Good morrow good fellow

ye are welcom maſter Ioan

I thanke you with all my hert, Where is your maſter?

He is in the gallery, O tary a lytle I wyll go and call hym, maſter maſter your ſhomaker is here.

Bene veneritis magiſter Hans.

Deo gratias.

What bringe you there / do you brynge my ſlyppers?

Yea forſoth Syr, I thoughte you had bene in the Church.

No mary. I was yonder behynde in the gallery and there haue I mumbled.

What ſaye you maſter Parſon? haue a2v ye mumbled?

Yea I haue ſayd my diuine ſeruice and beſydes that I haue nowe and then fedde my nyghtyngale.

Syr Iohan I praye you tell me what nyghtingale is it, ſyngeth he yet?

No forſoth, it draweth to nygh wynter.

I knowe a ſhomaker who hath a nightyngale that beginneth now fyrſt to ſynge.

Yea, the deuell of hell take that ſhomaker with all hys nyghtyngales, he hath ſo rayled on oure mooſte holyeſt Father the pope the mooſt hygheſt Father and reuerend lorde. yea, he hath ſo cryed and called hym abroade, euen as though he had bene the mooſt vyleſt and vngrationſt wretche or knaue of the whole world.

What ſofte and fayre Sir I praie the, he hath partely declared your maner of lyuinge, and your diuine ſeruice to the common people, and nowe I perceaue you do nothing but rayle on him, but what ſhall I a3r ſaie? is your behauiour and lyuinge according to chriſtes Goſpell / or is it apeſplaye?

What the deuell of hell haue theſe dulheaded ſhomakers to do with oure behaueour and lyuyng?

It is wryten. When thou ſeeſt thyne Exodus 23. Ennemies aſſe fallen vnder hys Burden / thou ſhalt not go by but helpe himvp. How muche more is a chriſten Man bounde to helpe hys neyghbour / who he ſeeth lyinge in an heauy conſcience?

That horeſon aſſeched ought not to haue meaned ſpyrituall and relygious men / for they knowe well ynoughe before hand what ſynne is.

But Ezechyell ſpeaketh yf thou ſeeſt Exodus 33thy brother ſynne, reprehend hym, or els I wyll require hys bloude, at thy handes Therfore a Chriſten man ought to reprehend hys brother, be he anoynted or no.

Arte thou a Goſpeller?

Yea forſothe Syr.

Haſt thow not redde the goſpel of S. Mathew in the vij. Chapter. Thou ſhalte not Iudge to chyntente thou be not Mathew 7. iudged? But ye Lutheryans paſſe nothyng at all vppon ſuche Sayinges / neyther do ye ſeke for them / for they are playne agaynſt you.

To iudge and reprehend, is to be vnderſtande two maner of wayes, we take not vppon vs to iudge that thynge which only aperteineth to god. As Paule ſayth No man ſhall Iudge the ſeruaunt of an other man, Romaynes 14. but ought, to reprehend and exhorte hym. As the prophet Eſaye ſaythe Call without Ceaſynge, and exalte youre Eſaye 58. voice lyke a trompett to declare my people theyr offenſes. et cetera.

Ther is alſo written. Thou ſhalte not make the chefeſt of the people aſhamed. Exodus 22.

Who is the chefeſte, amonge the people / is it not the Emperour, kynges / prynces, Dukes / Earles, with theyr knygtes eſquires and worldly power?

Nay, nay. The pope is Chriſtes vicare, and next vnder hym, Cardynals, Byſſhops a4r with all the ſpiritualte / as it is written. Solite de maioritate et obediencia. Theſe ſpirytuall men repreſent the ſunne and the worldly powers repreſent only the moone. Wherout doth folowe that the pope muſt nedes be of greater power then the Emperour, who is faine to kyſſe hys fete.

Is the pope ſuch a puyſſaunt lorde? truly Iohan. 18. then is he not Chriſtes vicare. For Chriſt ſayth, my kyngdome is not of thys worlde. And Iohn. 6. Chriſt (when he ſawe Iohan. 6. that men wolde make hym kyng) went Luke. 22. hys wayes. Chriſt alſo ſayd vnto hys dyſciples. Worldely prynces haue dominion and beare Rule, and the Myghtyr of the earthe are called Lordes / but let it not be ſo amonge you. For who of you wyll be the greateſt ſhalbe the leaſte, and the chefeſt as a Seruaunt, and therfore the pope and ye ſpyrytuall men are but mynyſters vnto the Chriſtians (in caſe ye be of God) and therfore menne maye reprehende you well Inoughe.

The pope with hys, is not bounde to obeye the commaundement of God. As it is written in the ſpirituall lawe. C. Solite de maioritate et obediencia out of the whych a4v we do conclude that the pope is no ſinner but the moſt holyeſt and in all thyng inreprehenſible.

It is wrytten, who ſo ever ſayth that he is wythout ſynne, is a lyer, oute of the Iohan. 1. whiche followeth that the Pope muſte nedes be a ſinner or a lier (if he be not both) and not the moſt holyeſt / but is greatly to be reprehended.

What I ſay / although the pope were ſo wycked, that he dyd bryng a great multytude of people into hell, yet may no man reprehende him. For it is wrytten in oure lawes dyſt. xi. Sipapa. Howe doth that diſtinctiones 40 pleaſe the?

It is written in the goſpell of Mathew Mathew 18. if thy brother do ſynne reprehend him betwene hym and the / and if he heare the, then haſt thou wonne him. Doth the pope vſe ſuch Godly acres?

Doeſt thou call this to reprehende after a brotherly ſorte, to cry and call it out ſo openly?

