they
themselves are not ignorant hereof: yea, and sometime also they let not
to confess it openly. And for this cause they say that the ordinances of
the old councils and fathers be such as may now and then be altered, and
that sundry and divers decrees serve for sundry and divers times of the
Church. Thus lurk they under the name of the Church, and beguile silly
creatures with their vain glozing. It is to be marvelled that either men
be so blind that they cannot see this, or if they see it, to be so
patient as they can lightly and quietly bear it.

But, whereas they have commanded that those decrees should be void, as
things now waxen too old, and that have lost their grace, perhaps they
have provided in their stead certain other better things, and more
profitable for the people. For it is a common saying with them that, "if
Christ Himself or the Apostles were alive again, they could not better
nor godlier govern God's Church than it is at this present governed by
them." They have put in their stead indeed; but it is "chaff instead of
wheat," as Hieremy saith, and such things as, according to Esay's words,
"God never required at their hands." "They have stopped up," saith he,
"all the veins of clear springing water, and have digged up for the
people deceivable and puddle-like pits, full of mire and filth, which
neither have nor are able to hold pure water." They have plucked away
from the people the Holy Communion, the Word of God, from whence all
comfort should be taken; the true worshipping of God also, and the right
use of sacraments and prayer; and have given us of their own to play
withal in the meanwhile, salt, water, oil, boxes, spittle, palms, bulls,
jubilees, pardons, crosses, censings, and an endless rabble of
ceremonies, and, as a man might term with Plautus, "pretty games to make
sport withal." In these things have they set all their religion,
teaching the people that by these God may be duly pacified, spirits be
driven away, and men's consciences well quieted. For these, lo, be the
orient colours and precious savours of Christian religion; these things
doth God look upon and accepteth them thankfully; these must come in
place to be honoured, and put quite away the institutions of Christ and
of His Apostles. And like as in times past, when wicked King Jeroboam
had taken from the people the right serving of God, and brought them to
worship the golden calves, lest perchance they might afterward chang