haue taught always accordynge to the Apostles doctrine Roma xiiii that we shulde haue a respecte and regarde of weake personnes that he that eateth despise not hym that eateth not He that eateth not let hym not iudge hym that eateth And albeit he sayeth ther is nothyng vncleane of it self but vnto hym which rekeneth that it is vncleane yet for all that he wyll not that oure brother shulde be greued with the abuse of oure lyberte and to be lost with meate for whom Christe suffered death Ther be other farre greater thynges than meate and drynke that a christen man shulde regarde namely peace and edifyenge For the kyngdome of God is not meate and drynke but ryghteousnesse and peace and ioye in the holy goost Therfore let vs folow those thynges that longe vnto peace and to the edifyeng of our brother one towarde another Hast thou fayth kepe it to they selfe before God And i. Corint viii Knowlege maketh maÌ„ to swel charyte edyfieth take hede leste youre lyberte offend those that be weake All these be the wholsome doctrines of the holy goost geue none occasion of gluttony as the defenders of tradicioÌ„s do dreame ¶ Of fastynge The newe learnynge We must fast certayne dayes vnder the coÌ„maundement as the Apostels euen the .iiii. ymbrynge dayes and the lent ¶ The olde learnynge Our lyfe is a warfare or souldyers lyfe Ioh. vii We must fyght coÌ„tinually with an enemye that we haue at home with in vs namely the flesh lest he beynge made to fat wantoÌ„ with excesse of meate and drynke preuayle agaynst the sprite Take hede to youreselfs sayth Christ Luc. xxi lest youre hartes be ouercomme with surfettynge and dronkeÌ„nesse that the daye of the Lord come not vnto you as a snare Rom. xiii doth the holy goâ—st coÌ„mauÌ„de to cast awaye the workes of darknesse to put on the armour of lyght he reherseth vnreasonable eatynge bankettynge droÌ„knesse amoÌ„ge theÌ„ He doth appoynte no certayne day but onely he sayeth make not prouysion for the flesh to fulfyll the lustes of it wyllyng that we shuld abstayne froÌ„ vnreasonable eatyng and droÌ„keÌ„nesse to put awaye the workes of darknesse not for one or two dayes but at all tymes Let no man thynke that thys fast is a christen mans fast which now raygneth is commaunded and hygly praysed whaÌ„ we fast certaine houres and other dayes make lusty chere worshyppyng our belly for our God In the which thynge we be worse then the heythen men which dyd order theyr lyuelode not to pleasur but to the health and strength of theyr bodyes For they consyderynge what excellency and worthynesse ther is in the nature of man dyd perceaue how fowle a thyng it were to flow in excesse to lyue deliciously pleasauÌ„tly and how honest it were to lyue skarsly mesurably sadly and soberly The Apostle monyssheth vs .i. Tessalo v. of oure state and condition We sayeth he are the childreÌ„ of lyghte and the chyldreÌ„ of the daye let vs be sober he byddeth vs not do so for .ii or .iii. dayes but all the tyme that we beare about thys body of synne Who can here in so grat diuersityes of complexiones prescribe measures and dayes Euery man knoweth hym self how longe he hath nede to fast what punishment he nedeth to tame hys fleshe wythal Therfor we do not prescribe dayly fastes as the Esseyes dyd nor yet with the makers of tradicions fastes appoynted to a certen tyme but we exhorte to contynuall sobernesse and to se that the fleshe be brought vnder lest whan the Lorde coÌ„meth we be found carelesse without ony thought And after thys maner alwayes we do exhorte moue and dryue in season and out of season the church and congregacion of Christe to a temperate lyfe and to a faste semynge a christen man alwayes sauynge the lyberte of a christen man But we do refuse and cast away that fulbelly dronken fast as stynkynge hipocrysy the which we cast in Gods teth euen as a merite and yet it maketh nothynge for the subdwenge of the fleshe seynge that it beynge proude by the bodely exercise onelye regardeth not true holynesse I wyll sende these hypocrites vnto Esay the prophete to the .lviii. chap. were as they may learne sufficyently what maner of fast God wold haue Thynk you sayeth he that I loue thys maner of fastynge wherby men at prescripte certayne dayes chasten theÌ„ selues goynge with theyr heades wrythen downe lyke an hoke strewed with asses and clothed with sackcloth Wylt thou say that thys maner of fast and that vpon thys or that appoynted day is more accepte to the Lord but rather euen contrarywyse this maner of fastynge do I alow loue Forgeue thy dettres wrapped in shrewed barganes and lowse theyr violeÌ„t oblygations set theÌ„ at lyberte whom thou dyddest cast in pryson for det break from them all maner of bondes and yockes diuyde out thy meat and drinke to the hungry and thyrsty and the port wayfarynge straunger lede thou home to thy house wheÌ„ thou seyest the necked clothe hym turne not thy face from thyne owne flesh Here thou seyest that the body in dede must be chastysed but that outwarde punishement doth lytell auayle excepte thou orden it to the fastynge of the mynde that is to abstayne from euell desyres and affections and frome couetousnesse and vnmercyfulnesse And that ye may fast after thys wyse ye nede no choyce of meates excepte the manner or cause of tamynge of the flesh require it For thou dost absteyn and vsest very skarscely all maner of meat to the sustenaunce of thy nature therfore thou mayst vse fyshe or fleshe whether thou wylt how be it fyfshesde a maner of flesh as witnesseth the Apostle .i. Corinth xv and Plini in hys hystorye of nature lest ony playenge the Iew shuld wrench hys nose at thys ¶ Of the difference of dayes The newe learnynge The dayes be not equall and alyke som be holy and so be not al wherfore the sonday is holy day to all christeÌ„ men to be halowed in ydelnesse lykewyse oure ladyes dayes the Apostelles dayes other chosen of the church to kepe holy daye and to abstayn froÌ„ laboure so that yf ony maÌ„ do ony seruyle or handy laboure and worke in the afore sayde dayes he synneth Wherfore yf ony man coÌ„strayned by necessite do ony worke ether at home or abrode on the holy daye he shal be more cruelly handled of the byshoppes officiales and curates than yf he had coÌ„mytted aduowtry or had pylled his negboure with vsury ¶ The olde learninge Certayne dayes must be appoynted wher vpon men must forbeare froÌ„ handylaboure not that the daye shulde be holyer and worthyer in the which we mete together but that the inordinate commynge together shulde not mynish the fayth in Christ And that we maye heare the better and more commodiously the worde of euerlastynge health maye receaue the supper of the Lorde and shewe to God with commune peticyon
