cause therof I am sure hée caÌ„ tel you if hée woulde I am sure it is rightteously done that is inough for mée But now commeth the blynde and fleshlye reason and murmureth at thys and asketh why are wée coÌ„demned for this why doth God punishe vs for this séeing wée can wyll no otherwyse Also hée blyndeth vs hée maketh our harts harde that wée can not amende vs and it lieth not in our power wythout his will Nowe why complayneth hée of vs why layeth hée it to our charge Here is nothynge done but hys will wée bée but instrumentes of hys will And if wée doe not well why geeueth hée vs not strength to doe better Thou dampnable reason who can satisfie thée which reckonest nothyng to bée well done but that thou dooste and that is done wyth thy counsell Thynkest thou not that thou art good and perfecte in thyne owne nature and all that is in thée is both wel and righteously made To this thou wilte aunswere yea for thou wiâ—t not condemne thy selfe nor any thing that is thine But now aunswere mee to this What hath made thée so well and geuen thée all thy righteousnes and all thys goodnes that thou hast Thou must néedes say God But what was the cause that thou art so well so righteous and so good made séeyng that thou deseruest nothyng Yea â–ª and all these thynges bée done so well and so righteously that thou canst not complayne nor ameÌ„de them no nor yet deuise which way to amende them Now why doest thou not murmur agaynst God séeyng that all thynges is done without thy knowledge and also without thy deseruing why doest thou not inquire a cause of hym why murmurest thou not that hée hath made thée so good and so rightfull séeyng thou haddest nothyng deserued But here wilt thou graunt that God dyd all thyng for the best Why doest thou not lykewise in other thynges Furthermore thou must néedes graunt that God thy maker and the gouernour of all thyngs is most wise most righteous and most mercyfull so wise that nothyng that hée doth can bée amended so righteous that there can bée no suspition in hym of vnrighteousnes so mercyfull is â—ée that hée caÌ„ doe nothyng without mercy Howe thinkest thou wilt thou graunt these thynges of thy maker Thou must néedes graunt them Now compare vnto this rule thy blindnes that is within thée thy induratioÌ„ that is in thée thy peruers will toward goodnes and what cause hast thou to complayne Thou hast graunted that hée doth all thynges righteously Ergo thou hast no wrong Hée doth all things mercyfully Ergo thou art in thy blyndnes and in thy hardnes better intreated theÌ„ thou hast deserued Moreouer thou beleuest that God is righteous that God is wise and that God is mercyful Now fayth is of those thynges that doe not appeare nor that can bée prooued by exteriour causes Hold thée fast to this fayth then all thy fleshely reasons bée assâ—iled For wheÌ„ God saueth so few men and damneth so many and thou knowest no cause why yet must thou beléeue that hée is mercyful and righteous This is fayth which if it could bée prooued by exteriour causes then were it no néede to beléeue it Now if thou beléeue that hée is mercyfull good righteous vnto thée wherefore murmurest thou But yet wouldest thou know wherfore hée in durateth thée and blyndeth thée and geueth thée no grace to amende and vnto thy brother that hath no better deserued then thou hast yea hée hath likewise euill deserued as thou hast and yet hée geueth hym grace and taketh away his hardnes geueth him a will to will all goodnes This is not indifferently done as thou thinkest First I say to thée thou hast no cause to complayne for thou hast no wrong thou hast all thyng that is thyne and nothyng is taken froÌ„ thée that beloÌ„geth to thée Why doest thou complayne of this right Yea but yet sayest thou that hée geueth the one mercy and geueth the other none I aunswere what is that to thée is not his mercy his owne Is it not lawfull for him to geue it to whom hée will is thy eye euil because hée is good Take that that is thyne and goe thy way For if it bée his wil to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne ouer the vessels of wrath ordeined to damnation and to declare the riches of his glory vnto the vessels of mercy which hée had prepared elected vnto glory What hast thou therewith to doe what cause hast thou therof to coÌ„playne it is the will of God which can not bée but well righteous the which as thou sayest thou beléeuest Wherefore leaue of thy murmuryng thy disputation agaynst God and recken that hée is of his nature mercyfull and hath no delite nor no pleasure in thy damnatioÌ„ but beléeue thou stedfastly that if hée shewe hys mercy but vnto one man in all the worlde that thou shalt bée that same one man though an aungell would make thée beléeue that all the world should bée damned yet sticke thou fast to his mercy and to his iustice that iustifieth thée and beléeue that the swéete bloud of his blessed sonne can not bée shedde in vayne but it must néedes iustifie sinners and so many as sticke fast vnto it though they bée neuer so blynded and neuer so hardned for it was shed alonely for them If thou canst thus satisfie thy selfe then doest thou wel thou art doubtles out of ieoperdie If thou wilt not bée content but wilt dispute and inquire causes of Gods inscrutable will then will I stand by and looke on and sée what victordome thou shalt get I doubt not but it will repeÌ„t thée and that hée will conclude with thée on this maner May not I doe what I will Now here haue I auÌ„swered to an intricable doubt that our schoole men are wrapped in whiche would know what is the cause of predestination and of reprobatioÌ„ Duns béeyng wrapped betwéene carnall reason and the inuincible Scriptures of S. Paule can not tell whether hée may graunt that the will of God is alonely the cause of election or els any merites of man precedyng afore hée concludeth that both y e opinions may bée defended Bonauenture blyndly concludeth that there may bée a cause preceding grace to deserue it So that in these vnfrutefull questions which in gender nothing but conteÌ„tion haue they spent all their liues and for these thinges bée geuen vnto them peculiar names as subtile and seraphicall and irrefrigable Doctours But agaynst them all I set S. Paule whiche tooke intollerable labours to prooue by inuincible Scriptures and examples therof that there was no cause but alonely the will of God And to prooue this hée bryngeth in an euident example of Iacob Esau how Iacob was elected Esau reprooued afore they were borne and afore they had done either good or bad Can
all in all thinges woorketh a mans iustifiyng saluation and health yea poureth fayth belefe lust to loue Gods will strength to fulfill the same into vs euen as water is poured into a vessell and that of his good will and purpose and not of our deseruynges and merites Gods mercy in promising and truth in fulfilling his promises saueth vs and not we ourselues and therfore is al laude prayse glory to be geuen vnto God for his mercy and truth and not vnto vs for our merites and deseruynges After that he stretcheth hys example out agaynst all other good workes of the law and coÌ„cludeth that the Iewes can not be Arahams heyres because of bloud and kinred onely and much lesse by the workes of the law but must inherite Abrahams fayth if they wil be the right heyres of Abraham for as much as Abraham before the law both of Moses also of Circumcision was through faith made righteous and called the father of all them that beleue not of them that worke Moreouer the law causeth wrath in as much as no maÌ„ can fulfill it with loue and lust and as longe as such grudgyng hate and indignation agaynst the law remayneth in the hart and is not takeÌ„ away by the sprite that commeth by fayth so long no doubt the workes of the law declare euideÌ„tly that the wrath of god is vpon vs and not fauour wherfore fayth only receyueth the grace promised vnto Abraham And these ensamples were not written for Abrahams sake onely sayth he but for oures also to whom if we beleue fayth shall be reckened lykewise for ryghteousnesse as he sayth in the end of the chapter In the 5. chapter he commendeth the fruit and workes of faith as are peace reioycing in the conscience inwarde loue to God and maÌ„ moreouer boldnesse trust confidence and a strong a lusty mynd and stedfast hope in tribulation and suffering For all such follow where the right fayth is for the aboundant graces sake and giftes of the sprite which god hath geuen vs in Christ in that he suffred hym to die for vs yet his enemies Now haue we then that fayth only before all workes iustifieth and that it followeth not yet therfore that a man should do no good workes but that y t right shapeÌ„ workes abide not behind but accompany fayth euen as brightnesse doth the sunne and are called of Paul the fruites of the sprite Where y t spirite is there it is alwayes sommer and there are alwayes good fruites that is to say good workes This is Paules order that good works spring of the sprite y e spirit commeth by fayth and faythe commeth by hearyng the worde of God when the glad tidings and promises which God hath made vnto vs in Christ are preached truely and receiued in the ground of the hart with out waueryng or doubâ—ing after that the law hath passed vpon vs and hath damned our consciences Where the worde of God is preached purely and receiued in the hart there is faith the spirit of God there are also good workes of necessitie whensoeuer occasioÌ„ is geueÌ„ Where Gods word is not purely preached but mens dreames traditions imaginations inuentioÌ„s ceremonies superstition there is no fayth and consequently no spirite that commeth of GOD and where Gods spirite is not there can bee no good workes euen as where an apple tree is not there can grow no apples but there is vnbeliefe the diuels sprite and euill workes Of this Gods sprite and hys fruites haue our holy hipocrites not once knowen neither yet tasted how swete they are though they fayne many good workes of their own imaginatioÌ„ to be iustified withal in which is not one cromme of true fayth or spiritual loue or of inward ioy peace and quietnes of conscience for as much as they haue not the worde of GOD for them that such workes please GOD but they are euen the rotten fruites of a rotten tree After that he breaketh forth and runneth at large sheweth whence both sinne and righteousnesse death and life come And he compareth Adam and Christ together thus wise reasonyng and disputyng that Christ must nedes come as a seconde Adam to make vs heyres of his righteousnesse through a new spiritual birth without our deseruinges Euen as the first Adam made vs heyres of synne through the bodily generation without oure deseruyng Wherby it is euidently knowne and proued to the vttermost that no man can bryng himselfe out of synne vnto righteousnesse no more then he could haue withstaÌ„d that he was borne bodily And y t is proued herewith for as much as y t very law of God which of right should haue helped if any thyng could haue holpeÌ„ not onely came and brought no helpe with her but also encreased synne because that the euil and poisoned nature is offeÌ„ded and vtterly displeased with the law and y t more she is forbid by the lawe the more is she prouoked and set a fyre to fulfill satisfie her lustes By