farre passe them in thynges of farre greater wayghte For M. Tyndale as late as ye were cyrcumcysed yet this â—ote ye well your self or at the leest wise ye thynk it is so that god hath stired vp among vs syns the time of Moises almoost an hundred prophetes And surely he hath styred vp very many of whom besyde the .xii. that are accompâ—ed in parte of our scripture we haue many of sundry ages passed in whose bokes we fynd wryten expositions commentes vppon our scriptures and those men were good holy men for whome god shewed many greate miracles and for none of our aduersaries he neuer shewed one And in theyr olde bokes fynde we that in the pointes for which these men and we vary now a dayes those olde prophetes and interpretours of the scripure were of the mynde that we be and the people of theyr tymes to till that these men of the tother side brought in this newe doctrine whiche is vntrewe but euyn now of late in comparison of the longe tyme in whiche the contrary was taught by holy men and bileued by the people afore So that this beynge wayed considered we passe them in nombre tyme and miracles that is to say beside the lengthe of tyme and the nombre of men we passe theyr parte by one whose eternitie passeth all tyme whose infinitie passeth all nombre that is almighty god hym selfe which hath for thexpositours of our part many times by miracles declared his fauour against those that expowne the scripture on theyr parte for whom he neuer shewed none For as for the myracles don in the temple or in the temple pole they can nat draw to theyr parte agaynst vs sithe they be nat shewed to declare the trouthe of any particular man but onely to gyue knowledge that the chyrche or sinagoge of the Iewys is the chyrche of god here in erthe in whiche as well we as they that is to wyt as well the trâ—w as the false as well the good as the bad be for the while togyther tyll Messias come that shall make a new chyrche a greater and a better â— and the trew from the false moche better knowen to I doubte nat but Tyndale shulde at that tyme amonge the Iewis in Ierusalem haue herd his doute disputed and debated thus And than coulde he nat with any good reason haue douted but that the false phariseis had ben well answered by the trew and so shulde he haue knowen euyn than of the very chyrche there whiche parte he shulde haue bileued though the thing had sum difficulty there bicause the sundry sectes abode styll to gyther but yâ— it the continuaunce and succession of the trouthe from the begynnynge shulde into that darkenes haue cast a meâ—ely good â—â—ght Now yf Tindale wyll here denye me and say that â—here were no suche holy men of them that from age to age lefte any suche bokes behynde theym when so euer he so shall answere me he shall then here what I shall saye more vnto hym But as for thys tyme I shall not nede to let therfore For though there had not bene suche in dedeâ— nor that Tyndale coulde not haue harde any man in Hierusalem at that tyme that coulde haue told hym that tale proued his tale trew yet shal Tindale neuer be able to wâ—â—hstand it but that yf it had ben so answered and so proued he had ben than well and wyth good reason satysfyed Agaynste whyche yf he hadde not rebelled but endeuored hym selfe for hys owne â—â—rte to be plyable to the trouth god sholde haue wrougâ—t wyth hym into the full consent and bylyefe therof Now saye I than that syth that aâ—swere yf 〈◊〉 myghte haue bene proued trewe sholde of reason ought â—o hâ—ue contented Tyndale at that tyme in HierusaleÌ„ concernyng the chyrch of the Iewys he shall neuer auoyde it here but that in the knowen catholyke chyrche of Chryste though we leue of the promyses of god made vnto thys chyrche by whyche promises it appereth clerely that he wyll nâ—ueâ— suffer it to come to suche a confuâ—yon or dyfâ—ycultye yeâ— yf it it dyd and were in that poynt lyke â—nto the chyrch that the Iewys had agaynste the commyâ—ge of Chryste infected by many false folke wyth false doctryne and the scrypture adulterate and viâ—iate wyth false gloses and wronge exposycyons and that they whyche so hadde marred all were crepte vp in to the place of Chryste and hys apostles and were waxen a greate deale the more parte of those that had the authoryte in theyr handes and therby had mysse ledde the people bothe in to wronge bylyefe and wronge wayes of lyuynge makyng them to wene that they dyd well wheÌ„ they dyd nought yf it were I saye comen in the catholyke chyrch euyn vnto this poynt whyche thynge god kepyng hys promyses afore remeÌ„bred were more then twyse impossible to happen yet yf it so were in dede as Tyndale lyeth and falsely sayeth it is yet vnto folke that longe to know the trouth it could nat be but perceyued easyly whiche doctrine were the troethe that is to wyt whyther theyrs that thus were crepte vp and had falsely taught or elles suche trew men as wold rebuke and reproue them and teche the people the contrary and constre the scripture otherwyse wherby shuld it be perceyued wyll sum man say surelyâ— well and playnely by this way God hathe sythe the dethe of Christe and his apostles styred vp in his knoweÌ„ catholique chyrche I dare well say many mo than an hundred prophetes whom he hath with moo than a thousande myracles declared to be his messangers Now of these holy doctours and prophetes we haue the bookes of euery age sum frome the dethe of Christes apostles euyn vnto our owne tyme. Now myght it than by theyr bokes be perceyuyd that these folke now crept vp as Tyndale sayeth by succession into the place and sete of Christ and his apostles as the scrybes and pharyseys were at Christes cummynge crepte vp into the sete of Moyses dyd in doctrine exposicion of scripture agree with those olde holy doctours and prophetes of euery age and tyme or els contempned and contraryed themâ— and in fayth and lyuynge began a new dyuerse contrary doctrine of theyr owne in thynges necessary to saluacion or peryllouse toward dampnacion And than yf they so dyd and that there cam other that wolde call men home from theyr euyll doctryne and from theyr false exposicions of scripture wherevpon the false doctrine dependeth vnto the olde doctryne and olde trew declaracion of scripture in whiche those old holy doctours and as saynt Paule sayth prophetes vpon scripture dyd consent agree by this marke I say myght it be perceyued knowen whither parte were the trewe whither parte were the false Let vs now thaÌ„ settyng for y e whyle all other markes asyde of whiche there are very many let vs I say consyder but this marke alone for eueÌ„ this
hym selfe paynfully payed for ours So is not y â— electe chyrch all repentyng synners onely except y â— eyther Cryste were no man or werâ— also a synner or els his manhed not parte of thys chyrche but the chyrche of predestynates hedlesse And in this I speke of that electe chyrch of predestynates concernyng onely the coÌ„gregacyon of such as shal be saued in the kynde of man For as for to coÌ„syder angels therin is very farre fro thys mater yet are there also in thys chyrche of electes many that neuer came to the fayth but are yet enmyes there vnto as Iewes Saracenes or Turkes not yet conuerted vnto y â— fayth And therfore thys electe chyrche wyll in no wyse agre wyth the dyffynycyon or descrypcyon of Tyndale I wolde that he therfore to gyue his mater more lyght had shewed vs as I say which kynde of eleccyon he meaneth How be yt we shall gesse at hys mynde as nere as we can and make the best of hys mater and then se whyther the beste be able to standeâ— He maye seme to meane by Crystes electe chyrche of hys descrypcyonâ— a parte of the electe chyrche of the seconde maner that is to wyt as many therof as be repentaunt synners wyth those other condicyons that are expressed in hys desâ—rypcyon For other then thys I can not deuyne what he shold meane But then as those repentaunt synners be a parte of the chyrche predestynate so be they a parte of thys catholyke chyrche here mylytauÌ„t after the fyâ—st kynde of eleccyon in whych are bothe good and bad of whych hole nomber the good are y â— tone parte yet leueth he vs after thys waye in a nother dowt whyther the repentynge synners may afterwarde fall to synne agayne and from repentaunce and so to repentaunce agayne and yet agayne therfro He leueth vs also in dowt whyther thys electe chyrche of hys descrypcyon maye be deceyued erre or not For in these two poyntes he wrappeth vs vp wyth rydles that he gyueth vs to rede in other chapyters how they may synne and yet synne not erre and yet erre not and redeth hys rydles hym self also so fondly that an olde wyfe wolde be ashamed to rede suche redles so folysshely by the fyre syde amonge yonge chyldren And yet in this one poynt whyther the chyrch maye erre or not is in effecte all the hole mater and purpose of hys boke And fynally for all that euer he sayth he leueth it in dowte whyther his repentaunt synners syth he graunteth that though they maye not synne yet they maye synne and y â— in lykewyse though they can not erre yet they can erre be of thys electe chyrche of hys descrypcyon in these tymes onely in whyche they synne not nor erre not or ellys in all those tymes to in whyche they bothe synne and erre And here speke I of suche synne as is of hys nature dedely though the soule dye not by eternall dampnacyon therfore bycause he repenteth that synne agayne ere he dye And I speke of that errour also whyche is of hys nature fynfull and damnable though the soule suffer not eternall dampnacyon therfore bycause he repenteth that erroure afterwarde and retourneth agayne to the trewth ere euer hys body dye Of all these dowtes the more parte he neuer moueth and suche as he moueth in other chapyters after he so fondely soyleth that all the worlde maye se that he nothynge seketh but corners to trepe in where he maye luske and lurke in the derke out of whych we shall I truste so bryng hym in to the lyght that hys eyen shall dase to loke theron But in the meane whyle thys ye se that how so euer he mene by the electe chyrche of hys repentauÌ„te synners with all the felyng fayth that he can frame therto yet syth men can neuer knowe whyche be they there can no man haue any suretye by that chyrch of the trewe doctryne of god no more then a man coulde by that vnknowen chyrche know whyche is the trewe scrypture of god And therfore is this electe chyrche of Tyndals descrypcyon deuysed onely to â—ugle wythall and to deceyue our syght and not to serue in thys mater to any substancyall purpose But yet that it can not onely do no good but is also dremed out by hym to do myche harme ye shall playnely perceyue yf ye consyder what repentauÌ„ce and what fayth he meaneth For these wordes wyll sowne very well in the erys of such symple soules as do not whyle they rede them coÌ„syder what maner thynges Tyndale meaneth by them and what thynge he calleth repentaunce and byleuyng in Cryste wyth a felyng fayth But on the tother syde he that consydereth that Tyndale wolde haue vs so to byleue in Cryste that we shold set hys holy sacramentes at nought and that we sholde byleue that all crysten people haue hytherto byleued wronge that haue byleued that men ought to be shreuen or recâ—yue any penaunce at the prestes hand or that haue byleued y â— there ys any purgatory after thys present lyfe or that put any fayth in the sacrament of the aultare or any other thynge byleue therof then that it ys onely a sygne memoryall and token of Crystes deth and passyon and that euery man is in a false bylyefe that wyll any other honour do therto then onely thys bare bylyefe wherof playnly foloweth that onys to knele or praye therto were open and playne idolatrye and that he wold haue vs also byleue that to saye the masse wyth the holy canon therin as all crysten realmes do and so many hundred yeres haue done were heyghnouse dedely synne and that it were synne also to byleue y â— man by good workes wrought in fayth any rewarde meryteth towarde god or fynally y â— any of the olde holy doctours of Crystes chyrche synnys Crystes dayes and hys apostles hytherto were in y e ryght bylyefe before holy Luthers dayes and hys owne for sure am I that there was neuer none of all them that in bylyef dyd agre wyth these twayne nor these twayne bytwene theÌ„ selfe he that thys felynge fayth consydereth in Tyndals techynge shall soone fele that all hys holy solempne tale of all hys felynge fayth ys not worth a fly but very fayâ—hlesse heresye And also when he hereth hym so sayntly speke of repentynge and then consydereth that he wolde haue vs repâ—nt that euer we were shryuen for shryfte he calleth the false inuencyon of Sathan and wolde haue vs also to be such as repent that euer they were of the ryght bylefe and such as wolde haue freres and nonnes repente theyr relygyon and runne out and wedde togyther he that consydereth thys shall I saye se that Tyndals electe and chosen chyrche is a chyrche of chosen heretykes of contrary bylyefe to the chyrche of whyche saynte Hierom was a doctour and saynt Austayne and saynt Gregory and saynte Ambrose and all the other old holy fathers from the apostles dayes hytherto
or els muste Tyndale tell vs ones agayne some one of all theym that byleued it lawfull for a monke or a frere professed vnto perpetuall chastyte to runne out of relygyon and go wedde a nonne Now am I glad yet that he cometh forth wyth repentaunce at the leste wyse one way or other For fayth alone was wont to do all thorow all a mannys lyfe And when it was proued them by playne and euydent scrypture that fayth coulde not auayle wythout cheryte then fell they to glose it and say that fayth could neuer be wythout it And then beynge therin repreued playnely by saynt Poule and saynt Iamys both yet stande they styll by theyr worde defende theyr wordes onely by wordes agaynst all reason agaynst the playne wordes of god not vnwryten whych they set not by but the very wryten wordes in playne and euydent scryptures for all that they saye they byleue no thynge ellys And in that poynt I byleue them well and in more to For where they say that they byleue nothyng but scrypture I thynke they saye trewe for they byleue no thynge besyde the scrypture nor yet the scrypture neyther as theyr owne wrytynges do full clerely declare But now syth they say styll that fayth alone suffyseth and yet saye that there muste be cheryte to and now saye there must be repentaunce to they saye none other thynge in effecte but y â— it is mough to haue fayth alone yf a man haue other vertues to and that it suffyseth to haue fayth alone so that fayth be not alone for and it be alone then is it no fayth at all Is not thys a nother goodly rydle wherby Tyndale techeth all thynge playnely Nor thys poynt wyll neuer be well patched wyth hys felynge fayth and hystorycall as ye shall hereafter here when we come to the chapyter But yet agayn in the meane whyle bycause he speketh of repentaunt synners that they make the electe chyrche of Cryste I wolde wytte of hym whyther one parte of repentynge muste not be to repente heresyes If not then Crystes electe chyrche maye kepe them styll and be a chyrche of heretykes And on the tother syde yf a man muste repente hys heresyes then aske I Tyndale agayne how shall an vnlerned man knowe whyche they be The preacher shall tell theym sayth Tyndale So saye we to But what yf y â— preachers do not agre therin how shall he know the trewe preachers fro the false Lette hym loke on the scrypture sayth Tyndale and therby shall he iudge them by the ryght rule of the worde of god But therto I saye that all thynge that we be bounden to byleue and obserue is not wryten in scrypture as I haue in the thyrde boke more then playnely by the playne scrypture proued And besydes that vnlerned men are not able nor euery lerned man neyther surely to dyscerne and iudge the trewe sence of the scrypture in a greate thynge growen in debate and controuersye where playne textes of scrypture seme to speke for bothe the sydes And therfore it muste nedes be that there is by god prouyded and lefte some such suretye as maye brynge vs out of all suche perplexyte And that is as I haue sayde hys holy spyryte sent and lefte perpetually wyth hys chyrche to lede it so by hys owne promyse euer into all necessary trouth that who so here and byleue hys chyrche maye be sure that he can not be deceyued but that yf a false techer wold lede men out of the ryght fayth the chyrche of Cryste shall reproue hym and condempne hym and put the people in certentye For whyche cause saynt Poule sayth that the chyrche is the fyrme â—tablysshâ—mente and the pyller of trouth for the inuyolable suerty of doctryne And therfore that can neuer be no chyrche but a knowen chyrche But then sayth Tyndale that it is trewe that there is all suretye in the chyrche of Cryste But he sayth that the chyrchâ— of Cryste is onely the nomber of repentynge synners that haue the felynge fayth whyche hym selfe descrybeth Then we aske hym wherby shall a man knowe them and be sure of them so that he maye vse them for hys sure and vndoutable iudges bytwene the two contrary preachers of whyche the tone is trewe the tother false It maketh no mater sayth he though ye knowe them not How shall I then be putte in surety by them but yf I knowe that they be the chyrche wyth whom god promysed to leue hys holy spyryte and whom he wylled euery man to here and to obay ye shall perceyue it sayth he by that ye se they be good men and shewe the frewtes of fayth in theyr lyuynge I can not be therby sure syth an ypocryte maye fayne them And also hym selfe graunteth after in hys chapyter that they synne and yet synne not so that though they synne not bycause of theyr felynge fayth and theyr repentaunce folowynge yet they maye ryght often do synne in suche wyse that they maye do and in dede do many suche abomynable dedes as men be hanged for and worthy for myche lesse and suche that them selfe shulde for the same sauynge for theyr felynge fayth be dampned in hell perpetually from which none hystorycall fayth could kepe them as Tyndale sayth Now then yf he saye trewe it is impossyble for me to knowe the electe chyrche of felynge faythfull repentaunte synners to take the sure iudgement by Then yf he walke as it were in a mase and come to the fyrste poynte agayne and say it forcheth not for they shall be decerned by the scrypture it selfe that gappe haue I so stopped all redy that he shall stycke styll at a stake reste hys bones in y â— busshes ere euer he gete out there wherfore wheÌ„ he shall se hym self vnable to defend hys owne chosen vnknowen chyrche in y â— poynt in which it sholde specyally serue that is for y â— sure techyng of the trew fayth he shall then fynde none other shyft but to loke whyther he myght make the catholyke knowen chyrche to fall in the lyke defawte and shall aske vs how we do knowe the trew chyrch of Cryste by whose doctryne we maye be sure of the ryght bylyefe where vnto we shall answere that therin can no man be deceyued For it is the comon knowen chyrche of all crysten people not gone out nor caste oute Thys hole body bothe of good and badde is the catholyke chyrche of Cryste whyche is in thys worlde very sikelyâ— hath many sore meÌ„bres as hath somtyme the naturall body of a man and some sore astonyed and for a tyme colde and dede whyche yet catcheth hete and lyfe agayne yf it be not precyded and cut of from the body Thys catholyke knowen chyrch is that mystycall body be it neuer so syke whereof the pryncypall hed is Cryste Of whyche body whyther the successour of saynt Peter be his vycar generall and hed vnder hym as all crysten
nacyons haue now longe takeÌ„ hym is no parte of this questyoÌ„ For to this mater it is inough y â— thys body mystycall of Cryste this catholyk chirch is y â— body y â— is animated hath lyfe spyrytuall is enspyred with y e holy spyryt of god y t maketh theÌ„ of one fayth in the howse of god by ledyng theÌ„ in to the coÌ„sent of euery necessary trouth of reueled fayth be they in condycyoÌ„s maners neuer so syke as longe as they be coÌ„formable content in vnyte of fayth to cleue vnto y e body Of this chyrch can we not be deceyued nor of the ryght faith can we not be deceyued whyle we cleue to this chirch syth this chyrch is it in to which god hath gyueÌ„ his spyryt of fayth in this chirch both good bad ê“fesse one fayth For yf any professe the coÌ„trary fayth be it any one man or any one couÌ„trey they be controlled noted and repâ—ouâ—d by the hole body soone knowen from the body Now yf it happen any pryuy heretykes to lurke in this body yet all the whyle they agre with y â— body in open professioÌ„ of fayth teche no thyng coÌ„trary they can not begyle vs though they may by secrete heresyes of theyr hartes synfully deceyue them selfe And when they teche the coÌ„trary then are they as I say reproued opeÌ„ly by y e body eyther reformed cured or els cutte of fro the body and casten out therof So y t this chyrch is knowen well inough therfore maye be well vsed as a sure iudge for to decerne bytwene y â— trew doctrine the false and the trew precher false coÌ„cernyng the ryght fayth and the decernyng of the trew word of god wryteÌ„ of vnwryten from y e couÌ„terfete word of man and in the decernyng of y e ryght vnderstaÌ„dyng of the scrypture of god as farforth as of necessyte perteyneth vnto saluacyoÌ„ And this aduauÌ„tage y â— I speke of haue we by y â— that this chyrch is knoweÌ„ where as Tyndals chosen chyrch of repeÌ„tyng synners we can neuer know them but yf we se them walke in our chyrch in processyon with a candell byfore y â— crosse or stand before the pulpet with a fagot in theyr nekkes And yet can we not knw theÌ„ so neyther for they may seme repentauÌ„t openly and yet thynke in theyr hartes full shrewdely as they comeÌ„ly do Now wherby we shall be sure y t thys knoweÌ„ catholyke chyrch is y â— very trew chyrch y t is to be byleued that no man may be surely byleued y e agreeth not with the fayth of this chyrche all be it I haue both in my dyaloge in sondry places of my .iii. formar bokes of this psent worke well playnly ê“ued you yet shall I fynally before I fynysshe thys worke by such clere open markes tokens shew you wyth euydent reason playne scrypture furnysshed that no chylde shall after nede any thynge to dowte therof But now consyder in the meane whyle that Tyndals dyffynycyon or descrypcyon of the chyrch by whych he calleth it the nomber of all repentynge synners wyth all hys other coÌ„dycyons adioyned therunto is fyrst full of darkenesse And when it is opened â— it agreed neyther wyth one chyrch nor other And yet is it by another poynt of his own false doctryne vtterly destroyed For he techeth playnly that who so euer do after baptysme synne onys of purpose wyllyngly not onely of wekenes and infyrmyte he shall neuer be saued but all his repeÌ„tauÌ„ce after though he trust neuer so myche in god haue after neuer so sure fayth in hym shall neuer serue hym to saluacyoÌ„ but he shal be fynally dampned as I shall shew you forther after And then ye se playnly that his dyffynycyon of hys electe chyrch is by his owne doctryne destroyed For the elect chyrch can not be the noÌ„ber of all repentyng synners y â— truste to be saued in Crystes passyon yf some suche repentyng synners shall neuer be saued by hys passyon as Tyndale playnly lyeth And therfore syth he hath fayled of his dyffynycyon of the chyrche and therby loste and spylled all hys purpose lette vs now consyder whyther he handle any more wysely the remanaunt of hys goodly mater Tyndale Thys fayth haue they wythout all respecte of theyr owne deseruynges ye and for none other cause then that the mercyfull trewth of god the father whyche can not lye hath so promysed and so sworne More I dowte not good reders but ye remember well that all the doctryne of Crystes chyrche is full of warnynge that no man sholde put a prowde truste and confydence in hys owne wurkes nor onys thynke that he can of hym selfe alone without goddes gracious helpe do any good wurke at all and greate cause hath to fere and mystruste all hys owne workes for vnperfyte cyrcumstaunces seldom perceyued by hym selfe And also that in all that a man maye do he doth but hys onely dewtye and that the beste worke were noughte worth to heuenwarde of the nature of the worke yt selfe ne were it for the lyberall goodes of god y â— lysteth so hyghly to rewarde it and yet wolde not rewarde it so sauynge for the passyon of hys owne sonne All these thynges and many suche other mo be so dayly taught and preched in the chyrche that I truste in good fayth that almoste euery good olde wyfe can tell them And therfore it â—â—pereth well that Tyndale varyeth not wyth vs for so farre but that he meaneth a farre forther thynge where he sayth that the electe chyrche trusteth so vtterly to be forgeuyn all synne mocyons vnto synne wythout any respecte of theyr owne deseruyng playnely meaneth therin as in other places also he playnely declareth hym selfe whyche I haue in my formar bokes proued and reproued not onely that men shold not nede but also that it were synne to go about any good wurke wroughte wyth grace in fayth to deserue any thyng toward the gettynge of full and perfayt forgeuenes To thys poynte cometh Tyndals holy felynge fayth that feleth alwaye full forgyuenesse wythout any regard or respecte of mannys owne endeuourâ— deserue it Thys false felynge fayth hath Tyndale taken of Luther when he and all the rable of theyr secte saye that fayth of necessyte bryngeth forth good wurkes as the frute of the tree of faith And yet they say y e good wurkes be nought worth and therby make they y â— tre of fayth lytell better For what good tre can y t be wherof y e good frute is noughte worth But Tyndale and Luther bothe lye lowde in bothe the poyntes For bothe maye a man haue the ryght fayth idle and workelesse and therfore dede and frutelesse Dede I saye not in the nature and substaunce of bylyefe a fayth but dede as to the attaynyng of saluacyon And also good wurkes wrought in fayth hope and cheryte be very profytable towarde
