say that the spyryte of god was more effectually present and assysteÌ„t vnto the synagoge of the Iewys in the law of hys prophete Moyses theÌ„ vnto the church of hys awne onely bygoten sonne in the law of crystys gospell ¶ If they consyder well the bokê of y â— Machabeys they shall fynd suche thynge therin as maye geue theym good occasyon to put lyttell dowte but that yt shuld be of great and vndenyable authoryte For they shall fynde there that the greate good and godly valyaunt capytayne of goddys people dyd instytute and ordayne the great feste of the dedycacyon of the temple of HierusaleÌ„ called festuÌ„ encemoruÌ„ of the annuall instytucyon of whyche feste we rede no where ellys but in y â— boke of the Machabeys And yet fynde we that feste euer after contynued and had in honour vntyll crystê awne dayes and our sauyour hym selfe went to the celebracyon of that same feste as appereth in the gospell of saynt IhaÌ„n So that yt may well appere that y e bokys of that noble hystory wherof remeaneth so noble a monument and remembraunce contynually kepte and reserued so longe after and honowred by crystes awne precyouse ê‘son and testyfyed by hys holy Euangelyste in the boke of hys holy gospell can not be but vndowted trewth and of dyuyne authoryte ¶ And surely yf they deny y e boke of the Machabeys for holy scripture bycause the Iewys accompte yt not for suche then shall they by the same reason refuse the authoryte of the boke of Sapyence and proue theym selfe insypyentys And lyke wyse yf they take all scrypture bysyde the newe testament to be of none other force and authoryte then yt ys accomptyd in the rule and canon of the Iewes then shall the hole psalter of Dauyd the very somme of clere and lyghte some prophesyes leese amonge theym greate parte of his authoryte syth yt ys not taken in lyke force and strenght among the Iewes as yt ys in Crystys church ¶ Fynall for the boke of the Machabees syth the church of Cryste accounteth yt for holy scrypture there can no man dout therof but he that wyll take awaye all credence and authoryte from the hole scrypture of god the very gospellys and all For yf these heretykys deny for holy scrypture eny boke that the chyrche of Cryste accounteh for holy scrypture then deny they one of the grettyst foundacyons of all crysteÌ„ fayth and the thyng whych theyr master Marten Luther hym self hath all redy confessed for trew For he affyrmyth hym selfe that god hath gyuen vnto the church of Cryste that gyfte that the church cannot fayle surely and certeynly to discerne betwene the wordys of god and the wordys of men y t yt cannot be desceyuyd in the choyse of holy scrypture and reiectyng of the contrary so farforth that he coÌ„fessyth as he nedys must of necessyte that the noble doctour and gloryouse coÌ„fessour saynt Austeyne sayth very well when he sayd that he shuld not haue beleuyd the gospell but for y e authorite of y e church For he had not knowen whych had bene the very boke of the gospels and whych not amoÌ„g so many as were wryten but by the authoryte of the church whom the spyryte of god assysted as yt euer dothe and euer shall in the choyse and receyuyng of holy scripture and reieccyoÌ„ of the couÌ„terfete and false Wherby yt apperyth clerely not onely by that holy doctour saynt Austeyn but also by the confessyon of y e arche heretyke Luther hym selfe that the church cannot be dysseyuyd in the choyce of holy scrypture and reieccyon of the contrary so farforthe y t yt neyther can receyue as holy scrypture eny booke that ys none nor reiect for other then holy scrypture eny boke that is holy scrypture in dede And surely yf the churche myghte so be deceyuyd in the choyse of holy scripture that they myghte take approue for holy scrypture eny boke that were none then stode all crystendome in dout and vnsurety whether saynt IhaÌ„ns gospell were holy scripture or not and so forth of all the new testament ¶ And therfore syth as we haue shewed you by the heretykes owne confessyons the church of Cryste cannot be deceyuyd in the choyse eleccyon of holye scrypture by whyche they re confessyon they muste nedys abyde and not flyt therfro as they dayly do chauÌ„ge and vary from theyr owne wordê in many other thyngis except that they wyll in the fallyng from that poynte refuse the streÌ„ghte and authoryte of the newe testament of cryste and syth as your selfe well perceyueth also the churche of cryste receyueth and taketh and as ye se by saynt Hyerome and other olde holy doctours thys thowsande yere hath approued and fermely byleued the holy boke of the Machabeys to be one of the volumes of holy scrypture and then in that boke ye se so manyfestely purgatory proued that none heretyque as shamelesse as they be can yet for shame say the coÌ„trary but are by the playn and open wordys of that holy boke so dreuen vp to y â— hard wall that they can no ferther but are fayne to say that the boke ys no parte of scrypture whyche shyfte they must nedys forsake agayne or ellys reuoke they re awne wordys and therwyth also thauthoryte of all crystê gospell there shall yf eyther reason or shame can holde neuer nede eny ferther thyng for the profe of purgatory to stoppe y â— mowthys of all the heretyques that are or shal be to the worldys ende ¶ But yet syth they be so hamelesse and vnresonable that the thyng whyche they can in no wyse defende they can not yet fynde in they re prowde harte to gyue ouer but when yt ys prouyd by dyuers playne textis of y â— olde testament then hauyng no probable reason for they re parte they neuer the more gyue place to trewth but stykke to they re obstynate nay let vs se whyther our purpose be not preued by good and substancyall authoryte