Pope The second that hee had done sacrilege in takyng 22. Gallyes laden with holy spiritual prelates the which would haue gone to y e councell gathered agaynst the Emperour in Lugdune The third because y e Emperour was accused of certaine articles of heresye the which bée not set out The fourth because that hee had not payed the annuall pencyon for the kingdome of Sicill Sicill the which the Pope calleth the spirituall patrimony of S. Peter in the space of ix yeares For these same thinges dyd hée depose y e Emperour and pryuate hym of all hys dignity and assoyleth all hys subiectes of their othe and obedience and commaundeth euery man not to obey hym but all men y e eyther gaue hym councell helpe or fauour to bée excommunicate cursed This is your facte this is your déede this is your doctrine in this learning you bée promoted doctours vnto this learnyng you are sworne these bookes bée read openly in your vnyuersities Marke now which of vs twayne bée traytours Eyther you that doe depose Emperours kings for such trifles yea and also make a lawe thereof and swere vnto it and compell all other to swere vnto it or els we that speake agaynst it say y e you doe wronge both to God to his blessed ordynaunce and to all noble potentates For Fyrste ye ought to bée vnder them and not they vnder you more can you not doe but repreue by Gods worde their vnlawfull factes but to depose them though they bée infydelles and heretickes haue you none authoritye Ye sée howe our master Christ and all hys blessed Apostles did vse them selues towarde vnbeléeuyng Princes they neither deposed them nor yet caused them to bee sworne vnto them What a matter is it to depose an Emperour bicause hée layeth handes of a carnall Cardinall Is not Paule and Peter as holy as all the College of you And yet for laying handes of them was no maÌ deposed What and if hée kéepe no peace is that a sufficieÌt cause to depose hym your owne law testifieth otherwise The holy church of God hath no sworde but the spirituall sword with the whiche she doth not kill but quicken Lykewise in an other place blessed S. Ambrose sayth willyngly will I neuer forsake you but if I bee coÌpelled I may not resist I may sorow I may wéepe I may wayle Agaynst weapons agaynst souldiers agaynst the Gothans my teares are my weapons For such thynges bée the defence of a Priest otherwise ought I not nor may not resist c. Blessed S. Ambrose durst not depose the Emperour neither for laying hand of him nor yet for heresie neither for defendyng the liberties of holy Church But S. Ambrose was a simple foole knew not what the liberties of the Church ment nor yet what the holy spirituall fleshe of Cardinals is worth and therfore hée could do nothing but wéepe wayle But if hée had béene halfe so wise as I read of a certaine Bishop of Salisbury was hée had done more in this matter In the tyme of kyng Richard the second it chauÌced a baker of London to beare horsebread in a basket and there came a seruaunt of the Byshop of Salisbury and tooke by violence a loafe froÌ hym The baker asked why hée dyd so hée made hym none aunswere but brake his head the pore felow cryed for helpe against this violence whereby the people were moued in the strete to come out kéepe the kinges peace so that the Byshops seruaunt was compelled to flye into a house Neuerthelesse the people moued at this great violence caused the Constable to come for to take hym to bryng him to prison but anone the Maior and the Shriues came and pacified the multitude and so departed did the Byshops seruaunt no more hurt Notwithstandyng the Byshop of Salisbury and the Archbyshop of Yorke were so moued with the Citie for makyng an asaute to the Bishops house that they made such a coÌplaynt to the kynges grace that hée put the Maior and both the Shriues out and set in a Knight called Syr Edward to rule y t Citie and all this was done for a horseloafe What shall a maÌ say to the pacience of these spiritual men They doe open violence they breake the kynges peace they robbe men of their goodes yea that in the kynges chamber and also in the kynges hygh strete to the great disdayne of iustice to the rebuke of the kyng and to the great dispeasure of his subiectes and yet they can packe the matter so that they bée white sonnes and other men must suffer for it I can beléeue none otherwise but that they haue witched the worlde that men could neither heare nor sée For if this bée not a shamefull fact I can not tell what is shamefull It had becommed them a great deale better to haue punished their seruauÌt in example of all other But that was neuer the wont of the spirituall Churche and yet they will accuse all other men of insurrection but I dare say there was no rebellion in this Realme this v. C. yeares if the kyng had displeased them but they were at the begynnyng of it We doe read in the time of kyng Henry the second that hée required of his spirituall Byshops that none of them should departe out of y t land but they should finde hym sureties that they should purchase nothyng to the hurt of the kyngs person his Realme But the spirite of the spirituall fathers would not agrée to it but rather founde the meanes that Pope Alexander the thyrd the whiche was an vsurper of the sea of Rome condemned this article for heresie and afterward one of the Bishops but agaynst his will dyed for this and such lyke articles mo and you declared him a stynkyng martyr but of this holy martyr I wil speake more an other time If this bée obedience to Princes to intende and purpose to betray them and their Realmes then are ye the best obedient children that euer were But if makyng of dissention debate and strife settyng men togither by the eares assoylyng men of their othe towarde their Princes may be cause of insurrection and treason then are ye the master of all masters and the best conueyers of all iugglers What true Englishe hart would thinke but that the kynges request was both godly lawfull what learnyng is able to defende the contrary Standeth it not with our fidelity that we owe toward our Prince yea with the truth that we owe to our father and mother to our brethren and sisterne and to all our couÌtrey men Doth not our othe made to our Prince bynde vs to it yet you will not agrée to it but all your bookes must rather bee fulfilled with contrary doctrine and all men must bée coÌdeÌned for heretickes that speaketh agaynst theÌ Beleeue me if I were your mortall enemy as you reken me to
this threatning and forbidding the laye people to reade the Scripture is not for loue of your soules which they care for as the Foxe both for the Geesse is euident and clearer then the Sunne in as much as they permitte and suffer you to read Robbin Hode Beuis of Hampton Hercules Hector and Troylus with a thousand histories and fables of loue and wantones and of rybaudry as filthy as hart can thinke to corrupt the mindes of youth withall cleane contrary to the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles For Paule Ephes v. sayth see that fornication and all vncleannes or couetousnes be not once named amonge you as it becommeth Saintes neither filthines neither foolishe talking nor gesting whiche are not comely For this ye knowe that no whoremonger either vncleane person or couetous person which is the worshipper of images hath any enheritaunce in the kyngdome of Christ and of God And after sayth he thorough such thyngs commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of vnbeliefe Now seyng they permitte you freely to reade those thynges which corrupte your myndes and robbe you of the kingdome of God and Christ and bring the wrath of God vpon you how is this forbidding for loue of your soules A thousand reasons moe might be made as thou mayst see in Paraclesis Erasmi in his preface to the paraphasis of Mathew vnto which they should be coÌpelled to holde their peace or to geue shamefull aunsweres But I hope that these are sufficient vnto them that thyrst the truth God for his mercy and truth shall well open them moe yea and other secretes of hys Godly wisedome if they be diligent to cry vnto him which grace graunt God Amen ¶ The Prologue vnto the booke FOr asmuch as our holy Prelates and our ghostly religious which ought to defeÌd gods word speake euil of it and do all the shame they caÌ to it rayle on it beare their captiues in haÌd that it causeth insurrectioÌ teacheth the people to disobey their heades gouernours moueth theÌ to rise against their Princes and to make all common and to make hauoke of other meÌs goodes therfore haue I made this litle treatise that foloweth coÌteinyng all obedience that is of god In which who soeuer readeth it shal easly perceaue not the coÌtrary onely that they lye but also the very cause of such blasphemy and what stirreth theÌ so furiously to rage and to belye the truth Howbeit it is no new thyng vnto the word of God to be rayled vpon neither is this the first tyme that hypocrites haue ascribed to Gods worde the vengeaunce where of they theÌ selues were euer cause For the hypocrites with their false doctrine and Idolatry haue euermore ledde the wrath and vengeaunce of God vpon the people so sore that God could no leÌger forbeare nor differre his punishmeÌt Yet God which is alwayes mercyfull before he would take vengeauÌce hath euer sent hys true Prophetes and true Preachers to warne the people that they might repent But the people for the most part and namely the heades and rulers through comfort and persuadyng of the hyopcrites haue euer waxed more hard harted then before and haue persecuted the word of God and his Prophetes TheÌ God whiche is also righteous hath alwayes poured his plagues vppon them without delay Which plagues the hypocrites ascribe vnto Gods word saying see what mischeue is come vpoÌ vs sence this new learnyng came vp and this new sect and this newe doctrine This seest thou Hieremias xliiij Where the people cryed to goe to their old Idolatry agayne saying sence we left it we haue bene in all necessitie and haue bene consumed with warre and hunger But the Prophet aunswered them that their Idolatry weÌt vnto the hart of God so that he could no lenger suffer the maliciousnes of theyr owne imaginations or inueÌtions that the cause of all such mischieues was because they would not heare the voyce of the Lord and walke in his law ordinaunces and testimonies The Scribes and the Phariseis layd also to Christes charge Luke xxiij that be moued the people to sedition And sayd to Pylate we haue found this felow peruertyng the people and forbiddyng to pay tribute to Caesar and sayth that he is Christ a kyng And agayne in the same Chapter hee moueth the people sayd they teachyng throughout Iury and began at Galile euen to this place So likewise layd they to the Apostles charge as thou mayst see in the Actes S. Cyprian also and S. Augustine and many other mo made workes in defence of the word of God against such blasphemies So that thou mayst see how that it is no new thyng but an old and accustomed thyng with the hypocrites to wyte Gods word and the true Preachers of all the mischieue which their lying doctrine is the very cause of Neuer the later in very dede after the preachyng of Gods worde because it is not truly receaued God sendeth great trouble into the world partly to auenge hym selfe of the tyrauntes and persecutours of his worde and partly to destroye those worldly people whiche make of Gods word nothyng but a cloke of their fleshly libertie They are not all good that folow the Gospell Christ Math. xiij like neth the kyngdome of heauen vnto a net cast in the Sea that katcheth fishes both good and bad The kyngdome of heauen is the preachyng of the Gospell vnto which come both good and bad But the good are fewe Christ calleth them therfore a litle flocke Luke xij For they are euer few that come to the Gospell of a true entent seekyng therin nothyng but the glorye and prayse of God and offering theÌ selues frely and willingly to take aduersitie with Christe for the Gospels sake and for bearyng recorde vnto the truth that al men may heare it The greatest nomber come and euer came and folowed euen Christ hym selfe for a worldly purpose As thou mayst well see Iohn vj. howe that almost fiue thousand folowed Christ and would also haue made hym a kyng because he had well fedde them Whom he rebuked saying ye seke me not because ye saw the miracles But because ye eat of the bread and were filled and droue them away from him with hard preachyng Euen so now as euer the most parte seke libertie They be glad when they heare the vnsatiable couetousnes of the spiritualitie rebuked When they heare their falsehood and wiles vttered When tyraÌny and oppressioÌ is preached against When they heare how kynges and all officers should rule christenly and brotherly seke no other thyng saue the wealth of their subiectes and when they heare that they haue no such authoritie of God so to pylle and polle as they doe and to raise vp taxes and gatherynges to maynteine their phantasies and to make warre they wote not for what cause And therefore because the heades will not so rule will they
seruauntes of Christ doyng the wil of God from the hart with good will euen as thoughe ye serued the Lord and not men Eph. vj. And i. Pet. ij seruauntes obey your masters with all feare not onely if they be good and curteous but also though they be froward For it commeth of grace if a man for conscience towarde God endure grief suffering wrongfully For what prayse is it if when ye be buffeted for your faultes ye take it paciently But and if when ye do well ye suffer wrong and take it paciently theÌ is there thanke with God Hereunto verely were ye called For Christ also suffred for our sakes leauing vs an example to follow hys steppes In what so euer kynde therefore thou art a seruaunt during the tyme of thy couenauntes thy maister is vnto thee in the stede and rowme of God and God thorough hym feedeth thee clotheth thee ruleth thee and learneth thee His coÌmaundementes are Gods commaundementes and thou oughtest to obey hym as God and in all thinges to seeke his pleasure and profite For thou art his good and possession as hys Oxe or hys Horse in so much that who so euer doth but desire thee in hys hart from him without his loue and licence is condeÌned of God which sayth Exod. xx See thou once couet not thy neighbours seruauntes Paule the Apostle sent home Onemus vnto his maister as thou readest in the epistle of Paule to Philemon In so much that though the sayd Philemon with his seruaunt also was coÌuerted by Paul obeyed vnto Paule and to the worde that Paule preached not hys seruaunt onely but also himselfe yea and though that Paule was in necessitie and lacked ministers to minister vnto hym in y t bondes which he suffered for the Gospels sake yet would he not retaine the seruaunt necessary vnto the furtheraunce of the Gospell wythout the consent of the mayster O how sore differeth the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles from the doctrine of the Pope and of his Apostles For if any man wyll obeye neither father nor mother neither Lord nor maister neither King nor Prince the same needeth but onely to take the marke of the beast that is to shaue himselfe a Monke a Fryer or a priest and is then immediatly free and exempted from all seruice and obedience due vnto man He that will obey no man as they will not is most acceptable vnto them The more disobedient that thou art vnto Gods ordinauÌces the more apt meete art thou for theirs Neither is the professing vowing and swearyng obedieÌce vnto their ordinaunces any other thyng theÌ the defiyng denying forswearyng obedience vnto the ordinaunces of God ¶ The obedience of Subiectes vnto kinges Princes and rulers LEt euery soule submit himself vnto the aucthoritie of the hyer powers There is no power but of God The powers that be are ordayned of God Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God They that resist shal receaue to themselues damnation For rulers are not to be feared for good workes but for euill Wilt thou be without feare of the power Do well then and so shalt thou be praysed of the same For he is the minister of God for thy wealth But and if thou do euill then feare For he beareth not a swearde for nought For he is the minister of god to take vengeaunce on them that do euill Wherefore ye must needes obey not for feare of vengeaunce onely but also because of conscience Euen for this cause pay ye tribute For they are Gods ministers seruing for the same purpose Geue to euery man therefore hys dutie Tribute to whom tribute belongeth Custome to whom custome is due feare to whome feare belongeth honour to whome honour perteineth Owe nothing to any man but to loue one an other For he that loueth an other fulfilleth the lawe For these commaundementes Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnes Thou shalt not desire and so forth if there be any other commaundement are all comprehended in thys saying Loue thyne neighbour as thy selfe Loue hurteth not his neighbour therfore is loue the fulfilling of the lawe AS a father ouer his children is both Lorde and iudge forbidding one brother to auenge hymselfe on an other but if any cause of strife be betwene them will haue it brought vnto hymselfe or his assignes to be iudged and correct so God forbiddeth all men to auenge themselues and taketh the aucthoritie and office of auenging vnto himselfe saying Vengeance is myne and I will rewarde Deut. xxxij Which text Paule alleageth Rom. xij For it is impossible that a man should be a righteous an egall or an indifferent iudge in hys owne cause lustes and appetites so blinde vs. Moreouer when thou auengest thy self thou makest not peace but stirrest vp more debate God therefore hath geueÌ lawes vnto all nations and in all landes hath put kinges gouerners and rulers in hys owne stede to rule the world thorough them And hath commaunded all causes to be brought before them as thou readest Exod. xxij In all causes sayth he of iniury or wrong whether it be Oxe Asse shepe or vesture or any lost thing which an other chalengeth let the cause of both parties be brought vnto the Gods whome the Gods condemne the same shall paye double vnto his neighbour Marke the iudges are called Gods in the Scriptures because they are in Gods rowme and execute the commaundements of God And in an other place of the sayde chapter Moses chargeth saying see that thou rayle not on the Gods neither speake euill of the ruler of thy people Who so euer therefore resisteth them resisteth God for they are in y â rowne of God and they that reliste shall receaue the damnation Such obedience vnto father and mother mayster husband Emperor King Lordes and rulers requireth God of all nations yea of the very Turkes and Infidels The blessing and rewarde of them that kepe them is the life of thys worlde as thou readest Leuit. xviij Keepe my ordinaunces and lawes which if a man keepe he shall liue therein which text Paule rehearseth Rom. x. prouing thereby that the righteousnes of the law is but worldly and the rewarde thereof is the lyfe of thys worlde And the curse of them that breaketh them is the losse of thys life as thou seest by y â punishment appointed for them And whoseuer keepeth the lawe whether it be for feare for vayne glory or profite though no man rewarde hym yet shall God blesse him aboundantly and send hym worldly prosperitie as thou readest Deut. xxviij What good blessinges accompany the keping of the lawe and as we see the Turkes farre exceede vs Christen men in worldly prosperity for their iust keeping of their temporall lawes Likewise though no man punishe the breakers of the lawe yet shall God send hys curses
a Brasen Serpent 274. b. it was not God 299. a Bread 323. a. not coÌsecrate by Christ 467. b. howe it signifieth Christes flesh 59. a Bread and wyne are Sacramentes to holy vses 477. a Bread and wyne in the Sacrament called the body and bloud of Christ 469. a Breakyng of promise 290. b Breakyng the Sacrament among Princes 295. b Bribetaking a pestilence in Iudges 123. a Brothers weakenes must be considered 40. b Buildyng of Abbeyes 351. b Buildyng on sande 246. a. 35. a Burbon the Emperours chief Capiâayne 37â a Burden of spirituall Lawyers 140. a Burtals are to be celebrated honorably and why 434. a C. CAlil what kynde of sacrifice 291. b Candles 280. a. 277. b Canonization 297. b Captiuitie of the Israelites 97. b Captious Papistes how to be aunswered 268. b Cap of maintenaunce 114. b Carnall man 293. b Carnall man ignorauut of Gods spirite 407. a Carnall weakenes comforted 454. a Cardinall Wolsey most false 375. a. his practise 368. b. had twoo faces 371. b. his hat 375. a Cardinal Wolsey and his Chaplems passed the xij Apostles in pompâ 370. b Care of what sorte forbidden 236. a. of the Scripture 305. b. of a Christian man 100. b. of the spiritualtie for the temporaltie 192. b Care for worldly wealth to be reiected 234. b. to keepe Gods couenauÌâ the chief care 235. b Care due to euery man of what sort 236. b Carefulnes of god for y â weake 189. a Carolus Magnus 348. b Cause of false miracles 301. a. of Turkish Iewish obstinacy 301. b Cause of loue searched of the spirituall 247. b Caution in swearyng 209. a Cautels in vowes 21. b Ceremonies 9. a. 12. a. 237. b. preferred by Papistes 278. b. Scholemasters to the Iewes 12. a. cause of ignoraunce 278. a. bryng not the holy ghost 152. b. cannot iustifie 10. a. reiected without good doctrine 248. a Ceremonies with their true signififations tollerable 278. b. confirme fayth 12. b. contayne profitable doctrine 12. b Ceremonies had significations generally at the begynnyng 277. b. why geuen 10. a Ceremonies of the communion how first they came into the Churche 277. a Ceremonies of the new Testament 226. a Ceremonies and Sacraments their vses 12. a Certification of pardon for sinnes 213. a Charles the Great his life 349. b. a whoremonger and a saint 350. a. b receiueth the Empyre of the Pope 349. a. an Emperour for the popes purpose 350. a. compelled all to obey the Pope 349. b Charles called of the Pope most Christian kyng 349. b 253. b. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Charitie 242. b. moderateth the law 209. a Charitie âeruent in the primitiue Church 346. a Charitie hath diuerse significations 253. b Chastitie 242. b. fayned 20. b. wilfull 16. b. of the Clergy 315. a Chastitie of Priestes originall therof 347. b Chast vnchastitie of Papistes 311. a Chastising of the body is for our profite 328. b Cheeke to be strikeÌ on the other side what it meaneth 210. a Chief cause of the institution of the Sacrament 440. b Children of fayth Abrahams children 63. a. they woorke of loue 163. a Children of God obedient to the law 325. a. why tempted with aduersitie 236. a ChildreÌ all of wrath by Adam 337. b how to be brought vp 120. b. not to be rigourously dealt withall of pareÌtes 120. b. howe destroyed 120. b to be taught Gods word 101. b Choise put to vs in ij thynges 99. b Christ 226. a. he onely is holy 407. a a store house of mercy 64. b. our onely Sauiour 394. b. our example 195. b. our fayth and rocke 173. a. our lyfe 390. b. father of all righteousnes 72. a. our aduocate 395. a. our anker hold 6. a. our hope 91. a. our onely Phisitian 75. b. our righteousnes 82. b Christ purchaseth all goodnes for vs 70. b. his burden is easie 286. a. asure foundation 92. a. A perfect coÌforter of Christians 292. a Christ dyd good workes and why 383. a. his workes rewarded in vs. 92. b. his loue 164. b. the fulnes of all goodnes 424. a. the way to saluation ibid the comforter in all afflictions 440. b. no sinner 160. b. iustifieth the greatest sinner 120. a. loueth all ChristiaÌs alike 162. b. he brought saluation as AdaÌ brought sinne 46. a. his generall rule 63. b. an example of all goodnes 383. a. In hym we are all in all 75. a. his saying to hypocrites 409. a Christ ignoraunt of worldly matters 163. b. hys Church 187. b. he is very God 390. a. possessed by fayth bryngeth all goodnes 89. a. to whoÌ geuen 185. a. neither shaueÌ shorne nor annoynted with oyle 132. b. how hee was entreated 97. b. hys doctrine and the Popes contrary 409. b. his exchauÌge with vs. 402. a. why he deliuered vs. 22. a. geuen to sinners 161. a. his coÌmaundemeÌt to preach maketh Pristes 145. b. what authoritie he gaue his Apostles 150. b. onely without sinne 336. b Christ dyd all thynges for our saluation 382. b. onely mediatour betwen God and man 431. b. dwelleth in vs by fayth 464. a. In no cause to bee denyed 101. a. his seate is hys preachyng 175. a. will not falsefie the Scriptures 461. a. is very maÌ 390. a. his Vicare who 411. b. his flocke a litle flocke 105. b. his Disciples are acquaynted with hys phrases 460. b. his three witnesses 421. b. sent his Apostles with lyke authority 126. a. why he came from heauen to earth 458. a. Raignyng in vs all is good 163. b. Gods mercy stoole 379. a. his Churche euer persecuted 289. b. a kyng 401. a. kyng ouer death hell and sinne 394. b. preached in the old Testament 23. a Christes Gospell must bee fed with the bloud of fayth 453. b. hys passion to saluation not vnderstode of whom 187. b. most contrary to the Pope 145. a. and. 362. b. his steps how to be folowed 108. b. and. 73. a told his Disciples of hys AscentioÌ 470. b. playnly declareth his bodyly departure ibid. Christ causeth God to loue vs. 164. b openeth hym selfe to the Iewes 457. b. playnly declareth his bodyly departure 470. b. condemneth Phariseis and why 17. a. sought of many for a worldly purpose 105 b. compared with Ionas 27. b. persecuted and slayne with ChristiaÌs 139. a. his wordes offend y t Iewes and his Disciples 464. a. he is all to a Christian 163. a. 54. b. all in all things 102. a. his mercyfulnes 394. b. mercyfull to the penitent 29. a. preached repentaunce 28. b Christ why slayne 138. b. once sacrificed is a sacrifice for euer 447. a. onely an acceptable sacrifice 18. a. why he gaue hym selfe 394. a. hys bloud putteth away all sinne 72. b. an euerlastyng satisfaction 14. a. apprehended by faith 457. b. expoundeth the paschall lambe 439. b. his glorified body in heauen 471. a. his memoriall Masse 323. a. his bloud onely purchaseth remission of sins 55. b. his flesh y e foode of our soules 459. b. a
bycause hée lyueth in aduoultry or is a lecherous man If you thinke it a lawfull cause why doe you not preach it opeÌly why doe you not lay it to kynges charge Why suffer you them to bee kynges that lyue in aduoultry Why doe you not put your lawes in executioÌ You say they bée the lawes of holy church and therby may you depose Princes But if you wil put them in execution then were it much better to bée a Bishop or a Priest theÌ to be a Kyng or a Duke For you may lyue in whoredome or in any other vngracious lyuyng yea and that to the destruction of many mens soules and yet no maÌ so hardy to reproue you as your own law doth openly commaunde in these wordes If the Pope doe draw with hym innumerable people on a heape to the deuill of hell there to be punished for euer yet shal no mortall man presume to reproue hys sinnes for hée must iudge all men and may bée iudged of no man c. Lykewise haue you an other law in your Decretals that no lay maÌ may reproue a Priest c. How thinke you by these lawes if they bée not of the deuill tell me what is of the deuil You wil both reproue yea and also depose Princes but you will neither bée deposed nor yet reproued of any mortall man What thinke you your selues Gods But and ye will depose Kynges for fornication how would you handle kyng Dauid and kyng Salomon would you depose them bycause of aduoutry So doe you more then the Prophet Nathan durst doe Briefly will ye bée content that the kyng shall depose you for fornication then shall we shortly bee rydde of the most part of you But let vs come to Herode that kept his brothers wife would you depose hym therefore Then doe you more then S. Iohn durst doe For hée durst no more doe but reproue hys vice and dare you depose hym But let vs go forth with your law What authoritie had y e Pope you to set Pipinum in that rowme and not rather to let the kyngdome choose theÌ a king Our master Christ sayd hys kyngdome was not of this world But you will bée aboue kinges in this world not all onely depose them but also set in new at your pleasure Moreouer by what authoritie did the Pope dispence with the Realme of their othe Your law sayth that the holy church of Rome is wont so to doe I pray you of whom hath she learned this same wont who hath geuen her this authoritie Can shée discharge vs of our obedience that we owe to our Princes Is not this of the law of God Standeth it not also with y t law of nature Yea doe not Turkes infidels faythfully obey to their princes Is not the Princes power of God will you depose this power or can you dipeÌce with this lawe S. Peter learneth you y t you are more bound to obeye God and his lawe then man but you litle regarde S. Peters saying wherfore what say you to your owne lawe whose wordes bée these we must kéepe vnto Princes and powers fayth and reuerence c. My Lordes here you not fidem and oportet how come you with your despensation for our othe and say Non oportet that we are not bound to be obedient to our princes if you despence with vs. How caÌ you dispence with vs of our othe seing it is against Gods lawe Here may men sée what teachers you haue béene and also bée toward God and his holy Apostles and towarde your noble Princes And y e this thing may bée clearely knowne I shall resyte an other practyse of yours Our Chronicles make mention that in the time of Edward the iij. Pope Vrban dyd depose Perse King of Spaine because hée was a vicious liuer and set in hys stede one Henry a bastarde How thinke you standeth thys facte with Christes doctrine which of vs all that preach the Gospell hath gone about to doe princes such a villanye you doe the déede and laye the blame to vs. Doe you not remember how that in the dayes of Henry the iiij a captayne of your Church called Richard Scroupe Archbishop of Yorke dyd gather an hoste of men waged battell against hys kyng but God the defender of hys ruler gaue the king the victorye which caused y e traytor to bée beheaded And then your forefathers with their deuilishe crafte made the people beléeue by their false Chronicle that at euery stroke that was géeueÌ at the Bishops necke the kyng receaued an other of God in his neck And where as the king was afterward stricken with a sicknes you made him and all hys subiectes beléeue y e it was Gods punishmeÌt because hee had killed the Byshop And not thus content but you fayned after hys death that hée dyd miracles Is not thys toe much both to bée traytors to your king and also to faine God to bée displeased with your king for punishing of treason finally to make hym a saint and also that God had done miracles to the defending of hys treason How is it possible to inuent a more pestilent doctrine then thys is Here is Gods ruler despised and hereby is open treason maintained Thinke you that God will shewe miracles to fortifie these thynges But no doubt the prouerbe is true such lippes such lectuse such saintes such miracles Here were many thinges to bée sayd but I will passe it ouer I am sure you doe remember how obediently you droue King Iohn out of his kingdome And the very originall of the strife was because there were iiij Bishops of England at variaunce with the kinges grace and because hée required a dymie of the pyed MoÌkes of England for to maintaine hys warre agaynst the Irishe men but they would géeue hym none Wherfore after y e king had sped well in Ireland hée reuenged him of y e Monkes and tooke of euery place a certayne For y t which thing your forefathers maintainers of your deuilishe doctrine wrote vnto their God y t Pope and caused him first to excommunicate the kyng and afterward to interdicte the land gaue it to the French kinges sonne which was maintayned through your fathers and your naturall king compelled to flée into Wales and there to tarye till y e time that hée was content to make agréement with your holy Idoll the Pope The coÌditions of y e agréement were that hée should first géeue xl M. marke to the iiij Byshops and make restitution to the pyed Monkes agayne and also should géeue to Pandolphus the Popes Legate a great summe of money Finally hée should bée bound to géeue yearely to the Pope of Rome a certayne great summe of money and hée and all hys successors shoulde receaue the land of the Pope and holde it in sée ferme and vnto thys your fathers set their haÌdes seales binding them selues to tompell the
king to kéepe thys contracte But yet you were not so content but afterward you found the meanes that this good kyng was poysoned by a traytorous Monke of Swinested because he should say that hée would make a halfepeny loafe worth xx shillinges if hée liued a yeare For the whiche word your holy Monke was moued and went and confessed hym selfe to the Abbot how that he would poyson the king for thys and the one deuill as good as the other the holy traytor absolued the holy murtherer before the déede was done and for thys holy murtherer is there founded v. masses for euer This is the blessed obedience of your holy Church How would you cry how would you yaulpe if wée had handled a gentlemans dogge on this fashion but you can call vs poore men traytors and in the meane season you bring both king kingdome into seruitude and bondage What is treason if this bée no treason to bring so honourable a kinge and hys lande into such bondage and compell hym to receiue his naturall and frée kingdome of such a vyllayne and lymme of y e deuell What can bée said or thought to defend this matter you haue not all onely done wrong to the kinge but vnto the yongest childe y e lyeth in the cradell y e which by your meanes is bonde And thinke it not sufficient to say that it is not your déede for first you are the children of these fathers and you haue alwayes alowed this acte This hath béene blased blowen preached and cryed out and all your bookes full of this matter and many a true mans bloud hath béene shed for speaking agaynst thys And yet was there neuer none of you y e did euer preach against this damnable facte but with full consent with full agréement both in worde déede and in wrytyng you haue alowed this treason Therfore I take you for the auctors as well as your forefathers I would not speake how dampnable it is to institute masses for a willing traytor and murtherer there was neuer no learninge that could allow this But there is no remedy hée that dyes agaynst his king and for the maintayning of your treason must néedes bée a saynt if masses blessinges and myracles wil helpe for all these bée at your commaundement to geue where you list So that we pore men must bée accused of insurrection and treason and we must bere al the blame we must bée driuen out of y e realme we must bée burned for it and as God knoweth there is no people vnder heauen that more abhorreth and with earnester hart resisteth more diligenly doth preach agaynst disobedience then we doe Yea I dare say boldely let all your bookes bée serched that were written this 500. years all they shall not declare the auctorite of a prince and the true obedience towarde hym as one of our litle bookes shall doe that bee condemned by you for heresy and all this will not helpe vs. But as for you you may preach you may wryte you may doe you maye sweare against your Princes and also assoyle all other men of their obedience towardes their princes You may compell princes to bée sworne to you and yet are you children of obedience and good christen men And if ye dye for this doctrine then is there no remedy but you must bée saintes and rather then fayle ye shall doe myracles To proue this I will tell you of a holy saynt of yours of whom your legend and cronicles maketh mencyon hys name as ye call him is s Germayne So it chaunced y e in the tyme of king Vortiger he came into England into a place where the king lay desired for hym his company lodging The king because hée kept no coÌmoÌ Inne would not receiue hym So hée departed very angerly and went to the kinges Neteherdes house and there desired lodginge and meate and drinke for hym and his companye The Neteherde was conteÌt to lodge him but hée sayd hée had no meate for hym sauyng a yong calfe that stode suckyng of the damme by the crybbe The byshop commaunded the calfe to bée slayne and to bée drest brought afore hym and hée and his company eate it vp and after commaunded the bones of the calfe to bée gathered togither and put in the calues skinne agayne and to bée layde in the cribbe by the damme and by and by y e calfe starte vp aliue agayne The next day the byshop went to king Vortiger reprooued him merueilous straightly because hée would not lodge hym and sayde that hée was vnworthey to bée kyng and therefore deposed hym made his Neteherde kyng in hys stede Of the which Neteherde as y e cronicles maketh mension came afterward many kings This is writen by one called Petrus de netalibus the which writeth the liues of all saintes I thinke no man will binde mée to proue this thing a lye but yet it must bee preached taught in your church it must bée writteÌ in holy saints liues hée must bée a saynt that did it and why because hée deposed a king and set in a Neteherde These shamefull and abhominable thinges doe you prayse and alowe and in the meane season condemne vs for heretickes and for traytours And if we chaunce moued by the abhomynablenes of your doctrine to geue you but one euyll worde then all the world rekoneth vs vncharitable But as for my parte I take God to recorde afore whome I shall bée saued or damned that though you haue done mée shamefull wronge and intollerable violeÌce yet with your owne persons am I neuer displeased nor angry but agaynst that horrible deuyll y e dwelleth in you that is the causer auctor and mayntayner of such abhominable doctrine that is against God and his blessed worde agaynst hym I say is my quarell and agaynst hym doe I striue this is the truth let men take my wordes as they will Is it not abhominable thinke you so shamfully to depose princes so to rebuke them so to handle them to compell them to bée sworne to you and to holde their lands of you to bée your ministers to the greate dishonour of the liuyng God and blaspheming of his blessed worde and to the great dispight of all noble potentates Ye remember the facte that is declared in your lawe of the noble Emperour Friderike and that wretch Innocent the fourth the thing was this The Pope by y e reasoÌ of certayne complaintes made by the Emperours enemyes cited the Emperour to appeare at Rome and because the Emperour would not appeare he cursed hym with booke bell and candell and afterwarde deposed hym and commaunded the electours to chose an other This is the cause of your lawe briefely But your text declareth certayne artycles agaynst the Emperour which bée these The first that hée had sworne to kéepe peace with y e church of Rome which oth hée brake sayth y e
declare this intollerable or subtile treason thus long shamefully vsed against my prince which is necessary to bée knowne And I am compelled by violeÌce to declare both my confession and learning in this cause For meÌ hath not béene ashamed to report that I would which am but a wretch and poore simple worme and not hable to kill a Catte though I woulde doe my vttermost to make insurrection against my noble and mighty prince whom as God knoweth I doe both honour worship loue and fauour to the vttermost power of my hart and am not satisfied because it is no more This I speake afore God Let him bée mercifull vnto mée as it is true And if I were not so true in mine hart it were not possible for mée so earnestly to write agaynst theÌ whome I doe recken to handle vnfaythfully and vntruely wyth theyr prince yea against both Gods lawe and mans lawe The very truth is I can suffer through Gods grace all maner of wronges iniuries and sclaunders but to bée called an hereticke agaynst God or a traytour against my prince he liueth not but I will say hée lieth And wil bée able so to proue him if I may bée reported by my workes or déedes by my conuer sation or liuing or by any thinge that euer I did But vnto my purpose the Byshoppes doth sweare one othe to the pope and an other contrary to their prince And yet they will bée takeÌ for good and faithfull children And I poore man must bee condemned and all my woorkes for heresy and no maÌ to reade them vnder the payne of treason And why because I write against their periurie towarde their prince But how commeth S. Peter by these regalles that you are sworne to defende seing that he was neuer no kyng but a fisher All the worlde knoweth that regalia belongeth to kinges and to like power of kynges Why are you not rather sworne to defend Peters net and his fisherie the which thinges hee both hadand vsed neuer regalles But these thinges will not maintayne the holy Church of Rome and therefore ye sweare not to maintayne them But what meane you by that sentence Sauing mine order why say you not sauing my kinges pleasure Your glose sayth you may not defend these thinges with weapons But oh Lord God what vnshamefulnesse is this thus to delude with wordes all the whole worlde Men knoweth that when the Pope hath néede of your helpe there is no men sooner in armes then you are if you call armes harneys bylles glaues swordes and gunnes and such other thyngs Doe you not remember how soone the Byshop of Norwiche Henry Spenser was in armes to defende pope Vrbane It were but foly to recite examples In the yeare of our Lord. 1164. was there a controuersie betwéen the kynges grace the Byshops of England for certaine prerogatiues beloÌgyng to the kyng Wherfore the king required an othe and a confirmation of the Byshops as concernyng those Articles and prerogatiues But aunswere was made of the Bishops that those prerogatiues cum omnibus prauitatibus in regio scripto contentis were of none effect nor strength bicause they did forbyd to appele to the Court of Rome onles the king gaue licence And bicause that no Byshop might goe at the Popes callyng out of the Realme without the kynges assent And bicause that Clerkes should bée conuented in criminall causes afore a temporall iudge And bicause the kyng would heare matters as coÌcernyng tythes other spirituall causes And bicause that it was agaynst the sea of Rome and the dignitie of the same that a Byshop should bée conueÌted afore y e kyng Briefly they would not bée vnder the kyng but this addition should bée set vnto it Saluo honore Dei Ecclesie Romane ordine nostro that is we will bée vnder your grace sauyng the honour of God of the Churche of Rome and of our order The cause why they dyd except these thynges was this as they them selues graunt For kynges receiued their authorities and power of the church but the Church receiueth her authoritie of Christ onely wherefore they conclude that the kyng can not commaunde ouer the Byshops nor absolue any of them nor to iudge of tythes nor of Churches neither yet to forbyd Byshoppes the handlyng of any spirituall cause Is not here a marueilous blyndnesse and obstinacie agaynste theyr Prince They will make it agaynst Gods honour to obey their king and are not ashamed to say in the kynges face that his power is of them But I pray you whether was kynges before Byshops or Byshops before kynges You shal finde that God had long admitted kynges or any Bishop as you take hym was thought of Doth not the holy ghost commauÌde that we should honour kynges Also in an other place Let all men bée vnder the high powers for the power is of God and hée that resisteth the power resisteth Gods ordinaunce Here blessed S. Paule sayth that kynges power is of God not of Byshops Furthermore what reason is it to defende the Popes prerogatiue agaynst your Princes Is not your Prince nearer and more naturall vnto you then this wretch the Pope But here is a thyng y e maketh me to marueile When you sweare to the Pope Sauyng your order Is as much to say as you shall not vse no weapons but els you shall bée ready and obedient in all thynges But when you shall sweare to your kyng then Sauyng your order is as much to say as you haue authoritie to confirme kynges and to bée their felowes and neither to bée obedient vnto them nor yet to aunswere to any Iustice before them but clearely to bée exempted and they not to medle with you excepte they will geue you some worldly promotion If I would vse my selfe as vnchatariblye agaynst you as you haue handled me doubtles I could make some thyng of this that shold diplease you How would you cry and how would you handle me poore wretch if you had halfe so much agaynst me as this is But I will let you passe God hath preserued mée hitherto of his infinite mercy agaynst your insaciable malice and no doubt but hée shall doe the same still I will returne to your othe It foloweth I shall come to the Synode when I am called vnles I shall bée lawfully let But why doe you not sweare to compell the Pope to call a Councell seyng that it hath béene so often and so instantly required of him by many and noble Princes of Christendome yea seyng that all Christendome doth require with great sightes an order to bée taken set in the highest articles of our faith But vnto this you are not sworne And why bicause it is agaynst your holy popet of Rome For if there were a generall Councell both hée you do know that there must néedes folow both ouer him you a streight reformation Therfore
Lykewise was not Rahab the harlot iustified when she receiued the messengers and sent them out an other way S. Augustine doth declare in diuers places y t blessed S. Paule and S. Iames semed for to bée contrary in this matter And therefore S. Agustine willing to saue the estimacion of this epistle doth declare how that S. Paule doth speake of workes that goe béefore fayth and S. Iames speaketh of workes that folow fayth And yet S. Agustine will not bée compelled by the wordes of this epistle to graunt y e any workes doe iustifie by the reason that Saint Paules wordeâ bée so appartly and vehemently to the contrary Wherefore séeing that there sheweth a controuersy here in two places of y e scripture it standeth with all reason and learning that the same place which séemeth for to bée féeblest also darkest should bée expounded and declared by that part of scripture that is clerest and most of autorite Now is this of truth that the auctoritie of S. Paule hath alwayes in the church of God béene more of estimacion and strength then euer was this epistle though that this epistle hath bene receyued and especially in this cause y t we now here speake of For in all the scripture is not this article of iustifycation so playnely and plenteouslye handled as it is by blessed S. Paule this must euery learned man graunt Wherfore it standeth with reason and lerning that this saying of Saint Iames must néedes bée reduced and brought vnto blessed S. Paules meaning not S. Paule vnto S. Iames saying Now therefore in as much that both blessed S. Paule and also Saint Iames meaning is that good workes should bée done and they y e bée christeÌ men should not bée idle and doe no good because that they are the childreÌ of grace but that they should rather in their lyuynge expresse outwardlye their goodnes receiued of grace and as blessed S. Paule sayth To geue their membres to bée seruantes vnto righteousnes as they were afore seruauntes vnto vncleanes For this cause I say S. Iames saying must néedes bée vnderstanded for to bée wrytten agaynst those men that bosted them selues of an idle and vayne opinion that they thought theÌ selues to haue which they reckened to bée a good fayth Now S. Iames to proue that this fayth was but an idle thing of none effect doth declare it clerely by y e that it brought forth in time and place conuenient no good works And therefore hée cauleth it a deade fayth Hée bryngeth in also a naked brother the wich hath néede of clothing vnto these men y t boasted their fayth which hath no compassion of his necessitie Wherefore hée concludeth y e that they haue no true fayth And therefore hée sayth vnto them shew vnto mée thy fayth without workes and I shall shew vnto thée of workes my fayth Heare is it playne that S. Iames would no more but that that fayth is a dead fayth and of no valure y e hath no workes For workes shoulde declare and shew the outwarde fayth workes should bée an outward declaration and a testimonie of y e inwarde iustification receiued of fayth not y e workes can or may take away our synne or els bée any satisfaction for any part of synne for that belongeth all onely to Christ As blessed S. Iohn sayth and also S. Paule hée hath appered once for al to put sinne to flight by the offering vp of hym selfe And that this is S. Iames meaning it is declared by that that foloweth Thou séest sayth hée that fayth wrought in Abrahams déedes through y e déedes was his fayth made perfect Marke how fayth wrought in hys déedes That is his fayth because it was a lyuyng fayth brought forth wrought out y e high worke of oblation Also his fayth was perfect through his déedes That is his fayth was declared and had a great testimonye afore all the worlde y e it was a lyuyng and a perfect and a right shapen faith that Abraham had So y t his inward fayth declared him afore God his outward workes afore the worlde to bée good and iustified And thus was his faith made perfect afore God and man Now vnto this doe we all agrée that y t fayth alonely iustifieth before God whiche in tyme and place doth worke well yea it is a liuyng thing of God which can not bée dead nor idle in man But yet for all that we doe geue to fayth and to Christes bloud that glory that belongeth to them onely that is to say iustificatioÌ remissioÌ of sinnes satisfieng of Gods wrath takyng awaye of euerlastyng vengeaunce purchasing of mercy fulfillyng of the law with all other like things The glorye of these I say belongeth to Christ onely we are pertakers of them by fayth in Christes bloud onely For it is no worke that receyueth the promise made in Christes bloud but fayth onely Take an example God sayth to Abraham In thy seede shall I blesse all people Now can Abrahams workes doe nothyng to receiuyng of this blessing nor yet can they make him hang on that séede but hée beléeueth God and sticketh fast by fayth to that promise and thinketh that God shall bée true though hée bée a lyer and so is hée partaker of the blessing made in y t séede Note also that this blessing is promised in Abrahams séede and not to Abrahams workes Ergo Abraham is blessed because hée hangeth on the séede not on his workes Also blessed S. Paule doth driue a sore argument agaynst workes in as much as Scripture sayth in semine non in seminibus quasi in multis sed in vno Now if workes doe helpe lesse or more to iustificatioÌ then must néedes the promise bée made and pertaine to many and not to one onely y e which were sore agaynste blessed S. Paule Wherefore I conclude that the glory and prayse of iustification belongeth onely to fayth in Christes bloud and not to workes in any wise NotwithstaÌdyng we doe also laude and prayse good workes and doe teach diligently to doe good workes in as much as God their maker hath commaunded them yea also to profite their neighbours by their good workes and furthermore that other men which blasphemeth the veritie might bée moued through their vertuous liuyng conuersatioÌ to the holy religioÌ of Christ For these causes and other moe I say doe I teach good meÌ to liue wel and vertuously yea also wée teach that good workes shall haue a reward of God as scripture testifieth but not remission of sinnes nor yet iustication for their rewarde Wherfore this saying of S. Iames must néedes bée verified against theÌ that boasted them selues of vayne fayth that was indéede but an idle opinion and no true fayth for it did worke thorough charitie And therfore S. Iames disputeth well agaynst them that this fayth was but a dead fayth and coââ not helpe them no
