An answer to a certain book, writtenAn answere to a certeine booke, written

You ask of me the reason, why I so busily defend Luther. I ask of you the reason, why you so continually accuse Luther. If you seek for some reasons to accuse him, I cannot want better reasons to defend him, your accusations being so untrue. That you say, we advance him into the place of Christ, or at least among his Apostles, belike you imagine that Luther is to us as your Pope is to you, whom you more esteem, and honour, then Christ, and all his Apostles. For say they what they will, their saying hath little force or authority, if it like not your holy father: but his saying must prevail, whatsoever they say to the contrary. You think it good reason ⟨p. 50⟩I should give over all defence of Luther, seeing he bare extreme hatred, as you say, against the Sacramentaries: & here you bring in much to that purpose, which yet you know is not the matter you took in hand. But it is always the property of such discreet, and worthy writers, whatsoever they find, though from the cause, to hale it in by some means in one place, or other. I answer in a word, Luther dissented bitterly from Zuinglius, and O Ecolampadius, in the matter of the sacrament, as it falleth out often times, that sharp contentions may arise amongst Godly and learned men: yet it is no cause, why we should not answer in Luther's behalf, when he is wrongfully charged by you. Therefore you come to scan my defence of Luther particularly,¹ and find your self occupied in devising divers senses of Luther's words, and then disputing against them. First, if all the fathers teach one thing, and bring scriptures for them, & Luther the contrary, & bring scriptures for him: whether in this case Luther may prefer his judgement before all the fathers? This is not the case. M. R. that Luther meant: you must therefore proceed further yet in your suppose. Next then you ⟨p. 51⟩put case, If a thousand Augustines, & Churches teach some doctrine, citing no text for it, and Luther bring some text of scripture after his sense, against the same: the matter is not in citing texts, but in delivering the doctrine, that is approved by the text. Then leave your childish trifling, and take Luther as he meant.

You aske of me the reason, why I so busilie defend Luther. I aske of you the reason, why you so continuallie accuse Luther. If you seeke for some reasons to accuse him, I cannot want better reasons to defend him, your accusations being so vntrue. That you say, we aduance him into the place of Christe, or at least among his Apostles, belike you imagine that Luther is to vs as your Pope is to you, whome you more esteeme, and honour, then Christe, and all his Apostles. For saie they what they will, their saying hath litle force or authoritie, if it like not your holie father: but his saying must preuaile, whatsoeuer they saie to the contrarie. You thinke it good reason