he breake his fathers cōmaundementes though he be not vnder damnatiō yet is he euer child and rebuked and now then lasshed with the rod by the reason wherof he is neuer bold in his fathers presence But y t childe that kepeth his fathers commaūdements is sure of himselfe and bolde in his fathers presence to speake aske what he will They that minister well get them good degree and great confidēce in the fayth that is in Christ Iesu sayth Paule 1. Tim. 3. He that worketh is bold before God and man For hys conscience accuseth hym not within neither haue wee ought to wyte hym withall or to cast in his teeth And as without the sight of the woorkes Iacob the Apostle can not see thy fayth Iaco. 2. no more shalt thou euer be sure or bold before God or man But if our hartes condemne vs God is greater then our hart and knoweth all thyng If our conscience accuse vs of sinne God is so great and so mightie that it can not be hid Dearely beloued if our hartes condemne vs not then we trust to Godward And whatsoeuer wee aske that shall we receaue of him because we keepe his commaundementes and do the thynges whiche are pleasaunt in his sight Kepyng of the commaundementes maketh a man see his fayth and to bee bold therein And fayth when it is without conscience of sinne goeth into God boldly and is strong and mighty in prayer to coniure God by all hys mercyes therewith obtayneth what soeuer hee asketh of all his promises And the text sayth because we kepe his commaundementes Yea verely hys commaundemētes make vs bold But the keepyng of mens traditions and domine ceremonies make vs not bold before God nor certifie our conscience that our faith is vnfayned Thou shalt not know by sprynkling thy selfe with holy water nor kyssing the pax nor with takyng asshes or though thou were annoynted with all the oyle in Thames strete that thy fayth is sure But and if thou couldest finde in thyne hart to bestowe both lyfe and goodes vpon thy neighbour in a iust cause and hast proued it then art thou sure that thou louest Christ and feelest that thou hast thy trust in his bloud And this is his commaundemēt that wee beleue in his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commaundement Fayth is the first and also the roote of all commaundementes And out of fayth spryngeth loue and out of loue workes And when I breake any commaundemēt I sinne agaynst loue For had I loued I had not done it And when I sinne agaynst loue I sinne agaynst fayth For had I earnestly and with a full trust remembred the mercy that Christ hath shewed me I must haue loued Wherefore when we haue broken any commaundement there is no other way to bee restored agayne thē to go through repētaunce vnto our fayth agayne and aske mercy for Christes sake And assoone as we haue receaued faith that our sinne is forgiuen wee shall immediatly loue the commaundemēt agayne and through loue receaue power to worke And he that keepeth his commaundemētes abideth in him and he in hym And hereby we knowe that there dwelleth in vs of hys spirite which he gaue vs. Through the woorkes we are sure that we continue in Christ and Christ in vs and that his spirite dwelleth in vs. For his spirite it is that kepeth vs in fayth and through fayth in loue and through loue in workes The fourth Chapter DEarely beloued beleue not euery spirit but proue the spirits whether they bee of God For many false Prophetes are gone out into the world Spirites are taken here for preachers because of the preachyng or doctrine which if it be good is of the spirite of God and if it be euill of the spirite of the deuill Now ought we not to beleue euery mans doctrine vnaduisedly or condeinne any mans preachyng yer it be heard and sene what it is But a Christen mās part is to examine iudge trie it whether it be true or no. Quench not the spirit saith Paul i. Thess the last Neither despise prophesiynges but proue all thyng and kepe that whiche is good Destroy not the giftes of the spirite of God but trie whether they be of God and good for the edifiyng of his congregation and keepe that whiche is good and refuse that whiche is euill And suffer euery person that hath any gift of God to serue God therin in his degree and estate after a Christen maner and a due order Why shall we try the doctrines Verely for there bee many false Prophetes abroad already We told you before that Antichrist should come as our master Christ told vs that he shuld come But now I certify you that Antichristes kyngdome is begon already And his Disciples are gone out to preache Trie therefore all doctrine wherewith shall we trie it with the doctrine of the Apostles and with the Scripture which is the touchstone ye and because ye loue compendiousnes ye shall haue a short rule to trie them with all Hereby knowe ye the spirite of God Euery spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the fleshe is of God And euery spirite that cōfesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God And the same is that spirite of Antichrist of whō ye haue heard that he should come And euen now he is in the world already Whatsoeuer opinion any member of Antichrist holdeth the ground of all his doctrine is to destroy this article of our fayth that Christ is come in the flesh For though the most part of all heretickes confesse that Christ is come in the flesh after their maner yet they deny that he is come as the Scripture testifieth the Apostles preached hym to be come The whole study of the deuill and all his members is to destroy the hope and trust that we should haue in Christes flesh and in those thynges which he suffered for vs in his flesh in the Testament and promises of mercy which are made vs in his flesh For the scripture testifieth that Christ hath taken away the sinne of the world in his flesh and that the same houre that he yelded vp his spirite into the hands of his father hee had full purged and made full satisfaction for all the sinnes of the world So that all the sinne of the worlde both before his passion and after must be put away through repentaunce toward the law and fayth and trust in his bloud without respect of any other satisfactiō sacrifice or worke For if I once sinne the law rebuketh my consciēce and setteth variaunce betwene God and me And I shal neuer be at peace with God agayne vntill I haue heard the voyce of hys mouth how that my sinne is forgiuen me for Christes bloud sake And assoone as I that beleue I am at peace with God Rom. v. and loue his law agayne and of loue
bynde hym hand and foote and to cast hym into vtter darkenes and to geue the talent vnto hym that had ten saying to all that haue more shall be geuen but from hym that hath not that he hath shal be taken from hym That is to say he that hath a good harte toward the word of god and to garnish it with godly liuyng and to testify it to other y e same shall increase daily more and more in the grace of Christ But he that loueth it not to lyue therafter and to edify other the same shall loose the grace of true knowledge be blinded agayne and euery day wax worse and worse and blynder and blynder tyll he be an vtter enemy of the worde of God and hys hart so hardened that it shall be impossible to conuert hym And Luke xij The seruaunte that knoweth hys maisters wyll and prepareth not hymselfe shall be beaten wyth many stripes That is shall haue greater damnation And Mat. 7. All that heare the worde of God and do not therafter build on sande that is as the foundation laid on sand can not resist violence of water but is vndermyned and ouerthrowne euen so the fayth of them that haue no lust nor loue to the law of God builded vpon y t sand of their owne imaginatiōs and not on the rocke of Gods word accordyng to hys couenauntes turneth to desperation in tyme of tribulatiō and when God commeth to iudge And the vineyard Mat. 21. planted and hyred out to the husbandmen that would not render to the Lorde of the fruit in due tyme and therfore was takē from them and hyred out to other doth confirme the same For Christe sayth to the Iewes the kingdome of heauē shal be taken from you and geuen to a nation that wyll bring forthe y t frutes therof as it is come to passe For the Iewes haue lost the spirituall knowledge of God of his cōmaundementes and also of all the scripture so that they can vnderstand nothyng godly And the dore is so locked vppe that all their knockyng is in vayne though many of them take great payn for gods sake And Luke 13. The figge tree that beareth no fruite is cōmaunded to be plucked vp And finally hereto pertayneth with infinyte other the terrible parable of the vncleane spirite Luke 11. which after hee is cast out when hee commeth and findeth hys house swept and garnished taketh to hym 7. worse then hymselfe and commeth entreth in and dwelleth there and so is y t ende of the man worse then the beginnyng The Iewes they had cleansed themselues with gods word from all outward idolatry and worshipping of idols But their hartes remayned styll faythlesse to godward and toward his mercy and truth and therfore without loue also lust to his law to their neighbours for hys sake and through false trust in their owne woorkes to which heresy the chylde of perdition the wicked bishop of Rome with hys lawyers hath broughte vs christen were more abhominable idolaters thē before and become ten tymes worse in the end then at the beginning For the first idolatry was soone spyed and easie to be rebuked of the Prophets by the Scripture But the latter is more subtill to beguile withall and an hundreth tymes of more difficultie to bee weeded out of mens hartes This also is a conclusion nothyng more certayne or more proued by the testimony and ensamples of the scripture that if any that fauoureth the worde of God be so weake that he can not chaste