of righteousnes what it is Carâ How the spirituality ⪠care for the temporall common wealth As thou ãâ¦ã â ãâã âo shalt ãâã ob ãâã mercy in y â life to come 6. The filthines of the hart what The purenes of the hart what The ende of the lawe ãâã to iustiâ⦠all that ââ¦leue Impure harted who are 7. Peacemaking what Princes what they ought to ãâã yet they make warre WheÌ thou maist assure thy selfe to be y â sonne and heyre of God VengeauÌce pertayneth to God onely 8. In y e fayth of Christ lawe of God ⪠all oâr righteousnes is conteyned Peace The peace of Christ is a peace of conscience To suffer with Christ in this worlde is to be glorified wyth him in the worlde to come Payne No ãâã payne caâ be a satisfaction to God ãâã Christes passion 9. What the most cruell persecution is Set the example of Christ before thee Cursed Most accursed who Workes iustifie noâ Not the worker but y e pure mercy of God is cause of the promise made vnto The office of a true preacher It is a leopardous thyng to salt hypocrisie Salt Who is mete to salt A true preacher of gods word must vse no parcialitie for feare of persecution Monkes why they runne to cloystures By salte is vndersteod the true vâdeââtandinâ of the ââ¦as of fayth of woâkes c ⪠Spiritualtie why ãâã be dispiââd Ceremonies must be salted Darcknes all knowledge is darcknes ãâã the knowledge of Christes bloud shedâing be in the hart Laye The laye ought to haue the Gospell Gospell The propertie of y â Gospell Gospell The trâe Gospell is not hid in dennes If y â spiritualty were a light as they ought to be they woulde make them ââ¦ues pore to make other riche but they make other poore and themselues riche Kinges ought to be learned The order how euery man may be a preacher and how not None ought to preach ââ¦ly but such as are admitted by y â ordinaunce of the congregation Spirituall and temporal reqâ⦠do biffer Euery maÌ must defeÌde Christes doctrine in ãâã owne person Whose refuseth tadâ⦠for Christes sake caÌ not be the disciple of Christ False doctrine causeth ⪠ãâã workes True doctrine is cause of good workes Grace and truth thorough Iesus Christ Gloses They that destroy the law of God with gloses must be cast out The Church Law Except a man loâe Gods law âe cannot vnderstand the doctrine of Christ The righteousnes of Phariseis Glorie He that seketh hys owne glory teacheth his owne doctrine not his masters Glory ⪠he that sekâ⦠came glory altereth his maââ¦s message Worde Gods worde altered is not his worde To loue is to helpe at âeede Prayer The prayer of MoÌkes robbeth helpeth not Loue prayeth Scribes Phâ⦠what they were The Phariseyeâ might better haue proued theÌselues the true Church theÌ our spiritualââe way The promises are made vpon the profession of the keepyng of the lawe of God so that the Church that will not keepe Gods lawe hath no promise that they caâot erre The wickednes of y â Phariseies what it was Preacher Why the true preacher is accused of treason and heresie Ipocrisie Why hipocrisie must be first rebuked though it be ieopardie to preach against it The lawe is restored The Phariseis ãâã exteÌd ãâ¦ã doinges or actes to y â outward shew ãâã deede and nothing to the hart The lawe ãâ¦ã wâât on the hart as the hand Racha How a maÌ may be angry without sinning Loue is y â keeping of the lawe Sinnerse He that helpeth not to mânde sinners must suffer with them when they be punished In doyng out best to further our neighbour in vertue although we preuaile not we are excused Hate When a man may hate hys neighbour Offeringes or sacrifices what they meant The faste that God requireâ⦠Last farthyng How corruptly the Phariseis dyd attribute all euil to the deede onely Loue is the fulfillyng of the law Aduoutrie Some doctoure âaue doubted in that which Christ hath flatly condemned Filthy A wife How good a thyng The office of a preacher Law What foloweth the kepyng of the law Law What foloweth the breaking of the law The enormities that haue chauÌced since y â slaughter of King Richard y e secoÌd vnto this realme of EnglaÌd Tiraunts Why God geueth vs vp and leaueth vs in the handes of titaunts and in all misery An admonition What rulers ought to do touching such as runne Flie from their wiues without âust cause Swearing To sweare by God Men ought so ãâã deale that their wordes may be credited without any othes Swearing in what sort it is lawfull ⪠Charitie moderareth the law Othe To performe an euill othe is doubleâ sinne He is not forsworne whose hart ment truly when hee promised To lye or dissemble ãâã some causes not culpable Cheke To turne the other cheke what it is Mekenes Pollyng how to auoyde it Two maner states degrees of regimeÌtes Euery maÌ is of the spiritualtie and of the temporalitie both ãâ¦ã He that loueth not his neighbour âath not y e true fayth of Christ The temporall regiment Violence Not to resist violeÌce how it is vnderstode Rulers must punishe âut for malice but for defence of the people and maintenaunce of y â lawes An example how to vnderstand y â two regimentes What soeuer thou art bound to do do it with loue How to be a warriour Thou ãâ¦ã or ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Goodes Math. xxv To goâ ãâã lawe To rise agaynst the iudge or magistrate so to resiste God Princes whether they may be resisted or put downe of their subiectes in any case The king hath Gods authoritie An aunswere to the former Argument Goodes The kyng as âee is Lord of thy body so ãâã hee of thy goodes RegimeÌts Euery maÌ is vnder both regimentes As the spiritualitie may rebuke kings vices so may kyngs vse temporall correctioÌ agaynst the spiritualtie A preacher of ââ¦eâce Rulers do repene to heare of theyr ââ¦es In lending we must folow the rule of mercy We must not reuenge our selues vpon our euill detters but referre our cause to God and his officers ãâã Couetousnes is the roote of all euill Iaco. ij The enemies of God and hiâ wordâ are to be huted Leui. 19. Publicans what they were As our heaueÌly father bestoweth his benefites vpon good bad so ought we to loue both frend and soe To be perfect what it meaneth Almose Deedes coÌmanded by the scripture done to any other ende then they ought are âo good deedes ãâã xvi It is the purpose entent of our deedes that make or marrâ Trumpets To blow trumpetes what Lefte hand Vaine glorie A good remedy against it Workes iustifie not from sinne neither deserue the rewarde promised Our rewarde commeth not of our deserts but thâ⦠the loue that God beareth ãâã thorough faith in Iesus Christ We may not chaleÌge the proâ⦠by our merites but by Christes bloud Crosse Workes What
pittes chap. 4. that slyme was a fatnesse that issued out of the earth like vnto carre and thou mayst call it cement if thou wilte Siloh after some is as muche to say as sent and after some happy and after some it signifieth Messias that is to say annoynted that we call Christ after the Greke worde and it is a prophesie of Christ for after all the other tribes were in captiuitie their kingdome destroyed yet the tribe of Iuda had a ruler of the same bloud euen vnto the commyng of Christ and about the commyng of Christ the Romaines conquered them the emperour gaue the kyngdome of the tribe Iuda vnto Herode which was a straunger euen an Edomite of the generation of Esau Testament that is an appoymente made betwene God and man gods promises And sacrameÌt is a signe representyng such appointment and promises as the raynebowe representeth the promise made to Noe that God wyll no more drowne the world And circumcision representeth the promises of God to Abraham on the one side that Abraham and his seede should circumcise and cutte of the lustes of their flesh on the other side to walke in the wayes of the lord As baptisme which is come in the roome therof now signifieth on the one side howe that all that repent and beleue are washed in Christes bloud and on the other syde how that the same muste quenche and drown the lustes of the flesh to follow the steppes of Christ There were tirantes in the earth in those dayes for the sonnes of god saw the daughters of men c. The sonnes of God were the Prophetes children which though they succeded their father fell yet from the right way and through falshode of hipocrisie subdued the world vnder them and became tirantes as the successors of the Apostles haue played with vs. Vapour a dewie miste as the smoke of a seething pot To walke with God is to liue godly and to walke in hys commaundedementes Enos walked with God and was no more sene he lyued godly and died God toke him away that is God hid hys body as he did Moses and Aarons lest happly they should haue made an Idole of hym for he was a great preacher and an holy man Zaphnath Paenea wordes of Egipt are they as I suppose and as muche to say as a man to whome secret thinges be opened or an expounder of secrete thinges as some interprete it That Ioseph broughte the Egiptians into such a subiection would seme vnto some a very cruell deede howe be it it was a very equall way for they payd but y t fifth part of that that grew on the grounde and therewith were they quit of all dueties both of rente custome tribute and tolle the kyng therwith found them Lordes and all ministers and defended them we now pay half so much vnto the priests only beside their other craftye exactions Then pay we rente yearely thoughe there grow neuer so litle on y t ground and yet when the kyng calleth pay we neuer the lesse So that if we looke indifferently their condition was easier then oures and but euen a very indifferent way both for the common people and the kyng also See therfore that thou looke not on the ensamples of the Scripture wyth worldly eyes least thou preferre Cain before Abell Ismaell before Isaac Esau before Iacob Ruben before Iuda Sarah before Phares Manasses before Ephraim and euen the worst before the best as the maner of the world is The Prologue to the second booke of Moses called Exodus BY the Preface vppon Genesis mayest thou vnderstand howe to behaue thy selfe in this booke also and in all other bookes of the Scripture Cleaue vnto y e texte and playne storie and endeuour thy selfe to searche out the meanyng of all that is described therein and the true sence of all maner of speakinges of the Scripture of prouerbes similitudes borowed speach whereof I entreated in the ende of the obedience and beware of subtile allegories And note euery thyng earnestly as thynges pertainyng vnto thyne own hart and soule For as God vsed him selfe vnto theÌ of the old Testament euen so shall he vnto the worldes end vse him self vnto vs whiche haue receiued hys holy Scripture and the testimonie of hys sonne Iesus As God doth all things here for theÌ that beleue his promises herken vnto his commauÌdements and with patieÌce cleaue vnto him and walke with him euen so shall he do for vs if we receiue the witnes of Christ with a strong fayth and endure patiently folowyng his steppes And on the other side as they that fel from the promise of God thorow vnbelief and from his lawe and ordinaunces thorowe impatieÌcie of their owne lustes were forsakeÌ of God and so perished euen so shall we as many as doe lykewise and as many as mocke with the doctrine of Christ and make a cloke of it to liue fleshly to folow our lustes Note thereto howe God is founde true at the last and howe when all is past remedy and brought into desperation he then fulfilleth his promises and that by an abiect and a cast away a despised and a refused persoÌ yea and by a way impossible to beleue The cause of all the captiuitie of Gods people is this The world âuer hateth them for their fayth and trust whiche they haue in GOD but in vayne till they fall from the fayth of y t promises and loue of the lawe and ordinaunces of God put their trust in holy dedes of their owne finding and liue altogether at their owne lust pleasure with out regarde of God or respect of their neighbour Then God forsaketh vs sendeth vs into captiuitie for our dishonoryng of his name and despisyng of our neighbour But the world persecuteth vs for our fayth in Christ onely as the people nowe doth and not for our wicked liuyng For in his kingdom thou mayest quietly and with licence and vnder aprotection do what soeuer abhominatioÌ thine hart lusteth but God persecuteth vs bycause we abuse his holy Testament and bycause when we knowe the truth we folowe it not Note also the mightie hande of the Lord how he playeth with his aduersaries and prouoketh them and styrreth them vp a litle and a litle and deliuereth not hys people in an houre that both the patience of his elect and also the worldly wit and wyly policie of the wicked wherwith they do fight agaynst God might appeare Marke y t long sufferyng and soft patience of Moyses and howe he loueth the people and is euer betwene the wrath of God and them and is ready to liue and dye with them to be put out of the booke that God had written for their sakes as Paule for his brethren Romaines ix and how he taketh his own wronges patiently and neuer auengeth him selfe And make not Moyses a figure of Christe with Rochester but an ensample vnto all
Princes and to all that are in authoritie how to rule vnto Gods pleasure vnto their owne profite For there is not a perfecter life in this world both to the honor of God and profite of his neighbour nor yet a greater crosse theÌ to rule christianly And of Aaron also see that thou make no figure of Christ vntill hee come vnto hys sacrifisyng but an example vnto all Preachers that they adde nothyng vnto Gods word or take ought therefro Note also how GOD sendeth his promise to the people and Moyses coÌfirmeth it with miracles and the people beleue But when temptatioÌ commeth they fall into vnbelief and fewe byde standyng When thou seest that all be not Christen that will be so called and that the crosse tryeth the true from the fayned for if the crosse were not Christ should haue Disciples enough Whereof also thou seest what an excellent gift of God true fayth is and impossible to be had without the spirite of God For it is aboue all natural power that a maÌ in time of temtation when GOD scourgeth hym should beleue then stedfastly how that God loueth him and careth for hym and hath prepared all good thyngs for hym and that that scourgyng is an earnest that GOD hath elect and chosen hym Note how oft Moyses styred them vp to beleue and trust in God putting them in remembraunce alway in tyme of temptation of the miracles wonders that GGD hath wrought before tyme in their eye sight How diligently also forbiddeth hee all that might withdraw their hartes from God to put ought to GODS word to take ought from it coÌmaundyng to do that onely that is ryght in the sight of the Lord that they should make no maner Image to kneele downe before it yea that they should make none aultare of hewed stone for feare of Images to fle the heathen Idolatries vtterly and to destroy their Idols and cut downe theyr groues where they worshypped and that they should not take the daughters of them vnto their sonnes nor geue their daughters to y t sonnes of them and that who soeuer moued any of them to worshyp false Gods how soeuer nighe of kynne he were they must accuse him and bryng him to death yea wheresoeuer they heard of man woman or Citie that worshypped false Gods they should slea them destroy the Citie for euer and not builde it agayne and all bycause they should worship nothing but God nor put confidence in any thing saue in his word Yea and howe warneth he to beware of witchcraft sorcerie enchauntment nicromancie and all craftes of the Deuill and of dreamers âothsayers and of miracle doers to destroy the word and that they should suffer none such to lyue Thou wilt hapely say they tell a man the truth What then GOD will that we care not to knowe what shall come He will haue vs to care onely to kepe his commaundementes and to committe all chaunces vnto hym He hath promised to care for vs to kepe vs from all ill All thynges are in hys hand he can remedy all thynges and will for his truth sake if we pray hym In his promises onely will hee haue vs trust and there rest and to seke no farther How also doth he prouoke them to loue euer rehearsing the benefites of God done to them already the godly promises that were to come And how goodly lawes of loue geueth hee to helpe one an other and that a man should not hate his neighbour in hys hart but loue him as himself Leuit. 19 And what a charge geueth he in euery place ouer the poore and nedie ouer the strauÌger frendlesse and widowes And when he desireth to shew mercy he rehearseth with all the benefites of God done to them at their neede that they might see a cause at the least waye in GOD to shew mercy of very loue vnto their neighbours at their nede Also there is no lawe so simple in apparaunce thoroughout the v. bokes of Moses but that there is a great reason of y t makyng therof if a man search diligently As that a man is forbyd to sethe a Kydde in hys mothers milke moueth vs vnto compassion and to be pitiful As doth also that a man should not offer the syre or damme the youÌg both in one day Leuiticus .xxij. For it might seme a cruell thyng in as much as his mothers milke is as it were his bloud wherfore god wil not haue him sodde therin but will haue a man shew curtesie vppon the very beastes As in an other place hee commaundeth that we mosell not the Oxe that treadeth out the corne whiche maner of threshyng is vsed in hoate countreys and that bycause we should much rather to be liberall and kynd vnto men that do vs seruice Or happely GOD would haue none such wanton meate vsed among his people For the Kydde of it selfe is nourishyng and the Goates milke is restauratiue and both together might be to rancke and therefore forbydden or some other lyke cause there was Of the ceremonies sacrifices and tabernacle with all hys glory and pompe vnderstand that they were not permitted onely but also commaunded of GOD to lead the people in the shadowe of Moyses and night of the olde Testament vntill the lyght of Christ and day of the new Testament were come As children are lead in the phantasies of youth vntill the discretion of mans age be come vpon them And all was done to keepe them from Idolatrie The tabernacle was ordeined to the entent they might haue a place appointed them to do their sacrifices openly in the sight of the people and namely the Priestes whiche wayted thereon that it might bee sene that they dyd all thynges accordyng to Gods worde not after the Idolatry of their owne imagination And the costlinesse of the Tabernacle and the beauty also pertayning therunto that they should see nothyng among the heathen but that they should see thinges more beautiful at home because they shoulde not bee moued to follow them And in lyke maner the diuers fashions of sacrifices and ceremonies was to occupy their minds that they shold haue no lust to follow the Heathen the multitude of them was that they should haue so much to do in keepyng them that they should haue no leysure to imagine other of their owne yea that Gods worde might be there by in all that they did that they might haue their fayth and trust in God which he cannot haue that followeth either hys own inuentions or traditions of meÌs makyng without Gods worde Finally God hath two testaments the olde and the new The olde testament is those teÌporall promises which God made the children of Israell of a good lande and that he would defend them and of wealth and prosperitie of temporall blessinges of which thou readest ouer all the law of Moses but namely Leuiticus 26. and Deut.
outward thing euen so seeke within thy hart the plaister of mercy the promises of forgeuenes in our Sauiour Iesus Christ accordyng vnto all the ensamples of mercy y t are gone before And with Ionas let them that wait on vanities and seke God here and there and in euery temple saue in their hartes go and seke thou the testament of God in thyne harte For in thyne hart is the word of the law in thine hart is the word of faith in the promises of mercy in Iesus Christ So that if thou confesse with a repentyng hart and knowledge and surely beleue that Iesus is Lord ouer all sinne thou art safe And finally when the rage of thy conscience is ceased and quieted with fast faith in the promises of mercy theÌ offer with Ionas the offring of prayse and thankesgeuyng and pay the vowe of thy Baptisme that God onely saueth of his onely mercy and goodnes that is beleue stedsastly and preach coÌstaÌtly that it is God onely that smiteth and GOD onely that healeth ascribyng the cause of thy tribulation vnto thyne owne sinne and the cause of thy deliuerance vnto y t mercy of god And beware of the leuen that sayth we haue power in our free will before the preaching of the Gospel to deserue grace to kepe the law of congruite or god to bee vnrighteous And say with Iohn in the first that as the law was geuen by Moses euen so grace to fulfill it is geuen by Christ And when they say our deedes with grace deserue heauen say thou with Paule Rom. vj that euerlastyng lyfe is the gift of GOD thorough Iesus Christe our Lorde and that we be made sonnes by fayth Iohn i. And therefore heires of GOD with Christ Rom. viij And say that we receaue all of God through faith that foloweth repentaunce and that we doe not our workes vnto God but either vnto our selues to slay the sinne that remaineth in the fleshe and to waxe perfect either vnto our neighbours which do as much for vs agayne in other thynges And when a man excedeth in giftes of grace let him vnderstand that they be geuen him as well for his weake brethren as for him self as though all the bread be committed vnto the panter yet for his felowes with him whiche geue thee thankes vnto their Lord and recompence the panter agayn with other kynde of seruice in their offices And when they say that Christ hath made no satisfaction for the sinne we do after our Baptisme say thou with the doctrine of Paule that in our Baptisme we receaue the merites of Christes death through repentaunce faith of which two Baptisme is y t signe And though when we sinne of frailtie after our Baptisme we receaue the signe no more yet we be renewed agayne through repentance and fayth in Christes bloud of which twaine y t signe of Baptisme euen continued among vs in Baptising our young childreÌ doth euer kepe vs in mind call vs backe again vnto our profession if we begon astray promiseth vs forgeuenesse Neither caÌ actual sinne be washed away with our workes but with Christes bloud neither can there be any other sacrifice or satisfaction to Godward for them saue christes bloud For as much as we can do no workes vnto God but receiue only of his mercy with our repenting faith through Iesus Christ our lord and only sauiour vnto whom and vnto God our father thorowe hym and vnto his holy spirite y t onely purgeth sanctifieth and washeth vs in the innocent bloude of our redemption be prayse for euer Amen The Prologue vppon the Gospell of S. Mathew by M. William Tyndall HEre hast thou mostdere reader the new TestameÌt or couenaunt made with vs of GOD in Christes bloud Whiche I haue looked ouer agayne now at the last with all diligence compared it vnto the Greke haue weeded out of it many fautes which lacke of helpe at the begynning and ouersight did sow therein If ought seme chaunged or not altogether agreyng with the Greeke let the finder of the faute consider the Hebrue phrase or maner of speache left in the Greeke wordes Whose preterperfectence and presentence is oft both one the futuretence is the optatiue mode also the futuretence oft y t imperatiue mode in the actiue voyce in the passiue euer Likewise person for person number for number and interrogatioÌ for a coÌditionall and such lyke is with the Hebruesa common vsage I haue also in many places set light in the margent to vnderstand the text by If any maÌ finde fautes either with the translation or ought beside which is easier for many to do then so well to haue translated it theÌ selues of their owne pregnante wittes at the beginnyng without an ensaÌple to the same it shal be lawfull to traÌslate it them selues and to put what they lust thereto It I shall perceaue either by my selfe or by information of other y t ought be escaped me or might more playnly be translated I will shortly after cause it to be amended Howbeit in many places me thinketh it better to put a declaration in the margent then to runne to farre from the text And in many places where the text semeth at the first choppe hard to be vnderstaÌd yet the circumstaunces before and after and often readyng together make it plaine inough Moreouer because the kyngdome of heauen which is the Scripture and word of GOD may be so locked vp that he which readeth or heareth it can not vnderstand it as Christ testifieth how that the Scribes and Phariseis had so shut it vp Math. xxiij and had taken awaye the keye of knowledge Luke xj that y t Iewes which thought them selues within were yet so locked out and are to this day that they can vnderstand no sentence of the Scripture vnto their saluation though they caÌ rehearse the textes euery where and dispute therof as subtely as the Popish Doctours of Dunces darke learnyng whiche with their sophistry serned vs as the Phariseis did y t Iewes Therfore that I might be found faith full to my father and Lord in distributyng vnto my brethren and felowes of one faith their due and necessary fode so dressing it and seasonyng it that the weake stomackes may receiue it also and be the better for it I thought it my dutie most deare reader to warne thee before and to shew thee the right way in and to geue thee the true keye to open it with all and to arme thee agaynst false Prophetes and malicious hypocrites whose perpetuall studie is to blind the scripture with gloses and there to locke it vp where it should saue thee soule to make vs shoote at a wroÌg marke to put our trust in those thinges that profite their bellyes onely and slea our soules The right way yea and the onely way to vnderstand the Scripture vnto saluation is that we earnestly and aboue all thyng search
it is chewed the pleasanter it is and the more groundly it is searched the precioser thynges are found in it so great treasure of spirituall thinges lyeth hid therin I will therfore bestow my labour diligence thorow this little preface or prologue to prepare a way in therunto so farreforth as God shall geue me grace that it may be the better vnderstand of euery man for it hath ben hitherto euill darkened with gloses and wonderful dreames of sophisters that no man could spy out the intent and meanyng of it which neuerthelesse of it selfe is a bright lyght and sufficient to geue light vnto all the scripture First we must marke diligently the maner of speakyng of the Apostle and aboue all thing know what Paul meaneth by these wordes the Law sinne grace fayth righteousnes flesh sprite and such lyke or els read thou it neuer so ofte thou shalt but loose thy labor This word Lawe may not be vnderstand here after the common manner and to vse Pauls terme after the maner of men or after mans wayes that thou wouldest say the law here in this place were nothyng but learnyng which techeth what ought to be done and what ought not to be done as it goeth with mans law where the law is fulfilled with outward workes only though the harte be neuer so far of but God iudgeth after the grounde of the harte ye and the thoughtes and the secret mouinges of the mynde therfore hys law requireth the grounde of the hart and loue from the bottome therof and is not content with the outward worke onely but rebuketh those workes most of all which spryng not of loue from the ground and low bottome of the hart though they appeare outward neuer so honest and good as Christ in the gospell rebuketh the pharises aboue all other that were open sinners and calleth them hipocrites that is to say Simulars and paynted Sepulchers which Pharises yet liued no men so pure as pertayning to the outward dedes and workes of y t law ye and Paul in the third chapter of his epistle vnto the PhilippiaÌs confesseth of himselfe that as touching the lawe he was such a one as no man coulde complayne on and notwithstandyng was yet a murderer of the christen per secuted them and tormented them so sore that he compelled them to blaspheme Christ was altogether mercilesse as many which now fayne outward good workes are For this cause the 115. psalme calleth all men lyers because that no man kepeth the law from the ground of the harte neither can kepe it For all men are naturally inclyned vnto euill and hate the law we fynde in our selues vnlust and tediousnes to do good but lust and delectation to do euill Now where no free lust is to do good there the bottom of the hart fulfilleth not the law and there no doute is also sinne and wrathe deserued before GOD though there be neuer so great outwarde shew and apparance of honest liuing For this cause concludeth S. Paule in the second chapter that the Iewes all are sinners and transgressors of the law thoughe they make men beleue thorow hipocrisie of outward works how that they fulfill the law sayth that he onely whiche doth the law is righteous before God meanyng therby that no maÌ with outward workes fulfilleth the law Thou saith he to the Iewe teachest a maÌ should not breake wedlocke and yet breakest wedlocke thy selfe Wherin thou iudgest an other man therein condemnest thou thy selfe for thou thy selfe doest euen the very same thynges whiche thou iudgest As thoughe hee would say thou liuest outwardly well in the workes of the law and iudgest them that liue not so thou teachest other men and seest a mote in an other maÌs eie but art not ware of the beame that is in thyne owne eye For though thou keepe the lawe outwardly with works for feare of rebuke shame and punishment either for loue of reward vantage vayne glory yet doest thou all without lust and loue toward the law and haddest leuer a great deale otherwise do if thou diddest not feare the lawe ye inwardly in thine harte thou wouldest that there were no law no nor yet God the author and venger of the lawe if it were possible so paynefull it is vnto thee to haue thyne appetites refrayned and to bee kepte downe Wherfore then it is a playne conclusion that thou from the grounde and bottome of thyne hart art an enemy to the law What preuayleth it now that thou teachest an other man not to steale when thou thyne owne selfe art a thefe in thyne hart and outwardly wouldest fayne steale if thou durst though that the outward dedes abyde not alway behind with such hypocrites and dissimulers but breake forth among euen as an euill scabbe or a pocke can not alwayes be kept in with violence of medicine Thou teachest an other man but teachest not thy selfe ye thou wââ¦est not what thou teachest for thou vnderstadest not the law a right how that it can not be fulfilled and satisfied but with inward loue and affection much lesse can it be fulfilled with outward deedes and workes onely Moreouer the law encreaseth sinne as he sayth in the fift Chapter because that maÌ is an enemie to the law for as much as it requireth so many thinges cleane contrarie to his nature wherof he is not able to fulfill one pointe or title as the law requireth it And therfore are we more prouoked and haue greater lust to breake it For whiche causes sake he sayth in the seuenth Chapter that the lawe is spirituall as though he would say if the law wer fleshly and but mans doctrine it might be fulfilled satisfied and stilled with outward deedes But now is the law ghostly and no man fulfilleth it except that all that he doth spryng of loue from the bottome of the hart Such a new hart and lusty courage vnto the law ward canst thou neuer come by of thyne owne strength enforcement but by the operation and workyng of the spirite For the spirite of God onely maketh a man spirituall like vnto the law so that now hence forth hee doth nothyng of feare or for lucre or vantages sake or of vaine glory but of a free hart and of inward lust The law is spirituall and wil be both loued and fulfilled of a spirituall hart and therefore of necessitie requireth it the spirit that maketh a mans hart free and geueth him lust and courage vnto the law ward Where such a spirite is not there remaineth sinne grudging and hatred against the law which law neuerthelesse is good righteous and holy Acquaint thy selfe therfore with the maner of speakyng of the Apostle and let this now sticke fast in thyne hart that it is not both one to do the dedes and workes of the law and to fulfill the law The worke of y t law is what soeuer a man doth or
agaynst vs but at one agreed with vs and we with it But to be vnder the law is to deale with the workes of the law and to worke without the sprite and grace for so long no doubt sinne raigneth in vs through the law that is to say the lawe declareth y t wee are vnder sinne and that sinne hath power and dominion ouer vs seyng we can not fulfill the law namely within in the hart for as much as no man of nature fauoureth the law consenteth therunto and deliteth therein which thyng is exceedyng great synne that we cannot consent to the law which law is nothyng els saue the will of God This is the right freedome and libertie from sinne and from the lawe whereof he writeth vnto the ende of this chapter that it is a freedom to do good onely with lust and to liue well without compulsion of the law Wherfore this freedome is a spirituall freedome which destroyeth not the lawe but ministreth that which the law requireth and wherwith the law is fulfilled that is to vnderstand luste and loue wherewith the law is stilled and accuseth vs no more compelleth vs no more neither hath ought to craue of vs any more Euen as thoughe thou were in debt to an other man and wer not able to pay two maner of wayes mightest thou be losed One way if he would require nothyng of thee and break thine obligation An other way if some other good man woulde paye for thee and geue thee as muche as thou mightest satisfie thyne obligation with all On this wyse hath Christe made vs fre from the law therfore is this no wylde fleshly libertie y t should do nought but that doth all thynges and is free from the crauyng and debt of the law In the seuenth he confirmeth y t same with a similitude of the state of matrimony As wheÌ the husband dyeth the wyfe is at her libertie and the one losed and departed from the other not that the woman should not haue power to mary vnto an other man but rather now first of all is she free hath power to mary vnto an other man which she could not do before till she was loosed from her first husband Euen so are our consciences bound and in daunger to the law vnder olde Adam as long as he liueth in vs for the law declareth y t our hartes are bound and that we cannot disconsent from hym but when he is mortified killed by the sprite then is the conscience free and at libertie not so that the conscience shall now nought doe but nowe first of all cleaueth vnto an other that is to witte Christ and bringeth forth the fruites of lyfe So now to be vnder the lawe is not to be able to fulfill the law but to be detter to it and not able to pay that which the lawe requireth And to be lose from the lawe is to fulfill it and to pay that which the lawe demaundeth so that it can now henceforth aske thee nought Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of synne and of the law how that through the law synne reuiueth moueth her selfe and gathereth strength For the olde man and corrupt nature the more he is forbidden and kept vnder of the law is the more offended and displesed therwith for as much as he cannot pay y t which is required of the lawe For synne is his nature and of himselfe he cannot but sinne Therefore is the law death to hym torment and martirdom Not that the lawe is euill but because that the euill nature can not suffer y t which is good cannot abyde that the law should require of him any good thing like as a sicke maÌ cannot suffer that a man should desire of hym to runne to leape and to doe other deedes of an whole man For which cause S. Paule concludeth that where the law is vnderstand and perceiued in the best wise there it doth no more but vtter synne bryng vs vnto the knowledge of our selues and therby kyl vs and make vs bond vnto eternall damnation and detters of the euerlastyng wrath of God euen as he well feeleth and vnderstandeth whose conscience is truely touched of the law In such daunger were we ere the law came that we knew not what sinne ment neither yet knowe we the wrath of God vppon sinners tyll the law had vttered it So seest thou that a man must haue some other thyng ye a greater and a more mighty thing the the law to make hym righteous safe They that vnderstand not the law on this wise are blinde and go to worke presumptuously supposing to satisfie the law with workes For they know not that the law requireth a free a willing a lusty and a louing hart Therfore they see not Moses right in y t face the vayle hangeth betwene and hideth his face so that they can not behold the glorie of his countenaunce how that the law is spiritual and requireth the hart I may of myne own strength refraine that I do myne enemy no hurt but to loue him with all myne hart to put awaye wrath cleane out of my mind caÌ I not of mine own strength I maye refuse money of myne owne strength but to put away loue vnto riches out of myne hart can I not do of myne owne strength To abstaine from adultery as concernyng the outward dede can I doe of myne owne streÌgth but not to desire in mine hart is as vnpossible vnto me as is to chose whether I will hungre or thrust and yet so the law requireth Wherfore of a mans owne strength is the law neuer fulfilled we must haue therunto Gods fauour and his spirite purchased by Christes bloud Neuerthelesse when I saye a man may do many things outwardly clean agaynst his hart we must vnderstand y â maÌ is but driuen of diuers appetites and the greatest appetite ouercoÌmeth the lesse and carieth the maÌ away violently with her As when I desire vengeaunce and feare also the incoÌuenience that is like to folowe if feare bee greater I abstaine if the appetite that desireth vengeaunce be greater I can not but prosecute the dede as we see by experieÌce in many murtherers theeues which though they be brought into neuer so great perill of death yet after they haue escaped do euen the same agayne And common women prosecute their lustes because feare shame are away when other whiche haue the same appetites in their hartes abstaine at the lest way outwardly or worke secretly beyng ouercome of feare and of shame and so likewise is it of all other appetites Furthermore he declared how the spirite and the flesh fight together in one man and maketh an ensample of him self that we might learne to know that worke a right I meane to kill sinne in our selues He calleth both the spirit and also the flesh a law because that like as the nature of Gods
in the latter ende In the 8. and 9. chapters he exhorteth theÌ to helpe the poore saintes that were at Ierusalem In the 10. 11. and 12. he inueyegth against the false prophetes And in the last Chapter he threateneth them that had sinned and not amended themselues A Prologue vpon the Epistle of S. Paule to the Gallathians by W. Tyndall AS ye read Act. 15. how certaine came from Ierusalem to Antioche vexed y t disciples there affirming y t they coulde not be saued except they were circumcised Euen so after Paul had conuerted the Galathians coupled them to Christ to trust in him only for the remission of synne and hope of grace and saluation and was departed there came false apostles vnto theÌ as vnto the CorinthiaÌs and vnto all places where Paul had preached and that in the name of Peter Iames and Iohn whom they called the hye Apostles and preached circumcision and the kepyng of the law to be saued by and minished Paules authoritie To the confounding of those Paul magnifieth hys office and Apostleship in the two first chapiters and maketh hymselfe equall vnto the hie Apostles and concludeth that euery man muste be iustified without deseruyngs without workes and without helpe of the law but alone by Christ And in the 3. and 4. he proueth the same with Scripture examples and similitudes and sheweth that the law is cause of more sinne and bryngeth the curse of God vpon vs and iustifieth vs not but that iustifiyng commeth of grace promised vs of GOD through the deseruyng of Christe by whome if we beleue we are iustified without helpe of the woorkes of the lawe And in the 5. and 6. he exhorteth vnto the workes of loue which folow fayth and iustifiyng So that in all his Epistle he obserueth this order First he preacheth the damnatioÌ of the law then the iustifiyng of fayth and thyrdly the workes of loue For on that coÌdition that wee loue henceforth and worke is the mercy giuen vs or els if we will not worke the will of GOD henceforward we fall from fauour grace and the inheritance that is freely geuen vs for Christes sake through our owne fault we lose agayne A Prologue vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Ephesians IN this Epistle and namely in the three firste Chapters Paul sheweth that the Gospell grace therof was foresene and predestmate of God from before the begynnyng and deserued through Christ now at the last sent forth that all men should beleue thereon thereby to be iustified made righteous liuyng and happy and to bee deliuered from vnder the damnation of the law and captiuitie of ceremonies And in the fourth he teacheth to auoyde traditions and mens doctrine and to beware of puttyng trust in any thyng saue Christ affirmyng that he onely is sufficient and that in him we haue all thynges and beside him neede nothyng In the v. and vj. he exhorteth to exercise the faith and to declare it abroad through good workes and to auoyde sinne and to arme them with spiritual armour agaynst the deuill that they might stand fast in time of tribulation and vnder the crosse The Prologue vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Philippians by W. Tyndall PAule prayseth the Philippians and exhorteth them to staÌd fast in the true faith and to encrease in loue And because that false Prophetes study alwayes to impugne and destroy y â true fayth he warneth them of such worke learners or teachers of woorkes and prayseth Epaphroditus And all this doth hee in the first and seconde Chapters In the thyrd he reproueth faythles and mans righteousnes whiche false Prophetes teach and mainteyne And he setteth him for an ensample howe that he him selfe had liued in such false righteousnes and holinesse vnrebukeable that was so that no man could complaine on him and yet now setteth nought therby for Christes righteousnes sake And finally he affirmeth that such false Prophetes are the enemyes of the crosse make their bellye 's their GOD for further then they may safely and without all perill and sufferyng will they not preach Christ A Prologue vpon the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Colossians by W. Tyndall AS the Epistle to y t Galathians holdeth the maner and fashion of the Epistle to the Romains briefly comprehendyng all that is therein at length disputed Euen so this Epistle foloweth the ensample of the Epistle to the Ephesians conteynyng the tenour of the same Epistle with fewer wordes In the first Chapter he praiseth theÌ and wisheth that they continue in the fayth and grow perfecter therin theÌ describeth he the Gospell how that it is a wisedome that confesseth Christ to be the Lord and God crucified for vs and a wisedome that hath bene hyd in Christ sence afore the beginning of the world and now first begon to be opened throughe the preachyng of the Apostles In the ij he warneth them of mens doctrine and describeth the false Prophetes to the vttermost and rebuketh them accordyng In y t thyrd he exhorteth to be frutefull in the pure fayth with all maner of good workes one to an other and describeth al degrees and what their duties are In the fourth he exhorteth to pray and also to pray for him and saluteth them A Prologue vpon the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Thessalonians by W. Tyndall THis Epistle did Paule write of exceeding loue and care and prayseth them in the two firste chapters because they did receiue the Gospell earnestly and had in tribulation and persecution continued therin stedfastly and were become an ensample vnto all congregations and had thereto suffred of their own kinsmeÌ as Christ and his apostles did of y e Iewes puttyng them therto in mynde how purely and godly he had lyued among theÌ to their ensample and thanketh God that hys gospel had brought forth such fruite among them In the third chapter he sheweth his diligence and care least hys so greate labor and their so blessed a beginning should haue bene in vayne Sathan his apostles vexyng them with persecution and destroying their faith with mens doctrine And therefore he sente Tymothie to them to comforte them and strengthen them in the fayth and thanketh GOD that they had so constantly endured and desireth God to encrease them In the fourth he exhorteth them to kepe themselues from sinne and to do good one to another And thereto he informeth them concernyng the resurrection In the fift he writeth of the last day that it should come sodenly exhortyng to prepare them selues thereafter and to kepe a good order concernyng obedience and rule The Prologue vpon the second Epistle of S. Paule to the Thessalonians by W. Tyndall BEcause in the fore epistle he had said y t the last day should come sodenly the Thessalonians thought that it should come shortly Wherefore in this Epistle he declareth hymselfe And in the first chapter he comforteth
man a lier as Scripture sayth For the truth of God lasteth euer to whom onely be all honour and glorie for euer Amen The ende of the Parable of the Wicked Mammon ¶ The obedience of a Christen man and how Christen rulers ought to gouerne Wherein also if thou marke diligently thou shalt finde eyes to perceaue the craftie conueyaunce of all iugglers Set forth by William Tyndall 1528. Octob. 2. William Tyndall otherwyse called Hitchins to the Reader GRace peace and increase of knowledge in our Lord Iesus Christ be with thee reader and with all that call on the name of the Lord vnfaynedly and with a pure conscience Amen Let it not make thee dispayre neither yet discourage thee O Reader that it is forbidden thee in payne of life and goods or that it is made breaking of the Kinges peace or treason vnto his highnesse to read the worde of thy soules health but much rather be bold in the Lorde and comforte thy soule for asmuch as thou art sure and hast an euident token through suche persecution that it is the true worde of God which worde is euer hated of the worlde neyther was euer without persecution as thou seest in all the stories of the Bible both of the newe Testament and also of the olde neyther can be no more then the Sunne can be without his light And forasmuch as contrariwise thou art sure that the popes doctrine is not of God which as thou seest is so agreable vnto the world and is so receiued of the world or which rather so receaueth the world and the pleasures of the worlde and seeketh nothing but the possessions of the worlde and aucthoritie in the world to beare a rule in the world persecuteth the worde of God with all wilinesse driueth the people from it and with false and sophisticall reasons maketh them afeard of it he curseth them and excommunicateth them and bringeth them in beleef that they be damned if they looke on it and that it is but doctrine to deceaue men and moueth the blinde powers of the world to slay with fire water and sworde all that cleaue vnto it For the world loueth that which is his and hateth that which is chosen out of the world to serue God in the spirite as Christ sayth to his Disciples Iohn 15. If ye were of the world the world would loue his owne but I haue chosen you out of the worlde and therefore the world hateth you An other comfort hast thou that as the weake powers of the worlde defende the doctrine of the worlde so the mighty power of God defendeth the doctrine of God Which thing thou shalt euidentlye perceiue if thou call to minde the wonderfull deedes whiche God hath euer wrought for his word in extreame necessitie since the worlde began beyond all mans reason Whiche are written as Paule sayth Roma 15. for our learning and not for our deceauing that we through patience and comfort of the scripture might haue hope The nature of Gods word is to fight agaynst hypocrites It beganne at Abell and hath euer since continued and shall I doubte not vntyll the laste daye And the hypocrites haue alway the world on their sides as thou seest in the time of Christ They had the elders that is to witte the rulers of the Iewes on theyr side They had Pilate and the Emperors power on theyr side They had Herode also on theyr side Moreouer they brought all theyr worldlye wysedome to passe and all that they coulde thinke ⪠or imagine to serue for theyr purpose Fyrst to feare the people withal they excommunicated all that beleeued in him and put them out of the temple as thou seest Iohn 9. Secondly they founde the meanes to haue him condemned by the Emperors power and made it treason to Cesar to beleeue in him Thirdly they obtayned to haue him hanged as a theefe or a murtherer which after theyr belly wisedome was a cause aboue all causes that no man should beleeue in him For the Iewes take it for a sure token of euerlasting damnation if a man be hanged For it is written in theyr lawe Deutero 21. Cursed is whosoeuer hangeth on tree Moyses also in the same place commaundeth if any man be hanged to take him downe the same day and bury him for feare of polluting or defiling the countrey that is least they shoulde bring the wrath and curse of God vpon them And therfore the wicked Iewes themselues which with so venemous hate persecuted the doctrine of Christ and did all the shame that they coulde do vnto him though they would fayne haue had Christ to hang still on the crosse and there to rotte as he shoulde haue done by the Emperors lawe yet for feare of defiling theyr Sabboth and of bringing the wrath and curse of God vpon them begged of Pilate to take him downe Ioh. 19. which was against them selues Finally when they had done all they coulde and that they thought sufficient and when christ was in the hart of the earth so many billes and pollares about him to keepe him down and when it was past mans helpe then holpe God when man coulde not bring him agayne Gods truth fetched him agayne The oth that God had sworne to AbrahaÌ to Dauid to other holy fathers Prophetes raysed him vp agayne to blesse and saue all that beleeue in him Thus became the wisedome of the hypocrites foolishnes Loe thys was written for thy learning and comfort How wonderfully were the children of Israell locked in Egipt In what tribulation combraunce and aduersitie were they in The land also that was promised them was farre of and full of great cities walled with high walles vp to the skye inhabited with great giantes yet Gods truth brought them out of Egipt and planted them in the land of the giantes This is also written for our learning For there is no power agaynst Gods neyther any wisedome against Gods wisedomeâ he is stronger and wiser then all his enemies What holpe it Pharao to drowne the men childreÌ So little I feare not shall it at the last helpe the pope and his byshops to burne our men children whiche manfully confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lorde and that there is no other name geuen vnto men to be saued by as Peter testifieth Actes 4. Who dryed vp the red sea Who slew Golias Who did all those wonderfull deedes which thon readest in the Bible Who deliuered the Israelites euermore from thraâdom and bondage as soone as they repented and turned to God Fayth verely and Gods truth and the trust in the promises which he had made Read the xj to the Hebrues for thy consolation When the children of Israell were ready to dispayre for the greatnes the multitude of the Giantes Moyses comforted them euer saying RemeÌber what your Lord God hath done for you in Egipt his wonderfull plagues his
