ects, because men seek not the Head, and have not
their recourse to the fountain (of the Scriptures), and keep not the
rules given by the heavenly Teacher. For, saith he, that is not peace,
but war; neither is he joined unto the Church, which is severed from the
Gospel. As for these men, they used to make a merchandise of the name of
peace. For that peace which they so fain would have, is only a rest of
idle bellies. They and we might easily be brought to atonement; touching
all these matters, were it not that ambition, gluttony, and excess did
let it. Hence cometh their whining, their heart is on their halfpenny.
Out of doubt their clamours and stirs be to none other end, but to
maintain more shamefully and naughtily ill-gotten things.

Nowadays the pardoners complain of us, the dataries, the pope's
collectors, the bawds, and others which take gain to be godliness, and
serve not Jesus Christ but their own bellies. Many a day ago, and in the
old world, a wonderful great advantage grew hereby to these kinds of
people. But now they reckon, all is lost unto them, that Christ gaineth.
The pope himself maketh a great complaint at this present, that charity
in people is waxen cold. And why so, trow ye? Forsooth, because his
profits decay more and more. And for this cause doth he hale us into
hatred, all that ever he may, laying load upon us with despiteful
railings, and condemning us for heretics, to the end, they that
understand not the matter may think there be no worse men upon earth than
we be. Notwithstanding, we in the mean season are never the more ashamed
for all this; neither ought we to be ashamed of the gospel. For we set
more by the glory of God, than we do by the estimation of men. We are
sure all is true that we teach, and we may not either go against our own
conscience, or bear any witness against God. For if we deny any part of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ before men, He on the other side will deny us
before His Father. And if there be any that will still be offended, and
cannot endure Christ's doctrine, such, say we, be blind, and leaders of
the blind; the truth, nevertheless, must be preached and preferred above
all, and we must with patience wait for God's judgment. Let these folk,
in the meantime, take good heed what they do, and let them be well
advised of their own salvation, and cease to hate and persecute the
Gospel of the Son of God, for fear lest they feel Him once a redresser
and reveng