in the newe testament also ¶ And fyrste let vs consyder the wordys of the blessyd apostle and euaÌ„gelyst saynt IhaÌ„n where he sayth Est peccatuÌ„ vsque ad morteÌ„ non dico vt pro to roget quis There ys sayth he some synne that ys vnto the deth I bydde not that eny man shall praye for that Thys synne as the interpreters agre ys vnderstanden of desperacyon and impenytens as though saynt IhaÌ„n wolde say y t who so depart owt of thys world impeniteÌ„t or in dispayre eny prayour after made caÌ„ neuer stande hym in stede Then appereth yt clerely that saynt IhaÌ„n meaneth that there be other whyche dye not in such case for whom he wolde men shuld pray bycause y â— prayour to suche sowlys may be ê“fytable But that profyte can no man take neyther beyng in heuen where yt nedeth not nor beyng in hell where yt boteth not Wherfore it appereth plaine y t such prayour helpeth onely for
And thus tellyng such wyse talys for they re owne parte and makyng mokkys and mowes at euery thyng that maketh agaynst theyr foly for our parte they go forth in they re euyll wyll and obstynacy and with murmur grudge of they re owne consyence coÌ„tent theym selfe wyth y â— onely feding of they re malycyouse myndis by the encreace of they re faccyon of such as fall in to they re felyshype rather of a lyght mynde and lewde pleasure to taire a parte then of eny greate credence that they gyue vnto theym or greately force whyche way they byleue For surely yf these folke were resonable and indyfferent as yt ys not well possyble for them to be after that they refuse onys to byleue y â— catholyque church in y â— vnderstandyng of scripture lene onely to they re awne wyttys but ellys as we say yf they could wyth an equall indyfferent mynd consyder and way what they here they shulde sone se they re heresye reproued and purgatory surely coÌ„fermed not onely by probable reason taken of the scrypture as in y â— place that we rehersed you of Ezechyas but also by playne and euydent textys ¶ For haue ye not the wordys of scrypture wryten in the boke of the kyngys Dominus deducit ad inferos et reducit our lord bryngeth folke downe in to hell and bryngeth theym thense agayne But they y t be in that hell where the daÌ„pned sowlê be they be neuer delyuered thense agayne Wherfore yt appereth well that they whom god delyuereth and bryngeth theÌ„se agayn be in that part of hell that ys callyd purgatory ¶ What say they to the wordys of the ê“phete zachary Tu quoque in saguine testamenti tui eduxisti vinctos tuos de lacu in quo non erat aqua Thou hast in the blode of thy testament brought out thy bounden prysoners owte of the pyt or lake in whych there was no water In that they whom the prophete there speketh of were bounden we may well perceyue that they were in â— pryson of punyshement And in that he calleth theym the prysoners of god yt ys eth to perceyue that he meaneth not eny that were takeÌ„ and emprysoned by eny other than the dampned spyrytys the very gaolers of god And in that he sayth that there ys in that lake no water we may well perceyue that he spake yt in descrypcyon of that drye pyt of fyre where in there ys no refreshyng For as hote are we here as they are in hell And what â—ete ys in the pyt where there lakketh water our sauyour hym selfe declareth by the wordys of the rych gloton lyeng in such a lake from whense at syght of pore Lazarus in Abrahams bosom he desyred heuely to haue hym sent vnto hym wyth one droppe of water to refreshe hys tonge that after all the delycates that yt had tasted in his lyfe lay there theÌ„ sore burnyng neuer set half so mych by twenty tonne of wyne as he set by one pore drop of water So that as we shewe you these wordys of y â— ê“phete zachary Thou haste brought owte thy boundeÌ„ presoners owte of the lake where in ys no water do ryght well appere to be spokeÌ„ of these pore eÌ„presoned sowlys whom cryst after hys bytter passyon by hys precyouse blode wherwyth he consecrated hys church in hys newe testament delyuered owt of the lake of fyre wherin they lay boundeÌ„ for they re synnys But nowe ys there no man y â— dowteth whyther cryste delyuered the daÌ„pned sowlis owt of hell or not For in y â— hell ys there no redempcyon in limbo patrum the sowlys were in reste Wherfore it appereth clerely that those â—soners whom he brought owte of they re payne he brought onely owte of purgatory And so se these heretyques purgatory clerly proued by the playn wordys of thys holy prophete ¶ A nother place ys there also in the olde testament that putteh purgatory quyte owt of questyon For what ys playnner then the places whych in the boke of the Machabees make mencyon of the deuowt remembrauÌ„ce prayoure almoyse sacryfyce to be done for sowlys when the good and holy man Iudas Machabeus gathered money among the peple to by sacryfyce wythall to be offred vp for y â— sowlys of theym that were dede in the batayle Doth not thys place of scrypture so openly declare the nede that we sowlys haue in purgatorye the relyefe that we fynd by the prayour and suffragys of good peple vppon erthe that all the heretyques that barke so faste agaynst vs can fynd neyther glose nor colour to the contrary ¶ What shyfte fynde they here surely a very shamelesse shyfte and are fayne to take theym to that take lynge that ys they re shote anker allway when they fynde the storme so great that they se theyr shyp goth all to wrekk For first they vse to set some false glose to the text that ys layed agaynst theym and deny the ryght sense ¶ But now yf the texte be so playne that they can haue no suche colour then when they can haue no more holde but se that they re parte goth all to naught they fall to a shamelesse boldnes let no