that resiste shall receaue vnto themselues damnation Why For Gods worde is against them which will haue all men vnder the power of the temporall sworde For rulers are not to be feared for good woorkes but for euill Hereby seest thou that they that resiste the powers or seeke to bee exempt from their aucthoritie haue euil consciences and seeke libertie to sinne vnpunished and to be free from bearing payne wyth their brethren Wilt thou be without feare of the power So do well and thou shalt haue laude of the same that is to say of the ruler with good liuing ought y t spiritualtie to rid them selues froÌ feare of the teÌporall sword not with craft and with blyndyng the kynges bryngyng the vengeauÌce of God vpoÌ them in purchasing licence to sinne vnpunished For he is the minister of God for thy wealth to defend thee from a thousand inconueniences from theeues murderers and them that would defile thy wife thy daughter and take from thee all that thou hast yea life and al if thou did resist Furthermore though he be the greatest tyraunt in the world yet is he vnto thee a great benefit of God and a thing wherfore thou oughtest to thanke God hyghly For it is better to haue somwhat then to be cleane stripte out of altogether it is better to pay the tenth then to loose all it is better to suffer one tyraunt then many and to suffer wrong of one then of euery maÌ Yea and it is better to haue a tyraunt vnto thy king then a shadow a passiue kyng that doth nought him selfe but suffer other to do with hym what they wil and to lead hym whether they list For a tyrauÌt though he do wrong vnto thee good yet he punisheth the euill and maketh all meÌ obey neither suffereth any maÌ to polle but himself onely A kyng that is soft as silke and effeminate that is to say turned vnto the nature of a woman what with his owne lustes whiche are as the longyng of a woman with child so that he can not resiste them and what with the wyly tyranny of theÌ that euer rule him shal be much more greuous vnto y t realme then a right tyraunt Read the Cronicles and thou shalt finde it euer so But if thou do euill theÌ feare For hee beareth not a sworde for nought For he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on them that do euill If the office of Princes geuen theÌ of God be to take vengeaunce of euill doers then by this text and Gods word are all Princes damned euen as many as geue libertie or licence vnto the spiritualtie to sinne vnpunished and not onely to sinne vnpunished theÌ selues but also to opeÌ sanctuaries priuileged places churchyardes S. Iohns hold yea and if they come to short vnto all these yet to setfoorth a neckeuerse to saue all maner trespassers froÌ the feare of the sword of the vengeaunce of God put in the handes of Princes to take vengeaunce on all such GOd requireth the law to be kept of all men let them keepe it for what soeuer purpose they will Wil they not keepe the law so vouchsafeth he not that they enioy this teÌporall life Now are there three natures of men one all together beastly which in no wise receaue the law in their hartes but rise agaynst Princes and rulers when soeuer they are able to make their partie good These are signified by them that worshypped the golden calfe For Moses brake the tables of the law ere he came at them The second are not so beastly but receaue the law and vnto them the law commeth but they looke not Moses in the face For his countenaunce is to bright for them that is they vnderstaÌd not that y â law is spirituall and requireth the hart They looke on the pleasure profite and promotioÌ that foloweth the kepyng of the law in respect of the reward keepe they the law outwardly with woorkes but not in the hart For if they might obteine like honour glorie promotion and dignitie and also auoyde all inconueniences if they broke the law so would they also breake the law and folow their lustes The thyrd are spirituall and looke Moses in the open face are as Paul sayth the secoÌd to the Romains a law vnto them selues haue the law written in their hartes by y t spirite of God These neede neither of kyng nor officers to driue them neither that any man profer theÌ any reward for to kepe the law For they do it naturally The first worke for feare of y â sword onely The second for reward The thyrd worke for loue frely They looke on the excedyng mercy loue kyndes which God hath shewed theÌ in Christ and therfore loue agayne and woorke frely Heauen they take of the free gift of God through Christes deseruyngs and hope without all maner doubtyng that GOD according to his promise wil in this world also defend them and do all thyng for them of hys goodnes and for Christes sake and not for any goodnes that is in them They consent vnto the law that it is holy and iust that all men ought to doe what soeuer God commaundeth for no other cause but because God coÌmaundeth it And their great sorow is because that there is no strength in their members to do that which their hart lusteth to do and is a thyrst to do These of the last sorte keepe the law of their owne accorde and that in the hart and haue professed perpetuall warre against the lustes and appetites of the flesh til they be vtterly subdued yet not through their owne strength but knowyng and knowledgyng their weakenes cry euer for strength to god which hath promised assistance vnto al that call vpon him These folow God and are led of his spirite The other ij are led of lustes and appetites Lustes appetites are diuers and many and that in one maÌ yea and one lust contrarie to an other and the greatest lust carieth a man altogether away with him We are also chaunged from one lust vnto an other Otherwise are we disposed when we are children otherwise when we are youngmen and otherwise when we are old otherwise ouer euen and otherwise in the mornyng yea somtymes altered vj. tymes in an houre How fortuneth all this Because that the will of man foloweth the witte and is subiect vnto the witte as the witte erreth so doth the will and as the witte is in captiuitie so is the will neither is it possible that the will should be free where the witte is in bondage That thou mayst perceaue feele y t thyng in thine hart and not be a vayne sophister disputyng aboute woordes without perceauyng marke this The roote of all euil the greatest damnatioÌ and most terrible wrath vengeaunce of god that we are in is natural blindnes We are all out of the right
commeth it that they will pay none at all But to pay tribute is a signe of subiectioÌ verely the cause why Christ payed was because he had an houshold and for the same cause payed Peter also For he had an house a shippe and nettes as thou readest in the Gospell But let vs go to Paul agayne Wherfore ye must needes obey not for feare of vengeaunce onely but also because of conscience That is though thou be so naughty as nowe many yeares our Pope and Prelates euery where are that thou nedest not to obeye the temporall sword for feare of vengeaunce yet must thou obey because of conscieÌce First because of thine owne conscience For though thou be able to resiste yet shalt thou neuer haue a good coÌscience as loÌg as Gods word law and ordinaunce are against thee Secondarily for thy neighbours conscience For though through craft and violence thou mightest escape and obteyne libertie or priuilege to be free from all maner dueties yet oughtest thou neither to sue or to seeke for any such thing neither yet admit or accept if it were profered lest thy fredome make thy weake brother to grudge rebell in that he seeth thee go emptie and he him selfe more ladeÌ thy part also layd on his shoulders Seest thou not if a man fauour one sonne more then an other or one seruaunt more then an other how all the rest grudge and how loue peace and vnitie is broken What Christenly loue is in the to thy neighbour ward when thou canst finde in thyne hart to go vp and down empty by him all day long and see him ouer charged yea to fal vnder his burthen and yet wilt not once set to thyne hand to helpe him What good conscience caÌ there be among our spiritualtie to gather so great treasure together and with hypocrisie of their false learnyng to robbe almost euery man of house and landes and yet not therewith content but with all craft and wilenes to purchase so great liberties and exemptions from all maner bearyng with their brethren seekyng in Christ nothyng but lucre I passe ouer with silence how they teach Princes in euery lande to lade new exactions and tyranny on their subiectes more and more dayly neither for what purpose they do it say I. God I trust shall shortly disclose their iugglynge and bryng their falshode to light and lay a medecine to theÌ to make their scabbes breake out Neuerthelesse this I say that they haue robbed all Realmes not of Gods word onely but also of all wealth and prosperitie and haue driuen peace out of all landes withdrawen them selues from all obedieÌce to Princes and haue separated them selues from the lay men countyng theÌ viler theÌ dogges and haue set vp that great Idole the whore of BabyloÌ Antichrist of Rome whom they call pope and haue conspired agaynst all common wealthes haue made them a seuerall kyngdome wherin it is lawfull vnpunished to woorke all abhomination In euery Parish haue they spyes and in euery great mans house and in euery tauerne and alchouse And thorough confessions knowe they all secretes so that no man may open his mouth to rebuke what soeuer they do but that he shal be shortly made an hereticke In all CouÌcels is one of them yea the most part and chief rulers of the Councels are of them But of there Councell is no man Euen for this cause pay ye tribute that is to witt for consciences sake to thy neighbour and for the cause that foloweth For they are Gods Ministers seruyng for the same purpose Because God will so haue it we must obey We doe not looke if we haue Christes spirite in vs what is good profitable glorious and honorable for vs neither on our owne will but on Gods will onely Geue to euery man therefore his dutie tribute to whom tribute belongeth custome to whom custome is due feare to whoÌ feare belongeth honour to whom honor perteineth That thou mightest feele the workyng of the spirite of God in thee and lest the bewtie of the deed should deceaue thee and make thee thinke that the law of God whiche is spirituall were conteÌt and fulfilled with the outward and bodyly dede it foloweth Owe nothyng to any maÌ but to loue one an other For he that loueth an other fulfilleth the law For these commaundementes thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnes thou shalt not desire and so forth if there be any other commauÌdement are all comprehended or contained in this saying loue thy neighbour therfore is loue the fulfillyng of the law Here hast thou sufficient agaynst all the sophisters workeholy iustifiers in the world which so magnifie their dedes The law is spirituall and requireth the hart is neuer fulfilled with the dede in the sight of god With y e dede thou fulfillest the law before the world liuest thereby that is y â enioyest this preseÌt life and auoydest the wrath and vengeaunce the death and punishment which the law threatneth to them that breake it But before God thou keepest the law if thou loue onely Now what shal make vs loue Verely that shall fayth do If thou behold how much God loueth thee in Christ and from what vengeaunce he hath deliuered thee for his sake and of what kyngdome he hath made thee heyre then shalt thou see cause inough to loue thy very enemie without respect of reward either in this lyfe or in the lyfe to come but because that God will so haue it and Christ hath deserued it Yet thou shouldest feele in thyne harte that all thy deedes to come are abundantly recompensed all ready in Christ Thou wilt say haply if loue fulfill the lawe then it iustifieth I say that that wherewith a man fulfilleth the law declareth hym iustified but that which geueth him wherewith to fulfill the law iustifieth hym By iustifiyng vnderstande the forgeuenesse of sinnes and the fauour of God Now sayth the text Roma x. the ende of the law or the cause wherfore the law was made is Christ to iustifie all that beleue That is the law is geuen to vtter sinne to kill the consciences to damne our deedes to bryng to repentaunce and to driue vnto Christ in whoÌ God hath promised his fauour and forgeuenesse of sinne vnto all that repente and consent to the law that it is good If thou beleue the promises then doth Gods truth iustifie thee that is forgeueth thee and receaueth thee to fauour for Christes sake In a suretie wherof and to certifie thine hart he sealeth thee with the spirite Ephe. i. and. iiij And. ij Cor. v. sayth Paul whiche gaue vs his spirite in earnest How the spirite is geuen vs through Christ read the viij chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines and Gallat iij. and. ij Cor. iij. Neuerthelesse the spirit and his frutes
The dutie of Kynges and of the Iudges and Officers LEt Kynges if they had leuer be Christen in deede then so to be called geue themselues all together to the wealth of their Realmes after the ensample of Christ remembryng that the people are Gods not theirs ye are Christes inheritaunce and possession bought with his bloud The most despised person in his Realme is the kynges brother and felowmember with hym and equall with him in the kyngdome of God and of Christ Let him therfore not thinke him selfe to good to do theÌ seruice neither seke any other thing in them then a father seketh in his children yea then Christ sought in vs. Though that the kyng in the temporal regiment be in the rowme of God and representeth God him self and is with out all comparison better theÌ his subiectes yet let him put of that and become a brother doing and leauing vndone all thinges in respect of the common wealth that all men may see that he seketh nothing but the profet of his subiectes When a cause that requireth execution is brought before him then onely let him take y e person of God on him Then let him know no creature but heare all indifferently whether it be a straunger or one of his owne Realme the small as well as the great and iudge righteously for the iudgemeÌt is the Lordes Deut. i. In tyme of iudgement he is no minister in the kyngdome of Christ he preacheth no Gospell but the sharpe law of vengeance Let him take the holy iudges of the olde Testament for an example and namely Moses which in executing the law was mercylesse otherwise more then a mother vnto them neuer auengyng his owne wronges but suffering all thing bearing euery mans weakenes teaching warning exhorting and euer caryng for them and so tenderly loued them that he desired God either to forgeue them or to damne hym with them Let the iudges also priuatly when they haue put of the person of a iudge exhort with good counsell and warne the people helpe that they come not at Gods iudgemeÌt but the causes that are brought vnto them when they sit in Gods stede let them iudge and coÌdemne y e trespasser vnder lawfull witnesses and not breake vp into the consciences of men after the example of Antichristes disciples and compell theÌ either to forsweare them selues by the almightie God and by the holy Gospell of his mercyfull promises or to testifie against them selues Which abhominatioÌ our Prelates learned of Cayphas Math. xxvj saying to Christ I adiure or charge thee in the name of the liuing God that thou tell vs whether thou be Christ the sonne of God Let that which is secret to God onely where of no profe caÌ be made nor lawfull witnesse brought abyde vnto the commyng of the Lord which shall opeÌ all secretes If any malice breake forth that let them iudge onely For further authoritie hath God not geuen them Moyses Deut. xvij warneth iudges to kepe them vpright and to looke on no mans person that is that they preferre not the hye before the low the great before the small the rich before poore his acquaintaunce frende kinsman countrey man or one of his own nation before a strauÌger a frend or an aliant ye or one of their own faith before an infidell but that they looke on the cause onely to iudge indifferently For the rowme that they are in and the law that they execute are Gods which as he hath made all and is God of all and all are his sonnes euen so is he iudge ouer all and wil haue al iudged by his law indifferently and to haue the right of his law and will auenge the wrong done vnto the Turke or Sareson For though they be not vnder the euerlastyng Testament of God in Christ as few of vs which are called Christen be and euen no mo theÌ to whom God hath sent his promises and poured his spirite into their harts to beleue them and through fayth grauen lust in their hartes to fulfill the law of loue yet are they vnder the Testament of y e law naturall which is the lawes of euery land made for the common wealth there and for peace and vnite that one may lyue by an other In whiche lawes the infidels if they kepe them haue promises of worldly things Who soeuer therfore hyndreth a very infidell from the right of that law sinneth agaynst God and of him will God be aueÌged Moreouer Moyses warneth them that they receaue no giftes rewardes or bribes For those two pointes fauoryng of one person more then an other and receauyng rewardes peruerte all right and equitie and is y e onely pestilence of all iudges And the kynges warneth he that they haue not to many wiues lest their hartes turne away and that they read alway in the law of God to learne to feare him lest their hartes be lift vp aboue their brethren Which ij pointes wemen and pride the despising of their subiectes which are in very deed their owne brethren are the common pestilence of all Princes Read the stories and see The Shyriffes Bayly arauntes Constables and such like officers may let no man that hurteth his neighbour scape but that they bryng them before the iudges except they in the meane time agree with their neighbours and make them amendes Let Kinges defende their subiectes from the wronges of other natioÌs but picke no quarels for euery trifle no let not our most holy father make them no more so dronkeÌ with vayne names with cappes of maintenaunce and like bables as it were popetry for childreÌ to begger their Realmes and to murther their people for defendyng of our holy fathers tyraÌny If a lawfull peace that standeth with Gods woorde be made betwene Prince and Prince and the name of God taken to recorde and the body of our Sauiour broken betwene them vppon the bonde whiche they haue made that peace or bonde can our holy father not dispence with neither lowse it with all the keyes he hath no veryly Christ can not breake it For he came not to breake the law but to fulfill it Math. v. If any man haue broken the law or a good ordinaunce and repent come to the rightway agayne then hath Christ power to forgeue hym but licence to breake the law caÌ he not geue much more his disciples and vicares as they call them selues can not do it The keyes wherof they so greatly bost them selues are no carnall things but spirituall and nothing els saue knowledge of the law and of the promises or Gospell if any man for lacke of spirituall feelyng desire authoritie of men let him read the old Doctours If any man desire authoritie of Scripture Christ sayth Luke xj woe be to you lawyers for ye haue takeÌ away the key of knowledge ye enter not in your selues and them that come in ye forbyd that is
their somners and apparitars by bawdery in a yeare Shall ye not finde Curates inough which to flatter the Commissaries and Officials with all that they may go quite them selues shall open vnto them the confessioÌs of the richest of their Parishes Whom they cite priuely and lay to their charges secretly If they desire to know their accusers nay say they the matter is knowen well inough and to more then ye are ware of Come lay your hand on the booke if ye forswere your selfe we shal bring proues we will handle you we will make an example of you Oh how terrible are they Come and swere say they that ye wil be obedient vnto our iniunctions And by that craft wryng they their purses and make them drop as long as there is a peny in them In three or foure yeares shall they in those offices get ynough to pay for a Byshops bulle What other thyng are these in a Realme saue horsleches and euen very maggotes cankres caterpillers which deuour no more but all that is grene and those wolues which Paul prophesied should come should not spare the flocke Actes xx Chapter And whiche Christ sayd should come in lambes skynnes and bad vs beware of them and iudge them by their workes THough as I before haue sufficieÌtly proued a Christen maÌ must suffer all thyng be it neuer so great vnright as long as it is not agaynst Gods commaundement neither is it lawfull for him to cast any burthen of his backe by his owne authoritie tyll God pull it of which layd it on for our deseruinges yet ought the kynges euery where to defend their realmes froÌ such oppression if they were Christen which is seldom seene and is an harde thyng verely though not impossible For alas they be captiues or euer they be kyngs yea almost er they be borne No man may be suffered about hym but flatterers and such as are fyrst sworne true vnto our most holy fathers the Byshops that is to say false to God and man If any of the nobles of the realme be true to the kyng and so bolde that he dare councell him that which should be to hys honour and for the wealth of the realme They will waite a seasoÌ for hym as men say They wyll prouide a ghostly father for hym God bring their wickednes to light There is no mischiefe wherof they are not the roote nor bloudshedde but thorough their cause either by their counsell or in that they preach not true obedience and teach not the people to feare God If any faythfull seruaunt be in all the courte he shall haue tweÌty spies wayting vpon him he shal be cast out of the courte or as the saying is conuayed to Callice and made a captayne or an Ambassadoure he shal be kepte farre inough from the kynges presence The kinges ought I say to remember that they are in Gods steede ordayned of God not for themselues but for the wealth of their subiectes Let them remember that their subiectes are their brethren their fleshe bloud members of their owne body and eueÌ their owne selues in Christ Therefore ought they to pitie them to rid them from such wylye tyraÌny which encreaseth more and more dayly And though that the kynges by the falshod of the Byshops and Abbottes be sworne to defend such liberties yet ought they not to keepe their othes but to breake them For as much as they are vnright and cleane agaynst Gods ordinaunce and euen but cruell oppression contrary vnto brotherly loue and charitie Moreouer the spirituall officer ought to punish no sinne but and if any sinne breake out the kyng is ordained to punishe it and they not but to preach exhort theÌ to feare God and that they sinne not And let the kinges put downe some of theyr tyranny and turne some vnto a common wealth If the tenth part of such tyranny were geuen the kyng yearely laide vp in the shyre townes agaynst the realme had neede what would it grow to in certayne yeares Moreouer one kyng one lawe is Gods ordinaunce in euery realme Therefore ought not the king to suffer them to haue a seuerall lawe by themselues and to draw hys subiectes thether It is not mete will they say that a spirituall man should be iudged of a worldly or a temporall man O abhomination see how they deuide and separate themselues If the laye man be of the worlde so is he not of God If he beleue in Christ then is he a meÌber of Christ Christes brother Christes fleshe Christes bloud Christes spouse coheyre wyth Christ and hath his spirite in earnest and is also spirituall If they woulde robbe vs of the spirite of God why should they feare to robbe vs of worldly goodes Because thou art put in office to preach Gods word art thou therefore no more one of the brethren is the Maior of London no more one of the Citie because he is the chiefe officer Is the kyng no more of the realme because he is head thereof The king is in the roome of God and hys lawe is Gods lawe and nothyng but the lawe of nature and naturall equitie which God graued in the harts of men Yet Antichrist is to good to be iudged by the lawe of God he must haue a new of hys owne making It were mete verely that they went to no lawe at all No more needed they if they woulde studie to preach Gods worde truely and be contented wyth sufficient and to be lyke one of theyr brethren If any question arose about y â fayth or of the scripture that let them iudge by the manifest and open scriptures not excluding the laye men For there are many founde among the laye men which are as wise as the officers Or els when the officer dyeth how coulde we put an other in hys roome Wylâ thou so teach xx xxx xl or fifty yeares that no man shall haue knowledge or iudgement in Gods worde saue thou onely Is it not a shame that we ChristeÌ come so oft to Church in vaine wheÌ he of foure score yeare olde knoweth no more then he that was borne yesterday Moreouer when the spirituall officers haue excommunicate any man or haue condemned any opinion for heresy Let not the kyng nor temporall officers punish sley by by at their commaundement But let them looke on Gods worde and compare theyr iudgement vnto the scripture and see whether it be right or no and not beleue them at the fyrst choppe whatsoeuer they say namely in thynges that pertayne vnto their owne authorities and power For no maÌ is a right iudge in his owne cause Why doth Christ coÌmaââ¦de the Scripture to be preached vnto all creatures but that it pertaineth vnto all meÌ to know them Christ referreth him selfe vnto the scriptures Iohn v. And in the. xj Chapter of Mathew vnto the question of Iohn Baptistes
spirite of the lyuing God not in tables of stone as the ten commaundementes but in the fleshy tables of the hart as who shuld say we writ not a dead law with inke and in parchemenâ nor graue that which damned you in tables of stone but preache you that which bringeth the spirite of lyfe vnto your brestes which spirite writeth and graueth the law of loue in your hartes and geueth you lust to do the will of God And furthermore sayth he our ablenes coÌmeth of God which hath made vs able to minister the new TestameÌt not of the letter y t is to say not of the law but of the spirite For the letter that is to say the law killeth but the spirite geueth life that is to say the spirite of God whiche entreth your hartes wheÌ ye beleue the glad tydinges that are preached you in Christe quickeneth your hartes and geueth you life lust and maketh you to do of loue and of your owne accorde without compulsioÌ that which the law compelled you to do and daÌned you because ye could not doe with loue and lust and naturally Thus seest thou that the letter signifieth not the litterall sence and the spirite the spirituall sence And Rom. ij Paul vseth this terme Littera for the law And Rom. vij where he setteth it so playne that it the great wrath of God had not blinded them they could neuer haue stombled at it God is a spirite and all his wordes are spirituall His litterall sence is spituall and all his wordes are spiritual When thou readest Math. j. she shall beare a sonne thou shalt cal his name Iesus For he shall saue his people froÌ their sinnes This litteral sence is spiritual and euerlasting life vnto as many as beleue it And the litterall sence of these wordes Math. v. blessed are the mercyfull for they shall haue mercy are spirituall and life Wherby they that are mercyfull may of right by the truth and promise of God challenge mercy And like is it of these wordes Math. vj. If you forgeue othermen their sinnes your heauenly father shall forgeue you yours And so is it of all the promises of God Finally all gods wordes are spiritual if thou haue eyes of God to see the right meanyng of the text whereunto y â Scripture perteyneth the final end and cause therof All the Scripture is either the promises and TestameÌt of God in Christ and stories perteining thereunto to strength thy faith either the law and stories perteining therto to feare thee from euil doing There is no story nor gest seme it neuer so simple or so vyle vnto the worlde but that thou shalt finde therein spirite and life and edifieng in the litterall sense For it is gods Scripture written for thy learnyng and comforte There is no cloute or tagge there that hath not precious reliques wrapt therein of fayth hope pacience and long sufferyng and of the truth of God and also of hys righteousnes Set before thee the storie of Ruben which defiled his fathers beo Marke what a crosse God suffered to fal on the necke of his elect Iacob CoÌsider first the shame among the heatheÌ when as yet there was no moe of the whole world within the Testament of God but he and his houshold I report me to our Prelates which sweare by their honor whether it were a crosse or no. Seest thou not how our wicked bylders rage because they see their bildynges burne now they are tryed by the fire of Gods word and how they stirre vp the whole world to quench the word of God for feare of loosing their honour Then what busines had he to pacifie his children Looke what a do he had at y â defiling of his daughter Dina. And be thou sure that the brethren there were no more furious for the defiling of their sister then the sonnes heare for defiling of their mother Marke what folowed Ruben to feare other that they shame not their fathers and mothers He was cursed and lost the kyngdome and also the Priestdome and his tribe or generatioÌ was euer few in number as it appeareth in the stories of the Bible The adulterie of Dauid with Barsabe is an ensample not to moue vs to euill but if while we folow the way of righteousnes any chaunce driue vs aside that we despayre not For if we saw not such infirmities in Gods elect we which are so weake and fall so oft should vtterly dispaire thinke that God had cleane forsaken vs. It is therfore a sure and an vndoubted conclusion whether we be holy or vnholy we are all sinners But the differeÌce is that Gods sinners consent not to their sinne They consent vnto the law that it is both holy and righteous and mourne to haue their sinne taken away But the deuils sinners consent vnto their sinne and would haue the law and hell taken away and are enemies vnto the righteousnes of God Likewise in the whomely gest of Noe when he was dronke and lay in his tente with hys priuy members open hast thou great edifyeng in the litteral sence Thou seest what became of the curied children of wicked Ham which saw his fathers priuie members and gested therof vnto his brethren Thou seest also what blessing fell on Sem and Iaphet which went backward and couered their fathers members saw them not And thirdly thou seest what infirmitie accompanieth Goâs elect be they neuer so holy which yet is not imputed vnto theÌ For the fayth trust they haue in God swalloweth vp all their sinnes Notwithstandyng this text offereth vs an apte and an hansome allegory or similitude to describe our wicked Ham Antichrist the Pope which many huÌdred yeares hath done all the shame that hart caÌ thinke vnto the priâey meÌber of God which is the word of promise or y â word of faith as Paule calleth it Rom. x. and the Gospell and TestameÌt of Christ wherewith we are begotten as thou seest i. Peter i. and Iames. i. And as the cursed children of Ham grew into gyauntes so mightie and great that the children of Israell semed but greshoppers in respect of them so the cursed sonnes of our Ham the Pope his Cardinals Bysshops Abbots Monkes and Friers are become mighty gyauntes aboue all power and authoritie so that the children of faith in respect of them are much lesse then greshoppers They heape mountayne vppon mountayne will to heaueÌ by their own strength by away of their owne making not by the way Christ Neuer the latter those gyauÌtes for the wickednes abhominatioÌs which they had wrought did God vtterly destroy part of them by the childreÌ of Loth and part by the children of Esau and seuen nations of them by the children of Israell So no doubt shall he destroy these for like abhominations that shortly For their kyngdome is but the kyngdome of lyes and falshead which must needes perish at
vttered the wickednes of the spiritualtie the falshead of the Byshops and iugglyng of the Pope and how they haue disguised them selues borowyng some of their pompe of y e Iewes and some of the Gentiles and haue with suttill wyles turned the obedience that should be geuen to Gods ordinaunce vnto them selues And how they haue put out Gods Testament and Gods truth and set vp their owne traditions and lyes in which they haue taught y e people to beleue there by sit in their consciences as God and haue by that meanes robbed the world of landes goodes of peace and vnitie and of all temporal authoritie and haue brought the people into the ignoraunce of God haue heaped the wrath of God vpon all realmes namely vpon the kings Whom they haue robbed I speake not of worldly thinges onely but euen of their very natural wittes They make theÌ beleue that they are most Christen wheÌ they lyue most abhominably and will suffer no man in their Realmes that beleueth on Christ and that they are defenders of the fayth when they burne the Gospell promises of God out of which all fayth springeth I shewed how they haue ministred Christ Kyng and Emperour out of their rowmes how they haue made them a seuerall kyngdome which they gote at the first in deceauyng of Princes and now peruert the whole scripture to proue that they haue such authoritie of God And lest the lay men should see how falsely they alledge the places of the Scripture is the greatest cause of this persecution They haue fained confession for the same purpose to stablish their kyngdome with all All secretes know they therby The Bishop knoweth the confession of whom he lusteth throughout all his Dioces Yea and his Chaunceler commaundeth the ghostly father to deliuer it written The pope his Cardinals and Byshops know the confession of the Emperour Kyngs of all Lordes by confession they know all their captiues If any beleue in Christ by confession they know him Shriue thy selfe where thou wilt whether at Sion charterhouse or at the obseruaÌts thy confession is knowen wel inough And thou if thou beleue in Christ art wayted vppon Wonderfull are the thinges that therby are wrought The wife is feared and compelled to utter not her own onely but also the secretes of her husband and the seruaunt the secretes of his master Besides that thoraugh confession they quench the fayth of all the promises of God and take away the effect and vertue of all y e Sacramentes of Christ They haue also corrupted y â Saintes liues with lyes and fayned miracles haue put many thinges out of the sentence or great curse as raysing of âente and fines and hyring men out of their houses and whatsoeuer wickednes they them selues do haue put a great part of the stories and Chronicles on t of the waye lest their falshead shoulde be sene For there is no mischieues or disorder whether it be in the temporall regiment or els in the spiritual wherof they are not the chief causes and eueÌ the very fountayne and springes and as we say the wel head so that it is impossible to preach agaynst mischief except thou begyn at them or to set any reformation in the world except thou reforme them first Now are they indurate and tough as Pharao and will not bow vnto any right way or order And therefore persecute they Gods word and the preachers therof and on the other side lye awayte vnto all princes stirre vp all mischief in the world and send them to warre and occupy their myndes therewith or with other voluptuousnes lest they should haue laysure to heare the word of God and to set an order in their realmes By them is all thing ministred and by them are all kynges ruled yea in euery kynges conscience sit they âre he be king and persuade euery king what they lust and make theÌ both to beleue what they will and to doe what they will Neither can any kyng or any realme haue rest for their businesses Behold kyng Henry the v. whom they seÌt out for such a purpose as they sent out our kyng that now is See how the Realme is inhabited Aske where the goodly townes and their walles and the people that was wont to be in theÌ are become and where the bloud royal of the Realme is become also Turne thine eyes whether thou wilt thou shalt see nothing prosperons but their suttle pollyng With that it is flowyng water yea and I trust it wil be shortly a full see In all their doynges though they pretend outwardly the honour of God or a common wealth their entent and secret Councell is onely to bryng all vnder their power and to take out of the way who soeuer letteth them or is to mighty for them As wheÌ they send the Princes to Hierusalem to coÌquere the holy land and to fight agaynst the Turkes What soeuer they pretende outwardly their secret entent is while the Princes there conquere them more Bishoprikes to conquere their landes in the meane season with their false hipocrisie and to bryng all vnder them which thou mayest easely perceaue by that they will not let vs know y â fayth of Christ And when they are ones on hye then are they tyrauntes aboue all tyrauntes whether they be Turkes or Saracenes How minister they prouyng of testamentes How causes of wedlocke or if any man dye intestate If a poore man dye and leaue his wiâe and halfe a dosen young children but one cow to finde them that will they haue for a mortuary mercylesse let come of wife and children what will Yea let any thyng be done agaynst their pleasure and they will interdite the whole realme sparyng no person Read the Chronicles of England out of which yet they haue put a great part of their wickednesse thou shalt finde them all wayes both rebellious and disobedient to the kinges and also churiish and vnthankeful so that wheÌ all the Realme gaue the kyng somewhat to maynteine him in his right they would not geue a myte Consider the story of K. Iohn where I dout not but they haue put the best fayrest for them selues the worst of kyng Iohn For I suppose they make the Chronicles them selues Compare the doings of their holy Church as they euer call it vnto the learnyng of Christ and of his Apostles Did not the Legate of Rome assoyle all the Lordes of the realme of their due obedieÌce which they ought to the king by the ordinaunce of God would he not haue cursed y â king with his solemne pompe because he would haue done that office whiche God commaundeth euery kyng to do and wherfore God hath put the sword in euery kynges hand that is to wete because kyng Iohn would haue punished a wicked Clerke that had coyned false money The lay men that had not done halfe so great fautes must dye but
the Clerke must go escape fre SeÌt not the Pope also vnto the kyng of Fraunce remission of his sinnes to go and conquere kyng Iohns Realme So now remission of sinnes commeth not by fayth in the Testament that God hath made in Christes bloud but by fightyng murtheryng for the Popes pleasure Last of all was not kyng Iohn fayne to deliuer his crowne vnto the Legate and to yeld vp his Realme vnto the Pope wherfore we pay Peter peÌce They might be called the pollyng pence of false Prophetes well inough They care not by what mischief they come by their purpose War and coÌquering of landes is their haruest The wickeder the people are the more they haue the hypocrites in reuerence the more they feare them and the more they beleue in them And they that coÌquere other mens landes wheÌ they dye make them their heyres to be prayed for for euer Let there come one coÌquest more in the Realme and thou shalt see them get yet as much more as they haue if they can keepe downe Gods word that their iugglyng come not to light yea thou shalt see them take y â Realme whole into their haÌdes and crowne one of them selues kyng therof And veryly I see no other likelyhode but that the land shal be shortly conquered The starres of the Scripture promise vs none other fortune in as much as we denye Christ with the wicked Iewes and will not haue him reigne ouer vs but wil be still children of darknes vnder Antichrist and Antichristes possession burnyng the Gospell of Christ and defendyng a fayth that may not stand with hys holy Testament If any maÌ shed bloud in the church it shal be interoited til he haue payd for the halowing If he be not able the parish must paye or els shall it stand alwayes interdited They wil be auenged on them that neuer offended Full well prophesied of them Paule in the ij Epistle to Timo. iij. Some man wil say wouldest thou that men should fight in the Church vnpunished Nay but let the kyng ordeine a punishment for them as he doth for them that fight in his palace and let not all the Parish be troubled for on s faule And as for their halowing it is y t iuggling of Antichrist A Christen maÌ is the temple of God and of the holy ghost halowed in Christes bloud A ChristeÌ maÌ is holy in him selfe by reason of the spirite y t dwelleth in him and the place wherin he is is holy be reasoÌ of him whether he be in the field or towne A Christen husband sanctifieth an vnchristeÌ wife and a Christen wife an vnchristen husband as concernyng the vse of matrimony sayth Paul to the Corinthians If now while we seeke to be halowed in Christ we are found vnholy must be halowed by the grounde or place or walles theÌ died Christ in vayne How beit Antichrist must haue wherwith to sit in mens consciences and to make them feare where is no feare and to robbe them of their faith and to make them trust in that can not helpe them and to seeke holynes of that which is not holy in it selfe After that the old kyng of Fraunce was brought down out of Italy mark what pageauÌtes haue ben playes and what are yet a playeng to separate vs froÌ the Emperour lest by the helpe or ayde of vs he should be able to recouer his right of the Pope to couple vs to the FreÌchmeÌ whose might the pope euer abuseth to keepe the Emperour froÌ Italy What preuayleth it for any kyng to mary his daughter or his soÌne or to make any peace or good ordinaunce for the wealth of his realme For it shal no longer last theÌ it is profitable to them Their treason is so secret that the world caÌ not perceaue it They dissimule those thynges whiche they are onely cause of simul discorde among them selues wheÌ they are most agreed One shall hold this and another shall dispute the contrary But the conclusioÌ shal be that most maynteineth their falshead though Gods word be neuer so contrary What haue they wrought in our days yea and what worke they yet to the perpetuall dishonour of the Kyng and rebuke of the Realme and shame of all the nation in what soeuer Realmes they go I vttered vnto you partly the malicious blindnes of the Byshop of Rochester his iuggling his coÌneying his foxi wilenes his bopepe his wresting rentyng and shamefull abusyng of the Scripture his Oratory aliegyng of heretikes and how he would make the Apostles authors of blind ceremonies without signification contrary to their owne doctrine and haue set him for an ensample to iudge all other by What soeuer thou art that readest this I exhorte thee in Christ to coÌpare his sermon and that which I haue written and the scripture together and iudge There shalt thou finde of our holy fathers authoritie and what it is to be great and how to know the greatest Then foloweth the cause why laye meÌ can not rule teÌporall offices which is the falshead of the Bishops There shalt thou finde of miracles ceremonies without signification of false annoynting lyeng signes false names and how the spiritualtie are disguised in falshead how they rowle the people in darkenes and do all thing in the Latin toung and of their pety pyllage Their polling is like a soking consuÌption wherin a man coÌplaineth of feblenes and of fayntynes and wotteth not whence his disease commeth it is lyke a pocke that freateth inward and consumeth the very marow of the bones There seest thou the cause why it is impossible for kynges to come to the knowledge of the truth For the sprites lay awaite for them serue their appetites at all poyntes and through coÌfession buy and sel and betray both them and all their true frendes lay beytes for them and neuer leaue them till they haue blinded them with their sophistry haue brought them into their nettes And theÌ wheÌ the kyng is captiue they compell all the rest with violeÌce of his sword For if any man will not obey them be it right or wroÌg they cite him suspeÌde hym and curse or excommunicate him If he then obey not they deliuer him to Pylate that is to say vnto the temporall officers to destroy him Last of all there findest thou the very cause of all persecution whiche is the preachyng agaynst hypocrisie Then come we to the SacrameÌtes where thou seest that the worke of the Sacrament saueth not but the fayth in the promise which the SacrameÌt signifieth iustifieth vs onely There hast y u that a Priest is but a seruaunt to teach onely and what soeuer he taketh vpon him more then to preach to minister the Sacramentes of Christ whiche is also preaching is falshead Then coÌmeth how they iuggle thorough doÌme ceremonies how they make marchauÌdise with fained words penaunce a poena a culpa satisfactioÌ
