there can not hyndre theyr cristeÌ„dome And as for the chyld if neyther they nor the preste nother well vnderstande theyr dewtye nor well byleued in baptysme neyther ye though they were turkes Iewes or saracens or that worse were then all thre very starke heretyques yet so that in the baptysynge they purpose to make the chyld crysten therin do as the chyrch doth all theyr lakke can not make the baptysme lese his frute And yf that Tyndale knowe not this he is very porely lerned and yf he know this and then saye as he sayth that for lakke of such teachynge at the founte the baptysme there is frutelese what is he then say you But now is yt good to se somwhat of Tyndales mynde concernynge these twoo thynges that is to wyt the fayth set on sensyble tokens in the sacrament and the prechynge of the promyses Fyrst for the visyble sygnes there be twoo thynges to be consydred Thone that Tyndale beryth vs in hand that the clergye maketh vs byleue that the visible sygnes alone doth all to gether therin he saythe false a nother that hym self byleueth that they do no good at all and therin he byleueth false For the fyrst poynt these be his wordes Tyndale They make vs beleue that the worke selfe wythoute the promyse saueth vs whych doctryne they lerned of Aristotle More In this poynte he playnely bylyeth the clergye whyche doctryne he lerned of the deuyll who taketh baptysme but for a sacrament ordeyned of god for mannys saluacyon by whych god hath promised that he shal be saued except synne after let hym and wythout whych he shall not be saued excepte ryght specyall cases those be very few neyther able to be playnely proued by scrypture and yet wyll Tyndale agre them agaynste his maysters rule How be yt Tyndale hath here a nother rule and that as false as the tother by whych as I was aboute to saye he rekeneth the outwarde tokens of the sacrament to be of none effecte but onely bare tokens of that grace that is wrought wyth the worde and that the worde of Cristes promyse For he sayth that the sacrameÌ„tis be as yt were a precheour and do onely preache goddes promyses and therfore for to mynystre the sacramentes is he sayth nothynge ellys but to preache goddes promyses And for this he alleggeth yâ— wordes of saynte Paule in the fyfte chapyter of his pystle to the Ephesies Ephe. 5 Criste clensed the coÌ„gregacyon in the founteyne of water thorow the word And also the wordes of saynt Peter where he sayth in the fyrste of his fyrste pystle 1. Petri .1 ye are borne of new not of mortall seed but of immortall seed by the word of god whych lyueth and lasted euer He alleggeth also the worde of saynte Iamys in the fyrste chapyter of his pystle Iacobi .1 where he sayth Of his good wyll bygate god vs wyth the worde of trouthe that is sayth Tyndale wyth the worde of promyse He sayth also Thou seeste that it is not the worke but the promyse that iustyfyeth vs thorow fayth He sayth also that as the preste purgeth by prechynge of the promyse so do the sacramentes and none otherwyse bycause he sayth that the sacramentes be but sygnes and tokens that betoken and preache the promises And so he meaneth that as the preste prechyng the promyses doth geue vs a knowlege of them or putteth vs in mynde of them and yet he doth but shew vs of the promyses of grace doth not gyue vs any effecte of any promyse or grace nor we by that preching do not gete no grace but by goddes worke bysyde so though he minystre yâ— sacraments yet we do not attayne gete any grace neyther by yâ— preste nor by the sacramentes nor by that worke or dede that is done in mynystrynge or receyuynge the sacramentes no more than by the prestes prechynge but onely by the promyse of god thorow fayth to the infoundynge wherof the sacrament doth nothyng worke nor is no cause therof nor cooperant thereto nor meane nor instrumeÌ„t therin but onely a bare sygnyfyer and a shewer thereof And yet worse then thus that lykewyse as yf a preste standyng vp in the pulpet to preche do there stande styll and preche nothyng at all but so come downe agayne and say nothynge doth vnto yâ— people no profyte at all so the sacramentes syth they be but bare sygnes as he sayth and serue of nothyng but to sygnyfye certeyne thynges he sayth therfore that bycause the mynysters of the sacramentes do not open and declare those sygnyfycacyons to the receyuers of the sacrameÌ„t therfore the sacramentes be frutelesse and meÌ„ take no more profyte by the receyuynge of them then by the stondynge of the preste in the pulpet that standeth there and precheth not And it it to be consydered that thys is hys opynyon as well of the blessed sacrament of the auter as of the holy baptisme wherby what mynde he hath of that blessyd sacrameÌ„t he leueth lytell doute to them that haue eyther lernyng or wyt If thys opynyon of Tyndale were trew that the preest doth in mynystrynge the sacramentes no more but preche the promyses and in the mynystrynge he purgeth but as he doth by hys prechynge and when he precheth not the sygnyfycacyons then he purgeth not then were there wyth the baptysme no grace at all geuen vnto chyldren for the preest precheth not then though he dyd we fynde not yet that he sholde suffycyently purge the chylde wyth prechynge And yet yf baptysynge be nothynge ellys but prechynge as Tyndale sayth then after that the preest had well preched all the were to be preched and shewed what the token and the sacrament meaneth he myght as it semeth by Tyndals tale send home the chyld agayne neuer put water vppon hym Tyndale wyll haue vs byleue no thynge but playne euydent scrypture I wolde he sholde therfore proue hys tale here by playne and euydeÌ„t scripture for as for these placys that he layeth proue it no thynge at all Ephe. 5 For the wordes of saynt Paule to the Ephesyes Criste cleÌ„sed the congregacyon in the fountayne of water thorow the word is the thynge that all we say to that is to wyt that by the holy wordes of baptysme comyâ—ge to the water god cleÌ„seth the soule accordynge to the wordes of saynt Austyne accedit verbum ad elementum fit sacramentuÌ„ S. Austinus But Tyndale bycause saynt Paule sayth there in the fountayne of water thorow the worde weâ—eth that he setteth the water but for a sygne as yf the one wolde say a man doth in hys body faste watch gyue almesse and praye thorow the deuocyon of the soule Tyndale wolde then saye that the body were set but for a sygne and in all these thynges doth nothynge at all Hys texte also of saynt Peter is nothynge in thys world for hys purpose For wheÌ„ saint Peter sayth ye are
of his secte now growen in Germany and also for the onely cause that he fyndeth out here for the kepyng of the holy day of which he putteth no mo but the onely hearyng of the word of god so that by the cause whyche he fyndeth out a crysten man that were eyther in deserte or amonge infydeles where he coulde here no prechyng sholde haue no more respecte vnto Crystmasse day or Ester day or whytesontyde to kepe theÌ„ for holy dayes hym selfe then the worst day in the yere or theÌ„ wolde a turke hym selfe And this is his hyghe spirytuall doctrine concernynge the holy daye Tyndale And so thorow out all laâ—es and euen lykewyse in all ceremonyes and sacramentes be sercheth the sygnyfycacyons and wyll not serue the visyble thynges It is as good to hym that the presâ—e say masse in his gowne as in his other apparell yf they teache hym not somewhat and that his soule be edyfyed therby And as sone wyll he gapeâ—while thou puttest sand as holy salt in his mouth yf thou shew hym no reason therof he hadde as seyffe be smered wyth vnhalowed butter as anoâ—nted wyth vncharmed oyle yf his soule be not tought to vnderstande somewhat at therby and so forth More Lo good crysten reder this holy spirytuall man at laste I wyste well wold somwhat shewe hym selfe what goostly spyryte inspireth hym For here you se for all his holy salutacyon at the begynnynge wyth gay wordes of grace lyght and fayth and feruent loue he bloweth and blustreth oute at laste his abhomynable blasphemy agaynst the blessyd sacramentes of Cryste and lyke the deuyls ape maketh mokkes and mowes at the holy ceremonyes that the spyryte of god hathe so many hundred yeres taught hys holy catholyque chyrche And here perceyue yet the false wylynes of the deuyll in vtterynge of his dreggys and poysoned draught He couereth his cuppe a lytle and shadoweth the colour of his enuenemed wyne that yt may be dronken downe gredely ere the parell be perceyued For he maketh here as though he fouÌ„de no faute but in that the sygnyfycacyons of the sacraments be not opened and declared vnto the people as though yf that were done he were contente and that he mokketh not the sacramentes but the mynysters that openeth not the bytokenynges therof But I shall fyrste shewe you that he playeth the deuyls dysor euyn in this poynte all though he ment no ferther then shall I farther shewe you what myschyef he meaneth more and proue yt you by expresse wordes of his owne Fyrste I saye yt is a lewde and a knauysshe raylynge vppon the sacramentes of our sauyour Cryste to lyken and coÌ„pare them in any maner wise vnto such scornefull thynges as the anoyntynge wyth holy oyle vnto butter smeryuge wyth other suche lyke knauysshe toyes whyche no wreche wolde do but such as hath the very name of the holy sacramentes in hatereth and dyspyte Now where he sayeth that his holy spirytuall sorte wyll alway so vyllanousely esteme the sacramentes but yf men tell them the reasons and bytokenynges of them to the edyfyenge of theyr soules yt wyll be great besynes and mych a do to edyfye and buyld vp the soules of such a sorte which the deuyll hathe by the blaste of his mouth throwen downe so depe and frusshed all to fytters But I praye god to whoÌ„ nothynge is impossyble to byeld them onys agayne vppon the rokke of his fayth froÌ„ whiche they shew them self so farre fallen down that they be full vnlykely to ryse For truly if they stode theruppon