christen brother lent to me as yet bothe yonge in yeres and muche lesse in learnynge haue taken in hande to translate this so precyous a treasure and offer it to your most noble grace rudely sette forth trustynge that youre grace wyll cause the same eloquently and ornatly to be translated by some of your dyscret wyse and well learned clarkes most humbly besechynge your grace in good parte to take this my rude enterpryse pryncypally to confesse the truthe bycause I am very vnmete to do such a thinge and partly for lake of tyme oppressed with pouertye the whiche as the Poete MANTVANE wrytteth is enemy to good maners consequeÌ„tlye my wryttynge is verye course and base as yet ferre from the trade of a wryter the which be the causes of my offerynge to your grace so rude a volume so indygeste a phrase and to be brefe so vnsemely set together wherfore I humbly beseche your grace to take these my fyrste frutê yf they may be called frutes euen as Chryste our mayster hathe accepted the offerynge of the pore woman whose wyll was good Mar. 12 Lu. 21. wheÌ„ she offered al that she hade thoughe it was but lytle And the holy goste preserue our sayde soueraygne Lorde and your most deare husbande your grace the ladye ELEZABETHE Pryncesse Doughter heyre vnto you bothe and gyue to you the lyght of hys mercye to whome with god the Father and the Sonne be honoure and glorye for euer more So be it ✚ The epystell of the auctour ⧠To the noble and moste gentyll lorde lorde SEBASTIAN of MouÌ„t faulcone prynce of Lausanc FRANCIS LAMBERT the vnprofytable seruancte of Iesus Christe grace and peace of god the father and the lorde Iesus Christe ⧠NOt many yeres passyd moste noble prynce whaÌ„ I shulde preache the pure and holsome worde of god at your cytie of Lausane I dyd ê‘ceiue by many argumentes bothe the sobre gentylnes of youre mynde and also the outragyous wyckednes of certayne flaterers and deceiuers For at altymes where as you were present at my sermons you dyd moste purely fauer the worde of god and whan you were constreynyd with vrgent busynes to be absent whiche was ones and eftsones as you haue enformyd me very many were aboute sumwhat busyly to alyenat or make you straunge ye as it were to say enuiously to drawe you frome the worde of god lyke fyrye burnyng knyghtes adfyrmyng that I preachyd heresye But at the laste the myghty verytye hathe so conuycte you that you haue wryten many thynges for me and I gladly coÌ„fesse that for the loue of you I was gentylly enterteynyd with the BerneÌ„ses Ligurynes Basylyanes Friburgyanes Farthermore at my departyng from you you instantly desyryd me very ofte to wryte to you whiche to do I gladly promysed in tyme conuenient wherfore I beseche your hyghnes of pardone bycause I haue nat performyd it to thys daye for it chansyd nother by obliuiousnes or neglygence but very ofte whan I was about to do it I was constreynydly rapte to other maters The laste of al I wolde haue made answere to the hundreth paradoxes or questyones of CONRADVS TREGARIVS the Augustyne frereseÌ„t to you wherin he is very busy not alonly to pull you away frome Christe but also the noble gentyles of Heluetia although he do glory with pretens and zele of the spirite of Christ in the spirite of erroure and blyndnes Veryly he dothe teache nothyng lesse then Christ For he laboryth very sore to vndermyne the vyneyarde of the lorde of companies that is to saye the congregacyon or churche of christen people euyn lyke to a crafty or wyly foxe but this foxe muste be taken I saye thys lytle foxe ye the whiche is without effycacytie or strengthe of the spirite that other he maye be sauyd or els confoundyd put downe accordynge as the spouse commaundyth in the cantykles saing take to vs these foxes these lytle foxê that vndermyne the vyneyardes and the lytle eyes of the vynes which wordes howe they shulde be vnderstaÌ„dyd I haue declaryd in my enarracyon in to the cantycles Farthermore whaÌ„ I was about an answere in to the sayde paradoxes or conclusyons the derely belouyd and trewe teachyd bretheren of god VVLSGANGVS FABRICIVS Capito and MARTINE BVCER two of the byshopes of Argentyne preuentyd me And for that cause I dyd leaue of my purpose and toke on hande the reiteracyon or settyng forthe the comentaryes