The sum of christianity gathered out almost of all placis of scripture, by that noble and famous clerk FRANCIS LAMBERT of Auynyon.  
And translated, and put in to print in english, by TRISTRAM REVEL. The year of our lord.  
1536. ❧   

The table of this book.  
first there is an epistle of the translator to the most virtuous Queen ANNE.  
There is also the epistle of the Author in place or stead of a prologue. to the most noble lord, lord sebastian prince of Lausane, in the which is made answer to those things that Tregaryus writ to the same Lord in his epistle prefixed, his hundredth paradoxes.  
Also these things following be entreated upon in .385. paradoxes or questions, divided into chapters.  

¶ The first Chapter of the blydnes of the worlds paste and hath Paradoxes .29.  
¶ The second Chapter of the holy Church of god and reprovable synagogue of Satan of canonyzing and invocation of saints and hath Paradoxes .31.  
¶ The third Chapter of the communion of Saints, of excomunycatyon and bulls of the son of perdition and hath Paradoxes .14.  
¶ The fourth chapiter of true good works and the law of grace, and the gospel, and virtues of the faithful, and hath Paradoxes .20.  
¶ The fifth chapiter of the priesthood of the faithful, and true ministers of the church i bishops and deacons, and hath Paradoxes .38.  
¶ The sixth chapiter of punishment and deposing false bishops, and false apostles, and hath Paradoxes .31.  
¶ The seventh chapiter of the authority and ministry of bishops, and in what things they ought to be subject to princes, and rulers, & of sanctuaryes, and hath Paradoxes .27.  
¶ The eight chapiter that bishops may not be princes and lords, and hath Paradoxes .13.  
¶ The ninth chapiter of abrogation of first fruits tithes and offerings, and what the faithful own to their bishops i ministers of the word, also of those things that they own to princes and rulers, and hath Paradoxes .28.  
¶ The tenth chapiter of the table of the lord and execrable customs of the kingdom of the son of perdition, utterly to be extinct and put down and of Purgatory, and hath Paradoxes .36.  
¶ The eleventh chapiter of sects and begging, & hath Paradoxes .18.  
¶ The twelfth chapiter to whom it belongythe to judge of doctrine if it be of god or not and of wicked universities, and hath Paradoxes .15.  
¶ The thyrtenthe chapiter of the parts (as they call it) of penance and all that belongythe there to, and hath Paradoxes .85.   
¶ This term Paradox is a conclusion or position or question. ☞: ♣: ☜ ❧   

The epistle of the translator  
❧ To the most gracious Queen ANNE, most dear wife, of our most drade sovereign lord, HENRY the eight of England, & of France king, defender of the faith, and lord of Ireland, and under god, next, chief, and supreme head of the church of England, your most bounden orator Trystram Revel wysshethe health.  
GRace, and peace, from God the father, and the lord jesus christ, be with you most Gracious Queen/ most humbly, and with all reverence giving laudes/ and praisings unto almighty god for your grace, even after the mind of saint Paul, 
Ephe  always in all my prayers for your grace, with gladness, because of the felyshype which your grace hath in the gospel, from the first day until now, and am surely certified, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will also go forth with it, until the day of jesus christ, with the increase and establishment of his gospel, as yet but young & hath many enemies, to whom the lord send the day of his visytatyon, to his honour and glory, and your grace to persevere, with all diligence as your grace have begun to promote, further, and set forth, 
●oh. 1.  God's word, upon the self same zeal that saint johan cried in desert, make ready the way of the lord/ So that every man may be ruled by the last will, and testament of our eldest brother, and lord jesus christ, which is sufficient for all us to live after, to everlasting health, to know God the father to be God alone and whom he hath sent jesus christ, 
〈◊〉. 17.  without any other foreign or strange laws, he hath also straightly commanded his lawyers, 
●●odi. ●.  bishops over the congregation or any other, neither to add or diminish one jote, to, or from his foresaid last will, 
isai. ●●.  saying, I am thy god, the God of Zelotes, one alone sufficient, thou shalt have no strange gods in my syht, 
●ie. 31.  neither turn to the right hand, nor the left. And now hear Israel the precepts, and judgements, which I teach thee, that doing them, thou mayst live, & going in, may possess the land that the lord God of thy fathers will give the. Thou shalt add nothing to the word that I speak to thee, 
Deu. ●  nor take any thing from it, keep the commandments of thy lord god, and hold the kings high way, the path of holy scripture, which is the word, besides whom there is none other, furthermore upon the self same charge, he hath ordained, institute, and made executors for the performance of his said testament, that every man without respect of person, should be equally received, and that of sundry wise. first he hath institute, 
Mark 17. Math 16. Mark 10. Lu. 2. Hu. 1 3. Regum. ●  bishops to teach his people therein to lose, to bind, to pronaunce grace, and remission of sins, given thorough his word. Moreover he hath put kings, princes, & rulers, in their authorities, to punish, correct and expulse from his congregation, transgressors of his laws, and strangers, not seeking to edify but to kill, which be called blood suppers, men living after their own brains, and fantasies, not coming in at the door but another way, setting forth their own laws & traditions, almost deceiving the very elect, as is well known to the faithful, with suppression and treading under foot, 
Math. 4.  even to this day, the light of everlasting verity, the lively word of god. And for the cause most christian Queen, that noble and famous clerk FRAUNCYS ' LAMBERT Author of this little treatise, perceiving both the exiling of the gospel from christian men's hearts, 
●oh. 16  and also the ruin, and destruction of the faithful, most like a true champion hath set forth, to the quick Image the pestilent doctrine, and acts of the kingdom of perdition, the church of antichrist, the men of sin, the Pope, and his sects, in many works with great labours and study, chiefly in this little book, clearly confuting the synagogue of Satan as a noble executor of his brothers aforesaid will, and by the same authority hath describe and set forth true ministers of gods most holy word, a book to be red of all christen people, therein they may learn to walk in their calling, principally bishops over the congregation, which said little treatise by a good christian brother lent to me, as yet both young in years, and much less in learning, have taken in hand to translate this so precious a treasure, and offer it to your most noble grace rudely set forth, trusting that your grace will cause the same, eloquently and ornatly to be translated by some of your dyscret, wise, and well learned clerks, most humbly beseeching your grace, in good part to take this my rude enterprise, principally (to confess the truth) because I am very unmeet to do such a thing and partly for lake of time, oppressed with poverty, the which (as the Poet MANTVANE writeth) is enemy to good manners, consequently my writing is very course and base, as yet far from the trade of a writer, the which be the causes of my offering to your grace, so rude a volume, so indygeste a phrase, and to be brief, so unseemly set together, wherefore I humbly beseech your grace, to take these my first frutis (if they may be called fruits) even as christ our master hath accepted the offering of the poor woman whose will was good, 
Mar. 12  
Lu. 21.  when she offered all that she had though it was but little. And the holy ghost preserve our said sovereign Lord, and your most dear husband, your grace, & the lady ELEZABETHE princess, Daughter, & heir unto you both, and give to you the light of his mercy, to whom, with god the Father, and the Son, be honour, and glory for ever more. So be it. ✚   