theyr hertys wolde abhorre to vttre suche frantyque fantasyes For as touchynge the sygnifycacyoÌ„s and bytokenynges of the blessed sacramentes the lacke of knowlege wherof Tyndale wolde make seme a suffycyent cause of his vilanouse blasphemy all good peple that haue the vse of reason and come to these sacramentes wyth good deuocyon be taught and do thynke and conceyue in they re hertes that god was incarnate and borne god and man for our saluacyon and suffred his passyon and dyed for our redempcyon and that we were redemed to heueÌ„ wyth his blessyd blood and that wythout hym we sholde neuer haue ben saued but had vtterly loste heuen by the synne of Adam and for this cause we call hym our sauyour and beleue that he hath promysed vs that yf we be crystened and kepe his holy commaundementes and for the brekyng be sory and turne agayne by penaunce god wyll brynge vs to heuen that he hath promysed vs and bought vs to And they beleue thâ—â— he hath ordeyned here holy sacramentes whych he wyll that we shall receyue wyth reuerence and that euery man wyth those sensyble sacramentes excepte the faute be in hym selfe receyueth some inwarde grace ayde of god by the merytes of Crystes passyoÌ„ and by his holy promyse and ordinauns so that vnto all good crysten men the outwarde sensyble sygnes in all the sacramentes and holy ceremonyes of crystes chyrch by one generall and comen sygnyfycacyon of them all bytoken and do sygnyfye and that ryght effectually an inwarde secrete gyfte and inspiracion of grace â—ffused in to the soule wyth the receyuyng of that holy sacrament by the holy spirite of god This comen sygnifycacyon of the sacramentes haue all the comenaltye of crysten people they beleue not onely that the sacramentes be tokens of suche grace and do sygnifye it but also be in some maner wyse a meane to come to the getynge therof bycause god hath so ordeyned But vnto Tyndale his holy spirituall sorte this gere is yet to groce for theyr subtyll thynne wyttes For that all crysten people haue this fayth and sygnyfycacyon of sacramentes Tyndale can not denye them but if he lyste to bylye them But why trow you can not this sygnifycacyoÌ„ serue Tyndale veryly bycause he byleueth yt not for he byleueth not that any ceremonye or sacrameÌ„t eyther is in the worke therof any meane to get any grace at all And in almoste all the sacramentes he playnly saythe that they neyther cause any grace nor any grace do sygnifye nor be no sacramentes at all as by his owne wordes I shall hereafter shew you But in the meane while for as mych as in his preface here he maketh as though he cared but for the declaracyon of the tokens and sensyble sygnes of the sacramentes and ceremonyes I haue shewed hym the great and chyef sygnifycacioÌ„ of all that is to wyt that they betoken the insensyble grace that god geueth them in to the soule thorow the merytes of Crystes holy passyon And this is the very chyef sygnifycacyon that all holy doctours note marke in the sacrameÌ„tes as apperyth by the dyffynicyons that in theyr bokes they geue therunto But nowe wyll not Tyndale sette a strawe the more by the anoyntynge wyth holy oyle then by smerynge wyth vnhalowed butter but yf men tell hym some ferther thynge therby that may edyfye hys soule and make it better For as for grace
How be it they confessed that he loked vppon a byll and redde it but they sayd that they coude not tell whyther it were the byll of hys reuocacyon or not And yet rehersed they them selfe certayne thynges spoken by hym to the peple at the fyre wherby they coude not but perceyue well that he reuoked hys errours albe it that some of them watered his wordes wyth addycyons of theyr owne as it was well proued before them They coude not also deny but that forthwyth vppon hys iudgement and hys degradacyon he kneled downe before the bysshoppes chauncellour in the presence of all the people and humbly bysought hym of absolucyon from the sentence of excoÌ„munycacyon and wyth his iudgement helde hym selfe well content and knowleged that he had well deserued to suffer the deth that he then wyste he sholde They coude not say nay but that vppon thys hys humble request and prayour he was there in presence of all the people assoyled byfore that he was caryed out of the court whyche them selfe well wyste wolde neuer haue ben but yf he hadde reuoked yet was there a nother thynge that they coude not deny For all be it they sayd they were not therat yet they hadde herd it in suche wyse that as they sayd they byleued it to be trew and that thynge was suche as it selfe alone muste nedes make them sure that he had reuoked hys heresyes The thynge was thys He labored and made greate instaunce certayne dayes after hys iudgement that he myght be suffred to receyue the blessed body of Cryste in forme of brede wherin the chauncellour made a whyle greate stykkynge and dyffycultye to the entent that he wolde the better and more clerely perceyue what deuocyon the man hadde there to And fynally perceyuynge hym to be of a trew perfyte fayth and hys desyre to procede of a feruent mynde it was agreed and graunted And theruppon was he howseled in so trew perfyte fayth so grete deuocyon that euery good crysten man hath greate cause to reioyce therin And when hys confessour in the ende of the masse which Bylney full deuowtely herde vppon hys knees brought vnto hym the body of Cryste vppon the paten of yâ— chalyce wyth very good and godly exhortacyon vsed vnto hym that excepte he were in herte as he was in worde and outwarde semblaunce he shold ellys forbere to receyue that blessed body syth he sholde then vndowtedly receyue it on hys owne daÌ„nacyon it wold haue gladded any good crysten herte to haue herd hys faythfull crysten answere as they reporte testyfye that were at that tyme by Moreouer where as in the presence of that holy sacrament holden yet vppon the paten in the prestes handes Bylney byfore he receyued it sayd yâ— colecte Domine Iesu Christe when he came at these wordes ecclesiae tuae pacem concordiam he dyuers tymes repeted those wordes wyth tunsyons knok kynges vppon hys breste and there vnto god confessed and asked his mercy that he had so greuousely erred in yâ— point and so sore offended hym in coâ—tempnynge hys chyrche And no meruayle was it though he had a specyall remorse of that artycle For the contempnyng of Crystes catholyke knowen chyrche and the framynge of a secrete vnknowen chyrche that he lerned of Luther and Tyndale was the very poynt that broughte hym vnto all hys myschyefe as the very fundacyon wheruppon all other heresyes are byelded And therfore as the goodnesse of god gaue hym grace to cast vnto the deuyll all hys other errours so gaue he hym hys specyall grace to haue of that heresye that was and is the grounde of all the remanaunt moste especyall repentaunce and remorse wherby we may very well hope and trust that our lorde whose hygh goodnesse gaue hym suche grace so fully to repente and reuoke hys heresyes that he wyth glad herte was content to suffer the fyre for the punysshement of hys offence hath of hys infynyte mercy taken and accepted that payne for so farre as he wyll exacte of the pore mannes purgatory and settyng the merytes of hys owne paynefull passyon therunto hath forthwyth from the fyre taken hys blessed soule to heuen where he now prayeth incessauntly for the repentaunce and amendement of all suche as haue ben by hys meanes whyle he lyued into any suche errours induced or confyrmed And I fermely truste that goddys grace that effecte wyth that holy mannes prayour wyll worke and so I praye god it maye But thus ye se the Tyndale hath no greate cause to glory of hys martyrs when that theyr lyuyng is openly nought theyr opynyons suche as hym selfe wyll abhorre they redy to abiure agayne yf it myghte saue theyr lyfe theyr sectes so dysperate that eyther they dare not at the fyre set forth theyr opynyons for shame or ellys of malyce do dyssymule them to bryng the people in a false opynyon of theyr iudges to wene that they iudged wronge And Bylney that had lernynge and had ben accustumed in morall vertues was by god reuoked from Tyndals heresye ere he dyed and that of lykelyhed the rather bycause god wolde not haue all his good workes loste And yet gloryeth Tindale vngraciously in theyr destruccyon râ—kenynge that theyr paynefull deth doth grete worshyppe to hys bokes whyche are of suche sorte that neuer were there worse nor more abomynable wryten And yet hys bokes beynge suche some folke there are that wyth suche folysshe fauour and suche blynde affeccyon rede them that theyr taste enfected wyth the feuer of heresyes they not onely can not decerne the thynge that they rede whyche yf they coude they were in good waye towarde amendement but are also dyscontent and angry wyth any man that wolde helpe them to perceyue it and fayne wolde they haue them rather byleued then answered Of whyche sorte some haue asked what haue I to do to medle wyth the mater sayenge that beynge laye man I sholde leue it to the clergye to wryte in and not hauynge professed the study of holy scrypture I sholde leue the mater hole vnto deuynes Surely fyrst as touchyng lernyng yf that these maters were very dowtfull and thynges of greate questyon or hadde bene so connyngly handeled by Tyndale and hys felowes as they myghte seme therby maters of greate dowte and questyon then wolde I peraduenture lette them alone my selfe to be debated by men of more erudycyon and lernynge But now the maters beynge so playne euydent and clere and by the hole chyrche of Cryste so clerely put out of questyon that it is playne and open heresye erenestly to brynge them in questyon I neuer purpose beynge in my ryght mynde and a trew crysten man to gyue an heretyque so myche authoryte as to â—eken my selfe vnable in so playne poyntes of the crysten fayth to answere hym namely syth I haue gone somwhat to scole my selfe and bestowed as many yeres in studye and vnder as connynge maysters as some of them haue and that
