¶ The Christian rule or state of all the world from the highest to the lowest: and how every man should live to please God in his calling.  
☞ Item, the Christian state of matrimony: and how man and wife should keep house together with love.  
¶ Item, the manner oe saying grace after the holy scripture.  1. Cor. seven. ☞ Let every one abide in the calling wherein he is called.  

Unto the Christian reader  
FOr asmuch as all persons can not have leisure to read many books, nor yet get all such as be necessary for them (so me for lack not being able to buy them, and some that can not get them for their money) I have here gathered together out of the most famous anthors of our English tongue, the whole office and duty of every Christian man. And specially & above all things is here at large declared the duty of subjects toward their princes▪ & of married wives toward their husbands▪ And truly never was it more need to be taught than now. For never had any prince so much need of hearty obedient subjects which would give their goods & adventure their lives in his most just qu●relle against his enemies, than have our most dread sovereign lord king Henry the eight. Here in shall you learn your duty towards his grace, and to give your aids unto his grace, not as compelled there unto, but with a free heart▪ Considering that his grace's wealth is all our welfares. Pray therefore unto the lord that he will grant him victory over his enemies. And ye wives, all though this little book hath long continued among you (called the Christian state of matrimony (yet are you never the better but continue still in your disobedience to the displeasure of god and your husbands great dysquietnesse. The husband that hath been a broad (either a bought his matchaundise or at his work (wh●n he cometh home would gladly be made of and cherished of his wife, whom he so heartily loveth, & then shall she neytheer give him a good countenance, nor set any thing before him that might comfort him, the one syttinge so strangely and so far from the other, as though they had never one scene the other, more like straunges than friends, yea more like enemies than man and wife. Therefore read not this book only, but mark what is therein written and shut it up in your hearts & occupy it when need shall require. For blessed are they that heareth or readeth any thing that pertaineth to their lives amendment and do thereafter The grace of our Lord jesus Christ be with all them that love the lord unfeignedly.  
Amen.   

The Christian rule or state of the whole world. etc.  

The first Chapter  
Of the office & duty of sub●eetes, and how they should live toward their Princes.  
LEt every soul submit himself unto the authority of the higher powers. There is no power but of God the powers that be are ordeuned of Gog. Who so ever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God. They that resist, shall receive themself damnation. For tulers are not to be feared for good, but for evil. wilt thou be with out fear of the power? Do well & so shalt thou be praised of the same. For he is the minister of god, for thy wealth. But & if thou do evil, than fear. For he beareth not a sword for nought. For he is the minister of God, to take vegeaunce of them that ●● evil. Wherefore ye must needs obey, not for ●eate of vengeance only: but also because of conscience. Even for this cause pay ye tribute For they are gods ministers, serving for the same purpose.  
give to every man therefore his duty: tribute to whom tribute belongeth. Custom to whom custom is due: fear to whom fear belongeth Honour to whom honour pertaineth. Own nothing to any man: but to love one another. For he that loveth another fulfilleth the law. For these commandments. Thou shalt not commit▪ adultery. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not desire, and so forth if there be any other commandment, are all comprehended in this saying. love thyn● neighbour as thyself. Love hurteth not his neighbour, therefore is love the fulfilling of the law.  
As a father over his chyldrè is both Lord and judge, forbidding that one brother avenge himself on another, but (if any cause of strife be between them) will have it brought unto himself or his assigns, to be judged & correct, so god forbiddeth all men to avenge themselves, & taketh the auc●orite and office of avenging unto himself saying Vengeance is mine & I will reward. Deu▪ xxxii. Which text paul alegeth Ro xil. For it is impossible that a man should be a righteous, an equal, or an in dyfferente judge, in his own cause, lusts, and apytytes so blind us. More over when thou avengest thyself thou makest not peace, but sterest up more debate.  
God therefore hath given laws unto all na●yons and in all lands hatheput kings governors and rulers in his own stead, to rule the world thorough them. And hath commanded all causes to be brought before them, as thou readest. Exodi. xxii. In all causes (saith he) of injury or wrong, whether it be ox, ass, sheep, or vesture, or any lost thing which an other challengeth, let the cause of both parties be brought unto the Gods, whom the gods condemn the same shall pay double unto his neighbour. Mark, 
judges are, called Gods.  the judges are called gods in the scriptures because they are in God's room and execute the commandments of God. And in an other place of the said Chapter Moses chargeth saying: See that thou rail not on the gods, neither speak evil of the ruler of thy people. Who so ever therefore resisteth them resisteth God (for they are in the row me of God) and they that resisteth shall receive their damnation.  
Such obedience unto father and more there, master, husband, emperor, king, lords, and rulers requyrith God of all nations, yea of the very turks and infideles. The blessing and reward of them that keep them, is the life of this 
blessing  world as thou readest Leuiticum, xviii. keep my ordinances and laws, which if a man keep he shall live, therein. Which text Paul rehearseth. Roma. x x ●ouyng thereby that the righteousness of the law is but worldly, and the reward thereof is the life of this world. And the curse of them that breaketh them 
Curse.  is the loss of this life: as thou seest by the punishment appointed for them.  
And who soever keepeth the law (whether it be for fear, for vain glory, or profit) though no man reward him, 
God rewardeth all obedience though no man else do.  yet shall god bless him abundantly & send him worldly prosperity, as thou readest Deuteronomion. xxviii. What good blessings accompany the keeping of the law, and as we see the Turks far exceed us Christen men in worldly prosperity for their just keeping of 
God avengeth all disobedience though no man else do.  their temporal laws. Likewise though no man punish the breakers of the law yet shall God send his curses upon them till they be utterly brought to nought, as thou readest most terrebly even in the said place.  
Neither may the inferior person avenge himself upon the superior, or v●olētly resist him, for whatsoever wrong it be. If he do he is condemned in the deed doing: in as much as he taketh upon him that whyeh belongeth to god only, wh●ch saith vengeance is mine 
vengeance is gods.  and I will reward. duty. xxxii. And Christ saith Math. xxvi. All they that take the swe●de shall perish with the sword. Takest thou a sword to avenge thyself: so givest thou no room unto god to avenge thee, but robbest him of his most high honour, in that thou wilt not let him be judge over the.  
If any man might have avenged him 
David.  self upon his superior, that might David most righteously have done upon hi● ge Saul which so wrongfully pers●ru●●d David, even for none other cause▪ then that God had anointed him king and promised him the kingdom. Yet when god had delivered Saul in to the hands of David, that he might have done what he would with him, as thou seest in the first book of kings the. xxiiii. chapter, how Saul came in to the ●aue where David was. And David came to him secretly & cut of a piece of his ga● meant. And as soon as he had done it his heart smote him because he had done so much unto his lord. And when his men corraged him to slay him he answered, the lord forbid it me, that I should lay mine hand on him. Neither suffered he his men to ●urte him. When Saul was gone out David followed & showed him the piece of his garment and said: why bel●ueste th●● the words of men that say, David goth about to do the harm: perc●●●● & see that there is neither evil nor wickedness in my hand, and that I have not trespassed against thee, and yet thou layest await for my life God judge between the and me ● avenge me of thee, but mine hand be not upon the as the old Proverb sayeth 
God destroyeth one wicked by another.  (saith David) out of the wicked shall wickedness proceed, but mine hand be not upon the meaning that God ever punished one wicked by another And again (said David) God be judge, and judge between the and me, and behold and pleat my cause, and give me judgement or right of the.  
And in ●he, xxvi. chapter of the same book▪ when Saul persecuted David again, David came to Saul by night, as he slept, and all his men, and took away his s●●re, & a cuple of water from his heed. Then said Abisay David's servant, God hath delivered the thine enemy in to thine hand this day, let me now therefore nail him to the ground 
God provideth a means to  with my spear, & g●ue him but even one step and no more David forbade him saying, ●yll him not: For who (said he) shall lay hands on the lords anointed 
to take the evil out of the way when they have fulfilled their wickedness. Why David show not Saul The king is in the room of God in this world.  and be not guilty? The Lord liveth or by the lords life (said he) he dy●th not except the Lord smite him, or that his day become to die, or else go to battle, and there perish.  
Why did not David slay Saul, seeing he was so wicked, not in persecuting David only, but in disobeienge god's commandments, & in that he had slain. lxxxv▪ of Gods prcistes wrongfully? verily for it was not lawful. For if he had don● it, he must have sinned against god. For god hath made the king in every realm judge over all, & over him is there no judge. He that judgeth the king judgeth God, and he that layeth hands on the king, layeth hand on God, & he that resisteth the king, resisteth god, & damneth god's law and ordinances. If the subjects sin, they must be brought to the kings judgement. If the king sin, 
The king must be reserved unto the ven geance of God.  he must be reserved unto the judgement, wrath and vengeance of God. And as it is to resist the king, so is it to resist his officer which is set or sent to execute the kings commandment.  
And in the first chapiter of the second book of kings. David commanded the young man to be slain, which brought unto him the crown and bracelet of Saul, and said to please David withal, that he himself had slain Saul. And in the fourth chapter o● the same book. David commanded those two to be slain, which brought unto him the he●d of Isboseth saul's son, by whose means yet the hole kyngdò returned unto David according unto the promise of God.  
And Luke. xiii▪ When they showed Christ of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate mingled with their own sacrifice: he answered: suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all other Ga' Galileans, because they suffered such punishment? I tell you nay, but except ye repent, ye shall likewise perish. Thus was told Christ (no doubt) of such an intent as they axed him mat. xxii Whether it were lawful to give tribu 
It is not lawful for a christian subject to resist his Prince, though he be an Heathen man.  te unto Cesar. For they thought that it was no sin to resist an Heathen prince: as few of us would think (if we were under the Turk) that it were sin to rise against him, and to rid our selves from under his dominion, so sore have our bishops rob us of the true doctrine of Christ. But Christ condemned their deeds, & also the secret thoughts of all other that confented there unto, saying: except ye repent ye shall likewise perish. As who should say, I know that ye are within in your hearts, such as they were outward in their deeds, and are under the same dampdation: except therefore ye repent betimes, ye shall break out at the last into like deeds, and likewise perish, as it came afterward to pass.  
Hereby seest thou that the king is in this world without law, and may at his lust do right or wrong, & shall give accounts, to God only.  
