scripture the mercye shewed to the thefe hanginge on the crosse to thintent they might haue lesse care for their lyfe in the meane season were not suche learnynge fruteles and perniciouse to the commoÌ„ welth And after this like sort doth Ioye handle the scriptures and goeth aboute with his hatchet to open the locke and with his key to cleue logges Ioye bringeth in another miracle of christe wherein Christe sayde thy fayth hath saued the. And here Ioye sayeth is no condicion but fayth To this I saye that this is not all the scripture and he that wyll truelye iudge of scripture he muste ioyne all together For that is not spoken in one parte of scripture â—e scripture 〈◊〉 but one word in â—se â—our all â—pugnauÌ„ce is spoken in another and all at the laste muste make one worde That is in some parte of scripture attribute to fayth as in this miracle is in a nother parte attribute to charite as when christ sayd Dimissa sunt ei peccata multa quia dilexit multuÌ„ And in a nother place to hope as Spe salui sumus we be saued by hope And we muste omit no parte of the truthe but so vnderstande one as all may be comprehended And here I note vnto the reader this maner of speache in scripture Thy fayth hath saued the without mencion of Christes passion and without mention of god as though a man might arrogantlye saye I haue saued my self my fayth hath saued me wher by euery man myght be noted his owne sauiour But this were blasphemouse sophistrie euen such as men vse nowe a dayes when they wyll impugne suche deuout speaches as hath ben vsed in the church when eche man exhorteth other to saue his owne soule or desyreth an other to saue his neighbors soule or els moueth hys frende by almesse prayer fastynge and good deades to worke the welth of his soule All whiche saluacyons and workes of saluacion good and deuoute men vnderstande to be done as in deede they can not be done otherwyse by the merites of Christes passion and the gyfte of god And yet these beastes that put no difference betwene a keye and a hatchet diffame the speach as though such men fansyed workes of them selfes without god or thought the passyon of christ not sufficiente when in deede it is mente in suche workes onelye to vse the benefit of christes passion withoute presumption to adde or supply any thyng to the same which were a fonde folysshe wycked and arrogant blasphemy And in this matter I speake so much because these ydle talkers wolde discourage vertuouse disposed doers by such maliciouse reporte and sclauÌ„der of theyr good doynges After your leude diuinite ye fall to fond policy and aske whether it be more profitable to take forgyuenes of synnes without condicion or tary whyles the condicion were fulfylled fashion of â—nswere 〈◊〉 for Ioy Whiche question is so fondely conceyued that I wyll aunswere meryly vnto it as the prentyce of London dydde his mayster before the wardens of the crafte vppon complaynte made that the mayster was ouer strete to the prentice in his diete Whye sonne ê™ the mayster to his prentice in the wardens hearinge is not colde mutton good meate is not cold beafe good meate colde capon good meate and somtyme a colde pye Lo ê™ the mayster to the warden hath not my prentyce good cause to complayne The warden checked the prentyce and sayde he was deyntye that wolde complayne of so good fare Wherevnto the prentyce saide that his maister hadde spoken of muche good meate yf a man coulde haue it And so your masshyppe hath said truelye that a man were better yf any thynge coulde be better then God hath ordayned it to take remyssion of sinne without any condicion for then without any endeuoure all shoulde haue it But howe shall we haue it so when God putteth a condicioÌ„ to it We must take gods benefyte as it is offred not as we wold haue it Ye talke of wysshyng as myghte satisfye your appetyte and not as god hath ordeyned declared his wyl And yet as though ye hadde clerklye and substancially handeled the matter ye procede to your triumphe with nowe saye on yet agayne Wynchester and then it followeth in your boke Vvin. iiii â—rticle Ergo by the gyft of god I maye do well before I am iustified Ioye YEa marye this is the conclusion I wayted for Lo nowe hath he concluded of him selfe that he maye do well before he be iustyfyed This his wel doinge standeth vpon the fulfyllynge of his condycyon where ye see he hath his fayth and his workes and yet is he not iustifyed ergo in that same tyme before he is iustyfyed is he not iustyfeyd by fayth nor by hys workes Here ye se playnelye into what confusyon he bringith hym selfe and what it is to reason by his own witte withoute any worde of scrypture Wolde God the papystes hadde no wyser diuines to defende theyr false relygyon selden are these popyshe lawers good deuines He saith he maye do well and I saye he maye do euyll to It becoÌ„meth a lerned maÌ„ so to coÌ„ferre the scriptures