A03618:13
An answer unto my lord of Winchester's [sic] book entitled a detection of the…An answer vnto my lord of wynthesters [sic] booke intytlyd a detection of the…
An answer unto my lord of Winchester's [sic] book entitled a detection of the devils sophistry wherewith he robbeth the unlearned people of the true belief in the most blessed sacrament of the altar made by Johann Hopper.An answer vnto my lord of wynthesters [sic] booke intytlyd a detection of the deuyls sophistrye wherwith he robith the vnlernyd people of the trew byleef in the moost blessyd sacrament of the aulter made by Johann Hoper.
printed by Augustine Fries, 1547printed by Augustyne Fries, 1547
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
and no man may better over come the devil, then he that is well persuaded of his malicious and insatiable ire towards god and man, knoweth and feeleth in himself that he is mortal enemy booth unto god and unto all his most perfect works, ready always to pervert God's order in all things. as we may to our pain perceive in our selves, the soul that was, created unto the similitude of god, replenished with all virtue and grace, full of knowledge prudence, and understanding, in all things appertaining unto god, a hart most gentle, humble, and always obedient unto god and godliness, a will most ready and prompt to embrace, chose, and elect, the things godly, and eschew refuse and avoid what so ever god and reason judged to be evil, but now it is contrary, for knowledge, ignorance, for light darkness, for obedience, contumacy and rebellion of hart both against god and his word, and for ⟨image 6⟩a will that would be inclined and chose nothing but virtue. and such things as might most appertain unto the glory of god, a will that now chooseth nothing less, then to serve god and rather to blaspheme god, then to refuse the evil offered by the devil contrary unto god. thus is man spoiled of all his original riches, daily wounded more and more wounds, fresh, and new, now pierced with this sine now with that since, and yet like unto men of no senses, we file, nether perceive, how, nether when we are wounded, nether care to sick a remedy of this evil, though right well we know, that every sine that man committeth, of justice deserveth eternal damnation, but these things moveth nothing at all, the man that is ignorant what the devil, the world and sin is, he feeleth nether what his disease is, nether knoweth the craft, malice, and deceit of his Enemy, and by those means, departeth not only from god but also from all honesty, and falleth, he knoweth not how into such detestable crimes, and ignorance of god, that booth god the world and there own conscience beareth testimony of there iniquity against them. these our infirmities and great offences we must learn to know, and once known, diligently study to amend them, and to remove the causes of these isles, then the effect is soon destroyed.
and no man may better ouer come the deuill, then he that is well perswadyd of his malycyous and insaciable yre towardes god and man, knowith and felyth in hymselfe that he is mortall ennymy booth unto god and unto all his moost perfet workes, redy allways to peruert godes order in all thyngis. as we may to oure payne perceaue in oure selfes, the soule that was, creatyd unto the similitude of god, replynyshyd with all uertewe and grace, full of knolege prudence, and undrestondyng, in all thyngys appertaynyng unto god, a hart moost gentle, humble, and allwayes obedyent unto god and godlynys, a wyl moost redy and prompt to imbrase, chose, and elect, the thyngis godlye, and eschewe refuse and auoyde what so euer god and reason iudgyd to be yle, but now it is contrary, for knolege, ignorancy, for light darkenys, for obedience, contumacy and rebellyon of hart boothe agaynst god and his word, and for