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
of the churche is consydered and not the worthynesse of the person Thys is the sūme A wycked man and an vngodly hauyng only a dewe intent although he be an abomynable in the syght of God yet for al that in thys cause because he beareth the persōne or is in the rowme of the church he abydyng a synner and a dānable person he purchasseth and deserueth vnto other men remissyon of syn and euerlastyng lyfe This they saye The olde learnynge The Apostell in the fyrst epistell to the Corinthians the .xi. chapter preparyng the supper of the Lorde dyd wryte that he toke of the Lorde that he taught and gaue to the Corinthians And whan he expounded the busynesse and matter cōcernyng the supper he geueth both the kyndes indifferently to all the bretheren euē as Christ dyd ordeyne Mathe. xxvi Marke xiiii Luke xxii Here we haue the worde and the facte of the Lorde and of hys minister Paule and also of the primitiue church in the which as thē fayth was more lyuely charite was more feruent hope was more sure and holy christendom was more purer for it was nearer the quycke sprynge Yf it be so that it is not leful for vs to kepe the worde and the dede of Christ specially in a great mater as is the sacramēt for what intent shall the churche of God haue the scripture expoūded and declared Dyd not euen the new wryters as Gersō saye That nother the byshop of Rome nor generall councell nor yet the church oughte to chaūge the learnynge that was geuen vs by the euangelistes by Paul Yf it be lawfull to euery man that lyst to chaunge in the sacramētes of the church those thynges which Christ taught to be kept the apostles both taught and kept I pray you what case shall the church be in then which shal be cōpelled to beleue that Christ the wysedome of the father the Apostels dyd teach christendom such vnperfecte geare so negligently that theyr successours had nede to supplye amēde make perfecte those thynges that Christ his Apostels lefte behynde them raw vnperfect Wyll the Saracens the Arabiās the Agarens whome we call Turkes suffer that ony mā at his pleasure after this fashion shulde chaūge theyr Alcoram wolde sōtyme take somthyng away somtyme vtterly abrogate disanul it that theyr lawmaker had wrytten somthynge vnwarely or wtout diligent hede delyberacyon And we christen mē except we suffer the church to be turned out of frame peruerted to be darkened to be pulled in sunder minished Yee to be vtterly cast awaye we be banyshed destroyed as the enemyes of the church Put the case that these be tollerable who can abyde that ydel felowes shall make marchaundyse of it that was lefte to be the memoriall and remembraunce of the death whiche brought lyfe wherby they make a sacrifyce of the masse crucifye Christ agayne as much as lyeth in them For yf it be so that they worke with theyr dayly sacrifyce as they call it remissyon of synne I praye you thē what synnes dyd the bloude of the new euerlastyng testament take awaye This is therfore our catholyke belefe of the supper of the Lorde Fyrst The supper of the Lord ought for to be done after the ordinaunce of Christe i. Cor. xi that our fayth maye be increaced our charite may be kyndled our hope maye be made sure by the cōtinual remēbraunce of the death of the Lorde that we knowyng the cause of the moost precyous death of the Lorde maye be dayly more and more steared vp to geue thankes for the vnspeakeable loue to destroye the body of synne and to walke in newnesse of lyfe Secondarly Therfore the supper of the Lorde is a memoriall of the death of Christe whiche brought saluacyon and not a sacrifyce but a remembraūce of the sacrifyce that was once offred vp vpon the crosse Thyrdly Ther is a promes Psal c.ix that Christ shal be our byshop for euermore ordened of the father and this promes is perfourmed for Christ hath entred once in to the holy place by an oblacyon makynge perfect for euermore Hebr. ix and .x. so that we nede not to haue hym offred vp for vs agayne the which dyeth nomore Fourthly We knowe of the boke Leuiticus that the oblacyō of Moses was made for synnes whan the oblacyon dyd satisfye and the bloude dyd washe Thē yf this one sacrifyce in the which Christ dyd offer vp hymselfe dyd satisfye for the synnes of the whole worlde accordynge to the prophecye of Esay the .liii. Chapter He dyd beare our synnes and he was torne for