stes wordes we myght alwaye frely vse them . ¶ Thyrdlye , this errour is also by this reproued , that the Papystes sounde forth with full mouthes , that is , that the Churche commaunded vnder payne of deedly synne to be necessarye , that we shulde faste in .iiii. tymes of the yere , in the euys of the apostels , and certayne other sayntis all whiche thynges this sayeng of chryste confoundeth . ¶ What soeuer entryth in through the mouth defyleth not the man . Veryly , fastynge ought to be fre and voluntarye , so that without chose of dayes or meates euery man after his appetyte , shulde faste or not faste . ¶ Fourthly , the Bn̄dictynes , the Bernardynes , the Chartusyans , and all other , whiche for mens Tradycyons abstayne from egges , flesshe and such lyke repugne as aduersaryes to chryste . For why theyr doctryne contraryeth Chrystes doctryne / after this maner . What soeuer entryth in through the mouth defoyleth , by whiche sayeng they reproue Chryste as a lyar , whiche sayth . what so euer entryth in through the mouthe defoylyth not . And so thou mayste perceyue by this sayeng of Chryste that all the sectes of Monkes . yea & all that hole spyrytuall ordynauncꝭ ( as they call it ) are dystroyed & condempned . For yf that , that entryth through the mouth defoyleth not the man howe moche lesse than , shall the thynges / whiche couer the bodye , as the cowle , the coote , the shert , the hose , the shoo , the gow̄ne , the cloke , grene coloure , yelowe , redde whyte / dyuers colour , besyde this , the place , the temple , the howse , the cell , the chambre defoyle the man ? By this it foloweth that they agayne reproue Chryst of a lye / whiche holde it for synne , yf a monke be clothed besyde the maner of his ordre . Veryly what chryst reakenyth for no synne , that boldly affyrme they to be synne . What other thynge therfore I praye you is that , that this sorte of men do , than to saye to chryste . Yea , euyn at his face ? thou lyest chryste . For therin is synne , wherin thou seyst that none is . Neyther veryly shall it any thynge auayle them although they lay forthe for them Gregory , Bernarde , Benedicte , or Frauncys . For we shulde more attende to Chrystes sayenges , whiche onely in the mounte of Thabor was created a teacher by his heuenly father , as Mathew testyfyeth in his .xvii. chapytre This is ( sayth he ) my dere beloued sone / in whom I haue delyte , hem here ye . Veryly the father sayd not in this place , here Bernarde , bn̄dicte , frauncꝭ / but this , this , this , my welbeloued sone here ye . Ferther more who knoweth whether these holye men in these doyngis wrought well , or of fendyd . For vndoutedlye they obserued these thynges without conpulsyon , or els for some precept , now yf they so obserued them / they are not yet so moche to be folowed that Chryste shulde vtterly be forsaken all these thynges Chryste in the same chapytre of Mathewe confyrmeth with the sayeng that foloweth . That ( saythe he ) whiche commeth forth from the mouthe defoyleth the man . For by it all yll adfectes breke forth from the herte , as bawdry , aduoultrye , thefte , lesynges , backebytyngꝭ , & suche lyke / these thynges defyle a man . Here I aske ( for as moche as that is onely synne , whiche wellyth from the herte , as Chryste playnly concludeth ) by what meanes doth butter , chefe , mylke , egges defyle a man / whyle they come not forth from the mouth , but from the Cowes wombe / and from the henne ? what man ( I praye you ) euer sawe flesshe , shauynges ( which they call the preestes crownes ) places , heary garmentes procede from the mouthe ? The kyen perchaunce synne whyle they brynge vs forthe mylke , butter , & calues . Moreouer the dreames and Imagynacyons of monkes , yea and all the humayne tradycyons of maner of lyfe , of clothes , of places / and of all suche outwarde thynges not onely derogateth the glory of god / and deceyue the people / but also are lyke to the tryfelynge mowes / and lyghtcastꝭ of tomlyng apes . Neuerthelesse of trueth some man couyteth to haue deyntye fare , and to weare fyne and ryche clothes / but this desyre and appetyte procedeth from the herte . And some man can as greadyly eate fysshe as flesshe . A man shall also fynde some that wyll be as prowde in a cote of yelowe clothe , as another wyll be in a cote of sylke , in conclusyon . Chryste deceyuyth vs not whan he sayth . Whatsoeuer entryth through the mouthe pollutyth not a man / but that that commeth forthe from the mouthe defyleth the man . Nowe yf it be trewe that a man is not defoyled nor synneth in settynge asyde the humayne tradycyons , it must nedes folowe that no man is made cleane or deseruyth any thynge yf he kepe and obserue them specyally whyle that is onely cleane and worthy of rewarde , whiche is contrary to syn & fylthynes . Wherfore in all the hole lyfe of monkis , there is nothyng pure nor worthy of rewarde , whiche thynge Chryste also affyrmeth by Mathew , the .xv. chapytre . In vayne ( sayth he ) worship they me with the tradycyons of men . Why saythe he in vayne ? veryly for that that in not regardynge those tradycyons nothyng is synned , and in obseruynge them nothynge is deserued , for surely they are but meane thyngꝭ , and by this the spyrytulte suttelly deceyue them self , whyle they reaken a rewarde where none is , & suppose that they offende where no synne can be so that this sayenge of the Prophete / in the .xiii. Psalme may very well agre with theyr actis . They feare ( sayth he ) where nothynge is to be feared .

