not be affermed withoute the worde testimonie of god And Paule sayth that all that is not of faythe is synne But syth it is so that these obseruaunces haue no testimonie of the worde of god the coÌ„science muste nedes doubte whether they please god and be acceptable to hym or no. And what nede many wordes in a thyng that is manifeste and open If our aduersaries do defende these honourynges inuented by men as thinges deseruyng iustification grace and remission of synnes they do playnly buyld vp the kyngdome of Antichriste For the kyngdome of Antichrist is a newe maner of honourynge deuised by the auctoritie of man reiectynge Christe Lykewyse as the kyngedome of Mahomete hath honouryngê hath workes by whiche it wyll be iustified before god and dothe not thynke that men be iustified in the syght of god freely through fayth for Christê sake So also the papacie shall be a parte of Antichristis kyngdome if it dothe so defende worshyppynges inueÌ„ted by men that they do iustifie For the honoure and prerogatyue of Christe is abbrydged whan they teache that we be not freelye iustified through faythe for Christê sake but by suche maner obseruauÌ„ces And namely whan they teache that suche maner obseruauÌ„ces and ceremonies be not onely profitable but also necessarie to iustification as theyr opinion was herebefore in the .viii. article where they condempne vs because we sayde that it is not necessarye to the vnitie of the churche that there be in all placê lyke and one maner obseruaunces and ceremonies instituted by men Daniel the prophete signifieth and gyueth knowlege that newe fashyons of worshyppes inuented by men shal be the very forme and state of Antichristis kyngdome For thus he saith He shal honour the god Maosis in his owne place and the god whiche his fathers neuer knewe shall he worshyp with golde and syluer and precious stones Here he describeth newe fashyons of honouryng god for he saythe that such maner god is worshypped as the fathers haue not knowen For albeit that the holye fathers also haue had ceremonies and traditions yet they dydde not thynke that these thynges be profitable or necessarye â—o iustification they dyd not mynyshe the glorie the benefite of Christ but they taught that we be iustified through fayth for Christis sake and not for those humane traditions and ceremonies But they dyd obserue the traditions of men for a corporall vtilitie that the people shuld knowe what tyme they oughte to come together and that all thynges shulde be done ordrely and sadly in the churches because of example Finallye that the coÌ„men people also shulde haue a certayne instruction and discipline For the diuersities of tymes and the varietie of ceremonies auayleth to monyshe the coÌ„men people These causes moued the fathers to obserue and kepe ceremonies as Epiphaniê° doth opeÌ„ly witnesse in his disputation agaynst the Encratites whiche dyd lay vpon them selues certeyne traditions they dyd absteyne from wyne euen also in the very â—ouper of the lorde They dyd eate no flesshe no neyther yet fysshe in which thyng they dyd farre passe the freres of dominikes ordre Mariage they dyd hate moste of any thynge albeit the companye of women they dyd not hate For this thynge dothe Epiphanius laye agaynste them For they had flockes of women whiche folowed the same sorte and kynde of lyuynge that they dyd euen as at this daye the religious men coÌ„menly haue monasteries of women nere vnto them And these obseruauÌ„ces they dyd imagine to be the true honoure seruice of god and to be iustice for whiche they were acceptable vnto god and by whiche they dyd pacifie the wrathe of god This opinion doth Epiphanius disproue and sheweth that there be other endes of the traditioÌ„s For he sayth that traditions â—e to be praysed and allowed whiche be made eyther for temperauÌ„ce or for ciuile gouernaunce that is to saye eyther to tame and subdue the fleshe â–ª for the instruction of the vnlerned ê‘sons or els for a ciuile order to be hadde And we also iudge that for these causes traditions may be wel kepte that is to say to th entent that the people shulde be present at deuine seruice in sobre wyse so as Iosaphat and the kynge of Nynyue dyd by proclamation coÌ„maunde fastes Also that the