele & mynde reneweth the comaundement of Cirus , and ●yueth them lycence to buyld the temple with all thynges necessary ther vnto belongynge . Who wyl not thynke but that this was an exydynge consolacyon and com●orte to all the people , whiche couetyd the goynge forth of the lordes worke , and a great dysconfort vnto all them , that desyred the hynderaunce of the same . And as it is to be thought of them , so is it lykewyse to be supposed of vs in this present tyme . Almyghty god the father hath moued the herte of our moost gracyous kyng to loke in the library In the holy wyll and testament of his son Iesus christ our only sauiour , beyng the foundacion of his temple vpon the which Peter Paule , Iames , i. Cor. iii Iohn & al the apostles with diuers other holy men bylded , & receiued a commaundement of the lord to bild vpon none other foundacion than the which he had laid . Bbut then came ther such a so●t as I haue wrytten of the enuyed the goyng forthe of the lordes worke . And though it were out of their powers to distroy it , yet haue they hyndred the same a long season . But as the wyll of god is ( with whom there is no reason to be made , wherfore he dothe it more now then at an other tyme ) our godly kyng beynge inspired with the spirite of grace , renueth the commaundemente of our sauyour Christ , geuyng fre lybertye to buylde vp the lordes temples agayne . He feareth not the aduersaryes therof , but expulseth them , and wypeth awaye Idolatry . iiii . Reg xviii . Num. xxi Euen as the good kynge Esechias dyd , whiche brake downe the brasen serpent that Moyses had made for a remembraunce of the power and goodnesse of god , yet for commyttyng Idolatry and worshypynge of it he feared not to breake it downe , neyther theyr hye houses in whom they worshypped their ydols . And lyke vnto the good kyng Iosias , iiii . Reg xxii . when the boke of the law was found in the house of the lorde , after he had mourned because his Fathers had not herkened vnto that boke to do al that was wrytten therin . He caused it to be red vnto all his people , and made a couenaunt with them , that they shulde walke after the lord , and kepe his commaundementes , wytnesses and ordynaunces , with al theyr herte , and with all theyr soule . iiii . Reg xxiii . And that they shulde set vp the wordes of the couenaunt whiche were wrytten in that boke . And all the people entred in to the couenaunt . And hathe not our most godly kyng done euen in lyke maner . Hath he not sent abrode through all his realme , that the couenaunt of the Lorde ( whiche is his holy gospel ) shulde be truely and and syncerly preached vnto all his people . And because they shulde the better obserue and kepe the Lordes commaundementes and walke in his his wayis hath he not gyuen his peple fre lybertye to haue the lawe of the lorde in theyr maternall tonge ? who wyll thynke thys to be a smale benefyte ? truely in my opynyon it is of suche valure that Englyshe men had neuer greater cause to thanke god for and to praye for the gracyous prosperytye of theyr kynge then for this matter , it is a thyng hyely to be extemed for a kynge to haue Iustyce mynystred within his realme , that as the sayenge is . The Lambe maye dwel by the Wolfe , the pore man by the rycher and one quyetly to lyue by another . It is a thynge of great confort vnto that realme , which hath a wyse poletyke & valyaunt prynce to defend his domynyon agaynst forren nacyons , & rebellyons yf nede do requyre , it is a greate benefyte of god vnto that countrey that hath a kynd louynge and mercyfull prynce vnto his people . Now yf these thynges with many mo then I can recyte be occacyons , vnto subiectes to beare faythfull hertes and true obedyence vnto theyr souerayne lorde and kynge . As I sayde before Englysshe men were neuer more bounde to it then they be nowe . But yet amonge all thynges yf I could recyte a thousand more then I can do , yet coulde I not reken one thynge wherin we ought to receyue so great consolacyon . And hertely to reioyse in / as in the god hath sent vs a kynge which so gracyouslye settyth forthe his glory & causeth his people to be fed with that ghostly fode whiche christ spake of . Mat. iiii Deu viii s●●● . x●i . Man lyueth not only by brede , but by euery word that procedyth out of the mouthe of god . The holy Gospels are the wordes that procedith out of his mouth .

¶ And yf the people had bene so long kepte frome bodelye sustynaunce as they haue bene frome theyr ghostlye foode .

I thynke there wold haue ben but a slender company remaynyng at this tyme to inhabyte this lande . And yet it is a straunge rekenyng to here the vnwyse sayenges of many of the people , say they not , why shulde we not lyue as our fathers hath done before vs , they beleued this , and they beleued that . And we thynke there were as good men in those dayes as there be nowe . And why shulde we not do as they dyd . This is their opinions , wherunto me thynke I coulde make them a reasonable answere ( yf reason wolde suffyse to satysfy them . ) This is true that the worde of god was kepte from our fathers , & they were made to beleue that yf they shulde exercyse them selues therin it wolde make them heretykes . And in stede therof they were fed with the bysshop of Romes constytucyons , so that in contynuaunce the lyuely fayth that was due vnto the worde of god was chaunged and gyuen vnto deed Ceremonyes . I pray you take me not now at the fyrst , that by this sayeng I entende to disalowe all good Ceremonyes . Do not as the sayeng is of the nunne , when she had red ( Omnia probate ) because it serued her intente red no ferther , where the nexte wordes folowynge were ( quod bonum est tenete . ) When ye haue sene my worke thorowly ye shall perceyue what my conscyence doth alowe and dysalowe . But to retourne to my matter . I sayd it was gyuen vnto Ceremonyes that which apperteyned vnto the worde of god . And the worde of god was kepte from our fathers , whiche is now declared vnto vs , they coulde not here it for it was not taught vnto them , they could not se it for it was kepte from them . Wherfore seyng we here that which they herd not , se that they sawe not , & know that they knew not , merueyll not though we do the thinges which they dyd not , there were moche more foly to be imputed vnto vs for folowynge of theyr wayes . Then vnto one that wolde take on hym to ryde a farre iourney by nyght which knewe neuer a fote of his way . And were also certayne that no man wold tel hym the streyght way . The lyght is gyuen vnto vs , what madnesse were it to walke then in darkenesse . The redye waye that we ought to walke in is manyfested vnto vs . Is it not then of a frowarde mynde that many do refuse it . Perchaunce there be dyuers that stande in dowte whether the wayes that theyr Fathers walked were perfyte , eyther els the wa●es that men are nowe taught to walke in . To them that be of that mynde I saye , yf there remayne any wrytynges what faythe youre Fathers were of . And what wayes they walked then compare them to the scrypture and wyll of God , And yf they agre therwithall , dowte ye not but they be good , and yf not then thynke not the contrary but they be euyll . For it is the true twytche stone to trye out the good frome the bad . And truely yf ye wyll folowe them whose wayes and doctrynes agreed not with the scripture of God / bycause they had it not / nor coulde not be suffered to haue it . And ye haue it dayly preached vnto you , and maye rede it and here it in your mother tonge yf you lyste , I can not le the contrarye , but where as they offended of ygnorancy , your offence is of obstynacye . And ye may be counted madder then they whiche wyll wyllyngely ronne into the fyre and burne them selues . ¶ For when the booke of the lawe of God , was founde in the Temple , whiche had not bene sene longe tyme before and brought to Iosyas the kyng , ●ii . Reg xxii . he wepte and rent his clothes fearynge leest the wrathe of god shulde come vpon hym & his people , because their fathers had not herkened vnto the wordes of that boke , to do all that was wrytten vnto them therin . He mourned for his fathers iniquites & sayd not as men saye nowe adayes . Why shulde we not lyue as our Fathers haue lyued , or why shulde we not do as our fathers haue done before vs , for yf our fathers had sene the dayes that we se , many of them wolde haue reioysed therof moche more then we do . And I thynke not the contrary but they dyd also couete & desyre with all theyr hertes & were full sory that they coulde not se it . Wherfore I mystrust no more the mercy of God to be vpon them , then it was vpon dyuers holy men that were in this worlde before Chryst came to suffre his passyon , which faythfully beleued in his comyng to redeme the worlde for synne , Luce. x● and many coueted to se the dayes of the lorde , whiche sawe it not ( but in faythe ) Symeon desyred desyred it and opteyned his desyre . And when he had sene Christ , beyng but a chylde and he an olde man , Luc● . ●● his sayeng was ( Nunc dimittis seruum tuum domine . &c. ) Nowe lorde suffre thou thy seruaunte to departe in peace , for myne eyes haue sene thy sauyour wherfore all ye in whom there is any sparke of fayth to be redemed by the merytes of Christ . By the which the holy fathers that were here before Christ came , and haue ben syns that tyme , & euer shall be vnto the worldes ende are saued . I exhorte and desyre to receyue this holy doctryne that is now offred vnto you . And not obstynatly to refuse it . For there is moche more to be requyred at your handes then at your fathers , which had not that lyght opened and lyghted vnto them that you haue . And as I hope to be sauyd my selfe , so do I couyt the saluacyon of your soules . Wherfore I instantly desyre you to haue a perfyte fayth in Iesus christ . so that the workes therof may testefye your fayth to be good , euen as good fruyt doth testefy the tre to be good . But beware that in no condycyon ye attrybute onye saluacyon to be due vnto your dedes but vnto fayth only . For when ye haue done all that euer ye can do , yet say ye be vnprofytable seruauntes . And yet yf ye do not good workes your faythe is but a ded fayth , & no more extemed to be good , Luce. vi ●●t , vii then a tre is the bryngeth forthe euyl fruyt , for it is the good tre that causeth the fruit to be good , and not the fruyt that maketh the tre good , so lykewyse it is fayth that bringeth forth good workes , & not workes good faith . I had not thought to haue spoken so moche of faith & workes , had I not herde with myne eares notwithstandyng that the scrypture is in Englysshe & that it is preached vnto them that many men yet can not frame theyr fayth in the merytes of Chryst to be onely a suffycyent saluacyon for them , but wolde patche it vp with their awne merytes . Where as concernyng that , they are greatly disceyued , for good workes is but a testymony that the faythe is good , by the whiche onely all our saluacyon cometh . And yet is there an other thyng wherwith the chrysten congregacyon haue ben pyteously disceyued , besyde the confydence in their awne good workes in trustyng to the merites of sayntes euery man as his affeccyon lay , some vnto one saynt & some vnto an other , & yet the sayntes merytes were insufficient to saue them selues , for al they wer saued by christ as we are bound to trust for to be . And thoughe some wolde obiecte agaynst me , that they put no confydence in the sayntes merytes , but onely in the sayntes merytes , but onely prayed the sayntes to pray for them . I meruayle them wherof it came that men had more affeccyon to one saynt then to another , in one place then in an other . This ye can not deny me , the thyng is to apparent . Thoughe ye deny me the fyrst whiche is as trewe as that . What is he that hathe bene one of these pope holy pylgrymes , that can excuse hym selfe for puttyng dyuersyte not onely betwyxte saynt and saynt , but also betwyxte ymage and ymage . Who thought that saynt Iames was so good in any place as at Compostella , or saynt Peter at Rome . And here within this realme did ony of the holy pylgrymes thynke oure lady of Ipswytch , Worcestre , Wylsdon , or any of them all to be so bountefull as our lady of Walsyngham . No our lady of Penryce in Wales was not lyke vnto her . was not this a goodly honour gyuen to our Lady & to the sayntes , to thynke them to be more hooly in one place then in an other , or that any holynesse , grace or vertue at all shulde persyst in a paynted stocke or stone cloke the matter who that lyst . And ye that thynke to be wyse with the best that can make for your excuse . An hondred thousand poore people within this realme yet lyuyng haue ben and be disceyued with suche affeccyonate and peuysshe holynes . And I am sure that god suffered as wel for them as for those that were theyr furred hodes , and beleue verely that they haue bene ceduced therunto by suche as nowe wynke at the matter , which were not ashamed to bely the sayntes and to mocke the people