Another conclusion is this, that no person neither any degree, may be exempt from his ordinance of God Neither can the profession of Monks and freres, or any thing that the bishop of Rome can lay for themselves, except them from the sword of the Emperor or kiges, if they break the laws For it is written, let every soul submit himself unto the authority of the higher powers. Here is no man except, but all souls must obey. The higher powers are the temporal kings and princes, unto whom God hath given the sword to punish who so ever sinneth 
The king hath no power but to his damnation to privilege.  God hath not given them swords to punish one and to let another go free and to sin unpunished. More over with what face durst the spiritualty which ought to be the light and an example of good living unto all other, desire to sin unpunished or to be excepted 
●● age the spiritualty to sin unpunished.  from tribute, tolle, or custom, that they would not bear pain with their brethren, unto the maintenance of kings and officers ordained of God to punish sin? There is no power but of God (by power understand the authority of kings & princes) The powers that be, are ordained of God Who soever therefore resisteth god: yea though he be bishop, monk or frere. They that resist shall receive unto themselves damnation Why? for god's word is against them▪ which will have all men under the power of the temporal sword. For rulers are not to be feared for good works, but for evil. Hereby seest thou that they that resist the powers or seek to be exempt from their authority have evil consciences, & seek liberty to sin unpunished, & to be free from bearing pain with their brethren. Wy●t thou be without fear of the power: So do well and thou shalt have laud of the same (that is to say, of the ruler) With good living aught the spiritualty to rid themselves from fear of the temporal sword, and not with craft and with blinding the kings, and bringing the vengeance of God upon them, and purchasing licence to sin unpunished.  
For he is the minister of god for thy 
A king is a great benefit though he be never so evil  wealth, to defend the from a thousand inconvenients, from thieves murderers, and them that would defile thy wife, thy daughter, and take from the all that thou hast. Yea life and all, if thou did resist. Further more, though he be the greatest tyrant in the world, yet is he unto the a great benefit of God, and althing wherefore thou oughtest to thank God hylye. For it is better to have somewhat than to be clean strippeth out of all together: it is better to pay▪ the tenth than to lose all. It is better to suffer one tyrant than many, & to suffer wrong of one than of every man. Yea & it is better to have a tyrant unto thy king than ashaddowe. For a passive king doth nought himself, but suffer other to do with him what they will, ● to lead him whether they list. And atiraunte, though he do wrong unto the good, yet he punisheth the evil & maketh all men obey, neither suffereth any man to poll, but himself only. A king that is soft as silk and effeminate, that is to say, turned unto the nature of a woman, what with his own lusts, which are as the longing of a woman with child, so that he can not resist them, and what with the wyill tyranny of them that ever rule him, shall be much more grievous unto the realm than a right tyrant. Read the chronicles and thou shalt find it ever so  
But and if thou do evil, than fear, 
Princes are ordained to punish evil doers.  for he beareth not a swerbe for nought. For he is the minister of God, to take vengeance on them that do evil. If the office of princes, given them by God be to take vengeance of evil do●rs: than by this text and God's word, are all princes dampened, even as many 
The damnation of princes.  as give liberty or licence unto the spirituality to sin unpunished. And not only to syune unpunished themselves: but also to open sentuaries, privileged places, churchyards, saint johannes 
Sentuaries.  hold: yea & if they come to short unto all these, yet to set forth a neckeverse, to save all manner trespassers from the 
Neckevers.  fear of the sword of the vengeance of God put in the hands of princes to lie vengeance on all such.  
God requireth the law to be kept of all men, let them keep it for what soever purpose they will▪ Will they not keep the law: so vouchsafeth he not that 
Three natures.  they enjoy this temporal life. Now are there three natures of men, one all together beastly, which in no wise receive the law in their hearts, but ●yse against princes & rulers, when so ever they are able to make their party good. These are signified by them that worshipped the golden calf. For Moses broke the tables of their law yet he came at them. The second are not so beast●yt but receive the law, and unto them the law cometh, but they ●oke not May says in the face. For his countenance is to bright for them, that is, they understand not that the law is spiritual, and requireth the ●erte. They look on the pleasure, profit, and promo●yō that followeth the keeping of the law, and in respect of the reward keep they the lafoy we outwardly with works, but not in the heart. For if they might obtain like honour, glory, promotion, and digni te, and also avoid all in convenients, if they broke the law, so would they all so break the law and follow their lusts.  
The third are spiritual and look Moses in the open face and are (as Paul saith the se●ond to the Romans) a law unto themselves, and have the law written in their hearts by the spirit of God. These need neither of kine ge nor officers to drive them, neither that any man profit them any reward for to keep the law▪ for they do it naturally  
The first work for fear of the sword only. The second for reward. The third work for love freely. They look on the exceeding mercy, love, and kindness which God hath showed them in Christ, and therefore love again and work freely. Heaven they take ot the gy● 
Heaven to m by Christ  te of God thorough Christ's deserving and hope without all manner doubting that God according to his promise will in this world also defend them/ and do all thing for them of his goodness and for Christ's sake/ and not for any goodness that is in them. They consen t● unto the law that is holy and just & that all men ought to do whatsoever god commandeth for none other cause but because god commandeth it. And their great sorrow is because that there is no 
I Christian man se●eth no more but Gods will.  strength in their membres to do that which their heart lusteth to do/ & is a thirst to do.  
These of the last sort keep the law of their own accord and that in tyeyr heart & have professed perpetual war against the lusts and appetites of the flesh, till they be utterly subdued: yet not thorough their own strength/ but knowing and knowledging their weakness/ cry ever for strength to. God which hath promised assistance unto all that call upon him. These follow God & are led of his spirit. The other two are led of lusts and appetites  
Lusts and appetites are divers and 
Lusts.  many, and that in one man: yea and one lust contrary to another and the gre test lust carrieth a man all together away with him. We are also changed from one lust unto another. Otherwise are we disposed when we are children other wise when we are young men and other wise when we are old otherwise over even/ and otherwise in the morning, yea ●ōtymes altered. vi. times in an hour. How fortuneth all this? Because that 
Fre will  the will of man followeth the wit and is subject unto the will/ and as the wit ●e ●rreth so doth the will and as the wit is in captivity/ so is the will neither is it possible that the will should be free where the wit is in bondage.  
That thou mayst perceive and feal 
Worldly wit.  the thing in thine heart, and not be a vain sophister disputing about words without perceiving mark this. The rote of all evil/ the greatest damnation and most terrible wrath and vengeance of God that we are in/ is natural blindness. We are all out of the right way/ every man his ways. One judgeth this best/ another that to be best. Now is, worldly wit no thing else but craft/ and soteltye to obtain that which we ●udge fall silly to be best, As I err in my wit so 
The will is bond ● led.  err I in my will. When I judge that to be evil, which in deed is good/ then hate I that which is good. And when I suppose that good which is evil in ded●, then love I evil. As if I he persuaded and borne in hand that my most friend is mine enemy, than hate I my best friend: & if I be brought in believe that my most enemy is my friend, then love I my most enemy. Now when we say, every man hath his free will, to do what him lusteth. I say verily that men do what they lust Not withstanding to follow lusts is not freedom, but captivity and bondage. If God open any man's wits to make him feal in his heart, that lusts and appetites are damnable, and give him power to hate and resist then, 
freedom  then is he free even with the freedom where with Christ maketh free, & hath 
All is sin ne that sprengeth not o● the spirit of Go●, and all that is not done in the light of God's word.  power to do the will of God.  
Thou mayst her▪ by perceive that all that is done in the world (before the spirite of God come & giveth us light) is damnable sin, & the more glorious the more damnable: so that that which the world counteth most glorious is more damnable in the sight of God than that which the whore, the thief & the murderer do. With blind reasons of worldly wis●● mayst thou change the minds of youth & make them give themselves to what thou wilt either for fear, for praise or for profit: and yet dost but change them from one vice to another 
so do our spiritualty in all their.  As the persuasions of her friends made Lucrece chaste, Lucrece believed if she were a good housewife and chaste, that she should be most glorious, & that all the world would give her honour, & praise her. She sought her own glory in her chastity and not Gods. When she had lost her chastity, then counted she her sell fe most abominable in the sight of all men, and for very pain and thought which she had, not that she had dysplea said god, but that she had lost her honour slew her s●lfe. Look how great her pain & sorrow was for the loss of her chastity, so great was her glory and rejoicing therein, and so moche despised she then that were otherwise: & petid them not. Which pride God more abhorreth than the whoredom of any whore. Of like pride are all the moral virtues of aristotel, Plato, and Socrates & all the doctrine of the Philosophers the very Gods of our school men.  
In like manner is it for the most part of our most holy ●eligyō. For they of like imagination do things which they of bedlam may see, that they are but 
True miracles are wrought to confirm the preaching & not the godh●●● of the preacher  madness. They look on the miracles which God did by the saints to move the unbelieving unto the faith, and to ●●●yr me the truth of his promises in Christ, whereby all that believe are made saints: as thou seest in the last chayptre of Mark. They preached (saith he) every where, the lord working with them and confirming their preaching with my racles that followed And in the fourth of the ac●es, the disciples prayed that God would stretch forth his hands to do miracles and wonders in the name of jesus. And Paul ●. Corinth. ●iiii. saith that the miracles of speaking with divers tongues is but a sign for unbelievers, and not for them that believe. These 
Our ypo ●rytes a●● blind  miracles turn they unto another purpose saying ●● their blind hearts See what miracles God hath showed forthis saint, he must be verily great with God. And at ones turn themselves from God's word, and put their trust and confidence in the saint and his me rites, and make an advocate or rather a God of the saint, & of their blind ima gination make a testament or bond be between the saint and them, the testament of Christ's blood clean forgotten, they look on the saints garments & lives or rather lies which men lie on the saints: & this wise imagine in their hearts saying the saint for wearing s●ch agar mente and for such deeds is become so glorious in heaven If I do likewise, so shall I be also. They see not the faith & trust which the saints had in Christ●ne there the word of god which the saints preached, neither the intent of the saints. How that the saints did such things to came their bodies, and to be an ensample to the world, and to teach that such things are to be despised which the world most wondereth at, & magnifieth. They see not also that some lan des are so hot that a man can neither drink wine nor eat flesh therein, neither consider they complexion of the saints, and a thousand like things see they not. So when they have killed their bodies and brought them in that case, that scarce with any r●stauratyue they can recover their health again, yet had they liefer die them to eat flesh, why? for they think, I have now this. xx▪ thirty. or. xl. years eaten no flesh & have obtained I doubt not by this time as high a room as the best of them: should I now lose that? Nay I had liefer die & as ●ucrecia had liefer have been slain (if he had not been to strong for her) them to have lost her glory, even so had these. They ascribe heaven unto their imaginations & mad inventions, and receive it not of the liberality of God, by the me rites and deservings of Christ.  
