preched what auayleth it to lay manyfeste holy scrypture to Tyndale that forceth so lytell so manyfestely to mokke it Tyndale cryeth out that euery man myssecoÌ„strueth the scrypture and then hym selfe ye se what construccyon he maketh Saynt Paule sayth playnly that Timothe receyued grace by the puttynge of hys handes vppon hym And Tyndale letteth not to tell hym as playnely nay and that he dyd but stroke Timothees hed and call hym good sonne by lykely hede bycause he was but yonge But how so euer Tyndale lyste to tryfle these places playnely reproue and connycte hys heresye and proue prestehed an holy sacrament Now falleth he to raylyngâ— vppon the holy ceremonyes of prestehed as shauynge anoyntynge And fyrste he sayth that yf onely shauen and anoynted may preche or coÌ„secrate the sacramentys then Cryste dyd them not nor none of his apostles nor any man in longe tyme after for they vsed no suche ceremonyes Thys is a worthy ieste I promyse you If melysted here to tryfle as Tyndale doeth I coude aske hym how he proueth that saynt Peter was neuer shauen syth I suppose he neueâ— saw hym or yf he wolde put me to proue that he was shauâ—n and therin when I coude fynde no playne scrypture for itâ— Tynâ—ale wold not byleue me but yf I broughte forth hys barbâ—â—â— I myghte tell Tyndale agayne that I were not bosideâ—â—yth the sâ—â—â—pture sheweth it not to byleue hym that â—ayn◠〈…〉 cryâ—tened tyll Tyndale brynge forthe hys godfather But these fantasyes of hys and myne bothe go farre fro the mater The trouth is that as god by Moyses taughte hys synagoge certayne goodly ceremonyes for the garnysshynge of the seruyce done to hym by his chosen people there and for the styrynge of them to deuocyon so hath he by hys owne holy spyryte whom he sent to instructe hys chyrche taught them holy ceremonyes to be vsed about hys blessed sacrameÌ„tes to the honour therof and to the encreace of crysten mennys deuocyon as in dede it doth what so euer Tyndale bable Now be there amonge these the shauynge and the anoyntynge of the preste And so is there thapparayle of the preste at masse and many other obseruauÌ„ces vsed in the same Now yf some of the same were before vsed eyther amonge iewes or paynyms yet Crystes chyrche borowed them neyther of the iewes nor the paynyms as Tyndale sayth but toke them agayne of god Now where Tyndale argueth that yf none maye consecrate the sacrament but onely shauen and anoynted then Cryste nor any of hys apostles myghte not bycause they were neuer shauen nor anoynted he maketh a worshyppefull reason For fyrste our sauyour Cryste the very inwarde anoynted preste whom god hadde anoynted wyth the oyle of gladnes aboue all hys felowes neded neyther ceremony nor sacrament as towchynge hym selfe And as towchynge hys apostles though Cryste vnto them instytuted sacramentes yet he lefte many of the ceremonyes to the holy ghoste to teche by whom they be instytuted and by whom they be in the chyrche contynued Now is there none that maye consâ—crate the sacrament but yf he be fyrste made preste and preâ—te is there none made but the ceremonyes of shauynge and anoyntynge are vsed in the makynge though they be not the substaunce of the sacrament of order no more then the cathecismes and exorcismâ—â— at the crystenyng be of the substauÌ„ce of the sacrament of baâ—â—ysme And therfore though before those ceremonyes vsed prestes myghte consecrate vnshauen and vnanoynted when shauynge and anoyntyng was not yet instytuted yet now can there none do so syth there is no preste made vnshauen and vnanoynted For yf they make any at wytteÌ„berge by a bare choyse wythout the gyuynge of the sacrament of holy orders by such as haue power to gyue them they be no prestâ—◠〈◊〉 maye not consecrate at all no more then maye th◠〈◊〉 Tyndale And seynge that the oyle is not of necessite let M. More tell me what more vertue is in the oyle of confyrmacyon in as mych as the byshoppe sacryth the one as well as the other ye and let hym tell the reason why there shuld be more vertue in the oyle wherewith the byshoppe anoynteth his prestes Lette hym tell you from whence the oyle cometh how it is made and why he selleth yt to the curates wherewyth they anoynte the sycke or whether this be of lesse vertue then the other More Tyndale here putteth many questyons to me whyche he wyll that I muste nedys answere bycause the oyle in the makynge of a preste is not of necessyte but surely these questyons be to the mater of mych lesse necessyte How be it bycause I must nedys answere to men of suche authoryte when the questyons be so solempnely put I saye that yf a bysshoppe sacre the tone oyle and the tother bothe alyke there is no more vertue in the tone then is in the tother But I say that the oyle beynge all one it is in the anoyntynge of the preste an holy ceremony and in the anoyntynge of the chylde at confyrmacyon it is the mater of an holy sacrament and in yâ— anelyng of the sycke also and euery of these two is one of the seuen whyche the spyryte of god hath taught the chyrche of Cryste to knowe and vse for .vii. souerayne meanys of very specyall grace And therfore such dyfference is there as is bytwene the halowed water standynge in the font before it be occupyed or yf it were sprynkled vppon a man for holy water and the same holowed water beynge occupyed in the crystenynge of a chylde at the tyme in whyche it is applyed thereto For in that tyme besyde the goodnes that it hath of the halowyng it hath a nother effectuall goodnes by goddys ordynaunce whereby it is made a meane of purgyng the soule fro synne andâ— infusyon of goddys grace and of enablynge the newe regendred creature to inherytaunce of heuyn And when Tyndale asketh me in any of these thynges the cause the reason why I myght as well aske hym the cause and reason why in the nature and properte of any naturall thynge beste herbe tre or stone whych yf I were so madde to loke that Tyndale were able to tell me what had he more to saye then that god had planted that nature and properte therinâ— whych answere shall also serue in these holy ceremonyes and â—aâ—rameÌ„tes wherof the vertues be caused by goddes ordynaâ—â—ce thorow his holy wordes whereof the profyte is lymytâ—â— and poâ—â—â—nâ—d after such rate and degreesâ— as is to no man full perfitely knoweÌ„ but onely to god that gyueth it And thus answere I Tyndale to these qstyones He asketh farther from whence the oyle coÌ„meth and wherof yt is made what is that any more to the mater then froÌ„ wheÌ„s the water is fet that is put in to the fonte or of what grapes the wyne was made that Cryst at his mauÌ„dye turned iÌ„to his blood Now where he asketh me why the byshope selleth it
whyche she hadde ben accustomed no daye myssynge to do seruyce from whyche she well knewe that holy sacryfyce to be dyspensed by whyche the oblygacyon that made agaynst vs was cancelled and by whyche was led as a captyue in triumphe that ennemy of ours that kepeth a rekenynge of our synnes and sekynge what he myght obiecte coulde in hym nothynge fynde in whom we haue had the vyctoryâ— who can shed hym agayne an innocent blood for hys who can restore hym agayne the raunson that he redeined vs wyth To the sacrament of whych raunson of ours thyne hand mayde hath bouÌ„de her soule with the bonde of fayth Let no man pull her froÌ„ thy proteccyoÌ„ Let neyther the lyon nor the dragon neyther byforce nor by false sleyght steppe in betwene her and the. She shall not answere that she oweth the naught lest she be therin conuynced and cast and that therby her suttle accuser get her But she shall answere that her dettes be forgyueÌ„ her whom no man is able to paye that he payed for vs when he owed naught for hym selfe In peace mote she be therfore and her husbonde to a fore whom and after whom she neuer maryed non whom she lyke a seruaunt obeyd bryngynge frute to the thorow her pacyent sufferaunce that she myght therby wynne hym to the to Inspyre good lorde my god inspyre thy seruauntes my bretherne thy chyldren my lordes whom both wyth worde and herte and wrytynge I serue that as many as rede thys may remember at thyn aulter thy seruaunt Monica with Patricius somtyme her husbande by whose flesh thou haste brought me into thys lyfe I can not tell howe Make them remember wyth a deuoute assercion them that were in thys transytory lyfe my father and mother vnder the my father and my mother the catholyke chyrche where my syster and brother and in the eternall Hierusalem shall be my neyghbours and cytesens whyche Hierusalem thy people from theyr goynge forth tyll theyr commyng home in all theyr pylgrymag longeth for and sygheth Good lord graunte thys that the thynge whych was the laste that euer she desyred of me she may the more plentuously obteyneâ— by the prayours of many mo The olde holy doctour saynte Chrysostome in his home lye wherin he sheweth that almes dede masses and diriges greatly profyte them that are dede among many other thynges wryteth in thys wyse It was not for naughte ordeyned by thapostles that in the dredfull mysteryes of the masse sholde commemoracyon be made for them that be dede For thapostles knewe that thereby cometh to the soules great auauntage and profyte For when all the people standeth to gether holdynge vppe theyr handes and the preste fulfyllâ—th hys obseruaunce and that dredfull sacrifyce set forth how can yt be but that then praynge for the soules â—e shall obteyne Now se you very playne good cristen readers that of the eldeste and the very beste that euer haue wryten vppon the scrypture of god in Crystes chirche and whyche bene holy sayntes in heuen and suche as sufferd persecucyon for goddes sake do testyfye for our parte that the thynges whych the catholyke chirche vnyuersally â—yleueth and vseth are nothynge to be douted of but to be byleued and vsed whyther they be founden in scrypture or not And ye se that they saye that the apostles taught and delyuered to the chyrche dyuerse thynges by mouth bysyde all that they wrote whyche thyng saynt Poule sayth also hym self and yet bysyde that we se that of his wrytynge there is parte soste ye se also that some suche thynges as Tyndale sayeth that the popes haue oflate fayned them selfe for theyr lucre as the masse and the paynes of purgatory both saynte Austayne and saynte Chrysostome and other holy sayntes saye that the thynges were byleued vsed and taught by the apostles them selfe 〈◊〉 as for the olde holy doctours ye se howe farre they 〈◊〉 Tyndale and therfore of Tyndale or theym byleue whom ye lyke â—este for me and consyder well wyth your selfe wyth whyther of those two were surer to sende your soules yet is there as old as any that I haue rehersed yet saynt Polycarpus the dyscyple of saynte IohnÌ„ whyche wrote a boke of the tradycyons geuen vnto the chyrche by the apostles whyche wolde playnely haue proued Tyndale a fole and a lyar both yf the boke hadde not ben loste And vndoutely god wolde neuer haue sufferd yt to be loste yf he coulde not haue kepte hys tradycyons without wrytynge How be yt what nede we better or elder then as I byfore haue sayde the authoryte of saynte IohnÌ„ hym selfe in hys laste chapyter of the gospell Many thynges were done that are not writen in this boke or of saynt Poule wrytyng hym selfe to the Corynthyes All other thynges I wyll ordeyne when I come my selfe and to the Thessalonycenses kepe you my preceptes or institucyons whych I haue geuen you eyther by worde or by my pystle By whych wordes yt appereth well that he had wryten vnto them byfore that then was holy scrypture and yet hadde â—en yf yt hadde ben kepte and preserued and was not wythout good thynges therin and necessarye wherof parte may be suche thynges as the heretykes now do barke at bycause the pystle is loste But god is not loste that preserueth styll the mater though he lette go the letter Saynte Poule also to Timothe wryteth of such vnwryten tradycyons well and playnely in his secunde pystle in these wordes Thou therfore my son Timothe be comforted in the grace that is Cryste Iesu and those thynges that thou haste herd of me by many wytnesses commyte theym vnto faythfull men such as shal be mete to teche them forth to other men Those wordes of saynt Poule do very playnely shew that some thynges there were whyche saynt Poule taught Timothe and that in presence of certayne good vertues wytnesse and whyche thynges were as saynt Ambrose sayth secrete mysteries whych thynges he there coÌ„maunded Timothe to commytte also to other faythfull men suche as shold be able and mete to teche to th entent that they myght teche the same thynges farther and whiche be some of such thynges as these heretyques now barke at that are comen fro mouth to mouth and from hande to hande from the apostles dayes vnto our owne It is a myche lesse thynge also to byleue our selfe to be bounden to do a thynge of necessyte wythout authoryte of scrypture then to thynke our selfe wythoute scrypture vnbounden and in no necessyte to do the thynge whyche we fynde commaunded in scrypture But we fynde commaunded in scrypture fyrst by the law of nature and after in the law wryten the olde law wyth a cause annexed for vyolatyng of nature and after agayne by the apostles as I haue rehersed in the new law the .xv. of the actes that men sholde abstayne from strangled and from bloode of whyche coÌ„maundement in scrypture we se no dyscharge but the custome of the catholyke chyrch yet hath Tyndale