hys flesh hym wyll the lord chastice and scourge euery day sharper and sharper with tribulation and misfortune that nothyng shall prosper with him but all shall go against him what soeuer he taketh in hand will visite him with pouertie with sickenesses and diseases and shall plague him with plague vpon plague eche more lothsome terrible and fearefull then other till he be at vtter desiaunce with his flesh Let vs therefore that haue now at this tyme our eyes opened agayne through the tender mercy of GOD kepe a meane Let vs so put our trust in the mercy of GOD through Christ that we know it our duetie to kepe the law of GOD and to loue our neighbours for their fathers sake whiche created them and for their Lords sake which redemed them and bought thē so dearely with his bloud Lette vs walke in y t feare of God and haue our eyes open vnto both partes of Gods couenaunts beyng certified that none shal be partaker of the mercy saue hee that will fight against the flesh to kepe the lawe And let vs arme our selues with this remembraunce y t as Christs workes iustifie from sinne and set vs in the fauour of GOD so our owne dedes through workyng of the spirite of God helpe vs to continue in the fauour and the grace into which Christ hath brought vs and that we can no longer continue in fauour and grace then our hartes are to kepe the law Furthermore concernyng the lawe of God this is a generall conclusion that the whole lawe whether they be ceremonies sacrifices yea or Sacramentes either or preceptes of equitie betwene man and man throughout al degrees of the world all were geuē for our profite and necessitie onely not for any nede that God hath of our keping thē or y t his ioy is encreased therby or that the dede for the dede it selfe doth please him That is all that God requireth of vs whē we be at one with him and doe put our trust in him and loue him is that we loue euery man his neighbour to pity hym to haue compassion on him in all his needes and to be mercyfull vnto him This to be euen so Christ testifieth in the. vij of Math This is the lawe and the Prophetes That is to do as thou wouldst be done to accordyng I meane to the doctrine of the Scripture and not to do that thou wouldest not haue done to thee is all that the law requireth the Prophets And Paul to the Rom. xiij affirmeth also y t loue is that fulfillyng of the law and that he which loueth doth of his owne accorde all that the law requireth And. i. Tim. i. Paul sayth that the loue of a pure hart and good conscience and faith vnfayned is the end and fulfillyng of the law For faith vnfained in Christes bloud causeth y e to loue for Christes sake which loue is the pure loue onely the onely cause of a good conscience For then is the conscience pure whē the eye looketh to Christ in all her deedes to doe them for his sake and not for her owne singular aduaūtage or any other wicked purpose And Iohn both in hys Gospel and also Epistles speaketh neuer of any other law then to loue one an other purely affirmyng that we haue God him selfe dwellyng in vs all that GOD desireth if we loue one the other Seyng then that
but pure sinne and of Christ grace onely which are out of measure contrary But the similitude or likenes standeth in the originall byrth and not in the vertue vice of the byrth So that as Adam is father of all sinne so is Christ father of all righteousnes And as all sinners spryng of Adam EueÌ„ so all righteous men and women spryng of Christ After the same maner is here the vnrighteous stuard an ensample vnto vs in his wisedome and diligence onely in that he prouided so wisely for him self that we with righteousnes should be as diligeÌ„t to prouide for our soules as he with vnrighteousnes prouided for hys body Likewise mayst thou soyle all other textes which sound as though it were betwene vs and GOD as it is in the world where the reward is more looked vpon then the labour yea where men hate the labour and worke falssy with the body and not with the hart and no longer then they are loked vppon that the labour may appeare outward onely WHen Christ sayth Math. v. Blessed are ye wheÌ„ they rayle on you and persecute you and say all maner euill sayinges agaynst you and yet lye and that for my sake reioyse be glad for your reward is great in heauen Thou mayest not imagine that our deedes deserue the ioy and glorie that shal be geuen vnto vs. For then Paul saith Rom. xi fauour were not fauor I caÌ„ not receaue it of fauour of the bounteous of God freely and by deseruyng of deedes also But beleue as the Gospell glad tydynges promises of God say vnto thee that for Christes bloudes sake onely through fayth God is at one with thee and thou receaued to mercy and art become the sonne of God and heire annexed with with Christ of al the goodnes of God the earnest wherof is the spirite of god poured into our hartes Of whiche thynges the deedes are witnesses and certifie our consciences that our fayth is vnfayned and that the right spirite of God is in vs. For if I patieÌ„tly suffer aduersitie and tribulation for conscience of God onely that is to say because I know GOD and testifie the truth then am I sure that God hath chosen me in Christ and for Christes sake and hath put in me his spirite as an earnest of his promises whose workyng I feele in myne hart the deedes bearyng witnes vnto the same Now is it Christes bloud only that deserued all the promises of God that which I suffer and do is partely the curyng healyng and mortifiyng of my members and killing of that originall poyson wherwith I was conceiued and borne that I might be altogether like Christ and partly the doyng of my dutie to my neighbour whose debter I am of all that I haue receiued of God to draw him to Christ with al suffring with all patience and euen with sheading my bloud for him not as an offering or merite for hys sinnes but as an ensample to prouoke hym Christes bloud onely putteth away all the sinne that euer was is or shal be from them that are elect and repent beleuyng the Gospell that is to say gods promises in Christ AGayn in the same 5. chapter loue your ennemies blesse them that curse you doe well to them that hate you and persecute you that ye may be the sonnes of your father whiche is in heaueÌ„ For he maketh his sunne shine vpon euill on good and sendeth his rayne vpon iust and vniust Not that our woorkes make vs the sonnes of God but testifie onely and certifie our consciences that we are the sonnes of God and that God hath chosen vs washed vs in christes bloud and hath put his spirite in vs. And it foloweth if ye loue them that loue you what reward haue ye do not the Publicanes euen the same and if ye shall haue fauour to your frendes onely what singuler thing do ye doe not the Publicanes euen the same ye shal be perfect therefore as your father whiche is in heauen is perfect That is to say if that ye do nothing but that the world doth and they which haue the spirite of the world wherby shall ye know that ye are the sonnes of God and beloued of God more then the world But and if ye counterfet and follow God in well doyng then no doubt it is a signe that the spirite of God is in you and also the fauour of God which is not in the world and that ye are inheritoures of all the promises of God and elect vnto the fellowship of the bloud of Christ ALso Math 6. Take heede to your almes that ye do iâ— not in the sight of men to the eutenâ— that ye would be sâ—ne of them or els haue ye no reward with your father which is in heauen Neither cause a truÌ„pet to be blowen afore thee wheÌ„ thou doost thine almes as the hipocrites do in the sinagoges and in the streetes to be glorified of the worlde but when thou doost thine almes â—et not thy lefte hande knowe what thy right hand doth y â— thy almes may be in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly This putteth vs in remembraunce of our duetie and sheweth what followeth good workes not that works deserue it but that the reward is layd vp for vs in store and we thereunto elect through Christes bloud which the workes testify For if we be worldlye minded and do our works as y â— world doth how shall we know that GOD hath chosen vs out of the world But if we worke freely without all maner worldly respect to shew mercy and to do our duetie to our neighbour and to be vnto him as God is to vs then are we sure y t the fauour mercy of God is vpon vs that we shal enioy all the good promises of god through Christ which hath made vs heyres thereof ALso in the same chapter it followeth When thou prayest be not as the hipocrites which loue to stand and pray in the sinagoges and in the corners of the streetes for to bee sene of men But when thou prayest enter into thy chamber and shut thy dore to praye to thy father which is in secrete and thy father whiche seeth in secrete shal reward thee openly And likewise when we fast teacheth Christe in the same place that we should behaue our selues that it appeare not vnto men how that we fast but vnto our father which is in secret our father which seeth in secret shall reward vs openly These two textes do but declare what followeth good woorkes for eternall lyfe commeth not by the deseruyng of workes but is sayth Paul in y â— 6. to y â— Rom. the gift of God through Iesus Christ Neither do our workes iustify vs. For except we were iustified by fayth which is our righteousnes had the sprite of God in vs to teach vs we could
