of the churche is consydered and not the worthynesse of the person Thys is the sūme A wycked man and an vngodly hauyng only a dewe intent although he be an abomynable in the syght of God yet for al that in thys cause because he beareth the persōne or is in the rowme of the church he abydyng a synner and a dānable person he purchasseth and deserueth vnto other men remissyon of syn and euerlastyng lyfe This they saye The olde learnynge The Apostell in the fyrst epistell to the Corinthians the .xi. chapter preparyng the supper of the Lorde dyd wryte that he toke of the Lorde that he taught and gaue to the Corinthians And whan he expounded the busynesse and matter cōcernyng the supper he geueth both the kyndes indifferently to all the bretheren euē as Christ dyd ordeyne Mathe. xxvi Marke xiiii Luke xxii Here we haue the worde and the facte of the Lorde and of hys minister Paule and also of the primitiue church in the which as thē fayth was more lyuely charite was more feruent hope was more sure and holy christendom was more purer for it was nearer the quycke sprynge Yf it be so that it is not leful for vs to kepe the worde and the dede of Christ specially in a great mater as is the sacramēt for what intent shall the churche of God haue the scripture expoūded and declared Dyd not euen the new wryters as Gersō saye That nother the byshop of Rome nor generall councell nor yet the church oughte to chaūge the learnynge that was geuen vs by the euangelistes by Paul Yf it be lawfull to euery man that lyst to chaunge in the sacramētes of the church those thynges which Christ taught to be kept the apostles both taught and kept I pray you what case shall the church be in then which shal be cōpelled to beleue that Christ the wysedome of the father the Apostels dyd teach christendom such vnperfecte geare so negligently that theyr successours had nede to supplye amēde make perfecte those thynges that Christ his Apostels lefte behynde them raw vnperfect Wyll the Saracens the Arabiās the Agarens whome we call Turkes suffer that ony mā at his pleasure after this fashion shulde chaūge theyr Alcoram wolde sōtyme take somthyng away somtyme vtterly abrogate disanul it that theyr lawmaker had wrytten somthynge vnwarely or wtout diligent hede delyberacyon And we christen mē except we suffer the church to be turned out of frame peruerted to be darkened to be pulled in sunder minished Yee to be vtterly cast awaye we be banyshed destroyed as the enemyes of the church Put the case that these be tollerable who can abyde that ydel felowes shall make marchaundyse of it that was lefte to be the memoriall and remembraunce of the death whiche brought lyfe wherby they make a sacrifyce of the masse crucifye Christ agayne as much as lyeth in them For yf it be so that they worke with theyr dayly sacrifyce as they call it remissyon of synne I praye you thē what synnes dyd the bloude of the new euerlastyng testament take awaye This is therfore our catholyke belefe of the supper of the Lorde Fyrst The supper of the Lord ought for to be done after the ordinaunce of Christe i. Cor. xi that our fayth maye be increaced our charite may be kyndled our hope maye be made sure by the cōtinual remēbraunce of the death of the Lorde that we knowyng the cause of the moost precyous death of the Lorde maye be dayly more and more steared vp to geue thankes for the vnspeakeable loue to destroye the body of synne and to walke in newnesse of lyfe Secondarly Therfore the supper of the Lorde is a memoriall of the death of Christe whiche brought saluacyon and not a sacrifyce but a remembraūce of the sacrifyce that was once offred vp vpon the crosse Thyrdly Ther is a promes Psal c.ix that Christ shal be our byshop for euermore ordened of the father and this promes is perfourmed for Christ hath entred once in to the holy place by an oblacyon makynge perfect for euermore Hebr. ix and .x. so that we nede not to haue hym offred vp for vs agayne the which dyeth nomore Fourthly We knowe of the boke Leuiticus that the oblacyō of Moses was made for synnes whan the oblacyon dyd satisfye and the bloude dyd washe Thē yf this one sacrifyce in the which Christ dyd offer vp hymselfe dyd satisfye for the synnes of the whole worlde accordynge to the prophecye of Esay the .liii. Chapter He dyd beare our synnes and he was torne for oure wyckednesses and .i. Ioh. the .ii. Chapter He is oure satisfaccyon and so forth it foloweth and is a good argument that all the oblacyons which are besyde this be vayne and voyd the which they pretende Fyftly To rayse vp a new oblacyon is to set lytel by the fyrst to proue God a lyar and to deny Christe whiche bought vs after the wordes of saynt Peter .ii. Pet. ii For whan they saye that synnes be releassed forgeuen in the sacrifice of the masse whan the sonne of God is offered vp both for quycke dead it foloweth after theyr opinion that that onely sacrifice of the crosse dyd not satisfye for all synnes