with theyr fayned myracles . I thynke there can be no greater dishonoure done vnto the sayntes then with suche vyce and vnthryftynesse , as in dyuers places folowed of the inuented worshypyng of them . There is a custome vsed specyally in the west parte of England to haue watches kept at churches & chapels vpon the saintes euens . And if eating , drinking kissyng , pipyng , syngyng , & daunsyng be a mete thyng to honour the saynt & to be vsed in the temple , then is the saynt as wel honoured & the church as wel vsed as can be thought or deuysed . They haue a terme theris called boustenyng , which is to make the blynd to se , the dombe to speke , the defe to here , the halt & lame to go . True it is that they which neuer saw nor had hering nor felte any thyng at all haue opteyned this grace there ( but not immedyatly ) for it was euer .xl. wekes aft . Before the benefite of this boustenīg toke his perfecyon ye know what I meane . if I shuld recyte the abhomynacions ( which I ashame to put in writyng or remembraunce ) it wold conteyne a large volume of it self . mat . xxi Re. viii Esa. v. Ier. vii Christ draue out the byers & sellers of the temple sayng my house is a hous of prayer , which ye haue made a den of theues , vpon this the church hath been conuerted to a very good vse , for vnder a pretence of prayer aperyng to folow the wyl of christ the prestes haue permitted his house to be chaunged from a den of theues to a den of rybaldes & harlottes . And though they wold say that no acte of syn was commytted in the church , yet true it is that the occasyon of syn arose oftymes onely of theyr metyng ther , & the bargens of vyce was often made & apoynted there , & the thyng which elswher could not be brought to passe at their comyng to such holy places toke effect there as it often apered before the yere came about . O merciful god that the pictures of his sayntes shuld not only be set vp to cause his people to commit ydolatry , but for the couetousnes of their offring pence suffred to be a cloke of vice , syn & ribaudry , but what meruayl is it that they haue so abused the pyctures of his sayntes which feare not to abuse the pycture of hym selfe & his precyous blood so belyeng it that it may cause any chrysten herte to lament & wepe to thynke theron , & though the thyng haue ben wrytten and preached of al redy , yet can it not be to often put in remembraunce to cause both the doers and permytters therof to repent and be ashamed of theyr foly , yf ther be any grace in them . I omyt many thynges to wryte of because that all men can not yet abide to here the truth . But I trust the tyme is come that the truthe shal declare it selfe as concernyng the sayntes , I wolde men shulde iudge none otherwise of me , but that I loue them as well and better then they whiche lycke & kysse theyr ymages . For I wolde that all honoure that is due vnto them shulde be gyuen them . But in no condycyon that any thyng whiche dothe apperteyne vnto Chryst shulde be taken from hym . For it doth appere by the great paynes that ye haue taken to seke these holy places , weryeng of your bodyes , spendyng of your substaunce , & many leuyng theyr chyldren and housholde at home in penury , and by knelynge , kyssyng & prayeng before the ymages , that ye haue a certayne fayth & confydence in them wherin ye rob god of his due honour and glory , but there be a sort of crafty scole maysters whiche haue taught you to saye , when any suche thynges is imputed vnto you that it is all for goddes sake that ye do it , & that ye do it for to please god withall . Alas that ye wyl styl be so dysceyued to suppose that ye please hym , with that thyng whiche hyghly dothe dysplease hym . Why wyll ye not loke in his testament , or herken vnto his prechers that ye maye knowe what his godly wyll is , rom. iii. Ephe. v tess. iiii . & what ye shulde do to please hym . And yf ye thynke ye are not bounde to knowe his wyll , but to folow your awne wylles , & fantastycall appetytes , & the wylles of them whiche sought not the glory of God , but their awne fylthy lucre & aduauntage . Then doth the lawe of god nothyng at all aperteyne vnto you . It is to be thought that ye haue a certayne zele vnto Christ , but it is not accordyng to truthe . Wherfore beware that zele wyll disceyue you , for as it shal be no good ple for a man that hath commytted felony , murdre , or otherwyse transgressed the kynges lawes , to say that he knew them not . No more it shall be for you that offende the lawes and wyll of God to make suche a lyke answere , specyally to them whiche maye knowe it yf they lyst . There be certeyne persones whiche say it is better not to know the lawes of God then to knowe them and folowe them not . In dede to some men I thynke it is better but not vnto all men . It is better to oure Fathers whiche coulde not be suffered to knowe it , then vnto suche as at the tyme attayned the knowledge therof and folowed it not . Luce. xii For Christ sayth to whom moche is gyuen , there is moche to be requyred of hym . But nowe at this tyme , the gospell & wyll of god is offered vnto all men . It is preached & taught vnto them , who so euer do refuse to receyue and here it . There is as moch or more to be layd vnto his charge , them vnto them which knoweth it and foloweth it not , there is no excuse to be made in this matter . why do they refuse it but because they wolde not folowe it . And there be some that haue an other reason . Beholde say they these newe gospellers how vnthryftely many of them lyue , who are more couetous then they be , where regneth enuy , rancour , & malyce more then in their hertes . They speke of loue , concorde and charyte , yet no men showe lesse charyte , nor lesse loue than they do , they be proude , they be lecherus , & al in vices as euyl or wors than they which haue not the gospell . Truely I say euery man is bound to know it & folowe the same to the vtterest of his power , and they that be suche as ye haue herde reported of , reken them to be sclaunderers of the worde of god in theyr dedes as other men are in wordes , that speke euyll of it . Luce. xii Iac. iiii And theyr knoweledge shal be euyll vnto them . For the seruaunte that knewe his lordes wyll , and dyd it not , shal be beaten with many strypes . Let not the noughty conuersacyon of the euyl , plucke backe your hertes from the knoweledge of gods word , for it is not the scrypture that maketh them euyll . Psal. xxxvi . But it byddethe them to abstayne frome euyll and do good , and suche as be euyl knowyng goddes worde , withoute fayle wolde be wars yf they knewe it not . But throughe theyr noughty lyuyng they cause the worde of god to be euyll spoken of , so that they offende not onelye them selues , but are an occasyon to other men to offende also , therfore the more synne is in them . Beware howe ye speake euyll of the worde of god , for it is a synne greater then al your good workes can satysfye agayne for it . Thynke not , nor saye not , bycause suche men , and suche men be nothynge the better for the Gospell . Therfore I wyll not medle with it . What canst thou tell what god wolde worke in thy herte yf thou dydest rede it , the thyng is so good of it selfe , that thou art far from grace to thinke it wold worke any euyll in the. Doyst thou thinke because thou seest some lewde persons that knowe it & abuse theyr knowlege that thou shuldest do lyke wyse . O folysshe man that so doest mystrust the mercye and goodnesse of God towardes the , His goodnesse and mercye is layde forth for al men and though euery man haue not grace to attayne vnto it . yet dyuers men whiche haue it not at one tyme maye haue it at an other . And so they whome thou seyst to be euyll and knowe the scrypture yet beware dispyse not nor refuse not the scripture therfore for it may worke in their hertes at some other tyme when it shall please god , to whom thou mayst apoynt no tyme . Ther is yet an other opinion of them , sayeng they wyl here no preachyng , because the preachers agre no better . Truely it is an vnwyse reason , and in my mynde but a fayned excuse , for yf all the clergy of England agreed in one and preached one true way and doctryne yet many , I suppose wolde be no more dylygent in heryng but as slowe to come to the sermons as they be now , for thankes be to god the thing is merely wel brought to passe , there are very fewe sermons made ( specyally in the Cyte and aboute the Cyte of London ) whiche is in the herte of the realme , that the one is repugnaunt vnto the other . Perchaunce there be some curres that wolde fayne barke were it not that they more feared the temporal scourge then the sworde and punysshment of God . And what be these that say they wyll here no preachynge , but euen they whiche also wyll not rede the scrypture neyther here it redde vnto them , wherfore they are to be reproued of frowarde and obstynat ygnorancy . Who is so blynde as they that wyll not se . And who are more deffer then they that wyll not here . For truly of this effycacy is the word of god that who soeuer wyll come to rede it , or to the preachynge therof , with a pure true and vnfayned mynde , wyllynge to learne , and not to be a brabler , and a busy dysputer thereof . He shall not all onely receyue great conforte and consolacyon therein . But also the very fruyte and knowledge to deserne the trewe preacher of god , from hym that falsly peruerteth the scryptures to mayntayne ther with hys awne wycked intent and purpose . Nowe seyng that the word of god is so excellent a thynge that no condygne prayse maye be gyuen therunto . Wo maye they be that are sclaunderers therof . zacha. Wherfore returne with a contryte mynde vnto god that he may turne vnto you , trust vnto his promys and he wyll not dysceaue you . And saye not with your selues , I am old , I haue lyued this many yeres after this forte , It is to late for me to chaunge nowe . Remembre the parable of certayne men that were hyred to worke in the housholders vyneyarde , M●● some came in the mornyng , some at noone , and some in the euenynge , and they that came last had lyke rewarde with them that came fyrst , & they whiche came fyrst , and at none , grudged at them that came laste , bycause they had lyke rewarde with them . Then sayd the lord of the vyneyarde , why grudge ye , haue I not gyuen you your promyse , why shuld I not gyue to euery man as it pleaseth me . So men are called to repentaunce , some in youthe some in mydle age , and some in olde age . And the lorde may rewarde hym as well that came last as he that came fyrst , and no man may say vnto hym why do you so . So it appereth that heuen is not due vnto mennes good workes and dedes , but it is gyuen of the fre lyberte and goodnesse of God vnto al them that trusteth in his promyse , hauyng a perfyte fayth in Iesus Christ . And howe that fayth may be knowen , I haue wrytten you before . And yf ye meruayll why the preestes in tyme past tolde you not this tale , and what the cause was that they forbade you the scrypture . Truely they knew wel that theyr lyuyng dyd not accorde therwithall , and that it was the thyng that wolde manyfest their pryde , theyr couetousnesse , and all theyr synfull lyuyng . Wherfore they bare men in hand that it was to hye matters for them to meddle with , but that they must receaue it of them . And how truly they gaue it vnto the peple . He that hath eares to here let him heare , and he that hath eies to se let him se . Luc. x. Beholde for the kyngedome of god is come nye vnto you , whiche ye desire daylt in your Pater noster , when ye saye ( adueniat regnum tuum ) the Gospel is preached and laid before you , that ye may therin seke oute what his wyl is , Luce. xi Mat. vii he byddes you seke and ye shal fynd , knocke and it shal be opened vnto you , where wyll ye seke but in his holy testament . Wyll ye seke it in the bysshops of romes decretals and in Legenda aurea as your fathers dyd , truly ye may knocke then vntyll your heades ake and seke vntyll your eies be blynde , and yet not fynde the way to the kyngdome of god , ye shall as sone fynd it in Beuys of Hampton , & Guy of warwycke as amonge the holy bokes that ye & your fathers in tyme past haue ben permytted to loke on , but shulde I saye that all oure fathers are losse whiche were not taught nor coulde not be suffered to knowe the perfyte waye god forbyde , for when Chryste sayd to his disciples . Math. xix . mar . x. It is as harde for a Camell to go throughe the eye of a nedle as for a ryche man to entre into the kyngedome of heauen they aunsweryd Lorde who then shal be sauyd ? He sayd that which is impossyble vnto men is possyble ynough vnto god now seynge the nothyng is impossyble vnto God . Luce. xiii . I dout not but manye of oure fathers which walked not the streight path vnto christ , because they could not be sufferid to know it ( yet hauing a zele & louing mind vnto him optained his mercye But vnto vs whiche haue the open way declared frowardly to refuse it there is non excuse wyll serue .

