scripturs of S. Paule / can not telle whether he maye graunt that the wylle of god is alonly the cause of eleccion or eis any merites of man precedinge a fore / he coÌ„cludeth / that bothe the opinions may be defended Bonaventure blyndly concludeth that there may be a cause presedynge grace that deserueth yt Bonaventure So that in these vnfrutefulle questions which ingender nothynge but contencion haue they spent alle their lyuys / and for these thynges be geuen vn to them peculyer namys / as Subtylle / and Seraphicalle / and Irrefrigable doctours / but agenst them alle I sett S. Paule whiche toke intollerable labours to proue by inuincible scripturs and examples there of / that there was no cause but alonly the wylle of god and to proue this / he bryngeth an euydent exaÌ„ple of Iacob / and Esau / of the whiche Iacob was elect / and Esau reproved a fore they were borne / and afore they had done other good or bad Can there be a playner example what meneth Paule in these wordes whane they were neyther borne / nor had done neyther good nor bad / but that the eleccion of god myght stond dothe he not clearly take away all maner of merytes bothe de congruo and also de condigno / declareth alonly the wylle of god to be the cause but here wylle the subtylle blyndnes saye / that god sawe a fore that Iacob shuld doo good aÌ„d therfore dyd he chousse hym / he sawe also that Esau shuld doo no good / and therfore he repelled hym / yov blynd gyddâ—s / what wyll yov iudge of that that god sawe how knowe you that he sawe that These chyldern be vn borne / they haue done neyther good nor bad / aÌ„d yet one of theÌ„ ys chossen the other is refused S. Paule knoweth none other cause but that wyll of god / wyll you discusse an other And where yov say that god did se afore the one of theÌ„ shuld do good I pray you what was the cause / or wherby saw he that he shuld do good yov must nedes say / bi that that he wold geue hym his grace / ergo that wyl of god is yet the cause of eleccion / for by cause that god wolde geue hym his grace therfore god sawe that he shulde do good / so shuld also the other haue done yff god wolde haue geuen hym that same graâ—e / wherfore yov gyantes that wylle subdue heuen and erthe leue youre serchynge off this cause / and be content with the wylle of god and doute yov not but the wylle of god / ys as rightwyse and as lawfull a cause of eleccion as youre merites can de And doute yov not but. s Paule that toke so grete labours in this matter dyd se as farre in mans deseruynge as yov cane doo / Roma 9. and yet he concluded with these wordes of scriptures / I wylle shew mercy to whome I shew mercy / I wylle haue compassyon of whome I haue compassyon / so lythe yt not in mans wylle or runnynge but in the mercye of god He saithe not I wylle haue mercy on hym that I see shalle doo good / but I wylle shew mercye to whome I wylle he saith not I wylle haue compassion of hym that shalle deserue yt de congruo / Augustinê° suê‘ Ioan. Tract 8â— but of him of whome I wylle haue compassion This dothe S. Augustine well proue in these wordes / the disputacion of them ys vayne the whiche doo defende / the presciens off god agenste the grace of god and therfore saye that we were chossen a fore the makynge of the worlde / by cause that he knew a fore that we shulde be good / not by cause he shulde make vs good but he that saith yov haue not chosen me saithe not that / for yf he dyd therfore chouse vs by cause that he knew a fore that we shulde be good / than must he also know a fore / that we shulde fyrst haue chosen hym cÌ„ Here is it playne that the eleccion of god ys not by cause he sawe a fore that we shulde doo welle / but alonly the cause of the eleccion is his mere mercye / and the cause of oure doyng welle is his eleccion / and therfore S. Paule sayeth not off workes but of callynge Now goo to yov subtylle Duns men with alle youre carnall reasons and serche out a cause of his secrett wylle yff you did beleue that he were good / rightwise and mercyfulle yt were agreet comforte for yov / that the eleccion stode alonly by his wylle / for so were yov suer that it shulde be bothe rightwyselye done also mercyfully / but you haue no faith therfore must yov nedes mystrust god / of that falle yov to inveÌ„t causys of eleccyon of youre awne strengthe as one shulde saye by cause god wyll not of his rightâ—usnes or of his mercye chousse vs we wylle be suer that we shall be elected / for fyrst wyll we inuent that the eleccion commeth of deseruyng thaÌ„ wylle we also dreme serâ—en workes / that shall there vnto be a poynted of vs / so that the eleccion reprobacion stondeth all in youre hondes But now bycause that there be serten open places of scriptur / that geue wonly the cause / to god alonly of eleccion and also of reprobacion / therfore are you sore troubled / and cane telle no nother remydy / but alonly to studdy / how yow may wryng and wrest the open scripturs / to that forrefyynge of youre erroure and to the satisfysynge of youre carnalle reason / so that in the the holy gost saithe / I wyll obdurate the harte of pharao / yov wyll take a pon yow / to lerne to teache the holy goste to speke better / and to say of this maner / I wylle suffer Pharao to be indurated / but I wylle not doo yt / but my easynes my softenesse where by that I shalle suffer hym shalle brynge other men to repentaunce / but Pharao shall it make more obstinate in mallyce so that god dothe indurate as yov say whan he dothe not chastice a synner but sheweth sofftenes and easynes and sufferaunce to hym Origen in perâ—arcon He is mercifulle whan he doth call a synner to repentance by affliccion and scorgyng / so that induracion after youre exposicion / Glossa roma 5. is nothynge elles but for to suffer evylle / by sofftenesse and by goodnes / to haue mercye is nothynge elles but to correct to scorge and to ponishe meÌ„ for their synnes this is the exposicion of induracion after Origenen S. Hierom / aÌ„d after youre commen glosse Hiero. suê‘ Esaiam S / Hieroms wordes be these god dothe indurate / whan he dothe not by and by castigate a sinner / he hathe mercye whan he doth call a synner by and by vn to repentaunce by affliccions cÌ„ This is auctorite ynough
saye to this text S. Ambrose declarith it on this maner They are iustified frely / for thei doyng nothyng nor nothyng deseruyng / alōly by faithe are iustifyed by the gifte of god c̄ here you not / that mē workinge nothynge at al / nor nothyng deseruing / ar iustified bi faith only / yee that frely yov were wont to say that faithe dothe Iustifye / but not alonly ād therfore wolde yov crye / For. Sola Sola Sola only / only / only Here haue yov hym / ād to helpe hym yov haue also gratis that is frely / ād also dono de◠that is by the gyfte of god / and nihil operātes that is workinge nothinge at al. if these wordis do not exclude workis and alowe faithe only / I can not telle what wordis wille do it And lest that S. Ambrose shulde not be sufficient in this cause / I wille also bring yov Origyne on this same texte whose wordis be these Orig. ad Rom. li. 3. cap. 3. Paule saythe that the Iustificacion of fayth is alonly sufficient So that if a man / do beleue alonly he is iustifide though there be no workis done of hym at al / bi faythe was the thefe iustifide with out the workis of the law / wherefore a man is iustifide by faythe / vn to whom / as cōseruyng iustificacion the workis of the law / helpe nothyng c̄ Vvhat say yov by Origyn / that saythe how men be iustifyde / though they do no good workys at alle / for workis do helpe nothyng to Iustificaciō / but faythe only Be not these playne wordis / gravnt these wordis / and we wille aske no more of yow / here haue yov also Sola Sola Sola so that yov nede not Crye no more for Sola For yov haue more thā yov can welle a voyde / Also Origen bryngith an opyn example of the thefe that no man can deny who can haue lesse good workis than a theffe whiche is neither good before god nor man Rom. 9. Also paule in the .ix. chapter bryngithe in the gentille / whiche knowithe nothynge of God / nor hathe done no good workis / but contrary blasphemyde god / and hys holy name and hathe allways lyuyde in idolatrye ād byn an vtter enymy vn to alle goodnes / he bringythe in also the Iue fulle of good workes of the lawe / whyche hathe also great zele to god / Rom. 10. and to his workis / yee ād of that Paule beryth hym wytnes breuely he bryngith in for hym suche a Iue that no mā cā cōplaine of / but is fulle of good workis yee take al the best of the Iuys to gether For it were madnes for paul to speke of the damnable iuys that