compared to the vyne and all the members of holy Churche to the branches that as the braunches can bring foorth no frute of them selues so cā holy church of her selfe bring foorth no goodnes except shee remaine in Christ by persite fayth This is wel proued by your owne law whose wordes bée these therfore is the Church holy because she beléeueth righteously in God c. Here you not the cause wherfore the Church is holy because she beléeueth righteously in God that is she beléeueth in nothyng but in him and she beléeueth nor heareth no worde but his as our master Christe beareth witnesse my shéepe heare my voyce and an other mans voyce doe they not know Also in an other place hée that is of God heareth the wordes of God How cōmeth this that y e Church of God hath so sure a iudgemēt that she knoweth the voyce of Christ frō other voyces can not erre in her iudgement Because that Christ hath chosen her and because she is learned of God as our master Christ sayth and because she hath as S. Iohn sayth the inwarde oyntmēt of God y ◠teacheth his all maner of verity so that she can not erre But why can shee not erre because she may doe what she will Because that all thing that she doth is well done because she may make new rules and newe lawes at her pleasure Because she may inuent a newe seruice of God that is not in Scripture at her wil Nay nay my Lordes For she is but a woman and must bée ruled by her husbande yea she is but a shéepe and must heare y e voyce of her shepheard and so long as she doth so long cā she not erre because the voyce of her shepheard can not bée false This may be proued by your own law whose wordes bée these y e whole Church can not erre Also in an other place the congregation of faythfull men must néedes bée which also can not erre c. These wordes bée playne what Church it is that can not erre that is the congregation of faythfull men that bée gathered in Christes name whiche haue Christes spirite whiche haue the holy oyntement of God whiche abyde fast by Christes word and heare no other mās voyce but his Now my Lordes gather you all togither with all the lawes that you cā make and all the holynes that you can deuise and crye the Church the Churche and the Councels the Councels that were lawfully gathered in the power of the holy ghost all this may you say yet lye and if you haue not in déede the holy ghost with in you and if you doe heare any other voyce then Christes then are you not of the Churche but of the deuill and théenes murtherers as Christ saith For you come into the fold of Christ without him you bring not his voice but you come with your owne voyce with your owne statutes with your owne word your owne mandamus mandamus precipimus precipimus excommunicamus excommunicamus These bée the voyces of murtherers and Théeues and not of Christ therfore you can not but erre for you bée not taught of God you haue not the holy oyntment you haue not the worde of God for you you heare not the voyce of the true shepheard therfore must you néedes erre in all your counsells This is an other maner of rule then my Lorde of Rochester doth assigne to examine your counsels by for hée sayth where that the Pope and the counsell doth not agrée all in one there will hée suspect the counsell not to bée right Who did euer heare such a rule of a Christean man yea and of a bishop yea and of a doctor of Diuinite where hath hée learned this Diuinite to recken a counsell to bée trew because y e the Pope and so many men doe agree in one yea and that such men as haue so often tymes erred in their coūcels as hée doth declare hym self rekening the counsell of Constantinople that had 330. Byshops and yet did erre and hée knew no other cause but bée cause the Pope did not agrée to them Is not this a resonable cause cā not the Pope erre let hym read his own lawe Distinctio 19. Anastasius Distinctio 40. Si Papa and also 24. q 1. Arecta in the glose and there shall hée fynde that the Pope hath erred Wherefore then should the matter stande in his iudgment Now how will hée by thys rule saue the counsels of constance and of Basell where in both counsels the Popes were condemned for heretykes As the same counsels make mencion also that the councels haue erred that graūted hée hymselfe but peraduenture hée will saye that they were not full Councels Now is it well amended what distinction is as conscernyng the veritie in a counsell that hath a thowsand byshops and in an other that hath fyve thowsand can the multitude helpe to the veritie Then had the Turke the veritie and we the falsed then had the Prophet Micheas the worsse part for hée was alone against iiij hundred so was y e verytie by y e Prophets of Ball and not by Elyas for they were foure hundred and fyftye hee was but one man Briefely Christes flocke is alwayes y e smallest nūber in this world but yet it is the best not the smallest number maketh Christes flocke but that Christes Church stādeth neyther by the greatest number nor yet by the smallest nor by the iudgmēt or numbring of man but by the callyng and eleccion of God Wherefore let my Lorde bring forth what counsell that hée will and if they haue not the word of God I will not all onely say they may erre but also that they doe erre in verye déede And that will I proue by the greatest lawyer that they haue called Panormitanus whose wordes bée these that Councels may erre as they haue erred as concernyng that contract of matrimony inter raptorem raptam and the saying of Saint Hierome was afterward preferred a boue the statute of the counsel as it is proued 36. q. 2. Tria for in thinges concerning the fayth is the saying of a priuat person to bee preferred afore the saying of the pope if hée haue better reasōs and scriptures of the new and of the olde testamēt for him then the Pope nor it can not helpe to say that the counsell can not erre because that Christ did pray for his Church y e her fayth should not fayle For I aūswere to this that though y e generall coūcell doe represent y e whole vniuersall church neuertheles in very déede there is not y e very vniuersall church but representatiue For the vniuersal church stādeth in y e election of all fayth full men all faithfull mē of y ◠world make that vniuersall Church whose head and spouse is Christ Iesus the Pope is but the vicar of Christ and not the
The dutie of Kynges and of the Iudges and Officers LEt Kynges if they had leuer be Christen in deede then so to be called geue themselues all together to the wealth of their Realmes after the ensample of Christ remembryng that the people are Gods not theirs ye are Christes inheritaunce and possession bought with his bloud The most despised person in his Realme is the kynges brother and felowmember with hym and equall with him in the kyngdome of God and of Christ Let him therfore not thinke him selfe to good to do thē seruice neither seke any other thing in them then a father seketh in his children yea then Christ sought in vs. Though that the kyng in the temporal regiment be in the rowme of God and representeth God him self and is with out all comparison better thē his subiectes yet let him put of that and become a brother doing and leauing vndone all thinges in respect of the common wealth that all men may see that he seketh nothing but the profet of his subiectes When a cause that requireth execution is brought before him then onely let him take y e person of God on him Then let him know no creature but heare all indifferently whether it be a straunger or one of his owne Realme the small as well as the great and iudge righteously for the iudgemēt is the Lordes Deut. i. In tyme of iudgement he is no minister in the kyngdome of Christ he preacheth no Gospell but the sharpe law of vengeance Let him take the holy iudges of the olde Testament for an example and namely Moses which in executing the law was mercylesse otherwise more then a mother vnto them neuer auengyng his owne wronges but suffering all thing bearing euery mans weakenes teaching warning exhorting and euer caryng for them and so tenderly loued them that he desired God either to forgeue them or to damne hym with them Let the iudges also priuatly when they haue put of the person of a iudge exhort with good counsell and warne the people helpe that they come not at Gods iudgemēt but the causes that are brought vnto them when they sit in Gods stede let them iudge and cōdemne y e trespasser vnder lawfull witnesses and not breake vp into the consciences of men after the example of Antichristes disciples and compell thē either to forsweare them selues by the almightie God and by the holy Gospell of his mercyfull promises or to testifie against them selues Which abhominatiō our Prelates learned of Cayphas Math. xxvj saying to Christ I adiure or charge thee in the name of the liuing God that thou tell vs whether thou be Christ the sonne of God Let that which is secret to God onely where of no profe cā be made nor lawfull witnesse brought abyde vnto the commyng of the Lord which shall opē all secretes If any malice breake forth that let them iudge onely For further authoritie hath God not geuen them Moyses Deut. xvij warneth iudges to kepe them vpright and to looke on no mans person that is that they preferre not the hye before the low the great before the small the rich before poore his acquaintaunce frende kinsman countrey man or one of his own nation before a straūger a frend or an aliant ye or one of their own faith before an infidell but that they looke on the cause onely to iudge indifferently For the rowme that they are in and the law that they execute are Gods which as he hath made all and is God of all and all are his sonnes euen so is he iudge ouer all and wil haue al