well yf Tyndale and his felowes be spyrytuall electys must as theyr fyrst author of theyr new spyrytuall secte be nedys one of the very chyef Let not therfore Tyndall good reder wyth his gay gloryouse wordes carye you so fast so far away but that ye remembre to pull hym bakke by the sleue a lytle and aske hym whyther his owne hyghe spirytuall doctour mayster Martyne Luther hym selfe beynge specyally borne agayne new created of the spyryte whom god in many places of holy scrypture hath commaunded to kepe his vowe made of chastyte when he then so far contrarye there vnto toke out of relygyon a spouse of Cryste wedded her hym selfe in reproche of wedloke called her his wyfe and made her his harlot and in doble despyte of maryage and relygyon both lyueth wyth her openly and lyeth wyth her nyghtly in shamefull inceste and abominable bycherye dothe he the whyle after Tyndalys hyghe wordes serche the depe secretys and neuer leue serchynge tyll he come to the botome the pyth the quycke the lyfe the spyryte the mary and the very cause of that commaundement why and so iudgeth all thynge Thus good reders examyne hym and then shall ye perceyue how fondly suche an hyghe pure spyrytuall processe accordeth wyth such a baas fowle fleshly lyuyng But Tyndale hath an hope that whyle he paynteth his prologe wyth such gay colours of spirytuall vertue there can no man in the meane whyle remember and consyder what vngracious frute theyr deceytfull doctryne false fayth bryngeth forth And therfore to carye the reder farther of from the remembrauÌ„ce therof he letteth goo by theyr fylthy lechery and holyly speketh of loue Tyndale Take an example in the great commaundement loue god with all thyn harte the spyrytuall sercheth the cause and lokâ—â—h on the benesytys of god and so coÌ„ceyueth loue in hys harte More In thys example of the great commaundemeÌ„t of louyng of god there can lacke no causes but wythout any farre serche there offer them selfe I now at hande except men wil fully wyll forget them But yet all be yt that in many thynges a man may peraduenture well and with frute enserche the cause of goddes coÌ„maundementys yet may the spyryte of a man that were as spirytuall as Tyndale is or Luther eyther and take frere Huskyn to them go some tyme to far in the serchyng of the depe secretys of god and wade so farre therin that he shall fynde these wordes of holy scripture true Proâ—er 25 He that is that the sercher of the maiestye shall be oppressyd of the glorye and he shall fynde the depe secretis of god so depe that the secrete botome wyll not be founde oute for hym and specyally in that thyng in which Tyndall and his felowes be as I shall hereafter shew you moste presumptuously besye that is in goddys fynall electis predestinatys wherof saynt Paule cryeth hymself Râ—â— 11 O altitudo diuitiaruÌ„ sapientiae sciâ—tiae deiâ— O yâ— heâ—th and depenes of the ryches of the wysedome science of god And as for that that Tyndall sayth that what so euer god commauÌ„deth the spyrytuall man to do he neuer 〈◊〉 serchynge tyll he come at the botome the pyth the quycks the lyffe the spyryte the maryâ— and the very cause whyâ— and iudgeth all thynges I say as I sayd byfore it may peradueÌ„ture in some thynges do well to consyder the causes of goddes commaundement so yt be done moderately and wyth reuerence But many suche spyrituall persones as Tyndale is and Luther and frere Huskyn so be wonte to reason and serche the cause of goddes commaundementys wyth them selfe as kynge Saul dyd or bytwene the dyuell and theâ—m selfe as our mother Eue dyd Râ—â—â—â— 1◠〈◊〉 â— that they fall vppon fallacyes and false causes whereby lyke as Saul was deceyued in sauynge of the bestes for sacryfyce whych bestes god hadde prâ—cysely commaunded hym to destroy and Eue was so by gyled that she thought she myght well ete the apple whyche god hadde precysely commaunded her to forbere so doth I say to these men that ar in this new fashyon spyrytuall the dyuell theyr euyll spyryte and them selfe wyth theyr incessaunte serche fynde out salfe causes wherof they take occasyon to breke the commaundementys of god whyche commaundementys other good seely symple soules wythoute any serche obserue As for ensample lo where as god hath in holy scrypture euydently commauÌ„ded Psal. â— 5 Ecc.c. 5 Esaiae 19 Ionae 2 that who so make a vowe shall performe and kepe yt as is wryteÌ„ by the holy Psalmiste Uowe ye and pay your vowes to our lorde and where as our blessyd lady thought her self bounde therto all the holy sayntes synnys Cristes dayes vnto Tyndals tyme haue without any varyance written affyrmed the same not onely they but also all crysten people both good badde haue this .xv. C. yerâ— abhorted as an abominabyle moÌ„ster and accompted yt in comen talkynge for suche a prodigyouse cryme that euer monke or frere shold wedde an nuÌ„ne as they thought shold neuer happen in crystendome therfore haue alway iested that Antecryste sholde be borne betwene a frere and a nuÌ„ne these new spirytuall men haue now Luther Tyndall and frere Huskyn and the dyuell to gyther so longe enserched the cause of thys commaundement of god by whych euery man is coÌ„maunded to kepe his vowe that they haue with longe serche fouÌ„den oute at laste that monkes freres and nunnes be not bounden by that commaundement at all but may for all theyr vowe lawfully runne out of relygyon and lye to gyther when they lyste and call theyr fylthy lechery good and lawfull wedloke And thus lo good reder these newe spyrytuall men wyth theyr depe serche interprete and expowne holy scripture and fynde oute therin suche godly vertues as this is whych the olde holy doctours coulde neuer fynde therin for lacke of grace by lykelyhod for we se well they lacked no wyt had as mych lernynge as these men haue and ten tymes more to and dyd theyr dylygence to but they were as yt semyth but naturall onely not borne agayne nor created of newe wyth the spyryte of god as Luther is and Tyndale frere Huskyn and hys felowes Take ensample sayth Tyndale in the great commaundement loue god wyth all thyne harte the spyrytuall serchyth the cause and loketh on the benefytes of god and so conceyueth loue in his harte In these wordes I lay no fawte But all be yt a man myghte assygne other causes of our loue towarde god then Tyndale doth as for ensample his owne excellent nature and goodnes of yt selfe worthy â—to be loued lauded and honored of vs though we shold yf yt were possyble receyue to oure selfe no benefyte at his hande at all yet I very well alow the cause that Tyndale allegeth that is to wytte the consyderacyon of the great benefytys of god yt is a cause of loue
be not laufull to serue god wyth charyte to whyche now they leue and fall all to lusty loue wyth intent to get heuyn the rather to that they let not to grauÌ„te also but they say the cause is for that fayth they say hath alwaye charyte therwyth But all be it that in that poynte theyr affyrmacyoÌ„ is fals as by reason and pleyne scrypture hath ben often proued vnto them 1. Câ—r 13 Iacâ—bi 2 that is ynough to me that they graunte that a man maye laufully loue god and serue hym wyth charyte to th entent to be the rather saued and come to heuyn therby For now semeth me that yf we laufully maye as Tyndale wyll grauÌ„t we maye serue god with the vertues of fayth and hope and charyte or of any one of them wyth respecte vnto goddys benefytes receyued and also to come and to th entent therby the rather to be saued come to heuyn we may then laufully with lyke respecte purpose inteÌ„t serue god wyth any other vertue that procedeth of fayth hope charyte or of any suche one of them wyth whyche it is laufull for vs for suche respecte entent purpose to serue god then wyll not Tyndale denye but that prayer fastynge almesse dede and contynence and clennesse of body penauÌ„ce trouble of the mynde wyth sufferauns of trybulacyon or afflyccyon of the flesshe wyllyngly taken wyth many other outwarde and inwarde workes may procede of fayth hope and charyte wherfore I can not se but that Tyndale as he graunteth here that we maye serue god wyth loue entendyng thereby to please hym and be sauyd the rather so must he nedys graunte and agre that lykewyse may we wyth lyke entente and purpose serue wyth all other workes aboue remembryd procedynge of a faythfull workynge charyte wherof he and all hys fonde felowes in euery place holde hytherto the contrary And thus haue I now playnly deducyd vppon Tyndals owne wordes the full confusyon of hys owne comen conclusyon so many tymes by hym and hys felowes obiected and among them all neuer onys yet well prouyd nor neuer able to be proued agaynst the profyte of good mennys chrysten workes for chrysten be theyr prayers theyr fastynge and theyr almosse dedys when they be done in fayth hope and charyte and in the state of grace Tyndall And when he is commaundyd to obay the powers and rewlers of the worlde be loketh on the benefytes whiche god shewyth the worlde thorow them and therfore doeth it gladly More In this obedyence Tyndale is yet content to haue a respecte to the benefytes that god worketh and shewyth the worlde thorow the powers and rewlers of the world putteth that for eyther the onely or the chyefe cause of hys obedyence as he putteth it for the onely or chyefe cause of goddys commaundement In whiche kynde of obedyence semeth not the greatest vertue when a man obeyeth onely for hys owne aduauntage but the very chrysten obedyence is to obaye specially for that god so coÌ„maundeth and not so to serche and lymyte the cause of goddes coÌ„maundement as he may therby take hymselfe gyue to other an easy bolde occasyoÌ„ to dysobaye resyste and rebell agaynst theyr hedys and rulers pretendynge that they be not profytable Thys thynge meanyth Tyndale as it apperyth by hys wordes here in the cause of hys obedyence to the powers and rulers of the worlde as it apperyth in dyuers other places of hys workes and Luther his maysters to But god all though he wyll that the gouernours and rulers of the world sholde be good and profytable to the people yet wyll he not that the people shall measure the dewty of theyr obedyence by the onely rule and measure of theyr owne profyte and coÌ„modyte but that they shall obaye theyr prynces and other rulers and gouernours bycause that they be theyr gouernours and rulers and bycause that god hath so coÌ„mauÌ„ded For yf they may measure theyr obedyeÌ„ce by yâ— measure of theyr owne profyte as Tyndale telleth vs they shall sone seke occasyon of sedycion and therof do themselfe also more harme in one daye then sholde theyr ruler in many yeres all were he ryght vnprofytable in dede as apperyd by the vplandysshe Lutherans in Almayn whyche measuryng theyr obedyence by Tyndalys rule gyuen them before by Tyndalys mayster became all vnrulye and dysobeyd and rebellyd agaynst theyr rulers and therby dysobeyd goddes commaundement and brought therby the vengeaunce of god vppon theyr owne heddys to the slaughter of aboue foure score thowsand of them in one sommer the remenaunt the worse entreated euer syns and that hath made Luther and Tyndale a lytell to retreate syns and set a new glose therto yâ— will but shrewdly serue them as I shall shewe you when I come to the place hereafter in hys boke Tyndall And when he is commaunded to loue his neyghbour as hymselfe â—e serchâ—â—â— that hys neyghbour is created of god and bought with Crysâ—es blode and so forth More Loo thys is very louyngly spoken he sayth very well and I praye god that he be one of those spyrytuals that so doeth but surely many places in euery boke that he writeth seme clerely to declare that he hath another maner of spyryte then suche a spyryte of loue And yet were it herde excepte yâ— goddys coÌ„maundement gyue vs that warnyng ellys wyll it be somwhat herd for any man vppoÌ„ the other two causes by any serche to perceyue that he were in reason bouÌ„den to loue another aswell as hymselfe though they maye serue to loue hym ryght well Tyndale And therfore he loueth hym oute of his harte Owt of 〈◊〉 â—erte not in hys heâ—â—e And yf he be euyll forbereth hym and wyth all loue and pacyeÌ„ce draueth hym to good as elder brotheren wayte on the yonger and serue them and suffre them and when they wyll not come they speke fayre and flater and gyue some gaye thyng and promyse fayre and so drawe them and smyte them not but yf they may in no wyse be holpe referre the ponyshement to the father and mother and so forth And by thesâ— iudgeth be all other lawes oâ— god and vnderstandeth the true vse and meanyng of them and by these vnderstandeth he in the lawes of man whych are ryght and whyche tyrannye More Useth Tyndale and his spyrytuall mayster thys manes of loue this forberynge and this maner of pacyeÌ„s to warde the pope and the clergye and towarde prynces and other teÌ„porall rulers we se perde thorow all theyr bokes in what lowly louynge fashion they serue and suffer them and how fayre they speke and how plesauntly they flater all holy catholyque crysten people sauyng onely theyr own secte with as venemouse wordes and as poysen speche as the dyuell can dyuyse them wyth all the meanes they may to sow dyuysyon and dyssencyon and set the people in sedycyon vnder colour of true fayth to brynge them in heresyes and destroye both bodye and soule
