ris, did disassent from the hole world in
thare dayis; and will ye deny bot that thair actioun was just, and
that all those that persecuted thame war murtheraris befoir God?
May nocht the lyek be trew this day? What assurance have ye this
day of your religioun, whiche the warld that day had nocht of
thairis? Ye have a multitude that aggre with yow, and so had thay.
Ye have antiquitie of tyme, and that thay lacked nocht. Ye have
counsales, lawis, and men of reputatioun that have establisshed all
thingis, as ye suppose: Bot none of all these can maik any
religioun acceptable unto God, whiche onelie dependeth upon his
awin will, revealled to man in his most sacred word. Is it nocht
than a wonder that ye sleip in so deadlie a securitie, in the mater
of your awin salvatioun, considdering that God gevith unto yow so
manifest tockens, that ye and your leaderis ar boith declynit from
God? [SN: PROBATIOUN AGAINST THE PAPISTIS.] For yf "the tree salbe
judgit by the fruit," (as Christ Jesus affirmeth, that it must be,)
than of necessitie it is that your Prelattis, and the hole rable of
thair clergie, be evill treeis. For yf adultrie, pryde, ambitioun,
dronknes, covetousnes, incest, unthankfulnes, oppressioun, murther,
idolatrie, and blasphemye, be evill fructis, thare can none of that
generatioun, whiche clame to thame selfis the title of Churche
men,[782] be judged gud treeis; for all these pestilent and wicked
fruittis do they bring furth in greittest habundance: And gif thai
be evill treis, (as ye your selfis must be compelled to confes thay
ar,) advise prudentlie with what consciences ye can manteyne thame,
to occupy the roume and place in the Lordis vyne yarde. Do ye nocht
considder, that in so doing ye labour to manteyne the servandis of
syne in thair filthie corruptioun; and so consequentlie ye labour,
that the Devill may regne, and still abuse this realme, by all
iniquitie and tyrannye, and that Chryst Jesus and his blessed
Evangell be suppressed and extinguesshed?

[SN: AGAINST SUCHE AS UNDER COLOUR OF AUTHORITIE PERSEQUTE THAIR
BRETHERIN.]

"The name and the cloke of the Authoritie, whiche ye pretend, will
nothing excuse yow in Godis presence; but rather sall ye beir duble
condempnatioun; for that ye burdeane God, as that his good
ordinance we