were opyn wrechis and damnable by the Iudgement of the law with al theyr good workis / and yet S. Paule dothe exclude them and repellithe them clearly from iustificacion with al their good zele / and with al their good workys ād concludithe with playne wordis / that the gentille which was fulle of damnable workis / and had neither zele nor loue vn to goodnes is iustifyed by faythe only / These be S. Paules wordis Rom. 9. Vve saye that the gentilles whyche followyd not rightwysnes haue obtenyd ryghtwysnes I mene the ryghtwysnes whiche comith of faithe But Israell whyche folowyd the law of rightwysnes / colde not attayne vnto rightwisnes / where fore bicause they sought it not bi faythe but as it were by the workis of the lawe Be not these playne wordis that the gentilles whiche followyd no rightwisnes / nor had no minde ther vn to / are Iustifyed frely by faythe Is not here Sola fides / only fayth More ouer the Iue ys repreuyd with al his zele with al his loue with al his studye and with all hys good workis Is not this a meruellous thyng yes verely And so meruelous that yov shalle neuer vnderstond it with out yov beleue But peradventure here shalle be sayd that the good workes of the Iuys dyd not profyte them / by cause they had no faythe But if they had had faythe / than wolde they helpe to their iustificacion To this I make answere / trouth it is that good workys dyd not proufyt that Iuys for want of faithe / but this is false they workis shulde haue holpe to Iustificaciō with faythe For S. Paule prouythe clearly that good workys helpe nothyng to Iustificacion nor eville workis let not the iustificacion that comythe by faythe / And this he prouyth bi the exampille of the gentille / which had no good workys but alle evill and all damnable workys / and yet ys iustyfyed by fayth Moreover the Iue hathe the zele of god and alle maner of good workis with alle thyng that the worlde cā deuisse al this coulde not helpe hym where fore the glory of iustificacion remanyth only to faith Also S. paule provithe playnly in these wordis that workis haue no place in Iustificaciō / to hym that workyth is the rewarde not geuyn of fauour but of deutye To hym that workythe not / Rom. 4. but beleuithe on hym that Iustifythe the wikkyd mā / is faythe coūtyd for rightwysnes How thynke you bi these wordis be they not opynly agēst al workis saythe he not that Iustyficacion is imputyd vn to hym that workith not but alonly beleuythe in hym that iustyfythe the wykkyd man I pray yov what good workis dothe the wikkyd man Marke also how he saythe that ryghtwysnes is ymputyd vn to hym / Ergo yt ys not deseruyd For that that is deseruyd / is not imputyd of fauour / but it must be geuyn of dewty How thynke yov is not this Sola fides onlye fayth ▪ yow know that there be but workis and faythe that do Iustitie / and S. Paule excludythe workys clearly Ergo faithe alone remaynith / but paradventure yov will say As yov be full of holy hypocrisye that workis with faythe do Iustifye / Neuer the lesse of mekenes and lowlynes / and avoydyng of al bost of youre godnes yov wille geue alle the glory to faythe / as vnto the principalle thynge with out the whiche no workis can helpe / not with stonding workis be good and do helpe to iustificacion / though of mekenes yov wille not know it Is not this damnble hypocrisy ye ād that with god which were intolerable if it were with men But how can yov proue by scripture that this hypocrisy of youres ys trewe / that workis ar worthy of any glory of iustificacion Is not this opyn lying on faith to geue alle to hym and yet as yov say he is not worthy off alle for workis be worthy of parte / yf faythe be not worthy alonly / Confesse it opynly / and geue workys hys prayse / and fayth her praisse / and say not one thyng with youre mouth ād thynke another in youre hartis for god serchith the
an C. and from an C. tyll the offeringe of Isaac which at the lest was seveÌ„ yerys / so that Abraham must nedis be iustifyed xxj yerys afore he offered his sone / ergo by that worke was he not iustifyde Moreouer in the .xxij. chapter where he dyd offer his sone ys there never a word spoken off iustificacion / which must nedis haue byn spokeÌ„ yff he had therefore bene iustifyde / but alonly is there sayd / now doo I know that thou fearyst god / which ys an effect and a worke of iustificacion / and no cause of iustificacion Moreouer the Macabytes bryng the same exampylle of Abraham that his faith was imputed vn to hym for iustificacion 1. Mac· 2. Also S. Paule of whose auctory and lernynge no christeÌ„ man dothe douce / bryngythe the same example bothe to the Romayns and to the Galathyans to proâ—e that faith only dyd iustifye Abraham a fore the byrthe of Isaac / which dothe playnly sygnify that he wold prove that Abraham was iustifyd a fore / and with out the offerynge of Isaac / also in the pystylle to the hebrews is yt opeÌ„ that Abraham was iustifyed by faythe only / yee and that longe a fore Isaac was borne Furthermore as concernynge the example of Raab / yt is open in the boke of Iosue that she dyd say these wordes vnto the messengers / Iosue 2 I doo know that the lorde shall geue you this londe / for truly there is a great feare come a pone vs / aÌ„d all the dwellers of this londe doo pyne away for sorow we haue herd that the lorde hathe dryed vp the reâ— see a fore youre entrynge in whane yov came out of Egypt / we haue hard what thynges you haue done to the two kynges of the amorites cÌ„ youre lorde god ys he the whiche is in heuen aboue / aÌ„d in erthe bynethe / wherefore swere yov vn to me that as I haue shewyd yov mercy / that yov shal lykewysse doo vn to me and vn to my fathers howssold â–ª cÌ„ Be not these wordes off a great faith Dothe not she beleue the promyses of god and of that faith she reseued the mesengers / or els she had neuer reseyued them / and of that faith she requierythe also mercy / whaÌ„ god hathe fulfylled his promise / wherfore of this fayth was she iustifyde / and this fayth made here to doo well vn to the mesengers / Hebr. 11. therfore saith the epistle to the hebrews / That Raab the harlot thorow faith dyd not peryshe wyth the vnbeleuynge persons Here may yov se that Moses / and. S. Paule and other places of scripture doo expound these scripturs contrary to youre epistle / and that not with darcke wordis but with so playne wordes that no christen maÌ„ can say the contrary wherfore I can not beleue that you are abylle to defend this pistle to be S. Iamesys / but notwithstonding al these thinges / I will graunte yov this pystle to be of auctorite that you may haue some thyng to dispute with / what wil yov conclude out of that / that workes doo iustify That were sore agenst christes bloud / for than did christ dye invayne / Aug. 8â— q. c. 76. it is also agenst the exposicioÌ„ of S. Augustyn / whose wordes be these S. Paule sayth that a man may be iustifyed by faith with out any workes goynge by fore iustificacyoÌ„ / but whaÌ„ a maÌ„ ys iustifyed by fayth / how can he but worke well though that he before workinge nothyng ryght wysly is nowe come to the iustificacioÌ„ of faith not by merites of good workes but by the grace of god / the which grace in him / now can not be ydylle seynge that now thorow loue he worketh well And yff he departe out of this lyffe after that he beleuythe / the iustificacion of faith abydythe by hym / not by his workes goynge a fore iustificacioÌ„ / for by his merites came he not vn to that iustificacion but by grace / nor by his workes that follow iustificacion / for he ys not suffered to lyue in this lyffe / wherefore paule aÌ„d Iamys be not contrary for Paule spekythe of workes that go by fore faythe / and Iamys speketh off the workes that follow the iustificacioÌ„ of faith cÌ„ Here haue yov playne that S. Augustyne saithe that no maner of workes / neyther that goo by fore neyther that come after helpe to iustificacion but allonly they follow iustificacion / and a iuste man must nedes do good workes Here haue you also / that S. Iames speketh of workes that follow iustificacyon and not of workes that helpe to iustify for there be none suche Here haue yov also that the iustificacion off faith ys so parfytt that yt saueth a man onlye the which is agenst my lorde of Rochesters dystynacion / for yf workes dyd make perfytt iustificacion / than a man coulde not be saued wyth out the perfeccion of workes / wherefore yt wylle be harde for my lorde of Rochester to saue his honestye S. Augustine ys so opeÌ„ ageÌ„st hym but I feare me that the prouerbe that a wysse man dyd wons lerne me whane men are come to great honour they doo so much