ordre ceremonies in the churche shuld teache the vnlerned what is done in euery tyme. Hereof were ordeyned the Christemas holye dayes the holy dayes of Easter and whytson tyde suche other lyke This is it that Epiphanius saythe that traditions were instituted because of an ordre to be had that suche ordre shulde put men in remembraunce of the historie and of the benefites of Christe For the tokens or markes of thynges beinge aâ— it were paynted and set forth in maners and ceremonies do more effectuallye put the coÌ„men people in remeÌ„braunce than do bokes or wrytynges These endes of traditions and ceremonies were profitable to be shewedde to the people and to be playnely openly declared But to these endes our aduersaries do fayne a nother ende to be ioyned through a certeyn pharisaicall persuasion that is to witte that suche maner obseruauÌ„ces do merite remission of synnes Also that they be seruices necessarye to iustification and that for them men be accompted ryghtuous in the syghte of god This playnly is to honoure god with golde syluer and precious stones and to thiÌ„ke that god is appeased and recoÌ„ciled with diuersitie of garmentes of ornamentes and with other lyke thynges of whiche there is an infinite numbre in the traditioÌ„s of men or els to thiÌ„ke that suche maner tbynges be honourynges of god I meane diuersities of tymes of meates of vessels of apparayle Paule to the Collossianes wryteth that traditions haue the semblaunce and lykenes of wysedome And in very dede so haue they For that fayre ordre is very semely in the churche and for that cause is necessarye But mannes reason because it dothe not vnderstande the ryghtuousnes of faythe it doth naturally imagine that suche maner work iustifie men and that they reconcile god vnto vs. c. Suche was the opinion of the comen people amoâ—ge the Israelities and by the reason of 〈…〉 they dyd augmeÌ„t suche manâ—r ceremonies 〈◊〉 they haue nowe encreased with vs in Monâ—steâ—ies Suche is the iudgemeÌ„t of maÌ„nes 〈◊〉 also â–ª concernynge the exercises of the body concernynge fastynges whose ende in very dede is to tame and to punyshe the flesshe but yet mannes reason doth fayne a nother ende that is to say that they be diuine honours whiche iustifie As Thomas wryteth that fastynge is auayllable to the puttynge awaye and to the prohibition of synne For these be the verye wordes of Thomas Thus the semblaunce and apparaunce of wysedome ryghtuousnes in suche maner workes deceyueth men Besydes this there be examples of sayntes whiche whyles men studie to folowe they often tymes folowe the outwarde exercises but they folowe
debeo accipere medicinam That is to saye because I alwayes syn I ought alwayes to take medycine Nowe for as moche as the Masse is suche a coÌ„municatioÌ„ of the sacrameÌ„t one comon Masse is kepte with vs euery holy day and also other dayes yf any desyer to vse the sacrament it is gyueÌ„ vnto them that asketh it And this maner is not newe in the Churche For the olde fathers before Gregorie speketh nothyng of the pryuate Masse but of the comoÌ„ Masse they speake verye moche Chrysostome sayeth that the preste stoÌ„deth dayly at the alter and some he dothe call to the receyuynge of the sacrament or communion and some he dothe kepe away And it appereth by the olde canons that some one preeste dyd celebrate the MasseÌ„ and of him al the other prestes deacons receyued the body of the lorde for so sounde the wordes of the Canon of Nicene whiche be these Accipiant diaconi secundum ordinem post presbyâ—eros ab episcopo vel a presbytero sacram coÌ„â—onem That is to say lette Deacons orderly after the preestes receyue the holy sacrament or communion of the byshope or of the preste And Paule spekynge of the communion coÌ„maundeth that one shulde tarie for another that there maye be made a comon participation For as moch thaÌ„ as the Masse with vs hath for it selfe the example of the Church taken out of scripture and of faâ—hers we truste it can not be improued namely sythe the common publyke ceremonies for the most part are kept lyke to the vsuall and accustomed ceremonies only the nomber of masses is vnlike which for great and manifeste abuses it were profytable at the lest way to moderate For in times passed