trewly vnderstaÌ„den that â–ª he be fewer certayn of his conclusyon But perchaunce he take this worde May for the mery moneth of May next Apryl and then am I content to tary tyll May come agayne for the verifyenge of his conclusyon waityng for his wel doyng for hytherto god knoweth he hath done muche euyll The lorde amende hym before Maye or elles take hym shortly awaye Amen Bycause Win. hath no scripture to proue his conclusyon I wyll helpe hym but yet I commende Standish agenst Doctor Barnes for he layd on scriptures wryten vnwryten englyshed and vnenglyshed as thicke as hayle and vnderstode not one word what he sayd euen the very doctours paynted of Paule to haue erred frome the true faith and loue and are swaruen vnto vayne lyes whiche wolde be sene Doctours of the lawe and yet vnderstande they not what they saye nor of what thynge they affirme But to Wyn. conclusion Thou knoweste good reader that in scripture there is mencioned a dead fayth and a fayned or false fayth And also there is a rightwysenes of the law or our rightwisenes and also a lyke iustification one of faith before god and an other of workes before men When Paule had myghtelye proued onely fayth to haue iustified before God the Iewe not beyng content with this conclusion obiected sayeng What then shall we saye of our father Abraham Gote he no iustification by his workes he was a good father and dyd many goodes dedes It is trweth saith Paule but yet hath he not to reioyce therof before god but onely before men Nowe let vs set vp my Lorde Gardiner in his Veluets and Satyn alofte vpon his mule trapped with veluet with gilden sterups and bridle c. with his ientle men bare head chayned with golde before and after hym Who wyll not saye but
haue man idle and voyde of good workes to be ledde in that idelnes with a wanne hope to liue merely and at his pleasure here and yet haue heuen at the last And for that purpose procured oure pardons from Rome wherein heauen was sold for a litle money for to retayle that marchaundise the deuyll vsed freres for his ministers nowe they be gone with all theyr tromperye but the deuyll is not yet gonne And now he perceaueth it can no lenger be borne to bye sell heauen both the marchaundise is abhorred and the ministers also we can not away with freres ne canne abyde the name The deuyll hath excogitate to offre heuen without workes for it so frelye that men shal not nede for heauen to worke at all what so euer opportunite they haue to worke mary if they wyll haue an higher place in heauen god wyl leaue no worke vnrewarded but as to be in heauen nedes no workes at all but onelye belefe onelye onelye nothynge els And to set forth this the deuylles craft there were I sayde mynysters but no mo fryers fye on the name and the garment but nowe they be called by an Englysshe name bretherne and go apparelled lyke other meÌ„ amonges whyche be some of those that were freres and serued the deuyll in retaylynge of heauen in pardons for they can skyll of the deuyls seruyce But yf the kynges maiestie as he hath banyshed freres by the Frenche name wold also banyshe these that cal them selfe brethren in Englyshe the deuyll shulde be greatly discomforted in his enterprise and idelnes therby banyshed whiche the deuyll wyll elles perswade by mysunderstandinge of scriptures as he dyd in thaduauncemente of pardons This my sermon was thought to some very plaine and Barnes as he confessed after and as appeared by that he dyd coulde not digeste it but was perswaded and comforted to handle me somwhat rudely which he dyd the sondaye fourtnyght after in the same place where he toke to intreat the same text of the gospell that I had declared and left the scripture of the sonday he preached on which had not ben sene in that place before Barnes preachinge at Pauls crosse the thyrde soÌ„day in lent An. M.D.xxxix There he began to call for me to coÌ„me forth to aunswer him he termed me to be a fyghtynge cocke and he was an other and one of the game he said I had no spoores and that he wold shewe This glorye endured but tyl the friday after by whiche tyme he hadde for gotten al on the saturday chose his scolemaister and the monday came to scoole like a good chylde And after he had pleased him selfe in thallegory of a cockefight then vpon a foolysh conclusion he cast me openly his gloue and not content therwith he called me forth by my name gardener and opposed me in my grammer rules and sayde If I had aunswered him in the scoole as I had there preached at the crosse he wold haue gyuen me syxe stripes and raged after suche a sorte as the lyke hath not ben herde doone in a pulpete ordered to declare the word of god in and not to touche any particuler man as he rayled of me by name alludynge to my name Gardener what euyll herbes I sette in the garden of scripture so farre beyonde the termes of honestye as all men wondered at it to heare