iudged by his law indifferently and to haue the right of his law and will auenge the wrong done vnto the Turke or Sareson For though they be not vnder the euerlastyng Testament of God in Christ as few of vs which are called Christen be and euen no mo thē to whom God hath sent his promises and poured his spirite into their harts to beleue them and through fayth grauen lust in their hartes to fulfill the law of loue yet are they vnder the Testament of y e law naturall which is the lawes of euery land made for the common wealth there and for peace and vnite that one may lyue by an other In whiche lawes the infidels if they kepe them haue promises of worldly things Who soeuer therfore hyndreth a very infidell from the right of that law sinneth agaynst God and of him will God be auēged Moreouer Moyses warneth them that they receaue no giftes rewardes or bribes For those two pointes fauoryng of one person more then an other and receauyng rewardes peruerte all right and equitie and is y e onely pestilence of all iudges And the kynges warneth he that they haue not to many wiues lest their hartes turne away and that they read alway in the law of God to learne to feare him lest their hartes be lift vp aboue their brethren Which ij pointes wemen and pride the despising of their subiectes which are in very deed their owne brethren are the common pestilence of all Princes Read the stories and see The Shyriffes Bayly arauntes Constables and such like officers may let no man that hurteth his neighbour scape but that they bryng them before the iudges except they in the meane time agree with their neighbours and make them amendes Let Kinges defende their subiectes from the wronges of other natiōs but picke no quarels for euery trifle no let not our most holy father make them no more so dronkē with vayne names with cappes of maintenaunce and like bables as it were popetry for childrē to begger their Realmes and to murther their people for defendyng of our holy fathers tyrāny If a lawfull peace that standeth with Gods woorde be made betwene Prince and Prince and the name of God taken to recorde and the body of our Sauiour broken betwene them vppon the bonde whiche they haue made that peace or bonde can our holy father not dispence with neither lowse it with all the keyes he hath no veryly Christ can not breake it For he came not to breake the law but to fulfill it Math. v. If any man haue broken the law or a good ordinaunce and repent come to the rightway agayne then hath Christ power to forgeue hym but licence to breake the law cā he not geue much more his disciples and vicares as they call them selues can not do it The keyes wherof they so greatly bost them selues are no carnall things but spirituall and nothing els saue knowledge of the law and of the promises or Gospell if any man for lacke of spirituall feelyng desire authoritie of men let him read the old Doctours If any man desire authoritie of Scripture Christ sayth Luke xj woe be to you lawyers for ye haue takē away the key of knowledge ye enter not in your selues and them that come in ye forbyd that is
vttered the wickednes of the spiritualtie the falshead of the Byshops and iugglyng of the Pope and how they haue disguised them selues borowyng some of their pompe of y e Iewes and some of the Gentiles and haue with suttill wyles turned the obedience that should be geuen to Gods ordinaunce vnto them selues And how they haue put out Gods Testament and Gods truth and set vp their owne traditions and lyes in which they haue taught y e people to beleue there by sit in their consciences as God and haue by that meanes robbed the world of landes goodes of peace and vnitie and of all temporal authoritie and haue brought the people into the ignoraunce of God haue heaped the wrath of God vpon all realmes namely vpon the kings Whom they haue robbed I speake not of worldly thinges onely but euen of their very natural wittes They make theÌ„ beleue that they are most Christen wheÌ„ they lyue most abhominably and will suffer no man in their Realmes that beleueth on Christ and that they are defenders of the fayth when they burne the Gospell promises of God out of which all fayth springeth I shewed how they haue ministred Christ Kyng and Emperour out of their rowmes how they haue made them a seuerall kyngdome which they gote at the first in deceauyng of Princes and now peruert the whole scripture to proue that they haue such authoritie of God And lest the lay men should see how falsely they alledge the places of the Scripture is the greatest cause of this persecution They haue fained confession for the same purpose to stablish their kyngdome with all All secretes know they therby The Bishop knoweth the confession of whom he lusteth throughout all his Dioces Yea and his Chaunceler commaundeth the ghostly father to deliuer it written The pope his Cardinals and Byshops know the confession of the Emperour Kyngs of all Lordes by confession they know all their captiues If any beleue in Christ by confession they know him Shriue thy selfe where thou wilt whether at Sion charterhouse or at the obseruaÌ„ts thy confession is knowen wel inough And thou if thou beleue in Christ art wayted vppon Wonderfull are the thinges that therby are wrought The wife is feared and compelled to utter not her own onely but also the secretes of her husband and the seruaunt the secretes of his master Besides that thoraugh confession they quench the fayth of all the promises of God and take away the effect and vertue of all y e Sacramentes of Christ They haue also corrupted y â— Saintes liues with lyes and fayned miracles haue put many thinges out of the sentence or great curse as raysing of â—ente and fines and hyring men out of their houses and whatsoeuer wickednes they them selues do haue put a great part of the stories and Chronicles on t of the waye lest their falshead shoulde be sene For there is no mischieues or disorder whether it be in the temporall regiment or els in the spiritual wherof they are not the chief causes and eueÌ„ the very fountayne and springes and as we say the wel head so that it is impossible to preach agaynst mischief except thou begyn at them or to set any reformation in the world except thou reforme them first Now are they indurate and tough as Pharao and will not bow vnto any right way or order And therefore persecute they Gods word and the preachers therof and on the other side lye awayte vnto all princes stirre vp all mischief in the world and send them to warre and occupy their myndes therewith or with other voluptuousnes lest they should haue laysure to heare the word of God and to set an order in their realmes By them is all thing ministred and by them are all kynges ruled yea in euery kynges conscience sit they â—re he be king and persuade euery king what they lust and make theÌ„ both to beleue what they will and to doe what they will Neither can any kyng or any realme haue rest for their businesses Behold kyng Henry the v. whom they seÌ„t out for such a purpose as they sent out our kyng that now is See how the Realme is inhabited Aske where the goodly townes and their walles and the people that was wont to be in theÌ„ are become and where the bloud royal of the Realme is become also Turne thine eyes whether thou wilt thou shalt see nothing prosperons but their suttle pollyng With that it is flowyng water yea and I trust it wil be shortly a full see In all their doynges though they pretend outwardly the honour of God or a common wealth their entent and secret Councell is onely to bryng all vnder their power and to take out of the way who soeuer letteth them or is to mighty for them As wheÌ„ they send the Princes to Hierusalem to coÌ„quere the holy land and to fight agaynst the Turkes What soeuer they pretende outwardly their secret entent is while the Princes there conquere them more Bishoprikes to conquere their landes in the meane season with their false hipocrisie and to bryng all vnder them which thou mayest easely perceaue by that they will not let vs know y â— fayth of Christ And when they are ones on hye then are they tyrauntes aboue all tyrauntes whether they be Turkes or Saracenes How minister they prouyng of testamentes How causes of wedlocke or if any man dye intestate If a poore man dye and leaue his wiâ—e and halfe a dosen young children but one cow to finde them that will they haue for a mortuary mercylesse let come of wife and children what will Yea let any thyng be done agaynst their pleasure and they will interdite the whole realme sparyng no person Read the Chronicles of England out of which yet they haue put a great part of their wickednesse thou shalt finde them all wayes both rebellious and disobedient to the kinges and also churiish and vnthankeful so that wheÌ„ all the Realme gaue the kyng somewhat to maynteine him in his right they would not geue a myte Consider the story of K. Iohn where I dout not but they haue put the best fayrest for them selues the worst of kyng Iohn For I suppose they make the Chronicles them selues Compare the doings of their holy Church as they euer call it vnto the learnyng of Christ and of his Apostles Did not the Legate of Rome assoyle all the Lordes of the realme of their due obedieÌ„ce which they ought to the king by the ordinaunce of God would he not haue cursed y â— king with his solemne pompe because he would haue done that office whiche God commaundeth euery kyng to do and wherfore God hath put the sword in euery kynges hand that is to wete because kyng Iohn would haue punished a wicked Clerke that had coyned false money The lay men that had not done halfe so great fautes must dye but
