byleuyng the promyse that mankynde shall be saued thorow Chryst may yet erre in not byleuynge y â— Iesus the sonne of Mary was that Chryste And of trouth eyther in that errour or very nere to that errour be all the hole secte of Iewes So that it is as great parell not to byleue god in hys tale wheÌ„ he sayed thys is my welbeloued sonne in whom I myche delyte as not to byleue hym in hys promyse made vnto Habraam that of hys seed sholde such a sauyour come For it is not all one to promyse that of hym sholde one come by whom the worlde sholde be saued and to tell hym thys is the man that in my promyse I spake of For a promise and a tale be not both one thynge For though euery promyse by in dede a tale syth no man can make a promyse but yf he tell it yet is not euery tale a promyse as euery chylde perceyueth And therfore saynte Peter toke a sure waye when he sayed Thou arte Chryst that arte come into thys worlde takyng it for a pryncypall poynt to byleue goddes tale For the tale that thys was he whycâ—â— as our sauyour sayde the father in heuen had hym selfe tolde vnto Peter that tale Peter confessed that Iesus was Chryste whyche was then comen into the worlde But the promyse whyche was the sauynge of the worlde that sholde be wrought in hym that thyng saynt Peter spake not of there as a thyng byleued and loked for afore nor of the mene of the sauyng that it shulde be by hys passyon that thynge saynte Peter as Tyndale sayth at that tyme knewe not of so that y e tale and the promyse were not all one But surely coÌ„cernyng the bylyefe of goddys promyses Tyndale semeth to fare as the Iewes do For lyke as many of them byleue that thorow Chryste the world shall be saued and yet they lese the frute of that bylyefe bycause they wyll not knowe who is Chryste euyn so Tyndale sayth that he byleueth Chrystes promyse made vnto hys chyrche here in erth that hys holy spyryte shal be therwith vnto the worldes ende and teche it and lede it into euery trouth But he leseth yet the frute of that bylyefe yf he byleue it as he sayth he doth bycause that he wyll not knowe whyche is Chrystes â—hyrche here in erth But lyke as the Turkes in stede of the trew sauyour of the world worshyp the false deceyuer Machomet so Tyndale in stede of the trew catholyke chyrche of Chryst of whych chyrch Chryst wolde that euery man sholde lerne the â—routh whyche the holy goste by Chrystes promyse techeth and euer shall tech vnto itâ— and whyche chyrche muste for that cause nedes be a congregacyoâ— knowen Tyndale taketh not onely a secrete scatered company vnknowen but also a rable of fals malycyouse heretykes techyng to the doctryne of goddes spyryt abydyng by Chrystes promyse in his catholyke chyrche euyn clene the contrary And also where as Chryst when he turned the brede into his own precyouse body the wyne into his blessed blode coÌ„mauÌ„ded the same to be done for euer in his chyrch after in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of his passyoÌ„ dyd in so coÌ„mauÌ„dyng make a faythfull promyse y t hym selfe wolde be for euer with hys chyrch in that holy sacrameÌ„t for a perpetuall memory of hys bytter passyon that he suffered for vs wolde gyue hys owne flesshâ— that suffered passyon hys owne blode that was shedde in hys passyon to abyde perpetually with vs accordynge to hys owne wordes spoken vnto hys chyrche when he sayed I am with you all dayes vnto the ende of the worlde Tyndale wyll not now byleue that promyse at all but as I haue in my fyrst boke by hys owne wordes proued you maketh mockes and mowes at that blessed sacrament and calleth it but cake brede and reasoneth it rather for starche full lyke a starke heretyke god wote and sayth it is neyther body nor bloude at all And thus where he so hyghly magnifyeth the bylyefe of goddes promyses onely settynge all other artycles of the fayth as thynges of a seconde sorte hym selfe byleueth as ye se the promyses as lytell as the tother But now let vs go ferther in hys wordes se for what cause he sayth that none other errour in any thynge saue the promyses can be dampnable be they neuer so greate Lo thus he sayth Tyndale In other thynges that be not the promyses theyr errours be not vnto dampnacyon though they be neuer so greate bycaâ—se they holde them not malycyously As now yf some when they rede in the new testament of Chrystes bretherne wolde thynke that they were our ladyes chyldren after the byrth of Chryst bycause they knowe not the vse of the spekynge of the scrypture or of the Hebrues how that nygh kynnesmen be called bretherne or happely they myghte be Iosephes chyldren by some fyrste wyfe neyther can haue any to teache hym for Tyranny that is so greate yet coude it not hurte hym thowgh he dyed therin bycause it hurteth not the redempcyon that is in Chrystes blood For though she had none but Chryst I am therfore neuer the more saued neyther yet the lesse though she had had And in suche lyke an hundred that plucke not a mans fayth from Chryste they myghte erre and yet be neuer the lesse saued no though the coÌ„trary were wryteÌ„ in the gospell For as in other synnes as soone as they be rebuked they repent euen so here as soone as they were better tawght they sholde immedyately knowledge theyr errour and not resyste More Here haue ye good reders the reason and y e cause wherfore the trew membres of Tyndals chyrch can neuer synne dedely though they erre in any artycle that is no promyse be the article neuer so great The cause is sayth he bycause that lyke wyse as in all other synnes as soone as they be rebuked they repente euyn so as soone as they be better taught they repeÌ„t theyr errour and byleue the trouth and resyste not and for that cause it is no dedely synne in the mene season before they be rebuked and taught better all though they dyed in those errours were the artycles neuer so great and the contrary trouth wryten in the gospell so that they be none of the promyses Thys is the hole somme and effecte of thys hole chapyter though he tryfle with other thynges bytwene And therfore wyll we fyrste aske hym by what scrypture or by what reason he proueth that euery person whych is elected to be saued shall repent as soone as euer he is rebuked of any synne that he doth He wyll shew peraduenture that Dauid dyd so happely some other to That wyll be a very bare argumente Dauid was an electe person and he dyd so ergo euery elected person doth so Thys argument wyll be very lyke the forme of arguynge that yonge chyldren vse in grammer scholes Asinus meus habet
se yet shall ye perceyue as well in hys chapyters folowynge as in thys same chapyter after that he putteth fayth alone for suffycyent and repentaunce as a shadowe that neuer can but folowe it And yet all hys thynges euer so darkely that he wolde fayne leue hym selfe some startynge hole But surely yt ys harde for hym to starte out fro these playne wordes of hys owne who so euer go to god by any other waye then thys fayth that saynte Peter confessed the same is an heretyke out of the ryght waye and not of Crystes chyrche For thys is no more to saye but who so euer bysyde the bare bylyefe wyth as bare repentynge adde confessyon or for synne punysshe hym selfe by penaunce or doth the better after bycause he hath done euyll byfore and hopeth that god shall eyther rewarde hym the more or haue the more mercy on hym or in purgatory punysshe hym the lesse he is a starke heretyke And of trouth so he is in dede yf thys false tale be trewe and all trewe men and all holy sayntes and all holy scrypture false But now gothe he forthe not in the profe but in the prayse and sayth Tyndale For thys knowlege maketh me a man of the chyrche More whyche knowledge the knowledge that a man nedeth no mo artycles in hys fayth now then saynt Peter confesseth then and that he maye not bysyde repentaunce and bylyefe vse any other waye to heuen that is to wytte he maye not therwythall vse as a waye to heuen or to remyssyon any sacramentall shryfte or penytencyall workes or dedes of cheryte towarde satysfaccyon The knowledge of thys fayth maketh Tyndale a man of the chyrche as he sayth But of whyche chyrche trowe ye truely not of the chyrch of Cryste whych bysyde that fayth hath instytuted y e fayth in his blessed sacramentes dyuers other artycles besyde which hath playnely declared y t all be it y e knowlege of hym hys pleasure by fayth be such a way toward heuen y t without it we caÌ„ not come thyther yet if we ioyne not to y â— knowlege good dedes or purpose of good workes neyther can that knowlege nor repentaunce neyther serue vs for a suffycyent waye to heuen And therfore Tyndale is not by thys knowlege made a man of Crystes trewe chyrche but syth he is content wyth the bare knowledge and setteth all good workes at so short he is made therby a man of the false chyrch of the deuyll that is a lyar hymselfe and father of all suche lyars Tyndale The chyrche is Crystes body Collosâ— 1. And euery person of the chyrche is a member of Cryste Ephe. 5. Now it is no member of Cryste that hath not Crystes spyryte in it as it is no parte of me nor member of my body wherin my soule is not present and quyckeneth it And then yf a man be none of Crystes he is not of the chyrche More Here Tyndale runneth in iuglynge by equyuocacyon of thys worde chyrche For where as hym selfe hath byfore thys tyme confessed in wrytyng in thys same boke to whiche I answere now that the chyrch in many places of holy scrypture is the hole multytude that professe the fayth of Cryste whyther they be good or badde here he fareth as though there were no man of the chyrche but onely good folke alone in whom is the spyryte of Cryste wyth an ensample put of the body hauyng some dede parte hangyng theron wherin were not the soule to quycken it and gyue it lyfe whyche therfore he sayth is no parte of the body But he forgeteth that somtyme there is some member astoyned and lacketh bothe lyfe and felynge whyche yet by the reason that it is not clene cut of and caste awaye receyueth after lyfe and felynge agayne as many a dedely synner doth in the body of Crystes chyrche take lyfe agayne that hath in synne lyen full longe dede But now is he yet of thys mynde that the fayth whych hym selfe hath descrybed is the thynge that it onys goten and hadde of any man kepeth in the spyryte of god so fast in hys harte that he ys surely a quycke member of the chyrche that ys Crystes body and that he can not lese that fayth nor that spyryte at any tyme after that he hath onys goten it so that he haue it as he sayth in another chapyter after felyngly and not onely hystorycally And who so euer haue not the fayth that he descrybeth hym he rekeneth for an heretyke and onely hys fayth for the trew and the byleuers therof for the trew chyrche Now hys fayth haue ye herde often inough that onely fayth suffyseth or at the leste wyse wyth repentynge that shryfte or penaunce toward heuen or remyssyon of synnes is heresye and that to wurshyppe the blessed sacrament of the aulter is dyshonour to god and that there is no purgatory and that frerys maye well laufully wedde nonnes and a greate rable of suche deuelysshe heresyes mo of such maner suit and sort that as our sauyour sayed vnto saynt Peter at the confessyon of hys fayth Thou arte blessed Symon the sonne of Ionas For flesshe and bloude hath not reueled thys vnto the but my father that is in heuyn so wyll he saye to Tyndale for confessynge of thys false fayth of his Thou art accursed Tyndale the sonne of the deuyll for neyther fleshe nor bloude hath taught the these heresyes but thyn owne father the deuyll that is in hell And thus well hath he quytte hym in thys chapyter Here endeth the confutacyon of thys chapyter of Tyndale whyther the chyrche can erre Here foloweth the next chapyter of Tyndale in which he sayth that a trew member of Crystes chyrche synneth not and that he ys yet a synner Tyndale How a trewe member of Crysâ—es chyrche synneth not and how he ys yet a synner More NOwe come we to the specyall poynte wherin Tindale gyueth vs a glorious demonstracyon of hys excellent hygh wytte and lernynge farre surmountyng the capacyte of pore popyshe men to perceyue how it myghte be possyble that any man synneth not and yet for all that synneth all waye styll But to the entent that Tyndale shall haue no cause to saye y t I deface hys gay goodly tale by manglynge of hys mater and rehersynge hym by patchys and pecys ye shall fyrst concernynge thys poynt here all hys hole chapyter to gether wythout any worde of hys eyther omytted or chaunged and after shall we consyder examyne y â— partes These are therfore hys wordes Tyndale Ferthermore he that hath thys fayth can not synne and therfore he can not be deceyued with dampnable errours For by thys fayth we be as I sayâ—e borne of god Now he that is borne of god can not synne for his seed dwâ—â—â—eâ—h in hym and he can not therfore synne by cause he is borne of god I. IohnÌ„ â— whyche seed is the holy goste that kepeth a mans herte from consentynge