a Bylshop of the realme as I was so reuyled and by suche one openlye So as my frendes enforced me to complaine vnto the kinges maiestie and for maintenauÌ„ce of common order not to passe â–ª it ouer vnspoken of Wherevpon I complayned carynge more for the peruerse doctryne he wente aboute to establyshe in deprauing of me then for anye displeasure coulde come vnto me by his raylynge Howe graciouselye the kynges maiestie herde the complaynte and howe indifferentlye his maiestie after his accustomed goodnes ordered thexamynation of it all good men might haue cause to reioyse and Barnes no cause of greefe but cause of comforte in the kinges maiesties mercye yf he wolde haue ernestly enbraced it For what so euer folowed worthely by iustice If Barneâ— had not extremely abused the kynges maiesties goodnes for a little vaine glory among suche as magnified hym for their owne purpose he had escaped all punishment â–ª the kynges maiestye offred Barnes as muche mercye as euer dyd prince any offendour declarynge howe his highnes was desyrouse of concorde in the truth rather then the punysshemente of any man that wolde from erroure be reduced to the truth And one notable thyng was done in the hearynge of that matter by the kynges maiestie when Barnes offred to yelde to his hyghnesse in hys opynyon the kynges grace syttinge secretly in his closet and hauinge with hym the late Erle of Southampton whose soule God pardon the mayster of the horse that nowe is Me Barnes mayster doctoure Cockes and doctoure Robinson The kinges highnes A behauour and speache of the kinges maiestie secretly done worthye an open knowledge and eternall memory at that offre of Barnes sayd I am ê™ his maiestie a mortall man and therwith rysyng turning to the sacrameÌ„t and puttinge of his bonet sayde Yonder is the maister of vs all author of truth yelde in truth to hym and I shall saith the kinges maiestie defende that truth And otherwyse Barnes ê™ the kynges maiestie yelde not to me Muche more there was notably spoken by the kinges highnes to refourme Barnes foly in his maner also lernynge which I touch not because I shuld rather empayre and diminishe that was in deed sayde then tell it fullye But to the purpose I tell this story for I desyred the kinges maiesty that Barnes and I myght commen togither of the matter out of his highnes presence in the hearing of certayne to be appointed by his highnes as indifferent to make report of our dispitions and then Barnes shoulde haue no cause to excuse hym selfe yf he could not conuince me as he dydde in the pulpete onely touchinge the truth of hys doctrine disprouynge myne For as for his rebukes I clearly remytted and forgaue them and wolde common as quyetlye with hym as yf he had vsed no suche language of me which my peticion the kinges maiestie graunted and appoynted mayster doctoure Cockes and mayster doctoure Robynson with two other to be indifferent hearers bytwene Barnes and me and onely to heare vs talke togyther and make report to his highnes Wherevpon that nyghte whiche was the frydaye after Barnes hadde preached so outragiouslye of me Barnes I and the hearers were aparte where none other myghte heare vs. And for entry of disputation betwene Barnes and me I tolde hym I beganne with forgyuynge all was past that myght touche me I beganne in frendshyp with hym onelye intendynge to trye the truthe of the doctrine in controuersye betwene hym and me and therein I offered hym choyse whether he wolde haue me aunswere hym or he to aunswere me He chase
there rideth a pryncely prelate a gloriouse Byshop to orne and honor an hole realme See what a clenly sorte of tall men he hath aboute hym what costely liueries geueth he what a many of idle belies dayly fedeth he Hath not Winch. lo wherof to glorye before men is not this a ioylye iustification Nowe foloweth his conclusion of him selfe sayenge ergo by the gyfte of god that is by these worldely gyftes I may do well before worldlye men of fleshely iudgement before I be iustified before God yet iustified gloriously in which I reioyce before men This is his Iewysshe iustification wherof the Pharisaies so highly reioyced in so muche that Christ tolde them that he came not to call suche iuste men but synners to repentaunce warnynge the people that excepte theyr rightwysnes abounded aboue the Pharisais good dedes they shulde neuer come to heuen And Paule sayth that men ignorant of the ryghtwisnes or rightwise makynge of god and sekynge to set fast as nowe dothe Wynchester their owne rigthwisenes they be neuer subiect to the rightwisnes of god Wynchester yet knoweth not the office of the lawe to shewe vs our synnes to worke wrath to make synne the more to abound as Paul proueth it to the Romayns so farre of must it be to iustify Neither yet knoweth he thoffice proper place of faith nor yet what thynge fayth is but conceyueth a certayne fantasticall opinion