then they did before These are they whiche Iudas in his Epistle calleth dreamers which deceaue themselues with their owne fantasies For what other thing is their imagination which they call fayth then a dreamyng of the fayth and an opinion of their owne imagination wrought without the grace of God These must nedes be worse at the latter end thē at the begynnyng These are the old vessels that rent when new wyne is poured into them Math. ix that is they heare Gods word but hold it not and therfore waxe worse then they were before But the right fayth spryngeth not of mans fantasie neither is it in any mās power to obtaine it but is all together the pure gift of God poured into vs freely without all maner doyng of vs without deseruing and merites yea and without sekyng for of vs. And is as sayth Paul in the second to the Ephesians euen Gods gift and grace purchased through Christ Therfore is it mighty in operation full of vertue and euer working which also renueth a man and begetteth him a fresh altereth him chaungeth hym and turneth him altogether into a new nature and conuersation so that a man feeleth hys hart all together altered chaunged and farre otherwise disposed then before hath power to loue that whiche before he could not but hate and deliteth in that which before he abhorred and hateth that which before he could not but loue And it setteth the soule at libertie and maketh her free to folow the will of God and doth to the soule euen as health doth vnto the body after that a man is pined and wasted away with a long sokyng disease the legges cannot beare hym he cannot lift vp his handes to helpe hymself his taste is corrupt suger is bitter in hys mouth his stomacke abhorreth longyng after slibbersause and swashe at which a whole stomacke is readye to cast hys gorge When helth commeth she changeth and altereth hym cleane geueth hym strength in all hys members lust to do of his owne accord that which before he could not do neither could suffer that any mā exhorted hym to do and hath now lust in holesome thynges and hys members are free and at libertie and haue power to do of their owne accorde all thinges which belong to an whole man to do which afore they had no power to do but were in captiuitie and bondage So likewise in all thyng doth right fayth to the soule The sprite of God accompanieth fayth bringeth with her light wherwith a man beholdeth hymselfe in the lawe of God and seeth his miserable bondage and captiuitie and humbleth himselfe and abhorreth himselfe she bringeth Gods promises of all good thinges in Christ God worketh with his worde and in his worde And as his worde is preached fayth rooteth her selfe in the hartes of the elect and as faith entreth and the worde of God is beleued the power of God looseth the hart from the captiuitie and bondage vnder sinne and knitteth and coupleth him to God and to the wyll of God altereth hym chaungeth hym cleane fashioneth and forgeth hym a new geueth hym power to loue and to doe that whiche before was vnpossible for hym eyther to loue or do and turneth hym into a new nature so y t he loueth that which he before hated and hateth that which he before loued and is cleane altered chaunged and contrary disposed and is knit and coupled fast to Gods will and naturally bringeth forthe good workes that is to say that which God commaundeth to do and not thinges of hys owne imagination And that doth he of hys owne accorde as a tree bringeth forth fruit of her own accord And as thou needest not to bid a tree to bryng forth fruite so is there no law put vnto hym that beleueth and is iustified through fayth as sayth Paul in the first Epistle to Timothie the fyrst chapter Neither is it nedeful for the law of god is written graued in his harte and his pleasure is therein And as without commaundement but euē of hys owne nature he eateth drincketh seeth heareth talketh goeth euē so of his owne nature without coaction or compulsion of y t law bringeth he forth good workes And as a whole man when he is a thurst tarieth but for drinke and when he hungreth abideth but for meate and then drinketh and eateth naturally euē so is y e faithfull euer a thurst an hungred after the will of God and tarieth but for occasion And whensoeuer an occasion is geuen he worketh naturally the wyll of God For this blessing is geuen to all them that trust in Christes bloud that they thrust and hunger to do gods wyll He that hath not this fayth is but an vnprofitable babler of faith and workes and wotteth neither what he bableth nor what he meaneth or wherunto his wordes pertayne For he feeleth not the power of faith nor y e working of the spirite in his hart but enterpreteth the scriptures which speake of fayth and workes after hys owne blynd reason folish fantasies not of any feeling that he hath in his hart as a man rehearseth a tale of an other mans mouth and wotteth not whether it be so or no as he sayth nor hath any experience of y t thing it selfe Now doth the scripture ascribe both fayth workes not to vs but to God only to whom they belong onely and to whō they are appropriate whose gifte they are and the proper worke of his spirit Is it not a frowarde and peruerse blindnes to teach how a man can do nothing of his owne selfe and yet presumptuously take vpō them the greatest and hyest worke of God euen to make fayth in themselues of their own power and of their owne false imagination and thoughtes Therfore I say we must dispayre of our selues pray God as christes apostles did to geue vs fayth to encrease our fayth When we haue that we neede no other thing more For she bringeth the spirite with her and he not onely teacheth vs all thinges but worketh them also mightely in vs and carieth vs through aduersitie persecution death and hel vnto heauen and euerlasting lyfe MArke diligently therfore seing we are come to answer The Scripture because of such dreames and fayned faythes sake vseth such manner of speakinges of workes not that a man should therby be made good to Godwarde or iustified but to declare vnto other and to take of other the differēce betwene false fayned fayth and ryght fayth For where right fayth is there bringeth she forthe good workes if there followe not good workes it is no doubt but a dreame and an opinion or fained fayth Wherfore looke as the fruit maketh not the tree good but declareth and testifieth outwardlye that the tree is good as Christ sayeth euery tree is knowen by his fruite euen so shall ye know the right fayth by her fruite Take for an
hys neighbour and is a thefe And he that is proude of the giftes of God thinketh hym selfe by the reason of them better then his feeble neighbour not rather as the truth is knowledgeth hym selfe a seruaunt vnto hys poore neighbour by the reason of them the same hath Lucifers spirite in hym and not Christes These thynges to know first the law how that it is naturall right and equitie that we haue but one God to put our hope and trust in and hym to loue with all the hart all the soule and all our might and power and neither to moue hart nor hand but at his commaundemēt because he hath first created vs of nought and heauē and earth for our sakes And afterward when we had marred our selfe through sinne he forgaue vs and created vs agayne in the bloud of his beloued sonne And that we haue the name of our one God in feare and reuerence that we dishonour it not in swearyng therby about light trifles or vanitie or call it to recorde for the confirming of wickednesse or falshead or ought that is to the dishonour of God whiche is the breakyng of hys lawes or vnto the hurt of our neighbour And in asmuch as he is our Lord and God and we his double possessiō by creation and redemption and therfore ought as I sayd neither to moue hart or hand without his commaūdement it is right that we haue nedefull holy dayes to come together learne his will both the law which he will haue vs ruled by and also the promises of mercy whiche he will haue vs trust vnto and to geue God thankes together for his mercy and to commit our infirmities to hym through our Sauiour Iesus and to reconsile our selues vnto hym and eche to other if ought be betweene brother and brother that requireth it And for this purpose and such lyke as to visite the sicke and nedy and redresse peace and vnitie were the holy dayes ordeined onely so farforth are they to be kept holy frō all maner workes that may be conueniently spared for the tyme till this be done and no further but then lawfully to worke And that it is right that we obey father and mother Master Lord Prince and Kyng and all the ordinaunces of the world bodely and ghostly by which God ruleth vs and ministreth frely his benefites vnto vs all And that we loue them for the benefites that we receaue by them and feare them for the power they haue ouer vs to punish vs if we trespasse the law and good order So farre yet are the worldly powers or rulers to be obeyed onely as their commaūdements repugne not against the commaundement of God and thē hoo Wherefore we must haue Gods commaundement euer in our hartes and by the hygher law interpret the inferiour that we obey nothyng agaynst the belefe of one God or agaynst the fayth hope and trust that is him onely or agaynst the loue of God wherby we doe or leaue vndone all thyng for his sake that we do nothyng for any mans cōmaundement agaynst the reuerence of the name of God to make it despised and the lesse feared set by and that we obey nothyng to the hynderaunce of the knowledge of the blessed doctrine of God whose seruaūt the holy day is Notwithstandyng though the rulers which God hath set ouer vs commaunde vs agaynst God or do vs open wrong and oppresse vs with cruel tyranny yet because they are