masse was not done euery day no not in great congregatyons and where moch people assembled together as the historie tripertite dothe witnes in the .ix. boke the .xxxviij. chapiter in thys wyse Agayne iÌ„ Alexandria scriptures be redde vpon the wednesdaye and the friday and doctors do expoune them and al thinges are done without the solempne maner of the oblation ¶ Of confessyon COnfession iÌ„ the churches with vs is not done awaye for the body of the Lorde is not wonte to be delyuered to any but only to those that be examined and assoyled before and the people be very diligeÌ„tly taught of the faythe and assuraunce of absolution of whiche before this tyme was lytle mention or spekyng The people be taught to haue the absolution in greate price because it is the voyce of god and pronounced by the commaundemente of god The power of the keys is greatly made of by shewynge howe greate comforte it bryngeth to troubled coÌ„sciences that god requireth fayth to th ende that we shulde gyue credence to that absolution as to a voyce soundinge from heueÌ„ and that faythe in Christe getteth truly and receiueth remission of sinnes Before we dyd this satisfactions were ouer moche set vp and magnifyed but no speakynge there was of faythe and of the merite of Christe of ryghtuousnes of fayth Wherfore in this behalfe our churches be not to be blamed For our aduersaries be also coÌ„pelled to graunt this to vs that the doctrine of penaunce is intreated handled and opened of our lerned men moste diligently ⧠But of confessyon they teache that the rehersal and nombryng of sinnes is nat necessary and that consciences be not to be charged with care to nomber and teken vp all defaltes for it is impossible to reherse all defaltes as the prophete recordeth saynge who vnderstondeth all defaltes or sines Hieremie also sayth Prauum est cor hominis et inscrutabile The harâ—e of maÌ„ is frowarde and can not be searched That yf no synnes shulde be forgyuen but those that â—e rehersed consciences couldâ— neuer be quiete for many synnes they nether espye nor can â—â—â—ember Also olde wryters do wytnes thaâ— the nombrynge is not necessary 〈◊〉 in the deâ—rees Chrysostome is rehersed whiche sayeth thus Non tibi dico vt te prodas in publicum neque apud alios te accuses â–ª sed obedire te volo propheta 〈◊〉 Reuela ante deum viam tuaÌ„ Eâ—go tâ—a câ—â—fitere pâ—â—cata apud deuÌ„ vâ—â—uÌ„ iudicem cuÌ„ oratione Delicta tua pronuÌ„cta non lingua sed coÌ„scieÌ„tiae tuae me â—orta c. I say nat to the that thou shewe thy selfe opâ—nly nor that thou accuse thy selfe to other But I wyll that thou obeye the Propheâ—e sayenge Disclose thy way before god Wherfore confesse thy synnes to god the true iudge with prayer pronounce thyne offences not with thy tonge but with memory of thy conscience cÌ„ And the glose of penaunce distine 5. capi consideret doth confesse that confessyon is of mannes lawe but yet confessyon bothe for the greate benefyte of absolutyon and also for other vtilities and profettes of conscience is reteyned and kepte stylle amonge vs. ¶ Of diuersities of meates IT was a comen persuasion not onely of the vulgare people but also of the teachers in the Churches that diuersities of meates and lyke traditions of meÌ„ be profytable warkes to deserue remissyon of syn and of payne And that the worlde dyd so thiÌ„ke it appereth by that that newe ceremonies newe orders newe holy dayes newe fastynges were dayly instituted and teachers in temples did exacte and require these workes as a necessarie honour to the obteynynge of rightuousnes and they greatly did put in feare the sely consciences yf they shulde omitte and leue vndone any of these thynges Of this persuasion of traditions many myschiefes and inconueniencies ensued in the churche Fyrste of all the doctrine of grace and the ryghtuousnes of faythe was obscured and defaced whiche is the chief parte of the gospell and ought most of all to stonde forthe and to appere in the church to the entente that the meryte of Christ myght be wel knowen and that fayth which beleueth that sinnes be forgyuen for Christe and not for any of our workes myght be aduauÌ„ced and set vppe farre aboue workes Wherfore Paule also leaneth greatly to this part and remoueth and putteth