please god then man But when Tyndale that ys an heretyke putteth for a rule of the peoples obedyence to a good crysten prynce that they be bounden to obay hys teranny yf yt be not agaynste his fayth I say that this his rule of obedyence ys a playne exhortacyon to dysobedyence and rebellion For euery man well seeth that Tyndale amonge many other abhominable heresyes techeth for the ryght faith that freres may lawfully wedde nuÌ„nys and that no man is bounden to the kepynge of any fastyng day or holyday made by the chyrch and that no man sholde pray to any saynte nor pray for all crysten soules and that yt is great synne to do any wurshyppe to crystys precyouse body in the blessed sacramente of the awter and wolde the people sholde kepe hys false translacyon of scrypture for mayntenance of these heresyes And therfore yf any prynce make a lawe againste Tyndales heresyes in any of these poyntes or suche other lyke Tyndale here teacheth thaâ— the people are not bouÌ„den to obay yt but may and must wythstande suche tyranny Or at the leste wyse though they be bouÌ„den peraduenture openly to obaye theyr pryncis tyranny in forberynge fleshe on good fryday or coÌ„mynge to goddes seruyce on whytsone sonday or freres in forberynge open weddynge with noÌ„nes in all which thinges they be yet by Tindales godly gospell at theyr euangelycall lybertie secretely to do what they liste theym selfe where no peace is brokeÌ„ nor any weke coÌ„science offended yet for any law or coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t eyther of prynce or pope or generall counsayle of all crysten nacyons or of any angell that wolde come out of heuen to commaunde in goddys name yâ— coÌ„trary euery maÌ„ must kepe still Tyndales false translacyon of scrypture and abyde by hys other false bokes made for the mayntenaunce of hys manyfolde false heresyes And no man muste for no law nor commaundement pray to any saynt nor for any soule in purgatory nor kysse any relyque nor crepe to Crystes crosse nor do any worshyppe to Crystes blessed body and bloode in the holy sacrament of the aulter But yf any prynce wolde by any lawe or commaundement compelle hys people to any of those thynges then Tyndale here playnely teacheth them that they maye and muste styffely wythstande hys tyranny So that fynally coÌ„cernynge obedyence Tyndales holy doctryne is that the people sholde in the defence of hys false heresyes not let to dysobaye but stubernly to wythstande theyr prynce whych yf any man were so mad to do then were therfore in theyr obstynacye burned or otherwyse in theyr rebellyon slayne there were the tryumphe the greate reste and glory of Tyndales deuelysh prowde dyspytuouse harte to delyte and reioyce in the effusyon of suche peoples blode as his poysened bokes had myserably bywyched and from trew crysten folke turned into false wycked wreches Now to th entent that ye maye the more clerely perceyue the malycyouse mynde of these men and that theyr pestyleÌ„t bokes be bothe odyouse to god and dedely contagyouse to men and so myche the more perylouse in that theyr false he relyes wylyly walke forth vnder the counterfayt vysage of the trew crysten fayth thys is the cause and purpose of my present labour wherby god wyllyng I shall so pull of theyr gaye payâ—ted vysours that euery man lystyng to loke theron shall playnely perceyue and byholde the bare vgly gargyle facys of theyr abomynable heresye And for bycause the mater is longe and my leysour seld shorte I can not as I fayne wolde sende out all at ones but yf I sholde kepe styll all togyther by me lenger then me thynketh conuenyeâ—t I sende out now therfore of thys present worke these thre bookes fyrste In the fyrst of whyche I answere Tyndales preface made before his answere to my dyaloge whiche preface of hys is in a maner an introduccyoÌ„ into all his heresyes The seconde boke is agaynst hys defence of hys translacyon of the new testament The thyrde agaynst two chapyters of Tyndales answere the tone whythet the word were afore the chyrche or the chyrche afore the worde the tother whyther the apostles lefte any thynge vnwryten necessary to saluacyon wheruppon greate parte of all hys heresyes hange Now shall I god wyllyng at my nexte leysor go ferther in hys booke and come to the very brest of all this batayle that is to wyt the questyon whyche is the chyrche For that is the poynt that all these heretyke by all the meanes they may labour to make so darke that by theyr wyllys no man sholde wyt what they meane But I truste to drawe the serpent out of hys darke denne and as the poetes fayne that Hercules drew vppe Cerberus the mastyffe of hell into the lyght where hys eyen dased so shall I wyth the grace of that lyght whych illumyneth euery man that cometh in to this worlde make you that mater so lyghtsome and so clere to euery man that I shall leue Tyndale neuer a darke corner to crepe into able to hyde hys hed Then after that I haue so clerely confuted Tyndale coÌ„cernynge that poynt and shall haue playnely proued you the sure and stedfaste authoryte of Crystes catholyke knowen chyrche agaynste all Tyndales tryflynge sophystycacyons whyche he wold sholde seme so solempne subtyle insolubles whyche ye shall se proued very frantyke folyes after thys done I say before I go ferther wyth Tyndale I purpose to answere good yong father Fryth whych now sodaynly commeth forth so sagely that .iii. olde men my brother Rastell the bysshoppe of Rochester I matched wyth father Fryth alone be now but very babys and as he calleth vs insipientes But thus goth the worlde forth bytwene Fryth and vs. He encreaceth I se well as fast as we decay For ones I wene the yongeste of vs thre thre dayes ere father Fryth was borne had lerned within a lytle as mych as father Fryth hath now How be it I shall leue yonge father Fryth in his pryde glory for the whyle But wheÌ„ Tindale is ones in yâ— article touchyng the chyrch coÌ„futed theÌ„ hath Frith alredy concernynge purgatory clerely lost the felde and all hys welbeloued boke is not worth a bâ—ton though it were all as trew as it is false For then is the fayth of the chyrche in that poynt infallyble or at the lest vnculpable were there scrypture therfore or not And no scrypture can there proue the very trew chyrch to holde an artycle as trew fayth that were in dede dampnably false And yet shall I for all that go ferther wyth yonge father Fryth and to wch yf god wyll euery parte of hys freshe paynted boke and so shall I plukke of I truste the moste gloryouse fethers from hys gaye pecoks tayle that I shall seue hym yf he haue wyt and grace a lytell lesse delyghte lykynge in hym selfe then he semeth now to haue whyche thynge hath hytherto made hym for to stande not a lytell in hys owne lyght I praye
well yf Tyndale and his felowes be spyrytuall electys must as theyr fyrst author of theyr new spyrytuall secte be nedys one of the very chyef Let not therfore Tyndall good reder wyth his gay gloryouse wordes carye you so fast so far away but that ye remembre to pull hym bakke by the sleue a lytle and aske hym whyther his owne hyghe spirytuall doctour mayster Martyne Luther hym selfe beynge specyally borne agayne new created of the spyryte whom god in many places of holy scrypture hath commaunded to kepe his vowe made of chastyte when he then so far contrarye there vnto toke out of relygyon a spouse of Cryste wedded her hym selfe in reproche of wedloke called her his wyfe and made her his harlot and in doble despyte of maryage and relygyon both lyueth wyth her openly and lyeth wyth her nyghtly in shamefull inceste and abominable bycherye dothe he the whyle after Tyndalys hyghe wordes serche the depe secretys and neuer leue serchynge tyll he come to the botome the pyth the quycke the lyfe the spyryte the mary and the very cause of that commaundement why and so iudgeth all thynge Thus good reders examyne hym and then shall ye perceyue how fondly suche an hyghe pure spyrytuall processe accordeth wyth such a baas fowle fleshly lyuyng But Tyndale hath an hope that whyle he paynteth his prologe wyth such gay colours of spirytuall vertue there can no man in the meane whyle remember and consyder what vngracious frute theyr deceytfull doctryne false fayth bryngeth forth And therfore to carye the reder farther of from the remembrauÌ„ce therof he letteth goo by theyr fylthy lechery and holyly speketh of loue Tyndale Take an example in the great commaundement loue god with all thyn harte the spyrytuall sercheth the cause and lokâ—â—h on the benesytys of god and so coÌ„ceyueth loue in hys harte More In thys example of the great commaundemeÌ„t of louyng of god there can lacke no causes but wythout any farre serche there offer them selfe I now at hande except men wil fully wyll forget them But yet all be yt that in many thynges a man may peraduenture well and with frute enserche the cause of goddes coÌ„maundementys yet may the spyryte of a man that were as spirytuall as Tyndale is or Luther eyther and take frere Huskyn to them go some tyme to far in the serchyng of the depe secretys of god and wade so farre therin that he shall fynde these wordes of holy scripture true Proâ—er 25 He that is that the sercher of the maiestye shall be oppressyd of the glorye and he shall fynde the depe secretis of god so depe that the secrete botome wyll not be founde oute for hym and specyally in that thyng in which Tyndall and his felowes be as I shall hereafter shew you moste presumptuously besye that is in goddys fynall electis predestinatys wherof saynt Paule cryeth hymself Râ—â— 11 O altitudo diuitiaruÌ„ sapientiae sciâ—tiae deiâ— O yâ— heâ—th and depenes of the ryches of the wysedome science of god And as for that that Tyndall sayth that what so euer god commauÌ„deth the spyrytuall man to do he neuer 〈◊〉 serchynge tyll he come at the botome the pyth the quycks the lyffe the spyryte the maryâ— and the very cause whyâ— and iudgeth