hys chyrch Cryste hym self that hath promisyd vnto th ende of the world to perseuer and abyde in hys church shall neuer suffer hys catholyk chyrch neyther to agree to the makynge of any law that shal be to god dampnably dysplesauÌ„t nor of eny trewth that god wolde were beluyd to determyne or beleue the contrary For than had Cryste whych ys all trouthe broken hys promyse and whych were blasphemy aÌ„d abhomynable to thynk were waxeÌ„ vntrew And therfore ouer thys as it may be that as I sayd before some thyngys in holy scrypture be not yet fully parceyuyd and vnderstandeÌ„ so am I very suâ—e that the chyrch neyther doth nor can do daÌ„pnably conster yt wrong whych yt shuld yf they shuld conster yt so as yt shuld make an artycle of mysbelyefe and of a false erronyous faythe As yf they shulde by mysseconstruccyoÌ„ of the scrypture bryng vp and beleue that Cryste were one god and egall wyth hys father and wyth the holy goste yf the trouth were otherwyse in dede And therefore syth the chyrche in whych Cryste ys assystente and hys holy spyryte caÌ„not to goddes displeasure and they re dampnacyoÌ„ fall in any false beleefe in eny suche substauncyall poynte of the fayth yt muste nedys be thâ—rfore that Arrius and all other heretykes be drowned in dampnable errours The coÌ„trary oppynyoÌ„ of whose execrable heresyes the church was in the begynninge taughte by the mouthe of Cryst hym self And after of his blissed appostels whyche redde declaryd the scrypturs amoÌ„g the peple in theyr tyme shewyng them in what wyse the wordis of holy scrypture prouyd the trouth of such artycles of the fayth as they taught them by mouth And how such textys as semyd the contrary were not contrary in dede And therwyth declaryd theÌ„ of those textys the ryght vnderstaÌ„dyng ¶ And albeyt that our sauyour shewyd playnly prouyd that in the scrypture was geuen good tokens suffycyent knowlege of hym yet to th entent we shulde well know that hys own word ordynaunce nedyth none othere authoryte but hym self but ys to be beleuyd and obeyd be it wryten or not wryten sum thyngys dyd he therfore byd to be doÌ„ suÌ„ thyngys also to be beleuyd wherof we haue in holy scripture no wrytiÌ„g in the world Saynt Poule coÌ„maundyth the people of Thessalonica in his epystle to kepe the tradycyons that he tâ—ke them eyther by hys wrytyng or by hys bare word For the wordis that he sayd among them our lorde had told them hym for them And therfore he writeth vnto the Corynthyes that of the holy howsell the sacramente of the auter he had shewyd them the mater the maner by mouth as our lord had hym self taught yt to hiÌ„ And therfore no dout ys there but that by thappostels was the chyrche more fully taughte of the mater than euer was wryten in all the scrypture There was lernid the maner and forme of consecracyon There was lernyd mych of the mystycall gesturys aÌ„d ceremonyes vsyd in the masse And yf any man dout therof let hym coÌ„syder where shuld we els haue the begynnig of the water put wyth the wyne into the chalyce For well we wot that the scrypture byddyth yt not And euery wyse man may well wyt thaÌ„ whan the gospell spekyth onely of wyâ—e there durst no maÌ„ in thys world haue bene so bold to â—ut eny thing els therto For wheÌ„ the gospell spekyth of wine onely tornyd into hys precyous blood what man wold adueÌ„ture to make any myxture of water And now ys the chyrch so well acertenid of goddys pleasure theryn wtoute any scrypture that they not onely dare put in water but also dare not leue yt oute And wherby knew the chyrch this thing but by god hys holy appostels whych taught in theyr tyme And so wente yt forth from age to age contynued in the chyrch vntyll thys day begon by god iÌ„ the begynnyng without any mencyon made iÌ„ holy scripture ¶ How beit Luther sayth because yt ys not coÌ„mauÌ„dyd by scrypture wee maye chese therefore whether we wyll do yt or leue yt For this one poynt ys the very foÌ„d fouÌ„dacioÌ„ grouÌ„d of all hys greate heresyes that a man is not bouÌ„deÌ„ to beleue eny thyng but if yt may be ê“uyd euideÌ„tly by scripture And theruppoÌ„ goth he so farforth that no scrypture caÌ„ be euideÌ„t to ê“ue eny â—hyng that he lyst to deny For â—e will not agre it for euydeÌ„t be it neuer so playn And he wyll call euideÌ„t for him that text that ys euydeÌ„t agaiÌ„st hiÌ„ And suÌ„time if it be to playn agaiÌ„st him thaÌ„ wyll he call it no scrypture as he playth with the pystle of saynt Iamys And because the olde holy doctors be full hole against him he settyth theÌ„ all at nought And wyth these worshipfull wyse ways he proclamyth hiÌ„ self a coÌ„querour where besidê all the reÌ„nauÌ„t wherin euery chylde may se hys proud fraÌ„tyk foly he ys shaÌ„fully put to flyght in the furst poynt that had at the furst face sum vysage of ê“babylyte How be it to say the trouthe he were a lewde lorell that wolde nothynge doo that hys master wold byd hym nor no thyng beleue but that his master wold tell hym but yf he take yt hym in wrytyng as Luther playth wyth Cryste Of whose wordys or actys he wyll beleue nothiÌ„g except he fynde yt in scripture and that playne euident Now must he by that meanys condemne the chyrch of Cryste for that they sayntyfy not the saturday which was the sabbaothe day instytute by god amonge the Iewes coÌ„maundyng the sabbat daye to be kept holy And albeyt the matter of the precepte ys morall the day legall so that yt may be chaunged yet wyll ther I weene no man thynke that euer the chyrch wold take vppon theÌ„ to chauÌ„ge yt wythout specyall ordynauÌ„ce of god wherof we fynd no remeÌ„braunce at all in holy scripture By what scripture is euydeÌ„tly knowen that euery maÌ„ womaÌ„ hath power to mynyster the sacrameÌ„t of baptysme Let yt be shewyd eyther coÌ„maundment councell lycence or example expressyd in scrypture ¶ Many thyngys ar there lyke whyche as holy doctours agree were taught thappostels by Cryste the church by thappostels and so comen downe to our days by coÌ„tynuall successyoÌ„ fro theyrs But I wyll lette all other passe ouer speke but of one ¶ Euery good cristen man I dout not beleuyth that oure blessyd Lady was a perpetuall vyrgyn aswell after the byrth of Cryste as before For yt were a straunge thynge that she shuld after that blessyd byrth be lesse myndid to clennes puryte and set lesse by her holy purpose ê“myse of chastyte vowed and dedycate vnto god theÌ„ she dyd before For suerly who so consyderyth the wordys of the gospell in saynt Luke shall well ê‘ceyue that shee had vowyd vyrginite For when the angell had sayd vnto her Lo thou shalt coÌ„ceyue in
cleue therto as though ye were sure by your confidence in god that his grace had inclined your asseÌ„t to the surer syde But sith he hath shewyd yow playnely by reasone that he hathe geuyn hys chyrch in all such thyngê knowlege of the trouthe ye wyll take the sure way and put your self out of all perplexitie yf in the poynte yt self the scryptures that touch it ye take for the truth that way that the chyrch tecythe you theriÌ„ how so euer the mater seme bysyde vnto your selfe or to eny man els The .xxix. chapyter ¶ The author proueth by scrypture that god instructethe the chyrche of Chryste in euery trouthe necessaryly requesyte for our saluacyon TRuly q he ye wynde yt well aboute But yet ye made as though ye wolde haue shewed that god had in scrypture told me that he had euer wold tell hys chyrch the trouthe in all suche maters And now ye brynge yt to the poynte not yâ— holy scrypture tellythe me the tale but maÌ„nys reasoÌ„ And suerly as I shewed you byfore I dare not well truste reasone in maters of fayth of holy scrypture ¶ I bygane quod I to proue yt you by scrypture and ye than put me out in the bygynnyng How be yt thys reason hath scrypture for hys foundacyon and grounde And thogh yt sum what bilde farther theron yet is it not reason alway to be mystrusted where fayth standyth not agaynst it nor god sayeth not the contrary Excepte reasoÌ„ be so farr out of credeÌ„ce with you that ye wyll not nowe byleue hym yf he tell you that twyse twayne make foure I wene ye wyll fare by reson as one dyd oÌ„s by a â—alse shrew he sware that he wold not for xx.li heere hym say hys crede For he knew him for such a lyer that he thoght he shuld neuer bileue hys crede after yf he hard yt onys of his mouth How be yt quod I lett vs yet see whyther god hym self in scrypture tell you the same tale or no. God tellyth you in scrypture that he wold be wyth his chirch to the ende of the worlde I thynke ye dowte not therof but those wordys he spake to the hole chyrch that than was and that euer shal be from thappostels dayes coÌ„tinued tyll the ende of the world ¶ That iÌ„ good fayth quod he must nedys be so ThaÌ„ were thys iÌ„ good fayth ynough quod I for oure purpose syth no maÌ„ dowteâ—h wherfore he wyll be with his chyrch excepte we shulde thynke that he wolde be therwythe for nothynge wherefore shulde he be wyth