whiche I had begonne in to certayne of the prophetes with many other thynges for I knowe them to furnyshe that mater more dylygently then shal nede that any man shulde adde any thynge to theyr wrytingê I wolde but alonly monishe you to beware and take hede of suche wolues goyng in shepes clothyng that they do nat in euery place vyolently rapte slee and dystroye I haue also made answere to the epystle that he dyd wryte to you in the begynnyng of his boke deferrynge to wryte to you matters of greater grauytye vnto a tyme more conuenient as well as if I had made answere to the sayde paradoxes or conclusyones Nor you shall nat merueyle that I sayde there be many byshopes of one cytye for verely euery cytie hath so many byshoppes as it hathe true euangelystes or preachers for euery preacher of the truthe I say of the truthe that dothe nat preachelyes decrees inuencions dreames lawes and couÌ„selles of men but the moste pure and symple worde of god is a true byshope although he be nat callyd so of many the churche of god hathe no other byshopes but these therfore there as is no pure minister of the worde of god is no bysshop and without doute we haue ben very longe and manye yeres without byshopes in the moste fearfull iudgement of god for they that haue be callyd byshopes to this day be nothyng lesse than byshopes excepte they wyll be callyd wycked or purse byshopes or byshopes of the kyngdome of antichriste Verely a byshope is callyd by interpretacyoÌ„ an ouersear or watcher and euery man is byshope of the thiÌ„g that he moste entendythe But there is no man so blynde but he perceuyth to what thyngê these byshopes of the kyngdome of perdycyon entende Ye and they glory them selues in lyenge wordes sayeng He that dothe a thiÌ„g by another / aperethe to do it by hym selfe This rule / is execrable / and cursyd byfore the lorde in those thynges that pertaine to the office of a byshop whose hyest pointe is ministery of the alonly worde of god for they may coÌ„mytte to other the ministery of sacramentes bycause they be pryncypally sent to the ministery of the worde As saynte Paule wryteth of hym selfe in the fyrste epystle to the Corinthianes the fyrste chapitre sayeng Christ sent nat me to baptyze but to preache the gospell more ouer these buggyshe bysshopes substitute or haue none vnder theÌ„ that is a pure euangelyst but hyre wretches and moste couytouse marchantes of lukre that seke nothynge lesse then the
supposethe for the Hebrewe bokes haue it wrytten of thys maner in the syxt Chapiter of the Cantikles Reuertere Reuertere Schulamis the which wordes in englyshe be returne returne or turne agayne my peasyble churche and in the .7 chapiter what shall ye fynde in my peasyble churche but companyes of warryours spoken by thys terme Schulamis let hym haue hys churche the whiche he callethe Sunamis that is to say the synagoge of Antychryste myserable captyuate stony indurate we wel haue â—ures the whiche we cal Schulamis that is to saye the churche of god the spouse of true Scholomon which is by interprytacyon of Chryst that pesable kynge all whose souayours stronge ye most strongest be alwaye gyrded with the most persynge sworde of the worde of god for nyghtlye dreades Lantik 3. these souayours be made moste ware and wyse to the battelles into the coniuringe of Antychryst whom god him selfe hathe made truely wyse Ioh. 6. of whom the reprouable Aegipte Sodome Babylon be not able to suffer the leaste scyrmyge or lettynge lose nor neuer coulde Thys Trygaryus dothe saye that we threaten greate thynges but to whom or do we threteÌ„ our selues do not we rather open and declare the thretenynges of the dreadful power of god the which we be certyfyed of shall fall most greuous into the kyngedome of the sonne of perdycyon he dothe also saye that in bryngynge vp rumoures and sclanders we so perpetually be of one mynd that no man doutethe of it but we haue al one spirite I make answere that when we cal them wolues beastes antychristes we do not sclaÌ„der theÌ„ but shewe forth what the spirite doth iudge of theÌ„ by the testymonye of scryptures but it is not alonly in this one thinge that we be al of one mynde for we do dyssente almost in nothyng that the same spirite of god doth teach vs in the sayd word