no man take any boldenesse vppon Tyndales tale to thynke as he wolde haue hym that onely the thynge that Peter there confessed were inough now to byleue and that in all other thynges that the chyrch byleueth whyche Cryste and hys holy spyryte haue taught hys chyrch synnes were but thynges indyfferent no thyng forced whyther they were byleued or not Tyndale shall be constrayned to come to thys euyn by hys owne wordes all be it that he affermeth for faste and sure somewhat more then he maye make goodâ— For he sayth that Peter ment by his wordes we byleue that thou arte he that was promysed vnto Abraam sholde come and blesse vs and delyuer vs. And yet he sayth Peter wyste not by what meanes Cryste sholde delyuer vs. But nowe it is open he sayth thorow out all the worlde that thorow the offerynge of hys body and bloude Now yf Peter at that tyme knewe not the thynge that muste now nedes be byleued vppon payne of damnacion ye maye therby se that the fayth whyche Peter confessed then is not inough now for euery man to be saued by but we be bounden to the bylyefe also of such thynges as god hath reueled and made open to be byleued vnto hys chyrche any tyme synnes Or ellys muste Tyndale tell vs at what tyme god bade ho and gaue vs leue to byleue hym no ferther what so euer he wolde ferther saye to vs. Consyder yet also that Tyndale agreeth that the very trew crysten of hys electe vnknowen chyrche do byleue the artycle of the perpetuall vyrginyte of our lady as soon as they be taught it and knowledge theyr formar errour wherby he graunteth that he whyche doth not so is noâ—e of the electes Then saye I that theruppon it foloweth by hys owne wordes that the artycle of the perpetuall virginyte of our lady is a necessary artycle of our fayth And thus alwaye muste Tyndale vppon hys owne wordes confesse that all the artycles reueled ferther by Cryste vnto hys chyrche muste be byleued as fermely as the fayth taat was by Peter confessed or ellys we be not onely dyscharged of the bylyefe of our ladyes perpetuall vyrginyte whyche Tyndale is now yet broughte vnware to graunte for an artycle necessary syth it is now taught and knowen but also of the bylyefe of Crystes deth descencyon resurreccyon ascencyon and of the godhed of the holy goste wyth dyuerse other necessary poyntes mo But here it is to be consydered that saynte Peter in coÌ„fessynge Cryste to be the sonne of the lyuynge god dyd coÌ„fesse the very poynte wheruppon all the hole fayth hangeth For in that poynte alone he confesseth that all hys doctryne muste nedes be byleued for trew and all hys coÌ„maundementes fulfylled And theruppon it foloweth ferther that syth Tyndale wyll byleue no more of hys doctryne then he can fynde wryten in the scrypture where as the scrypture it selfe sayth that all was neuer wryten nor wyll not also byleue and obaye Crystes chyrch accordyng to Crystes commaundement nor wyll not so myche as knowe it but fondely frameth an vnknowen whom he for lacke of knowledge can neyther byleue nor obaye yt foloweth I saye that Tyndale byleueth no pece of the fayth that saynte Peter confessed And so he doth but pratle and prate of felynge fayth wythout the felynge of any fayth at all or any trewe bylyefe hystorycall or other And yet goth he forth in the boste of that artycle of the fayth whiche as hym selfe confesseth was out of Peter his confessyon For he sayth that saynt Peter was not ware of Crystes passyon when he made that confessyon Tyndale That offerynge of Crystes body and bloude is a satisfaccyon for the synne of all that repente and a purchasynge of what so euer they can aske to kepe them in fauour and that they synne no more More Treuth is it that the passyon of Cryste and offerynge vp of hym selfe vnto hys father vppon the crosse is a satysfaccyon for the synne of all that repente so that we repente a ryght and effectually by confessyon contrycyon and by penytencyall dedes reuengynge our synnes vppon our selfe wyth good workes of cheryte y e more largely encreaced towarde our neyghbours doynge frutefull penaunce bryngynge forth the frutes of penaunce and accordynge to the couÌ„sayle of saynt IohnÌ„ Baptyst not sleyght frutes symple and syngle but frutes good greate and worthy and yet not of them selfe worthy but suche as the satysfaccyon of Cryste maketh worthy wythout whyche we coude no thynge satysfye but wyth whyche we maye syth hys pleasure is that we so sholde and not so take his deth for so full satysfaccyon of all to gether that we sholde therfore be carelesse and slouthfull to do any penaunce our selfe for our owne synne Tyndale wyll saye to thys that he can be content that we sholde do good dedes but not by waye of penaunce for our synne and that we sholde somtyme fast and otherwyse afflycte our fleshe to the entent to tame our fleshe agaynst the synne to come but nothynge to punyshe it the more for any synne that is paste Now is thys teachynge of Tyndale myche lyke as thoughe he wolde aduyse vs be neuer the better bycause thou haste be noughte do neuer the better bycause thou haste done euyll runne neuer y â— faster forth in vertue bycause thou haste longe sytten styll in synne But saynt Poule agaynst Tyndals doctrine ran forth the faster bycause he began later and toke the more payne for the fayth bycause he had ben a persecutour of y â— fayth And though he neuer thought thus yf I hadde ben soner conuerted I wolde haue done lesse good yet had he thys mynde that bycause he began so late he wold do y â— more bycause he had ben bad he wolde be the better as hym self counsayleth other as ye haue exhybyted and gyuen your membres to serue vnclâ—nes and iniquyte from iniquite to iniquite so now agayne exhibyte and gyue your membres to serue ryghteousnes that ye maye be sanctyfyed Tyndale And Cryste answered vppon thys rocke I wyll byelde my congregacyon that is vppon thys fayth And agaynst the rocke of this fayth can no synne no hell no deuyll no lyes none errour preuayle â—or what so euer any man hath commytted yf he repente and come to thys rocke he is safe And that thys fayth is the onely waye by the whyche the chyrche goeth vnto god and vnto the enherytaunce of all hys rychesse testyfye all the apostles and prophetes and all the scrypture wyth sygnes and myracles and all the bloud of martyrs And who so euer go to god and to forgyuenesse of synnes or saluacyon by any other way then thys the same is an heretyke out of the ryghte waye and not of Crystes chyrche More Lo these wordes of Tyndale seme very gaye and gloryouse But when ye shall well examyne them as gaye as the hed glytereth wyth the pretexte of Crystes owne holy wordes yet shall
in a man yet he may that bylyefe styll staÌ„dyng fall in to many dedely synnes without any wrong opynâ—o taken agayst the ryght bylyefe now cometh Tyndale agreeth vnto that so y â— he I be therin agreed But than wolde he fayne saue his worshyp with sayeng nay therfore he denyeth that we be agreed For he sayth y t the thyng which I call the ryght fayth is not the ryghte fayth For though a man byleue â—ayth he neuer so ryght without any wronge opynioÌ„ in any artycle of the fayth yet but yf he haue trewe trust full vndowted hope in god cheryte therwith also which sayth he must nedes ensew therupon els hath he no ryghte fayth And so Tyndale auoydeth me not with any prouynge that abomynacyon and synne can not stande wyth the thynge that is in dede a ryghte fayth but that abomynable synne can not stande with the thynge whych hym selfe calleth the ryght fayth bycause it pleaseth not hym to call a ryght fayth that bylyefe that is right inough and hath none artycle wronge therin for as farforth as perteyneth to the nature of onely fayth but yf it be both fayth and hope and cheryte to wherin amonge all lerned men that here vs bothe and se hys sotle shyfte he wynneth so mych worshyp therby that he maye surely be mych ashamed therof as often as he thynketh therof But marke well good reder that he coÌ„meth forth after and sayth that hym selfe and suche other hys holy companyons the trewe membres of theyr electe chyrch as haue y â— ryght fayth and the felynge fayth to that is to wytte after hys owne doctryne full fayth full hope and cheryte bothe so surely that it can neuer fall from theym maye yet for all theyr ryght fayth fall into abomynable synfull dedes vpoÌ„ great occasyons brekyng out of the frute of the synne that remayneth in theyr synfull membres and maye for a space perseuer in those horryble synfull dedes and yet all that whyle theyr ryght fayth doth contynue and theyr abomynable synfull dedes to gyder And so by Tindale hym selfe all abomynacyon and synne maye stande to gyther wyth the ryght fayth that is not onely wyth the ryght bylyefe alone as I affermed but wyth the ryght bylyefe wyth good hope cheryte to as Tyndale sayth whyche I say is playnely false For surely the thynne sotelty therof my groce wytte can in no wyse perceyue And thus good chrysten reders for conclusyon ye now clerely se to what folysshe conclusyon he hath brought hym selfe in conclusyon and all thys chapyter of his with his royall rydle of synnynge and not synnynge is royally ronne to ryghte nought How â— chrysten man can not erre and how he may yet erre Tyndale ANd as they synne not so they erre not And on the tother syde as they synne so they erre but neuer vnto deth and damnacyon For they neuer synne of purpose nor holde any errour malycyously synnynge agaynste the holy goost but of weakenes and infyrmitye As good obedyent chyldren though they loue theyr faders commaundementes yet breke them ofte by the reason of theyr weakenes And as they can not yelde them selues bond vnto synne to serue it euyn so they can not erre in any thynge that sholde be agaynste the promyses whiche are in Chryste And in other thynges theyr errours be not vnto dampnacyon though they be neuer so greate bycause they holde them not malycyously More I Shall good chrysten readers make no longe worke aboute thys chapyter For syth the hole somme therof is as ye se no thynge ellys in effecte but that the trew membres of Tyndals electe chyrche do ofteÌ„ erre and yet neuer erre euyn in lyke maner as they often or rather alwaye synne and yet neuer synne whyche hys manyfolde folyshe heresyes in euer synnynge and neuer synnynge I haue many maner wyse playnely refelled and confuted in the chapyter nexte before I maye therfore wyll â—ake a great dele the lesse laboure and busynesse in thys I wyll therfore but put you in remembraunce that all hys mater standeth onely in thys that hys trewe membres of hys electe chyrche after that they haue onys goten the trewe fayth that saynt Peter confessed vnderstandyng the same in suche erronyous wyse as Luther and Tyndale teche them wyth many playne pestylent heresyes therin as I haue before openly and clerely declared you and when that they haue onys attayned that fayth not wyth an hystorycall maner as a man maye beleue a story but wyth a felyng fasshyon as the chyld byleueth that the fyre is hote bycause he hath burned hys fynger as Tyndale wyll tell you in a nother chapyter after who so sayth he hath onys in suche a fasshyon attayned and goten that fayth that is to wytte who so euer is ones enfect with â—hose heresyes in such a fast felyng fashyon can neuer after erre daÌ„pnably And why For two causes sayth Tyndale One bycause y â— lyke as they can not synne of purpose but of weykenesse infyrmyte so can he neuer erre in any thynge at all y t shuld be agaynst the promyses that are in Chryste A nother cause is bycause what other errour so euer such a trew faythfull electe meÌ„ber of his electe chyrch happen to falle into so that it be not agaynst the promyses that are in Chryst can not be daÌ„pnable be it neuer so grete all though the trueth that is contrary to that errour be wryten sayth Tyndale euyn in the very gospell it selfe And why can it be no dedely synne bycause sayth Tindale that an elected men ber of his can not holde it malycyously So that by this ye maye clerely se that Tyndale affermeth techeth for a treuth that in all other thinges bysyde the promyses a trewe member of hys electe chyrche maye somtyme erre but neuer malycyously and that is to wytte neuer but of weykenesse and furmentye as hym selfe hath often all redy declared And therfore they can not in any suche thynge synne dedely nor dampnably be the thynge neuer so greate and also wryten in the very gospell as he sayth after to By thys also ye may clerely se that concernyng the promyses that are in Chryst he sayth that a trew member can not erre at all neyther malycyously nor of fraylte For syth he graunteth errour of infyrmyte in other thynges onely that towch not the promyses ye may clerely perceyue that concernynge the promyses he holdeth that a trew meÌ„ber of his electe chyrch can not erre at all in any maner of wyse neyther of malyce nor purpose nor fraylte nor weykenes nor infyrimte So y t as he putteth iÌ„ all other poyntes onely malycyouse errour to be dedely synne daÌ„pnable so putteth he concernyng the promyses euery maner of errour to be dedely synne and daÌ„pnable be it of purpose and malice or of infyrmyte fraylte or weykenes and for that cause a trew member of his electe chyrche can neuer fall therin For yf he ment
aures tu habes aures ergo tu es asinus meus Myne asse hath eares and thou hast eares ergo thou arte my aâ—se Fyrste I suppose y â— Tyndale wyll hym selfe agre what so euer he sayth here that suche rebukynge at whyche hys electe persone shall alwaye so soone repente and retourne hadde nede to come after the rage passedâ— as hym self sayth that when the rage is paste he shall repente For yf suche a rebuker come whyle the rage is on hym whyle the man is forwarde vppon hys vyage and as Tyndale sayth vpon hys greate occasyons caryed forth wyth concupyscence thorow the frute of the synne that breketh out of hys membres the rebuker may fortune at that tyme to speke twyse ere he go backe agayne wyth hym ye and what so euer Tyndale say when the great â—â—ge is passed to yet is there many a man in heuen that hath after baptysme fallen full often to synne and not repented alway at the fyrst rebuke but not withstandyng many rebukynges mych callynge vppon bothe by theyr frendes and good gostely fathers haâ—e yet lyen lâ—nge thâ—â—in and 〈◊〉 all that haue aâ—ter ameÌ„ded and proâ—ed full veâ—tuouâ—e men and elles gâ—d forbede And thys poynt is so open and euydent not onely in scrypture but â—lso at euery maâ—nes eye that I nothynge fere but that euery wyse man wyll in thys poynte take Tyndals â—alâ— for a very false inuented foly Aâ—â— then syth he makâ—th thys poynt the groâ—â—de of the totherâ— that is to wytte that euery electe persâ—â— shallâ— in lyke wyse at the fyrste techyng as soone as he is better taught repente euery errour that he holdeth it shall well folowe that the seconde is as false and as folysshe as the fyrst and so is it in very dede For it maye be full well that a ryght good man maye be mysse ledde by suche as Tyndale is thorow such folkes false perswasyons maye fall in errours and heresyes mo then one not onely besyde the promyses but also in the promyses to extendynge some to farre and cuttynge some to shorte as Luther Huyskyn and Tyndale do And theyr vntrewe doctryne maye be so depe entred and roted in the good symple soule that when he is by better men better taught he shall not repent hys errours at the fyrste nor at the seconde tyme neyther but defende them many a tyme ofte and yet shall at length wyth helpe of goddes grace applye hys wyll rather indyffereÌ„tly to perceyue the treuth then frowardly to stycke styll in heresye so shall fall in to y e ryght way agayn and very clerely se that those blynde heretykes had ledde hym in darkenes before For ellys yf Tyndale sayd trew that euery elect person wolde be reformed at the fyrste it muste folow that who so euer dyd not when he were better taught retourne and be reformed at the fyrste wâ—re a fynall reprobate and sholde neuer be saued And then were it vayne to talke wyth hym ofter then onys yf he wold not tourne at the fyrst as soone as he were onys well taught For by Tyndals tale he y â— is electe shall by and by aâ—sent vnto the trouth as soone as it is tolde hym and forthwyth repent hys errour If the olde holy doctours and sayntes had ben of Tyndals mynde they sholde haue lefte in heresye many a man whom they coulde not conueâ—te at the fyrste and yet conuerted them after very well And truely yf saynt Ambrose had taken it for an vndowted token of inuyncyble malyce in heresye when so euer hym selfe was not at the fyrst techynge byleued and obayed it is very lykely that he neuer sholde haue câ—â—uerted saynt Aâ—stayne to the treuth from mo erroâ—â—s then one For thâ—ugh saynt Poule counsayle Titus that y e man why cheâ—erâ— an â—â—retyke he sholde after one warnynge or twaynâ— eâ—â—â—weâ— yâ—t ment he not to forbyd hym the oftener callynge vpâ—n hym after wyth good holsome couÌ„sayle For as â—aynt Chrysosthâ—m sayth yf the deuyll do not dyspayre to turne a man at last from god vnto hym selfe though he myste hys purpose oftentymes before and that so farforth that he letted not to aâ—say Iob agayne agayne for all the pacyence that he founde in hym and all y â— prayse also that god gaue hym hym selfe it were a great shame yf a good man sholde dyspayre to conuerte a synner from the deuill to god bycause he can not bringe it to passe at onys And yet by Tyndals doctryne yf a synner dyd not repente at the fyrste rebukynge and he that were in errour leue his errour at the fyrst trewe techyng we muste nedes perceyue therby that he were none electe and consequently that he were a playne reprobate that fynally sholde be dampned what so euer were sayd or done vnto hym and that it were therfore in vayne to go any more aboute to tourne hym agayne to god but lâ—ue hym styll to the deuyll were not thys wene you good reders a godly wyse waye I dare boldely saye that Tyndale hym selfe yf he shold mete wyth a man of the trewe catholyke fayth and sholde fynde hym fasâ—e therin when he wolde teche hym hys heresyes though he coulde not at the fyrste techynge nor at the seconde neyther brynge hym from the trouth yet wolde he not leue hym so by hys wyll but wolde assaye hym ofter and prece vpon hym styll not without hope to wynne hym and begyle hym at the laste Now saye I then to Tyndale that hys hope of the mannes chaunge to hys secte eyther bycause hym selfe shall in the laborynge of hym to drawe hym to it playe the deuyls parte and thynke that though an electe shall turne from euyll to good alway at the fyrste mocyon and that therfore yf he turne not at the fyrste it is in vayn to go any more about hym yet a reprobate though he turne not from hys present good state vnto synne at the fyrste shall turne after well inough and therfore he wyll laboure hym styll to his secte And then in thynkyng thus Tyndale taketh y â— catholyke fayth for good and his owne secte for nought Or elles yf he take the catholyke fayth for false from whyche he gâ—th about to gete the man and hys owne secte for good to whyche he labâ—reth to brynge hym then I saye that syth he wyll not leue of when hys doctryne is resysted at the fyrste he condemâ—neth playâ—ely the hole tale that he telleth here For yf euery peâ—son electe shall as he sayth here repente hys errour alwayâ— at y â— fyrst as soone as he is taught the treuth then thâ—s man that at the fyrste after the treuth onys taughte hym by Tyndale dyd for all that resyste it made Tyndale surely to knowe that he was none of the electes and that he therfore was a reprobate of god that fynylly sholde be dampned with the deuyll so shold Tyndale lese no more labour about hym And thys were thus after Tyndale though
the maÌ„nes errour were but in suche artycles as be no promyses For yf it were in any of the promyses that Tyndale shold fynd a man after baptisme byleue as y e chyrch byleueth agaynst the heresyes that he byleueth that is to wytte byleuynge agaynste Tyndale that goddes promyse of saluacyon in the blode of Chryste doth not quyte put awaye shryfte and all penytencyall workes towarde satysfaccyon and all punysshement for any synne repented to be sustayned eyther in thys worlde or purgatory but that so to byleue truste in goddes promyse is a dampnable erroure agaynste goddes promyse yf Tindale I say fynde such a man he shold by hys owne tale here perceyue that man forthwith for a desperate heretyke bycause that yf hym selfe saye trewe that none electe person can after hys baptysme euer fall in to any errour concernynge any of the promyses then shold hym selfe knowe that he whom he founde in that errour coÌ„cernynge goddes promyseâ— were a fynall reprobate then sholde let hym alone and lese no labour in turnyng of hym And sauyng my cheryte I beshrewe hym hartely that he dothe not so But thus good Chrysten reders ye maye well perceyue that there is no treuth in Tyndals tale And that the profe of all hys hole conclusyoÌ„ in thys chapyter that none electe can fall into any errour agaynste the promyses and that all other artycles they â—epente theyr errours as soone as they bâ— taught the tâ—â—uthâ— and that they repente all theyr other synnes as â—oone as they be rebuked hangeth all by the mone shyne And that neyther of both hys heresyes towarde the profe wherof he wolde make thys conclusyon serue 〈◊〉 whyâ—h two the tone is that none electe person can after hys baptysme synne of purpose nor wyllyngly and yeâ—other that necessaryly dependeth theruppon that who so euer after baptysme breke any of goddes coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes wyllyngly and of purpose shall neuer after be saued can take here none anâ—â—e holde at all But as they be bothe twayne by the blast of the deuyls mouth bloweÌ„ out abrode agaynste the stronge rockes of Chrystes catholyke chyrch and the myghty magesty of god so be they bothe twayne there fallen to wrake and shatered all to fytters yet for bycause that Tyndale in suche thynges as be no promyses in all whyche thynges he sayth be they neuer so greate the electe maye erre and dye in that errour for lacke of good techynge and yet neuer be dampned therfore bycause they hurte not the redempcyon that is in Chrystes blode bycause Tyndale I saye for hys ensample of suche kynde of thynges as be no promyses putteth y â— perpetuall vyrginyte of our lady it is good to coÌ„syder in what maner he handeleth it Tyndale If some of them that is to wytte the trew membres of the electe chyrche when they rede in the new testament of Chrystes bretâ—eâ—â—e wolde thynke that they were our ladyes chyldren after the byrth of Chryst bycause they knowe not the vse of the spekyâ—ge of the scrypture or of the Hebrues how that nygh kynnesmen be called bretherâ—e or happely they myghte be Iosephes chyldrenâ— by some fyrste wyfe neyther can haue any to teache hym for Tyranny that is so greate yet coude it not hurte hym thowgh he dyed therin bycause it hurteth not the redempcyon that is in Chrystes blood More Consyder good reder how many thynges here falle vppon Tyndals hedde at onys by hys owne fond handelyng of thys ensample Fyrste it is foly for hym to put that for tyranny nowe any man sholde lacke techynge that those chyldren were not borne of our ladyes body syth that artycle is as well comenly knowen as any of y â— promyses and as longe hath ben knowen and as fully and as comenly byleued thorow Chrystendome as any other artycle of the chrysten fayth And none artycle is there almost in the chrysteÌ„ fayth which hath not had mo heretykes agaynste it then this artycle of our ladyes perpetuall vyrginyte so that it is now so well knowen and that solucyon also of nygh kynâ—ed called bretherne amonge the Hebrews that Tyndale neuer neded to cumber hys boke therwith Bysydes this hym selfe his owne doctryne destroyeth hys owne solucyon For he sayth that we be bounden to byleue none artycle but yf it be proued by playne scrypture Now though he teche now the trew members of hys electe chyrche the thynge that euery chylde can tell all redy that amonge the Hebreus the nere kynnesmen were called bretherne what hath he taught theÌ„ therby any other thinge then that the scrypture doth not proue y t our lady had euer any mo chyldren then Chryst. He doth not yet by the scrypture teche his trew membres to perceyue y t she had no mo but onely that the scrypture sayth not playne the contrary But then doth he by hys owne rule bysyde teche them that they maye byleue at theyr lybertye yf they lyst that she had mo chyldren in dede And ferthermore he techeth them that they shold in no wyse take it for any sure article of theyr by lyefe that she was a perpetuall vyrgyn and neuer had mo chyldren after Chryst. Thys poynt he techeth playnely after his maister Luther as ye haue herd all redy thorow out his hole tytle wherin he laboreth to proue that y e apostles haue lefte nothyng vnwryten the bylyefe wherof were necessary to saluacyoÌ„ whych false assercyon of his I haue in dyuers places of my formar bokes clerely coÌ„futed in the ende of my thyrd boke haue answered and auoyded all his hole chapyter therof But now syth in thys present place Tyndale hym selfe graunteth that the cause why an electe person shall be saued though he happen to erre thynke y t our lady was not a perpetuall vyrgyn is bycause that he shall repente that errour when he is taughte the contrary playne it is to any man y t hym selfe therin coÌ„fesseth now y t it is a necessary artycle for saluacyon that to euery man at the leste wyse to whom it is opened taught syth the cause of his saluacyon whyche before byleued the contrary is by Tyndale hym selfe the repentyng of hys formar errour Now then it is so that Tyndale doth in sundry places confesse agre that thys poynt can not be proued by playn and euydente scrypture Ergo he confesseth here playnely the coÌ„trary of that he so fastely before hath affermed whyle he taught that there is no thyng to be byleued for a suerty but yf it be proued by playne and euydent scrypture and that the apostles haue lefte no thynge vnwryten whyche men are bounden to byleue vppon payne of dampnacyon Thys doctryne of hys mayster and his owne hath he as ye now se by hys owne handelyng of this mater here vtterly destroyed and dampned Now yf he wyll happely for shame laboure to seke some shyfte and saye that he meaneth no more but to put thys dyfference bytwene the artycles of the fayth in the promyses and all