the benefites receaued of hym And fyrste wyll I declare the maner of iustificacyon remission of synnes and saluacyon whiche in scripture are all one thynge of whom it doth come and to how many thynges it is applyed Fyrst it is applyed vnto God for Paul sayeth Rom. viii It is God that iustifyeth or maketh ryghteous c. And Ro. iii. That he onely myght be ryghteous and the ryghteous maker of hym which is of the fayth on Iesus Secondarely it is referred vnto Christ Actu iiii sayeth Peter Ther is none other name geuen vnto men vnder heauen in the which we shulde be saued Roma iii. sayeth Paul Without deseruynge are they made ryghteous or iustifyed euen by his grace thorow the redempcyon that is done by Christ Iesu whom God hath set forth for a mercy seate thorow fayth in his bloude to shewe the ryghteousnesse that auayleth before hym c. Thyrdly it is applyed vnto mercy Tit. iii. Not of workes or dedes of ryghteousnes which we wrought but after his mercy he saued vs. Roma viii Therfore whan God wolde shewe wrath and to make his power knowen he brought forth with great pacyence the vessels of wrath which are ordeyned to damnacyon that he myght declare the ryches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared vnto glory whome he hath called c. Item i. Pet. i. Blessed be God and the father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ which accordynge to his great mercy hath begottē vs agayn to a lyuely hope Fourthly it is attributed vnto his eleccyon Ephe. i. Accordynge as he hath chosen vs by hym or euer the fundacyon of the worlde was layed that we shulde be holy and with out blame before him in loue Ioh. xv I haue chosen you and ordyned you that ye go and brynge forth frute .ii. Timo. i. God hath saued vs and called vs wyth an holy callynge not accordynge to oure dedes but accordynge to his owne purpose and grace Fyfthly it is attributed vnto grace Ephe ii By grace are ye saued thorow fayth and that not of youre selues Gala. i. I maruayle that ye are so soone turned from hym that hath called you in the grace of Christ Tit. ii The grace of God that bryngeth saluacyon vnto all men hath appeared Syxtly it is assygned vnto the worde Ioh. xv Now are ye clene because of the word which I haue spokē vnto you Esa lv Lyke as the rayne and snow cōmeth downe from heauen and returneth not thyther agayne but watereth the earth maketh it frutfull and grene that it maye geue corne and breade vnto the sower So the worde also that commeth out of my mouth shall not turne agayne voyde vnto me but shall accomplysh my wyll and prosper in the thynge whervnto I shall sende it Seuēthly it is asscrybed vnto fayth as Rom. iii. I speake of the ryghteousnesse before God whiche cōmeth by fayth on Iesus Christ And Roma iiii Vnto hym that beleueth on hym that iustifyeth the vngodly is fayth counted for ryghteousnesse Ro. v. Because that we are iustifyed by fayth we haue peace with God thorow our Lorde Iesus Christ Eyghtly it is attribute vnto good workes as Iac. i. Ye se thē how that of dedes a mā is iustifyed not of fayth The places are so manifest notwithstanding the cōmune opiniō the faith only iustifieth that I am sure it troubleth no small nōbre of people and peraduenture it may astōny euen them which counte thē selues well learned For it is a great thynge to bringe the olde and wylye foxe to a lease Yee it is euen a new thynge vnto the proud Pharyses to saye that good workes are not meritorious to obtayne heauen by for hetherto haue they founded and vnderpropped theyr church with nothynge so greatly as with thys opinion What hath abused fastynge more than thereby to obtayne heauen For fastynge after theyr owne chosynge they left the true fast that God requyreth and cōmaūdeth Esa lviii zach vii What caused more abuse of the supper of the Lorde thē to vse it that is the remembraunce of the benefyt and sacrifyce for our synnes for a net hooke to gather catch mony with sayeng that it is a worke meritorious a sacrifyce for redemyng of synnes Somtyme were none chosen prestes but such as were endued with such gyftes as Paul requyreth in a byshop now that the B. of Ro. kyngdom requyreth many fauterers adherētes that purgatory may be swepte and kepte clene the which is no office for such Lordes as byshops be therfore syr Ihon lacklatyne shal suffise for that office wel ynough and masse shal be made a sacrifice to pourge and clense pylgatory purgatory shuld I haue sayd Lord Lord opē once oure eyen that we maye se the blasphemy done to thy holy bloude Now wyll I go to youre cōsciences ye that boast so greatly of good meritorious workes I require you by the answer that we all shall geue at the great daye Dyd Peter that was prince of the apostles as ye saye euer say nasse for the dead ether hym selfe or by other shew here vpō ony autenticall cronicle or hys owne wrytynge Yf ye can not than graunt that it is an inuencion of youre owne ergo a lye and a thynge that shall perysh with your dayes Yf Gods mercy shudle be bounde to sende soules to youre purgatory and at youre