The epistle of the author.  
❧ To the noble, and most gentle lord: lord SEBASTIAN, of Mount faulcone, prince of Lausanc. FRANCIS LAMBERT the unprofitable seruancte of jesus Christ, grace, and peace, of god the father, and the lord jesus Christ. ❧  
NOt many years passed, most noble prince, when I should preach the pure, and wholesome, word of god, at your city of Lausane. I did perceive, by many arguments, both the sober gentleness of your mind, and also the outrageous wickedness, of certain flatterers, and deceivers. For at alltimes, where as you were present, at my sermons, you did most purely favour the word of god, and when you were constrained, with urgent business, to be absent (which was once, and eftsoons) as you have informed me, very many were about somewhat busyly, to alienate, or make you strange, ye as it were to say, enviously to draw you from the word of god. like fiery burning knights, adfyrming that I preached heresy. But at the last the mighty verity, hath so convict you, that you have written many things for me, and I gladly confess, that for the love of you I was gently enterprised, with the Bernenses, Ligurynes, Basylyanes', & Friburgyanes'. furthermore, at my departing from you, you instantly desired me, very oft to write to you, which to do I gladly promised, in time convenient. wherefore I beseech your highness of pardon, because I have not performed it to this day, for it chanced neither by obliviousness, or negligence, but very oft, when I was about to do it, I was constrainedly rapt, to other matters. The last of all I would have made answer, to the hundredth paradoxes, or questyones, of CONRADUS TREGARIUS the Augustyne freresent to you. wherein he is very busy, not alonely to pull you away from Christ, but also the noble gentiles of Helvetia. although he do glory, with pretense and zeal of the spirit of Christ, in the spirit of error and blindness. verily he doth teach nothing less than Christ. For he laboryth very sore, to undermine the vineyard of the lord of companies. that is to say, the congregation or church of christian people, even like to a crafty or wily fox. but this fox, must be taken, I say this little fox, ye the which is without effycacytie, or strength of the spirit, that other he may be saved, or else confounded put down. according as the spouse commaundyth in the cantykles, saying take to us these foxes, these little foxꝭ, that undermine the vineyards and the little eyes of the wines. which words, how they should be understand I have declared, in my enarration in to the canticles. furthermore when I was about, an answer, in to the said paradoxes, or conclusions, the dearly beloved, and true teached brethren of god WLSGANGUS FABRICIUS Capito, and MARTIN BUCER, two of the bishops of argentine, prevented me. And for that cause I did leave of my purpose and took on hand, the reiteration or setting forth the commentaries (which I had begun) in to certain of the prophets, with many other things. for I know them to furnish that matter, more diligently than shall need that any man should add any thing to their wrytingis. I would but alonely monish you, to beware, and take heed of such wolves, going in sheeps clothing, that they do not in every place violently rapt, slay, and destroy. I have also made answer, to the epistle that he did write to you in the beginning of his book. deferring to write to you matters, of greater gravity, unto a time more convenient, as well as if I had made answer to the said paradoxes, or conclusyones. Nor you shall not marvel that I said, there be many bishops of one city, for verily every city, hath so many bishops, as it hath true evangelists or preachers, for every preacher, of the truth, I say of the truth, that doth not preachelyes, decrees, inventions, dreams, laws, and counsels, of men, but the most pure and simple word of god, is a true bishop, although he be not called so of many the church of god, hath no other bishops, but these. therefore there as is no pure minister of the word of god, is no bishop, and without doubt, we have been very long and many years without bishops, in the most fearful judgement of god, for they that have be called bishops, to this day, be nothing less than bishops, except they will be called wicked, or purse bishops, or bishops of the kingdom of antichrist. Verily a bishop is called by interpretation an overseer or watcher, and every man is bishop of the thing that he most entendythe. But there is no man so blind, but he percevyth to what things these bishops of the kingdom of perdition intend. Ye and they glory themselves, in dying words saying. He that doth a thing, by another/ aperethe to do it by himself. This rule/ is execrable/ and cursed before the lord, in those things that pertain to the office of a bishop whose highest point is ministry of the alonely word of god, for they may commit to other the ministry of sacraments, because they be principally sent to the ministry of the word. As saint Paul writeth of himself, in the first epistle to the corinthians the first chapiter, saying Christ sent not me to baptize but to preach the gospel more over these buggyshe bishops, substitute or have none under them, that is a pure evangelist, but hire wretches, and most covytouse merchants of lukre, that seek nothing less than the glory of god, and health of souls. I shall briefly entreat upon with your highness, of those things that I copiously writ upon, to the most noble lord JOHAN Cardinal (as they call it) of Lothering. what the Pope, with his Cardynalles, Archebyshopes, bishops, abbots, Chanones, & all other benefised men, shall do, lest they perish, but may be saved. For of truth/ all their highness is of the devil. Let them beware therefore/ that they be not everlastingly confounded/ and perish. For bishops be alonely prophets of truth/ and there should be so many bishops, as the multitude of people requireth. Ye and to confess the truth, I can not call your highness, a bishop except I should flatter, and do against my conscience, which is to be avoided of the faithful, even as the venom of the serpent Aspis. I confess you to be a prince, I know not you to be a bishop, because you preach not the gospel. But it is not in every man, to preach the gospel, but of them to whom it is given of the lord, for they must be send to it, of him. And these be the true bishops, of the church of god. Therefore diligently endeavour, yourself that tre●e bishops, may be increased, within your lordship. bishops may not be lords, but alonely doctors, or teachers, and servants of the people of god. It is injury to a prince, to be called bishop, ye and utterly the most grievous mockage, if the thing spoken, be diligently examined, would not be think himself deluded, that were called by a name nothing 〈◊〉 for him? when any man is called ●●sho●e, what other thing is it than to say, behold a preacher of the word of god, continually preaching the gospel, having knowledge of holy scripture, teaching the people, with the alonely & pure word of god, attrybuting to god his due honour and praise, herberous, or keeping hospitalytie, giving example of himself to other to follow the gospel in living, most diligent in reading and expounding the scriptures, and yet he hath none of all these. I will suffer every man to call you a bishop, which I will not do myself lest I be injurious to you. I well know that you be prince of Lausane, ye and I would that you should so play the prince, that you would diligently labour to have many true bishops under you. For verily every parish aught to have his proper bishop, the which should be chosen of the people, and confirmed by the commonalty of the church of every place, and to do this thing they have no need of letters, rings, seals, tokens, and such other of this kind very much used clean contrary to the word of god. So long they should be accounted for bishops as they preach most purely the gospel of the kingdom of god. Fron the which if they serve one jot, and teach strange doctrine, they ought to be deposed, and put out, of them by whom they were elect and chosen, that is to say of the communalty of the church afore named, and other more apt to be elect. But of this matter I have spoken more at the large in an other place. Therefore I will return to our purpose of Tregarius. He did write to your highness supposing you to be Fabiane, where as you be Sebastiano as the letters bear witness, given to me by your own hands, wherein he goeth about, to supprese and tread under foot the eternal verity of god, under the name (as he hath written) of Lutheran sect, and under colour of zeal toward the church, he raileth the most lycentiously in to the truth, and that same church, ●ho is he (at the least) that ꝑceiveth the things of god, that followeth Luther, or sayeth I am of Luther's sect? Luther is a man, and therefore of himself a liar, but if Luther, or any other speak the verity, and truth of god, what is the cause that we do not give place to the truth, which the holy ghost doth make open to us, by Luther? For I pray you is it not written of such men: you be not they that speak, but the spirit of your father that speaketh in you? it is nothing savoury, nor pleasythe not at all, that some men do say, and talk of the wisdom of god, which is found in Paul's epistles. they call it Paul's philosophy. I do give place, and believe the writings of Paul, Petre, johan, isaiah, Hieremie, and other prophets of god, not for them, but for the spirit of god, which did speak in them. Luther hath not teached me, neither his writings, those things the which I have known by the gift of god, in holy scriptures Yet for all that I confess, me to know Luther, ye and not a little to have profited thorough his company. I know him to be the apostle, and angel of god, that is to say sent of him. For it is inpossible that he should be sent, but of him, to have written those things that he hath written, that is, the scriptures of truth, and even as it is not to be condemned that Paul hath written because he was a man, in like case, neither Luther's writings are to be condempnid because he is a man. For it is not Luther, but god that hath written and spoken in Luther. But this Tregarius, to obtain the favour of Antichrist, under the name of Luther, doth openly speak against Christ and his viritie. He doth also under that name resist the impolluted scriptures of god, all the prophets, and his lovers, and calleth them defenders of sects, causing great rumores, repleting the world with all unquietness, Philistianes' having vain and foolish armour, mockers/ and deceivers/ & of this manner doth rail against them with the most opprobrious crimes. furthermore he doth reprove them of vehement and wicked zeal/ and saith that they have forgot the saying of our saviour. Learn of me for I am meek and humble in heart and again. bless them that say evil of you/ and pray for them that persecute you. But now look upon the craftiness of this fox, peradventure he is afraid/ least that he should be put out and exiled of antychrist/ from the tyramnycall provincialshype of his sect/ & for that cause/ he so fervently defendyth his part/ setting at nought the word of the lord. Now if he take this for a sect/ to love and teach the most pure word of god (the which we doubt not of) we do covet, and half this holy/ necessary, eternal, and invincible sect/ and before him and such like/ we will be of this sect/ & cleave to it must surely/ or else without remedy we should perish perpetually. we be adherents and defenders of this eternal/ heavenly/ and divine sect/ & it is necessary/ that we be tumultuous or bringers up of rumors for it/ against the execrable/ cursed/ and abominable sect of antichrist. For the word of the lord doth burst up carnal pease/ & doth raise up the sword very oft in himself/ according to the saying of the lord, I did not come to send pease/ but a sword. Math ten and it is written Luke .2. that Christ is put in to the fall (of the unfaithful) & in to resurrection (of the faithful) and in to a sign that shallbe resisted and spoken against (of those unfaithful) if we should teach worldly things/ being carnal and hypocrites/ they would not resist and rise against us as they do, but because we preach things contrary to the world, the world hateth us/ and calleth us tumultuous/ and sedecyous fellows. Ye and before it Christ himself was a sour of evil sedes/ a slanderer with words/ a seditious fellow/ a heretic, a deceiver, a subverter of the people/ and an evil doer. furthermore all that live meekly in Christ jesus/ and covyt so to do/ suffer persecution of it. 2. Timoth. 3. God doth command us also/ of Tregarius/ and such other men of that sect/ which no doubt pertain to the abominable court of that purple whore of Babylon/ mother of all fornicatyon/ in the eyghtenthe chapiter of the revelations of saint. johan saying. Go from her my people/ and be not parttakers of her sins/ and receive not of her plagues/ for her damnable sins have come to heaven/ and the lord hath remembered her iniquities/ reward her even as she rewarded you/ and give her double according to her works. and power in double in the same cup/ which she filled unto you & asmuch as she glorified in herself/ and lived wanton/ so much power you in for her of punishment/ and sorrow. This wicked whore in time past hath filled to us her abominations/ in the golden cup/ of the word of god. For she hath confirmed her tyrannies/ by placies of scripture/ falsely understand/ and under the most holy name of Christ/ she hath outraged/ above that at man can speak/ even against Christ himself. Verily god will that we give double to her in that cup i better things than that drunk whore that is to say/ that we do not fill to other now, after the truth received/ the abominable/ and ●ynkīg dung of the wisdom of the flesh/ & inventions of men. But much more pr●cyous things/ the which do a●●●e with the golden cup of the w●●●e of god that is to say, the spirit & truth of the letter, by whom is openly known that these iugelers be antichrists, schismatics, heretics, children of perdition, and men of sin. To whose precepts because we do obey/ and give place, they name us to be slanderers, repleting all the world full of rumours and horrible crimes. But & I might move this question to them in what thing do we err? I pray you do not they with an indurat heart resist/ and speak against the truth. Ye and that same truth itself doth name his enemies, in every place/ wolves/ Fox's bears/ Lioness/ dogs/ Leoperdes'/ wild beasts/ false prophets/ pseudo apostles, rotten sedes, unfaithful, hypocrites, foolish, cowerdes, not hearing the voice of their lord god, a barren house, the church malignant the synagogue of Satan, the generation of the lords fury, apostatical gentiles, having the front of the great whore, the fruit and generation of Vipers, the counsel of the wicked, Dragon's, the kind of the serpent Aspis deaf and stoping their ears, the enemies of the lord, a wicked covent the tabernacles of sins, the seed of Chaname, Egypte, & Sodom evil trees and unfruitful, mokers, that say to men saying will not you to see/ speak pleasant things to our ears take heed of our errors, let holy Israel cease from our sight, the black tails of smoky bronddes, idols, blind studientes, the generation of Cain wicked and adulterous, deceivable workmen, fellows of thiefs, effeminate, desert children, false doctoures whose god is their belie, and glory in their confusion, the tasters of earthly things, thieves of innocentes, and wydoes, and doth name them that resist, and speak against the doctrine of meekness, with such names of this kind which of us, could ever attain to such a vehemence of speaking. that in confounding the reprovable, we might obtain one part of the pithy rebuking that is found against them in holy scripture. And peradventure Tregarius will reprehend the holy ghost, and say that he doth fill the world full of hatred and malice/ because that such names/ should be put in holy scripture, or at the least say that these be contrary to Christ, when he saith. Learn of me. &c. And again say well by them that say evil by you. &c. the which (as we have said) he did allege against us. But what is the cause, that he did not take heed, also of the word that folowythe, you? of men that say evil by us we must speak well, but not of them that speak evil, by the lord jesus Christ, and his verity. No nor yet we may not make lies, to say well by any man. For (and a man might be bold with you) is this well said, to say that Magister noster the noble doctor Tregarius, a good seruande of Christ, and doth well in suppressing the church and word of god, for the synagogue of antichrist and lies of men. Or is it lawful for me to write, the reverend father in god, Provyncial of the Augustyne freers, by the higher germany, is a good orator, and can write very well, for the counsels of the Pope, his Cardynalles, and bishops, and with a noble proof openly declareth, that the synagogue of the Pope, is the true church of god? am not I rather bound to speak plainly after the word of god, & say. this fox, this wolf, this false prophet is about to turn the people, from the sermons of truth, to the lies of antychrist, and covytith to bring the prince of Lausane, & the noble gentiles of Helvetia, from god and his Christ, and would that they should always persever, and continue in darkness of errors in the which we have be drowned so long season, and hath not one iota of scripture to confirm those things that he adfyrmythe in his lying, whereof he must needs fall. For he can never withstand the mighty word of the Lord, the which he so sore reclamyth against, of whom he shallbe confounded, trodden down, and consumed. Ye and if there were, innumerable thousands of the prophets of Baalle, with this Tregarius, they shallbe destroyed, and fall from the side of them that love, & teach the pure word. One Helias, one prophet of the lord, shall overcome, and destroy them all although they would resist with plain battle, and cry & howl in their dens. but in case that he think himself not worthy this name, as to be called a fox, or a wolf let him do none of these aforesaid. for we be constrained to it by the word of god. for all that be of this sect, are to be published, to the people of god/ that they may beware of them lest they be deceived. This blind doctor, calleth us, Phylystianes' wearing vain and foolish armour. and of this manner this blasphemer railith and wonderythe, I would to god, that he were not a blasphemar against the spirit of god, and would not speak wittingly against his conscience, with what armour do we resist these enemies of Christ and his word? Is it not the eternal scriptures of god? and this iugeler calleth them vain and foolish. But what is the cause that he was not present at this last conflict or disputation, at Argentine, where he might have be sure to have disputed with the bishops of the same City we will gladly give ourselves to death if we be overcome, and convict, where as if he were convict he should sustain no danger at al. but he would not that the people should know his lies, the which had be disclosed in deed, if he had disputed, ye or to speak near the mark if he had be present at the said conflict or disputation. the simple people, have the judgement of the spirit above all such proud bugs the which we call Magistrinostri, because they love the word of god, the which the other be about to suppress & tread down. For is it not written? Thou hast made me wise, over mine enemies thorough thy commandments, for it is to me everlasting. I do perceive, above all that teach me, because thy testimonies be my study. I understand above old men, because I have searched, thy commandments. the hundred & xviij Psalm. furthermore from these sage and wise men, god doth hide his mysteries, the which he doth vouchsafe to reveal and open to the young little ones. they know and perceive this literature, and attribute very much to it, therefore they do not enter in to the lords power, verily these other, be admitted into the said powers and fearful judgement of god. For verily there is none although he be learned, that is admitted to the intelligence of the scriptures of god, but even he that doth attribute or give nothing at all, to the science or wit of man toward the understanding of them but all only to the spirit of truth. These men will not that the little flock of Christ, should judge of his voice, and it pertaineth most chiefly to them. For be not they the sheep of Christ●, & he their shepherd? but there is one voice alone of this shepherd or pastor, which doth highly please his sheep without any other. And they know & hear his said voice. johan ten It is also said to them, prove you the spirits, if they be of god or not. which they do ꝓue, & know by the scripturis of god, the which is the only & most sure testimony to prove, if the voycꝭ of them the teach be of god or not. also Psal. 18 & .118. & Esa. 8. they he called testimonies or witness. let this Tregarius, with all his sect, outrage as much as they will and deny the word of the lord, that is to say, that the company of the faithful to be apt iudgis of the word for without doubt he shall shortly slide down & fale, because he goeth about it with n1 made of read, of the shadow of Egypt, of the dreams of men. If god be with us who is against us? Let not this heartless knight over boldly promise to himself the victory. I say yet again he shall fale, & be confounded. we be not about this thorough ourselves, but thorough the stone, that is, our faith by Christ, coveteth to subvert this lying and wickedness. He hath his head, antichrist to whom he doth attribute and give more then to Christ, and to whom he doth cleave with all his heart, the verity and truth of Christ setaparte. wherefore we of necessity must needs hate him according to the saying of david Psalm. 118. I have hated the wicked, and Psalm. 138. Did not I hate lord them that hated thee, & was moved over thy enemies? I did hate them with a perfect hatred, and they were made enemies to me. wherefore now in the mean season let him count us for mockers, because we be apostata from antichrist, & curse him lest that we should be apostata from christ, and let him opprobryoully speak against us what he will, for we glory for them all before the lord, of whom his destruction is at hand, because that barren tree is not abashed, to count the sayers of truth, for mockers, for no other thing but because they speak the truth/ as who say/ the truth itself were a mockage. This wicked man will not be overcome of the truth, of the which we glory in the lord to be convict, for we ourselves in times paste did walk in the spirit of error, but now the verity of god hath overcome us, by the which god hath delivered us, ye and daily doth deliver us, from the most grievous darkness of ignorance and errors, whom we do instantly pray, that he will make perfit the things which he hath begun in us, we will not be convict of the decrees of men, by whom he is convict, and most shamefully strangled, as I very well know, so that in the things of god, he may be confuted, of innumerable children, and husband men, for it is to wit, that the most vyctorous word of god, which they love, is able to preveyle against a hundredth thousand such as Lregaryus is, if our armour be not invyctoryous (as he denieth them to be) let him condescend or come forth, and prove how invyctoryous they be, but he doth war in horses, and charyotes, that is to say with the sotletyes of men, verily we war in the name, and word of our lord god in the which we despise, him and all that war against us, he doth also say that the Church, is not so destitute, namely in this golden time, that she should not have her warryours, truly this might be a saying of blind Byarde oh how nobly doth he know what the church is, and who be her warryours, he supposeth the church to be that which countethe the wise men of the world to be her sodyours, as who should say it were not written. I will destroy the wisdom of that wise and will cast away the understanding of the prudent, where is the wise, where is the scribe, where is the searcher of this world, hath not god made the wisdom of this world foolishness. 1. Corinthy. 1. these be not the soldiers of the church of god, but the simple, pure, meek, that with all their hartis cleave to the word of god, most highest, of such, that be of this kind, the frunte of the great war of our church which is peaceable is ordained the which is called by the Hebrew term Schulamitis, and not Sunamitis as be supposeth, for the Hebrew books have it written of this manner in the sixth Chapter of the Cantikles Revertere, Revertere Schulamis. the which words in english be, return, return, or turn again my peaceable church, and in the .7. chapter. what shall ye find in my peaceable church, but companies of warryours, spoken by this term, Schulamis, let him have his church, the which he calleth Sunamis, that is to say the synagogue of antichrist, miserable, captivate, stony, & indurate, & we well have ●ures the which we call Schulamis, that is to say, the church of god, the spouse of true Scholomon which is by interpretation of Chryst that peaceable king all whose sovayours, strong, ye most strongest, be alway girded with the most piercing sword of the word of god, for nyghtlye dreads Lantik. 3. & these sovayours be made most aware and wise to the battles into the conjuring of antichrist, whom god himself hath made truly wise joh. 6. of whom the reprovable Egypt Sodom, & Babylon, be not able to suffer the least scyrmyge, or letting lose, nor never could. This Trygaryus, doth say, that we threaten great things, but to whom, or do we threaten ourselves, do not we rather open, and declare the threatenings of the dreadful power of god, the which we be certified of, shall fall most grievous into the kingdom of the son of perdition. he doth also say that in bringing up rumors, and slanders, we so perpetually be of one mind, that no man doutethe of it, but we have all one spirit, I make answer, that when we call them wolves, beasts, antychristes we do not slander them, but show forth what the spirit doth judge of them, by the testimony of scriptures but it is not alonely, in this one thing; that we be all of one mind, for we do dyssente almost in nothing, that the same spirit of god doth teach us in the said word he did prophesy as Cayphas did, ye even against his will, not diligently marking that we had all one spirit although he would that his saying shuldbe otherways understanded. But neither be nor yet all his synagogue, in any thing be of one mind, saving in this that they have all conjured against god, Chryst, and his verity, for what do we see in them perpetual strife, of Thomystes, Scotystes, Occanistes, of Nomynalles, reals, Summeles, and such other of this kind, striving even contrary one to an other, whereby is well known that they have nothing comen with the doctrine of christ, the which is the doctrine of meekness, & unity, & they be also strange from his spirit, he doth furthermore say that we with a vain gloze of words, do wrest and writhe the holy scriptures into our own sense, where as we do subdue our sense by all means into the service of the scripture of god, and glory to be over comen of the truth as any man may openly perceive, that shall look upon our commentaries, and also we do affirm nothing, that is not proved by the open testimony of the scripture, what is the cause therefore that he doth count our expositions for vain, but that he is about with his craftiness to mock & have in derision all the scriptures of god, woe be to the thou blind iogeler, for thy judgement is at hand, because thou art not afraid to count the testymonyes of god most highest, for vain and foolishness, peradventure thou dost think the spirit of god to be compared to thy double craftiness, ye warsse then a fox, but that shalt shortly be destroyed with the power of the same spirit, we will not cleave to the counsel or phantyse of any man except it have the testimony of the scriptures of god, in what thing do we err them, or what have we reproved at any time, that doth agree with the scriptures of god, or what other things should we receive, we do receive the writings of men, that agree with the said scriptures, not for the men, but for the truth sake, the word of truth ought to judge, who should have written rightfully/ if they deny, that we have the truth, let them improve our probatyons, by the word of god. Tregaryus will do it, he maketh argument Pro and Contra, Primo, secundo, et tertio. etc. we will hear this saying, the lord speaketh it, to whose least jot of speaking rightly taken, we give place, but we openly accurse the sotletyes of Tregaryus and his sect, not because we be ignorant in them, for we have laboured ourselves in such sophestycal knottꝭ, but because it is wicked, and against the word of god, to entreat upon the scriptures of faith, with such contentious arguments, nor we do not deny (as he doth impute to us) that the word of god may not be expounded, but we would not that this exposition, shuldbe of the proper sense of any man, although he be learned, and holy, but of the sense of Chryst, which is than so, when we expound scriptures. by scriptures, for as I have spoken in many books, it is impossible, that any man should righteously expound scriptures of his own sense or brain And yet besides this Tregaryus hath added to, a blasphemy against the lord, that he supposythe there to be many gods, that can be no manner ways err, the which doth pertain alonely to god himself the highest, and greatest, besides whom there is no more gods, for who, but he is immutable, so that he can not err, for all saints have sin i concupiscence, as long as they live and say as is written, in the first canonical epistle of johan the first chapiter, if we should say that we have no sin in us, we deceive ourselves and truth is not in us, but for all that they do not work iniquity or wekydnes for sin doth not reign in them, as is plainly declared Ro. 5. &. 6. he is afraid also lest that he be injurious to the elect, & in the meanese some blasphemies the lord, god hath no need of our lies, no nor yet his saints verily when god hath mercy of the sinners, or the injust, and maketh of them saints their unrytousnes doth commend, and laud the rytousnes of god Ro. 3. for verily from thensforthe his justice apperythe more glorious, and he is manifestly declared to be just, & true, in his sermons when he is cruel over the wicked and the rebellion not observing his promises is judged, he doth feign himself to write for the church of god, and yet doth nothing else: but allege the decrees of men/ for that thing that this crafty false prophet doth of the councils, he doth it so that he is about to subvert all the principles of faith, I do confess, that he speaketh many things true, chiefly in the beginning, but at the last he doublethe his voice of the church, & her councils, whereby he may more lightly & surely power out his poison, but as I said in the beginning he is answered enough at all to his questions of them afore named, It doth grieve me sore/ most noble prince, to make answer to the wekydnes of this deceiver, I would but alonely give you warning, that you with all diligence should flee, and avoid, the poison of him, and such other, for you must do so of necessity, if you will play the true prince/ or else it is impossible that you should be saved/ now perceive/ I do this with a great hope/ remembering our old amity/ the which in times passed/ you did vouchsafe upon me/ & of the noble mind of your good lordship/ I will not go about to oynte your heed with oil of a sinner/ the burden is great that oppressythe you, take heed therefore lest you perish under it/ take heed also, that you have under you/ true christian people/ and that christ may regyne in them/ for than you shall chiefly play the true prince/ when you chiefly give diligence/ that Chryst may be a prince in your subjects/ take heed also that the most pure word of god may be preached to you, banish from your lands/ all false prophets/ wolves, & such manner of marchande men/ & I would that you should perfectly know/ that if your people perish your soul shallbe for theyres, ye if it be thorough your cause, & if there perish but one/ principally beware of all hoded men/ for all they/ except a few/ have conjured against god/ and his christ/ but above all other take heed of these, for they are to be fled of you that glory themselves wickedly/ with the title of obseruantes/ execrable to all Chrystyanes'/ for their hypocrisy, hath lead very many/ ye almost innumerable to death/ I pray god the highest and best/ that they may shortly be expulsed/ the courts of all princes/ & by little, and little, it is highly necessary that you extinct/ & put down/ the tyrants of the kingdom of antichrist i these dysceytfulnes of pardons idolatry of saints that sleep/ the officials courts/ cursed customs/ by no means to be permitted of Chrystyanes', the outrageousness of sects, with all such other, & then conceive in your mind, that you will have holy scriptures in your hands, & study upon them night, & day, the holy ghost will teach, and inform you/ by what means all things shallbe well ordered within your kingdom, for & if you deny the word of god to the people, they ought not to obey you, for they be the sheep of Christ they will be fed with the meat of his holy word, therefore all the people of the faithful, may say to their princes/ & rulers, ye they be bound to make congregatyons for it, and say/ we will hear the word of our lord god, we will not hear the decrees & laws of the pope/ we will not ye●ecreralles of these glozing sophisters, the which if princes/ or rulers will deny them when they willbe taken for faithful, the said people may deprive them their kingdoms/ & lordshypes/ the people be subject/ in all things, to princes, & ruler's/ saving those things/ that be against the word of god/ or that they should not have the word of god preached/ let your highness give place to the truth/ and god shall increase you in allthings/ & establish your kingdom. I was advertised of late, that because a certain minister (as we call it) a priest, despising that decree of antychryst, prefarring the precept of god is married to a wife/ for the which, he is taken prisoner of a certain tyrant thorough your consent, & they do say that he doth persecute him to death/ take heed, that you consent not to any man, for your soul shuldbe for his, he hath done a thing necessary, which god hath commanded to all that can not abstain, as I have copyouslye opened, in my book of matrimony and evedently proved it. To the most christen King of France, the which I did put forth because of my own marriage for I am married, although the synagogue of the son of perdition was mad at it, for we must rather obey god then man, god hath commanded matrimony to every man, that can not abstain, the pope prohibyteth, and maketh hypocrites, to whom should we give place, not to god, the lord did make no distynctyon betwixt the layealtye, and the clergy the commandment is general pertaining to every man, of every state ye and if your highness will believe the truth, take a wife, and by your exmaple you shall destroy this cursed decree of antichrist, for when he did command to the Clergy, chastity of living contrary to the word of god, he did multiply all manner of lechery, and to speak the truth this reprovable order is sprung of no other thing but of deceitful spirits, & doctrine of devils, as you may plainly perceive the first of Tim, 4. the same judgement is of the prohybyting of meats, in the same place very copiously I had no space nor time to writ many things to you therefore I have briefly made answer to that wicked Tregaryus wherein I have put much good council, because this deceiver goeth about falsely to instruct you, of the authority of the councils of the church of the which matter we had comunycatyon very oft in your palace, I shall also add to .385. Paradoxes or conclusions/ concluding another thing than Tregaryus hath teached, I do also make ready myself, to answer to them all, where so ever it shallbe, either in germany or in France, or where so ever they will, so that they will hear me, & not go about to put me to death unheard, I will dispute the matter openly if the counsel be held in France and will no other judges, but the most pure word of god, and all that judge sincerely after it, because it is no otherwise lawful, in case they overcome me with the word of god, and prove that I dyssent from the truth, in those things that I shall affirm by the same word, let them order me as they think it best, and if they be convict, I will not that they should be in danger of the least hear of their heed, but alonely let glory be given to the truth, wherefore I beseech your lordship to accept this treatise of Paradoxes, or conclusions, compendyouslye concluding almost all what so ever doth pertain to Chrystyanytye/ and do not disdain my dewetye toward your hyghenes'/ and peradventure God, the greatest/ and most high, will grant that I may shortly put forth under your name some thing more excellent, peace and grace, of our Lord jesus christ, and joy of the holy ghost be with your noble lordship and with all your people. So be it. ❧   

