teachers Looke vpon the Popes false doctrine what is the end thereof and what seeke they thereby Wherefore serueth Purgatory but to purge thy purse and to polle thee robbe both thee and thy hayres of house and laÌ„ds and of all thou hast that they may be in honour Serue not Pardons for the same purpose Whereto perteineth praying to Saintes but to offer vnto their belies Wherfore serueth confession but to sit in thy conscience and to make thee feare and tremble at what soeuer they dreame and that thou worship them as Gods and so forth in all their traditions ceremonies and coniurations they serue not the Lord but their belies And of their false expoundyng the Scripture and drawyng it contrary vnto the example of Christ and the Apostles and holy Prophetes vnto their damnable couetousnes and filthy ambition take an example Math. xvj When Peter sayth to Christ thou art the sonne of the liuyng God and Christ aunswered thou art Peter and vpoÌ„ this rocke I will build my congregation By the rocke interpret they Peter And theÌ„ commeth the Pope wil be Peters successour whether Peter will or will not yea whether God will or will not and though all the Scripture say nay to any such successioÌ„ and saith loe I am the rocke the foundation and head of Christes Church Now sayth all the Scripture that the rocke is Christ the fayth and Gods word As Christ sayth Math. vij he that heareth my wordes doth therafter is like a man that buildeth on a rocke For the house that is build on Gods woorde will stand though heauen should fall And Iohn xv Christ is the wine and we the braunches so is Christ the rocke the stocke and fouÌ„dation wheron we be built And Paul i. Cor. iij. calleth Christ our foundatioÌ„ and all other whether it be Peter or Paule hee calleth them seruauntes to preach Christ and to build vs on hym If therfore the Pope be Peters successour his dutie is to preach Christ onely and other authoritie hath he none And. ij xj Paule marieth vs vnto Christ and driueth vs from all trust confidence in man And Epht. ij sayth Paule Ye are build on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes that is on y â— word which they preached Christ beyng sayth he the head corner stone in whom euery buildyng coupled together groweth vp into an holy temple in the Lord in whom also ye are built together made an habitatioÌ„ for God in the spirit And Peter in y â— ij of his first Epistle buildeth vs on Christ contrary to the Pope whiche buildeth on hymselfe Hell gates shall not preuaile agaynst it that is to say agaynst the congregation that is builde vppon Christes sayth and vpon Gods word Now were the Pope the rocke hell gates could not preuayle agaynst him For the house could not stand if the rocke and foundation wheron it is builte did perish but the contrary see we in our Popes For hell gates haue preuayled agaynst them many huÌ„dred yeares and haue swalowed them vp if Gods word be true and the storyes that are written of them yea or if it be true that we see with our eyes I will geue thee the keyes of heauen sayth Christ and not I geue And Iohn xx after y t resurreccioÌ„ payed 〈◊〉 and gaue y â— keyes to them all indifferently What soeuer thou byndest on earth it shal be bounde in heauen what soeuer thou lousest on earth it shal be loused in heauen Of this text maketh the Pope what he will and expoundeth it contrary to all the Scripture contrary to Christes practising and the Apostles and all the Prophetes Now the scripture geueth record to himselfe and euer expoundeth it selfe by an other open text If the Pope theÌ„ can not bryng for his exposition the practisyng of Christ or of the Apostles and prophetes or an open text then is his exposition false doctrine Christ expoundeth him selfe Math. xviij saying If y â— brother sinne agaynst the rebuke him betwixt him thee alone If he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother but if he heare thee not theÌ„ take with thee one or two and so forth as it standeth in the text He concludeth saying to them all whatsoeuer ye bynde in earth it shal be bound in heauen and what soeuer ye louse on earth it shal be loused in heaueÌ„ Where byndyng is but to rebuke them that sinne and lousing to forgeue them that repent And Iohn xx Whose sinnes ye forgeue they are forgeuen and whose sinnes ye hold they are holden And Paul i. Cor. v. byndeth and ij Cor. ij louseth after the same maner Also this byndyng and lousyng is one power and as he byndeth so louseth he yea and byndeth first ere he caÌ„louse For who can louse that is not bound Now what soeuer Peter byndeth or his successour as he wil be called and is not but in dead y t very successour of Sathan is not so to be vnderstood that Peter or the Pope hath power to commaunde a man to be in deadly sinne or to bee damned or to go iâ—to hell saying bee thou in deadly sinne be thou damned go thou to hell go thou to Purgatory For that exposition is contrary to the euerlastyng Testament that God hath made vnto vs in Christ He sent his sonne Christ to louse vs from sinne and damnation and hell and that to testifie vnto the world sent he his Disciples Actes i. Paule also hath no power to destroy but to edifie ij Cor. x. and. xiij How can Christ geue his Disciples power agaynst him selfe and against his euerlastyng Testament Can he send them to preach saluation geue them power to damne whom they lust What mercy and profite haue we in Christes death and in his Gospell if the Pope which passeth all men in wickednesse hath power to sende whom he will to hell and to damne whom he lusteth we had theÌ„ no cause to call him Iesus y â— is to say sauiour but might of right call him destroyer Wherfore then this bynding is to be vnderstood as Christ interpreteth it in the places aboue rehearsed as the Apostles practised it and is nothyng but to rebuke men of their sinnes by preachyng the law A man must first sinne agaynste Gods law ere the Pope can bynde hym yea and a man must firste sinne agaynste Gods lawe ere hee neede to feare the Popes curse For cursing and binding are both one nothyng sauing to rebuke a maÌ„ of his sinnes by Gods law It foloweth also then that the lousyng is of like maner and is nothing but forgeuing of sinne to them that repent throughe preachyng of the promises whiche God hath made in Christe in whom onely we haue all forgeuenes of sinnes as Christ interpreteth it and as the Apostles and Prophetes practised it So is it a false power that the Pope taketh on hym to louse Gods
not commauÌ„ded to care for hys flocke as well as Peter Moreouer if to fede Christes shepe is to be greatest as no doubt to fede Christes flocke is to be great and most to fede is to be greatest in which office though Peter was great yet Paule was greater how commeth it that the pope by that authoritie chaleÌ„geth to be greatest yet this viij hundred yeares fedeth not at all but poysoneth their pasture with the venemous leuen of hys traditions and with wrestyng the text vnto a contrary sense Then came he to this text Math. xvj Thou art Peter and vppon this rocke I will builde my congregation or Church Lo saith Antichrist the carnall beast Peter is the rocke whereon the Church of Christ is built I am his successour and therfore the head of Christes Church When Christ ment by the rocke the confession that Peter had confessed saying Thou art Christ the sonne of the lyning God which art come into this world This fayth is the rocke wheron Christes Churche is built For who is of Christes Churche but he onely that beleueth that Christ is Gods sonne come into this worlde to saue sinners This faith is it against which hell gates caÌ„ not preuaile This fayth is it which saueth the congregation of Christ and not Peter TheÌ„ he goeth forth vnto that which foloweth Vnto thee I will geue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and what soeuer thou byndest in earth it shal be bound in heauen c. Loe sayth he in that he sayth what soeuer thou bindest in earth he excepteth nothyng therfore I may make lawes and binde both King Emperour When Christ as he had no worldly kyngdome euen so he spake of no worldly bindyng but of bindyng of sinners Christ gaue hys Disciples the keye of the knowledge of the law of God to binde all sinners and the keye of the promises to loose al that repent to let them into the mercy that is layed vp for vs in Christ Then coÌ„meth he vnto an other text which Christ rehearseth Mathew last saying All power is geuen me in heauen and earth go ye therfore and teach all natioÌ„s Baptising them in the name of the father and the sonne of the hely ghost teachyng them to kepe all that I commauÌ„ded you And behold I am with you vnto the worldes end Loc sayth the Pope Christ hath all power in heauen and earth without exceptioÌ„ and I am Christes Vicare wherfore all power is myne and I am aboue all kynges and Emperours in temporall iurisdiction and they but my seruauÌ„tes to kisse not my feete onely but my N. also if I list not to haue them stoupe so low When Christ as I sayd because he had no temporall kyngdome euen so he ment of no temporall power but of power to saue sinners which the processe of y e text declareth by that he sayth go ye therfore and teach and Baptise that is preach this power to al natioÌ„s and wash of their sinnes through fayth in the promises made in my bloud Then hee commeth vnto an other text Heb. vij which is The priesthode beyng translated the law must needes be translated also Now saith the pope the Priesthode is translated vnto me wherefore it pertayneth vnto me to make lawes and to binde euery man And y â— Epistle meaneth no such thyng but proueth euidently that the ceremonies of Moyses must ceasse For the Priestes of the olde Testament must nedes haue bene of the tribe of Leâ—i as AaroÌ„ was whose duty for euer was y e offeryng of sacrifices Wherfore when that Priesthode ceased the sacrifices ceremonies ceased also Now y t Priesthode ceased in Christ whiche was a Priest of y e order of Melchisedeke not of the order of Aaron for then he must haue bene of the tribe of Leâ—i and that he was not but of the tribe of Iuda of the seede of Dauid Wherefore they that are vnder Christes Priesthode are vnder no sacrifices or ceremonies And of this maner iuggle they with all the Scripture whiche falshed lest the laye men should perceaue with reading the processe of the text is all their feare what soeuer they pretend Moreouer that thou mayst perceaue the Popes falshed marke Christ sayd vnto Peter I will geue not I geue neither sayd he I will geue vnto the onely Therfore looke in the. xx chapter of Iohn where hee gaue them the keyes after his resurrection and thou shalt see that he gaue them vnto all indifferently saying As my father sent me so send I you Whether sent he theÌ„ into all the world and vnto all natioÌ„s What to do to preach the law that the people might repent and the promises that they might beleue in Christ for the remission of sinnes saying receaue the holy ghost who soeuers sinne ye forgeue they shall be forgeuen By which holy ghost he gaue them vnderstaÌ„dyng of the Scripture and of all that they should preach as thou mayst see Luke last where he opened their wittes to vndestand the Scripture and sayd that repentauce and forgeuenesse of sinnes must be preached in his name to all nations and that they were witnesses to preach it Whereby thou seest that to bynde and to lose is but to preach to tell the people their faultes to preach mercy in Christ to all that repent And when he sayth all power is geuen me he sayth not go thou Peter preach but saith vnto all indifferently go ye and preach this power geuen me of my father to saue all that repent and to damne them that repent not but folow the lustes of their flesh with full desire to lyue beastly beyng enemyes vnto the law of God And Math. xviij Peter asked Christ howe oft hee should forgeue hys brethren whether seueÌ„ tymes And Christ sayd seuentie tymes seuen tymes As who should say as ost as he repenteth and asketh forgeuenesse Now though this were spokeÌ„ vnto Peter onely because Peter onely moued the question yet pertaineth it not vnto vs all as well as vnto Peter Are not we as much bound to forgeue our neighbours that repeÌ„t and aske forgeuenesse as Peter Yes verely But because Peter onely asked the question therfore did Christ teach vs by Peter If an other had asked he would haue taught vs by that other And in lyke maner when Christ asked who say ye that I am if any other of the Apostles which beleued it as well as Peter had sayd as Peter did thou art Christ the sonne of the lyuyng God whiche art come into the world of sinners to saue them vnto him would Christ haue auÌ„swered as he did to Peter that vppon the rocke of that his coÌ„fession he wold haue built his church and would haue promised him keyes as well as he dyd Peter Yea and in the xviij chapter of Mathew Christ sayth to all the Apostles yea and to all congregatioÌ„s