massynge agayne to release them than were Christ no Iesus and God no father but a seruaunt of yours and contrary to hys owne wordes doctryne Leaue therfore youre new erronious doctryne and wyth the olde teachers geue God humbly glory What caused more the abuse of honourynge of sayntes whyche dyenge in charite are ioyned with vs is charyte and therfore as true membres of one body ceasse not to praye with vs so that worshyppyng theyr pictures ymages we rather blaspheme God which hath forbiddē such maner of worshyppynge than worshyp them But leste I be to tedious vnto the good reader therfore wyll I do my dilygence to expresse the pyth of all thys matter in fewe wordes God the father thorow the loue that he had to hys sonne Christ Iesu dyd caste hys mercy vnto vs which were sonken into the depth of synne and pytied vs of his mercy and pitye he chose vs that we shulde be holy and wythout spotte in hys syghte And to them that he chose he instilled the grace of hys sprite and sent them the word of health which they receaued thorow beleuynge it than come they to the felynge of the goodnesse of God and of very loue are ready to fulfyll what soeuer God commaundeth thē and loke how muche they beleue euen so much they worke And though it be true that we be iustifyed in Christ before the fundacions of the worlde were layed yet is that only knowe to God and we haue no felynge of it vntyll fayth come And euen as God commeth downwarde for he thorow Christ had mercy on vs and of mercy dyd chose vs before we were and than after we come into this world instilleth grace thorow his sprete and than sendeth vs hys worde whiche the sprete causeth vs to beleue worketh fayth in vs from whence all good workes flowe euē so do we go vpward and by my fayth do know surely that God hath sent me hys word grace thorow his sprete to cause me beleue it therfore cōclud that he hath chosen me hath mercy vnto me thorow Christ hys only son which is the mage of the inuisible God fyrst begottē before all creatures Now is my dewtye agayne whā I haue perceaue this goodnesse of God the father and hys sonne Iesus Christ to me warde that I stonde not styll and let hys grace be vacant and ydle in me but accordynge to the sprete the he hath poured in me and the grace that is geuē me to vse hys gyftes accordynge to hys wyll cōmaundement to procede from vertue to vertue as from steppe to steppe alwaye approchynge oure louynge fathers kyngdome nearer and nearer where he sytteth rayneth worlde without ende To the which brynge vs he that wyll all mankynde to be saued AMEN ¶ Fautes escaped in the pryntynge The iiii leafe the ii page the xii lyne reade Fare ye well and praye for c.
the necessite and nede of the church and that we maye praye together Ther must nedes be certayne dayes appoynted in the whiche whyle as the busynesse of the soule is in hande we must absteyne from prophane housholde labours Yet for all that we must take hede lest we lese and destroye meÌ„s soules with snares of commaundemeÌ„tes and take hede that we playe not the Iewes and obserue dayes as they obserued the sabbath day the feastes of the new Moone against the doctrine of the holy goost Gala. iiii as thoughe they were necessarye to be kepte for ryghteousnesse For that were to cast awaye the lyberte of fayth to turne agayn to the weake and beggerly elementes and ceremonyes and to denye Christe The Hebrues were commaunded to kepe the sabbath daye but whan the lyght came the shadow vanyshed awaye so that it is not lawfull now to ony man to orden ony lawe or make synne where scripture maketh none and leaueth the liberte Collos ii Let no maÌ„ iudge you in the parte of the Sabbath day c. Saynt Austen speaketh thus of the Sabbath day in his boke of true innocency Seyenge that the kepynge of the sabbath daye is taken away the which is shadowed by the vacacyon rest of one daye he kepeth a perpetuall sabbath daye that hauynge hope of the rest to come geueth hymselfe to holy workes doth not boast iÌ„ his own workes as though he had receaued them of none other knowlegeth that he worketh in hym the which euen in workynge is quyet at reste Therfore saynt Ierome sayeth very well that in the newe testament all dayes be equall lyke holy that euery day is the holy daye of the resurreccyon that it is lawfull to fast alwayes and to eate the body of the Lord alwayes to praye And the Apostell Roma xiiii wyll not that he shulde be rashly iudged that which iudgeth the same of euery day Those thinges that were coÌ„maunded or forbydden in the law as concernynge dayes meates clothynges places and persones or outwarde thynges they were ordened layd on mens neckes for the tyme of correccyon But now whan the grace of the gospell doth shyne they vanysh awaye and lyberte raigneth where by we worship God nomore with certayne dayes prefixed and with outwarde workes as the Iewes dyd but in sprete and trueth For these ceremonyes of the lawe dyd belonge to the Iewes and not to the gentyles Actu xv Ye maye se playnly Mat. xii Mar ii Luce. xiiii Ioh. v. and .ix. how that Christe the auctour of our lyberte dyd intreate the Sabbath day Therfore it were the byshoppes dewty to put downe some of those holy daies the which christen people haue no nede of the whiche geue occasyon to the people both to lese theyr monye and theyr soules ¶ Of prayer The new learnynge We must praye at certayne houres as at matynes syxt houre the thyrde the fyrst at euensonge and at suche other And it is made more conueniently in churches halowed vnto God accordyng to this sayenge Blesse the Lord in the churches c. My house shal be called the house of prayer Ther be many thinges iÌ„ the teÌ„ples which stire vp deuotioÌ„ as the maieste of the place the christned bels organes sacrynge belles syngynge waxe candels the reliques of sayntes pictures ymages halowed vestimentes the sacrament of the altare