were wyse ynough of her self in godly matters to what ende then shulde God haue sent Christe the Apostles What nede shuld we haue of the holy scriptures Naye whosoeuer wyll neyther fayle nor erre must nedes loke on Goddes worde euen there no where elles shall he fynde the right truthe and the ryght waye We reade that Christ is the lyght Iohn ◠to illumyne the worlde wherof it must nedes followe that she is darke ignoraūt in godly matters And Iohn .xiiij. Ioh. 14. sayth Christ I am the waye the truthe and the lyfe no man cometh vnto the father but by me But what maner of light waye he is and howe a mā may obtayne hym for his owne must be learned onely out of the gospell And Paule saith .ij. 2. Tim. 3 Tim. iij. That the scripture is able to instructe vs vnto saluation Is not this cleare plain ynough that whosoeuer wil knowe the truthe how he shal be saued must learne it out of the scrypture He saith not that he shall folowe hys owne mynde and good intencion Moreouer Moises writeth Deu. xij Deu. 12. that nomā shall do what semeth hī good whiche is as much to say he that will do well be good righteous serue God must learne it of God in his worde and not of his owne wysdome or of menne And Christ sayth Mat. 15 that God is worshypped in vayne wyth mennes preceptes this is spoken playne ynough Yf ye will serue God truely than do it not wyth mennes tradicions for it is in vayne But do it accordinge to the worde of God and than can ye not erre nor do amysse For asmuche nowe as no man by his owne inuented wayes mannes institutions can truely serue God be delyuered from his synnes and be made righteous but muste before all thinges haue Christe to the same We wyll shewe and declare howe and after what sorte the same is done whereby euerye man shal easely perceiue what an Erronious doctryne hath ben preached a great whyle in the Christianitie Therfore note that a man maye be made good and ryghteous after two sortes Marke well First before the worlde euē as a scole-maister kepeth a boye in awe and constrayneth hym weth the rodde and feare of correction to walke regularely and to hurte noman or euen as a magistrate correcteth the euyll doers so strayghtly that the many mē outwardely leade an honeste lyfe for feare of punisshemēt they steale not they kyll nomē they paye theyr debtes they are not ouerous to their neyghbours neyther concernynge his body wyfe nor chylde so that it may be saide they are good honest men suche behaueour and honest conuersacion is good and God doth also require it Therfore hath he in the worlde ordeyned the sworde to the temporall powers Sapi. 6. Rom. 13. 1. Petr. 2 Titu 3. Pro. 20. and. 24. and chastysement of children to thintent that the people maye leade an honest good and stil lyfe not after their owne lustes but that they maye be compelled so to walke that the neighbour maye perceyue it that good peace and outwardely and honest conuersacion maye continue amonge men But yet this is nothynge elles but worke holynes cyuyle policye and wordely ryghteousnes whiche also may be founde well ynough amonge the infydelles which through the lawe of nature in their opinion iudge it good righteous that a man leade an honenest lyfe and conuersacion committe none adultery do no murther steale not lye not and deceaue no man c. to saye for there is no thefe hanged for his thoughtes because he mindeth or intendeth to steale as longe as he doth not accomplysshe the dede But all this is not suffycient before God for he seeth in the harte and wyll that men shall behaue them selues godly in truthe and from the botome of the harte so that the harte mouth and hāde be good ryghteous When is that done Whan ye haue a luste in youre harte to be honeste sober chaste frendlye towardes all men And whan ye haue a lothsomnes and prkesomnes to euil as dronkenes vnclenlynes thefte maliciousnes murther and suche lyke But this is nature not able to do of her selfe Iob. 4.15.25 Psa 14.53 143 Rom. 3. Psal 51. because that the lust of euyll cleaueth so fast vnto vs frō our original natiuite powred into our nature through the fyrste synne in so moch that the scripture doth openly call vs euill peruerse euen from our mothers wōbe Therfore must the harte fyrst be clensed from such vnclenlynes gette pure thoughtes lustes and affections afterwardes may a mā do right good workes than is a man made right good righteous both