oure wyckednesses and .i. Ioh. the .ii. Chapter He is oure satisfaccyon and so forth it foloweth and is a good argument that all the oblacyons which are besyde this be vayne and voyd the which they pretende Fyftly To rayse vp a new oblacyon is to set lytel by the fyrst to proue God a lyar and to deny Christe whiche bought vs after the wordes of saynt Peter .ii. Pet. ii For whan they saye that synnes be releassed forgeuen in the sacrifice of the masse whan the sonne of God is offered vp both for quycke dead it foloweth after theyr opinion that that onely sacrifice of the crosse dyd not satisfye for all synnes And I praye you is not that euen to forsweare denye the Lorde which dyd redeme vs not with corruptible thynges as with golde syluer but with his owne precious bloud whā we say that it is done by the vertue of that masse the which al scripture doth say cōmeth to vs by the death of our Lorde Iesus Christ Syxtly Yet for al that we do not affirme the synnes be remytted only by the partakynge of the supper of the Lorde but whan we do remēbre with a true a kynde fayth the benefyte of our redemption in the which the sōne of god dyd geue his body a sacrifyce for synnes shed his bloud to washe away synne by this fayth we be iustifyed made ryghteous we obtayne remissyon of our synnes gotten by the death of Christ And this is a dilicyous feast of soules of the whiche they that are not partakers shall peryshe Christ in the .vi. Chap. of Ihon sayeth My fleshe is meate in dede and my bloude is drynke in dede The bread that I shal geue is my flesh the which I wyll geue for the lyfe of the worlde Excepte we eate this fleshe of the sonne of man and drynke his bloud we shall not haue lyfe in vs but we shal peryshe For it is the breade of lyfe geuynge lyfe to the worlde The whiche breade to eate is to beleue in Christ as he sayeth I am the bread of lyfe he that cōmeth to me shall not be an hūgred and he that beleueth in me shall neuer be thyrsty Verely verely I saye vnto you he that trusteth in me hath euerlastynge lyfe For as the body is fed with naturall bread
so the soule is refreshed lyueth with this heauenly bread For whā the soule beleueth that Christ is the pryce of oure redemption our satisfaccyon and our ryghteousnesse with this fayth it eateth the flesh and drynketh the bloude and accordynge to the wordes of Christ Ioh. vi by so wholsome an eatyng shal we lyue for euer These be so great thynges which be rehearsed aboute the table of the Lorde God graunt that this ceremony of Christe maye be restored to hys olde strength and integrite agayne that we which be the body of Christ oure heade admonished of the loue of God in the supper towarde vs maye growe together with vnlowsable glew of loue as it becommeth membres purgynge the flocke with the boult of excommunicacyon and eatynge truely the fleshe of the Lorde that is to beleue in Christe crucifyed and that we may be grafted in hym by the lykenesse of his death and that we maye be partakers wyth hym of the moost gloryous resurreccyon Amen ¶ Of the choyse of meates The new learnynge It is not lawfull to eate euery daye all sortes of meate for it is necessary that we abstayne from fleshe euery frydaye and saterdaye and on the embrynge dayes and in lent for he that doth otherwyse without the Bisshop of Romes bulles or the pardons of the legates of the sye of Rome doth syn and shal be rekened an euell christen man yee a wycked and an vngodly heretyke ¶ The olde learnynge In the .xi. Chapter of Leuiticus and the xiiii of Deuteronomion the choyse of meates is prescribed vnto the Iewes which were vnder Moses so that it was not lawfull to eate what so euer meate they lyste But let vs which are commaunded of Paul to the Gal. the .v. Chapter to stande fast in the lyberte in to the which Christe hath brought vs and that we shulde not put our neckes vnder the yocke of bondage agayne geue hede and attendaunce what oure mayster Christ and Lorde doth saye Math. xv Hear and vnderstād It that goeth in to the mouth defyleth not the man but it that goeth out of the mouth that defyleth a man These wordes of Christ take awaye the choyse of meates so that it is lawful in the tyme of the new testamēt to eate flesh or fyshe whether ye wyll without ony synne In the fyrste epistel to Timo. the .iiii. Chap the holy goost doth call the forbyddynge of meate of mariage the doctrine of the