all thynges I say as I sayd byfore it may peradueÌ„ture in some thynges do well to consyder the causes of goddes commaundement so yt be done moderately and wyth reuerence But many suche spyrituall persones as Tyndale is and Luther and frere Huskyn so be wonte to reason and serche the cause of goddes commaundementys wyth them selfe as kynge Saul dyd or bytwene the dyuell and theâ—m selfe as our mother Eue dyd Râ—â—â—â— 1◠〈◊〉 â— that they fall vppon fallacyes and false causes whereby lyke as Saul was deceyued in sauynge of the bestes for sacryfyce whych bestes god hadde prâ—cysely commaunded hym to destroy and Eue was so by gyled that she thought she myght well ete the apple whyche god hadde precysely commaunded her to forbere so doth I say to these men that ar in this new fashyon spyrytuall the dyuell theyr euyll spyryte and them selfe wyth theyr incessaunte serche fynde out salfe causes wherof they take occasyon to breke the commaundementys of god whyche commaundementys other good seely symple soules wythoute any serche obserue As for ensample lo where as god hath in holy scrypture euydently commauÌ„ded Psal. â— 5 Ecc.c. 5 Esaiae 19 Ionae 2 that who so make a vowe shall performe and kepe yt as is wryteÌ„ by the holy Psalmiste Uowe ye and pay your vowes to our lorde and where as our blessyd lady thought her self bounde therto all the holy sayntes synnys Cristes dayes vnto Tyndals tyme haue without any varyance written affyrmed the same not onely they but also all crysten people both good badde haue this .xv. C. yerâ— abhorted as an abominabyle moÌ„ster and accompted yt in comen talkynge for suche a prodigyouse cryme that euer monke or frere shold wedde an nuÌ„ne as they thought shold neuer happen in crystendome therfore haue alway iested that Antecryste sholde be borne betwene a frere and a nuÌ„ne these new spirytuall men haue now Luther Tyndall and frere Huskyn and the dyuell to gyther so longe enserched the cause of thys commaundement of god by whych euery man is coÌ„maunded to kepe his vowe that they haue with longe serche fouÌ„den oute at laste that monkes freres and nunnes be not bounden by that commaundement at all but may for all theyr vowe lawfully runne out of relygyon and lye to gyther when they lyste and call theyr fylthy lechery good and lawfull wedloke And thus lo good reder these newe spyrytuall men wyth theyr depe serche interprete and expowne holy scripture and fynde oute therin suche godly vertues as this is whych the olde holy doctours coulde neuer fynde therin for lacke of grace by lykelyhod for we se well they lacked no wyt had as mych lernynge as these men haue and ten tymes more to and dyd theyr dylygence to but they were as yt semyth but naturall onely not borne agayne nor created of newe wyth the spyryte of god as Luther is and Tyndale frere Huskyn and hys felowes Take ensample sayth Tyndale in the great commaundement loue god wyth all thyne harte the spyrytuall serchyth the cause and loketh on the benefytes of god and so conceyueth loue in his harte In these wordes I lay no fawte But all be yt a man myghte assygne other causes of our loue towarde god then Tyndale doth as for ensample his owne excellent nature and goodnes of yt selfe worthy â—to be loued lauded and honored of vs though we shold yf yt were possyble receyue to oure selfe no benefyte at his hande at all yet I very well alow the cause that Tyndale allegeth that is to wytte the consyderacyon of the great benefytys of god yt is a cause of loue
be not laufull to serue god wyth charyte to whyche now they leue and fall all to lusty loue wyth intent to get heuyn the rather to that they let not to grauÌ„te also but they say the cause is for that fayth they say hath alwaye charyte therwyth But all be it that in that poynte theyr affyrmacyoÌ„ is fals as by reason and pleyne scrypture hath ben often proued vnto them 1. Câ—r 13 Iacâ—bi 2 that is ynough to me that they graunte that a man maye laufully loue god and serue hym wyth charyte to th entent to be the rather saued and come to heuyn therby For now semeth me that yf we laufully maye as Tyndale wyll grauÌ„t we maye serue god with the vertues of fayth and hope and charyte or of any one of them wyth respecte vnto goddys benefytes receyued and also to come and to th entent therby the rather to be saued come to heuyn we may then laufully with lyke respecte purpose inteÌ„t serue god wyth any other vertue that procedeth of fayth hope charyte or of any suche one of them wyth whyche it is laufull for vs for suche respecte entent purpose to serue god then wyll not Tyndale denye but that prayer fastynge almesse dede and contynence and clennesse of body penauÌ„ce trouble of the mynde wyth sufferauns of trybulacyon or afflyccyon of the flesshe wyllyngly taken wyth many other outwarde and inwarde workes may procede of fayth hope and charyte wherfore I can not se but that Tyndale as he graunteth here that we maye serue god wyth loue entendyng thereby to please hym and be sauyd the rather so must he nedys graunte and agre that lykewyse may we wyth lyke entente and purpose serue wyth all other workes aboue remembryd procedynge of a faythfull workynge charyte wherof he and all hys fonde felowes in euery place holde hytherto the contrary And thus haue I now playnly deducyd vppon Tyndals owne wordes the full confusyon of hys owne comen conclusyon so many tymes by hym and hys felowes obiected and among them all neuer onys yet well prouyd nor neuer able to be proued agaynst the profyte of good mennys chrysten workes for chrysten be theyr prayers theyr fastynge and theyr almosse dedys when they be done in fayth hope and charyte and in the state of grace Tyndall And when he is commaundyd to obay the powers and rewlers of the worlde be loketh on the benefytes whiche god shewyth the worlde thorow them and therfore doeth it gladly More In this obedyence Tyndale is yet content to haue a respecte to the benefytes that god worketh and shewyth the worlde thorow the powers and rewlers of the world putteth that for eyther the onely or the chyefe cause of hys obedyence as he putteth it for the onely or chyefe cause of goddys commaundement In whiche kynde of obedyence semeth not the greatest vertue when a man obeyeth onely for hys owne aduauntage but the very chrysten obedyence is to obaye specially for that god so coÌ„maundeth and not so to serche and lymyte the cause of goddes coÌ„maundement as he may therby take hymselfe gyue to other an easy bolde occasyoÌ„ to dysobaye resyste and rebell agaynst theyr hedys and rulers pretendynge that they be not profytable Thys thynge meanyth Tyndale as it apperyth by hys wordes here in the cause of hys obedyence to the powers and rulers of the worlde as it apperyth in dyuers other places of hys workes and Luther his maysters to But god all though he wyll that the gouernours and rulers of the world sholde be good and profytable to the people yet wyll he not that the people shall measure the dewty of theyr obedyence by the onely rule and measure of theyr owne profyte and coÌ„modyte but that they shall obaye theyr prynces and other rulers and gouernours bycause that they be theyr gouernours and rulers and bycause that god hath so coÌ„mauÌ„ded For yf they may measure theyr obedyeÌ„ce by yâ— measure of theyr owne profyte as Tyndale telleth vs they shall sone seke occasyon of sedycion and therof do themselfe also more harme in one daye then sholde theyr ruler in many yeres all were he ryght vnprofytable in dede as apperyd by the vplandysshe Lutherans in Almayn whyche measuryng theyr obedyence by Tyndalys rule gyuen them before by Tyndalys mayster became all vnrulye and dysobeyd and rebellyd agaynst theyr rulers and therby dysobeyd goddes commaundement and brought therby the vengeaunce of god vppon theyr owne heddys to the slaughter of aboue foure score thowsand of them in one sommer the remenaunt the worse entreated euer syns and that hath made Luther and Tyndale a lytell to retreate syns and set a new glose therto yâ— will but shrewdly serue them as I shall shewe you when I come to the place hereafter in hys boke Tyndall And when he is commaunded to loue his neyghbour as hymselfe â—e serchâ—â—â— that hys neyghbour is created of god and bought with Crysâ—es blode and so forth More Loo thys is very louyngly spoken he sayth very well and I praye god that he be one of those spyrytuals that so doeth but surely many places in euery boke that he writeth seme clerely to declare that he hath another maner of spyryte then suche a spyryte of loue And yet were it herde excepte yâ— goddys coÌ„maundement gyue vs that warnyng ellys wyll it be somwhat herd for any man vppoÌ„ the other two causes by any serche to perceyue that he were in reason bouÌ„den to loue another aswell as hymselfe though they maye serue to loue hym ryght well Tyndale And therfore he loueth hym oute of his harte Owt of 〈◊〉 â—erte not in hys heâ—â—e And yf he be euyll forbereth hym and wyth all loue and pacyeÌ„ce draueth hym to good as elder brotheren wayte on the yonger and serue them and suffre them and when they wyll not come they speke fayre and flater and gyue some gaye thyng and promyse fayre and so drawe them and smyte them not but yf they may in no wyse be holpe referre the ponyshement to the father and mother and so forth And by thesâ— iudgeth be all other lawes oâ— god and vnderstandeth the true vse and meanyng of them and by these vnderstandeth he in the lawes of man whych are ryght and whyche tyrannye More Useth Tyndale and his spyrytuall mayster thys manes of loue this forberynge and this maner of pacyeÌ„s to warde the pope and the clergye and towarde prynces and other teÌ„porall rulers we se perde thorow all theyr bokes in what lowly louynge fashion they serue and suffer them and how fayre they speke and how plesauntly they flater all holy catholyque crysten people sauyng onely theyr own secte with as venemouse wordes and as poysen speche as the dyuell can dyuyse them wyth all the meanes they may to sow dyuysyon and dyssencyon and set the people in sedycyon vnder colour of true fayth to brynge them in heresyes and destroye both bodye and soule