that we should haue confidence in the day of Iudgement Howsoeuer this text sounde this me thinketh should be the meanyng that we should prouoke ech other to loue and euer haue those examples of edifieng before our eyes that should most moue vs to loue For perfite loue serueth to make a man bold because it is the kepyng of the cōmaundements And therfore he that is perfect in loue when hee seith hym selfe yet in this world to be vnto his neyghbour as God is vnto hym and to be lyke hys heauenly father in all example of kyndnesse is bold in the presence of God yea though he come to iudge synners When on the other side they that continue euer in their wickednes grow not in loue fall often And therefore their cōscience euer accuseth them and putteth them in feare by the reason of the fresh memory of the offence that they can not at once be bold though they haue neuer so great promises of mercy There is no feare in loue But perfect loue casteth out feare For feare hath paynefulnes He therefore that feareth is not perfect in loue Loue is not paynefull but maketh all thyng easie and pleasaunt feare of punishmēt for y e trespasse newly committed is paynefull Therfore where loue is perfect there is no such feare Loue is the fulfillyng of all commaundementes And therfore where loue is perfect there is no sinne And where consciēce doth not accuse of sinne there is faith bold to go into God to stand before hym and looke hym in the face and to coniure him by all his mercies and to aske the petitions of his desire Lacke of loue is the breakyng of the commaundements and cause of sinne And where the conscience accuseth of sinne their fayth is abashed dismayed ashamed affrayed to go in for feare of rebuke Loue therefore serueth to make a man bold in the day of iudgement and in all temptations Iohn speaketh not generally of all maner feare but of that onely whiche the consciēce of sinne putteth a man in For diuers feares there be that accompany loue and grow as she doth The more a woman loueth her child the more she careth for it and feareth lest ought should chaunce it a misse Euen so the more we loue our brethren the more we care for them and feare lest any temptation should trouble them As Paule sayth ij Cor. xj who is sicke and I am not sicke who is offended or hurt and mine hart burneth not How cared he for Timothe for Titus and for all that were weake for the Corinthians Galathiās and for all congregations and how diligently wrote he to them in his absence and the more we loue God the more diligent and circumspect are we that we offēde hym not And tell me I pray thee whosoeuer hast had experience what a payne and grief yea and what a freatyng coresey is it vnto the hart of a true louer of God to here the poyson generation of vipers the pestilent sect of hypocritish Phariseis wittingly and willingly to blaspheme and rayle on the open and manifest truth of the holy ghost If ye will see how bold loue is go to Moyses Exod. 32. and Numeri 14. And there behold how hee coniureth God and amōg all sayth Forgiue this people or put me out of the booke that thou hast written As who should say they be thy people and thou commaūdest me to loue them And for thy sake I loue them and teach them and care for them as a mother that had borne them and loue them no lesse then my selfe Wherfore if thou loue me as thou promisest me then saue them with me or if not thē cast me away with them and let me haue such part as they take And Paule sayd asmuch Roma ix Looke vpō worldly loue and see what pageantes she playeth now and then and how dronken a thyng it is and be sure where the loue of God is perfect she will not onely go betwene bodely death and her louer but also betwene hym and hell If a man would take of this that a man might be so perfect in this lyfe that he might not be perfecter it would not folow For though the spirite at a tyme get the vpper hand of the flesh wynneth her self to God that she can not tell whether she be in the body or no yet the flesh will pull her downe agayn and not let her continue and now and thē plucke of some of her feathers for mountyng so hygh againe For Moses fell through vnbelefe well inough after that seruentnes We loue hym because he loued vs first We deserue not y e loue of God first but he deserueth our loue and loueth vs first to wynne vs and to make vs his frendes of his enemyes And as soone as we beleue his loue we loue agayne And so fayth is mother of all loue And as great as my fayth is so great is loue though fayth can not be perfectly sene but through the workes of loue and in the fire of temptation If a man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyer For how cā he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth loue God whō he seeth not And this commaūdemēt haue we of him that he which loueth God loue his brother also To loue a mans neighbour in God is a sure rule to know that we loue God and not to loue him is a sure token that we loue not God and to hate our neighbour is to hate God For to loue God is to do hys commaundements as Christ sayth Iohn xv ye are my louers if ye do those thinges which I haue commaūded you and the commaūdemēt is to loue our neighbours then he that loueth not his neighbour loueth not God And likewise to hate the commaundement is to hate God that commaunded it and the cōmaundement is to loue our neighbours hee then that hateth his brother whō God biddeth hym loue hateth God The fift Chapter ALl that beleue that Iesus is Christe are borne of God And al that loue him whiche begat loue hym that is begotten of him In this wee knowe that wee loue the sonnes of God when we loue God and kepe his commaundementes For this is the loue of God that we kepe his commaundementes This is a sure cōclusion that we be borne of God through fayth And that fayth maketh vs Gods sonnes in that we beleue that Iesus is Christ as the first chapter of Iohn also testifieth hee gaue them power to be the sonnes of God in that they beleued in his name What it is to beleue that Iesus is Christe may bee vnderstand by that which is aboue rehearsed It is a farre other thyng then as the deuill beleued it agaynst his will and to hys greate payne or as they beleue it which to fulfil their sinne enuie the glory of Christ and persecute his Gospell forbydding to preach
beleued in Christ to bee incarnated and to suffer death what els meant the poore woman of Lanane by eating then to beleue whē she aunswered Christ saying Ye say soth my Lorde But yet doe the little whelpes eate of the crummes that fall from their maisters table This dyd she aunswere in an allegory accordyng to Christes first aunswere vnto her she meanyng by y t eatyng of the crummes the belief of his woordes and Gospell to be scattered among the Gentils as Christ aunsweryng cōfirmed her meanyng saying O woman great is thy fayth He sayd not thou art a great eater and deuourer of bread Here it is playne that to eate in the Scripture is taken to beleue as Christ him selfe expoundeth it so oft and so plentuously And I am here compelled to inculke iterate it with so many wordes to satisfie if it were possible this carnall fleshvowerer and fleshly Iew. Now to examine and to discusse this matter more depely playnly I shall compare the old passeouer with the new and supper of the Lord. And to shew you how the figures correspond their verities I will begyn my comparison at Baptisme comparyng it with the Lordes Supper which be the two Sacramentes left vs now vnder the grace of the Gospell And afterward to set foorth both these Sacramentes playnly I wil compare Circumcision with Baptisme the passe lambe with Christes Supper We by Baptisme as we testified vn to the congregation our entryng into the body of Christ take here Christes body as doth Paule for his congregation to dye to be buried and to ryse with him to mortifie our flesh and to be reuiued in spirite to cast of the old man and to do vpon vs the new euen so by the thankes giuyng for so did the old Greke doctours cal this Supper at Gods bourde or at the Lordes Supper for so doth Paule call it we testifie the vnitie and communion of our hartes glued vnto the whole body of Christ in loue yea and that such loue as Christ at this his last Supper expressed what tyme he sayd his body should be broken and his bloud shed for the remission of our sinnes And to be short As Baptisme is the badge of our fayth so is the Lordes Supper the token of our loue to God our neighbours where vppon standeth the law and the Prophetes For the end of the precept is loue out of a pure hart and good conscience and fayth vnfayned So that by baptisme we be initiated cōsigned vnto the worship of one God in one fayth And by the same faith and loue at the Lordes Supper we shew our selues to cōtinue in our possession to bee incorporated and to be the very members of Christes body Both these Sacramentes were figured in Moyses law Baptisme was figured by Circumcision the Lordes Supper by the eatyng of the passelambe Where lyke as by Circumcisiō the people of Israell were rekened to be Gods people seueral from the Gētiles so be we now by Baptisme rekened to bee consigned vnto Christes Church seuerall frō Iewes paynyms c. And as their passeouer that is to say their solēne feast yearely in eatyng their passelambe was an outward token of their perseueraunce in their religion and in remembraunce of their passage out of Egypt into the lande of Chanaan so is now the eatyng of the Lordes Supper whiche Christ and Paule called our passeouer a token of our perseueraunce in our Christen profession at Baptisme and also thankes giuyng with that ioyfull remēbraunce of our redemption frō sinne death and hell by Christes death Of the figure of this Supper our new passeouer thus it is written After ye be entred into that land whiche the Lord God shall giue you accordyng to his promise ye shall kepe this ceremonie And when your children aske you what Religion is this ye shall aunswere them It is the sacrifice of the passyng ouer of the Lord when the Lord passed foorth by the houses of the children of Israell in Egypt smityng the Egyptiās and deliuering our houses