hallowed altares in the worship of sayntes banners supplications the anoyntynge of the church and the hallowynge of the same the holy water which euen the deuels be afrayed of the presence of angels for it is wrytten Genesis xxviii This place is terrible and ther is a sure promys of hearyng as it is in the thyrde boke of the kynges the viii Chapter The Lorde answered to the prayer of Salomon I haue herde thy prayer which thou prayed before me I haue hallowed this place which thou haste buylded that I may set my name there for euermore and myne eyes and my harte shal be there for euermore c. Also ther be certayne hallowed beedes and they be honge vp on the churche dores a certayne nombre of pater nosters and aues muste be kepte also ther be some prayers whiche haue pardon longynge therto Also we muste saye a pater noster euery daye to oure owne Apostles to the sayntes whiche we haue chosen vnto our selues for deuotion ¶ The olde learnynge The blessed Trinite is to be worshipped in euery place Psalm .c.iii. O thou my soule geue thankes and blesse the Lorde in euery place of his lordshippe Christe also sayeth Ioh. iiii The houre commeth now is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in sprete and in trueth for verely suche the father requyreth to worshippe hym God is a sprete and they that worship hym muste worship hym in sprete and verite Where as Christ doth answer the Samaritane axynge hym of the place of prayer and sayeth WomaÌ„ beleue me the houre commeth yee he sayd that the houre was euen then when ye shal nother in this mouÌ„tayne nor yet in Ierusalem worship the father .i. Timo. ii sayeth Paul I wyl that meÌ„ praye in euery place lyftynge pure cleane haÌ„des without wrath arguynge or altercacyon Lykewyse in the .vii. chapter of the Actes where saynt Steuen checkynge the blyndnesse of the Iewes auauÌ„cynge the temple of Salomon sayeth But he that is hyest of al dwelleth not in teÌ„ples made with handes As sayeth also the prophete Esay .lxvi. Heauen is my seate earth is my foote stoole what house wyll ye buylde for me sayeth the Lorde or what is my restynge place hath not my hande made all these thynges and all these thynges be made sayeth the Lorde On whom than shall I loke euen hym that is of an humble a lowly sprete standeth in awe of my wordes We haue the wordes of the father of the soÌ„ne of the place of prayer the which the holy goost spake shall we not beleue the soÌ„ne whom the father coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be herde Mat. xvii And he dyd saye with an earnest affirmacyon Woman beleue me c. I knowe that ther was in the olde law the arke of the conuenauÌ„t and the sumptuous temple of the Lorde where as the Iewes had the promyse of God .ii. Para vii Myne eares shal be lyfted vp vnto the eares of him which shal praye in this place for I haue chosen this place But what shal we do now seynge that Moses is gone which was the seruaunt of the whole house of the Lorde the sonne commeth Iesus Christ whiche is the Apostle and the byshop of our fayth coÌ„fessioÌ„ Heb. iii. that he is com to prepare the quyck teÌ„ples of God as a byshop of good thynges for to come entrynge by a greater more ê‘fect tabernacle not made with haÌ„des that is to say not as maÌ„s buyldynge nother by the bloud of goates calues but by his own bloud he entred once for al iÌ„ to
of fleshe In the which dayes after the maner of the gentyles and heythen men they vse vncomly playes and games Take in good worth the labour of your frende Fare ye well and to God for me a synner ¶ Of the sacramētes The new learyng It is ynough and suffycient to receaue the sacramentes effectually and with frute to haue no stoppe nor let of deadly synne And ther is not requyred in a man a good motion within hym whiche receaueth them whereby of a congruence or of worthynes he maye deserue grace for the sacramentes brynge grace with them of the worke that is wrought by them or by the worke it self that is to saye bycause the worke is shewed mynistred as a sygne or a sacramēt Thys sayeth the master of sentēce in the .iiii. boke in the fyrst distinction By the doctores ¶ The olde learnynge The gospel witnesseth that we be saued not by an holy sygne but thorow fayth Gene. xv Abraham gaue credence beleued God and that was rekened to hym for ryghteousnesse Rom. iiii Rom. x. Yf a man beleue frō the harte he shal be made ryghteous He sayeth not that with the body an holy sygne is taken vnto ryghteousnesse Also Abacuc ii and Roma the fyrst The iuste shal lyue by his fayth He sayeth not He shal lyue by the sacramentes It foloweth therfore after the olde learnynge that fayth is necessary to be had in hym that receaueth the sacramentes with frute ¶ Of penaunce the new learnynge A mans wyll onely naturally doynge that lyeth in hym maye dispose it selfe to the receauynge of grace by an acte confirmable vnto ryght reason the which is morally good Also a mans wyll in puttynge awaye a stop or let that is the purpose of deadly sinne of a good motion drawen out of frewyll may deserue the fyrst grace of a congruence In the seconde boke of the master of sentence the xxv distinction What meaneth this learnyng els but that as Pelagius sayeth the begynnyng of our iustificatiō cōmeth of our selues and the ende of makyng perfect commeth of God Then myght a man by hys owne strēgth begynne penaūce which they call cōtrycion as though the begynnyng of it were in vs. Thys learnyng maketh ypocrytes maynteyneth the pryde of the olde mā ¶ The olde learninge In the tenth chap. of zachary it is wryttē I wyll conuerte them because I wyll haue mercy vpon them Trenorū v. Conuerte vs Lorde to the and we shal be conuerted Ihon xv Without me ye can do nothyng Philippens ii God worketh the wyll .ii. Corinth the .iii. Chapter Euery good thought is of God Roma xi Yf it be of workes then is it not of grace .ii. Timothe