deuell For God hath created meate to be receaued with geuynge of thankes of them which beleue haue knowen the trueth for the creatures of God are good and nothynge to be refused yf it be receaued with thankes geuyng for it is sanctifyed by the worde of God prayer By this one texte of the Apostle is plucked vp by the rootes what so euer hether to mē haue taught or cōmaūded of the choyse of meates For the holy goost calleth it dyuelysh doctrine the whiche no man cā kepe obey wtout the losse of his saluacyō Let it moue no mā that saynt Ierome doth wrast these sayenges agaynste the Tacyans and the Marcionites doutlesse our consciences be delyuered from the choyse of meates by these wordes of the holy goost Therfore who so euer he be Marcyon or ony of this tyme that byndeth wyth a commaundemēt that thynge which Christ wolde haue to be fre he is reproued wyth this texte as vnkynde to God and a despyser of a good creature Collossenses the .ii. Chapter sayeth Paule Let no man iudge you in meat and drynke Yf you be dead wyth Christe from the elementes of the worlde why be you holden wyth decrees as yf ye were lyuyng in the worlde This texte also is playne agaynste all the praysers and preachers of mans tradicyons the whiche do trouble mens conscyences wyth mans preceptes of the choyse of meates Although thys maketh agaynste the obseruacyons of the Iewes yet it plucketh vp by the rootes all the tradicyons of men in thys matter For yf Moses lawe in that poynt be abrogate and put downe the which was once ordened of God how muche more iustly the constitucyōs of mē ought to be disanulled put awaye by the which these cruel tyraūtes coueth a kyngdome in mens consciences Gala. i. Yf ony man preach ony other gospell or glad tydynges vnto you than ye haue receaued holde hym acursed Therefore what soeuer other thynge is thrust into oure handes agaynst and besyde the worde of God to bynde mēs cōsciences by the sentence of the holy goost it is acursed wherfor we must refuse it both with hand and foote Titum i. Rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the fayth and not takynge hyde to Iewes fables and commaūdemētes of men the which turne from the trueth Vnto the cleane are all thynges cleane but to them that are defyled and vnbeleuyng is nothyng cleane but euen the very myndes and consciences of them are defyled Who wolde not abhorre those preceptes whyche turne from the trueth Euen so the holy gooste decketh mans tradicions with hys tytle with the which tradicion the deceauers of mens myndes go aboute to bynde mens cōsciences where as God byddeth not Here I do not regarde thoshe great praysers of abstinence the which wyll name me the Epicure of Christē men as saynt Ierome called Iouiniane as though I wēte about to louse the brydell of gluttony Tese felowes wyll dispute with a full belly of fastyng and yet they eate fesans partriches and al the pycked dayntyes that can be found in a contry Now tel me I pray yow what haue I sayde besyde the sentences of the holy goost I do not teache the abuse but the ryghte vse of the creatures of God with geuynge thankes I take not thought onely for the belly but also for the conscience Fo with these mans tradycions mens consciences be marked with an whote yron and God is worshypped wyth commaundementes of men the whych thynge in the .xxix. of Esaye he hateth and abhorreth It is a very ieoperdous matter to laye snares for mens consciences and to offende agaynst the christen lyberte which cost so much Yf ony mā laye agaynste vs saynt Ierome or ony other of the fathers I answere that the fathers were neuer in that blyndnesse that they wolde be beleued more then the scripture He despiseth not the fathers whiche enforceth hym selfe and laboureth to glorify the father of all which is in heauen He that in the matter of conscience doth thynke that God shulde rather be obeyed thē man doth not contemne men but magnifyeth God the Lorde of men and angels And the condicion and state of christen mē is not so that they ought to take example or rule of lyuynge of the prophetes of Iupiter that absteyne from fleshe and soden meate or of the temple of Eleusis or Ceres or of Orpheus yet that holy man is not ashamed of hys monkery of so voyde wordes in the seconde boke agaynste Iouinian As touchynge offendynge I
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 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