yt but to kepe yt preserue yt wyth thassystence of hys gracyous preseÌ„te from spyrytuall myschiefe specially and of all other specyally from infidelytie and from idolatrye whych was the specyall thiÌ„g from whych he called hys chirch owt of the gentyllys whych els as for morall verâ—ews polytycall yf they had nott lackyd the ryght cause and ende of referrynge they re actys to god were many of them not far vnder many of vs. Let vs go ferther Doth he not iÌ„ the .xiiii xv and .xvi. chapyter of saynte IohnÌ„ agayn and agayne repete that after his goyng he wyll cum agayne to theym And sayth he wyll not leue them orphanys as fatherles chyldern but wyll cuÌ„ to them agayn hym selfe Let vs adde now therunto the wordys bifore rehersed that he wylbe wyth theym tyll thâ— worldes ende and yt aperyth playne that he mente all thys by hys hole chyrche that shulde be to the worldes end ¶ whaÌ„ he sayd vnto theÌ„ I call you frendê for all that I haue harde of my father I haue made knowene to you he spake as to hys perpetuall chyrch and not to thapposteles alone but if he sayed to them alone these wordys also I coÌ„maunde that ye loue eche other so that none shuld loue eche othere after but onely they Now leste the thyngys that he taught theym shulde by the chyrch after be forgoten whych was more to be dowted than of theym self that hard it he sayd vnto theym also These thyngys quod he haue I spoken to you abidinge here wyth you But the â—omforter whych is the holy goste whoÌ„ me father shall send iÌ„ my name he shall tech you all thyng and he shall put you in mynde and rememberaunce of all thyng that I shall haue sayd vnto you So that here ye se that he shall agayn alway tech the chirch of new the olde lessons of Chryst. And he sayed also to theym that thys comforter thys holy gost yâ— spyryte of trouth shulde be sente to abide wyth them for euer whych can not be mente but of the hole chyrche For the holy gooste was not sente hyther into the erthe here to dwell wythe the appostels for euer for they dwelled not so long here Now yf the spryte of trouthe shall dwell in the chyrche for euer how caÌ„ the chyrche erre in perceyuynge of the trouthe in such thyngys I mene as god wyll bynd theÌ„ to know or shal be necessary for theym to know For onely of such thiÌ„gê meÌ„t oure lord whan he sayed that the holy goste shall teche theym all thynge For as saynte Poule sayeth the manifeâ—â—acyon and shewynge of the spyryte ys to the vtilitie profyt This holy spyrite also was not promysed by our sauiour chryst that he shulde onely tell hys chyrch agayne hys wordes but he sayd ferther I haue quod he besydes all thys many thynges to say to you but ye be not able to bere theym now But whaÌ„ he shall cum that is the spyryte of trouth he shall lede you in to all trouthe Lo our lord sayed not that the holy goost shuld write vnto his chyrch all trouth but that he shuld lede theym by secrete insperacyon and inclynacyon of theyr hartes in to all trouth in whyche must nedes be conceyued bothe informacyoÌ„ and ryghte byleue of euery necessary artycle and of the ryght and trew seÌ„se of holy scrypture as farre as shall be requysyte to conserue the chyrche from eny dampnable errour ¶ Now whan the holy goost shall by goddes ê“myse be for thys purpose abydynge in the chyrch for euer and Chryste hym selfe hath also sayd that he wyl not leue hys chyrch as orphanys but wyll cum hym selfe be wyth yt vnto the ende of the world and sayeth also that hys father ys in hym and he in hys father and that hys father and he be bothe one thynge not bothe one persone but bothe one substaunce and wyth the holy gooste bothe one god than must yt nedes folow that to the worldys ende there ys wyth the chyrch resydent the hole trynytye whose assystence beynge to the chyrche perpetuall how can yt at any tyme fall from trew fayth to false errous and heresyes The .xxx. chapyter ¶ where as the messeÌ„ger had thought byfore that yt were herde to bylyue any thyng certeynly saue holy scrypture though the chyrche dyd agre therin and commaunde yt the Authore sheweth
that we shuld go forth wyth all It ys no losse quod he for there is a good thyng well towched by the waye well q I let vs go bak agayne where we left syth ye agre that chryste spake hys wordys not to hys appostels onely for theyr owne tyme but suche thyngys as he sayd to theÌ„ he ment to al that shuld folow theÌ„ And ther of suÌ„what he spake to theÌ„ for the prestys bysshoppys onely As when he sayd vos estê sal terre ye be the salt of the erth suÌ„what to the hole flokke as when he sayd MandatuÌ„ nouuÌ„ do vobis vt diligatis inuicem sicut ego dilexi vos I geue you a new coÌ„maundment that you loue to gethere as I haue louyd you Tell me theÌ„ I requyre you whaÌ„ chryst sayd to saynt Peter sathanas hath desyred to syâ—â—e that as men syfte corne but I haue prayd for yâ— that thy faith shall not fayle sayde he thys to hâ— as a promyse of the fayth to be by goddes helpe ê‘petually kepte preseruyd in saynte peter only or elles in the hole churche that ys to wete the hole coÌ„gregacyoÌ„ of chrysten people professyng his name his fayth abydyng in the body of the same not being precided cut of meanyng that his fayth shuld neuer so vtterly fayle â— his church but that yt shulde hole entyere abide remayn theriÌ„ Mary q he this ys good to be aduysed of For though chryste for that more parte suche thyngys as he spake to oÌ„e spake to all accordiÌ„g to hys owne wordes q vm dico oÌ„nibê° dico that I say to one I say to all yet suÌ„ thyngis he sayd ment perticulerly as he spake it As when he bad saint peter cuÌ„ vpoÌ„ the water to hym he bad not the remenaunte com so And so may yt ê‘aduenture be that thys word was spoken and ment toward Peter alone That wylbe q I very harde to hold For his faythe after fayled But syth that vppon hys fyrst confessyon of the ryghte fayth that chryste was goddes soÌ„ our lorde made hym hys vniuersall vicare and vndere hym hed of hys churche And that for hys successour he shuld be the fyrst vppoÌ„ whoÌ„ whose ferme coÌ„fessed fayth he wolde bylde hys churche of any that was oÌ„ly maÌ„ make hym the fyrste chefe hed and ruler therof therfore he shewyd hym that hys faythe that is to wete the fayth by hym confessed shuld neuer fayle in hys churche nor neuer dyd yt not wythstaÌ„dyng hys denyeÌ„g For yet stode styll the lyghte of faythe in our lady of whom wee rede in the gospell contynewall assystence to her swetest son wythout fleyng or flyttiÌ„g And in all other we fynde eyther â—â—riÌ„g from hym one tyme or other or ellys doute of his resurreccyoÌ„ after hys deth hys dere mother only excepte For the sygnyfycacyon and rememberaunce wherof the church yerely in the â—enebre lessons leueth her caÌ„dyll burnyng styll when all the remnaunt that signyfyeth hys appostels and dyscyples be one by one put out And syth his fayth iÌ„ eâ—tect fayled and yet the faythe that he ê“fessyd abode styll in our lady the promyse that god made was as it semith ment not to hym but as hed of the churche And therfore our lorde added therto And thou beyng one of these dayes conuertyd conferme strength thy brethern In whych by these wordê our sauyour meÌ„t ê“mysed that the fayth shuld stand foreuer So that the gates of hell shulde not preuayle there agaynste Or elles myght ye say that these wordys spoken to saynt peter fede my shepe was meÌ„t but for hym selfe no coÌ„maundmente to any successour of his or any bysshop or prelate Andby that mean myght ye say also that these wordes of Chrystys promyse made vnto his dyssyples that the holy goste shuld enstructe them of all thyngys were only mente for them selfe in they re owne parsons And not that euer he shulde eÌ„structe his church afâ—ere they re dayes And whenne he sayd wherso euer be ii.or.iii.gathered to gether in my name there aÌ„ I my self among them we shall say by thys meanes that he ment but of hys own dyscyples in his owne tyme whyle he was here wyth them and not that he wold be lyke wyse present wyth suche othere congregacyons iÌ„ his chyrch after And fynally theÌ„ were these wordys frustrat where he sayd Lo I am wyth you all the dayes to the worldes ende yf he shude mene yt but wyth them that hard hym speke yt then shuld yt appere that he had intendyd a chyrche onely of them and for theyr tyme And them from theyr dethe hether all were don ¶ Uerely syr quod he I can well agre that all suche thyngys was spoken by christ to make them sure that the faythe shulde neuer fayle iÌ„ his churche How be it if I durst doute in that poynt one thyng is there that sumwhat styckethe in my mynd Doute on quod I betwene vs twayn spare not nor let not to tell me what moueth you Syr q he I thynk that god setteth no more by fayth theÌ„ he doth by charyte but as for charyte good worâ—ê with vertuous lyuyng shall coole decaye in the churche as our sauyoure sayth iÌ„ the xxiiii.chapyter of mathew Because iniquite