borne of new not of mortall seed but of immortall seedâ— by the worde of god whyche lyueth and lasteth euer what meaneth he other then that by our sauyour hym selfe whyche is the lyuynge worde of god that lyueth lasteth euerâ— we be borne agayn by the sacramentall water the sacramentall word whyche bothe he there vnderstandeth for he there expressely speketh of neyther nother but of the worde that is goddes sonne The wordes of saynt Iamys also Iâ—â—â—bi .1 that god of hys good wyll begate vs wyth the worde of trouth how proue these wordes that the water of baptysme serueth but for a sygne The worde of trouth sayth Tyndale is here vnderstanden the worde of â—ys promyse How proueth Tyndale that byâ—ause that Crystes promyses be trew muste it therfore nedys be that saynt Iamys in that place ment the worde of promyse as though there were no more trew of all that euer Cryste spake but onely of hys promyses why may not in that place the word of trouth wyth whyche god hath of hys good wyll bygoten vs be vnderstanden our sauyour Cryst hym selfe by whom god hath bygoten vs in dede and whych is the very trouth it selfe as hym selfe wytnesseth of hym selfe where he sayth Ego sum via veritas vita I am the waye the trouth and the lyfe Thus maye ye se that thys texte proueth Tyndales purpose nothynge at all But now suppose that the very wordes of saynt Iamys were that god had bygoten vs wyth the worde of hys promese what had thys made for the mater How had thys proued that the water and the sacramentall wordes were but bare sygnes tokens If saynt Iamys sayde that god had bygoten vs by hys goodnes do these wordes exclude all yâ— meanys that hys goodnes vsed towarde it If god wolde saye to Tyndale I haue brought yâ— in to thys world which thou doste now corrupte and I haue made the crystendom whyche thou gooste aboute to dystroye and I haue bydden the beware of hell in to whyche thou rennest a pace dyd he therin exclude Tyndalys father and hys mother and hys sacrameÌ„t of baptysme and the mynyster therof and the prechers and â—echers of the tother So ye maye playnly se that Tyndales â—extes serue no thynge at all to proue that the sacramentes serue but onely for sygnes Thys opynyon hath Tyndale taken of Luther whyche gyueth to the sacrament nothynge at all but he sayth that god gyueth all the grace by the fayth alone and not by the sacramentes any thynge at all Now the chyrche beleueth techeth that god hath not so bounden hym selfe to his sacramentes but that where he gyueth the gyfte of fayth to any that can not come to baptysme there he of hys power maye and of hys goodnes wyll gyue vnto that man the gyfte of such grace to come to heuyn without baptysme But where god gyueth grace by the baptysme there it is harde to set the baptysme at so short as to saye that it serueth but for a bare sygne and wythout the sygnyfycacyons preched at the font standeth in no more stede then a precher that precheth not Albe it that god maye cure a sore without a medycyne do a myracle in a mannys helth and that for the regarde of the maÌ„nys good fayth and hys truste in god yet yf it please god to hele hym by a plaster though hys fayth be the cause why god dothe it yet is the plaster a meane in the doynge and serueth not for a bare sygne And surely when our sauyour set thys order therin that who so were baptysed in water in the name of the father the son and the holy ghooste he sholde be saued and that excepte a man were borne agayne as well of the water as of the spyryte he sholde not entre in to the kyngdome of heuyn god set it to serue for a more effectuall thyng then for a bare sygne voyd of any frutefull effecte For thys were yet at the â—aiâ— wyse no lesse then yf a lord wolde say to a poore felow take the here thys badge or thys lyuery gowne of myne yf thou take it and were it I wyll take the for myn houshold seruaunt and in myne houshold gyue the meat and drynke wages or ellys yf thou were it not thou shalte not come wythin my dorys Thys lyuery gowne gyueth hym neyther meat nor money but yet it is more then a sygne that he shall haue it for the werynge therof helpeth hym to get it not of any nature of the lyuery but by hys lordes ordenaunce And so lyke wyse though it were trew that the sacramentes dyde nothynge worke in them selfe nor had no power in them selfe no more of god then of nature to purge clense the soule yet were it more then a bare token or sygne of grace in that it hath by goddys promyse hys owne specyall assystens whyche at the sacramentes mynystred doth infouÌ„de hys grace How be it many good vertuouse men hath there ben of olde that haue had yet a mych hygher estymacyon of the sacramentes then so and that haue thought that the sacrameÌ„tes haue not onely god by hys promyse assystente to purge the soule and to infunde hys grace but also that he hath vsed them therin as effectuall workyng instrumentes in the doynge therof by reason of a certeyne influens of hys power wherby he made them mete to worke in to the soule thorow the touch of the body And in to thys mynde they were ledde by the wordes of holy scrypture and partely for the excellence of the sacrameÌ„tes of the new law in respecte of the sacramentes of the olde law bytwene whych two kyndes of sacramentes semeth to be as greate dyfference as bytwene the two kyndes of the lawes them selfe and that is no lesse then bytwene fygures ymagys symylytudes or shadowes and the very thynges them selfe as sayth saynt Paule Omnia in figura contingebant â—â—is Corin. 1â— all thynge vnto them came in fygures Then syth the sacramentes of the olde law had god by hys promyse assysteÌ„t wyth them in remyssyon of synnes Leuiti 4.5 6 as by the playne wordes of many places of scrypture doth appere it semed to those olde holy vertuouse doctours that the sacramentes of the new law for the preemynence ouer them sholde of goddys especyall influens haue some effectuall vertue force and power as an instrument of god in the workynge therof To whyche mynde they haue ben moued not onely for the cause afore remembred but also as I sayd before for that the very wordes of holy scrypture semen to lede them to it when they redde in the actes Aâ—tâ—um .8 that by the puttynge of the apostles handes vppon them that were crystened the holy gooste forthwyth came in to them and by myracle shewed hym selfe by theyr spekyng in dyuers tonges And when they redde saynt Paule wrytyng to Tymothee 1. Timoth. 4 Neglecte not that grace
Swynglius with frere Huskyn and hys felowes agaynst the interpretacyon of all holy doctours and sayntes and the comen fayth of all trewe crysten people .xv. hundred yere before them but eche of them selfe also agaynst other amonge them selfe saye and swere that the scrypture is playne for theyr parte So that as for necessyte of wrytynge all or any parte coÌ„cernynge the sacramentes ceremonyes or artycles of the fayth god was not dreuen thereto nor by the wrytynge be taken awaye the dowtes But as I wote it well that god had good and greate causes why he caused some thynges to be wryten so had he causes as good why he lefte some vnwryten But neyther can Tyndale tell why he sholde wryte all nor I gyue the rekenynge why he lefte some vnwryten To thys wyll Tyndale happely say for ellys can not I se what he can say that god hath causyd all his wordes spoken to his chyrche to be wryten in holy scrypture and hath in the same scrypture gyuen vs playne warnynge that he so hath done and thereby hath he delyuered vs from dyuerse dowtes though not from all For all be it the dyuerse dowteâ— yet ryse vppon the writtynge we by his expresse warnyng in wrytynge shewynge that all is wryten be put oute of all dowte that we shall byleue nothynge as his worde wherof there is no wrytynge Surely yf Tyndale tell me this tale as in dede he doth for both Luther and he and frere Huskyn and Swynglius and all the rable of that rascayle neuer ceace to saye thys and they fynde folys that byleue them better vppon they re bare wordes then they wolde more honeste meÌ„ vppon theyr obligacyoÌ„s but now as I say yf Tyndale tell me this tale I shall by his leue be bolde to denye yt hym and pray hym onys to proue yt yf he can fynde how For this I wote well they haue amonge them made great boste a great whyle alwaye promysed that they wyll byeld vppe that towre and make yt very strong and sure and surely so haue they great nede to do for therein lyeth all the store of all theyr gunne powder brymstone pytch wyld fyre that they shote out at the blessed sacramentes of our sauyour Cryste And as for hytherto brought they neuer yet so mych good stuffe as wolde make a tyle pynne to fence theyr fortresse wythall And what so euer they bryng herafter they shall make pore paper walles But to th entent that they shall not bygyle you lette vs wyth one worde or twoo put them in remembraunce what thynges they be that they muste nedes proue and that by playne scripture to for other profe them selfe wyll none admytte Tyndale muste proue me fyrst therfore by playne euydent scrypture that all the wordes necessarye to remayne be knowen whych our sauyour hym selfe and his apostles tought ones withoute wrytynge all those he hath caused to be by them and his euangelistes wryten preserued and kepte in playne and euident scripture when Tyndale hath proued this for whych I dare geue hym respyte tyll domes daye then muste he yet by playne and euydent scrypture profe me farther lo for the profe therof though the poyntes be but easy let hym take yet his tyme fyftene dayes after wythin whyche he muste I saye by playne and euydent scripâ—â—â—â— pâ—ofe me farther yet of these two thynges one that is to wyâ—â—â—ther that euery necessary worde whych god hath spoken by hymselfe and his holy spyryte vnto his chyrche synnys