righteous by the lawe and workes of Moses lawe how muche lesse by the worke of vowes whan as scripture vtterly refuseth and defyeth all mans traditions and God wyll not be worshypped with lawes of mans tradicions Esay xxix Math. xv Marc. vii For onely fayth in Christe doth iustifye and not workes what so euer they be and syncere fayth wyll not suffer men to put confidence in theyr workes In dede fayth brīgeth forth workes because she worketh by charite but she suffereth no man to trust vnto them with thys vngodly opinion that he shuld be iustifyed by them because that were to deny the Lord that bought vs with hys precious bloud Vowes are wont to be taken with none other opinion thē that by them synnes shuld be done away and to deserue grace and remission of synnes therefore they spring of the ignoraūce of Christes religion they be playnely wicked therfor they be nought and of no pryce For euen the scoole mē say that those thynges be no vowes which do turne to the dāmage or hynderaūce of a mās saluation seyng that a vowe hathe the same thynges folowynge which an oth hathe that is iustice iudgement truthe To wyll desyre to be iustifyed by workes is to cast away the grace of Christ and that is to lese the true healthe and saluacion Therfore these vowes that be so greatly boasted of be no vowes and of no value for thys short argument of Paule fearfull to all vowers shall stande yf ryghteousnesse be of the law then Chryst dyed in vayne Galat. v. Ye are gone quyte from Christ as many as are iustifyed by the lawe and are fallē from grace Gala. ii We know that a man is not iustifyed by the workes of the law but by the fayth of Iesu Christe Yf these thynges be sayde vnto the Iewes the which presumed to be iustifyed by the works of moses law who can abyde our vngodlynesse which loke for those thynges by the workes of our lawes the which onely Christ geueth in fayth Therfore it repenteth vs of oure rechlesse vowe we desyre forgeuenesse of God for our syn done by oure folysh vowe we turne agayn to the lyberte which Christes bloude gat vnto vs with a sure belefe and defyenge the masters teachers of workes the opē enemyes of Christe we rather heare the saynge of the holy goost Gala. v. Stande in the lyberte where with Christ hath made vs fre wrap not your selues agayn in the yock of bondage As touching the places which they bring owt of the old testament for the mayntaynyng and stablyssynge of vowes they make nothynge for the purpose for the maner of vowyng pertayned vnto the Iewes now be put away as be sacrifices Actu xv Fayth in Christe maketh all outwarde thynges fre nother doth the bondage of vowes and our lyberte agre What nede many wordes Oure vowes be without faythe therfore they be syn Now who wold be afrayed to leaue forsake syn ¶ Of counsels the newe learnynge The gospell is diuyded into counsels and cōmaūdementes we be bound to kepe the cōmaundementes not to despyse the counsels The counselles be in .v. of Math. to loue our enemyes not to resist euell not to stryue in the court or law to lende euery one that nedeth such other lyke The wich yf they were cōmaundementes they were to heuy burthens for the new lawe Thus saye the Parisiās ¶ The olde learnynge We haue a counsel in the gospel of lyuyng syngle Math. xix .i. Corint vii But they that be in the fyfte of Math. they be no counselles but preceptes the which thynge is manyfest by the circūstaūce of the text For Christ dothe threatē the which he wolde not haue done yf he had onely coūselled He that doth threaten a payn doth propound set forth a law coūselleth not Moreouer it is cōmaūded Loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe That loue conteyneth in it those thinges which we haue spokē of And also lust is forbyddē therfore be the aforesayd forbyddē Whā mat he had rehearsed those thynges which the scoolmē rekē amōg coūsels sayeth by by after That ye may be the chyldren of youre father whiche is in heauen Math. v. Lykewyse also saynt Luke after that he had rekened vp these lawes sayeth And ye shal be the sonnes of the mooste hyest Therfore they that do them not shall not be the chyldren Surely a counsell her wolde not haue spokē after this maner yee thus dyd Chrisostom Austen Hilary vnderstand the wordes of Christe Then yf the Lord cōmaūded all those thynges why do we that be seruaūtes louse and breake the lawes of