He now that is renewed in Christ, 
The spiritual man  keepeth the law without any law wry 
The natural man.  ten, or compulsion of any ruler or officer, save by the ledinge of the spirit only: but the natural man is enticed & inoved to keep the law carnally, with carnal reasons and worldly persuasions, as for glory, honour, riches, & dig 
Fear is the last remedy.  mite. But the last remedy of all when all other fail, is fear. Beat one and the rest will abstain for fear, as Moses ever putteth in remembrance saying: kill, stone, burn. So shalt thou put evil from thee, and all Israel shall hear and fear and shall no more do so. If fear help not, then will God that they 
Kings defend the false authority of the By shop of Rome their office punisshinge of sin laid a part. bishops minister the Kings duty their own laid a part: yea they persecute their own office  be taken out of this life.  
Kings were ordained then, as I before said, and thy swords put in their hands to take vengeance of evil doers, that other might fear, and were not ordained to fight one against another, or to rise against the Emperor to defend the false authority of the bishop of Rome that very Antechriste. bishops they only can my nystre the temporal sw●rd, their office the preaching of god's word laid apart, which they will neither do nor suffer any man to do, bustle with the ten porall sword (which they have gotten out of the hand of all princes) them that would. The preaching of God's word is hateful and contrary unto them why? For it is impossible to preach Christ except thou preach against An techryste. that is to say, them which with their false doctrine & violence of sword enforce to quench the true doctrine of Christ. And as thou canst heal no disease except thou begin at the rote: even so canst y● preach against no mischief except thou begin at the bishops. Kings they are but 
Kings do but wait on the bishop of rooms pleasure The juggling of the Bishop of Rome.  shadows, vain names, and things ydele, having no thing to do in the world, but when our holy father needeth their help.  
The Bishop of Rome contrary unto all conscience & against all the doctrine of Christ, which saith my kingdom is not of this world. johan. xviii▪ hath usurped the right of the Emperor. And by polyey of the bishops of Almany, & with corrupting the electors or chosers of the emperor with money, bringeth to pass that such a one is ever chosen 
Bishops of almain.  Emperor that is not able to make his party good with the bishop of Rome. To stop the Emperor that he come not at Rome, he bringeth the french 
Mylayne  King up to Milayne, & on the other side bringeth he the venetians. If the 
Bishops of France.  Venetians come to nigh, the bishops of France must bring in the french king, And the Socheners are called & sent for to come & succour. And for their labour 
A cap of maintenance Most ●●●●●● king Defender of the bishops of Rom●s ●ayth The ●l●es● so●e of the holy seat, Blazing of arms The english Bishops. The falssh●d of the Bishops  he giveth to some a rose, to a no there a cap of maintenance. One is called most christian king, another defender of the faith, another the eldest son of the most holy seat. He blazeth also the arms of other, and putteth in the holy cross, the crown of thorn or the nails, & so forth. If the french king ●● to ●ye, and crep● up other to Bono nigh or Napels: then must our english bishops bring in our king. The craft of the Bishops is to entitle one king with an others realm. He is called King of Denmark, and of Eng land, he King of England and of France. Then to blind the lords & the come moans, the King must calenge his right. Then must the land be tared and every man pay, and the treasure borne out of the realm, and the land beggared. How many a thousand men's lives hath it cost? And how many an hundred thousand pounds hath it carried out 
O● cruel & an abominable ensample of tyranny judge them by their deeds saith Chryst.  of the realm in our remembrance? Be sides how abominable an example of gathering was there? Such vesely as never tyrant sins the world began did, yea such as was never before herd or thought on neither among Ie was, Saracens, Turks or heathen sins God created the son to shine: that a beast should break up in the temple of God, that is to say, in to the heart and consciences of men, and compel them to swear every man what he was worth to lend that should never be paid again. How many thousands forswore themselves? How many thousands set themselves above their a●ylytie, partly for fear lest they should be forsworn & partly to save their credence? When the Bishop of Rome hath his purpose then is peace made, no man woteth how, and our most enemy is our most friend.  
Now because the Emperor is able 
Th●● whore of Babylon.  to obtain his right, french, english, venetians, & all must upon him. O great whore of Babylon, how abuseth she the princes of the world, how drunken, hath she made them with her wine? How shameful licences doth she give them to use nychromancie, to hold whores, to divorce themselves, to break the faith and promises that one maketh with an other: that the confessors shall deliver unto the King the confession of whom 
Confession.  he will, & despenceth with them even of the very law of God, which Christ himself can not do.  
Christ saith unto Peter, put up they 
Ma. xxvi  sword in to his sheath. For all that lay hand upon the sword/ shall perish with the sword/ that is/ who so ever without the commandment of the temporal officer to whom god hath given the sword/ layeth hand on the sword to take vengeance/ the same deserveth death in 
Not Peter only but christ also was under the temporal sword.  the deed doing. God did not put peter only under that temporal sword/ but also Christ himself. As it appeareth in the fourth chapter to the Galathyens.  
& Christ shith Mat, iii. Thus becometh it us to fulfil all rightwiseness that is to say●/ all ordinances of/ God. If the heed be then under the temporal sword how can the membres be excepted If Peter sinned in defending Christ against the temporal sword whose authority & ministers the bishops then abused against Christ as ours do now, Who can excuse our prelate's of sin 
The kings sin in giving exemptions, and the prelate's in receiving them.  which will obey no man/ neither king nor Emperor. Yea who can excuse. himself from sin either kings that give either the bishops that receive such exemptions contrary to God's ordina unces and Chr●hes doctrine.  
And math. xvii. both Christ and also Peter pay tribute where the meaning of Christ's question unto Peter is. y● princes take tribute of strangers only and not of their children then verily ought I to be free which am the son of God whose servants and ministers they are and of whom they have their authority Yet because they neither knee we that neither Christ came to use that authority/ but to be our servant and to here/ our burden and to obey all ordinances/ both in right and wrong for our sakes/ and to teach us there fore said he to saint Peter▪ pay for the and me lest we offend them● More over though that Christ and Peter (because they were poor/ might have escaped/ yet would be not for fear of offending other) and hurting their consciences. For he might, well have given occasion unto the tribute gatherers to have judged a●isse both of him and his doctrine: yea and the Ie was might happily have been offended thereby/ and have thought that it had not be lawful for them to have paid tribute unto heathen princes and ydolate●s saying that he so great a Prophet paid not. Yea and what other thing causeth the lay so little to regard their princes as that they see them both despised and 
When the spiritualite payeth tribute  disobeyed of that spiritualty? But our prelate's which care for none offending of consciences & less for Gods or dinaunces/ will pay nought: but when princes must fight in our most holy fathers quarrel and against Christ Then are they the first. There also is none to poor that th● hath not somewhat to give. Mark here how passed all shame our 
Shameless iugulers.  ●●o● doctors are as rochester is in his bo●●e against Marten. Luther which of this text of Matthew dispute that Peter because he paid tribute, is greater than the other Apostles and hath more aucrori●e and power than they and was head unto them all contrary unto so many clear texts where Christ rebuketh them saenge that is an hethenyshe thing that one should climb above an other or desire to be greater. To be greater in the kingdom of heaven is to be a servant & he that most humbleth himself and becometh a servant unto other, after the ensample of Christ I mean and his apostles and not of the Bysshophe of Rome and his Apostles our priests and Bishops the same is greatest in that kingdom If Peter in paying tribute became greatest how cometh it that they will pay none at all? But to pay tribute is asygne of subieceyon verily, and the cause why Christ paid was because he had an household and for the same cause paid Peter also For he had an house a ship and nets as thou readest in the gospel. But let us go to. Paul again.  
Wherefore ye must needs obey not for fear of vengeance only: but also because of cons●yence. That is though 
They no conscience at any evil doing. They care for their neybours as the wolf doth for the sheep. Theevyll ensample of the spiritualte causeth the lay to believe that they are not bound to obey.  thou be so▪ mighty as now many years our bishop of Rome and Prelates every where are that thou needest not to obey the temporal sword for fear of vengeance yet must thou obey because of conscience. first because of thine own conscience. For though thou be able to resist (yet shalt, thou never have a good conscience as long as God's word) law/ and ordynawce are against the Secondarily for thy neighbours conscience. For though thorough craft and violence thou mightest escape and obtain liberty or privilege to be free from all manner duties/ yet oughtest thou neither to sue or seek for any such thing (niyther yet admit or accept if it were proffered lest thy freedom make thy weak brother to grudge and rebel in that he seth the go empty and he himself more lade) thy part also laid on his shoulders Seest thou not if a man favour one sonnemorethens another, or one servant more than another, how all the 
There is no christian love in them.  rest gruoge and how love peace & unity is broken. What Christian love is in the to thy neighbour ward when y● canst find in thine heart to go up & down empty by him all day long and see him overcharged, yea to fall under his burr then/ and yet wilt not once set to thy ●e hand to help him. What good conscience can there be among our spirituality to gather so great treasure together and with hypocrisy of their false learning to rob almost every man of house and lands and yet not therewith content but with all craft and wylenes to purchase so great liberties and exemptions frō●llmaner braringe with their brethren/ seeking in Christ no thing but lucre? I pass over with silence how they teach Princes in every land to lay new exactions and tyranny on their subjects more & more daily▪ neither for what purpose they do it say I. God I trust shall shortly disclose 
What purpose even ●o fla●er the Princes that they may abu see their aucterite to sl●e who so ever believeth in Chust & to maintain the Bishop of Rome.  their luggeling and bring their falsehood to light and lay a medicine to them to make their scabs break out. Nevertheless this I say that they have rob all realms, not of Gods word only but also of all wealth and prosperity, & have driuè peace out of all lan des & withdrawn themselves from all obedience to princes & have separated themselves from lay men, counting them than dogs, & have set up that great idol the whore of Babylon. Antichrist of Rome whom they call Bishop of Rome & have conspired against all commone moan wealths & have made them a seve tall kingdom wherein it is lawful unpunished to work all abomination. In every parish have they spied▪ in every great man's house & in every govern and Alehouse & thorough confessions know 
Confession  they all secrets so that no man may o pen his mouth to rebuke what so ever they do but that he shallbe shortly made 
Prelates know all men's secrets and no man theirs.  an heretic. In all counsels is one of them yea the most part and chief rulers of the counsels are of them: But of their council is no man.  