he dyd prophesy as Cayphas dyd ye euen agaynste his wyl nat dylygently markyng that we hade al one spirite although he wolde that his sainge shuldbe otherwayes vnderstaÌ„ded But nether be nor yet al his sinagoge iÌ„ any thing be of one mynde sauynge in thys that they haue all coniured agaynste god Chryst and his verite for what do we se in them perpetual stryfe of Thomystes Scotystes Occanistes of Nomynalles Realles Summeles and suche other of thys kynde stryuynge euen contrarye one to an other whereby is wel knowen that they haue nothynge comen with the doctryne of chryst the whiche is the doctryne of mekenes vnyte they be also strauÌ„ge from hys spirite he doth furthermore saye that we with a vayne glose of wordes do wrast and wrythe the holy scryptures into our owne seÌ„ce wher as we do subdewe our sence by all meanes into the seruyce of the scrypture of god and glory to be ouer comeÌ„ of the truth as any man may openly perceyue that shal loke vpon our commeÌ„taryes and also we do affyrme nothynge that is not proued by the open testymonye of the scripture what is the cause therfore that he dothe counte our exposycyons for vayne but that he is aboute with hys craftines to mocke haue in derysion all the scryptures of god wo be to the thou blynde iogeler for thy iudgment is at haÌ„de bycause thou arte not affrayed to count the testymonyes of god most hyest for vayne and folyshnes peraueÌ„ture thou doeste thynke the spirite of god to be coÌ„pared to thy doble craftynes ye warsse then a foxe but that shalt shortlye be destroyed with the power of the same spirite we wyll not cleaue to the counsel or phantyse of any man excepte it haue the testymonye of the scryptures of god in what thynge do we erre theÌ„ or what haue we reprouyd at any tyme that dothe agre with the scryptures of god or what other thinges shulde we receyue we do receyue the wryttinges of men that agre with the sayde scryptures not for the men but for the truth sake the word of truth ought to iudge who shulde haue wrytten ryghtfully / if they deny that we haue the truth let them improue our probatyons by the worde of god Tregaryus wyll do it he makethe argumente Pro and Contra Primo secundo et tertio c. we wyl heare this sainge the lorde speketh it to whose least iote of speaking ryghtly taken we gyue place but we openly accurse the sotletyes of Tregaryus and hys secte not bycause we be ignorant iÌ„ theÌ„ for we haue labored our selues in such sophestycal knottê but bycause it is wyked and agaynste the worde of god to entreate apoÌ„ the scryptures of faythe with suche contencyous argumentes nor we do not denye as he dothe impute to vs that the worde of god may not be expounded but we wolde not that this exposycyon shuldbe of the proper sence of any man althoughe he be learned and holy but of the sence of Chryst which is than so when we expounde scryptures by scryptures for as I haue spoken in many bokes it is impossyble that any man shuld ryghtuously expounde scryptures of hê owne sence or brayne And yet besydes thê Tregaryus hath added to a blasphemye agaynste the lorde that he supposythe there to be many goddes that can be no maner wayes erre the whiche doth perteyne alonly to god hym selfe the hyest and greatest besydes whom ther is no mo goddes for who but he is immutable so that he can not erre for all sayntes haue synne .i. concupiscence as longe as they lyue and say as is wrytten in the fyrste canonycall epistle of Iohan the fyrst Chapitre yf we shulde say that we haue no syn in vs we deceaue our selues and truthe is not in vs but for all that they do not worke iniquite or wekydnes for syn dothe not reygne in theÌ„ as is playnly declared Ro. 5. 6. he is afrayde also lest that he be iniuryous to the electe in the meanese soÌ„ blasphemyes the lorde god hathe no nede of our lyes no nor yet hê sayntes verely when god hath mercy of the synners or the iniuste and maketh of theÌ„ sayntes theyr vnrytousnes doth commende and laude the rytousnes of god Ro. 3. for verely from thensforthe hys iustyce apperythe more gloryous and he is manyfestly declaryd to be iuste true in hê sermones when he is cruell ouer the wekyd and the rebellyon not obseruyng his promyses is iudged he dothe fayne hym selfe to wryte for the church of god and yet dothe nothyng els but aledge the decrees of men / for that thinge that this crafty false prophete doth of the councelles he doth it so that he is about to subuert al the pryncyples of fayth I do confesse that he speaketh many thinges true chefly in the begynnynge but at the laste he doublethe his voyce of the churche her councelles wherby he maye more lyghtly surely powre out his poysoÌ„ but as I sayde in the begynnynge he is answeryd enoughe at al to his questyons of them afore