pardon already had and not as a cause of remission to bee receaued ¶ S. Ambrose vpon the. 1. Cor. 2. TO remit sinnes and to geue the holy ghost is onely in Gods power If God therfore gaue the effect of our saluation maÌ„ hath nothyng in this behalfe to glory of 5. Beda in Lucam Lib. 5. cap. 68. GOe your wayes and shew your selues vnto the Priest And it came to passe that as they weÌ„t they were made cleane It is not found that the Lord sent any of those to whom hee shewed these corporall benefites vnto the Priestes but onely lepers soothly because the Priest hode of the Iewes was a figure of the regall Priesthode to come which is in the Church by the which all pertainyng to the body of Christ the hyghest Priest and Prince of all others are coÌ„secrated And who soeuer from hereticall malice or gentilical superstition or iudaicall trechery or els with brotherly discord as from the spotted coullour of leprosie shal bee clensed by the grace of Christ it is necessary for hym to come to the Church and there shew the true coullor of his fayth which he hath receaued But other vices as it were diseases of the members of the soule the senses y e Lord by him selfe inwardly in the conscience and vnderstanding doth heale and correct them S. Chrisostome Tomo 6. Sermone de confessione BVt now is it not necessary that our sinnes should bee confessed before witnesses Let thy offences be searched out in thy inward thought and let that shewyng bee without a witnesse and let God onely heare thy coÌ„fession God I say that obbraideth not thy sinnes but looseth them because of thy confession ¶ S. Ierome vpon Math. 16. TO thee I will geue the keys c. This place the Byshops Priestes not vnderstandyng doe arrogate vnto theÌ„ selues some thyng of the Phariseis pride forasmuch as they thinke they may condemne innocentes or release sinners Where as beefore God the seÌ„teÌ„ce of the priestes is not regarded but the lyfe of the offenders is considered We read in Leuiticus of the lepers where as they are willed to shew them selues to the Priestes And if they had the lepry then by y t priest were they made vncleane not that the Priestes did make men lepers vncleane but because they had the knowledge who were lepours who were not and could discerne who were cleane and who were vncleane Lyke as therfore the Priests dyd there make the lepour cleane or vncleane so doth our Byshop or Priest loose or bynd not those which bee sinnefull or innocent but accordyng to his office when hee hath heard the varieties of the sinnes hee knoweth who is to bee bound and who is to bee losed S. Origine in Math. Homel 1. IT was therefore truely sayd to Peter Thou art Peter c. Notwithstandyng it semeth to bee sayd also to all the Apostles and to all perfect faythfull men because they bee all Peters rockes and vppon them all is the Church of Christ builded agaynst no one of those that bee such shall the gates of hell preuayle Notwithstandyng by that which foloweth let vs see farther Doest thou thinke that to Peter onely were geuen the keyes of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ and shall no other of the blessed Saintes receaue them If it be coÌ„mon to all that was sayd I will geeue thee the keyes why should not all that was referred to Peter before seeme to bee common to all the Apostles For in the Gospell of S. Iohn Iesus geuyng the holy Ghost to his Disciples by breatnyng sayd these wordes Receaue the holy ghost c. as though hee said it to all such so affectionated as Peter was For all which bee folowers of Christ in like maner are named rockes Thou art Peter c. But because they which do chaleÌ„ge the place of a byshop doe vse this text as Peter dyd teach vs that they haue receaued the keyes of the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ from Christ because that who soeuer bee bound by them they bee bound in heauen also they which bee loosed by theÌ„ y e is haue receaued remission of their sinnes bee loosed in heauen also We must say that they say well if they haue those good workes for the which it was sayd vnto Peter Thou art Peter and if they bee such as Peter was that on them may bee builded the Church of Christ if the gates of hell shal not preuayle agaynst theÌ„ Otherwise it is a vayne iest to say that he which is tyed with the bondes of sinnes and draweth his sinnes after hym as a long rope and his iniquities be as the hoofes of a calfe for that onely that hee is a called Byshop should haue such power that they which bee loosed of hym bee also loosed in heauen or who so bee bounde in earth by hym bee bounde also in heauen Let the Byshoppe therefore whiche doth bind or loose an other man bee irreprehensible him selfe Hee that is worthy to bynd or lose in heauen must bee the husband of one wife sober chast comely apparelled a louer of hospitalitie apt to teach not geueÌ„ to ouer much wyne no striker nor greedy of filthy lukre but gentle no quareller abhorryng couetousnes one that ruleth well his owne house hauyng childreÌ„ in subiection in all chastitie If hee bee such a one hee shall not vniustly bynde vpon earth neither shall hee lose without good aduisement For if there shall bee as I may say a Peter and hath not these giftes here mentioned as it weâ—e to Peter and shall thinke that he can so bind sinnes that the same shall bee bound in heauen so lose theÌ„ that they shall bee losed in heauen hee deceaueth him selfe not vnderstandyng the meaning of the Scripture but puffed vp hee falleth into the iudgement of the deuill ¶ Tripartita historia lib. 9. cap. 35. Verba Sozemeni BEcause it is knowen to bee a diuine thyng and aboue maÌ„s nature neuer to sinne God commaunded remission to bee geuen to sinners that doe repeÌ„t But they which refuse to acknowlege their sinnes they heape vnto theÌ„selues a greater burthen of sinnes Wherfore it seemed good to the auÌ„cieÌ„t Byshops that as it were vpon a stage vnder the testimony of the Ecclesiasticall people their sinnes should be opened And for this purpose they appoynted a Priest of good conuersation a wise man and a keeper of secretes vnto whom they commyng that had offended confessed their owne sinnes But hee accordyng to euery maÌ„s offence assigned a penaltie Which custome also hitherunto is obserued in the Weasterne Churches especially at Rome where there is also a certaine place appointed for repentaunt sinners For the offenders stand amongest the peniteÌ„tes and morners For when as the holy celebration is a doyng they not participating the communion prostrate them selues vppon the earth with mornyng and lamentation vnto whoÌ„ the Byshop repayring hee also prostrateth him selfe with
ye haue brought in besides the Scripture nor any that dyed for it But ye persecute and â—lea whosâ— euer with Gods woorde doth rebuke it And as for your owne miracles of which ye make your boast ye haue fayned them so grosly throughout al your Legendes of Saintes that ye be now ashamed of them and would fayne bee rid of theÌ„ if ye wist how with honestie and so would ye of a thousand thinges which ye haue fayned And the cause why heretickes fayne no miracles as ye doe is that they walke purely and entend no falsehead And why the deuill doth none for them is that they cleaue fast to Gods word whiche the deuill hateth and can do no miracles to further it But to hinder it as he doth with you Read the stories of your Popes and Cardinals see whether the deuill hath not holpe them vnto their highe dignities And looke whether your holy Byshoppes come any otherwise vnto their promotions then by seruing the deuil in setting all Christendome at variaunce in sheddyng bloud in bringyng the common wealth to tyraÌ„ny and in teaching Christen Princes to â—ule more cruelly then did euer any heathen coÌ„trary vnto the doctrine of Christ And as for the Turkes and Sarasenes that ye speake of I auÌ„swere that they were ChristeÌ„ once at the lest way for the most part And because they had no loue vnto the truth to liue their after as ye haue not God did send them false miracles to cary them out of the right waye as ye be And as for the Iewes why they hyde out is onely because they haue set vp their own righteousnesse as ye haue and therfore can not admit the righteousnesse that is in Christes bloud as ye can not and as ye haue forsworne it And when he sayth in that they haue miracles and the heretickes none it is a sure signe that they be the true Churche and the heretickes not Had ye Gods word with your miracles and the heretickes doctrine were without then it were true But now because ye haue miracles without Gods word to confirme your false imaginatioÌ„s and they whiche ye call heretickes haue Gods word coÌ„firmed with miracles fiue huÌ„dred yeares together it is a sure signe that they be the true church ye not in as much also as Christ saith that y â— deceauers shall come with miracles ye in his name therto as ye do For wheÌ„ christ saith there shal come in my name y t shal say he him selfe is Christ who is that saue your Pope that wil be Christes Vicare and yet maketh men to beleue in him selfe in his Bulles Calues skinnes and in what soeuer he listeth And who be those false annoynted that shall come with miracles to deceaue the elect if it were possible saue your Pope with his gresiamus And when he repeteth his miracles to proue that the olde holy Doctours were good men in the right belefe I aunswere agayne that the Doctours which planted Gods word watered it with miracles while they were alyue And wheÌ„ they were dead God shewed miracles at their graues to confirme the same as of Heliseus And that continued till the Scripture was full receaued and autenticke But ye can not shew nor shal any Doctour which beyng aliue preached your false doctrine confirmyng it with miracles as God doth his Scripture Then sayth hee God had in the olde TestameÌ„t good meÌ„ ful of miracles whose liuing a man might be bold to folow and whose doctrine a man might beleue by reason of theyr miracles and then iuggleth saying if God should not so now in the new TestameÌ„t haue Doctours with miracles to confirme their doctrine and liuynges but contrarywise should bryng to passe or suffer to bee brought to passe with false miracles that his church shuld take hypocrites for Saintes which exposided the Scripture falsly then should hee deceaue his Church and not haue his spirite present in his Church to teach them all truth as he promised them I aunswer God suffereth not his Church to be deceaued But he suffereth the popes Church because they haue no loue vnto the truth to lyue after the lawes of God but consent vnto all iniquitie as he suffered the Churche of Mahomet Moreouer y â— gift of miracles was not all way amoÌ„g the preachers in the old Testament For Iohn Baptist did no miracle at all The miracles were ceased longyer Christ And as for you in the Popes kingdome had neuer maÌ„ that either confirmed Gods doctrine or your owne with miracles All your Saintes be first Saints when they be dead and then do first miracles to confirme tithes and offeringes the Poetrie which ye haue fayned and not true doctrine For to confirme what preachyng doth S. Thomas of Canterbury miracles He preached neuer nor liued any other life then as our Cardinall and for his mischief dyed a mischieuous death And of our Cardinall if we be not diligent they will make a Saint also and make a greater relique of his shew then of the others And of your dead Saintes let vs take onâ— for an example Thomas de Aquino is a Saint full of miracles as Friers tell And his doctrine was that our Lady was borne in original sinne And Dunce doyng no miracle at all because I suppose no man wotteth where he lyeth improueth that with his sophistrie and affirmeth the contrary And of the contrary hath the Pope for the deuotioÌ„ of that the gray Friers gaue him ye may well thinke made an Article of the fayth And finally as for the miracles they are to make a man astonied to wonder and to draw him to heare the word earnestly rather then to write it in his hart For whosoeuer hath no other felyng of the law of God that it is good then because of miracles the saâ—…e shall beleue in Christ as did Symon Magus and Iudas and as they that came out of Egypt with Moyses and fell away at euery temptation shall haue good workes like vnto our Popes bishops and Cardinals And therfore when the Scripture is fully receaued there is no nede of miracles In so much that they which will not beleue Moses and the Prophetes when the Scripture is receaued the same wil be no true beleuers by the reason of miracles though one arose from death to lyfe to preach vnto them by the testimonie of Christ And agayne how doth S. Hierome Augustine Bede and many other old Doctours that were before the Pope was cropt vp into y e consciences of meÌ„ and had sent forth his daÌ„nable sectes to preach him vnder y t name of Christ as Christ prophesied it should be expounde this text thou art Peter and vppon this rocke I will builde my Church and this text Peter feede my sheepe and all power is geuen me in heauen and in earth and innumerable such textes cleane contrary vnto all those
bée dons without any errour and that no man should doubt in it hée gaue them the holye ghost saying these wordes whose sinnes you doe forgeue shall bee forgeuen whose sinnes you doe retaine shall bée retained To these wordes addeth S. Luke Thē opened hée their wytte that they might vnder stand the Scriptures so that where S. Iohn sayth hée gaue them the holy ghost Luke sayeth hée opened their wytte to vnderstand Scripture It foloweth in Luke thus thus is it written that Christe must suffer death and rise agayne the thyrd day that repentaūce remission of sinnes shoulde bée preached in hys name among all nations Now where Saint Iohn sayth whose sins you doe loose shall bée loosed c. That sayth Luke in these wordes remissiō of sinnes must bée preached in hys name So that whose sinnes you doe loose shal bée loosed is nothyng els but that you must preach remission of sins in my name and as many as receiue this word you shall loose them by this word as many as doe not receiue it you shall bynde them by that same word That this is the sentence of these two places it is opē by that that they speake all of one story of that thyng that was done all in one day This doth also S. Paule prooue wel where hée reciteth the wordes of Luke saying Christ must néedes suffer ryse agayne from death and this Iesus is Christ Here is it plaine that s Paule losed men from their sinnes by preaching remissiō through Christ so that you haue openly here the practise of the holy Apostles how they did bynde loose by preaching the word of God They did bynde with the word when it was not beléeued They dyd loose by the worde when it was beléeued Thus dyd they by one word preache both saluation and damnatiō but vnto diuers men This vertue of the worde doth S. Paule declare in these wordes we are vnto God the swéete sauour of Christe both among them that are saued and also among them which perish To the one part are we the sauour of death vnto death vnto the other parte are we the sauour of lyfe vnto lyfe What is this sauour nothyng els but the Gospell which is vnto one sauour of lyfe that is nothyng els but loosing and remission of sinnes And vnto the other it is the sauour of death vnto death that is occasion of bynding and reteinyng in sinne This doth Paule also declare in an other place The preachyng of the crosse is to them that perish foolishnes But vnto vs whiche are saued it is the power of God What is y e power of God nothyng els but remission and losing from our sinnes What is foolishenes nothyng els but they despise the Gospell recken it of no value and of no power Wherfore they remayne bound in their sinne Thus is it declared that one word of God worketh in diuers mē diuers operatiōs In y e one it worketh lyfe y e is remission of sinnes in the other worketh it death is taken for foolishnes that is it declareth them bounde and retained in their dānable sinnes and yet in him selfe hée is of one goodnes and of our nature but the diuersitie commeth of them that bée the receiuers This may bée proued by a naturall example The dew of heauē cōmeth downe indifferently vppon all grounde but in the one it bryngeth forth good corne swéete frutes and in the other it bryngeth forth nettles brombilles that bée nothyng worth but to the fier