od than works of mercy; as though now
man's inventions and fancies could please God better than God's precepts,
or strange things better than his own: while they thus preached that more
fruit, more devotion cometh of the beholding of an image, though it be
but a Pater-noster while, than is gotten by reading and contemplation in
scripture, though ye read and contemplate therein seven years' space:
finally, while they preached thus, souls tormented in purgatory to have
most need of our help, and that they can have no aid, but of us in this
world: of the which two, if the one be not false, yet at the least it is
ambiguous, uncertain, doubtful, and therefore rashly and arrogantly with
such boldness affirmed in the audience of the people; the other, by all
men's opinions, is manifestly false: I let pass to speak of much other
such like counterfeit doctrine, which hath been blasted and blown out by
some for the space of three hours together. Be these the Christian and
divine mysteries, and not rather the dreams of men? Be these the
faithful dispensers of God's mysteries, and not rather false dissipators
of them? whom God never put in office, but rather the devil set them over
a miserable family, over an house miserably ordered and entreated. Happy
were the people if such preached seldom.

And yet it is a wonder to see these, in their generation, to be much more
prudent and politic than the faithful ministers are in their generation;
while they go about more prudently to stablish men's dreams, than these
do to hold up God's commandments.

Thus it cometh to pass that works lucrative, will-works, men's fancies
reign; but christian works, necessary works, fruitful works, be trodden
under the foot. Thus the evil is much better set out by evil men, than
the good by good men; because the evil be more wise than be the good in
their generation. These be the false stewards, whom all good and
faithful men every day accuse unto the rich master of the household, not
without great heaviness, that they waste his goods; whom he also one day
will call to him, and say to them as he did to his steward, when he said,
"What is this that I hear of thee?" Here God partly wondereth at our
ingratitude and perfidy, partly chideth us for them; and being both full
of wonder and ready to chide, asketh us, "What is this that I hear of
you?" As though he should say unto us, "All good men in all places
complain of you, accuse your avarice, your exact