¶ And nowe to retourne agayne to a parte of my purpose , I ernestly exhorte all you whiche are not alonely my natyue countrey men , but also redemed with the same precyous blood that I am , Rom. v. ●●● . ix . i Pet. i i Ioh. i. that ye wyll put away your confydence in pilgrymages vnto deed sayntes and ymages . And to thynke as the truthe is , that it was but a thyng inuented to rob from you your temporall substaunce , which the insacyable bely beastes dyd so moche couet and desyre , that they nothyng regarded , what became of the precious soule of man , which golde nor syluer , man nor woman , saynt nor aungel coulde redeme , but onely Iesus Christe , the immaculate lambe , whiche was reuelated vnto saynt Iohn , Apo. v. that was founde worthy to open the boke with the .vii. seales and none but he nor to loke theron , in heuen in erthe nor vnder the erthe . Thynke ye yf any thyng coulde haue redemed mannes soule , but onely the sonne of God , that he shulde haue ben sent in to this world to suffre hungre , colde , anguysshe , payn and cruel deth , no surely . Why are ye not then ashamed to seke vnto any other but vnto hym . Why ronne you ●o this ymage & that ymage , and put dyfference among them and theyr holy places as though one were better then an other , where there is neuer a good as ye do vse them . And to thynke that ye please god and honour hym in sekyng of suche places . I say playnly yo dysplease hym , for ye do contrary to his commaundement , wherin ye dyshonour hym as moche as may be . The workes that ought to be done pleasyng and acceptable in the syght of god are conteyned in the holy scryptures , Deu. v by the whiche ye are playnly prohibited both to make any ymage , & to worshyp them . And what greater worshyp can ye do vnto them than to knele vnto them kysse them , set vp candels before them , & offre your mony vnto them . I thynke I mought also say ( and lye not ) pray vnto them . For wherof shulde this inanne and vayne speche aryse with out a sertayne trust in them . When the people wold saye , our vlessyd lady of Walsyngham helpe me , the holy rode of North dore , and the crosse of Chaldon be my comforte , the trewe remembraunce of the crosse of christ wherin they ought only to seke their consolacyon , ioy & tonforte , was forgotten or at lest abused vnto a great nombre of crosses & rodes within this realme . For the which ( as reason is ) myny are pulled downe , but ther remayne some yet , for all thynges can not be done at one tyme . I knewe a holy rode standyng in Englande in a house of freres the which haue made the people to beleue & thynke that the heare of his heed & berde dyd grow . What chrysten herre can suffre this iniury & mockyng of the people with the picture of christ to be vnrebuked wrytten & spoken agaynst . One of the freres reported to a frende of myne , that yf it were not for that rode , they wyst not howe to lyue , were not they worthy to haue a good lyuyng that pyked it out with the pycture of christ so execrably vsed . wer not thou prayers of thes holy men suppose you of great effect before god . wer not these perfyte relygyous men , & all thinges wel bestowed that was gyuen to them . Iudge ye that haue any reason or iudgement , for in my conceyte ye can not displease god more then with that mayntenaunce of such ydle & abhomynable beggers , & I thynke ther can be no greter dishonour done vnto god than the honouring of his picture so abused , & it is certayn that ye commytted ydolatry with kneling , prayeng & offring to it , & seing ye commit ydolatry in the veneracyon of his awne pycture . It is vndowted playne ydolatry to worshyp or pray to any pyctures or ymages of sayntes , whiche in their lyfe tyme refused all honoure refarryng it vnto God , whome they sought out in the scryptures and preached , taught & exhorted all men vnto hym they sent them vnto no stockes nor stones to offre nor to worshyp them . Nor they requyred no worship to be gyuen to them selues , nor sayd not we shall saue you , but sent men vnto Christ , and sayd folowe vs vnto Chryst . Dyd not saynt Paule reproue the people because they contended amonge them selues sayenge I holde of Paule , 1. Cor. i. I holde of Appolo . And at an other tyme when they wold haue done sacrifice vnto hym & Barnabas . Act. xiiii Dyd not they rent their clothes , sayeng why do ye this , we are mortall men as ye be & preache vnto you the gospell , that ye shulde tourne from these vayne thynges vnto the lyuyng god . They wold that al honour shulde be gyuen to god , & not to them selues , & yet yf sayntes ought to be honoured for their vertuous & holy lyfe . And for conuertynge of the people vnto the true fayth of Christ . I am sure that saint Paule deserued it as well as any of them all . Thomas of Cauntorbury ( whiche byed for many proper poyntes , yf all thynges were truely perspected and loked vpon ) deserued not to haue lyke honour vnto hym , whiche I am sure is to be nombred among them that sayd . ( Non nobis dne non nobis , Psal. Cxiii . sed nomini tuo da gloriam ) Not vnto vs lord , not vnto vs , but vnto thy name gyue the glory . Nowe seyng that the sayntes do refuse such honour , which cometh of a supersticious holynes , & that their honour & glory persysteth onely in the true honourynge of god , me thynke there is more foly in the people ( which after suche a sorte wyl honour them ) them ther is to be imputed vnto those whiche seke to serue suche maysters that wyl non of their seruyce , but vtterlye refuse it . Consyder who it is which aboue al thynges ought to be honored & serued , it is he that wyl refuse none which faythfully wyl come vnto him , it is he that is of power to kepe all men , & gyueth fode to al lyuynge creatures , it is he that helpeth all them which cal vpon him , purposyng to obserue his commaundmentes me thynke this maister is mete to be serued , but let no man thynke himselfe mete to do him seruyce , whiche when he seyth or heryth what his maysters wyl & plesure is to be done , wyl do a thing contrarye to the same , as thoughe he were wyser than his mayster . I graunt ther be fewe or non of his seruauntes that haue not offendyd him , onlesse they were preseruyd by his grace . But he is suche a maister the wyl not caste of his seruaunt for euery tryfle & sclendre faute , no though he haue hyghly trespased agaynst hym & transgressed his commaundementes so he do not vtterly refuse hym . But when he remembres his foly , & returnes with a contryte mynde , knowledgyng his offence , & requy●yng pardon , he is alwayes redy to forgyue & to receyue hym agayn , Luc. xv euen as the father was that receyued his sonne , which had ben in a straunge cuntrey , & consumed the porcyon of his substance which his father gaue hym , when he came home naked he clothed hym & feasted him with a fatted calfe , sayng to his frendes , let vs be mery . Beholde my son which was lost & is found agayn . So ye ytpretende to be the people of god , remember in your myndes how ye haue bestowed the porcyon of your substaunce , I meane not only of your temporal substaunce , but of the true & profyte fayth that you promysed at your baptym to bere vnto Iesus christ as concernynge youre transsytorye goodes , you can not denye but ye haue bestowed it on deed Images , wher his wyl is , ye shuld relyue ther with his awne quycke and lyuynge Image . Luce. xxv . The poore people whiche be sycke , lame and blynd , and the impotent and agyd which can not labour and suche as be in pryson . ye haue not folowed his pleasure , but done contrary vnto it . Wherfore truly ye are not mete seruauntes for him , oneles ye repent your folly and folysshe ygnoraunce , yf ye allege that your gostly fathers taught you this to do . I say vnto you that they be your gostly dystroyers , that so counselled you to commyt ydolatrye , whiche for the mayntenaunce of their naughty sinfull lyfe , shut you out of the kyngedome of god , Mat. xxiii . and wolde not suffre you to come therunto , neyther they them selues wolde entre into it . The kyngdome of god is taken in some places for his lyuely worde , Luce. x. his gospell , hys glad tydynges whiche he brought to saue the worlde withall , through faythe in his passyon . For true it is that ye haue ben commaundyd not to rede nor medle therwithall , and they haue byn reputed and suffered as heretykes whiche haue presumed to do contrarye to that commaundement . But nowe I praye you returne home agayn as the prodygall sonne dyd vnto his father . Luc. xv Behold what a feast is prepared for you , couet no longer to be fed with the dregges of theyr tradycyons , whiche maye be resymbled vnto the coddes that he wolde fayne haue eaten of , amonge the swyne . Nowe do as he dyd returne home agayne , the table is layd , the gospel of Chryst is opened vnto you , come and ye shall here the confortable wordes of christ . what ioye ther is in heuen for a synner that commyth to repentaunce . Luc x● Consydre within youre selues whether ye haue not ben lost in synne or not , when the fayth whiche ye ought to haue in Christ onely & to be saued by the merytes of his passyon was deuyded and attributed parte vnto one saynt & parte vnto an other as it appereth by sekyng vnto the Images . Peraduenture ye wyl say we beleued in god , and we sought the ymage for goddes sake . Whether ye pleased god therwith or not ye shall here what he sayd vnto Moyses , Deu. v. Exo. xx . and to the chyldren of Israell . I am the Lorde thy god , which hath brought the out of the lande of Egypte out of the house of bondage . Deu. viii . Thou shalte haue none other goddes in my syght , thou shalte make that no grauen ymage of any maner of lykenesse of the thynges that are aboue in heuen and beneth