inwardely and outwardely Nowe teacheth the scrypture that our hart is purifyed by none other thynge but by the true faith in Christe Actu xv Faith commeth by the workinge and illuminatiō of the holy goost Actu 15. by the hearynge of the gospell Rom. x. Rom. 10 Wherfor he that wyll truely be made righteous must purely and syncerely heare and receyue the gospell of Christe or elles he cōtinueth a natural man without grace What is the gospell Marke well It is a predication of Christe what he is and what he doth Math. 9 and .15 Luc. 19. Ioh. 3.12 Roma 5 1. tim 1.2 1. Ioh. 4 Gene. 2. Rom. 6. and .5 as that he was sent from the father of mere loue and fauoure to helpe the synner But howe doth he helpe The synner stycketh faste in synne which he can not amende or put out him selfe he stycketh in death for death is the rewarde of synne Whosoeuer committeth sinne hath after the righteous iudgement of God deserued to dye both temporally and perpetually and to be the deuils owne vnto damnaciō out of which captiuitie noman is able to escape by hys owne power or strēght Man is in such myserable and pyteous case because of his fyrst birth of Adam 1 Co. 15. that he is a synner borne condemned to death and damnation captiue vnder the power of the deuyll in the kingdome of darkenes with body and soule to euerlastinge payne Nowe yf there shulde come a man and paye for the sinne which is deathes stinge and make vs cleane ryghteous destroye the fearfull death make that we myght lyue for euer in body and soule ouercome the deuill make vs fre from his power so that neyther synne deuyll nor death might hurte vs animore were not this well holpen Nowe are not we able to do the same neyther any angell but onely God can do it wyll also do it wherfore he hath sent his onely begotten sonne to become man euen as we a very man in all pointes onely synne excepte which dyed for oure synnes and hath by the onely sacryfyce of his body vpon the crosse and the shedinge of his bloude made amendes for oure sinnes made a perfect satisfaction reconsiled vs to
the worlde that she can not se the great and abhomynable abuse The worde of God dyscloseth thys abhomynacyon for it teachet one onely sacrifyce or oblacion ones offered and neuer to be reiterated which is of perfect strength power for euer so that this sacryfyce for synne muste nowe onelye be receyued in faith through the worde and the sacramente and we must geue thankes for the same with a faithfull harte knoweledgynge wyth the mouth in laudinge and praysynge his holy name we must also geue thankes with the dedes that we lyfe soberly ryghteously and godly in this lyfe willyngly and gladly followynge Christ which bought vs with such a great price of his most holy sacrifyce vpon the crosse purifyed vs for his owne people to him selfe that from hencefurth we shoulde lyue innocently as the chyldren of God For God saith Leui. 19. I am holy therfore be ye holy also Leui. xix Nowe haue they of the Lordes supper The supper of the Lorde not only made a newe daily sinne offrīg for to make dayly satisfaction therby for synne and to appease goddes ire and indignation But haue also wholy chaunged and alterated the testamēt of Christ or his supper for they haue forbidden the laye people to receyue the one parte and they constrayne and compell the worlde to receyue the one parte onely which is manyfestly against the worde and ordynaunce of God For he instytuted both kyndes to be receiued of his Christians Sainct Paule taught and ordayned it so to the Corinthiās 1. Cor. 11. The primatiue church did vse it so the holy Bysshoppes Cyprian Augustine c. kept it so Therfore must the pope nedes be in a wrong way seynge he hath no commissyon nor commanndement to alter nor to diminishe goddes worde as also Gerson writeth Nowe do I aske you on your consciēces whether of these is moost sure in his conscience There are two Christiās the one receyueth the sacrament accordinge as Christe hym selfe dyd institute and cōmaunde it to be vsed vntyll the last day and as the Apostles the true prymatiue churche Augustine Cypriane and suche lyke haue vsed the same and geueth glorye vnto Christe that he certaynely hath not erred from his institucion for nomā coulde better institute it thā Christ nowe this man hath on his syde Christe the worde of God the Apostles the whole christianitie which at that tyme was coniected by