to deny the scrypture and all say y â— hole scrypture whych ys layd agaynste them ys none holy scrypture at all as Luther playth wyth the godly epystle of Crystys blyssed apostle saynt Iamys And euyn the same do those heretykê wyth the authoryte of this holy boke of Machabees they be not ashamed to say that yt ys not scrypture But vppon what grownd do they deny yt for scrypture because yt is not foundâ— and accompted for holy scrypture among y â— Iewys They neyther do nor can deny but that yt ys taken for holy scripture by the churche of Cryste For yf they wold denye that both the hole chyrche bereth wytnes agaynst them at this day it also appereth playnly by saynt Hyerome saynt Austayn other old holy doctours that the church so toke yt also in theyr days before theÌ„ wold we gladly wit of these new men these enmyes we mean of ours whyther the chyrch of crist be not of as great authoryte and as mych to be beleuyd in the choyse eleccyoÌ„ of holy scrypture as the Iewes If they wyll say yes theÌ„ answere they them self for then ys the boke of the Machabees by y â— choyce of the chyrch prouyd holy scrypture though the Iewes neuer accounted yt so Now yf they will say no and wyll contend that yt caÌ„not be accountyd holy scrypture though the chyrch of Cryste so take take yt but yf the Iewes so toke yt too then go they nere to put out saynt IhaÌ„ns gospell out of scrypture too for the Iewes neuer toke yt for none And surely yf they admyt for scripture that book that the Iewes admytted deny that boke to be scrypture whych the church of Cryste receyueth for scrypture theÌ„ do they
¶ The supplycacyon of soulys Made by syr Thomas More knyght councellour to our souerayn lorde the Kynge and chauncellour of hys Duchy of Lancaster ¶ Agaynst the supplycacyon of beggars ¶ To all good Crysten people IN most pytuouse wyse coÌ„tinually calleth cryeth vppon your deuout cherite moste teÌ„der pyte for helpe cuÌ„fort relyefe your late aquayntauÌ„ce kindred spouses coÌ„panions play felowes freÌ„dê now your humble vnacquaynted halfe forgoteÌ„ supplyauÌ„tys pore prysoners of god y â— sely sowlys in purgatory here abydyng enduryng y â— greuouse paynys hote cleÌ„synge fyre y â— freteth burneth owte y e rustye fylthy spottê of our synne tyll y â— mercy of almighty god y â— rather by your good cherytable meanes vowchesaufe to delyuer vs hense ¶ From wheÌ„se yf ye meruayll why we more now moleste and trouble you wyth our wrytyng then euer we were wonte byfore yt may lyke you to wyt and vnderstand that hytherto though we haue bene wyth many folke mych forgoten of neglygeÌ„ce yet hath alway good folke remembred vs and we haue bene recommended vnto god and eased holpen and relieued both by the pryuate prayers of good vertuouse people and specyally by the dayly masses other gostely suffrages of prestys relygyouse and folke of holy churche But now syth that of late there are sprongâ— vp certayne sedycyouse persones whych not onely trauayle and labour to dystroy them by whome we be mych holpen but also to sowe and sette forth such a pestylent opynyon agaynst our selfe as ones receyued and byleued among y â— people must nedys take frome vs the relyefe cuÌ„forte that euer shuld come to vs by the cherytable almesse prayour and good wurkes of the world ye may take yt for no wonder though we sely sowlys that haue longe lyen and cryed so farre frome you that we seldome brake your slepe do now in thys oure great fere of our vtter losse for euer of your louyng remembraunce and relyefe not yet importunatly byâ—eue you of your reste wyth cryenge at your eares at vnseasonable tyme when ye wold as we do neuer repose your self and take ease but onely procure to be presented vnto you thys pore boke thys humble supplycacyon of owrs whyche yt may please you ê‘cell meale at your leysure to loke ouer for all sely sowlys sake that yt may be as an holsome tryacle at your harte agaynst the dedely poyson of they re pestylent ê‘suasyon that wold bryng you in that errour to wene there were no purgatory Of all whych cruell persones so procuring not y â— mynysshement of your mercy toward vs but the vtter spoyle robbery of our hole helpe and comforte that shuld come from you y e very wurste and thereby the moste dedely deuysour of our paynys and heuynes god forgeue hym ys that dyspytuouse dyspytefull person which of late vnder pretexte of pyte made and put forth among you a boke that he namyd the supplycacyon for the beggars a booke indede nothynge lesse intendyng then the pyte that yt pretendeth nothyng myndyng y â— weale of eny maÌ„ but as we shall hereafter shew you mych harme and myschyefe to all men and among other great sorow dyscuÌ„fort and heuenysse vnto vs your euen crysten and nygh kynne your late neyghbours and plesaunt companyoÌ„s vppon erth and now pore prysoners here ¶ And albe yt y t hys vnhappy boke doth for our owne ê‘te towche vs very nere yet we be mych more moued to geue y â— world warnyng of hys venymous wrytynge for the dere loue cheryte that we bere to you then for the respecte of our owne relyefe For as for vs albeyt that the gracyouse helpe of your pryour almesse dede and other good warkis for vs may be the meanes of relyeuyng and releasyng of our preseÌ„t paynis yet such ys the mercyfull goodnes of god that though the hole world wold clene forgete vs yet wold his mercy so remember vs that after temporall punysshement and purgyng here he wyll not fynally forgete to take vs hense and wypyng all y â— terys owt of our eyeÌ„ translate vs at sondry tymes as hys hygh wysedom seeâ—h conuenyent in to that eternal heuenly blesse to whych his holy blyssyd blood hath bought vs. But surely to you worldly people lyuynge there