attrition character Purgatory pickepurse and how through confessioÌ they make the SacrameÌtes and all the promise of none effect or value There seest thou that absoluyng is but preachyng the promises cursing or excommunicating preachyng the law and of their power of their keyes of false miracles prayeng to Saintes There seest thou that ceremonies dyd not the miracles but faith eueÌ as it was not Moses rodde that did y â miracles but Moses fayth in the promise of God Thou seest also that to haue a fayth where God hath not a promise is Idolatry And there also seest thou how the pope exalteth him self aboue God and commauÌdeth him to obey his tyraÌny Last of all thou hast there that no maÌ ought to preach but he that is called TheÌ foloweth the bely brotherhead of Monkes Friers For Christ hath deserued nought with them For his sake gettest thou no fauor Thou must offer vnto their belyes theÌ they pray bitterly for thee There seest thou that Christ is the onely cause yea all the cause why God doth ought for vs and heareth our complaint And there hast thou doctrine how to know and to be sure that thou art elect and hast Gods sprite in thee And hast there learnyng to try the doctrine of our spirites Then folow the foure senses of the Scripture of which three are no senses and the fourth that is to wite the litterall sense which is the very sense hath the Pope taken to him selfe It may haue no other meanyng theÌ as it pleaseth his fatherhode We must abyde his interpretatioÌ And as his belles thinke so must we thinke though it be impossible together any such meanyng of the Scripture Then hast thou the very vse of Allegories and how they are nothyng but ensamples borowed of the Scripture to expresse a text or an open conclusion of the Scripture and as it were to paynte it before thyne eyes that thou mayest feele the meanyng and the power of the Scripture in thyne hart Then commeth the vse of worldly similitudes how they are false Prophetes which bring a worldly similitude for any other purpose saue to expresse more playnly y â which is coÌteined in an open text And so are they also whiche draw the Scripture contrary to the open places and coÌtrary to the ensample liuyng and practising of Christ the Apostles and of the holy Prophetes And then finally hast thou of our holy fathers power and of hys keyes and of hys bindyng and excommunicatyng and of his cursyng and blessyng with ensamples of euery thyng The end of the obedience of a Christen man ¶ An exposition vppon the v. vi vii chapters of Mathew which three chapters are the keye and the dore of the scripture and the restoring agayne of Moses law corrupte by the Scribes and Pharises And the exposition is the restoring agayne of Christes lawe corrupte by the Papistes ¶ Item before the booke thou hast a Prologe very necessarie contayning the whole summe of the couenaunt made betwene God and vs vppon which we be baptised to kéepe it Set forth by William Tyndall ¶ The Prologe HEre hast thou deare Reader an exposition vpon the v. vi and vij chapters of Mathew wherin Christ our spirituall Isaac diggeth agayne the welles of Abraham which welles y t Scribes Phareses those wicked spitefull Philistines had stopped and filled vp wyth the earth of their false expositions He openeth the kingdome of heauen which they had shut vp that other men should not enter as they themselues had no lust to go in He restoreth the keye of knowledge which they had taken away and broken the wardes with wresting the text contrary to his due and natural course with their false gloses He plucketh away from the face of Moses the vaile which the Scribes and Phareises had spred thereon that no man might perceaue the brightnes of his countenaunce He wedeth out the thornes and bushes of their Pharesaicall gloses wherewith they had stopped vp the narrow way and straight gate that fewe coulde finde them The welles of Abraham are the scripture And the Scripture may well be called the kingdome of heauen which is eternall lyfe and nothing saue the knowledge of God the father and of his sonne Iesus Christ Ioh. xvij Moses face is the law in her right vnderstanding and the law in her right vnderstanding is the keye or at the least waye the first and principall keye to open the dore of the Scripture And the law is the very way that bringeth vnto y â dore Christ as it is writteÌ Gala. iij. The law was our scholemaster to bring vs to Christ that we might be iustified by fayth And Rom. x. the ende of the lawe that is to say the thyng or cause why the law was geuen is Christ to iustifie all that beleue That is to say the lawe was geuen to proue vs vnrighteous and to driue vs to Christ to be made righteous the row forgeuenes of sinne by hym The lawe was geuen to make the sinne knowen sayth Saint Paule Rom. iiij and that sinne committed vnder the law might be the more sinfull Rom. vij The law is that thyng which Paule in his inward maÌ grauÌted to be good but was yet compelled oft tymes of his meÌbers to do those thinges which that good lawe condemned for euill Rom. vij The law maketh no man to loue the law or lesse to do or commit sinne but gendereth more lust Rom. vij and increaseth sinne Rom. v. For I cannot but hate the lawe in as much as I finde no power to do it and it neuerthelesse condemneth me because I do it not The lawe setteth not at one with God but causeth wrath Rom. iij. The lawe was geueÌ by Moses but grace and veritie by Iesus Christ Ioh. j. Behold though Moses gaue the law yet he gaue no man grace to do it or to vnderstand it aright or wrote it in any mans hart to consent that it was good and to wishe after power to fulfill it But Christ geueth grace to do it and to vnderstand it aright and writeth it wyth his holy spirite in the tables oâ the hartes of men and maketh it a true thing there and none hypocrisie The lawe truely vnderstoode is those fierie serpentes that strong the children of Israell with present death But Christ is the brasen serpent on whom whosoeuer beyng stoge with coÌscience of sinne looketh with a âure fayth is healed immediatly of that stinging and saued from the paynes and sorrowes of hell It is one thyng to coÌdemne and pronouÌce the sentence of death and to flyng the conscience with feare of euerlastyng payne And it is an other thing to iustifie from sinne that is to say to forgeue and remitte sinne and to heale the conscience and certifie a man not only that he is deliuered from eternall death but also that he is made the
commit greuous murther also It is vnright in y e sight of God and man that thy child should be at an other mans cost be an other mans heyre Neither canst thou or thy mother haue lightly a quyet conscience to God or a merie hart as long as it so is Moreouer what greater shame caÌst thou do to thy neighbour or what greater displeasure what if it neuer be knowen nor come any child thereof The preciousest gift that a maÌ hath in this world of God is the true hart of his wife to abyde by him in wealth wo to beare all fortunes with him Of that hast thou robbed him for after she hath once coupled her selfe to thee she shal not lightly loue him any more so truly But haply hate him and procure hys death Moreouer thou hast vntaught her to feare God and hast made her to sinne agaynst God For to God promised she and not to man onely for the law of Matrimonie is Gods ordinaunce For it is written Genes xxxix When Putiphars wyfe would haue had Ioseph to lye with her he answered how could I do this wickednesse and synne agaynst God yea verely it is impossible to sinne agaynst man except thou sinne agaynst God first Finally read Chronicles stories and see what hath folowed of adulterie What shall we say that some Doctours haue disputed and douted whether single fornication should be sinne when it is condemned both by Christ and Moses to And Paule testifieth 1. Cor. 6. that no fornicatour or whore keeper shall possesse the kyngdome of God It is right that all thâ that hope in God should bryng vp their trute in the feare and knowledge of God and not to leaue his seede where he careth not what come therof Wherefore if thy right eye offende thee plucke it out and cast it froÌ thee for it is better for thee that one of thy meÌbers perish theÌ that thy whole body should be cast into hell And euen so if thy right hand offende thee cut it of and cast it froÌ thee For it is better for thee that one of thy members perishe then that thy whole bodye should be cast into hell This is not meant of the outward meÌbers For then we must cut of nose eares hand and âote ye we must procure to destroy the seing hearing smelling tasting and tealing and so euery man kill himselfe But it is a phrase or speach of the Ebrue tongue and will that we cut of occasions daunsing kissing riotous cating and drinking the lust of the hart and filthy imaginations that moue a man to coucupiscence Let euery man haue his wyfe and thinke her the fayrest and the best conditioned and euery woman her husband so to For God hath blessed thy wife and made her without sinne to thee which ought to seeme a beautifull fayrenes And all y â ye suffer together the one with the other is blessed also and made the very crosse of Christ and pleasauÌt in the sight of God Why should she theÌ be lothsome to thee because of a little suffering that y u shouldest iust after an other that should defile thy soule âlea thy conscience and make thee suffer euerlastingly It is sayd whosoeuer putteth away his wife let him geue her a testimoniall of the deuorcemeÌt But I say vnto you who soeuer putteth away his wife except it be for fornication maketh her to breake wedlocke and who soeuer marieth the deuorced breaketh wedlocke Moses Deut. xxiiij permitted hys Israelites in extreame necessitie as when they so hated their wiues y t they abhorred the company of them then to put them away to auoyde a worse inconuenience Whereof ye read also Mat. xix And he knitte thereto that they might not receaue them agayne after they had bene knowne of any other persons Which âcence y e Iewes abused and put away their wiues for euery light or fayned cause and whensoeuer they lusted But Christ calleth backe agayne and enterpreteth y e lawe after the first ordinaunce and cutteth of all causes of deuorcement saue fornication of the wiues partie wheÌ she breaketh her matrimony In which case Moses law pronouÌceth her dead and so do y e lawes of many other couÌtreyes which lawes where they be vsed there is the man free without all question Now where they be let liue there the man if he see signe of repentaunce and amendment may forgeue for once If he may not finde in hys hart as Ioseph as holy as he was coulde not finde in his hart to take Christes mother to hym when he spied her with childe he is free no doubt to take an other while the lawe interpreteth her deede for her sinne ought of no right to bynde him What shall the woman doe if she repent and be so tempted in her fleshe that she cannot liue chaste verely I can shew you nothing out of the scripture The office of the preacher is to preach the x. commaundements which are the lawe naturall and to promise them which submitte themselues to keepe them of loue and feare of God euerlasting life for their labour thorow fayth in Christ and to threateÌ the disobedient with euerlasting payne in hell And his punishment is if any man haue offended thorow frailtie when he is rebuked turne and repent to receaue him vnto grace and absolue hym and if any will not amende wheÌ he is rebuked to cast him out among the infidelles This I say if the temporall power shut her vp as a conuict person appointing her a sober liuyng to make satisfaction to the congregation for her dampnable example they did not amisse It is better that one misdoer suffer then that a common wealth be corrupt Where the officers be negligent the woman not able to put her selfe to penaunce it she went where she is not knowen and there marry God is the God of mercy If any man in the same place where she trespasseth pitied her and maryed her I coulde suffer it were it not that the libertie woulde be the next way to prouoke all other that were once weary of their husbandes to commit adultery for to be deuorced from them that they might marry other which they loued better Let the temporall sworde take heede to theyr charge therefore For this is truth all the temporall blessings set in the lawe of Moses for keeping their lawes as wealth and prosperitie long life the vpperhand of their enemies plenteousnesse of fruites and cheape of all thyng and to be without pestilence warre and famishment and all maner other abhominable diseases plagues pertayne to vs as well as to them if we keepe our temporall lawes And all the cursses and terrible plagues which are threatned throughout the law of Moses as hunger dearth warre and dissentioÌ pestilence feuers and wonderfull and straunge fearefull diseases as the sweate pockes and falling sicknesse shortyng of dayes that the sworde hunger and such diseases
shal eate them vp in their youth that their enemies should haue y e vpperhand that the people of the land should be minished and the townes decayed and y â land brought to a wildernesse and that a plenteous lande should be made barren or so ordered that dearth shall deuoure the enhabyters and wealth be amonge few that shoulde oppresse the rest with a thousand such like so that nothing they beginne should haue a prosperous ende all those cursses I say pertaine to vs as well as to them if we breake our temporall lawes Let England looke about them marke what hath chaunced them since they sâue their right kyng whom God had annointed ouer them King Rycharde the second Their people townes and villages are minished by the third parte And of their noble bloude remayneth not the thirde nor I beleue the sixte yea and if I durst be bolde I wene I might safely sweare that there remaineth not the sixteneth part Their owne sworde hath eaten them vp And though pastures be enlarged aboue all measure yet rotte of sheepe Moren of beastes with parkes warennes with reising of fines and rent make all things twise so deare as they were And our owne coÌmodities are so abused that they be the destructioÌ of our owne realme And right for if we will not know God to keepe his lawes how should God know vs to keepe vs to care for vs and to fulfill his promises of mercy vnto vs sayth not Paul Ro. i. of the heathen Sicut non probauerunt habere deum in noticia ita tradidit illos Deus As it seemed them not good or as they had no lust or as they admitted it not nor alowed for right in theyr hartes to know God as God to geue him the honor of God that is to feare him as God and as auenger of all euill and to seeke hys will euen so God gaue them vp to follow their owne blyndnesse and tooke his spirite and his grace from them and woulde no longer rule their wittes Euen so if we cast of vs the yoke of our temporall lawes which are y t lawes of God and drawen out of the ten commaundementes and lawe naturall and out of loue thy neighbour as thy self God shall cast vs of and let vs slippe to follow our owne wit And then shall all goe agaynst vs what soeuer we take in hand in so much that when we gather a parliament to reforme or ameÌoe ought that we there determine shal be our owne snare confusion and vtter destruction so that all the enemies we haue vnder heauen coulde not wishe vs so great mischiefe as our owne couÌcell shall do vs God shall so blinde the wisedome of the wise If any man haue any godly councell it shall haue none audience Errour madnesse and dasing shall haue the vpper hand And let the spiritualtie take heede and looke well about them and see whether they walke as they haue promised God and in the steppes of hys sonne Christ of his Apostles whose offices they beare For I promise theÌ all y e deuilles in hell if God had let theÌ lo wse coulde not haue geueÌ theÌ worse couÌsell then they haue geuen theÌselues this xx yeare long God gaue vp hys Israelites ofteÌ time wheÌ they woulde not be ruled nor know theÌselues and their dutie to God and brought them into captiuitie vnder their enemies to proue and feele saith the text whether were better seruice either to serue God and willingly to obay hys lawe coupled wyth so manifolde blessings or to serue their enemies and to obey their cruelnesse and tyranny spite of their heades in neede and necessitie And set the temporaltie remeÌber that because those nacious vnder which the Israelites were in captiuitie did deale cruelty with them not to punishe theÌ for their idolatry and sinne which they had committed agaynst God but to haue their landes and goodes and seruice onely reioysing to make them worse and more out of their fathers fauour therefore when God had scourged his children mough he did beate the other for their labour But to our purpose what if the maÌ runne from his wife leaue her desolate Verely the rulers ought to make a law if any do so and come not agayn by a certaine day as with in the space of a yeare or so that theÌ he be banished the countrey and if he come agayne to come on his head and let the wife be free to mary where she will For what right is it that a lewde wretch should take his goods runne from his wife without a cause and sit by a whore yea and come agayne after a yeare or two as I haue knowen it and robbe hys wife of that she hath gotten in y e meane time goe agayne to his whore Paul sayth to the Corinthiaus that if a man or a womaÌbe coupled with an infidell and the infidell depart the other is free to mary where they lust And. 1. Timo. 5. he saith if there be any man that prouideth not for his and namely for theÌ of his owne how should the same denieth the faith and is worse then an infidell And euen so is this man much more to be interpreted for an infidell that causelesse runneth from his wife Let I say the gouerners take heede how they let sinne be vnpunished and how they bring the wrath of God vppon their Realmes For God wil be aduenged on all iniquitie and punishe it with plagues from heauen In like maner if the woman depart causelesse and will not be reconciled though she commit none adultery the man ought of right to be free to marie agayne And in all other causes if they seperate them selues of impacieÌcie that the one can not suffre the others infirmities they must remaine vnmaried If any part burne let the same suffer y â payne or infirmities of the other And the temporalitie ought to make lawes to bridle the vnruly partie Agayne ye haue heard howe it was sayd to them of old tyme forsweare not thy selfe but pay thyne othes vnto the Lord. But I say vnto you sweare not at all neither by heauen for it is the seate of God neither by the earth for it is hys footestole neither by IerusaleÌ for it is the Citie of the great king neither shalte thou sweare by thyne head for thou canst not make a white heere or a blacke But your communicatioÌ shal be yea yea nay nay For if ought be aboue that it procedeth of euill As to hate in the hart or to couet an other mans wife was no sinne with the Phariseis no more was it to hide one thyng in the hart to speake an other with the mouth to deceaue a maÌs neighbour if it were not bounde with an oth And though Moses say Leuit. xix Lye not nor deceaue any man hys neighbour or one an other yet they interpreted it but good councell if a man desired
for the subdueyng of the flesh and not commaund as a tyraunt vnder payne of damnation and to make satisfaction Thus wise let him say brother or sister ye be bouÌd vnder payne of deadly sinne to tame your flesh by some maner of way that ye sinne not agaynst God I know no better then this my councell my desire therfore is that ye vse this till either ye haue no more nede or till god shew you some better c. And let the elders consider diligently the course of their youth and with wisedome counsell and discrete gouernaunce helpe the younger to auoyde the perils and ieopardies whiche they haue learned by their owne experieÌce to be in that dauÌgerous iourney Moreouer when the people be falleÌ from their professioÌ and from the law as it shal be impossible for the preacher to kepe the great multitude together if the temporal sword be slacke and negligent in punishing open offences as they euer haue and wil be saue in those poyntes onely wherein lyeth the pith of their owne profite and aduauntage and the weight of their honour main tenaunce of their dignities and when God also as hys promise is hath brought vppon them the curses of the law hunger dearth battaile pestilence and all maner of plagues with all misfortune and euill lucke Then let the true preachers be importune shew the people the causes of their miserie wretched aduersitie and expounde the law to them and bring them to knowledge of their sinnes and so binde their consciences and draw them to repentaunce and to the appointement couenaunt of the Lord agayne As many holy Prophetes Priestes and Kinges in the old Testament did call the people backe and brought them agayne in tyme of aduersitie vnto the appoyntement of the Lord. And the Priest Prophete or Kyng in Gods stede smote handes with them and tooke an oth of them to be the Lordes people and to turne agayne to the Lordes couenauÌt for to keepe his law and to beleue in his promises And God immediatly withdrew his hand and ryd them out of all captiuitie and daunger became as mercyfull as euer before But we ChristeÌ haue bene very seldome or neue called agayne to the couenaunt of the Lord the law of God and fayth of Christ But to the couenaunt of the Pope often As he now clocketh a pase for his chekyns will both proue all his old policies seke and imagine new practises And if the people come agayne let the Priest or Byshop after the ensample of the Prophetes and hygh Priestes of the Israelites take an oth in Gods stede of the Kyng and Lordes And let the Kyng and Lordes receaue an othe of the people and folow the example of the Niniuites in fastyng and praying Some man will say seyng fastyng is to withdraw all pleasures from the body and to punish the flesh then God deliteth in our payne takyng c. I auÌswere God deliteth in true obedience in all that we do at his commaundement and for the entent that he commanndeth it for If thou loue and pitie thy neighbour and helpe him thy almose is acceptable If thou do it of vayne glory to haue the prayse that belongeth to God or for a greater profite onely or to make satisfactioÌ for thy sinnes past and to dishonour Christes bloud which hath made it all ready then is thyne almose abhominable If thy prayer be thaÌkes in hart or callyng to God for helpe with trust in him accordyng to his promise theÌ thy prayer pleaseth If thou beleue in Christes bloud for the remission of sinnes and henceforth hatest sinne that thou punishest thy body to fle thy lustes to kepe them vnder that thou sinne not again then it pleaseth God excedingly But if thou thinke that God delyteh in the worke for the worke it self the true intent away in thy payne for thy pame it selfe y â art as farre out of the way as froÌ heauen to the earth If y â wouldest kil thy body or wheÌ it is tame inough ⪠payne him further that thou were not able to serue God thy neighbour accordyng to the rowme and estate thou art in thy sacrifice were cleane without salt all together vnsauery in the tast of God and thou mad and out of thy witte But and if thou trust in thy worke then art thou abhominable Now let vs looke on the Popes fast First the entent should be to âame thy lustes not lechery onely but prâ⦠chiefly wrath malice hate ãâã couetousnes and to keepe the lawe of God and therefore standeth not in meate and drinke onely but how they keepe Gods lawe compare it to their deedes and thou shalt see Secondarily the fast of the olde lawe was to put on mourning clothes as heire or sack and neither to eate nor drinke vââ¦ll night and all the while to pray and to do almose deedes and shewe mercy And at euen they eate fleshe and what God geue soberly as little as woulde sustaine the body c. The Popes fast is commonly onely to eate no fleshe I say not looke how leaue they be but consider what a taming of the fleshe it is to eate ten or twenty manner of fishes dressed afâer the costliest maner to sitte a cople of houres and to poure in of the best wine and Ale that may be gotten And at night to banquet with dew as they say of all maner of fruits and confections marmelad Succad Grenegynger comffettes sugerplate with malmesay romney burnt with suger Synamond cloues with bastarde Muscadell and Ipocrasie c. Thinke ye not that such dewes wyth drinking a peece of saltfishe or a Pickrell doth not tame y t body excedingly Furthermore that the true entent is away both of their fasting prayers it is euident first by the multiplying of them for when the Iewes had loste the vnderstanding of their sacrifices and did beleue in the worke then they were mad vpon them that well was he that could robbe him selfe to offer most in so much that the Prophetes cryed out against them that their offeringes stanke in the nose of God And ours had so multiplyed their fasting that they coulde no longer beare them At the beginning they were tollerable for the vauntage quia leuis est labor cuÌ lââro But when they had purchased inough and inough agayne they became intollerable And therefore all our Monkes whose profession was neuer to eate fleshe set vp the Pope tooke dispensations both for that fast and also for their straite rules made their straite rules as wide as y e hoodes of their cowles And as for the hipocrisie of the fratrie where they eate but inuisible flesh or that is interpret to be no fleshe is spoken of in other places An other prooffe is that they so long a tyme haue geuen pardons of
new old holy doctours that haue made the Pope a God They knew of no power that man should haue in the kyngdome of Christ but to preache Christ truly They knew of no power that the Pope shoulde haue to send to Purgatory or to deliuer thence neither of any Pardon 's nor of any such confession as they preach and teach neither were many that are articles with you Articles of their faith They all preached forgeuenesse of sinnes thorough repentaunce toward the law and fayth in our Sauiour Christ as all the Scripture playnly doth and can no otherwise be taken and as all the hartes of as many as loue the law of God do fele as surely as the finger feeleth the fyre hoate An aunswere vnto Master Mores third booke IN his third boke he procedeth forth as before to proue that the opinions which the Popish teach without Scripture are of equal authoritie with the Scripture He asketh what if there had neuer bene Scripture written I aunswere God careth for his elect therfore hath prouided them of Scripture to trie all thynges and to defend them from all false Prophetes And I say moreouer that if there had ben no scripture written that God for his mercy fatherly loue and care toward his elect must haue prouided that there should neuer haue bene heresies or against all tymes when sectes should arise haue styred vp preachers to coÌfound the he resies with miracles Take this example the Grekes haue the Scripture serue God therin much more diligently theÌ we Now let vs geue that there were no Scripture but that we receaued all our fayth by y e authoritie of our elders the Grekes by y e authoritie of their elders WheÌ I shall dispute with a Greke about the articles of the fayth which my elders taught me and his elders deny as eareconfession the holy pardons of the Pope and all his power that he hath aboue other Bishops many other thynges beside the Scripture which we hold for articles of our faith they deny If there be no other proofe of either part then to say my elders which caÌ not erre so affirme that he should aunswere his Elders which can not not erre so deny what reason is it that I should leaue the authoritie of my elders and goe beleue his or that he should leaue the authoritie of his elders and come and beleue myne none at all verely But the one partie must shew a miracle or els we must referre our causes vnto auteÌticke scripture receaued in olde tyme confirmed wyth myracles and therewith trie the controuersie of our Elders And when he asketh whether there were no true fayth from Adam to Noe. I answere that god partly wrote their fayth in their sacrifices and partly the Patriarkes were ful of miracles as ye may see in the Bible And when More to vtter his darcknes and blynde ignoraunce sayth that they which were ouerwhelmed wyth No yes floud had a good faith and bringeth for hym Nicolaus de Lira I answere that Nicolaus de Lira delirat For it is impossible to haue a fayth to be saued by except a man consent vnto Gods law with all his hart and all his soule that it is righteous holy good and to be kept of all men and thereuppon repent that he hath broken it and sorow that his flesh moueth vnto the contrary and then come and beleue that god for his mercy will forgeue him all that he hath done agaynst the lawe wyll helpe hym to tame his flesh and suffer his weakenes in the meane season till he be waxed stronger which fayth if they that perished in Noyes floud had had they coulde not but haue mended their liuinges and had not hardened their harts thorow vnbeliefe and prouoked the wrath of God and waxed worse and worse an hundred twenty yeares which God gaue theÌ to repent vntill God could no loÌger suffer theÌ but washed their filthines away with y e floud as he doth y e Popes shamefull abhominacions with like invndacions of water destroyed theÌ vtterly And wheÌ he asketh whether AbrahaÌ beleued no more theÌ is writteÌ of him I aske him how he will proue that there was no writing in Abrahams time that AbrahaÌ wrot not And againe as for Abrahams person he receaued his faith of God which to coÌfirme vnto other myracles were shewed dayly And when he fayneth forth that they beleued onely because they knew their elders coulde not erre How could they know that without myracles or wryting confirmed wyth myracles more theÌ the Turke knoweth that hys elders so many hundred yeares in so great a multitude can not erre teach false doctrâne to damne the beleuers And y e contrary doth M. More see in all y e Bible how after all was receaued in scripture confirmed with myracles though miracles ceased not but were shewed dayly yet y e elders erred fell to idolatry an huÌdred for one y t bode in the right way and led the younger in to errour wyth them so sore that God to saue the younger was faine to destroy the elders and to begin his testameÌt a freshe with the new generatioÌ He seeth also that y e most part were alway Idolaters for all the scripture and true myracles therto and beleued the false miracles of the deuill because his doctrine was more agreable vnto their carnall vnderstanding then the doctrine of Gods spirit as it now goeth wyth the Pope did not y â Scribes Phariseis and Priestes which were the elders erre And when he asketh who taught the church to know the true scripture from false bookes I answere true miracles that confounded the false gaue authoritie vnto the true scripture And therby haue we euer since iudged all other bookes and doctrine And by that we know that your legendes be corrupt wyth lies As Erasmus hath improued many false bookes which ye haue fayned and put forth in the name of S. Hierom Augustine Ciprian Dionise and of other partly wyth autenticke stories and partly by y e stile and latine and like euident tokens And when M. More âayth vnto theÌ that beleue nought but y e scripture he will proue with y e scripture that we be bounde to beleue the church in thinges wherefore they haue no scripture Because God hath promised in the scripture that the holy ghost shall teach hys church all truth Nay that text wil not proue it For the first Church taught nought but they coÌfirmed it with myracles which coulde not be done but of God till the scripture was autentickly receaued And the Church folowing teacheth nought that they will haue beleued as an article of the fayth but that which the scripture proueth and mainteineth As S. Augustine protesteth of his workes that men should compare them vnto the scripture therby iudge them and cast away whatsoeuer the scripture
to hurt my neighbour and to shame y t doctrine of Christ And in like maner if I had forsworne flesh al the world had bound me yet if necessitie require it of me to saue my life or my health I ought to breake it And againe though I had sworne chastitie and the coÌmon wealth or the necessitie of an other required the contrary I must breake it But on the one side of all that euer burnt in the Popes chastitie he neuer gaue priest licence to take wife but to keepe whores onely And on the other side all that vow any vow do it for the thing it selfe as though it were as I sayd seruice or sacrifice to God that had delite in the deede as young children haue in Apples and that for that deede they shall haue an higher roome in heaueÌ then their neighbours which is the Idolatry of the heathen wheÌ he ought to bestow his vow vppon hys neighbour to bryng him to heauen not to enuie him to seeke thereby an higher roome not caring whether his neighbour come thether or no. And finally to burne and not to vse the naturall remedy that God hath made is but to tempt God as in all other thinges But if God haue brought thee into a straite and haue therto takeÌ the naturall remedy from thee then to resiste and to crie vnto God for helpe to suffer is a signe y t thou louest Gods lawes And to loue Gods law is to be sure that thou art Gods childe elect to mercy For in all his children onely he writeth that token And then he sayth euery man hath his choyce whether he will be Priest or no. But what nettes and snares doth Antichrist lay for them First his false doctrine where with the Elders beguiled coÌpell their children and sacrifice them to burne in the Popes chastitie with no other mynde then those olde Idolaters sacrificed their children vnto the false God Moloch so that they thinke by the merites of their childrens burning after the Popes false doctrine to please god and to get heauen cleane ignoraunt of the testament made in Christes bloud Then what a multitude are blinded and drawen into the net with the baite of promotion honour dignitie pleasures freedome and libertie to sinne to do all mischiefe vnpunished things which all euill that feare not God do desire And what a number brought vp idely vnto xx and aboue then put their heades in his halter because they haue no other crast to get their liuinges not because they can liue chast Also some liue chast at xxiiij which same burne at xxx And that to be true dayly experience teacheth and good naturall causes there be And theÌ looke on the Apostles learning and ordinaunce When one or two young wydowes had brokeÌ their chastitie he would neuer after let any moe bee chosen of the same age How commeth it then that the Pope for so many hundred thousandes that miscary will neither breake the ordinaunce or mitigat it or let any goe backe but if any burne sendeth them vnto the shame of Christes doctrine and offending and hurt of hys Church neuer vnto the lawfull remedie of mariage And when M. More calleth it heresie to thinke that the maried were as pleasaunt to God as the vnmaryed he is surely an hereticke that thinketh the coÌtrary Christes kingdom is neither meate nor drinke nor husband nor wife nor widow nor virgine but the keepyng of the commaundementes and seruing of a mans neighbour louingly by the doctrine of S. Paul where not to eate helpeth me to keepe the commmauÌdementes better then to eate there it is better not to eate then to eate And where to eate helpeth me to keepe the commaundementes and to do my dutie vnto my neighbour there it is better to eate then not to eate And in like case where to be without a wife helpeth more to keepe the coÌmaundemeÌtes and to serue a mans neighboure there it is better to be vnmaryed then maried and where a wife helpeth to keepe the commaundementes better then to be without there it is better to haue a wife then to be wythout That hart onely which is ready to do or let vndone all thinges for his neighbours sake is a pleasaunt thing in the sight of God And when he will haue the Priestes to liue chast for reuerence of the Sacramentes it is deuillishe doctrine hauing the similitude of godlines but the pith marow is away If he meane water oyle salt and such like then is y â wyfe with her body and all her vses in the lawes of God incomparable purer holyer If he meane the sacrament of Christes body I aunswere that the handes defile not the man nor ought that goeth thorow the handes be they neuer so vnwashed by the testimony of Christ and much lesse can they then defile Christ Moreouer the Priest toucheth not Christes naturall body wyth his handes by your owne doctrine nor seeth it with his eyes nor breaketh it wyth hys fingers nor eateth it wyth hys mouth nor chaÌmeth it with his teeth nor drinketh his bloud with his lippes for Christ is impassible But he that repenteth toward the lawe of God and at the sight of the sacrament or of the breaking feling eating chamming or drinking calleth to remembraunce the death of Christ his body breaking and bloud shedding for our sinnes and all his passion the same eateth our Sauiours body and drinketh his bloud thorow fayth onely receaueth forgeuenes of all his sinnes therby and other not And all that haue not this doctrine of the Sacrament come therto in vaine And therfore there is no more cause that he which sayth the Masse should liue chast then he that heareth it or he that ministreth the SacrameÌt then he that receaueth it It is to me great maruell that vnlawfull whoredome couetousnes and extortion can not defile their handes as well as law full matrimonye Curssed therefore be their deuillishe doctrine wyth false appearing godlines the fruit and power away out of the hartes of all Christen men And when he bringeth the ensample of the heathen I prayse him For the heathen because they could not vnderstand God spiritually to serue hym in the spirit to beleue in him and to loue his lawes therfore they turned hys glory vnto an Image and serued hym after their owne imagination with bodely seruice as the whole kingdome of the Pope doth hauing lesse power to serue hym in spirite then the Turkes For when the heatheÌ made an Image of the axes or feuers and sacrificed ther to they knew that y e Image was not the feuers but vnder y e similitude of y e Image they worshipped the power of God which plagued them with the feuers with bodely seruice as the Pope doth aboue all the Idolaters that euer were in the worlde As when we paint Saint Machael weying the soules
in the kyngdome of God Christ nor any felyng therof And who shall take those diseases from them God onely through his mercy for they caÌ not put of that complection of them selues vntill they be taught to beleue and to fele that it is damnable and to consent vnto the contrary liuing And vnto the second part I aunswere that in respect of God we doe but suffer onely and receaue power to do all our deedes whether we do good or bad as Christ aunswered Pylate that hee could haue no power agaynst him except it were geuen him from aboue and no more could Iudas neither But in respect of y e thing wherin or wherwith we worke and sheade out agayne the power that we haue receaued we woorke actually As the axe doth nothyng in respect of the haÌd that heweth saue receaue but in respect of the tree that is cut it worketh actually powreth out agayne the power that it hath receaued M. Item that God is author of good and euill as wel of the euill will of Iudas in betraying Christ as of the good will of Christ in sufferyng his passion Tyndall The power wherewith we do good and euill is of God the will is of God As y e power which the murtherer abuseth and wherewith he killeth a man vnrighteously is of God the will wherewith he willeth it But the wickednesse of his wil and crokednesse or frowardnesse wherewith hee sleath vnrighteously to aueÌge him selfe to satisfie his owne lustes the cause why he knoweth not the law of God and consenteth not to it whiche law should haue informed his will and corrected the crokednesse therof and haue taught him to vse his will his power right is his blindnesses fault onely and not Gods Whiche blindnesse the deuill hath poysoned him with M. Item matrimonie is no SacrameÌt Tyndall Matrimonie is a similitude of the kyngdome of heauen as are many thynges mo like as it appeareth by Christ in the Gospell But who institute it to be a Sacrament Or who at his mariage was taught the signification of it Who was euer bound to receaue it in the name of a Sacrament I would to Christes bloud that ye wold make a Sacrament of it vnto all men and women that be maryed and vnto all other and would at euery mariage teach the people to know the benefite of Christ through the similitude of Matrimony And I affirme that in the popes Churche there is no Sacrament For where no signification is there is no Sacrament A signe is no signe vnto him that vnderstaÌdeth nought therby as a spech is no spech vnto him that vnderstaÌdeth it not I would to Christes passion that ye would let them be Sacramentes which Christ institute ordeined for Sacramentes And then if ye make of your own braynes fiue huÌdred therto I would not be so greatly greued though I would not geue my consent vnto so great a multitude partly for the bondage and specially lest we should in tyme to come the significations of them lost fall into Idolatrie agayne and make holy workes of them after the exaÌple of the blindnesse wherin we be now but I would haue the woorde euer liuely preached out of the playne text M. Item that all holy orders bee but mens inuention Tyndall The office of an Apostle Byshop Priest Deacon and Widow are of God But as concerning the shanyng the oylyng and diuersitie of rayment and many degrees sence added therto proue that they be but mens traditions But and ye will make Sacramentes of the oylyng shanyng sheryng and garmentes put their significations vnto them and let the kyngs grace compell them to keepe them and I admitte them for Sacramentes and vntill that tyme I hold them for the false signes of hypocrites M. IteÌm that euery man and woman is a Priest and maye consecrate the body of Christ Tyndall In bodyly seruice if the officer appoynted be away euery other person not onely may but also is bouÌd to helpe at neede euen so much as hys neighbours dogge How much more then ought men to assiste one an other in the health of their soules at al times of nede if the man be away the womaÌ may and is bound to Baptise in tyme of nede by the law of loue which office perteineth vnto the priest onely If she be Lady ouer the greatest ordeined by God that she may Baptise why shuld she not haue power also ouer the lesse to minister the ceremonies whiche the Pope hath added to as his oyle his salt his spitell his candle and cresomcloth And why might she not pray all the prayers except that Idole the pope be greater then the very God if womeÌ had brought a child to Church while the Priest other men taryed the child were in ieoperdy might they not baptise him in the font if there were no other water by And if other water were by yet if that holpe better one mite loue requireth to baptise him therin And then why might not women touch all their other oyle If a woman learned in Christ were driuen vnto an I le where Christ was neuer preached might she not there preach and teach to minister the Sacraments and make officers The case is possible shew theÌ what should let that she might not loue thy neighbour as thy selfe doth coÌpel Nay she may not consecrat Why If the pope loued vs as wel as Christ hee would finde no faulte therewith though a womaÌ at nede ministred that Sacrament if it bee so necessary as ye make it In bodyly wealth he that would haue me one ace lesse then hymselfe loueth me not as well as himselfe how much more ought we to loue one an other in thynges pertainyng vnto the soule M. Item that the host is no sacrifice Tyndall Christ is no more killed It is therfore the Sacrament signe memoriall of that sacrifice wherewith Christ offered his body for our sinnes and commauÌded saying this do in the remembraunce of me We be not holpe with any visible deede that the Priest there doth saue in that it putteth vs in remembraunce of Christes death passion for our sinnes As the garmentes and straunge holy gestures helpe vs not but in that they put vs in remembraunce of thyngs that Christ suffered for vs in his passion Euen so the shewyng breakyng and eatyng of the host the shewyng and drinkyng of the cup of Christes bloud and the wordes and the consecration helpe vs not a pinne nor are gods seruice saue onely in that they styrre vp our repentyng fayth to call to mynde the death and passion of Christ for our sinnes And therfore to call it a sacrifice is but abused speach as when we call one that is new come home to breakfast and set a Capon before him and say this is your welcome home meaning yet by that speach that it is but
continue in sinnne but repeÌted assoone as his fault was told him But was he not reconciled by fayth onely not by dedes sayd he not haue mercy on me Lord for thy great mercy and for the multitude of thy mercies put away my sinne And agayne make me heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones whiche thou hast broken may reioyce That is let me heare thy voyce that my sinne is forgeuen and then I am safe will reioyce And afterward he knowledgeth that God deliteth not in sacrifices for sinnes but that a troubled spirite and a broken hart is that whiche God requireth And when the peace was made he prayeth boldly and familiarly to God that he would be good to Sion and Ierusalem and saith that then last of all when God hath forgeuen vs of mercy hath done vs good for our euill we shall offer sacrifice of thankes to hym agayne So that our dedes are but thankesgeuyng When we haue sinned we go with a repentyng hart vnto Christes bloud there wash it of thorough fayth And our dedes are but thankes geuyng to God to helpe our neighbours at their nede for which our neighbours and eche of them owe vs as much agayne at our nede So that the Testament or forgeuenesse of sinnes is built vppon fayth in Christes bloud and not on workes M. More wil runne to the Pope for forgeuenesse a poenae culpae By what merites doth the Pope that by Christes And Christ hath promised all his merites to them that repent and beleue not geuen them vnto the Pope to sell And in your absolutioÌs ye oft absolue without ioynyng of penauÌce He must haue a purpose to do good woorkes will ye say That coÌdition is set before him to do out of y e mercy that hee hath receaued and not to receaue mercy out of them But the Popish can not repeÌt out of the hart And therfore caÌ not fele the mercy that fayth bryngeth therfore can not be mercyfull to their neighbours to doe their woorkes for their sakes But they faine them a sorow for their sinne in which they euer continue and so morne for them in the mornyng that they laugh in them yer midday agayne And then they imagine them Popish deedes to make satisfaction to God and make an Idole of him And finally that good workes as to geue almes and such like iustifie not of them selues is manifest For as the good which are taught of God do theÌ well of very loue to God and Christ of their neighbours for Christes sake euen so the euill do them of vayne glorie a false fayth wickedly as we haue exaÌples in the Phariseis so that a man must be good yer he can do good And so is it of the purpose to do theÌ Ones purpose is good and an others euill so that we must be good yer a good purpose come How then to loue the law of God and to consent therto to haue it written in thyne hart and to professe it so that thou art ready of thyne own accorde to do it and without compulsion is to be righteous that I graunt and that loue may be called righteousnesse before God passiue and the lyfe quickenesse of the soule passiue And so farre forth as a man loueth the law of God so farre forth he is righteous so much as hee lacketh of loue toward hys neighbour after the example of Christ so much he lacketh of righteousnesse And that thyng which maketh a man loue the law of God doth make a man righteous and iustifieth him effectiuely and actually and maketh hym alyue as a woorkeman and cause efficient Now what is it that maketh a man to loue verely not the dedes for they folow and spryng of loue if they be good Neither the preachyng of the law for that quickeneth not the hart Gal. iij. but causeth wrath Rom. iiij vttereth the sinne onely Rom. iij. And therfore sayth Paule that righteousnes spryngeth not out of the deedes of the law into the hart as the Iewes the Pope meane but contrary the deedes of the law spryng out of the righteousnesse of the hart if they be good As when a father pronounceth the law that the child shall go to schole it sayth nay For that killeth his hart all his lustes so that he hath no power to loue it But what maketh his hart aliue to loue it verely fayre promises of loue kyndnesse that it shall haue a gentle scholemaster and shal play inough and shall haue many gaye thynges and so forth Euen so the preachyng of fayth doth worke loue in our soules make them alyue draw our hartes to God The mercy that we haue in christ doth make vs loue onely onely bringeth the spirite of life into our soules And therfore sayth Paule we be iustified by fayth and by grace without dedes that is yer the dedes come For fayth onely bringeth the spirite of lyfe and deliuereth our soules from feare of daÌnation which is in the law and euer maketh peace betwen God and vs as oft as there is any variaunce betwene vs. And finally wheÌ the peace is made betwene God and vs and all forgeuen through fayth in Christes bloud we begyn to loue the law we were neuer the nearer except fayth went with vs to supply out the lacke of full loue in that we haue promises that that litle we haue is takeÌ a woorth and accepted till more come And agayne when our frailtie hath ouerthrowen vs and feare of damnation inuaded our conscieÌces we were vtterly lost if fayth were not bye to helpe vs vp agayne in that we are promised that when soeuer we repent of euill and come to the right way agayne it shal be forgeuen for Christes sake For wheÌ we be fallen there is no Testament made in workes to come that they shal saue vs. And therfore the workes of repentauÌce or of the SacrameÌtes can neuer quiet our coÌsciences deliuer vs from feare of damnation And last of all in temptation tribulation and aduersities we perished dayly except fayth went with vs to deliuer vs in that we haue promises that god will assiste vs cloth vs fede vs fight for vs and rid vs out of the handes of our enemyes And thus the righteous liueth euer by fayth euen from fayth to fayth that is as soone as he is deliuered out of one temptation an other is set before him to fight against and to ouercome thorow fayth The scripture sayth blessed is the man whose transgression is forgeuen his sinnes hid and vnto whom the Lord reckoneth not vnrighteousnes So that the onely righteousnes of him that caÌ but sinne and hath nought of himselfe to make amendes is the forgeuenesse of sinne which saith onely bringeth And as farforth as we be vnââghteous faith onely iustifieth vs actiuely and els nothing on our partie And as farforth
