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
all in all thinges woorketh a mans iustifiyng saluation and health yea poureth fayth belefe lust to loue Gods will strength to fulfill the same into vs euen as water is poured into a vessell and that of his good will and purpose and not of our deseruynges and merites Gods mercy in promising and truth in fulfilling his promises saueth vs and not we ourselues and therfore is al laude prayse glory to be geuen vnto God for his mercy and truth and not vnto vs for our merites and deseruynges After that he stretcheth hys example out agaynst all other good workes of the law and coÌ„cludeth that the Iewes can not be Arahams heyres because of bloud and kinred onely and much lesse by the workes of the law but must inherite Abrahams fayth if they wil be the right heyres of Abraham for as much as Abraham before the law both of Moses also of Circumcision was through faith made righteous and called the father of all them that beleue not of them that worke Moreouer the law causeth wrath in as much as no maÌ„ can fulfill it with loue and lust and as longe as such grudgyng hate and indignation agaynst the law remayneth in the hart and is not takeÌ„ away by the sprite that commeth by fayth so long no doubt the workes of the law declare euideÌ„tly that the wrath of god is vpon vs and not fauour wherfore fayth only receyueth the grace promised vnto Abraham And these ensamples were not written for Abrahams sake onely sayth he but for oures also to whom if we beleue fayth shall be reckened lykewise for ryghteousnesse as he sayth in the end of the chapter In the 5. chapter he commendeth the fruit and workes of faith as are peace reioycing in the conscience inwarde loue to God and maÌ„ moreouer boldnesse trust confidence and a strong a lusty mynd and stedfast hope in tribulation and suffering For all such follow where the right fayth is for the aboundant graces sake and giftes of the sprite which god hath geuen vs in Christ in that he suffred hym to die for vs yet his enemies Now haue we then that fayth only before all workes iustifieth and that it followeth not yet therfore that a man should do no good workes but that y t right shapeÌ„ workes abide not behind but accompany fayth euen as brightnesse doth the sunne and are called of Paul the fruites of the sprite Where y t spirite is there it is alwayes sommer and there are alwayes good fruites that is to say good workes This is Paules order that good works spring of the sprite y e spirit commeth by fayth and faythe commeth by hearyng the worde of God when the glad tidings and promises which God hath made vnto vs in Christ are preached truely and receiued in the ground of the hart with out waueryng or doubâ—ing after that the law hath passed vpon vs and hath damned our consciences Where the worde of God is preached purely and receiued in the hart there is faith the spirit of God there are also good workes of necessitie whensoeuer occasioÌ„ is geueÌ„ Where Gods word is not purely preached but mens dreames traditions imaginations inuentioÌ„s ceremonies superstition there is no fayth and consequently no spirite that commeth of GOD and where Gods spirite is not there can bee no good workes euen as where an apple tree is not there can grow no apples but there is vnbeliefe the diuels sprite and euill workes Of this Gods sprite and hys fruites haue our holy hipocrites not once knowen neither yet tasted how swete they are though they fayne many good workes of their own imaginatioÌ„ to be iustified withal in which is not one cromme of true fayth or spiritual loue or of inward ioy peace and quietnes of conscience for as much as they haue not the worde of GOD for them that such workes please GOD but they are euen the rotten fruites of a rotten tree After that he breaketh forth and runneth at large sheweth whence both sinne and righteousnesse death and life come And he compareth Adam and Christ together thus wise reasonyng and disputyng that Christ must nedes come as a seconde Adam to make vs heyres of his righteousnesse through a new spiritual birth without our deseruinges Euen as the first Adam made vs heyres of synne through the bodily generation without oure deseruyng Wherby it is euidently knowne and proued to the vttermost that no man can bryng himselfe out of synne vnto righteousnesse no more then he could haue withstaÌ„d that he was borne bodily And y t is proued herewith for as much as y t very law of God which of right should haue helped if any thyng could haue holpeÌ„ not onely came and brought no helpe with her but also encreased synne because that the euil and poisoned nature is offeÌ„ded and vtterly displeased with the law and y t more she is forbid by the lawe the more is she prouoked and set a fyre to fulfill satisfie her lustes By the law then we see clearely that we must needes haue Christ to iustify vs with his grace to helpe nature In the vi he setteth forthe the chiefe and principall worke of fayth the battayle of the sprite agaynst the fleshe how the sprite laboureth and enforceth to kyll the remnaunt of sinne and lust which remayne in the fleshe after our iustifiyng And this chapiter teacheth vs that we are not so free from sinne through fayth that we should henceforth go vp and down idle carelesse sure of our selues as thoughe there were now no more synne in vs. Yes there is sinne remayning in vs but it is not reckoned because of fayth and of the sprite which fyght agaynste it Wherefore we haue inough to doe all our lyues long to tame our bodies and to compell the members to obey the sprite and not the appetites that therby we myght be like vnto christes death and resurrection and might fulfill our baptisme which signifieth the mortifiyng of sinnes and the new lyfe of grace For this battayle ceaseth not in vs vntill the last breath and vntyll that sinne be vtterly slayne by the deth of the body This thyng I meane to tame the body and so forth we are able to doe sayth he seyng we are vnder grace not vnder the lawe What it is not to be vnder the lawe he himselfe expoundeth For not to be vnder the lawe is not so to be vnderstand that euery maÌ„ may do what hym lusteth But not to be vnder the law is to haue a fre hart renewed with the sprite so that thou hast lust inwardly of thine owne accorde to do that which the lawe commaundeth without compulsion yea though there were no law For grace that is to say gods fauour bringeth vs the sprite maketh vs loue the lawe so is there now no more sinne neither is the law now any more
necessary to prepare this Pathway into the Scripture for you that ye might walke surely euer know the true frō the false And aboue all to put you in remembraunce of certaine pointes which are that ye well vnderstand what these wordes meane The old Testament The new Testament The law The Gospell Moses Christ Nature Grace Workyng and beleuing Dedes and faith Lest we ascribe to the one that which belongeth to the other and make of Christ Moses of the Gospell the Law despise grace and robbe fayth fal from meke learnyng into idle despitions brawlyng and scoldyng about wordes The old Testament is a booke wherein is written the law of God the dedes of them which fulfill them of them also which fulfill them not The new Testament is a booke wherein are conteined the promises of God and the dedes of them which beleue them or beleue them not Euangelion that we call the Gospel is a Breke word and signifieth good mery glad and ioyfull tydinges that maketh a mans hart glad and maketh him sing daunce and leape for ioy As when Dauid had killed Goliath the gyaunt came glad tydinges vnto the Iewes that their fearefull and cruell enemy was slayne and they deliuered out of all daunger for gladnes wherof they song daunced and were ioyful In like maner is the Euangelion of God which we call Gospell and the new Testament ioyfull tydinges and as some say a good hearing published by the Apostles throughout all the world of Christ the right Dauid how that hee hath fought with sinne with death and the deuil ouercome them wherby all men that were in bondage to sinne woūded with death ouercome of the deuill are without their owne merites or deseruinges losed iustified restored to life and saued brought to libertie and reconciled vnto the fauour of God set at one with him agayne whiche tydinges as many as beleue laude prayse thanke God are glad syng and daunce for ioy This Euangelion or Gospell that is to say such ioyfull tydinges is called y ◠new Testament Because that as a mā whē he shall dye appointeth his goods to be dealt distributed after his death among them whiche he nameth to bee his heyres Euen so Christ before hys death commaūded and appointed that such Euangelion Gospell or tydynges should be declared throughout all the world and therewith to geue vnto all that repent and beleue all his goodes that is to say his lyfe wherewith hee swalowed and deuoured vp death hys righteousnes wherewith he banished sinne his saluatiō wherwith he ouercame eternall damnation Now cā the wretched man that knoweth him selfe to be wrapped in sinne and in daūger to death hell heare no more ioyous a thyng them such glad and comfortable tydinges of Christ So that he can not but be glad and laugh frō the low bottome of his hart if hee beleue that the tydinges are true To strēgth such sayth with all God promised this his Euangelion in the old Testament by the Prophetes as Paul sayth Rom. 1. How that he was chosē out to preach Gods Euāgeliō which he before had promised by the Prophetes in the Scriptures that treate of his sonne which was borne of the sede of Dauid In the Gene. iij. God sayth to the Serpent I wil put hatred betwen thee and the woman betwen thy seede and her sede that selfe sede shall treade thy head vnder foote Christ is this womās seede he it is that hath troden vnder foote the deuils head that is to say sinne death hell all his power For without this seede can no man anoyde sinne death hell and euerlasting damnation Agayne Gene. xxij God promised Abraham saying in thy seede shall all the generations of the earth be blessed Christ is that seede of Abraham sayth S. Paule Gala. iij. He hath blessed all the world through the Gospell For where Christ is not there remaineth the curse that fell on Adam as soone as he had sinned so that they are in bōdage vnder the damnation of sinne death and hell Against this curse blesseth now the Gospell all the world in asmuch as it cryeth opēly vnto all that knowledge their sinnes and repēt saying who soeuer beleueth on the sede of Abraham shal be blessed that is he shal be deliuered from sinne death and hell and shall hence forth continue righteous and saued for euer as Christ hym selfe sayth in the xj of Iohn He that beleueth on me shall neuer more dye The law sayth Iohn i. was geuē by Moses but grace and verity by Iesus Christ The law whose minister is Moses was geuen to bryng vs vnto the knowledge of our selues that we might thereby feele and perceaue what we are of nature The law cōdemneth vs and all our deedes and is called of Paule in the ij Cor. iij. the ministration of death For it killeth our consciences and driueth vs to desperation in as much as it requireth of vs that which is vnpossible for our nature to do It requireth of vs the deedes of an whole man It requireth perfect loue from the low bottome and grounde of the hart as well in all thinges whiche we suffer as in the thinges which we do But sayth Iohn in the same place grace and veritie is geuē vs in Christ So that when the law hath passed vpō vs and condemned vs to death which is his nature to do then haue we in Christ grace that is to say fauour promises of life of mercy of pardon freely by y e merites of Christ in Christ haue we veritie truth in that God for his sake fulfilleth all his promises to them that beleue Therfore is y ◠Gospell the ministration of life Paule calleth it in the fore rehearsed place of the Cor. ij the ministration of the spirite and of righteousnes In the Gospell when we beleeue the promises we receaue the spirit of life and are iustified in the bloud of Christ from all thyngs wherof the law condemned vs. And we receaue loue vnto the law and power to fulfill it and grow therein dayly Of Christ it is written in the fore rehearsed Ioh. i. this is he of whose aboundaunce or fulnes all we haue receaued grace for grace or fauour for fauour That is to say for the fauour that God hath to his sonne Christ he geueth vnto vs his fauour good wil al giftes of his grace as a father to his sonnes As affirmeth Paule saying whiche loued vs in his beloued before the creation of y ◠world So y ◠Christ bringeth the loue of God vnto vs and not our owne holy woorkes Christ is made Lord ouer all and is called in Scripture Gods mercy stole who soeuer therfore flyeth to Christ can neither heare nor receaue of God any other thyng saue mercy In the old Testamēt are many promises which are nothyng els but the Euāgelion or Gospel to saue those
and he will therto consider our mekenes and what soeuer chaunceth neuer taketh away hys mercy till we cast of the yoke of our profession first and runne away with vtter defiaunce that we will neuer come more at schole Then our stubburne and hard hartes mollifie waxe soft and in the confidēce and hope that we haue in Christ and his kindnes we go to God boldly as vnto our father and receaue life that is to say loue vnto God and vnto the law also That whiche we haue seene and heard we declare vnto you that ye may haue felowshyppe with vs and that our felowshyppe may be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ And these thynges we write vnto you that your ioye may be full To bryng vnto the felowshyp of God and Christ and of them that beleue in Christ is the finall intent of all the Scripture why it was giuen of God vnto man and the onely thyng which all true preachers seke wherby ye shall euer know and discerne the true word of God from all false and counterfayted doctrine of vayne traditions the true preacher from the wylie hypocrite We preache vnto you sayth Iohn y t euerlastyng lyfe which we haue heard and in hearyng receaued through fayth and are sure of it to draw you to vs out of the felowshyp that ye haue with the damned deuils in sinnefull lustes and ignoraunce of God for we seeke you and not yours as sayth Paul ij Cor. xij We loue you as our selues in God therfore wold haue you felowes and equall with vs build you vpon the foundation layd of the Apostles and Prophetes which is Christ ▪ Iesus and make you of the houshold of God for euer that ye and we felowes and brethren and coupled together in one spirit in one fayth and in one hope might haue our felowship thereby with God and become his sonnes heyres with Iesus Christ beyng his brethren and coheyres and to make your ioy ful through that glad tydinges as the aungell sayd vnto the shepheardes Luke ij Behold I shew you great ioye that shal be vnto all the people how that there is a Sauiour borne vnto you this day whiche is Christ the Lord. And these tydinges we bryng you with the worde of God onely which we receaued of his spirit and out of the mouth of his sonne as true messengers We preach not our selues but Christ our Lord and vs your seruauntes for hys sake we do not loue our selues to seke yours vnto vs that after we had with wiles robbed you of all ye haue we should exalte our selues ouer you separate our selues frō you and make our selues a seuerall kyngdome free and frāke raygnyng ouer you as heathen tyrauntes holdyng you in bondage to serue our lucre and lustes tanglyng your conscience with doctrine of man whiche draweth from God and Christ and fearing you with the bugge of excommunication agaynste Gods word Or if that serued not shakyng a sword at you And this is the tydinges whiche we haue heard of hym and declare vnto you that God is lyght and in hym is no darknes at all If we say that we haue felowshyp with hym and yet walke in darkenes we lye and do not the truth But and if we walke in light as he is in light then haue we felowshyp together and the bloud of Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne As the deuill is darknes and lyes so is God light and truth onely and there is no darknes of falshead consentyng to wickednes in hym And the brightnes of his light is his word and doctrine as the. C. and. xix Psalme sayth Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete a light to my pathes And Christe is the light that lightneth all men And the Apostles are called the light of the world because of the doctrine And all that knowe truth are light Ye were once darkenes sayth Paule Ephes v. but now light in the Lord walke therfore as the children of lyght And good workes are called the frutes of light And all that lyue in ignoraūce are called darknes as he sayth afterward he that hateth his brother walketh in darknes For if the light of the glorious Gospell of Christe dyd shyne in his hart he could not hate his brother By walking vnderstande consenting doing and working If then we walke in darcknes that is consent and worke wickednes and say we haue felowship with God we ly For to haue felowship with him is to knowe and consent and professe his doctrine in our hartes Now if the commaundementes of GOD bee written in our hartes our members can not but practise thē shew the fruite So whether light or darknes be in the hart it will appeare in y t walking For though our members be neuer so dead vnto vertue yet if our soules knowledge the truth consent vnto righteousnes we haue the sprite of life in vs. And Paule sayth Rom. viij If the spirite of him y t raysed vp Iesus from death be in you thē wil he y t raised vp Iesus frō death quicken your mortall bodies by the reasō of the spirit that dwelleth in you So that it is not possible for him that knoweth the truth consenteth thereto to continue in sinne And then finally if we haue the light in our harts and walke therein then we haue fellowship with God and are his sonnes and heires and are purged from all sinne through Christes bloud If we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and trueth is not in vs. If we think there is no sinne in vs we are beguiled and blinde and the light of Gods word is not in vs and eyther folow sinne as beastes without consciēce at all Or if we see the grosse sinnes as murther theft and adultery yet we haue hanged a vayle of false gloses vpon Moses face and see not the brightnes of the law how that it requireth of vs as pure an hart to God and as great loue vnto our neighbours as was in our sauiour Iesus ceaseth not before to condemne vs as sinners If we knowledge our sinnes he is faythfull and iust to forgeeue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrigh teousnes If we confesse our sinnes not in the preistes eare though that tradition restored vnto the right vse were not dānable but in our hartes to God with true repentaunce and fast beleife then is he faythfull to forgeue and to purge vs because of his mercifull truth and promise For he promised Abraham that in his seede all the worlde should be blessed from the curse of sinne And hath aboundantly renued his euerlasting mercy vnto vs in the new testament promising that our sinnes shall be forgeuen vs in Christes bloud if we repent and trust thereto If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyer and hys woord is not in vs. For his
vanquished sinne and holpen many 4 If one mans sinne be able to condemne vs without our workes 4 Then much more is Gods grace of power to saue vs without our workes 5 Sinne thorough Adam was planted in vs. 5 Grace thorough Christ is planted in vs. 6 Sinne hath had dominion ouer all men through Adam 6 Grace preuaileth ouer vs through Christ 7 Death thorough sinne is planted in vs. 7 Life through grace is plāted in vs. 8 Death thorough sinne hath dominion ouer vs. 8 Lyfe through grace preuayleth ouer vs. 9 Synne and death haue cōdemned all men 9 Grace and life haue saued all men 10 Thorough Adam Adams synne was counted our owne 10 Thorough Christ Christes righteousnesse is reputed vnto vs for our owne ¶ Of this may you perceaue that we thinke that Christes death profiteth vs for we take hys death and resurrection for our whole redemption and saluation Now as concernyng mens good déedes and prayers I say that they profite our neighbours yea and good woorkes were ordeined for that entent that I should profite my neighbour through them And prayer ought to bee made to God for euery state But if I should graūt that such workes prayers should helpe them that are departed thē should I speake cleane without my booke for the word of God knoweth no such thyng Let them therefore that pray for the dead examine them selues well with what fayth they do it for fayth leaneth onely on the word of God so that where his worde is not there can be no good fayth and if their prayer procede not of fayth surely it can not please God Hebrues xj NOw suppose sayth M. More that Purgatorye could in no wise be proued by Scripture and that some wold yet say plainly that there were one and some would say playnly nay let vs now see whether sorte of these twayne myght take most harme if their parte were the wrong First he that beleued there were Purgatory that his prayer and good workes wrought for his frendes soules might relieue them therein and because of that vsed much prayer and almose for them he could not lese the reward of his good wil although his opiniō were vntrue and that there were no Purgatory at all But on the other side he that beleueth there is none and therfore prayeth for none if his opiniō be false and that there be Purgatory in deede hee leseth much good and getteth hym also much harme For hee both feareth much lesse to sinne and to lye lōg in Purgatory sauing that his heresie shall keepe hym thence and sende hym downe deepe into hell I aūswere that he should take most harme that beleued there were a Purgatory if his opiniō were wrong and could not be proued by the Scripture as M. More supposed for he should sinne and transgresse agaynst the law of God which sayth Deut. xij That I commaunde thée that onely do vnto the Lord neither adde any thyng nor diminish And before in the iiij chap. of the same booke ye shall not adde vnto the woorde that I speake vnto you neither shall ye take any thyng from it And agayne in the v. chapter ye shall not decline neither to the left hād doyng that which is good in your owne sight neither yet vnto the right hand doyng that which I manifestly forbyd you as though he should say doe that onely whiche I commaunde thée And where M. More sayth that hee can not lese the rewarde of hys good will although his opinion be vntrue I aunswere yes for it is but chosen holynesse which Paule condēneth Collos 2. which surely shall rather be imputed vnto hym for synne then for any good worke And because as I sayd before it can not be done through fayth I say that it is vtterly reproued of God And on the other side he that beleueth it not sith it can not be proued by Scripture cā catch no harme at all although his opinion were false but rather much good and prayse both of God and all good men because he feareth to swerue frō the word of God and had leuer not to be leue that thyng which is true be it in case that purgatory were and not set forth in Scripture for so shall he be sure not to sinne then to beleue for an article of y t fayth that thyng which is false in déede for so should he surely sinne and transgresse agaynst God and his holy woorde And so is there great perill to beleue a thyng for an article of the fayth whiche is not opened nor spoken of in Scripture But if I beleue it not although it were true yet is there no ryght nor law that can condemne me Now may you sée that to beleue for an article of the fayth that there is a Purgatory sith it can not be proued by Scripture may condemne a man and make hym lye for euer in the paynes of hell where as the other shoulde but a litle lenger lye in the paynes of Purgatory if there were one and so shal he be sure to catch most harme that beleueth there is a Purgatory Sauyng sayth Master More that hys heresie shall keepe hym from thence and sende him downe depe into hell Before he supposed y t it could not be proued by scripture And now standing the same suppositiō he calleth it an heresie anheresie is a stiffe holdē opinion repugnant vnto Scripture If Purgatory can not bee proued by Scripture as he maketh his supposition then cā not the contrary opiniō be repugnaunt to Scripture thus of his own suppositiō he doth euill to cal it an heresie And where he sayth that his opiniō shall sende hym down déepe into hell verely he steppeth to farre in Gods iudgement to conclude and determine so cruelly specially in the same argument where he supposeth that it can not be proued for if it can not bee proued by Scripture whereby will ye condemne hym so déepe that holdeth the contrary forsooth you are a fierce iudge God geue you eyes to sée FInallye if ye pitie any man in payne neuer knewe ye payne comparable to ours whose fire passeth as farre in heate all the fires that euer burned vppon earth as the hotest of all those passeth a fayned fire paynted on a wall Verely among all his other Poetrie it is reason that we graunt hym this Yea and that our fire is but water in comparison to it For I ensure you it hath alone melted more gold and siluer for our spiritualties profite out of poore mens purses then all the gold smithes fires within England neither yet therewith can the ragyng heate be aswaged But it melteth castels harde stones landes and tenementes innumerable For all your sectes of Religion Monkes Friers Chanons and Nunnes with other Priestes regulare seculare by this fire multiplication and alcumye haue obtayned their whole riches and pleasures euen the swete of England
here also a woorde or twayne We had neede to take hede euery where that wee bee not begyled with false allegories whether they be draweÌ„ out of the new Testament or the old either out of any other story or of the creatures of the world but namely in this booke Here a man had neede to put on all his spectacles and to arme him selfe agaynst inuisibles spirites First allegories proue nothyng and by allegories vnderstand examples or similitudes borowed of straunge matters and of an other thyng then that thou entreatest of And though circuÌ„sion be a figure of Baptisme yet thou canst not proue Baptisme by Circumcision For this argument were very feble the Israelites were Circumcised therfore we must be Baptised And in like maner though y e offering of Isaac were a figure or example of the resurrâ—ction yet is this argument nought Abraham would haue offered Isaac but GOD deliuered him from death therefore we shall rise agayne and so forth in all other But the very vse of allegories is to declare and open a text that it may bee the better perceaued and vnderstand As when I haue a cleare text of Christ and of the Apostles that I must be baptised then I may borow an example of CircumcisioÌ„ to expresse the nature power and frute or effect of baptisme For as Circumcision was vnto them a common badge signifiyng that they were all souldiers of god to warre his warre and separating them from al other nations disobedient vnto God euen so baptisme is our coÌ„mon badge and sure earnest and perpetual memoriall that we pertaine vnto Christ and are separated frome all that are not Christes And as Circumcision was a token certifyeng them that they were receaued vnto the fauour of God and their sinnes forgeueÌ„ them euen so Baptisme certifieth vs that we are washed in the bloud of Christ and receaued to fauour for his sake and as CircumcisioÌ„ signified vnto them the cuttyng awaye of their owne lustes and sleayng of their free will as they call it to folow the will of GOD euen so Baptisme signifieth vnto vs repentaunce and the mortifying of our vnruly members and bodyes of sinne to walke in a new life and so forth And likewise thoughe that the sauing of Noe of them that were with him in the shyp thorough water is a figure that is to say an example and likenesse of Baptisme as Peter maketh it 1. Peter 3. yet I can not proue Baptisme therewith saue describe it onely for as the shyp saued them in the water thorough fayth in that they beleued God and as y â— other that would not beleue Noe perished euen so Baptisme saueth vs through the worde of fayth whiche it preacheth when all the world of the vnbeleuyng perish And Paule 1. Corin. 10. maketh the sea and the cloude a figure of Baptisme by which and a thousaÌ„d mo I might declare it but not proue it Paule also in the sayd place maketh the rock out of which Moses brought water vnto the children of Israell a figure or example of Christ not to proue Christe for that were impossible but to describe Christ onely euen as Christ him selfe Iohn 3 boroweth a similitude or figure of the braien serpeÌ„t to lead Nichodemus froÌ„ his earthy imagination into the spiritual vnderstaÌ„dyng of Christes saying As Moses lifted vp a Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp that none that beleue in hym perish but haue euerlasting lyfe By which similitude the vertue of Christes death is better described then thou couldest declare it with a thousaÌ„d wordes For as those murmurers agaynst God as soone as they repented were healed of their deadly woundes thorough lookynge on the brasen Serpent onely without medicine or any other helpe yea and without any other reason but that God hath sayd it should be so and not to murmure agayne but to leaue their murmuryng euen so all that repent and beleue in Christ are saued froÌ„ euerlastyng death of pure grace without and before their good works and not to synne agayne but to fight agaynst sinne and henceforth to synne no more Euen so with the ceremonies of this booke thou canst proue nothyng saue describe and declare onelye the putting away of oure sinnes thorowe the deathe of Christe For Christe is Aaron and Aarons sonnes and all that offer the sacrifice to purge sinne And Christ is all maner offering that is offered he is the oxe the shepe the gote the kyd and lambe he is the oxe that is burnt without the host and y t scape-gote that caried all the sinne of the people away into the wildernesse for as they purged the people from their worldly vncleanesses thorow bloud of y e sacrifices euen so doth Christ purge vs froÌ„ the vncleannesses of euerlasting death with hys owne bloude and as their worldly sinnes coulde no otherwise be purged then by bloud of sacrifice euen so can our sinnes bee no otherwise forgeuen then thorowe the bloud of Christ All the deedes in the worlde saue the bloude of Christ can purchase no forgeuenesse of sinnes for our dedes do but help our neighbour and mortify the flesh and help that we sinne no more but and if we haue sinned it must be freely forgeuen thorow the bloud of Christ or remayne euer And in lyke manner of the Leapers thou canst proue nothing thou canst neuer coniure out confession thence howbeit thou hast an handsome example there to open the binding losyng of our priests with the key of Gods worde for as they made no man a Leper euen so oures haue no power to commaund any man to be in sinne or to go to purgatory or hell And therefore in as much as binding and loosing is one power as those Priestes healed no man euen so oures can not of their innisible and domme power driue any mans sinnes away or deliuer hym from hel or fayned purgatory how be it if they preached Gods worde purely which is the authoritie that Christ gaue them then they shold binde and lose kill and make alyue agayne make vncleane and cleane agayne and send to hel and fetch thence agayne so mighty is gods worde For if they preached the lawe of God they shold bynd the consciences of sinners with the bondes of the paynes of hell and bring them vnto repentance And then if they preached vnto theÌ„ y e mercy that is in Christ they shold loose them and quiete their ragyng consciences certifie them of the fauour of God and that their sinnes be forgeuen Finally beware of allegories for there is not a more handsome or apte thyng to beguile withall then an allegory nor a more subtle and pestilente thyng in the world to perswade a false matter then an allegory And contrariwise there is not a better vehementer or mightier thyng to make a man vnderstand with all theÌ„ an allegory For allegories make a man
ceremonies or to lead them out of the waye with superstitiousnes of disguiled hypocrisie vnto which ful knowledge are the spirituall officers ordeined to bring them Ephes iiij So farre it is away that Christes Apostles should geue them traditions of blind ceremonies without signification or of whiche no man should know the reason as Rochester whiche loueth shadowes and darkenes lyeth on them God stoppe his blasphemous mouth Consider also how studiously Rochester alledgeth Origene both for his Pope and also to stablish his blind ceremonies with all which Origene of all heretickes is condemned to be the greatest He is an auncient Doctour sayth he yea and to whō in this point great fayth is to be geuen yea verely Aristotle and Plato and euen very Robynhode is to beleued in such a point that so greatly mainteineth our holy fathers authoritie and all his disguisinges Last of all as once a craftie theefe whē he was espied and folowed cryed vnto the people Stoppe the thefe stop the thefe And as many to begyn with all cast first in an other mans teth that which he feareth should be layd to his owne charge euen so Rochester layeth to Martin Luthers charge the slaying murtheryng of Christen men because they will not beleue in his doctrine which thing Rochester and his brethrē haue not ceased to do now certein hundred yeares with such malice that whē they be dead theyrage burnyng their bodies of which some they them selues of lickelyhode killed before secretly And because that all the worlde knoweth that Martin Luther slayeth no mā but killeth onely with the spirituall sword the word of God such cankred cōsciences as Rochester hath Neither persecuteth but suffereth persecution yet Rochester with a goodly Argument proueth that he would do it if he could And marke I pray you what an Oratour he is and how vehemently he persuadeth it Martin Luther hath burned the Popes decretals a manifest signe sayth he that he would haue burnt the Popes holines also if he had had him A like Argument which I suppose to be rather true I make Rochester and his holy brethrē haue burnt Christes Testament an euident signe verely that they woulde haue burnt Christ him selfe also if they had had him I had almost verely left out the chiefest point of all Rochester both abhominable and shamelesse yea sterke mad with pure malice and so adased in the braines with spite that he cā not ouercome the truth that he seeth not or rather careth not what he sayth in the ende of his first destruction I would say instructiō as he calleth it intēding to proue that we are iustified thorouh holy workes alleageth halfe a texte of Paule of the fift to the Galathians as his maner is to iuggle and cōuey craftely fides per dilectionem operans Which texte he thys wise Englisheth fayth which is wrought by loue and maketh a verbe passiue of a verbe deponent Rochester will haue loue to goe before and fayth to spring out of loue Thus Antichrist turneth the rotes of the tree vpward I must first loue a bitter medicine after Rochesters doctrine and then beleue that it is wholsome When by naturall reason I first hate a bitter medicine vntill I be brought in belief of the phisition that it is holesome that the bitternes shall heale me and then afterward loue it of that beliefe Doth the childe loue the father first thē beleue that he is his sonne or heire or rather because he knoweth that he is his sonne or heire and beloued therfore loueth agayne Iohn sayth in the third of his first epistle See what loue the father hath shewed vpon vs that we should be called his sonnes Because we are sonnes therefore loue we Now by fayth are we sonnes as Iohn sayth in the fyrst chapter of his Gospel He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God in that they beleued on hys name And Paule sayth in the thyrd chapter of hys Epistle to the Galathians we are all the sonnes of God by the faith which is in Iesus Christ And Iohn in the sayd chapter of hys epistle sayth Hereby perceaue we loue that he gaue hys life for vs. We coulde see no loue nor cause to loue agayne except that we beleued that he dyed for vs and that we were saued thorough his death And in the chapter folowing sayth Iohn Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make agreement for our sinnes So God sent not hys sonne for any loue that we had to hym but of the loue that he had to vs sent he hys sonne that we myght so loue loue agayne Paule lykewise in the 8. chapter to the Romaynes after that he hath declared the infinite loue of God to vs ward in that he spared not hys owne sonne but gaue hym for vs cryeth out saying who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall persecution shall a sworde c. No sayth he I am sure that no creature shall separate vs from the loue of God that is in Christ Iesus our Lord as who should say we see so great loue in God to vs warde in Christes death that though all misfortune should fall on vs we can not but loue agayne Now how know we that God loueth vs verely by fayth So therefore though Rochester be a beast faythlesse yet ought naturall reason to haue taught hym that loue springeth out of fayth and knowledge and not fayth and knowledge out of loue But let vs see the text Paule sayth thus In Christ Iesu neither circumcision is any thyng worth nor incircumcision but fayth which worketh thorow loue or which thorow loue is strōg or mighty in working not which is wrought by loue as the iuggler sayth Faith that loueth Gods cōmaundemēts iustitieth a mā If thou beleue gods promises in christ and loue his commaūdementes then art thou safe If thou loue y e commaūdemēt then art thou sure y ◠thy fayth is vnfained that gods spirit is in thee How fayth iustifieth before God in the hart how loue springeth of fayth and compelleth vs to worke and how the workes iustifie before the worlde testifie what we are certifie vs that our fayth is vnfayned and that y e right spirit of God is in vs see in my booke of y e iustifiyng of faith and there shalt thou see all thyng aboundantly Also of the controuersie betwene Paul and Iames see there Neuer the later whē Rochester sayth if faith onely iustified then both the deuils and also sinners that lie still in sinne should be saued hys argument is not worth a strawe For neyther the deuils nor yet sinners that continue in sinne of purpose delectation haue any such fayth as Paul speaketh of For Paules fayth is to beleue Gods promises Fayth sayth he Rom. x. cōmeth by hearing and hearing commeth by the worde of God And
desire to liue euer here and a gredines of worldly voluptuousnesse And vnto all such is the Scripture locked vp and made impossible to vnderstand They may reade it and rehearse the stories thereof and dispute of it as the turkes may and as we may of the turkes lawe And they may sucke pride hipocrisye and all maner of poyson there out to slaye their owne soules and to put stombling blockes in other mennes wayes to thrust them from the truth and get such learnyng therin as in Aristotles Ethikes and morall philosophy and in the preceptes of olde philosophers But it is impossible for them to apply one sentence thereof to their soules health for to fashion their liues thereby for to please God or to make them loue the lawe or vnderstand it either to feele the power of Christes death and might of his resurrection and swetnes of the life to come So that they euer remayne carnall and fleshly as thou hast an ensample of the Scribes Phariseis and Iewes in the new testament An other conclusion is this of them that beleue in Christ for the remission of sinne and loue the law are a thousand degrees and not so few one perfecter or weaker thē another of which a great sort are so feble that they cā neither go forward in their profession purpose nor yet stand except they be holpe and borke of their strōger brethren and tended as young childrē are by the care of their fathers and mothers And therfore doth God commaund the elder to care for the younger As Paule teacheth Rom. xv saying we that be stronger ought to beare the feblenes of the weaker And Gala. vj. brethren if any man be caught in any fault ye that be spirituall and are growen in knowledge and haue gottē the victory of your flesh teach such with the spirite of softenes not callyng them heretickes at the first choppe threatenyng them with fier and fagottes But alter alterius onera portate sayth he sic adimplebitis legē Christi That is to saye beare eche others burthen so shall ye fulfill the law of Christ Euen so veryly shall ye fulfill the lawe of Christ and not with smityng your brethren and puttyng stomblyng blockes before theyr weake feete and killyng theyr consciences and makyng them more afrayde of shadowes and bugges then to breake theyr fathers commaundementes and to trust in wordes of winde and vanitie more then in theyr fathers promise And for their sakes also he hath ordeyned rulers both spirituall and temporall to teach them and exhorte them to warne them and to keepe occasions from them that with custome of synne they fall not from their profession Now when they that take vpon them to be the elder brethren are become hypocrites and turned to wily Foxes and cruell wolues and fierce Lyons and the officers be waxen euill and seruauntes to Mammon ministryng their offices for their owne lucre onely and not for the profite of their brethren but fauouryng all vices whereby they may haue a vauntage Then is God compelled of his fatherly pitie to scourge his weake hym selfe with pouertie oppression wrong losse daunger and with a thousand maner of diseases to bryng them agayne if they be fallen and to kepe their hartes fast to their profession So that diligentibus Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum Roma viij They that loue God that is to say the law of God for that is to loue God vnto them god turneth all to the best and scourgeth them with the lustes of their owne weakenes to theyr owne saluation An other conclusion is this God receaueth both perfite and weake in lyke grace for Christes sake as a father receaueth all hys children both small and great in lyke loue He receaueth them to be his sonnes and maketh a couenaunt with them to beare theyr weakenes for Christes sake till they be waxen stronger and how often soeuer they fall yet to forgeue them if they will turne agayn and neuer to cast of any till he yeld him selfe to sinne and take sinnes part and for affection and lust to sinne fight agaynst his owne professiō to destroy it And he correcteth and chastiseth his children euer at home with the rodde of mercy and loue to make thē better but he bryngeth them not forth to be iudged after the condemnation of the law An other conclusion is this euery man is two men flesh and spirite Which so fight perpetually one agaynst an other that a man must go either backe or forward and can not stand long in on state If the spirit ouercome the temptation then is she stronger and the flesh weaker But and if the fleshe get a custome then is the spirite none otherwise oppressed of the flesh then as though she had a mountaine vpon her backe and as we sometyme in our dreames thinke we beare heuyer then a milstone on our breastes or when we dreame now and then that we would runne away for feare our legges seme heauyer then leade Euen so is the spirite oppressed and ouer laden of the flesh through custome that she struggeleth and striueth to get vp and to breake lowse in vayne vntil the God of mercy which heareth her grone through Iesus Christ come and lowse her with his power and put his crosse of tribulation on the backe of the flesh to keepe her downe to minish her strength and to mortifie her Wherfore euery man must haue his crosse to nayle his fleshe to for the mortifieng of her Now if thou be not strong inough and discrete thereto to take vp thy crosse thy selfe and to tame thy fleshe with prayer and fastyng watchyng deedes of mercy holy meditations and readyng the Scripture and with bodely labour and in withdrawyng all maner of pleasures from the flesh and with exercises contrary to the vices which thou markest thy body most enclined to and with absteinyng from all that courage the flesh agaynst the spirite as readyng of wanton bookes wanton communication foolish iestyng and effeminate thoughtes and talkyng of couetousnes whiche Paule forbyddeth Ephe. v. and magnifieng of worldly promotions And takest I say vp such a crosse by thyne owne selfe or by the counsell of other that are better learned and exercised then thou Then must God put his crosse of aduersitie vpon thee For we must haue euery man his crosse in this world or be damned with the world Of this ye see the difference betwene the sinne of them that beleue in y ◠bloud of Christ for the remission of sinne and consent and submit themselues vnto the lawe and the sin of them that yelde themselues vnto sinne to serue it c. The first sinne vnder grace and their sinnes are veniall that is to say forgeueable The other sinne vnder the lawe vnder the damnation of the lawe and fight for a great part of them agaynst grace against the spirite of grace agaynst the law of
heauen if they were here could preach no more then is preached of necessitie vnto our soules How then should we receaue a new article of the fayth with out scripture as profitable vnto my soule when I had beleued it as smoke for â—ore eyes What holpe it me to beleue that our Ladies bodye is in heauen What am I the better for the beliefe of Purgatory to feare men thou wilt say Christ his Apostles thought hell â—…ough And yet besides that the fleshly imaginatioÌ„ may not stand with Gods worde what great feare can there be of that terrible fire which thou mayst quench almost for three halfe pence And that the Apostles should teach ought by mouth which they woulde not write I pray you for what purpose because they should not come into the handes of the Heathen for mocking saith M. More I pray you what thing more to be mocked of the Heathen coulde they teach then the resurrection and that Christ was God and man and dyed betwene two theeues and that for his deathes sake all that repent and beleue therein should haue their sinnes forgeuen them yea and if the Apostles vnderstoode thereby as we do what madder thing vnto heathen people coulde they haue taught theÌ„ y t bread is Christes body wyne his bloud And yet all these thynges they wrote And agayne purgatory confession in the eare penaunce and satisfaction for sinne to Godward with holy deedes and praying to Saintes with such like as dumme sacraments and ceremonies are maruelous agreable vnto the superstition of the Heathen people so that they needed not to abstaine from writing of theÌ„ for feare least the Heathen should haue mocked them Moreouer what is it that the Apostles taught by mouth and durst not write The sacramentes As for baptim and the sacrament of the body and bloude of Christ they wrote and it is expressed what is signified by them And also all the ceremonies and sacramentes that were froÌ„ Adam to Christ had significations and all that are made mention of in the new testameÌ„t Wherefore in as much as the sacramentes of the olde testament haue significations and in as much as the sacramentes of the new testament of which meÌ„tion is made that they were deliuered vnto vs by the very Apostles at Christes commaundement haue also significatioÌ„s and in as much as the office of an Apostle is to edifie in Christ and in as much as a dumme eremonie edifieth not but hurteth altogether for if it preach not vnto me then I can not but put confideÌ„ce therin that the deede it selfe iustifieth me which is y e denying of Christes bloud and in as much as no meÌ„tion is made of theÌ„ as well as of other nor is knowen what is ment by them therefore it appeareth that the Apostles taught them not but that they be the false marchaundise of wily hipocrites And therto priesthode was in the tyme of the Apostles an office which if they would do truely it woulde more profite then all the sacraments in y e world And agayne Gods holinesses strine not one against an other nor defile one another Their sacraments defile one another For wedlocke defileth priesthode more theÌ„ whordome theft murther or any sinne against nature They will haply demaunde where it is written that women should baptise Verely in this commaundement Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe it is written that they may and ought to minister not onely Baptim but all other in tyme of neede if they be so necessarie as they preach them And finally though we were sure that God hymselfe had geuen vs a sacrament whatsoeuer it were yet if y e signification were once lost we must of necessitie either seeke vp the significatioÌ„ or put some significatioÌ„ of Gods word therto what we ought to do or beleue therby or els put it downe For it is impossible to obserue a sacrament without significatioÌ„ but vnto our daÌ„pnatioÌ„ If we keepe y â— faith purely the law of loue vndefiled which are y â— significatioÌ„s of all ceremonies there is no icopardy to alter or chaunge the fashion of the ceremony or to put it downe if neede require ¶ Whether the Churche can erre THere is an other question whether the Church may erre Which if ye vnderstand of the Pope and hys generation it is verely as hard a question as to aske whether he which hath both hys eyes out be blynde or no or whether it be possible for him that hath one legge shorter theÌ„ an other to halt But I sayd that Christes elect church is the whole multitude of all repenting sinners that beleue in Christ and put all their trust and confideÌ„ce in the mercy of God feeling in their hartes that God for Christes sake loueth theÌ„ and will be or rather is mercifull vnto them and forgeueth theÌ„ their sinnes of which they repent and that he forgeueth them also all the motions vnto sinne of which they feare least they shoulde thereby be drawen into sinne agayne And this faith they haue with out all respect of their owne deseruinges yea and for none other cause then that the mercifull truth of God the father which can not lie hath so promised and so sworne And this faith and knowledge is euerlasting life and by this we be borne a new and made the sonnes of God and obtayne forgeuenes of sinnes and are translated from death to life froÌ„ the wrath of God vnto his loue and fauour And this faith is the mother of all truth and bringeth with her y e spirite of all truth Which spirite purgeth vs as from all sinne euen so froÌ„ all lies and errour noysome and hurtfull And this faith is the foundation layd of the Apostles and Prophetes whereon Paul sayth Ephes ij that we are built and therby of the houshold of God And this fayth is the rocke wheron Christ build his congregatioÌ„ Christ asked the Apostles Math. xvj whom they tooke him for And Peter aunswered for them all saying I say that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God y t arâ— come into this world That is we beleue that thou art he that was promised vnto AbrahaÌ„ that should come blesse vs and deliuer vs. Howbeit Peter yet wist not by what meanes But now it is opened throroughout all the world that through the offeryng of hys body bloud that offeryng is a satisfaction for the sinne of all that repent and a purchasyng of what soeuer they can aske to keepe them in fauour And that they sinne no more And Christ aunswered vpoÌ„ this rocke I will build my congregation that is vppon this fayth And agaynst the rocke of this fayth can no synne no hell no deuill no lyes nor errour preuayle For what soeuer any maÌ„ hath committed if he repent and come to this rocke he is safe And that this fayth is the onely way by which the Church of Christ
vs that we be not ouercome of euill c. Now if they which beleue in Christ are bold with God that he heareth them sure that he graunteth their petitions it foloweth that they whiche are not bold that he heareth them nor sure that hee graunteth their petitions do not beleue in Christ They that go to dead Saints with which they neuer speake nor wotte where they be be not bold that God wil heare them nor sure that he will graunt their petitions therfore they beleue not in Christ That they be neither bold nor sure appeareth first by their deedes and secondarely by their owne confession for they say what should God heare them or graūt them ought seing they be vnworthy yea and they confirme it with a similitude of worldly wisedome that they should be put backe for their malapertnes and fare the worse as if a rude felow shuld breake vp into the kyngs priuie chamber and presse vnto his owne person without knockyng or speakyng to any other officer so that they beleue it an augmentyng of sinne to go to God thēselues in the cōfidēce of Christes bloud as he bad them If a man see his brother sinne a sinne not vnto death let him aske and he shall giue hym life for them that sinne not vnto death There is a sinne vnto death and for it say I not that thou shouldest pray All vnrighteousnes is sinne And there is a sinne not to death Whatsoeuer sinne we see in y t world let vs pray and not dispayre For God is the God of mercy But for the sinne to death whiche is resistyng grace and fightyng against mercy and open blasphemyng of the holy ghost affirmyng that Christs miracles are doue in Beel sabub and his doctrine to be of the deuill I thinke that no Christen man if he perceaue it can otherwise pray then as Paule prayed for Alexander the Copersmith the. ij Timo. the last that God would reward hym accordyng vnto his workes They that go backe agayne after they know the truth and giue them selues willingly to sinne for to folow it and persecute the doctrine of truth by profession to maynteine falshead for their glorie and vaūtage are remedylesse as ye may see Hebr. vj. and. x. Bala◅ so sinned the false Prophetes in the old Testament so sinned the Phariseis so sinned Alexander so sinned now many so sinne folowyng their pride couetousnes We know that all that are borne of God sinne not But he that is borne of God kepeth him self and the wicked touche hym not As thou readest in the third chapter they that are borne of God can not sinne for the sede of God kepeth them They cannot cast of the yocke of Christ and consent to cōtinue in sinne nor defie his doctrine nor persecute it for to quench it or to maynteine any thyng contrary vnto it But in whatsoeuer captiuitie they be in y t flesh their harts yeld not but imagine to breake lowse and to escape and flye away vnto the partie standart of their Lord Christ And as men of warre they euer keepe watche and prepare them selues vnto warre and put on the armure of God the which is Gods word the shield of fayth the helmet of hope and harnesse thē selues with the meditation of those thynges which Christ suffred for vs with the examples of all the Saintes that folowed him and thinke earnestly that it is their part to lyue as purely as the best come after as fast as they can And yet in all their workes they knowledge them selues sinners vnsay nedly as long as one iote of the perfectnes that was in y t deedes of Christ is lackyng in theirs So that the deuill can not touch the hartes of them neither with pride or vayne glorie of pure lyuing neither to make them consentyng vnto the flesh in grosse sinnes if at a tyme they be taken tardy ketche a fall Whatsoeuer chaunce them the deuill can ketch no hold of them to keepe them still in captiuitie but they will breake lose agayne and repent and do penaunce to chast theyr flesh that they come no more vnder y t deuils clawes We know that we be of God and that the whole world is set on mischief They that beleue that is to say put their trust in Christ see both their owne glorious state in God and also the wretched estate of y t world in their wickednes But the worlde as they knowe not God nor the glory of the sonnes of God Euen so they see not their owne miserable estate in wickednes and damnation vnder the law of God but the worse they are the bolder they be and the surer of themselues the further from repentaūce and the more standyng in their owne conceites for the darkenes that is in them And therfore say our Doctours a man can not knowe whether hee be in the state of grace or no nor needeth to care therfore And they be therefore the blynd leaders of the blynd We know that the sonne of God is come and hath giuen vs vnderstandyng to know him that is true and we be in the truth thorough Iesus Christ He is very God and eternall lyfe Christ is all and the fountaine of all and of his fulnesse receaue we all And as hee powreth the giftes of his grace vpon them that beleue in hym so he giueth them vnderstanding to know the very God and that they be in the very God and that they haue obtained that through his purchasing and leaueth not his sheepe in darkenes And the same Iesu Christ is very God and eternall life God and eternall lyfe was he from the begynnyng and became man for the great loue he had to vs for to bryng vs vnto his eternall life And he that hath any other way thether whether his own workes or other mēs or workes of ceremonies or sacraments or merites of Saintes or of ought saue Iesu Christ onely shall neuer come thether The world seith the Pope and seith that they which be in the Pope be Lordes in this world and therfore they care to be in the Pope but whether they be in God or not they say it is not necessarie to know Litle children beware of Images Serue none Image in your harts Idolatrie is Greeke and the English is imageseruice And an Idolater is also Greke and the English an imageseruaunt Be not Idolaters nor committe Idolatrie that is be none imageseruauntes nor do any imageseruice but beware of seruyng all maner images And thinke it not inough to haue put all the Images of false Gods out of the way if ye now set vp the Image of very God and of his true Saints in their rowmes to doe the same seruice vnto thē which ye dyd vnto the other For ye may do as strong imageseruice vnto the Image of GOD and of hys Saintes as vnto the Images of false Gods yea thou maist commit as great
is my bloud of the new Testament takyng the cup for drinke by a maner of speaking vsed in all tounges as when we say I haue dronke a cup of wine we take there the cuppe for the wyne My bloud of this new Testamēt that is to say my bloud for whose shedding sake this new Testament and couenaūt is made to you for the forgeuenes of sinne The old Testament made betwene God and your fathers in mount Synai in whiche life was promised to thē onely that kept it and to the breakers death wrath and vengeance and to be accursed and no mētion made of mercy whiche was confirmed with bloud Exodus 24. Moyses offered halfe the bloud to God and sprinkeled the people with the other halfe to cōfirme the couenaunt and to bynde both parties neither was there any couenaūt made that was not confirmed with bloud as it is rehearsed Hebrues the 9. And as we see in the bookes of Moses whose custome of bloushedding was not onely to confirme those old couenauntes but also to be a prophecie of the bloud that should be shed to confirme this Testament That old cruell fearefull testamēt which drew y e people away so that they durst not abyde the voyce of thunder nor the terrible sight of the fire but went and stode a farre of was cōfirmed with the bloud of calues But this new and gentle Testament which calleth agayne and promiseth mercy to all that will amend And as it is a better Testamēt so is it confirmed with a better bloud to make men see loue to loue agayne and to be a greater confirmation of the loue promised For if he gaue vs his sonne what will he deny vs If God so loued vs whē we were sinners and knew him not that hee gaue his sonne for vs how much more loueth he vs now whē we loue agayn and would fayne kepe his cōmaundementes In the old couenauntes the people were sprinckled with bloud of calues without in their bodies to bynd thē to keepe the law els we were boūd to iust damnatiō for the breakyng of it Here it is sayd drinke of it euery one that your soules within may bee sprinkled and washed thorough fayth with the bloud of the sonne of God for the forgeuenes of sinne and to be partakers of a more easie and kynde Testament vnder which if you sinne thorough fragilitie you shal be warned louingly receiued to mercy if you will turne agayne and amend Marke in the. 14. And as they dyd eate Iesus tooke bread and when hee had geuen thākes he brake it gaue it to them sayd Take eate this is my body and he tooke the cup and when he had geuē thākes he tooke it to thē they al drāke of it And he said to thē this is my bloud of y e new Testament whiche is shed for many This is all one with Mathew as is aforesayd Luke in the 22. And he tooke bread when he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue to them saying This is my body which is giuen for you this do in remembraunce of me Likewise also when he had supped he tooke the cup saying This cuppe is the new Testament in my bloud which is shed for you Here is also to be noted that y t cause of the institution was to be a memoriall to testifie that Christes body was giuē and his bloud shed for vs. And agayne where Mathew Marke sayd this is my bloud in the new Testament Luke sayth This cup is the new testamēt in my bloud whiche shal be shed for you This is a straunge speakyng far frō the vse of our toung to call the signe confirmation by the name of the thing that is signified confirmed The Testament is that Christes bloud is shed for our sinnes And Christ sayth This cup is that testament signifieng thereby that y e thing that is meant by this ceremony is that we beleue that his bloud shedding is the remissiō of our sinnes which is the very Testament Paul 1. Cor. 11. saith on this maner That which I deliuered vnto you I receaued of the Lord. For the Lorde Iesus the same night in the whiche he was betrayed tooke bread and when he had geuen thankes he brake it and said Take ye and eate this is my body which is broken for you this do in remembraūce of me After the same maner also he tooke the cup when he had supped saying This cup is the new Testament in my bloud this do as oftē as ye drinke it in the remēbraūce of me For as often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shall shewe the Lordes death vntill he come As Mathew and Marke agree in these wordes So do Lucas and Paul And as it is aboue declared vppon the wordes of Luke and so here by oft repeatyng one thyng This do in remembraunce of me This cup is the new Testament in my bloud This do as oft as ye drinke it in the remembraunce of me Agayne as oft as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this cup so oft ye must declare the Lordes death By this oftē repeatyng I say ye may euidently perceaue the cause entēt and whole purpose of the institution of this Sacrament was to testifie and confirme the fayth of the Testament made in the death of Christ how that for his sake our sinnes shal be forgeuen So do this in the remembraunce of me that is to say Take bread wyne and rehearse the couenaunt and testament ouer them How that my body was broken and my bloud shed for many and thē geue them to the people to eate and drinke to be a signe and earnest and the seale of the Testament crie vpon them without ceassing to beleue in me onely for the remission of sinnes and not to dispayre how weake soeuer they be onely if they hang on me and desire power to keepe the law after my doctrine and example of my lyfe and do morne and be sory bycause they cannot do that good thyng which they would For sayth Paul who soeuer shall eate of this bread or drinke of the cup of the Lord vnworthely shal be giltie of the body and bloud of the Lord that is to say whoso receaueth the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ with an vncleane hart not forsaking the old lustes of the flesh Nor purposing to folow Christ and to loue his neighbour as onely Christ was to hym mercyfull The same sinneth agaynst the body bloud of Christ In that hee maketh a mocke of the earnest death of Christ as it is written Hebrues the. 10. treadeth Christ vnder foote and counteth the bloud of the Testament wherwith he was sāctified as an vnholy thyng doth dishonour to the spirite of grace Of this ye may perceaue agayne what the Sacrament meaneth what the entent of the ordinaunce
repugnaunce imperfection or that should derogate minish or hurt his glory his name The glory of his Godhead is to bee present and to fill all places at once essencially presently with his almightie power which glory is denyed to any other creature him selfe saying by his Prophet I will not giue my glory to any other creature now therfore syth his maÌ„head is a creature it caÌ„ not haue this glory onely whiche is appropried to the Godhead To attribute to his manhode that propertie whiche onely is appropried to hys Godhead is to confounde both the natures of Christ What thing so euer is euery where after the sayd maner that must nedes be infinite without begynnyng and end it must be one alone and almightie whiche properties onely are appropried vnto the glorious maiestie of the Godhead Wherefore Christes body may not be in all or in many places at once Christ him selfe saying as concerning his manhooâ— He is lesse then the father but as touchyng his Godhead the father I be both one thyng And Paule recityng the Psalme affirmeth Christ as concernyng his manhode to be lesse then God or lesse then aungels as some text hath it Here it is playne that all thinges that More imagineth fayneth are not possible to God for it is not possible for God to make acreature equall vnto him selfe for it includeth repugnauÌ„ce derogateth his glory God promised swore that all nations should be blessed in the death of that promised seede which was Christ God had determined and decreed it before the world was made Ergo Christ must needes haue dyed and not to expouÌ„de this word Oportet as More mynseth it For it was so necessary that the contrary was impossible except More would make God a lyer which is impossible Paule concludeth that Christ must nedes haue dyed vsyng this Latine terme Necesse Saying where so euer is a TestameÌ„t there must the death of the Testament maker go betwene or els the Testament is not ratified sure but righteousnes and remission of sinnes in Christes bloud is his new Testament whereof he is mediatour Ergo the Testament maker must nedes haue died Wrest not therfore M. More this word Oportet though ye finde Potest for Oportet in some corrupt copy vnto your vnsauery sence But let Oportet signifie he must or it behoueth hym to dye For he tooke our very mortall nature for y e same decreed couÌ„cel himselfe saying Oportet exaltari filium hominis c. It behoueth that the sonne of maÌ„ must dye that euery one that beleueth in him perish not c. Here may ye see also y t it is impossible for God to breake his promise It is impossible to God which is that veritie to be found contrary in his deedes and wordes as to saue them whom he hath damned or to damne them whom hee hath saued wherefore all thynges imagined of M. Mores brayne are not possible to God And when More sayth that Christ had power to let his lyfe and to take it agayne therfore not to haue dyed of necessitie I woÌ„der me that his scholemaister here sayled him so cunnyng as he maketh him selfe therin which grauÌ„teth and affirmeth as true it is that with the necessary decreed woorkes of Gods forsight and prouidence staÌ„deth right wel his free libertie But M. More sayth at last if God would cell me that hee would make ech of both their bodyes two meanyng the young mans body and his to be in fiften places at once I would beleue him that he werable to make his wordes true in the bodies of both twayne and neuer would I so much as aske hym whether hee would glorifie them both first or not but I am sure glorified or vnglorified if he sayd it he is able to do it â—o here may ye see what a â—erueÌ„t fayth this old man hath and what an earnest mynde to beleue Christes woordes if hee had told him but I pray you M. More what and if Christ neuer told it you nor said it nor neuer would would ye not be as hasty not to beleue it If he told it you I praye you tell vs where you spake with hym and who was by to beare ye recorde and if you bryng as false a shrew as your selfe to testify this thyng yet by your own doctrine must ye make vs a miracle to confirme your tale ere we be bound to beleue you or yet to admit this your argument God may make his body in many places at once Ergo it is so Syr ye be to busie with Gods almighty power and haue taken to great a burden vppon your weake shoulders ye haue ouerladen your selfe with your own harnesse and weapons and young Dauid is likely to preuayle agaynst you with his sling and stone God hath infatuated your high subtill wisedome Your crafty conueyaunce is spyed God hath sent your Church a mete couer for such a cup eueÌ„ such a defender as ye take vppon your selfe to be that shall let all theyr whole cause fall flatte in the myer vnto both your shames and vtter coÌ„fusion God therfore be praysed euer Amen Then sayth M. More though it semeth repugnaunt both to him to me one body to bee in two places at once yet God seeth how to make them stand together well inough This man with his old eyen spectacles seeth farre in Gods sight and is of his preuey Councel that knoweth belike by some secret reuelation how God seeth one body to be in many places at once includyng no repugnaunce For worde hath hee none for him in all Scripture no more theÌ„ one body to be in al places at once It implyeth first repugnaunce to my sight and reason that all this world should be made of nothyng and that a virgin should bryng forth a child But yet when I see it written with the wordes of my faith which God spake and brought it so to passe theÌ„ implyeth it no repugnaunce to me at all For my fayth reacheth it and receiueth it stedfastly For I know y t voyce of my herd man whiche if he sayd in any place of Scripture that his body should haue ben coÌ„tained vnder the forme of bread so many places at once here in earth and also abidyng yet still in heauen to Verely I would haue beleued him as soone and as firmely as M. More And therfore euen yet if he can shew vs but one sentence truly taken for his part as we caÌ„ do many for the contrary we must giue place For as for his vnwritteÌ„ verities the authority of his Antichristes sinagoge vnto which y t scripture forsaken hee is now at last with shame inough coÌ„pelled to flee they be proued starke lyes and very deuelry Then sayth hee that ye wot well that many good folke haue vsed in this matter many good fruitefull examples of Gods other workes not onely miracles writteÌ„ in Scripture Vnde versus
grouÌ„ded and stablished in the fayth are in hys â—ight without faulte for their sinnes are not imputed vnto them but forgeuen through Christes bloud wherfore of necessitie I must conclude that no faythfull shall euer come there Euery man that departeth this world is either faithfull or vnfaithful if he be faithful then commeth he not there as y e foresaid argumeÌ„t proueth And if he be vnfaythfull theÌ„ commeth he neuer in Purgatory but is all ready damned Iohn iij. Marke the last Now if neither â—aythfull nor vnfaithfull enter into it then should it be in vayne but there is nothyng made in vaine wherfore I must conclude that there is no such Purgatory Paule sayth he that spared not his owne sonne but deliuered him for vs all how shal he not with him geue vs all thynges also who shall lay any thyng to the charge of Gods chosen Roma viij Forsooth Lord God our prelates lay so sore vnto their charge that they would haue them broyle in Purgatory But Lord be our protectour for it is thou that iustifiest vs hast fréely geuen vs all thynge with him Roma viij Paule sayth the law of the spirite wherein is lyfe through Christ Iesu hath deliuered me from the lawe of sinne and death Roma viij Seyng we be so deliuered what nâ—…de vs seke an other deliueraunce specially â—ith they make it so paynefull Sâ—yng we are on y e maner deliuered how â—hauÌ„ceth it that we are taken prisoners agayne vnder sinne that we must be purged a fresh by the fire of Purgatory I pray God geue vs grace that we may be purged froÌ„ this our blynd ignoraunce thorough hys spirite of knowledge that we may perceaue how it is Iesus Christ that purgeth our sinnes and hath deliuered vs thorough his bloudshedyng So should we geue hym the prayse whiche hath deserued it And not be so vnkind vnto hym as we now be Paule sayth y e there is no condeÌ„natioÌ„ to them which are in Christ Iesu Roma 8. But if we continue firme stable in Christ vnto the end theÌ„ shall we be saued Math. 24. what néedeth theÌ„ purgatory yea what should purgatory doe Is not Christ sufficient theÌ„ is our faith in vayne And if he be sufficient theÌ„ is Purgatory in vayne Paule sayth if you be iustified by the law then is Christ dead in vayne Now if the lawe beyng good iust and holy Roma vij And euen of Gods owne makyng caÌ„ not iustifie vs thinkest thou to be iustified by fryenge in Purgatory They that are the chief patrones and proctours of Purgatory do fayne it for no other intent but to purgeeuill workes and to be as a penaunce to supply the good workes whiche we lacked beyng in this world But all this can not bryng vs into heaueÌ„ For then were Christ dead in vayne And of this haue we euident examples Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid and all holy Prophetes were excluded from heauen vntill Christe had suffered death this all men testifie But if good workes or penaunce could haue brought them to heauen they should not haue taryed out of it so loÌ„g Therfore I may conclude that it is but vanitie to imagine a Purgatory for to purge euill workes and supply good For as I haue shewed that holpe not the Patriarches Peraduenture thou wilt say vnto me shall I then do no good workes I aunswere yes Thou wilt aske me wherfore I aunswere thou must do them because God hath commauÌ„ded them Thou wilt say for what intent hath he commaunded them I aunswere because thou art liuing in this world and must nedes haue conuersation with men therfore hath God appointed â—hée what thou shalt doe to the profite of thy neighbour and tamyng of thy flesh As Paule testifieth Ephes 2. we are his worke made in Christ Iesu to good woorkes whiche woorkes God hath prepared that we should walke in them These workes God would haue vs doe that the vnfaythfull might sée the godly and vertuous conuersation of his faythfull thereby be compelled to glorifie our father whiche is in heauen Math. v. And so are they both profitable for thy neighbour and also a testimonie vnto thée by the which meÌ„ may know that thou art the right sonne of thy heaueÌ„ly father and a very Christe vnto thy neighbour and euen as our heauenly father gaue his Christ vnto vs not for any profit that he should haue ther by but onely for our profite likewise y â— shouldest do all thy good workes not hauing respect what coÌ„modities thou shalt haue of it but euer attendyng through charitie the wealth and profite of thy neighbour Thou wilt yet obiect then sée I no great profite that I shall haue by them I aunswere what wouldest y â— haue First Christ is geuen thée fréely and with him hast thou all thinges He is thy wisedome righteousnes halowyng and redemption i. Cor. i. by him art thou made inheritour of God and felowheyre with Christ Roma viij This is fréely geuen thée with Christ before thou wast borne thorough the fauour and election of God whiche election was done before the foundations of the world were cast Ephes i. Now were thou very fonde and vnkynde if thou thoughtest to purchase by thy workes the thyng which is already geueÌ„ thée Therefore must thou do thy workes with a single eye hauyng neither respect vnto the ioyes of heaueÌ„ neither yet to the paynes of hell but onely do them for the profite of thy neighbour as God commaundeth thée and let him a lone with the residue To this well agréeth Paule Ephe. 2. saying by grace are ye made safe through fayth and that commeth not of your selues but it is y t gift of God coÌ„meth not of workes lest any man should boast him selfe Loe here sayth Paule playnly that our saluatioÌ„ is the gift of God coÌ„meth not of workes if it come not of workes then are we worse then mad to fayne a Purgatory For the chiefest operation of that should be but to supply the woorkes which we haue not accomplished beyng in this body Paule sayth Roma xi The remnaunt which are left at this time are through the election of grace If it be through grace theÌ„ is it not by workes for then grace were no grace Or if it be for the workes sake so is it not of fauour and grace accordyng to that which he wrote before Roma iiij If AbrahaÌ„ sayth Paul were iustified by his workes then may he reioyse but not before God But what sayth the Scripture Abraham beleued God that was imputed vnto hym for righteousnes for he that worketh receaueth his reward not of fauour but of dutye Now if it be duty then nedeth he not to thanke God but rather him selfe for theÌ„ God geueth him nothing but that which is his owne of dutye Where is then the prayse
and glory that we owe to God Therfore it foloweth in the same texte vnto hym that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the wicked is his faith imputed for righteousnes Now if our saluatioÌ„ come of fayth and not through our workes desertes then is Purgatory shut out of doore quite vanisheth away Christ sayth So hath God loued the world that hee would geue hys onely sonne that all whiche beleue in him should not perishe but that they should haue euerlasting life Iohn iij. TheÌ„ what néedeth Purgatory Thou wilt peraduenture say it is true they shall haue euerlastyng lyfe but they must first go through Purgatory I aunswere nay verely But Christ affirmeth and that with an oth that he which heareth his word and beleueth his father which sent him hath euerlastyng life Yea and that he is gone already from death vnto life Iohn v. wilt thou now say that hee shall into Purgatory forsooth if that were true and the fire also so hote as our Prelates affirme then went he not from death vnto lyfe but rather froÌ„ a small death vnto a greater death The Prophet sayth precious is in the sight of the Lord the death of his Saintes Psal C. xvi And S. Iohn sayth blessed are the dead whiche dye in the Lord. Apocal. 14. but surely if they shoulde goe into the paynefull Purgatory there to be tormented of fendes theÌ„ were they not blessed but rather wretched God sayth by Moses Exod. 33. I will shewe mercy to whom I shewe mercy and will haue compassion on whom I haue compassioÌ„ Now if our saluation be of mercy and compassioÌ„ then caÌ„ there be no such Purgatory For y t nature of mercy is to forgeue but Purgatory will haue all payde satisfied so that they twayne bee desperate and can in no wise agrée And looke how many textes in Scripture commende Gods mercy euen so many deny this paynefull Purgatory The Prophet sayth hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes neither hath rewarded vs accordyng to our iniquities but looke how high heauens are aboue the earth eueÌ„ so high hath he made his mercy to preuayle ouer them that worshyppe him And looke how farre the East is from the Weast euen so farre hath he set our sinnes from vs. Psal Citj And before in the same Psalme y e Prophet exhorteth his soule to prayse the Lord saying Prayse the Lord O my soule whiche forgeueth thée all thyne iniquities and healeth all thy diseases Now if this be true that he ordereth vs not accordyng to our sinnes but powreth his mercy so plenteously vppon vs if also he forgeue vs all our iniquities why should there be any such Purgatory to purge and tormeÌ„t the sely soules specially sith all was for geuen them before Wilt thou not call him a shrewed creditour whiche after he hath fréely forgeueÌ„ his debtour will yet cast him in prison for the same debt I thinke euery man would say on this maner â–ª It was in his own pleasure whether hee would forgeue it or not and then of fauour and compassion he forgaue it But now he hath forgeuen it hee doth vnrighteously to punish his debtour for it And albeit man repente his forgeuyng and afterward sue for his debt yet God can neuer repeÌ„t him selfe of his mercyable gifts Roma xi And therefore will he neuer torment vs for our trespasses no nor yet once remember them Ezech. xviij Heb. x. Sith God forgeueth the greater offences why shal he not also forgeue y t lesse He forgaue fréely much greater offeÌ„ces vnto the Publicane which knowleged him selfe to bee a sinner Luke xviij then those be for whiche men fayne that we must be tormeÌ„ted in Purgatory For there is no soule as they graunt them selues that suffreth in purgatory for great crimes mortal sinnes But onely for litle pretie pecca duliaÌ„s if a maÌ„ may be bold to vse M. Mores word and for venial sinnes Dis xxv Cap. qualis He forgaue much greater enormities vnto the théefe to whom hee sayd this day shalt thou be with me not in Purgatory but in Paradise Luke 23. He forgaue much greater to Marie Magdalene Luke vij Is his hand now shortned Is not his power as great as it was Is he not as mercyfull as euer he was why leaue we y t cisterne of liuyng water and digge vs pittes of our owne which can hold no pure water Iere. â—j why forsake we Christ which hath wholly purged vs séeke an other Purgatory of our own imaginatioÌ„ If thou beleue that Christes bloud is sufficient to purge thy sinne why sekest thou an other purgatory S. Paul sayth I desire to be losed from this body and to be with Christ Phil. i. Verely if hee had thought to haue gone thorough Purgatory hee would not haue bene so hasty For there shoulde hee haue had an hote broth and an hartlesse and so might he rather haue desired long to haue liued And therefore I suppose that he knew nothyng of Purgatory but that he rather thought as y e truth is that death should finish all his euils and so rowes and geue hym rest in losing hym from his rebbellious members whiche were solde and captiue vnder sinne All ChristeÌ„ meÌ„ should desire death as Paule doth Phil. 1. not because of their crosse and trouble whiche they suffer in this present worlde for then they sought theÌ„ selues and their own profite and not the glory of God But if we will well desire death we must first consider howe sore sinne displeaseth God our father then our owne nature and frailtie and our members so bounde vnder sinne that we caÌ„ not doe nor yet thinke a good thought of our selues 2. Cor. 3. Then shall we finde occasion to lament our lyfe not for the troubles that we suffer in it but because we be so prone vnto sinne and so continually displease God our father What desireth he that would loÌ„g lyue but dayly to heape sinne vppon sinne And therefore should we haue a will to dye bycause y t in death our sinne is finished and theÌ„ shall we no more displease God our father Now if we should fayne a Purgatory it were not possible to imagine a greater obstacle to make vs feare flye from death For sith euery man must knowledge him self a sinner 1. Iohn 1. And not beleue that Christes death were sufficieÌ„t but that he must also go to Purgatory who should depart this world with a quiet mynde The wiseman sayth The soules of the righteous are in the hande of God They séemed to dye in the eyes of the foolish their end was thought to be payne and afflictioÌ„ but they are in peace Sapi. 3. There is no maÌ„ but he must néedes graunt me that euery faythfull is righteous in the sight of God as it
authoritie For he that admitteth prayers and sacrifice to be done for the dead yea also affirmeth that they are holy and whole some for such sinnes as are dāned by the law of God which are in déede very mortall doth not he agaynst the word of God yea and also agaynst the cōmon consent of all mē But this booke doth so which admitteth prayer and sacrifice to bée done for the dead that were slayne in the battayle for theyr offence yea and also damned by the law Deut. 7. Now conclude your selues what ye thinke of this booke Thus much hath M. More brought to proue his purpose out of the old Testament and I thinke ye sée it sufficiently aunswered And now he entendeth to proue hys Purgatory by good and substaunciall authoritie in the new Testament also FIrst let vs consider sayth Master More the wordes of the blessed Apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn where he sayth Est peccatum ad mortem non dico vt pro eo roget quis There is sayth hee some sinne that is vnto the death I byd not that any man should pray for that this sinne as the interpreters agree is vnderstād of desperation and impenitēce as though Saint Iohn would say that who departe out of this world impenitent or in despayre any prayer after made can neuer stand hym in stede Then it appeareth clearely that S. Iohn meaneth that there are other whiche dye not in such case for whom hee would men should pray because that prayer to such soules may be profitable But that profite can no man take beyng in heauen where it needeth not nor beyng in hell where it boteth not wherefore it appeareth that such prayer helpeth onely for Purgatory which thou must therfore nedes graunt except thou deny S. Iohn The text is written 1. Iohn 5. which sayth there is a sinne vnto the death I byd not that any man shall pray for that In this place doth M. More vnderstād by this word death temporall death and then he taketh his pleasure But we will desire hym to looke two lynes aboue and not to snatch one péece of the text on this fashion I will rehearse you the whole text and then ye shal heare myne aunswere The text is this if any man perceaue that his brother doth sinne a sinne not vnto y t death let him aske and he shall geue hym lyfe to them that sinne not vnto death For there is some sinne that is vnto death I bid not that any mā should pray for that Now marke myne aunswere Death and life be contrary and both wordes are in this text therfore if you vnderstand this woord death for temporall death then must you also vnderstand by this word life temporall lyfe And so should our prayer restore men agayne vnto temporall lyfe But I ensure you M. More taketh this word death so confusedly that no mā can tel what he meaneth For in one place he taketh it for temporall death saying who so depart out of this world impenitent c. And in an other place he is compelled to take it for euerlastyng death Therfore will I shewe you the very vnderstandyng of y t text And better interpreters desire I none then Christ him selfe which sayd vnto the Phariseis euery blasphemy shall be forgeuen but y t blasphemy against the holy ghost which S. Iohn calleth a sinne vnto the death shall neuer be forgeuen but is giltie vnto euerlastyng damnation Marke iij. what sinne or blasphemie is this verely y t declareth S. Marke saying They sayd that he had an vncleane spirite y t was y t sinne vnto death euerlastyng that was the sinne that should neuer be forgeuen He proueth so euidently vnto thē that his miracles were done with y t spirite of God that they could not deny it And yet of an hard and obstinate hart euen knowyng the contrary they sayd that he had a deuill within hym These Phariseis dyed not forth with but lyued peraduenture many yeares after Notwithstāding if all the Apostles had prayed for these Phariseis whiles they were yet lyuing for all that their sinne should neuer haue bene forgeuen them And truth is that after they dyed in impenitencie and desperation which was the frute of that sinne but not the sinne it selfe Now sée ye the meanyng of this text and what the sinne vnto death or agaynst the holy ghost is If any man perceaue his brother to sinne a sinne not vnto death that is not against the holy ghost let him aske and he shall geue him life that is let him pray vnto God for his brother and his sinne shal be forgeuen him But if he sée his brother sinne a sinne vnto death that is agaynst the holy ghost let him neuer pray for him for it boteth not And so is not the text vnderstand of prayer after this lyfe as M. More imagineth but euen of prayer for our brother which is lyuing with vs. Notwithstanding this sinne is not lightly knowne excepte the person knowledge it hym selfe or els the spirite of God opē it vnto vs. Therfore may we pray for all men except we haue euident knowledge that they haue so offended as is before rehearsed And this is his text taken from him wherwith he laboureth to proue Purgatory What say they to the wordes of S. Iohn Apoc. 5. I haue heard sayth he euery creature that is in heauen and vppon the earth and vnder the earth and that be in the Sea and all thynges that be in them all these haue I heard say benediction and honour and glory and power for euer be to him that is sitting in the throne and vnto the lambe By the creatures in heauen hee meaneth aungels By the creatures vpon the earth he meaneth men By the creatures vnder the earth he meaneth the soules in Purgatory And by the creatures in the Sea hee meaneth men that sayle on the Sea By this text I vnderstand not onely aungels and men but also heauen and earth and all that is in them euē all beastes fishes wormes and other creatures thinke that all these creatures do prayse the Lord. And where he taketh the creatures vnder y t earth for the soules in Purgatory I take it for all maner of creatures vnder y t earth both wormes vermine and all other And where he draweth the text and maketh the creatures in the sea to signifie men that are sayling on the Sea I say that the creatures in the Sea do signifie fishes and such other thyngs and that S. Iohn by this textment euen playnly that all maner of thynges geue prayse vnto God and the lambe yea and I dare be bold to adde that euen the very deuils damned soules are compelled to prayse hym For their iust punishment commendeth his puysaunt power righteousnes Neither néedest thou to wōder or thinke this any new thyng for Dauid in the 148. byddeth Serpentes beastes and byrdes to prayse
are all ready damned in hell and some are all ready in heauen And to proue this true he alledgeth the parable of the rich mā Luke xv I am sure my Lord is not so ignoraūt as to say that a parable proueth any thyng But the right vse of a parable is this to expound an harde texte or poynte that was before touched could not entre into euery mans capacitie Neither are all thynges lyke which are spoken in a similitude neither yet all thynges true that are touched in a parable but we must consider the thyng wherefore they be spokē and apply them onely to that they are spoken for and let the residue go as William Tyndall hath well declared vnto you in the parable of wicked Mammon This parable is very hard to be expounded The cause is this no man can wel espye by the text for what purpose it was spoken But this should séeme to be the cause that there were many of the Phariseis other multitude which would not beleue the preaching of Christ although he confirmed his wordes with the authoritie of Moses and the Prophetes but they were curious and some deale phantasticall and therfore would they not beleue his woordes except some apparitions had bene made vnto thē that they might haue bene assured by them that were before dead that hys wordes were true Vnto such it is lyke that hee speaketh this parable playnly concludyng that they should haue no such apparitions of the dead and also that it was not necessary but that they had Moses the Prophetes to whom if they would geue no credence then should they not beleue although one of the dead should ryse againe tell it them Notwithstandyng let me graunt it hym that some are all ready in hell and some in heauen which thyng he shall neuer bee able to proue by the Scripture yea and which playnly destroyeth the resurrection and taketh awaye the argumentes wherewith Christ and Paule doe proue that we shall ryse yet I say let me graunt it hym to sée how he will cōclude What foloweth on that Neither it is credible sayth he that all whiche are cast into hell should streight way goe to heauen therfore must we put a Purgatorye where they may be purged I aunswere All that liue are faythfull or vnfaythfull If he be vnfaythfull then is he damned Iohn 3. If he beleue then is he not condemned but is gone from death to lyfe Iohn 3. 5. The righteous man when hee dyeth shall rest in peace Sapi. 3. And euery faithful mā is righteous before God as y t whole Epistle to the Romaines proueth Ergo then euery faythfull man shall rest in peace and be tormented in the paynes of Purgatory And as touchyng this poynte where they rest I dare be bold to say that they are in the hand of God and that God would that we should be ignoraunt where they be and not to take vpon vs to determine the matter Peraduenture you would enquire of me sith the parable sayth that Lazarus rested in Abrahams bosome what Abrahams bosome is To that would I aūswere that Abrahams bosome were nothyng els then Abrahams fayth For all we are called the children of Abraham because of hys perfite fayth whiche we ought to folow In this fayth are many and in a maner infinite degrées notwithstandyng if it be no greater thē a mustard séede that is to say very small yet shal it saue vs. He that departeth in this fayth resteth in peace and wayteth for the last day when God shall geue vnto hys faythfull that is to his elect for onely are the elect faythfull the faythfull elect the crowne of his glorie which he hath prepared for them that loue hym This crowne doth Paule say that he shall receaue it in that day 2. Timo. 4. that is in the day of iudgement And in the meane season God hath so prouided for vs that they shall wayte vntill the number of their brethren which dayly suffer and shall suffer for Christ be wholy fulfilled and so shall they not be made perfite without vs. Hebr. xj If my Lord will vnderstād by Abrahams bosome heauen I will not be contentious let the Christen iudge which sentence semeth most true But this is once a cleare case that of this he cā proue no Purgatory For the vnfaythfull are all ready dāned and the faythfull rest in peace let him call that what he wil whether to rest in heauen or to rest in their fayth vntill the last day For I am sure there is no man so madde as to say that to rest in peace should signifie to lye in the paynes of Purgatory Furthermore this text shal rather make sore agaynst hym thē any thyng with hym For Lazarus whiles hée was lyuyng was not without sinne nor no man els 1. Iohn 1. so that no man as long as he hath breath in hys body can say that he is without sinne for then should hee make S. Iohn a lyar And yet was not Lazarus caried into purgatory to be purged of his sinnes which were remainyng in his body the houre of his death wherefore I may conclude that there is no such Purgatory For God is as iust vnto hym as vnto vs and therefore would he purge hym as well as vs agayne he is as mercyfull vnto vs as vnto him and will as wel forgeue vs as hym without broyling on y t coales in purgatory for his iustice and mercye are euer one and not alterable But our perfite purgatiō is the pure bloud of Christ which washeth away the sinne of the world And albeit we euer haue the remnauntes and dregges of sinne and rebellion of our mēbers as long as we haue lyfe yet are they wholy finished in death for of such efficacitie is Christes death that it hath turned the death of hys faythfull which was layed vpon vs as the payne of sinne into a medicine agaynst sinne which fully cureth it and maketh an end of it as it was well figured in Golias that was slaine with hys owne sword ANd where as my Lord bryngeth for his purpose Math. xij that mē shal geue accoumptes of euery idle worde I haue soluted that before agaynst M. More that I thinke he shal say hym selfe that he is aunswered For if men shall geue a rekonyng for them on the day of dome as the text sayth that should rather argue that there were no Purgatory wherein those sinnes should be purged for if they had bene purged before of them then shoulde they not geue an accoumpte for them And if it proued any thyng at all it should proue that there were a Purgatory after domesday which no man was euer so foolish as to graunt But the true vnderstādyng of this text is this There are two kyndes of men one faythfull the other vnfaythfull The faythful through their fayth in Christes bloud are all