It is further written in the ſame text, a5r in caſe thy brother heare the not / then take one or two wyth you / and if he heare you not then, then tell it to the congregacion, and let him go lyke a heathen and infidell, euen as thou art ſir domine.

I praye the what preuayleth it that thou doeſt call vs thus a broad lyke greſhoppers, conſyderyng we paſſe nothyng for it. For we holde vs by our decrees?

Therfore ſayth Chryſt, in caſe men do not heare you, then ſhake the duſt from your fete for a wytnes that the Kyngdome of God hath bene nygh vnto them. For theyr Iudgement ſhall be greater at the day of dome, then to Sodoma and Gomorra. In what caſe ſhalt thou be then; ſeing thou wylt not be reprehended?

I wolde graunte it to be ſo / in caſe they were learned men, but it becommeth not the laye people to reprehend the ſpiritualte

An aſſe reprehended Balaain the prophet. Wherfore then is it not lawfull. For a lay man to reprehende a ſpirituall man?

A ſhomaker ought to meddle with greaſing a5v of his lether and clouting of his ſhowes, and not with holy ſcripture.

Howe can ye proue that by ſcripture / that a Chriſten man may not rede, wryte and ſearch in the ſcriptures? For Chryſte ſayth, ſearch the Scriptures for ſhe beareth witnes of me. And the pſalmograph ſayth alſo. Bleſſed is the man that ſtudyeth nyght and daye in the lawes of the lord, And Peter ſayth alſo Prepare your 1. Petri. 3. ſelues to anſwere euery man / the grounde requyreth the hope whiche is in you, and in lyke maner Paule teacheth the Epheſians to fyght agaynſt the aſſaultes of the deuell, with the ſwerde of Gods woorde. Epheſians 6. Oh lord howe were it poſſyble for vs to reſyſt, if we knewe nothing of the ſcripture?

Euen lyke a heape of giſe in the water.

Mocke at your pleaſure. The Iewes knowe theyr lawe by roote or wythoute the boke, ſhal not we that are Chriſtians know the goſpell of Ieſus Chryſt? whiche is the power of God to as manye as ſhalbe ſaued / as Paule ſayth. 1. Corinthians 1.

Yea, thou ſhalt know it as Chriſt hath a6r tolde. The ſcribes and pharizees haue ſet them vppon Moſes ſeat. What ſo euer they Mathew 22. teach you, loke you do the ſame which ſignifieth the dayly preachinges / doth not this ſuffiſe the laye people?

Ther is alſo written in the ſame chap. They laye heauy and vnbearable burdens vppon mennes neckes, and ſuch ſygnifye the tradicions and commaundementes of men wherby ye dryue and oppreſſe vs laye people, bryngyng vs in heauy conſciens / wherfore ſhulde we then folowe you?

How canſt thou proue that by ſcripture?

Chryſt ſayth in the be fore^** This edition contains a space here, but doesn't stick to this spelling throughout the dialogue. Similarly also in the spelling of ther fore and therefore and many other cases. named chapter. Wo be vnto you ye hipocrites and pharizees, that ſhut vp the kyngdome of heauen for the people / thou wylte not entre into it thy ſelfe, nor yet ſuffre any other to enter.

Yea that was ſpoken to the prieſtes of the Iewes, and not to our prieſts.

Mary. Syr ye haue fyrſt taken the name of pharizees vppon you Which ſytte vppon moſes ſeate et cetera. Although it be ſpoken a6v of the Prieſtes of the Iewes (as the trueth is) euen ſo it alſo ſpoken of you. For your workes beare witnes / thou eateſt the widdowes houſes / as the text further doth declare, in good fayth ſix domine you haue taken your ſelfe by the noſe.

Fye on the. Howe do theſe horeſon lutherians reioyce and laughe in their fyſt, when they can fynde ſome ſayings out of the ſcripture / they trouble and vexe one therwith, without ceaſyng.

Syr I pray the be not diſcontented for in good fayth I ſpeake of a good zeale.

I am not angry, but I am bounde to tell it the, it becommeth not the laye People to meddle with the ſcripture.

Chryſt ſayth. Beware of falſe prophetes Mathew 7. and Paule to the Philippians iij. take hede. Philippians 3. If we myght not be ſuffered to rede the ſcriptures, how ſhulde we then know theſe thynges.

The ſame apperteyneth to the papiſtry as Paule ſayth to Timothy 1. ye ſhall correct the ſeducers with all extremitie.

Yea they do it not, but do manifeſtly agaynſt it as it daylie doth apere.

Let them care for that.

No ſyr not ſo / we wyll not eſteme it ſo lyght / it they wyll not, then muſte we take hede that we folow not them / for no man ſhall beare an others burden.

Saye what ye lyſt, it apperteyneth not to the laye people to meddel with the ſcripture as Paule ſaythe. 1. Corinthians 7. Let euery 1. Corinthians 7. man walke accordynge to the lordes callyng. Howe ſayeſt thou nowe? thou woldeſt haue ſcripture, and now I haue ſcriptured the I trow.

Yea paule ſpeaketh that of the outward conuerſacion and lyuinge, of boundemen and Fremen / as in the ſame Chapter it is clearley ſpecifyed. But here doth he forbid no man to ſearche the worde of God.

Doeſt thou not here? ye muſte fyrſte be called throughe the holy oyntment / and after that / be choſen of the higher powers other wyſe is it not laufull for any man to meddell with the ſcrypture.