the dâ—th of his .iiii. euangelystes and his .xii. apostles he hathe caused to be also secretly sette in and wryten to these bokes whych Tyndale agreeth for holy scrypture or ellys muste he profe me by playne and euydent scripture that not wythstandynge his promyse made vnto his chyrch in his apostles dayes that he wolde wyth his holy spyryte speke to his chyrch hym self and dwell therwyth and teache yt all trewth from tyme to tyme all dayes euen to the day of dome yet as sone as he saw his apostles dede no maÌ„ that herde hym left to bere vs wytnesse what he sayde he bygan to go from his worde agayne sware that he wold eyther no lenger dwell here wyth his chyrch or yf he cam yt shold be but a geste wyse and yet wold he play muÌ„me to and ney ther by hym selfe nor his holy spyryte vouchsaufe to speke any one worde vnto them that were at the leste wyse aught worthy the wrytynge but some wanton tryfle Remember nowe good reader that these be the thynges whyche Tyndale hathe to proue And when he proueth these few thynges then beleue hym hardely and so wyll I do to But surely who so byleue hym wyth any lesse vnder standeth nothynge what the mater meaneth Now yet ones agayne lette vs consyder Tyndales olde tyme in whych he sayth the trew pure preachyng was vsed that is now quyte gone I wolde aske hym when ended that olde tyme of his and when beganne his new He saythe yt hath bene thus as yt is more then this .viii. hundred yeres and me thynketh .viii. hundred is a very longe nowe But yet consyder good reader yf the trew preachynge was lefte and gone .viii. yere a go and more then can he not say nay but that the trew fayth went quyte away therwith without whych can be no chyrch of Cryste neyther catholyque nor of electes And thus doth Tyndale tell vs that this .viii. yere at the laste our lorde hath broke his promyse by whyche he promysed to be with his chyrch all days to the worldes ende This man maketh hygh boste of Crystes promyses wold with them destroye all vertue safe fayth And now ye se that playnely he denyeth Crystes promyse to and wyll I wene at laste denye euen Cryste and all For as ye se at your eye he draweth very faste towarde yt Now tyll Tyndale therfore haue proued vs these few poyntes that are for theyr falsehed impossyble to be proued the chyrche shall not nede for his fonde raylynge any thyng to fere to vse the deuoute sacrameÌ„tes ceremonyes taught and delyuered theÌ„ by god and his holy spyryte For sâ—yghte wherof the deuyll and his damned spyrytes crye vppon to haue them lefte of and bere vs in hand that they be frutelesse For Tyndale sayth that they neyther tame the flesshe nor do good to thy neyghbour nor be honour to god But now doth all good crysteÌ„ people very well perceyue by Crystes owne promyse in the very wryten gospell that the chyrche of Cryste ys taught by hys holy spyryte that these sacramentes and ceremonyes do please god And they perceyue and se also that the holy sayntes whyche haue vsed them before our dayes be now longe a go rewarded in heuyn wyth god And they perceyue also that in the vse therof theyr myndes rysen and be lyfte vppe a lofte in deuocyon to god and bâ— these thynges and such lyke they perceyue well that Tyndale doeth but bylye
sayeth yt appereth that there was no cause to burne his translacyon wherein such chaunges founden as ye se and beynge chauÌ„ged for such causes as hym selfe coÌ„fesseth that is to wyt for a fouÌ„dacyone of such pestylent heresyes as hym selfe affermeth wryteth in his abomynable bokes he myghte mych better yf he cut a mannys throte in the open strete say there were no cause to hange hym but bydde men seke vppe hys knyfe se yt hym safe This myght he in good fayth myche better saye then then he maye now say that there is no cause to burne his translacyon wyth yâ— falsed wherof and his false heresyes brought in there wythall he hath kylled and destroyed dyuerse menne and maye hereafter many some in body some 〈◊〉 soule and some in â—oth twayne And 〈◊〉 where as in the ende he loketh so mych to me that he forgeteth hym selfe and makyng me a nother holy sermone of my couetousenesse my great aduauntage in seruyng in falsed myne obstynate malyce agaynst the trewth he forgeteth in the meane whyle that his owne malyce is agaynst the trewth in such manner obstynate that he doth as the deuell dothe endure payne for the mayntenaunce of hys false deuelyshe heresyes agaynste the treuth and puttynge me in mynde agayne of the false prophete Balaam and his euyll ende and that all suche resysters of the trewth come at laste vnto an euyll deth he forgeteth in the meane whyle the double deth that his felowes heretyques comenly come vnto fyrst by fyre in erth and after by fyre in hell saue they that at the tone renounce his deuelysh heresyes so escape the tother Tyndale therfore where yt lyketh hym to lyken me to Balaam Pharao and to Iudas to syth the pytthe of all hys processe standeth in this one poynte that his heresyes be the trew fayth and that the catholyque fayth is false that the holy dayes nor the fastyng dayes no man nede to kepe that the dyuyne seruyces in the chyrche is all but superstycyon that the chyrche the ale howse is all one sauynge for such holy preachyng that men haue no fre wyll of theyr owne to do nother good nor yll that to reuerence Crystes crosse or any saynts ymage is idolatry that to do any good worke faste geue almysse or other with entent the rather to gete heuen or to be the better rewarded there is dedely synne afore god worse then idolatrye to thynke that the masse may do menne any good mo then the preste hym selfe were a false belyefe a false fayth also to pray for any soule great synne to shryue vs or to do penaunce for synne freres may well wedde nonnes and muste nedes haue wyues and the sacramentes of Cryste muste serue for Tyndales iestynge stoke these be the trewthes that Tyndole preacheth And bycause I call these trewthes heresyes therfore Tyndale calleth me Balaam Iudas and Pharao and â—hreteneth me sore wyth the vengeaunce of god and wyth an euyll deth what deth eche man shall dye that hangeth in goddes haÌ„des and martyrs haue dyed for god and heretykes haue dyeâ— for the deuyll But syth I know yt very well and so doth Tyndale to that the holy sayntes dede byfore these dayes synnys Cristes tyme tyll our owne byleued as I do that Tyndales trewthes beâ— starke deuelyâ—he heresyes yf god gyue me the grace to suffer for sayeng the same I shall neuer in my ryght wyt wysh to dye better And therfore syth all the mater staÌ„deth in this poynte alone that yf his heresyes be the trew fayth then I stande in parell and yf they be a false fayth I maye be safe inought lette hym leue his sermon hardely for the whyle and fyrste go proue his lyes trewe and then come agayne and preache and frere Luther also his lemman wyth hym to and then may the geese prouyde the foxe a pulpette Here endeth the seconde boke in whyche is confuted Tyndales defence of his false translacyon of the new testamente ¶ The thyrde boke Here after foloweth the thyrde boke in whyche be treated two chapyters of Tyndales boke that is to wyt whyther the chyrche were before the gospell or the gospell before the chyrch whyther the apostles lefte ought vnwryten that is of necessyte to be byleued whether the chyrche were before the gospell or the gospell before the chyrche TIndale hath all thys whyle wyth his defence of chaungynge chyrche and other thynges vsed in the chyrch malycyously by hym chaunged in his translacyoÌ„ kept vs as it were styll stryuynge wyth hym in the chyrche porche But now haue I wonne the porche vppon hym and we be comen to ioyne togyther wythin the chyrche For now takynge hys translacyon for damnable as it is we be comen to trye bytwene vs the falsed of hys pestylent heresyes concernynge the chyrch and the worde of god by the spyryt of god taughte vnto hys chyrche wyth which heresyes he corrupteth the worde of god and wyth poysen infecteth hys chyrche as I haue before manyfestely declared bothe concernynge Crystes holy sacramentes and dyuerse other artycles of Crystes fayth But for as mych as by the dyscourse of my dyaloge I proued clerely that nothyng can be sure certayne amonge crysten men not so mych as the holy scrypture it selfe but yf we byleue the chyrche and I proued also that the chyrch of Cryste can not fall in dampnable errour but hath ben is eueâ— shall be taught by the spyryte of god euery necessary â—râ—uâ—h to the bylefe wherof god wyll haue them bounden and that thys chyrche is and euer hath ben taughte by the worde of god partely wryten and partely vnwryten and that those two wordes are bothe of one authoryte and fynally dyd I proue that the very chyrche of Cryste here in erthe whyche hath the ryght fayth and whyche we be bounden to byleue and obaye is thys vnyuerâ—all knowen people of all crysten nacyons that be neyther put out nor openly departed out by theyr wylfull scysmes and playnly professed heresyes and that Luthers chyrche all the chyrches sprong out thereof wyth all the prophetes and patryarches of the same as Suinglius Butzer Balthasar Otho frere Huyskyn frere Lambert and Tyndale be the synagoge of Sathan and seruauntes of the deuyll nowe cometh me Tyndale and perceyuynge hym selfe sore bounden to the stake wyth the strength of thys chayne begynneth to wrythe and wrestle and fareth fowle wyth hym selfe to loke yf he coude breke any lynke therof where about for as mych as he seeth that all the rable of heretykes haue longe labored of olde and yet theyr bokes vanesshed awaye to the deuyll with them selfe and that the deuell hath of theyr dry asshes reysed vp an hundred sortes of new sectes of heretykes mych more blasphemouse then euer were the olde he hath ouerloked studyously all theyr bokes and wyth all the poysen that the deuyll hath put in them hath stuffed hys mouth full to spet it out agayne agaynste