the Lord for oure pleasure ¶ Of matrymony The newe learnynge The fourthe degre of kynred stoppeth matrimony There be .xii. impedimentes of matrymony which hinder maryage to be made and lose it yf it be contract namely errour condition vowe kynred faute or cryme the diuersite of worshippyng power bond honesty yf thou be of affynite yf thou be impotent in rendrynge dutye These hynder mariage to be made yf it be made breake it agayne Certayne thynges ther be which hyndre mariage to be made but they lose it not yf it be contract that is the tyme of not spousynge and the forbyddyng of the churche Also a spirituall kynred is gottē by the sacrament of baptyme cōfirmation or byshoppynge the which letteth matrymony to be and putteth a sunder it that is made Itē the order of subdeacō deacon and presthod stop matrymony to be taken and putte it awaye yf it is taken bycause that the vowe of chastite is ioyned to those orders Also yf ther be a deuorcement both the man and the woman must abyde vnmaryed ¶ The olde learnynge Ther be degrees of kynne or consanguinite and affinite red to be forbydden in the .xviii. of Leuiticus namely father mother stepmother a natural syster lawful syster both of father and mother cosyn aūte of the fathers syde of the mothers syde the wyfe of myne vncle the doughter in lawe the wyfe of my brother stepdoughter the son of the stepson or stepdoughter the syster of my wyfe my wyfe beynge alyue Here is forbyddē the fyrst degre of affinite the secōd of kyne or consanguinite thoughe the doughter or nefe of my brother or syster is not rekened to be forbydden Seyng that these be prouyded taken hede of by the law of God they must nedes be honest so that it were folysh hardynesse for a man put his decrees to the worde of God Those thynges that be spoken of the tymes that be voyde of spousels of the forbyddynge of the churche they be mans inuencyons And the spirituall kynred hath no testimony in the scripture Therfore yf it shyne and glyster wyth neuer so fare and goodly a lykenesse we maye as easely despise it as receaue it Why doth not holy fraternite let mariage by the which we are all knyt together in Christe
They be my brethrē and my systers as manye as confesse Christ That the order is a let vnto matrimony it is nothynge els but fals speakynge throughe hypocrysye for yf matrimony be a sacrament as they say I can not se why holy order can not suffer the holynesse of matrimony Mariage is honourable as the holy goost wytnesseth Heb. xiii And they thynke that the holynesse of matrimony is cōtrary to the holynesse of order the which thynge the Apostle neuer knewe .i. Timo. iii. Tit. i. Where he wyll that a byshoppe shulde be the husbande of one wyfe and .ii. Timo. iiii He calleth it the learnyng of deuels yf ony man forbyddeth matrimony .i. Corin. vii He sayeth not onely it is better to mary thē to burne but he commaundeth openly in this maner For the auoydyng of fornicacyon let euery man haue his wyfe Who is that euery mā is it not manyfest that mariage is fre to all men which haue not the gyft of chastite Saynt Ierome sheweth a cause why in the .ix. of the Actes Christ called S. Paule a chosen vessell namely because he was the storehouse of the lawe and of the holy scripture And against Iouinian he sayeth I wyll brynge forth Paule the Apostle whom as ofte as I reade I thynke that I heare not wordes but thōderyng But they which defende the fylthy syngle lyuynge despyse this thonderynge of this chosen vessel as the barkyng of a dogge they thynke that he that is within orders synneth deadly yf he mary a wyfe God the father dyd orden mariage the sonne dyd cōmende and honoure it with his presence and with his fyrst myracle the holy goost pronounced it honourable Paule the seruaunt of Iesu Christ forbyddeth not bisshoppes and deacons to be maryed And they which boast them of the Gospell nombre the mariage of prestes amonge deadly sinnes as a prophane and vnholy thynge the which the holynesse of order can not suffer Why beleue they not at the leaste the sentence of holy fathers for Theophilactus vpon the .viii. Chapter of Mathew sayeth Learne here that mariage hyndereth not a man from vertue for the prynce of the Apostles hadde a mother in lawe Farthermore we do alowe no deuorcement but in case of fornicacion as Christe sayeth Math. xix where as it is lawful for the vngylty after the deuorcemēt to mary