specyall reuelacyon therof so sure of his owne fynall saluacyon nor of his own present estate neyther but that he hath good cause to fere temper hys hope of goddys mercy with the drede of his iustyce lest his ouer bolde hope may happe to stretche in to presumpcion occasyon of sleyght regardyng synne Tyndale wolde expoune theÌ„ all agaynst them all by one darke text or twayn taken in this pistle of saynt IohnÌ„ by which he wold make vs byleue y â— saynt IohnÌ„ techeth dyuers of the most pestylent heresyes most repugnauÌ„t vnto god and y t in hys iustyce and his mercy bothe wyth the most occasyon gyuen vnto the world vnto the two most heyghnouse synnes and moste contraryouse in them selfe that is to wytte presumpcyon despayre that euer any heretyke deuysed For he gathereth and affermeth vpon saynt IohnÌ„s pystle in hys false exposycyon and also in hys foresayd begynnynge of thys chapyter that saynt IohnÌ„ techeth them all these false heresyes folowynge Fyrste that who so euer haue onys the trewe fayth can neuer after synne of malice or purpose but that all the synnys that he can after fall vnto shal be but of wekâ—nes and frayltye be they murder aduowtry periury sacrylege inceste or treason or any other abomynable dede be it neuer so detestable synne SecoÌ„dely y t of all such synnes he that hath onys at any tyme goten y e fayth shall haue euer after the grace to repeÌ„t And thyrdely y t at the bare repentynge wythout shryfte or penaunce he shall haue forthwyth forgeuenesse of all synne and payne so that any satysfaccyon shall not onely no thyng nede but is also as he sayth a dampnable thyng to do it for hope or desyre towarde any remyssyon eyther of synne or payne and a dampnable eâ—rour to byleue that god hath ordayned any punysshement or payne eyther in purgatory after thys worlde or by any afflyccyon in thys world for any synne that any man onys hauyng the fayth coÌ„mytteth repeÌ„teth hym of were it neuer so abominable For in hys exposycyon of y e fyrste pystle of saynt IohnÌ„ he is come so mych ferther then euer he came before as farre as I remember y t there lyke as I haue shewed you byfore in the preface he denyeth not onely purgatory but also all punysshement here he techeth also that who so gete onys the trew fayth which he calleth the felyng fayth hath a sure vndowted knowlege that he is in the state of grace and an electe that can neuer be dampned Now of these abomynable heresyes what bold occasyoÌ„ of synne men may catche and how they repuÌ„gne agaynste the iustyce of god I referre it vnto the wysedome of euery good Crysten reder Then techeth he on the tother syde y t who so euer after hys baptysme had the story fayth that is sayth he the fayth with whych we byleue the artycles of the fayth as men byleue a story or a cronicle do any dedely synne of purpose y t is to wytte as he sayth not of wekenes or freyltye but of malyce or wyllyngly wyth a consentyng to the synne y â— man shall neuer after be forgeuen in thys worlde nor in none other For euery such synne sayth he is the synne agaynst y â— holy goste which shall sayth he neuer be forgyuen notwithstandynge any repentaunce and penaunce taken and done therfore And to the profe of thys pestylent heresye he draweth the couert and obscure wordes of our sauyour Cryste in the gospell of saynt Mathew the .12 chapyter and also the darke and hard wordes of saynt Poule whych places of them selfe all olde holy doctours confesse for dyffuse and almost vnexplyclable sauynge that they all expoune them contrary to Tyndals heresye by y â— artycles of the knowne fayth of Crystes catholyke chyrche and by many playne open textes of holy scrypture Of whyche two thynges Tyndale the tone dyssymuleth and the tother despyseth and byleueth the olde heretyke Nouaciane the fyrsse authour of that abomynable heresye better then saynte Cypryane saynte Hyerom saynte Austayne saynte Ambrose saynt Gregory and all the olde holy sayntes that haue wryten agaynst it and better then the hole catholyke chyrche of Cryste of thys .xv. hundred yere y â— euer hath taught the contrarye and euer syth the fyrst inuencyon of that heresye haue contynually detested and condeÌ„pned it as one of the most execrable heresyes that euer y e deuyll deuysed For as Tyndals other heresye fyghteth agaynste goddes iustyce so doth thys dyrectly fyghte agaynste hys mercy and putteth almoste all crysteÌ„ people in vtter despayre of heuen yf men were so madde to byleue one heretyke or twayne better then all the olde holy sayntes and all the hole chyrche of Cryste Thys heresye as I began to tell you Tyndale among hys other afore remembred laboreth to stablysh not onely by the darke and harde places of scrypture afore remembred but also by certayne wordes in thys fyrste pystle of saynt IohnÌ„ where is no more colour to speke therof then of the man in the mone as euery man maye sone perceyue that redeth hym But now for our present purpose to towch his heresies of thys chapyter of hys of synnyng without synne I shall touche you the place in that pystle of saynt IohnÌ„ wherby Tyndale wolde proue you that who so gete onys the fayth whyche he calleth the trew fayth and the felyng fayth can neuer synne dedely after By whyche ye shall playnely se how playnely he mysseconstrewth the scrypture to the myschyef of meÌ„nes soules The wordes of saint IohnÌ„ be these Euery man that is borne of god doth not synne for the seed of hym abydeth in hym and he can not synne bycause he is borne of god In the vnderstandynge of these wordes varye Tyndale and we And whyther he or we mysse vnderstande it that let vs now examyne Fyrst we shall I suppose agre to gether bothe that to be borne of god is in the scrypture no thynge ellys but to be the chyld of god and to be boâ—ne of the deuyll is to be the deuyls chylde we shall I thynke also agre to gether in thys that to be borne of god or to be the chyldren of god is not mente to be hys naturall chyldren as our sauyour Cryste is by reason of hys godhed but by fayth hope and cheryteâ— and the sacramentes and the folowynge of Cryst in good workes and kepynge of goddes commaundementes to be meÌ„bres of hys mystycall body of hys electe chyrche But herein peraduenture shall Tindale and we begyn to vary not onely for that I saye by the sacramentes and good workes of whyche Tyndale wyll not here but also for the electe chyrche y â— is Crystes mystycall body wherof goddes chyldren be membres here in erth For all be it that he is so waueryng in his wordes that he woteth not where to holde hym and therfore speketh so darkely that he wold be loth to be vnderstanden yet he wyll
forgeuen Saynte Poules wordes are these It is impossyble that they whyche haue onys ben illumyned and haue tasted the heuenly gyfte and haue ben made part takers of the holy goste haue tasted the good worde of god and the powers of the worlde to come and be after all thys fallen downe sholde be renewed agayne by penaunce for as mych as they as mych as in thē lyeth crucyfye agayne the sonne of god and haue hym in derysyon Lo syrs where as Tyndale speketh of felynge fayth saynt Poule speketh here of them that haue felte the taste therof And where as Tyndale speketh mych of the worde of god saynt Poule here speketh of them that haue felt the taste of the good word of god And where as Tyndale speketh myche of beynge borne agayne of the spyryte saynte Poule here in lyke wyse speketh of them y t haue receyued the spyryte And yet for all that they haue ben illumyned and haue felte the taste of the celestyall gyfte and ben part takers of the holy goste and haue felt the swete taste of the good worde of god of the powers of the worlde to come yet sayth he contrary to Tyndals techynge that they may for all thys fall downe so farre into dedely synne that it is impossyble for them to be renewed agayne by penaunce what hath Tyndale here to saye to saynt Poule Surely for the defence of thys folysshe heresye no thyng hath he to saye at all that any good colour hath But when he shal be fayne to gyue ouer thys then wyll he comfort hym selfe wyth that that saynte Poule here semeth to ferther hys other heresye that euery dedely synne after baptysme sholde be irremyssyble But out of that comfort shall I dreue hym shortely For I am sure the places of holy scrypture wryten all by one holy spyryte varyeth not in sentence And where as these wordes as well appereth by the olde holy wryters be full of hardynesse and dyffycultye yet that the sentēce can not be such as may serue Tyndals heresye y t shall we leuyng all theyr exposycyons whyche are all clene agaynste hym make hym open and euydent by the playne clere wordes of the holy prophete Ezechyell whose wordes lo be these in the .xviii. chapyter If a synner repēt hym of all the synnes y t he hath done kepe all my cōmaūdementes deale iustely ryghteously he shall lyue and shall not dye Of all y e iniquitees that he hath wrought I wyll none remēber in y ◠ryghteousnes whyche he hath done shall he lyue Is it my wyll sayth the lorde god that the wicked man shold dye not rather that he sholde be conuerted from hys wayes lyue But truely yf the ryghtuouse man turne hym selfe awaye from hys ryghtuousnesse worke wyckednes in any of all those abominatiōs which the wicked man is wont to worke shall he lyue Of all y ◠ryghtuousnes y t he hath done shall none be remēbred But for the offence which he hath cōmytted in the synne that he hath done for those shall he dye Lo syrs here is more then I promysed For here be both his heresyes destroyed at onys For god here by the mouth of this holy man promiseth without any maner excepcion y t when so euer the wycked man wyll turne he shal be takē to grace And in lyke wyse when so euer y e ryghtuous man synne his formar ryghtuousnes shall not saue hym from dampnacyon And this sentence our lorde hath set so sure that he repeteth it agayne in y e .xxxiii. chapyter in this wyse The ryghtuousnes of the ryghtuous man shall not saue hym in what daye so euer he synne Also when so euer the wycked man turne from his wyckednes it shall not hurte hym And the ryghtuous man can not lyue thorowe hys ryghtuousnes in what daye so euer he synne Here haue ye good reders hard this sentence by y ◠word of god in thys one holy prophete dowble cōfermed therby Tyndals dowble heresye dowble also condempned And yet lest Tyndale myghte say why sholde you not as well expoune and glose Ezechyel by saynte Poule as saynt Poule by Ezechyel namely syth saynt Poule came after and therfore of goddes mynde maye tell vs ferther it apereth I saye that our lorde wyll not that these wordes of Ezechiel be glosed by any other wordes though they be spoken by god hym selfe but that his other wordes yf they seme contrary shall be rather expouned by these And therof he gyueth vs open warnynge in hys wordes folowynge and sayth ye and though I wolde saye to a ryghteouse man that he shall lyue and he then trustynge in hys ryghteousenes commytte and do wyckednesse all hys ryghteousnes shall be forgottē and for the iniquyte whyche he hath wrought for that he shall dye But yf I saye to a synner Thou shalt dye and he then repenteth hym of hys synne and doth iugement and iustyce and that the same wycked man restore the pledge that he hath of an other man and also make restytucyon of stollen goodes and walke in the cōmaundementes of lyfe and do nothynge that is vnryght he shall lyue and shall not dye but be saued and none of all the synnes which he hath commytted shal be layed to his charge Iugement and iustyce hath he done and therfore shall he lyue and not dye Lo good crysten reders here se we very playne that we were farre vnwyse yf we wold folowe the foly of Tyndale eyther in bolde presumptuose hope or folysshe ferefull despayre eyther wenynge that after any felynge fayth onys had any dede that we coulde after do coulde be no dedely synne or y ◠for any dede done after our baptysme we could be penaunce neuer be saued after we maye be very sure that as saynt Poule playnely reproueth the tone and ys harde to perceyue what he meaneth in the tother so that he meneth not as Tyndale telleth vs we may well know not onely by all the olde holy doctours and sayntes that expoune saynt Poule in that he sayth it is impossyble to be renewed by penaunce that it is impossyble to be by penaunce renewed vnto the state of baptysme And by that exposycyon they destroye yet a thyrde heresye of Tyndale concernynge hys full remyssyon of synne and payne and all forthwyth as soone as he repenteth but also be we well lerned here by the prophete Ezechyell that all though yt maye peraduenture be that a man maye go forth in synne so farre that he shall neuer haue grace of repentaūce after offered vnto hym for that cause ought euery man stande in greate fere to synne how greate fayth so euer he fele yet yf we begynne onys to repente we may be sure that god offereth grace wyll perfyt our penauns wyth encreace of his grace and wyll perdone the deth dew for our dedely synne but yf we fayle on our parte to go forwarde wyth hys grace and that we