therof as doth euery speculatyue pharisay and idle hypocrite And a man shulde speke after the very order of nature and of the tyme he muste nedes sette faith before workes as is the tree before it blometh and the blomes before the fruyte The sead is cast into the erth before it groweth and fructifieth The seade is the worde of god saith Christe And nyghe vnto the is the worde of fayth euen in thyne herte and mouth Fayth is effectuouse and worketh by loue And the ende of the precept is loue out of a pure harte by fayth hartes are made pure sayeth Peter and a good conscience and of faith vnfayned I thinke Winc. is not so ignoraunte in his Gramer as to englysshe this texte of Paule Fides que operatur per dilectionem as dydde Iohn fysher the byshoppe of Rochester in hys sermon at Paules crosse and afterwarde prynted thus englysshed fayth which is wrought by charitie so settynge the carte before the horse and lyke an vngodlye gardener to peruerte and turne the rotes of his plantes and herbes vpwarde of whyche I harde as it were an olde prophecye .xl. yeres agoo that such an Antechrist shuld come to peruerte the iustificacion of faythe and turne Chrystes relygyon vpsedowne I am sewre he wyll not sette workes before fayth no not in the yong baptyzed infantes nor yet in Paule at his conuersion nor in the thefe hanging by Chryste crucified It is truth that workes being the frutes of fayth standynge in theyr owne place procedynge oute of fayth iustyfyenge dymynysshe not the effecte of Chrystes passyon For we are made in Chryste Iesu to do the good workes whyche God hath prepared that we shoulde walke in them We are saued frelye by faythe sayeth Paule yea and that not of workes for it is the gyfte of god that we be saued by fayth and not for oure workes leste anye man shoulde reioyce in his owne dedes But yf Wynch put his workes in the place and office of fayth as the condicion withoute the whyche no man is iustyfyed so dymynyssheth he yea he is iniuriouse and blasphemous vnto the effecte of Chrystes passyon for by this doctryne his diminute imperfecte and wycked workes shulde deserue vs forgeuenes of synnes as though Chrystes bloude and so plentuouse a redempcyon in Chryste were not suffycyente If by the lawe sayeth Paule men be made ryghtwyse so is Chryste deade in vayne Loue must fulfyll the condycyon sayth he ergo the workes of the lawe are his condicion Roma 13. Now let vs see what loue god asketh of vs for yf we haue not that loue we shall neuer fulfyll Wynch condicion God commaundeth vs to loue him with our hole hartes myndes soules and wyth all our strengthe and oure neyghbours ye and oure ennemyes to as our selues ye and that euen as Christe loued vs whiche dyed for vs beynge his ennemyes He byddeth vs to be perfyte and holy as hym selfe is not to be so angry with oure brother as to prouoke hym with any euyll worde to anger nor to desyre anye other mans good seruaunt wyfe c. no not to loue oure owne lyues in his cause but to hate our flesshe and dye for his sake Nowe tell me Wynchester yf anye one man hath this loue and so fulfylled your condicion or els dare your selfe affyrme to haue fulfylled it yf ye haue not ergo by youre owne wordes ye shall neuer enioye the effect of Christes passion and yet speke I not of the perfytte fayth and hope that euery man in God is bounde to haue beware therfore Wyn. howe ye set your saluacyon vppon so harde a condicion leste ye come to shorte of the gates shuttynge with your .v. folysh virgens If you hadde once fulfylled as you neuer shal your condicion and so perseuering you nede not to praye Father forgeue me my dettes nor neuer to say your Pater noster For ye owe no loue neyther vnto God nor man ye haue payed all And yet sayth Paule owe ye nothynge to any man but mutuall loue shewynge loue to be a dette euer in payenge and neuer full payed We shall aunswer for euery ydle worde sayth Christe But yf Wynchester had accomplysshed his cōdicion so myght he go playe and iustle in iudgement with Christ for his saluacion hauynge no nede of Christes passion then myghte he clayme heauen of dewtye and make grace no grace whiche is a mere free gyfte vndeserued of any man and thus were he one of those iuste prelates whome Chryste sayde he came not to cal Is not he a proud foole to whome when god geueth a free iustification in christ yet wyll he refuse to take it but vpon a condicion that he deserue it with suche workes as hym self is neuer able to perfourme what arrogant foole wolde thus condicion hym selfe agenste gods wyll Peter consideringe this importable condicion sayde by faith god purifieth theyr hertes and wherefore then do ye nowe tempte god so much layenge such a yoke vpon mens necks which nether our fathers nor we be able to bere By the grace of our lord Iesu christ we beleue vs to be saued as were our fathers If we shuld saye that we haue no synne in vs so are we lyers Wherfore the scriptures conclude euery man to be a synner and infidele that of all men God moughte haue mercy And that the promyse oute of fayth in Iesu christe shoulde be geuen to the beleuers Only Christ fulfylled the lawe And yf Wynchester wolde mok out Paule sayenge that when he concluded so ofte man to be frely iustified by fayth onelye