the .iii. Chapt. Yf God at ony tyme wyll geue them repentaunce c. Therfore after the olde learnyng repentaūce is the gyfte of God the which grace that iustifyeth worketh and not the power which draweth oute frewyll Before the tyme that a man haue grace nother his thought nor his wyl is good nother hath he ony good work but al is syn for as the tre is such is his frute The persone is a synner also fleshe then what other thynge can it sauour wyn and worke but fleshly thynges Thys doctryne maketh men lowly and beateth downe the pryde and arrogancye of the olde Adam ¶ Of confession the new learnynge Who so euer cōmeth to the yeares of discrecyon at the least once in the yeare he is bounde to confesse all his synnes both open and secrete with all theyr circumstaunces to his curate or els he is not a christen mā And the bishop hath authoryte to reserue kepe onely to hym self the forgeuenesse of certayne synnes by the reason af theyr greate enormyte the which a simple prest cannot assoyle but in the poynt of death so do the new fellowes saye As in the canon lawe Cap. Omnis vtriusque sexus c. and the Mayster of sentence aboute the .xvii. distinction ¶ The olde learnynge In the .xxxi. Psalme I haue sayde I wyll cōfesse agaynst me myne vnryghteousnesse to the Lorde thou haste forgeuē me the vngodlynesse of my synne Beholde the Prophete doth confesse hym to the Lord he getteth forgeuenesse of al his sinnes Luc. xviii the publycan sayeth be mercyful to me a sinner he goeth home iustified into his house Where is here ony rehearsyng of circūstaūces of hydde synnes in the prestes eare Luce. vii the synful woman speaketh nothynge but wepeth and falleth lowly downe at the fete of Iesus and she had by by forgeuenesse of hir synnes herd sayd vnto her Departe in peace Mathew the .iii. Ierusalem and al Iewry and all the contry nexte to the flode Iordane goeth forth to Ihon and they confesse theyr synnes namely in a general confession For they graunted themselues to be synners in as muche as they axed baptyme a sygne of repentaūce yet for al that ye heare of no rehearsall of synnes We reade in the actes that the same thynge was done at Ephesus at the preachynge of the Apostell yet for all that we se in no place these wordes a peculiar or proper preste al hyd synnes all circumstaunces and such other In the fyrst of Ihon the .i. chapter we haue a confession which is of goddes lawe by the which we confesse our fautes lowly to God the knower of mens hartes and he is faythful ryghteous to forgeue vs them For he geueth grace to lowly persones and resysteth proude men .i. Pet. v. Where as true penaūce is truly there is also cōfessiō as the true frute of penaūce We do not vtterly forsake auricular or eare cōfessiō but the addycions of mans tradyciōs are parted and sondered from holsom doctryne as chaffe is from the corne It is an holsom doctryne and accordynge to goddes lawe to requyre the lawe of the mouthe of a preste and to learne of the bysshop the waye of the Lorde Malachi ii Agge ii .i. Timot. iii. Titū i. Therfore I wolde not that the order of the church shuld be broken which is .i. Corin. xii where the Apostell after that he had made mencyon of the mystical body sheweth that Christ set in the church or congregacion fyrst Apostels thē Prophetes or preachers thyrdly teachers why shulde teachers be in the churche Namely for thys entent that they hauyng the fashion and the form of holsome wordes shuld teache the churche those thynges which be necessary for mans saluation and resiste with the swearde of the spryte the enemyes of the fayth all vngodlynesse and that they might preache the worde bothe openly and preuely that they be feruent in season and out of season that they rebuke reproue and exorte with all gentelnesse and learnyng .ii. Timoth. iiii Let them knowe the face and countenance of theyr floke and to be shorte let thē be full of those wertues the which god requireth Ezechiel xxxiiii of the watchemē or ouerseers of the house of Israel Yf we
perceaue not and be ignoraūt in ony thynge that pertayneth vnto a christē mās lyuyng and it is not playnely taught in the open sermon we must go to the curate to-heare of hys mouth the iudgementes and testimonyes of the Lorde Yf ony doute aryse in oure consciences whome ought we rather to go to and axe counsell then of the hyrdman of our soules Farthermore whē we be faynte harted or haue no corage and are vexed with tētacions we maye not despyse the remedye that god ordened Thou hast Gods worde Math. xviii Where as .ii. or .iii. c. And Ihon. xx Whose synnes ye shal remyt c. Whome wold not these fatherly promyses prouoke and alure to confession where as the conscience is lyfted vp and stablisshed not by mans worde but by goddes worde spoken by mans mouth But these be mans addicions to bynde a mans conscience with a law and to cōpell hym to confesse all hys synnes with all theyr circūstaūces at a certayne tyme to hys owne preste or curate whatsoeuer he be whereby mens consciēces be marked with an whote yron For he that is not confessed after the maner that is prescrybed in the confessionalles ether by the reason of ignoraunce or of a frayle memory or shamefastnesse yee though he be ashamed and repent hym of hys euell lyfe with all hys harte yet for all that as longe as he lyueth he beareth about wyth hym an vnquyet conscience and full of dispayre And yf a man take a lyttell diligence or haue a good memory or wryte hys synnes in a pece of paper and poureth oute into a frears eare that can not well heare all the fylthynesse of hys vncleane lyuynge good Lorde how glad is he that not onely he hath satisfised the law but because also that he hath taken of hys shulders a burthen heuyer then Ethna the hyl that always burneth Then as who say he hath deserued forgeuenesse of hys syn with thys troublesome worke he standeth in his owne conceate