Even for this cause pay ye tribute that is to were for consciences sake, to thy neighbour & for the cause that followeth For they are gods ministers serving for the same purpose. Because God will so have it we must obey. We do not love if we have Christ's spirit in us, what is good profitable glorious & honourable for us neither on our own will but on gods will only. give to every man therefore his duty tribute to whom tribute belongeth custom to whom custo me is due fear to whom fear belongeth honour to whom honour pertaineth  
That thou mightest feal the worhin ge of the spirit of God in the and lest the beauty of she deed should deceive the and make the think that the law of God which is spiritual were content and fulfilled with the outward & bodily dead it followeth Own nothing 
Love fulfilleth the law before god and not the outward ded●.  to any man: but to love one another. For he that loveth another fullfyleth the law For these commandments: thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steel, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not desire and so forth, if there be any other commandment are all comprehended or contained in this saying: love 
Against▪ work men  thy neighbour: therefore is love ●he fulfilling of the law. Here hast thou sufficient against all the sophistres work holy, and iustifiare in the world, which so magnify their deeds. The law is spiritual and requireth the heart, and is never fulfilled with the deeds in the sight of God With the dead 
The deed fulfilleth the law before the world  thou fulfilest the law before the world and livest thereby, that is, thou enjoyest thy● present life and avoydeste the wrath and vengeance, the death and punishment which the law threateneth to them that break it. But before God thou keepest the law if thou love only Now what shall make us love? Merely that shall faith do. If thou behold how 
Faith maketh a man to love.  much god loveth the in Christ, & from what vengeance he hath delivered the for his sake, & of what kingdom he hath made the heir, them shalt the se cause enough to love thy very enemy with out respect of reward, either in this life or in the life to come, but because that god will so have it & Christ have deserved it, yea y● shouldest feal in thine heart that all thy deeds to come, are abundantly recompensed already in Christ.  
Thou wilt say haply, if love fulfil the law, them it justifieth I say that, that wherewith a man fulfilleth the law declareth him justified, but that which giveth him wherewith to fulfil the law, 
justifying.  justifieth him. By justifying understand the forgiveness of sins, and the favour of God. Now saith the text. Ro x. the end of the law or the cause wherefore the law was made is, Christ to justify all that believe. That is, the law is 
The office or dutof the law  given to utter sin, to kill the consciences, to damn our deeds, to bring to repentance, and to drive unto Christ: is whom God hath premised his favour and forgiveness of sin unto all that repent and consent to the law that it in good. If thou believe the promises than doth god's truth instifye thee, that is 
The believing of god's promises justfieth.  forgiveth thee, & receiveth the to favour for Christ's sake. In a surety whereof and to certify thine heart, he feeleth the with the spirit. Ephe. i. and. iiii. And. two, Corinth. v. saith Paul. Which gave us his spirit in earnest. Now the spirit is given us thorough Chryst, read the ●yght chapter of the pistle to the Romans, and Gala. iii. and two. Corin. iii. Nevertheless the spirit and his fruits 
●he spirit and the inward virtues are know ●n by the ou●w●r●● d. d●.  wherewith the heart is purified, as faith love, hope, patience, long suffering, and obedience, could never be seen without outward experience. For if thou were not brought sometime in to cumbrance, whence God only could del●uer thee, thou shouldest never see thy faith yea except thou foughtest sometime against desperation, hell, death, sin and powers of this world, for thy fayth●s sake, thou shouldst never know true faith from a dream, except thy brother now and then offended thee, thou couldest not know whether thy love were godly. For a turk is not an g●y till he be hurie and offended, but if thou love him that doth the evil, then is thy love of god, likewise if thy rulers were alway kind, thou shouldst not know whether thine obedience w●re pure or no, but & ●f thou canst patiently obey evil rulers in all things that is not to the dishonour of God, & when thou hurtest not thy neighbours, than art thou sure that God's spirit worketh in thee, and that thy faith is no dream nor any false imagination.  
Therefore counseleth Paul. Ro. xii▪ recompense no man evil. And on your part have peace with all men. dearly beloved avenge not yourselves: but give room unto the wrath of god. For 
Over come thine enemy with well doing.  it is urutten, vengeance is mine, and I will reward, saith the lord. Therefore if thy enemy hunger, feed him, ●f he thirst, give him drink. For in so dorng thou shalt h●pe cools of fire on his heed (that is thou shalt kindle love in him. Be not overcome of ●uyll (that is let not another man's wickedness make the wicked also) But overcome evil with good, that is, with softness, kindness, and all patience win him: even as god with kindness won the.  
The law was given in thunder, lightening, fire, smoke, and the voice o● a trumpet and terrible sight. Exodi 
The law  x●. So that the people quoke for fear, and stood a far of saying to Moses. Speak thou to us & we will hear●: let not the lord speak unto us, lest we die No ear (if it be a waked and understandeth the meaning) is able to abide the ●oyce of the law: except the promises of mercy be by. That horrible thunder except the rain of mercy ●e joined with it, destroyeth all and buildeth not. The law is a witness against us, and testifieth that God abhor●eth the sins that is in us, and us for out sins sake 
The king.   
In like manner when god gave the people of Israel a king, it thundered, & ●ay ned that the people feared so sore that they cried to Samuel for to pray for them, that they should not die. 1 Regum. xii. As the law is a terrible thing▪ even so is the king. For he is ordained to take vengeance, & hath a sword in his h●de and not peacocks fe●●ers▪ Fear him there f●re and look on him as thou wouldst look on a sharp sword that hanged over they heed by an here.  
Heads & governors are ordained of 
Rulers are god's gift.  god, and are even the gift of god, whether they be good or bad▪ And whatsoever is done unto us by them, that doth god, be it good or bad. If they be evil, why are they evil? verily for our wickedness sake are they evil. Because that 
Why the rulers are evil.  when they were good we would not receive that goodness of the hand of god & be thankful, submitting ourselves unto his laws and ordinances, but abuse the goodness of God unto our sensual and beastly lusts Therefore doth god make his scourge of them, and turn them unto wild beasts, contrary to the nature of their names & offices, even in to lions, bears, foxes, & unclean swine, to avenge himself of our unnaturally blind unkindness, and of our rebellious disobedience.  
In the. c. ●▪ vi. Psalm thou readest, he destroyed the rivers, & dried up the springs of water, & turned the fruitful land in to barrenness, for the wickedness of the inhabiters therein. When the children of Israel had forgotten God in-Egipt, god moved the hearts of the E g●pciās to hate them, ● to subdue them with craft and vilynes, Psalm. C. iiii. And Deutero. i i. Moses rehearseth saying. God was angry with me for your sakes: so that the wrath of god fell on More says▪ for the wickedness of the people. And in the second chapter of the second book of kings, God was angry with the people, and moved David to number them when joab and the other lords wondered why he would have them numbered, and because they feared lest some evil should follow, dissuaded the king: yet it holp not. God so hardened his heart in his purpose, to have an occasion to slay the wicked people. 
Evil rulers are a sign that god is angry with us.   
Evil rulers then are a sign that god is angry and wrath with us. Is it not a great wrath & vengeance that the father & mother should hate their children, even their flesh and their blood? or that an husband should be unkind unto his wife? or a master unto the servant that waiteth on his profit? or that lords and kings should be tyrants unto their subjects & tenants which pay them tribute, toll custom, and rent, labouring and toiling to find them in honour, and to maintain them in their estate? is not this a fearful judgement of God and a cruel wrath, that the very prelate's and shepherds o● one soul which were won to feed Christ's flock with Christ's doctrine & to walk before them in living thereafter, and to give their bodies & lives for them and to strengthen their weak faiths, are now so sore changed that if they smell that one of their flock (as they) now call them and no longer Christ's) do but once long or desire for the true knowledge of Christ, they will slay him, and burn him with fire most cruelly. What is the cause of this, & that they 
Why the prelate's are so wicked.  also teach false doctrine confirming it with lies? verily it is the hand of god to avenge the wickedness of them that have no love nor lust unto the truth of god when it is preached: but rejoice in unrighteousness. As thou mayst see in the second pistle of Paul to the Tessaloni. Where he speaketh of the coming of Antichrist. Whose coming shallbe (saith he) by the working of Satan with all miracles, signs▪ and wonders which are but lies, and in all deceivable unrighteousness among them that perish, because they receyud not any love to the truth to have been saved. Therefore shall God send them strong 
The cause of false miracles is that we have no lust unto the truth.  delusion, to believe lies. Mark how God to avenge his truth, sendeth to the unthankful false doctrine, and also false miracles to confirm them, and to harden their hearts in the false way, that afterward it shall not be possible for them to admit the truth. As thou seest in Erodi▪ seven. and▪ xiii. how God suffered false miracles to be showed in the sight of Pharaoh to harden his heart, that he should not believe the troth, for in as much as his forceters turned their rods in to serpents, and turned water in to blood, and made frogs by their enchantment, so thought he that Moses did all his miracles by the same craft, and not by the power of god. And abode therefore in unbelief and perished in resisting god. 
The right way to come out of bondage.   
Let us receive all things of God whether it be good or bad: let us humble ourselves under his mighty hand, and submit ourselves unto his nourtoure and chastising, and not withdraw ourselves from his correction (read Hebr. xii. for thy comforts and let us not take the n1 by the end or silly to avenge ourselves on his rod which are the evil rulers. The child as long as he seeketh to avenge him sell fe v●on the rodd● hath an evil heart, for he thinketh not that the correction is right or that he hath deserved it, neigh there repenteth, but rejoiceth in his wickedness. And so long shall he never be without a rod: yea so long shall the rod be made sharper & sharper. If he knowledge his fault and take the correction meekly & even kiss the rod, and amend himself with the learning and nurture of his father and mother, then is the rod taken away and brent.  
So if we resist evil rulers sekyng● to set ourselves at liberty, we shall no doubt bring ourselves into more cruel bondage, & wrap ourselves in much more misery and wretchedness, for if the heads overcome, them lay they more weight on their backs, and tie them shorter. If they overcome their evil rulers then make they way for a more cru ell nation or for some tyrant of their own nation which hath no right unto the crown. If we submit ourselves unto the chastesing of God, & meekly knowledge our sins for which we are scourged, and kiss the rod, & amend our lining: then will god take the rod away, that is, he will give the rulers a better heart. Or if they continue their malice and persecute you forwel doing and because you put your trust in god 
God is all way one alway true, always▪ merciful and excludeth no man from his promises.  then will god deliver you out of their tyranny for his truths sake. It is the same god now that was in the old time, and delivered the fathers and the prophets, the apostles & other holy saints. And what soever he swore to them he hath sworn to us. And as he delivered them out of all temptation, cumbrance, and adversity, because they consented & submitted themselves unto his will, & trusted in his goodness and truth: even so will he do us if we do likewise.  
When soever the children of Israel fell from the way which god commanded them to walk in, he gave them up under one tyrant or another. As soon as they came to the knowledge of themselves, and repented crying for mercy and leaning unto the truth of his promises, he sent one to deliver them, as the histories of the Bible make mention.  
