¶ A short treatise of the mystery of the eucharist: set forth, By Lewys Euans.  ¶ Aug. supper Psal: 89. ¶ You shall not eat this body, which afric see, neither shall afric drink the blood, which they will shed. It is a mystery that J speak unto afric, which, if it bee vnderstanded spiritually, will quicken you. 
¶ Anno. M.D. LXIX.   

¶ TO THE INDIFferent Reader.  
sithence THE IMPRESsion of my last little book( loving reader) I hear, and I am creadiblye informed, of the grudging stomachs, and of the evil willing mindes of a number towards me towards me? na, towards God, towards their sovereign towards their country. Well: It is not Cerberus his three fold barking, yt is not hell, yt is not Pluto that can drive me from the standard of Christ. But what is the cause, that I am thus reprehended? forsooth, because I will hold no lengre with pride, because I renounce superstition, because I set forth the truth, and do knowelaige the very Christian Religion. Alas, what do men mean? shall dreams prevail? shall untruths overcome? shall self will haue the vpper hand? shall blindness still triumph? shall idolatry haue the victory? as sure as God liveth, sonde friars fables be at an end, Priestes deceaptefull devices are known, the proud murmuring of monks be well vnderstanded, and the abuses that haue been, can never be in force again. Oh, howe do men, and howe many do utter their malice, their spite, their envy against me? Yea, having no matter( God I thank for it) to reprehend in my trade of life: what say they? he is a turn coat, he is mad. what? as Festus did, will these men do? will they say? Insanis paul, thou arte mad paul.& is this all the shift they haue? when my lord bishop of Sarusburie was writing of his book, what toy think afric had they devised against him? forsooth, they thought it good to brute abroad,& that by no mean heads, howe through study he was become mad: but thankes be unto God, his honour is known, to bee so far from madness, as they are from modesty, so far from one iote of rashness, as they are from reason, and right understanding. And haue they devised now the like term also against me? God amend them, and God grant that some may haue indifferent eyes, to see that I write the truth, and that with sobriety. And touching mine aduersaries, God give them hartes to understand where they were brought up, what country men they bee, and whence it is that they haue their succour, their relief, and livings. They know what I mean, and they are not ignorant what I do know. But for my parte I mean to hurt nonne, if I can do unto any of them good, I will. yet let them use humanity, let them not bee to spightefull, let them not belie me. well, I haue for thine instruction( Indifferent Reader) here set forth these few leaves, wherein I haue briefelye declared the meaning of holy Scripture, and also haue adjoined thereunto the autorites of ancient fathers, and that touching the right use, and understanding of the lords Supper: I haue likewise annexed in thee later end, the absurd errors whereunto they fall, who wolde defend therein a carnal presence. Wherefore as I do this of a good will, so wish thou me good, and wish that mine enemies may bee more charitable, yea and( not withstanding their hatred) that yet towards them I may bee profitable: which shalbe, if they read my works,& that but with some indifferency.   

¶ The sainges of the doctors CONCERNING THE SVPPER OF our lord.  Aug. 
A Sacrament is a visible form, of an invisible grace.  Idem in Psal. 3. 
Christ gave the figure of his body.  Idem contra Adim: 
Christ doubted not to say: This is my body, when he gave the sign of his body.  tertul: 
This is my body, that is, a figure of my body.  Idem contra martion. 
Christ with bread did represent his body.  Basil. 
The bread is the similitude of Christ his body.  Euseb: Emissenus. 
Thowe must touch with thy mind,& thou must receive with the hand of thy heart, the body of Christ.  Hieron. supper Matth. 
By bread,& wine, the body and blood of Christ, is represented. &c.  Chrys. in Epist: ad Cor. 
Christ in the bread,& in the cup said: do ye this in the remembrance of me.  cyril: in joan. 
He gave unto them pieces of bread.  Gelasius contra Eutychem. 
The substance of bread, and wine do still remain.  Theodoretus contra Eutychem. 
