by blessing vnderstand not the wagging of the popes or Bishops hand ouer thyne head but prayer as when we say God make thee a good man Christ put his spirite in thee or geue thee grace and power to walke in the truth to folow hys coÌ„mauÌ„dementes c. As Rebeccas frendes blessed her wheÌ„ she departed Gene. xxiiij saying Thou art our sister grow vnto thousand thousandes and thy seede possesse the gates of their enemies And as Isaac blessed Iacob Gene. xxvij saying God geue thee of the dew of heauen and of the fatnes of the earth aboundaunce of corne wyne and oyle c. And Gene. xxviij Almighty God blesse thee and make thee grow and multiply thee that thou mayst be a great multitude of people and geue to thee and to thy seede after thee the blessings of Abraham that thou mayst possesse the land wherin thou art a strauÌ„ger which he promised to thy graundfather and such lyke Last of all one singular doubt they haue what maketh the Priest the annoynting or puttyng on of the handes or what other ceremonie or what wordes About which they braule and scolde one ready to teare out an others throte One sayth this an other that but they caÌ„ not agree Neither caÌ„ any of them make so strong a reason which an other can not improue For they are all out of the way and without the spirite of God to iudge spirituall things Howbeit to this I auÌ„swere that wheÌ„ Christ called xij vp into the mouÌ„taine and chose them then immediatly without any annointing or ceremony were they his Apostles that is to witte ministers chosen to be sent to preach his Testament vnto all the whole world And after the resurrection wheÌ„ he had opened their wittes and geuen them knowledge to vnderstand the secretes of hys Testament how to bynde loose and what he would haue theÌ„ to do in all thynges then he sent them forth with a commaundemeÌ„t to preach and bynde the vnbeleuyng that continue in sinne and to loose the beleuyng that repent And that commaundemeÌ„t or charge made theÌ„ Byshops priestes Popes and all thyng If they say that Christ made theÌ„ priestes at his Maundey or last Supper when he sayd do this in the remembrauÌ„ce of me I aunswere though the Apostles wist not then what hee ment yet I will not striue nor say that agaynst Neuer the latter the commaundement and the charge which he gaue them made theÌ„ Priestes And Actes the first when Mathias was choseÌ„ by lotte it is not to be douted but that the Apostles after their common maner prayed for him that God would geue him grace to minister his office truely and put their handes on him and exhorted him and gaue him charge to be diligent faithfull and then was he as great as the best And Actes vj. When the Disciples that beleued had chosen vj. Deacons to minister to the widdowes the Apostles prayed and put their handes on them and admitted them without more adde Their putting on of hands was not after the maner of the dome blessing of our holy byshops with two fingers but they spake vnto them and tolde them their dutie and gaue them a charge and warned them to be faythfull in the Lordes busines as we chuse temporall officers and read their duty to them and they promise to be faythfull ministers and then are admitted Neither is there any other maner or ceremonie at all required in makyng of our spirituall officers then to chuse an able person and theÌ„ to rehearse him his dutie and geue him his charge and so to put him in his rowme And as for that other solemne doubte as they call it whether Iudas was a Priest or no I care not what he then was but of this I am sure that he is now not onely Priest but also Byshop Cardinall and Pope ¶ Of Penaunce PEnaunce is a word of their owne forgyng to disceaue vs with all as many other are In the Scripture we finde panitentia repentaunce Agite poenitentiam do repent Poeniteat vos let it repeÌ„t you Metanoyte in Greeke forthinke yo or let it forthinke you Of repentaunce they haue made penaunce to blinde the people and to make them thinke that they must take payne and do some holy dedes to make satisfaction for their sinnes namely such as they enioyue them As thou mayst see in the Cronicles when great kynges and tyrauntes which with violence of sword conquered other kynges landes and slew all that came to hand came to them selues and had conscience of their wicked dedes then the Byshops coupled them not to Christ but vnto the Pope and preached the Pope vnto them and made them to submit them selues and also their realmes vnto the holy father the Pope and to take penaunce as they call it that is to say such iniunctions as the Pope and Bishops would commaund them to do to build Abbays to endote them with liuelode to be prayed for for euer and to geue them exemptions and priuilege and licence to do what the lust vnpunished Repentaunce goeth before faith and prepareth the way to Christ and to the promises For Christ commeth not but vnto them that see their sinnes in the law and repent Repentaunce that is to say this mornyng and sorrow of the hart lasteth all our liues long For we finde our selues all our liues long to weake for Gods law and therfore sorrow morne longyng for strength Repentaunce is no Sacrament as faith hope loue and knowledge of a mans sinnes are not to be called Sacramentes For they are spirituall and inuisible Now must a Sacrament be an outward signe that may be sene to signifie to represent and to put a man in remeÌ„braunce of some spirituall promise which can not be sene but by faith onely Repentaunce and all the good dedes which accompanie repentaunce to slay the lustes of the fleshe are signified by Baptisme For Paule sayth Roma vj. as it is aboue rehearsed Remember ye not saith he that all we whiche are baptised in the name of Christ Iesus are baptised to dye with him we are buryed with him in Baptisme for to dye that is to kil the lustes and the rebellion which remayneth in the flesh And after that he sayth ye are dead as concernyng sinne but lyue vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. If thou looke on the profession of our harts and on the spirit and forgeuenes which we haue receaued thorough Christes merites we are full dead but if thou looke on the rebellion of the flesh we do but begyn to dye and to be baptised that is to drowne and quench the lustes and are full baptised at the last minute of death And as coÌ„cernyng the workyng of the spirite we begyn to lyue grow euery day more and more both in knowledge and also in Godly lyuyng accordyng as the lustes abate As a child receaueth yeâ—ull soule at the first day yet
groweth dayly in the operations workes therof ¶ Of Confession COnfession is diuers One foloweth true fayth insparably And is the confessing and knowledging with the mouth wherein we put our trust and confideÌ„ce As when we say our Credo confessing that we trust in God the father almighty and in his truth promises in his sonne Iesus our Lord and in his merites and deseruinges in the holy Ghost and in his power assistance and guiding This confession is necessary vnto all men that wyll be saued For Christ saith Mathew x. he that denyeth me before men hym will I deny before my father that is in heauen And of this confession sayth the holy Apostle Paule in the x. chapter The beliefe of the hart iustifieth and to knowledge wyth the mouth maketh a man safe This is a wonderfull text for our Philosophers or rather sophisters our worldly wyse enemies to the wisdome of God our deepe profounde welles wythout water our cloudes wythout moysture of rayne that is to say naturall soules without the sprite of God and feeling of godly thynges To iustifie and to make safe are both one thing And to confesse with the mouth is a good worke and the frute of a true fayth as all other workes are If thou repent and beleue the promises then Gods truth iustifieth thee that is forgeueth thee thy sinnes and sealeth thee with hys holy spirite and maketh thee heyre of euerlastyng lyfe through Christes deseruinges Now if thou haue true fayth so seest thou the exceeding and infinite loue and mercy which God hath shewed thee freely in Christ then must thou needes loue agayne and loue can not but compell thee to worke and boldly to confesse knowledge thy Lord Christ and the trust which thou hast in his word And this knowledge maketh thee safe that is declareth that thou art safe already certifieth thine hart and maketh thee feele that thy fayth is right and that Gods spirite is in thee as all other good workes doe For if when it commeth vnto the point thou hast no lust to worke nor power to confesse how couldest thou presume to thinke that Gods sprite were in thee An other confession is there which goeth before saith and accompanieth repentaunce For who so euer repenteth doth knowledge his sinnes in his hart And who soeuer doth knowledge his sinnes receaueth forgenenes as â—ayth Iohn in the first of his first Epistle If we knowledge our sinnes he is faythfull and iust to forgeue vs out sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes that is because he hath promised he must for his truthes sake doe it This confession is necessary all our liues long as is repentaunce And as thou vnderstandest of repentaunce so vnderstand of this confession for it is likewise included in the sacrament of Baptime For we alwayes repent and alwayes knowledge or coÌ„fesse our sinnes vnto God and yet dispayre not but remember that we are washed in in Christes bloud which thing our baptime doth represeÌ„t and signifie vnto vs. Shrift in the eare is verely a worke of Sathan and that the â—alsest that euer was wrought and that most hath deuoured the fayth It began among the Greekes and was not as it is now to reckeÌ„ all a maÌ„s sinnes in the priestes eare but to aske couÌ„cell of such doubtes as men had as thou mayst see in S. Hierome and in other authors Neither went they to Priestes onely which were very fewe at that tyme no moe then preached the worde of God for this so great vantage in so many masses saying was not yet founde but went indifferently where they saw a good and a learned man And for because of a litle knauery which a DeacoÌ„ at Constantinople plaide thorough coÌ„fession with one of the chiefe wiues of the citie it was layde downe agayne But we Antichristes possession the more knauery we see growe thereby dayly the more we stablishe it A christen man is a spirituall thing and hath Gods word in his hart and gods spirite to certifie him of all thing He is not bound to come to any eare And as for the reasons which they make are but persuasions of mans wisedome First as perteining vnto the keyes maner of bynding and loosing is eough aboue rehearsed in other places Thou maist also see how the Apostles vsed them in the Actes and in Paules Epistles how at the preaching of fayth the spirite came and certified their harts that they were iustified thorough beleuing the promises When a man feeleth that his hart consenteth vnto the law of God and feeleth hymselfe meeke pacient curteous and mercifull to hys neighbour altered and fashioned like vnto Christ why shoulde he doubt but that God hath forgeuen him and chosen him and put his spirite in hym though he neuer cromme hys sinne into the priestes eare One blynde reason haue they saying How shall the Priest vnbynde loose and forgeue the sinne which he knoweth not How did the Apostles The Scripture forsake they and runne vnto their blinde reasons and