by the outwarde dedes the chyldren of god and the chyldren of the deuyll be made manyfest open For they were not open by the dede yf notwythstandyng the most horryble dedes y t coulde be deuysed yet theyr secret vnknowen fayth frayltye dyd euer kepe it secrete hydde vnknoweÌ„ whyther they were at the dede doyng y â— chyldren of god or the deuyll And therfore where as Tyndale wold make vs wene y â— hym selfe hys holy felowes had by theyr felynge fayth the spyryte of god in such a specyall maner entred in to theyr holy brestes y t none of theyr abomynable dedes coulde be any dedely synne bycause y t the spyryte sayth he dwelleth styll within them saynt IohnÌ„ sayth in the very ende of that thyrde chapyter who so kepeth goddes commauÌ„demeÌ„tes in hym god dwelleth And by that marke we know sayth saynt IohnÌ„ y â— there is dwellynge in vs of the spyryt y t he hath gyuen vs. By whych wordes he declareth clerely y t when these holy heretykes breke his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes by those horryble dedes which Tyndale hym selfe confesseth y â— they do as all the worlde seeth frere Luther do in weddyng the nuÌ„ne wyth the brech of theyr both vowys agaynst the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of god which hath in holy scripture expressely coÌ„maunded them to kepe and fulfyll theyr vowys saynt IohnÌ„ I saye declareth agaynste Tyndals doctryne clerely that when we se suche dedes in them we maye well perceyue by them that there is at that tyme neuer a whyt of goddes good spyryte in them But now no man dowteth whyther of the two better vnderstode saynt IohnÌ„ whyther Tyndale or saynt IohnÌ„ hym selfe And therfore good crysten readers whyle ye se that these holy fathers and authours of these heresyes prechynge so sayntly of theyr felynge fayth boste them self and theyr felowes for the sure chyldreÌ„ of god that bycause of the spyryte can neuer synne of purpose and therfore neuer synne dedely but be certayne and sure of grace and saluacyon and yet ye se for all this that beyng professed muÌ„kes and freres they fall to the fleshely felynge of noÌ„nes of longe purpose and styll perceuer therin fynally dyuers dye therin to ye maye byleue here saynte IohnÌ„ that saye they what they wyll they be the deuyls chyldren in dede all theyr holy doctryne is vtterly no thynge ellys but very frantyke blasphemy And therfore fynally where as Tyndale knytteth vp all hys mater wyth a quyppe agaynste me and sayth that bycause euery man that onys hath the ryght fayth is born of god and therby hath the seed of god in hym whych preserueth hym so that he can neuer synne therfore it is sayth he a false conclusyon that M. More holdeth how a man maye haue a ryght fayth ioyned wyth all kyndes of abomynacyon and synne ye se now that hys owne conclusyoÌ„ is so clerely proued false that it letteth my conclusyon no thynge at all And yet shall I forther towche hys quyppe where it shall haue better place after that we shall come to the chapyters in whyche he shall open and declare hys vttermost what he calleth fayth But fyrste wyll I consyder a lytell hys ferther progresse in thys chapyter in whych he goth forth in thys wyse Tyndale And yet euery member of Crystes congregacyon is a synner and synneth dayly some more and some lesse For it is wryten .1 IohnÌ„ 1. yf we saye we haue no synne we deceyue our selues and the trâ—eth is not in vs. And agayn yf we saye we haue not synned we make hym a lyar and hys worde is not in vs. And Paul Rom. 7. sayth That good whych I wolde that do I not but that euyll whyche I wolde not that do I. So it is not I. that do it sayth he but synne that dwelleth in me More Lo now ye here hys wurshypfull rydle in the fyrst part wherof he hath all redy shewed vs that a trewe member of Crystes chyrch synneth not bycause it hath y â— ryght fayth and so is borne agayne of god and hath hys spyryt and by cause of that can neuer synne And now he sheweth vs in the tother parte of hys rydle that euery trewe member of Crystes chyrche for all that he neuer synneth yet he synneth dayly And as he proued the fyrste parte by the wordes of saynt IohnÌ„ falsely taken and vnderstanden so doth he now proue vs the seconde parte by the wordes of sayâ—t Poule vnderstanden construed as falsely as euer he coÌ„strued saynt IohnÌ„ For where as saynt Poule in hys pystle to y â— Romayns speketh of the pronytye and mocyons in the fleshe remaynynge as the relyques of orygynall synne wherby we be tycled towarde great actuall dedely synnes and dayly fall in to venyall Tyndale as appereth by hys wordes nexte after folowynge wolde we sholde wene that saynt Poule meneth that euery trew member may dayly fall into great horryble dedes as periury manslaughter and aduowtry of weykenes and fraylte and that all those abomynable dedes be no dedely synnes yet but venyall euerychone bycause it is not the man that doth it but the synne that dwelleth in hym And whyle saynte Poule sayth the wordes of hym selfe Tyndale so layeth them forth that he wolde we sholde take it that saynt Poule hym selfe â— or at the lest wyse yf not hym selfe yet the synne that dwelled in hym coÌ„mytted in very dede many suche horryble dedes as the deuyll and the fleshe dyd moue and styre hym to And then was it well lykely that he dyd inough For well ye wote y â— deuyll wolde not fere to set hys fâ—eshe on fyre and tempte hym to lechery manslaughter both whyle he fered not to â—empte our sauyour hym selfe to glotony couetyse pryde deuyll worshyp and selfe slaughteâ— to And saynt Poule hym self coÌ„fesseth that for a medicyne preseruatyue agaynst pryde there was gyuen hym the angell of Sathan the prycke of the flesh to dabbe hym in the necke and make hym stowpe and beâ—â— hym And it appereth playnely that Tyndale taketh saynte Poulys wordes spokeÌ„ of hym selfe to sygnyfye not oneâ—y styrynge and incytacyons towarde dedely synfull dedes but also the very dedes commytted and done as he calleth it of fraylte by the vyolence of those mocyons For yf he meane not so he layed those wordes nothyng to hys purpose as it appereth openly by those hys owne wordes folowynge Tyndale Thus are we synners and no synners No synners yf thou loke vnto the professyon of our hartes towarde the lawe of god on our râ—pentâ—unce and sorow thâ—t we haue bothe bycause we haue synned and also bycause we be yet full of synne styll and vnto the promyses of mercy in our sauyâ—ur Cryste and vnto our fayth Synners are we yf thou loke vnto the â—rayltye of our flesshe whyche is as the weakenesse of one that is newly recâ—uered out of a greate dysease by the reason wherof our dedes are imperfâ—t and by the reason wherof also
thys cause he sayth that though the mocyon of the fleshe towarde horryble dedes be synne and therfore they synne yet bycause of theyr felyng fayth they kepe styll in they re hartes they re professyon towarde the lawe of god And when they haue done the dedes taken a fall yet caste they neuer of the yoke of god of theyr nekkes nor yelde them self vnto synne to serue it but wheÌ„ the rage is ones passed then ryse vp lyke lusty galyardes agayn fyght a fresh cry a new feld a new begynne a new batayle then is saith he all forgiueÌ„ theÌ„ quyte they clene assoyled of god both from synne payne no payne shall suffer any tyme after for the synne passed before neyther in purgotory nor in thys worlde neyther And therfore neyther in goynge about theyr horryble dedes nor in the commyttyng of them he sayth they neuer synne dedely nor neuer can be the dede neuer so abomynable And suche as farre lesse were dedely and dampnable in a nother man that were not so borne of god by suche a felynge fayth as they be nor hadde receyued the seed of god in hym as they haue whyche seed ones had can neuer suffer them to synne of purpose and therfore neuer dedely after All be it that as I haue ofteÌ„ tolde you Tyndale partely for the vncertayntye of hym selfe in hys opynyons after whyche he grysped and longe felte aboute here and there in the darke ere euer he well wyste where he wold reste and setle hym selfe and partely bycause he perceyued in hys owne conscyence hys heresyes not onely so noughty but also so sottisshe that he was ashamed of them and therfoâ—e euer so labored to set hys wordes in suche obscure dowtfull fashyon that he myghte haue alwaye some refuge at some startynge hole yet of very trouth in conclusyon wheÌ„ he sawe the worlde wax in some partys of Almayne so surely fyxed and confermed in all kynde of heresyes y t there coulde none errour so folysâ—he nor so frantyke be deuysed but a man myghte he bolde to set it forth sholde not fayle to fynde fonde felowes â—now to folow it hopyng then that he sholde lytell lytell at length brynge the people of thys realme vnto the same poynt he hath fynally so set foâ—th the mater in this boke of his answere vnto my dyaloge yet mych more opeÌ„ly in his exposycyoÌ„ vpon the fyrste pystle of saynt IohnÌ„ that any lerned maâ— which aduysedly redeth those twayne shall neuer after dowte but y â— his rydle of the trew meÌ„bre of theyr electe chyrche synnyng euer yet synning neuer he meneth very playn expressely iÌ„ such maner as I haue now last declared you And therfore let vs now coÌ„sider how he may mayntayne his menyng what good frute wyll folow therupoÌ„ in y â— felyng of such holy meÌ„bres Syth Tyndale agreeth that bothe Luther hym selfe and all other the trewe membres of the electe chyrche may do greate horryble dedes suche as he denyeth not to be in other men dedely and dampnable we must enserche with hym and aske of hym what is the thynge that maketh the same horryble dedes whyche sholde be dedely in a nother to be not dedely in Luther or hym or any suche other trew membre of theyr electe chyrche He wyll peraduenture answere vs say it is no dedely synne in them bycause that god doth afterward vpoÌ„ theyr repentauÌ„ce sorow taken for theyr synne forgyue them the deth all maner of payne dew to y e horryble dede by them before coÌ„mitted that therfore it is not dedely to them bycause by goddes remyssyon and pardoÌ„ it is prouyded that they shall not dye Thys answere of Tyndale is very slender for it implyeth the coÌ„trary of y t it sholde proue For it declareth y t the dede is dedely that he synneth dedely For ellys god dyd not pardon hym the deth vppon hys repentauÌ„ce yf deth were not dew to hys dede And I do not now lay to them the tyme before theyr coÌ„sent vnto the dede nor the tyme of theyr repentauÌ„ce after theyr euyll dede but the tyme in whych theyr wyll coÌ„senâ—ed and agreed to do it the tyme in which they dyd it in dede in thys mene tyme say I they synne dedely in dede Nay sayth Tyndale for afterwarde we repente and by and by god forgyueth vs the deth for hys mercy in our sauyour Chryst and for our fayth and for hys promyses Thys wyse answere is mych lyke as though he wolde tell vs that one which had robbed a chyrche were a thefe yet not a thefe A thefe bycause he had stoleÌ„ away y e chalyce yet not a thefe bycause y e kyng had gyueÌ„ hym a pardon Tyndale wyll yet happely say y t the thefe was not sure before y t he shold haue his pardoÌ„ after but Luther he such other trew meÌ„bres of theyr electe chyrch be sure by goddes ê“mises y t vpoÌ„ theyr repeÌ„tauÌ„ce they shall haue theyr pardoÌ„ But then aske we hym agayne though he knowe by the promyse that vpon repentauÌ„ce he shall haue pardon how knoweth he and what promyse hath he that when he hath commytted horryble dedes he shall haue after the grace gyuen hym to take such repentauÌ„ce as y e pardoÌ„ shall folow Hereto shall Tyndale saye that hym selfe hys felowes do fele by theyr felyng fayth that they be borne of god and that they haue his seed within them by whych they be well assured that they shall neuer do any such dede as they shall spyrytually dye for but is very sure and feleth well by hys felyng fayth y t the spyryt wyll call hym home agayn after be he neuer so farre gone and wyll cause hym to repente so gete hym hys pardon Of thys opynioÌ„ be they very surely wherof ye se well foloweth no lytell occasyan of bolde settynge forwarde vnto synne For yf a prynce wolde promyse euery man a perdon byfore hand y t wold so surely truste vpon his promyse as what so euer he shold do he wolde not let to come aske it no maÌ„ dowteth I suppose what plenty thys promyse wold make of all kynde of vnthryftes But as for god though he haue made a trew faythfull ê“myse of pardoÌ„ to all trew repeÌ„tauÌ„tes peniteÌ„tes what minde or purpose so euer they had byfore the truth of which promyse Tyndale yet mystrusteth in them y e synne willyngly of purpose playnely sayth y t they shall neuer haue pardon yet hath our lorde of his godnes wysdome left one brydle bouÌ„de about meÌ„nes heddes to refrayne them froÌ„ boldenes of synne y t is to wyt y t they can not after theyr synfull dedes repente agayne of theÌ„ selfe without his specyall grace which though he doth of his goodnes comeÌ„ly offer yet be they not put in surty byfore y t it shal be so offred vnto theÌ„ But y t yf they so
in a man yet he may that bylyefe styll staÌ„dyng fall in to many dedely synnes without any wrong opynâ—o taken agayst the ryght bylyefe now cometh Tyndale agreeth vnto that so y â— he I be therin agreed But than wolde he fayne saue his worshyp with sayeng nay therfore he denyeth that we be agreed For he sayth y t the thyng which I call the ryght fayth is not the ryghte fayth For though a man byleue â—ayth he neuer so ryght without any wronge opynioÌ„ in any artycle of the fayth yet but yf he haue trewe trust full vndowted hope in god cheryte therwith also which sayth he must nedes ensew therupon els hath he no ryghte fayth And so Tyndale auoydeth me not with any prouynge that abomynacyon and synne can not stande wyth the thynge that is in dede a ryghte fayth but that abomynable synne can not stande with the thynge whych hym selfe calleth the ryght fayth bycause it pleaseth not hym to call a ryght fayth that bylyefe that is right inough and hath none artycle wronge therin for as farforth as perteyneth to the nature of onely fayth but yf it be both fayth and hope and cheryte to wherin amonge all lerned men that here vs bothe and se hys sotle shyfte he wynneth so mych worshyp therby that he maye surely be mych ashamed therof as often as he thynketh therof But marke well good reder that he coÌ„meth forth after and sayth that hym selfe and suche other hys holy companyons the trewe membres of theyr electe chyrch as haue y â— ryght fayth and the felynge fayth to that is to wytte after hys owne doctryne full fayth full hope and cheryte bothe so surely that it can neuer fall from theym maye yet for all theyr ryght fayth fall into abomynable synfull dedes vpoÌ„ great occasyons brekyng out of the frute of the synne that remayneth in theyr synfull membres and maye for a space perseuer in those horryble synfull dedes and yet all that whyle theyr ryght fayth doth contynue and theyr abomynable synfull dedes to gyder And so by Tindale hym selfe all abomynacyon and synne maye stande to gyther wyth the ryght fayth that is not onely wyth the ryght bylyefe alone as I affermed but wyth the ryght bylyefe wyth good hope cheryte to as Tyndale sayth whyche I say is playnely false For surely the thynne sotelty therof my groce wytte can in no wyse perceyue And thus good chrysten reders for conclusyon ye now clerely se to what folysshe conclusyon he hath brought hym selfe in conclusyon and all thys chapyter of his with his royall rydle of synnynge and not synnynge is royally ronne to ryghte nought How