This eatyng therfore of the passe lambe was the figure of the Lordes Supper ▪ whiche figure when the houre was come y ◠he would it to ceasse and giue place vnto the veritie as the shadow to vanish away at the presence of the body He sayd thus with a feruent desire do I long to eate this passeouer with you ere I suffer Agayne let vs compare the figure with the truth the old passeouer with the new and diligētly consider the propertie of speakyng in and of either of thē Let vs expende the succession imitation and tyme how the new succeding the old mediatour Christ betwen both sitting at the Supper celebrating both with his presence did put out the old and bryng in the new For there is in either of them such like composition of wordes such affinitie and proportiō of spech such similitude and propertie in them both the new so correspōdyng in all thynges to the old that the old declareth the new what is it wherfore it was instituted and what is the very vse therof And to begyn at Circumcision the figure of Baptisme ye shall vn derstand that in such rites and Sacramētes there are two thinges to be considered that is to wit The thyng and the signe and of thyng The thynge is it wherfore the signe is instituted to signifie it as in Circumcision the thyng is the couenaunt to be of the people of God and the signe is the cuttyng of the foreskinne of the preuy mēber In the passeouer the thing was the remēbraunce with thankes giuyng for the deliueraunce out of the hard seruitude of Egypt but the signe was the lambe rosted with such ceremonies as were there prescribed them So in baptisme The thyng is the promise to be of the Church of Christ the signe is the dippyng into the water with the holy wordes In our Lordes Supper the very thing is Christ promised and crucified and of faith with thankes giuing vnto the father for his sonne giuen to suffer for vs. But the signe is the dealyng and distributing or reaching forth of the bread and wyne with the holy wordes of our Lord spoken at his supper after he had thus dealt the bread wyne vnto his Disciples And here is it diligently to be noted That in all such rites ceremonies or Sacramentes of God thus instituted these two thinges that is to witte the thyng signified and the signe that signifieth be concurraunt and inseparable It is the common vse and propertie of spech in the Scripture to call the signe the thyng As is Circumcision called the couenaunt Euery manchild must be circumcised that my couenaunt might be in your flesh for a perpetuall bande And yet was it onely but the outward signe seale of the couenaūt that the sede of Abraham should be his especial chosen people that he would
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
28. the auoyding of all threatenynges and curses of which thou readest likewyse euery where but specially in the two bookes aboue rehearsed and the auoiding of all punishment ordeyned for the transgressours of the law And the olde Testament was builte altogether vpoÌ„ the kepyng of the lawe and ceremonies and was the rewarde of kepyng them in this lyfe onely and reached no farther then this lyfe this world As thou readest Leuit. 18. A maÌ„ that doth them shall lyue therin which text Paule reherseth Rom. 10. Gal. 3. That is he that keepeth them shall haue his lyfe glorious according to all the promises and blessings of the law and shal auoyde both all temporal punishments of the law all the threatnynges and cursinges also For neyther the lawe of the tenne commaundementes nor yet the ceremonies iustified in the hart before God or purified vnto the lyfe to come In so much that Moses at his death euen fourtye yeares after the lawe and ceremonies were geuen complaineth saying God hath not geuen you an hart to vnderstande nor eyes to see nor eares to heare vnto this day As who shoulde haue sayd God hath geuen you ceremonies but ye knowe not the vse of them and hath geuen you a lawe but god hath not writen it in your hartes Wherfore serueth the law then if it geue vs no power to do the law Paul answereth them that it was geuen to vtter sinne onely and to make it appeare As a corosie is layd vnto an old sore not to heale it but to stirre it vp and make the disease alyue that a man myght feele in what â—eopardie he is how nye death and not aware and to make a way vnto the healing playster Euen so sayth Paul Gal. 3. The law was geuen bycause of transgression that is to make the sinne alyue that it might be felt and sene vntill the seede came vnto whome it was promised that is to saye vntill the children of fayth came or vntill Christ that sede in whom God promised Abraham that all natioÌ„s of the world should be blessed came That is the law was geuen to vtter sinne death damnation and cursse and to driue vs vnto Christ in whom forgeuenes lyfe iustifiyng and blessynges were promised that we might see so great loue of God to vs ward in Christ that we hence forth ouercome with kindnes might loue agayne and of loue kepe the commaundementes Now he that goeth about to quiet his conscieÌ„ce and to iustifie him selfe with the law doth but heale hys woundes with freatyng coroseis And hee that goeth aboute to purchase grace with ceremonies doth but sucke the ale pole to quench his thyrst in as much as the ceremonies were not geuen to iustifie the hart but to signifie the iustifiyng and forgeuenesse that is in Christes bloud Of the ceremonies that they iustifie not thou readest Hebr. x. It is impossible that sinne should be done away with the bloud of Oxen and Goates And of the law thou readest Galla. iij. If there had bene a lawe geuen that could haue quickened or geuen lyfe then had righteousnes or iustifiyng come by the lawe in deede Now the law not onely quickeneth not the hart but also woundeth it with conscience of sinne and ministreth death and damnation vnto her ij Cor. iij. So that she must nedes dye and be damned except she find other remedy So farre it is of that she is iustified or holpen by the law The new Testament is those euerlastyng promises whiche are made vs in Christ the Lorde throughout all the the Scriptures And that Testament is built on fayth and not in workes For it is not said of that Testament He that worketh shall lyue but he that beleueth shall lyue As thou readest Iohn iij. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that none that beleue in hym should perishe but haue lyfe euerlastyng And when this Testament is preached and beleued the spirit entreth the hart and quickeneth it geueth it life iustifieth her The spirite also maketh the law a liuely thyng in the hart so that a man bringeth foorth good workes of his owne accord without compulsion of the lawe without feare of threatenynges or cursings yea and without all maner respect or loue vnto any teÌ„porall pleasure but of the very power of the spirite receiued thorough fayth as thou readest Iohn i. He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God in that they beleued on his name And of that power they worke so that he which hath the spirit of Christ is now no more a child he neither learneth nor worketh any loÌ„ger for payne of y t rod or for feare of bugges or pleasure of apples but doth all thynges of his owne courage As Christe sayeth Iohn vij He that beleueth on me shall haue riuers of liuyng waters flowyng out of hys belly That is all good workes and all giftes of grace sprynge out of hym naturally and by their owne accord Thou nedest not to wrest good woorkes out of hym as a man would wryng veriuce out of crabbes Nay they flowe naturally out of hym as sprynges out of rockes The new TestameÌ„t was euer euen from the begynnyng of the world For there were alwaies promises of Christ to come by fayth in which promises the elect were then iustified inwardly before God as outwardly before the world by kepyng of the law and ceremonies And in conclusion as thou seest blessynges or cursynges folowe the breaking or keping of the law of Moyses euen so naturally do the blessynges or cursynges folowe the breakyng of keping of the law of nature out of which spryng all our temporall lawes So that when the people kepe the temporall lawes of their land temporal prosperitie and all maner of such temporall blessynges as thou readest of in Moyses do accompany them and fall vpon them And contrarywise when they sinne vnpunished and when the rulers haue no respect vnto equitie or honestie then God sendeth his cursse among them as hunger dearth morein bannyng pestilence warre oppression with straunge and wonderful diseases and new kyndes of misfortune and euill lucke If any man aske me seing that faith iustifieth me why I worke I aunswere Loue coÌ„pelleth me For as loÌ„g as my soule feeleth what loue GOD hath shewed me in Christ I can not but loue God agayne and his wil and commaundements and of loue worke them hor can they seme hard vnto me I thinke not my selfe better for my woorkyng nor seeke heauen nor an higher place in heaueÌ„ bycause of it For a ChristiaÌ„ worketh to make his weake brother perfecter and not to seeke an higher place in heauen I compare not my selfe vnto hym that woorketh not No hee that worketh not to day shall haue grace to turne and to woorke to morow and in the meane tyme I pitie hym and pray for hym If I had wrought the will of