This exāple haue you in the epistle to the Hebrues for this same purpose Likewise by one word doe the holy Apostles Christes ministers loose and bynde but this doe they not by charmyng coungeryng iugglyng and whyslyng absolutions as you doe But by preachyng the holy word of God which when it is beléeued doth quiet and loose our conscience from all sinne and offereth it vs through Christ onely But when it is not beléeued then doth it bynde vs and retaine vs in sinne So that this holy worde is the very true keye of heauen for by it heauen is opened and shut This doth Chrisostome wel prooue in these wordes The key is the word and the knowledge of Scriptures whereby the gate of veritie is opened vnto men c. S. Augustine doth also witnes the same saying These keyes hath bée geuen to the Churche that what shée byndeth in earth shall bée bound in heauē and what shée looseth in earth shall bée loosed in heauen that is to say who soeuer doth not beléeue that his sinnes bée forgeuē hym in the Churche they bée not forgeuen hym But hée that doth beléeue and auerte him selfe from his sinnes beyng with in the Church by that same fayth and amendement is hée made whole c. Here haue you openly that by bée leeuing the worde of God our sinnes bée loosed by vnbeléefe bée we boūde in our sins But now must we search to whom these keyes bée geuen They may not all onely bée geuen to Peter for then Paule and the two sonnes of thunder had them not Nor they may not bee geuen to one more then to the other For Christ was indifferent and they were all his Apostles their confession was all one Wherfore no doubt but these keyes weare geuen vnto all Christes Apostles vnto the whole Church as S. Augustine doth declare openly vpon Iohn This may bée also proued by the wordes of your owne lawe which bée these if Peter haue power all onelye to binde and to loose then doth it not the Church But if this bée donne in the Church then did Peter when hée receaued y e keyes sygnifie holy chucrh c. Heare haue you openly that Peter had not onely the keyes but hée receiued them in the name of the Church Wherefore they béelong to all Christen men This doth Origene well prooue in these wordes Tu es Petrus c. These wordes were spoken vnto Peter vnto all Apostles vnto all maner of perfect faythfull men for all they are Petrus in all them is builded the church of Christ and agaynst none of them can the gates of hell preuayle Doost thou recken that y t keyes of heauen were all onely geuen to Peter and that no other Christen man did receaue them c. Here is it clearely that all Christen men bée Peter and all they haue receyued the keyes of heauen and hell can not preuayle agaynst them S. Augustine doth also testifie the same in these wordes Wherefore the church which is founded and grounded in Christ of hym hath receyued in Peter the keyes of heauen that is to say power to bynde and loose c. Thus is it playne that those keyes are geuē to y e whole church of Christ for her fayth and they bée the cōmon treasure of the Church and béelonge no more to one man then to
scattered far and long in her trew head Christ Iesus taught hath learned not to feare the contâ—…elyes of the Crosse nor yet of death but more and more is shee strengthned not in resistyng but in sufferyng c. 250. col 2 The Popes law sayth Therfore is the Church holy because shee beleueth righteously in God c. 246. col 2 The Popes law sayth The whole Church can not erre Also in an other place of the congregation of faythfull men must needes bee which also caÌ„ not erre c. 247. col 2 ¶ That the keyes of the Churche bee the Woorde of God and not mans power HIerome sayth vppon these wordes I shall geue thee the keyes of heaueÌ„ This place the Byshops the Priests not vnderstanding haue vsurped vnto them somewhat of the Phariseis pride so that they thinke that they may condemne innocentes and loose them that bee giltie wheÌ„ beefore God not the sentence of the Priest but the lyfe of the giltie is regarded c. 257. col 2 Augustine sayth That must bee called a key where by the hardnes of our hartes are opened vnto fayth where by y t secretnes of myndes are made manifest A key it is sayth hee the whiche doth both open the conscience to the knowledge of sinne and also includeth grace vnto the wholsomnes of euerlastyng mistery c. 258. col 1 This doth Chrisostome well proue in these wordes Thâ— key is the word the knowledge of Scriptures wherby the gate of veritie is opened vnto men c. 261. col 1 Augustine doth also witnes the same saying These keyes hath hee geuen to the Church that what shee byndeth in in earth shall bee bounde in heaueÌ„ and what shee looseth in earth shal bee loosed in heaueÌ„ that is to say who soeuer doth not beleeue that his sinnes bee forgeuen hym in the Church they bee not forgeuen hym But hee that doth beleeue and auerte hym selfe from hys sinnes beyng within the Churche by that same fayth and amendement is he made whole c. 261. col 1 Origene vpon these wordes Tu es Petrus c. The wordes were spoken vnto Peter vnto all Apostles vnto all maner of perfect faythfull men for all they are Petrus and in all them is builded the Church of Christ and agaynst none of them can the gates of hell preâ—ayle Doost thou reckeÌ„ that the keyes of heauen were alonely geuen to Peter and that no other Christen maÌ„ dyd receaue them c. 261. col 2 Augustine doth also testifie the same in these wordes Wherfore the Church whiche is founded and grounded in Christ of hym hath receiued in Peter the keyes of heaueÌ„ that is to say power to bynde and loose c. 261. col 2 Chrisostome sayth The key bearers are Priestes vnto whom is committed the word to teach and to interprete Scripture c. 262. col 2 Ambrose sayth Sinnes bee forgeueÌ„ by the word of God whose interpreter is the Deacon c. 262. col 2 Chrisostome sayth Behold I see meÌ„ that haue no trew sence of holy Scripture yea they vnderstand nothyng at all therof to passe ouer many things for I am ashamed to call them madde men triflers and wranglers they bee such as know not what they say nor of what thyng they speake but alonely bee they mightye and bolde to make lawes and to curse and coÌ„demne those thynges of the whiche they know nothyng at all c. 265. col 2 The Popes â–ª law sayth If Peter haue power alonely to bynde and to loose then doth it not the Church But if this bee done in the Church then did Peter wheÌ„ hee receaued the keyes signifie holy Church c. 261. col 2 ¶ That free will of man after the fall of Adam of his naturall streÌ„gth can doe nothyng but sinne beefore God AVgustine sayth Lest any maÌ„ should suppose that the braunche of hym selfe could bryng forth at y t lest wayes a litle srute therfore saith hee nor with out me can you doe a litle but without we caÌ„ you doe nothyng Therefore whether it bee litle or much without him can it not bee done without whoÌ„ is nothyng done One of two thinges must the braunche needes doe either abyde in the vyne or els burne in the fire if it bee not in the vyne then is it in the fire c. 267. col 1 Barnarde sayth What shall we say is this alonely all the merite of freewill that hee doth alonely coÌ„sent yea doubtles Not that the same consent in the which is all his merite is not of God when that we can neither thinke the which is lesse then to coÌ„sent any thing of our selues as though we were sufficient of our selues These wordes bee not myne but the Apostles the whiche geueth vnto God and not to his free-will all maner of thinges that can bee good that is to say to thinke to will or to performe c. 267. col 2 Augustine sayth What goodnes can hee doe that is lost except that hee bee deliuered from his miserie Can hee doe good by his freewill God forbyd for man euill vsyng hys freewill dyd both loose him selfe and also his freewil and as man beeyng alyue doth kil him selfe and when he hath killed him selfe hee can not make hym selfe alyue agayne So likewise when we doe sinne by freewil and sinne hath the victory then is freewill cleane lost for of whom a man is ouercome vnto hym must hee bee seruaunt Doubtles this sentence is of Peter the Apostle the which seeing that it is true I pray you what maner of freedome caÌ„ a bonde seruaunt haue except it bee when it pleaseth him to sinne c. 268. col 1 Augustine sayth O cursed freewill without God we haue experieÌ„ce what freewil can doe without God therfore are we miserable because we haue experience what freewill is able to doe without God Behold maÌ„ was made good by his freewill was hee made an euill man When shall an euill man by his freewill forsaking God make a man good hee beeyng good could not keepe him selfe good and now that he is euill shall hee make him selfe good when that hee was good hee kept not hym selfe good and now that hee is euill shall hee say I make my selfe good c. 268. col 2 Augustine sayth Hee that feedeth without mee feedeth agaynst mee c. 269. col 2 Augustine sayth Thou wilt say that can my will doe that can my freewill doe What will what manner of free-will except that hee guide thee thou fallest except hee lift thee vp thou lyest stil How canst thou then doe it by thy spirite seeing that the Apostle saith As many as bee led by the spirite of God bee the children of God Wilt thou doe of thy selfe Wilt thou bee led of thyne owne selfe to mortifie the deedes of the flesh what will it profite thee
vsed by hypocrites The Popes clergie are lyers The wrath of God styrreth vp the people to destroy the enemieâ— and persecutors of the truth God is the defender of kynges and princes Wicked kynges and rulers that persecute Gods ministers are the troublers of themselues and their realme and not the preachers As many as will be the disciples of Christ must learne of him meekenes obedience to the higher powers Ye must suffer wyth Christ that ye may ioye with him in the lyfe to come God will be reuenged vpon cruell tyrauntes In the treatise folowing is shewed who are the causeâ—s of insurrection Iohn 18. Math. 1â— â–ª The mâ—…sters of Christes doctrine may not haue any temporall offices Math. 6 â–ª Math. 1â— â–ª The officers in Christes kingdome may haue no temporall dominion Math. 1â— â—o receiue a child in Christes name what it is 〈◊〉 Thes 3. The Pope is a Wolfe in a lambes skinne Why Peter was called chief of the Apostles Peter had no authoritie aboue the rest of the Apostles The â—opes kyngdome is of the world â—…able of the Popes gâ—…e 〈◊〉 â—…e his badge The ministers of the kyngdome of God must gouerne with all loue mekenes pacience Peter in y â— vse of speakyng for his diligeÌ„ce is called but not in the Scripture the chief of the Apostles Peter was inforced to render an accompt to his brethreÌ„ of his doynges Peter shewed no paâ—t of hys aâ— hoâ—…e 〈◊〉 the mighty power of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostles alledge the authoritie of God in Christ and no authoritie of their own Peter was sent by the other Apostles to preach 〈◊〉 Samaria Gal. Paul 〈…〉 to his 〈◊〉 Scripture is the châ—efest of the Apostles We geâ—e the 〈…〉 〈◊〉 reueâ—â—nce noâ— for them â—…es bâ—â— because of the word thâ—â—â—…y minister â–ª Math. 18. Oâ—â— brethren 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 must bâ— reformed by loue â–ª a 〈◊〉 â—y 〈◊〉 how we may go to the lawe wythout trespassers Math. 6. Open and 〈◊〉 offeÌ„dâ—urs are to be râ—buked openly The kingdome of Christ is spirituall Lukâ—… Officers first ordayned in Christes church Byshop Honour the aged In y e aged is experience Deacon In the primitiue Church they chose Deacons to minister to y â— poore Widowes Common goodes The â—reat and ferueÌ„t charitie in the primatiue church The couetousnes of y t Prelates was the decay of Christendome and y e encreasing of the kingdome of Mahomete The proud clergie how they spent the treasure 〈◊〉 yâ—â—oore Isacius The election was coÌ„firmed by the Emperour Note here the treasure that y e Byshops of Rome had at thys tyme. The Byshop of Rome in y â— primatiue Church was a dauÌ„gerous office At the first entry of Christes Churche there was no tythes payde to y e ministers All corruption of the Churche came first out of the Deacons Money purchased prefermeÌ„t The Prelates must bide still in the courte How the clergie first by riches theÌ„ by â—…attery aduaunced theÌ„selues When the Prelates waxed riche then they disputed who shoulde be highest Ierusalem was y â— firâ—t seaâ— of ou◠〈◊〉 byshop Constantinople Rome Hâ—â— Rome come to be y â— chifest citie Rome the seate and mother of all wickednesse Phocas Pope Boniface the thirde Phocas the Emperour first gaue priuilege to the Byshop of Rome â—o be the chief Byshop The chastitie of Priestes how it came vp Note 〈◊〉 the climing vp of the Pope Diuision in the Church The Grekes will not be vnder the Popes tyranny Mahomet the Pope began at one tyme. Gregory The Pope came vp by the French meÌ„ and by them he coÌ„tinueth his estate still Pope Zacharias the first Hildericus Pipinns The Pope put downe the right French kyng and set vppe Pipine The kyng of Fraunce was made a Monke Pope Steuen the second Estulphus kyng of Lumbardy How the Pope was aduaunced By what meanes Mahomet waxed great Carolus magnus The Pope become a great God on y â— earth Desiderius Pope Adrian the first The Pope purposed to be Emperour him selfe Charles the Pope deuided the kyngdome of Lombardy The Pope gathered a Councell and gaue vnto Charles the Empâ—re of Rome Leo the 〈◊〉 Pope Oâ—…ne whoâ—e Empyre the Pope made â—â—o Most Christen kyng Defender of the faith The eldest sonne of the holy seate Who is a Christian kyng The lyfe of Charles Charles coÌ„pelled aâ— men to the obedience of the pope Practise The Pope is a dispenser a breaker of the bondes of Matrimonie Charles a filthy whoremonger Charles hath hys whore caâ—â—ed with hym This was an Emperour for the â—â—pes own mouth Idoâ—yng Emperour The Pope made this lecherous Emperour a Saint Lewes the milde Pope Steuen the iiij The Pope elected and set vp with out the assent of the Emperour Pope Paschale The Pope how hee abused the Emperour The Pope setteth noâ— by the Emperour â—…ne Pope Nicholaus the first Pope Adrian the second Pope Adrian the third The vertue of the Pope and power oâ— y â— Emperour perished together The popes haue bene onely bloud shedeâ—â— aboue vij C. peates All Christâ—dome hath bene troubled wyth the Popes causes Vandales Hunnes Gothes The spiritualtie obeâ—ed to him that gat the victory how wicked soeuer he was Building of Abbeyes Shrining of saintes This was the tyme that false prophetes did arise in the church Beringarius Ottho Pope Iohn the. xij The oth of the Emperour made to the pope Notâ— here the dissimulation of y â— Pope in callyng his possessions S. Peters possessions Pope Gregory the fiâ—t The election of the Emperour apperteyneth to the Lordes of Germany The Iuytree springeth The maner how y â— pope did spring vp to hys great auctoritie The chusing of the Pope all Bishoppes perteyned vnto the Emperour and kinges once The almes geuen vnto the poore is become S. Peters patrimony Dani. xiiij The Pope first gat aboue all the Bishops then aboue the Emperour O Lucifer Note this deuilish â—…nable pride â—…e â—…e by the Pope The Pope createth his shauelyngs into dignities Qualis pater talis filius good naturall children The popes order compared with Christes Christ aâ—d the Pope compared together Christ bringeth a man lowe but the Pope lifteth vp a hygh The Pope receaueth his riches and kyngdomes of the deuill The Pope distributeth his fathers kyng dome The popes order compared with the order of the Apostles The popes Priestes The popes widowes The popes Deacons How the Pope deuideth the poore peoples almes Monkes Monkes made ministers to the poore Monkes robbe the poore â–ª Begging friers The charge of the â—ay people How the spiritualtie bestow their treasure The Pope maketh lawes What subtiltie the Pope vseth to stablishe his kingdome The Pope hath feined the gift of Constantine The Pope corrupteth the scripture and why Peter sayth the Pope was the head of Christes church All ministers haue as great a charge geuen them of God as Peter had Peter preached but the Pope preached not Fayth is the rocke whercon Christes Churche