The holy signs do remain in their former substance, figure, and kind.  
Finis.   

¶ OF THE mystery of the eucharist.  
IF the words of Christ might be, as they should be( loving Christians) sufficient to instruct us, then is the supper of our lord in plain wise set forth, and without any ambiguity uttered, it is without any doubt therein to be made, or any question at all to be moved, at large by our saviour preached, pronounced, and declared: Jfvse may prevail to confirm the truth, then haue right skilful men, which were in, and of the primitive church, truly established unto our predecessors, unto us, and our successors, the right sense, and true understanding, of the communion of the body, and blood of our redeamer Christ: If wit, na, if the grace rather of the holy ghost, can help to open unto us, the light herein of goddes word,& to make manifest in so high a mystery, the will, and meaning of God, then haue we in this behalf to approve our doctrine, the eloquence of S. paul, the acts of the Apostles,& in them the inspiration of Goddes spirit: Yf the learning and gravity of good men, of men well sene in all knowelaige, and artes, may avail to teach us that which is true, to enfeoff in us what thing by Christ his last supper is meant, to show howe, and why, we haue, do,& should daily receive it, then haue we touching the same, the sermons of such as were singular, the exposition of men that were skilful,& the necessary notes of those that were notable: to be brief, if the death& persecution of constant, mieke, and holy martyres, may do no small good, to testify the truth in Christen doctrine, to express a certainty in true religion,& specially to confirm( for of that we now treat) the faith& belief, which al the faithful should haue,& hold concerning this sacrament, then haue wee in good writing, and the same approved by indifferente testimony, howe a numbre haue died, we are creadeblie informed, how, when,& where, an infinite sort haue suffered their blood to be sheade, their bodies to bee toarne, their limbs to bee reant,& their carcases to be bournt,& that for the testimony of the same. what shall I therefore be able at this time to do? what thing worthy the hearing, shall I be able to bring into light? my exercise is nothing, my wit is small, my learning is sclendere, mine experience is little. What can I haue then here to utter, that may further this cause, or that may to any purposse extol this mystery? what is in me that may make to your instruction, to persuade, to exhort you? yea, weyghing the power of satan, the eloquence of his Orators, the might of his monarchs, the practices of his proctors, the subtlety of his servants,& the decepte of his Doctors: what maketh me this bold? why am I so earnestly moved to war against him? to hinder his enterprises? to abate his courage? to beate down his banner? to conquiere his army? in dede of myself over weak thereunto I am, far unable I knowelaige myself to be, yet my good will, your good meanings, and specially the word of God, being the very bulwark of faith, the only fortress of christianity, and the most singular shield of true religion, can do it. wherefore as it behoveth him, which feighteth for his Prince, and in the defence of equity, and a rightful cause, not to stagger, but to stand steadfast, not to quaver, but to be constant, not in his prince his sight to give back, but to adventure himself, to be bold, not to fear but to show forth his courage: so shall I at this present, rather show the want of power, then of will, the want rather of ability, then of a bold heart and good meaning. But can he at any time want, whose will is to defend the truth? can he at all lack, which taketh the parte, I say not of one, or of an earthely prince, but of the prince of al princes, of his lord, of his Creator, of God? what, where, or who again are they, that can withstand the power of the almighty? that may resist his force, or that may glory with any wished success against him? herod was richly,& royally clothed, 
Acts 12  he sat with grete majesty in his seat of judgement, his people were all about him, he made so pleasant an Oration unto them, as the same amongst other things moved thē to say, that it was the voice of god,& not of man. But yet mark howe God dealt with him: 
Ibidem.  Confestim percussit eum angelus domini, by and by the angel of the lord struck him. and why? Eo quod non dedisset gloriam Deo, Because he gave not the glory unto God. And what further came of him? 
