But before that I do expound these reasons throughly, I will yet touch one point, concerning that which hath been spoken of the good and holy words which are in the mass. I do not deny but it is so: but I do answer further,1 that it is not enough to have good words taken out of holy letters, except they be well applied to their true use, and to that end whereunto they ought to serve. For if it were not so, a man might by the like reason allow, not only the charms and enchantments of Charmers, Sorcerers and Enchanters, but also the Alcoran of Mahomet, and the doctrine in manner of all the heretics. For there be many good & fair words taken out of the holy scriptures, and fair names of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord. And if the crosses might serve to the holiness of the things with the words, they have ordinarily many in charms & enchantments. It is not enough then to have such words,2 if the right use of them be not had with them. And further it must be seen whether there be any thing mingled with them, which doth corrupt them, as doth poison good meat which otherwise is of it self good. For there needeth no great quantity of poison to corrupt the best meats of ⟨image 8⟩the world, and the better that the meat is, the more dangerous is the poison which is hidden under the same, for so much as it is very hard to discover it, and that men are the more provoked to take it. Wherefore so far of is it from letting the poison to be any more poison, that it maketh it more dangerous, & more mortal, if that the poison be not expelled by a contrapoyson. It is not then altogether to see if there be fair and good words in the mass taken of the holy scriptures: but we must yet consider whether there be any poison, false doctrine, and mens traditions mixed with them. And if there be any such, a man may profit nothing at all by it, but may be hurt thereby, if the same poison be not taken away and expelled by his contrapoyson, the which can not be taken but of the pure word of God. And therefore the controversy upon the which we are at this present, resteth yet in this, to wit, whether all the meat which is set forth to us in the mass, be wholly good, or whether there be poison mixed with the same: if it be all good, then may there none of it be rejected: if there be poison, no man may receive it without danger and peril.
BUt before that I doe expounde these reasons throughly, I will yet touche one point, concerning that which hath bene spoken of the good and holy wordes which are in the masse. I do not deny but it is so: but I do answere further,1 that it is not enough to haue good wordes taken out of holy letters, except they be wel applied to their true vse, and to that ende whereunto they ought to serue. For if it were not so, a man might by the like reason allowe, not onely the charmes and enchantments of Charmers, Sorcerers and Enchanters, but also the Alchoran of Mahomet, and the doctrine in maner of all the heretiques. For there be many good & faire words takē out of the holy scriptures, and faire names of God and of Iesus Christe our Lord. And if the crosses might serue to the holinesse of the things with ye words, they haue ordinarily many in charmes & inchantments. It is not enough then to haue such words,2 if the right vse of them be not had with them. And further it must be seene whether there be any thing mingled with them, which doth corrupt them, as doth poyson good meate which otherwise is of it self good. For there needeth no great quantitie of poyson to corrupt the best meates of ⟨image 8⟩the worlde, and the better that the meat is, the more daungerous is the poyson which is hidden vnder the same, for so much as it is very hard to discouer it, and that men are the more prouoked to take it. Wherefore so farre of is it from letting ye poyson to be any more poyson, that it maketh it more daungerous, & more mortall, if that the poyson be not expelled by a contrapoyson. It is not then altogether to see if there be faire and good words in ye masse taken of ye holy scriptures: but we must yet consider whether there bee any poyson, false doctrine, and mens tradicions mixed with them. And if there be any such, a man may profite nothing at all by it, but may be hurt thereby, if the same poyson be not taken away and expelled by his contrapoyson, the which can not be taken but of the pure word of God. And therefore the controuersie vpon ye which we are at this present, resteth yet in this, to witte, whether al the meat which is set forth to vs in ye masse, be wholy good, or whether there be poyson mixed with the same: if it be al good, then may there none of it be reiected: if there be poyson, no man may receiue it without danger and perill.
- 1Of go•• […]Of go•• 〈…〉
- 2Instru•• tion.