vpon the erthe , nor in the water vnder the erthe . Thou shalte not honour them nor serue them , for I that lorde thy god am a ielouse god vysytyng the synne of the fathers vpon the chyldren to the thyrde and fourth generacyon of them that hate me , Deu. xxxiiii . and shewe mercy vpon many thousandes of them that loue me and kepe my commaundementes . I stedfastly beleue that this commaundement dyd not alone perteyne vnto the chyldren of Israell , but vnto all men , and is to be obserued of al those whiche to the worldes ende beleueth Iesus Chryst the sonne of god to be the sauyour of the world . Now ye that haue made these ymages honoured and worshypped them consydre with your selues whether ye haue not commytted the thyng which the chyldren of Israel were commaunded by the mouth of god not to do . For I am sure they are like to some thing that is in heuen aboue in the erth beneth or in the water vnder the erth . O lord that ye haue turned you from the lyuyng god vnto deed ymages which haue eyes & se not , eares & here not , noses and smell not , handes and fele not , feyt and goo not , mouthes and speake not , they are lyke vnto them whome the prophet Ieremy admonysshed the people of Ierusalem of , Bar. vi when they were led captyue into babylon , whether it be good or euyll that any man do vnto them . They are not able to recompence it , Eccle. v though a man make a vowe vnto them and kepe it not they wyll not requyre it . They can not delyuer a man frome deth , neyther are they able to defend the weake from the myghtye , they can not restore a blynde man to hys sight , nor helpe any man at his nede , they can not shewe no mercye to the wydowe nor do good to the fatherles , Cap. xiiii They must be borne vpon mennes shulders , as those that haue no feyt , wherby they declare vnto men that they be nothynge worth . Confoundyd be they that worshyp them for yf they fall to the grounde , they they can not ryse vp agayne of them selues , when they be set vp in the temple theyr eies be ful of dust through the feyt of them that come in , theyr faces wax blacke through the smoke that is in the temple . The owles , the swalowes and byrdes fle vpon them , and the cattes ronne ouer theyr heades . They can not defende them selues frome the robbers and theues , the verye wycked are stronger then they , they strepe them oute of theyr apparell that they be clothyd withall , they take theyr golde and syluer from them and get them awaye . yet can they not helpe them selues , they can gyue no sentence of a matter nother defende the loude from wrong , to be short they can not do so moche as a crowe that fleyth betwyxe heauen and earth . He concludyth sayenge blyssed is the godly man that hath no ymage and worshyppeth none , Bar vi . for he shalde far from reproue . Many thynges haue I omyttyd to wryte of , contayned in this Epystle to the intente , that the myndes of those whiche thynke I haue not wrytten truly . And the conscyence of them whiche haue ben and be yet combred with the execrable zele to venerate and worshyp them may be mouyd to rede the same . Whome I instauntly desyre also to pervse the xiii . .xiiii. and .xv. Chapters of Sapience , called the boke of wysdome . And to resorte vnto suche psalmes & places of scripture , as the cotacyons in the margent therof shall induse you vnto , and I doute not but your conscyence shal be quyeted and satysfyed in that matter , onles it be suche that obstynatly wyl repugne against the sryptures & wyl of god . Whiche I count vnworthy to be called christians it shall also testefye vnto you , howe shamefullye ye haue ben mocked withal & dysceyued , & what hath byn done with the offryng money and other thynges offeryd vnto oure Images . Thynke you it may not be verifyed , as Ieremy wrote vnto them that the preestes dyd adorne & trime theyr harlottes , & theyr chyldren with al. I suppose verely there was but a smale porcyon therof gyuen vnto the syke and poore people . A lorde that thy people shuld so be ●●●dyd , that theyr offerynge vnto dee Images shuld be amayntenaunce vnto quicke and detestable harlottes . This is the goodnesse that comyth of youre pope holynesse . This is the profyte that commythe of youre payne and pope holye pylgrymage , whordome & aduoutry is maynteyned through your Idolatrye . I thynke there is no faythful chrysten hert to whom god hath gyuen a mouth to speake other a hand to wryte the can suffre this in iury against his lord god & his people to be vnrebuked . Wherfore saye not that I rayle . For I suppose it is my parte and all chrysten mennes partes not onlye to speake and wryte agaynst it , but hertelye to praye god to put in the rulers myndes to reforme and route vp the occacyon of suche myscheue . The lorde god be praysed , the thyng is alredy gracyouslye begon , whiche I hope shall haue lyke successe & endynge . Wherfor loke vp ye that haue profest to be Christ . Let bales prophetes no longer dysceaue you . I mean these wicked scole maysters whiche throughe couetousnesse made you to beleue that youre pylgrymage goynge and offrynge vnto Images was pleasyng and acceptable vnto god . Where in verye dede it was playne Idolatrye and a mere madnes , to speke vnto it that hathe no soule , and to make Sapien xiiii . petycyon vnto it for helth or lyfe that is deed to pray vnto it for helpe that is not able to helpe it selfe and for a good Iournye to hym that can not go . And when a man is on the ragynge see or purposeth to sayle ouer it to call for helpe vnto a stocke that is far weaker then the tre that beryth him . Sapien xiiii . gene. vi . God causyd an arke to be made and therfore do men commy . theyr lyues to a smale pece of woode and are sauyd . Deu. iiii Deu. v. But god commaunded as ye haue rede before and as ye shall rede folowynge that Images shuld not be made . What meruayle is it then that the people often perysshe , whiche put more confydence in the thynge that the lord hath forbyden , then in the worke whiche the Lorde deuised and caused to be made . ye I maye saye ( and lye not ( then in the lorde hym selfe , as it often aperythe when through the mercye and onlye goodnesse of god dyuers haue escaped the daungers perryles , and ragynge tempest of the see . Go bare fotyd , bare legged , and in theyr shyrtes with candels and tapers to sondry Images , whiche me thynke is a pytyfull syght amonges chrysten people hauyng one god , the lord and creatour of all thynges , whom all creatures ought to honour and obey , put their truste and confydence in , seke theyr helth and comforte at , Deu. vi . Bar. v. and that onely ought to be seruyd and worshypped . It is not moch to be meruayled at , and yf ther be many yet that murmour at the puttyng downe of ydolatrye , specyally in them that are not learned in goddes worde . For it is harde sodenly to roote out superstycyous holynesse from the vnlearnyd peoples myndes , & many of the prestes are very lothe to lese theyr offerynge pence . For dyuers thynges can not be so wel mayntayned nowe as they were before . It was no lytle summes of money that came yerelye to the prestes handes for offringes in England . To my Iudgement yf it had bene equally deuyded it wolde haue suffysed to haue found al the poore and nedye beggers within thys realme . But yf I were a begger my selfe , truly , I wolde be very lothe to be founde and kepte with that money offeryd vnto Idols . I had rather begge my brede in froffe and snowe , then to be kepte in a warme hospytall with it . Parauenture it wyl be obiected vnto me that our ymages ought not to be called ydols . And that the scrypture meaneth it not of them , but of suche as were in the olde tyme amonges the gentyls and hethen people what and yf I name them not Idols as theirs were called , but affyrme them to be Images and pyctures of sayntes . Whiche is the best name that can be gyuen them . yet yf ye knele and praye vnto them . I saye playnly that you commyt ydolatry , chuse whether ye wyll call them Idols or not For what soeuer it be the robbeth christ from his due honour & glory I count it to be an ydol though it be an ymage of the best saynt that is in heuen . Saynt Paule sayth that no fornycatour , ● . Cor. v. Ephe. vi or vnclene persone , or couetous persone ( whiche is a worshypper of ydols ) hath inherytaunce in the kyngdom of Christ . And in an other place he saythe howe agreeth the temple of god with ydols , ye are the temple of the lyuyng god , ii . cor. vi as sayth god . These are the admonicions of saynt Paule written in his epistles , also in dyuers other places , construct than as ye lyst & chuse whether ye wyll apply them to olde ydols eyther to newe ymages . And yf ther were no ymages in saynt Paules tyme , then muste ye nedes graunt me that they were made syns And then I pray you what place haue you in scrypture , that wyll stande with you for the veneracyon and settyng vp of them . Remembre this sayeng of Moyses vnto the chyldren of Israell , deu. iiii . kepe wel your soules for ye saw no maner of ymage in the day when the lord spake vnto you out of the fyre vpon mount Horeb , that ye dystroy not your selues , and make you any ymage that is lyke a man or woman or beast vpon the erthe , Deu. v. or fethered foule vnder the heuen , or worme vpon the ground , or fysshe in the water vnder the erthe . &c. Now truely this commaundement doth nothyng aperteyn vnto you , onles ye take the god of Abraham , Isaac , Iacob , Moyses , the prophetes , and of the chyldren of Israel to be your god yf you saye and beleue that he is your god , then do his preceptes belonge vnto you , and not to you onely but vnto all that beleue in hym , rom. iii. for he is not a god vnto the Iues onely , but to the gentyls also .