vppon erth not onely for this present tyme but also for as longe as thys world shall endure the wreched maker of that vngracyouse boke whome god giue onys the grace to repeÌ„te amend yf folke were so fonde to folowe hym shulde not fayle to worke as well myche worldely trouble to euery kynde of people as ouer that whych most losse were of all to brynge many a good symple soule for lakke of belefe of purgatory the very strayght way to hell ¶ And the case so standynge there wold we thynke no man dowte but thoughe the man that made the boke were well knowen amonge you and in holde also whereby hys heyghnouse treason to god and y â— world dysclosed declared by vs he myght be in parell of exquysyte paynefull punysshement yet we both myght and ought rather to put hym in the daunger of hys awne demeanure then for the sparyng of hys iuste correccyon to suffer hym abuse y â— people wyth hys pestylent wrytynge to the inestymable harme of the hole worlde in goodys body sowle And syth we so myght of reason so shuld of cheryte though the man were knowen and taken how myche may we nowe more frankely tell you all and nothynge shall nede to spare hym syth hys boke ys nameles so hym self among you vnknoweÌ„ and therby owte of the parell of eny punysshement for hys vnhappy dede ¶ But for that both ye he shall well perceyue that we desyre but your weale and ours by gyuyng you warnynge of hys malyce and nothyng entend to procure hys punysshement whyche we rather beseche our lord of hys mercy to remytte ye shall vnderstand that neyther ys his name nor persone vnknowen among vs and therfore wemight well discouer hym yf we were so mynded For there is not onely some of hys acquayntauÌ„ce and counseyll whome god gaue at they re deth the grace to repente comen hyther to purgatory nothyng more now lamentyng among vs then they re cruell vnkyndenesse toward vs in geuyng counseyll agaynst vs to the makyng of that vngracyouse boke wyth infydelyte and lakke of bylyefe of the pourgyng fyre whych they now fynde and fele but he ys also named and bosted among vs by that euell aungell of hys owre and your gostely enemy the deuyll whych as sone as he had set hym a wurke wyth that pernycyouse boke ceaced not to come hyther and boste yt among vs but wyth his enmyouse enuoyuse laughter gnasshyng the teeth and grynnynge he tolde vs that hys peopyll had by the aduyse and couÌ„sayll of hym and of some heretyques almost as euill as he made suche a boke for beggars that
and burnyng of theyr erronyouse bokes for euer vppoÌ„ that stryng he harpeth very angry wyth the burnyng of Tyndals testament For these matters he calleth them blood suppers dronken in the blood of holy sayntes and marters ye merueyll paraduenture which holy sayntes martyrs he menyth Surely by hys holy sayntê and marters he meanyth theyr holy scysmatykes and heretykes for whose iust ponyshment these folk that ar of y â— same sect fume frete frote and fome as fyerce and as angerly as a new huntyd sow And for the raÌ„cour conceyuyd vppon this dysplesure cometh vp all hys coÌ„playnt of the possessyons of the clergye Wheryn he spareth forbereth the nuÌ„nys yet because they haue no iurisdyccyon vppon heretykys for els he wold haue cryed out vppoÌ„ theyr possessyoÌ„s to But thys ys now no new thyng nor y t furste tyme y t heretykes haue bene in haÌ„d wyth the mater For furste was there in the .xi. yere of kynge Henry the fourth one IhaÌ„n Badby burned for heresy And forth wyth theruppon was there at the next ê‘lyment holden y â— same yere a byll put in declaryng how mych temporall laÌ„d was in the church which rekenyng the maker therof gessyd at by y â— nomber of knyghâ—s fees of whych he had went he had made a very iuste account And in thys byll was yt deuysed to take theyr possessyons out agayn How be yt by the byll yt appered well vnto theÌ„ whych well vndersâ—â—de y â— mater that the maker of the byll neither wyst what land there 〈◊〉 nor how many knyghtê fees there was in the church nor well what thyng a knyghtes fee ys but the byll deuysed of rancour yuell will by some such as fauoured Badby that was burned and wolde haue hys heresyes fayne go forward ¶ And so y t byll suche as yt was such was yt estemed and set a syde for nought So happed yt theÌ„ sone after that in y â— first yereof y â— kyngê mooste noble progenytour kynge Henry the fyfte those heresyes secretely crepyng on styll among the people a great nomber of theym had fyrst couertely coÌ„spyred and after openly gathred and assembled theym selfe purposyng by opeÌ„ warre and batayle to destroy y â— kyng and hys nobles and subuerte the realme Whose traytorouse maâ—yce that good catholyque kynge preuented wythstode ouerthrew and punyshed by many of them takeÌ„ in the feld and after for theyr traytorouse heresyes bothe hanged and burned Whervppon forthwyth at y â— parlymeÌ„t holdeÌ„ y â— same yere lyke wyse as that ryall prynce 〈◊〉 vertuouse nobles his good crysten coÌ„munes deuysed good lawes agaynst heretyques so dyd some of suche as fauored theym efte sonys put in the byll agaynst the spyrytualltye Whyche efte sonys consydered for suche as it was and cummynge of suche malyciouse purpose as yt cam was agayne reiected and set a syde for nought TheÌ„ was there longe after that one Rycharde howndon burned for here sye And theÌ„ forthe wyth were there a rable of heretyques gatheryd theym self to gyther at Abyndon whych not enteÌ„dyd to lese eny more labour by puttynge vp of byllys in the parlementê but to make an open insurreccyon and subuerte all the realme and then to kyll vp y â— clergye and sell preestes heddes as good chepe as shepys heddê threfor a peny bye who wold But god saued y â— chyrch y