draw the Scripture vnto a carnall purpose When I haue tolde thee in thyne eare all that I haue done my life long in order and with all circumstances after the shamefullest maner what caÌ„st thou doe more then preach me the promises saying if thou repent beleue Gods truth shall saue thee for Christes sake Thou seest not myne hart thou knowest not whether I repent or no neyther whether I consent to the law that it is holy righteous and good Moreouer whether I beleue the promises or no is also vnknowen to thee If thou preach the law and the promises as the Apostles did so should they that God hath chosen repent and beleue and be saued euen now as well as then How be it Antichrist must know all secretes to stablish his kingdom to worke his misteries withall They bryng also for them the storie of the x. lepers whiche is written in the. xvij Chapter of Luke Here marke their falsehoode and learne to knowe them for euer The fourtene Sonday after the feast of the Trinitie the begynnyng of the vij leâ—…n is the sayd Gospell and the viij the ix lessons with the rest of the seuenth is the exposition of Bede vpon the sayd Gospell Where saith Bede of all that Christ healed of what so euer disease it were he sent none vnto the Priestes but the lepers And by the lepers enterpreteth the folowers of false doctrine onely which the spirituall officers and the learned men of the congregation ought to examine and rebuke their learning with Gods word and to warne the congregation to beware of them Which if they were afterward healed by the grace of Christ ought to come before the coÌ„gregation and there openly confesse theyr true fayth But all other vices saith he doth God heale within in the conscience Though they this wise reade at mattens yet at hie masse if they haue any
lyfe and godly conuersation that both his teaching lyuing going togither as the one may edifie by doctrine so the other may profit by example First touching the birth and parentage of this blessed Martyre in Christ hée was borne in the edge of Wales and brought vp from a childe in the vniuersitie of Oxforde where hée by long continuance grew and encreased aswell in the knowledge of tongues and other liberall artes as especially in the knowlege of Scriptures whereunto his mind was singularly addicted Insomuch that hée liyng in Magdalene hall read priuelye to certaine studentes and felowes of Magdalene College some percell of Diuinitie instructing them in the knowlege and trueth of the Scriptures Whose maners also and conuersation being correspondent to the same were such that all they which knewe him reputed and estéemed him to bée a man of most verteous disposition and of a life vnspotted Thus hée in the vniuersitie of Oxford encreasyng more and more in learning and procéeding in degrées of the schooles spiyng his tyme remoued from thence to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge where after hée had likewise made his abode a certayne space and béeing now farther rypened in the knowledge of Gods worde leauing that vniuersitie also hée resorted to one M. Welshe a knyght of Glocester sheare and was there schoole master to his children and in very good fauour with his master This gentleman as hée kept a very good ordinary commonly at his table there resorted vnto him many tymes sondry Abbottes Deanes Archdeacons with other diuers Doctours and great beneficed men Who there togither with M. Tyndall sittyng at the same table did vse many tymes to enter communication and talke of learned men as of Luther and Erasmus and of diuerse controuersies and questions vpon the scripture At which time M. Tyndall as he was learned wel practised in Gods matters so he spared not to shew to them simply and playnely his iudgement in matters as he thought And when as they at that tyme did varie from Tyndall in opinions and iudgment he would shewe them the booke and lay playnely before them the open and manifest places of the scriptures to confute their errours and to confirme his sayinges And thus continued they for a season reasoning and contending togither diuers and sondry tymes till at the length they waxed wery of him and bare a secret grudge in their hartes against hym Not long after this it happened that certaine of these great Doctours had inuited M. Welshe and his wife to a banket where they had talke at will and pleasure vttering their blindnes and ignoraunce without any resistaunce or gayne saying Then M. Welshe and his wife comming home and calling for M. Tyndall beganne to reason with him about those matters wherof the Priestes had talked before at their banket M. Tyndall aunswering by Scriptures mainteyned the trueth reproued their false opinions Then sayd the Lady Welshe a stoute and wise woman as Tyndall him selfe reporteth well sayd she there was such a Doctour which may dispend a C. l. an other CC. l. and an other CCC poūdes And what were it reason thinke you that we should beléeue you before them M. Tyndall gaue her no aunswere at that tyme nor also after that because he saw it would not auayle he talked but litle in those matters At that tyme he was about the translation of a booke called Enchiridon militis Christiani Which being translated he delyuered to his Master and lady Who after they bad read and well perused the same the doctourly Prelates were no more so often called to the house nether had they the Chere nor countenaunce when they came as before they had which thing they well marking and perceiuing and supposing no lesse but it came by the meanes of Tyndall refrayned thē selues and at the last vtterly withdrewe them selues and came no more there As this grewe on the Priestes of the countrey clustering togither beganne to grudge and storme against Tyndall rayling at him in houses and other méeting places Of whom Tyndall him selfe in his first Prologue before the first booke of Moses testifieth in his owne wordes and reporteth that hée suffered much in that countrey by a sort of vnlearned Priestes being full rude and ignoraunt sayth hée God knoweth which haue séene no more Latyn then that onely which they reade in their Porteasses and Missalles which yet many of them can skarsely reade except it bée Albertus de Secretis mulierum in which yet though they bée neuer so sorely learned they pore daye and night and make notes therein and all to teach the mydwifes as they say and also an other booke called Lynwood a Booke of Constitutions to gather tythes mortuaryes Offeringes Customes and other pillage which they call not theirs but Gods part the duetie of holy Church to discharge their consciences with all For they are bound that they shall not deminishe but encrease all thinges to the vttermost of their powers which perteineth to holy Church Thus these blinde and rude Priestes flocking togither to the Alehouse for that was their preaching place raged and rayled against him affirming that his sayengs were heresy addyng moreouer vnto his sayenges of their owne heades more then euer hée spake and so accused him secretly to y t Chauncelour and other of the Bishops officers It folowed not long after this that there was a sitting of the Byshops Chaūcelour appointed and warning was geuen to the Priestes to apere amōgest whom M. Tyndall was warned to bée there And whether hée had any misdoubt by their threatenings or knowledge geuen him that they would lay some thinges to his charge it is vncerteyne But certaine this is as hée him selfe declareth that hée doubted their preuy accusations so that hée by the way in going thitherwardes cryed in his mynde hartely vnto God to geue him strength to stand fast in the trueth of his worde When the tyme came of his apperaunce before the Chaūcelour hée threatened him greuously reuiling and rating him as though hée had béene a dogg and layed to his charge many thinges whereof no accuser could yet bée brought forth as commonly their maner is not to bring forth the accuser notwithstanding that the Priestes of the countrye the same time were there present And thus M. Tyndall after those examinations escaping out of their handes departed home and returned to his Master againe There dwelt not farre of a certaine Doctour that had béene an olde Chauncelor before to a Bishop who had béene of olde famyliar acquaintaunce with M. Tyndall and also fauoured him well Vnto whom M. Tyndall went and opened his mynde vpon diuers questions of the Scripture For to him hée durst bée bolde to disclose his harte Vnto whom the Doctour sayd Doe you not knowe that the Pope is very Antechrist whom the Scripture speaketh of But béeware what you say for if you shall bée perceaued to bée of that opinion it will cost you your
bynde hym hand and foote and to cast hym into vtter darkenes and to geue the talent vnto hym that had ten saying to all that haue more shall be geuen but from hym that hath not that he hath shal be taken from hym That is to say he that hath a good harte toward the word of god and to garnish it with godly liuyng and to testify it to other y e same shall increase daily more and more in the grace of Christ But he that loueth it not to lyue therafter and to edify other the same shall loose the grace of true knowledge be blinded agayne and euery day wax worse and worse and blynder and blynder tyll he be an vtter enemy of the worde of God and hys hart so hardened that it shall be impossible to conuert hym And Luke xij The seruaunte that knoweth hys maisters wyll and prepareth not hymselfe shall be beaten wyth many stripes That is shall haue greater damnation And Mat. 7. All that heare the worde of God and do not therafter build on sande that is as the foundation laid on sand can not resist violence of water but is vndermyned and ouerthrowne euen so the fayth of them that haue no lust nor loue to the law of God builded vpon y t sand of their owne imaginatiōs and not on the rocke of Gods word accordyng to hys couenauntes turneth to desperation in tyme of tribulatiō and when God commeth to iudge And the vineyard Mat. 21. planted and hyred out to the husbandmen that would not render to the Lorde of the fruit in due tyme and therfore was takē from them and hyred out to other doth confirme the same For Christe sayth to the Iewes the kingdome of heauē shal be taken from you and geuen to a nation that wyll bring forthe y t frutes therof as it is come to passe For the Iewes haue lost the spirituall knowledge of God of his cōmaundementes and also of all the scripture so that they can vnderstand nothyng godly And the dore is so locked vppe that all their knockyng is in vayne though many of them take great payn for gods sake And Luke 13. The figge tree that beareth no fruite is cōmaunded to be plucked vp And finally hereto pertayneth with infinyte other the terrible parable of the vncleane spirite Luke 11. which after hee is cast out when hee commeth and findeth hys house swept and garnished taketh to hym 7. worse then hymselfe and commeth entreth in and dwelleth there and so is y t ende of the man worse then the beginnyng The Iewes they had cleansed themselues with gods word from all outward idolatry and worshipping of idols But their hartes remayned styll faythlesse to godward and toward his mercy and truth and therfore without loue also lust to his law to their neighbours for hys sake and through false trust in their owne woorkes to which heresy the chylde of perdition the wicked bishop