Ibidem.  Erosus a vermibus expirauit, he died being devoured with worms. Yf this thē be the end of all such as strive against god, why should I fear to strive against the ungodly? against dreams? against horrible opiniones? against heresy? why should I fear the frowninges of men? why should I dread the manacing hartes of the hawtye? why should I regard thee secret hatred, the envious har te, or grudginge stomach of any? it is hard, it is not for mans ease, to kick against the spur, the truth will not be shadowed with the subtlety of men, it is not for man to foster us any lengre in blindness, to nousel us further in fear,& that, in the fear of bugs, of white sheets, of counterfaicte voices, of false tales, of feigned glosys, of sinister expositions, of fonde authorities, of incredible assertions, of lying legends, of silly single fryare sermons, or of any juggling, or legier de main dealing. We are born, we know, to proffite our country, to please our parentes,& to benefit our friends, but above all we do owe a more special obedience unto god, it is metre that we hear rather him thē man,& that we fear him before father, friend, or any of our familiars, for( as Cicerosaith) Religio, 
Cice ofsic. li. 3.  & fides anteponantur amicitiae, religion, and faith must be preferred before friendship. but shall we begin,& see concerning the supper of our Lord, the state of the question, between the bishop of Rome& us, that is, between the Pope,& the gospel? the knowelaige of it, is not only easy, but also most profitable. Ytis easy, for by the onely,& holy scripture( which thing by Goddes help we here mean now to do) it may be proved, the right sense may be shewed, the meaning may be clear, why, when,& howe the same was instituted it may appear. profitable it is, for as without the due, and perfect judgement therein, wee shall stand, howsoever we esteem ourselves, but in the state of outecastes,& abjects: so by the worthy receiving, and true esteaming of the same, we shall not fail of a most excellent felicity, of the benefit of the body,& blood of our saviour christ, of heaven,& euerlalasting salvation. many as I haue said, there are, who were learned, wise& godly, that haue some at large, and some in briefer wise, treated, and set forth their judgements concerning this holy sacrament. But as vpon one perfit, or piece of ground, a number do oftentimes build diverse buildings,& the same varieng in show, and proportion, the one from the other, all yet tending to good ends, and uses, as to defend us from the injury of the weather, and such like, so vpon one place of holly Scripture, vpon the word of god, sundry good, and godly men haue written diuerselye: diuerselye, I say, in that some used one example, and some an other, all yet( of the godly I speak) tending to augment devotion, to banish superstition, and to extol true piety, and perfect religion. I will therefore at this present, omit the buildings of others, though the same be profitable, fair, pleasant, and necessary: and I will endeavour vpon these words of our saviour christ. ( This is my body, 
lieu 22.  that is given for you) to frame, and set up such a small and simplo cottage, as, though yt seem not worthy of building, in comparason of the estatelie frames, and char geable works of others, shall yet as well declare my good will, as also peradventure defend, and succour some one in so perilous a time, at the lest from parte of the raginge stoarmes, and tempests that reign, from the gat,& blindness that men bee in, and from thee abuse, which of so long a time hath creapte in amongst us, concerning the order& use of the Lords supper. And as of white,& black being joined together, the difference,& variety in colour is sone tried, so shall I at this mine entry into this treatise, set forth,& show here now before afric, the black clouds,& darkness of Satan, wherewithe he wolde diminish the light of holy Scriptures,& altogether overthrow the right sense, and clear understanding of the same. Christ( saythe S. Luke.) 