the Apostles and he hath also on his syde the moost holyest and best learned fathers The other Christiās wyll receyue the sacramente after the Popes wyll he careth not whether God do so require it or not this man hath on his syde Pope innocente the thyrde which at Rome in the laterane churche with his counsayll dyd forbydde the holy communyon to be geuen to the children and commaunded the layte to receyue but the one parte therof in the yere of oure Lorde a thousande two hundreth .xv. Nowe tell me I praye you which of these two Christians shall at the last daye stande in better case before God concerninge the sacrament The one maye saye I haue done as Gods worde did teache me then must the other nedes saye that he hath done after the institution of a mā Nowe God hath not geuen his worde in vayne but he wyll that we shall followe the same Is it not than great pitye that the pope wil compell the poore christianitie to receyue the one part of the communion onely without Gods worde yea contrary to the expresse cōmaundement of god And shal men yet holde their peace saye nothinge to it No Sainct Paule doth curse the Angels if they should preache any other gospell thē that which he had preached Galat. 1. 1. Cor. 15. Galat. 1. Howe come we thā to this that we shall suffre the pope to burden oure conscyences whyche doth peruerie goddes worde and ordynaunce and besydes that curseth and destroyeth all thē that kepe goddes ordinaunce Marke well Item yf the faith in Chryste doth onely iustyfye and if the fayth of the gospel doth loke for saluacion of the mere grace and mercy of God wythout oure deseruynges but by the workes and merytes of Chryste and yf we do iustely confesse that we can not deserue the same because we are borne synners and although we kept all the commaundementes that yet we are vnprofytable seruauntes Luce. 17. Luce .xvij. But yf we beleue that Chryste dyed for vs and deserued for vs remyssyon of synnes and euerlastinge lyfe as we haue playnely and euydently in Ro. 4.5 Gala. 3. Ephe. 2. 1. Tim. 2 Hebr. 9. 1. Pet. 2. Saynt Paules Epystles to the Romaynes Galathians and Ephesians c. that good workes are done of vs of duetie for the profyte of oure neyghbour and to the glory of God So must it nedes folowe that all such doctrines are false as teache vs to do our workes to this intent that through the same we maye extynguysshe synne and become good and ryghteous For these two cannot stande together to be iustifyed by grace through fayth and to be iustyfyed by the merytes and deseruinges of oure workes Yf it be grace then is it not oure deseruing If it be deseruing then is it not grace And as Paule saith Gal. 2. Galat. ij If the ryghteousnes come by the lawe that is if mem be made good and ryghteous by the lawe or by workes then dyed Chryste in vayne But yf he dyed not in vayne Rom. 4. but for the remyssyn of oure synnes Roma iiij Then must it followe necessarely 1. Cor. 15 whan the death of Chryste doth onely make satisfaction for synnes and the fayth in Christe doth onely saue and purefye that the worlde hath ben deceyued by the doctrine of workes as foundinge and instituting of monasteries orders pilgrimages al relygions and goddes seruices inuented by man For by all these thinges haue men intended to satysfye for synne to deserue grace and to be made good and ryghteous notwithstandinge that the honour of iustifycation pertaineth to nomā but onely to the precious death of Christ and the shedinge of his bloude I would fayne se his face that durste be so bolde as to denye this truthe But if this truth standeth and abydeth then must nedes fall down to the grounde whatsoeuer hytherto hath ben kept and taught to thintent that men thereby shoulde be saued and come to God Hebr. 5.6.8.9 Item the worthy priesthode of Christ wherin consysteth all our conforte is by the Popes doctrine defaced and disanulled Gen. 22 Psa 101. Hebr. 7. For the scripture teacheth vs that the father by the conuenaūt of an othe hath consecrated and made his sonne an euerlasting pryeste which not onely ones by the sacryfyce of his body hath sanctifyed his electe Ioh. 17. Roma 3 1. Tim. 2 1. Ioh. 2. but also apeareth yet in the sight of God for vs as a perfecte mediatour and aduocate a faythfull and mercyfull bisshop in