And therefore is he comforted and thou tormented Blessed are the meeke for they shall enherite the earth By the earth vnderstand all that we possesse in this world which all God will keepe for vs if we be softe and meâ—ke And whatsoeuer trouble arise yet if we will be patient and abide the end will go on our side as it is writteÌ„ in the 36. Psal The wicked shall be weded out but they that abide the Lordes laysure shall enherite y â— earth And agayne within a while the wicked shall be gone thou shalt beholde the place where he was and he shal be away but the meeke or softe shall enherite the earth Euen as we say be still haue thy will and of little medling commeth much rest for a patient man shall weare out all his enemies It is impossible to dwell in any place where no displeasure should be done thee If it be done vnwillingly as wheÌ„ thy neighbours beastes breake into thy corne by some chaunce against his will then it is reason that thou be softe and forgeue If it be done of malice and selfe wil then with reuenging thou doost but with pottering in the fire make the flame greater and geuest an occasioÌ„ of more euill to be done thee If any man rayle on thee and rebuke thee answere not agayne and the heat of his malice shal die in it selfe and goe out immediatly as fire doth when no more woode is laide theron If the wrong that is done be greater then thou art able to beare trust in God and complayne with all meekenesse vnto the officer that is set of God to forbid such violence And if y e Gentlemen that dwell about thee be tyrauntes be ready to helpe to fet home their woode to plow their land to bring in their haruest and so forth and let thy wife visit my Lady now and then with a couple of fat Hennes or a fat Capon and such like and then thou shalt possesse all the remnaunt in rest or els one quarell or other may be picked to thee to make thee quite of all together Chuse whether thou wilt with softnesse and suffering haue God on thy side euer to saue thee and to geue thee euer inough and to haue a good conscience and peace on the earth or wyth furiousnesse and impatiencie to haue God agaynst thee and to be polled a littel and little of all together and to haue an euill conscience and neuer rest on earth and to haue thy dayes shortened thereto God hath promised if thou be meke and softe and suffer a little persecution to geue thee not onely the life to come but also an hundred folde here in this life that is to say to geue thee his owne selfe and to be thy protectour and minister to thee euer inough which may of right be called an huÌ„dred folde and is a treasure passing the treasure of all Princes Finally Christ teacheth here how euery maÌ„ must liue for him selfe amoÌ„g them to whom he is a neighbour in priuate matters in which he is but as a neighbour though he be a king and in which thou canst not be to soft But and if thou be an officer theÌ„ thou must be good kynde and mercifull but not a milkesoppe and negligent And to whom thou art a father them must thou rule and make obedient and that with sharpnesse if softnesse will not be heard and so in all other offices Blessed are they that honger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shal be fulfilled Righteousnes in this place is not taken for the principall righteousnes of a Christen man thorow which the parson is good accepted before God For these viij pointes are but doctrine of the frutes and workes of a Christen man before which the fayth must be there to make righteous wythout all deseruing of workes and as a tree out of which all such fruites and workes must spryng Wherefore vnderstand here the outward righteousnes before the word and true and faythfull dealing ech with other and iust executing of the offices of all maner degrees and meke obedience of all that are vnder power So that the meaning is happy are they which not onely do their duties to all men but also study and helpe to the vttermost of their power with worde deede counsell and exhorting that all other deale truely also according to the degree that euery man beareth in the world and be as desirous to further good order righteous dealyng as the hungry thirsty be desirous to eate and drinke And note that it is not for naught that he saith hunger and thirst For except thy soule hunger thirst for this righteousnes of her new nature as the body doth for meate and drinke of hys olde nature the deuill the children of this world which cannot suffer that a man either deale truely himselfe or helpe other will so resist thee plague thee and so weary thee that thou haddest leuer of very mystrust desperation that thy state should be better to forsake all make thy selfe a MoÌ„ke or a Fryer yea to ruÌ„ne into a strauÌ„ge couÌ„try leaue all thy frends then to abide in the world and to let it chuse whether it wil sinke or swimme But to comfort vs that we faint not or be weary of well doing Christ promiseth that all that haue this thyrst and honger shall haue their lust satisfied and be traÌ„slated into a kingdome where none vnrighteousnes is besides that thou shalt here at length see many come to the right way and helpe with thee and many thinges that cannot be all together mended yet somewhat bettered and more tolerable so that all righteousnesse shall not be quenched And contrariwise cursed be all they that are full as Luke in the vj. sayth that is to say the hypocrites which to auoyde all labour sorrow care combraunce and suffring wyth their brethren get them to dennes to liue at rest and to fill their bellies the wealth of other meÌ„ not regarded No it were a grief to them that other were better that they alone may be taken for holy and that whosoeuer will to heauen must buy it of them yea they be so full that they preferre them selues before poore sinners and looke as narowly on them as the Pharisey did on the Publicanâ— thanking God that he alone was good and the other euyll Cursed are they yet for all their fulnesse for they shall hunger wyth euerlasting hunger where none shall geue them to eate nor they haue any refreshing of their paynes Blessed be the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy To be mercifull is to haue compassion and to feele an other maÌ„s disease and to mourne with theÌ„ that mourne and suffer with them that suffer and to helpe and succour them that are in tribulation and aduersitie and to coÌ„fort them with good counsell wholsome instruction and louing wordes And
nor reason can see any way out saue fayth onely is sure that God hath will make a way thorow But that temptation is but for an houre to teach them and to make them feele the goodnes of their father and y e passions of their brethren and of their master Christ also It is but as a louyng mother to make her childe to perceaue and feele her kindnes to loue her a-againe and be thankfull letteth it hunger in a morning And when it calleth for his breakfast maketh as she heard not til for paine and impaciencie it beginneth to cry a good And then she stilleth it and geueth it all that it asketh and more to to please it And when it is peaced and beginneth to eate and reioyceth and is glad and fayne she asketh who gaue thee that thy mother and it sayth ye Then sayth she Am not I a good mother that geue thee all thynges and it answereth ye And she asketh wilt thou loue thy mother c. And it sayth ye and so commeth it to the knowledge of hys mothers kindnesse and is thankfull Such is the temptation of Christes elect and other wyse not Here is not forbiddin all manner of care but that worldly and deuillishe care that springeth of an inordinate loue to worldly thynges and of mystrust in God As for an ensample I couet inordinatly more then sufficient or but euē that I haue nede of And it because I mistrust God and haue no hope in hym and therefore pray not to him commeth not Then I mourne sorrow and pine away and am whole vnquiet in mynehart Or whether I haue to much or but sufficient and loue it inordinatly then I care for the keeking And because I mistrust God haue no hope in him that he wil helpe me therefore when I haue locked doores chambers and cofers I am neuer the nerer at rest but care stil and cast a thousand perilles of which the most part were not in my might to auoyde though I neuer slept And where this care is there can the word of God haue no resting place but is choked vp as soone as it is sowne There is an other care that springeth out of the loue of God for euery loue hath her care is a care to keepe Gods commaundementes This care must euery man haue For a mā liueth not by bread onely but much more by euery worde that proceedeth out of the mouth of God The keping of Gods commaundement is the life of a man as well in this world as in the worlde to come As childe obey father mother that thou mayst long liue on the earth And by father mother is vnderstand al rulers which if thou obey thy blessing shall be long life and contrary if thou disobey short life and shalt either perishe by the sworde or by some other plague and that shortly And euen so shal the ruler if he rule not as God hath commaunded Oppresse thou a widow and fatherlesse children sayth God and they shall cry to me and I will heare their voyce then will my wrath waxe hot so I will sinite you with sworde your wiues shall be widowes your children fatherles Some will say I see none more prosper or longer continue then those that be most cruell tyrauntes What then yet say I that God abideth euer true For where he setteth vp a tyraūt and continueth him in prosperitie it is to be a scourge to wicked subiects that haue forsaken the couenaunt of the Lord their God And vnto them hys good promises pertayne not saue hys cursses onely But if y e subiectes would turne and repēt and folow the wayes