SO now the church of God is double, 1a fleshly and a spiritual: the one will be and is not, the other is & may not be so be called, but must be called a Lutheran, an heretic, and such 2like. Understand therefore, that God when he calleth a congregation unto his name, sendeth forth his messengers to call generally, which messengers bring in a great multitude amazed and astonied with miracles and power of the reasons which the preachers make, and therewith be compelled to confess that there is but one God of power & might above all, & that Christ is God and man, and borne of a virgin, and a thousand other things. And then the great multitude that is called and not chosen, when they have gotten this faith common as well to the devils as them, & more strongly persuaded unto the devils then unto them, then they go unto their own imaginations, saying: we may no longer serve Idols, but God that is but one. And the manner of service they fetch out of their own 3brains and not of the word of God, and serve God with bodily service as they did in times past their Idols, their hearts serving their own lusts still. And one will serve him in white, an other in black, an other in grey, & an other in pied. And an other to do 4God a pleasure withal, will be sure, that his show shall have two or three good thick soles under, and will cut 5him above, so that in summer while the weather is hot thou mayst see his bare foot, & in winter his sock. They will be shorne and shaven and Sadducees: that is to say, righteous, and Pharisees, that is separated in fashions from all other men. Yea and they will consecrate themselves altogether unto God, and will anoint their hands, and hallow them as the chalice, from all manner lay uses: so that they may serve neither father nor mother, master, Lord or Prince, for polluting themselves, but must wait on God only, to gather up his rents, tithes, offerings, & all other duties. And all the sacrifice that come, they consume in the altar of their bellies, and make Calil of it, that is, a sacrifice that no man may have part of. 6They believe that there is a God: But as they can not love his laws, so they have no power to believe in him.
SO now the church of God is double, 1a fleshly and a spirituall: the one will be and is not, the other is & may not be so be called, but must be called a Lutheran, an hereticke, and such 2like. Ʋnderstand therefore, that God when he calleth a congregation vnto hys name, sendeth forth his messēgers to call generally, which messengers bring in a great multitude amased and astonied wyth myracles and power of the reasōs which the preachers make, and therewyth be compelled to cōfesse that there is but one God of power & might aboue all, & that Christ is God and man, and borne of a virgine, and a thousand other thynges. And thē the great multitude that is called and not chosen, when they haue gotten thys fayth common as wel to the deuils as them, & more strongly persuaded vnto the deuils then vnto them, then they go vnto their owne imaginations, saying: we may no longer serue Idoles, but God that is but one. And the maner of seruice they fet out of their owne 3braynes and not of the worde of God, and serue God wyth bodely seruice as they did in tymes past their Idoles, their hartes seruing their owne lustes still. And one will serue hym in white, an other in blacke, an other in grey, & an other in pyed. And an other to do 4God a pleasure withall, will be sure, that his show shall haue two or three good thicke soles vnder, and wyll cut 5hym aboue, so that in sommer whyle the weather is hot thou mayst see hys bare fote, & in winter hys socke. They wyll be shorne and shauen and Saduces: that is to say, righteous, and Phariseis, that is seperated in fashions frō all other men. Yea and they wyll consecrat thēselues altogether vnto God, and wyll annoint their handes, and halow them as the chalice, from al maner lay vses: so that they may serue neither father nor mother, maister, Lord or Prince, for poluting thēselues, but must wayte on God onely, to gather vp hys rentes, tythes, offeringes, & all other duties. And all the sacrifice that come, they cōsume in the altar of their bellies, and make Calil of it, that is, a sacrifice that no mā may haue part of. 6They beleue that there is a God: But as they can not loue hys lawes, so they haue no power to beleue in hym.
- 1This word Church is taken ij. manner ways.This word Church is taken ij. maner wayes.
- 2The spiritual Church of God are called Lutherans and heretics.The spirituall Churche of God are called Lutherās and heretickes.
- 3The fleshly Church serve God with works of their own.The fleshly Churche serue God with workes of their owne.
- 4Friars. ☜Friers. ☜
- 5The blazing of hypocrites.The blasing of hypocrites.
- 6Calil, is a sacrifice that no m• may have any part thereof.Calil, is a sacrifice that no m• may haue any parte therof.