awaye the lawe and traditions of men because he wold shewe that the christian rightuousnes is an other thynge then suche workes that is to wyt that it is faythe which beleueth that synnes be frely forgiuen for Christe But this doctrine of Paule is almoste all together oppressed by traditions which haue engendred and brought forthe an opinion that we muste neades meryte and get remission of sinnes and iustification by diuersitie of meates and lyke honorynge of god In penaunce there was no spekynge of faythe only these satisfactory workes were purposed and set forthe the hole penaunce appered to consyste and stonde in them Secundarely these tradityons haue obscured and darkened the preceptes of god because that traditions of men were preferred and regarded aboue the preceptes of god The hole christianitie was thought to be the obseruatyon and kepinge of certayne feries rytes fastinges
men Wherfore they in whom Christe dothe nothynge worke be nat membres of Christ. And thys confesse the aduersaries that the euyll persons be deade meÌ„bres of the churche Wherfore we wonder why they rebuked our description which speaketh of the quicke membres Nor it is no newe thiÌ„g that we bryng in Paule defyneth the churche in lyke wyse where as he sayeth that it is purified to the ende it myght be holy And he addeth these outwarde tokyns the worde and the sacramentes For thus he sayeth Christ loued the churche and gaue hym selfe for it to sanctify it purifieng it with the bathe of water by the worde to the ende he myght exhibite it vnto hym selfe a glorious churche nat hauiÌ„g any spotte or wrynkle or any such thynge but that it be holy and inculpate Thys sentence we dyd putte in the confession almoste worde for worde Thus also the article of the Crede dothe defyne the churche whiche hyd vs beleue that there is a catholike churche But the wycked men be nat the holy churche And the article folowyng whiche is Sanctorum communionem the communion of saynctes seme to be added for an exposicion to shewe what the churche is that is to say a congregation of holy persons whiche be felowes and partakers of the same gospell of the same doctrine and of the same holy ghoste whiche reneweth sanctifyeth and gouerneth theyr hartes And thê article is propouned for a necessary cause we se infinite perylles whiche do manasse destruction of the churche Infinite is the multitude of the wycked in the churche whiche oppresse it Wherfore leste we shulde despayre and to the entent we shulde knowe that the churche at leaste wayes shal remayne and because we shulde knowe that be the multitude of the wycked neuer so great yet the churche standeth and Christ perfourmeth his promisses to the churche remitteth sinnes hereth and geueth the holy goste this artycle of the Crede propouneth vnto vs these consolations And it nameth it a catholyk church lest we shulde vnderstaÌ„de the church to be an outwarde congregation of some certayne nation where as it sygnifyeth rather men disparsed through out the worlde which agre in the gospell and haue al one Christe al one holy gost and the same sacramentes whether they haue lyke traditions of man or vnlyke And the glose in the decrees saythe that the Churche largely taken compriseth both good euyll Moreouer that euyll men be of the Churche onely in name and not in dede but the good both in dede and in name In this senteÌ„ce be many thynges red of the fathers For Ierom sayth who therfore is a synner maculate with any spotte can not be sayde of the churche of Christe nor subiecte to Christ. Wherfore although hypocritê and euyll men be felowes of this true churche accordynge to externe rytes yet whan the churche is defined we must nedes define that whiche is the lyuynge bodye of Christe and which is the churche both in name in deâ—e And that for many causes fyrst it is necessary to be knowen what thynge dothe principally make vs membres and lyuishe membres of the Churche But if we shulde onely define the churche to be an externe polecie of good and euyl men shal not vnderstande that the kyngdome of Christ is the iustice of the herte and a gyuynge of the holy ghoste but shall iuge it only to by an outwarde kepiÌ„g of certaine rytê ceremonies Moreouer what diuersitie shall there