A Christian man in respect of God is 
A Christian man▪ doth but suffer only.  but a passive thing, a thing that suffereth only and doth nought, as the sick in respect of the surgeon orphisician doth but suffer only. The surgeon last ●eth and cutteth out the deed flesh, searcheth the wounds, thirsteth in ●entes, se ●reth, bawneth, soweth or sticheth, and layeth to corsies to draw out the corruption, and last of all layeth the heling plasters and maketh whole. The physician likewise giveth purgations, and drinks to drive out the disease, & then with restauratives bridgeth health. Now if the sy●ke resist the razor, the searching iron, and so forth, doth he not resist his own health and is cause of his own death. So likewise is it of us, 
Evil rulers are▪ wholesome medicine.  if we resist evil rulers which are the rod and scourge wherewith god chastiseth us, the instruments wherewith God searcheth our wounds, and bitter drink to drive out the sin and to make appear, and corseys to draw out by the roots the core of the Poor▪ of the soul that fretteth inward. A Christian man therefore receiveth all thing of the hand of god both good & bad, both sweet and sour, both wealth and wo. If any person do me good, whether it be father mother, & so forth, that receive I of God, and to God give thanks. For he gave wherewith▪ and gave a commandment, and moved his heart so to do. adversity also receive I of the hand of god as an wholesome medicine 
How profitable adversity is.  though it be somewhat bitter. Temptation and adnersite do both kill sin and also utter it. For though a Christian man knoweth every thing how ti live: yet is the flesh so weak that he can never take up his Cross himself to kill and mortify the flesh. He must have another to lay it on his back. In many also sin lieth hid wi●h in, and festereth and rotteth inward and is not seen: so that they think how they are good and perfect, and keep the law. As the young man. Mathe. nineteen. said he had observed all of a child and yet lied falsely in his heart, as the text following well declareth. When all is at peace and no man troubleth us, we think that we are patient and love our neighbours as ourselves: but let our neighbour hurde us in word or deed and then find we it otherwise. Then tume we, and rage & set up the bristles, and bend ourselves to do vengeance. If we loved with godly love for Christ's kindness sake, we should desire no vengeance, but pity him and desire god to forgive and amend him, knowing well that no flesh can do otherwise then sin, except that God preserve him. Thou wilt say what good doth such persecution & tyranny unto the righteous? first maketh them feal the working of god's spirit in them, 
The great test synnet is righteous in Christ & the promises. And the perfertest & holiest is a sinner in the law & the flethe.  and that their faith is unfeigned. I say no man is so great a sinner, if he repent and believe, but that he is righteous in Christ & in the promises: yet if thou look on the flesh and law, th●re is no man so perfect that is not found a sinner. Nor any man so pure, that hath not somewhat to be yet purged. This shall suffice at this time as concerning obedience unto princes.   

The second Chapter.  
Of the office and duty of Princes toward their loving and natural subjects.  
LEt. kings (if they had rather be Christian indeed then so to be call led) give themselves all together to the wealth of their realms after the ensample of Christ: remembering that the people are Gods and not theirs: yea at Christ's inheritance and possession bought with his blood. The most despised person in his realm is the kings brother and his fellow member with hrm, and equal with him in the kingdom of God & of Christ Let him therefore not think h●m self to good to do the service▪ neither seek any other thing in them, than a father seeketh in his children: yea then Christ sought in us. Though that the king in the temporal regiment be in the room of God, and representeth god himself, and is with out all comparison better than his subjects: yet let him put of that and become a brother, doing & leaving undone all things in respect of the commone wealth, that all men may see that he seeketh nothing but the profit of his sub iectes. When a cause that requireth execution is brought before him, then only let him take the person of god on him. Then let him know no creature but here all indifferently, whether it be a stranger or one of his own realm and the small as well as the great, & judge righteously, for the judgement is the lords. Deu. i. In time of judgement he is no minister in the kingdom of Christ: he preacheth no Gospel but the sharp law of vengeance. Let him take the holy judges of the old testament for 
Moses.  an example, and namely Moses which in executing the law was merciless, otherwise more than a mother unto than never evenging his own wrongs but suffering all thing, bearing every man's weakness, teaching, warning, exhorting, & ever caring for them, and so tenderly loved them, that he desired God either to forgive them or to damn him with them.  
Let the judges also privately when they 
jugdes.  have put of the person of a judge exhort with good counsel and warn the people and help that they come not at God's judgement: but the causes that are brought unto them, when they sit in god's s●ede, let them judge and condemn the trespasser under lawful witnesses, and not break up in to the consciences 
O tyranny to come p●l a man to accuse himself.  of men, after the ensample of Antichristes' disciples, and compel them either to forswear themselves by the almighty god & by the holy gospel of his merciful promises, or to testify against themselves. Which abomination our perlates learned of Cayphas Mat. xxv● saying to Christ. I adjure or charge 
Our prelate's learned of Cayphas.  the in the name of the living God, ●ha● thou tell us whether thou be Christ th● son of god. Let that which is secret● to God only, whereof no proof can b● made nor lawful witness brought 
secret sins pertain unto God to punish and open sins unto the kings.  abide unto the coming of the Lord which shall open all secrets. If any malice break forth that let them iudg● only. For further authority hath God not given them,  
Moses Deutero. ●vii, warneth judges to keep them upright & to look o● no man's person, that is, that they prefer not the high before thy low, th● great before the small, the rich befor● the poor, his acquaintance, friend kinsman, contreman, or one of his ow● nation before a stranger, a fremd o● an alyent, yea or one of their own fait● before an infidel: but that they look on the cause only to judge indifferently. For the room that they are in and the law that they execute are gods which as he hath made all an● is god of all and all are his sons: even so is he judge over all, and will have all judged by his law indifferently and to have the right of his law, and will avenge the wrong done unto the turk or la razyn. For though they be not under thee, everlasting testament of God in Christ, as of us which are called christian be, and even no more than to whom God hath sent his promises and powered his spirit into their hearts to be leave them, and in their hearts to fulfil the law of love, yet are they under the testament of the law natural, which are the laws of every land made for the comen wealth there, and for peace and unity that one may live by another. In which laws the infidels (if they keep them) have promises of world lie things. Who so ever therefore hindereth a very infidel from the right of that law, sinneth against God, and of him will God be avenged. More over Moses warneth them that they receive no gifts, rewards, or bribes. For those two points, favouring of one person more than another, and receiving rewards, pervert all right and equity, and is the only pestilence of all judges.  
And the Kings warneth he that they have not to many wives, lest their her t●s turn a way: and that they read all way in the law of God, to learn to fear him, lest their hearts be lift up above their brethren. Which two points, women, and pride, the despising of their subjects, which are in very deed their own brethren, are the comen pesti lence of all princes Reed the storis & se.  
The sheriffs, bailie arauntes, tonstables, and such like officers may let no man that hutteth his neighbour escape but that they bring them before the judges, except they in the mean time agree with their neighbours and make them amends.  
Let kings defend their subjects from the wrongs of other nations, but pike no quarrels for every trifle, no, let not our most holy father make them no 
Uaynena mes.  more so drunken with vain names, with caps of maintenance, and like babbles, as it were popetry for children, to beggar their realms and to mourther their people, for defending of our holy father's tyranny If a lawful peace that 
The holy father looseth. peace and unite, truce tronth and all honest.  standeth with God's word be made between prince and prince, & the name of God taken to record, and the body of our saviour broken between them upon the bond which they have made, that peace or bond can our holy father not dispense with, neither lose it with all the keys he hath: no verily Christ can not break it. For he came not to break the law but to fulfil it. Math. v.  
If any man have broken the law, or a good ordinance, and repent and come to the right way again, then hath Christ power to forgive him: but licence to break the law can he not give, much more his disciples and vicars (as they call themselves) can not do it. 
What the keys are & wh● they are so called.  The keys whereof they so greatly boast themselves are no carnal things but spiritual, & no thing else save knowledge of the law, & of the promises or Gospel, if any man for lack of spiritu all feeling desire authority of men, let him read the old doctors, If any man desire authority of scriptures Christ say the Luke. xi. Woe be to you law ar●, for ye have taken away the key of know league, ye enter not in yourselves, & them that come in ye forvyd, that is: they had blinded the scripture whose knowledge 
The keys are promised.  (as it were a key) letteth i to god, with gloss and traditions. Likewise findest thou Mat. xxiii. As Pater answered in the name of all, also christ promised him the keys in the person of all. math. xvi And in the. xx. of Iohn he paid them saying receive the holy Ghost, whosoever's sins ye remit they are remitted 
The keys are paid  or forgiven and whosoever's synes ye retain they are retained or holden With preaching the promises lose they as many as repent & believe. And for 
The houde & lowsoning  that johan saith receive the holy ghost Luke in his last chapter saith: them open he their wits that they might under stand the scriptures and said unto them thus it is written. And thus it behoved 
Repentance and fyrgyuen●s come by preaching  Christ to suffer & so to rise again the third day And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations. At the prea, ch of the law repent men and at the preaching of y ● ●romyses do they believe & are saved Peter in the second of the acts practised his keys and by pray 
Peter practiseth his keys  aching the law brought the people in to the knowledge of themselves & bound their consciences, so that they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and to the other Apostles, what shall we do? Then brought they forth the key of the sweet promises saying repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost. For the promise was made unto you & unto your children, and to all that are a far, ●uē as many as the lord shall call, Of like ensamples is the acts full and Peter's 
The bishop of Rome's authority is to preach God's word only  pistles, and Paul's pistles, and all the scripture, neither hath our holy father any other authority of Christ or by the reason of his predecessor Peter then to preach God's word. As Christ compareth the understanding of scripture unto a key, so compareth he it to a net, and unto leaven, and unto many other things for certain properties. I marvel therefore that they boast not themselves of their net and leaven, as well as of their keys, for they at all one thing. But as Christ biddeth us beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, so beware of their conterfayted keys and of their false net (which are their traditions and ceremonies, their ●pocrisy and false doctrine) wherewith they get, not soules unto Christ, but authority and riches unto themselves.  
Let Christian kings therefore keep 
Not with an heretic saith the bishop of Rome.  their faith and truth and all lawful promises, and bonds, not one with an other only, but even with the Turk or what infidel it be. For so it is r●ght be fore God as the scriptures and examples of the Bible testifieth. Who soever vow an unlawful vow, promise an unlawful promise swear an unlawful oath sinneth against. God: and ought therefore to break it. He needeth not to sue to Rome for a licence. For he hath God's word and not a licence only: but also a commandment to break it They therefore that are sworn to be true unto Cardinals and bishops that is to say false unto God the king and the realm may brake their oaths law fully without grudge of conscience by the authority of God's word. In making them they sinned but in repenting and breaking them they please God highly & receive forgiveness in Christ.  