then hys chaplens whiche be all heresye because they repugne to the most opeÌ„ textes of scripture for if you loke apon those that be spoken of it Mat. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. and. 1. Cor. 11. you shall pleynly perceyue thys to be the table of god whiche you maye not sacrefice but eate and drynke and to be the newe Testament of whom the scryptures be instrumentes in whome the grace of god and remission of synnes is promysyd of whome they that beleue be pertakers and bothe kindes to be gyuen to all that haue proued them selues whether they beleue in the promesse of god and at the laste by thê takynge to shewe the lordes deathe vntyll he come to iudegement .i. to remember be a memoryal of his death to them that beleue for so ofte doth he dye to them with the most surest signe that is to saye the frute of his deathe is geuen to them as ofte as they eate thys breade and drynke thys bloude in faythe ☞ ⧠♣ ♣ whosoeuer is pertaker of this table in fayth is made a member of Chryst and eateth his fleshe and drynketh hê bloude Iohan. 6. to the which he that goethe without faythe eateth drynketh his iudgement makynge no difference of the lordes bodye ♣ ♣ ♣ To serche here more cureouslye theÌ„ the symplenes of the texte wyllyth is abomynable before the lorde ♣ The superstecyousnes is not to be suffred to kepe the breade of the lord in the tabernacles of the faythfull it was not ordayned of the lorde to be kepyd so or borne aboute so poÌ„poslye but that it myght be eaten ⧠✚ ♣ And for that cause lette syncere euaungelystes prouyde that it be not kepyd for that kepynge is besyde the order of god for truly then the breade is to be santyfyed with the worde of god whoÌ„ it is to be taken what houre soeuer it be and what soeuer the heresye of Antychryste hathe otherwyse dyffyned and we saye the same of the cuppe that both must be gyuen to gyther ♣ we do not saye that this table is to be mynystred to chyldren or they that beleue not but vtterlye to all that can beleue in the promyse of god ♣ It is the deuty of byshoppes to order them dylygentlye that they maye knowe what this holy feast is and not to receyue to it all that puttes him selfe to it but theÌ„ whoÌ„ they haue instructe or do not doute to be well instructe ⧠The hye preparacyon is that any man beynge thrystye or hongry go to it .i. that he confesse with al his harte that he hath nede of the grace of god and remissyon of synnes and beleue to goddes promyse that beinge pertaker of this table he shall obteyne hys desyer by the meryte of the passyon of Christ of whoÌ„ this feast is a memorye ⧠Althoughe thys holye feast and also baptysme be moste sure sygnes to the faythful of the grace of god to be hade yet without these sygnes euery faythefull beleuynge the truthe perceyueth the same as apereth in many places of scrypture ☞ ⧠¶ And for that cause it perteyneth to the aboundance of goddes worshype that he hathe put these sygnes to the more copyous coÌ„forte of the faythful of whom I haue spoken more cheflye in the boke of the causes of the blindnes cÌ„ Tracta 5. Capitulo 7. and. 8 ¶ Augustyne and other sayntes and the Mayster of sentences 12. Dystyn 4. do not affyrme thys table to be properly a sacrifyce but so to be called so of some bycause it is a memorye of a sacryfyce ones offeryd on the crosse ¶ But as the memorye of a thinge is not the thynge nor the memorye of golde or a person is not golde or the person soo nor the memorye of the sacryfyce is the sacryfyce ☞ ♣ ⧠♣ It was an execrable faynynge of the deuell to make of thys swetest testament of euerlasting helthe a sacryfyce of the kingdome of Antychryste wherof is spronge vsurye marchandyse fayres and innumerable errores aboute the masse by the whiche innumerable haue peryshed