cum lucro for lucre say they maketh the labour light euer noselyng them in ceremonyes in their owne constitutions decrees ordinaunces and lawes of holy Church And the promises and Testament which the Sacrament of Christes body bloud did preach dayly vnto the people that they put out of knowledge and say now that it is a sacrifice for the soules of Purgatory that they might the better sell their Masse And in the Vniuersities they haue ordeined that no man shall looke on the Scripture vntill he be noseled in heatheÌ learning viij or nyne yeare armed with false principles with whiche he is cleane shut out of the vnderstandyng of the Scripture And at his first commyng vnto Vniuersitie he is sworne that he shall not defame the Vniuersitie what soeuer he seeth And when he taketh first degree he is sworne that he shall hold none opinion condemned by the Churche but what such opinions be that he shall not know And they wheÌ they be admitted to studye Diuinitye because y e Scripture is locked vp with such false expositions with false principles of natural Philosophy that they can not enter in they go about the out side and dispute all their lyues about words vaine opinioÌs pertaining as much vnto the healyng of a mans hele as health of his soule Prouided yet all way lest god geue his singulare grace vnto any person that none may preach except he be admitted of the Byshops Then came Thomas de Aquino and he made the Pope a God with his sophistrie and the Pope made him a Sainte for his labour and called him Doctour Sanctus for whose holynesse no man may deny what so euer he sayth saue in certaine places where among so many lyes he sayd now and then true And in like maner who soeuer defendeth hys traditioÌs decrees and priuileges him he made a Sainte also for his labour were his liuyng neuer so contrary vnto the Scripture as Thomas of Canterbury with many other like whose life was like Thomas Cardinalles but not Christes neither is Thomas Cardinals life any thyng saue a counterfaytyng of saint Thomas of Canterbury Thomas Becket was first sene in marchaundise temporall and then to learne spirituall marchaundise he gat hym to Theobald Archbyshop of Canterbury which sent him diuers times to Rome about businesse of holy Churche And when Theobald had spyed his actiuitie he shore him Deacon lest he should go backe made him Archdeacon of Canterbury and vppon that presented him to the kyng And the kyng made hym his Chaunceller in which office he passed the pompe pride of Thomas Cardinall as farre as the ones shrine passeth the others tombe in glory and riches And after that he was a man of warre and captayneÌ ouer fiue or sixe thousand men in ful harnesse as bright as S. George his speare in his hand encountred who soeuer came against him and ouerthrew the iolyest rutter that was in all the host of FrauÌce And out of the siâld hoate from bloud shedyng was he made Bishop of Canterbury and did put of his helme and put on his mitre put of his harnesse on with his robes and layde downe hys speare tooke his crosse yer his haÌdes were cold and so came with a lusty corage of a maÌ of warre to fight an other while against his Prince for the Pope Where his Princes causes were with the law of God and the Popes cleane contrary And the pompe of his consecration was after his old worldly fashioÌ Howbeit yet he is made a Saint for his worshyppyng of the holy seate of saint Peter not that seate of Peter whiche is Christes Gospell but an other lyed to be Peters and is in deede Cathedra pestilentiae a chayre of false do ctrine And because he could no skill of our Lordes Gospell he sayd of Matene with our Lady Such as vnderstand the Latin read his life and compare it vnto the Scripture and theÌ he shall see such holynesse as were here to long to be rehearsed And euery Abbay euery Cathedrall Church did shrine them one God or other and myngled the lyues of the very Saintes with starke lyes to moue meÌ to offer whiche thing they call deuotion And though in all their doings they oppresse the temporaltie and their coÌmon wealth and be greuous vnto the rich and paynfull to the poore yet they be so many and so exercised in wyles so sutill and so knit and sworne together that they compasse the temporalitie and make them beare theÌ whether they will or will not as the Oke doth the Iuye partly with iugglyng and beside that with worldly policy For euery Abbot will make him that may do most in the shyre or with the kyng the stuard of his landes and geue him a feeyearely and will lend vnto some and feast other that by such meanes they do what they will And litle master ParsoÌ after the same maner if he come into an house and the wife be snoutefaire he will roote him selfe there by one craft or other either by vsing such pastime as the good maÌ doth or in beyng beneficiall by one way or other or he will lend him and so bryng him into his daunger that he can not thrust him out when he would but must be compelled to beare him and to let him be homely whether he will or no. An example of practise out of our owne Chronicles TAke an exaÌple of their practise out of our owne stories Kyng Herold exiled or banished Robert Archbyshop of CaÌterbury For what cause the English PolychronicoÌ specifieth not But if the cause were not somwhat suspect I thinke they would not haue passed it ouer with sileÌce This Robert gat him immediatly vnto king William the coÌquerour then Duke of NormaÌdy And the pope Alexander sent Duke William a baner to go and conquere England and cleane remission vnto who soeuer would folow the baner and go with kyng WilliaÌ Here marke how streight the Pope folowed Christes steppes his Apostles they preached forgeuenesse of sinnes to all that repented thorough Christes bloud shedyng y t pope preacheth forgeuenesse of sinnes to all that wil sâea their brethreÌâought with Christes bloud to subdue them vnto his tyranny What soeuer other cause Duke William had agaynst K. Herold thou maist be sure y t the pope wold not haue medled if Herold had not troubled his kyngdome neither should Duke William haue bene able to coÌquere the land at that tyme except the spiritualtie had wrought on his side What bloud did that conquest cost England thorow which almost all the Lords of the Englishe bloud were slayne and the Normandes became rulers all the lawes were chaunged into French But what careth the holy father for sheding of laye mens bloude It were better that ten hundred thousand laye knaues lost their liues then that holy Church should lose one
graffed in Christ the roote of all goodnes In Christ God loued vs his elect and chosen before the world began and reserued vs vnto the knowledge of his sonne and of his holy Gospell and when the Gospell is preached to vs openeth our hartes and geueth vs grace to beleue and putteth the spirite of Christ in vs and we know him as our father most mercyfull and consent to the law and lone it inwardly in our hart and desire to fulfill it and sorrow because we can not which will sinne we of frailtie neuer so much is sufficient till more strength bee geuen vs the bloud of Christ hath made satisfaction for the rest the bloud of Christ hath obteyned all thyngs for vs of God Christ is our satisfaction redemer deliuerer sauiour from vengeaunce and wrath Obserue and marke in Paules Peters Iohns Epistles in the Gospell what Christ is vnto vs. By faith are we saued onely in beleuyng the promises And though fayth be neuer without loue good workes yet is our sauing imputed neither to loue nor vnto good workes but vnto faith onely For loue and woorkes are vnder the law which requireth perfection and the ground and fountayne of the hart and damneth all imperfectnes Now is fayth vnder the promises which damne not but geue pardoÌ grace mercy fauour and what soeuer is contayned in the promises Righteousnes is diuers for blynd reasoÌ imaguieth many maner of righteousnesses There is the righteousnes of workes as I sayd before when the hart is a way and is not felt how the law is spirituall and can not be fulfilled but from the bottome of the hart As the iust ministration ⪠of all maner of lawes and the obseruyng of them for a worldlye purpose and for our owne profite and not of loue vnto our neighbour without all other respect and morall vertues wherein Philosophers put their felicity and blessednes whiche all are nothyng in the sight of God in respect of the lyfe to come There is in like maner the iustifying of ceremonies whiche some imagine their owne selues some counterfaite other saying in their blynd reasoÌ such holy persons dyd thus and thus and they were holy men therfore if I do so likewise I shall please God but they haue none auÌswere of God that that pleaseth The Iewes seke righteousnes in their ceremonies which god gaue vnto them not for to iustifie but to describe and paynt Christ vnto theÌ of which Iewes testifieth Paule saying how that they haue affection to god but not after knowledge for they go about to stablish their owne iustice and are not obedient to the iustice or righteousnesse that commeth of God which is the forgeuenesse of sinne in Christes bloud vnto all that repent and beleue The cause is verely that except a man cast away his owne imagination and reason he can not perceaue God and vnderstand the vertue power of the bloud of Christ There is a full righteousnes when the law is fulfilled from the ground of the hart This had neither Peter nor Paule in this life perfectly vnto the vttermost that they could not be perfecter but sighed after it They were so farreforth blessed in Christ that they hungred and thyrsted after it Paule had this thyrst he consented to the law of God that it ought so to be but he found an other lust in his members coÌtrary to the lust desire of his mynde that letted him and therefore cryed out saying Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death thankes bee to God through Iesus Christ The righteousnes that before God is of value is to beleue the promises of God after the law hath confounded the conscience As when the temporall law ofttymes condenmeth the thefe or murtherer bringeth him to execution so that he seeth nothyng before him but present death and then commeth good tydinges a charter froÌ the kyng and deliuereth hym Likewise when Gods law hath brought the sinner into knowledge of himselfe and hath confounded his conscience opened vnto him the wrath and vengeaunce of God then commeth good tydinges the Euangelion sheweth vnto him the promises of God in Christ and how that Christ hath purchased pardon for him hath satisfied the law for him and peased the wrath of God And the poore sinner beleueth laudeth and thaÌketh God through Christ and breaketh out into exceedyng inward ioy and gladnes for that he hath escaped so great wrath so heauy vengeaunce so fearefull and so euerlastyng a death And he henceforth is an huÌgred and a thurst after more righteousnes that he might fulfill the law mourneth continually commendyng hys weakenes vnto God in the bloud of our Sauiour Christ Iesus Here shall ye see compendiously and playnly set out the order and practise of euery thyng afore rehearsed The fall of Adam hath made vs heyres of the vengeaunce and wrath of God and heyres of eternall damnatioÌ And hath brought vs into captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuill And the deuill is our Lord and our ruler our head our gouernour our Prince yea and our God And our will is locked and knit faster vnto the will of the deuill then could an hundred thousand chaines bynde a man vnto a post Vnto the deuils will consent we with all our hartes with all our myndes with all our might power streÌgth will and lust so that the law and will of the deuill is written as well in our harts as in our members and we runne headlong after the deuill with full seale and the whole swyng of all the power we haue as a stone cast vp into the ayre coÌmeth downe naturally of his owne selfe with all the violence and swyng of his owne wayght With what poyson deadly and venemous hate hateth a man hys enemy With howe great malice of mynde inwardly do we slea and murther With what violence and rage yea and with how feruent lust commit we aduoutrie fornication and such like vncleannes with what pleasure and delectation inwardly serueth a glotton his belly With what diligence deceaue we How busily seke we the thinges of this world What soeuer we doe thinke or imaginne is abhominable in the sight of God For we can referre nothyng vnto the honour of God neither is his law or will written in our members or in our hartes neither is there any more power in vs to folow the will of God then in a stone to ascende vpward of hys owne selfe And beside that we are as it were a slepe in so depe blindnes that we caÌ neither see nor feele in what misery thraldome and wretchednes we are in till Moses come and wake vs and publish the law When we heare the law truly preached how that we ought to loue and honour God with all our strength and might from the low bottome of the hart because he hath created vs and both heauen and earth for our sakes and made vs Lord
hys neighbour and is a thefe And he that is proude of the giftes of God thinketh hym selfe by the reason of them better then his feeble neighbour not rather as the truth is knowledgeth hym selfe a seruaunt vnto hys poore neighbour by the reason of them the same hath Lucifers spirite in hym and not Christes These thynges to know first the law how that it is naturall right and equitie that we haue but one God to put our hope and trust in and hym to loue with all the hart all the soule and all our might and power and neither to moue hart nor hand but at his commaundemeÌt because he hath first created vs of nought and heaueÌ and earth for our sakes And afterward when we had marred our selfe through sinne he forgaue vs and created vs agayne in the bloud of his beloued sonne And that we haue the name of our one God in feare and reuerence that we dishonour it not in swearyng therby about light trifles or vanitie or call it to recorde for the confirming of wickednesse or falshead or ought that is to the dishonour of God whiche is the breakyng of hys lawes or vnto the hurt of our neighbour And in asmuch as he is our Lord and God and we his double possessioÌ by creation and redemption and therfore ought as I sayd neither to moue hart or hand without his commauÌdement it is right that we haue nedefull holy dayes to come together learne his will both the law which he will haue vs ruled by and also the promises of mercy whiche he will haue vs trust vnto and to geue God thankes together for his mercy and to commit our infirmities to hym through our Sauiour Iesus and to reconsile our selues vnto hym and eche to other if ought be betweene brother and brother that requireth it And for this purpose and such lyke as to visite the sicke and nedy and redresse peace and vnitie were the holy dayes ordeined onely so farforth are they to be kept holy froÌ all maner workes that may be conueniently spared for the tyme till this be done and no further but then lawfully to worke And that it is right that we obey father and mother Master Lord Prince and Kyng and all the ordinaunces of the world bodely and ghostly by which God ruleth vs and ministreth frely his benefites vnto vs all And that we loue them for the benefites that we receaue by them and feare them for the power they haue ouer vs to punish vs if we trespasse the law and good order So farre yet are the worldly powers or rulers to be obeyed onely as their commauÌdements repugne not against the commaundement of God and theÌ hoo Wherefore we must haue Gods commaundement euer in our hartes and by the hygher law interpret the inferiour that we obey nothyng agaynst the belefe of one God or agaynst the fayth hope and trust that is him onely or agaynst the loue of God wherby we doe or leaue vndone all thyng for his sake that we do nothyng for any mans coÌmaundement agaynst the reuerence of the name of God to make it despised and the lesse feared set by and that we obey nothyng to the hynderaunce of the knowledge of the blessed doctrine of God whose seruauÌt the holy day is Notwithstandyng though the rulers which God hath set ouer vs commaunde vs agaynst God or do vs open wrong and oppresse vs with cruel tyranny yet because they are in Gods rowme we may not aueÌge our selues but by the processe and order of Gods law and lawes of maÌ made by the authoritie of Gods law whiche is also Gods law euer by an hygher power and remittyng the vengeaunce vnto God and in the meane seasoÌ suffer vntill the houre be come And on the other side to know that a man ought to loue his neighbour equally and fully as well as hym selfe because his neighbour be he neuer so simple is equally created of God and as full redemed by the bloud of our sauiour Iesu Christ Out of which commaundement of loue spring these Kill not thy neighbour defile not his wife beare no false witnesse agaynst hym finally not onely do not these thynges in deede but couete not in thyne harte his house his wife his manseruaunt maydeseruaunt oxe asse or what soeuer is his So that these lawes pertaynyng vnto our neighboure are not fulfilled in the sight of God saue with loue He that loueth not hys neighbour kepeth not this commaundemeÌt defile not thy neighbours wife though hee neuer touch her or neuer see her or thinke vpon her For the commaundement is though thy neighbours wife be neuer so fayre thou haue neuer so great oportunitie geuen thee and she conteÌt or happly prouoke thee as Putiphers wife did Ioseph yet see thou loue thy neighbor so well that for very loue thou can not finde in thine hart to do y t wickednes And eueÌ so he that trusteth in any thing saue in God onely in his sonne Iesus Christ kepeth no coÌmaundemeÌt at all in the sight of God For he that hath trust in any creature whether in heauen or in earth saue in God his sonne Iesus caÌ see no cause to loue God with all his hart c. neither to absteine from dishonoryng his name nor to keepe the holy day for the loue of his doctrine nor to obey louing ly y t rulers of this world nor any cause to loue his neighbour as him selfe to absteine from hurtyng hym where he may get profite by hym saue him selfe harmeles And in likewise against this law loue thy neighbour as thy selfe I may obey no worldly power to do ought at any mans coÌmaundemeÌt vnto the hurt of my neighbour that hath not deserued it though he be a Turke And to know how coÌtrary this law is vnto our nature how it is daÌnation not to haue this law writteÌ in our hartes though we neuer committe the dedes how there is no other meanes to bee saued from this damnation then through repentauÌce toward the law fayth in Christes bloud which are the very inward baptisme of our soules the washyng the dippyng of our bodyes in y t water is the outward signe The plungyng of the body vnder the water signifieth that we repent professe to fight against sinne and lustes to kill them euery day more and more with the helpe of God our diligence in folowyng the doctrine of Christ and the leadyng of his spirite and that we beleue to be washed from our naturall damnation in which we are borne and from all the wrath of the law and froÌ all the infirmities weakenesses that remayne in vs after we haue geuen our consent vnto the law and yelded oure selfe to be scholers thereof and from all the imperfectnesse of all our deedes done with cold loue and from all actuall sinne which shall chaunce on vs while we
neuer so perfect done with all loue then satisfie the law for the presente time and do our dutie vnto our neighbours and tame our owne flesh but not to make satisfaction to God for sinne that is once past The sinne that is once committed must God forgeue freely of a fatherly loue for Christes sake When God visiteth vs with sicknes pouertie or whatsoeuer aduersitie it be he doth it not of a tyrannous minde to satisfy his lust in our suffering of euyll to make satisfaction for the sinne that is past of which we repent and be sory But of a fatherly loue to make vs know our selues and feele his mercy and to tame our flesh and to keepe vs from sinning againe As no naturall father punisheth his child because he delighteth in tormenting of him to take satisfactioÌ for the sinne that is past but first teacheth kindly and suffreth and forgeueth once or twise and then at the last when he seeth the body so wanton that the childe can not continue in the right way for the rage of wild lustes he beateth to subdue the fleshe onely and to tame it that the doctrine of y â father may haue her due course in the hart of the childe and shoulde not be choked with lustes Euen so is it of God if any of his children that haue professed his law and theÌ faith of our Sauiour bee negligent to tame hys flesh with prayer fasting and good dedes after the doctrine of Christ he wil surely scourge him to bring him into the right way agayne and to keepe him that the doctrine of his soules health perish not in him But he taketh not his mercy from vs nor thinketh on the sinne that is past after that we repent and be full conuerted but ablolueth vs both a poena culpa for Christes sake and is as mighty as mercyfull to do it for Christes sake as the Pope for money besides that he hath promised mercyfully so to do ¶ The knowledge of our baptisme is the key and the light of the Scripture ANd againe as he which knoweth his letters well and can spell perfectly can not but read if he be diligent and as hee whiche hath cleare eyes without impediment or let and walketh therto in the light and open day can not but see if he attende and take heede euen so who so euer hath the profession of baptisme written in his hart can not but vnderstand the scripture if he exercise him selfe therein and compare one place to an other and marke the maner of speach and aske here and there the meaning of a sentence of them that be better exercised For as the doctrine which we should be taught before we were baptized and for lack of age is deferred vnto the yeares of discretion is the key that bindeth and looseth locketh and vnlocketh the conscience of all sinners euen so that lesson where it is vnderstaÌd is onely the key that openeth all y e scripture and euen the whole scripture in it selfe gathered together in a narrow compasse and brought into a compendiousnes And til thou be taught that lesson that thine hart feele the sweetnesse of it the Scripture is locked and shut vp from thee and so darke that thou couldest not vnderstande it though Peter Paule or Christ himselfe did expound it vnto thee no more then a blinde man can see though thou set a candle before him or shewedst him the Sunne or poyntedst with thy finger vnto that thou wouldest haue him looke vppon Now we be all baptized But alas not one from the hyest to the lowest euer taught the profession or meaning thereof And therfore we remayne all blinde generally as well our great Rabines for all their hye learning which they seeme to haue as the lay people yea and so much the more blind are our great clerkes that where the lay people for a great number of them are caught naught at al they be all wrong taught and the doctrine of their baptisme is all corrupt vnto them with the lâuen of false gloses ere they come to read the scripture So that the light which they bring with them to vnderstand the scripture withall is vtter darknesse as contrary vnto the scripture as the deuill vnto Christ By reason wherof the Scripture is locked vp and become so darke vnto them that they grope for the dore and can finde no way in and is become a maze vnto them in which they wander as in a nust or as we say led by Robin Goodfellow that they can not come to the right way no though they turne their cappes and the brightnes thereof hath blinded their eyes with malice so that though they beleue not the Scripture to be false yet they persecute the right vnderstanding therof and can not beleeue it true in the playne sense which it speaketh to them in It is becomme a tuânagaine lane vnto them which they can not goe thorough nor make iij. lines agree together And finally the sentences of the Scripture are nothing but very riddles vnto theÌ âs the which they cast as the blind man doth at the Crow and expound by gesse an hundred Doctoures an hundred wayes and one man in xx sermons alleadging one texte after xx fashions hauing no sure doctrine to cleaue vnto and all for lacke of the righte knowledge of the profession of oure Baptisme ¶ He that hath the profession of his Baptisme written in his hart can be no hereticke AN other conclusion is this As he which euer creepeth a long by the grounde and neuer clymeth can not fall from an hygh Euen so no man that hath the profession of his Baptisme written in his hart can stomble in the Scripture and fall vnto heresies or become a maker of diuision and settes and a defender of wilde and vayne opinions For the whole and onely cause of heresies and sectes is pride Now the law of God truly interpreted robbeth all them in whose hartes it is written and maketh them as bare as Iob of all thyngs wherof a man can be moued to pride And on the other side they haue vtterly forsaken them selues with all their hyghe learnyng and wisedome and are become the seruauntes of Christ onely whiche hath bought theÌ with his bloud haue promised in their hartes vnfaynedly to folow hym and to take him onely for the author of their religioÌ his doctrine onely for their wisedome learning and to mainteine it in word and deede and to keepe it pure and to builde no straunge doctrine therupon and to be at the hyghest neuer but felow with their brethren and in that felowshyp to waxe euer lawer and lower and euery day more seruaunt then other vnto his weaker brethren after the example and Image of Christ and after his commaundemeÌt and ordinaunce and not in fayned wordes of the Pope This hee sayd because of them that say that the Scripture maketh men
And whome he prophecyed to be saued was saued Euen so whomesoeuer a true preacher of Gods word saith shall be damned for his sinne because he will not repent and beleue in Christ the same is damned And whomesoeuer a true preacher of Gods worde sayth shall be saued because he repenteth and beleeueth in Christes bloud the same is saued And this is the binding and losing that Christment Notwithstanding ye must vnderstand that when we haue sinned though our hartes were not to sinne and though we repeÌt ere the deed be done yet the body in sinning hath ouercome the spirite and hath got the maistrye So that the spirite is now weaker and feebler to vertue and to folow the law of God and doctrine of Christ and the flesh stronger to folow vice and sinne Wherfore as when an olde sore is broken forth againe we begin as it were a new cure with greater diligence and more care then before euen so here we must renue our old battayl against the flesh and more strongly goe to worke to subdue it and to quench the lustes therof which are waxen so ranke that they bnd out openly according to the profession of our baptisme which is y â very sacrament or signe of repentance or if they wil so haue it called penance by the interpretation of Paul Rom. 6. For the plunging into the water as it betokeneth on the one part that Christ hath wasshed our soules w t his bloud euen so on the other parte it signifyeth that we haue promised to quentch and âlay the lustes of the flesh with prayer fasting and holy meditation after the doctrine of Christ and with all godlye exercise that tame the fleshe and kyll not the man Wherupon the Bisshops that succeded the Apostles when men had done any open sinnes enioyned them penaunce as they call it by the authoritie of the congregation and gouernoures therof and aduise of the most wise and discrete and with the willing cousent of the trespassers to tame the flesh as to go woolward to weare shurtes of heire to goe barefoote and bare head to pray to fast bread and water some once in the weeke some twise or al the weeke an whole yeare ij yeares iij. yeares vij yeares xx yeares some all their liues long And to goe in pilgrimage to visite y â memoriall of saintes to strength them the better to follow the ensample and such like and all to slay the worldly minde of the flesh Which maner when it was once receiued of y t people by custome it became a law And the bishops by little little gat it whole into their own handes When the Bishops sawe that how they had got the simple people vnder them in such humble obedience they beganne to set vp their crestes and to raigne ouer them as princes and to enioyne sore penaunce for small trifles namely if ought were done agaynste their pleasure and beate some sore and spared other and solde their penaunce to the ritch and ouerladed the poore vntill the tyranny was waxed so grenous that the people woulde beare it no longer For by this time what w t the multitude of ceremonies and heap of mens constitutions whose right vse was thereto cleane forgotten partly because our shepheardes were busyed to seeke themselues and their hye authority exalted euery maÌ his throne and were become wolues vnto y t flock the cause why the people were disobedient vnto holesome counsel the word of God was sore darckened and no where purely preached And therefore the Prelates loth to lose their hye authoritie and to let the people goe free of their yoke began to turne their tale and sing a new song how that this penaunce was enioyned to make satisfaction to God for the sinne that was committed robbing our soules of the fruite of Christes bloud and making vs imageseruauntes referring oure deedes vnto the persoÌ of God worshipping him as an image of our own imagination with bodely worke saying moreouer if we would not do such penaunce here at their iniunctions we must do it in an other worlde and so fayned purgatory where we must suffer vij yeares for euery sinne And when the kingdome of Antichrist was so enlarged that it must haue an head they set vp our holy father of Rome or rather vsurped that Rome with violence and to him was geuen this prerogatiue to sell whome he would from purgatorye And the sacrament of penaunce they thus describe Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Contrition sorow for thy sinnes Confession not to God and them whome thou hast offended but tell thy sinnes in the priestes eare Satisfaction to do certaine deedes enioyned of them to buy out thy sinnes And in theyr description they haue cleane excluded the fayth in the satisfaction of Christes bloud which onely bringeth life and the spirite of life and righteousnes and without the which it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. In whose stead they haue put in the presumption of our owne works And for lacke of trust in Christes bloud our contrition is but a fruitlesse sorrow in y t respect of hell which maketh vs hate the law still consequently God that made it where true contrition annexed with fayth is sorrow in respect of the law vnto which we consent that it is good loue it and therfore mourne partly because we haue offended it and partly because we lacke power to fulfill it as we would These thynges to be true our Prelates know by open hystories as well as wheÌ it is Noone the Sunne is flat South but it deliteth them to resist the holy ghost and to persecute the preachers of the thynges whiche if they as well loued as they knowe to be true they would preache the same them selues and lyue therafter Hereof ye may see our woorkes are but to tame the flesh onely and can be no satisfactioÌ to God except we make him an image our selues image seruaunts And hereof ye may see how out of this open penaunce came the eare coÌfession satisfaction of workes Purgatorie and pardons For when they had put the satisfaction of Christes bloud out of y t way then as they compelled to coÌfesse open sinnes and to take open penaunce eueÌ so they compelled to confesse secrete sinnes and to take secret penauÌce And as they made marchauÌdise of open penauÌce so did they of secret And for theÌ that would not receaue such pardon fayned they Purgatory and for them that receaued them fayned they pardoÌ turnyng bindyng and losing with preaching Gods word vnto byeng and sellyng sinne for money And since that tyme hetherto the worse the people were the better were the Prelates coÌtent euer resistyng that they should be made better through their blessed couetousnes proude desire of honour And out of this false presumption of workes spranke the wicked vowes of Religion which they vow to make satisfaction for sinne and to
loue to God and his neighbour which all he professed at Baptisme and this Supper signified and so come in among the congregation to eate of this bread drinke of this cup he calleth it still bread and wyne neither his body nor bloud For he that eateth drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh hys owne damnation bycause he discerneth not the Lordes body He calleth still the Lordes body the congregation redemed with Christes body as he dyd before and also in the chapter folowyng fetching his analogie and similitude at the naturall body In which although there be diuers members one excelling an other one inferiour vyler and more coÌtemptible then an other yet may not the body want them but must couer them reuerently and hold them in honour Agayn in the body though there be diuers members of diuers offices yet is there no discorde among them but euery member bee it neuer so low and vyle yet doth it minister and serue an other and all together hold vp and helpe the whole body This consideratioÌ with these coÌparisons so eloquently so plenteously so liuely doth Paule set forth in that xij chap. that no maÌ caÌdesire any more And all to bryng vs into the consideration and discretion of the body of Christ which is his congregation without whiche consideration and discretion if we thrust our selues in with his signe and recognisance faynedly we be but hypocrites and eate and drinke our owne iudgement For this cause many are sicke among you and many are a slepe that is are dead Here it semeth some plage to haue bencast vppon the Corinthians for this abuse in the eatyng of the Lordes Supper For both the law the Prophetes threatened vs plagues as pestilence famine and sword for our sinnes For if we had iudged our soules that is if we had diligently examined our owne liuyng repented we should not haue ben iudged that is to say punished of y t Lord. But while we be punished we be corrected of the Lord lest we should be condemned with the world Wherfore my brethren when ye come together to eate tary one for an other Here is the cause of all this dissention wherfore Paule rebuketh them But here might some of them obiect tell Paul Syr we come thether hungry and may not tary so long wherunto Paul aunswereth as he dyd before saying Haue ye not houses to eate drinke in Do ye contemne the coÌgregation of God and shame them that haue none Here he calleth the poore the church of God whom afterward he called the body of the Lord and now at last he sayth If any maÌ be so huÌgry let him eate somewhat at home and so delay his hunger that he may the better tary for the pore lest ye come together vnto your condemnation And as for other thynges I shall dispose and set in order when I come These other thynges were concerning this Supper and such as were out of frame among them whiche if ye read the whole Epistle are easie to see that they were no necessary truthes for their saluation For all such truthes Paule had preached them before and written them to Neither were these other thinges Lent Fast the Assumption of our Lady halowyng of bowes Belles and Ashes halowyng of Vestimentes and crepyng to the Crosse with such other vnwritten vanities as M. More lysteth to lest and tryful out the truth Now haue ye the very pure sense of these Christs wordes this is my body that is to say This signifieth or representeth my body takyng Est for significat As M. More hym selfe vttered it in his Dialogue put forth in William Barlowes name recityng the opinions of Oecolampadius and Zwinglius saying this is my body is as much to say as this signifieth my body where he saith that Oecolampadius alledgeth for hym Tertulian Chrisostome and Austen but falsely sometyme addyng more to their wordes sometyme takyng away from theyr senteÌces Which saying is playne false and hee belyeth the man now departed for first his incomparable learnyng and verye spirituall iudgement would not suffer hym to be ignoraunt in the vnderstandyng of these old holy Doctours whom I dare say he vnder stode as well as More And his couscience and faythfulnes would not suffer hym falsely to peruert them as M. More belyeth and peruerteth Christ Paule and all holy Scripture And if this maÌ had thus dealt with these Doctours sayinges Luther agaynst whom he did coÌtende in this matter would not haue left it vntold hym But ChristeÌ reader to put thee out of doubt haue here these doctours own wordes both in Latine and Englishe And first heare Tertulian where thou must first vnderstaÌd that there was an hereticke called Marcion saying that Christ tooke not to hym the very body of man but an imagiued and a phantasticall body to put of and on when he lysted and so not to haue ben borne verely of the virgine Mary nor yet to haue suffered verely death c. agaynst whom thus writeth Tertulian in hys fourth booke Professus itaque se concupiscentia concupisse edere pascha vt suum acceptum panem distributum Discipulis corpus suuni illum fecit hoc est corpus meum dicendo id est figura corporis mei Figura autem non fuisset nisi veritatis esset corpus CaeteruÌ vacua res quod est phantasma figuram capere non posset Whiche wordes are thus in English spoken of Christ Whiche acknowledgyng hym selfe with how feruent desire he longed to eate the passeouer as his bread taken and distributyng to his Disciples made it his body saying This is my body that is to say the figure of my body For figure had it bene none except it were a very body For a voyde thyng which is a phantasie can receaue no figure Here it is playne that this is my body after the old holy Doctour is as much to say as this is the figure or signe that representeth or signifieth my body Also thus sayeth Austen Lex dicit non esse manducanduÌ sanguinem quod anima sit sanguis Quod lex dicit sanguis est anima esse positum dicimus sicut alia multa penè omnia Scripturarum illarum Sacramenta signis figuris plena futurae predicationis quae iam per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum declarata est c. Possum etiam interpretari praeceptum illud in signo esse positum Non enim dubitauit Dominus dicere Hoc est corpus meum quum signum daret corporis sui Sic est enim sanguis anima quomodo petra erat Christus Nec tamen quum haec diceret ait petra significabat Christum sed ait petra erat Christus Quae rursus ne carnaliter acciperetur spiritualem illam vocat id est spiritualiter intelligi docet Whiche woordes be thus in English The law sayeth that bloud should not be eateÌ because the life is
be we come vnto the seueÌth reason which is in the. xiiij chap. The argumeÌt is this God is the very owner of all and thy neighbour hath no propertie but as a seruauÌt to God as but to make accompt to God Therfore when thou doest an offence to God and to thy neyghbour wheÌ God forgeueth it thou nedest no other satisfactioÌ vnto thy neighbour And to stablish his reasoÌ hée bringeth in a stmilitude which is nothing to y e purpose The similitude is this I put case thou haue a seruaunt whom thou puttest in trust to occupy for thee to make bargaynes chaunge and sell to thy vse to take bondes and agayn to make acquitaunces and releases in hys own name If this seruaunt sell part of thy ware and take an obligation for the payment of xx pounde if thou afterward knowyng of this either for loue or some other cause wilt make vnto the sayd debtour a cleare release I suppose no maÌ will deny but that this debtour is fully discharged of this xx pounde and is not bounde by any iustice to make any satisfaction either vnto thy seruaunt or to any other man For thou art the very owner therof and thy seruaunt had but the occupation as to geue the accoumptes therof This similitude can not well be applyed vnto God man For albeit it is true that all our substaunce pertaineth vnto God as it is writteÌ Agge ij Gold is myne and siluer is myne yet hath not God geuen it vs to occupy it for his profite and vse as the seruaunt doth for his master but onely that we should vse his giftes for y e profite of our neighbour and to y e vse of the coÌgregation i. Cor. xij And where as he induceth that when God forgeueth vs whiche is the principall part y t thou néedest no other satisfaction to âhy neighbour I aunswere that God forgeueth no maÌ which had offended his neighbour vnlesse that he make satisfaction vnto his neighbour if he be able but if he be not able yet is he bound to knowledge his faulte vnto his neighbour and then is hys neighbour bound vnder the payne of damnatioÌ to forgeue him so that God neuer forgeueth vntyll thy neyghbour be pacified in case the cryme extende vnto thy neighbour This soluteth âoth the reason and also improueth the similitude Now let vs declare his solution God of him selfe hath two powers One is an absolute power and an other is an ordinary power The absolute power is the authoritie that God hath ouer all thing in the world by that he may geue to euery creature what pleaseth him and also forgeue euery offence done by any creature at his pleasure without any cause And by this may he forgeue both the crime done towardes him selfe and also towards my neighbour But by his ordinary power hee doth euery thyng by order of iustice and equitie And by this can he not forgeue the offence done to him and my neyghbour without satisfaction Now would I fayne wete whether Rastel imagine y e God by his absolute power may saue y e vnfaithful daÌne the faithfull If he say nay then may I coÌclude y e Rastels diffinition is false where he saith that god by his absolute power may geue to euery creature what pleaseth him and also forgeue euery offence done by any creature at his pleasure without any cause If he say yea theÌ must I coÌclude that God hath power to do contrary to hys Scripture for the Scripture saith that he that beleueth and is Baptized shal be saued but âe that beleueth not shal be condemned Mark xvi Now if he graunt me that he hath power to do against his scripture ââth his Scripture is the truth his own word then must it néedes folow y e he hath power to doe agaynst his truth consequeÌtly he hath power to be false and so to sinne And sith ââth hee hath power agaynste hys owne word and that word is his sonne theÌ must we graunt hym power agaynst hys sonne euen to make hym a lyer where he sayth in the foresayd texte Mark xvi And sith hys sonne is God then hath God power to doe agaynst God and so can not his kingdome indure Math. xij Furthermore if I might be bold w t Rastel I wold aske him this questioÌ whether God haue not an absolute iustice as well as an absolute power If God haue also an absolute iustiee then can not his absolute power preuayle vntil his absolute iustice be fully counterpesed And so is it false that Rastell begynneth withall that God by his absolute power may forgeue euery offence at his pleasure without any cause For as I sayd his absolute iustice must néedes be satisfied fully counterpesed If Rastell dare say that God hath an absolute power and no absolute iustice then taketh he his pleasure in déede For if he make one Nocionall in God greater then an other by this word Nocionall which y e Scholemen vse I would you should vnderstand the goodnes wisedome power iustice and mercy of God c. then shall he make a dissentioÌ in God and imagine that one Nocionall subdueth an other yea and besides that sith eche one of these Nocionals is very God for the power of God is nothyng but God hym selfe and the iustice of God is nothyng but God hym selfe so forth of all the other then if his power were greater then his iustice it shuld folow y e God were greater theÌ God consequeÌtly we should haue a great God and a litle God and moe Gods then one such reuell maketh Rastel with his Turke But the Christen beleue that one power of God is no greater then an other and that hys power is not aboue hys iustice neither hys iustice aboue hys mercy c. And so may you sée that Rastels imagination of Gods absolute power is but very childish and vnsauery For he hath no power agaynst his Scripture and hym selfe Thus finish his seuen reasons with their solutions But yet that his worke should loÌg indure all tempestes and stormes he addeth a batelment and weather stone to auoyde and shote of the rayne for feare it should soke in and make his buildyng decay And ther with concludeth his booke To beleue sayth hee that there were no Purgatory to purge and punish our sinnes after we be departed should put away that drede of God from the most part of the people and geue them boldnes to commit offences and sinnes And agayne if the people should beleue that they neuer neede to make any satisfaction nor restitution to their neighbours for the wronges done vnto them they should neuer force nor care what iniuries extortions theftes robberies and murthers they did Finally if they beleued that such a light repeÌtaunce should be sufficient without any other satisfaction to be made it should be an occasion to destroy all
false glosse vnto the text and if that helpe not then fall they to a shameles boldnes and let not to deny the Scripture and all The place whiche hee reciteth is written 2. Macha 12. And to say the truth y t booke is not of sufficieÌt authoritie to make an article of our fayth neither is it admitted in the CanoÌ of the Hebrues Here he obiecteth that the Church hath allowed it and the holy Doctours as S. Hierome S. Austine and such other I aunswere S. Hieromes mynde is opened vnto vs by the Epistle which he wrote before y t Prouerbes of SalomoÌ his wordes are these Sicut Iudith Tobie Machabeorum libros legit quidem cos ecclesia sed inter canonicas Scripturas non recipit sic haec duo volumina legat ad aedificationem plebis non ad authoritatem ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandum That is lyke as the Church doth read the bookes of Iudith Tobias the Machabées but receaueth them not amoÌg the canonicall Scriptures euen so let it read these twoo bookes he meaneth the booke of Sapience and Ecclesiasticus vnto the edifieng of the people and not to confirme the doctrine of the Church therby And it is nothyng lyke that S. Austen should dissent from S. Hierome for they were both in one tyme yea S. Hierome out lyued S. Austen And therfore the Church could not admit any such bookes either before S. Austens tyme or in his tyme but that S. Hierome should haue knowne of it And so may you gather that if S. Austen allow these bookes or els say that the Churche hath allowed them you may not vnderstaÌd that they haue allowed and receaued them as canonicall Scriptures for then you make S. Hierome a lyar But thus you must vnderstaÌd it that they haue receaued them to be read for the edifying of y e people and not to confirme the doctrine of the Church or articles of the fayth thereby according to S. Hieromes expositioÌ Now may you sée that our shote anker as he called it is so stroÌg that all his stormes and waues can not once moue it for we deny not but that the booke is receaued of the church to be read and we shew by S. Hierome for what entent it is receaued and read not to proue any article of our faith therby but onely to order our maner of liuyng therafter in such poyntes as are not repugnaunt vnto the canonicall Scripture But yet for this once to do the maÌ pleasure we will let slyppe our shote anker take the seas with him And for all their furious wyndes and frothy waues we wil neuer strike sayle so strong is our shyp and so well ballaunced Be it in case that this booke of the Machabées were of as good authority as Esay yet can he not proue this fury and paynefull Purgatorye therby For it speaketh not one word neither of fire nor payne but it speaketh of a sacrifice offred for the dead y t they might be losed froÌ their sinnes because there is a resurrectioÌ of y t ded which may wel be without any paine or fire So that this conclusion is very bare and naked It is good to offer sacrifice for the dead that they may be loosed from their sinnes Ergo there is a sensible fire which doth punishe the holy and chosen people of God I am sure there is no child but he may perceaue that this argument is naught Besides that is to bee doubted whether Iudas did wel or not in offering this sacrifice And therfore ought we not of a foolish presumption to solow his facte vntill we knowe how it was accepted Peraduenture thou wilt say that the déede is commended in the sayd text where it sayth But because he considered that they which with godlynes had entred their sléepe that is their death had good fauour layd vp in store for them therefore is the remeÌbraunce to pray for the dead holy wholesome that they may be loosed from their sinnes I aunswere that the persons whiche were slayne in the battayl for whom this prayer sacrifice was made were founde to haue vnder their clokes oblations of idols which were at Iamniam for that cause were they slayne as it is playne in the text yea and all the host praysed the right iudgement of God Now these men that were so slayne were damned by the law Deut. vij whiche sayth The images of their Gods thou shalt burne with fire sée that thou couet not the siluer or gold y t is on them nor take it vnto thée lest thou be snared therewith for it is an abomination vnto the Lord thy God Bryng not therfore the abomination vnto thine house lest thou be a daÌned thing as it is But vtterly defie it and abhorre it for it is a thyng that must be destroyed Of this may we euideÌtly perceaue that albeit Iudas dyd this thyng of a good mynde yet was he deceaued for his sacrifice could nothyng helpe them sith they were damned by the law and entred not their slepe with godlynesse as he supposed Furthermore it is euident that the Iewes had sacrifices for the sinnes of them that liued Leuit. 4. 5. 6. c. But how knew they that these sacrifices would extende them selues vnto the sinnes of the dead And they were coÌmaunded vnder the payne of cursing that they should adde nothyng vnto the word of God Deut. 12. Verely it is lyke that the Priestes euen at that tyme sought their owne profite abused the sacrifices deceaued the simple people M. More also sayth that the money was seÌt to buy sacrifices which shoulde be offered for the sinne of the slayne Now knoweth euery Christen that all maner of sacrifices offeryngs were nothyng but figures of Christ which should be offered for the sinne of his people So that when Christ came all sacrifices oblations ceased If thou shouldest now offer a calfe to purge thy sinne thou were no doubt iniurious vnto the bloud of Christ for if thou thought his bloud sufficieÌt then wouldest thou not séeke an other sacrifice for thy sinne Yea I will go further with you there was not one sacrifice in the old TestameÌt that purged or tooke away sinne For the bloud of oxeÌ or goates can not take away sinne Heb. x. But all the sacrifices which were theÌ offered did but signifie that Christ should come and be made a sacrifice for vs which shuld purge our sinne for euer Now were their sacrifices and oblations institute of God and yet could they not take away sinne but onely signified that Christ through his blâd should take it away What madnes then is come into our braynes that we thinke that our oblations whiche are ordained but of our owne imagination should take away sinne What if Iudas gathered such an offeryng in the old TestameÌt should it then folow that we must