Chryſt ſayth. The harueſt is great, but Luke. 10. ther are very fewe labourers, pray to the lorde of the harueſt to ſend labourers into his harueſt, wherby the callyng muſte nedes be inwardlye of God / and not outwardely. For outwardly are all preachers called, as well the falſe as the true.

Tuſh. It is but folyſhnes to reaſon with ſuch pratlers.

It is euen ſo with you, as it was with Luke. 9. the diſcyples / whiche were offended that othermen caſtoute deuelles in Chryſtes name, as wel as they. But Chriſt ſayd for bydde them not. For who ſoeuer is not a gaynſte you is with you. And if ye were true Chryſtyans / ye ſhulde euen reioyce that the lay people do vnderſtand & know the worde of God.

What grefe is it to you?

Becauſe we haue forſaken the deuell in our baptym, therfore are we thus dilygent to fyght with Gods worde agaynſt him & his kingdom, yea and to auenture and Ieoparde both body and goods.

It were better for ye lay people to ſtudy howe to get the lyuing of your wyues and chyldren,

Chryſt forbiddeth and ſayth, take no thought what ye ſhall eate and drinke or Mathew 6. what clothes ye ſhal put on, for ſuche thinges do the heathen ſeke, but ſeke fyrſt the kingdom of God. & c. And it ſhalbe geuen you aboundauntly. The man lyueth not onely by breade, but of euery word with Mathew 4. procedeth out of the mouth of God.

Satiſfye and content your ſelfe therwith / and bake neuer a whitte.

We muſt labour, as it was commaunded Genesis 3. & Iob. 5. to Adam. The men are borne to labour lyke the byrdes to flye.

Where ſhuld you and other laye people haue learned it? ſome of them knowe neyther A nor B.

Chryſt ſayth. They ſhal all be taught of God.

But there nedeth alſo learning, wherfore are the vniuerſities els ordeyned?

In what vniuerſitie (I pray the) dyd Ioan ſtudye? Who wrote ſo profoundly In the beginning was the worde and the a8v worde was God. & cetera. For he was but a fyſſher as it is wrytten.

What man / he was illuminate wyth the holy goſt.

It is wrytten. And it ſhall happen in the later daies, ſayth God, I wyl power out my ſpyrite vppon all fleſhe. What meane ye? thynke ye that thys is not ſpoken of vs? Actes. 2.

No, it is ſpoken of the Apoſtles, as peter witneſſeth. Therfor hold thy peace and ſpeake no more of the ſpyrite.

Chryſte ſayth who ſo beleueth on me out of his bodye ſhall flowe ſtreames of Iohan. 7. lyuing water. Whych is expounned by the Euangeliſt, that he ſpeaketh the ſame of the holygoſt whych all they ſhuld receyue that beleue in him.

What I ſaye my thynke that thou ſmelleſt after Mantuanus^** This name also appears in the German original, but it is not entirely clear in reference to whom this comment is made. that heretyke / wyth thy holyghoſt.

Paule ſpeaketh. Do ye not knowe 1. Corinthians 3. that ye are the temple of God; and that the ſpyryte of God dwelleth in you? And to the b1r Gallathians 4. Seynge ye are nowe become chyldren, God hathe ſente his ſpirite in to Gallathians 4. your hartes, who calleth. Abba, that is, be loued father. He maketh vs ryghtuous accordyng to his mercy, through the bath of renouacion / and the renewyng of the holyghoſt / whiche he hath powred haboundauntly Timothy 4. in vs. And to the Romaynes in the. 5. chapter. As the ſpirite nowe dwelleth Romaynes 5. in you, who hath rayſed Ieſus Chriſte from death.

I fynde no holy ſpirite in me, you nor I are not noble inough therto.

Wherfore are ye then called ſpiritual ſeyng you haue not the ſpyrite of God? ye ought with good right to be called ſpyryteleaſe.

They be other maner of people then eyther you or I am whiche haue the ſpiryte of God.

Ye ought not to haue reſpect vnto them. For God is no accepter of parſons. It is Actes. 10. alſo written. The ſpirite of God ſhal reſt Eſaye 66. vpon a broken or weake harte.

ſhewe me one, I praye the.

Paull ſpeaketh openly. Whoſoeuer that hath not the ſpyrite of Chryſt, perteyneth Romaynes an 8. not to hym.

Oh / trulye it is a very poore and myſerable ſpirit / which ye Lutherians haue, I thinke he is as blacke as a cole. I praye the tell me what make ye wyth your holy ghoſt? I beleue verely that he ſlepeth both nyght and daye by you, for men can not ſo much as ones ſpye hym.

Chriſt ſayth, Geue not that whych is Mathew 7. holy to dogges, neyther caſt ye your pearles before ſwyne, leaſte they treade them vnder theyr fete.

What, are ye not aſhamed to ſpeake ſuch Rude and Vncommelye woordes before me?

I pray the ſir domine be not diſpleaſed for it is the ſaying of holy ſcripture.

yea, yea, yea, ye Lutherians ſpeake much, of Goddes woorde, and it waxeth the lenger the worſe / I can not ſpye any amende b2rment in none of you all.

Chriſt ſaythe Luke 19. The kyngdome of God commeth not outwardly / or wyth Luke. 19. lokyng vp / that men myght poynt it wyth fyngers, to ſaie here in thys or in that place is it / but it is inwardly in you. that is, it ſtandeth not in outwarde workes.

Men may perceaue that by your deuine ſeruyce. Ye praye not, nether go ye to the Churche / nor to the dayly ſeruice, nor in a maner to nothynge at all that good is Is then ſuche kyngdom Gods kyngdom, amongeſt you Lutherians? I beleue it is the great deuell of helles kyngdome.

