The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…

Hereby seest thou what is to be thought of all other ceremonies, as hallowed water, bread, salt, bows, belles, wax, ashes, and so forth, and all other disguisings and Ape's play, and of all manner conjurations, as the conjuring of church and churchyards and of alter stones & such like. Where no promise of God is, there can be no faith nor justifying, nor forgiveness of sins. For it is more then madness to look for any thing of god, save that he hath promised. How far he hath promised, so far is he bound to them that believe, and further not. To have a ¹faith therefore or a trust in any thing, where god hath not promised is plain idolatry, and a worshipping of thine own imagination in stead of God. Let us see the pith of a ceremony, or two, to judge the rest by. In conjuring of holy water they pray, that whosoever be sprinkled therewith may receive health as well of body as of soul, and likewise in making holy bread and so forth in the conjurations of other ceremonies. Now we see by daily experience that half their prayer is unheard. For no man receiveth health of body thereby. No more of likelihood do they of soul. Yea we see also by experience that no man receiveth health of soul thereby. For no man by sprinkling himself with holy water, and with eating holy bread, is more merciful ⟨p. 157⟩then before, or forgiveth wrong, or becometh at one with his enemy, or is more patient and less covetous, and so forth. Which are the sure tokens of the soul health.

Hereby seest thou what is to be thought of all other ceremonies, as halowed water, bread, salt, bowes, belles, waxe, ashes, and so forth, and all other disguisinges and Apesplay, and of all maner coniurations, as the coniuring of church and churchyardes and of alter stones & such like. Where no promise of God is, there can be no fayth nor iustifiyng, nor forgeuenes of sinnes. For it is more then madnes to looke for any thing of god, saue that he hath promised. How farre he hath promised, so farre is he bodū to them that beleue, and further not. To haue a ¹fayth therefore or a trust in any thing, where god hath not promised is plaine idolatry, and a worshipping of thyne own imagination in stede of God. Let vs see the pith of a ceremony, or two, to iudge the rest by. In coniuring of holy water they pray, that whosoeuer be sprinckled therewith may receaue health as well of body as of soule, and likewise in makyng holy bread and so forth in the coniurations of other ceremonies. Now we see by dayly experience that halfe their prayer is vnheard. For no man receaueth health of body thereby. No more of likelihode do they of soule. Yea we see also by experience that no man receaueth health of soule thereby. For no man by sprinckling himselfe with holy water, and wyth eating holy bread, is more mercifull