other artycles that none errour in any of the other is dampnable tyll the man that mysse byleueth be better taughte the trouth and that then he is bounden to byleue them whyther they be in scrypture or not but in the bylyefe of the promyses euery errour and ignoraunce also is dampnable ere euer they be taught For no man shal be saued but yf he be taught them and haue the faythfull bylyefe of them thus muste Tyndale nedys saye for aught that I can se or ellys muste he coÌ„fesse that one pece of his doctryne playnely destroyeth a nother coÌ„cernyng his dyfference bytwene the promyses and other artycles But yet abedeth styll agaynste hym that syth he confesseth the perpetuall vyrginyte of our lady to be now that it is taught necessary to be byleued whiche is not wryten in scrypture styll I say standeth it styffely agaynst hym that he hath destroyed all his pryncypall grounde where about his mayster hym self haue taken so great labour to make men wene that nothyng was necessaryly to be byleued but yf it were euydentely wryten in holy scrypture But now concernynge his dyfference bytwene the necessyte of the bylyefe of the promyses and the bylyefe of the other artycles we shall tell hym y â— it wylbe peraduenture hard for hym to proue his sayenge trew specyally takyng the promyses as hym selfe taketh them For in the begynnyng vpon the fyrst prechyng of saynt Peter when there were so many so sodaynly chrystened therupon wherby can Tyndale proue y t all they were fully taught y â— fayth of the promyses before they were baptysed or that none dyed ere euer they were taught any ferther or that yf they dyed forthwith vpon theyr baptysme that then theyr chrysteÌ„dome stode theym not in stede for lacke of ferther instruccyoÌ„ of the promyses Concernyng which I dare be bolde to say that they were neuer taught the doctryne y â— Tyndale calleth so necessary y â— he techeth the lacke of that fayth in the promise to be dampnable For they were I say neuer taught y â— they must byleue that y â— promyse shold saue them gete theÌ„ of all theyr synnes at any tyme after theyr baptysme coÌ„mytted at theyr bare repentauÌ„ce alway full remyssyoÌ„ of synne payn all in purgatory or in this world eyther and without any regarde of any good wurke at all or of any purpose therof other then bare repentaunce and fayth in the promyses I dare well saye they dyed all that were thâ—â— baptysed ere euer they herde any thynge of this poynt â—f fayth in the promyses whych was neuer thought vpon by saynt Peter nor any of hys felowes then nor yet no man elles tyll it was deuysed by the deuyll put forth by heretykes wheÌ„ cheryte waxed cold many a wynter after If Tyndale make vs many questyons of them y â— were so sodaynly chrystened so many at onys in the begynnyng we wyll yet be bolde to tell hym y â— many chyldren dye now soone after y t they come from chrystenyng ere euer they be weshed out of y â— chrysome of which I suppose y t some were neuer taught fully the fayth of the promyses ere they dyed If he say to thys that though they were not taughte it actually yet by the gyfte of god in the sacrament it is taught and infunded into theyr soules habytually then wyll we aske hym wherby he proueth then hys dyfference bytwen the fayth of the promyses and of the other articles but yf he proue vs that onely the fayth of the promyses is infused and of the other artycles not whych when he proueth you byleue hym and in the meane whyle byleue that hys euasyon is not worth a fly If he wyll say that the chyldren baptysed and so forthwyth departynge haue no fayth at all but be saued onely by the fayth of theyr frendes and by that our lorde hath receyued them to the sacrament of baptysme and by the sacrament of baptysme hath receyued them to grace glory without any fayth of theyr owne then gyueth he to the sacrament agaynste all hys other doctryne a great effycacite of grace and maketh it not onely a sygne And yet graunteth he then bysyde the thynge that he denyeth that is to wytte that some maye be saued beynge ignorauÌ„t not onely of some of the promyses but also of them all Besydes thys yf we wolde graunte hym the thynge that he can neuer proue yet were he neuer the nere For though it were trewe that wythout bylyefe of all the promyses no man myghte be saued but that the bare ignoraunce of any of them were dampnable and that the ignoraunce of any other artycle were not dampnable nor the contrary bylyefe tyll they were opened and taughte yet syth men were as Tyndale hath here confessed bounden vpon payne of dampnacyon to byleue the perpetuall vâ—rginite of our lady and to repente theyr formaâ— errour to the contrary as soone as they be taughte it notwythstandyng that it can not be proued by playne and euydent scrypture then muste Tyndale graunte that it is lyke wyse of euery other lyke artycle that is to saye of euery artycle whych is trewe and muste be byleued when it is taught bysyde the promyses though it can not be proued by scrypture no more then the artycle of y â— perpetuall vyrginite of our lady Then aske we Tindale how knoweth he those artycles whych be necessary artycles of the fayth of which artycles the contrary bylyefe were dampnable after the trouth of those artycles taught the same artycles not beynge wryteÌ„ in scrypture Doth Tyndale knowe them by any other meane then by the chyrche syth they be not taught hym by scrypture For it were harde that he sholde in such a mater byleue y â— authoryte of any one man but yf that eyther god byd hym byleue hym or that for lacke of scripture he proue the trouth of hys doctryne by myracle or by myracle proue hym selfe to be appoynted by god to teche hym by reason wherof he myghte be â—yleued though he proue not euery partyculare poynt of hys doctryne by a seuerall myracle excepte as great or greater myracles be done or haue bâ—ne done by some y t techeth or hath taught y â— coÌ„trary In which ê‘plexite god wyll eyther neuer brynge vs or neuer leue vs. Therfore conclude I that Tyndale must nedes grauÌ„t that he knoweth not those articles but by the chyrch which chyrche hath proued it selfe by myllions of myracles and which chyrche god byddeth hym byleue and sayth he wyll dwell therwyth alwayes and sende hys spyryt to teche and enforme it and lede it into euery trowth Of thys chyrch therfore must Tyndale lerne those artycles or els can not be bounden to byleue them to repente hys formaâ— errours to the contrary but yf he say that hym selfe haue them by specyall reuelacyon of god pryuately shewed vnto hym selfe And then yf he saye so he muste eyther byleue
them alone or elles yf he wyll be byleued in them haue other men byleue them with hym then muste he proue vs them by scrypture or myracle And syth I dare answere for hym that in suche artycles he lacketh those two there is no remedy for hym but he must nedes confesse that he is taughte the suerty of those artycles and lerneth whyche they be onely by the chyrche of Chryste Then aske we Tyndale forther whyche is that chyrche of Chryste by whyche he is taught to know those necessary artycles from all other the bylyefe wherof is not necessary to saluacyon He can not saye that he lerned it of any vnknowen chyrche for no suche company can he knowe for the chyrche but he muste nedes confesse that he lerneth to knowe those artycles by the knowen chyrche And then by whych knowen chyrche let hym name any whych he wyll excepte the knowen catholyke chyrch whyche hym selfe impugneth and he shall name a company of no credence in that poynt For by hys owne agremente they muste lacke scrypture for those artycles for of such artycles we speke and they haue no myracles wherfore fynally when he hath all done thys artycle alone of the perpetuall vyrginyte of our lady the coÌ„trary errour wherof after y e trouth taught hym selfe confesseth to be dampnable dreueth hym of very fyne force to confesse that the chyrch by whych he knoweth the vndowted treuth of thys artycle syth he knoweth it not by playne and euydeÌ„t scrypture is not his owne secrete vnknowen chyrche of elecâ—es whych as ye se hym selfe can not yet well descrybe vs udr any knowen chyrche of heretykes but the very comen knowen catholike chyrch which hym selfe goth all thys whyle aboute to impugne and destroye In whyche onely chyrche Chryste hath promysed to dwell and abyde to teche it euery necessary treuth vnto the ende of the worlde vnto the onely fayth of which chyrch he hath promysed and gâ—uen the gyfte of wurkyng myracles whyche myracles â—yth we clerely se perseuer and contynue in thys chyrche onely we maye clerely therby se that thys chyrche onely is that chyrche also to whyche onely the tother promyse of the holy gostes perpetuall resydence and inspyracyon was made To thys poynte is Tyndale now good chrysten râ—der dreuen of necessyte but yf he wyll saye that thys hole multytude of y â— knowen catholyke chyrch is not the very chyrche but onely the good men electes y â— be within the same Now yf he wene to escape out so he shall be soone set in For then at the leste wyse he knowledgeth that there are no good men out of thys chyrch nor no man hath any trew sure fayth but it be lerned of thys chyrche or of some membres of the same And then syth hym selfe and hys felowes be out of thys chyrche both wylfully fyrst departed out after worthly cast out them selfe be none of them of whom the trouth can be lerned Also to say y t he therin byleueth onely the good men of the knoweÌ„ chyrche that thyng hath hym self made impossyble to serue hym for they be by hym the onely electes whych may by hys own doctryne though they can do no dedely synne do horryble dedes yet and so seme very nought And in thys comon knowen chyrch the comon knowen fayth or bylyefe is all one bothe wyth the good and the badde though the lyuynge be dyuerse If Tyndale dare denye that lette hym loke in the workes of saynt Austayne saynt Hierom saynt Cypryane saynt Ambrose saynt Basyle saynt Gregorye saynt Chrysostome all the other olde holy doctours and sayntes of euery tyme thys fyftene hundred yere and he shall not for very shame saye nay but that agaynste Luther hym those holy sayntes had the same fayth that y e comon catholyke lay people haue yet vnto thys daye as for ensample that it is an horryble abomynacyon that any monke or frere sholde wedde a nonne wherin yf Tyndale dare say that I lye let Tyndale as I haue often sayd brynge forth of all the olde holy sayntes some one that sayde the contrary whyche I am very sure he can not So that fynally Tyndale is comen agayn to the same poynt that he must in fayth and bylyefe of such artycles byleue the comon consent of the hole chyrche and not take hys doctryne of any one man or any few that wolde in fayth vary swarue and fall from the comon fayth of the hole catholyke chyrche not though there fell awaye parcell mele so many that they lefte the chyrche for the fewer parte For god shall for the knowledge of hys trewe chyrche euer more amonge many other thynges specyally prouyde twayne One that they whyche departe out therof shall neuer agre to gether in one bylyefe Another that y â— lyghte of myracles shall neuer shyne amonge any of theyr chyrches but onely in hys olde trewe catholyke chyrche remaynynge And therin shall they styll contynue wythout any wonders wroughte in any of the false couÌ„terfeted chyrches of heretykes vntyll that Antychryste shall come hym selfe whyche as helpe me god I very greately fere is now very nere at hande But when he is ones comen our lorde be thanked he shall not very longe endure ere Chryste shall hym selfe wyth the blaste of hys blessed mouth blowe that prowde beste to noughte Now good Chrysten reder syth it is proued playnely vpon Tyndals owne handelynge of thys artycle of our ladyes perpetuall virgynite that Tyndale coude not haue lerned y â— trouth of that artycle of any man but yf he lerned it by credence gyuen to the comon knowen chyrche whych he wyll not knowe for the very chyrche but impugneth it and syth hym selfe grauÌ„teth also that the contrary erroure of that artycle is dampnable after the trouth taughte for as mych as hys owne elected persons that so haue erred before can not be after saued but by repeÌ„tauÌ„ce of that errour he muste nedes confesse also that of all other lyke artycles whyche come in questyon are not in the scrypture eyther spoken of at all or not playn euydentely proued the sure trouth and certeyntye can not be had by no man but it be fyrste comenly lerned of the same chyrche by credence gyueÌ„ therunto for the truste of Chrystes promyse made therto that hym selfe and hys holy spyryte wolde for euer be resydent therin and teche it euery necessary trouthe that is to wytte euery trouth to the bylyefe wherof he wolde haue hys people bounden Now foloweth it forther good chrysteÌ„ reder vpon this that Tyndale is in thys mater so caught in a nette of hys owne makyng y t he must eyther lye tomblyng styll therin lyke a fole and the more he stryueth therwyth the more all waye meshe and entangle hym self faster and faster therin or wysely gyue vp hys heresyes and renounce hys formar errours and from hensforth vtterly knowlege confesse that agaynste hys hole purpose he is
vpon hys owne wordes clerely conuynced concluded not onely that the very chyrche is the comon knowen chyrche whyche hytherto he hath denyed and styffely stryueth agaynst but also that in the sacramentes vowes fayth and good wurkes and fynally euery thynge wherin the catholyke knowen chyâ—che and hym selfe haue bene at varyaunce he muste lerne the trouth of the same chyrche and therin byleue that chyrche gyue credence therunto whyche yf he do not endeuour hym selfe to do but resyste theyr doctryne god whych hath commaunded hym to byleue and obay the chyrch shall neuer worke wyth hym towarde the bylyefe And thus good chrysten reders for the fynall conclusyoÌ„ of thys chapyter here ye maye playnely se that I myghte well yf I wolde wyth thys same chapyter make an ende of all the hole mater For ye well remeÌ„ber that all our mater in this boke is bytwene Tyndale and me no thynge ellys in effecte but to fynde out whyche chyrche is the very chyrche For syth he seeth hym selfe playnely bounden to gyue credence to that chyrche whych so euer be it he therfore in all hys boke bryngeth it in to darkenes laboreth to make it vnknoweÌ„ bycause he wold not by the knowlege therof haue hys heresyes knowen and reproued And now ye se that as our lady wolde by hys folysshe handelynge of the artycle of her perpetuall vyrgynyte he is quyte ouerthrowen and hath it playnely proued vnto hym vpon hys owne wordes that the very chyrche is none other but thys that he denyeth that is to wytte the comon knowen catholyke people clergy lay folke and all whych what so euer theyr lyuynge be amonge whom vndowtedly there arâ— of bothe sortes many ryght good and vertuouse do stande to gether and agre in the confessyon of one trew catholyke fayth wyth all olde holy doctours and sayntes and good chrysten people bysyde that are all redy passed thys fyftene hundred yere byfore agaynste Arrius Otho Lambert Luther and wyclyffe zuinglius Huten Huâ—se and Tyndale all the rable of such erronious heretykes And therfore as I say sauynge that I wyll go ferther to shew you som what of hys ferther foly ellys myghte I well euyn here bothe ende thys present chapyter and also thys hole worke wherin with a few of hys owne wyse wordes Tyndale hath confounded hym selfe and stroyed all hys hole mater For as towchyng hys accustumable raylynge in y â— ende of hys chapyter wyth whyche he wolde seme to touche the catholyke chyrche it is all so clene agaynste hym selfe and so clerely describeth and depeynteth hym selfe and his own felowes that yf we wolde laboure sore to fynde oute what euyll we myght say by theÌ„ we coulde fynde no better thyng to put vs in remembrauÌ„ce of euery poynt of theyr myscheuouse maters than Tyndals owne wordes that he wryteth here hym selfe Lo thus he sayth Tyndale But they whyche malicyously mayntayne opynyons agaynste the scrypture Here shold he say as for ensample they that mayntayne that frerys maye wedde nonnes or that that can not be proued byscrypture One of these thynges is as ye haue herd y â— perpetuall vyrginite of our lady which hym selfe hath coÌ„fessed in this same chapyter that the trew membres of his electe chyrch must nedes byleue after that they be ones taught it And then yf them selfe be bounden to byleue it they be bounden to stande therby mayntayne it And so speketh Tyndale clere agaynst hym selfe or suche as maketh no mater vnto the scripture He meneth such thynges as were not of necessyte requysyte to be wryteÌ„ in scrypture and therfore he wryteth lyke hym selfe For there is not one article of the fayth y â— of necessyte neded to be wryteÌ„ but that god coulde both haue taught them kepte them without wrytyng As he hath taughte kepte some as for ensample y â— ê‘petuall virginite of our lady which Tyndale hath both denyed confessed denyed agayne woteth neuer where to hold him y â— deuyl so troubleth his braynes and to saluacyon that is in Chryste whyther they be trew or no The chyrche hath none suche as make no mater to saluacyon For euery thyng that god wyll haue byleued pertayneth to saluacyon syth the contrary bylyefe is dysobedyence to god that so taughte it hys chyrch bycause he wolde haue it byleued And y â— the perpetuall virginite of our lady is of such sorte Tyndale hath hym selfe openly playnely agreed yet wold he now secretely stele backe agayn Not wyttyngly peraduenture but y t the deuyl pulleth hym backe by his cote skyrte vnware and for the blynd zele of them make sectes brekyng the vnyte of Chrystes chyrche for whose sake they oughte to suffer all thynges and rese agaynste theyr neyghbours whom they â—ught to loue as them selues to sle them suche men I saye are fallen from Chryst and make an idole of theyr opinions For except they put truste in suche opinions and thought them necessary vnto saluacyon or wyth a cancred conscience went about to disceyue for some fylthy purpose thâ—y wolde neuer breke the vnyte of fayth or ye sle theyr bretherne Now good reder coÌ„syder who make sectes y â— is to saye sondry partes dyuisioÌ„s breketh the vnite of Christes chyrch whyther the catholyke chyrch y t was agreed all of our mynde byleuyng purgatory the equall godhed of Chryste wyth hys father and the holy goste and the blessed body and blode of Chryst in the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter all the other holy sacramentes the perpetuall virginite of our lady prayed vnto her and other holy sayntes dyd reuerence to theyr relykes images kept holy dayes and fastyng dayes and byleued all very faste fermely y t is was abomynable sacrylege for a frere to wedde a nonne In all these thynges and many other good thynges mo were all good chrysteÌ„ peple agreed in one by the spyryte of god without any varyauÌ„ce as appereth playnely bothe by the olde coÌ„tynued bokes of sâ—ruyce vsed in the chyrches thorow chrystendom by the bokes of y â— old holy doctours saintes iÌ„ euery age of tyme sauyng onely when such heretykes as Arrius wycliffe Luther Lambert Huyskyn Husse Tyndale and such other lyke here there some in one tyme some in another and the very wurst in our tyme haue ben by y â— deuyll styred vp to stroye y â— trew fayth vary froÌ„ the catholyke corps of christendom make new fond sectes of theyr owne folysh braynes And where he speketh of kyllyng and sleyng theyr bretherne hym selfe can tell well inough y â— good chrysten prynces other vertuouse people dyd in y e begynnynge gretely forbere such heretykes tyll y â— they were fynally fayne in auoydyng of theyr sedicyous trouble for the repressyng of theyr inemendable malice to folow thensample of saynte Poule and as he betoke some of them to the deuyll to the punysshement of theyr bodyes in helpe of theyr soules
