the law are finished in the coÌ„ming of the king being kyng of the lawe of grace euen as the sacrifices of the priesthoode of Aaron are finished in the comming of the priest according to the order of Melchisedech who hath offred himselfe vp for our sinnes Because as it is before sayd neyther the righteousnes of the law nor sacrifices for sinne brought any man to perfection Wherfore it was necessary that the same by reason of their imperfection And seeing amongst all the lawes of the world the law of Moses was most iustest forasmuch as the author thereof was God who is the most iust iudge and by that law alwaies looke what maner of iniury one had done vnto an other contrary to the coÌ„mandement of the law the like iniury he should receaue for his transgression according to the vpright iudgemeÌ„t of the law As death for death a blow for a blow burning for burning wound for wound eye for eye tooth for tooth and most iust punishmentes were ordayned according to the quantitie of the sinnes But if this lawe of righteousnes be cleane taken away in the comming of the lawe of grace how then shall the lawe of the Gentiles remayne among Christians which was neuer so iust Is not this true that in them whiche are conuerted vnto the sayth there is no distinction betweene the Iewe and the Grecian For both are vnder sinne are iustified by grace in the sayth of Christ being called vnto sayth and vnto the perfection of the Gospell If therefore the geÌ„tiles coÌ„uerted are not bouÌ„d to play the Iewes to follow the lawe of the Iewes why should the Iewes conuerted follow the lawes of the GeÌ„tiles which are not so good Wherfore it is to bee wondred at why theues are among christians for theft put to death where after the lawe of Moyses they were not put to death ChrystiaÌ„s suffer adulterers to liue Sodomits and they which curse father and mother many other horrible sinners And they which accordinge to the most iust lawe of God were condemned to death are not put to death So wee neyther keepe the law of righteousnes geuen of God nor the law of mercy taught by Christ. Wherefore the lawe makers and Iudges do not geue heede vnto the aforesayd senteÌ„ce of Christ vnto the Scribes and Phariscis who sayd He which amoÌ„gst you is with out sinne let him cast the first stone at her What is he that dareth be so bolde as to say he is without sinne Yea and without a grieuous sinne when as the transgression of the commaundement of God is a greeuous sinne And who can say that hee neuer transgressed this commaundement of God Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Or the other coÌ„mauÌ„dement which is of greater force Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with al thy hart c. Wherfore thou whatsoeuer thou art that iudgest thy brother vnto death thinkest thou that thou shalt escape the iudgemeÌ„t of God which peradueÌ„ture hast offended more greuously theÌ„ hath he whom thou iudgest How â—eeâ—â— thou a mote in thy brothers eye seest not a beame in thine owne eye Knowest than not that with what measure thou measurest the same shall be measured to you agayne Doth not the scripture say Unto me belongeth vengeance and I will render agayne sayth yâ— Lord How can any man say that these men can with charitie keepe these iudgementes of death Who is it that offendeth God and desireth of God iust iudgement for his offence He desireth nor iudgement but mercy If he desire mercy for him selfe why desireth he vengeance for his brother offending Howe therefore loueth he his brother as himselfe Or how doest thou shewe mercy vnto thy brother as thou art bound by the commaundement of Christ which seekest the greatest vengeance vpon him that thou canst inferr vnto him For death is the most terrible thing of all and a more grieuous vengeance then death can no man inferre Wherefore they which wil keep charitie ought to obserue the commaundements of Christ touching mercy and they which liue in the law of charitie ought to leaue the lawe of vengeance and iudgementes Ought we to beleue that Christ in his comming by grace abrogated the most iust law whiche he himselfe gaue vnto the Children of Israell by Moses his seruaunt and established the lawes of the Gentiles being not so iust to be obserued of his faythfull Doth not Daniell expounding the dreame of Nabuchodonozer the king coÌ„cerning the image whose head was of gold the brest and armes of siluer the belly thies of brasse the legges of iron one part of the feete was of iron and the other part of clay Nabuchodonozer saw that a stone was cut out of a mountaine wtout hands and strake the Image in his feete of iron and of clay brake them to peeces Then was the iron the clay the brasse the siluer and gold broken altogether and became like the chaffe of the sommer flower which is caryed away by the winde and there was no place found for them and the stone that smote the image became a great mountayne and filled the whole earth He applieth therfore 4. kingdomes vnto the 4. partes of the Image namely the kingdome of the Babilonians vnto the head of the gold The kingdome of the Medes and Persians vnto the brest and armes of siluer The kingdom of the Grecians vnto the belly and thighes or brasse But the fourth kingdome whiche is of the Romaynes he applyeth vnto the feet and legges of iron And Daniell addeth In the dayes of their kingdomes shall God rayse vp a kingdome which shall neuer be destroyed And hys kingdome shall not be deliuered vnto an other but it shal breake and destroy those kingdomes and it shal stand for euer according as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountayne without handes and brake in peeces the clay and iron brasse siluer and golde Seeing therfore it is certain that this stone signifieth Christ whose kingdome is for euer it is also a thing most assured that he ought to raygne euery where and to breake in peeces the other kingdoms of the world Wherfore it terrestrial kinges and the terrestriall kingdom of the Iewes and their laws and iudgementes haue ceased by Christ the king calling the Iewes vnto the perfection of his gospel namely vnto Fayth and Charitie It is not to be doubted but that the kingdome of the Gentiles which is more imperfect their lawes ought to ceasse among the Gentiles departing froÌ„ their Gentillitie vnto the perfection of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. For there is no distinction betwene the Iewes and Gentiles being conuerted vnto the faith of Christ but all of them abiding in that eternall kingdome ought to be vnder one lawe of Charitie and of vertue Therefore they ought to haue mercy and to leaue the iudgments of death and the desire of vengeance Wherfore they which do make lawes marke not the
of warres among the Christiās in any case to be lawful for he himself before hath opēly protested the contrary But that his purpose is to proue the Pope in all his doings teachings more to be addicted to warre thē to peace yea in such cases wher is no necessity of war And therin proueth he the Pope to be contrary to Christ the is to be Antichrist Now he proceedeth further to the second part which is of mercy In the which part he sheweth how Christ teacheth vs to be merciful because mercye as he sayth proceedeth frō charity and nourisheth it In which doctrine of mercye he breaketh not the law of righteousnes for he himself by mercy hath clensed vs from our sinnes from which we coulde not by the righteousnes of the law be clensed But whom he hath made cleane by mercye vndoubtedly it behoueth those same to be also merciful For in the v. chapiter of Mathew he sayth Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtaine mercy And againe in the 6. of Mathew If ye forgeue vnto men their sinnes your father will forgeue vnto you your sinnes And againe in the vij chapter of Mathewe Iudge not ye shal not be iudged condemne not and ye shal not be condemned with what measure ye measure with the same shal it be measured vnto you againe In the xviij chap. of Mathew Peter asked the lord saying Lord how often shal my brother sinne agaynst me and I shall forgeue him seuen times Iesus sayd vnto him I say not vnto thee seuen times but seuentie times seuen tymes Therefore is the kingdome of heauen likened vnto a certaine king which would take accōpt of his seruants And when he had begun to reckē one was brought vnto hym which ought him tenne thousand talents And because he had nothing where withal to pay his maister commaūded him to be solde and his wife and his children and all that he had and the debt to be payd The seruaunt therefore fell downe and besought him saying haue pacience with me and I wil pay thee all And the Lord had pity on that seruant and loosed him and forgaue him the debt But when the seruant was departed he found one of his fellow seruaunts which ought him an hundred pence and he layed handes on him and tooke him by the throte saying pay me that thou owest and his fellowe fell downe and besought him saying Haue pacience with me and I will pay thee all But he would not but went and cast hym into prison till he shoulde pay the debt And when his other fellowes saw the things that were done they were very sorye and came declared vnto their maister all that was done Then his maister called him and said vnto him O thou vngratious seruant I forgaue thee al that debt when thou desiredst mee Oughtest thou nor then also to haue such pity on thy felow euē as I had pity on thee And his lord was wroth and deliuered him vnto the Iaylers till he should pay all that was due vnto him So likewise shall my heauēly father do vnto you except ye forgeue from your hartes eche one to his brother their trespasses By this doctrine it is most plaine and manifest that euery Christiā ought to be mercifull vnto his brother how often soeuer he offendeth against him Because we so often as we offend do aske mercy of God Wherfore for asmuch as our offence agaynst God is farre more grieuous then any offence of our brother agaynst vs it is playne that it behooueth vs to be merciful vnto our brethren if we wil haue mercy at Gods hand But contrary to this doctrine of mercy The Romish bishop maketh confirmeth many lawes which punishe offenders euen vnto the death As it is plaine by the processe of the decrees Distin 23. quest 5. It is declared and determined that to kill men ex officio that is hauing authority and power so to do is not sinne And againe the souldiour which is obediēt vnto the higher power and so killeth a man is not guilty of murther And againe he is the minister of the Lord which smiteth the euil in that they are euill and killeth thē And many other such like thinges are throughout the whole processe of the question determined That for certayne kinds of sinnes men ought by the rigour of the law to be punished euen vnto death But the foundation of their saying they tooke out of the olde law in which for diuers transgressions were appointed diuers punishments It is very much wōderful vnto me why that wyse men being the authors makers of lawes do alwayes for the foundation of their sayings looke vpon the shadow of the lawe and not the light of the gospel of Iesus Christ for they geue not heede vnto the fygure of perfection nor yet vnto the perfection figured Is it not written in that 3. of Iohn God sent not his sōne into the world to iudge the world but to saue the world by him In Iohn the 8. chap. The scribes and phariseis bring in a woman taken in adultery and let her in the middest and sayd vnto Christ Maister euen nowe this woman was taken in adultery But in the lawe Moises hath cōmaunded vs to stone such What sayest thou therfore This they sayd to tempt him that they might accuse him But Iesus stouped downe and with his finger wrote on the ground And while they continued asking him he lift himselfe vp and sayd vnto them let him that is among you without sinne cast the first stone at her And agayne he stouped and wrote on the ground And when they heard it the went out one by one beginning at the eldest so Iesus was lefte alone and the woman standing in the midst When Iesus had lift vp himselfe agayne he said vnto her where be they which accused thee hath no man condemned thee She sayd no man Lord. And Iesus sayd vnto her Neyther do I condemne thee Goe thy way and sinne now no more It is manifest by the scriptures the Christ was promised he should be king of the Iews vnto the kings pertained the iudgements of the law but because he came not to iudge sinners according to the rigor of the law but came according to grace to saue that which was lost in calling the sinner to repentaunce it is most playne that in the comming of the law of grace he would haue the iudgement of the lawe of righteousnes to cease for otherwise he had dealt vniustly with the foresayd woman forasmuch as the witnesses of her adultery bare witnes against her Wherfore seeing the same king Christ was a iudge if it had bene his will that the righteousnes of the law shoulde be obserued he ought to haue adiudged the woman to death according as the law commaunded whiche thing forasmuch as he did not it is most euident that the iudgementes of the righteousnes of