Let kings take their duty of their subjects & that that is only necessary unto the defence of the realm. Let them rule their realms themselves with the help of lay men that are sage, wise, learned and expert. Is it not a shame above all shames and a monstrous thing that no man should be found able to govern a worldly kingdom save bishops and prelate's that have forsaken the world, and are taken out of the world & appointed to preach the king doom of God? Christ saith that his king doom is not of this world Iohn. xviii. And Luke, xii. unto the young man that desired him to bid his brother to give him part of the inheritance, he answered, who made me judge or a divider a 
Behold the face of the Bis shops in this glass.  'mong you. No man that layeth his hand to the plough and looketh back is apt for the kingdom of heaven. Luke. ix No man can serve two masters but he must despise the one. Math. vi.  
To preach God's word is to much for half a man. And to minister a tem porall kingdom is to much for half a man also▪ Either other requireth an whole man. One therefore cannot well do both. He that avengeth himself on every trifle is not mere to preach the patience of Christ how that a man ought to forgive and suffer all things, He that is over whelmed with all manner riches and doth but sick more daily, is not met to preach poverty. He that will obey no man is not me●e to preach how we ought to obey all men. Peter saith Act, vi. It is not meet that we should leave the word of God and serve at the ta bless. Paul saith in the. ix chapter of the first to the Cor. God sent me but to pre ache. A terrible saying verily for Bishops and priests If he had said woe be to me if I fight not & move not princes unto ware or if I encrece not saint Peter's patrimony, as they call it had been a more easy saying for them.  
Christ forbiddeth his disciples and that oft as thou mayst see Matthew. xviii. and also. xx. Mark. ix. and also. x. Luke ix. and also. xxii. Even at his last supper) not only to climb a 'bove lords, kings and Emperors in worldly rule, but all so to exalt themselves one above an other in the Kingdom of God. But in vain: for the Bishop of Rome would not here it though he had commanded it ten thousand times. God's word should 
bishops have captived god's word with their own decrees.  rule only & not Bishops decrees, or the Bishop of Rome's pleasure. That ought they to preach purely and spiritually, & to fashion their lives thereafter, and with all ensample of godly living and long suffering, to draw all to christ: and not to expound the scriptures carnally and worldly.   

The third Chapter.  
Of the office and duty of the children toward their parents.  
GOd (which worketh all in all things) for a secret judgement and purpose and for his godly pleasure, provided an hour that thy father and mother should come together, to make the thorough them. He was present with the in thy mother's womb and fashioned the and breathed life in to thee, and for the great love he had unto thee, provided milk in thy more there's breasts for thee, against thou were borne: moved also thy father and mother and all other, to love thee, to pity thee, and to care for the.  
And as he made the thorough them, so 
Out fathers and mothers are to us in god's stead.  hath he cast the under the power & auttoryte of them, to obey and serve them in his stead, saying, honour thy father and mother. Exodi xx. Which is not to be understand in bowing the knee, & putting of the cap only, but that thou love them with all thine heart, and fear and dread them and wait on their commandments, and seek their worship, pleasure will and profit in all things, and give thy life for them, counthinge them worthy of all honour remembering that thou art their god and possession, and that thou owest unto them thine own self, and all that thou art able, yea and more than thou art able to do.  
understand also that what soever 
What we do ●● our fathers and mothers that we do to god  thou dost unto them (be it good or bad) thou dost unto God. When thou pleasest them thou pleasest God. When thou displeasest them thou displeasest God. When they are angry with thee, God is angry with the. Neither it is possible for the to come unto the favour of God again (not though all the aungles of heaven pray for thee) until thou have submitted thyself unto thy father and mother again.  
If thou obey though it be but carnal 
The reward of obedience  lie, either for fere, for vain glory, or profit (thy blessing shall belong life upon the earth. For he sayeth, honour thy father and mother, that thou mayst live long upon the earth. Exodi. xx. contrariwise if thou disobey them, thy life shall be shortened upon the earth 
The reward of disobedience.  For it followeth. Exod. xxi. He that smiteth his father or mother shall be put to death for it. And he that curseth (that is to say, raileth or dishonoureth his father or mother with opprobrious words (shall be slain for it. And Deuteronomion. xxi. If any man have a son stubborn and disobedient which heareth not the voice of his father & the voice of his mother so that they have taught him nortoure, and he regardeth them not, than let his father & mother take him and bring him for the unto the seniors or elders of the city and unto the gate of the same place. And let them say unto the seniors of that cyti this our son is stubborn and disobedient He will not hear unto our voice, he is a ryotter and a drunkard. Than let all the men of that city stone him with stones unto death, so shall ye put away wickedness from among you and all Israel shall hear and shall fear.  
And though that the temporal officers (to their own damnation) be negligente in punyshinge such disobedience (as the spiritual officers are to teach it) and wink at it or look upon it thorough 
God avegeth disobedience himself h though the officer will not.  the fingers: yet shall they not sea poe unpunished. For the vengeance of God shall accompany them (as thou mayst see Deuteronomion. xxviii.) with all misfortune and evil luck) and shall not depart from them until they bemurdered, drowned, or hanged, either until by one mischance or another, they be utterly brought to nought. Yea and the world often times hangeth many a man for that they never deserved, but God hangeth them because they would not obey and hearken unto their elders as theconsciences of many will find when they come unto the gallows, there can they preach & teach other, that which they themselves would not learn in season, 
Marriage   
The marriage also of the children, pertaineth unto their elders, as thou mayst se. i. Corinthiorum. seven and thorough out all the scripture by the authority of the said commandment, child obey father and mother. Which thing the he athen and gentiles have ever kept & to this day keep, unto the great shame and rebuke of us christian: in as much as weddings of our virgins shame it is to speak it are more like unto the saw 
Couetousness maketh our spirituality that they can not se.  te of a bitch than the marrying of a reasonable creature. See not we daily. iii or. iiii. calenging one woman before the Commyssary or official of which not one hath the consent of her father and mother. And yet he that hath most more neigh hath best right and shall have her in the despite of all her friends and in 
That which a Eurke is ashamed of.  diffyaunce of▪ Goddess ordinances More over when, she is given by the judge unto the one party and also married even than often times shall the contrary part sue before an higher judge or an other that succeedeth the same and for money divorce her again. So shamefully both the covetousness and ambycyon of our prelate's, mock with the laws of God. I pass over with silence, how many years they will prologue the sentence with cavillations and subtlety, if they be will moneyed on both parties And if a damsel promise. two. how sha' 
Get herewith child say, they so shall thy cause be best.  mefull counsel they will give the second and also how the religious of Satan do separat unseparable matrimo nigh. For after thou art lawfully married at the commandment of father & more theridamas and with the consent of all thy friends yet if thou wyke be disguised like unto one of them and swear obedience unto their traditions thou mayst disobey father & mother, break the oath 
God's commandements break they thorough their own traditions.  which thou haste sworn to God before his holy congregation, and withdraw love and charity the highest of god's commandments, and that duty and service which thou owest unto thy wife, whereof. Christ cannot dispense with the. For Christ is not against God but with God, & came not to break God's ordinances, but to fulfil them. That is, he came to overcome the with kindness, and to make the to do of very love the thing which the law compelleth the to do. For love only & to do service unto thy neighbour▪ is the fulfilling of the law in the sight of God. To be a monk or a frere, thou mayst thus forsake thy wife before thou hast line with her, but not to be a secular priest. And yet after thou art professed, 
Money maketh marcha●s dice  the bishop of Rome for money will dispense with thee, both for thy co te and all thy obedience, and make a secular, priest of the. Like wise as it is symonye to sell a benefice (as they call it) but to resign upon a pension, & than to redeem the same, is no simony at all. Oh crafty jugglers and mock●ts with the word of God.   

The fourth Chapter.  
Of the office and duty of the parents toward their children.  
Father's move not your children unto wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and information of the lord. Ephesiorum. vi. and Collos. three Fathers rate not your children, lest they be of desperate mind, that is, left you discourage them. For where the fathers and mothers are weigh ward, hasty, & churlish, ever brawling and chiding: there are the children a none discouraged, and hertelesse & apt for nothing, neither can they do any thin 
The right bringin goe up of children.  ge a right. Bring them up in the nurture & information of the lord. Teach them to know Christ, & set gods or dinaunce before them saying: son or daughter God hath created the and made the thorough us thy father & mother, and at his commandment have we so long thus kindly brought the up and kept the from all perils: he hath commanded the also to obey us saying: child obey thy father & mother. If thou meekly obey, so shalt thou grow both in the favour of God and man, & know league of our lord Christ. If thou wilt not obey us at his commandment, then are we charged to correct thee, yea & if thou repent not and amend thyself, God shall slay the by his officers or punish the everlastingly. Nurture them not worldly and with worldly wisdom saying: Thou shalt come to honour 
The destruction and marring of children  dignity: promotion & riches thou shalt be better than such and such, thou shalt have. iii. or. iiii. benefices and be a great doctor or a Bishop and have so many men waiting on the and do no thing but hawk and hunt and live at pleasure, thou shalt not need toswete to labour, or to take any pain for thy living and so forth, filling them full of pride, disdain▪ and ambition and corrupting their minds with worldly persuasions, Let the fathers and mothers mark how they them selves were disposed at all ages, and by experience of their own infirmities help their children and keep them from occasions. Let them teach their children to a●e marriages of their fathers & mothers and let their elders provide marriages for them in season: teaching them also to know that she is not his wife which the son taketh nor her husband which the daughter taketh without the consent and good will of their elders of them that have authority over them If their friends will not marry them then are they not to blame if they marry themselves as is more spoken in the book of matrimony. Let the fathers & mothers always take the uttermost of their authority of their children but at a time me suffer with them and be are their weakness as Christ doth ours. Sek Christ in your children, in your wives servants and subjects▪ Father mother son daughter master servant kin ge and subject be names in the worldly regiment. In Christ we are all one 
In Christ we are all servants and he that hath know league is bound.  thing none better than other all brethren and must all seek Christ and our brother's profit in Christ. And he that hath the knowledge whether he be lord or King is dounde to submit himself & serve his brethren & to give himself for them to win them to Christ   

The fifth chapter.  