the law then we see clearely that we must needes haue Christ to iustify vs with his grace to helpe nature In the vi he setteth forthe the chiefe and principall worke of fayth the battayle of the sprite agaynst the fleshe how the sprite laboureth and enforceth to kyll the remnaunt of sinne and lust which remayne in the fleshe after our iustifiyng And this chapiter teacheth vs that we are not so free from sinne through fayth that we should henceforth go vp and down idle carelesse sure of our selues as thoughe there were now no more synne in vs. Yes there is sinne remayning in vs but it is not reckoned because of fayth and of the sprite which fyght agaynste it Wherefore we haue inough to doe all our lyues long to tame our bodies and to compell the members to obey the sprite and not the appetites that therby we myght be like vnto christes death and resurrection and might fulfill our baptisme which signifieth the mortifiyng of sinnes and the new lyfe of grace For this battayle ceaseth not in vs vntill the last breath and vntyll that sinne be vtterly slayne by the deth of the body This thyng I meane to tame the body and so forth we are able to doe sayth he seyng we are vnder grace not vnder the lawe What it is not to be vnder the lawe he himselfe expoundeth For not to be vnder the lawe is not so to be vnderstand that euery maÌ„ may do what hym lusteth But not to be vnder the law is to haue a fre hart renewed with the sprite so that thou hast lust inwardly of thine owne accorde to do that which the lawe commaundeth without compulsion yea though there were no law For grace that is to say gods fauour bringeth vs the sprite maketh vs loue the lawe so is there now no more sinne neither is the law now any more
Lykewise was not Rahab the harlot iustified when she receiued the messengers and sent them out an other way S. Augustine doth declare in diuers places y t blessed S. Paule and S. Iames semed for to bée contrary in this matter And therefore S. Agustine willing to saue the estimacion of this epistle doth declare how that S. Paule doth speake of workes that goe béefore fayth and S. Iames speaketh of workes that folow fayth And yet S. Agustine will not bée compelled by the wordes of this epistle to graunt y e any workes doe iustifie by the reason that Saint Paules wordeâ— bée so appartly and vehemently to the contrary Wherefore séeing that there sheweth a controuersy here in two places of y e scripture it standeth with all reason and learning that the same place which séemeth for to bée féeblest also darkest should bée expounded and declared by that part of scripture that is clerest and most of autorite Now is this of truth that the auctoritie of S. Paule hath alwayes in the church of God béene more of estimacion and strength then euer was this epistle though that this epistle hath bene receyued and especially in this cause y t we now here speake of For in all the scripture is not this article of iustifycation so playnely and plenteouslye handled as it is by blessed S. Paule this must euery learned man graunt Wherfore it standeth with reason and lerning that this saying of Saint Iames must néedes bée reduced and brought vnto blessed S. Paules meaning not S. Paule vnto S. Iames saying Now therefore in as much that both blessed S. Paule and also Saint Iames meaning is that good workes should bée done and they y e bée christeÌ„ men should not bée idle and doe no good because that they are the childreÌ„ of grace but that they should rather in their lyuynge expresse outwardlye their goodnes receiued of grace and as blessed S. Paule sayth To geue their membres to bée seruantes vnto righteousnes as they were afore seruauntes vnto vncleanes For this cause I say S. Iames saying must néedes bée vnderstanded for to bée wrytten agaynst those men that bosted them selues of an idle and vayne opinion that they thought theÌ„ selues to haue which they reckened to bée a good fayth Now S. Iames to proue that this fayth was but an idle thing of none effect doth declare it clerely by y e that it brought forth in time and place conuenient no good works And therefore hée cauleth it a deade fayth Hée bryngeth in also a naked brother the wich hath néede of clothing vnto these men y t boasted their fayth which hath no compassion of his necessitie Wherefore hée concludeth y e that they haue no true fayth And therefore hée sayth vnto them shew vnto mée thy fayth without workes and I shall shew vnto thée of workes my fayth Heare is it playne that S. Iames would no more but that that fayth is a dead fayth and of no valure y e hath no workes For workes shoulde declare and shew the outwarde fayth workes should bée an outward declaration and a testimonie of y e inwarde iustification receiued of fayth not y e workes can or may take away our synne or els bée any satisfaction for any part of synne for that belongeth all onely to Christ As blessed S. Iohn sayth and also S. Paule hée hath appered once for al to put sinne to flight by the offering vp of hym selfe And that this is S. Iames meaning it is declared by that that foloweth Thou séest sayth hée that fayth wrought in Abrahams déedes through y e déedes was his fayth made perfect Marke how fayth wrought in hys déedes That is his fayth because it was a lyuyng fayth brought forth wrought out y e high worke of oblation Also his fayth was perfect through his déedes That is his fayth was declared and had a great testimonye afore all the worlde y e it was a lyuyng and a perfect and a right shapen faith that Abraham had So y t his inward fayth declared him afore God his outward workes afore the worlde to bée good and iustified And thus was his faith made perfect afore God and man Now vnto this doe we all agrée that y t fayth alonely iustifieth before God whiche in tyme and place doth worke well yea it is a liuyng thing of God which can not bée dead nor idle in man But yet for all that we doe geue to fayth and to Christes bloud that glory that belongeth to them onely that is to say iustificatioÌ„ remissioÌ„ of sinnes satisfieng of Gods wrath takyng awaye of euerlastyng vengeaunce purchasing of mercy fulfillyng of the law with all other like things The glorye of these I say belongeth to Christ onely we are pertakers of them by fayth in Christes bloud onely For it is no worke that receyueth the promise made in Christes bloud but fayth onely Take an example God sayth to Abraham In thy seede shall I blesse all people Now can Abrahams workes doe nothyng to receiuyng of this blessing nor yet can they make him hang on that séede but hée beléeueth God and sticketh fast by fayth to that promise and thinketh that God shall bée true though hée bée a lyer and so is hée partaker of the blessing made in y t séede Note also that this blessing is promised in Abrahams séede and not to Abrahams workes Ergo Abraham is blessed because hée hangeth on the séede not on his workes Also blessed S. Paule doth driue a sore argument agaynst workes in as much as Scripture sayth in semine non in seminibus quasi in multis sed in vno Now if workes doe helpe lesse or more to iustificatioÌ„ then must néedes the promise bée made and pertaine to many and not to one onely y e which were sore agaynste blessed S. Paule Wherefore I conclude that the glory and prayse of iustification belongeth onely to fayth in Christes bloud and not to workes in any wise NotwithstaÌ„dyng we doe also laude and prayse good workes and doe teach diligently to doe good workes in as much as God their maker hath commaunded them yea also to profite their neighbours by their good workes and furthermore that other men which blasphemeth the veritie might bée moued through their vertuous liuyng conuersatioÌ„ to the holy religioÌ„ of Christ For these causes and other moe I say doe I teach good meÌ„ to liue wel and vertuously yea also wée teach that good workes shall haue a reward of God as scripture testifieth but not remission of sinnes nor yet iustication for their rewarde Wherfore this saying of S. Iames must néedes bée verified against theÌ„ that boasted them selues of vayne fayth that was indéede but an idle opinion and no true fayth for it did worke thorough charitie And therfore S. Iames disputeth well agaynst them that this fayth was but a dead fayth and coâ—â— not helpe them no
remissiō of mortal sinne These be◠the best workes that a sinner hath in his hart or els S. Paule lyeth Wherfore it is not possible but hée must haue in his wil actual sinne for hée cā will nothyng but sinne And therefore if hée receiue the Sacramentes with this attrition hée receiueth them to his damnation For before grace hée is an vtter enemye to God and to all his Sacramentes Wherefore God must of his mere mercy mollifie his hart and geue him grace to will goodnes or els hée cā neuer doe it nor yet desire it As S. Augustine doth declare in these wordes The grace which is geuē of the largenes of God priuely into mens harts can not bée despised of no maner of hard hart For therfore it is geuē that the hardnes of the hart should bee taken away Wherfore whē the father is hard within and doth learne that we must come to his sonne Then taketh hée away our stony hart and geueth vs a fleshely harte And by this meanes hée maketh vs the children of promise the vessels of mercy which hée hath prepared to glory But wherfore doth hée not learne all men to come to Christe Bicause that those that hée learneth hée learneth of mercy and those that hée learneth not of hys iudgement doth hée not learne them c. Marke that S. Augustine sayth That there is no hardnesse of hart that can resist grace And Duns sayth that there may bée an obstacle in mās hart S. Augustine saith that grace findeth the harte in hardnes obstinacie And Dūs saith that there is a mollifieng that precedeth grace whiche hée calleth attrition S. Augustine sayth when the father learneth vs within then taketh hée away our slony hartes And Duns sayth that we can doe it by the common natural influence that is we can dispose our selues of cōgruence Marke also how all men bée not taught to come to Christ but alonely they y t bée taught of mercy bée taught and if it bée of mercy then it is not of congruence by attrition Briefely a greater heresie more contrary to Christe and his blessed word cā no man learne and yet must hée bée taken for a great clarke and a subtile Doctour bicause hée pleaseth the fleshe But shortly haue I openly proued by inuincible Scriptures and by Doctours of great authoritie that fréewill of his naturall strength with out a speciall grace can doe nothyng but abyde in sinne Fayne inuent excogitate and dreame as many holy purposes as we can as many subtile distinctions as many good attritions as many good applicatiōs and all they bée but sinne till grace come yea our sléepyng our eatyng our drynkyng our almesses our prayers our singyng our ryngyng our confessyng our mumblyng our mournyng our wayling Briefely all that we cā doe is but hypocrisie and double sinne afore God till the tyme that hée of hys mercy chooseth vs. For as hée sayth You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you Now will I declare a scripture or two that men bring to proue our conatum and our bonum studium The fyrst place is this God from the béeginnyng dyd ordayne man and left hym in the handes of his owne counsell