the old lawe which be not obserued nowe Many thinges vnlawful in the old law which be lawful now How Christ did loose and not loose the lawe Free iustification by fayth onely Grace that is free fauour mercy goodnes of God Rom. 5. Hebrews 9. Christ entreth not into the temple made by man but to very heauen The sacrifice of Christ not many tymes offered but once for all Hebrew 10. All shadowes ought to cease among Christians Hebrewes 7. Where the priesthood is remoued there also the law is remoued * 〈…〉 God 〈…〉 not 〈◊〉 but no 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 by 〈…〉 and not by the old law The 〈◊〉 ceasing the effect also ceaseth He meaâ—â—â—â— that neceâ—â—tie of tithe which â—â—â—deth by the neceâ—â—â—â— the old â—â—â— to cease If tithes be claymed by force of the ólde law by the same law priestes are boundâ— to haue â—â— temporalties He proueth not coÌ„tâ—â—â— but the 〈◊〉 thes be 〈◊〉 by the positiue law of man Although not by the ceremoniall law of Moses Circumciâ—â— ceaseth Ergo the ceremonies doe cease Galat. 4. Chrisâ—â— libertie from the bondage of the lawe Bounde in one thing hee meaneth bound in all Either beâ—â— to all or to none * Here hee expresseth his meaning plainly The one is disalowed the other is not commaunded Priestes wrest religion to theyr owne profit Tithes not expreslye commanded a newe by Christ in the Gospell Math. 6. 1. Tim. 6. Tythes not required in the primitiue church Tithes due to be payde by the positiue lawe of men The doctrine of Christ whether it be contrary to the traditions of the pope or not Math. 5. The doctrine of Christ and of the P. compared The glose of Gratianus vpon the cap. Paratus 23. q. 1. disproued Christ in aunswering to his striker did not breake his rule of patience outwardly The precept of Christ to turne the other cheek hath a priuy comparison as if ye would say rather be you content to suffer two blows then to reuenge one This article of Brute must haue a relation euer to the doctrine of the clergie The case here againe of Christ was priuate and his doctrine is to be vnderstanded in priuate cases Warre in case allowed of W. Brute He meaneth resistance for priuate cause or for worldly goods Pacience commanded in priuate causes among Christen brethren The inconuenience of priuate resistance amoÌ„g Christen brethren Paule being striken did not breake the rule of Christen patience neither made any bodely resistance The fact either of Paul or of any other doeth not derogate to the doctrine of our Sauiour Rom. 12. Rules of Christen patience 1. Cor. 5. He meaneth such warres of ChristiaÌ„s as the pope aloweth rising rather of priuate reuenge of princes for worldly glory or affection theÌ„ for any publike necessitie Ephe 6. Corporall wars in the old Testament be figures of the spirituall warres in the new Testament against sin and the deuill What be the wars most proper to Christians All this taketh not away the lawfulnes of warres in case of publike necessitie but onely in priuate case for temporall goods * Note this word without charitie Such kynde of wars that is suche kinde as be for priuate reuenge of temporall goods How Iohn Baptist alowed war They that be lesse in the kingdom of heauen greater then Iohn Baptist expounded He meaneth at those wars against 〈◊〉 sur 〈◊〉 and procured by â—â— pope vpâ—â— blind superstition to fight for the â—oâ—y lande 〈◊〉 taâ—â—â— by prinâ—â—â— in the â—â—essary â—â—â—sence of â—â—â—selues â—â— of their â—â—â—ntrey Obiection Answere â—egibus aâ—â—dum non exemplis True miracles here of holy men be â—â— disproued but speaâ—â—ng vniuersity the â—â—ple doctrine and worde of God is the â—â—â—e rule for men to followe â— Reg. 22. Acâ—s deâ—â—â—ed by â—â—â—se prophets Iere. 23. Prophets must be tryed by doctrine Marke 13. 1. Cor. 11. False prophets Apoc. 13. Myracles are to be tryed Math. 7. The seruauntes of Christ discerned by working not of miracles but of vertues Men or women are not rashly to be iudged Saintes This propositioÌ„ of Walter Bruit concerning the war of Christians not to be lawfull is not to bee taken vniuersally but in particular case as he meaneth which is this that such wars alowed of the pope not for the necessary defence of publike peace libertie and sauegard of our countries or against publike iniuries offered but onely to go kill the infidels because they beleeue not hauing no other cause those warres of the pope hee lyketh not Doctrine of Christian mercy declared Math. 5. Math. 6. Math. 7. Math. 18. Mercy and pitie commended among Christians Mercy and compassion necessary to all Christians The pope contrary to Christ in shewing mercy 23.9.5 The foundation of the foresayde 5. quest caus 23. in the popes decrees taken onely out of the old Testament and nothing out of the newe The makers of the popes law follow not the perfect rule Iohn 1. Iohn 8. Heere is mâ—t to be vnderstand not what publike nâ— gistrates may doe in cases of â—â—gh teousnes but what ecclesiastical persons according to the office of their profession should doe in not reuenging by death as they doe by offices Whether the iudiciall law of Moises fullye now after the coÌ„ming of Christ standeth in force or not The law of Moses of all lawes most iustest * His marcell is not so much why theeues are put to deth but why the Iudiciall lawe of Moses in this point is broken in other points is straightly kept Mark his meaning * Take his meaning wisely gentle reader his mind is not so that no magistrate being not without sin may punish a transgressioâ—s but he speaketh against such churchmeÌ„ whoÌ„ professing the rule of mercy shew no mercy at all but â—â— rigor by their law ex officâ—â— * 〈◊〉 meaâ—â— of the 〈◊〉 and of â—â—lergic â—â— speketh 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of reâ—â—â— not 〈◊〉 the â—â—cution â—â—cesiary 〈◊〉 done by â—â—â—â—trates â—â—e dreame â—â—â—â—uchoâ—â—our â—â—â—erning â—â—â—â—ge â—â—â—â—ded â— Damel The Iudaiâ—â—ll necessitie of those â—â—â—es hee â—eaneth to â—â—â—se notwithstanâ—â—g Chriâ—â—n princes â—â—â— borrow â—â—th out of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—es and out of al 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 thinke â—â—â—â— exâ—â—â—ent for 〈◊〉 comâ—â—â— weale His purpose is not thaâ— no euill doer should be punished in a common welth but his relation is to the 23. q. 5. asoresaid noting causes of religion which the Pope and his prelates are wont to punish with death taking many times for Tares that which in deed is pure wheate 1. Cor. 5. Hereby it appeareth that all his relation in this matter toucheth onely the cases of heresie and opinions in religion By this it appeareth againe that his respect is onely to the pope and his prelates of the church and not to ciuill magistrates The example of Peter slaying Ananias and Saphira falsly wrasted of the papists Peter not the cause of the death of Ananias and Saphyra The wedding garment what it is The death of Ananias and his wife what information
that since that time all persons from the hyest to the lowest both rich poore haue bene glad to send seek to Rome yea Kinges Emperors Queens Dukes haue bene glad to kisse the Bishops feete and to lead hys horse by the bridle So that the Maiesty of Rome in the old heatheÌ„ Emperors days was neuer more terrible nor glorious nor neuer had more power to persecute ouercome gods Saintes theÌ„ these lambelyke Byshops of Rome haue had and haue exercised these 500. yeares in Christendome And therefore who els in all the world hath so much power to do the workes of the first beast before hys face as he or who but he alone which forceth both high and low rich and poore free and bond to receaue the seale and to become loyall to the Citie and sea of Rome so that whoseuer hath not the marke whereby to be knowne to holde of the Churche of Rome shall haue no place to buy and sell nor to occupy in all Christendome Now if any Papist whatsoeuer in answering to this my questioÌ„ can apply this propheticall mistery of these 2. beasts otherwise then thus I would hartely desire him to take so much paynes to satisfie this doubt at his good pleasure laysure In the meane season let this stand for a Corolarium that the bishop of Rome by this description must be that second beast prophesied to come in the latter time of the Church vnder a false pretensed lambe to restore agayn the old persecutions of Rome and to disturbe the whole Church of Christ as this day to truely is come to passe ¶ The fourth Question AS touching my fourth question although I could vrge you with an other like propheticall place of scripture no lesse euident agaynst the bishop of Rome taken out of the second Epistle of S. Paule to the Theâ—la where mention is made of the sonne of perdition sitting in the Temple of God as god aduauÌ„cing himselfe aboue al that is called god c. which place ye can by no reasonable euasioÌ„ auoyd yet notwithstanding to let this passe I turne my questioÌ„ to aske this of you whether the religion of Christ be mere spiritual or els corporall If ye affirme it to be corporall as was the old religioÌ„ of the Iewes coÌ„sisting in outward rites sacrifices ceremonies of the law theÌ„ shew if ye can what any one outward actioÌ„ or obseruatioÌ„ is required in christian religioÌ„ by the scripture as necessary in a christen man for remissioÌ„ of sinnes saluation saue onely the two Sacramentall ceremonies of outward Baptisme of the Lordes Supper Howbeit neither these also as they are corporall that is to say neither the outward action of the one nor of the other coÌ„ferreth remissioÌ„ of sinnes nor saluation but onely are visible shewes of inuisible spirituall benefits And furthermore if our god whoÌ„ we serue be spirituall how can his religioÌ„ seruice be corporall as we are taught by the mouth of our sauior saying God is a spirit and therfore they that worship him must worship in spirit verity c. Ioan. 4. Now if ye graunt as ye must needes this our christen religion to be spirituall not a corporall religioÌ„ theÌ„ shew if ye can any one poynt of all these thinges which ye striue for so much with vs to be spirituall but altogether corporall externe matters ceremoniall obseruations nothing coÌ„ducing to any spirituall purpose as your outward successioÌ„ of bishops garmentes vestures gestures coâ—lors choise of meates differeÌ„ce of dayes times places hearing seing saying touching tasting numbring of beades gilding worshipping Images building monasteries rising at midnight silence in cloysters absteining from flesh white meat fasting in Lent keeping Imberdayes hearing masse diuine seruice seing adoring the body in forme of bread receiuing holy water holy bread creeping to the crosse carying palmes taking ashes bearing candles pilgrimage going sensing kneeling knocking aultars superaltars candlestickes pardons In orders crossing annoynting shauing forswering mariage In baptisme crossing salting spatling exorcising washing of handes At Easter earâ— confession penaunce doing satisfaction And in receiuing with beardes new shauen to imagine a body where they see no body though he were there present to be sene yet the outward seing touching of him of it selfe without fayth conduceth no more theÌ„ it did to the Iewes At RogatioÌ„ daies to cary banners to follow the crosse to walke about the fieldes After Pentecost to go about with Corpus Christi play At halowmas to watch in the church to say a dirige commendations to ring for all soules to pay tithes truely to geue to the high aultar And if a man will be a Priest to say Masse Mattens to serue the Saynt of that day and to lift well ouer his head c. In sicknes to be aneled to take his rites after his death to haue funerals obites sayd for him and to be rong for at his funerall moneth mind and yearemind c. Adde moreouer to these the outward sacrifiâ—â— of the Masse with opus operatum sine bono motu vtentis c. All which thinges aboue recited as they conteine the whole summary effect of all the popes catholicke religion so are they all corporall exercises consisting in the externe operation of man Which if they can make a perfect right catholicke christian then it may be said that men may be made perfect christians by flesh and bloud without any inward working of faith or of the holy ghost For what is in all these but the flesh bloud of his strength is able to accoÌ„plish though no inward strength or motion of the holy Ghost did worke But now the order of our religion way of saluation consisteth not in such corporall or outward things as these but in other more higher more spirituall gifts which farre exceed the capacity of flesh bloud of the which giftes the chiefest onely meane cause that saueth man remitteth sinnes is his fayth in Christ. Which fayth I thus define for a man to beleue by the bloudshedding of Iesus the sonne of god his sinnes to be forgeuen Gods wrath to be pacified himselfe to be iustified perfectly from all accusations that can be layd vnto him c. And though the Papistes make a light matter of this to beleue in Christ and when they heare vs say that fayth onely iustifieth they obiect to vs again and make it a small matter to be saued if fayth onely iustifie vs. Yet notwithstanding this fayth if it be well examined is such a thing that flesh and bloud is not able to attayne therto vnles Gods holy spirite froÌ„ aboue do draw him Moreouer besides this fayth many other thinges are incident also to the doctrine of our saluation Albeit as no causes therof but either as Sacramentes and seales of fayth or as declarations thereof or els as fruites effects
cities which cause being outward carnall was neither then cause sufficient and now ceasing importeth not to vs the like effect according as they say Sublata causa tollitur effectus So that by the reason therof the foresaid principallitie of the church of Rome did not hold then iure diuino sed humano And as it holdeth by mans law so by mans law may be repealed againe Wherfore be it admitted that both the Pope sitteth and succedeth in the chaire of Peter and also that he is the Bishop of the greatest citie in the world yet it followeth not therby that he should haue rule and lordship ouer all other bishops and churches of the world For first touching the succession of Peter many things are to be considered First whether Peter sate and had his chaire in Rome or not Secondly whether he sate there as an Apostle or as a Bishop Thirdly whether the sitting in the outward seate of Peter maketh successour of Peter Fourthly whether he sitteth in the chaire seat of Peter which sitteth not in the doctrine of Peter Fiftly whether the succession of Peter maketh rather an Apostle then a Bishop so should we call the Pope the Apostle of Rome and not the bishop of Rome Sixtly whether Ecclesiasticall functions ought to be esteemed by ordinarie succession of place or by Gods secret calling or sending Seuenthly and lastly whether it stand by Scripture any succession at all to be pointed in Christes Church or why more from Peter then from other Apostles All which Interrogatories being wel discussed which would aske a long proces it should wel appeare what litle hold the Pope hath to take this state vpon him aboue all other Churches as he doth In the meane tyme this one argument by the way may suffice in stead of many for our aduersaries to answer to at their conuenient leisure Which argument thus I forme and frame in Camestres Ca All the true successors of Peter sit in the chaire of the doctrine of Peter and other Apostles vniformly me No Popes of this latter Church of Rome sitte in the chaire of Saint Peters and other Apostles doctrine vniformely stres Ergo no Popes of this latter church of Rome be the true successors of Peter And when they haue well perused the Minor of this argument and haue well conferred together the doctrine taught them of S. Peter with the doctrine taught now by the Popes of iustification of a Christen man of the office of the law of the strength and largenes of sinne of mens merites of free will of works of supererogation of setting vp images of vij Sacramentes of auricular confession of satisfaction of sacrifice of the Masse of communicating vnder one kinde of eleuating and adoring the Sacramentall elements of Latine seruice of inuocation of prohibitiō of meates