shall abouÌ„d that charyte of many men shall coole And surely me thynkythe it is well nere all gon all redy God forbede quod I. For all be yt that yt gretly day by day decayeth and moche people nought yet be ther many good men abowte shal be allwey thoughe they be few in coÌ„paryson of the multytude And yet is yt not all one of other vertuous and of faythe that ys to wete of knowlege and byleue of tharticles of our fayth I mene of such artycles as we be of necessyte bounden to beleue For albe yt that the flokke of chryste shall neuer lake good deuout vertuouse people yet shall both the best be synners and also moch more the multytude shall euer haue the faythe that I speke of thaÌ„ shall haue the goodnes of liuing why so q he For. ii.causes q I. one yâ— malyce of the peple wherby they wyll not be so redye to lyue well as to beleue well for the peple theÌ„ self wyll better kepe the fayth theÌ„ otâ—er vertues syth it is a thiÌ„g of lâ—s labour to know what they shuld byleue and to beleue yt all so when they knowe yt then yt ys to worke well For though the knowlege and byleue bryng many men to the laboure of good workys yet the worlde coÌ„menly and the fraylete of our flesshe wyth theÌ„tycement of our gostly eÌ„mys make vs wylliÌ„gly and wyttyngly well knowyng and beleuyng the good yet to walke in the worse as doth suÌ„tyme the syk man that byleuynge hys phisycyon and hauyng had also ryght often good profe by his owne experyence to hys payne before that suÌ„ certeyn mete or drynke shall doo hym harme
he full hard wer it in myne own mynd otherwyse to thynk but the god shall allway kepe the ryght byleue in hys churche But yet sythe we come to thys conclusyon by the grauntyng therof let vs loke onys agayne thereuppon And what yf mâ— wold saye as I hard onys owne saye my self the god doth peraduenture not kepe alwaye fayth in hys churche to gyue theÌ„ warnyng wyth when they doo well wheÌ„ the contrary But syth he hath geuen theâ—m and lefte wyth theym the scrypture iÌ„ whyche they may suffycyeÌ„tly see both what they shuld byleue and what they shuld doo he letteth theym alone therwyth wythoute any other specyall cure of hys vppon they re fayth and by lefe For therein they may see all that theÌ„ nedyth if they wyll loke labour theriÌ„ And if they wyll not the faulte is theyr owne slouth and foly And who so bee wyllyng to mend and be better maye alway haue light to se how by recours to the redyng of holy scrypture whych shall stande hym iÌ„ lyke stede as ye sayd byfore the god kepte the fayth for by hys specyall menys in hys chyrch ¶ yf this q I were thus wherof shuld chrystes promyse serue Ego vobiscuÌ„ sum oÌ„nibus diebus vsque ad finem secult I aÌ„ wyth you all the dayes tyll th ende of yâ— worlde wherefore shold he be here with hys churche yf hys beyng here shulde not kepe his ryght fayth and byleue in hys churche Mary q he these wordys well agreeth wyth all for god ys shal be vntyll the worldes ende wythe hys churche in his holy scripture As Abraham answerd the ryche man in hell seyeng they haue Moyses and the prophites not meanyng that they had theÌ„ all at that tyme present wyth theÌ„ but only that they had theyr boyks And so chryst for asmoche as the scrypture hath hys fayth comprehendyd therin according to his own wordes Scrutamini scripturas quia scripture sunt qtestimonium perhibent de me Serche you the scryptures for they bere witnes of me therfore he sayd Ego vobiscum sum vsque ad finem seculi I am wyth you to th end of the world because his holy scrypture shall neuer fayle as long as the worlde endureth Heuyn and yerth sayth he shall passe away but my wordes shall neuer passe away And therfore iÌ„ his holy wrytiÌ„g is he with vs styll and theriÌ„ he kepyth and techeth vs his ryght fayth yf we lyste to loke for yt ellys as I sayde our owne fawte and foly yt ys ¶ yf god quod I be none otherwyse wyth vs but iÌ„ holy scripture then be those wordys of chryste I am wythe you to yâ— worldes ende suÌ„what straungely spoken and vnlyke the wordes of Abraham whereunto ye resemble theÌ„ For chryst left neuer a boke behynde hym of hys owne makynge as Moyses did and the profytis And in theyr bokys was he spokiÌ„ of as he was in the gospell wherfore if he had spokeÌ„ and ment of scrypture he wold haue sayd that they shuld haue wyth them styll hys euangelystes and wryters of his gospels as AbrahaÌ„ sayd they haue moyses and the prophetis whych were the writers of the bokâ—s that the ieâ—es had Chryst also sayd I am wyth you tyll th end of the worlde not I shal be but am whyche ys the word apê“pâ—yed to hys godhed And therfor that word am is the name by whych our lord â—â—â—d â—s he tolde Moyses be named vnto pharao as a name whyche from all cretures syth they be all subget to tyme clerly dyscernyth hys godhed whyche ys euer beyng and present wythowte dyfference of tyme paste or to come In whych wyse he was not in his holy scrypture for that had begynnyng And at those wordys spoken was not yet all wryten For of the chefe part which ys the new testament ther was yet at that time neuer on word wreten And also we be not sure bi any ê“mis made that the scrypture shall enoure to the worldes ende albeit I thynk verely the substaunce shall But yet as I saye ê“mise haue we none thereof For where our lorde sayth that hys wordes shall not passe away nor one â—ote therof be lost he spake of his promyses made in deâ—e as hys faythe and doctryne taught by mouth and inspyracion Not that the wrytyng shuld neuer be lost oâ— whyth sum partyes be all redy loste more per aduenture then we can tell of And of that we haue the bokys in sum partâ— corrupted wyth mysse wrytynge And yet the substance of those wordys that he ment ben knowen wher sum parte of the wrytyng ys vnknown He sayth also that hys father and he shulde send the holye goste and also that he wâ—lde coÌ„ hym selfe wherto all thys yf he meÌ„t no more but to leue the bokys bâ—hynd them and go they re way Chryste is al so present amâ—ng vs bodyly iÌ„ the holy sacramente And ys he there presente wyth vs for nothyng The holy goste taught many thyngê I thynk vnwryten and wherof sum parte was neuer comprysyd iÌ„ the scrypture yet vnto thys daye as the artycle whyche no goode chrysten man wyll doute â—f that oure blessyd lady was a perpâ—tuall vyrgyn aswell after the byrthe of chryste as afore Owre sauiour â—lso sâ—yâ— vnto his Apposteles that wheÌ„ they shuld be accused and brought in Iugement they shuld not nede to care for answere yt shulde euen theÌ„ he put iÌ„ ther myndes And that he mente not only the remeÌ„braunce of holy scripture which before the paynym iugê were but a colde and bare allegyng but suche wordes newe geuen them by god inspyred in they re hertê so effectuall and coÌ„fermid wyth myracles that theyr aduersaries though they were angry therat yet shuld not bee able to resyste yt And thus wythe secret helpe and inspiracion ys chryste wyth hys churche and wylbe to the worldes ende present and assystent Not oÌ„ly spoken of in wrytyng ¶ The .xxi. chapyter ¶ The author sheweth that yf yt so were in dede as the messenger sayd that is to wytt that chryste coÌ„tynued wyth hys chyrch none other wise but only by the leuynge of hys holye scrypture to theym and that all the fayth also were oÌ„ly therin thaÌ„ shuld it yet folow that as far as the necessyte of our saluacyon requyreth god geueth the chyrch the ryght vndeâ—staÌ„dyng therof And theruppon foloweth â—arther that the chyrche can not err in the tyght fayth whereuppon is inferred eâ—te sone all that the messeÌ„ger wold haue fled fro byfore And therâ—n also specially followeth that â—ll thâ— texâ—ê of holy scripture whych herytyques alledge agaynst ymagê or eny poynt of the comen byleue of Chrystys catholique church can no thyng serue they re purpose BUt now wold I wytte syth ye reken hym none other wyse present theÌ„ in holy scrypture whether theÌ„ doth he gyue hys churche the ryght vnderstandyng of holy scrypture or not ¶ what yf he do not quod he ¶ Mary quod