 Christ on the cross   


The first chapiter. ¶ The cause of the great blindness of the world, which hath continued so long time, by what means the verity of scriptures of god hath be hid and suppressed. Capi. i. The Paradoxes.  
OF Christ and his apostles, the same verity & truth, was diligently preached, which now is opened again with his gift and spirit.  
They did preach the most pure word of god, with the same sincereness, that it was reveled & show yd of god: not admyxted with proud philosophy, chiding sophymes, dreams, decrees, & traditions, of men. and to do the same we ourselves be about, and covet with all our hearts.  
¶ For it is unpossible, that any man should perceive the scriptures of god by carnal. wisdom, as. S. Paul doth say in his first epistle to the Corinthians the .2. chapiter. saying god hath made them open by his spirit for the spirit searcheth allthings, ye the bottom of gods secrets. ❧  
¶ Verily the alonely spirit of god is the most lawful interpreter of scriptures, and most surely doth judge of the secrets of god i Corinthians, 2. the things of god, no man knoweth, but the spirit of god. ☞ ❧  
¶ who so ever doth preach and expound the scriptures, not of this spirit powers forth his dreams & lies for he is then carnal, not perceiving those things that be of the spirit of god, for they seem but foolishness to him. wherefore he can not perceive that (as I have said) they be taken in spirit. 1. Corin. 2. ☞: ❧: ❧: ☜  
♣ God hath given to us, the most surest testimony of his spirit, that is to say, his scriptures, by whom is well known who doth judge rytiously or no. so scripture is called a witness or testimony. Esaie. 8. & the Psalm. 18. and very oft in the .118. Psalm. ❧  
❧ Every exposition of any place of scripture, which doth dissent, from no other place of the same scripture, is of the spirit of god, but if it do dissent in one jot, it is not of the holy ghost, but cometh of the lying and foolish sense of men, for every man of himself is a liar. Psalmus. 115.  
♣ Hat long after the apostles days Doctors began to expound, the most spiritual scriptures of god (against their proper nature, and order of god which had opened them) after the wisdom of the flesh, & most vain philosophy, admyxtinge them daily with their reꝓuable soteltyes & sophymes.  
☞ By what means it came to pass, that they were deprived the equal judgement of god, and true intelligence of scriptures, and blinded every day more than other, so that by the multitude of sophymes and carnal inventions the light of everlasting verity and truth was utterly hid.  
❧ whereof the most pure texts of scripture were forgotten, and inventors, feynours, and dreamars were received, as chiding/ Sophesters'/ Scotystes/ Thomystes/ Occanystes Summystes/ and such other. ❧  
☞ After that man's wisdom and proud philosophy was admitted, to the exposition of scriptures of god, which is inpossible to it, for it pervertyth the german and true sense of it, and we fall in to the most rude and ieoperdouse confusion of blindness igorance and errors that almost there shuldbe none that walkyth not in dying. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜  
❧ Also not long after the apostles time, unto these happy days, hath be the very worlds of blindness and darkness, but now the night & darkness be gone, and the amiable day of verity and truth is at hand.  
♣ It is heresy to say, that to convict heretics, we had need of sophistical soteltyes or man's philosophy. for verily god is never known by them nor they by him, because no man may strive, for god and his verity, because it is contrary to God. Forther more the wisdom of this world, is destroyed, overcome, and reproved, with the alonely and most pure word of the cross. 1. Cor. 2. and the chapiter following, Paul doth say that he did not come to the corinthians in eloquence of speaking, or wisdom, but that he might open and show the testimony, of Christ jesus, and many things of this matter in the same place. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜  
☞ They that believe by eloquence, so phymes, philosophy, and such other words of man's wisdom, to teach Christ, will that our faith be in wisdom of men which is inpossible at the least of true faith, which is not but of the word of the cross and open showing of the spirit & power of god. 1. corinthians. 2. ☞: ❧  
♣ In all the ieoperdouse time of error and darkness, we were heretics, sysmatikes, from Christ and his verity, and drowned in the most grievous errors which we could not perceive of ourselves, for because the alonely judgement of the flesh (that doth never condemn itself, but is always about to ordain it, ye above god) was then received, & did please, and men did cleave to it which god doth highly abhor. ☞: ❧: ♣  
❧ The lying and reprovable sense, and judgement of the flesh, then rey●yng. after that, and contrary to god's word. was invented the supercylyous, and proud state, of the pope, his cardinals, and bishops, and what soever doth pertain to the apostatate kingdom, as be the monastical sects, indulgences of years & days from pena & culpa. &c. decrees, and rules of men, usurping of rythes, first fruits, and oblations, inquisitors i ꝓtectoures of this heryticall iniquity, promotions of false divines, scoles of decrees, and such other of this kind execreable feynynges of the devil, by the which unto the time appointed, that is, unto the time that the iniquities of this kingdom of the son of perdition was ended, the same kingdom was established,  
♣ The surest and most evident sign that this great blindness hath so long endured, is that inventions, traditions, and decrees of men, were regarded and setby, more than the most holy law of god, and because the pure texts and sense of the bible, were almost clean extinc and put our of memory, besides that in their exposition, every man did follow the dreams and feynynges of his heart, and not their true and german sense, not the mark of the everlasting spirit, and did glory with his inventions, so that there was none that might be accounted any thing worth at all in ministry of the word, but such a ru●ler, of whom might be said. Behold here a goodly preacher a noble pla●e, with his new inventions, in preaching and writing he is copious, & moves merry conceits in every place, that is as much to say, as derision and mockage of the holy ministry of the gospel, and to be brief, the bishops, apostles, and prophets, of god, were not searched for. But Antychristꝭ and their synagogues which with their inventions with one breath, can provoke men both to laugh and weep, vomit a hundredth allegaciones, prating and preaching to the people, decrees and laws of men, customs and deeds of many years, examples and dreams, of old wives, monstrous lies of the kingdom of antichrist, hypocrites, deceivers, liars, not willing to orden the justice of god, but the justice of the flesh, and of their sects and of antichrists not seeking the glory of god, but their own glory (they did all strive for the pope, and the minorites for their francis, Bonaventure, Scote, and Occam. etc. against Dominike, Thomas, and Capriolus. etc. and so of other) slobelyes, devouring up wydoes, & innocentꝭ houses, ye all the substance of the world.  
❧ Another sure and evident token that this blindness hath been, is dissension never ceasing that hath been, amongst preachers, for what do we see in them but contention/ debate/ and chiding against the nature of the holy ghost, which is spirit of union and peace, and of the sermons of god, which never sofferith nature of contrary osnes in them, and against the custom of the church of god, which loveth true peace/ and is enemy of contention. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜  
¶ The third & manifest sign, is abominable peace of the flesh, for the word of god bringeth the sword, & separates children from their parent's/ and friends from friends, whose lovers must needs sufre persecution for it is unpossible that the word of the cross should be without a cross, & that it should not be spoken against for Christ & those that long to him, be put in sign of contradictyon. Luc. 2. because therefore that the doctrine, that hath continued so long, the decrees of Antechriste, the pride, and all the apostasy of his kingdom, hath be observed so long time in an execrable pease so that freely this man of sin with the tyrants of his kingdom, what so ever they would, scarcely any man withstanding, did ordain change and destroy, contrary to the plain texts of scripture, by what means it is well known, this perilous blindness to have reigned by such continuance. ☞: ❧ ❧: ☜  
♣ The four and moste evident sign is, that laws, lycencyous living, devilish pomp, most proud ornaments, crowns, burletes, hats, miters, hypocrisy having no like, deceivable chastity, diversity and superstition of sects, setting up of idols, chapels, colleges, phaanes i of high and monstrous places, lying bulls, steling of tithes first fruits and offerings, usurping of kingdoms and lordships, sacrifice of masses, and all other attaining to the kingdom of Antechriste, clean contrary to the immaculate word of god. ☞: ♣: ☜  
☞ It was predestynat, that the son of perdition, the man of sin, the pope and his kingdom, whom the apostle. 2. Thessa. 2. did prophesy, to be revelate: and before that he should be known to be hid, & that by time and times, that is to say long time & half time, for the last time where as he thought to reign perpetually, is cut of the half, when he falleth by little and little, as he is known by the word of god, he had never reigned so long if we had known whom he had been, all that time therefore that he hath reigned until he was known by and by, where as he is reveled, by the mercy of god in the time pfynyte of god that is in our blessed time, he beginneth to fall, and is perished with the sword of the mouth of the lord, and daily he is tossed & plucked, without hands.  
❧ And for that cause, the lord hath opened with his word, first that the pope and as many as do pertain to his kingdom, be the children of perdition, for no doubt who so ever is not apostata and alienate from that kingdom is apostata and alienat and a schismatic from Christ, whereof they may be both called children of perdition and deceiving other with their lies. ❧ ♣  
♣ Secondly, he hath showed, that they be men of sin, because all their affections and cogitations and works be sin. Also with their traditions, and sins, they have increased sin, above all estimation, there was never man from the beginning of the world that hath so bound men's conscience as the pope and his tyrants, that is cardynales, and bishops with their reprovable counsels.  
¶ Thirdly god hath made manifest to us, that who so ever hath the primacy of the church of Satane, and is taken for the pope, is above all other the son of perdition, the man of sin and antychriste, which doth exalt himself above all that is called god or worshipped (suppressing the laws and true worship of god) so that he doth sit in the temple of god as god, and is taken of the faithful, which be the quick temples of god, for the vycker, of the high god.  
☞ Now afterward that god hath manifestly showed to us, that the papacy, that is the kingdom of antichrist, is the kingdom of sin to be abhorred and damnable, it is necessary for all that do attain to it to be alienate from it, and to count them for nothing but as dregs, or casting out of devils, to attribute nothing to them, to trust in nothing that they do, as in decrees, excommunications, pardons, privileges, bulls, with such other baggage. And the same of the pope, cardinals, patriarchs, legates archebyshopes, falsebyshopes, chanones, and monks, and so of all other.  
❧ we have a sure knowledge, specially in four things that the doctrine which now is reveled, to us of the lord is the very and mere truth, first that the pure texts of the bible, the deceivable inventions of men abject. be diligently received, written, and preached. The second is, that all sincere preachers although they be personally separate, nor one of them heareth not another or read his wrytingis yet do they for the most part agree, but in case they dissent for a time, in any thing than the scriptures of god, diligently searched, they be appeased & contented. The third is, although many do abuse the liberty of the gospel, yet as many as do receive this doctrine, gently, and meekly, be meek, merciful, faithful, rejoicing in spirit, patient, very gentle, full of charity, procuring the glory of god with out any superstycyousnes, or hypocrisy, copyouse in fruits of true good works. The fourth is, that this doctrine, is never resisted, nor spoken against, but of the children of perdition, carnal men, antechristes, and men of sin, even as simeon did prophisy of Christ, in the .2. chapiter of Luke, saying, in that sign that shall be resisted and spoken against. etc. yet for all that they do not specially name innocentes, and true preachers it can never be but they shallbe resisted and spoken against, for it is written, if they have persecuted me, they shall persecute you. Iohn in the .15. cha. & again: all that will meekly live in Christ jesus shall suffer persecution .2. Tymo. 3.  
♣ The elect, that have gone before us, in the miserable time of error and darkness, although they did aberre from the hid judgement of god, yet for their election, that is because they were chosen of god from the beginning they were acceptable to him, for though he did abhor their sins, he did immutably love their persons. For he by the pureness of their faith hath taken all their sins, & hath not ymputed them, for pure faith is imputed to justice. Roma. 4. & in the 33. Psalm. blessed be they whose iniquities be forgiven and whose sins be covered, blessed is that man, to whom the lord hath not imputed sin. &c. If these elect should live now, no doubt but they would give place to the truth.  
¶ For all that the elect do oft-times err (yet do they all say as is written the .118. Psalm. I have erred as a sheep that hath perished) but for all that they were never brought into error, for they do never consent to it, lest they perish in it, they do alway so err that they say. Lord my heart is ready, my heart is ready, verily they be always ready if they were teached, to forsake all errors.  
☞ who soever coveteth, to be partaker of the truth now opened again must needs confess, all to have been in error. For iuggelers in spirit, and doctrine of devils, have preveyled in these worlds of darkness, in the most horrible judgement of god. For so god had predestinate afore the bygynninge, that in them should be time & power of darkness of the kingdom of antichrist.  
♣ And although this was chiefly begun, in that time the pope covyted, & ysurped the primacy of the world, & bishops not content with their call, but would be princes and rulers, yet in the apostles time, the mystery of iniquity was wrought, in false apostles and false brethren as you may perceive. 2. Thessa. 2 and .1. johanis. 4. ☞ They that can not take the mysteries of everlasting truth, but will perish perpetually, let them beware that they condemn them not. For who can condemn the things that he perceiveth not, and be without sin let him humiliate himself before the lord, and confess his ignorance, which if he do in verity, with out doubt, he shall obtain, his desire, for the mysteries of god, be hid from them that loveth carnal wisdom, and trust to it, and be opened to the meek, and children. Math. xj. Lu. x.   