which wold haue dyspayred yf he had not rehearsed hys synnes after thys maner Let the bysshoppes appoint learned men to heare confessyons and not blockheades then the people shall come to the prestes by heapes and swarmes The whiche thynge whyle they do it not lette them blame them selues and not vs yf the people set lytle by theyr curates Farther more as concernyng the reseruyng and kepyng behynde of certayn causes and chaunces let the head rulers in the church tel a cause why they do differ and abhorre so greatly the Apostles rytes and teachynges A preste or an elder a bishop with Paull be all one The scripture maketh no such difference of ministers in the laboure of the gospell Whan the Lord sent forth hys disciples into the world he gaue them lyke power sayng Go into all the world and preach the gospel to euery creature he that shal beleue and be baptysed shal be saued Marke xvi Iohn xx he sayth vnto them Take ye the holy goost whosoeuer synnes ye forgeue they shal be forgeuē Where is here ony differēce betwene a bisshop a symple preste Is it harde to knowe what thys be to saye Whose synnes ye remyt they shal be remytted Thys ys the doctrine of Christe and hys Aostels ¶ Of satisfaction The new learnyng A certayn satisfacciō is to be enioyned to hym that is confessed for hys synnes that be past accordyng to the quantite or qualite of the synnes that he may content and satisfye the ryghteousnesse of God Thys hath the .xvii. and .xviii. distinction of the fourth boke By this doctrine the grace of Christes redemptiō is darkened ouershadowed and defaced and mans workes enhaunced to the moost hye iniury of Christes passiō The olde learnynge Esay the .liii. Chapter He is broken for oure wyckednesses The father hath layed on his necke all our iniquityes and wyckednesses I haue smyttē hym for the myschefe of my people Here thou mayest se that Christe dyd satisfaccyō for the synnes of al the world Also .i. Pet. ii He bare our synnes in his body on the crosse that we shuld be delyuered from synne shuld lyue in ryghteousnesse by whose strypes we are healed Also in the fyrst epistle to the Corinthians the .i. chap. Christ is our ryghteousnesse and redempcion Ioh in the .x. Chapter Christ spent hys lyfe for hys shepe Rom. the .v. Chap. We be brought in fauoure with the father by the death of Christ and not by our satisfaccyon The same we haue also Ephe. the .i. And Collossenses .i. .ii. Christ toke away the obligacyon or handwrytynge whiche was agaynst vs by that decrees he fastened it to the crosse .i. Ioh. i. The bloud of Christ clenseth pourgeth vs frō all synne He sayeth not our satisfaccion doth pourge vs. Now haue we proued by these places that onyly the death of Christ is our full satisfaccyon for the synnes of al the world and not our fylthy ryghteousnesse Let vs than cal those scourges or punishmentes which our louynge father sēdeth vs or we take our selues preuentyng the hande of God correccyon strokes and such other names as the scripture vseth This worde satisfaccyō is a proude worde and hated to al christen eares that heare somtime the sounde of this sayenge of S. Luke in the xv Chap. Whan we haue done all thynges which be commaūded vnto vs yet we maye saye that we be vnprofytable seruauntes Let claye asshes be ashamed of this proud worde satisfaccyon for synne Shame be vnto vs and ryghteousnesse vnto God Yf we with our workes and correccyons do make amendes or satiffaccyon for our synnes thē Christ dyed in vayne And by this doctrine the grace that bryngeth vs in the fauour with God is magnifyed by the bloude of Iesus and mans worke is lytell set by to the most worthy prayse of Christes passyon ¶ Of fre wyll The new learnynge A man hath fre wyll choyse not only in the state of innocency but also of his fall and synne And it is of so great vertue that he doynge that lyeth in hym may remoue the stoppe and hynderaunce of grace dispose hymselfe to grace that iustifyeth And lest a carnall mā proud ynough of hymselfe shuld wante noryshynge for hys arrogancy they go aboute to strengthen and confirme this doctrine with scriptures falsely vnderstāde Ecclesiasticus in the .xv. saye theye sayeth and proueth fre wyll where as God is sayd to haue left a man in the power of his own counsell and to haue geuen hym commaundementes the which yf he do kepe they shuld kepe and saue him And to this purpose they swepe gather together what so euer lawe or monition is ony where in al the scripture As who say we myght gather wel after this maner God hath commaunded that we shuld do this he hath apoynted the condycyons of lyfe he threatneth payne to thē that breake them ergo it is in oure power to do that same wote ye wel here is a
is suche thynges dothe he thynke speake and worke But we be fleshe therfor we sauour of fleshly thynges Why do we not graunte with saynt Austin in the boke of true innocency that whan a man lyueth after his owne way and not after God he is lyke the deuel for an angel shulde not haue lyued after an angell but after God that he myght stonde in the trueth A mā hath nought of hym self but lyeng and synne but yf a man haue ony trueth or ryghteousnesse he hath it of the welle which is Christe And that which we haue by goddes lyberalite hangeth of gods power and not of oure myght Fyrst cōsider me well the wordes of the holy goost Ro. ix where he calleth his owne the vessels of mercy and Roma viii The children of God be led with the sprite of god Esaie xxvi Lorde thou hast wrought all our workes in vs. Therfore knowlege thyself the handy worke of the almyghty maker ordened in Chiste Iesu to brynge forth good workes that he hath ordeyned marke which he hath ordeyned that we shuld worke in them Ephes ii Therfore that thou consentest to the inspiracion of God hast a good wyll and workest wel the grace of god worketh all these thynges in ye. Thou in dede