â— realm both tourned they re malyce vppoÌ„ they re awne heddê And yet after theyr punyshment then were there some that renewed the byll agayn And 〈…〉 after this was ther one IhaÌ„n Goose rosted at y â— towre hyll And 〈◊〉 forth wyth some other IhaÌ„n goose bygaÌ„ to bere that bell a brâ—de agayn made some gagâ—ing a whyle but yt auayled hym not And now bycause some heretyques haue bene of 〈◊〉 abâ—â—red thys 〈◊〉 therfore hath made thys beggers byll and gageleth a 〈◊〉 vppon the same mater and that as he thynketh by a ê“per 〈◊〉 lykely to spede now bycause he maketh his byll in the name of the 〈◊〉 and hys byll cowhed as full of lyes as any begger swarmeth full of lyce ¶ We neyther wyll nor shall nede to make myche busynes abowte thys 〈…〉 myche better in the goodnesse of good men theÌ„ 〈…〉 nede for thys thyng to reason agaynst an vnresonable 〈◊〉 We be sure ynoughe that good men were they y â— gaue this 〈…〉 and therfore nought shuld they be of lykelyhed that 〈…〉 thense agayn To whych rauyne and sacrylege our lord◠〈…〉 shall neuer suffer thys realme to fall ¶ 〈…〉 Austeyn in his dayes when he parceyuyd that some 〈…〉 at the possessyons that then were geuen in to 〈…〉 in an open sermon amonge all the people â—ffer them 〈…〉 agayne and that hys church and he wold forsake theÌ„ 〈…〉 theym take theym who wolde And yet was there not â—foundâ— in all the towne aloe yt that the people were as these Affrycanis 〈…〉 barbarouse fyerce boystuouse yet was there none as we say fowden eny one so badde that his 〈◊〉 word serue hym to enâ—â—e in to one foâ—e ¶ When Phargo the kynge of Egypte bought vp in the dere yeres all the landys that were in euery maÌ„nes hande so that all the people were fayne to sell they re enherytaunce for hunger yet ydolater as he was he wold neuer suffer for eny nede the possessyons of y â— prestê to be 〈◊〉 but made prouysyon for theym beside and suffred theym to kepe they re landys styll as the byble bereth wytnesse And we verely truste that the good chrysten prynces of the chrysten realme of Englonde shall neuer fayle of more fauour towarde the clergye of Cryste then had that prynce Idolatre to the preestes of hys ydollê yeâ— ys yt not ynough to the cruell mynde of thys man to take frome the hole clergy all that euer they haue but that he wold ferther haue theym bounden vnto cartes and whypped to dryue theym to labour ¶ Of all theues ys thys one of the wurste and moste cruell kynde For of all theues meÌ„ most abhorre them that whan they haue takeÌ„ a mannes money frome hym theÌ„ take and bynde hym and bete hym to But yeâ— ys this wretche mych wurse For he fareth as a cruell thefe that wolde wythout respecte of hys awne commodyte take a mannê money frome hym and caste yt he care not where and then bynde the man to a tree and bete hym for hys pleasure Oh the cheryte ¶ But he sayeth he wolde haue theym whypped to compell them to laboure and gette they re lyuynge in the swete of they re faces And thys wold he not good man but for fulfullyng of goddys commaundement For he sayeth that yt ys coÌ„maunded them in the fyrst chapter of Genesys And therfore ys he theryn so indiffereÌ„t thâ—t he excepteth none but calleth the beste but ydle holy theues and so wold haue thâ— all robbed and spoyled bounden and beten to compell them to wâ—â—k wyth they re handes to gete
paratus sum many an other verse in y â— psalter also though y â— same wordys may be well applyed veryfyed of many an other maÌ„ offrynge hym selfe pacyently to the sufferaunce of vniust punyshement And therfore leste these heretyques shold wyth eny such inuencyons bygyle you make you beleue y t we for the furtherauÌ„ce of oure awne cause expoune y â— apostles wordê wroÌ„g so make theym seme to say for our parte ye shall vnderstande that those wordys haue bene expowned and vnderstanden of purgatory thys thowsande yere and more by y â— auncyent holy doctours of crystys churche as well grekys as latyns And amoÌ„g other the great clerke Orygene in mo placys of hys wurkys then one declareth playnely that the afore remembred wordê of the apostle are spokeÌ„ by y â— paynis of purgatory The holy coÌ„fessour and great pyller of cristys church saynt Austayne in dyuerse of hys godly and erudite bokys expowneth that place of saynt Poule to be clerely spoken of purgatory And ouer thys the blessyd Pope saynt Gregory in the fourth boke of hys godly dyalogys bereth wytnesse that the apostle in the place aforesayd wrote those wordys of purgatory So that ye may playnely perceyue that thys exposycyon ys neyther our deuyce no eny newe foundeÌ„ fantesy but a very trewth well perceyued and wytnessed by great conyng men holy blessyd sayntê more then a thowsand yere ago ¶ Now yf these heretyques wyll be so madde to flyt in thys case from saynt Poule and say they be bounden to beleue nothynge but onely y â— gospell let vs theÌ„ yet see ferther whyther we may not playnly proue you purgatory by y â— very wordys of the gospell selfe Doth not our blyssed sauyoure hym selfe say that there ys a certayne synne whych a man may so commyt agaynst the holy goste y t yt shall neuer be remyttyd nor forgyuen neyther in thys worlde nor in the world to 〈◊〉 Now as for to dyspute what maner synne that shuld be both y â— mater were very hard and also we shall here nothing nede to touche yt But of one thing both ye we may make vs very sure that there ys nor caÌ„ be eny synne coÌ„mytted in the world so sore so greuouse nor so abomynable but that yf a man wurk wyth goddys â—â—race by coÌ„try cyon and heuynes of hart wyth humble confessyon of mouth good endeuour of penauÌ„ce and satysfaccyon in dede agaynst hys thought word and dede by whych god was offended he shall obtayn