regard yt that clearly they for gett all honesty wylle here be found to trewe Also yov haue a nother scripture for you which is this By fore god they are not iustified whych here the lawe but they which do the lawe shalle be iustified / of this texte yov glorye / and crye opera / opera / workes / workes / Rom. 2. but yf yov wolde coÌ„syder the mynd of S. Paule yov shulde welle perseue / that he menyth not howe workes shulde deserue iustificacion / for than coulde not he haue concluded this agenst the Iuys for they dyd the workes of the law to the vtter most and yet ware they not iustifyde / wherefore S. Paule menyth by the herers of the lawe alle them that doo the vtter workes of the law for fere / or for rewarde / or of hypocrisy / or els by them to be iustifyed the doars callyth he theÌ„ that doo the workes of the lawe after the intent of the lawe / and as the lawe commandeth them / that is in the trewe fayth off Christ Ihesus / which is the very ende of the lawe anâ— the fulfyllynge of the lawe as S. Paule saythe to alle them that beleue wherefore alle men be but hearers allonly of the lawe / tylle the tyme that they haue the faythe of Christ Ihesus / whyche ys imputed vnto them for iustis / and the workes of the lawe be no cause of iustificacyon / but allonly an outward testimonye and wytnes that the lawe ys fulfylled inwardly in theyr conscieÌ„s a fore God so fulfyllyd that it hathe no accasacioÌ„ ageÌ„st theÌ„ for christ hathe made satisfaccion for them / of the which they be pertakers by their faith / and so the lawe must be
hathe alonly dyed for vs. The lambe hathe alonly shed his bloude for vs. The lambe hath alonly redemyd vs. These thinges hath he done alone Nowe if these be suffycyent / than hath he alone made satysfaccion / aÌ„d is allonly worthy to opyn the boke Moreouer / Thys tytyll ys geuen to the lambe by them that be in heuyn / and how dare you beyng but stynkynge caryon geue it eyther in parte or in hole to any other Also they that be in heuyn confesse that thys laÌ„be ys allonly worthy to redeme them / be youre workes better thaÌ„ they Or can youre workis helpe them yf they can / than ys not the lambe alonly worthy to redeme them / yf youre workys doo not helpe rheÌ„ than are they alonly Iustyfyde be the lambe / and yf they be / why shall not we also Moreouer the seniours falle doune by fore the lambe / geuinge him alloÌ„ly praise / And shal youre good workys stonde vpe by the lambe / than be they better than the senyours But let vs proue this thing by opyn scripturs / That no maÌ„ shal be able too denye yt Saynt Paul toke so greate labours to proue thys artykyll / as he neuer toke in no nother / and all bycause he wolde make yt playne / and stope the mouthys off the agayne sayers / But all thys wyll not helpe theÌ„ / that haue not the sprete of god / Neuer the lesse we wyll by godes fauour / do the best we can too confounde the croked enymys of Christes bloude / aÌ„d though we can not make them hys frendes / at the lest we wylle so handylle them / that they shall be a shamyd openly to speake agenste hym / as they haue done longe tyme / And soo wyll we handylle them by godes helpe that all the worlde shall knowe that they glory in Chrystes name and by hym be they also hye promotyd in thys worlde that they can not be hyer yet deserue they of christ / worst or all meÌ„ But lett vs go to oure purposse S. paul sayth / All men be synners / and wante the glory of god / but they ar iustifyed frely by hys grace / Ro. 3 thorow the redemcyon that is in christ Iesu Vvhat is this that all meÌ„ haue synned ye are iustyfyde frely How shall a sinner do good workys how can he deserne to be iustifyde what call you frely yf there be any deseruyng lesse or more / than is it not frely what call you by his grace yf it be any parte of workes / than it is not of grace / for as S. paul saithe / Than grace were not grace Ro. 11. here can be none euasioÌ„ / that wordys be so playne yf you bring in any helpe of workys / than for so muche ys not oure redemption frely / nor yet ys yt of grace / but partly of workys / and than doo yow dystroye all S. paule / and hys holle dysputacyon / for he contendyth agenst workys / aÌ„d clearly excludyth workys in Iustyfycacion / and bryngythe in grace only / Now that that ys excludyd in the wholl by contencion / can not be brought in / in parte to the cause Thys ys opyn in hys wordys / where he sayth Vvhere ys nowe thy reioysynge yt ys excluded / By what lawe by the lawe off workys Nay but by the lawe off faythe / we do Iudge and geue senteÌ„ce that a man is Iustifyde by faythe wyth out the workys off the lawe / Here yow not / that the gloryacyon off workys ys excludyd / and yet wyll yow bost youre workys Here yow not playnly Saynt Paules sentence / that Iudgeth clearly wyth faythe / and agenst all workys in thys cause / how can yow a voyd this is it not clear Vvhat can yow answere too yt Is not this Paulis proposion that he toke to proue / fayth only iustifythe It were but lost labour for Paule to proue that workes dyd helpe to iustifycacion / for that the iuys dyd graunt In so moche that they gloryed ageÌ„st the geÌ„tyllis / which had no maner of workes / aÌ„d for that dispysed them as peopell vn worthy to be iustifide / but paradveÌ„ture you wil make a blynd a damnable evasion / and say that Paule condemneth the workes of the olde lawe / as vnworthy to iustificacion / but not the workes of the newe lawe / are yov now satysfyed in youre conscience Thynke yov that yov haue well assoâ—yd S. Paules argument thynke you that this ys sufficient to avoyde S. Paule that hathe taken so great labour to proue this cause thynke you that yov shal be thus discharged a fore god yf yov doo / than goo boldly in to the strayte iudgement off god with this euasion / and doute you not but there shalle yov fynde S. Paule as styfly and as strongly agenst yov aÌ„d youre newe workes as ever he was agenst the Iuys and their olde workes / and yf he dyd condemne the workes of the lawe / that were institute by the mouth of god / thynke yov that those workes that you haue inuented out of youre idylle brayne shalle be there a lowed Breuely what workes can yov doo / or excogitate that be good whiche be not in the olde law / Ergo he speketh of all maner of workes / for the law includythe all workes that euer god instituted / but lett me stope youre mouthis with S. Paule Doth not he brynge to proue his cause / the example of the great father Abraham / whom no maner off workes culde iustify / but faith only / thynke you that S. Paule dothe speke here of the workes of the olde lawe nay doutles For how coulde AbrahaÌ„ do the workes of the law / and there was no law geuen .iiij. C. .xxx. yeres after where fore S. paule constrayneth you to conclude that no maner of good workis though they be so good as Abrahams workys can helpe to iustificacioÌ„ But yet yov haue a nother evasyon that is of youre glosse / how that S. Paule speketh of cerimonial workys / how they do not Iustifye Glossa Thys distynccyoÌ„ is but for mad men / and for theÌ„ that be not lernyd whyche are glad whane they may avoyd holy scriptur / though it be notyng to purposse but alonly with ydille and vayne wordis I pray yov what nede S. paule to proue that the ceremonials did not iustyfy / was there ever any Iue that lokyd to be iustified by theÌ„ Nay doutles For they were not geuyn to Iustificacion where fore what maÌ„ wolde thynke that S. Paule except mad meÌ„ aÌ„d vnlernyd assis wolde take so great labour to proue that thing / that every maÌ„ did gravnt / where fore say what you can Here stondith holy S. paule styfly aÌ„d strongly for me and ageÌ„st yov and saith that we be frely aÌ„d alonly Iustifyed by faith with out allemaner of workis Ambro ad Rom. â— But let vs see what youre awne doctours