naturall inheritaunce is planted thorough Adams fall in vs as to be vnfaythfull angrie enuious couetous slouthfull proud and vngodly these and suche other vses wherewith oure nature is venemed ought we withall diligence to cutte of and mortifie that we may daily be more pacient liberall and mercifull according to that oure baptisme doth signifie In so much that a Christen mannes lyfe is nothing els saue a continuall baptisme whych is begon when are dipped in the water and is put in continuall vre and exercise as long as the infection of sinne remaineth in oure bodyes whych is neuer vtterly vanquished vntill the houre of death and there is the great Golias slayn wyth hys owne sweard that is deathe whych is the power of sinne and the gate of euerlasting lyfe opened vnto vs and thus is Paule to be vnderstand Galat. 3. where he saythe All ye that are baptised into Christ haue put Christe on you that is you haue promised to dye wyth Christe as touching youre sinnes and worldly desires passed and to become new meÌ„ or creatures or members of Christ this haue we all promised vnto the congregation and it is represented in our Baptisme But alas there are but few which in déede fulfil that they promise or rather that the Sacrament promiseth for them And for this cause it is called of Paule the fountaine of the new byrth and regeneration Tit. iij. bicause it signifieth that we will in déede renounce vtterly forsake our old life purge our meÌ„bers froÌ„ the workes of iniquitie thorough y e vertue of y e holy ghost which as the water or fire doth clense the body Euen so doth it purifie the hart from all vncleanesse yea it is a commoÌ„ phrase in Scripture to cal the holy ghost water and fire because these two elementes expresse so liuely hys purgyng operation Now haue we expounded the signification of Baptisme which significatioÌ„ we may obtaine onely by fayth for if thou be baptised a thousaÌ„d times with water haue no fayth it auayleth thée no more towardes God the it doth a Goose when she ducketh her selfe vnder the water Therefore if thou wilt obtaine the profite of Baptisme thou must haue fayth that is thou must bee surely persuaded that thou art newly borne agayne not by water onely but by water and the holy ghost Iohn iij. thou art â–ª become y e child of God that thy sinnes are not imputed to thée but forgeueÌ„ through y e bloud passion of Christ according vnto the promise of God This fayth haue neither y e deuils neither yet the wicked For the wicked caÌ„ not beleue y e remissioÌ„ of their sinnes but fall vnto vtter desperation and make God a lyer as much as in theÌ„ is For they beleue not the testimony which he gaue his sonne and this is that testimony that all which beleue on hym haue euerlastyng lyfe Iohn v. And the deuils can not beleue it for they haue no promise made vnto them Thus through Christes bloud wherof our Baptisme hath his full strength and vigour are we regenerate and made at one with the father For by our first naturall byrth we are the children of wrath Ephes ij and the enemyes of God Roma vj. Finally baptisme is an ordinaunce institute of God and no practise of mans imagination put in vse in Christes time and after his resurrection commaunded to be ministred vnto all that beleeue whether they were Iewes or Gentiles For Christ sayth to his Apostles Go ye teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Wherfore although it séeme neuer so exterior a thing yet ought it to be had in great price and much reuerence because it was commauÌ„ded of God to be done Beside that it is an outward signe or witnesse vnto the coÌ„gregation of the inuisible promise geuen before by grace vnto euery priuate man and by it doth the congregation receiue hym openly to be couÌ„ted one of theÌ„ which was first receiued by faith or through the grace of the promise it putteth vs also in remembrauÌ„ce that we aduertising the kyndnesse of God and our promise in Baptisme may learne to dye and mortifie our rebellyng members otherwise gyueth it no grace nether hath it any secret vertue as we haue sufficiently proued and therfore is he sore to blame that so vnaduisedly condemneth these infaÌ„tes iudgyng his brother which is in Gods hand yea and peraduenture baptised in Christes bloud For Gods election is vnknowen to man Now will I endeuour my selfe to ouerthrow and vtterly put out the second errour whiche hath long raigned and seduced many and that is of them which so strongly sticke vnto the weake ceremonies Concerning the ceremonies of Baptisme yea and all other we must behaue our selues wisely as charitie teacheth vs séekyng the profite of many that they may be saued We must coÌ„sider that we haue our conuersation with men in this world of the which the most part know not God Some are young some weake some peruerse and some stiffenecked and obdurate vnto the young ceremonies which although they be not noysome vnto the fayth nor contrary to the word of God yet will it be hard to finde such They are good and expedient as milke to leade the young tenderly into the more perfite knowledge of God The second sort are the weake vnto whom in all thynges it behoueth vs to haue respect beare their infirmities by charitie for their sake Actes xv dyd Paule circumcise Timothe yea and for their sake hée had leuer to captiue his libertie and neuer eate flesh nor drinke wyne theÌ„ to offende one of them The thyrde kynd of men are perfite I meane not so perfit that they are cleane without sinne hauyng no remnauntes of old AdaÌ„ assailyng them for such are there none but onely Christ but I call theÌ„ perfite which haue perfit knowledge in the vse of thynges whiche know that what soeuer entreth into the belly deffâ—eth not the man which know that all such thynges be pure vnto theÌ„ that are pure Tit. i. whiche know that if we eate we are nothyng the better or if we eate not we are nothyng the worse 1. Cor. 8. these are frée betwene God their conscieÌ„ce may vse all thinges howbeit they are yet bounde as coÌ„cernyng their neighbour whiche is weake and hath not the knowledge yea bound vnder the payne of sinne to abstaine from wouÌ„dyng of their coÌ„science for he sinneth against God that woundeth an other mans conscieÌ„ce 1. Cor. 8. The fourth kynde are selfe willed and obstinate which put confidence in such indifferent thynges For I thinke them not néedefull vnto our saluation Then ought we to resist in the face and not to yeld an inche vnto them as Paule geueth vs example which would not for theyr pleasure circumcise Titus but vtterly
byshopryke of the kinges grace How will you bée able by your workes to deserue heauen and iustification before the king of all kynges When you haue aunswered to this before the kinges grace then come and dispute with God the iustification of your workes and yet shall they bée farre vnlike Wherfore I conclud of these scriptures and of these doctours that the fayth that we haue in Christ Iesus and his blessed bloude doth onely and sufficiently iustifie vs béefore God without the helpe of any workes And though y e all scripture bee no thing els but a holle probacion of this article that is alonely a perfect commeÌ„dation and a prayse of Christ and of his blessed merites that hée hath deserued for vs yet will I passe ouer to bryng in any moe places For they y e are not coÌ„teÌ„t with these scriptures wyll not bée satisfied nor yet content to geue al onely glory to God though I brought in all the newe testament Yea Christ hym selfe could not satisfie them if hee were here no nor yet though heauen and earth and all creatures therin were nothyng els but probations of this article it would not helpe Wherefore I let such infidels passe and leue them to the iudgement of God alonely certifieng them of this one thyng that is infallible how the day shall come that it shall repent them yea and that sorer then I can either write or thinke that they did not beléeue the lest pricke of this holy article But vnto our purpose The very true way of iustification is this First commeth God for the loue of Christe Iesus alonely of his mere mercy and geueth vs fréely the gift of fayth wherby we doe beleeue God his holy word and sticke fast vnto the promises of God and beléeue that though heauen and earth and all that is in them should perish and come to nought yet God shall bée founde true in his promises for this faythe 's sake bée we the elect children of God This is not such a fayth as men dreame when they beléeue that there is one God and beléeue that hée is eternall beléeue also that hée made the worlde of naught yea and beléeue that the Gospell is true and all thing that God speaketh must bée true and fulfilled with other such thynges This I say is not the fayth that wée bée iustified by for deuils and infidels haue this fayth â—and also wée may attayne to these thynges by strength of reason But the fayth that shall iustifie vs must bée of an other maner of strength for it must come from heauen and not from the strength of reason It must also make mée beléeue that God the maker of heauen and earth is not alonely a father but also my father yea and that thorow the fauour that Christ hath purchased mée from the whiche fauour neither heauen nor earth tribulation nor persecution death nor hell can deuide mée But to this sticke I fast that hée is not alonely my father but also a mercifull father yea and that vnto mée mercifull and so mercifull that hée will not impute my sinnes vnto mée though they bée neuer so great so long as I hang on the blessed bloud of Christ Iesus and sinne not of malice but of frailtie and of no pleasure Hée is also a lyberall father yea and that vnto mée liberall which will not alonely promise mée all thynges but also géeue them me whether they bée necessary to the body or to y e soule Hée is also not alonely lyberall but myghty to performe all thynges that hée promyseth vnto mée Briefely this fayth maketh mée to hang clearely of God and of his blessed promyses made in Christ and in his swéete and precious bloud and not to feare death nor any affliction nor persecution nor tribulation but to despise all these thynges and not alonely these but to despise also myne own lyfe for Christes sake Finally of a fleshely beast it maketh mée a spirituall man of a damnable child it maketh mée a heauenly sonne of a seruaunt of the deuill it maketh mée a frée maÌ„ of Gods both deliuered from the lawe from sinne from death from the deuill and from all myserie that might hurt mée My Lordes this is the fayth that doth iustifie and that wée do preach And because it is geuen from heauen into our hartes by the spirite of God therfore it can bée no idle thing But it must néedes do all maner of things y e bée to the honour of God and also to the profite of our neighbour In so much that at all tymes necessary it must néedes worke well also bryng forth all good workes that may bée to the profite and helping of any man But these workes bée not done to iustifie the man but a iust man must néedes doe them Not vnto his profite but alonely to other mens profites euen as our maister Christ suffered hunger and thyrste and persecution and tooke great labours in preaching of his worde yea and also suffered death All these thinges I say did hée not to further or to profite himselfe but for our merites and for our profite So likewise doth a iust man his workes And as a good trée in tyme of the yeare bryngeth forth good Apples not to make hym good for hée is good afore nor yet this apple is not to his profite but vnto other mens notwithstanding y e good nature that is in hym muste néedes bring it forth So likewise the iust man must néedes doe good workes not by them to bée iustified but alonely in them to serue his brother for hée hath no néede of them as concerning his iustification Wherfore now here haue you the very true cause of iustification that is fayth alonely And also the very true way and maner of doynge good workes And how that no man can doe good workes but a iustified man as our maister Christ sayth Eyther make the trée good and then his fruite good or els the trée euill and his fruit euill for a good trée must néedes bring forth good fruite and a badde euyll fruite But now let mée aunswere to the Scriptures and to the reasons that they bring to prooue that workes doe iustifie First commeth the fleshly and dampnable reason and shée sayth If wée bée iustified alonely by fayth what néede wée to doe any good workes what néede wée to crucifie or mortifie our fleshe for all these wil not profite vs and wée shall bée saued though wée doe none of theÌ„ all Thus did blinde reason dispute with Saint Paule when that hée had proued that God of his mercy had deliuered vs fréely from the damnable bondage of the law Anone hée iudged that he might do what hée would for hée was no loÌ„ger vnder the law To this S. Paule auÌ„swereth y â— if wée obey vnto y â— workes of sinne then are we the seruauntes of sinne if we obey to the workes of iustice
By this word doe we receiue lyfe as the prophet sayth Thy speach shall quicken mée Also the secreates of our hartes be opened by this word S. Paule declareth saying if there come one that doth not beléeue hée is reproued by the word of all men and the secreates of his harte are opened By this worde also is declared vnto vs grace and euerlasting lyfe as S. Paule sayth Christ hath put away death and hath brought lyfe and immortalitie vnto the light through the Gospell This is the thing onely where by that our conscience is losed and made frée from synne Therefore sayth the holy Prophet there is much peace vn to them that loue the lawe of God there is no sclauÌ„der vnto them Much peace is nothyng els but remission of sinnes yea that without any doubt for hée that is loosed by the worde of God that is hée that hath the open word of God for hym that his sinnes bée forgeueÌ„ him hée can not bée sclauÌ„dered that is there is nothyng can make him to doubt but though heauen and hell life and death doe threaten him hée is not offended hée is not sclaundered but hydeth fast knoweth surely that all these thynges must perishe but the word of God bydeth for euer Wherefore this is the very keye that iudgeth the thoughtes and the intentes of the hart as S. Paule sayth By this haue we also the very knowledge of our sinne as S. Paule declareth to the Romaines by this is also declared vnto vs grace also remission of our sinnes if we beléeue it Wherefore this must néedes bée the very true keye as you may sée euidently thoroughout all Scripture and not your boasted and craked power for there is no such thynge nor yet can bée in man that can loose the soule of man from hys sinne Wherefore it is damnable and deuillishe learning and commeth of the presumptuous pride of maÌ„ to learne that man hath a power in hym by the which power mans soule is bounde or loosed from sinne But this is all that man hath hée is a minister and a dispensator of the heauenly worde of God for whose sake our sinnes bée remitted when we beléeue it and our sinnes bée retained when wée doe de spise it Therfore the blessed word of God is the very keye and in that is all the might and power to loouse our sinnes and man is but a minister and a seruaunt vnto this worde This may bée prooued by our Maister Christes wordes where hée sayth Goe your wayes into all the worlde and preach the Gospell vnto all creatures and hée that doth beléeue and is baptised shal be saued but hée that doth not beléeue shall bee damned Here may you playnely sée that the Apostles bée but ministers and seruauntes and haue no power but alonely ministration The keyes that they haue whereby they must loose men and bynde is the very worde of God And therfore sayth our Maister Christ hée that beléeueth shall bée saued and hée that doth not beléeue shal bée damned By this worde did the holy Apostles declare grace thorough Christ and learned meÌ„ to set all their hope of saluation in Christ onely By this worde did they learne men to knowledge their sinne and to séeke for grace fully and wholly to hope for remission forgéeuenes of theyr sinnes in Christ onely Briefely by these keyes is opened all goodnes if they bée receaued And all goodnes is shutte from vs if wée receaue them not Now where this keye is receaued by faith there is all things â—wsed that is all sinnes bée forgéeuen and the consciences bée made frée And where it commeth not in nor is receaued by faith there all thynges bée shutte and bounde Of this maner did the holy Apostles bynde and loose when they preached this holy worde of God vnto y â— people As wée haue an open example of S. Peter that preached this holy worde and at his preaching y e hearers were pricked in their hartes and asked Peter what they myght doe and hée aunswered them repent and bée baptised euery one of you in the name of Iesus for remission of your sinnes and you shall receaue the gifte of the holy Ghost wherfore as many as receaued his word were baptised Here you haue playnely the very true maner of loosing from sinnes as y e holy Apostles vsed it that is when the people beléeued the worde that they preached theÌ„ they declared how their sinnes were remitted for Christes sake and not thorow any power that they had for they were but ministers But the very power was in the word of God whereby they were deliuered from their sinnes This is well proued by our maister Christes word where hée sayth vnto them goe and preach saying That the kyngdome of heauen is at hande What is this the kyngdome of heauen not any power that is in man but remission of sinnes shall bée geuen to them that receiue either your power or your persons and therfore followeth it In what house you enter say first peace bée with you and if the house bée worthy your peace shall come vppon the same that is to say if they reciue your word and beléeue it than shall your peace that is the peace of the Gospel which you bring with you geue them quietnes of conscieÌ„ce and lose them from all synne But if the house bée not worthy your peace shall returne to you agayn and whosoeuer shall not receiue you nor will heare your preaching when you depart out of that house shake of the dust from your féete I say vnto you it shal be easyer for Sodom and Gomorra in the day of Iudgment then for that Cytie What is this your peace shall returne agayne nothing els but that they shall not bée pertakers thereof but shall remaine bound in their sinne And why because they receiue not your persons or your power nay trewlye but because they heare not your preaching It is not to bée doubted but that many men by hearing the Apostles preaching the word of God were losed from their synnes and yet neuer spake with the Apostles Wherefore the receauyng of the word not the Apostle loseth vs from our sinnes for that cause the Apostle did declare by their departing froÌ„ theÌ„ that would not beleue the word y e they remained still in their sinnes for as S. Marke sayth your departyng shal bée a testimonie agaynst them that is to say a token of their condemnation We haue also an open practise of S. Paule how hée dyd bynde theÌ„ that did not receiue his preaching to whoÌ„ hée sayth these wordes Your bloud vpon your heades I will departe froÌ„ hence in clennes vnto the Gentiles Now haue you playnely how the holy Apostle dyd bynde and loose and with what keye they did it that is by preachyng of the holy word of God And because this thyng shoulde
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
coÌ„maundementes 48. Gallat 6. Purgatory is nedelesse 49. Eccle. 14. Some imagine Purgatory to be a place of satisfaction 50 Apoca. 14 The dead that dye in the Lorde are blessed and therfore are not in Purgatory Esay 57. Sapien. 3. The coÌ„clusioÌ„ of Iohn Frith agaynst Rastels booke M. More begynneth pitifully Frith Purgatory in 400. yeare after Christ was neither beleued as an article of y t fayth nor yet for an vndoubted truth 1. Cor. 3. S. Austen doubted of Purgatory Roma 4. M. More much deceaued in the accomptyng of hys M. More M. Mores second reason Frith M. More maketh a false and fond argument Iohn Frith ameÌ„deth M. Mores argument Iohn Frith proueth the negatiue to be true Iohn 3. Rastell had his argumentes froÌ„ M. More M. More Ezechias Frith 4. Kinges 2 Esay 38. A question to Master More A very apt similitude Math. 26. M. More Frith 1. Kynges 2 M. More here semeth to be ignoraunt in the Hebrue toung Gene. 42. M. More 〈◊〉 of the maner of the speakyng of the Prophetes The Lord doth kill rayse again Iohn 11. Psal 78. â—hen God saith he killeth doth quicken againe what the meanyng therof is Daniell 3. A true interpretatioÌ„ of Scripture A foule fault in M. More M. More Zacharie Frith Zacharie 9 Psal 66. More and Rochester can not agree How the sauyng of the Prophete Zachary is to be vnderstand Roma 5. An obiectioÌ„ and aunswere therunto A question to master More A true and plaine exposition of the prophet Zachary M. More Machabeus Sore spoâ—… of M. More Frith 2 Mach. 12 The bokes of the Machabees are not in the Canon of y t Hebrues 〈◊〉 The meaning true exposition of the Machabees touching purgatory 〈◊〉 The slaughter of the Iewes was is for idolatry Deutro 7. Iudas Machabeus was deceaued in hys sacrifice 〈◊〉 Deut. 12. 4 By Christes death all sacrifices ceased 5 Heb. 〈◊〉 No sacrifice caÌ„ take away sinne but onely the sacrifice made by Christ 6 The holiest men haue fallen The example of Iudas Machabeus is profitable to y e church and therfore it must be folowed 7. Gallat 6. Actes 15. Rastell 8. The scholemeÌ„ say that in the tyme of the olde Testament there was no Purgatory 9. A declaration of the meanyng of Iudas Machabeus in offeryng hys sacrifice for the dead Deut. 7. Iudas Machabeus thought of no Purgatory M. More is like to be proued an insipient Iohn Frithes iudgement of y â— bookes of the Machabees M. More 1. Iohn 5. DesperatioÌ„ and impenitency are damnable sinners Frith 1. Iohn 5. M. More is confuse in the interpretation of the scriptures Marke 3. What blasphemy and sin against the holy ghost â—s The pure vnderstanding M. More Apoca. 5. Note Frith 〈◊〉 and More doth not agree A â–ª true exposition of the Scripture M More Frith More purposely corrupteth the sence of the Scripture More falsely descaÌ„teth vppon the Scriptures M. More a proctour for Purgatory M. More 1. Cor. 3. M. More would faine proue a purgatory Fâ—ith He shal laboreth much in Gods by 〈◊〉 nyard shall receaue much c. What it is to builde on gold siluer or precious stone What it is to buyld on wood haye or stubble Cyprian How euery mans work is tryed by fire Wordes figuratiuely spoken M. More Math. 12. Frith A subtile sophisme There is no remissioÌ„ of sinnes after this lyfe Marke 3. M. More Math. 12. Frith M. More doth quyte ouerthrow hym selfe Here by M. Mores argument Purgatory is quyte excluded M. More M. More is a subtill Sophister Esay 8. Truth is not to bee sought of the dead Luke 16. 1. Kinge â—3 An apparition of a spirite moued to certeine of Oxford M. More his solution of the two former reasons Frith M. More his argument is false Christ sayth M. Mâ—â—e 〈…〉 second reason Fâ—ith God caÌ„not be against himselfe Mâ— More Frith A penny offred into S. Dominickes boxe worketh great matter Note what veâ—… is in a pâ—…y M. More Frith Ioh. Frith declareth his opinion of Christes death How mens prayers good dedes do help one an other M. More Frith It is better not to beleue that which the scripture aloweth not theÌ„ to make a fayth where we should not M. More Frith What is heresie M. More is a sore iudge M. More The fire of purgatory is a meruellous hot fire Frith Beholde here the force of the fire of purgatory M. More fully aunswered to all that he can say for purgatory M. More was the Byshop of Rochesters Disciple Rochester the first patrone of Purgatory Rochester The Byshop of Rochesters owne wordes Frith Sectes of heretickes 1. Cor. 3. Actes 15. S. Austen S. Austen sheweth what hee thought of Purgatory Saint Ambrose S. Ambrose sheweth his opinioÌ„ of Purgatory Saint Hierome Eccle. 9. All suffrages prayers good dedes done for the dead are in vayne 1. 2. The dead can neither do good or euil nor increase in vertue 3 The sayinges of the Doctors are no farther to be credited then they agree with y t scripture Rochester The doctors haue erred in many thinges The worde of God is the touchstone tryeth all of all doctrine S. Austine S. Austen read old auctors and would also haue all meÌ„ read his workes Rochester Luc. 16. Parables in y t scripture proue nothing but only open and expound dark and hard thinges By Moses and the prophetes is meant the old Testament Rochester Frith There is but ii places after this life that is heauen and hell Abrahams bosome what it signifieth The elect are faithful the faythful are elect Abrahams bosome can proue no purgatory To rest in peace is not to lye in tormentes 1. Iohn 1. A good conclusion against purgatory Christes death hath ouercomâ—â— our death turned it into life Rochester Math. 12. Frith If there be any purgatory it must be after domesday for before there can be none Faythfull Vnfaythfull Men. Rochester Psal 66. Frith Zacharie 9 Rochester More agree not A true interpretatioÌ„ of the 66. Psalme More and Rochester caÌ„not agree Soules in purgatory caÌ„not offer Oxen nor goates in sacrifice Rochester Frith The chirch sayth Rochester meaning the popes church can not erre Luke 14. Frith The parable of Luke 14. truly interpreted How men should be compelled to beleue Christ was meeke and gentle and no tyrannous schole master Luke 9. Paul sayth he had no power ouer their fayth 1. Cor. 12. Fayth is not procured by violence but is the mere onely of gift of God Feare maketh fayth no fayth at all Fayth is first the gift of God and procedeth from the hart which may not be compelled Rochester Pardons Rochester sayth herein very truly and yet was not ware of it Purgatory and pardoÌ„s haue bene goodly marchaundise for the clergye Rochester Frith The kayes Luke 11. The kay of knowledge is the word of God Apoc. 3. Math. 16. Iohn 20. Luke 24. How christ gaue the kayes to Peter and the rest of the
DIEV ET MON DRIOT ¶ THE WHOLE workes of W. Tyndall Iohn Frith and Doct. Barnes three worthy Martyrs and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one Tome togither beyng before scattered now in Print here exhibited to the Church To the prayse of God and profite of all good Christian Readers Mortui resurgent AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye and are to be sold at his shop vnder Aldersgate An. 1573. ¶ Cum gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis ARISE FOR IT IS DAY A Table of the seuerall Treatises conteyned in M. William Tyndals workes A Preface to the Christian Reader The lyfe of Wylliam Tyndall A protestation of the state of the soules departed A preface that he made before the v. bookes of Moses A prologue shewyng the vse of the Scripture Seuerall prologues that he made to the v. bookes of Moses fol. 2. 7. 11. 15. 21. Certaine harde wordes expounded by him in the fyrst second and fourth booke of Moses fol. 5. 10. 16. A prologue vpon the Prophet Ionas 23. Prologues vpon the iiij Euangelistes 32. Prologues vpon the Epistles of S. Paule 39. Prologues vpon the Epistles of S. Peter 54. Prologues vpon the iij. Epistles of S. Iohn 55. The parable of the wicked Mammon 59. The obedience of a Christian man and how Christian rulers ought to gouerne 97. An exposition vpon the v. vj. vij chapters of S. Ma. thewes Gospell 184. An answere to Syr Thomas Mores dialogues 244 The practise of popishe Prelates 340. A pathway into the holy Scripture 377. The exposition vpon the first Epistle of S. Iohn 387. The exposition vpon M. William Tracies will 429. A fruitfull treatise vpon signes Sacraments 436. Two notable letters that he sent vnto Iohn Frith 453. The Supper of the Lord wherein is confuted the letter of M. More sent vnto Iohn Frith supposed to be written by Tyndall 457. ¶ The Epistle or Preface to the Christian Reader AS we haue great cause to geeue thankes to the high prouidence of almighty God for the excellent arte of Printing most happely of late found out and now commonly practised euery where to the singular benefite of Christes Church wherby great increase of learnyng and knowledge with innumerable commodities els haue ensued and dayly doe ensue to the lyfe of man and especially to the fartheraunce of true Religion so agayne of our parte it is both of vs all in generall to be wished and especially of them to be procured who occupie the trade therof rightly to vse the same to the glory of hym which gaue it and to the ende wherefore it was ordayned and not to abuse vnworthely that worthy facultie eyther in thrusting into the worlde euery vnworthy trifle that commeth to hand or hauing respecte more to their owne priuate gayne then regarde to the publike edifiyng of Christes Church or necessary preferment of Religion For therefore I suppose this science of Printing first to be set vp and sent of God to mans vse not so much for temporall commoditie to be taken or mans glory to be sought thereby but rather for the spirituall and inwarde supportation of soulehealth helpe of Religion restoring of true doctrine repayring of Christes Church and repressing of corrupt abuses which had heretofore ouerdarckened the doctrine of fayth to reuiue agayne the lost lyght of knowledge to these blynde tymes by renuing of holsome and auncient writers whose doinges and teachinges otherwise had lyen in obliuion had not the benefite of Printing brought them agayne to light or vs rather to light by them Wherfore such Printers in my mynde are not to be defrauded of their due commendation who in pretermitting other light triflyng pamflets of matter vnneedful and impertinent little seruing to purpose lesse to necessitie doe employe their endeuour and workemanship chiefly to restore such fruitfull workes and monumentes of auncient writers and blessed Martyrs who as by their godly lyfe and constant death gaue testimonie to the trueth in tyme wherein they suffered so by their doctrine and learning geeue now no lesse lyght to all ages and posteritie after them In the number of whome may rightly be accompted and no lesse recommended to the studious Christen Reader these three learned fathers of blessed memory whom the Printer of this booke hath diligently collected in one volume togither inclosed the workes I meane of William Tyndall Iohn Frith and Robart Barnes chiefe ryngleaders in these latter tymes of thys Church of England Wherein as we haue much to prayse God for such good bookes left to the Church and also for such Printers in preseruing by their industrie and charges such bookes from perishing so haue I to exhorte all studious readers wyth lyke diligence to embrace the benefite of God offered and seriously to occupie them selues in markyng and folowing both the valiaunt actes and excellent wrytinges of the sayd godly persons Concernyng the prayse whereof I shall not neede in thys place to bestow much commendation because neither is it the prayse of men but profite of the godly that they doe seeke nor yet the contempt of the vngodly that they doe feare Moreouer what is to be sayde or thought of them rather by their owne workes then by other mens wordes by readyng their bookes then by my preface is to be seene In perusing whereof thou shalt fynde gentle Reader whether thou bee ignoraunt what to learne or whether thou be learned what to folowe and what to sticke to Briefly whatsoeuer thou art if thou be yong of Iohn Frith if thou be in middle age of W. Tyndall if in elder yeares of D. Barnes matter is here to be founde not onely of doctrine to enforme thee of comfort to delyte thee of godly ensample to directe thee but also of speciall admiration to make thee to wonder at the workes of the Lord so mightely workyng in these men so oportunely in stirryng them vp so graciously in assisting them Albeit diuers other also besides these I say not nay as well before them as after through the secrete operation of Gods mighty prouidence haue beene raysed vp both famous in learnyng florishyng in witte and stout in zeale who labouryng in the same cause haue no lesse valiantly and doughtely stoode in the like defence of Christes true Religion agaynst blynde errour pestilent superstition and perillous hypocrisie namely agaynst the Arche enemye of Christ and hys flocke the Byshop I meane of Rome with hys tyrannicall seate as namely here in England Iohn Wicklyffe Rigge Aston Swynderby W. Thorpe Walter Brute L. Cobham wyth the residue of that former age And also after them many other moe freshe wittes faythfull preachers and learned writers haue sprong vp by the Lord of hoastes to furnishe hys fielde Briefly no age nor tyme hath euerlacked some or other styll bayting at the beast but especially nowe in these our present dayes such plenty yea whole armyes the Lord hath powred vppon hys Church of heauenly souldiours who not
and comforte of the Scripture might haue hope That is the examples that are in the Scripture comfort vs in all our tribulations and make vs to put our trust in GOD and patiently to abide hys leysure And in the x. of the firste to the Corinthians hee bringeth in examples of the Scripture to feare vs and to bridle the fleshe that wee cast not the yoke of the lawe of God from of our neckes and fall to lustyng and doyng of euill So nowe the Scripture is a lyght sheweth as the true way both what to do what to hope for And a defeÌ„ce from all errour and a comforte in aduersitie that we dispaire not and feareth vs in prosperitie that we synne not Séeke therefore in the Scripture as thou readest it first the law what God commaundeth vs to do And secondarely the promises whiche God promiseth vs agayn namely in Christ Iesu our Lord. Then seeke examples first of comfort how God purgeth all them that submit themselues to walke in his wayes in the Purgatory of tribulation deliueryng them yet at the latter end and neuer sufferyng any of them to perishe that cleaue fast to hys promises And finally note the examples which are writteÌ„ to feare the flesh that we sinne not That is how God suffereth the vngodly and wicked sinners that resist God and refuse to folow him to continue in their wickednesse euer waxyng worse and worse vntill their sinne be so sore encreased and so abhominable that if they shuld loÌ„ger endure they would corrupt the very elect But for y e electes sake God sendeth them preachers Neuerthelesse they harden their hartes agaynste the truth and God destroyeth them vtterly and beginneth the world a new This comfort shalt thou euermore finde in the playne texte and litterall sense Neither is there any storye so homely so rude yea or so vyle as it semeth outward wherein is not excedyng great comforte And when some which seme to theÌ„ selues great clarkes say they wott not what more profite is in many gestes of the Scripture if they be read without an allegory then in a tale of Robenhode say thou that they were written for our consolation and comforte that we dispayre not if such like happen vnto vs. We be not holyer then Noe though he were once dronke Neither better beloued then Iacob though his owne sonne defyled his bead We be not holyer then Lot thoughe his daughters thorow ignoraunce deceaued hym nor peraduenture holier then those daughters Neither are we holyer then Dauid though he brake wedlocke and vpon the same committed abhominable murther All those men haue witnesse of the Scripture that they pleased God and were good meÌ„ both before that those things chaunced and also after Neuerlesse such thynges happened them for our example not that we should counterfeite their euill but if whyle wee fight with our selues enforsyng to walke in the law of God as they dyd we yet fall likewise that we despayre not but come agayne to the lawes of God and take better hold We read sence the tyme of Christes death of virgins y t haue bene brought vnto the common stues and there defiled and of Martyrs that haue bene bound and whores haue abused theyr bodyes Why The iudgementes of God are bottomlesse Such thynges chaunced partly for examples partely God thorow sinne healeth sinne Pride can neither be healed nor yet appeare but thorow such horrible deades Peraduenture they were of the popes sect and reioysed fleshly thinking that heauen came by dedes and not by Christ and that the outward dede iustifyed them and made theÌ„ holy and not the inward spirite receaued by fayth the consent of hart vnto the law of God As thou readest therfore thinke that euery sillable pertayneth to thine own selfe sucke out the pithe of the Scripture and arme thy selfe agaynst all assaultes First note with strong fayth the power of God in creatyng all of nought Then marke the greuous fall of Adam and of vs all in him thorow the light regardyng of the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God In the iiij Chapter God turneth hym vnto Abell and theÌ„ to his offeryng but not to Cain and hys offeryng Where thou seest that thoughe the dedes of the euil appeare outwardly as glorious as the dedes of y t good yet in the sight of God which looketh on the hart the deede is good because of the man and not the man good because of his deede In the vj. God sendeth Noe to preach to the wicked and geueth them space to repent they wax hard harted God bringeth them to nought And yet saueth Noe euen by y t same water by whiche he destroyed them Marke also what folowed the pride of the buildyng of the Tower of Babell Consider how God sendeth foorth Abraham out of his owne countey into a straunge land full of wicked people and gaue him but a bare promisse with him that would blesse him defende him Abraham beleued and that worde saued and deliuered him in all perilles so that we see how that maÌ„s life is not maintayned â—y bread onely as Christe sayth but much rather by beleuyng the promises of God Behold how soberly how circumspectly both AbrahaÌ„ and also Isaac behaued them selues among the infidels Abraham byeth that which might haue ben geuen him for nought to cut of occasions Isaac when his welles whiche he had digged were taken from him geueth rowme and resisteth not Moreouer they eare and sowe and fede their cattell and make confederations and and take perpetuall truce and doe all outward thinges Euen as they doe whiche haue no fayth for God hath not made vs to be idle in this world Euery man must worke godly truly to y t vttermost of the power that God hath geuen him and yet not trust therin but in Gods word or promise and God will worke with vs and bryng that we do to good effect And theÌ„ wheÌ„ our power will extende no further Gods promises will worke all alone How many thynges also resisted the promises of God to Iacob And yet Iacob coniureth God with hys owne promises saying O GOD of my father Abraham and GOD of my father Isaac O Lord which saydest vnto me returne vnto thine owne countrey and vnto the place were thou waste borne and I wil do thee good I am not worthy of the lest of those mercyes nor of that trouth whiche thou hast done to thy seruaunt I went out with a staffe and come home with two droues deliuer me out of the handes of my brother Esau for I feare him greatly c. And God deliuered him and will likewise all that call vnto his promises with a repentyng hart were they neuer so great sinnes Marke also the weake infirmities of the man He loueth one wife more then an other one sonne more then an other And see how God purgeth hym Esau threateneth hym Laban begyleth him The beloued wife is long baren
by the way of repentance vnto the fountayne of Christes bloud to washe it away thorow faith By the reason of which false righteousnes they wer disobediēt vnto the righteousnes of god whiche is the forgeuenesse of sinne in Christes bloud and could not beleue it And so thorow fleshly interpretyne the law and false imagined righteousnes their hartes were hardened and made as stony as clay in an whot furnace of fire that they could receiue neither repentance nor fayth or any moysture of grace at all But the heathen Niniuites though they were blinded with lustes yet werin those two poyntes vncorrupte and vnhardened and therfore with the only preachyng of Ionas came vnto the knowledge of their sinnes and confessed them and repented truly and turned euery man from hys euil dedes declared their sorrow of hart and true repentaunce with theyr deedes which they did out of fayth and hope of forgeuenesse chastieing their bodies with prayer and fastyng and with takyng all pleasures from the flesh trustyng as God was angry for their wickednesse euen so should he forgeue them of his mercy if they repented and forsoke their misseliuing And in the last ende of all thou hast yet a goodly ensample of learnyng to see how earthy Ionas is still for all his trying in y t whales belly He was so sore displesed because the Niniuites perished not that he was wery of hys life and wished after death for very sorow that he had lost the glory of hys prophesiyng in y t hys prophecie came not to passe But GOD rebuked hym with a likenes saying it greueth thine hart for the losse of a vile shrub or spray wheron thou bestowedst no labour or cost neither was it thine handy work How much more then should it greue myne hart the losse of so great a multitude of innocentes as are in Niniue which are all mine hādes worke Nay Ionas I am God ouer all and father as well vnto the heathen as vnto the Iewes and merciful to all and warneere I smite neither threate I so cruelly by any prophet but that I will forgeue if they repent and aske mercy neither on the other side whatsoeuer I promise will I fulfill it saue for their sakes onely which trust in me submit themselues to keepe my lawes of very loue as naturall children ON this maner to read the Scripture is the right vse therof why the holy ghost caused it to be written That is that thou first seke out y t law that God wyll haue thee to do interpreting it spiritually without glose or couering the brightnes of Moses face so that that thou feele in thyne harte how that it is damnable sinne before God not to loue thy neighbour that is thine enemy as purely as Christ loued thee that not to loue thy neighbour in thyne hart is to haue committed already all sinne against him And therfore vntill that loue be come thou must knowledge vnfainedly that there is sinne in the best deede thou doest And it must ernestly greue thine hart and thou must wash all thy good dedes in Christes bloud ere they can be pure and an acceptable sacrifice vnto god and must desire God the father for his sake to take thy dedes a worth and to pardon the imperfectnesse of them to geue thee power to do thē better and with more feruent loue And on the other side thou must serch diligently for the promises of mercye which God hath promised thee again Which two poynces that is to witte the law spiritually interpreted howe that all is damnable synne that is not vnfayned loue out of the ground and bottome of the harte after the ensample of Christes loue to vs because we be all equally created and formed of one God our father and indifferently bought and redemed with one bloude of our sauiour Iesus Christ and that the promises be geuen vnto a repentyng soule that thursteth and longeth after thē of the pure and fatherly mercy of God thorow our fayth only with out all deseruyng of our dedes or merites of our workes but for Christes sake a lone and for the merites and deseruynges of hys workes death and passions that he suffered all together for vs and not for hymself which two poyntes I say if they bee written in thyne hart are the keyes which so open all the Scripture vnto thee that no creature can locke thee out with which thou shalt go in and out find pasture and foode euery where And if these lessons be not written in thyne hart then is all the scripture shut vp as a cornel in the shale so that thou mayest read it and commen of it and reherse all the stories of it and dispute wittily and be a profounde sophister and yet vnderstand not one iot thereof And thirdly that thou take the stories and lyues which are contained in the bible for sure and vndoubted ensamples that god so wil deale with vs vnto the worldes ende ¶ Herewith Reader farewell and be commended vnto God and vnto the grace of hys spirit And first see y t thou stoppe not thyne eares vnto the callyng of GOD and harden not thine hart beguiled with fleshly interpreting of the law and false imagined and hipocritish righteousnes least then the Niniuites rise with thee at the day of iudgement and condemne thee And secondarily if thou fynde ought amisse when thou seest thy selfe in the glasse of Gods worde thinke it necessary wisdome to amend the same betymes monished and warned by the ensample of other men rather then to tary vntill thou be beaten also And thirdly if it shall so chaunce that the wylde lustes of thy flesh shall blynde thee cary thee cleane away w t the for a tyme yet at y t latter end when the God of all mercy shall haue compassed thee in on euery syde with temtations tribulation aduersities and combrance to bryng thee home againe vnto thine owne harte and to set thy sinnes which thou wouldest so fayne couer and put out of mynde with delectation of voluptuous pastunes before the eyes of thy conscience then cal the faythfull ensample of Ionas and all like stories vnto thy remembrance and with Ionas turne vnto thy father that smote thee not to cast thee away but to lay a corosie and a fretting plaister vnto the pocke that lay hidde and fret inward to draw the disease out to make it appeare that thou mightest feele thy sicknes and the danger therof and come and receiue the healyng plaister of mercy And forget not that whatsoeuer ensample of mercy God hath shewed since the beginnyng of the world the same is promised thee if thou wylt in like maner turne agayne and receiue it as they did and with Ionas bee a knowen of thy sinne and confesse it knowledge it vnto thy father And as the law which fretteth thy conscience is in thine hart and is none
outward thing euen so seeke within thy hart the plaister of mercy the promises of forgeuenes in our Sauiour Iesus Christ accordyng vnto all the ensamples of mercy y t are gone before And with Ionas let them that wait on vanities and seke God here and there and in euery temple saue in their hartes go and seke thou the testament of God in thyne harte For in thyne hart is the word of the law in thine hart is the word of faith in the promises of mercy in Iesus Christ So that if thou confesse with a repentyng hart and knowledge and surely beleue that Iesus is Lord ouer all sinne thou art safe And finally when the rage of thy conscience is ceased and quieted with fast faith in the promises of mercy thē offer with Ionas the offring of prayse and thankesgeuyng and pay the vowe of thy Baptisme that God onely saueth of his onely mercy and goodnes that is beleue stedsastly and preach cōstātly that it is God onely that smiteth and GOD onely that healeth ascribyng the cause of thy tribulation vnto thyne owne sinne and the cause of thy deliuerance vnto y t mercy of god And beware of the leuen that sayth we haue power in our free will before the preaching of the Gospel to deserue grace to kepe the law of congruite or god to bee vnrighteous And say with Iohn in the first that as the law was geuen by Moses euen so grace to fulfill it is geuen by Christ And when they say our deedes with grace deserue heauen say thou with Paule Rom. vj that euerlastyng lyfe is the gift of GOD thorough Iesus Christe our Lorde and that we be made sonnes by fayth Iohn i. And therefore heires of GOD with Christ Rom. viij And say that we receaue all of God through faith that foloweth repentaunce and that we doe not our workes vnto God but either vnto our selues to slay the sinne that remaineth in the fleshe and to waxe perfect either vnto our neighbours which do as much for vs agayne in other thynges And when a man excedeth in giftes of grace let him vnderstand that they be geuen him as well for his weake brethren as for him self as though all the bread be committed vnto the panter yet for his felowes with him whiche geue thee thankes vnto their Lord and recompence the panter agayn with other kynde of seruice in their offices And when they say that Christ hath made no satisfaction for the sinne we do after our Baptisme say thou with the doctrine of Paule that in our Baptisme we receaue the merites of Christes death through repentaunce faith of which two Baptisme is y t signe And though when we sinne of frailtie after our Baptisme we receaue the signe no more yet we be renewed agayne through repentance and fayth in Christes bloud of which twaine y t signe of Baptisme euen continued among vs in Baptising our young childrē doth euer kepe vs in mind call vs backe again vnto our profession if we begon astray promiseth vs forgeuenesse Neither cā actual sinne be washed away with our workes but with Christes bloud neither can there be any other sacrifice or satisfaction to Godward for them saue christes bloud For as much as we can do no workes vnto God but receiue only of his mercy with our repenting faith through Iesus Christ our lord and only sauiour vnto whom and vnto God our father thorowe hym and vnto his holy spirite y t onely purgeth sanctifieth and washeth vs in the innocent bloude of our redemption be prayse for euer Amen The Prologue vppon the Gospell of S. Mathew by M. William Tyndall HEre hast thou mostdere reader the new Testamēt or couenaunt made with vs of GOD in Christes bloud Whiche I haue looked ouer agayne now at the last with all diligence compared it vnto the Greke haue weeded out of it many fautes which lacke of helpe at the begynning and ouersight did sow therein If ought seme chaunged or not altogether agreyng with the Greeke let the finder of the faute consider the Hebrue phrase or maner of speache left in the Greeke wordes Whose preterperfectence and presentence is oft both one the futuretence is the optatiue mode also the futuretence oft y t imperatiue mode in the actiue voyce in the passiue euer Likewise person for person number for number and interrogatiō for a cōditionall and such lyke is with the Hebruesa common vsage I haue also in many places set light in the margent to vnderstand the text by If any mā finde fautes either with the translation or ought beside which is easier for many to do then so well to haue translated it thē selues of their owne pregnante wittes at the beginnyng without an ensāple to the same it shal be lawfull to trāslate it them selues and to put what they lust thereto It I shall perceaue either by my selfe or by information of other y t ought be escaped me or might more playnly be translated I will shortly after cause it to be amended Howbeit in many places me thinketh it better to put a declaration in the margent then to runne to farre from the text And in many places where the text semeth at the first choppe hard to be vnderstād yet the circumstaunces before and after and often readyng together make it plaine inough Moreouer because the kyngdome of heauen which is the Scripture and word of GOD may be so locked vp that he which readeth or heareth it can not vnderstand it as Christ testifieth how that the Scribes and Phariseis had so shut it vp Math. xxiij and had taken awaye the keye of knowledge Luke xj that y t Iewes which thought them selues within were yet so locked out and are to this day that they can vnderstand no sentence of the Scripture vnto their saluation though they cā rehearse the textes euery where and dispute therof as subtely as the Popish Doctours of Dunces darke learnyng whiche with their sophistry serned vs as the Phariseis did y t Iewes Therfore that I might be found faith full to my father and Lord in distributyng vnto my brethren and felowes of one faith their due and necessary fode so dressing it and seasonyng it that the weake stomackes may receiue it also and be the better for it I thought it my dutie most deare reader to warne thee before and to shew thee the right way in and to geue thee the true keye to open it with all and to arme thee agaynst false Prophetes and malicious hypocrites whose perpetuall studie is to blind the scripture with gloses and there to locke it vp where it should saue thee soule to make vs shoote at a wrōg marke to put our trust in those thinges that profite their bellyes onely and slea our soules The right way yea and the onely way to vnderstand the Scripture vnto saluation is that we earnestly and aboue all thyng search
fayth to God and loue and mercyfulnesse to our neighbours is all that y e law requireth therfore of necessitie the lawe must be vnderstand and interprete by them So that all inferiour lawes are to be kept obserued as lōg as they be seruaūts to faith and loue and then to be brokē immediatly if thorough any occasion they hurt either the fayth whiche we should haue to Godward in the confidence of Christes bloud or the loue whiche we owe to our neighbours for Christes sake And therfore when the blinde Phariseis murmured and grudged at him and his Disciples that they brake the Sabboth day and traditions of the elders and that he him self did eate with Publicanes and sinners he aunswered Math. ix allegyng Esayas y e Prophet Go rather and learne what this meaneth I require mercy and not sacrifice And Math. xij Oh that ye wist what this meaneth I require mercy and not sacrifice For onely loue and mercyfulnesse vnderstandeth the law and els nothyng And he that hath not that writtē in his hart shall neuer vnderstand the law no though al the angels of heauen went about to teache him And he that hath that grauen in his hart shal not onely vnderstand the law but also shall do of his owne inclinatiō all that is required of the law though neuer law had bene geuen as all mothers do of them selues without law vnto their children all that can be required by any law loue ouercommyng all payne grief tediousnesse or lothsomnesse and euen so no doubt if we had continued in our first state of innocencie we should euer haue fulfilled the law without compulsion of the law And bicause the law which is a doctrine throughe teachyng euery man his duetie doth vtter our corrupt nature is sufficiently described by Moses therfore is litle mention made therof in the new Testament saue of loue onely wherin all the law is included as seldome mētion is made of the new Testament in the old law saue here there are promises made vnto thē that Christ should come and blesse them deliuer them and that the Gospel and new Testamēt should be preached and published vnto all nations The Gospell is glad tidynges of mercy and grace and that our corrupt nature shal be healed again for christes sake and for the merites of his deseruynges onely Yet on that condition that we will turne to God to learne to keepe his lawes spiritually that is to say of loue for his sake will also suffer the curyng of our infirmities The new Testament is as much to say as a new couenaunt The old Testamēt is an old temporall couenaunt made betwene GOD and the carnall children of Abraham Isaac and Iacob otherwise called Israell vpon the deedes and the obseruing of a temporall law where the reward of the kepyng is temporall life and prosperitie in the land of Canaan and the breaking is rewarded with tēporall death and punishment But the new Testamēt is an euerlastyng couenaūt made vnto the children of GOD thorough faith in Christ vpon the deseruynges of Christ where eternall life is promised to all that beleue and death to all that are vnbeleuyng My deedes if I kepe the law are rewarded with temporall promises of this lyfe But if I beleue in Christ Christes deedes haue purchased for me the eternall promise of the euerlastyng lyfe If I cōmit nothyng worthy of death I deserue to my reward that no man kill me if I hurt no man I am worthy that no mā hurt me If I helpe my neighbour I am worthy that he helpe me agayn c. So that with outward deedes with whiche I serue other men I deserue that other men doe like to me in this world and they extēd no further But Christes dedes extende to lyfe euerlasting vnto all that beleue c. These be sufficient in this place concernyng the law and the Gospell new Testament old so that as there is but one God one Christ one faith one Baptisme euen so vnderstand thou that there is but one Gospell thoughe many write it and many preach it For all preache the same Christ bryng the same glad tidinges And therto Paules Epistles with the Gospell of Iohn and his first Epistle and the first Epistle of S. Peter are most pure Gospell and most playnly and richely describe the glory of the grace of Christe If ye require more of the law seke in the Prologue to the Romaines and in other places where it is sufficiently entreated of ¶ Repentaunce COncerning this word repētaunce or as they vsed penaunce the Hebrue hath in the old Testament generally Sob turne or be conuerted For which the translation that we take for S. Ieromes hath most part Conuerti to turne to be conuerted and somtime Agere poenitentiam And the Greeke in the newe Testament hath perpetually Metanoeo to turne in the hart and minde and to come to the right knowledge and to a mans right wit agayn For which Metanoeo s Ieromes trāslation hath sometime Ago poenitentiam I do repent sometime Poeniteo I repent sometime Poeniteor I am repentaunt sometyme Habeo poenitentiam I haue repentaunce sometyme Poenitet me it repenteth me And Erasmus vseth much this worde Resipisco I come to my selfe or to my right mynde againe And the very sence and signification both of the Hebrue also of the Greke word is to be conuerted and to turne to God with all the hart to know hys will to liue accordyng to his lawes and to be cured of our corrupt nature with the oyle of his spirite and wyne of obedience to his doctrine Whiche conuersion or turnyng if it be vnfayned these foure do accompany it and are included therin Confession not in the Priestes eare for that is but mans inuention but to God in the hart and before all the congregation of GOD how that we be sinners and sinnefull and that our whole nature is corrupt and inclined to sinne and all vnrighteousnes and therfore euill wicked and damnable and his law holy and iust by which our sinnefull nature is rebuked And also to our neighbours if we haue offended any person particularly Then contrition sorowfulnes that we be such damnable sinners and not only haue sinned but are wholy enclined to sinne still Thirdly fayth of which our old◠doctours haue made no mention at all in the description of their penaunce that God for Christes sake doth forgeue vs and receyue vs to mercy and is at one with vs and will heale our corrupt nature And fourthly satisfaction or amendes makyng not to god with holy workes but to my neighbour whom I haue hurt and the congregation of God whome I haue offended if any open crime be found in me and submittyng of a mans selfe vnto the congregation or churche of Christ and to the officers of the same to haue his lyfe corrected and gouerned henceforth of them
thee whatsoeuer thou art that readest this and note it well The Iewes loke for Christ and he is come xv hundred yeares agoe and they not ware we also haue loked for Antechrist and he hath raigned as long and we not ware and that because eyther of vs looked carnally for hym and not in the places where we ought to haue sought The Iewes had found Christ verily if they had sought hym in the lawe and the Prophetes whether Christ sendeth them to seke Iohn 5. We also had spied out Antechrist long ago if we had looked in the doctrine of Christ hys apostles where because y ◠beast seeth him selfe now to be sought for he roareth and seketh new holes to hyde hymselfe in chaungeth hymselfe into a thousand fashions with all maner wilinesse falshode suttletie craft Because that hys excommunications are come to lyght he maketh it treason vnto the kyng to bee acquaynted with Christe If Christe they may not raigne together one hope we haue that Christ shal liue euer The olde Antichristes brought Christ vnto Pilate saying by our lawe he ought to die and whē Pilate bade them iudge hym after their lawe they aunswered it is not lawfull for vs to kyll any man whiche they dyd to the intent that they whiche regarded not the shame of their false excōmunications should yet feare to confesse Christ because that the temporall sword had condemned hym They do all thing of a good zeale they say they loue you so well that they had rather burne you then y t you should haue fellowship w t Christ They are iealous ouer you amisse as sayth S. Paul Gal. iiij They would deuide you from Christe and his holy Testament and ioyne you to the Pope to beleue in his Testament and promises Some man will aske peraduenture why I take the labour to make this worke in as much as they will burne it seyng they burnt the Gospell I aunswere in burnyng the new Testament they dyd none other thyng then that I looked for no more shall they do if they burne me also if it be Gods will it shall so be Neuerthelesse in translatyng of the Testament I dyd my dutie and so doe I now and will doe as much more as God hath ordeined me to do And as I offered that to al men to correct it who soeuer could euen so do I this Who soeuer therfore readeth this compare it vnto the Scripture If Gods word beare recorde vnto it and thou also feelest in thine hart that it is so be of good comfort and geue God thankes If Gods word condemne it then hold it accursed and so doe all other doctrines As Paule counseleth his Galathians Beleue not euery sprite sodenly but iudge thē by the word of God whiche is the trial of all doctrine and lasteth for euer Amen The Parable of the wicked Mammon THere was a certain rich man whiche had a steward that was accused vnto hym that hee had wasted his goodes And called hym and sayd vnto him How is it that I heare this of thee Geue accoumptes of thy stewardshyp For thou mayst be no longer my steward The steward sayd with in him selfe What shall I do for my master will take away frō me my stewardshyp I can not digge and to begge I am ashamed I wote what to doe that when I am put out of my stewardshyp they may receaue me into theyr houses Then called he all his masters detters and sayd vnto the first how much owest thou vnto my master And he sayd an hūdred tonnes of oyle and hee sayd to hym take thy bill and sit downe quickely and write fiftie Then sayd he to an other what owest thou And he sayd an hundred quarters of wheate He sayd to hym Take thy bill and write foure score And the Lord commended the vniust steward because he had done wisely For the children of this world are in their kynde wiser then the children of light And I say also vnto you make you frendes of the wicked Mammon that when ye shall haue neede they may receaue you into euerlastyng habitations Luke xvi Chapter For as much as with this diuers such other textes many haue inforced to draw the people from the true faith from puttyng their trust in the truth of Gods promises and in the merites and deseruyng of his Christ our Lord and haue also brought it to passe for many false Prophetes shall arise and deceaue many and much wickednes must also be sayth Christ Math. xxiiij And Paul sayth ij Timo. iij. Euell mē and deceauers shall preuaile in euill while they deceaue and are deceaued them selues and haue taught them to put their trust in their owne merites and brought them in belefe that they shal be iustified in the sight of God by the goodnesse of their owne workes haue corrupt the pure word of God to confirme their Aristotle with all For though that y e Philosophers worldly wisemen were enemyes aboue all enemyes to the Gospell of God and though the worldly wisedome can not comprehend the wisedome of God as thou mayst see i. Corint j. and. ij And though worldly righteousnes can not be obedient vnto the righteousnes of God Rom. x Yet what so euer they read in Aristotle y t must be first true And to mainteine that they rent and teare the Scriptures with their distinctions and expounde them violently contrarie to the meanyng of the text and to the circumstaunces that go before and after and to a thousand cleare and euidente textes Wherfore I haue taken in hand to expounde this Gospell certaine other places of the new Testament and as far forth as God shall lende me grace to bryng the Scripture vnto the right sence and to digge agayne the welles of Abraham and to purge cleanse thē of the earth of worldly wisedome where with these Philistenes haue stopped them Whiche grace graunt me God for the loue that he hath vnto his sonne Iesus our Lord vnto the glory of his name Amen THat fayth onely before all workes and without all merites but christes onely iustifieth and setteth vs at peace with God is proued by Paul in the first chapiter to the Roma I am not ashamed sayth he of the Gospell that is to say of the glad tidinges and promises which God hath made and sworne to vs in Christ For it that is to say the gospell is the power of god vnto saluation to all that beleue And it followeth in the foresayd chapiter y ◠iust or righteous must liue by faith For in the fayth which we haue in Christ and in Gods promises fynde we mercy lyfe fauour and peace In the law we fynde death damnation wrath moreouer the curse and vengeaunce of GOD vpon vs. And it that is to say the lawe is called of Paule 2. Corin. 3. the ministration of death and damnation In the lawe we are
is forasmuch as faythe iustifieth and putteth away sinne in the sight of God bringeth lyfe health and the fauour of God maketh vs the heyres of God poureth the spirite of God into our soules and filleth vs with all godly fulnes in Christ it wer to great a shame rebuke and wronge vnto the fayth ye to christes bloud if a man would worke any thyng to purchase that wherwith fayth hath indued hym already and God hath geuen hym freely Euen as Christ had done rebuke and shame vnto hymselfe if he would haue done good workes and wrought to haue bene made thereby Gods sonne and heyre ouer all which thing he was alredy Now doth fayth make vs the sonnes or childrē of god Iohn 1. he gaue them might or power to be y t sonnes of God in that they beleued on his name If we be sonnes so are we also heires Roma viij and Gala. iiij How can or ought we then to worke for to purchase that inheritaunce withall whereof we are heyres already by fayth What shall we say thē to those scriptures whiche sound as though a man should do good workes and lyue well for heauens sake or eternall reward As these are make you frendes of the vnrighteous Mammon And Math. vij Gather you treasures together in heauen Also Math. xix If thou wilt enter into lyfe keepe the commaundementes and such like This say I that they whiche vnderstand not neither feele in their hartes what fayth meaneth talke and thinke of the reward euen as they do of the worke neither suppose they y t a man ought to worke but in a respect to the reward For they imagine that it is in the kyngdome of Christ as it is in the world among mē that they must deserue heauen with their good woorkes Howbeit their thoughtes are but dreames and false imaginations Of these men speaketh Malachias Chap. i. who is it among you that shutteth a doore for my pleasure for nought y t is without respect of reward These are seruauntes that seke gaynes and vauntage hyrelinges day labourers whiche here on earth receaue their rewardes as the Phariseis with their prayers and fastynges Math. v. But on this wise goeth it with heauen with euerlastyng lyfe and eternall reward likewise as good workes naturally folow fayth as it is aboue rehearsed so that thou nedest not to commaunde a true beleuer to worke or to compel him with any law for it is vnpossible that he should not worke he taryeth but for an occasion he is euer disposed of him selfe thou nedest but to put him in remembraunce and that to know the false fayth from the true Euen so naturally doth eternall lyfe folow faith and good liuing without sekyng for is impossible that it should not come though no mā thought there on Yet is it rehearsed in y ◠Scripture alledged and promised to know the difference betwene a false beleuer and a true beleuer and that euery man may know what foloweth good liuyng naturally and of it selfe without takyng thought for it Take a grosse ensample Hell that is euerlastyng death is threatned vnto sinners and yet foloweth it sinne naturally without sekyng for For no mā doth euill to be damned therfore but had rather auoyde it Yet there the one foloweth the other naturally though no man told or warned him of it yet should the sinner finde it and feele it Neuerthelesse it is therfore threatned that men may know what foloweth euill liuyng Now then as after euill liuyng foloweth his reward vnsought for euen so after good liuing foloweth his reward naturally vnsought for or vnthought vpon Euen as when thou drinkest wine be it good or bad the tast foloweth of it selfe thoughe thou therfore drinke it not Yet testifieth the Scripture and it is true that we are by inheritaunce heyres of damnation and that ere we be borne we are vessels of the wrath of God full of that poyson whence naturally all synnes spring and wherewith we can not but sinne which thyng the dedes that folow whē we behold our selues in the glasse of the law of God do declare vtter kill our consciences show vs what we were and wist not of it certifieth vs that we are heyres of damnatiō For if we were of God we should cleaue to God and lust after the wil of God But now our dedes compared to the law declare y ◠contrary by our dedes we see our selues both what we be and what our end shall be So now thou seest that lyfe eternall and all good thynges are promised vnto fayth and belefe so that he that beleueth on Christ shal be safe Christes bloud hath purchased life for vs hath made vs the heyres of god so that heauen commeth by Christes bloud If thou wouldest obtaine heauē with the merites and deseruinges of thine own woorkes so dyddest thou wrong yea and shamedest the bloud of Christ and vnto thee were Christ dead in vayne Now is the true beleuer heyre of God by Christes deseruynges yea and in Christ was predestinate and ordeined vnto eternall life before the world began And when the Gospel is preached vnto vs we beleue the mercy of God and in beleuyng we receaue the spirite of God which is the earnest of eternal lyfe and we are in eternal life already feele already in our hartes the swetnes therof and are ouercome with the kyndnes of God and Christ and therfore loue the will of God and of loue are ready to woorke freely and not to obtaine that which is geuen vs freely and whereof we are heyres already Now when Christ sayth Make you frendes of vnrighteous Mammon Gather you treasure together in heauen and such like Thou seest that the meanyng and entent is no other but that thou shouldest do good so will it folow of it selfe naturally without sekyng takyng of thought that thou shalt find frendes and treasure in heauē and receaue a reward So let thyne eye be single and looke vnto good lyuyng onely and take no thought for y t reward But be content For as much as thou knowest and art sure that the reward all thyng contained in gods promises folow good liuyng naturally and thy good workes do but testifie onely and certifie thee that the spirite of God is in thee whom thou hast receaued in earnest of Gods truth and that thou art heyre of all the goodnes of God and that all good thynges are thyne already purchased by Christes bloud and layd vp in store against that day when euery man shall receaue according to his dedes that is according as his dedes declare and testifie what he is or was For they that looke vnto the reward are slow false suttle and crafty workers and loue the reward more thē the worke yea hate the labour yea hate God which commaūdeth the labour and are wery both of the commaundement and also
do no good worke freely without respect of some profit either in this world or in the world to come neither coulde we haue spirituall ioye in oure hartes in time of affliction and mortifiyng of the flesh Good workes are called the fruites of the spirite Gal. 5. for the sprite worketh them in vs and sometyme fruites of righteousnes as in the second Epistle to the Cor. and 9. chapter before all workes therfore we must haue a righteousnes within the hart the mother of all workes frō whēce they spring The righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises of them that haue y ◠spirite of this world is y t glorious shew outward shining of workes But Christ sayth to vs Mar. 5. except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the scribes Pharises ye cānot enter into the kingdome of heauen It is righteousnes in y t world if a mā kyl not But a Christen perceiueth righteousnesse if he loue his enemy euen when he suffreth persecution and torment of him and the paines of death and mourneth more for his aduersaries blindnesse then for his owne payne and prayeth God to open his eyes and to forgeue hym his sinnes as dyd Steuen in the Actes of the Apostles the vij Chapter and Christ Luke xxiij A Christen considereth him selfe in the law of GOD and there putteth of him all maner righteousnes For the law suffereth no merites no deseruynges no righteousnes neither any mā to be iustified in the sight of God The law is spirituall and requireth y t hart and commaundements to be fulfilled with such loue and obedience as was in Christ If any fulfill all that is the will of God with such loue and obedience the same may be bold to sell pardons of his merites and els not A Christen therfore when he beholdeth hym selfe in the law putteth of all maner righteousnes deseruinges and merites and mekely and vnfaynedly knowledgeth his sinne miserie his captiuitie and bondage in the flesh his trespasse and gilte and is thereby blessed with the poure in spirite Math. v. Chap. Then he morneth in his hart because he is in such bondage that he can not do the will of God and is an hungred and a thyrst after righteousnes For righteousnesse I meane which springeth out of christes bloud for strength to do the wil of God And turneth him selfe to the promises of God desireth him for his great mercy and truth and for the bloud of hys sonne Christ to fulfill his promises to geue him strēgth And thus his spirit euer prayeth within him He fasteth also not one day for a weke or a Lent for an whole yeare but professeth in his hart a perpetuall sobernes to tame the flesh and to subdue the body to the spirite vntil he waxe strong in the spirite and grow ripe into a full righteousnes after the fulnes of Christ And because this fulnes happeneth not till the body be slayne by death a Christen is euer a sinner in the law and therfore fasteth and prayeth to God in the spirite the world seyng it not Yet in y ◠promises he is euer righteous thorough fayth in Christ and is sure that he is heire of all Gods promises the spirite which he hath receaued in earnest bearyng him witnes his hart also and his dedes testifying the same Marke this then To see inwardly that y t law of God is so spirituall that no flesh can fulfill it And then for to morne and sorrow and to desire yea to hunger and thyrst after strength to do the wil of God from the ground of the hart and notwithstandyng all the sutlety of the deuil weakenes and feblenes of the flesh and wondryng of the world to cleaue yet to y t promises of God and to beleue that for Christes bloud sake thou art receaued to the inheritaūce of eternall lyfe is a wonderfull thyng and a thyng that the world knoweth not of but who soeuer feleth that though he fall a thousand tymes in a day doth yet rise agayne a thousand tymes and is sure that the mercy of God is vpon hym IF ye forgeue othermen their trespasses your heauēly father shal forgeue you yours Mat. in the vj. Chap. if I forgeue God shall forgeue me not for my dedes sake but for his promises sake for his mercy truth and for the bloud of hys son Christ our Lord. And my forgeuing certifieth my spirite that God shal forgeue me yea y t he hath forgeuē me already For if I consent to y t will of God in my hart though thorough infirmitie and weakenes I can not do the will of GOD at all tymes moreouer though I can not do the wil of God so purely as the law requireth it of me yet if I see my faulte mekely knowledge my sinne wepyng in myne hart because I cā not do the will of God and thyrst after strēgth I am sure that y t sprite of God is in me his fauour vpon me For the world lusteth not to do the will of God neither soroweth because he can not though he sorrow some tyme for feare of y ◠paine that he beleueth shall folow He that hath the spirite of this world can not forgeue without amendes makyng or a greater vauntage If I forgeue now how cōmeth it veryly because I feele the mercy of God in me For as a man feeleth God to him selfe so is he to his neighbour I know by mine owne experience that all flesh is in bondage vnder sinne and cā not but sinne therfore am I mercyfull and desire God to loose the bondes of sinne euen in mine enemy GAther not treasure together in earth c. Math. vj. But gather you treasure in heauen c. Let not you◠hartes be glued to worldly thynges studie not to heape treasure vpon treasure and riches vpon riches but study to bestow well that whiche is gotten already and let your abundaunce succour the lacke and neede of the power which haue not Haue an eye to good workes to which if ye haue lust and also power to do them then are ye sure that the spirite of God is in you and ye in Christ elect to the reward of eternal life which foloweth good workes But looke that thine eye be single and robbe not Christ of his honour ascribe not that to y t deseruyng of thy workes which is geuen the freely by the merites of his bloud In Christ we are sonnes In Christ we are heires In Christ god chose vs and elected vs before the begynning of the world created vs a new by the word of the Gospell and put his spirite in vs for because we should do good workes A Christē man worketh because it is the will of his father onely If we do no good worke nor be mercyfull how is our lust therin If we haue no lust to do good workes how is Gods spirite in vs If the spirite of God
shewe your mercy do a deede of mercy meanyng thereby y t our deedes declare how we loue our neighbours how much we haue compassion on theÌ„ at their neede Moreouer it is not possible to loue except we see a cause Except we see in our hartes y t loue kyndnes of God to vs warde in Christ our Lord it is not possible to loue God aright We say also he that loueth not my dogge loueth not me Nor that a maÌ„ should loue my dogge first But if a man loued me the loue wherewith he loueth me would compell him to loue my dogge though the dogge deserued it not yea though the dogge had done him a displeasure yet if he loued me the same loue would refrayne hym from reuenging himselfe and cause him to referre the vengeaunce vnto me Such speakinges finde we in scripture Iohn in the fourth of hys first epistle sayth He that saith I loue God and yet bateth his brother is a lyar For how can he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth loue God whom he seeth not This is not spoken that a man should first loue hys brother and then God but as it foloweth For this commaundement haue we of hym that he which loueth God should loue his brother also To loue my neighbour is the commaundemeÌ„t which commaundement he that loueth not loueth not GOD The keeping of the commaundemeÌ„t declareth what loue I haue to God If I loued God purely nothing that my neighbour coulde do were able to make me eyther to hate him eyther to take vengeaunce on hym my selfe seing that God hath coÌ„maunded me to loue him to remitte all veÌ„geaunce vnto hym Marke now how much I loue the coÌ„maundement so much I loue God how much I loue God so much beleue I that he is mercifull kynde and good yea and a father vnto me for Christes sake how much I beleue that God is mercifull vnto me and that he will for Christes sake fulfill all his promises vnto me so much I see my sinnes so much do my sins greue me so much do I repent and sorrow that I sinne so much displeaseth me that poyson that moueth me to sinne and so greatly desire I to be healed So now by the naturall order first I see my sinne then I repeÌ„t and sorrow then beleue I Gods promises that he is mercifull vnto me and forgeueth me and will heale me at the last then loue I and then I prepare my selfe to the commaundement THis do and thou shalt liue Luc. x. that is to say loue thy Lord God with all thy hart with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy mynde and thy neighbour as thy self As who should say if thou do this or though thou canst not do it yet if thou â—ealest lust thereunto and thy spirite sigheth mourneth and longeth after strength to do it take a signe and euident token thereby that the spirite of life is in thee and that thou art electe to life euerlasting by Christes bloude whose gift and purchase is thy fayth and that spirite that worketh the will of God in thee whose gift also are thy deedes or rather the deedes of the spirite of christ and not thine and whose gift is the reward of eternal life which foloweth good workes It followeth also in the same place of Luke When he shoulde departe he plucked out two pence and gaue them to the host and sayde vnto him Take the charge or cure of him and what soeuer thou spendest more I wil recompeÌ„ce it thee at my coÌ„ming agayne Remember this is a parable and a parable may not be expounded worde by worde but the intent of the similitude must be sought out onely in the whole parable The intent of the similitude is to shew to whom a man is a neighbour or who is a mans neighbour which is both one what is to loue a mans neighbour as him selfe The Samaritane holpe him and shewed mercy as long as he was present and when he could be no longer present he left his money behind him and if that were not sufficient he left his credence to make good the rest and forsoke him not as long as y â— other had need TheÌ„ sayd Christ goe thou and do likewise that is without difference or respectioÌ„ of persons whosoeuer needeth thy helpe him count thy neighbour his neighbor be thou and shew mercy on him as long as he nedeth thy succour and that is to loue a mans neighbour as him selfe Neighbour is a word of loue and signifieth that a man shoulde be euer nigh and at hand and ready to helpe in tune of neede They that will enterpret parables worde by worde fall into straights oft-times whence they can not rid themselues And preach lyes in stead of the truth as do they whiche enterpret by the ij pence the old testament and the new and by that which is bestowed Opera supererogationis howbeit Superarrogantia were a meeter terme that is to say deedes which are more then the law requireth deeds of perfection and of liberalitie which a man is not bouÌ„d to do but of his free will And for them he shal haue an higher place in heauen and may geue to other of his merites or of whiche the pope after his deathe may geue pardons from the paines of purgatorye Against whiche exposition I aunswere first a greater perfection then the law is there not A greater perfection then to loue God and his will which is the commaundementes with all thine hart with all thy soule with all thy strength with all thy minde is there none And to loue a mans neighbour as himselfe is like the same It is a wonderfull loue wherewith a man loueth himselfe As glad as I woulde be to receiue pardon of mine owne life if I had deserued death so glad ought I to be to defend my neighboures life without respect of my life or of my good A man ought neither to spare his goods nor yet himselfe for his brothers sake after the ensample of Christ 1. Iohn 3. Herein sayth he perceiue we loue in that he y t is to say Christ gaue his life for vs. We ought therefore to bestowe our liues for the brethren Nowe sayeth Christ Iohn xv There is no greater loue then that a man bestow his life for his frend Moreouer no man caÌ„ fulfil the law For Iohn sayth i. Chapter of the said epistle if we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and truth is not in vs. If we knowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and righteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to purge vs from all iniquitie And in the Pater noster also we say father forgeue vs our sins Now if we be all sinners none fulfilleth the lawe For he that fulfilleth the lawe is no sinner In the lawe may neither Peter nor Paule nor any other creature saue Christ onely reioyce In the bloud of
How many are there of the same sort which thou cāst not make beleue that a thousand thinges are sin which God damneth for sinne all the scripture throughout As to bye as good cheepe as he can and to sell as deare as he can to rayse the market of corne and victuale for his owne vauntage without respect of his neighbor or of the poore of the common wealth and such like Moreouer how many hundred thousandes are there which when they haue sinned knowledge their sinnes yet trust in a balde ceremony or in a lowsy Fryers coate and merites or in the prayers of them that deuoure widowes houses and eateth the poore out of house and harbour in a thyng of hys owne imagination in a foolishe dreame and a false vision not in Christes bloud and in the truth that God hath sworne All these are faythlesse for they follow their owne righteousnes and are disobediēt vnto all maner righteousnes of God both vnto the righteousnes of Gods lawe wherewith he damneth all our deedes for though some of them see their sins for feare of payne yet had they rather that such deedes were no sinne and also vnto the righteousnes of the truth of God in his promises whereby he saueth all that repent and beleue them For though they beleue that Christ dyed yet beleue they not that he dyed for their sinnes and that hys death is a sufficient satisfaction for their sinnes and that God for hys sake will be a father vnto them and geue them power to resist sinne Paule sayth to the Romaynes in the x. chap. if thou confesse wyth thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and beleue wyth thine hart that God raysed hym vp from death thou shalt be safe That is if thou beleue he raysed hym vp againe for thy saluation Many beleue that God is riche and almighty but not vnto themselues and that he he will be good vnto them and defend them and be their God Pharao for payne of the plague was compelled to confesse hys sinnes but had yet no power to submit hymselfe vnto y t will of God and to let the children of Israell goe and to loose so great profit for Gods pleasure As our Prelates confesse their sinnes saying though we be neuer so euill yet haue we the power And agayne the Scribes and the Pharises say they sate in Moyses seate do as they teach but not as they do thus confesse they that they are abhominable But to the second I aunswere if they sate on Christes sear they would preach Christes doctrine now preach they their owne traditions and therefore not to be heard If they preached Christ we ought to heare them though they were neuer so abhominable as they of themselues confesse and haue yet no power to amende neither to let loose Christes flocke to serue God in the spirit which they holde captiue compelling them to serue their false lyes The deuils felt the power of Christ and were cōpelled against their willes to confesse that he was the sonne of God but had no power to be contēt therewith neither to consent vnto the ordinaunce eternall councell of the euerlasting God as our Prelates feele the power of God agaynst them but yet haue no grace to geue roome vnto Christ because that they as the deuils nature is will themselues sitte in hys holy temple that is to witte the consciences of men ¶ Simon Magus beleued Acts. 8. with such a fayth as the deuils confessed Christ but had no right fayth as thou seest in the sayd chapter For he repented not consenting vnto the lawe of God Neither beleued the promises or longed for them but wondred onely at y ◠myracles which Philip wrought and because tha◠he himselfe in Philips presence had no power to vse his witchcrafte sorcery and arte magike wherewith he mocked deluded the wittes of y t people He would haue bought the gifte of God to haue solde it much dearer as his successours now do and not the successours of Simon Peter For were they Simon Peters successours they would preach Christ as he did but they are Simon Magus his successours of which Simō Peter well proued in y t secōd chapter of hys second epistle saying there were false Prophetes among the people meaning of the Iewes euen as there shal be false teachers or doctours among you which priuely shall bring in sectes damnable sectes is part taking as one holdeth of Fraunces another of Dominyck which thyng also Paule rebuketh 1. Corin. 1. and 3. euē denying the Lord that bought them for they will not be saued by Christ neyther suffer any man to preach hym to other And many shall follow their damnable wayes thou wilt say shall God suffer so many to goe out of the right wayes so long I aunswere many must folow their damnable wayes or els must Peter be a false Prophet by which the way of truth shal be euill spoken of as it is now at this present tyme for it is heresy to preach the truth and through couetousnes shall they wyth fayned wordes make merchaundise of you of their merchaundise and couetousnes it needeth not to make rehearsall for they that be blinde see it euidently Thus seest thou that Iames when he sayth faith without deedes is dead and as the body without the spirite is dead so is fayth without deedes and the deuils beleue that he meaneth not of the fayth trust that we haue in the truthe of Gods promises and his holy Testament made vnto vs in Christes bloud whiche fayth foloweth repentaunce and the consent of the hart vn-the lawe of God and maketh a man safe and setteth him at peace with god But speaketh of that false opinion and imagination wherewith some say I beleue that Christ was borne of a virgine and that he dyed and so forth That beleue they veryly and so strōgly that they are ready to slay who soeuer would say the contrary But they beleue not that Christ dyed for their sinnes and that his death hath peased the wrath of God and hath obtained for them all that God hath promised in the Scripture For how can they beleue that Christ dyed for their sinnes and that he is their onely and sufficiēt Sauiour seyng that they seeke other Sauiours of their owne imagination seyng that they feele not their sinnes neither repent except that some repent as I aboue sayd for feare of payne but for no loue nor consent vnto the law of god nor lōging that they haue for those good promises which he hath made them in Christes bloud If they repented and loued the lawe of God and longed for that helpe whiche God hath promised to giue to all that call on hym for Christes sake then veryly must Gods truth giue them power strength to do good workes when so euer occasion were giuen either must God be a false God But let God be true and euery