¶ Of the holy church of god, and reprovable synagogue of Satan of canonysing, and invocation of saints.  
☞ The second chapiter. ☜  
The second chapiter.  
THe church of God is the unyversytie of all saints, and them that be predestinate, which have been from the beginning of the world, and shall be to the end.  
Ecclesia is a greek word called in latin, Congregatio in english a congregation company or church.  
¶ They be saints, that be translated from profane or worldly things, to godly, and spiritual things, & made holy and consecrated to god. That thing is called holy in scripture that is not commune, but separate to god, so those things were called holy in times passed that were offered, in the temple of god, and then they were sanctified when they were offered, and so we pray let thy name be santyfyed. That is we pray, that thy name that is to say thy fame, may be known and believed of all men alone to excel all other and may be counted for such a one, as in very deed it is. And that all men may confess, that there is no profane or comen thing in thee, but that thou art alone, holy/ good/ just/ mighty/ everlasting/ not having another god like to the in thy majesty.  
♣ what so ever is of faith is a holy thing and just, and he that works/ and liveth, so of faith, is a saint/ & rightwise, and what so ever is not of faith, is profane, and sin. Roma. 14. and they that do such things be unjust/ worldly/ and unclnee.  
¶ He doth live/ and work/ of faith that doth all thing with a sure trust, of god's goodness. believing in him that he shall receive grace/ and that not by his own merit/ but by the merit of Christ and his high goodness.  
¶ To live of faith/ and work of it or in the name of the lord, or to his glory/ be taken all for one thing in holy scripture.  
♣ faith is in every word of god/ which is fulfilled, by the merit of Christ and verity of him that promiseth it/ and it truly is not virtual/ habytuall/ or abiding (as Sophesters put. But actual/ true/ hole/ sincere/ sanctifieth, quickeneth, & justifieth, the believer. Abacuc .2. a just man liveth of faith. & Roma. 5. we being justified of faith let us have peace. and again. Ro. 3. & Galt. 2. every man shall not be justified of works but of faith.  
¶ All true faithful, be saints/ and therefore Paul writing to the faithful, calleth them saints. Ephe. j Col. j  
♣ The church of god is invisible and spiritual, as faith is, verily no man except he have it by revelation, can surely define of other, if they be of it, although there be many signs, as is if any man will be ruled, in all things, with the word of god, and profess Christ in his acts. For it is written the praise of him, in the congregation of his saints. Psalm. 149. I do not say them that be of the church of god to be invisible, but the church is called invisible, because it is not known by visible and corporal things.  
¶ For when the word of the lord, is preached, most purely it is never void without fruit, but worketh all thing, to which it is send of the lord Esa. 55. wherefore wheresoever it is so preached it is certain, that there be some that be of the church of god, in whom it bringeth forth fruit, but we can not specially show one of them.  
♣ The pope, ye with all his kingdom with him can not surely show one elect, or saint, therefore they can canonyse none or a●scrybe them in the numbered of fayntes, for alonely god knoweth which be his. 2. Timoth. 2. and those to whom his will is to revelate.  
♣ Elect have no need, nor will not at all any other canonyser, be sides him that doth adscrybe them in the everlasting numbered of his saints, and book of them that do live.  
♣ Therefore all saints, do highly abhor the canonysing, of the pope, because it is no other thing, than a feigning of the devil a strong hunting, a multyplycatyon of idols, deceiving of the world, a turning from the alonely Christ our true and most sufficient mediator, beside whom god will none. For all though god is to be praised, in his saints. Psal. 115. Yet they be not our advocates, wherefore we ought not to call upon them?  
♣ For that man jesus Christ the mediator of god and men. 1. Timo. 2. is our advocate, and a mercifulness for our sins. 1. johannis. 1.  
¶ The holy mother of god, and all saints do abhor, above that at can be spoken, and hate vows and pilgrimages, to their sepulchres, and building of chapels, and idols, and such other of this kind. by cause by these, the people, be turned from sincere trust in god, and his Christ, of all marvels, and wonders, as ●el of these as of all other like. I have spoken of in the book of the causes of the blindness. &c. tracta. 5. capi. 12.  
¶ The pope and other with him, that canonyse, usurp that which is proper to the alonely god, that is to adscrybe and numbered, his elect.  
¶ To adfyrme that the pope, or any other men may canonyse, the elect of god, it is herysye, because it doth dissent from holy scripture.  
♣ Alonely the elect, whom god hath adscrybed in the eternity, and numbered of his saints, be of his church. But unto they believe they abide without the church.  
¶ For any man to be of the church of god kind condition, age, nation colour of clothing or deynteousnes or any other outward thing nothing profiteth. As is plain. Galath. 3. Coloss. 3. but sincere faithful, do admit no outward thing that doth not agree in all thing with the word of god.  
☞ whereof it followeth, that it is heresy to adfyrme that the pope, cardinals, bishops, with all his kingdom, be of the church of god, which is meek all pure and holy. furthermore (as I have said) it is invisible i it may not be known surely, by outward things although it have always the extern works of faith. for it doth allthing of faith, whether it eat/ drink or any other thing. But that it doth this of faith there is none but god, and he being worker that seeth.  
¶ They that be of the congregation/ of the wicked/ have oft works aperyngly good/ & very oft apere to the elect to be more holy for it/ verily god knoweth that all their works be evil because they be not of faith.  
¶ Therefore of faith/ and infidelity/ good works and evil just/ and injust/ do come.  
¶ who so ever liveth not and worketh of this foresaid faith/ is of the company/ and synagogue that is spoken of Psalmo. 23. I have hated the church malygnant/ and Apocalip. 2. I know their blasphemies that say they be jews/ and be not/ but be the synagogue of satane. and again. capitulo. 3. behold I shall give of the synagogue of satane that say they be jews & be nat.  
¶ Of this kind/ is the hole church of the pope/ it is so much less that it should be/ of the impolluted church of god.  
¶ All that be of the synagogue/ of the pope will be called ecclesiastical/ and there is no lie more open than this. If thou do refer this name to the church of god/ in a respect they may be alonely called ecclesiasty call or spiritual to the church of the devil.  
¶ Therefore because/ the kingdom of the pope/ hath nothing comen/ with the church of god/ as many as pertain to him/ be the very children of his world/ verily all other/ if they be noble men or merchants, artificers/ or husbandmen/ so that there be sincere faith/ in which they live/ and work/ and dyssent from the kingdom of the pope/ be ecclesiastical/ and of the church of god/ to whom these schismatics have done the most poisoned injury and wrong because they have called them secular and carnal or temporal/ and they have commanded with a hateful pride themselves to be called ecclesiastical and spiritual.  
¶ Verily who so ever is of the church of god is ecclesiastical and spiritual/ and doth all things of faith/ which be spiritual.  
¶ The synagogue/ of the pope is more adversary to Christ/ then the turk/ for the emperor of trukes sofferyth faithful that be in his lands/ to live after the pure word of god/ whom these blind enemies of meekness/ doth not cease to reclaim against in the mids of their blindness.  
¶ wherefore it were better for us to live under the empire of the turk/ then the pope. truly it is lawful for faithful to live under any prince/ so that Christ & his word be freely suffered, as it was lawful for the Isralites to live under Nabugodonosor, Cyro, Daryo, Assuero, the Romans, the Asseryēs. etc.  
♣ From this foresaid synagogue there may none pass, to the church of god except he first forsake the pope, and his decrees, for the pope, and Christ, be more contrary than fire and water.  
☞ He is the very great and true antechriste, and all the tyrants of his kingdom i cardinals, and bishops. &c. & they that do not dissent from him be also antichrists.  
❧ Even as it was necessary to the blessed angels, to their eternal health, to dissent from that first angel apostata, so to all that covet to be saved, it is necessary to be alienate from the pope, and his kingdom or else they shall never truly know Christ and cleave to his verity, with full heart, wherefore they must needs perish at the last. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜   

¶ Of the comunyon of saints of excommunication & bulls of the son of perdition. Capi. 3.  
The third chapiter.  
ALl that be of the church of god, have their communion together of one faith, one spirit, one grace, truth, justice pease, baptism, and of all gifts of the spirit.  
☞ Alonely by faith they that believe, be partakers of all these. For all the works of god be in faith. ❧  
♣ Because the kingdom of the pope lives not of faith, it can have none of these it is so much less, that it can give them to other. ☞: ❧  
❧ It is heresy to afyrme, that by the cursed indulgences of the kingdom of the pope the grace of god or remission of all sins or of the third or forth or half part or of one only sin is granted. ☞: ❧: ♣  
☞ And the grace of god, which is of faith alonely be present, all sins be for given, & not imputed. But if it be absent, none is forgiven, but all ymputid.  
❧ Therefore not one or some part of sin is remitted, but all together other remitted or holden. For that man is blessed alonely, whose iniquities be forgiven and covered, and are not imputed. Psalm. 31. so that if one sin be retained, yet doth other remain hatred, and cursedness. ☞: ❧: ♣  
♣ Bulls, jubylyes, and all pardons, of the kingdom of the pope, be no other thing, but dysceytfulnes, dyvelysshe juggling, sure nets, to draw all the substance of the world, cursed merchandise, feeding of the enemies of god, an abominable invention, turning from the sincere faith of Christ alonely profitable to destroy souls, and nourish satannes' synagogue. ❧  
❧ who so ever, doth trust to these false bulls, & doth not perceive that they be destruction, he is blind and shall never obtain the grace of god by them or remission of one sin, what so ever he doth or giveth therefore.  
♣ Alonely god receiveth the elect of faith, to the aforesaid glory and comunyon of saints, from the which he alone maketh infideles strange.  
☞ wherefore no man living, neither pope's, nor their bishops, nor all angels, and men together, can deprive any man, the communion of the faithful or lawfully denounce him for such one, except first it be ꝑfeytly known, by testimony of scripture, that he be deprived it of the lord. ❧ ❧  
♣ Every church of the faithful, and who so ever beareth rule, as kings, princes, and officers, where as cause is, may ye they ought, do depue their subjects the outward company of the faithful, that is they shall not dwell with them or otherwise keep company.  
☞ The cause for the which many be deprived this outward comunyon, is by adultery, horehunting, theft usure, cursing, covytousenes, cruelness, excess, and drunkenness, to be reproach to the church of god. 1. Corin. 5. and to be apostata from Christ is to speak against the doctrine of meekness and not to sufre it. As is evident the second canonical epistle of johan.  
¶ No congregation, of the faithful, may lawfully other dread or receive the abominable customs, interditementes or decrees of the kingdom of the pope, for truly they can hurt them that believe no manner ways.  
☞ In case any man, for things that agree with the word of god, or because he is ruled by the word, be excomunicate, cursed or interdicted, of the pope or his, it is turned to him into the most precious and amiable blessing, for when they curse god blessythe. Psal. 108. and to those that love god all things be wrought in goodness. Ro. 8.   

¶ Of true good-works and the law, of grace, and the gospel, and virtues of the faithful. Capi. 4.  
ALl though we be justified alonely by faith yet works be necessary.  
♣ faith is never with out true good-works, for he hath his effycacytie by love. ❧  
❧ True good works be, whatsoever is of faith, ye to eat, to drink to sleep, so there be no excess. ❧  
♣ what things that be not prohibit by god word, may be done in faith other may not. ☞: ♣: ☜  
☞ what so ever is not of faith is wicked, though it apere outwardly good/ just, and holy. Roma. 4.  
☞ Faithful to do well, have no need of decrees, and traditions, of men.  
❧ These be doctrine, laws and traditions, of men that do not consent, with the scriptures of god, or else they pertain to them, for the doctrine of man is lying, because man is alyer. Psalm. 115. truly the word of the lord is verity. Psalm. 118.  
♣ The law of god is sufficient, for faithful which is the law of the spirit written in their hearts. Eisai. 51. and Hiere. 31. whose scriptures be the most suryst witness of the lord. Psal. 18. &. 118. and the spirit doth write in them the gospel of pease, and everlasting health, which is no other thing but a sureness of the grace of god and remission of sin, by faith in Christ, and his truth, which whosoever preachythe purely is an evangelist. For the gospel is a glad and good tidings. ☞: ❧: ♣  
¶ For that same spirit doth teach them all truth. johan. 16. and is governor of them in every thing. ❧  
♣ It is heresy to say, that scriptures of god, be superfluous. for they be necessary, & that highly, that we may be sure if those things that be in our hearts be of god or no, for by what reason (as I have said) should we be more sure, than of the scriptures of god, which be his testymonyes. ❧: ❧  
☞ And although we had need, of the same scriptures, for witnese of truth, yet for all that, every sermon of the word of god and all scripture is unprofitable and in vain, except it be written in our hearts, of the holy spirit, which scripture of the spirit is the quick voice of god. ☞: ♣: ☜  
❧ wherefore it is heresy to affirm that there is any other quick voice of god necessary besides this and to suppress his marvelous testimonies. Psalm. 118. as many false prophets do now adays. ❧: ❧: ❧: ❧  
❧ Therefore the testymonyes of god must be preached, and it is necessary to be conversant in them with all diligence, which who so ever doth truly is verily blessed. Psalm. 1. and .118. but the fruit of that preaching and conversation, must be looked for of the holy ghost. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜  
☞ The principal use of those scriptures of god, is that we may search in them the testymonyes of his godly will. ☞: ❧: ❧: ☜: ☞  
❧ Verily the fruit of them is, that we believing may be justified, that is, we may get the grace of god and remission of sins. ☞: ❧: ♣  
♣ The grace of god, is not that qualyty that Sophesters call Habitus, but the favour and benevolence of god, having us free when we believe him and he hath his grace that is kind to him. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜  
☞ Alonely by the merit of Christ, we believing in him, and nothing doubting of his words, we get this grace. for than we do receive his plentifulness. johan the first chapiter.  
❧ faithful received in to the grace of god, by Christ, have together by him that justice which hath in it all parfytnes. Of the which is spoken. Psal. 71. justice and abundance of pease shall spring in his days. And Psalm. 84. mercy and verity have met him pease & justice have kissed him, and also of this is spoken. Eisaie. 53. in his science, he being just shall justify my servants very many. ☞ ❧ ❧ ☜  
♣ Because therefore that faithful, have all things in Christ, it is superfluous, curious, and also damnable, to scarche so many parts kinds and offices, of virtues as false divines do, for they that intend such thing, be but curious, for they put so many pertykeles, that it is unpossible to remember all, as you may perceive manifestly in the Sunleles of Thomas.  
❧ Reed what god doth command, and be oft coversant in his scriptures, and thou shalt be full of virtues, all though thou never know so many names partis and offices as they put.   