mercifulle / and so mercifulle / that he wyll not impute my synnes vn to me / Though they be neuer so great so longe as I hange on the blessyd bloud of Christe Iesus he is also a lyberalle father / yee and that vn to me lyberalle / which will not alonly promyse me al thynges / but also geue them me whether they be necessary to the body or to the soule He ys also not alonly lyberalle / but myghty to performe all thynges that he promisyth vn to me Breuely this faith maketh me to hange clearely off god and off his blessed promisis and not too fere dethe nor none afflyccion / nor persecucions / nor tribulacion / but too dispysse all these thinges / and not allonly these / but to dispisse also myne awne selfe / mine awne body / myne awne life for Christes sake Finallye of a fleshely best it maketh me a spirituall man / of a damnabille childe / yt maketh me a heuenly sone / Of a seruaunt of the deuell / yt maketh me a fre man of godys / both deliuered froÌ„ the lawe / from sinne / from dâ—the / fro the deuell / and from all mysery that might hurte me My lordes this is the faythe that dothe Iustifie / and be cause it is geuen from heuen in to oure hartis by the sprete off god / therfore it can be no ydille thynge / But it must nedis do all maner of thingis / that be too the honour off god / and also to the profite of oure neyboure / in so muche that at all tymis necessary yt must nedis worke well / and also brynge forthe all good workes / that may be to the profitte and helpynge off any man But these workys be not done / too Iustifye the man / but a iuste man must nedes do them / Not vnto his profite / but allonly to other meÌ„s profites / euyn as oure Master Christ / suffered hunger and thurst / and persecucion and toke greate labours in preachinge of hys worde / ye aÌ„d also suffered deth all these thinges I say dyd he not to further or to profite him selfe / But for oure merit and for oure profytt / so likewyse doth a Iuste man his workes And as a good tre in tyme off yeare bringeth forthe a god appylle / not to make hym good for he is good a fore / nor yet this appyl is not to his profyt / But vn to other mens not withstondinge the good nature that ys in him must nedys brynge yt forthe / so lykewyse the Iuste man must nedys do good workys / not by them to be Iustyfyde / but allonly in them to serue hys brother for he hathe no nede of them / as consernynge hys Iustyfycacyon wherefore now here haue yow the very trewe cause off Iustyfycacyon / that is faythe allonly / And also the very trewe waye and maner of doynge good workis / And how that no man can do good workis but a Iustified maÌ„ / As oure Master Christ saythe / eyther make the tre good aÌ„d thaÌ„ hys frute most be good / Mat. 7. Or ellys the tre euyll and hys frute also euyll for a good tre must nedys brynge forth good frute / And a bad / evell frute But now lett me answere to theyr scrypturs and too their carnall reasons that they brynge to proue that workys do Iustyfye SoluetoÌ„s to the scripture whych thei falsly allege Fyrst cometh the flesslye and damnable reson / And the saythe yf we be Iustyfyde allonly by fayth what nede we to do any good workis what nede we to crucyfye or to mortyfye oure fleshe / for all these wylle not profytt vs / and we shall be sauyd though we do none of them al. Thus dyd blinde reason dispute with Saint Paule whan that he had prouyd / that god off hys mere marcy / had delyuered vs frely from the damnable bondage off the lawe / A none he Iudged that he myght doo what he wolde / for he was no longer vndernethe the lawe / To thys Saynt Paule answereth / that yf we obey vn to the workys of synne / than are we the seruauntys off synne / and yff we obey to the workys off Iustys than are we the seruauntes off Iustys / soo that yff we truly haue that same faythe that Iustyfythe vs / we shall desyere too doo noo nother workys but those that belonge too Iustyfycacyon / not that the workys do Iustyfye vs / but that we must nedys doo these workys / as the very trew frutys off Iustificacyon / aÌ„d therfore those men that wyll do no good workys by cause they be Iustyfyde alonly by faythe / be not the chylderne of god nor the chylderne of Iustyfycacyon / and of that ys this a suer and an euydent token / for yf they were the very trew chylderne off god / they wolde be the gladder to doo good workys / by cause that they are Iustyfyed frely Therfore shulde they also be mouyd frely to worke / yff yt were for no nother purposse / nor profyte / but allonly to doo the wyll off their mercyfulle god / that hathe so frely Iustyfyed them / and also to profyte theyr neyboure / whom they are bound to serue of very trewe cheryte Take an exampell / here ys a thefe that ys condemnyd by ryght and by law to be hangyd whom the kyngis grace of hys mercy / dothe frely delyuere from the gallous / and geuythe hym hys pardon / Nowe thys thefe thus delyuered wyll not kepe hym selfe a trew man nor do those workys that belonge to a trew man to doo / but fallyth agayn to stelynge by cause the kynge perdonyd hym so frely / and rekenyth that the kynge ys so mercyfull that he wyll hange noo theuys but delyuer them all of hys mercy with out their deseruyng / Now how thynke you wyll the kynge be marcyfull vn to thys thefe whan he comythe agayne to the gallous nay truly / but yff he had done those thynges that the kyngys pardon deseruyd / than had he come noo more in danger / but shulde haue byn styll in the kyngys fauouâ—e TheÌ„ cometh my lorde off Rochester / aÌ„d he saith the faith doth be gynne a Iustyfycacyon in vs / But workys do performe yt and make yt parfyt / and by cause that noo man shall thynke that I lay yt vn to hym vnrightwisly I wil resyte his awne wordes Arti. 1. Per fidem initiari dicitur iusticia soluÌ„ / non auteÌ„ coÌ„summari naÌ„ coÌ„suÌ„mata iusticia noÌ„ aliter quaÌ„ exoperibê° natis / et in luceÌ„ editis acquiri potest / Opera coÌ„summate iustificaÌ„t / Fides primuÌ„ inchoat cÌ„ Vvhat christenyd man wolde thynke that a bisshope wolde thus triffylle and play wyth godys holy worde Godys worde ys soo playne / that no man can avoyde yt how that faythe Iustyfythe allonly / and now commyth my lorde of Rochester / wyth a lytle and a vayne
counselle that hathe a thousande bisshopes and in a nother that hath fyve thousande can the multitude helpe to the veryte Than had the turke the veryte and we the falsed / 3. Reg. 2 3. Reg. 18. than had the prophete Micheas the worsse parte for he was a lone agenst .iiij. hundred / so was the veryte by the prophetes of Baale / and not by Elyas / for they were foure hundred and fiftye and he was but one man Breuely Christis flocke is all ways the smallyste number in this worlde / but yet yt ys the best / not that the smallest number maketh christis flocke / but that christes churche stondeth neyther by the grettest number nor yet by the smallest / nor by the iudgemeÌ„t or numberynge of man / but by the callynge and eleccion of god / wherefore lett my lorde bryng forthe / what counselle that he will and yf they haue not the worde of god / I wylle not alonly say they may erre / but also that they do erre in verye dede And the wylle I proue by the grettest lawyar that they haue called Panormitanê° whose wordes be these / De â—ectio â— sâ—gnifica that counselle may erre as it hath erred / as coÌ„sernynge the coÌ„tracte of matrimony / inter raptoreÌ„ et raptaÌ„ / The counsell of mel delci did â—rre and the saynge of S. Hierom was afterward preferred a â—oue the statute of the counselle as yt ys proued 36. q. 2. Tria / for in thynges consernynge the faith ys the saynge of a pryuate persone to be prefarred a fore the saynge of the pope yf he haue better resons and scripturs of the newe and the olde testament for hym than the pope / nor yt caÌ„ not helpe to say that the counselle can not erre by cause that Christ dyd pray for his church that her faythe shulde not faylle / for I answere to this / that though the generalle counsell doo represent the wholle vniuersalle church / neuerthelesse in very dede there is not the very vniuersalle church / but representatiue For the vniuersalle church stondeth in the electâ—on of alle faithfulle meÌ„ all faith fulle meÌ„ of the worlde make the vniuersalle church / whose hed spouse ys christ Iesus the pope is but the vycker of Christ not the very hed of the church / this is the church that can not erre cÌ„ Here it is open that the counselle may erre / aÌ„d that a priuate person hauynge scriptures for hym is to be harde a fore the pope and also the conselle hauynge no scriptures for them / yov haue also what is the very trew church which can not erre / whiche thinge caÌ„ not be veryfyed of youre counselles for they be neyther wyth out erroure nor yet the holye churche but that they doo represent the church as a legate representeth a kynges person but of the followeth not that he is the kynge or hath as muche power as the kynge / or ys a bove the kynge or that he may rule the kynge / Augustinê° de bap Ki. 2. c. 3. contra donaâ—as this maye also be proued by S. Augustine whose wordes be these / those couÌ„selles that be gethered in everie ê“uince must with out geue place to the auctorite of the full couÌ„sellis which be gethered of all chrystendoÌ„ / aÌ„d also those ful couÌ„sellis oft timis must be a mendyd by the full counsellys that come after / yf any thynge be openyd by any experience that was a fore shyt / and yf any thyng be knowen that