is for Christes sake deceaueth him selfe and maketh a mocke of himselfe vnto the godles hipocrites infidels No man can serue two maisters God and Mammon that is to say wicked riches also Mathew vj. Thou must loue Christ aboue all thing but that doest thou not if thou be not ready to forsake all for hys sake if thou haue forsaken all for his sake then art thou sure that thou louest him Tribulation is our right baptisme and is signified by plunging into the water Wee that are baptized in the name of Christ sayth Paule Rom. vj. are baptized to dye with him The spirite through tribulation purgeth vs and killeth our fleshly witte our worldly vnderstādyng and belly wisedome and filleth vs full of the wisedome of God Tribulation is a blessing that commeth of God as witnesseth Christ Math. v. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen Is not this a comfortable word Who ought not rather to chuse and desire to be blessed w t Christ in a little tribulation then to be cursed perpetually with the world for a little pleasure Prosperitie is a right curse and a thing that God geueth vnto his enemies Wo be to you ritch sayth Christ Luke vj. loe ye haue your consolation wo be to you that are ful for ye shall hunger wo be to you that laugh for ye shall weepe wo be to you when men prayse you for so did theyr fathers vnto the false prophetes yea and so haue our fathers done vnto the false hypocrites The hipocrites with worldly preaching haue not gotten the prayse onely but euen the possessions also and the dominion and rule of the whole worlde Tribulation for righteousnes is not a blessing onely but also a gift that God geueth vnto none saue his speciall frendes The Apostles Act. v. reioyced that they were counted woorthy to suffer rebuke for Christes sake And Paule in the second epistle third chapter to Timothe sayth All that will liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecutiō And Philip. j. he sayth Vnto you it is geuen not onely to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Here seest thou that it is Gods gift to suffer for Christes sake And in the 1. Pet. 4. sayth Happy are ye if ye suffer for the name of Christ for the glorious spirite of God resteth in you Is it not an happy thing to be sure that thou art sealed with Gods spirite vnto euerlasting life And verily thou art sure therof if thou suffer patiently for his sake By suffring art thou sure but by persecuting canst thou neuer be sure For Paule Rom. 5. sayth Tribulation maketh feeling that is it maketh vs feele the goodnesse of God and his helpe and the working of his spirite 2. Cor. 12. the Lord sayd vnto Paul My grace is sufficiēt for thee for my strēgth is made perfect through weaknes Lo Christ is neuer strong in vs till we be weake As our strength abateth so groweth the strength of Christ in vs when we are cleane emptied of our own strength then are we ful of Christes strength looke how much of our owne strength remayneth in vs so much lacketh there of y ◠strength of Christ Therfore sayth Paule 2. Cor. 12. Very gladly will I reioyce in my weaknes that the strength of Christ may dwell in me therfore haue I delectation sayth Paule in infirmities in rebukes in need in persecutions and in anguish for Christes sake for when I am weake then am I strong Meaning that the weaknes of the fleshe is the strength of the spirite And by flesh vnderstand wit wisedome and all that is in a man before the spirite of God come and whatsoeuer springeth not of the spirite of God and of Gods woorde And of like testimonies is all the scripture full Behold God setteth before vs a blessing and also a curse A blessing verely and that a glorious and an euerlasting if we will suffer tribulatiō and aduersity with our Lord and sauiour Christ And an euerlasting curse if for a little pleasure sake we withdrawe our selues from the chastysing nurture of God wherewith he teacheth all his sonnes and fashioneth them after his godly will and maketh them perfect as he did Christ and maketh them apte and meete vessels to receiue his grace and hys spirite that they might perceaue and feele the exceeding mercy which we haue in Christ the innumerable blessinges and the vnspeakeable inheritance whereunto we are called and chosen and sealed in our sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whome be prayse for euer Amen Finally whome God chuseth to raigne euerlastingly with christ him sealeth he with his mighty spirite and poureth strength into his hart to suffer afflictiōs also with Christ for bearing witnesse vnto the truth And this is the difference betwene the children of God and of saluation and betwene the children of the deuyll and of damnation that the children of God haue power in theyr hartes to suffer for Gods worde which is theyr life and saluatiō their hope and trust and whereby they liue in the soule and spirite before God And the children of the deuyll in time of aduersity flye from Christ whome they followed faynedly theyr hartes not sealed with hys holy mighty spirite and gett them to the standerde of theyr right father the Deuyll and take his wages the pleasures of this world which ar the earnest of euerlasting damnation which conclusion the xij chap. to the Hebrues well confirmeth saying My sonne despise not thou the chasticing of the Lord neither faint whē thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loueth him he chasticeth yea he scourgeth euery sonne whome he receaueth To persecution and aduersitie for the truthes sake is Gods scourge and Gods rod and pertaineth vnto all his children indifferently for when he sayth he scourgeth euery sonne he maketh none exception Moreouer sayth the text If ye shall endure chasticing God offreth hymselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes what sonne is it that the father chasticeth not If ye be not vnder correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Forasmuch then as we must needes bee baptised in tribulations and through the red sea and a great and a fearefull wildernes a land of cruell Giantes into our naturall coūtrey ▪ yea and in asmuch as it is a playne earnest that there is no other way into the kingdome of life then through persecution sufferyng of payne of very death after the ensample of Christe therefore let vs arme our soules with the comforte of the Scriptures How that God is euer ready at hand in time of neede to helpe vs and how that such tyrants and persecutors are but gods scourge and his rod to chastice vs. And as the father hath alway in time of correction the rod fast in his hand so that the rod doth
haue submitted thy self vnto thy father and mother agayne If thou obey though it be but carnally either for feare for vayne glorie or profite thy blessyng shal be long lyfe vpon the earth For he sayth honour thy father and mother that thou mayest liue long vpon the earth Exod. xx Contrarywise if thou disobey them thy life shal be shortned vpon the earth For it foloweth Exod. xxj He that smiteth his father or mother shal be put to death for it And he that curseth that is to say rayleth or dishonoured hys father or mother with opprobrious woordes shal be slayne for it And Deut. xx◠If any man haue a sonne stubburne and disobedient which heareth not the voyce of his father and the voyce of hys mother so that they haue taught hym nurtoure and he regardeth them not then let his father and mother take hym bryng him forth vnto the Seniours or elders of the Citie and vnto the gate of the same place And let them say vnto the Seniours of that Citie this our sonne is stubburne and disobedient He will not harken vnto our voyce he is a rioter and a dronkard Thē let the men of the Citie stone hym with stones vnto death so shall ye put awaye wickednesse from among you and all Israell shall heare and shall feare And though that the temporall officers to their owne damnation be negligent in punishing such disobedience as the spirituall officers are to teache it and winke at it or looke on it thorough the fingers yet shall they not scape vnpunished For the vengeance of God shall accōpanie them as thou mayst see Deut. xxviij With all misfortune and euill lucke shall not depart from them vntill they be murdered drownde or hanged either vntill by one mischaunce or an other they be vtterly brought to nought Yea the world often tymes hangeth many a man for that they neuer deserued but God hāgeth them because they would not obey and harkē vnto their elders as the consciences of many well finde when they come vnto the galowes There can they preach and teach other that whiche they thē selues would not learne in season The Mariage also of the children perteineth vnto their elders as thou mayst see i. Cor. vij and throughout all the Scripture by the authoritie of the sayd commaundement child obey father and mother Whiche thyng the heathen and gentiles haue euer kept and to this day keepe vnto thee great shame and rebuke of vs Christē in as much as the weddyngs of our virgins shame it is to speake it are more lyke vnto the saute of a bitche then the mariyng of a reasonable creature Se not we dayly three or foure calengyng one woman before the Commissary or Officiall of whiche not one hath the consent of her father and mother And yet hee that hath most money hath best right and shall haue her in the despite of all her frendes and in deffiaunce of Gods ordinaunces Moreouer when she is geuen by the iudge vnto y t one party also maried euen then oft tymes shall the contrary party sue before an hyer iudge or an other that succedeth the same for money deuorce her agayne So shamefully doth the couetousnes and ambition of our Prelates mocke with the lawes of God I passe ouer with silence how many yeares they will prolōg the sentence with cauillations and suttletie if they be well monyed on both parties and if a damsel promise ij how shamefull Councel they will geue the second and also how the religious of Sathan do separate vnseperable matrimonie For after thou art lawfully maryed at the commaundemēt of father and mother and with the consent of all thy frendes yet if thou wilt be disgised eke vnto one of them and sweare obediēce vnto their traditions thou mayst disobey father and mother breake the othe which thou hast sworne to God before his holy congregation and withdraw loue and charitie the hyest of Gods cōmaundements and that dutie and seruice which thou owest vnto thy wife whereof Christ can not dispence with thee For Christ is not agaynst God but with God and came not to breake Gods ordinaunces but to fulfill them That is hee came to ouercome thee w t kindnes and to make thee to do of very loue the thyng which the law cōpelleth thee to doe For loue onely and to do seruice vnto thy neighbour is the fulfillyng of the law in y t sight of God To be a Monke or a Frier thou mayst thus forsake thy wife before thou hast lyne with her but not to be a seculare priest And yet after thou art professed the Pope for money wil dispence with thee both for thy coate and all thy obedience make a seculer Priest of thee likewise as it is simonie to sell a benefice as they call it but to resigne vpon a pension and thē to redeine the same is no simony at all Oh crafty iugglers and mockers with the word of God ¶ The obedience of wiues vnto their husbandes AFter that Eue was deceaued of the Serpent God said vnto her Gene. iij. Thy lust or appetite shall perteyne vnto thy husband and he shall rule thee or raigne ouer thee God whiche created the woman knoweth what is in that weake vessell as Peter calleth her and hath therefore put her vnder the obedience of her husband to rule her lustes and wanton appetites i. Peter iij. exhorteth wiues to bee in subiection vnto their husbandes after the ensample of the holy wemen whiche in old tyme trusted in GOD and as Sara obeyed Abraham and called hym Lord. Whiche Sara before she was maried was Abrahams sister and equall with him but as soone as she was maried was in subiection and became with out comparison inferior For so is the nature of wedlocke by the ordinaunce of God It were much better that our wiues folowed the ensample of the holy wemen of old time in obeyeng their husbands then to worshyp them with a Pater noster an Aue and a Credo or to sticke vp candles before their images Paul Ephe. v. sayth wemen submitte your selues vnto your own husbādes as vnto the Lord. For the husband is the wiues head euen as Christ is the head of the congregation Therfore as the congregation is in subiection to Christ likewise let wiues be in subiectiō vnto their husbādes in all things Let the woman therfore feare her husband as Paul sayth in the sayd place For her husband is vnto her in y t stede of God that she obey him and wayte on hys commaundementes And hys commaundementes are Gods commaundements If she therfore grudge agaynst him or resiste hym she grudgeth against God and resisteth God ¶ The obedience of Seruauntes vnto their Maisters SEruauntes obey your carnall masters with feare and tremblyng in singlenesse of your hartes as vnto Christ not with seruice in the eye sight as mē pleaseres but as the
commeth it that they will pay none at all But to pay tribute is a signe of subiectiō verely the cause why Christ payed was because he had an houshold and for the same cause payed Peter also For he had an house a shippe and nettes as thou readest in the Gospell But let vs go to Paul agayne Wherfore ye must needes obey not for feare of vengeaunce onely but also because of conscience That is though thou be so naughty as nowe many yeares our Pope and Prelates euery where are that thou nedest not to obeye the temporall sword for feare of vengeaunce yet must thou obey because of consciēce First because of thine owne conscience For though thou be able to resiste yet shalt thou neuer haue a good cōscience as lōg as Gods word law and ordinaunce are against thee Secondarily for thy neighbours conscience For though through craft and violence thou mightest escape and obteyne libertie or priuilege to be free from all maner dueties yet oughtest thou neither to sue or to seeke for any such thing neither yet admit or accept if it were profered lest thy fredome make thy weake brother to grudge rebell in that he seeth thee go emptie and he him selfe more ladē thy part also layd on his shoulders Seest thou not if a man fauour one sonne more then an other or one seruaunt more then an other how all the rest grudge and how loue peace and vnitie is broken What Christenly loue is in the to thy neighbour ward when thou canst finde in thyne hart to go vp and down empty by him all day long and see him ouer charged yea to fal vnder his burthen and yet wilt not once set to thyne hand to helpe him What good conscience cā there be among our spiritualtie to gather so great treasure together and with hypocrisie of their false learnyng to robbe almost euery man of house and landes and yet not therewith content but with all craft and wilenes to purchase so great liberties and exemptions from all maner bearyng with their brethren seekyng in Christ nothyng but lucre I passe ouer with silence how they teach Princes in euery lande to lade new exactions and tyranny on their subiectes more and more dayly neither for what purpose they do it say I. God I trust shall shortly disclose their iugglynge and bryng their falshode to light and lay a medecine to thē to make their scabbes breake out Neuerthelesse this I say that they haue robbed all Realmes not of Gods word onely but also of all wealth and prosperitie and haue driuen peace out of all landes withdrawen them selues from all obediēce to Princes and haue separated them selues from the lay men countyng thē viler thē dogges and haue set vp that great Idole the whore of Babylō Antichrist of Rome whom they call pope and haue conspired agaynst all common wealthes haue made them a seuerall kyngdome wherin it is lawfull vnpunished to woorke all abhomination In euery Parish haue they spyes and in euery great mans house and in euery tauerne and alchouse And thorough confessions knowe they all secretes so that no man may open his mouth to rebuke what soeuer they do but that he shal be shortly made an hereticke In all Coūcels is one of them yea the most part and chief rulers of the Councels are of them But of there Councell is no man Euen for this cause pay ye tribute that is to witt for consciences sake to thy neighbour and for the cause that foloweth For they are Gods Ministers seruyng for the same purpose Because God will so haue it we must obey We doe not looke if we haue Christes spirite in vs what is good profitable glorious and honorable for vs neither on our owne will but on Gods will onely Geue to euery man therefore his dutie tribute to whom tribute belongeth custome to whom custome is due feare to whō feare belongeth honour to whom honor perteineth That thou mightest feele the workyng of the spirite of God in thee and lest the bewtie of the deed should deceaue thee and make thee thinke that the law of God whiche is spirituall were contēt and fulfilled with the outward and bodyly dede it foloweth Owe nothyng to any mā but to loue one an other For he that loueth an other fulfilleth the law For these commaundementes thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnes thou shalt not desire and so forth if there be any other commaūdement are all comprehended or contained in this saying loue thy neighbour therfore is loue the fulfillyng of the law Here hast thou sufficient agaynst all the sophisters workeholy iustifiers in the world which so magnifie their dedes The law is spirituall and requireth the hart is neuer fulfilled with the dede in the sight of god With y e dede thou fulfillest the law before the world liuest thereby that is y ◠enioyest this presēt life and auoydest the wrath and vengeaunce the death and punishment which the law threatneth to them that breake it But before God thou keepest the law if thou loue onely Now what shal make vs loue Verely that shall fayth do If thou behold how much God loueth thee in Christ and from what vengeaunce he hath deliuered thee for his sake and of what kyngdome he hath made thee heyre then shalt thou see cause inough to loue thy very enemie without respect of reward either in this lyfe or in the lyfe to come but because that God will so haue it and Christ hath deserued it Yet thou shouldest feele in thyne harte that all thy deedes to come are abundantly recompensed all ready in Christ Thou wilt say haply if loue fulfill the lawe then it iustifieth I say that that wherewith a man fulfilleth the law declareth hym iustified but that which geueth him wherewith to fulfill the law iustifieth hym By iustifiyng vnderstande the forgeuenesse of sinnes and the fauour of God Now sayth the text Roma x. the ende of the law or the cause wherfore the law was made is Christ to iustifie all that beleue That is the law is geuen to vtter sinne to kill the consciences to damne our deedes to bryng to repentaunce and to driue vnto Christ in whō God hath promised his fauour and forgeuenesse of sinne vnto all that repente and consent to the law that it is good If thou beleue the promises then doth Gods truth iustifie thee that is forgeueth thee and receaueth thee to fauour for Christes sake In a suretie wherof and to certifie thine hart he sealeth thee with the spirite Ephe. i. and. iiij And. ij Cor. v. sayth Paul whiche gaue vs his spirite in earnest How the spirite is geuen vs through Christ read the viij chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines and Gallat iij. and. ij Cor. iij. Neuerthelesse the spirit and his frutes
wherewith y ◠hart is purified as fayth hope loue pacience long sufferyng and obedience could neuer be sene without outward experience For if thou were not brought sometime into combraunce whence God onely could deliuer thee thou shouldest neuer see thy fayth yea except thou foughtest sometyme agaynst desperation hell death sinne and powers of this worlde for thy faythe 's sake thou shouldest neuer know true fayth from a dreame Except thy brother now and then offended thee thou couldest not know whether thy loue were Godly For a Turke is not angre till he be hurt and offended but it thou loue him that doth thee euill then is thy loue of God likewise if thy rulers were alway kinde thou shouldest not know whether thyne obedience were pure or no but if thou canst paciently obeye euill rulers in all thyngs that is not to the dishonour of God and when thou hurtest not thy neighbours then art thou sure that Gods spirite worketh in thee and that thy fayth is no dreame nor any false imagination Therfore counceleth Paule Rom. xij recompense to no man euill And on your part haue peace with all men Dearely beloued auenge not your selues but geue rowme vnto the wrath of God For it is written vengeaunce is myne and I will reward sayth the Lord. Therfore if thy enemie hungre feede hym If he thurst geue hym drinke For in so doyng thou shalt heape coales of fire on his heed that is thou shalt kindle loue in him Be not ouercome of euil that is let not an other mans wickednesse make thee wicked also But ouercome euill with good that is with softenes kindnesse and all pacience winne him euen as God with kindnesse wonue thee THe law was geuē in thūder lightenyng fire smoke and the voyce of a trumpet and terrible sight Exod. xx So that the people quaked for feare and stode a farre of saying to Moyses Speake thou to vs and we wil heare let not the Lord speake vnto vs left we dye No eare if it be awaked and vnderstandeth the meanyng is able to abide the voice of the law except the promises of mercy be by That thunder except the rayne of mercy be ioyned with it destroyeth all and buildeth not The law is a witnesse agaynst vs and testifieth that God abhorreth the the sinnes that are in vs and vs for our sinnes sake In like maner when God gaue the people of Israell a kyng it thundred and rained that y ◠people feared so sore that they cryed to Samuell for to pray for them that they should not dye i. Reg. xij As the law is a terrible thing euen so is the kyng For he is ordeined to take vengeaunce and hath a sword in his hād and not pecockes feethers Feare him therfore and looke on hym as thou wouldest looke on a sharpe sword that hanged ouer thy head by an heare Heades and gouerners are ordeined of God and are euen the gifte of God whether they be good or bad And what soeuer is done vnto vs by them y t doth God be it good or bad If they be euill why are they euill verely for our wickednesse sake are they euill Because that whē they were good we would not receaue that goodnesse of the hand of God and be thankefull submitting our selues vnto his lawes and ordinaunces but abused the goodnesse of God vnto our sensuall beastly lustes Therefore doth God make hys scorge of them and turne them vnto wilde beastes cōtrary to the nature of their names and offices euen into Lyons Beares Foxes and vncleane Swine to auenge himselfe of our vnnaturall and blind vnkindnesse and of our rebellious disobedience In the Cvj. Psalme thou readest he destroyed the riuers and dryed vp the springes of water and turned y t fruitfull land into barennesse for the wickednesse of the inhabiters therein Whē the children of Israell had forgotten God in Egipt God moued the hartes of the Egiptians to hate them and to subdue them with craft and wilynes Psal Ciiij and Deuteronomiun iij. Moyses rehearseth saying God was angry wyth me for your sakes so that the wrath of God fell on Moyses for the wickednesse of the people And in the secōd Chap. of the second booke of kynges God was angry with the people and moued Dauid to number them when Ioab and the other Lords wondred why hee would haue them numbred and because they feared lest some euil should folow disswaded the kyng yet it holpe not God so hardened his hart in his purpose to haue an occasion to slay the wicked people Euill rulers then are a signe that God is angry and wroth with vs. Is it not a great wrath and vengeaunce that the father and mother should hate their children euen their flesh and their bloud or that an husband should be vnkinde vnto his wife or a master vnto the seruaunt that wayteth on his profite or the Lordes and Kynges should be tyrauntes vnto their subiectes and tenauntes which pay them tribute tolle custome and rente laboring and toyling to finde them in honour and to mainteine them in their estate is not this a fearefull iudgemēt of God and a cruell wrath that the very Prelates and shepheardes of our soules whiche were wont to feede Christes flocke with Christs doctrine and to walke before them in lyuyng there after and to geue their lyues for them to their ensample and edifiyng and to strengthē their weake faythes are now so sore chaunged that if they smell that one of their flocke as they now cal them and no lenger Christes do but once long or desire for the true knowledge of Christ they will slay hym burnyng him with fire most cruelly What is the cause of this and that they also teach false doctrine confirmyng it with lyes veryly it is the hād of God to auenge the wickednes of them that haue no loue nor lust vnto the truth of God when it is preached but reioyse in vnrighteousnes As thou maist see in the second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians Where he speaketh of the comming of Antichrist Whos 's commyng shal be sayth he by the workyng of Sathan with all miracles signes and wonders which are but lyes and in all deceanable vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receaued not any loue to the truth to haue bene saued Therefore shall God send them strong delusion to beleue lyes Marke how God to auenge his truth sendeth to the vnthankefull false doctrine and false miracles to confirme them and to harden their harts in the false way that afterward it shall not be possible for them to admitte the truth As thou seest in Exod. vij and viij how God suffered false miracles to be shewed in y t sight of Pharao to harden his hart that he should not beleue the truth in as much as hys sorcerers turned their roddes into Serpēts and turned water into bloud and made frogges by their inchauntment so thought he
that Moses did all his miracles by the same craft and not by the power of GOD. And abode therfore in vnbelefe and perished in resisting God Let vs receaue all thinges of God whether it be good or bad let vs humble our selues vnder his mighty hand and submitte our selues vnto his nurture and chastising and not withdraw our selues from his correction Read Hebr. xij for thy comfort and let vs not take the stafe by the end or seke to auenge our selues on his rodde which is the euill rulers The child as long as he seketh to auenge him selfe vpon the rodde hath an euill hart For he thinketh not that the correctiō is right or that he hath deserued it neither repenteth but reioyseth in his wickednes And so lōg shall he neuer be without a rodde yea so long shall the rodde be made sharper and sharper If he knowledge his faute and take the correction mekely and euē kisse the rodde and amende him selfe with the learnyng and nurture of his father mother then is the rodde takē away and burnt So if we resiste euill rulers sekyng to set our selues at libertie we shall no doubt bring our selues into more euill bondage wrappe our selues in much more miserie and wretchednes For if the heades ouercome then lay they more weight on their backes make their yoke sorer and tye them shorter If they ouercome their euill rulers then make they way for a more cruell natiō or for some tyraunt of their own nation whiche hath no right vnto the crown If we submitte our selues vnto the chastisyng of God and mekely knowledge our sinnes for whiche we are scourged and kisse the rodde and amende our liuyng then will GOD take the rodde away that is he will geue the rulers a better hart Or if they continue their malice and persecute you for well doyng and because ye put your trust in GOD then will God deliuer you out of their tyranny for his truthes sake It is the same God now that was in the old time deliuered the fathers and the Prophetes the Apostles and other holy Saintes And what soeuer he sware to them he hath sworne to vs. And as he deliuered them out of all temptation combraūce and aduersitie because they consented and submitted them selues vnto his will and trusted in his goodnes and truth euen so will he do vs if we do likewise When soeuer the children of Israell fel from the way which God cōmaunded them to walke in he gane them vp vnder one tyraūt or an other As soone as they came to the knowledge of thē selues and repented crying for mercy and leaning vnto the truth of his promises he sent one to deliuer them as the hystories of the Bible make mention A Christen man in respect of God is but a passiue thing a thyng that suffereth onely and doth nought as the sicke in respect of the Surgion or Phisition doth but suffer onely The Surgen launceth and cutteth out the dead flesh searcheth the woundes thrusteth in tentes sereth burneth soweth or sticheth and leyeth to corsies to draw out y ◠corruption last of all leyeth to healyng plaisters maketh it whole The Phisitiō likewise geueth purgations and drinkes to driue out the disease and then with restauratiues bringeth health Now if the sicke resiste the raser the searching yron and so forth doth he not resiste his owne health and is cause of his owne death So likewise is it of vs if we resiste euil rulers which are the rodde scourge wherewith God chastiseth vs the instrumentes wherewith God searcheth out woundes and bitter drinkes to driue out the sinne and to make it appeare and corsies to draw out by the rotes the core of the poxe of the soule that freateth inward A Christen mā therfore receaueth all thyng of the hand of God both good and bad both sweete and sowre both wealth wo. If any person do me good whether it be father mother and so forth that receaue I of God and to God geue thankes For he gaue wherewith and gaue a commaundement and moued his hart so to do Aduersitie also receaue I of the hād of God as an wholesome medicine though it be somewhat bitter Temptation and aduersitie do both kill sinne and also vtter it For though a Christen man knoweth euery thyng how to lyue yet is the flesh so weake that he cā neuer take vp his crosse him selfe to kill and mortifie the flesh He must haue an other to lay it on hys backe In many also sinne lyeth hidde within and festereth and rotteth inward is not sene so that they thinke how they are good and perfect kepe the law As the younge man Math. xix sayd he had obserued all of a child and yet lyed falsly in his hart as the text folowing well declareth When all is at peace and no man troubleth vs we thinke that we are paciēt and loue our neighbours as our selues but let our neighbour hurt vs in woorde or deede and then finde we it otherwise Then fume we and rage and set vp the bristels bend our selues to take vengeaunce If we loued with godly loue for Christes kindnes sake we should desire no vengeaunce but pitie him and desire God to forgeue and amend him knowing well that no flesh can do otherwise the sinne except that God preserue hym Thou wilt say what good doth such persecution and tyranny vnto the righteous First it maketh them feele the woorkyng of Gods spirite in them and that theyr fayth is vnfayned Secondaryly I say that no man is so great a sinner if he repent and beleue but that he is righteous in Christ and in the promises yet if thou looke on the flesh and vnto the law there is no man so perfect that is not founde a sinner Nor any man so pure that hath not somewhat to be yet purged This shall suffice at this time as concernyng obedience BEcause that God excludeth no degree from his mercy But who so euer repenteth and beleueth his promises of what soeuer degree he be of the same shal be partaker of hys grace therfore as I haue described the obedience of them that are vnder power and rule euen so will I with Gods helpe as my dutie is declare how the rulers whiche God shall vouchsafe to call vnto the knowledge of the truth ought to rule ¶ The office of a Father and how he should rule FAthers moue not your children vnto wrath but bring them vp in y ◠nurtour and information of the Lord. Ephe. vi and Collos iij. Fathers rate not your children least they be of desperate minde that is least you discourage thē For where y ◠fathers and mothers are weywarde hastie and churlishe euer brauling and chiding there are y t children anone discouraged and hartlesse and apte for nothing neither can they do any thyng aright Bryng them vp in the nurtoure and information of
offering and hys going in once in the yeare into the inner temple signifie the offering wherewyth Christ offered hymselfe and Christes goyng in vnto the father to be an euerlasting mediator or intercessor for vs. Neuerthelesse Rochester proueth the contrary by a shadow by a shadow verely For in shadowes they walke with out all shame and the light will they not come at but enforce to stoppe and quench it with all craft and falshod lest their abhominable iugling shoulde be sene If any man looke in the light of y e new testament he shal clearely see that that shadow may not be so vnderstād Vnderstand therfore that one thing in the Scripture representeth diuers thynges A Serpent figureth Christ in one place and the Deuill in an other And a Lyon doth lykewise Christ by Leuen signifieth Gods worde in one place and in an other signifieth thereby the traditions of y t Phareseis which sowred altered Gods word for theyr auauntage Now Moyses verely in y ◠sayd place representeth Christ and Aaron which was not yet hye Priest represēted not Peter onely or hys successour as my Lord of Rochester woulde haue it for Peter was to litle to beare Christes message vnto all the world but signifieth euery disciple of Christ euery true preacher of Gods worde For Moyses put in Aarons mouth what he should say and Aaron was Moyses Prophet and spake not hys owne message as the Pope and Byshoppes doe but that which Moyses had receaued of God and deliuered vnto hym Exod. 4. and also 7. So ought euery preacher to preach Gods worde purely and neither to adde nor minish A true messenger must doe his message truely and say neither more nor lesse then he is commaunded Aaron when he is hye priest and offereth and purgeth the people of their worldly sinne which they had fallē in in touching vncleanly thynges and in eating meates forbidden as we sinne in handling the chalice and the Alter stone are purged wyth the Bishops blessing representeth Christ which purgeth vs from all sinne in the sight of God as the epistle vnto the Hebrues maketh mentiō When Moyses was gone vp into the mounte and Aaron left behynde and made the golden Calfe there Aaron representeth all false preachers and namely our most holy father y ◠Pope which in like maner maketh vs beleue in a Bull as y t Bishop of Rochester ful wel alleageth the place in hys sermon If the Pope be signified by Aaron and Christ by Moyses why is not the Pope as well content with Christes law and doctrine as Aaron was with Moyses What is the cause that our Bishops preach the pope and not Christ seyng the Apostles preached not Peter but Christ Paul ij Cor. iiij sayth of hym selfe and of his felowapostles we preache not our selues but Christ Iesus the Lord and preach our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake And. i. Cor. iij. Let no mā reioyse in men For all thynges are yours whether it bee Paul or Apollo or Peter whether it be the world or life or death whether they be present thinges or thynges to come all are yours ye are Christes Christ is Gods He leueth out ye are Peters or ye are the popes And in the Chapter folowyng he sayth Let men thus wise esteme vs euē the ministers of Christ c. And. ij Cor. xj Paul was gelous ouer his Corinthians because they fell from Christ to whom he had maried thē did cleaue vnto the authoritie of men for euē then false Prophetes sought authoritie in the name of the hye Apostles I am sayth he gelouse ouer you with godly gelousie For I coupled you to one mā to make you a chast virgine to Christ but I feare lest as the Serpent deceaued ◅e through his suttiltie euen so your wittes should be corrupt from the singlenesse that is in Christ And it followeth If he that commeth to you preached an other Iesus or if ye receaue an other spirite or another Gospell then might ye well haue ben content that is ye might haue well suffered him to haue authoritie aboue me But I suppose sayth he that I was not behynd the hye Apostles meaning in preaching Iesus his Gospell and in ministring the spirite And in the said xj Chapter he proueth by y ◠doctrine of Christ that he is greater then the hye Apostles For Christ sayth to be great in the kingdome of God is to do seruice and take payne for other Vpon which rule Paul disputeth saying if they be the ministers of Christ I am more In labours more aboundaunt in stripes about measure in prison more plenteously in death oft and so forth If Paul preached Christ more then Peter and suffered more for hys congregation then is he greater then Peter by y e testimony of Christ And in the xij he sayth In nothing was I inferior vnto y ◠hye Apostles Though I be nothing yet the tokēs of an Apostle were wrought amōg you with all pacience with signes wōders mighty dedes So proued he his authority not with a bulle frō Peter sealed with cold lead either with shadowes of the old Testament falsly expounded Moreouer the Apostles were sent immediatly of Christ and of Christ receaued they their authoritie as Paul boasteth him selfe euery where Christ sayth he sent me to preach the Gospell i. Corint i. And I receaued of the Lord that which I deliuered vnto you i. Cor. xi And Gal. i. I certifie you brethrē that the Gospell which was preached of me was not after the maner of men that is to witte carnal or fleshly neither receaued I it of man neyther was it taught me but I receaued it by y t reuelation of Iesus Christ And Gal. ij He that was mighty in Peter in the Apostleship ouer the circumcision was mighty in me among the Gētiles And 1. Timoth. 1. Readest thou lykewyse And Iohn xx Christ sent them forth indifferently and gaue them lyke power As my father sent me sayth he so send I you that is to preach and to suffer as I haue done and not to conquer enemyes and kyngdomes and to subdue all temporall power vnder you wyth disguised hypocrisie He gaue thē the holy Ghost to bynde and loose indifferently as thou seest And afterward he sent forth Paule wyth like authority as thou seest in the Actes And in the last of Mathew sayth he all power is geuen me in heauē and in earth goe therfore and teach all naciōs baptising them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue whatsoeuer I commaunded you The authoritie that Christ gaue thē was to preach yet not what they would imagine but what he had commaunded Loe sayth he I am with you alwayes euen vnto the ende of the world He sayde not I goe my way and loe here is Peter in my stede But sent them euery man to
Christ or entende to restore the Kynges agayne vnto their duties and right and to the rowme and authoritie which they haue of God and of shadowes to make theÌ„ Kynges in deede to put the world in his order agayne then the Kynges deliuer their swordes and authoritie vnto the hypocrites to â—lay him So dronken are they with the wine of the whore ¶ The text that foloweth in Paule wil they happely lay to my charge and others How shall they preach except they be sent sayth Paul in the sayd x. to the Romaines We wil they say the Pope Cardinals and Byshoppes all authority is ours The Scripture perteineth vnto vs and is our possession And we haue a law that who soeuer presume to preach without the authoritie of the Bishops is excommunicate in the deede doyng Whence therefore hast thou thine authoritie wil they say The old Phariseis had the Scripture in captiuitie likewise and asked Christ by what authoritie doest thou these thynges as who should say We are phariseis thou art none of our order nor hast authoritie of vs. Christ asked them an other question and so will I do our hypocrites Who seÌ„t you God Nay hee that is sent of God speaketh Gods word Iohn iij. Now speake ye not Gods worde nor any thyng saue your own lawes made cleane contrary vnto Gods worde Christes Apostles preached Christ not them selues He that is of the truth preacheth the truth Now ye preach nothyng but lyes and therefore are of the deuill the father of all lyes of hym are ye sent And as for mine authoritie or who sent me I report me vnto my workes as Christ Iohn v. and. x. If Gods word beare recorde that I say truth why should any man doubt but that God the father of truth and of lyght hath sent me as the father of lyes of darknes hath sent you and that the spirite of truth and of light is with me as the spirite of lyes and of darkenes is with you By this meanes thou wilt that euery man be a preacher will they say Nay verely For GOD will that not and therfore will I it not no more then I would that euery man of London were Mayre of London or euery man of the Realme Kyng therof God is not the author of dissention and strife but of vnitie and peace and of good order I will therefore that where a congregation is gathered together in Christ one be chosen after the rule of Paul and that hee onely preach and els no maÌ„ openly but that euery man teach hys houshold after the same doctrine But if the preacher preach false then whosoeuers harte God moueth to the same it shal be law full to rebuke and improue the false teacher with the cleare and manifest Scripture and that same is no doubt a true Prophet sent of GOD. For the Scripture is gods and theirs that beleue and not the false Prophet SAcrament is then as much to say as an holy signe And the Sacramentes which Christ ordeined preach Gods word vnto vs and therfore iustifie and minister the spirite to them that beleue as Paul thorough preachyng the Gospell was a minister of righteousnes of the spirite vnto all that beleued his preachyng Domme ceremonies are no Sacramentes but superstitiousnes Christes SacrameÌ„ts preach the fayth of Christ as his Apostles did thereby iustifie Antichristes domme ceremonies preach not y â— fayth that is in Christ as his Apostles our Byshops and Cardinals do not But as Antichristes Bishops are ordeined to kill who soeuer preach the true faith of Christ so are his ceremonies ordeined to quench the faith which Christes SacrameÌ„tes preach And hereby maist thou knowe the difference betwene Christes signes or Sacramentes and Antichristes signes or ceremonyes that Christes signes speake and Antichristes be domme Hereby seest thou what is to be thought of all other ceremonies as halowed water bread salt bowes belles waxe ashes and so forth and all other disguisinges and Apesplay and of all maner coniurations as the coniuring of church and churchyardes and of alter stones such like Where no promise of God is there can be no fayth nor iustifiyng nor forgeuenes of sinnes For it is more then madnes to looke for any thing of god saue that he hath promised How farre he hath promised so farre is he boduÌ„ to them that beleue and further not To haue a fayth therefore or a trust in any thing where god hath not promised is plaine idolatry and a worshipping of thyne own imagination in stede of God Let vs see the pith of a ceremony or two to iudge the rest by In coniuring of holy water they pray that whosoeuer be sprinckled therewith may receaue health as well of body as of soule and likewise in makyng holy bread and so forth in the coniurations of other ceremonies Now we see by dayly experience that halfe their prayer is vnheard For no man receaueth health of body thereby No more of likelihode do they of soule Yea we see also by experience that no man receaueth health of soule thereby For no man by sprinckling himselfe with holy water and wyth eating holy bread is more mercifull then before or forgeueth wrong or becommeth at one with his enemy or is more patient and lesse couetous and so forth Which are the sure tokens of the soule health They preach also that the wagging of the Byshops hand ouer vs blesseth vs and putteth away our sinnes Are these workes not against Christ How can they do more shame vnto Christes bloud For if the wagging of the Byshops hand ouer me be so precious a thyng in the sight of God that I am thereby blessed how then am I full blessed wyth all spirituall blessinge in Christ as Paul saith Ephe. j Or if my sinnes be full done away in Christ how remayneth there any to be done away by such phantasies The Apostles knew no wayes to put away sin or to blesse vs but by preaching Christ Paule sayth Gal. ij If righteousnes come by the law then Christ dyed in vayne So dispute I here If blessing come by the wagging of the Byshops hand then dyed Christ in vayne and his death blesseth vs not And a little afore sayth Paule if while we seeke to be iustified by Christ we be yet found sinners so that we must be iustified by the law or ceremonies is not Christ then a minister of sinne So dispute I here If while we seeke to be blessed in Christ we are yet vnblessed and must be blessed by the wagging of the Byshoppes hand what haue we then of Christ but curse Thou wilt say When we come first to the fayth then Christ forgeueth vs and blesseth vs. But the sinnes which we afterward commit are forgeuen vs through such thinges I aunswere If any man repent truely and come to the fayth and put hys trust in Christ theÌ„ as oft as he sinneth of frayltie at
attrition character Purgatory pickepurse and how through confessioÌ„ they make the SacrameÌ„tes and all the promise of none effect or value There seest thou that absoluyng is but preachyng the promises cursing or excommunicating preachyng the law and of their power of their keyes of false miracles prayeng to Saintes There seest thou that ceremonies dyd not the miracles but faith eueÌ„ as it was not Moses rodde that did y â— miracles but Moses fayth in the promise of God Thou seest also that to haue a fayth where God hath not a promise is Idolatry And there also seest thou how the pope exalteth him self aboue God and commauÌ„deth him to obey his tyraÌ„ny Last of all thou hast there that no maÌ„ ought to preach but he that is called TheÌ„ foloweth the bely brotherhead of Monkes Friers For Christ hath deserued nought with them For his sake gettest thou no fauor Thou must offer vnto their belyes theÌ„ they pray bitterly for thee There seest thou that Christ is the onely cause yea all the cause why God doth ought for vs and heareth our complaint And there hast thou doctrine how to know and to be sure that thou art elect and hast Gods sprite in thee And hast there learnyng to try the doctrine of our spirites Then folow the foure senses of the Scripture of which three are no senses and the fourth that is to wite the litterall sense which is the very sense hath the Pope taken to him selfe It may haue no other meanyng theÌ„ as it pleaseth his fatherhode We must abyde his interpretatioÌ„ And as his belles thinke so must we thinke though it be impossible together any such meanyng of the Scripture Then hast thou the very vse of Allegories and how they are nothyng but ensamples borowed of the Scripture to expresse a text or an open conclusion of the Scripture and as it were to paynte it before thyne eyes that thou mayest feele the meanyng and the power of the Scripture in thyne hart Then commeth the vse of worldly similitudes how they are false Prophetes which bring a worldly similitude for any other purpose saue to expresse more playnly y â— which is coÌ„teined in an open text And so are they also whiche draw the Scripture contrary to the open places and coÌ„trary to the ensample liuyng and practising of Christ the Apostles and of the holy Prophetes And then finally hast thou of our holy fathers power and of hys keyes and of hys bindyng and excommunicatyng and of his cursyng and blessyng with ensamples of euery thyng The end of the obedience of a Christen man ¶ An exposition vppon the v. vi vii chapters of Mathew which three chapters are the keye and the dore of the scripture and the restoring agayne of Moses law corrupte by the Scribes and Pharises And the exposition is the restoring agayne of Christes lawe corrupte by the Papistes ¶ Item before the booke thou hast a Prologe very necessarie contayning the whole summe of the couenaunt made betwene God and vs vppon which we be baptised to kéepe it Set forth by William Tyndall ¶ The Prologe HEre hast thou deare Reader an exposition vpon the v. vi and vij chapters of Mathew wherin Christ our spirituall Isaac diggeth agayne the welles of Abraham which welles y t Scribes Phareses those wicked spitefull Philistines had stopped and filled vp wyth the earth of their false expositions He openeth the kingdome of heauen which they had shut vp that other men should not enter as they themselues had no lust to go in He restoreth the keye of knowledge which they had taken away and broken the wardes with wresting the text contrary to his due and natural course with their false gloses He plucketh away from the face of Moses the vaile which the Scribes and Phareises had spred thereon that no man might perceaue the brightnes of his countenaunce He wedeth out the thornes and bushes of their Pharesaicall gloses wherewith they had stopped vp the narrow way and straight gate that fewe coulde finde them The welles of Abraham are the scripture And the Scripture may well be called the kingdome of heauen which is eternall lyfe and nothing saue the knowledge of God the father and of his sonne Iesus Christ Ioh. xvij Moses face is the law in her right vnderstanding and the law in her right vnderstanding is the keye or at the least waye the first and principall keye to open the dore of the Scripture And the law is the very way that bringeth vnto y â— dore Christ as it is writteÌ„ Gala. iij. The law was our scholemaster to bring vs to Christ that we might be iustified by fayth And Rom. x. the ende of the lawe that is to say the thyng or cause why the law was geuen is Christ to iustifie all that beleue That is to say the lawe was geuen to proue vs vnrighteous and to driue vs to Christ to be made righteous the row forgeuenes of sinne by hym The lawe was geuen to make the sinne knowen sayth Saint Paule Rom. iiij and that sinne committed vnder the law might be the more sinfull Rom. vij The law is that thyng which Paule in his inward maÌ„ grauÌ„ted to be good but was yet compelled oft tymes of his meÌ„bers to do those thinges which that good lawe condemned for euill Rom. vij The law maketh no man to loue the law or lesse to do or commit sinne but gendereth more lust Rom. vij and increaseth sinne Rom. v. For I cannot but hate the lawe in as much as I finde no power to do it and it neuerthelesse condemneth me because I do it not The lawe setteth not at one with God but causeth wrath Rom. iij. The lawe was geueÌ„ by Moses but grace and veritie by Iesus Christ Ioh. j. Behold though Moses gaue the law yet he gaue no man grace to do it or to vnderstand it aright or wrote it in any mans hart to consent that it was good and to wishe after power to fulfill it But Christ geueth grace to do it and to vnderstand it aright and writeth it wyth his holy spirite in the tables oâ— the hartes of men and maketh it a true thing there and none hypocrisie The lawe truely vnderstoode is those fierie serpentes that strong the children of Israell with present death But Christ is the brasen serpent on whom whosoeuer beyng stoge with coÌ„science of sinne looketh with a â—ure fayth is healed immediatly of that stinging and saued from the paynes and sorrowes of hell It is one thyng to coÌ„demne and pronouÌ„ce the sentence of death and to flyng the conscience with feare of euerlastyng payne And it is an other thing to iustifie from sinne that is to say to forgeue and remitte sinne and to heale the conscience and certifie a man not only that he is deliuered from eternall death but also that he is made the
sonne of God heire of euerlastyng lise The first is the office of the lawe The second pertayneth vnto Christ onely thorow fayth Now if thou geue the lawe a false glose 〈◊〉 say that the lawe is a thyng which a man may do of his owne strength euen out of the power of his free wyll and that by the dedes of the law thou mayst deserue forgeuenes of thy foresinnes Then dyed Christ in vayne Galat. ij and is made almost of no sleade seyng thou art become thyne owne sauiour Nether can Christ where that glose is admitted be otherwise takeÌ„ or estemed of Christen men for all his passion and promises made to vs in his bloude then he is of the turkes how that he was an holy prophet and that he prayeth for vs as other Saintes do saue that we Christen thinke that he is somewhat more in fauour then other saintes be though we imagine hym so proude that he will not heare vs but thorow his mâ—â—de mother and other holy saintes which all we count much more meeke and mercifull then he but hym most of might and that he hath also an higher place in heauen as the graye Fryers and obseruaunts set hym as it were froÌ„ the chinne vpward aboue S. Fraunces And so when by this false interpretation of the lawe Christ which is the doore the way and the groÌ„und or foundation of all the scripture is lost concerning the chiefest frute of hys passion and no more sene in his owne likenes then is the scripture locked vp and henceforth extreame darcknes and a maze wherein if thou walke thou wottest neither where thou art nor canst finde any way out It is a confused Chaos and a minglyng of all thinges together without order euery thyng contrary to an other It is an hedge or groue of briers wherin if thou be caught it is impossible to get out but that if thou lowse thy selfe in one place thou art tangled and caught in an other for it This wise was the scripture locked vp of the Scribes Phareseis that the Iewes could not see Christ when he came nor yet can And though Christ with these iij. chapters did open it agayne yet by such gloses for our vnthankfulnes sake that we had no lust to lyue accordyng haue we Christen lost Christ agayne and the vnderstanding of the most cleare text wherewith Christ expoundeth and restoreth the lawe agayne For the hipocrites whatsoeuer semeth impossible to their corrupt nature vnrenued in Christ that they couer ouerwith the mist of their gloses that the light therof shuld not be seene As they haue interpreted here y â— words of Christ wherwith he restoreth the law agayne to be but good councelles onely but no preceptes that binde the consciences And thereto they haue so ruffled and tangled the temporall and spirituall regiment together and made thereof such confusion that no man can know the one from the other to the entent that they would seme to haue both by the aucthoritie of Christ which neuer vsurped temporall regiment vnto him Notwithstanding most deare reader if thou reade this exposition with a good hart onely to know the truth for the amendyng cheifely of thine owne liuing and theÌ„ of other mennes as charitie requireth where an occasion is geuen theÌ„ shalt thou perceaue their falshod and see their mist expelled with the brightnes of the incuytable truth An other conclusion is this all the good promises which are made vs thorow out all the scripture for Christes sake for hys loue his passion or suffering his bloudsheding or death all are made vs on this condition and couenaunt on our party that we henceforth loue the law of God to walke therin to do it fashion our lyues therafter In so much that whosoeuer hath not the lawe of God written in hys hart that he loue it haue hys lust in it and recorde therein night and day vnderstanding it as God hath geuen it and as Christ and the Apostles expounde it the same hath no part in the promises or can haue any true faith in the bloud of Christ because there is no promise made him but to them onely that promise to keepe the lawe Thou wilt happely say to me agayne if I cannot haue my sinnes forgeuen except I loue the lawe and of loue endeuour my selfe to keepe it then the keeping of the lawe iustifieth me I aunswere that the argument is false and but blinde sophistrie and lyke vnto thys argument I cannot haue forgeuenes of my sinne except I haue sinned Ergo to haue sinned is the forgeuenes of sinne And it is like to this also No man can be healed of the pockes but he that hath them Ergo to haue the pockes doth heale the pockes And lyke sophistry are these argumentes if thou wilt enter into life keepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes Math. xix Ergo the deedes of the lawe iustifie vs. Item the hearers of y â— lawe are not righteous in the sight of God but the doâ—rs of the lawe shall be iustified Rom. ij Ergo the deedes of the lawe iustifie from sinne And agayne we must all stand before the iudgement feate of Christ to receaue euery man according to the deedes which he did in the body Ergo the lawe or the deedes of the lawe iustifie These and all such are naughty argumeÌ„ts For ye see that the kyng pardoneth no murtherer but on a condition that he henceforth keepe the lawe and do no more so and yet ye know well inough that he is saued by grace fauour and pardon yet the keping of y â— lawe come Howbeit if he breake the lawe afterwarde he falleth agayne into the same daunger of death Euen so none of vs can be receaued to grace but vpon a condition to keepe the law neyther yet continue any longer in grace then that purpose lasteth And if we breake the law we must sue for a new pardon and haue a new sight agaynst sinne hell and desperation yeâ— we can come to a quiet fayth againe and fele that the sinne is forgeuen Neyther can there be in the a stable and an vndoubted fayth that thy sinne is forgeuen thee except there be also a lusty courage in thine hart a trust that thou wilt sinne no more for on that condition that thou endeuour thy selfe to sinne no more is the promise of mercy and forgeuenes made vnto thee And as thy loue to the lawe increaseth so doth thy fayth in Christ and so doth thyne hope and longing for the life to come And as thy loue is colde so is thy fayth weake thine hope and longing for the lyfe to come litle And where no loue to the lawe is there is neither fayth in Christ for the forgeuenes of sinne nor longing for the lyfe to come but in steede of fayth a wicked imagination that God is so vnrighteous that he is not offended with sinne And in stede of hope a
God and fayth of Christ and corrupt the text of the couenaunt with false gloses and are disobedient to God and therefore sâ—… deadly Oâ— this also ye see the difference betwene the lambes of true beleuers and betwene the vncleane swyne that follow carnall lustes fleshly libertie and the churlishe and hypocrâ—…e dogges Which for the blinde zeale of their owne righteousnes persecute the righteousnes of the fayth in Christes bloud The effeminate and careles swyne which coÌ„tinue in their fleshlines cease not to wallow theÌ„selues in their olde podell thinke that they beleue very well in Christes bloud but they are deceaued as thou mayst clearely perceaue because they feare not the damnation of euill workes nor loue the lawe of good workes and therefore haue no part in the promise The cruell and doggishe hypocrits which take vpon them to worke thinke they loue the lawe which yet they neuer sawe saue vnder a vayle But they be deceaued as thou mayst perceaue by that they beleue not in Christ for the forgeuenes of sinne Whereby also I meane that they beleue not thou mayst perceaue that they vnderstand not the lawe For if they vnderstoode the lawe it would eyther driue them to Christ or make them dispayre immediatly But the true beleuers beholde the lawe in her owne likenes and see the impossibilitie thereof to be fulfilled wyth naturall power and therefore flee to Christ for mercy grace and power and then of a very thankfulnes for the mercy receaued loue the lawe in her owne likenes and submit theÌ„selues to learne it and to profit therein and to do to morow that they can not do to day Ye see also the difference of all manner of faythes The fayth of the true beleuers is that God iustifieth or forgeueth and Christ deserueth it and the fayth or trust in Christes bloud receaueth it and certifieth the coÌ„science thereof and saueth and deliuereth her from feare of death and damnation And this is that we meane when we say fayth iustifieth that fayth I meane in Christ and not in our owne workes certifieth the conscience that our sinnes are forgeueÌ„ vs for Christes bloudes sake But the fayth of hypocrites is that God forgeueth and workes deserue it And that same false fayth in their owne workes receaueth the mercy promised to the merites of their owne workes and so Christ vtterly excluded And thus ye see that faith is the thing that to affirmed to iustifie of all partyes For faith in Christes bloud which is Gods promise quieteth the conscience of the true beleuers And a false fayth or trust in workes which is their owne fayning beguileth the blynde hypocrites for a season tyll God for the greatnes of their sinne when it is â—ull openeth their eyes then they dispayre But the swyne say God is so good that he wyll saue deuilles and all and damne no man perpetually whatsoeuer he do An other conclusion is this to beleue in Christ for the remission of sinnes and of a thankfulnes for that mercy to loue the lawe truely that is to say to loue God that is father of all and geueth all and Iesus Christ that is Lord of vs all and bought vs al with all our hartes soules power and might and our brethren for our fathers sake because they be created after his image and for our Lord and master Christes sake because they be the price of his bloud and to long for the lyfe to come because this lyfe cannot be fedde without sinne These â—…tes I say are the profession and religion of a Christen maÌ„ and the inward baptime of the hart signifyed by the outward washing of the bodye And they be that spirituall character badge or signe wherewith God thorouge hys spirite marketh all his immediatly and assoone as they be ioyned to Christ and made members of hys Church by true fayth The Church of Christ then is the multitude of all them that beleue in Christ for the remission of sinne and of a thankfulnes for that mercy loue the lawe of God purely and without gloses and of hate they haue to the sinne of this world long for the life to come This is the church that cannot erre dampnably nor any long tyme nor all of them but assoone as any question aryseth the truth of Gods promise stirreth vp one or other to teach them the truth of euery thing needefull to saluation out of Gods worde and lighteneth the hartes of the other true members to see the same and to consent thereto And as all they that haue their hartes washed wyth this inwarde baptyme of the sprite are of the church and haue the keyes of the scripture ye and of binding and lowsing and do not erre Euen so they that sinne of purpose wyll not heare when their faultes be tolde them but seeke liberties and priuilegies to sinne vnpunished and glose out the lawe of God and mainteine ceremonies traditions and customes to destroy the fayth of Christ the same be members of Sathan all their doctrine is poison Errour darcknes ye though they be Popes Byshoppes Abbotes Eurates and Doctoures of diuinitie and though they can rehearse all the scripture without booke and though they be seene in Greeke Ebrew and Latine ye and though they so preach Christ and the passion of Christ that they make the poore women weepe and howle agayne For when they come to the point that they should minister Christes passion vnto the saluation of our soules there they poyson all together and glose out the lawe that should make vs feele our saluation in Christ and driue vs in that poynt from Christ and teach vs to put our trust in our owne workes for the remission and satisfaction of our sinnes and in the Apish play of hypocrites which sell their merites in steede of Christes bloud passion â–ª â—o now deare reader to beleue in Christes bloud for the remission of sinnâ— and putchasing of all the good promises that helpe to the lyfe to come and to loue the law and to long for the life to come is the inward Baptisme of the soule the Baptisme that onely auayleth in the sight of God the new generation and image of Christ the onely keye also to binde and â—owse synners The touchstone to trye all doctrines The lanterne and light that scattereth and expelleth the mist darknes of all hypocrisie and a preseruatiue agaynst all errour and heresie The mother of all good workes The earnest of euerlastyng lyfe and title whereby we chalenge our inheritaunce And thoughe fayth in Christes bloude make the mariage betwene our soule and Christ is properly the Mariage garment yea and the signe Thau that defendeth vs from the sâ—…tyng and power of the euill aungels and is also the rocke whereon Christes Churche is built and whereon all that is built standeth against all weather of wynde and tempestes yet might the
of their heauenly father confirmed with y ◠bloud of their Lord Christ For vnto them it is harder to enter into y ◠kingdome of heauen then for a camel to enter through y ◠eye of an nedle Mar. 10. No they haue no part in the kyngdome of Christ God Ephe. v. Therefore is it euident why Christ so diligētly warneth all his to beware of couetousnesse and why hee admitteth none to be his Disciples except he first forsake all together For there was neuer couetouse person true yet either to God or man If a couetous mā be chosē to preach Gods word he is a false Prophet immediatly If he be of the lay sorte so ioyneth he him self vnto the false Prophetes to persecute the truth Couetousnesse is not onely aboue all other lustes those thornes that choke y t word of God in them that possesse it But it is also a deadly enemy to all that interprete Gods word truly All other vices though they laugh thē to scorne that talke godly yet they can suffer thē to lyue and to dwell in the countrey But couetousnes cannot rest as long as there is one that cleaueth to Gods word in all the land Take hede to thy preacher therfore and be sure if he be couetous and gape for promotion that he is a false Prophet leaueneth the Scripture for all his crying fathers fathers holy Church and fiften hūdred yeares and for all his other holy pretenses Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted This mournyng is also in the spirite and no kinne to the sowre lokyng of hipocrites nor to the impaciēt weywardnesse of those fleshely which euer whyne and complayne that the world is naught because they cānot obtayne and enioy their lustes therin Neither forbiddeth it alwayes to be mery and and to laugh make good chere now and then to forget sorrow that ouermuch heauynesse swalow not a man cleane vp For the wise man sayth sorow hath cost many their lyues And Prouer. xvij an heauy spirite drieth vp the bones And Paule commaundeth Philip. iiij to reioyse euer And Roma xij he sayth reioyse with them that reioyse and sorow with thē that sorow and wepe with them that wepe which seme two contraries This mourning is that crosse without which was neuer any Disciple of Christ or euer shal be For of what soeuer state or degree thou be in this world if thou professe y ◠Gospell there foloweth the a crosse as warmenesse accompanieth the sonne shynyng vnder which thy spirite shall grone and mourne secretly not onely because the world and thyne owne flesh carie thee away cleane cōtrary to the purpose of thyne hart But also to see and behold the wretchednesse misfortunes of thy brethrē for which because thou louest them as well as thy selfe thou shalt mourne and sorow no lesse thē for thy selfe Though thou be King or Emperour yet if thou knowest Christ and God through Christ and entendest to walke in the fight of God and to minister thyne office truly thou shalt to kepe iustice with all be compelled to do dayly that which thou art no lesse loth to do then if thou shouldest cut of arme hand or any other member of thyne owne body yea and if thou wilt folow the right way and neither turne on the right hand nor on the left thou shalt haue immediatly thine own subiectes thyne owne seruauntes thyne owne Lordes thyne own coūsellours and thyne owne Prophetes thereto agaynst thee Vnto whose froward malice and stubburnesse thou shalt be cōpelled to permitte a thousand thynges agaynst thy conscience not able to resiste them at whiche thyne hart shall blede inwardly and shalt sawse thy swete soppes which the world weneth thou hast with sorowes mough and still mournyng studyeng either alone or els with a few frēdes secretly night and day and sighing to God for helpe to mitigate the furious frowardnesse of them whō thou art not able to with stand that all go not after the will of the vngodly What was Dauid cōpelled to suffer all the dayes of his lyfe of his own seruauntes the sonnes of Seruia Beside the mischaūces of his own children And how was our king Iohn forsaken of his owne Lordes when he would haue put a good and godly reformatiō in his owne land How was Henry the secōd compassed in lyke maner of his own Prelates whom he had promoted of nought with the secrete conspiracie of some of his own temporal Lordes with thē I spare to speake of y e mournyng of the true preachers the poore cōmon people which haue none other helpe but the secret hand of God and the word of his promise But they shal be cōforted of all their tribulatiō and their sorrow shal be turned into ioye and that infinite euerlastyng in the lyfe to come Neither are they without comfort here in this world for Christ hath promised to sēd them a comfortour to be with them for euer the spirite of trouth whiche the world knoweth not Iohn xiiij And they reioyse in hope of the comfort to come Rom. xij And they ouercome through fayth as it is written Hebr. xj the Saintes through fayth ouercame kyngdomes obtained the promises And. i. Iohn v. this is the victorie that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith But the blind world neither seeth our comfort nor our trust in God nor how God thorough faith in his word helpeth vs maketh vs ouercome How ouercome they wilt thou say that be alwayes persecuted and euer slayne verely in euery battaile some of them that wynne the field be slayne yet they leaue the victorie vnto their deare frēdes for whose sakes they toke the fight vppon them and therfore are conquerours seyng they obtayne their purpose maynteine that they fought for The cursed riche of this worlde whiche haue their ioye and comfort in their riches haue sence the begynnyng fought agaynst them to wede thē out of the worlde But yet in vayne For though they haue alwayes slayne som yet those that were slayne wanne the victory for their brethren with death euer increased the nūber of them And though they semed to dye in the sight of the foolish yet they are in peace and haue obtayned that euerlastyng kyngdome for which they fought And beside all this when God plagueth the world for their sinne these y ◠mourne and sorrow are marked with the signe of Thau in their foreheades and saued from the plague that they perish not with the wicked as thou seest Ezech. ix as Lot was deliuered frō among the Sodomites And contrariwise cursed are they that laugh now ▪ that is to say which haue their ioy solace and comfort in their riches for they shall sorrow and weepe Luke vj. And as it was answered the rich man Luke xvj sonne remember how that thou receauedst thy good dayes in thy life tyme and Lazarus likewise euill
once be one of these sort euen an obseruaunt or of some like secte of which among an huÌ„dred thousaÌ„d thou shalt neuer bring one to beleue in Christ Where among open sinners many beleue at y â— houre of death fall flat vpon Christ beleue in him onely without al other righteousnes It were an huÌ„dred thousand tymes better neuer to pray theÌ„ to pray such lippe prayers neuer to fast or do almes then to fast and to do almes with a mynde therby to be made righteous and to make satisfaction for the fore sinnes Ye haue heard how that it was sayde to them of olde tyme kyll not for whosoeuer killeth shal be in daunger of iudgement But I say vnto you whosoeuer is angry with his brother shal be in daunger of iudgement And who soeuer saith vnto his brother Racha shal be in daunger of a councell But who soeuer sayth to hys brother thou foole shal be in daunger of hell fyre Here Christ beginneth not to destroy the lawe as the Phariseys had falsely accused hym but tâ— restore iâ— agayne to the right vnderstanding and to purge it froÌ„ the gloses of the Phariseys He that slayeth shal be giltie or in daunge of iudgemeÌ„t that is to say if a man murther his deede testifieth agaynst hym there is no more to do then to pronounce sentence of death agaynst hym This text did the Phariseys extend no further theÌ„ to kill with the hand and outward members But hate enuie malice churlishnesse and to withdraw helpe at neede to beguile and circumuent with wyles and subtil bargayning was no sinne at all No to bryng hym whom thou haredst to death with craft and falshood so thou diddest not put thyne hand thereto was no sinne at all As when they had brought Christ to death wrongfully compelled Pilate with subtiltis to slay hym they thought themselues pure In so much that they woulde not goe into the hall for defaling themselues beyng partakers wyth Pilate in hys bloud And Act. v. they sayd to the Apostles ye woulde bring this mans bloud vppon vs as who would say we slue hym not And Saul in the first booke of the Kinges in the xviij chap. beyng so wroth wyth Dauid that he would gladly haue had hym slaine determined yet that he would not defile hymself bâ—t to thrust him into y e haÌ„des of the Philistines that they might slay him and he hymselfe abide pure And as our spiritualtie now offer a man mercy once though he haue spoken against holy church onely if he wil but periure and beare a fagot But if he wil not they do but diet hym a season to winne him and make hym tell more and deliuer hym to the laye power saying he hath deserued death by our lawes and ye ought to kyll hym how beit we desire it not But Christ restoreth the law againe and sayth to be angry with thy neighbour is to slea hym to deserue death For the lawe goeth as wel on the hart as on the â—aÌ„d He that hateth his brother is a murtherer i. Ioh iij. If then the blynde hand deserue death how much more those partes which haue y â— sight of reason And he y â— sayth Racha lewde or whatsoeuer signe of wrath it be or that prouoketh to wrath hath not onely deserued that men shoulde immediatly pronouÌ„ce senteÌ„ce of death vpon him but also that when death is pronouÌ„ced they shuld gather a couÌ„cell to decree what horrible death he shuld suffer And he that calleth hys brother foole hath sinned downe to hell Shall then a man not be angry at all nor rebuke or punishe yes if thou be a father or a mother master or maâ—sâ—…sse husband Lord or ruler yet with loue and mercy that the angre rebuke or punishment exceede not the fault or trespasse May a man be angry with loue ye mothers can be so wyth their children It is a louyng anger that hateth onely the vice and studieth to mende the person But here is forbiddeÌ„ not onely wrath against father mother and all that haue gouernauÌ„ce ouer thee which is to be angry and to grudge agaynst God himselfe that the ruler shall not be wrath without a cause agaynst the subiect But also all priuate wrath against thy neighbour ouer whom thou hast no rule nor he ouer thee no though he do thee wroÌ„g For he that doth wrong lacketh witte and discretion and cannot amende till he be enformed and taught louingly Therefore thou must refrayne thy wrath and tell him his fault louingly and with kyndenesse winne him to thy father for he is thy brother as well made and as deare bought as thou as well beloued though he be yet childishe and lacke discretion But some wil say I wil not hate my neighbour nor yet loue him or do hym good yes y â— must loue him for the first coÌ„maundement out of which all other flow is thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thyne hart with all thy soule and with all thy might That is thou must keepe all his commaundemeÌ„tes with loue Loue must kepe thee from killing or hurting thy neighbour and from couetyng in thyne hart what soeuer is his And. 1. Iohn iiij This commaundement haue we of him that he which loueth God loue his brother also And agayne 1. Iohn iij. he that hath the substaunce of this world and seeth his brother haue necessity shutteth vp his compassion from him how is the loue of God in hym he then that helpeth not at neede loueth not God but breaketh the first commaundemeÌ„t Let vs loue therefore sayth S. Iohn not with word and toung but in dede and truth And agayne S. Iohn sayth in the sayd place he that loueth not his brother abydeth yet still in death And of loue hath Moyses textes inough But the Phariseis glosed theÌ„ out saying they were but good councelles if a man desired to be perfect but not preceptes Exod. xxiij if thou mete thyne enemyes Oxe or Asse goyng astraye thou shalt in any wise bryng them to him agayne And if thou see thyne enemyes Asse fall downe vnder hys burthen thou shalt helpe him vp agayne And Leuit. xix thou shalt not hate thy brother in thyne hart but shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour that thou beare no sinne for his sake For if thou study not to ameÌ„d thy neighbour wheÌ„ he sinneth so art thou partaker of his sinnes And therfore wheÌ„ God taketh vengeaunce and sendeth what soeuer plage it be to punish opeÌ„ sinners thou must perish with them For thou dyddest sinne in the light of God as deepe as they because thou dyddest not loue the law of God to mainteine it withall thiue hart soule power and might Is not he that seeth his neighbours house in ieopardie to be set on fire and warneth not nor helpeth in time to auoide the perill worthy if his neighbours house be burnt vp that his be burnt also seing
commit greuous murther also It is vnright in y e sight of God and man that thy child should be at an other mans cost be an other mans heyre Neither canst thou or thy mother haue lightly a quyet conscience to God or a merie hart as long as it so is Moreouer what greater shame caÌ„st thou do to thy neighbour or what greater displeasure what if it neuer be knowen nor come any child thereof The preciousest gift that a maÌ„ hath in this world of God is the true hart of his wife to abyde by him in wealth wo to beare all fortunes with him Of that hast thou robbed him for after she hath once coupled her selfe to thee she shal not lightly loue him any more so truly But haply hate him and procure hys death Moreouer thou hast vntaught her to feare God and hast made her to sinne agaynst God For to God promised she and not to man onely for the law of Matrimonie is Gods ordinaunce For it is written Genes xxxix When Putiphars wyfe would haue had Ioseph to lye with her he answered how could I do this wickednesse and synne agaynst God yea verely it is impossible to sinne agaynst man except thou sinne agaynst God first Finally read Chronicles stories and see what hath folowed of adulterie What shall we say that some Doctours haue disputed and douted whether single fornication should be sinne when it is condemned both by Christ and Moses to And Paule testifieth 1. Cor. 6. that no fornicatour or whore keeper shall possesse the kyngdome of God It is right that all thâ— that hope in God should bryng vp their trute in the feare and knowledge of God and not to leaue his seede where he careth not what come therof Wherefore if thy right eye offende thee plucke it out and cast it froÌ„ thee for it is better for thee that one of thy meÌ„bers perish theÌ„ that thy whole body should be cast into hell And euen so if thy right hand offende thee cut it of and cast it froÌ„ thee For it is better for thee that one of thy members perishe then that thy whole bodye should be cast into hell This is not meant of the outward meÌ„bers For then we must cut of nose eares hand and â—ote ye we must procure to destroy the seing hearing smelling tasting and tealing and so euery man kill himselfe But it is a phrase or speach of the Ebrue tongue and will that we cut of occasions daunsing kissing riotous cating and drinking the lust of the hart and filthy imaginations that moue a man to coucupiscence Let euery man haue his wyfe and thinke her the fayrest and the best conditioned and euery woman her husband so to For God hath blessed thy wife and made her without sinne to thee which ought to seeme a beautifull fayrenes And all y â— ye suffer together the one with the other is blessed also and made the very crosse of Christ and pleasauÌ„t in the sight of God Why should she theÌ„ be lothsome to thee because of a little suffering that y u shouldest iust after an other that should defile thy soule â—lea thy conscience and make thee suffer euerlastingly It is sayd whosoeuer putteth away his wife let him geue her a testimoniall of the deuorcemeÌ„t But I say vnto you who soeuer putteth away his wife except it be for fornication maketh her to breake wedlocke and who soeuer marieth the deuorced breaketh wedlocke Moses Deut. xxiiij permitted hys Israelites in extreame necessitie as when they so hated their wiues y t they abhorred the company of them then to put them away to auoyde a worse inconuenience Whereof ye read also Mat. xix And he knitte thereto that they might not receaue them agayne after they had bene knowne of any other persons Which â—cence y e Iewes abused and put away their wiues for euery light or fayned cause and whensoeuer they lusted But Christ calleth backe agayne and enterpreteth y e lawe after the first ordinaunce and cutteth of all causes of deuorcement saue fornication of the wiues partie wheÌ„ she breaketh her matrimony In which case Moses law pronouÌ„ceth her dead and so do y e lawes of many other couÌ„treyes which lawes where they be vsed there is the man free without all question Now where they be let liue there the man if he see signe of repentaunce and amendment may forgeue for once If he may not finde in hys hart as Ioseph as holy as he was coulde not finde in his hart to take Christes mother to hym when he spied her with childe he is free no doubt to take an other while the lawe interpreteth her deede for her sinne ought of no right to bynde him What shall the woman doe if she repent and be so tempted in her fleshe that she cannot liue chaste verely I can shew you nothing out of the scripture The office of the preacher is to preach the x. commaundements which are the lawe naturall and to promise them which submitte themselues to keepe them of loue and feare of God euerlasting life for their labour thorow fayth in Christ and to threateÌ„ the disobedient with euerlasting payne in hell And his punishment is if any man haue offended thorow frailtie when he is rebuked turne and repent to receaue him vnto grace and absolue hym and if any will not amende wheÌ„ he is rebuked to cast him out among the infidelles This I say if the temporall power shut her vp as a conuict person appointing her a sober liuyng to make satisfaction to the congregation for her dampnable example they did not amisse It is better that one misdoer suffer then that a common wealth be corrupt Where the officers be negligent the woman not able to put her selfe to penaunce it she went where she is not knowen and there marry God is the God of mercy If any man in the same place where she trespasseth pitied her and maryed her I coulde suffer it were it not that the libertie woulde be the next way to prouoke all other that were once weary of their husbandes to commit adultery for to be deuorced from them that they might marry other which they loued better Let the temporall sworde take heede to theyr charge therefore For this is truth all the temporall blessings set in the lawe of Moses for keeping their lawes as wealth and prosperitie long life the vpperhand of their enemies plenteousnesse of fruites and cheape of all thyng and to be without pestilence warre and famishment and all maner other abhominable diseases plagues pertayne to vs as well as to them if we keepe our temporall lawes And all the cursses and terrible plagues which are threatned throughout the law of Moses as hunger dearth warre and dissentioÌ„ pestilence feuers and wonderfull and straunge fearefull diseases as the sweate pockes and falling sicknesse shortyng of dayes that the sworde hunger and such diseases
childe Euen so if we were not thus drowned in blindnesse we should easely see that we cannot do the thousand parte of our dutie to God no though there were no life to come If there were no life to come it were not right that I should touch any creature of God otherwyse then he hath appoynted Though there were no life to come it had neuerthelesse bene right that AdaÌ„ had abstayned from the forbiddeÌ„ apple tree and from all other to if they had bene forbid Yea though there were no life to come it were not the lesse right that I loued my brother and forgaue him to day seing I shall sinne agaynst him to morrow Because a father cannot geue his children heauen hath he no power to charge them to loue one another and to forgeue and not aduenge one an other And hath he not right to beat them if they smite ech other because he cannot geue them heauen A bondman that hath a master more cruell then a reasonable man would be to a dogge if there were no heauen might this bond seruaunt accuse God of vnrighteousnes because he hath not made hym a master Now then when we cannot do our dutie by a thousand partes though there were no such promises and that the thyng commaunded is no lesse our dutie though no such promise were it is easie to perceaue that the reward promised commeth of the goodnes mercy truth of the promiser to make vs the gladder to do our dutie and not of the deseruing of the receauer When we haue done all we can we ought to say in our hart that it was our dutie and that we ought to do a thousand tymes more and that God if he had not promised vs mercy of his goodnesse in Christ he might yet of right damne vs for that we haue left vndone And as touching forgeuenesse of sinne though forgeuenesse of sinne be promised vnto thee yet chalenge it not by thy merites but by the merites of Christes bloud and heare what Paule sayth Phil. iij. Concerning the righteousnes of the law I was faultlesse or such as no man could rebuke But the thinges that were to vauntage I thought domage for Christes sake ye I thinke all thing to be dammage or losse for the excelleÌ„t knowledges sake of Christ Iesus my Lord for whose sake I let all go to losse and count theÌ„ as chaffe or refuse that is to say as thinges which are purged out and refused when a thyng is tryed and made perfect that I might wynne Christ might be found in him not hauyng my righteousnes y t coÌ„meth of y t lawe But y â— which coÌ„meth of faith in Christ Iesu which righteousnes commeth of God through fayth and is to know him and the power of his resurrection how he is Lord ouer all sinne the onely thyng that slayeth and vanquisheth sinne and to know also the felowshyp of his passions that I might be made like vnto his death So that when righteousnesse and true merites be tryed we must be content that ours be the chaffe Christes the pure corne ours the scome and refuse and Christes the pure gold And we must fashion our selues lyke vnto Christ and take euery man his crosse slea and mortifie the sinne in the fleshe or els we cannot bee partakers of hys passion The sinne we doe before our conuersion is forgeuen clearely thorough fayth if we repent and submit our selues to a new lyfe And the sinne we doe agaynst our willes I meane the will of the spirite for after our conuersion we haue two willes fightyng one agaynst the other that sinne is also forgeuen vs through fayth if we repent and submit our selues to ameÌ„de And our diligence in workyng kepeth vs froÌ„ sinnyng agayne and minisheth the sinne that remaineth in the flesh maketh vs pure and lesse apte and disposed to sinne and it maketh vs mery in aduersities and strong in temptations and bold to go into God with a strong feruent sayth in our prayers and sure that we shal be heard wheÌ„ we cry for helpe at nede either for our selues or our brethren Now they that be negligent and sinne are brought in temptation vnto the point of desperation and feele the very paynes of hell so that they stand in doubt whether God hath cast them away or no. And in aduersitie they be sorowfull and discouraged and thinke that God is angry punisheth them for their sinnes When a child taketh payne to do hys father his pleasure and is sure that he shal haue thaÌ„ke a reward for his labour he is mery reioyseth in worke and paine that he suffreth and so is the aduersitie of them that keepe them selues from sinnyng But a child wheÌ„ he is beaten for his faute or wheÌ„ he thinketh his father is angry loueth hym not is anone desperate and discouraged so is the aduersitie of them that are weake and sinne oft A child that neuer displeaseth his father is bold in his fathers presence to speake for hym selfe or his frend But he that oft offeÌ„deth and is correct or chidde though the peace be made agayne yet the remembraunce of hys offences maketh him fearefull and to mistrust and to thinke hys father would not heare him so is the fayth of the weake that sinne oft But as for them that professe not a new liuyng how euer so much they dreame of faith they haue no faith at all for they haue no promise except they be conuerted to a new lyfe And therfore in aduersities temptation and death they vtterly dispayre of all mercy and perish And when thou prayest thou shalt not be like the hipocrites For they loue to stand and pray in the Sinagoges and in corners of the streates that they might be sene of men Verely I say vnto you they haue their reward Thou therfore when thou prayest goe into thy chamber and shut thy doore and pray to thy father whiche is in secret And thy father which seeth in secret shall reward the openly After almose foloweth prayer For as it is a Christen mans part to helpe his neighbour and to beare with hym when hee is ouer charged and suffer with him and â—o staÌ„d one by an other as long as we lyue here on this earth Euen so because we be euer in such perill combraunce that we caÌ„not rydde our selues out we must dayly hourely cry to God for aide succour as wel for our neighbours as for our selues To geue almose to pray to fast or to do any thing at all whether betwen thee and God or betwen thee and thy neighbour caÌ„st thou neuer do to please God therewith except thou haue the true knowledge of Gods word to season thy deedes with all For God hath put a rule in the Scripture without which thou caust not moue an heere of thyne head but that it is damnable in the sight of God