hée did geue hym his commaundementes and his preceptes if thou wilt kéepe the commaundementes also kéepe peasably fayth for euer they shall kéepe thée I haue set before thée water and fyre stretch thy hand to which thou wilt Of this place is gathered that mā may haue a good intent a good mynde to apply hym selfe to God of his naturall power But this can not be proued of this text For there is neuer a worde of entending of studying or of applying will For if we will take the wordes of the text as they sound they rather prooue that we may kéepe the Commaundementes of God yea and also beleeue in God then any other thing the which I am sure no man will graunt For then howe could men auoyde but that the Phylosophers be saued For no man can denye but that they dyd asmuch as lay in their naturall power to come to God Moreouer the Pelagians bring this text to proue that man may doe good of his naturall strength Nowe how will we auoyde them For if we denye that it proueth their opinion for the which y e wordes sound most then will they denye that it proueth our conatum and our bonum studium of the which the text speaketh neuer a worde Wherefore this text maketh neither for thē nor yet for you Plaine it is that the wordes of the text soūde of kéeping and of beleeueuing if we will and not of intending nor of studying Wherefore it maketh not for your purpose But let vs goe to the text God frō the béeginning dyd make man These wordes bée open of the creation of y e fyrst man Hée left hym in the handes of his owne counsell These wordes make nothing for fréewill for heare is nothing commaunded hym to doe but all onely heare is signifyed that man is made Lorde ouer all inferior creatures to vse them at hys pleasure as it is opē Genesis 2. Where that all thinges were brought afore Adam to receyue their names signifying that they were all left vnto his vse and to hys will hée was Lorde ouer them all and none ouer hym This was his kingdome in y ◠which hée dyd raigne and gouerne all things after his commaundementes but yet was it by generall influence geuen him first of God Hée did adde his cōmaundementes and his preceptes In these wordes is there no power geuen vnto hym but heare bée geuen hym commaundementes Whereby hée must bée ordered and ruled And not rule after his owne counsell but after the counsell and commaundementes of God Wherefore by these commaundementes was their parte of hys frée domination and lordship that hée had ouer the inferior thinges taken away as where God commaūded hym that hée should not eate of y e Trée of knowledge both of good and euyll Now was it not frée for hym to vse this trée after his owne will but after the commaundement of God and what power hée had by his frée will to kéepe this commaundement y e effect did declare If thou wilt kéepe y e commaundementes Here beginneth the doubt But yet of these wordes can you not gather that hée hath power to kepe them nor yet y t hee might intend to kepe them For it followeth not if thou wilt Ergo thou mayst or thou mayst entend As it foloweth not if I would Ergo I could depose you for you will let this consequent Also you haue a generall rule Condicionalis nihil ponit Wherefore these wordes if thou wilt kéepe the commaundementes geueth no power nor strength to frée will But this all onely foloweth of this texte if man will kéepe the commaundementes then they shall kéepe hym But now where shall hée haue this will that is not in hys power but
For if thou bee not an Epicure thou shalt be a Stoicke Whether thou bee an Epicure or a Stoicke thou shalt not be among the children of God For they that bee guided of the spirite of God bee the children of God not they that lyue after their own flesh not they that lyue after their owne spirite not they that bee ledde of their owne spirite but as many as bee ledde of the spirite of God they bee the children of God c. 270. col 1 Augustine sayth If mā doe perceiue that in the commaundementes is any thyng impossible or els to hard let him not remaine in him selfe but let hym runne vnto God his helper the which hath geuen his commaundementes for that intent that our desire might bee styrred vp and that hee might geue helpe c. 271. col 2 Augustine saith The Pelagiās thinke that they know a wonderous thyng when they say God will not cōmaund that thyng the which hee knoweth is impossible for man to doe Euery man knoweth this but therfore doth he cōmaunde certeine thynges that we can not do because we might know what thyng we ought to aske of him Faith is shee whiche by prayer obtaineth that thing that the law commanndeth Briefly hee that sayth If thou wilt thou mayest keepe my commaundementes In the same booke a litle after sayth Hee shall geue me keepyng in my mouth c. 272. col 1 Augustine sayth The Pelagians say that they graunt how that grace doth helpe euery mans good purpose but not that hee geueth the loue of vertue to him that striueth agaynst it This thyng doe they say as though man of hym selfe without the helpe of God hath a good purpose a good mynde vnto vertue by the which merite proceedyng beefore hee is worthy to bee holpē of the grace of God that foloweth after Doubtles that grace that foloweth doth helpe the good purpose of man but the good purpose should neuer haue beene if grace had not preceded And though that the good study of man when it begynneth is holpen of grace yet did it neuer begyn without grace c. 272. col 2 Augustine sayth The grace which is geuen of the largenes of God priuely into mens hartes can not bee despised of no maner of hard hart For therfore it is geuē that the hardnes of the hart should bee taken away Wherfore whē the father is hard within and doth learne y t we must come to his sonne then taketh hee awaye our stony hart and geueth vs a fleshly hart And by this meanes hee maketh vs the childrē of promise and the vessels of mercy which hee hath prepared to glory But wherfore doth hee not learne all mē to come to Christ Bicause that those that hee learneth hee learneth of mercy and those that he learneth not of his iudge ment doth hee not learne them c. 273. col 1 Augustine sayth The law was geuē that mā might finde hym selfe and not to make his sickenes whole but by his preachyng the sicknes increased that the Phisitian might bee sought Wherfore the law threatnyng and not fulfillyng that thing that hee commaūdeth maketh a man to bee vnderneath him but the law is good if a man doe vse it well What is that vse the law well By the law to know our sinnes and to seeke Gods helpe to helpe our health c. 275. col 2 Augustine sayth The disputation of them is vayne the whiche doe defend the presciēce of God agaynst the grace of God and therfore say that we were chosē beefore the making of the world because that God knew before that we should bee good not because he should make vs good But hee that sayth you haue not chosen me sayth not that For if hee did therfore chose vs because that hee knew before ▪ that we should bee good then must hee also know before that we should first haue chosē him c. 279. col 1 ¶ That it is lawfull for all maner of men to reade the holy Scripture AVgustine sayth My brethren reade holy Scripture in y e which you shal finde what you ought to holde and what you ought to flye What is a man reputed without learning what is hee he is not a sheepe or a goate Is he not Oxe or an Asse Is hee any better then an Horse or a Mule the which hath no vnderstanding c. 288. col 1 Athanasyus sayth If thou wilt that thy children shall be obedient vnto the vse them vnto the wordes of God But thou shall not say that it belongeth all onely to religious men to study scriptures but tather it belongeth to euery Christen man and specially vnto hym that is wraped in the businesses of this worlde and so much the more because hee hath more neede of helpe for hee is wrapped in the troubles of this worlde therefore it is greatly to thy profit that thy children should both heare and also reade holy Scriptures for of thē shall they learne this commaundement Honouour thy father and thy mother c. 288. col 2 Chrisostome sayth I beseech you y t you will oftentimes come hither and that you will diligently heare the lessō of holy Scripture and not all onely whē you bee here but also take in your handes whē you are at home the godly Bibles and receaue the thing therein with great studye for thereby shall you haue great aduantage c. 288. col 2 Chrisostome sayth Which of you all that be here if it were required could say one Psalme without the booke or any other part of holy scripture not one doubtles But this is not alonely y e worste but that you bee so slow and so remisse vnto spirituall thinges and vnto deuillishnesse you are hotter thē any fier but men will defend this mischief with this excuse I am no religious man I haue a wife and children and a house to care for This is the excuse wherewith you doe as it weare with a pestilence corrupt all thinges◠for you doe recken that the studye of holy Scripture belongeth all onely vnto religious men when they bee much more necessary vnto you then vnto them c. 289. col 1 Hierome sayth O Paula and Eustochium if there bee any thing in this life y t doth preserue a wise man and doth persuade him to abide with a good will in the oppressions and the thraldomes of the world I doe recken that specially it is the meditations and the study of holy Scripture c. 289. col 2 The Popes law sayth If Christ as Paule sayth bee the power and y t wisedome of God then to bee ignoraunt in scriptures is as much as to bee ignoraunt of Christ 289. col 1 The Popes law sayth in an other place I will set my meditation in thy iustifications and I will not forget thy wordes the which thing is exceeding good for all Christen men to obserue