Chriſt ſpeaketh, The tyme ſhall come / Mathew 4. and is euen nowe, that men ſhall praye no more vpon this mountain nor at Ieruſalem, but ſhall praye only in ſpyryte and veryte Thys caſteth downe and condempneth your daylye ſeruice with alſo your numbred prayers. For Chryſte wholy and all abhorreth youre nombred prayers wyth youre outward mumblyng. Where as he ſaythe Mathew xv. Thys people worſhyp Mathew 15. me wyth theyr lyppes, but theyr harte is farre from me.

And Chriſt ſayth, ye ſhall praye without Luke. 18. ceaſyng.

yea, he meaneth, to praye without ceaſynge in the ſpyrite, but Chryſt diſpyſeth your prayer: ſaying, ye ſhall not make many wordes.

Gentle frende what is that for a prayer, Mathew 6. to praye in ſpirite and veritie? teache me that ſame I praye the, then ſhall I nede no more to ſay my mattens nor myne other ſeruice.

Reade that lytle boke of Marten Luther, intituled of the Chriſten lybertye which he dedicated to Pope Leo, and there ſhall ye fynde it brefely declared.

I wolde rather that Luther wyth al hys bokes were burnt, I neuer in all my lyfe dyd reade none of them, nor yet wyll as I am aduyſed.

What, why doeſt thou iudge then?

Mary becauſe he worſhippeth not the ſaintes.

Chryſt ſayth. Thou ſhalt onely worſhyp thy lorde God, and ſerue him onelye. Mathew 4.

Yea, we muſt haue interceſſours to god

Iohn ſayth, If any man haue ſynned we haue a mediatour by God / whiche is 1. Iohn. 1. Ieſus Chryſt, who is ryghtuous, who is alſo the peacemaker for oure ſinnes.

Yea thou ſpeakeſt fayre wordes good fellowe, but nede compelleth a man to begge yf thy legge were broken / woldeſt thou not go to ſaint Wolfgange? or if thou haddeſt the tothache woldeſt thou not pray to ſaint Apolonia?

No trulye. Chryſt ſayth, come vnto me al Mathew 11. ye that labour and are laden, and I wyll caſe you. Where then wyll we ſeke better helpe, ye haue made Idoles of the ſaintes and ſo ye haue ſeduced and brought vs from Chryſt.

Yea, I haue hearde wel Inough of you Lutherians that ye do neuer faſt / doth Luthers holyghoſt teache you that?

We are not commaunded of God to b3v faſt, but God hath lefte it free. Chryſt ſaith when thou wylt faſte, annoint thy head Mathew 6. and waſſhe thy Face, he ſayth not, thowe ſhalt or thou muſt faſte, lyke our Romyſh ſtepfather doth.

Yea, but ye neuer do faſt.

I beleue that he handycraftes menne do faſte better (yea although they eate. 4. tymes in a daye) then all the pryeſtes and ſhauelyngs of the realme. It is manyfeſte Inough. I nede not to ſpeake any more therof.

Holde thy peace then, and let me ſpeake, as concernyng faſtinge that is the leaſt faute, but ye Lutherians eate fletſhe on the fryday, that the deuell of hell mought blyſſe you.

It is not forbydden of God to eate fleſh, and therfore is it not ſinne / ſo farre fourth as the weake people are not therby offended. Mathew 15. Chryſt ſaith. That which goeth into the Mouthe, defyleth not the Manne / but that which commeth oute of the mouth defyleth the Manne / as whooredome, murther, aduoutye, theft, falſe wytneſſe b4r bearing, bacbyting. & c. And Paule: 1 Corinthians What ſoeuer is ſold in the market 1. Corinthians that eate.

yea, ſaye what ye lyſt, but good olde cuſtomes whych haue bene kept and obſerued aboue foure hondreth yeres / are not to be deſpyſed.

Chryſt ſayth Iohn in. 14. I am the Iohan. 14. waye, verytie / and the euerlaſtynge Lyfe / but he ſaith not I am the cuſtom. Their fore muſt we ſticke and cleaue to the verytie whyche is Gods worde, and euen god hym ſelfe, which endureth for euer more / But cuſtome commeth of men, whyche are Mathew 25. all lyers / as the. 115. pſalm ſaieth, which Pſalms 115 ſayinge dothe whole and all ouerthrowe your cuſtomes.

Syr I pray the tell me, the Lutherians do neuer ſhryue nor confeſſe them, whych is the greateſt hereſie of all.

Nether is that commanded of God, nor yet pronounced, nether in the olde nor in the newe Teſtament.

Dyd not Chryſt ſaye Go and ſhewe thy Math, 22. b4v ſelfe vnto the prieſtes.

Doeſt thou call ſhewing ſhryuing, that is a wonders ſtraunge Englyſſhe, ye muſt declare it better vnto me by ſcripture. If the ſame ſhryuing in the eare were ſuch a great bonde and holy thyng, it ſhuld truely be clerer declared in the ſcripture.

What I ſay / wyll ye do nothyng els but that whyche is commaunded yow of GOD in the ſcripture? that is a pitious caſe.

I can not fulfyll the ſame, as it is declared Actes. 15. / what nede I to lay any more burthen vpon me?

Such thynges haue the holy fathers ordeyned in their councels.

Who gaue them Auctoritie?

Chryſt ſayth I haue yet many thyngs to ſay vnto you, but ye can not beare it awey Iohan. 16. now: Howe ſayſt thou? Are not than the councels inſtituted of God?