is built Bindyng and losyng how it is to be vnderstand The keyes Behold here Antichrist how he wresteth the Scriptures Christes power is 〈◊〉 saue sinners Of this maner iuggleth â—ee with all textes At the sufferyng of Christ the offeryng of sacrifices ceremonies â–ª ceassed for Christ offered hym selfe once for all Christ gaue all his Apostles like authoritie To bynde and lose is to preach Christ sent out all hys Apostles not Peter â—â—â—nâ— Note We are bound to forgeue our neighbours aswell as Peter was Christ builded his Churche vpon the confession of Peter not vppon Peter A woman hath power to bynd How 〈…〉 man may bynde and lose To bynde the conscience and to reproue opeÌ„ sinners perteineth to the congregation Reasons that Peter was not y â— greatest by authoritie geuen hym of Christ Peter had first his seate at Antioche Christes power is in the Gospel Paul is called to helpe In the presence of the greater the power of the lesser doth 〈◊〉 Paule is made equal felow with Peter Peters seate what it is Peters seate Peters doctrine Peters keyes are all but one thyng Peters seate is Christes Gospell The Pope sitteth in thâ— deuils seate whose Vicare he is Purgatory The Pope sayth that Purgatory â—s in â—arth Vowes Othes TestameÌ„ts The Pope altereth meÌ„s willes testameÌ„ts at his pleasure The popes marchaundise Vnion The great and shamefull abuse of â—bbeyes DispeÌ„sations purchased of the Pope Choppyng and chaungyng vsed by the pope The wicked bestowing of benefices by the Pope The church can â—ot erre The Pope sayth that the Scripture is true not of it selfe but because he alloweth 〈◊〉 approueth it A similitude This doctrine the papistes vsed in those dayes The câ—â—mon and 〈◊〉 and â—…ching of â—he Papistes The Abbotes keep the monks in ignoraÌ„ce and the bisshops y e priestes â—alne ioyned w t pain maketh â—â—yne nothing The vse of vniuersities â–ª Prouiso S. Tho. de Aquino Saintes Thomas of Canterbury Tho. â—eâ—ket Tho. Wolsey copared together The Pope rewardeth his seruaÌ„ts highly wheÌ„ they be dead Policie The practise of little master parson K. Herold Robert of CaÌ„terbury Remission of sinnes to conquere England Note here how well Christ and the pope agre Christ biddeth saue the pope biddeth kill The pope is a cruell mercilesse tyrant Anselmus a chapleine of y e popes ☜ The pope is well pleased to admit priestes to haue whores but not wiues Note here the pryde and wickednes of the Pope Remission of sinnes to coÌ„quere England Thomas Arundell Practise of Prelates The popes clergy are secret and subtile conspirators ☞ A trayterous practise ☜ The Papistes are styrers vppe of warres sheders of bloud Duke HuÌ„frey Papistes are cruell A Parliament kept at Bury The death of Homfrey Duke of Gloucester protectour of the Realme of England This is Syr Tho. More The Clergy cannot abyde them that can iudge talse miracles Thre causes why the Duke of Gloucester was murthered The Pope is the whore of Babylon An other practise of Prelates Popes haue deposed Emperours and lykewise Emperours haue deposed Popes No man may rebuke the Pope for any mischief that he doth Venetians The Pope may geue and take agayne at hys will pleasure The Venetians â—aâ—e not for the popes cursing nor blessing FrenchmeÌ„ EnglishmeÌ„ The practise of the pope with all kinges princes The pope a breaker of peace The abuse of the sacrament How y â— sacrament should be broken betwene kinges and princes The Pope would not haue the Emperour to strong Remission of sinnes cleane deliuerance out of puâ—gatoâ—ye A frier Forest or a vicar of Croiden Popish practises Dissembled â—ruce Henry v. K. Henry v. conquered more then the prelates thought he would do Henry vi The crafty practise of the popes legate The mariage of king Henry vi The Duke of Glocester trayterously murthered ☜ Frier Bongaye Cruel war betwene k. Henry and the erle of Warwike Confession in the eare was a wicked inuention Lycence of the Pope for xiiij to study Nicromancy A subtile practise of Prelates He meaneth Cardinal Wolâ—ey Leut. 2â— Deut. 28. 29. A practise of the Prelates with their poore Priestes Thomas Wolffe The description of Cardinall Wolsey The kings byrth calked by the Cardinall Byshops talke kings natiuities Kyng Henry the viij had Cardinall Wolsey in great estimation The maner practise of Cardinal Wolsey The kyng is betrayed The quene is betrayeâ— Note this deuilish practise The Byshop of Lyncolne Cardinall Wolsey ruled altogether K. Lewes Pope Iulye This is a true story The new Thomas Maximilian the Emperour was K. Henry 〈◊〉 his souldier Remission of sinnes Note here the subtletie craft of the pope Now King Henry 8. with aâ— his army was abused The Prelates see euer before-hand what is like to folow Papistes are great forecasters of perils Practise The kinges sister 〈◊〉 to Fraunce Traiterous Prelates ☜ The pomp and apparell of the Cardinall his chapâ—aines passed the xij Apostles Prelates SalutatioÌ„ Cardinall Wolsey was a subâ—… worker A certaine secreat Milane Turnay The Emperor came thorough England Nurturing of kinges Practâ—â—e The french king sendeth a defiance to K. Henry viâ— Armies sée into stance The Cardinal was the Emperours freÌ„d openly and the french kinges secreatly The sege of Pauie Pauie A false pope and leud Cardinall Pace the 〈◊〉 of Englands Ambassadour Burbon The Emperour setteth vpon y â— french king by night These shippes were english Angels of gold At the taking of the french king Te Deum was song and great triumph made in England Subtile practises of the Cardinall The marte shold haue bene at Cales A ruffelar The pride and arrogancie of Cardinall Wolsey Cardinall Wolsey a great traytor Cardinall Wolsey coÌ„mitted treason agaynst the Emperour Cardinall Wolsey preferred More to he Chauncelour Treason layd to the Cardinall charge Mortunries probate of Testamentes Pluralitie of benefices Tithes The Churchewardens haue bene accustomed to gather the tithes and to geue the Paâ—â—o his reasonable stipend and to geue the reâ— to the poore Princes haue herein much to aunswere The loane first forgeuen by the Clergie The loane forgeueÌ„ by the temporalitie The Byshoprieke of DurhaÌ„ Tunstall Byshop of Durham brent the new Testament A Bishopricke is a superfluous honor and a lew de liberty The Carnall clearely discharged DefeÌ„der of the fayth The title of the defeÌ„dour of the fayth came froÌ„ Rome The Popishe and vayne glorious maner of Cardinal Wolsey The Cardinals hat The falsest and vainest Cardinall that euer was The chirch erreth if y â— pope and bishops be the chirch Marten Luther submitted him self to king Henry viij More is proued a lyer Sir Thomas HittoÌ„ A daunce in Paris Here Tindal prayeth for y â— ceasing of persecution Tindall proâ—eth the vnderstanding of such as of right should succeed to the crowne Tindall warneth al the Cardinals secretaries to repent and turne to God A generall exhortation to all kinds of people Popish
Christ and haue the earnest and beginning of the sprite God is so louyng fauourable vnto vs that he will not looke on such sinne neither wil counte it as sinne but will deale with vs accordyng to our belief in Christ and according to his promises which he hath sworne to vs vntyll the sinne be full slayne and mortified by death Faythe is not mans opinion and dreame as some imagine and fayne when they heare the story of the Gospell but when they see that there follow no good workes nor amendment of liuyng though they heare ye can bable many thyngs of fayth then they fall from the right way and say fayth onely iustifieth not a man must haue good workes also if he will be righteous and safe The cause is when they heare the gospell or glad tidinges they fayne of their owne strength certaine imaginations and thoughtes in their hartes saying I haue heard the gospell I remember the story loe I beleue and that they counte right fayth which neuerthelesse as it is but mans imagination and faining euen so profiteth it not neither followe there any good workes or amendmēt of liuing But right fayth is a thing wrought by the holy ghost in vs which chaungeth vs turneth vs into a new nature and begetteth vs a new in God and maketh vs the sonnes of god as thou readest in the first of Iohn and killeth the olde Adam and maketh vs altogether new in the hart mynde wyll lust and in all our affectiōs and powers of the soule and bringeth the holye gost with her Fayth is a liuely thing mighty in working valiant strong euer doyng euer fruitfull so that it is vnpossible that he whiche is endued therwith should not worke alwayes good workes without ceasing He asketh not whether good workes are to be done or not but hath done them already ere mention be made of them is alway doing for such is his nature for quicke fayth in hys hart and liuely mouyng of the sprite driue hym and stirre hym therunto Whosoeuer doth not good woorkes is an vnbeleuyng person faithles loketh roūd about him groping after faith good works woteth not what faith or good workes meane though he bable neuer so many thinges of faith good workes Fayth is then a liuely and a stedfast trust in the fauour of God wherewith we commit our selues altogether vnto god that trust is so surely grounded and sticketh so fast in our hartes that a mā would not once doubt of it though he should die a thousand tymes therefore And suche trust wrought by the holy gost through faith maketh a man glad lusty chereful true harted vnto God and vnto all creatures By the meanes wherof willingly and without compulsion he is glad and redy to do good to euery man to do seruice to euery man to suffer all thinges y t god may be loued and praysed which hath geuen hym such grace so that it is impossible to separate good workes from fayth euen as it is impossible to separate heat and burning from fire Therfore take hede to thy selfe and beware of thyne owne fantasies and imaginations which to iudge of fayth good workes wyll seme wyse when in dede they are starke blind and of all things most foolish Pray God that he wyll vouchsafe to worke faith in thine hart or els shalte thou remayne euermore faythlesse fayne thou imagine thou enforce thou wrastle with thy self and do what thou wilt or canst Righteousnes is euen such faythe and is called Gods righteousnesse or righteousnes that is of value before God For it is gods gift and it altereth a man and chaungeth him into a new spiritual nature and maketh him free and liberall to pay euery man his duety For through fayth a mā is purged of his sinnes and obteyneth luste vnto the law of God whereby he geueth God hys honor and payeth hym that he oweth hym and vnto men he doth seruice willingly wherwith soeuer he can and payeth euery man his duety Such righteousnes can nature freewill and our owne strength neuer bring to passe for as no man can geue himselfe faith so can he not take away vnbeliefe how then can he take away any sinne at all Wherefore all is false hipocrisie sinne whatsoeuer is done without fayth or in vnbeliefe as it is euident in the 14. chapter vnto the Romains though it appeare neuer so glorious or beautiful outwardes Fleshe and sprite mayest thou not here vnderstand as though flesh were onely that which pertayneth vnto vnchastitie and the spirite that which inwardly pertayneth to the harte but Paul calleth flesh here as Christ doth Iohn 3. All that is borne of fleshe that is to witte the whole man with lyfe soule body wit will reason whatsoeuer he is or doth within and without because that these all and all that is in man study after the worlde and the flesh Call fleshe therfore whatsoeuer as long as we are without y t spirite of GOD we thinke or speake of God of fayth of good workes and of spirituall matters Call fleshe also all works which are done without grace and without the working of the sprite howsoeuer good holy and spirituall they seeme to be as thou mayest proue by the 5. chapter vnto the Galathians where Paule numbreth worshipping of idoles witchcraft enuy and hate among the dedes of the flesh and by the 8. vnto the Romaines where he sayth that the law by the reason of the fleshe is weake which is not vnderstand of vnchastitie onely but of all sinnes and most specially of vnbeliefe which is a vice most spirituall and grounde of all synnes And as thou callest him whiche is not renewed with the spirit and borne agayne in Christ flesh all his dedes euen the very motions of his hart and minde his learning doctrine and contemplation of hye thinges his preaching teaching and study in the Scripture buildyng of Churches foundyng of Abbeyes geuing of almes Masse mattēs what soeuer he doth though it seme spiritual and after the lawes of God So contrarywise call him spirituall which is renewed in Christ and all his deedes whiche spryng of fayth seme they neuer so grose as the washyng of the Disciples feete done by Christ and Peters fishing after the resurrection yea and al the dedes of matrimony are pure spiritual if they procede of faith and what soeuer is done with in the lawes of God though it be wrought by the body as the very wiping of shooes and such like how soeuer grose they appeare outward With out such vnderstādyng of these wordes canst thou neuer vnderstand this Epistle of Paule neither any other place in the holy Scripture Take hede therfore for who soeuer vnderstādeth these wordes otherwise the same vnderstādeth not Paule what soeuer he be Now will we prepare our selues vnto the Epistle For as much as it becommeth the preacher of