¶ O what pyte was it , when that poyson was fyrst shed in to the churche of Chryst , when that papystycall honour was vsurped of the bysshop of Rome to be aboue Emperoures , kynges and prynces . And when he fell from pouertye vnto pryde , falsly peruertynge the scryptures sayenge that he mought bynde and lose at his pleasure . For then the ydolatry whiche Peter , Paule , and all the apostles had wyped away with preachynge of the worde of God , began to renewe agayne , 〈◊〉 . xvi Peters keyes wer chaunged , he began to playe checke mate with his mayster , and set vp lawes and constitucyons of his awne makynge . He graunted large indulgences for vysytynge saynt Peters see at Rome , and then other perceyuynge the profyte thereof opteyned pardons , for vysytyng of syndry and dyuers other places . Then vp rose , ydols , what ymages I shulde saye and Christ was deuyded . For where as the people helde hooly of hym , i. Cor. i. then began they to holde some of one saynt and some of an other , and soe haue contynued many yeres . But call to your remembraunce in whose name ye were baptysed . Were ye baptysed in Peters name , Paules name or Iohnns name , yf ye were , holde of them . If ye were chrystened in chrystes name , then holde of Chryst and take hym for your sauyoure , and his scrypture to wytnesse for youre mediatoure . i. timo. ii Heb. ix . Gyl iii● Wherfore attrybute and gyue not vnto his sayntes , that whiche onely is due to hym selfe . For yf ye do as I haue wrytten so wryte I agayne , theyr ymages so abused are but ydolles , and youre knelynge and prayenge before them is ydolatry . But I dowte not thoughe Chryste haue suffered longe this iniury vnto hym selfe , and hys holy gospell to be troden vnder fote , ii cor. vi . that nowe the acceptable tyme is come , so that his worde shall florysshe agayne in spyte of all the enemyes therof , & that they shall not be able to abyde the tryall of the great wronge that they haue done vnto the people of god in kepyng away of the swete fruyt that they shuld haue had in his scrypture and to fede them with rotten apples & foure crabbes of theyr awne trees . A straw for your false fayned persuasyons and lyes that haue taught the people to say , we honour not the ymage but the saynt whome the ymage dothe represent . Why then do ye exteme the ymage of our lady not in al places to be lyke , and dyuers ymages of one saynt to be lyke good . I mought more truely saye , to be lyke euyll . For as ye haue abused them , there was neuer a good , And to be more playne I can not se how ye can make them good , they that make them are lyke vnto them , and so are all suche as put theyr trust in them . Psalm C.xiiii . ●a●ie●● xiiii .

Happy or blessed is the tree where through ryghtuousnesse cometh , but cursed is the ymage that is made with handes . For though it be not called god , yet is it a stale to robbe mennes hertes from God , and the honoure whiche alone dothe perteyne vnto God . O crafty catchpolles that soo haue inuented a name vnto them to be laye mennes bokes , whiche God hath prohybyted to be made , and to kepe from his people the boke of his lawe and his holy testament , the bokes of the prophetes and appostles , and all the bokes of the holy fathers agreynge in one . ( as I began this worke . ) To instructe men the pertyt and true way vnto hym , whiche sayd come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I shall refresshe you , math. ● whiche he commaunded to be preached and taught to his people , but be it now that I graunt you a ley that they were bokes to instructe the lay people . mar xvi Math. xxviii I am sure theyr instruccyon extendyd no farder but to put men in remembraunce of them whome they do represent . What knowledge haue you by theyr deed and domme pycturs of theyr vertuous lyuyng . Suppose you they were so appareled in purple & gold and so set with owchys , bedes , rynges , money , and other Iewels as theyr Images be , no truelye they regarded no suche peltrye . Theyr affeccyons were moued to other more noble & p̄cyousser thynges , for the pycture of hym that ye nowe garnysshe with golde , by his lyfe tyme was coueryd with a garment made of Camels heare , Mat. iii iiii . Re. i and it is to be supposed ( that as Chryst reprouyd them whiche buylded and Lu●● . xi . Mat. xxiii garnysshed the Sepulcres of deed Prophettes whome theyr fathers had slayne ) that ye lykewyse whiche garnisshe , gyld and spare for no cost nowe vpon deed Images . Wolde scarslye bestowe one peny vpon the very sayntes , yf they were lyuyng . For truelye theyr doctryne was the thynge whiche ye can not abyde to heare . Euen the Gospell of Chryste , that is nowe preachyd and taught vnto you . I wyll not faye that ye wold kyll them whiche haue suffred alredy for Chryst and his doctryne . Whom ye accounte now to be sayntes , but yf they were lyuyng , without fayle ye wolde repute and call them arrant herytykes . And then I thynke it shulde be a sklendre charite that ye wold bystowe vpon them . But wherof happenyth this blyndnesse amonges you , but that in stede of the true bokes contained in scripture bothe of god and his sayntes that preached taught & folowed hym . ye haue set vp vnto you a blynde boke , a dome Idoll and a deed Image , whiche can instructe you to no goodnesse , nor induce you to no vertue . Perchaunce there hanges some olde wrytten table by it , contaynyng ther in an abhomynable lye , and a false fayned myracle or twayne . But note one thynge I pray you , that wher so euer suche tables be , the box to receyue offrynge monye is not or was not farre of , and yf that the box and offrynges be taken awaye , and none permytted to be any more ther , they that made and caused to be made youre blynde bokes , and lyenge tables , wold be more glad to pul them downe than your selues , ye they wold not pas yf ther were not one within christendome . But I meruayle that they trusted not the ymage with the offrynge monye , what nede they to make so strong boxys of yron or war dyd with plates of yron to kepe it . Me thynke yf the monye had byne layd but euen before the ymage , ther could no man haue taken it a waye but that his hande shulde haue cleued to the aulter or to the place wher the money lay , yf they were so holye as they made them , but men maye perceaue they had but smale confydence in them themselues . yet taught they the people to seke helth at their handes whiche can do no good , nor say none euyll . For euery sundry dysease there was an ymage inuented and set vp . One for heed atche , an other for tothe atche . One for chokyng , an other for burnyng . One for the palsay , an other for the plage . It were to longe a worke to reherce them all . But yet me thynke it was great pyte that saynt Vncombre in poules was pulled down , for she was a gret comforte and helper vnto all good wyues whiche were troubled with shrewde husbandes . But I meruell for what purpose they offered otes vnto her me thynke that offerynge was more mete to be gyuen vnto saint Loy . For in some partes of England the horse cutters haue .v. pence for cuttyng of euery horse a grote to them selfe & a peny for saint Loye . It is to be thought he was some horse keper or horse corser , wherfore otes were more mete to fede his horsses withall then to be offered to saynt vncumbre it is no meat conuenient for a woman to fede of . I praye you good women be not dyspleased with me for my playne wrytynge . And if ony of you be troubled with an euyll husbande , the best counsel that I can gyue you is to shewe your selfe so kynde , louynge , and meke vnto him , that he maye be ashamed ( onelesse he be past all shame ) But to be good and gentyl vnto you . It doth not belonge vnto my matter to treate betwyxte men and theyr wyues . And also for lacke of experience because I was neuer maryed ) It mought chaunce wher as I purpose to please one that I shuld displease .ii. Wherfore I wyl resorte to my purpose . desyryng both men and women to thynke as the trueth is , that any thynge whiche is wrytten in thys lytle volume concernynge sayntes that it is not wrytten in their dispraise , nother yet in the disprayses of suche persons which haue ben blinded ( through false ypocrites ) with superstycyous holynesse . Nowe knowledgynge in their hertes their folly and blindnesse , receauynge the trueth that is declared vnto them . For ther were very fewe whiche haue not wandered in darkenesse . But to them in whom gods holy doctrine can take no place whose stomakes are so ful stuffed vp with syn & abominable Idolatry that their eares can not here neyther theyr eies behold the word of god . But obstinatly refuse it , repugne agaynst it , & speake euyll of it , callyng it newe doctryne ) I can not se but they are to be dyspraysed and lamented as people frowardly refusynge the grace of the holy ghost offered vnto them , but ye that are the people of god and haue receyued the lyght of his gospel , remembre that ye haue ben deceyued . Let it neuer fall from youre myndes that ye haue walked in darkenesse , Iohn . ii & nowe that the lyght is come whiche hath bene longe kepte from you . Worke whyle ye haue light some haue lost their lyues for sotting forth of it . And many haue auentured their lyues ( scapyng very narowly ) before they could bring it to passe . Be ye busy therfore in the lordes haruest , Luce. x. the haruest is great and the labourers are fewe , for there be many ydle bely beastes that couyt to haue the nyght come agayne , whiche lyste not to laboure but slepe in synne as they and other haue done before , but because I haue yet made no full and perfyte answere to them which haue cedused the people from the true honourynge of God vnto ymages ( for theyr fylthy lucre ) sayenge and teachyng them to say . We went not in pilgrymage vnto the ymage nor we prayed not vnto the ymage , but we went for the sayntes sake whom the ymage dothe represent , & we prayed vnto the saynt whiche is in heuen . ye thynke that this is so stronge a reason that no man can avoyde it . But sure ther is nothynge that can be cloked agaynst the worde of God whiche wyll not be espyed , and is easye ynoughe to be auoydyd . I praye you aunswere me fyrst for what purpose ye prayed vnto the saynte , the saynt can not saue you . ye are not of god onlesse ye beleue to be sauyd by the merytes and passyon of Chryste only . The best of al the sayntes could not saue him selfe by his owne merytes , no yf ony of them were lesse synners then you are , it was by grace gyuen them of god and not of theyr awne powers . And I am sure they are no saintes onlesse they do attrybute the gyfte to come of god onely , ye wyll saye because they are in suche fauoure with god , therfore wyll we praye vnto them that they maye be mediatours vnto god for vs . Nowe here aperyth a lacke of knoweledge of you in the scrypture . And if ye know it a lacke of sure faythe and truste to beleue it . Timo. ii For saynt Paule sayeth ther is one god and one mediatoure betwyxte god and man , whiche is the man Christ Iesus . What mistruste haue you in him , thynke ye that he is not a sufficyent mediatour for vs