in Gods rowme we may not auēge our selues but by the processe and order of Gods law and lawes of mā made by the authoritie of Gods law whiche is also Gods law euer by an hygher power and remittyng the vengeaunce vnto God and in the meane seasō suffer vntill the houre be come And on the other side to know that a man ought to loue his neighbour equally and fully as well as hym selfe because his neighbour be he neuer so simple is equally created of God and as full redemed by the bloud of our sauiour Iesu Christ Out of which commaundement of loue spring these Kill not thy neighbour defile not his wife beare no false witnesse agaynst hym finally not onely do not these thynges in deede but couete not in thyne harte his house his wife his manseruaunt maydeseruaunt oxe asse or what soeuer is his So that these lawes pertaynyng vnto our neighboure are not fulfilled in the sight of God saue with loue He that loueth not hys neighbour kepeth not this commaundemēt defile not thy neighbours wife though hee neuer touch her or neuer see her or thinke vpon her For the commaundement is though thy neighbours wife be neuer so fayre thou haue neuer so great oportunitie geuen thee and she contēt or happly prouoke thee as Putiphers wife did Ioseph yet see thou loue thy neighbor so well that for very loue thou can not finde in thine hart to do y t wickednes And euē so he that trusteth in any thing saue in God onely in his sonne Iesus Christ kepeth no cōmaundemēt at all in the sight of God For he that hath trust in any creature whether in heauen or in earth saue in God his sonne Iesus cā see no cause to loue God with all his hart c. neither to absteine from dishonoryng his name nor to keepe the holy day for the loue of his doctrine nor to obey louing ly y t rulers of this world nor any cause to loue his neighbour as him selfe to absteine from hurtyng hym where he may get profite by hym saue him selfe harmeles And in likewise against this law loue thy neighbour as thy selfe I may obey no worldly power to do ought at any mans cōmaundemēt vnto the hurt of my neighbour that hath not deserued it though he be a Turke And to know how cōtrary this law is vnto our nature how it is dānation not to haue this law writtē in our hartes though we neuer committe the dedes how there is no other meanes to bee saued from this damnation then through repentaūce toward the law fayth in Christes bloud which are the very inward baptisme of our soules the washyng the dippyng of our bodyes in y t water is the outward signe The plungyng of the body vnder the water signifieth that we repent professe to fight against sinne and lustes to kill them euery day more and more with the helpe of God our diligence in folowyng the doctrine of Christ and the leadyng of his spirite and that we beleue to be washed from our naturall damnation in which we are borne and from all the wrath of the law and frō all the infirmities weakenesses that remayne in vs after we haue geuen our consent vnto the law and yelded oure selfe to be scholers thereof and from all the imperfectnesse of all our deedes done with cold loue and from all actuall sinne which shall chaunce on vs while we
to aduenge and no man els 136. b. onely ought to punish open sinne 137. a Kyng geuen to the Israelites 118. a Kinges why chosen 109. b Kinges and Emperours once elected the Pope onely 352. b. throwen downe by Papistes 127. a. how instructed of Byshops 98. b. captiues through flatterers 137. a. become hangmen to Antichrist 138. a in subiection to the Clergy 140. b. sinne in geuyng and Prelates in reuyng exemptioÌ„s 115. b. wayt on the Popes pleasure 114. b. defeÌ„ded the Popes false authoritie 114. b. sworne to Byshops and not Byshops to kynges 155. b Kinges must make their accompt to to God onely 111. b. must kepe law-promise with all men 124. a. must execute their office them selues and commit the same to wicked Popish Byshops 138. a Kinges law is Gods law 137. b Kinges must be learned 198. a. may not rule after their owne Imagination 179. a. must folowe Gods word in all their doynges 222. a Kinges and subiectes one afore God 224. b Kingdome of heauen what 235. a. of Christ spirituall 343. a. of heauen of this world not alyke 160. a Kingdome of the pope of this world 343. b Kingdome of Lombardy deuided 349. a Knauery in shrift 147. b Knowledge of God 408. b. of the true way 298. b. of Scriptures pertayneth to all men 138. a Knowledge of Christ not taught vs by Papistes 159. a Knowledge al darke saue harty knowledge of Christes bloudshedyng 197. b Knowledge why vsed and not coÌ„fession 254. a L. LAdders sold of Papistes to clime to heauen 123. b Lambes 187. a Landes why first geuen to spirituall officers 134. a Landes temporall small in respect of the spirituall landes 135. b Landlordes should not rayse rentes 121. b. shoulde not suffer their tenauntes to be damaged 122. a Last farthyng expounded 204. b Latine seruice 151. b Latin toung onely vsed to all 134. b Latin text coÌ„demned of More 251. b Latria 299. a Lawes of Papistes seuerall 102. a Law spirituall of the Arches how it spoyleth 136. b Law condeÌ„neth 77. b. bringeth death 62. a. how geuen 117. b. what it requireth 47. a. a marke to see how we are purged 165. a. must be in â—ight and why 379. a. requireth impossible thynges of vs. 378. b. driueth to desperation 442. a Law her office 186. a. how fulfilled 186. a. accuseth the holyest of all 120. a. cannot iustifie 64. a. leadeth to Christ 184. a. cannot geue lyfe 9. b. fulfilled with loue 22. a. fulfilled with Christes mercy 31. b. geueÌ„ by Moses 184. b. 378. how read of hypocrites 24. a Law walkyng 74. a. requireth all our hartes 39. b. condemneth and why 389. a. must be fulfilled spiritually 41. a. byndeth the Gospell lowseth 383. b. is spiritual 26. a. and 40. b. fulfilled by Christ onely 40. a. condemneth Christ geueth pardoÌ„ 378. b. how satisfied 40. a. wholly conteined in the x. commaundementes 33. b Law her subiection what 46. b Law and sinne wordes to be noted 39. b Law vttereth what sinne is 47. b. encreaseth sinne 40. b Lawes temporall 10. b. not executed no law 311. a Law of nature byndeth vs to helpe our neighbour 72. a Law kepyng and breakyng what foloweth 206. b Law breakers cursed of God 23. b Layty why they rule not 131. a. kept from halfe the Sacrament 428. a. must néedes now haue the Gospell 148. a Leadyng in darknes 310. a Learned men haue doubted of Paule his Epistle to the Hebrues who is author therof 56. a Leauen of many sortes 225. a. of the Pope 307. b Lechery 267. a. 405. b Lechery and couetousnes no sinnes with Papistes 267. b Legend of Popish lyes 301. a Left hand 141. a Leo the iij. Pope 349. b Leper a good example 15. a Lesser ceasseth in presence of the greater 358. b Lesson very frutefull 31. b. godly 309. b. good for ministers 477. a. tellyng vs when we haue Gods spirite 92. b Leude Cardinall and a false Pope 371. b Lewes the milde 350. b Libertie 105. b. commeth through patience 119. a Liberties graunted by Papistes to all maner malâ—factours 179. a Liberalitie to our brethren 425. a Light continuaunce therein what 404. a Litle flocke 292. b. receiueth the promises 292. a. goeth to wracke 293. a Litle master Parson hys practises 362. b Life of Gods elect Scripture 389. b Life not geuen by the law 9. b Litterall sense is spirituall 169. a. proueth an allegory 167. b Litterall seÌ„se of More dashed 466. a Loafe of bread signifieth one body in Christ 472. a Loane forgeuen of the Clergy 374. a and by the temporaltie ibidem Losing and bindyng 357. a. the ryght maner thereof 150. a. signification therof 174. b Losse for Christes sake a C. tymes restored 89. a Lottes castyng lawfull 27. a Lone 10. b. 205. a. 225. b. and 246. b. office therof 188. a. diuersly vnderstode 253. b. is righteousnes 225. a. prayeth 201. b. expelleth feare 419. a. causeth boldnes 418. b. maketh vs Gods sonnes 417. a. maketh all thynges common 40â— a. helpeth at neede 201. a. careth for our brethreÌ„ 418. b Loue of the world 97. a. 405. a. of our neighbour 211. a. towardes god and our neighbour how to be tryed 22. b. must woorke in all thynges 281. a Loue of God and the contrary what they be 23. a Loue to the law is coupled with true fayth 187. a Loue fulfilleth the law 49. a. 22. a. 50 keepeth the lawe 203. a. fulfilleth Gods will 419. a Loue towardes God fruites therof 22. b. seketh not her owne 84. a Loue of our selues â—90 b. of our neighbour Gods commaundement 419. b Loue is not charitie generally econtra 253. b Loue vnderstandeth the lawe 36. b. breaketh the law 411. a Loue towardes God what 78. a. among ChristiaÌ„s maketh all things commoÌ„ 83. a. beautifieth all things 248. b. not paynfull 418. b. signified to vs by Gods correction 25. a Loue of God to vs before ours to hym 416. b Loue both frend and foe 216. b Louers of God loue their neighbour 332. b Lucretia the Romane Lady 113. b Lucifer 353. a. his broode iustifie theÌ„ selues 224. a Lustes euill how purged 186. b. diuerse in one man 113. a Luther his submission to kyng Henry the viij 375. a M. MAgistrates reuengers of temporall causes 191. a Mahomet waxed great how 348. b. his doctrine and continuaunce therof 301. a Mahomet and the pope began at one tyme. 348. a Mayd of Ipswich 284. b Mayd of Kent inspired 285. a. receiued small pleasure of our Lady 285. a Maister in Gods stede to hys seruaunt 109. a Malice of the Iewes toward Christ 459. b Malicious blindnes in More Mammon what it is 71. b. 233. a. a God ibidem his seruaunt who and how knowen 233. b. disguiseth meÌ„ 233. a. his seruauÌ„t no true preacher 233. b. may purchase frendes for vs. 71. 〈◊〉 Man is first good 412. a. first euill ibidem cannot helpe the dead 13. b. Lord ouer all creatures 248. a.