be betwyxte the people of the lawe the church if the church be an outwarde policie â–ª But Paule doth so discerne the church from the people of the lawe that he calleth the church a spirituall people that is to say distincte not by cyuyle rytes from the geÌ„tyles but the true people of god regenerate by the holy ghoste But in the people of the lawe besyde the promyse made of Christ also the carnal sede had ê“mises of corporal thingê of a kyngdome c. And for these promyses the Iewes were called the people of god not onely the good but also they whiche amoÌ„ge them were euyll For god seuered this carnall sede from the rest of the gentyles by certayn externe ordinaunces and promyses And yet those euyll persones pleased not god But the euangell bryngeth not a shadowe of eternall thingê but the selue thynges whiche be eternal as the holy ghost and ryghtwysenes by whiche we be rightwyse before god Wherfore they only be the people accordyng to the gospel whiche receyue this promyse of the spirite Besyde this the churche is the kyngdome of Christ distincte from the kyngdome of the deuyll But certayne it is that wycked men be in the power of the dyuell and membres of his kyngdome as Paule teacheth sayinge that the deuyll is myghtye in infidelles And Christe sayth to the pharisees whiche without doubte had an externe societe with the churche that is to wyte with the holy persones that were in the people of the lawe for they were rulers they sacrifised and taughte Ye be of your father the deuyll So that the churche which is the true kingdome of Christe is proprely the coÌ„gregation of the godly For the wycked be ruled of the deuyll and be his captiues prisoners they be not ruled by the spirite of Christ. But what nede mo wordê in so manifest a thyng If the churche whiche is truely the kyngdome of Christ is distincte from the kyngdome of the deuyll it ensueth necessarily that wycked men which be in the kyngedome of the deuyll be not the churche Althoughe in this lyfe because the kyngdome of Christe is not yet declared and opened they be myxed with the true churche and beare offices in the churche nor the wycked be not therfore of the kiÌ„gdome of Christ bicause the reuelation openiÌ„g of the matter is not yet made For this is alway the kyngedome of Christ whiche he by his spirite viuifieth be it disclosed or hydde by the crosse Lykewyse as Christ is the selfe same whiche is nowe glorified and whiche was before crucified and afflicte And to this agree the similitudes of Christe whiche clerely sayth that the good sede be yâ— chyldren of the kyngdome but the darnell be the chyldren of the deuyll the felde he calleth yâ— worlde not the churche In likewise IohnÌ„ speaketh of the hole nation of the Iewes and saythe that the tyme shall come yâ— the true Churche shal be seuered from that people So that this place makethe rather agaynst the aduersaries than with them for it sheweth that the true and spiritual people be seuerable from the carnall people And Christe speaketh of the ymage and lykenes of the churche whan he saythe The kyngdome of heuen is lyke to a nette or to .10 virgyns c. And he teacheth that the Churche is hydde with the multitude of euyl men lest yâ— this sclauÌ„dre or offendicle myght offende good men also to thentenâ— that we shulde knowe yâ— the
bryngeth the workes of Moyses lawe or of the tenne coÌ„mauÌ„dementes or of Benetê rule or of Austines rule or of any other rules he dothe disanull and take away the promyse of Christe he hath caste away Christe and is fallen from grace This is the sentence and mynde of Paule And consydre O Charles moste mylde and gentle Emperour Consydre ye princes Consydre ye of all ordres and degrees howe greate is the vnshamefastnes of our aduersaries whan we dyd recite the place of Paule conteynynge this sentence They wrote vnto it these wordê They be al wycked whiche be alledged here agaynst Monasticall lyfe And what is more certein vndoubted than that men obteine remission of synnes for Christis sake by faythe And yet these lewde felowes dare call this sentence wycked We doubte not but if ye had ben monished of this place ye wold haue sene this so great blasphemye to haue ben scraped out of the coÌ„futatioÌ„ Nowe for asmoche as it