of the commaunder and worke with tediousnes But he that worketh of pure loue without seekyng of reward woorketh truly Thirdly that not the saintes but god onely receiueth vs into eternall tabernacles is so plaine euidēt that it nedeth not to declare or proue it How shall the saintes receaue vs into heauen when euery man hath neede for him selfe that God onely receiue hym to heauen and euery man hath scace for himself As it appeareth by the fiue wise virgins Math. 25 which would not geue of their oyle vnto the vnwise virgins And Peter sayeth in the 4. of his first Epistle that the righteous is with difficultie saued So seest thou y ◠the saying of Christ make you frendes and so forth that they may receiue you into euerlasting tabernacles pertayneth not vnto the saintes which are in heauen but is spokē of the poore and nedy which are here presēt with vs on earth as though he would say What buildest thou churches foundest Abbeys chauntries and colledges in the honor of saints to my Mother S. Peter Paule and saintes that be dead to make of them thy frendes They nede it not ye they are not thy frendes but theirs which liued then whē they did of whome they were holpen Thy frendes are the poore which are nowe in thy tyme liue with thee thy poore neighbours which neede thy help and succour Them make thy frendes with thy vnrighteous Mammon that they may testify of thy faith and thou maist know and feele that thy fayth is right and not fayned VNto the second such receauing into euerlasting habitations is not to be vnderstand that men shall do it For many to whom we shew mercy do good shall not come there neyther skilleth it so we meekely and louingly do our duetie ye it is a signe of strong fayth and feruent loue if we do wel to the euill and studye to drawe them to Christ in all that lyeth in vs. But the poore geue vs an occasion to exercise our fayth and the dedes make vs feele our fayth and certify vs ānd make vs sure that we are safe and are escaped and translated from death vnto lyfe that we are deliuered and redemed frō the captiuitie and bondage of Satan and broughte into the libertie of the sonnes of God in that we fele lust and strength in our hart to worke the will of god And at that day shal our dedes appeare and comfort our hartes witnes our faith and trust which we now haue in Christ which fayth shall then keepe vs from shame as it is written None that beleueth in him shall be ashamed Rom. 9. So that good works helpe our fayth and make vs sure in our consciences and make vs feele the mercy of god Notwithstanding heauen euerlasting lyfe ioy eternal faith the fauour of God the spirite of God lust and strength vnto the wil of God are geuen vs freely of the bounteous and plenteous riches of God purchased by Christ without our deseruings that no man should reioyce but in the Lord onely FOr a further vnderstanding of this Gospel here may be made 3. questions What Mammō is why it is called vnrighteous and after what maner Christ biddeth vs counterfet folow the vniust and wicked stewarde which with his lordes dammage prouided for his owne profite and vātage which thing no doubt is vnrighteous and sinne First Mammon is an Hebrue word signifieth riches or temporal goods and namely all superfluitie and all y t is aboue necessitie that which is required vnto our necessary vses wherwith a man may helpe an other without vndoyng or hurtyng himselfe For Hamon in the Hebrew speach signifieth a multitude or abundance or many And therehence commeth Mahamon or Mammon aboundaunce or plenteousnes of goodes or riches Secondarily it is called vnrighteous Mammon not because it is gottē vnrighteously or with vsurye for of vnrighteous gotten goods can no mā do good workes but ought to restore them home agayne As it is sayd Esay 61. I am a God that hateth offeryng that commeth of robbery And Pro. 3. sayth Honour the Lord of thine own good But therfore it is called vnrighteous because it is in vnrighteous vse As Paule speaketh vnto the Ephes 5. how that the dayes are euill thoughe that god hath made them and they are a good worke of gods makyng How be it they are yet called euill because that euill men vse them amisse much sinne occasions of euill peril of soules are wrought in thē Euē so are riches called euill because that euill men bestow thē amisse and misuse them For where riches is there goeth it after the common prouerbe He that hath money hath what him listeth And they cause fighting stealing laying awaite lying flatering and all vnhappines against a mans neighbour For all men holde on riches part But singularly before God is it called vnrighteous Mammon because it is not bestowed and ministred vnto our neighbors nede For if my neighbour neede and I geue him not neyther depart liberally with him of that which I haue than withholde I from him vnrighteously that which is hys owne For as much as I am bounden to helpe hym by the lawe of nature which is whātsoeuer thou wouldest y ◠an other did to thee that doe thou also to hym And Christ Math. 5. Geue to euery mā that desireth thee And Iohn in his first Epistle if a man haue thys worldes good see hys brother nede how is the loue of God in hym And this vnrighteousnes in our Mammō see very few men because it is spirituall and in those goodes whiche are gotten most truely and iustly whiche beguile men For they suppose they do no man wrong in keepyng them in that they got them not with stealyng robbing oppression and vsury neither hurt any man now with them Thirdly many haue busied thēselues in studying what or who this vnrighteous steward is because y t Christ so praiseth him But shortly and plainly this is the aunswere That Christ prayseth not the vnrighteous stuard neither setteth him forth to vs to coūterfait because of his vnrighteousnes but because of his wisedome onely in that he with vnright so wisely prouided for himself As if I would prouoke another to pray or study do say The theeues watch all night to robbe and steale why cāst not thou watch to pray and to study Here prayse not I the theefe and murderer for their euill doyng but for their wisedome that they so wisely and diligently wayt on their vnrighteousnes Likewise whē I say misse women tyre thē selues with gold and silke to please their louers what wilt not thou garnish thy soule with fayth to please Christ here prayse I not whoredome but y ◠diligence which the whore misuseth On this wise Paule also Roma v. likeneth Adam Christ together saying that Adam was a figure of Christ And yet of Adam haue we
goeth vnto God and vnto the inheritaunce of all his riches testifie all the Apostles and Prophetes all the Scripture with signes and miracles and all y t bloud of Martyrs And who soeuer goeth vnto God and vnto forgeuenesse of sinnes or saluation by any other way then this the same is an hereticke out of the rightway not of Christes Church For this knowledge maketh a man of y e Church And the Church is Christes body Collos i. and euery person of the Church is a member of Christ Ephes 5. Now it is no meÌ„ber of Christ that hath not Christs spirit in it Rom. viij as it is no part of me or member of my body wherein my soule is not present and quickeneth it And then if a man be none of Christes he is not of his Church ¶ How a true member of Christes Church sinneth not and how he is yet a sinner FUrthermore he that hath this fayth can not sinne and therfore can not be deceaued with damnable errours For by this fayth we be as I sayd borne of God Now he that is borne of God can not sinne for his seed dwel leth in him he can not therfore sinne because he is borne of God i. Iohn iij. which seede is the holy ghost that kepeth a mans hart from consenting vnto sinne And therfore it is a false conclusioÌ„ that M. More holdeth how that a maÌ„ may haue a right faith ioyned with all kyndes of abhomination sinne And yet euery member of Christes congregation is a sinner and synneth dayly some more and some lesse For it is written i. Iohn i. if we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues the truth is not in vs. And agayne if we say we haue not sinned we make hym a liar and his word is not in vs. And Paul Rom. vij sayth that good which I would that do I not but that euill which I would not that do I. So it is not I that do it sayth he but sinne that dwelleth in me Thus are we sinners and no sinners No sinners if thou looke vnto the profession of our hartes toward the law of God on our repentaunce and sorow that we haue both because we haue sinned and also because we be yet full of sinne still and vnto the promises of mercy in our Sauiour Christ and vnto our fayth Sinners are we if thou loke vnto the frail tie of our flesh which is as the weakenesse of one that is newly recouered out of a great disease by y â— reason wher of our dedes are imperfect And by the reason wherof also when occasions be great we fall into horrible dedes and the frute of the sinne which remaineth in our meÌ„bers breaketh out Notwithstanding yet the spirite leaueth vs not but rebuketh vs bryngeth vs home agayne vnto our profession so that we neuer cast of the yocke of God froÌ„ our neckes neither yeld vp our selues vnto sinne for to serue it but fight a fresh and begyn a new battaile ¶ How a Christen man can not erre and how he may yet erre ANd as they sinne not so they erre not And on the other side as they sinne so they erre but neuer vnto death and damnation For they neuer sinne of purpose nor hold any errour maliciously sinnyng against the holy ghost but of weakenesse infirmitie As good obedient childreÌ„ though they loue their fathers commaundements yet breake them oft by the reason of their weakenesse And as they can not yeld them selues bond vnto sinne to serue it eueÌ„ so they can not erre in any thyng that should be agaynst the promises which are in Christ And in other thynges their errours be not vnto damnation though they be neuer so great because they hold them not maliciously As now if some when they read in the new Testament of Christs brethren would thinke that they were our Ladyes children after the byrth of Christ because they know not the vse of speakyng of the Scripture or of the Hebrues how that â—ye kinsineÌ„ be called brethren or happely they might be Iosephes children by some first wife neither can haue any to teach him for tyraÌ„ny that is so great yet could it not hurte him though he dyed therein because it hurteth not the redeÌ„ption that is in Christes bloud For though she had none but Christ I am therfore neuer the more saued neither yet y e lesse though she had had And in such lyke an hundred that plucke not a mans faith from Christ they might erre and yet be neuerthelesse saued no though the contrary were written in the Gospell For as in other sinnes as soone as they be rebuked they repent euen so here assoone as they were better taught they should immediatly knowledge their errour and not resiste But they which maliciously maynteine opinions agaynst the Scripture or that y t caÌ„ not be proued by the Scripture or such as make no matter vnto the Scripture and saluation that is in Christ whether they be true or no and for the blind zeale of them make sectes breakyng y t vnitie of Christes Church for whose sake they ought to suffer all thyng and rise agaynst their neighbours whom they ought to loue as them selues to sleâ— them such men I say are fallen from Christ and make an Idole of their opinions For except they put trust in such opinions and thought them necessarie vnto saluatioÌ„ or with a cankred conscience went about to deceaue for some filthy purpose they would neuer breake the vnitie of fayth or yet slea their brethren Now is this a playne conclusion that both they y t trust in their own works and they also y t put confidence in theyr owne opinions be fallen from Christ and erre from the way of fayth that is in Christes bloud therfore are none of Christes Church because they be not built vpon the rocke of fayth ¶ Fayth is euer assayled and fought with all MOreouer this our fayth which we haue in Christ is euer fought agaynst euer assayled beaten at with besperation not when we sinne only but also in all temptations of aduersitie into which God bringeth vs to nurtour vs and to shew vs our owne hartes the hipocrisie false thoughtes that there lye hid our almost no fayth at all and as little loue euen theÌ„ haply when we thought our selues most perfect of all For when temptations come we can not stand when we haue sinned fayth is feeble when wrong is done vs we can not forgeue in sickenesse in losse of goodes and in all tribulations we be impatient when our neighbour needeth our helpe that We must depart with hym of ours then loue is colde And thus we learne and feele that there is no goodnes nor yet power to do good but of God onely And in all such teÌ„ptatioÌ„s our fayth perisheth not vtterly neither our loue and consent vnto the lawe of God But they