out of which all good fruites spring therfore it is necessary that this fayth be present or els we should looke for good workes in vayne for without fayth it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. Insomuch that S. Austine called those woorkes that are done before fayth swift running out of the way Moreouer that our merite cannot properly be ascribed vnto our workes doth the Euangelist teach vs saying WheÌ ye haue done all things that are commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruaunts we haue done but our duety Luke 17. By the which saying he doth in a maner feare vs from putting any confidence in our own workes and so is our glorious pride and hygh minde excluded then where is our merite Harke what S. Austine sayth The death of the Lorde is my merite I am not without merite as long as that mercifull Lorde fayleth me not c. This death of the Lorde can not profite me except I receaue it through fayth and therfore he rekoneth right wel that the faith in Christ is all his merite I meane the fayth which worketh through charitie that is to say fayth formed with hope and charitie and not that dead historicall fayth which the deuils haue and tremble Iam. 2. Furthermore what S. Austine iudgeth of our merite he expresseth in these woordes marke the Psalme how the proud head will not receiue the crowne when he sayth he that redéemed thy life from corruption which crowneth thée sayth the Psalme Hereuppon woulde a man say which crowneth thée my merites graunt that my vertue hath done it I haue deserued it it is not fréely geuen but geue care rather to the pleasure for that is but thine owne saying and euery man is a lyer but heare what God sayth which crowneth thée in compassion and mercy of mercy he crowneth thée of compassion he crowneth thée for thou wast not worthye that he shoulde call thée and whome he should iustifie when he called thée and whome he shoulde glorifie when he iustifieth thée For the remnantes are saued by the election which is by grace fauour Rom. 11. Now if it be by grace theÌ is it not of woorkes for then were grace no grace Rom. 4. For vnto hym that worketh is the rewarde imputed not of grace but of duety Rom. 4. the Apostle sayth not of grace but of duety but he crowneth thée in compassion and mercy and if thy merites haue procéeded God sayth vnto thée boult out thy good merites and thou shalte finde that they are my giftes this is the righteousnesse of God not meaning the righteousnesse whereby he himselfe is right wise but the righteousnes wherewith he iustifieth them whome he maketh rightwise where before they were wicked These are Austines wordes Finallye let not that moue you where he addeth that a good woorke maketh not a good man but rather a good man maketh the woorke good for there is no man but he is eyther good or euyll If he be euill then can he not do good but euill for according to Christes testimonye A rotten trée beareth no good fruite Math. 7. And agayne he sayeth Howe can you say well séeing you your selues are euill Math. 12. But if he be good he shall also bring foorth good fruite at his season howbeit that fruite maketh not the man good for except the man be first good he can not bring foorth good fruite but the trée is knowne by the fruite And therfore fayth as a quickening roote must euer goe before whyche of wicked maketh vs ryghtwise and good which thing our workes coulde neuer bring to passe Out of thys fountayne spryng those good woorkes which iustifie vs before meÌ that is to saye declare vs to be verye rightwise for before God we are verely iustified by that roote of fayth for he searcheth the hart and therefore this iust iudge doth inwardly iustifie or condemne geuing sentence according to fayth but men must looke for the woorkes for theyr sight cannot enter into the hart and therfore they first geue iudgement of woorkes and are many times deceaued vnder the cloke of hypocrisie You may sée that here is nothyng but that a good man may expounde it well albeit the children of this world which with their wiles deceiue theÌ selues enteryng so presumptuously in to Gods iudgement do séeke a doubt where none is Go ye therfore and let charitie be your guide for God is charitie and though our Lawyers hart would breake yet must you néedes iudge him a ChristeÌ man which saith nothyng but that Scripture confirmeth And verely the iudgement of this cause came out of season and eueÌ vngraciously vnto our Canonistes for they are cleane ignorauÌt of Scripture therfore condemne all thinges that they read not in their law wherfore we renounce their sentence and appeale vnto the deuines which will soone knowe the voyce of theyr shepheard and gladly admitte those thynges which are allowed by the Scripture whereunto they are accustomed ¶ FINIS ¶ A Letter which Iohn Frith wrote vnto the faythfull folowers of Christes Gospell whyles he was prisoner in the Tower of London for the worde of God Anno. M. D. xxxij ¶ Grace and peace from God the father through our Sauiour Christe Iesu be with all them that loue the Lord vnfaynedly Amen IT can not bee expressed dearely beloued in the Lord what ioy and comfort it is to myhart to perceiue how the woorde of God hath wrought and continually worketh among you so that I finde no smal number walkyng in y t wayes of the Lord accordyng as he gaue vs commaundement willyng that we should loue ech other as he loued vs. Now haue I experience of the fayth which is in you and can testifie that it is without simulation that ye loue not in word and toung onely but in worke and veritie What can be more triall of a faythfull hart then to aduenture not onely to ayde and succour by the meanes of other whiche without daunger may not be admitted vnto vs but also personally to visite the poore oppressed sée that nothyng be lackyng vnto theÌ but that they haue both ghostly comfort and bodely sustenaunce notwith staÌdyng the strayte inhibition and terrible manacyng of these worldly rulers euen ready to abyde the extreme ieoperdies that tyrauÌts can imagine This is an euidence that you haue prepared your selues to the Crosse of Christ accordyng vnto the councell of the wise man which sayth my sonne when thou shalt enter into the way of the Lord prepare thy selfe vnto tribulation This is an euidence that ye haue cast your accomptes and haue wherewith to finish the tower which ye haue begon to builde And I doubt not but that he whiche hath begon to worke in you shall for his glory accoÌplish the same eueÌ vnto the commyng of the Lord which shal giue vnto euery man accordyng to his déedes And albeit God of his secret iudgementes for a time kéepe the rod from some of them
the world and to preach the Gospell to euery creature The Pope and hys Byshops forbyd it in the payne of disobedieÌce and excommunication saue onely such as they will assigne 16. Christ was naked beaten scourged and false witnesse brought agaynst hym The Pope and his adherentes are wel clothed with precious garments and haue chaunge for ech day false witnes they haue inough not against them but to testifie with them what soeuer they will haue agaynst the innocentes 17. Christ came to séeke the poore comfort them he was not chargefull vnto them but was milde and had pitie on them The Pope and Byshops somon cite them be they neuer so poore not regarding their aduersitie But curse if they come not So that they go away soryer and sicker in soule and in purse then they were before 18. Christ commaunded that we should not sweare at all neither by heaueÌ neither by the temple c. But that our wordes should be yea yea nay nay The Pope sayth if any man wyll receaue any office vnder vs he shal be sworne before yea and geue a great summe of money Ca. Signifi de elect 19. Christ had a crowne of thorne thrust vpon his head so that y e bloude ranne downe vpoÌ his amiable countenaunce and sharpe nayles thorow his precious handes The Pope must weare thrée crownes of golde set with riche precious stones he lacketh no Diademes hys handes and fingers with owches and ringes are royally dight he passeth poore Christ farre 20. Christ tooke the crosse of painfull affliction vpon himselfe and coÌmauÌded his disciples to folow him saying he that taketh not his crosse and folow me is not méete for me The Pope and hys Byshops take the crosse of pryde and haue it borne before them well gilt and amelde to haue a worshippe of thys worlde as for other crosse know they none 21. Christ prayed his father to forgeue them that trespassed hym yea and for them that put him to death Our Byshoppes pray the kyng to be auenged on them that resiste their mindes with forgeuenes they haue no acquaintance 22. Christ bad his disciples to preach the Gospell The Pope and his Byshops wyll haue men to preach fables and therto graunt letter and seall and many dayes of pardon 23. Christ commaunded hys disciples to know his lawe and bad the Iewes to serche the Scriptures And Moses exhorted y e Israelites to teach the lawe of God to their younge children And that they shoulde haue it bounde as a signe in their handes that it myght euer be before theyr eyes And caused them to write it on the postes and doores of their houses The Pope and his Bishoppes say that it is not méete for vs to know it they make it heresie and treason to y e kyng to know Christ or his lawes they haue digged cisternes of theyr owne traditions and haue stopped vp the pure fountaynes of Israell Oh Lord in whom is all our trust come downe from the heauens why doost thou tary so long seyng thyne aduersary thus preuayling agaynst thée 24. Christ approued hys lawe and confirmed it with his owne death The Pope and Bâshoppes vs full busie how they may destroy it and magnifie more theyr owne lawe then Christes to maintayne theyr fatte bellyes 25. Christ would men visited prisoners to comfort and deliuer them The Pope with his adherentes discomfort the poore and the true and put them in prison for the truth 26. Christ whom they call their example did neuer prison nor persecute any The Pope and his champyons persecute punishe prison and put to death them that are disobedient to their voluptuous pleasures Ye sée how strayghte they followe Christes steppes 27. Christ coÌmaunded his disciples that if any man trespassed agaynst them they shoulde go reproue hym priuely if he would not obey and be reconcyled then shoulde they take with them one witnes or twayne if he would not then heare them that they should tell it to the whole coÌgregation And if he would still continue in his stubbernes that they should auoyde his company The Pope and Byshoppes wyll cast straight into prison there to remaine in yrons to make them reuoke the truth and graunt to their willes and if he be stronge and will not forsake the truth they will condemne him without audience for feare of losing of their temporall winning And offering to their wombes and taking away of their temporaltyes wherewith the church is venomed 28. Christ charged Peter thrise to kéepe well and nourishe his shéepe The Pope chargeth much more to kéepe well his money As for the shéepe he shereth and punisheth wyth infinite exactions 29. Christ healing the sicke and doing many myracles did lightly euer commaunde that they shoulde tell no man who did heale them The Pope and Byshoppes geue great giftes to minstrelles and messengers to leude lyers and flatterers to crye their name about that they may haue worshyppe in this worlde 30. Christ had no secular courtes to pleade y e matters of his disciples for they would not resist euill The Pope and Bishoppes haue many with men of lawe to oppresse y e poore against mercy forgeue they will not but euer be auenged 31. Christ in cities and townes hunted the féendes out of men that they dwelled in with the wordes of hys mouth The Pope and Byshoppes hunt the wilde Deare the For and the Hare in their closed parkes wyth great cryes and hornes blowinge with Hâundes and ratches running 32. God was called the holy father of Iesu Christ his sonne The Pope is called most holy father of SathaÌs children taketh that name on him wyth Lucifers pride his disciples say y e he is god on earth and we are taught by Christes lawe to haue but one God 33. Christ sate in the middes of the Doctors asking and hearing them The Pope and Byshoppes sit in thrones wyth glorious myters iudgeing and condemning by theyr owne made lawes A litle matter long in pleating which myght be soone determined by the lawe of God if they would vse it but then were their winning the lesse and their lawe wythout profite 34 Christ taught that a man shoulde forsake his wife for no cause but for aduoutry The Pope and Byshoppes wyll make deuorces for money as often as they list and so they pille the poore and make themselues rich nothyng regardyng to breake the law of God 35. Christ sent the holy ghost in feruent loue to teach all the truth vnto them which were chosen of God The Pope and Byshoppes sende commaundements all about to curse and aske auengeaunce on them that resiste theyr tyranny And absoile theÌ agayne cleane for money all their doctrines haue golden tayles for money is euer the ende geue them money and you haue fulfilled all theyr lawes 36. Christ fulfilled and kept the olde lawe and the new and all
your owne doctrine Looke in Alexander de Hales in Duns and in Bonauenture in the 4. booke of the sentences Now if you will condemne mée then must you fyrist condemne this your owne doctrine WHat is the cause that they forbid vs that we shoulde not discusse how greate their power is but because that they would make all meÌ fooles and holde vs in ignoraunce Your owne scholemen say the popes power is so greate that no man can nor may discusse it Also your lawe coÌmaundeth That no maÌ bée so hardy as to aske y e pope Lord why doe you so But put the case that this were a lye yet is it farre from heresie Yet my Lordes say that I shall bée an heretyke And why say I Because we will haue it so say they Yea and thou béest not so content y u shalt bée burnt Mary I thank you hartely my Lords Pro bona vestra informacione THey haue a lawe moste abhominable contrarye to Gods lawe and charitie to excommunicate the people 4. tymes in a yeare that is to say those men that raise the rent of an house that must you vnderstand if it béelong not to the church For if it béelong vnto y e church thou maist raise it in euery moneth on s and no man shall curse thée Also they curse them that bée not buried in their parishe church y e must bée vnderstaÌded if that they bée rich men for if they bée poore they may bée buried amoÌg the friers The Byshop of Bath sayd ther was no such maner to curse men And all y e world knoweth the contrary More ouer I red these articles in the booke of the generall curse that belongeth to saynt Benets church in Cambrige and there did I marke it with myne owne hand and yet the byshop was not ashamed to denye it And why Because I muste bée an heretyke there is no remedye the holy fathers hath so determined it THey haue myters with glystering precious stones they haue gloues for catching colde in y e middest of their ceremonies They haue rynges and ouches other ceremonies so many y e there is in a manner now nothing els in the church but all iewyshe maners wyll you make this heresy because I speake against your daÌnable and pompous myters I thinke such ornamentes were to bée condemned euen among heathen men I will not say among christean men But this dare I say that there was neuer no God among heathen men that euer delighted in such ornamentes And yet you will serue the God of heauen by theÌ And your poore brother whom Christ hath redéemed with his precious bloud dyeth in prison and openly in the streate hangeth him selfe for necessitie yet wil you not bestow on hym so much as one of your precious stones Tell me of one byshop that euer brake his myter to the helping of a poore man was there neuer man in necessitye in England but all y e world may sée what you bée These thinges bée sensible inough THese myters I can not tell from whence they do come except they take them from the iewes byshops if they take them from y e Iewes then let them also take theyr sacrifices and their oblations from them and offer calues and lambes as they dyd and then haue we nothing to doe with them for wee bée christen men and no Iewes I pray you tell mée where yée finde but one pricke in holy scripture of your myters Our mayster did institute byshops And S. Paule setteth out what is their office and also what is their ornameÌt yet speaketh neuer a worde of your myters But I dare boldelye say y e if you bée put to y e tryall you shall bée fayne to ruÌne to the olde lawe But can I bée an heretyke if I condemned clearely your myters and sayde they were of the deuyll when you proue them to bée of Christes institution then will I be an heretyke Is not that Inough I praye you let mée so long bée taken for a christean man And if you bée not coÌtent with this truely then doe yée me wronge THese myters with 2. hornes I caÌnot tell what they should signifye except it be the hornes of the false prophet of whome It is spoken with these hornes shalt y u blowe afore thée all Syria And so dyd hée mocke their ringes and all their ornamentes and ecclesiasticall ceremonyes It wil com to my saying that you bée byshops of the olde lawe for you haue nothing to defende your rynges your ornamentes and your ceremonies but very tyranny Wherefore to mayntaine these depose you kynges and princes interdite landes burne man wyfe and chylde And when you haue all done you haue defended but a deuelysh token of prid The doctours that wolde fauour your proude tokens expound them to the best haue declared that the two hornes of your myters dyd sygnify the new and the olde testament that is how you should be learned in them both Now I saw that this exposition did not agrée with that thyng for no man can bée lesse learned in them theÌ you bée I speake of a great many Wherefore me thought it was but a vaine exposition and therfore I compared them to the two hornes of the false Prophet bicause as you know this false Prophet sayde vnto the kyng that hée shoulde with these two hornes blow afore him all Syria And yet hée lyed for the kyng was the first maÌ that was slayne So likewise you say vnto kynges if they folowe your couÌsell and mayntaine your authoritie and bée ruled after you TheÌ shal they ouercome all their enemies As sinne death and hell and yet Saluo ordine vestro you lye for you haue no word of God for you Wherefore you must be false Prophetes Here haue I coÌpared with a similitude your myters to the two hornes and you to false Prophetes what if this bée false what if I can not proue it yet can you make me none hereticke For then must you make those men heretickes that haue compared the forkes of your myters to the new and to the old Testamentes and you to the true Apostles for they haue made a greater lye then I haue done and they are neuer able to proue it And as for me I will proue my saying true if ye will staÌd to Scripture or els wil I be taken for an hereticke THey haue baculum pastoralem to take shéepe with but it is not like a shepheardes hooke for it is intricate and manifold crooked and turneth alwayes in so that it may bee called a mase for it hath neither begynnyng nor endyng and it is more like to knocke swine and woules in the head with then to take shéepe They haue also pyllers and pollaxes and other ceremonies whiche no doubt bée but tryfles and thynges of naught I pray you what is the cause that you call your staffe a
sake onely And that we haue néede of nothyng towardes our saluation but of hym onely and wée desire no other saluatioÌ nor no other satisfactioÌ nor any helpe of any other creature eyther heauenly or earthly but of him onely for as Saint Peter sayth there is no other name geuen vnto men wherein they must bée saued And also S. Paule sayth by hym are all that beléeue iustified from all thynges Moreouer S. Iohn witnesseth the same in these wordes Hée it is that hath obtained grace for our sinnes And in an other place He sent his sonne to make agréement for our sinnes Now my Lordes here haue you Christ and his very nature full and whole And hée y e denyeth any thyng or any part of these thyngs or taketh any part of them applyeth them or geueth y e glory of theÌ to any other person then to Christ onely the same maÌ robbeth Christ of his honour and denyeth Christ and is very Antichrist Wherfore my Lordes first what say you to this and vnto the propertyes of Christ If you graunt them theÌ are we at a poynte For they proue that fayth in Iesus Christ onely iustifieth afore God Secondarily if you denye if as I am sure you will for you had leuer deny your Créede theÌ grauÌt it How can you theÌ auoyde but that you bée the very Antichristes of whoÌ S. Iohn speaketh For now haue we tryed your spirites that they bée not of God for you deny Christ That is you deny the very nature the propertie of Christ You graunt y e name but you deny the vertue You graunt that hée descended from heauen but you deny the profite thereof For hée descended for our health this denye you and yet it is your Créede You graunt that hée was borne but you denye the purpose You graunt that he is rissen froÌ death but you deny the profit therof for hée rose to iustifie vs. You grauÌt that hée is a Sauiour but you deny that he is alonely y t sauiour I pray you wherfore was hée borne to iustifie vs in part to redéeme vs in part to doe satisfaction for part of our sinnes so y e we must set a payr of old shoes a lompe of bread cheese or a lousie gray coate to make satisfactioÌ for y t other part Say what you will if you geue not all and fully alonely to one Christ theÌ deny you Christ and the holy ghost And S. Iohn doth declare you to bée contrary to Christ This may also bée proued by a playne Scripture of the holy ghost which is this No man in heauen nor in earth neither vnder the earth was able to open the booke or to looke on y e booke till the lambe came vnto whom the seniours spake on this maner Thou art worthy to take y t booke to open the seales therof for thou wast killed and hast redéemed vs by thy bloud How say you to this my Lordes In heauen was there none founde neither by the aungels nor yet by the seniours worthy to open the booke but Christ onely And will you finde that they could not finde will you set an helper to Christ whoÌ they set alone But I pray you tel vs what bée shall bée All the world knoweth that they hée good workes But now from wheÌce come your good workes whether from heauen or out of the earth or froÌ vnder the earth If they were in any of these places where were they when the aungels and the seniours sought them Haue you founde them whom they could not finde but let this passe I praye you what will you lay for your good workes or by what title will you bryng them in to ioyne them with the laÌbe in openyng of the booke The seniours haue layd for them that the laÌbe alonely was worthy to opeÌ the booke because hée was slayne and redéemed them with his precious bloud Now what cause laye you for your good workes The laÌbe hath alonely dyed for vs The lambe hath alonely shed his bloud for vs The lambe hath alonly redéemed vs These things hath hée done alone Now if these bée sufficient then hath hée alone made satisfaction and is alonely worthy to be our redéemer and iustifier Moreouer they that bée in heauen confesse that this lambe is alonely worthy to redéeme them Bée your workes better then theirs or caÌ your workes helpe them If they can then is not the lambe alonely worthy to redéeme them Moreouer the seniours fall downe before the lambe geuyng him alonely prayse And shall your good workes stande vp by the lambe Then bée they better then the seniours But let vs proue this thyng by open Scriptures S. Paule tooke so great labours to proue this article as hée neuer tooke in any other all because hée would make it playne and stoppe the mouthes of the agaynesayers But all this will not helpe them that haue not the spirite of God Neuertheles we will by Gods fauour doe the best we can to confounde the crooked enemyes of Christes bloud thoughe we can not make them his frendes yet at the lest we will so handle them that they shall bée ashamed openly so to speake agaynst him as they haue done longe tyme and so will we handle them by Gods helpe that all the world shal know that they glory in Christes name and by hym bée they also so high promoted in this worlde that they can not bée higher And yet deserue they of Christ worst of all men But let vs goe to our purpose S. Paule sayth All men bée sinners and wante the glory of God but they are iustified fréely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Iesu What is this that all men haue sinned yea and are iustified fréely How shall a sinner doe good workes How can hée deserue to bée iustified what call you fréely if there bée any deseruing lesse or more then is it not fréely What call you by his grace if it bée any part of works then it is not of grace For as Saint Paule sayth Then grace were not grace Here can bée no euasion the wordes bée so playne If you bring in any helpe of workes then for so much is not our redeÌption fréely nor yet is it of grace as concerning the part that commeth of works but partly of workes and then doe you destroy all Saint Paule and his whole disputation For hée contendeth agaynst workes clearely excludeth workes in iustification and bryngeth in grace onely Nowe that that is excluded in the whole by contention can not bée brought in in parte to the cause This is open in his wordes where hée sayth Where is now thy reioysing It is excluded By what lawe by the lawe of workes Nay but by the lawe of fayth We doe iudge therfore that a man is iustified by fayth without y t workes of the lawe Heare you not that the gloriation
iustification Is not this open lyeng on fayth to geue all to him yet as you say hée is not worthy of all for workes bée worthy of parte If fayth bée not worthy alone confesse it openly and gene workes his prayse and faith her prayse say not one thyng with your mouth and thinke an other in your hart For God searcheth the priuities of hartes Who hath required of you such a méekenes But I praye you how can workes helpe to iustification lesse or more when they bée neyther done nor yet thought of Who is iustified but a wicked maÌ which thinketh nothing of good works But these méeke lyes deserue none aunswere Wherefore let vs heare what holy Doctours say on this texte To hym that worketh not c. Saint Ambrose sayth on this maner It was so decréed of God that after y e lawe the grace of God should require vnto saluation alonely fayth Which thyng hée prooueth by the example of the prophet saying Blessed is that man to whom God doth impute iustification without workes Hée sayth that they bée blessed of whom God hath determined without labour without all maner of obseruation alonely by faith that they shal bée iustified before God Blessed are they whose sinnes bée forgeueÌ Clearly they are blessed vnto whom without labour or without any worke their iniquitios be remitted and their sinnes bée couered and no maner of workes required of them but alonely that they should beleeue c. Bée not these wordes playne God hath decréed that hée shall require nothyng to iustification but fayth And hée is blessed to whom God imputeth iustification without all manner of works without all maner of obseruations Also their sinnes bée couered no maner of works of penauÌcered of them but alonely to beléeue Here haue you Sola fides and Tantum fides and here can you not say that S. Ambrose speaketh alonely of workes of the law but of all maner of works of all maner of obseruations yea and also of penaunce PeradueÌture it will bee sayd as a great doctour sayd once to me that S. Ambrose dyd vnderstaÌd it of young children that were newly baptised them their fayth should saue alonely without workes How thinke you is not this a likely aunswere for a great Doctour of Diuinitie for a great Duns man for so great a preacher Are not S. Paule and S. Ambrose wel auoyded and clerkely But I made him this aunswere that this Epistle was written of S. Paule to the Romanes which were men and not children and also the wordes of Scripture speake of the man and not of the childe And S. Ambrose sayth blessed is that man But at this aunswere hée was not a litle moued and sware by the blessed God let Ambrose Augustine say what they will hée would neuer beléeue but that workes dyd helpe to iustificatioÌ This was a Lordly word of a Prelate of a pyller of Christes Churche But what medlyng is with such mad men But yet peraduenture you will say how that I take a péece of the Doctour as much as maketh for my purpose Notwithstandyng hée sayth otherwise in an other place which I doe not bryng What is that to me yet is not my Doctour thus auoyded For you caÌ not deny but this is his saying and vppon this place of Scripture and this doth agrée with Scripture or els hée doth expounde Scripture euill Wherfore you must aunswere to the saying of the Doctour in this place for this is the place that is layd agaynst you and this is y e place whereby other places must bée expounded And if you dare deny him in this place then will I deny him in all other places by that same authoritie then bée the holy doctours clearely gone Neuertheles holy Scripture standeth openly agaynst you which if you deny then haue I a cause to suspect you Wherefore take héede what you doe But yet peraduenture will ye say that I vnderstand not S. Ambrose nor holy Doctours as my Lord of Rochester sayd howe I vnderstode not Tertullian hée had none other euasion to saue his honour with But this is not inough so to say but you must proue it other meÌ must iudge it betwéene you and me Here haue I translated a great many of their sayinges into English let other men iudge whether I vnderstand them or not Go ye to the Latin and let vs sée what other sense you caÌ take out But my Lordes remember that our God is alyue whose cause we defende afore whom I dare well say you are already confounded in your conscience wherfore doubt you not but that terrible vengeaunce han geth ouer you if you repeÌt not which wheÌ it coÌmeth coÌmeth sharpely How are ye able to defend a thing that you caÌ not proue opeÌly by holy scripture Say what you will your conscience will murmour and grudge and will neuer bée satisfied with meÌs dreames nor yet with tyranny Thinke you that your lawes and your inuentioÌs can bée a sufficient rule for Christen men to liue by and to saue their conscience therby Thinke you that your cause is sufficiently proued when you haue compelled poore men by violeÌce to grauÌt it Then may we destroy all Scriptures and receiue alonely your tyranny But my Lordes this matter is not righted by your iudgemeÌt but by our master Christ and his blessed worde afore whose strayte iudgement you shall bée iudged and that straytly For when all your grace all your honour all your dignitie all your pompe and pride briefly all that your hartes doe nowe reioyse in shall lye in the dust then shall you bée called to a strayte rekening It is no light game nor no childes playe Marke it well for it lieth on your necke But what nedeth me to loose many wordes for if you be halfe so full of grace as you say you bée of good workes then will you recken it better then I can moue you But againe to our purpose S. Paule proueth the iustification of faith onely in these wordes No man is iustified by the workes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ and we doe beléeue in Iesus Christ that we may bée iustified by the fayth of Christ not by the workes of the law Marke how hée sayth that no man is iustified by the workes of the law no not S. Peter Howe thinke you doth not S. Paule exclude workes bringeth in alonely faith yea and that the workes of the law whiche were the best workes in the world and hée beleeueth to bée iustified onely by the fayth of Iesus Christ and not by workes and that proueth hée in these wordes of the Prophet A righteous man lyueth by fayth Here you not how a righteous man liueth by faith What call you liuing by fayth If hée liue any part by workes then lyueth hée not by fayth but partly by workes TheÌ is S. Paules probation vnperfite But let vs sée how your Doctours doe
more then it helpeth the deuill So that this thing of S. Iames maketh nothing agaynst mée but rather wyth mée Also you haue an other Scripture for you which is this Before God they are not iustified which heare the lawe but they which doe the law shalbée iustified Of this texte you glory cry opera opera workes workes But if yee would consider the mynde of S. Paule you should well perceaue that hée meaneth not how workes might deserue iustification for then coulde hée not haue concluded thys agaynste the Iewes for they did the workes of the lawe to the vttermost and yet were they not iustified Wherefore S. Paule meaneth by the hearers of the lawe all them that doe the outwarde workes of the lawe for feare or for rewarde or of hypocrisie or els by them to bée iustified The doers caulleth hée them that doe the workes of the lawe after the intent of y e lawe and as the lawe commaundeth them that is in the true fayth of Christ Iesus which is the very ende of y e lawe and the fulfilling of the law as Saint Paule sayth to all them that beléeue Wherefore all men bée but hearers onely of the lawe till the tyme that that they haue the fayth of Christ Iesus which is imputed vnto them for iustice And the workes of the lawe bée no cause of iustification but alonely an outward testimonie and witnes that the lawe is fulfilled inwardly in their conscience afore God and fulfilled that it hath no accusation against them for Christ hath made satisfactioÌ for them of the which they bée partakers by their fayth And so the lawe must bée content to admitte all these men to bée fulfillers doers of y e law And now that you shall not say that this is my dreame here bée S. Augustines wordes The doers of the lawe shall bée iustified So must it bée vnderstaÌded that wée may know that they caÌ none otherwise bée the doers of the lawe excepte they bée first iustified not that iustification belongeth vnto doers but that iustification doth precéede all maner of doinges c. Heare you not that iustificatioÌ is first geuen that men might bée able to doe the workes of the lawe This is also the exposition of your glose I haue meruayle you studie it no better Also you haue an other Scripture and that is this Cornelius a GeÌtile did great almes and prayd vnto God alwayes Vnto whome the Aungell spake on this maner Thy prayer thy almes are come vp into remembraunce in the presence of God Of this texte you gather that hys good workes did helpe to iustifie hym I aunswere The holy ghost hath opeÌly declared hymselfe there For hée sayth that this Cornelius was a deuoute man and one that feared God How coulde this bée without y e God had taught hym inwardely by fayth Yea how coulde hée know God and that deuoutly but by fayth Ergo hée was iustified afore God by his fayth but y e world knew not his iustificatioÌ And therfore y t holy ghost doth declare hys inward iustificatioÌ wheÌ hée saith that hée was deuoute feared God And also doth shew openly the fruits of his iustification when hée sayth that hée did almes Moreouer you haue there that the holy Ghost fell on them afore they were baptised in water the which declareth openly that they were iustified afore God This is well declared also in your owne lawe whose wordes bée these Cornelius CeÌturio being yet a HeatheÌ maÌ was made cleane by y e gifte of the holy ghost Here haue you playnely y t hée was iustified by y t gifte of y t holy ghost afore all good works For hée was an heatheÌ maÌ An other scripture yée haue which is this If I haue all faith so y t I may traÌspose mouÌtaines and haue no charitie I am nothyng Of this gather you that fayth wythout charitie can not iustifie I aunswere This can you not gather of S. Paule for it is open that hée speaketh not of this thyng whereby that men may bée iustified but alonely hée teacheth how they that bée iustified must worke with charitie It is also plaine that hée speaketh not of fayth that doth iustifie inwardly but of that faith that doth worke outwardely The which is caulled a gifte of the holy Ghost As y t gifte of tounges the gift of prophesies the gifte of healing the gifte of interpretation as it is opeÌ in the chapiter afore Now is this fayth not geuen to iustifie but alonely to doe myracles wonders and signes by And therefore sayth Paule If I had all fayth so that I coulde moue mountaynes Also it is open that certayne men shall say vnto Christ Beholde wée haue done myracles and cast out deuils in thy name And yet hée shall say to them truely I know you not So that this fayth is a gifte of God that iustifieth not no more then the gifte of science or prophesies And sometyme is it in the Church and sometyme not and it is neuer of necessitie there to bée But the faith that wée speake of which doth béeleeue the promises of God and sticketh fast to the bloud of Christ hath none other vertue but to iustifie and must néedes iustifie wheresoeuer hée is and hée sticketh so fast to Gods worde that hée looketh for no myracles Thys fayth is neuer out of the Church for it is the lyfe of the Church and it is that fayth that our mayster Christe prayde for that it myght neuer fayle And therefore S. Paule when he describeth this fayth hée caulleth it a fayth that worketh by charitie not that it iustifieth by charitie For as he sayth there playnely it is neyther circumcision nor yet vncircumcision that is of any valure in Christ Iesu but fayth Here doth hée playnely exclude from iustification the hyghest worke of the lawe circumcision and setteth fayth alone not the gyfte of fayth that doth myracles but the gift of fayth that worketh by charitie And that yée shall not thinke thys to bée a dreame here bryng I you Athanasius sayinge whose wordes bée these There are two maner of saythes one is iustifieng as that of the which is spoken Thy fayth hath saued thée An other is cauled the gyft of God whereby myracles bée done Of the which it is written if you haue fayth as a grayne of mustard séede c. So that here haue you playne that fayth doth iustifie onelye and perfectly before all maner of works that is fayth is geueÌ of God fréely into our soules vnto the which fayth iustification is all onely promised and is all onely imputed and rekened of God Neuertheles this fayth in tyme and place conuenient is of that strength that hée must néedes worke by charitye not for to bée iustified thereby for if he were not afore iustified it were not possible that hée coulde haue charitie For after your owne schoole men an Infidell caÌ not
compared to the vyne and all the members of holy Churche to the branches that as the braunches can bring foorth no frute of them selues so caÌ holy church of her selfe bring foorth no goodnes except shee remaine in Christ by persite fayth This is wel proued by your owne law whose wordes bée these therfore is the Church holy because she beléeueth righteously in God c. Here you not the cause wherfore the Church is holy because she beléeueth righteously in God that is she beléeueth in nothyng but in him and she beléeueth nor heareth no worde but his as our master Christe beareth witnesse my shéepe heare my voyce and an other mans voyce doe they not know Also in an other place hée that is of God heareth the wordes of God How coÌmeth this that y e Church of God hath so sure a iudgemeÌt that she knoweth the voyce of Christ froÌ other voyces can not erre in her iudgement Because that Christ hath chosen her and because she is learned of God as our master Christ sayth and because she hath as S. Iohn sayth the inwarde oyntmeÌt of God y â teacheth his all maner of verity so that she can not erre But why can shee not erre because she may doe what she will Because that all thing that she doth is well done because she may make new rules and newe lawes at her pleasure Because she may inuent a newe seruice of God that is not in Scripture at her wil Nay nay my Lordes For she is but a woman and must bée ruled by her husbande yea she is but a shéepe and must heare y e voyce of her shepheard and so long as she doth so long caÌ she not erre because the voyce of her shepheard can not bée false This may be proued by your own law whose wordes bée these y e whole Church can not erre Also in an other place the congregation of faythfull men must néedes bée which also can not erre c. These wordes bée playne what Church it is that can not erre that is the congregation of faythfull men that bée gathered in Christes name whiche haue Christes spirite whiche haue the holy oyntement of God whiche abyde fast by Christes word and heare no other maÌs voyce but his Now my Lordes gather you all togither with all the lawes that you caÌ make and all the holynes that you can deuise and crye the Church the Churche and the Councels the Councels that were lawfully gathered in the power of the holy ghost all this may you say yet lye and if you haue not in déede the holy ghost with in you and if you doe heare any other voyce then Christes then are you not of the Churche but of the deuill and théenes murtherers as Christ saith For you come into the fold of Christ without him you bring not his voice but you come with your owne voyce with your owne statutes with your owne word your owne mandamus mandamus precipimus precipimus excommunicamus excommunicamus These bée the voyces of murtherers and Théeues and not of Christ therfore you can not but erre for you bée not taught of God you haue not the holy oyntment you haue not the worde of God for you you heare not the voyce of the true shepheard therfore must you néedes erre in all your counsells This is an other maner of rule then my Lorde of Rochester doth assigne to examine your counsels by for hée sayth where that the Pope and the counsell doth not agrée all in one there will hée suspect the counsell not to bée right Who did euer heare such a rule of a Christean man yea and of a bishop yea and of a doctor of Diuinite where hath hée learned this Diuinite to recken a counsell to bée trew because y e the Pope and so many men doe agree in one yea and that such men as haue so often tymes erred in their couÌcels as hée doth declare hym self rekening the counsell of Constantinople that had 330. Byshops and yet did erre and hée knew no other cause but bée cause the Pope did not agrée to them Is not this a resonable cause caÌ not the Pope erre let hym read his own lawe Distinctio 19. Anastasius Distinctio 40. Si Papa and also 24. q 1. Arecta in the glose and there shall hée fynde that the Pope hath erred Wherefore then should the matter stande in his iudgment Now how will hée by thys rule saue the counsels of constance and of Basell where in both counsels the Popes were condemned for heretykes As the same counsels make mencion also that the councels haue erred that grauÌted hée hymselfe but peraduenture hée will saye that they were not full Councels Now is it well amended what distinction is as conscernyng the veritie in a counsell that hath a thowsand byshops and in an other that hath fyve thowsand can the multitude helpe to the veritie Then had the Turke the veritie and we the falsed then had the Prophet Micheas the worsse part for hée was alone against iiij hundred so was y e verytie by y e Prophets of Ball and not by Elyas for they were foure hundred and fyftye hee was but one man Briefely Christes flocke is alwayes y e smallest nuÌber in this world but yet it is the best not the smallest number maketh Christes flocke but that Christes Church staÌdeth neyther by the greatest number nor yet by the smallest nor by the iudgmeÌt or numbring of man but by the callyng and eleccion of God Wherefore let my Lorde bring forth what counsell that hée will and if they haue not the word of God I will not all onely say they may erre but also that they doe erre in verye déede And that will I proue by the greatest lawyer that they haue called Panormitanus whose wordes bée these that Councels may erre as they haue erred as concernyng that contract of matrimony inter raptorem raptam and the saying of Saint Hierome was afterward preferred a boue the statute of the counsel as it is proued 36. q. 2. Tria for in thinges concerning the fayth is the saying of a priuat person to bee preferred afore the saying of the pope if hée haue better reasoÌs and scriptures of the new and of the olde testameÌt for him then the Pope nor it can not helpe to say that the counsell can not erre because that Christ did pray for his Church y e her fayth should not fayle For I auÌswere to this that though y e generall couÌcell doe represent y e whole vniuersall church neuertheles in very déede there is not y e very vniuersall church but representatiue For the vniuersal church staÌdeth in y e election of all fayth full men all faithfull meÌ of y â world make that vniuersall Church whose head and spouse is Christ Iesus the Pope is but the vicar of Christ and not the
guided of the spirit of God bée the childreÌ of God not they that lyue after their owne fleshe not they that lyue after theyr owne spirite not they that bée ledde of their owne spirite but as many as bée led of the spirite of God they bée the children of God But heare a man will say Ergo then are wée well ruled and we doe not rule I aunswere Thou both rulest and art ruled but then doest thou well rule if thou bée ruled of the good spirite Vtterly if thou want the spirite of God thou canst doe no good Thou doest truely without his helpe by thy fréewyll but it is but euill done Vnto y t is thy will apte which is cauled frée and by euell doeing is shée made a damnanable bonde seruant When I say without the helpe of God thou doest nothing I vnderstand by it no good thing for to doe euell thou hast frée will without the helpe of God though that bée no fréedome Wherefore you shall knowe that so doe you goodnes if the helping spirite bée your guider the whiche if it bée absent you can doe no good at all c. Mée thinke this saying is sufficient if men would beléeue S. Agustine Marke how hée sayth without the sprite of God we lye in synne let our spirit doe y e best hée can For they bée not the children of God y t are guided after their owne spirite but after the spirit of God For our spirite can doe no good at all but euell if the spirite doe not leade hym Where is now our bonum studium our bonus conatus and applicacio ad bonum For our spirite can doe nothing but euell and is of hym selfe but a damnable seruant What good can a damnable seruant doe of hym selfe So that here it is openly proued that the frée will of man of his owne strength and of his owne power con doe nothing but synne But now commeth the damnable reason and fleshly wisedome will dispute and say if our frée will caÌ doe no goodnes what néede God to commaunde so many good thinges what neede God to geue those coÌmaundementes that he knoweth well bée impossible for vs And if they bée impossible what right is in hym that damneth vs for that thyng that is impossible for vs to doe I aunswere O thou blinde and presumptuous and damnable reasoÌ where hast thou learned of any other creature to enquire a cause of thy makers will or els to murmour agaynst the ordinaÌce of thy lyuyng God What hast thou to doe to require a cause of his actes Hée hath made thée without thy coÌseÌt and counsell may hée not set lawes and commaundementes to rule thée by at his pleasure without thy counsel thou art worthy of none auÌswere thou art so presumptuous nor there is no godly aunswere that will satisfie thée Neuertheles I will stoppe thy blaspheming mouth by thine own wisedome to thy great shame Fyrst this thing must thou graunt mée that thy God is Essenciall goodnesse and is nothyng but goodnesse Wherefore hée can commaunde nothyng but that is good iuste and righteous Which thynges if thou doe not or bée not able to doe thy maker may not let his goodnes vndone because of thy naughtines or for thyne vnablenes And if thou bée not able to doe those good thynges that hée coÌmaundeth thée there is no faulte in the commaunder nor yet in the commaundementes Wherfore then doost thou grudge agaynst hym wythout a cause But yet wilte thou murmure and say how that hée knoweth how they bée impossible for thée Truth that is hée knoweth it Then wylte thou say wherfore doth hée coÌmauÌde them to mée O thou presumptuous creature it were sufficiently aunswered to thée to say that it is his pleasure so to commaunde What couldest thou say more what occasioÌ haddest thou to murmure what wronge hast thou But I wil goe farther Thy maker knoweth that they bée impossible for for thée hée knoweth also thy damnable presumptuous pride that reckenest how thou canst doe all thynges that bée good of thyne owne strength wythout any other helpe And to subdue this presuÌptuous pryde of thine to bring thée to knowledge of thyne owne selfe hée hath géeuen thée hys commaundementes of the whiche thou canst not complayne for they bée both righteous and good And if thou complaine because they bée impossible for thée then consider thy dampnable pryde that thoughtest thy selfe so stronge that thou couldest doe all goodnesse But what wilt y â now doe These commaundementes bée géeuen and can not nor shall not bée chaunged to satisfie thy presuÌptuous pryde Wherof wylte thou now complayne Gods commaundementes bée reasonable they be good they bée righteous and they bée laudable shal all these things bée destroyed to satisfie thy pride nay not so But thou shalt rather remaine wyth all thy pride vnder the damnation of these commaundementes What sayest thou thereto CaÌst thou auoyde this CaÌst thou say but this is right Canst thou saue thy selfe from daunger Canst thou auoyde thy daÌpnation by all thy carnall wysdome Nay verely For hée that is thy aduersary is omnipotent Wherefore say what thou wilte so must it bée for it is Gods ordinaunce which may not bée chaunged But now wilte thou aske what remedye no remedy but this onely to confesse thy weakenes to confesse thy pryde to knowledge thy vnablenes to graunt y t these coÌmaundementes bée lawfull holy and good how thou art bounde to kéepe them and to geue laude and prayse to God for them to goe to thy mercyfull maker with this confession and to desire hym that hée will helpe thée that hée will bée mercyfull vnto thée that hée will strengthen thée for thou art to weake that hée will geue thée his spirite for thy spirite is to fleshly to fulfill these spirituall commaundementes and doubt thou not but thou shalt finde hym both mercyfull and also gracious for hée gaue thée these coÌmaundements for that intent secretly declaryng both thy pride also thy weakenes that thou mightest séeke and call vnto hym for helpe This doth S. Augustine declare well in these wordes If man doe perceiue that in the commaundements is any thing impossible or els to hard let hym not remaine in hym selfe but let hym runne vnto God his helper the which hath geuen his commaundementes for that intent that our desire might bée styrred vp and that hée might geue helpe c. Marke S. Augustine sayth that the commaundemeÌts bée impossible vnto our strength but we must call to God for strength The Pelagians dyd recken that they had got a great victory wheÌ they had made this carnall reason y t God would commauÌde nothyng that was impossible Of this reasoÌ did they glory and triumphe and thought that they must néedes haue some naturall strength and power to fulfill the commaundementes of God séeyng that God would commaunde nothing impossible to man Of this same reason doth my