hath ben heretofore largelye declared the opinion to be wycked that for our owne workê we obteine remission of sinnes we wyll be the shorter in this place For a wyse reader may therof easily coÌ„clude that we deserue not remission of sinnes by abbeye workes And therfore that blaspemye also is in no wyse to be suffred whiche is red in Thomas that the profession of religion is â—galle to baptisme It is playne madnes to make the tradition of man whiche haâ—â— for â—t neyther the coÌ„maundement neyther the promyse of god egall to the ordinauÌ„ce of Christ whiche hath for it bothe the coÌ„maundement and the promyse of god and whiche conteyneth the couenauÌ„te of grace of eternal lyfe Secondly obedieÌ„ce pouertie single lyfe so that it be not vncleane be but exercises indiffereÌ„t And therfore holy men may vse them without synne as Barnarde Fraunces â–ª and other holy men dyd vse them And they dyd vse them for a corporall vtilitie that they myght be the more expedite and reâ—ye to teache and to do other holye and vertuous workes â–ª and not because the very workê of them selues â—e seruices which iustifie or merite eternal lyfe Breffely they be of that sorte of which 〈◊〉 speakeâ—h to Timothe â–ª Corporalis exercitacio ad modicum utilis est Bodely exercise is profitable a lytle And it is lykelye ynoughe that somewhere at this day there be good men in Monasteries whiche busye them selues in the ministration of the worde and whiche vse those obseruauÌ„ces without any wycked opinions But to thinke that those obseruauÌ„ces â—e seruicê and honoryngê of god by which we be coÌ„pted ryghtuous before god and deserue euerlastiÌ„g lyfe this is playne contrarye to the gospell of the iustice of faythe whiche teacheth that for Christis sake iustice is gyuen to vs and eternall lyfe It is contrary to the sayenge of Christe Frustra me colunt mandatis hominum .i. In vaine they worshyp me with traditions of men It is contrarye also to this sentence Omne quod non est ex fide peccâ—tum â—st All that is not of faythe is synne But howe can they afferme that these be seruicê whiche god doth approue as a ryghtuousnes before hym whan they haue no warrantise of the worde of god But se the vnshamefastnes of thaduersaries They not onely teache that those obseruauÌ„ces be seruicê iustifieng before god but adde also that they be more perfecte seruices that is to say more meretyng remission of synnes and iustification than be any other kyndes of lyuynge And here runne together in a heape many false poysone opinions They fayne that they kepe bothe the preceptes and counsaylles Afterwardê the liberall men because they â—reame that they haue meritê more than be sufficiente to them selues they selle them vnto other All these thynges be full of pharisaicall vanitie For there can be no greater wyckednes than to thynke that they in suche wyse fulfyll the tenne coÌ„maundementes that they haue merites more than they nede sythe it is so that these preceptes Thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thy herte Thou shalte not lust accuse euery maÌ„ be he neuer so holy The ê“phete sayth Euery man is a lyer that is to say not hauynge ryght opinion of god not fearynge god sufficientely not beleuynge god sufficiently Wherfore religious men do falselye glorye that in the kepynge of abbeye lyfe the preceptes be fulfylled yea more to This is false also that the obseruauÌ„ces of religious men be workes of the counsaylles of the gospell For the gospell dothe not counsell diuersities of apparayle of meates of renouncynge of theyr owne goodes These be traditions of men of all whiche it was sayde Esâ—a nos non commendat deo Meate dothe not make vs acceptable to god Wherfore neither they be honours and seruices iustifienge neyther be they perfection but rather whaÌ„ they be set forthe cloked with these titles they be the very doctrines of deuylles Uirginitie I graunte is counsaylles but yet only to those ê‘sones whiche haue the gyfte as it was sayd before But it is a verye poysone erroure to thynke that the perfection of the gospell standeth in traditioÌ„s of men For so the religious persones also of the Machometistes myghte boste that they haue the euaÌ„gelical ê‘fection Neyther doth it stande in obseruyng of other