of Rome with hys lawyers hath broughte vs christen were more abhominable idolaters thē before and become ten tymes worse in the end then at the beginning For the first idolatry was soone spyed and easie to be rebuked of the Prophets by the Scripture But the latter is more subtill to beguile withall and an hundreth tymes of more difficultie to bee weeded out of mens hartes This also is a conclusion nothyng more certayne or more proued by the testimony and ensamples of the scripture that if any that fauoureth the worde of God be so weake that he can not chaste hys flesh hym wyll the lord chastice and scourge euery day sharper and sharper with tribulation and misfortune that nothyng shall prosper with him but all shall go against him what soeuer he taketh in hand will visite him with pouertie with sickenesses and diseases and shall plague him with plague vpon plague eche more lothsome terrible and fearefull then other till he be at vtter desiaunce with his flesh Let vs therefore that haue now at this tyme our eyes opened agayne through the tender mercy of GOD kepe a meane Let vs so put our trust in the mercy of GOD through Christ that we know it our duetie to kepe the law of GOD and to loue our neighbours for their fathers sake whiche created them and for their Lords sake which redemed them and bought thē so dearely with his bloud Lette vs walke in y t feare of God and haue our eyes open vnto both partes of Gods couenaunts beyng certified that none shal be partaker of the mercy saue hee that will fight against the flesh to kepe the lawe And let vs arme our selues with this remembraunce y t as Christs workes iustifie from sinne and set vs in the fauour of GOD so our owne dedes through workyng of the spirite of God helpe vs to continue in the fauour and the grace into which Christ hath brought vs and that we can no longer continue in fauour and grace then our hartes are to kepe the law Furthermore concernyng the lawe of God this is a generall conclusion that the whole lawe whether they be ceremonies sacrifices yea or Sacramentes either or preceptes of equitie betwene man and man throughout al degrees of the world all were geuē for our profite and necessitie onely not for any nede that God hath of our keping thē or y t his ioy is encreased therby or that the dede for the dede it selfe doth please him That is all that God requireth of vs whē we be at one with him and doe put our trust in him and loue him is that we loue euery man his neighbour to pity hym to haue compassion on him in all his needes and to be mercyfull vnto him This to be euen so Christ testifieth in the. vij of Math This is the lawe and the Prophetes That is to do as thou wouldst be done to accordyng I meane to the doctrine of the Scripture and not to do that thou wouldest not haue done to thee is all that the law requireth the Prophets And Paul to the Rom. xiij affirmeth also y t loue is that fulfillyng of the law and that he which loueth doth of his owne accorde all that the law requireth And. i. Tim. i. Paul sayth that the loue of a pure hart and good conscience and faith vnfayned is the end and fulfillyng of the law For faith vnfained in Christes bloud causeth y e to loue for Christes sake which loue is the pure loue onely the onely cause of a good conscience For then is the conscience pure whē the eye looketh to Christ in all her deedes to doe them for his sake and not for her owne singular aduaūtage or any other wicked purpose And Iohn both in hys Gospel and also Epistles speaketh neuer of any other law then to loue one an other purely affirmyng that we haue God him selfe dwellyng in vs all that GOD desireth if we loue one the other Seyng then that
shewe your mercy do a deede of mercy meanyng thereby y t our deedes declare how we loue our neighbours how much we haue compassion on theÌ„ at their neede Moreouer it is not possible to loue except we see a cause Except we see in our hartes y t loue kyndnes of God to vs warde in Christ our Lord it is not possible to loue God aright We say also he that loueth not my dogge loueth not me Nor that a maÌ„ should loue my dogge first But if a man loued me the loue wherewith he loueth me would compell him to loue my dogge though the dogge deserued it not yea though the dogge had done him a displeasure yet if he loued me the same loue would refrayne hym from reuenging himselfe and cause him to referre the vengeaunce vnto me Such speakinges finde we in scripture Iohn in the fourth of hys first epistle sayth He that saith I loue God and yet bateth his brother is a lyar For how can he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth loue God whom he seeth not This is not spoken that a man should first loue hys brother and then God but as it foloweth For this commaundement haue we of hym that he which loueth God should loue his brother also To loue my neighbour is the commaundemeÌ„t which commaundement he that loueth not loueth not GOD The keeping of the commaundemeÌ„t declareth what loue I haue to God If I loued God purely nothing that my neighbour coulde do were able to make me eyther to hate him eyther to take vengeaunce on hym my selfe seing that God hath coÌ„maunded me to loue him to remitte all veÌ„geaunce vnto hym Marke now how much I loue the coÌ„maundement so much I loue God how much I loue God so much beleue I that he is mercifull kynde and good yea and a father vnto me for Christes sake how much I beleue that God is mercifull vnto me and that he will for Christes sake fulfill all his promises vnto me so much I see my sinnes so much do my sins greue me so much do I repent and sorrow that I sinne so much displeaseth me that poyson that moueth me to sinne and so greatly desire I to be healed So now by the naturall order first I see my sinne then I repeÌ„t and sorrow then beleue I Gods promises that he is mercifull vnto me and forgeueth me and will heale me at the last then loue I and then I prepare my selfe to the commaundement THis do and thou shalt liue Luc. x. that is to say loue thy Lord God with all thy hart with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy mynde and thy neighbour as thy self As who should say if thou do this or though thou canst not do it yet if thou â—ealest lust thereunto and thy spirite sigheth mourneth and longeth after strength to do it take a signe and euident token thereby that the spirite of life is in thee and that thou art electe to life euerlasting by Christes bloude whose gift and purchase is thy fayth and that spirite that worketh the will of God in thee whose gift also are thy deedes or rather the deedes of the spirite of christ and not thine and whose gift is the reward of eternal life which foloweth good workes It followeth also in the same place of Luke When he shoulde departe he plucked out two pence and gaue them to the host and sayde vnto him Take the charge or cure of him and what soeuer thou spendest more I wil recompeÌ„ce it thee at my coÌ„ming agayne Remember this is a parable and a parable may not be expounded worde by worde but the intent of the similitude must be sought out onely in the whole parable The intent of the similitude is to shew to whom a man is a neighbour or who is a mans neighbour which is both one what is to loue a mans neighbour as him selfe The Samaritane holpe him and shewed mercy as long as he was present and when he could be no longer present he left his money behind him and if that were not sufficient he left his credence to make good the rest and forsoke him not as long as y â— other had need TheÌ„ sayd Christ goe thou and do likewise that is without difference or respectioÌ„ of persons whosoeuer needeth thy helpe him count thy neighbour his neighbor be thou and shew mercy on him as long as he nedeth thy succour and that is to loue a mans neighbour as him selfe Neighbour is a word of loue and signifieth that a man shoulde be euer nigh and at hand and ready to helpe in tune of neede They that will enterpret parables worde by worde fall into straights oft-times whence they can not rid themselues And preach lyes in stead of the truth as do they whiche enterpret by the ij pence the old testament and the new and by that which is bestowed Opera supererogationis howbeit Superarrogantia were a meeter terme that is to say deedes which are more then the law requireth deeds of perfection and of liberalitie which a man is not bouÌ„d to do but of his free will And for them he shal haue an higher place in heauen and may geue to other of his merites or of whiche the pope after his deathe may geue pardons from the paines of purgatorye Against whiche exposition I aunswere first a greater perfection then the law is there not A greater perfection then to loue God and his will which is the commaundementes with all thine hart with all thy soule with all thy strength with all thy minde is there none And to loue a mans neighbour as himselfe is like the same It is a wonderfull loue wherewith a man loueth himselfe As glad as I woulde be to receiue pardon of mine owne life if I had deserued death so glad ought I to be to defend my neighboures life without respect of my life or of my good A man ought neither to spare his goods nor yet himselfe for his brothers sake after the ensample of Christ 1. Iohn 3. Herein sayth he perceiue we loue in that he y t is to say Christ gaue his life for vs. We ought therefore to bestowe our liues for the brethren Nowe sayeth Christ Iohn xv There is no greater loue then that a man bestow his life for his frend Moreouer no man caÌ„ fulfil the law For Iohn sayth i. Chapter of the said epistle if we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and truth is not in vs. If we knowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and righteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to purge vs from all iniquitie And in the Pater noster also we say father forgeue vs our sins Now if we be all sinners none fulfilleth the lawe For he that fulfilleth the lawe is no sinner In the lawe may neither Peter nor Paule nor any other creature saue Christ onely reioyce In the bloud of