and mariage of vowing chastitie of sectes rules of diuers religions of indulgences and pardōs also with their doctrine taught now of magistrates of the fulnes of power and regalitie of the sea of Rome with many other like to these c. then will I be glad to heare what they wil say to the premisses Secondly if they would proue by the allegation of the Doctours Irenaeus Ambrose Augustine Theodoritus aforesaid the Bishop of Rome to bee the chiefe of all Bishops therfore because the citie wherof he is bishop is the chiefe and principall aboue all other Churches that consequent is to be denied For it followeth not taking as I said the principallitie of that church to stand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vpon the principal dominion of that citie no more then this consequent followeth London is the chiefe Citie in all England Ergo the bishop of London is the chiefest of all bishops in the Realme Which argument were derogatory to the bishop both of Canterbury and of Yorke Yea to graunt yet more to but aduersaries which is all they can require the minde of the foresaid Doctours Irenaeus Ambrose Augustine and Theodoritus in giuing principallitie vnto Rome to haue respect vnto the vertue of inscession from Peter and not vnto the greatnes of the Citie yet notwithstanding for all this their argument holdeth not if it be rightly considered to say The Apostolicall Sea of Rome hauing successiō from Peter with the bishops therof was chief then of all other churches in the primitiue tyme of these Doctours Ergo the Apostolicall sea of Rome with the Bishops therof hauing successiō from Peter ought now to be chiefe of all other churches in these our dayes This consequent might well follow if the tymes were like or if succession which gaue them the cause of principallitie were the same now which was then But now the time and succession is not correspondent for then succession in the time of these Doctours was as well in doctrine Apostolicall as in place Apostolicall Now the succession of doctrine Apostolicall hath not long ceased in the sea Apostolicall and nothing remaineth but onely place which is the lest matter of true spirituall and Apostolical succession And thus much to the authoritie and testimonie of these forenamed Doctors Besides these obiections heretofore recited out of Irenaeus Ambrose Augustine and Theodoritus our aduersaries yet obiect and heape vp against vs moreouer examples of the primitiue time of the church testimonies of generall Councels and opinions of auncient writers taken out of the booke of Councels Epistles decretall wherby their intent is to prooue the foresayd termes of the head of the church ruler of the church chiefe of all other Priestes to bee applied not onely to Peter but also to the Bishop of Rome within the compasse of the primitiue time And here commeth in the testimonie cited of Vincentius Lirinensis Of the Epistle of Paschasius and his fellowes writing to Leo from the Councel of Chalcedon The testimonie also of Iustinian the Emperour in his Codex where Ioannes then Pope was called caput omnium Ecclesiarum Epist. inter claras cap. De summa Trinit fide Cath. The testimonie also of Athanasius with his fellow bishops of Egypt of Thebaida and Libia in their Epistles to Pope Marcius Liberius Felix Likewise the testimonie of Hierome In praef in 4. Euang. Item Epist. 42. Tom. 1. Item Epist. 41. Tom. 2. Of S. Ambrose 1. Tim 3. Of S. Augustina to Boniface Ad Bonifac. contra duas Epist Pelagian Lib. 1. cap. 1. Item Lib. 2. De Baptism cap. 1. Of Theodoritus in his Epistle to Pope Leo. Epist Commentar in Pauli Epist. praefixa Of Chrysostome Epist ad Innocentium Tom. 5. c. By which testimonies our aduersaries would prooue S. Peter and after him the Bishop of Rome to be called and taken for head of the church chiefe bishop prince and ruler of the whole Clergy To all which obiections fully and exactly to aunswer in order would require a whole volume by it selfe In the meane time leauing the rest vnto them vnto whom it doth more
regenerated by fayth in Christ before they begin to do any good worke of charitie or any other good deede 10. Item the doctrine of S. Paule perpending the high glory of a Christen mans state in Christ Iesus by faith first setteth him in a perfect peace with almightie God Rom. 5. Secondly exempteth him from all condemnatiō Rom. 8. Thirdly it matcheth him with aungels it equalleth him with Saints and felow citizens of heauen it nūbereth him with the housholde of God and inheriteth him with Iesus Christ himselfe Ephes. 2. Fourthly it adopteth him from the state of a seruaunt to the state of the sonne of God crying Abba father Gal. 4. Fiftly it openeth to him a bolde accesse and entraunce to the high maiestie and throne of grace Ephes. 2. Heb. 4. Sixtlye it subiecteth all thinges vnder him as ministers yea the Apostles themselues in their hiest office death life thinges present thinges to come with the whole worlde besides and assigneth him no spirituall head but onely Christ saying And you are Christes and Christ is Gods 1. Cor. 3. Seuenthly it aduaunceth and setteth him in a spirituall liberty or freedome aboue all terrours of spirite rising either of Gods lawe or mans lawe aboue all dreadfull feares of sinne damnation malediction reiection death hell or purgatory aboue al seruile bondage of ceremonies mens precepts traditions superstitious vses yokes customes or what els soeuer oppresseth and intangleth the spirituall freedome of a conscience with Christ hath set at libertie And requireth moreouer that wee walke and stande stout in that liberty with the free sonne of Sara whereto we are brought and not suffer our selues any more to bee clogged with any such seruile bondage that is to meane although we must be content to subiect our bodies to all seruice to all men yet that we yeld not our spirituall consciences and soules as slaues and seruants to be subiect to the feare or bondage of any terrene thing in this world forasmuch as we are in that part made Lordes and Princes ouer all things whatsoeuer can harme or binde or terrifie vs. Ga. 4. Colloss 2. 11. Item the right vayne of S. Paules doctrine putteth no difference nor obseruation in dayes and tymes Gal. 4. Col. 2. 12. Item it leaueth all meates to be indifferent wyth thankes giuing to serue the necessitie of the body and not the body to serue them Col. 2. 1. Tim. 4. 13. Item it permitteth marriage without restraint or exception lawfull and also expedient for all men hauyng neede thereof 1. Cor. 7. 14. Item it admitteth no sacrifice for sinne but the sacrifice of Christ alone and that done once for all with bloude For without bloud there is no remission of sinne whiche onely is applied to vs by fayth by nothing els Heb. 9. 15. Item as touching the holy Communion by the letters of S. Paule to the Cor. 11. we vnderstande that the vse then amongst them was to haue the participation of the bread called the Lordes body and of the cup called the Lordes bloud administred not at an altar but at a plaine bord or table the congregation there meeting together after the time of their supper where not the minister alone did receaue and the other looked on but the whole congregation togither did cōmunicate with reuerence thankes giuyng not lifting ouer the Priestes head nor worshipyng nor kneeling nor knocking their brestes but eyther sittyng at the supper or standing after the supper According to which forme the Muscouites yet to this day followyng the old rite of the Country although being drowned otherwise in much superstition vse to receaue it after they be risen from their diner standing Experience wherof was seene here at London the first day of October 1569. 16. Item the sayde Apostle besides the sacramentall supper maketh mention of Baptisme or washing of regeneration although he himselfe Baptised but few 1. Cor. 1. of the other sacraments he maketh no mention 17. Item by the same doctrine of S. Paule no tongue is to be vsed in the congregation which is not knowen and doth not edifie 1. Cor 14. 18. Item the rule of S. Paules doctrine subiecteth euery creature vnder the obedience of Kinges and Princes and ordinary Magistrates ordeined of God to haue the sword and authoritie of publike regiment to order and dispose in all thinges not contrary to God whatsoeuer perteineth to the maintenance of the good or to the correction of the euil from whose iurisdiction there is no exemption of vocations of persons whether they be Ecclesiasticall or politicall And therfore to this office appertaineth to preserue peace to set things in lawfull order to conserue Christian discipline in the Church of Christ to remooue offences to bridle the disobedient to prouide and procure wholesome and faithfull teachers ouer the people to maintaine learning and set vp schooles to haue ouersight not onely of the people but also of all Ecclesiastical ministers to see to euery one to do his dutye to remooue or punish such as be negligent also to call Councels and Synodes to prouide the Church goodes to be faithfullye dispensed by the handes of true dealers to the sustentation of the Church of true teachers to the publike necessitie of the poore c. 19. Furthermore by S. Paules doctrine the Ministers and superintendentes of Christes Church haue their authoritie and armour likewise to them limited which armour is onely spiritual and not carnal wherby they fight not against flesh bloud but against the power of darkenes errour and sinne against the spirituall seduction and crastines in heauenly things against the works and proceedings of Sathan the Prince of this worlde in comforting weak consciences against the terrors of the deuil and desperation and finally against euery cogitation lifted vp against Christ to subdue euery celsitude to the subiection and power of Christ Iesu the sonne of God An other briefe recapitulation of the same BRiefly and in a compendious summe to reduce the whole doctrine of S. Paule in these fiue pointes chieflie it consisteth 1. First in setting foorth the grace great loue and good-will and free promises of God the Father in Christ Iesus his sonne to mankinde which so loued the worlde that he hath giuen his owne sonne for the redemption thereof Iohn 3. which gaue his sonne to die for vs being his enimies Rom. 5. which hath quickned vs being dead in sinne Ephes. 2. which so mercifully hath reconciled the world to himselfe by his sonne and also by his ambassadours desireth vs to be reconciled vnto him 2. Cor. 5. who hath giuē his owne sonne to be sinne for vs. 2. Cor. 5. to be accursed for vs. Gal. 3. which by firme promise hath assured vs of our inheritance Rom. 4. which not by the works of righteousnes that we haue done but of his owne mercy hath saued vs by the washing of regeneration Tit. 3. c. 2. The
seconde point consisteth in preaching and expressing the glorious and triumphant Maiestie of Christ Iesus the sonne of God and the excellency of his glory who being once dead in the infirmitie of flesh rose againe wyth power ascending vp with maiestie hath led away captiuitie captiue Eph. 4. sitteth and reigneth in glory on the right hand of God in heauenly thinges aboue all principates and potestates powers and dominations aboue euery name that is named not only in this world but also in the world to come Ephe. 1. In whose name euery knee hath to bende both in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth and euery tongue to confesse our Lord Christ Iesus to be of the glory of God the Fathee Phil. 2. In whome and by whome all things are made both in heauen and in earth things visible inuisible whether they be thrones or dominations or principates or potestats al are by him and for him created and he is before all all thinges consist in him who is the head of his body the Churche the beginning and first borne from the dead in whome dwelleth all fulnes Col. 1. To whome the Father hath giuen all iudgement and iudgeth no man himselfe any more Ioh. 5. To whom the Father hath giuen all things to his hands Iohn 13. To whome the father hath giuen power of all flesh Iohn 17. To whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth Math. vlt. In whome be all the promises of God Est. Amen 2. Cor. 1. 3. Thirdly he declareth the vertue of his Crosse Passion and that what exceeding benefites proceede to vs by the same By whose bloud we haue redemption remission of our sinnes Ephes. 1. By whose strypes we are made whole Eay 53. By whose Crosse all thinges are pacified both in heauen and in earth Col. 1. By whose death wee are reconciled Ro. 5. Who hath destroied death brought life to light 1. Timot. 1. Who by death hath destroyed him which had the power of death that is the diuell and hath deliuered them which liued vnder feare of death all theyr life in bondage Heb. 2. By whose obedience we are made iust by whose righteousnes we are iustified to life Rom. 5. By whose curse wee are blessed and deliuered from the malediction of the law Gala. 8. By whose bloud we that once were farre of are made neere vnto God Ephes. 5. Who in one body hath reconciled both Iewes Gentiles vnto God Eph. 2. Who by his flesh hath taken away the diuision and separation betweene God and vs abolishing the law which was set against vs in preceptes decrees Ephes. 2. Who is our peace our aduocate and propitiatiō for the sinnes of the whole worlde 1. Iohn 2. Who was made accursed sinne for vs that we might be the righteousnes of God in him 2. Cor. 5. Who is made of God for vs our wisedome and righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor 1. By whom we haue boldnes and entraunce with all confidence through faith in him Ephes. 