thynges whiche be indifferent But bicause the kyngdome of god is iustice and lyfe in the hertes therfore ê‘fection is to encreace the feare of god and the truste of the mercye promysed in Christe and diligence and care to obeye our callyng Lykewyse as Paule describeth perfection we be sayth he transfourmed froÌ„ clearenes in to clearenes as of the spirite of the lorde He sayth not we take vpoÌ„ vs now this now that habite of religion or a suÌ„drye fashyon of shoes or another maner of gyrdle It is a pitiefull thyng that suche pharisaical yea rather mahometical wordes be redde and herde in the churche that is to wit that the ê‘fection of the gospell and of the kyngdome of Christe whiche is eternal lyfe doth stande in these folyshe obseruaunces of garmeÌ„tes of meates and of suche other tryfles Nowe herken oure sadde and discrete iudges howe shameful a senteÌ„ce they haue put in the confutation Thus they say It is expressed in the holy scriptures that the religious lyfe duely obserued kepte which through goddê grace all religious persones may obserue and kepe dothe merite eternall lyfe and that Christe hath promysed it more largely to them which shal forsake house or bretherne c. These be the wordes of our aduersaries in whiche this is fyrste a very shameles lye to saye that it is expressed in holy scripture that Monasticall lyfe dothe merite eternall lyfe For where do the holy scripturê in any place speake of Monasticall lyfe Thus our aduersaries defende theyr cause thus the wretched men alledge the scriptures whan euery man knoweth that Monasticall lyfe is a thynge newly deuised and yet they
for Christis sake through mercy they shulde obteyne eternall lyfe and not for these ceremonies or seruices because god dothe onely approue the honours and seruices instituted by his owne worde whiche be stronge effectual in fayth ⧠Of the power of the Churche HEre oure aduersaries make a foule cryenge oute do bragge stoutely of the priuileges and liberties of the churche and at laste adde this conclusion All thingê be vayne whiche in this presente article be alledged agaynst the libertie of churches of preestes This is a false accusation and a starkelye For we disputed of other matiers in this article whiche god dothe allowe as iustice and to charge and lade coÌ„sciences so that it were synne to leaue them vndone All these thingê euen one place in the Actê doth teache where the apostles saye that hertes be purified and made cleane by fayth And afterwardes they forbydde to laye on a yocke and shewe howe great ieoperdie it is where they make it a very greuous and haynous offense of them whiche lade and ouercharge the congregation Why do ye tempte god say they But aduersaries be nothynge aferd with this thunder and sore sentence whan they with violence defende theyr owne traditions and wycked opinions For heretofore also they haue condeÌ„ned our .xv. article in whiche we dyd put that traditioÌ„s do not merite remission of synnes And here they saye that traditions do helpe to eternall lyfe Do they merite remission of synnes Be they seruices whiche god dothe allowe as iustices Do they quickeÌ„ the hertê Paule in his epistle to the Collossianes doth therfore deny that traditions be aduayllable or helpyng to eternal iustice and eternal lyfe because meate drynke apparayle such other be thynges decayenge and peryshynge with vse and occupyenge But eternall lyfe in the herte is wroughte by eternall thynges that is to witte by the worde of god and the holy ghoste Let our aduersaries therfore declare if they can howe traditions helpe to eternall lyfe And for asmoche as the gospel dothe euidently witnesse that there oughte not traditions to be layde vpon the churche to merite remission of synnes or to be seruicê whiche god dothe allowe as iustice or to charge consciences so that it shulde be iudged synne to leaue them vndone our aduersaries shall neuer be able to proue that byshops haue power and auctoritie to institute suche honours and seruices But what power the gospell dothe gyue to byshoppes we haue shewed in our confession They whiche de byshoppes nowe a dayes do nat execute the offices of byshops according to the gospell but they be byshoppes accordyng to the policie and ordenaunce in