But Chryſt ſpeaketh before that, I ſhall b5r ſend the comforter (which is the ſpyrite of trueth which procedeth of the father) and Iohan. 15. he ſhall declare you all thynges whiche I haue tolde you. Marke, he ſayth not, he ſhall teache you new thinges, whych I haue not tolde you, but the ſame thynges which I haue tolde you, euen the ſame ſhall he declare vnto you: And ſayth further hereafter / he ſhal leade you in all treuth

Thus holdeſt thou nothynge of the councels I perceaue well Inough.

yes verelye of that counſell whych the Apoſtles kepte at Ieruſalem.

Haue the apoſtles alſo kept a counſell?

yea if you haue a byble.

yea I haue one, O Katherin / brynge he ther that ſame great old boke Katherin the parſons handmayd

Syr is that ſame it?

What no / that ſame is the decrees, loke ye make it not foule. what elſes.

Syr is thys it?

Yea, make it cleane, and ſwepe of the So much dyd he regarde the byble. duſt and cobwebbes now maſter ſhomaker where is it?

Seke in the Actes of the Apoſtles in Actes. 13. the. 15. chapter.

Seke your ſelf / I am not much vſed Now he telleth truth. in the ſame boke I knowe other thynges which are proffytabler vnto me, then that.

There it is / beholde Syr.

Katherin, rede Actum 15. nay let alone, I wyll rede it my ſelf, and I wyll know what the ſame olde fellowes haue made.

Yea, Rede, and ye ſhall fynde that men may not ſay the burdens of the olde Teſtament vppon the Chriſtians, therfore are we not bounde to heare you in the olde, muche leſſe in the new teſtament.

But Chriſt ſayth. Whoſoeuer heareth Luke. 10. you, heareth me, and he that deſpyſeth you, deſpyſeth me, is that ſame not cleare Inough?

Yea, when you do ſyncerlye and purelye teach Gods worde, then are men bounde to heare you euen as Chryſte hym ſelfe. But when ye preach youre owne Imaginacyons and inuencyons, then ought no man to gyue care vnto you. For all that is not planted of God my heauenly father ſhalbe plucked vp by the rotes.

Are the councelles then alſo the learnyng of men?

If a man ſhulde ſay the trueth, the councelles haue done great dammage in Chryhendome by two maner of wayes.

What hurt or dammage? declare them I pray the hartelye.

Fyrſt the commaundementes which are innumerable and vnmeaſurable as you your ſelf knowe / and that which is worſt of all haue bene by excommunycacyons confyrmed, and aboue that mooſt part are not grounded in the ſcrypture, and ſuch your commaundements men haue highly eſtemed and therwith greatly charged mens conſcyences / and haue bene reputed lyke the commaundmentes of God / yea, ſet before them b6v wherby the commaundementes of God haue bene ſet backe and made vnknowen to the people. Such people hath Paul declared with their commaundementes.

That in the latter tymes ſhulde departe 1. Timothy 4 from the fayth, and gyue hede vnto ſpirites of errour / and deuelyſhe doctryne of them which ſpeake falſe thorow ypocryſy & haue their conſciences marked with an hote yron, forbyddyng to marry, and commaundyng to abſteyne from meates which God hathe created to be receyued wyth thankes geuyng of them which beleue and know the truth.

How is that come to paſſe, with what commaundementes I pray the?

To eate fleſh on the fryday, hath bene taken for a greater ſynne, then to kepe a whore or two.

I vnderſtande you very well, what dammages are there more?

Secondarely they haue brought forth many ſtraunge Gods ſeruiſes / and called them good workes, which is nothyng elles (if a man ſhulde ſaye ſothe) but verye b7r apeſplay and outward folyſſhnes / Wherof God neuer ſpake one worde / wherby both we and they / haue neglected, and not regarded the good woorkes whych God hath commaunded vs.

what are then the ryght true workes of a chryſten man?

Chryſt ſayth. All what thou woldeſt the Mathew 7. men ſhuld do to the, do euen the ſame vnto them / and that is the fulfilling of the whole lawe and prophetes. And he doth teache Mathew 15. vs to fede the hungry / to geue drinke to the thyrſtye / to harbarrowe the harbarroules to clothe the naked, to viſite the ſycke, and to comforte the priſonner.

Are that only the workes of a Chriſten man, and the wholl ſomme of a Chryſten lyfe?

Yea / a true and faythfull chryſten man Iohan. 3. which is borne a newe out of the water and the Spyrite (as it is written Iohan. iij. chapter) ſerueth God onely in ſpyrite and Veritie, and ſerueth alſo his Neighbour, wyth the woorkes of charitie / that is the whole ſumme of a Chriſten lyfe / but theſe b7v papiſtes meane that ſuch a Chryſten lyfe is nothing at all, becauſe the ſame workes haue not ſuch an outwarde ſhyne as their workes do.

Thynke ye then that our ſyngyng and Readyng is of no worth?

Chryſte ſhall require nothyng elles of Mathew 15. vs at the day of iudgement / then the workes Genesis 3. & of mercy / then ſhal ye prieſtes and monkes Iob. 5. ſtande lyke foles which haue left their eares at the pylory.

Thou haſt hytit wonders well / gette you to the furnace and warme you a lyttell, Luke. 10. doth Luther teache you ſuche thynges?

No.

What holdeſt thou of Luther? I pray the tell me.

I hold him for a Chryſten Doctour and I thynk there hath not been a better ſens the Apoſtles tyme.

What proffyt hath he done in the chriſten fayth?