of God he would shortly deliuer thē How be it yet where the superior corrupteth the inferior which els is disposed inough to goodnes God wyll not let them long continue An exposition of the seuenth Chapter IVdge not that ye be not iudged For as ye iudge so shall ye be iudged And wyth what measure ye mete with the same shall it be measured to you agayne Why lookest thou on the mote that is in thy brothers eye and markest not the beame that is in thine owne eye Or how canst thou say to thy brother Let me plucke out the mote out of thine eye and behold there is a beame in thyne owne eye Thou hipocrite plucke first the beame out of thine owne eye and then thou shalt see clearely to plucke the mote out of thy brothers eye This is not ment of the temporall iudgemētes for Christ forbad not that but oft did stablishe it as do Peter Paule in their Epistles also Nor here is not forbidden to iudge those deedes which are manifest against the lawe of God for those ought euery Christē mā to persecute yet must they do it after the order that Christ hath set But whē he sayth hipocrite cast out first the beame that is in thyne owne eye it is easie to vnderstand of what maner of iudging he meaneth The hipocrites will haue fastings prayinges kneling crouching ducking and a thousand ceremonies of their owne inuention And whosoeuer do not as they doo him they counte a dampned soule by and by To Christ they say why fast not thy disciples as the Phariseyes do Why plucke they the eares of corne and rubbe them in their handes though they did it compelled with pure hunger and do that is not lawfull on the Sabboth day Why breake ye the traditions of our Elders and washe not when ye sitte downe to meate yea and why doost thou thy self heale the people vpon the holy day Why diddest thou not onely heale him that was bedred 38. yeares but also baddest him beare his bedde away vpon the Saboth day Be there not workyng day sufficient to do good deede to the prayse of God and profite of thy neigybour but that thou must breake thy Saboth day He cannot be but a damned person that breaketh the holy day and despiseth the ordinaunce of the holy Church He eateth Butter a Frydayes withour a dispensation of our holy father the Pope yea cakebread made wyth milke and egges to and white meate in the Lent he taketh no holy water when he commeth to the Church he heareth no Masse frō Sonday to Sōday And either he hath no beades at al or els y ◠shalt not heare a stone clink in the hand of hym nor yet hys lippes wagge all the Masse and Mattens while O hipocrite cast out first the beame that is in thine owne eye and then thou shalt see better Thou vnderstandest all Gods lawes falsely therefore thou kepest none of thē truely his lawes require mercy and no◠sacrifice Moreouer thou hast a false entent in all the workes that y ◠doost and therefore are they all dampnable in the sight of God Hipocrite cast out the beame that is in thine owne eye learne to vnderstand the lawe of God truely and to do thy
wise The body of our Sauiour which was broken on the crosse for the sinne of all that repent and haue good hartes and would fayne keepe his law be broke vnto my danmation if I breake this othe then is it a terrible othe and they had nede to take hede how they make it and if it be lawfully made not to breake it at all But as they care for their othe whiche they make in wedlocke so they care for this What soeuer nede the Pope hath he wil not send to the Emperour to come and helpe him in Italy for feare lest he would take to him selfe what soeuer he conquered of the Frenchmen and waxe to strong and minish our holy fathers power and become our holy fathers Vicare as he is S. Peters Neuerthelesse if we Englishmen wil hyre the Emperour to come and fight agaynste Fraunce for the right of the Churche in these quarters that be next vnto vs his fatherhode is content to admitte his seruice When our kyng hath graunted to take our holy fathers part then the pretence and cloke outward must be that the kyng will chalenge his right in Fraunce And to ayde the kyng in hys right must the commons be milked till they blede agayne Thē to do the kyng seruice the Lordes sel or lay their lādes to morgage Then is cleane remission geuen to flea French dogges He that dyeth in the quarell shall neuer see Purgatory but flye to heauen streight euē with a thought WHen the Pope hath what he desireth in Italy then must we make peace with the Frēchmen agayn immediatly that Fraunce be not all to gether troden vnder the foote but that it remayne alwaye in a meane state strōg inough to match the Emperour and to keepe him downe but not to mighty for oppressing the Pope And then our Prelates to bryng the peace about send immediatly a Frier Forest or a Vicare of Croyden to preach before the Kyng and his Lordes which preacher roareth and crieth vnto them as though he halowed his houndes maketh exclamations saying Alas what will ye do spare Christen bloud will ye sea your owne soules Be not the Frenchmen as wel Christen as ye Moreouer ye slea poore innocētes that neuer offended Make peace for the passion of Christ Kill not one an other as though Christ had not dyed for you but fight rather agaynst the Turkes Then come in the Ambassadours of Fraunce and money a few Prelates certaine other the kinges playfelowes that be sworne with them to betray both the kyng and the Realme to And then is peace concluded But outwardly there is nothyng saue a truce taken for halfe an yeare till our souldiers be at home agayn for feare lest they wold not bee content Then commeth the whole host home beggarde both great and small And the poore that can not sodenly get worke fall to stealyng and be hanged at home This could More tell in hys Vtopia before he was the Cardinals sworne Secretary and fallen at his foote to betray the truth for to get promotion Take an example the Bishops sent kyng Henry the fifte out to conquere Fraūce The cause was saith the Chronicles that the kyng wēt about to take their temporalities from them And therfore to bryng the kyng into an other imagination they monyed hym sent him into Fraunce When they had sent out the kyng he conquered more then was their will and more then they supposed possible for him in so short space and brought Fraunce cleane vnder the foote so that our Prelates had much secret businesse to set it vp agayne but what is impossible vnto so great Gods In kyng Henryes dayes the vi our holy father of Rome made the Bishop of winchester a Cardinal which went shortly after into Fraunce to treate of a truce betwene England Fraunce And him mette a Legate of Rome a Cardinall also after which meatyng Englishemen had euer the woorse in Fraunce and their chiefest frende the Duke of Burgaine forsoke them For when Cardinals and Byshops mete together they haue their secret counsell by them selues wherin they conclude neither what is good for England nor yet for Fraunce but what is best for our holy fathers profite to kepe him in his state When kyng Henry was of age there was a mariage made betwen him and the Earle of Arminackes daughter in Gyan with the which should haue ben geuen many Castles and Townes in Gyan a great somme of money therto But that mariage was broken not without the secret working of our Prelates and dispensation of our holy father thou maist be sure And a mariage was made betwen him and the kyngs daughter of Cecile for which England gaue vp the whole Dukedome of Gyā and Earledome of Mayne wherby we lost all Normandy whereof they were the kaye And beside that the commons gaue a fiftene and an halfe to fette her in wyth pompe And then was the good Duke of Glocester trayterously murthered partly because he coulde iudge false myracles partly because of the deliueraunce of these two countryes For he beyng a liue they durste not do it And when kyng Edwarde had put downe kyng Harry a mariage was made and concluded betwene him and the kyng of Spayne this quenes mother that now is But yet the Embassadours were come home our Prelates had bewitched kyng Edwarde by their apostle Fryer Bongaye and maryed hym vnto a wydow that was a knyghtes wyfe least if Spayne and England had bene ioyned together kyng Edwarde should haue recouered Fraunce agayne But what folowed after the breaking of the mariage betwene kyng Edwarde and the Erle of Warwicke and what came of his children yea and what came on king Hēry of Windsores children also But what care our prelates what vēgeaūce or mischiefe fall on Princes or on their realmes so their kingdome prosper In kyng Henryes dayes the vij the Cardinall Murton and Byshop Fox of Winchester deliuered vnto y t kinges grace the confessions of as many Lordes as his grace lusted Who so euer was mistrusted if he shroue himselfe at the Charter houses Sion Grenewich at Saint Iohns or wheresoeuer it was the confessour was commaunded by the auctoritie of the Pope to deliuer his confession written sworne that it was all And Cardinall Murton had a licēce of the Pope for xiiij to to studie Necromācy of which he him self was one other I haue heard named which at this tyme I passe ouer with silence And how the holy Friers obseruauntes caryed fayned letters to trye who was true I passe ouer with silence also Howbeit such tēptations fayned profers were inough to moue thē that neuer would haue thought amysse yea in cōfession mē will shrine thē selues of thoughtes which they neuer went about in the outward deede Whē any great man is put to death how his confessour entreateth him what