the canones which we do nat rebuke But we speke of a bysshop accordyng to the rule of the gospell And that olde diuision of power into power of ordre and power of iurisdictioÌ„ pleasith vs verie wel The bysshop therfore hathe power of ordre that is the ministration of the worde and of sacramentê He hath also power of iurisdiction that is to say auctoritie to excommunicate those that haue committed open crymes and agayne auctoritie to assoile them if they wyll conuert desyre absolution But neyther haue they tyrannicall power that is to say without any certayne lawe but they haue a certayne coÌ„maundement I meane the vndoubted worde of god whiche they oughte to teache and accordyng to it to vse theyr iurisdiction Wherfore it folowith nat although they haue some iurisdiction that they may institute newe honours and seruices For ceremonies and seruices nothynge apperteyne to iurisdiction And they haue a worde and a coÌ„maundement howe farre forthe they ought to excercise theyr iurisdiction whiche is if any man haue coÌ„mitted and trespassed agaynst the worde whiche they haue receiued of Christe Howbeit in our coÌ„fession we haue added also howe farre forthe it is laufull for theÌ„ to make traditions that is to wete nat as necessary seruices but that there myght be an ordre in the churche because of tranquilitie And these ought nat to bynde and entangle coÌ„sciences as though they dyd coÌ„maunde necessarie honours and seruices as Paule teachith when he sayeth Stande faste in the libertie in whiche Christe hathe deliuered you and be nat brought agayne vnder the yoke of bondage The vse therfore of suche ordinations ought to be lefte free so that we auoyde the offendyng of our bretherne leaste they myght els be iudged to be necessary seruices And so dyd the apostles them selues they ordeined many thynges whiche afterwardes in processe of time were chauÌ„ged Neyther did they in suche wyse ordeyne the sayde traditions that it myght nat be laufull to chaunge them For they dyd nat disagre from theyr owne writyngê in whiche they labour very greatly that this opinioÌ„ shulde nat oppresse the church that humayne rytes and ceremonies be necessary seruices This is the simple and playne maner of interpretynge traditions that is to wete to knowe that they be no necessary seruices and yet that we obserue and kepe them when we se opportunitie without superstition to auoyde the offeÌ„dyng of our bretherne And this hath ben the mynde of many ryght connynge and excellent men in the churche Neyther we se what can be brought agaynste it For this is vndoubted that the sentence of Christe Qui uos audit me audit that is to saye Whosoeuer hearith you hearith me dothe nat speake of traditions but it maketh moste agaynst traditions For it is no coÌ„maundement but a wytnes gyuen to the apostles that we shulde giue credence to them of another mannes worde For Christe wolde confirme and strengthe vs as nede was to do that we shulde knowe that the worde taught by meÌ„ was of force and strengthe and that we shulde nat nede to seke for any other worde from heuen but it can nat be vnderstonded of traditions For Christe requirith that they shulde so teache that he myght be herde for he sayeth he hearith me He wyll therfore that his worde his voyce be herde and nat humaine traditions So the sayeng that makith moste for vs and conteynith moste graue consolation and doctrine these Asses do wreste and apply to moste trifelynge thynges I meane to the choyse and diuersitie of meates varietie of clothyng and seÌ„blable thyngê They alledge also thê texte Obedite prepositis uestris Obey your rulers This sentence requirith obedience towardes the gospel For it dothe nat establyshe a kyngdome to the bysshoppes with out the gospell Neyther ought bysshops to make traditions agaynst the gospell or to interprete theyr traditions agaynst the gospel For when they do so we be forbydden to obey them accordynge to that sayeng if any man teache any other gospell accursed be he The same answere we make to this sayeng of Christe what soeuer they say do it because it is vndoubted that it is nat here vniuersally coÌ„maunded that we shulde receyue al maner of thynges for the scripture in another place dothe bydde vs obey god more