suffered hys wyffe our mother Eue to be sad and angry bothe lyke a womaÌ„ to weepe to than to haue eten thapple for fâ—leshype to please her wythe all Now dyd all the syn anon springe vp for the more parte vppon yâ— occacyon of fedyng and eÌ„genderynge wherof spronge couytouse glotenye â—louth wroth lechery And many tymes pryde eÌ„uye as one perceyuyng hym selfe in these thyngys in better coÌ„dycyoÌ„ or worse thaÌ„ a nother so bygan to coÌ„ceyue a settynge by hym selfe wt-toÌ„ tempte of other or eÌ„uye hatered to some other sauyng the pryde sometime also sprang out of the soule so liked it selfe that it eÌ„uyed the better as Cayme dyd Abell for to be the more set by pryde loÌ„ged superfluously to get by couâ—tyse gredynes many folkys lyuyâ—gys in hys own haÌ„des to make other folâ—ys serue hym honour haÌ„ge vppon hym for necessite And of all these myschieâ—fes was alway seÌ„sualyte redy to mynyster mater by all the dorys windous of the body by felynge tastiÌ„g smelliÌ„g syght heeryng ceased neuer to seÌ„de in occasyoÌ„s to yâ— soule nor the deuyll neuer ceacyd for hysâ— parte dylygeÌ„tly to put forward Agaynst whoÌ„ did reasoÌ„ resiste wyth good counsayle geuyn to the soule good spritê appoynted by god gaue theyr helpe also and god assysted wyth hys ayde and grace where he founde the person wyllynge to worke therwyth And iÌ„ this maner continued man long tyme not wythe oute reuelacyoÌ„ of Chryste onys to cuÌ„ whyche faythe delyuered to the father went by mouthe to the sonne And so froÌ„ chylde to chylde herd and byleued among theym And what so were god dys pleasure bysyde that nature and râ—ason could not playnly shew theym god of his goodnes by speciall mesage gaue theym vndouted knowlege as he did to Noe Loth and Abraham and diuerse other wherof some be synnys wrytten and comprised iÌ„ scripture of lykelyhed not all For well probable is it that the patryarkys in dyuerse thingê that they dyd as in they re dyuerse maryagys and sum such other thyngys as than were by theym well done for the time were to theim appoynted specially by god for causys well knowene to hym selfe and vnknowen to vs and the thyngis now forbeden vs and therfore to vs vnlefull excepte goddys lyke ordinaunce or dispensacyon shulde herafter in generall or pertyculer be reueled to the contrary ¶ But so was yt after that the worlde waxynge worse ryght good and vertuouse linagys declynid and decayed And by the the lewde coÌ„uersacyon of euyll people fell by dysorder in suche a blyndnes yâ— albe it some were there alway that perceyued well they re dutye yet were the coÌ„men people of yâ— chyldern of Israell by custome of syn so darked in they re naturall knowlege that they lacked in many thingis the ryght perceyuyng that reasoÌ„ had it not bene by euyll custoÌ„e corrupted might verily well haue shewed theym For the remedy whereof god of hys endlesse mercy by the law wrytten wythe his own fiÌ„ger vnto Moyses iÌ„ the tables of stone by the .x. coÌ„maundementys put in remeÌ„beraunce agayne certeyne coÌ„clusyons of the law of nature which they re reason ouerwhelmed wyth sensualytye had than forgotten And to th ende that they shuld kepe his bihestê the better he gaue theym a greate hepe of the lawes and cerymoneys moo to kepe theym in strayte for strayynge abrode in ryot And wroughte greate wonders that theye shulde well se that those thyngys were hys owne deede wherby they myght haue the more drede to transgresse them And there in wrytyng he gaue a warnyng also of cryst that god wolde onys send them spryngyng of themself to whom they shuld gyue herynge in stede of Moyses Of whoÌ„ also as well before as after by Patryarkes and prophetys by fygures prophesyes god ceaced not iÌ„ such wise to foreshew hys cummyng hys cause hys lyuyng hys deyng hys resurreccyon and hys holy actys that yf pryde enuy had not lettyd it the fygurys aÌ„d prophysyes sett comparyd wyth hys cummyng conuersacyon doyngys myghte well haue made all the Iewes to know hym And for the parceyuyng and good vnderstandyng of the lawe wryten he sent alway sum good men whose wordys well lyuyng and sumtyme also manyfeste myracles shewed therwyth neuer left them destytute of suffycyent knolege that loÌ„gyd to lern the lawe Not to plete it and for glory to dyspute itt but to teche ytt agayne mekely And as mannys fraylte could suffer it specyally to fulfyll kepe it ¶ yet after all thys wheÌ„ the world was in a more decay ruyne of all vertew than caÌ„ our sauyour Cryste to redeme vs with hys deth leue vs hys new law wherof was long before prophecied by the prophete Hyeromy Lo the days be comyng sayth our lord whaÌ„ I shall order dyspose to the house of Israell the house of Iuda a new couenauÌ„t or testament I shall gyue my law in they re myndys And I shall wryte yt in theyr hart I wylbe theyr lord they shal be my people Thys law wryteÌ„ in meÌ„nys hartys was accordyng to the wordys of the ê“phet fuâ—st broght by our sauyour to the house of Israell the house of Iuda to whoÌ„ as hym self sayth he was specyally sent I am not seÌ„t sayth our lorde but vnto the shepe that are peryshyd of the house of Israell And also he sayd it ys not good to take the brede fro the borde of the chyldern cast yt to doggê But yet not onely the redy towardnes of sum other causâ—d theÌ„ to be partetakers of the brede but also sone after the stubbernes obstynate infydelyte of the iewes causyd seynt poule thappostels to say vnto their face The gospell of Crist was ordenyd by god to be furst prechyd vnto you But syth that ye refuse yt Lo we depart froÌ„ you to the gentylys And so was in theyr stede the chyrch gatheryd of all the world abrode All whych not wythstandyng both were there at that tyme out of the Iewes coÌ„uertyd made many a good crysten man manye of the same peple turnyd vnto Cryst syns in conclusyoÌ„ the tyme shall cuÌ„ wheÌ„ the remnauÌ„t that shal be than lefte shall saue them selfe by the same faythe Thys ys callyd the law of Crystis fayth the law of hys holye gospell I mene not onely the wordys wryten in the bokys of his euangelistys but mych more specyally the substaunce of our fayth yt self whych our lorde sayd he wolde wryte in mennys hartys not onely because of the secrete operacyon of god hys holy spyryte in iustyfyeÌ„g the good crysteÌ„ ether by the workiÌ„g with maÌ„nys good wyll to the ê‘feccyon of fayth in his soule or wyth the good intent of the offerers to the secret infusyon of that vertew into the soule of an innoceÌ„t infant but also for that he furst wythout wryting reueled those heuenly mysteryes by hys blessed mouth thorow the
erys of hys apostels dyscyples iÌ„ to theyr holy hartys And by them in lyke maner furst wythowt wrytyng by onely wordys prechyng so spredde yt abrode in the world that hys faythe was by the mouthys of hys holy messengers put into meÌ„nys erys and by hys holy hande wryten in mennys hartys or euer eny worde thereof almoste was wrytten in the boke And so was it conuenyeÌ„t for the law of lyfe rather to be wryten in the lyuely myndys off men than in the dede skynnys of bestys And I nothynge dowt but all had ytt so beene that neuer gospell had bene wrytten yet shoulde the substaunce of thys faythe neuer haue fallen oute of chrysten folkys hartys but the same spyryte that plantyde yt the same shulde haue wateryd it the same shulde haue kepte yt the same shoulde haue encreased yt ¶ But so hath yt lyked oure lorde after hys hye wysdome to prouyde that some of his dyscyples haue writen many thingys of his holy lyfe doctryne and fayth and yet farre from all which as saynt Iohn sayth the worlde coude not haue comprehen hyd ¶ These bokis ar tempryd by the secrete couÌ„cell of the holy gost so playn and symple that euery man may fynd in theym that he may parceyueâ— And yet so highe agayne and so harde that no maÌ„ ys there so connyng but he may fynde in them thyngys farr aboue hys reche farre to profound to perce vnto Now were to the crysten peple the poyntys of Crystê fayth wyth whych poyntys our lord wold haue them chargyd knowen as I say and plantyd before and by reson therof they farr the beter vnderstode those bokê And all thogh there myghte happely be some textys whych were not yet of necessyte for theÌ„ to parceyue yet by the poyntê of theyr fayth were they warnyd that no texte myghte there be constrewyd contrary to theyr fayth ¶ And none EuaÌ„gelyst was there nor none Appostle that by wrytyng euer sent the fayth to eny nacyon but yf they were furst enformyd by worde and that god had begon his church in yâ— place ¶ And for my parte I wolde lytyll dout but that the euangelystys and appostels bothe of many gret and secrete mysteryes spake much more openly much more playnely by mouth amoÌ„g the peple than euer they put yt iÌ„ wrytyng for as much as theyr wrytyngys were lykly ynough at that tyme to come into the handys of paganys paynyms such hoggys doggê as were not metely to haue those precyous perlys put vppon they re nose nor that holy foode to be dashyd in they re teeth For whych cause saynt Peter in hys furste sermon vnto the Iewes abstaynyd fâ—oÌ„ the declaracyon of Crystis godhed egalytee wyth hys father as our sauiour him self when the Iewes that were vnworthy to here yt were offeÌ„dyd wyth that he told them playnly that he was the sonne of god wythdrewe the doctryne from them agayn coueryd yt wyth the verse of the prophete I haue sayd ye be goddys sonnys of the hye god all as though he wolâ—e say what greuyth it you that name in me which name god by that prophet hath gyuen to all good men In which demeanure he denyed not the trouth that he had sayd of him self but he blyndyd theyr wylfully wynkyng eyes iÌ„ hydyng puttyng vp agayn the iewell that he began to brynge forth shew theÌ„â— the bryght lustre wheroâ— theyr bleryd eyes myght not endure to beâ—old ¶ And