attrition character Purgatory pickepurse and how through confessioÌ„ they make the SacrameÌ„tes and all the promise of none effect or value There seest thou that absoluyng is but preachyng the promises cursing or excommunicating preachyng the law and of their power of their keyes of false miracles prayeng to Saintes There seest thou that ceremonies dyd not the miracles but faith eueÌ„ as it was not Moses rodde that did y â— miracles but Moses fayth in the promise of God Thou seest also that to haue a fayth where God hath not a promise is Idolatry And there also seest thou how the pope exalteth him self aboue God and commauÌ„deth him to obey his tyraÌ„ny Last of all thou hast there that no maÌ„ ought to preach but he that is called TheÌ„ foloweth the bely brotherhead of Monkes Friers For Christ hath deserued nought with them For his sake gettest thou no fauor Thou must offer vnto their belyes theÌ„ they pray bitterly for thee There seest thou that Christ is the onely cause yea all the cause why God doth ought for vs and heareth our complaint And there hast thou doctrine how to know and to be sure that thou art elect and hast Gods sprite in thee And hast there learnyng to try the doctrine of our spirites Then folow the foure senses of the Scripture of which three are no senses and the fourth that is to wite the litterall sense which is the very sense hath the Pope taken to him selfe It may haue no other meanyng theÌ„ as it pleaseth his fatherhode We must abyde his interpretatioÌ„ And as his belles thinke so must we thinke though it be impossible together any such meanyng of the Scripture Then hast thou the very vse of Allegories and how they are nothyng but ensamples borowed of the Scripture to expresse a text or an open conclusion of the Scripture and as it were to paynte it before thyne eyes that thou mayest feele the meanyng and the power of the Scripture in thyne hart Then commeth the vse of worldly similitudes how they are false Prophetes which bring a worldly similitude for any other purpose saue to expresse more playnly y â— which is coÌ„teined in an open text And so are they also whiche draw the Scripture contrary to the open places and coÌ„trary to the ensample liuyng and practising of Christ the Apostles and of the holy Prophetes And then finally hast thou of our holy fathers power and of hys keyes and of hys bindyng and excommunicatyng and of his cursyng and blessyng with ensamples of euery thyng The end of the obedience of a Christen man ¶ An exposition vppon the v. vi vii chapters of Mathew which three chapters are the keye and the dore of the scripture and the restoring agayne of Moses law corrupte by the Scribes and Pharises And the exposition is the restoring agayne of Christes lawe corrupte by the Papistes ¶ Item before the booke thou hast a Prologe very necessarie contayning the whole summe of the couenaunt made betwene God and vs vppon which we be baptised to kéepe it Set forth by William Tyndall ¶ The Prologe HEre hast thou deare Reader an exposition vpon the v. vi and vij chapters of Mathew wherin Christ our spirituall Isaac diggeth agayne the welles of Abraham which welles y t Scribes Phareses those wicked spitefull Philistines had stopped and filled vp wyth the earth of their false expositions He openeth the kingdome of heauen which they had shut vp that other men should not enter as they themselues had no lust to go in He restoreth the keye of knowledge which they had taken away and broken the wardes with wresting the text contrary to his due and natural course with their false gloses He plucketh away from the face of Moses the vaile which the Scribes and Phareises had spred thereon that no man might perceaue the brightnes of his countenaunce He wedeth out the thornes and bushes of their Pharesaicall gloses wherewith they had stopped vp the narrow way and straight gate that fewe coulde finde them The welles of Abraham are the scripture And the Scripture may well be called the kingdome of heauen which is eternall lyfe and nothing saue the knowledge of God the father and of his sonne Iesus Christ Ioh. xvij Moses face is the law in her right vnderstanding and the law in her right vnderstanding is the keye or at the least waye the first and principall keye to open the dore of the Scripture And the law is the very way that bringeth vnto y â— dore Christ as it is writteÌ„ Gala. iij. The law was our scholemaster to bring vs to Christ that we might be iustified by fayth And Rom. x. the ende of the lawe that is to say the thyng or cause why the law was geuen is Christ to iustifie all that beleue That is to say the lawe was geuen to proue vs vnrighteous and to driue vs to Christ to be made righteous the row forgeuenes of sinne by hym The lawe was geuen to make the sinne knowen sayth Saint Paule Rom. iiij and that sinne committed vnder the law might be the more sinfull Rom. vij The law is that thyng which Paule in his inward maÌ„ grauÌ„ted to be good but was yet compelled oft tymes of his meÌ„bers to do those thinges which that good lawe condemned for euill Rom. vij The law maketh no man to loue the law or lesse to do or commit sinne but gendereth more lust Rom. vij and increaseth sinne Rom. v. For I cannot but hate the lawe in as much as I finde no power to do it and it neuerthelesse condemneth me because I do it not The lawe setteth not at one with God but causeth wrath Rom. iij. The lawe was geueÌ„ by Moses but grace and veritie by Iesus Christ Ioh. j. Behold though Moses gaue the law yet he gaue no man grace to do it or to vnderstand it aright or wrote it in any mans hart to consent that it was good and to wishe after power to fulfill it But Christ geueth grace to do it and to vnderstand it aright and writeth it wyth his holy spirite in the tables oâ— the hartes of men and maketh it a true thing there and none hypocrisie The lawe truely vnderstoode is those fierie serpentes that strong the children of Israell with present death But Christ is the brasen serpent on whom whosoeuer beyng stoge with coÌ„science of sinne looketh with a â—ure fayth is healed immediatly of that stinging and saued from the paynes and sorrowes of hell It is one thyng to coÌ„demne and pronouÌ„ce the sentence of death and to flyng the conscience with feare of euerlastyng payne And it is an other thing to iustifie from sinne that is to say to forgeue and remitte sinne and to heale the conscience and certifie a man not only that he is deliuered from eternall death but also that he is made the
all that is corrupt must be salted And those personnes are of all other most corrupt and therfore may not be left vntouched The Popes pardons must be rebuked the abuse of the Masse of the Sacramentes and of all the ceremonyes must be rebuked and salted And selling of merites and of prayers must be salted The abuse of fastyng and of pilgrimage must be salted All idolatry false faith must be rebuked And those Fryers that teach men to beleue in S. Fraunces coate how that they shall neuer come in hell or purgatory if they be buryed therein may not be passed ouer with silence The payne griefe of salting made Monkes flee to their cloysture Nay say they we went thether of pure denotion to pray for the people Yea but for all that the more ye encrease and y e more ye multiply your prayers the worse the world is That is not our fault say they but theirs that they dispose not themselues but continue in sinne and so are vnapt to receaue the influence of our prayers O hipocrits if ye weee true salt and had good harts and loued your neighbours if dead men be neighbours to them that are aliue and woulde come out of your dennes and take payne to salt and season them ye should make a great many of them so apt that your prayers might take effect But now seyng as ye say they be so vnsauery that your prayers be to theÌ„ improfitable though their goods be to you profitable and yet ye haue no compassioÌ„ to come out and â—alt theÌ„ it is manifest that ye loue not them but theirs and that ye pray not for them but vnder the colour of praying mocke them and robbe them Finally salt which is the true vnderstandyng of the law of faith and of the intent of all workes hath in you lost her vertue neither be there any so vnsauery in the world as yeare nor any that so sore kicke agaynst true saltyng as ye and therfore are ye to be cast out and troden vnder foote and despised of all men by the righteous iudgement of God If salt haue lost his saltnesse it is good for nothing but to be troden vnder foote of men That is if the preacher whiche for his doctrine is called salt haue lost y e nature of salt that is to say his sharpnesse in rebukyng all vnrighteousnes all naturall reason naturall witte and vnderstandyng all trust and confidence in what soeuer it be saue in the bloud of Christ he is coÌ„demned of God and disalowed of all them that cleaue to the truth In what case staÌ„d they then that haue benefices preach not verely though they stand at the altar yet are they excommunicat and cast out of the liuing Church of almighty God And what if the doctrine be not true salt verely then is it to be troden vnder foote As must all werish and vnsauery ceremonies whiche haue losâ—e their significatioÌ„s and not onely teach not and are become vnprofitable do no more seruice to man But also haue obtained authoritie as God in the hart of man that maÌ„ serueth them and putteth in them the trust confidence that he should put in God hys maker thorough Iesus Christ his redemer Are the institutions of man better then Gods yea are Gods ordinauÌ„ces better now theÌ„ in the old tyme The Prophets trode vnder foote and defied the teÌ„ple of God and the sacrifices of God and all ceremonies that God had ordained with sastinges and prayinges and all that the people peruerted and committed idolatrie with We haue as straite a commaundement to salt and rebuke all vngodlinesse as had y e Prophetes Will they then haue their ceremonies honourably spokeÌ„ of then let them restore them to the right vse and put the salt of the true meanyng significations of them to theÌ„ agayne But as they be now vsed none that loueth Christ caÌ„ speake honourably of them What true Christen man can geue honour to that that taketh all honour froÌ„ Christ who can geue honour to that that slayeth the soule of his brother robbeth his hart of that trust and coÌ„â—â—deÌ„ce which he should geue to his Lord that hath bought him with his bloud â–ª Ye are the light of the world A Citie that is set on an hil caÌ„not be hid neither do men light a candle And put it vnder a bushell but on a caÌ„dlesticke and so geueth it light to all that are in the house Let your light so shine before meÌ„ that they may see your good woorkes and prayse your father that is in heauen Christ goeth forth and describeth y â— office of an Apostle and true preacher by another likenesse callyng them as before the salt of the earth EueÌ„ so here the light of the worldâ—… signifiyng therby that all y e doctrine all the wisdome and hie knowledge of the world whether it were Philosophy of naturall concâ—usions of maners and vertue or of lawes of righteousnes whether it were of the holy scripture and of God hymselfe was yet but a darcknes vntill the doctrine of hys Apostles came that is to say vntill the knowledge of Christ came how that he is the sacrifice for our sinnes our satisfaction our peace attonement and redemption our life therto and resurrection Whatsoeuer holinesse wisdome vertue perfectnesse or righteousnes is in y e world among men howsoeuer perfect holy they appeare yet is all dampnable darcknesse except the right knowledge of Christes bloud be there first to iâ—ftifie the hart before all other holinesse An other coÌ„clusion As a citie built on a hill can not be hid no more can the light of Christes Gospell Let the world rage as much as it will yet it wil shine on their sore eyes whether they be content or no. An other conclusion as men light not a candle to whelme it vnder a busshell but to put it on a candlesticke to light all that are in the house euen so the light of Christes Gospell may nor be hid nor made a seuerall thyng as though it pertayned to some certayne holy persons onely Nay it is the light of the whole world and pertaineth to all men and therfore may not be made seuerall It is a madnesse that diuerse men say the lay people may not know it except they can proue that the laye people be not of the world Moreouer it will not be hid but as the lightning that breaketh out of the cloudes shyneth ouer all euen so doth the Gospel of Christ For where it is truely receaued there it purifieth the hart and maketh the person to consent to the lawes of God and to beginne a new and a godly lyuing fashioned after Gods lawes and without all dissimulation And then it wil kendle so great loue in hym towarde his neighbour that he shall not onely haue compassioÌ„ on hym in hys bodely aduersitie but much more pitie him ouer the blyndenes of his soule and