slowe belyes be fatted and sette out ⧠¶ It is laweful no more to the faythfull to sacrefyce Chryste then to kyll hiÌ„ but alonly to worshyppe the memorye of hys deathe in faythe in pertakynge of hys table ☞ ☞ All that nowe the truthe openyd agayne sacryfyce Chryste do alwaye synne moste greuouslye ✚ Therfore yf any man in any place to auoyd the offeÌ„ce of many be coÌ„straynyd to say masse let him leaue out al that that maketh mencyon of a sacryfyce priÌ„cipally the CanoÌ„ except the wordê of buÌ„dictioÌ„ froÌ„ thê place Qui pridie cÌ„ ♣ And let him take hede that neyther for that nor if he haue lefte out any other thynge as the manyple stole c. that he be prykyd in hys conscyence as for one offence knowynge that the faythful is not bounde to the tradycyoÌ„s of men but is free yet because of the weake these outwarde thynges are not in euery place to be lefte out ⧠whiche yf it make agaynste thy conscyence it edefyethe to hell fyer and yf it folowe a wauerynge conscyence synneth lette hym therfore put away thy wauerynge conscyence and for that axe lyghtenynge of the lorde ♣ Neyther for quyke nor for deade it is laweful to offer Chryste neyther in the sacrament nor otherwyse for he hathe offered hym selfe ones for all ☞ All foundacyons of masses yeres myndes cryenge of the quere and all suche that be done in the kyngedome of the pope be hylye abhomynable to god besydes that they be for the more part vsury what so euer the son of perdycyon in a certen wauerynge hathe otherwyse dyffyned a thynge vtterly aduersarye to the worde of god grantyng to hys synagoge Chryst prohybytythe vsury Luke .6 lende one to another trustynge for no auauntage whiche thys man of synne hath made lawefull / and what is it that he dare not dyffyne agaynste the immaculate scriptures of god so that any thyng may come to the tresorye of hê kyngdome ♣ In a dysceytfull spyryte / and doctryne of deuyls / was purgatorye feynyd as many mo were ☞ ⧠⧠✚ Therof hathe the deceyuynge of the worlde cheflye come / and the cursyd fayres of the kingdome of the pope ✚ I praye you let the kyngedome of the pope answere / from what thynges shulde a maÌ„ be purged to be sauyd / not alonlye from synnes ☞ ⧠☜ ✚ But alonly by fayth in Chryst we be purged from them / and iustyfyed / not with fyre / water / sworde / laboure / or any other externe thynge / nor with the prayers of any saynte as I haue proued Luke .1 and Cantico .1 ✚ Althoughe he that is iustyfyed of faythe / workethe many good workes / for faythe hathe her strength by loue Galat. 5. and is neuer seperate from good workes / yf it be true ✚ If by fyer / the prayers of other / any laboure or worke / we be purâ—yd / and iustyfyed /
ergo superfluously and frely Chryste was deade for vs. ☞ ♣ ⧠¶ Therfore there is no other purgatorye / or purgatyon / but that whiche is of faythe in Chryste ✚ And they that iudge otherwayes / fynde not one place in the holye / and canonycall scryptures / for them ¶ For that the .2 Machabe the .12 that Iudas a collatyon mayde sende .12 thousande beysandes of syluer to Hierusalem is not of auctoryte / for those bokes of the Machabyes be not couÌ„ted in the rule of the hebrues / also if thou loke dylygeÌ„tlye on that place thou shalt fynde that rather they dyd pray lest the siÌ„nes of the deade which they hade taken of the giftes of ydolles shulde hurt theÌ„ then for the deade men them selues and for that cause it is concludyd that holsome and holye is the thought to pray for the deade that they may be losyd of theyr siÌ„nes is agaynste canonycall scryptures ✚ In syght of the lorde the dethe of sayntes that is of the faytheful is precyous that be iustefyed and saÌ„cryfyed by faythe Psalmo 115. also Apoca. 14. Iohan harde a voyce sayenge to him blessyd are they that dye in the lorde that is in the faythe of Chryste ¶ Also of them that dye so in the lorde the spirite spekethe that from henceforthe they reste from theyr laboures and yf they reste ergo they suffer no fyer Apocal. 