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rity and riches, which will receive them with another feast; they had lever have their bellies well stuffed in this world, than to tarry for the promise of Christ. They think it long a coming.

71. Christ saith, Either make the tree good, and his Matt. v. fruit good also, or else make the tree naught, and his Luke vi. fruit naught also meaning, that the tree first should be good, and then bring forth good fruit; the fruit maketh not the tree good, but the tree maketh the fruit good; although we cannot know that the tree is good, but by his fruit, (for we can judge nothing but by his outward operation,) yet God seeth the quickness in the root, which, in the time that God hath appointed him, shall bring forth his fruit; and approveth the tree to be good, although he seem dead unto us. The tree is Faith, which is the mother of all good works, which ever worketh by charity when he seeth occasion.

The Pope and bishops say, that the fruit maketh the tree good, clean contrary to all Scripture and reason. And thus turn they the trees and the roots upward, while they affirm that faith springeth and is made good of works, and not the contrary; even as a man would say, the fruit bringeth forth and maketh good the tree, and not the contrary. Oh! what madness is this! They would make men believe, if they should long continue, that the moon is made of green cheese.

72. Christ saith, I am the door of the fold: he that John x. entereth not in by the door, but by some other way, is a thief and a murderer, and regardeth not the sheep.

The Pope, yea and all the clergy, (for the most part,) enter not in by Christ, but they run in and are not called nor sent of Christ. One entereth by a bag of money, wherewith he buyeth a fat benefice. Another entereth by serving great men, and currying favour. Another, because he is a great man born, must be made a cardinal, or else a bishop. Some have voisons of abbeys and other places, to speak a good word for them to

John x.

Matt. xxiii.

Matt. xxiii.

Acts vii.

the king or other great men. Some enter through their curious singing and minion dancing; few, or none, for virtue and learning.

73. Christ saith, I am a good shepherd; a good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.

The Pope and bishops say also, that they are good shepherds; howbeit, they pill and shear the sheep so nigh, that they leave not one lock of wool on their backs. And in all points may be likened unto the shepherds that Zacharias prophesied of; which saith, I shall raise up a shepherd in the earth, which shall not visit the things that are forsaken, and shall not seek that which is gone astray, neither yet heal the diseased, nor nourish and maintain that which standeth; but such a shepherd that shall nourish himself and not the sheep and cryeth out of him, saying, Oh! thou shepherd and idol, think you that this shepherd will give his life for the sheep?

74. Christ saith, Desire you not to be called Master, for you have but one master, which is Christ, and all you are brothers.

The Pope will be called Most Holy, his cardinals Most Reverend, his bishops Reverend, his abbots and priors Most, and other glorious titles have they that pass Master far; and except thou call them by those names and titles, thou shalt run far into their indignation, let Christ say what he will.

75. Christ commanded his disciples that they should call no man Father on the earth, showing them that they had but one Father, which is in heaven.

The Pope must be called Most Holy Father: if thou give him not that name, he will excommunicate you out of his synagogue: reason not with him; you may show him the Scripture, but it availeth not, for he will wrest it, and wring it into a thousand fashions, and will never leave it until he have brought it unto his own purpose.

76. Christ's faithful servant Stephen said, that God Almighty dwelleth not in temples that are made with

man's hands, according unto the prophet's saying, Hea- Isa. lxxvi. ven is my seat, and the earth is my footstool. What 2 Kings vii. house will you build for me? saith the Lord; which is the place of my rest? did not my hands make all these things?

The Pope and his adherents say, that he dwelleth in this place and that place; the friars say, We have him, you must buy him of us; the monks say, He is with us, be good to our monastery, and ye shall be sure to have him and so run the silly fools from Herod to Pilate. But they find not Christ, for he dwelleth in no place, but in the heart of a faithful man, which is the very temple of God.

77. Christ's apostle Paul saith, We ought not to 1 Cor. iii. think that God is like gold, silver, carved stones, or any such thing as man imagineth.

Acts xvii.

The Pope and his adherents say, that he is like a Exod. xx. stock and a stone, and causeth men to make images of him, though God commanded contrary, saying, Thou shalt make no graven image, neither any manner of similitude of those things which are in heaven above, or on the earth beneath, neither of those things which are in the water, or under the earth, neither shalt thou honour or worship them. Good Christian, beware of these idols, as St. John counselleth thee. Truly I think John v. it be one of the greatest causes of this excocation which God hath sent into the world for sin.

78. Christ said unto Peter, Thou art Simon the son John i. of Jonah, thou shalt be called Cephas, which, if it be interpreted, signifieth a stone: as St. John saith in his gospel.

The Pope saith, that Cephas signifieth the head, Dist. xxii. ca. Sacrosancta; and of that gathereth he to be head of all the bishops. Here doth he plainly contrary to gospel, which expoundeth Cephas to be a stone. What impudency is this! I think he would say also, that an ass were a man, if he thought to get any advantage through it.

Matt. x.

There are infinite other things wherein he contrarieth Christ, inasmuch that, if it be diligently examined, I think there is no word that Christ spake, but the other hath taught or made a law against it. Howbeit, for to avoid tediousness, we shall leave them unto your own judgment, for they are soon searched out and espied. Judge, Christian Reader, all these things with a simple eye; be not partially addict to the one nor to the other, but judge them by the Scripture, and acknowledge that to be the truth which God's word doth allow, avoiding all other doctrine, for it springeth of Satan. Be not ashamed to confess poor Christ, and to take him for thy head, before these ravenous wolves; for then shall he confess thee again before his Father, and the angels in heaven. Then shalt thou be inheritor with Jesus Christ, and the faithful son of thy Father which is in heaven, to whom be all glory eternally. Amen.

Here endeth the Antithesis between Christ and the Pope.

A BOOK MADE BY JOHN FRITH,

PRISONER IN THE TOWER OF LONDON,

ANSWERING UNTO

M. MORE'S LETTER,

WHICH HE WROTE AGAINST THE FIRST LITTLE TREATISE

THAT JOHN FRITH MADE CONCERNING

THE SACRAMENT

OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST.

UNTO WHICH BOOK ARE ADDED IN THE END THE ARTICLES OF HIS EXAMINATION BEFORE THE BISHOPS OF LONDON, WINCHESTER, AND LINCOLN, IN PAUL'S CHURCH, AT LONDON, FOR WHICH JOHN FRITH WAS CONDEMNED, AND AFTER BURNED IN SMITHFIELD, WITHOUT NEWGATE, THE FOURTH DAY OF JULY, ANNO 1533.

"Dead men shall rise again."

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