agaynst vs but at one agreed with vs and we with it But to be vnder the law is to deale with the workes of the law and to worke without the sprite and grace for so long no doubt sinne raigneth in vs through the law that is to say the lawe declareth y t wee are vnder sinne and that sinne hath power and dominion ouer vs seyng we can not fulfill the law namely within in the hart for as much as no man of nature fauoureth the law consenteth therunto and deliteth therein which thyng is exceedyng great synne that we cannot consent to the law which law is nothyng els saue the will of God This is the right freedome and libertie from sinne and from the lawe whereof he writeth vnto the ende of this chapter that it is a freedom to do good onely with lust and to liue well without compulsion of the law Wherfore this freedome is a spirituall freedome which destroyeth not the lawe but ministreth that which the law requireth and wherwith the law is fulfilled that is to vnderstand luste and loue wherewith the law is stilled and accuseth vs no more compelleth vs no more neither hath ought to craue of vs any more Euen as thoughe thou were in debt to an other man and wer not able to pay two maner of wayes mightest thou be losed One way if he would require nothyng of thee and break thine obligation An other way if some other good man woulde paye for thee and geue thee as muche as thou mightest satisfie thyne obligation with all On this wyse hath Christe made vs fre from the law therfore is this no wylde fleshly libertie y t should do nought but that doth all thynges and is free from the crauyng and debt of the law In the seuenth he confirmeth y t same with a similitude of the state of matrimony As whē the husband dyeth the wyfe is at her libertie and the one losed and departed from the other not that the woman should not haue power to mary vnto an other man but rather now first of all is she free hath power to mary vnto an other man which she could not do before till she was loosed from her first husband Euen so are our consciences bound and in daunger to the law vnder olde Adam as long as he liueth in vs for the law declareth y t our hartes are bound and that we cannot disconsent from hym but when he is mortified killed by the sprite then is the conscience free and at libertie not so that the conscience shall now nought doe but nowe first of all cleaueth vnto an other that is to witte Christ and bringeth forth the fruites of lyfe So now to be vnder the lawe is not to be able to fulfill the law but to be detter to it and not able to pay that which the lawe requireth And to be lose from the lawe is to fulfill it and to pay that which the lawe demaundeth so that it can now henceforth aske thee nought Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of synne and of the law how that through the law synne reuiueth moueth her selfe and gathereth strength For the olde man and corrupt nature the more he is forbidden and kept vnder of the law is the more offended and displesed therwith for as much as he cannot pay y t which is required of the lawe For synne is his nature and of himselfe he cannot but sinne Therefore is the law death to hym torment and martirdom Not that the lawe is euill but because that the euill nature can not suffer y t which is good cannot abyde that the law should require of him any good thing like as a sicke mā cannot suffer that a man should desire of hym to runne to leape and to doe other deedes of an whole man For which cause S. Paule concludeth that where the law is vnderstand and perceiued in the best wise there it doth no more but vtter synne bryng vs vnto the knowledge of our selues and therby kyl vs and make vs bond vnto eternall damnation and detters of the euerlastyng wrath of God euen as he well feeleth and vnderstandeth whose conscience is truely touched of the law In such daunger were we ere the law came that we knew not what sinne ment neither yet knowe we the wrath of God vppon sinners tyll the law had vttered it So seest thou that a man must haue some other thyng ye a greater and a more mighty thing the the law to make hym righteous safe They that vnderstand not the law on this wise are blinde and go to worke presumptuously supposing to satisfie the law with workes For they know not that the law requireth a free a willing a lusty and a louing hart Therfore they see not Moses right in y t face the vayle hangeth betwene and hideth his face so that they can not behold the glorie of his countenaunce how that the law is spiritual and requireth the hart I may of myne own strength refraine that I do myne enemy no hurt but to loue him with all myne hart to put awaye wrath cleane out of my mind cā I not of mine own strength I maye refuse money of myne owne strength but to put away loue vnto riches out of myne hart can I not do of myne owne strength To abstaine from adultery as concernyng the outward dede can I doe of myne owne strēgth but not to desire in mine hart is as vnpossible vnto me as is to chose whether I will hungre or thrust and yet so the law requireth Wherfore of a mans owne strength is the law neuer fulfilled we must haue therunto Gods fauour and his spirite purchased by Christes bloud Neuerthelesse when I saye a man may do many things outwardly clean agaynst his hart we must vnderstand y ◠mā is but driuen of diuers appetites and the greatest appetite ouercōmeth the lesse and carieth the mā away violently with her As when I desire vengeaunce and feare also the incōuenience that is like to folowe if feare bee greater I abstaine if the appetite that desireth vengeaunce be greater I can not but prosecute the dede as we see by experiēce in many murtherers theeues which though they be brought into neuer so great perill of death yet after they haue escaped do euen the same agayne And common women prosecute their lustes because feare shame are away when other whiche haue the same appetites in their hartes abstaine at the lest way outwardly or worke secretly beyng ouercome of feare and of shame and so likewise is it of all other appetites Furthermore he declared how the spirite and the flesh fight together in one man and maketh an ensample of him self that we might learne to know that worke a right I meane to kill sinne in our selues He calleth both the spirit and also the flesh a law because that like as the nature of Gods
miracles his wonders his mighty hand his stretched out arme and what he hath done for you hetherto He shall destroye them he shall take theyr hartes from them and make them feare and flye before you He shall storme them and stirre vp a tempest among them and scatter them and bring them to naught He hath sworne he is true he will fullfill the promises that he hath made vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob This is written for our learning for verely he is a true God and is our God as well as theyres and his promises are with vs as well as with them and he presente with vs as well as he was with them If we aske we shal obtain if we knocke he will open if we seeke wee shall finde if we thyrst his truth shall fullfill our lust Christ is with vs vntill the worldes ende Math. y ◠last Let this little flock be bold therefore for if God be on our side what matter maketh it who be against vs be they byshops cardinalles popes or what so euer names they will Marke this also if God sende thee to the sea and promise to goe with thee and to bring thee safe to lande he will rayse vp a tempest agaynst thee to proue whether thou wilt abide by his worde and that thou mayst feele thy fayth and perceiue his goodnes For if it were alwayes fayre weather and thou neuer brought into such ieoperdy whēce his mercy onely deliuered thee thy fayth should be but a presumption and thou shouldest be euer vnthanckfull to God and mercilesse vnto thy neighbour If God promise ritches the way therto is pouertie Whom he loueth him he chasteneth whome he exalteth he casteth downe whome he saueth he damneth first he bringeth no man to heauen except he send him to hell first if he promise life he slayeth first when he buildeth he casteth all downe first he is no patcher he can not builde on an other mans foundation he will not woorke vntill all be past remedy and brought vnto such a case y ◠men may see how that his hand his power his mercy his goodnesse and trueth hath wrought all together he will let no man be partaker with him of hys prayse and glorye his workes are wonderful and contrary vnto mans workes Who euer sauing he deliuered his owne sonne his onely sonne hys deare sonne vnto the death and that for his enemies sake to winne his enemye to ouercomme him with loue that he might see loue and loue againe and of loue to do likewise to other men and to ouercome them with well doing Ioseph saw the Sunne and the Moone and xj starres worshipping him Neuerthelesse ere that came to passe God layed hym where he could neither see sunne nor moone neyther any starre of the skye and that many yeares and also vndeserued to norture him to humble to meeke and to teach him Gods wayes and to make him apt and meet for the roome and honor against he came to it that he might perceiue and feele that it came of God and that he might be strong in the spirite to minister it godly He promised the children of Israell a lande with riuers of milke and honny But brought them for the space of fourty yeares into a land where not onely riuers of mylke and honny were not but where so much as a drop of water was not to nourture them and to teach them as a father doth his sonne and to do them good at the latter ende and that they might be strong in their spirite soules to vse his giftes and benefites godly and after hys will He promised Dauid a kingdome and immediatly stirred vp king Saule against him to persecute him to hunt him as men do hares with greyhoundes and to ferret him out of euery hole that for the space of many yeares to tame him to meeke him to kill his lustes to make him feele other mens diseases to make him mercifull to make him vnderstand that he was made king to minister and to serue his brethren and that he shoulde not thincke that his subiectes were made to minister vnto his lustes and that it were lawfull for him to take away from them life goods at his pleasure Oh that our kinges were so nourtured how a dayes which our holy byshops teache of a farre other maner saying Your grace shal take your pleasure yea take what pleasure you list spare nothing we shall dispence with you we haue power we are Gods vicars and let vs alone with the realme we shall take payne for you and see that nothing be well your Grace shall but defende the fayth onely Let vs therefore looke diligently whereunto we are called that we deceaue not our selues We are called not to dispute as the popes disciples do but to dye with Christ that we may liue with him and to suffer with him that we may raigne with him We be called vnto a kingdome that must be wonne w t suffring only as a sicke man winneth health God is he that doth all thing for vs and fighteth for vs we do but suffer onely Christ sayth Iohn xx As my Father sent me so sende I you and Iohn xv If they persecute me then shall they persecute you and Christ sayth Math. x. I send you forth as sheepe among wolues The sheepe fight not but the shepheard fighteth for them and careth for them Be harmeles as Doues therfore saith Christ and wise as serpentes The doues imagine no defence nor seeke to auenge themselues The serpentes wisedome is to keepe his head and those partes wherein his life resteth Christ is our head and Gods word is that wherin our life resteth To cleaue therfore fast vnto Christ and vnto those promises which God hath made vs for his sake is our wisedome Beware of men sayth he for they shall deliuer you vp vnto theyr counsels and shall scourge you and ye shall be brought before rulers and kinges for my sake the brother shall betray or deliuer the brother to death and the father the sonne and the children shall rise against father and mother and put them to death Heare what Christ sayth more The disciple is not greater thē his master neyther the seruaunte greater or better then his Lorde if they haue called the goodman of the house Beelzebub how much rather shall they call his household seruants so And Luke xiiij sayth Christ Which of you disposed to builde a tower sitteth not downe fyrst and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to performe it lest when he hath layd the foundation and then not able to performe it al that behold it begin to mocke him saying this man beganne to builde and was not able to make an ende so likewise none of you that forsaketh not all that he hath can be my disciple Whosoeuer therefore casteth not this aforehand I must ieoberd life goods honor worship and al that there