playne tyrannye Tyndale If god sholde commaunde hym to drynke no wyne as he commaunded in the olde testament that the preste sholde not when they mynistred in the temâ—â—e and forbade dyuerse metes the spyrytuall because â—e â—noweth that man and â—uer all other creatures and they his seruauntis made to be at 〈…〉 that yt is not commaunded for the wyne or meate yt selfe that man 〈…〉 in bondage vnto his owne seruauÌ„t the inferiour creature cea 〈…〉 the cause And when he fyndeth yt is to tame the fleshe and that 〈…〉 sober he obeyth gladly and yet not so supsticiously that the tyme 〈…〉 he wolde not drynke wyne in way of a medycyn to recouer his 〈…〉 uid ate of the holowed brede and as Moyses for necessyte lefte the 〈◊〉 of Israel vncircuncysed and were yet thought to be in no worse â—aâ—e 〈◊〉 they that were circuÌ„cised as the chyldernâ— that dyed wythin eyght dayâ— were 〈◊〉 ted in as good case as they that were circuncised whyche ensampâ—es mygâ—t teache vs many thinges yf there were spyryte in vs. More Now cometh he to those thynges whyche he taketh for indyfferent that is to wyâ— of theyr nature neyther good nor euyll but takynge theyr goodnesse or theyr euyll of coÌ„maundement or prohybycyon and of the mynde of the doer wyth cyrcuÌ„stances of the dede in these thynges he speketh as one that wolde we shulde weâ—e that hys hyghe spyrytuall wysdome had a very depe insyghte in that he tellyth vs as a newe straunge tale that neuer man had herd byfore that the inferyour creatures be subgettes to man and not man to them But now this truthâ— laboreth he to make a fals ground to byelde his lyes vppoÌ„ For by this he wolde haue vs wene that we were at lybertye to construe and interpretate all coÌ„mauÌ„dementes eyther of Crystes chyrche or of Cristes owne mouth immedyate after our owne swete wyll when so euer â—e can fynde out any false glose of the commaundement to flater and begyle our self withall Leuitici 1â— As here yf god sholde coÌ„maunde hym to drynk no wyne as he commaundyd in the olde lawe whyle they mynystred in the temple he wolde anone serche for the cause And then he sayth that he sholde fynde the cause to be for tamynge of the flesshe and to kepe hym sober and then for that cause he wolde obay the commaundemeÌ„t gladly but yet not so superstycyously but that in tyme of hys dysease he wolde drynk wyne to recouer his helthe therof he layeth ensample of Dauid of Moyses But what auayleth hym all thys tale For we deny not but that the worde and precept of god receyuyth interpretacyon But we say that the authoryte therof lyeth not in euery mannys hed at aduenture that all though some thynges be playne and open inough yet it is peryllous for any man except certeyn reuelacyon of god to take hymselfe for so far forth renewed wyth the spyryte of god that he boldely lene in such thynges to hys owne wyt leste hys wyll blynde hys wyt but let vs lene therin vnto the iudgement of the olde holy enterpretours passed and specyall to the sense receyued of the hole catholyke chyrche not the chyrch of onely electys whyche chyrche no man can knowe but vnto the catholyke knoweÌ„ chyrche of all crysteÌ„ people saue heretykes whyche catholyke chyrche what so euer Tyndale saye can neuer fall in dampnable erroure For yf a maÌ„ leue these wayes and boldely cleue to a cause of hys owne serchyng he is well lykely to breke the commaundement As here Tyndale presupposeth yf god wolde hymselfe forbedde all men wyne vppon certeyne dayes or commaunde them certeyne dayes to faste here wolde Tyndale anon as a man spyrytuall enserche the cause why god wolde coÌ„maundyd hym so and then wolde he fynde that the cause were but onely to tame the flesshe and to kepe men sober therfore wolde he obay it But now by thys facyon yf god gaue Tyndale a commaundement wherof Tyndale cowde fynde no cause at all he wolde not do it at all If our father Tyndale had ben in paradyse in the stede of our father Adam he sholde neuer haue nedyd any serpeÌ„t or woman eyther to tempte hym to eate the apple of the tree of knowledge For when god had forbed hym the eatynge therof vppon payne of deth as he forbedeth vs lechery vppon payne of dampnacyon then wolde he haue serched for the cause of the coÌ„maundement And when hys wyt wolde haue founden none bycause the flesshe had there no need of tamynge then wolde he haue eaten on a good pace haue thought that god almyghty had but played the wanton with hym and wolde not be angry wyth hym for an apple and so wolde he by his owne rule of serchyng haue founde oute as myche myschyefe as the woman and the serpent and the deuyll and all And surely now to by thys spyrituall rule of enserchyng of the cause of fastynge and forberyng meate and fyndynge the cause to be none other but for tamyng of the flesshe and sobernes who so euer thynke hymselfe to the synnys of the flesshe not mych inclyned as some of nature are not nor by moderate drynkynge of wyne any thynge dysposed to dronkennesse shall interprete hymselfe dyscharged of the commaundement and shall drynke wyne and shall breke hys faste at his pleasure or yf he forbere wyne or kepe the faste he shall at the vttermoste kepe it but for a countenaunce and as they wryte themselfes in auoydynge the slaundrynge of suche as haue a weke conscyens and wene themselfes bounden to the kepynge therof And therfore when they haue kept the faste in syghte they shall not force to breke all those fastes pryuely where the weke conscyences of other symple soules are absent and no body by them but suche as are all spyrytuall and haue a conscyence stronge inough to breke the stronge faste vppon good fryday wythout grudge of coÌ„scyence at all And afterwarde lytell lytell they shall when they be suffryd amende also and make stronge in the lorde the weke coÌ„scyences of theyr syk brethern and make them breke all the fastyng dayes to wyth laude and thanke gyueÌ„ to the lorde that by hys eleâ—â—e prechers in these latter dayes of thys blynde worlde that coulde not on fastynge dayes fynde theyr meate hath now illumyned theyr eyghen and gyuen them lyght by whyche they haue founden they waye in to the crysten lybertye of eatyng drynkynge and honeste lykynge lechery from the bondage and thraidom of all fastynge dayes and all professyd chastyte For thys ende we se that theyr spyrytuall doctryne hath all redy brought it in Saxony for there is now the lent all turnyd in to shroftyde And there it well apperith all though it were true that Tyndale sayth that fastynge were of god ordeyned for none other cause but onely to tame the flesshe yet was it nede for the chyrche to do as it hath done by the spyryte of
other afflyccions voluntaryly done vnto them selfe dyd mercyfully take quyte away the great and greuous punyshement that was at hande ordeyned by hym selfe for theyr synnes and offenses wherfore dyd they faste for to tame theyr flesshe as Tyndale sayth Nay they fasted and dyd penaunce for theyr synnes therwyth purchased pardon whych Tyndale wyll not perceyue I coulde here alledge vnto you crysten reders other teâ—tes owt of the holy prophetes and other places of scripture as the fyrst chapyter of Iohel the .ix. of Danyel the .xxxvi. of Hyeremy the .xx. of IudicuÌ„ wyth an hundreth places mo very stronge for vs in thys mater of fastynge but these few may seme to many for a thynge so manyfest and clere How be it I wyll alledge vnto Tyndale the wordâ—s of our sauyour hym selfe wryteÌ„ in the .xvii. of Matthew where he sayth Thys kynde of deuylles is not cast out but by prayour and fastynge The holy euangelyst Luke in the .xiiii. chapyter of the apostles actes wryteth thus when they had ordeyneth them preestes in euery chyrche and had prayed and fasted they coÌ„mendyd theÌ„ to the lorde in whom they beleuyd Here may ye clerely se good crysten reder that the holy and blessyd apostle Paule with many other mo dyd not fast in thys place for the subduynge of the flesshe and tamynge of bodyly lustes For they fasted here for other folke that is to wyt for the prestes to whom they had gyuen holy orders and for the people whom they had commyttyd vnto theyr charge that god for theyr deuoute prayours and fastynge sholde gyue encreace of hys grace and fauour among them Fynally what wyll Tyndale say to the wordes that are wryten in the .vi. of Matthew and spoken by the mouthe of our sauyour Iesu Cryste where he sayth when ye faste make not your selfe sadde lyke hypocrytes for they waste out theyr faces to the entent it myghte be perceyued that they faste Forsothe I saye vnto you they haue theyr rewarde all redy But when thou fastest anoynt thy hed and washe thy face that it appere not vnto men that thou fastest but vnto thy father whyche is in secrete And thy father that seeth in secrete shall rewarde the openly Lo dooth not our lord here promyse to rewarde all them that for no desyre of mannys prayse or itch of vayne glory but of mere humylyte true repentaunce of herte punysshe theyr body wyth fastynge whyche one place beyng so playn open manyfest for the meryte of fastyng though it myght haue ben more then suffycyent to confounde Tyndale and his mayster Luther with all theyr scollers yet haue I bene therin the longer and haue spoken of thys mater sumwhat the more at large for the manyfestacyoÌ„ of theyr greate blyndnesse and as it semeth malyce to mennys sowle and for the comforte of them that hytherto haue had the mynde to punysshe the flesshe wyth fastyng that they do not herafter as vnthryftes haue in Almayne done all redy leue of theyr deuocyon to god for the fonde bablynge of suche sensuall here tykes For yf Tyndale wyll saye that yet all thys was no thynge but to tame the flesshe that the menne myght praye the more quyetly wythout rebellyous mocyons of the flesshe what so euer he shall say therin consyder the placys and his wordes to gyther and ye shall fynde all hys processe theâ—â—â— a fayre tale of a tubbe For all be it that Cryste fasâ—ed fouâ—â—â— dayes and after hungered yet whyther Moyses hungereâ— in his fourty daies or not we be not very sure 〈◊〉 And it semeâ—â— well that he dyd for he wolde not of lykelyhed haue told it for any greate thynge that he fasted for the synne of Aron also for the synne of the people so strayghtly fourty dayes that in the whyle he neyther ete nor dranke yf he neuer had in the whyle ben neyther an hungred nor a thurste How be it yf Tyndale wyll brynge all these fastes in questyon yet of the Nineuites the other aboue rehersed theâ—e is no maner of dowte but that they fasted in hunger thyâ—â—â—â— And it were in dede a madde thynge to thynke that wheâ— they went about to punyshe