al. He hathe made vs a promys that whatsoeuer we axe of the father in hys name it shall be gyuen vs . Ioh xv . All the saintes that be in heuen neuer made vs suche a promys for it is oute of theyr powers to perfourme it , they they them selues stacke to that promise . they had neuer come in heuen els . I neuer redde of any of the sayntes when they were here lyuyng that made ony praiers to the sayntes whiche were deed before them , but alwaies vnto god , is god of lesse power or goodnesse then he was in olde tyme . It is euen the same god , it is he that brought the children of Israell oute of bondage frome the cruell Pharao kynge of Egypte throughe the greate see , Ex. iiii . Iosu . ii . Iudi ● . Psalm. lxxvii . Ge. x●ii . i. Cor. x. whiche he deuyded lyke a wall on euery syde , soo that they walked throughe as on the dry lande , it is he that gaue them water oute of the harde stone it is he that fedde them with Manna in wyldernesse , Exo. xx . it is he that brought them vnto the fruyteful and goodly londe that he promysed them , Deu. vi . Iosue . xxiiii . it is the same God that perfourmed all his promyses to all those that faythfullyetrusted in him , & obserued his commaundementes . And yf ye thynke hys power be as good now as it was then and euer hath bene , why seke ye not to him , why seke ye for helthe at other mennes handes . What can the sayntes do more for you now , than they coulde do for them whiche in tyme paste put the irtrust holli in God . Perchaunce ye thynke youre selues vnworthy bycause of your synn to pray vnto god , and therfore ye wyll desyre the sayntes to pray for you . And yf ye be of that mynde it doth apere ye haue a dystruste in the promys and mercye of god . If ye turne vnto me saythe Chryst I wyll turne vnto you . Zacha. i. Ier. xxx● Psalm. xxiiii . The prophet sayth what soeuer he be that feareth the Lorde he shall shewe him the way that he hath chosen . Ps. xxvi Delyte thou in the lorde & he shall gyue the thy hertes desyre . Pro. xvi Salomon saythe commyt thy workes vnto the Lorde and loke what thou deuysites it shal prosper , and yf ye turne not vnto the Lord , feare hym & delyte in hym with a repentaunt mynd for youre naughtye synfull lyfe . In vayne is youre prayer and all youre deuyses , for ye ought to commyte your workes vnto the Lorde , in whom onlye ye haue not one promyse , but manye promyses agreyng in one ( contayned in the scriptures ) to prosper and to be hard . And to optayn your requestes of god the father for Chrystes sake , Ioh. xv . and not for ony of the deed sayntes sakes , But yet trwe it is that God spared the punnyshement of synners , and hylde his hande frome plagynge of them often tymes for the iuste mennes sakes as ye may rede how Moyses pacyefyed the dyspleasure of god agaynst the people with his prayer . Exod. xxxii . Which was made from such a faithful hert vnto god . And for suche a true louynge mynd vnto his people , that he desyred ( rather then they shuld be dystroyed ) to be stryken oute of the boke of lyfe himselfe . Paule wysshed also to be cursed frome Christ for his brethrens sake . Rom. i● . These praiers were of another maner effect than the prayers of our popeholy pykepurses , prayng for the soules in the bitter paynes of purgatory . Agayne ye maye rede the god wolde haue spared the dystruccion of the eyties which were dystroyed for syn , Gene. xviii . for the sakes of ten good persons , yf they mought haue ben founde in them , at the request of Abraham . Remembre the exortacion of saynt Iames , I●●● . v. for one man to praye for an other declaryng what efficacy is in the ryghtuous mannes praier if it be feruent . By example of Helyas that was a man mortall euen as we are , iiiii Reg xvii . whiche tolde kynge Achab that it shulde not rayne , & it rayned not on the earthe by the space of iii. yeres and .vi. monethes , and he prayed agayne , iiii . Reg xviii . and the heuen gaue raine , & the erth brought forth fruyt . I wold the people wolde be exercysed in redyng & heryng such lyke stories whiche mought put them in remembraunce of the great mercy & goodnes of god alwayes shewed vnto them which did feare & loue him , & what effecte their prayers were of . Wherin they mought also take example what punisshment god toke vpon obstinate synners & ydolatres , whiche though god often spared to punysshe them for the ryghtuous mennes sakes , & at theyr humble & feruent prayers yet is ther to be notyd in them all after what sorte & maner god sparyd them . Salomon whiche had commytted Idolatrye & displeased the lorde , agaynst whom god raysed vp sundry aduersaries to trouble him & his kyngdome . yet the lorde spared him & made him a promyse that he shulde possesse styll his lande duringe his lyfe , iiii . Reg xi . for his father dauids sake which had walked in the wayes of the lorde , but there was no promise made vnto him that he shulde inheryte the kyngedome of heauen for his fathers sake . I am sure he neuer came ther but yf it were for Chrystes sake only . Nother the best saynt that euer dyed , so where ye fynde that god shewed his mercy vpon synners for the ryghtuous mennes sakes . Consyder alwayes the diuersyte of the benefite gyuen only for Chrystes sake ( which is the kyngdome of heauen ) and that whiche was gyuen at the petycyons and for the loue of holye men , beynge but a temporall rewarde , it is but a temporall rewarde for a man to haue his lyfe prolonged . Neyther to inioy landes , ryches , honoure , helth , or suche other thynges . mar . xvi Act. v. The apostles by theyr lyfe tyme receaued power of the lorde to gyue helthe to them that were sycke . And to caste out deuyls and vnclen spyrytes . iiii . Be. xvii . yee and ye shal rede of holy men that by theyr prayers haue reuyuyd the deed to lyfe . yet al these were but temporal benefites gyuen also of hym by his sayntes to confyrme theyr faythe in his name that they dyd it ( whiche is Christe ) to whome belongeth only the remission of synnes and the kyngdome of god . Rom. v. Now seyng it belongeth onlye to him to gyue the one , & to forgyue the other they ought onely to be requyred and desyred of him . And if ye purpose to praye vnto the deed saintes for any thing belongynge either to your bodyes or soules vpon the grounde of this argument , sayeng for as moche as they were holye men and women in theyr tyme , and that god spared the punysshment of synners often for their sakes , and at the feruente and humble prayers , moche rather it is to be thought that they now hauing receauid a glorified body , and be in ioye with Christ shal be herde of the lord . And the sinners sparyd at their request and prayers . To that I answere yf ye were certayne that the sayntes whiche are deed ( whose bodyes remayne in the earthe to the resurruccyon of all flesshe ) do aswell heare your voyces nowe , as they did the voyces of the people beinge here and spekyng vnto them by their lyfe tyme . That then it were conuenyent ye shulde praye vnto them to praye with you and for you to god . But for as moche as I neuer yet could be certefied by ony man throughe scripture that they do heare oure prayers , for my parte I thinke it but a vayne thinge to truste in the vncertayne thinge , and to leue the certayne , to leue Christ and praye to his saintes . To all those that knowe the saintes here them I saye it is well done , but to al them that beleue it and know it not , I saye it is not well done . For as moche as they haue not the scrypture to certefy them of their wel doing . The vnlearned multytude exceptyd in whome I thynke it is nother wel nor euyll done , whiche knowe nothing more than is preached & taught by their curates vnto them . So they refuse not the truth ( aproued by scripture ) when it is taught them , whiche I refer vnto the bisshoppes and wel learned men in the scriptures wherin is contayned al thynges necessary belongynge to faith and saluacion . But admyt that ye were certayne that the sayntes do heare you ( whiche I thynke trulye wolde trouble the mooste parte of the clergye within Englande to approue ) suppose you that they wold pray either with you or for you if ye thynke euyll in youre harte , not beyng pourged with contricion for syn , and to praye for good thynges with your mouthe , no truly onles they do only heare the voyce and knowe not the harte . But God whiche hearethe the voyce and knoweth the secretes of the mynde , Ro. viii . regardeth neither the honoure whiche ye gyue him , neither the prayer of your mouth onles your hertes agre withall and if you praye for grace with your mouth , and couyt it with all your hertes , it shal be gyuen you yf you pray forgyuenesse of your synnes & are penytent for them in youre hertes they shal be forgyuen you . Axe what soeuer ye wyll ( in faithe ) and it shal be graunted vnto you . Ioh. xv But in whose name ye shulde aske , I haue shewed you and for his sake ther is a promis made vnto you that ye shall obtayn it . It is not for saynt frauncis sake that ye shall posses the celestial heritage nother yet his holye cowle that can preserue you frome hell ( for your sinnes ) let the frers say as they list . It is a vayne reason that I haue harde dyuers men make , which by a similitude apply the fauour of worldly princes vnto the fauour of the celestial god sayeng if a man haue any thing to do with the kinge , he must fyrste sue vnto the noble men of the courte , and suche as be of the kynges preuy chambre , yf he thynke to opteyne his purpose , & not to prease to the kyng hym selfe . And so lykewyse vnto God a man shulde fyrste pray and be a sueter vnto his sayntes & not presume to go to hym selfe . Is not this an vnwyse thynge that men pondre no better the dyuersyte betwyxte the creator of all thynges and his creatures . The kynges grace is the ministre of god , and yet but a man as an other man is , his knowledge maye not be compared to the knowledge of god . Ro viii Hiere . x●vii . psal. vi● God knoweth the secretes of the herte , the kyng knowes it not before it be vttered and tolde hym . And he that is the kynge of a realme hath many thinges to thinke on so that a man hath nede to make his frendes aboute hym yf he thynke for to spede , and euery man maye not at al tymes come to the kynges presence . But to come vnto God is an other maner of thynge , so that thou come with an vmble , a meke , & a contryte herte , for god is neuer troubled with busynesse , all thynges are vnto him but as one thyng . And though he be kynge of all kynges , yet is he well pleased that thou shalte come to hym at all tymes , there is no porter nor dore keper shall kepe the oute . If y● loue him he wyll be alwayes where as thou arte . Thou canst not speake so softly but he shal heare yu. 〈◊〉 . viii . Thou canst thynke nothynge , but he knoweth thy thought , and if thou aske any thyng in faythe thou arte sure to haue it , 〈◊〉 . ●●● he byddeth the come to hym , he sendeth the to none other . Wherfore shuldest thou be afrayde to do as he byddeth the. And seyng that people haue founde oute so stronge a reason to stande on , I wyll assaye to stoppe their mouthes with an other reason .