promise fayre and so drawe them and â—…te them not but if they may in no wise be holpe referre the punishment to the father and mother and so foorth And by these iudgeth he all other lawes of God and vnderstaÌ„deth the true vse and meanyng of them And by these vnderstandeth he in the lawes of man whiche are right and which tyranny If God should coÌ„maunde hym to drinke no wine as he commauÌ„ded in the olde testament that the priestes should not when they ministred in the temple and forbad diuerse meaâ—es the spirituall because he knoweth that man is Lord ouer all other creatures they his seruauntes made to be at his pleasure and that it is not commaunded for the wyue or meate it selfe that man should be in bondage vnto his owne seruaunt the inferiour creature ceaseth not to search the cause And when he findeth it that it is to tame the fleshe and that he be alway sober he obeyeth gladly and yet not so superstitiously that the tyme of his disease he would not drinke wine in y e way of a medicine to recouer his health as Dauid eat of the halowed bread and as Moses for necessitie left the children of Israell vncircumcised xl yeares where of likelyhoode some dyed vncircumcised and were yet thought to be in no worse case then they that were circumcised as the children that dyed within the viij day were counted in as good case as they that were circuÌ„cised which ensamples might teach vs many thinges if there were spirite in vs. And likewise of the holy day he knoweth that the day is seruaunt to man and therfore when he findeth that it is done because he should not be let from hearing the worde of God he obeyeth gladly and yet not so superstitiously that he would not helpe his neighbour on the holy day and let the sermoÌ„ alone for one day or that he would not worke on the holyday neede requiring it at such tyme as men be not wont to be at church and so throughout all lawes And euen likewise in all ceremonies and sacramentes he searcheth the significations will not serue â—he visible thinges It is as good to him that the priest say Masse in his gowne as in his other apparell if they teach him not somewhat and that his soule be edified thereby And as soone will he gape while thou puttest sande as holy salt in his mouth if thou shew hym no reason thereof He had as lefe be sâ—â—ered wyth vnhalowed butter as annointed wyth charmed oyle if his soule be not taught to vnderstand somewhat thereby and so forth But the world captiuateth his wit and about the law of God maketh him wonderfull imaginations vnto which he so fast cleaueth that ten Iohn Baptistes were not able to dispute them out of his head He beleueth that he loueth God because he is ready to kill a Turke for his sake that beleueth better in God then he whom God also commaundeth vs to loue and to leaue nothyng vnsought to winne him vnto the knowledge of the truth though with the losse of our â—â—ues He supposeth that he loueth his neighbour as much as he is bounde if he be not actually angry with him whom yet he will not helpe freely with an halfepenny but for a vauntage or vayneglory or for a worldly purpose If any man haue displeased him he keepeth his malice in and will not chafe him selfe about it till he see an occasion to aueÌ„ge it craftely and thinketh that well inough And the rulers of the world he obeyeth thinketh he when he flattereth them and blindeth them with giftes and corrupteth the officers with rewardes and â—eguiâ—th the lawe with cautels and subtilties And because the loue of God and of hys neighbour which is the spirite and the life of all lawes wherfore all lawes are made is not written in his hart therefore in all inferiour â—awes and in all worldly ordinaunces is he betell blinde If he be commaunded to absteyne from wine that will he obserue vnto the death to as the Charterhouse MoÌ„kes had leuer dye then eate fleshe and as for the sobernesse and chastising of the members will he not looke for but will poure male bere of the strongest without measure and heat them with spices and so forth And the holyday will he keepe so straight that if he meete a sâ—ee in his bed he dare not kill her not once regarde wherfore the holyday was ordayned to seeke for Gods worde and so forth in all lawes And in ceremonies and sacramentes there he captiuateth his witte vnderstanding to obey holy Church without asking what they meane or desiring to know but onely careth for the keeping and looketh euer wyth a payre of narrow eyes and wyth all hys spectacles vppon them lest ought be lefte out For if the priest shoulde say Masse baptise or heare confession without a stole about his necke he would thinke all were marred and doubt whether he had power to consecrate and thinke that the vertue of the Masse were lost and the childe not well baptised or not baptised at all and that his absolution were not worth a mite He had leuer that the Byshop should wag two fingers ouer him then that an other man should say God saue him and so forth Wherfore beloued reader in as much as the holy ghost rebuketh the worlde for lacke of iudgement and in as much also as their ignorauÌ„ce is without excuse before whose faces inough is set to iudge by if they woulde open their eyes to see and not captiuate their vnderstanding to beleue lyes and in as much as the spirituall iudgeth all thing euen the very bottome of Gods secretes that is to say the causes of the thinges which God commaundeth how much more ought we to iudge our holy fathers secretes not to be as an Oxe or an Asse without vnderstanding Iudge therfore reader whether the Pope with his be the Church whether their authoritie bee aboue the Scripture whether all they teach without Scripture be equall with the Scripture whether they haue erred and not onely whether they can And against the myst of their sophistry take the examples that are past in the old Testament authentike stories and the present practise whiche thou seest before thyne eyes Iudge whether it be possible that any good should come out of their domme ceremonies Sacramentes into thy soule Iudge their penaunce pilgrimages pardons purgatorie praying to postes domme blessynges domme absolutioÌ„s their domme pateryng and howlyng their domme straunge holy gestures with all their domme disguisinges their satisfactioÌ„s and iustifyinges And because thou findest them false in so many thynges trust them in nothyng but iudge theÌ„ in all thinges Marke at the last the practise of our fleshly spiritualtie and their wayes by whiche they haue walked aboue eight hundred yeares how they stablish their lyes first wtth falsifiyng the Scripture
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
IN the viij he sayth the Saintes be more charitable now then when they liued I answere Abrahā was while he lyued as charitable as the best And yet dead he answered hym that prayed to hym they haue Moses and y ◠Prophetes let them heare them And so haue we not Moses and the prophets onely but a more cleare light euen Christ and the Apostles vnto which if we harken we be Saintes already And to proue that they in heauen be better then we in earth he alleageth a text of our Sauiour Luke vij that the worst in heauen is better then Ihon Baptist Now y e text is he that is lesse in the kingdome of God is greater thē he We that beleue are Gods kyngdome And he that is least in doyng seruice vnto hys brethren is euer the greatest after the doctrine of Christ Now Christ was lesse then Ihon and therfore greater then he And by theyr owne doctrine there was no Sainte in heauen before the resurrection of Christ but what care they what they say blynded wyth theyr owne sophistrye Moreouer cursed is he that trusteth in ought saue God sayth the text and therfore the Saintes would haue no man to trust in them whyle they were aliue As Paule sayth 1. Cor. 3. What is Paule saue your seruaunt to preach Christ Did Paule dye for you were ye baptised in the name of Paule Did I not mary you to Christ to put your trust in hym And agayne let no man reioyce or trust in man sayth he For all are youres whether Paule or Appollo or Cephas whether the world life death present thynges or thynges to come all are youres and ye are Christes and Christ is Gods If my fayth be stedfast in the promises that I haue in Christes bloud I néede but to pray my father in Christes name and he shall send me a legion of Angels to helpe me so that my fayth is Lord ouer the Angels and ouer all creatures to turne them vnto my soules health and my fathers honour and may be subiect vnto no creature but vnto Gods woorde in our Sauiour Christ onely I may haue no trust therefore in the Saintes If ye say ye put no trust in them but onely put them in remembraunce of their dutie as a man desireth his neighbour to pray for him remembring hym of hys dutie and as when we desire our brethren to helpe vs at our neede That is false for ye put trust in all your ceremonies all your holy deedes and in whosoeuer disguiseth hymselfe and altereth hys coat from the common fashion ye and euen in the coates of them that be not yet Saintes after your dortrine If a priest sayd masse in his gowne would ye not rise against hym and slea hym and that for the false fayth that ye haue in the other garmētes For what honour can those other garmentes do to God more then hys gowne or profite vnto your soules ▪ seyng ye vnderstand nought thereby And therto in the collectes of Saintes ye say saue me God and geue me euerlastyng lyfe for the merites of thys or that Saint euery man after his phantasie chusing hym one Saint singularly to be saued by Wyth which collectes I pray you shew me how standeth the death of Christ Paule woulde say that Christ dyed in vayne if that doctrine were true And therto in as much as ye say the Saintes merite or deserue not in heauen but in this worlde onely it is to be feared least their merites be sore wasted and the deseruynges of many all spent thorowe our holy fathers so great liberalitie Abraham and the Prophetes and y ◠Apostles and many since prayed to no Saintes and yet were holy inough And when he sayth they could helpe when they were aliue That was thorow their fayth in beleuing the promise For they had promises that they shuld do such miracles to stablish their doctrine and to prouoke vnto Christ and not vnto them selues And whē he proueth that y e Saintes be in heauen in glory wyth Christ already saying if God be their God they be in heauē for he is not the God of the dead There he stealeth away Christes argument wherewyth he proueth the resurrection that Abraham and all Saintes shoulde rise agayne and not that their soules were in heauē which doctrine was not yet in the worlde And wyth that doctrine he taketh away the resurrection quite and maketh Christes argumēt of none effect For when Christ alleageth the Scripture that God is Abrahams God addeth to that God is not God of the dead but of the liuing and so proueth that Abraham must rise agayne I deny Christes argument and say wyth M. More that Abraham is yet aliue not because of the resurrection but because hys soule is in heauē And in like maner Paules argument vnto the Corrinthians is nought worth For when he sayth if there be no resurrection we be of all wretches the miserablest Here we haue no pleasure but sorrow care and oppression And therfore if we rise not agayne all our suffering is in vayne Nay Paul thou art vnlearned ▪ go to Maister More and learne a new way We be not most miserable though we ryse not agayne for our soules go to heauen assoone as we be dead and are there in as great ioy as Christ that is risē againe And I maruell that Paule had not comforted the Thessalonians wyth that doctrine if he had wist it that the soules of their dead had bene in ioy as he did wyth the resurrection that their dead should rise agayne If the soules be in heauen in as great glorie as the aungels after your doctrine shewe me what cause should be of the resurrection And when hee sayth Whether the Saintes do it them selues or by intercession made to God it maketh no matter so we be holpe it appeareth by his doctrine that all is good that helpeth though a man pray vnto the deuill by whom many be holpe Now in Christ we haue promises of all maner helpe not in them Where then is our faith to be holpe by Christ when we hope to be holpe by the merites of Saintes So it appeareth that the more trust we haue in Saintes the lesse we haue in Christ And whē he bringeth in a similitude that we pray Phisitions though God can helpe vs and therefore we must pray to Saintes It is not like for they haue naturall remedies for vs which we must vse not tempt God But the Saints haue no natural remedies nor promise of supernaturall And therfore it can be but a false superstitious fayth And where no natural remedy is there god hath promised to helpe thē that beleue in hym And moreouer when I pray a Phisition or Surgion and trust to be holpe by them I dishonour God except I first pray to God beleue that he will woorke with their doctrine and medicines
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
desperation and partly that he fall not into hate of his father and of his commaundement thereto and thinke that his father is a tyraunt and his law but tyranny M. More seleth with his good endeuour inspiration together that a man may haue the best fayth coupled with the worst lyfe and with consentyng to sinne And I feele that it is impossible to beleue truly except a maÌ„ repent and that it is impossible to trust in y â— mercy y â— is in Christ or to fele it but y â— a man must immediatly loue God his commaundementes and therfore disagree disconsent vnto the fleshe and be at bate therewith and fight agaynst it And I feele that euery soule that loueth y â— law and hateth his fleshe and beleueth in Christes bloud hath his sinnes which he committed and payne which he deserued in haryng the law and consentyng vnto his flesh forgeuen him by that fayth And I feele that the frailtie of the flesh agaynst whiche a beleuyng soule lighteth to subdue it is also forgeuen and not rekened or imputed for sinne all the tyme of our curyng as a kynde father and mother reken not or impute the imposuÌ„bilitie of their youÌ„g children to consent vnto their law and as when the children be of age and consent theÌ„ they reken not nor impute the impossibilitie of the flesh to folow it immediatly but take al a worth and loue them no lesse but rather more tenderly then their old and perfect children that do their commaundemeÌ„tes so long as they go to schole learne such thynges as their fathers mothers set theÌ„ to And I beleue that euery soule that repeÌ„teth beleueth and loueth the law is thorough that fayth a member of Christes Churche and pure without spot or wrincle as Paule affirmeth Ephe. v. And it is an Article of my beleffe that Christes elect Church is holy and pure without sinne and euery meÌ„ber of the same thorow faith in Christ and that they be in the full fauour of God And I feele that the vncleanesse of the soule is but the consent vnto sin and vnto the fleshe And therefore I feele that euery soule that beleueth and consenteth vnto the lawe and here in this life hateth his flesh and the lustes therof and doth his best to driue sinne out of his flesh and for hate of the sinne gladly departeth from his flesh when he is dead and the lustes of the fleshe slaine with death needeth not as it were bodely tormenting to be purged of that wherof he is quit already And therfore if ought remaine it is out to be taught and not to be beaten And I feele that euery soule that beareth fruit in Christ shal be purged of the father to beare more fruit day by day as it is written Ioh. xv not in the Popes Purgatory where no man feeleth it but here in this life such fruit as is vnto his neighbours profite so that he which hath his hope in Christ purgeth himselfe here as Christ is pure 1. Ioh. 3. and that euer yet the bloud of Iesus onely doth purge vs of all our â—…s for the imperfectnes of our woorkes And I feele that the forgeuenes of sinnes is to remitte mercifully the payne that I haue deserued And I do beleue that the payne that I here suffer in my fleshe is to keepe the body vnder and to serue my neighbour and not to make satsfaction vnto god for the sore sinses And therfore when the Pope describeth God after his couetous complexion and when M. More feleth by inspiration and captiuating his wittes vnto the Pope that God forgeueth the euerlasting payne and will yet punish me a thousand yeares in the Popes purgatory that leauen sauoreth not in my mouth I vnderstand my fathers wordes as they sound and after the most mercifull maner and not after the Popes leauen and M. Mores captining his wittes to beleue that euery Poetes fable is a true story There is no father here that punisheth his sonne to purge hym when he is purged already and hath vtterly forsaken sinne and euâ—â—l and hath submitted himselfe vnto his fathers doctrine For to punishe a man that hath forsaken sinne of his owne accorde is not to purge him but to satisfie the lust of a tyrant Neyther ought it to be called Purgatory but a Iayle oftormenting and a satisfactory And when the Pope sayth it is done to satisfie the righteousnes as a iudge I say we that beleue haue no iudge of him but a father neither shal we come into iudgemeÌ„t as Christ hath promised vs but are receaued vnder grace mercy and forgeuenes Shew the Pope a litle money and God is so mercifull that there is no Purgatory And why is not the fire out as well if I offer for me the bloud of Christ If Christ hath deserued all for me who gaue the Pope might to keepe part of his deseruinges from me and to buy sell Christes merites to make marchaundise ouer vs wyth fayned wordes And thus as M. More feleth that y â— Pope is holy church I feele that he is Antichrist And as my feeling can be no proofe to him no more caÌ„ his wyth all his captiuating his wittes to beleue phantasies be vnto me wherefore if he haue no other probation to proue that the Pope is holy church then that his hart so agreeth vnto hys learning he ought of no right to coÌ„pell with sword vnto his sect How be it there are euer two maner people that will cleaue vnto God a fleshly and a spirituall The spirituall which be of God shall heare Gods woorde and the children of the truth shall consent vnto the truth And contrary the fleshly and children of falshead and of the deuill whose harts be full of lyes shall naturally consent vnto lyes as young children though they haue eate themselues as good as dead with fruit yet will not nor caÌ„ beleue him that telleth them that such fruit is nought but him that prayseth them wyll they heare and eate themselues starcke dead because their harts be full of lyes and they iudge all thinges as they appeare vnto the eyes And the fleshly mynded assoone as he beleueth of God as much as the deuill doth he hath inough and goeth to and serueth God with bodely seruice as he before serued his Idoles and after his owne imaginacion and not in the spirite in louing his lawes and beleuing his promises or longing for them no if he myght euer liue in the fleshe he would neuer desire them And God must do for him againe not what he hath promised but what he lusteth And his brother y â— serueth God in y e spirit according to Gods word hym will the carnall beast persecute So that he which will godly liue must suffer persecution vnto the worldes end according vnto the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles and according vnto the
haue alledged the place and how The xi Chapter IN the xj chapter M. More wil not defeÌ„d the liuing of our spiritualtie because it is so open that he can not And as litle should he be able to defeÌ„d their lyes if the light were abroad that men might see And as he caÌ„ not deny them abhominable so can he not deny them obstinate and indurat therein for they haue bene oft rebuked with Gods word but in vayne And of such y e text is plaine that they can not vnderstand the Scripture And yet M. More will receaue rewardes to dispute agaynst the heresies of some such as be cast out of Christes Churches by such holy Patriarkes whose liuinges he him selfe can not prayse As holy Iudas though the Prelates of his Church that is the Phariseis were neuer so abhominable yet because Christes doctrine was coÌ„demned of them as of Gods Church that could not erre and all that beleued on him excoÌ„municat he was bold to say Quid â—ultâ—s mihi dare ego tradaÌ„ euÌ„â—obis That is what wil you geue me and I will deliuer him vnto you The xii Chapter IN the xij he hath one coÌ„clusion that the prayers of an euill Priest profit not Which though it be true yet the coÌ„trary is beleued among a great many in all quarters of England so blynd be the people and wotte not what prayer meaneth I haue heard meÌ„ of no small reputation say yer this in great audience that it maketh no matter whether the Priest were good or bad so he tooke money to pray as they seldome pray without for he could not hurt the prayer were he neuer so noughty And wheÌ„ he saith that the euill Priest hurteth vs not so much with hys lyuyng as he profitetn vs with ministryng the Sacramentes O worldly wisedome if a man lead me thorough a ieoperdous place by day hee can not hurt me so greatly as by night The Turke seeth that murther theft extortion oppression and adultery be sinne But when he leadeth me by the darkenesse of Sacramentes without signification I caÌ„ not but ketch harme and put my trust and confideÌ„ce in that which is neither God nor his word As for an example what trust put the people in anoylyng and how cry they for it with no other knowledge then that the oyle saueth them vnto their damnation and denying of Christes bloud And when he saith the Priest offereth or sacrificeth Christes body I auÌ„swere Christ was offered once for all as it is to see in the Epistle to the Hebrues As the Priest sleath Christ breaketh his body and shedeth his bloud so he sacrificeth him and offereth him Now the Priest sleath him not actually nor breaketh his body actually nor shedeâ—h his bloud actually neither scourgeth him and so foorth throughout all hys passion but representeth his sâ—aying his body breakyng and bloud shedyng for my sinnes and all the rest of his passion playeth it before mine eyes onely Which signification of the Masse because the people vnderstand not therfore they receaue no forgeuenesse of their sinnes therby and therto can not but ketch hurt in their soules through a false fayth as it well appeareth how euery man commeth therto for a sundry imagination all ignoraunt of the true way Let no man beguile you with hys iugglyng sophistrie Our offeryng of Christ is to beleue in him and to come with a repentyng hart vnto the remeÌ„braunce of his passion to desire God the father for the breakyng of Christes body on the crosse and shedyng of hys bloud and for his death and all his passions to be mercyful vnto vs to forgeue vs accordyng vnto his TestameÌ„t and promise And so we receaue forgeuenesse of our sinnes And other offeryng or sacrificyng of Christ is there now none Walke in the opeÌ„ light and feelyng and let not your selues be lead with iugglyng wordes as Mules and Asiâ—s in whiche there is none vnderstandyng M. Deacons were had in price in the old tyme. Tyndall For the Deacons then tooke the care of all the poore and suffered none to go a beggyng but prouided a liuyng for euery one of them Where now they that should bee Deacons make them selues Priestes and robbe the poore of landes rentes offeringes and all that was geuen them deuouring all them selues the poore dying for hunger M. Priestes be despised because of the multitude Tyndall If there were but one in the world as men say of the Fenix yet if he lyued abhominably he could not but be despised M. A man may haue a good fayth coupled with all maner sinne Tyndall A good faith putteth away all sinne how then can all maner of sinne dwell with a good fayth I dare say that M. More durst affirme that a man might loue God and hate his neighbour both at once and yet S. Iohn in his Epistle will say that he sayth vntruly But M. More meaneth of the best fayth that euer he felt By all likelyhode he knoweth of no other but such as may stand with all wickednesse neither in hym selfe nor in his Prelates Wherfore in as much as their faith may stand with all that Christ hateth I am sure he looketh but for small thankes of God for his defendyng of them And therfore he playeth surely to take his reward here of our holy Patriarkes M. Fewe durst be Priestes in the olde tyme. Tyndall Then they knewe the charge and feared God But now they know the vauntage dread him not M. If the lawes of the Churche were executed which Tyndal and Luther wold haue burnt it would be better Tyndall If the testameÌ„t of our Sauiour might be knowen for blynd wretches couetous tyrauÌ„tes it would write y e law of God in all mens harts that beleued it and then should men naturally with out compulsion kepe all honestie And agayne though the Popes law could helpe yet is no law as good as a law vnexecuted The xiij Chapter IN the xiij he rageth and fareth excedyng foule with him selfe There he biteth sucketh gnaweth towseth and mowseth Tyndall There he weneth that he hath wonne his spurres that it is not possible to aunswere him And yet there because he there most staÌ„deth in his owne conceite I doubt not vnto them that be learned in Christe to proue hym most ignoraunt of all and cleane without vnderstanding of godly thynges And I say yet that as no woman ought to rule a mans officeâ— where a man is present by the order of nature and as a young man ought not to be chosen to minister in y e Church where an old mete for the rowme may be had by the order of nature euen so it was Paules meaning to preferre the maried before the vnmaried for the inconueniences that might chaunce by the reason of vnchastitie which inconueniences M. More might see with sorrow of hart if he
had as great loue to Christ as to other thinges to happen dayly vnto the shame of Christes doctrine among Priestes Fryers and Monkes partly with open whores partly with their sodometrie whereof they cast ech other in the teeth dayly in euery Abbey for the least displeasure that one doth to an other M. More might see what occasions of vnchasâ—itie be geuen vnto the Curates euery where by the reason of their office and dayly conuersation with the maryed And when he sayth neuer maÌ„ could finde that exposition till now there he sayth vntrue For S. Hierome hymselfe saith that he knew them that so expoâ—ded the text and rebuked them of Rome because they would not admit into the clergie them that had had two wiues the one before baptim and the other after saying if a man had killed xx men before his Baptime they would not haue forbidden him and why then should that which is no sinne at all be a let vnto him But the God of Rome would not heare him For Sathan beganne then to worke his misteries of wickednes And when he saith he that hath ten wiues hath one wife I say that one is taken by the vse of speaking for one onely As when I say I am content to geue thee one meaning one onely And vnto him that hath no helpe is there one helpe to looke for no helpe where one helpe is taken for one onely and many places els And when M. More sayth he that hath had two wiues one after an nother may not be Priest and that if a Priestes wife die he may not haue another or that if he were made Priest hauing no wife he might not after mary if he burnt I desire a reason of him If he say it hath bene so the vse then say I an whore is better then a wife for that hath bene y e vse of our holy father many hundred yeares But I affirme vnto M. More the contrary And I say first wyth Paule that the kingdome of God is not meate and drinke and by the same reason neither husband or wife but y t keeping of the commaundements and to loue euery man his neighbour as himselfe And therefore as meate and drinke were ordeined for mans necessitie and as a man may care drinke at all needes in all degrees so farre as it letteth him not to keepe the commaundementes and to loue his neighbour as himselfe euen so was the wife created for the mans necessitie and therefore may a man vse her at all hys neede in all degrees as farre as she letteth hym not to keepe Gods lawe which is nothing els by Paules learning then that a man loue hys neyghbour as himselfe Now I desire a reason of M. Mores doctrine what doth my second wife or my third hinder me to loue my neighbour as my selfe and to do him seruice against I come to be priest What let is your second wife to you to serue our holy father the Pope more then your first would haue bene And in like maner if my first wife die when I am a Priest why may I not loue my neighbour do hym as good seruice with the second as with y e first And againe if I be made priest hauing no wife and after burne and therfore mary why may I not loue my neighbour and serue hym wyth that wyfe as well as he that brought a wife with hym It was not for nought that Paule prophesied that some should departe from the faith attend vnto disceaueable spirites and deuelishe doctrine forbidding to mary and to eate meates which god hath created to be receaued with thankes of them that know the truth to buy dispeÌ„sations to vse lawfull meat and vnlawfull wiues And I aske M. More why he y t hath the second wife or hath had two wiues may not be a Priest or why if a Priestes first wife die he may not mary the second He will aunswere because the Priest must represent the misteries or secrete properties and vnion of Christ the onely husbande of his onely wyfe the church or congregation that beleueth in him onely That is as I haue in other places sayd the scripture describeth vs in matrimonye the mysteries and secrete benefites which God the father hath hid in Christ for all theÌ„ that be chosen and ordeyned to beleue and put their trust in him to be saued As when a man taketh a wife he geueth her himselfe his honour hys riches and all that he hath and maketh her of equall degree vnto himselfe if he be king and she before a beggers daughter yet she is not y e lesse Quene and in honour aboue al other If he be Emperour she is Empresse and honoured of men as the Emperour and partaker of all Euen so if a man repeÌ„t and come and beleue in Christ to be saued from the dampnation of the sinne of which he repenteth Christ is hys owue good immediately Christes death paine prayer passion fastyng and all his merites are for that mans sinnes a full satisfaction and a sacrifice of might and power to absolue hym 〈◊〉 pena et a culp 〈◊〉 Christes enheritaunce his loue and fauour that he hath wyth God his father are that mans by and by and the man by that mariage is pure as Christ and cleane wythout sinne and honourable glorious weibeloued and in fauour thorow y t grace of that mariage And because that the Priest must represent vs this signification is the cause why a Priest may not haue the second wyfe say they which popishe reason hath deceaued many wise as who can be but deceaued in some thing if he receaue all his doctrine by the auctoritie of his elders except he haue an occasion as we haue to runne to Moses and the Prophetes there heare see with our owne eyes and beleue no longer by the reason of oure forefathers when we see them so shamefully beguild themselues and to beguile vs in a thousand things which the Turkes see Now to our purpose if this doctrine be true then must euery Priest haue a wife or haue had a wife For he that neuer had wife can not represent vs this And againe he that hath an whore or an other mans wife hath lost this property and therfore ought to be put downe And againe the second mariage theÌ„ of no man is or can be a SacrameÌ„t by that doctrine And yet I will describe you the mariage of Christ as well by his mariage that hath had ix wyues and hath now the tenth as by his that hath now the first O will they say his wyfe was no virgine or he when they were maried Sir the signification standeth not in y t virginitie but in the actuall wedlocke We were no virgines when we came to Christ but coÌ„mon whores beleuing in a thousand Idoles And in the second mariage or tenth and ye will the man hath but one wife and
to hurt my neighbour and to shame y t doctrine of Christ And in like maner if I had forsworne flesh al the world had bound me yet if necessitie require it of me to saue my life or my health I ought to breake it And againe though I had sworne chastitie and the cōmon wealth or the necessitie of an other required the contrary I must breake it But on the one side of all that euer burnt in the Popes chastitie he neuer gaue priest licence to take wife but to keepe whores onely And on the other side all that vow any vow do it for the thing it selfe as though it were as I sayd seruice or sacrifice to God that had delite in the deede as young children haue in Apples and that for that deede they shall haue an higher roome in heauē then their neighbours which is the Idolatry of the heathen whē he ought to bestow his vow vppon hys neighbour to bryng him to heauen not to enuie him to seeke thereby an higher roome not caring whether his neighbour come thether or no. And finally to burne and not to vse the naturall remedy that God hath made is but to tempt God as in all other thinges But if God haue brought thee into a straite and haue therto takē the naturall remedy from thee then to resiste and to crie vnto God for helpe to suffer is a signe y t thou louest Gods lawes And to loue Gods law is to be sure that thou art Gods childe elect to mercy For in all his children onely he writeth that token And then he sayth euery man hath his choyce whether he will be Priest or no. But what nettes and snares doth Antichrist lay for them First his false doctrine where with the Elders beguiled cōpell their children and sacrifice them to burne in the Popes chastitie with no other mynde then those olde Idolaters sacrificed their children vnto the false God Moloch so that they thinke by the merites of their childrens burning after the Popes false doctrine to please god and to get heauen cleane ignoraunt of the testament made in Christes bloud Then what a multitude are blinded and drawen into the net with the baite of promotion honour dignitie pleasures freedome and libertie to sinne to do all mischiefe vnpunished things which all euill that feare not God do desire And what a number brought vp idely vnto xx and aboue then put their heades in his halter because they haue no other crast to get their liuinges not because they can liue chast Also some liue chast at xxiiij which same burne at xxx And that to be true dayly experience teacheth and good naturall causes there be And thē looke on the Apostles learning and ordinaunce When one or two young wydowes had brokē their chastitie he would neuer after let any moe bee chosen of the same age How commeth it then that the Pope for so many hundred thousandes that miscary will neither breake the ordinaunce or mitigat it or let any goe backe but if any burne sendeth them vnto the shame of Christes doctrine and offending and hurt of hys Church neuer vnto the lawfull remedie of mariage And when M. More calleth it heresie to thinke that the maried were as pleasaunt to God as the vnmaryed he is surely an hereticke that thinketh the cōtrary Christes kingdom is neither meate nor drinke nor husband nor wife nor widow nor virgine but the keepyng of the commaundementes and seruing of a mans neighbour louingly by the doctrine of S. Paul where not to eate helpeth me to keepe the commmaūdementes better then to eate there it is better not to eate then to eate And where to eate helpeth me to keepe the commaundementes and to do my dutie vnto my neighbour there it is better to eate then not to eate And in like case where to be without a wife helpeth more to keepe the cōmaundemētes and to serue a mans neighboure there it is better to be vnmaryed then maried and where a wife helpeth to keepe the commaundementes better then to be without there it is better to haue a wife then to be wythout That hart onely which is ready to do or let vndone all thinges for his neighbours sake is a pleasaunt thing in the sight of God And when he will haue the Priestes to liue chast for reuerence of the Sacramentes it is deuillishe doctrine hauing the similitude of godlines but the pith marow is away If he meane water oyle salt and such like then is y ◠wyfe with her body and all her vses in the lawes of God incomparable purer holyer If he meane the sacrament of Christes body I aunswere that the handes defile not the man nor ought that goeth thorow the handes be they neuer so vnwashed by the testimony of Christ and much lesse can they then defile Christ Moreouer the Priest toucheth not Christes naturall body wyth his handes by your owne doctrine nor seeth it with his eyes nor breaketh it wyth hys fingers nor eateth it wyth hys mouth nor chāmeth it with his teeth nor drinketh his bloud with his lippes for Christ is impassible But he that repenteth toward the lawe of God and at the sight of the sacrament or of the breaking feling eating chamming or drinking calleth to remembraunce the death of Christ his body breaking and bloud shedding for our sinnes and all his passion the same eateth our Sauiours body and drinketh his bloud thorow fayth onely receaueth forgeuenes of all his sinnes therby and other not And all that haue not this doctrine of the Sacrament come therto in vaine And therfore there is no more cause that he which sayth the Masse should liue chast then he that heareth it or he that ministreth the Sacramēt then he that receaueth it It is to me great maruell that vnlawfull whoredome couetousnes and extortion can not defile their handes as well as law full matrimonye Curssed therefore be their deuillishe doctrine wyth false appearing godlines the fruit and power away out of the hartes of all Christen men And when he bringeth the ensample of the heathen I prayse him For the heathen because they could not vnderstand God spiritually to serue hym in the spirit to beleue in him and to loue his lawes therfore they turned hys glory vnto an Image and serued hym after their owne imagination with bodely seruice as the whole kingdome of the Pope doth hauing lesse power to serue hym in spirite then the Turkes For when the heathē made an Image of the axes or feuers and sacrificed ther to they knew that y e Image was not the feuers but vnder y e similitude of y e Image they worshipped the power of God which plagued them with the feuers with bodely seruice as the Pope doth aboue all the Idolaters that euer were in the worlde As when we paint Saint Machael weying the soules
in the kyngdome of God Christ nor any felyng therof And who shall take those diseases from them God onely through his mercy for they cā not put of that complection of them selues vntill they be taught to beleue and to fele that it is damnable and to consent vnto the contrary liuing And vnto the second part I aunswere that in respect of God we doe but suffer onely and receaue power to do all our deedes whether we do good or bad as Christ aunswered Pylate that hee could haue no power agaynst him except it were geuen him from aboue and no more could Iudas neither But in respect of y e thing wherin or wherwith we worke and sheade out agayne the power that we haue receaued we woorke actually As the axe doth nothyng in respect of the hād that heweth saue receaue but in respect of the tree that is cut it worketh actually powreth out agayne the power that it hath receaued M. Item that God is author of good and euill as wel of the euill will of Iudas in betraying Christ as of the good will of Christ in sufferyng his passion Tyndall The power wherewith we do good and euill is of God the will is of God As y e power which the murtherer abuseth and wherewith he killeth a man vnrighteously is of God the will wherewith he willeth it But the wickednesse of his wil and crokednesse or frowardnesse wherewith hee sleath vnrighteously to auēge him selfe to satisfie his owne lustes the cause why he knoweth not the law of God and consenteth not to it whiche law should haue informed his will and corrected the crokednesse therof and haue taught him to vse his will his power right is his blindnesses fault onely and not Gods Whiche blindnesse the deuill hath poysoned him with M. Item matrimonie is no Sacramēt Tyndall Matrimonie is a similitude of the kyngdome of heauen as are many thynges mo like as it appeareth by Christ in the Gospell But who institute it to be a Sacrament Or who at his mariage was taught the signification of it Who was euer bound to receaue it in the name of a Sacrament I would to Christes bloud that ye wold make a Sacrament of it vnto all men and women that be maryed and vnto all other and would at euery mariage teach the people to know the benefite of Christ through the similitude of Matrimony And I affirme that in the popes Churche there is no Sacrament For where no signification is there is no Sacrament A signe is no signe vnto him that vnderstādeth nought therby as a spech is no spech vnto him that vnderstādeth it not I would to Christes passion that ye would let them be Sacramentes which Christ institute ordeined for Sacramentes And then if ye make of your own braynes fiue hūdred therto I would not be so greatly greued though I would not geue my consent vnto so great a multitude partly for the bondage and specially lest we should in tyme to come the significations of them lost fall into Idolatrie agayne and make holy workes of them after the exāple of the blindnesse wherin we be now but I would haue the woorde euer liuely preached out of the playne text M. Item that all holy orders bee but mens inuention Tyndall The office of an Apostle Byshop Priest Deacon and Widow are of God But as concerning the shanyng the oylyng and diuersitie of rayment and many degrees sence added therto proue that they be but mens traditions But and ye will make Sacramentes of the oylyng shanyng sheryng and garmentes put their significations vnto them and let the kyngs grace compell them to keepe them and I admitte them for Sacramentes and vntill that tyme I hold them for the false signes of hypocrites M. Itēm that euery man and woman is a Priest and maye consecrate the body of Christ Tyndall In bodyly seruice if the officer appoynted be away euery other person not onely may but also is boūd to helpe at neede euen so much as hys neighbours dogge How much more then ought men to assiste one an other in the health of their soules at al times of nede if the man be away the womā may and is bound to Baptise in tyme of nede by the law of loue which office perteineth vnto the priest onely If she be Lady ouer the greatest ordeined by God that she may Baptise why shuld she not haue power also ouer the lesse to minister the ceremonies whiche the Pope hath added to as his oyle his salt his spitell his candle and cresomcloth And why might she not pray all the prayers except that Idole the pope be greater then the very God if womē had brought a child to Church while the Priest other men taryed the child were in ieoperdy might they not baptise him in the font if there were no other water by And if other water were by yet if that holpe better one mite loue requireth to baptise him therin And then why might not women touch all their other oyle If a woman learned in Christ were driuen vnto an I le where Christ was neuer preached might she not there preach and teach to minister the Sacraments and make officers The case is possible shew thē what should let that she might not loue thy neighbour as thy selfe doth cōpel Nay she may not consecrat Why If the pope loued vs as wel as Christ hee would finde no faulte therewith though a womā at nede ministred that Sacrament if it bee so necessary as ye make it In bodyly wealth he that would haue me one ace lesse then hymselfe loueth me not as well as himselfe how much more ought we to loue one an other in thynges pertainyng vnto the soule M. Item that the host is no sacrifice Tyndall Christ is no more killed It is therfore the Sacrament signe memoriall of that sacrifice wherewith Christ offered his body for our sinnes and commaūded saying this do in the remembraunce of me We be not holpe with any visible deede that the Priest there doth saue in that it putteth vs in remembraunce of Christes death passion for our sinnes As the garmentes and straunge holy gestures helpe vs not but in that they put vs in remembraunce of thyngs that Christ suffered for vs in his passion Euen so the shewyng breakyng and eatyng of the host the shewyng and drinkyng of the cup of Christes bloud and the wordes and the consecration helpe vs not a pinne nor are gods seruice saue onely in that they styrre vp our repentyng fayth to call to mynde the death and passion of Christ for our sinnes And therfore to call it a sacrifice is but abused speach as when we call one that is new come home to breakfast and set a Capon before him and say this is your welcome home meaning yet by that speach that it is but
a signe of y e loue of myne hart which reioyseth and is glad that he is come home safe and sounde And euen so is this but the memoriall of the very sacrifice of Christ once done for al. And if ye wold no otherwise meane ye shal haue my good will to call it so still or if ye can shew me a reason of some other meanyng And therfore I would that it had bene called as it in deede is and as it was commaūded to be Christes memoriall though that I doubt not but that it was called Masse of his He brue woord Misach which signifieth a a pension geuyng because that at euery Masse mē gaue euery man a portiō accordyng vnto his power vnto the in stentation of the poore Which offering yet remayneth But to a false vse and profite of them that haue too much as all other thinges are peruerted Finally it is the same thinge that it was when Christ institute it at hys last supper If it were then the very sacrificing of Christes body and had that same vertue and power with it that his very passion after wrought why was he sacrificed so cruelly on the morow and not holde excused therwyth seyng he was there verely sacrificed M. Item that there remayneth bread and wine in the sacrament Tyndall Improue it What is that that is broken and that the Priest eateth wyth hys teeth ayre onely if a childe were fed with no other foode he should wax haply as long as his father Wherof then should his body his flesh and bones grow wherof should that come with reuerence I speake it that he pisseth and so forth all by miracle will they say O what wonderfull miracles must we faine to saue Antichristes doctrine I might wyth as good reason say that the hoste is neyther rounde nor white but that as my mouth is deceaued in the tast of bread euen so mine eyes are in the syght of roundnes and so is there nothing at all Which all are but the disputations of men with corrupt myndes without spirite to iudge Neuer the later when the Priest hath once rehearsed the testament of our sauiour thereon I looke not on bread and wine but on the body of Christ broken and bloud shed for my sinnes and by that fayth am I saued from the damnation of my sinnes Neyther come I to Masse for any other purpose then to fet forgeuenes for Christes deathes sake nor for any other purpose say I Confiteor knowledge my sinnes at the beginning of Masse And if ye haue other doctrine teach vs a reason leade vs in light we will follow Christ sayth Iohn xi it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing at all the woordes which I speake saith he are spirite and lyfe That is the fleshely eatyng and drinking of Christes body and bloude profit not as his carnall presence profited not by the reason of his presence onely as ye see by Iudas and y ◠Phariseis and the souldiours that touched hym and how his bodely presence did let the disciples to vnderstand spiritually But to eate and drinke in the spirite that is to harken vnto his wordes and with a repenting hart to beleue in hys death bringeth vs all that Christ can do for vs. More Item that the masse auaileth no man but the Priest Tyndall If ye speake of the prayers his prayers helpe vs as much as ours him If ye speake of y e sacramēt it helpeth as many as be present as much as hym if moued therby they be leue in Christes death as well as he If they be absent the sacrament profiteth them as much as a sermon made in the church helpeth them that be in y ◠fieldes And how profiteth it the soules of the deade tell me vnto whome it is no signe If ye meane the carnall eating and drinking then it profiteth the Prieste onely for he eateth and drinketh vppe all alone and geueth no man parte wyth hym More Item that a man should not be howseled till he lay a dying Tynd. That is to shamelesse a lye M. Item that men and women should not spare to touch it Tynd. A perillous case Why Because the Pope hath not oyled them Neuerthelesse Christ hath annointed them wyth hys spirite and wyth hys bloud But wot ye why The Pope thinketh if they should be too busie in handeling it they woulde beleue that there were bread and for that cause to strength their faythes he hath imagined little prety thinne manchetes that shine thorow and seeme more lyke to be made of paper or fine Parchement then of wheate floure About which was no smale question in Oxforde of late dayes whether it were bread or none some affirming that the floure with long lying in water was turned to starch and had lost his nature M. Item that the sacramēt should not be worshipped Tyndall It is the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud And Christ calleth it the newe and euerlasting testament in hys bloud and commaunded that we shoulde so do in the remembraunce of hym that hys bodye was broken and his bloude shed for our sinnes And Paule commaundeth thereby to shewe or preach the Lords death They say not pray to it neither put any fayth therein For I may not beleue in the sacramēt but I must beleue the Sacrament that it is a true signe and it true that is signified therby which is the onely worshippyng of the Sacrament if ye geue it other worship ye plainly dishonour it As I may not beleue in Christes Church but beleue Christes Church that the doctrine which they preach of Christ is true If ye haue any other doctrine teach vs a reason and lead vs in light and we will follow More Item that a Christē is not bound to keepe any lawe made by man or any at all Tynd. You say vntruely a Christē man is bound to obey tyranny if it be not agaynst hys fayth nor the lawe of God vntill God deliuer him thereof But he is no Christen man that byndeth hym to any thing saue that which loue and his neighbours necessitie requireth of them And when a lawe made is no longer profitable Christen rulers ought to breake it But now a dayes whē tyraunts haue gotten the simple people vnder they compell thē to serue theyr lustes and wyly tyranny without respect of any common wealth Which wyly tyranny because the truth rebuketh it is the cause why they persecute it least the common people seing how good they should be and feeling how wicked they are shuld withdraw their neckes frō their vnrighteous yooke As ye haue ensample in Herode in the Scribes and Phariseis and in many other More Item that there is no Purgatory Tyndall Beleue in Christ and thou shalt shortly finde purgatoryes inow as ye now make other feele M. Item that all soules lye and sleepe
as we haue sinned be in sinne or do sinne or shal sinne so farforth must faith in Christes bloud iustifie vs onely and els nothing To loue is to be righteous so farforth as thou louest but not to make righteous nor to make peace To beleue in Christes bloud with a repēting hart is to make righteous and the onely makyng of peace and satisfaction to Godwarde And thus because termes be darcke to them that be not expert and exercised we alway set out our meaning wyth cleare ensamples reporting our selues vnto the hartes and consciences of all men M. The blasphemous wordes of Luther seme to signifie that both Iohn Baptiste and our Lady were sinners Tyndall Iohn Baptiste sayde to Christ Mat. 3. I had neede to be baptised of thee and commest thou to me Wherof did Iohn confesse that he had nede to be washed purged by Christ of his holynes and good deedes When Iohn saide beholde y e Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of y e worlde he was not of that sorte nor had any sinnes to be taken away at any time nor any part in Christs bloud which dyed for sinners onely Iohn came to restore all thyng sayth Christ That is he came to enterprete the law of God truely and to proue all fleshe sinners to send thē to Christ as Paul doth in the beginning of y e Romanes Which lawe if M. More coulde vnderstand how spirituall it is and what it requireth of vs he woulde not so dispute And if there were no imperfectnesse in our Ladies deedes why dyd Christ rebuke her Iohn 2. when he ought rather to haue honoured his mother and why did he make her secke him three dayes Chrisostomus dare say that our Lady was now and then taken with a little vayne glory She ioked for the promises of him that should come and blesse her from what She beleued to be saued by Christ from what This I graunt that our Lady Iohn Baptiste Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moses and many like did neuer consent to sinne to follow it But had the holy ghost from the beginning Neuer the later while they folowed the spirite and wrought their best yet chaunces met them by the way and temptations that made their woorkes come sometimes vnperfectly to passe as a potter that hath his craft neuer so wel meteth a chaunce now and then that maketh him fashion a pot a misse So that I thinke the perfectest of them all as we haue ensamples of some were compelled to say with Paul that good that I would I do not and that euill that I would not that I do I would not sweare on a booke that if our Lady had bene let slip as we other were and as hard apposed with as present death before her eyes that she would not haue denyed somethinges that she knew true ye but she was preserued by grace that she was not No but though she were kept by grace from y e outwarde deede yet if there were such wickednes in her fleshe she had sinne And the grace was that she knew it and was meeke to beleue in Christ to haue it forgeuen her and to be preserued that it should not bud forth Iohn the Euangelist when he was as holy as euer was Iohn the Baptist sayd if we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues Then he compareth fayth deedes together and will that fayth shoulde stand in no better seruice of right then deedes Yes for the deedes be examined by the lawe and therfore it is not inough to do them onely or to do thē with loue but I must do them wyth as great loue as Christ did for me and as I receaue a good deede at my nede But faith is vnder no lawe and therfore be she neuer so feeble she shall receaue according to the truth of the promiser M. What thing coulde we aske God of right because we beleue him Tyndall Verely all that he promiseth may we be bolde to aske of right and dutie and by good obligation More Ferman sayd that all workes be good inough in thē that god hath chosē Tyndall I am sure it is vntrue for their best be not good inough though God forgeueth them their euill of hys mercy at y e repentaunce of their harts Then he endeth in his schole doctrine contrary vnto all the scripture that God remitteth not the sinne of hys chosen people because that he hath chosen thē not of his mercy but of a towardnes that is more in one then in an other saying God saw before that Peter should repent and Iudas woulde dispaire and therefore chose Peter If God chose Peter because he did repent why chose he not Iudas to which repented as much as he knowledged his sinne and brought the money agayne O this blindnesse as God had wrought nothing in the repentaunce of Peter Sayde not Christ before that Peter should falle And sayd he not that he had prayed for him that he shoulde be holpe vppe agayne Christ prayed a strong prayer for Peter to helpe hym vp agayne and suffered a strong death thereto And before his death he committed them vnto his father saying I haue kept them in thy name and I depart keepe them now from euill Peter had a good hart to God and loued his lawe and beleued in Christ had the spirite of God in him which neuer left him for all his falle Peter sinned of no malice but of frailtie and sodaine feare of death And the goodnesse of God wrought his repentaunce and all the meanes by which he was brought vp againe at Christes requeste And Iudas was neuer good nor came to Christ for loue of his doctrine but of couetousnesse nor did euer beleue in Christ Iudas was by nature and birth as we all be heyre of the wrath of God in whome the deuill wrought his will and blinded his hart with ignoraunce In which ignorannce and blindnes he grew as he grew in age and fell deeper and deeper therein and thereby wrought all his wickednesse and the deuilles will and perished therin Frō which ignoraunce God purged Peter of his mercy and gaue him light and his spirite to gouerne him and not of any towardnesse that was in Peter of hys owne byrth but for the mercy that we haue in the birth of Christes death And how will M. More proue that God chuseth not of his goodnes but of our towardnes What good towardnes can he haue and endeuour that is altogether blinde and caryed away at the will of the deuill till the deuill be cast out Are we not robbed of all towardnes in Adam and be by nature made the children of sinne so that we sinne naturally and to sinne is our nature So that as now though we would do well the flesh yet sinneth naturally neither ceaseth to sinne but so farforth as it is kept vnder with
be kept The softnesse of this Lewes did him much care For he was after prisoned of his owne sonne with helpe of Pope Gregory the fourth After this mans dayes the Popes neuer regarded the Emperours nor did the clergie of Rome sue any more to the Emperour either for the election or confirmation of the Pope More ouer after this Lewes there was neuer Emperour in Christendome of any power or able of his owne might to correct any Pope neyther was there any kyng that coulde correct the outragious vices of the spiritualtie of his own realme after this time For this Lewes left three sonnes among which he deuided y e realme of FrauÌ„ce all Douchland Which same for pride disdayne that one should haue more then an other fell together as we say by the eares ech destroying others power so that Fraunce was afterwarde of no might to do any great thyng And theÌ„ the Pope raigned in Italy alone with out care of any Emperour in so much that Nicholaus the first decreed that no secular Prince or Emperour should haue ought to do or be at the counsels of the clergie And after that Adrian the secoÌ„d was chosen Pope the Emperours deputie being in Rome and not once spokeÌ„ to of the matter And when the Emperours embassadours disdained they answered who can resiste the rage of the people and prayed them to be coÌ„tent and to salute him as Pope And Adrian the thyrde decreed that they should not abide or tarie for the Emperours confirmation or authoritie in chusing the Pope and that the Pope onely should call a general counsel and not the Emperour or if the Emperour would presume y t to do the counsell should be of none effect though all the prelates of ChristeÌ„dome were there and though what soeuer they did were but Gods word So mighty was the beast now waxed when he once began to raygne alone And from this tyme hetherto perished the power of the Emperours and the vertue of the Popes sayth Platina in y e lyfe of Popes For since that tyme as there was none Emperour of might so was there no Pope of any vertue After this Lewes the Empyre of Fraunce and of all DouchlaÌ„d was deuided betwene his three sonnes which as I sayde fought one with another and destroyed the strength of the Empyre of Fraunce And from that tyme to this which is aboue vij hundred yeares thou shalt reade of few Popes that haue not led their liues in bloudshedding in so much that if thou consider the stories well thou shalt easely perceaue that there hath bene flayne about their cause farre aboue xl huÌ„dred thousand men besides that there hath bene but few Princes in ChristeÌ„dome that hath not bene busied and combred a great part of his life about their matter Either in warres begunne at their setting on eyther in ceasing scismes or diuision that hath bene amoÌ„g the clergie who should be Pope or striuing of byshops who should be greatest as betwene the Byshop of Yorke Canterbury in England and betwene the Byshops of England Wales wherof all the chronicles be full or in reforming Fryers or Monkes or in sleying them that vttered their false hypocrisie wyth Gods worde When the Emperour was downe and no man in Christendome of any power to be feared then euery nacion fell vppon other and all landes were at variaunce betwene theÌ„selues And then as the Danes came into England and vexed the Englishmen and dwelt there in spite of their hartes euen so came straunge nacions whose names were scarce heard of before in these quarters as the Vandales Hunnes and Gothes and ran thorowout all Christendome by C. thousands together and subdued the landes and dwelt therin maâ—gre the inhabitours as thou mayst see in Douchland how diuers nacions are inclosed in y e middes of the lande of a straunge tongue which no Douchmen vnderstande and that rule continued well viij or ix score or two hundred yeares And in all this ceason whosoeuer wan the maystrye hym the spiritualtie receaued and him they crowned kyng and to him they claue And whatsoeuer any tyraunt had robbed all hys life that or the most part thereof must he deale among them at hys death for feare of Purgatory The spiritualtie all that ceason preached the Pope mightely built Abbayes for recreation and quyetnes shrining them alway for saintes which purchased them priuileges or fought for their liberties or disputed for the Popes power howsoeuer they liued but after l. yeare wheÌ„ their liues were forgotten and if any resisted theÌ„ whatsoeuer mischief they went about hym they noted in the chronicles as a cruell tyraunt ye and whatsoeuer misfortune chaunced any of hys posteritie after him that they noted also as though God had plagued them because their forefather was disobedient vnto holy church and euer put the stories that vttered their wickednes out of the way and gathered reliques froÌ„ whence they coulde get them and fayned myracles and gaue theÌ„selues only vnto Poetry and shut vp the scripture so that this was the very tyme of which Christ speaketh Math. xxiiij in which false Prophetes should arise shew myracles and wonders to deceaue the very electe if it had bene possible FInally in thys busie worlde the kynges of Lumbardy gatte a little might and came vp agayne and were diuers tymes Emperours though of no great might And one Beringarius kyng of Lumbardy began to meddle with our holy fathers busines Wherfore y e Poge fled vnto Ottho kyng of y e Saxons which by that tyme had gotten might and brought him into Italy against Beringarium which Ottho ouercame Beringarium and was made Emperour for his labour and thus came the Empyre first vnto Douchlande And Ottho receaued the Empyre of one Pope Iohn say they with thys othe I Ottho do promise and sweare vnto the Lord Iohn by the father the sonne and the holy Ghost and by this wod of the crosse that maketh liuing and by these reliques of Saintes that if I come to Rome with Gods helpe I will exalte the holy church of Rome and the gouernour of the same vnto my power Neyther shalt thou lose lyfe nor members or that honour that thou hast by my will counsell consent or setting a worke Moreouer I wyll make in Rome no constitution or ordinaunce of any thing that pertayneth vnto thee or vnto the Romaines with out thy counsell And what so euer of the landes of Saint Peter commeth vnto our hands I will deliuer it thee And vnto whosoeuer I shall commit the rule of Italy I will make hym sweare that he shall helpe thee to defende the landes of Saint Peter vnto his power And Gregory the fift when they had got at the last that which they long gaped for made this ordinaunce of chusing y e Emperour to stablishe it withall that vi Lordes of Almany iij.
inch of her honour or Saint Peters seate one iot of her right And Anselmus that was Byshop in short tyme after neuer left striumge with that mighty prince kyng William the second vntill he had compelled him maugre his teeth to deliuer vp the inuestiture or election of Byshops vnto Saint Peters vicar which inuestiture was of olde tyme the kynges dutie And agayne when the sayde kyng William woulde haue had the tribute that Priestes gaue yearely vnto theyr Byshoppes for their whores payde to hym did not Rāfe Byshop of Chichester forbid Gods seruice as they call it and stoppe vp the Church doores with thornes thoroughout all his diocesse vntill the kyng had yelded hym vp his tribute agayne For when the holy father had forbode Priestes theyr wyues the Byshop permitted them whores of their owne for a yearely tribute do still yet in all landes saue in England where they may not haue any other saue mens wiues onely And agayne for the election of Steuē Langton Archbyshop of Canterbury what mysery and wretchednes was in the realme a long season Then was y e land interdited many yeares And whē that holpe not then Ireland rebelled agaynst kyng Iohn immediatly not without the secrete workinge of our Prelates I dare well say But finally when neither the interditing neither that secrete subtiltie holpe and when Iohn would in no meanes consent that Saint Peters vicar should raigne alone ouer the spiritualtie and ouer all that pertayned vnto them and y t they should sinne and do all mischiefe vnpunished the Pope sent remission of sinnes to the kyng of Fraunce for to goe and conquere his land Whereof kyng Iohn was so sore afrayde that he yelded vp his crowne vnto the Pope and sware to holde the land of him and that his successours should do so likewyse And againe in king Richardes dayes the second Thomas Arundell Archbyshop of Canterbury and Chauncellar was exiled wyth the Earle of Darby The outward pretence of the variaūce betwene the king and hys Lords was for the deliueraunce of the towne of Breste in Britayne But our prelates had an other secrete mistery a bruyng They could not at their owne lust slea the poore wretches which at that tyme were conuerted vnto repētaunce to y t true fayth to put their trust in Christes death bloud sheding for the remissiō of their sinnes by the preaching of Iohn Wiclefe As soone as the Archbyshop was out of the realme the Irishmen began to rebell agaynst kyng Richarde as before agaynst kyng Iohn But not hardly without the inuisible inspiration of thē that rule both in the courte and also in the consciences of all men They be one kyngdome sworne together one to helpe an other scatered abroad in all realines And howbeit that they striue amōg themselues who shal be greatest yet agaynst the temporal power they be alwayes at one though they dissemble it faine as though one helde agaynst the other to know their enemies secretes to betray them withall They can enspyre priuely into the brestes of the people what mischiefe they liste no man shall know whence it cōmeth Their letters go secretly from one to an other thoroughout all kingdomes Saint Peters vicar shall haue worde in xv or xvj dayes from the vttermost part of Christendome The Byshops of Englande at their neede can write vnto the Byshops of Ireland Scotland Denmarke Douchland Fraūce and Spayne promising them as good a turne an other tyme putting thē 〈◊〉 remembraunce that they be all one holy Church and that the cause of y t tone is the cause of the tother saying if our iugglinge breake out youres can not belong hid And the other shall serue their turne and bring the game vnto their handes and no man shall know how it commeth about Assoone as kyng Richard was gone to Ireland to subdue these rebellions the Byshop came in againe and preuēted the kyng and tooke vp his power agaynst hym and tooke him prisoner and put him downe and to death most cruelly and crowned the Erle of Darbye Kyng O mercifull Christ what bloud hath that coronacion cost England but what care they their causes must be auenged He is not worthy to bee kyng that will not auenge their quarels For do not the kyngs receaue their kyngdome of the beast sweare to worship hym and maintayne hys throne And thē whē the Erle of Darbye which was king Henry the fourth was crowned the prelates tooke hys sworde and his sonnes Henry the fift after hym as all the kynges swordes since and abused them to shed Christē bloud at their pleasure And they coupled their cause vnto the kynges cause as now and made it treasō to beleue in Christ as the scripture teacheth and to resiste the Byshops as now and thrust them in the kinges prisons as now so that it is no new inuention that they now do but euen an olde practise though they haue done theyr busie cure to hide their sciēce that their conueyaunce should not be espyed And in kyng Henry the sixt dayes how raged they as fierce Liōs against good Duke Humfrey of Glocester the kynges vncle and protectour of the realme in the kynges youth and childhod because that for him they myght not slea whom they would and make what cheuysaunce they lusted Would not the Byshoppe of winchester haue fallen vpon him and oppressed him openly with might and power in the citie of London had not the Citizens come to his helpe But at the last they founde y t meanes to contriue a drift to bring their matters to passe and made a Parlyament farre from the Cityzens of London where was slayne the good Duke and onely wealth of the realme and the mighty shylde that so long before that kept it from sorow which shortly after his death fell theron by heapes But the chronicles can not tell wherfore he dyed nor by what meanes No maruell verely For he had neede of other eyes then such as y e worlde seeth withall that should spye out their priuy pathes Neuerthelesse the chronicles testifie that he was a vertuous man a godly and good to the commō wealth Moreouer the proctour of purgatory saith in his Dialoge quod I and quod he and quod your frende how that the foresayd Duke of Glocester was a noble mā and a great clarcke and so wise that he coulde spye false myracles and disclose them and iudge them from the true which is an hatefull science vnto our spiritualtie and more abhorred amongest them then Necromancye or witchcrafte and a thyng wherfore a man by their lawe I dare well say is worthy to dye and that secretly if it be possible Now to be good to the common wealth and to see false myracles and thyrdly to withstand that Fraūce then brought vnder the foote of the Englishmen should not be set vp agayne by whose power the
y t beleued thē frō y t vengeaunce of the law And in the new Testament is oft made mention of the law to cōdemne them which beleue not the promises Moreouer the law and Gospell may neuer be separate for the Gospel and promises serue but for troubled consciences which are brought to desperation and feele the paynes of hell and death vnder the law and are in captiuitie and bondage vnder the law In all my dedes I must haue the law before me to condemne myne vnperfectnes For all that I do be I neuer so perfect is yet damnable sinne when it is compared to the law whiche requireth the ground and bottome of myne hart I must therefore haue alwayes the law in my sight that I may be meke in the spirite and giue God all the laude and prayse ascribyng to him all righteousnes and to my selfe al vnrighteousnes and sinne I must also haue the promises before myne eyes that I dispayre not in which promises I see the mercy fauour and good will of God vpon me in the bloud of hys sonne Christ which hath made satisfaction for myne vnperfectnes and fulfilled for me that which I could not do Here may ye perceaue that two maner of people are sore deceaued First they whiche iustifie them selues with outward dedes in that they abstayne outwardly frō that which the law forbiddeth and do outwardly that which the law commaundeth They compare them selues to open sinners and in respect of them iustifie them selues condemning the open sinners They set a vayle on Moyses face and see not how the law requireth loue from the bottome of the hart and that loue onely is the fulfilling of the law If they dyd they would not condemne their neighbours Loue hydeth the multitude of sinnes sayth S. Peter in his first Epistle For whom I loue from the deepe bottome grounde of myne hart him condemne I not neither recken his sinnes but suffer his weakenes infirmitie as a mother the weakenes of her sonne vntill he grow vp into a perfect man Those also are deceaued which with out all feare of God geue them selues vnto all maner vices with ful consent and full delectation hauyng no respect to the law of God vnder whose vengeaunce they are locked vp in captiuitic but say God is mercyfull Christ dyed for vs supposing that such dreaming imaginatiō is that fayth which is so greatly cōmended in holy Scripture Nay that is not faith but rather a folish blind opinion springing of their owne corrupt nature and is not geuē them of the spirite of God but rather of the spirite of the deuill whose fayth now a dayes the Popish compare and make equall vnto the best trust confidence and belefe that a repenting soule can haue in the bloud of our Sauiour Iesus vnto their owne confusion shame vtteryng what they are with in But true faith is as sayth the Apostle Paule the gift of God and is geuē to sinners after the law hath passed vppon them and hath brought their consciences vnto the brim of desperation and sorowes of hell They that haue this right faith consēt to the law that it is righteous and good and iustifie God which made the law and haue delectation in the law notwithstanding that they cā not fulfill it as they would for their weakenes and they abhorre what soeuer the law forbiddeth though they can not all wayes auoyde it And their great sorrow is because they can not fulfill the will of God in the law and the spirite that is in them cryeth to God night day for strength and helpe with teares as sayth Paul that can not be expressed with toung Of which thinges the belefe of our Popish or of their father whom they so magnifie for his strong faith hath none experience at all The first that is to say he whiche iustifieth him selfe with his outward deedes consenteth not to the law inward neither hath delectation therin ye he would rather that no such law were So iustifieth he not God but hateth him as a tyraunt neither careth he for the promises but will with his owne strength be sauiour of him selfe no wise glorifieth he God though he seme outward to do The second that is to say the sensuall person as a voluptuous swyne neither feareth God in his law neither is thankefull to him for his promises and mercy which is set foorth in Christ to all them that beleue The right Christen man consenteth to the law that it is righteous and iustifieth God in the law for he affirmeth that God is righteous and iust which is author of the law he beleueth the promises of God iustifieth God iudgyng him true and beleuyng that he will fulfill his promises with the law he condemneth him selfe and all his dedes and geueth all the prayse to God He beleueth the promises and ascribeth all truth to God thus euery where iustifieth he God and prayseth God By nature through the fall of Adam are we the children of wrath heyres of the vengeaunce of God by byrth yea and from our conceptiō And we haue our felowship with the damned deuils vnder the power of darkenes and rule of Sathan while we are yet in our mothers wombes and though we shewe not forth the frutes of sinne as soone as we be borne yet are we full of the naturall poyson whereof all sinnefull deedes spryng and can not but sinne outwardes be we neuer so young as soone as we be able to woorke if occasion be geuen for our nature is to do sinne as is the nature of a Serpent to stynge And as Serpent yet young or yet vnbrought forth is full of poyson and can not afterward when the tyme is come and occasion geuen but bryng foorth the frutes therof And as an adder a tode or a snake is hated of man not for the euill that it hath done but for the poyson that is in it and hurt which it can not but do so are we hated of God for that naturall poyson which is cōceaued and borne with vs before we do any outward euill And as the euil which a venemous worme doth maketh it not a Serpent but because it is a venemous worme doth it euill and poysoneth and as the frute maketh not the tree euill but because it is an euill tree therfore bryngeth it foorth euill frute when the season of frute is Euen so do not our euill dedes make vsfirst euill though ignorance blindnes through euill workyng hardeneth vs in euill maketh vs worse and worse but because that of nature we are euill therefore we both thinke and do euill and are vnder vengeaūce vnder the law conuict to eternal damnation by the law and are contrary to the will of God in all our will and in all thynges consent to the will of the tende By grace that is to say by fauour we are plucked out of Adā the ground of all euill and
therof and our neighbours yea our enemies as our selues inwardly from the grounde of the hart because God hath made them after the likenesse of his owne image they are his sonnes as well as we and Christ hath bought them with his bloud and made them heyres of euerlastyng lyfe as well as vs And how we ought to do what soeuer God biddeth and absteine from what soeuer God forbiddeth with all loue and mekenes with a feruent and a burnyng lust from the center of the hart then begynneth the conscience to rage against the law and against God No sea be it neuer so great a tempest is so vnquiet For it is not possible for a naturall mā to cōsent to the law that it should be good or that God should be righteous which maketh the law in as much as it is contrary vnto hys nature and damneth him and all that he cā do neither sheweth him where to fetch helpe nor preacheth any mercy but onely setteth mā at variaunce with God as witnesseth Paule Rom. iiij and prouoketh hym and styrreth hym to rayle on God and to blaspheme him as a cruell tyraunt For it is not possible for a mā till he be borne agayne to thinke that God is righteous to make hym of so poyson a nature either for his own pleasure or for the sinne of an other man and to geue him a law that is impossible for him to do or to cōsent to his witte reason and will beyng so fast glued yea nayled and chayned vnto the will of the deuill Neither can any creature louse the bondes saue the bloud of Christ onely This is captiuitie and bondage whence Christ deliuered vs redemed and loused vs. His bloud his death his pacience in suffering rebukes and wronges his prayers and fastynges his mekenes and fulfillyng of the vttermost point of the law peased the wrath of God brought the fauour of God to vs agayne obteined that God should loue vs first and be our father and that a mercyfull father that will consider our infirmities and weakenes and wil geue vs his spirite agayn which was taken away in the fall of Adam to rule gouerne strength vs and to breake the bondes of Sathan wherein we were so straite bounde When Christ is thus wise preached the promises rehearsed which are contained in the Prophetes in the Psalmes and in diuers places of the fiue bookes of Moses which preachyng is called the Gospell or glad tydinges then the hartes of them which are elect and chosē begyn to waxe soft and melt at the bounteous mercy of God and kyndnes shewed of Christ For when the Euangelion is preached the spirite of God entreth into them which God hath ordeined and appoynted vnto eternall lyfe and openeth their inward eyes and worketh such belefe in them When the wofull consciences feele and tast how swete a thyng the bitter death of Christ is how mercyfull louing God is through Christes purchasyng and merites they begin to loue gayne and to consent to the law of God how that it is good and ought so to be and that God is righteous which made it and desire to fulfill the law euen as a sicke man desireth to be whole and are an hungred and thirst after more righteousnes and after more strength to fulfill the law more perfectly And in all that they do or omit and leaue vndone they seke Gods honour and his will with meekenesse euer condemnyng the vnperfectnes of their deedes by the law Now Christ standeth vs in double stede and vs serueth two maner wise First he is our redemer deliuerer reconciler mediator intercessor aduocate atturney soliciter our hope comfort shield protectiō defender strēgth health satisfaction and saluation His bloud his death all that he euer dyd is ours And Christ him self with all that he is or can do is ours His bloud shedyng and all that he dyd doth me as good seruice as though I my selfe had done it And God as great as he is is myne with all that he hath as an husband is his wiues through Christ and his purchasing Secondaryly after that we be ouercome with loue and kindnes and now seke to do the will of God which is a Christen mans nature Then haue we Christ an exāple to counterfeit as saith Christ him selfe in Iohn I haue geuen you an example And in an other Euāgelist he sayth He that wil be great among you shal be your seruaunt and Minister as the sonne of man came to minister and not to be ministred vnto And Paule sayth Counterfeit Christ And Peter sayth Christ dyed for you and left you an example to folow hys steppes What soeuer therefore fayth hath receaued of God through Christs bloud and deseruyng that same must loue shed out euery whit and bestow it on our neighbours vnto their profite yea and that though they be our enemyes By fayth we receaue of God and by loue we shed out agayne And that must we do frely after the example of Christ without any other respect saue our neighbours wealth onely neither looke for reward in earth nor yet in heauen for the deseruyng merites of our deedes as Friers preach though we know that good deedes are rewarded both in this lyfe and in the lyfe to come but of pure loue must we bestow our selues all that we haue all that we are able to do euen on our enemyes to bryng them to God consideryng nothyng but their wealth as Christ dyd ours Christ dyd not hys deedes to obteyne heauen therby that had bene a madnes heauē was his all ready he was heyre therof it was his by inheritaunce but dyd them frely for our sakes consideryng nothyng but our wealth and to bryng the fauour of God to vs agayne and vs to God As no naturall sonne that is his fathers heyre doth his fathers will because he would be heyre that he is already by byrth his father gaue him that yer hee was borne and is lother that he should go without it then he him selfe hath wit to be but of pure loue doth he that he doth And aske him why he doth any thing that he doth he aunswereth my father bade it is my fathers will it pleaseth my father Bond seruauntes worke for hyre Children for loue For their father with all he hath is theirs already So doth a Christen man frely all that he doth considereth nothyng but the will of God his neighbours wealth onely If I liue chaste I do it not to obteine heauen therby For then should I doe wrong to the bloud of Christ Christes bloud hath obteined me that Christes merites haue made me heyre therof He is both doore and way thether wardes Neither that I loke for an higher roume in heauē thē they shal haue which liue in wedlocke other thē a whore of the stewes if she repēt for that were the pride of Lucifer But frely to wayte on the Euangelion and
despised and haue translated the Scripture purely and with good consciēce submittyng them selues and desiryng them that can to amend their trāslation or if it please thē to trāslate it themselues after their best maner yea and let them sow to their gloses as many as they thinke they can make cleaue thereto and then put other mens translation out of the way Howbeit though God hath so wrought with them that a great part is translated yet as it is not inough that the father and the mother haue both begotten the child brought it into this world except they care for it and bryng it vp till it can helpe it selfe Euen so it is not inough to haue translated though it were y e whole Scripture into the vulgare common toung Except we also brought agayne the light to vnderstād it by and expell that darke cloude which the hypocrites haue spread ouer the face of y e scripture to blind the right sense and true meanyng thereof And therfore at their diuers introductions ordeyned for you to teach you the professiō of your Baptisme the onely light of the Scripture one vppon the Epistle of Paule to the Romains and an other called The pathway into the Scripture And for the same cause haue I taken in hand to interpret this Epistle of S. Iohn the Euangelist to edifie the lay mā and to teach him how to read the Scripture and what to seke therein that he may haue to aunswere the hypocrites and to stop theyr mouthes with all And first vnderstand that all the Epistles that the Apostles wrote are the Gospell of Christ though all that is the Gospell bee not an Epistle It is called a Gospell that is to say glad tydinges because it is an open preachyng of Christ and an Epistle because it is sent as a letter or a bill to them that are absent ¶ Here begynneth the first Epistle of S. Iohn Chapter 1. THat which was from the begynnynge declare wee vnto you which we haue heard which we haue seene with our eyes which we looked vppon and our handes haue handled of the worde of lyfe For the lyfe appeared and we haue sene and beare witnesse and shewe vnto you that euerlastynge lyfe which was with the father and appeared vnto vs. In that S. Iohn sayth The thyng which was from the begynnyng and the euerlastyng lyfe that was with the father he witnesseth that Christ is very God as he doth in the begynnyng of his Gospel saying The word or the thyng was at the begynnyng and the thyng was with God and that thyng was God and all thinges were made by it And whē he sayth which we heard saw with our eyes our hands handled hym he testifieth that Christ is very man also as he doth in the begynning of his Gospell saying The word or that thyng was made flesh that is became man And thus we haue in playne and opē wordes a manifest Article of our fayth that our Sauiour Christ is very God and very man Which Article who soeuer not onely beleueth but also beleueth in it the same is the sonne of God hath euerlasting lyfe in him shall neuer come into condemnation as it is written Iohn i. He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God in that they beleued in his name And Iohn iij. He that beleueth in the sonne hath euerlastyng life And a litle before in the sayd Chapter He that beleueth in hym shall not be condēned And to beleue in the wordes of this Article is y t eatyng of Christes flesh and drinkyng his bloud of which is spoken Iohn vj. The words which I speake are spirite and lyfe the flesh profiteth not at all meanyng of y e fleshly eatyng of his body and fleshly drinkyng of hys bloud There is therefore great difference betwene beleuing that there is a God and that Christ is God mā and to beleue in God and Christ God and man and in the promises of mercy that are in hym The first is cōmune to good and bad and vnto the deuils thereto and is called the fayth beleue of the hystory The secōd is proper vnto the sonnes of God is their lyfe as it is written The righteous liueth by fayth that is in puttyng hys trust confidēce and whole hope in the goodnes mercy and helpe of God in all aduersities bodely and ghostly and all temptations euen in sinne hell how depe so euer he be fallen therin But as he which feeleth not hys disease can long for no health euen so it is impossible for any man to beleue in Christs bloud except Moses haue had hym first in cure with his law haue robbed hym of his righteousnes and cōdemned him vnto euerlastyng death haue shewed hym vnder what dānation they are in by birth in Adā how all their deedes appeare they neuer so holy are yet but damnable sinne because they cā referre nothyng vnto the glory of God but seke thē selues theyr owne profite honour and glory So that repentaunce toward the law must go before this belefe and he which repenteth not but cōsenteth vnto the life of sinne hath no part in this fayth And when Iohn calleth Christ the euerlastyng life that was with the father hee signifieth that Christ is our lyfe as after in the Epistle and in the first also of his Gospel saying In him was lyfe For vntill we receaue lyfe of Christ by fayth we are dead and can be but dead as saith Iohn iij. He that beleueth not in the sonne can see no lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth vppon him Of which wrath we are heyres by byrth sayth Paule Ephe. ij Of whiche wrath we are ignoraunt vntil the law be published and walke quyetly after our lustes loue God wickedly that he should be content therwith mainteine vs therin cōtrary vnto his godly and righteous nature But assoone as the lawe whose nature is to vtter sinne Roma iij. and to set man at variaunce with God is preached thē we first awake out of our dreame and see our damnatiō and haue the law which is so contrary vnto our nature and grudge agaynst God therto as young children do agaynst their elders when they first commaūde and count God a cruell tyraūt because of his law in that he cōdemneth vs for that thyng which we can not loue nor of loue fulfill But when Christ is preached how that God for his sake receiueth vs to mercy forgiueth vs all that is past hencefoorth rekeneth not vnto vs our corrupt and poysoned nature taketh vs as his sonnes and putteth vs vnder grace and mercy promiseth that he will not iudge vs by the rigorousnes of the law but nourture vs with all mercy and patiēce as a father most mercyful Onely if we will submit our selues vnto his doctrine and learne to kepe his lawes Yea
word testifyeth against vs that wee are all sinners yea and els Christ dyed in vayne Salomon sayth 3. Reg. 8. That there is no man that sinneth not agaynst God And Paule proueth by the authoritie of the Scripture vnto the Romaines that we are all sinners without exception And the scripture witnesseth that we are damnable sinners and that our nature is to sinne Which corrupt and poysoned nature though it be begō to be healed yet it is neuer through whole vntil the houre of death For the which cause with all our best fruites there growe weedes among Neither can there be any deed so perfect that could not be amended When a blind bungler wondreth at his glorious woorkes a cunning workeman y t hath a cleare iudgement perceaueth that it is vnpossible to make a woorke that coulde not bee made better Now the law requireth workes of vs in the highest degree of perfection and ceaseth not to accuse vs vntill our workes flow naturally as glorious in perfection as the woorkes of Christ And Christ teacheth vs to pray in our Pater noster Forgeeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue our trespassers Whereby ye may easelye vnderstande that we sinne dayly one against another and all agaynst God Christ taught also to pray that our Father should not let vs slip into temptation signifying that our nature cannot but sinne if occasions be geuen except that God of his especiall grace keepe vs backe Which readinesse to sinne is damnable sinne in the lawe of God Dauid prayed Psal 68. Let not the tempest drowne me let me not fall into the bottome and let not the pitte shut her mouth vpon me as who shoulde say First keepe me O God from sinning then if I shall chaunce to fall as no flesh can escape one time or other then call me shortly backe agayne and let me not sincke to deepe therein and though I yet fall neuer so deepe yet Lord let not the way of mercy be stopped signifying that it is vnpossible to stand of our selues and much lesse to rise againe Which impotencie and feblenes is damnable in the law of God except that wee saw it and repented and were fled to Christ for mercy Chap. 2. MY little children I write these thinges vnto you that ye sinne not And though any man sinne yet we haue an aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ which is righteous I write vnto you on the one syde that God is light and therfore that no man which willingly walketh in the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse hath any felowship with that light or part in the bloud of his Sonne And this I write and testifie vnto you my deare children that ye sinne not that is that ye consent not vnto sinne nor should sinne of lust and purpose maliciously but contrariwise that ye feare God resiste sinne with all your might and power according as ye haue promised For whosoeuer sinneth of purpose after the knowledge of truth the same sinneth against the holy Ghost remedilesse Heb. 6. 10. And on the other side I testifie vnto you that we be alway sinners though not of purpose and malice after the nature of damned deuils but of infirmitie and frailtie of our flesh which flesh not onely let teth vs that our woorkes can not be perfect but also now then through manifold occasions and temptations caryeth vs cleane out of the right way spight of our hartes How be it I say if when the rage is past we turne vnto the right way agayne and confesse our sinnes vnto our Father with a repenting hart he hath promised vs mercie and is true to fulfill it So that if we sinne not deuilishly against the holy Ghost refusing the doctrine which we can not improue that it should not be true but after the frail tie of man there is no cause to dispair For we haue an aduocate and an intercessour with the Father euen Iesus Christ that is righteous The name of our aduocate is Iesus that is to say a sauiour Cal his name Iesus sayd the Angell to Ioseph for he shall saue his people from their sinnes Math. 1. And this aduocate our Iesus to saue vs from our sinnes continueth euer as it is written Heb. 7. and hath Sempiternum Sacerdotium an euerlasting office to make an attonment for sinne by the reason wherof sayth the text he is able euer to saue them that come to God through him with repentance and fayth and liueth euer to speake for vs. And besides that our Iesus is God and almightie He tooke our nature vpon him and felt al our infirmities and sicknesses and in feeling learned to haue compassion on vs and for compassion cryed mightely in prayers to God the Father for vs was heard And the voyce of the same bloud that once cryed not for vengeaunce as Abels but for mercy onely was heard cryeth now and euer and is euer heard as oft as we call vnto remembrance with repenting fayth how that it was shed for our sinnes He is also called Christus that is to say king annoynted with all might and power ouer sinne death and hell and ouer all sinnes so that none that flyeth vnto him shall euer come into iudgement of damnation He is annoynted with all fulnesse of grace and hath all the treasure and riches of the spirite of God in his hande with which he blesseth all men according to the promise made to Abraham and is thereto mercifull to geue vnto al that cal on him And how much be loueth vs I report me vnto the ensamples of his deedes And he is righteous both towarde God in that he neuer sinned and therfore hath obtayned all his fauour and grace and also toward vs in that he is true to fulfill all the mercye that he hath promised vs euen vnto the vttermost iotte And he is the satisfaction for our sinnes and not for oures only but also for all the worldes That I call satisfaction the Greeke calleth Ilasmos and the Hebrue Copar And it is first taken for the swaging of wounds sores and swellings and the taking away of payne and sinarte of them And thence is borowed for the pacifying and swaging of wrath and anger and for an amendes making a contenting satisfaction a raunsome making at one as it is to see aboundantly in the Bible So that Christ is a full contenting satisfaction and raūsome for our sinnes And not for oures onely which are Apostles and Disciples of Christ while he was yet here or for ours which are Iewes or Israclites and the seed of Abraham or for ours that nowe beleue at this present tyme but for all mens sinnes both for their sinnes which went before and beleued the promises to come for ours which haue sene them fulfilled and also for all them whiche shall afterward beleue vnto the worldes ende of what soeuer nation or degree they be For Paule commaundeth 1. Timo.