theyr synnys and humble them selfe before the face of god with fastynge they fasted but tyll they were a hungred and then gate them to brekfaste If he wyll saye that the payne of the fastynge was onely to came theyr flesshe that they sholde not synne he can not so say for it appereth that they dyd it wyllyngly as well for theyr synnes before passed as for dyuers other causes If he wyll say that there was dyfference bytwene the repentynge in the olde law and the new and that there was cause why they sholde punysshe theyr synnes them selfe and not we bycause Cryst hath now done penauÌ„ce for our synnys and had not at that tyme so done for theyrs it wyll not serue hym bothe bycause dyuers of the authorytees for fastynge be alledged in the new law and also bycause the Iewys had the profyte of Crystes passyon by theyr fayth that it was to come sholde be done as we haue by the fayth that it is passed and all redy done and theyr repentaunce and our repentauÌ„ce were lyke sauynge our pryuylege of more habundaunt grace perdon by the sacrament of penaunce whyche Tyndale goeth about to destroye If he wyll saye that the fastynge serueth but to kepe the mynde calme and quyete in prayour froÌ„ all mocyons of flesshely luâ—â—es that ellys myghte trouble the mynde to thys I say that the hungre it selfe maye trouble the mynde and make it lesse quyete then yf the flesshe were in temperat reste without it And ouer thys hys answere in that poynt wyll not serue syth it apperyth well by the cyrcumstaunces in many of the places before towched that many whych fasted were not in such ease of herte nor lust of body that theyr prayours were at that tyme lykely to be letted wyth voluptuouse wanton myndes wherfore let Tyndale say what he wyll ye shall fynde for trouth that bysydes the tamynge of the body fastynge and our payne taken therin pleaseth god done with deuocyon and serueth vs for obtaynynge many and greate gyftes of grace Nay sayth Tyndale in hys boke of obedyence as for payne takynge god is no tyrauÌ„t and therfore reioyceth not in our payne but pytyeth vs and as it were mornyth with vs and wolde we sholde haue nâ—ne sauynge that lyke a good surgeon he putteth payne of trybulacyon vnto the sores of our synne bycause the synne can not otherwyse be rubbed owt of the flesshe and cured we saye not neyther that god reioyceth in our payne as a tyraunt all be it that Luther and Tyndale wolde haue vs take hym for such one as had more tyrannouse delite in our payne then euer had any tyraunt when they by the takyng awaye of mannys fre wyll woulde make vs wene that god alone worketh all our synne and then dampneth hys creaturys
of his secte now growen in Germany and also for the onely cause that he fyndeth out here for the kepyng of the holy day of which he putteth no mo but the onely hearyng of the word of god so that by the cause whyche he fyndeth out a crysten man that were eyther in deserte or amonge infydeles where he coulde here no prechyng sholde haue no more respecte vnto Crystmasse day or Ester day or whytesontyde to kepe theÌ„ for holy dayes hym selfe then the worst day in the yere or theÌ„ wolde a turke hym selfe And this is his hyghe spirytuall doctrine concernynge the holy daye Tyndale And so thorow out all laâ—es and euen lykewyse in all ceremonyes and sacramentes be sercheth the sygnyfycacyons and wyll not serue the visyble thynges It is as good to hym that the presâ—e say masse in his gowne as in his other apparell yf they teache hym not somewhat and that his soule be edyfyed therby And as sone wyll he gapeâ—while thou puttest sand as holy salt in his mouth yf thou shew hym no reason therof he hadde as seyffe be smered wyth vnhalowed butter as anoâ—nted wyth vncharmed oyle yf his soule be not tought to vnderstande somewhat at therby and so forth More Lo good crysten reder this holy spirytuall man at laste I wyste well wold somwhat shewe hym selfe what goostly spyryte inspireth hym For here you se for all his holy salutacyon at the begynnynge wyth gay wordes of grace lyght and fayth and feruent loue he bloweth and blustreth oute at laste his abhomynable blasphemy agaynst the blessyd sacramentes of Cryste and lyke the deuyls ape maketh mokkes and mowes at the holy ceremonyes that the spyryte of god hathe so many hundred yeres taught hys holy catholyque chyrche And here perceyue yet the false wylynes of the deuyll in vtterynge of his dreggys and poysoned draught He couereth his cuppe a lytle and shadoweth the colour of his enuenemed wyne that yt may be dronken downe gredely ere the parell be perceyued For he maketh here as though he fouÌ„de no faute but in that the sygnyfycacyons of the sacraments be not opened and declared vnto the people as though yf that were done he were contente and that he mokketh not the sacramentes but the mynysters that openeth not the bytokenynges therof But I shall fyrste shewe you that he playeth the deuyls dysor euyn in this poynte all though he ment no ferther then shall I farther shewe you what myschyef he meaneth more and proue yt you by expresse wordes of his owne Fyrste I saye yt is a lewde and a knauysshe raylynge vppon the sacramentes of our sauyour Cryste to lyken and coÌ„pare them in any maner wise vnto such scornefull thynges as the anoyntynge wyth holy oyle vnto butter smeryuge wyth other suche lyke knauysshe toyes whyche no wreche wolde do but such as hath the very name of the holy sacramentes in hatereth and dyspyte Now where he sayeth that his holy spirytuall sorte wyll alway so vyllanousely esteme the sacramentes but yf men tell them the reasons and bytokenynges of them to the edyfyenge of theyr soules yt wyll be great besynes and mych a do to edyfye and buyld vp the soules of such a sorte which the deuyll hathe by the blaste of his mouth throwen downe so depe and frusshed all to fytters But I praye god to whoÌ„ nothynge is impossyble to byeld them onys agayne vppon the rokke of his fayth froÌ„ whiche they shew them self so farre fallen down that they be full vnlykely to ryse For truly if they stode theruppon theyr hertys wolde abhorre to vttre suche frantyque fantasyes For as touchynge the sygnifycacyoÌ„s and bytokenynges of the blessed sacramentes the lacke of knowlege wherof Tyndale wolde make seme a suffycyent cause of his vilanouse blasphemy all good peple that haue the vse of reason and come to these sacramentes wyth good deuocyon be taught and do thynke and conceyue in they re hertes that god was incarnate and borne god and man for our saluacyon and suffred his passyon and dyed for our redempcyon and that we were redemed to heueÌ„ wyth his blessyd blood and that wythout hym we sholde neuer haue ben saued but had vtterly loste heuen by the synne of Adam and for this cause we call hym our sauyour and beleue that he hath promysed vs that yf we be crystened and kepe his holy commaundementes and for the brekyng be sory and turne agayne by penaunce god wyll brynge vs to heuen that he hath promysed vs and bought vs to And they beleue thâ—â— he hath ordeyned here holy sacramentes whych he wyll that we shall receyue wyth reuerence and that euery man wyth those sensyble sacramentes excepte the faute be in hym selfe receyueth some inwarde grace ayde of god by the merytes of Crystes passyoÌ„ and by his holy promyse and ordinauns so that vnto all good crysten men the outwarde sensyble sygnes in all the sacramentes and holy ceremonyes of crystes chyrch by one generall and comen sygnyfycacyon of them all bytoken and do sygnyfye and that ryght effectually an inwarde secrete gyfte and inspiracion of grace â—ffused in to the soule wyth the receyuyng of that holy sacrament by the holy spirite of god This comen sygnifycacyon of the sacramentes haue all the comenaltye of crysten people they beleue not onely that the sacramentes be tokens of suche grace and do sygnifye it but also be in some maner wyse a meane to come to the getynge therof bycause god hath so ordeyned But vnto Tyndale his holy spirituall sorte this gere is yet to groce for theyr subtyll thynne wyttes For that all crysten people haue this fayth and sygnyfycacyon of sacramentes Tyndale can not denye them but if he lyste to bylye them But why trow you can not this sygnifycacyoÌ„ serue Tyndale veryly bycause he byleueth yt not for he byleueth not that any ceremonye or sacrameÌ„t eyther is in the worke therof any meane to get any grace at all And in almoste all the sacramentes he playnly saythe that they neyther cause any grace nor any grace do sygnifye nor be no sacramentes at all as by his owne wordes I shall hereafter shew you But in the meane while for as mych as in his preface here he maketh as though he cared but for the declaracyon of the tokens and sensyble sygnes of the sacramentes and ceremonyes I haue shewed hym the great and chyef sygnifycacioÌ„ of all that is to wyt that they betoken the insensyble grace that god geueth them in to the soule thorow the merytes of Crystes holy passyon And this is the very chyef sygnifycacyon that all holy doctours note marke in the sacrameÌ„tes as apperyth by the dyffynicyons that in theyr bokes they geue therunto But nowe wyll not Tyndale sette a strawe the more by the anoyntynge wyth holy oyle then by smerynge wyth vnhalowed butter but yf men tell hym some ferther thynge therby that may edyfye hys soule and make it better For as for grace
edyfyeth not his soule for god byeldeth not so fast therwyth as hym selfe helpeth the deuyll to pull it downe agayne and cast it quyte away so that it is neuer the better And therfore he wyll that hys holy spyrytuall sorte shall set all the holy ceremonyes and sacrameÌ„tes at naught but yf men can tell them what other specyall thynge is ment by the water of baptysme and by the oyle in confyrmacyon and eneylynge and by the cerymonyes of the masse and by the salte and by the asshes and by the holy water by the blessynge of all suche maner of thynges vppon all whych for the meanwhyle tyll all thys be tolde taught hym he thynketh that it becometh hym well agaynst crystes holy sacrameÌ„tes to ieste and mokke and mow and rayle and skofe and ryally playe the rybawld resemblyng the salte to sand and the holy oyle to smeryng of some bareld butter Ah blasphemouse beste to whose rorynge and lowynge no good crysten man can with out heuynes of herte gyue ere Nowe can men and do also for the more parte of these thynges gyue good causes and playne open reasons bothe of the sygnyfycacyons and of the spyrytuall profyte and bodyly bothe And yf that of any suche sacramentes or ceremonyes gyuen of olde by god vnto his blessyd apostles and by them delyuered vnto hys chyrche and therin euer synnys fro hand to hand contynewed it hath pleased the spyryte to let his people haue and enioye the profyte wythout declaracyon of the specyall betokenynge other then the secrete grace gyuyn theÌ„ therin is not Tyndale wene ye well ouer seen to mocke the sacrament and refuse the grace bycause god wyll not make hym so secret of hys counsayll as to tell hym why he toke such an owtward sygne rather then suche an other and then aske god almyghty why he wolde rather haue vsed for a ceremonye salte then sande whyle sande is so good a scorer and why rather asshes then erthe syn man was made of erthe and not of asshes and why in baptysme rather water then wyne whyle wyne wyll wasshe as clene why rather oyle then butter whyle the tone wyll sinere aswell as the tother wyll anoynte and then why rather an halowed candell then an vnholowed torche that wyll gyue more lyght and fynally why any bodyly ceremonyes or sacramentes at all about grace to be gyueÌ„ to the spyrytuall sowle that god myghte aswell do wythout and yf god lyste not to make Tyndale an answere and tell hym all thys gere then wyll he lyke a spyrytuall man set all suche bodyly ceremonyes sacramentes at nought and say god what he wyll Tindale wyll glose hys texte as it please hym and then byleue as he lyste who shall let hym when our lorde in the olde testameÌ„t descrybed so seryously all the apparell of the preestes dyd he tell the people therwyth all the causes why Exodi 28 Of sume we se that he dyd as why he wolde not haue Aaron asceÌ„de vnto the awlter by degrees But of all hys apparell Exodi 2â— Exodi 26. â— 27. â—euitiâ—i 16. Exodi 29 and all the fasshyon of the tabernacle and the awlter and the arche of the testament and the ceremonyes of the expiacyon or purgyng of the tabernacle and sanctyfyeng of all the vessels and