or ceacynge of theyr synfull blasphemy so by teÌ„porall lawes bodyly punyshemeÌ„t to fynysh y e infynyte malyce intolerable trouble of those heretykes for the sauegarde of good people in peace traÌ„quyllite which comon peace quyete yf the heretykes had not perturbed they had ben them self mych more esely handeled But as Tyndale knoweth that this is trew so knoweth he well agayn that the heretykes haue ben those y â— dyd in chrystendom begyn to fyght kyll and sle before y â— theÌ„ selfe were kylled slayne or any thyng foughten withall and y t they began to be kylled foughteÌ„ withall by theyr owne importune malice wherby y â— catholyke people were constrayned and coÌ„pelled to kyll them in the necessary defence of innocentes And y â— this is trew Tindale knoweth very well both by the storyes as well of England as of other places and also by y e experyeÌ„ce of his own dayes in Almayn thorow the cruell insurreccyoÌ„ there of his owne felowes the heretykes of his own secte which rose there and robbed burned and killed not one noughty knaue or two in a towne as good kynges and prynces do these horryble and incorigible heretykes and yet somtyme sâ—ant ones in tenne yere in some good towne not onys in tenne score yere but hole goodly monasteries they burned vp and destroyed and some where all the chyrches almost thorow the hole contrey robbed spoyled and bare awaye all that euer they fonde dyspyghted the sayntes images relykes the crucyfyx the blessed sacrameÌ„t robbed mayhemed and murthered many good vertuouse people And by goddes good sufferaunce they ceaced not at the clergye bâ—t felyâ—g frute went ferther fell to theyr lordes landes So that they that wynked and cared not for goddes part were fayne to wake within a whyle care for theyr owne part And then they fell vpoÌ„ the heretykes agayn kylled of theÌ„ aboue .iii. score thousand in dyuers places all in one somer Synnes which tyme in Swycherlande euyn thys laste yere zuinglius set his heretykes in a rage agayne to pyll spoyle the trew catholykes of his owne countre But god gaue the victory to his faythfull folke that were full loth to fyghte wyth them sauyng y â— very force draue them to the felde where they bare ouer theyr enmyes And zuinglius hym selfe tharcheretyke of all was there dedely wouÌ„ded taken after y â— burned vp Such fayre fortune had Tindals master there of whoÌ„ he toke his heresies agaynst the blessed sacrameÌ„t And therfore where Tyndale speketh of kyllynge of heretykes whom he calleth his crysten bretherne he knoweth it well hym selfe y t his owne vnhappy felowes the heretykes I say them self began fyrst y â— guyse And as they begaÌ„ it eueÌ„ so they kepe it styl And surely there is no dowte but that Tyndale hym selfe hath longed long yet euer loketh for y t as the Lutheranys zuinglianys haue begon to ryse ruffle in rebellyon in sondry partes of Almayne so he myght se his disciples assay some fete here But I trust iÌ„ goddes grace in the kinges goodnes theyr hartes shall all faynt ere they come therto And yf y e deuyll were so stronge with theÌ„ as to styre them vp I wold wyshe Tindale among them frere Barns to For I lytell dowte yf they dyd but both captayns coÌ„pany as zuinglius and his bushment came shortely to myschyefe yf god syt where he sat sholde haue lyke lucke Now is this a playn coÌ„clusyoÌ„ that bothe they that trust in theyr owne workes Lo what a parell here were yf a frere sholde put any truste in chastyte kepynge of his vow But yf he trust in lechery with weddyng of a nonne then is he saufe inough bycause that wurke is not hys owne wurke but the wurke of the deuyll and of the synne that breketh out of his meÌ„bres And they also that put truste in theyr owne opinyons be falleâ— from Chryste and erre from the waye of fayth that is in Chrystes blode and therfore are none of Chrystes chyrche bycause they be not buylt vppon the rocke of fayth Thys doth hym selfe and hys felowes that are heretykes For the artycles that the hole catholyke chyrche put trustâ— in be not the opynyon of any man but the sure doctryne of god wherof the certayntye of the truth depeÌ„deth vpon the promyse of our sauyour hym selfe whyche hath promysed that they holy goste shall teche hys chyrche all trouth and lede it there vnto And therfore yf it be trew as in dede it is that the whych truste in theyr owne wurkes and make idols of theyr owne opynyons and breke the vnyon of the chyrche and make sondry sectes and kyll theyr chrysten bretherne be fallen from Chryst from the waye of fayth that is in Christes blode and therfore are none of Christes chyrche bycause they be not buylt vpon the rocke of fayth then must it nedes folow that Luther Lambert zuinglius Huskyn and Tyndale and all other of theyr sondry sectes be fallen from Chryste and are from the waye of fayth that is in Chrystes blode and therfore are none of Christes chyrche bycause they put trust in theyr owne vayne inuencyons and make idols of theyr owne fals opynyons For whyche they breke the peace and vnyte bothe of the chyrch and of the fayth by makynge of sectes and sownyg sedycyon and dyssensyon to styrre vp rebellyon and insurreccioÌ„ agaynste theyr neyghbours and theyr gouernours and therby cause the robbery pyllage spoyle and murder of theyr good catholyke Chrysten bretherne And do put also theyr truste in theyr owne workes not in fastyng prayeng almoyse or any good wurke but in destruccyon of monasteryes castynge oute of relygyon expulsyon of chastyte wyth weddynge of nonnes and lyuyng in lechery prophanyng of chyrches pollutyng of aulters blasphemynge of sayntes rasshyng downe theyr images castynge out theyr relykes dyspyghtynge our lady deâ—ylynge the crucyfyxe and fynally mockynge and mowynge at the blessed sacrament And thus abusynge them selfe they declare lo very clerely that they be not buylte vpon the rocke of fayth but wyth the breth of dampned spyrytes be blowen downe to the deuyll I praye god amende them and set them on that rocke agayn And here an ende of this chapyter in which ye se lo to what pleasauÌ„t passe fyrst his ryall ridles of synne and not synne erre and not erre after hys ryall raylynge of makynge sectesâ— brekynge of vnite kyllynge of chrysâ—en bretherne trustyng in theyr wurkes is by the perceyuyng of his owne wordes fynally brought â—nto and euery myschyefe that he layth agaynst the knowen catholyke chyrch eche after other fall in his owne necke wherâ— that fagotte lyeth so surely bounden on hys sholderâ— that as longe as he lyueth wyth all the shyftes he can fynde he shall neuer well shake it of Faythe is euer aâ—â—aâ—ted and fought withall Tyndale MOreouer this fayth whyche we haue in Chrystâ— is â—â—er fought
agaynste euer assayled and beteâ— at with desperacyon not when we synne onely but also in all temptacyoâ—s of aduersyte in to whiche god â—â—yngeth vs to nowâ—tâ—e vs and to shewe vs our 〈◊〉 hartes the ypocrysye and fals thoughtes that here lyehyddâ— our almost no fayte at all and as lytell loue euyn theÌ„ haâ—pely when we thowght our selues moste perfecte of all For when temptacyons come we can not stande When we haue synned fayth is feble When wronge is done vs we can not forgyue In sykenesse in losse of goodes and in all tribulacyons we be impacyent When our neyghbour nedeth our helpe that we muste departe with hym of ours then loue is colde And thus we lerne and fele that there is no goodnesse nor yet power to do good but of god onely And in all such temtacyons our fayth preyshed not vtterly neyther our loue and consente vnto the lâ—wâ— of god but they be weakâ— lykke and wounded and not clene dede More THys chapyter hath Tyndale put in for no great effecte but onely with a comely florysshe to set out and furnysshe hys heresyes of the chapyter next before wherin he techeth that in the trewe membres of hys electe chyrch the fayth doth neuer fayle but euer contynueth and that therfore they do neuer synne dedely how horryble dedes so euer they do as he confesseth that they do many yet synne neuer dedely bycause they do them not of malice nor of purpose but of fraylte onely of wekenes thorough the frute of the synne that remayneth in theyr flesshe breketh out of theyr sely weke and frayle meÌ„bres Now for the feâ—ther gaâ—nysshyâ—ge of thys hys horryble heresye hath he brought in this chapyter in whych he neyther proueth any thynge therof nor any thyng goâ—h abâ—uâ— to proue but onely falleth to prechyng and telleth vs fâ—ll holyly that y â— fayth is euer fought â—n agaynst as though no man had euer herde that before where as euery chyld well woteth that the faith is alway assawted fought agaynst whyther he speke of hys owne false fayth and heresyes or of the trew catholyke â—â—yth of Chryst. For lyke as the trew catholyke fayth is euer hath ben oppungned and assawted by the deuyll and all hys dyscyples suche heretykes as Tyndale is from the begynnyng vnto thys present tyme so hath euer hys false fayth and heresyes ben impugned assayled and condempned by god and all hys prophetes by Chryste and all hys apostles and all hys holy doctours and sayntes and by all the hole corps of chrysteÌ„dome from the begynnynge hytherto And thys conflycte and batayle shall neuer ceace tyll Chryste shall fynally refourme the worlde and fynysshe it and delyuer the kyngdome to the father And as for euery mannes fayth pryuately who knoweth not though Tyndale tell vs not that the deuyll dayly laboreth to quenche it as he laboreth to destroye hope and cheryte and all other vertues Nor thys we nede not to lerne of Tyndale neyther that men by temptacyons lerne to fynde and fele that there is no goodnesse ne yet power to do good but of god onely yf Tyndale mene that as the trouth is that all goodnesse cometh of god that man hath none nor none coulde haue neyther man nor angell but by godâ—eâ— gyfte nor coulde haue yet any power to do good yf god wolde wythdrawe hys grace How be it yf he mene in thys place as he sayth wyth hys mayster Marten in many places that mâ—n hath no power by y e fredome of his wyll to do any good in wurkynge hym selfe wyth goddes grace and in resystynge of temptacyon to and wurkynge wyth god in the keâ—ynge of hym selfe from synne but muste nedes in all suche thynges syt styll hym selfe â—stonyed amased in a recheleâ—se sâ—outh and let god wurke alone then saye I that Tyndals holy sermon is very dampnable heresye Now where that in all the synnys that he reherseth he sayth that our fayth peryssheth not vtterly nor our loue consent vnto the lawe of god but that they be weke syke and wounded and not clene dede I say that his tale is to lytell purpose For yf by fayth he mene the belyefe then is it not of neceâ—syte loste at all in no dedely synne excepte heresye For the ryght bylyefe and other dedely synnes maye stand to gyther well inough For a man may byleue trewly and do falsely byleue ryght and lyue wronge byleue well and be nought And yet maye he be an electe person and fall from the trewe fayth that is to saye the trew bylyefe and lese it vtterly byleuynge lyes and heresyes and fall from grace for the tyme and yet after that wyth helpe of graâ—e fynde the fayth and fall therto agayne and fynally dye therin And yf Tyndale here by the name of fayth vnderstande hope and truste in god as he iugleth coÌ„tynually with that worde for suche equyuocacyons and dyuers vnderstandynges of one worde serue hym for hys goblettes hys gallys and his iuglynge stycke in all the proper poyntes of hys hole conuayaunce and hys lygier de mayne but as I sayde yf by fayth he meane hope I graunte that it dyeth not alwaye wyth the synne nor gothe not therwyth away But it waxeth by Tyndals doctryne ofteÌ„tymes ouer grete For by the dredeles truste of theyr techyng the man falleth into boldenesse of synne In whiche when he hath ferelesse longe contynued he waxeth forcelesse and carelesse and setteth not by synne tyll sodeynly the deuyll out of hys hyghe harte hawte corage stryketh hym into cowardouse drede and vtter desperacyoÌ„ For y e outragyouse encrease of theyr hope is no very ryght hope though it be a greater hope then it sholde be no more then the hete of a feuer is a ryght naturall hete though the body be more hote then it was in helth And therfore in suche affeccyons the soule somtyme falleth from one contrary qualyte in to a nother as y e body in an agew chauÌ„geth from colde to hete and froÌ„ hete some tyme into colde agayne Of whiche maner of chaunges of the soule whom the deuyll dryueth out of one vice into his contrary may be well veryfyed these wordes of holy scrypture They shall froÌ„ colde water of the snowe go into farre passynge hete And yet I say that with these synnes a trew member may lese all hope and fall in dyspayre and after by grace come vnto hope agayne Now where he sayth that loue and coâ—senâ— to the lawe of god is not lost by a trewe member of the electe chyrche I wote not whyther Tyndals loue remayne or no but I am sure that by synne chrysten cheryte goth away For neyther cheryte nor grace can stande to gether wyth synne For as saynt Poule sayth what felysshyp can there be bytwene lyght and darkenes bytwene Chryst and Beliall I saye also that all hys gaye goodly tale that he telleth vs here of hys electe membres wyth theyr holy felynge fayth to whom
gloryeste thou as thoughe thou haddest nat receyued it He sayeth nat as thoughe it were thyne owne For whan I haue receyued it it is than myne and so may I call it Another false entent wherfore Tyndale telleth vs thys tale of withdrawynge of goddes hande somtyme from his electes is bycause he wolde haue it stande with his heresye that he gothe so faste about that is to wytte that the electes do not sinne dedely in theyr dedely synnes bycause they do it nat wyllyngly but of infirmyte for lacke of power Inpursuynge of whiche purpose he wolde make it seme that god withdraweth his haÌ„de from them without their faute and than leaueth them no power to resyste so no blame in them nor no synne thoughe he be coÌ„tent to call it synne after y e maner y t the mocyon toward synne which rymayne of origynall synne be called synne This is Tyndalles entent in this matter by whiche he excuseth the synne of the electes by the withdrawynge of goddes hande from them nor for any defaute of theyr owne or any synne that they haue done but to kepe them onely from the synne that they wolde els do at another tyme. And where as god dothe for this poynt bothe for electes and reprobates all after one that is to wyt neuer withdraweth his grace from the tone nor from the tother tyll they begynne theym selfe to withdrawe theyr wyll from hym he dissymuleth that poynte goeth forth in his mater that he byeldeth vpon that foundacyon and sayeth Tyndale God sayed so soâ—e a wayghte of persecucyon vppon Dauides backe that passed hys strength to beare So that he cryeth oâ—te out in hys psalmes sayenge that he had lyued well and folowed the ryghte waye of god in vayne For the more he kepte hym selfe from synne the worse it wente with hym as he thoughte and the better with hys enemye Saul the worse he was Yet god lefte hym not there but conâ—orted hym and shewed hym thynges whych before he wyste not of â—hoâ—â— that the sayntes must be pacyent and abyde goddes heruest vntyll the wâ—yâ—enes of vngodly synners be full rype that god may repe it in dewe season God also suffred occasyons stronger then Dauid to â—ail vppon hym and to carye hym clene out of the waye Was he not redy for a chursysshe answere to haue slayne â—â—bell and all the males of hys howse so myche as the chyld in the cradell How be it god withhelde hym and kept hym backe from that euyll thorowe the wysedome of Abegall How longe sâ—ombred he or rather how harde in slepe was he in the adultery of Bathseba and in the murder of her husbonde Vriah But at lothe tymes as soâ—ne as he was rebuked and hys faute tolde hym he repented immedyately and turned agayne mekely Now in all that longe tyme from the adultery of Bathsâ—be vntyll the prophete Nathan rebuked hym he had not lost his fayth nor yet his loue vnto the lawes of god no more then a man loseth his wyttes when he is aslepe He had forgotte hym selfe onely and had not malycyously caste of theyr yoke of goddes commaundementes from of his necke There is no man so good but that there cometh a tyme vppon hym when he fealeth in hym selfe no more fayth or loue vnto god then a syke man of tymes feleth the taste of his meate whyche he eateth More Lo good reders here ye se that by Tyndales doctryne Dauid dyd no dedely synne but was euer out of faute and nat blame worthy neyther by impacyence drawynge nere to dispayre in persecucyon nor by y e purpose of moch manslaughter at an angry worde nor by auoutry conceyued at the sight of another mannes wyfe nor by the trayterous destruccyoÌ„ of his frendely seruauÌ„t in recompence of truthe amendes of his mysdede All this was no dedely synne in hym bycause he was an electe But yet is Tyndale ashamed to confesse and say boldely that to be electe is inoughe and that he may do what he lysâ—e and synne at his pleasure and that god will gyue him leaue to do it cause hym to be repentaunt whan he hathe done it and forgyue hym forthwith whan he repenteth and so forth totiens quotiens a pena et culpa so that he beleue it well and surely truste thereto leste for faynte hope feare he fall the lesse to synne This tale is Tyndale I saye somwhat ashamed to tell vs euen well and playnely forthe and therfore he deuyseth another waye and wolde make vs beleue that they be so preserued by the fayth that they do neuer any dedely synne But theyr dedes be suche as men may well se that they be nat to be blamed for them be they neuer so bestely but very babisâ—he and veniall and suche as god can do no lesse of very ryght and reason than remytte and forgyue and that for thre great causes here specifyed by Tyndale Fyrste for they neuer synne but vpon greate occasyoÌ„s farre aboue their strength Secondely for after theyr horryble dedes done they repent vpon rebukyng without resystence And thyrdely whiche mooste is of all all the whyle that they be in doynge the poore babes wote nere what they do but be all the whyle a slepe as he putteth here his ensample by Dauid And therfore lette vs consydre Dauid his dedes with Tyndals wordes examyne in them these thre godly reasons Fyrste he sayeth that Dauid synnes arose vpon great occasyons aboue Dauid his strength whiche great occasyons god suffred to fall vpon hym and cary hym awaye For whan he wolde haue slayne Naball and all his sonnes euen to the childe in the cradell he fell nat into that mynde without great occasyon ye wote well For the rude felowe had as Tyndale well reherseth gyuen hym a churlyshe answere And what man were there so vnreasonable y t wolde not thynke that a kynge or a great man had cause inough to kyll twenty paysans vyllayns for a churlysh answere of one of them Now when he fell to aduoutry therby to manslaughter had he not a great occasyon to it importable to bere For he saw y â— woman as he loked out at his wyndow And therfore who so euer haue ones the syght of a womaÌ„ is excusable yf he take her when he can catche her no man greatly to blame but eyther a blynde man or he that taketh one in y â— darke whom he neuer saw in y â— lyghte But we must here yet remeÌ„ber lest we mystake Tyndale that these great stronge occasyoÌ„s were not so very greate stronge of theÌ„ selfe but they were as Tyndale sayth stroÌ„ger then Dauyd and able to cary hym awayeâ— whychâ— he sayth to shew vs y t they were of y â— strength in coÌ„parison of y â— person not so mych by the force strength of theyr owne nature as by y e lyghtnes fraylty feblenes of Dauid as a small burdeÌ„ is a great wayght vpoÌ„ a child
heresyes vnto the trewe fayth agayne And yet god hath not done but what harme so euer such heretykes as goddes scourge be suffred to worke for the whyle hys mercy shall not fayle in conclusyon both to prouyde for the perpetuall saufgarde of hys catholyke chyrche whyche he hath promysed neuer to forsake but though he vysyt theyr iniquytees wyth the rodde of correccion yet hys grace and good wyll he hath warraunted neuer to take from theym and also shall of hys goodnes turne agayne frome theyr errours some suche as those malycyouse archeheretykes deceyue and them whose malyce he shall fynde vncurable he shall as an olde noughty rodde before the face of hys faythfull chyldren of hys catholyke chyrche when he hath beten and corrected them therwith do as the teÌ„der mother doth breke y e rodde in peces caste it in the fyre But nowe shal you se how Tindale goth forth declareth his solucioÌ„ Tyndale Vnder Abraham Isaac and Iacob was the chyrche greate in fayth and small in numbre And as it encreased in numbre so it decreased in fayth vntyll the tyme of Moses And out of those vnbeleuers god stered vp Moses and brought then vnto the ryght fayth agayne And Moses left a gloryous chyrche and in fayth and cleaâ—ynge vnto the worde of god and delyâ—ered them vnto Iosuâ—h â—leazâ—â— Phineas and Caleâ— But as soone as the â—eneracyon of them that sawe the myracles of god were dede they fell to â—â—olatrye immedyatly as thou seyste in the byble And god when he hadde delyuered them into captyuyte for to chastyse theyr wekednesse stered them vp a prophete euer more to call them vnto hys testament â—gayne And so he dyd well nye an hundred tymes I svppose yer Chryst came for they neuer bode any space in the ryght fayth And agaynste the comyâ—ge of Chryste the scrybes Pharysees Caâ—phâ—s Anna and the elders were crepte vp in to the sete of Moses Aaron and the holy prophetes and patriarkes and succeded them â—inalâ—y and had the scrypture of god but euyn in câ—ptyuyte to make marchauÌ„ dyâ—e of it and to abuse it vnto theyr owne glorye and profyt And though they kepte the people from outwarde idolatrye of worshepyng of images with the â—ethen yet they broughte theym in to a worse inwarde idolatrye of a false faith trust in theyr own dedes and in vayâ—e tradycioÌ„s of theyr own faynynge And they hadde put out the sygnyfycacyons of all the ceremonyes and sacramentes of the olde testament and taught the people to byleue in the workes selfe and had corrupte the scrypture with â—alâ— gloses As thou mayest se in the gospell how Chryste warneth his discyples to be warre of the seuen of the Pharises whyche was theyr false doctryne and glâ—ses And in an other place he rebuked the scrybes and the pharises sayenge wo be to them bycause they had taken awaye the keye of knowlege and had shut vp the kyngdome of heuen and neyther wolde entre in them selues nor sufâ—e them that wolde How had they shut it vp verely wyth theyr tradycyons and false gloses whyche they had sowed to the scrypture in playne places and in the takynge away the meanynge of the ceremonyes and sacryfyces and teachynge to byleue in the worke More Tyndale hath here made vs a longe dyscourse frome Abraams dayes vnto Chryste shewynge that euer in tyme fayth hath decayed But he myghte for y e purpose haue bygonne at Adam a greate deale a fore Abraam and ende at the daye a dome a great whyle after Chryste Now it is no newe thynge amonge mo people to haue mo taught But what auayleth Tyndale all thys tale proueth it any other but that yet that company was styll the chyrche contynued on froÌ„ the begynnyng vnto the byrth of Chryst as saynt Austayne ordrely deduceth by a seryouse goodly processe in hys booke of the cytye of god Now that many tymes god punysshed them so doth he now hys mercy alwaye wyll when hys wysedome seeth it necessaryâ— what of all thys ye sayth Tyndale but he rered vp alwaye prophetes in dyuerse tymes an hundred to turne theym home in to the ryght waye agayne Be it that he sent so many what helpeth thys vnto Tyndals mater For well we wote that all the fautes of the people for whyche they were punysshed and agaynst whyche god sent so many prophetes to prech were not euer more idolatrye but somtyme other synnes specyally the synne of the flesshe for whych the hole world was wesshed wyth Noes floode to purge the fylth therfro and Sodome and Gomor burned vp wyth brymstone for the foule synne of the flesshe agaynst y e nature of the flessh And now god wyll I fere fynde out yet some newe more horryble turment to punisshe and reueng the fylthy styâ—ke of the flesshely carynâ— that hath caste his couâ—agyouse corrupcyon so farre agaynste god hym selfe that freres brekynge theyr vowys and wedded wyth nonnys be so shamelesse to bycome prechers fynde wreched bestely people to bere it and be content therwyth But now that god raysed vp so many prophetes to call the people home what fyndeth Tyndale for hys purpose therin Fyndeth he that god raysed any suche as Lutherâ— Suinglius Huysken and hym selfe that to call men from lechery become lechours and abyde therby and to call men from erroure become heretykes exhorte men to heresye-Dyd god sende any suche yf he dyd lette Tyndale tell vs one If he dyd not wherof serueth hys processe of his hundred prophetes Also god punysshed his peole and then sent his prophetes not to make sedycyone and sectes amonge hys people but to gouerne and lede hys whole flocke and hys whole people to gether As he caused Moyses to coÌ„uaye hys hole people out of Egypte and the other prophetes iudges prestes after in to the lande of byheste was there euer any of those heretykes whom the catholyke chyrche hath from the begynnynge condempned that euer so dyd Let Tyndale name vs one Then yf he wyll saye that euery prophete dyd not so but some dyd as he doth and suche other as we call heretykes as wrongfully as yf we called anâ—w a shepe that is to saye they dyd call vppon the people and wynne in some agaynste the mynde of the multytude and of the prestes prynces I saye that those prophetes agreed in theyr fayth and preched a lyke and then can not Tyndale and hys coÌ„panyons whome we call heretykes be any suche prophetes sent vs by god sythe of these neuer one agreeth wyth an other Besydes thys those olde prophetes proued them self by myracles to be messengers sent frome god But Luther Tyndale Huyskyn and Suinglius shew no myracles at all to shew them selfe messengers sent by god but by theyr euyll doctryne clerely proue them selfe messengers sent by the deuyll And fynally as farre as the chyrche or synagoge of the Iewys was decayed in fayth or good lyuynge decayed by the false doctryne or false glosâ—s of