â— chrysten man can not erre and how he may yet erre Tyndale ANd as they synne not so they erre not And on the tother syde as they synne so they erre but neuer vnto deth and damnacyon For they neuer synne of purpose nor holde any errour malycyously synnynge agaynste the holy goost but of weakenes and infyrmitye As good obedyent chyldren though they loue theyr faders commaundementes yet breke them ofte by the reason of theyr weakenes And as they can not yelde them selues bond vnto synne to serue it euyn so they can not erre in any thynge that sholde be agaynste the promyses whiche are in Chryste And in other thynges theyr errours be not vnto dampnacyon though they be neuer so greate bycause they holde them not malycyously More I Shall good chrysten readers make no longe worke aboute thys chapyter For syth the hole somme therof is as ye se no thynge ellys in effecte but that the trew membres of Tyndals electe chyrche do ofteÌ„ erre and yet neuer erre euyn in lyke maner as they often or rather alwaye synne and yet neuer synne whyche hys manyfolde folyshe heresyes in euer synnynge and neuer synnynge I haue many maner wyse playnely refelled and confuted in the chapyter nexte before I maye therfore wyll â—ake a great dele the lesse laboure and busynesse in thys I wyll therfore but put you in remembraunce that all hys mater standeth onely in thys that hys trewe membres of hys electe chyrche after that they haue onys goten the trewe fayth that saynt Peter confessed vnderstandyng the same in suche erronyous wyse as Luther and Tyndale teche them wyth many playne pestylent heresyes therin as I haue before openly and clerely declared you and when that they haue onys attayned that fayth not wyth an hystorycall maner as a man maye beleue a story but wyth a felyng fasshyon as the chyld byleueth that the fyre is hote bycause he hath burned hys fynger as Tyndale wyll tell you in a nother chapyter after who so sayth he hath onys in suche a fasshyon attayned and goten that fayth that is to wytte who so euer is ones enfect with â—hose heresyes in such a fast felyng fashyon can neuer after erre daÌ„pnably And why For two causes sayth Tyndale One bycause y â— lyke as they can not synne of purpose but of weykenesse infyrmyte so can he neuer erre in any thynge at all y t shuld be agaynst the promyses that are in Chryste A nother cause is bycause what other errour so euer such a trew faythfull electe meÌ„ber of his electe chyrch happen to falle into so that it be not agaynst the promyses that are in Chryst can not be daÌ„pnable be it neuer so grete all though the trueth that is contrary to that errour be wryten sayth Tyndale euyn in the very gospell it selfe And why can it be no dedely synne bycause sayth Tindale that an elected men ber of his can not holde it malycyously So that by this ye maye clerely se that Tyndale affermeth techeth for a treuth that in all other thinges bysyde the promyses a trewe member of hys electe chyrche maye somtyme erre but neuer malycyously and that is to wytte neuer but of weykenesse and furmentye as hym selfe hath often all redy declared And therfore they can not in any suche thynge synne dedely nor dampnably be the thynge neuer so greate and also wryten in the very gospell as he sayth after to By thys also ye may clerely se that concernyng the promyses that are in Chryst he sayth that a trew member can not erre at all neyther malycyously nor of fraylte For syth he graunteth errour of infyrmyte in other thynges onely that towch not the promyses ye may clerely perceyue that concernynge the promyses he holdeth that a trew meÌ„ber of his electe chyrch can not erre at all in any maner of wyse neyther of malyce nor purpose nor fraylte nor weykenes nor infyrimte So y t as he putteth iÌ„ all other poyntes onely malycyouse errour to be dedely synne daÌ„pnable so putteth he concernyng the promyses euery maner of errour to be dedely synne and daÌ„pnable be it of purpose and malice or of infyrmyte fraylte or weykenes and for that cause a trew member of his electe chyrche can neuer fall therin For yf he ment
he wold approper some specyall pryuylege of kepynge styll fayth hope cheryte wyth all theyr heuy hepe of horryble deuelysshe dedes I saye that as farforth as in hys wordes is any treuth hys pryuylege is not proper to the membres of hys electe chyrche but comon to the very fynall electes to the fynall reprobatys to For bothe the tone and the tother may synne and repente and amend and synne agayne and amende agayn ofâ—er then Tyndale hath fyngers on hys handes and toos on hys feete to But he that fynally repenteth hys synnys in a ryght fasshyon is an electe foresene to god from the begynnynge And he that finally dyeth impenyteÌ„t as dyuers wedded freres dye in theyr lechery or he that after Tyndals doctryne repenteth without care of shryft dyeth in a fals heresie agaynst hys holy howsell such folkes be fynally reprobates fore knowen vnto god before the worlde was wrought y t they wolde fynally for impenytence fall vtterly to nought And the other part of hys tale whyche can not be veryfyed in the reprobatys that is to wytte the kepynge of cheryte styll in the doynge of horryble dedes can not be veryfyed in the electes neyther And so is his tale on euery syde folysshe false and nought For the semely settynge forthe wherof to make it appere fayre and lykely bycause he can neyther bryng reason scripture nor other good authoryte ye shall now se what ensample he bryngeth forth Tyndale As a good chyld whom the father and moder hâ—â—e tâ—â—ght nurtour aâ—d wisedome loueth his father and all his commaundementes and perceyueth of the goodnes shewed hym that his father loueth hym and that all his fathers preceptes are vnto his welthe and profyâ—e and that his father commauÌ„deth hym nothyng for any nede that his father hath therof but seketh his profyt onely and therfore hath a good fayth vnto all his fathers promyses â—â—d loueth all hys commaâ—â—dâ—mentes and dothe them wyth good wyll and wyth good wyll goeth to scole And by the waye happely he seeth companye playe and wyth the syghte is taken â—â—d raâ—â—shed of hys memory and forgetteth hym selfe and stondeth and byholdeth and falleth to play also forgettynge father and mother all theyr kyndnes all theyr lawes and his owne profyte therto How be it the knowledge of hys fathers kyndnesse the fayth of hys prâ—myses and the loâ—e that he hath agayn vnto his father and the obedyeÌ„t mynde are not vtterly quenched but lye hydde as all thynges do when a man slepeth or lyeth in a trauncâ— And as soone as he hath played out all hys lustes or be warned in the meane season he cometh agayne vnto his olde professyon Neuer the later many temptacyons go ouer his harte and the lawe as a ryght hangman tormenteth hys conscyeâ—ce aâ—d gothe nye to persuade hym that his father wyll caste hym awaye and hange hym yf he â—etche hym so that he is lyke a greate whyle to râ—â—ne awaye rather then to returne vnto his father agayne feare and drede of rebuke and of losâ—e of his fathers loue and of punysshement wrasâ—ell wyth the truste whyche he hath in his fathers goodnes and as it were gyue hys fayth afall but it ryseth agayne as soone as the rage of the fyrste brunte is past and his mynde more quyete And the goodnes of hys father and his olde kyndnes cometh vnto remembraunce eyther of hys owne corage or by the comforte of some other And he byleueth that hys father wyll not caste hym awaye or destroye hym and hopeth that he wyll no more do so And vppon that he getteth hym home dysmayed but not all to gyther faythlesse The olde kyndnesse wyll not lette hym dyspayre How be it all the worlde can not set hys harte at reste vntyll the payne be paste and vntyll he haue herde the voyce of hys father that all is forgyuen More I neyther haue yet euer herde nor neuer loke to here any very wyse worde in all Tyndales workes But yet herde I neuer a more peuisshe processe then this his holy prechynge is nor therewith more pestilently perelouse while he pretendeth to make this chapiter of faythe and then iugleth it in to truste and hope and yet wolde make vs bileue that neither nother at any tyme faileth any man that ones hath goten them nor that any man whiche ones hath the faythe y â— hym selfe describeth thereby is ones a true meÌ„bre of his electe church as euery man is by his dotrine y â— ones attaineth that faith can at any tyme after lese it nor fall awaye there from for that cause can neuer do dedely synne though he do neuer so many daÌ„nable dedes or to call them as hym selfe calleth them horryble dedes For as for dampnable happely Tyndale wyll saye they be not be they neuer so horryble bycause the seed of god that is to wytte theyr felynge fayth can neuer suffer suche treâ—e membres of hys electe chyrche do those horryble dedes wyllyngly or of purpose but onely for weykenesse and frayltye for whyche they can be sayth he no dedely synnes in those blessed bodyes be the dedes neuer so deuelysshe And now to proue vs thys wonderfull straunge paradox thys opynyon inopinable to be very playne open euydent and clere he furnyssheth it wyth samples so feble and so dymme that the faynt syghte of our sore eyes can scant attayne to perceyue how the samples any thynge touche the mater For where he sholde to make vs clerely beholde it put hys ensemples in greate and horryble dedes suche as hym selfe before in another chapyter confesseth that hys holy membres do he forgetteth here now suche horryble dedes as wolde make the reders abhorre the doers of them and speketh fayre easely that they be feble somtyme in temptacyon and than they can not stande and that after they haue synned theyr fayth is faynte and when they sholde helpe theyr neyghboure theyr loue is colde and they be not pacyent in trybulacyoÌ„s and when they suffer wronge they can not forgyue lo and when men take away theyr goodes they be angry so they be lo. Lo how angry Tyndale is wyth hys trew membres of his electe chyrche and how sore he layeth theyr synnes to theyr charge And yet bycause we sholde take theyr fautes for myche the sleyghter he mynyssheth all the mater and maketh it myche the lesse by resemblynge and lykenynge them to a good lytell chylde as though theyr fawtes were all but chyldyshnes and as it were a babe that wepeth and waxeth angry wyth the kyghte for catchynge awaye hys brede and butter and wold complayne to hys mother and byd her go take a rodde and bete the kyght But syth that Tyndale now goth aboute to playe the the mayster and sette all the catholyke chyrche agayne to scole and wolde haue vs lerne suche harde lessons as we neuer herde of the lyke as that men maye comenly do myscheuouse dedes wythout any dedely synne bycause they do them not wyllyngly
turned he to the trewe fayth agayne and exhorted them all vnto the same And thus good reders ye se that of hys order of eleccyoÌ„ Tyndale hath in thys chapyter hytherto sayed no thynge to purpose now shall ye se that as lytell he sayth to purpose in thys that after foloweth Tyndale And though goddes electe can not so fall that they ryse not agayne bycause that the mercy of god euer wayteth vpâ—n them to delyuer them from euyll as the care oâ— a kynâ—e father wayteth vppon his sonne to warne hym and to kepe hym from occasyoÌ„s and to call hym backe agayn yf he be gone to farre yet they forgette them selues oftymes â—nd synke downe into traunces and fall a slepe in lustes for a season But as soone as they be awaked they repent and come agayne without resystaunce More Here maketh Tyndale as thoughe he sayde a greate thynge And whan his wordes are well examyned he both meneth very falsely speketh folysshe wylyly For where he sayeth that an electe can nat so fall but that he shal ryse agayne he meaneth that of necessyte the electe muste nedes ryse agayne thorâ—we the mercy of god that euer wayteth vpon him whiche is very false For all be it that of trouthe the electe shall aryse agayne by meane of goddes grace and mercy yet myghte he if he wolde lye styll in synne whan goddes grace and mercye calleth vpon him and byddeth hym ryse as many reprobates do vpon whome goddes grace and mercye wayteth and calleth as faste as he calleth vpon hys electes and is as redy to helpe them vp agayne as y â— tother if they wolde ryse and that the malyce or slouthe of theyr owne wylles letted them nat to take holde of goddes grace and made them nat lye styll in synne lyke swyne Nowe that Tyndale thus meneth appereth playne by the whole processe of his worke wherin as concernynge saluacyon and dampnacyon he laboreth to make vs wene that the wyll of man dothe nothynge wyllyngly but were vtterly forced and ineuitably necessytat by the eternal eleccyon of god vnto glory and his eternall reprobacyon vnto payne whiche is as moche as to say that the wyll of man is no wyll at all any more than as he myght saye that the wyll of a tre were to growe and brynge forthe frute leaues and that the wyll of an axe were to hewe downe the tre whan a man smyteth the tre therwith And that â—e thus specially meneth in thys chapyter of the ordre of our eleccycon appereth as well in generall by the hole progresse therof as by this also that he assigneth that thynge as the onely difference betwene the electes and the reprobates alledgynge that the electes can neuer so fall but that they shall ryse by the reason that mercy wayteth euer vpon them wherby it well appereth that Tyndale meneth that no reprobate that is to wytte none that finally shal be dampned hathe goddes mercy whyle â—elyueth waytynge vpon him to call vpon him and styrre him to ryse out of his synne For excepte he ment so he shulde put electes reprobates all in one case if he sayde that the mercy of god which onely thinge he sayeth waytyng vpon the electe reyseth hym out of synne wayted vpon the reprobate to but if he shulde put some dyfference bytwene