consecratynge of the preestes wyth the rytys and ceremonyes of all theyr sacryfyce dyd god I saye tell the people what all the outwarde ceremonyes fygnyfyed nay nor what sygnyfycacyon had the sacrament of cyrcuÌ„sycyon neyther other then that who so obserued it not amonge them sholde fall in hys indygnacyon and therby peryssheâ— and who so fulfylled it sholde be in hys fauour and ascrybed therby in to the nomber of hys electe and peculyer chosen peple But why he rather wylled them to haue the marke and token of cyrcumsicyon then an other or why that in the tabernacle arche and awlter apparell sanctyfyeng and sacryfyce our lorde chose those outward sygnes and fasshyons that are wryten in Exodo Numeri and Leuitico before other or what he sygnyfyed and ment by euery of the same that I se not that god taughte the people and yet had they thanke for the kepynge and sholde haue ben shent for the brekynge Now yf our spyrytuall father Tyndale had ben there that in euery commaundement wyll neuer cease serchynge tyll he come to the very botom and so iudgeth all thynge when he sholde in all those thynges haue serched and sowght and cowlde fynde few thynges other then allegoryes of whyche dyuerse men dyuersly diuyne and all whyche he lyttell setteth by and sayth they proue nothyng and the very causes and sygnyfycacyons he cowlde not haue founden though he wolde haue mused out hys brayne then wolde he not haue set a ryâ—â—he by all that god had deuysed nor wolde haue kept it at all lest he beynge so spyrytuall sholde haue serued as he sayth visyble thynges Is nothere a wyse worke of Tyndale But he wyll happely say that in the olde law thys was lesse mater for that was the law that was all in shawdoes and darkenes of fygures But now in the law of lyghte in whyche the veyle is taken away and all set open Tyndale can not abyde it to be ignorant of any sacrament or cerymonye of any thynge set therby but yf he serche and fynde the vttermost sygnyfycacyon therof Surely as lyghtsome as it is and as open as all thynge is now that the veyle of the temple is withdrawen yet wyll not Tyndale fynde out the proper causes and sygnyfycacyons of these sacrameÌ„tes and ceremonyes of the olde law thys seuen yere seuentene tymes tolde But go me to the new law to those sacramentes which Tyndale agreeth for sacramentes whyche be onely twayn baptysme and the sacrament of the awter in whych though he be content to call them sacramentes yet hath he dyuersefull erronyouse opynyons and very fals faythes But begynne therfore as I sayd at baptysme when our sauyoure shewed vnto Nichodemus that except a man were borne agayne of water and the spyryto Iâ—â—an â— he cowlde not enter in to the kyngedome of heuyn he tolde hym there the necessyte of baptysme but not the proper sygnyfycacyon of the water why it pleased god to put it for the sacrament by whyche we sholde enter in to heuyn Nor when he sent hys disciples to go forth and baptyse he shewed them not as farre forth as the gospell telleth for what proper sygnyfycacyon god set the water in that sacrament before any other thynge but onele shewed them that so he wolde it sholde be bad them go shewe it and do it Nor I fynde not that in theyr baptysynge they shewed vnto the people that thyng that bycause water wassheth and clenseth therfore god had appoynted it vnto the sacrameÌ„t that wassheth and clenseth our soules And yet who so shall say that the water hath for that cause a conuenyent symylytude for the mater shall saye very
borne of new not of mortall seed but of immortall seedâ— by the worde of god whyche lyueth and lasteth euer what meaneth he other then that by our sauyour hym selfe whyche is the lyuynge worde of god that lyueth lasteth euerâ— we be borne agayn by the sacramentall water the sacramentall word whyche bothe he there vnderstandeth for he there expressely speketh of neyther nother but of the worde that is goddes sonne The wordes of saynt Iamys also Iâ—â—â—bi .1 that god of hys good wyll begate vs wyth the worde of trouth how proue these wordes that the water of baptysme serueth but for a sygne The worde of trouth sayth Tyndale is here vnderstanden the worde of â—ys promyse How proueth Tyndale that byâ—ause that Crystes promyses be trew muste it therfore nedys be that saynt Iamys in that place ment the worde of promyse as though there were no more trew of all that euer Cryste spake but onely of hys promyses why may not in that place the word of trouth wyth whyche god hath of hys good wyll bygoten vs be vnderstanden our sauyour Cryst hym selfe by whom god hath bygoten vs in dede and whych is the very trouth it selfe as hym selfe wytnesseth of hym selfe where he sayth Ego sum via veritas vita I am the waye the trouth and the lyfe Thus maye ye se that thys texte proueth Tyndales purpose nothynge at all But now suppose that the very wordes of saynt Iamys were that god had bygoten vs wyth the worde of hys promese what had thys made for the mater How had thys proued that the water and the sacramentall wordes were but bare sygnes tokens If saynt Iamys sayde that god had bygoten vs by hys goodnes do these wordes exclude all yâ— meanys that hys goodnes vsed towarde it If god wolde saye to Tyndale I haue brought yâ— in to thys world which thou doste now corrupte and I haue made the crystendom whyche thou gooste aboute to dystroye and I haue bydden the beware of hell in to whyche thou rennest a pace dyd he therin exclude Tyndalys father and hys mother and hys sacrameÌ„t of baptysme and the mynyster therof and the prechers and â—echers of the tother So ye maye playnly se that Tyndales â—extes serue no thynge at all to proue that the sacramentes serue but onely for sygnes Thys opynyon hath Tyndale taken of Luther whyche gyueth to the sacrament nothynge at all but he sayth that god gyueth all the grace by the fayth alone and not by the sacramentes any thynge at all Now the chyrche beleueth techeth that god hath not so bounden hym selfe to his sacramentes but that where he gyueth the gyfte of fayth to any that can not come to baptysme there he of hys power maye and of hys goodnes wyll gyue vnto that man the gyfte of such grace to come to heuyn without baptysme But where god gyueth grace by the baptysme there it is harde to set the baptysme at so short as to saye that it serueth but for a bare sygne and wythout the sygnyfycacyons preched at the font standeth in no more stede then a precher that precheth not Albe it that god maye cure a sore without a medycyne do a myracle in a mannys helth and that for the regarde of the maÌ„nys good fayth and hys truste in god yet yf it please god to hele hym by a plaster though hys fayth be the cause why god dothe it yet is the plaster a meane in the doynge and serueth not for a bare sygne And surely when our sauyour set thys order therin that who so were baptysed in water in the name of the father the son and the holy ghooste he sholde be saued and that excepte a man were borne agayne as well of the water as of the spyryte he sholde not entre in to the kyngdome of heuyn god set it to serue for a more effectuall thyng then for a bare sygne voyd of any frutefull effecte For thys were yet at the â—aiâ— wyse no lesse then yf a lord wolde say to a poore felow take the here thys badge or thys lyuery gowne of myne yf thou take it and were it I wyll take the for myn houshold seruaunt and in myne houshold gyue the meat and drynke wages or ellys yf thou were it not thou shalte not come wythin my dorys Thys lyuery gowne gyueth hym neyther meat nor money but yet it is more then a sygne that he shall haue it for the werynge therof helpeth hym to get it not of any nature of the lyuery but by hys lordes ordenaunce And so lyke wyse though it were trew that the sacramentes dyde nothynge worke in them selfe nor had no power in them selfe no more of god then of nature to purge clense the soule yet were it more then a bare token or sygne of grace in that it hath by goddys promyse hys owne specyall assystens whyche at the sacramentes mynystred doth infouÌ„de hys grace How be it many good vertuouse men hath there ben of olde that haue had yet a mych hygher estymacyon of the sacramentes then so and that haue thought that the sacrameÌ„tes haue not onely god by hys promyse assystente to purge the soule and to infunde hys grace but also that he hath vsed them therin as effectuall workyng instrumentes in the doynge therof by reason of a certeyne influens of hys power wherby he made them mete to worke in to the soule thorow the touch of the body And in to thys mynde they were ledde by the wordes of holy scrypture and partely for the excellence of the sacrameÌ„tes of the new law in respecte of the sacramentes of the olde law bytwene whych two kyndes of sacramentes semeth to be as greate dyfference as bytwene the two kyndes of the lawes them selfe and that is no lesse then bytwene fygures ymagys symylytudes or shadowes and the very thynges them selfe as sayth saynt Paule Omnia in figura contingebant â—â—is Corin. 1â— all thynge vnto them came in fygures Then syth the sacramentes of the olde law had god by hys promyse assysteÌ„t wyth them in remyssyon of synnes Leuiti 4.5 6 as by the playne wordes of many places of scrypture doth appere it semed to those olde holy vertuouse doctours that the sacramentes of the new law for the preemynence ouer them sholde of goddys especyall influens haue some effectuall vertue force and power as an instrument of god in the workynge therof To whyche mynde they haue ben moued not onely for the cause afore remembred but also as I sayd before for that the very wordes of holy scrypture semen to lede them to it when they redde in the actes Aâ—tâ—um .8 that by the puttynge of the apostles handes vppon them that were crystened the holy gooste forthwyth came in to them and by myracle shewed hym selfe by theyr spekyng in dyuers tonges And when they redde saynt Paule wrytyng to Tymothee 1. Timoth. 4 Neglecte not that grace
mo But to the purpose this I say that god may by his power make the water in the sacrament an instrument with an efectuall influence of power geuen by god thereto at the tyme to purge the soule as well as the fyre eyther to purge yt or punyshe yt In whych thynge syth the scryptures seme to say that he dothe so no scrypture sayth the contrarye and many good holy meÌ„ haue bene of that mynde I see not why we shold thynke otherwyse when our lord heled Naaman Syrus by his ê“phete He lyzeus in the water of Iordane no man dowteth but thaâ— god dyd the dede â— Regum 5 yet were yt a great boldenes to afferme that the water there dyd worke â—othynge therin at that tyme and yet had the water no such nature of ytselfe No more had also the water of whych yt is wryten in the gospell of saynt IohnÌ„ Iohan. 