the scrybes and pharysees Cayphas Anna and thelders whyche were as Tyndale sayth crepte vp into the seate of Moyses Aaron and the holy prophetes and patryarche agaynst the commyng of Chryste and whom Chryste for theyr false doctryne dyd rebuke yet confesseth Tyndale hym selfe that they kepte the people frome outwarde idolatrye of worshyppynge of idols wyth the hethen And Tyndale muste confesse ferther that neyther scrybes nor pharysees nor preste nor elders as he calleth them no nor yongers neyther yf he wyll haue all the temporalty called yoÌ„gers as he wyll haue all the clergy called elders were not euyn at y â— tyme all of one sorte but as there were many naughte of euery sorte so was there of euery sorte ryght good folke also And as for theyr tradycyons and doctryne of whyche was many vayne some euyll some superstycyouse wherby the people amonge them toke harme in the folowynge suche as were euyll thynges were not so fully determyned but that some were of one mynde some of other and therin men myghte folowe the beste doctryne yf they wolde wher in they had doctours and teachers to and myghte yf they were desyrouse of the beste very well decerne them concernynge the glosyng of scrypture by the olde vertuouse doctours that had in sondry ages longe before the false exposicions and false doctrine of the phariseis or false scribes began truely constred and expowned bothe the law the prohetes by whose exposicions they myght trye and controll the false doctrine of the noughty scribes euyll phariseis for good scribes were there and good phariseis to as by the newe testament appereth And that there were of olde in euery age suche trewe doctours and expositours amonge the Iewis maye well appere to euery man that considereth variaunce in the exposicions of the scripture by the Iewis that were of olde before the byrthe of Christ and theym that expowned it after And also Tyndale saith hym selfe that betwen the tyme of Moyses and the cummynge of Christe god styred vppe an hundred prophetes And therfore I am sure of the remenaunt besyde the .xii. that we haue he meneth for some that kinde of doctours and expositours that I speke of or elles I wene he wyll cum shorte of his whole summe and lacke fyue of his hundred And thus thoughe god dyd nat prouide so fully for the chyrche of the Iewis as for the chyrche of Christe as in whiche he hathe prouided and promised to dwell hym selfe for euer yet prouided he for it so sufficiently that they myght therin be saued and entre heuen when it were after open and that in euyll doctrine and supersticiouse traditions they coulde nat be dampned if they were desirouse diligent about theyr owne soule helthe And al be it that bycause the thynge had than so great difficultie that many for lacke of sufficient diligence perisshed god of his great mercy suffred not those noughty scribes false phariseis to continue long but to make an easy way in which no man coulde be deceiued excepte suche as were ouer necligent or maliciouse but shulde sone be lerned the sure truthe and vndoubted way to heuyn sent his owne sonne to begynne a new chyrche of a new fasshion of a nother maner of perfection in whiche he wolde so be present and assistent for euer hym selfe and his owne holy spirite and so teche it and so lede it into euery trouthe that no man coulde be deceiued but he that wold nat byleue his chiâ—ch and he wolde make his chirche so open and so well knoweÌ„ that no man coulde but know hit excepte suche as of malice wolde nat knowe hit And yet as I say tyll hym selfe dyd set vp his chyrche the sinagoge was the very chyrch and with suche as were nat wyllyngly blynde was knowen for the very chyrche of god diuided from all the world byside by goddes law by gouernours of his assignement by trewe prophetes trewe precheours and miracles for all the false prophetes and false precheours that were therein byside And the right faithe was lerned no where els Aâ—d who so had gone out of that chyrch except onely into Christes hadde gone wronge And thus it appereth lo that concernyng the synagoge euyn at the comynge of Chryst Tyndale hath here wonne lytell grounde to buylde hys purpose vppon but that euen there was yet at that tyme the very chyrche and a chyrche also knowen And therfore when he goth now ferther and resembleth it vnto the knowen catholyke chyrch of Chryst though they were lyke yet were Tyndale ouerthrowen But now when ye shall here the remanauÌ„t ye shall se Tyndale fall euer deper and deper in the myre For lo thus crepeth he forwarde lyke a crabbe Tyndale In lyke maner is the clergye crepte vp in to the sete of Chrâ—ste and his â—pâ—stles by succession not to do the dedes of Chryste and his apostles but â—or lucre onely as the nature of the wyly fâ—â—â—e is to gete hym an hole made with an other bestes labour and to make merchauÌ„dyse of the people â—yth fayned wordes as Peter warned vs before and to do accordynge as Chryste and all his apostâ—es prophecyed how they sholde begyâ—e and â—ede out of the ryghtewaye all them that dyd not loue to folow and lyue aâ—ter the treuth More Tyndale here good reader playnely coÌ„fesseth hym selfe that the clergye be those whiche though he call it crepyng be by succeâ—syon here in erth comen into the seate of Chryst and hys apostles Now can not Tyndale nor wyll not I wote well saye naye but that whyle Chryste entended not that hym selfe and hys apostles sholde for euer personally dwell styll here in erth conuersaunt wyth vs in lyke maner as they were whyle they lyued here among vs and yet entended that hys chyrche here in erthe sholde alwaye haue amonge them techers and prechers syth he entended that hys chyrche sholde as Tyndale agreeth as longe laste in erthe as the worlde sholde endure none other hath there ben had synnys Chrystes dayes and hys apostles in chrystendome but the clergye by contynuall successyon then hath euer the clergye of euery age bene that parte of Chrystes very chyrche to whome Chryste specyally spake speketh and euer shall speke these wordes Go ye and preche the gospell to all creaturs And also these wordes who so hereth you hereth me and who so dyspyseth you dyspyseth me And these wordes also who so receyue you receyueth me and what so euer cytye receyue you not Sodome and Gomorre shall be more easely delt wyth then that cytye in the daye of iugement And also sithe they must be the techers it foloweth that they be must be that parte of his chyrche to which parte these wordes were also specyally spoken I shal sende you the holy goost whiche shall teche you all trewthe and lede you into euery trouthe and I am with you my selfe vnto the worldes ende For though god in these wordes promised to sende
his spirite nat into the clergy onely but into his whole catholique chirche nor to be with his clergy onely but also with his whole catholique chirch nor to lede his clergy only into euery trouth but the lay peple of his chirch also yit sith he ê“uided specially the clergye to be the prechers of whose mouthe the lay people shulde here the trouthe by meane of which herynge with theyr owne good endeuoâ—r god wold hym selfe wryte it in the herers hartes whiche ordre of cuÌ„mynge to the faith appereth plainely by sundry places of holy scripture as where saint Paule sayth Faith is made by herynge And how shall a man here without prechyng And how shall a man preche but yf he be sente to preche And than that a man mâ—st at the heryng do his own good endeuour Christe saith Be thou nat an vnbileuer but a byleuer And that he thaÌ„ writeth hym selfe in the hart witnesseth the prophete Ieremy I shal write my law in theyr hartes In whiche place he sayth spekynge of the chirch of Christ Euery man shall nat teche his neighbour but they shall all be the scholers of god and I shall write my lawe in theyr hartes he meaneth nat that there shall be no prechynge for that were ye wote well contrary to the wordes of saynt Paule but he meneth therby the techynge whiche the precher techeth without whiche sainte Paule sheweth that they can nat ordinarily cum to the faithe is yit no techyng wherof any fruâ—e can cum but if god therwith write vpon the hert whiche he neuer faileth to do yf the party do hys parte and be not by hys neglygence or frowardenesse the lette And all be it that these wordes of the prophete be specyally spoken for the dyfference bytwene the olde law that was called the lawe wryten bycause that Moyses receyued and delyuered the lawe by wrytynge and the new law wherof Chryste neyther receyued nor delyuered any parte by wrytynge yet maye those wordes well serue for thys purpose also syth the trouth of them is also in thys poynt veryfyed to whych trouth saynt Poule subscrybeth where he sayth that no man can say and confesse our lorde Iesus but by the holy gooste Now these thynges I saye beynge thus though god wryte in the hartes of euery sorte of hys catholyke chyrche as well the laye people as the clergye as well women as men and so teche them inwardly and lâ—de them into euery necessary trouth yet syth the precher muste haue it ere he preche it and muste preche it ere the herer here it and the prechers by Chrystes order muste be or at the leste wyse by Tyndals owne confessyon in dede be thorow chrystendom none but the clergye nor of trouth hyther to none but the clergye haue be nor as appereth by many playne places of scrypture none but the clergye maye be the ordynary mynystres of goddes holy wordes and sacramentes vnto the people it muste I saye vppon Tyndals confessyon nedes folow that of all the wordes of god before remembred whyche so euer our sauyour sayed vnto hys whole chyrche yet euer he sayd it pryncypally to the clergye and so by Tyndals owne coÌ„fessyon syth that the clergy be the successours of Chryst and hys apostles and be for the gouernaunce of Chrystes chyrche now in hys and his apostles place Tyndale is bounden by Chrystes worde to receyue them here them and obaye them Aud in that he wyll not so do but in stede of receyuynge them refuseth them in stede of herynge them mocketh them and in stede of obayenge them despyseth them and persecuteth theym and teacheth hys false heresyes contrary to the treuth that Chryste hath by hys holy spyryt accordyng to hys owne promyse taught them he is fallen I saye into the maledyccyon curse of Chryst that hath ordeyned them and on Tindals hed falleth that ferefull worde of Cryste He that hereth you hereth me and he that despyseth you despyseth me and he that hereth not the chyrch take hym for a publicane a very painym and in better case shall Sodome and Gomor be than he shall at the day of Iugement And thus hath Tyndale denounced his owne dampnacion hym selfe plainely pursuynge vpon his owne confession Now if Tindale wyll paraduenture say that it is in the clergy now as it was in the scribes phariseis in Christes tyme and that as they and that people were thaÌ„ fallen froÌ„ the trewthe into false errours so be now the clergy and the christen peple I haue all redy shewed him the plaine scriptures in which god hath made many suche plentiouse promises of his assistence with his holy spirite in his chyrche perpetually to kepe it from all dampnable errours by techynge it and ledynge it into euery trouth that though he suffre many great piecis of people to fall out therof and so lytle litle the body to be minisshed made a small flocke in comparison till his pleasure shal be to increace it againe yet shall he neuer neither suffer it to be distroyed nor the flocke that remaineth how many braunches so euer the deuyll blow of to be brought vnto the scarcite either of faithe or vertue that the sinagoge of the Iewis was at Christes cummynge though there neuer was any tyme long to gether nor neuer shall there be but that in Christes chyrche as longe as it dwelleth in erthe there shal be many nought yit shall alway the doctrine of his chyrche with which hym selfe hath alway promised to be lede it into euery trouth be so good and so sure that vnto those that shall be well wyllynge to lerne the trouthe it shall alwaye be knowen where they may lerne it that for the clerynge of all doubtes and auoidyng of all errours it shal euer be trew to say that the chyrch is as saint Paule saith the pylar the fote or grouÌ„de that is to say the sure strengthe or fastenynge of the trouthe And this chyrche must be that knowen catholique chyrche of whiche from age to age the scripture hath ben receiued and the people taught and not a chyrche vnknowen of onely good men or electes onely in whiche is neither precher nor people assembled to preche vnto nor sacramentes ministred by any man as a ministre of that vnknowen chyrche nor people of an vnknowen chyrch to ministre them vnto among whom can be no suche asseÌ„bleâ— for no man can know where to call a nother nor how to know another yf they cam togyther by happe And thus I saye that neyther can Tyndale stande by hys vnknowen chyrche nor for his purpose suffycyently resemble the catholyke chyrch of Cryst vnto y e synagoge of y e Iewys nor the clergye of the tone to the scrybes and pharyseys of the tother syth god gaue these two chyrches not lyke begynnyng nor Moyses that was the lawyere begynner of the tone was not lyke vnto Crist the begynner
wyth the the lesse shalt thou there perceyue And in mych more dowt departe shalt thou thense then thou were in whan thou camest thyther For as the prophete sayth but yf ye beleue ye shall not vnderstond And therfore for euery man lerned vnlerned for so farre as toucheth the necessary doctryne of trewe fayth lyuyng exposycyoÌ„ of scrypture that apperteyneth therto the very fastenesse surtye is to reste vnto the chyrch whyche is as saynt Poule sayth y e pyler sure grouÌ„d of trouth And that can be noâ—e vnknoweÌ„ chyrch whych can neyther lerne nor teche as they that neyther can haue precher noâ— herers as well for that one of them can not know an other to assemble aboute eleccyon choyce nor can haue any by successyoÌ„ syth there can be no successyon perceyued among any such of whych no parte knoweth other also for that yf they neyther be of y e catholyke chyrch nor of any knoweÌ„ sect they can not be suffâ—red to prech or lyue eyther among vs or them And yf they be of eyther vs or them thenne are they of some knowen chyrch And yf they be scatered amoÌ„g the chyrch the dyuers sâ—ctes neyther lyue nor byleue after the doctryne of none of them all so longe as they so do none of them knowyng other so longe be they a secrete vnknowen secte but they neyther be chyrch nor haue chyrch nor preste nor precher amonge them And yf they fall after in aquayntauÌ„ce togyther flocke to gyther and eche knowe of others bylyefe and lyuynge then begynne they to be a knowen secte and a false knowen chyrche of heretykes bycause they be gone out of the catholyke some unmedyately and parte by a meanâ— as those that come togyther departyng out of the dyuers all whych before departed out of our one In whyche one of ours y â— is to wyt in the knowen catholyke chyrch the trewth doth onely reste syth it well appereth as I haue before playnely proued that the fayth whyche was with Cryste hys apostles hath euer styll contynued with vs which is and euer hath bene one chyrch styll contynued from the begynnyng And therfore euer frome the begynnynge those that haue by professyon departed out of thys chyrche haue euer bene knowen yf from the socyete therof for scismatikes yf from the fayth therof for heretykes For as that gloryous martyr holy saynt Cypryane sayth Out of vs be they all gone and not we out of them but euer from the begynnynge as heretykes or scismatykes haue rysen eyther haue they by professyon departed out or the chyrch hath caste them out and the chyrche euer more hath as the very stocke contynued styll and remayned the braunches so cutte of haue fyrst or last wythered away And so shal all these at length when the catholyke chyrch shall abyde remayne stande faste with god and god fasâ—e wyth it accordyng to goddes promyse tyll the worlde take an ende and euer myracles in it and in onely it to declare and make open that the very fayth the very hope and the very cheryte styll contynueth therin and that how syke so euer it be how myche dede flesshe so euer be founden in the syke and sore partes of the same yet alyue is euer the body of thys chyrche for in it is the soule and the spyrite and out of the body of this knowen contynued catholyke chyrche there is in the body of any other chyrche gone out or caste out of thys for theyr contrary bylyefe and fayth or for theyr rebellyous byhauour there neyther is I saye nor can be amonge them all as all the olde holy doctours and sayntes fully recorde testyfye neyther helth lyfe hed nor spyryte And therfore to fynysshe at laste thys longe chapyter of hys solucyon it is impossyble for Tyndale or all the world besyde to soyle that one argument by whych the knowen catholyke chyrch is proued to be the very chyrch of Cryst in that that from the begynnynge it hath euer styll beâ—e by ordynary course of successyon kepte and contynued one and the olde fayth from the begynnynge as by the bâ—kes of holy sayntes of euery age well appereth all waye câ—ntynued therin and the olde ryghte maner of interpretacyon of the scrypture concernynge the fayth as by the same sayntes holy bokes appereth all waye contynued therin and euer more gloryouse myracles from the begynnyng incessauntely perseueryng therin and that it was promyâ—ed that it sholde euer contynue tyll the worldes ende anâ— god therin wythout any other newe chyrche of god to succede the chyrche of Cryste in thys worlde as it was promymysed and prophecyed that the chyrch of Cryste sholde succede put away the synagoge of Moyses that all other chyrches and sectes of whyche euery one calleth it selfe the ryght chyrch be some at one tyme some at an other arysen rered them self agaynst this chyrch therfore bothe gone out caste out of thys chyrche there so many dyuers faythes to the old coÌ„tynued fayth euery one dyuersly coÌ„trary and all theyr interpretacyons of holy scrypture coÌ„cernyng fayth and good lyuyng dyuersly contrary to the doctryne and exposycyoÌ„s of all the olde holy doctours and sayntes as I haue often declared you or ellys let Tyndale as I haue desyred hym onys or twyse I trowe all redy tell vs some one of all them that teacheth vs the scripture or wyth out scrypture eyther that freres may wedde nunnys These thynges I saye beyng thus that the very chirch can be but one and muste endure as longe as the worlde lasteth and can in this worlde haue no new chyrche to succede yt as the synagoge hadde and then that all these chyrches of these sectis be rysen and gone oute of the catholyke chyrch and yt coÌ„tynueth styll yt is impossyble I saye for Tyndale or all the worlde besyde to soyle the reason and auoyde yt but that onely this catholyque chyrche is the very trew chyrche of Cryste and all the chyrches of sectys at sundry tymes gone out therof be chyrches of heretyques and scysmatykes and very chyrches of the deuyll And thus good crysten reders haue I playnely proued you that Tyndale and his felowes and all these sundrye sectys nor yet any one of theym all be not as he blasphemeth and scoffeth to be resembled vnto Cryste his apostles as gone out of the catholyque chyrche in lyke maner as they went out of the synagoge that then shulde haue an ende to begynne a new that whyle the worlde lasted shold neuer haue ende nor any chyrch be trew saue yt self But y â— Tyndale and all his felowes all theyr sectys be so gone oute and put out of this catholyke chyrch of Crysteâ— as Lucyfer and his felowes by pryde fyrste departed out and by power was after put oute of the chyrche of god in heuen And lyke wyse also as Cain was by god put oute of
Heluidius Ennomius Marcion Montanus wyclyffe and Husse and a sorte of lewde wedded freres as Luther and Lambert and Huyskyn or prestes apostataas from the chrysten fayth as Pomeran Suynglius and Huchyn here hym selfe If he name you these let hym proue them onys good men or at y e lest wyse some one amonge them all let hym proue theyr doctryne agreable or at the leste wyse obstynately not repugnaunt let hym that sheweth any ferther thynge then hys felowes by some maner meane proue hym selfe sent by god or such a man at the leste wyse as the people myghte haue cause to reken hym for hys lyuynge a man very lykely for god in so greate a mater to chese oute specially and sende forth on hys errande But thus ye wote well that of all these that are dede the worlde hereth not a good worde that euer there was one good of them but openly condempned for false And as for these that nowe lyue we se well at our owne eyen they be starke rybaudes allâ— And agrement in theyr doctryne neyther is there none now nor neuer was there yet Myracles as shamelesse as they be they can not for shame saye that euer they shewed any So that these were neuer any of the holy men whom god hath sent to call home hys chyrche so often from idolatry to â—ayth as Tyndale sayeth that the hundred prophetes an hundred tymes called home the Iewes And yet suche muste he shewe yf he saye aughte to purpose And therfore yf these heretykes wyll nowe be resembled to Chryste and hys apostles and to saynt IohnÌ„ let Tyndale tell vs whyche of them to whyche of these If these be now sent to call the catholyke chyrche to the ryghte faythe from whyche it was fallen before as Chryst was and hys apostles wyth saynt IohnÌ„ hys fore goer to call home the synagoge than lette Tyndale now tell vs whyche of them he resembleth to saynte Iohan whyche to Chrystes apostles and whyche vnto Chryste hym selfe And yf he lyken Luther to Chryste thenne who was Luthers saynte IohnÌ„ Babtyste and fore goer or ellys whose fore goer and baptyste is Luther to whome maketh he the waye now as the tother dyd to Chryst I wene in good fayth to Antechryst and so forth to the deuyll of hell How be it of treuth holy prophetes hath there bene sent vnto the worlde by god and into the chyrche of Chryst mo then an hundred syth the deth of Chryste to kepe in the ryghte fayth and calle home the people fro synne by the trewe doctryne of the spyryte inspyrynge theym the ryghte sense of scrypture what so euer god wolde haue knowen besyde whose doctryne in the necessary poyntes dyd agre togyther and which were holy men so knowen well whyle they lyued and so taken after theyr deth declared for goddes messengers by many a myghty myracle Of these men may I name full many of sundry tymes as saynt Ignaciusâ— saynte Policarpus saynte Cypriane saynte Basile saynt Crysosteme saynt Leo saynt Hylary saynt Ierome saynt Ambrose saynte Austayne Now yf Tyndale dare saye that hym self meneth these then say we that none of these called vs to Tyndals fayth For none of them dyd constrewe the scrypture as Tyndale doth And therfore hys fayth is not Chrystes fayth nor Tyndals doctryne agreable and consentynge to theyrs For yf Tyndale dare saye that hys doctryne and theyrs agree lette Tyndale then of theym all name vs now some oâ—e that euer called relygyous persons to the brech and coÌ„tempte of theyr vowes and sayd that chastyte was an vnlawfull vowe wolde that monkes and freres sholde ruÌ„ne out and wedde nonnes Then syth that of hys hundred prophetes bytwene Moyses and Cryste Tyndale leueth of foure score and nynetene and is content to take no mo but saynt IohnÌ„ to shewe that hym selfe doth go from the catholyke chyrche rebuke the doctryne therof as saynt IohnÌ„ dyd fro the synagoge rebuked the doctryne of the phareseys he muste shewe vs as I answered him iÌ„ my sexte boke y â— or he proue saynt IohnÌ„ and hym selfe matches in that poynt he muste proue that hym selfe was prophecyed vppon to be the fore goer of some newe Cryste as good as euer was the olde He muste also shewe vs hys lyuynge somewhat more lyke the lyuynge of saynt IohnÌ„ then it appereth yet Also bycause he sheweth no myracles he muste proue vs that hys newe Chryste to whome hym selfe is the fore goer must do suche myracles as our olde Cryste dyd and then bere wytnesse of Tyndale hys holy baptyste as oure Cryste bare wytnesse of the tother And all thys in hys lyfe besyde myracles many shewed for hym when he is dede Fynally yf he wyll saye as he meneth here and playnely sayth in hys other solucyon to the fyrste reason that he and hys felowes do now rebuke the doctryne of the catholyke chyrche in lyke maner as saynt IohnÌ„ the baptyste Cryst dyd rebuke the doctryne of the scrybes and pharyseys he muste proue vs that of those scrybes and pharyseys which taught the doctryne that saynt IohnÌ„ baptyste and our sauyour rebuked were holy men and saynteâ— For els sayeth Tyndale no thynge to the purpose for â—s myche as hym selfe can not saye naye but that many of those that haue taught the thynges that Tindalâ— and Luther now rebuke were holy doctours and sayntes of euery age synnes Crystes dayes to theyr owne And thus ye se good readers that where Tyndale byddeth vs loke vppon the olde ensamples and then pyketh out specyally saynt IohnÌ„ Baptyste to resemble hym selfe hys prechynge to and hys demeanure agaynste the catholyke chyrche vnto saynt IohnÌ„ and his demeanure toward the synagoge is as vnlyke as are whyte and blacke Now shall ye well perceyue that the persons of saynte IohnÌ„ Baptyste and of syr wyllyam Tyndale be not mych more vnlyke no nor so farre vnlyke neyther not by a great dele as are the thynges that saynte IohnÌ„ reproued in the doctâ—yne of the scrybes pharysyes and the thynges whyche Tyndale reproueth in the doctryne of the catholyque chyrche How be yt Tyndale to make them seme lyke dyssymulyng the greatest thynges of most weyght pyketh oute a fewe thynges wherin he wolde make the mater seme somwhat lyke yet fyndeth he none very lyke And ouer that where they seme lyke he maketh theym seme lyke wyth lyenge For fyrste he begynneth as ye haue herde wyth the false glose of the pharysyes by whyche many of them falsely coÌ„strynge goddes commaundement of honourynge theyr father and mother mysse taughte the people that what nede so euer theyr father and mother had yet yf they offred vnto god they dyd better then yf they holpe theyr father theyr mother therwyth And when he hath tolde this of the pharysyes then resembleth he the doctryne of the chyrche ther to and sayth As ours now afâ—erme that yt is more merytoryâ—use to â—fâ—re to god and his holy sayntes