14. great is the aucthoryte of thys place what so euer many other thynke for it doth dyssent from no place of other scryptures / whiche somtyme god wyllynge I shall proue ✚ The dethe of synners .i. of vnfaythfull is worste Psalmo .33 synners be callyd vnfaytheful bycause synnes be imputyd to them and all theyr deades be not of faythe and therfore they be synne Roma .14 truly faythefull be called iuste sayntes bycause synnes be not imputyd to them for true fayth Psalmo .31 blessyd be they whose iniquites be forgyuen and whose synnes be coueryd blessyd is the man to whoÌ„ the lorde hathe not ymputyd synne ¶ Furthermore faythfull lazarus beynge deade he was borne into the bosome of Abraham / verelye the wykeddynes was buryed quyckely in hell which I haue expounded in my enarracyon of Luke Capitulo 16. ♣ ⧠¶ Therfore blessyd is the faythefull dyenge in the lorde for into hiÌ„ he shal slepe and rest Psal 4. the vnfaythful verelye is accursyd ☞ ✚ ♣ ⧠♣ we conclude therfore / that alonlye fayth is our purgatory blessyd is he that so purgyd dyeth other purgatory we finde not for they be most lykest dreames what so euer hath be dyffyned of these / thê loÌ„ge tyme / nor haue nothing profytyd / but to fat / and set out slowe belyes of the kyngedome of the pope ✚ Therfore bycause they were with out the testimony of the worde of god / they be wyked that the forsayde kyngdome of the pope hath diffined in theÌ„ and to be plucked awaye of prynces / and rulers and reformyd to the rule of the scryptures of god ☞ ⧠⧠Of sectes of perdycyon and beggynge Cap. 11. NOthinge more dampnable sythe Chryste was borne was brought in then these sectes of perdicyon sectes of perdycyon be they that can not but destroy as be the monasty call sectes ¶ Alonly one profession is of helthe that is to saye to professe Chryste whiche bycause he hathe one spirite one faythe one god one redemer one medyator or aduocate one worde one iudgemeÌ„t one baptysme one testameÌ„t of grace dothe hyely abhorre scysmy and deuysyon of the thynges that atteyne to hiÌ„ namely of his only spous the churche for the whiche Paule reprouethe the Corynthyans of theyr zele coÌ„teÌ„tion saing I am of Paule I of Cephas I of Apollo 1. cor 1.2 3 ♣ Bycause there is one and the most suffycyent rule of all that beleue the worde of god all monastycal sectes be superfluous and vnprofytable ✚ Paraduenture they hurte not and be tollerable to them that trust not or gyue theÌ„ nought verely to them that thynke there is in them the leste Iote of perfectyon iustyfycatyon or effycacyty vnto helthe they be more poyson then the venym of Aspys ♣ For verelye the monastycall secte is the well of ypocrysye the Iakes of enuy ydlenes druÌ„knes grudges hate ambyshon and of all vnclenlynes the doughter of the bloude sukker deuourynge althynge and alwaye saynge brynge bryng an ensacyate depnes of tradycyons of meÌ„ stryuynge euen coÌ„trarye to the worde of god ☞ ⧠¶ Nether kyngedome lordeshyppe landes customes tythes or any great ryches besynes of marchaundyse may lawfully be permyttyd to the Charterhouse freres benedictynes celystynes or any other moÌ„kes whoÌ„ they cal possessyoners of prynces and rulers ✚ Aboue all cloystures these ought to be subuertyd for they drawe almost all the worlde with stryfe and exactyons to bryng vp certayne ydle fatte hogges and what they do more ouer I tell not ☜ ⧠☜ ⧠♣ ♣ ✚ But these that they call beggers what do they not steale with theyr ymportunate beggynge be they not amongeste the faythefull as myse be in barnes in clothes mothes in wortes wormes besyde that that they be callyd so beggers they wyll fare better then many greate men ☞ ⧠☜ ¶ Beggynge is alwaye vnlawefull and nere thefte to them that can with theyr laboure gette necessaryes ⧠¶ Therfore it is not laweful to gyue any thynge to these monkes bycause they ought and maye eate the laboure of theyr haÌ„des and seke it with occupatyon whereby they may lyue and if they can not let them lerne for saynte Fraunces commaundyd his so to do ✚ For howe ofte are we mouyd iÌ„ holy scripture that it is necessary to helpe pupylles the fatherles wydoes presoners the dyseasyd and other that haue neade of our goodes as we be able in no place it is coÌ„maundede or prouyd that any man shulde be made a begger althoughe to all faythefull true pouertye is necessarye ☞ ✚ ♣ ⧠♣ Also it is more blessyd to gyue then take Actes 20. ☞ ♣ ✚ ⧠¶ So saynt Fraunces wyl not that hys monkes begge but when they can not with theyr labour get necessary for lyfe ✚ All monkes monyalles that perceyue