of goddê goodnes remyssyen forgyuenes and pardon ¶ But yt may paraduenture so befall that by sum kinde of vnkyndnes â—syd toward god exteÌ„dyng to the blasphemy of his holy spiryte the coÌ„mytter of y t synne may so farr offend that he shall for hys desert demeryte haue y â— grace of almyghty god so clerely wythdrawn from hym that our lorde shall neuer offer hys grace after nor neuer more call vppon hym And then hys grace onys clerely wythdrawen from a man he can neuer be able to repent and returne agayn to god For grace ys y â— lyght wher wyth men se y â— way to walk out of synne and grace ys the staf wythout help wherof no man is able to ryse out of synne accordyng to the wordys of holy wrytt spoken to man in the parson of our lord god Exte perditio tua eâ—me saluatio tua Thy perdycyon cuÌ„meth of thy self but thy saluacyon cummeth of me by y â— ayd and help of my grace Which grace as we tell you beyng fro sum man vtterly wythdrawn for sum maâ—â—â— vnkynd behauour towarde god and blasphemy agaynst the holy goste that synne for lak of repeÌ„taunce whych can neuer cum where grace ys clene gone shall neuer be forgeuen in thys world nor in y â— world to cuÌ„ And in such a maner kynde of vnkyndenes towarde god and blasphemy towarde the holy goste fall also all such wretchys as haue y â— grace of god euer callyng knokkyng vppon theÌ„ for repentauÌ„ce all the days of theyr lyfe and yet all that notwyhstandynge wyll not vse ye nor worke there wyth nor turne to god but wyllyngly wyll dye desperate and impenytente wretchys ¶ Thys kynde of blasphemees of goddys goodnes hys holy spyryte haue in y â— myserable passyng of theyr synfull soule out of theyr sensuall bodys the grace of god so fully and so fynally wytdrawen from theym for euer that they be thereby fyxed and confyrmed in an vnchaungeable malyce whyche eternally dwellyng wyth theym is the very specyall cause of they re euerlastynge turment But in thys mater as we sayed we wade owte of our purpose sauynge that yt semed vs yet necessary syth our sauyour in the place that we speke of doth hym selfe shew that there ys a certayne synne so to wchynge the holy gooste that it shall neuer by forgyuen neyther in thys world nor in the world to come yt semed as we say some what necessary to saye sum what theryn leste sum that rede yt myght conceyue a wrong opynion and a false fere drawyng theym towarde dyspayre that yf they myshappenyd whych our lorde forbede to fall in to blasphemy agaynst the holy gooste they coud neuer after be forgeuen how sore so euer they repentyd or how hartely and how bysely so euer they shuld pray therfore In whyche thynge syth we haue shewed you what we take for trouth we shall leue that mater and shew you how those wordys of Cryste proue you our pryncypall purpose that ys to say that there ys a purgatory How be yt we shall scanâ—ly nede to shew you that for the very wordys be playn and euydent of them self For when our lorde sayth that the blaphemy agaynste the holy goste shall not by forgeuen nether in thys world nor in the worlde to come he geueth vs clere knowlege that of other synnys sum shal be forgeuen in thys world and sum in the world to come ¶ Now ar there in this world euery synne forgeuen in such as shall be saued sowles except such venyall synnys and such teÌ„porall payn as yet due to the dedely synnys rest and remayn to be purged here in purgatory For none other place ys there then thys in the worlde to cum after mannys lyfe in whych eyther synne or payne dew to eny synne shal be remitted For in to heueÌ„ shall neyther synne nor payn enter and in hell shall neuer none be releasyd And therefore when Cryste by shewynge that sum kynde of synne shall not be remyttyd in the worlde to cum doth geue men knowlege that on the tother syde sum synnys shall in the worlde to come be remytted and forgeuen And then syth no man douteth but that neyther in hell shall eny synnys by forgeuen nor in heuen very reson techyth that the place in whych some synnys shal be forgeuen after thys lyfe can be none other but purgatory ¶ There is as we suppose no crysteÌ„ maÌ„ lyuyng but
he wyll thynk that eny one place of holye scrypture ys ynoughe to the profe of eny trouthe Now haue we prouyd you purgatory by the playne textis of mo places thaÌ„ one two or thre And yet shall we geue you a nother so playn as we suppose so euydeÌ„t for the profe of purgatory as none heretyke shall fynde eny good coloure of escape For oure sauyoure Cryste sayeth as yt ys rehersyd in the .xii. chapyter of Mathew that men shall yelde a rekenyng of euery ydle word and that shal be after thys present lyfe Then woteth euery man that by that rekenyng ys vnderstanden a punyshement therfore whyche shall not be in hell 〈◊〉 mych lesse in heuen And therfore can yt be no where ellys but in purgatory ¶ â—o thus may ye se purgatory clerely proued by the very scripture self by the boke of the kyngê by y â— ê“phete zachary by the holy boke of y â— Machabees by y â— wordê of saynt IhaÌ„n by thapostle saynt Peter â—by the writyng of our sauyour cryst hym self so y â— we not a lytell meruayle eyther of the ignoraunce or shamelesse boldnes of all suche as hauynge eny lernynge dare call theym selfe crysten men and yet deny pargatory For yf they haue lernynge perceyue not these clere 〈…〉 we meruayle of they re ignoraunce Wyth whych whyte they ioyne a prowde pretence of lernynge they fall in to the reprose y â— saint Poule spake of the paynym phylosophers dicentes se esse sapienâ—es stulti facti sunt whyle they called theym selfe wyse they proued sturke folys Now yf they perceyue well these textys of holy scrypture so playnely prouyng purgatory and yet them selfe stykke 