Of the office and duty of servants toward their Masters,  
Servants obey your carnal masters with fear and trebling in singleness of your hearts as unto Christ not with service in the eye sight as men pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will even as though ye served the lord & not men▪ Ephe. vi. And. i 〈◊〉 i●. Seruasites obey your masters with all fear not only if they be good & courteous but also though they be froward. For it cometh of grace if a man for 〈◊〉 science toward God endure grief suffering wrongfully. For what praise is it if when ye be buffeted for your fa●● tes, ye take it patiently? But and if when ye do well, ye suffer wrong and take it patiently, than is there thank with God, here unto verily were ye called. For Christ also suffered for our sakes, leaving us an example to fo●o we his steps. In what soever ●ynde therefore thou art a servant, during the time of thy covenants, thy master is unto the in the stead and room of God, and God thorough him 
The master is unto the servant in God's stead.  feadethe the clotheth thee, ru●ethe and learneth the his Commandments, are God's commandments, and thou oughtest to obey him as God, and in all things to seek his pleasure and profit. For thou, art his good and possession, as his ox or his horse in so much that whosoevere doth but desire the in his heart from him with out his love and licence is condemned of. God, which sayeth. Exodi. xx. s● thou once covet not thy neighbours servants. Paul the apostle sent home Onesymus unto his master (as thou readest in the pistle of. saint. Paul to Philemon. In so much that though the said Philemon with his servant also was converted by paul, and owed unto Paul and to the word that Paul preached , not his servant only, but also himself: yea and though that Paul was in necessity and lacked ministers to minister unto him in the bonds. which he suffered. For the▪ Gospels sake, yet would he, not retain the servant necessary unto the furtherance of the gospel without the consent of the master.  
O how sore differreth the doctrine 
Christ'S doctrine and the Bishop of Rome's differ  of Christ and his Apostles from the doctrine of the Bishop of Rome and of his, Apostles. For if any man will obey neither father nor mother neither Lord nor master, neither. King nor prince, the same needeth but only to take the mark of the beast, that is to shave himself a monk (a frere, or a 
To obey no man is aspiritual thing.  priest, and is than, immediately free and exempted from all service and obedience due unto man. He that will obey no man (as they will not (is moste acceptable unto them. The more disobedient that thou art unto God's ordinances, the more apt and meet art thou for theirs. Neither is the professing. vowing promising, and swearing, obedience unto their laws & ordinances any other thing, than the defying, denying, and forswearing obedience unto the ordinances of God.   

The sixth Chapter▪  
¶ Of the office and duty of Masters to ward their servants.  
Paul Ephe. vi. saith ye masters do even the same things unto them that, is, be master after the example and doctrine of christ, as he before taught the servants to obey unto their masters as unto Christ (putting away threatenings (that is, give them fair words, and exhort them kindly to do their duty: Yea nurture them as thine own sons with the lords nurture that they may see in Christ a cause 
Teach thy servant to know christeand after. Christ's doctrine deal with him.  why they ought lovingly to obey. and remember (saith he ● that your master also is in heaven, neither is there any respect of parsons with him, that is he is indifferent and not per●yall: as great in sycite is a servant as a master. And in the third chapitre to the c●llo, saith he ye masters do unto your servants that which is just and equal remembering that ye also have a master in heaven. give your servants kind words food, raiment and learning. Be not bitter unto them, ●ayle not on them, give them no cruel countenance, but according to the ensample and doctrine of christ, deal with them. And when they labour sore, cherish them 
Do all thing with god's word  again. When ye correct them, let God's word be by, and do it with such good manner that they may see how that ye do it to amend them only: and to bring them unto the way which God biddeth us to walk in, and not to avenge yourselves, or to wreak your malice on them. If at a time thorough hastiness ye exceed measure in punishing, recompense it another way and pardon them another time.   

¶ The seventh Chapter.  
☞ Of the office and duty of Land lords.  
LEt Christian Landlords be content with their rents and old customs, not raising the rent or fines, and bringing up new Customs to oppress their tenants: neither letting. two. Or. iii. tenauntryes unto one man. Let them not take in their commons, neither make parks nor pastures of hole parishes. For God 
God gave the earth to men  gave the earth to men to inhabit, and not unto sheep and wild dear. Be as Fathers unto your tenants: yea be unto them as Chryst was unto us, and show unto them all love and kindness. What soever business is among them be not partial favouring one more than another. The complaints▪ quarrels, and strife that are among them count diseases of sick people, and as a merciful Physycian heal them with wisdom and good counsel. Be pitiful and tender hearted unto them, and let not one of thy tenants tear out a nother's throat, but judge their causes indifferently and compel them to make their dyches, hedges, gates, and ways. For even for such causes were ye made Landlords, and for such causes paid men rent at the beginning. For if such an order were not, one should sle● another and all should go to waste. If thy tenant shall labour and toil all the year to pay the thy rent, and when he hath bestowed all his labour, his neighbours cattles shall devour his fruits, how tedious and bitter should his life be? See therefore that ye do your duties again and suffer no man to do them wrong, save the King only. If he do wrong, then must they abide God des judgement.   

¶ The eight Chapter.  
¶ Of the office and duty of Bishops and priests, and of their sending.  
GOd anointed his son jesus with the holy ghost, and therefore called him Christ, which is asmuch to say as anointed. Outwardly he dysgysed him not but made him like other men and sent him in to the world to bless us, and to offer himself for us a sac●rifyce of a sweet saver, to kill the stench of our sins that god hence for the should smell them no more nor think upon than any more: & to 
Christ was neither shaven nor shorn nor yet an nointed with ●oyle  make full and sufficient satisfation or a mends for all them that repent, believing the truth of God, and submitting themselves unto his ordinances both for the sin that they do, have done, and shall do. For sin we through fragility never so oft, yet as soon as we repent and come in to the right way again, and unto the testament which 
He that doth aught to make satisfaction hath lost his part of christes blood.  God hath made in Christ's, blood, our sins waste aware as smoke in the wind, and as darkness at the coming of the light. In so much that who soever goeth about to make satisfaction for his sins to God ward, saying in his heart, this moche have I sinned, this moche will I do again, or this wise will I sign to 
To our neighbour make we amen des.  make amends with all, or this will I do to get heaven withal, the same is an infidel, faithless, and dampened in his deed doing, and hath lost his part in Christ's blood, because he is disobedient unto Goddess testament, and setteth up another of his own imagination, unto which he will compel God to obey, If we love God we have a commaundent to love our neighbour also, as saith johan in his Epistle. And if we have offended him to make him amends, or if we have not wherewith, to ask him forgiveness and to do and suffer all things for his sake to win him to God and to nourish peace and unity: but to God ward Christ is an everlasting satisfaction, and for ever sufficient.  
Christ when he had sulfylled his 
The Apostles ware neither shaven nor shorn nor anointed with oil.  course, anointed his Apostles and disciples with the same spirit, and sent them immendiately forth without all manner disgysing like other men also, to preach the atonement and peace which Christ had made between God and man, as Paul boasteth himself every where, Christ (saith he) sent me to preach the Gospel. i. Corint. i. And I received of the Lord, that which 
The Apostles ware sent of Christ with like authority.  I delivered unto you. i Co. xi. And Galathians. i. I certify you brethren that the Gospel which was preached of me, was not after the manner of men (that is to say, carnal or fleshly) neither received I it of man, neither was it taught me, but I received it by the revelation of jesus christ. And Galathians. two. He that was mighty in Peter in the apostleship over the circumcision, was mighty in me among the gentiles. And also in john the twenty Chapter. christ sent them forth indifferently and gave them like power. As my father sent me (saith he) so send I you: that is to preach and to suffer as I have done, and not to conquer empires and Kingdoms and to subdue all temporal power under you with disguised hypocrisy. He gave them the holy ghost to bind and to loose, as thou seest: and afterward he sent for●he Paul with the same authority, 
The office of priests.  as thou seest in the Acts. And in the last of Matthew saith he: all power is given me in heaven and in earth, go● therefore and teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and o● the holy ghost, teaching them to observe whatsoever I commanded you. The authority that Christ gave them was to preach, yet not what they would Imagen, but what he had commanded. And to the intent that they should be manful & not shrink in their office for any persecution or trouble, no not for the death. Lo saith he, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. He said not I go my way and here is Peter james or johan in my stead (as our bishops Parsons and Uycars doth now set their suffragans and parish priests) but sent them every man to a sundry country, whether so ever the spirit carried them, and went with them himself.  
Thus after christ had sent forth them, after the same sort the Apostles dysgysed no man, but those men anointed with the same spirit: one to preach the word of God, whom we call after the Greek tongue a bishop or a preyste, that is in english an overseer and an elder. How he was anointed you read. i▪ Timoth. iii. The 
Bishop an overseer.  bishop or priest must be faultless, the husband of one wife (Many jews and also Gentiles that were converted unto the faith, had at that time 
Those preachers that the Apostles did chose were not anointed with oil  diverse wives, yet were not compelled to put any of them away, which Paul because of ensample would not have preachers to do, for as much as in christ we return again unto the first ordinance of God, that one man and one whoman should go together) he must besobre, of honest behaviour, honestly apparelled, herberous (that is ready to lodge strangers) apt to teach, no drunkard, no fighter, not given to filthy lucre, but gentle, abhorring 
God send this oil once among our sheep herds.  fighting, abhorring covetousness, and one that ruleth his own how should honestly, having children under obedience with all honesty. For if a man can not rule his own house, how can he care for the congregation of God? He may not be young in the faith, or as a man would say an novice, lest he swell and fall into the judgement of the evil speaker, that is, he may not be unlearned in the secrets of the faith. For such are at ones stob burn and headstrong; and set not a little by themselves. But alas we have a 'bove a thousand priests that know no more scripture than is written in their portasses, so that among them is he counted very well learned that can to his service. He must be well reported of them that are without, lest he fall in to rebuke and in to the snare of the evil speaker, that is, lest the infidels which yet believe not, should be hurt by him and driven from the faith, if a man that were defamed were made head and overseer of the congregation. 
priests ought to have wives and why.   
He must have a wife for. two. causes one that it may thereby be known who is meet for the room. He is unapt for so chargeable an office which had never household to rule. Another cause is, that chastity is an exceeding seldom gift and unchastity exceeding perilous for that degree. In asmuch as the people look as well unto the living as unto the preaching & are offended at one's if the living disagree and strait way they fall from the faith and believe not the word.  
This overseer because he is taken 
What the priests duty is to do, & what to have  from his own business and labour to preach God's word unto the parish, hath right by the authority of the word to challenge an honest living of the parish like unto one of the brethren, and there with aught he to be content. As you may read in the Evangelists and also in Paul. For who will have a servant and will not give him meat, drink, and raiment and all things necessary? How they would pay him, whether in money or assign him so much rent or in tithes as the manner is now in many countries was at their liberty. But as for so the Bishops and priests as preach not or as preach any other thing than the ●ure word of God, can by no right or title of the Gospel challenge any thing of their parysheners. Neither are they sent of Christ, nor yet chosen of his Apostles: but servants of the beast whose mark they bear, whose word they preach, whose law they main ta'en clean▪ against Gods law, and with their false sophistry give him greater power than ever gave God to his son jesus Christ, or Christ▪ to any of his, dearly beloved Apostles. 