luke 22.  took bread, and when he had given thankes, he broke it, and gave it unto his disciples, willing them in his remembrance to do in like maner the same. And here( which thing afric shall see anonne proved very evidently out of the word of God) by the sacrament of bread and wine, by these holy signs, through faith they received spiritually, the body, and blood of our redeamer christ, the benefit( O compfortable Supper!) of his birth, passion, and resurrection. This is the doctrine of our saviour, this haue the Apostles professed, this doethe holly Scripture confirm,& this mean I to set forth unto afric. But the bishop of Rome, he on the contrary side laboureth most earnestly, to ouershadowe this teaching of christ,& to bring in a new doctrine, a carnal eating, a Cauphernaites murmuring, a fleashlie meaning. And yet as every untruth, may not abide any diligent trial, as all absurdities will at the leanght in their own hew appear,& be seen, so shal you now see, into what inconveniences, yea, into what blasphemies, the bishop of Rome falleth, whiles he together with his, wolde defend in this behalf their own dreams, and false doctrine. I will not trouble you with many of his grave fathers, one that hath in him great gravity, J will bring for them to speak. I will not fain any thing by him spoken, his own speech is this: Nescio an in Deum panis, an Deus conuertatur in panem, 
Valla de mister: Eucharistiae.  I can not tell( saith he) whether the bread be turned into God, or God be turned into bread. O doubts to be banished from Christen ears! O vile, and blasphemous teaching! O lewd, and monstrous writing! Yf the bread be turned into god, then haue we our creator, to become a creature, we haue our maker to bee himself made. And whereof? of bread, of a very simplo, and base substance. O Christen men, who can abide this? who will not abhor to hear of such a turning? this, this is it, to turn from God, to tread crooked paths, to wander in self will windinges, and to trace deceiptefull strange tourninges. again, If god be turned into bread, then is our creator, become now a creature, he is become of a substance without body, to be corporal, of God not to be man, but to be bread. Oh, beware such false teaching, detest such intolerable dowbtes, avoyde such carnal,& damnable meaning. here we see, what it is to forsake the scriptures, to leave the perfect way, to enter into such dangerous steappes, to deal so carnally, to follow fools, to believe friars, and to put all affiance so fondlye in the Pope. is not this then sufficient to admonish us? may we not perceive by this, what doctrine they hold, what errors they haue, what heresies they be in? yea, will you see, howe treating of this sacrament, they flattelye do doubt the incarnation of christ? Yf this may now appear, and that without yffes, and ands, without any circumstances, you must needs then abhor thē, you must, if you be not partial, perceive their absurdities. weigh their own words they be these: Filius Dei in mundum veniens, sumpsit ex intemeratissimo virginis Corpore, nescio an dicam carnem: I can not tell( saythe he) wether I may say, that the son of God coming into this world, took flesh of the most undefiled body of the virgin. Can not afric tell? We can tell, to God we thank for it, and wee believe it. See good Christians, see Christ his incarnation doubted of, see the end of their studies, see here, whiles they would defend his very flesh to bee in the sacrament, howe they doubt whether he verily took flesh of the virgin, yea( for so they afterwards allege) how they deny yt. But was this only the opinion of one? or was it not preached in christendom? was yt not imprinted, and published, as a sound doctrine to instruct men in? is it not in writing, and in a maner every where to be sene? O poor Protestantes, if this had passed your pen, if but one of afric had preached such doc trine, the world had now soon found it, but because the Pope doth so, al is well, it is no matter, he may deny Christ his in carnation, he may renounce christianity, he may do what him listeth, such is his authority. J haue here marked unto you the by path that leadeth to perdicion: set therefore a side all wilful partiality, put on indifferency, judge, J ask no more, but uprightly: is it not an enemy unto christ his incarnation? doth it not bend altogether from holiness? doth it not resist true religion? is it not a foe unto our faith, unto the profession of al good christians? be not astoyned, stand not stil bound in blindness, let your ears hear, let your eyes see, think yea, or no. But if you believe, as J know you do, that our saviour was incarnate, thē defy such, who though otherwise they be to carnal, do yet here doubt,& deny his incarnation. For of these it is, that in s. Paul the holy ghost saith: 
Act. 20  Ex vobis ipsis exorientur viri, loquentes peruersa, vt abducant Discipulos post se, euon from amongst yourselves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw disciples after them. From amongst us( dere Christians) hath the bishop of Rome risen, speaking perverse, and blasphemous things, to draw Disciples, to 'allure foolish unlearned friars, to lead mumming monks, to persuade simplo Priestes, to entice the learned, to compel the ignorant, to compass with his loolling that the most part of christendom should come after him, and to work with his vain blessing, that a number of Christians might not in dede be blessed. But to leave these men,(& J would we leafte them betime, for they are over carnal, they doubt of Christ his incarnation, they deny that he was incarnate) Let us with the help of holy Scripture set forth,& we will do it plainly, the belief of the Apostles,& the meaning of Christ concerning his last Supper. 