Mary, fyrſt, he hathe diſcouered and brought to lyght youre falſe doctryne, commaundementes, tradicions and Imagynacyons, and admonyſſhed and warned vs therof. Secondarely / he hath declared vs by ſcripture / that we ſhulde confeſſe that we are all the bondmen of ſynne. Thyrdely / that Chryſt alone is our ſauyour and redemer, of which two points the Romaynes 5. whole ſcripture is full, wherby we learne 1. Corinthians 1. to putt oure truſte / hope and ſayth onelye in Chriſte, which is a true and godly worke to ſaluacion, as Chriſt ſayth Ioan. 6 And Chriſt ſayth. Mathew 5. Let your lyght Iohan. 11. braſte oute / and ſo ſhyne before the people / Mathew 5. that they (ſeing your good workes) maye praiſe the father which is in heauen.

Nedeth no worke therto?

Paule ſayth ad Romaynes 5. we hold it therfore, Romaynes 5. that man is onelye made right wes through fayth, without the workes, & to the Romaynes in the laſt chapter. The Romaynes vlt. ryghtuous ſhall lyue by fayth.

Iames ſayth in his. 2. chap. Fayth without Iacob. 2 good workes is dead.

A true Chriſten fayth can neuer be Idell but bryngeth alwayes good workes and frutes forth. For Chryſt ſayth / A good tree can brynge forth no euell frute, Mathew 7. but ſuch good workes ought not to be done for to meryte or deſerue heauen therby / for Chryſt hath merited and deſerued it for vs, neyther for feare, and to a voyde the paynes of hell, for Chryſt hath delyueryd vs therof, neyther for honour, for all honour ſhalbe geuen onely vnto God, as it is writen. But ye ſhall do them for Mathew 4. loue, for a thankes geuyng to God, and to the helpe and profyt of your neyghbour.

If Luther be ſo ryghtuous and ſo good a doctour as you name himto be, how chaunceth it then that ſo fewe greate lords do cleaue and ſtyck vnto his doctryne: Saue onely a heape of rude and vnlearned people?

Pylate, Herode, Cayphas nor Annas, cleued not to Chryſt nor yet the pharizees, but the common people. Therfore Chriſt reioyced in ſpirite, and ſayd. Father I thanke you, that ye haue hydden theſe Luke. 10. thynges from the wyſe of the world, & haue opened it to the lytle flocke.

What I ſaye the common people cleaue leaſt of all to Luther and hys doctrine.

Your dulheaded and folyſhe preachers are cauſe of that / whych without any ſcripture, crye and call, he is an heretyke / he is an heretike. But Chryſte hath declared Mathew 5. to the litell flocke. Go thoroughe the narrowe gate, for the gate is wyde and the way is broade whyche leadeth to dampnation, and ther are many which walke in it, And ther are many called and fewe electe. Mathew 22.

Men do vſe to ſpeake ſuche wordes in tauernes, vpon the market, and elles wher lyke fooles, whych ought not to be ſpoken in ſuche places.

Chriſt ſayeth / what I ſaye to you in ſecret, that ſhall ye preache vppon the houſe Mathew 10: toppes.

If I ſhulde ſaye trueth. I holde Luther for the greateſte heretyke, that euer was ſence Arrius Tyme, and thou arte hys folower, and ther is no good in you, nether commeth theyr any good from you / vnderſtandeſte thou that? The ſame tytell c1v do I gyue both to Luther and to the.

Veryly you haue hitte the prycke / for theyr is no man good but God only. For oure nature is whole and all corrupte in Mathew 14. vs, as it is wrytten. Geneſis 8. The harte of man is inclyned to euell / euen from hys Genesis 8. youthe / whych dayly muſte be mortifyed wyth the croſſe, leaſte it myght hinder the ſpirite. For nature ceaſeth not to ſeke that thynge wherunto it is inclined, all though the ſpyryte be made ryghtuous throughe fayth. For it is wrytten Prouerbiorum 24.

The ryghtuous falleth ſeuen tymes in the daye. Therfore do we daily praye. Forgiue Prouerbiorum 24. vs our treſpaces Mathew 6. and paule to the Romaynes 7. The good which I wolde Mathew 6. I do not / and the euell whiche I hate, I Romaynes 7. do, and after that ſpeaketh he. O miſerable man / who ſhall delyuer me from the body of death? Therwyth declareth he that we are ſynners euen vnto death. But ſyr Domine / yf thou arte wyth out Synne, caſte the fyrſt ſtone vppon vs.

Ye are all vn proffitable people, ye can prate very well / I truſte ye ſhal ſhortly be Iohan. 8. knocked vppon your boanes, for I perceaue there is none other remedye.

What, wolde you be in hande with the ſwerde? that apperteyneth not to the ſpyritualte.

Hath not Chriſt Luce. 22. ordeyned two ſwerdes, one ſpirituall and an other temporall.

Chryſt did forbydde Peter. Mathew 26 and ſayd he that ſtriketh with the ſwerd / Mathew 26. ſhall peryſh with the ſwerde.

It helpeth not by other meanes, therfore muſt it be holpen / wyth a quicke puniſhment, for hereſy hath in a maner taken the vpperhande, therfore it is hygh tyme to ſtryke in the flocke.

Oh, do not ſo, but rather follow the conſell of Gamaliel / Actum in the 5. chapter. If the ddctryne^** This is transcribed correctly as this mistake can be found in the print. Correctly: doctryne. be of God, ye can not for Actes. 5. bydde nor defend it, and if it be of menne, then ſhall it fall without any ſwerde / to the intent ye be not taken as one that wyll fyght agaynſt God.