the text declareth It is good for a man not to touch a woman Now doth blessed S. Paule aunswere to this holy hypocrisie on this maner To auoyde fornication sayth hée notwithstandyng your holynesse let euery man mary a wyfe Now if blessed Saynt Paule had thought it vnlawfull to marry for any Christen man then would not hée haue sayde Let euery man marry Marke also that it is not agaynst the perfection of any Christen man for to marry but hée is rather boūde to marry if hée haue not the gifte of chastitie Farthermore note that S. Paule neither biddeth them that thought it holynes to bée vnmaryed to fast or to labour or to weare héere But alonely to marry as who shoulde say God hath ordayned and approoued a lawful and a laudable remedy against your sicknes My doctrine is that you shall heare your God and vse to your comforte those creatures remedies with thankes géeuing that God hath appointed and therewith bée you cōtent and recken not your selues wyser then God in helpyng and curyng your diseases For nothing can bée vnlawfull that God doth allowe and prooue And for vsing of Gods creatures and his ordinaunces in tyme and place requisite can no man bée blamed béefore God But for refusing of Gods remedies whē they bée necessary let no man thinke that hée shall auoyde Gods daunger As for an example Hée that wyll not eate and drinke when hée is hungry and thirsty but excogitateth some other remedie of his owne brayne so long that hée bringeth himselfe in vtter destruction let no man doubte but in this case before God hée is a murtherer and an homicide I thinke there is no learning to the contrary Wherefore I woulde that mē should well remember themselues in thys case thinke not that they cā inuent a thyng more pleasaunt vnto God then hée can doe hym selfe His pleasure is best knowen vnto himselfe For this cause I iudge it lawfull for euery Priest that hath not the gift of chastitie to vse the remedy that God hath ordayned and also sanctified Blessed S. Paule saith that mariage is honorable and the bedde of them is vndefiled but fornicatours and aduoulterers God shal iudge Marke that S. Paule caulleth it honorable and a cleane thyng What presumption is therefore in vs that recken it a dishonour and vncleannesse for priestes to vse maryage God sayth hée shall iudge whorekéepers and aduoulterers but not them that bée maryed Wherefore yet agayne after y e doctrine of S. Paule I exhorte all Priestes that can not liue chaste to receiue Gods remedie with thankes This is S. Paules doctrine where hée sayth I woulde that all men were as I my selfe am But euery mā hath his proper gift of God one after this maner an other after that I say vnto the vnmaryed men and wydowes it is good for them if they abide as I doe But and if they can not abstaine let them mary For it is better to mary then to burne I can not deuise a clearer text for my purpose then thys is Saint Paule woulde that euery man had the gifte of chastitie But in as much as all men hath not one gift therefore sayth S. Paule must euery man vse himselfe after his gifts And hée that hath not the gifte of chastitie S. Paule wyll plainely that hée shall mary Hée sayth not that hée shal chastice himselfe wyth labour and wyth payne to remedye that weakenes though I woulde bée contente for my parte gladly that men shoulde prooue all maner of lawfull remedies to helpe them to lyue sole But then if they can not so continue I wyll in no wise that they shall refuse maryage as a thyng vnlawfull and filthy but rather vse it and prooue it at the least wise as they haue done other remedies that they haue inuented séeing that God hath iustituted this as a thyng that hée iudgeth for a lawfull and principall remedy But note that S. Paule sayth it is better to mary then to burne S. Paules meanynge is that if man hath not the gifte to extincte the burnyng and ardent desire of nature that then hée must mary rather then bée subiecte vnto such concupiscence S. Paule sayth not rather mary then to kéepe whores But hys will is that wée shoulde bée so farre from all whoredome that wée should not suffer our selues so much as to burne The whiche precéedeth all whoredome and is lesse in very déede then whoredome And yet S. Paule wylling vs to auoyde this lesse thing commaundeth vs to mary how much more to auoyde open whoredome abhominable and detestable vncleannes that is now vsed shamelesse in the worlde I doe not reprooue that Priestes doth lyue sole I had rather thereto exhorte them But this I detestate that men had rather suffer and allow priestes to liue in whoredome and in all abhominable fornication then for to vse that lawfull remedy that God hath both ordayned and sanctified Wée haue no mention in any storye that euer any Priest was burned for kéepyng of whores but for mariage we haue séene and doe sée dayly how cruelly and violently men doth persecute them as though Gods blessed ordinaunce were rather to bée extincted and abhorred then that thyng y e both God nature reprooueth Where is there one man in England that hath so great loue and reuerence to the holy state of Matrimony that hée should kéepe a maryed Priest in hys house But Priestes that lyue vnlawfully agaynst Gods law and mans law and agaynst all honesty and morall vertue bée in euery mans houses company and rulers and coūsellers and controllers Alas for pitie what shall I say to the affectiōs of mens hartes that thus can winke I will not say alow at such abhominable thynges Yea and the selfe same men shall bée most extreme and cruell vnto a poore simple Priest that of a good hart towardes Gods ordinaunce maryeth a lawfull wife This Priest I say shall neither haue meate nor drinke of thē nor yet no office of charitye But the other sort shalbée exalted and set vp in all honour and kept in reuerence and estimatiō And why Bycause as they say they bée good and cleane felowes and loueth a péece of flesh well These blasphemous woordes haue I heard diuerse tymes and many And men sit and laugh at them haue a great reioysing in them So sore is Gods holy ordinaunce a morall vertue goodnes extincted in mens hartes O Lord God and thy mercy were not how were this world able to cōtinewe that thus abhominably and shamefully iudgeth of thy halowed sanctified workes But oh Lord haue thou mercy and pitie on vs for the swéete bloud of thy sonne Christ Iesus Loke not on our synnes oh lord God for who is able to abyde in thy syght But Lord of thine infinite mercy send downe thy spirit into y e harts of thy people that they may bée taught better to iudge of thy heauenly and Godly
institutions Amen To our purpose Other articles that I haue written of bée something harde and obscure sauing all onely to these men that bée learned But as for this article mée thinke it is so playne that I meruayle how any maÌ„ should doubt in it For doubtles it néedeth no learned iudge but onely a Ciuell and a morall good man that is indued with reason and equitie For surely mine aduersaries doth not earnestly defend pure and cleane chastitie for they know how few priestes there bée that kéepeth their chastitie Yea they know how sore they haue punyshed those men that hath broken theyr chastitie So that they doe not defend chastitie but rather fylthines and abhominable lyuing In y e which the most part of the spiritualtie doth liue Of this I will bée reported to the recordes of the kinges courts and also to their owne recordes in y e which if they should bée serched should bée found an innumerable sort detected of vncleanes These matters bée open notwithstanding I am right sory to rehearse it but I am compelled seing there is such intollerable violeÌ„ce vsed agaynst those poore meÌ„ that marry be cause they would not all onely lyue vertuously béefore God but also morally before the world Now let men all onely vse reason in this case and make comparison betwéene these two manner of lyuings and consyder which of them doth béecome a polytike order and a common wealth best Whether is it after reason better for mée to defile shamefully other mens wyues other mens daughters and other mennes maydens that no mans seruaunt shoulde bée in safegarde for mée or els that I should marry a wyfe of myne own as other noble kinges and Dukes and other good men of the world hath done and doth dayly and so to continew my lyfe with myne other neighbours after this maÌ„ner of good neighbourhod Let men heare without malyce iudge indiffereÌ„tly Blessed Saint Paule procéedeth farther with this matter and proueth clearely that no man ought or can bée bound to verginitie farther then y e gift of God doth strengtheÌ„ hym Thus hée sayth as coÌ„cerning virgins I haue no precept of the Lord but all onely I geue you my councell for I thinke it good by y e reason of this present necessitie that a man should lyue so As hée would say Vnto verginitie I can not â—inde yoâ— farther then your gift is nor I doe not recken it a thing necessary to wyn heauen by For heauen is neyther the price of virginity nor yet of mariage But all onely I reken verginitie a good and an expedient thing to liue quietly by in this world For in mariage is many thinges y e doth distracte and disturbeth a mans mynde That this is S. Paules meanyng it is wel proued by y e texte that followeth If a virgin doth marry she doth not sinne vut shée shall haue much teÌ„ptation in the flesh That is to say many occasions of disquietnes But I sayth S. Paule would gladly spare you from such occasions for I would haue you without sorowe And shée that is vnmaried hath no care but how to serue God But shée that is maryed hath much care and sorowe how shée shall dispatch all worldly busines So that S. Paule doth clearely declare his meaning how that virginity is no nearer way to heauen then mariage is sauyng that all onely an vnmaried person hath not so many occasyons to bée disquieted as a maryed hath Wherefore you shall marke of this text