thyng therâ—roÌ„ as Moyses euery where teacheth thee Serue God in the spirite thy neighbour with all outward seruice Serue God as he hath appoynted thee not with thy good intent and good zeale Remember Saul was cast awaye of God for euer for his good intent God requireth obedieÌ„ce vnto his woorde abhorreth all good intentes and good zeales which are without Gods word For they are nothyng els then playne Idolatry and woorshyppyng of false Gods And remeÌ„ber that Christ is the end of all thyng He onely is our restyng place he is our peace Ephe. ij chap. For as there is no saluatioÌ„ in any other name so is there no peace in any other name Thou shalt neuer haue rest in thy soule neither shall y â— worme of conscience euer cease to gnaw thyne hart till thou come at Christ till thou heare the glad tydings how that God for his sake hath forgeuen thee all freely If thou trust in thy workes there is no rest Thou shalt thinke I haue not done inough Haue I done it with so great loue as I should do Was I so glad in doyng as I would be to receaue helpe at my neede I haue left this or that vndone and such like If thou trust in confessioÌ„ then shalt thou thinke Haue I told all Haue I told all the circumstances Did I repent inough Had I as great sorow in my repentaunce for my sinnes as I had pleasure in doyng them Likewise in our holy PardoÌ„s pilgrimages gettest thou no rest For thou seest that the very Gods theÌ„ selues which sell their pardon so good cheape or some whiles geue theÌ„ freely for glory sake trust not therein them selues They build Colledges and make perpetuities to be prayed for for euer ladey â— lyppes of their beadmen or chaplaynes with so many Masses Diriges and so loÌ„g seruice that I haue knowen some that haue byd the deuill take their founders soules for very impaciencie and werines of so paynefull labour As pertainyng to good deedes therfore do the best thou canst and desire God to geue strength to do better dayly but in Christ put thy trust and in the Pardon promises that God hath made thee for his sake on that rocke build thine house and there dwell For there onely shalt thou be sure from all stormes and teÌ„pestes from all wyly assaultes of our wicked spirites which study with all falshead to vndermyne vs. And the God of all mercy geue the grace so to do vnto whom be glory for euer Amen ¶ A compendious rehearsall of that which goeth before I Haue described vnto you the obedience of children seruauntes wines subiectes These iiij orders are of Gods makyng y e rules thereof are Gods word He that kepeth theÌ„ shal be blessed yea is blessed all ready and he that breaketh them shal be cursed If any person of impaciency or of a stubburne and rebellious mynde withdraw hym selfe from any of these and get him to any other order let hym not thinke thereby to auoyde the vengeaunce of God in obeying rules and traditions of mans imaginatioÌ„ If thou poulledst thine head in the worship of thy father and breakest his commaundementes shouldest y â— so escape Or if thou payntedst thy masters image on a wall and stickedst vp a caÌ„dle before it shouldest thou therewith make satisfaction for the breaking of his coÌ„maundementes Or if thou warest a blew coate in the worshyp of the kyng and brakest hys lawes shouldest thou so go quyte Let a mans wife make her selfe a sister of the charterhouse and auÌ„swere her husband when he byddeth her hold her peace my brethren kepe silence for me and see whether she shal so escape And be thou sure God is more gelouse ouer his commaundementes then man is ouer hys or then any man is ouer his wife Because we be blynd God hath appointed in y e Scripture how we shuld serue him please him As perteynyng vnto his owne person he is aboundaÌ„tly pleased when we beleue his promises and holy Testament which he hath made vnto vs in Christ for the mercy which â—e there shewed vs loue his commaundements All bodyly seruice must be done to maÌ„ in Gods stede We must geue obedience honour tolle tribute custome and rent vnto whoÌ„ they belong Then if thou haue ought more to bestow geue vnto y t pore which are left here in Christes stede that we shew mercy on them If we kepe the commaundements of loue theÌ„ are we sure that we fulfill the law in the sight of God and that our blessing shal be euerlastyng life Now when we obey patiently and without grudgyng euill Princes that oppresse vs persecute vs and be kinde and mercyfull to them that are mercylesse to vs and doe the worst they caÌ„ to vs and so take all fortune patiently and kysse what soeuer crosse God layeth on our backes then are we sure that we keepe the commaundementes of loue I declared that God hath taken all vengeaunce into his own handes and will aueÌ„ge all vnright him selfe either by the powers or officers whiche are appointed thereto or els if they be negligent he will send his curses vppon the traÌ„sgressours destroy them with his secret iudgementes I shewed also that whosoeuer auengeth him selfe is damned in the deede doing and falleth into the haÌ„des of the temporall sword because be taketh the office of God vppon him and robbeth God of his most high honour in that he wil not patieÌ„tly abide his iudgement I shewed you of the authoritie of Princes how they are in Gods stede and how they may not be resisted doe they neuer so euill they must be reserued vnto the wrath of God Neuer the latter if they commaunde to do euill we must then disobey and say we are otherwise coÌ„mauÌ„der of God but not to rise agaynst theÌ„ They wil kil vs theÌ„ sayest thou Therfore I say is a Christen called to suffer euen the bitter death for hys hopes sake and because he will do no euill I shewed also that the Kynges and rulers be they neuer so euill are yet a great gift of the goodnes of God and defende vs from a thousand thynges that we see not I proued also that all men without exception are vnder the temporall sword what soeuer names they geue them selues Because the Priest is chosen out of the lay men to teach this obedience is that a lawfull cause for him to disobey Because he preacheth that the lay maÌ„ should not steale is it therfore lawfull for hym to steale vnpunished Because thou teachest me that I may not kill or if I do the kyng must kill me agayn is it therfore lawfull for thee to kil and go free Either whether is it rather mete that thou whiche are my guide to teache me the rightwaye shouldest walke therin before me The Priestes of the old law with their high bishop Aaron and all his successours
destroyed the law and the Prophetes interpretyng the Scripture after the litteral sence which killeth after his owne brayne cleane contrary to the common fayth of holy Church and myndes of great Clerkes and autenticke expositions of old holy Doctours Euen so here what other could they say then behold the hereticke and dyd not we tell you before whereto hee would come and that he kept some mischief behynd and spued not out all his venome at once see to what all his godly new doctrine that sounded so sweetly is come he preached all of loue and would haue the people saued by fayth so long till that now at the last he preached cleane agaynst all deedes of mercy as prayer fasting and almose deede and destroyeth all good workes His disciples fast no more then dogges they dispise their deuine seruice come not to Church yea and if the holyest of all S. Fraunces order aske themalmes they bidde hym labour with his handes and get hys liuing and say that he that laboureth not is not worthy to eate that God â—ad that no such strong lubbers should loyter and goe a begging and be chargeable to the coÌ„gregation and eate vp that other poore men get with the â–ª sweat of their booyes yea and at the last ye shall see if we resiste hun not betymes that he shall moue the people to insurrection as Cayphas sayd and the Romaynes shall come take our land from vs. As ye see in y e text Luk. xxiij How when they could not driue the people from him wyth those periwasions they accused hym to Pilate saying we haue founde thys fellow peruerting the people and forbidding to pay tribute to Cesar and saying that he is Christ a kyng Wherfore thou canst not be Cesars frend if thou let hym escape But after all these blasphemies yet must y â— holy ghost rebuke the world of their righteousnes yea of their false righteousnes and false holines which are neither righteousnes nor holines but colour of hipocrisy Christ here destroyeth not prayer fasting almes deede But preacheth agaynst the false purpose and entent of such workes and peruerting the true vse that is to say their seking of glory and that they estemed themselues righteous thereby and better then other men and so despised and coÌ„dempned their brethren With our almose which is as much to say as deedes of mercy or compassion we ought to seeke our fathers glory onely euen the wealth of our brethren and to winne them to the knowledge of our father and keeping of his lawe He that seeketh the glory of his good workes seketh the glory that belongeth to God and maketh himselfe God Is it not a blynde thyng of y e world that eyther they will do no good woorkes at all or will be God for their good workes and haue the glory themselues Concerning blowing of trumpets and ringing of belies or makyng a cry to call men to â—et almes though y e right way be that we should know in euery parishe all ourpoore haue a coÌ„mon coser for them and that strauÌ„gers should bring a letter of recommendation with them of their necessitie and that we had a commonplace to receaue them into for the tyme and though also we ought to flee all occasions of vayne glory yet while y e world is out of order it is not dampnable to do it So that the very meaning both that we blow no trumpets and that the left hand know not what the right hand doth is that we do as secretly as we can and in no wise seeke glory or to receaue it if it were proffered But to do our deedes in singlenes of conscience to God because it is his commaundement and euen of pure compassion and loue to our brethren and not y â— our good deedes thorough standing in our owne coÌ„ceite should cause vs to dispise them If thou be tempted to vayne glory for thy good deees theÌ„ looke on thyne euill thereto and put the one in the one balaunce and the other in the other And then if thou vnderstand the law of God any thyng at all tell me whether wayeth heâ—…er If that y â— thou doest do tempt thee then consider what thou doest not If it moue thee to set vp thy combe when thou geuest thy brother a farthyng or an halfepenny ponder in thine hart how farre thou art of from louing him as well as thy selfe and caring for him as much as for thy selfe And be sure how much y â— lackest of that so much thou art in sinne and that in dampnable sinne if God for Christes sake dyd not pardon thee because thine hart mourneth therefore and thou fightest with thy self to come to such persectioÌ„ If a Pecocke did looke well on his feete and marke the euilfauoured shriking of his voyce he would not be so proude of the beauty of hys fayle Finally that many dispute because God hath promised to rewarde our deedes in heauen that our deedes deserue heauen and because he promiseth to shew mercy to y e merciful that with our deedes we deserue mercy and because he promiseth forgeuenes of sins to theÌ„ y t forgeue y â— our deedes deserue forgeuenes of sinne and so iustifie vs. I aunswere first there is inough spoken thereof in other places so that to them that haue read that it is superstuous to rehearse the matter agayne Furthermore the argument is nought and holdeth by no rule See ye not y t the father and mother haue more right to the childe and to all it can do than to an Oxe or a Cowe It is their fleshe and bloud nourished vp wyth their labour and cost The life of it and the maintenaunce and continuaunce therof is their benefite so that it is not able to recompence that it oweth to father and mother by a thousand partes And though it be not able to do his dutie nor for blindnesse to know hys dutie yet the father and mother promise moe giftes still without ceasing and that such as they thinke shoulde most make it to see loue to prouoke it to be willing to do part of his dutie And when it hath done amisse though it haue no power to do satisfaction nor lust or courage to come to y e right way agayne yet their loue and mercy abydeth still so great to it that vppon appointment of mending they not onely forgeue that is past and fulfill their promise neuertheles but promise greater giftes then euer before and to be better father and mother to it theÌ„ euer they were Now when it cannot do y â— thousand part of his dutie how coulde it deserue such promises of the father mother as a labourer doth his hyre the rewarde therefore commeth of the loue mercy and truth of the father and mother as well when the childe keepeth the appointment as when they fulfill their promise when it hath broken the appointment and not of the deseruing of the