Ther ſhall come nothyng elles therof for this ſhalbe the ende.

Nowe, O lord of heauen, thy wyll be fulfylled. Math 6. The Diſcyple is not aboue hys maſter. Haue they perſecuted Iohan. 15. me. they ſhal perſecute you alſo / and happy Luke. 6. are ye, when ye are hated / dyſdayned and diſpyſed for my names ſake.

Some ſhall then holde their peace, whych nowe do call and roare a lowde.

He that confeſſeth me before the world him wyll I knowledge and confeſſe before my heauenly father.

Ye ſhall be handeled and ſerued lyke as heretikes ought to be ſerued.

Chryſt ſayth feare not them whych may Mathew 10. deſtroy the body only, but feare him which may deſtroy both body and ſoule. O lorde God, howe good is it to dye for thy names ſake?

It were euen your iuſt rewarde / an heretyke (after the third admonicion and warning) ought to be put to death.

But yow ought fyrſte to proue or de c3rfyne vs to be heretikes, wyth the holy ſcripture.

That may we full eaſely do.

Then ſhall God require our bloude at youre hands / becauſe you haue ſuffered vs, and the pore ſhepe of Chryſt to haue bene thus long ſeduced and ledde oute of the right way. And that you haue not reſyſted and diſputed with ſo many preachers of this learning.

It ſhal ſhortly come to paſſe, we haue taken our aduiſe and counſell vppon the matter.

Yea, is that true indede? I perceaue ye do fulfyll the ſayeng of Mathew And the Pharizees went and helde a councel how Mathew 22. they might trippe him in his wordes, and dyd ſend officers vnto him / with the offycers of Herode.

What elles? Thus ought the heretykes to be ſerued.

Oh, lorde. Theſe true preachers wolde fayne bryng vs all to Chryſte, no man c3v excepted.^** Typesetting mistake: This period type has likely been set upside down. A broken colon type may be a theoretical possibility, but improbable in this context. And thow woldeſte bringe both vs and thy ſelfe to the deuell. Thou woldeſt fayne that the Fyre of Heauen ſhulde fall on vs Luke 9. Heare what Chryſt fayeth. Luke. 9. Do ye not knowe what chylderen of ſpyrite ye are? The ſonne of man is not come to deſtroy the ſoules of men, but to ſaue them. 2. Corinthians 13. He hath geuen me power (ſaith he) not to deſtroy, but to amēd. 2. Corinthians 13.

What, I ſay, I wyll euen the ſame alſo.

Fyre and ſwerde ſerueth not therto, but the woorde of God Hebrews 4. Which is Hebrews 4. ſherper then a two edged ſworde. Therfore if thou arte of God, defende thy doctrine and lawes with Gods word, which 1. Corinthians 1. is the power of God. 1. Corinthians 1.

All thys helpeth you neuer a whytte.

Ye bringe not Gods worde / ye ſeke not the honour of God, but your owne power honour, and Ryches, againſt whyche the worde of God ſpeaketh, and therfore do ye perſecute it.

Yea, thou prateſt nothing elles, but to here a manne, when the harte is full, then c4r ronneth the mouthe ouer. Luke. 6.

I maye well lyken you / lyke as Chriſt lykeneth the chylderen ſyttyng in the markett place / criyng one to an other and ſaying. We haue pypes vnto you and ye haue Luke 7. not daunſed. We haue mourned to you & ye haue not wepte. Euen ſo is it with you, If a man ſpeake vnto you confortablye of the worde of God, then do ye deryde it. If a man do tell it you earneſtlye / then are ye angry.

Although thow dyddeſt ſynge lyke a Larke / thowe ſhalt not make me otherwyſe then I am.

Youre harte is waxen harde and ſtony as kyng Pharao, Exodi. Rede from the. 7. Chapter to the. 15. who neither regarded no wonder nor places. et cetera.

Thou haddeſt almoſt hit the prycke.

Me thynketh that thou arte lyke the falſe offycer Luke 6. What ſhall I do? the lorde wyll take the offyce from me, I can not dygge, and I am a ſhamed to begge. Euen that ſame feare ye ſpyrituall menne c4v alſo no exhortacion nor admoniſhing can helpe.

No man commeth to me vnleſſe my father drawe him, wyll you then conuert a man?

Oh ſyr I loue to heare the ſame wordes with all my harte. It is written Iob 15. without me canſt thou do nothing / and further thou haſte not choſen me, but I haue choſe the, therfore lyeth it not in our power, but it is God which muſt conuert vs. Which I do wyſſhe you all from the botome of my harte.

When do they ryng in the church? Katherin giue me my ſirplys and tippet.

Well beloued maſter / go in peaſe, I hope all thinges ſhalbe well.

With the helpe of God, now peace be with you, beloued ſyr take no diſpleaſure wyth me, but pardon me if I haue offended you.

God pardon and forgyue vs all our ſynnes.

Amen.

Beholde how quicke theſe lay men are in tellyng of their tale to vs which are anoynted. I thynke that the deuel of hell be patched and clouted in the ſho. Skynne, he hath ſo ſtricken me vpon my breſt plate / that if I had not bene ſo depely learned, he ſhuld haue made me an aſſe, therfor he ſhall make no more ſhoes for me / but Hans zobell ſhall be my ſhomaker, for he is a very ſymple man, and one that dothe not much reaſon of the ſcrypture / nor of the Lutheryans hereſy, which apperteyneth not to the laye people, nether becommeth it them to dyſpute with their ſoulekepers, for Salomon ſayth who ſoeuer walketh ſymply, walketh well. Ah, the ſame ſaying ought I to haue layde to that dulheaded ſhomaker, peraduenture, he ſhuld haue had nothyng to ſay thervpon / but haue bene ſtarke dome.