what maruell thogh thappostels thus did in theyr speche afore infydels or wrytyng that myghte cuÌ„ into pagans haÌ„dys whan it apperyth vppoÌ„ the epystels of saynt Pouâ—e that amoÌ„g the crysten flok where he taught theÌ„ by mouth he told theÌ„ not all the trothys at one tale Not oÌ„ly for that yt were to loÌ„g but also for that in the begynnyng they coud not happely well abyden yt And therfore as Cryste sayd to his dyscyples I haue more to say to you but ye be not able to bere yt yet whyche onys apperyd what tyme yâ— vppon the dysclosyng of the grete mystery of the holy sacrament the holy flesh of hys body yâ— herers sayd who can abyde thys harde worde therw t wente almost all they re waye so did saynte Poule I say by the Corynthians not teche theÌ„ all at onys And therfore he sayth in hys epistle to them I haue geuen yow hetherto but mylk not stroÌ„g mete And wysdome speke we sayth he amoÌ„g folk yâ— be parâ—yt Nor I mene not this that there were eny poyntis of the substauÌ„ce of yâ— fayth whych he shewyd to the clargy that he kept froÌ„ the lay people or shewyd vnto one man that he kept froÌ„ a nother but yâ— to no maÌ„ lyghtly he shewed all at onys But because sum caÌ„ froÌ„ the Iewes and sum caÌ„ of yâ— gentylys therfore as they were so were they haÌ„delyd not oÌ„ly by grace but also by wysdome not only in the poyntys of the fayth but also in the rytys â—nd â—eremonyes eyther of the churche or of Moyses lawe whereof some cerâ—monyes were forthwyth abolyshed some nott by and by and some taken iÌ„ to the church of Cryste and obseruyd styll But in conclusyoÌ„ when they were mete therefore they were all taughte all that god wold haue them bounden to beleue And than dout I nothyng but the many thyngis that now be very darke in holy scrypture were by thappostels to whoÌ„ oure lord openyd theyr wyttys yâ— they myght vnderstand scripture so playnly declaryd that they were by the people well and clerely vnderstaÌ„den I say not all the hole scripture in whych it may be that many a secrete mystery lyeth yet coueryd coÌ„cernynge the comyng of Antecryste the day maner fassyon of the fynall iudgement whyche shall neuer be fully dysclosyd tyll the tymys appoyntyd by goddys hye prouydence mete conuenient for them And from tyme to tyme as yt lykyth hys maieste to haue thyngys knowen or done in hys chyrche so ys yt no dout but he temperyth hys reuelacyoÌ„s in such wyse doth insumate inspyre them into the brestys of hys crysten people that by the secrete instynct of the holy gost they consent and agre to gether iÌ„ one except heretykys that rebell and refuse to be obedyent to god his chirchâ— who be therby cut of froÌ„ the liuely tre of that vyne and waxing withered braunches be kept but for the fire furst here after in hell except they repent call for grace that may graft them into the stok agayne But as it may be that many thyngys be there not all at onys reuelyd vnderstaÌ„den in yâ— scrypture but by soÌ„dry tymys agys mo thyngê and mo by god vnto hys chyrch dysclosyd and that as yt shall lyke hys hygh goodnes wysdome to dyspence and dyspose so in thyngys to be done may fall in hys chyrche varyete mutacyon chaunge so am I very sure that the holy goste that god sent into
techith his chirch wtout scriptur agaynst our owne miÌ„de also to gyue dylygent heryng ferme credence and faythfull obedieÌ„ce to that chyrch of chryst concernyng the sence vnderstaÌ„dyng of holy scripture Not dowtiÌ„g but sith he hath coÌ„maÌ„ded his shepe to be fedde he hath prouyded for theym holesome mete and trewe doctryne And that he hath therfore so farre inspyred the olde holy doctours of his chyrch with the lyght of his grace for our instrucâ—yoÌ„ that the doctrine wherin they haue agreed and by many agys conseÌ„ted is that very true fayth and ryght way to heuyn beyng put in theyr myndes by the holy haÌ„d of hym qui facit vnanimes iÌ„ domo that maketh yâ— chyrch of Cryst all of one mynd The .xxviii. chapyter ¶ The messenger eft sonys obiected agaynst thys that we shulde byleue yâ— chyrch iÌ„ any thyng where we fynd the wordes of scrypture semiÌ„g playnely to say the contrary or byleue yâ— olde doctours interpretacyons in any necessary artycle where they seme to vs to say coÌ„trary to the texte shewiÌ„g that we may ê‘ceyue yâ— scripture aswel as they might the answer of the author ê“uiÌ„g the authorite of the old interpters the infallible authorite of the chirch iÌ„ yâ— god techith it euery truthe requysite to the necessite of maÌ„nys saluacyoÌ„ which he ê“ueth by a deducey oÌ„ ê‘tely depeÌ„diÌ„g vppoÌ„ naturall resoÌ„ IT semeth me quod he that all thys goth well that we shulde byleue the chyrch as chryst as longe as they say as Cryst sayth for some thynkethe ment our lorde ¶ But now yf they tel me talis of theyr owne wherof Cryst neuer spake worde nor mencyoÌ„ made therof in holy scrypture I may thaÌ„ say with the ê“phet Hieremie noÌ„ mittebaÌ„ prophetas et ipsi currebant Non loquebar ad eds et ipsi prophetabant those prophetis quod our lord ranne forthe of they re owne hed and I sent theym not And ê“phecyed of theyr owne heddes whaÌ„ I spake nothyng to theym And than how myche may I more say so yf they say me a thynge wherof Cryste or holy scrypture sayth the contrary shall I byleue the chyrch aboue chyrste were that a good humylyte to be obedyent more to menne than to god More ought I me thynketh to byleue god aboue spekynge in hys holy scrypture hym selfe than all the olde fathers yf they make a glose agaynste the texte Nor they doo nott theym selfe for they re opynyons say wryte that they haue theym by inspyracyon or by reuelacyon or by myracle But by wysedome studye dylygence and collacyoÌ„ of one texte wyth a nother By all whych meanys men may now perceyue the senteÌ„ce of scrypture as well as they myght than And yf ye wyll peraduenture say that grace holpe theâ—m whych I wyll well agree than wyll I say agayne that goddys grace is not so farre worn oute yet but yâ— yt may as well helpe vs as yt holpe theym and so may we be for the ryght vnderstandynge of scrypture equall wyth theym and peraduenture one ace aboue theym wherby whan we ê“ceyue that they went wrong and other after theym shall we than call yt humylyte so to captyue subdue our vnderstandynge wherby god hath happely geuen vs lyght to perceyue theyr errours that without thank geuyn him therfore we shall so sett hys gyfte at nought that we shall byleue theym byfore hym selfe tell hym that hym self bad soâ—â— therfore me thiÌ„ke where yâ— old doctours or the holy chyrche telleth me the tale that god doth ther he byddeth me byleue theym But where god sayeth one thynge in scrypture and they tell me a nother yt thynkith me that I shuld in no wyse byleue theym ¶ well quod I than in suÌ„what ye saye ye will bileue the chirch but not in all In eny thynge bysyde scrypture ye wyll not nor in the interpretacion of scrypture ye wyll not And so where ye sayed that ye byleue the chyrch in suÌ„what in very dede ye beleue the church iÌ„ right nought For wherein wyll ye byleue yt yf ye byleue it not in the interpretacioÌ„ of scripture For as touchynge the texte ye byleue the scrypture self and not the chirch ¶ Me thynketh q he the text ys good ynough and playne ynough nedynge no glose yf yt be well consydered euery parte compared with other ¶ Hard yt were quod I to fynde eny thynge so playne that yt shulde nede no glose at all ¶ In faythe quod he theye make a gloâ—e to suÌ„ textys that be as playne as yt is yâ— twise two make four ¶ why quod I nedeth that no glose at all ¶ I trow so quod he Or els the deuyll ys oÌ„ yt ¶ I wysse quod I and yet though ye wole bileue one that wold tell you that twise two gaÌ„ders made alway foure gese yet ye wolde be aduysed ere ye byleued hym that wolde tell you that twyse two geese made alway foure ganders For theriÌ„ might ye be deceyued And him wold ye not byleue at all that wolde tell you that twise two gese wold alway make foure horse ¶ Tut quod he thys ys a mery mater They must be all that twyse twayne alway of one kynde But gese and horse be of dyuerse ¶ well quod I than euery man that ys neythere gose nor horseseâ—th well that there is one glose yet But nowe quod I the geese and the ganders be both of one kynde and yet twyse two gese make not alway foure ganders ¶ A swete mater quod he ye wote what I meane well ynough ¶ I thynke I do quod Iâ— but I thinke if ye bryng yt furth yt wyll make a nothere glose to your texte as playne as youre texte ys and ye wyll in all holy scrypture haue no glose at all And yet wyll ye haue collaâ—yon made of one texte with a nother and shew how they may be agreed to gether as thogh all that were no glose ¶ ye quod he but wold you that we shulde byleue the chyrch yf yt seâ—t a glose that wyll in no wyse agree wyth the text but that it aperyth playnly that the texte well consydered sayeth clene the contrary ¶ To whoÌ„ dothe that apere quod I so playnly whaÌ„ yt aperyth one to you and to the hole chirch a nother ¶ yet yf I se yt so quod he though holy doctours all the hole chyrch wolde tell me the contrarye me thynkythe I were no more bounden to bileue them all that the scrypture menith as they take yt than if they wolde all tell me that a thynge were whyte whych I se my self ys blak ¶ Of late quod I ye wolde byleue the chirch in sum thynge And now not onely ye wold byleue it in nothiÌ„g but also where as god wold the church shulde be your iudge ye wold now be iudge ouer the chirche And ye wyll by your wyt be iudge whyther the chyrch in the vnderstaÌ„dynge of holy scripture that god hath wryten to hys chyrche