5 where at the mouynge therof who so nexte were let downe thereto was there cured by the angell of god and yet is yt well lykely that god gaue an influence of his power at the tyme by which the water self was made an instrument of that helth And lykewyse where the woman was heled by the touch of Crystes garment Lucae .8 wherof saynt Luke speketh in the .viii. chapyter the wordes of our sauyour hym selfe seme to shew some influeÌ„ce gone forth from hym selfe in to his garment suche as by his myght with the touche of his garment vsed as an instrument therin was able to gyue helth vnto that good faythfull womâ—n when our sauyour as is wryten in yâ— .ix. chapyter of saynt IohnÌ„ dyd take the dyrt of the grounde IohnÌ„ 9 and dyd spytte there vppon and made therof a plaster layed it vppon the blynde maÌ„nys yien and so gaue hym his syghte I thynke that god gaue an influence of hys power in to that plaster wherby he cured his yien yet mighte he haue done it by his onely worde or by hys onely wyll wythout any suche outwarde thynge layed there vnto But it pleased hym to let them se that he not onely coude do it hym selfe but coude also make the very dyrte of the strete able to do suche curys as not all the plasters in all the surgeons shoppes were able to attayne vnto Now yf they wyll saye that it is not lyke in curynge the body and clensynge of the soule I saye it is lyke sauynge for the reason by whyche they say that the bodyly water can not worke vppon the vnbodyly soule And therfore thereto I saye that by no naturall power nor by no power excepte onely goddys coude these bodyes that is to wyt those waters garment and plaster haue in suche wyse wrought vppon the bodyes wherein they were workynge instrumentes of these meruelouse cures And then I saye by hys power maye the bodyly water as well be a workynge instrument vppon the vnbodyed and vnbodyly soule be it in clensyng pourgyng or punysshynge as vppon the body For as for that reason by whyche some doctours reken the mater the more easy in the sacramentes bycause the out warde sensyble thynges therof worke as they reken vppon the soule as parte of the holeman by touchynge the body therof as the fyre touchynge the body payneth the soule all all be it I repungne not thereat yet I nothyng grouÌ„de my selfe theron syth I neuer founde amonge them all one reason yet wherby me thoughte it proued otherwyse but the god may make the bodyly corporall water able to worke vppon the vnbodyed incorporyall soule whyche yf it maye syth god hath set the sacramentes as meanys by whiche we come to clensyng of the soule and to saluacyon all be it that no man denyeth but that the power of god is chyefe that he regardeth chrystes passyon and our owne fayth wyth dyuerse other thynges yet I se not why we sholde take all effecte of workyng from the sacramentes them selfe and leue them voide of all grace and call them bare gracelesse tokeÌ„s For yf that any man were of the mynde that he thoughte the sacramentes do nothynge to the clensynge of the soule bycause that all that euer is done is done by the power of god so myghte he thynke that no medecyne doth any thynge in the cure of any dysease bycause that all the nature of the medycyne is gyuen vnto it by the power of god to How be it in thys mater whyther that the sacramentes haue any influence of power gyuen them by god whereby they may be workers and instrumentes in the purgynge or clensynge of the soule or ellys that they be but in such wyse meanys and cause of the grace as the lyuery gowne wherof I dyd put the ensample is of the seruauntes fyndynge in the lordes housholde is not the thynge wherin I wyll gretely stykke But in my mynde the scrypture most serueth for the fyrst opynyon and good holy doctours and of the eldest haue ben of that opynyon and nothyng but phylosophicall reasons haue drawen other from that opynyon And synnys that some other hath fallen to the tother opynyon whyche gyueth to the sacramentes lesse force and effycace then doth that fyrste opynyon there are now come these new men Luther frere Huskyn and Hyâ—hen and such other lewde felowes that wolde leue the sacramentes by theyr wyllys nâ— maner strength at all And therfore so myche lyke I the better the fyrste waye that most hâ—ly men helde and that fertheste goeth from the doctryne of those heretykes whyche make the sacramentes as they sey to serue onely for prestes and prechers then they preche them selfe that the preesthed is no sacrament at all and turne them all in to mokkes and iestes comparyng sand with holy salte and butter smeryng to the anoyntynge wyth the halowed chrysme such other folysshe blasphemy Now where they saye that all the saluacyon standeth in promyse of god and nothynge in the sacramentes at all bycause that they be but the tokeÌ„s therof by this reason they wyll wythin a whyle take a way the reuereÌ„ce from the very promyse to For of trouth the promyse of god worketh not our saluacyon no more then do the sacramentes but god worketh our saluacyon hym selfe and the promyse is the token wherby we knowe he doth so For yf he had not promysed it we had not so surely knowen it nor had not had so greate a cause of good hope thereof but yet myghte he haue saued vs though he had neuer promysed vs. And now them that he saueth he saueth not so myche by the force of hys promyse as by reason of the selfe same goodnes that made hym to make the promyse So that his owne lyberall goodnes worketh our saluacyon and the promyse gyueth the knowlege of our saluacyon Now saye these men allwaye that god saueth vs by hys promyse as thoughe they were sure that yf he were not surely bouÌ„den by his promyse he wold not now do it at
in the blessed sacrament of the autre nor put any fayth therin Put ye no dowte but he wyll saye the same by hys soule within a whyle sone after that by hys godhed to and at the laste by the godhed of the father and the holy ghoste bothe and vttrely deny all thre God is good lorde whyche maketh thys blasphemouse fole speke in the ende of hys blasphemy a few trew wordes wyth whyche hym selfe destroyeth all hys whole abomynable doctryne For he coÌ„fesseth as ye haue herd that though he maye not byleue in Crystes chyrche as though the chyrche were hys sauyour yet he muste byleue Crystes chyrch that the doctryne which they preche of Cryste is trew And with these wordes of hys owne will I strayne hym faste sure For I aske no more but these few wordes of his owne to the confoundyng of all that euer he techeth agaynst our fayth For now hath he wyth these wordes destroyed theffecte of hys heresye wherwyth he wolde draw all to an vnknowen chyrche of electes For syth we muste byleue the doctryne the prechyng of the chyrche of Cryste as Tyndale sayth hym selfe and that can we neuer do but yf we know them whom we byleue and who be electys we can not knowe farewell the force of all that heresye by Tyndales owne tale And now syth he hath bounden hym selfe to confesse that the chyrche of Cryst is muste nedys be a chyrche knowen here to men and none suche can he name but onely the catholyke knowen chyrche of all Crysten nacyons froÌ„ whych he hath and doth labour to flyt and fle vnto a darke unknowen chyrche of electes the strength of whyche heresye hys owne wordes here haue coÌ„founded he must nedys confesse that Crystes chyrche is the chyrche that we be of and out of whyche hym selfe is downe fallen by vnfaythfulnes in to the depe dongeon of the deuyll And now syth of hys owne confessyon he must byleue the doctryne of the chyrch of Cryste and of the same confessyon of hys owne it foloweth that the chyrche of Cryste is thys comon knowen chyrche that hath from Crystes dayes hytherto contynued and that it is euydent also that by the doctryne of that chyrche the doctryne of Tyndale concernynge the blessed sacrament is false for euer hath it ben by that chyrche of Cryste taught that the blessed sacrament shold be worshypped and fayth to be put therin wherof Tyndale techeth the contrary it is ineuytably concluded vppon Tyndales owne wordes that Tindale is agaynste Crystes owne blessed person a dedly deuelâ—she heretyke Now syth ye playnely perceyue good crysteÌ„ reders that thys malycyouse man entendeth to tourne pore symple soulys out of the very fayth and of the .vii. holy sacramentes wolde take fyue awaye and the other twayne that he wolde seme to leue he handeleth yet in such wyse as men may well se that he leueth them as frutelesse as the other and fynally in effecte beleueth neyther nother there wyll no good man loke that we sholde now nede to proue these holy sacramentes to be trew which all crysteÌ„ peple haue this .xv. C. yere beleued bycause that now a fonde felow and a folyshe heretyque denyeth them excepte that any man were so madde to dowte whyther there were any god at all yf he happed to here any man so madde to say nay And surely there was neuer secte of heretyques yet that there was so great madnes to beleue as these For of other heretyques that haue bene of olde euery secte had some one heresye or ellys very few Now these heretyques come in wyth almoste all that euer all they held and yet mo to All the other heretyques hadde some pretexte of holynes in theyr lyuyng these shamelesse heretiques lyue in opeÌ„ shamfull incestuouse lechery and call yt matrymony The olde heretyques dyd stykke vppon scrypture wheÌ„ yt was yet in a manner new receyued and they contended vppon the vnderstandynge at such tyme as there had few crysten wryters expowned the scrypture byfore them so as they myght the better say to the catolyque chyrch why may not we perceyue the scrypture as well as you but these new heretyques be so farre fro shame that in the vnderstandynge of scrypture and in the affyrmynge of all theyr heresyes they wolde be byleued by theyr onely worde agaynste all the old holy doctours that haue bene synnys the deth of Criste vnto this daye and that in those roten heresyes to whych they fynde condemned to the deuyll by the generall counsayles of all crystendome a thousande yere afore theyr dayes and moost madde of all in denyeng the sacramentes whych they fynde receyued byleued vsed honoured so clerely from the begynnynge that neuer was there heretyque that durst for very shame so boldely barke agaynst them tyll that now in these latter dayes the deuyll hath broke his chaynes and of all extreme abomynacyon hathe set his poysoned barell a broche froÌ„ the dreggy draught wherof god kepe euery good crysten man and such as hath dronkeÌ„ therof geue theÌ„ grace to vomyte yt out agayne by tyme. This longe dygressyon haue I made you to lette you playnly se the sommary purpose and effecte of Tyndales doctryne touchynge the holy sacramentes whych knowen vnto good meÌ„ne suffyseth to make theyr hertes abhorâ—e his dyuelyshe doctryne wythout any ferther argumeÌ„t And as for them that at the bare herynge therof abhorre yt not they be surely so sore infected that excepte the meruelouse mercy of god neuer shall there eyther reason or authorite make them sauour the trouth But nowe that Tyndale hath commended vnto you the hygh spirytuall wysedome of vnfaythfull heretiques he begynneth on the tother syde to rebuke and reproue the trew fayth of all good faythfull people Tyndale But the world captyâ—ateth his wyt and aboute the law of god maketh hyâ— wonderfull ymagynacyons vnto whyche he so faste cleueth that tâ—Ì„nâ— Iâ—hnÌ„ Baptistes were not able to dyspute them out of his hed More Now that Tyndale hathe done with his owne spyrituall parte hath as ye haue herd holyly declared how hygh spyrytuall wysedome they vse in serchynge the very botome of the cause in euery commauÌ„dement that god geueth and accordynge to the thynge whych they take for the cause so order them selfe eyther kepe the commaundement or breke yt now commeth he to thoter parte that is to all that are no heretykes whom he before called naturall and not borne agayne nor renewed with the spyrtie all which folke he calleth here the worlde and sayth that the worlde captyuateth hys wyt about the law of god maketh hym wonderfull ymagynacyons vnto whych he so faste cleaueth that teÌ„ne IohnÌ„ Baptystes were not able to dyspute them oute of his hed Here he meaneth that hym selfe and his felowes spyrytuall heuenly men be not captyuate vnto the lawe of god as we pore worldely meÌ„ of mydle erth be For they be no ferther bounden to the law but as the cause of the