3. Who forgiueth all our sinnes and hath torne a peeces the obligation or handwriting which was against vs in the law of commaundements and hath crucified it vpon the Crosse vtterly hath dispatched and abolished the same and hath spoled principates and potestates as in an open shew of conquest triumphing ouer them openly in himselfe Col. 2. Who iustifieth the wicked by faith Ro. 4. In whom we are made full and complete Col. 2. c. 4. The fourth branch is to teach and informe vs to whō these benefites of Christes Passion and victory do apperteine by what meanes the same is applied redoundeth vnto vs which meanes is onely one that is onely faith in Christ Iesu and no other thing Which faith it pleaseth almightie God to accept for righteousnes And this righteousnes it is which onely standeth before God and none other as we are plainly taught by the Scriptures and especially by the doctrine of S. Paule Which righteousnes thus rising of faith in Christ. S. Paule calleth the righteousnes of God where he speaketh of himselfe vtterly refuseth the other righteousnes which is of the lawe that the might be found in him not hauing his own righteousnes which is of the law but the righteousnes of Christ which is of faith Phil. 3. Againe the saide Apostle writing of the Iewes which sought for righteousnes and found it not and also of the Gentiles which sought not for it and yet found it sheweth the reason why because saith he the one sought it as by workes and the lawe and came not to it who not knowing the righteousnes of God and seking to set vp their owne righteousnes did not submit themselues to the righteousnes whiche is of God The other which were the Gentiles and sought not for it obteined righteousnes that righteousnes which is of faith c. Ro. 9. Also in an other place Saint Paule in the same Epistle writing of this righteousnes which commeth of faith calleth it the righteousnes of God in these wordes Whome God saith he hath set vp for a propitiatiō by faith in his bloud whereby to make manifest the righteousnes which is of himselfe in tollerating our sinnes c. Rom. 3. By the which righteousnes it is euident that S. Paule meaneth the righteousnes of faith which almightie God nowe reuealeth maketh manifest by preaching of the Gospell Wilt thou see yet more plainely this righteousnes of God howe it is taken in S. Paule for the righteousnes of faith therefore is called the righteousnes of God because it is imputed onely of God to fayth and not deserued of man In the same Epistle to the Romanes and in the 3. chap. aforesayd his wordes be manifest The righteousnes of God sayth he is by faith of Iesus Christ in all and vpon al that doe beleue c. Wherfore whosoeuer studieth to be accepted with God and to be found righteous in his light let him learne diligently by the doctrine of S. Paule to make a difference a separation as farre as from heauen and earth betwene these two that is betweene the righteousnes of workes righteousnes of faith in any wise beware he bring no other meanes for his iustification or remission of his sins but onely faith apprehending the body or person of Christ Iesus crucified For as there is no way into the house but by the doore so is there no comming to God but by Christ alone which is by faith And as the mortall body without bodely sustenance of bread drinke can not but perishe so the spiritual soule of man hath no other refreshing but only by faith in the body and bloude of Christ whereby to be saued With this faith the Idolatrous Gentiles apprehēded Iesus Christ and receaued therby righteousnes Cornelius the first Baptised Ramane so sooone as he
saluation contrary to the working of the holy spirite of God And thus the Church of Rome pretending onely the name of Christ and of his Religion is so farre altered from the truth of that which it pretendeth that vnder the name of Christ it persecuteth both Christ his Religion working more harme to the Church of Christ then euer did the open tirants and persecuting Emperours among the heathen not much vnlike herein to the olde Sinagoge of the Scribes and Phareseis who vnder the name of God crucified the sonne of God and vnder pretence of the law fought against the Gospell and vnder the title of Abrahams children persecuted the childrē of Abraham And as they bragging so highly of the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lorde did in deede destroye the true Temple of the Lord right so these pretensed Catholikes in these dayes after they haue raysed vppe a Catholike Churche of their owne and haue armed the same with lawes and haue gathered vnto them a power of Priestes Prelates Abbats Priors of religious men of Cardinals and also of secular Princes to take their part now vnder the name of the Catholicke Church they persecute the true Catholike church and coloring their procedings still with In nomine Domini most cruelly they put to death which die pro nomine Domini condemning them for heretikes schismatikes and rebles not which deny any part of the creede which they themselues professe nor such whome they can conuince by any Scripture but onely such which will not ioyne wyth their errours and heresies contrary to the honour of God and truth of his worde And lest any should thinke this that we here protest against the corrupt errours manifold deformities of this latter Church of Rome to proceede of any raucor or affection rather then grounded of necessary causes and demōstrations euident my purpose is by the Lordes leaue to take herein some litle paine that as I haue collected a litle before the summe cōtents of S. Paules doctrine where with the old Church of Rome was first seasoned and acquainted so now as in a like summary table to discrye the particular braunches and contents of the Popes doctrine now set foorth to the intent that all true Christian readers comparing the one with the other may discern what great alteration there is betwene the church of Rome that now is and the church of Rome that then was planted by the Apostles in the primitiue time And to the ende to open to the simple reader some waye whereby he may the better iudge in such matters of doctrine not be deceaued in discerning truth from errour first we wil propound certeine principles or general positions as infallible rules or truthes of the Scripture wherby al other doctrines opinions of men being tried and examined as in the touchstone may the more easely be iudged whether they be true or cōtrary whether they make agaynst the scripture or no. ¶ Certeine Principles or generall verities grounded vpon the truth of Gods word ¶ The first principle 1. AS sinne and death came originally by the disobedience of one to all men of his generation by nature so righteousnes and life come originally by the obedience of one to all men regenerated of him by faith Baptisme Rom. 5. ¶ The 2. Principle 2. The promise of God was freely giuen to our first parentes without their deseruing that the seede of a woman should breake the Serpents head Gen. 3. ¶ The 3. Principles 3. Promise was giuen freely to Abraham before he deserued any thing that in his seede all nations should be blessed Gen. 12. ¶ The 4. Principle 4. To the worde of God neither must wee adde nor take from it Deut. 4. ¶ The 5. Principle 5. He that doth the workes of the law shall liue therein Leuit. 18. Gal. 3. ¶ The 6. Principle 6. Accursed is he which abideth not in euery thing that is written in the booke of the law Deut. 27. Gal. 3. ¶ The 7. Principle 7. God onely is to be worshipped Deut. 6. Luc. 4. ¶ The 8. Principle 8. All our righteousnes is like a defiled cloth of a woman Esay 64. ¶ The 9. Principle 9. In all my holy hill they shall not kill nor slay saith the Lord. Esay 11.65 ¶ The 10. Principle 10. God loueth mercy and obedience more then sacrifice Osee. 6.1 Reg. 15. ¶ The 11. Principle 11. The lawe worketh anger condemneth and openeth sinne Rom. 3. ¶ The 12. Principle 12. The end of the law is Christ to righteousnes to euery one that beleueth Rom. 10. ¶ The 13. Principle 13. Whosoeuer beleeueth and is Baptised shall be saued Mat. vlt. ¶ The 14. Principle 14. A man is iustified by faith without workes freely by grace not of our selues Gal. 2. Ephes. 2. ¶ The 15. Principle 15. There is no remission of sinnes without bloud Heb. 9 ¶ The 16. Principle 16. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. ¶ The 17. Principle 17. One Mediatour betweene God man Christ Iesus 1. Tim. 2. he is the propitiatiō for our sinnes 1. Iohn 2. ¶ The 18. Principle 18. Who soeuer seeketh in the law to be iustified is fallen from grace ¶ The 19. Principle 19. In Christ be all the promises of God Est Amen 2. Cor. 1. ¶ The 20. Principle 20. Let euery soule be subiect to superiour powers gyuyng to Caesar that which is Cesars to God that which is Gods Rom. 13. These principles and infallible rules of the Scripture as no man can denie so if they be granted the doctrine thē of the Popes Church must needes be found not to be Catholike but rather full of errours and heresies as in the sequele folowing remaineth more expressely and particularly by the grace of Christ to be conuinced ¶ Here foloweth a Summary collection of the errours heresies and absurdities conteyned in the popes doctrine contrary to the rules of Gods vvord and the first institution of the Church of Rome Of Faith and Iustification FIrst as touching the onely meanes and instrumentall cause of our iustificatiō wherby the merits of Christes Passiō be applied to vs made ours ye heard before how S. Paule onely ascrybeth the same to faith as appeareth by all his letters especially to the Romanes Where he excluding al kind of works ascribeth al our saluation iustification righteousnes reconciliation and peace with god onely to faith in Christ. Contrary to which doctrine the Pope and his church hath set vp diuers and sondry other meanes of their owne deuising whereby the merites of Christes passion they saye are applyed to vs and made ours to the putting away of sinnes and for our iustification as hope charitie sacrifice of the Masse auricular confession satisfacion merits of Saintes and holy orders the
to performe but also to do more and greater things then the law requireth Wherof riseth the works of supererogatiō contrary to the 6. and 8. principles aboue specified page 24. Also there be say they among other certaine workes of the lawe which pertayne not to all men but are consilia counsayles left for perfect men as matter for them to merite by and these they call opera perfectionis or opera indebita adding also to these newe deuises to serue God after their owne traditions besides the worde of God as Monasticall vowes wilfull pouerty difference of meates and garmentes pilgrimage to reliques and Saints worshipping of the dead superstitious ceremonies rosaries c. With such like and these they call workes of perfection which they preferre before the other commaunded in the lawe of God In so much that in comparison of these the other necessary duties commaunded and commended by the worde of God as to beare office in the common wealth to liue in the godlye state of matrimony to susteine the office of a seruant in a house is contemned and accounted as prophane in cōparison of these contrary to the 10. principle aboue mentioned pag. 24. * Of Sinne. OF Sinne likewise they teach not rightly nor after the institution of the Apostles and the auncient Church of Rome while the consider not the deepenes and largenes of sinne supposing still to be nothing els but inwarde actions with consent of will or outwarde such as are agaynst will whereas the strength of sinne extendeth not onely to these but also comprehendeth the blyndnes and ignorance of the minde lacke of knowledge and true feare of God the vntowardnes of mans minde to Godwarde the priuy rebellion of the hart against the lawe of God the vndeliting will of man to God and his worde The sense of flesh S. Paule also calleth an enimie against God and feeleth in himselfe that is in his fleshe nothing dwelling but sinne As touching also originall sinne wherin we are borne which is the destruction of original iustice and of gods Image in vs remayning in vs and bringing foorth in vs wicked cogitations affections and motions of naughtynes against the law of God and neuer ceaseth so long as man liueth this originall sinne the Popes doctrine doth not deny but yet doth much extenuate the same and holdeth that this inwarde concupiscence vicious affections not brasting out in vs with consent of will are no mortall nor damnable sinne but only fomes peccati And say moreouer that this concupiscentia in vs is no deprauation of the higher but onely of the lower partes of man beyng as a thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indifferent and no lesse naturall in vs then is the appetite to eate and drinke and that the same is left to remaine in the Saintes after Baptisme to be to them occasion of more meriting c. * Of Penaunce or Repentaunce OF Penaunce this latter Latterane Church of Rome of late hath made a Sacrament contrary to the fourth principle before pag. 24. which penaunce say they standeth of three partes Contrition Confession and Satisfaction canonicall Contrition as they teach may be had by strength of free will without the lawe and the holy Ghost per actus elicitos through mans owne action and endeuour Which contrition first must be sufficient and so it meriteth remission of sinne In confession they require a full rehearsall of all sinnes whereby the Priest knowing the crymes may minister satisfaction accordingly And this rehearsing of sinnes ex opero operato deserueth remission contrary y◠to 14. principle before pag. 24. Satisfactions they call opera indebita enioyned by the ghostly father And this satisfaction say they taketh away and chaungeth eternall punishment into temporall paynes which paines also it doth mittigate And againe these satisfactions may be taken away by the Popes indulgence c. This vnsauery and hethenish doctrine of penaunce farre differeth from the true teaching of holye Scripture By the which teaching repentaunce properly conteineth these three partes contrition fayth and new life Contrition is called in Scripture the sorrow of hart rysing vpō the consideration of sinne committed and of the anger of God prouoked which sorrowe dryueth a man to Christ for succour wherevpon ryseth fayth Fayth bringeth afterward amendement or newenes of life whiche wee call newe obedience working fruites worthye of repentaunce ¶ Difference betweene the law and the Gospell AS there is nothing more necessary and cōfortable for troubled consciences then to be well instructed in the difference betweene the lawe and the Gospell so is the Churche of Rome much to blame in thys behalfe because it confoundeth togyther those two beyng in nature so dyuers contrary one from another as threatninges and promises thynges temporall wyth thinges eternall sorrowfull thinges wyth glad tydinges death wyth lyfe bondage with freedome c. Teachyng the people that whatsoeuer the lawe sayth the Gospell confirmeth and whatsoeuer the Gospell sayth the same is agreeable to the lawe and so make they no difference betweene Moses and Christ saue onely that Moses they saye was the gyuer of the olde lawe Christ is the gyuer of the newe and a more perfect lawe And thus imagine they the gospell to be nothyng els but a newe lawe gyuen by Christ bynding to the promises thereof the condition of our dooynges and deseruinges no otherwise then to the olde lawe And so denyde they the whole lawe after this destinction into three partes to wytte the law of Nature the lawe of Moses and the lawe of Christ. And as for the Gospell they saye it is reueled for no other cause but to shew to the world more perfect preceptes and counsayles then were in the olde lawe to the fulfylling whereof they attribute iustification and so leaue the poore consciences of men in perpetuall doubt and induce other many folde errours bryngyng the people into a false opinion of Christ as though he were not a remedy against the law but came as an other Moses to gyue a newe lawe to the worlde Furthermore as they make no difference betweene the nature of the lawe and nature of the Gospell confoundyng Moses and Christ together so neyther doe they distinct or discerne the tyme of the lawe and the time of the Gospell a sonder For where S. Paule bryngeth in the law to be a schoolmaster limiteth him his tune vnto Christ saith that Christ is the end of the law that is wheras y◠law ceaseth there Christ beginneth where christ begineth there the law endeth they cōtrary make the law to haue no ende nor ceasing but gyue to it immortall life kingdome equall with Christ so that Christ and the lawe togither do reigne ouer the soule and conscience of man Which is vntrue For either Christ must giue place and the lawe stande Or els the law the condemnation and malediction of