toÌ„g neyther expsse the thyngis that be meÌ„t by theÌ„ also there appeth the circuÌ„stauÌ„cê well coÌ„sidered that he had a mischeuoê° mind iÌ„ the chauÌ„ge For fyrst as for prestê psthed though that of old they vsed comeÌ„ly to chese wel elderly meÌ„ to be prestê therfore in the greke tong prestys wer called presbiteri as we myght say elder men yet nether were all prestê chosen old as apperyth by saiÌ„te Poule wrytiÌ„g to Timotheê° nemo iuuentureÌ„ tuaÌ„ coÌ„teÌ„pnat let no maÌ„ coÌ„teÌ„pne thy youth nor euery elder maÌ„ is not a prest And in our englysh tonge thys word senyor sygnyfieth nothiÌ„g at al but is a french word vsed in englysh more than halfe in mockage whan one wyll call a nother my lord in scorn And if he mene to take the laten worde senyor the word iÌ„ the lateÌ„ toÌ„g neuer sygnyfyed a prest but only an elder maÌ„ By whych name of elder meÌ„ yf he wold call the prestê eÌ„glishly thaÌ„ shold he rather sygnify theyr age thaÌ„ theyr of fyce And yet the name doth iÌ„ eÌ„glish plaiÌ„ly sygnify chaldermen of the cyties nothyng the prestys of the chyrch And thus may we ê‘ceyue that rather than he wolde call a prest by the name of a prest he wold seke a new word he neyther wyst nor cared what ¶ Now where he calleth the chyrch alway the coÌ„gregacyoÌ„ what resoÌ„ had he therin For euery maÌ„ well seeth the though the chyrch be in dede a coÌ„gregacioÌ„ yet is not euery coÌ„gregacioÌ„ the chirch buâ— a coÌ„gregacioÌ„ of cristeÌ„ peple whiche coÌ„gregacioÌ„ of crysten peple hath ben in â—gloÌ„d alway called known by the name of the chirch which name what good cause or colour could he find to torn in to the name of coÌ„gregacioÌ„ whych worde is comeÌ„ to a coÌ„pany of cristeÌ„ meÌ„ or a coÌ„pany of turkys ¶ Lyke wysdom was there in the chauÌ„ge of thys word charyte iÌ„ to loue For though charyte be alway loue yet is not ye wote well loue allway charyte ¶ The more pytye by my fayth q your freÌ„d the euer loue was syn And yet it wold not be so mich so takeÌ„ if the world were no more suspecioê° than they say that good saiÌ„t FraÌ„cê â—â—s which whaÌ„ he saw a yong maÌ„â—is a girle onis iÌ„ way of good coÌ„pany kneled downe held vp hys handys in to heuen hyghly thanking god that charite was not yet gone oute of thys wreched world ¶ He had quod In good mynde did lyke a good maÌ„ that demed all thyng to the best ¶ So say I to quod he But how farr be folke fallen fro the good mynde now Men be now a dayes waxen so full of mystrust that sum man wold in fayth wene hys wyfe were noughte yf he shuld but fynde her in bed wyth a pore frete ¶ Forsothe ye be a wanton quod I. But yet in erneste how lyke you the chaunge of these wordys ¶ Surely q he very naught And that yt was not well nor wysely done ther wyl I trow no good wyse man deny but yet whyther HycheÌ„s had in the translacyoÌ„ therof eny malycyous purpose or not therin wyll I till I se ferther play saynt FrauÌ„cys parte and iudge the man no wors than the mater requyrethe ¶ Fyrste quod I wolde ye that the boke shulde go forth and be red styll in that fassyoÌ„ ¶ Nay in goode faythe quod he that wold I not yf he vse yt so very often ¶ with that word quod I ye hytte the nayle on the hed For surely yf he chauÌ„ged the comen knowen word in to the better I wolde well alowe yt If he chauÌ„gid it in to as good I wold suffer yt yf sum what in to worse so he dyd yt selde I wolde wynke at hyt But now whaÌ„ he chauÌ„geth the known vsuall namys of so grete thingis in to so far the worse and that not repeteth seldome but so ofteÌ„ so contynually inculketh that almost in the hole boke hys lewde chaunge he neuer chaungeth in thys maner coulde no man deme other but that the man ment myscheuously scaÌ„t such a good sely soule as wolde wene all were well whan he found hys wyfe where ye sayd ryght now yf he called charyte somtyme by the bare name of loue I wolde not stykke therat But now where as charyte sygnyfyethe in englysh mennys ere 's not euery comeÌ„ loue but a good vertuoê° and well ordrede loue he that wyll studyously flee fro that name of good loue all way speke of loue alway leue out good I wolde surely say that he meanethe nâ—ughte In good faythe quod he so is it not vnlykely ¶ Thaâ— quod I when ye se more ye shall say it ys mych more thâ—n lykly ¶ For now yt ys to be consydered that at the tyme of thys tranâ—lacyon â—ychâ—ns was wyth Luther in wyttenberge and set certayne glâ—syâ— in the mergent framed for the settyng forth of the vngracious sect ¶ By saynt Iohâ— quod your frende yf that be true that Hychens were at that tyme with Luther it is a playne token that he wrought sumwhat after hys counsayle and was wyllynge to helpe hys maters forwarde here But whyther Luthers matters be so badde as they be made for that shall we see hereafter ¶ Uery true quod I. But as touchyng the confederacye betwene Luther and hym is a thyng well knowen playnly confessed by suche as haue ben taken and conuycted here of herysye comyng froÌ„ thense and some of them sente hyther to sowe that sede aboute here and to sende worde thyther fro tyme to tyme how yt spraÌ„g ¶ But now the cause why he chaunged the name of charyte of the chyrche and of presthed is no very grete dyffyculte to perceyue For sithe Luther and hys felowes amonge other they re damnable heresyes haue one that all our saluacyon standyth in fayth alone and toward our saluacyoÌ„ nothynge force of good workys therfore yt semeth that he laboreth of purpose to mynyshe that reuerent mynd that men bere to charyte and therfore he chaungeth that name of holy vertuoê° affeccyon in to the bare name of loue comen to the vertuouse loue that man â—erith to god to the lewd loue that is bytwene flekke his make And for bycause that Luther vtterly denyeth the very catholyque chyrche in â—riâ—â—e and sayth that the chyrch of Crist is but an vnknowen câ—ngregacyon of sum folke here .ii. there .iii. no mâ— wot where hauyng the â—yght fayth whych he calleth onely hys owne new forgede faythe therfore â—â—chens in the new testament can not abyde the name of the chyrch but turneth it into the name of congregacyon wyllyng that yt shuld seme to englysh men eyther that Cryste in the gospell had neuer spoken of the chirch or ellys that the chyrche were but such a congregacyon as they myghte haue occasyon to say that a congregacyon of some such heretyques were the chyrch that god spake of ¶ Now as
scolers of Luther haue byteded ferther vppon this vngracyouse grouÌ„d of theyr mayster and teche that the sacrament of the altare ys not the very body nor bloâ—d of oure lorde at all And Luther hym selfe all be yt he now wryteth agaynste theym there in yet as yt by many thyngys appereth mynded and intended to putte forthe by laysour the same heresye hym self tyll he chaunged hys mynde for enuye that he bare towarde theym whan he saw that they wold be hedys of a secte theym selfe for that cowlde he suffer no man to be but hym self But byfore as I saye he dyd entende yt hymselfe And therfore he made a way towarde yt by these other heresyes that I haue rehersed you and by dyuerse other mo ¶ For he techeth also that the masse auayleth no man quyck nor dede but onely to the preste hym selfe ¶ Item he techeth that men sholde go to masse as well after sowper as byfore brake faste and in hys commen clothes as he gâ—â—th all daye wythout lyght or eny other honorable ryte vsed therin ¶ Item he saythe yt were beste that men sholde neuer be howe seled but onys in they re lyfe And that neuer tyll they lye a dyenge as they be but onys crystened and that at they re begynnynge ¶ Item he techeth that euery man and woman shold take the holy sacrameÌ„t and spare not to touche yt and handell yt as mych as theym lyst ¶ Item he saythe that the blyssed sacrament of the awter ys ordayned of god to be receyued but not to be worshypped ¶ In fayth quod your frende these thyngys be farre owte of course ¶ Yt see quod I now how he handleth all the blyssed sacramentys ¶ But now hathe he other wylde heresyes at large For he techeth agaynste scrypture and all reason that no crysten man is or can be bounden by eny lawe made amonge men nor ys not bounden to obserue or kepe eny ¶ Item he techeth that there ys no purgatory ¶ Item that all meÌ„nys soulys