matter abrode whom I wolde gladlye satisfye and I trust could also if they were indifferent to haue the very truth haue place rather then that they wolde haue truth But to the matter mā can not of him self in dede flye no more then he can withoute gods gyft clyme to heauen And yet scripture saith Quis dabit michi pennas sicut columbe et uolabo et requiescam who shall gyue me fethers as it were of a doue and I shal flye and reste me Thus Dauyd enspired by god desyred fethers to flye which whē they were offred him then Dauid mighte chose whether he wolde vse them or no. Dauid knewe withoute fethers he coulde not flye and also when he had obteyned thē might chose whether he wold flye or no but marke that I say further in the parable of distribucion of Talentes he that had but one talent layde it vp myght haue vsed it as thother dyd but he mysused his iudgement laide it vp idelly So as when thaccōpt was asked of him of that he had receiued and vpon knoweledge that it was laide vp idle was asked why he dydde not giue the mony to vsury His aunswere was not that he laide it vp bycause he coulde not choose but he declared the reasons by him deuised and excogitate which he said moued him to laye it vp wherby appeareth that as they that had fyue Talentes and myght haue layed them vp did chose to be industriouse and faythfull and encrease their talentes by exercyse were of theyr lord considered therafter in lykewyse he that was slouthfull and dyd chose to laye his talent vp idle was of his lord so taken and vsed accordingelye And here note wel reader and thou shalte perceyue the craftye sophistry of the deuyll in the person of hym that pretendeth symplycitie In the parable aforesaide these men to whome Talentes were gyuen could not chose to haue the Talentes gyuen vnto them for that was in the pleasure of hym that was lorde of the Talentes hereunto all must agree wherein is resembled goddes choice But when the owner of the Talentes beynge at lybertye to distribute or not dystrybute hys Talentes hadde thought good and so chosen to distrybute the Talentes of his owne mere clemencye to one moo and an other lesse Then the receyuers of these Talentes myghte lykewyse choose as it appeareth they dydde whether they wolde vse them or no. For some of them dydde vse them and some dydde not And here thou mayest see playnly a resemblaūce of gods choice that the sely soule spake of and of our choice whiche I haue entended here to intreate God choseth to geue vnto vs his giftes God choseth and man choseth and in that part we haue no choyce and thē we choose whether we wyll vse the gyftes or no and in this part we haue fre choyse as appeareth in declaration of this parable For in oure inclynatyon to good or euyll there is neyther necessitie nor compulsion fre wil in the ful significacion shulde implye free choyce Bytwene free wyll and free choice I put no differēce but in the termes of free choice whiche expresseth the greke and latin wordes Liberum arbitrium and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the matter may be more clerely opened in my iudgement For albeit free wyll and free choice were ment to signifie one thynge yet they that be more fine in their consideracions by abuse of the wordes from their ful signification haue deuysed howe to graunt free wyll because they sawe the world so much abhorre the deniall of it and yet therewith to defende styll theyr abhominable dreame of mere necessitie which mere necessitie can in no wyse stande Necessite cannot stande with free choyse with mannes fre choice For necessitie signifieth one poynt and no mo whereunto any thinge is directed Nowe euerye choice must be of twoo at the least for one hath no choise so as he that is necessitate to be dāpned hath no choice ne he that is necessitate to be saued hath any choice A man may wyll that is necessary i◠some sense But not chose that i◠necessarye i◠any sense ▪ and both these sortes of men haue no free choice at al. But as for fre wyl as we take it onely for a desirouse appetite which is not the ful signification of free wyl may stād with necessitie as in example a mā beinge necessitate to dye as euery man is may also gladly willinglye and desirouslye dye as many haue done for christes sake many for glorye manye for werines of their lyfe And muche more if men were necessitate to be saued they shulde gladly willingly and desirouslye do the workes of saluacion And so the Captaines of the secte haue studied oute a deuyse howe deceyuyng men in the signification of fre