passion Peter was angry and rebuked Christ and thought earnestly that he had raued and not wist what he sayde as at another time when Christ was so feruently busied in healyng the people that he had no leisure to eat they went out to hold him supposing that he had bene beside hymselfe And one that cast out diuels in Christes name they forbade because he wayted not on them so glorious were they yet And though Christ taught alway to forgeue yet Peter after long goyng to schole asked whether men should forgeue seuen tymes thinkyng that viij tymes had bene to much And at the last supper Peter would haue dyed with christ but yet within few houres after he denyed him both cowardly and shamefully And after the same maner though he had so long heard that no man might auenge him self but rather turne the other cheeke to then to smite agayne yet when Christ was in takyng Peter asked whether it were lawful to smite with the sword and taried none aunswere but layed on rashly So that though when we come first vnto knowledge of the truth and the peace is made betwene God and vs and we loue his lawes and beleue and trust in him as in our father and haue good hartes vnto him and be borne a new in the spirite yet we are but childrē and young scholers weake and feble and must haue leysure to grow in the spirite in knowledge loue and in the ded◅ therof as young children must haue tyme to grow in their bodies And God our father and scholemaster feedeth vs and teacheth vs accorcordyng vnto the capacitie of our stomackes and maketh vs to grow and waxe perfect and fineth and trieth vs as gold in the fire of temptations and tribulations As Moyses witnesseth Deutero viij saying Remember all the way by whiche the Lord thy God caried thee this xl yeares in the wildernesse to humble thee and to tempte or prouoke thee y t it might be knowen what were in thine hart He brought thee into aduersitie and made thee an hungred then fed thee with Manna which neither thou nor yet thy fathers euer knew of to teach that man lyueth not by bread onely but by all that procedeth out of the mouth of GOD. For the promises of God are lyfe vnto all that cleaue vnto them muche more then breade and bodyly sustenaunce as the iourney of the children of Israell out of Egipt into the land promised them ministreth thee notable ensamples and that aboundantly as doth all the rest of the Bible also Howbeit it is impossible for flesh to beleue and to trust in the truth of Gods promises vntil he haue learned it in much tribulation after that God hath deliuered him out therof agayne God therefore to teach Ionas and to shew him his owne hart to make him perfect and to instruct vs also by his ensample sent him out of the lande of Israell where he was a Prophet to go among the heathen people and to the greatest and mightiest Citie of the world then called Niniue to preache that within xl dayes they should all perish for their sinnes and that the Citie should be ouerthrowen Whiche message the free will of Ionas had as much power to doe as the weakest harted womā in the world ▪ hath power if◅ were commaunde◅ to leape int◅e of lyuyng snakes and adders as happely if God had cōmaunded Sara to haue sacrificed her sonne Isaa◅ as he did Abraham she would haue disputed with him yer shee had done it or though she were strong enough yet many an holy Saint could not haue founde in their hartes but would haue runne away from the presence of the commaundement of God with Ionas if they had bene so strongly tempted For Ionas thought of this maner loe I am here a Prophet vnto Gods people the Israelites Whiche though they haue Gods worde testified vnto them dayly yet despise it and worshyp God vnder the likenesse of calues and after all maner fashions saue after hys owne word and therfore are of all nations the worst and most worthy of punishment And yet God for loue of fewe that are among them and for his names sake spareth and defendeth them How then should GOD take so cruel vengeaunce on so great a multitude of them to whō hys name was neuer preached to and therfore are not the tenth part so euill as these If I shall therfore go preach so shal I laye and shame my selfe and God thereto make them the more to dispise God and set the lesse by him and to bee the more cruell vnto his people And vpon that imagination he fled from the face or presence of God that is out of the coūtrey where God was worshipped in and from the prosecutyng of Gods commaundement and thought I will get me an other way among the heathen people and be no more a prophet but liue at rest and out of all combraunce Neuerthelesse the God of all mercy which careth fo◠his elect children turneth all vnto good to them and smiteth them to heale thē againe and killeth them to make them aliue agayne and playeth with them as a father doth some tyme with his young ignoraunt children and tempteth them and proueth them to make them see their owne hartes prouided for Ionas how all thinges should be When Ionas entred into the shyp he layd him down to slepe and to take his rest that is his conscience was tossed betwene the commaundement of God which sent him to Ninine and his fleshly wisedome that dissnaded counselled him the contrary and at the last preuailed against the commaundement and caryed him an other way as a shyp caught betwene two streames as Poetes faine the mother of Meliager to be betwen diuers affections while to aduenge her brothers death shee sought to slea her owne sonne Whereupon for very paine and tediousnes he lay down to slepe for to put the commaundement which so gnewe and fret his conscience out of mynde as the nature of all wicked is when they haue sinned a good to seke all meanes with riot reuell and pastime to driue the remembraūce of sinne out of their thoughtes or as Adam did to couer their nakednes with apornes of Pope holy workes But God awoke him out of his dreame set his sinnes before his face For when y t lot had caught Ionas then bee sure that his sinnes came to remembraunce agayne and that his cōscience raged no lesse then the waues of the Sea And then he thought that he onely was a sinner and the heathen that were in the shyp none in respect of him and thought also as veryly as he was fled from God that as veryly God had cast him away for the sight of the rodde maketh the naturall child not onely to see and to knowledge his faulte but also to forget all his fathers old mercy and kindnesse And then he confessed his sinne openly
they had blynded y ◠Scripture whose knowledge as it were a keye letteth into God with gloses and traditions Likewise findest thou Math. xxiij As Peter aunswered in the name of al so Christ promised him the keyes in the person of all Math. xvj And in the. xx of Iohn he payed them saying receaue the holy Ghost who soeuers sinnes ye remitte they are remitted or forgeuen who soeuers sinnes ye retaine they are retained or holden With preachyng the promises loose they as many as repent and beleue And for that Iohn sayth receaue y t holy ghost Luke in his last Chapter sayth then opened he their wittes that they might vnderstand the Scriptures and sayd vnto them thus it is written And thus it behoued Christ to suffre and to rise agayne the thyrd day And that repentaunce remission of sinnes should be preached in his name amōg all nations At preachyng of the law repent men and at the preachyng of the promises do they beleue are saued Peter in the second of the Actes practised his keyes and by preachyng the law brought the people into y t knowledge of them selues and bound their consciences so that they were pricked in their hartes and sayd vnto Peter and to the other Apostles what shall we doe Then brought they foorth the keye of the swete promises saying repent and be Baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and ye shall receaue the gift of the holy ghost For the promise was made vnto you and vnto your children and to all that are a farre euen as many as the Lord shal call Of like examples is the Actes full and Peters Epistles and Paules Epistles and all the Scripture neither hath our holy father any other authoritie of Christ or by the reason of his predecessor Peter then to preach Gods word As Christ cōpareth the vnderstandyng of Scripture vnto a keye so compareth he it to a net and vnto leuen and vnto many other thinges for certeine properties I maruell therfore that they boast not them selues of their nette and leuen as well as of their keyes for they are all one thyng But as Christ biddeth vs beware of y ◠leuē of the Phariseis so beware of their counterfeted keyes and of their false nette which are their traditiōs and ceremonies their hipocrisie false doctrine wherewith they katch not soules vnto Christ but authoritie and riches vnto them selues Let christen kynges therefore keepe their fayth and truth and all lawfull promises and bondes not one wyth an other onely but euen wyth the Turke or whatsoeuer infidell it be For so it is right before God as the scriptures and exāples of the Bible testifie Whosoeuer voweth an vnlawful vow promiseth an vnlawfull promise sweareth an vnlawful oth sinneth against God and ought therfore to breake it He nedeth not to sue to Rome for a licence For he hath Gods word not a licēce onely but also a commaundement to breake it They therefore y ◠are sworne to be true vnto Cardinals Byshops that is to say false vnto God the king and the realme may breake their othes lawfully without grudge of conscience by the aucthoritie of Gods worde In makyng them they sinned but in repētyng and breakyng them they please God hyghly and receaue forgeuenes in Christ Let kynges take their dutie of their subiectes and that is necessary vnto y t defence of the realme Let them rule their Realmes them selues wyth the helpe of laye men that are sage wyse learned and expert Is it not a shame aboue all shames a monstrous thing that no man should be founde able to gouerne a worldly kyngdome saue byshops and prelates that haue forsakē the worlde and are taken out of the worlde and appoynted to preach the kyngdome of God Christ sayth y t hys kingdome is not of this world Iohn 18. And Luk. 12. vnto y ◠young mā that desired hym to bid his brother to geue hym part of the inheritaunce he aunswered who made me a iudge or a deuider among you No man