they haue not receyued the gyfte of contence are bounde to put awaye theyr coweles and to be maryed ⧠I wolde not condempne no I wolde prayse the cloystures of bothe kyndes yf they were scolles of the faytheful in whom they shulde be wel instructyd with the alonlye worde of god and honeste laboures and myght frelye go forthe when they wolde theÌ„ they shulde alway be better and more chrystyanly be conuersant ☞ ♣ ♣ Monkes monyalles that affyrme that they wolde lyue in the lyberty of the gospell and do nothyng but whether the coule be reiecte or not wyll lyue without the brydle of them that rule rore as they dyd before and part to them gooddes of the cloyster to be distribute at theyr plesure those be nothyng lesse then chrystyans
wyse to be made in a tonge vnknowen to the penitente ⧠✚ ♣ ⧠☞ For it is necessary that he vnderstande the worde wherby hys soule is to be comfortyd in the lorde to whom he muste nedes beleue ¶ Of sygnes of grace and remyssoyn of synnes ⧠BAptysme is to the faythefull as loÌ„ge as he lyueth the most surist sygne of grace and remyssyon of siÌ„nes for in al his lyfe he asking that is moste assurid by that signe all though it be receiuyd but ones ⧠For what so euer the faythful takyth as mortyfyeng crusyfyeng quotidiane spoylyng of the olde man be fyguryd in the plongynge out and in the water with the iudgement of the newe man Roma 6. ♣ Another sygne there is the table of the lorde which is to euery maÌ„ receyuyng it in fayth the moste suryst signe of grace and remyssyon of synnes ♣ Thys table is a memory of a sacryfyse ones offerid in the crosse and nat the sacryfyse ¶ For to affyrme that it is a sacryfise and that it shulde be sacryfyed of any man it is execrable wicked and abhomynable byfore the lorde and more of this in another place ♣ The thyrde sygne is the worde spoken of the churche or of any faythful sygnifieng grace and remyssyon of sinnes to be gyuen by him that amendith and asketh it in faythe ⧠These sygnes be the vesselles of grace as manye haue defynyd in the spirite of errour ☞ But sygnes do not brynge grace but the lorde Psalmo 83. It is not gyueÌ„ by signes but by fayth ¶ By fayth we be pertakers of al the gyftes of the holye goste ♣ Also these sygnes without faythe / be nothynge / whiche scolers saye of fayned thynges ☞ ⧠☞ ⧠¶ Paule saythe Ephe. 5. Chryst hath santyfyed his churche made it clene with the lauer of water by his worde verelye it is clensyd with the worde when it beleueth it of the which clensynge the lauer of water is a sygne he sayd not symply it is made clene with the lauer of water but put to by the worde that you maye knowe the makyng clene to be sygnifyed by the lauer ¶ whiche thou haste openly 1. Pe. 3. baptyme hath made vs safe not by the which fylth of the fleshe is put away / but it maketh that a good conscyence answeryth well to god by the resurrectyon of Iesus Chryste ♣ Althoughe that we get by the same alonlye faythe in Chryste grace full remyssyon of all our synnes yet god the hyest and greateste of the aboundance of hys goodnes hathe put to these sygnes to the greatter comforte of the faythefull whether any cases may be reseruyd WHat so euer the man of syn the son of perdycyon the pope with all his kyngdome haue reseruyd and kepte cases hath ben a faynynge of the deuyl so moch more hateful dampnable cursyd as it repugnethe euen contrarye to the eternall scryptures of god ♣ Nothynge at all may be reserued to the faythful that hathe all most plentyfully remytted to hym so that there can be no greater ♣ The church caÌ„ nether lose or bynde but after the worde of god by whoÌ„ she muste be gouerned in all thynge Of satysfaccyon and as they call it inioynynge of penaunce BYcause satysfaccyon for synnes dothe shewe a suffycyencye of deades by whoÌ„ euelles be restored which haue chauÌ„syd iÌ„ those synnes there is no maÌ„ that can outher gyue or do suffycient for theÌ„ it is wekyd that sophysters thynke that we can satysfye for them ¶ For nether with fastynge prayer nor almes or any other worke we be able to satysfye bycause these be not satisfaccions but frutes of true fayth for there is another satysfaccyoÌ„ with out all these ♣ There is one alone ful and true satysfaccyon for the synnes of all the world in whom we must nedes