to deare for vndoing thy neighbour And in al thy needes how glad thou wouldest be to be holpē so glad be to helpe thy neighbour And so in all cases examine thy conscience and aske her what is to be done in all doubtes betwene thy neigh bour and thee and she will teach thee except thou be more filthy thē a swine and all together beastly He sayth here this is the lawe and the Prophetes And Math. xxij he sayth Thou shalt loue thy Lord God with all thyne hart with all thy soule and all thy mynde and as Marke addeth with all thy might thy neighbour as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hangeth the whole lawe and the Prophetes And Paule Rom. xiij and Gal. v. sayth that loue is the fulfilling of the lawe And it is written that Christ is the fulfilling or ende of the lawe To make all these agree this thou must vnderstand that to loue God purely is the finall and vttermost ende of all the lawe and the Prophetes To loue thy neighbour is the ende of all lawes that is betwene man and man as are kill not steale not beare no false witnesse committe none adultery couet not thy neighbours wife his house Oxe Asse maide manseruaunt nor ought that is his c Christ is the fulfilling of the lawe for vs where we be imperfect And when we breake and repent his fulfilling is imputed vnto vs. And this text this is the lawe and the Prophetes mayst thou vnderstand as when Paul saith loue is the fulfilling of the lawe That is to do as y ◠wouldest be done to is all the lawe that is betwene thee thy neighbour and that according to the true vnderstanding and interpretyng of all true Prophetes Enter in at the straite gate for wide is the gate and broade is the way that leadeth to destruction many they be that goe in thereat But straite is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth vnto lyfe and few they be that finde it The straite gate is the true knowledge and vnderstanding of the lawe and of y t true entent of workes Which whosoeuer vnderstandeth the same shal be driuen to Christ to fetch of hys fulnesse and to take him for his righteousnes and fulfilling of the lawe all together at the beginning and as oft as we fall afterward and for more thē the thousand part of our fulfilling of the lawe and righteousnes of our best workes all our life longe For except the righteousnesse of Christ be knit to the best deede we do it will be to short to reach to heauen And the narrow way is to liue after this knowledge He that will enter in at this gate must be made a new his head will els be to great he must be vntaught all that he hath learned to be made lesse for to enter in and disused in all thinges to which he hath bene accustomed to be made lesse to walke thorow y ◠narrow way Where he shall finde such an heape of tempeations and so continuall that it shall be impossible to endure or to stand but by prayer of strong fayth And note an other that few fynde y ◠way Why for their owne wisedome their owne power and the reasons of their owne sophistrie blynd them vtterly That is to say the light of their owne doctrine which is in them is so extreme darcknesse that they cānot see Should God let his Church erre say they Shoulde our elders haue gone out of the way Should God haue let y ◠deuill do these miracles and so forth And when Christ sayth few shall finde the gate yea say they in respect of the Turkes and Sarasens which are the greater multitude Yea but yet heare a litle the Scribes Phariseis which had all the authoritie ouer the people and taught out of the Scripture and the Saduces with all other false Prophetes that were when Christ came were no Turkes nor Sarasens neither had God any other Church then was among them And S. Peter prophesieth that it shall be so among vs that we shal be drawē with false sectes of couetousnesse to deny Christ as we now do and beleue no more in hym And Paul Christ confirme the same that the elect should be deceaued if it were possible Moreouer if it were inough to say I will beleue and do as mine elders haue done as though they could not erre then was Christ to blame for to say that except thou forsake father mother and thyne elders thou couldest not be his disciple Christ must be thy master and thou must be taught of God and therfore oughtest thou to examine the doctrine of thyne elders by the word of God For the great multitude that Christ meaneth are the false Prophetes and them that folow them as it shall better appeare hereafter Beware of false Prophetes which come to you in sheepes clothyng But are with in rauenyng Wolues By their frutes ye shal know them do mē gather grapes of thornes either figges of briers euen so euery good tree bryngeth forth good frute But a corrupt tree bryngeth forth euill frute A good tree can not bryng forth euill frute nor a corrupte tree bryng foorth good frute Euery tree that bringeth not foorth good frute is to be hewen downe and to be cast into the fire Wherefore by their frutes ye shall know them Here Christ warneth thee and describeth vnto thee those capitaines that should so blynde the great multitude that they should not finde the strayte gate and leade them the broad way to perdition Note first that though they be false yet he calleth them Prophetes which word in the new Testament is taken for an expounder and an interpreter of Scripture And he sayth they shall come to you my Disciples then they must bee our Preachers and our doctours Ye verely they must be those our false preachers whiche Peter prophesied should be amōg vs and bryng in damnable sectes for to fulfull satisfie their couetousnesse and folow the way and steppes of their father Baalam And they shall come thereto in shepes clothyng Ergo they be neither the Turkes nor yet Sarasēs For they come clothed in yron and stele will therto suffer vs to kepe our fayth if we will submit our selues to them as the Grckes do And as for y e Iewes they be an hundred tymes fewer then we and are euery where in bondage yea for the great part capitues vnto vs. They also be not clothed in shepes skinnes but mainteine openly theyr fayth cleane contrary to ours But what are these shepes clothinges truely the very name of Christ For sayth Christ Mat. xxiiij There shall come many in my name and deceaue many And besides that they shall do myracles in Christes name as it foloweth in the text that they shall call Christ Master Master beginne their sermō saying Our master Christ sayth in such a chapter whatsoeuer ye
not vnto repentaunce nor to fayth nor to loue a mans neighbour M. More declareth the meanyng of no sentence hee describeth the proper signification of no word nor the difference of the significatioÌ„s of any terme but runneth foorth confusedly in vnknowen wordes and generall termes And where one word hath many significations he maketh a man some tyme beleue that many thynges are but one thyng and some tyme he leadeth from one signification vnto an other mocketh a mans wittes As he iuggleth with this terme Church makyng vs in the begynnyng vnderstand all that beleue and in the conclusion the Priestes onely He telleth not the office of the law he describeth not his penauÌ„ce nor the vertue therof or vse he declareth no Sacrament nor what they meane nor the vse nor wherin the frute of coÌ„fession standeth nor whence the power of the absolution commeth nor wherin it resteth nor what iustifying meaneth nor the order nor sheweth any diuersitie of faythes as though all faiths were one fayth and one thyng Marke therfore the way toward iustifying or forgeuenesse of sinne is the law God causeth the law to be preached vnto vs writeth it in our harts and maketh vs by good reasons feele that the law is good and ought to bee kept and that they which keepe it not are worthy to be damned And on the other side I fele that there is no power in me to kepe the law wherupon it would shortly folow that I should dispaire if I were not shortly hoâ—pe But God which hath begon to cure me and hath layde that corosy vnto my sores goeth forth in his cure and setteth hys sonne Iesus before me and all his passions and death and sayth to me this is my deare sonne and he hath prayed for thee hath suffred all this for thee and for his sake I will forgeue thee all that thou hast done agaynst this good lawe and I will heale thy flesh teach thee to kepe this law if y â— wilt learne And I will beare with thee take all a worth that thou doest till thou caust do better And in the meane season not withstandyng thy weakenesse I will yet loue thee no lesse then I do the aungels in heauen so thou wilt be diligent to learne And I will assiste thee and keepe thee and defend thee and be thy shielde and care for thee And the hart here beginneth to mollifie and waxe soft to receaue health and beleueth the mercy of God and in beleuyng is saued froÌ„ the feare of euerlastyng death and made sure of euerlastyng life and then beyng ouercome with this kindnesse begynneth to loue agayne and to submitte her selfe vnto the law of God to learne them and to walke in them Note now the order first God geueth me light to see the goodnesse and righteousnesse of the law myne own sinne and vnrighteousnesse Out of whiche knowledge spryngeth repentaunce Now repentaunce teacheth me not that the law is good and I euill but a light that the spirite of God hath geuen me out of whiche light repentaunce springeth Then the same spirite woorketh in myne hart trust and confidence to beleue the mercy of God and his truth that he will do as hee hath promised Whiche beleffe saueth me And immediatly out of that trust spryngeth loue toward the law of God agayne And what soeuer a man worketh of any other loue theÌ„ this it pleaseth not God nor is that loue godly Now loue doth not receaue this mercy but fayth onely out of whiche fayth loue springeth by which loue I power out agayn vpon my neighbour that goodnesse which I haue receaued of God by fayth Hereof ye see that I caÌ„ not be iustified without repentauÌ„ce and yet repentaunce iustifieth me not And hereof ye see that I can not haue a fayth to be iustified and saued except loue spryng therof immediatly and yet loue iustifieth me not before God For my naturall loue to God agayne doth not make me first see feele the kyndnesse of God in Christ but fayth thorough preachyng For we loue not God first to coÌ„pell him to loue agayn but he loued vs first gaue his sonne for vs that we might see loue and loue agayne sayth S. Iohn in his first Epistle Which loue of God to vs ward we receaue by Christ thorough fayth sayth Paule And this example haue I set out for them in diuers places but their blynd Popish eyes haue no power to see it couetousnesse hath so blynded them And when we say faith onely iustifieth vs that is to say receaueth the mercy wherewith God iustifieth vs and forgeueth vs we meane not fayth whiche hath no repentaunce and fayth whiche hath no loue vnto the lawes of God agayne and vnto good workes as wicked hypocrites falsly belye vs. For how theÌ„ should we suffer as we do all misery to cal the blind and ignorauÌ„t vnto repentaunce good workes which now do but consent vnto all euill and study