law sought out by them selfe leadeth them to and fro and therfore they be in an euangelycall and in manner angelycall lybertye to do what they lyste so that they geue the lawe some cause that may serue theyr luste as they haue geuen to the law and coÌ„maundement of vowes from whych they haue set them self in such a spyrytuall lybertye that munkes and freres maye lawfully lye wyth nunnes and lyue in lechery and call yt wedlocke And in dede they may call yt wedlocke and they wyll as lollardes dyd of late that put a pygge in to the water on good frydaye and sayd go in pygge and come oute pyke and so when they had chaunged the name they toke yt for fyshe and ete yt And so may these holy new spyrytuall men when munkes and freres wedde nunnes they may call yt wedloke they will But as the pore plough man sayd vnto the tauerner that gaue hym water in stede of wyne god thank you mayster wyner for your good wyne but in good fayth sauynge for the worshypfull name of wyne iche had as lâ—ue a dronkeÌ„ water surely so may we well saye to these new holy spyrytuall maryed munkes and frerys sauynge for the worshypfull name of wedloke yt were as good they lyued in lecherye as in suche byched bychery But we sely sowles of the worlde here be captyuate and bounde he sayth and not in suche an heuynly lybertye but make our selfe wonderfull ymagynacyons aboute the lawe of god whyche thynge mych I meruayle of For the worlde is not often wonte to muse mych vppon the lawes of god nor greatly to studye vppon them but let them go by well and easely thynke lytell on theÌ„ nor nede not IohnÌ„ Baptyste to dyspute out of theyr hedys any wonderfull ymagynacyons that they haue studyed aboute the law of god But Mary on the other syde these new spyrytuall men haue wyth theyr new lybertye made them selfe wonderfull ymagynacyons to which they cleaue so faste that .xv. IohnÌ„ Baptystes can not dyspute them out of theyr hedys For they haue to the greate wonder of the worlde made them an ymagynacyon that frerys maye lyue in lecherye wyth nunnes and neuer nede do penaunce neyther for that nor for any synne ellys but repente and do so styll and byleue that all is well do no penaunce nor take no payne for any synne at all Now euery man well woteth that saynt IohnÌ„ the Baptyste dyd dyspute agaynst these ymagynacyons of theyrs bothe wyth hys lyuynge and hys techynge For agaynste theyr lechery his lyuyng dysputed wyth chastyte agaynst theyr heresye of penaunce he dysputed wyth prechynge penaunce For he bad them not euery boye go forth and take hym selfe for an apostle and go preche but he cryed vppon them to do penaunce and not onely bad them repente and do penaunce but also bad them yf they wolde auoyde hell and the wrath that ellys was to come Matth. 3. they shulde do worthy frutes of penaunce And bycause that they sholde not wene that it was but a worde of offyce and that it suffysed to byleue well in goddys promyse and so go theyr way thynke them selfe saue he shewed them in hym selfe and hys owne lyuynge for theyr instytucyon not for the deseruyng of his owne synne a forme and fashyon of a repentaunt synner in what wyse he sholde do penaunce And therfore he lyued solytary sauynge that hys vertues caused hym to be vysyted He lyued in holy vowed chastyte and neuer â—edded womaÌ„ in hys dayes nor neuer wolde haue done though he had lyued twyes as longe as Lutherâ— He lyued in pore and paynfull apparell Lucae 1. He lyued in watche and prayours in fastyng and forberynge meate He dranke no wyne but was contâ—â— wyth water Thys maner of penaunce doynge dyd saynt IohnÌ„ Baptyste teche and dyspute contrary to the faâ—se ymagynacyons agaynst penaunce and wonderfull deuyses of lewde lecherous lyuynge that these new spyrytuall men haue in theyr fantasye framed whyche neyther saynt IohnÌ„ Baptiste nor such tenne saynt IohnÌ„ Baptystes nor our sauyour Cryste hym selfe can dyspute out of theyr hedys Tyndale He byleueth that he loueth god bycause he is redy to kyll a Turke for his saâ—e that byleueth better in god then he whom god also commaundeth vs to â—â—ue â—nd to leaue nothynge vnsoughte to wynne hym vnto the knowlege â—f the â—routhe though wyth the losse of our lyues More Here Tyndale foloweth hys mayster Luther that wold haue all crysteÌ„ men suffer the Turkes and fyghte not with them How be it I vnderstonde by Tyndale in hys boke after that Luther hath eaten vp his worde agayne afterward for fere when he saw his countrye prepare theÌ„ selfe agaynst the Turkes But now Tyndale that is out of suche fere is as it semeth dysposed to maynteyne and set forth hys maysters formar errour agayne For he layeth it to the charge of the catholycall chyrche as a chyefe and pryncypall fawte that we take it as token of loue to god yf a man haue a mynde for goddes sake to go fyghte agaynst the Turkes But as madly as he mokketh it a good token is it of loue to god for all that For he that is for goddes sake content in the defence of other folke hys innoceÌ„t crysten brethern agaynst the infidelys the enemyes of god and them to put his owne lyfe in payne and parell of deth we maye be bolde wyth Tyndales lycence whyle we haue Luthers leue all redy to warraunt that it is a token of good and ordynate loue to god and for god to hys neyghbour For though we sholde loue infydelys to make theÌ„ faythfull and be glad to suffer for them yf our suffrauns wolde brynge them to the fayth yet are we not bounden to loue them â—boue the householde folke of Cryste and famylyars of our owne crysten fayth and namely so farre that whyle they come not to lerne the crysten fayth but to kyll the crysten men a prynce that hath the rule of vs sholde suffer them to â—yll on and stoâ—de styll by and preche I 〈◊〉 â—ot therfore but how holyly so euer it pleaseth father Tinâ—â—le here preche in fauour of the Turkes a prince may assemble hys hoost and of good zele with grete thanke of god go agaynst them and kyll them aswell and better to then Moyses kylled the Egypcian that foughte wyth the Hebrew And therfore we shall not I truste greatly nede to fere the great worde that Tyndale in the Turkes fauour speketh agaynst those that wyll go and fyght agaynst them where he sayth that the Turke byleueth better in god then suche a crysten man wherin yf Tyndale sayde trew as god be thanked he lyeth how byleueth then Tyndale hym selfe in god whych as his charytable bokes well declare wold be well content that heretyques and infydeles shold wyth sedycyoÌ„ or open warre kyll vp the clergye of the catholycall chyrch and the great parte of such good people bysyde as wolde be
to traÌ„slate elder in stede of prest whych worde elder in engleshe was neuer so taken nor vnderstanden and thus to do wythout necessyte hauyng this worde preste so comenly knowen and so longe 〈◊〉 dâ—th he not by the same reâ—â—on chaunge bysshoppe in to ouerseer deâ—kâ—â— in to seruerâ— both whych he myght â—â—â—all do as preste in to elder And then muste he wyth his trâ—Ì„â—lâ—â—yon make vs an englysh vocabularye of his owne deuyse 〈◊〉 And so wyth such prouisyon he maye chauÌ„g chynne into 〈…〉 bâ—lâ—e in to bakke euery worde into other 〈…〉 yf all Englande lyste now to go to 〈…〉 and ellys not Now yf h◠〈…〉 that wyth suche chauÌ„ges he coude chaunge the names in to the better and shewe vs what the names sygnyfye fyrste yf he sayed therein trew he may tell vs those sygnyfycacyons in a tale bysyde but he muste in englysshe let englysshe wordes stande in hys englysshe traÌ„slacyon for all that And yet were out of hys mouthe a ryght good tale euyll worth the herynge for wyth a lytell hony he mengleth so mych poyson that rather then to swalowe the tone downe wyth the tother a man were yet mych better to forbere them bothe yet setteth me Tyndale one myghty stronge bulwarke to fence in all hys felde out of whyche he shoteth a sore shot of serpentyns when he asketh me why the apostles vsed not this greke worde hiereus or the interpreter this latyne worde sacerdos but alwaye these wordes presbyteros and senior by whiche was at that tyme nothynge sygnyfyed other then an elder Thys shotte shall I not now mych nede to fere For lykewyse as from the shotte of a gonne a man were metely saufe that had ere the gonne were losed made a steppe asyde .xv. hundred myle from it so syth I am stepped now fyftene hundred yere from the apostles dayes and almost as many from the interpretours tyme of whose ententes and purposes Tyndale asketh me now the why I maye saye that I neuer talked so mych with them by moâ—th as to aske them the why and therfore syth they haue not wryten me the why I am not bounde to tell Tyndale the why But I aske of Tyndale no suche farre fet whyes but a why of hys owne dede And that syth we now haue and hundredes of yeres haue had englysshe names inough for such orders of offyces as he translated out of latyn I aske hym thys why why dyd he translate the same by thys englysshe worde elder whyche nothynge sygnyfyeth the same And syth that in the texâ—ys that hymselfe alledgeth â—â—ythâ—â— the greke worde presbyâ—erâ— nor the latyne worde seniores sygnyâ—yeth in those places by Tyndales owne confessyon the age â—ut the offyce why gyueth he than that englysshe woâ—â—eâ— elder in theyr stede whyche sygnyfyeth not the offyâ—◠〈◊〉 age For though Tyndale say â—hat 〈…〉 was at that tyme nothynge 〈…〉 wherin as to â—â—â—chynge 〈…〉 syth hym selfe sayth nâ—◠〈…〉 and in that 〈◊〉 it happâ—th hym to saye 〈…〉 dede that bâ—the presâ—ytâ—ros 〈◊〉 be in those places 〈…〉 â—yâ— the 〈◊〉 â— noâ— the age forels had yonge 〈◊〉 â—ppon the callynge togyther of presbyteros or seniores ben lefte vncalled and had leue to byde at home what so euer moued in the fyrste gyuynge of the name the apostles or the interpreter to call the offyce by the name of presbyteros in greke or seniores in latyne it was Tyndales parte yet in hys englysshe translacyon to gyue it that englysshe name by whyche the offyce were it holy or prophane was and longe had ben comenly knowen in englande And ferther yf no specyall name wolde haue contented hym yet sholde he then haue called presbyteros the rewlers gouernours or offycers or some suche other englysshe worde whyche sygnyfyeth offyce rather then to call it elders by whyche name there is in the englysshe tonge none offyce vnderstanden at all but onely the bare age And thus as touchyng chauÌ„ge of presbyteros in to seniores and hys amendement in to elders that is to wyt from euyll to wurse ye se how well he hath quyt hym How be it yf he had had in the chaunge none other fawte but foly it sholde haue ben longe ere I wolde haue gone about to fynde it But now standeth all the mater in this whyche he slyppeth ouer that he dyd it of very caÌ„kered malyce by whyche he setteth forth agaynste Cryste and hys chyrche hys dedely malycyouse heresye wherewyth he wolde make men wene that holy orders were no sacrament And for that cause he asketh why that the apostles dyd not call the prestes hiereus in greke but presbyteros whyche sygnyfyed he sayth nothyng but onely elders And by this reason wolde Tyndale haue it seme that the apostles dyd take the crysten prestes for no more consecrate persons then other crysten men bycause they vsed a worde that had none holy sygnyfycacyon But Tyndale here though he wynke faste is not yet so faste a slepe as he maketh for For yf he lysted to lyfte vp his hed and loke vp a lytell â—he sholde sone se that hys argumeÌ„t were assoyled wyth the tother worde whyche he hath also â—ysse translated of lyke malyce ecclesia For yf he wyll nedys argue that prestes be no persons coÌ„secrated nor theyr order no sacrament bycause the apostles called them presbyteri whyche name had at that tyme none hâ—â—y sygâ—â—â—ycacyon in the greke tonge where they toke it 〈◊〉 Tyndale well inough sauynge that he wynketh and wyâ—â—â—â—â—â— that it must nedys folowe that baptysme were no sacâ—amâ—â—â— neyther bycause the apostles and euangelystes called it baptisma and in holy scrypture also named the holy company of baptysed people by this greke word ecclesia of whyche two wordes baptisma and ecclesia neyther nother had in the greke tonge before any holy sygnysyfacyon at all nor sygnifyed there any other thyng theÌ„ the tone a wesshyng the tother a congregacyone or assemble of hethen paynem people And thus is in thys poynte Tyndales playne foly and dissymuled falsed well and playnely conuycted And now syth that the apostles and euangelystes dyd apply and approper that prophane worde ecclesia to sygnyfy the holy company of crysten people sacred and sanctifyed in the holy sacrament of baptysme and in lykewyse the prophane worde presbyteros to sygnyfye a certayne sorte of the same coÌ„panye specyally consecrate vnto god by the holy sacrament of order he that now translateth those wordes in those places in to the englysshe tonge by any other wordes then such as in the englysshe tonge do sygnyfye those holy consecrate companyes the tone segregate from paynyms by the sacrament of baptysme the tother segregate fro the laye people by the sacrament of order as Tyndale hath done bothe in the holy name of chyrche and prestes callynge the tone but congregacyon the tother fyrst but senyor now that worse is but elder yf he know it for no faute then is it grete ignorauÌ„ce