for the deedes that pertayne vnto our neighbours and vnto the common wealth we haue not regarded at all as thynges which seemed no holy workes or such as God woulde not once looke vppon And therfore we left them vnsene to vntill they were past remedy or past our power to remedy thē in as much as our slowbellies with their false blessinges had iugled away from vs that wherwith they might haue bene holpen in due season So that y ◠silly poore man though he had haply no wisdome to expresse hys mynde or y t he durst not or y ◠M. More fashioneth his tale as he doth other mens to lest out the truth sawe that neither Goodwinsandes nor any other cause alleaged was the decay of Sandwich hauen so much as that the people had no lust to mainteyne the common wealth for blynde deuotion which they haue to popeholy workes ¶ The solutions and answeres vnto M. Mores first booke IN the first chapter to beginne the booke wythal to bring you good lucke and to geue you a say or a taste what truth shall follow he fayneth a letter sent from no man The second Chapter In the second chapter besides that it is vntrue this vse to haue bene euer since the tyme of the Apostles he maketh many sophisticall reasons about worshipping of saintes reliques and Images yet declareth not w t what maner worship but iuggleth with the terme in comune as he doth with this worde church and this worde fayth when the wordes haue diuers significations for all faithes are not one maner fayth and so forth and therefore he beguileth a mans vnderstanding As if a man sayd the boyes will was good to haue geuen his father a blow and an other woulde inferre that a good will coulde be no sinne and conclude that a man might lawfully smite hys father Now is good will taken in one sence in the maior and in an other in y ◠minor to vse schollers termes therfore the conclusion doth mocke a mās wit Then disputeth he the seruaunt is honoured for the masters sake and what is done to the poore is done to Christ as the popishe shall once feele for their so robbing them And the xii Apostles shall haue their seates sitte and iudge with Christ as shal all that here preach hym truely as they dyd and Mary that powred the ointment on Christes head before hys passion hath her memoriall and therefore we ought to set candles before Images First I aske hym by what rule hys argument holdeth And secondarily I answere that the true worshipping of Saintes is their memoriall to follow them as they did Christ And that honour we geue them and so do not ye papists but folow the steppes of your father the Pope as he doth the steppes of his father the deuill And as for sticking vp of candles I aunswere that God is a spirite and in the spirit must be worshipped only Faith to his promises and loue to his lawes and longing for the life that is in his sonne are his due honour and seruice All bodyly seruice must be referred vnto our selues and not vnto the person of God immediatly All outwarde thynges which we receaue of God are geuē vs. to take our partes with thankes and to bestow the rest vppon our neyghbours For God vseth no such thynges in his owne person but created thē for to gene thē vs that we shoulde thanke hym and not to receaue them of vs to thanke vs for that were our praise and not his Fasting watching wolward goyng pilgrimage and all bodely exercise must be referred vnto y t taming of the fleshe onely For as god deliteth not in y ◠tast of meat drinke or in the sight of golde or siluer no more doth he in my fast and such like that I should referre them vnto hys person to do him a pleasure withall For God in himselfe is as good as he can be hath all the delectation that he cā haue And the refore to wish that God were better then be is or had more pleasure then he hath is of a worldly imagination And all the spirites that be in heauē are in as good case as they can be and haue all the delectation they can haue and therefore to wishe them in better case or to studie to do them more pleasure then they haue is fleshly mynded popishnes The pleasure of them that be in heauen is that we harken to god and keepe his commaundementes which when we do they haue all the pleasure that they can haue in vs. If in this life I suffer hell gladly to win my brother to folow God how much more if I were in heauen should I reioyce that he so did If in thys worlde when I haue neede of my neighbour by the reason of myne infirmities yet I seke nought of him saue his wealth onely what other thing should I seke of hym if I were in heauen where he can do me no seruice nor I vse any pleasure that he can do me THe deuill desired to haue his imaginations worshipped as God his popishe children desire the same compell men so to honour them and of their deuelishe nature describe they both God and his Saintes And therfore I say all such fleshly imaginations as to fast the wensday in the worship of S. Iohn or of S. Katerine or what Saint it be or to fast Sayntes eues or to go a pilgrimage vnto their images or to offer to them to do them pleasure thinkyng therby to obteyne their fauour and to make special adnocates of them as a man would winne the fauour of an other with presentes and giftes and thinking that if we did it not they would be angry are playne Idolatry image seruice for the saint deliteth in no such And when thou stickest vp a candle before the image thou mightest with as good reason make an holow bely in the image and powre in meate and drincke For as the Saint neither eateth nor drinketh so hath he no bodyly eyes to delyte in the light of a candle An other is this God geueth not the promises that are in Christ for bodyly seruice but of his mercy onely vn to his owne glorie Yea and of the fathers goodnesse do all naturall childrē receaue Aske a litle boy who gaue him his gay coate he aūswereth his father Aske him why and he annswereth because he is his father and loueth hym and because he is his sonne Aske hym whether his father loue hym and he sayth yea Aske him how he knoweth it and he sayth because he geueth me this or that Aske him whether he loue his father he sayth yea Aske him why he sayth for his father loueth hym and geueth him all thing Aske him why he worketh he aunswereth his father wil so haue it Aske him why his father geneth not such and such boyes coates to Nay saith he they be not
dedes shal be taken in worth yea and though at a tyme we marre all through our infirmitie yet if we turne agayne that shal be forgeuen vs mercifully so that we shal be vnder no damnation which testament is confirmed with signes and wonders wrought thorough the holy ghost Now this indented obligation layde apart we make an other of our owne imaginatiō betwene the Saints and vs in their merites for our image seruice Which can be but a false fayth seyng it hath not Gods woorde vnto which alone we ought to cleaue but is also cleane contrary therto And agayne the Saintes were not saued through their owne merites but through Christes Neither were their dedes which they dyd after they were receaued vnder grace sufficiēt in them selues to fulfill the law for the present time saue as Christes merites did supply y e imperfectnes of thē and y t which was lackyng on their part thorough their infirmities And therefore as the Saintes holy workes made no satisfaction for the sinne they dyd before they were receaued vnder mercy euen so made they none for the deadly synnes which they did vnder mercy seyng the deedes were vnperfect and had sinne annexed vnto thē by reason of the flesh and were insufficient to excuse theyr owne maisters What merites haue they in store for vs then seeing by all mens confession they now merite not◠If the most obedient child in the world disobey his fathers cōmaundementes his fore good deedes cannot make that disobedience no sinne or to be a satisfaction that the childe should presume in the confidence of his olde deedes and think his father should do him wrong to punishe him But hee must knowledge his fault and that he hath deserued punishmente and desire forgeuenes vnto the glory of his fathers mercifulnesse and not of his olde deedes though his olde obedience be a great presumption that he sinned of frailtye and not of purpose Euen so if I being as holy as euer was Paul in his most holinesse sinne this day thorough the frailtie of my fleshe mine olde deedes cā be no satisfaction but I must know ledge my sinne vnto my Father and graunt that I haue deserued damnation and meekly desire forgeuenes and challenge it by the obligation wherin God hath bound him selfe to me vnto the glory of the mercy of God not to the glory of my holy deedes for if my deedes saue me it is my glory But if he forgeue vs freely without respect of my deedes then it is the glory of hys mercye by Paules doctrine vnto the Romaines Moreouer if the saintes be in heauē then can they be there in none other case then the Aungels in which state Christ testifyeth they shall be in the resurrection Now the Angels are ministers sent of God to do seruice vnto the electe which shall be saued Heb. 1. And God hath bound himself that if I come in the right way by the dore of Christes bloud and aske helpe that he will send me if need be an hundred legions of Angels or saintes But when God hath bound himself to sende me angels or saintes or an angell or saint he hath not promised to send this Angell or that or this or that sainte And therfore when I appoynt God whom he shall send and binde him where he hath not bound himselfe to sende me what sainte I will I tempt God And thus this chosing of seuerall saintes is but tempting of God And yet wee do worse then this for we leaue y t way of Christs bloud go not to God throgh him but run to the saintes