worke And that Christ hath done this seruice in his flesh deny all the members of Antichrist And hereby thou shalt know them All doctrine that buildeth thee vpon Christ to put thy trust and confidence in his bloud is of God and true doctrine And all doctrine that withdraweth thyne hope and trust froÌ„ Christ is of the deuill and the doctrine of Antichrist Examine y â— Pope by this rule and thou shalt finde that all hee doth is to the destructioÌ„ of this article He wresteth all the Scriptures setteth them cleane agaynst the woll to destroy this article He ministreth the very Sacramentes of Christ vnto the destruction of this article and so doth he all other ceremonies and his absolution penaunce purgatorie dispensations pardoÌ„s vowes with all disguisings The Pope preacheth that Christ is come to do away sinnes yet not in the flesh but in water salt oyle caÌ„dles bowes asshes friers coates and monkes cowles and in the vowes of theÌ„ that forâ—were matrunonie to keepe whores and swere beggerie to possesse all the treasure riches wealth pleasures of the world and haue vowed obedience to disobey with authoritie all the lawes both of God and man For in these hypocritish and false sacrifices teacheth he vs to trust for the forgiuenes of sinnes not in Christes flesh Ye are of God litle childreÌ„ and haue ouercome them For greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world He that dwelleth in you and worketh in you through fayth is greater then he whiche dwelleth and worketh in them through vnbelefe And in hys strength ye abyde by your profession and coÌ„fesse your Lord Iesus how that he is come in the flesh and hath purged the sinne of all that beleue in his flesh And through that fayth ye ouercome them in the very tormentes of death So that neither their iugglinges neither their pleasures neither their thretnynges or their tormentes or the very death wherewith they slay your bodies can preuayle agaynst you They be of the world and therfore they speake of the world and the world atteÌ„deth vnto them We bee of God and hee that knoweth God heareth vs. And he that is not of God heareth vs not And hereby we know the spirit of truth and the spirite of errour There be and euer shal be two generations in the world one of the deuill which naturally hearken vnto the false Apostles of the deuill because they speake so agreable vnto their naturall complection And an other of God which hearken vnto the true Apostles of God consent vnto their doctrine And this is a sure rule to indge spirites with all that we indge them to haue the spirite of truth which hearkeÌ„ vnto y t true doctrine of Christes Apostles them to haue the spirite of errour which hearken vnto worldly and deuilish doctrine abhorryng the preathing of the Apostles And looke hether the Popes doctrine bee worldly or no if pride and couetousnes be worldly yea and secherie to For what other is all his doctrine then of benefices promotions dignities byshoprikes cardinallshyps vicarages parsonages prebendes chaunge of bishoprikes and resignyng of benefices of vnions pluralities totquots and that which coÌ„meth once into their handes may not out agayn yea and of whores and concubines and of captiuyng of consciences for couetousnes all that hearken to that doctrine abhorre the doctrine of the Apostles and persecute it and them that preach it Dearely beloued let vs loue one an other for loue is of God And all that loue are borne of God and knowe God And he that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue Iohn singeth his old song agayne and teacheth an infallible and sure token which we may see and feele at our fingers endes and therby be out of all doubt that our fayth is vnfayned and that we knowe God and be borne of God and that we hearkeÌ„ vnto the doctrine of the Apostles purely and godly not of any curiositie to seke glorie and honour therein vnto our selues to make a cloke therof to couer our couetousnes and filthy lustes Whiche token is if we loue one an other For the loue of a mans neighbour vnfaynedly spryngeth out of the vnfayned knowledge of God in Christes bloud By which knowledge we be borne of God loue God and our neighbours for his sake And so he that loueth hys neighbour vnfaynedly is sure of him selfe that he knoweth God and is of God vnfaynedly And contrarywise he that loueth not knoweth not God For God in Christes bloud is such a loue that if a man saw it it were impossible that he should not breake out into the loue of God agayne of his neighbour for his sake Herein appeared the loue of God vnto vs warde because God seÌ„t his onely sonne into the world that we should liue through hym Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent hys sonne a satisfaction for our synnes If a man had once felt within in his conscience the fierce wrath of God towarde sinners and the terrible most cruell damnation that the law threatneth and then beheld with the eyes of a strong fayth the mercy fauour and grace the takyng away of the damnation of the law and restoryng agayne of life frely offred vs in Christs bloud he should perceaue loue and so much the more that it was shewed vs when we were sinners and enemies to God Roma 5. and that without all deseruyngs without our endeuouryng enforcyng and preparyng our selues and without all good motions qualities properties of our frewill But when our hartes were as dead vnto all good workyng as the meÌ„bers of him whose soule is departed whiche thyng to proue and to stoppe the blasphemous mouthes of all our aduersaries I will of innumerable textes rehearse one in the beginnyng of the second chapter to the Ephes where Paule sayth thus Ye were dead in trespasse sinne in which ye walked accordyng to the course of the world and after the gouernour that ruleth in the ayre the spirite that worketh in the children of vnbelefe amoÌ„g which we also had our conuersation in tyme past in the lustes of our flesh and fulfilled the lustes of the fleshe and of the mynde so that the fleshe and the mynde were agreed both to sinne and the mynde consented as well as the flesh and were by nature the children of wrath as well as other But God beyng rich in mercy through the great loue wherwith he loued vs euen wheÌ„ we were dead in sinne hath quickened vs with Christ for by grace are ye saued and with hym hath raysed vs vp and with him hath made vs sit in heauenly thynges through Iesus Christ for to shew in tyme to come the exceding riches of his grace in kyndnes to vs ward in Iesus Christ For by grace are ye saued through fayth that not of your selues for
out of which all good fruites spring therfore it is necessary that this fayth be present or els we should looke for good workes in vayne for without fayth it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. Insomuch that S. Austine called those woorkes that are done before fayth swift running out of the way Moreouer that our merite cannot properly be ascribed vnto our workes doth the Euangelist teach vs saying Whē ye haue done all things that are commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruaunts we haue done but our duety Luke 17. By the which saying he doth in a maner feare vs from putting any confidence in our own workes and so is our glorious pride and hygh minde excluded then where is our merite Harke what S. Austine sayth The death of the Lorde is my merite I am not without merite as long as that mercifull Lorde fayleth me not c. This death of the Lorde can not profite me except I receaue it through fayth and therfore he rekoneth right wel that the faith in Christ is all his merite I meane the fayth which worketh through charitie that is to say fayth formed with hope and charitie and not that dead historicall fayth which the deuils haue and tremble Iam. 2. Furthermore what S. Austine iudgeth of our merite he expresseth in these woordes marke the Psalme how the proud head will not receiue the crowne when he sayth he that redéemed thy life from corruption which crowneth thée sayth the Psalme Hereuppon woulde a man say which crowneth thée my merites graunt that my vertue hath done it I haue deserued it it is not fréely geuen but geue care rather to the pleasure for that is but thine owne saying and euery man is a lyer but heare what God sayth which crowneth thée in compassion and mercy of mercy he crowneth thée of compassion he crowneth thée for thou wast not worthye that he shoulde call thée and whome he should iustifie when he called thée and whome he shoulde glorifie when he iustifieth thée For the remnantes are saued by the election which is by grace fauour Rom. 11. Now if it be by grace thē is it not of woorkes for then were grace no grace Rom. 4. For vnto hym that worketh is the rewarde imputed not of grace but of duety Rom. 4. the Apostle sayth not of grace but of duety but he crowneth thée in compassion and mercy and if thy merites haue procéeded God sayth vnto thée boult out thy good merites and thou shalte finde that they are my giftes this is the righteousnesse of God not meaning the righteousnesse whereby he himselfe is right wise but the righteousnes wherewith he iustifieth them whome he maketh rightwise where before they were wicked These are Austines wordes Finallye let not that moue you where he addeth that a good woorke maketh not a good man but rather a good man maketh the woorke good for there is no man but he is eyther good or euyll If he be euill then can he not do good but euill for according to Christes testimonye A rotten trée beareth no good fruite Math. 7. And agayne he sayeth Howe can you say well séeing you your selues are euill Math. 12. But if he be good he shall also bring foorth good fruite at his season howbeit that fruite maketh not the man good for except the man be first good he can not bring foorth good fruite but the trée is knowne by the fruite And therfore fayth as a quickening roote must euer goe before whyche of wicked