the lawe I meane must ende and Christ reigne For both these Christ and the lawe grace and malediction can not reigne and gouerne together But Christ the Sonne of God which once dyed can die no more but must reigne for euer Wherefore the lawe with his strēgth styng and curse must needes cease and haue an end And this is it that S. Paule speaking of the tryumph of Christ saieth that he ascendyng vp led away captiuitie captiue hath set man at lyberty not at libertie to liue as flesh listeth neither hath freed him from the vse exercyse of the law but from the dominion and power of the lawe so that there is nowe no condemnation to them that bee in Christ Iesu which walke not after the flesh c. Romaines 8 And in an other place Saint Paule speaking of the same power and dominion of the lawe sayth that Christ hath taken the oblygation written against vs in decrees and hath nayled it vpon the Crosse tryumphing ouer all c. so that as the kyngdome of Christ fyrst began vpon the Crosse euen so vpon the same Crosse and at the same time the kingdome of the lawe expired and the malediction of the lawe was so crucified vpon the Crosse that it shall neuer ryse agayne to haue any power agaynst them that be in Christ Iesu. For lyke as if a woman be discharged from her first husband being dead hath maryed an other man the first husbande hath no more power ouer her euen so we nowe beyng espoused vnto Christ our seconde husbande are discharged vtterly from our first husbād the law as S. Paule in an other place sayth are no more vnder the law that is vnder the dominion malediction of the lawe but vnder grace that is vnder perpetual remission of al sinnes cōmitted not only before our Baptisme but as well also after Baptisme and duryng all our lyfe long For therein properly consisteth the grace of God in not imputyng sinne vnto vs so often as the repenting sinner rising vp by fayth flyeth vnto Christ and apprehendeth Gods mercy and remission promised in him according to the testimonie both of the Psalme Blessed is the man to whome the Lord imputeth no sinne c. also of all the Prophets which as Saint Peter saith giue recorde to him that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receaue remission of their sinnes c. Actes 10. Which being so as it can not be denied then what needeth these priuate and extraordinary remissions to be brought into the Church by eare confession by meritorious deedes and by the Popes pardons for if there be no condemnation but by the law and if this law it selfe be captiued crucified abolished and departed which was the first husbande what condēnation thē can there be to thē that be in Christ Iesu or by whome should it come If there be no condemnation but a free and generall deliueraunce for all men once gotten by the victorie of Christ from the penalty of the lawe what nedeth thē any particular remission of sinnes at sondry tymes to be sought at the Priestes handes or the Popes pardons He that hath a generall pardon needeth no particular If remedy for sinne be generall and perpetuall once gotten for euer to all them that be in Christ Iesu what needeth any other remedy by auricular confession If it be not generall and perpetuall howe then is it true that Saint Paule sayth the lawe is crucified and condemnation abolished or howe standeth redemption perpetuall and generall if remission be not generall For what is redemption els but remission of sinnes or sinnes bought out or what is els to kill the lawe but to discharge vs from condemnation for euer He that deliuereth his friende for a time out of his enimies hande doth him a pleasure but he that killeth the enimie once out of the way giueth perpetuall safety So if remission of sinnes by Christ were for some sinnes and not for all the lawe then must needes liue still But nowe the kylling and crucifying of the law importeth full remission to be absolute and our safety to be perpetuall But here percase will be obiected of some how standeth remission of sinnes certeine and perpetuall seeyng newe offences being daily committed doe daily require newe remission Hereto I aunswere albeit sinnes doe daily growe whereby wee haue neede dailie to desire God to forgiue vs our trespasses c. yet notwithstanding the cause of our remission standeth euer one and perpetuall neither is the same to be repeted any more nor any other cause to be sought besides that alone This cause is the sacrificed body of Christ once vpon the Crosse for all sinnes that either haue or shall be committed Beside this cause there is no other neither confession nor mens pardons that remitteth sinnes Furthermore as the cause is one and euer perpetuall which worketh remission of sinnes vnto vs so is the promise of God euer one once made and standeth perpetuall that offereth the same to the faith of the repenting sinner And because the sayde promise of God is alwayes sure and can not fayle which offereth remission to all them that beleeue in Christ being limited neyther to time nor number therefore we may boldely conclude that what time soeuer a repenting synner beleeueth and by fayth applyeth to him the sacrifice of Christ he hath by Gods owne promise remission of his sinnes whether they were done before or after Baptisme And moreouer for so much as the said promise of God offereth remission to the repentaunt synner by no other meanes nor condition but onely one that is by fayth in Christ therefore excluding all other meanes and conditions of mans working we say that what repenting sinner soeuer beleeueth in Christ hath already in him selfe and needeth not to seeke to any Priest perpetuall assuraunce of remission not for this time or that time onely but for euer and a day For the promise fayth not he that beleeueth in Christ shall be pardoned this tyme so he sinne no more neyther doth it say that the law is stayde or the sentence repriued but sayth playnely that the law with her condemnation and sentence her selfe is condemned and hanged vp and shall neuer ryse agayne to them that be in Christ Iesu and promiseth indeterminatelye without limitation remission of sinnes to all that beleeue in his name c Actes 10. and likewise in an other place the Scripture speaking absolutely saith Sinne shall not preuayle ouer you addeth the reason why saying Because ye are not vnder the law but vnder grace Rom. 6. Adding this lesson withall as it followeth in the same place not that sinners shoulde sinne more therefore because they are vnder grace but onely that weake infirmities myght be releeued broken consciences comforted and repenting sinners holpen from desperation to the prayse of Gods glory For as God forgiueth
not synners because they should sinne so neither doth infirmitie of falling diminish the grace of Christ but rather doth illustrate the same as it is written My strength is made perfect in infirmitie 2. Cor. 12. and againe Where sinne aboundeth there superaboundeth also grace In remission of synnes therefore these foure thinges must concurre together the cause that worketh which is the sacrifice of Christes body 2. the promise that offereth 3. fayth that apprehendeth 4. the repenting sinner that receaueth And although sinnes daily do grow which daily prouoke vs to craue remission yet as touching the cause that worketh remission of our daily sinnes the meanes which apprehendeth and applieth the sayd cause vnto vs they remayne alwaies one perpetuall besides which no other cause nor meanes is to be sought of man So that to them that be repenting sinners be in Christ Iesu there is no law to condemne them though they haue deserued condemnation but they are vnder a perpetual kingdome and a heauen full of grace and remission to couer their sins and not to impute their iniquities through the promise of God in Christ Iesu our Lord. And therefore wicked and impious is the doctrine of them fyrst which seeke any other cause of remission then onely the bloud of our Sauiour Secondly which assigne any other meanes to apply the bloudsheding of Christ vnto vs besides onely faith Thirdly and especially which so limite and restraine the eternall priuiledge of Christs passion as though it serued but only for sinnes done without and before faith and that the rest after Baptisme committed must be done away by confession pardons and satisfactory deedes And al this riseth because the true nature of the law of the Gospell is not knowen nor the difference rightly considered betwene the times of the one and of the other Neither againe doe they make any distinction betweene the malediction of the law and vse of the law And therfore whensoeuer they heare vs speake of the law meanyng the malediction of the law to be abolished therevpon they maliciously slaunder vs as though we speak against the good exercises of the lawe and giue liberty of fleshe to carnall men to liue as they list Whereof more shal be sayd by the Lordes grace as place and time shall hereafter require Of free will COncerning free will as it may peraduenture in some case be admitted that men without the grace may doe some outward functions of the law and keepe some outward obseruaunces or traditions so as touching thinges spirituall apperteining to saluation the strength of man being not regenerate by grace is so infirme and impotent that he can performe nothing neither in dooing well nor willing well Who after he be regenerated by grace may worke and doe wel but yet in such sort that still remaineth notwithstanding a great imperfection of flesh a perpetuall repugnaunce betwene the flesh and spirit And thus was the originall Church of the auncient Romanes first instructed From whome see now howe farre this latter Church of Rome hath degenerated which holdeth and affirmeth that men without grace may performe the obedience of the law prepare themselues to receaue grace by working so that those works may be meritorious and of congruitie obteine grace Which grace once obteined then men may say they perfectly performe the full obedience of the law and accomplish those spirituall actions and workes which God requireth and so those workes of cōdignitie deserue euerlasting life As for the infirmity which still remaineth in nature that they nothing regarde nor once speake of Of Inuocation and Adoration OUer and besides these vncatholike and almost vnchristian absurdities and defections from the Apostolicall faith aboue specified let vs consider the maner of theyr Inuocation not to God alone as they should but to dead men saying that saintes are to be called vpon tanquam mediatores intercessionis as Mediatours of intercession Christum vero tanquam mediatorem Salutis and Christ as the Mediator of Saluation And affirme moreouer that Christ was a Medyatour onely in time of his Passion Which is repugnaunt to the wordes of S. Paule writing to the old Romanes chap. 8. where he speaking of the intercession of Christ Which is saith he on the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs c. And if Christ be a Mediatour of saluation what needeth then any other intercession of the Saintes for other sutes for saluation being once had what can we require more or what lacketh he more to be obtained of the Saintes which is sure to be saued only by Christ And yet in their Catholicke deuotions why doe they teach vs thus to pray to the blessed virgine Salua omnes qui te glorificant i. Saue all them that glorifie thee c. if saluation onely belong to Christ vnles they study of purpose to seeme contrary to themselues Hetherto also perteineth the worshipping of reliques and the false adoration of Sacramentes that is the outward signes of the things signified cōtrary to the 7. principle before page 24. Adde to this also the prophanation of the Lordes Supper contrary to the vse for which it was ordeined in reseruing it after the Communion ministred in setting it to sale for money and falsely perswading both them selues and other that the Priest doth merite both to him selfe that saith and to him that heareth Ex opere operato sine bono motu vtentis c. That is Onely by the meere doing of the worke though the partie that vseth the same hath no good motion in him c. * Of Sacramentes Baptisme and the Lordes Supper AS touching Sacramentes their doctrine likewise is corrupt and erroneus 1. First they erre falsely in the number For where the institution of Christ ordeineth but two they contrary to the fourth principle aboue prefixed haue added to the prescription of the Lords worde fine other Sacraments 2. Secondly in the cause finall they erre For where the word hath ordeined those Sacraments to excite our faith and to giue vs admonitions of spiritual things they contrariwise doe teach that the Sacramentes doe not onely stirre vp faith but also that they auayle and are effectuall without faith Ex opere operato sine bono motu vtentis c. as is to be founde in Thom. Aquine Scotus Catharinus and other moe 3. Thirdly in the operation effect of the Sacramentes they faile where the contrary to the minde of the Scriptures doe say that they giue grace not onely do signifie but also conteine and exhibite that which they signifie to wytte grace and saluation 4. Fourthly they erre also in Application applying their Sacramentes both to the quicke and the dead to thē also that be absent to remission of sinnes and releasing of payne c. In the Sacrament of Baptisme they are to be reprooued not onely for adding to the simple wordes of Christs