was hyddyn And this may be done with out any shaddow of supersticious pryde / with out any bostyd Arrogancye with out any contencyon of malyciê° envye / but with holy meknes / wyth holy peasse / and with chrystened cheryte cÌ„ Here it is playne that youre full couÌ„selles may be a mendyd and reformyd / the whyche thynge nede not / yf they coulde not erre yee and if they did not erre in dede Moreouer you must nedes grauÌ„t that there is a rule where by youre counsellys must be exaÌ„mynyd / and where by sentens must be geuyn whyche of youre counsellys be trewe and which false / by the whych rule yf youre couÌ„sellys be not ordered / they must nedys erre and be false / and of the deuyll wherefore gather all youre counsellys too gether and yet of them can you not make holy churche / But peraduenture there may be many in youre counsellys good and perfyte men and of holy churche / But they and you to gether make not the vniuersall holy churche that can not erre / Neyther haue yow any auctoryte ouer holy churche / further than the holy scrypture off god / But as sone as you for sake Chryst aÌ„d his holy worde / so sone are you the congregacyoÌ„ of the deuyll / and theuys and murtherars / aÌ„d yet for all thys there must nedis be an holy churche of chryst in erthe that ys neyther bounde to Ierusalem nor to CouÌ„staÌ„tinopill / nor yet to Rome as though she were lyke vn to / the Asse and the foolle But now wyl there be obiected / that oure Master Christe commandeth / Maâ— 1â— yff my brother offend me that I shuld complayne to the church / Now ys this church that I haue sett out spretualle no man knoweth hyr but God onlye / she is also scattered thorow out the world / wherefore how can a man complayne to that church I answere oure master Christ dothe playnly speake of a man that hathe wronge / the which must nedes be a perticuler and a serten man / and therfore lyke wysse he byddythe hym complayne not to the vniuersalle churche / but to the perticular church Now this particular church / if she be of god / and a trew member of the vniuersalle churche / she wyll iudge ryghtwysly after Christes words / and after the probacions brought a fore hyr / neuer the lesse oftyn tymes comyth yt that this particular church doth fully and holly erre and iudgeth vnryght and excommunycateth hym / that is blessed of god / 24. q. 3. Si quis et c. cuÌ„ aliquis as yt is open in youre awne lawe / whose wordes be these / oftyn tymes he that ys cast out ys with in / and he that is with out ys kept with in cÌ„ Here haue yov playnlye that the particular church may erre / wherefore that church that can not erre is alle only the vniuersalle church which is called the communion and the felowshyppe of saynctis / the whiche addicion was made by holy fathers for in Ciprians tyme was there no mencion of yt by alle lyklyhod to declare the presumpcion of serten men / and of serten congregacions that rekened them selfe to be holy church wherefore my lordes se welle to lest the holye goste haue prykkyd yov with this addicion / for yov haue alle wayes made youre selfe holy churche / yee and that
vs if they be impossible what right is in him that daÌ„neth vs for that thing that is impossible for vs to do / I answere o thou blind pÌ„sumtuous / daÌ„nable reson / where haste thou lernyd of ony other creature to inquier a cause of thy makers wyll / or ellis to murmur / agenst the ordynance of thy lyuinge god / what hast thou to do / to requier a cause of his actis he hath made that with out thy consent couÌ„sell may he not sett law ys ê¯maÌ„demeÌ„tis to rule that bi at his plesur with out couÌ„sel thou artworthy of none aÌ„swer / thou arte so presuÌ„tuê° nor there is no godly aÌ„swere that will satifyse that Neuer the lesse I wyll stope thy blasphemynge mouth / by thyne awne wysdom to thy gret shame First thys thyng must thow grauÌ„te me / that thy god is Essencial goodnes / is nothing but goodnes / wherfore he can commande nothyng / but that is good / Iust rightê° / which thngys yf thou doo not or be not abylle to doo Thy maker may not lett his goodnes vndone by cause of thy naughtynes / or for thyne vn a byllnes / And if thou biste not abille to do those good thyngis that he commandyth the / There is no faute in the commander / nor yet in the commandimentis / wherfore than doste thou grudge agenste hym with out a cause But yet wylte thou murmur and say how that he knoweth how they be impossible for the / Truthe that is he knoweth it / Than wylt thou say / wherfore dothe he command them to me O thou presumtuous creature it were suffycyently aÌ„swered to the to say that it is his plesur so to commaunde what couldest thou say more / what occasyon haddest thou to murmur what vroÌ„g haste thou But I wille go forther thy maker knowythe that they be impossible for the he knowithe also / thy damnable and presumtuous pryde / that rekkynest how thou canste do alle thyngis that be good of thyne awne streÌ„gth with out any other helpe / and to subdewe thys presumtuous pryde of thyne / to bryng the to knowlege of thyne awne selfe / he hath geuyng that his commaundymentes of that which thou canste not complayne / for they be bothe righttus aÌ„d good And if thou complayne bi cause they be impossible for the / thane consyder thy damnable pryde / that thoughtest thy selfe so stronge that thou couldest do alle goodnes / But what wylt thou nowe doo these commandimentis be geuyn and cannot nor shalle not be changyd to satysfyse thy presuÌ„tuus pryde / where of wilte thou now complayne godes commaÌ„dimentes be resonable / they be good / they be righttus / and they be laudable / shalle alle these thynges be dystroyd to satisfyse thy pryde / nay not so / But thou shalte rather remayne / with alle thy pryde vnder the damnacion of these commandimentes / what sayst thou ther to caÌ„ste thou avoyd this canste thou say but this is ryght / canste thou saue thy selfe from danger / canste thou a voyde thy damnacion by alle thy carnalle wysdom nay verely / for he that is thy aduersary is omnipotent where fore say what thou wylt / So must it be / for it is godes ordinaÌ„ce whiche may not be chaÌ„gyd But now wilte thou aske what remydy no remydy but this wonly / to confesse thy wekenes / to confesse thy pryde / to knowlege thy vnabyllnes / to graunt that these commandymentes be lawfulle holy and good / and how thou arte bounde to kepe them / and to geue laude and prayse to god for them / and to go to thy mercyfulle maker with this confessyon / and to desyer hym that he wille helpe the / that he wille be mercifulle vn to the / that he wille strength the for thou arte to weke / That he wille geue the his spret / for thy spret is to fleshely / to fulfylle these spritualle commandementes and doute thou not but thou shalt fynd hym bothe mercy fulle and also gracious for he gaue thou these commandymentes for that intent / secretly declaryng bothe thy pryde also thy wekenes / that thou mightest seke aÌ„d calle vn to hym for helpe Thys dothe S. Augustine declare welle in these wordis / de tempo ser 5.3 yf man do perseue that in the coÌ„mandymentes / is any thynge impossible or els to harde / lett hym not remayne in hym felfe / but lett hym runne vn to god hys helper / that which hathe geuyn his commandimentes for the intent / that oure desyer myght be sturryd vpe and that he myght geue helpe cÌ„ Marke S. Augustine saithe that the commandymentes be impossible vn to oure streÌ„gthe / but we must calle to god for strengthe The palagioÌ„s did rekyn / that they had got a grett vyctorduÌ„ whan they had made this carnalle reson / that God wolde commande nothyng that was impossible / of thys reson dyd they glory aÌ„d tryumphe and thought that they must nedes haue some naturalle strengthe and power to fulfylle the commandimentes of god / seyng that god wolde commande nothyng impossible to man Off this same reason dothe my lorde of rochester and alle his scollars glory vnto thys same day But let vs see how S. Augustine answeryth them / Dâ—li arb cap. 16. The palagions saithe he thynke that they knowe a wonders thyng / whan they say God wille not command that thyng the which he knoweth / that is impossibille for man to do / Euery man knoweth this / but ther fore dothe he commaunde sertyn thynges / that we caÌ„ not doo / Eccle. 12. by cause we myght knowe / what thyng we ovght to aske of hym / Faithe is she whych by prayer optaynyth that thyng that the law commandithe / breuely he that saythe / If thov wilt thou mayst kepe my commaÌ„dimentes / In the same boke a littille after saith / he shalle geue me kepyng in my mought Playne it is that we may kepe the commandimeÌ„tes if we wille / but by cause oure wille is prepared of god / off hym must it be askyd / that we may so muche wille / as wille suffice vs to do them / trouth it is / that we wille / whan we wille / but he makyth vs to wille that thyng that is good Here haue yov pâ—ayne that my lord of Rochesters opynyon and the palagyons ys alle won / for they bothe do agre that the commandimentes of god / be not impossible to oure naturall streÌ„gth But S. Augustine saythe they be impossible / And therfore be they geuyn that we shuld know oure wekenes / also aske the strengthe to fulfille theÌ„ / For faythe bi prayer dothe optayne strengthe / to fulfylle / the impossible commandimentes of the lawe Here haue you also / that god mouythe vs and causythe vs to be good willers / aÌ„d geuythe vs a good wille for els we wolde