maketh vs ryghtwise and good which thing our workes coulde neuer bring to passe Out of thys fountayne spryng those good woorkes which iustifie vs before mē that is to saye declare vs to be verye rightwise for before God we are verely iustified by that roote of fayth for he searcheth the hart and therefore this iust iudge doth inwardly iustifie or condemne geuing sentence according to fayth but men must looke for the woorkes for theyr sight cannot enter into the hart and therfore they first geue iudgement of woorkes and are many times deceaued vnder the cloke of hypocrisie You may sée that here is nothyng but that a good man may expounde it well albeit the children of this world which with their wiles deceiue thē selues enteryng so presumptuously in to Gods iudgement do séeke a doubt where none is Go ye therfore and let charitie be your guide for God is charitie and though our Lawyers hart would breake yet must you néedes iudge him a Christē man which saith nothyng but that Scripture confirmeth And verely the iudgement of this cause came out of season and euē vngraciously vnto our Canonistes for they are cleane ignoraūt of Scripture therfore condemne all thinges that they read not in their law wherfore we renounce their sentence and appeale vnto the deuines which will soone knowe the voyce of theyr shepheard and gladly admitte those thynges which are allowed by the Scripture whereunto they are accustomed ¶ FINIS ¶ A Letter which Iohn Frith wrote vnto the faythfull folowers of Christes Gospell whyles he was prisoner in the Tower of London for the worde of God Anno. M. D. xxxij ¶ Grace and peace from God the father through our Sauiour Christe Iesu be with all them that loue the Lord vnfaynedly Amen IT can not bee expressed dearely beloued in the Lord what ioy and comfort it is to myhart to perceiue how the woorde of God hath wrought and continually worketh among you so that I finde no smal number walkyng in y t wayes of the Lord accordyng as he gaue vs commaundement willyng that we should loue ech other as he loued vs. Now haue I experience of the fayth which is in you and can testifie that it is without simulation that ye loue not in word and toung onely but in worke and veritie What can be more triall of a faythfull hart then to aduenture not onely to ayde and succour by the meanes of other whiche without daunger may not be admitted vnto vs but also personally to visite the poore oppressed sée that nothyng be lackyng vnto thē but that they haue both ghostly comfort and bodely sustenaunce notwith stādyng the strayte inhibition and terrible manacyng of these worldly rulers euen ready to abyde the extreme ieoperdies that tyraūts can imagine This is an euidence that you haue prepared your selues to the Crosse of Christ accordyng vnto the councell of the wise man which sayth my sonne when thou shalt enter into the way of the Lord prepare thy selfe vnto tribulation This is an euidence that ye haue cast your accomptes and haue wherewith to finish the tower which ye haue begon to builde And I doubt not but that he whiche hath begon to worke in you shall for his glory accōplish the same euē vnto the commyng of the Lord which shal giue vnto euery man accordyng to his déedes And albeit God of his secret iudgementes for a time kéepe the rod from some of them
cast into the fire All this is wors and wors Finally hée burneth this is worst of all for here is hée past helpe so that this is the strength that fréewill hath to bryng him selfe to vtter destruction Now where will our Duns men bryng in their Bonum conatum they are so longe in bryngyng of it in that fréewill is brought to the fire there can hée neither saue him selfe froÌ„ burning nor yet helpe him selfe out But to this my Lord of Rochester aunswereth in a certaine place that fréewill can doe no good meritorious sed tameÌ„ non omnino facit nihil What is this to say but nihil If hée doe no good y t is meritorious nor worthy of thaÌ„ke before God I pray you what doth hée but nihil Our disputation is what goodnes that hée can doe wtout grace and you graunt that hée can doe no goodnes and yet you say that hée can doe somethyng But let vs sée how S. Augustine vnderstandeth this text of S. Iohn Lest any man should suppose that the braunche of hym selfe could bryng forth at the lest wayes a litle frute therfore sayth hée nor with out me can you doe a litle but without me can you doe nothyng therfore whether it bée litle or much without him can it not bée done without whoÌ„ is nothyng done One of two things must the braunche néedes doe either abyde in the vyne or els burne in the fier if it bée not in the vyne then is it in the fire c. My Lord where will you bryng in here your somethyng that fréewill doth Saint Augustine sayth without grace caÌ„ fréewil doe neither litle nor much for if shée bée not in Christ shée burneth in the fire Call you that somwhat Where bée nowe M. Dunsis meÌ„ with their bonum conatum bonum studium applicationem ad bonum Here must they néedes lye in the fire with all their good inteÌ„tes with their good preparations and their holy dispositions Also S. Paule we are not sufficient to thinke any thyng of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God What is this that we are not able to thinke any thyng of our selues what can bée a smaller thyng theÌ„ to thinke and yet this small thynge can we not doe It is also open that Saint Paule meaneth not of the thinkyng that coÌ„meth by naturall power for y t God doth not let but letteth it proceede after his first ordinaunce as we haue open experience in infidels But here hée speaketh of such a thinkyng as is acceptable and thankful before God and therefore foloweth it God hath made vs worthy ministers of y e new Testament Here is it open that hée speaketh of that thinking that is a singular and a speciall gift of God and not of the common gift of nature for that were nothyng to the ministratioÌ„ of the Gospell But let vs sée what S. Barnarde sayth of this text What shall we say is this alonely all the merite of fréewill that hée doth alonely consent yea doubtles Not that the same consent in the whiche is all his merite is not of God when that we can neither thinke the whiche is lesse then to consent any thyng of our selues as though we were sufficient of our selues These wordes bée not myne but the Apostles the whiche geueth vnto God and not to his fréewil all maner of thinges that can bée good that is to say to thinke to will or to performe c. Here you not that all thyngs that can bée good S. Barnarde geueth to God Now what strength hath fréewill hee can neither thinke good nor wel nor yet performe it what remaineth I know nothyng but either it is included in thinking in willyng or in performyng and all these bée geueÌ„ to God Also our maister Christ saith Shal men gather grapes of thornes or figges of bromble bushes An euill trée can bryng foorth no good frute What meaneth our maister wheÌ„ hée sayth that grapes bée not gathered of thornes nothyng els but that y e frute must bée lyke the manner of the trée And therefore sayth hée an euill trée can not bryng forth good frute Now can you not denye but that fréewill without grace is an euill trée Ergo his frute must needes bée euil hée may well bryng forth frute but it shall not bée good Is not all fréewils power declared in these wordes hée can not I pray you what meaneth our maister Christ in these woordes hee can not Christ sayd hée can not and will you say hée can Also our maister sayth You adders byrdes howe can you speake good thynges séeyng that you bée euill Had not these men fréewill and yet sayth our maister they could not speake good thynges You recken it but a small power to speake good and yet as small as it is fréewill can not doe it hée may well speake but it shall not bée good For how should hée speake good that is euill of him selfe how should hée doe good that knoweth no good but is the very enemy of goodnes yea and asmuch as â—yeth in him hée wold there were no goodnes You haue also a commoÌ„ principle there is nothyng loued and desired but that that is knowne Now how should fréewill flée from sinne and desire goodnes and hée knoweth not whiche is very sinne and which not As S. Paule sayth by the law is the knowledge of sinne so blinde as fréewil that hée knoweth not sinne to bée sinne nor vertue to bee vertue but iudgeth that thyng to bée good that is euill and that thyng that is euill to bée good for hée is lost hath no true iudgement As S. Augustine sayth what goodnes can hée doe that is lost except that hée bée deliuered from his miserie Can hée doe good by his fréewill God forbyd for man euill vsing his freewill did both loose him selfe also his freewill and as man being alyue doth kill him self wheÌ„ hee hath killed him selfe hée caÌ„ not make him selfe aliue agayne So likewise wheÌ„ we doe sinne by fréewill sinne hath the victory then is fréewil cleane lost for of whom a man is ouercome vnto hym must hée bée seruaunt Doubtles this sentence is of Peter the Apostle the whiche séeyng that it is true I pray you what maner of freedome can a bonde seruaunt haue except it bée when it pleaseth him to sinne c. What can bée sayd to this doth hée not clearely say that maÌ„ hath lost his fréewil by sinne and can no more doe vnto goodnes then a dead man can doe to make him selfe alyue agayne yea hée can doe nothyng but delight in sinne Call you that a fréedome Call you that bonum conatuÌ„ Call you that a preparyng to grace S. Augustine doth declare what goodnes that fréewill deserueth without grace saying O cursed fréewill without God we haue experience what freewill caÌ„ doe without God therfore are we miserable because we haue