lye styll and slepe tyll the daye of dome ¶ Item that no man sholde praye to sayntys nor sette by eny holy relyques nor pylgrymagys ¶ By my trouthe quod youre frende I hadde forgoten that whan I was nâ—we in the vnyuersyte in the communycacyon that I had with my frendê there in that mater one of theym obiected agaynste me that the worshyppe of ymagys haue he ere thys condempned by a grete counsayll in Grece ¶ Ther was iÌ„ dede q Iâ— couÌ„sayl onys in greâ—e gathered by an emperoure that then was an heretyque there whyche was after in the tyghteth Synode by the generall counsayll dampned and adnulled But thys no more doth to the mater theÌ„ yf there wold now in Saxony and Swychâ—rland and suche other placê such peple as swarne fro the fayth gâ—ther theym selfe together and kepe 〈◊〉 they wold call yt a generall counsayll wherin they myght deterâ—yne what they wold And yet were all that no preiudyce to the ryght byleue of the catholyque chyrche whych ys alwaye that knowen people that styll perseuer as one body wyth our sauyour Cryst in theyr former fast confermed fayth froÌ„ whych faythfull body these other wytherynge brawnches be blowne away by the deuyll And therfore as the cowld make none authoryte agaynst the true â—ayth of the chyrch so could that counsayle in grete no thynge proue they re purpose whyche made none interrupcyon of the ryghte byleue and godly custume of worshyp done to sayntys ymages that yet dyd for all that coÌ„tynue styll in all the catholyke chyrche of Cryste and euer synnys hath done ¶ Forsothe quod he that ys trouth ¶ Yet went neuer q I the counsayle in Grece scysmatycal as yt was eny thiÌ„g so far as Luther and Tyndall theyr company whych leue no saynt vnblasphemed nor Crystys own mother neyther ¶ For Luther can not abyde the comeÌ„ antheÌ„ of our lady and the most deâ—oâ—t Salue regina bycause we therin call that blyssed vyrgyn our aduocate ¶ Item euery other woman nowe lyuyng yf she haue the same fayth maye by prayed vnto as our lady and wyth her prayer as myche profyte vs. ¶ Item he techeth that men sholde do no worshyp to the holy crosse that Cryst dyed on saynge that yf he had yt hole or all the pyecys therof he wold caste yt in such a place as no sone shold shyne theron to th ende yt shold neuer be fouÌ„den to be worshypped more ¶ Item of all sâ—estys he sayth that he hateth the feest of the holy crosse and the feest of Corpus christi ¶ He techeth also that no man or woman ys bounden to kepe and obserâ—e eny vowe that hâ— hath made to god 〈◊〉 vyrgynyte or wydowhed or other châ—styte out of maryage but that they maye mary at theyr lybertye theyr vowe not wythstandyng ¶ And how proueth â—e that quod your frend ¶ Mary quod I by the brekyng of hys owne whâ—n he maryed the nunâ—e And now he rayleth agaynst all chaâ—â—yâ—â— sayth 〈◊〉 yf a preste lyâ—e chaste he ys lyke to the prestys of the ydole â—ybeles ¶ Longe wold yt be to wryte you all thabomynable heresyes of thys newe secte But some of theym haue I rehersed that ye may therby consyder whyther he that techeth suche thyngys go not about vtterly to dystroye the hole â—ayth relygyon and vertue of crystendom And that he is not in eny of these poyntis bylyed I shall fynde the meane that ye shall se yt in hys owne bokys And there shall ye se how madly hâ— laboreth to proue theym ¶ Proue theym quod your frend the substauÌ„ce of these maters be to abomynable to be reasoned And to make hym hated of all good folke ys ynoughe to here theym rehersed But I meruayl me mych how he fell in to suche an hepe of hyresyes ¶ The .iii. chapyter ¶ The author sheweth by what occasyon that Luther fyrste fell to the deuyâ—ing of these heresyes And that the occasyon was suche as well declareth that he was prycked therto by malyce and euer proceded frome euyll to worse not wyttyng where to hold hym ytâ—e refuseth to stand to the iudgemeÌ„t of eny folke erthely concernynge the trenth or falshâ—d of hys opynyons saue onely hym self NOw that is somwhat worth to consyder how thys lewde frere bygan to fall in these myscheuous maters Ye shall vnderstande that there was a pardoÌ„ obtained in Saxony for whyche pardon as the maner ys ther Luther was the precheour preched to the peple exhortyng them therto auauncynge the authoryte therof all that he possyble myght not wtout hys grete aduauntage therfore So happed yt than sone after that the settyng forth of the pardon wyth thaduauntage therof was taken froÌ„ hym and set to a nother For angre wherof he fell in to suche a fury yâ— forthwyth he bygan to wryte agaynst all pardons How be yt because the mater was new strauÌ„ge he bygan fyrst by way of dowtys and questyons onely
submyttyng hym self hys wrytynge to the iudgemeÌ„t of the pope desyryng to be enformed of the trouth wheruppoÌ„ whaÌ„ he was by wryting answered by the mayster of the popys palays thaÌ„ waxed he more wode fell to raylyng agaynst hym made also a notherâ— boke agaynst the power of the pope affermyng that hys power vppoÌ„ the chyrch was neuer instytute of god but ordeyned only by the coÌ„mune coÌ„sent of crysteÌ„ peple for auoydynge of scysmys But yet he sayd that all crysteÌ„ men were bounden to stand and obâ—y therunto and that the Bohemes were dampnable heretyques for doyng the coÌ„trary But sone after whan he was in suche wyse answered by good and cuÌ„nyng men that he ê‘ceyued hym selfe vnable to defend that he had affermed than fell he from reasonyng to raylyng and vtterly denyed that he had byfore affermed And thaÌ„ bygan to wryte that the pope had no power at all neyther by god nor man And that the Bohemes whom he had in hys wrytyngys byfore called daÌ„pnable heretykes were good crysteÌ„ men and al theyr opynyons good and catholyque Than whan he was cyted by the popes holynes to appere he appeled to the nexte generall counsayle whyche sholde be gathered in the holy goost So that what so euer generall couÌ„sayle were after asseÌ„bled he myght geste and rayle theron saye yt was not it that he appeled vnto for yt was not assembled in the holy goost ¶ He toke quod your frend a good wyly way ¶ As wyly as yt was q I yet wold he not stand therby but fledde froÌ„ that to a nother Now shall ye vnderstand yâ— yet sone after thys in the boke by whych he not answereth but rayleth agaynst that boke wherin our souerayne lord the kynge lyke a moost faythfull vertuous and moost erudyte prynce euydently effectually reuynced and confuted the moost venemous and pestylent boke of Luther entyteled the captyuyte of Babylon in whych he laboreth to destroy the holy sacrameÌ„tys of Cristis chyrchâ— in that boke I saye Luther whych had byfore appeled to then exâ—general couÌ„sayll vtterly denyeth the authoryte of all generall counsayllys and setteth theym all at nowghte ¶ By my trouth quod your frend eyther was the man very neclygent byfore or very naught after whan he chaungeth so often and wryteth euer the longer the more contrary not to hys aduersary onely but also to hym selfe But I pray you how excuseth he hys inconstaunce ¶ Mary quod I he sayth that he seethe ferther than he sawe before whervnto the kyngys grace sheweth hym that yt were vnlykely that he shold se better through a payre of euyll spectacles of ire enuye ¶ Uery true quod your frende by my trouthe But yet I here saye that he hathe offred to stande at the iudgement of lerned men in all hys maters yf hys offre had ben takeÌ„ iÌ„ tyme. ¶ In dede q I onys he ê“mysed to stande to the iudgement of the vnyuersyte of Parys theruppoÌ„ was there open dyspycyons kepte and the very wordê wrytteÌ„ by notaryes sworeÌ„ for bothe the partyes But whan hys opynyons were after at Parys by the vnyuersyte condempned than he refused to stand to theyr iudgement fell agayne to hys olde craft of raylynge ¶ He appered also at Wormys before the emperoure and the pryncys of the empyre by a sufeconducte And there recognysed and knowleged as well the sayde pestylent booke wryten agaynste the sacramentys as many other of lyke sorte to be hys owne and offred to abyde by theym Whyche he myght boldely do beyng by the saufe conducte in good suretye of hym selfe that he coulde take none harme Than was he moued to dyspycyons vppon the artycles so that he sholde agree vppon som persons vertuous and wel lerned that shold be iudgys of that dyspycyons and that he sholde be content to stand to they re iudgement vppon the same Wheruppon he agreed to come to dyspycyons but he wold in no wyse agre to make eny meÌ„ lyuing iudges vppoÌ„ it nor staÌ„d to no maÌ„nis iudgemeÌ„t erthly ¶ The .iiii. chapyter ¶ The author sheweth how that Luther in the boke that hym self made of hys owne actys at the cyte of wormys in almayn doth so madly ouerse hym selfe that he dyscloseth vnware certayne folyes of hym self whych a man wyll well laugh at and meruayle mych to se yt ANd that these thyngys be true yt well appereth to all the world in the boke that he made hym selfe of