2. To pray for all mē and all degrees saying that to bee acceptable vnto our Sauiour God whiche will haue all men saued and come to the knowledge of the truth that is some of al natiōs and all degrees not the Iewes onely For sayth hee there is one God and one mediatour betwene God and man the man Christ Iesus whiche gaue him selfe a redemption and full satisfaction for all men Let this therefore be an vndoubted Article of thy fayth not of an hystorie fayth as thou beleuest a gest of Alexander or of the old Romains but of a liuely fayth and belefe to put thy trust and confidēce in and to by and sell theron as we say and to haue thy sinnes takē away and thy soule saued thereby if thou hold it fast and to continue euer in sinne and to haue thy soule damned if thou let it slip that our Iesus our Saniour that saueth his people from their sinnes our Christ that is our kyng ouer all sinne death and hell annoynted with fulnesse of all grace and with the spirite of God to distribute vnto all men hath accordyng vnto the Epistle to the Hebrues all the scripture in the dayes of his mortall flesh with fastyng praying sufferyng and crying to God mightily for vs with shedyng his bloud made full satisfaction both a poena a culpa with our holy fathers leaue for all the sinnes of the world both of theirs that went before of theirs that come after in the faith whether it be Original sinne or actual not onely the sinnes cōmitted with consent to euill in tyme of ignoraunce before the knowledge of the truth but also the sinnes done of frailtie after we haue forsaken euill and cōsented to the lawes of God in our harts promising to folow Christ and walke in the light of his doctrine Hee saueth his people from their sinnes Math. 1. and that he onely So that there is no other name to be saued by Actes 4. And vnto hym beare all the Prophets recorde that all that beleue in hym shall receaue remission of their sinnes in his name Actes 10. And by him onely we haue an entring in vnto the father and vnto all grace Ephe. 2. 3. and Rom. 5. And as many as come before hym are theues murtherers Iohn 10. That is whosoeuer preacheth any other forginenesse of sinne then through fayth in hys name the same slayeth the soule This to be true not onely of originall but of actual and aswel of that we commit after our profession as before mayst thou euidently see by the ensamples of the Scripture Christ forgaue the woman taken in adulterie Iohn 8 and an other whom be healed Iohn 5 And he forgaue Publicanes and open sinners and put none to do penaunce as they call it for to make satisfactiō for the sinne which he forgaue through repentaunce fayth but enioyned them the lyfe of penaunce the profession of their Baptisme to tame the flesh in kepyng the commaundementes and that they should sinne no more And those sinners were for the most part Iewes and had their Originall sinne forgiuen them before through fayth in the Testament of God Christ forgaue his Apostles their actuall sinnes after their professiō which they committed in denyeng hym put none to do penaunce for satisfactiō Peter Actes 2. absolueth the Iewes thorough repentaunce and fayth from their actuall sinnes whiche they dyd in consentyng vnto Christes death and enioyned them no penaūce to make satisfaction Paul also had his actuall sinnes forgiuen hym frely thorough repentaunce and fayth without mention of satisfactiō Actes 9. So that accordyng vnto this present texte of Iohu If it chaūce vs to sinne of frailtie let vs not dispayre for we haue an aduocate and intercessour a true attorney with the father Iesus Christ righteous toward God and man and is the reconcilyng and satisfaction for our sinnes For Christes workes are perfect so that he hath obtained vs all mercy and hath set vs in the full state of grace and fauour of God and hath shade vs as welbeloued as the aungels of heauen though we be yet weake As the yoūg childrē though they can do no good at all are yet as tenderly beloued as the old And God for Christes sake hath promised that whatsoeuer euil we shal do yet if we turne and repent he will neuer more thinke on our sinnes Thou wilt say God forgiueth the displeasure but we must suffer payne to satisfie the righteousnes of God A then God hath a righteousnes whiche may not forgeue paine al y t the poore sinner shuld go skotfre without ought at all God was vnrighteous to forgiue the theefe his payne and all thorough repentaunce faith vnto whom for lack of laysure was no penasice enioyned And my faith is that whatsoeuer exāple of mercy God hath shewed one that same he hath promised all ye will he peraduenture forgiue me but I must make amendes If I owe you xx l. ye will forgiue me that is ye will no more be angry with me but I shal pay you the. xx poundes O Popishe forgiuenesse with whom it goeth after the common prouerbe no peny no pardon His fatherhode giueth pardō frely but we must pay money aboundantly Paules doctrine is Rom. 9. if a man worke it ought not to be sayd that his hyre was giuē hym of grace or fauour but of dutie But to hym that worketh not but beleueth in hym that iustifieth the vngodly his faith he sayth not his workes although he commaundeth vs diligently to worke and despiseth none that God commaūdeth his faith saith hee is rekened hym for hys righteousnes Confirmyng his saying with the testimonie of the prophet Dauid in the 32. Psalme saying Blessed is the man vnto whō God imputeth or rekeneth not his sinne that is to say which man although he be a sinner yet God layeth not it to his charge for his faithes sake And in the. xi hee sayth If it come of grace then it cōmeth not of works For then were grace no grace sayth he For it was a very straunge speakyng in Paules cares to call that grace that came of deseruyng of workes Or that deseruyng of workes whiche came by grace for he rekened workes grace to be contrary in such maner of speach But our holy father hath coupled thē together of pure liberalitie I dare say not for couetousnes For as his holynesse if hee haue a cause agaynst any man immediatly bretheth out an excommunication vppon hym and will haue satisfaction for the vttermost farthing and somwhat aboue to teach thē to beware agaynst an other tyme yet he will blesse agayne from the terrible sentence of his heauy curse euen so of that blessed complection hee describeth the nature of the mercy of God that God will remitte his anger to vs vppon the appointment of our satisfaction When the Scripture sayth Christ is our
righteousnes our iustifying our redemption our attonement that hath appeased God and clenseth vs froÌ„ our sinnes and all in his bloud so that his bloud is the satisfaction onely And that thou mayst the better perceaue the falshead of our holy fathers fleshly imagination call to minde how that the Scripture sayth Iohn the iiij God is a spirite and must be worshypped in the spirite That is repentauÌ„ce fayth hope and loue toward his law and our neighbour for his sake is hys worshyp in the spirite And therefore whosoeuer woorshyppeth God with workes and referreth his woorkes to God to be a sacrifice vnto hym to appease hym as though hee delited in the worke for the woorkes sake the same maketh of God an image or idoll and is an image seruer and as wicked an Idolater as euer was any blynd heathen and serueth God after the imagination of his owne hart and is abhominable vnto god as thou seest in how many places God defieth the sacrifice of the children of Israell for the sayd imagination So that whosoeuer supposeth that his candle stickyng before an Image his puttyng a peny in the boxe his goyng a pilgrimage his fastyng his wolward goyng barefoote goyng his crowchyng knelyng and paine taking be sacrifice vnto God as though he delited in them as we in the gestures of Iack Napes is as blind as hee that gropeth for his way at none Gods worshyp is to loue hym for hys mercy of loue to bestow al our works vpon our neighbour for his sake and vpon the tamyng of our flesh that we sinne not agayne which should be the chiefest care of a Christen man whyle Christ careth for that that is once past and coÌ„mitted already whether before our profession or after For the conditions of the peace that is made betwen God vs in Christes bloud are these The law is set before vs vnto whiche if we consent and submit our selues to be scholers thereof then are not onely all our foresinnes forgiuen both Poena culpa with our holy fathers licence euer but also all our infirmities weaknes pronesse readynes and motions vnto sinne are pardoned and taken aworth and we translated froÌ„ vnder the damnation of the law which damneth as well those infirmities as the sinne that springeth of them and putteth vs vnder grace Rom. 7. So that we shall not henceforth as long as we forsake not our professioÌ„ be iudged by the rigorousnes of the law But chastised if we do amise as children that are vnder no law Now then if God in Christ pardon our infirmities by reasoÌ„ of which we cannot escape but that we shal now and theÌ„ sinne it foloweth that he must likewise pardon the actuall sinne whiche we do compelled of those infirmities in spite of our hartes and agaynst the will of the spirite For if thou pardon the sicknesse of the sicke then must thou pardoÌ„ the deeds which he doth or â—eueth vndone by the reason of his sicknesse If the madnes of a mad man be pardoned and vnder no law then if he murther in his madnesse he may not be slayne agayne If children within a certaine age are not vnder the law that flayeth theues then can ye not of right hang them though they steale What popishe pardoning were that Thys doth Paule Rom. 7. so confirme that all the world cannot quitch against it saying I consent vnto the law of God that it is good and fayne would I do it and yet haue I not alwayes power so to do but find an other thing in my flesh rehelling agaynst the will of my minde and leading me captine into sinne so that I cannot do that I wold doe but am compelled to doe that I would not If sayth he I do that I woulde not then I do it not but the sinne that dwelleth in me doth it And then sayth he Who shall deliuer me from this body of deathe in which I am bound prisoner agaynst my will Thankes be to God saith he through Iesus Christ our Lorde which hath conquered and ouercome sinne death and hell and hath put the damnation of the law out of the way vnto all that professe the law and beleue in him We be vnder the lawe to learne it and to fasshion our deedes as like as we can but not vnder the damnation of the lawe that we shoulde be damned though our deedes were not perfect as the law requireth or though of frailty we at a time breake it As children are vnder the law that they steale not but not vnder the damnation though they steale So that all they that are graffed into Christ to follow hys doctrine are vnder the law to learne it onely but are deliuered from feare of euerlasting death and hell and all the threatenings of the law and from conscience of sinne which feared vs from God And we are come into God thorough the confidence that we haue in Iesus Christ are as familiar bold with him as yong innocent children which haue no conscience of sinne are with their fathers and mothers or theÌ„ that nourishe them Which were vnpossible if God now as the pope painteth him did shake a rod at vs of vij yeares punishment as sharpe as the paynes of hel for euery trespace we do which trespace for the number of them were like to make our purgatory almost as long as hell seing we haue no Gods word that we shall be deliuered thence vntil we haue payd the last farthing And therefore could our conscience neuer be at rest nor be bolde and familier with God If ye say the Pope can deliuer my conscience from feare of purgatory as his poetry onely putteth me in feare and that by this text Whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth c. If thou this way vnderstand the text whatsoeuer thou being in earth losest any where then might he lose in hell and binde in heauen But why may not I take the text of Christ Ioh. 16. Whatsoeuer ye aske my Father in my name he will geue it you and desire forgeuenesse of all together in Christes name both a poena culpa and theÌ„ remayneth no such purgatory at all Howbeit the text of binding losing is but borowed speach how that after the similitude of worldly binding and losing locking and vnlocking the word of God truely preached doth binde and lose the conscience God sayth to Hieremias cap. 1. Behold I geue thee power ouer nations and kingdomes to plucke vp by the rootes and to shiuer in peeces to destroy and cast downe and to build and plante How did he destroy nations kingdomes and how did he build theÌ„ verily by preaching and prophecying What nation kingdome or citie he prophecyed to be ouerthrowne was so And what Citie he prophecyed to be built againe was so And what nation after they were brought into captiuity he prophecyed to be restored agayne were so And whome he prophecyed to perish perished
dedes shal be taken in worth yea and though at a tyme we marre all through our infirmitie yet if we turne agayne that shal be forgeuen vs mercifully so that we shal be vnder no damnation which testament is confirmed with signes and wonders wrought thorough the holy ghost Now this indented obligation layde apart we make an other of our owne imaginatiō betwene the Saints and vs in their merites for our image seruice Which can be but a false fayth seyng it hath not Gods woorde vnto which alone we ought to cleaue but is also cleane contrary therto And agayne the Saintes were not saued through their owne merites but through Christes Neither were their dedes which they dyd after they were receaued vnder grace sufficiēt in them selues to fulfill the law for the present time saue as Christes merites did supply y e imperfectnes of thē and y t which was lackyng on their part thorough their infirmities And therefore as the Saintes holy workes made no satisfaction for the sinne they dyd before they were receaued vnder mercy euen so made they none for the deadly synnes which they did vnder mercy seyng the deedes were vnperfect and had sinne annexed vnto thē by reason of the flesh and were insufficient to excuse theyr owne maisters What merites haue they in store for vs then seeing by all mens confession they now merite not◠If the most obedient child in the world disobey his fathers cōmaundementes his fore good deedes cannot make that disobedience no sinne or to be a satisfaction that the childe should presume in the confidence of his olde deedes and think his father should do him wrong to punishe him But hee must knowledge his fault and that he hath deserued punishmente and desire forgeuenes vnto the glory of his fathers mercifulnesse and not of his olde deedes though his olde obedience be a great presumption that he sinned of frailtye and not of purpose Euen so if I being as holy as euer was Paul in his most holinesse sinne this day thorough the frailtie of my fleshe mine olde deedes cā be no satisfaction but I must know ledge my sinne vnto my Father and graunt that I haue deserued damnation and meekly desire forgeuenes and challenge it by the obligation wherin God hath bound him selfe to me vnto the glory of the mercy of God not to the glory of my holy deedes for if my deedes saue me it is my glory But if he forgeue vs freely without respect of my deedes then it is the glory of hys mercye by Paules doctrine vnto the Romaines Moreouer if the saintes be in heauē then can they be there in none other case then the Aungels in which state Christ testifyeth they shall be in the resurrection Now the Angels are ministers sent of God to do seruice vnto the electe which shall be saued Heb. 1. And God hath bound himself that if I come in the right way by the dore of Christes bloud and aske helpe that he will send me if need be an hundred legions of Angels or saintes But when God hath bound himself to sende me angels or saintes or an angell or saint he hath not promised to send this Angell or that or this or that sainte And therfore when I appoynt God whom he shall send and binde him where he hath not bound himselfe to sende me what sainte I will I tempt God And thus this chosing of seuerall saintes is but tempting of God And yet wee do worse then this for we leaue y t way of Christs bloud go not to God throgh him but run to the saintes in a testament of our owne making and will that they eyther saue vs themselues for our imageseruice or compell God for merites sake to saue vs. Why goest thou not vnto thy Father thine owne selfe I am a sinner will they say and dare not If thou go in the right way thou hast no sinne Christ hath taken all thy sinnes from thee and God hath no rod in his hand nor looketh sowre but merily that it is a lust to beholde his chearfull countenance and offreth thee his hande But this way is stopped vp through vnbeleefe and therefore we seek an other which is no way to life but vnto euerlasting death We will not looke on the law with open eyes and therfore haue we no due repentaunce and so no lust to harken vnto the gospell of glad tydings in Christes bloud And where the right way is set before vs and we of malice will not walke therin God can not but let the deuil play with vs and iuggle our eyes to confirme vs in blindnesse But after what maner doth Christ pray for vs Verily Christ in the dayes of his mortall flesh suffred and prayed for all that shal be saued and obtayned and was heard and had his petitions graunted And he made satisfaction purged and purchased forgeuenes euē then for all the sinne that euer shall be forgeuen And his praying for vs and being a mediatour now is that the remembraunce of all that he did for vs is present in the sight of God the Father as fresh as the houre he did them yea the same houre is yet present and not past in the sight of God And Christ is now a King and raigneth and hath receaued power of all that he prayed for to do it himselfe And that whensoeuer the elect cal for ought in his name he sēdeth help euē of y t power which he hath receaued yea ere they aske he sendeth his spirit into their harts to moue them to aske So that it is his gift that we desire ought in his name And in all that we do or thinke well he preuēteth vs with his grace yea he careth for vs ere we care for ourselues and when we were yet euill he sendeth to call vs draweth vs with such power that our hartes cannot but consent and come And the Angels stande by and behold the testament of the elect how we shall be receiued into their fellowshippe and see all the grace that Christ shall poure out vpon vs. And they reioyce and prayse God for his infinite mercy and are glad and long for vs of very loue are ready against all houres whē we shall call for help in Christes name to come helpe And Christ sendeth them whē we cal in his name and ere we call euen while we be yet euill and happely persecute the truth of ignoraunce as Paule did the Angels wayte vpon vs to keepe that the deuils slay vs not before the time of our calling be come Now if an Angell shoulde appeare vnto thee what wouldest thou say vnto him If thou prayedst him to helpe he would aunswere I do Christ hath sent me to helpe and beleeue that the Angels be euer about thee to helpe If thou desiredst him to pray for thee to obtayne this or that he woulde say Christ hath prayed and his prayer is heard
ignoraunce of Christ and of his owne sinne and without repentaunce faith that his sinnes be forgeuen him in Christ and therefore is mercilesse vnto hys brother whom Christ commaunded him to pitie and loue And in that ignoraunce he walketh that is worketh euill and loueth the thinges of the worlde and seeketh in them the lustes of the â—lesh which are the quenching of the spirite and death of the soule for loue of them hateth his brother And this ignoraunce of Christ which is vnbeleef is the cause of all the wickednes that we do vnto our brethren I write vnto you little children that your sinnes are forgeuen you for hys names sake I write vnto you fathers that ye know him that was from the beginning I write vnto you yong men how that ye haue ouercome the wicked I write vnto you that are yong in the fayth and yet weake and therefore fall now and then how that your sinnes are forgeuen you as soone as ye repent and reconcile your selues vnto your brethren whom ye haue offended euen for his names sake onely and not for our owne deedes whether afore or after or for any other mans deedes or satisfaction saue for his onely I write vnto you that are fathers in the doctrine of God to teach other how that ye know him that was from the begynnyng is no new thing though he newly receaued our nature And through knowledge of him which is the onely light and the dore vnto the knowledge of God ye are become fathers in the Scriptures Or els ye had neuer vnderstand it though ye had studied neuer so much as it appeareth by the indurate Iewes and also by oure owne new Pharisies which persecute the scripture and the true sence therof because they be drowned in the ignoraunce of Christ as their deedes and contrary liuing well testifie I write vnto you yong meÌ„ that are strong in suffering persecutions and fight for your profession not with the sword but with suffering how that ye haue ouercome that wicked which poisoned the world at the beginning and yet woorketh in the children of darcknesse and vnbeleefe and that in beleuing the woorde of truth as it foloweth anone after I write vnto you yong children howe that ye knowe the Father I write vnto you fathers howe that ye know him that was from the beginning I write vnto you young men that ye be strong and the woorde of God dwelleth in you and that ye haue ouercomme the wicked I write vnto you yong children how that ye know the Father whome yee loue thorough knowledge of the Sonne or els you had neuer knowne him as a father but as a Iudge and a tyrant and had hated him I write vn to you fathers as before howe ye are fathers of all trueth in knowing the Sonne Or els ye had euer continued in darknesse remedilesse I write vnto you youÌ„g men how y t ye are strong and that your strength is the word of God which dwelleth in your brest through fayth in which ye haue ouercome the wicked deuill and all his pompe as it foloweth chapt v. this is the victorye that ouercommeth the world euen our fayth Loue not the worlde nor the thinges that are in the worlde If a man loue the worlde the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pride of good are not of the Father but are of the world And the worlde vanisheth away and the lust thereof But he that doth the will of God abideth euer The loue of the world quencheth the loue of God Balaam for the loue of the world closed his eyes at the cleare light which he well saw For loue of the world the olde Pharisies blasphemed the holy Ghost and persecuted the maniâ—est truth which they coulde not improue For loue of the world many are this day fallen away and many which stood on the truthes side and defended it a while for loue of the worlde haue gotten them vnto the contrarye parte and are become the Popes mamalukes are waxed the most wicked â—…s vnto the truth and most cruel agaynst it They know the truth but they loue the worlde And when they espyed the truth could not stand wysh the honoures which they sought in the world they hated it deadly and both wittingly and willingly persecuted it sinning against the holy Ghost Which sinne shall not escape here vnpunished as it shall not be without damnation in the world to come but shall haue an ende here with confusion and shame as had the glory of our right reuerend father in God Thomas Wolfse late cardinall and legate a latere c. whome after his shitten death as the saying is his owne seruauntes which before exalted his glory haue sent to hel with grace and priuiledge By the lust of the flesh is vnderstaÌ„d lechery whiche maketh a man altogether a swine and by the lust of the eyes is vnderstoode couetousnes which is the roote of all euil and maketh â—o erre from the fayth 1. Tim. vlâ— And then followeth pride whiche three are the world and captaines ouer all other vices and occasions of all mischief And if pride couetousnes and lechery be the world as S. Iohn sayth then turne your eyes vnto the spiritualtie vnto the pope cardinals bishops aâ—bates and all other prelates and see whether suche dignities bee not the world and whether the way to them be not also the world To get the olde abbats treasure I thinke it be the readiest way to be the newe How fewe come by promotion except they buy it or serue long for it or both To be wel skilled in war and in polling to maintaine war and lustes and to be a good ambassadour is the onely way to a bishopricke or to pay truely for it See whether pluralities vnions totquets and chainging the lesse benefice bysshoprike for the greater for the contrary chainge I trow was neuer â—ene may be without couetousnes pride And then if such thinges be the world and the world not of God how is our spiritualtie of God If pride be seking of glory and they that seeke glory can not beleue Ioh. 5. How can our spiritualty beleue in Christ If couetousnes turne men from the fayth how are our spiritualty in the fayth If Christ when the deuill proferred hym the kyngdomes of the world and the glorie thereof refused them as thynges vnpossible to stande with hys kyngdome whiche is not of the worlde of whom are our spiritualtie whiche haue receyued them If couetousnes be a traytour and taught Iudas to sell his maister how should he not in so long time teache oure spiritualtie the same craft namely when they be of all kinges secretes and the ambassadours of their secretes and haue thereto thoroughout al ChristeÌ„dome a secret couÌ„sell of their
came to destroy the workes of the deuill in vs to giue vs a new byrth a new nature and to sow new seede in vs that we should by the reasoÌ„ of that byrth sinne no more For the seede of that byrth that is to wete the spirite of God and the liuely seede of his word sowen in our hartes kepeth our harts that we can not consent to sinne as the seede of the deuill holdeth the hartes of his that they can not consent to good This is coÌ„trary vnto the Pope in two poyntes in one that he sayth that our good deedes make vs first good and teacheth vs not to beleue in Christes bloud there to be washed made first good And in an other that he sayth God choseth vs first for our good qualites properties and for the enforcement and good endeuour of our frewill What good endeuour is there where the deuill possesseth the whole hart that it can consent to no good And finally there is great difference betwene the sinne of them that beleue in Christ vnfaynedly and the sinne of them that beleue not For they that beleue sinne not of purpose and of coÌ„sent to wickednesse that it is good castyng and compassyng afore hand without grudge of coÌ„science to bryng their purpose about As ye see our hypocrites haue vexed all Christendome this xx yeares to bryng a little lust to effect Their fathers conceiued mischief viij hundreth yeares ago And the sonnes consent vnto the same haue no power to depart therefrom And therfore their sinne is deuilishe and vnder the damnation of the law But if he that beleueth sinne he doth it not of purpose or that he consenteth vnto the life of sinne But of infirmitie chauÌ„ce and some great temptation that hath ouercome him And therefore his sinne is veniall and vnder mercy and grace though it be murther theft or adulterie and not vnder the daÌ„nation of the law So that his father shall scourge hym but not cast hym away or damne hym Marke in the sinne of Saule of Dauid Saule euer excused his sinne and could not but persecute the will of God And Dauid confessed his sinne with great repentauÌ„ce at the first warnyng whensoeuer he forgot him selfe All that worke not righteousnes are not of God Nor hee that loueth not his brother For this is the tydinges which ye heard at the begynnyg that we should loue one an other and not be as Cain which was of the deuill and slew his brother And wherefore slew he him for his deedes were euill and hys brothers righteous Maruell not my brethren thoughe the worlde hate you The law of righteousnes is that we loue one an other as Christ loued vs and he that hath not this law liuyng in his hart and when the tyme is bringeth not forth the frutes therof the same is not of God but of the deuill whose byrth and properties of the same ye see described in Cain how he resisted God and persecuted the childreÌ„ of God for their belefe workes therof And as ye see in Cain and his brother Abell so shall it euer continue betwene the children of God and of the deuill vnto the worldes ende Wonder not therefore thoughe the worlde hate you We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren He that loueth not his brother abydeth in death All that hate theyr brethren are murtherers and ye know that no murtherer hath eternall lyfe abydyng in hym If thou loue thy brother in Christ and art ready to do to suffer for him as Christ dyd for thee then thou art sure thereby that thou art the sonne of God and heyre of life and deliuered froÌ„ death and damnation So haue Christen men signes to know whether they be in the state of grace or no. And on the other side he that hath no power to loue his brethren may be sure that he is in the state of death and damnation An other is this let euery man looke vpoÌ„ his hart and be sure that he which hateth his brother hath slayne hym before God is a murtherer And murtherers shal not obteine the kingdome of God Gala. 5. But are Caines brethren and the deuils children and are heyres of death and euer vnder damnation Compare the regiment of the spiritualtie which haue had the temperall sword in their handes now aboue viij hundreth yeares vnto this doctrine of Iohn Iudge whether they haue led vs truely after the steppes of Christes doctrine Hereby we are assured of loue because hee left his lyfe for vs and therfore ought we to leaue our lyues for our brethren He then that hath the substaunce of the worlde and seith his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion froÌ„ him how dwelleth the loue of God in hym If we felt the loue of Christes death it would sure set our hart on fire to loue hym agayne and our brethren for his sake and should neuer cease to sâ—ay our resisting members vntill we could not onely be wel content that our brethren were in a more prosperous state then we but also vntill we could blesse them wheâ—â— they curse vs and pray for them when they persecute vs and to suffer death for theÌ„ to testifie the worde of their soules health vnto them and with loue to ouercome them and to wynne them vnto Christ If now euery Christen man ought to haue this rule of his profession before his eyes to learne it that hee should loue his brother as Christ dyd hym to depart with his lyfe for his brothers example how farre are they of from good scholers that can not finde in their hartes to depart with a litle of the aboundaunce superfluitie of their temporall goodes to helpe their neighbours neede My litle children let vs not loue in worde nor with the toung but with the dede and of a truth For thereby we know that we be of the truth and so shall we certifie our hartes in his sight If we haue power to worke then doth the worke certefie our hartes that our fayth in Christ and loue to God and our neighbour for his sake are vnfayned and that we are true children and no hypocrites And then are we bold in our coÌ„science before God And this is it that Peter meaneth 2. Pet. 1. where he biddeth vs minister in our fayth vertue godly liuing and all maner of good workes and therewith to make our vocation and election or our calling add chosing sure For the sight of the worke doth certify vs that God hath called vs and chosen vs vnto grace and mercy But and if when the time of woorking is come I fly and haue no power to worke then will our conscience accuse vs of sinne and transgressioÌ„ within the hart before God and so for feare of the rodde we dare not be bolde but draw backe and stand alooâ—e Let a childe haue neuer so mercifull a father yet if
it or to read in it To beleue that Iesus is Christe is to beleue in Christ that is to beleue earnestly and to put all thy trust therein and to lay the price of thy soule therupon that the sonne of Marie whom the aungell coÌ„maunded to be called Iesus because he shuld saue his people froÌ„ their sinnes is that Christ that Messias and that annoynted whiche God promised the fathers should come and blesse all nations and annoynt them with the oyle of his spirite with mercy and grace and to deliuer them froÌ„ death of their soules whiche is the consentyng to sinne and to make them a lyue with consentyng vnto the law of God and in certifiyng theÌ„ that they be the sonnes of God And to put the whole trust in all that he suffred in his fleshe for thy sake and in all promises of mercy that are in hym and that thou be full persuaded that there is no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men to be saued froÌ„ sinne by or to purchase forgiuenesse of the lest synne that euer was coÌ„mitted An other conclusion is this whosoeuer loueth God loueth all that beleue in God For all that loue hym that begetteth loue them that are begotten of him and all that beleue in God are begotten of God through that belefe and made his sonnes theÌ„ al that loue God loue all that beleue in God An other conclusion is this When we loue God and his law theÌ„ we loue the sonnes of God Which is this wise proued The loue of God is to keepe the law of God by the text before and after the law of GOD is to loue our neighbours therfore if we loue God in kepyng his lawes we must needes loue the sonnes of God But Iohn should seme to be a very negligeÌ„t disputer to many men in that he here certifieth vs of the loue of our neighbours by the loue of God when aboue hee certifieth vs that we loue God because we loue our neighbours Hee semeth to doe as I heard once a great Clerke in Oxford stand halfe an houre in a pulpit to proue that Christ was a true Prophet by the testimonie of Iohn Baptist and an other halfe houre to proue Iohn y t Baptist a true Prophet by the authoritie of Christ as we say claw me claw thee and as euery these might lightly proue him selfe a true man in bearyng recorde to an other as false as he and takyng recorde of the same agayne Which kynde of disputyng schole men call Petitiâ— prâ—ncipij the prouyng of two certaine thynges eche by the other and is no prouyng at all as our holy father proueth the authoritie of Scripture by hys decrees for the Scripture is not autentike but as his decrees admit it to make his decrees shyne and appeare glorious and to obtaine authoritie he allegeth the Scripture after his iugglyng maner to make fooles starke mad But it is not so here for both the demonstrations are certaine both the proffe of the loue of God and his law by the loue of my neighbour and the proofe of the loue of my neighbour by the loue of God and his law For wheÌ„ ij thynges are so ioyned together that they can not be separated then the presence of the one vttereth the presence of the other whether soeuer thou first seest As if I see fire I am sure that some thyng doth burne And if I smell burnyng I am certified of fire Euen so the loue of God is the cause why I loue my neighbour and my loue toward my neighbour is the effect of the loue of God And these two loues are euer inseperable so that whether soeuer I feele first the same certifieth me of the other Iohn calleth the loue of a maÌ„s neighbour the deedes of loue after the Hebrue speach as to helpe at neede For the deede declareth what the man is within Neither can my loue to God fayth be sene to the world saue thorough the workes And by the workes doth Christ commaunde vs to iudge So that if a maÌ„ haue euill workes and continueth therin he loueth not God nor knoweth God no though he call hym selfe master doctour or Gods vicare Neither vnderstandeth he Gods word for all his high diuinitie but is in all hys preachyng an hypocrite a false Prophet and a lyer though hys preachyng please the world neuer so well Neuerthelesse a man is certified that he loueth God yer he come at the worke by the testimonie of the spirite which is giueÌ„ him in earnest The spirite sayth Paule Roma viij testifieth vnto our spirite that we be the sonnes of God and then it testifieth that we beleue in God for thorough fayth are we sonnes And then it certifieth me that I loue God For fayth and loue are inseparable The spirite thorough fayth certifieth my conscience that my sinnes are forgiueÌ„ and I receaued vnder grace and made the very sonne of God and beloued of God And theÌ„ naturally myne hart breaketh out into the loue of God agayne I seke how to vtter my loue and to do God some pleasure And because I can neither do seruice or pleasure vnto his owne person my neighbour is set before me to do God seruice and pleasure in him to be to him as Christ is to me because he is my brother bought with Christs bloud as I am And I consent vnto that law and loue it yer I come at the dede and long after the dede And then wheÌ„ I loue my neighbour in the deede accordyng to this law I am sure that I loue hym truly Or els if I examined not my loue by this law I might be deceaued For some loue their neighbours for pleasure profite glorie and for their doyng seruice onely as our spiritualtie loue vs and of that blessed loue do their busie cure to keepe vs in darkenes which loue is a signe that a man hateth God and hys neighbour therto and loueth him selfe onely But Gods law is that I should absteine from myne owne pleasure and profite and become my neighbours seruaunt and bestow lyfe and goodes vpoÌ„ hym after the example of Christ Wherfore if I loue my neighbour out of the loue of Christ and after the example of hys law I am sure that I loue him truly And his commaundementes are not greuous For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde and this is the victory that ouercommeth the world eueÌ„ our faith To loue is not paynefull the commaundementes are but loue therfore they be not greuous because loue maketh the commaundements easie The seruice that a mother doth vnto her child is not greuous because she loueth it But if she should do the tenth part vnto one that she loued not her hart would brast for impacience Vnto a maÌ„ that fetleth not the loue of Christ it is as impossible to keepe the commaundementes as for a Camell to enter through the eye of a nedle But
of faith trust to Godward in Christs name and a false fayth of thine owne fayning to Saint Whiteward for thine imageseruice or seruyng her with cheese as though she were a bodely thyng And like disputatioÌ„ is it of all other saintes And as we worship the Saintes with imageseruice to obtaine temporal thinges euen so worship we God And as the Iewes turned their sacrifices vnto imageseruice whiche were giuen theÌ„ of God to be signes to moue them to serue God in the spirite Euen so haue we our Sacramentes And for an exaÌ„ple let vs take the Masse which after the Popes abuse of it is the most damnable imageseruice that euer was sence it began Christ accordyng to the testimonie of the Scripture made in the dayes of his flesh satisfaction for al the sinne of them that had or should be leue in his name obtained that they should be the sonnes of God and taken from vnder the damnation of the law and put vnder grace and mercy that God should henceforth deale with them as a mercyful father dealeth with his children that runne not away from him no though ought be at a tyme chaunced amisse but tary euer still by their father and by his doctrine confesse their trespasse and promise henceforth to inforce them selues vnto the vttermost of their power that they doe no more so negligently And this purchase made he with the thinges whiche he suffered in his flesh with the stroÌ„g prayers which he prayed And to kepe his TestameÌ„t euerfresh in minde that it were not forgot he left with vs the Sacrament or signe of his body and bloud to strength our faith and to certifie our coÌ„science that our sinnes were forgeuen assoone as we repented and had recoÌ„ciled our selues vnto our brethren and to arme our soules through the continuall remembraunce of Christes death vnto the despisyng of the world mortifying of the flesh quenching of the lustes and thyrst of worldly thinges As they which haue dayly conuersation with the sicke and miserable and are present at the deathes of men are moued to defie the world and the lustes therof And as Christ had institute the Sacrament of his body and bloud so the Byshoppes in processe of time set signes of all the rest of Christes passion in the ornamentes and gestures of the Masse so that the whole passion was dayly described before our eyes as though we had presently looked vppon it And that thou mayst see for what cause they came vnto the Sacrament they reconciled them selues ech one to other if any man had offeÌ„ded his brother ere they were admitted into the congregation or body of Christ to be members of ech other knit together in one fayth and loue to eate the Lordes Supper as Paule calleth it for the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ thus gathered is called Christes body and Christ their head And likewise if a man had ben taken in opeÌ„ sinne agaynst the professioÌ„ of his Baptisme he was rebuked openly And he confessed his sinne openly and asked forgiuenes of God and of the congregation whom he had offended with the example of his euill deede and tooke penaunce as they call it of the congregation that is certaine discret iniunctioÌ„s how he should liue and order him selfe in tyme to come came his flesh for the auoyding of the sayd vice because his confession and repentaunce which he semed to haue shuld be none hypocrisie but an earnest thing For if an open sinner be founde among vs we must immediatly amende him or cast him out of the congregation with defiaunce and decestation of his sinne as thou seist how quickly Paule cast out the Corinthian that kept his fathers wife and when he was warned would not amend Or els if we suffer such to be among vs vnrebuked we can not but at once fall from the constancie of our professioÌ„ and laughe and haue delectation and coÌ„sent vnto their sinne as it is come to passe throughout all Christendome Which is ten thousand tymes more abhominable then if we sinned our selues For the best man in the world that hateth sinne might at a tyme throughe â—rayltie of the flesh be drawne to sinne But it is altogether deuilish and a sure token that the spirit of Christ is not in vs nor the profession of our Baptisme written in the hart if we laughe at an other mans sinnes though we our selues absteine for shame or feare of hell or for what so euer imagination it be or that we be so blind that we see no other sinne in vs then our outward deedes And the penaunce enioyned frayle persons that could not rule them selues was vnder the authority of the Curate and the sad and discrete meÌ„ of the Parish to relesse part or all at a tyme if necessitie required or when they sawe the person so growne in perfectnes that he neded it not But see wherto it is now come after what maner our holy father that is at Rome dispenseth withall together And see what our Bishops officers do and where the authoritie of the Curate and of the Parish is become If in ten Parishes round there be not one learned and discret to helpe the other theÌ„ the deuil hath a great swynge among vs that the Byshops officers that dwell so farre of must abuse vs as they do And if within a Diocese or an whole land we can finde no shift but that the Pope that dwelleth at the deuill in hell must thus mocke vs what a stroke thinke ye hath Sathan among vs And all is because we be hipocrites and loue not the way of truth for all our pretendyng the contrarie And to begyn with all they sayd CoÌ„fiteor and knowledged them selues to be sinners And then the Priest prayed in generall for all estates and degrees and for encrease of grace and in especially if neede required vnto whiche prayers the people harkened and sayd Amen And then the Gospell and glad tydinges of forgiuenes of sinnes was preached to styre our fayth And then the Sacrament was ministred for the confirmation of the fayth of the Gospell and of the Testament made betwene God and vs of forgiuenes of sinnes in Christes bloud for our repeÌ„taunce and faith as ye see how after all bargaynes there is a signe therof made either clapping of haÌ„des or bowyng a peny or a groate or a peece of gold or giuing some earnest and as I shewed you how after a truse made they slewe beastes for a confirmation And then men departed euery man to his busines full certified that their sinnes were forgiuen and armed with the remembraunce of Christes passion and death for the mortifieng of the flesh all the day after And in all these was neither the Sacrament neither other ceremonies of the Masse imageseruice to God and holy dedes to make satisfaction for our sinnes or to purchase such worldly thinges as the Gospell teacheth vs to dispise And now compare this
swete water and bloud of very agonie conceiued of his passioÌ„ so nighe at hand The bloud stricken on the postes saued theÌ„ that they were not plagued with the Egyptians deliuered them out of the captiuitie of Pharao And the bloud of Christ strickeÌ„ on the postes of our consciences deliuereth vs from the captiuitie of Pharao the deuill and smitting of his auÌ„gels c. There might not a bone thereof be broken no more were there of Christes though the ij that were hanged with him had either of them his legges his armes brokeÌ„ Moreouer that it was a very prophecie of y e death of Christ of the vertue of his passion it is made the more manifest by the woordes of Christ himselfe Luke 22. for the night before hys passion when he had eaten Pesah with his Disciples he sayd I will no more â—ate of it henceforth till it be fulfilled in the kyngdome of GOD. As who should say This memoriall which we yearely haue hetherto obserued was once fulfilled in the kyngdome of this world when your fathers were deliuered out of bondage and seruitude of the Egyptians But it hath yet an other signification hetherto vnknowen vnto you which must be fulfilled spirituallie in the kingdome of God by my passion that is at hand and bloud that now shall shortly be shed by the which ye shal be deliuered out of the power of Sathan sinne and hell made heyres of the kyngdome of heauen Neither was it the lambes bloud that deliuered you then For what regarde hath God in the bloud of shepe and calues but the bloud of Christ whom that lambe figured and described his innocencie purenes and obedience to hys father and compassion to mankynde ward whose feble nature he had put on with all the infirmities of the same saue sinne did then deliuer you to bryng you to the fayth of this deliueraunce and to make you through faith partakers therof Many things there be in the Scripture whiche haue a carnall fulfillyng euen there where they be spoken or done and yet haue an other spirituall signification to be fulfilled long after in Christ and his kyngdome and yet neuer knowen till the thyng be done As the Serpent of Brasse which Moses haÌ„ged vp in the wildernes though it tooke effect carnally in the wildernes yet it so describeth the liftyng vp of Christ vpon the crosse the vertue of his passion that no touÌ„g could better declare it to make the hart feele it If ye aske why they may not be knowen till they be done and what prophecie may helpe I aunswere If men dyd vnderstand them before they were done they would endeuour to let the fulfillyng of them and when the significatioÌ„ is fulfilled then to see how playnly it was described in the Scripture doth excedyngly coÌ„firme the fayth thereof and make it better to be vnderstand And when this Pesah was fulfilled spirituallie in the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ by the death and bloud â—heddyng of Christ it ended there And in y t roome therof coÌ„cernyng that spirituall significatioÌ„ came the signe of the SacrameÌ„t of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ as Baptisme came in stede of CircuÌ„cision thyngs more easie lesse paynefull and tedious to be obserued and more gentle to prouoke and entise the Heathen For as the lambe describeth the death of Christ to come and the maner of his passion by which we should be deliuered euen so doth the ceremonie of the body and bloud of Christ testifie vnto vs that he hath giuen him selfe to death for vs and redemed vs already if we beleue and cleue 〈◊〉 to the profession of our Baptisme 〈…〉 thâ—â—in or will if any tempest had 〈◊〉 vs out of the right course returne to the right way agayne This to be so the wordes of the Instituâ—â—d declare which are these 1. Cor. 11. The Lord Iesus the night that he was betraâ—ed tooke bread and gaue thankes and brake it and sayd Take eate this is my body that shal be giuen for you this doe in remembraunce of me And likewise he tooke the cup wheÌ„ Supper was done saying This cup is the new TestameÌ„t in my bloud this do as often as ye shall drinke it in the remembraunce of me Here ye see by these woordes that it was ordeined to kepe the death of Christ in minde and to testifie that his body was giueÌ„ and his bloud shed for vs. And Luke 22. This is my body that is giueÌ„ for you do this in remembraunce of me And this cup is the new Testament in my bloud whiche shal be shed for you Loe here ye see agayne that it was instituted to kepe y t death of Christ in minde and to testifie wherfore he dyed eueÌ„ to saue vs from sinne death and hell that we should seeke none other meanes to be deliuered with for there is none other name for vs to be saued by but onely by the name of Iesus Actes 4. And as the children of Israell stong of the firie Serpents could haue none other remedy to saue them from present death then to go and behold the brasen Serpent hanged vp by Moses in the wildernes whiche lookyng on onely healed them Euen so if the styng of death whiche is sinne haue wounded their soule with the workyng of the law in the consciences there is none other remedy then to runne to Christ which shed his bloud hangyng vpon the Crosse and to his euerlastyng Testament and mercyfull promise that it was shed for vs for the remissioÌ„ of our sinnes If thou be stong with conscieÌ„ce of sinne the Cockatrice of thy poysoned nature hath beheld her selfe in the glasse of the righteous law of GOD there is none other salue for remedie theÌ„ to runne to Christ immediatly and to the father through him And to say father I haue sinned agaynst thee and thy godly holy and righteous law agaynst my brother whom I ought of all right to loue for thy sake as well as my selfe forgeue me O father for thy sonne Iesus Christes sake accordyng to thy most mercyfull promises Testament I will aske my brother forgiuenes if the peace I meane be not made already and will make to my power such satisfaction to hym as shall seme right in his eyes if he be reasonable or as the congregatioÌ„ shall assigne or faythfull men thereunto appointed by the congregation or such as I and he will agree vpon and will endeuour my self to do so no more with the helpe of thy grace And will submit my selfe to the wholesome ordinaunce of the coÌ„gregation accordyng the doctrine of thy sonne Iesus and of his faithful Apostles For there is none other name giuen vnder heauen wherby we shal be saued but onely the name of Iesus Hereof ye see that the SacrameÌ„t is an absolutioÌ„ of our sinnes as often as we receiue it where it is truly
more when the Sacrament is sene with the eyes the bread broken the wine poured out or looked on and yet more when I tast it and smell it As ye see when a man maketh promise to an other with light wordes betwene them selues and as they departed hee to whom the promise is made beginneth to doubt whether the other spake earnestly or mocked and doubteth whether he will remember his promise to bide by it or not But when any man speaketh with aduisement and deliberation the wordes are thē more credible but yet if he sweare it confirmeth the thyng more and yet the more if he strake handes if he geue earnest if he call record if he geue his hād writing and seale it so is the promise more and more beleued for the hart gathereth Lo he spake with aduisement deliberation and good sadnes he clapped hands called recordes and put to his hand and seale the man cannot be so faynt without the feare of God as to deny all this Shame shall make him bide by his promise though he were such a man that I could not compell him if he would deny it If a young mā breake a ryng betwene him and a mayde doth not the fact testifie make a presumption to all men that his hart meant as his wordes spake Manoha Sampsones father when he had sene an aungell Iud. 13. he sayd to his wife we shal surely dye because we haue sene the Lord. But his wife gathered other comfort of the circumstaunces and sayd if the Lord would kill vs he would not haue receaued such offerings of our hands nor shewed vs such thynges as he hath nor told vs of thynges to come Euen so our harts gather of the circūstaunces protestatiōs and other miracles of God good argumentes and reasons to stablish our weake fayth with all such as we could not gather at bare woordes onely And this we dispute God sent his sonne in our nature made him feele all our infirmities that moue vs to sinne and named him Iesus that is to say Sauiour because he should saue his people from their sinnes Math. 1. And after his death he sent his Apostles to preach the thynges or tydynges and to thrust it in at the eares of vs set vp a Sacrament of it to testifie it to be a seale of it to thrust it in not at the eares onely by the rehearsing of the promises and Testament ouer it neither at our eyes onely in beholdynge it but beate it in through our feelyng tastyng and smelling also and to be repeated dayly to be ministred to vs. He would not thinke we make halfe so much a do with vs if he loued vs not or if he would not haue vs fayne come and be as mercyfull to vs as he was to his frēdes in the old tyme that fell and rose agayne God so then vsed the Iewes to whom all ceremonyes were first giuen and from whom they came to vs euen such fashions as they vsed among them selues in all his promises and couenauntes not for his necessitie but for ours that such thynges should be a witnes and testimonie betwene him and vs to cōfirme the fayth of his promise that we should not wauer nor doubt in them when we looke on the seales of his obligations wherwith he hath bound him selfe And to keepe the promises and couenauntes better in mynde and to make them the more deepe sinke in our hartes and to be more earnestly regarded and that we should aske what such thynges ment and why God cōmaunded them to be obserued that ignoraunce should not excuse if we know not what we ought to do beleue for naturall reason ought to teach vs that y t outward corporall bodily thyng can not helpe the spirituall soule and that GOD hath not delectation in such fantasie Now if we were diligent to search for the good will of God and would aske what such ceremonies meant It were impossible but then God which hath promised Math. 7. If we seeke we shal finde would send vs true interpreters of his signes or Sacramentes And he that beyng of a lawfull age obserueth a ceremonie and knoweth not the entent to him is the ceremonie not onely vnprofitable but also hurtfull and cause of sinne In that he is not carefull and diligent to search for it and he there obserueth them with a false fayth of his owne imagination thinking as all Idolaters do and euer haue done that the outward woorke is a sacrifice and seruice to God The same therfore sinneth yet more deeper and more damnable Neither is Idolatrie any other thyng then to beleue that a visible ceremonie is a seruice to the inuisible God whose seruice is spirituall as he is a spirite and is none other thyng then to know that all is of hym and to trust in hym onely for all thynges and to loue him for his great goodnes and mercy aboue all and our neighbours as our selues for his sake vnto which spirituall seruyng of God and to leade vs to the same the old ceremonies were ordeined These be now sufficient concernyng the entent and vse of the ceremonies how they came vp Now let vs consider the wordes of this Testament and promises as they be rehearsed of the three Euangelistes Mathew Marke and Luke of the Apostle Paule For Iohn whiche wrote last touched nothyng that was sufficiently declared of other Math in the 26. thus sayth when they were eatyng Iesus tooke bread gaue thankes and brake and gaue hys Disciples and sayd take eate this is my body And he tooke the cup and thanked and gaue it them saying Drinke ye all of this for this is my bloud whiche is of the new Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes First ye see by these wordes that the body was giuen to death and the bloud shed for the remiūiō of sinnes and that for many But who are these many Verely they that turne to GOD to beleue in hym onely and to endeuour them selues to keepe his law from hence forth Which many yet in respect of thē that loue not the law are but very few and euen that little flocke that gaue them selues wholy to follow Christ wherfore if any man thinke hee beleue in Christ and haue not the law written in his hart to consent that his dutie is to loue hys brother for Christ sake as Christ loued him and to endeuour him selfe so to do The fayth of that same man is vayne and built vppon sand of of his own imagination and not vpon the rocke of Gods word for his worde vnto which he hath bound himselfe is that they onely which turne to God to keepe his lawes shall haue mercy for Christes sake Drinke of it all for it is my bloud of the new Testament for it is that is to say the drinke that is in the cup or if ye list the cup
to me as vnto the very onely anker of his saluation Not that any man hath sene the father lest peradnenture ye mistake these wordes to heare and to learne as though they pertemed to the outward senses and not rather to the mynde and inward illuminyng of the soule For no man euer saw the father although he worke secretly vpon his hart so that what so euer hee willeth we must heare and learne No man I say seeth him but he that is sent of God as I sayd before of my selfe he it is that seeth the father Now therfore say I vnto you verely verely as playnly y t who so beleueth trusteth in me he hath life euerlasting Now haue ye y t summe of this my doctrine euē my very gospel y e whole tale of all my legacy and message wherfore I am sent into the world Had M. More vnderstode this short sentence who so beleueth in me hath life euerlastyng knowne what Paule with the other Apostles preached especially Paul being a yeare a halfe amōg the Corinthiās determinyng not neither presumyng to haue knowē any other thyng to be preached them as him selfe saith then Iesus Christ that he was crucified Had M. More vnderstand this point he should neuer haue thus blasphemed Christ his sufficiēt Scriptures neither haue so belyed his Euāgelistes holy Apostles as to say they wrote not all thinges necessary for our saluation but left out things of necessitie to be beleued makyng Gods holy testamēt insufficient vnperfite First reueled vnto our fathers written oft sence by Moyses and then by his Prophetes and at last written both by his holy Euangelistes and Apostles to But turne we to Iohn agayne let More mocke still lye to I am y ◠bread of life saith Christ And no mā denyeth y ◠our fathers elders did eate Manna in the desert yet are they dead But he that eateth of this bread that is to say beleueth in me he hath life euerlastyng For it is I that am this liuely bread which am come from heauen of whom who so eate by faith shal neuer dye Here therfore it is to be noted diligently y ◠Christ meaneth as euery mā may see by y ◠eating of this bread none other thyng then the belefe in him self offred vp for our sinnes whiche faith onely iustifieth vs. Whiche sentence to declare more playnly that he would haue it noted more diligently he repeteth it yet agayn saying It is I y t am the liuely bread which am come down frō heauē who so eateth of this bread shall liue euerlastingly And to put you cleare out of doubt I shall shew you in few wordes what this matter is by what wayes I must be the Sauiour redemer of the world to giue it this life so oft rehearsed therfore now take good heede This bread which I speake of so much shall giue it you it is myne owne flesh which I must lay forth pay for the life of y ◠world Here it is now manifest that he should suffer death in his own flesh for our redēptiō to geue vs this life euerlastyng Thus now may ye see how Christes fleshe which he called bread is the spirituall foode meate of our soules Whē our soules by fayth see God the father not to haue spared his onely so deare beloued sonne but to haue deliuered him to suffer that ignominious so paynefull death to restore vs to lyfe thē haue we eaten his flesh and dronken his bloud assured firmely of the fauour of God satisfied certified of our saluation After this communication that he sayd The bread whiche I shall geue you is my flesh whiche I shall pay for the lyfe of the world yet were the carnall Iewes neuer the wiser For their vnbelief and sturdy hatred would not suffer the very spirituall sence mynde of Christes wordes to enter into theyr hartes They could not see that Christes flesh broken and crucified and not bodely eaten should be our saluation and this spiritual meate as our soules to bee fed and certified of the mercy of God and forgiuenes of our sinnes thorough his passion and not for any eatyng of his fleshe with our teeth The more ignoraunt therfore fleshly they were the more fierce were they full of indignatiō striuyng one agaynst an other saying How may this felow geue vs his flesh to eate it They stoke fast yet in his fleshe before their eyes those fleshly Iewes Wherfore no maruell though they abhorred the bodely eatyng thereof although our fleshly Papistes beyng of the Iewes carnall opinion yet abhorre it not neither ceasse they dayly to crucifie and offer him vp agayne which was once for euer and all offred as Paule testifieth And euen here sith Christ came to teache to take away all doubt and to breake strife he might his wordes otherwise declared then he hath will here after expounde them haue soluted their question saying if he had so ment as More meaneth that he would haue bene conuayed and conuersed as our iugglers sleighly can conuaye him with a few woordes into a singyng loafe or els as the Thomisticall Papistes say bene inuisible with all his dimensioned body vnder the fourme of bread transubstantiated into it And after a like Thomisticall mystery the wyne transubstantiated to into hys bloud so that they should eate his flesh and drinke his bloud after their owne carnall vnderstanding but yet in an other forme to put away all grudge of stomacke Or sith S. Iohn if he had vnderstode his maisters minde and tooke vpon hym to write his wordes would leaue this Sermon vnto the world to be read he might now haue deliuered vs and them frō this doubt But Christ would not so satisfie theyr question but aunswered Verely verely I say vnto you except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shall not haue that life in your selues He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath lyfe euerlasting and I shall styrre him vp in the last day for my flesh is very meate and my bloud the very drinke He saith not here that bread shal be transubstanciated or conuerted into his body nor yet the wyne into his bloud But now cōferre this saying to his purpose at the begynnyng where he had them worke for that meate that should neuer perish tellyng them that to beleue in hym whom God hath sent was the worke of God And who so beleueth in hym should neuer thyrst nor hunger but haue lyfe euerlastyng Conferre also this that foloweth and then shalt see it playne that his wordes be vnderstand spiritually of the belefe in his flesh crucified and his bloud shed for which belefe we bee promised euerlastyng lyfe hym selfe saying Who so beleueth in me hath life euerlastyng Here therfore their questiō how may this man giue vs his
eatyng of his flesh in forme of bread had this ben his meaning For he left them neuer in any perplexitie or doubt but sought all the wayes by similitudes familiar exaÌ„ples to teath them playnly He neuer spake them so hard a parable but where he perceiued their â—eble ignoraunce anone he helpte them and declared it them Yea and sometymes he preuented their askyng with his owne declaration thinke ye that he did not so here yes verely For he came to teach vs and not to leaue vs in any doubt and ignoraunce especially in the chief pointe of our saluation which staÌ„deth in the belefe in his death for our sinnes Wherefore to put them out of all doubt as concerning this eatyng of his flesh and drinkyng of hys bloud that should giue euerlastyng lyfe where they tooke it for his very body to be eaten with their teeth hee sayd It is the spirite that giueth this lyfe my flesh profiteth nothyng at all to be eaten as ye meane so carnally It is spirituall meate that I heare speake of It is my spirite that draweth the hartes of men to me by faith and so refresheth them ghostly Ye be therefore carnall to thinke that I speake of my flesh to be eaten bodely for so it profiteth you nothing at all How long will ye be without vnderstaÌ„dyng It is my spirite I tell you that giueth lyfe My fleshe profiteth you nothyng to eate it but to beleue that it shal be crucified suffer for the redemption of the world it profiteth And when ye thus beleue then eate ye my fleshe and drinke my bloud that is ye beleue in me to suffer for your sinnes The veritie hath spoken these woordes My flesh profiteth nothyng at all it can not therefore be false For both the Iewes and his Disciples murmured and disputed of hys flesh how it should be eaten and not of the offeryng thereof for our sinnes as Christ ment This therfore is the sure anker to hold vs by agaynst all the obiections of the Papistes for the eatyng of Christes body as they say in forme of bread Christ sayd My flesh profiteth nothyng meaning to eate it bodely This is the key that solueth al their argumentes and openeth the way to shewe vs all their false and abhominable blasphemous lyes vppon Christes wordes and vttereth their sleigh iuggling ouer the bread to mainteine Antichristes kyngdome therewith And thus when Christ had declared it and taught them that it was not the bodely eatyng of his materiall body but the eatyng with the spirite of fayth he added saying The wordes which I here speake vnto you are spirite and lyfe That is to say this matter that I here haue spoken of with so many wordes must be spiritually vnderstand to giue you this life euerlastyng Wherfore the cause why ye vnderstaÌ„d me not is that ye beleue not Here is lo the conclusion of all this Sermon Christ very God and man had set his flesh before them to be receiued with fayth that it should be broken suffer for their sinnes but they could not eate it spiritually bycause they beleued not in him Wherefore many of his Disciples fell froÌ„ him walked no more with him And then he sayd to the twelue Will ye go away to And Symon Peter aunswered Lord to whom shal we go Thou hast the wordes of euerlastyng life and we beleue and are sure that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuyng God Here is it manifest what Peter and his felowes vnderstode by this eatyng and drinkyng of Christ For they were perfitely taught that it stode all in the belefe in Christ as their auÌ„swere here testifieth If this matter had stand vpon so deepe a miracle as our Papistes fayne without any word of God not comprehended vnder any of their common senses that they should eate hys body beyng vnder the forme of bread as long depe thicke and as brode as it hanged vpon the crosse they beyng yet but feble of fayth not confirmed with the holy ghost must here nedes haue woundered stoned and staggerde haue bene more inquisitiue in and of so straunge a matter then they were But they neither doubted nor marueiled nor murmured nor were any thyng offended with this maner of spech as were y t other that slipt away but they aunswered firmely Thou hast the woordes of euerlastyng lyfe and we beleue c. Now to the exposition of the woordes of our Lordes Supper Among the holy Euangelistes writyng the story of Christes Supper Iohn bicause the other three had written it at large did but make a mention thereof in his xiij Chapter Mathew Marke and Luke declaryng it clerely orderly with iust number of wordes With whom Paule agreeth thus writyng vnto the Corinthians Our Lord Iesus yâ—â—ame night he was betrayed he tooke the bread and after he had giuen thankes he brake it saying Take ye it eate it This is my body whiche is for you brokeÌ„ Here is now to be noted the order of this action or act First Christ tooke the bread in his haÌ„des secondaryly he gaue thankes thirdly he brake it fourthly he taught it them saying take it fiftly he had them eate it At last after all this hee sayd This is my body which is for you broken this thyng do ye into the remembraunce of me Here ye see y t this bread was first broken deliuered them and they were coÌ„mauÌ„ded to eate it to ere Christ sayd This is my body And for bicause it is to suppose verely y â— they tooke it at his haÌ„d as he had them and dyd eate it to when they had it in their handes their master whose wordes they did euer obey coÌ„mmauÌ„ding theÌ„ It must needes folow if these be the wordes of the coÌ„secratioÌ„ that they were houseled with vnconsecrated bread or els now eaten or at lest wise part of it ere Christ consecrated it yea it foloweth that it was out of Christes handes and in theyâ— mouthes when Christ consecrated it so to haue consecrated it wheÌ„ it was now in his disciples handes or in their mouthes or rather in theyr bellyes Here it is manifest that Christ consecrated no bread but deliuered it to his Disciples and bad them eate it In somuch that S. Thomas their owne Doctour that made their transubstantiation coÌ„fesseth that some there were that sayd that Christ did first consecrate with other woordes ere he now reachyng the bread to his Disciples sayd This is my body c. And yet calleth he it no heresie so to say Now sith in all this acte and Supper there bee no woordes of consecration but of the deliueryng of the bread broken after thankes giuyng with a commaundement to eate it bryng vs your wordes of coÌ„secration and shewe vs by what woordes God promised you and gaue you power to make his body There is neither commaundement nor yet any wordes left in all the Scripture to make or
be their God The lambe that was but the signe was called the passeouer and yet was not the lambe the passyng ouer but the signe onely excityng and monishing them to remember that deliueraūce by the aungell pasling by the Israelites in Egypt sinityng the Egyptians And sith this trope or maner of spech the Scripture did vse with so great grace in the old rites and ceremonies that figured our Sacramētes why may it not with like grace for that analogie and proper congruence of the figures with their verities vse the same phrase and maner of spech in their verities If the Scripture called the signe the thyng in Circumcision the passeouer why should we be offended with the same spech in our Baptisme in the Lordes Supper Sith such maner of spech haue no lesse grace and fulnes here then there to bryng the thyng signified into our hartes by such outward sensible signes For when that signe of Circumcision was giuen the child thē were they certified as an outword token may certifie that the child was of the people of Israell And therfore did the signes thē as they do now beare the names of thyngs which they signified as the lambe eaten in the passeouer was called the sacrifice the selfe passeouer none otherwise then in our new passeouer that is the Lordes supper the bread brokē c. is called the body of Christ the wyne poured forth and distributed to ech mā the bloud of Christ because the bread so broken and dealt signifieth vnto the receiuers and putteth them in remembraunce of the sacrifice of his body on the aulter of the crosse and of his bloud poured foorth for our redemption So that this maner of spech in the administration and vse of the Supper of our Lord to say This is my body this is my bloud is asmuch to say as this signifieth my body this signifieth my bloud Which Supper is here celebrated to put vs in remēbraunce of Christes death and to excite vs to thankes giuyng Neither let it offend thee O Christen reader That est is taken for significat that is to say This is that is as much to say as this signifieth that For this is a commō maner of spech in many places of Scripture and also in our mother toūg as whē we see many pictures or images which ye know well are but signes to represent the bodyes whom they be made lyke yet we say of the Image of our Lady This is our Lord and of S. Katheriue this is S. Katherine yet do they but represent and signify vs our Lady or S. Katherine And as it is writtē The in braūches are three dayes The thre baskets are three dayes which was not els but they signified three dayes Also in the xxviij chapter Iacob sayd This stone whiche I haue set vp an ende shal be Gods house which stone yet was neuer Gods house nor neuer shal be but onely did signifie gods house to be builded in that same place Agayne Pharao dreamed to haue sene vij faire fat Oxē eftsoones vij poore lene Oxē which Ioseph expoundyng sayd The vij fat Oxē are vij plētuous yeares in which phrase or maner of spech euery mā sith that the Oxē were no yeares but they signified such yeares Maruell not therfore though est likewise in this sentēce Hoc est corpus meum be taken for significat as much to say as this signifieth my body And yet for because the Scriptures conferred together expounde them selfe as sayth S. Austen And Peter That we haue before a firme and sure prophetical spech vnto which if we attend as vnto a light set vp in a darke place we do well I shall shew you a like phrase in Ezechiell where the destruction of Ierusalem was thus figured God commaundyng Ezechiell to take a sword as sharpe as a raser and shaue of his head and beard and then take a certain waight of the heares deuided into three partes The one he should burne in the middes of the Citie An other he should cut roūd about and cast the thyrd vp into the wynde c. which done he sayd Thus sayth the Lord God This is Ierusalem Which act and dede so done was not Ierusalem But it signified and preached vnto the beholders of it Ierusalem to be destroyed none otherwise thē the breakyng and distributing of the bread and wyne called Christes body and bloud signifieth and preacheth vs the death of Christ the figure and signe bearyng the name of the thyng signified as in the Prophetes spech saying This is Ierusalem which dyd but signifie Ierusalem When Christ dyd breath into his Disciples saying Take ye the holy ghost the same breath was not the holy ghost but signified and represented them the holy ghost with a thousand lyke maner of spech in the Scripture In the old passeouer thankes were giuen for the slaughter of the first begotten wherein the kynges posteritie of Egypt fell away The Hebrues spared passeouer and deliuered But in the new passeouer thankes were giuen that the onely begotten sonne of the most highest was crucified wherby all faythfull are spared passed ouer and not smittē with the sword of damnation but deliuered and saued in the lambes bloud that hath takē away the sinne of the world In the old passeouer The lambe or feast is called the Lordes passeouer and yet was neither the lambe nor the feast his passyng ouer but the signe and commemoration of his passyng by And euē so is it now in the new Supper of our Lord. It is there called the body of our Lord not that there is any thing wherin his very naturall body is contayned so long and brode as it hāged on the crosse for so is it ascended into heauē and sitteth on the right hād of the father but that thyng that is there done in that Supper as the breakyng and dealyng and eatyng of the bread and the whole like action of the wine signifieth representeth and putteth into our harts by the spirite of faith this cōmemoration ioyfull remēbraunce so to geue thankes for that inestimable benefite of our redemption wherin we see with the eye of our fayth presently his body broken his bloud shed for our sinnes This is no small Sacrament nor yet irreuerētly to be entreated but it is the most glorious and hyghest Sacramēt with all reuerence and thankes geuyng to be ministred vsed receiued preached solemnely in the face of the congregation to be celebrated of whose holy administration and vse I shall peraduenture speake in the end of this Supper But in the meane season Christen reader let these sensible signes signifie and represent hys death and print it in thy hart geuyng thankes incessantly vnto God the father for so incomparable a benefite that hath giuē thee his owne onely so dearely beloued sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ to dye for thy sinnes yea and that
make aunswere to thus Supper of the Lorde bringyng â—o â—or them their vnwritteÌ„ wordes dedes dreames for we haue compelled More with shame to flitte froÌ„ the Scripture strewed with their vame straunge termes which Paul damneth and geueth Timothe warning of I shall by gods grace so set the almighty word of God against them that all Christen shall see falshead and deceite in this SacrameÌ„t and so disclose theyr deuilish doctrine and fleighty iugglyng that all that can read Englishe shall see the trouth of Gods word openly beare downe their vnwritten lyes For it is verely the thyng that I desire euen to be written agaynst in this matter for I haue the solutions of all theyr obiections ready And know right well that the more they styrre this Sacrament the broder shall theyr lyes be spread the more shal theyr falsehead appeare and the more gloriously shall the trouth triumph as it is to see this day by long contention in this same and other lyke Articles which the Papistes haue so long abused and how More hys lyes vtter the truth euery day more and more For had he not come beggyng for the Clergy from Purgatory with his supplication of soules and Rastel and Rochester had they not so wysely played theyr partes Purgatory peraduenture had serued them yet another yeare neither had it so soone haue bene quenched nor the poore soule and Proctour there bene with his bloudy Byshop ChristeÌ„â—atte so farre coniured into hys owne Vtopia with a sachell about hys necke to gather for the proude Priestes in Synagoga Papistica When Christ was ascended into heauen and had sent his Apostles the spirite of truth to leade them into all truth perteinyng vnto our saluation euen â—nto hym that sayd I am the truth of whiche truth hee instructed them after his resurrection Luke xxiiij and they had preached the same truth nowe at IerusaleÌ„ Actes ij at which preachyng there were that receiued their wordes and were Baptised about iij. M. hys Apostles remembryng how their maistâ—â— Christ at his last Supper did institute and leaue them this holy Sacrament of his body and bloud to be celeâ—â—ated and done in his remembraunce among such as had receiued his Gospell were Baptised had professed hys fayth and would perseuer in his Religion dyd now in this first congregation celebrate the Lordes Supper breakyng the bread and eatyng it as Christ dyd teach them which Supper Luke and Paule called afterward the breakyng of the bread As Actes ij saying That they which gladly had now received Peters acte were baptised were perseuering in the doctrine of the Apostles and in the communioÌ„ and in the breakyng of the bread and in prayer whiche Sacrament was now a token of the perseueraunce in theyr Christen Religion now professed Of this breakyng of bread Luke writyng of Paule commyng vnto Troades sayth also that their vpon a Sabboth day when the Disciples were come together vnto the breakyng of the bread Paule made a Germon duryng to mydnight c. And that this was no common nor prophane vse but an heauenly Sacrament and a reuerent rite and vsage the circumstaunces of the action declare both in Luke and Paule shewyngit to be the very institutioÌ„ that Christ ordeyned at his Supper Paule thus recitynge this breakyng of the breake saying The bread whiche we breade is it not the felowshyp of the body of Christ y t is to say doth it not signifie vs to be the body of Christ that is hys congregation and people as doth the wordes folowyng declare Paule addyng the cause saying For we beyng many are all together siguified by the one loafe to be one body for that we be partakers of the same bread Also before he calleth in the same Supper the cup of thankes geuyng the felowshyp of the bloud of Christ that is to say the congregation redemed with Christes bloud The holy Sacrament therefore would God it were restored vnto the pure vse as y e Apostles vsed in it their tyme. Would God the secular princes which should be the very pastours and head rulers of their congregations coÌ„mitted vnto their cure would first coÌ„maunde or suffer the true preachers of Gods woorde to preache the Gospell purely and playnly with discrete libertie and constitute ouer eche particulare Parish such Curates as caÌ„ and would preach the word and that once or twise in the Weeke appoyntyng vnto theyr flocke certeyne dayes after their discretion and zeale to Godward to come together to celebrate the Lordes Supper At the which assemble the Curate would propone and declare them first this texte of Paule i. Corinthians xj So oft as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cuppe see that ye be ioyous prayse and giue thankes preachyng the death of the Lord c. whiche declared and euery one exhorted to prayer he would preach them purely Christ to haue dyed and bene offered vpon the altare of the Crosse for theyr redemption whiche onely oblation to be sufficieÌ„t sacrifice to peace the fathers wrath and to purge all the sinnes of the world Then to excite them with humble diligence euery man vnto the knowledge of hym selfe hys sinnes and to beleue and trust to the forgyuenesse in Christes bloud and for this so incomparable benefite of our redemption whiche were sold bondemen to sinne to geue thankes vnto God the father for so mercyfull a deliueraunce through the death of Iesu Christ euery one some singyng and some saying deuoutly one or other Psalme or prayer of thankes gyuyng in the mother toung Then the bread and wyne set before them in the face of the Churche vpon the table of the Lord purely and honesty layed let hym declare to the people the significations of those sensible signes what the action and deede moueth teacheth and exhorteth them vnto and that the bread and wyne be no prophane common signes but holy Sacramentes reuerently to be considered and receiued with a depe fayth and remembraunce of Christes death and of the shedyng of his bloud for our sinnes those sensible thynges to represente vs the very body and bloude of Christ so that while euery man beholdeth with his corporall eye those sensible Sacraments the inward eye of his fayth may see beleue stedfastly Christ offred and dying vppon the Crosse for his sinnes how his body was broken and his bloud shed for vs and hath giuen hym selfe whole for vs hym selfe to be all ours and what soeuer he dyd to serue vs as to bee made for vs of hys father our righteousnes our wisedome holynesse redemption satisfaction c. Then let this preacher exhort them louyngly to draw neare vnto this table of the Lord and that not onely bodely but also their hartes purged by fayth garnished with loue and innoceney euery man to forgyue eche other vnfaynedly and to expresse or at least wise to endeuour them to folow that loue whiche Christ dyd set before our