neighbour and the order of our iustifying saluation for as much as all such thynges were played before the peoples faces dayly in the ceremonies euery child wist the meanyng but got them vnto allegories faynyng them euery maÌ„ after his owne brayne without rule all most on euery silable and from thence vnto disputyng and wastyng their braynes about wordes not attending the significations vntill at the last the laye people had lost the meanyng of the ceremonies the Prelates the vnderstandyng of the playne text and of the Greke Latin and specially of the Hebrue whiche is most of nede to be knowen and of all phrases the proper maner of speakynges and borowed speach of the Hebrues Remember ye not how within this xxx yeares and farre lesse and yet dureth vnto this day the old barkyng curres Dunces disciples lyke draffe called Scotistes the children of darkenesse raged in euery pulpit agaynst Greke Latin and Hebrue and what sorrow the Scholemasters that taught the true Latin toung had with them some beatyng the pulpit with theyr fistes for madnesse roaryng out with open and somyng mouth that if there were but one Tirence or Virgil in the world and that same in their fleues a fire before them they would burne them therein though it should cost theÌ„ their liues affirming that all good learnyng decayed was vtterly lost sence men gaue them vnto the Latin touÌ„g yea I day say that there be xx thousand Priests Curates this day in England and not so few that caÌ„ not geue you the right English vnto this text in the Pater noster fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo in terra aunswere therto And assoone as the signification of the ceremonies was lost and the priestes preached Christ no longer then the common people began to wax mad out of their mindes vpon the ceremonies And that trust and confidence which the ceremonies preached to be geuen vnto Gods worde and Christes bloud that same they turned vnto the ceremonie it selfe as though a man were so mad to forget that the bushe at the tauerne dore did signisse wine to be solde within but would beleue that y â— bushe it selfe would quench his thirste And so they became seruauntes vnto y â— ceremonies ascribing their iustifying and saluation vnto them supposyng that it was nothing else to be a christeÌ„ man then to serue ceremonies him most christen that most serued them contrary wise him that was not Popishe and ceremoniall no christeÌ„ man at all For I pray you for what cause worship we our spiritualtie so highly or wherefore thinke we their prayers better then the poore laye mens then for their disguisings and ceremonies yea and what other vertue see we in y â— holiest of them then to waite vppon dumme superstitious ceremonies Yea and how coÌ„meth it that a poore laye man hauing wife and xx children and not able to finde them though all his neighbours know his necessitie shal not get with begging for Christes sake in a long sommers day inough to fynde them two dayes honestly when if a disguised monster come he shall wyth an houres lying in the pulpit get inough to finde thirty or forty sturdy lubbers a moneth long of which y â— weakest shall be as strong in the belly when he commeth vnto the manger as the mightâ—est porter in y â— weyhouse or best courser that is in y â— kynges stable Is there any other cause then disguising and ceremonies For y e deedes of the ceremonies we count better theÌ„ the deedes which God coÌ„maundeth to be done to our neighbour at hys nede who thinketh it as good a deede to feede the poore as to sticke vp a candle before a post or as to sprinckle himself with holy water Neither is it possible to be otherwise as long as the signification is lost For what other thyng can the people thinke then that such deedes be ordeyned of God and because as it is euident they serue not our neighbours neede to be referred vnto y e person of God and he though he be aspirite yet serued therewyth And then he can not but forth on dispute in his blynde reason that as god is greater then man so is that deede that is appointed to serue God greater then that which serueth man And then when it is not possible to thinke them ordeyned for nought what can I other wise thinke then that they were ordeyned to iustitie and that I should be holy therby according to the popes doctrine as though God were better pleased when I sprinkle my selfe with water or set vp a candle before a block then if I fed or clothed or holpe at his neede him whom he so tenderly loueth that he gaue his owne sonne vnto the death for hym and commaunded me to loue him as my selfe And when the people beganne to run that way the prelaces were glad and holpe to heue after with subtill allegories and falsifying the scripture went and halowed the ceremonies to make them more worshipfull that the laye people should haue them in greater estimation honour and to be afrayde to touch them for reuerence vnto the holy charme that was sayd ouer them and affirmed also that Christes death had purchased such grace vnto y â— ceremonies to forgeue sinne and to iustifie O monster Christes death purchased grace for mans soule to repent of euill and to beleue in Christ for remission of sinne and to loue the lawe of God his neighbour as himselfe which is the true worshipping of god in the spirite and he dyed not to purchase such honour vnto vnseÌ„sible thinges that maÌ„ to his dishonour should do them honourable seruice receaue his saluation of them This I haue declared vnto you y t ye might see and feele euery thing sensibly For I entend not to leade you in darcknesse Neyther though twise ij Cranes make not iiij wilde Gees woulde I therefore that he shoulde beleue that twise two made not foure Neither entend I to proue vnto you that Paules steple is the cause why Temmes is broke in about Erith or y â— Teinterden steple is the cause of the decay of Sandwich hauen as M. More iesteth Neuerthelesse this I woulde were perswaded vnto you as it is true that the building of theÌ„ and such like thorow y â— false fayth that we haue in them is the decay of all the hauens in England of al the cities townes hye wayes and shortly of the whole common wealth For since these false monsters crope vp into our consciences and robbed vs of the knowledge of our sauiour Christ makyng vs beleue in such popeholy workes and to thinke that there was none other way vnto heauen we haue not ceassed to build theÌ„ abbeyes cloysters coledges Chauntries and cathedrall churches with hye steples striuing and enuying one an other who shoulde do most And as
for whatsoeuer thou askest in his name and woulde shewe thee all that God woulde do to thee and what he would also haue thee to do and if thou beleeuest so were thou safe If thou desiredst him to saue thee with his merites He would aunswer that he had no merites but that Christ onely is Lord of all merites nor saluation but that Christ is Lord of saluation Wilte thou therfore be saued by merits wold the Aungell say then pray to God in Christes name and thou shalt be saued by the merites of him and haue me or some other thy seruaunt immediatlye to help thee vnto the vttermost of our power and to keep thee and bring thee vnto the rewarde of his mertites If thou wouldest promise him to worship him with imageseruice that is to sticke vp a candle before his image or such an image as he appeared to thee in He would aunswer that he were a spirite and delighted in no candlelight but would bid thee geue a cādle to thy neighbour that lacked if thou hadst to many And so would he aunswer thee if thou wouldest put money in a boxe for him or cloth his image in cloth of gold or put golden shoes vpon his Images feete If thou saydest that thou wouldest build a chappel in his name he would aunswer that he dwelt in no house made with stones but wold bid thee goe to the churches that are made already and learne of the Preachers there how to beleeue and how to liue and honour God in the spirite for the which cause churches were chiefly builded and for quietnesse to pray And if there be no church then to geue of that thou maist spare to help that one were builded to be a preaching and a praying house and of worshipping God in the spirite and not of imageseruice And if Paule appeared vnto thee what other thing could he aunswer also then that he were a spirite would refuse all thy imageseruice And if thou speake to Paule of his merites he can none otherwise aunswer thee then he aunswered his Corinthians That he dyed for no mans sinnes and that no mā was baptized in his name to trust in his merites He would say I builded all men vppon Christes merites preaching that all that repented and beleued in his name should be saued and taken from vnder the wrath vengeaunce and damnation of the law be put vnder mercy and grace And by this fayth was I saued from damnation and put vnder mercy and grace and made one with Christ to haue my part with him and he with me or rather to make a chainge that he shoulde haue all my sinnes and I his mercye and the giftes of his grace and become glorious with the ornamentes of hys riches And of my sauiour Christ I receaued this lawe that I shoulde loue my brethren all Gods elect as tenderly as he loued them And I consented vnto this law for it seemed right and became a scholler to learne it And as I profited in the knowledge faith and loue of Christ so I grew in the loue of my brethren and suffred all things for their sakes and at the last waxed so perfect that I wished my selfe damned if it might haue bene to saue my brethrē And al my brethrē that receaued Christ receaued the same commaundement grew therein And they that were perfect loued me and all their other brethren no lesse then I loued them And looke with what loue I ministred the giftes of grace which I receaued of Christ for the edifying of his congregation vpon my brethren with the same loue did they minister their giftes agayne on me which they had and I lacked and so loue made all common And moreouer if they call my workes my merites I bestowed all my workes vpon my brethren to teach them and reaped the fruite thereof euen my brethrens edifying and soules health yea and reape daily in that I left my doctrine ensample of liuing behinde me by which many are conuerted vnto Christ daily If thou desire therfore to enioy part of my merite goe read in my Gospel and thou shalt finde the fruite of my labour the knowledge of Christ the health of the soule and euer lasting life And as I loued my brethren whē I liued so I loue them still now more perfectly Howbeit my loue then was paynful for the more I loued the more I sorowed feared and cared for them to bryng them into the knowledge of the truth and to kepe them in vnitie of faith lest the false prophetes should deceaue them or their owne infirmities should breake peace vnitie or cause them to fall into any sinne But now my loue is without paine For I see the will and prouidence of God and how the end of all thynges shal be vnto hys glory profite of the elect And though I see the elect shall sometime fall yet I see how they shall arise agayne how that their fall shal be vnto the glory of God their owne profect And we that are in heauē loue you al a like neither we loue one more an other lesse And therfore if ye loue vs more one thē an other that is fleshly as mine old Corinthiās once loued and I rebuked them Neither can we bee moued to come more to helpe one thē an other But we wayte whē God will send any of vs vnto the elect that call for helpe in Christes name Wherfore if thou wilt be holpe of any of vs pray in Christes name And God shall send one of vs an Aungell or a Saint to keepe the power of the deuils from you but not whō thou wouldest chose temptyng God but whom it pleaseth God to send And if your preachers loue you not after y ◠same maner to edifie you with the true doctrine of Christ and example of liuing therafter and to kepe you in vnitie of fayth and charitie they be not of Christes Disciples but Antichristes which vnder y t name of Christ seeke to raigne ouer you as temporall tyrauntes And in like maner if this be not written in your hartes that ye ought to loue one an other as Christ loued you and as ye had example of vs his Apostles ye go astray in vanities and are not in the right way And hereby are we sure that we knowe hym if we keepe his commaundementes This is cleane agaynst y ◠doctrine of them which say that we can not know whether we be in the state of grace or no. Iohn sayth if we keepe his commaundementes then we be sure that we knowe Christ is euerlastyng lyfe Iohn xvij Then cōtrary to the pope Christen men haue doctrine to know whether they be in grace or no. The kepyng of Gods commaundementes certifieth vs that we be in the state of grace But our Doctours haue no doctrine to know when a man is in the state of grace wherfore it is
boke and sent him into a sell to be there occupied in studie and contemplation And at dinner time y e Abbot called all his monks to meat and let hym sit in contemplation After noone when he began to ware very hūgry he came out againe to the Abbot Siluane and asked whether his Monkes had not yet dined And he answered yes And why called you not me quod the Monke to dine wyth them Verily sayd the Abbot I thought you had bene all spirituall and had néeded no meate Nay quod the Monke I am not so spirituall nor feruent in contemplation but that I must néedes eate Verely sayde the Abbot then muste you also néedes worke for Mary hathe néede of Martha When the Monke heard that he repented and fell to worke as the other dyd And I woulde to God that this aunswer would cause our religious euen so to doe to fall to worke that they might succoure theyr néedie neighboures And as touching theyr studie in scripture S. Austine sayeth how shalt thou better learne to vnderstande the scipture then by going about to fulfill that thou there readest And if thou goe aboute to fulfill it saythe he then must thou worke with thy handes for that dothe S. Paule teache thée Of this I haue compiled an whole booke which if God haue appoynted me to finishe it and set it forthe shal be a rule of more perfection vnto oure religious then any that they haue vsed this hundreth yeare The third Chapter The conclusion of this treatise that no flesh should reioyce but feare and tremble in all the giftes that he receiueth HEre maiste thou perceiue that no man liueth but he maye feare and tremble and moste he may feare to whome most is committed for of him shall muche be required and muche are we bounde to thanke God in all things For of oure selues haue we noughte but sinne and vanitie but thorowe his gracious fauoure haue we all goodnesse and be that we be And sith all our goodnesse commeth of hym we muste agayne be thanckefull vnto him and kéepe hys commaundements For els we may feare least he take hys gifts from vs and then shall we receiue the greater dampnation If thou haue receiued the knowledge of hys woord geue hym thanks and be a faithful minister thereof for else he shall deliuer thée vnto thyne owne fantasticall imaginations and cast thée headlong into an heape of heresies which shall bring thée into vtter destruction If he geue thée faith in hys worde geue him thanks and bring forth the fruites therof in due season for els he will take it away from thée and sende thée into finall desperation If he geue thée riches then geue hym thankes and distribute them according to Gods commaundement or else he shall take them from thée if he loue thée either by théeues by water by death of thy cattell by blasting thy fruites or such other scourges to cause thée loue hym because he wolde alienate thine heart from them this I say he wil do if he loue thée to make thée put thine whole trust in him and not in these transitorie things But if he hate thée then will he sende thée great prosperitie and encrease them plenteously and geue thée thy heauen in thys worlde vnto thine euerlasting dampnation in the lyfe to come and therefore feare and take good héede whiles thou hast leasure If thou aske me what his honoure