Fyrst that S. Paule hath no commaundement to binde men to chastitie How commeth it now therefore y â— the Pope compelleth all those men y â— will â—ée Priestes fyrst to forsweare mariage and to vow chastitie There is no learning that is able to proue how that the pope caÌ„ make more preceptes of God then blessed S. Paule could doe Furthermore what auctoritie hath the Pope to bynde vs to any thyng that God and his holy Apostles hath left frée All learned men that euer wrote doth graunt y e there bee two manner of thinges in this world Some bée called Res necessariae Thinges that bée necessary and must bée done béecause that God hath commaunded them And these things no man is able to make iudifferent but they must néedes bée necessarily done Other thinges there bée which lerned meÌ„ cauleth Res mediae thinges that bée indifferent and these may bée done and may bée left without sinne Now is the nature of these contrary to the other for they can not nor may not bee chauÌ„ged into thinges necessary For that is agaynst their nature as S. Paule declareth to the Romans and in other diuers places Now is this of trueth that virginitie is a thyng of him selfe by Gods ordinaunce indiffereÌ„t and may bée vsed and left without sinne Wherefore it standeth with no learnyng that maÌ„s law should chauÌ„ge the nature of this thyng and make it vnto any man a thyng necessarie whereas after gods commaundement it is a thyng but in different For that were as much as both to chaunge Gods ordinaunce also y e nature of the thing The which staÌ„deth with no learnyng For as the Pope and all the world can not make of Gods commaundement a couÌ„sell no more can they of Gods counsell make a precept Wherfore I coÌ„clude out of blessed S. Paule that no man ought to vow chastitie farther then God hath geuâ—n hym the gift For if chastitie were a thyng that could bée obtayned and kept through vowyng then were it not the gift of God but the gift of vowyng the whiche is agaynst our maister Christ and also agaynst blessed S. Paule Farthermore let euery man now thinke in him selfe séeyng that blessed S. Paule had no commaundement ouer chastitie nor yet would geue any commaundement whether that it bée the surest way and the lawfullest to folow the Popes commaundement or els to folow blessed S. Paules doctrine the which knew the perfection of virginitie and also what dyd béecome Priestes for to doe as well as the Pope doth Moreouer if men will iudge those Priestes that will marry whiche foloweth S. Paules counsell doctrine greuously for to sinne and for to bée heretickes Why should they not rather iudge those men more greuously for to sinne to bée ten tymes worse then heretickes that foloweth the popes commaundement in not marying Is noâ— S. Paules doctrine as lawful to bée keept and as farre from sinne as the Popes coÌ„maundements bée Or is not S. Paule of as great auctoritie in the Churche of God as the Pope is I thinke yes Note also that S. Paule would not bynde the Corinthians to virginity bycause hée would not tangle them in a snare but alonely hée exhorteth them to virginitie as vnto an honest comely thyng that they might y t more quietly serue God VpoÌ„ this same text sayth Athanasius that the Apostle would compell no maÌ„ to kéepe
passion Peter was angry and rebuked Christ and thought earnestly that he had raued and not wist what he sayde as at another time when Christ was so feruently busied in healyng the people that he had no leisure to eat they went out to hold him supposing that he had bene beside hymselfe And one that cast out diuels in Christes name they forbade because he wayted not on them so glorious were they yet And though Christ taught alway to forgeue yet Peter after long goyng to schole asked whether men should forgeue seuen tymes thinkyng that viij tymes had bene to much And at the last supper Peter would haue dyed with christ but yet within few houres after he denyed him both cowardly and shamefully And after the same maner though he had so long heard that no man might auenge him self but rather turne the other cheeke to then to smite agayne yet when Christ was in takyng Peter asked whether it were lawful to smite with the sword and taried none aunswere but layed on rashly So that though when we come first vnto knowledge of the truth and the peace is made betwene God and vs and we loue his lawes and beleue and trust in him as in our father and haue good hartes vnto him and be borne a new in the spirite yet we are but childrē and young scholers weake and feble and must haue leysure to grow in the spirite in knowledge loue and in the ded◅ therof as young children must haue tyme to grow in their bodies And God our father and scholemaster feedeth vs and teacheth vs accorcordyng vnto the capacitie of our stomackes and maketh vs to grow and waxe perfect and fineth and trieth vs as gold in the fire of temptations and tribulations As Moyses witnesseth Deutero viij saying Remember all the way by whiche the Lord thy God caried thee this xl yeares in the wildernesse to humble thee and to tempte or prouoke thee y t it might be knowen what were in thine hart He brought thee into aduersitie and made thee an hungred then fed thee with Manna which neither thou nor yet thy fathers euer knew of to teach that man lyueth not by bread onely but by all that procedeth out of the mouth of GOD. For the promises of God are lyfe vnto all that cleaue vnto them muche more then breade and bodyly sustenaunce as the iourney of the children of Israell out of Egipt into the land promised them ministreth thee notable ensamples and that aboundantly as doth all the rest of the Bible also Howbeit it is impossible for flesh to beleue and to trust in the truth of Gods promises vntil he haue learned it in much tribulation after that God hath deliuered him out therof agayne God therefore to teach Ionas and to shew him his owne hart to make him perfect and to instruct vs also by his ensample sent him out of the lande of Israell where he was a Prophet to go among the heathen people and to the greatest and mightiest Citie of the world then called Niniue to preache that within xl dayes they should all perish for their sinnes and that the Citie should be ouerthrowen Whiche message the free will of Ionas had as much power to doe as the weakest harted womā in the world ▪ hath power if◅ were commaunde◅ to leape int◅e of lyuyng snakes and adders as happely if God had cōmaunded Sara to haue sacrificed her sonne Isaa◅ as he did Abraham she would haue disputed with him yer shee had done it or though she were strong enough yet many an holy Saint could not haue founde in their hartes but would haue runne away from the presence of the commaundement of God with Ionas if they had bene so strongly tempted For Ionas thought of this maner loe I am here a Prophet vnto Gods people the Israelites Whiche though they haue Gods worde testified vnto them dayly yet despise it and worshyp God vnder the likenesse of calues and after all maner fashions saue after hys owne word and therfore are of all nations the worst and most worthy of punishment And yet God for loue of fewe that are among them and for his names sake spareth and defendeth them How then should GOD take so cruel vengeaunce on so great a multitude of them to whō hys name was neuer preached to and therfore are not the tenth part so euill as these If I shall therfore go preach so shal I laye and shame my selfe and God thereto make them the more to dispise God and set the lesse by him and to bee the more cruell vnto his people And vpon that imagination he fled from the face or presence of God that is out of the coūtrey where God was worshipped in and from the prosecutyng of Gods commaundement and thought I will get me an other way among the heathen people and be no more a prophet but liue at rest and out of all combraunce Neuerthelesse the God of all mercy which careth fo◠his elect children turneth all vnto good to them and smiteth them to heale thē againe and killeth them to make them aliue agayne and playeth with them as a father doth some tyme with his young ignoraunt children and tempteth them and proueth them to make them see their owne hartes prouided for Ionas how all thinges should be When Ionas entred into the shyp he layd him down to slepe and to take his rest that is his conscience was tossed betwene the commaundement of God which sent him to Ninine and his fleshly wisedome that dissnaded counselled him the contrary and at the last preuailed against the commaundement and caryed him an other way as a shyp caught betwene two streames as Poetes faine the mother of Meliager to be betwen diuers affections while to aduenge her brothers death shee sought to slea her owne sonne Whereupon for very paine and tediousnes he lay down to slepe for to put the commaundement which so gnewe and fret his conscience out of mynde as the nature of all wicked is when they haue sinned a good to seke all meanes with riot reuell and pastime to driue the remembraūce of sinne out of their thoughtes or as Adam did to couer their nakednes with apornes of Pope holy workes But God awoke him out of his dreame set his sinnes before his face For when y t lot had caught Ionas then bee sure that his sinnes came to remembraunce agayne and that his cōscience raged no lesse then the waues of the Sea And then he thought that he onely was a sinner and the heathen that were in the shyp none in respect of him and thought also as veryly as he was fled from God that as veryly God had cast him away for the sight of the rodde maketh the naturall child not onely to see and to knowledge his faulte but also to forget all his fathers old mercy and kindnesse And then he confessed his sinne openly