THe fyfte place , is of Paule in the seconde chapytre , to the Collossyans Let no man ( sayth he ) trouble your conscyence for meate and drynke , or for a pece of a holy day , as the holy daye of the newe moone or of the saboth day , whiche ar but shodowes of thynges to come / but the body is of chryste . Let no man myscarye you from the trewe pathe , whiche after his owne Imagynacyon walketh in the humblenesse and holynes of Angles , thynges , whiche he neuer sawe vaynely blowen vp with his carnall mynde not holdynge the hede of whom all the bodye by ioyntes and couples takyth norysshement and is knyt togyther , and groweth with the encreasynge that commeth from god Wherfore yf ye be deed with chryste from the doctrynes of the worlde , why than as though ye yet lyued in the worlde are ye led with the tradycyons of them , that say towche not , tast not , handle not , all whiche perysshe with the abusynge of them , after preceptis and doctrynes of men , whiche thynges veryly haue the symylytude of wysdom by chosen holynes / and humblenes of the mynde , and weykynge of the body , & not by any worshyp for the mayntenaunce of the flesshe to his nede . Spekyth Paule nowe agayne of the Manychees ? and Tatyans . Or can any man excuse the Papystes of thyse sayeng ? No , for the apostle spekyth here of those that entangle the wretchyd conscyencꝭ with humayne preceptes and doctrynes that they cause them to dyscerne meate fro meate , drynke fro drynke , cloth fro clothe , & other outwarde thynges . Nowe it is openly knowen that the Pope , preestes , and monkis , do these thynges . For it is ordayned by theyr Decrees , that certayne dayes men shulde abstayne from flesshe , egges , butter , chese , mylke , & other creatures of god . And they haue also for them selfes peculyer garmentes fascyoned fer from other mennes , agayne all whiche thynges Paule boldly fyghteth . Fyrste whan he sayth let no man trouble your conscyences for meate , drynke , cloth , or day . Whiche thynge what is it other ( I praye you ) than to saye . Be ye not preestes , monkes , freers , neyther obserue ye the popes Decretals , nor byleue ye that to be synne whiche he chalengeth and holdeth for synne . Now here a man maye perceyue that god commaundeth by Paule his electe vessell that we shuld not regarde the Decrees of the pope preestis , monkis , & freers , or at lest way we shulde reaken them to be free , & take them as meane thyngꝭ , whiche of them selfe be nor expedyent nor preiudycyall , lest happely they myght trouble and stere our conscyences . Yf we take not good hede / whiche thyng is no other to say / but be ye not preestes , monkis , nor freers . And they that all ready haue entred in to the Papystes holy relygyon , shuld eyther ryd them selfe from it , or this wyse obserue the papystes Decretals , that yf at any tyme they lette passe or transgresse in any of them , they shuld not reaken it to be synne , but counte them as lawfully to be let slypped as retayned . For all though these wordes were spoken by the Iewes , whiche obserued them after the lawe of Moyses ( and Paule here saith that they were but shadowes and fygures of thynges to come , but the body is in chryste . ) Yet neuerthelesse they moche more agre with the decrees of the pope , preestis , & monkis . For yf that be sessyd whiche god Instytuted , and shuld nomore bynde the conscyence . Howe moche more than ought nothynge to be Instytuted & commaunded by men , whiche myght bynde the conscyence ? Whiche thynge hereafter shal be more playnly shewed . ¶ Secondarylye , Paule saythe , let no man defraude you , or malycyously shewe you a wrong marke , to lede you fro the trewe prycke , & begyle you of the rewarde , as who wold say . Take hede to your selfe that no man mysguyde you from fayth ( whiche is the onelye waye to purchase the rewarde of helthe ) in to the truste of workes , that ye shulde wyll to be Iustyfyed , and attayne to the reward of helth by a meane whiche the Papystes haue prescrybed . What way and meane they haue prescrybed . ye shall nowe openly perceyue by that , that foloweth . ¶ Thyrdely , he saythe , let no man deceyue you in voluntary and chosen humblenes and holynes of aungels . Peynteth not Paule here , euyn with theyr coloures the sectes of monkes and all the Popes holy flocke ? Countyth not the pope and all the papystes all theyr beluynges , rorynges , and cryengꝭ in the temple , and theyr obedyence of beckꝭ & duegardes euyn for the hyest vertues and workes ? So this is the honourable and deuoute humble holynesse of the Papystes . But nowe of whom had they theyr preceptes and tradycyons ? They them selfes haue chosen them , and haue soughte theym out euyn for theyr owne myschefes . For by this meanes they haue withdrawen them self from the commune humblenes and obedyence of men , of whiche thynges we haue by goddes commaundement that one shulde submyt hym selfe agayne the other , & the one shuld obaye the other , whiche thynge they neuer do . For they ar not subiecte to a temporall ruler ( to whom Paule commaunded to obaye ) but haue shaken them selfe from that yoke , & haue begon a peculyer obedyence and humblenes of theyr owne Inuencyons , neuertheles they boste that theyr obedyence ( in whiche are many shamefull thynges ) fer excellyth the obedyence of the laye men . Yea & that theyrs is perfyte , & lyke to the obedyence of aungels / whan yet throughout all the hole worlde a man can fynde no sorte of people more dysobedyent or blowen vp with more pryde . They haue also auowed chastyte , and pouerte , neyther labour they as other men do , but after the maner of heuenly aungels they laude god nyghte and daye in often prayers and songes . And to be short they wolde haue men thynke that they lede a heuenly lyfe , whan yet no man is more gylty of horryble pleasures , no man more ryche in Iniquyte : no man lesse truely holy , no man more proude herted than they whiche name them selfe spyrytuall . Yet transfer they vnder colour of theyr ghostly lyfe , the prycke of faythe from all mortall men / and dysceyue them vpon the hope and Iustyfyeng of workes . All these thyngꝭ ( as I gesse ) were not spoken onely by the Manychees , and Tatyans , but also by the papystes , whiche thyngꝭ theyr workes full well declare . ¶ Fourthlye , walkynge ( sayth he ) in thynges whiche he neuer sawe , whiche thynge is most prouycions in the humane doctrynes & fascyon of lyfe . As who sayth , that they whiche lyue after those tradycyons , & doctrynes stycke to no foundacyon nor example of trewe scrypture , neyther are they of any certayntie , whether they doo well or not . For all theyr laboure is vncertayne in so moche that yf a man requyre whether theyr maner of lyf please god or not , they must answere . We knowe not , yea & that all theyr good workes be cast in the wynde , and ar of no accompte . Whiche thyng they ar constrayned by force to confesse . For why , they lacke fayth , whiche fayth onely assertayneth vs , that all dedes be acceptable to god , and that without any occasyon of our desertes , but onely by the very grace & power of god . So all theyr obedyence and holynes , euyn whan they seme best , are vncertayne and of no valewe . ¶ Fyftely , Vaynely ( sayth he ) they are swollen with pryde , that is although they can haue no occasyon of presumpsyon ( for they are vnstable , and false beleuers , and lede a cursed lyfe , ) Neuertheles yet cast they vp theyr noses in the wynde and boste that theyr maner lyfe is the best and moste sure way to purchase helth , so ferforth , that they repute all other mennes condycyons as vyle and of no valewe , in Regarde of theyr owne . For trewely those wretches perceyue not theyr proude hye carnall mynde , bycause of theyr ouermoche angelyke humblenes and obedyence . O abhomynable frute of the humane doctryne . ¶ Syxtly , They shal departe ( sayth he ) and varye from chryste , which is our hed . Truely it is impossyble that the tradycyons of men & chryste shulde be in one sentence . For the one excludyth the other , for yf the conscyence gyue credence to Chryste , the truste of humane tradycyons and workes takyth a fall . But yf the conscyence put truste in workes , than hath chryste loste his place . For it can not be brought to passe that the herte can be grounded vpon a double foundacion the one must nedes fayle , lykewyse se we openly that the Papystes truste onely to theyr cerymonyes & tradycyons , for oonles they had truste in theym , truelye they wolde sette them at nought and forsake them , or els at lestwaye they wolde vse them freely , & whan tyme requyred . But yf no ferther daunger were in them , this ( Alas ) were to moche , that whyle they put truste in the abhomynablenes of humane doctrynes , they forsake god , and clene departe from hym , whiche thynge Peter also testyfyeth in his fyrste pystle , in which he dyscryueth the orders of Monkes with horryble wordes . They are ( sayth he ) the sectes of dampnacyon , whiche denye chryste , and in the latter pystle the seconde chapytre he sayth on this maner . There shal be false mynysters amonge you , whiche shall inuent & brynge in dampnable sectis And shall denye the lorde whiche bought them with his blode . ¶ Seuenthlye , It may be openly thought by this sayeng of Paule that our spyrytualtie ar twyched in the quycke where he sayth . Yf ye be ded with Chryst why than yet suffre ye your selfes , as thoughe ye were yet lyuynge in the worlde to be troubled and led aboute the busshe with humane tradycyons , as thou shalte not twyche that , thou shalte not eate that , thou shalt not handle that , Neyther can any man denye but that god in this place of Paule forbade to teche & to here the doctrynes of men , yf by them the conscyence of men shulde be bounde & endaungered . Noo man therfore can be with salue conscyence , a monke , a preest , a freer , or suche lyke . For all they ( wyll they or not , are compelled to confesse that theyr conscyences ar entangled and bonde to the foresayde tradycyons . A man may perceyue nowe howe effectuall this sayeng of Paule is agayne the tradycyons of men . And how horryble it is to be herde that they haue forsaken chryste whiche is our hed : that they haue depted from the fayth , and that they ar made so very hethens , whyle yet they suppose that all the world hangyth & is maynteyned , thorowly by theyr holynesse , whiche is euyn so trewe as heuen is vpholden , & stondyth on the sholders of Atlas the maurytane .