publike Churches Neither doe I see howe the Heathen in those daies would haue suffered these ornaments to be vnconsumed which would not suffer the Bishops themselues to liue amongst them Notwithstanding Isidorus and Polydorus iudge the contrary Betweene this Stephen and Cyprian Byshop of Carthage was a great contention about rebaptising of heretickes whereof more hereafter Christ willing shall be saide Besides these Byshops aboue specified diuers other there were also sent into banishmēt vnder the forenamed Emperours Gallus Volusianus as appeareth by Dionysius writing to Hermammon on this wise that Gallus not seeyng the euill of Decius nor foreseeing the occasion of his seductiō and ruine stumbled himselfe also at the same stone lying open before his eyes For at the first beginning when his Empire went prosperously foreward and all thinges went luckely with him afterward he draue out holy men which praied for his peace and safegarde and so with them reiected also the praiers which they made for him c. Eusebius Lib. 7. cap. 1. Otherwise of any bloudshed or any Martirs that in the time of this Emperour were put to death we doe not read After the raigne of which Emperour Gallus and of his sonne Volusianus being expired who reigned but ij yeares Emelianus which slewe them both by ciuill sedition succeeded in their place who reigned but three monethes was also slayne Next to whom Valerianus his sonne Gallienus were aduaunced to the Empire About the chaunging of these Emperours the persecution which first began at Decius afterwarde slacked in the time of Gallus was now extinguished for a time partly for the great plague raigning in all places partly by the change of the Emperors although it was not very long For Valerianus in the first entraunce of the Empire for the space of iij. or foure yeres was right courteous and gentle to the people of God well accepted to the Senate Neither was there any of all the Emperors before him no not of the which openly professed Christ that shewed himselfe so louing and familiar toward the Christians as he did in so much that as Dionysius writing to Herman doth testifie all hys whole courte was replenished with holy Saintes seruantes of Christ and godly persons so that his house might seeme to be made a Church of God But by the malice of Sathan through wicked counsell these quiet dayes endured not very long For in processe of tyme this Valerianus beyng charmed or incensed by a certayne Egiptian a chiefe ruler of the Heathen Synagoge of the Egiptians a mayster of the Charmers or inchaunters who in deede was troubled for that he could not do his Magicall feates for the Christians was so farre infatuated and bewitched that through the detestable prouocations of that deuilishe Egyptian he was wholly turned vnto abhominable Idols and to execrable impietie in sacrificing young infāts and quartering bodies and deuiding the entrals of childrē new borne and so proceeding in his fury moued the eight persecution agaynst the Christians whom the wicked Egyptian coulde not abide as being the hinderers and destroyars of hys Magicall enchauntinges about the yeare of our Lord. 259. The eight Persecution IN the which persecution the chiefe administers and executours were Emilianus President of Egipt Paternus and Galerius Maximus Proconsuls in Aphrica Bergomensis also maketh mention of Paternus Uicegerent of Rome and of Perennius Vincentius speaketh also of Nicerius and Claudius Presidentes c. What was the chiefe originall cause of this persecution partly is signified before where mention was made of the wicked Egiptian But as this was the outward and politicall cause so S Cyprian sheweth other causes more speciall and Ecclesiasticall in his iiii booke Epist. 4. whose wordes be these but we sayth he must vnderstand and confesse that thys turbulent oppression calamitie which hath wasted for the most part all our whole company and doth dayly consume riseth chiefly of our owne wickednes sinnes while we walke not in the way of the Lord nor obserue his preceptes left vnto vs for our institution The Lord obserued the will of his father in all poynts but we obserue not the will of the Lord hauing all our minde and study set vpon lucre possessions geuen to pryde full of emulation and dissention voyde of simplicitie and faythfull dealing renouncing thys world in word onely but nothing in deede euery man pleasing himselfe and displeasing all other And therefore are we thus scourged and worthely For what stripes and scourges doe wee not deserue when the confessors themselues such as haue byd the tryall of their confession and such as ought to be an example to the rest of well doyng doe keepe no discipline And therfore because some such there be proudly puft vp with this swelling and vnmannerly bragging of their confession these tormentes come such as doe not easely send vs to the crowne except by the mercy of God some being takē away by quicknes of death do preuēt the tediousnes of punishimēt These things do we suffer for our sinnes and desertes as by the Lordes censure we haue bene forewarned saying If they shall forsake my lawe and will not walke in my iudgementes If they shall prophane my institutions and will not obserue my preceptes I will visite their iniquities with the rod and their transgressions with scourges These rods and scourges sayth he we feele which neyther please God in our good deedes nor repent in our euill deedes Wherefore the sayd Cyprian adding this exhortation withall exhorted them to pray and intreate from the bottome of their hart and whole minde the mercy of God which promiseth saying but yet my mercy I will not scatter from them c. Let vs aske and wee shall obtayne and though sayth Cyprian it be with tariance yet for so much as we haue greeuously offended let vs continue knocking for to him that knocketh it shal be opened if our prayers sighinges and weepinges knocke still at the dore with continuance and if our prayers be ioyned together with brotherly agreement c. Moreouer what vices were then principally raygning among the Christians hee further specifieth in the sayd Epistle which chiefly were deuision and dissention among the brethren For when it was spoken to them in a vision by these wordes Petite impetrabitis that is Pray and ye shall obtayne afterward it was required of the congregation there present to direct their prayers for certayne persons assigned to them by name but they could not agree and cōdescend altogether of the names and persons of them which they should pray for but were dissonant in their consent and petition whiche thing sayth Cyprian did greatly displease hym that spake vnto them Pray and ye shal obtayne for that there was no vniforme equalitie of voyce and hart nor one simple and ioynt concorde among the brethren whereof it is written the Psalme 67. God which maketh to dwell in
of thy Father Forsomuch then as it is so written in the law and they shall be two in one flesh the sonne then that presumeth to reueale then the turpitude of his stepmother which is one flesh with his Father what doth he then but reueale the turpitude of his owne father Likewise it was forbidden and vnlawfull to mary with thy kinswoman which by her first Mariage was made one flesh with thy brother For the which cause Iohn the Baptist also lost hys head and was crowned a Martyr Who though he dyed not for the confession of Christ yet for so much as Christ saith I am the truth therfore in that Iohn Baptist was slayne for the truth it may be sayd his bloud was shedde for Christ. The seuenth interrogation Item whether such as be so coupled togither in filthy and vnlawfull matrymony ought to be separated and denied the partaking of the holy Communion The aunswere Because there be many of the nation of English men which being yet in their infidelitie were so ioyned coupled in such execrable mariage the same comming now to faith are to be admonished hereafter to abstaine from the like that they know the same to be greuous sinne That they dread the dreadfull iudgement of God least for their carnall delectation they incurre the tormentes of eternall punishment And yet notwtstanding they are not to be secluded therefore from the participation of Christes body bloud lest we should seme to reuenge those things in them which they before their baptisme through ignoraunce did commit For in this time the holy Church doth correct some faultes more feruently some faultes she suffereth againe through mansuetude and mekenes some wittingly and willingly she doth wink at and dissemble that many times the euil which she doth detest through bearing and dissembling she may stop bridle All they therfore which are come to the faith must be admonished that they cōmit no such offence Which thing if they doe they are to be depriued of the Communion of the Lords body bloud For like as in them that fall through ignoraunce their default in this case is to be tollerate so in them againe it is strōgly to be ensued which knowing they do nought yet feare not to commit The eight interrogation Item in this I desire to be satisfied after what maner I should deale or do with the Bishops of Fraunce and of Britaines The aunswere As touching the Bishops in Fraunce I geue you no authoritie or power ouer them For the Bishop of Arolas or Orliance hath by the olde tyme of our predecessours receiued the Palle whome now we ought not to depriue of hys authoritie Therefore when your brotherhoode shall goe vnto the Prouince of Fraunce what soeuer yee shal haue there to doe with the Byshop of Orliance so do that he loose nothing of that which he hath found and obtayned of the auncient ordinaunce of our foreelders But as concerning the Bishops of Brittayn we commit them all to your brotherhoode that the ignoraunt may be taught the infirme by perswasion may be confirmed the wilful by authoritie may be corrected The ninth interrogation Whether a woeman being great with childe ought to be baptised or after she hath children after how long time she ought to enter into the Church Or els that which she hath brought forth least it should be preuented with death after howe many dayes it ought to receaue Baptisme Or after howe long tyme after her childebyrth is it lawfull for her husband to resorte to her Or els if she be in her monthly course after the desease of women whether then she may enter into the Churche and receaue the Sacrament of the holy Communion Or els her husband after the lying with hys wife before he be washed with water whether is it lawfull for him to enter the Church and to draw vnto the mistery of the holy Communion All which thinges must be declared and opened to the rude multitude of Englishmen The Aunswere The childing or bearing woman why may she not be Baptised seeing that the fruitfulnes of the flesh is no fault before the eyes of almighty God For our first parentes in Paradise after they had transgressed lost their immortallitie by the iust iudgement of God which they had takē before Then because almighty God woulde not mankinde vtterly to perish because of hys fall although he lost nowe hys immortallitie for hys trespasse yet of hys benigne pietie left notwithstanding to hym the fruit and generation of issue Wherefore the issue and generation of mans nature which is conserued by the gift of almighty God how can it be debarred from the grace of holy Baptisme As concerning the churching of women after they haue trauailed where ye demaund after howe many dayes they ought to goe to the Church this you haue learned in the old law that for a man child .30 dayes after a womā child .66 dayes be appoynted her to keepe in Albeit this you must take to be vnderstād in a mistery For if she should the houre after her trauayle enter into the Churche to geue thankes she committed therein no sinne For why the lust and pleasure of the flesh and not the trauaile and payne of the flesh is sinne In the coniunction of the fleshe is pleasure but in the trauaile and bringing forth of the child is payne gronyng As vnto the mother of all it is sayd In sorrow thou shalt trauaile Therefore if we forbid the woman after her labour to enter the church thē what doe we els but count the same the punishment geuen vnto her for sinne Therefore for the woeman after her labour to be baptised eyther that whiche shee hath trauailed foorth if present necessitie of death doth so require yea in the selfe same houre eyther shee that hath brought foorth eyther that which is borne in the same houre when it is borne to be baptised we doe not forbid Moreouer for the man to company with his wife that he must not before the child that is borne be wayned But now there is a lewd and naughty custome risen in the conditiō of maryed folks that mothers do contemne to nourse their owne children which they haue borne but set them to other woemen out to nourse whiche seemeth onely to come of the cause of incontinency For while they will not contayne themselues therefore they put from them their children to nourse c. As concerning the woman in her menstruous course whether she ought to enter the Churche To this I aunswere she ought not to be forbid For the superfluitie of nature in her ought not to be imputed for any fault neyther is it iust that she shold be depriued of her accesse to the Church for that which she suffereth agaynst her wil. And if the woeman did well presuming in touching the Lords coate in the tyme of her bloudy issue why then may