them by reason of y â— different workyng of theyr fre wylles whiche Tyndale wyll none of in no wyse Now menynge falsely thus he vseth yet in hys speche a folysshe wylynes as doth a cony that couereth her hed and weneth all were well when all her loynes be open For he sayth that the electes can not so fall but that they shal be so saued bycause mercy wayteth vppon them And therin he sayth truth For yf god had not foresene that they wolde fynally turne agayne to hym and wyth helpe of hys grace deserue to be parte takers of the merâ—tes of Chryâ—tes passyon and so to be saued he wolde not haue elected theÌ„ to saluacyon But he meneth that they shall necessaryly be saued so that they shall not mow other then repent amend as soone as god of hys mercy calleth vpon them to repent And thys though he thus mene yet doth he dyssymule it and sayth not that bycause mercy wayteth euer vponÌ„ them therfore they muste nedes ryse after theyr fall but bycause mercy wayteth vpon them therfore they shall ryse But thys poynt he layeth so open in many places of his worke that it is but a folysshe wylynes of hym to wene it well couered thus wherfore he were as good to speke out playnely tell vs whyther he mene y â— after a fall mercy wayte any more vpon any reprobate or not If he say nay he sayth agaynst the scryptures playne For as in the begynnyng god of his greate mercy calleth vppon all people bothe electes and reprobates to come to hym so doth he after bothe twayne coÌ„men and receyued and gone a waye by synne agayne call ordynaryly vppon them bothe of hys lyke mercy styll as longe as they lyue in thys worlde here and wolde yf they wolde assente therto them selfe and obaye be as gladde to fynde them agayne as euer he was to wynne them before as the wordes of holy wrytte be playne in the Apocalyps I stande at the dore and knocke And yf Tyndale wyll auoyde thys he muste then saye that all the wordes of holy scrypture by whyche god called vppon the people to repentaunce be spoken onely to the electes And theÌ„ must he tell euery man how he may know hym selfe for electe leste he maye wene that they pertayne not to hym And then shall he by the same reason saye that all the coÌ„maundementes be wryten vnto the onely electes to and then the reprobates can not be reproued for the not obseruynge of them yf they were not wryten for them But surely if Tyndale tell vs that the mercye of god wayte vpon the onely electes and onely calleth vpoÌ„ them he telleth vs a vayne folysshe tale And so he dothe in dede for so he meneth in dede agaynste the playne scripture and all the olde interpretours of the same and agaynste all the olde holy doctours of Chrystes churche and agaynste the catholyke faythe of all christen nacyons this .xv. hundreth yere from the tyme of our sauyour hym selfe his blessyd apoâ—telles euen vnto lowsy Luther dayes And yet natwithstandinge that he semeth to assygne the cause of the rysynge of his electes out of theyr synne to be by the mercy of god alwaye waytyng vpon them yet handeleth he the mater so that a man may nat well wytte by these wordes of his whether he meane that whaÌ„ his electe is sonken downe into his traunces and fallen a slepe in his lustes as he calleth it for a season whether he meane I say that mercy calleth vpon hym in his traunce shaketh hym out of his slepe or els let him slepe styll in hys lustes and the deuyll
gloryeste thou as thoughe thou haddest nat receyued it He sayeth nat as thoughe it were thyne owne For whan I haue receyued it it is than myne and so may I call it Another false entent wherfore Tyndale telleth vs thys tale of withdrawynge of goddes hande somtyme from his electes is bycause he wolde haue it stande with his heresye that he gothe so faste about that is to wytte that the electes do not sinne dedely in theyr dedely synnes bycause they do it nat wyllyngly but of infirmyte for lacke of power Inpursuynge of whiche purpose he wolde make it seme that god withdraweth his haÌ„de from them without their faute and than leaueth them no power to resyste so no blame in them nor no synne thoughe he be coÌ„tent to call it synne after y e maner y t the mocyon toward synne which rymayne of origynall synne be called synne This is Tyndalles entent in this matter by whiche he excuseth the synne of the electes by the withdrawynge of goddes hande from them nor for any defaute of theyr owne or any synne that they haue done but to kepe them onely from the synne that they wolde els do at another tyme. And where as god dothe for this poynt bothe for electes and reprobates all after one that is to wyt neuer withdraweth his grace from the tone nor from the tother tyll they begynne theym selfe to withdrawe theyr wyll from hym he dissymuleth that poynte goeth forth in his mater that he byeldeth vpon that foundacyon and sayeth Tyndale God sayed so soâ—e a wayghte of persecucyon vppon Dauides backe that passed hys strength to beare So that he cryeth oâ—te out in hys psalmes sayenge that he had lyued well and folowed the ryghte waye of god in vayne For the more he kepte hym selfe from synne the worse it wente with hym as he thoughte and the better with hys enemye Saul the worse he was Yet god lefte hym not there but conâ—orted hym and shewed hym thynges whych before he wyste not of â—hoâ—â— that the sayntes must be pacyent and abyde goddes heruest vntyll the wâ—yâ—enes of vngodly synners be full rype that god may repe it in dewe season God also suffred occasyons stronger then Dauid to â—ail vppon hym and to carye hym clene out of the waye Was he not redy for a chursysshe answere to haue slayne â—â—bell and all the males of hys howse so myche as the chyld in the cradell How be it god withhelde hym and kept hym backe from that euyll thorowe the wysedome of Abegall How longe sâ—ombred he or rather how harde in slepe was he in the adultery of Bathseba and in the murder of her husbonde Vriah But at lothe tymes as soâ—ne as he was rebuked and hys faute tolde hym he repented immedyately and turned agayne mekely Now in all that longe tyme from the adultery of Bathsâ—be vntyll the prophete Nathan rebuked hym he had not lost his fayth nor yet his loue vnto the lawes of god no more then a man loseth his wyttes when he is aslepe He had forgotte hym selfe onely and had not malycyously caste of theyr yoke of goddes commaundementes from of his necke There is no man so good but that there cometh a tyme vppon hym when he fealeth in hym selfe no more fayth or loue vnto god then a syke man of tymes feleth the taste of his meate whyche he eateth More Lo good reders here ye se that by Tyndales doctryne Dauid dyd no dedely synne but was euer out of faute and nat blame worthy neyther by impacyence drawynge nere to dispayre in persecucyon nor by y e purpose of moch manslaughter at an angry worde nor by auoutry conceyued at the sight of another mannes wyfe nor by the trayterous destruccyoÌ„ of his frendely seruauÌ„t in recompence of truthe amendes of his mysdede All this was no dedely synne in hym bycause he was an electe But yet is Tyndale ashamed to confesse and say boldely that to be electe is inoughe and that he may do what he lysâ—e and synne at his pleasure and that god will gyue him leaue to do it cause hym to be repentaunt whan he hathe done it and forgyue hym forthwith whan he repenteth and so forth totiens quotiens a pena et culpa so that he beleue it well and surely truste thereto leste for faynte hope feare he fall the lesse to synne This tale is Tyndale I saye somwhat ashamed to tell vs euen well and playnely forthe and therfore he deuyseth another waye and wolde make vs beleue that they be so preserued by the fayth that they do neuer any dedely synne But theyr dedes be suche as men may well se that they be nat to be blamed for them be they neuer so bestely but very babisâ—he and veniall and suche as god can do no lesse of very ryght and reason than remytte and forgyue and that for thre great causes here specifyed by Tyndale Fyrste for they neuer synne but vpon greate occasyoÌ„s farre aboue their strength Secondely for after theyr horryble dedes done they repent vpon rebukyng without resystence And thyrdely whiche mooste is of all all the whyle that they be in doynge the poore babes wote nere what they do but be all the whyle a slepe as he putteth here his ensample by Dauid And therfore lette vs consydre Dauid his dedes with Tyndals wordes examyne in them these thre godly reasons Fyrste he sayeth that Dauid synnes arose vpon great occasyons aboue Dauid his strength whiche great occasyons god suffred to fall vpon hym and cary hym awaye For whan he wolde haue slayne Naball and all his sonnes euen to the childe in the cradell he fell nat into that mynde without great occasyon ye wote well For the rude felowe had as Tyndale well reherseth gyuen hym a churlyshe answere And what man were there so vnreasonable y t wolde not thynke that a kynge or a great man had cause inough to kyll twenty paysans vyllayns for a churlysh answere of one of them Now when he fell to aduoutry therby to manslaughter had he not a great occasyon to it importable to bere For he saw y â— woman as he loked out at his wyndow And therfore who so euer haue ones the syght of a womaÌ„ is excusable yf he take her when he can catche her no man greatly to blame but eyther a blynde man or he that taketh one in y â— darke whom he neuer saw in y â— lyghte But we must here yet remeÌ„ber lest we mystake Tyndale that these great stronge occasyoÌ„s were not so very greate stronge of theÌ„ selfe but they were as Tyndale sayth stroÌ„ger then Dauyd and able to cary hym awayeâ— whychâ— he sayth to shew vs y t they were of y â— strength in coÌ„parison of y â— person not so mych by the force strength of theyr owne nature as by y e lyghtnes fraylty feblenes of Dauid as a small burdeÌ„ is a great wayght vpoÌ„ a child
able to bere hiÌ„ downe a lytell wynd able inough to blow away a fether Then wolde ye wene that he accuseth Dauyd and the electes bycause they be so lyght and so frayle to falle vpon suche occasyons as be stronge to them by reason of theyr owne feblenesse Nay forsoth For here ye muste remember that to prouyde theym theyr excuse in thys poynt was the cause for whyche as I tolde you before he layed for a fundacyon that god at soche tymes fyrste wythdraweth hys hande of hys helpe then muste they nedes be weke feble and frayle And so theyr fall cometh of the occasyons the occasyons be myghty to them by reason of theyr feblenesse And theyr feblenesse cometh of the wythdrawynge of goddes hande And he wythdraweth it wythout any desert and defawte of them onely to kepe them from the synne of takyng their good workes for theyr owne And so is there in all the progresse of theyr dede nâ— dedely synne in them self syth the occasyons that bryng them to it be wythout theyr owne fawte strenger then they and by reason of theyr fawteleste feblenesse cary them clene awaye And thys is as ye se the fyrste goodly cause for whiche Tyndale wyll make vs wene that the abomynable dedes of electes be no dedely synnes bycause of the greate occasyons Agaynste whyche yf the mater were worth the argument we wolde prece vppon hym sore wyth the synnes of the reprobates and bere hym in hande that some of theym haue as greate occasyons of theyr synnes somtyme as is a churlysshe answere to the kynge of a man or the syght of a naked woman out at a wynddwe for aduowtry And we wolde then aske hym suche questyons forther eyther of holdynge of goddes hande ouer them or wythdrawynge hys hande of helpe from them wyth other dyuerse dependauntes theruppon whyche euery lerâ—ed man may some fynde out hym selfe and almoste vnlerned toâ— whiche when Tyndale sholde answere to he sholde soone make euery wyse man se that in thys chapyter of the order of theyr eleccyon he hath elected and chosen a very folysshe order But for as myche as the foly therof is open and playne of it selfe we shall let the forther dyspycyons of thys poynt passe as agaynst which saynt Poule playnely speketh and sayth vnto vs God is faythfull whyche suffereth you not to be tempted aboue y â— that ye maye bere but maketh wyth the temptacyon a way out also that ye maye well weild yt By whyche wordes thys poynte of occasyons aboue our power is clene caryed awaye and it is clerely determyned that god suffereth no suche temptacyon to come vnto vs but suche as we maye bothe reprobates and electes be able to wythstande if we wyll thorow the assystence of goddes gracyous hande whiche he neuer wythdraweth but in the fawte of our owne wyll and neuer denyeth to put it forth vnto vs yf we call therfore and wyll take holde vppon it And therfore syth as I saye the reprofe of thys fyrst poynt is playne I wyll now passe it ouer and se what substaunce is in the seconde The seconde thynge is that as soone as they be rebuked and theyr fawtes tolde them they repente immedyately and turne agayne mekely For thys he sayd .ii. or .iii. tymes in two or thre chapyters and now he confermeth it wyth hys ensample of Dauyd whyche dyd so as he sayth at bothe tymes But yet is thys but barely layed forth for the order of y â— electes For of trouth thus do some reprobates to amoÌ„ge repente not onely when they be rebuked but also before to and be forgyuen at theyr repentaunce and penaunce as well as be y e electes as longe as they do so repente tyll they be dampned bycause they dye at laste impenytent And also thys is not proued to be alwaye trewe that euery electe repenteth at the fyrste rebuke and mekely returneth wythout resystence though Dauyd so dyd twyse There is I truste many a man in heuen that was rebuked thryes of some one fawt and defended it full styffely before he repented and yet ameÌ„ded after full well And for ensample we nede no ferther than the blessed apostles and specyally saynt Thomas of Inde whyche lefte not hys dyffydence and dystruste