THe seuenth place is / of Paule in the fyrste chapytre to Thymothe . Teache them ( sayth he ) that they gyue no hede to vntrewe Fables and mennes tradycyons , whiche thynges withdrawe from the trueth . Here agayne thou mayst perceyue how the apostle playnly commaunded , that we shulde not attende to mennes Doctrynes and Decrees semyth not this vnto the as a very hell , or at lest way an occasyon to dryue the to hell whan Paule sayth , that the preceptes and tradycyons of men ar fer from the trueth , yea and they leade a man so fer from the trueth that he can not be able to knowe the trewe thynge from the false , but call good yll , and yll good , the day nyght , and the nyght daye . For mannes herte ( as we afore haue showed ) can not haue truste both in chrystes doctryne , and also in the doctrynes & workes of men . For as soone as the herte begynneth to applye to mennes tradycyons it wexeth straunge to the trueth , and nothynge regardyth it . Of the other parte , after that that the herte begynneth to put hole truste in chryste / it can not chuse but set at nought all mennes tradycyons . By this thou mayst perceyue whether the curse of chryst , or of the pope is more to be feared . The Pope and his complyces , curse the with theyr cruell excommunycacions euyn to the pyt of helle . Yf thou applye not to theyr commaundementes . But chryste thretenyth and forbedyth the on payne of his euerlastyng curse that thou gyue no hede to theyr tradycyons & curses . Now auyse the to whiche of the both thou shuldest obaye .

THe tenth Place is / of Salomon in the .xxx. chapytre Of his Prouer bys The wordes of god ( sayth he ) are fyred & ar a defence for all them that stycke to them , and beleue them . Adde thou nothynge to the wordes of hym , left he ponysshe the , and left thou be founde culpable of a lye . Suffyce the thou reader for this tyme with that that hathe ben sayd , howbeit many other places myghte haue be founde thorowly amonges the prophetes whiche wold very wel serue this purpose , namelye in Heremye , whiche in his seuenth chapytre sayth . Here ye not that whiche semyth ryghtfull and iust to you , but that that I commaunde you . And walke ye in euery waye whiche I haue commaunded you , that it myght be well with you . And in the .ix. chapytre , he sayth bycause they haue forsaken my lawe which I gaue to them , and haue not herde my voyce , nor haue walked in it , but haue gone from it after the frowardnes of theyr hertes , and after Bailym whiche thynge they haue lerned of theyr Fathers . Therfore sayth the Lorde god of the congregacyon of Israell these thynges . Lo I shall feade this people with worme wode and gyue them water of gall for theyr drynke and shall dyspercle them amonge nacyons whiche they nor theyr Fathers neuer knewe . And I shall sende my swerde after them vntyll they be dystroyed . And Ezechyell in his .xxxiiii. chapytre , sayth woo be to the herdes of Israell , whiche haue fed them selfes . Ar the shepe not fed of the herdes ? ye haue eaten the mylke , and haue coueryd your selfe with the wolle , and that that was fatte ye haue slayne , but ye haue not fed my flocke . And in the seconde chapytre of Malachie it is sayde . And nowe this commaundement is to you ye preestes , yf ye wyll not here , and yf ye wyll not sette it on your hertes to gyue glory to my name sayth the Lorde of the congregacyon . I wyll send pouerte vpon you , and I wyll curse your blyssynges , and I wyll curse them bycause ye sette it not in your hertes . Then wyll they crye ( as Mycheas sayth in his thyrde chapyt ) to the Lorde , but he shall not here them , and he shall hyde his face from them at the tyme , bycause they haue wyckedly led theyr lynes in theyr owne Inuencyons . And for the myschefe of those Inuencyons ( as O see in his .ix. chapytre wytnesseth ) god shall caste them out of his howse , and in his .xx. chapytre He saythe god shall rewarde them after theyr wayes , and after theyr Inuencyons . ✚