luke 22. Mat. 28 Mar 14  Our saviour eating with his Disciples the easter lamb, as they sat at supper, took bread, and after he had given thankes, he broke it, and gave it unto them saying: this is my body, which is given for you, do you this in the remenbrance of me. He took likewise after Supper the cup,& said: This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for afric. This is that holly pledge, which he a little before his death did institute to be with them a remembrance of his body cruciefied, and given on the cross, of his blood at his Passion shed for them, of himself the only ransom to redeem them from sin: these are those holly signs, under which through faith, they were spiritually fead, with the body,& blood of Christ, under which through belief, they were made one with our saviour, and assured by his Passion, and resurrection( what would they more?) of eternal rest,& salvation. For as in the sacrament of baptism, the infant is fully released from Adams offence, which is not done by water alone, but by the grace of the almighty, who useth his creatures as means to work, and to show his glory in. The example whereof we haue when our saviour, in healing the man that was blind from his nativity, 
joan. 9.  used clay tempered with spittle, further commanding that he should go wash himself in the pool, or well of Syloe. So likewise wee are commanded to receive bread, and to take the cup, by those as means( for such was Christ his will) to be partakers of his body, and blood, to be healed from sin, to feed neither by rash reason, nor yet by carnal understanding, but by faithefull belief on him. And as it had been a very lewd thing, for that blind man, to impute his healing,& the receapte of his sight, unto the only day and water, which he knew to be more creatures: so should we do a thing very absurd, and wicked, yf wee did attribute unto the bare bread, the benefit of our feading, or unto the creatures the compfort, which we haue by our creator. For the virtue was in our saviour that healed the blind man, the virtue is in heaven that feedeth us, from thence we receive the body and blood of our redeemer Christ. And as the clay, and water, being more creatures, were to be had in estimation, for that the lord used them as means to heal the body: So these holly signs, this bread and wine are much rather to be regarded, seeing it pleased our saviour to use them as means to establish our faith, to further our belief, to feed our souls. We see that a Prince commanding by word of mouth this, or that thing to be donne, his commandment furthewithe is fulfilled, and why? yt is trow ye, for any virtue that is in the word spoken? or is it not rather for the authority and power, which still remaineth in the Prince? is it not either for fear of his further displeasure,& indignation, or to perform the duty, which they owe unto his calling,& person, or else in hope by contenting his will, to attain credite, favour, or some other commodity? so likewise, 
Mat. 3.  whereas our saviour willed the lame to go, the leapres to be cleansed,& the blind to see: shal we think, that by the virtue in the words uttered they were healed? or shal we not believe that the power was permanente in Christ,& that by their faith in him they were cured? we see then that neither the bare words uttered by the minister at the communion, can haue in,& of themselves any such power, nor yet that the very creatures of bread,& wine, can haue in them contained any such force, or virtue. which thing being, as it is, very plain, we must grant that from above it is, that the virtue proceedeth,& that as the Apostles received the one of the other, and that under bread, and wine, by faith the body of Christ spiritually: so we receiving in the communion at the Ministers hands, this sacrament of bread, and wine, we receive of the Lord by our faith in him, the benefit of his death, and resurrection, we receive the body of Christ, we receive his blood. But how? carnalias the Caupernaites did think? no wee receive them spiritually, and that we so do, the words of Christ do the testify. 
joan. 6.  For the spirit it is,( saith he) that quickeneth, the flesh proffiteth nothing. And as now a number, so then many of his Disciples, hearing him to preach unto them, that they must eat his flesh, and drink his blood, they said: 
Jbidem.  Durus est hic sermo, this is a hard saying. But what said christ against their murmuring? 