y u shalt be iustified of thy wordes thou shalt be condēned Mat. xij That is thy wordes as well as other deedes shal testifie with thee or agaynst thee at the day of iudgemēt Many there are whiche abstaine from the outward dedes of fornication and adulterie neuerthelesse reioyce to talke therof laugh their wordes laughter testifie against them that their hart is vnpure and they adulterers fornicatours in the sight of GOD. The toung and other signes oftymes vtter the malice of the hart though a mā for many causes abstaine his hand from the outward dede or act IF thou wilt enter into lyfe kepe the commaundements Math. xix First remember that when God commaundeth vs to do one thyng he doth it not therfore because that we of our selues are able to do that he cōmaundeth but that by the law we might see know our horrible damnation and captiuitie vnder sinne and therfore should repēt and come to Christ receaue mercy the spirite of God to loose vs strength vs to make vs able to do Gods wil which is the law Now when he sayth if thou wilt enter into lyfe kepe the cōmaundementes is as much to say as he that kepeth the commaundementes is entred into life for except a mā haue first the spirite of lyfe in hym by Christes purchasyng it is impossible for him to kepe the commaundements or that his hart should be loose or at libertie to lust after them for of nature we are enemyes to the law of God As touching that Christ saith afterward if thou wilt be perfect go and sell thy substaūce and geue it to the poore he sayth it not as who should say that there were any greater perfection then to kepe the law of God for that is all perfection but to shew the other hys blindnes which saw not that the law is spirituall and requireth y t hart But because he was not knowyng that he had hurt any man with the outward deede he supposed that he loued his neighbour as him selfe But when he was bydde to shew the deedes of loue and geue of hys aboundaunce to them that neded he departed mournyng Whiche is an euiēdt tokē that he loued not his neighbour as well as him self For if he had neede hym selfe it would not haue greued hym to haue receaued succour of an other man Moreouer he sawe not that it was murther theft that a man should haue aboundaunce of riches lying by hym and not to shew mercy therewith and kyndly to succour hys neighbours neede God hath geuen one man riches to helpe an other at nede If thy neighbour nede thou helpe him not beyng able thou withholdest his dutie from hym and art a thefe before God That also that Christ saith how that it is harder for a rich man who loueth his riches so that he can not find in his hart liberally and freely to helpe the poore and nedy to enter into the kingdome of heauen then a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle declareth that he was not entred into the kingdome of heauen that is to say eternall life But he that kepeth the commaundementes is entred into life he hath life and the spirite of life in him THis kinde of deuils goeth not out but by prayer fasting Math. 27. Not that the deuill is cast out by merites of fasting or praying For he sayth before that for theyr vnbelefes sake they coulde not cast him out It is faith no doubte that casteth out the deuils and fayth it is that fasteth and prayeth Fayth hath the promises of God wher unto she cleaueth and in all thinges thyrsteth the honour of God She fasteth to subdue the body vnto the spirit that the prayer be not let and that the spirite may quietly talke with God she also whensoeuer oportunitie is geuen prayeth God to fulfil his promises vnto his prayse glory And God which is mercifull in promising and true to fullfill them casteth out the deuils and doth all that fayth desireth and satisfyeth her thyrste COme ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde for I was a thirst and ye gaue me drincke c. Math. xxv Not that a man with works delerueth eternal life as a work man or labourer his hyre or wages Thou readest in the text that the kingdome was prepared for vs from the beginning of the worlde And we are blessed sanctified In Christes bloud are we blessed from that bitter curse damnable captiuitie vnder sin wherein we were borne and conceiued And Christes spirite is poured into vs to bring foorth good woorkes and our workes are the fruites of the spirite the kingdome is the deseruing of Christes bloud and so is fayth and the spirite and good workes also Notwithstanding the kingdome foloweth good workes and good workes testify that we are heyres thereof and at the day of iudgement shall they testify for the elect vnto theyr comfort and glory and to the confusion of the vngodly vnbeleeuing and faythlesse sinners which had not trust in the worde of Gods promises nor luste to the will of God but were caryed of the spirite of theyr father the deuill vnto all abhomination to worke wickednes with all lust delectation and gredienes MAny sinnes are forgeuen her for she loueth much Luk. vij Not that loue was cause of forgeuenes of sinnes But contrariwise the forgeuenes of sinnes caused loue as it foloweth to whō lesse was forgeuen y ◠same loueth lesse And afore he commended the iudgement of Simon which aunswered that he loueth most to whom most was forgeuen and also sayde at the last thy fayth hath saued thee or made thee safe goe in peace We can not loue except we see some benefite and kyndenes As long as we looke on the lawe of God onely where we see but sinne and damnation and the wrath of God vpon vs yea where we were damned afore we were borne we can not loue God No we can not but hate him as a tyraunt vnrighteous vniust and flee from hym as did Caine. But when the Gospell that glad tidinges and ioyfull promises are preached how that in Christ God loueth vs first forgeueth vs and hath mercy on vs then loue we againe and the deedes of our loue declare our fayth This is the maner of speaking as we say Sommer is nie for the trees blossome Nowe is the blossomyng of the trees not the cause y t sommer draweth nie but the drawyng ni◠of sommer is the cause of y e blossoms and the blossomes put vs in remembraunce that sommer is at hand So Christ here teacheth Simō by the feruentnes of loue in the outward dedes to see a strong faith within whence so great loue springeth As y ◠maner is to say do your charitie shew your charitie do a deede of charitie
to put on sackecloth to sprinkle themselues with ashes and earth when they heard of or saw any sorowful thing as it was Paules maner to stretch out his hand when he preached And as it is our maner to holde vp our handes when we pray and as some kisse their thome nayle and put it to their eyes and as we put our handes on childrens heades when we blesse theÌ„ saying Christ blesse thee my sonne and God make thee a good man which gestures neither helpe nor hinder This mayst thou well see by the xiij of the Actes where the holy Ghost commaunded to separate Paul and Barnabas to go and preach TheÌ„ the other fasted and prayed and put their handes on their heades and sent them forth They receaued not the holy Ghost theÌ„ by putting on of hands but the other as they put their handes on their heades prayed for them that God would goe with them strength them and coraged them also bidding them to be strong in God and warned them to be faythfull and diligent in the worke of God and so forth ¶ Anoyling LAst of all commeth the anoyling wythout promise and therefore without the spirite and without profet but altogether vnfruitfull and superstitious The sacramentes which they haue imagined are all wythout promise and therefore helpe not For whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Rom. xiiij Now without a promise can there be no fayth The sacraments which Christ himselfe ordeined which haue also promises and would saue vs if we knew them and beleued them them minister they in the latine touÌ„g So are they also become as vnfruitfull as the other Yea they make vs beleue that the worke it self without the promise saueth vs which doctrine they learned of Aristotle And thus are we become an hundred tymes worse then the wicked Iewes which beleued that the very worke of their sacrifice iustified them Against which Paul fighteth in euery epistle prouing that nothyng helpeth saue the promises which God hath sworne in Christ Aske the people what they vnderstand by their Baptime or washing And thou shalt see that they beleue how that the very plunging into the water saueth them of the promises they know not nor what is signified thereby Baptime is called volowing in many places of England because the priest sayth â—olo say ye The childe was well volowed say they yea and our Vicare is as fayre a volower as euer a priest within this twenty miles Beholde how narowly the people looke on the ceremony If ought be left out or if the childe be not altogether dipt in the water or if because y â— childe is sicke y t priest dare not plunge him into the water but poure water on his head how tremble they how quake they how say ye sir Iohn say they is this childe christened enough hath it his full christendome They beleue verely that the childe is not christened yea I haue knowen Priestes that haue gone vnto the orders againe supposing that they were not priestes because that the Byshop left one of his ceremonies vndon That they call coÌ„firmation the people call Byshoping They thinke that if the Byshop butter the childe in y e forehead that it is safe They thinke that the worke maketh safe and likewise suppose they of anoyling Now is this false doctrine verely For Iames sayth in y â— fyrst chapter of hys Epistle Of his good wyll begat he vs with y â— word of life that is with the worde of promise In which we are made Gods sonnes heires of the goodnes of god before any good workes For we can not worke Gods will tyll we be hys sonnes and know hys wyll and haue hys spirite to teach vs. And Saint Paule sayth in y t fyft chapter of hys Epistle to the Ephesians Christ clensed the congregation in the fountayne of water thorough the worde And Peter saith in the first of his first