he make vs fele that for a shyfte to scape away wyth he hath sought sore 〈◊〉 found out for the artycles of his heresyes not any trâ—â— felyngâ— faythâ— but a false fumblynge fantasye yet wolde Tyndale seme to proue his felynge fayth by scrypture and therfore he sayth Of the felynge â—ayth yt is wryten IohnÌ„ vi They shall be all taughte of god That is god shall wryte yt in theyr hertes wyth hys â—oly spyryte And Paule also testyfyeth Roman viii the spyryte bereth recorde vnto oure spyryte that we be the sonnes of god And thys fayth is none opynyon but a sure felynge and therfore euer frutefull Neyther hangeth yt of the honesty of the preacher but of the power of god and of the spyryte And therfore yf all the preachers of the worlde wolde go about to persuade the contrary yt wold not preuayl no more then though they wolde make me byleue that the fyre were cold after that I haâ— put my fynger therin Now good chrysten reades here haue ye fyrste herde the wordes of god wyth whych Tyndale wold make vs wene that he proueth vs hys felynge fayth of all hys heresyes after haue ye herde the wordes of hym selfe declarynge the effecte of the same in hym self so depe and so surely wryten in hys herte that all the prechours in the worlde can not now scrape it out no more then make hym byleue that the fyre were colde in whyche he had burned hys fynger Fyrste ye maye sone se that the scryptures proue of hys purpose not one peyce For well ye wote your questyon is not whyther god wyth hys inwarde wurkynge wryte in mannys harte the fayth whyche I haue at length all redy shewed you that he doth and haue also shewed you what is ment therby that is to wytte hys wurkynge wyth the towardenesse of mannys wyll in ledynge hym in to the consent of bylyefe whyche ledynge is the techynge wherof Crist speketh in the wordes which Tindale here alledgeth the wordes of our sauiour rehersyng the sayeng of the prophete Esay They shal be all taught of god whych wordes by the prophete were spoken of our sauyour the new law that he sholde brynge and of the great dyfference bytwene Moyses that taught the olde Cryst that shold come and tech the secunde For in the fyrst though it were receyued of god was yet delyuered them taught them by Moyses that was but a man they lerned but oâ— theyr neyghbour that is to wyt of man of whych euery one is neyghbour to other by kynde But in the new law the worlde receyued lerned of Cryste whyche was not our neyghbour onely y â— is to wyt very man But also the maker of euery mannes neighbour him self also very eternal god y e same techer though he taught before was y e same god y t before taught by Moyses the synagoge of the chyldren of Israell and gaue theym by Moyses a lawe wryten in bokes eyther of stone or in dede skynnes yet when he wolde after come to gather hys chrysten chyrch and teche in hys owne person he wolde hys owne mouth gyue hys chyrche a lawe wythout booke and shede out hys grace so meruelouse and so plentuouse vppon the people that thorough the myracles the doctryne dede stony hartes sholde waxe tender softe quycke and wyth wyllyng and applyable myndes shold by the spyryte of god haue the lawe that is the trewe bylyefe good hope and well wurkynge cheryte gracyously wryten in them And thus sholde it haue bene and by the same spyryte sholde it euer haue coÌ„tynued in the catholyke chyrche all though neuer worde of the new testament had ben wryten And yet in the same maner remayneth wryten in the same chyrche by the same spyryte a ryghte rule lefte by god techynge the chyrche to enterprete and vnderstand the wrytynge that hys holy apostles haue wryten after hys holy prophetes haue also wryten before And thys wrytynge from tyme to tyme in the hartes of hys chyrch is the writyng that Cryst so often promised vnto his chyrch that is to wyt that he wolde sende the holy gooste to teche it all thynge and to lede it into all trouth be wyth it hym selfe all dayes also euyn vnto the worldes ende Now what chyrch this is there nedeth no man to dowt when we dowte not whych chyrche it is that hath by god that gyfte to knowe by bylyef which is the trew scrypture whyche is as me semeth one greate artycle of the fayth That chyrche that hath the gyfte of that artycle vpon whyche by the doctryne of all these heretykes them self the credence of all the other artycles depende and none other chyrche hath it but by it that chyrche I saye may soone be perceyued and ought to be byleued to be the very chyrche Now what thys techyng is that is ment by our sauyoru in the wordes that Tyndale alledgeth ye â—e And therfore as I sayed now consyder that the purpose of Tyndale is not to teche vs that god techeth hys electes the fayth but to teche and proue vs by the textes that he bryngeth forth that god techeth not onely the trewe fayth but also the felynge fayth of suche a maner felynge as hym selfe hath declared by beynge wounded in the batayle and burnynge hys fynger in the fyre so y t he can neuer after at any tyme byleue the coÌ„trary no nor neuer after do any dedely synne And now ye se perde clerely that in those wordes of Crysâ—e rehersynge the prophecy They shall be all taught of god here is neuer one worde of any suche maner felynge and therfore doth that texte nothynge proue for hys purpose of hys felynge fayth Besydes thys ye wote well that Tyndale putteth thys felynge fayth to be the fayth of all electes and than hym selfe denyeth not but that there were electes in euery tyme from Adam vnto Cryste And thys prophecy that he nowe bryngeth in for hys purpose was as hym selfe knoweth spoken of the chyrch of Cryste that shold be after hys own comynge And how can he than for shame saye that it was spoken of the felynge fayth of all electes when they wâ—re onely spoken to declare the maner of excellence bytwenâ— the new lawe and the olde But suche is Tyndals iuglyng to make euery thynge of euery thynge Let vs now go than to the wordes of saynt Poule in the viii chapyter of his pystle to the Romayns where he sayth the spyryte bereth wytnesse to our spyryte that we be the sonnes of god These wordes good chrysten reder whyche Tyndale here allegeth for hym not onely make nothynge for hym but ouer that yf we consyder them well wyth some woâ—des before and after they make so clere agaynste hymâ— that a man coulde not wysshe for a place more effectuall to turâ—â— ouer vtterly destroye clerely Tyndals hole gostely purpose For lo good reder saynt Poule after that he hadde in the .vii. chapyter
syth they wolde byleue of lykelyhed as one man of the catholyke chyrche in that poynt better theâ—ne all the whole and that poynt muste nedes by Tyndales doctryne be knowen fyrste as the thynge wythout whyche nothynge can be proued there is no remedy but sende some of Tyndals electes For the trewe reasons and effectuall haue onely ye wote well they But fyrste how shall we knowe them â—yes well inough perde For yf they be freres we knowe them by weddynge of nonnes well sende Luther then How be it that may not be for he sholde be but laughed at there bycause he alloweth the reason of saynt Austayne that he knoweth the sâ—rypture by the catholyke chyrche bycause the chyrche hath he sayth the knowledge and dyscernyng therof from all other wrytynge specyally gyuen by god well wyll we do well then lette vs sende so good a man as no man can dowte of but that he is an electe and who sholde that be but holy wyllyam Tyndale hym selfe what reasons wyll he laye to them He wyll saye by lykelyhed O all you Iewes and all you Turkes to and all ye Saracenys hedes harken here vnto me and geue credence vnto me and byleue me that these bokes be the very scripture of god but byleue it neuer the rather though all the knowen catholyke chyrche saye so for they be all as badde as ye be and ech of you as credyble as any of them and then be you Iewes of more antyquyte then they and ye Turkes and ye Saracenys fyue â—ymes so many as they and therfore why sholde you byleue the catholyke chyrch for any thyng that they can saye vnto you But I shall tell you whom ye shall byleue I saye ye shall byleue me and I shall tell you a good cause why For I haue a felynge fayth For what so euer I tell you god hathe hym selfe so wryten it in myne herte that I fele it to be trewe And therfore thys is a playne euydent open cause wherfore ye sholde byleue me Lo when Tyndale wold telle them thys tale they could not ye wote well laugh therat for it coulde not be but the felynge fayth of hys fâ—lse harte they muste nâ—des fele at theyr owne fyngers endâ— â—ath he not wysely â—andeled thys obieccyon of the Iewes the Turkes and towarde the auoydynge of the catholyke chyrche prouyng of hys felyng fayth brought them to a goodly purpose But then cometh he forth in the ende of hys chapyter and shewed vs that god euer in the olde testament dyd let the great multytude erre reseruynge all waye a lytle floke to call them backe agayne and shewe them the ryght way And so he meneth that god hath now sent hym hys mayster and those other holy heretykes to teche the catholyke chyrche the ryght waye But as I haue sayd before god hath promysed to sende hys holy spyryte into thys chyrche to teche it all trouth to remayne therwyth hym selfe also perpetually to guyde hys chyrche from suche fallynge of hys catholyke chyrche from the ryght fayth that he sholde nede to sende any such coll prophetes as these heretykes are to teche hys chyrche the fayth as it appereth well by the olde holy sayntes of euery age syth thapostles dayes wyth whose doctryne as it is by theyr bookes proued the doctryne of the catholyke chyrche agaynst all these heretykes agreeth Also whan he sent hys prophetes of olde he was wonte alway to sende honest men on hys erand that proued them selfe by myracles and not suche rascayle rybauldes as call them selfe apostles and proue it but by iestynge and raylynge Goddes messengers were wonte also to teche euery man clennesse and honesty not as these bestely felowes do teche folke to breke theyr vowys and freres to flye forth and wedde nonnes More ouer yf the trewe flocke be alwaye a lytle flocke then be not these heretykes now the trewe flocke For they be now growen not onely to a greate maynye of menne but also a great shrewde sorte of flockes flockyng in many countrees of chrystendome full faste and in many places mych harme haue done and mych more they go aboute And therfore syth in some places the heretykes be now the gretter multytude and the catholykes the lytle flocke there are then yet syth the treuth standeth by Tyndales tale in the lytlenesse of the flocke the catholykes becomen the faythfull folke and the heretykes the false wythoute any chaunge of bylyefe on eyther other syde Fynally chose few folke that god was wont to reserue or sende to techethe worlde the ryghte waye dyd agre in theyr doctryne For ellys had the worlde ye wâ—te well not wyste whyche of them to folowe But now â—hese heretykes be almost as many sectes as men neuer one agreeth wyth other so that yf the worlde were to lerne the ryghte waye of them that mater were mych lyke as yf a man walkynge in a wyldernesse that fayne wolde fynde the ryghte waye towarde the towne that he enteÌ„ded sholde mete with a mayny of lewde mockynge knauys whyche when the poore man hadde prayed them to tell hym the waye wolde gete them into a roundell turnynge theym backe to backe and then speke all at onys and eche of them tell hym thys waye eche of theym poyntynge forthe wyth hys hande the waye that hys face standeth Fynally that lytell flocke that god reserued to call the great multitude backe and to shewe the worlde the ryghte waye they were euer yet a knowen company For yf men myghte not haue knowen theym they neuer coulde haue herde them nor byleued them as folke of the trewe flocke yf no man coulde haue knowen whyche were the trewe flocke And then muste it theruppon folow that yet the trewe chyrche muste be a knowen chyrche and not an vnknowen sorte of electes onely wyth such an vnknowen kynde of felynge fayth as no man can fele in hys felowe nor no man can fele in hym selfe but he whom all trewe faythfull folke may well and easyly fele for a false fumblynge heretyke whyche by that false fumblynge fayth feleth that the blessed sacrament of the aultar the sacred body of our sauyour hym selfe sholde haue none honour done to it nor be taken for no thynge ellys but eyther for bare brede or starche But now when he hath so well quytte hym wyth y â— false turkes and the Iewes agaynste the trewe catholyke chyrche of Cryste he commeth forth wyth an other chapyter and therin for the fynall conclusyon of all hys mater concernynge the knowlege of the very chyrche and for the fynall solucyon of the seconde argument made for the catholyke chyrche and for the fynall confyrmacyan of hys false felynge fayth he knytteth vppe all hys dyspycyons with these wyse wordes that folow Tyndale ¶ How thys worde chyrche hathâ— double interpretacyon Thys is therfore a sure conclusyon as Paule sayth Rom. 9 that not all they that are of Iâ—aell are Iâ—aelytâ—s neyther bycause the be Abâ—ahams seed
that draweth draweth euen from the begynnynge and casteth downe the cord of his grace to take holde vpon wheruppon who so taketh hold and holdeth styll is by god drawen vnto god and helpeth hym selfe to be drawen For as saynt Poule sayth we helpe forth wyth god I say also that after that god hath wrought wyth mannys wyll and called hym by preuencyon of grace at the yeres of dyscrecyon eyther from Iudaisme or fro gentylyty and fyndynge no lette in the man hath by baptysme fully infounded the fayth and wyth hope and cheryte put hym in state of grace whych is all the wrytyng in the harte that euer I herde of this man hauynge nowe not fayth alone but hope and cheryte to and standynge in suche state of grace that yf he then so deceaced his soule sholde forthe with flye in to blysse byfore his body were colde yet when he doth after that infusyon of fayth and grace any thefte or auowtry he leseth charyte alway by custome of synne somtyme hope to and leueth but bare fayth that is to say bylyefe alone and somtyme by false doctrine of heretykes leseth some of that to Aud yet is fayth alone good to be kepte ye and the very peyces and fragmentes of the fayth also for they be meanes by whyche a man maye the more easely come to the remanaunt that he hath loste or lakketh And they helpe wyth goddes forther helpe to kepe a man from some synne though they kepe hym not from all For some man that falleth to thefte somtyme remembereth yet his baptyme and beynge by the deuyll entyced to kyll the man maketh a crosse vppon his brest prayeth Crist kepe hym from it in aduowtry lyke wyse And god in that good mynde preueÌ„teth the man by grace worketh wyth hys wyll in kepynge hym therefro as he gaue hym good thoughtes and offred hym his grace yf he wold haue taken holde therof to kepe hym 〈◊〉 the tother to And I doute not but yf god left hym in the â—one as he lâ—â—te god in the tother the deuyll that wyth his 〈◊〉 brought his wyll to thefte and aduowtry wolde â—rynge hym to manslaughter also and make hym kyll and murther the tone man for his money the tother man for his wyfe And thus ye se that of Tyndales ryall tale there is not one worde yet proued trew sauynge where he sayeth that all which come of Abrahams seed are nor Abrahams chyldren all but they only that folowe the fayth of Abraham For I wyll graunt hym this and a great deale more so For I say farther that all be â—ot Abrahams chyldren that haue Abrahams fayth but if they haue his charyâ—e to and therby worke his workes For our sauyour sayth yf ye be the chyldren of Abraham worke ye the workes of Abraham But ye be sayth he the chyldren of the deuyll and after his desyres wyll ye do well wyll Tyndale yet say syth yt is so that M. More grauÌ„teth hym selfe y t though fayth alone be a very fayth and right and trew for so farre as it stretcheth yet bycause yt stretcheth not farre inough to saluacyon in that yt beynge but alone lakketh both hope and charyte wherfore doth mayster More speke so myche therof beyng as hym selfe confesseth but insuffycient and not rather let yt passe and exhorte euery man to my felyng fayth that is both suffycyent and also can neuer fayle As for the fyrste poynte the blame be theyrs that haue geuyn the occasyoÌ„ For men haue be fayn to speke so mych of fayth alone for the selâ—e same cause for whyche saynte Poule dyd speke therof and saynt Iamys both that is to wyt bycause these heretikes now folowed the false secte of some suche as were then in the apostles tyme teachynge that fayth alone was inough for saluacyon as Tyndales mayster Martyne Luther doth manyfestly and playne in his Babilonica where he sayeth expressely that a chrysten man can neuer be dampned yf he will byleue nor no synne can damne hym but only inâ—rudelyte that is to say lakke of bylyefe For as for all other â—ynnys what so euer they be fayth saith he if it eyther abyde styll or come agayn suppeth theym all vppe in a moment and that god hath no nede of mannys good workes but that he hath nede of oure fayth alone This maketh folke to speke of fayth alone and shewe by y e authorite of saynt Poule and saynt Iamys and many other places of holy scrypture that Tyndales mayster holy Luther lyeth But yet wyll Tyndale saye syth I do nowe speke of fayth that is felynge and worketh well and by reason of the felyng a can not but worke well what sholde mayster More eyle now to speke any more of the tother faith alone that for lakke of felynge worketh not consyderyâ—ge also that I bysyde the fayth that feleth and worketk well adde repentaunce also of all that men do amysse what fauâ— ther fore fyndeth he now or what wolde the man haue more Fyrste there ys yet cause to speke of fayth alone bycause Tyndale is not an heretyke alone but y t there be many mo besyde hym whyche yet saye styll as Luther dyd byfore Also there is cause bycause of Tyndale specyally which wolde glose Luthers olde heresye wyth these new wordes whych wyll in no wyse stande wyth whych he wold make the world to wene that in fayth alone he ment fayth hope and charyte and that yt coulde not be that he any other ment bycause there can be none other fayth but onely that alone y t hath both hope and charyte therwith and by thys bald glose that thre vertues be all one vertue and that one vertue were thre agaynst both reason and scripture wold he mokke vnlerned people and make them byleue that Luther ment well and that all other men were so madde that they coulde not vnderstande hym And therfore to make open this wyly foly of Tyndale is also a cause why that I speke so myche of fayth alone bysydes the necessyte of answerynge hym concernynge his worshyppefull euasyon of his owne felynge fayth on whych he hopeth that he maye be bold bycause no man can come into his brest to se what maner of felynge hym selfe feleth there But yet hath god of his great goodnes begyled hym made hym so madde in the brayne that he hath vttred hym selfe such thynges with his own peÌ„ne as our sauyour sayenge hym self y t the mouth speketh of the abuÌ„daunce or fulnesse of the herte muste nedes make euery man to fele euen at his fyngers ende that Tyndale in the botome of hys harte wyth his fulsome felynge fayth feleth a foule fylthy hepe of false sumblynge heresyes For yet is his fayth worse then fayth alone whyche he calleth the deuyls fayth and myne For as saynte Iamys sayth The deuyls do both byleue tremble also for drede but thou sayeth he to Tyndale and euery suche as Tyndale is that for his felyng fayth