Jbidem.  Verba quę ego loquor vobis, spiritus,& vita sunt, the words that I speak unto you are spirit, and life. Hoc vos offendit. 
Jbidem.  doth this offend afric? They thought to haue eaten him carnally: 
Jbidem.  but he said: Quid &c, what if you see the son of man to ascend thither, where he before was? where is then the cause of their murmuring? howe should they then think, to haue eaten him carnalie? why should not they, why should not we, believe that wee eat him spiritualye? S. matthew, S. Mark& S. Luk do together,& in manifest words express, that christ took bread,& gave it unto his Disciples, yea,& that they did also eat bread,( for this is the question) S. 
1. Cor 11  Paulin play ne wise doth testify. Quotiescunque enim commederitis panem hunc,& de poculo biberitis, mortem Domini anunciatis donec venerit. As oft as afric shall eat this bread, and drink of this cup, afric show the Lords death until he come. And again he saith. 
Jbidem.  Probet autem homo seipsum,& sic de pane illo edat. Let a man examine himself,& so eat of that bread. Therfore ( for J may cut of all circunstances) it is bread. Wee haue likewise in the acts of the Apostles evident testimonies to approve the same: 
Acto. 2.  Erant autem perseuerantes in Doctrina Apostolorum,& communicatione,& fractione panis,& precationibus. And they contineued in the doctrine of the Apostles, in communication, breaking of bread, and in prayers. Et frangentes persingulas domos panem, 
Jbidem.  breaking bread in every house. This is plain, it is Bread, it can not be denied. well further: 
Act. 2●  Cum conuenissent Discipuli ad frangendum panem, when the Disciples had commen together to break bread. behold howe the Scriptures are full to confirm this Doctrine, see howe without circunstances the sense is evident. Yea S. 
Jbidem.  paul in the night before he took his journey to Asson, doth declare what it is, that we se. Cum ascendisset autem, fregisset{que}ue panem. when he came up again,& had broken bread. Thus haue you places enough of holy Scripture, to prove that to bee bread, which you see, you haue it sufficiently shewed afric, that in this sacrament of bread,& wine, afric receive by faith the body,& blood of christ spiritually. Take hede therefore, that nonne of you be those, of whom it is thus written: God hath given thē the spirit of vnquietenes: eyes that they should not see, 
Esay. 6.  & ears that they should not hear, euon until this day. God hath given us eyes, let us use them, he hath given us ears, let us not abuse them. truth is truth, dreams are dreams, the gospel is perfect,& godly, mens expositions are maim, they are weak, they are without certaynetie. This much at this present may suffice: to me it doth, for that J see the truth, to you it may, seing you do, or may see it. For if afric believe that our saviour was incarnate, thē away with foolish obstinate carnality, yfwe think that the spirit quickeneth, consider that we receive Christ spiritually, if we haue afiance in the word of God, in the Scripture, thē let us renounce Munkishe dreams, and all Cauphernaites murmur, if wee believe that God is God, then away with ungodliness, avoyde al popish heathines, beware of antichrist, stand steadfast in faith, be Christians, and that you, that J, that we all may so be, Christ grant it: Amen.   

¶ THE ABSVRDIties wherein those are that confess the carnal presence.  
SOME do allege that the bread is turned into christ his body, the wine into his blood,& the water into nothing. But some do deny that there is any such turning,& therfore they say: Fit autem conuersio rerum secundum quosdam.  
Some do say, that the wine,& the water are turned into blood: But some others say, that the water is turned into waterishe humours.  
Some others also there are which affirm, that the wine and water are turned, non vt dvo, not as two things, said vnum compactum, but being one compact thing.  
Some say that the former substance of bread,& wine, is become the flesh,& blood of Christ: But some others do hold that the substance of bread,& wine, doth there cease to be,& that it is become to be nothing.  
Some do say that the substance of bread& wine doth remain still,& that yet there is carnally there the body of Christ.  
Some say that of wine without water the blood of christ can not be made: others do say that it can, but yet that it ought not to be done. Others do say that the water is to be put into the chalice for honesty sake.  