epistle Ye are borne anew not of mortall seede but of immortall seede by the worde of God which liueth and lasteth euer Paule in euery Epistle warneth vs that we put no trust in workes and to beware of perswasions or arguments of mans wisdome of superstitiousnes of ceremonies of Pope holynes and of all maner disguising And exhorteth vs to cleaue fast vnto the the naked and pure worde of God The promise of God is the Anker that saueth vs in all teÌ„ptations If all y â— world be against vs Gods word is stronger then y e world If the world kill vs that shall make vs aliue agayne If it be possible for the worlde to cast vs into hell from thence yet shall Gods worde bring vs agayne Herby seest thou that it is not the worke but the promise that iustifieth vs thorough fayth Now where no promise is there can no fayth be and therefore no iustifiyng though there be neuer so glorious workes The Sacrament of Christes body after this wise preach they Thou must beleue that it is no more bread but the very body of Christ flesh bloud and bone euen as he went here on earth saue his coate For that is here yet I wot not in how many places I pray thee what helpeth all this Here is no promise The deuils know that Christ dyed on a Fryday and the Iewes also What are they holpe thereby We haue a promise that Christ and his body and his bloud and all that he did and suffered is a sacrifice a raunsome and a full satisfaction for our sinnes that God for his sake wyll thinke no more on them if they haue power to repent and beleue Holy worke men thinke that God reioyceth in the deede selfe without any further respecte They thinke also that God as a cruell tyrant reioyceth and hath delectation in our payne takyng without any further respect And therefore many of them martyr themselues wythout cause after the ensample of Baals Priestes which iij. Reg. xviij cut themselues to please theyr God with all and as the olde heathen pagans sacrificed their children in the fyre vnto their Gods The Monkes of the Charterhouse thinke that y â— very eating of fishe in it selfe pleaseth God and referre not the eating vnto the chastening of the body For when they haue slayne their bodyes wyth colde fleme of fisheating yet then will they eate no fleshe and sley themselues before their dayes We also when we offer our sonnes or daughters and compell or perswade them to vowe professe chastitie thinke that y â— very payne and that rage and burning which they suffer in absteining from a make pleaseth God and so referre not our chastitie vnto our neighbours profet For when we see thousandes fall to innumerable diseases therby and to die before their dayes yea though we see theÌ„ breake the commaundementes of God dayly and also of very impatiency worke abhominations against nature to shamefull to be spoken of yet wyll we not let them marry but compell
it foloweth c. S. Paul saith it is profitable to learne with and you say that it is dawnable good to learn herises with S. Paule sayth it is good to improoue heresyes and you say it engendereth heresyes S. Paule sayth it is good to informe and to instruct righteousnes and you say to enforme heresies S. Paule sayth that the man of God may be perfect by it and you say that the Priestes al onely shal haue it so that you play ouerthwart with S. Paule in all thinges Also S. Paule sayth you may all interpretate scripture one by one that all men may learne and all men may haue comfort but let your wynes kéepe sylence in the congregation Marke how that all men may prophesye which S. Augustine doth declare for interpretating Scriptures Therefore it belongeth not all onely to priestes Also hée sayth that women must hold their peace which hée néede not to coÌ„maund if they were vnlearned Furthermore hée will that womeÌ„ shall learne of their husbaÌ„ds at home How shall their husbandes learne them if they bée vnlearned theÌ„selues Also S. Paule geueth testimony of Tymothy that hée was learned in holy scriptures from his childhode the which were able to instruct hym vnto saluatioÌ„ by fayth that is in Christ Iesu Here you not how Tymothe was learned in holy scriptures béefore hée was eyther priest or byshop yea being but a childe the which as S. Paule sayth weare able to enstruct hym and you say they bée able to condemne meÌ„ Is not this cleane coÌ„trary against S. Paule are you not ashamed What works shall Antichrist doe more coÌ„trary to Christ theÌ„ these bée let all christeÌ„ men write the déedes of Antechrist they must all agrée in this that hée shal condemne scripture But that shall be not doe without some colour of right and of holynes and you condemne it hauyng no colour nor no shadow of holynes but all onely reason of fleshlynes and of starke madnes Thinke you if the great Turk would receaue such reasons as yours bée yea and a great deale better agaynst hys Mahomet that hée coulde raigne so long as hée hath done Nay doubtles and yet you loke to bée alowed agaynst Christ the ryght sonne of God yea and that of Christen men which coulde not bée hard agaynst mahomet Also our M. Christ commaundeth his Apostles that they should preach y â— Gospell vnto all creatures as Mathew sayth that they should teach meÌ„ to kéepe all manner of things that hée hath coÌ„maunded them Marke that the Gospell must bée preached to all manner of men not to priestes onely the Apostles must also learne to kéepe all thinges of the Gospell which they can not doe without they know them no if these thinges that the Apostles dyd learne should ingender or be any occasion of heresies then the holy Apostles were occasion by theyr doctrine of heresies Yea and that at the commaundement of our M. Christe what néede the Apostles to learne vs any thing that might bée occasion of heresie were wée not in heresie béefore they came were wée not all disposed of our nature vnto all maner of mischiefe and yet after your learning they come and learne that thing that is occasion of heresie But of your conscience are you not ashamed thus damnably to blaspheme the heauenly worde of God thus shamefully to coÌ„demne Gods worde thus presumptuously to vndertreade the gifte of y e holy ghost yea and that vnder the preteÌ„ce of holynes of ChristeÌ„dome as though you dyd fauour Christ Will you make Christ an auctor of heresy and that vnder the name of holynes will you by your holynes and your damnable hipocresye condemne our M. Christ the auctor of all goodnes But brieflye if you woulde teach nothing but that which our M. Christ hath left to bée taught we should not haue so many heretykes as we haue For nowe men bée no heretykes for speking agaynst Scripture for you graunt that men speak scripture but for speaking agaynst your law for y e cause bée they made heretykes and by y e bée they proued heretykes Now let euery Christen man Iudge in hys conscience if this bée right or lawfull Is not this a merueilous thing let a man liue in fornicatioÌ„ in whoredome in theft in murther drunkennes in extortyon in bribery briefly in all maÌ„ner of mischyfe and you will haue nothing to doe with theÌ„ you will scarsly reproue hym yea hée shall bée a great officer vnderneath you greatly in your fauour But let a man come and preach y e very true Gospell of Christ and thereby reprooue your damnable lyuyâ—g and theÌ„ béegynneth hée to bée an heretycke it shall cost you great labour if you make hym not an heretyke in déede And yet haue you nothing that you can reprooue in hym as concerning hys lyuyng but all onely that hée preacheth the Gospell Is not thys a merueilous heretyke whose lyuyng you must néedes graunt to bée good And also you can not prooue but that his learning is of Christ but all onely that it pleaseth you not no you dare not take in hand to prooue it false but all onely by vyolâ—ce you will condemne it Thinke you that God will thus suffer remember what hée sayth by the holy Prophet Thou hast reproued the vnfaythfull people hast destroyed the wicked and takeÌ„ away their name for euer The Lorde hath prepared his trone of IudgmeÌ„t doubt you not but hée shal shortly reprooue you His trone is set to the IudgemeÌ„t must you come where you shall neuer bée able to defeÌ„d this cause but you must perishe for euer But here will you say that you preach the Gospell to the people and that is inongh for they néede not to haue it in Englyshe I aunswere I pray you when was there any lawe that euer men were bounde to kéepe but that it was geuen them in wrighting I will not say that you doe not teach them the right Gospell for you know it not But how are they able to beare away that thing y e they doe but heare And if they may heare it of you why may they not also reade it But looke on S. Luke that wrot his Gospell that men might know for a certayne those thinges that they were informed of Moreouer why did y â— Apostle write yea and that vnto lay men séeyng that they were so diligent in preachyng I dare boldly say as you bée â–ª But let vs sée howe lay men were forbydden to read holy Scripture in the Apostles tyme The noblest of Thessalonia whiche receiued the worde searched the Scriptures dayly whether those thinges that Paule preached were so or not here haue you playne that lay men searched Scriptures to knowe whether Paules doctrine were true or not and also how they read dayly Scriptures And now come you and say that lay men shall read no Scriptures but alonely receiue theÌ„ of your