beleue made of the lorde Iesus Chryste ¶ Sines be sayde to be redemed with almes yf it be of fayth for they be redemyd of faythe of the gyuer and not for the almes it selfe ♣ The same iudgement is of fastynge and prayer and of al workes of fayth which be good bycause of true fayth ¶ whiche fayth beynge absent be but mere wekydnes and syn for all that is not of fayth is synne Roma 14. ♣ Of iogelyng spirites and doctryne of deuyls dyd it sprynge that many haue affyrmyd penaunce to be inioynyd ☞ For it can not be inioyned of man but gyueÌ„ of god to the siÌ„ner that he may truly be penytent for his synnes ♣ They call it folyshlye penaunce that these chapleyns haue costomyd to inioyne to him that telleth his synnes ☞ For theyr ought nothynge to be inioyned by cause Chryste is full satysfaccyon for all faythfull ⧠The penytent is to be comfortyd with the worde of god and to be monyshyd to true faythe and the workes of it for as it is sayde what so euer is not of faythe is hypocresye and syn ♣ Not that people shulde be losyd or that he cleuynge to this maner of confessyon shulde styke to vs as the prophetes of antychryste inioyne vs but we haue wrytten so of penaunce that al dreames and lyes of men put away and all crafty conueyance and greate burdens of the kyngedome of antychryste reiecte Chryste and the worde of truthe may reygne in euery place ♣ we haue spoken of penauÌ„ce those that perteyne to the scryptures of god in fewe wordes hauynge no regarde what the wyked synagoge of the kyngdome of antychryste in the spirite of errour hath otherwyse dyffyned for it is necessary for vs to flye his poyson for it can not be that we shal gyue place both to Chryst and Antychrist ♣ The conclusyon THe sum of christyanyte we haue breflye wrytten that is in .385 peradoxes or posycyons that thys boke myght be to bere in the handes of theÌ„ that desyreth it there was .ij. thiÌ„ges that mouyd me cheflye to do it fyrste there be very many that put forthe reprouable peradoxes as there was one Tregaryus by whome they be about to make the symple people straunge from the truth the other is that before the .ix. monethe at the noble cetye of Wetens the companye of antychryste was gatheryd agaynst me which mouyd me to styke vp many posytyons verely I put to them a huÌ„dreth and .xxvi. whoÌ„ I haue nowe increasyd to .385 let theÌ„ answere therfore yf they haue any thynge let not these blynde pharesyes stande iÌ„ theyr owne conceyte and legates and tyrantes of the sonne of perdicyon that for hê decre and lyke preachynge dyd make the noble wytnes of Chryste S Iohan castellane somtyme my welbelouyd brother the laste of all that is the 12. daye of the monethe of Ianuarye Anno. 1525. at Vuy a towne of lotherynge with fyer they made hym a martyr of Chryste but for hiÌ„ god shall fyght agaynste them and for one well rayse a thousande and yf they hade slayne me to Chryst hade vouchsafe thys glorye of martyrdome to me for me ten thousaÌ„de shulde ryse for surely antychryste with all hys kyngedome apostata shall falle to the glorye of the lorde Iesus Chryst and that with spirite of hys mouthe which with the father and the holye goste lyueth one god gloryous for euer more So be it WOo woo be to the thou purple whore / whore of Babylon that loueth the sygne of the rose coloryd beaste and to it empyre thou arte made drunke with the blode of prophetes sayntê and dothe call to the shedynge of the blode of the electe as it were to a feast of deÌ„tyes promysinge to thy assystentes grace and remyssyon of synnes with thy false iogelynge woo I saye to the for thou shalte be dystroyd for with the vyolence of a mylstone throwen into the see thou shalte be sende into the botome of hel and thou shalt be founde no more Apoca. 18. bycause the lorde hathe remembred the blode of hys electe whom thou haste slayne and whom thou hast deceyuyd to establyshe thy lyes and abhomynatyons and hathe alwaye trode vnder fode the veryte of our lorde Iesus Chryste for the which thou shalt be troden downe of it for euermore and the beaste that thou haste worshypped shall peryshe with the. So be it ¶ Let thys be done lorde Iesu come quyckly thy enemyes ouercome and reygne in vs. So be it The ende of thys collectyon of places of scrypture ☞ ⧠☜ ⧠⧠♣ ⧠♣ ☞ ☜