that layeth his hand to the Plowe and looketh backe is apt for the kingdome of heauen Luke ix No man can serue two maisters but he must despise the one Math. vj. To preach Gods worde is to much for halfe a man And to minister a temporall kingdome is to much for halfe a man also Either other requireth an whole man One therfore can not well do both He that auengeth himselfe on euery trifle is not mete to preach y t pacience of Christ how that a man ought to forgeue and to suffer all thynges He that is ouerwhelmed with all maner riches and doth but seeke more dayly is not meete to preach pouertie He that will obey no man is not mete to preach how we ought to obey all men Peter saith Act. vj. It is not meete that we should leaue the word of God and serue at the tables Paule sayth in the ix chapter of the first Corinthe Wo is me if I preach not a terible saying verely for Popes Cardinals and Byshoppes If he had sayd wo be vnto me if I fight not moue Princes vnto warre or if I encrease not S. Peters patrimonie as they call it it had bene a more easy saying for them Christ forbiddeth hys disciples and that oft as thou mayst see Math. xviij And also xx Mark ix and also x. Luk. ix and also xxij Euen at his last supper not onely to clime aboue Lordes kynges and Emperours in worldly rule but also to exalt themselues one aboue an other in y e kingdome of God But in vayne for the Pope would not heare it though he had commaunded it tenne thousand tymes Gods worde should rule onely and not Byshoppes decrees or the Popes pleasure That ought they to preach purely and spiritually and to fashion their liues after wyth all ensample of godly liuyng long suffering to draw all to Christ and not to expounde the Scriptures carnally and worldly saying God spake thys to Peter and I am his successour therefore thys aucthoritie is myne onely and then bring in the tyranny of their fleshly wisdome in praesentia maioris cessat potestas minoris that is in the presence of the greater y ◠lesse hath no power There is no brotherhod where such philosophy is taught SVch philosophy and so to abuse the scriptures and to mocke with Gods word is after the maner of the Byshop of Rochesters diuinitie For he in hys Sermō of the condemnation of Martin Luther proueth by a shadow of the olde testament that is by Moyses and Aaron that Sathan and Antichrist our most holy father the Pope is Christes vicare head of Christes cōgregation Moyses sayth he signifieth Christ and Aaron the Pope And yet the epistle vnto the Hebrues proueth that the hye Priest of the olde lawe signifieth Christ and his
Christes Church 345. b Officer not the priuate person must aduenge 191. a Offryng dayes and priuey tithes 136. a ffrings what they meant 204. a. of ripe fruites 424. b. at first masses of Priestes 336. b. maintaine Po Opish miracles 159. b ffenders open openly to be rebuked 345. a Old translation 318. b Old commaundement what 403. b Old ceremonies preachers to the people 273. a Old Pharisaicall practise now practised by Papistes 340. a Old â—estament wherupon built 9. b Old man must be put of 80. b Old Adam byndâ—tl â–ª our consciences 47. a Opinions Popish waueryng how bred 329. a. and 170. b Opinions iij. touchyng the Sacrament of the last Supper 445. a Oppresâ—ion of sure doctrine 289. a Opportunitie 455. a. and b Orders 322. a. in teachyng 103. b. of iustifiyng 330. b. of Scholemen ouerthwart 103. b. of S. Paules doctrine 43. b Orders how euery man may preach and how not 198. a. Papall compared with orders Apostolical 354. b compared with Christes doctrine 353. b Ordinaries hangmen to the faithfull 319. a Ordinaunce of rulers 186. a Ornamentes 273. b Originall of good workes whence 10. b Oth of a witnes may be taken 309. b. vnlawfull may be broken 137. a agaynst charitie to be broken 315. b Otho kyng of Saxons 252. a Ouercommers of the world who 421. a Ouerthrow of our forefathers was freewill 16. a Oules and Papistes alike in abhorryng light 1. b Outward Popery is the worshyp of the vnfaythfull 422. b Outward signes required of Christ by the Iewes 457. b Outward deede fulfilleth not the law 117. a Outward oyle not auaylable 409. a P. PAce an Ambassadour 372. a Paâ—…e taking how delightsome to God 229. a Paphnutius his opinion concernyng mariage 317. b Papisticall schole doctrine corrupteth youth 103. b Papisticall Doctours repugnaunt 102. b. their argumentes 88. a. their gloses conâ—uted 474. b. their workes 79. a Papistes caÌ„ do miracles 300. b. teach with the mouth onely 267. b still purge their patientes 166. a. of the carnall opinion of the Iewes 459. b. cannot abide Scripture 287. b. 319. a. wrest the Scriptures 466. b. perâ—ert the Scripture ibid. suppressors of Scriptures 1. b. walke in shadowes 125. a Papistes great iugglers 201. a. persecutours 448. b. furious agaynst their aduersaries 447. a. persecutyng tyrauntes 319. b. blousheders 363. b. children of this world 268. b throw downe Kynges and Emperours â—27 a. heare not Christes voyce 126. b. fruites of their earthly Gods 126. b. why they will not haue Scriptures in English 128. a. preach woorkes for their owne profite 334. b. trust in workes as they should in Christ 246. a Papistes and Phariseis make sinne of no sinne 29. b Papistes will louse nothyng 305. a. forecasters of perils 370. a. make no accompt of periury 376. a. abolish the true doctrine of Sacramentes 422. a. enemyes to all good learning 278. a. know all other meÌ„s counsell 102. a Papistes haue a way of their owne to heauen 170. a. their malicious pratyng 475. b. haue robbeâ— many realmes of the Gospel and all goodnes 116. b. Churchtheiues 20. a. winne what others loose 165. b Papistes abuse the Sacramentes 13 b. agaynst the Popes lawes 341. a. hate Scriptures as oules do light 1. b. their contrary preachyng 102. b locke vp the Scripture that they onely may expounde the same 23. b. their grounde for vnwritten verities 473. b. cannot expounde their ceremonies 131. b. sworne to theyr wicked liuyng 305. a Papistes and peripatetiques theyr doctrine 88. b Parable how to vnderstaÌ„d it 78. b. of the Samaritane expounded 285. b Parcialitie in Erasmus 2. a Parcialitie in a preacher for feare of persecutioÌ„ odious 196. b. in iudges is wicked 122. b Pardons 173. a Pardons surer then the Popes pardon 223. a Parentes to vs in Gods stede 107. a how they trye their childrens loue 12. a Parish Priest 102. b Parliament 314. b. at Bury 363. b Paschall lambe 282. a. 273. b. figured the Lordes Supper 468. a. how spiritually fulfilled in Gods kyngdome 440. a Paschall lambe and Christes death compared together 440. a Patience in sufferyng 454. a. bryngeth libertie 119. a Paule 103. a. a persecutour 39. b. 275. a. a carefull preacher 402. a. describeth the Pope 290. a. aunswereth the Papistes concernyng iustification 44. knew not Masse 287. a. preached Christ and not him self 391. b. how he rebuketh hypocrites 44. a. condemneth all hypocrisie ibid. no preacher of worldly wisedome 170. b. gaue faythfull counsâ—… without vexyng mens consciences 129. a. teacheth mariage of Priests 312. b. calleth the Sacrament bread after the consecration 472. a. a fatherly instructor to Timothy 252. rebuked Peter to his face 344. b. his Epistles are the Gospell 127. a his traditions were the doctrine of the Gospell 286. b. the order of hys doctrine 43. b Paule and Peter equals 359. a. aboue Peter in Apostleshyp 126. a. his Apostleship how proued 126. a Paul excommunicated but Papistes burne 339. b. lacked Ministers 109. a. retayned not Onesâ—…us froÌ„ his master 109. a Pax. 276. a Peace makyng 193. b Peace of conscience 194. b Pelagius his heresie 407. b Penaunce 426. b. profitable to Papistes 254. a. abused by shauelyngs 397. b Penaunce put for repentauÌ„ce 146. a People of two sortes deceiued 379. b People why called to the teÌ„ple 282. a People beleue in the worke without the promise 153. a Persecution for the truth obtayneth lyfe 190 b Persecution of Papistes 195. a. at Rysellâ—s in Flaunders At Saint Luke 454. b Persecutors of the spirituall 308. a. of the word threatned 100. b Perfect Christians in no daunger 48. a Perfect kepyng of the law 40. a Perfection 216. b. ioyned with repentaunce and strong fayth 386. b Performance of mans pretense not of hym selfe but of God 17. a. of an euill oth double sinne 209. a Persuasions of Papistes 448. a. of hypocrites 341. b Partakers of Gods promise professe the law 185. a Pestilence of Princes what 123. a Peter his patrimonie 124. b. was neuer scholer in the Arches 135. b Peter rebuked openly of Paule 344. b Peter and Iohn their puttyng on of handes 152. b Peter shewed Gods power 344. a. called chief of the Apostles why 343. b. in what respect so called ibidem preached but so doth not the Pope 357. a. practised his keyes 123. b. sent to preach in Samaria 344. a. preached playne Scripture 170. b. his seat and his keyes are his doctrine 359. a. his seate Christes Gospell ibid. his submission to his brethren 344. a. prophesieth of the popes spiritualtie Epist 2. cap. 2. 55. a. his fayth strong 261. a. his possessions 352. a Pety pillage 136. a Phariseis applyed all to their deedes 205. condemned of Christ 17. a Phariseis nearer the true Churche then Papistes 201 b Phariseis rebuked 17. a. agree with Papistes in doctrine 17. b. clense their soules with theyr owne workes 30. a. their actes all outward 202. b. their freewill 16. b Pharao confessed his