neyther at the fyrste spekynge nor the seconde nor tyll he put hys fynger in god almyghty hys syde But Tyndale excuseth all that by beynge amased as he doth all the electes horryble dedes by beynge in traunces and slepes as he doth Dauyd here For that is y e thyrd poynt and the moste specyall excuse of all electes from all dedely synne in that they be a slepe all the whyle they do it For thus sayth he of Dauyd as ye haue herde How longe slombred he oâ— rather how harde in slepe was he in the adultery of Bethsaba and in the murder of her husbonde Vriah More Dauyd was here in a very longe slomber a very depe dede slepe in dede yf he dyd all those deuylysshe dedes in hys slepe Tyndale of lykelyhed laye nere hym and herde hym all the whyle snorte and â—owte And yf he so saye that he dyd then is hys tale as full proued as is any parte of all hys heresyes And except he saye it of hys owne certayn knowlege he shall ellys neuer make me byleue y â— Dauyd dyd spye her and sent for her and talke wyth her and gete her wyth chylde and sent for her husbande and deuyse the murder wryte y e leter sent the man to hys deth and all these dedes in dyuers dayes all thys whyle styll a slepe But Tyndale wyll haue hym a slepe nedes for the defence of hys owne folysshe heresye wherby he techeth vs y â— the electe is by fayth borne of god and therfore doth neuer synne wyllyngly nor consent to synne nor caste of the yoke of the lawe nor the loue to the lawe of god And therfore he sayth Tyndale Now in all that longe tyme from the adultery of Bethsabe vntyll the prophet Nathan rebuked hym he had not loste his fayth nor his loue vnto the lawes of god no more then a man loseth his wyttes whyle he is a slepe More Lo bycause he was all this whyle a slepe therfore in all thys whyle he loste neyther fayth nor loue to the lawe no more then a man loseth hys wyttes when he is a slepe Is not here a wyse tale trowe ye excepte that Tyndale hadde eyther loste hys wyttes or els were hym selfe a slepe whyle he wrote thys he coulde neuer for shame tell vs thys tale what calleth he losynge of fayth or loue no thyng but such departynge therof as he neuer cometh to it agayn If that be so then Tyndale setteth our sauyour Chryste to scole and techeth hym to speke For he sayth in the gospell that a man loste one of hys hundred shepe and lefte the remanaunt and soughte the loste shepe and founde it And that the
be saued and therfore bycause of that felynge faythe with whiche he was borne of god he coulde nat consent vnto synne Uery well Than if a reprobate had done the lyke vpon the like occasyon or greatter he had synned dedely for lacke of felynge faythe onely bycause he was nat elected And if he repented alyke vpon lesse occasyon yet he shulde nat be forgyuen for lacke of y e felynge faythe which was neuer gyuen hym but euer kept from hym onely bycause he was nat elected If I aske Tyndale here howe he knoweth or why he beleueth that Dauid was elected to saluacyon what wyll he answere He wyll nat say I am sure bycause the church so techeth hym leste I shulde aske hym agayne whyche churche For than were he forced to graunte that he beleueth the techyng of this comen knowen catholyke churche of ours sythe that his owne vnknowen churche can teche hym nothyng to be the better beleued vpon the credence of that churche nat beynge knowen for the churche Nowe shall he nat fynde as farre as I remembre any playne euident scripture prouing his finall saluacion Than if Tyndall answere that he fyndeth in scripture of his faythe and his repentaunces and nothynge of hys fynall dampnacyon and therfore he beleueth of these lykelyhedes that he was electe to the fynall saluacyon and shall come to heuen at the day of dome for Tyndales secte beleueth nat that he shall come thyther afore I wyll nat here preace vpon hym with y e samples of suche as he hath sene here lyue well beleue well after his owne opinyon bothe whyle he beleued well hym selfe and syns he beleued wronge of whose saluacyon yet he maketh nat him selfe so sure as of the saluacyon of Dauid but holdynge my selfe for this tyme satisfyed that he beleue it so well vpon good likelyhedes that he shulde nat beleue a man that wolde without good profe tell hym the contrary I shall no more but praye hym to be so resonable and so indifferent agayne towarde vs as to gyue vs leaue in lykewyse to beleue vpon good lykelyhedes that Dauid consented to synne and nat to beleue him that without good profe wolde with his bare worde make vs wene the contrary and boldely bere vs in hande that whyle he wrought so moche wyckednes he was all y e while a slepe In whiche poynte as I haue before proued in another chapyter by lyke mater if he were so a slepe his very fyrste fallynge into suche a slepe was hys owne wylfull neclygence whyle he beginnynge to be moued vnto leudenes at the fyrste syght of Bethsabe stode styll and fedde hys deuelysshe delyte in beholdynge her and thereby wyllyngly suffred the dethe of synne to entre into his hart by the glas wyndowes of his eyenâ— wheruppon all that euer he dyd after pursuyng therupon all had he bene in such rage that he neyther wyste what he dyd nor where he were shulde haue bene imputed vnto hym as he that synfully drynketh hym selfe dronke dedely synneth and shall dye also yf he kyll a man in that dronkenesse Nor it excuseth nat Dauid nor no man elles that Tyndale sayeth There is no man so good but that there cometh a tyme vppon hym in whyche he fealeth in hym selfe no more fayth or loue vnto god then a syke man oftymes feleth the taste of his meate â— whyther thys happeneth vnto the best men or nat god wote I can nat tell I wote nat what affeccions they fele for I am none of them nor I fere me Tyndale neyther as wyse and experte as he maketh hym selfe of theyr felynge wolde god we were bothe of the beste so the beste were neuer the worse nor waxen as euyll as we and we made theyr matches in that maner wyse But this dare I surely saye that whan so euer the best is in such case it excuseth nat Dauid fro dedely synne For than is the â—este very nought And fynally for conclusyon of Dauid his dedes where Tyndale sayeth he coulde nat synne dedely bicause he was an electe for whiche cause god kepte hym thorowe the felynge fayth from consentynge to the seruyce of synne and fro the malyciouse castynge of of the yoke of goddes commauÌ„dementes from hys necke it appereth wery well that of hys necke was it ones whyther hym selfe caste it of or Bethsabe toke it of bycause he shulde not come yoked to bedde For well we wote it hylde hym not wythin y e hedge of goddes commaundementes but that he thruste hys hed thorow and brake a couple of them and ranne vnyoked a good whyle And it wyll I wene well appere also that he caste of the soke hym selfe then wyll all the dowte stande vppon thys onely worde malycyously whyche worde how Tyndale taketh that can I not tell but excepte he take it for no malyce by cause it was all for loue Ellys yf he agre that the contempte and dyspysynge of goddes lawe maye be called malyce and a malycyouse castynge of of the yoke of goddes lawe bothe fro loue and drede as I wene it is expouned in god almyghtys vocabulary then drede I no thynge but that it wyll well appere agaynste Tyndale all the hole mater bothe that Dauyd agreed and consented to synne wylfully caste of goddes yoke malycyousely to This wyll well appere I say by pâ—ayne euydeÌ„t scrypture For after those horryble synnes so comytted by Dauid hys dedely dedes so dyspleased god as it is wryten in the xii chapyter of the seconde boke of kynges that he sent Nathan the prophete vnto hym whyche by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of god after y â— he had put vnto hym the parable of the rych man that toke away the pore mannes shepe therby made hym gyue sentence vnware agaynst hym selfe he sayd forther vnto Dauid as in the person of almyghty god in this maner wyse as foloweth why haste thou then set my worde at nought and done euyll in my syghte Thou haste kylled wyth swerd Uryah Hetheus and hys wyfe hast thou taken to thy wyfe hym hast thou slayne wyth the swerde of the sonnes of Ammon And therfore the swerde shall neuer be taken awaye from thy howse bycause thou hast despysed me and taken to thy wyfe the wyfe of Uryah Hetheus And therfore thus sayth our lord Byholde I shall reyse vp euyll agaynst the euen out of thyne owne howse I shall take awaye froÌ„ the thy wyues before thy face gyue theÌ„ vnto one y t is nyghest vnto the he shall lye with them in y â— syght of this sonne For thou haste comytted thys dede pryuely but I wyll accomplyshe this my worde in y e syght of all Israell this sonne Lo good reders here se ye very clere that where as Tyndale sayth that Dauid in all those horryble dedes dyd yet no dedely synne bycause he sayeth he consented not to synne nor dyde none of these dedes wyllyngly nor cast not of the yoke of loue towarde the lawe
bycause they were but women whan the apostels them selfe knâ—we these women for suche as they were worthy more credence some one of them than some many men And for to excuse the apostels in the lacke of belefe bycause the messyngers were but women Tyndale dothe therein no more but lay lacke and ouersyght in oure sauyour that in a thynge that he wolde haue beleued sent out suche women on his myssage But Tyndale woteth well if he beleue the gospell that no more they dyd whan they sawe the myracle of hym selfe commyng in before them the dores beynge shette and spekynge vnto them but were so farre fro the belefe of his resurreccion at the fyrste that they had went that he had ben some spirite tyll he nat onely preched to them but also reasoned with them there vpon Nor yet saynte Thomas whiche as Tyndale sayeth coulde nat beleue tyll he sawe Chryste neyther dyd beleue the woman nor all his awne felowes nor our sauyour him selfe vpon the syght neyther tyll he felt him fully and put hys fynger in his syde And this he dyd of stoberne standynge in his mysse belefe in that after his belefe lackinge he went nat about to seke the truthe and endeuoure hym selfe to beleue them that tolde him the trouthe but as it semeth by the gospell obstinately stode in his distruste and sayd tyll he dyd that he thought of lykelyhede he neuer shuld that is to wytte tyll he felte hym and put his fynger into his woundes he wolde neuer beleue it And I saye plainly who so euer beynge enfourmed of any artycle of the faythe whiche god byndeth vs to beleue beleueth it nat the cause why he beleueth nat is nat bycause he can nat but bycause he wyll nat For if he wolde do the thynge whiche Tyndale taketh for foly that is to wytte nat resyste but endeuour hym selfe to submytte hys reason vnto faythe with askynge helpe of god for the fortheraunce of his imperfeccion he thus doynge hys parte god wolde I say nat fayle on his parte agayne but wolde effectually worke with hym to perfyte in hym the faythe in whyche he preuenteth hym by gâ—ace whyche preuencyon was whan he gaue hym the grace and occasyon to be fyrst tolde of the mater But euer cometh Tyndale by degrees euer he seeth hym selfe lykely to be dreuen fro steppe to steppe And therfore where he sayd y t the elecâ—e can nat synne dedely fyrste he alledgeth for the cause therof that he synneth neuer but vpon great occasyons And seynge that a man may therto say what than He goeth to another steppe and saieth that he neuer consenteth to synne And than seynge that steppe wyll nat be defended he goeth to another and sayeth he consenteth nat to synne to serue it And perceyuynge that he can nat stande sure there he steppeth downe to y e nexte and sayeth that he casteth nat of from his necke the yoke of of loue toward the law of god And yet perceyuynge y â— that steppe wyll not holde hym neyther he cometh at laste vnto a nother steppe and sayth he casteth it not of malycyously trustynge bycause we can not loke into the mannes breste to se whyther he bare any malyce therin we shold neuer be able to conuycte hym of that worde when he put on ys ther to malycyously And yet from y e steppe haue I dreuen hym therin haue I begyled his hope as ye before haue herde in the synnes of king Dauid by the wordes of god spoken by the mouth of Nathan the prophete Now as he played there so playeth he by the apostles here For fyrste he sayth they lost neuer the fayth bycause they were amased then astonyed and then aferde thâ—n bycause they coulde not perceyue the thynge for possâ—ble Ans yet at last he cometh so nere to the grauntynge y t they lacked it y t by playne wordes at length he sayth the same thyng hym selfe affermyng y t they byleued not nor coulde not byleue And yet wolde he now make vs wene that though they byleued not yet had they no lacke of the fayth bycause in the lacke of theyr bylyefe they hadde no malice And that thynge he proueth thus Tyndale There was none of them that euer â—aysed on hym and came so farre fâ—rth â—o say he was a deceyueâ— and wrought with the deuyls craâ—te all this whyle se wherunto he is come in the enâ—e we defye hym false wretâ—he that he was and his false doctriâ—e also And therunto music they haue comâ— at the lasâ—e when feare sorow and wonderynge had ben pasâ—e yf they had not â—en pâ—euented and holpen in the meane season More Lo good chrysteÌ„ reders here hath Tyndale taught vs y t who so byleue not y e resurreccyoÌ„ of Chryst yet all y â— whyle he rayleth not vpoÌ„ hym calleth him wrech defieth him he is saue inough For all y e whyle though they byleue not yet lacketh he not hys kylyef And then if he be an â—lecte â— he shal be preuented of god holpen before ere euer he fall in to suche blasphemy But yf he be a reprobate then whan he cometh onys into y e case that y e apostles were in as Tindale sayth he shall for lacke of suche preuencyon helpe fall iâ—to suche raylyng and blasphemye then is he remedylesse he sayth And therfore sayth he bothe here and in dyuerse places that the seed of god preuâ—nteth alwaye and kepeth preserueth the electes from fallynge into y e case Here is a goodly tale be ye sure But now wherby shall Tyndale of thys doctryne make vs sure The gospell to begynne wyth for one pece maketh vs sure of the contrary For therin we fynde that the traytoure Iudas whyche was I wene as farre from the bylyefe of the resurreccyon as euer was saynt Thomas of Inde came neuer yet vnto suche raylynge and blasphemynge of Chryst as Tyndale sayth that the apostles bycause they byleued not had they not ben by grace preuented must nedes haue comen vnto For when he went about to make his bargayn bytray hym and sell hym we fynde not that he called hym false wretche nor no suche vylanouse word And after we fynde that when he repented and brought agayne the money he was farre from raylynge vppon hym and sayed I haue offended god in bytrayenge the ryghtuouse blode And surely though he had at the sellyng rayled as mych vpon him toward hys passyoÌ„ as Tyndale in hys bokes now rayleth iesteth vpon hym in the blessed sacrament after hys resurreccyon yet dare I be bolde vpon hys mercy to say that yf that olde Iudas in his repentauÌ„ce had with the loking vppon hys own synne loked also vpoÌ„ the great mercy of god and also that yf Tyndale now thys new Iudas wyll repeÌ„t hys raylynge agaynst Chrystes blessed body the sacrameÌ„t of the awlter aske our lord mercy therfore both the tone sholde haue had the tother shall haue remyssyon and