Who wolde not thynke hym to be a fole or an hartlesse person to whom the kynge wolde saye . If thou haue any thynge to demaunde of me speake to me thy selfe , and I wyll gyue the thy request . And yf he wolde not speake vnto the kyng hym selfe , but desyre an other to speake for hym , of the whiche he were vncertayne whether the kynge wolde here hym or not , were it not an vnwyse parte . Also yf the kynge wolde saye , there shall none come in to my preuy chambre , But suche as my sonne the prynce shall suffre to come in . ( take it that his grace were come to his perfyte yeres of knowledge and perseueraunce . And yf I moughte speake vnto the Prynce and were ryghte certayne to come in ▪ when I desyred hym . Were not ● a foole to desyre an other to speake vnto the prynce for me , which I were vncertayn whether the prynce wold here hym or not . Now seing we haue none other enteraunce in to the kyngdome of God the father , but by his sonne Iesus Christ , & he hath sayd . Come to me , why shuld we go to any other , Mat. xi but to hym selfe onely . I wold haue ben lothe to bryng in these humayne reasons to establisshe goddes worde withall , had I not ben compelled ( as the sayeng is ) to dryue out one nayle with an other , one reason with an other . The worde of God dothe informe you , who is your mediatour plucke no honour away that is due vnto hym . Haue no lesse confidence in hym than ye ought to haue . All that apperteyneth to hym by the scryptures gyue it hym , and then your consciencys trulye examined yf ther remayne ony thynge belongynge to the sayntes , gyue it them and spare not . But where ye fynde him to be your onely sauiour and mediatoure , ● . Thi. ii patche him not vp I pray you with his sayntes . And if ye lyst to pray vnto them , lerne fyrst to be acerteyned whether they heare you or not , that you labour no longer in vayne . And proue it eyther a thynge inuentyd to rob Christ from his glory , & you from your money , other els that it came of a distrust in the promises & mercyfull goodnesse of god . But to saye or thynke that our lady is not in al places lyke good , blessyd , and holye , or ony saint better in one place then in an other . And so to go to theyr Images , and pictures , settynge vp of candels , knelynge , kissynge , prayenge , & off●ryng vnto them , the I say playnly is ydolatry , & for ydolatry god hath punisshed the people often tymes with diuers and sundry plages . For ydolatry he spared not kynges and princes , but rooted their posterites from their kyngedomes . iii. Reg. xiiii . iii Reg. xv . ● . ●vi As ye maye rede of Ieroboam , kynge Achab and dyuers other . Nowe seynge that the lorde spared not kynges and rulers of the earth for ydolatry , which were in the tyme that the law of god gyuen vnto Moyses stode onely in effecte , beyng in dyuers thynges but fygures & shadowes of the true and very Messias ( which is Iesus Christ ) and we hauyng his most holy testament , a wytnesse vnto vs that he hathe all redy suffered for the redempcyon of our synnes . ● . Pet. ii Shall we suppose that he wyl spare vs for ydolatry if we repent not & conuert vnto hym ( no truely ) but let vs wayte for a greter punyshment them they had . For the lord god sayd I came not to breake the lawe , Mat. v. Deu. v. but to fulfyll the lawe . And where as Moyses sayd , thou shalte not kyll . Christ sayd , Exo. xx . thou shalt not be angry . Moyses sayd , thou shalte not commyt aduoutry . Christ sayth that who soeuer eyeth a wyfe lustyng after her hath commytted aduoutry with her alredy in his hert . Leui. ix ye haue herde how it is sayd thou shalt loue thy neyghbour & hate thyne enemy . But christ sayeth vnto you , loue your enemyes , Mat. ● blesse than that curse you , do good to them that hate you , pray for them that do you wrong . & persecute you , that you may be the chyldren of your heuenly father , for he maketh his sonne to ryse on the euyll & on the good , and sendeth his rayne on the iust and on the vniust , wherin it apereth what a mercyfull God he is . But beware ye that are nowe past the tyme of the shadowes and figures of Moyses lawe , & haue the very thynge offered vnto you , whiche all those fygures & shadowes dyd represent . For yf ye frowardly refuse it , and styll folowe youre owne blynde wayes , and the inuencyons of those that soughte youre dystruccyon , and wyll not herken vnto hym that sayde .

I am the waye , the trueth , Ioh xiiii and the lyfe . It is greatly to be feared , that as the children of Israell vnto whom ther was a terrestiall and temporall kyngedome promised ( that goodlye lande of Canaan ) whiche was full of all pleasures and comodites for breakynge of the Lorrdes preceptes and chefly for Idolatry , Exo. iii were punisshed with diuers temporall plages and punnisshmentes . So lyke case that ye whiche haue the celestiall kyngedome promised vnto you , where ther are suche thynges prepared for them that loue god , which the eye hath not sene and the eare hath not herde nor hath it entred in to the herte of man . i. Co. ii . Esa. l●iiii If ye wyll not obserue the lordes commaundementes , but prouoke hym styl vnto displeasure with your ydolatry as I sayd , it is to be feared , lest your punysshment be reserued vnto that place , Math. xiiii . where there shall be waylynge and gnasshyng of tethe . Call your iniquites to remembraunce , expell your synne and ydolatry with repentaunce . Be not styffe necked agaynst the lorde whiche standeth waytynge that he may haue mercy vpon you , & lifteth hym selfe vp the he may receyue you to grace . Esa. xxi As the prophet Esaye sayd vnto the people of god whiche were punysshed , for sekyng helpe at other then hym selfe , for the lord god is ryghtuous , happy are al they that wayte for hym . Marke that sayeng of the prophet , he sayd not happy are some , but happy are all that wayte for hym . And though the wordes were spoken vnto the people of Cyon , and to the Cytesens of Ierusalem , yet doth it serue also vnto vs . For he is our lorde and our God , of whom it was sayd vnto them , shall ye neuer be in heuynesse , for dowtles he wyll haue mercy vpon you . Esa. xxx As sone as he hereth the voyce of thy cry he wyl helpe the. The Lorde gyueth you the breed of aduersyte , and the water of trouble , but thyne instructour flyeth not far from that yf thyne eyes loke vnto hym , yf thyne eares herken vnto his word , that cryeth after that and sayeth . This is the way , go this , & tourne the neyther to the ryght hande nor to the lyft . ye ought to put nothyng to the word of god nor to take no thyng from it , Deu. iiii the lord wold haue you kepe the streight path which is apoynted vnto you by the scrypture . As for the tradycyons of men they be dowtfull & in many thynges not consonaunt vnto the scripture . Haue ye not ben taught to bable vp suche prayers , wherof ye vnderstode not one word what ye sayd . The apostle sayeth yf I praye with tonges ( meanyng a voyce that he vnderstode not ) my spyryte prayeth but my mynde is without fruyte . I had leuer in the congregacyon to speake . v. wordes with my mynde to the informacyon of other , i , Cor. xiiii rather then .x. thousande wordes with the tonges ( whiche be not vnderstande . ) The effecte of prayer ꝑsisteth not in many wordes . Christ sayeth , Mat. vi when ye praye bable not moche as the Gentyls do , for they thynke they shal be herde for theyr moche bablyng sake . Be ye not lyke them therfore , for youre father knoweth wherof ye haue nede before ye aske of hym . Ma● . ●● The scrybes and pharasyes were reproued of the lorde for teachyng the people to obserue theyr tradycyons in stede of goddes preceptes , sayenge . Ese . xix Well prophecyed Esaye of you , with theyr lyppes they honoure me , but theyr herte is farre fro me . And where the worde of God is truely preached the same word lyke wyse shall reproue your false teachers whiche haue taught you and youre fathers th●s many yeres wycked tradycyons . Mat. vi . The true fastynge and perfyte prayer haue they abused , and taughte the people to doo lykewyse the workes of charyte and almous dede ( whiche oughte to be done and gyuen to the poore ) hathe ben dymynysshed and gyuen to sturdy and valyaunt beggers craftely crepte in to the church of Christ , which haue begyled the people with theyr false ypocrysy and fayned holynesse . Meruayll not though it greue them that the people haue fre lyberty to rede and serche the scriptures , for it is the onely thyng that vttereth theyr craft theyr falshode , & theyr wyckednesse , for betwyxte them and theyr ydolles which were inuented to pyke mennes purses ( and that vnder an holy pretence ) what meruayl was it that England was so replenysshed with theues , vacabundes and beggees , it is an euydent thing that the most parte of them be offended that the scrypture is in Englysshe , wherby their subteltye is espied , for if a man reproue them of ypocrysy , or byd them laboure for their lyuynge . Awe say they is this the charyte that the gospel teacheth you . Truely it were not to be wondred at yf men were not so moche in charyte with you as they be whiche so haue dysceyued the pore symple soules from theyr charytable aimous , to whome god dyd apoynt it to be gyuen . I say not this because men shulde breake their pacyence towardes you , but to reduce you the soner to repentaunce and amendement , and to be sory and ashamed of your euyll doynges . Saynt Iohn sayeth in his seconde Epystle who so transgresseth & abydeth not in the doctryne of Christ hath not god , he that abydeth in the doctryne of Christ hath bothe the father and the sonne . If any man come to you and bryng not this doctryne , receyue hym not in to your house neyther salute hym . That text I suppose caused the freres to ronne aboute with In principio erat verbum , fearynge els they shulde not be saluted of the peple nor receyued in to theyr houses . But there is an other place in scrypture more conuenyent to be applyed vnto them then that place agreed and serued to their purpose , beware of false ꝓphetes which come to you in shepes clothyng , but inwardly they are rauenyng wolues , ye shal know them by their fruytes , God knoweth my herte I write this for no malice vnto them , but to th entent that the truthe of gods glory which hath long ben hyd mought appere agayne , & his holy gospel which they & suche other haue falsly belyed , peruerted & kepte in corners may come to his perfyte lyght , so that the people myght know the true honouryng of God to be in spirite & veryte , & to folow the exhortacyon of saynt Peter to walke after the wyl of god & not after the wyll of the hethen , i. Pe. iii. in wantonnes , ryotous drynkyng , & abhomynable ydolatry , & the holsom counsell of saynt Paule to be no worshipper of ymages , Collo . i. & to mortefy your membres of synne vpon the earth . Iohn . v. Saynt Iohn warneth lytel chyldren to kepe them selues from ymages . O lorde howe hath thy blessed worde & the doctrine of thy holy sayntes ben abused the old men now a days can scarsly be brought to folow the lesson . Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy ghost . i Cor. vi . Remembre vpon what foundacyon ye are buylded , Mat. ●●i . 