of the worlde to enioye these worldly thinges Not withstandyng they are not ashamed thus falsly to laye it to the preachers charge and all because they would make your grace to mayntayne their maliciousnes So that vnder the pretence of treason they myght execute the tyranny of their harts For who is hée that would bee a traytour or mayntaine a traytour agaynst your most excellent and noble grace I thinke no mā yea I know surely that no man can doe it without the great displeasure of the eternall God For S. Paule cōmaundeth straightly vnto all christians to bee obedient in all thinges on this manner Let euery man submyt himselfe to the auctoryte of the higher power For whosoeuer resisteth the power resisteth y t ordinaunce of God And they that resist shall receiue to them selues damnation Also S. Peter confirmeth this saying Submit your selues vnto all manner of ordinaunce of mā for y t Lords sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto their chiefe head eyther vnto Dukes as vnto them that are sent of hym for the punishment of euell doers but to the prayse of them y e doe well wherfore if euery man had the scriptures as I would to god they had to iudge euery mans doctrine then were it out of question that the preachers therof eyther would or could make or cause to bée made any insurrection against there Prince séeyng the selfe same scriptures straytely commaundeth all subiectes to bée obedient vnto their Princes as Paule witnesseth saying warne them sayth hée that they submit them selues to Prynces and to powers to obey the officers Now how cā they that preach and exhort all men to thys doctrine cause any insurrection or disobedience against their prince But let vs goe further and consider the preachers which onely haue preached the word of God and marke if euer they were occasion of disobedience or rebellion agaynst princes First call to mind y e old Prophets and with a single eye iudge if any of thē eyther priuely or apertly sturred vp the people agaynst their Princes Looke on Christ if hée submitted not hym self to y e hye powers Payde hée not tribute for all hée was frée and caused Peter likewyse to pay Suffered not hée with all pacience the punishmentes of the princes yea death most cruell although they did hym open wrong and could finde him gilty in no cause Looke also of the Apostles which both taught and wrote the doctrine of Christ and in their liuing followed hys steppes and if euer they sturred by any occasion the people agaynst their princes yea if they themselues obeyed not to all princes although the most part of them were tyrauntes and infidels Consider likewyse those Doctors which purely and sincerely hath hādled the worde of God either in preaching or writing if euer by theyr meanes any insurrection or disobedience rise among the people agaynst their princes But you shall rather finde that they haue béen ready to lay downe their owne heades to suffer with all pacience whatsoeuer tyranny any power woulde minister vnto them geuing all people example to doe the same Now to conclude if neither the Scriptures neither the practise of the preachers thereof teacheth or affyrmeth that y e people may disobey their princes or their ordinaūces but contrarywyse teacheth all obedience to bée done vnto them it is playne that those Byshops or rather Papistes doe falsely accuse those true preachers and subiectes which thyng woulde appeare in euery mans sight if by their violence the word of God were not kept vnder Now is this y e doctrine that I doe preach and teach and none other as concerning thys matter God I take to recorde and all my bookes writinges that euer I wrote or made And onely I allow and fauour them whiche furthereth thys doctrine of Christ and of thys I am sure myne aduersaries or rather aduersaryes to Christes doctrine must beare mée witnesse But now as wée haue bréefly touched the doctrine that the true preachers preach to the people both by worde writing and practise of them So let vs somewhat touch y e doctrine and practise of the Pope and the Papisticall Bishops and then let euery man séeke out y e heretickes and traytors to their princes First where the preachers onely of the worde of God preacheth and teacheth all men to obey their princes and their ordinaunces according to the wordes of S. Peter There the Pope and the Papisticall Bishops contrary vnto the minde and facte of Saint Peter expoundeth S. Peters wordes saying that S. Peter meaned not hym selfe nor his successors but hys subiectes And by this false interpretatiō excludeth him selfe with hys frō all obedience to princes And yet not so content but craftely drawing all other subiectes from the obedience of their princes sayth to them also that y e wordes of S. Peter were not spoken as a cōmaundement but as a counsell And by this crafte if any prince espye hys falsehode and of conscience goe about to reproue him then by his false preachers and maintainers of hym he lightly withdraweth y e hartes of the commons from their prince affirming the cōmaundement of God to bée but a counsell and at the least wyse his authoritie to bée sufficient to dispence with all y e cōmaundementes of God And thus the people being ignoraunt because they lacke y e word of God to iudge euery doctrine by they delude their wittes And if any man that perceaueth their crafte of very loue that hée hath to God and hys commaundementes exhorteth the people to iudge the doctrine of those Papistes by the worde of God Anone they lay heresie vnto hys charge laying for thē there Gods lawe saying No man may iudge the Pope no mā also may géeue sentence aboue hys iudgement but hée shall iudge all men vpon earth Item the seate of Rome géeueth strength and might to all lawes but it is subiecte to none Item that the subiectes may bée disobedient to their own Lordes and that hee may depose kinges Item that hée hath authoritie to breake all othes bondes and obligations made betwéene any man of hye or lowe degrée Item that the Pope hath power to interprete declare and to lay forth the holy scripture after hys own will and to suffer no man to expound it contrary to hys pleasure Item that the Pope is a God vpon earth ouer all heauenly earthly ghostly and worldly and hée is all hys owne and no man may say to hym what doost thou Item though the Pope were so euill that hée lead innumerable mē by great heapes to hell yet shall no man reproue him therefore ¶ Now after that they had sytten in the consciences of men with these such like abhominable doctrines and had excluded mē frō y e scriptures as an vnlawfull thing to haue in their mother tonge lest they should espye their
agaynst hym and when hée might saye and doe what he would And as your lawe commaundeth no man so hardye to aske hym why hée doth so Then began decrées ordinances depocytions disposycyons reseruations prouysions with like shamefulnes sor to spring and there is no remedy but they must contynue And why Because you are sworne to kéepe them your selfe and to compel other men also to kéepe them And out of the kéepinge of this part of your othe springeth out an other sentence that foloweth which is this All heretykes sysmatikes and rebelles towardes our sayd Lorde y e Pope to my power I shall persecute and withstand This is the cause that hath made vs poore men so great heretykes For it can neuer bée proued that euer we spake agaynst God or our king and yet bée we heretikes And why Forsooth because the Byshops are sworne to the Popes decrées the which condemneth all them for heretikes that speaketh against his holynes though hée bée as holy as my horse For hée sayth hym selfe in his lawe that hée nedeth not to bée holy hym selfe but it is sufficient that hée sytteth in an holy seat These be his wordes who doubteth but hée is holy y e which is exalted to so great a dignitie In whō though good workes of his owne merites be wantinge yet are those good workes sufficyent the which were done by his predecessours Vpon the which texte their glose sayth that if it bée openly knowen that the Pope bée an aduoulterer or a murderer yet ought hée not to bée accused c. Now we poore men can not suffre such myscheuous vyces wherefore we must bée heretikes But why because my lords y e byshops are sworne to persecute vs. But neuertheles I trust to Gods grace and the Kinges that my Lordes the Byshops wyll not bée so hard in this poynt of their othe as they haue béene And why Because mē may nowe come to their aunswere Surely there bée many clauses in his last othe added that bée cleare iniury vnto princes against Gods lawe and mans lawe And yet our Byshops will swere them yea that which is worst of all they will accuse other men of treason rebelliō And there is no mā sworne to treason nor rebellion but they onely ¶ Wherfore most gracious prince with all mekenes and lowlynes that is due to soe noble a prince and also that doth béecome a true subiecte to doe I lowly and méekely require and desire your grace to Iudge betwéene the Byshops and me whiche of vs is trewest and faythfullest to God and to your grace I speake all onelye of those that hath and also would nowe if they durste defende the Pope and his lawes Agaynst them I make this supplication and agaynst them haue I declared the learning and doctrine that I haue both taught and wrytten And as for my factes déedes what I haue done agaynst God and your grace I require them to say their vttermost that they can proue or elles by your gracious fauour I am bere presente and offer my selfe to proue thē lyars And that vnder any maner of payne that your grace shal assigne And agaynst them I haue declared the learnyng and doctrine of theyr Churche and also brought examples of their factes and déedes with the whiche they haue put theyr doctrine in exercise Nowe if they bée gréeued or thinke thē selues wrongfully handled of mée then I require no more of your grace but indifferētly and graciously to here both them and me the which thing no doubt as your grace doth knowe our heauēly father doth require of you who preserue your highnes in all honor dignite Amen The cause of my condemnation MOste gracious Prince y e your