his demeanure and hys actys at the cytye called Wormys in almayne Whyche boke who so redeth shall haue a grete pleasure to se therin both the frantyke vaynglory of the fond frere yet there wythal to se hym caryed out with foly so far from hym selfe that in a lyne or twayne he dyscouereth all that he weÌ„t abowte to hyde in all the boke bysyde For ye shall vnderstand that albeyt he made that boke hym self yet he made it so that he wold yt shold seme to haue ben of some other mannys makynge not of hys own to th entent that suche worshypfull wordys as he speketh of hym selfe myght make hym in therys of the reder seme some honorable person Whych wordys ellys he wyst well spoken of hys own mouth all the world wolde wonder on Now in thys boke bysyde that he leueth out som thyngys there sayde and spoken where the wordys wryten in coulde do hym no worshyp and som thyngys recyteth wyth aduauntage for hys parte rehersyng the tother syde nakedly and barely pared of to make it seme the more slender one thynge he obserueth dylygently that where as spekynge of the emperour he calleth hym neuer but symply and syngly charles he neuer speketh of hym selfe but he setteth forthe hys name in grete capytall letters and solempne tytles The MaÌ„ of God Luther And where as they that spake agaynst hys errours he wryteth that they brast out in to vyrulent and venimouse wordê whan he cometh to hys owne answer thâ—n he wryteth in thys wyse but thaÌ„ D. Martine for hys incredyble humanytâ— bountye answered in thys wyse benygnely And somtyme wyth these wordys the most benygne father most myldely made answere And fynally he fynysshed and endeth his boke as yt were wyth a Gloria patri to the hole psalme in this wyse This holy deuout man therfore euen borne to teche and preserue the gospel of god our lord loÌ„g preserue for hys chyrch wyth hys holy word also AmeÌ„ Now who was there euer borne so suspycyoê° that euer wold haue suspected that he whyche wrote such gloryous wordys of Luther shâ—ld be Luther hym selfe For where shold a man fynde so very a vayngloryouse fole that wold not in hym self be ashâ—med of hym selfe to thynke suche thyngys But now ye that rede this I pray you for goddê sake se how vtterly this ych and tyklyng of vanyte and vaynglory hadde cast hym clene bysyde hys mynd and memorye For where as all the boke bysyde was so dyuysed hâ—ndâ—led that
yet I wote well as ye sayd ryght now that prestê shold vtter folkys confessyon were wel poâ—â—yble and in many of theÌ„ nothynge in thys worlde more lykely neyther â—f god and hys holy spyryte were not as yt is assystent and workynge wyth hys holy sacrament But surely where as there be many thyngys that 〈◊〉 clerely proue the sacrameÌ„t of coÌ„feâ—â—â—oÌ„ tâ— be a thyng instytuâ—â— dâ—â—ysed by god yetâ— yf all the remanauÌ„t laâ—hed thys 〈◊〉 thyngs were vnto me a playne perâ—â—â—syon a full profeâ—whyche thynge I fynde in the noble boke that the kyngys hyghnes made agaynste Luther that ys to wyt that in so commen custome of confessyon ofter than â—nys in the yere where no man letteth boldely to tell such hys secretys as vppoÌ„ the dyscouerynge or close kepynge therof hys honestye comenly often tyme hys lyfe also dependeth so many symple as be of that sorte that here theym and in all other thynge so lyghte and laues of they re tonge and some therwyth so lewde in all they re lyuynge that for money they force lytell to stele robbe and murder to and myght many tymes wyth the dysclosynge of some suche thyngys gete so myche as some of theym wolde kyll a man for lessâ— yet fynde we neuer eny man take harme by hys confessyon or cause gyuen of complaynte thorowe â—ny suche secretts vttred and shewed by the confessoure ¶ In good faythâ— quod he thys is very trowthe and a grete thynge in myne opynyon But vndowtely yf confessyon came â—nyâ— to womens erys there wolde be a sore chaunge For yt wolde be harde for god and the deuyll to to kepe they re tongys ¶ Yes yes quod I◠〈◊〉 can kepe a counsayll well ynought For though she tell a gossyppe she telleth yt but in counsayle yet nor that gosseppe to her gosseppe neyther and so whan all the gosseppys in the towne â—nowe yt yet ys yt but counsayll styll And therfore I saye yt not for eny harme that wolde come by theym but for the neweltye therof ¶ Nowe in â—rnest quod yoâ—â— frende thys was a myche more madde iâ—uencyon of Luther and that Luther is in a maner as madde as Tyndall For it were as good almoste to haue no â—â—nfessyon at all as to set women to here yt ¶ Forsothe quod I yf yt hadde ben wysâ—dome and not agaynst goddê wyll yt wolde of lykelyhedde haue bâ—â— founden by some good men byfore these dayes in thys longe tyme of so many hundred yerys Howe be yt he gooth nere ynoughe to take yt all awaye And dyuerse of hys scolers bysyde Tyndall do nowe denye yt vtterly And hym selfe leueth lytell substaunce and lytell frute therin For he wolde that we sholde not care myche for eny full confessyon of all deedly synnys nor be very studyouse in the gatherynge of oure fawtys to mynde nor ponderynge the cyrcumstauncys nor the wryght and grauyte therof nor takyng eny sorow therfore Now those thyngys taken away and the sacrament of penâ—unce lefte suche as he wolde haue yt consyder in your selfe what frute wâ—re a man lykely to fynd in yt he that taketh a confessoure he forceth not whâ—Ì„ theÌ„ coÌ„fesseth he forceth not what dysposynge hym to â—epentauÌ„ce he forceth not how good wortkê in satysfaccioÌ„â—â—â—ompteth for nought what maner of ameÌ„demeÌ„t shal this maÌ„ cuÌ„ to and specyally yf byside al this he may take to his coÌ„fessour a fayr womaÌ„ such as a yonge man wolde haue a lust to breke hys mynde vnto dothe yt not playnâ—ly appere that thys fonde felow so playeth wyth thys holy sacrament of penaunce that he â—oâ—th abowt vtterly to dystroye yt 〈◊〉 yet ys thys one of the thâ—â— that he loueth takyng 〈…〉 expressely ¶ Surely quod your frende so dâ—â—th â—e this to as thynketh me ¶ Forâ—â—th quod I and he handeled the sacrament of baptysme not myche better For he magnyfyeth baptysme but to the suppressyoÌ„ of penauÌ„ce â— of all goodlyuyng For therin he techeth that the sacrament selfâ— hath no vertue at all but the fayth onely ¶ Item he techeth that onely faythe suffyseth to our saluacyoÌ„ wyth our baptysme wythout good workê He sayth also that yt ys sacrylege to go abowte to please god wyth eny workys not wyth fayth onely ¶ Item that no man can do eny good worke ¶ Item that the good and ryghtuouâ—â— man alway synneth in doyng well ¶ Item that no synne can dampne eny crysten man but only lacâ—e of bylef For he sayth that our fayth suâ—â—eth vp all our synnys how greâ—e so euer they be ¶ Item he techeth that no man hath no fre wyll nor can eny thyng do therwyth not though the helpe of grace be ioyned thervnto but that euery thyng that we do good and badde we do nothyng at all there in our selfe but onely suffer god to do all thyng in vs good and badde as were ys wrought in to an ymage or a candell by the mannys hande wythout eny thyng doyng ther to yt self ¶ Item he sayth that god ys as veryly the author and cause of the euyll wyll of Iudas in betrayeng of Cryst as of the good wyll of Cryst in 〈…〉 hys pâ—â—â—yon ¶ In matrymony he saythe playnâ—ly that yt 〈…〉 sâ—â—rament and so sâ—yâ—â—e Tyndall to ¶ Item that yf a maÌ„ be not able to do hys dutye to hys wyfe he ys bounden secretely wythout sclauÌ„der to prouyde a nother to do yt for hym ¶ Forsoth abque your frende thys was courteysâ—y consydered of hym he ys a very gentylman I 〈◊〉 you It ys no merueyl though hys wyfe be well â—eâ—mynge yf he make her suche prouysyon ¶ Surely quod I thys wyse deuyse hathe he and myche other bestelynesâ—â— he saythe in such thyngys and hys dyscyples after him of such sort as honest erys coud scant abyde the herynge ¶ In the sacrameÌ„t of order he sayth that presthede and all holy orders be but a fayned inuencyon ¶ Item that euery crysâ—eâ— mâ—nand euery crysten woman ys a preste ¶ Item that euery maÌ„ may consecrate the body of Cryst ¶ Thys ys a shamefull saynge in good faythe quod youâ—e frend ¶ Abyde ye q I and ye shal here wurse yet For he ferther that euery woman and chylde may consecrate the body of our lord ¶ Surely quod he thaÌ„ ys the man mâ—â— outryght ¶ He sayth quod I ferther yet that the canon of the masse ys false ¶ Item that the hoste in the masse is none â—blacyon nor sacryfyce ¶ Item that the masse wyth hys câ—noÌ„ after the fourme that ys and euer hath ben vsed in Crystys chyrche ys sacrylege and abomynacyon ¶ And thoughe myche of thys concerneth hys daÌ„pnable heresyes â—oâ—thiÌ„g yâ— blessyd sacrameÌ„t of yâ— auter yet sayth hâ— therof many lewd doctrynes mâ— And amonge other he techeth that yt ys heresye to byleue that there ys not very brede and very wyne in the sacrameÌ„t of the auther ioynyd wyth the bodye blode of our lorde ¶ Item Swynglius and Ecolamâ—â—dius