eyes at his last Supper when he offered hym selfe willyngly to dye for vs hys enemyes Whiche incomparable loue to commende bryng in Paules Argumentes so that this hys flocke may come together and be ioyned into one body one spirite and one people This done let hym come downe and accompanyed honestly with other Ministers come forth reuerently vnto the Lordes table the congregatioÌ„ now set round about it and also in their other conuenient scates the pastour exhorting them all to pray for grace faith and loue whiche all this Sacrament signifieth and putteth them in mynde of Then let there be read apertely and distinctly the vi Chapter of Iohn in their mother toung Wherby they may clearely vnderstand what it is to eate Christes flesh and to drinke his bloud This done and some brief prayer and prayse song or read let one or other minister read the xj chapter of the first to the Corinthians that the people might perceiue clearely of those woordes the mistery of this Christes Supper and wherfore he did institute it These with such lyke preparations and exhortations had I would euery man present should professe the Articles of our fayth openly in our mother toung and confesse his sinnes secretly vnto God praying intierly that hee would now vouchsafe to haue mercy vpon hym receiue his prayers glewe hys hart vnto hym by fayth and loue encrease his fayth geue hym grace to forgyue and to loue his neighbour as him selfe to garnish hys lyfe with purenes and innocency and to confirme hym in all goodnes and vertue Then againe it behoueth the curate to warne and exhorte euery man deepely to consider and expende with hym selfe the signification substauÌ„ce of this Sacrament so that he sit not downe an hipocrite and a dissembler sith God is searcher of hart and raines thoughtes and affectes and see that he come not to the holy table of the Lorde without that fayth whiche he professed at hys Baptisme and also that loue which the Sacrament preacheth and testifieth vnto hys hart lest hee now founde gilty of the body and bloud of the Lord that is to wytte a dissembler with Christes death and sclaunderous to the congregregation the body bloud of Christ receiue his own damnation And here let euery man fall downe vppon hys knees saying secretly with all deuotion their Pater noster in English theyr Curate as example kneelyng downe before them Which done let hym take the bread and eft the wyne in the sight of the people hearing him with a loude voyce with godly grauitie and after a Christen religious reuerence rehearsyng distinctly y e wordes of the Lordes Supper in their mother toung And theÌ„ distribute it to the ministers which taking the bread with great reuerence will deuide it to the congregation euery man breakyng and reaching it forth to hys next neighbour and member of the mistike body of Christ other ministers folowyng with the cuppes powring forth dealing them the wyne all together thus â—â—yng now partakers of one bread and one cuppe the chyng thereby signified and preached printed fast in their hartes But in this meanâ— while must the minister or pastour be readyng the communicatioÌ„ that Christ had with his Disciples after his Supper beginnyng at the washing of their feete so readyng till the bread wyne be eaten and dronken and all the action done And then let them all fall downe on their knees geuing thankes highly vnto God the father for this benefite and death of his sonne whereby now by faith euery man is assured of remission of his sinnes as this blessed Sacrament had put them in mynde and preached it them in this outward action and Supper This done let euery man commende and geue them selues whole to God and depart I would haue hereto put my name good Reader but I know well that thou regardest not who writeth but what is writteÌ„ thou estemest the word of the veritie and not of the authour And as for M. More whom the veritie most offendeth and doth but mocke it out when he cannot soyle it he knoweth my name well inough For the deuill his gardian as him selfe sayth commeth euery day into Purgatory if there be any day at all with his haynous and enuious laughter gnashing his teeth and grynnyng tellyng the Proctour with hys Popes prisoners what soeuer is here done or written against them both his person and name to And he is now I dare say as great with his gardian as euer he was If any man tel ye loe here is Christ or there is hee beleue hym not For there shall aryse false Christes false annoynted giuyng great miracles Take hede I haue told ye before if they therefore tell ye loe hee is in the desert go not forth loe hee is in the preuy pixe beleue it not FINIS A diligent and necessary Index or Table of the most notable thynges matters and woordes contayned in these workes of Master William Tyndall The letter A. signifieth the first columne and B. the second columne of the same side A. A Aron added nothyng to Moses law Representeth Christ euery true preacher 125. a Abbottes and Bysshops kepe MoÌ„kes in ignoraunce 361. a Abhominable blasphemie 330. a Abiectes from God who 25. a AbrahaÌ„ 303. his childreÌ„ haue his faith 45. a. and are the childreÌ„ of faith 63. a Abraham how iustified 334. a AbstineÌ„ce outward is hypocrisis 76. b. for common wealth sake is conunendable 228. a Abstainyng from Images 22. a AbsolutioÌ„ of the Popes Legate 181. b Abuse of Abbeyes 359. b. of confirmatioÌ„ 277. a. of Images 271. a. of scriptures and Sacraments by Papistes 13. b. 339. b. 427. b. 365. b. in prayer 249. b Actual sinne washed away in Christes bloud 32. a Adam must be ouerthrowen Christ put on 90. b Adelstone kyng 102. b Admonition 207. b. to blynde guides to rulers 341. a. to ministers 427. b. to More 251. a. to al subjectes 376. b to votaries 21. a Adrian the first Pope 349. a Adrian the ij and iij. 351. a Aduauncement of the Pope 348. b. of the Clergy 347. a Aduengers robbe God of his honour 178. b Aduoutry 205. a Adultery of Dauid 169. b Aduersaries to Christ knowen by their deedes 102. a Aduersitie how profitable 120. a Affinitie of the passeouer and Christes Supper 467. a Afflicted in this World wherewith coÌ„forted 190. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 253. a Age to be preferred before youth 311. a. to be honored 345. b Agreement in doctrine betwene Papistes and Phariseis 17. b. and in Scriptures 265. a Albe 277. b Alchouse a pulpit for Papistes 2. a Allegories 166. a. not agreable to the text are false 167. b. their right vse 167. a. they proue nothing cause blindnes Well to be weyed How to be vnderstode 14. a. they are no sense of Scripture 167. a Almosse 217. a. and 228. a. What in signifieth 83. b. How truly bestowed 74. b Almose of
a Brasen Serpent 274. b. it was not God 299. a Bread 323. a. not coÌ„secrate by Christ 467. b. howe it signifieth Christes flesh 59. a Bread and wyne are Sacramentes to holy vses 477. a Bread and wyne in the Sacrament called the body and bloud of Christ 469. a Breakyng of promise 290. b Breakyng the Sacrament among Princes 295. b Bribetaking a pestilence in Iudges 123. a Brothers weakenes must be considered 40. b Buildyng of Abbeyes 351. b Buildyng on sande 246. a. 35. a Burbon the Emperours chief Capiâ—ayne 37â— a Burden of spirituall Lawyers 140. a Burtals are to be celebrated honorably and why 434. a C. CAlil what kynde of sacrifice 291. b Candles 280. a. 277. b Canonization 297. b Captiuitie of the Israelites 97. b Captious Papistes how to be aunswered 268. b Cap of maintenaunce 114. b Carnall man 293. b Carnall man ignorauut of Gods spirite 407. a Carnall weakenes comforted 454. a Cardinall Wolsey most false 375. a. his practise 368. b. had twoo faces 371. b. his hat 375. a Cardinal Wolsey and his Chaplems passed the xij Apostles in pompâ— 370. b Care of what sorte forbidden 236. a. of the Scripture 305. b. of a Christian man 100. b. of the spiritualtie for the temporaltie 192. b Care for worldly wealth to be reiected 234. b. to keepe Gods couenauÌ„â— the chief care 235. b Care due to euery man of what sort 236. b Carefulnes of god for y â— weake 189. a Carolus Magnus 348. b Cause of false miracles 301. a. of Turkish Iewish obstinacy 301. b Cause of loue searched of the spirituall 247. b Caution in swearyng 209. a Cautels in vowes 21. b Ceremonies 9. a. 12. a. 237. b. preferred by Papistes 278. b. Scholemasters to the Iewes 12. a. cause of ignoraunce 278. a. bryng not the holy ghost 152. b. cannot iustifie 10. a. reiected without good doctrine 248. a Ceremonies with their true signififations tollerable 278. b. confirme fayth 12. b. contayne profitable doctrine 12. b Ceremonies had significations generally at the begynnyng 277. b. why geuen 10. a Ceremonies of the communion how first they came into the Churche 277. a Ceremonies of the new Testament 226. a Ceremonies and Sacraments their vses 12. a Certification of pardon for sinnes 213. a Charles the Great his life 349. b. a whoremonger and a saint 350. a. b receiueth the Empyre of the Pope 349. a. an Emperour for the popes purpose 350. a. compelled all to obey the Pope 349. b Charles called of the Pope most Christian kyng 349. b 253. b. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charitie 242. b. moderateth the law 209. a Charitie â—eruent in the primitiue Church 346. a Charitie hath diuerse significations 253. b Chastitie 242. b. fayned 20. b. wilfull 16. b. of the Clergy 315. a Chastitie of Priestes originall therof 347. b Chast vnchastitie of Papistes 311. a Chastising of the body is for our profite 328. b Cheeke to be strikeÌ„ on the other side what it meaneth 210. a Chief cause of the institution of the Sacrament 440. b Children of fayth Abrahams children 63. a. they woorke of loue 163. a Children of God obedient to the law 325. a. why tempted with aduersitie 236. a ChildreÌ„ all of wrath by Adam 337. b how to be brought vp 120. b. not to be rigourously dealt withall of pareÌ„tes 120. b. howe destroyed 120. b to be taught Gods word 101. b Choise put to vs in ij thynges 99. b Christ 226. a. he onely is holy 407. a a store house of mercy 64. b. our onely Sauiour 394. b. our example 195. b. our fayth and rocke 173. a. our lyfe 390. b. father of all righteousnes 72. a. our aduocate 395. a. our anker hold 6. a. our hope 91. a. our onely Phisitian 75. b. our righteousnes 82. b Christ purchaseth all goodnes for vs 70. b. his burden is easie 286. a. asure foundation 92. a. A perfect coÌ„forter of Christians 292. a Christ dyd good workes and why 383. a. his workes rewarded in vs. 92. b. his loue 164. b. the fulnes of all goodnes 424. a. the way to saluation ibid the comforter in all afflictions 440. b. no sinner 160. b. iustifieth the greatest sinner 120. a. loueth all ChristiaÌ„s alike 162. b. he brought saluation as AdaÌ„ brought sinne 46. a. his generall rule 63. b. an example of all goodnes 383. a. In hym we are all in all 75. a. his saying to hypocrites 409. a Christ ignoraunt of worldly matters 163. b. hys Church 187. b. he is very God 390. a. possessed by fayth bryngeth all goodnes 89. a. to whoÌ„ geuen 185. a. neither shaueÌ„ shorne nor annoynted with oyle 132. b. how hee was entreated 97. b. hys doctrine and the Popes contrary 409. b. his exchauÌ„ge with vs. 402. a. why he deliuered vs. 22. a. geuen to sinners 161. a. his coÌ„maundemeÌ„t to preach maketh Pristes 145. b. what authoritie he gaue his Apostles 150. b. onely without sinne 336. b Christ dyd all thynges for our saluation 382. b. onely mediatour betwen God and man 431. b. dwelleth in vs by fayth 464. a. In no cause to bee denyed 101. a. his seate is hys preachyng 175. a. will not falsefie the Scriptures 461. a. is very maÌ„ 390. a. his Vicare who 411. b. his flocke a litle flocke 105. b. his Disciples are acquaynted with hys phrases 460. b. his three witnesses 421. b. sent his Apostles with lyke authority 126. a. why he came from heauen to earth 458. a. Raignyng in vs all is good 163. b. Gods mercy stoole 379. a. his Churche euer persecuted 289. b. a kyng 401. a. kyng ouer death hell and sinne 394. b. preached in the old Testament 23. a Christes Gospell must bee fed with the bloud of fayth 453. b. hys passion to saluation not vnderstode of whom 187. b. most contrary to the Pope 145. a. and. 362. b. his steps how to be folowed 108. b. and. 73. a told his Disciples of hys AscentioÌ„ 470. b. playnly declareth his bodyly departure ibid. Christ causeth God to loue vs. 164. b openeth hym selfe to the Iewes 457. b. playnly declareth his bodyly departure 470. b. condemneth Phariseis and why 17. a. sought of many for a worldly purpose 105 b. compared with Ionas 27. b. persecuted and slayne with ChristiaÌ„s 139. a. his wordes offend y t Iewes and his Disciples 464. a. he is all to a Christian 163. a. 54. b. all in all things 102. a. his mercyfulnes 394. b. mercyfull to the penitent 29. a. preached repentaunce 28. b Christ why slayne 138. b. once sacrificed is a sacrifice for euer 447. a. onely an acceptable sacrifice 18. a. why he gaue hym selfe 394. a. hys bloud putteth away all sinne 72. b. an euerlastyng satisfaction 14. a. apprehended by faith 457. b. expoundeth the paschall lambe 439. b. his glorified body in heauen 471. a. his memoriall Masse 323. a. his bloud onely purchaseth remission of sins 55. b. his flesh y e foode of our soules 459. b. a
b Dead men 408. a. not holpen by man 13. b. rewarded of the Pope 362. a Dead Saintes their miracles in the Popish Church 302. a Death of Christe why so necessary 462. a. way to saluation 257. b Death and resurrection of Christe shewed by Ionas 27. b. figured by the paschall lambe 439. b Death of Christ purchased grace for our soules 279. a Death of Christ blasphemed by Papistes 16. b Deceauyng of our selues 392. b Declaration of Adames heyres 381. b. of Christ in the old Testament 23. a Decrees deuilish 262. a Decrees of Byshops aboue Gods word 124. b Deedes not allowed without fayth 85. b. how farreforth acceptable to God 154. b Deedes of ours why euill 328. b. procedyng and not procedyng of our selues 47. b Deedes of Christ and ours their effectes 35. b Deedes not iustified by fayth are sinne 155. a Definition of the Church 250. a. of fayth in generall 42. b. of â—rue faith 64 b Definition of Popish penauÌ„ce 398. a Defender of the fayth 374. b Defiance sent from the French kyng to kyng Henry the viij 371. b Degrees of nature altered by mariage 108. b Deliueraunce by Christ why 22. a DeliuerauÌ„ce out of purgatory 366. a Deliberation of Princes in makyng warre 193. b Delight of the faithfull 379. b Deniaâ—l of helpe to our neighbour dishonoreth hym 270. a Derogation froÌ„ the dignitie of Christes bloud 70. a Derogation from Christes fayth is agaynst hys Church 187. b Description of swyne 238. a DescriptioÌ„ of Baptisme 14. b. of our iustification 330. b Desert and free gift are contraryes 19. b Desperation how it commeth 219 â–ª a. assayleth fayth 259. a Despere of mans helpe bryngeth Gods helpe 454. a Desiderius 359. a Deuilish doctrine 415. a. practises 368. b. pride 353. a. expoundyng the Scriptures by Papistes 175. a Deuill is darknes 392. a. blyndeth vs from Gods wil. 329. a. to be resisted with the sheild of fayth 62. b. euerthrowen by Christ 278. b Deuill driuen away by fayth 131. b. aduauncer of Popes 301. b Deuils and stifnecked sinners destitute of the fayth that Paule speaketh of 130. b Deuils confessed Christe to bee the sonne of God 95. b Deuils wages 100. a Deuises of the Cardinall 372. b Deuteronomium a booke of Moses commended 21. b Differences of fayth 197. a. betwene the old and new Testament 444. a. betwene the Iewes and the 〈◊〉 â—ls 44. a. betwne true faith and fayned 66. b. betwene false fayth and right 66. a Differences betwene Goddes children and the deuils 99. b. betwene Gods sinners and the deuill 199. b. betwene the fall of Peter Iudas 337. a. betwene true Sacramentes and false 156. betwene Sacramentes and sacrifices 13. b. betwene Christes naturall body and a paynted Image 281. b. betwene teachyng the people and a preacher 252. b Difference none of dayes to do good 237. a Diggyng of AbrahaÌ„s welles 184. a Dignities of shauelynges 353. a Diligence althoughe in vayne towardes our neighbour to be excused 203. b Direction of our lyfe to what ende 387. b Disciples of Antichrist 134. a Disciples of Christe were worldly mynded 106. a. had a wicked opinion of hym 25. b. doubtfull in fayth 261. a Disciples of Christe vnderstoode Christ spiritually 465. a. refuse not death for his sake 199. a Discipline vsed in y e primitiue church 496. b Dishonour of God and neighbour 269. b Dispensations purchased of the pope 329. b Dispensations for concubines 134. a Disobedience 290. b. counted a spirituall thyng 109. a Disputations backward 67. a. for superioritie 347. a Disputations of predestination not rashly to be enterprised 48. b Dissimulation of the Pope 352. a. of Papistes 19. a Dissimulation not culpable in some causes 209 a Dissembled truce 366. a Distemperaunce in eatyng and drinkyng 227. b Distrust ought not to bee in Gods prolongation of helpe 240. a Diuersities of fayth 331. b Diuision in the Church 347. b Doctrine of the Pope 412. a. 415. b. abhominable 316. b. wicked 29. b. Papisticall 360. b. of Phariseis blynd 30. a. of shauelynges vayne and obstinate 137. b. of More superstitions 317. a. of Papistes concernyng Purgatory 306 b Doctrine false causeth euill workes 199. b Doctrine of hypocrites 87. a. of Papistes nedeth miracles 301. b. with out Scripture not to be beleued 304. b Doctrine vniuersally must be examined by Gods word 414. b Doctrine of Christ peaceable 106. b Doctrine Apostolicall 408. b. of the true Church 304. a. of the Scripture 388. b. and. 304. b. of Sacramentes 320. a Doctrine of the Apostles confirmed with miracles 298. b Doctrine sincere causeth good workes 199. b Doctrine of Christ must be defended of euery man in hys owne person 198. b Doctours doubt at Christes playne wordes 205. b. differ in the opinion of the Sacrament 446. b Doctours generally call the Sacrament a sacrifice 447. b Doctour Colct 318. b Doctour Ferman a vertuous man and godly 330. a Documentes of Scripture necessary 389. b Dogges 187. a. who they be 238. a Downe fallyng sinner hath a false fayth 432. a Double signification of this woorde Church 250. a Dregges of Papistes 406. b Duns 302. a. his doctrine aduaunced 278. a Dunsticall dreames and termes 104. a Duke Hâ—â—frey 363. b. hys death 364. a Duty of kynges 137. a. of Priestes 133. b. of Ministers at the communion 476. b Duty must be done with loue 212. a E. EAre confession 339. a. a wicked deuise 367. a. destroyeth Christes benefites 320. a Eare confession and pardons neuer confirmed by miracle 319. b Earth geuen to man of God 121. b Eatyng Christes fleshe is beleuyng in Christ 467. a Eatyng Christes body bloud truly what it meaneth 463. a Eatyng y e whores flesh what 455. b Ecclesia 250. b Effect of Christe bloude 380. b. of Gods word 247. a. of his lawes 22. b. of our good deedes 158. b Effectes of fayth spirituall 43. b Elders haue erred 303. b Elders and Priestes why so named 38. a Eldest sonne of the holy seat 349. b Elect must be patient and tryed 260. a. b. haue Gods will writteÌ„ in your hartes 255. b Elect euer meditate vppon Christes kyndnes 382. b Election of the Pope confirmed by the Emperour 346. a Elias and More contrary 284. a Emanuell 408. a Emperours election to whom beloÌ„gyng 352. a Emperours haue deposed Popes Popes Emperours 364. b. theyr oth to the Pope 352. a. must not be very strong by the Popes will 365. b. abused by the Pope 350. b. not estemed of the Pope ibidem doteth 350. a Emperour setteth on the French kyng by night 372. a. came through England 371. a End of the law 193. a. of all lawes 240. b. of hypocrites 306. a End must be cast before we begyn 99. a Enemyes to Gods word 14. a Enemyes of the truth to be hated 216. a Enemyes must be ouercome with well doyng 117. b Englishmen 365. a English Byshops 114. a Enormities of auricular confession 180. b Enormities
money Notwithstanding God hath left vs two Purgatories One to purge the hart and clense it from the filth whiche we haue partly receaued of Adam for we are by nature the children of wrath Ephe. ij and partly added thereto by consentyng vnto our natural infirmitie This Purgatory is the word of God as Christ sayth Iohn xv Now are ye cleane for the worde whiche I haue spoken vnto you This purgation obtayneth no man but thorough fayth for the vnfaythfull are not purged by the word of God as the Scribes and Phariseis were nothyng the the better for hearing his word but rather the worsse for it was a testimony against them vnto their condemnatioÌ„ And because we receaue this purgatioÌ„ onely through beleuyng the word therfore is the vertue of this purgyng applied also vnto fayth for Peter sayth Act. xv that the Gentiles hartes were purged thorough fayth that is to say through beleuing the word And what word is that verely the preaching that Christes death hath fully satisfied for our sinnes and pacified for euer the fathers wrath towardes vs. c. This fayth purifieth the hart and geueth vs a will and gladnes to do what soeuer our most mercyfull father commaundeth vs. Neuerthelesse because our infirmitie is so great and our meÌ„bers so weake and fraile that we caÌ„ not eschew sinne as our hart would and as our wil desireth therfore hath God left vs an other Purgatorye whiche is Christes crosse I meane not his materiall crosse that he him selfe dyed on but a spirituall crosse which is aduersitie tribulation worldly depression c. And this is called the rodde or scourge of God wherewith he scourgeth euery sonne that he receaueth that we may remember his law and mortifie the old Adam and fleshly lust which els would waxe so rebellious that it would subdue vs raigne in vs and hold vs thraull vnder sinne When soeuer we haue committed a crime theÌ„ is God preseÌ„t with this rod as he saith Psal lxxxix If they defile my ceremonies and not obserue my coÌ„maundementes then with a rod shall I punish their sinnes and with beatyngs shall I reward their iniquities but yet my mercy shall I not take from him neither will I deceaue hym of my promise This crosse must we â—eceaue with a glad hart and thanke our louing father for it for it is but a medicine to heale our infirmitie and to subdue our rebellions members But when our members are fully mortified that is when death hath subdued our corruptible body and our flesh coÌ„mitted to rest in the earth then cease the Purgatories that God hath ordeined then are we fully purged in his sight If our Clergy could haue found in their hartes to haue taken these Purgatories vppon them they had neuer neded to imagine any other but sith their lyfe begaÌ„ to waxe so dissolute specially sith they should be the salt of the earth and lanternes of light It was necessary for them to imagine Purgatory after this lyfe for els they might be sure that the most part of them were neuer like to come in heauen Iudge Christen reader whiche hast the spirite to discerne and knowest the voyce of Christe what reasons Rastell hath brought and how he hath soluted them for in my mynde both his reasoÌ„s and solutions are so childish and vnsauery so vnlearned and baren so full of faultes and phantasies that I rather pitie the mans deepe ignoraunce and blindnesse which hath so deceaued him selfe through Philosophie and naturall reason theÌ„ I feare that he by his vaine probations should allure any man to consent vnto hym Iudge and conferre the Scriptures which Sir Thomas More and my Lord of Rochester alledge for theyr opinion and I doubt not but that God shall open thine eyes to espy that thing which hath blinded them Iudge and compare the Scriptures together which I haue brought to confirme my purpose ponder their reasoÌ„s and my solutioÌ„s vnto them and I am sure thou shalt perceaue that my small learnyng hath condemned theyr hyghe eloquence that my foly hath brought to nought their wisedome and that my youth hath disclosed their old and festred ignoraunce And this is euen the old practise of God to chose the folish thynges of the world to confound the wise to chose the weake to confounde the mightye And to chose the vyle thynges whiche are of no reputation to confound them of high degree that no flesh might bost it selfe in his sight to whom onely be prayse and thankes for euer Amen ¶ A Prologe whereby a man may the better perceaue the occasion and whole cause of this Booke THere was a brother of ours named Simon Fishe whiche nowe I trust resteth in Gods handes whose eyes God had opened not onely to espy the wily walkyng of hipocrites and ruyne of the realme whiche through their meanes was nye at hand but also to marke and ponder the peril of meÌ„s soules and how that the ignoraunt people by their seduction was fallen into that franticke imagination that they more feared the Pope and hys Decrees whiche are but vanitie then God him selfe and his law whiche are most righteous and eternall This man therfore of a feruent and burnyng zeale that hee bare to the wealth of the comminaltie brake out and touched these hypocrites in a litle treatise whiche hee called The Supplication of Beggers willyng that wee shoulde geue the aboundaunce of our richesse vnto the poore to whom it is due by the law of God and that we should no lenger suffer our selues to bee dispoyled and robbed of a sight of sturdy lubbars whiche vnder a false cloke of vertue and prayer deceiue the poore of their liuyng and both the poore and the riche of their soules health if credence be geuen vnto them And where these wilye Foxes would haue preteÌ„ded the cloke of Purgatory affirmyng that it were due vnto them because they praye for their frendes soules that they might come to rest he aunswered vnto that poynt preuentyng theyr obiection and proued that either there could be no such Purgatory or els that the Pope were a mercylesse tyraunt which as he saith him selfe may deliuer them from theÌ„ce and will not except hee haue money At this point began M. More to fume and tooke vpon hym selfe to bee Proctour for Purgatory I will not say that he was hyred ther to of our spiritualtie although many men dare sweare it and to confirme his purpose hee wrested sore the Scriptures and triumpheth also that the very miscreantes and Idolaters beleue that there is a Purgatory He addeth thereto to stablish his matter with all that there is no man whiche beleueth that there is a God and that the soule of man is immortall but hee must nedes graunt that there is a Purgatory There tooke Rastell his hold whiche is a Printer dwellyng at Paules gate in London and of Master Mores alliaunce which
from our sinne If we beleue that he imputeth not our sinnes vnto vs but y â— his wrath is pacified in Christ and his bloud If we beleue that hée bath â–ª fréely geuen vs hys Christ and with him all thinges so that we be destitute in no gift Roma viij then are we righteous in his sight and our coÌ„science at peace with God not thorough our selues but thorough our Lord Iesu Christ Roma v. So mayst thou perceaue that thou art a sinner in thy selfe yet art thou righteous in Christ for through him is not thy sinne imputed nor rekened vnto thée And so are they to whom God imputeth not their sinnes blessed righteous without spot wrincle or blame Roma 4. Psal 31. And therfore will he neuer thrust theÌ„ into Purgatory Paule sayth there is no difference for all haue sinned and lacke y â— glorye whiche before God is allowed but they are iustified fréely by his grace through y â— redemption y â— is in Christ Iesu Roma iij. what saye you now shall they yet go into Purgatory Cal ye that iustificatioÌ„ fréely by his grace to lye in the paynes of Purgatory Surely that were a newe kynde of spéech whiche I thinke Paule neuer vnderstode Peraduenture some man will thinke myne Argumentes to bee of small pyth and to dissolue them by a distinction saying It is truth y t God hath so purged and clensed vs from all our iniquities neuerthelesse hys mercy purgyng forgeuenesse haue onely purified vs from the faulte and crime but not from the payne which is due to the crime To this obiection I aunswere that if God of his mercy and thorough the bloud of his sonne Iesus haue not remitted y t payne due vnto that crime then shall we all be damned for the payne due vnto euery disobedience that is agaynst God is eternall damnation And therefore if this payne were not forgeuen vs then are we still vnder coÌ„demnation and so were Christes bloud shed in vayne could saue no man If they will say that this euerlastyng payne is not wholy forgeuen vs but that it is altered into the temporall payne of Purgatory out of which the Pope may deliuer them by his pardon for els haue they no euasâ—on at all then may we soone confute them and that by diuers reasons First y t their wordes are nothyng but euen their own imagination for they cannot confirme their sayinges by the Scripture neither ought we to accept any thyng as an article of our fayth whiche is not approued by Gods word for we may neither decline vnto the right hand nor vnto the left but onely do that the Lord commaundeth vs. Deut. 4. 5. 12. 13. And agayne if a man should aske them by what authoritie the pope geueth such pardon They aunswere that it is out of y t merites of Christes passioÌ„ And so at the last they are compelled to grauÌ„t euen against them selues that Christ hath not onely deserued for vs the forgeuenes of y t cryme but also of the payne If Christ haue deserued all for vs who geueth the Pope authoritie to reserue a part of his deseruynges from me and to sell me Christes merites for money Besides that euery Christen man ought to apply vnto God all thynges whiche should employ his honour as farre forth as the Scripture will suffer Now seyng it is more vnto the honour of God that he should deliuer vs in his bloud both from the cryme and from the payne and also not repugnauÌ„t vnto the Scripture but that he hath relesed vs from the payne as well as from the sinne for what entent should we bee so vnkynde as to despoyle him of this great honour without any authoritie of Scripture imagine that he hath not deliuered vs from the payne as well as from the sinne Moreouer if he should reserue the payne then were it no full remission and forgeuenesse but what blasphemy is that to thinke y â— Christes bloud was not sufficient to geue full remission vnto his faythfull Furthermore for what entent should the payne be reserued to satisfie towardes God for their offences Nay verely for all meÌ„ liuyng are not able to satisfie towardes God for one sinne Neither are all the paynes of hell able to purge one sinne or satisfie for it for then at the length the damned soules should bee deliuered out of hell Finally I thinke that there was neuer any temporall punishment institute of God to be any satisfactioÌ„ for sinne but the vse of all teÌ„poral paines and chiefest cause why they were ordeyned is this Temporall paynes are profitable for the commoÌ„ wealth that they may be examples to learne the vnfaithfull which els feare not God that they may at the lest for feare of punishmeÌ„t absteine from committyng like offences for if theyr sinne were vnpunished then should all vice raigne to the vtter subuersioÌ„ of the coÌ„mon wealth They are also profitable for the faythfull for they try and purifie the fayth of Gods elect and subdue and mortifie their carnall members that they may bee the more able to serue their brethren and to withstand the vehemeÌ„t assaultes of teÌ„ptation which are euer at hand and lest they should waxe prowde and boast them selues for those giftes which they haue receiued of God Furthermore they set out and aduaunce the glory of God For after that we be put in remembraunce and made to féele our fraile nature that so continually displeaseth God our father then haue we occasion to ponder and compare this traÌ„sitory payne which we here suffer with those enor mous trespasses that we haue coÌ„mitted and so to espy the infinite mercy and fauour of God and euen in our aduersities to be compelled to prayse God our mercyfull and tender father whiche scourgeth vs so fauorably for those greuous offences that haue deserued a thousande tymes more punishment Howbeit to say truth there is no man that can take any such profite of them that men fayne to be punished in Purgatory For we neither sée it nor heare it neither haue we any meÌ„tion made of it in Scripture that we may be sure that it so is Now sith we haue no infallible euidence but onely phantasticall imaginatioÌ„s it is plaine inough that there was no such thyng ordemed neither to aduaunce Gods honour nor yet to the profit of the cominaltie or els of Gods elect for then I am sure that Christ and al his Apostles would not haue forgotteÌ„ to haue remembred vs of it NOw let vs sée some of Rastels reasons which he sayth that fond felowes lay for them selues to proue that there should be no Purgatory They say sayth Rastell that contrition which some call repentauÌ„ce is that whiche is the very payment and satisfaction for sinne and they say that when a man committeth a sinne and after is repentaunt therfore that God of his
goodnesse doth forgeue him and that that repentaunce is the onely satisfaction that God woulde haue made and done for that sinne And then sith a maÌ„ by such repeÌ„taunce hath made such payment and satisfaction for his sinne as God would haue to be made therefore if then that man should go to Purgatory and haue a new punishement after his death that repeÌ„taunce that he had before should be but voyde Forsooth I thinke that neither Rastell euer heard any such reason neither yet that any man euer would be so fonde as to say y t this argumeÌ„t coÌ„futed Purgatory except it were one y â— were cleane purged of hys wytte before But whose reason so euer it be whether Rastels or any other mans let vs lay it vnto y â— touchstone that is the Scripture to proue whether it be gold or copper vpright or counterfaite truth or vntruth And to bee short the first proposition and Maior of his reason is this that coÌ„trition or repentauÌ„ce is the very payment and satisfaction for sinne That is a starke lye to begyn withall For if we by all our contrition repentauÌ„ce sacrifices and woorkes I adde more to helpe hym can fully pay and satisfie for our sinnes then is Christ dead in vayne and mought full well haue spared his bloud This can no man deny but he that will set at nought both Christ all the Scripture Now marke how he procéedeth And they say saith Rastell that when a man committeth a sinne and after is repeÌ„taunt therfore that God of hys goodnesse doth forgeue him and that that repentaunce is the onely satisfaction that God would haue to bee made and done for that sinne That is the next part of his argument and containeth two lyes at once theined together for where he sayth that wheÌ„ a man committeth a sinne and after is repentaunt therefore that God of his goodnes doth for geue him you must first coÌ„sider that neither he nor his Turke Gingemin know any thyng of Christ Now if it were not for Christes sake all the repentauÌ„ce that man can imagine could not moâ—e the goodnes of God to forgeue one sinne But by his iustice where Christes death hath no effect he must nedes condemne The second lye is this that that repentaunce is the onely satisfactioÌ„ that God would haue made and done for that sinne for if this be true theÌ„ is our fayth false For our fayth holdeth that iâ— Christe had not dyed for vs we had all perished Then procéedeth he as though all that he had sayd before were true on this maner And then sayth he sith a man by such repentaunce hath made such paymeÌ„t and satisfactioÌ„ for his sinne as God would haue to be made therfore If then that man should go to Purgatory and haue a new punishement after his death that repentaunce that he had before should bee but voyde Euen iust if heauen fell we should catche larkes Now let vs sée how properly â—ée aunswereth vnto his owne question And you shall finde moe blasphemies agaynst Christ in his aunswere then preceded in y â— argument Thinke you this man hath not takeÌ„ great paynes To prepare him selfe vnto his matter hee bryngeth in thrée lyes in the first chapter The first is he sayth that onely the soule suffereth and not the body maketh Comingo whoÌ„ he fayneth to bee a Christen man to graunt it well and wisely Forsooth this is new learnyng in déede For if this be true then Christes body suffered no harme neither when he was scourged neither wheÌ„ he was crowned with thorne neither wheÌ„ he was nayled on the crosse But I report me vnto your owne selues if ye cutte but your finger féele ye no payne and yet I thinke ye will not say that ye cutte your soule From hence forward if you sée a poore man shiueryng for cold in the stréete you may byd him walke a knaue and beare hym in hand that he féeleth no harme for as this man saith his body féeleth no harme and I promise you of honestie that his soule catcheth no cold But what néede I to make mo woordes of this matter sith you may make experieÌ„ce your selues The second lye is this That maÌ„ was created of God to do him honour and serâ—ice For if a maÌ„ may say the truth man was not made for the entent to be a sâ—ruauÌ„t do seruice For God hath no néede of our seruice but was in as full honour and as well serâ—ed before the world begaÌ„ as he now is So that his honour ioye and seruice is whole in hym selfe and is by vs neither employed nor diminished But the cause why hee made man was this that man should haue y â— fruition of his ioy and honour Such was his goodnes he made vs not that hée should haue any pleasure by vs but that we should haue pleasure by hym The third lye is this that no other creature here in earth doth seruice and honour to God but onely maÌ„ This is also a starke lye for all creatures honour God through their creation and being for the whole glory of their creation redowneth into the honour of God and what seruice caÌ„ they do better theÌ„ so to glorisie God Neither yâ—t letteth he them bee idle but woorketh thorough them meruelous thynges and all to his glory Fire at his commauÌ„dement came downe froÌ„ heauen and burnt Sodome and Gomorra Genesis xix was that no honour and seruice he made a stronge and burnyng wynde to drye vp and deuide the red Sea Exod. xiiij At his voyce the winde and sea were obedient and wared calme Math. viâ—j was this no honour seruice But a man may sée that his wytte was so purged in Purgatory that hee hath not one droppe left to espye any truth at all But yet let vs sée how he aunswereth the argument and seuerally examine euery part The first part was that contrition or repentaunce is the very payment satisfaction for sinne To this hee aunswereth that when thou takest repeÌ„taunce and as kest mercy of God for thyne offeÌ„ce No maÌ„ ought to be so foolish to thinke that God should bee restrayned or coÌ„pelled but that it is at his libertie whether he will forgeue or no. I would be loth to moue the man and aske hym what repentaunce is for surely as farre as I can gather by his wordes he wotteth nothing what it meaneth But I pray you sée how substantially he aunswereth the argument It argueth that contrition or repentaunce is the very payment and satisfaction for sinne And to that auÌ„swereth he neither yea nor nay for feare of trappyng all beit the wordes are cleane agaynst Scripture But he aunswereth that when thou takest repentauÌ„ce and askest mercy of God for thy sinne no man ought to be so foolishe to thinke that God should bée constrayned or compelled to forgeue thée But for all y
â— this is sure inough that if repentaunce be the very payment and satisfaction for sinne as the argument falsly supposeth that God of his iustice must néedes forgeue me when I repent For theÌ„ haue I wholly payed him his and may require my right euen by his iustice If thou obiect that God were then restrayned compelled I aunswere nay But it were rather a greate pleasure vnto him to forgeue all meÌ„ if so they could make satisfaction vnto hys iustice by repentaunce for he reioyseth not in punishyng vs. Then addeth Rastell that it is at his libertie alway to execute iustice or mercy at his pleasure To that I auÌ„swere that he hath no pleasure to do agaynst his Scripture but therein hath he fully opened his pleasure His pleasure is to forgeue fréely all them that beleue in his sonne Christ Iesu and to condemne theÌ„ that beleue not If Rastell meane on this fashion then graunt we hym But if he vnderstaÌ„d that God taketh hys pleasure libertie in ministryng his mercy and iustice so that hee may condemne him which hath geuen the very payment and full satisfaction of sinne as it séemeth â—e should meane seing hee denyeth not the first part of the argument and agayne saue hym that beleued not then will I say that Rastell ruÌ„neth ryotte and taketh hys own pleasure For God hath no power agaynst hym selfe and hys Scripture but looke what he hath promised and that he will performe And therfore in this can Rastell proue no purgatory for all that hée groundeth hym on so many lyes But yet is it necessary that we declare vnto you what is the very satisfaction for sinne and then shall we sée whether Purgatory may stand with it or not Paule sayth Hebr. x. that Christ with one oblation hath satisfied for our sinnes for we are halowed saith hee by the offeryng of the body of Christ Iesu whiche was once done vppon the crosse and with that one oblation hath hee made them whiche are halowed perfite for euer Now if this be true that we are made perfite by the oblation of hys owne body vppon the crosse then is Purgatory in vayne For if he haue so purged vs what néede we an other purgation If we be made perfite thorough hym what néede we after this lyfe to bee purged Iâ— hee haue satisfied for vs why séeke we an other satisfaction why leaue we the fountaine of liuing water and séeke our refreshing out of polluted pooles and specially sith the headspryng is so ready at hand If we must make satisfaction vnto God for our sinnes then would I know why Christ died thinke ye that his bloud was shed in vayne This is no doubt if there were any other way vnto the father theÌ„ through Christes bloud whether Purgatory or sacrifices or what thou canst imagine theÌ„ was his death not necessary But alas what vnkindnesse is y â— so to deiect the precious bloud of Christ and to set his gracious fauour at naught If there be any meanes by the which I may satisfie for my sinnes I néede no redemer nor yet any â—auour But may call for my right and duety And so were there no néede of Christes bloud mercy fauor But what may be more blasphemous vnto Christes bloud and his frée redemption Christ is able fully and for euer to saue theÌ„ that come vnto God by hym seyng hee euer lyueth to make intercession for vs. Hebr. vâ—j If he be able fully for euer to saue vs why runne we from hym and séeke an other Purgatory If he make intercession for vs then is it lyke that he is no cruell stepfather towardes vs but rather y â— by all meanes hee séeketh our health why flye we from hym that offereth hym selfe so louyngly to vs why darâ— we not put our trust in hym whiche when we were his enemyes vouchsafed to dye for vs and to reconcile vs vnto his father Rom. 5. Now maketh he Comyngo his Almany to bryng in an example and in confutyng that he thinketh to wynne the fielde But we will shew you that his similitude is nothing lyke in dede But if he will imagine that it be lyke then doth he not coÌ„fute it but maketh it stronger The example is this If I owe thee an C. li. of true debt and humbly desire thee to forgeue discharge pardon me thou make me a cleare release therof then am I not bounde to make thee any other payment or satisfaction To proue that the similitude is nought and nothyng lyke to the purpose is very easâ—e For the purpose and first part of the argument was this that contrition or repeÌ„taunce is the very paymeÌ„t and satisfactioÌ„ for sinne Therfore if he will haue it like then must he suppose that this humble request of forgeuenesse discharge and pardon is the very payment and satisfaction for that C. li. and therfore vpoÌ„ that should they first haue agréed or els caÌ„ the example serue for nothyng Now if he make them lyke and imagine that this humble desire or forgeuenes is the very payment and satisfactioÌ„ for that C. li. then hath he made a rod for his own arse for he shall neuer be able to auoyde it But let vs sée his aunswere In the case that you haue put sayth Rastell if you desire me forgeuenesse of that C. li. yet is it at my libertie and gentlenes whether I will forgeue thee the whole C. li. or els part therof well hitte Master Iohn If I should pay you that C. li. in good curraunt money were it yet in your libertie and gentlenesse whether you would forgeue me a part or the whole therof Truly I would be loth to be one of your debtours if you â—e so hard to your creditours Be like you haue studyed some cautell in the law For I neuer heard but that if I owed you an C. li. gaue you the very payment satisfaction therof then should I bee cleane discharged whether ye would yea or nay and neither néede to thanke your liberalitie nor gentlenes But in your case the request and desire of forgeuenes is and must be the very payment and satisfactioÌ„ of y â— C. li. or els it is nothyng lyke the argument so that you may put your similitude in your purse til an other place and tyme where it shal better agrée wherfore I must néedes coÌ„clude that if I desire forgeuenes this standing that the sayd desire of forgeuenes is the very payment and satisfaction of that C. li. for els as I sayd it is nothyng lyke I am cleane discharged and néede neither to thanke your liberalitie nor gentlenesse Now where you obiect the recompense for the losse of tyme and damages hurt and hinderaunce that you haue had for the none paymeÌ„t of that C. li. and so forth that can not be applyed vnto God and the remission
of our sinnes For there is no such losse of tyme damage hurt or hinderauÌ„ce towardes God For we neither hurt nor hynder hym although we neuer aske forgeuenesse but be damned perpetually So that it is our profite to aske it and our hurt and hinderauÌ„ce iâ— we aske it not If I owe a maÌ„ xx li. the lâ—â—ger I kéepe it the more is my profiâ—e the more his losse but God receaueth vâ— young he receaueth vs at maÌ„s state he receaueth vs old and thinketh it no losse or hurt then to receaue vs for he saith by his Prophet The wickednes of the wicked shal not hurt hym in what day soeuer hée turne from his vngodlynesse â—zech xxxiâ—j But it should surely hurt hym if hee should broyle in Purgatory for it Wherfore either there is no such paynefull Purgatory or els can not I sée how the Prophet whiche speaketh these woordes in the person of God should be true I shall poure vpon you cleane water sayth God the father you shal bee clensed from all your iniquities Ezech. xxxvi If we bee purged from all what néede an other Purgatory néede we more purgyng when all are clensed I will surely conuerte Iuda and turne Israell vnto me and I will purifie them from all theyr iniquities wherewith they hauâ— offended me Hieremie xxxiâ—j If hée purifie them from all what should they do in Purgatory I will be mercyfull vnto their wickednes their sinnes will I no more remember Hieremy xxxj Hebr. viâ—j If hee will not remember our sinnes any more then may we be sure that he will not frye vs in the fire of Purgatory for our sinnes NOw let vs sée his secoÌ„d argumeÌ„t which is in the. iiij chap. and is surely fond how beit his solution is yet more foolishe The summe of his argument is this Man was made and ordeined to haue an infinite beyng therfore after this mortalitie and death hee must haue infinite ioye or infinite payne I will put you a like argument A man is ordeined in this world to be a kyng or a subiect therefore after he is borne he is euer a kyng or els euer a subiect Now may this be false for peraduenture he may be borne a subiect and after made king or els he may bee borne a kyng and after deposed made a subiect Therefore this argument holdeth not formally But it holdeth on this maner as I should say to an Ape thou must néedes be an ape or an asse whiche now is true But if I should say the very same wordes to M. Iohn Rastell I thinke he would be angry and say that it were false And I suppose our scholemen will say that he lyeth and put hym an example of the infantes that dye without Christendome whiche as the scholemen say shall neuer haue ioy nor payne But I wil graunt him his argument to sée how properly he will confute it Now marke his aunswere which standeth in the v. chapter There are degrees in sinnes some sinnes are great and some greater and therfore must there be degrees in punishment some punishment is great and some greater Well for your pleasure I am content to grauÌ„t you this to But els were it a matter worthy disputation what now When that a man sayth Rastell here in earth hath committed a great sinne and offence and taken repentaunce whereby the sinne is forgeueÌ„ marke that he beyng ignoraunt of Christ sayth through repentaunce the sinne is forgeueÌ„ and yet hath not taken such sufficient repeÌ„taunce therfore nor had any sufficieÌ„t punishmeÌ„t which should make a full payment and satisfaction for that sinne and dyeth before any condigne or full satisfaction made God must then of his righteousnes ordeine a place of Purgatory wher his soule shall haue a further punishment to make a condigne and full satisfaction for that sinne and so to bee purged and purified before it shal be able and woorthy to be admitted to receaue the eternall ioye in heauen First brethren you must graunt that we haue a Christ or no Christ a redemer or no redemer a iustifier or no iustifier If there be none such as Rastell with his Turke Gingemini suppose then all the repentaunce in the worlde could not satisfie for one sinne but who soeuer committed a sinne should be damned therfore So that Rastell speaketh and seyeth all in diminutiues for where he should of truth spye hell there espyeth he but Purgatory And where he should say that all sinners if they sticke not to Christes bloud shall be damned eternally there sayth he that they shal be punished in Purgatory And to be short if Rastell say truth theÌ„ is Christ dead in vayne If hee say not truth why sticke you to his reasoÌ„ But peraduenture thou that knowest Christ wilt say as many doe that Christes death and redemptioÌ„ serueth thée but for original sinne or at most for those sinnes that thou committedest before Baptisme To that I aunswere with S. Iohn Children this do I write vnto you that ye sinne not And if any man sinne yet we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christe whiche is righteous And he it is that obtaineth grace for our sins not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of all the world To whoÌ„ wrote S. Iohn this Epistle Thinke you that he wrote not vnto the Christen and them that were all ready Baptised And yet he sayd if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with y e father Iesus Christ which is righteous and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sinnes Loe he adnumbreth him selfe also for he sayth we haue an aduocate and saith agayn for our sinnes Ye may sée that he meaneth not onely original sinne neither yet the sinnes done before baptisme for I doubt not but he was Baptized wheÌ„ he wrote this Epistle and yet sayd he if we sinne meaning after Baptisme or when soeuer it be we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ this is S. Iohns learning he knew no other remedy if we fell into sinne but onely Christ Notwithstandyng our Prelates haue practised further for they say if any man sinne he shal lye in the paynes of purgatory vntill he be deliuered thence by Masse pence the Popes pardon or certaine other Suffragies but not without money you may be sure Christ sayth no man commeth vnto the father but thorough me Iohn xiij for sayth hee I am the way yes Lord our Prelates haue espyed an other way whiche although it be more paynfull vnto the poore yet is it more profitable for Prelates Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden I will ease you sayth our Sauiour Christ Iesu Math. xj wilt thou send vs Lord into Purgatory forsooth there is litle ease if the fire bee so hote as our Prelates haue fayned it It is euen I that put
out thine iniquities for mine own sake sayth God the father and thy sinnes will I no more remember Esay xliij Ergo then hee putteth them not away for broylyng in Purgatory He addeth also that hee will no more remember our sinnes call ye that no remembraunce to cast vs into Purgatory for them Whom God predestinated them he called and whom hée called them he iustified and what dyd he with thē then Dyd he cast them in Purgatory there to be clēsed forsooth the Apostle maketh no mentiō therof but addeth immediatly whom he iustified them he glorified Roma viij Wherfore let not vs put such obstacles and be vnkynde vnto the gracious fauour of God Besides that Paule forbidedth vs to be carefull for them that slepe that is to say for y t dead as they that haue no hope But surely if he had knowne of any Purgatory hee would haue bene carefull for them sith they fayne them in such miserable tormentes Now seyng he had occasion to make mention of the dead and spake not one word of Purgatory it is playne inough that he knew nothyng of it or els was hee very negligent to ouerhyppe it But yet had I leuer say that Purgatory were but a phantasie of mans imagination then to ascribe such forgetfulnes or negligence vnto that Apostle THe thyrd reason that Rastell allegeth is in the vj. chapter the sūme is this There are degrees of ioye in heauen and degrees of payne in hell And therefore may God passe euery mā and geue him accordyng to his deserte either more or lesse and neuer neede Purgatory Well let vs graūt these degrées for Rastels pleasure although the question be s◠disputable that I am sure be can not defend it What foloweth on this for sooth he bryngeth in proper examples if they could serue for y e purpose But let vs passe ouer to his solutiō which is in the end of the vij chapter Whē a man sayth Rastell is infected with a great mortall sinne and so depart then his soule ought not to doe seruice in heauen vnto God because it is putrified with that foule sinne But if that man had taken the medicine of full repentaunce in hys lyfe that medicine would haue restored him againe to his soule health and vertue But here you must remember that Christ is dead in vayne for if repentaunce be the medicine that restoreth agayne the health vertue of the soule what néedeth Christ Now forth But if he haue taken sayth Rastell some repētaunce for that sinne and not sufficient and had not sufficient tyme to make sufficient satisfaction therfore yet by the takyng of that medicine of repentaunce that sinne is expelled and gone and the soule of that sickenesse and sinne is clearely whole but yet the spottes and tokens of the sinne which is a deformitie to the soule doe still remayne till the soule haue a time to be purged from those tokens and spottes to make it pure and cleane of that deformitie This man is euer in one supposition which is both false and iniurious vnto the precious bloud of Christ I wonder who taught him that conclusion and why hee graunteth so soone vnto it for he would not haue graunted that there were a God neither that y ◠soule was immortall although they were both true vntil he had proued it as he thought him self by good naturall reason But as for this that is starke false that is to say that repentaūce while he excludeth Christ doth satisfie for our sinne hee neuer putteth in question but graunteth it by and by belike the Turkes haue such an opinion But let him go with his Turke and let vs Christen men graunt nothing contrary to the scripture but euer captiuate our reason vnto that for it is the infallible reasō and wisedome of God passeth our reason farre THe fourth reason is propounded in the viij chapter whiche is this that the soule vnpurged maye doe some meane low seruice to God in heauen though it bee not the highest best which thing is false agaynst Scripture Ephes v. Cāt. iiij But let vs sée what aunswere he maketh vnto it His aūswere begynneth in the ix chap. the summe is this Heauen is so pure and cleane of nature that it must expell all maner of impuritie and vnclennes neither can it suffer any thyng therin that is of any maner vnclennesse or euill or other thyng vnpleasaunt So now it foloweth that when a mā hath cōmitted a mortall sinne and after taketh repentaunce by the whiche he is healed of the foule infirmitie Sée how he harpeth all of one string whiche is also so farre out of tune that I wonder how any man cā abyde him For if I can heale mine infirmitie through repentaūce wherfore dyed Christ But yet sayth he the spots and tokens remayne for lacke of ful satisfaction I aunswere that it remaineth euery whitte sinne spottes tokens all together except Christ haue takē it frō of vs through his death and bitter passiō Therfore saith Rastel God of his iustice may not condemne his soule to eternall paine in hell for that offence which is purged and put away Wherwith is it purged and put away There is no remission of sinne without bloud Hebr. ix If there be no remissiō without bloud what shall repentaunce doe where the bloud of Christ is excluded yea or what shall thy Purgatory doe for there is no bloudshed So is there nothyng that taketh awaye sinne but onely the bloud of Christ Iesu shed for our redemption And yet sayth Rastell God by his iustice and by hys discrete wysedome and goodnes ought not immediatly to receaue that soule into that cleane and most pure place in heauen to accompany the pure aungels c. No mary I waraunt thée be not afrayde of that for neither Gyngemin thy companyon nor thou neither shall enter in there either immediatly or mediatlye if ye exclude Christ as ye haue done hetherto no not if ye had taken all the repentaūce in the world and would thereto imagine as many Purgatoryes as will pesen into a Monkes coule But it is Christ the lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinne of the world Iohn i. It is he that hath purged our sinne and now sitteth on the right hand of the father Hebr. i. It is he that hath purged our sinne hath made vs in hys own sight in y t sight of his father without spot or wrincle Ephes i. All beit in our own sight we finde our selues sinners i. Iohn i. But he maketh vs blessed and righteous and imputeth not our sinnes vnto vs. Roma iiij Then what néedeth Purgatory THe fift Argumēt that he bryngeth agaynst Purgatory is touched in his x. chapter the summe is this It should seeme conuenient that this Purgatory
e soule after Rastels learnyng must proue that heauen and hell be here in earth or els there cā be none Sée this learned man y t would proue Purgatory by good Philosophy The second cause that Purgatory should be a good example to the liuing to put them in feare to do any like offence is not soluted of Rastell but I haue soluted it before and will yet satisfie you agayne because Rastell leaueth it out We haue here in y e world Moses the Prophetes that is y e old Testament yea also Christ his Apostles which we call the new Testament now if we beleue not these thē shall we not surely beleue although we had Purgatory hel to amōg vs. And this may well bee gathered of Christes owne wordes Luke xvj Where he brought in y e parable of y e rich mā Lazarus for y e rich mā being in paynes desired Abrahā to send Lazarus vnto his v. brethrē to warne them that they might not come into that fire Abrahā aunswered agayne y t they had Moses the Prophetes And added let them heare them Thē sayd the rich mā Nay father Abrahā but if any of them that are departed appeare vnto them then will they beleue it And Abraham concludeth on this maner If they beleue not Moses and the Prophetes no more wil they beleue if any of the dead should rise agayne And therfore may I likewise conclude that if they beleue not neither yet feare the paynes which Moses and the Prophets yea and Christ and his Apostles haue prophesied to fall on the vnfaythfull then will they not beleue for feare of the paynes of Purgatory Now to the last pointe where Purgatory should be he aunswereth as you shall heare First y t it is a foolish question for hee can not aunswere vnto it by his Philosophy And then he sayth that no man can tell neither the place neither yet the maner of the payne Here maketh he S. Thomas yea and all our Scholemen fooles by craft partly because they take vpon them to aunswere vnto this question whiche he calleth foolish and partly because they fully determine that the place of Purgatory is the third place in hell and all to assigne fire to be the maner of y t payne And agayne in this last part hee proueth thē double fooles Once because they stoutly affirme that thyng which no man can tell as Rastel sayth And agayne because they restrayne God of his libertie that assigne any place make him oflesse authoritie then an inferiour iudge which hath no place assigned hym but may doe execution and punish the giltie in what place he will I wonder that our Scholemen may abyde this felow And then he sayth that Purgatory is in a place limitatiue And where soeuer God doth limitte the soule to bee purged there is the limitatiue place of that soule and there is the Purgatory of that soule So y t a man may gather by Rastell that the soules bee not limited to one place to be purged and punished And therto agréeth also his similitude of the iudge whiche assigneth one to be punished in one place and an other in an other place euen at his pleasure If such geare had come from beyond the Sea it should soone haue bene condemned although it had not bene halfe so greuous agaynst our Scholemen But let this passe as it is well worthy and let vs sée examine more of this new-fangled Philosophy NOw are we come vnto the sixte argument whiche begynneth in the. xij chapter the effect is this Repentaunce is the full payment and satisfaction of sinne and bryngeth remission therfore as soone as repentaunce is taken God of his iustice must geue remissiō and so there ought to be no Purgatory This argument is nothyng worth for the first part as we haue oftē proued is false For if repentaunce were the full payment and very satisfaction for sinne then dyed Christ in vayne Notwithstandyng if hee graunt this first part to be true neither he nor all his felowes shal be able to solute this argument whyle they lyue But because we will be short let vs passe ouer to his aunswere whiche is in the. xiij chapter In solutyng this argument hee groundeth hym on two lyes at once the firste is that God neuer geueth remission except he see in vs a conuenient cause counterpaysyng hys iustice What cause founde he in the man that was brought vnto hym sicke of the palsie to whom he sayd be of good comfort sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thée Math. ix Marke ij Luke v. what cause found he in the théefe that was crucified with him but that hee had bene an vnthryft all his life lōg And yet euen the same day that hee suffred with Christ was he partaker of ioye with him in Paradise Luke xxiij Where was Purgatory then where was the punishment that hee should haue suffered for his enormities If any mā should suffer in Purgatory it is like that this théefe should haue done it But he went from death to life neuer came in Purgatory wherfore I may conclude that no mā shall come there if there were any What cause I pray you doth Paule assigne as touching our redēptiō remission of our sinne forsooth no other but y t we were wretched sinners and the very enemyes of God Roma v. For sayth Paule if whē we were his enemyes we were reconciled vnto God through the death of his sonne much more now we are reconciled shall we besaued by his lyfe So that in vs is no maner cause of remission but onely miserie and sinne But the whole cause of the remission of our sinnes of our saluation is the bloud of Christ which hath fully counterpaysed the iustice of God the father hath pacified his wrath towardes vs that beleue He is the very Purgatory for all faithful which hath already purged our sinnes sitteth on the right hand of the father Hebr. i. The secōd lye is this he sayth that God of hys iustice must geue to euery thyng his own which own is the thyng that it deserueth to haue If this were true then should not one of vs enter the inheritaunce of heauen for we haue euery one of vs deserued death and damnation For as Paul saith Roma iij. we haue all sinned and want the glory whiche before God is allowed But we are fréely iustified through his grace by y t fayth that is in Christ Iesu If it be fréely through his grace then is it not by our owne deseruyng for thē grace were no grace And contrarywise if it be by our own deseruing thē is it not of grace for then deseruyng were no deseruyng Roma xj But the truth is this that God of his mercy had promised vnto our forefathers his deare sonne Christ that hee should deliuer them
frō all their iniquities and that all the nations of the world should be blessed in him Gene. xij This séede he promised of his mercy fauour whō also he sent in the time that he had ordeined Gala. iiij not for our owne deseruynges but for his truthes sake to fulfill that he had promised This Christ is become our righteousnes i. Cor. i. so y t the iustice of God is not to geue vs y ◠we our selues haue deserued as Rastell lyeth but to cloth vs with an other mans iustice that is Christes to geue vs y ◠which Christ hath deserued for vs. And this iustice of God through the fayth of Iesu cōmeth vnto all and vpon all them that beleue Roma iij. Now marke a mystery Christ humbled him selfe and was made obedient vnto the death euen to the death of y t crosse Phil. ij This obedience and death was not for himselfe but for vs for he alone suffered and dyed for vs all Cor. v. Now sith hee was obedient vnto the death for vs that is euen as good as though we our selues had bene obedient euery man for him selfe vnto the death And sith he dyed for vs that is euē as good as though we had dyed our selues for our owne sinnes What wilt thou haue more of a man then that hee be obedient vnto God the father euen vnto death yea dye for his sinnes wilt thou yet thrust hym into Purgatory On these two lyes bryngeth he in an aunswere which is so confused intricate and long that it were not onely foolishnes to solute it but also much lost labour cost to rehearse it wherfore I let it passe for euery child shall easely solute it sith his foūdation and first stone is taken from hym But yet one thyng is necessary to be touched He goeth about to proue hys purpose with an ensample on this maner If I do beate thy seruaunt or apprentisse and do mayme him wher by thou doest loose his seruice and also that this seruaunt duryng hys life is not able to get his lyuyng If so be that thou do forgeue me the offēce done vnto thee in that thou hast lost his seruice yet am I boūd to make an other satisfaction vnto thy seruaunt for the hurt I haue done him which is the cause of the hynderaunce of his lyuyng And in lyke maner if I haue offended God and my neighbour Albeit God for geue me his deale yet can he not of iustice forgeue me my neyghbours deale to but yet must I make satisfaction vnto my neyghbour Now in case I would and be not able to fatisfie my neyghbour and yet he forgeue me not then must I suffer in the paynes of Purgatory for it those paynes shall stād my neighbour in profite for part of his Purgatory if he come there or els to the increase of his ioy if he go to heauē this is y t sūme but he speaketh it in many mo wordes Now because he hath touched the matter of satisfactiō I wil shew you my minde therin There are twoo maner of satisfactions The one is to God the other to my neighbour To God can not all the worlde make satisfaction for one crime In so much that if euery grasse of the grounde were a man euen as holy as euer was Paul or Peter and should pray vnto God all their lyues long for one crime yet could they not make satisfaction for it But it is onely the bloud of Christ that hath made full satisfaction vnto God for all such crimes Heb. vij or els were there no remedy but we should all perish as I haue proued before And he that seeketh any other satisfaction towardes God then Christ our Sauiour hee doth wrong vnto his precious bloud There is an other satisfactiō which is vnto my neighbour whom I haue offended As if I haue taken any mās good from hym For then am I bound to pacifie him either by restoring it agayne or els by other meanes as we two can agrée If I haue diffamed hym then am I bound to pacifie him and to restore him vnto his good fame agayne and so forth But if I be not able to satisfie him thē must I knowledge my selfe giltie and desire him to forgeue me and then is he bounde to forgeue me or els shal he neuer enter into heauē For God hath taught vs to pray Math. vj. that he should forgeue vs as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs so if that we forgeue not one an other then will not God forgeue vs. To this well agréeth the parable Math. xviij The kyngdome of heauen is likened vnto a certaine kyng which would take accomptes of his seruauntes And when he had begon to recken one was brought to hym whiche ought him ten thousand talentes but when he had nought to pay the Lord commaunded him to be sold and his wife and his children all that he had payment to be made The seruaunt fell downe besought him saying Syr geue me respite and I will paye it euery whit Then had the Lord pitie on the seruaunt and losed him and forgaue him y t debt The same seruaunt went out and founde one of his felowes which ought hym an C. pence And layed handes on hym and tooke him by the throat saying pay that thou owest And his felow fell downe and besought him saying haue pacience with me I will pay thée all he would not but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt Whē his other felowes saw what was done they were very sory and came told vnto their Lord all that happened Then the Lord called hym sayd vnto him Deuill seruaunt I forgaue thée all the debt because y ◠praydest me was it not méete also y t thou shouldest haue had cōpassion on thy felow euen as I had pitie on thée And his Lord was wroth and deliuered him to the gaylers till he should paye all that was due to hym So lykewise shall your heauenly father doe vnto you if you will not forgeue with your harts ech one to his brother their trespasses Here mayest thou sée that if you forgeue hartly the small debt or offence y ◠thy neighbour hath done agaynst thée then will thy heauenly father forgeue thée y t whole and great debt that thou owest hym for the which thou art well worthy to be damned And so is it more profitable for thée to forgeue it then that thy neighbour should broyle in Purgatory for it as Rastell fayneth And contrarywise if thou forgeue him not thē shall not God forgeue thée thy great debt but thou shalt surely be dāned and so shall not thy neighbours Purgatory profite thée be it in case there were one and that he should goe thether but it is rather the cause of thy dānation but this can not Rastell sée NOw
vertue increase vice and sinne to the vtter destruction of the common wealth and quyet lyuing of the people And thus much he maketh an end As to the first where he sayth that it would put awaye the dreade of God and geue boldnes to sinne if we thought there were no Purgatory we sée and may euidently perceaue the contrary all day both in young old of them that beleue there is a Purgatory The young say I wil take my pleasure whyle I may and if I may haue but one houres respite to cry God mercy I care not for then shall I go but to Purgatory so shall I be sure to be saued The old say I will kéepe my goods as long as I may for I wote not what nede I shal haue But when I dye I will cry God mercy and then shall I go but to Purgatory and myne executours that haue my goodes shall redeme me theÌ„ce well inough And so to beleue Purgatory is rather an occasioÌ„ of rechlesse boldnesse then of the feare of God Besides that if they knew y â— there were no Purgatory then should many the more feare God and do wel them selues and not trust to their executours for feare of damnation howbeit as I haue sayd before they that feare not God but for payne whether it be of hell or Purgatory are yet vnder condemnation and not in Gods fauour And this dare I boldly affirme that they whiche feare not God but for Purgatoryes sake shall neuer come in it no nor yet in heauen And therfore it is but folye to imagine Purgatory for that intent As concernyng the second poynte If the people beleue that they neded not to make satisfactioÌ„ to their neighbours for their trespasses c. I haue sufficiently auÌ„swered before that we must make satisfaction vnto our neighbours if we be able or els will God neuer forgeue vs. And if we be not able yet must we knowledge our offence then is our neighbour bounde to forgeue vs vnder the payne of damnation And so can this proue no Purgatory Now as touchyng the thyrd that if they beleued that such a light repentaunce were sufficient without any other satisfaction it should be an occasion of vice and subuersion of the common wealth I auÌ„swere as I haue done before almost in euery argument sith thou art ignoraunt of Christes death and his satisfaction vnto the father for vs that all the repentaunce whiche we can take is not sufficient to counterpese one cryme but that if Christ were not we should all be damned Here will I leaue Rastell and his Turke Gingemin with all their naturall Philosophy which is now proued foolishnes for hetherto hath he proued no Purgatory neither hath hee one good reason nor yet to that baren reasons one good solution as we haue sufficiently declared But let vs heare somewhat more of Gods word and sée how Purgatory standeth with that Paul saith we must all be brought before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receaue accordyng to the workes of his body whether it be good or bad 2. Cor. 5. If this be true then can there be no Purgatory whiche shall profite hym after he is dissolued from his body for then should he not receaue accordyng to y e workes of his body But rather accordyng to the paynes that he suffered in Purgatory Now if this text be true then must it folow that all thyne executours dealyng offeryng of Masse pence c. helpe thée not a myte And by this text it is not possible that there should be a Purgatory Vpon this text would I fayne dispute a poynt of Sophistry whiche I would gladly haue dissolued of them that thinke theÌ„ selues learned in Philosophy My Sophisme is y e ij contradictories may staÌ„d together be both true Whiche I am sure no Sophister dare graunt for it hath in tymes past ben condemned in Oxford for an heresie The coÌ„tradictories are these Euery man shall receaue accordyng to the workes of his body And some maÌ„ shall not receaue accordyng to the workes of his body that these two coÌ„tradictories be both true I wil proue The firste proposition is Paules 2. Cor. 5. which no man will deny to be true And the secoÌ„d may easely be proued true which is that some maÌ„ shall not receaue accordyng to the workes of his body For be it in case y â— there depart a maÌ„ out of this world which is not cleane purged by fayth and the word of God neither are his rebellious members subdued through death as they imagine but that the spottes and remnauntes of sinne remaine in him for the which he is worthy to lye in the paynes of Purgatorye for the space of sixe yeare This graunted which I am sure they will not deny then also put I the case that this man lyeng in Purgatory by the space of a moneth haue a frend which offereth for hym a peny vnto S. Dominikes boxe which hath such power that assoone as the tinging is hard in y e boxe so soone the soule is frée in heauen or that a frende of his bye a Pardon for hym which may absolue him a poena a culpa for all commeth to one effect This man deliuered on that maner doth not receaue accordyng to the workes of his body for by the workes of his body he should yet lye in Purgatory more theÌ„ fiue yeares And that doth he not but is by and by deliuered from Purgatory Ergo I may conclude that some maÌ„ receaueth not accordyng to the workes of his body so are two contradictories true or els there can be no such deliueraunce out of Purgatory whiche destroyeth all Pardons Massepence and Suffragies for the dead This would I haue soluted How beit I will not adnumber it for an argument because the vnlearned people to whom I write this booke can not well perceaue it But this Sophisme haue I writteÌ„ to stop the chatteryng mouthes of the Sophisters and to cast them a bone to gnaw vpon Paule sayth you whiche were in tymes past straungers and enemyes because your myndes were set in euil workes hath he now recoÌ„ciled in the body of hys fleshe thorough death to make you holy such as no man can complayne on and without â—aulte in his owne sight if ye continue grounded and stablished in the fayth and be not moued away from the hope of the Gospell Collos i. Here Paule affirmeth that you are reconciled through his death so that ye are made holy and without faulte in his sight I haue expounded what it is to bee without fault in his â—ixt argument looke ye yet for an other Purgatory are ye so childish and insensible no imagine that ye must yet go through Purgatory â—ith ye are already without faulte in his â—ight This a playne â—ase God of his righteousnes will not punishe a man for nothyng but all that are
is written Abac. ij the righteous man lyueth by his fayth And Roma v. because we are iustified by fayth we are at peace with God thorough our Lord Iesus Christ c. WheÌ„ these faithfull or righteous departe theÌ„ sayth this text that they are fooles which thinke them to be in payne or affliction for it affirmeth that they are in peace Now sith their Purgatory whiche they imagine is payne and affliction and yet fayne that the righteous onely shal enter into it after their death then are they fooles that suppose there is a Purgatory or els this text can not be true For what entent will God haue vs tormented in Purgatory to make satisfaction for our sinnes verely theÌ„ is Christ dead in vayne as we haue often proued before But thinke you not rather that our purgation should be to encrease our fayth or grace or charitie for these thrée couer the multitude of sinnes no verely we can not fayne a purgatory for any such cause For fayth springeth by hearing of the word Roma x. But the Pope sendeth theÌ„ no preachers thether Ergo theyr fayth can not there be encreased And agayne payne ingendreth and kyndleth hate against God and not loue or charitie Furthermore My Lord of Rochester is coÌ„pelled to graunt that the soules in Purgatorye obtayne there neither more fayth nor grace nor charitie then they brought in with them and so can I sée no reasonable cause why there should be a purgatory Neuerthelesse M. More sayth that both their grace and charitie is encreased And so may you perceaue that lyes can neuer agrée how wyttie so euer they be that fayne and cloke them For in some poyntes they shall be founde contrary so that at the length they may be disclosed when thou hast no power to accomplish the outward fact For the wiseman sayth Prou. xxiij sonne geue me God is fully pacified with thy will thy hart Now if thy will be vpright and so that thou haue a desire to fulfill the law then doth God reken that will vnto thée for the full fact If then through the frayltie of thy members thou fall into sinne thou mayest well say with the Apostle Roma vâ—j The good that I would doe that do I not that is I haue a will and desire to fulfill the law of God not to displease my heauenly father yet that I do not But the euill which I hate that do I that is I do committe sinne whiche in déede I hate Now if I hate the sinne whiche I do then loue I the law of God whiche forbiddeth sinne and do consent vnto this law that it is good righteous and holy And so the sinne whiche I hate and yet commit it thorough the frayltie of my members is not imputed or rekened vnto me for sinne Neither will S. Paule graunt that it is I which do that sinne but he sayd I haue a will to doe good but I can not performe that will For I do not that good which I would but the euill whiche I would not that do I. Now if I doe that thyng whiche I would not do then is it not I that do it but the sinne that dwelleth with in me I delight in the law of God with myne inward man that is with my will and minde which is renued with the spirite of God but I sée an other law in my members which rebelleth agaynst the law of my mynde and maketh me bonde vnto the law of sinne which is in my members So that I my selfe in my will and mynde do obey the law of God hatyng sinne as the law coÌ„maundeth me and not consentyng vnto it in my mynde will but in my flesh and members I serue the law of sinne for the frayltie of my members compelleth me to sinne Rom. 7. As by example if I sée a poore man whiche is not of abilitie to do me any pleasure and neuertheles doth all his diligence to séeke my fauour would with hart and mynde geue me some acceptable preseÌ„t if he were of power beyng also sory that hee can not performe his will â—nd mynde towardes me Now if there be any point of humanitie or gentlenesse in me I will count this man for my frende and accept his good will as well as though he had in dede performed his wil. For his habilitie extendeth no further If his power were better better should I haue Euen so sith we are not of power and habilitie to performe the law of God and yet beare a good hart towardes God and his law lamentyng our imbecillitie that we can do him no further pleasure then will God recount vs not as his enemyes but as his deare children and beloued frendes Neither will hee afterward thrust vs into Purgatory but as a tender father pardon vs our trespasses and accept our good will for the full déede S. Paule exhorteth vs Gal. vj. that we worke well while we haue tyme for what soeuer a man doth sow that shall he réepe by this may we euidently perceaue that hée shall not receaue according to his doing or sufferyng in an other world and therfore caÌ„ there be no Purgatory The wiseman sayth Eccle. xiiij worke righteousnes before thy death for after this lyfe there is no méete that is to say succour to bee founde There are some which wil vnderstaÌ„d this place also the text in the xlviij argument on this maner that there should be no place of deseruyng but yet there may well bee a place of punishment But this solution besides that it is not grounded on Scripture is very slender For I pray you wherfore should their inuention of Purgatory serue but to bee a place of purgyng punishment and penaunce by the which the soule should make satisfaction that it might so deserue to enter into the rest of heauen Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from heÌ„ce forward yea truly sayth the spirite that they may rest froÌ„ their labours But theyr workes folow with them This text they vse in theyr soule masses as thoughe it made for Purgatory But surely me thinketh that it maketh much against them For let vs enquire of all the proctours and fautours of Purgatory whether y â— soules that must be prayed for are departed in the Lord or not And they must néedes aunswere that they are departed in the Lord for the vnfaithfull which dye not in the Lord must not be prayed for And therfore must they be vpright Christen soules which are tormeÌ„ted for the other are all damned Now sayth the text that all such dead as dye in the Lord are blessed but what blessednesse were that to broyle in Purgatory And if they would here fayne a glose as their maner is when they are in a straite euer to séeke a startyng hole say that they are blessed because they are in a good hope