as the trew sence of scrypture do coÌ„sent and agre to gether agaynst Tyndale and Luther and frere Huskyn and all theyr fonde felowes And yf Tyndale saye nay lette hym shew me whyche olde holy popes were they that euer hylde that the sacramentes of the auter is suche a bare symple sygne and sette but onely to sygnyfye the memoryall of Cryâ—tes passyoÌ„ and vnyte of hym and vs wyth loue and concorde amonge our selfe that it were synne to thiÌ„ke yt were not brede styll as Luther sayth or to thynke yt were any thynge ellys as Tyndale frere Huskyn sayth and great synne to worshyppe yt as Luther Huskyn and Tyndale saye And as concernynge the trew sence of scripture whych he sayth the pope hath robbed froÌ„ vs and meaneth the popes of eyght hundred yere last passed whyche trew sence Tyndale now bryngeth agayne let hym shew then whyche popes of the tother seuen hundred yere byfore or whyche holy doctours of all that longe tyme byfore dyd constre the scrypture so that any of them wold saye that a monke myght wedde a nonne And lo thus ye se good readers in what worshyppefull wyse Tyndale proueth all his purpose But now wyll we go farther Tyndale But in the tyme of Moyses when the congregacion was increaced that they must haue many preachers and also rulers temporall then all was receyued in scrypture More Here is hys hole grounde wheruppon he wyll anone coÌ„clude that syth all was then receyued in scrypture amonge the iewes so must it folowe that all was receyued by scrypture amonge crysten men whyche foloweth not as I wyll after shewe you though he sayed trew in that he sayth that in the tyme of Moyses all was receyued in scrypture But syth that theruppon is all hys hole mater grouÌ„ded let hym proue you that poynte fyrste For ye consyder well that it is not inough to hym that they then receyued scrypture but he must proue that then they receyued all in scryâ—ture and that euery thyngâ— that they sholde do or byleue was then delyuered them in scrypture And therfore syth that thys is the poynt and the thynge that he sayth and proueth not let hym proue you thys well fyrste and then go forther in goddys name what profe he bryngeth ye shâ—ll se how trewe it is ye shall sone iudge Thus he sayth Tyndale All was then receyued in scrypture in so mych that Cryste and his apostles myghte not haue ben byleued without scrypture for all theyr myracles More Lo thys is all the hole profe that euer he bryngeth forth for thys poynte wheruppon hys hole purpose hangeth And in dede it were somwhat if it were as trew as it is false For he neyther hath any scripture to proue it all reason is quyte agaynste it Fyrste as for scrypture though Cryste shewed to the iewes as the trouth was that the scrypture made mencyon of hym yet he neuer sayed vnto theÌ„ as Tindale sayeth that he myght not be byleued els nor no scrypture so sayth He sayeth no more of scrypture then of saynte IohnÌ„ the baptyste For he sayeth that the scrypture â—ereth wytnesse of hym and so sayth he of â—aynt IohnÌ„ to But bycause Tyndale compareth the scrypture with myracles and setteth so lytell by goddes worde vnwryten Cryste sayed sumwhat more by myracles and by hys owne worde at that tyme vnwryten then he sayd eyther by saynte IohnÌ„ or by the scripture eyther Iohan. 15. For he sayed of those twayneâ— that yf eyther of bothe had lakked they â—â—d not ben in the synne of infydelite And he sayth not so mych of saynt IohnÌ„ nor of the scrypture neyther Now reason is clere agaynste Tyndale in that he sayth that Cryste and his apostles could not be byleued for all the miracles For though god hadde neuer geuen warnyng by Moyses that there sholde come a nother prophete yet excepte god had expressely sayd that he wolde neuer sende mo whyche he sayed not what sholde let Cryste to be byleued commynge wyth miracles and though he wolde teache in the bylyefe not contrary artycles to those that were byfore taught but other reuelacyons farther that were not taught byfore and in workes make what chaunge that god lyste to commaunde Goddes worde when yt was brought vnto the people by Moyses was yt byleued for goddes sake or for Moyses If for goddes sake then though Cryste had not bene god as he was yet syth god sent hym wyth miracles as he sent Moyses what sholde lette hym to be byleued as well as Moyses though he hadde neuer be spoken of byfore Now yf for Moyses sake Cryste was as good as Moyses was all hadde he not ben god and incomparably better syth he was god why coulde he not then haue ben by leued wythoute the wytnesse of Moyses commynge wyth miracles mo then euer Moyses dyd or all the prophetes bysyde and namely doyenge so many in his owne name And bycause that in the credence geueÌ„ vnto Crysteâ— Tyndale geueth so great preemynens to the scrypture aboue the myracles of Cryste that is to saye to the worde of god wryten aboue wonderfull workes of god done lette Tyndale vnderstande that the cause why the wytnesse of scrypture holpe vnto the credeÌ„ce of Cryste was by reason of miracle that is to wyt bycause yt prophecyed of hym whyche thyng that shall come so longe after is a great miracle And yet farther they that wolde not byleue in Cryste for hys miracles wolde not byleue in hym for the scrypture neyther And yet for the fynall confutacyon of Tyndales foly in sayeng that Cryste for all his miracles coulde not haue ben byleued but for the scrypture euery fole knoweth that all the worlde saue the Iewes in theyr turnynge to Crystes bylyefe were not led by the scrypture but by the miracles and byleued not Cryste for the scrypture but byleued the scrypture for Cryste Cryste for the myracles And the Iewes whyche people moste byleued the scrypture of them I saye fewest byleued in Cryste Tyndale Wherfore for as myche Crystes congregacyon is spredde abrode into all the worlde mych broder then Moyses and in as mych as we haue not the olde testament onely but also the new wherin all thynges are opened so rychely and all fullfylled that byfore was promysed and in so mych that there is no promyse byhynde of ought to be shewed more saue the resurreccyon ye and seynge that Criste and all the apostles with all the angellis of heuen yf they were here coulde preache no more then is preached of necessyte to our soules how then sholde we receyue a new artycle of our fayth wythout scrypture as profytable vnto my soule as smoke for sore yies More Here Tyndale maketh hys conclusyon that syth Moyses bycause the people was encreaced so fully receyued all thynges necessarye to be byleued in scrypture that Cryste hym selfe myghte not haue be byleued wythoute scrypture whyche thynge is very false therfore yt foloweth that Cristes congregacyon
auter to whyche yet to saye the trouth neuer tradycyon neded For syth the scrypture ys playne that yt is Crystes owne precyâ—use bodye whyche ys not dede but quykke wyth that blessed soâ—le and wyth them the godhed vnseparably ioyned what frantyque fole coulde doute but yt sholde be wyth dyuyne honour wurshypped though neyther god nor man bysyde that knowledge hadde geuen vs warnynge therof But yet is Tyndale so farre bysyde hym selfe that he byleueth not the scrypture of god nor the word spoken by goddes owne mouth when he sayde that yt is hys owne body and is so blasphemouse agaynst god that he calleth it great synne to do to that blessed bodye of Cryste in the sacrament any honour at all bycause yt ys not commaunded he sayth in scrypture But thus may ye good crysten readers se to what poynt at laste thys heresye bryngeth these folke For when they fyrste fall to that poynt that they regarde not goddes word but yf he geue yt them in wrytyngeâ— wythin a whyle after fall they downe so farre that they neyther regarde hys worde nor his wrytynge nor yet hym selfe neyther But nowe is yt a worlde to se what shyfte these folke be fayne to seke Sometyme they come forth shamlesse and boldely tell on they re tale And yet when they perceyue in the myddes thereof that all that here theym wonder on them then they caste on theyr hodes and keuer theyr faces for shame For somtyme they say they care but for scrypture alone and set nought by all those that euer wrote synnys the apostles dayes Then se they agayn that to abyde by that word were to shamelesse and then they restrayne it vnto this .viii. hundred yeres laste paste in whyche they saye all is corrupted And then they grauÌ„te that before there were good men that taught the trewth and then they saye that we wyll not byleue them as though them selfe wolde And when we aske them then whyche of those olde men before .viii. C. yere last past euer sayed that relygyous men myght runne out and wedde nonnes to that they say nothynge but fare as though they herd it not But when that my lorde of Rochester in the selfe same mater that we haue now in hande to proue that dyuers thynges whyche the chyrch vseth and byleueth and whych were neuer made by any law wryten and yet obserued thorow yâ— catholyke chyrche were of suche antyquyte that euery man myghte well perceyue that they came from yâ— very apostles them selfe hâ— layed forth the greate clerke olde auncyent father Origene wherwyth as I haue shewed you before Tyndale was very angry and all to rated Origen called hym starke heretyke But yet shall not Tyndale so fere me there wythall but that to th entent that he shall not blynde you and make you wene that all the olde fathers were in thys mater of hys mynde but that ye shall well se that the thynges whyche he reproueth and wolde haue you wene were nought worth bycause he sayth they be not in scrypture be not thynges deuysed as Tyndale sayth by popys and popysh wythin thys viii C. yere I shall as I promysed byfore in yâ— second boke reherse you bothe the wordes of Origene and besyde some vndowted holy meÌ„ synnes I shall reherse you dyuers other above .viii. C. yere and aboue .xi. C. yere and aboue a thousande to of whom my lorde of Rochester hath gathered dyuerse togyther and rehersed in the same mater in hys boke agaynst Luther all whyche saue Origene onely Tyndale dyssembleth bycause he may not call them herâ—tykes as he called Origene for whom I haue in that poynt answered Tyndale in my sayd seconde boke before Origene in the fyfte homely vppon the boke of Numeri wryteth in thys wyse In the obseruaunces of the chyrche some thynges there are whyche muste of necessyte be obserued and kept and yeâ— the cause why appereth not to euery man As for ensample that we knele when we pray that of all partes of the heuen we moste specyally tourne vs towarde the este I suppose that no man lyghtely knoweth yâ— cause why Moreouer of the sacrament of th aulter eyther the maner in the receyuyng or the guyse and fashyon of the coÌ„secracyon or of the formale wordes and ceremonyes vsed in baptysme and of the questyons and answeres vsed in the same who may well open and declare the reason And yet all these thynges though they be coueryd and hyd we bere vppon our shoulders what tyme we in such wyse accoÌ„plysh and fulfyll them as we haue receyued them of the great byshoppe Cryste and hys chyldren delyuered and commended vnto vs. Damascene in the fourth boke in the .xiii. chapyter of yâ— prayeng towarde the oryente wryteth thus This tradicyon of the apostles is not wryten for many thynges are delyuered vnto vs wythout wrytynge And farther in the .xvii. chapyter where it is wryten of yâ—â—urshyppynge of the ymages of sayntes he sayeth that many thynges the holy apostles haue delyuered vnto vs wythout wrytynge Saynt Poule the apostle of the gentyles wryteth in this wyse Stande faste and obserue our tradycyons whyche ye be taught be yt by our worde or by wrytynge And vnto the Corynthyes thus I commende ye my brethern by cause in euery thyng ye haue remembred me and kepte the tradycyons as I delyuered ye them Dyonise the fyrste chapyter of Ecclesiasticae hierarchiae of the leders and maysters of the crysten fayth sayth that they delyuered vs many thynges to be kepte partely by wrytynge and partely by theyr instytucyons vnwryten Saynte Cypriane in his sermon of the wasshynge of the fete The hygh preste hym selfe is the ordayner and author of his owne sacrament In all the resydew men were taught by the holy goste And lykewyse as in Criste and in the holy goste is lyke and egall godhed so is there in theyr instytucyons and ordynaunces lyke power and egall authoryte And no lesse is yt ratyfyed of god the thyng that thapostles by the inspyracyon of the holy goste dyd instytute then the thynge that hym selfe hath ordeyned and hath in remembraunce of hym selfe wylled and commaunded to be done Eche of them hath theyr owne proper dygnyte and eche of them hath in theyr owne kynde egall authoryte Nothynge maye there eyther be addyd or wythdrawne nothynge neyther reformed nor chaunged Saynte Hyllary in the syxte boke of the Trynyte when he had made mencyon of the apostles wryteth in this wyse Of these apostles am I taught these thynges yâ— I obserue In them am I so seasoned that the taste can neuer be goten oute Theophilactus vppoÌ„ these wordes of saynt Poule My brethern stande faste and kepe the tradycyons that ye haue lerned be yt by my worde or by my letters of this trewly yt is euydâ—nt that saynt Poule delyuered vnto theÌ„ many thynges to be kepte wythout wrytynge and by worde of mouth onely that ys to saye wyth lyuely voyce not by letters all onely