forgyuenes of that dedely synne wyth chauÌ„ge of hell into purgatory into whych the tone in vayne now fayne wold and the tother except he mende herafter shall as mych in vayne wysshe to come Now Tyndale wyll peraduenture stycke vppon some sotle coniecture of hys owne and styffely bere vs in hande that though it be not wryten in the gospell yet dyd Iudas when he solde Chryste speke of hym some blasphemouse wordes had opprobrouse lauguage agaynste hym and that the blasphemy therof was the very cause why that he coulde neuer after by any repentaunce be forgyuen hys synne and receyued agayne to grace If Tyndale thus tell vs and wyll wene by thys waye to wynde out we wyll for thys ones forgette to putte hym in mynde of hys owne rule that we nede not byleue hym forther then he fyndeth in playne and euydent scrypture But we wyll tell hym then that there is as great lyklyhed and somdele more to that saynte Poule when after the resurreccyon of Chryste and the stonyng of saynt Stephen persecuted and punysshed so cruelly the chrysten people dyd rayle â—nd blaspheme the name of Chryste and hys doctryne and myracles and all that he taughte and dyd And yet for all thys was he receyued after to grace forgyuenesse was after elected ye and for the foresyghte of his repentaunce chaunge and penaunce was a chosen vessell before god byfore the worlde was made and hadde ones the ryghte bylyefe of lykelyhed as myche as he was bounden to before the gospell preched and then stode in state of grace and yet was suffered thorow his owne fawte to fall therfro by refusynge the gospell of Chryste and after fell in hatynge and persecutynge of hys name and doctryne and not as it semeth wythout blasphemynge of hys name his lyuynge hys deth hys doctryne and his resurreccyon and all that euer he dyd and yet by repentaunce and penaunce receyued to fayth and to forgyuenesse agayne And therfore nedeth not Tyndale to dyspayre but that as euyll as he is he maye yet repente and be forgyuen yf he wyll But by thys one ensaÌ„ple of saynt Poule are in y e meane whyle vtterly destroyed not onely Tyndals wordes laste aboue rehersed but ouer y e all this his hole chapyter of the order of our eleccyon wherof the hole purpose is in effecte that god kepeth them euer from all dedely synne And thus good reders ye se how well he defendeth the apostles fayth whyche he sayth they neuer lost at no tyme and yet confesseth hym selfe that at one tyme they neyther byleued nor coude byleue And yet whyle they byleued not they lost not theyr bylyefe bycause they rayleth not and bycause that after they came agayne to bylyefe therfore they lacked it not at any tyme before it came Is not here good reders a wyse and well tolde tale It is inough for me that how so euer Tyndale excuse theyr mystruste and vnbylyefe I se them selfe wryte that our sauyour him selfe accused it and rebuked theÌ„ sore of theyr incredulyte and harde harte for that they had not byleued them that they hadde sene hym ryse And now that Tyndale hath so wysely defended them all he cometh partycalarly to saynt Peter and sayth Tyndale Ye and Peter as soone as he had denyed Chryste came to hym selfe immedyately and went out and wepte bytterly for sorowe And thus we se that Peters fayth fayled not though it were oppressed for a tyme. More Tyndale euer laboreth to lede vs a myle fro the mater For well ye wote the chyrche techeth not nor no man was there euer any where so madde to saye that the chosen and electes do dye in dedely synne but that they somtyme do dedely synnes that is to wytte such synnes as yf they dyed in them wythout repentauÌ„ce of them they sholde be dampned for them Agaynste thys doctryne of the catholyke chyrch taketh Tyndale in hande to proue vs as well by dyuers other tytles of thys boke and by hys exposycyon vppon the fyrste pystle of saynt IohnÌ„ as by all the processe of thys hys present chapyter of the order of theyr eleccyon that the electes neuer do no dedely synnes That is ye wote well as myche to say as that they do no suche synnes whych done in such maner as they do them be of theyr nature dedely that is to saye suche as yf the person that doth them dye before he repent them he sholde be dampned for them Now good chrysten reders the poynte consydered that is in debate bytwene vs ye perceyue very well that eyther muste Tyndale take and vnderstande dedely synne for some other thynge and in some other maner then all other men do and otherwyse then it is taken and vnderstanden by y e catholyke chyrch of Chryst agaynste which he dysputeth whych maner of hys dysputacyoÌ„ yf he otherwyse toke it then hys aduersaryes do were on hys parte to shamefull and folysshe as euery man well seeth y â— any lernyng hath for then dysputed he but vppon the worde and not vppon the mater whyche he wyll not I wene for very shame be so madde to do or ellys yf he take I saye thys worde dedely synne as in dede he must nedes do thaÌ„ do you good reders I dowtâ— not very well and clerely se that Tyndals tale of saynte Peter hys repentaunce and sorowe after hys denynyenge of Chryste nothynge proueth Tyndales purpose whyche is and muste be that saynt Peter before hys repentaunce synned not dedely at the tyme when he forswore Chryste For Tyndale yf he wyll proue that he dyd therin no dedely synne at the tyme it is nat inoughe for hym to tell vs that he repented after and was by repentaunce restored to the state of saluacyon But he muste proue vs that his forswerynge of our sauiour yet shulde nat haue letted hym from saluacyon all thoughe he had forthwith vpon that dede deceased without repentaunce or any remembraunce after of that synne This shulde he proue vs ye wote well this ye se well he dissembleth And to proue that saynte Peter synned nat dedely before he telleth vs that he repented after whyche is the very thynge wherby it is declared in holy scrypture that his synne was greuous For what was the thinge he so repented but the synne of his denyenge And therfore y e more sorowfully that he repented it the more bytterly that he be wepte and bewayled it the more payne that he toke for it the more hym selfe sheweth vs the sore offence aâ—d heynous dedelynes therof And nowe commeth Tyndale on the tother syde and by the selfe same sorowe wolde make men wene it was no dedely synne by whyche it specially dothe appere the contrarye And than thus handelynge the matter he is nat ashamed to tell vs in conclusyon that we nowe se by this wyse reason that saynt Peter his faythe fayled nat whereof he hathe as ye se proued vs nothynge but hathe hym selfe tolde vs by playne
If he say y t he could not but byleue saint Poule bycause god wrought myracles for hym by the same reason muste he byleue the catholyke chyrche for as myche as god contynually in euery good crysten countrey worketh myracles in yt for the catholyque chyrche and wythdraweth his myracles from all chyrches of heretykes and therby declareth that he dothe those myracles not onely in yt but also for yt And also Tyndale knewe not that god by the mouth of saynte Poule sayde so but bycause that the chyrch taught hym that god dyd so If he saye yes he felt yt by the wrytynge of goddes owne fynger in his herte he muste consyder that I speke of the tyme before y t his hert was so holy that god lyked to wryte wyth his owne fynger therin For hym selfe sayth that the hystorycall fayth goth fyrste the felynge fayth cometh after Therefore at the leste wyse in that tyme why sholde he not as well byleue the chyrche when yt sayde This thynge god by saynt Poule dyd tell as when yt sayde This thynge god by saynt Poule dyd wryte And in lyke wyse for the bokes of the wryten wordes of scrypture of whyche these heretykes receyue suche as lyke them refuse such as they lyste syth y t in the begynnynge sauynge for the catholyke chyrche they neyther knew the tone nor the tother why sholde they not byleue the same chyrche as well in the tone as the tother And as concernynge the bokes of scrypture whych they they them selfe receyue syth the debate betwene the chyrch and these heretyques standeth not vppon the wordes but vppon the sentence yf Tyndale were a Turke borne bycause he layeth so often the Turkes for his parte agayâ—ste vs they wolde and well they myghte reken hym but for a proude fole yf he wold now begynne to constre them theyr Alcharon in great and necessary poyntes of theyr fayth agaynste the consente and agrement of all the olde exposytours of theyr owne and the bylyefe of all the people from the deth of Machomete vnto Tyndales byrth If Tyndale wold now refute myne obieccion of y â— Turkes and theyr Alcharon wyth obiectynge in lyke wyse agaynst me the Iewes and the olde testament whyche Crist and his apostles taught theym to constre contrary to theyr olde vnderstandynge fro Moses dayes to theyr owne and that the chyrch of Cryste doth euen the same styll and wyll therfore say that so maye hym selfe and his mayster Martyne and Huyskyn and Swinglius teache the chyrche of Cryste in lykewyse to constre the scrypture of the new testament in necessary poyntes of fayth contrary to the consent of all the olde exposytours and the comen fayth of all crysten nacyons syth the tyme of Cristes deth and his blessed apostles vnto our owne dayes as Crisâ—e and his apostles and the catholyque chyrche teache the Iewes to construe theyr own scrypture of the old testament that they had had and taught so longe before I answere Tyndale therunto lettynge passe other answeres for this time that Cryst and his apostles and the catholyque chyrche euer synnes haue proued and yet proue the authoryte of theyr doctryne to be aboue the Iewes in the constrewynge of theyr owne scryptures delyuered by Moses and the prophetes by that yt hath pleaseth god for the testyfycacyon therof to shewe by Cryste and his apostles and his catholyke chyrche contynually to this day many meruelouse myracles and wythdrawe theym all from the Iewes Nowe lette Tyndale and Luther and Huyskyn and Suynglius do the lyke agaynste the catholyque chyrche then let them come and teache yt to constre the scrypture of Cryste contrarye to all the olde But tyll they haue the myracles among them and the catholyque chyrche leseth theym yf Tyndale and hys fonde felowes wyll in the meane whyle go nowe aboute to teache the chyrche to constre the scrypture of Cryste contrary to the contynuall fayth fro the apostles days vnto theyr owne we may myche better call theÌ„ proude presumptuous folys then myght the Turkes for teachynge them a contrary construccyon of theyr Alcharon Besydes this his ensample of the Iewis wyll not helpe hym for a nother cause For the olde exposytours of they re scryptures bothe of Moses and of the prophetes were vppon the parte of Cryste and his apostles and consequently of the catholyque chyrche contynually agaynst the false scrybes and pharysyes and the false doctoures synnes in suche necessary poyntes as they and we vary for as appereth well by dyuers of theyr bokê whych be dayly brought forth and allegged by men at this day lerned in theyr own tonge and also by that substancyall well lerned man Lyre in hys exposycyon of the seconde psalme Now yf Tyndale Luther Huiskyn Suingliê° can say y t the old holy doctours expositours vpon the scrypture dyd euer expoune it so that by theyr exposycyon it myghte appere that the scrypture of Cryste appereth it for lawfull and not abhorreth it as a thynge abomynable that freres sholde wedde nonnes I wyll agre wyth Tyndale to gyue ouer all the mater And thus ye se good reders that as concernynge the scrypture which Tyndale here techeth his dyscyple to say that they alledge elder then any chyrche thys .xiiii. C. yere syth the debate and variaunce is not in the wordes wherin they and we bothe agre but in the senteÌ„ce wherin not onely the comen contynued fayth of all chrysten nacyoÌ„s but also all the olde holy doctours sayntes euer synnys the same scrypture wryteÌ„ agreeth with the catholike chyrch agaynst hym hys alledgyng of the scrypture is not worth a leke And therfore is he now dreuen in all that euer we vary for to leue both scrypture and all and when he aske wherfore he byleueth eyther thys or that fayne muste he be to holde hym onely to hys felynge fayth and as Tyndale for a shote ancre techeth hym say that he byleueth it onely bycause he feleth it wryten in hys harte wythout any reasonable outwarde cause wherfore he fyrste byleued it wyth a story fayth wherof as ye haue herde he can for hys heresyes proue vs none at all Then syth he is comen to that poynt that without any good outwarde cause he muste defende hys fayth by hys onely felynge may not the Turkes and the Iewes bothe whome he layeth so sore agaynst vs defende theyr faythe 's agaynste hym by the selfe sam And when he can no ferther saye but that he feleth his to be trew eche of theyrs false may not eche of them answere hym that they fele theyrs to be trewe and hys false And thus were gone the counsayle of saynt Peter that we sholde geue a reason of our hope to euery man that wyl aske vs wherfore we hope so And therfore leuynge saynt Peter hys way lette euery man folowe Tyndale and byleue what he lyste and saye he feleth it wryten in hys owne harte wyth goddes owne hande Men saye that he