And I praye you is not that euen to forsweare denye the Lorde which dyd redeme vs not with corruptible thynges as with golde syluer but with his owne precious bloud whā we say that it is done by the vertue of that masse the which al scripture doth say cōmeth to vs by the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ Syxtly Yet for al that we do not affirme the synnes be remytted only by the partakynge of the supper of the Lorde but whan we do remēbre with a true a kynde fayth the benefyte of our redemption in the which the sōne of god dyd geue his body a sacrifyce for synnes shed his bloud to washe away synne by this fayth we be iustifyed made ryghteous we obtayne remissyon of our synnes gotten by the death of Christ And this is a dilicyous feast of soules of the whiche they that are not partakers shall peryshe Christ in the .vi. Chap. of Ihon sayeth My fleshe is meate in dede and my bloude is drynke in dede The bread that I shal geue is my flesh the which I wyll geue for the lyfe of the worlde Excepte we eate this fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke his bloud we shall not haue lyfe in vs but we shal peryshe For it is the breade of lyfe geuynge lyfe to the worlde The whiche breade to eate is to beleue in Christ as he sayeth I am the bread of lyfe he that cōmeth to me shall not be an hūgred and he that beleueth in me shall neuer be thyrsty Verely verely I saye vnto you he that trusteth in me hath euerlastynge lyfe For as the body is fed with naturall bread
grace by an acte draweÌ„ out of the frewyll of grace deserueth worthely euerlastynge lyfe Beholde christen reader whan as carnall wysdome shall heare that she hath such power and can drawe forth by naturall power a good mocion towarde God may deserue therby wyll she not fall to the pharisaycall pryde and wyll she not attribute to her selfe it that pertayneth to god The whiche is nothynge elles but to treade vnder fete the sonne of god and to reken the bloud of the testamente but as an vnholy and a ê“phane thynge by the which we be fanctifyed Moreouer oure nature which leaneth and setteth to muche by her selfe swellynge wyth thys learnynge is brought into coÌ„fidence of workes For nature hearyng that we partly can deserue euerlastynge lyfe with oure dedes wyll enforce herselfe to heape together merytes the whiche beyng many and plenteous she wyl truste and haue a good hope in them and when they fayle an decay she wyll fall in to despayre by the whiche errour the worthynesse and deseruyng of Chrystes death is defaced and hyd wyth darcknes and mans conscience is buylded vpon the sonde of workes and surely at euery tempeste of tribulacion it wyll fall ¶ The olde learnynge In the seconde Epistle vnto Timothe the i. Chapter God saued vs not accordyng to oure workes but accordyng to his purpose and grace which was geuen vnto vs before the euerlastyng tymes Such lyke is ther also Tit. iii. IteÌ„ Ephe. ii Ye be saued by grace thorow fayth and not of youre selues it is the gyft of God not of workes leste ony man shulde boaste The scripture here taketh away the cause of deseruynge or merite froÌ„ oure workes and geueth to grace that we be saued For that he sayth not accordyng to our workes and also not of yow suerly he doth not admitte or receaue that acte or dede that is drawen out of wyll to the prayse of saluacion or merite Christe deserued all thinges vnto vs with his bloud And we are iustifyed frely Roma iii. The heretage was not gotteÌ„ by oure laboure but by Christes The fayth in Christe maketh vs sonnes therefor heyres ergo workes do it not Ro. iiii To hym that worketh is the rewarde not rekened of fauoure but of deutye To hym that worketh not but beleueth in hym that iustifyeth the vngodly is fayth couÌ„ted for ryghteousnesse Ro. viii For I suppose that the affliccyons of this lyfe are not worthy the glory which shal be shewed vpon vs. Lu. vii Whan ye haue done all thynges that be coÌ„maunded you yet saye that ye be vnprofyble seruauntes Esay lxiiii All our ryghteousnesses are as a defyled cloth c. i. Corin. iiii What haste thou that thou hast not receaued Rom. xi Who hath geuen hym oughte afore hande that he myght be recompenced agayn Philip. ii It is God which worketh in you both the wyll also the dede eueÌ„ of good wyll Yf so be that God worketh in vs goodnesse what shal we arrogauÌ„tly clayme and ascrybe there vpon to oure power and strength And yf we deserue the blysse why doth scripture cal it grace Therfore be not we saued by oures but onely by the workes merytes of Christ But where as the scripture somtyme maketh mencyon of rewarde ther can no man there vpon take iuste occasyon to swell and be proude for fayth workynge by charite is the gyfte of God good workes are the gyfte of God so that yf God do rewarde vs we muste vnderstande that he doth not rewarde oure workes but his owne workes in vs. But thou yf thou clayme ony thynge there vpon to thy selfe then shalte thou