culde they no nother wysse doo / but varaye from christ no they wold nor desyeryd no nother wyse but to swarve from hym / But wherfore they wer blyndyd and wherfore they wer hardenyd that must yov inquier of the inscrutable wil / that plesyd hym so to leue theÌ„ the cause ther of I am suer he cane telle yov if he wolde / I am suer it is ryghtwyselye done / But now commitâ—e the blynde and fleshely reson and murmureth at this and asketh / why are we coÌ„deÌ„ned for this why dothe god punish vs for this / seyng we cane wylle no nother wysse / also he blyndeth vs / he maketh oure hartes hard that we caÌ„ not amend vs / and yt lyeth not in ouâ—e power with out his wyll / now why complayneth he of vs why layeth he it to oure charge here is nothing done but his will / we be but instrumeÌ„tes of his wylle / and if we do not well why geuethe he vs not strength to doo better Thou damnable reason who can satisfye the which rekeneste nothing to be well done but that that thou doste that is doÌ„ne at thy couÌ„sell Thinkest thou not / that thou arte good perfytt in thyne awne nature / all that is in that is bothe well ryghtwysly made to this thou wylte answer yee / for thou wilt not coÌ„demne thy selfe nor nothyng that is thyne / but now answere me to this / what hath made that so well / geue the all this ryghtwysnes all this goodnes that thou haste thou must nedes say god / but what was the cause that thou arte so well / so ryghtwyse so good made / seyng that thou deserued nothing / yee alle these thinges / be done so welle so ryghtwysly / that thou canste not complayne / nor amende theÌ„ / no nor yet devysse whiche way to a mend theÌ„ / now why dooste thou not murmur agenst god seyng that all thynge is done with out thy knowlege / aÌ„d also with out thy deseruyng / why dost thou not inquier a cause of hym why murmureste thou not that he hathe made the so good and so ryght / seyng thou hadste nothyng deserued / but here wylte thou graunte / that god did all thing for the beste / why dooste thou not lyke wysse in other thinges / forthermore / thou must nedes graunt / that god thy maker / and the governer of alle thinges is most wyse / moste ryghtwyse / and most mercifulle and so wyse / that nothing that he doth cane be a mended / so ryghtwyse that there cane be no suspycion in hym of vn ryght wysenes / â—o mercyfulle is he that he cane do no thing with out mercie / how thinkeste thou / wilte thou graunt these thynges off thy maker thou must nedes graunt them Now coÌ„pare vnto thys rule / thy blyndnes that is wyth in the / thy induracion that is in the / thy peruerse wyll toward goodnes / and what cause haste thou to complayne thov hast graunted that he doth all thynge ryghttusly / ergo thou haste no wronge / he dothe alle thynge mercifully / ergo thou arte in thy blyndnes and in thy hardnes better intreted than thou haste deserued Moreouer / thou beleuest that god is ryghtwyse / that god is wysse / and that god is mercyfulle / now faith is of those thynges that do not apere / nor that cane be proued by exterior causys / holde the faste to this faithe / than alle thy fleshely reasons be asoyled / for whan god saueth so fewe men / and dammeth so meny / thou knowest no cause why / yet must thou beleue that he ys mercyfulle and ryghtwyse / this is faithe whiche yf yt coulde be proued by exterior causys / than were yt no nede to beleue yt / now yf thou beleue that he is mercyfulle good ryghttus vn to the / wherfore murmurste thou But yet woldest thou know wherfore he indurateth the and blyndeth the and geueth the no grace to a mend / and vn to thy brother / that hathe no better deserued than thou haste / yee he hathe lykewysse evylle deserued as thou haste and yet he geueth hym grace / and taketh awaye hys hardnes / and geueth hym a wylle to wylle alle goodnes / thys is not indifferently done as thou thynkest Fyrst I say to the thou haste no cause to complayne / for thou haste no wronge / thov hast alle thynge that ys thyne / and nothynge ys taken from the / that belongeth to the / why doste thou complayne of this ryght yee but yet saist thou that he geueth the one marcy aÌ„d geueth thother none / I answere what is that to the / is not his mercy his awne Is yt not lawfulle for hym to geue yt to whome he wylle is thy yie evyll by cause he is good Mat. 20 Take that that is thyne and goo thy waye / for iff yt be his wylle to shewe hys wrathe / and to make hys powre knowen / over the vesseles of wrath / ordened to damnacion / Rom. 9. and to declare the Ryches of his glory / vn to to the vessels of mercy which he hathe prepared and elected vnto glory / what haste thou there with to doo what cause haste thou there off to complayne yt is the wylle of god which can not be but welle and ryghtwyse / the which as thou sayst thou beleuest / wherefore leue of thy murmurryng and thy disputacion agenst god / and rekken that he is of his nature mercifulle / and hathe no delytte nor no plesure in thy damnacion / but beleue thou stedfastly / that if he she we his mercy / but vn to one maÌ„ in all the worlde that thou shalt be that same one man / though an Angelle wolde make the beleue that alle the worlde shulde be damned / yet stycke thou faste to his mercy / and to his iustis that iustifye the / and beleue that the swete bloude of his blessed sonne can not be shed invayne / but it must nedes iustify synners and so meny as stycke fast vnto yt / though they be neuer so blynded and neuer so hardened / for yt was shed alonly for them / yf thou canste thus satisfye thy selfe / thaÌ„ dost thou welle / and thou arte doutles out off iuperdy / but if thou wyllte not be content / but wyllte dispute and inquier causis of godes inscrutable wylle / than wylle I stond by / and loke on and se what vycterdomme thou shalt get I doute not but yt wylle repent the / and that he wyll conclude with the / on this maner maye not I doo what I wyll Now here haue I answered / to an intricable doute / that oure scolle men are wrapped in which wold knowe what is the cause of predestinacion / and of reprobacion / Scotus â— sent Di. 41. Duns beynge wrapped by twene carnalle reason / and the inuincible
Rochestes auctoryte / but yff yov mene the christen people / that haue the sprete of god / as oure Master Christ ment than be yov excluded for yov haue not the sprytte of god as the effect dothe declare / ergo yov may not rede scripturs marke also that oure Master saithe vn to yov yt ys geuen / as who saith if yt were not geuen yov shulde no more haue yt thane other men Now howe cane yov proue that the vnderstondinge of scriptur is geuen to yov but now to the texte oure master Christe speketh here of the sprytualle / and the ryght vnderstonding of holy scripturs / which is the gyfte of god wonly / and he speketh not of studyyng or redynge of holy scripture / for yov haue in that same place / howe that meny dyd followe hym / and heare his prechynge but yet they vnderstonde hym not / therfore this texte maketh derectly agenste you aÌ„d youre workes doo declare that yov be the herars and reders of the worde of god but the vnderstondynge is not geuen yov But now wyll my lorde of Rochester say / that yov haue the very vnderstondyng as holy doctours had yt / for though that scripturs in them selfe and of their awne nature be playnest / aÌ„d beste to be knoweÌ„ yet be the holy doctours playnest vn to vs / wherefore he that wyll vnderstonde scripture must fyrst lerne to vnderstonde the doctours / they shall brynge hym to the trew vnderstondynge of holy scripture / or els he must erre I answere o my lorde doo yov wryte this with a saffe consyens thynke yov that yov cane discharge youre consyens a fore the dredfulle face of Christe with this tryflynge distynccyon / Quedam sunt nociora nobis / et quedaÌ„ nociora natura / I pray