praise and thankes are I answere that his honor praise and thankes is nothing els but the fulfilling of hys commaūdementes If thou aske me what his commaundementes are as touching the bestowing of thy goodes I answer his cōmaundemēts are that thou bestowe them in the woorkes of mercye and that shall he laye to thy charge at the daye of iudgement He shal aske you whether you haue fedde the hungrie and geuen drinke to the thirstie and not whether you haue builded abbayes or chauntries He shall aske you whether you haue harbored the harborlesse and clothed the naked and not whether you haue gilded images or geuen copes to churches He shall aske you whether you haue visited the sicke and gone to the prisoners and not whether you haue gone a pilgrimage to Walsingham or Canterburye And thys I affirme vnto thée that if thou builde a thousand cloisters and giue as many copes and chalices to churches and visitest all the pilgrimages in the worlde and espiest and séest a poore man whome thou mightest help perishing for lack of one grote all these things whereon thou hast bestowed so muche money shall not be able to helpe thée Therefore take good héede and say not but that ye be warned If God haue geuen thée thy perfite limmes and members then geue him thankes and vse them to the tamyng of thy body and profite of thy neighbour For els if God loue thée he will send thée some mayne or mischief and take them from thée that thy negligence and none vsing of them be not so extremely imputed vnto thée But if he hate thée he shal kéepe thē whole and sounde for thée that the none vsing of them may be thy greater damnation Therfore beware and feare geuing him thankes according to hys commaundementes For we are hys creatures and are much bounde to him that he hath geuen to vs our perfite members for it is better for vs to haue our limmes and to woorke with them distributing to other then that other should distribute vnto vs for it is a more holy thing to geue thē to take yea we are much bound vnto him although he haue made vs imperfect and mutilate for we were in his handes as we are yet to haue done with vs whatsoeuer had pleased him euen to haue made vs the vilest creature vpon the earth I haue read of a shepheard which kéeping his shéepe in the field espyed a foule Toade and when he had wel marked her and conferred her shape and nature vnto himselfe and hys nature he fell a wéeping and cryed out piteously At the last came a Byshop by riding right royally and whē he saw the shepheard so sore lamenting he reynde hys horse asked him the cause of his great wayling Then aunswered the shepheard Verely sir I wéepe for mine vnkindnes toward almightie God for I haue geuen thākes to God of many thynges but yet I was neuer so kind since I was borne as to thanke him of this thing What is that sayd the Byshop Syr quod he sée you not this foule tode Yes quod the Bishop what is that to the purpose Verely sayd the shep hearde it is the creature of God as well as I am and God might haue made me euen such a foule and vnreasonable beast as this is if it had pleased him yet he hath not done so but of his mercy and goodnes he hath made me a reasonable creature after his owne shape and likenes and yet was I neuer so kynde as to thancke him that he had not made
for it is better to mary then to burne The Pope sayth all monkes Fryers and Nunnes shall vowe and sweare chastitie be it geuen them or not my Priestes also shall not be wedded but as for to kéepe whores and rauishe other mens daughters wiues shal be dispensed withall I will sée no such thinges for my Byshoppes haue yearely great mony by it like as baudes be wont to haue 57. Christ sayth all meates that maÌ„ taketh with thankes staineth not the soule for all things are pure to them that are pure The Pope sayth he that eateth egges butter or fleshe in these dayes that I haue commauÌ„ded to be fasted doth not onely stayne his soule wyth sinne but also is to be denounced an hereticke Dist 4. ca. Statuimus This agréeth with Christ euen as the lyght doth with the darcknes And yet haue we bene thus blynded long that we could neuer perceaue this Antichrist till now in the last dayes 58. Christ sayd vnto his Disciples that you bynde in earth shal be bouÌ„de in heauen and that you lose in earth shal be losed in heauen The Pope chalengeth greater authoritie for he will lose soules out of Purgatory and commaunde the angels to fetch them out and all for money without money you get nothing 59. Christ sayth wheÌ„ you haue done all thynges that I haue commaunded you yet say that you are vnprofitable seruauntes The Pope sayth do those thynges that I commauÌ„d thée and take a sure conscience vnto thée that thou art a iust and a religious maÌ„ and that thou hast deserued heaueÌ„ And as for I myselfe If I do wrong in euery thyng 〈◊〉 bring many thousandes with me into damnation yet shall no man rebuke me but cal me the most holiest father Dist. 40. ca. Si Papa 60. Christ teacheth vs to fulfill the woorkes of mercy to the poore euer commendyng mercy aboue offerings and sacrifice The Pope teacheth vs to geue our money for pardons masses diriges to images and Churches so that we may offer vnto their bellyes And he that sayth it is better to geue our charitie to the poore as Christ sayth is counted halfe an hereticke because he goeth aboute to marre the Popes market 61. Christe suffered death for our sinnes and arose for our iustification or els we all should haue perished The Pope sayth if thou bye my pardoÌ„ or els be buried in a gray Friers coate thou must néedes be saued so that Christ hath suffered in vayne sith a Friers coate will saue a man 62. Christ onely is our mediatour which maketh vnite betwixt hys father vs howbeit the prayer of a iust man is very good and profitable The Pope sayth The greatest power and saluation next to Christ is myne Dist 60. cap. Si Papa I maruell then why he is so curious to cause vs to worship the Saintes y â— are a sléepe And not rather hym selfe sith he chalengeth a greater power then euer they dyd while they lyued 63. Christ sayth who soeuer breake one of my lest coÌ„maundementes shal be called the lest that is to say none in the kyngdome of heauen The Pope sayth what pertaineth his law vnto me I am subiect to no lawes 25. q. 1. cap. Omnia therefore doth the Pope but seldome right And is alwayes agaynst right yea and agaynst his owne lawes as often as men do bryng hym money for that loueth he aboue all thynges 64. Christes law is fulfilled through charitie The Popes law is fulfilled by money if thou haue no money to geue them thou shalt carye a fagot though thou offende not money them they sée thée not do what thou wilt 65. Christ is the head of the Church as the Apostle doth testifie And also the stone whereon the Church is builded And this Church is the coÌ„gregation of the faythfull and the very body of Christ The Pope sayth I am the head of the Church Dist 19. cap. Enim vero And the seate of Rome is the stone wheron the Church is builded Dist 19. Ita Dominus Can any thyng be more contrary vnto the honour and glory of God then thus to dispoyle hym of his kyngdome whiche he so dearely hath bought shedyng his precious bloud for it 66. Christes law whiche is the holy Scripture came by the inspiryng of the holy ghost whiche dyd infuse it aboundauntly into the hartes of the Apostles and of the same spirite hath it his enduraunce and interpretation The Pope sayth I am Lord of the Scripture to alow and disalow it for of me doth it take his full authoritie ca â–ª Si omnes And for a token of this is the Scripture of Christ layd vnder his féete when he is at Masse 67. Christes Apostle sayth that a Byshop ought to be so well learned that he with the Scripture be able to ouercome all them that be agaynst the fayth The Pope and Byshops will dispute in Scripture with no man but cast them first in prison and proper engynes they haue inueÌ„ted to wring their fingers so sore that the bloude shall braste out at their fingers endes they pyne them and scourge theÌ„ with infinite other tormeÌ„tes payning theÌ„ to forsake the truth And after make them sweare on a booke that they shal tell no man of it thus cruelly do they entreate them against iustice And if they can not subdue them to theyr willes then do they committe them vnto y e seculare power to be burned 68. Christes accusation and cause why he was condemned vnto death was writteÌ„ ouer his head in Hebrew Gréeke Latine that all men might know the cause this was an argument that they vsed iustice although they condemned him vniustly sithe men might sée the offence and iudgement ioyned together The Pope and Byshoppes condemne men and committe them vnto the seculare power that they shold execute the sentence But this is a mischeuous abomination that they will not suffer the seculare power to know the cause why they put men to death worshipfull dis diuines Master Doctor O you gentle nobilitie ponder this matter indifferently Beware how you do execution except you know the cause why Thinke you the bloude shall not be requyred on you if for an others pleasure you destroy the worke of God They will say vnto you as the Iewes sayde vnto Pilate concerning Christ If he were not an euill doer we would not haue deliuered him vnto you Trust not their wordes for no doubt they are lyers know the cause your selues and heare the matter vnfaynedly Thinke you they woulde not let you know the cause and iudgement if they did iustice and not tyrannye Be therefore no longer â—oyes to theÌ„ which ought to be your seruauntes God hath geueÌ„ you his spirite grace and vnderstanding hide not the talent that God hath geuen you but do your diligence to sée iustice executed secluding all tyranny for that is your office appoynted you of
outward workes but neuertheles charitie iudgeth well of all thinges that haue a good outward showe and bée not opēly agaynst the word of God But it is no ieoperdy though charitie bée deceiued for it is opē to all ieoperdies but fayth is neuer deceiued Now to our purpose that where the worde of God is preached truely it is a good a perfite token that there bée some mē of Christes church This may bée prooued by Chrisostomes wordes they that bée in Iudea let thē flée vp into the mountaines that is to say they that bée in Christendome let them geue thē selues to Scriptures Wherfore commaundeth hée that all Christened men in that tyme should flye vnto Scriptures for in that tyme in the which heresies haue crept into the Church there can bée no true probation of Christendome nor no other refuge vnto Christen men willyng to know the veritie of fayth but y e Scriptures of God Afore by many wayes was it shewed which was the Church of Christ and which was the congregation of Gentiles but now there is no other way to them that will know whiche is the very true Churche of Christ but alonely by scriptures By workes first was the church of Christ knowen when the conuersation of Christen men either of all or of many were holy the which holynes had not the wicked men but nowe Christen men bée as euill or worsse then heretickes or Gentiles yea greater continencie is founde among them then among Christen men Wherefore hée that will knowe which is y e very church of christ how shall hée knowe it but by Scriptures onely Wherfore our Lord cōsidering that so greate confusion of thynges should come in the latter dayes therfore commaundeth hée that Christen men which bée in Christendome willing to reserue the stedfastnes of true fayth should flye vnto no other thyng but vnto Scriptures for if they haue respect vnto other thynges they shall bée sclaundered and shall perishe not vnderstandyng whiche is the true Church c. These wordes néede no exposition they bée plaine inough they doe also exclude all maner of learning sauing holy scripture Wherefore sée how you can with honestie saue your holy lawes and defend them against Chrisostome Moreouer if Chrisostome complayne of the incontenency that was in his dayes how would hée complaine if hée now liued sawe the baudry and fornication that is in the Church And also he sendeth men to scriptures that will know the holy Church and not vnto y e holy Church for in the Church were heresyes but not in scripture Also S. Paule witneseth the same saying you are built vpon the foundacion of the Apostles and Prophets heare haue you playnely that the very trewe Church is grounded yea and founded of holy scripture and therefore wheresoeuer that the worde of God is preached that is a good token that there bée some men of Christes Church But now as to the fruites and workes of this Church she doth all onely fetch out her maner of lyuing and all her good workes out of y e holy word of God and she fayneth not nor dreameth any other new holines or new inuented works that be not in scripture but she is content w t Christes learning and beléeueth that Christ hath sufficiently taught her all manner of good workes that bée to the honour of our heauēly father Therfore inuenteth shée no other way to heauen but followeth Christ onely in suffering oppressions and persecutions blaspheminges al other things that may bée layd vnto her which as S. Agustine sayth she learned of our M. Christ Our holy mother y t church throughout all the world scattered far and long in her trew head Christ Iesus taught hath learned not to feare the contumelys of the Crosse nor yet of death but more and more is shée strengthed not in resisting but in suffering c. Now my Lordes compare your selfe to this rule of S. Agustine and let vs sée how you can bring your self into the Church or els to proue your self to bée holy The Church suffereth persecutions for as S. Paule sayth they that will liue deuoutly in Christ must suffer persecution and you with stand all thinges and suffer nothing You oppresse euery mā and you will bée oppressed of no mā You persecute euery man and no man may speake a worde agaynst you no though it bée neuer so true You cast euery mā in prison no mā may touch you but he shal bée cursed You compell euery mā to say as you say you will not once say as Christe sayth And as for your holynes all the worlde knoweth what it is for it standeth in clothing and in decking in watching and sléeping in eating and drinking this meate or y e meate this drynke or that drinke in pattering and mumbling these Psalmes or those Psalmes without deuotion Bréefly all your holines is in books Bels Cādels Challeces oyle creme water horses houndes pallaces all that is mighty and gloryous in the world there on hange you there in glory you there on crake you there on boast you there vpon builde you Is this y e natures of y e church is this holines Of whome haue you learned these maners You can not deny but these bée true and if you would denye it all the world is witnesse agaynst you yea and also your owne factes déedes Of whom haue you learned this holynes not of Christ nor yet of his holy Church but you haue learned it of the Arians y e were the seruauntes of the deuyll Hilarius wryteth in these wordes the Church doth threaten with banyshmentes prysonmentes and shée compelleth men to beléeue her which was exciled and cast in prison now hangeth shée on the dignitye of her fellowship the which was consecrated by the threateuinges of persecutors shée causeth priestes to flye that was encreased by the chasing away of priestes shée gloryeth that shée is loued of y e world y e which could neuer bée Christes except the worlde did hate her How thynke you my Lordes doe not you all these thinges that bée layd to the Arians charge Your owne frendes yea your owne consciences must néedes accuse you of all these thinges and yet will you bée called Christes children I lay nothyng to you but that holy Doctours lay vnto you But let vs sée what S. Barnarde sayth on you they call themselues the ministers of Christ but they serue Antichrist they goe gorgiously arayed of our Lordes goods vnto whome they géeue none honour and of these goods commeth the harlottes decking that thou séest dayly the game players disguising and kynges apparell of thys cōmeth golde in their bridles in their saddles and in their spurres so that their spurres bée bryghter thē the aulters of thys commeth theyr plenteous wine presses and their full sellers bolkyng from thys vnto that of thys cōmeth their tunnes of swéete wynes