receaue no reward of glorye wyth the wycked pharyses but thou shalte fele the punyshment of the fyre of hell And seynge that it is so it maye be easely iudged who teacheth more truely I wyth the Apostle do alwayes exorte meÌ„ to the true good workes whiche be done in fayth alwayes takynge hede that a maÌ„ by reason of them trust not in hymselfe and be reproued with the pharyse They do so pricke and moue vnto good workes that they reste and put in them the hope of saluacyon and the cause of merites wherby at chauÌ„seth that euery where men do them wyth this false opinion to be iustifyed and saued by them We not despysynge the grace of God do teach both that we be saued only by the grace of God and we buylde mens conscyences not vpon workes but vpon the stone that is Christ agaynst the whiche the gates of hell can not preuayle and do alwayes beate in this moost confortable gospell or glad tydynges That heretage is geuen by fayth that the promyses may be sure after grace As sayeth Paul Ro. iiii and .v. We iustifyed by fayth haue peace wyth God thorowe Christe ¶ Of synne The new learnynge The lust or concupiscence that remayneth in a man after baptyme the lawe of the membres infirmitie or sycknesse is no synne nother veniall nor mortall and after baptyme it is not original but is the payne of synne Neuerthelesse it bryngeth forth synne This opinion maketh a man that is baptysed slowe and dull to fyght agaynst the fleshe for he beleueth that he is all whole in sauegarde ¶ The olde learnynge Concupiscence which sheweth her selfe by hir euell frutes euen in a man that is baptysed is synne of her selfe Ro. vii Here the Apostle sayeth Now I myne owne selfe do not this but the synne which dwelleth remayneth in me The Apostel doth not here speake iÌ„ the person of wycked meÌ„ for wycked meÌ„ do not coÌ„sent to the law they serue obey not the law of god with theyr mynde S. AusteÌ„ was soÌ„tyme of this opinioÌ„ that the apostle had spokeÌ„ these wordes in the person of euel men but iÌ„ his retractioÌ„s against IuliaÌ„ he doth reuoke this opinioÌ„ and he sayd that at that tyme he vnderstode not Apostell aryght Now he that speaketh so and was baptysed and was the electe instrument of God and yet complayneth of concupiscence and calleth it synne then let the scoolemeÌ„ tell whether the Apostell doth well call that concupiscence which bryngeth forth euell frutes excepte it be stopped synne or no Yee let them tell whether the holy goost dyd erre in that worde Verely .i. Corin. xiiii the Apostell thanketh God that he spake more wyth tunges then all the Corinthians dyd Therfore so great an Apostell knewe with what wordes he shuld name concupiscence WheÌ„ we folowe that maner of speakyng we are chaced out mocked and cast out as heretykes of them that are lytell moued with the cause of so great matters so that they may triumphe in the worlde and lyue in peace Then the trueth is that concupiscence the which bryngeth forth the same frutes after baptyme that it dyd before is called synne as the Apostel doth exhorte theÌ„ that be baptysed Ro. vi Let not synne reygne in your mortall bodyes He doth not saye concupiscence but synne for so the trueth of
lawes that ether the lyberte of a christen man be in ieopardy or we offende agaynst Goddes lawe In this case the positiue lawe byndeth not for the intent of the lawmaker is not to kyll ony man or to geue an occasyon to breake Goddes lawe But seynge that it can not be satisfyed and fulfylled doutlesse it remitteth and lowseth those thynges that it dyd decre And yf ther chaunce ony reasonable cause of breakynge such a tradicyon it wyl pronounce the transgressour assoyled and cleare and not rashe but what more reasonable cause is ther thē auoydynge of deadly synne or the ieopardy of conscience Paule was content so to chastise his flesh to auoyde offēdyng of his brother that he wolde neuer eate flesh rather then to offende hym ¶ Of Coūcels and lawes made by a great multytude of byshoppes gathered together The new learnyng Yf the authorite of councels be despised all thynges in the churche shal be doutfull vncertayne for the heresyes that were once condemned in the coūcels shal come agayn Therfore it is not lawfull vnto a priuate man to affyrme or teache ony thynge agaynst the councels For the councell is gathered together in the name of Christ it is ruled of the holy gooste and therfore it erreth not so that the cōstitucyons of the councels be the constitucyons of the catholyke church whom the councell doth represent But those thynges that the church ordeneth are as well to be obserued and kepte as the canonicall scripture Nother is it nedefull that the councell adde or put testimonyes of scripture to his determinacyons seyenge that the Apostles and the elders dyd not stablysh the fyrst councell holden at Ierusalem with scriptures Actu xv The olde learnynge Ihon in the .iiii. Chapter of his fyrst epistell byddeth proue spretes whether