his heauenly father deserued for vs the holy goost with his giftes he rose agayne from the deade Mat. 23 Mar. 16 Ioh. 20. brought againe lyfe and declared the same vnto vs also commaunded the Apostles to publishe it vntill the last daye to thintent that whosoeuer beleueth in Christe and trusteth to hym for suche a helpe maye take suche a great worke of Christe for his owne be ryghteous and saue mat 3.7 Luce. 3. Therfore is the gospell such a predication which exhorteth euery man to amendement of lyfe and to cease from sinnes which to paye haue cost Christe so much that he dyeth for their sakes And admonisheth al men to beleue in Christe Mat. 11. and to come vnto hym as to the true sauiour of the world which onely can and wyll helpe both tēporally and euerlastingly Ioh. 14. .15.16 Onely in his name and for his sake will God be mercyfull vnto vs forgeue vs all oure synnes and excepte vs for his children that we maye be the chyldrē of God through the fayth in Christe heyres of God and fellowe heyres wyth Iesus Chryste our sauiour for euer Whosoeuer therfore beleueth the gospell of Christe Mat. 16. Ioh. 6 and doubteth not but that Christe is the very sonne of God both God and man that he hym selfe hath puryfyed vs from all synnes Esa 53. and bought vs from euerlastinge death wyht his precious bloude that we lyue through Christe in euerlasting saluatiō is made righteous good For this will the scrypture that the faith in Christ is oure righteousnes before God Rom. 4. Galat. 3 whan we truste to obtayne remyssyon of our synnes and the lyfe euerlastynge not by oure dedes or deseruinges but onely throug the mere mercy and grace of God and the infynyte merytes and great myghtye workes of Chiste Wher as suche a fayth is there followeth a right christen lyfe and ryght good workes Howe be it this faith is the worke of the holy goost he must so illumine our harte that fyrst it may knowledge his greate and many folde synnes aright for the whiche we haue deserued euerlastinge damnation Here must we consyder the intollerable earnest of the wrath of God ouer synne which he so hateth that he wyll not suffre it but punysshe it temporally and eternally And that the sinne is so wicked and greuous that no man can remedye nor clense it but onely the sonne of God of heauen hym selfe through his owne precious bloude Than is the harte abashed and afrayed euen from the botome for the straight iudgement of God and there is raysed a ryght and true repentaunce for the synnes sake after this doth also the holy goost illumme the humble and broken harte with the knowledge of the infynyte mercy of God promysed and geuen through Christe that the harte begynneth agayne to receyue conforte beleueth stedfastely that his synnes are nowe all amended an forgeuen hym through the holsome death of Iesus Christe And that God from thēcefurth wyll be no more a terryble iudge but a mercyfull father for Chistes sake which hath taken vs to him selfe and hath borne our iniquities and made satisfaction for our transgressyons Marke well This is the ryght and true Christen fayth The deuils and false Christians can also reade heare and remembre the passion of Christe But they haue not this lyuely fayth and this trust and confydence in God their harte loketh for no suche comforte and grace at Goddes handes But a Christen man is myghtely comforted of the gospell for he doth affyrme it in his harte to be true and getteth such a stronge and ioyful confydence in God that he trusteth to him as a childe to his father loketh for all comforte and helpe from God in all his aduersityes Mat. 7. he doubteth not but that which the Gospell teacheth is the euerlastinge vndoubted trueth and taketh God to be true in all his promyses and so mighty wyse Esa 49. and .66 Iere. 14. and mercyfull towardes vs that he hath a respect vnto vs and maketh al thynges good howe so euer it goeth with vs that he also alwayes and euery where hath his eyes vpon vs that he kepeth fedeth and defendeth vs euen as a father loketh to his deare chylde and for saketh it not in any necessytye Bryefly a Chrysten man doth surely holde and conclude in his harte that there is vnspeakeably more conforte helpe assystence faythfulnes loue and more goodnes of all thinges by God wherwith he wil helpe vs than any man euer is able to expresse thinke beleue or hope There becommeth than the herte mery in God that it loueth God as a father and lyueth frely with a lust to do good prayeth wyllingely and earnestly helpeth