¶ Of the priesthood of the faithful, and true ministers of the church that is bishops, and deacons. The fift chapiter.  
The fift Chapter.  
BY the priesthood of christ and ministers of his church, the priesthood of Aaron & ministries of his deacons be abrogat and put down.  
♣ christ alone is the buy bishop, and pressed of the church Psalmo. 109. Hebre. 5. and. 9 full of grace and truth.  
♣ As many as believe in him be made partakers of his plentifulness. Io. 1. and of his ointment, that is of the holy ghost. Psalmo. 44. O god (the son) thy god, the father hath ointed the with oil of gladness (the spirit making glade) above thy fellows that is other faithful which be partakers of thy plentifulness.  
♣ All faithful of both kinds be consecrate into priests by him, as Peter writeth to all faithful. 1. Pet. 2. you are a chosen generation, a rial priesthood. Apocalip. 5. thou haste made us kings and priests to our god, and we shall reign upon the earth.  
♣ I do not call them seny ours by the greek word Presbitri, but Saserdotes, which we call priests for Presbyter is a greek word, and sygnifythe a senior or elder, and is proper to the high ministers of the church, as bishops, or preachers of the word of god, Sacerdos, which we call a priest is who so ever is sacrated to god by faith.  
¶ Every true senior i every true minister of the word is a pressed, but every priest is not a senior or minister.  
♣ The pope with all his bishops, and all the world together can not make one priest of the church of god, for it is alonely gods office, which doth sanctify his elect in faith/ and doth consecrated them into priests for himself.  
¶ priesthood of the kingdom of the pope was invented of men/ without the testimony of the word of god/ & came forth by the strength, and eyed of the devil.  
¶ priests of that kingdom can not be priests of the kingdom of Chryst except first they do forsake the priesthood of the pope i they shall not trust or attribute any thing to him/ although for the time they admit many things for the infirmity of other.  
¶ In place of ministers of the law, as priests and levites/ there be alonely two kinds of ministers under the gospel/ bishops/ and deacons.  
¶ Every sincere minister of gods/ word/ is called in scripture by these names/ first an overseer. Ezechiel. 3. secondly/ a prophet. 1. Cor. 14. therdly an evaungelyste of the gospel that he preacheth/ Eisaie. 41. I shall give Hyerusalem an evaungelest. Ephe. 4. other truly evaungelistes, & it is said. 2. Tymo. 4. do the work of an evaungelyst and Acts. 21. entering into the house of Phylyp the evaungelyst therefore/ Matthew/ Mark/ Luke/ & johan be not alonely evangelists/ but all true preachers of the scriptures of god/ fourthly ecclesyastycal i apreacher Ecclesia. i. the church is a congregation therefore he that rulythe it with the word, is called a preacher/ fifthly a senior or elder i Tymo. 5. seniors that govern well be worthy double honour/ and also/ against the senior, syxthely a bishop that is an overseer i Tymoth. 3. a bishop must be faultless/ and to Tytum. 1. a bishop must be without blame/ and Act. 10. the holy ghost hath maid you bishops seventhely an apostle/ for apostle is a messenger and sent/ and cometh of the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sygnyfyth to send that is necessary for the ministers of god's word/ to be his apostles that is to be sent of him Rom. 10. how should they preach except they be sent/ but some be great apostles and some less 2. cor. 11. Also that you may know the office of a bishop & apostle to be both one/ when Peter Acts. 1. said that some man must be desired into this ministry and office of an apostle/ from which judas was exiled, he did allege this place of david and his byshoppryke another shall possess.  
¶ You may gather therefore/ because neither the pope/ nor bishops/ or tyrants/ of his kingdom have any of these afore said/ they be not of the church of god overseers/ prophets evangelists/ preachers/ senyoures/ bishops/ or apostles/ except you join this term false to every one of them.  
¶ cities and towns, which have no pastore/ simply preaching the most pure word of god/ have no bishop/ senior/ preacher/ or evaungelyste/ of jesus christ.  
¶ In many cities/ all that be of the reprovable synagogue of antichrist/ perceiving that the immaculate word of god sets openly forth their abomination/ they do so hate them/ and dread lest any true minister of the word should be hard of the people/ that assoon as any cometh/ before he can open his mouth they go about to stoup him/ which I have proved myself very oft/ specially in the noble city of Wetens in the which god hath delivered me oft from the hands of antichrists seeking my soul.  
¶ There was in that cety/ that time a holy bishop of god/ now a blessed martyr & witness of Christ saint Iohan castellanc/ whom for the testimony of truth the apostate kingdom of the son of perdition vehemently hating/ when they could not hurt him in the city/ they brought to pass/ by treason/ that he should go forth of the city and he so banished they took him prisoner by & by afore the .9. month whom Anthony abbot with a false proctor/ & many false pharisees were about to bring him to that pass/ that he should deny christ and his verity. But the holy champion of god persevered immovable/ and was never over come/ the lord confyrminge his breast with his spirit/ then they moved in their reprovable minds/ the last of all that is the .12. day of Ianuarye Anno .1525. at vuy a town of lotheringe the same johan rejoicing and being glade in the lord/ not warned before of it/ but led to execution/ when that he would not recant into the favour of antichrist they made him a glorious merter of Chryst/ with most cruel torments of fire, & whom they did covet to extinct/ they crowned with a incomparable dyedeme of glory/ even against their wills so that if it were lawful to call upon saints he were to be named no less than Peter or Paul & other apostles/ but there is one advocate and our mediator the lord jesus christ. I have brought this paradox that we may glorify this saint johan in the lord and the lord in him/ and also that his burners and bochers/ may see their faults/ and most grievous crime/ and may amend lest they perish/ the lord jesus Chryst make them of Saules/ Paul's/ that is of the enemies of christ and his truth/ his friends, and of persecutors defenders and his preachers.  
¶ There is nor can be no true bishop of the church of jesus christ/ but a pure and evaungelycall preacher/ for other proud blown pomps bugs of the kingdom of the pope be nothing less than bishops.  
In every cety/ town/ & village there ought to be many bishops i evangelists or preachers/ after the quantity of places & multitude of people.  
¶ If many peryshes be so great/ that one bishop is not sufficient for them/ let them be divided/ and to every part a bishop assigned/ these two conclusions I have expounded in my exposition of the rule of the Mynorytes. Capitulo. 15.  
¶ It is necessary for bishops to be sent and called of god/ and that I have proved in the same. 15. Chapi. of the same enarration in the book of calling  
¶ It is the most grievous crime/ and by no means to be suffered/ that many children of perdition do deprive the people of god their right/ and just title, that is to choose them a pastor/ for he should be chosen of them/ that is ordained for them to rule with the word.  
¶ Of the congregation of the faithful he is to be taken for a true bishop and messenger of god/ whom so ever he doth send/ although this sending be by lot of faith openly done/ as of Mathy. Acts. 1. as I have declared in my said book of calling.  
¶ The counsel of every place ought to give heed and watch if those that be chosen into byshopprykes be meet to the same ministry of every perish of the faithful/ which belong chiefly to princes.  
¶ And if there chance any to be elect unprofitable, unlearned, or strange from the word, or that doth offend the congregation of god by horemonging or any other crime, or not wylto admit holy matrimony, or having a unchaste wife, or children dyssenting from meekness. &c. the election must be revoked of them, and let the election turn to the congregation that they may call a bishop to them mighty in works of meekness, and the word. ♣ ❧ ♣  
❧ If the church dissent in electyon of a bishop, or rulers and princes, with the church, nor they do not search the counsel of the lord of true bishops, nor find one open place of scripture what is necessary for them to do, then by example of the apostles faithful prayer had before, let them cast loottes, and what so ever chaunsythe by lootte, they be bound to receive for the sure will of god, for it is written, loottes be put into the bosom and tempered of the lord, Prover. 16 and Capitulo. 18. lootte putes away contradiction and doth judge great men, & more of this matter in my book of calling. ☞: ❧: ♣: ☜  
♣ All canon's of the world can not lawfully choose one bishop of the church of jesus christ. ☞ ❧  
❧ Kings and princes and other great nobles ought to choose very many learned men in the word of god, which should be bishops in their courts, and should teach their courtiers oft the most pure word of god.  
☞ If one, or two, or more houses of the faithful perceive that they have not faithful bishops suffered to them, or the people of the perish will not choose evaungelycall men, they may privately take themselves aproper bishop or pastor. ☞: ❧: ♣: ☜  
❧ Those should alonely be chosen bishops that be such as Paul descrybethe. 1. Tymothe. 3. and Tyte. 1. that is to be irreprehynsyble with out fault keeping hospetalyte, gentle, sober, just, meek, holy, husbands of one wife, in fear and care of the lord governing their own house, having children learned with all chastity, which be not proud, covetous, drunkards, angry, contentious, but honest, able in word and manners well to order the church of god, and their wives must be chaste honest, sober, and faithful in all things. ❧ ❧ ❧  
♣ If any of the cetizens or of the nobles be such one he may be chosen bishop of the congregation notwithstanding all the decrees of the apostate kingdom. ☞ ☞ ☞ ☜  
☞ It is herysye and foolishness to affirm that the aforesaid text of the apostle, of the wife and children, is otherways understand (as the enemies of meekness do say) them of a lawful wife and children naturally begotten in matrimony. ☞ ♣  
❧ Therefore married men may be made bishops and preach openly the word of god, and after the pure text of the apostle, there ought none to be chosen bishop of the congregation, except he be married or have been or will be. ☞ ❧ ♣ ☜  
❧: And for that cause god would that all, except a few prophets, apostles, and bishops, should have be married, and should be to this day, that there be no suspection of whormonging or uncleanliness, and that they might more safely be conversant with other. ☞ ❧ ♣ ☜  
♣ Also by an other reason that they might be partakers of holy matrimony, that aught to preach the high mysteries of it, the which be in christ & the church, for what be all the scriptures of god, but sermons of his mysteries, and his church. ❧  
☞ They that have chosen bishops, where as cause is, may lawfully depose them. ❧: ❧: ❧  
❧ A just cause of deposition of the same is unsyncere preaching of the word of god i if they mixed laws, decrees, and traditions of men, with god's ordinance. ❧ ♣ ♣  
♣ Deacons of the church, be those that the faithful chose, for to gather, & distribute to the poor, the alms of the faithful, which now many cities of germany do, making comen boxes for it, such were the .7. deacons elect and institute of the apostles at hierusalem, of whom Stephen the Martyr was one. ❧: ☞: ♣: ❧:  
♣ Men of good witness, faithful, and married must be chosen deacons .1. Tymothe. 3. which if they be poor let them be sustained with the comen alms by the decree of the church.  
❧ The church of god hath no ministers besides these bishops and deacons for bishops, priests, deacons, subdeacons. &c. of the kingdom of the pope, be deacons of men, ordained without tystymonyes of the word of god. ☞: ❧ ❧: ☜: ♣   

☞ Of punishment and putting out false bishops and false apostles from the congregation of the faithful. Capit. 6.  
ALL prophisye and scripture of god is profitable when it is since rely teached, & handled. Tymothe. 3. for it is a opening of the spirit of truth, to the health of the faithful. 1. Corinth. 12.  
♣ For it is the word of the wisdom of god, more precious than gold and silver, and to whom all that can be desired may not be compared Pro. 3. nor precious stone may not be assymulat to it, and all treasure is counted but as cley in the sight of it. Sapien. 1. ❧  
¶ Profane doctrine, and strange from god doth not profit, but always to the greater wykydnes, and doth waste, creep, and consume, even as the disease of canker. 2. Tymoth. 2. for it it leaven son corrupting all the dough 1. Corin. 5. and Galat. 5. and evil communication deceiveth, and corruptythe. 1. Corinthy. 5. ❧: ❧  
♣ Such manner of wicked sermons & contrary to truth, be teached, and loved alonely of them that be corrupted in mind. 1. Tymo. 6. and .2. Tymo. 3.  
♣ If he ought to be taken from the mids of the faithful, neither it be not lawful, to accompany with him that is called brother i faithful, that with his sin offendythe the congregation of god, moche more he that with his wicked teaching turnythe the people from christ, ❧  
♣ An heretic after the third monyshyon, repugning to the truth, is to be fled as a banished man Tyte. 3. and not bringing the pure word of god, he is not to be received into your house, nor you ought not to salute him for he that salutyth him consenties to his evil deeds. 2. johan. canonycal.  
♣ Furthermore as every good man of the house ought to rule his house, so kings princes, and rulers their lands subject to them. ♣ ♣: ☜ ☞  
♣ Therefore even as good men of the houses ought to put from their houses, and punish false prophets and heretics, not bringing the doctrine of christ, so kings princes and rulers from their proper lands and lordships, these be bound to this, lest their proper houses be deceived and maid strange from Chryst. Also the other for health of their subjects.: ♣  
♣ And for that cause of the best kings have slain false prophets, the lord commanding. Deutri. 15. he commandeth false prophets, and fayners of dreams, which turn his people from him, to be slain.: ¶: ¶: ¶:  
☞ If that as is open in many places of scripture, offences must be taken from among the mids of the people of the lord, those verily are chiefly to be taken away that destroy souls of whom false preaching is chief.  
☞ All preaching of the kingdom of the pope is deceivable and admyxte with lying, therefore it must be fled as the poison of Aspys incurable. Also all preachers of the same kingdom because they be false prophets and false apostles not borne and sent of god, but of flesh and blood. ❧  
❧ Therefore this most principally of all them that rule must be looked on that true bishops i true evangelystꝭ of the word, govern well people subject to them in the same word. ♣  
♣ Let them expulse false bishops i false prophets from their lands after the third monishyon, except they amend. and if they affirm that they have the word of god and the quick voice of god as some say, let them be suffered to do what they can, until they be proved of them that have the most pure word if it be of god or not, and as it is known not to be of god, let all princes banish them their lordships/ and so do with false prophets that spring daily. ☞ ❧ ❧  
¶ For who that of right wit will deny, kings, princes, and rulers to be bound to that, to seek peace, & health of their people, and to exile from them all what so ever doth alienate them from god. ☜ ☞: ☜: ☞: ☜ ☞ ❧  
♣ And I dour not but it is lawful for them by the foresaid chapi. Deute. 13. which is revocate in no place to slay them, when they perceive that they turn their people from the inmaculat scriptures of god, to the sacralegious decrees of the kingdom of the pope, and other inventions of men, for they have the sword. ☞ ❧ ♣  
♣ Did Helyas err when he slew. 858. prophets aswell of Baalle as other places. 3. Reg. 18. and jehu which did slay the prophetis and worshypers of Baalle. 4. Regum. 10. ❧  
¶ But I do not affirm this to be necessary to christian princes, that all though as I have said, they should be separate and expulsed from the congregation, undoutidly it is necessary, or else the guilty men of so many souls as have been deceived of this prophets of antichrist, should perish, I do rather counsel and would alway that they should be banished then slain/ for they may amend. ☞ ♣  
♣ In case you object those that worship the pope. to be counted for mere gentiles, and therefore to suffer them to have their doctoures and prophets, we answer that it is not like reason, for they will be taken for the faithful of Christ and the other will not.  
furthermore there is one doctrine of the faithful the most pure word of god with which they must be governed.  
❧ Therefore they that be of the kingdom of the pope, if they covyt to be saved, must cleave to the simple word of god, the inventions of men setaparte. ☞ ❧ ♣  
✚ Nor it is not true (that some say) that it is lawful to be conversant with brethren that be reproach to the church, and false prophetis, as it were with true gentiles, as you may perceive of scriptures aforesaid. ❧ ♣  
♣ They that attain to the kingdom of the pope will be taken for brethren i faithful, and their false apostles, for evangelists of christ. For under the cloak of Christ and his most holy word, they being deceived craftily strive against both Christ and his word. they are to be fled of all faithful, and of princes and rulers to be extinc. lest they preach or affirm any such thing or else to be taken away and banished the company of the faithful. ☞ ❧  
¶ Nor it is nothing material that some say, there should no man be constrained to faith, for that is understand alonely of gentiles, that do profess themselves strange from Christ, the other will be counted for faithful.  
♣ It is nothing to the purpose that some say, so they should be compelled to ypocrysye. Verily they be not excomunicate or confounded that they should be made hypocrites, but they so confounded of hypocrites may be made true christians and if they will tarry in hypocrisy it shallbe imputed to them.  
❧ Did Paul sin, commanding a certain man to be excomunicate, and taken from the mids of the faithful. 1. Cor. 5. if he had not been converted but in to hypocrysye, might it then have be said that Paul and the company of the Corinthians had compelled him to hypocrisy. ❧ ✚  
☞ Therefore, we conclude that every man ought to banish from his house and princes from their lands false apostles not willing to amend, lest christ be teached diversly and/ his word believed to be diverse, whereof Christ may be divided in his people and by this diversity all places be troubled. ☞ ✚ ❧ ♣  
¶ Therefore it is lawful for bishops and the people of the faithful, to desire their princes, and rulers to be careful amongestes them all, and to expel false prophets from their lands that the pure word of god may be teached in every place. ¶: ✚: ¶  
❧ And if they that rule be enemies of truth, and will not here the word suffering them to be deceived, of the prophets of antychriste and monks (as is their property) except they amend surely they shall perish.  
♣ And if they covyt to be saved, let them here the word of the lord, and that most dylegentlye, and let them pray the lord, that he will vouchsafe to lighten them with his spirit. For than they praying in faith god will make open his trewethe. ☞ ❧  
♣ It is damnable that many say they will follow the manners and faith of their predycessours, for this sacrylegyous saying doth perish many. As I have spoken in the book of the causes of the blindness. &c. in the prologue.  
❧ woe be to wicked princes and rulers that for the decrees of antychrist deny the verity of Christ, and do enprysone, persecute, and slay his lovers. Verily they are madder and worse than Nero or Dioclesiane, and all other tyrants. For they did persecute and deny that they knew not. Verily these blinder than blindness itself. Call themselves Christ's servants and love his word, & yet they deny and tread down both Christ and his word, and receive for him dung of inventions of men, and worship for Christ Antichrist and his laws, this every man perceiveth except he be blind as they be. O I would to God the lord would send another josy as that would destroy all great buldynges, places, altars, phaanes, secres, decrees, of antychriste and all that belongeth to that cursed worship 4. Reg. 23. and. 2. Parali. 34. ❧   