the wordes of the iij. children Daniell 3. whiche were cast into the fornace of fire and yet preserued frō death thorough the mighty hand of God theyr wordes song was this Benedicite Anania Azaria Misaell Domino laudate superexaltate eum in secula quia eruit nos de inferno saluos fecit de manu mortis liberauit nos de medio ardentis flammae de medio ignis eruit nos That is blysse ye anania azaria and misaell the Lord prayse and aduaūce him for euer For he hath plucked vs out of hell hath saued vs frō the power of death He hath deliuered vs from the middest of the burnyng flāme and hath plucked vs out frō the middes of the fire Here may you sée the same maner of speakyng how the last ende expoundeth the begynnyng These childrē say that God hath plucked them out of hell and yet were they neither dāned nor in Purgatory nor dead But the next part of this verse expoundeth their meaning which sayth he hath saued vs from the hand of power of death So may ye know that to bee plucked out of hell and to be saued from the power of death are all one thyng And again where they say that God hath deliuered them from the burnyng flamme and that hee hath plucked them from the middes of the fire is all one sense as euery child may well perceiue and therfore is M. More to blame to be so busie seyng he vnderstandeth not the phrase and manner of speache of the Scripture THen bryngeth hee in the Prophet Zachary which sayth Tu quoque in sanguine Testamenti tui eduxisti vinctos tuos de lacu in quo non erat aqua Thou hast in the bloud of thy Testament brought out thy bounden prisoners out of the pitte or lake in which there was no water Now in hell is there no redemption and in lymbo patrum the soules were in rest wherfore it appeareth clerely that those prisoners whiche hee brought out of their payne hee brought onely out of Purgatory This text is spoken Zachary 9. for a full aunswere of this text I néeded no more but to bring the authoritie of my Lord of Rochester agaynst hym For hee expoundeth the place of the Psalme 66. for Purgatory whiche sayth Transiuimus per ignem aquam adduxisti nos in refrigeriū we haue gone thorough fire and water thou hast brought vs into colenesse If this text of the Psalme serue for Purgatory which sayth that there is both fire and water as my Lord of Rochester doth affirme bringeth also Origine to confirme it then can not this place of Zacharie serue whiche sayth that there is no water And so must M. More néedes bee ouersene for Origene and Rochester bee able to wey vp him Here might I say vnto thē both that they should first agrée with in thē selues and then would I shape them an aūswere Howbeit I know my part so sure that I will confute them both and proue that neither other place speaketh any thyng of this paynfull Purgatory that the describe But my Lord of Rochesters authoritie shall be differred vntill the thyrd part whiche shal be a seuerall booke agaynst hym This place verely approueth not Purgatory but sheweth the vertue of Christes redemption which through his bloud redemed his captiues prisoners that is to say them whom hee foūd bound with the strōg bondes of sinne to euerlastyng damnatiō which were subiectes vnto the deuil and the extreme enemyes of God but why calleth hee them his verely because they were chosen in Christ Iesu before the begynnynge of the worlde that they with him and through hym should enioy the euerlastyng inheritaunce of heauen Why are they called bounde and prisoners Surely because they were captiues boūde and imprisoned vnder the deuill through the sinne that Adā committed Roma v. why sayth he that he deliuered thē out of the pitte where in is no water Forsooth that is euen as much to say as hee deliuered them out of hell and from eternall damnation Thou wilt happely say hee deliuered them not out of hell and from eternall damnation for his prisoners that is to say they y t shal be saued neuer came there I aunswere that they should without doubt haue gone thether haue bene dāned perpetually except that Christ by his death had deliuered and losed them And therefore sayth the Scripture that Christ deliuereth vs out of hell because he saueth and deliuereth vs that we come not there which els should surely enter into it for euer It is also a common maner of speach among vs if a man should go to prison for debt or any such matter one of his frendes come in y t meane season which pacified the aduersaries payeth that debt then may we well say that he hath deliuered this man out of prison although hee came not there but should haue gone thether And likewise when we say that such a mā hath deliuered his frend from the galowes we meane not that he was all ready hanged for then were the deliueraūce to late but we meane that he deliuered him that hee should not be hanged Furthermore if a mā might bee bold to aske M. More whether Christ haue redemed loosed and deliuered him in the bloud of his Testament I thinke he would aunswere yea Now if we should aske him further from whence he hath deliuered him I am sure he is not so ignoraunt as to say that Christe hath deliuered him from Purgatory but euen that be hath deliuered him from eternall death and damnation And so hath Christe deliuered vs from the pytte wherin is no water that is to say frō hell and euerlastyng damnation not y t we were in hell all ready although we were bound vnder sinne and ready to be cast therein but because we should not enter into hell This is the pure vnderstandyng of the texte Here might I dispute w t him both of hell of Limbus patrum but because I wil be as short as possible is I will deferre y t vntil an other occasiō y t I may reason with hym somewhat at large AN other place is there also in the old Testament that putteth Purgatory quyte out of question For sayth he what is playner then the places whiche in the booke of the Machebees make mention of the deuoute remembraunce prayour asmose sacrifice to be done for soules when the good and holy mā Iudas Machabeus gathered money among the people to buy sacrifice withall to be offered vp for the soules of them that were dead in the battaile What shift finde they here Surely a very shamelesse shift and are fayne to take them to that talkyng which is their shote anker alway when they finde the storme so great that they see their shyppe goeth all to wracke For first they vse to set some
false glosse vnto the text and if that helpe not then fall they to a shameles boldnes and let not to deny the Scripture and all The place whiche hee reciteth is written 2. Macha 12. And to say the truth y t booke is not of sufficieÌ„t authoritie to make an article of our fayth neither is it admitted in the CanoÌ„ of the Hebrues Here he obiecteth that the Church hath allowed it and the holy Doctours as S. Hierome S. Austine and such other I aunswere S. Hieromes mynde is opened vnto vs by the Epistle which he wrote before y t Prouerbes of SalomoÌ„ his wordes are these Sicut Iudith Tobie Machabeorum libros legit quidem cos ecclesia sed inter canonicas Scripturas non recipit sic haec duo volumina legat ad aedificationem plebis non ad authoritatem ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandum That is lyke as the Church doth read the bookes of Iudith Tobias the Machabées but receaueth them not amoÌ„g the canonicall Scriptures euen so let it read these twoo bookes he meaneth the booke of Sapience and Ecclesiasticus vnto the edifieng of the people and not to confirme the doctrine of the Church therby And it is nothyng lyke that S. Austen should dissent from S. Hierome for they were both in one tyme yea S. Hierome out lyued S. Austen And therfore the Church could not admit any such bookes either before S. Austens tyme or in his tyme but that S. Hierome should haue knowne of it And so may you gather that if S. Austen allow these bookes or els say that the Churche hath allowed them you may not vnderstaÌ„d that they haue allowed and receaued them as canonicall Scriptures for then you make S. Hierome a lyar But thus you must vnderstaÌ„d it that they haue receaued them to be read for the edifying of y e people and not to confirme the doctrine of the Church or articles of the fayth thereby according to S. Hieromes expositioÌ„ Now may you sée that our shote anker as he called it is so stroÌ„g that all his stormes and waues can not once moue it for we deny not but that the booke is receaued of the church to be read and we shew by S. Hierome for what entent it is receaued and read not to proue any article of our faith therby but onely to order our maner of liuyng therafter in such poyntes as are not repugnaunt vnto the canonicall Scripture But yet for this once to do the maÌ„ pleasure we will let slyppe our shote anker take the seas with him And for all their furious wyndes and frothy waues we wil neuer strike sayle so strong is our shyp and so well ballaunced Be it in case that this booke of the Machabées were of as good authority as Esay yet can he not proue this fury and paynefull Purgatorye therby For it speaketh not one word neither of fire nor payne but it speaketh of a sacrifice offred for the dead y t they might be losed froÌ„ their sinnes because there is a resurrectioÌ„ of y t ded which may wel be without any paine or fire So that this conclusion is very bare and naked It is good to offer sacrifice for the dead that they may be loosed from their sinnes Ergo there is a sensible fire which doth punishe the holy and chosen people of God I am sure there is no child but he may perceaue that this argument is naught Besides that is to bee doubted whether Iudas did wel or not in offering this sacrifice And therfore ought we not of a foolish presumption to solow his facte vntill we knowe how it was accepted Peraduenture thou wilt say that the déede is commended in the sayd text where it sayth But because he considered that they which with godlynes had entred their sléepe that is their death had good fauour layd vp in store for them therefore is the remeÌ„braunce to pray for the dead holy wholesome that they may be loosed from their sinnes I aunswere that the persons whiche were slayne in the battayl for whom this prayer sacrifice was made were founde to haue vnder their clokes oblations of idols which were at Iamniam for that cause were they slayne as it is playne in the text yea and all the host praysed the right iudgement of God Now these men that were so slayne were damned by the law Deut. vij whiche sayth The images of their Gods thou shalt burne with fire sée that thou couet not the siluer or gold y t is on them nor take it vnto thée lest thou be snared therewith for it is an abomination vnto the Lord thy God Bryng not therfore the abomination vnto thine house lest thou be a daÌ„ned thing as it is But vtterly defie it and abhorre it for it is a thyng that must be destroyed Of this may we euideÌ„tly perceaue that albeit Iudas dyd this thyng of a good mynde yet was he deceaued for his sacrifice could nothyng helpe them sith they were damned by the law and entred not their slepe with godlynesse as he supposed Furthermore it is euident that the Iewes had sacrifices for the sinnes of them that liued Leuit. 4. 5. 6. c. But how knew they that these sacrifices would extende them selues vnto the sinnes of the dead And they were coÌ„maunded vnder the payne of cursing that they should adde nothyng vnto the word of God Deut. 12. Verely it is lyke that the Priestes euen at that tyme sought their owne profite abused the sacrifices deceaued the simple people M. More also sayth that the money was seÌ„t to buy sacrifices which shoulde be offered for the sinne of the slayne Now knoweth euery Christen that all maner of sacrifices offeryngs were nothyng but figures of Christ which should be offered for the sinne of his people So that when Christ came all sacrifices oblations ceased If thou shouldest now offer a calfe to purge thy sinne thou were no doubt iniurious vnto the bloud of Christ for if thou thought his bloud sufficieÌ„t then wouldest thou not séeke an other sacrifice for thy sinne Yea I will go further with you there was not one sacrifice in the old TestameÌ„t that purged or tooke away sinne For the bloud of oxeÌ„ or goates can not take away sinne Heb. x. But all the sacrifices which were theÌ„ offered did but signifie that Christ should come and be made a sacrifice for vs which shuld purge our sinne for euer Now were their sacrifices and oblations institute of God and yet could they not take away sinne but onely signified that Christ through his blâ—d should take it away What madnes then is come into our braynes that we thinke that our oblations whiche are ordained but of our owne imagination should take away sinne What if Iudas gathered such an offeryng in the old TestameÌ„t should it then folow that we must
nor damage in spirituall fire that is temptation and persecution Or els if any man build vpon this foūdation woode hay or stubble that is if a man of good entent but yet thorough ignoraunce preach and teach you to sticke vnto ceremonies mēs traditions although they séeme neuer so glorious and to such thynges as are not groūded on Scripture as S. Cyprian taught and defended to rebaptise hym that was once Baptised and after fallen into heresie yea many Byshops consented vnto hym yet was it surely a great errour this is woode haye and stubble that cā not endure the fire of temptation lyght of Gods word Euery mans worke shal be declared for the day shall open it Albeit it prospere for a season in the darke and can not be perceiued yet whē the day commeth which is the light of Gods worde it shal be espyed and iudged The day shal open it that shal be reuelated in fire and the fire shall proue euery mans worke what it is Fire signifieth temptation tribulation persecution c. whiche shall proue euery mans workes If any mans worke that hee hath builded doe abyde this fire that is if the word that a man hath preached do abyde all assaultes temptatiōs it is a token that they are surely grounded on the Scripture of God and then shall the preacher receiue his reward If any mans worke be burnt that is if the preachers wordes will not abyde the tryall and light but vanish away then is it a token that they are not well grounded on Scripture and so shall he suffer hurt for it shal be a great crosse and vexation to the preachers hart that he hath bene so deceiued hym selfe and hath also ledde other into his errour Notwithstādyng he shal be saued because of his fayth in the foundation which is Christ and his ignoraunce shal be pardoned sith he erreth not of a malicious purpose but of a good zeale But yet shall it be as it were a fire to him for it shall greue his hart to sée that he had laboured in vayne and that hee must destroy the same which he before through ignoraunce preached this is the processe pure vnderstandyng of the text There is no man but he graūteth that these wordes foundation laying of foundation buildyng gold siluer precious stones wood haye and stubble are figuratiuely spoken and why cā they not suffer that this word fire be so taken to But where they finde this word fire what soeuer the processe be there plante they Purgatory by and by without any further consideratiō And yet if they had any iudgement at all they might well perceaue by Paules owne wordes that he tooke not this worde fire for material fire as they grossely imagine but proceded in his Allegory and spake it figuratiuely for Paule saith He shal be saued but so as it were thorough fire Marke well his wordes he sayth not that he shal be saued through fire But as it were thorough fire signifiyng that it shal be a great grief veratiō vnto him So that by these wordes of Paule a very child may perceaue what he ment Furthermore if they be so stifnecked that they will not bow to y t truth but still perseuer in their owne phantasies faynyng Purgatory out of this place thē will I boldly say vnto them that there shall no man enter into it but onely preachers For in this place Paul onely speaketh of them and affirmeth that it is their preachyng and learnyng that shall be so proued thorough fire and that such a Preacher shall be saued but yet as it were thorough fire And therfore may the temporaltie be of good comfort for I promise them that by this texte they shall neuer haue hurt in this their painfull Purgatory DOth not our blessed Sauiour him selfe say that there is a certaine sinne which a man may so cōmit agaynst the holy ghost that it shall neuer be remitted ▪ nor forgeuen neither in this world nor in the world to come Now when our Lorde sayth that the blasphemy agaynste the holy ghost shall not be forgeuē neither in this world nor in the world to come he geueth vs cleare knowledge that of other sinnes some shall bee forgeuen in this world and some in the world to come Although this argument be a very Sophisme yet is there neither one rule in Sophistry that can proue this argument nor yet one Sophister so foolish as to graunt it For if I should say vnto mine enemy that I would neither forgeue him as lōg as I lyued nor after my death because hee had done me some haynous trespasse then would men coūt hym worse thē made that would say Frith will not forgeue his enemy as long as he lyueth nor after his death Ergo some mē will forgeue their enemyes after their death For when I say that I will not forgeue hym neither in my life nor after my death I meane that I wil neuer forgeue him and make that addiction because hée should not of foolishnes looke for any such forgeuenesse But thus foloweth the argument well It shall not be forgeuen in thys world nor in the world to come ergo it shall neuer be forgeuen And euen so doth the holy euangelist S. Marke expounde these woordes of Christ in the thyrd chapter For Mathew saith chap. 12. He that speaketh agaynst the holy Ghost shal neuer haue it forgeuen in this world nor in the world to come Marke expoundeth it thus he that speaketh a blasphemy agaynst the holy Ghost hath no remission for euer but is giltie vnto euerlastyng damnation But of thys I haue spoken sufficiently before in soluting the Text 1 Ioh. 5. both what the sinne and also how the text is to be vnderstand Neither affirmeth the Scripture in any place that any sinne is forgeuen after thys lyfe but sayth be ready for ye know not the time when the Lorde shall come as who should say in this lyfe is remission and full mercy to be had labour therfore to attayne it for after thys lyfe is no such forgeuenes but euen as the Lord findeth thee so shall he iudge thée Hys next and last argument of scripture is this CHrist sayth as it is rehearsed in the xij of Matthew that men shall yeld a reckenyng of euery idle worde and that shall be after thys present lyfe Then wotteth euery man that by that reckoning is vnderstand a punishment therefore which shal not be in hell and much lesse in heauen and therfore can it be no where els but in Purgatory Verily I haue not heard of a patrone that so vnprofitably defendeth hys clyent nor yet of any man that geueth himselfe such proper trippes to cast himselfe except he went about to betray and vtterly destroy the part which he would séeme to fauour for thys text maketh more agaynst hym then any that he brought before séemeth to make with
If he can deliuer them for money then may he also deliuer them wythout money And then is he a very cruel tyraunt which kéepeth them in paynes so intollerable as he imagineth him selfe vntill they pay money THe first hee soluteth on this maner Sith our Lord sendeth them thether for satisfaction to be made in some maner for their sinne the Pope should rather agaynst Gods purpose delyuer them free then chaunge the maner of their satisfaction frō payne into prayer almose or other good workes to be done by their frendes for them in some pointe profitable and necessary for the whole corps of Christēdome or some good member of the same As concernyng satisfaction I haue spoken sufficiētly before agaynst Rastell The Scripture knoweth no other satisfaction to be made for sinne towardes God but onely the bloud of his sonne Iesu Christ for if there were an other satisfaction then dyed Christ in vayne yea and he that séeketh any other satisfactiō for his sinne towardes God then Christes bloud which must be receiued with a repētyng hart through fayth doth despise Christes bloud and treade it vnder his féete And so is the first part of M. Mores solution false that they should be shut in Purgatory to make satisfaction Besides that where hee sayth that if the Pope should so deliuer them he should deliuer them free I say nay For the Pope can deliuer no mā from thence vntil satisfactiō be made as both he all his adherentes graūt And therefore to finde away how he might seme to deliuer thē he fayneth that he hath in his hands the merites of Christes passion and the merites of all Saintes to destribute them at his pleasure And therfore might the Pope apply the merites of Christes passion of other Saintes vnto these sely soules and so deliuer them For those merites ar inough to satisfie for y t soules in purgatory if there were ten tymes so many And so should the Pope deliuer them not frée but chaūgyng the maner of their satisfaction from payne into merites of Christes passion and of all Saintes And so is this reason not abated but rather strōger thē it was before Howbeit to say the truth the merites of Christes passion are onely distributed vnto the faythfull and tha◠by God and his spirite and not by the Pope And as for the merites of Saintes can not helpe other for they haue to litle for them selues if God should enter into iudgement with them Psalme 104. And Christ sayth Luke 17. when you haue done all that is commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruauntes To this well agréeth the parable of the x. Virgins Math. 25. whiche could not depart with any of theyr oyle for feare that they should not haue had inough for them selues THe second reason byteth him somwhat and therefore he calleth it vnreasonable and would auoyd it by an example on thys wise Presuppose that the Pope may deliuer al soules out of purgatory yet if he were therfore cruell as oft as he leueth any there This vnreasonable reason layeth cruelty vnto the blame of God which may vndoubtedly deliuer al soules thence and yet he leaueth thē there This blasphemye should also touch hys hye maiestie for keeping any soule in hell from whence no man doubteth but that he might if he list deliuer them all for euer I aunswere that the example is nothing like for God can deliuer no man neither from hell nor from purgatory if such one were vntill hys iustice be counterpaysed as I haue sufficiently proued agaynst Rastell And if you obiect his absolute power then aunswer I that he hath an absolute iustice as well as an absolute power and so can hys absolute power do nothing vntill hys absolute iustice be satisfyed And agayne I say that God hath no power nor lust to do agaynst hys scripture and himself but his power lust is to fulfill that he hath promised vnto the faythfull euerlasting glory and vnto the wicked eternall damnation So that god by hys scripture can deliuer no man out of hell for then had he power to make himselfe a lyer so were he no God neither can he deliuer any man out of purgatory supposed that there were one vntill hys iustice be pacified But the pope as he sayth himselfe hath the full satisfaction in hys own hand wherby Gods iustice must be pacified wherfore it is onely the popes fault which hath the satisfaction in his power and will not geue it till he haue money not Gods fault which must néedes tary vntill satisfaction be made And so is thys reason as strong as it was before the pope proued a cruell tyraunt BVt yet to excuse the pope he sayth It is not meete that the Pope should be so quicke in deliueraūce for so should he geue a great occasion to mē boldly to fall into sinne and litle to care or feare how slowly they ryse agayne and that were not mete for his office Forsooth this is a gentle reason He may not be quicke in deliueraūce because he should geue men occasion of sinne But for one peny he will quyte deliuer you and that with spede For if ye offer a peny into S. Dominikes boxe assoone as ye heare y e peny ryng in the boxe euen so soone is the soule in heauē Call you not that quicke deliueraūce If you geue not that peny then may he not deliuer the soule for it should be an occasion of sinne But if you geue that peny thē is there no such occasiō of sinne Such great vertue hath that one peny in M. Mores sight that it cleane wypeth away the occasion of sinne Furthermore if this redemption may be done for money it shall be still an occasion vnto the rich that they regard not sinne and yet they had more néed to be brydeled then the poore for where riches aboundaunce is there raygneth sinne most of all Howbeit I haue shewed sufficiently before agaynst Rastell that they which feare not to sinne but for feare of purgatorye shall neuer come into it but be damned in hell For we should not abstaine from sinne for any feare but for the pure loue that we haue to god our most mercifull Father c. THen commeth maister More to this imagination that we should say how no mans prayer or good deed can help an other And saith he if that were true thē could not Christes bitter passion prosite vs. Sir mine opiniō of Christes death is this 1 We haue al sinned in Adam without our own consent and worke 1 And we are loosed from sinne thorough Christ without our workes or deseruinges 2 Sinne is come into the world thorow Adam and is punished w t death 2 The death through Christ is turned into a medicine and cleane finisheth sinne 3 One mans sinne whiche is Adam hath condemned many men 3 One mans grace which is Christ hath
c. that is I am a straunger and a pilgrime in the earth as all my fathers haue bene And therfore as a pilgrime he hasted vnto the common countrey of all saintes requiring for the filthines that he had receaued in this bodely mansion that his sinnes might be forgeuen him before he departed from thys lyfe For he that here hath not receaued forgeuenesse of hys sinnes shall not be there He shall not surely be there for he can not come vnto euerlasting life for euerlasting lyfe is the forgeuenes of sinnes And therfore he sayth forgeue me that I may be cooled before I depart Here may you euidently perceaue that S. Ambrose knew not of purgatory nor of any forgeuenesse that should be after thys lyfe But plainly affirmeth that he y t receaueth not forgeuenesse of hys sinnes here that is in thys life shall neuer come in heauen And for a more vehement affirmation he dubleth hys own wordes saying He that here hath not receyued forgeuenesse of hys sinnes he shall not be there he shall not surely be there He meaneth that he shall neuer come to Heauen which here hath not his remission SAint Hieromes minde may sone be gathered by hys exposition of the ix chapter of Ecclesiastes vpon thys text The dead haue no part in thys world nor in any worke that is done vnder the Sunne There addeth Sainte Hierome that the dead can adde nothing vnto that which they haue taken with them out of this life for they can neither do good nor sinne neyther can they encrease in vertue or vice Albeit sayth he some wyll contrarie thys exposition affirming also that we may encrease decrease after death Here are thrée things to be noted first that the Text sayth that the dead are not partakers of any work that is done vnder the sunne And there may you sée that all suffrages offringes and diriges for the dead are in vaine and profite them not for they are partakers of nothing vnder the sunne Secondarily you may sée S. Hieromes own minde that the dead can neyther do good nor euill neyther encrease in vertue nor vice And so is purgatory put out for if they can do no good what should they do in purgatory And agayne if they can not encrease in vertue they be lyke to lye long in purgatorye Peraduenture some man would thinke that they do no good but onely that they suffer good To that I aunswer that he that suffereth good doth good for if a man should suffer hys body to be burnt for the fayth of Christ would you not say that he did a good déed and yet doth he but suffer Thirdly ye may note that S. Hierome was not ignorant that certeine as they which did fayne purgatory would denye hys exposition and say that we might encrease and decrease in vertue and vyce after death yet notwithstanding he held his sentence condemning theyr opinion whych thing he would not haue done specially sith he knew that he should haue aduersaries for it except he had bene sure that his sentence was right Sée I pray you how that not onely scripture but euen theyr owne doctoures condemne this phantasticall purgatory and yet my lords are not ashamed to say that all make for them NEuerthelesse I wyll go further wyth hym Be it in case that all the Doctours dyd affirme purgatory as they do not what were my Lord the nearer hys purpose Verely not one iote for the authoritie of doctors by my lordes owne confession extendeth no further but is onely to be admitted whilest they confirme theyr wordes by Scripture or els by some probable reason For my Lorde writeth on this maner Article xxxvij The Pope hath not so allowed the whole doctrine of S. Thomas that men should beleue euery poynte he wrote were true Neither hath the church so approued eyther S. Austine or S. Hierome nor any other authors doctrine but that in some places we may dissent from them for they in many places haue openly declared themselues to be men and many times to haue erred These are my lordes owne words Now sith the doctours somtime erre and in certayne places are not to be admitted as he graunteth himselfe how should we know whē to approue them and when to deny them If we should hang on the Doctoures authority then should we as well alow the vntruth as the truth sith he affirmeth both Therfore we must haue a iudge to discerne betwéene truth and falsehode And who shoulde that be the pope Nay verely for he being a man as well as the Doctours were may erre as they did and so shall we euer be vncertaine Our Iudge therefore must not be parciall flexible nor ignoraunt and so are all naturall men excluded but he must be inalterable euen searching the bottome ground of all thing Who must that be Verely the scripture and woord of God which was geuen by his Sonne confirmed and sealed by the holy Ghost and testified by miracles and bloud of all martyres This word is the iudge that must examine the matter the perfit touchstone that tryeth al thing and day that discloseth all iuggeling mistes If the doctours say any thing not dissonant from this woord then it is to be admitted and holdē for truth But if any of theyr doctrine discorde from it it is to be abhorred and holden accurssed To this full well agréeth S. Austen whiche writeth vnto S. Hierome on this wise Deare brother I thinke that you wil not haue your bookes reputed lyke vnto the woorkes of the Prophetes and Apostles for I the Scripture reserued do read all other mens workes on that maner that I doe not beleue them because the author so sayth be he neuer so well learned and holy except that he can certifie me by the Scripture or cleare reason that he sayth true And euen so would I that other men should read my bookes as I read theirs These are S. Austēs wordes And thus haue I proued both by S. Austen and also by my Lordes owne wordes that no man is bound to beleue the Doctors except they can be proued true either by Scripture or good reason not repugnaunt to Scripture Therefore let vs sée what Scripture or good reason my Lord bryngeth to approue his doctours withall For els they can not helpe hym as we haue declared both by S. Austen my Lordes owne confession although they all made with hym as they do not First he bringeth in the sinne agaynst the holy ghost Math. 12. And Paule 1. Cor. 3. And. 1. Iohn 5. And Apoca. 5. which textes I passe ouer because I haue aunswered vnto them before in the seconde booke agaynst M. More THe first reason that my Lord hath which is not before soluted for as I sayd the reasons that are already dissolued will I now ouerhyp is this which he groundeth on diuers Scriptures Of the soules that are departed some
ready fully purged in their hart and their rebellious meÌ„bers through death are wholly subdued These men shall geue no reckoning neyther of idle woorde nor euill déed for all theyr sinnes are couered of Christ and hys bloud shall geue the whole accomptes for them The vnfaythfull to theyr vtter confusion shall haue the booke of theyr conscience opened and there shall be presented before them all theyr euill deades woordes and thoughtes And these are they that Christ speaketh of which shall geue thys great accompt Note also that in the text they are called men which woord in Scripture is euer for the most part taken in the worste sense and signifieth wicked men fleshly men and men that folow their own lustes and appetites THen confirmeth he purgatory out of the 66. Psalme which sayth we haue gone through fire and water and thou hast brought vs into colenesse I am sure you haue not forgotten that M. More alledgeth the Prophet Zachary in the ix and affirmeth that thâ—re is no water in Purgatory It were hard to make these two agrée for when meÌ„ ground them on a lye then for the most part theyr tales and probations are coÌ„trary and will not well stand together Neuerthelesse in one poynte they agrée full well that is both of them say vntruly for neither nother text serueth any whit for Purgatory And as concernyng the place of Zachary it is sufficieÌ„tly declared what it meaneth And now wil I also declare you the vnder standyng of this text and first that it can not serue for purgatory I besech you that haue the psalter once to read the Psalme I thinke you shal wonder at their doâ—yng dreames and ignoraunce which allege this text for Purgatory The text of y e Psalme is this Thou hast brought vs into a straite laden our backes with trouble or heuynesse Thou hast set men vpon our heades we haue gone through fire water and thou hast led vs out agayn into a place of refreshyng The textes before and after in the same Psalme will not suffer that this place should be vnderstand of Purgatory For the text immediately before sayth thou hast set men vpon our heades But the chiefest defenders of Purgatory and eueÌ„ M. More hym selfe say that they are not men but deuils which torment the soules in Purgatory notwithstandyng my Lord of Rochester good man affirmeth that they are aungels whiche torment the soules there but neuer man doted so farre as to say that men torment the soules in Purgatory wherefore I may conclude that this text is not ment of purgatory but that the Prophet meÌ„t that men ranne ouer the childreÌ„ of Israell subdued them and wrapped theÌ„ in extreme troubles which in the Scripture are signified by fire and water Besides that the textes folowyng wil not admit that this should be vnderstaÌ„d of Purgatory for it foloweth immediatly I will enter into thy house with â—urt offrynges I shall offer vnto thée fat sacrifices with the reke of wethers I shall burne to the Oxen Goates Now is there no maÌ„ so mad as to thinke that the soules of Purgatory should offer vnto God any such sacrifices So that the text is playnly vnderstand of the children of Israell which through the Lord were deliuered from their afflictioÌ„s and enemies then offred theyr loyall sacrifices of prayse and thankes to the Lord theyr shield and protection NOwe flyeth my Lorde vnto the Church sayth that because the Churche hath affirmed it we must needes beleue it for the Church caÌ„ not erre As touchyng this poynte I will referre you vnto a woorke that William Tyndal hath writteÌ„ agaynst M. More wherin ye shal wel perceiue what the Church of Christ is that hys Churche neuer determined any such thyng But that it is the Sinagoge of Sathan that maketh articles of the fayth bindeth meÌ„s conscieÌ„ces further then the Scripture will THen waxeth his Lordshyp somewhat hote agaynst Martine Luther because he would that no man should be compelled to beleue Purgatory For my Lord sayth that it is profitable and wel done to compel men to beleue such thynges whether they will or will not And to stablishe his opinion hée plucketh out a word of the parable of Luke xiiij that a certayne man made a great supper and sayd vnto his seruauÌ„tes go forth quickly into the wayes and compell them to enter in Verely there Christ ment no other thyng but that his Apostles should go forth into all the world and preach his word vnto all nations openyng vnto them the miserable state and conditioÌ„ that they be in and agayne what mercy God hath shewed theÌ„ in his sonne Christ This would Christ that his Apostles should expound and lay out so euidently by reasons Scriptures and miracles vnto the Gentils that they should eueÌ„ by their manifest persuasions be compelled to graunt vnto them that he was Christ and to take vpon them the fayth that is in Christ On this maner did Christ compel the Saduces to graunt the resurrection Math. xxij And by these meanes compelled hee the Phariseis to graunt in theyr consciences that he dyd his miracles with the power of God yet afterward of very hate knowyng in theyr hartes the contrary they sayd y e he dyd them by the power of the deuill Math. xij But to say that Christ would haue his Disciples to compell men with prisonment fetters scourgyng sword and fire is very false and farre from the mildenesse of a ChristeÌ„ spirite although my Lord approue it neuer so much For Christ dyd forbyd his Disciples such tyraÌ„ny yea and rebuked them because they would haue desired that fire should descende from heauen to consume the Samaritanes which wold not receiue Christ Luke ix But he commaunded them that if meÌ„ would not receiue their doctrine they should departe from thence and spryncle of the dust of their féete to be a testimony agaynst the vnfaythfull that they had bene there preached vnto them the word of life But with violence will God haue no man compelled vnto his law Paule also testifieth 2. Cor. 1. that he had not rule ouer the CorinthiaÌ„s as touchyng theyr fayth By our fayth we stand in the Lord by our infidelitie we fall from hym As no man can search the hart but onely God so can no man iudge or order our fayth but onely God thorough his holy spirite Furthermore fayth is a gifte of God which he distributeth at hys owne pleasure 1. Cor. 12. If he geue it not this day he may geue it to morow And if thou perceaue by any exterior worke that thy neighbour haue it not enstruct him with Gods word and pray God to geue hym grace to beleue that is rather a poynte of a christen man then to compell a man by death or exterior violence Finally what doth thy compulsion and violence
grace whiche is done and geuen through the gentlenesse of God By this may we perceiue how grosse theyr ignoraunce is which without discretion condemne the infantes that departe out of this worlde not baptised in our materiall water For if that water geue no grace as I haue sufficiently proued why should they condemne more before that washyng then after Beside that the election of God is frée and foloweth not our fayth but fayth foloweth the electiō as it is writtē And there beleued euen as many as were ordeined vnto euerlastyng lyfe for they that are chosen frō y e beginnyng are no doubt chosen before they had fayth we ought not therfore to geue such vnaduised iudgement on these children which by their age haue not yet heard our fayth seyng Gods election is hidde from our eyes The children of Israell were a people which God had chosen from among all nations of the worlde and gaue them Circumcision for a token and memoriall of that election which circumcision was a figure of our baptisme and they thought that the gentiles which were not carnally circumcised had bene all condemned But their opinion deceiued them for there were also of the Gentiles which although they were not circumcised outwardly were electe of God were spiritually circumcised which onely is the thing that God regardeth as Paule testifieth saying He is not a Iew which is a Iew outwarde neyther is that circumcision any thing which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is hid within the circumcision of the hart which is the cutting off of carnall desires and is the true circumcision This circumcision was in price with God wyth the which the gentiles as Iob were circumcised And in like maner may we say of our Baptisme he is not a Christen man which is washed wyth water neither is that baptisme which is outwarde in the flesh but that is the very baptisme which God alloweth to be baptised spiritually in the hart that is to subdue and wéed out the braunches of sinne that it raigne not in your mortall bodies and bring thē into bōdage vnder it of y e which our Baptisme is but a signe And there are many I doubt not which are thus spiritually baptized although theyr bodies touch no water as there were gentiles thus spiritually circumcised and yet neuer cutte of the foreskinne of theyr priuy members Furthermore the children of the vncircumcision are of the people and congregation of God aswell as the children of the Hebrewes vnder the law were members of theyr congregation I take the congregation of God in thys place euen somewhat largely that is for all them that are thought or coūted to be the members of Christ as it is taken Mathew 13. where Christe compareth it vnto a nette which receyueth both good fish and euill and agayne Mathew 25. where he likeneth the kingdome of heauen that is to say the congregation of God vnto x. virgins of the which v. were wise and v. foolish but I speake not in this place of the elect sanctifyed and inuisible congregation which is wythout spotte and wrinckle and onely knowne vnto God which hath chosen her before the foundations of the worlde were layde neyther is it to be estéemed but that God is as mercyfull vnto vs which are of the spirituall Israell as he was vnto the carnall Israell S. Iohn S. Paule and such other were they not being infantes of the cōgregation of God elect in Christ Iesu before the creation of the worlde howbeit in theyr infancy they neither had fayth nor yet knew any thing of this election Mathew Zacheus the théef and Mary Magdalene were they not likewise so chosē yet they themselues knew it not vntill they were lightened of the holy Ghost and drawne vnto Christ by our heauenly Father neyther knoweth any man of an others election but euery man may knowe hys owne through hys fayth and will that he hath to fulfill the law of God Of this sensible congregation of Christ was Iudas yea and all the other which after forsooke Christ neither wist the Apostles but that Iudas had bene of the elect sanctifyed and inuisible congregation of Christ as well as Peter or Iohn so that our iudgement recounteth all faythfull and chosen that séeme to be but Christ knoweth them that are hys and them that shall forsake him Nowe is there an opinion risen amōg certaine which affirme y e childrē may not be baptised vntill they come vnto a perfecte age and that because they haue no faithe but verely me thinketh that they are farre from the méekenesse of Christe and his spirite which when children were broughte vnto him receiued them louingly and embraced them in his armes Mat. 9. and when his Disciples blamed the bringers he called them vnto hym saying suffer children to come vnto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of heauen Luk. 18. And albeit they haue no faith but are only of that inuisible congregation that is w t out spot or wrinkel yet as I haue saide they haue a promisse as well as the children of the Hebrewes by the which they are of the visible congregation which thing only is testified in theyr baptisme So it appeareth that these men are ignorāt what baptisme is For oure baptisme doth not testifie that we are of that pure congregation which was chosen and sanctified in Christe before the worlde began which haue theyr names wrytten in the booke of life of the which it is not possible that one shoulde perishe for then were it a false testimonie séeing many whiche are baptised fall afterward into perillous heresies and vtter desperation which bringeth them vnto deathe euerlasting And as for faith if they haue none when they are baptised lette them pray vnto God to giue it them afterwarde for the lacke of fayth hurteth not the sacramente but the sacrament may be as well ministred vnto a miscreant as to a faithfull if he say that he hathe faythe or haue any promise of God but thys matter will I passe ouer for I truste the English vnto whō I wryte this haue no such opinions Nowe will I procéede wyth the second poynte of this sacrament which is the signification The signification of baptisme is described of Paule in the. 6. of y e Romaines that as we are plunged bodily into the watēr Euen so we are dead buried with Christe from sinne and as we are lifted again out of the water euen so are we risen with Christe from oure sinnes that we mighte héereafter walke in a newe conuersation of lyfe So that these two things that is to be plunged in the water and lifte vp againe doe signifie and represent the whole pith and effect of baptisme that is the mortification of our olde Adam the rising vp of our new man What is y ◠old Adam verely euē that by
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
ye haue as it appeareth vnto you the euident wordes of Christ and therefore consiste in the barke of the letter yet are we compelled by conferring of the scriptures together within the letter to searche out the mynde of our Sauiour which spake the wordes And we say thirdly that we do it not of an obstinate mynde For he that defendeth a cause obstinately whether it be true or false is euer to be reprehended But we do it to satisfie our coÌ„scieÌ„ces which are coÌ„pelled by other places of Scripture reasons and Doctours so to iudge of it And euen so ought you to iudge of your partie and to defende your sentence not of obstinacie but by y e reason of Scriptures which cause you so to take it And so ought nether partie to dispise other for eche séeketh the glory of God and the true vnderstaÌ„ding of the Scripture This was the foundation of my first treatise that he hath left vnshakeÌ„ which is a great argumeÌ„t y â— it is very true For els hys pregnant wit could not haue passed it so cleane ouer but would haue assayled it with some sophisticall cauillation which by hys painted poetrie he might so haue coulered that at the lest he might make y e ignoraunt some appearance of truth as he hath done agaynst the residue of my first treatise which neuerthelesse is true and shall so be proued And first that it is none article of our fayth necessary to be beleued vnder payne of damnation may thus bee further confirmed The same fayth shall saue vs whiche saued the olde fathers before Christes incarnation But they were not bounde vnder payne of damnation to beleeue this pointe therefore it shall followe that we are not bounde therto vnder the payne of damnation The firste part of myne argument is proued by S. Agustine ad DurdamuÌ„ And I dare boldly say almost in an C. places For I thinke there be no propositioÌ„ which he doth more ofteÌ„ inculcate theÌ„ this y â— the same fayth saued vs which saued our fathers The second part is manifest that it néedeth no probation For how coulde they beleue y e thyng which was neuer saide nor done and without the word they could haue no fayth vppon the truth of these two parties must the conclusion nedes folow Notwithstanding they all dyd eate Christes bodye and dranke hys bloud spiritually although they â—ad hym not present to their téeth And by y e spirituall eating which is the fayth in his body and bloud were saued as well as we are For as soone as our forefather Adam had transgressed Gods precept and was fallen vnder condemnation our most mercyfull father of hys gracious fauour gaue hym the promise of health and comfort whereby as many as beleued it were saued from the thrauldome of their transgression the worde promise was this I shal put enmitie betwene thée and the woman betwene thy séede and her séede that séede shall treade thée on the head and thou shalt treade it on the hele In thys promise they had knowledge that Christe should become the séede or sonne of a woman and that he shoulde destroye the deuill with all his power and deliuer his faythfull from their sinnes And where he sayde that the deuyll should treade it on the hele they vnderstoode right well that the deuyll should finde the meanes by his wyles and wicked ministers to put Christ to death And they knew that God was true and would fulfill hys promise vnto them and hartely longed after this séede and so did both eate his body and drinke his bloud knowledging wyth infinite thankes that Christ should for their sinnes take y â— perfect nature of maÌ„hode vppon him and also suffer the death This promise was geuen to Adam and saued as many as did beleue and were thaÌ„k full to God for hys kyndnes and after it was established vnto our father Abraham by the word of God which sayde In thy séede shall all nacions of the earth be blessed And with hym God made a couenant that he would be his God and do him good And Abraham agayne promised to kéepe his preceptes and walke in his wayes Then God gaue him the sacrament of circumcision and called that his couenaunt which thing notwithstanding was not the very couenaunt in déede although it were so called But was onely a signe token â—acrament or memoryall of the couenaunt that was betwene God and hym which might expounde our matter if men had eyes to sée After that God promised him a sonne wheÌ„ his wife was past childe bearing and he also very olde Neuerthelesse he doubted not of Gods worde But surely beleued that he which promised it was able to performe it And that was recounted vnto hym for righteousnes This Abraham did both eate his body and drinke hys bloud through fayth beleuing verely that Christ should take our nature spring out of his séede as touching his fleshe and also that he shoulde suffer death to redéeme vs. And as Christe testifieth he hartely desired to sée the day of Christ And he sawe it and reioysed he sawe it in fayth and had the day of Christ that is to say all those thinges that shoulde chaunce hym playnely reuelated vnto him albeit he were dead many huÌ„dred yeares before it were actually fulfilled and reuelated vnto y e world And by that fayth was he saued and yet neuer did eate his fleshe with his téeth nor neuer beleued that bread shoulde be his bodye and wyne hys bloud And therfore sith he was also saued without that fayth and y e same fayth shall saue vs which saued hym I thinke that we shall also be saued if we eate him spiritually as he dyd although wee neuer beleue that the bread is his body Furthermore that mercifull Moses whiche brought the children of Israell out of Egypt into the wildernes obtayned of God by prayers both Manna from heaueÌ„ to féede his people and also water out of the stone to refreshe and comfort theÌ„ This Manna and water were euen the same thyng vnto them that the bread and wyne is to vs. For Saint Austen sayeth Quicunque in manna Christum intellexerunt eundem quem nos cibum spiritualem manducauerunt Quicunque autem de maÌ„na solam saturitatemquè sinerunt manducabant mortui sunt Sic etiam eundeÌ„ potuÌ„ petra enim erat christus That is to say as many as in that manna vnderstoode Christ did eate that same spirituall meate that we doe but as many as fought onely to fill their bellies of that manna the fathers of the vnfaythfull did eate and are dead And likewise y â— same drinke for the stone was Christ Here may you gather of S. Austen that the Manna was vnto them as y e bread is to vs and likewise that the water was to them as the wyne is to vs whiche anone shall appeare more playnly S. Austen sayth further
manducauit Moses manna māducauit Aaron manducauit Phinees manducauerunt ibi multi qui Deo placuerūt mortui non sunt Quare quia visibilem cibum spiritualiter intellexerunt spiritualiter esurierunt spiritualiter gustauerunt vt spiritualiter satiarentur Omnes eandem escam spiritualem manducauerunt omnes eūdem potum spiritualem biberunt spiritualem vtique eandem nam corporalem alteram quia illi manna nos aliud spiritualem vero eandem quam nos Vt omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt aliud illi aliud nos sed specie visibili quod tamen hoc idem significaret virtute spirituali Quomodo eundem potum bibebant inquit Apostolus de spirituali sequenti petra petra autem erat Christus That is to say Moses also dyd eate Manna and Aaron and Phinées dyd eate of it and many other dyd there eate of it whiche pleased God and are not dead Wherefore Because they vnderstode the visible meate spiritually They were spiritually an hungred they tasted it spiritually that they might spiritually be replenished They dyd all eate y e same spirituall meate and all dranke the spirituall drinke Euen the same spirituall meate albeit an other bodely meate for they dyd eate Manna and we eate an other thyng but they dyd eate the same spirituall which we do And they all dyd drinke the same spirituall drinke They drāke one thyng and we an other but that was in the outward apparence which neuerthelesse dyd signifie the same thyng spiritually How dranke they the same drinke They sayth the Apostle dranke of y e spirituall stone folowyng them and that stone was Christ And thereunto Beda added these wordes Videte autem fide manente signa variata That is to say Beholde that the signes are altered and yet the fayth abydeth one Of these places you may playnly perceiue not onely that it is no article necessary to be beleued vnder payne of damnation seyng the old fathers neuer beleued it And yet dyd eate Christ in fayth both before they had the Manna more expresly through the Manna with no lesse frute when the Manna was ceassed And albeit the Manna was to them as the Sacrament is to vs and they eate euen the same spirituall meate that we do yet were they neuer so mad as to beleue that the Manna was chaunged into Christes owne naturall body But vnderstode it spiritually that as the outward man dyd eate the materiall Manna which comforted the body so dyd the inward man thorough fayth eate the body of Christ beleuyng that as that Manna came down from heauen and comforted their bodyes so should their Sauiour Christ which was promised them of God y e father come downe from heauen strength their soules in euerlastyng life redeming them from their sinne by his death and resurrection And likewise do we eate Christ in fayth both before we come to the Sacrament and more expressely through y e Sacrament and with no lesse fruite after we haue receaued the sacramēt and néede no more to make it his naturall body then the manna was but might much better vnderstand it spiritually that as the outwarde man doth eate the materiall breade which comforteth the bodie so doth the inwarde man through fayth eate y ◠bodye of Christe beleuyng that as the the bread is broken so was Christes bodye broken on the crosse for our sinnes whiche comforteth our soules vnto life euerlasting And as y e fayth did saue them without beleuyng that the manna was altered into his bodie euen so doth thys fayth saue vs although we beleue not that the substaunce of bread is turned into hys naturall bodye For the same fayth shall saue vs which saued them And we are bound to beleue no more vnder payne of damnation then they were bound to beleue They beleued in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth and all that is in them They did beleue that Christe was the sonne of God They did beleue that he shoulde take our nature of a vyrgin They beleued that he should suffer the death for our deliueraunce which thyng was signified in all the sacrifices and besides that testified in euery Prophet for there was verely not one Prophet but he spake of that poynt They beleued y t his soule should not be left in hell but that he should arise frō death and reigne euerlastyng with hys father And to be short there is no poynt in our Créede but y ◠they beleued it as wel as we do those articles are onely necessary vnto saluatiō For them am I bound to beleue am damned without excuse if I beleue them not But the other pointes contayned in scripture although they be vndoubted verities yet may I be saued without them As be it in case y ◠I neuer heard of them or when I heare of them I can not vnderstand them nor comprehēd them or that I feare them and vnderstād them and yet by the reason of an other texte misconstrue them as the Bohemes do the wordes of Christ in the 6. chapter of Iohn All these I say may bee done without any ieoperdie of damnatiō In euery text is but onely one veritie for which it was spoken and yet some textes there be whiche of Catholicke Doctours are expounded in vj. or vij sondry fashions Therfore we beleue these articles of our Crede in the other is no perill so that we haue a probable reason to dissent from them But now to returne to our purpose if we will examine the authorities of S. Austen Beda before alledged we shall espy that beside the probation of this foresayd proposition they opē the mistery of all our matter to them that haue eyen to sée For S. Austen sayth that we and the old fathers do differ as touchyng y e bodely meate for they dyd eate Manna and we bread but albeit it varyed in y e outward appearaunce yet neuerthelesse spiritually it dyd signifie one thyng For both the Manna and bread do signifie Christ And so both they and we do eate one spiritual meate that is to say we both eate the thing which signifieth and representeth vnto vs the very one spirituall meate of our soules whiche is Christ And Beda doth playnly call both the Māna and the bread signes saying behold that the signes are altered and yet y e fayth abideth one Now if they be signes then they do signifie are not the very thing it selfe which they do signifie for y e signe of a thyng differeth frō the thyng it selfe which it doth signifie and represent As the alepole is not the ale it selfe which it doth signifie or represent Here thou wilt obiecte agaynst me that if this faith be sufficient what néedeth the institutiō of a Sacrament I aunswere that Sacramentes are instituted for thrée causes The first is assigned of S. Austen which sayth on this maner In nullum autem
signification and sought their health and righteousnes in the bodely worke and in the sacrifice it selfe then were they abhominable in the sight of God and then he cryed out of them both by the Prophet Dauid and Esay And likewise it is with our Sacramentes let vs therefore séeke vp the significations and go to the very thing which the sacrament is set to present vnto vs. And there shal we finde such fruitfull foode as shall neuer fayle vs but comfort our soules into life euerlastyng Now will I in order answer to M. Mores booke and as I finde occasion geuen me I shall indeuoure my selfe to supply that thyng which lacked in the first treatise and I trust I shall shewe such lyght that all men whose eyes the Prince of this worlde hath not blynded shall perceiue the truth of the scriptures and glory of Christ And where as in my first treatise the truth was set forth with all simplicitie and nothing armed against the assault of sophisters that haue I somewhat redressed in this booke haue brought bones filte for their téeth which if they be to busie may chaunce to choke them ¶ Thus beginneth the Preface of M. Mores booke IN my most harty wyse I recommende me vnto you and send you by this bringer the wryting againe which I receiued from you Whereof I haue bene offered a cople of copies mo in the mean while as late as ye wot well it was Deare brethren consider these wordes and prepare you to the crosse that Christ shall lay vppon you as ye haue oft bene counsaylled For euen as when the Wolfe howleth y e shéepe had nede to gather thēselues to their shepheard to be deliuered from the assault of the bloudy beast likewyse had you nede to slye vnto the shepheard of your soules Christ Iesus to sell your coates and buye his spirituall sworde which is the word of God to defende and deliuer you in this present necessitie for now is the tyme that Christ tolde vs of Math. x. that he was come by his worde to set variaunce betwene the sonne and his father betwene the daughter and her mother betwene the daughter in lawe and her mother in lawe that in a mans owne householde shall be his enemies But be not dismayde nor thinke it no wonder for Christe those twelue and one of them was y e Deuill and betrayed his master And we that are his disciples may loke for no better than he had himself for the scholer is not aboue his mayster Saint Paule protesteth y e he was in perill among false brethren surely I suppose that we are in no lesse ieopardye For if it be so that hys mastership receiued one copye and had a cople of copyes moe offered in the meane while then may ye be sure that there are many false brethren which pretend to haue knowledge in déede are but pykethankes prouiding for their bellye prepare ye therfore clokes for the weather waxeth cloudy and rayne is like to followe I meane not false excuses and forswearing of your selues but that ye loke substantially vpon Gods worde that you may be able to answere their subtle obiections And rather chuse manfully to dye for Christ and hys worde than cowardlye to deny hym for thys vayne and transitory lyfe cōsidering that they haue no further power but ouer this corruptible bodye which if they put it not to death must yet at y e length perish of it selfe But I trust the Lord shall not suffer you to be tēpted aboue that you may beare but according to y e sprite that he shall poure vppon you shall he also sende you the scourge and make hym that hath receiued more of the sprite to suffer more and him that receiueth lesse thereof to suffer according to his Talent I thought it necessary first to admonishe you of this matter and now I will recite more of M. Mores boke Whereby men may see how gredely these newe named brethren writeit out secretly spread it abroade The name is of great antiquitie although you liste to ieste For they were called brethrē ere our Bishops were called Lordes and had y e name geuen them by Christ saying Math. xxiij all ye are brethren And Luke y ◠xxij Confirme they brethren And the name was cōtinued by the Apostles and is a name that nourisheth loue amitie And very glad I am to heare of their gredy affection in writing out and spreading abroade the worde of God for by that I do perceiue the prophesie of Amos to haue place which sayth In the person of God I will send hunger and thyrste into the earth not hunger for meate nor thurst for drinke But for to here the word of God Now begynneth the kyngdome of heauen to suffer violence Now runne the poore Publicanes which knowledge them selues sinners to the word of God puttyng both goodes and body in ieoperdy for the soule health And though our Byshops do call it heresie and all them heretickes that hunges after it yet do we know that it is the Gospell of the lyuyng God for the health and saluation of all that beleue And as for the name doth nothing offēde vs though they call it heresie a thousand tymes For S. Paule testifieth that the Phariseis and Priestes which were counted the very Church in hys tyme dyd so call it and therefore it foreceth not though they ruling in their rowmes vse the same names Which young mā I here say hath lately made diuers other thynges that yet runne in hoker moker so close amōg the brethren that there commeth no copies abroad I aunswere that surely I can not spynne and I thinke no mā more hateth to be idle then I do Wherfore in such thynges as I am able to doe I shal be diligēt as long as God lendeth me my lyfe And if ye thinke I be to busie you may rid me the sooner for euen as the shéepe is in the butchers handes ready bound and looketh but euen for the grace of the butcher whē he shall shed his bloud Euen so am I bounde at the Byshops pleasures euer lookyng for the day of my death In so much that playne worde was sent me that the Chauncelour of Lōdon sayd it should cost me the best bloud in my body whiche I would gladly were shed to morow if so be it might open the kyngs graces eyen And verely I maruell that any thing can runne in hoker moker or be hyd from you For sith you mought haue such store of copyes concernyng the thyng whiche I most desired to haue ben kept secret how should you then lacke a copye of those thynges which I most would haue published And hereof ye may be sure I care not though you and all the Byshops with in England looke on all that euer I wrote but rather would be glad that ye so dyd
and that Christ is a vine and a dore And yet yf they should beleue or thinke that he were in dede any of these things they were spirituall and neuerthelesse deceiued For though he so sayd yet I say hys woordes were spiritually to bee vnderstanded And where you say that I flye from the fayth of playne and open scriptures for the allegory destroy the true sence of the letter I aūswere that some textes of Scripture are onely to be vnderstand after the letter as when Paule sayeth Christ died for our sinnes and arose agayne for our iustification And some textes are onely to be vnderstand spiritually or in the way of allegory As when Paule sayth Christ was the stone when Christ sayth him selfe I am a very vyne I am the doore and some must be vnderstand both litterally spiritually As when God sayd out of Egipt cauled I my sonne which although it were literally fulfilled in the childrē of Israell whē he brought them out of Egipt with great power and wonders yet was it also ment verified in Christ hymselfe his very spirituall sonne which was cauled out of Egipt after y e death of Herod And agayne it is very spiritually fulfilled in vs whiche through Christes bloud are deliuered frō the Egypt of sinne from the power of Pharao y ◠deuil And I say that this text of scripture This is my body is onely spiritually to be vnderstand not litterally And y e doth S. Austen also cōfirme which writeth vnto Adamantus and sayth These sentenses of scripture Christe was the stone the bloude is the soule and this is my body are figuratiuelie to bee vnderstande that is to say spiritually or by the waye of an allegorie and thus haue I Saint Augustin wholly on my side whiche thing shall yet heare after more plainly appeare Now his example of his bridegromes ring I very well alow for I take the blessed sacrament to beleft with vs for a very token and a memoriall of Christ in dede but I say that the hole substaunce of the same token and memoriall is his owne blessed bodie And so I say that Christ hath left vs a better token then this man would haue vs take it for therin he fareth like a man to whō a bridgrome had deliuered a goodly gold ryng with a riche rubie therein to deliuer his bride for a tokē And thē he would like a false shrewe keepe away that gold ring geue the bride in stede therof a proper ring of a rishe and tell her that the bridgrome would send her no better Or els like one that when the bridgrome had geuē such a ryng of golde to hys bride for a token will tell her plaine and make her beleue that the ring were but coper or brasse to minishe the bridgromes thanke I am right glad y e ye admit myne example and graunt that the sacrament is left to be a very token and a memoriall of Christ in déede But where you say that the whole substaunce of the same token and memoriall is his owne blessed bodye that is soner sayd then proued For S. Austen sheweth the cōtrary as it is partly before touched and here after shal be declared more plainelye where you say that we fare like a false shrew that would kepe the gold ring from y e bride and geue her a ring of a rishe or tell her that her golde ring were copper or brasse to minish the bridegromes thanke I aunswere that we denye not but that the ring is most fine gold and is set with as rich Rubyes as can be gotten For that ryng I meane the Sacrament is not onely a most perfite token and a memoriall of the bridgromes benefites and vnfayned fauour on his partie but it is also on the other partie Eucharistia that is to say a thankes geuyng for the gracious giftes which she vndoubtedly knowledgeth her selfe to haue receiued For as verely as that bread is broken among them so verely was Christes body brokē for their sinnes And as verely as they receiue that bread into their bellye thorough eating it so verely do they receiue the frute of his death into their soules by beleuyng in hym And therefore they assemble to that Supper not for the valure of the bread wyne or meate that is there eaten but for the entent to geue hym thankes commonly among thē all for his inestimable goodnes But to procéede vnto our purpose if a man would come vnto the bryde and tel her that this goodly gold ryng were her owne bridgrome both flesh bloud and bones as you do thē I thinke if she haue any wytte she might aunswere him that he mocked and the more he sayd it the lesse she might beleue him and say that if that were her owne bridgrome what should she then néede any remēbraūce of hym or why should hee geue it her for a remembraunce For a remembraunce presupposeth the thyng to be absent and therefore if this be a remembraunce of hym then can he not here be present I maruell me therfore much that hee is not afearde to affirme that these wordes of Christ of his body and of his bloud must needes be vnderstand by waye of a similitude or an allegorye as the woordes bee of the vyne and the doore Nowe this he wottes well that though some wordes spoken by the mouth of Christ be to be vnderstand onely by way of a similitude or an allegory yet foloweth it not thereupon that euery like word of Christ in orher places was no other but an allegory for such was the shift and cauillation that the wicked Arrians vsed which tooke frō Christes person his omnipotent Godhead I graunt that the Arrians erred for as M. More sayth though in some place a word be taken figuratiuely it foloweth not therfore in euery other place it should likewise be taken But one question must I aske his mastershyp how doth he know that there is any worde or text in Scripture that must be taken figuratiuely that is by the way of a similitude or as hee calleth it a necessary allegory I thinke though some men may assigne other good causes and euidences that the first knowledge is by other textes of Scripture For if other textes be conferred vnto it and wil not stand with the litterall sence thē I thinke it must néedes be takē spiritually or figuratiuely as there are infinite textes in Scripture Now when I sée that S. Thomas which felt christ his woūds and put his finger in his side called hym his Lord and God and that no text in scripture repugneth vnto the same but that they may well stand together me thinketh it were foly to affirme that this worde God in that text should be taken figuratiuely or by way of an allegory But now in our matter the processe of Scripture will not stand with the litterall sense as
the sacrament of his body and bloud that that which was once offerd for the price of our redemption might continually be honored through the mistery To consecrate a thing is to aply it vnto an holy vse Here you may see y e he calleth it the sacrament of his body and bloud which body is caried vp in the heauen And also he calleth it a mistery whiche is inough for them that will see Also Druthmarius expoundeth these wordes this is my body on this manner Hoc est corpus meum in misterio That is to say this is my body in a mistery I thinke you know what a mistery meaneth Christ is crucified euery day in a mistery that is to say euery day his death is represeÌ„ted by the sacramentes of remembraunce The Masse is Christes passion in a mistery that is to say the Masse doth represent his passion and kéepeth it in our memory The bred is Christes body in a mistery that is to say it representeth his body that was broken for vs and kéepeth it in our remembraunce You haue heard all ready the mind of the doctours how the sacrament is Christes body And now I shall shew you how the sacrament is our body which doth not a litell helpe to the vnderstanding of these wordes which are in controuersie The sacrament of the aulter is our body as well as it is Christes body And euen as it is our body so is it Christes But there is no man that can say that it is our naturall bodie in déede but onely a figure signe memoriall or representation of our body Wherfore it must also followe that it is but onlye a figure signe memoriall or representation of Christes body The first part of this argumeÌ„t may thus be proued S. Austen wryting in a sermon sayth on this manner Corpus ergo Christi si vultis intelligere apostolum audite diceÌ„tem Vos estis corpus Christi meÌ„bra 1. Cor. 12. Si ergo estis corpus Christi et membra misterium vestrumque in meÌ„sa Dominipositum est misterium Domini accipitis ad id quod estis Amen respondetis respondendo subscribitis That is to say Yf you will vnderstand the body of Christ heare y e apostle which sayth ye are the body of Christ and members 1 cor 12. therfore if ye be the body of Christ members your misterie is put vpon the Lordes table yereceiue the misterie of the Lord vnto y e you are you aunswere Amen And in aunswering subscribe vnto it Here may you sée that the sacrament is also our body and yet is not our naturall body but onely our body in a misterie that is to say a figure signe memorial or representation of our body for as the bread is made of many graines or cornes so we though we be many are one bread one body And for this propertie and similitude it is cauled our body and beareth the name of the very thing which it doth represent and signifie Agayne S. Austen sayth Quia Christus passus est pro nobis commenda uit nobis in isto sacramento corpus et sanguinem suum quod etiam fecit nos ipsos Nam et nos ipsius corpus facti sumus per misericordiam ipsius quod accipimus nos sumus Et postea dicit IaÌ„ in nomine Christi tanquam ad calicem Domi ni venistis ibi vos estis in mensa ibi vos estis in calice That is because Christ hath suffered for vs he hath betaken vnto vs in this sacrament his bodie and bloud which he hath also made euen our selues For we also are made his body and by his mercy we are euen the same thing that we receiue And after he sayth now in y t name of Christ ye are come as a man would say to the chalice of the Lord there are ye vpon the table and there are ye in y t chalice Here you may sée that the sacrament is our body And yet it is not our naturall body but onely in a mistery as it is before sayd Furthermore S. Austen sayth HuÌ„c itaque cibum potum societatem vult intellegi corporis membrorum suorum quod est sancta ecclesia in praedestinatis et vocatis et iustificatis et glorisicatis sanctis fidelibus eius Huius rei sacrameÌ„tum alicubi quotidie alicubi certis inter vallis dieruÌ„ in dominico preparatur de mensa Domini sumitur quibusdaÌ„ ad vitam quibusdam ad exitium Res vero ipsa cuius est omni homini ad vitam nulli ad exitium quicuÌ„que cius particeps fuerit That is to say he will that this meat and drinke should be vnderstaÌ„d to be the felowship of his body meÌ„bers which is the holy Church in the predestinate and called and iustified and glorified his saintes faythfull The sacrament of this thing is prepared in some place dayly in some place at certaine appoynted dayes as on y e Sonday And it is receiued from the table of the Lord to some vnto life and to some vnto destruction but the thing it selfe whose sacrament this is is receiued of all men vnto life and of no man to destruction who so euer is partaker of it Here doth S. Austen first say that thys sacrament is the fellowship of hys bodye and members which are we And yet it is not our naturall bodye as is before sayd And then he sayth that the Sacrament of thys thyng is receaued of some vnto life and saluation and of some vnto death and damnation for both faythfull and vnfaythfull may receiue the sacrament And after he sayth that the thing it selfe whose sacrament it is is receiued of all men vnto lyfe and of no man vnto destruction who so euer is partaker of it And of this saying it must nedes follow that onely the saythfull eate Christes body and the vnfaithfull eate not For he is receiued of no maÌ„ vnto destruction And of this it must also follow that the sacrament is not Christes body in déede but onely in a mysterye for if the sacrament were his naturall bodye then should it follow that y â— vnfaithfull should receiue his bodye which is contrarye to the minde of S. Austen and against all truth Thus haue we sufficiently proued the first parte of our argument that the sacrament is our body as well as it is Christes And now will I proue the second part more plainely although it be inough declared all ready to them that haue eares that euen as it is our bodye so is it Christes Fyrst you shall vnderstand that in the wyne whiche is called Christes bloud is admixed water which doth signifie the people that are redemed with hys bloud so that y e head which is Christ is not without hys bodye which is the faythfull people nor the body without hys head Nowe if the wyne when it â—s consecrated
of the bread by eatyng of it if as I say ye remember this thyng for which intent onely the Priest speaketh those wordes then if the Priest leaue out those wordes or part therof he can not hurt you For you haue all ready the effect and final purpose for y e which he should speake them And agayne if he should wholy alter them yet he caÌ„ not deceiue you For then ye be sure that he is a lyer and though you sée the Priest bryng you the wyne consecrated yet neuer sticke at that For as surely shall it certifie your conscience and outward senses though he consecrate it not so thou consecrate it thy selfe that is to say so thou know what is ment therby and geue hym thankes as though hee made a thousand blessynges ouer it And so I say that it is euer coÌ„secrated in hys hart that beleueth though the Priest consecrate it not And contrarywise if they consecrate it neuer so much and thy consecration be not bye it helpeth thée not a rishe For except thou know what is meant therby and beleue geuyng thankes for hys body breakyng bloudshedyng it can not profite thée Now where you say that if we see the thyng disordered by the Priest and Christes institution broken and wyttingly receiue it we make our selues partakers of the cryme I aunswer that if the reformation thereof laye in our handes then sayd you truth but sith it is written to priuate persons which may not reforme this matter and that the reformation therof resteth onely in y e hand of your Prince and Parlament for y e erroure consisteth not in the misordering of the matter by one Priest only but rather of the doctrine of them all sauing such as God hath lightened to these priuate persons I say y â— your doctrine should soner be the occasion of an insurrection which we labour to eshew then any quieting of them by Christes doctrine And therefore sith there is an other waye to wood sauing all vpright we will auoyde that perylous path But when ye sée Christes institution broken and the one kinde left out vnto the laye people why are ye pertaker thereof How beit as for his beleife that taketh it no better but for bare bread wine it maketh him litell matter consecrated or not sauing that the better it is consecrated the more it is euer noyous to him that receiueth it hauing his conscience combred with such an execrable heresie by which well appeareth that he putteth no difference betwene the body of our Lord in the blessed sacrament and the comon bread that he eateth at his dinner But rather he estemeth it lesse for the one yet I thinke or he begyn if he lack a priest he will blesse it him selfe the other hee careth not as he sayth whether it be blessed or no. What I reacon it more theÌ„ bread and wine I will shew you here after in declaring the minde of S. Paule vppon this sacrament that in the conclusion of this boke And in the meane season I will say no more but that he belyeth me And as for their blessinges consecracion profit not me except I consecrate it my selfe with fayth in Christes bloud with geuing him prayse thankes for his inestimable goodnes which when I was his enemy recoÌ„ciled me vnto his father by his own death This consecration must I set by if I will haue any profit of his death which y e sacrament representeth vnto me And if I my selfe do thus consecrate it then shal I be sure of y e fruite of his death And I say agayne that as y e Priestes doe now vse to consecrate it it helpeth not the poore comens of a rishe For their consecracion should stand in preaching vnto them the death of Christ which hath deliuered theÌ„ out of the Egipt of sinne from y e fiery fornace of Pharao the deuill And as for their wagging of their fingers ouer it and saying vj. or vij wordes in latten helpeth them nothing at all for how can they beleue by y e meanes of his wordes when they know not what he sayth And as touching the common bread that I eate at my dynner whether I haue a Priest or not I blesse it with my hart and not with my fingers and hartly geue God thankes for it For if I haue an hundreth Priestes to blesse it yet am not I excused therby For except I blesse it my selfe it profiteth me no more then if it were vnblessed And if I blesse it my â—elfe then I care not what the Priest prate For as long as I vnderstand him not it profiteth me nothing but in good fayth I wene the bishops and their proctour wote not what a blessing meaneth Therefore deare bretheren hearken to me To blesse God is to geue him prayse and thankes for his benefites To blesse a king or a prince is to thanke him for his kindnes and to pray to God for him that he may long raigne to the laude of God wealth of his comens To blesse a mans neighbour is to pray for him and to do him good To blesse my breade or meate is to geue God thankes for it To blesse my selfe is to geue God thankes for his benefites that I haue receiued of him to pray God that of his infinite goodnes he will increase those giftes that he hath geuen me finishe his worke which he hath begone in me vnto his laud and prayse and as touching this fleshe to fulfill his will in it and not to spare it but scurge cut and burne it onely that it may be to his honour glory This is the forme of blessing and not to wag two fingers ouer them But alacke of this blessing our Byshops be ignorant But as for those that are good and faythfull folke and haue any grace or any sparcle of reason in their heades will I verely thinke neuer to be so farre ouerseene as in this article the truth wherof God hath him selfe testified by as many open miracles as euer he testified any one to beleue thys younge maÌ„ vpoÌ„ his barren reasons against the fayth and reason both of all old holy writers and all good Christen people this xv C. yeares As for the miracles I maruell not at them neither may they make me the sooner to beleue it for Christ told vs before that such delusions shoulde come y â— if it were possible y â— very elect should be deceaued by them And S. Paule exhorteth vs to beware of such signes and wonders And therefore I do as Moses teacheth me when I heare of such a wonder then straight I looke on the doctrine that is annexed with it If it teach me to referre all the honor to God and not to creatures and teach me noghyng but that will stand with Gods worde then will I say that it is of God But if it teach me