yow yf yow wylle proue that god were wyse / wold yov be gyne to proue yt at youre wysdoÌ„ yf yow wolde proue that god were a lyue wold yov proue yt by that that yov be a lyue if yow wolde persuade a man to beleue that there is a gode / wolde yov lerne hym / that he must nedes beleue yt / by cause that there be creaturs these thinges be best knowen vnto yow / and yf yow wold proue that a man hath a trew sens of scripturs / wylle yov proue yt / by that that he hath the sense of the doctours what if the doctors had takeÌ„ a false a contrary sense / this case is possible wold yov therfore saye that the sense which the maÌ„ hathe takeÌ„ out of scriptur is false But I pray yov my lorde / after this rule / how culde meÌ„ / vnderstond scripturs / in Peter and Paules days whane there were no doctours Scotê° â—â— Sent. di 3 q. 3 But after youre awne lernyng / that same sciens which must proue the principylles of other scieÌ„ces is fyrst knowen / actualiter / dystynkly / now be all the pryncipalles of alle other doctours proued trew by holy scriptur / ergo there is no saynge nor exposicion of holy doctoures that cane be perfytly knowen except that scripture be fyrst knowen / this is youre awne dyumyte ye cane not deny yt / wherefore if yov wille proue that yov haue the verite you must proue yt / by cause yov haue the sence of holye scriptur / and not the sence of holye doctoures but douteles I haue grete mervelle / that my lorde of Rochester / is neyther ashamed of man / nor yet afrayd of the vengeance of god that thus tryfylythe with holy scripture Besides this yov haue an other baulde reason / the Cytye of London hathe serten previleges and secret counsels / yt were no reason that alle men shulde know them / this was my lorde of Londons reason at Paulys crosse / whane he condemned the newe testament I Answere my lorde say of your consciens / dyd yov not speke these wordes to plesse my lord that mayre of London and his brethern / but I praye yov is thys a lyke symylitude of the serten counsels of men the which must be kept secrett by cause they be counsels / And of the holy scripturs the whiche were brought in to this world not to be kept secrett but to be preched openly / as oure Master Christe commandeth / preche the gospelle to alle creaturs / heare yov to alle creaturs Mar. vlt. lett these men haue yt for alle these be of the counsell aÌ„d kepe yov yt from the ressydue / furthermore oure Master saithe in a nother place / that that I haue shewed yov in secretnes / preche yt on the tope of the housse Also S. Paule saith / the gospell is declared openly thorow prechyng and in an other place god hathe brought lyffe and immortalyte / Ti. 1. 2. Timo. 2 Ioan. 3 Mat. 5. vnto lyght thorow the gospelle / also oure master calleth yt the lyght of the worlde / now who will sett as he sayth a lyght vnder a busshell / and not rather openly that alle men there by may be lyghtened wherefore my lorde youre symylytude ys verye for vn lyke / and iff yov were not a lorde yt ware worthy to be dyspised / but douteles yt may be welle thoughte that yov ware at a sore exigent / whan yov were coÌ„pelled to proue this thinge with so baulde a reason / who wolde haue loked for so symple a reason in so ernyst a matter of so wyse a man / of so grete a doctour / of so worshypfulle a father / and of the bysshop of London / yee and of hym that ys called a nother Solomon / nor withstoÌ„dinge suche an haltyng symilytude dyd he neuer lerne in the prouerbes of Salomon / but yt had byn a better symylytude / of the kynges proclamacioÌ„ / which is proclaymed that all meÌ„ myght know yt and also kepe yt and noo man ys bounde to kepe yt / tylle yt be proclamed / lyke wysse the gospelle was geuen for to be proclamed / and everye man is bound to kepe yt / wherfore yt must nedes be proclaymed to everye man / and vn to yov my lord I be seche god that yov may be won of them of whome yt ys spoken To yov ys yt geuen to knowe the mysteryes of god Amen ☜ Finis ¶ Mens constitucions which be not grounded in scripture bynde not the consciens of man vnder the payne of dedly synne ☜ TO this article we must note that there be two maner of mynysters or powers won ys a temporalle power / the other is called a spritualle power / the temporalle power ys commytted of god to kynges / Dukes / Erlys / Lordes / Barrons / Iudges / mayrys / shryuys / and to alle other mynystres vnder them / these be they that haue wonly the temporalle swerde / where by they must order alle the commen welthe with alle wordly thynges longynge there vnto / as the disposicioÌ„ of these wordly goodes / who shal be ryght owner and
haue an euydent example of S. Paule the which wold not circumcise Titus whan the false brethern wolde haue compelled hym there vn to as a thynge of necessyte vnto whome Gala. 2. S. Paule gaue no romthe as consernynge to be brought in to subieccion s Paule dyd not with stonde them / by cause that circumsicion was vnlawfulle or myght not be vsed of christen men / but by cause that they wolde haue compelled hym vn to yt as vnto a thinge of necessyte / that thinge wolde not S. Paule suffer / for that was agenst the liberty that we haue in Christ Iesus as he saith here planly wherefore we be not aloÌ„ly by christe made fre from synne / but also made fre in vsynge alle maner of thynges that be indiffereÌ„t / and vnto them we cane not be bound as vnto thynges of necessite as on the frydaye to eate fyshe / and there vnto be bounde in consciens vnder the payne of dedly synne / in thys we may not obey for yt is agenst the worde off god not be cause / it is evylle to eate fyshe for in tyme conuenient and whane thou arte disposed yt is good but by cause that they wylle in this thyng bynde oure consciens and make that thinge of necessite / that god hathe lefte fre Therfore speketh Paule agenst them in these wordes / In the latter dayes serten men shall swarue frome the faythe applyng them selfe to the spretes of errours / 1. Tim. 4. and doctryns of the deuylle / for byddynge maryage / and to absteyne from mettes / that god hathe created to be reseued of faithfullmen with thankes / for alle creaturs of god be good / and nothinge to be refused that ys reseued wyth thankes / marke how Paule saythe / nothynge ys to be refufed that may be reseued with thankes thys is openlye agenste them that wylle forbed other fyshe or fleshe this day or that day as a thynge vn ryght for a christeÌ„ man to eate for as S. Paule saith meate dothe not commend vs vn to god 1. Cor. 8. Also in an other place the kyngdom of heuen is nother meatt nor drynke / Rom. 14. therfore they doo vn ryght to bynde oure consyens in suche thinges / and to thynke vs vnfaythefulle by cause we obserue theÌ„ not Nowe lett oure holy hypocrites of the charter housse loke on their consciens / whiche rekken to by and to selle heuen / for a pece of fyshe or fleshe but they rekken yt no vyce to lyue in hatered / ranker / and malys / and neyther to serue god nor their neyboure but with suche an hypocrites seruyce as they haue inuented off their awne hypocrisy / and not reseued of god / they thynke yt a greate perfeccion to absteyne from befe and mutton / and to eate pyke / tenche gurnarde and alle other costly fyshys and that of the dentyyst fascion dressed / but a pece of grosse beffe may they not touche / may they not smelle for than they losse heuen and alle the merites of Christes bloude Is not here a goodly feyned hypocrisy a fore the worlde yt shyneth bryghte / but compare yt vn to Christes scripture there cane not be a gretter balsphemy / for here in they clearly damne Christ and his ordinance and make that of necessite that Christe lefte as indifferent / agenste these holy hipocrites wrytteth S. Paule saynge / we ought not to be led with the tradicions of meÌ„ / Colo. 2. that saye touche not taste not / handylle not / whiche thinges peryshe with vsynge of them and are after the commandementes and doctryns of men / which thinges haue the symylitude of wysdom in supersticicyous holynes humbylnes in that they spare not the boddy aÌ„d do the fleshe no worshyp vn to hys nede Here is clearly condemnyd all supersticiousnes and feynyd holynes that meÌ„ haue inventyd in eatyng or drincking / in touchyng or in handeling / or in any other suche thinges not that we may not do theÌ„ / but that we do them as thynges of necessite and rekkyn oure selfe holy whan we do them / and to synne dedly whan we do them not / this is by the daÌ„nable institucions of men / The whiche S. Augustine condemneth in these wordes / The apostle saythe / Touche not / haÌ„dille not cÌ„ Ad paui Epi. 59. By cause that