his neyghbour becōmeth an enemye to synne There serueth God mynystreth vnto the neyghbour not onely the hande the tunge and the fete outwardely but also the harte within the body meaneth truely without dissymulation Such a faith and knowledge of God is a high thinge it suffereth not the man to continue as he was before but it maketh him pure and vpryght that he getteth another mynde other thoughtes and lustes than he had before he hath a respect to the wyll of God in all thinges which he doeth and endeuoureth hym selfe to lyue accordynge to the same with luste and gladnes euen as a chylde doth gladly and wyth all his harte accomplyshe the wyll of his father But a seruaunt serueth for wages rewardes for feare of correction vnwillingly lothsomely for he woulde rather do otherwise Therfor it procedeth all of an vnwyllinge seruise harte what soeuer mā doth vnto god with out grace But whersoeuer is the grace of faith that man serueth wyllyngly and gladly in spyrite truth Therfore doth Christ magnifye and anaunce this faith in the gospel very highly for it doth great thinges and bringeth all goodnes It tourneth the harte towardes GOD that it may feare God trust in him loue him and hope in him onely this is the fyrst commaundement It styrreth vp the harte that it doth confydently call to God prayeth geueth thankes laudeth and prayseth the name of God and that it vseth God only to the honor and glory of God this is the seconde commaundement It chaungeth man that he denieth hym selfe and wholy geueth him selfe ouer into the handes of God and suffereth God to rule and to ordre vs as it pleaseth hym suffereth God to worke in vs that we be made a newe creature in Christe and stande in a stedfaste and cōtynuall exercyse of a godly lyfe and serue God accordinge to his worde vnder the crosse in pacience Heb. 12. Prou. 3. Apoc. 3. As they that know ryghtwell that God chasteneth his verely beloued chyldren that he maye make them good and wyll helpe them whā they call vnto him Psa 50. accordinge to his promyse Psalme .l. Call vnto me in the day of trouble and I wyll delyuer
the and thou shalt prayse me this is the thyrde commaundement Where soeuer this fayth is there is the holy goost which powreth loue in the harte loue is the fullfyllynge of the lawe Roma .xiij. 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 13. For loue honoureth father mother and she is obedient to the hyer powers This is the fourth commaundement Loue kepeth her selfe from anger she is meke and gentyll towardes all men kylleth not neyther can beare any malyce in the harte In the .v. commaundement Loue hath not in her harte to put her neyghbour to dishonestie or wronge concerning wyfe and children 1. Co. 13. in the .vi. commaundement Loue stealeth not but she geueth and helpeth wher soeuer she can and maye in the .vii. commaundement Loue bereth no false witnes but assysteth the truthe she helpeth to saue her neyghbours honestye to couer and defende his faultes in the .viij. commaundement Loue coueteth not her neyghbours goodes wyfe nor chylde but rather helpeth him to kepe the same in the .ix. and .x. commaundement Thus do we see that faith which worketh by loue is the fountayne of al good workes Yf the worke shal be good than must it flowe out of such a faith endued with loue Faith must be there before the workes that it may make the person faith full and good Nowe when the personne hath faith and loue then doth he fyrst good workes and no rather Do what soeuer ye wyll yf ye haue not this faith your harte is not cleane youre workes are not good But this faith kepeth the ten cōmaundementes for it can setman to behaue him selfe vpryghtly towardes God and his neighbour Nowe whan we prayse and magnyfye this faith as the onely true ryghteousnes before God that is the worlde angry and supposeth that we do it of contempt and contumacye can not vnderstāde that we there with fyrst of all do teache and set vp the true good workes Whan we teache this faith because there is no worke good without this faith thē do we fyrst plante the tree 1. Cor. 7. after that do we plante the frute that is the true naturall ordinaunce For so hath Christe done lykewyse and the Apostles Marke well Nowe are there many thinges in the Christianite for a longe tyme season vsed and taken for good for goddes seruice whiche are cleane contrarye to this wholsome doctrine to