cōsentest wylleste and workest but god maketh the to consente wyll and worke so that thys sayng also may be alwayes iustly layd before thyne eyes what hast thou that thou hast not receaued Yf thou hast receaued it of other why doest thou reioyce boaste as though thou haddest not receaued it i. Corinth iiii Not to vs Lorde not vnto vs but to thy name geue prayse Behold nowe not thy frewyll but bounde But yf the sonne delyuer the then salte thou be truly fre Iohā viii For we be delyuered from syn by Christ that we may serue ryghteousnesse Roma vi ¶ Of fayth workes the newe learnynge Not onely faythe iustifyeth for workes iustifye also and fayth may stande and be without good fruts grace that iustifieth in hym that is a breaker of the cōmaundemēt of god Therfore ther are two kyndes of ryghteousnesses necessary to saluatiō that is to wyte of fayth workes The one without the other excepte a mā haue no tyme or leasur doth not saue a man ¶ The olde learninge We suppose that a man is iustifyed by fayth without the dedes of the lawe Ro. iii. Here the Apostell doth not doute or gesse as som do vnderstonde hym a mysse for the truthe of the greke hath we reken or gather by reason For Theophilactus doth expoūde thys word sayth sillogizometha as though by reasonynge he gathered thys foresayde sayenge Wherfore workes do not iustifye but fayth And this is not my dreame but the moost pure doctrine of the holy goost in the .iii. .iiii. to the Roma Where as the Apostell reasonyng by the scripture of Abrahā beyng iustifyed most euidently proueth that fayth is rekened to vs for righteousnes Yf Abrahā sayth he was iustified by his works he hath where vpō he may boast but not before god For what sayeth the scripture Genest xv Abraham gaue credence to God and that was rekened vnto hym for righteousnesse And in the ende of the fourth chapt he sayeth That it was not wrytten for hym onely that it was rekened to hym for ryghteousnesse but also for vs to whome it shal be rekened Nother vnderstandeth he here onely the ceremonyall workes of the lawe but also of the .x. cōmandementes the which is playne Roma iii. when he sayde that no man was iustifyed by the workes of the lawe shortly after he sayeth For the knowlege of syn is thorow the lawe The which clause doth sufficiētly shewe of what workes of the lawe he speaketh Yf it be so that oure workes also do iustifye than Christ geueth but the halfe of oure saluacion and then how many saueours shal ther be Ther is onely but one iustifyer and saueoure that is Christe by whome we be iustifyed frely thorow hys grace Roma iii. Thefore workes do not iustifye but fayth in Christe not that fayth the scoolmen cal informis that is a dead fayth but that true and lyuyng faythe workynge by charite Gala. v. chapt lykewyse as we be iustifyed before god by fayth the which is the true iustifycacion so before men that se vs in the face we be iustifyed by workes that is to saye we be knowen to be ryghteous by the frute of good workes of the which thynge the wordes of saynt Iames ought to be vnderstonde so he that wyll loke well on Paules disputacion of fayth and workes shall easely perceaue why that we saye that faythe alone iustifyeth For we fayne not with this word alone a fayth that is wthout charite but we shew that workes be not the begynnyng of oure iustifycacion Also we be not saued by workes Titum iii. but accordynge to the mercy of god thorow the lauour of regeneracion and by renewynge of the holy goost lest ony man shulde boaste of man Good workes are not forbydden by this doctrine but faythe the welle of good workes is taught and vnto grace is geuen that is hyr dewty Parte of the prayse is geuen vnto vs by the newe learnyng of scoolmen the which thynge how blasphemous a thyng it is the faythful Christē men can tell And so the old learnyng taketh not away workes but setteth them in theyr place that they maye be witnesses of our fayth subdue the fleshe serue our neyghbour but not that they shuld iustifye seynge that onely fayth of the mere mercy of god thorow his worde doth iustifye a man The person that is iustified worketh iustly yet for al that it doth not boaste of the righteousnesse of workes as necessary to saluatiō leste when it seketh his owne righteousnesse it lese the ryghteousnesse of God that is faythe Roma x. And it graunteth the very truth with Esay .lxiiii. That the ryghteousnesse of his workes is lyke a fylthy clothe defyled with the flours of a woman And he an vnprofitable seruaunt The which is onely the way to come to true ryghteousnesse of oure workes That is when thou workyng besely yet in al thy workes knowlegest thy self a synner flyēge onely to the grace of the mediatour settest muche by the pryce of oure redempciōn For yf the ryghteousnesse of our workes be of ony value the death of Christe hath not wholy and fully wrought oure saluacion the whiche is blasphemous The short argument of Paule stondeth and is sure and vnmoueable Yf the righteousnesse come of the lawe then is Christe dead in vayne But Christ dyed not in vayne therfore ye boaste in vayne of the ryghteousnesse of workes and of the lawe ¶ Of meryte or deseruynge the newe learnynge Whan we do that lyeth in vs ī drawynge out of a good mocion towarde god by the frenesse of the wyll we deserue the fyrste grace of congruite semlynesse although not of worthynes Also the soule endued with