doe For wee doe not accompt the most part of brute beastes to bee more continent theÌ„ others because they bee nourished w t vilder foode For in all such kynde of thynges which we vse not so much by consideration of their nature as of the cause of vsyng theÌ„ or the maner of desiryng them wee either allow or improoue them ¶ S. Augustine ad Ianuar. Epist 12. WHereas the Friers bee so precise from eatyng of fleshe that they thinke them vncleane which doe cate it is most manifestly agaynst fayth and sound doctrine I am sure that in two preceptes of God all thynges bee contained and that the end of the precept is loue proceedyng from a pure hart a good coÌ„science and an vnfayned fayth What soeuer therfore is ordeined ouer and besides custome that it shall be obserued as though it were a SacrameÌ„t I can not allow it albeit because I would not bee an offence to any holy or weake persons I dare not freely disalow many such thynges It foloweth true Christian religion which the mercy of God would haue free onely with the celebratioÌ„ of a few and manifest Sacramentes they oppresse with seruile burdens so that the state of the Iewes is more tollerable then ours who although they knew not the tyme of libertie were but subiect vnto thâ— bâ—…ens of the law and not to mans presumptions I â–ª Distinct 41. cap. Delitiae ALl kind of delicate meates if they bee taken without any greedy desire bee not hurtfull and vilde meates greedely receaued doe hinder the fruite of abstinencye For Dauid powred out water that was euilly lusted and Helyas dyd eate flesh ¶ In the same place cap. Quod dicit AS concernyng that the Lord sayth in the Euangelist wisedome is iustified of her children he declareth that the sonnes of wisedome vnderstand that righteousnes consisteth neither in abstainyng nor in eatyng but in the pacient sufferyng of scarcitie and in temperauÌ„ce not to corupt them selues by toe much aboundaÌ„ce and in conuenieÌ„t taking or not taking of those thinges whereof the gredy lust is reprehended and not the simple vse For it forceth not at all what nurrishments thou receaust to the necessary sustinaunce of thy body so that it be agreable to those kinde of nurrishmentes by the which thou mayst liue Out of the generall couÌ„cell of Pope Martine Destinct 30. Cap. Si quis IF any man doe abstaine from fleshe not for abstinaunce but for the abhorring of the meate it is willed by y t counsell that hee doe first taste it and then if hee will let him abstaine But if hee so despise it so that he will not taste of the porrage wherein the flesh was sodden this man if he bee not obedieÌ„t and remoue not from him selfe the suspition of heresye let him bee deposed from the order of the clergie ¶ Origine in Leuiti Home 10. THou therfore if thou wilt fast fast according to the precept of the gospell and keepe in thy fast the lawes of the gospell in the which the Lord commaundeth of fasting in this wise When thou doost fast annoynte thy head c. Wouldest thou that I should yet shew thee what kind of fasting thou oughtest to fast Fast from all sinne take no meate of malice make no bankeres of pleasure waxe not to whot with wine of sensualytye fast from euill artes practises abstaine from euill talke stay thee from euill thoughtes Touch not the stolen breade of peruers doctrine and thou shalt not lust after the deceauable foode of philosophy which may seduce thee from the trueth Such fast doth please God But to abstaine from meates which God hath created to bee receaued of the faythfull with thankes geuing and this to doe with them that crucified Christ can not bee acceptable to God The Phareseys on a tyme were offended with our Lord because his disciples did not fast vnto whom hee aunswereth that the children of the bridegrome can not fast as long as the bridegrome is preseÌ„t with them They therefore doe fast who haue lost y e bridegrome We y t haue the bridegrome with vs can not fast Neyther yet not withstanding doe we say this to let lose the bridle of christian abstinencye For we haue the time of Lent coÌ„secrated to fasting and we haue the fourth and the sixth ferye of the weeke in the whiche we doe solemnlye fast But Christians haue libertie to fast at any time not by superstitious obseruances but by the vertue of continencie ¶ De consecra distinc 5. Cap. Ieiunium THe great and generall fast is to abstaine from iniquities and from vnlawfull pleasures of y t worlde which is the perfect fast in this worlde c. ¶ Athana vpon S. Paules Epist to the Hebru Cap. 13. IT is good that the hart be stablished with grace and not with meates c. Hee reprehendeth those which brought in the iudaicall abstinence and obseruance of meates For you sayth hee are to be stablished by fayth and to bee certified that nothing is vncleane and that to the beleuing all thing is pure Therefore this fayth and not the obseruaunce of meates is necessary For they whiche haue sinned through meates y t is which be alwayes busyed in such obseruances of meates it is manyfest that these haue nothing profited c. That the vniust excommunication of the Pope doth not hurt the excommunicated translated into Englishe out of his booke De docto sent ¶ 11 Quest 3. Cap. Illud plane THey sayd not that without good aduisement that if any of the faythfull shall be vniustly excommunicated it shall be rather hurtfull vnto him that doth then to him that suffereth the iniury For the holy ghost dwelling in the saintes by whome euery man is bounde or losed doth punish no man wrongfullye for by him is loue poured into our harts which doth not amisse The peace of y t Church forgeueth sins can hee that is out of the peace of the church detaine his sinnes Not according to the sentence of men but according to the will of God the rock retaineth sinnes and the rocke remytteth theÌ„ The doue retaineth the doue forgeueth In like maner sayth Salomon euen as a bird flying to an vncertayne place and as any sparow flying in the ayer so a curse in vayne cast out commeth on him who sent it ¶ In the same place Verba Augustini cap. qui HEe that is iust and is vniustly cursed to him is it turned for a reward ¶ In the same place Cap. Cuiest illata Gela. ON whome sentence is geuen let him geue ouer his errour and it is voyded but if the iudgment bee vniust for so much hee neede not to care for as much as before God and in his church wrongfull iudgment can â—urt no man Therfore let hym not desyer to be absolued of that whereby hee perswadeth hym selfe to bee nothing bounde ¶ In the same place Cap. Cepisti verba Aug. THou hast vndertaken to accompt thy brother as a
de verbis Apostoli s 〈◊〉 The church of God is the treasures of God without spotte or wrinkle That which is of fayth can neither bee seene nor felt The true holynes that is of our right holye mother the Church 1. Iohn 2. Iohn 15. De con D. D. 4. c. prima igitur 1. Iohn 2. De pâ—ne Dis 2. Si in glossa 24. q. 1. Arecta in Glossa The faythfull congregation can not erre The voyce of murtherers and theeues A rule that Rochester teacheth to know the difference betweene y â— Pope and Councell The Councell erreth if the Pope agree not to their do ynges Popes haue erred Popes condemned for heretickes 3. King 2. 3. King 18. The litle flocke is y e flocke of Christ De electio c. significa The Councell of Meldelci dyd erre A generall Councell is not the vniuersall Churche Augustinus de bap li. 2. c. 3 contra Donatistas Councels haue erred and many erre The holy scriptures are the iudges of the Councels doings Math. 10. There are perticular Churches to whome wee may complayne 24. q. 3. Si. quis et c. cuÌ„ aliquis The communion felowship of Saintes is the vniuersall Church How a maÌ„ may know the church An example teaching how y e true church may be knowne Esay 55. Roma 10. Actes 10. 1. Thess 2. Good workes are the fruite of good fayth Charitie may be deceaued but fayth can neuer bee deceaued A saying of Chrisostome Chrisostome sendeth vs to scriptures to learne which is the holy Church not vnto them that call themselues y e holy church Ephe. 2. The holy Church is builte and founded vpon the Apostles Prophets Augustinus The true Church is a sufferer and no persecutor 2. Tim. 3. The Popes church are persecutors but no sufferers The glory of the Popes churche is in trash Hilarius cont Arianos Barnardus super can s 33. Note here the saying of Saint Barnard S. Barnard greatly reproueth the insaciable pride of the Popes Church xiiij quest i c. QuodeuÌ„que in verbo Reconciliat M. More would haue vs to thinke there is none other holy church but y e Pope and his Cardinals and Byshops c. Epes 5. Aug. de ver bis Domini serm l. Iohn 6. 1. Cor. 6. Now euill men be in the church What the very true church is Roma 〈◊〉 Homo mortuus non est homo Ephes 5. M. More layeth many thynges to me wroÌ„g fully Aug. Serm. 99. de tempore Lyra in Mar. ca. xix De verbo Apost ser xxix Anotable saying of S. Augustine De coâ—se D. iiij c. Igitur xxiiij q. i. Arâ—cta in glosa De electio c Significal 1. The counsell of Weldâ—us did erre Au. de Bapt. li. 2 cap. 3. The full counsels may erre How a man may knowe the church The church suffereth Chris in opere Im ê‘secto By scriptures men may know the veritie Hila. contra Arrianos Barn suê‘caÌ„ serm 33. The true church of Christ staÌ„deth onely in them that are good men 1. Tim. 4. The keyes of y e church is the openyng of Christ and the loosing of vs from sinne Psal 80. Scâ—tus 4. sent di 18. How DuÌ„s interpreteth the keyes Nicho. de orbel di vs supra Hiero. in M. c. 16. The saying of S. Hierome vppon the keyes Scotus 4. sen dist 15. Quest 1. August ser 2. de sane The nature property of the keyes of heauen Roma 10. Psal 118. Ibidem 1. Cor. 14. 2. Tim. 1. Psal 118. All thinges shal perish but y â— word of God endureth for euer Hebr. 4. Roma 3. What power it is that the Priest hath The word of God is the true keye that openeth loseth Math. 6. Acte 2. The true maner of losyng and byndyng of openyng and shottyng Math. 10. The hearyng of the worde of God and beleuyng the same loseth vs from our sinnes Mark 6. Actes 18. Iohn 20. Luke 24. Luke 24. Preachyng of the word of God is losing from sinne Actes 17. How the worde of God byndeth how it loseth 2. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 1. The worde of God is remission of sinne if it bee beleeued when it is preached Hebr. 6. By preaching of the worde of God heaueÌ„ is opened and shut Chriso in M. c. 15. De doctr christi li. 1. c. 15. es 18. Augustine in Ioan Trac 124. 24. q. 1. QuodcuÌ„que Origenes Super. M. Ho. 1. The church is builded vpoÌ„ the confession of all the Apostles and of all faithfull people Super Ioan Trac 124. c. 21. Preachers if they abuse their preaching maye bee deposed 1. Cor. 14. 1. Cor. 4. Item 3. 1. Pet. 5. The ministers of the Churche ought to be no Lordes In M. c. 23. li. de Cain et Abell The Byshops and cleargie abuse Christes keyes The false allegyng of fathers and Councels is the next way to deceaue the Churche of God Psal 1. Blessed are they whose meditation is in the law of God An exaÌ„ple The ministration of the Church belongeth to the Byshops other ministers but the authoritie of the same belongeth to Christ An other example The doctrine and true preaching of the worde of God is the pardon and remission of our sins The authoritie of the churche belongeth to Christ onely Luke 7. August lib. Quinquaginta home liarum be 23. The popes Clergy is condemned by S. Austen to bee heretickes Money is the Popes best marchaunt Shamefull doyngs must bee shamefully rebuked The Pope selleth God and all his ordinauÌ„ces The Pope will not folow nor obey to Christes commauÌ„demeÌ„t for hee biddeth hym loose The Pope selleth hys ware very deare Math. 10. 1. Cor. 9. Hierome Chrisosto ad Ti. 5. S. Chrisostome is very straight to byshops and the rest of the Clergye Chri. s 6. de anathemate Byshops compared to popets and stage players Math. 26. Luke 11. A sore sentence of Christ agaynst vnpreachyng Prelates In what thinges we haue free-will and in what none Iohn 15. The frutes of freewill Freewill without gods grace can doe nothyng that is good Bona intentio Super Ioannem tract lxxi DuÌ„ces doctrine ouerthrowen 2. Cor. 3. We of our selues as of our selues can not doâ— so much as thinke a good thought Barnarde lib. arbit Math. 7. Math 12. Mans free-will without Gods grace can doe nothing that is good Roma â–ª 3. In Enche 〈◊〉 â—9 Man by vsâ—ig of his freewill euill did lose both hymselfe his freewill De â—erbis apost â–ª ser 11. Mans free-will caÌ„ doe nothing but sinne Roma 8. MaÌ„s fleshly wisdome is enemy to God Duns Marke 7. Roma 8. De verbis Domini ser xv Freewill without grace is sinne Roma 8. De verbis Apost â—…ij We can doe nothyng that is good without the spirite of God Who are y t children of God Bonus conatus verstum de congruâ— Fleshly carnall reason reasoneth frowardly and crookedly As God is nothynge but goodnes so can hee commaunde nothyng but that which is good Why God hath