Some say, that it can be made of boiled wine, some say, no: some say of vinegar, but some put therein a douhte.  
Some say, that the bread must be only of water and meal: some say otherwise.  
Some say, that the body of Christ can not bee made severally from the blood, nor the blood seueralli from the body: some say, that they can.  
Some say, that the body of Christ is not received without his blood, nor that the blood is received without his body, so that they receive him for once twice, for one body, two bodies. But yet these will not haue the bread to be transubstantiated into his blood, nor the wine into his body, but they would haue they can not tell what.  
Some say, that they do eat two partes of Christ his body dry,& the third dipte in the blood, the one for the souls of the Sainctes, the second for the souls in purgatory, and the third for such sinners as be living: but others do mislike this,& they will haue in it an other meaning.  
Some say, that the body goeth not into our musics: some say otherwise: some say, that assoon as the forms of bread, and wine are touched with our teeth, then is the body of Christ by and by snatched up into heaven.  
Some say that the transubstantiacion is made by Hoc, some by Est, some by Corpus, some by Accipite, some by the whole form, some by they know not what.  
Some say that the bread is turned into his body, but that it is not become his body.  
Some say, that the body of christ is received with his deity,& soul: some say, no.  
Some say, that christ did eat himself, some say otherwise.  
Some say, that an yuel priest can make Christ his body: some say, that he can not.  
Some do hold one thing, some an other, concerning the being of Christ in the sacrament, that is, touching the placing of his feet, hands, face, and other partes.  
Some say, it may be granted, that a mouse eateth the body of Christ: some say, no.  
Thowe mayst hear see,( Christen Reader) if thou hast eyes, howe these mens eyes bee blinded, howe their mindes bee occupied in vanity. In vanity? na, in infidelity, in carnality, in blasphemy. But amongst whom is this discord,& diversity? inter doctors, amongst the Doctors, amongst proud Prelates, amongst such perverse men, as haue made of Christ his religion a mockery, of christianity a very lump of heathenesse,& idolatry. do thou therefore( deere Reader) the parte of a wise man, wander not with thē, do the part of a godly man, gadd not after their lusts, look to thyself, take hold on the scripture, let not man delude thee.  
ieremy. 8.  
¶ Thus saith the Lord: doth he that falleth, never rise up again? and doth he that goeth away, never return? why then is this people, and Jerusalem gone so far back, and so frowardelie? they haue laid hold vpon a lie,& they would not return. &c behold the pen of the scribes setteth forth mere lies: the wise are confounded, they are afraid, and taken: for so they haue cast out the word of the lord, neither is there any wisdom amongst them.  
FINIS.   

¶ An answer to certain rebukes,& ambushementes, devised, and daily practised by mine aduersaries, against me.  