〈◊〉 in the denyeng we then meruayle mych more that they dore for shame call theym selfe crysten men and then deny the thynge whych the blssyd apostles of cryste y â— sacred maiestye of our sauyour cryst hym selfe in the holy scrypture in hys holy gospellys so manefestely and so playnele affyrmeth ¶ And yet many an other playne texte ys there in holy scrypture y â— as the olde holy doctours bere witnesse well proueth our purpose for purgatory whych we speke here nothyng of syth fewer textys theÌ„ we haue all redy shewed you both myght and ought to suffyce you For eny one playne texte of scrypture suffyseth for the porfe of eny trouth excepte eny man be of the mynde that he wyll haue god tell hys 〈◊〉 wyse ereâ—he byleue hym ¶ Now yf thâ—se heretyques fall to theyr accustumed frowardnesse and as they be wont to do wyll rather deny that the swaÌ„ne ys whyte and the crow blakke then agre that eny texte in holy scrypture hath eny other sense then theym selfe lyste to say and wyll in thys poynte for the meyntenaunce of they re heresye set at nought saynt Austayn saynt Hyerome saynt Ambrose saynt Gregory saynt Chrysosteme saynt Basyle saynt Cypryane and fynally all the olde holy fathers and blessyd sayntys that eny thynge say agaynst theym yet can they neyther deny that the catholyque churche of cryste hath allwaye byleued purgatory condempnyng for heretyques all suche as wolde holde the contrary Nor yf they graunt that can they then by eny maner meane auoyde yt but that the thynge ys trew that all the churche so full and hole so loÌ„ge hath in suche wyse byleued all though there were not founden in all holy scrypture one texte y â— so playnely ê“ued yt as they myght fynde many that semed to saye the contrary except they wyll not onely say that our blessyd lady lost her vyrginite after the byrth of cryst but ouer y t be dreueÌ„ ferther to mynyshe the streÌ„ght and authoryte of the very gospell self whych yf the church may erre in the ryght fayth had clerely lost hys credence ¶ And therfore as we say where as we by playn scripture haue prouyd you purgatory yet yf there were theryn not one text y t eny thyng semed to say for yt but dyuerse and many textys whyche as farre semed vnto the mysse vnderstanders to speke agaynste purgatory as many dyuerse textys of y â— gospell appered vnto the greate heretyque Eluidius to speke agaynst the perpetuall vyrgynyte of crystys blessyd mother yet syth the catholyque churche of cryste hath allway so fermely byleued yt for a playne trowthe that they haue allway takeÌ„ the obstynate affermers of y â— contrary for playne erronyouse heretyques yt ys a profe full and suffycyent for purgatory to eny man that wyll be taken for a member of crystys church and ys alone a thyng suffycyent in eny good crysten and yeÌ„ce to stoppe the mowthys of all the prowde hygh harted malycyouse heretykê that eny thynge wold barke agaynst vs. ¶ But when they be so confuted and concluded that they haue nothyng to say yet caÌ„ they not hold they re peace but fall to blasphemy and aske why there cometh none of vs owte of purgatory and speke wyth theym By whyche blasphemouse questyon they may as well deny hell and heuen to as they deny purgatory For there cometh as many to them owt of purgatory as owt of ether of the other â—wayn And surely yf there came one owte of eny of theym all thre vnto folke of suche incredulyte as those heretyque â—e yet wolde they be neuer the better For yf they byleue not now them whome they 〈◊〉 byleue no more wold they byleue hym neyther that shold come owte of purgatory to tell yt them as Abraam answered the rych man that requyredÌ„ the same in hell and as yt well appered also by the myscreaunte Iewys whych were so lyttell amended by the comynge agayn of lazare owte of lymbus patrum that leste other shold byleue hym they deuysed to destroye hym And yet yf the thyng that they requyre wold conteÌ„t theym yt hath not lakked For there hath in euery coÌ„trey and in euery age apparycyons bene had and well knowen and testyfyed by whyche men haue had suffycyent reuelacyon and profe of purgatory excepte suche as lyste not to byleue theym they be such as wolde be neuer the better yf they saw theym ¶ For who so lysteth to beleue that all to gether ys lyes that he hereth so mych people speke of seeth so many good men wryte of for no cuÌ„trey ys there in crysteÌ„dome in whych he shall not here credably reported of such apparycyoÌ„s dyuers tymys there sene apperyng and in the bokis of many an holy sayntê wrytyng shall he fynde such apparycyons in such wyse told and testyfyed as no good maÌ„ coud in any wyse mystrust them and ouer thys when the apostles at Crystê apperyng to the .xi. in the house toke hym at the furst for a spyryte yt well apperyth that apparycyons of spyrytê was no new thyng amoÌ„g y â— Iewys which ye may well parceyue also by y â— y â— better sorte of theÌ„ sayd iÌ„ excusyng of saynt Poule what yf some angell or some spyryt haue spokeÌ„ to hym as ys
