belly prepare ye therefore cloaks, for the weather waxeth cloudy, and rain is like to follow. I mean not false excuses and forswearing of yourselves, but that ye look substantially upon God's word, that you may be able to answer their subtle objections, and rather choose manfully to die for Christ and his word than cowardly to deny him for this vain and transitory life; considering that they have no farther power but over this corruptible body, which, if they put it not to death, must yet at the length perish of itself. But I trust the Lord shall not suffer you to be tempted 2 Cor. x. above that you may bear; but according to the spirit that he shall pour upon you, shall he also send An exhor. you tation to the scourge, and make him that hath received more of stand manthe Spirit to suffer more, and him that receiveth less thereof, to suffer according to his talent. I thought it necessary first to admonish you of this matter, and now I will recite more of M. More's book.

fully by the profession of God's

word.

"Whereby men may see how greedily these new- More. named brethren write it out, and secretly spread it abroad."

name in the

The name is of great antiquity, although you list to Frith. jest; for they were called brethren before our bishops were called lords, and had the name given them by Christ, saying, (Matt. xxiv.) All ye are brethren; and Brethren is (Luke xxv.) Confirm thy brethren; and the name was an ancient continued by the Apostles, and is a name that nourish- Scripture. eth love and amity. And very glad 1 am to hear of their greedy affection in writing out and spreading abroad the word of God, for by that I do perceive the prophecy of Amos to have place, which saith, in the Amos vi. person of God, I will send hunger and thirst into the earth; not hunger for meat, not thirst for drink, but for to hear the word of God. Now beginneth the kingdom of Heaven to suffer violence; now runneth the poor publicans, which acknowledge themselves sinners, Luke xviii. to the word of God, putting both goods and body in

Matt. xi.

Rom. i.

jeopardy for the soul's health. And though our bishops do call it heresy, and all them heretics that hunger after it, yet do we know that it is the gospel of the living God, for the health and salvation of all that believe. And as for the name, doth nothing offend us, though they call it heresy a thousand times; for St. Paul Acts xxiv. testifieth that the Pharisees and priests, which were counted the very church in his time, did so call it, and therefore it forceth not, though they ruling in their rooms use the same names.

More.

Frith.

feared not

death.

"Which young man, I hear say, hath lately made divers other things, that yet run in hoker-moker so close among the brethren, that there cometh no copies abroad."

I answer, that surely I cannot spin, and I think no man more hateth to be idle than I do: wherefore, in such things as I am able to do, I shall be diligent as long as God lendeth me my life. And if ye think I be John Frith too busy, you may rid me the sooner; for even as the sheep is in the butcher's hands ready bound, and looketh but even for the grace of the butcher when he shall shed his blood; even SO am I bound at the bishops' pleasure, ever looking for the day of my death, insomuch that plain word was sent me, that the Chancellor of London said it should cost me the best blood in my body: which I would glad were shed tomorrow, if so be it might open the King's grace eyes.

And verily I marvel that any thing can run in hokermoker, or be hid from you; for since you might have such store of copies concerning the thing which I most desired to have been kept secret, how should you then lack a copy of those things which I most would have published? And hereof ye may be sure I care not, his works though you and all the bishops within England look on all that ever I wrote, but rather would be glad that ye so did; for if there be any sparkle of grace in your breasts, I trust it should be an occasion some

Frith

wisheth all

to be seen.

what to kindle it, that you may consider and know yourselves, which is the first point of wisdom.

"And would God for his mercy," saith M. More, More. "that since there can nothing refrain their study from devising and compassing of evil and ungracious writing, that they would and could keep it so secretly that never man should see it, but such as are so far corrupted as never would be cured of their canker.”

He that

seeth his brother in

peril of jeopardy,

must warn

him there

of.