❧ In what things bishops of the church of God, should be subject to princes and rulers and of their authority, and ministry that is of the word and sacraments, and of sentwaryes. The seventh chapiter. ☞: ♣: ♣: ☜  
bishops i ministers of the word/ be in all thing subject to princes and rulers as other cytezyns be, except in these things that belong to their proper office. For it is necessary that they be citizens which we adfyrme of all religious. ☞ ✚ ❧ ♣  
❧ bishops in ministry of the word be subject to no man but god alone, & judgement of the church, which doth judge by the word of god.  
☞ If lords probybyte preaching to bishops, for a day or two they must be obeyed, but perpetually obey them not for god must rather be obeyed than man. Acts .5. If they command they shall interpret the word of god against his proper nature, that is after the will of the pope & his kingdom, obey them not, but resist the matter more purely and fervently. ☞ ✚ ♣ ❧  
¶ And they command that they shall teach traditions and commandments of men, obey them not, and so of all other of this manner, that be against the word of the lord. ☞ ❧  
☞ The greatyst and highest point of their office, is to preach to the people, those things that the lord hath spoken so purely, so nakedly, and so simply, as god saith, neither increasing, nor demynyshing i putting to nothing of the inventions and dreams of men, for the people of the faithful shuldbe ruled by the alonely word of the lord. ☞ ✚ ☜  
♣ Their authority is, to correct with the word of god, ye kings and princes and rulers, and with the church together to separate apostates, and slanderers of the word from the communion of the faithful, and they so amending to receive them again.  
☞ It is also apart of their office, chiefly in those days, that the child of perdition the man of sin, is to be published to the elect with the spirit of the mouth of the lord i with his word, lest they consenting to him do perish, to expound to all people, with a quick voice and writing, those places of scripture pertaining to that kingdom, every man as he hath taken of the lord, let him be banished from the temples of god, that is from the hearts of the faithful, and let him nevermore be taken of them, for the vycker of god, or spouse of the church for if he be to be revelid with the word of the lord, it is necessary that it be done first & principally by them whom god hath made his evangelists.  
♣ Butler I do not deny this to belong to all faithful that have the word of god, for it is commanded to all men of the kingdom of the pope, under the similitude of the whore of Babylon mother of all fornication. Apocalyp. 18. Go from her my people and be not parttakers of her sins, because her sins have come to heaven and the lord remembrethe her iniquities, give her as she hath given to you, and double her double works, in the cup that she did mix to you mixed to her double, as much as she hath glorified herself in delicates so much give to her torment & mourning. which words I have expounded in the preface of mine oration in to the rule of the mynorytes. ❧  
¶ Therefore neither emperor kings nor princes, or any other rulers, may lawfully prohibit that these things should not be done, and if they do prohybite they ought not to be obeyed, for God is more than man ●ormes and rotennes. ☞ ❧ ♣ ✚  
❧ They may forbid that any thing should be done without the word and then they are to be obeyed. ❧ ♣  
☞ And they may constrain i lest any man rob or strike the pope's chaplains, and monks/ or of his own brain pluck down idols, for this belongeth to princes and rulers, that have the sword, that if any thing must be done, it may be done with wholesome counsel, and in good time by the word of god. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜  
❧ For all that the company of the faithful gathered and well informed in the word of god, may for this matter, desire and that instantly princes and rulers, that all thing may be done peaceably, ordinately and in good season.  
¶ wherefore messengers that is apostles and bishops of god, be subject alonely to god in ministry of the word we say in ministry of the word, for as for all outward things, as to preach in this place rather than in that place, with a surplyce or without, in tabernacles of the faithful, and not in the comen market or in the market and not in the tabernacles, and so of all other outward things by which their ministry is not let, they be subject to princes & rulers as other citizens be. ☞ ❧ ♣ ✚ ☜  
♣ For and cause lawful be they may, wholesome counsel taken, deprive, put them forth, and prison them. &c.  
☞ Nat withstanding the decrees of the son of perdition, which under pain of cursing, do prohibit lest any man touch his tyrants and ministers of his clergy, for what will such precepts, but to will that with out any let, they may wax wanton, steel, and go mad. furthermore I have said that god turnythe all the cursing of this kingdom of perdition to his elect in to a loving blessing. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☜  
❧ Also all sanctuaryes, privileges and pardons, of that kingdom be lies of the devil, and therefore to be counted for nought. ¶: ✚: ¶  
☞ Therefore both bishops, and all other if they have offended may be taken from any place, ye from tabernacles and churchyards.  
♣ towns and places may be ordained, of princes and rulers, in whom they that flee, which by chance, with out hate or malice have shed blood, may be safe, unto their innocency known they may return to their own. ❧ ♣ ✚ ❧  
❧ who so ever with sword, staff, or stone, or any other way of hate, or lying in wait hath stricken or slain any man, he ought not to be suffered safe in any place, but alonely he that against his will hath done any of these. And so the lord hath ordained cities for them that flee. Numeri. 35.  
¶ No bishop hath authority, upon his fellow, but to teach him, if he know the truth better, for the feigning of archishops is not of the word of god.  
❧ bishops have no need to be consecrate of any man, but of the holy ghost, it is sufficient to them for all consecration to be send and called of the lord.  
☞ If any bishops in themselves their wives, or with divers conversation, offend the congregation they ought to be correct of rulers and the church, and not giving place to wholesome doctrine ought to be deposed of them and separate the comunyon of the faithful.  
❧ Another ministry of theyres is to baptize, to minister the table of the lord and comforthe them that amend.  
☞ This ministry of sacraments which is but accident to them, and not principal, they may commit to other, when they be let with ministry of the word. they be not send to baptize, but to preach. As Paul sayeth of himself. 1. Cor. 1.  
♣ To the first office that is to preaching be inseparably knit, visitation and comforting of the sick, always that they can to help the congregation that every bishop rulythe in the word of god.  
❧ bishops should not wait to be called to the houses of the faithful, where as they know necessity, but of theirselves should watch and haste to bring them help and comfort.   

The eight chapiter. ¶ That bishops may not be lords and princes, and it is against their office. The eight chapiter. ❧  
bishops be not lords over the people of god but ministers and servants. ☞ ❧  
☞ Nor they may command them nothing of themselves, although they may reprove, desire, and blame, in all patience and pure doctrine of the scriptures of god. 2. Timoth. 4.  
❧ It is not out of patience, but a necessary and most free zeal to god, when any man is angry and fervent against the wicked, after the word of the lord, for verily there must be resistance with the word as oft as necessity requyryth, ye with the most fervent zeal. As Phinees did please with the zeal, slaying both Zambri captain of the tribe of simeon, and Cozhi daughter of Sur the prince of Madianites. Numeri. 15. And also Mathathias with that zeal. slaying a Jew and the messenger of the king of Antioch, the first book of Machabeus the second chapiter. Like wise Helias whose sermons were even as fire or a burning bronde. 1. Kings. 17. and Ecclesiasti .48. ♣  
♣ bishops may not be princes and lords of any place, but of their own household. for it is contrary to be a bishop and a prince. For to be a bishop is to be a minister and faithful seruande.  
¶ Therefore they ought not to have lordship, of the least town of all the world, the saviour spekyth to bishops. Matthew the .20. chapiter and Mark the .18. chapiter. & Luke the .22. chapiter. Kings of gentiles have rule over them, and they that have power be called gracious lord. but you not so, that is you shall not have lordship of other nor shall not have power in them as princes. &c.  
☞ And because the pope, and his bishops, with other pertaining to his kingdom, do boast themselves, for ministers, & servants, of the church, and nevertheless, willbe princes, and lords, they must be deprived all, kingdom, and lordship, which to do, it belongeth to princes, and rulers.  
♣ If that they be of the high princes, and willbe taken for such, and play the true princes and to permyte freely holy byshopp●● 〈…〉 of every congregation 〈…〉 be suffered, or else to be put 〈…〉 other to be chosen, for princes. ❧: ♣: ☜  
¶ It is not lawful for bishops, to have vicars, officials, secretaryes, chancellors, courts of strife, & such other. But alonely helpers, for ministry of Sacraments, as I have said before. ☞: ❧: ♣: ☜: ❧  
¶ For there is no process, that may lawfully be determined, before him, or his officials, for this doth belong to princes and rulers. ☞: ❧  
¶ But it is lawful for them, to have a scribe of sermons of truth, if they need or if they be such, that can expound the scriptures in writing.  
¶ scribes and other that be of the council of cities, and other notaries ordained of princes, and rulers, may receive testaments, and all manner of contracts, which is not to be suffered, to the notaries of antichrist, and his tyrants, except they forsake antichrist and his kingdom and be admitted of rulers, or else the conjuring, of the son of perdition should be confirmed, which by all means after the word of god, is to be abolished, and drunk of him in the most hard cup. ☞ ♣ ♣ ☜  
☞ To princes, and rulers, it belongeth to subvert all pomp, & tyranny, of bishops, and to reform them to humility, and symplecyte of apostles  
♣ Therefore to the pope, and cardinals and bishops, or other tyrants, of his kingdom, should not be suffered pompyous interesties of cities, precious mitres, crosses, hattꝭ, slippers, of silk and gilded, and rings, for if he will play, the bishop let him enter like a bishop, apostle, and pastor, and let it be sufficient for every one of them, to have on, or two, or three servants, for they be not greater than Peter, or Paul, or other apostles, which have gone very ofie, with one disciple alone to the ministry, of the word, to whose humility both the pope, cardinals, and all the tyrants of his kingdom ought to be restored, but what counsel these kings, and lords that have admitted those dignities of antichrist, with their honour may use. I have spoken of in the epystele to the noble prince, johan cardinal of lothering. ☞ ♣ ❧   

Of a brogatyon, of first fruits, tithes, offerings, and what the faithful own to their bishops i to true ministers of the word, and of those they own to princes and rulers. Capitulo. 9  
FOr ministers of the law that is to say priests and levities, god hath ordained tithes, first fruits, and oblatyons, of tithes, and first fruits. Exodi. 20. Leviticum, the last Numeri. 18. and Deutri. 14. of oblatyons. Exodi. 23. and .34. thou shalt not apere void in my sight, and Deuterono .16. he shall not apere void before the lord. ❧ ♣ ☜  
♣ Verily once before the law Abraham did give tithes to Melchiseadech king, and priest of the highest god. Genesis .14. and Iacobe vowed to the lord that he would give tithes of all that he should receive. Gene. 28. which no doubt of, was not without the counsel of the holy ghost that they both did. ☞: ✚:  
✚ Therefore to give tithes, that is a good thing, because it doth agree with holy scriptures.: ✚: ☜  
✚ But we find in no place, that ever it was lawful to any man to require them of duty, except the foresaid ministers of the law, and kings of Israel, as is manifest .1. Regum. 8. of the law of a king that should reign upon them.: ✚:: ✚:: ✚  
✚ For that cause the priesthood of Aaron is abrogate, and is translated into christ, and the faithful, and christ is made alone the true and high bishop of the faithful, as is openly declared in the epistle of S. Paul to the hebrews. ☞: ✚: ♣: ☜  
¶ wherefore bishops, and priests of the kingdom of the pope, be nothing less than that which they affirm themselves to be. ❧:  
¶ Nor they do not succeed to the law of tithes, first fruits, and oblations, which be dew alonely to them aforesaid, for they be not priests, and levites of the law. ☞: ❧: ♣: ☜  
¶ They be therefore execrable thieves, when they require tithes, first fruits and oblations. ☞ ❧ ❧ ☜  
♣ For they be dew to them by no law, not by god's law, as I have said, nor by man's law, for all such law doth not bind the faithful. because it is wicked, bringing them into bondage of the law, that god hath made free from it. ☞ ♣ ❧  
¶ Also christ speaking of tithes. Mathewe .23. and Luke .11. speaketh in the pretertens, you ought to have done these. &c. that you may know they should have be given them, and not you. ☞: ♣ ❧  
¶ And if you say they should have be given them, Ergo now, you conclude foolishly, because the law is abrogat, for them it should follow that you should have be circumcised, offered beasts, go to Jerusalem on days appointed of the lord, Ergo now, if this consequent be nought nor the first.  
¶ Furthermore although faithful be not bound to give those things to them, yet rather than they should strive, they should have them at their request according to that of Luke. 6. from him that taketh away thy cloak, do not forbid thy coote, to all that axythe the give, and of him that taketh from thee, axe it not again. ☞  
¶ They may, ye they ought, if they may do it, to warn them lest they will perish, for such a detestable exactyon, and theft, for it is wytten if thy brother offend thee, correct him. Matthew .18. and Luke .17. ❧ ❧  
¶ But it is the duty of princes, and rulers, to make people free, from this theft, and tyranny of the apostate kingdom, for neither the pope, cardinals, nor bishops, nor all they together that do attain to this wicked kingdom, may lawfully require one halfepenye, under the name of fryste fruits, tithes, and oblations. ❧  
¶ Let these flow belies work, and live with labour, and let them have whereof they may give to the poor his necessity, as is written in the sweat of thy brows, thou shalt eat thy bread Gene. 3. and .2. Thessal. 3. he that laboryth not let not him eat, and if they be of the houses of princes, or nobles or any other rich men, let them go to their own houses, & do something else better provided, so that they do not steal other men's goods and may be saved. ❧ ♣  
¶ To true bishops i to true evangelists, be not owed first fruits, tithes, and oblations, but alonely they, to whom they preach, be bound to help them, and their household, as you may openly see in many places of scripture, as I have teached in an other place more largely. ☞ ♣ ❧  
¶ For it is said cheffelye to them, will not you to heap treasure. Math. 6. and although this chance to all men yet they should give example to other that they may show christ, and his meekness ye in their deeds. ❧  
♣ Therefore & if they have any thing plentifully given to them, let them give it to the poor, and let them keep hospitality as Paul saith. Tite. 1.  
♣ wherefore under the gospel there is none that of the appointment of god, tithes should specially be given to, not the kingdom of the pope, as we have said, nor yet true evaungelystꝭ to whom even by the commandment of god, meat, and drink, and cloth, is dew of them whom they rule, with the word and not to princes, rulers or nobles. ☞: ✚: ❧: ♣ ☜  
♣ For to them must be given tributes and customs, by the precept of christ Matth. 22. Mark. 12. Luke. 20. give that to the Emperor, that is the Emperors, & that, to god that is gods and Roma. 13. give to every one their duty, to whom tribute, give tribute to whom custom, give custom, to whom honour, give honour, to whom dread, dread, & would god that many injust exactyons were taken away, and that they would take alonely tithes, as the lord did appoint the kings of Israel. 1. Regum. 8. ☞: ♣: ✚: ☜  
♣ Also they must have tithes, twelftꝭ twentytes, and such other lawful customs, which many have purchased by lawful means, as giving for them, and their heirs, their proper lands, for a perpetual custom of the fifteenth, or twelve part of their fruits  
¶ I do not understand of usurus bergens, for it is written, lend one to another trusting of no advantage. Luke. 6. ☞: ❧: ♣: ✚: ❧  
♣ what shall then be of tithes, shall they be utterly put down, godforbyd but I say that the faithful be free, that they give nothing over them, to them whom the man of sin commandeth to be given.: ❧: ♣: ❧  
¶ I give this counsel to the faithful, that of all they that receive of the lord, to gather tithes, and distribute them into good uses, as to help the public weal, to nourish true bishops, that truly govern, to help the fatherless, puples, and wydoes, with other poor.  
¶ we say this of them, that be able, for if they be poor, let them pay nothing or else that which they may freely, chiefly for a common weal, & ministers of the word of whom the greatest count must be given. 1. Tim. 5. seniors that govern well be worthy double honour, chiefly they that labour in the word and learning.  
¶ Princess, rulers, and nobles, to whom (as I said) tributes, & other shuldbe given by the law, may not think them free to do with them what they will, for they must be watching for a good state, and pease of the people, and be meek, and plentiful to the poor  
¶ To whom this must be counsyled, that by example of Abraham, and other Saints, to distribute tithes of all that they receive, to the poor, and not to set up chapels and build cloistures. ☞: ❧: ❧: ♣  
❧ Nor it is not lawful for them to multiply horses, for pride, to have many wives, or whores, together great heaps of gold, & silver to be proud over his brethren that is, people whom he should have in stead of his brethren to decline from truth, and justice, to the right hand, or to the left hand, but they shall have the law of the lord, in which they shall read, all the days of their life, and learn to dread the lord, and their god, and keep his precepts, as is said in. Deutryno. 17.   