and harder And the more y t word of God is preached the more obstinate are they and the more mischief intende they Then all their study then all their wisedome then all their labour then all their might then all their power then all their craft and subtiltie then all their frendes that they can make in heauen and in earth is nothyng els but to oppresse the word of God yea and they thinke all to litle for y t more it is preached the more they grudge and the woodder bée they After this maner was the hart of Pharao indurated wheÌ that the word of God was declared vnto hym by Moyses hée had no grace to receiue it then the more that Moyses laboured in the worde the more sturdyer was hée in withstandyng of it and alwayes harder and harder This is also euidently séene in the corrupt nature of man for the more a thyng is forbydden hym the more desireth hée to doe it But what néede me to goe into Egypt to fetch an exaÌple to prooue this Looke of mine own countreymen if they bée not openly indurated and so blynded that no maÌ is able to defend them by any reason or law and therefore they take them selues to violence and oppression as Pharao dyd whiche bée the right signes and tokens of induration For the more y t word of God is preached and the veritie is declared vnto them the more sturdyer and obstinate bée they agaynst it And all theyr study all theyr wyttes all theyr counsels all their craft and mischief with all glosinges and lyinges and with blasphemyng of God hys preachers is nothyng els but to kéepe y t word of God vnder and to withstand that veritie which they know in their conscience must néedes goe foorth though all the world say nay And therfore will they heare no man nor reason with any man but euen say as Pharao dyd I will not let the people goâ But if they were not indurated the verye enemyes vnto the veritie they woulde at the lest wayes heare their poore brethreÌ of charitie know what they coulde say if they coulde prooue their saying to bée true then if they had y t loue of y e veritie as they haue but y e shadow they would geue inmortall thaÌkes to god with great méekenes and with a low spirite receiue the heauenly verity and thanke their brethren hartely that they warned them of such a damnable way now in good tyme season But there is no loue to the veritie nor yet feare of God nor regarde to the daunger of their soules And why For they be children of induration and of blasphe my And therfore the more it is preached the more are they obstinate This is the verye induration that God worketh in mens hartes wherby they bée the children of darkenes Therefore let vs pray instantly to God to mollifie our hard harts for Christes deare bloud sake Amen That it is lawfull for all maner of men to read the holy Scripture HOw can Antichrist bée better knowen then by thys token that hée condemneth Scriptures and maketh it heresie and high treason against the kynges grace for lay men to reade holy scripture As though it were alonely a possession and an heritage of certayne men that bée marked alonely with exteriour signes and the truth to say wyth the token of the beaste as with shaueÌ crownes long gownes and baners about their neckes They that haue these tokens bée the heyres of holy Scriptures and may reade it at their pleasure though they vnderstand as much as a Popingaye But holy Scripture that is sent vs from heauen yea and that by the sonne of God to destroy all heresies this holy scripture shall ingender in lay men heresie If this bée not the doctrine of Antichrist I know not hys doctrine Tell mée what can bée more contrary to Christ then by violence to oppresse the scriptures and to coÌdemne them as vnlawfull yea and as heresie for certaine men to reade and to say that there bée certayne secrettes in them that belonge not for lay meÌ to know And that this thing shall not bée denyde for I know they bée slipper that I haue to doe wyth and there is no holde of them therefore wyll I recite an open acte that all the worlde doth remember My Lord of LondoÌ opeÌly at Pauls crosse was not ashamed with intollerable blasphemes to condemne the holy testament of Christ Iesus hauing for hym but a damnable collour and and a deadly reason of the deuill that was how there were in the translation so many heresyes that all y t world knoweth that it was abhominable and a deadly lye though it were a lordly lye But such probations doth God all wayes let them haue that bée agaynst his holy veretye But let vs graunt that that translation was so false Why dyd not you there take vpon you openly for to amend it and to set forth truely the holy testament of Christ You must néedes graunt that there is an holy testament of his in earth except you will denye Christ as I doubt not but that you will in effect Wheare is it Why haue we it not If that weare not it Why doe not you set y t very true testament out You were ready to condemne an other mans faythfull labour and dilygence but you had no charytie to amende it You thinke alwayes to disceaue the world with your holy hypocrisy Men bée not so blinde but that they can well indge If you had condemned that testament all onely béecause of errours yet at y t least wayes you should both of charitie and also of dutye haue set forth the trew text and then would men haue thought y t you condemned the other by the reason of errours But men may now euydently sée y t you dyd not condemne it for errours sakes For how sholde they iudge errours that bée so vnlearned but all onely béecause that the veritie was there in y t which you could not abyde that men should knowe that dyd the processe of your sermon and also your tyranny that doth folow wil proue But my Lord I say to you and to all yours if you doe not amend it shall bée to your eueralsting damnacyon for God will not take this rebuke at your hand Remember that hée hath sworne by the mouth of hys Prophet by hys right hand and by the myght of his strength that hée wil defende this cause Bée not these lordly wordes of the eternall God think you to make hym forsworne Remember how the holy ghost threatyneth you in an other place saying if a man dyd dispise the lawe of Moses hée must without any mercy dye Howe much more are they worthy of punishment that doe treade the sonne of God vederneath their féete and despise the bloud of his testament How thinke you is not this openly agaynst you that condemne not all onely Christ
it foloweth c. S. Paul saith it is profitable to learne with and you say that it is dawnable good to learn herises with S. Paule sayth it is good to improoue heresyes and you say it engendereth heresyes S. Paule sayth it is good to informe and to instruct righteousnes and you say to enforme heresies S. Paule sayth that the man of God may be perfect by it and you say that the Priestes al onely shal haue it so that you play ouerthwart with S. Paule in all thinges Also S. Paule sayth you may all interpretate scripture one by one that all men may learne and all men may haue comfort but let your wynes kéepe sylence in the congregation Marke how that all men may prophesye which S. Augustine doth declare for interpretating Scriptures Therefore it belongeth not all onely to priestes Also hée sayth that women must hold their peace which hée néede not to coÌmaund if they were vnlearned Furthermore hée will that womeÌ shall learne of their husbaÌds at home How shall their husbandes learne them if they bée vnlearned theÌselues Also S. Paule geueth testimony of Tymothy that hée was learned in holy scriptures from his childhode the which were able to instruct hym vnto saluatioÌ by fayth that is in Christ Iesu Here you not how Tymothe was learned in holy scriptures béefore hée was eyther priest or byshop yea being but a childe the which as S. Paule sayth weare able to enstruct hym and you say they bée able to condemne meÌ Is not this cleane coÌtrary against S. Paule are you not ashamed What works shall Antichrist doe more coÌtrary to Christ theÌ these bée let all christeÌ men write the déedes of Antechrist they must all agrée in this that hée shal condemne scripture But that shall be not doe without some colour of right and of holynes and you condemne it hauyng no colour nor no shadow of holynes but all onely reason of fleshlynes and of starke madnes Thinke you if the great Turk would receaue such reasons as yours bée yea and a great deale better agaynst hys Mahomet that hée coulde raigne so long as hée hath done Nay doubtles and yet you loke to bée alowed agaynst Christ the ryght sonne of God yea and that of Christen men which coulde not bée hard agaynst mahomet Also our M. Christ commaundeth his Apostles that they should preach y â Gospell vnto all creatures as Mathew sayth that they should teach meÌ to kéepe all manner of things that hée hath coÌmaunded them Marke that the Gospell must bée preached to all manner of men not to priestes onely the Apostles must also learne to kéepe all thinges of the Gospell which they can not doe without they know them no if these thinges that the Apostles dyd learne should ingender or be any occasion of heresies then the holy Apostles were occasion by theyr doctrine of heresies Yea and that at the commaundement of our M. Christe what néede the Apostles to learne vs any thing that might bée occasion of heresie were wée not in heresie béefore they came were wée not all disposed of our nature vnto all maner of mischiefe and yet after your learning they come and learne that thing that is occasion of heresie But of your conscience are you not ashamed thus damnably to blaspheme the heauenly worde of God thus shamefully to coÌdemne Gods worde thus presumptuously to vndertreade the gifte of y e holy ghost yea and that vnder the preteÌce of holynes of ChristeÌdome as though you dyd fauour Christ Will you make Christ an auctor of heresy and that vnder the name of holynes will you by your holynes and your damnable hipocresye condemne our M. Christ the auctor of all goodnes But brieflye if you woulde teach nothing but that which our M. Christ hath left to bée taught we should not haue so many heretykes as we haue For nowe men bée no heretykes for speking agaynst Scripture for you graunt that men speak scripture but for speaking agaynst your law for y e cause bée they made heretykes and by y e bée they proued heretykes Now let euery Christen man Iudge in hys conscience if this bée right or lawfull Is not this a merueilous thing let a man liue in fornicatioÌ in whoredome in theft in murther drunkennes in extortyon in bribery briefly in all maÌner of mischyfe and you will haue nothing to doe with theÌ you will scarsly reproue hym yea hée shall bée a great officer vnderneath you greatly in your fauour But let a man come and preach y e very true Gospell of Christ and thereby reprooue your damnable lyuyâg and theÌ béegynneth hée to bée an heretycke it shall cost you great labour if you make hym not an heretyke in déede And yet haue you nothing that you can reprooue in hym as concerning hys lyuyng but all onely that hée preacheth the Gospell Is not thys a merueilous heretyke whose lyuyng you must néedes graunt to bée good And also you can not prooue but that his learning is of Christ but all onely that it pleaseth you not no you dare not take in hand to prooue it false but all onely by vyolâce you will condemne it Thinke you that God will thus suffer remember what hée sayth by the holy Prophet Thou hast reproued the vnfaythfull people hast destroyed the wicked and takeÌ away their name for euer The Lorde hath prepared his trone of IudgmeÌt doubt you not but hée shal shortly reprooue you His trone is set to the IudgemeÌt must you come where you shall neuer bée able to defeÌd this cause but you must perishe for euer But here will you say that you preach the Gospell to the people and that is inongh for they néede not to haue it in Englyshe I aunswere I pray you when was there any lawe that euer men were bounde to kéepe but that it was geuen them in wrighting I will not say that you doe not teach them the right Gospell for you know it not But how are they able to beare away that thing y e they doe but heare And if they may heare it of you why may they not also reade it But looke on S. Luke that wrot his Gospell that men might know for a certayne those thinges that they were informed of Moreouer why did y â Apostle write yea and that vnto lay men séeyng that they were so diligent in preachyng I dare boldly say as you bée ⪠But let vs sée howe lay men were forbydden to read holy Scripture in the Apostles tyme The noblest of Thessalonia whiche receiued the worde searched the Scriptures dayly whether those thinges that Paule preached were so or not here haue you playne that lay men searched Scriptures to knowe whether Paules doctrine were true or not and also how they read dayly Scriptures And now come you and say that lay men shall read no Scriptures but alonely receiue theÌ of your
Wherfore we wil now speake of the other power which men call spirituall Fyrst here is to be noted that this is no power nor none auctoritie worldly but all onely a ministration of the word of God and a spirituall regiment preaching the gouerning of the soule and the mynistration of y e spirit hauing nothing to doe with the erterior Iustice or righteousnes of the worlde and therfore hath it no power by right and law to make any statutes or lawes to order the worlde by but all onely faithfully truely to preach and to minister the word of God ther by instructing the conscience of man nothing addyng thereto nor taking there from but as S. Paule sayth to abyde in those thinges that they haue learned and that bée commytted vnto them for S. Paule as hée hym selfe sayth âurst speake no other thing but those things which christ had wroght by him For hée curseth him bée he maÌ or Angel that preacheth any other gospell then hée had preached Therefore the Prophet commaundeth vs that we should not heare the wordes of those prophetes which disceaue vs for they speake visions of their owne hartes and not out of y â mouth of god and yet speake they in the name of God Wherefore these men so long as they speake onely y â worde of God so long are they to be heard as Christ himself after y e saying hée y e heareth you hereth mée also whatsoeuer they say vnto you sytting in the chayre of Moses do it On y e which text speketh S. Augustine By syttyng in y e chayre is to vnderstand the learning of the lawe of God and therefore God doth teach by them but if they will teache their owne doctrine heare it not doe it not for such men séeke that is theirs and not Christes c. These wordes bée playne agaynst all them that preach any thing but the law of God onely Wherfore if these mynysters will of tyranny aboue the worde of God make any lawe or statute it must bee consydered after two maner of wayes fyrst whether it bée openly and derectly agaynst the word of God and to y e destructioÌ of y e faith as that statute is whereby they haue condemned the new testament also forbydden certayne men to preach the worde of God hauing no trew cause aganst them but all onely their malicious suspectioÌ also y e learning wherby they learne that workes doe iustifye moreouer that statute whereby they bynde men vnder the payne of damnation to bée assoyled of them These statutes I say with other lyke men are not bouÌd for to obey neither of charite for here is faith hurt which geueth no place to charitie nor yet for auoyding of sclaunder for the worde of God may not bée auoyded nor yet géeue place vnto sclauÌder for then shoulde it neuer bée preached but it must bée faââe stucke vnto and the more that men bée offended withall and the stiffer that they hée against it the more openly and playnely yea and that to their faces that make such statutes mâst wée resiste them wyth these wordes wée are more bounde to obey God then man This is well proued by Hilarius wordes All maner of plantes that hée not planted of the father of heauen must bée plucked vp by the rootes that is to say the traditions of men by whose meanes the coÌmaundementes of the lawe hée broken must bée destroyed and therefore caulleth hée theÌ blynde guides of the waye to euerlasting life béecause they sée not that thyng they promise and for that cause hée sayth that both the blynde guides and they that bee led shall fall into the dyke c. Marke that all traditions of men which are agaynst Gods lawe must be destroyed Therfore let euery man take héede for it longeth to their charge for both the blynde guides and also they that bée led shall fall in the dyke It shall bée none excuse for hym that is led to say that hys guyde was blynde but let them heare the worde of God by his holy prophetes walke not in the preceptes of your fathers nor kéepe not their iudgemeÌts but walke in my preceptes and kéepe my iudgementes The other maner of statutes bée when certaine thinges that bée caulled indifferent bée commaunded as thinges to bée done of necessitie and vnder the paynes of deadly sinne As for an example To eate fleshe or fishe this day or that day is indifferent and frée also to goe in this rayment of this colour or that colour to shaue our heades or not a priest to wear a loÌg gowne or a short a gray Fryer to weare a gray coate or a russet a whyte Fryer to weare a white or a blacke a Priest to marry or not to marry an Heremyt to haue a bearde or not These with all other such outwarde workes bée thinges indifferent and may bée vsed and also left Now if the Byshoppes will make any lawe or statute that these thynges shall bée determinately vsed so that it shall not bée lawful for vs to leaue it vndone but that wée must precisely doe them and not the contrary vnder the payne of deadly sinne here must they bée withstanded and in no wise obeyed âor in this is hurt our fayth and libertie of Christendome whereby wée are frée and not bounde to any exteriour worke but frée in all things and vnto all men at all tymes and in all maner except it bee in such a cause where as brotherly charitie or the common peace should bée offended Therefore in all these thynges bée wée frée and wée must withstand them that will take this libertie from vs with thys texte of Scripture Wée are bought with the price of Christes bloud wée will not bée the seruauntes of men This texte is open against them that will bynde mennes conscience vnto sinne in those things that Christ hath lefte them frée in Of this wée haue an euident example of Saint Paule the whiche would not circumcise Titus when the false brethren woulde haue compelled hym thereunto as a thynge of necessitie vnto whom S. Paule gaue no romthe as coÌcernyng to bée brought into subiectioÌ S. Paul dyd not withstand them bycause that CircumcisioÌ was vnlawfull or might not bée vsed of Christen men but bycause that they would haue compelled hym vnto it as vnto a thyng of necessitie that thyng woulde not Saint Paule suffer for that was agaynst the libertie that we haue in Christ Iesus as hée sayth here playnely Wherfore we bée not alonely by Christe made frée from sinne but also made frée in vsing all maner of thynges that bée in different and vnto them we can not bée bounde as vnto thynges of necessitie as on the Friday to eate fish and thereunto bée bounde in conscience vnder the payne of deadly sinne In this we may not obey for it is against the word of God not béecause it is euill to
iudge and if Christes worde condemne the couÌsell who shal approoue it who shall prayse it who shall defende it The temporall sworde nor the multitude of Byshops nor interdiction excommunication nor cursing can then helpe Wherefore let euery true ChristeÌ man looke on this matter indifferently it is no trifling wyth God nor with his holy worde for God will remayne for euer his holy word must bée fulfilled and if we wil not fulfill it bée shal cast vs down to the déepe pit of hell and make of stones meÌ in our stede that shall kéepe his worde It is no light thyng for it lyeth on the saluation and damnation both of body and soule froÌ the which we can not bée deliuered with these glorious wordes Concilium ConciliuÌ Patres Patres Episcopi Episcopi for all these may bée the ministers of the deuill yea though they were aungels Therfore ones agayne I doe monish and exhorte in the glorious name of the lyuing God and in y e swéet bloud of Christ Iesus all true ChristeÌ men to take héede what they doe agaynste Christes holy word whiche is their eternal God their mercyfull redemerand shall bée also their mighty and glorious iudge Now let vs examine the wordes of the Councell First of all the Councell graunteth that in the begynning of the church all Christen men were houseled vnder both kyndes nowe would I knowe of the Councell of whom the Church had receiued this maner of Christ or his holy Apostles as doubtles shée dyd then what authoritye had the Councell to chaunge the institution of Christ and of his holy Apostles and also the vse and practise of holy Church was not the first Churche of God Did shée not kéepe Christes institution did shée not fulfill Christes word Did not y e holy Apostles learne here so And now shall the Councell of Constance first condemne Christ and his blessed word then the learnyng of Christes holy Apostles and also the long vse and practise of Christes blessed Church without any Scripture without authoritie or without any speciall reuelation froÌ God but alonely for auoydyng of certeine perils Yea and not content alonely to coÌdemne these thinges but vnder the paine of heresie to coÌdemne them This is to sore a coÌdemnation of Christes open woorde and of that thyng whiche they graunt that the Church dyd vse at the begynnyng Furthermore the Councell sayth that holy fathers and the Church dyd bryng in this custome to housell laye men vnder one kinde Are you not ashamed of these woordes Doth not your conscience prike you thus openly to lye yea of Christ and of his holy Church Christes worde is openly agaynste you and you graunt that the vse of the church was also otherwise And as for holy fathers here may you sée what they say to it but you are the children of the kyngdome of lyes and doubtlesse if you bryng not foorth the holy fathers that make for you you shall not alonely bée taken for abhominable and ââ¦en lyers but also for shameful and detestable sclaunderers both of holy Church and also of holy fathers But it is no wonder for Antichrist must declare him selfe openly to bée agaynst Christ yet is hée neuer without an excuse and a shaddow of holynes where by hée may blynd the poore people But what excuse had hée here in the Councell to coÌdemne Christes worde That they might auoyde certaine sclauÌders and perrils béecause that there is no body without bloud Bée not these lawfull causes to condemne Christes open word yea and that vnder the payne of heresie Is not this a new maner of law to make that hée that will not obeye a statute made agaynst Gods word which hée is bouÌde to obey vnder payne of euerlastyng damnation alonely for auoydyng perrils to bée condemned for an hereticke Briefely by this reason may they condemne all holy Scripture by laying icoperdies perrils thereto they may condemne all the creatures of God for there may bée perill in vsing of them all But what néede many wordes to prooue this Councell to bée of the deuill for if that bée not of the deuill that is contrary to Christ and hath no excuse for it but alonely to auoyde perrils I caÌ not tell what is of the deuill I am sure Antichrist shall neuer bée without some carnall excuse for if hée will deny Christ to bée both God man hée shall haue stronger carnall reasons for him then the Councell hath for this but this matter must not bée iudged by carnal reasons It is Gods worde that is aboue all creatures wherefore let vs goe to the Scriptures as a sure ancore to ouercome Antichrist with all his carnall reasons First our maister Christ when hée dyd institute this blessed Sacrament did vse these woordes take it and eate it this is my body c. Likewise takyng the challice hée gaue thankes gaue it vnto them saying drinke all of this this is my bloud of the newe testament the which shall bée shed for many into remission of sinnes These bée playne wordes drinke of it all hée that sayth all excepteth no man Furthermore hée knewe that there might bée ieoperdies in the receiuyng of it yet hée sayth drinke of it all for it is my bloud that shall bée shed for the remission of sinnes Now was it not shed for lay mens sinnes why shal they not then drinke of it The maister and the Lord sayth drinke therof and shall the miserable seruaunt withstand his commaundemeÌt yea commaunde the playne contrary and say drinke not therof But now commeth my Lord of Rochester which perceiueth that the Councel is connict in that that it consenteth that the whole Church in the begynnyng did receiue this Sacrament vnder both kyndes and yet forbiddeth that same thyng and sayth to mainteine this errour that Christe spake these wordes drinke of it all alonely to his Apostles for there were no other men there but the Apostles and therfore they must alonely drinke therof I aunswere My Lord if this thing were alonely lawfull vnto the Apostles how will you discharge the primatiue Churche in the whiche were those men that Christ ministred this Sacrament vnto yea the selfe men did minister it vnder both kyndes to the whole congregation accordyng to this commaundement drinke of it all Dout not but they vnderstoode Christes will as well as you in this commaundement But in the way of communication let vs grauÌt you that to the Apostles this was onely sayd how will you theÌ discharge your owne Priestes from deadly sinne the which receiue it vnder both kindes and yet bée they neither Apostles nor successours of theÌ but after your own learnyng the Bishops alonely bée their successours the Priestes doe represent lxxij Disciples Shal they in this thyng represeÌt the Apostles and in absoluyng from sinne but the Disciples But let vs sée farther in your for fetched reason tel vs how
many excellent and holy fathers and great Doctours of Diuinitie and so many noble Princes and wise men of the worlde and bée with these two poore men which bée of no reputation in this worlde Wherefore my Lordes procéede against them after the holy decrées that bée inuented agaynst heretickes sticke not for their names for it is neither Christ nor Paule that caÌ hurt you you haue also condemned theyr learning and preuailed against them why should you not condemne them as well you bée Lords and you haue the strength and the wisdome of the worlde with you and as a certayne Doctour of the law sayde they haue no man to holde with them but a sorte of beggers and despised persons of the worlde wherfore spare them not bée bolde Implete numerum patrum vestrorum All tyrantes bée not yet dead But now when you haue condemned them yet haue you as muche to doe as euer you had for your owne lawe is openly agaynst you in these wordes Wée vnderstand that certayne men receauing alonely the portion of the blessed body doe abstaine from the chalice of the holy bloud the which doubtles séeing I can not tell by what superstition they are learned to abstayne let them eyther receaue the whole Sacrament or els let them bée forbidden from the whole Sacrament for the diuision of one and of y e same mistery can not bée done wythout great sacrilege c. How thynke you by these wordes bée they not playne that all men shall eyther receaue both kyndes or none Here haue you an other hereticke for hée iudgeth and sayth that it is a sacrilege which is openly agaynst your Counsell to receaue it in one kynde But paraduenture you wyll say this law was written to priestes I aunswere to whomsoeuer it was writteÌ it maketh no matter for these wordes bée plaine the diuision of one misterye can not bée done without great sacrilege These words bée not spoken of the persons that shall receaue it but of the deuiding of the sacrament whosoeuer shall receaue it it is sacrilege to deuide this thynge aunswere you to that Marke also that your owne lawe cauleth it superstition to receaue but one kynde and no doubt they that did receaue it so were blynded by this damnable reason of yours that there is no body without bloude and yet hée calleth it superstition But let vs sée what your glose saith on this texte it is not superfluously sayth hée receaued vnder both kindes for the kynde of bread is referred vnto the fleshe and the kynde of wyne vnto the bloude The wyne is the Sacrament of bloude in the which is the seate of the soule therfore it is receiued vnder both kindes to signifie that Christ did receiue both body and soule and that the partaking thereof doth profite both bodye and soule Wherefore if it were receiued alonely vnder one kynde it shoulde signifie that it did profite allonely but one part c. How thinke you doth this glose vnderstand it of preistes onely haue lay men no soules May not this Sacrament profite them both bodye and soule Marke also that hée sayth it is not superfluously nor without a cause receiued vnder both kyndes Also an other lawe When the host is brokeÌ and the bloude shed out of the chalys into the mouthes of faythfull men what other thyng is there signified but the immolation of our Lords body on the crosse and the shedding of hys bloud out of his side c. Here is it plaine that the bloud is géeuen out of the chalys and not out of the body and into faythfull mens mouthes and not alonely into priests mouthes Also an other lawe If that the bloud of Christ bée shed for remission of sinnes as ofteÌ as it is shedde then ought I lawfully for to receaue it I which doe alwayes sinne must alwayes receaue a medecyne c. Here your owne lawe sayth that the receiuing of the bloude is a medycinall way to bée receiued of theÌ that sinne you will not denie but that lay men sinne Wherefore shoulde they not then receiue a medicyne for their sinne you may perceiue that thys is not alonely spoken of Priestes but of sinners c. Furthermore S. Ciprian sayth How doe wée teach or how can wee prouoke men to shed their bloude for the coÌfession of Christes name if wée doe denye them the bloude of Christ when they shall goe to battayle Or how dare wée able them vnto the victordum of martyrdome if wée doe not firste by right admitte them to drincke the cuppe of our Lorde in the congregation c. Here is Cyprian openly against you which will that as many shall receiue y e bloud of Christ as doe confesse the name of Christ yea and that out of the cuppe and not out of the body Also S. Ambrose sayth to the Emperour Theodosius how shalt thou lift vp thy handes out of y t which doth yet droppe vnrighteous bloud how shalt thou with those handes receaue the body of God with what boldnes wilt thou receaue into thy mouth the Cup of the precious bloud séeing that through the wodnes of thy wordes so great bloud is shed wrongfully c. Marke that the manner was in Saint Ambrose tyme that lay men should receiue y t blessed bloud of Christ yea and that out of the cup seuerally and not out of the body onely wherefore my Lords see to your conscience how you can discharge your self before the dreadfull trone of Christ Iesus for making this detestable daÌnable statute agaynst y t heaueÌly word of God ⪠and agaynst the vse of holy Church ⪠contrary to the exposition of all holy doctours It were to great a thing for you so presumptuously to breake the statute of your mortall prince howe much more of your immortall God which will not bée auoyded with a carnall reason nor with condemnation of heresye nor yet with saying there bée ieoperdies perils and sclauÌders for these proud crakes can not there excuse you nor yet helpe you For I doubt not but the great Turke hath as good reasons for hym as these bée also as proude crakes as you haue though peraduenture hée vseth them not so hipocritely agaynst God omnipotent as you doe but yet it will not helpe hym Wherefore now most excellent and gracious Prince I doe with all méekenes with all due subiection admonysh exhorte your most noble grace yea and y e father of heauen doth openly commannd you vnder the payne of his displeasure and as you will auoyde the daunger of eternall damnation and also by the vertue of Christes blessed bloud and as you will receiue remission from all your sinnes thorow the merites of his gloryous bloud that you doe defeÌd with all your might Christes blessed worde and his swéete bloud and his holy ordinaunce and suffer them not so lightly to bee oppressed and troden vnder
kéepe theyr chastitie Would it not abhorre a Christen maÌ to heare tell of the innumerable baudes that are made by y t reason y t priests caÌ not lyue chaste What a petious case is it to sée so many young men cast away thâ⦠whiche doth sée dayly their maisters vncleane liuyng Here were many thynges to bée recited but honesty compelleth me to passe theÌ ouer But I thinke there is no good man but hée will thinke as much in hym selfe as I either would say or can say I could tell if If I would the occasion why y t those Cardinals of Rome which kéepeth whores bée noted of the common people to bée of the best sort of Cardinals But I will passe it ouer Neuertheles it gréeueth mée a lyttell that I may not somewhat opeÌ my hart But this I promyse them if any of these proiectours of this fylthy chastitie doth take in hand to defende it agaynst mée I will not bée ashamed to writeâ that they haue not béene ashamed to doe Nor I will not kéepe secrete how certayne byshops of England and also of other countries doth let whores to ferme vnto priests And all béecause they will not suffer them to marry Yet heare will I tell you one prety tale There is a byshop lyuyng at this same day in Germanye which had néede of a great some of money I could tell his name if I would this byshop called vnto hym a gentilman a great frend of his which smelled a littell of the new learning so called Vnto this maÌ hée made his complaint how that hee must néedes make shifte shortly for a great somme of money desyring hym both to helpe hym and also of his counsell This man sayde vnto hym if hée would folow his couÌsell hée would shortly helpe him The byshop was very glad and grauÌted to folowe his counsell Then sayde the gentylman My Lord your Lordship shall geue a strayte commaundement that all your Priestes within your diocese shall put away their whores within this two monethes vnder the payne of heresye at the least After this your Lordship shall send ij of your couÌsellers that bée knowen to bée greately in your fauour to handle with the priestes in their owne names for to take vp thys matter betwéene your Lordeship and them But vnder this condition that the priests shall grauÌt vnto them a certayne some of money and they shall promise the priestes y t they will bring it to passe that your Lordship notwithstaÌding your strait commaundement shall bée contented to suffer them to liue as they haue done in tymes past and after the olde custome of the Church The byshop was contented with this counsell incontinent gaue out y t commaundement and afterward sent out two of his best frendes priuelye to treate with the Priestes in their names but not in his For hée woulde not bée knowen of it because hée had vowed chastitie But what thinke you that these two meÌ did gather in this one byshoppricke within y t space of ij moneths Verely âxx M. guyldens the which money the byshop receiued very deuoutly and thought it not against the vowe of chastitie What shall men say to these mens conscience that will not sticke to burne a poore priest that maryeth a wife but yet they will receyue xx M. guyldens to mayntayne open whoredome O lord God thou knowest this yet doubtles thou sufferest it And all béecause they should haue space and respite to amende vnto which God geue them grace Amen But agayne to our purpose men may perceaue that this holy byshop Hulderyke was agaynst the pope dyd also alowe my doctrine and declare that S. Gregorie did repeÌt him of y t statute y t hée had made for priests ââ¦astitie Wherefore I conclude here yet agayne that Gods holy worde olde doctours holy counselles the Emperours lawe olde decrées of the Church the practice of the holy Apostels the lyuing of holy men Gods lawe and mans lawe nature reason doth alowe this article of myne Wherefore I trust no good nor reasonable man will withstand mée in this case There runneth a greate voyce of mée that I haue maried a wife and for that cause men doth recken that I will something proue my witte and also stretch my learning to mayntain that priestes myght haue wyues But the very trueth is béefore God maÌ that I haue no wife âor neuer went about to marry I thanke God of his grace And of this I haue as noble princes as bée in Germany to beare mée witnesse and also many other worshipfull and honest men y t doth knowe mée and my conuersation I haue also the ryght worshipfull man Doctour Lée which was the kinges Embassadour with vs and all his seruauntes to testifye for mée which bée honest men and sufficient in a greater cause then this is Finally here is also the byshop of our citie with whom I doe dwell am most conuersant with Heare is also the Embassadours of Lubycke which doth also know mée and my conuersation And I doubt not but all they will testifye for mée as farre as any lawe shall require Yea I dare boldly say y t myne aduersaries haue not so good testemony that they kéepe theyr vowe of chastitie as I haue that I am not maryed But all is done to bringe mée in defamation Let God prouide Neuertheles what if I had a wyfe is y so great a crime What can men make of it Hath not many noble Princes and good men wyues Will meÌ make more articles of saluation for mée then for princes or for other Christen men what haue I deserued thus to bée taken Men will haue to doe with mée but I promise them they shall get no good by it if I may come to my aunswere I wil bée able alwayes to defend a wyfe if I weare disposed to marry agaynst all those that kéepe whores Let them begin when they will Notwithstandyng I doe not abstayne from a wife béecause that is euell and vncleane to marry but I haue other lawfull considerations Let no man doubt but this is of trueth if I had a wyfe I would not haue medled with this article because that men myght haue suspected mée that then I would haue defended this article for the maintenaunce of my facte But now on the other syde that men should not think how I despised mariage or thought it vnlawfull for a Priest to marry in as much as I my selfe doe not marry Therfore haue I takeÌ this labour on mée to wryte my meaning so much the more boldely béecause that men haue no cause to suspect mée that I speake to defende myne owne cause but all onely to set out the veretye so God helpe mée Amen But now will I goe to the Popes lawe and sée what tyme that thys thyng begunne to take strength It had beene often times attempted but it was alwayes repelled by one good man or
mocke and trifle both with God and man There can be nothing more agaynst you then these wordes bée For fyrst do you not loue your Images and your sayntes Secondarilye doe you not offer vnto them cal you that no sacrifice yea it is so much that you can hange no more on them Thyrdly doe not you geue veneratioÌ vnto them yea and that with al your hartes or els bée you hipocrites and disseÌblers So that you geue to your stockes and stones Cultum Latrie which by your owne distinction béelongeth to God onely How can you now auoyde Idolatrie Now to the seconde parte of your distinction you say that you do to saintes to all creatures y t worshipyng of Dulya which is without loue and without the multitude of sacrifice What cal you this what meane you by this what worshipping is this that is without loue and without sacrifice Is not this opeÌ hipocrisye to honor a thing outwardlye and neather to loue it nor to fanor it inwardly nor yet to offer any sacrifice vnto it this is nothing els but open mocking and I may well compare you vnto the wicked Iewes that crouched knéeled vnto Christ but they did it neyther of loue nor fauour but of mockage as you doe honour your sayntes and Images This commeth all wayes to theÌ that will mocke and trifle with gods holy word that wheÌ they thinke to auoyde it with a damnable distinction then is it most agaynst them so that all christeÌ men may sée that the hand of God is heare Also an other baulde reasoÌ you haue which is of M. Rychard If saintes when they were here and not confirmed in grace did of their charitie pray for vs. Therefore now must they pray much more seing they are now confyrmed in charitie c. Is not this a goodly bauld reason to cast at a byshops cure How can hée proue this what scripture hath hée for hym I heare well his carnall reason but I heare no probation I will make him a lyke reason The sayntes when they weare heare did of their charitie cloth naked men and fede the hungrey and gaue drinke to y t thirsty and visited them that were in prison therefore much more now for they be confyrmed in charitie and these bée déedes of charitie Lykewise S. Paule when he was heare dyd of hys charitie wryte epistelles to declare the veretie therefore now must âée much more wryte so y â where afore hée wrot but one epistell now must hée at y t least write thrée or els hée is not confyrmed in charitie I thinke hée dyd neuer a greater dede of charitie then now to wright an epistell and to declare his owne pistels for all the world is at variaunce for vnderstaÌding of them You blynd gydes who hath learned you to declare wherein the charitie of sayntes doth stande who hath geueÌ you auctoritie to geue a déede of charitie vnto sayntes that scripture doth not geue Wherfore is it a déede of charitie for one to pray for an other is there any other cause then that the holy Ghost so declared it in his word Wherfore that is charitie in this lyfe that the worde of God byddeth you doe and as for the workes that charitie shall haue in an other lyfe it belongeth not to you to iudge farther then the word of God Also you haue an other reasoÌ God sheweth myracles in this place and in that place to the honouring of this saynt and that saynt therefore we must lykewise honour them I aunswere as to your myracles though I haue aunswered to them beefore yet will I adde this vnto it that God is no God of superstition nor that fauoreth one place more then an other or that hath any affectioÌ to this place more then to that wherefore this is your superstition inuented of the deuill for God will neyther bée honored in the mountayne nor yet in Ierusalem but in mens hartes And as to your myrakles the great Godes Diana did also myrackles as you may reade in scripture consyder her honour that scripture speketh of and compare it to the honour of your Images you may sée they doe agrée Farthermore Apollo Castor Aescu lapius and such other did also greate myracles as stories doe make mention and also many men which were both wyse well learned and also many men of a great reputation and honour as you bée yea and meÌ of great holynes doe beare witnesse of y â same Therfore by this reason we must also honour them Also an other reason you haue out of Iob. Conuert thy selfe vnto some of the sayntes Of this you conclude that we must pray vnto sayntes I aunswere of this you may conclude that you bee blinde and dull Asses and vnlearned stockes peruerters tearers renters of holy scripture I pray you what sayntes dyd y t old fathers know before Christes comming whom did they recken to be in heauen before Christes assention why did they desyer so sore his cumming if they beléeued that they should haue ascended vp to heauen But this is the sentence of that place Elephas reproued Iob and sayth y t hée is not Gods seruaunt and therefore God punished him sayth hée and to prooue this hée biddeth Iob call to memory all holy men and seruaunts of God and recken one if hée can among them all whom God did so punish wherefore hée concludeth that Iob is not the seruaunt of God but a foolyshe man which in Scripture is the enemye of God whom God shall slaye in his wrath This is the sentence of that place Fynallye you haue an other reson you shall praise God in his sayntes therefore sayntes must bée honoured I aunswere is not this a good consequent I must praise God in Beares and Apes therefore Beares Apes must bée worshipped Adde that y t foloweth in y e text you must praise God in timbrels in orgens and in pypes therefore after your conscequent timbrels orgens and pypes must bée worshipped but if you weare learned in scriptures you should fynde an other sentence in the holy Psalme then this is for the very trewe text is Laudate dominum in sanctititate sua Praise God in his his holynes but let vs graunt that hée sayth prayse God in his sayntes doe not you knowe that scriptures say blessed is God in all his giftes out of this can not follow that we shall worship and pray to Gods giftes but God shall bée praysed and honoured in all his giftes as in saint man and Angell An other reason you haue of a similitude Like as a maÌ can not come to the speach of a kyng but that hée must haue certayne mediatoures as Dukes Erles and such men as bée in fauour betwéen him and the king that may entreate his matter So likewise béefore God I aunswere you Infidelles and mistrusters of God what will you make of God will you make him a fleshely
tame his body that it may waite vpon God deceiueth hym selfe All our doynges must tende to the honour of God and loue of our neighbour This boke is a preachyng of fayth and loue Here thou mayest learne a right meditation or contemplation The workes of God are supernatural We must abstaine froÌ outward euill though not for loue yet for feare of the vengeance of God Vnto the law of god we may neither adde nor minish We are coÌmaunded to abstayne from Images God is mercyful to them that repent Christ hath deliuered vs therfore we ought to serue him our neyghbour for his sake Loue onely to the fulfillyng of the lawes of God We must trust onely in God not in our selues Howe a maÌ may trye examine hym selfe how much he loueth God and his neighbour God styrreth vp his people vnto fayth A right way of prayer The pith effect of all y e lawes of God And if wee firste loue God then out of that loue wee must nedes loue our neighbour What it is to loue and feare God and what it is to despise hym The word of god may not be altered Let no maÌ draw vs from gods worde Of maters of the common weals None may be condemned vnder two witnessed Christ our sauiour declared in the old testament The curse and wrath of God ouer al those that break his lawes We may not be to curious in the searchyng of Gods secretes but rather study to vnderstand to do our duety towards god and our neighbour The Papistes kept the Scriptures from the lay people because they onely will be the publishers expositors therof The scripture hath a body and a soule The scripture contayneth iij. thinges The maner of hipocrites in reading the law of god The papisticall and corrupt doctrine of the papists Now the Papistes âring and wrest the scriptures God correcteth where he loueth God casteth none away but such as refuse to kept his lawes and will not harken vnto hys voyce Such as hardeÌ their hartes and not harken to the will of God to do it God casteth out The Prophetes of God bare the weakenes of their brethren their ãâã ries also with patience The Pope and his ministers are persecutors ouer their brethren The cruell opinioÌ that the disciples had of Christ The ignoraunce and imperfection of the apostles God doth mercifully try tempt vs to moue vs to vtter our hartes myndes towardes hym Ionas of himselfe was an vn mete messenger to be sent of such a message but god assisted him with his holy spirit The carnal imagination of mans nature without Gods spirite Ionas so long as he was in his carnall imagination could nât abyde the voice of God but fled howbeit God called hym ââ¦ne Ionas flesh râbelled agaynst the spirite The wicked seke to to coâer their wickednes with âope holy workes How Ionas was ârapped made aârayed Ionas beyng afrayd comesseth his sinnes Le ts howe they may be vsed law fully Miracle moueth the heathen to know god and to call vpon him As Ionas lay three dayes and iij. nightes in y t Whals Bely so Christ lay thre dayes and three nightes in the earth How christ sheweth his death resurrectioÌ by Ionas the Prophet Christ by the mouth of his Apostles preached repentaunce to the Iewes Where ther is no repeÌtauÌce there God powreth out his vengeaunce Gildas a writer of y t Brittishe Chronicle Wicleffe a preacher of repenâânÌce They slew Richard y t second They set vp Henry the fourth Henry the fift Henry the sixt Christ now preacheth repeÌtaunce vnto vs. Ionas called vpon God out of the fishes belly The sacrifice that Ionas offereth vnto God The sacrifices of the olde lawe were ordeyned to put vs in remeÌbraunce of the sacrifice of thankesgeuyng Ionas dyd that God commaunded hym Niniue was the greatest Citie in the world ⪠Christ is mercyfull to the that repent and call for mercy The doctrine of the Phariseis and the Papists make sinne of that is no sinne This is y â doctrine of y t Papistes and hypocriticall monkes at this day The blynd and fruteles workes of the Papistes Papisticall sinnes Papistes taught theÌ selues and theyr workes withall crueltieÌ The false wicked doctrine of the Papistes Blinde and btpocritical doctrine The Phariseto set vp a righteousnes of workes to cleÌse their soules withall By the worldly fleship interpretations of the scriptures the Iewes hartes were hardened The heââ then repented at the preachyng of Ionas A good and profitable example Note herâ the great mercy of God The right maner how to read the Scripture All our deedes are made perfect in christes bloud All the promised made by God in Christ are made to theÌ that repent The two keyes that open aâ the Scripture A very fruitfull good lesson How thou mayst at all tymes apply the stories of the Bible to thy great comfort The law must be fulfilled with the mercy that is in Christ In thy hart are the wordes of the law in thine hart are the promises and mercy of Christ Our sinne is of our selues but remission sorgeuenes therof commeth frely of the mercy of God for christes sake God hath no nede of our works but we must do theÌ for our selues and for the profite of our neighbors Christ hath satisfied for our sinnes as well after baptisme as before Baptisme Our actuall sinnes are washed away in Christes bloud The Zewes to this day ar locked out from the vnderstanding of the scriptures The right way into the vnderstanding of the Scritures Iaco. 1. The generall couenaunt that God hath made with vs. Lawe In these commaundemento is contayned tee whole law Where no good ãâ¦ã are there the fayth is vayne What fayth it is that saueth Two thinges are required to be in a christian man What the nature of gods word is When we heare gods will and do it not then God withdraweth his mercy and fauour from vs. He that harkeneth to the word of God doth it the same shal be blessed in his deede What it is to build vppon âand The vncleane spirit that returneth in worse sort theÌ he was when hee was cast forth Such ãâã are profes sours of the worde ãâã God and will not tame and scourge theÌ selues theÌ will God plague ãâã scourge Christes deedes âet vs in the fauour of God our owne helpe vs to continue in his fauour Loue is the fulfilling of the law Faith is cause of loue God requireth mercie and not sacrifice Onely loue vnderstandeth the law Gospell New Testament Our workes extend no farther then to our neighbour Why Tyndall vsed this worde repeÌtauÌce rather then penaunce ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The foure partes of repentanÌce What maner of satisfaction weâ ought to make ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Why hee nameth theÌ Elders not priests William Tyndals Prologue vpon the Gospell of Marke The Prologue of W.