those men by suche obseruacions were led froÌ„ the verite / by the which they were made fre / where of it is sprokyn the verite shalle deliuer yov / It is a shame saith he and vnconuenient and farre from the nobillenes of youre liberte seyng yov be the boddy of christ to be disseuyd with shaddowes aÌ„d to be iudgid as sinners if yov dispysse to obserue these thynges / where fore lett no man evercome yov seyng yov are the boddy of chryst that wille seme to be meke in harte in the holynes of angelles aÌ„d bringyng in thynges which he hathe not sene cÌ„ Here haue we planly that those thynges which be of the inuencion of man do not bynde oure conscieÌ„s though they seme / to be of neuer so grett holynes and of humbillenes and holynes of angelles as paule saythe Col. â— where fore let them make what statutis they wille / aÌ„d as mvche holynes as they cane devysse / Invent as muche godes seruyce as they cane thynke / lye that they haue reseuyd it from heuyn / aÌ„d that it is no lesse holynes than angelles haue / aÌ„d set there vn to alle their mandamus / remandamê° / excommunicamus / sub pena excommunicacionis maioris / et minoris / Precipimus / Interdicimus / et sub indignacione dei omnipotentis / et apostoloruÌ„ petri et pauli ligamus / with alle other suche blasphemis / that they haue for douteles if their belly were rippyd / there shulde be nothyng found but blasphemis of god and of his holy word / detraccions / Oppressions / Confusyons / damnacyons of their poore brethern / Other good haue we none of theÌ„ / lett alle Christen men answer to this of their conscyens if it be not trewe And yet are we fre in oure coÌ„scyens / and alle these cane neyther bynd / nor damne oure consciens / for we are fre made thorow christ / And in consciens not bounde vnder the payne of dedly synne / to nothyng that man cane order or sette / excepte it be conteynyd in holy scripture / Epi. ad ro propo 72. But in boddy we are bound to euery man This doth S. Augustyne proue in these wordes Seyng that we be made of soule aÌ„d of boddy / as longe as we do lyve in this temporalle lyffe we must vsse / to the norysheyng of this lyffe / these temporalle goodes Therfore muste we of that parte that belongythe to this liffe be subiect vn to powers / that is / vn to men that do minister worldly thynges with some honour
wyll reason be persuadyd by this token that Messias whoÌ„ all the prophetes and all the patryarkes haue promysyd so many hunderd yerys a fore was now borne and yet thys tokyn came from heueÌ„ yee and by the mynystracion of angelles and the sheperdys dyd beleue the worde / Breuely by reson what be all the artykylles of the faith where ys Christ where is remyssion of sinnes where is the lyffe to come Reson mocketh all these thinges but yet they be trew / by cause allonly the worde of god speketh theÌ„ wher for most noble excellent prince / loke on the worde of god aÌ„d not of blinde reson and saue the honoure there of / for it shall saue youre grace at your most nede Furthermore I do exhorte aÌ„d require wyth alle honour ye aÌ„d I do coÌ„maÌ„de in the vertue of chryste Iesus and his blyssed worde All dukes / all Erryllys / all lordis / all maner of estattes hye and lowe that wyll be christen men / Io. 6. that wyll be sauid by the vertue of Iesê° Christis blessed bloud that they doo se thys ordynance of the god of heuen obserued too the vttermoste of thyer power aÌ„d whaÌ„ so euer that they wyll be houshed that they reseue the blessyd sacrament vnder bothe kyndes / and at the lest desyer yt with all their harte of theyr currates so desier it that they may be dyschargyd a fore the immortall god off heuyn which wyll not be mokkyd nor avoydyd wyth a damnable reson / but what so euer thing there be that ys agenst the holly worde of god / and the glorius ordinance what collour so euer yt bryng wyth yt of holynes lett yt be a cursed and reknyd of the deuell / This doth S. Cypryan lerne vs sayng / what thyng so euer yt be that ys ordened by mans madnes / where by the ordinance of god is violatyd / yt ys whoredum / it is of the deuell and it is sacrilege / where fore flye froÌ„ suche contagiusnes of meÌ„ aÌ„d a voyde theire wordes as a canker and as pestilence cÌ„ These wordes be playne of all maner of meÌ„ of what estate what dygnyte / or of what honoure so euer they be and what collour of holynes so euer they bring with them / wherefore in thys present wrytyng I do couÌ„selle and exhorte alle trewe chrysten men to take hede what they doo the worde of god is so playne in this matter that they can desyer it no plainer / it is no chyldes game to trifill with godes worde / god wyll not be trifylyd with nor yet mokkid But now to helpe pore meÌ„ that be vnlerned I wyl a soyll sertin of their daÌ„nable resoÌ„s / the first is we wil not geue it vnder the kinde of wyne lest that there shuld by negligens eyther of the pryst or of the reseuer falle any droppe on the grounde I answere oure M chryst dyd know that suche a chanche might come / you can not deny yt except you wyll saye that he was not god / as you wold not gretly stycke to do yf you might haue mantynens aÌ„d yet not wyth stondyng dyd he institute yt in bothe kyndes / Answere you to this More ouer why doo not by this reson youre awne prystes abstayne from the wyne seyng that thys perrell may also chaÌ„che theÌ„ as your cautellis of the masse do graunte / Also yf it be a resonable cause that you shall not kepe christes ordinance / by cause of a voydyng of parelles than may you take a waye all the wholle sacrameÌ„t to a voyde perrelles / for in reseuyng of it in the kynde of brede / is Iuperdê° leste their remayne any crumme in the reseuers tethe / This reson is as good as youres so that now all the sacrameÌ„t in both kindes is taken a waye Forthermore / if you will a voyde all perrelles thaÌ„ may you geue this sacrameÌ„t to no maÌ„ for you can not tell who is in dedly synne who not / for you know not their hartis it were a sore perrell aÌ„d gretly more Iuperdye to geue the puer body of christ Iesê° in to a foull soule thaÌ„ that a drope of blude by negligeÌ„s shuld faull on the ground / for there fallith but a drope here is the wholle boddy in a foullare place than the grouÌ„de is Also that may be avoyded with good dylygeÌ„ce aÌ„d wisduÌ„ of the prist / but that the sacrameÌ„t shal all wais be reseuid in to a puer coÌ„scieÌ„s there is no diligeÌ„ce of the prist that caÌ„ make it How think you now now is all the wholl sacrameÌ„t and christes blessed ordinance clearly taken a waye and all for a voydyng Iuperdis and perrellis / thus triffylle you with christis holy worde / yee and that in youre gret aÌ„d holy couÌ„selles Other resons my lorde of Rochester bryngeth that be worthye of noo solucion / for he doth but mocke and scorne and triffylle with goodes worde / Io. 6. he bryngeth the myrakylle of the fyue louys where there is no meÌ„cyon made of wyne / Ergo lay meÌ„ must be housselyd in won kynde / ys not this madnes whatt meane these men that neyther fere god nor yet be a shamed of man what is this to the purposse Christ dyd a myrakylle of fyue louys where is no mencyon made of wyne what ys thys too the sacrament yff the brede signyfyde won parte of the sacrament what signifide the .ii. fyshis and the he ye that was there these .ij. thynges must nedis signify the other parte Also laye meÌ„ dyd touch this brede Moreouer in an other place / chryst geuythe allonly wyne / Ergo the sacrament must be reseuyd in the Kinde of wyne allonly off the lay meÌ„ Be not these goodly argumeÌ„tes ye that of bisshops yt were madnes too answere too them ¶ It is agenst scripture to honoure images and to praye to saynctes IF men had the very trewe faithe in Christ Iesus that belongeth to Christen men to haue / this article were open of it selfe with out anny forther probacion / for yf men dyd beleue fyrst that Christ were god and omnipotent / and myghty to geue alle thinges secondarily that he were mercifulle / gracious / and lovyng towarde vs / and so lovynge that we culde desyer nothing of him but that he wold geue it vs / if meÌ„ I say had this faith and this loue towarde Christe / they wolde goo no forther but to hym only they wolde make in vente / and devyse no mediators / but faithefully reseue hym acordyng to the scripturs for their wonly mediator / sauior and redemer / and beleue and knowe suerly / that they coulde axe nothing so grett in his name but that they shulde reseue it / so that he wolde him selfe geue yt and there vn to is abyll Also by this faith they shulde perfyttly know / that they coulde not be so vnworthy but he of his only and mere marcye