ONE vpon a time asked of Cleobulus, what things specially were to bee aduoyded: The envy( saith he) of friends, and the crafty fetch, ambushemente,& conspiracies of enemies. Here touching the first, J am nothing of Cleobulus his mind. For howe can he be a friend unto him, whose good hap, and prosperity, he doth grudge, murmur, and envy at? concerning the other, that is, of the subtle wil●ss of enemies to bee foreseen, J see, and J finde it by experience true, that if the entrappinges, and craft used by aduersaries, be not, and that with good heed, and in time looked unto, the harmless may seem hurtful, the innocent may seem guilty, the offender shalbe acquitted,& the true man shallbe condemned. For, not to speak of others, J perceive towards myself so many devises pretended, so many ways assayd, and so much subtlety imagined, that yt is in a maner, but in vain to go about to withstand their darts, gone shot,& assaults. Yet, as the old,& true saying is, if God bee with us, who can be against us? If the truth be on my side, then let Satan do what he can, let whisperers out with their devises, let all subtlety be used, J reck not, J care not, J pass not. But what is yt that moveth them hereunto? or what thing is it, that they devise against me? moved they are thereunto, through self liking, self love, self will, through hate, through spite, through envy: The thing itself, that they devise against me, is this: they labour as earnestly as they can, to bring my name into contempt, and my doings to be disdeygned. And why? forsooth not for any matter they haue to Euans, but it is, that so in him, they might the rather oppress the truth, that so they might refiste godliness,& set up, and that nailed unto walls, their blind Poppettes, their pretty little goddes, their dumb Babes,& deaf wooden Angels. But howe go they about to bring their practise against me to effect? you shall hear, for J do hear,& see them. first cometh the stationer, he hideth my book, and except it be asked for, it may in no wise be set forth to be sene. And yet when money cometh, then out it goeth. Quid non mortalia pectora cogis, sacra auri fames? Well, my book is in the end sold, God knoweth, with a grudging, and a heavy hart,& if he know well the byar, thē giveth he the book by names, he raileth against the author, he useth as much humanity as may be. Oh leave your lewdness, J know your words,& who you are. Now when the stationer hath played his parte, then cometh in the pagente other personnes, and thereof some not of low degrees. every one playeth featelie his parte, one saith, J am a fool, one affirmeth that J am young,& rash, one allegeth that J am unlearned, one telleth that J am waxed mad,& an other reporteth that J am blinded. And thus goeth this foolish, young, rash, unlearned, mad, blind pagente forward. To what purposse should J show, what frowninges they make, what staringe they keep, what noddinges they use, and what thoughts they haue? And is this all? no. For there is one sort of men, that haue joined hands in this conspiracy, but they may not be sene in the tragedy. These will play with such juggling their parts, that they will be both players, and lookers on, and that at once. Tantae artes, solertia tanta nocendi: such subtlety they haue, such secret devises they use. But who are they? for nonne are so to bee feared as these. They are such, to be plain with afric, who in outward demeanour seem to bee earnest Protestantes, for they defy the Pope, they will take, if they be required, double oaths against him, they will swear,& forswear him, they will insweare,& outesweare him, they will seem to deal with nonne of his side. But in secret doings, and in privy dealings, Sinon is a subtle fellow. These kind of men are they, whom J fear, and therefore J give you warning of them. For they having on, the countenance of Protestantes,& then under the colour of a grain zeal, sometimes commending me, and sometimes myslyking me, what good protestant can, except he know either thē, or me well, but harken unto them, and repoarte then after them? as it is no point of humanity for these thus to deal, so it is no modesty, for me to speak any thing in mine own commendation. This J may say: a sinner J am, J can not justify myself. Yea, to answer their slanders, J may further say that for yeares, J am as old as some of their Popes were: for my life, let it be laid in balance with their Doctors, and chief, J ask no favour, let it be fifted, and well weyd. unwilling J am to say thus much, yet the cause considered, it may be said. For learning, let a whole synod of their barbarous sir Johns confute, if they can, my doings: touching madness, it was some mad brain that sclaundered me: for J thank God, J never knew what it meant, except when J offered to ydoles, when J kissed blind blocks, when J reverenced candles, when J honoured their false earth, and when J adoured their counterfaicte blood. For, oh in how many Churches haue J sene, that say: that they had their deceapteful earth from Jerusalem, their feigned blood made by miracles,& that allege that they haue, Praeputium Domini, his coat, his cross, nails, hammer, and all? what is deceapte, if this be not? what is madness, if this is not? howe many coats had Christ? howe many crosses suffered he on? howe long shall wee be feed in blindness? Oh, howe long shall we be led in such lewdness? well, God make us all learned if we be not, God make us all good if we are not, God lend us eyes if we see not. God lend us ears if we hear not, and God grant that frendelye, charitablye, and willingly. we may seek the truth, and exhort one an other, that living here in perfect charity together, we may in the end live in heaven, and enjoy that rest, which God for his hath prepared. Amen.  
Finis.   


LV CRECIA-ROMANA   
imprinted at London in Pawles churchyard, at the sign of the Lucrece: By Thomas Purfoote.