again, there is a discord, saith he, that is profitable.  For we must conditionally desire peace, so far as is lawful before God, and so far as we may conveniently.  For otherwise Christ Himself brought not peace into the world, but a sword.  Wherefore, if the pope will have us be reconciled to him, his duty is first to be reconciled to God.  For from thence, saith Cyprian, spring schisms and sects, 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 revenger of His own cause.  God will not suffer Himself to be made a mocking stock.  The world espieth a good while agone what there is a doing abroad.  This flame, the more it is kept down, so much the more with greater force and strength doth it break out and fly abroad.  Their unfaithfulness shall not disappoint God’s faithful promise.  And if they shall refuse to lay away this their hardness of heart, and to receive the Gospel of Christ, then shall publicans and sinners go before them into the kingdom of Heaven.