〈…〉 stycke vnto your foundacyon & cleue fast to your heed corner stone , which can not be remoued . ye are not a temple of stone made with mennes handes , ye are the lyuyng temple of god , ii Cor. vi whiche haue ben longe in decay , brused , broken , & pulled downe of those that wer enemyes bothe to you & your foundacyon Christ , Mat ●●● i. Cor. iii but they haue pulled so long , that they haue met with a rocke , 1 Pet. ii . the stomblyng stone whiche hath made them to fall . Now is the tyme to repayre your temple agayne be ye not neclygent in the lordes worke , but laboure with herte & mynde , therin euery man according to his power & callyng . And agaynst suche as wyll go aboute to hyndre or let the going forth of your worke , prouyde watch men ( I meane preachers ) to defende you with the worde of god as the people dyd at the buyldyng agayn of Ierusalem with weapons , ii . ●●● . iiii & some labouring with one hand hauyng their weapons in the other hand . So ye that are labourers in what scyence so euer it be ( to gete your lyuyng with trouthe , accordyng to the wyll of god ) yf ye can handle your weapon , yf ye haue any knowledge in the scriptures , then let the lawe of god , his holy testament & blessed word ( beyng the sworde that Christ commaunded his dyscyples to by ) be alwayes redy at your hande , ●● . ●xii whether ye eate or drynke , slepe or wake , go or ride , ye when ye be at your lawfull workes , & in all places haue it in a redynes , to resyst therwith the enemyes of the lordes worke ( which wolde not haue his holy temple repayred agayne . ) Beholde what an ouerseer & mayster of your worke , the lorde your god hath chosen & apoynted vnto you our most gracious king a true defender of the fayth of Christ & his churche , agaynst the wrongful violatours therof . And for because he wolde not take the name in vayne ( craftely giuen to his grace to support & maynteyn a church which is against christ ) ( depriuyng prynces from their iust tytle & true name . ) He hath taken vpon hym ( as the law of god permytteth ) to be the supreme heed of the church vnder god , which was not only faisly vsurped from his grace & his predycessours , but also from al other kynges & prynces . Reioyce & be mery all ye which haue ben as shepe goyng a stray . i. Pet. ii . Luce. xv Esa. liii But now retourned agayne to your bysshop & shepeherde of youre flocke , & they that be not come , let them come & herken vnto his voyce , & to theyr voyces whom he hathe sent to call them . Let them no longer disceyue you which sent you to deed ymages no nor yet to the sayntes to be youre aduocates . Our aduocate ●s Ihesus Christe . i. Ioh. ii whiche optayneth grace for our synnes , and not for our synnes onely but for the synnes of all the world . Serche the scriptures and ye shal se howe wrongfully & falsly they haue belyed it bothe agaynst god and man . For where they haue borne kynges & prynces in hande that yf the people shulde be suffered to haue it in theyr maternall tonge that it wolde make them heretykes to god , & disobedient vnto theyr gouernours . There is nothyng more true then this is an abhomynable lye , a very blasphemy to god , and treason to kynges , for it is the onely perfyte thyng , that teacheth men theyr true obedyence and duety , bothe to god , to the prynces & to ther gouernours . 〈◊〉 iii. Saynt Paule wrote vnto Titus sayeng , warne the people that they submyt them selues vnto prnyces , and to the hyer auctorite , to obey the officers , & to be redy vnto al good workes . Ro. xiii . And vnto the Romaynes , let euery soule submyt hym selfe vnto the hyer powers , for there is no power but of god . In the same chapter he sayeth , gyue to euery man therfore his duety trybute to whome tribute belongeth , custome to whom custome is due , feare to whom feare belongeth , i. Pet. ii . honour to whom honour perteyneth . Saynt Peter sayeth submyt your selues vnto all maner ordenaunces of men , whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto the chyef heed , or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of hym , for the punysshment of euyll doers . But for the prayse of them that do wel , honour al men loue brotherly felowshyp . Feare god , and honour the kyng . And Christ hym selfe sayd vnto the discyples of the pharises , mat . xxii whiche were sent to tangle hym in his wordes , concernynge trybute to be payde vnto the Emperour . Gyue vnto Cesar that whiche is Cesars , & gyue vnto god that whiche is gods . Many mo places are ther conteyned in the scryptures , to establysshe and confyrme my sayenges to be trewe , teachyng the people the trewe loue & feare of god , and the iust obedience & honour of prynces , and suche as be in auctoryte . But I trust that this shall suffyse at this tyme to be a memoryall vnto you , for to beware of those which durst presume so to belye the worde of god , and that vnto kynges and rulers of the worlde . And in stede of goddes worde to fede al men with fables , lyes , and false tradycyons . For it teacheth them not onely theyr duety to god & to the hye powers , but also of chyldren vnto theyr parentes , Eph. vi seruauntes vnto their maysters , wyues vnto theyr husbandes , and how the husbandes agayne shuld loue theyr wyues , Ephe. ● educate theyr children , prouyde for theyr housholde , vse them selues towardes theyr seuauntes , and howe euery degre shulde behaue hym selfe one towarde an other Now yf these which haue taken vpon them to be preachers in tyme paste , bothe to vs and our fathers , be not approued to be vntrue mynysters of goddes worde , and false lyers therof then beleue not my worke . And yf with theyr lyeng and false doctryne they had hurted the body onely the thyng mought more easely be suffered . But how can they recompence the iniury done vnto the soule of man whiche coulde neuer haue ben redemed , Ephe. i Col. i. Heb. i. but with the precyous bloode of Chryste onely , whiche also they haue belyed . Who soeuer thynke I wryte truely let them beleue the truthe . But for the satysfyeng of their myndes , I desyre them to serche the scryptures , which I doubte not shal be a wytnesse vnto me that I haue wrytten the trouthe . And ye that haue receyued the name of Chryst and are called christiens , I testefye vnto you that ye are bounde also to receyue his doctryne ( whiche is his holy gospell ) or els ye haue a name in vayne , as for the decrees decretales , constitucions , and tradicions of men , and the rules of Benedicke Dominicke , Austyn , Fraunces or any of them all ye ought to gyue no ferther credence vnto them then they agre with the scripture and perfyte word of god , of the which word , I requyre and exhorte all men not to be reders & herers onely but also folowers therof . For yf any man here the worde and do it not , he is lyke vnto a man that beholdeth his bodely face in a glasse , Iaco. i , for as sone as he hath loked on hym selfe he goeth his way , & forgetteth immediatly what his facyon was . But who so loketh in the perfyte law of lybertye & contynueth therin , yf he be not a forgetfull herer but a doer of the worke , the same shall be happy in his dede . These are not myne owne wordes , but the godly wordes & counsell of saynt Iames ( the apostle of Chryst . ) And for because ye shall not thynke the I haue attempted in this my worke to entyse your hertes from deuocyon & to set you at lyberty to do what euyll ye lyst . ( as the sclaunderers of goddes worde haue reported of other men . ) I praye you to lerne a lesson or .ii. more of saynt Iames & of other holy men that ye may know what pure deuocyon is , & how ye ought to pray & aske in fayth , and knowe what lyberty ye haue by the gospell & word of god . Pure deuocyon and vndefiled before god the father is this to visyte the frendlesse & wydowes in aduersyte , Iaco. i. and to kepe your selues vnspotted of the worlde . Iaco. i. If any man lacke wysdome let hym aske it of god whiche gyueth to all men indyfferently , and casteth no man in the tethe and it shall be gyuen hym . But let hym aske in faythe and wauer not , for he the wauereth is lyke the wawes of the see tost of the wynde and caryed with vyolence , neyther let that man thynke he shall receyue any thyng of the lorde . A waueryng mynded man is vnstable in all his wayes . Dauyd sayth put thou thi trust in the lord & be doyng good , Psal. xxxvi . so shal he gyue the thy herts desyre . This sayeng of the prophet agreeth nothing with them which say that the scripture & new lernyng ( as they cal it ) setes men at liberty to do what they lyst but they are enemyes to Christ & his doctrine that so haue taught the people , & their ygnoraunce is moch to be lamented whiche beleued them , Dauyd byddeth you to do good , & absteyne from euyl , & so do al the places of scripture likewyse exhorte you , for where ye haue herd that it shal be geuen you of god the father what soeuer ye aske in his sonnes name . Thynke ye that this promyse dothe perteyne to suche as be euyll doers , and contynewe styll in wyckednesse , no truly . ii . thi . ii Saynt Paule sayeth let him that calleth on the name of Chryst departe from iniquite . Wherfore I counsayll you to folowe the exortacyon of Paule , Peter , Iames , and Iohn , and suche as were Christes apostles and dyscyples , leauynge vnto vs a memoryall of their lyuyng , whose doctryne accordeth with theyr maysters , and is approued for holy scrypture , theyr lernynge is no newe lernynge . It is aboue a thousande yeres olde , and yf that be not olde ynough , then I pray you to loke vpon the doctryne of Dauyd , Esaye Ieromy , and suche as were the holy prophetes , & compare their documentes , and lyuyng with the apostles , & se howe all they agree togyther in Christ , and if ye passe so moche vpon the nombre of yeres , because ye saye ye wyll kepe the olde lawe and olde facyons , I am sure they may be your fathers great grauntfathers . Wherfore saye not that ye wyl do as your fathers haue don . For as I haue wrytten before ther were crafty scole maysters that taught them vntrue lessons , but many perceyued them whiche coueted to se the dayes that we se . Wherfore yf ye deny the doctryne of the apostles and prophetes ye deny Chrystes gospell , Luce. x. yf ye deny his holy gospell ye deny Chryst hym selfe . If ye saye ye deny not Chryst it is not trewe , as longe as ye sclaundre his worde , callyng it newe lernyng , speking euyl of the teachers and reders of it . And ye your selues refusynge bothe to rede and here his godly wyl declared vnto you in his scryptures . Wherfore yf ye wyll be membres of his churche , helpe to repayre agayne the lordes temple , inbrace his scrypture , herken vnto his voyce , and vnto them which calleth you vnto him . And when ye are come folow hym in doynge the workes of charyte which belong vnto fayth , that ye maye here these confortable and ioyful wordes of Chryst . Come hether ye blessed of my father , mat . xxv enheryte ye the kyngdom whiche is prepared for you from the begynnyng of the worlde . Amen .

¶ Finis . ¶ God saue the kyng . ¶ Cum priuilegio .