in a testament of our owne making and will that they eyther saue vs themselues for our imageseruice or compell God for merites sake to saue vs. Why goest thou not vnto thy Father thine owne selfe I am a sinner will they say and dare not If thou go in the right way thou hast no sinne Christ hath taken all thy sinnes from thee and God hath no rod in his hand nor looketh sowre but merily that it is a lust to beholde his chearfull countenance and offreth thee his hande But this way is stopped vp through vnbeleefe and therefore we seek an other which is no way to life but vnto euerlasting death We will not looke on the law with open eyes and therfore haue we no due repentaunce and so no lust to harken vnto the gospell of glad tydings in Christes bloud And where the right way is set before vs and we of malice will not walke therin God can not but let the deuil play with vs and iuggle our eyes to confirme vs in blindnesse But after what maner doth Christ pray for vs Verily Christ in the dayes of his mortall flesh suffred and prayed for all that shal be saued and obtayned and was heard and had his petitions graunted And he made satisfaction purged and purchased forgeuenes euē then for all the sinne that euer shall be forgeuen And his praying for vs and being a mediatour now is that the remembraunce of all that he did for vs is present in the sight of God the Father as fresh as the houre he did them yea the same houre is yet present and not past in the sight of God And Christ is now a King and raigneth and hath receaued power of all that he prayed for to do it himselfe And that whensoeuer the elect cal for ought in his name he sēdeth help euē of y t power which he hath receaued yea ere they aske he sendeth his spirit into their harts to moue them to aske So that it is his gift that we desire ought in his name And in all that we do or thinke well he preuēteth vs with his grace yea he careth for vs ere we care for ourselues and when we were yet euill he sendeth to call vs draweth vs with such power that our hartes cannot but consent and come And the Angels stande by and behold the testament of the elect how we shall be receiued into their fellowshippe and see all the grace that Christ shall poure out vpon vs. And they reioyce and prayse God for his infinite mercy and are glad and long for vs of very loue are ready against all houres whē we shall call for help in Christes name to come helpe And Christ sendeth them whē we cal in his name and ere we call euen while we be yet euill and happely persecute the truth of ignoraunce as Paule did the Angels wayte vpon vs to keepe that the deuils slay vs not before the time of our calling be come Now if an Angell shoulde appeare vnto thee what wouldest thou say vnto him If thou prayedst him to helpe he would aunswere I do Christ hath sent me to helpe and beleeue that the Angels be euer about thee to helpe If thou desiredst him to pray for thee to obtayne this or that he woulde say Christ hath prayed and his prayer is heard
hath three chief enemies 442. a. vniuersally sinneth 392. b. not subiect to places 283. b plucked froÌ„ Adam â–ª and graffed in Christ 380. b Mans nature is sinnefull 393. a. hys wisedome maketh sectes 104. a. his lyfe is Gods commaundement 236. b Maner of Christes praying for vs. 401. a Many fall and why 295. a Marchaundise of the Pope 359. b. of Papistes 398. b Mart should haue bene at Calice 372. b Martyrs of the pope neuer preached Christ nor dyed for his woorde 295. b Mary an example of fayth 66. a Mariage 107. b. forbidden onely by the Pope 127. b. 261. b. of children vnlawfull without consent of parentes 120. b Mariage of kyng Henry the eight 366. b Mariage altereth degrees of nature 108. b Masse described 427. a. frendly to Papistes 13. b. damnable 425. b Masse at the first was a declaration of Christes passion 426. a Matrimony figureth Christes benefites towardes vs. 312. a Matrimonie 322. a. no Sacrament ibidem not ordayned to signifie any promise 144. a Matrimonie and eatyng of meat forbydden by the Pope 220. a Matters of fayth are repugnaunt to reason 462. b Materiall temples God dwelleth not in 272. b Maâ—imiâ—… the Emperour was souldier to kyng Henry the viij 369. b Measure 237. b Meditations of Gods mercy 259. b. of â—…s owne frailty necessary 413. a Meekenes 190. b. 201. a. the glory of youth 456. a Meekenes towardes the higher power 342. a Melancthon 455. a Men of three sortes 112. b Mercy of God 332. b. great 30. b. toward maÌ„kyng 444. a. waiteth on the elect 260. a. must be cleaued vnto 426. a. from whom locked 57. a Mercy of Christ fulfilleth the lawe 31. b Mercy in this life obtayneth mercy in the lyfe to come 193. a. how many wayes it may be shewed 192. a Mercyfulnes taught 335. a. towards our neighbour 9. a. must be shewed of one to an other 86. a Merites iustifie not 17. a. Papisticall of no value 165. b Meritemongers obstinate 17. b Mertion his heresie 471. b Methode of Paules doctrine 43. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 37. a Millane 371. a Ministers named Elders with the Iewes 253. a. why so named 251. b. why reuerenced 344. b Ministers of the Church their dutie 249. a. their office as chargeable before God as Peters was 356. b. had no tithes at the begynnyng 346. b Miracles why wrought of Christe his miracles were subiect to our senses 475. a. and b Miracles of God drawe to Christ 158. a. wrought by faythfull prayer 152. b. wrought by faith and not by ceremonies 131. b. 183. a Miracles done by the Saintes confirmed their doctrine 281. b. done for the people 283. a Miracles moue the heathen to know God 27. b Miracles fayned driue from Christ 158. b. maintayned by Popish offrynges 159. b Misticall and high questions to be auoyded 455. a Miters 134. b Modest maner of Paules doctrine 391. b Money purchaseth preferment 346. b. dispatcheth Purgatery 307. b. maketh marchaundise 108. a. byndeth not people to pray 163. b Monkes why cloystred 196. b. made ministers to the poore 355. a. robbe them ibid. why they runne into Religion 191. b. accursed 192. a Monkes and Friers not of God 104. b Monkes their loue 164. b Monumentes of notable doynges 436. a Mortuaries 136. a. 373. b. to two Parishes 136. a Mortification of our fleshe the right worke of fayth 48. b More 330. b. skilfull 251. a. subtile 318. b. a iester 309. a. a scoffer 452. b. a mocker 459. a. A dissembler 251. a. a lyer 294. a. 375. a. 30. b. a setter forth of vnwritten verities 461. b More would driue vs from God 297. a. Bigamus 317. b. maintayneth vnwritten verities expouÌ„deth the Scriptures falsly 460. a. agaynst him selfe 463. b More agaynst the Popes profit 297 b. agaynst him selfe 305. b. his similitude of faces weake 463. a. blynd in scriptures 460. a. blinded with couetousnes 231. a. driuen from the Scripture 475. b More captious 251. a. would excuse Hunnes murder 318. b More blasphemeth God 328. b. proued an hereticke 316. a More preferred to the Chauncellershyp by Wolsey 373. a More if hee had spoken with Christ would haue beleued hym 462. a More his second argument touching the last Supper confuted 461. a. his first reason touchyng the last Supper confuted 460. b Mores foolish glose 261. b. his wits captiuate 338. a. his false doctrine 283. a. his conclusion 288. b. hys naughty opinion 307. a. his fayth common 311. a. his Purgatory as hoate as hell 306. b Moses 390. b. a milde mother 122. b. his boâ—es 299. a. his face 184. a. how looked in the face 112. b. mercylesse in executyng the law 122. b. mindfull of Gods benefites 8. b Mournyng godly 189. b Mourners for righteousnesse saued 190. b Motions to prayer 220. b Multitude of mans witnesses verifieth not 255. b Murder amoÌ„g Friers 255. b. of the Duke of Glocester 3â—4 a Murtherers are false preachers 306. a Murmuryng of the Iewes at Christes Diuinitie 458. b Mutuall frendshyp and loue 434. b N. NAme of Iesus saueth 441. a Narrow gate founde of fewe 241. a Naturall man 114. a Nature of the Sacrament of our Lordes Supper 441. a Nature geueth authoritie to the aged 456. a Naturall man vnderstandeth not Scriptures 80. a Naturally wee are the children of wrath 391. a Natiuitie of the kyng cast by the Cardinall 368. a Necessitie of almose prayer and fastyng 228. a Necessitie lawles 252. a Necessitie of holy dayes 385. a Necromancy licensed by the Pope 367. a Necke verse 112. a Neighbour how to be prayed for 15. a. 82. b. must be beloued as our selues 385. b New lyfe 293. b New Thomas Becket 369. a New practise of Papistes 364. a New Testament 10. a. 36. b. burned by Tunstall 374. a Niniue the greatest Citie in the world 29. a Nicolas the first Pope 351. a Nicolaus de Lyra. 303. a Noath 303. a Noath drunke 169. b Note of the circumstauÌ„ces of the last Supper 470. a Note to knowe hypocrites by 350. a for temporall Magistrates 228. b No flesh can fulfill the law 74. a Nurture of kynges 371. 〈◊〉 O. OBedience wilfull 17. a Obedience pouertie c. of the spiritualtie 242. b Obedience excluded through markes of Antichrist 109. a Obedience for diuerse causes must be vsed 116. a. toward Magistrates 92. b. to God quencheth furious tormeÌ„tes 454. a. of Ionas towardes God 29. a Obedience to parentes is seruice to God 107. a Obiection agaynste iustification by fayth 432. b Oâ—…on in the Apostles 260. b Obstâ—…acy of Papistes 310. a. of meriâ—…noâ—gers 17. b Occasions light moue great striffe 5 a. moue sinâ—e in vs. 223. b Office â—…f fayth 188. a. of a Byshop 52. a. of a Priest 144. b. of a true preacher 196. a. of a good shepheard 51. a. of the law 117. b Office of Magistrates shewed 8. a Officers of Christes kingdome must leaue temporall dominion 342. b Officers first ordained in