the fewer yf the doctryne were in them to But now let vs se whyther of vs two playe the false iugeler I that tell you that euery necessary poynt of bylefe is not wryten in saynt IohnÌ„s gospell or Tyndale that wolde make you wene that what so euer ye fynde not wryteÌ„ there ye were not bounden to take it for any necessary poynt of fayth For ellys yf Tyndale wolde grauÌ„te that saynt IohnÌ„ had not wryten in dede euery necessary poynt of fayth then is it as good for Tyndale that saynt IohnÌ„ say so as that in dede it be so Let vs therfore leue disputyng vppon the word and loke vppon the dede and se whyther it be so or not If a man seke amonge the other euangelystes he shall fynd mo necessary thynges then one lefte out in saynt IohnÌ„ and in eche of them somwhat that some other hath And yf a man loke ferther in the boke of fayth wryten in the hartes of Cristes hole catholyke chyrche he shall fynde some thynges that none of them all hath wryten and yet necessary poyntes of fayth as I haue shewed you samples and shall But now bycause of Tyndale let vs take some one And what thyng rather then the last souper of Cryste hys mauÌ„dye with hys apostles in whych he instytuted the blessed sacrament of the auter hys owne blessed body and blode Is this no necessary poynt of fayth Tyndale can not deny it for a necessary poynt of fayth though it were but of hys owne false fayth agreynge wyth Luther Huskyn or zuinglius And he can not saye that saynte IohnÌ„ speketh any thynge therof specyally not of the instytucyon Nor he can not saye that saynt IohnÌ„ speketh any thyng of the sacrament at all syth that hys secte expressely denyeth that saynt IohnÌ„ ment the sacrament in hys wordes where he speketh expressely thereof in the .vi. chapyter of hys gospell And thus ye se howe wysely Tyndale sykketh wyth me in the sentence of saynte IohnÌ„s wordes when the thynge that I entende thereby is proued by his dede And yet bycause Tyndale wyll nothynge alowe but the word if he pull frome that word of saynt IohnÌ„ I shall proue hym the same purpose by the worde of saynte IohnÌ„s mayster our sauyour Cryste hym selfe and saynte IohnÌ„ shall bere me recorde that yt was Cryste that sayed yt For oure sauyour lo as wytnesseth saynte IohnÌ„ in the .xvi. chapiter Iohan. 16 sayed vnto his dyscyples hym selfe I haue yet many thynges to saye to you but ye can not bere them now but when that the spyryte of trewth ys come he shall teache you all trewth Lo here ye here our sauyour saye hym selfe that he lefte and wolde leue some thynges and that great thynges and therfore of lykelyhed necessarye that they sholde not here tyll after his passyon that the holy goost sholde come and teache them and well ye wote that saynte IohnÌ„ endeth his boke byfore And therfore as for thys authoryte of saynte IohnÌ„ that I layed in my dialoge Tyndales answere wherin he calleth me a iugler hath not yet iugled awaye the force but hath by his false caste of iuglynge fetely conuayed hym self out of the fryenge panne fayre into the fyre where as I shew in my dyaloge that yt is not wryten in scrypture that our ladye was a perpetuall virgyne and yet yt is a necessarye poynt to be byleued This is his answere thereto Tyndale And how bryngeth he in the perpetuall virgynite of our lady whych though yt be neuer so trew is yet none artycle of our fayth to be saued by but we byleue yt wyth a storye fayth bycause we se no cause resonable to thynke the contrarye More By this answere yt appereth well that god be thanked he fyndeth not yet the peoples deuocyon so farre falleÌ„ from our lady that he dare be bolde to saye all that he thynketh For ellys he wolde saye more then he doth And lyke as he forbedeth folke to pray to her and specially mysselyketh her deuowt antem of Salue regina so wolde he not fayle yf he saw the people frame all after hys fantasye to blaspheme her in this mater of a nother fashion as other of his felowes haue done byfore his dayes But now for the meane whyle he is contente that men may thynke them selfe at lybertye to byleue it or not byleue yt as they lyste as a thynge of no necessyte to be byleued vppoÌ„ saluacyon of our soules And full well he woteth that though he say now that he can se no reason why to thynke the contrary yet if he could bryng vs ones in the mynde that there is no parell therin he myght afterward well inough tell vs when he wolde the contrarye and saye that wyth better lokynge theron he hath now founden that Eluidius other elder heretyques of the same sewte sayde therin very well and that reason and scrypture is wyth them and that saynt Austayne and saynte Hierome all the remanauÌ„t say wrong bycause theyr parte is not wryten in scrypture This wyll not Tyndale herafter let to say when he lyst yf he maye make vs wene in the meane whyle that we maye chuse whyther we wyll byleue thys poynt or not But I saye that in that poynte Tyndale sayeth wronge For in any suche thynge as we be bounden to byleue yf I byleue yt in dede yet byleue therwyth that I maye lawfully chuse whether I wyll byleue yt or not I saye that in so byleuynge I byleue nought nor my bylyefe shall not serue me Then saye I farther that this artycle is suche that we be boundeÌ„ to byleue yt For he that byleueth yt not is an hâ—retyque as yt playnely appereth hoth by saynt Austayn in his boke to quod vult deus and by saynte Hierome in hys boke agaynste Heluidius and by the other holy sayntes and martyrs who as saynt Hierome saynt Austayne reherse dyd wryte agaynste heretykes byfore called them Antidichomarians that is to say Maries aduersaryes Then say I fynally that for as mych as it well playne appereth that all those holy coÌ„nynge men and blessed sayntes therwyth all the whole catholyke chyrch bysyde haue euer hytherto taken the perpetuall virginyte of our blessed lady for so sure a poynte of crysten fayth and bylyefe that they haue euer condemned the contrary for an heresye and then syth yâ— artycle is not in holy scrypture wryten but that the wordes of scrypture not well vnderstanden seme to say the contrary I may do agaynst Tindale his felowes well and fully coÌ„clude that there is some thynge necessary to be byleued and yet is not writen in scripture And so to my secund argument ye fynde his answere fonde For as for his story fayth wyth onely whych he sayth we byleue this poynt I shall touche yt I trust in â—uch wyse his felynge fayth ther wyth when I come thereto that euery man shall fele wyth hys fyngers endes that
of And therfore as I haue sayde those wordes of Crystes were properly ment of the tradycyons commaundemeÌ„tes of the scrybes pharasees them selfe bysyde the law whych thinges our sauiour there coÌ„maâ—Ì„ded to be kept obserued where so euer they were not superstycyouse nor contraryed not the lawes and commaundementes of god but were tendynge to his honour or to vertue or to the comen wealeâ— for the place and offyce that the scrybes and pharysees kepte though them selfe were nought And theyr good tradycyoÌ„s dyd neuer Cryste dysprayse though he somtyme dyspensed wyth his dyscyples concernynge them and the law to Now there is no man I thynke so maddeâ— when he dowteth not but the seruauntes in a mannys housholde are so bounden to fulfyll and obaye theyr maysters lyefull commaundementes that yf they wolde refuse at hys byddynge to knele downe and say certayne praoyurs with hym to bed warde all the whole house to gether tyll he shold shew them some such commaundement in scrypture they were well worthy to go to the deuyll for theyr proude dysobedyence in the defence of theyr false euangelycall fredome he that douteth not I saye of thys of whyche I thynke no good man douteth can not be so madde to thynke that neyther bysshoppe nor pope nor whole generall counsayle nor all crysten people to gether though they were all assembled vppon a playne were able so to commaunde so myche as a generall processyon vppon any certayne daye but that any lewde lyther losell that lyste not to ryse may lye styll in hys bedde say he is not bounden to obay mannys tradycyoÌ„s nor nothyng but scrypture except for auoydyng of slauÌ„der and then there shal be so many at the processyon that he shall not be myssed yf he be some man may say he is syke Uppon these wordes coÌ„cernynge theyr tradycyons wold I not haue ben so long sauyng that both frere Barns rially triumpheth wyth them agaynste the lawes of the chyrch and also that Tyndale in his answere to the .xviii. chapyter of my dyaloge bryngeth in the same for the lyke entent which entent how properly they proue bytwene them both now ye may partely se and yet farther shall by goddes grace when I shall hereafter god wyllynge come to touche the place in Tyndales answere to me But now that I haue proued that those wordes of Crist make not onely nothynge for they purpose agaynst the lawes of Crystes chirche but also make playnely for the lawes agaynste theyr purpose I shall not nede longe to tary you for the tother poynte that is to wytte to proue you that those wordes of Cryste nothynge make agaynste our pryncypall purpose For they nothynge proue that euery necessary thynge is wryten though we constre Crystes wordes not of the tradycyons of whyche they be properly spoken in dâ—de but of the law of Moyses and set therunto the wordes of saynte Austayne also wyth whyche Barns wolde seme so well to furnyshe his mater For fyrst as for Crystes wordes yf they hadde ben playne expressely these what so euer the scrybis and pharysees bydde you do that is wryten in the law of Moyces I warne you se that you do yt yet whyle he sayde not farther I warne you byleue them not in any thyng ellys these wordes were no profe that all to gether was writen wher in the peple shold byleue them no more theÌ„ that all thyng wher in they sholde byleue them was wryten in Moyses bokes whyche yf yt were taken so then were all that they myghte teache the people writen in Esaieâ— Hieremie or Ezechiel by Cristes worde wyped oute of credens Therfore by those wordes expownynge them of