agayn the which thynge myght be easely done yf the man aduouterer or the woman shulde be kylled after the law of God Deute xxxii Now they tary both vnmaried the which is a deuorcement rather in name and in worde then in dede The texte of Math. xix is manyfest Whosoeuer forsaketh his wyfe but only for fornication and maryeth an other he cōmitteth aduoutry For this clause that is put betwene except it be for fornicacyon declareth ruleth the whole sentence that yf ony fornicacyon do chaunce in the meane season he that forsaketh the woman aduouterer and maryeth an other he beynge vngylty that he cōmytted none aduoutry And why do not we in such cases go rather to the scripture that is inspyred of God then to those wryters of sūmes seynge that the Apostle .ii. to Tim. the iii. Chapter pronoūceth and sayeth that the scripture is profytable for correccyon and teachynge ¶ Of Bysshoppes The new learyng A Byshop is of hyer authorite then a symple prest and hath the reseruacyon and kepynge behynde to hym of certayne causes for the hyer that the degre is the greater and more is the power And this new learnynge wynketh at and ouerseeth the pōpe pryde more then worldly of them which cal themselues the successours of the Apostles and preach not the word of God the which is the moost worthy hye office in the church ¶ The olde learnynge When ther rose a contention amonge the disciples which of them shuld be thought greatest amonge them Christ sayd The lordes of the gentyles haue domination ouer them but it shal not be so amonge you Where as Christ wolde haue taken cleane out of the disciples myndes the desyre of honoure For yf oure Lorde and mayster dyd not come to be mynistred to but to mynister and serue other as it is Math. xx how muche lesse shall it become seruauntes to swell and be proude with worldly desyre of honoure The which thynge the Apostle teacheth playnly i. Cor. iiii So sayeth he let a man reken vs as mynisters and seruaūtes and disposers of the secretes of God he sayeth mynisters and seruauntes and not lordes and prynces of the worlde So in many places of his epystles he calleth hymselfe This place sayeth he maketh agaynst thē which do geue themselues to sloggysnesse ydelnesse and to slepe thinke that it is an offence yf they reade scripture and despyse them as bablers and vnprofitable which ar occupyed in the lawe of the Lorde both day and nyght not takynge hede that the Apostle cōmaunded euen learnyng also after the rehearsynge of the cōuersacyon of a byshoppe ¶ Of Ceremonyes Men reken that ceremonyes haue the name of a towne in Tuscia called Cerete and by ceremonyes we meane the worshippynge of God but outwardly ¶ The new learnynge The ceremonyes which our fathers ordened must be kepte and not chaunged the which are worshippynge of god For the religious men and rude prestes do defende the ceremonyes what so euer they be so styfly as thoughe holynesse consysted and stode in thē only For we haue sene in these tymes the holy orders contende and stryue wyth vnstaūcheable hatred amonge them selues for ceremonyes ¶ The olde learnynge We may not swarue nother to the ryght hand nor to the lefte hand but we must walk in the kynges hye way Our lyfe is in that case thal we can not be without ceremonyes For we be not angelical spirites but mē as long as we lyue in thys vysyble world in the preson of thys body we must nedes haue difference of workes of places of offices of tymes of persones of other thynges For we be as the Apostell sayeth Romano xii many membres and one body not hauynge all one acte or office But after that the lyght of the gospell came and folowed the shadow of the law we shuld vse very few ceremonyes as we haue baptyme and the supper of the Lorde after the ordinaunce of Christ in the newe testament For we vse as we be alwayes redy to the worste to set muche by ceremonyes and to conceaue a vayne opinion and confidence to be iustifyed by them yf they be perfectly done yf we leaue them vndone we conceaue a folysh feare that is of euery hande a noughty conscience Therfore lest we shuld swarue away from the pryke of trew holynesse let vs take fayth and charite vnto vs as the rulers and gyders of ceremonyes in the whiche yf they were done they myght be done godly Before all thynges we muste take great hyde and diligent prouision lest ceremonyes hurte and destroye the head the roote of oure religion