wyll as thoughe it signified no choice at all but only a desirouse appetite they haue graunted that man hath free wyll to his saluacion whiche they call a wyl newe create of god to be desirous of saluacion and therewith defende styll their mere necessitie there withall say this also that a good man doth necessarilye wel also frely well and an euyll man doth necessarily euyll and frelye nought They saye also that god doth compell no man for compulsion saye they is contrary to free wyl But not necessite and for this they alledge the ethnyke philosopher Aristotell bicause he maye helpe forwarde who considering Aristotell speaketh of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commen to man beaste and so is not volūtas nor arbitrium the naturall partes of the soule sayth that uiolentum opponitur voluntati non necessitas And yet Aristotell vseth such a word in the steade of uoluntas as signifiethe Lubentiam or libidinem that is commen to man and beast and not uoluntatem whiche is propre to man and yet thus they shyft in the wordes to deceiue the simple whom they wold seme to desire to teache goddes truth and vnder pretence therof do sowe abrode the deuyls falshed But Aristotel their author saith that absolute necessite which is properly necessitie is contrarye to fre choice which man must haue or he is no man And what a Sophisme is this to say that a good man doth necessarilie well and an euyll man doth necessarilie euyll and therewith say also that man is not compelled by god to good or euyll For euerye meere necessitie that can not be eschued and is o◠it self a necessitie doth enforce and compell all the meane causes to do hym seruice for meere necessitie wyl be by no meanes disapointed ▪ And it is said therefore Nothinge more violent thē necessite that there is nothynge more violente then necessitie absolute And marke we◠these teachers for in doctrine they conclude eche mannes saluacion or dampnacion vnder mere necessitie and yet they say god compelleth no man And then because th◠philosopher sayth that compulsion onelye is contrarye to fre wyll
vs in that when we were synners christ wolde dye for vs muche more therefore nowe we beinge iustified in his bloude shall be preserued by hym from wrath What faithfull herte towched with this incomparable loue out of fayth knoweledge is not humbled with feare and confession of his synnes to god and is not heuye and repentaunte detesting his synnes saieng Shall I any more commyt that thinge whiche hath broughte this my so louynge a sauyour to so shamefull and paynefull a passion This is oure faith which cleaueth to the mooste certayne promyse of god and not to Wynch waueryng vnstable condicion This is our faith and substaunciall certitude the most ferme persuasion without any wauerynge of the merciable free forgeuenes and gracyous absolucyon of oure sinnes by the promyse of our father celestial in christes bloud hath her own proper correlatiue the promyse of god euer correspondent and not Win. knowledge of the fulfillynge of his condiciō This is the forme of oure iustification by fayth onely whiche attributeth all glorye to god as dyd Abraham and his chylderne and as many as haue vnfaynedly receyued christes gospell But let Wyn. worke on styll his wycked workes vnto thattaynement of his pharisaicall iustification before men vntyll the axe nowe bent vnto his rotis he be sodenly smiten downe of god For Passur must be turned as Ieremy sayth into Pauor his arrogant vpclymyng extollynge of him selfe aboue god must haue a shamefull soden fearfull fall These arrogant articles maye be well called the false articles of Winchesters false faith and not of christs faith For Christ confirmed his articles euermore with the law and prophetes but Win. bringeth not one worde of god for him to proue his Wherfore let them be his owne articles armed wyth his owne proud autoritie For we may not beleue hym thus exaltynge hym selfe aboue Christe whiche euer alleged the scryptures for his doctrine to be confyrmed we may not beleue my Lorde vicare generall for his high lordely supercilious pharisaicall lookes Wherefore if this Gardiner will seme to be learned lette him aunswer now with goddes worde and not dispute with poore men in his fetters and presons with his fumisshe threates fyery fagottes presonyng and persecutyng the pore innocent membres of christ for weldoinge purely frelye faithfullye preachinge goddes worde castinge of his blodhoundes into euery citie and towne to hunt out the christen simple sely flocke of christ as he of late made Wyllyam Castelyn Gouerner of the marchaunt aduenteres at Anwerpe cheiflye to hunt out such as purely and frely write and set forth bookes vnto the glory of god edifienge of christes churche and to warne men of Wynch false doctrine For this Gouerner of other men whiche coulde neuer wel gouerne hym selfe is more mete to rowe in a galey