grace shoulde knowe what cause of heresye the Byshops had agaynst me for y e which they so vncharitablye and so cruelly hath cast me away Therefore haue I set out y e articles y e were layde agaynst me And as they were layd agaynst me as I will bée reported by their owne actes and bookes The which articles doubtles were vncharitably falsly gathered agaynst me in a sermon y e I made in Cābridge in S. Edwardes Churrh Wherfore I will beséech your grace with all méekenes lowlynes to bée my gracious Lord Prince And not to suffer me thus shamefully cruelly agaynst all law conscience vtterly to bée vndone cast away But of your most highe goodnes to suffer me to come to mine aunswere and then if I can not iustifie my cause I will be at your gracious commaundement to bée punished after right and conscience IF thou beléeue that thou art more boūd to serue God to morow which is Christmas day or of easter day or of whitsonday for an holynes that is in one day more then in an other then art thou no faythfull christean man but supersticious And S. Paule is against thée saying You doe obserue dayes yeares monthes and tydes For vnto a faythfull christean man euery day ought to bée Christmas day Easter day and whitsonday The which thinge the fathers considering that thou diddest not obserue yea that thou wouldest neuer obserue if it were lefte to thy iudgmēt because thou art geuen so much to worldly businesses For that cause they haue assigned thee certaine dayes to come to the certayn dayes to come to y e church to pray togither to heare the worde of God togither and to receaue the blessed sacramēt togither what faulte fynde you in this article because I say that one daye is not holyer then an other I pray you what is y e cause or what nature is in one day that is not in an other wherby that it should bée holyer then the other Because you will say that we halowe the remembraunce of Christes birthe and of Christes resurrection in one day and not in an other This thing I say must you doe euery daye for Christe is euery day borne euery day rysen euery day ascended vp And this must you beléeue euery day stedfastly This must you sanctifie in your hartes dayly and not one day ¶ Now vary we but in this thing You say that we are bound to sanctifie but one Christmas day in the yeare and that is supersticiousnes heresy say I not that I condemne your one day but that you set it to one daye all onely that we are bound to do euery daye Briefely my Lord of Rochester alowed this article saying he would not condemne it for heresy for an C. li. this was a great sūme of money but it was folishely sayde quod hée to preach this afore the butchers of Cambryge As who say they were all butchers that were at the sermon And not y e most parte of y e vniuersity But the byshop of Bathe asked me whether we mighte labour on the holy dayes or not séeing it is written Thou shalt obserue thy holy day I aunswered
Apostles Paule is greater theÌ„ Peter Paul proued his Apostleshyp with preachyng and sufferyng The Byshops proue there Apostleshyp w t bulles shadowes The Apostles were sent of Christ w t like authoritie The authoritie that Christ gaue was to preache Christes word ☞ ☞ Why Byshops make them a god on earth AaroÌ„ made a calfe And the Pope maketh Bulles The shaueÌ„ nation hath put Christ out of hys â—owme and all kinges and the Emperour Christ is but a vaine name Proper ministers Rochester is proued both ignorant and malicious The Epistles of Paule are the Gospell What Gospell signifieth One Gospell one spirite one truth The authoritie of Paule and of hys Gospell Rochester playeth boâ— pepe Neuer maÌ„ for bad to marry saue the Pope The cause why they will not haue the scripture in Englishe Tully chiefe of Oratours Rochester alleageth Paule for his blinde ceremonies contrary to Paules doctrine It is not lawfull for vs to tell what prayer is what fasting is or wherefore it serueth Payne of cursing damnatioÌ„ and so forth If Paule had none authoritie theÌ„ had Peter none where had then the Pope this authoritie Rochester is improued Wherefore the spirituall officers are ordayned Rochester alleageth heretikes for his purpose for lacke of scripture Robynhode is of authoritie enough to proue the Pope withall Rochester is an Oratoure Rochester is cleane beside hymselfe If Rochester be such a iuggler What suppose ye of the rest let Rochester be an example therfore to iudge them all Faith is the roote and loue springeth of fayth Though Rochester haue not the spirite to iudge spirituall thinges yet ought reason to haue kept him from so shameful lying But God hath blynded him to bring their falshod to light The controuersy betwene Iames Paule Why deuils haue none of Paules fayth nor sinners that repent not A maÌ„ may beleue that Christ died and many other thynges 〈◊〉 not beleue in Christ What it is to beleue in Christ Why say men can not rule Men feare the Popes oyle more then Gods coÌ„maundement Fayth driueth y â— deuilâ— away Why doe not the Byshops make hym flee from shotyng of gunnes Ceremonies dyd not the miracle but fayth Let them tell what the ceremony meaneth The priest disguiseth hym selfe with the passion of Christ Domme ceremonies quench fayth and loue and make the infidels to mocke vs. The prophesie of Christ is fulfilled The testament of the obseruauntes False annoynted Christes prophesis â–ª be it neuer so terrible must be yet fulfilled Christ was neither shanen nor shorne nor annoynted with oyle Hee that doth ought to make satisfaction or to get heauen hath lost his parte of Christes bloud To our neighbour make we amendes The Apostles were neither shaue nor shoren nor annoynted with oyle Byshop an ouersear The true annoynting old Priest This oyle is not among our Byshops Priestes ought to to haue wiues why What the Priestes dutie is to do what to haue Men are not bound to pay the Priest in tithes by Gods law Deacon what it signifieth and what is his office No beggers How holy dayes and offerynges came vp Saintes were not yet Gods Why laÌ„des were geueÌ„ vnto the spirituall officers befor we fell from the fayth False annoynted Shauyng is borowed of the heathen and oylyng of y â— Iewes False names Lying signes No wife but â—n whore Take a dispensation Knaueate Bootes Miters Cite them Pose theÌ„ Make theÌ„ heretickes Burne theÌ„ Curse theÌ„ Feare theÌ„ All in Latine Rolle theÌ„ Syng Ryng Lulle theÌ„ Rocke theÌ„ a slepe Pray in Latin Say them a Gospell What quod my Lord of Canterbury Crosse Turmoylers The craft of the Prelates Interdict Peter 〈◊〉 neuer to schole at the arches The Pope hath one kyngdome more then God hymselfe Shering what it signifieth Tot quot Bishops that preach not Tithes Temporall landes Frechappell Testamentes Offering dayes Priuy tythes Mortuaries If he die froÌ„ home Thou must paye ere thou passe Pety pillage Confession First Masse Professinges Conturations Parson Vicare Parishe priest Fryers Spirituall lawe A proper commoditie of confession Laye your hand on the booke No man may aueÌ„ge saue the kyng â–ª and he is bound by his office Kinges are in captiuitie The dutie of kynges Vnlawfull othes ought to be broken and may without dispensation The kyng only ought to punish sinne I meane that is broken forth the hart must remaine to God The sprite perteineth vnto the shauen onely The kings law is Gods law How men ought to iudge questions of the scripture We come oft to schole But are neuer caught Kinges ought to see what they doe and not to beleue the Byshoppes namely seing their liuing is so sore suspects It perteineth vnto all men to know the scriptures ☞ Be learned ye that iudge the earth The kings are become Antichrists hangmen Be learned ye that iudge the earth Who slew the prophetes Why were the prophetes slayne What deedes of mercy teach the hipocrited Why flew they christ The keyes Christ is a traitor and a breaker of the kynges peace How the hypocrites bynde and lose ☞ Be learned ye that iudge the earth â—or rebukyng this 〈…〉 And for the same cause are we persecutes They bee 〈…〉 Purgatory that make perpetuâ—… Why it is 〈◊〉 Pur gatory Scala Câ—… The doore is stopt vys ye must clyme and scale the walles Some are prayed for and prayed to also The craft that helpeth other helpeth not his owne master Prayer was not sold in the old tyms Their prayer breaketh the great commaundement of God It is tyme that they were tyed by therfore The burdens of our spirituall lawyers Confession tormenteth the conscience robbeth the purse of money and the soule of fayth Bagges or bables to be knowen by Glorious names How are they estemed Kinges are down they can not go lower Our hypocrites lyue by theft ConscieÌ„ces that are so narrow about traditions haue wyde mouthes about gods coÌ„maundementes As the Iewes are the childreÌ„ of AbrahaÌ„ so are the Byshops the successours of the Apostles The spiritualty haue taught to feare their traditions They wynne somewhat alwayes ☜ They that seke honor haue no fayth neither can they do Gods message Be learned Gods wordought all men to know They do all secretly ☞ Gods wordought so iudge â—he right way to vnderstaÌ„d the scripture The kings haue a iudge before whom my soule for yours helpeth not Preach what thou wilt but rebuke nor hypocrisie The Prelates are clothed in red Pollaxeâ— Iudge the free by hys fruite and not by his leanes Sacramentes are signes of Gods promises The promise which the Sacrament preacheth iustifieth onely How the sacrameÌ„tes iustifie Matrimony was not ordeined to signifie any promise If wedlocke be holy why had they leuer haue whores theÌ„ wines Character Sacerdos Presbiter Priestes now ought not to be annointed with oyle The office of a Priest They will be holier but their deedes be not holy at all Compare their dedes to the doctrine end deedes of Christ