sayth y t he is so great with god y t he may do many horryble dedes wythout any dedly synne art worse theÌ„ y e deuyll bycause thou doste not drede Bysydes this syth Tyndale teacheth suche a felynge fayth as no fayth as he sayth can saue a soule but yt and then teacheth therwyth all that toward the getyng therof no man can any more do then the chylde can to the bygettynge of his owne father that is to say all mosâ—e lesse then ryght nought what doth he by this teachynge but teache euery man to syt styll go nothynge aboute ytâ— And when he sayth good workes be nothynge of our wyll but necessaryly sprynge out of the felyng fayth and yet be but lyke leues rather then frut for he sayth they shall neuer haue rewarde in heuen bâ—t that yt were damnable to thynke that euer they shold thoâ—gh he wold by other wordes byd men to do them yet doth he by this tale so strongly teache the contrarye that who so byleueth hym shall leue theym all vndone And when he teacheth repentaunce wythout shryft or penauÌ„ce sayth y e shryft is the inuencyon of the deuyll could he euer haue comen into the felyng of that false fayth but yf the deuyls owne hand had fumbled about his herte I passe ouer his false fayth in all the other sacrameÌ„tes his calling of Cristê blessed body bare cakebrede or sterche with his doctryne of lecherye betwene freres and nunnes and many madde fransyes mo that he techeth besyde this one thynge is inough and may serue for all to gether that he teacheth his felynge fayth onely to serue for saluacyon and wythout whych he sheweth euery mau must nedes go to the deuyll For other fayth he putteh none but such as he sayth is frutelesse and then teachynge therwythall that towarde the getynge of that fayth whyche excepte he gete he muste nedes to the denyll no man can any thynge at all do by good endeuour he both techeth that it were in vayn for any man to labour for yt or so myche as pray therfore or in hys herte onys to wyshe yt syth he coulde wyth no suche thynge helpe any thynge towarde yt or forsuch desyre be any thynge the nerer but syt euen styll and let god worke alone And yf he fele any good mynde neuer labour to kepe it For he that sent it can kepe it yf he lyste And yf he wyll not what can the man do And yf he wyll the man then shall not nede nor nothyng can yf he wold in tornyng towarde god no more then the hachette can in a mannys hande which though it may with the maÌ„nys hand wurke vppon the tree yet canne yt not of the owne nature any thynge helpe it selfe to moue and turne backe towarde the man Thys is Tyndalys teachynge and thys ys hys owne ensample wherby he sheweth vs that we canne nothynge do in turnynge towarde god but god doth all alone And thys dothe Tyndale tell vs and well and boldely dare no thynge aferde of god that cryeth the contrary by the mouth of Salomon where he sayth Turne agayne thou Sunamyte turne agayne And where he sayth also Turne to me and I wyll turne to you wolde the prophete wene you haue sayd so to hys hachet Now where he sayth also Turne you to me ye shall be saued Lyke as if man coulde turne wythout god Cryste wolde not saye wythout me ye can do nothynge so yf on the tother syde man coulde nothynge at all do in the turnynge towarde hym no more then can the hachette in turnynge towarde the man god wolde not so often and so ernestely call and cry vppon vs nor â—tande and knocke at the dore of oure harte yf our selfe coulde nothynge do to the openynge therof and therby to lette hym in Now Tyndale not onely techeth vs this vngracyouse lesson by whyche he wolde make men so to loke for grace that for the lacke of theyr owne endeuoure they maye be wurthy to lese it but also syth he both techeth vs that with out that fayth euery man is dampned and then techeth vs also that to the geâ—tyng therof no man can nothyng do he techeth I say by these two thinges togither euery wreched wylfull beste to lay the weyght of his wrechednes the malyce of hys own wreched wyll vnto the prouydence predestynacyon of god And syth that thys ys so hygh an heresye so sore blasphemynge the hyghe maiestye of god I saye that Tyndalys felynge faythe ys yet farre wurse not onely then bare faythe alone but also thenne no faythe at all as it were lesse euyll neuer to haue herde of god nor neuer hâ—ue thought of hym neyther then to byleue that there is god and then so bestely to blaspheme hym And where as Tyndale calleth fayth alone the fayth of the pope and of the deuyll me what fayth the pope hath or my selfe eyther god shal be iudge and not Tyndale But surely as for hys owne felynge fayth hym selfe here â—â—erely declareth that it is double as deuelyshe as the deuyls own fayth in dede Fyrste for the poynt that saynt Iamys speketh of bycause of hys malepert presumpcyon affyrmynge that for the felynge fayth he maye do myche horryble dedes wythout any dedely synne therfore is as saynt Iamys sayeth oute of the drede of god and therin worse then the deuyll whyche bothe beleueth and trymbleth also for drede And secundely is hys felynge fayth wurse then the deuyls is in that the deuyll byleueth that the very body of Cryste is in the blessed sacrament of the aulter and fereth and trymbleth and gyueth reuerence therto ye and vnto the image of Crystes crosse also as hath in euery agâ— bene proued in sundry places of chrystendome and dayly appereth yet where as Tyndale calleth blessynge and crossyng but waggyng of folkes fyngers in the ayre and fereth not lyke one that wolde at length wagge hempe in the wynd to mocke at all such myracles and say the deuyll fleeth froÌ„ folkes blessyâ—ges as men fle from chyldren faynyng them selfe aferd of them when they lyste to sporte and playe with them nor fereth to mocke the sacrament the blessed body of god full lyke a stretche hempe call it but cake brede or starche And fynally yet is hys faythlesse felyng fayth farre wurse then is the deuyls in that the deuyll I dare saye byleueth and so sayeth to mennes charge that suche as do not byleue myghte yf they wolde and such as do not turne to god myghte yf they lyste and layeth vnto the dampned soules the cause of theyr owne dampnacyon where Tyndale techyng vs y t they could do no thyng to the contrary layeth of theyr daÌ„pnacyoÌ„ all y e blame in god which plasphemouse heresye is such an heighnouse kynde of abominable outragyouse blasphemy y t I veryly suppose in my mynde thys poynt y t Tindals faith feleth in his hert y t very wurst daÌ„pned deuyll in the depest
god that he hath a better fayth and a more perfayte than saynt Austayne had after that god had by myracle turned hym to the fayth and wryte agaynst the Manicheys from whose false secte god had called hym PeradueÌ„ture this questyoÌ„ wyll somwhat seme strauÌ„ge to this dyscyple of Tyndale bycause it is none of those to whyche hys mayster hath taught hym to make answere But yet I thynke in conclusyoÌ„ y â— hys mayster wyll not aduyse hym to saye that he feleth hym selfe to haue a more perfayt bylyefe then saynt Austayne in any suche thynge as saynt Austayne and he byleued bothe leste euery man shold fele the mayster of such a scoler to proue a proud fole Now on the tother syde yf he coÌ„fesse that he fele not his owne fayth for any more perfayt then saynt Austayns was but byleue in hys owne mynde that saynt Austayne in any trewe poynt of bylyefe commune vnto them bothe had as full a fayth and as perfayte as he then wyll I aske hym wherfore he doth not now byleue the scrypture styll for the authoryte of the chyrche as well as saynt Austayne dyd styll when he wrote of hym selfe agaynste the Manicheys and sayd I wolde not byleue the gospell but yf the authoryte of the chyrche moued me therto He byleued it for the authoryte of the chyrche alwaye styll and yet dare I saye and Tyndale I suppose dare not saye the contrary but that the spyryte of god hadde as well wryten that conclusyon in hys harte as in the holy harte of any dyscyple of Tyndale whome Tyndale here teacheth to answere vs the contrary And thus as concernynge the knowlege of the very scrypture whyche is our pryncypall mater Tyndals answere in the very chyefe poynte of all but yf he proue hys scolers fayth better then saynt Austayns hys answere that he techeth here hys dyscyple is not worth a rysshe But now let vs in those other artycles aske thys good scoler of Tyndale syth it is so that he feleth and fyndeth in his herte wryteÌ„ by the spyryte oâ— god that freres monkes that haue by vowe forsaken flesshe may lawfully fall from fysshe to womans flesshe and vnder the name of weddyng make stewed struÌ„pettes of nonnes and feleth also by lyke felyng fayth that good workes are nought worth nor shall be rewarded in heuen and feleth also by the same false felyng fayth that in the blessed sacrament of the awter there is neyther the precyouse body nor bloude of Chryste but onely cake brede and wyne or starche in stede of brede I shall aske hym I saye therfore the questyon to whyche hys mayster hath bouÌ„den hym to make answere that is to wyt how he came fyrst by thys fayth that is to saye the hystorycall fayth of them byfore that the spyryte of god wyth wrytynge theym in hys harte caused hym there bothe to rede them and fele them For answere of thys questyon Tyndale sayth to his scoler Tell hym whyther it were by redyng in bokes or heryng it preched Uery well Now syth his mayster byddeth hym tell vs I wolde praye hym to tell vs whyther by prechyng or redynge in bokes To thys he wyll I wene answere me y â— he lerned those thynges by prechynge Then I aske hym by whose prechyng he came to it To this muste he be fayne to saye that by the prechynge of hys owne mayster wyllyam Tyndale Luther Lambert Huyskyn or Suinglius or some suche other apostaticall prechers But now to thys shall I tell hym agayne that syth he had not the felyng fayth wryten by y e spyryte in his harte after his maysters owne tale tyll he fyrst byleued the same thinges with an hystoricall fayth by the herynge of those holy prechers he muste to th entent that he maye lede vs in to the same fayth as they dyd hym tell vs what reason he had to byleue them seynge that they be neyther men of more lernynge nor of more wytte nor of so mych vertue as were saynt Austayn saynt Hierom saiÌ„t Basyle saynt Cyprian saynt Chrysostom saynt Grygory saynt Ambrose wyth many such other lyke whose holy lyuynge trew fayth doctryne god hath approued testyfyed to the worlde by manyfolde wonderfull myracles all which holy doctours haue taught men to beleue y â— coÌ„trary To this questyon Tyndale techeth hys scoler to make answere and saye that he byleued them bycause they laye so good authoryte for them what authoryte laye they for them shall I saye Now to thys questyon Tyndale hym selfe maketh an answere and sayth Concernynge â—utwarde teachynge we allege for vs scrypture elder then any chyrche that was tâ—is xliii hundred yeres and olde autentyke storyes whych they had brougâ—t a slepe where with we confound theyr lyes Remember ye not how in our owne tyme of all that toughte grammer in Englande not one vnderstode the latyne tonge how câ—me we then 〈◊〉 tâ—e laten tonge agayn not by them though we lerned certayne rules aâ—â— prâ—ncyples of them by whyche we were moued and haddâ— an ocâ—â—sâ—on 〈…〉 further but oute of the olde authors Euen so we seâ—e 〈…〉 out of whych we lerne and not of our chirch thâ—â—â—h wâ— receyâ—â—◠〈◊〉 pryncyples of our chyrche at the begynnynge but more faâ—shed amâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 trueth Lo good readers thys dyscyple of Tyndale in these artycles of his felyng fayth that good chrysten mennes good workes shall haue no rewarde in heuyn that frerys may wedde nonnes and in hys blasphemy agaynste the blessed body and bloude of Cryste in the sacrament of the aultare he byleued hys mayster and his mayster his mayster Marten Luther and the other lewde maysters of these newe sectes not wythout a cause ye se well For he sayth that they alledge for theyr heresyes the scrypture olde auncyent sâ—oryes therwyth as men haue brought vp nowe the trewe olde grammer agayne euyn so do they now brynge vp the olde trewe fayth agayne wherof thoughe they toke some pryncyples of the catholyke chyrche at the begynnyng yet they toke therof more falshed amonge then truthe Now which those thynges are that he calleth the falshed that he sayth they toke of the chyrche ye knowe good chrysten reders well inough those are the poyntes for whyche he so sore iesteth and rayleth agaynst the catholyke chyrch the techynge that good wurkes shal be rewarded in heuyn and that folke shold kepe the holydayes fastyng dayes pray for all chrysten soules honour the precyouse boâ—y bloude of Cryste in the blessed sacrament and obserue theyr holy vowes made to god and forbede that freres sholde wedde nonnes and many suche other thynges These thynges he sayeth that the chyrche hadde taughte hym false tyll that nowe Tyndale and Luther and Lambert and Huyskyn and Suynglius haue restored agayne the ryghte fayth in all these poyntes that hath ben thys .viii. hundred yere loste as Tyndale sayth These thynges haue they now restored and brought vp agayne by antyquytees and old
to proue vnto Tyndale that by his wordes the chyldren in theyr baptysme haue by god the felyng fayth infounded Now shall I tell you that thynge in few wordes lo. I haue proued hym this poynt good reders for bycause that vppon this muste yt clerely folowe by Tyndales tale magry Tyndales â—eth that the pope and the cardynales and the whole clergye and all the crysten people besyde be the very playn electes of god and shal be saued euerychone as many as euer were crystened whyle they were â—hildren and y t they can neuer sinne dedely in all theyr liues though they do neuer so many horryble dedes bycause as Tyndale sayth by the felynge fayth euery one that hath yt is so borne of god and so hath his seed in hym that he may well do horryble dedes but he can neuer do dedely synne after And then doth he mych a mysse to rayle and ieste vpoÌ„ them ye wote well Now can Tyndale neuer gete out of this net whyle he leueth in whyche his folyshe false felynge fayth hath wrapped hym but yf he refuse not onely the doctryne of the catholyke chyrche of Cryste but of his owne mayster Martyne antecryste also And yet foloweth yt farther vppon Tyndales tale also that syth all the catholyke chyrche haue by his tale the felynge fayth and therfore are all electes and then he sayth that the electis hauyng the feling faith be the very chyrch yt clerely foloweth I say by him that y e pope cardinales and the clergy and y e whole crysteÌ„ people that is to say the knowen catholyque chyrche is the very chyrche of Cryste and that hym selfe and his felowes whyche he sayth are departed oute therof as fro the chyrch of heretyques are not departed out nor neuer can by this tale of his departe oute of yt in this worlde but euer hange styll theron as scabbes and bocchys vppon the bodye And thus ye se good reders to what good purpose Tindale hath by his felynge fayth sodaynly brought his chyrche so clene to the contrary of that he hath folyshely fumbled aboute all this whyle afore And surely good chrysten reder as for felynge fayth yf he meane therby faste and sure bylyefe wythoute any mystruste or doute of the contrary this felynge fayth is in the folke of the catholyque chyrche and in none other If he meane by the fayth wryten in meÌ„nes hartes the faith wherof god worketh wyth mannys wyll into the consent or the fayth by god infounded into mannys herte this writynge of god in mannys harte is in the catholyque chyrch and no where elles If he meane by his felynge fayth any forther suertye of the poyntes that he byleueth then onely on vndouted assent and adhesyon therunto then is yt not fayth but a nother kynde of reuelacion and an infusyon of knowledge beyond the kynde and nature of the fayth a thynge no lesse happy or blessed but lesse merytoryouse then fayth For god mayâ— where yt please hym of his mere grace wythout any maner meryte geue a creature y â— lyke degre of glorye and farre greater to then other shall with theyr merite and hys grace attayne But yet suche kynde of reuelacyon yf he geue yt any man he geueth yt onely to suche as are trew members of his catholyke chyrch and not repugnauÌ„t vnto the â—â—tholyque fayth If he meane by his felyng faith any pleasure or comforte of hope or any feruour and hete of charyte this felyng is the felynge of those other two vertues not the felynge of the bare bylyef to whyche the secte of Lutheâ— geueth all the glory and whyche may be hadde and abyde ferme and faste in hys owne nature wythoute eyther hope or charyte as by the wordes of saynte Poule playne appereth And this felynge both concernynge hope and charyte is in the catholyke chyrche and in none other secte But what so euer hope those heretyques haue or felynge of any effeccyon yt is but Tyndales false truste in stede of crysten hope and Tyndales false translated loue in stede of chrysten cheryte And suche hopers and suche louers wene they them selfe neuer so well in fauour and neuer so great wyth god nor neuer so sure of saluacyon are yet no lesse bygyled then are the beggers that dreme they fynde great hepys of gold and wax wonderouse gladde in theyr slepe wenynge them selfe awake And so fynally any maner felyng that aught is y e good members of the catholyke chyrche hath and no secte of all these heretykes But where as Tyndale sayeth he feleth that who so euer haue his felynge fayth may do many horryble dedes wythout any dedely synne and that who so euer synne onys wyllyngly shall neâ—er be after forgeuen that god hath no respect to any good workes of men but onely to fayth alone and that the fre wyll of man can do no more in turnynge towarde god then the hachet in tournynge toward the hewar nor that the man can do no more to the getyng of fayth then the chylâ— to the bygetynge of his owne father where he feleth y e shryfte is the inuencyon of the deuyll and synne to do any good workes of penaunce or to byleue that any good worke shall haue rewarde in heuen or to do any honour vnto the blessed sacrament of the auter any other then onely to byleue that yt is a memoryalll of Crystes passyon and nothynge ellys ther in but only bare brede and wyne starche in stede of brede and where his felyng fayth also feleth that folke shold not care for holy dayes nor fastyng days nor honour any sayntes nor pray for theyr fathers soules nor be bouÌ„de to kepe theyr vowes but that freres may when they wyll lawfully wedde nuÌ„nes all these felynges and many such other lyke the catholyque chyrche feleth nothynge nor no more doth no man but such as Tyndale is that wyll not faâ—le except he mende in tyme for suche vnfaythfull felynge to fele the fyre of hell And now good crysten reders ye se to what ende Tyndales felynge fayth is come wyth whyche dyuyded from the hystorycall fayth he sayth he knoweth now whyche ys the trew scrypture of god bycause he feleth yt wryteÌ„ in his herte by goddes owne hand and that he byleueth yt no lenger now for the reachyng of the catholyke chyrch of whom he lerned yt fyrste wyth a story fayth But yet ye se good reders that in all this processe of his felynge fayth he answereth nothynge to saynt Austayne For excepte he fele better then saynte Austayne felte ellys whyle saynt Austayne confessed agaynste the Manacheys that he wolde not byleue the gospell but for the authoryte of the chyrche and founde no faute in that saynge when he was after byshoppe at the tyme of his retractacyoÌ„s yt may bycome Tyndale well in that poynte to byleue the catholyque chyrche styll as saynt Austayne dyd And on y e tother syde yf he say that hym self feleth a better fayth then saynte
that the sterrys are not clene in the syghte of god And therfore the chyrche techeth euery man to say as Chryst sayth in the gospell that do we neuer so well we haue done but oure dutye and so gyue the thanke of all the rewarde vnto goddes mere lyberall goodnesse of whose gyfte grace we haue taken all the thynges that we wurke any good wythall myghte wytte faculte fre wyll body soule and all For as saynt Poule sayth what haste thou that thou haste not receyued And then yf thou haste receyued what gloryest thou as though thou haddeste not receyued it These thynges lo doth the knowen catholyke chyrche teche and in thys wyse do they interprete and declare the scryptures And therfore yf frere Barons hadde here ment none other thynge he myghte very well haue spared mych of hys gaye golden processe beynge as it is impertynente to the pryncypall purpose But he meneth therin that man maye towarde remyssyon meryte no thynge at all nor that no merytes of man shall haue any rewarde in heuen but that all to gether standeth in fayth alone whyche lyes he hath as I sayed lerned of the deuyll alone And that he thus meaneth hym selfe well declareth by his madde poysened processe that all onely fayth iustifyeth before god And that the deuyll hath taught it hym appereth playnely by that the spyryte of god hath inspyred the contrary doctryne into hys holy apostle Paule whyche wryteth vnto the Romaynes Not the herers of the lawe are iuste before god but the doers of the lawe shall be iustyfyed And our sauyour hym self sayth in y e gospell of saynt Luke Happy be they that here the worde of god and kepe it And agayne also by the mouth of the holy and blessed apostle saynte Iamys be ye doers of the worde and not hearers onely deceauyng your selfe Now where he sayth that all the blessynges and all the holy water can not clense a man nor gyue hym remyssyon thys lerned he of the knowen catholyke chyrche as farre forth as it is trewe For none of all these neyther the men nor the thynges can do any good of them selfe as of them selfe For so sayth saynt Poule we be not suffycient of our selfe as of oure selfe For theffecte and effycacy of all these thynges cometh of god But frere Barons meneth that there is in all the blessynges and all the holy water holy brede and so forth in all the ceremonyes and almoste all y â— sacramentes vsed in the knowen catholyke chyrche none effycacye at all whych lye the deuyll and the deuyls lymmes haue taught hym For that he so meneth we knowe by hys maysters and hys felowes both the archeretykes and bretherne of hys many sundry sectes whyche call the sacrameÌ„tes but onely bare sygnes and tokens and by many places also of hys owne peuysshe processes in whyche he maketh mockes and mowes at the holy rytes and cerymonies and many of the sacrameÌ„tes vsed in the catholyke chyrche And that the deuyll and the deuyls lymmes haue taught it hym appereth bothe by the catholyke fayth of all chrysten peple thys .xv. C. yere by y e playn wordes of holy scripture also For that holy brede is farre a nother maner thynge then Barons taketh yt for appereth very well by the wordes of saynte Paule where he sayth euery creature of god is good and nothynge ought to be reiected and refused that is receyued wyth thankes geuyn For yt is sanctyfyed by the worde of god and prayour And as concernynge the holy sacramentes of anelyng thus writeth the blessed apostle saint Iames in his epistle Is there any man sycke amonge you let hym sende for the prestes of the chyrche and let theym pray for hym and lete them anoynt hym wyth the oyle in the name of our lorde the prayour of faith shall saue the syk persoÌ„ our lord shall rayse hym vp yf he be in synnys they shall be forgeuen hym And of confessyon he writeth in the same pystle immediatly after in this wise CoÌ„fesse ye your sinnes one to a nother and pray ye one for a nother that ye may be healed For myche is thâ—â—feruent prayour worth of a ryghteouse man For the sacrameÌ„t of coÌ„fyrmacyon yt is wryten in the Actes of thapostles then they that is to wyt saynt Peter and saynt IohnÌ„ layed theyr handes vppon them and they receyued the holy goost Moreouer for the sacrameÌ„t of matrymony we haue the playne and open wordes of saynte Poule to the Ephesies This is a greâ— sacrameÌ„t but I say in Cryste and in the chyrch And as for holy orders that at the geuynge of them grace is infounded into the persones that receyue them the fyrst pystle to Timothe and y â— second both do playnely proue In the fyrste pystle saynte Poule sayth thus dyspyse not the grace which is in the that was geuen vnto the by prophecye wyth the layeng of the handes of presâ—hed vppon the. And in the seconde pystle affyrmynge the same he sayth in this wyse I warne the to resuscytate and sterre vppe the grace that is in the by the laynge of my handes vppon the. Now that I haue good readers opened vnto you the couert purpose of Barons deuelyshe doctryne planted in amonge his mokkes and his iestes that there is nothyng well and trewly sayd in all his processe but that he hath lerned of the playn comen teachyng of the knowen catholyke chyrche let vs examyne and coÌ„sydre now the chyrche that he dyffyneth vs and then se whyther the authoritees that he alledgeth here of saynt Poule and saynte Austaynte do proue vs the chyrche that he promyseth The very trew chyrche is sayth he pure and clene with out spot or wryncle Also the very chyrche is of goddes eleccyon Also they that byleue that Chryste hath weshed theym from theyr synnes and stykke faste vnto his merytes and to the promyses made to theym in hym onely they be the chyrche of god and so pure and so clene that it shall not be lawfull no not for saynt Peter to say that they be vnclene Also the holy chyrche of Cryste is nothynge elles but that congregacyon that is sanctyfyed in spyryte redemyd with Crystes blood and stykketh faste and sure all onely to the promyses that be made therin Now se ye well good reders that the chyrch whych Barons here assygneth is all pure and clene and not onely hath no theues nor murderers nor whores nor bawdes therin but is also so pure that not saynte Peter hym selfe may be so bolde to fynde any faute in any man of this congregacyon But the causes why be bycause they be all of goddes eleccyon and all washed and made fayre by god and sanctyfyed in spyryt and redemed with Cristes blood and stykke all faste onely to the promyses Remember now good reders that yf frere Barons abyde by his descrypcyon then is