the doctryne of Moyses and not of the tradycyons of the scrybes and pharysees yet is there nothynge proued that they were not to be byleued in any thynge that they sholde teache bysyde Moyses nor bysyde all the scrypture neyther Nor those wordes of Cryste be not contrary but that there myghte be yet at those dayes trewthes kepte amonge the people by tradycyon from the begynnynge whyche the scrybes and pharysees bothe myght preache and remember to the people as they myght the scrypture and be therin byleued And therfore our sauyour sayd not byleue theÌ„ in nothing but the bokes of Moyses or other bokes of scrypture but he sayd do not as they do not forbediÌ„ge theÌ„ to byleue theÌ„ in many other thynges but forbedyng them to folow them in theyr vyces Now if Cryste had sayd farther to the iewes all thynges necessarye be wryten therfore byleue the scrybes pharysees no farther then ye fynde wryten in Moyses and in the prophetes had thys proued that all thynge that crysteÌ„ meâ— muste byleue is wryten in the apostles and the euaÌ„gelistesâ— Now the wordes of saynt Austayne whyche frere Barons addeth therunto do for this purpose nothyng auaunce the mater For when saynte Austayne applyeth those wordes of Cryste to a preacher that is not a very trew shepeherde so kyng onely the weale of the flokke and the pleasure of Criste but mercennary and an hyred man that preacheth for lucâ—â— or other wordely affeccyons of hys owne and then sayeth that in the chayre of Moyses is vnderstande the lernynge of the law of god and sayth that therfore god dothe teache vs by them that is to wytte by those merceÌ„nary preachers to and therfore when they teache the law of god here them and do thereafter but and if they wyll teache theyr owne doctrine here yt not do yt not for suche men seke that is theyres and not Crystes that is to wyt theyr owne commodyte and not the pleasure of god lo sayth Barns these wordes of saynte Austayne be playne agaynst all them that preche any thyng but the law of god onely And forthwyth well and wyseâ—y in stede of prechyng he putteth ensample of statutes makyng as though yt were both one thynge one man to preche and all the chirche to make a statute And bycause ye shold se yet hys playnesse and synceryte therin he fayneth that the chirch maketh some openly and directly agaynst the worde of god and to the destruccyon of the fayth as is that statute sayth he whereby they haue condemned the new testament and also forbeden certayne men to preache the worde of god hauynge no cause agaynste them but all onely theyr owne malycyouse suspycyon Now of trouth there is no such statute madeâ— nor no such thynge done neyther concernynge the tone poynte nor the tother For as for the new testament yf he meane the testament of Cryste yt is not condemned nor forboden neyther no more then was the holy arche though euery man myght not be so bolde to touche yt But of trouth there is a false englyshe translacyon of the newe testament newly forged by Tyndale so altered chaunged in maters of great weyght malycyousely to sette forth agaynste Crystes trew doctryne Tyndales antichrysten heresyes that yt was not worthy to be called Crystes testament
For as well be those thynges to be byleued as these And therfore let vs esteme thobseruauÌ„ces of the chyrce worthy to be byleued so that yf any thynge be delyuered to vs by the chyrch neuer aske farther questyon Saynte Hierome interpâ—etynge the .xi. chapyter of the fyrste epystle to the Corynthyes sayth in this wyse Saynt Poule preuented them to th entent none of them shold say where is this wryten nor shold wyth any other argumeÌ„tes stryue agaynste this reason And therfore he sayde we haue no suche custome to stryue and contende neyther we nor yet the chirche of god whych is rather geueÌ„ to myldenesse then to contencyon and stryfe Theophilactus expowneth the same place lykewyse and sayth For as myche as the Corinthyans wolde perchaunce collour this mater by certayne subtyltyes and wente about yt by syllogysmys sophistycacyons alledgynge that these thynges were neyther good nor bad but of theyr nature indyfferent therfore saynt Poule sayde we haue no such custome other to be coÌ„tencyouse or a man to let his here grow in length or a woman to go bare hed neither haue we sayd saynt Poule this custome nor the chirche of god that ys nor the other crysten people neyther And therfore by suche frowarde argumeÌ„tes ye seme to resyste and withstande not onely me but also the chyrche yt selfe These wordes therfore of saynte Poule maye make the herers ashamed to do any thynge contrarye to the custome receyued by the chyrche Saynte Leo also an holyman and a cunnynge in a sermon that he maketh in the faste at whytesontyde sayeth in thys wyse There is no doute my welbeloued brethern but that euery crysten obseruaunce is of Crystes techynge and what so euer is receyued of the chyrche into a custome of deuocyon commeth of thapostles tradycyon and of the doctryne of the holy goost which holy spiryte euen now also doth rule all faythfull hertes wyth his own instruccyon to make them kepe them obedyently and vnderstande them wysely Saynte Austayne in the boke of the baptysme of yonge chyldren agaynste the Pelagians wryâ—eth in thys wyse Chyldren whiche be baptysed be taken in the nomber of faythfull peple and that onely by an olde cononyke sure grounded custome of the chyrche And in a nother place agayne Now sayth he we haue shewed you afore that the lyttell chyld beleueth that he is accouÌ„ted amonxst men yâ— be baptysed Thys holdeth the authoryte of our mother holy chirch and this holdeth the rule of the sure grouÌ„ded fayth who so runneth agaynste this fortresse this inexpugnable wall shall all to frush hym selfe Cassianus in the .xi. collacyon the .xii. chapiter Thauthoryte of the olde fathers and the custome of our elders contynued by the space of so many yeres vnto this day although the cause of them be not perceyued by vs muste we fyrmely byleue And that custome must we with perpetuall obseruauÌ„ce reuerently fulfyll in such wyse as yt was delyuered of olde Saynte Austayne in the .cxviii. pystle to Ianuary sayeth thus Those thynges whych are not wryten and yet we by tradycyon obserue them such I meane as are thorow Crystendome kepte we may well vnderstande that they be kept as thynges ordeyned and commaunded vnto vs eyther by the apostles them selfe or ellys by generall counsayles the authoryte wherof is in the chyrch moste necessary As for ensample that the passyon of Cryste and his resurreccion and hys ascensyon into heueÌ„ and the comynge of the holy goost from heuen are yerely celebrate with a solemne feaste and what someuer thyng we fynde that is obserued amonge all people where the chyrche of Cryste ys sprede Many thynges be not founde in the wrytynges of the apostles nor in the counsayles of those that cam after them whyche yet bycause they be kepte of all the hole chyrche we byleue them to haue hadde no nother bygynnynge but by the tradycyon and commendacyon of the apostles vnto vs by them selfe Saynt Austayne in the fourth boke of baptisme agaynst the Donatystes The thynge that the hole chyrche holdeth and is not instytute and ordeyned by counsayles and that not wytstandynge hath ben euer obserued we very well by leue that yt neuer byganne but by the authoryte of the apostles tradycyon Saynte Austayne in the fyfte boke of baptysme agaynst the Donatistes sayth Many thynges are there whyche the vnyuersall chyrche holdeth and therfore be well byleued that the apostles haue commaunded them though they be not founde in wrytynge Saynte Austayne in the .xi. chapiter of the .ix. boke of his confessyons wrytynge of the departyng of that holy blessed woman his mother Monica sheweth that all be yt before tyme she had ben very studyous of the place where she wold be beryed longed specyally to be layed by her husbande yet at the tyme that she lay dyenge beynge then farre from the place where her husbande lay shewed vnto saynt Austayne then psent wyth her that she cared not in what chyrch they beryed her bodye but she prayed them very effectually to remember her in his masse whyche thynge I wryte the ye may se that the masse and prayenge for soules therin ys not so new a thynge as Tyndale wolde haue yt seme And in the nexte chapyter after saynte Austayne sayeth these wordes spoken vnto god Her body was caryed forth we folowed cam agayne wythoute teares And ouer yâ— in those prayers whych we made vnto the when the sacryfyce of our redempcion was offered for her the corps beyng set by the graue as the maner is there I wept not in those prayers neyther but all the day was I in a greuouse secrete sorowe And afterwarde in the laste chapyter of the same boke saynt Austayne prayeth for his mother vnto our Lord amoÌ„g many other wordes in thys wyse I good lorde that art my prayse and my lyfe the god of my hart settynge a syde for the whyle my mothers vertues and goodnesse for whych I ioyfully geue the thaÌ„kes wyll now beseche the for her synnys Here me gracyously good lorde for that medycyne of out woundes whyche honge vppon the crosse and now syttynge at thy ryght haÌ„de doth call vppon the for vs. I know good lorde that she dyd workes of mercy and that she hartely dyd frogyue the dettes vnto her dettours Forgyue thou good lorde her dettes to her suche also as she hath fallen in by so many yeres after the water of helthe Forgyue her good lorde forgyue her I beseche the and enter not wyth her into iudgement And afterwarde he sayth And I beleue good lorde that thou hast done all redy the thynge that I praye for For she when the daye approched of her departynge nothyng bethought her how she myghte haue her body costely couered or dressed wyth spycâ—s nor longed for a suÌ„ptuouse sepulchre nor cared not to be beryed in her owne countrey These were not the thynges that she any thynge requyred vs but onely desyred vs to haue her in remembraunce at thyne auter to