the olde doctoures which séeme contrary to our sentēce And therefore marke it well Thus haue you my mynde farther vppon the Sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ Wherein if you recken that I haue béene too long in repeating one thing so often I shall pray you of pardon But surely mée thought I coulde not bée shorter For the worlde is such now a dayes that some woulde heare and can not and some doe heare and will not And therfore I am compelled so oftē to repeate that thing which a wise man woulde vnderstand with halfe the wordes ¶ Praye Christen reader that the worde of God may encrease and that God may bee glorified thorough my bondes Amen The Articles wherfore Iohn Frith dyed whiche hee wrote in Newgate the. 23. day of Iune the yeare of our Lord. 1533. I Doubt not deare brethren but that it doth some deale vexe you to sée the one part haue all the wordes and fréely to speake what they lifte and the other to bée put to silence and not to bée heard indifferently But referre your matters to God whiche shortly shall iudge after an other fashiō But in the meane reason I shall rehearse vnto you the articles for which I am condemned ¶ They examined me but of two articles which are these FIrste whether I thought there were no Purgatory to purge the soule after this present lyfe And I sayd that I thought there was none For man is made but of two partes the body and the soule And the body is purged by y t crosse of Christ which hée layeth vpon euery child that hée receaueth as affliction worldly oppression persecution imprisonment c. and death finisheth sinne And y t soule is purged by the word of God which we receaue thorough fayth vnto the health saluatiō both of body soule Now and if I did know any thyrd part wherof we are made I would also gladly graunt the thyrd Purgatory but seyng I know none such I must deny the Popes Purgatory Neuertheles I count neither part a necessary article of our faith necessarely to bée beléeued vnder payne of damnation whether there bée such a purgatory or not The second article was this whether that I thought that the Sacrament of the aulter was the body of Christ And I sayd yea y t I thought that it was both Christes body and also our bodye as S. Paule sayth 1. Cor. 10. chapter In that it is made one bread of many graynes it is our body signifying that we though we bée many are yet one body and likewise of the wyne in that it is made one wyne of many grapes And agayne in that it is broken it is Christes body signifying that his body should bée broken that is to say suffer death to redeme vs from our iniquities In that it was distributed it was Christes body signifying that as verely as that Sacrament is distributed vnto vs so verely is Christes body the frute of his passiō distributed vnto all faithfull men In that it is receaued it is Christes body signifying that as verely as outward man receaueth the Sacrament with his téeth and mouth so verely doth the inward man through fayth receaue Christes body frute of his passion and is as sure of it as of the bread that hée eateth Well sayd they do you not thinke that his very naturall body both flesh and bloud is really contained vnder the Sacramēt and there actually present beside all similitudes No said I I do not so thinke Notwithstandyng I would not that any should counte that I make my saying whiche is the negatiue any article of the fayth For euen as I saye that you ought not to make any necessary article of y t fayth of your part which is y t affirmatiue So I say agayne that we make none necessarye article of the fayth of our parte but leaue it indifferent for all men to iudge therein as God shall open his hart and no side to condemne or despise the other but to nourish in all thynges brotherly loue to beare others insirmities The text of S. Augustine which they there alleged agaynst mee was this that in y t Sacramēt Christ was borne in his owne handes Whereunto I sayd y t S. Augustine doth full well expoūd him selfe For in an other place hēe sayeth Ferebatur tanq in manibus suis That is hee was horne after a certeine maner in his owne handes And by that hée sayth after a certeine maner ye may soone perceaue what hée meaneth Howbeit if S. Augustin had not thus expounded himselfe yet hée sayth ad Bonifacium that y t Sacrament of a thyng hath a similitude or propertie of the thyng whiche it signifieth And for that cause it hath many tymes y t name of y t very thyng which it signifieth And so hée sayth y t he bare himself because hée bare y t Sacramēt of his body bloud which did so earnestly expresse him selfe that nothyng might more doe it If you read y e place of S. Augustine ad Bonifacium which I alleage in my last booke ye shall soone sée them aunswered An other place they alleaged out of Chrisostome which at the first blush séemeth to make well for them But if it bée well wayed it maketh much lesse for them then they wéene The wordes are these Doest thou see bread and wine doe they depart from thee into the draught as other meates doe God forbid for as in waxe when it commeth to the fier nothing of the sub staunce remayneth nor aboūdeth so lykewise thinke that the mysteries are cōsumed by the substaunce of the body These wordes I expounded by the wordes of the same Doctour S. Chrisostome whiche in an other Homilie sayth on this maner The inwarde eyes as soone as they see the bread they flye ouer all creatures and thinke not of the bread that is baken of the baker but of the bread of euerlastyng life whiche is signified by the mysticall bread Now conferre these places togither and you shall perceaue that the last expoūdeth the first clearely First hée sayth wilt thou sée bread wyne I aunswere by the second nay For the inward eyes as soone as they sée y e bread thinke not of it but of y t thyng it self y t is signified therby And so hée séeth it séeth it not He séeth it with his outward and carnall eyen but his inward eyen séeth it not That is to say regarde not the bread or thinke not on it Euen as we commonly say when we play a game negligētly by my truth I sée not what I doe meanyng that our myndes is not vppon that thing which we sée with our outward eyen And lykewise we may aūswere the next part where he sayth Doe they depart from thée into the draught as other meates doe Nay forsooth sayd I for other meates doe onely come to nourish y t body to depart into the
draught But this meate y t I here receaue is spirituall meate receaued with fayth norisheth vs euerlastyngly both body soule neuer entreth into the draught And euē as before the outwarde eyen doe sée the bread yet the outward eyen doe not regarde that or thinke vpō it So likewise the outward man digesteth the bread casteth it into the draught And yet the inward man doth not regarde that nor thinke vppon it But thinketh on the thyng it selfe that is signified by that bread And therfore sayd Chrisostome euen a litle before the wordes whiche they here alleaged lift vp your minde hartes sayd hée whereby hée monisheth vs to looke vppon and consider those heauenly thinges which are represented and signified by the bread and wyne not to marke the bread and wyne in it selfe Here they will say vnto me that it is not Chrisostomes mynde for by his example hée playnly shewith that there remaneth no bread nor wyne that I deny For the example in this place proueth no more but y t ye shall not think on y t bread wine no more then if they were not there but onely on that thyng whiche is signified by them And that ye may euidently perceiue by the wordes folowyng where hée saith thinke that the misteries are cōsumed by the substance of the body Nowe whether Chrisostome thought that there remained bread or no both wayes shall our purpose bée proued First if hée thought there remained still bread and wyne then we haue our purpose Now if he thought that the bread wyne remayned not but were chaūged then are the bread and wyne neither mysteries nor Sacramentes of the body and bloud of Christ For that that is not can neither bée mystery nor Sacrament Finally if hée speake of y e outward appearaunce of bread then we know that that remaineth still is not consumed by the substaunce of the body And therfore hée must néedes bée vnderstanded as I take him I thinke many men wonder how I can dye in this article seyng that it is no necessary article of our fayth for I graunt that neyther parte is an article necessary to bée beléeued vnder payne of damnation but leaue it as a thyng indifferent to thynke therein as God shall instill in euery mans mynde and that neyther parte condemne other for this matter but receiue eche other in brotherly loue reseruing eche others infirmitie to god The cause of my death is thys because I can not in conscience abiure and sweare that our Prelates opinion of the sacrament that is that the substaunce of bread and wine is verely chaunged into the fleshe and bloud of our sauiour Iesus Christ is an vndoubted article of the fayth necessary to bée beléeued vnder payne of damnation Now though this opinion were indéede true which thing they can neither proue true by scripture nor doctours yet coulde I not in conscience graunt that it shoulde bée an article of the fayth necessary to bée beléeued c. For there are many verities which yet may bée no such articles of our fayth It is true that I lay in yrons when I wrote this howbeit I would not haue you to receaue thys truth for an article of our fayth For you may thinke the contrary without all ieopardy of damnation ¶ The cause why I can not beleeue their opinion of transmutation is this 1 FIrst because I thinke verely that it is false and can neither hée proued by scripture nor faythfull doctours if they bée well pondered 2 The second cause is thys because I will not bynde the congregation of Christ by mine example to admitte any necessarye Article beside oure Creede and specially none such as can not bée prooued true by Scripture And I say that the Church as they caule it can not compell vs to receaue any such articles to bée of necessitie vnder payne of damnation 3 The thirde cause is because I dare not bée so presumptuous in entering into Gods iudgement as to make the prelates in this pointe a necessary article of our fayth For then I should damnably condemne all the Germanes Almaines with infinite moe which in déede doe not beléeue nor thinke that the substaūce of bread and wine is chaunged into the substaūce of Christes naturall body And surely I can not bée so foolishe hardy as to condemne such an infinite number for our prelates pleasures Thus all the Germaynes and Almaynes both of Luthers side and also of Oecolampadius doe wholy approue my matter And surely I thinke there is no man that hath a pure conscience but hée will thinke that I dye righteously For that this transubstantiation should bée a necessary article of the faith I thinke no man can say it with a good conscience although it were true in déede By me Iohn Frith An exact and diligent Table wherby you may readely turne to any speciall matter that is contained in all Iohn Frithes bookes 1572. A. ABraham 20 Abrahames bosome what it signified 55 Abraham by faith dyd eate Christes bodye and drinke Christes bloud 109 Ambrose opinion of Purgatory 52 Antithesis betweene Christ and the Pope 97 Argumentes to proue that Christes naturall body is not in the Sacrament 142 Articles of our faith are to bee beleeued vpon payne of damnation 111 Articles of our fayth are as many as are necessary for our saluation 145 Augustine beyng 400. yeares after Christ doubted of Purgatory 32 Augustines opinion of purgatory 52 B. BAptisme defined what it is 92 Baptisme is the founteine of our new byrth 94 Bishopricke in the primatiue church was a charge and not a Lordshyp 116 Blasphemie to saye that Christes bloud is not the full remission of our sinnes 11 Blessyng what it is 154 Bookes of the Machabees are not Canonicall 37 Bookes agaynst Rastall 60 Boasting that is modest is commendable 64 Body of Christe eaten by our fathers and his bloud dronke 109 Body of Christ is no more in the Sacrament thē a mans face in the glasse 146 Brethren is an auncient name in the holy Scripture 114 Bread and wyne remayne in the Sacrament 117 Bread why it is called our body 160 C. CAuse of our blyndnes and grosse errours 3 Causes why the Sacramentes were first instituted 112 Ceremonies of some sortes are guydes vnto the knowledge of God 95 Christ onely hath satisfied for our sinnes 14. 15 Christes merites putteth out the fier of Purgatory 14. 17. 18 Christ is our Aduocate 17 Christes sacrifice onely taketh away sinne 17. 38 Christ onely is our head 43 Christes death hath ouercōmed our death 55 Christ was meeke and gentle 57 Christ onely is the meane to put away our sinnes 73 Christes bloud is the strength of our Baptisme 94 Christ and the Pope compared togither 97. 98. 99. 100. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106 Christ is not to bee eatē carnally but spiritually 118. 119 Christes wordes are spirituall and not carnall 124 Christe gaue
restreynt with the Lubeckes After this he went agayne to Whittembergh to the Duke of Saxson and to Luther and there remayned to set forth his workes in Print that he had begonne And from thence shortly after he returned agayne into England in the tyme of Quéene Anne Boleyn and continued a faythfull preacher in this Citie of London all the time that shée remained Quéene And was well enterteyned and promoted After this by the meane of the Lord Cromwell he was sent Ambassadour from K. HeÌ„ry the viij to the Duke of Cleue for the mariage of y t Lady Anne of Cleue betwéene the king and her and was well excepted in that Ambassade and in all his doinges vntill the tyme that Stephen Gardiner came out of Fraunce But after he came neither Religion prospered nor the Quéenes maiestie nor Cromwell nor the preachers who after the mariage of the Lady Anne of Cleue neuer ceased vntill he had graffed the mariage in an other stocke by the occasion whereof he began his bloudy broyle For not long after the dissolution of y t sayd mariage betwéene king HeÌ„ry y t viij and y t Lady Anne of Cleue y t sayd Doctour Barnes with two of his brethreÌ„ felow preachers named Iherome and Garret were apprehended and caried before the kynges maiestie to Hampton court and there were examined where the kynges maiestie séeking the meanes of Barnes safetie to bring Winchester and him agréed at Winchesters request graunted him leaue to goe home with the Byshop to conferre with hym and so he did But as it happened they not agréeing Gardiner his comparteners sought by all subtile meanes how to entangle and intrappe them into farther daunger which not long after was brought to passe For by certayne complayntes made to the king of them they were enioyned to preach iij. SermoÌ„s the next Easter folowing at the Spittle beside London At the which Sermons besides other reporters which were thither sent Stephen Gardiner Byshop of Winchester was there present sitting wyth the Maior either to beare recorde of their recantation or els as the Phariseys came to Christ to trippe them in their talke if they had spoken any thing awry When the aforesayd thrée had preached their Sermons among whom Barnes preaching the first SermoÌ„ and hée séeing Stephen Gardiner there present humbly desired him in the face of all the audience to forgéeue him and that if he forgaue hym to holdâ—… vp his hand and the sayd Gardiner thereupoÌ„ helde vp his finger Yet notwithstaÌ„ding by the meanes of y t said reporters they all iij. immediatly after they had preached were sent for to Hampton court and from thence caryed to the Tower by Syr Iohn Gostwyke and there they remayned vntill the xxx day of Iuly next folowing TheÌ„ ensued processe against them by the kynges counsaile in the Parliament to the which Gardiner confessed himselfe to be priuy among the rest Whereupon all the aforesayd thrée Saintes and true Martyrs the xxx day of Iuly not comming to any auÌ„swere nor yet knowing any cause of their coÌ„demnation without any publique hearing were drawen on herdelles from the Tower to Smithfield where they preparing them selues to the fier had there at the stake diuerse sondry exhortations amongest whome Doctour Barnes first beganne with this protestation folowing I am come hither to be burned as an heretike and you shall heare my beliefe wereby you shall perceaue what erronious opinions â–ª I holde God I take to record I neuer to my knowledge taught any erronious doctrine but onely those thinges which the Scripture leade me vnto and that in my sermons I neuer mainteyned any errour neither moued nor gaue occasioÌ„ of any insurrection Although I haue béene slaundered to preache that our lady was but a Saffron bagge which I vtterly protest before God that I neuer ment it nor preached it But all my study and diligence hath beene vtterly to confound and confute all men of that doctrine as are the Anabaptistes which denie that our Sauiour Christ tooke any fleshe of the blessed virgine Mary which sectes I detest and abhorre And in deede in this place there hath beene burned some of them whom I neuer fauoured nor mainteyned but with all diligence I did studie euermore to set forth the glory of God the obedience to our soueraigne Lord the King and the true and sincere religion of Christ And now harken to my fayth I beléeue in the holy and blessed Trinitie three persons and one God that created and made all the world And that this blessed Trinitie sent downe the second person Iesu Christ into the wombe of the most blessed purest virgin Mary And heare beare me recorde that I doe vtterlye condemne that abhominable and detestable opinion of y e Anabaptistes which say that Christ tooke no fleshe of the blessed virgine For I beléeue that without the consent of mans will or power he was conceaued by the holy ghost and tooke fleshe of her and that he suffered hunger thirst colde and other passions of our body sinne except according to the saying of S. Peter he was made in all things like to his bretheren except sinne And I doe beléeue that he liued here among vs and after he had preached and taught his fathers will he suffered the most cruell and bitter death for me and all mankinde And I doe beléeue that this his death and passion was the sufficient price and ransoÌ„e for the sinne of all the world And I beléeue that through his death he ouercame the deuill sinne death and hell and that there is none other satisfaction vnto the father but this his death and passion onely and that no worke of man did deserue any thing of God but onely his passion as touching our iustification For I knowledge the best worke that euer I did is vnpure and vnperfect And here withall he cast abroad his handes and desired God to forgeue him his trespasces For although perchauÌ„ce said he you know nothing by me yet I doe confesse that my thoughtes and cogitations be innumerable Wherefore said he I beséech the o Lorde not to enter into iudgmeÌ„t with me According to the saying of the Prophet Dauid Non intres in iuditium cum seruo tuo domine And in an other place Si iniquitates obseruaueris domine quis sustinebit Lord if thou straightly marke our inniquitie who is able to abide thy iudgment Wherefore I trust in no good worke that euer I did but onely in y e death of Christ I doe not doubt but through him to inherite y e kingdome of heauen Take me not here that I speake against good workes for they are to bée done and verely they that doe them not shall neuer come to the kingdome of God We must doe them because they are commauÌ„ded vs of God to shewe and set forth our profession not to deserue or merite for that is onely the death of Christ I beléeue that there is a holy Church
publican or infidel and thou bindest him on earth but see that thou binde hym iustly for iustice will breake vnlawfull bondes ¶ In the same place Cap. Temerarium iudicium Verba Augustini RAshe iudgment for the most part neuer hurteth him which is rashlye iudged but to him that iudgeth rashly his rashnes must needes bee hurtfull ¶ In the same place Cap. Quid. Verb Aug. WHat harme is it to a maÌ„ though humane ignoraÌ„ce doth blot him out of that table if his wicked conscieÌ„ce do not blot him out of the booke of life ¶ In the same place Cap. Et si Verba Aug. ALthough for a time thou bee condemned of a man and the procoâ—sull hath geuen iudgmeÌ„t vpon Ciprian the earthly seate is one thing the heauenly iudgmeÌ„t seate is an other from the inferiour seat he hath receiued iudgment from the superiour he receiueth a crowne ¶ 11 Quest 3. Cap. Custodi verba Augusti KEepe thy innocencye secret vnto thy selfe when no man doth oppresse thy cause false witnesse shall preuayle agaynst thee but that onely with men for shall it bee of any force beefore God where thy cause is to bee hearde When as God shall bee the iudge then shall bee no other witnesse then thy conscience betweene the iust iudge and thy thy conscience therefore feare nothing but thy owne cause ¶ 24 Quest 3. Cap. Si quis verba Hieroâ—imi IF any man bee excoÌ„municated with vnrighteous iudgment of theÌ„ which bee rulers of the Church if hee beefore hath not gone out thereof that is if hee hath not so done that deserued to be excommunicated he is nothing hurt in that hee seemeth to bee expelled of men by vniust iudgment and so commeth it to passe that sometime hee which is cast out is within hee is without which seemeth to bee kept within ¶ 24. Quest. 3. Cap. Non in verba Rabbani WEe are not perpetually damned when as we are vniustly iudged according to the saying of Dauid Neither shall hee damne him when hee is iudged Many of the Priestes doe professe y t they persecuted a faulte of a zeale to God ward but whilest that this is vndiscretly done they incurre the wickednes of sacrilege whilest they ruÌ„ne hedlonge to amend others they them selues doe also much rather fall into a worser mischiefe In the same place Cap. Cum aliquis Verba Orige WHen as any man doth goe out from the trueth from the feare of God from fayth and from charity hee goeth out of the tentes of y t Church although by the sentence of the Byshop hee bee not cast out So contrary wise one is with vmust iudgment cast forth if before hee hath not gone out of him selfe that is if hee haue not by hys doeing deserued to goe forth hee is no thing at all harmed For sometime hee that is east forth is within and hee that is without it semeth that he is within The councell of Meldens 11. Questi Cap. Nemo Episcoporum LEt no Byshop without certaine and manifest cause first knowen forbid any man the ecclesiasticall communion And let no man accurse anye one without the knowledge of y t Arch byshop or Byshops but so farre as the Canon auctoritye doth teache because a curse is eternall damnation of death and it ought to bee enioyned but onely for a deadly sinne and vpon those which could not otherwise bee amended ¶ The ende of the workes of Doct. Barnes A brief and necessary Table of all particular matters and wordes to bee noted in these workes of Maister Doctour Barnes A. ALexander the thyrd condemned a Decree made by king Henry the ij 192 Antechrist a subtile crafty marchaunt 186 Antichrist who hee is 301 Antechrist declareth hym selfe to bee agaynst Christ 303 Antechrist his doctrine ibid em Apostles forsake not their wyues 318 Articles agaynst Fridericke the Emperour 191 Articles set forth by the authoritie of the kyng made heresie by the pope 201 Articles for which Barnes was coÌ„demned 205 Authorities to proue that the Scriptures ought to bee in the mother toung 287 B. BArnes was not greeued with the Clergy but with the deuill that reigned in them 190 Barnes earnest zeale in the trueth 201 Barnes and Cardinall Wolsey reason togither 210 Barnes disputation with the Byshops 217 Barnes arested by a Sergeant of armes 221 Barnes threatened to bee burned 222 Barnes examined at Westminster ibidem Barnes forbydden to preach 223 Barnes cruelly persecuted by the papistes 225 Barnes lyued sole and vnmaryed 330 Baruck the Prophet against Idols and Images 343 Barnes maketh a bold chalenge 356 Bilney a vertuous and godly man 193 Bilney a counsaylour to Barnes 221 Blasphemy agaynst Christ and hys Apostles 317 Blynde reasons of Papistes 308 Byndyng and losing what it is 259 260. 261 Byshoppes Court no man can bee founde innocent 183 Byshops gouerne tyrannously 183 Bishops worse then y t great Turke 284 Byshops Captaines of rebelles agaynst the Prince 188 Byshoppes holy workes what they are 196 Byshops haue lofty myndes 191 Byshops commit periury 198 Byshoppes assoyled of their othe to their Prince but neuer of their oth to the Pope ibidem Byshops sweare to visite the Pope yearely 203 Byshoppes myters come from the Iewes 213 Byshoppes vse vayne ceremonyes 214 Byshops Crosier staffe what it meaneth ibidem Byshops pryde and lewde lyuyng is to bee cryed out vpon 217 Byshops compared to popettes and stage players 266 Bishops burners murtherers of y t lyuely images of God but of their worme eaten Images they burne none 346 C. CArdinall Wolsey and Doctour Barnes reason togither 210 Cardinall Wolsey well pleased with his pillers and pollaxes 215 Charitie may bee deceaued but fayth cannot 250 Charitie is Gods gift 313 Chastitie compelled is agaynst the in stitution of the Gospell 328 Chastitie of Papistes most abhominable 328. 329. 330 Children of God who they are 270 Clement Pope excoÌ„municated kyng Henry the viij 198 ClemeÌ„t the pope the sonne of a Curtisan 199 Clement Pope agaynste Vrbane Pope 193 Clergy may not bee reproued 183. 184 Clergy may not bee hindered by power or potentate ibidem Clergy the enemyes of trueth 189 Christe submitted hym selfe to the higher powers 185 Christ and his Apostles ouerthrowe the Popes doctrine 187 ChristiaÌ„ man may not extremely and vncharitably sue and vexe their brethren 207 ChristieÌ„ man may lawfully demaund their debt by the law ibidem Christ onely hath wrought our redemption 227 Christ is all in all 226. 230 Christ is our example to suffer persecution paciently 296 Christes institution of the Sacrament 303 Christes bloud is to bee receaued aswell of the layetie as of the spiritualtie 304 Christ is the onely mediatour betweene God and man 347. 351 Christ onely bringeth vs into the fauour of almightie God 348 Church why it is called holy 246 Churche of God is the treasures of God without spot or wrinkle 246 Church how it is knowen 249 Church that is true is a sufferer and not a
iustifieth The cause why W. Tyndall put his name to some bokes left it out in some William Roye a falâ—e Disciple Ierome a brother of Grenewich 2. Timo. 2. 2. Timo. 3. 2. Thess 2. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Cor 3. Actes 6. Antechrist what it is Scribes Phariseis were very Antechristes The properties of Antechrist 2. Cor. 11. Antechrist hath bene among vs a loÌ„g tyme. Iohn 〈◊〉 Antechrist accompteth it treason to bee acquainted w t Christ Galâ— 4. Luke 16. Math. 2â—… 2. Timo. 3. 1. Cor. 1 â–ª and. 2. Roma 10 â–ª Faith onely iustifieth Roma 1. Faith bringeth lyfe The law bryngeth death 1. Cor. 3. Ephe. 2. The Gospell is the ministratioÌ„ of righteousnes Resiste the deuill with the shield of fayth Faith is y â— holy canâ—de wherewith we must blesse our selues at y â— last houre Roma 3. Roma 4. Fayth is accompted to vs for righteousnes Gal. 3. The children of fayth are the children of Abraham Gal. 2. Fayth only iustifieth vs. Math. 7. Mat. â—2 A principle taught by Christ Fayth beyng ioyned with the worde of God bringeth forth good fruit Acts. 15. The law cannot iustify vs. Gal. 3. Fayth in christes promises doth iustify vs. Christ is the store-house of mercy for vs. The definition of true fayth Faith that bringeth not forth fruite is but a dreame Mat. 9. Faith is the gift of God Ephe. 2. The spirite of God accompanieth Faith Fayth of her selfe bringeth forth good frutes that is good workes True fayth is not with out good workes True fayth and good workes are the gift of God and come not of our selues The difference betwene false fayth and right faith As the tree is knowen by his fruit â—o right fayth is knowen by her fruit Example The frutes of fayth A differeÌ„ce betwene true faith fained faith Rome 9. Backeward disputations The kindnes of God moueth vs to loue god Fayth onely maketh vs the sonnes and heires of God Faith possesseth the spirite of God Workes declare fayth and Gods goodnes Goddes grace is to be exercised in vs. Where true fayth is good workes folow Gene. 2. The outward righteousnes the inward righteousnes what they are Outward workes declare where true fayth is Good workes are witnesses for vs before God Math. vi vij Math. 10. We must of duety do good workes without hope of reward Fayth maketh vs the sonnes and children of God Roma 8. Gala. 4. Math. 7. Math. 19. They that seeke heauâ— for theyr workes are such as vnderstand not the treasures of Christ Math. v. As good workes naturally folow fayth So eternal life foloweth fayth good lyuyng As good workes folow faith So hell foloweth euil workes Of our selues we are the vessels of y â— wrath of God and the heyres of daÌ„natioÌ„ To beleue in Christ is saluatioÌ„ To seeke heauen by good workes were to derogate the dignitie of the bloud of Christ All that is good is purchased for vs by Christ Sainteâ— can â—ot helpe vs in to heauen Math. â—5 1. Pet. 4. How â—â—e may make frendes of the wycked Mammon To do good to such as 〈…〉 is â—…able Rom. 9. All our righteouscommeth â—â—â—ely from Christ Mammon what it is Esay 61. Prou. 3. Ephe. 5. The dayes are called euil because euill men vse them We are bound by the law of nature to helpe our needye neighbour The vnrighteous Stuard who it is Christ is the father of all righteousnes Math. 5. For Christes bloud sake onely through fayth God is at one with vs. Christes bloud onely putteth away all sinne We must follow 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 â—oâ—ng Math. 〈◊〉 We may not do good worken to be praysed of the world We must 〈◊〉 to our neighbour â—s God is to vs. 〈◊〉 seeke to be praysed of men Rom. 6. Faith 〈◊〉 lâ— in 〈◊〉 vs and no good â—…e can be done without Faith Good workes are the 〈◊〉 of Faith 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7. Luke 23. True righteousnes springeth out of Christes bloud True fasting what it 〈◊〉 No fleshe can fulfill the lawe We cannot deserue forgeuenes of God but he of hys mercy pardoneth vs. Mat. 〈◊〉 A true bestowing of almes In Christ we are all in all We must do good workes because it is Gods will that we should do them We must heare the word of God and 〈◊〉 1. Ceâ— 2. Christ is our onely Phisitian to heale 〈◊〉 deliuer vs of our sins Christ is our ankerhold to saluation A Prophet what hee is Math. 12. The absteinyng from sinne outwardly is but hypocrisie Math. 19. To beleue vnfaynedly in Christ is to kepe the coÌ„maundementes The law is spirituall and requireth the hart If the rich helpe not y â— poore in their nede they are but theues before god Math. 27. Faith casteth our deuils Faith fasteth Faith prayeth Math. 25. In Christes bloud we are blessed from y â— curse of the law Luke 7. The law condeÌ„neth The Gosspell coÌ„forteth maketh vs saâ—e Certaine phrases of spech expounded Iohn 4. Where perfect loue to God is there are all good workes Luke 10. What it is to loue god withall our hart c. The true vnderstandyng of a parable We must euer be ready to helpe our neighbour Iohn 3. Iohn 15. 1. Iohn 1. Workes that the Papistes called workes more then the lawe requireth Luke 10. Luke 12. Whatsoeuer we haue we receaue it of the mercy goodnes of God The great diuersitie maner of the speaking of the Scriptures The sayinges of the Scriptures may not be grossely vnderstaÌ„d The naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges of God Rom. 8. Iohn 8. The scripture is nothing els but that which the spirit of God hath spoken By Faith in Christ we are brought to the state of saluation God worketh his owne will with all his creatures If we beleue in god we must put of the olde man his works Good workes what they are and to what ende they serue Fasting the true vse thereof true fasting what it is Supersticious fasting Supersticious watching True watching Prayer what it iâ— True prayer True prayer is not without faith charitie Math. 5. He that repenteth his sinne is no sinner before God How we should pray for our neighbour Rom. 9. Christ is our righteousnes Loue amoÌ„g Christen meÌ„ maketh all thynges common Mans ImaginatioÌ„ cannot alter the law of god neither make it more or lesse Almesâ— what it is 1. Pet. 1. 1. Iohn 〈◊〉 He that is mercyfull hath the spirite of God Rom. 〈◊〉 Loue seketh not her owne profite 2. Cor. 12. Christ is all in all thynges Euery one must care for their owne housholdes First looke to thyne owne houshold and then to the poore We must for christes sake shew our coÌ„passion charitie to all men so far as our habilitie will extend Good workes what they arâ— 2. Cor. 9. We must do good workes yet put no trust in them God is no accepter of persons but receaueth all that submit them selues vnto him Math. â—0 As all
and of his Apostles and iudge their fruites What blessing meaneth The commaundement maketh Priestes Putting on of haÌ„ds What Iudas is now A point of practise ☞ Repentaunce Repentaunce is signified by Baptime ☜ One confession is to knowledge wherein thou puttest thy trust If when tyrauntes oppose thee thou haue power to confesse then art thou sure that thou art sate An other confession is to knowledge thy sinnes in 〈…〉 vnto God Shrift Shrift was put downe for knauery among the Greekes But is stablished theâ— by among vs. How a maÌ„ shall know that 〈◊〉 sinnes are forgeuen Blind reason to their guide and not Gods spirite Learne to know them for they are verely lepers in theyr hartes AttritioÌ„ is of the leues of the phariseis Whom a man offendeth 〈◊〉 must hee confesse It hath no recorde in 〈◊〉 y â— Scripture that God shuld crepe in hyde him 〈◊〉 in Antichristes eare Christ is 〈◊〉 euerlastyng satisfaction Baptisme â—…steth eâ—er Of byndyng and loosing and of the Popes authoritie or power The Pope chalengeth power not ouer man onely but ouer God also Purgatory is the Popes creature he may therfore be bold there The Pope bindeth the aungels The true byndyng loosing S. Hierome agaynst Bishops and Priestes The curse is to bee feared The right maner of loosing ☜ Christ vnderstode this texte all power is geueÌ„ me in heauen in earth also vsed it farre other wise then the Pope ☜ What authoritie Christ gaue hys Apostles The right byndyng loosyng How the Pope reigneth vnder Christ A poena et a culia is a proper breaâ—… The Pope is more mightie more mercifull for money theÌ„ God is for the death of his onely sonne The merites of saintes The merites of Christ The Pope selleth that which God geueth frely Fryers Sinne is y â— best marchaundise that is Christ prophesied of Antichrist and tolde why he shoulde come The promises are either put out or leauened and why All is in Latin The Pope commaundeth God to curse A custome that is vsed in the marches of waies Gods sacramentes preach Gods promises The popes sacraments are dumme Christening of belles Why SuffragaÌ„s are ordeined The Byshops deuide all among theÌ„ Ceremonies bring not the holy Ghost Putting on of haÌ„ds Prayer of fayth doth the miracles The â—…ting on oâ— hands doth neither helpe nor hinder What soeuer is not of fayth is sinne The latine tounge destroyeth the sayth That the worke without y â— promise saueth is unproued The prople beleue in y â— worke without y â— prâ—…e Volowâ—…g ☜ The worke saueth not but the worde that is to say 〈◊〉 promise ☜ Workes be they neuer so glorious iustifie not In all thing they leaue ouâ— the promises How farre forth the deede is acceptable to God Our prayers acceptable according to our fayth ouâ— deedes according to the measure of loue A ChristeÌ„ maÌ„ nedeth not to go a pilgrimage to be saued therby Saluation is with in vs. Confession ☞ Byshops worke there treason thorough confession Kynges be sworne to the bishops and not the Byshops vnto the kynges How shall they preach except they be sent is expounded Howe to know who is sent of God and who is not No man may preach but he that is called sent of god ☜ The difference betwene true Sacraments and false A sayth without Gods promise is idolatrie The Byshops blessing How the Apostles blessed vs. RepentaÌ„ce and sure fayth in in Christ purgeth our sinnes The protestation of the author Confession robbeth the Sacraments and maketh theÌ„ frutelesse What grace is Howe to knowe what iustifieth and what not or what bringeth grace and what not With their Chaplayns quoth hee God geue grace their Chaplayns at the last make them not so mad to say seruice alone while they True miracles draw to Christ The effect and force of our good deedes False miracles driue from Christ He that teacheth to trust in a saint is a false Prophet What he should pray that prayeth for his neighbour The 〈…〉 be 〈◊〉 and not deceaued The spiriâ—… pray not that we might come to y â— knowledge of Christ The 〈◊〉 are but an enâ—… 〈◊〉 Offerings cause of the miracles God y â— father fulfilleth his promises to vs for Christes sake not for the merites of saintes as y â— Papistes taught All such Martyrs are the popes martyrs not Gods For martyr signifieth a witnes bearer now is he not Gods witnes that testifieth not his worde The reasons which they make for y â— worshipping of Saintes are solued It is not like wyth kynges and God Christ is no sinner Nothyng bringeth a man sooner to confusioÌ„ then the Idolatry of his owne imaginatioÌ„ â—hrist is a 〈◊〉 geue to â—…rs God loueth mercy Hypocrites loue oâ—â—eâ—ynges We are at peace in our consciences when we beleue constantly ouâ— sinnes are remitted throughe Iesus Christ Why we come not to Christ God looketh on our good dedes Intichrist turneth the rootes of the trees vnword In Christâ— we are one as good as an other equally beloued indifferently heard Christ is all to a Christen man The childreÌ„ of faith worke of loue and nede no law to coÌ„pâ—ll them We are all Christes seruauntes and serue Christ The contempt or loue we shewe one to another the same shewe we to Christ Christ knoweth nothyng worldly 〈◊〉 not his â—…ry mother As long as Christ abydeth so loÌ„g a Christen maÌ„ loueth Money byndeth not Christâ— people to pray God careth for his The bely to a God cause of all vnto our spiritualty â—â—ll is of the bely nothyng of Christ Christes loue forget teth her selfe but Monkes loue thinketh on the bely Friers and Monkes ought not to preach Christ is the whole cause why God loueth vs. Howe to know that we are Goddes sonnes The lawe is y â— mark yea and the touch stone where w t we ought to trye our selues see how farre â—orth we are purged Our byrth poyson that remayneth in vs. resisteth the spirite ☞ The right crosse of Christ Hee that loueth not the law hateth sin hath no part with Christ Howe to try the do â–ª ctrine of our spiritualtie If the prayers merites of our religious men purge our lustes then are they of value and els not ☞ What the spiritualtis taketh away with their prayers WheÌ„ other wept they sing and wheÌ„ other loose they wynne All is of Purgatory â—…ese Phisitions geue none other medicines saue purgations onely Allegory what it signifieth The scripture hath but one sence â—oroweâ—â—peach â–ª ☜ The right vse of allegories Allegories are no sense of Scripture ☞ Allegories proue nothyng If thou câ— not proue the allegory with an open text then is it false doctrine The litterall sense proueth the allegory They thâ—â— iustifie theÌ„ selues by their workes are the bond children of the law The fayth was lost thorough Allegories Chopologicall sophisters Poetry is as good diuinitie as the Scripture to our schole
â—eares Holy dayes are ordâ—â—ned for 〈◊〉 and not man for the holy dayes The signification of thynges are to be sought and not to serue the visible signes Ceremonies with out some good doctrine are to be reiected Turkes are rather to be lameÌ„ted for their ignoraunce and to be wonne with good doctrine example of good lyfe then to be hated and murthered We do nothyng well eâ—â—ept we do it of loue from a pure hart Superstitious obseruations are rather the breakyng of the law then the kepyng of the same The world is to be rebuked for lacke of iudgement Iudge by these things whether the Pope haue erred or noâ— Iudge what baggage is in the Popes doctrine and of his making Note the 〈…〉 spiritualtie 〈…〉 Christ Our 〈◊〉 is the cause that hypoâ—… The practice of prelates Signification of the 〈…〉 are 〈…〉 The ministers of the 〈◊〉 are 〈…〉 to preach to y t people sâ—…ly the woâ—… of 〈◊〉 to pray in a 〈…〉 vnderstand The lawe cannot be fulfilled w t workes or they neuer so holy A great abuse in prayer The church taken for the spiritualty King William King Iohn S. Thomas of Caunterbury Holy Church hath bornt a great swinge The Pope and his rable takeÌ„ for the church The church is a congâ—â—gation of people of all sortes gathered together The church of God how it is taken in Scripture Gal. 1. Actes 23. Gal. 1. Rom. 16. 1. Cor. 16. 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tim. 5. The church is a multitude of all them that beleue in Christ wheresoeuer â—hey be gathered together A double significatioÌ„ of this worde church The cause why Tyndall traÌ„slated y t word church into this worde congregation Congregation is vnderstand by the circuÌ„staunce Ecclesia is a greke worde and signifieth a congregation Actes 19. M. More was â—…ful in Poetry Iudas Balaaâ— A good adâ—… to M. More M. More did greatly fauour Erasmâ—s M. More was a â—epe dissembler M. More 〈◊〉 captious M. More 〈…〉 1. Pet. 5. 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Byshops ought to be bydâ—rs in one place Note Women God poureth hys holy spirite 〈◊〉 wisdome 〈…〉 aswell weâ—… meÌ„ God is vnder no 〈…〉 necessitie lawlesse The cause why young 〈◊〉 was preferred by 〈◊〉 to be a Byshop Paul was a faâ—herly instructer to 〈◊〉 â—…thy S. Paule was a worthy moâ—t â—…ther instructour A great difference betwene teaching of the people and teaching of a preacher â—â—lyng 〈◊〉 shaâ—ing â—…ny thing or any part of priestâ—… Oâ—…â—alt 〈◊〉 are 〈…〉 â—yle hath â—…o 〈◊〉 at all 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 ☞ The minister amoÌ„g the 〈…〉 were naâ—… 〈◊〉 age Why â—yn 〈…〉 this worde 〈…〉 rather 〈◊〉 Charitie hath 〈◊〉 significations Loue 〈◊〉 is 〈…〉 vnderstaÌ„d Euery loue is not charitie nor euery charitie is not loue Why Tyndall sayth fauour and â—ot grace Knowledge and not confession repentauÌ„ce and not penaunce The Papistes may not forbeare to haue their iugglyng termes Penaunce Penaunce was profitâ—… to the Papistes â—rue penaunce what it is Fayth in Christ 〈◊〉 get a true repentauÌ„ce Deut. 17. ☜ Balam The sinne agaynst the holy ghost ☜ 2. Pet. 1. The chuch before y â— gospell or the Gospell before the church Rom. 9. The word which is y â— Gospell was before the church Ioh. 15. Ioh. 17. Note wâ—ll thys Whether y â— Apostles taught any thing that they did not write So much to written as is necessary â—or 〈◊〉 saluation The scripture writteÌ„ must conâ—oâ—nde the vnwritten verities Writing hath bene from the beginning God froÌ„ y â— beginning hath 〈◊〉 ten 〈…〉 y â— hartes of his 〈◊〉 The Pope hath taken fro vs the significations of the Sacramentes Actes 7. There can no more be taught vs then to coÌ„teyned in the scriptures Purgatorye The HeatheÌ„ thought nothing more madder theÌ„ the doctrine of the resurrection The Apostles taught nothing that they were afrayde to write SacrameÌ„tes haue significations All y â— Sacramentes taught eyther in the olde testament or new haue significations ☞ The Popish Sacramentes 〈◊〉 one agaynste an other SacrameÌ„ts with out significations are not to be 〈◊〉 Whether y â— Church caÌ„â—… or not What y e very Church is what fayth saueth By fayth we are made the sonnes of God Ephe. 〈◊〉 â–ª Math. 〈…〉 The offeryng of Christes body and bloud is y e onely satisfaction for our sinnes There is no way to saluation but by Christes death and passion Collos 1. Ephes 5. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 3. Fayth and sinne can not â—aâ—d together 1. Iohn 1. All fleshe deth sinne We sinne of frailtie weakenes We may erre yet be saued Who they be that erre from the way of â—ayth Faith is euer assailed with besperation All power readines to do good coÌ„â—eth of God not of our selues A very good example The faythfull though they slâ—â— yet they fall not Faith in y â— good neâ— of God is our staye Ioh. 15. If we consider how mercifull god is vnto vs we caÌ„not chuse but submit our selues vnto hys lawes Christian meÌ„ must be patient Mercy waiteth euer on the elect Dauid The elect of God must haue patience be long sufferers God trieth his elect by suffering them to tell into temptation We may coÌ„aâ—t sinne and yet not forget God The aÌ„postles beyng amased w t teÌ„ptations forgat all Christes myracles A great temptation layd vpoÌ„ y â— Apostles The Apostles were very doubtfull Christ hys resurrectioÌ„ The Disciples were not without fayth but yet the â—ame was very doubtfull Peters fayth fayled not ☞ Luke 22. A foolish glose made by M. More ☜ 1. Pope The Pope his sect are not the Church of Christ 2. 〈◊〉 The Pope in forbyddyng mariage to Priestes doth not coÌ„seÌ„t that the lawe of god is 〈◊〉 The Pope licenceth whordome whiche God forbiddeth 3. The Popish Clergy are persecutours An abhominable wicked deuilish decree 4. Rom. 13. 5. 1. Cor. 5. The Pope is vtterly against the doctrine of Christ Their first reason A 〈◊〉 reason One Argument confuted with an other of like nature The solution The right fayth dyd neuer 〈◊〉 continue in the greater number of 〈◊〉 Church Math. 16. Math. 23. Hypocrites are crept vp in to the seate of Christ his Apostles 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. The Pope and hys Clergye haue corrupted the Scriptures of God with their traditions Iohn 〈◊〉 The scriptures beare witnes who are the right Church Christ Iohn Baptist Luke 1. ☜ The doctrine of Iohn brought y â— hart of the Iewes into the right way Our Popish hypocrites haue nede of a Iohn Baptist to conuert theÌ„ Those which depart from the fayth of hypocrites are the true Church Their second reasoÌ„ Note here this Popish Argument The Pope and his sect say they are the church and can not erre The solution Iohn Baptist was a true expositor of the law Math. 17. The Phariseis added false gloses to y â— Scripture The Pa 〈◊〉 doctrine Purgatorye The Phariseis and papistes agree in the false interpreting of y â—
bisshops make no accompt of periury The spiritualtie are neither of y ◠〈◊〉 side nor of the other for there is no truth in them more then shall serue their turne An admonition to all subiectes Luk. 15. Here Tindall sheweth himself to be voyde of malice to any priuate person God is mercyfull to the ignoraunt but he pleaseth the malicious wilful offeÌ„der The obedience of 〈◊〉 Christen man written three yeares before this booke Scriptures should be translated into â—â—â—ry language The cause of the edition of this Pathway What are contayned in the old TestameÌ„t The contentes of the newe TestameÌ„t The Etymologie of this worde EuangelioÌ„ EuangelioÌ„ is called the newe TestameÌ„t No greater comfort can happen to a sinner being penitent theÌ„ the promises of the Gospell The Gospell was promised of God in the old TestameÌ„t by the Prophets Christ hath ouer â–ª throwen y e deuill and all hys power The 〈◊〉 was geuen by Moses grace and truth by Iesus Christ The lawe requireth of vs that whiche is impossible for our nature to do When the law hath condemned vs Christ graunteth vs free pardon Christ is Gods mercy stoole so that no mercy commeth from God but through Christ The law must euer be in sight to make vs humble spirited the gospel also before our â—yes to comfort vs. Two maner of people deceaued those which iustifie theÌ„selues by thse workes those that through their blinde opinion of faith vtterly perâ—ert the liuely fayth He that hath a right fayth deliteth in the law althogh his weaknes can not fulfill the same He that iustifieth him selfe reiecteth y t law priuises The voluptuous person A true christian A proper similitude We are plucked froÌ„ Adam and graffed in Christ by grace The bloud of Iesus hath obtained al thinges for vs of God Sundry sortes of righteousnes MaÌ„s sensuall reason can not perceaue the vertue of Christes bloud Adams fall brought vs in bondage to the deuill The natural corruption of the myndes of Adams heyres playnly sâ—â— forth Man before his regeneratioÌ„ can not thinke wel of God The harts of the electâ— do eueÌ„ melt at the preachyng of Gods mercy and Christes kyndnes Christ â—eâ—â— nothyng vndone that might be to our saluation Christ an example to vs of all goodnes What faith receiueth of God thorough Christes bloud that we must bestowe on our neighbours though they be our enemyes Christ dyd not good deedes to merite heaueÌ„ for that was his all ready but frely for our sakes The law byndeth the Gospel louseth all men The force of the law The vprising sinner feeleth such ioy in the Gospell that he thinketh it â–ª impossible that God should forsake hym All synne in vs is of 〈◊〉 selues â–ª and all goodnes of Christ Workes certifie vs of euerlastyng â—nheritaunce â—ill sinne in vs and releue the necessitie of our neighbour Giftes of grace beloÌ„g to our brother as much as to our selues Holydayes necessary to come together in learne Christes will Worldly rulers to be obayed so far forth aâ— their lawes impugne not Gods lawes Though rulers appointed of God oppresse vs yet we may not auenge they being in Gods roome We must loue our neighbour as our self Our baptisme signifieth that we repent and professe a new life The perfecter we are the greter is our repentante and the stronger is our fayth Our workes deserue not y t giftes of grace The principles of scripture perfectly learned aâ— y â— rest is more easie We must first learne the profession of our Baptisme The profession of our Baptisme what it is Gospell All our sinnes for Iesu Christes sake for hys death passion are clearely forgeuen Euery Christen man must reconcile himselfe vnto his brother The right penaunce is repentaunce of sinne and amendemeÌ„t of lyfe All our lyfe must tend to this ende to came our flesh serue our neighbour Fayth in Christes bloud with a repentauÌ„t hart is the onely satisfaction that we caÌ„ make towarde God The father of loue correcteth the child God as a louyng father careth for vs and geÌ„tlye correcteth vs to keepe vs in the right way To vnderstand our baptisme is to vnderstaÌ„d the law and the Gospell The key light of the Scripture Howe the Scripture is locked vp from ouâ— vnderstandyng If we be not taught by God we do but wander â—leane out of the way He that vnderstandeth the professioÌ„ of his Baptisme can be no hereticke The Scripture teacheth low lynes and hateth prid â–ª The Scripture maketh no heretikes If God lighten not our hartes we read the Scripture in vayne The law condemneth to driue vs to faith in Christes death Heresy springeth out of the harts of hypocrites He that is souÌ„d in faith shal easely attaine to the true seÌ„ce of the scripture The papists vnwritten berities are not to be credited The papist 〈…〉 haue corrupted the scriptures abused the sacramentes The scripture to the life of Gods elect Hypocrites say that the scripture maketh heretiques The translation of the scripture is not sufficieÌ„t onely but it must be well taught that the people may haue the true seÌ„ce Introductions made to bring you to the true vnderstanding of the scripture 〈◊〉 â–ª Ioh. 1. S. Iohn witnesseth that Christ is very God That Christ is very man He that beleueth that Christ is the sonne of God also very man hath euerlasting life To beleue in Christ To beleue that Christ is God and man is to put all our trust hope confideÌ„ce in him Moses Christ is our life By nature we are the children of wrath The law coÌ„demneth vs. Christ If we submit our selues to Christ knowledge our weakenes he will of his great mercy receaue vs. The touch stone of all true doctrine and preachers The modest charitable maner of S. Paules doctrine S. Paule preached Christ and not hym selfe As God is light so the deuill is darkenes Good workes are the frutes of lyght Walkyng in darknes or in light If wee haue the spirite of God in vs then will he rayse vs vp with Iesus Christ Hee that sayth hee hath no sinne deceaueth him selfe If we confesse our sinnes to God with true fayth and repentaunce he will forgeue vs. All meÌ„ are sinners Nothing can be so well done but it may be ameÌ„ded All the nature of maÌ„ is sinfull We must resist sinne with al our power and might We sinne daily by the frailty and weaknes of our flesh Our aduocate Iesus Iesus that is God and maÌ„ calleth â—…o thee O Father for vs. Christus By Iesu Christ we are made blessed Christes bloud is the satisfaction for our sinnes Christ gaue himselfe for the redemption salnation of al the world Christ is king ouer death hell sinne Christ onely is our sauiour Christ forgeueth all our sinnes freely for his mercy sake Christ onely is our aduocate Popish for geuenesse The forgeuenesse that we haue of god for Christes sake is â—ree Faith in
Dauiour of the world from their sins All that loue God loue all that beleue in him He that loueth God loueth also the sonnes of God The loue of God and the loue of my neighbour are in seperable Workes set forth 〈◊〉 declare faith To doe good to my neighbour is to do God good seruice A goodly similitude Al that are borne of God ouercome the world The conquestes of fayth Christ had three witnesses The true doctrine of the Sacramentes is away from vs. The faythfull haue the true witnes of God in their harts The vnfaythfull worshyp God in imageseruice and outward Popery The Papistes haue not the fayth of the Apostles neither do they know and therefore they rayle on it To aske in Christes name what it is Such as lacke fayth in Christ wander they wot not whether The sinne to y t death All that are borne of God câ— not sinne The armour of a Christen man The world seeth not the thyngs that are of God Christ eâ—e 〈◊〉 is the founteine and fulnes of all good giftes He that seketh any other way to eternall saluation then by Christ shal neuer come there Idolatrie Idolater As great Idolatry may be coÌ„mitted to the Image of a Saint as was by the Gentiles committed vnto Idoles Grosse worshyppyng of God Ceremonies Sacrifices The Iewes could beleue nothyng with out tokeÌ„s Sacraments and ceremonies were ordeined onely for remembraunces Idolatry We ought to be fraÌ„ke and to distribute to our poore brethren such as God hath sent vs. Supersticious Popery are Idolatry In all our needes wee must call vpon God in the name of Iesu Christ he will â—eare vs. The masse as the pope vseth it is damnable Idolatrie We must eâ—er cleaue vnto God and submit our selues to his mercy The masse at the first was a declaration of Christes passion 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 10. and 12. Ephe. 1. What penaunce was Greuous sinne not passed vpoÌ„ Discipline vsed in the primatiue Church The description of the partes of the masse The abhominable vse of the masse The abuse of the Sacrament Halfe of the Sacrament kept from the lay people The frutefull and profitable doctrine of the Sacramentes are kept from vs. I descriptioÌ„ of God Iesus Christ the onely way to his father The belefe of the resurrection is an article of our faith Fayth is sufficient to iustifie vs. Christ the onely mediatour betwene God and man ArgumeÌ„to prouyng our saluation in Christ The false fayth of the downe falling sinner Fayth in the promise betwene â—â—od and 〈…〉 our soules Gods promises haue couenauÌ„tes annexed vn to them the breakers â–ª â—herof are â—…luded 〈◊〉 the promise An obiection of our aduersaries against iustificatioÌ„ by fayth A compendious declaration of our iustification by fayth A similitude of an earthly kyng pardonyng a condemned person The prayer of the faythfull for his brother taking effect thankes therefore muâ—â— wholly bee attributed to the geuer All our helpe is froÌ„ aboue for man can not helpe â—ut when God prepareth hys hart Praying to Saintes is damnable Saintes abhorre theÌ„ that pray vnto them M. Tracie studious in S. Austen Burials must be ceâ—â—brated honorably for the hope of our resurrection One must pray for an other and one helpe an other A true Christian feareth not the Popes Purgatory Couetousnes pretely described God graunteth all thynges to the faythfull Papistes burne both quicke and dead if they touch their roten sores Writinges and monuments preserue the memory of notable doynges Gene. 32. Gene. 50. A sure hande of all couenaâ—tes amoÌ„gst the Iewes Gene. 21. The well of swearing or the well of seuen Gene. 31. A heape of stones was a sufficient bande for all couenauntes Gene. 9. The rainebow a pledge of Gods promise Gene. 17. The blessing of God to AbrahaÌ„ Gene. 17. Circumcision the seale of Gods couenaunt with vs. Rom. 2. Gods promise recheth to all Abrahams posteritie Baptisme to vs is as CircumcisioÌ„ was to the Iewes Axod 13. Exod. 20. Nume 10. Nume 15. Iosua 4. 3. Reg. 11. 4. Reg. 13. Esay 12. Ierem. 27. Luke 1. Luke 1. Luke 2. Exod. 12. Exod. 12. The institution of y t Paâ—ch all lambe Christes death figured by the Paschall lambe Luke 22. Christes exposition of y t Paschall lambe The Scriptures of God 〈◊〉 full of hiâ—den misteries Nume 21. Iohn 3. 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 was spiritually fulfilled in the kyngdome of heauen 〈◊〉 â—…tâ—t oâ— of y t SacrameÌ„t of y t body bâ—… of our 〈…〉 Christ The Paschall lambe 〈◊〉 the death and sacrâ—… 〈…〉 〈…〉 together 1. Cor. 11. The chief and onely cause of the institution of the Sacrament Actes 4. 1. Cor. 15. In all afflictions we must resoâ—â— to Christ We must be ordered by the congregation Onely by the name of Iesus Christ commeth our saluation Actes 4. The nature of the SacrameÌ„t of the Sâ—ppeâ— of our Lord. Sacramentes and ceremonies were first ordeined by God to kepe hys couenantes and promises in remeÌ„braunce Sacramentes are as stories to keepe Christes couenaunts in memory Circumcisio without fayth auayled noching Baptisme w t out fayth auayleth nothyng Baptisme and the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud are both necessary The Sacrament of Baptisme what it worketh in vs. The Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ what it worketh in vs. Marke 10. The law driueth a sinner to desperatioÌ„ The deuill enemy to man The flesh enemy to man The impeâ—…ent and wilfull sinner feeleth not the wrath of God in his law The law the flesh the deuill are three great enemyes vnto man Why the Sacramentes were chiefly ordeined by God God hath coÌ„maunded his Sacramentes to be had in dayly vse the cause why The Sacrament of Christes body bloud 〈…〉 to keÌ„ of Christes promise of our saluation in his death Iudi. 13. A brief collection of the premisses Math. 1. Math. 7. To an ignorauÌ„t and vnfaithfull person the Sacramentes and ceremonies are sinne Idolatry what it is The spirituall and right seruyng of God what it is Math. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. The institution of the Sacramentes of Christes body and bloud Who they are that receaue the benefite of Christes death The cup of the bloud of Christ what it is Exod. 24. Hebr. 9. The great mercyfull differeÌ„ce betwene the old Testament the new The great mercy of God to maÌ„kynd Marke 14. Luke 22. The cause of the institution of y e SacrameÌ„t of Christes body The signe of the body of Christ is called by the name of Christes body whiche is there signified 1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 11. Hebr. 10. What the SacrameÌ„t meaneth why the same was instituted There are iij. opinioÌ„s about the SacrameÌ„t of the body and bloud of Christ The first opinion The second opinion The thyrd opinion A declaration made by them of the first opinioÌ„ aboue mentioned A declaratioÌ„ of them of the secoÌ„d opinion abouâ— mentioned A declaration of theÌ„ of the third opinion about mentioned
Gene. 32. Iohn 6. Papistes are the wresters of Scriptures The Sacramenteâ—… are confirmations to weake consciences Fayth encreaseth by the worthy receiuyng of the Sacramentes Math. 28. Math. 18. Ephe. 3. The olde Doctours vary in their opinion of the SacrameÌ„t In aunswere to them of the second opinion Christ once sacrificed is a sacrifice for euer The doctrine of the Papistes Papistes be agreued with â—uch as consent not to their gâ—osse opiâ—…on Signes coÌ„monly called by the name of thyngs signified therby Note this worthy true argument followyng All the doctors with one accorde call the Sacrament a sacrifice Papistes should be indifferent in iudgementes as Protestants are TransubciatioÌ„ was a worde vsed among the olde Doctours An effectual and good Argument The Pope confirming transubstantiatioÌ„ did purchase hys own gayne to the ouerthrow of the right vse of Christes Sacrament The commoÌ„ persuasion of Papistes Marke 9. Papistes are cruell persecutâ—rs The faithfull are in good state though the wicked iudge the contrary 1. Cor. 13. Phil. 2. Fayth onely iustifieth what it is to say Gene. 32. Gene. 33. Gene. 35. Exod. 12. Exod. 30. Iudi. 10. Iudi. 15. Iudic. 19. 1. Reg. 6. 1. Reg. 7. 3. Reg. 22. Nume 6. Ierem. 7. Ezech. 12. A short and effectuall collection of the former arguments An obiectioÌ„ made by y t Papistes An aunswere to y u former obiection In excelleÌ„t argument 3. Reg. 8. 3. Reg. 8. Math. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. A letter of Maister Tyndall to M. â—râ—â—h 1. Pet. 2. 1. Ioh. 5. Math. 5. Rom. 8. Phil. 3. Boldnes of spirite Weunde not conscience Standing vpoÌ„ thinges necessary Death after denying euill spoken of by the aduersaries Obedience of God To looke for no maÌ„s helpe bringeth Gods helpe Conslancie in staÌ„ding Pacience in suffering Bylney Perseueraunce to the end Math. 21. Two Martyrs at Antwerpe Foure martyrs in FlauÌ„ders and one at Luke PersecutioÌ„ at Roâ—ne Fiue Doctours at Paris takeÌ„ for y e Gospell In other Letter of M. Tyndall Hygh questions to be auoyded All deedes before they bee iustified by fayth are sinne Preachyng the law of God and mercy of Christ SacrameÌ„ts without significations to be refused M. Tynball heâ—e beareth with tyme. By the affirâ—… he â—…neth the â—…on which M. Luther the â—axoÌ„s be hold of the Sacrament M. Tyndall aâ—… beareth w t tyme. Vbiquetie can not be proued Eating the whores flesh is to spoyle the Popes Churche â–ª onely for y â— praye and spoyle ther of Worldly wisedome so farre as it may serue to Gods glorie may be vsed Low waâ—kyng The vpright handlyng in the translation of M. Tyndall A low hart maketh a man hygh with God Authoritie is the glory of age Meekenes is the glory of youth Purgatory hath no profe by Scripture Iohn 6. The Iewes wer blynd and ignorant vnderstode not the wordes of Christ The true worke that is acceptable before God Abacuk 2. The Iewes desire a sigâ—e or token whereby they might beleue that he was Christ Psal 7. Christ required of the Iewes to haue fayth and trust in hym Christ explaneth sheweth him selfe to the Iewes Fayth onely appreheÌ„deth Christ and all hys benefites Christ rebuketh the incredulitie and lacke of fayth in the Iewes All that the father draw come vnto Christ Christe came from heaueÌ„ into earth to fulfill the will of his father He. y â— beleueth Christes death to be for the remissioÌ„ of his sinnes the same cateth y â— fleshe drinketh the bloud of Christ The cause of y e Iewes murmur Christ reproueth the murmuryng of the Iewes Esay 54. Ierem. 31. Iohn 6. All that beleue hope in Christ haue euerlastyng life M. More had not the vnderstandyng of the scriptures 1. Cor. 11. More is a mocker The eating or the bread of Christ is onely to beleue in Christes â—eath How the bread signifieth and sheweth Christes â—…esh Christes flesh is the spirituall foode of ouâ— soules The obstinate wilfull blyndnes of the Iewes The malice of the Iewes toward our Sauiour Christ The carnal Papistes ceasse not still to offer hym Hebr. 10. Thomistes be y â— schole Doctours Christ in saiyng y â— hys flesh is very meate doth not say that bread shal be transubstaâ—â—ated into hys flesh Christes wordes are spirituall not carnall More declareth hys ignoraunce and wilfull blyndnes More reporteth the Scriptures vntruly Mores first reason is coÌ„futeâ— Iohn 6. 10. 15. Christes Disciples murmured not at hys saying Christes â—…s wâ—… in all thynges to be spiritually vnderstand Abacuk 2. The confutation of his ij argument Christ in that he is God may doe all things that he will but yet he will not falsefye hys holy Scriptures More is a great setteâ—orth of vnwritten veâ—ities Although y e Pope daâ—e â—ot take vppon hym to be God â–ª yet he is coÌ„tented to be named taken for halfe a God Esay 42. Christ â—s touchyng his manhode occupieth at one â—y me but one place but hys Godhead is in all places at once Iohn 14. Iohn 10. Hebr. 11. Hebr. 9. Christes must nedes dye for God had so promised before Iohn 2. and 12. God may not be fouÌ„dâ—… More would haue beleued Christ if he had talked with hym what soeuer hee had said to him Gods almightye power is not to be to busely deale withall More doth but scoffe out the matter Matters of â—ayth are repugnauÌ„t to reason Gods blessed will is declared in his Scriptures More traucâ—leth in his Poetrie Mores similitude of faces in the glasse proueth no faces in substaunce By â—ayth we must eate and drinke Christes body and bloâ—d spiritually More writeth against hym selfe More an vpholder of vnwritten verities Abacuk 2. Fayth is y â— life of the righteous 1. Iohn 4. By fayth we eate drinke Christ and so he abydeth in vs and we in hym Christen religion is fayth and a lyfe correspondeÌ„t The Iewes and also the disciples of Christe were offended at his wordes Here Christ doth playnly shew that it is the spirituall eatyng not the fleshly eatyng of his body that profiteth The eating of Christes flesh profited nothyng The wordes of Christe were spirit and life Christes disciples vnderstode Christ to speake spiritually and beleued Math. 26. Math. 24. Luke 24. 1. Cor. 11. The order of the actâ—… Christ consecrated no bread but deliuered it to his Apostles to eate There is left vnto vs no wordes of consecration wherby we should alter and chauÌ„ge the nature of bread into his body The vse of the Supper The paschal lambe The true meanyng significatioÌ„ of the Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ Mores litterall sense â—s lost Marke 14. The wordes of consecratioÌ„ were spokeÌ„ after Christ had deliuered y â— bread the cup. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. How the Papistes wrest the wordes of Scripture Iohn 6. 1. Cor. 10. To eate Christes flesh is to beleue in hym The maner of Saint Paules speakyng Math. 15. An allegoticall spech wel allowed and
remission for our sinnes 5. There is no satisfaction for sinne but Christes death 6. 1. Why temporall paynes are ordeined 2. Worldly paynes can not sufficiently punish sinne Scripture maketh no mention of Purgatory Rastels first argument Frith A fond argument The Maior of Rastels argument is a lye Rastell Frith Christes death onely is the cause of the forgâ—â—enes of our sinnes Rastell Rastels fond argument beaten to the ground Frith Three lyes at once What folye is in naturall reason to reason agaynst the Scripture A good conclusion Gods honour consiâ—teth not in our seruice Why man was made God made vs not for his pleasure but that we should receaue pleasure by him Gene. 19. Exod. 14. Math. 8. Rastell An other of Rastels foolish argumentes Frith Repentaunce is no satisfactioÌ„ for our sinne but Christes death onely Rastell Frith God forgeueth for Christes â—ake not otherwise Rastell groundeth hym vppon lyes imaginations 8. Heb. 10. Christes merites vtterly setteth aside Purgatory 9. There is no meane to purge vs but onely the death of Christ 10. Christ is hable fully to saue all that commeth to God by him Roma 5. Rastell Frith Rastels similitude is not good Rastell Frith Maior Minor CoÌ„clusio Rastels similitude clearely coÌ„founded Our doynges can maâ—… God neither better nor worse 11. Ezech. 33. 12. Ezech. 36. If Christ haue purged vs cleane wâ—…deth an other Purgatory 13. â—erem 33. 14. Ierem. 32. The second argument Rastell Frith Rastels second argument confuted Anyppyng conclusion Rastell Frith Rastell Rastelles fond argument to proue a Purgatory Frith Rastels second argument clearly coÌ„futed An aunswere to an obiection 15. 1. Iohn 2. If we fall into sinne We haue no remedy but Christ our aduocate 16. Iohn 13. 17. Math. 11. Purgatory â—icke purse 18. Esay 43. Broylyng in Purgatory putteth not away sinne 19. Those whom God calleth he iustifieth 〈◊〉 glorifieth Roma 8. 20. 1. Thess 4 â–ª Purgatory is but a phansie of mans imagination The thyrde argument Rastell The solution of Rastels thyrd argument Frith Rastell Frith Rastels naturall reasoÌ„ doth fouly deceaue both hym his Turke Gingeâ—…in The iiij argument Ephes 5. Cant. 4. Rastell Rastelles aunswere to his iiij argument Rastell Frith Rastell 21. Frith Hebr. 9. Sinne can not be takeÌ„ away but by y t bloud of Iesu Christ Rastell Frith A mery coÌ„clusion of Iohn Frith 22. Iohn 1. Heb. 1. Ephe. 1. 1. Iohn 1. Rom. 4. No nede of Purgatory The v. argument Rastell Frith How Rastel proueth that Purgatory is vpon the earth 23. Rastelles fond conclusioÌ„ of his v. argument We may not absteine from sinne for feare but for loue The law of God the law of man doth greatly vary The law of God requireth the hart and mynde The law of man requireth the body and outwarde deedes Rastels foolish solutioÌ„ of his fifth argument Rastelles solution Psal 143. Rastels reason fayleth hym Frith Rastell doth to much abuse him selfe Rastell Frith Rastell is contrary to hym selfe Rastell hath here a foule ouerthrow Rastels solution confuted Luke 16. A true and good conclusion Rastell Frith Rastell can not tell where purgatory is whether on the earth or els where Rastell proueth all the scholemen to be double fooles Rastell Purgatory is not in one place onely but in many diuers plates Rastels vi argument Frith Rastell Frith There can bee no cause in vs that may deserue the forgeuenes of sinne Luke 23. There is no Purgatory Roma 5. God of his mere mercy reconciled vs when we were hys enemyes 25. The shedyng of Christes bloud is our saluation Heb. 1. Rastell Frith Roma 3. Rom. 11. Gene. 12. Gallat 4. God for his truthes sake is mercyfull vnto vs. 1. Cor. 1. Roma 3. and 26. Phil. 2. 2. Cor. 5. Christ onely submitted himselfe to death for our sinnes Rastels ignorauncy Rastell A foolishe example set foorth by Rastell There is no way to pacifie the wrath of God agaynst our sinnes but fayth in Christ Frith Hebr. 7. Math. 6. Math. 18. There are two maner of satisfactions one to God and the other to our neighbour Except we be ready to forgeue theÌ„ that offend vs God will not forgeue vs. Rastelles seueÌ„ argument This similitude is not proper betwene God and man as it is betwene man and man Frith Agge 2. 〈◊〉 Cor. 12. God forgeueth no maÌ„ that offendeth hys neighbour except he first reconcile him self to his neighbour Rastell Rastelâ—… solution to his seuen argument Frith A perfect definition of Gods absolute power Marke â—6 God caÌ„ not be agaynst hym selfe Math. 1â— Whether God haue an absolute iustice There is no one power in God greater then an other Rastels imaginatioÌ„ of Gods absolute power is childish The conclusion of Rastels booke Frith The feare of Purgatory cannot kepe vs froÌ„ sinne but rather y â— fearâ— of hell and euerlastyng damnation Such as feare not God but for Purgatory and helles sake shall neuer come in heauen All the penaunce and repentauÌ„ce in y e worlde without fayth in Christes bloud can not saue vs. 27. 2. Cor. 5. Contradictories How two contradictories may be both true 28. We are recoÌ„ciled to god by y e death of Christ therefore neede not to booke for any other Purgatory The â—…th 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Purgatory although there were one 29. Iohn 3. â—…e â—…oÌ„ to say there is a Purgatory 30. Roma 8. Wâ—… dâ—… that God 〈…〉 〈…〉 Râ—… Christ hath purged ouâ— sinnes Roma 8. Math. 24. There is no Purgatory 33. Roma 〈…〉 34. Purgatory is a vayne imaginatioÌ„ Obiections Good workes we must do good workes because God hath so commauÌ„ded vs. Ephe. 2. Math. 5. An aunswere to an other obiection 1. Cor. 1. Roma 8. Ephe. 〈◊〉 We must worke with a single eye 35. Ephe. 2. Our saluatioÌ„ is y t gift of God and coÌ„meth not by workes 36. Roma 11. Rom. 4. Faith in Christ is our righteousnes Fayth is imputed for righteousnes 37. Iohn 3. Purgatory is nedelesse Iohn 5. I forged famed Purgatory 38. Psal 116. Apoca. 14. 39. Exod. 33. Mercy and Purgatory cannot agree 40. God is mercyfull forgeueth vs our sinnes Psal 103. 41. God hath forgeueÌ„ vs our sinnes and therfore wil not punish vs in Purgatory Rom. 11. Ezech. 18. 42. Luke 18. Luke 23. Luke 7. The thefe went not to Purgatory but to Paradise 43. Phil. 1. S. Paule knewe of no Purgatory Howe a Christen man should desire death 2. Cor. 3. Because dayly we offeÌ„d God therfore we should pray to be dissolued as Paul dyd 1. Iohn 1. 45. Sapien. 3. Abacuc 2. Roma 5. It is mere foolishnes to thinke there is a Purgatory 46. Rom. 10. The Pope sendeth no preachers into Purgatory M. More my Lord of Rochester can not agree 47. Prou. 23. Roma 7. we haue a will and minde to obey the law of God but our sinfull flesh will not consent thereunto Example God accepteth our good will if we do that in vs is to obey his
Christ is accompted to vs for righteousnes We are saued by grace and not by workes of the law The Pope when any man offendeth him falleth to cursing Workes can be no satisfaction for sinne to Godward God is a spirite and must be worshipped in y t spirite Popish workes Gods worship God doth pardon and forgeue all our sinnes whatsoeuer they are for Christes sake Christes victory The popes purgatory is terrible Binde and lose Note this text Bynding losing is by the true preachyng of Gods Word We must struggle striue with sinne How penauÌ„ce came vp Purgatory How the Pope and hys shauelyngs haue abused penaunce Here was Purgatory kindled The deâ—…nition of penaunce made by the Papistes Fayth is the chiefest part of penaunce Our workes can make no satisfaction but onely faith in Christes bloud The practise marcheuÌ„dise of the Pope his Clergy Vowes of Religion Worshyppyng of Saintes The Pope and his Clergy setteth vp Idolatry The true worshipping of saintes Good lessons are to be learned of y â— saints The true worshipping of saintes is to folow their life and doctrine If we harken to the voyce of God he is mighty and of power to helpe vs. We must do good for euill A popish imaginatioâ—â— Aduourâ—es Idolatry God hath promised to geue vs whatsoeuer we aske in Christes name for Christes sake Saints caÌ„ not help vs The saints were not saued by their â—…ne merites but by Christes merites We must humble our selues to the mercy of almighty God The Angels serue vs. To choose saintes to be our aduacates is mere idolatry Christ is the way life that leadeth vs to saluation Howe Christ prayeth for vs Christ is a kyng and hath power him selfe to forgeue vs and to receaue vs vnto hym selfe All the blessed company of heaueÌ„ reioyse and are glad to haue vs to be with them that we might loye together Christ prayeth for vs and hys prayer is heard Imageseruice is abhorred of God God hateth superstition Churches were or deined for preachyng and callyng on the name of God Christe hath made a chaunge with vs for he hath taken vpon him all our sinnes and grauÌ„ted vs his mercy and giftes of grace loue maketh all thynges common S. Paule was a louyng and carefull preacher A good saying of S. Paule The state of grace They that keepe the coÌ„maundementes are in the state of grace When we do good to our neighbour then we may be assured that we are in the state of grace A sure argument to know false Prophetes by To be in God is to beleue in the mercy of God A rule to know whether we loue God or loue him not They that be enemies to the Testament of Christ and are teachers of mans 〈◊〉 tions are not in Christ And old coÌ„maundement is the woorde which ye heard from the begynnyng Siâ— transit gloriâ—â—uÌ„â—… This was Cardinall wolsey He that hateâ—h hys brother is in darknes and seâ—th not Christ To abyde in the light is to abyde in 〈◊〉 knowledge of Christ Faith in Christ is the roote of all goodnes He that hateth hys brother is in ignoraunce IgnorauÌ„ce When we haue offended our brother if we reconcile our selues vnto hym agayne theÌ„ are our sinnes forgeuen We can not know the father but by the sonne Fayth in Christ ouer commeth the worlde â—â—arice or couetousnes The loue of y â— worlde 〈◊〉 many from Christ Thomas Wolâ—… lâ—â—â— Cardinall of England Lechery Couetousnes Pride Compare the worldâ— to the pope Cardinals â–ª c. and you shall finde them to bee the world Pride â–ª Couetousnes Note The proâ—…tions of the spiritualitie corrupt their myndes Popes and Bishops will suffer nothyng that shall restrayne their pride and couetousnes Riches and couetousnes blyudeth the eyes of the 〈◊〉 Houre Antichrist The worldings loue the Gospell so longes it bryngeth gayne The Papistes poudred the doctrine of Christ w t theyr dreggeâ— The Pope hath put Christ froÌ„ his rule gouernement Antichrist hath bene long among vs. Christ onely is called holy Annoynted The carnall man knoweth not the thinges of the spirite of God Antichrist who it is The Pope captiuateth the vnderstandyng of all meÌ„ with his superstitious rites and ceremonies Pelagius heresie Iesus Christus Emanuel Sanctus Thomas Curteise a churle Dead men Poore meÌ„ Christ is no disguised person The Pope and his shanelynges are right Antichrists To know God The Apostles doctrine ought we to abide by Annoyntyng Outward oyle auayleth nothyng We must cleaue to the doctrine of the Apostles A fore saying to all hypocrites and teachers of false doctrine We must beleue the resurrectioÌ„ not to be curious to vnderstand the state of the soules departed where they are nor what they do The doctrine of the Pope is cleane contrary to Christes doctrine The thyrd Chapter The world could not knowe Christ The world shall know Christ A Christen mans faith and hope are not idle The fayth of a Christen man The popes fayth What sinne is The suÌ„me of Gods law Loue breaketh the law We are baptised to dye with Christ concernyng sinne The filthynes of the Popes doctrine Where true fayth is there procedeth good workes He that preacheth Christ in worde and deede hym take for Christes vicare The man is first euil The maÌ„ is first good The Popes doctrine The faythful and vnfaithfull sinne diuersly We must recompence euill with goodnes Good â—orkes declare where good sayth is Fayth is the roote of all commaundementes Spirites We may not beleue euery doctrine that is taught and preached but we must first examine it with the touch stone of Gods word and so either receaue it or reiect it The triall of all doctrine Antichrist will not coÌ„fesse that Christ 〈◊〉 come in the flesh Doctrine that is of God Doctrine that is of the deuill The Popes doctrine of Christ God is the worker in vs by fayth that we haue in 〈◊〉 Two generations in the world The Popes doctrine is worldly He that loueth God is borne of God The founteâ—ne of loue God first loued vs before we could loue hym Ephesâ— Herein appeareth the great and louing mercy of almightte God toward vs when we were yet sinuers Loue maketh vs the sonnes of God No man hath sene God The scripture hath sene God By this badge of loue we are knoweÌ„ to haue the spirite of God He that be leueth that Iesus to Gods sonne hath God in hym Fayth taketh hold of Christes death and deseruyng Loue maketh the faythfull Christian man to be bold Loue. Feare If we loue ouâ— brethreÌ„ theÌ„ are we carefull for them The more we loue God the more diligent we are to do his will Where perfect loue is there is no feare Fayth is the mother of loue A sure rule If we loue God we must do his commaundements his commaundement is to loue our neyghbours Fayth maketh vs Gods sonnes What it is to beleue that Iesus is Christ Iesus the true Messias and the