naturall reasons be not worth the reasoning I will alledge you some moe to sée what you can say to them First euery sacrament is the signe of an holy thyng but the sacrament of the altar is a sacrament as all faythfull meÌ„ confesse ergo it must follow that the sacrament of the altar is the signe of an holy thyng Now if it be the signe of an holy thyng then it is not the holy thyng it selfe which it doth signifie and represent Why shoulde we then feare to call that bread a figure that is to say a sacrament of that holy body of our Lord and Sauiour 2. Besides that I woulde know of what necessitie or profite hys fleshe must be present in the sacrament For the presence of hys fleshe can no more profite vs then doth the remeÌ„brance of hys body but thys remembraunce may as well be done by the sacrameÌ„t as though hys bodye were present And therefore â—ith God and nature make nought in vayne it followeth coÌ„sequently y t his naturall flesh is not there but onely a memoriall therof 3. Furthermore the end and finall cause of a thyng is euer better then those thynges which are prouided for the end as the house is better then the lyme stone and timber which are prouided for the house but the ende and finall cause of the sacrament is the remembraunce of Christes body and thereupon it must followe that if the sacrament be hys naturall bodye that the remembraunce of Christes body should be better then hys body it selfe Which thyng is to be abhorred of all faythfull men 4. It were fondnes to fayne that the soule did otherwise eate then do the Angels in heauen and their meate is only the Ioy and delectation that they haue of God and of his glory and euen so doth the soule which is here vpon the earth eate through fayth the body of Christ which is in heauen For it deliteth and reioyceth whiles it vnderstandeth through fayth that Christ hath taken our sinnes vpon him and pacified the fathers wrath Neyther it is necessarie that for that or for this cause that his flesh should be present For a man may as well loue and reioyce in the thing which is from him not present as though it were present by hym of that manner 5. Moreouer the bread is Christes body euen as y e breaking of y e bread is the death of his body Now the breaking of bread at the maundy is not the very death of Christes body but onely a representatioÌ„ oâ— the same al be it the minde through fayth doth spirituallye behold his very death euen likewise that naturall bread is not the very body of our Lord but only a sacrament signe memoriall or representation of this same albeit through the monision therof y e mynde through fayth doth spiritually behold the very body And surely therof if a man be faythfull the sprite of God worketh in his hart very swéetely at his communion 6. Finally it was not lawfull to eate or drinke the bloud not onely of man but also of a brute beaste and the Apostels them selues moued by y e rule of Charitie did institute y â— meÌ„ should abstayne from bloud somewhat sauâ— ring the infirmitie of y â— Iewes Now if the Apostels had taught as ye do that in the sacrament his very fleshe and bloud is eaten and dronke with the téeth and mouth of faythfull and vnfaythfull what could haue bene a greater occasion to haue excluded the Iewes from Christes fayth euen at once Thinke you that Apostles would not haue bene to scrupulous to haue dronkeÌ„ his very bloud seing it was so playne agaynst Moses lawe if they had vnderstand hym so grossely as ye do Peter had a cloth sent downe from heauen in which were all manner of beastes forbidden by y e law and was commaunded to slay eate them And he aunswered God forbid for I neuer eate any vncleane thing meaning therby that he neuer eate any thing forbidden by the law Wherof it must néedes follow that either he neuer receiâ—ed the sacrameÌ„t whiche is playne false or elles that hee more spiritually vnderstode the wordes of Christes maundie then ye falslye fayne For it was plainely forbidden by the law to eate or drinke any maner of bloud And I know but one reason that they haue which they count insoluble how â—e it by Godes grace we shall sone auoyde it There reason is this Paule sayth he that eateth and drinketh this sacrament vnworthely shall be gilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Now say they how should they be gilty of the Lords body and bloud which receiue it vnworthely except it were the very body and bloud of the Lord This argument I say is very weake and slender For I can shew many examples by the which it may be dissolued for he that despiseth the kinges seale or letters offendeth agaynst his owne person and yet the letter or seale is not his owne person He that violently plucketh downe his graces armes or breaketh his broade seale with a furious minde or violence committeth treason against his owne person And yet his armes and broad seale are not his owne person He that clippeth the kings coyne committeth treason against y e kynges person and the common wealth and yet the mony is neither his graces person nor the common wealth And therfore your argumeÌ„t is but weake and slender For euen as a man doth offende against the princes person by dispising his armes seale or letters So doth a man offend agaynst Christes body and bloud by abusing the sacrament of his body and bloud although he be not there present as y e kinges person is not present in his armes seale or letters Besides that S. Paule saith that euery man which prayeth or prophecieth with couered hed shameth his hed and his hed is Christ shall we therfore Imagin that Christ is naturallye in euery mans hed as your argument coÌ„cludeth For soth that were a prety phantasie Finally S. Austen sayth y â— he doth no lesse sinne which negligently heareth y e worde of God then doth the other whiche vnworthely receiueth y e sacrament of Christes body bloud Now if this be true then is your reason not worth a rishe For Christes naturall body is not in y e word which is preached as all men knowe And yet he sinneth no lesse that negligently heareth it then doth he that vnworthely receiueth the sacrament And thus you see their insoluble argument easely dissolued ¶ But now must this yong man consider againe that him selfe confesseth that the cause for which him selfe sayth that Christ in so saying did so meane is because that if he should haue ment so it was impossible to God to bring his meaning about that is to say that Christes body might be in two places at once And therfore but if he proue that thing impossible for God to doe els he
but also his blessed worde all that longeth to hym Take awaye Christes word and what remayneth béehynde of Christ nothing at all I pray you my Lorde to whome was this worde fyrst preached to whome was this written all onely to priestes and not vnto lay men yea was it not written to all the worlde yes truely Wherby will you conuerte a Turke or an Infidell not by holy Scripture When they bée conuerted what wil you learne them what wyll you géeue them to reade any other thing then holy Scripture I thinke nay Now will you make your owne countreymen your owne citizens your owne subiectes yea your owne brethren redéemed with Christes blessed bloud worsse then Iewes and Infidels But there is no reason nor no brotherhod nor no Christen charitie that can mooue you or that can helpe you for you are so blynded and so obstinate against Christ that you had rather all the worlde shoulde perishe then his doctrine shoulde bee brought to light but I doe promyse you if God doe spare mée lyfe and géeue mée grace I shall so set it out if you doe not reuoke it that it shall bée to your vtter shame and confusion finde the best remedye that you can I doe beléeue stedfastly that god is mightier then you and I doe recken and faythfully beléeue that you are ten tymes worsse then the greate Turke for hée regardeth no more but rule and dominiō in this worlde and you are not therewyth content but you will also rule ouer mēs consconsciences yea and oppresse Christ and his holy worde and blaspheme and condemne his worde Was it not a holy connsell of the Chaunceler of London to counsell a certaine marchaunt to buye Robyn hoode for his seruauntes to read What should they doe wyth vitas patrum and with bookes of holy Scripture Also the same Chauncelour sayde to an other man what findest thou in the Gospell but a story what good canst thou take there out O Lord God where art thou why sléepest thou why sufferest thou this blasphemy Thou hast defended thy Prophetes with wild fire from heauen and wilt thou suffer thy onely fonne and thy heauenly word thus to bée despised and to bée reckened but as a story of Robin hoode Rise vp good Lorde Rise vp thy enemyes doe preuayle Thy enemyes doe multiplye shew thy power defend thy glory It is thy contumely and not ours what haue we to doe with it but alonely to thy glory Reuenge this cause or thy enemyes shall recken it not to bée thy cause O thou eternall God thoughe our sinnes haue deserued this yet looke on thy name yet looke on thy veritie Sée howe thou art mocked Sée how thou art blasphemed yea that by them that haue taken on them to defend thy glory But now heauenly father séeyng that thou hast so suffered it yet for the glory of thy name geue some man strength to defend it or els shalt thou bée clearely taken out of the hartes of all men Wherefore most gracious Lord of thy mercy and grace I beséech thée that I may haue the strength to defend thy godly word to thy glory and honour and to the vtter confusion of thy mortall enemyes Helpe good Lorde helpe and I shall not feare a thousande of thyne enemyes In thy name will I begyn to defend this cause First commeth thy faythfull seruaunt Moses true and iust in all thy workes and hée commaundeth faithfully truely with great threatnings that man woman and child should diligently read thy holy word saying Set your harts on all my wordes the which that I doe testifie vnto you this day that you may commaunde them vnto your children to kéepe to doe to fulfill all thynges that bée written in the booke of this law Marke how hée commaūded them to learne their children all thynges that bée written in this booke and so to learne thē that they might kéepe and fulfill all things that were written in y t booke Moses made nothing of secretnes will you make secretes therin how shall men fulfill those wordes that they knowe not How can men knowe the very true way of God haue not the word of God is not all our knowledge therin The Prophet sayth thy word is a lanterne vnto my féete and a light vnto my pathes Hée calleth it a lanterne and light yea and that vnto all men and you call it but a story darkenes and a thyng of secretnes yea and occasion of heresie how can the occasion of darknes geue light how can a lanterne bée a thing of secretnes how can the veritie of God bée occasion of heresie The holy Prophet sayth blessed is the man that setteth his delectation in the will of God and his meditation in Gods law night and day Here sayeth the spirite of God that men bee blessed that study the word of God and you say that men bée heretickes for studying of it How doth the spirite of God and you agrée Also S. Paule commaundeth vs to receiue the helmet of health and the sword of the spirite the whiche is the worde of God I pray you to whom doth hée here speake to Priestes onely How many of your Priestes dyd hée knowe yea was not this Epistle written to the whole Churche of the Ephesians And dyd not they read it were not they lay men and why shall not our lay men read that they red Moreouer doth not Paule call it the sword of the spirite is it not lawfull for lay men to haue the spirit of God Or is the spirite of God not frée but bound alonely to you Also S. Iohn sayth if any man come to you bring not this doctrine receiue him not into your house nor yet salute hym Here the holy ghost would we should haue no other doctrine but holy scripture and you will take it alonely from vs. Furthermore this was written vnto a woman and to her children and you will y t no other man wyfe nor childe shall reade it But if we should receiue your Priestes into our houses after this rule I thinke we should not bée greatly cōbered with them for their are few of them that haue this word Also our M. Christ saith vnto the pharesies search you scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life Our Maister sent the Pharisies to scriptures and you forbyd Christen men to reade them who had a worse sprite then they and yet they iudged better of holy scriptures thē you doe For they iudged to haue lyfe in thē you iudge to haue heresyes in thē so that you bée ten tymes worse to scriptures thē euer were they Also Paule saith all scripture geuen by insperation of God is profitable to teach to improoue to enforme io enstruct in righteousnes that the man of God may bée perfect and prepared vnto all good workes You will not denye but but scripture is geuē vs of God Ergo