this faith wherfore the same are iustely reiected and condemned And therfore rageth the worlde and can not vnderstande that it is done of a good zeale by the commaundement of God For the worlde can not vnderstāde the righteousnes of God the true faith in Christe the frutes therof She vnderstādeth onely the righteousnes of workes worshippinges of god or goddes seruices inuēted by mans owne brayne Out of this doth cheifely ryse al the cōtrouersie in the worlde Forasmuch nowe as out of the gospell of S Iohn 1. Rom. 4. Gala. 3. Ioh. S. Paules epistles to the Romaines Galathiās out of the true groūde of the lawe the Prophetes it is cleare euidently concluded that there is none other righteousnes of valour before god than the faith of the Gospell in Christe And forasmuche as there is none other waye to obtaine pardon remissiō of sinnes to be made good and righteous to be saued than the same faith in Christ whiche Christe was geuen vs of the father to thyntent that he onely by hys owne workes shoulde make vs good be him selfe our euerlastinge ryghteousnes lyfe and saluacion yf we beleue in him It followeth then without any contradiction of the same that in many poyntes from certaine hondreth yeres vnto this daye we haue grossely erred and that all other meanes and wayes which haue ben set vp for to obtayne by them remyssyon of synnes and grace or to be made good and ryghteous and to obtayne saluacion are nothing elles but Erronious by pathes and not the true Goddes seruice Nowe wyll I in a summe recyte the pryncypall Artycles and pointes of the false worshyppynge of God and false Goddes seruyce To thintēt that ye mayse that the controuersye of these dayes is not without great and vrgent causes Marke well Rom. 5. i. Pet. 3. He. 9.10 1. Ioh. 2. Thys faith in Christe doth surely affyrme and establyshe that Christe alone by hys onely oblacion vpon the crosse ones made for all hath made perfect satisfaction for all the synnes of the vnyuersall worlde so that nowe there is no newe sacryfyce or oblacion more for our synnes in the Christianite nor can be But onely an offeringe of geuinge ouer of oure selues a cōtryte penitēt harte and the prayse of God these are no synne offerynges but thanke offeringes This teacheth Paule throught out the whole Epystle to the hebreues But Christe hath left ordeined vnto his churche a dayly memoryal or remēbraunce of the same onely sacrifice Marke well The supper of the Lorde which is his supper wherin he fedeth and nourissheth the Christians spyrytually with his very body and bloude vnto euerlasting lyfe and the Chrystians receyue the Sacrament of the body and bloude of Christe with thankes and praise for this benefyte that Christe offered his bodye for vs and shed his bloude for the remission of our synnes and geue them selues ouer wyllyngly to dye concerninge synne to mortyfye the olde man and offer sacryfyces of thankesgeuinge and sacryfyces of prayse for al the mercys which God so wonderfully hath shewed vs through his sonne and one Christian loueth another in dede and trueth this is the true worshippinge seruice of God Wherfore it followeth of this Of the Masse that it is an errour and a false goddes seruice that men yet wyll vndertake to make a dayly newe massyng sacryfyce or oblacion for the synnes of the quicke and deade For this perfect satisfaction and reconcylyacyon cometh by the onely sacrifyce and oblacion made vpō the crosse where as Christe gaue ouer his body bare our sinnes shed his owne bloude for the remyssyon of our synnes Wherfore the masse can in no wyse be such a sacryfyce For it is an horrible errour that men wyll obtayne and purchace the satisfaction for synnes and the reconciliation of God any other waye than by the death of Iesus Chryste Yf synnes be releassed by offerynge of masses than died Christe in vayne There is more abhominacion hydden vnder this errour than can be thought expressed Forasmuche as the death and passyon of Christe is our cōforte by the which by nothing elles we be deliuered frō synne death let euery good christian iudge in his harte what a doctrine this is which so lytell regardeth the death of Christe that she maketh oure workes equall with the death of Christe yea obscureth and denyeth in a maner all the frutes of the bytter death and passyon of Christe The great holy appearaūce of the masse and the outwarde syghte pompe blyndeth