or to holde the plough then to gouerne so worshiple and honeste a company But the lorde is a lyue and heareth of these Moabites pride and blode thirstinge he seeth their secrete wiked counsels and heareth their bostinge proude crakes their supercilyous arrogancy is well knowne vnto me sayth the Lorde but yet for all their luciferine pride promotyng and extolling them selues and one an other to serue their traitourouse turnes and mutuall mischeif yet shall they neuer bringe about their wicked enforcementes For it is God that deposeth such myghtye mischeuouse from their seates and exalteth the humble It is the lorde that skatereth their wiked counsels trappeth them in theyr owne pride blodye cogitacions But let all christen kinges and Prynces beware howe they geue their swerde into suche popisshe prelates handes lest the innocent bloude be-required of god at their handes to whome be praise for euer Amen Truth it is that he whiche knoweth nether the father nor christ shall neuer beleue Christ to be an hole perfyt and sufficient sauyour and forgeuer of synnes but he shall wynde in this croked condicion of Wyn. and deuyde his iustificacion part if he geue not all to workes and part to god as did the Iewes and nowe the Turkes and suche like heithen miscreauntes whiche neuer knew god the father in by christ yea they shall deuyse and imagyn in their own opinions for true faith haue they none such workes for goddes honour as thē selues thinke to make most for a great kynges honour as to be accompanied with many men fetched in with many torches candels at none daye lyghted to hym whiche is the very lyght it selfe These blinde worshippers wyll make god an image thereby to worship him whiche idollatrye the seconde commaundement vtterlye forbyddeth They wyll worshyp him with golde perle precious stones veluete clothe of golde c. They sence synge rynge hym in with belles as they were wont to do the bishops They pipe hym vp with orgaynes all the costly pleasaunt externe rites and ceremonies as sencinge processions that can be deuysed for to please great men they vse the same to worshyppe god withall when Christ sayde God my father is a spirite and in spirite and truth wyl he be worshipped ▪ yea these wordly wicked blind Bisshops are so farre caste away for their wickednes turned vp of god into their owne hertes lustes and into a reprobate dampned mynde that they know not god fro man mortal Oh good god what mynde may this be Verelye Paule expresseth it and the cause whye god worthelye thus casteth them vp sayenge What so euer men oughte to know of god the same hath god shewed them as his almyghtye power godbeade yea that by the creacion creatures of the worlde if they wolde diligently and humblye loke vpon and expend them so that they be without any excuse of anye ignoraunce But when god had geuen Wynche this knoweledge of hym then yet he worshypped nor glorified hym not as god but as he wolde worshyppe anye other worldlye prince with outwarde rites and ceremonies neither doth he geue him thankes but sheweth his owne vaine curiosite and curiouse vanite in his owne reasonynge and disputinge for goddes moost glorious honour in so much that he hath nowe blindened his owne ignorant herte and wherein he thought to haue done moost wisely for gods worshyp and glorye there doth he mooste folyshlye and cruellye shewynge hym selfe a very foole as Paule saith turnynge vp the worshyppe of god incorruptible through his owne imaginacions to worshyppe hym after his owne fonde deuises And for this cause hath god thus cast him vp through his owne hertes lustes into al maner prodigious and beastlye fylthynes receiuinge into hym selfe the worthye rewarde of his owne erroure And forbicause sayeth Paule he doth sette at naughte so presente knoweledge of god nowe opened vnto hym and to all other that wyll embrace christ and his word therefore doth God turne him vp into this detestable opinion of his owne false iustification into so lothelye and abhominable reprobate bloudye mynde that in prisoninge persecuting fagottyng burnynge and slayeng
world not to cōtente your eyes but haue shewed my self not dismaied with your controlementes yet I confesse I haue by your occasion at some time called for grace to refrayne worldly tentacions Your cause I iudge extremely nought to thextinction of goddes honour and subuersion of the worlde and therfore the more ye mislyke me and the wurse ye speake of me the more cause haue I to thanke god to suffer so easely for his sake as your malyce and enuye shuld engendre me an honest reputacion in the world in honest mens hartes to be noted aduersary to you And as I lerne in the scriptures and suche holy men as haue expounded them whereby to iudge your enterprise abhominable So the malicious rayling of you that be the maisters and the spitefull hatred without cause of them that be your scolers daily