Ah maſter, I feared greatly (when I ſawe you coud not ouercome hym wyth ſcripture) that you ſhuld haue ſtrycken himvpon his pate with the ſlyppers.

If I had not feared that an oproare myght haue ryſen among the comens / I c5v ſhuld verely haue layd the ſlippers in his face, ſo that neyther Paule no nor Chriſt^** Typesetting mistake: The capital C was set upside down. hym ſelfe ſhuld haue ſwepte it from him in thre daies, for all that he truſteth ſo muche in them.

I maruell greatly how it commeth that the ſay people are ſo learned.

If thou wilt know it, I ſhall tell it the. The cauſe is that the ſpiritualty is no more regarded. Here afore times did oure holy father the pope of Rome wyth his byſſhops forbydde ſuch heretikes as Luther is, according to the ſpirituall lawe and compelled them to recant, lyke Ioan hus was ſerued at conſtance. If men dyd now compell theſe preachers of the Goſpell to holde theyr Peace, then ſhulde it be as good as euer it was, and then ſhulde the ſpiritualty be honoured, but when we go aboute to cauſe them to holde their peace, then wyl they inmediatly dyſpute with the pope and Byſſhops, whiche is a thing that neuer was hearde in the worlde before, that ſuch vyle parſonnes ſhulde dyſpute with the mooſt holyeſt father / whiche are not worthy to ſpeke to his holines, but it ſhall ſhortly take an ende. Although theſe preachers wyll not holde their pea c6rce, they ſhall be compelled to holde theyre peace, for all that they lay Saynct Paulles wryting before them / and though they had Paules ſwerde alſo, yet muſte they lye doune and not ſo much as ones kycke, when it pleaſeth ones the Holye Father of Rome, then muſt the laye people holde theyr peace alſo, and then ſhall we come to oure former worthynes and pryſtyne honour.

Verily Syr It were very good, for every man diſpiſeth and mocketh with you lyke the ſhomaker did euen now.

Hertofore ſhulde ſuch one haue bene excommunicate, but nowe muſte we both heare and learne of the laye People / lyke the phariſees did of Chryſt, good katherin I pray the call Iohan our coke, he vſeth much to rede in the Byble, perchaunce he ſhall declare the ſcrypture better then I / he muſt ſeke me ſome ſentences out of the ſcripture.

Iohan Iohan / come to my maſter.

Honorable ſyr what is your pleaſure?

Our ſhomaker hath vexed me very long and hath ſhewed me muche out of the byble, lyke the maner of the Lutherians is / ye muſte ſeke me oute ſome Chapter that I maye knowe yf he haue ſayde ryghte or no, that I myght conuicte hym by ſcripture.

Ye ought with ryght to knowe it your ſelfe, for you haue longe holpen to examine the anointed.

To that we vſe but the doctrine of ſcoles / and that which hath bene written and made by men and very lyttel the ſpirytual lawe, which the holy fathers haue concluded in the councelles.

It maketh no matter of that which the auncient fathers haue concluded in the concell and what men (whiche are comme in afterward) haue written, when the ſame lawe doctrine and writtyng is not out of the woorde and ſpirite of God. For the Prophetes. Apoſtles and Euangelyſtes were men alſo.

Ergo they myght alſo erre, but the Lutheryans wyll not beleue it.

No, for Peter ſayth. 2. Petri in the fyrſt 2. Petri. 1. Chapter. That to prophet in the ſcrypture hath any pryuate interpretacion. For the ſcrypture came neuer by wyll of man, but holye men of God ſpake as they were moued by the holygoſt. The falſe prophetes, which bryng many euell ſectes in that ſignifieth euen your ſpirituall eſtate, order, rule, and all the muincyons of men (without anye worde of God) where with you daly go aboute.

That is not ſpoken of vs, but of oure auncyent olde predeceſſours and ſoregoers.

O ye foles and ſlouth in harte to beleue Luke. 24. all that the prophetes haue ſpoken.

Harke Maſter, doth the cocke bydde you Crowe? ye wolde not ſuffer me to tell it you.

O thou lowſy vyllayn, wilt thou now teach me? thou arte alſo one of Luthers knaues, get the out of the dores, and come no more into my houſe, thou vnſhamefaſt beaſt I councell it the for beſt.

Ha ha ha / I perceaue it greueth you yet / that the ſhomaker hath ſtopt ſo well your mouth, lett it not be ſo greate wonder vnto you, for God ſuffred (in the olde Teſtament) ſheapardes to declare hys worde, even ſo now muſt ye pharezees, and ſhauelynges be taught of ſhomakers and robblers / yea the very ſtones ſhall call it in to your eares: fareye well ſyr domine.

I maruayle that you can take the payne to ſpeake to ſuch Rude beaſts, they neyther regarde you nor yet your holy oyntment.

I ſhall kepe me from him well inough, thow wycked and excommunycate knaue take hede of thy fyre / nowe I wyll go to the Church, and go you to the Market and buye vs a doſen of good quayles / for the chapleyn of my moſt reuerende Lorde the byſſhoppe ſhall dyne here wyth more other gentlemen, we wyll kepe a banket, now Carye the byble out of the parlour, and loke if the dyſe are in the tables / and prouide vs of a fayre payre of cardes or two.

It ſhalbe done, Syr, wyll ye come ho c8rme anone after the proceſſion be done?

Yea, loke the meate be ready.

yea forſothe Syr