Of the table of the lord that it is not a sacrifice, and of wicked and usurus customs of the kingdom of perdition utterly to be plucked away and of purgatory. Capi. 10.  
THe pope and his scoles have defined the table of the lord, to be a sacrifice, and have denied in it to be the promise of grace, and both kinds to be given to any other than his chaplains, which be all heresy, because they repugn to the most open texts of scripture, for if you look upon those that be spoken of it. Mat. 26. Mark. 14. Luke. 22. and. 1. Cor. 11. you shall plainly perceive this to be the table of god, which you may not sacrifice, but eat and drink, and to be the new Testament, of whom the scriptures be instruments, in whom the grace of god, and remission of sins is promised, of whom they that believe be partakers, and both kinds to be given, to all that have proved themselves whether they believe in the promise of god, and at the last, by this taking to show the lords death, until he come to iudegement i to remember, & be a memorial of his death, to them that believe, for so oft doth he die to them, with the most surest sign that is to say, the fruit of his death is given to them, as oft as they eat this bread, and drink this blood in faith. ☞ ❧ ♣  
♣ whosoever is partaker, of this table in faith, is made a member of Chryst, and eateth his flesh, and drinketh his blood johan. 6. to the which he that goeth without faith eateth, & drinketh his judgement making no difference of the lords body. ♣ ♣  
♣ To search here more cureouslye than the simpleness of the text wyllyth, is abominable before the lord.  
♣ The superstecyousnes, is not to be suffered, to keep the bread of the lord, in the tabernacles of the faithful, it was not ordained of the lord, to be keeped so or borne about so pomposlye but that it might be eaten. ❧: ✚  
♣ And for that cause let sincere evangelists provide that it be not keeped, for that keeping is beside the order of god, for truly then the bread is to be santyfyed, with the word of god, whom it is to be taken, what hour soever it be, and what soever the heresy of antichrist hath otherwise defined, and we say the same of the cup that both must be given together  
♣ we do not say, that this table is to be ministered to children, or they that believe not, but utterly, to all that can believe in the promise of god.  
♣ It is the duty of bishops to order them diligently that they may know what this holy feast is, and not to receive to it, all that puts himself to it, but then whom they have instruct, or do not doubt, to be well instruct.  
❧ The high preparation is, that any man being thrystye, or hungry go to it i that he confess with all his heart, that he hath need of the grace of god, and remission of sins, and believe to gods promise that being partaker of this table, he shall obtain his desire by the merit of the passion of Christ, of whom this feast is a memory  
❧ Although this holy feast, and also baptism be most sure signs, to the faithful, of the grace of god to be had, yet without these signs every faithful, believing the truth perceiveth the same, as appeareth in many places of scripture. ☞: ❧:  
¶ And for that cause it pertaineth to the abundance of god's worship, that he hath put these signs to the more copious comfort of the faithful, of whom I have spoken more, chiefly in the book of the causes of the blindness. &c. Tracta. 5. Capitulo. 7. and. 8  
¶ Augustyne, and other saints, and the Master of sentences. 12. Dystyn. 4. do not affirm this table to be properly a sacrifice, but so to be called so of some, because it is a memory of a sacrifice one's offered on the cross.  
¶ But as the memory of a thing is not the thing, nor the memory of gold, or a person, is not gold or the person, so nor the memory of the sacrifice, is the sacrifice. ☞: ♣ ❧  
♣ It was an execrable feigning of the devil, to make of this sweetest testament, of everlasting health, a sacrifice of the kingdom of antichrist, whereof is sprung usury, merchandise, fairs, and innumerable errores about the mass, by the which innumerable have perished, & slow belies be fatted and set out. ❧  
¶ It is lawful no more to the faithful to sacrefyce christ then to kill him, but alonely to worship the memory of his death in faith, in partaking of his table.: ☞:  
☞ All that, now the truth opened again sacrifice christ, do alway sin moste grievously.  
✚ Therefore if any man in any place to avoid the offence of many, be constrained to say mass, let him leave out all that that maketh mention of a sacrifice, principally the Canon, except the words of bundiction from this place. Qui pridie. & c  
♣ And let him take heed, that neither for that nor if he have left out any other thing as the manyple stole. etc. that he be pricked in his conscience, as for one offence knowing that the faithful is not bound to the traditions of men, but is free, yet because of the weak these outward things, are not in every place to be left out.  
❧ which if it make against thy conscience it edefyethe to hell fire, and if it follow a wavering conscience sinneth let him therefore put away thy wavering conscience, and for that axe lightening of the lord.  
♣ Neither for quyke, nor for dead it is lawful to offer christ neither in the sacrament, nor otherwise, for he hath offered himself once for all.  
☞ All foundations of masses, years minds, crying of the quere, and all such, that be done in the kingdom of the pope, be hylye abominable to god besides that they be for the more part usury, what so ever the son of perdition in a certain wavering hath otherwise defined, a thing utterly adversary to the word of god, granting to his synagogue Chryst prohybytythe usury Luke .6. lend one to another trusting for no advantage, which this man of sin hath made lawful/ and what is it that he dare not define against the immaculate scriptures of god, so that any thing may come to the treasury of his kingdom.  
♣ In a deceitful spirit/ and doctrine of devils/ was purgatory feigned as many more were. ☞: ❧: ❧  
✚ Thereof hath the deceiving of the world chiefly come/ and the cursed fairs of the kingdom of the pope.  
✚ I pray you let the kingdom of the pope answer/ from what things should a man be purged to be saved/ not alonely from sins: ☞: ❧: ☜  
✚ But alonely by faith in Chryst we be purged from them/ and justified/ not with fire/ water/ sword/ labour/ or any other extern thing/ nor with the prayers of any saint as I have proved Luke .1. and Cantico .1.  
✚ Although he that is justified of faith/ worketh many good works/ for faith hath her strength by love. Galat. 5. and is never separate from good works/ if it be true.  
✚ If by fire/ the prayers of other/ any labour or work/ we be pur●yd/ and justified/ ergo superfluously and freely christ was dead for us. ☞ ♣ ❧  
¶ Therefore there is no other purgatory/ or purgation/ but that which is of faith in christ.  
✚ And they that judge otherways/ find not one place in the holy/ and canonical scriptures/ for them.  
¶ For that the .2. Machabe the .12. that judas a collatyon maid, send .12. thousand beysandes of silver to Jerusalem, is not of authority/ for those books of the Machabyes be not counted in the rule of the hebrews/ also if thou look dylygentlye on that place, thou shalt find that rather they did pray lest the sins of the dead, which they had taken of the gifts of idols, should hurt them, then for the dead men themselves, and for that cause it is concluded, that wholesome and holy is the thought to pray, for the dead, that they may be losed of their sins, is against canonical scriptures.  
✚ In sight of the lord the death of saints, that is of the faithful is precious, that be justified and sancryfyed by faith. Psalmo. 115. also Apoca. 14. johan hard a voice saying to him blessed are they that die in the lord, that is in the faith of christ.  
¶ Also of them that die so in the lord the spirit speaketh that from henceforth they rest from their labours, and if they rest, ergo they suffer no fire Apocal. 14. great is the authority of this place, what so ever many other think, for it doth dissent from no place of other scriptures/ which sometime god willing I shall prove.  
✚ The death of sinners i of unfaithful is worst. Psalmo .33. sinners be called unfaytheful, because sins be imputed to them, and all their deeds be not of faith, and therefore they be sin. Roma .14. truly faithful be called just, & saints, because sins be not imputed to them for true faith Psalmo .31. blessed be they whose iniquities be forgiven, and whose sins be covered, blessed is the man, to whom the lord hath not imputed sin.  
¶ Furthermore faithful lazarus being dead, he was borne into the bosom of Abraham/ verily the wykeddynes was buried quickly in hell which I have expounded in my enarration of Luke. Capitulo. 16. ♣ ❧  
¶ Therefore blessed is the faithful dying in the lord, for into him he shall sleep, and rest. Psal. 4. the unfaithful verily is accursed. ☞: ✚: ♣: ❧  
♣ we conclude therefore/ that alonely faith is our purgatory, blessed is he that so purged, dieth, other purgatory we find not, for they be most likest dreams, what so ever hath be defined of these/ this long time/ nor have nothing profited/ but to fat/ and set out slow belies of the kingdom of the pope.  
✚ Therefore because they were with out the testimony, of the word of god/ they be wicked, that the foresaid kingdom of the pope, hath defined in them and to be plucked away of princes/ and rulers, and reformed to the rule of the scriptures of god. ☞: ❧: ❧   

Of sects of perdition, and begging. Cap. 11.  
Nothing more damnable, sith christ was borne, was brought in, than these sects of perdition, sects of perdition be they that can not but destroy, as be the monasty call sects.  
¶ Alonely one profession is of health, that is to say, to profess christ, which because he hath, one spirit, one faith, one god, one redeemer, one mediator, or advocate, one word, one judgement, one baptism, one testament of grace, doth highly abhor scysmy, and division of the things that attain to him, namely of his only spous the church, for the which Paul reproveth the corinthians of their zeal, & contention saying I am of Paul I of Cephas, I of Apollo. 1. cor. 1.2. &. 3  
♣ Because there is, one, and the most sufficient rule of all, that believe the word of god all monastycal sects be superfluous, and unprofitable.  
✚ Peradventure they hurt not, and be tolerable to them that trust not or give them nought, verily to them that think there is in them, the lest jote of perfection, justification, or effycacyty unto health, they be more poison than the venom of Aspys.  
♣ For verily the monastical sect is the well of hypocrisy, the jakes of envy, idleness, drunknes, grudges, hate ambyshon, and of all uncleanliness, the daughter of the blood, sukker devouring allthing, and alway saying, bring bring, an ensacyate deepness of traditions of men, striving even contrary to the word of god. ☞: ❧  
¶ Nether kingdom, lordship, lands, customs, tithes, or any great riches, business, of merchandise, may lawfully, be permitted to the Charterhouse freres, benedictynes celystynes, or any other monks, whom they call possessyoners, of princes and rulers.  
✚ Above all cloistures, these aught to be subverted, for they draw almost all the world, with strife and exactyons, to bring, up certain idle & fat hogs, and what they do more over, I tell not. ☜: ❧: ☜: ❧: ♣: ♣  
✚ But these that they call beggars, what do they not steal with their ymportunate begging, be they not amongst the faithful, as mice, be in barns, in clothes, moths, in wortes, worms, beside that, that they be called so beggars, they will far better than many great men. ☞: ❧: ☜  
¶ Begging is alway unlawful, and near theft, to them that can with their labour get necessaries. ❧  
¶ Therefore it is not lawful, to give any thing to these monks, because they ought, and may eat the labour of their hands, and seek it with occupatyon, whereby they may live, and if they can not, let them learn, for saint Frances commanded his, so to do.  
✚ For how oft are we moved in holy scripture, that it is necessary, to help pupylles, the fatherless, wydoes, presoners, the diseased, and other that have need, of our goods as we be able, in no place it is commaundede, or proved, that any man should be made a beggar, although to all faithful true poverty is necessary. ☞: ✚: ♣: ❧  
♣ Also it is more blessed to give then take. Acts. 20. ☞: ♣: ✚: ❧  
¶ So saint Frances will not, that his monks beg, but when they can not with their labour get necessary for life.  
✚ All monks & monyalles, that perceive they have not received the gift of contence are bound, to put away their coweles, and to be married.  
❧ I would not condemn, no I would praise the cloistures of both kinds, if they were scolles of the faithful, in whom they should be well instructed, with the alonely word of god, and honest labours, and might freely go forth when they would, them they should always be better, and more chrystyanly be conversant. ☞: ♣:  
♣ Monks & monyalles, that affirm that they would live in the liberty of the gospel, and do nothing, but whether the cowl be reject or not, will live without the bridle of them that rule, roar as they did before, and part to them goods of the cloister, to be distribute at their pleasure, those be nothing less, than christians, and gospelers, & they be made of Belzebub Satan, that is of nought worse, and most hateful to god. ♣: ♣: ♣: ♣: ♣  
❧ Above all, the cloistures of the Mynorytes ought to be scolles of the profession of the gospel, for christ commanded to saint francis, that they should live after, the form of the holy gospel, which I have proved in the commentaries of their rule. Cap. 1.  
✚ Princess and rulers, of their office aught diligently to watch, that the going forth of all cloisters might be free, and by all means so to do, that they which yet tarry in cloisters live subject, and be diligently instructed with the alonely word of god, or else what shall these cloisters be, but chafe ring houses, and bond houses of the devil these last. 18. posytyons, and other belonging to monastycal sect, I have declared in my commentary into the rule of the minorytes more largely.   

whose duty is to judge of the voice of the learned/ if he be of god/ and by what we be assured/ also of wicked universities. Capi. 12.  
IT doth belong to the church of god/ to judge of the voice of all that teach/ if it be of god/ which we have proved openly in other books chiefly in the cantykles of Solomon/ the voice of my well beloved. &c. Capitu. 2. and. 5. to what the church of god is, is declared within.  
♣ For of the word of god/ they alonely can judge, that have the spirit of christ, whose duty is to judge, of high things 1. Corinthi. 2. ☞: ✚: ♣: ❧: ☜:  
¶ It is heresy to affirm/ that the spirit of christ is not in the faithful, for he is in them/ and they walk and understand after him, by whom they mortify the deeds of the flesh and live, and cry in him. abba Pater. and he giveth a testimony to their spirit, that they be children, & heirs of god, hairs annexed with christ, he axethe for us with tears unable to be spoken of, and maketh intercession for saints after god, which Paul speaketh of most ceposlye. Roma. 8.  
♣ Furthermore it is than known, that any man iudgethe of the spirit, when he goeth about his judgement, with open testimonies of scripture, for the scriptures of god, be the most surest testimonies, of the judgements of his spirit, as I have said very oft.  
✚ which scriptures, who so ever denieth to be necessary, can no otherways affirm the sureness of his sayings, because those alone be the sure testymonyes of god. ☞: ♣:: ❧  
¶ Therefore they that be of the church of god that is to say simple, and meek ye plough men, and artificers, that sincerely believe in god, and be the sheep of christ, may judge, of the voice of their pastor, if it be in those doctoures or not. ☞: ☜: ☞: ♣: ♣: ♣:  
✚ Verily they that be not of that church can not judge of it, but rather abhor and hate it, because it is adversary to their sense, that is to say, the flesh by which they be ruled.  
♣ For any man to judge, of the word it helpeth not, to have be many years, at Parryse, or other unyversityes, or to have studied the tongues, except the holy ghost be present.  
♣ Vnyversyties that have be of many years, strive clean against the word of God. ☞: ✚: ☜: ❧: ♣: ❧  
☞ Promotyons' of divines which they hunt for, doth engender nothing, but pride, and be full of covetousness, and vanity, and is a certain gentiles manner, for what so ever is of god's word, if money be brought, quickly there is a title granted, and doctoures never teaching, and oft times the most fools be promoted, wherefore they be abominable to god. ❧  
¶ And the lord forbade his apostles/ that they should be made masters. Math. 23. no doubt but he would have them masters, and teachers of the people i that they might teach his scriptures, but he would not that they should hunt for the vain and proud titles, nor would not, that they should teach any thing, but under his service  
✚ There is no man almost, that teacheth more unhappily, the scriptures of god, than these pompos bugs and idols of the world. ☞ ♣ ❧  
♣ If any man be worthy, the ministry of god, I would counsel, that he should first be chosen of other divines, meet that he may be send to any place, and that the company of the faithful should pray for him, and if he have it, let him give to the needy and poor people, and make them a feast according to the gospel, & not as they do now a days, to give caps, gloves, or make great cost of feasts, to rich men, and full belies, that the same day they begin to profess the gospel they do openly against the gospel, for in truth all these be abhomynatyon before the lord.  
¶ If all cloistures of the world, that within or nigh to cities were, as I said a little before, the scoles of the word of god, so that the superstetion of clothing were not observed, & man's traditions for we can not serve both God & Baal, the word of god, & the word of men.  
✚ princes and rulers, if they will justly rule, let them take heed above all thing, that christ may rule his people, also let them make scoles in every place, for children, and maids, in whom they may be well instruct, in the word of god, and honest labours, & learn to dread, & love, our lord jesus Chryst, to whom with the father, and the holy ghost, be honour, worship, and empire for ever more .. So be it.   

Of the parts, as they call it of penance. Cap. 13.  
THe parts of holy & true penance, is not confession, contrytyon, & satisfaction, but the acts of a true penitent of faith without satisfaction.  
¶ which be necessary to health, but not as sophisters say. ☞: ♣ & ❧  
True satisfaction, in so much as it is in the merits of Christ alonely, can be no part of penance, nor act of the penitent.  
✚ But it is the highest reward, which we that believe sincerely in christ, have by his merit. ❧: ♣: ❧  
♣ The inseparable servant of true, and necessary penance, is pure faith, for these the saviour joined together, saying be penitent, & believe the gospel.  
♣ This necessary faith, is not to believe this or that promise, but so to believe them all, that we doubt in no promise of god, no not in the least, as is that he stedefastlye cleave to god's promise, in which he hath promised to all faithful grace, & remission of sins by christ, as oft as they axe it in faith, & this is the gospel to whom we must believe.  
¶ True penance, can never be without true faith, nor saith is never without grace, and the spirit of truth, & also affections, and true good works.  

what true penance is.  
Penance, that the kingdom of the pope preacheth, & teacheth is wicked, cursed, and dying to the lord, for it is nothing less than penance, and maketh nought but an hypocrite, wherefore we call it false.  
♣ This diffynityon of penance is most cold, penance is to lament sins passed, and in morning not to commit them again. ☞: ♣: ☜: ❧  
¶ True penance is to amend daily from sin, with faith in Christ, by the which he steadfastly believeth all sins to be remitted to him by christ, and holly to be given him to walk, in newenes of life.  
♣ This daily amending is a curcyfyenge of the flesh, and mortyfyeng of it, necessary to all faithful, which christ commandeth to be borne about in name of the cross, that with fruit, & in verity we may follow him i to believe most purely to him, & follow him.  
¶ All the life of a christian is to be penitent, and believe in Christ, that is to mortify daily and rise by christ.  
¶ For a man although he be holy, as long as he is in this life hath unsteadfast flesh resisting the spirit, and therefore he ought to crucify it daily, that it may be subject to the spirit.  
¶ All affections and all work without the spirit of god, is flesh, and is then crucified, when it is hated and suppressed. ☞: ☞: ❧: ❧: ❧  
¶ who so ever is so truly penitent, hath christ living, and reyning in him, and therefore is of the kingdom of christ, verily the flesh, that is concupisbence, and all work that is not of the spirit of god, is daily more crucified, subject, and mortified.  
♣ And who so ever is not so penitent is an hypocrite, and crucyfyeth christ in him, not willing that he reign upon him, whereby he is not of the kingdom of christ, but of the flesh and the world, that live, & reign in his heart.  
¶ Chryst reigneth in our heart, & plesythe when we trust to him, verily he is crucified, and doth not please when we trust in other, and not in him.  
♣ The world and the flesh reign in us, when they please, & we trust to them, they be crucified, and mortified, when we repress them, and trust nothing to them, but rather hate them, and do not to their desires.   