theym and great spottes wryncles as hym selfe wryteth at length thorow almostâ—euery chapyter of that pystle and the secunde pystle to In whyche pystles as he commendeth them for many thynges so doth he for many thynges dysprayse them and reproue theym And as he sayth there to the chyrche of god that is to wytte to the crysten people of Corynthies ye be washed and ye be clensed and ye be sanctyfyed and holy and ye be ryche in Iesu Cryste in all thynges in euery worde and in all knowledge as the wyttenes of Cryste is confermed in you so that ye myght lakke nothynge in any grace abydynge or lokynge for the reuelacyon of our lorde Iesu Cryste whyche shall conferme you vnto the ende wythout cryme in the daye of the commynge of our lorde Iesu Cryste nowe lyke as he sayth there vnto y e chyrch ye be such so sayth he euen there also to the same chyrche ye be fallen into dyuysyon and ye be in debate and dyscorde in stryfe and in contency â—n and ye do nought and sew one a nother byfore paynym iudges and ye do one a nother wronge fraude and iniury and you vse fornycacyon amonge you and some of you such as is not herd of amoÌ„g y e paynyms and other of you regarde it not nor nothyng do for the reformacyon and ameÌ„demeÌ„t therof and when ye come to gether to your housell ye kepe not a reuerent order nor abyde tyll you come all to gether nor the ryche is not content to syt and eate wyth the pore and put theyr disshes to gether in comen but the rych man wyll eate of his owne thus ye dyspyse the chyrche of god and shame the pore folke that haue not of theyr own and wyth such proude vncharytable maner and suche vnreuereÌ„t fashyon vsyng your selfe at your assembly to goddes borde ye shew your self not to regarde the body of our lorde no more in a maner then ye do the comen materyall meate for whych cause god taketh vengeaunce vpon you for many of you fall syke therfore many of you dye also Lo good reders these thynges both of the tone sorte and of the tother dothe saynte Poule wryte vnto the chyrche in the selfe same pystles out of whych frere Barons here bryngeth forth his authorytees And then when he wryteth vnto one selfe chyrche and one selfe congregacyon ye be very good and ye be very nought what meaneth he but that of the same one chyrche and one company some be good and some be nought thongh the whole chyrche and congregacyon be called good and holy bycause there is none holy company in eâ—the but yt also for the holynes of the good folke that are there in though there be badde amoÌ„g them as Chrystes company was a good company and yet was there a traytour amonge them and therfore hym selfe sayd to his apostles Now be you clene but yet all you be not clene and specyally is yt holy bycause of the holy hed therof our holy sauyour hym selfe whose mystycall body is the whole knowen catholyke chyrche in whych for all the cure done vppon yt in the baptysme yet are there many sykke members by many great new synnes and many olde many tymes cured agayne by penauÌ„ce in theyr lyues and of such as eyther perceyuer in the grace of theyr baptisme vndefoyledâ— and not reiected by any dedely synne or after dedely synnes commytted be fynally restored vnto gâ—ace agayne by the blessed sacrament of penaunce of those sortes ordynaryly doth and shall our sauyour the sore cancred members that wyll not in coÌ„clusyon be cured left vnto the rotte and shaken into the fyre brynge forthe and make perfyte his gloryouse chyrche and present yt to his father bryghte and smothe wythoute any spot or wryncle to lyue and endure in heuen but neuer shall his chyrche be clerely wythout spot or wryncle whyle yt wandereth in this wreched worlde And the chyrche in erth here muste frere Barons speke of ye wote well And therfore good crysten reders here may ye playnly se that saynte Poule in the places that frere Barons hath brought vs forthe meaneth no suche chyrthe as frere Barons wolde here make vs wene to begyle vs wyth but callynge them both good and badde and meanynge some of them good and some bad yet none without spot or wryncle ment none other chyrche of any other maner then only the comen knowen cathlyque chyrch of whych those chyrches to whome saynt Poule wrote were very trew partes and of the nature and maner of the whole chyrche For as those partyculare chyrches were knowen chyrches euen so is the whole chyrche a knowen chyrche And as they were congregacyons not of onely good folke but of bothe good and bad to gether so is the whole catholyke chyrche a congregacyon not of onely good but of good and badde to gether for whyche whole catholyque chyrch god hath euer shall according to his manyfold promises so prouyde that the doctryne therof shall neuer be any dampnable errour but as Cryste came hym selfe to begynne yt and sent his apostles dyuerse in dyuerse partes to instructe yt and they set other vnder them as saynt Poule set Timothe so god hath from age to age sent into euery good crysten couÌ„trey good holy vertuousâ— men as hath appered by theyr godly lyuynge and holy wrytynge and manyfolde myraclesâ— whyche god hath wrought and wurketh by them and wyth whiche wonderfull myracles god bereth wytnesse for them and wyth hys owne grace and assystence whyche he promysed sholde euer abyde wurketh wyth the towarde wylles of the people of hys knowen catholyke chyrche to the consentyng and agrement of the same doctryne so that the catholyke chyrche is the house of god and the pyller sure grounde of trouth that euery syngulare person in the clerynge of all dowtes concernyng the sure auoydynge of all dampnable errours maye stande and lene vnto And yf any person departe from the fayth of thys chyrche or that any pertyculare chyrche fall fro the doctryne of the whole catholyke chyrche and so departe therfro yet remayneth the remanauÌ„t styll the very full catholyke chyrch and is the same howse of god the same pyller and the same grounde of trouth that it was before whyle the tother was a parte therof lyke as yf a man dyd cut of a roten ioynt of hys body ye and many rotten ioyntes yet were the ramanaunt the selfe same man styll and the self same soule shold styll remayns whole in the remanaunt Nor not euery man that is in dedely synne is therby forthwyth out of the chyrche of Cryst in erth tyll he eyther departe out or be put out no more then a secrete traytoure in a kynges housholde is by hys secrete treason strayghte out of hys checker roule nor Iudas hym selfe after hys coÌ„ceyued treason though he were out of Crystes fauour was not yet out of hys housholde tyll hys mayster checked hym and
rysyng agayne and his myracles and his other conuersacyon in his lyfe so clere to make yt open that Cryste was he that was comen to saue the worlde and teache the trouth and sholde and ought to be byleued that god inwardely workynge wyth those good outwarde occasyons he reioyced hyghly the meâ—ynge wyth Crystes dyscyple that hadde so well knowen hym and ben so conuersauÌ„t wyth hym But nowe hath god establyshed his fayth and his doctryne by the space of .xv. hundred yere and sendeth not lyghtely any suche one man to preache and teache as was saynte Phylippe that can in teachyng make the scrypture so playne and open to me as saynt Philyppe dyd vnto Eunuchus not that hath lerned yt so fully and so surely as the postles hadde of the mouth of the great mayster Cryste And therfore shold I not haue so great occcasion to byleue and to take for the trewe teacher any one man that wolde constre me the scrypture nowe namely constrewynge yt in such wyse many of his owne felowes professyng the fayth of Cryste as he doth wyll say that he constreweth yt false whyche happed not in the construccyons that saynte Phylyppe made Enuchus And therfore though our sauyour say that such as are his do heare his voyce and not the voyce of straungers he semeth to meane there in to geue vs warnynge do so that is to wyt that we shold heare and obay hym and not other agaynste hym For who so wyll heare heretyques and not hym be none of his And that the vnccyon and inwarde inspyracion of god techeth vs and maketh vs perceyue that is very trew For god inwardly worketh with the will of man walkyng with god in well vsynge and applyenge conuenyent occasyons towarde yt outwardely geuen by god But yt meaneth not that by and by vppon euery thynge that we heare we shold wythout consyderacyon geue our selfe to the consent of the tone syde or the tothâ—r in mater of eternall deth or euerlastynge lyfe and thynke that what so euer we forthwyth vnaduysely lyste to bylyefe is the vnccyon of the spyryt and in spyracyon of god For god byddeth vs that we shold not be lyght of bylyefe nor by and by byleue euery spyryte but proue the spyrytes whether they be of god And then yf we be not only symple as douys but also prudent and wyse as serpentes his inwarde vnccyon wyll worke wyth our dylygeÌ„ce but not yf we be slouthfull or wyll be willyngely begyled and suffer the deuyll make vs madde folys And therfore he sayth not byleue at aduenture but byddeth vs take hede and be well ware that we be not begyled by false prophetes y â— wyll come to vs in such wyse that outwardly they shall seme shepe and inwardely be rauenouse wolues To this wold frere Barns say For soth dere doughter in the lorde those wolues be these monkes and freres and prestes that be the comen preachers of this carnall chyrch that they falsely call the catholyque chyrch whych do techâ— bysyde the scrypture dampuable dremes of men and make men byleue that dome sacramentes and ceremonyes and good workes sholde do good to the soule whych false prechers wyth all theyr carnall chyrch that hath now ben this viii hundred yere ledde out of the ryght way we new preachers of the very trew chyrche whych is spyrytuall do now by the worde of god wryten in holy scrypture conuycte and reproue To this were she well lykely to say agayne veryly father Barns here ye bryng me now euen to the very poynt For syth that the apostles of Cryste begonne that lerned of his owne mouth no one man lefte now nor neuer synnes theyr tyme whome men myght so surely take for an vndouted teacher as them yt semeth that god hath lefte the sure credeÌ„ce of doctryne in no one man but in his whole chyrch And therfore that man whych agreeth in doctryne with the very chyrche I maye reken sure that his doctryne is very trew in the necessary exposycyon of scrypture not for hys owne authoryte of suerty of his person nor for the suertye that I can haue that his doctryne agreeth well wyth scrypture for I can not know that but by that I know hym for for a trew techer but for y â— surty that I haue that the doctryne of the hole catholyke very trew chyrch wyth whiche hys techyng agreeth can not be false For yf it myght then were there no sure trewe chyrch at all that must there nedes be as all sortes of sectes agre as I here saye And therfore this trew chyrche beyng knowen yf you shew me how I may get a techer whose techyng agreeth wyth that then dare I byleue hym well els it wyll be harde for any suche as I am to thynke with reason that she sholde gyue sure credence to any man or that she can be by the scripture sure of so many sectes of contrary consterers which one constreweth trewly when all the tother say nay and be all redy to swere that he constreweth false And therfore good father Barns wyll she say I lyke it well that ye declare so well at length which is the very chyrch bycause we shold not be deceyued with the false prophetes of the fals chyrch of whom Cryst bode vs take hede beware For the very trew chyrche onys knoweÌ„ we shall as our sauyour sayth yf we take good hede know these false prophetes by theyr frutes For loke they nâ—uer so symplely speke they neuer so sayntely yet yf theyr lyuynge or theyr techyng be contrary to the doctryne of the very trew holy chyrch it is than very trew that theyr frute is rotten false and them selfe false prophetes of some false chyrch for all theyr shepyshe semblauÌ„ce outwardly ryght rauenouse woluys are they within And therfore good father Barns I wolde haue wyshed that ye had taken a lytell more payne in declaryng and makyng open by what meanes the very trew holy chyrch whiche ye do assygne myghte be perceyued and knowen to the entent that by the knowlege of her of her prechers whych must nedes haue credence and be knowen for trew techers bycause they be membres of her that is trew and theyr doctryne agrâ—eth with hers whom god wyll not suffer to saye dampnably false we may perceyue repreue the false pre +chers oâ— all other chyrches For I am sure good father Barons y â— whan ye went about to gyue vs tokens wherby we myght haue some knowledge of this chyrche ye perceyued well that of necessyte it is a thyng y â— nede were to be knoweÌ„ for the good that maye folow yf it be knowen the harme that wolde ensew yf it remayned vnknowen For ellys ye wolde haue taken no labour about it to seke vs out suche tokens by whyche we myghte haue knowledge of it And surely me thynketh that the chyefe commodyte that I can haue of the knowledge of it is thys
wyse as the law meaneth by whyche Barons proueth that the partyculare chyrche may erre And I speke her of hys owne vnyuersall chyrche of all holy veâ—â—uouse men clene wythout spot or wryncle if they were all sodaynly knowen by reuelacyon and were as many of them as euer was aâ— any tyme peple good bad both lyuynge to gyther in thys world and all assembled to gyther yet myght they in iudgement erre and be deceyued all the meyny at onys byleuing many fals recordys many fals lykelyheddes in a priuate mater agaynst a secrete an vnproued treuth whych is y e errour y t the law meneth which law frere Barns alledgeth And therfore ye may se good reders where about Barns goth whan he putteth you here a dyfference bytwene the partycular chyrche and the vniuersall chyrche in that the tone maye erre and the tother can not and than bryngeth vs in those lawes for the profe whych lawes do speke of that kynde of errour in whyche kynde of errour they maye erre partycular and vniuersall bothe ye may playnely perceyue here y â— Barns doth but tryfle in thys great erenest mater and goth about to blere the reders eye with errour happenyng in the examynacyon of an outwarde acte wherin is to hym that erreth no parell of soule where hym selfe knoweth well that the errour where vpon all this mater goth is daÌ„pnable errour in doctrine of thynges pertaynynge to the necessary poyntes of fayth or vertuouse lyuynge Now where Cryste dyd byd hym that was offended by his brother complayne to the chyrch frere Barns sayth that was a partyculare chyrche who wolde haue went that lo yf Barns had not tolde vs so we wolde haue went that Cryste had bode hym complayne to no partyculare chyrch but go seke y t vnyuersall chyrch whych he could not know though he fouÌ„d her or els tary tyl he could gete all y e knoweÌ„ catholyke chyrch to gether vpon a grene But I aske frere Barns whyther Cryste dyd there byd the man so offended complayne to an vnknowen partycular chyrch or to any other particular chyrch than vnto such a partycular chyrche as were a parte of the whole knowen catholyke chyrch lette frere Barns answere this Chryste neyther bode hym seke an vnknowen chyrche nor an vnknowen parte of a chyrche nor a knowen parte of an vnknowen chyrch but bode hym well and playnely go complayne to the chyrch as a thyng that was ethe to perceyue wythout any sophysme or sotletye for euery man myghte well knowe that he myghte nother complayne to a chyrche vnknowen nor to all the whole chyrche at onys But bycause Chryst wold prouyde that all the hole chyrch shold haue one fayth and one trewth of doctryne in rulys of lyuynge necessary vnderstandyng of the scrypture concernynge all such poyntes therfore our sauyour bode hym go to the chyrche wherof euery knoweÌ„ part that he shold so coÌ„playne vnto he shold not fayle to fynd in y â— necessary treuth of doctryne to agre with the hole vniuersall chyrche both y t knowen chyrch of good bad with the secrete vnknowen chyrch of onely good men for in the tone be all the tother therfore that chyrch that he shold go to shold be able after the facte the dede truely knoweÌ„ to iudge reproue and redresse that wrong that offence with which â—he coÌ„playnauÌ„t was wronged or offâ—nded And yf one wâ—re of good zele offended with hym that dyd exhorte hym to heresye tellynge hym that it were trew fayth doctryne y â— fornycacyon aduowtry runnynge out of relygyon in apostacy brekyng of vowys frerys weddyng noÌ„nys periury were no synne at all a man could not fayle in any partycular chyrch part of the knowen catholyke chyrche to haue all thys doctryne iuged coÌ„deÌ„pned for heresy How be it yf he shold coÌ„playn to some of those knoweÌ„ particular chyrches that are iÌ„ some partes of Almayne sectes dysseuered departed frome the knowen catholyke chyrch there shold he haue some of these heresyes iudged for trew catholike faith And therfore is it playn y â— Cryst sendyng hym so planely to coÌ„playn to y â— chyrche menyng no false chyrch but his owne trew chyrche than makyng no dowtes of the fynding therof entended to make his trewe pertycular chyrches y t it to wyt y â— partes of his trew catholyke chyrch well opeÌ„ly knoweÌ„ perceyuâ—d as well from all y â— chyrches of heretykes as from all y â— chyrches of paynyms For Cryst wold not sende hym where he sholde be bygylâ—d in doctryne to y â— daÌ„pnacyon of his soule And than yf Crystes partycular chyrches to which he sendeth the man to coÌ„playne that is offended by false doctryne be chyrches knoweÌ„ thaÌ„ it foloweth that Crystes hole chyrche wherof all the knowen particular chyrches of Cryst be knowen partes is must nedes be a knowen chyrch to buâ— yf Barns be so madde as to say that of an hole tre growing togyther all the pecys of it as it standeth maye be seen and knowen but the hole tre standeth it selfe inuysyble for all that and can in no wyse be knowen And thus good christen reders it is more thaâ— shame to se how Barns answereth those wordes of Cryâ—â—â— whyche playnely proue the very chyrche of Cryste to be a knowen chyrche In auoydynge wherof Barns tryfleâ—â— in suche fasshyon so boldely and so carelesse that he semeth to reken all that euer shall rede it no wyser almoste then euyn very wylde geese For yf euer he thoughte that any man sholde rede it that shold haue any wytte at all in hys hed the man wolde I wene haue bene full sore ashamed to handle thys mater of Chrystes owne holy wordes in suche a tryflynge maner as he doth yet sayth Barns that thys knowen catholyke chyrche can not be the very chyrch bycause it is not persecuted For the very chyrch sayth Barns inuenteth none other way to heuen but foloweth Chryste onely in sufferynge oppressyons and persecucyoÌ„s blasphemynges and all other thynges that may be layed vnto hyr whyche as saynte Austayne sayth she lerned of our mayster Cryste Our holy mother the chyrche thorow out all the worlde scatered farre and longe in her trew hedde Chryste Iesus taught hath lerned not to fere the contumelys of the crosse nor yet of deth but more and more ys she strengthed not in resystynge but in sufferynge These wordes euery man seeth well touch not the clergye onely and yet maketh Barns as he ment no mo but them but he meneth that hym selfe and hys holy felowes be the chyrch bycause they be runne awaye for fere of persecucyon But saynt Austayne sayth not that the chyrche is strengthed in sufferynge of persecucyon for holdynge fals heresyes for techynge that men be not bounden to faste the lente but maye eate flesshe on good frydaye and that the people be no more bounden to come to goddes seruyce on whytsondaye than vpon
forgâ—uenes wyth For then he sayeth that as god hath washed away our spottes wyth the water of baptysme so he stretcheth out our wryncles vppon his owne crosse And yet he sayth for all this that no man lyueth here so clene but that as long as he lyueth here he so spotteth hym selfe agayn and so caccheth euer some wryncles that he lyueth neuer wythout nor longe can not not for necessyte of our nature peraduenture but thorow our wylfull fraylty and neglygence And then sheweth he farther yet that in those synnes wythout whyche no man lyueth he meaneth not abomynable dedely synnes as maÌ„slaughter or aduoutry or suche other horryble dedely synnes as sle the soule at one stroke For suche synnes crysten men he sayth that haue a good fayth and a good hope wyll not commytte wherby saynte Austayne teacheth vs agaynst the doctryne of those heretyques and these to that a man may be a crysten man and of the very same chyrche to whyche Cryste hath geuen hym self for to make her fayre gloryouse and may haue also a trew fayth that is to wyt a full bylyefe of euery uecessarye trouth and a full hope that is to wytte a great stronge truste in Cryste to be saued by Criste and yet not a good fayth able to make the man good bycause yt is but Barns fayth that is to witte onely fayth without well workynge charyte nor a good hope bycause it is a presumptuouse hope lokynge to be saued wyth dampnable deuelyshe leuyuge And for these causes may the member of the very chyrche here when he dyeth in such mynde for all his knowledgynge and askynge mercy to go from Crystes very chyrche in erthe to the deuyls very chyrche in hell For saynt Austayn sayth here as ye haue herd that they whyche haue suche synnes as at the tyme of deth sholde be remytted that is to say that hath not then such as be at his dyenge dedely both for theyr owne nature and for lacke of trew repentauÌ„ce wyth purpose of amendemeÌ„t well vsyng of the sacramentes shall be fully forgeuen that is to wyt yf he haue for attaynynge therof vsed hym selfe sufâ—ycyently in suche wyse as saynt Austayne here declareth that ys to say in confessyon knowledgyng of his synnes wyth coÌ„trycyon and prayour with good fayth and good hope â—nd a ware lyuynge vsynge dylygence to wythstande synne then he shall be sayth saynt Austayne forgyuen And whâ—n he is so at his deth fully forgeuen then shall he be layed vp for pure golde in the treasurs of god But saynt Austayne meaneth not that eueâ—y man that is of the very chyrche nor that euery man that dyeth out of dedely synne and knowledgeth his synne when he dyeth asketh mercy shall be forthwyth so fully forgeuen that he shall go hense so clene and so pure wythout spotte or wryncle that hâ— shall be by and by layed vppe for pure golde in the treasours of god but yf he long byfore with such other cyrcumstaunces as I haue byfore of saynt Austaynes own wordes rehersed you well and dewly ben accustumed long tyme to pray byfore that god wolde make hym wythoute spâ—t or wryncle by weshynge his spottes wyth the blessed sacramentes and stretchynge out his wryncles wyth the stretchynge them vppon the stretcher or tenter hokes of the crosse And then when god hath in suche wyse washed oute his spottes and in suche wyse washed out his wryncles at the very laste ende after whyche he can neyther gether spot nor wryncle more that then yt may please god to brynge hym into the shoppes and there lay hym where shall neuer be pressynge nor stretchynge more But yf he by long tymâ— byfore his deth pray duely thus ellys shall he not at hys deth be by and by layed vppe for pure gold in goddes treasours as frere Barons maketh ytâ— here seme by mysse rehersyng of saint Austayns wordes but he shal fyrst be wel purged and all the spottes wryncles that then remayn shall be clene burned oute by the hote fyre of purgatorye or by other mennes prayours and almoise dede and other suffrages of the chyrche done for hym be depured and clensed byfore that he shall be layed vppe for pure golde in the treasours of god And that saynt Austayne meaneth here none otherwyse then I do declare hym ye may well perceyue yf ye well aduyse his wordes whych I haue truely traÌ„slated And yet bycause ye shall the lesse doute therof saint Austayn shall him self declare y â— I truely declare you this place by his own very playn wordes in a nother place For in y â— .xxxii. sermon of the wordes of y â— apostle lo thus he sayth No man ought to doute but that wyth prayours of the chyrch and wyth the holsome sacryfyce and wyth almoyse that is geuen for the soules of them that are departed they are holpeÌ„ to be more mercyfully delt wyth of our lorde then theyr synnes haue deserued For this thynge by the tradycyon of the olde fathers the whole catholyque chyrche obserueth that ys to wyt that what tyme they that deceaced in the communyon and blood of Cryste at the tyme of the sacryfyce in they re place and order remeÌ„braunce made of them prayâ—ur shold be made for them and not that onely but also that specyall rehersall shold then be made that the same sacryfyce is offerd vp for them to Now when workes of mercy are done in commendacyon and fauoure of theym who can doute but that they are holpen therwyth syth prayour made for them vnto god is not frutelesse It is not in any wyse to be dowted but that these thynges succour releue them that are deceaced How be it onely suche men I saye as haue so lyued before theyr deth that these thynges maye do theym good after theyr deth For in relyefe of them that be departed out of the body wythout fayth workynge wyth cheryte â—nd wythout the sacramentes of the same suche deades of deuocyon are in vayne vsed the pledge or erneste peny of whyche deuocyon they lacked whyle they lyued here ether bycause they wold not receyue the grace of god or bycause they receyued it in vayne treasurynge and layenge vp for them selues not mercy but wrath wherfore wheÌ„ any good worke is done for them that are deceaced by theyr louers and frendes they meryte not of newe but these thynges are gyuen in rewarde as thynges consequent and well folowynge vppon theyr merytes whyche they deserued before whyle they lyued For it is not sayd that these thynges shold helpe them onely whyle they here lyue and not when they are deade And therfore euery man when he endeth thys lyfe can no thynge receyue but that onely whyche he hath deserued beynge here a lyue And in another place he sayth thus what thyng so euer of venyall synnys is not redemed of vs it must be purged wyth that fyre of whyche the apostle sayth that the worke shall appere by the fyre