mischief all day long for all their preachyng their iustifying of good woorkes Let M. More improue this with his sophistrie and set foorth his owne doctrine that we may see the reason of it and walke in light Hereof ye see what fayth it is that iustifieth vs. The fayth in Christes bloud of a repentyng hart toward the law doth iustifie vs onely and not all maner faythes Ye must vnderstaÌ„d therfore that ye may see to come out of Mores blynd maze how that there be many faythes and that all faythes be not one faith though they be al called with on generall name There is a story faith without feelyng in the hart wher with I may beleue the whole story of the Bible yet not set myne hart earnestly thereto takyng it for the fode of my soule to learne to beleue and trust God to loue him dread him and feare him by the doctrine and examples ther of but to seme learned to know the story to dispute and make marchaundise after as we haue exaÌ„ples ynough And the fayth wherewith a man doth miracles is an other gift then the faith of a repeÌ„tyng hart to be saued through Christes bloud and the one no kynne to the other though M. More would haue them so appeare Neither is the deuils fayth the Popes fayth wherwith they beleue that there is a God that Christ is all the story of the Bible and may yet stond with all wickednesse and full coÌ„sent to euil kynne vnto the fayth of them that hate euill and repent of their misdeedes and knowledge their sinnes and be fled with full hope and trust of mercy vnto the bloud of Christ And when he sayth if fayth certifie our hartes that we bee in the fauonr of God and our sinnes forgeuen become good yer we do good workes as the tree must be first good yer it bring forth good fruite by Christes doctrine theÌ„ we make
for whatsoeuer thou askest in his name and woulde shewe thee all that God woulde do to thee and what he would also haue thee to do and if thou beleeuest so were thou safe If thou desiredst him to saue thee with his merites He would aunswer that he had no merites but that Christ onely is Lord of all merites nor saluation but that Christ is Lord of saluation Wilte thou therfore be saued by merits wold the Aungell say then pray to God in Christes name and thou shalt be saued by the merites of him and haue me or some other thy seruaunt immediatlye to help thee vnto the vttermost of our power and to keep thee and bring thee vnto the rewarde of his mertites If thou wouldest promise him to worship him with imageseruice that is to sticke vp a candle before his image or such an image as he appeared to thee in He would aunswer that he were a spirite and delighted in no candlelight but would bid thee geue a cādle to thy neighbour that lacked if thou hadst to many And so would he aunswer thee if thou wouldest put money in a boxe for him or cloth his image in cloth of gold or put golden shoes vpon his Images feete If thou saydest that thou wouldest build a chappel in his name he would aunswer that he dwelt in no house made with stones but wold bid thee goe to the churches that are made already and learne of the Preachers there how to beleeue and how to liue and honour God in the spirite for the which cause churches were chiefly builded and for quietnesse to pray And if there be no church then to geue of that thou maist spare to help that one were builded to be a preaching and a praying house and of worshipping God in the spirite and not of imageseruice And if Paule appeared vnto thee what other thing could he aunswer also then that he were a spirite would refuse all thy imageseruice And if thou speake to Paule of his merites he can none otherwise aunswer thee then he aunswered his Corinthians That he dyed for no mans sinnes and that no mā was baptized in his name to trust in his merites He would say I builded all men vppon Christes merites preaching that all that repented and beleued in his name should be saued and taken from vnder the wrath vengeaunce and damnation of the law be put vnder mercy and grace And by this fayth was I saued from damnation and put vnder mercy and grace and made one with Christ to haue my part with him and he with me or rather to make a chainge that he shoulde haue all my sinnes and I his mercye and the giftes of his grace and become glorious with the ornamentes of hys riches And of my sauiour Christ I receaued this lawe that I shoulde loue my brethren all Gods elect as tenderly as he loued them And I consented vnto this law for it seemed right and became a scholler to learne it And as I profited in the knowledge faith and loue of Christ so I grew in the loue of my brethren and suffred all things for their sakes and at the last waxed so perfect that I wished my selfe damned if it might haue bene to saue my brethrē And al my brethrē that receaued Christ receaued the same commaundement grew therein And they that were perfect loued me and all their other brethren no lesse then I loued them And looke with what loue I ministred the giftes of grace which I receaued of Christ for the edifying of his congregation vpon my brethren with the same loue did they minister their giftes agayne on me which they had and I lacked and so loue made all common And moreouer if they call my workes my merites I bestowed all my workes vpon my brethren to teach them and reaped the fruite thereof euen my brethrens edifying and soules health yea and reape daily in that I left my doctrine ensample of liuing behinde me by which many are conuerted vnto Christ daily If thou desire therfore to enioy part of my merite goe read in my Gospel and thou shalt finde the fruite of my labour the knowledge of Christ the health of the soule and euer lasting life And as I loued my brethren whē I liued so I loue them still now more perfectly Howbeit my loue then was paynful for the more I loued the more I sorowed feared and cared for them to bryng them into the knowledge of the truth and to kepe them in vnitie of faith lest the false prophetes should deceaue them or their owne infirmities should breake peace vnitie or cause them to fall into any sinne But now my loue is without paine For I see the will and prouidence of God and how the end of all thynges shal be vnto hys glory profite of the elect And though I see the elect shall sometime fall yet I see how they shall arise agayne how that their fall shal be vnto the glory of God their owne profect And we that are in heauē loue you al a like neither we loue one more an other lesse And therfore if ye loue vs more one thē an other that is fleshly as mine old Corinthiās once loued and I rebuked them Neither can we bee moued to come more to helpe one thē an other But we wayte whē God will send any of vs vnto the elect that call for helpe in Christes name Wherfore if thou wilt be holpe of any of vs pray in Christes name And God shall send one of vs an Aungell or a Saint to keepe the power of the deuils from you but not whō thou wouldest chose temptyng God but whom it pleaseth God to send And if your preachers loue you not after y ◠same maner to edifie you with the true doctrine of Christ and example of liuing therafter and to kepe you in vnitie of fayth and charitie they be not of Christes Disciples but Antichristes which vnder y t name of Christ seeke to raigne ouer you as temporall tyrauntes And in like maner if this be not written in your hartes that ye ought to loue one an other as Christ loued you and as ye had example of vs his Apostles ye go astray in vanities and are not in the right way And hereby are we sure that we knowe hym if we keepe his commaundementes This is cleane agaynst y ◠doctrine of them which say that we can not know whether we be in the state of grace or no. Iohn sayth if we keepe his commaundementes then we be sure that we knowe Christ is euerlastyng lyfe Iohn xvij Then cōtrary to the pope Christen men haue doctrine to know whether they be in grace or no. The kepyng of Gods commaundementes certifieth vs that we be in the state of grace But our Doctours haue no doctrine to know when a man is in the state of grace wherfore it is
one sayth so and an other thus confirming their assertions with glorious persuasions of wisedome but not after the wisedome of God whiche reasons an other denyeth with cōtrary sophismes so riseth brauling about vayne wordes without all certaintie And now litle children abide in hym that when hee shall appeare we may haue confidence and not bee made ashamed of hym at hys commyng Here are ij thinges to be marked one if we cleaue vnto Christ after the doctrine of the Apostles and as they built vs vpon him we shall be bolde sure of our selues at his comming As a seruaunt which in his maisters absence doth onely his maisters commaūdements cannot be confounded at his comming home againe But and if we folow mens doctrine how can we be bold yea how should we not be ashamed with our teachers vnto whome thē he shall say whē they boast thē selues how y t they haue bene his vicars I know you not depart from me ye that haue wrought wickednes and vnder my name haue brought in damnable sectes and haue taught your disciples to beleue in other thinges then in me Now the summe of all that the Apostles taught and how they built vs vpon Christ is the new testament But the popes doctrine is not there found but improued Confounded therefore shall he be which witting and willing shutteth his eyes at the true light and openeth them to beleue his lyes An other thing is this all the scripture maketh mentiō of the resurrectiō comming againe of Christ that all men both they that go before and they that come after shall then receiue their rewardes together we are cōmaunded to looke euery houre for that day And what is done with the soules frō their departing their bodies vnto that day doth the Scripture make no mentiō saue onley that they rest in y e Lord in their faith Wherfore he that determineth ought of the state of them that be departed doth but teach the presumptuous imaginations of his owne braine neither can his doctrine be any article of our fayth What God doth with them is a secreat layd vp in the treasury of God And we ought to be patient being certefied of the scripture that they which dye in the fayth are at rest ought no more to search that secret thē to search y e houre of the resurrection whiche God hath put onely in his owne power But this remember that the whole nature of mā is poysoned infected with sinne And y e whole life of sinne must be mortefied And the roote of al sinne and first vice we were infect with is that we would be wise where God hath not taught vs as ye see how Eue would haue ben as God in the knowledge of good bad And therefore hath God hid many thinges in his power and commaunded that we shall search none of his secrets further then he hath opened them in his scripture to mortefy this poyson of all poysons the desire to appeare wise that we be ashamed to be ignoraunt in any thing at all Wherfore they that violently make articles of the fayth with out Gods woord are yet aliue in the roote of all sinne and vice and grow out of the deuill and not out of Christ And their articles are of the blindnes of the deuill and not of the light of Christ for Christes light hath testimonie of the scripture euery where If ye know that he is righteous know that all that woorke righteousnes are borne of him Our nature is to worke wickednes and so blinde therto that it can see