in holy scrypture that father is not accompted for vnlouyng and cruell that beteth hys chyld but rather he that leueth yt vndone For he that spareth the rodde sayth holy wrytt hateth the chyld And god thefore that ys of all fathers the most tyder louyng and most benygne and mercyfull leueth no chyld of his vncorrected but scourgeth euery chyld that he taketh to hym And therfore neyther god remytteth at aduenture the paynys of purgatory nor no more must the pope nether but yf that he wyll whyle he laboureth to do good and be pytuouse to vs that are dede be cruell do mych more harme to theym that be quyk and whyle he wyll draw vs owte of purgatory dryue many of them in to hell Frome desyre of which kynd of helpe we so farre abhorre that we wold all rather chose to dwell here long in most bytter payn than by such way to gete hense as myght gyue occasyon of eny maÌ„nê damnacyon ¶ Now where they lykewyse obiecte in countenaunce agaynste the clergy but yet in very dede they stryke the stroke at vs whome they wolde byreue the suffragys of good people obiectynge that no man may satysfye for a nother nor that the prayour nor almoyse nor other good dede done by one man may stande a nother in stede but y â— euery man must nedys all thynge y â— he wyll haue helpe of do it euery whyt hym selfe and so that no maÌ„nys good dede done amonge you for vs in relyefe of our payn could in eny maner serue vs this oppinyon as yt ys toward vs very pestylent and pernycyouse so ys yt of yt selfe very false and folysshe For fyrste yf all that euer muste auayle eny man muste nedys be done by hym selfe and no mannys meryte may be applyed to the helpe of a nother then were wyped a way from all men all the merytys of crystys bytter passyon in whych though yt be trew that god dyed on the crosse bycause of the vnite of god and man in person yet had hys tender manhed all the payne for vs and hys impassyble godhed felte no payne at all Wherof serueth also y e prayours that euery man prayeth for other Wherfore dyd saynt Powle pray for all other cristeÌ„ men and desyre them all to pray for hym also and eche of them for other that they myght be saued ¶ And why ys there so specyall a mencyon made in the actys of the apostles that at the deliuery of saynt Peter owt of pryson y e church made contynuall prayour and intercessyon for hym but for to shewe that god the rather delyuered hym for other meÌ„nys prayours And thynke ye that yf god haue pyte vppon one man for an others sake delyuereth hym at a nother mannys petycyon from a lyttell payne or prysonement in the worlde there vppon erth he hath not at other meÌ„nys humble and harty prayour myche more pytye vppoÌ„ suche as lye in myche more heuy payne and turment here in the hote fyre of purgatory ¶ Then fynd these folke a nother knotte hard as they thynke to vndo For they say y t yf a nother maÌ„nys merytys may serue me wherto shuld I nede to do eny good my selfe Thys obieccyon ys mych lyke as yf they wold say yf other men may take me owt of y e fyre wherto shulde I labour to ryse my selfe Very trewth yt ys that sometyme the good wurkê of one man wrought wyth good affeccyon may purchase an other man grace for to mende and wurke for hym self But surely of comeÌ„ course he that wyll not hym selfe wurk wyth theym geteth lyttell good of other mennys good dedys For yf thy selfe do styll drawe bakward whyle other good men wyth they re prayour laboure to pull the forward yt wyll be longe ere thou make eny good days iourney And therfore y e holy doctour saynt Austayne in y e blessyd boke that he made of the cure and care that men shuld haue of vs sely parted sowlys towcheth quykly the very poynte that there can none take profyte of other mennys good dedys but onely such as haue deserued by some good thynge in they re awne dedys that other mennys dedys shuld helpe them and that hath euery men done at the leste wyse by hys fynall repentaunce and purpose of amendement that departeth the world in the state of grace ¶ For he that ys owte of that state can not take the profyte of other mennys merytys done for hym And therfore damned soulys can not by other mennys merytys be delyuered of damnacyon nor in lykewyse he that entendeth to perseruer in synne and do no good for hym selfe But syth that we be not in y â— case but haue with helpe of geddâ— grace deserued to be parteners of such good dedys as ye that are our freÌ„dâ— wyll of your goodnes do for vs ye may by your merytâ— hyghly releue vs here and helpe to gete vs hense And surely great wonder were yt yf we shulde not be able to take ê“fyte of your prayours For there wyll no wyse man dowte but that the prayour of eny member of cristendom may proâ—yte eny other that yt ys made for whych hath nede and ys a meÌ„ber of the same But none ys there yet lyuyng that ys more very meÌ„ber of crystys mystycall body y â— ys hys church then we beâ— nor no man lyuyng that hath more nede of helpe theÌ„ we Form surety of saluacyon we be felowes wyth angellys in nede of relyefe we be yet felowes wyth you And therfore beyng so sure meÌ„bers of one body wyth angells holy â—aymys and you and hauyng neceâ—syte both of they re helpe and yours there ys no dowte but syth euery member that nede both maye take good by other we stande in the case that both aungells and sayntys intercessyons and your good prayours almoyse dede done for vs what so euer these heretyques bable may do vs meruaylouse mych good ¶ How many haue by godd moste aracyouse fauour appered vnto they re frendys after the deth and shewed theym selfe holpen and delyuered hense by pilgrymage almoyse dede and prayour and specyall by the sacred obâ—â—cyon of that holy sacrament offred for theym in the masse If these heretyques say that all suche thyngys be lyes then be they myche wurse yet then they re mayster was Luther hym selfe as longe as eny sparke of shame was in hym For he confesseth in hys sermons that many suche apparycyons be trew and hys hart could not nor for very shame serue hym that so many so often told in so many placis so faythfully reported by so many honeste folke and so sub ancyaâ—â—y wrytten by so many blessyd saymys shulde be all false Wheryn yf these men lyste lyke lusty sholers to passe and ouer go they re madde mayster in thys poynt deny these thyngê all to gether yet shall there styk in theyr teeth y â— scrypture of y â— Machabees wherof we told you that Iudas