thereby to anger whose anger yet notwithstaÌ„ding had bene easily swaged if the other woulde haue submitted himselfe and acknowledged his default But he adding stubburnnesse to his trespasse through the quantitie and greatnesse of his excesse was the author of his owne punishment which nowe by the law ciuill he sustaineth and yet shameth to craue pardone for his desert at the kings hande whose anger he feared not to sturre vp in such a troublesome time of the persecution of the Church greatly against the profite of the same augmenting increasing therby the persecution which now the Church lieth vnder Much better it had bene for him to haue tempered himself with the bridle of moderation in the high estate of his dignitie least in exceeding too farre in straining the straite poyntes of things by ouer much presumption peraduenture through his presumption being not in meane and tollerable things might fall from higher And if the detriments of the Church woulde not moue him yet the greâ—t benefits and preforments of riches and honours ought to perswade him not to be so stubburn against the king But here peradueÌ„ture his friend and our aduersary wil obiect that his bearing and submitting to the king in this behalfe were preiudiciall against the authority and sea Apostolical as though he did not or might not vnderstand that although the dignity of the Church should suffer a little detriment in that iudgement yet he might ought to haue dissimuled for the time to obtaine peace into the Church He will obiect againe alleaging the name of father that it soundeth like a poynt of arrogancie for children to procede in iudgement of coÌ„demnation against the father which thing is not conuenient But he must vnderstand againe that it was necessary that the obedience and humilitie of the children shoulde temper the pride of the father least afterwarde the hatred of the father might redounde vpon the children Wherefore of these promises your fatherhoode may vnderstand that the action of this our aduersary ought to fall downe as void and of none effect who only vpon the affection of malice hath proceeded thus against vs hauing no iust cause nor reason to ground vpon And forsomuch as the care and charge of all churches as yeâ— knowe lieth vpon vs it standeth vs vpon to prouide concerning the state of the Churche of Canterbury by our diligence and circumspection so that the sayd Church of Canterbury through the excesse of his pastor be not driuen to ruine or decay By this Epistle it may appeare to the Reader therof that Becket being absent from Englande went about to worke some trouble against certaine of the Clergy and of the laitie belike in excommunicating such as he tooke to be his euill willers Now to vnderstand further what his working was or who they were whom he did excommunicate this letter sent to William Bishop of Norwitch shall better declare the matter A letter of Becket to the B. of Norwitch HE bindeth himselfe to the penalty of the crime whosoeuer receiuing power and authoritie of God vseth and exerciseth not the same with due seueritie in punishing vice but wincking diâ—simuling doth minister boldnesse to wicked doers maintaining them in their sinne For the bloud of the wicked is required at the hand of the Priest which is negligent or dissembleth And as the Scripture sayth thornes and brambles grow in the handes of the idle dronkard Wherfore least through our too much sufferance and dissembling the transgressions of manifest euil doers should also be laid to our charge and redound to the destruction of the Church through our giltie silence We therfore following the authoritie of the Popes commaundement haue laid our sentence of curse excommunication vpon the Earle Hugo commaunding you throughout all your Diocesse publickely to denounce the sayde Earle as accursed so that according to the discipline of the Church he be sequestred from the fellowship of all faithfull people Also it is not vnknowen to your brotherhoode how long we haue borne with the transgressions of the Bishop of London Who amongest other his factes I would to God were not a great doer and fautor of this schisme and subuerter of the right and liberties of holy Church Wherefore we being supported with the authoritie of the Apostolicke sea haue also excommunicated him besides also the Bishop of Salesbury because of his disobedience and contempt and others likewise vpon diuers and sundrie causes whose names here followe subscribed Hugo Bernardes sonne Radolph of Brocke Robert of Brocke a clearke Hugode of S Cleare and Letardus a clearke of Northfolke Nigellus of Scacauil and Richard Chapleine William of Hasting and the Frier which possesseth my Church of Monchote We therfore charge and commaunde you by the authoritie Apostolicall and ours and in the vertue of obedience and in the perill of saluation and of your order that yee cause these openly to be proclaimed excommunicate throughout all your Diocesse and to command all the faithful to auoide their companie Fare ye wel in the Lord. Let not your heart be troubled nor feare for we stande sure thorough the assistance of the Apostolike sea God being oure borowe against the pretensed shiftes of the malignant sorte and against all their appellations Furthermore all such as haue bene solemnely cited of vs shall sustaine the like sentence of excommunication if God will in the Ascension day vnlesse they shall otherwise agree with me That is to witte Geffray Archdeacon of Canterburie and Robert his vicare Rice of Wilcester Richard of Lucie William Gifferd Adam of Cheringes with suche other moe which eyther at the commaundement of the king or vppon their own proper temeritie haue inuaded the goods and possessions either appertaining to vs or to our clearkes about vs. With these also we doe excommunicate all suche as be knowen eyther with aide or counsel to haue incensed or set forward the proceeding of our king against the liberties of the Churche and exiling of the innocents And such also as be knowen to Impeche or let by any maner of way the messengers sent either from the Pope or from vs for the necessities of the Churche Fare you well againe and euer Hetherto hast thou seene gentle reader diuers sundry letters of Thomas Becket whereby thou maist collect a sufficient historie of his doings demeanor though nothing els were said further of him concerning his lusty and hauty stomack aboue that beseemed either his degree or cause which he tooke in hand And here peraduenture I may seme in the story of this one man to tary tâ—o long hauing to write of so many others better then it yet for the weaker sort which haue couÌ„ted him and yet do count him for a Saint hauing in themselues little vnderstanding to iudge or discerne in the causes of men I thought to adde this letter more wherein he complaineth of his king to a forreine power doing what in him did lie to stirre for
partly also by a common couÌ„cell and consent of the spiritual and seculer persons Then shall iustice florish so that in those dayes men shall honestly apply themselues to the ancient customes and dicipline of auncient men and shall obserue them as the auncient men did The glose agreeth c. These things thus premised now will we come to the prophecâ—e or the foresaid Hildegard concerning the foresaid begging Friers aboue metioned reciting her words not only as they are printed in a book printed of late in Germany but also as my selfe haue seene and read agreeing to the same booke word for worde and yet haue the same to shew written in old partchment leaues in such sort as the thing it selfe most euidently declareth a great iniquitie of tyme. The wordes of her prophecie be these In those dayes shal rise a senceles people proud greedy without fayth subtile the which shall eare the sinnes or the people holding a certayne order of foolish deuotion vnder the tayned cloke of beggery preferring themselues aboue all other by their fayned deuotion arrogant in vnderstanding and pretending holines walking without shamefastnes or the feare of God in inuenting many new mischiefes strong and stout But this order shall be accursed of all wyse men and faythfull Christians they shall cease from all labour and geue themselues ouer vnto idlenes chusing rather to liue through flattery and begging Moreouer they shall together study how they may perâ—erâ—y resist the teachers of the truth stay them together to the noble men How to seduce and deceiue the noâ—ilitie for the necessitie of their liuing and plesures of this world for the deuill will graft in them foure principall vices that is to say flattery enuy hipocrisie and â—launder Flattery that they may haue large giftes geuen them Enuy when they see giftes geuen vnto other and not vnto them Hypocrisie that by false dissimulation they may please men Detraction that they may extoll and commend themselues and bacbite others for the prayse of men and seducing of the simple Also they shall instantly preache but without deuotion or example of the Martyrs and shall â—etracte the secular Princes taking awaye the Sacramentes of the Church from the true pastors receauing almes of the poore diseased and miserable and also associating themselues with the common people hauing familiaritie with women instructing them how they shall deceiue their husbandes and friendes by their flattery and deceitfull wordes and to robb their husbandes to geue it vnto them for they will take all these stolne and euill gotten goodes and say geue it vnto vs and we will pray for you so that they being curious to hide other mens faults do vtterly forget their owne And alas they will receaue all thinges of rouers pickers spoylers theeues and robbers of sacrilegious persons vsurers adulterers heretickes schismatickes apostataes whores and baudes of noble men periurers marchantes false iudges souldiors tyrauntes Princes of such as liue contrary to the lawe of many peruerse and wicked men following the perswasion of the deuill the sweetenes of sinne a delicate transitory life and fulnes euen vnto eternall damnation All these thinges shall manifestly appeare in them vnto all people and they day by day shall waxe more wicked hard harted and wheÌ„ as their wickednes deceits shal be found out then shall their giftes cease then shal they goe about their houses hungry as mad dogges looking down vpoÌ„ the earth drawing in their neckes as doues that they might be satisfied with bread then shall the people cry out vpon them Wo be vnto you ye miserable children of sorrowe the world hath seduced you and the deuill hath bridled your mouthes your fleshe is frayle and your hartes without fauour your mindes haue bene vnstedfast and your eyes delited in much vanitie folly your dainty bellies desire dellicate meates your feet are swift to runne vnto mischiefe Remember when you were apparantly blessed yet enuious poore in sight but rich simple to see to but mighty flatterers vnfaythfull betrayers peruerse detracters holy hipocrites subuerters of the truth ouermuch vpright proud vnshamefast vnstedfast teachers delicate martyrs confessors for gayne meeke but slaunderers religious but couetous humble but proud pitifull but hard harted lyers pleasaunt flatterers peacemakers persecuters oppressors of the poore bringing in new sectes newly inuented of your selues mercifull thought but found wicked louers of the world sellers of pardons spoylers of benefices vnprofitable orators seditious conspirators dronkardes desirers of honours maintainers of mischiefe robbers of the worlde vnsatiable preachers men pleasers seducers of women and sowers of discord of whom Moyses the glorious prophet spake very wel in his song A people without counsell or vnderstanding would to God they did know and vnderstand and foresee the end You haue builded vp on high and wheÌ„ you could ascend no higher then did you fall euen as Simon Magus whome God ouerthrew and did strike with a cruell plague so you likewise through your false doctrin naughtines lyes detractions wickednes are come to ruine And the people shall say vnto them goe ye teachers of wickednes subuerters of truth brethreÌ„ of the Sunamite fathers of heresies false Apostles which haue fayned your selues to follow the lyfe of the Apostles and yet haue not fulfilled it in part ye sonnes of iniquity we will not folow the knowledge of your wayes for pride and presumption hath deceiued you and insatiable concupiscence hath subuerted your erroneous hartes And when as you would ascend higher then was meete or comely for you by the iust iudgement of God you are fallen backe into perpetuall opprobry and shame This Hildegardis whose prophecie we haue mentioned lyued about the yeare of our Lord. 1146. as was read in Chronico Martini About the same tyme that these Franciscans and Dominicke Friars began which are aboue mentioned spraÌ„g vp also the crossebearers or crouched Friers taking their originall occasion or Innocent the third which Innocent raysed vp an army signed with a Crosse on their 〈◊〉 to fight agaynst the Albingenses whom the pope and his sect accompted for heretickes about the partes of Tholouse What these Albingenses were it cannot be well gathered by the olde popish historyes For if there were any that did hold teach or mayntayne agaynst the Pope or his papal pride or withstand gainsay his beggarly traditioÌ„s â—â—es and religions c. the historicians of that time for the most part in writing them do so repraue and misreporte them suppressing the truth of their articles that they make theÌ„ and paynt them forth to be worse then Turkes and Infidels And that as I suppose caused Mathew Parisiensis and other of that sort to write so of theÌ„ as they did Otherwise it is to be thought and so I finde in some recoâ—eâ—â— that the opinions of the said Albingenses were sound inough holding and professing nothing els but only agaynst the waÌ„ton wealth pride
successors But if thou haue geuen any we iudge the gift to be voyde and call backe how farre so euer thou hast gone forward And whosoeuer beleueth otherwise we iudge them heretickes Vnto this letter of the Pope king Phillip maketh answere agayn in maner order as followeth which is this ¶ Phillip by the grace of God King of Fraunce to Boniface not in deedes behauing himselfe for Pope little friendship or none TO Boniface bearing himselfe for chiefe Byshop little health or none Let thy follishnes know that in no temporall things we are subiect to no man and that the giftes of prebendes and many benefices made and to be made by vs were and shall be good both in time past and to come And that we will defend manfully the possessours of the sayd benefices and we thinke them that beleue or thinke otherwise fooles and mad men Geuen at Paris the Wednesday after Candlemas an 1301. After these aforesayd and other writinges passing to and fro betweene the French kyng and the pope within a yeare and a halfe after the king sommoneth a Parliament sending downe hys letters to his Sheriffes and other officers to summon the Prelates and Barons of the Realme vnto the sayd Court of Parliament according to the tenor of the kinges letters here following PHilip by the grace of God king of Fraunce c. Whereas we would take counsaile with the Prelates Barons and other our faythfull about weighty matters and hard and suche as belong greatly to our right and touching our honour state liberties and lawes of this our Realme Churches and Ecclesiasticall persons and would also go forward and proceede in the foresayd matters according to their counsayle We commaund you that ye dilligently in our behalfe require straightly charge all the Prelates in your baliwicke and also all and singuler Abbots and Priors of the same your foresayd baliwicke to certayne of the whiche we haue directed downe our special letters for the same cause that as they fauour our honour the good state both of the realme of théselues and of the Church they repayre to vs in their own persōs all lets and delayes set aside and all other busines left of Shewing to them moreouer that we can iudge none of them to be eyther to vs faythfull subiects or friendes to the Realme which shall faile herein or withdraw