Deacon what it signifieth and what is his office.   
Likewise in every congregation chose they another after the same ensample and even so anointed, as it appeareth in the said Chapter of Paul, and Actum vi Whom after the Greek word we call Deacone, that is to say in▪ English, a servant or a my nyster, whose office was to help and to gather up his duty, and to gather for the poor of the parish which wa● destitute of their friends and could not work. Upon the saints days, namely, such as had suffered death for the word sake, came men together in to the church and the priest preached unto them and exhorted them to cleave fast unto the word▪ and to be strong in the faith, and to fight against the powers of the world, with suffering for their faiths sake after the ensample of the saints. And taught them 
Saints beware not yet God's  not to believe in the saints and to trust in their merits and to make Gods of them: but took the saints for an example only, and prayed God to give them like faith and trust in his word and like strength and power to suffer therefore, and to give them so sure hope of the life to come. And upon such days as we now offer, so gave they every man his portion according to his ability and as God put it in his heart to the maintenance of the priest, Deacon, and other common ministers and of the poor, and to find learned men to teach, and so forth. And all was put in the hands of the Deacon, as thou mayest see in the histories. 
Why lan des were given unto spiritual officers before we fell from the faith.  And for such purposes gave men lands after ward to ease the parishes and made hospytals, and also places to teach their children and to bring them up and to nurture them in God des word, which lands our sturdy Canons of cathedral churches and chantry priests doth now devour. The lord grant that they may once be turned to their right use.   

The ninth Chapter.  
¶ An Antithelis, between the sending of Christ's Apostles and the bishop of Rome & of both their doctrines.  
Antichrist of another manner h● the scent forth his disciples, the see false anointed of which Christ warneth us before that they 
False anointed.  should come, and show false miracles and wonders, even to bring the very elect out of the way, if it were possible. He anointeth them after the manner of the jews, and shaveth them and shoreth them after the manner of the heathen priests which served the Ido les He sendeth them forth not with false oil only, but with false names also For compare their names unto their deeds 
False names.  and thou shalt find them false. He sendeth them forth as Paul prophesied of them ii Thessalonien ii with lying signs and wonders. What sign is the anoynting●? that they be full of the holy ghost. Compare them to the signs of the holy ghost which Paul reckoneth and thou shalt find it a false sign. A bishop must be fau●leness, the husband of one wife. Nay saith the bishop of 
No wife but an whore.  Rome the husband of no wife, but the holder of as many whores as he listeth God command all degrees (if they burn and can not live chaste (to marry, The bishop of Rome saith if theyburne let them take a licence for a whore and put her away when they are old else as our lawears say, si non caste tamen caute, that is if ye, live not 
Oh knavery.  chaste, see ye carry cleanly and play the knave secretly. Herberous, yea to who res and bawds, for a poor man shall as soon break his neck as his fast with them but of the scraps and with the dogs, when dinner is, done Apt to teach and as Peter saith i Peter ii ready always to give an swear to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that ye have 
Boötes  and that with meekness. Which thing is signified by the boots which doctors of divinity are created in, because they should be ready all ways to go through thick, and thin to preach▪ Goddess word, and by thebyshoppes' 
Mitres  two horned mitre, which betokeneth the absolute and perfect 
city them.  knowledge that they ought to have in the new testament and the old. Be not these falsesygnes? For they bear only and teach not.  
Yea saith the Bishop of Rome 
Pose them  if they will not be ruled city them to ap pereand pose them sharply, what they hold of the ceremonies, of confession, of praying to saints, of the mass for the quick and the dead, and such like creatures of our most holy fathers. 
Make them heretics.  If they miss in any point, make heretics of them, and burn them. If they be of mine anointed and bear my mark disgrasse them, I would say disgraduate them and (after the example of noble Antiochus. two. Mach. seven.) pare the crowns and the fingers of them, and torm●nte them craftily, and for very pain make them deny the truth. But now say our bishops, because the truth is come so far abroad & the lay people begin to smell our wiles, it is best to oppress them with craft secretly and tame them in prison: yea let us find the means to have them in the kings prison and to make treason of such doctrine: yea we must steer up some war one where or another to bring the people in to another imagination. If they be gentle men abjure them secretly.  
On the holy days which were ordained to preach God's word, set up long ceremonies, long matenses, long masses, and long evensonges, 
All in latin roll them.  and all in latin that they understand not, and roll them in derken●, that ye may lead them whether ye wil● And lest such things should be tedious, sing some, say some, pipe some ring the bells, and lull them, and 
Sing Ring  rock them a sleep. And yet Paul ii Corinthi xiiii forbyddedth to speak in the Church or congregation save in the tongue that all understand. For the lay man thereby is not edified or taught. How shall the lay man say amen (saith Paul) to thy blessing or thanks giving, when he wotteth not what thou seyest? He woteth not whether thou bless or curse.  
What then saith the bishop of Rome, what care I for Paul. I command by the virtue of obedience to read the Gospel in Latin. Let them 
Say them a gospel  not pray but in Latin, no not their Pater noster. But thanks be to God that is well amended here in England If any be sick, go also and say them a Gospel and all in Latin: yea to the very corn and fruits of the field in the procession weak, preach the Gospel in Latin. Make the people believe that it shall grow the better etc. Oh most wretched hypocrites? It is verily as good to preach it to swine as to men (if thou preach it in a tongue they understand not. How shall I pray pair myself to God's commandments? How shall I be thankful to christ for his kindness? How shall I believe the truth and promises which God hath sworn, while thou tellest them unto me in a tongue which I 
What quoth my lord of canterbury  understand not? What then said my Lord of Cantorbury to a priest that would have had the new Testament gone forth in english. What (said he) wouldst thou that the lay people should weet what we do?  
No fighter, which I suppose is signified by the Cross that is borne before the high Prelares, and borne before them in procession. Is that also not a false sign? What realm can be in peace for such turmoylers? What so little a parish is it, but they will pick one quarrel or another with than other for some syrples, cresome, or can dell, other for one trifle or other, and city them to the arches? Traitors they are to all creatures and have a secret conspiration between them selves. One craft they have to make many Kingdoms and small, and to nourish old titles or quarrels that they may ever move them to war at their 
The craft of the prelate's  pleasure, And if much lands by any chance, fall to one man, ever to cast a bone in the way, that he shall never be able to obtain it, as we now see in the Emperor. Why? For as long as the kings be small, if God would open the eyes of any to set a reformation in his realm, then should the bishop of Rome interdict his 
Interdite  land and send in other Princes to con quere it.  
Not given to filthy lucre, but abhorring covetousness. And as Peter saith. i Petri. v. Taking the overfyghte of them not as though ye were compelled thereunto: but willingly. Not for desire of filthy lucre, but of a good mind: not as though ye were lords over the parishes. etc. O Peter Peter thou waste to long a fisher, thou waste never brought up at the arches, neither waste master of the rolls, nor yet Chancellor of England But they are not content to follow thee, but will reign over King and Emperor, and the hole earth: and calenge authority also in Heaven and in Hell. It is not enough for them to raig ne over all that are quick, but have created them a Purgatory, to reign also over the deed & to have one kingdom more than God himself had. 
Sheringe what it signifieth.  This abhorring of covetousness is as I suppose by shaving and shearing of their hear, that they have no superfluity But is not this also a false sign? Yea verily it is to them a remembrance to shear and shave, to heap benefice upon benefice, promotion upon promotion dignity upon dignity.  
Thus they as unsatiable beasts not unmindful why they were shaven and shorn, because they will stand at no man's grace, or be in any man's danger, have gotten in to their own hands, first the tyte or tenth of all the realm.  
Mark well how many personages or vicarages are there in the realm which at the lest have a plough land a piece. Than not the laudes of bishops, cathedral churches, sumptuous colleges, chantries, and frechapels. 
Frechapell.   
Besides all this, how many chaplains do gentlemen find at their own cost in their houses? How many sing for souls by testaments. Then the proving of testaments, the praising of goods, the Bishop of Canterbury's 
Testaments.  prerogative. Is that not much through the realm in a yerer Four offering days, and privy tithes. There 
offerings.  is no servant but that he shall pay somewhat of his wages. None shall receive the body of Christ at Ester, be he never so poor a beggar, or never so young a lad or maid, but they must pay somewhat for it. And yet what parson or vicar is there that will for get to have a pygyn house to peck up some what both at sowing time and at harvest when corn is ripe. They will forget nothing. No man shall die in their debt, or if any man do, he shall pay it when he is deed. They will lose nothing. Why? It is Gods, it is not theirs. Then bedrolles, than crysome, chyrchynges, banes, weddings, offering at wedding, offering at buryings, offering to images, offering of wax and lights which come to their vantage against the kings commandment, beside the superstitious waste of wax in torches and tapers through out all the land. Then 
Confession.  brotherhedes & such other like. What get they also by confession? Yea and many enjoy penance to give a certain for to have so many Masses said, and desire to provide a chapplayne themselves. Soul masses, diriges, monethmyndes, year minds, alsoulday, and trentales. The mother church and the high altar must have somewhat in every testament. Offerings at priests first masses. The halowenge or rather conjuring of churches, chapels, altars, charnel houses, super altars, chalice, vestiments and bells. The book bell, candelstycke, organs, chalice. vestiments, copes, altar clothes, syrplese, towels, bascens, ●uars shypsenser, and all manner ornaments must be found them freely, they will not give amity 
Person ●ycare Paryshe Pressed.  thereunto. The person sheareth, the vicar shaveth, the parish priest polleth scrapeth, and pareth, we lack but a bother to pull of the skin.  
What get they by their law in a year at the arches? What get the commissaries and Officials with their sumners and appareters by bawdry in a year? Besides this, many of the parish priests who to please their commissaries and officials do open unto them the confession of the richest of their parishes. Whom the city privily and lay to their charges secretly. When they desire to know their accusers, nay (say they) come and lay your hand upon the book, and we shall find proves enough, and see that ye forhis were not yourself, for if ye do we will handle you to the example of all other. 
Lay your hand upon the book.  By this means do they wring their purses and make them to drop so long as there is a peany in them.  
What other thing are these in a realm save horsleches and even very maggots, cancres and caterpillars, which devour no more but all that is green, and those wolves which Paul rophecyed should come and should not spare the flock. God a mend them  
Finis.