more and more confermeth vnto me the detestable noughtynes of that ye intend The falsehed ye teache in the vnderstandynge of scriptures corrupteth all other truthes in you and transformeth them into lyes Your learning can not be of god that preache so lyke the deuyll How so euer ye diffame me of crueltie I knowe it is not my faulte and yet I am a synner and haue many other faultes I neuer enterprised to defende the truth but in my place of ordre where the kynges moost excellent maiestie hath placed me farre aboue my deserte and expectation You triumphe out of your place make your self high iudge of the realme whereunto god hathe not called you Can ye fynd in your hart to do so much iniury to the kinges maiesty as to thinke the state of this realme to be directed not by his high wisdom to whom god hath cōmytted it but as I such other for our purpose as ye note wolde haue it gouerned And if ye thinke therin otherwise then ye saye as for the mutual intelligence in the fraternite ye can not in your absence but knowe howe publique thinges go is this the charitable diuise in the brotherhed to chose out me for a raylynge stocke and in iestinge at your pleasure of me brynge to the kynges maiestees knowledge that ye wold he shuld here spoken of you Suppose ye the kinges maiestie can not vnderstand what ye meane by Winchester when ye attribute all the fashion of the state of the realme to Wynchester call the actes that myslyke you Wynchesters all statutes Wynchesters all iust punishmentes howe so euer ye cal them Winchesters and charge al vpon Wynchester that in so doynge ye name Winchester not for Wynchester but vse the name of Wyn. in stede of that ye dare not name and speake oute Ye abuse herein to muche the kynges maiesties moost excellent giftes I am ashamed that any part of his maiestees glorye in defense of religion frō your corruption shulde be deriued vnto me by any meane who haue deserued no part of it And so shall it appeare in th ende howe soeuer ye sclaunder it in the meane season I wyll no further aunswer to your raylinges in the conclusion of your boke but exhorte you to call for grace that ye maye turne as Ieremie saith and clappe your selfe on the hyppe remembre with repentaunce how many mens consciences ye haue perplexed with your controuersie in religion and labour as ye can to refourme what ye may Ye haue scourged vs sharpely with youre owne torment in the meane seasō If I delited in your punishmente as ye wolde it were persuaded of me I coulde not wysshe you a more myserable state then thus to here you rore and crye oute lyke beastes by excesse of malyce to speake ye wote not what Prison bodelye death be not estemed of al men alyke and ye haue vsed them for a tyme as false wytnes to conferme youre falsehod for truthe with sclaunder of the iuste mynysters therof Nowe that hath for a whyle ceased and ye by lurkinge be at libertie in talke ye haue so disgorged your abhominacion that laye hydden in your breste as no man lenger nede doubte what ye be We coulde neuer get so muche by examinacion as ye confesse in bookes and professe Ye shulde by iustice haue died with opinion of symplycite amonge some nowe ye lyue with a manifest declaracion what ye haue euer ment and intended Ye sette your selfe in pryson of an encombred conscience dye dayly yet liuing in prosecutynge youre mischeuouse enterprise But returne you vnto God returne to youre soueraine lordes obeysaunce returne to be a good christen man and an english man For what so euer our faultie workes haue ben they nothing serue to the iustificacion of youre doctryne Let vs all praye together for mercye mercye mercye nowe mooste necessarye vnto vs. The name and workes of god haue ben so familiar in our talke that the reuerent feare of his maiestie is almost extinct amonges many Vnhappy be we in whose tyme learnynge shulde be ministred to suche effectes God graunte vs to knowe hym truely and according to his wyll so to worshyp and honoure him in bodye and soule togither as all contencions debates malice and hatred clearely extirpate and pulled out we maye lyue here lyke christen men with christen men and englyshe men with english men which of a good season hath ben by dissention of opinions somwhat letted and hindred whereof those haue mooste cause to be sory to whom any part of the faulte may be ascribed And yet all must be sorye for that is amysse eche man for his part begyn to amende with the prayer of the churche continually praye Deus qui errantibus ut in uiam ueritatis possint redire ueritatis tuae lumen ostendis da cunctis qui professione christiana censentur illa respuere quae huic inimica sunt nomini quae sunt apta sectari Per christum dominum nostrum Amen ¶ Imprinted at London in Aldersgate strete by Iohannes Herforde at the costes and charges of Robert Toye dwellyng in Paules church yarde at the sygne of the Bell. Anno dn̄i 1546.