persecutour 250 Church truely declared 253. 254. 256 Counsailes haue erred and may erre 255 Councell of Constance forbad the Sacrament in both hyndes 302 Coūcell of Nice thought it meete for a Byshop to haue a wife 320 D. DAyes are no one better nor higher then an other 206 Doctours of the law geue euill counsayle 208 E. ENemy to a true mā is a theef 189 Extreme law is extreme miustice 208 F. FAyth onely iustifieth 226. 235 Fayth without workes iustifieth 228 Fayth is accompted for righteousnes 231 Fayth in Christ attayneth saluation 231 Fayth bryngeth forth good workes 236 Fayth that bryngeth forth frute is the fayth that iustifieth 238 Fayth iustifieth before God good workes declare our iustification to the world 239 Faythes are of two sortes 241 Fayth that iustifieth is geuen vs frely of God 241 Faythfull beleeuers in Christes merites are the right holy Churche of God 244 Faythfull congregation cannot erre 247 Fayth is the mere gift of God 277 Fisher Bishop of Rochester sworne to the Pope 197 Flocke of Christ is litle 247 Fleshly reason refoned frowardly 270 Fridericke the Emper our deposed 191 Freewill of man without Gods grace can doe no good 266. 267. 268 Freewill without grace is sinne 269. 270 Freewill wherein it consisteth 276 Frutes of fayth 235 G. GErmayne a Popes Sainte a straunge hystory 190 George Stafford a learned man 221 God onely is omnipotent and almightie 351 God is to bee obeyed before men 295 God doth wōderfully worke to saue his flocke ibidem Gods commaundements are impossible to our nature to bee kept 272 Gods mercy is the onely cause of our saluation 179 Good counsaile geuē to the Bishops 215 Good workes what goodnes is in them 229 Good workes cannot deserue remission of sinnes 235 Good workes are to be done though they iustifie not 237 Good workes are the frutes of good fayth 249 God disposeth his mercy to whom it pleaseth him 278 Gospell preachyng is no cause of insurrection 184 Gospell profitable to England 194 Grace without deseruyng 224 Grace findeth our hartes stony 273 H. HErode kept his brothers wise 188 Hipocrisie abhominable 189 Holy dayes why they were ordeyned 205 Holy Church truely defined 243 Holy church that is the true church of God is to the worlde inuisible 244 Holy Church is the grounde and piller of trueth 245 Holy Church is built vpon the Apostles and Prophetes 250 I. IAcob is elected and Esau reiected 178 Idols and Images described 344 Idols Images are all one ibidem Ignoraunce made vs worshyppe stockes and stones 341 Images are neither to bee honored nor worshypped 340 Image of God is thy poore Christian brother 345 Images or Idols are not the workers of any miracles 345 Insurrections whereof they came 192 Indifferent thynges are to bee obeyed 298 Iohn kyng of Englād cruelly handled by the Clergy of England 189 Iustification is not by the lawe of of workes but by the law of fayth 234 Iustification how it commeth 236 Iustified personnes cannot abstayne from doyng of good workes 240 K. Kynges ought not to bee deposed though they bee wicked 187 Kyng Iohn was cruelly handled of the Clergy of England 189 Kyng Iohn poysoned 189 Kynges brought by violence vnder the Popes foote 195 Kynges of the kyngdome of heauen what they are 257. 258 Keyes of Christ abused by the Byshops 262. 263 L. LAw why it was geuen 275 Liberties of holy Churche may not bee impugned 217 Losing and byndyng what it is 259 M. MAn is Lord ouer all creatures 274 Mans dominion restreyned 275 Man is the lyuely and true Image of God 346 Mariage of Priestes is allowed of God 317 Mariage hath a greater crosse then virginitie 313 Mariage of Priestes is neither agaynst Gods law nor mans law 328 Mariage is all one beefore Priesthode and after Priesthode 336 Masse made of many patches 357 Masse welbeloued of the Papistes for gaynes sake ibidem Ministers of the Churche ought to bee no Lordes 262 Money is the popes best marchaūt 265 Monkes of the Charterhouse and their superstition 299 Mores holy Church are the Pope Cardinals and Byshops 252 Moses chayre what it is 297 N. NAturall reason is a blynde iudge of the Scriptures 307 Naturally all men desire Mariage 323 O. OBedience to the higher powers taught by Christ and his Apoles 185 Obedience to the Prince wee owe with our bodyes and to God with our soules 300 Officers are Byshops hangmē 211 Offendours of the common weale may not breake prison but paciently suffer that the law doth determine 293 Orders in the Clergy hath two significations 202 Othe the Byshoppes made to the Pope 195 Othe to the Pope last made by the Byshops 200 P. PApistes and Schoolemen peruert the Scriptures 180 ▪ Papistes charge the Preachers of Gods word with heresie 185 Papistes teach disobedience to Princes 185. 186 Papistes shamelesse doynges 186 Papistes and Protestantes wherin they differre 191 Papiste is an vnnaturall subiect agaynst hys soueraigne Lord and Lady 202 Papistes are arrogant and proude 209 Papistes are craftie iugglers 223 Papistes crueltie 225 Papistes are trappers of innocents 223 Papistes are tyrantes 224 Papistes are blasphemers of Gods holy word 286 Papistes preach lyes 287 Papistes and S. Paule are contrary 285 Papistes are the norishers of ignoraunce and darknes 290 Papistes finde faulte with gnattes and swalow Camelles 308 Papistes make blynd reasons 308. 309 Papistes carnall reasons 351 Papistes worshyppers of stockes and stones 352 Papistes blynd and malicious 353 Papistes foolish arguments soluted 354 Paule dispenseth with vnlawfull vowes 314 Peter the Apostle had a wife 325 Petition of Doct. Barnes to kyng Henry the viij 205 Philip the Euangelist was maryed 325 Popes depose kynges 186 Popes shamelesse arrogancy and tyranny ibidem Popes dispense with othes that subiectes make of obedience to theyr Princes 188 Popes procurers of warre and destruction of people 193 Pope agaynst Pope one cursing an other ibidem Popes alter the Byshops othes as semeth best for their purpose 195 Popes and their lewdenes truely described 197 Pope how hee cōmeth by the name of Lord. ibidem Pope Clement excōmunicated kyng Henry the viij 198 Popes what maner of men they are that are chosē to that dignitie 199 Pope Clement the sonne of a Curtisan ibidem Pope a monstruous hypocrite 198 Pope and hys lawes agree not 199 Popes are not chosen after Sainte Paules rule ibidem Power of kynges is immediatly of God 202 Popes Saintes worke straūge miracles 190 Pope absolueth all rebellion agaynst Princes but pardoneth none that hath beene agaynst hym selfe 201 Popes regalles ibidem Pope calleth Councelles as it pleaseth hym 202 Pope hath libertie to say do◠what hee list 204 Popes pardōs haue beene good marchaundise in England 212 Pope may not bee controlled of any man 213 Popish law is tyrannous 218. 219. 220 Pope and the true holy church how farre they differre 242 Pope and his maners agreeth nothyng with the holy Church ibidē Pope
do not take their vocation to seke Gods glory and honour but to liue easilie promote themselues to dignitie Libertie God destroyeth one wicked with an other Gods word is not the cause of euill Christes Disciples were long weake and worldly mynded What the Popes doctrine causeth he coÌ„maundeth murther The popes doctrine is bloudy Christes doctrine to peaceable God auengeth hys doctrine him selfe How a maÌ„ ought to behaue him selfe in readyng of doctours and also in the Scripture Our fathers and mothers are to vs in Gods stede What wee doe to our fathers mothers that we do to God The reward of obedience The reward of disobedience God auengeth disobedience hym selfe though the officer will not Mariage couetousnes maketh our spiritualitie that they cannot see that which a Turke is ashamed of Get her with child say they so shall thy cause bee best Gods commaundementes breake they throughe their owne traditions Money maketh marchaundise Iugglers Mariage altereth the degree of nature The husband is 〈◊〉 the wife in gods stede In sufferynge wronges patieÌ„tly â—e folow the steppes of Christ The master is vnto the seruanÌ„t in Gods stede Our spiritualtie retayne mens seruauntes not to honour God but their traditions and ceremonies onely Christes doctrine the Popes differre If thy master please thee not shaue thy selfe a Monke a Frier or a Priest To obey no man is a spirituall thyng Rom. 13. Kyngs are chosen to suppresse the wicked support the good An â—pte similitude Iudges are called Gods Blessyng Curse God rewardeth aâ— obedience though no maÌ„ els do God auengeth all disobedience though no maÌ„ els do VeÌ„geance is Gods Dauid God destroyeth one wicked by an other God prouideth a meanes to take the euil out of the way when they haue fulfilled their wickednes Why Dauid slewe not Saul The kyng 〈◊〉 in the roâ—â—â—e of god in this world The kyng must be reserued vnto the vengeaunce of God It iâ— not lawfull for a Christen subiect to resiste hys Prince though he be an heathen man Kynges must make accompt of their doynges onely to God The kyng hath no power but to his damnation to priuiledge the spiritualtie to sinne vnpunished A king is a great benefite though he be neuer so euill Princes are ordeined to pâ—uill doâ—rs The damnation of Princes Sanctuaries Neckeuerse Three natures What it is to looke Moyses in the face Heauen commeth by Christ A Christen man seketh no more but Gods will Lustes Freâ—ill Worldly witte The will is bond and â—ed Fredome All is sinne that springeth not of the spirite of God and all that is not done in the light of Gods worde So do our spiritualtie in all their workes True miracles are wrought to coÌ„firme the preaching and not the God head of the preacher Our hypocrites are blinde The religious looke vpon the out side onely The sprituall man The naturall man Feate is the last â—emedy Kinges defend y â— false authoritie of the pope their office punishing of sinne loyd apart Bishoppes minister the kinges dutie their owne layde apart yea they persecute their owne office Kynges do but waite on y â— Popes pleasure The iugling of the Pope Bishops of Almany Mylane Byshops of Fraunce A cappe of maintenaunce Most Christen kyng Defendre of the Popes Fayth The eldest sonne of the holy 〈◊〉 Blâ—â—â—ng of armes The English Bysshops The falsehode of the Bishops O a cruell and an abhominable example of tyranny iudge them by theyr dedes saith Christ The whore of BabyloÌ„ Confession Not Peter onely but Christ also was vnder the temporall sword The kings sinne