they be of God or no therfore it is lawfull for christen men to iudge the sprete of coūcels for they saye that the holy goost is author of the coūcell What rule shal we haue I pray you to proue and trye spretes besyde the worde of God This seynge that is sure true seuen tymes purged and a candel in a darke place shal be a touch stone to proue to trye all learnynge of men by Yf the holy goost doth rule the councelles and the same spret of truth taught the Apostles euery trueth and yf the Apostles dyd preache that and geue it vnto vs it foloweth that the constitucyons and the councels must agre wyth the learnynge of Christ and the Apostles that is wyth the holy scripture for the sprete of God differeth not from hymselfe he is symple his learnyng is symple But seynge it is openly knowen that the coūcels haue decrees contrarye to holy scripture and also to the holy goost Who wyll forbyd vs to doute vpon suche constitucyons of councels The Apostles learnynge wyll that a byshoppe shulde be an husbande of one wyfe Ther is a councell that forbyddeth byshoppes the vse of holy matrimony what authorite is here The doctrine of Paule is the Gospell and the lawe of God the which ought not to be chaūged seynge that it doth threaten death and cursynge euen to the angelicall sprites yf they durst brynge ony other Gospell But now yf they orden and determine those thynges whiche be contrary to the scripture who wyll deny but they maye erre I haue not sayd this to despyse the coūcels that be coūcels in dede but we set God aboue the councell For we graunt accordynge to the promyse of our saueour that Christ is present in the congregacyon that is gathered in the name of Christ but we graunte no man power and authorite to decre orden ony thynge in the church of God agaynst the scriptures We receaue no man that commeth in his owne name Ihon the .v. chapter and that speaketh not of the father but of his own selfe Besyde this the scripture geueth no greater power to a generall councel than to .ii. or .iii. gathered in the name of the Lorde the which congregacion hath authorite to excōmunicate hym that rebelleth and is stubburne and an open synner but it hath not authorite to make preceptes and to thruste thē in to mēs cōsciences that be fre Farthermore the scripture hath prophecyed that false doctores shuld come in the latter dayes in the name of Christe the whiche shall deceaue many men saynge I am Christe The whyche moost earneste warnynge of oure saueour not without a cause maketh vs more ware and circumspecte that we shulde not beleue euery sprete In dede these be goodly and glorious names The church The councel to be gathered in the name of Christe but Christe and the Apostles haue warned vs that those thynges alone shuld not moue vs the whych dyd describe these latter dayes with so horryble colours that it is wonder men can not perceaue these thynges Ciprian in a certayne coūcel where as were .lxxxvi. byshoppes syttynge taught wronge of the baptysynge of heretikes and for the moost part all the bysshoppes of Aphrica Numidia and Mauritania erred with hym Yf it be so that the councels erre about the sacramentes of the church who can safely wythout yeoperdy from hence forth beleue the councels makyng lawes wythout scripture Moeroeuer the same thynges maye chaunce we do not doute to great and generall councels that haue chaūced vnto the particular and prouinciall councels And suerly I thynke and hold that then all thynges shal be more doutfull vncertayne whā the authorite of the worde doth fayle the which ought to be sounde and vndefyled For the churche gaue not authorite to the word but the worde gaue authorite to the church And whan the congregacion beleueth the gospell it is safe and the heresyes which in tymes paste were bannyshed away and quenched they were quenched with the swearde of the sprete which is the word of God Truely heresye is plucked vp by the roote none other waye thā with the word of God wholsome learnynge Therfore the Apostle wyll that a bisshop shuld be fenced and harnessed with wholsom learnyng that he may ouercōme them that resiste and fyght agaynst hym Put the case that the councell dyd orden ony thynge without scripture by by wyll Gerson and learned and honest men with hym saye We must beleue more the sayenge of one man fensed with the authorite of canonicall scripture than to the declaration of the pope or the generall coūcel I passe ouer here the manyfest sayenge of Innocētius in chap. Cum venerab De excep that is to wyte That no profe is to be admitted agaynste the scripture but al thyng shuld be holden without dout Here vpon it foloweth that it is not lawfull for the coūcell to charge the congregacion with ony thynge without the cōsent of the scriptur And the councell of Ierusalem decreed nothyng wythout scripture boastynge auauncyng the holy goost only For besyde the word of Amos the .ix. Chapter all other thynges had strength of the scripture not