no righteousnes And then it foloweth that we must be borne a new in Christ ere we can either do or yet know what is righteous And in him we must first be made righteous our selues ere we can worke righteous woorkes which conclusion is contrary vnto the Pope for he sayth that the woorkes do make the man righteous And Christes doctrine sayth that the man maketh the workes righteous A righteous man springeth out of righteous woorkes sayth the Popes doctrine Righteous works spring out of a righteous man and a righteous man springeth out of Christ sayth Christes doctrine The workes make y t man righteous which before was wicked sayth the Pope The woorkes declare that the man is righteous sayth Christes doctrine but the man was first made righteous in Christ and the spirite of Christ taught him what righteousnes was and healed his hart made him consent therto to haue his lust in righteousnes and to worke righteouslie Chap. 3. BEholde what loue the Father hath shewed vs that we shold be called the sonnes of god For this cause the worlde knoweth you not because it knoweth not him Dearely beloued now wee are the sonnes of God though yet it appeareth not what we shall be But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is The loue of God to vs ward is exceeding great in that he hath made vs his sonnes without al deseruing of vs and hath geuen vs his spirite through Christ to certifie our hartes thereof in that we feele that our trust is in God that our soules haue receaued health and power to loue the law of God which is a sure testimonie that we are sonnes vnder no damnation Neyther ought it to discourage vs or to make vs thinke we were lesse beloued because the world hateth vs and persecuteth vs for the world knoweth vs not Neyther any maruell for y t world could not know Christ him selfe for all his glorious commyng with miracles and benefits in healing the sicke and raysing the dead But for al the oppression of the world we are yet sure that we are Gods sonnes And in like maner though the glory that we shall be in appeare not yet we are sure that we shall be like him when he appeareth As darknes vanisheth away at the cōming of the sunne and the worlde receaueth a new fashion and is turned in to light and suddenly made glorious Euen so when he appeareth and we shall see him as he is we shal with the sight of him be chaunged into the glory of his image and made like him And then shall the world both know him and vs vnto their shame and confusion And all that haue thys hope in him purge thēselues as he is pure The fayth and hope of a Christen man are no dead idle or barren thinges but liuely woorkes and fruitfull For when the law through conscience of sinne hath slayne the soule thē hope and trust in Christes bloud thorough certefying of the conscience that the damnation of the law is taken away quickeneth hir agayne maketh hir to loue the law which is the purifying of the soule and hir life and seruing the law in the inner man And then the sayde giftes of hope and fayth stretch them selues forth vnto the members dead with
authoritie For he that admitteth prayers and sacrifice to be done for the dead yea also affirmeth that they are holy and whole some for such sinnes as are dāned by the law of God which are in déede very mortall doth not he agaynst the word of God yea and also agaynst the cōmon consent of all mē But this booke doth so which admitteth prayer and sacrifice to bée done for the dead that were slayne in the battayle for theyr offence yea and also damned by the law Deut. 7. Now conclude your selues what ye thinke of this booke Thus much hath M. More brought to proue his purpose out of the old Testament and I thinke ye sée it sufficiently aunswered And now he entendeth to proue hys Purgatory by good and substaunciall authoritie in the new Testament also FIrst let vs consider sayth Master More the wordes of the blessed Apostle and Euangelist S. Iohn where he sayth Est peccatum ad mortem non dico vt pro eo roget quis There is sayth hee some sinne that is vnto the death I byd not that any man should pray for that this sinne as the interpreters agree is vnderstād of desperation and impenitēce as though Saint Iohn would say that who departe out of this world impenitent or in despayre any prayer after made can neuer stand hym in stede Then it appeareth clearely that S. Iohn meaneth that there are other whiche dye not in such case for whom hee would men should pray because that prayer to such soules may be profitable But that profite can no man take beyng in heauen where it needeth not nor beyng in hell where it boteth not wherefore it appeareth that such prayer helpeth onely for Purgatory which thou must therfore nedes graunt except thou deny S. Iohn The text is written 1. Iohn 5. which sayth there is a sinne vnto the death I byd not that any man shall pray for that In this place doth M. More vnderstād by this word death temporall death and then he taketh his pleasure But we will desire hym to looke two lynes aboue and not to snatch one péece of the text on this fashion I will rehearse you the whole text and then ye shal heare myne aunswere The text is this if any man perceaue that his brother doth sinne a sinne not vnto y t death let him aske and he shall geue hym lyfe to them that sinne not vnto death For there is some sinne that is vnto death I bid not that any mā should pray for that Now marke myne aunswere Death and life be contrary and both wordes are in this text therfore if you vnderstand this woord death for temporall death then must you also vnderstand by this word life temporall lyfe And so should our prayer restore men agayne vnto temporall lyfe But I ensure you M. More taketh this word death so confusedly that no mā can tel what he meaneth For in one place he taketh it for temporall death saying who so depart out of this world impenitent c. And in an other place he is compelled to take it for euerlastyng death Therfore will I shewe you the very vnderstandyng of y t text And better interpreters desire I none then Christ him selfe which sayd vnto the Phariseis euery blasphemy shall be forgeuen but y t blasphemy against the holy ghost which S. Iohn calleth a sinne vnto the death shall neuer be forgeuen but is giltie vnto euerlastyng damnation Marke iij. what sinne or blasphemie is this verely y t declareth S. Marke saying They sayd that he had an vncleane spirite y t was y t sinne vnto death euerlastyng that was the sinne that should neuer be forgeuen He proueth so euidently vnto thē that his miracles were done with y t spirite of God that they could not deny it And yet of an hard and obstinate hart euen knowyng the contrary they sayd that he had a deuill within hym These Phariseis dyed not forth with but lyued peraduenture many yeares after Notwithstāding if all the Apostles had prayed for these Phariseis whiles they were yet lyuing for all that their sinne should neuer haue bene forgeuen them And truth is that after they dyed in impenitencie and desperation which was the frute of that sinne but not the sinne it selfe Now sée ye the meanyng of this text and what the sinne vnto death or agaynst the holy ghost is If any man perceaue his brother to sinne a sinne not vnto death that is not against the holy ghost let him aske and he shall geue him life that is let him pray vnto God for his brother and his sinne shal be forgeuen him But if he sée his brother sinne a sinne vnto death that is agaynst the holy ghost let him neuer pray for him for it boteth not And so is not the text vnderstand of prayer after this lyfe as M. More imagineth but euen of prayer for our brother which is lyuing with vs. Notwithstanding this sinne is not lightly knowne excepte the person knowledge it hym selfe or els the spirite of God opē it vnto vs. Therfore may we pray for all men except we haue euident knowledge that they haue so offended as is before rehearsed And this is his text taken from him wherwith he laboureth to proue Purgatory What say they to the wordes of S. Iohn Apoc. 5. I haue heard sayth he euery creature that is in heauen and vppon the earth and vnder the earth and that be in the Sea and all thynges that be in them all these haue I heard say benediction and honour and glory and power for euer be to him that is sitting in the throne and vnto the lambe By the creatures in heauen hee meaneth aungels By the creatures vpon the earth he meaneth men By the creatures vnder the earth he meaneth the soules in Purgatory And by the creatures in the Sea hee meaneth men that sayle on the Sea By this text I vnderstand not onely aungels and men but also heauen and earth and all that is in them euē all beastes fishes wormes and other creatures thinke that all these creatures do prayse the Lord. And where he taketh the creatures vnder y t earth for the soules in Purgatory I take it for all maner of creatures vnder y t earth both wormes vermine and all other And where he draweth the text and maketh the creatures in the sea to signifie men that are sayling on the Sea I say that the creatures in the Sea do signifie fishes and such other thyngs and that S. Iohn by this textment euen playnly that all maner of thynges geue prayse vnto God and the lambe yea and I dare be bold to adde that euen the very deuils damned soules are compelled to prayse hym For their iust punishment commendeth his puysaunt power righteousnes Neither néedest thou to wōder or thinke this any new thyng for Dauid in the 148. byddeth Serpentes beastes and byrdes to prayse
with materiall water are very Christen men and haue the true fayth and be those which Paule affirmeth to be without spot blame or wrinkle But thereto I say nay for euen as the outwarde circumcision made not the Iewes the elect people and children of saluation so doth not the outwarde baptisme make vs the faythfull members of Christ but as they were the children of God which were inwardly circumcised euen so they that are washed inwardly from the concupiscens of thys worlde are the members of Christ whom Paule affirmeth so to be purged through his bloud Agayne you may know that Rastell knoweth none other faith but that which may stand with all maner of sinne but the faith which we speak of is the same which worketh through charitie wherof Paule speaketh Gal. 5. They that haue thys fayth are borne of God and sinne not these that haue this faith do hope and looke daily for deliuerance out of this thraldome and body of sinne and in the meane season they purify themselues as he is pure For if a man will say that he knoweth Christ or beléeueth in him and kepeth not his commaundementes he is a lyar and we renounce him to be any of this number that we speake of And when Rastell sayth I woulde conclude there is no hell for them that be Christen men though they continue still in sinne I aunswer he that committeth sinne is of the deuill and I say agayne that the Christen that we spake of which are the children of God cannot continue still in sinne but séeke all meanes to fulfill Gods commaundementes Notwithstanding the christen which Rastel speaketh of which are the children of the deuill may do as they list and indéede they had néede to make a frende of Rastell to helpe them into his purgatory if it be any better then hell for they shall neuer come in heauen except they repent and walke innocently in this world as Christ and his little flocke haue