the holy place foūde euerlastyng redēption Heb ix He is gone that gaue the lawe an other is come in his rowme by whom grace is geuē Ioh. i. Aarō is gone for the true prest for euer after the order of Melchisedech is come To conclude the fygure is vanyshed because the lyght hath shyned Then what nede we so costly gloryous pompe of ceremonies in the new testamēt we disprayse not those buyldinges to the which the people cōmeth to hear the worde of god more cōmodiously but we disprayse the abuse the erroure namely that they kepe no measure can neuer make an ende of buyldynge deckynge of such royal churches Exo. xxxvi at the cōmaūdement of Moses the cryer forbyddeth that nother mā nor womā shuld offer vp ony more to the buyldyng of the tabernacle for the people offred vp a great deale more thē nede was Now our cryers wtout ende measure requyre gyftes of the people to the buyldinges of tēples Wher doth Christ requyre in the new testament such ornamētes of churches and where doth he appoynt such buyldyng to be made Cōmaūded not he vs to worship the father ī spret in verite The which two wordes cōdēne the whole tragedy of ceremonies which we thīke profitable good for praier For what helpeth to the sprete and trueth of worshippyng of God such infinite diuersite of vestimentes belles organes and sōges of dyuerse kyndes Yf those thynges kyndle deuotion steare vp a mans mynde to God it were best that not only churches but also houses townes hye waies stretes shuld be ful of yanglyng of belles be replenyshed with ymages The Lorde requyreth the sprete and trueth and we cōtrarye wyse shewe and set forth a carnal pompe solemnite of ceremonyes the which is not only as great as all the Iewes fashions and rytes but passeth them farre both in nombre and greatnesse hauyng in steade of the sprete the flesh for the trueth moost coloured and paynted ypocrysye for we spende the whole daye with syngynge sacrifysyng and mumblynge We speake with tunges but no mā preacheth which shulde speake vnto men to edifye exorte and to comforte .i. Cor. xiiii The Apostle wyl leuer speake .v. wordes with his vnderstādyng that he may iustruc teach other also rather thē ten thousand with tūges We thōdre out psalmes wtout vnderstādyng for auaūtage lucre makyng a sound wtout deuotiō alas the word of God is cōpelled to geue place to this blind seruice the ordināce of the apostle also We crye now a dayes as the Iewes cryed in tymes paste Ieremie vii The temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lorde Goddes seruice Goddes seruice Goddes seruice trustyng in wordes of lyenge where as all thys busynesse of ceremonyes is playne hyred geare for mony that it may be fulfilled that the Lorde sayde Malachie i. Who is ther amonge you that wyll shut the dores wyl kyndle myn aultare frely for nought wherfore it foloweth I haue no pleasure in you sayth the Lorde of hoostes I wyll take no reward of your handes Yf that the tragedy and spectakle of ceremonyes lyketh you so well go to let vs brynge home agayne the whole Iewysnesh and the whole maner of worshyppynge of the Iewes let vs deck vp Aaron let vs orden leuytes let vs kyll and offer vp shepe oxen and calues and euen let vs be circumcysed wyth the madde Iewes and let vs loke for an other Messyas that may bryng vs in to the lande of Canaan not by the power of the Lorde but of the world Surely yf that moost costly and sumptuous worshyppyng of God is christes religion in the which holynesse consisteth I graunt that I can not tell what is oure religion But yf Christ be oure Lorde and master and hys doctryne be the doctryne of the father the truthe and the waye then is the whole heape of ceremonyes nothynge lesse than the worshyppyng of God Where do we reade in the gospel of hyred prayers which ye wyll let a man haue for mony and yf he geue no penny he shall haue no pater noster where doth the Lorde alowe byenge sellyng choppynge and chaūgynge in holy thynges As for those places which they brynge for the appoyntynge and assignynge of a certayne place of prayer euery mā may se that they handle them without ony maner of iudgement and with playne ygnoraunce of scriptur It is euē of the same sorte that they fayne that the deuyl is afrayed of holy water as thoughe he were not more afrayed at the syght of a christē man whome the oyntement of the holy goost hath made holy and is the temple of the holy goost And as for that thay they brynge for the halowynge of beedes and the nombre of pater nosters and the Psalter of our lady suche other it is more vayne then ony tryfles be in the worlde and more foolysher then the tales which olde wyues tell in wynter nyghtes by the fyre syde Therfore we must praye to the father of heauē thorowe oure Lorde Iesus Christe in spirit and truthe in euery place that our prayers be not bound to places For ether we go in to oure preuy chambre and shut the dore after vs pray vnto the father which is in secrete or we praye in euery place after the learnynge of saynt Paule in the fyrst epistel the .ii. chapter to Timoth. For the whole worlde is the temple churche of God The heauen the heauen of al heauens ar not able to receaue the Lord how much lesse then thys church Yf I ascende vp to heauē sayeth the royal prophete thou arte ther yf I descende and go downe to hel thou art present And God his owne self sayeth by Ieremy the prophete in the xxiii chapt I fyl both heauē and earth And the Apostell in his preachyng to the men of Athens sayeth God is not far from vs for we lyue in hym are moued and be in hym Actu xvii ¶ Of vowes The newe learnynge Vowe to the Lorde perfourme it that the ye vowe Psal lxxv Therfor we may vowe we ought to geue it that we vowe for ther a is lawe made of geuynge to them whiche vowed In the .iiii. boke of the sentence it is wrytten A vowe is made when a mā of his owne wyl promyseth that he wyl do or kepe some good thynge to the which otherwyse he is not bound although he be bound after the vowe be made There be .iii. principalle substancial vowes that is of pouerte chastite obedience He that is once made a religious man or a preste is bound to lyue so for euer by hys vowe ¶ The olde learnynge A vowe is a law say the scoole mē made to perfourme such thynges as mē haue vowed It is playne what the holy scripture doth affyrme and iudge of the lawe and of the workes of it Now is mā not iustifyed or made