Of true good works.  
A True penitent is never without true good-works, for he doth all thing in faith, which should else be wicked, for all thing that is not of faith is sin. Roma. 14.  
♣ They that be of the conjuring and kingdom of antichrist, be never truly penitent, or do true good works, for they do not live and work of faith.  
☞ The prophets of antichrist, that they may more lightly turn the simple people from Chiste, say that we prohibit, fasting, prayers, and all good deeds, when we do preach nothing more than that they should have true good works that is of faith, for we preach thus, that we be justified alonely by faith, and say that we must do god works, not to be justified, but to bring forth fruits of true faith, for they be fruits of faith, that be done in that faith.  
❧ we say that there must be good works, not as the kingdom of the po●e but as Christ teachythe, wherefore ●e can not err because Christ is truth, and true doctor of the faithful, verily the pope and every man is alyer. Psalm. 115. ☞ ❧  
☞ They say there must be good works, after the doctrine of the pope, & other men, wherefore it is not inpossible that they should err, and thereof it followeth that they be full of heresies, and made antychristes, schismatics and apostata from the kingdom of our lord jesus Christ. ❧  
♣ From whom lest we be made strange, & thereof to perish, we be made Christ's servants, and be apostata from the kingdom of that anty christ the pope. ☞ ❧ ♣  
♣ And who so ever is not made strange from that same kingdom, is a scismatyke from Christ apostata, and antychriste, and at the last shall perish for ever. ☞: ❧: ♣: ❧: ☞   

❧ Of liberty and subjection of the faithful.  
THe faithful doth always work well for he doth all thing in faith, and liberty of the holy ghost. If he eat or drink, or do any other thing, he doth all in the glory of Christ, or else in faith, or in his name which be all one. ❧  
♣ This liberty is not that they may think it free to do any thing, but that they may know that it is most free to them to do those things that they be commanded by the word of god, ye and all the men of the world would command otherwise, for they be free from all doctrines and traditions of men, that do not agree with the word of god, as be the decrees of the kingdom of the pope and doctrine of sophisters.  
¶ The liberty of the spirit, is not carnal, but spiritual, and most holy, making a man free from all law of men, that he is bound to none except it agree with the scriptures of god.  
✚ Also as you may see of Paul to the Rom̄. & Galath. it maketh a man free from the law of god, even that spirit not that we ought not to keep the precepts of god, not that we should keep them now by compulsion, as before the spirit be there, but with the most ready will. ☞ ♣ ✚ ❧  
☞ This liberty maketh a man sincere, without hypocrisy, the lover of of truth, plentiful, full of charity, and most full of all good works. ❧  
❧ For then a man is so made free in Christ, that he will be subject to every human creature for Christ.  
☞ He is cursed and execrable to the lord, who so ever under the name of christian liberty doth give himself to chamburynges, drunkness, and such other. for verily they walk not after the spirit but after the flesh. but this holy liberty admitteth no carnal thing. ☞ ♣ ❧   

☞ Of contrition. ☜  
contrition is not a sorrow voluntaryly taken of us for our sins, but that which the spirit doth work in us. that is to say true hate of sin, for zeal of the glory of god, without hypocrisy or dying, for it is a work alonely of the power of god. ☞ ♣ ❧  
¶ For the will of man can not without lying and hypocrisy hate sin, nor to take for it sorrow & sadness. for the pure will of man, which is without the spirit of god, is a sinner always. ♣ God commandeth that we should take the mourning of his only son, that is, that we should be sorrowful and mourn truly for our sins, because the will of a sinner can not fulfil it of itself. ☞ ♣ ❧  
❧ For every precept of god, is inpossible to the will being a sinner, which god with his spirit maketh possible to us. for that which he commaundythe in us he will fulfil in us, that he alone may have glory for all, and that every flesh may not presume to be gloried in his sight.  
¶ But it is by the high goodness of god, that he giveth to his servants those things that he mercifully doth in them. calling them contrite, just, penitent, converted. &c. ❧  
☞ That the precepts of god be inpossible to man this fruit cometh of it, that man knowing it, is constreynid to profess, that he can do nothing of himself, and to marvel at the deepness of the judgements of god. ✚   

☞: Of confession. ☜  
THe manner given of scholars for auryculer confession is unprofitable, most vain, inpossible, curious, and most damnable, and adversary to the law of god, it is so much less that it is of god law as sophesters lie, it is unprofitable and most vain because it is without the fruit of the spirit letting from the pureness of faith, inpossible also for innumerable bows, leaves, mothers, daughters, and circumstances, which no man although he be learned, can diligently observe, much less the unlearned. It is curious also, searching with a frivolous care those things that be nothing to the purpose, whereby the mind of him that is confessed is let that it can not rise with pure faith in Christ, and the same confession is to him most damnable, for so impure and filthy things be oft rehearsed in such confessions that they corrupt good manners, and infect as well the speaker as the hearer. For what be they but evil communication, and most hurtful jangling, & so much more horrible that they be admitted under the colour of meekness. ❧  
♣ It is the most confused maase, what so ever the synagogue of the pope, hath given of confession, unto this day, without the word of god and of his own invention. ☞ ♣ ☜  
♣ For by what authority, be these iugelars bold, to prescribe to the most free servants of Christ, new laws strange from the doctrine of meekness.  
¶ true and profitable confession of sins is made four manner of ways, first inwardly to god alone. second openly when cause requireth, third to him whom thou haste offended, lest thou defend sin, but be reconciled to him in love of god. fourth to him of whom thou lokyst for the merry word of the gospel that is the sermon of god's grace and remission of sins, by Christ, and of this last we speak. ❧ ✚ ❧  
¶ To this thou must choose a proper confessor whom thou seest able, that he can comfort thy spirit with the word, who so ever he be.  
☞ It is execrable and abominable before the lord, that a faithful christyane is bound to admit for a confessor and his pastor, merchants and ravening wolves, of the kingdom of the son of perdition.  
☞ Therefore thou coming to a man mighty in the wisdom and word of Christ, the special & that same most hurtful supputation of sins laid apart, confess most purely the to be subject to many sins, and therefore to have need of the marcy of god.  
❧ In the beginning therefore, let him be the most meek accuser of himself. the second let him believe steadfastly in the promise of god, that he shall get the grace of god and remission of sins, the third let him believe that he can have it, not by his own merytis, or by the merits of any saint ye of the virgin marry, but alonely by the goodness and meryttes of Christ, for he alone is that lamb that taketh away the sins of the world, the fourth that by this faith he may be made partaker of this heavenly iusstyce, let him ascribe nothing to the justice of the flesh. but confess with a pure heart alonely the justice of god to be loved, serchid for, amplectio, and himself to have of himself no justice at all. and knowledge this without feyninge, the fifth let him se●e some faithful and cunning man that knoweth to give counsel of health and with the scriptures of god, and can make strong the mind of the penitent in faith, and if there be not a man having faith to do this thing or he dreading him to be unlawful, or not having the word whereby he may comfort him in the lord. If there be a faithful woman in whom he knoweth these aforesaid to be, to that same faithful woman, ye all though she be joined carnally to him. I say very nigh. It is lawful for him to be confessed generally. I say generally that he by no reason count his sins lest he infect the hearer, for as we have said evil communication corruptyth good manners, and of a truth that same foul and lycencyouse speaking of the confessions of antychristes factyon have infect innumerable and have drawn them to the most enormous crimes.  
♣ Therefore let nothing be opened of any man lest that for man's feynynges & doctrine, he beseem to despise the things of god, for god never commandeth that, what so ever many have judged in the spirit of error, wonders and many punishments be given of certain liars against them that will not number all particularly, but I have made open that all these be of the devil in the book of the causes of the blindness. etc.  
❧ The confession of sins that be longeth to outward things may be on this manner. Brother or sister in Christ. I perceive me over thrown with infidelity and innumerable sins, the which I confess with all my heart, I am very injust and full of ifidelite, I have done no good thing and am an unprofitable seruande. whereof my sins greatly grieve me, and I truly know that if I covyt to be saved I had need of the mercy of god, grace, and justice, therefore I ask of you the word of the gospel of pease, that is to say, remssyyon of my sins.  
☞ And let every faithful take heed that he say this thing without any in fidelity, and at the last let him steadfastly believe that the word of absolution what so ever it be, is a sure sign of the grace of god and remission of sins as he hath believed to be given him of the lord. for all the works of god be in faith. Psalm. 32. and every man taketh so much as he belevythe, and if he believe nothing he receiveth nothing. ☞ ❧ ❧ ☜  
♣ The form of absolution is free, so that it do signify all sins to be remitted by Christ. for this is good, I absolve the from thy sins in the name of the father. &c. or alonely in the name of Christ, or this. I pronounce to the absolution of all thy sins in the name &c. or thus thy sins are forgiven the by Christ or in the name. &c. or thus. By the name of Christ all thy sins be forgiven the. ☞ ❧ ♣  
¶ All such absolution is good, and to the faithful a sure sign of grace & if he leave out this word I. It forsyth not, what so ever sophesters dream.  
❧ The more pure and simple the absolution is the better.  
☞ All absolutions of the kingdom of the pope be wicked, patching many things together without fruit, of the keys, of the holy mother the church of the apostles Peter and Paul, of excommunication more and less from pena and culpa. ☞ ♣ ❧  
❧ An absolution ought no wise to be made in a tongue unknown to the penitent. ❧ ✚ ♣ ❧  
☞ For it is necessary that he understand the word whereby his soul is to be comforted in the lord to whom he must needs believe.   

¶ Of signs of grace, and remyssoyn of sins. ❧  
baptism is to the faithful as long as he liveth, the most surist sign of grace and remission of sins, for in all his life he ask that is most assured by that sign all though it be received but ones.  
❧ For what so ever the faithful taketh, as mortyfyeng, crusyfyeng, quotidian spoiling of the old man. be figured in the plunging out and in the water with the judgement of the new man. Roma. 6.  
♣ Another sign there is, the table of the lord, which is to every man receiving it in faith, the most suryst sign of grace, and remission of sins.  
♣ This table is a memory of a sacryfyse ones offered in the cross, and not the sacrifice.  
¶ For to affirm that it is a sacryfise and that it should be sacryfyed of any man, it is execrable, wicked, and abominable before the lord, and more of this in another place.  
♣ The third sign, is the word spoken of the church, or of any faithful, sygnifieng grace, and remission of sins to be given by him that amendith and asketh it in faith.  
❧ These signs be the vessels of grace, as many have defined in the spirit of error.  
☞ But signs do not bring grace, but the lord Psalmo. 83.  
It is not given by signs but by faith  
¶ By faith we be partakers of all the gifts of the holy ghost.  
♣ Also these signs without faith/ be nothing/ which scholars say of feigned things, ☞ ❧ ☞ ❧  
¶ Paul saith Ephe. 5. Chryst hath santyfyed his church, made it clean with the laver of water, by his word, verily it is cleansed with the word, when it believeth it, of the which cleansing, the laver of water is a sign, he said not simply, it is made clean with the laver of water, but put to, by the word, that you may know the making clean, to be signified by the laver.  
¶ which thou haste openly. 1. Pe. 3. baptism hath made us safe, not by the which filth of the flesh, is put away/ but it maketh that a good conscience, answereth well to god, by the resurrection of jesus christ.  
♣ Although that we get, by the same alonely faith in christ, grace & full remission of all our sins, yet god the highest, and greatest, of the abundance of his goodness, hath put to these signs, to the greater comfort of the faithful.  
whether any cases may be reserved WHat so ever the man of sin, the son of perdition, the pope, with all his kingdom have reserved and kept cases, hath been a feigning of the devil, so much more hateful, & damnable, & cursed, as it repugnethe even contrary to the eternal scriptures of god.  
♣ nothing at all may be reserved to the faithful, that hath all most plentifully remitted to him, so that there can be no greater.  
♣ The church can neither lose or bind but after the word of god, by whom she must be governed in all thing.   

Of satisfaction, and (as they call it) injoining of penance.  
Because satisfaction, for sins doth show a suffycyencye of deeds, by whom evils be restored, which have chanced in those sins there is no man that can other give or do sufficient for them, it is wicked that sophisters think, that we can satisfy for them,  
¶ For neither with fasting, prayer, nor alms, or any other work, we be able to satisfy, because these be not satisfactions, but fruits of true faith for there is another satisfaction, with out all these.  
♣ There is one alone full, and true satisfaction for the sins, of all the world, in whom we must needs believe, made of the lord jesus christ.  
¶ Sines be said, to be redeemed with alms, if it be of faith, for they be redeemed of faith of the giver, and not for the alms itself.  
♣ The same judgement is of fasting, and prayer, and of all works of faith, which be good because of true faith.  
¶ which faith being absent, be but mere wekydnes and sin, for all that is not of faith is sin. Roma. 14.  
♣ Of iogeling spirits, and doctrine of devils did it spring, that many have affirmed penance to be enjoined.  
☞ For it can not be enjoined of man, but given of god to the sinner, that he may truly be penitent for his sins.  
♣ They call it foolishly penance, that these chaplains have customed to enjoin to him, that telleth his sins.  
☞ For their ought nothing to be enjoined, by cause christ is full satisfaction, for all faithful.  
❧ The penitent, is to be comforted with the word of god, and to be monished, to true faith, and the works of it, for as it is said, what so ever is not of faith, is hypocrisy and sin.  
♣ Not that people should be losed, or that he cleaving to this manner of confession, should stick to us, as the prophets of antichrist enjoin us, but we have written so of penance, that all dreams, and lies of men, put away, and all crafty conveyance, and great burdens of the kingdom of antichrist reject, christ and the word of truth may reign in every place.  
♣ we have spoken of penance, & those that pertain to the scriptures of god, in few words, having no regard, what the wicked synagogue, of the kingdom of antichrist, in the spirit of error, hath otherwise defined, for it is necessary for us, to fly his poison, for it can not be, that we shall give place both to Chryst, and Antychrist.   

♣ The conclusion.  
THe sum of christianity we have breflye written, that is in .385. peradoxes, or positions, that this book might be to bear, in the hands of them, that desireth it, there was two things, that moved me chiefly to do it, first there be very many, that put forth reprovable peradoxes, as there was one Tregaryus, by whom they be about to make, the simple people strange, from the truth, the other is that before the ix month, at the noble city of Wetens, the company of antichrist, was gathered against me, which moved me, to stick up many posytyons, verily I put to them a hundredth and xxvi whom I have now increased to .385. let them answer therefore, if they have any thing, let not these blind pharisees stand in their own conceit, and legates, and tyrants of the son of perdition, that for his decree, and like preaching, did make the noble witness of christ. S johan castellane, sometime my well-beloved brother, the last of all that is the 12. day of the month of Ianuarye Anno. 1525. at Vuy a town of lothering, with fire they made him a martyr of christ, but for him god shall fight against them, and for one well raise a thousand, and if they had slain me to, & Chryst had vouchsafe this glory of martyrdom to me, for me ten thousand should rise, for surely antichrist, with all his kingdom apostata shall fall to the glory of the lord jesus Chryst, and that with spirit of his mouth, which with the father, and the holy ghost liveth one god glorious, for ever more. So be it.  
Woe woe be to the thou purple whore/ whore of Babylon, that loveth the sign of the rose coloured beast, and to it empire, thou art made drunk with the blood of prophets, & saints, and doth call to the shedding of the blood of the elect, as it were to a feast of dentyes' promysinge to thy assistants, grace, and remission of sins, with thy false iogeling. woe I say to the for thou shalt be destroyed, for with the violence of a millstone thrown into the see, thou shalt be send into the bottom of hell, and thou shalt be found no more Apoca. 18. because the lord hath remembered the blood of his elect, whom thou hast slain, and whom thou hast deceived to establish thy lies, and abhomynatyons, and hath alway trod under food, the verity of our lord jesus christ, for the which thou shalt be trodden down of it for evermore, and the beast that thou haste worshipped shall perish with the. So be it.  
¶ Let this be done lord jesus, come quickly, thy enemies overcome, and reign in us. So be it.   
The end of this collectyon of places of scripture. ☞: ❧: ☜ ❧ ❧ ♣: ❧ ♣ ☞ ☜