in geuing exeÌ„ptions the Prelates in receauyng them When the spiritualitie payeth tribute Shameles iugglers They make no conscieÌ„ce at any euill doyng They care for theyr neighbours as y â— wolfe doth for the shepe The euill ensample of the spiritualtie causeth the lay to beleue that they are not bound to obey There is no ChristeÌ„ loue in theÌ„ What purpose euen to flatter the princes that they may abuse their authoritie to sleâ— who soeuer beleueth 〈◊〉 Christ and to mainteine the Pope Confessiâ— Prelates know all mens secretes 〈…〉 man theâ—… â—oue fulfilleth the law before God not the outward dede Agaynste workemen The deede fulfilleth the law before the world Faith maketh a man to loue Iustifiyng The office or dutie of the law The beleuyng of Gods promises iustifieth The spirite and the inward vertues are knowen by the outward dede Ouercome thyne enemy with well doing The law The kyng Rulers are Gods gift Why the rulers are euill Euill rulers are a signe that God is angry with vs. Why the Prelates are so wicked The cause of false miracles is that we haue no lust vnto the truth The right way to came of bondage Euill rulers ought not to be resisted God is alwayes one alwayes true alwayes mercifull and excludeth no maÌ„ from his promises A Christâ— man doth but suffer onely Euill rulers are wholesome medicines A Christen man receaueth How profitable aduersitie is The greatest sinner is righteous in Christ and the promises And the perfectest and holyest is a sinner in the lawe the fleshe Rigour in parentes towardes their chilchildren is to be eschued The right bringing vp of children The destruction marring of children The maryage of children without conâ—… of their parenâ—es is vnlawfull In Christ we are all seruaunts and he that hath knowledge is bounde MeÌ„ ought to rule their wiues by Gods worde Why the man is stronger then the woman Teach thy seruaunt to know Christ and after Christes doctrine deale with hym Do all thyng with Gods worde Landlordes should raise no rentes nor bring vp new customes God gaue â—he earth to men Landlordes should withstand the worng of the Tenauntes There is no respect of person afore God Moyses Iudges O tyranny to compell a man to accuse himselfe Our Prelates learned of Cayphas Secret sinnes pertayne vnto God to punishe and open sinnes vnto the kyng ☜ Parcialitie in Iudges is wicked Parcialitie bribe takyng is the pestilence of Iudges ☞ Women pride and coÌ„tempt of subiectes are the pestilence of Princes Vayne names The holy father lonseth peace and vmâ—â—e trace trâ—uth and aâ— honesty What the keyes arâ— why they are so called The keyes are promised The keyes are payde To bynde and loose Repentaunce and forgeuenes come by preachyng Peter practiseth his keyes The popes authoritie is to preach gods word onely Beware of the net and of the leuen and of the counterfet keyes of our holy father Not w t an hereticke sayth the Pope Vnlawfull vowes or othes men are commaunded to breake Byshops Behold the face of the Pope and of the Byshops in this glasse Peters patrimonie The popes authoritie is improued Byshops haue captiued Gods word with theyr owne decrees Rochester They walke in shadowes Aaron is euery true preacher Aaron representeth Christ Aaron addeth nothyng to Moses law The Apostles preached not Peter but Christ Paule is greater thaÌ„ hye
geuen vs his commaundementes to bee kept De temp ser lxiij De lib. arb cap. xvi Eccl. 12. Gods commaundementes bee impossible to our nature Whereof our good will commeth De coÌ„gruo De lib. arb cap. xvi The Pelagians sayth that God giueth good lawes man may keepe them of his natural strength or els the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts were frustrate iiij sen dist xiiij quest ij Hee that hath not y t grace of God caÌ„not abhorre sin Roma 18. De gredeâ—iâ— cap. 8. Grace findeth our hartes stony Meritum de congruo Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Eccl. 16. Mans Lordshyp ouer all creatures of God Mans dominion restreined Aug. de lib. arb cap. xvi August de verb. Apost sent xiij Wherefore the lawe is giuen Math. 23. Two wils in God Gene. 2. Howe Christ willed to saue the Iewe â–ª Iohn 11. Wherin thâ— libertie of freewill consisteth Magist sen in ij It was not in their handes to chaunge their will We may not â—ee to inquisiâ—â—ue of Gods secâ—etes Nothyng that God doth caÌ„ bee amended Note here the wicked and sinnefull state of man Fayth doth not come of exterior causes but is the mere gift of God God disposeth hys mercy to whom it pleaseth hym Math. 20. Roma 9. God hath no delight in our damnation A comfortable and wholesome doctrine Scâ—â—â—s i. s dâ—st 〈◊〉 Bonauenture Iacob Esau Meritum de congruo Iacob is elected and Esau reiected Rom. 9. Gods mercy is y e cause onely of our saluation August super Ioannem tract lxxxviij God is mercyfull MaÌ„s good intent to saue hym selfe Origine in perâ—arcon Glos Rom. 5 Hierâ— super Esaiam which bee newe men Howe the Papistes schoole men peruert the holy scriptures How God indurateth Ephe. 2. All thyngs are subiect to the will of God Gods actioÌ„ is good As y t faithfull take profite by the hearing of the word of God so the wicked and vnfaith full take hurt thereby The Pope and his cleargie wil not allow y t scripture to bee in y t mother vulgar tongue of y t people This was Byshoppe Stokesley A common practise of Prelates to deface the scriptures The cleargie were more willing to finde faulte wyth the translating of the Scripture then to amende it W. Tyndal The onely cause why the Scriptures were condemned by the Byshops Esay 61. Hebr. 10. The words of God was firste written to all nations and people and not to priestes onely The Byshoppes worse then the great Turke A worshyp full counsell of an vnpreachyng Prelate The earnest zeale of Doctour Barnes Doctour Barnes most earnestly defeÌ„deth Christes cause Deut. 32. Psal 118. Psal 1. The Pope and Christ are contrary Ephes 6. A godly saying of S. Ihon. The Pharisies iudged better of the scriptures of God then our Byshops dyd 1. Tim. 3. Papistes S. Paule are contrarye 2. Tim. 3. One of the chiefest workes of Antichrist is to condemne the scriutures of God Mar. vlt. Mat. vlt. The Papistes are blasphemers of Gods heaueÌ„ly word Papistes abyde the true preachers of the Gospell Psal 9. The euangelistes and Apostles did not onely preache but also wrote the Scripture that all meÌ„ might read it Actes 17. Papistes preach lyes Dect Alen expoundeth Scripture A Popish Doctors interpretation A foolish tale of a tubbe The Papisticall and vayne doctrine of Papistes Authorities to prooue that the scriptures ought to bee in the mother toungue Actes 18. Acte 8. Collos 3. The Pope and hys Clergy are the very â—lntechristes August ad fratres s 3â— In epis ad Ephes c. 6. Scriptures reache the commaundementes of God In Gen. 〈◊〉 9. ho 28. A notable saying of S. Chrisostome Iâ— Mat. c. 〈◊〉 hom 2. The scripture is meete to bee knowen of all states and sortes of people Di. 38. Si iuxta 7. Sinod c. Omnes et dâ— 38. The readyng of the Scripture allowed by a counsell In prohe In Epist ad Ephes Li. 1. What benefites we may receaue by readyng of Scripture The great arrogancy pride tyranny that is in Papistes Psal 5. Doctour Barnes is vehement The Papistes first reason to prooue that lay men ought not to read Scriptures Euill men will take occasion of euill of euery good thyng 1. Cor. 1. Math. 13. An other reason of the Papistes What is meant by this saying to you is geuen the true vnderstyng and interpretation of scriptures Scotus 11. Sent. di 3. q. 3. Scriptures must bee first knowen therby you may iudge the opinion of the Doctours whether they say right or not A third reason of the Papistes CouÌ„sâ—…s are to bee kept secret but the Scripture must bee made knowen to all men Mar. vâ—â— Ti. 1. 2. Tim. 2. Iohn 3. Math. 5. A foolishe similitude made by Stokesley Byshop of London There are two maner of powers A temporal power The description of the temporall power Roma 13. 1. Pet. 2. Roma 13. 1. Cor. 13. Math. 6. A man wrongfully imprisoned by a tyraunt maye in quyet maner make his escape 1. Cor. 7. Such as haue made offeÌ„ces to the common weale ought not to breake prison 4. Kyng 6. 3. King 89. Actes 12. idem 9. and. 14. What were to bee done if the kyng should forbyd vs the readyng of the Scripture Roma 1. Note here what is to bee done if the kyng doe sorbid the Scripture â—o bee read of his subiectes Subiectes must obey but here is shewed in what sorte and maner Note here how a Christian subiecte must shewe himselfe obedient 1. Cor. 15. Math. 20. Act. 20. 1. Tim. 6. 1. Tim. 2. Act. 4. 5. God is to bee obeyed beefore meÌ„ Luke 13 Daniell 3. Dan. 6. Math. 10. 1. Pet. 3. God doth woÌ„derfully worke to saue and defend hys poore flock Dan. 13. Gene. 37. and. 39. Exod. 2. Psal 〈◊〉 Actes 12. Math. 27. and. 28. Christ is for euer to bee set beefore vs for an example to comforte vs in our persecutioÌ„ Wee must rather suffer perâ—ecution then in any wise resiste A spirituall power The spirituall power hath no auctoritie to make lawes to rule the worlde by 2. Tim. 3. Roma 16. Gala. 1. Ierem. 23. Luke 10. Math. 23. Super Ioan. Trac 46. By the chayre of Moses â–ª is vnderstand the lawe of God which Moses deliuered to the Iewes Act. 5. Hylarius in Mat. canâ— 14. All traditions of men that are agaynst God must bee rooted vp by the rootes Ezechi â–ª 20. Thynges that are indifferent to bee done or not done are to bee obeyed so that y e same bee not commauÌ„ded vnder the peine of deadly sinne 1. Cor. 7. Galat. 2. Note here that things that oâ— the selues are indifferent and yet are comaunded to bee of necessitie obserued those are to bee disobeyed 1. Tim. 4. 1. Cor. 8. Roma 15. Superstition of the Monkes of the Charterhouse Coll. 2. A notable saying of S. Paule Ad Paul Epi. 59. Collos 2. ΣÏι. ad ro propo 72. Our bodyes are subiect to princes but our soules