and harder And the more y t word of God is preached the more obstinate are they and the more mischief intende they Then all their study then all their wisedome then all their labour then all their might then all their power then all their craft and subtiltie then all their frendes that they can make in heauen and in earth is nothyng els but to oppresse the word of God yea and they thinke all to litle for y t more it is preached the more they grudge and the woodder bée they After this maner was the hart of Pharao indurated whē that the word of God was declared vnto hym by Moyses hée had no grace to receiue it then the more that Moyses laboured in the worde the more sturdyer was hée in withstandyng of it and alwayes harder and harder This is also euidently séene in the corrupt nature of man for the more a thyng is forbydden hym the more desireth hée to doe it But what néede me to goe into Egypt to fetch an exāple to prooue this Looke of mine own countreymen if they bée not openly indurated and so blynded that no mā is able to defend them by any reason or law and therefore they take them selues to violence and oppression as Pharao dyd whiche bée the right signes and tokens of induration For the more y t word of God is preached and the veritie is declared vnto them the more sturdyer and obstinate bée they agaynst it And all theyr study all theyr wyttes all theyr counsels all their craft and mischief with all glosinges and lyinges and with blasphemyng of God hys preachers is nothyng els but to kéepe y t word of God vnder and to withstand that veritie which they know in their conscience must néedes goe foorth though all the world say nay And therfore will they heare no man nor reason with any man but euen say as Pharao dyd I will not let the people go◠But if they were not indurated the verye enemyes vnto the veritie they woulde at the lest wayes heare their poore brethrē of charitie know what they coulde say if they coulde prooue their saying to bée true then if they had y t loue of y e veritie as they haue but y e shadow they would geue inmortall thākes to god with great méekenes and with a low spirite receiue the heauenly verity and thanke their brethren hartely that they warned them of such a damnable way now in good tyme season But there is no loue to the veritie nor yet feare of God nor regarde to the daunger of their soules And why For they be children of induration and of blasphe my And therfore the more it is preached the more are they obstinate This is the verye induration that God worketh in mens hartes wherby they bée the children of darkenes Therefore let vs pray instantly to God to mollifie our hard harts for Christes deare bloud sake Amen That it is lawfull for all maner of men to read the holy Scripture HOw can Antichrist bée better knowen then by thys token that hée condemneth Scriptures and maketh it heresie and high treason against the kynges grace for lay men to reade holy scripture As though it were alonely a possession and an heritage of certayne men that bée marked alonely with exteriour signes and the truth to say wyth the token of the beaste as with shauē crownes long gownes and baners about their neckes They that haue these tokens bée the heyres of holy Scriptures and may reade it at their pleasure though they vnderstand as much as a Popingaye But holy Scripture that is sent vs from heauen yea and that by the sonne of God to destroy all heresies this holy scripture shall ingender in lay men heresie If this bée not the doctrine of Antichrist I know not hys doctrine Tell mée what can bée more contrary to Christ then by violence to oppresse the scriptures and to cōdemne them as vnlawfull yea and as heresie for certaine men to reade and to say that there bée certayne secrettes in them that belonge not for lay mē to know And that this thing shall not bée denyde for I know they bée slipper that I haue to doe wyth and there is no holde of them therefore wyll I recite an open acte that all the worlde doth remember My Lord of Londō opēly at Pauls crosse was not ashamed with intollerable blasphemes to condemne the holy testament of Christ Iesus hauing for hym but a damnable collour and and a deadly reason of the deuill that was how there were in the translation so many heresyes that all y t world knoweth that it was abhominable and a deadly lye though it were a lordly lye But such probations doth God all wayes let them haue that bée agaynst his holy veretye But let vs graunt that that translation was so false Why dyd not you there take vpon you openly for to amend it and to set forth truely the holy testament of Christ You must néedes graunt that there is an holy testament of his in earth except you will denye Christ as I doubt not but that you will in effect Wheare is it Why haue we it not If that weare not it Why doe not you set y t very true testament out You were ready to condemne an other mans faythfull labour and dilygence but you had no charytie to amende it You thinke alwayes to disceaue the world with your holy hypocrisy Men bée not so blinde but that they can well indge If you had condemned that testament all onely béecause of errours yet at y t least wayes you should both of charitie and also of dutye haue set forth the trew text and then would men haue thought y t you condemned the other by the reason of errours But men may now euydently sée y t you dyd not condemne it for errours sakes For how sholde they iudge errours that bée so vnlearned but all onely béecause that the veritie was there in y t which you could not abyde that men should knowe that dyd the processe of your sermon and also your tyranny that doth folow wil proue But my Lord I say to you and to all yours if you doe not amend it shall bée to your eueralsting damnacyon for God will not take this rebuke at your hand Remember that hée hath sworne by the mouth of hys Prophet by hys right hand and by the myght of his strength that hée wil defende this cause Bée not these lordly wordes of the eternall God think you to make hym forsworne Remember how the holy ghost threatyneth you in an other place saying if a man dyd dispise the lawe of Moses hée must without any mercy dye Howe much more are they worthy of punishment that doe treade the sonne of God vederneath their féete and despise the bloud of his testament How thinke you is not this openly agaynst you that condemne not all onely Christ
the text declareth It is good for a man not to touch a woman Now doth blessed S. Paule aunswere to this holy hypocrisie on this maner To auoyde fornication sayth hée notwithstandyng your holynesse let euery man mary a wyfe Now if blessed Saynt Paule had thought it vnlawfull to marry for any Christen man then would not hée haue sayde Let euery man marry Marke also that it is not agaynst the perfection of any Christen man for to marry but hée is rather boūde to marry if hée haue not the gifte of chastitie Farthermore note that S. Paule neither biddeth them that thought it holynes to bée vnmaryed to fast or to labour or to weare héere But alonely to marry as who shoulde say God hath ordayned and approoued a lawful and a laudable remedy against your sicknes My doctrine is that you shall heare your God and vse to your comforte those creatures remedies with thankes géeuing that God hath appointed and therewith bée you cōtent and recken not your selues wyser then God in helpyng and curyng your diseases For nothing can bée vnlawfull that God doth allowe and prooue And for vsing of Gods creatures and his ordinaunces in tyme and place requisite can no man bée blamed béefore God But for refusing of Gods remedies whē they bée necessary let no man thinke that hée shall auoyde Gods daunger As for an example Hée that wyll not eate and drinke when hée is hungry and thirsty but excogitateth some other remedie of his owne brayne so long that hée bringeth himselfe in vtter destruction let no man doubte but in this case before God hée is a murtherer and an homicide I thinke there is no learning to the contrary Wherefore I woulde that mē should well remember themselues in thys case thinke not that they cā inuent a thyng more pleasaunt vnto God then hée can doe hym selfe His pleasure is best knowen vnto himselfe For this cause I iudge it lawfull for euery Priest that hath not the gift of chastitie to vse the remedy that God hath ordayned and also sanctified Blessed S. Paule saith that mariage is honorable and the bedde of them is vndefiled but fornicatours and aduoulterers God shal iudge Marke that S. Paule caulleth it honorable and a cleane thyng What presumption is therefore in vs that recken it a dishonour and vncleannesse for priestes to vse maryage God sayth hée shall iudge whorekéepers and aduoulterers but not them that bée maryed Wherefore yet agayne after y e doctrine of S. Paule I exhorte all Priestes that can not liue chaste to receiue Gods remedie with thankes This is S. Paules doctrine where hée sayth I woulde that all men were as I my selfe am But euery mā hath his proper gift of God one after this maner an other after that I say vnto the vnmaryed men and wydowes it is good for them if they abide as I doe But and if they can not abstaine let them mary For it is better to mary then to burne I can not deuise a clearer text for my purpose then thys is Saint Paule woulde that euery man had the gifte of chastitie But in as much as all men hath not one gift therefore sayth S. Paule must euery man vse himselfe after his gifts And hée that hath not the gifte of chastitie S. Paule wyll plainely that hée shall mary Hée sayth not that hée shal chastice himselfe wyth labour and wyth payne to remedye that weakenes though I woulde bée contente for my parte gladly that men shoulde prooue all