Apostles Paule is greater theÌ Peter Paul proued his Apostleshyp with preachyng and sufferyng The Byshops proue there Apostleshyp w t bulles shadowes The Apostles were sent of Christ w t like authoritie The authoritie that Christ gaue was to preache Christes word â â Why Byshops make them a god on earth AaroÌ made a calfe And the Pope maketh Bulles The shaueÌ nation hath put Christ out of hys âowme and all kinges and the Emperour Christ is but a vaine name Proper ministers Rochester is proued both ignorant and malicious The Epistles of Paule are the Gospell What Gospell signifieth One Gospell one spirite one truth The authoritie of Paule and of hys Gospell Rochester playeth boâ pepe Neuer maÌ for bad to marry saue the Pope The cause why they will not haue the scripture in Englishe Tully chiefe of Oratours Rochester alleageth Paule for his blinde ceremonies contrary to Paules doctrine It is not lawfull for vs to tell what prayer is what fasting is or wherefore it serueth Payne of cursing damnatioÌ and so forth If Paule had none authoritie theÌ had Peter none where had then the Pope this authoritie Rochester is improued Wherefore the spirituall officers are ordayned Rochester alleageth heretikes for his purpose for lacke of scripture Robynhode is of authoritie enough to proue the Pope withall Rochester is an Oratoure Rochester is cleane beside hymselfe If Rochester be such a iuggler What suppose ye of the rest let Rochester be an example therfore to iudge them all Faith is the roote and loue springeth of fayth Though Rochester haue not the spirite to iudge spirituall thinges yet ought reason to haue kept him from so shameful lying But God hath blynded him to bring their falshod to light The controuersy betwene Iames Paule Why deuils haue none of Paules fayth nor sinners that repent not A maÌ may beleue that Christ died and many other thynges ãâã not beleue in Christ What it is to beleue in Christ Why say men can not rule Men feare the Popes oyle more then Gods coÌmaundement Fayth driueth y â deuilâ away Why doe not the Byshops make hym flee from shotyng of gunnes Ceremonies dyd not the miracle but fayth Let them tell what the ceremony meaneth The priest disguiseth hym selfe with the passion of Christ Domme ceremonies quench fayth and loue and make the infidels to mocke vs. The prophesie of Christ is fulfilled The testament of the obseruauntes False annoynted Christes prophesis ⪠be it neuer so terrible must be yet fulfilled Christ was neither shanen nor shorne nor annoynted with oyle Hee that doth ought to make satisfaction or to get heauen hath lost his parte of Christes bloud To our neighbour make we amendes The Apostles were neither shaue nor shoren nor annoynted with oyle Byshop an ouersear The true annoynting old Priest This oyle is not among our Byshops Priestes ought to to haue wiues why What the Priestes dutie is to do what to haue Men are not bound to pay the Priest in tithes by Gods law Deacon what it signifieth and what is his office No beggers How holy dayes and offerynges came vp Saintes were not yet Gods Why laÌdes were geueÌ vnto the spirituall officers befor we fell from the fayth False annoynted Shauyng is borowed of the heathen and oylyng of y â Iewes False names Lying signes No wife but ân whore Take a dispensation Knaueate Bootes Miters Cite them Pose theÌ Make theÌ heretickes Burne theÌ Curse theÌ Feare theÌ All in Latine Rolle theÌ Syng Ryng Lulle theÌ Rocke theÌ a slepe Pray in Latin Say them a Gospell What quod my Lord of Canterbury Crosse Turmoylers The craft of the Prelates Interdict Peter ãâã neuer to schole at the arches The Pope hath one kyngdome more then God hymselfe Shering what it signifieth Tot quot Bishops that preach not Tithes Temporall landes Frechappell Testamentes Offering dayes Priuy tythes Mortuaries If he die froÌ home Thou must paye ere thou passe Pety pillage Confession First Masse Professinges Conturations Parson Vicare Parishe priest Fryers Spirituall lawe A proper commoditie of confession Laye your hand on the booke No man may aueÌge saue the kyng ⪠and he is bound by his office Kinges are in captiuitie The dutie of kynges Vnlawfull othes ought to be broken and may without dispensation The kyng only ought to punish sinne I meane that is broken forth the hart must remaine to God The sprite perteineth vnto the shauen onely The kings law is Gods law How men ought to iudge questions of the scripture We come oft to schole But are neuer caught Kinges ought to see what they doe and not to beleue the Byshoppes namely seing their liuing is so sore suspects It perteineth vnto all men to know the scriptures â Be learned ye that iudge the earth The kings are become Antichrists hangmen Be learned ye that iudge the earth Who slew the prophetes Why were the prophetes slayne What deedes of mercy teach the hipocrited Why flew they christ The keyes Christ is a traitor and a breaker of the kynges peace How the hypocrites bynde and lose â Be learned ye that iudge the earth âor rebukyng this ãâ¦ã And for the same cause are we persecutes They bee ãâ¦ã Purgatory that make perpetuâ⦠Why it is ãâã Pur gatory Scala Câ⦠The doore is stopt vys ye must clyme and scale the walles Some are prayed for and prayed to also The craft that helpeth other helpeth not his owne master Prayer was not sold in the old tyms Their prayer breaketh the great commaundement of God It is tyme that they were tyed by therfore The burdens of our spirituall lawyers Confession tormenteth the conscience robbeth the purse of money and the soule of fayth Bagges or bables to be knowen by Glorious names How are they estemed Kinges are down they can not go lower Our hypocrites lyue by theft ConscieÌces that are so narrow about traditions haue wyde mouthes about gods coÌmaundementes As the Iewes are the childreÌ of AbrahaÌ so are the Byshops the successours of the Apostles The spiritualty haue taught to feare their traditions They wynne somewhat alwayes â They that seke honor haue no fayth neither can they do Gods message Be learned Gods wordought all men to know They do all secretly â Gods wordought so iudge âhe right way to vnderstaÌd the scripture The kings haue a iudge before whom my soule for yours helpeth not Preach what thou wilt but rebuke nor hypocrisie The Prelates are clothed in red Pollaxeâ Iudge the free by hys fruite and not by his leanes Sacramentes are signes of Gods promises The promise which the Sacrament preacheth iustifieth onely How the sacrameÌtes iustifie Matrimony was not ordeined to signifie any promise If wedlocke be holy why had they leuer haue whores theÌ wines Character Sacerdos Presbiter Priestes now ought not to be annointed with oyle The office of a Priest They will be holier but their deedes be not holy at all Compare their dedes to the doctrine end deedes of Christ
and of his Apostles and iudge their fruites What blessing meaneth The commaundement maketh Priestes Putting on of haÌds What Iudas is now A point of practise â Repentaunce Repentaunce is signified by Baptime â One confession is to knowledge wherein thou puttest thy trust If when tyrauntes oppose thee thou haue power to confesse then art thou sure that thou art sate An other confession is to knowledge thy sinnes in ãâ¦ã vnto God Shrift Shrift was put downe for knauery among the Greekes But is stablished theâ by among vs. How a maÌ shall know that ãâã sinnes are forgeuen Blind reason to their guide and not Gods spirite Learne to know them for they are verely lepers in theyr hartes AttritioÌ is of the leues of the phariseis Whom a man offendeth ãâã must hee confesse It hath no recorde in ãâã y â Scripture that God shuld crepe in hyde him ãâã in Antichristes eare Christ is ãâã euerlastyng satisfaction Baptisme ââ¦steth eâer Of byndyng and loosing and of the Popes authoritie or power The Pope chalengeth power not ouer man onely but ouer God also Purgatory is the Popes creature he may therfore be bold there The Pope bindeth the aungels The true byndyng loosing S. Hierome agaynst Bishops and Priestes The curse is to bee feared The right maner of loosing â Christ vnderstode this texte all power is geueÌ me in heauen in earth also vsed it farre other wise then the Pope â What authoritie Christ gaue hys Apostles The right byndyng loosyng How the Pope reigneth vnder Christ A poena et a culia is a proper breaâ⦠The Pope is more mightie more mercifull for money theÌ God is for the death of his onely sonne The merites of saintes The merites of Christ The Pope selleth that which God geueth frely Fryers Sinne is y â best marchaundise that is Christ prophesied of Antichrist and tolde why he shoulde come The promises are either put out or leauened and why All is in Latin The Pope commaundeth God to curse A custome that is vsed in the marches of waies Gods sacramentes preach Gods promises The popes sacraments are dumme Christening of belles Why SuffragaÌs are ordeined The Byshops deuide all among theÌ Ceremonies bring not the holy Ghost Putting on of haÌds Prayer of fayth doth the miracles The ââ¦ting on oâ hands doth neither helpe nor hinder What soeuer is not of fayth is sinne The latine tounge destroyeth the sayth That the worke without y â promise saueth is unproued The prople beleue in y â worke without y â prââ¦e Volowââ¦g â The worke saueth not but the worde that is to say ãâã promise â Workes be they neuer so glorious iustifie not In all thing they leaue ouâ the promises How farre forth the deede is acceptable to God Our prayers acceptable according to our fayth ouâ deedes according to the measure of loue A ChristeÌ maÌ nedeth not to go a pilgrimage to be saued therby Saluation is with in vs. Confession â Byshops worke there treason thorough confession Kynges be sworne to the bishops and not the Byshops vnto the kynges How shall they preach except they be sent is expounded Howe to know who is sent of God and who is not No man may preach but he that is called sent of god â The difference betwene true Sacraments and false A sayth without Gods promise is idolatrie The Byshops blessing How the Apostles blessed vs. RepentaÌce and sure fayth in in Christ purgeth our sinnes The protestation of the author Confession robbeth the Sacraments and maketh theÌ frutelesse What grace is Howe to knowe what iustifieth and what not or what bringeth grace and what not With their Chaplayns quoth hee God geue grace their Chaplayns at the last make them not so mad to say seruice alone while they True miracles draw to Christ The effect and force of our good deedes False miracles driue from Christ He that teacheth to trust in a saint is a false Prophet What he should pray that prayeth for his neighbour The ãâ¦ã be ãâã and not deceaued The spiriâ⦠pray not that we might come to y â knowledge of Christ The ãâã are but an enâ⦠ãâã Offerings cause of the miracles God y â father fulfilleth his promises to vs for Christes sake not for the merites of saintes as y â Papistes taught All such Martyrs are the popes martyrs not Gods For martyr signifieth a witnes bearer now is he not Gods witnes that testifieth not his worde The reasons which they make for y â worshipping of Saintes are solued It is not like wyth kynges and God Christ is no sinner Nothyng bringeth a man sooner to confusioÌ then the Idolatry of his owne imaginatioÌ âhrist is a ãâã geue to ââ¦rs God loueth mercy Hypocrites loue oââeâynges We are at peace in our consciences when we beleue constantly ouâ sinnes are remitted throughe Iesus Christ Why we come not to Christ God looketh on our good dedes Intichrist turneth the rootes of the trees vnword In Christâ we are one as good as an other equally beloued indifferently heard Christ is all to a Christen man The childreÌ of faith worke of loue and nede no law to coÌpâll them We are all Christes seruauntes and serue Christ The contempt or loue we shewe one to another the same shewe we to Christ Christ knoweth nothyng worldly ãâã not his ââ¦ry mother As long as Christ abydeth so loÌg a Christen maÌ loueth Money byndeth not Christâ people to pray God careth for his The bely to a God cause of all vnto our spiritualty ââll is of the bely nothyng of Christ Christes loue forget teth her selfe but Monkes loue thinketh on the bely Friers and Monkes ought not to preach Christ is the whole cause why God loueth vs. Howe to know that we are Goddes sonnes The lawe is y â mark yea and the touch stone where w t we ought to trye our selues see how farre âorth we are purged Our byrth poyson that remayneth in vs. resisteth the spirite â The right crosse of Christ Hee that loueth not the law hateth sin hath no part with Christ Howe to try the do ⪠ctrine of our spiritualtie If the prayers merites of our religious men purge our lustes then are they of value and els not â What the spiritualtis taketh away with their prayers WheÌ other wept they sing and wheÌ other loose they wynne All is of Purgatory ââ¦ese Phisitions geue none other medicines saue purgations onely Allegory what it signifieth The scripture hath but one sence âoroweââpeach ⪠â The right vse of allegories Allegories are no sense of Scripture â Allegories proue nothyng If thou câ not proue the allegory with an open text then is it false doctrine The litterall sense proueth the allegory They thââ iustifie theÌ selues by their workes are the bond children of the law The fayth was lost thorough Allegories Chopologicall sophisters Poetry is as good diuinitie as the Scripture to our schole
âeares Holy dayes are ordââned for ãâã and not man for the holy dayes The signification of thynges are to be sought and not to serue the visible signes Ceremonies with out some good doctrine are to be reiected Turkes are rather to be lameÌted for their ignoraunce and to be wonne with good doctrine example of good lyfe then to be hated and murthered We do nothyng well eââept we do it of loue from a pure hart Superstitious obseruations are rather the breakyng of the law then the kepyng of the same The world is to be rebuked for lacke of iudgement Iudge by these things whether the Pope haue erred or noâ Iudge what baggage is in the Popes doctrine and of his making Note the ãâ¦ã spiritualtie ãâ¦ã Christ Our ãâã is the cause that hypoâ⦠The practice of prelates Signification of the ãâ¦ã are ãâ¦ã The ministers of the ãâã are ãâ¦ã to preach to y t people sââ¦ly the woâ⦠of ãâã to pray in a ãâ¦ã vnderstand The lawe cannot be fulfilled w t workes or they neuer so holy A great abuse in prayer The church taken for the spiritualty King William King Iohn S. Thomas of Caunterbury Holy Church hath bornt a great swinge The Pope and his rable takeÌ for the church The church is a congââgation of people of all sortes gathered together The church of God how it is taken in Scripture Gal. 1. Actes 23. Gal. 1. Rom. 16. 1. Cor. 16. 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tim. 5. The church is a multitude of all them that beleue in Christ wheresoeuer âhey be gathered together A double significatioÌ of this worde church The cause why Tyndall traÌslated y t word church into this worde congregation Congregation is vnderstand by the circuÌstaunce Ecclesia is a greke worde and signifieth a congregation Actes 19. M. More was ââ¦ful in Poetry Iudas Balaaâ A good adâ⦠to M. More M. More did greatly fauour Erasmâs M. More was a âepe dissembler M. More ãâã captious M. More ãâ¦ã 1. Pet. 5. ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Byshops ought to be bydârs in one place Note Women God poureth hys holy spirite ãâã wisdome ãâ¦ã aswell weâ⦠meÌ God is vnder no ãâ¦ã necessitie lawlesse The cause why young ãâã was preferred by ãâã to be a Byshop Paul was a faâherly instructer to ãâã ââ¦thy S. Paule was a worthy moât ââ¦ther instructour A great difference betwene teaching of the people and teaching of a preacher ââlyng ãâã shaâing ââ¦ny thing or any part of priestâ⦠Oââ¦âalt ãâã are ãâ¦ã âyle hath ââ¦o ãâã at all ãâ¦ã the ãâ¦ã â The minister amoÌg the ãâ¦ã were naâ⦠ãâã age Why âyn ãâ¦ã this worde ãâ¦ã rather ãâã Charitie hath ãâã significations Loue ãâã is ãâ¦ã vnderstaÌd Euery loue is not charitie nor euery charitie is not loue Why Tyndall sayth fauour and âot grace Knowledge and not confession repentauÌce and not penaunce The Papistes may not forbeare to haue their iugglyng termes Penaunce Penaunce was profitâ⦠to the Papistes ârue penaunce what it is Fayth in Christ ãâã get a true repentauÌce Deut. 17. â Balam The sinne agaynst the holy ghost â 2. Pet. 1. The chuch before y â gospell or the Gospell before the church Rom. 9. The word which is y â Gospell was before the church Ioh. 15. Ioh. 17. Note wâll thys Whether y â Apostles taught any thing that they did not write So much to written as is necessary âor ãâã saluation The scripture writteÌ must conâoânde the vnwritten verities Writing hath bene from the beginning God froÌ y â beginning hath ãâã ten ãâ¦ã y â hartes of his ãâã The Pope hath taken fro vs the significations of the Sacramentes Actes 7. There can no more be taught vs then to coÌteyned in the scriptures Purgatorye The HeatheÌ thought nothing more madder theÌ the doctrine of the resurrection The Apostles taught nothing that they were afrayde to write SacrameÌtes haue significations All y â Sacramentes taught eyther in the olde testament or new haue significations â The Popish Sacramentes ãâã one agaynste an other SacrameÌts with out significations are not to be ãâã Whether y â Church caÌâ⦠or not What y e very Church is what fayth saueth By fayth we are made the sonnes of God Ephe. ãâã ⪠Math. ãâ¦ã The offeryng of Christes body and bloud is y e onely satisfaction for our sinnes There is no way to saluation but by Christes death and passion Collos 1. Ephes 5. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 3. Fayth and sinne can not âaâd together 1. Iohn 1. All fleshe deth sinne We sinne of frailtie weakenes We may erre yet be saued Who they be that erre from the way of âayth Faith is euer assailed with besperation All power readines to do good coÌâeth of God not of our selues A very good example The faythfull though they slââ yet they fall not Faith in y â good neâ of God is our staye Ioh. 15. If we consider how mercifull god is vnto vs we caÌnot chuse but submit our selues vnto hys lawes Christian meÌ must be patient Mercy waiteth euer on the elect Dauid The elect of God must haue patience be long sufferers God trieth his elect by suffering them to tell into temptation We may coÌaât sinne and yet not forget God The aÌpostles beyng amased w t teÌptations forgat all Christes myracles A great temptation layd vpoÌ y â Apostles The Apostles were very doubtfull Christ hys resurrectioÌ The Disciples were not without fayth but yet the âame was very doubtfull Peters fayth fayled not â Luke 22. A foolish glose made by M. More â 1. Pope The Pope his sect are not the Church of Christ 2. ãâã The Pope in forbyddyng mariage to Priestes doth not coÌseÌt that the lawe of god is ãâã The Pope licenceth whordome whiche God forbiddeth 3. The Popish Clergy are persecutours An abhominable wicked deuilish decree 4. Rom. 13. 5. 1. Cor. 5. The Pope is vtterly against the doctrine of Christ Their first reason A ãâã reason One Argument confuted with an other of like nature The solution The right fayth dyd neuer ãâã continue in the greater number of ãâã Church Math. 16. Math. 23. Hypocrites are crept vp in to the seate of Christ his Apostles ãâã Pet. 2. The Pope and hys Clergye haue corrupted the Scriptures of God with their traditions Iohn ãâã The scriptures beare witnes who are the right Church Christ Iohn Baptist Luke 1. â The doctrine of Iohn brought y â hart of the Iewes into the right way Our Popish hypocrites haue nede of a Iohn Baptist to conuert theÌ Those which depart from the fayth of hypocrites are the true Church Their second reasoÌ Note here this Popish Argument The Pope and his sect say they are the church and can not erre The solution Iohn Baptist was a true expositor of the law Math. 17. The Phariseis added false gloses to y â Scripture The Pa ãâã doctrine Purgatorye The Phariseis and papistes agree in the false interpreting of y â
Tyndall vpon the Gospell of Luke The Prologue of W. Tyndall vpon the Gospell of Iohn The epistle to the Romaynes to the excellentest part of the new Testament Here you must note these wordes law sinne c. Law how it is to be vnderstand The law of God requireth the bottom of our hartes S. Paul was a great persecutor of the christians If we be not willing to do good then doth sinne raign in vs. No man can fulfill the law but Christ onely The pââe and perfect kepyng of the law is to do the âaâe of ãâã ãâ¦ã but oâ inward loue The law encreaseth sinne The law is spiritual The spirite of god maketh a maÌ spirituall The law is good righteous and holy Workes of the law the fulfilling of the law are two things By the workes of the law no man can be iustified As the law is spiritual so it must be fulfilled spiritually Where true fayth is there is the spirit of God Our iustification is by fayth in Christ Out of true fayth springeth all good workeâ Oâsynne Sinne what it is Sinne in y â scripture is chiefly called vnbe liefe Grace how it is vnderstand in the scriptures Gift what it is God for Christes sake receaueth vs. There is no damnation to theÌ that are in Christ Faith what it is False and fained faith True faith is liuely Fayth is not idle The true definition of fayth Good workeâ cannot be separate from true fayth Righteousnes how it is to be vnderstaÌd Flesh spirite what they are âow to vnderstand them How this word fleshe is to be vnderstand in the Scripture Increduââtie is the chief of all sinnes Fleshe is here well described What soâeuer procedeth of faith is spirituall A necessary and profitable instruction for all preachers The maner of S. PauÌles doctrine Nature is so blinde that we caÌnot see nor vnderstand the goodnes of God hys mercy shewed vnto vs in Christ Iesu hys âowne S. Paule coÌdemneth all hipocrisiâ How S. Paul rebuketh hypocrites The difference betwene the Iewe the Gentile All men are sinners The waye howe wee must bee made righteous Faith obteineth the fulfillyng of the law S. Paule auÌswereth to the caueling question that our Papistes vse agaynst iustificatioÌ of faith onely Good workes are ouâ ward signes of true fayth Wee are first iustified theÌ foloweth good workes Gods mercy moueth vs to fayth in his promises so that God in al things worketh our iustification Gods mercy saueth vs and not we our selues If we lack Abrahams fayth we cannot be Abrahams children Fayth onely receaueth the grace that coÌmeth by Abraham The frutes workes of fayth Fayth before all workes iustifieth Good workes are the fruites of fayth Where true fayth is there are good workes Where fayth lacketh there is all euill workes As by ââaÌ came sinne so by Christ came saluation The principall work of faith and the battaile betwen the spirite and the flesh What it is not to be vnder the law What it is to be vnder the lawe The right fredome libertie froÌ sinne and from the law Example Our consciences bound and in daunger to the lawe by olde Adam so loÌg as he liueth in vs. The law requireth of vs that which we cannot pay The law doth vtter and declare what sinne is What wâ may do of our selues and what we may not do Where feare and shame is away there all wickednes is committed The fleshe is contrary to the sprite The sprite lusteth contrary to the flesh There is no daunger to theÌ that are in Christ The right worke of fayth is to mortify the flesh Predestiâ⦠cion is in the handes of God How farre we may proceede in predestination Predestinâtion is not rashly to be disputed of Which are good workes mete to be done Loue is y â fulfilling of the law We must deale louingly with our weake brethren The weaknes of our brethren is to be considered In the epistle to the Romaines is conteyned a sufficient doctrine for a Christen man Beware of the traditious of men This epistle declareth it self Weake and yong consciences as to be stubborne for the last shal receiue the equall reward with the first Loue fulfilleth the law It is the parte of a good shepherd to veÌture hys lyfe for hys sheepe tribulatioÌ for the Gospell sake maketh vs sure of eternall lyfe All that repent are iustified thorough saith by Christ and not by workes The law condeÌneth but the beleuyng of Gods promises iustifieth In sekyng any other satisfaction theÌ Christ we beceauâ our selues Hereby are we warned that workes saue vs not but the word that is the promise Mannes righteousnes zeale or imagination without Gods worde is odious For fayth when it is preached bringeth y e spirite and power to fulfill the law Who so hath a pure fayth can not but abouÌd with good workes Not the receauyng of the Gospel but the coÌtinuaunce to the latter ende maketh vs blessed He meaneth therby lest they should fall from the worde they had already receaued PatieÌce in persecution for Christs sake rewarded with y â crowne of euerlasting ioy and felicitie Hereby haue we euident signes that the latter day is at hand The office of a bishop The Pope his Prelates are here playnly set forth for what Christ loosed freely the Pope did bynd it to lose it agayne for money Vertuous Byshops are worthy double honor Byshops must be vigilant in their vocationâ This hath already ben fulfilled in our spiritualtie What maner a man a Byshop or Curate ought to be Good deedes please god so farre foorth as they are applied to the kepyng of the commaundements but Christ onely iustifieth Christ is all to a Christen man MeÌ ought to rule theyr wiues with godâ word To watch is not onely to abstaine from slepe but also to auoyde all occasions that may drawe vs to sinne As god reioyceth not in the dede it selfe ⪠so doth he not in ââ¦dle faith without works Good workes are a shew of our fayth as the fruit is of the tree He prophesieth of the popes spiritualtie The condition of the worlde shall waxe worse and worse Where ãâã true fayth is there are also good workes Christes bloud purchaseth forgeuenes of sinnes and not mans workes Whether this were Paules epistle or no great learned men haue doubted Some deny it to haue bene written by anye Apostle and refuse it as not Catholike A solution of the former doubts This not to be denied to be Paules Epistle Mercy is locked vp from hym which wilfully yeldeth his body ãâã soule to sinne No place in the scripture so plainly describeth the significations figures of the olde testament as this epistle doth This epistle for that it agreeth with the rest of the scripture ought to be of equal authoritie with the other This epistle is to be taken as holy scripture The papistes alleage this text for their purpose thorough misunderstandyng the same Fayth only
iustifieth The cause why W. Tyndall put his name to some bokes left it out in some William Roye a falâe Disciple Ierome a brother of Grenewich 2. Timo. 2. 2. Timo. 3. 2. Thess 2. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Cor 3. Actes 6. Antechrist what it is Scribes Phariseis were very Antechristes The properties of Antechrist 2. Cor. 11. Antechrist hath bene among vs a loÌg tyme. Iohn ãâã Antechrist accompteth it treason to bee acquainted w t Christ Galâ 4. Luke 16. Math. 2â⦠2. Timo. 3. 1. Cor. 1 ⪠and. 2. Roma 10 ⪠Faith onely iustifieth Roma 1. Faith bringeth lyfe The law bryngeth death 1. Cor. 3. Ephe. 2. The Gospell is the ministratioÌ of righteousnes Resiste the deuill with the shield of fayth Faith is y â holy canâde wherewith we must blesse our selues at y â last houre Roma 3. Roma 4. Fayth is accompted to vs for righteousnes Gal. 3. The children of fayth are the children of Abraham Gal. 2. Fayth only iustifieth vs. Math. 7. Mat. â2 A principle taught by Christ Fayth beyng ioyned with the worde of God bringeth forth good fruit Acts. 15. The law cannot iustify vs. Gal. 3. Fayth in christes promises doth iustify vs. Christ is the store-house of mercy for vs. The definition of true fayth Faith that bringeth not forth fruite is but a dreame Mat. 9. Faith is the gift of God Ephe. 2. The spirite of God accompanieth Faith Fayth of her selfe bringeth forth good frutes that is good workes True fayth is not with out good workes True fayth and good workes are the gift of God and come not of our selues The difference betwene false fayth and right faith As the tree is knowen by his fruit âo right fayth is knowen by her fruit Example The frutes of fayth A differeÌce betwene true faith fained faith Rome 9. Backeward disputations The kindnes of God moueth vs to loue god Fayth onely maketh vs the sonnes and heires of God Faith possesseth the spirite of God Workes declare fayth and Gods goodnes Goddes grace is to be exercised in vs. Where true fayth is good workes folow Gene. 2. The outward righteousnes the inward righteousnes what they are Outward workes declare where true fayth is Good workes are witnesses for vs before God Math. vi vij Math. 10. We must of duety do good workes without hope of reward Fayth maketh vs the sonnes and children of God Roma 8. Gala. 4. Math. 7. Math. 19. They that seeke heauâ for theyr workes are such as vnderstand not the treasures of Christ Math. v. As good workes naturally folow fayth So eternal life foloweth fayth good lyuyng As good workes folow faith So hell foloweth euil workes Of our selues we are the vessels of y â wrath of God and the heyres of daÌnatioÌ To beleue in Christ is saluatioÌ To seeke heauen by good workes were to derogate the dignitie of the bloud of Christ All that is good is purchased for vs by Christ Sainteâ can âot helpe vs in to heauen Math. â5 1. Pet. 4. How ââe may make frendes of the wycked Mammon To do good to such as ãâ¦ã is ââ¦able Rom. 9. All our righteouscommeth âââely from Christ Mammon what it is Esay 61. Prou. 3. Ephe. 5. The dayes are called euil because euill men vse them We are bound by the law of nature to helpe our needye neighbour The vnrighteous Stuard who it is Christ is the father of all righteousnes Math. 5. For Christes bloud sake onely through fayth God is at one with vs. Christes bloud onely putteth away all sinne We must follow ãâã in ãâã âoâng Math. ãâã We may not do good worken to be praysed of the world We must ãâã to our neighbour âs God is to vs. ãâã seeke to be praysed of men Rom. 6. Faith ãâã lâ in ãâã vs and no good ââ¦e can be done without Faith Good workes are the ãâã of Faith ãâ¦ã ãâã Act. 7. Luke 23. True righteousnes springeth out of Christes bloud True fasting what it ãâã No fleshe can fulfill the lawe We cannot deserue forgeuenes of God but he of hys mercy pardoneth vs. Mat. ãâã A true bestowing of almes In Christ we are all in all We must do good workes because it is Gods will that we should do them We must heare the word of God and ãâã 1. Ceâ 2. Christ is our onely Phisitian to heale ãâã deliuer vs of our sins Christ is our ankerhold to saluation A Prophet what hee is Math. 12. The absteinyng from sinne outwardly is but hypocrisie Math. 19. To beleue vnfaynedly in Christ is to kepe the coÌmaundementes The law is spirituall and requireth the hart If the rich helpe not y â poore in their nede they are but theues before god Math. 27. Faith casteth our deuils Faith fasteth Faith prayeth Math. 25. In Christes bloud we are blessed from y â curse of the law Luke 7. The law condeÌneth The Gosspell coÌforteth maketh vs saâe Certaine phrases of spech expounded Iohn 4. Where perfect loue to God is there are all good workes Luke 10. What it is to loue god withall our hart c. The true vnderstandyng of a parable We must euer be ready to helpe our neighbour Iohn 3. Iohn 15. 1. Iohn 1. Workes that the Papistes called workes more then the lawe requireth Luke 10. Luke 12. Whatsoeuer we haue we receaue it of the mercy goodnes of God The great diuersitie maner of the speaking of the Scriptures The sayinges of the Scriptures may not be grossely vnderstaÌd The naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges of God Rom. 8. Iohn 8. The scripture is nothing els but that which the spirit of God hath spoken By Faith in Christ we are brought to the state of saluation God worketh his owne will with all his creatures If we beleue in god we must put of the olde man his works Good workes what they are and to what ende they serue Fasting the true vse thereof true fasting what it is Supersticious fasting Supersticious watching True watching Prayer what it iâ True prayer True prayer is not without faith charitie Math. 5. He that repenteth his sinne is no sinner before God How we should pray for our neighbour Rom. 9. Christ is our righteousnes Loue amoÌg Christen meÌ maketh all thynges common Mans ImaginatioÌ cannot alter the law of god neither make it more or lesse Almesâ what it is 1. Pet. 1. 1. Iohn ãâã He that is mercyfull hath the spirite of God Rom. ãâã Loue seketh not her owne profite 2. Cor. 12. Christ is all in all thynges Euery one must care for their owne housholdes First looke to thyne owne houshold and then to the poore We must for christes sake shew our coÌpassion charitie to all men so far as our habilitie will extend Good workes what they arâ 2. Cor. 9. We must do good workes yet put no trust in them God is no accepter of persons but receaueth all that submit them selues vnto him Math. â0 As all