It is not possible for him that hath his eyes and Frith. seeth his brother which lacketh sight in jeopardy of perishing at a perilous pit, but that he must come to him and guide him, till he is past that jeopardy; and at the least wise, if he cannot come to him, yet will he call and cry unto him, to cause him [to] choose the better way, except his heart be cankered with the contagion of such hatred that he can rejoice in his neighbour's destruction. And even so is it not possible for us which have received the knowledge of God's word, but that we must cry and call to others, that they leave the perilous paths of their own foolish fantasies; and do Deut. xii. that only to the Lord that he commandeth them, neither adding any thing nor diminishing. And therefore, un- Note here til we see some means found by the which a reasonable the earnest reformation may be had on the one part, and sufficient Frith. instruction for the poor commoners, I assure you I neither will nor can cease to speak; for the word of God boileth in my body like a fervent fire, and will needs have an issue, and breaketh out when occasion is given.

But this hath been offered you, is offered, and shall be offered. Grant that the word of God, I mean the text of Scripture, may go abroad in our English tongue, as other nations have it in their tongues, and my brother William Tyndale and I have done, and will mise you to write no more: if you will not grant this condition, then will we be doing while we have breath,

pro

zeal of

An offer clergy by

made to the

John Frith.

More.

Frith.

Acts xx.

The pro

phecy of

and show in few words that the Scripture doth in many; and so at the least save some.

"But alack! this will not be; for, as St. Paul saith, the contagion of heresy creepeth on like a canker; for, as the canker corrupteth the body farther and farther, and turneth the whole parts into the same deadly sickness, so doth these heresics creep forth among good simple souls, till at the last it be almost past remedy.”

This is a very true saying, and maketh well against his own purpose, for, indeed, this contagion began to spring even in St. Paul's time; insomuch that the Galatians were in a manner wholly seduced from his 2 Thes. ii. doctrine; and he said to the Thessalonians, The mystery of iniquity even now beginneth to work. And St. John testifieth that there were already many Anti1 John iv. christs risen in his days. And also, Paul prophesied what should follow after his time, (Acts xx.) saying, Take ye heed to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath put you overseers, to feed the congregation of God, which he purchased with his own blood. For I know this well, that after my deSt. Paul of parture shall enter in grievous wolves among you, which shall not spare the flock; and even of yourselves shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw disciples after them; and therefore watch, &c. This canker, then, began to spread in the congregation, and did full sore annoy the body, insomuch that within four hundred years there were very many sects scattered in every coast; notwithstanding there were faithful fathers that diligently subdued them with the sword of God's word. But surely, since Silvester received such possessions, hath the canker so crept in the church, that it hath almost left never a sound member. And, When cor- as Cistercensis writes in the eighth book, that day that he received revenues, was a voice heard in the air crying over the court, which said, This day is venom shed into

the latter

times.

Silvester.

ruption

entered into the church.

be

it

rics were not gree

dily sought

in the pri

church, for a charge, lordship.

then it was

and not a

the church of God. Before that time there was no Bishopbishop greedy to take a cure, for it was no honour and profit as it is now, but only a careful charge which was like to cost him his life at one time or other. And mitive therefore no man would take it but he that bare such a love and zeal to God and his flock that he could content to shed his blood for them. But after that was made so honourable and profitable, they that were worst, both in learning and living, most laboured for it; for they that were virtuous would not entangle themselves with the vain pride of this world, and wear three crowns of gold, where Christ did wear one of Mat. xxvii. thorns. And in conclusion it came so far, that whoso- Mark xv. ever would give most money for it, or best could flatter John xix. the prince, (which he knew well all good men to abhor,) had the preeminence, and got the best bishopric; and then, instead of God's word, they published their own commandments, and made laws to have all under them, and made men believe they could not err, whatsoever they did or said. And even as in the room and stead of Moses, Aaron, Eleazer, Joshua, Caleb, and other faithful folk, came Herod, Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and Judas, which put Christ to death; so now, in the stead of Christ, Peter, Paul, James, and John, and the faithful followers of Christ, we have the pope, dinals, archbishops, bishops, and proud prelates, with their proctor, the malicious ministers of their master his Aposthe Devil, which, notwithstanding, transform themselves into a likeness as though they were the ministers of 1 Cor. ii. righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. So that the body is cankered long ago, and now are left but certain small members, which God of A little his puissant power hath reserved uncorrupted; and be- flock is left cause they see that they cannot be cankered as their not corown flesh is, for pure anger they burn them, lest, if rupted. they continued, there might seem some deformity in

car

A great alteration in

the church

since the

time of Christ and

tles.

that are