forgâ—uenes wyth For then he sayeth that as god hath washed away our spottes wyth the water of baptysme so he stretcheth out our wryncles vppon his owne crosse And yet he sayth for all this that no man lyueth here so clene but that as long as he lyueth here he so spotteth hym selfe agayn and so caccheth euer some wryncles that he lyueth neuer wythout nor longe can not not for necessyte of our nature peraduenture but thorow our wylfull fraylty and neglygence And then sheweth he farther yet that in those synnes wythout whyche no man lyueth he meaneth not abomynable dedely synnes as maÌ„slaughter or aduoutry or suche other horryble dedely synnes as sle the soule at one stroke For suche synnes crysten men he sayth that haue a good fayth and a good hope wyll not commytte wherby saynte Austayne teacheth vs agaynst the doctryne of those heretyques and these to that a man may be a crysten man and of the very same chyrche to whyche Cryste hath geuen hym self for to make her fayre gloryouse and may haue also a trew fayth that is to wyt a full bylyefe of euery uecessarye trouth and a full hope that is to wytte a great stronge truste in Cryste to be saued by Criste and yet not a good fayth able to make the man good bycause yt is but Barns fayth that is to witte onely fayth without well workynge charyte nor a good hope bycause it is a presumptuouse hope lokynge to be saued wyth dampnable deuelyshe leuyuge And for these causes may the member of the very chyrche here when he dyeth in such mynde for all his knowledgynge and askynge mercy to go from Crystes very chyrche in erthe to the deuyls very chyrche in hell For saynt Austayn sayth here as ye haue herd that they whyche haue suche synnes as at the tyme of deth sholde be remytted that is to say that hath not then such as be at his dyenge dedely both for theyr owne nature and for lacke of trew repentauÌ„ce wyth purpose of amendemeÌ„t well vsyng of the sacramentes shall be fully forgeuen that is to wyt yf he haue for attaynynge therof vsed hym selfe sufâ—ycyently in suche wyse as saynt Austayne here declareth that ys to say in confessyon knowledgyng of his synnes wyth coÌ„trycyon and prayour with good fayth and good hope â—nd a ware lyuynge vsynge dylygence to wythstande synne then he shall be sayth saynt Austayne forgyuen And whâ—n he is so at his deth fully forgeuen then shall he be layed vp for pure golde in the treasurs of god But saynt Austayne meaneth not that eueâ—y man that is of the very chyrche nor that euery man that dyeth out of dedely synne and knowledgeth his synne when he dyeth asketh mercy shall be forthwyth so fully forgeuen that he shall go hense so clene and so pure wythout spotte or wryncle that hâ— shall be by and by layed vppe for pure golde in the treasours of god but yf he long byfore with such other cyrcumstaunces as I haue byfore of saynt Austaynes own wordes rehersed you well and dewly ben accustumed long tyme to pray byfore that god wolde make hym wythoute spâ—t or wryncle by weshynge his spottes wyth the blessed sacramentes and stretchynge out his wryncles wyth the stretchynge them vppon the stretcher or tenter hokes of the crosse And then when god hath in suche wyse washed oute his spottes and in suche wyse washed out his wryncles at the very laste ende after whyche he can neyther gether spot nor wryncle more that then yt may please god to brynge hym into the shoppes and there lay hym where shall neuer be pressynge nor stretchynge more But yf he by long tymâ— byfore his deth pray duely thus ellys shall he not at hys deth be by and by layed vppe for pure gold in goddes treasours as frere Barons maketh ytâ— here seme by mysse rehersyng of saint Austayns wordes but he shal fyrst be wel purged and all the spottes wryncles that then remayn shall be clene burned oute by the hote fyre of purgatorye or by other mennes prayours and almoise dede and other suffrages of the chyrche done for hym be depured and clensed byfore that he shall be layed vppe for pure golde in the treasours of god And that saynt Austayne meaneth here none otherwyse then I do declare hym ye may well perceyue yf ye well aduyse his wordes whych I haue truely traÌ„slated And yet bycause ye shall the lesse doute therof saint Austayn shall him self declare y â— I truely declare you this place by his own very playn wordes in a nother place For in y â— .xxxii. sermon of the wordes of y â— apostle lo thus he sayth No man ought to doute but that wyth prayours of the chyrch and wyth the holsome sacryfyce and wyth almoyse that is geuen for the soules of them that are departed they are holpeÌ„ to be more mercyfully delt wyth of our lorde then theyr synnes haue deserued For this thynge by the tradycyon of the olde fathers the whole catholyque chyrche obserueth that ys to wyt that what tyme they that deceaced in the communyon and blood of Cryste at the tyme of the sacryfyce in they re place and order remeÌ„braunce made of them prayâ—ur shold be made for them and not that onely but also that specyall rehersall shold then be made that the same sacryfyce is offerd vp for them to Now when workes of mercy are done in commendacyon and fauoure of theym who can doute but that they are holpen therwyth syth prayour made for them vnto god is not frutelesse It is not in any wyse to be dowted but that these thynges succour releue them that are deceaced How be it onely suche men I saye as haue so lyued before theyr deth that these thynges maye do theym good after theyr deth For in relyefe of them that be departed out of the body wythout fayth workynge wyth cheryte â—nd wythout the sacramentes of the same suche deades of deuocyon are in vayne vsed the pledge or erneste peny of whyche deuocyon they lacked whyle they lyued here ether bycause they wold not receyue the grace of god or bycause they receyued it in vayne treasurynge and layenge vp for them selues not mercy but wrath wherfore wheÌ„ any good worke is done for them that are deceaced by theyr louers and frendes they meryte not of newe but these thynges are gyuen in rewarde as thynges consequent and well folowynge vppon theyr merytes whyche they deserued before whyle they lyued For it is not sayd that these thynges shold helpe them onely whyle they here lyue and not when they are deade And therfore euery man when he endeth thys lyfe can no thynge receyue but that onely whyche he hath deserued beynge here a lyue And in another place he sayth thus what thyng so euer of venyall synnys is not redemed of vs it must be purged wyth that fyre of whyche the apostle sayth that the worke shall appere by the fyre
vnto synne And therfore it is a fals conclusyoÌ„ that mayster More holâ—eth how that a man maye haue a ryght fayth ioyned with all kyndâ—s of abomynaâ—yon and synne And yet â—uery member of Crystes congregacyon is a synner and synneth dayly some more and some lesse For it is wryten 1. IohnÌ„ 1. yf we saye we haue no synne we deceyue our selues and the trewth is not in vs. And agayne yf we saye we haue not synned we make hym a lyar and â—â—s worde is not in vs. And Paule Roma 7. sayth that good which I wâ—â—â—e that do I not but that euyll whych I wolde not that do I. So it is not I tâ—â—t do it sayth he but synne that dwelleth in me Thus are we synners and no synners No synners yf thou loke vnto the professyon of our hartes towâ—â—â—e the lawe of god on our repentaunce and sorowe that we haue bothe bycause we haue synned and also bycause we be yet full of sinne styll and vnto the pâ—omises of mercy in our sauyour Cryst and vnto fayth Synners are we yf tâ—â—u loke vnto the frayltye of our flesshe whyche is as the weaknesse of one tâ—â—t is newly recouered out of a greate dysease by the reason wherof our deâ—es are imperfecte and by the reason wherof also when occasyons be great we fall into horâ—yble dedes and the frute of the synne whych remayneth in our meÌ„bres breakeâ—h out Notwythstandynge yet the spyryte leaueth vs not but rebuketh vs and bryngeth vs home agayne vnto our possession so that we neuer caste of the yoke of god from our neckes neyther yeâ—â—e vp our 〈◊〉 vnto synne for to serue it but fyghte afreshe and begynne a new batayâ—e More Lo now ye haue herde hys hole holy sermon to gether by whyche he teacheth vs that a trew member of Crystes chyrche doth both euer synne and neuer synne But as for the tone parte that the trew membres of Cryste do synne we shall not mych trouble hym wyth the profe All be it in that he sayth that euery trewe member synneth and euer synneth as he sayth in mo places theÌ„ one yf he take synne for actuall synne as he muste here take yt or ellys he speketh lytell to the purpose men myghte peraduenture lay a blocke or twayne in hys waye that wolde breke hys shynnes ere he lepte ouer it But lettynge that parte passe lette vs se how he proueth the tother that a trew member of Cristes chyrch synneth not Lo thus he proueth it Tyndale Forthermore he that hath this fayth can not synne and therfore can not be deceyued wyth damnable errours More Here he telleth vs that no member of the electe chyrche of hys fayth can be deceyued wyth any damnable errour and proueth it by that none of theÌ„ can synne And in dede it foloweth he can not synne ergo he can not be damnably deceyued syth euery damnable errour is synne But now let vs se how he proueth hys antecedent that no man hauynge that fayth can synne He proueth it thus Tyndale For by thys fayth we be borne of god Now he that is borne of god can not synne for his seed dwelleth in hym and he can not therfore synne bycause he is borne of god the .3 chapiter of the fyrste epystle of IohnÌ„ whyche seed is the holy goste that kepys a mannes harte from consentynge to synne And therfore it is a false conclusyon that M. More holdeth that a man maye haue a ryght fayth ioyned wyth all kyndes of abomynacyon and synne More Consyder now good reader that Tyndale telleth vs here thre thynges to proue therby that who so gete onys the fayth that saynt Peter confessed can neuer synne after The fyrste is that by that fayth we be borne of god The seconde is that who so is borne of god hath the seed of god in hym The thyrde is that who so haue the seed of god in hym can not synne Uppon these thre he concludeth that who so gete onys that fayth can neuer synne after Let vs now consyder the fyrste where he sayth that by fayth we be borne of god And therin dare we be bolde to tell hym that though it be trew that by fayth we be borne of god as he now sayth yet is it false that by onely fayth we be borne of god as he falsely meaneth and in many places as falsely for trouth affermeth where he wolde make vs wene that bycause we be borne of god and become hys chyldren by fayth we were therfore borne of god by onely fayth As wysely as yf he wolde saye that bycause he was bygotten by hys father he was therfore bygotten of hys father onely wythout any mother And thys hys foly hym selfe so well perceyueth that in many places he laboreth to couer it wyth sophystycacyon in vsynge thys worde fayth for fayth and hope to gyther ye and somtyme for cheryte therwyth also and then wolde make vs wene wyth suche wyse iuglynge that fayth alone were fayth hope and cherite all thre to geder bycause that ellys the fayth were but dede And therin vseth hym selfe as wysely as yf he wolde saye that the body alone eteth drynketh walketh byleueth loueth and all to gether And when hys foly were reproued wolde then saye that he called the body alone the body wyth the soule therin bycause the body without y e soule were but a dede body that coulde no thynge do And thus ye se that ye shall not nede to be deceyued by hys fyrste poynt that we be borne of god by fayth Hys seconde poynt is that euery man beynge borne of god hath the seed of god dwellyng in hym I wyll not here contende wyth hym whyther the seed of god that dwelleth in the chyldern of god be the holy goste or the fayth or the grace of god nor in what wyse god and hys holy spyryte dwellen in good folke But lettynge suche dysputacyons passe thys wyll I saye that yf the seed of fayth beynge onely fayth abyde in hym it is not a thynge that shall so surely kepe hym froÌ„ synne but that he maye synne dedely and the seed of suche fayth stande styll wyth his synne and the man for all the seed of suche fayth dwellynge in hym may be by synne the chylde of the deuyll and so maye dye and go to the deuyllâ— But yet ys the seed of fayth alone that is to saye the bylyefe alone a very greate occasyon of retournynge to god at hys callynge agayne by the offer of hys grace and therby to gete agayne bothe holsome hope and cheryte But not so great an occasion therof but that the man may kepe styll hys fayth and hys bylyefe alone and wythout hope or cheryte eyther by malyce or neglygence fyrste fall to synne and after contynue styll in synne and refuse y e grace of god yf he wyll as well as the deuyll dyd in the begynnynge and so doth euer styll and wyll do styll in hell as longe as god dwelleth in heuen