euer done for they that walke otherwyse are none of his though they weare miters This little flocke it is that are so purged and not Rastels multitude and for this is there neyther hell nor purgatory ordeyned euen as for the hope that continueth still in sin is ordayned no heauen And that there is no hell ordained for these faythfull folowers of Christ I will proue euen by this worde of Paule which Rastel rehearsed before Rom. 8. That there is no damnation to them that be in Christ Iesu if they liue not after the flesh Here Rastell hath smitten the ball quite vnder the corde and hath alleged that that shall condemne him For if there be no damnation but because you are somewhat slow in perceauing the matter I shall reduce it into a Sillogismus on this manner There is no damnation vnto them that be in Christ Iesu if they liue not after the flesh but after the spirite Euery hell is daÌ„nation Ergo there is no hell to them that be in Christ Iesu if they liue not after the flesh but after the spirite This is in the first figure made by Relarent not by any profite that I thinke that the poore coÌ„moÌ„s can take by such babblyng but onely to satisfie your mynde and pleasure Notwithstandyng one thyng I must put you in remembraunce that you haue falsly translated the text for the text hath not that coÌ„ditional although I was contented to take it at your handes to sée what you could proue but the text sayth thus there is no daÌ„nation to them that are in Christ Iesu which walke not after the flesh but after the sprite where Paul doth certifie you that they which are in Christ Iesu walke not after the flesh but after the spirite so that you may gather by Paule that if they walke not after the spirit they are not in Christ Iesu that is to say they are none of Christes although Rastell will call them Christen men therfore deare brethreÌ„ looke that no man deceiue hym selfe for Christ is not y t minister of sinnes If we be deliuered froÌ„ sinne through Christ then must we walke in a new conuersation of our life or els we are still in darknes Remember that we haue this precious treasure in frayle britell and earthy vessels let vs therfore with feare and trembling worke our health and make stable our vocation and electioÌ„ for if we retayne the truth knowledge of God in sinne and vnrighteousnes we shall shortly perceiue the wrath of God vppon vs with infinite delusions and the ende of vs shal be woorse then the begynnyng awake therfore and vnderstaÌ„d your health Now you may sée howe he concludeth that I establyshe thys error that there is no hell for séeing mine arguments and Paule Rom. viij doe conclude that there is no hel nor dampnation to them that are in Chryst Iesu and are hys faythfull followers he thinketh it should well folowe that if there be no hell for them that there is no hell for no man for in hys seconde chapter and also in the beginnyng of the third he saythe that I deny hell and when we come to hys probation there is nothyng sayd but that whych Paul confyrmeth that is there is no dampâ—ton for them that are in Chryst Iesu which walke not after the flesh but after the sprite whych are thorow Chryste wythoute spotte wrynkle or blame And so though Rastel appeare to hymselfe to conclude lyke a sage Philosopher yet I answer you he coÌ„cludeth lyke an ignorante Sophyster as all meÌ„ may sée for it foloweth not Paule and Fryth say there is no hel as contrarywise it foloweth not there is no heauen for Rastelles Chrysten men whych contynue styll in synne Ergo there is no heauen for the deuil theyr father and yet is there heauen for Chryste and hys electe I haue before declared how Chrystes elect are synners and no synners And nowe bycause you shoulde not mistake the tertes of S. Iohn whych I before alleaged I wyll shew you how they do commyt synne whych I dyd also fufficiently touch in my answer agaynst Rastels dialoge euen two leaues froÌ„ the ende and yet I wyll touche it agayne bycause you shall not thyncke that I woulde not leade you in ignorance and darknesse There are two partes in a faythfull man whych rebell eche agaynste other and are at contynuall stryfe and both of them haue diuers names in serypture the one is called the inward man the heart the mynde the wyll and the spryte the other is called the outward man the rebellyous membres the bodye of synne and the fleshe and these in a faythfull man kéepe contynuall warre and allbeit the one be subdued and taken prysonner of the other yet neuer consenteth to hys ennemy he can not leaue him neyther will make peace wyth hym but wyll laboure what he can and wyll call for all that he thynketh
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
bisshops make no accompt of periury The spiritualtie are neither of y ◠〈◊〉 side nor of the other for there is no truth in them more then shall serue their turne An admonition to all subiectes Luk. 15. Here Tindall sheweth himself to be voyde of malice to any priuate person God is mercyfull to the ignoraunt but he pleaseth the malicious wilful offeÌ„der The obedience of 〈◊〉 Christen man written three yeares before this booke Scriptures should be translated into â—â—â—ry language The cause of the edition of this Pathway What are contayned in the old TestameÌ„t The contentes of the newe TestameÌ„t The Etymologie of this worde EuangelioÌ„ EuangelioÌ„ is called the newe TestameÌ„t No greater comfort can happen to a sinner being penitent theÌ„ the promises of the Gospell The Gospell was promised of God in the old TestameÌ„t by the Prophets Christ hath ouer â–ª throwen y e deuill and all hys power The 〈◊〉 was geuen by Moses grace and truth by Iesus Christ The lawe requireth of vs that whiche is impossible for our nature to do When the law hath condemned vs Christ graunteth vs free pardon Christ is Gods mercy stoole so that no mercy commeth from God but through Christ The law must euer be in sight to make vs humble spirited the gospel also before our â—yes to comfort vs. Two maner of people deceaued those which iustifie theÌ„selues by thse workes those that through their blinde opinion of faith vtterly perâ—ert the liuely fayth He that hath a right fayth deliteth in the law althogh his weaknes can not fulfill the same He that iustifieth him selfe reiecteth y t law priuises The voluptuous person A true christian A proper similitude We are plucked froÌ„ Adam and graffed in Christ by grace The bloud of Iesus hath obtained al thinges for vs of God Sundry sortes of righteousnes MaÌ„s sensuall reason can not perceaue the vertue of Christes bloud Adams fall brought vs in bondage to the deuill The natural corruption of the myndes of Adams heyres playnly sâ—â— forth Man before his regeneratioÌ„ can not thinke wel of God The harts of the electâ— do eueÌ„ melt at the preachyng of Gods mercy and Christes kyndnes Christ â—eâ—â— nothyng vndone that might be to our saluation Christ an example to vs of all goodnes What faith receiueth of God thorough Christes bloud that we must bestowe on our neighbours though they be our enemyes Christ dyd not good deedes to merite heaueÌ„ for that was his all ready but frely for our sakes The law byndeth the Gospel louseth all men The force of the law The vprising sinner feeleth such ioy in the Gospell that he thinketh it â–ª impossible that God should forsake hym All synne in vs is of 〈◊〉 selues â–ª and all goodnes of Christ Workes certifie vs of euerlastyng â—nheritaunce â—ill sinne in vs and releue the necessitie of our neighbour Giftes of grace beloÌ„g to our brother as much as to our selues Holydayes necessary to come together in learne Christes will Worldly rulers to be obayed so far forth aâ— their lawes impugne not Gods lawes Though rulers appointed of God oppresse vs yet we may not auenge they being in Gods roome We must loue our neighbour as our self Our baptisme signifieth that we repent and professe a new life The perfecter we are the greter is our repentante and the stronger is our fayth Our workes deserue not y t giftes of grace The principles of scripture perfectly learned aâ— y â— rest is more easie We must first learne the profession of our Baptisme The profession of our Baptisme what it is Gospell All our sinnes for Iesu Christes sake for hys death passion are clearely forgeuen Euery Christen man must reconcile himselfe vnto his brother The right penaunce is repentaunce of sinne and amendemeÌ„t of lyfe All our lyfe must tend to this ende to came our flesh serue our neighbour Fayth in Christes bloud with a repentauÌ„t hart is the onely satisfaction that we caÌ„ make towarde God The father of loue correcteth the child God as a louyng father careth for vs and geÌ„tlye correcteth vs to keepe vs in the right way To vnderstand our baptisme is to vnderstaÌ„d the law and the Gospell The key light of the Scripture Howe the Scripture is locked vp from ouâ— vnderstandyng If we be not taught by God we do but wander â—leane out of the way He that vnderstandeth the professioÌ„ of his Baptisme can be no hereticke The Scripture teacheth low lynes and hateth prid â–ª The Scripture maketh no heretikes If God lighten not our hartes we read the Scripture in vayne The law condemneth to driue vs to faith in Christes death Heresy springeth out of the harts of hypocrites He that is souÌ„d in faith shal easely attaine to the true seÌ„ce of the scripture The papists vnwritten berities are not to be credited The papist 〈…〉 haue corrupted the scriptures abused the sacramentes The scripture to the life of Gods elect Hypocrites say that the scripture maketh heretiques The translation of the scripture is not sufficieÌ„t onely but it must be well taught that the people may haue the true seÌ„ce Introductions made to bring you to the true vnderstanding of the scripture 〈◊〉 â–ª Ioh. 1. S. Iohn witnesseth that Christ is very God That Christ is very man He that beleueth that Christ is the sonne of God also very man hath euerlasting life To beleue in Christ To beleue that Christ is God and man is to put all our trust hope confideÌ„ce in him Moses Christ is our life By nature we are the children of wrath The law coÌ„demneth vs. Christ If we submit our selues to Christ knowledge our weakenes he will of his great mercy receaue vs. The touch stone of all true doctrine and preachers The modest charitable maner of S. Paules doctrine S. Paule preached Christ and not hym selfe As God is light so the deuill is darkenes Good workes are the frutes of lyght Walkyng in darknes or in light If wee haue the spirite of God in vs then will he rayse vs vp with Iesus Christ Hee that sayth hee hath no sinne deceaueth him selfe If we confesse our sinnes to God with true fayth and repentaunce he will forgeue vs. All meÌ„ are sinners Nothing can be so well done but it may be ameÌ„ded All the nature of maÌ„ is sinfull We must resist sinne with al our power and might We sinne daily by the frailty and weaknes of our flesh Our aduocate Iesus Iesus that is God and maÌ„ calleth â—…o thee O Father for vs. Christus By Iesu Christ we are made blessed Christes bloud is the satisfaction for our sinnes Christ gaue himselfe for the redemption salnation of al the world Christ is king ouer death hell sinne Christ onely is our sauiour Christ forgeueth all our sinnes freely for his mercy sake Christ onely is our aduocate Popish for geuenesse The forgeuenesse that we haue of god for Christes sake is â—ree Faith in