maner of lawfull remedies to helpe them to lyue sole But then if they can not so continue I wyll in no wise that they shall refuse maryage as a thyng vnlawfull and filthy but rather vse it and prooue it at the least wise as they haue done other remedies that they haue inuented séeing that God hath iustituted this as a thyng that hée iudgeth for a lawfull and principall remedy But note that S. Paule sayth it is better to mary then to burne S. Paules meanynge is that if man hath not the gifte to extincte the burnyng and ardent desire of nature that then hée must mary rather then bée subiecte vnto such concupiscence S. Paule sayth not rather mary then to kéepe whores But hys will is that wée shoulde bée so farre from all whoredome that wée should not suffer our selues so much as to burne The whiche precéedeth all whoredome and is lesse in very déede then whoredome And yet S. Paule wylling vs to auoyde this lesse thing commaundeth vs to mary how much more to auoyde open whoredome abhominable and detestable vncleannes that is now vsed shamelesse in the worlde I doe not reprooue that Priestes doth lyue sole I had rather thereto exhorte them But this I detestate that men had rather suffer and allow priestes to liue in whoredome and in all abhominable fornication then for to vse that lawfull remedy that God hath both ordayned and sanctified Wée haue no mention in any storye that euer any Priest was burned for kéepyng of whores but for mariage we haue séene and doe sée dayly how cruelly and violently men doth persecute them as though Gods blessed ordinaunce were rather to bée extincted and abhorred then that thyng y e both God nature reprooueth Where is there one man in England that hath so great loue and reuerence to the holy state of Matrimony that hée should kéepe a maryed Priest in hys house But Priestes that lyue vnlawfully agaynst Gods law and mans law and agaynst all honesty and morall vertue bée in euery mans houses company and rulers and coūsellers and controllers Alas for pitie what shall I say to the affectiōs of mens hartes that thus can winke I will not say alow at such abhominable thynges Yea and the selfe same men shall bée most extreme and cruell vnto a poore simple Priest that of a good hart towardes Gods ordinaunce maryeth a lawfull wife This Priest I say shall neither haue meate nor drinke of thē nor yet no office of charitye But the other sort shalbée exalted and set vp in all honour and kept in reuerence and estimatiō And why Bycause as they say they bée good and cleane felowes and loueth a péece of flesh well These blasphemous woordes haue I heard diuerse tymes and many And men sit and laugh at them haue a great reioysing in them So sore is Gods holy ordinaunce a morall vertue goodnes extincted in mens hartes O Lord God and thy mercy were not how were this world able to cōtinewe that thus abhominably and shamefully iudgeth of thy halowed sanctified workes But oh Lord haue thou mercy and pitie on vs for the swéete bloud of thy sonne Christ Iesus Loke not on our synnes oh lord God for who is able to abyde in thy syght But Lord of thine infinite mercy send downe thy spirit into y e harts of thy people that they may bée taught better to iudge of thy heauenly and Godly
â—…st nedes bee caught and moste shamefully and cruelly haÌ„dled and tormented No power nor potentae maye hinder the gayne and profites of the Clergy Is y t false preacher is a persecuter so the true preacher is a sufferer Roma 13. 1. Pet. 2. The scriptures in the common toung teach all obedieÌ„ce to the rulers and is not the mouer of sedition The Gospell of Christ is not y e cause of insurrection No Prophet that euer styrred vp the people agaynst the Prince Christ submitted himselfe to the higher powers The Apostles obeyed the Princes All true preachers teach obedience to the Prince In 6. Lib. 1. titulo 33. de matori obedientiae cap. Solite The Pope falsifyath the Scriptures The Papistes teach disobedience to Princes The doctrine of the Papist Dist xl c. Si papa 9. q. 6. ca. Cuncta 30. q 1. cap. Ideo permit In 6. Lib. 2. de sen re iudic 15. q. 6. cap. Alius 26. q. capit Quotiens In 6. de coÌ„c preb ca. Ad Apostolatus in verb. continetur dist 40. cap. Si Papa The shamelesse doings of the Papistes â—5 quest 6. Alius item The shamefull arrogaÌ„cie and tyranny of the Pope A cast of Antichrist Popes take vpon them the deposition of kinges We ought not to depose a king though he be wicked 1. Pet. 2. Christ and his Apostles are the ouerthrowers of the Popes doctrine Dist. ul Si Papa De hereticis CuÌ„ ex iniuncto Et sieut in Dauid Salomon Nathan Herode The Pope will dispeÌ„ce with y e othe of obedience that subiectes make to their prince Actuum 5. 23. q. 5. ReguÌ„ officium An. 1366. Byshops captaynes of Rebelles against the Prince Kynge Iohn was cruelly handled of the Clergy Kynge Iohn poysoned Abhominable hypocrisie There is no such ennemy to a true man as is a theefe The story of Germaine one of y e popes Saintes A worthy miracle for the Popes Saintes A kyng deposed by a Saint and a cowheard set vp in his kyngdome Iust li. ij de sen re iuds ca. ad Apost Fridericke the Emperour deposed Articles alleged against Friderike the Emperour Note here the difference betweene the Papistes and Protestantes xxxiij q. q. Inter haec xxiij q. viij Conuenter The hauty mynde and loftie courage of a Byshop The pacience of Bishops are soone turned to wrath Henry the second Alexander the thyrd The true occasions matters that styrre vp insurrection agaynste Princes Master Bylney Iohan Fros in Croni suis Pope ClemeÌ„t against Pope Vrbane and Vrbane against Clement eche defiyng and cursing other Popes the styrres vp and procurers of warre and destruction of people countreys Dist xix Si. Ro. enim vero nul ifas ca. Sic omnes How ready the spiritualtie is is to helpe the Pope What profite England hath by the Gospell In. vi lib. ij tit de iure iurando c. Ego Episcopus The othe of the Byshops made to the pope Isidorus in Decretis Gregoris mi noris c. In nomine The Pope chaungeth the bishops oth as ofteÌ„ as it maketh for his profite Firste kynges hee brought w t violence vnder the Popes foote then Byshops bee sworne to maintaine it The holy workes of Byshops In Prohe vi ca. Quoni in verbo Papa 1. Peâ— 5. Byshop Fisher otherwise called B. of Rochester answered that hee was sworn to y t Pope and therefore hee woulde not sweare to y e kinges supremacye A true description of the leudnes of the Byshops of Rome How commeth the Pope by the name of Lord. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Cor. 8. 1. Cor. 4. Math. 20. Seruus seruorum The Pope is a monstrous hipocrite What good minde Clement the Pope bare vnto kyng Henry the viij In. 6. lib. 2. de senten et re iudicata ca. pastoralis in verbo homoque Excuse the Byshops periurie who can Byshops be assoyled of their oth towarde their prince but neuer from othe made to the Pope Di. 23. Qui episcepus ex consilio 4. Cartha 1. Timo. 3. Tit. 1. Who is lawfull to be Pope The popes wickednes described at large Clement the Pope was the sonne of a Curtisan If Popes shoulde bee chosen after S. Paules rule then all y e vayne trompery of y e clergie were clearly ouerthrowne Charitie byâ—…deth all men to thinke well one of another The fleshe of the pope is now much more holy then in tyme past it hath beene The Pope doth practise counsailes against the honourable state of Princes 〈◊〉 quest vi c. Alius Here is specially to bee noted the practise of Prelates For such are the doyngs of the holy father of Rome that for the rebellion agaynste princes hee woulde geue absolution but for matter agaynst his popedome there was neuer absolutioÌ„ might bee obteyned The popes Regales Peter was acquaynted with hys nettes but not with Regalles In Verbe salue ordine These Articles bee now graunted and are none heresie The Prelates can not abyde to vse obedience to their prince We haue beene leade by blynde guydes The kings power is immediatly of God 1. Pet. 2. Roma 13. He that defendeth the Pope agaynst hys soueraigne Lorde or Lady is a vnnaturall subiect Sauyng of order hath two significations The Pope will hold a Councell where and wheÌ„ it pleaseth hym In. vi lib. i. de maioritate obedientia Dilecti filij De iure iurando ca. Ego in verbe singulis The Prelates will obeye the Pope but not the Prince A deuilish practise of Prelates The Byshoppes sweare to visite the Pope yerely The Pope taketh sure order with his Byshops for his owne gayne â—ij quest ij c. Quatu de reditibus c. Mosest xij quest ij c. non liciat Papa In vi tit iiij ca. ad Apost in verbo contiâ—etur This is the clause that mainteyneth the Popes pompe and glory And this is that y t to geueth him libertie say and doe what hee list Dist xl ca. Non nos Glosa in verbo quis The preachers of the doctrine of Christe must nedes bee heretickes for the said doctrine is agaynst the Pope and so they preach agaynst the Pope and therfore are heretickes The writers petitioÌ„ of the kynges grace 〈◊〉 1525. die 14. Deâ—…bris The first Article Galat. 5. Why holy dayes were ordeined There is not one day of it selfe higher or better then an other The Byshop of Rochesters great and deepe iudgement Let vs not playe the Iewes That wold they not doe if it were against gods coÌ„maundement The Byshop of Rochester agaynst the Byshop of Winchester Gallat 4. All dayes bee alyke Epist. c. xix Aduersus Iudeos Do consec dist iij. cap. peruenit The second article The thyrd article The iiij article God forgeue them that layd this to me The fifth article As it is lawfull for a Christen man to demaunde his debt by the order of the law So is it not lawfull to vexe and sue vncharitably those in whoÌ„ there is such necessitie as