himselfe in the foresayd busines counsayles and helpes in tyme. Wherin if peraduenture any shall slack or refuse to resort and come toward vs within 8. dayes frō the tyme of this charge geuen by you or your commaundement That then you to seise all hys temporall goodes into our hand so seised to holde them vntill you receiue other commaundement from vs. Geuen at Paris the Monday before the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist in the yeare of our Lord. 1303. ¶ A declaration of maister William Nagareta made against Pope Boniface the eight with his appellation also made at Paris afore the kyng and his Counsaile in the Church of Paris IN the name of God Amen In the yeare of our Lorde 1303. Indictione secunda the 12. day of March and the ix yeare of the Popedome of the most holy father the L. Boniface the 8. by Gods prouidence pope and in the presence of vs common notaries and witnesses written vnder the noble man maister William Nagareta knight a worshipfull professour of the lawes standing afore the most excellent Prince the Lord Philip by the grace of God most noble king of Fraunce spake with liuely words and gaue in writinges these thinges that follow There haue bene false Prophetes among the people as there haue bene also among you false teachers c. S. Peter the glorious prince of the Apostles speaking to vs by the spirite tolde vs thinges to come that likewise as there were false Prophetes afore tyme so there should come among you false teachers bringing in sectes of destruction by the which the way of trueth shall be defaced and couetously they shall make marchandise of you with fayned wordes and further addeth that such maisters did follow the way of Balaam of Bosor whiche loued the reward of wickednes and had hys bridled Asse to correct hys madnes whiche speaking in a mans voyce did stop the foolishnes of the Prophet All which thinges as they be shewed to vs by the greatest Patriarch himself Your eyes see them fulfilled this day according to the letter For there fitteth in S Peters Chaire the mayster of lyes causing himselfe to be called Boniface 1. a well doer where he is notable in all kinde of euill doyng And so both he hath taken to himselfe a false name and where he is not a true ruler and maister he calleth himselfe the Lord Iudge and mayster of all men And comming in contrary to the common order appoynted by the holy fathers and also contrary to the rules of reason and so not entring in at the doore into the Lordes shepefold is not a shepheard nor hierling but rather a theefe robber For he the true husbād of the Romish church yet liuing deceiued him that was delighted in simplicitie entised him with fayned flatterings gifts to let him haue his spouse to be his wife let no man separate at length laying violent handes vppon hym perswading him falsely that thing which the deceiuer sayd to come from the holy spirite was not ashamed to ioyne to himselfe with wicked practise that holye Church which is maistresse of all Churches calling hymselfe to her husband where as he cannot be for Celestinus the true Romish Byshop agreed not to the said deuorce being deceiued by so great subtiltie nothing is so contrary to agreeing as errour and deceit as mans lawes beare witnes that I neede not to speake of his violence But because the spirite inspireth where he will and he that is led with the spirite is not vnder the lawe the holy vniuersall Church of God not knowing the craftes of that deceiuer stumbling and doubting whether it came from the holy ghost that Celestinus should leaue of his gouernment and the sinnes of the people deseruing it for feare of a schisme suffered the foresaid deceauer although according to the doctrine of our Lord by hys fruites he might be knowne whether he came to the say'd regiment by the holy ghost or otherwise his fruites as it is playnely here written beneath are now manifest to all men by which it is apparaunt to the worlde that he came not in by God but otherwayes and so came not in by the sheepefould His fruites are most wicked and hys ende is death and therefore it is necessary that so euill a tree according to the Lordes saying should be cut downe and cast into the fire This cānot auaile to his excuse which is said of some men that is that the Cardinals did agree vpon him agayn after the death of the sayd Celestinus the pope seing he could not be her husband whom
it is manifest that he defiled by adultery her first husband yet liuing she beyng worthy to haue the promise of mariage kept vnto her Therefore because that whiche is done agaynst the Lord turneth to the wrong of all men and specially in so great a mischiefe by reason of the consequence by which she is iudged of the people both a woman adultres or defamed I like a bridle Asse by the power of the Lord and not by the voyce of a perfect mā being not able to bear so great a burdé take in hand to rebuke the madnes of the sayd false Prophet Balaam whiche at the instaunce of kyng Balaac 1. of the Prince of deuils whom he serueth and ready to cursie the people blessed of the Lord I beseeche you most excellent Prince and Lord Phillip by the grace of God king of Fraunce that like as the Aungell of God in tyme past mette in the way with a sword drawne the prophet Balaam goyng to curse Gods people so you whiche are vnwilling to execute iustice and therefore like the Aungell of the Lorde and minister of power and office woulde meete with a naked sworde this sayde wicked man whiche is farre worse then Balaam that he performe not that euill whiche he intendeth to the people First I propound that the foresayd man that nameth himselfe Boniface is no Pope but wrongfully keepeth the fear which he hath in deede to the great damage of all the soules of Gods holy Church I say also that his entring was many waies faulty and he entred not in at the doore but otherwaies and therfore is to be iudged a theefe a robber 2. I propound also that the sayde Boniface is a manifest hereticke and vtterly cut off from the body of the holy Church because of many kindes of heresies whiche are to be declared in conuenient tyme and place 3. I propound also that the sayde Boniface is an horrible simoniacall such a one as hath not bin sithens the beginning of the world and the mischiefe of this sinne in him is so notorious to all the world whiche thing is manifest to all that will playnly vnderstand in so much that he beyng openly slaūdered said openly that he could not commit simony 4. I propound also that the sayd Boniface being wrapt in infinite manifest haynous sinnes is so hardened in thē that he is vtterly not possible to be corrected and lying in doungeon of mischiefe so deepe that he may not be suffered any longer without the ouerthrow of the state of the church His mouth is full of cursing his feete and steps are swift to shed bloud He vtterly teareth in peeces the Churches which he ought to cherishe wasting wickedly the goodes of the poore making much of wicked men that geue hym rewardes persecuting the righteous and among the people not gathering but scattering bringing in new sectes of destruction that haue not bene heard of Blaspheming the way of truth and by robbery thinking himselfe equall to that Lord Iesus Christ which is blessed for euer And he beyng most couetous thirsteth for gold couereth gold by some deuise getteth gold of euery people vtterly not regardig the worshipping of God with sayned wordes sometimes by flattering sometimes by threatning sometime by false teaching and all to get mony withall he maketh marchādise of vs all enuying all thinges but hys owne louing no man nourishing warre persecuting hating the peace of his subiectes He is rooted in all vnspeakeable sinnes contrarying and striuing against all the wayes doctrines of the Lord. He is truly the abhomination of the people which Daniel the Lordes Prophet described Therfore I answere that lawes weapons and all the elemēts ought to rise against him which thus ouerthroweth the state of the Church for whose sinnes God plagueth the whole world And finally nothing remaineth to hym being so vnsatiable to satisfie him wtall but onely the vnsatiable mouth of hell and the fire that cannot be quenched continuing for euer Therfore seing that in a generall coūcel it so becommeth and I see this wicked man to be damned which offendeth both God and al men I aske and require as instantly as I can and beseech you my Lord and King aforesaid that ye would declare to the prelates doctours people princes your brethren in Christ chiefly to the Cardinals and all Prelates and call a Councell In the which when this foresaid wicked man is condemned by the worshipfull Cardinals the church may be prouided of a shephearde for that Councell I offer my selfe ready lawfully to pursue the foresaide things And where as the saide man being in highest dignity in the meane time cannot be suspended of hys superiour therefore he ought to be taken suspended in deede for the things aforesaid seing his state is called into iudgement by the meanes aforesaid I beseech and require the said Cardinals by you and I presently require them the church of God that this wicked man being put in prison the Church of Rome may be prouided of a Vicar which may minister those things that shall appertaine vntil the Church of God be prouided of a bishop vtterly to take away all occasion of a schisme And least the saide wicked man should let and hinder the prosecuting therof I require these things of you my Lord king aforesaid affirming you to be bounde to doe this for many causes First for faithes sake Secondly for your kingly dignitie to whose office it belongeth to roote out such wicked men Thirdly for your oth sake which ye made for the defence of the Churches of your Realme which the foresaid rauener vtterly teareth in peeces Fourthly because ye be the patron of the Churches therfore ye are not bound onely to the defence of them but to the calling for againe of their goodes which the foresaide man hath wasted Fiftly ye following the footesteps of your auncetors ought to deliuer your mother the Romish church from so wicked a hand wherein by oppression shee is tied bound I require that a publike instrument may be made of these requestes by the notaries here present vnder the witnes of the worshipfull men that be here present These things were done and spoken as is aforesayd at Paris in the Kings hous◠of Lupara After this protestation of master Nagareta immediatly insued the appeale of the king pronoūced and published against the sayd Boniface in forme as foloweth The appeale made by the king and the louers of the Realme against Boniface IN the name of God Amen In the yeare of our Lorde 1303 Indictione prima 13. day of Iune and the 9 yeare of the Popedom of Boniface Pope the 8. By the tenour of this publique instrumēt be it vnto all men knowen that the most noble prince and Lorde Philip by the grace of God king of Fraunce the famous and reuerend fathers in Christ Archbishops Bishops religious men Abbots and Priors here vndernamed in
all temporall things Alledging to that end the 12. q. 2. Furthermore he declared that the Byshops had cognition in certaine cases expressed by lawe Wherefore these said cases ministred a certaine rule against them alledging for the proofe thereof De reg iuris ff de lega 1. L. ticie text oris Also he affirmed that by reason of sinne the decretall Nouit coulde not make for them For the same dyd speake of the king of Fraunce his state which hath no superiour but in other persons it was he sayde otherwyse And these things thus being prooued then sayd he and cōcluded That neuerthelesse their Lord and King was ready to heare the information of them which would instruct him of any custome and those customes which were good and reasonable he would obserue Which answere because it did not seeme to please and suffice the Prelates incontineutly the Byshop Eduen answered for them all in manner folowing First commēding the good and general answere he spake in this wise The Prince of the people said he shal be praised for the prudence of his talke cōmending therewyth as touching the former good generall answer of the King his purpose and talke propounded But as concerning the wordes of the Lorde Peter whych engendred and brought darknes and obscuritie and might geue occasion to other temporall Lordes to breake and infringe the rites and customes of the Church Wherefore hys answere seemed not ful and plaine to the prelates Speaking moreouer to the sayd Peter he alluded to the words of the Uirgine speaking in the Scripture thus to her sonne Sonne why did you so to vs And so prosecuted that same both marueling with himselfe and yet couertly complaining of hys answere Afterwarde answering to these things which the Lord Peter affirmed and first to the Chapter Ad verum he sayde that it was before answered touching the deuision of the two iurisdictions that they may be in one subiect as before is proued Neither doth it let which the Lord Peter sayd these two iurisdictiōs could not be in one subiect because that things whych be in themselues diuers be vnder one Genus as a man an asse cannot be in one subiect But if they were vnder diuers kindes as whitenesse and sweetenesse in milke they might be well in one subiect It was answered that thys rule was not true because iustice and temperaunce are two diuers vertues and vnder one kinde and yet be in one subiect Besides these differing species a man an asse be not compatible in one subiect Also to that which was spoken concerning the shauing of the crowne it was answered that the crowne did betoken rule excellency and the shauing did signify that they ought not to heape vp store of tēporal things so to apply their hartes thereunto But that the temporall things ought to be subiect to them and not they to the temporaltie as is prooued in the saide chapter duo sunt genera Also as concerning the thyng whych was talked or de regula he answereth that this maketh for the church as before was prooued Yea also the custome doeth make the rule for the Church Also lawes in all kind offense doth alwaies except the custome And therefore his saying makes nothyng against it And nowe to that place which the Lord Peter spake about the Decretall Nouit That the case was onely in the kinges person yet for all that it is expresly sayd in the same text of euery Christen man And although theyr lawe doth speake onely of the Pope yet the same is applied to all Bishops in their Dioces Wherfore the sayd bishop concluded and beseched the king that it would please his grace to geue vnto them a more plainer and comfortable aunswere and that they might not depart from hys presence all pensiue sad whereby occasion might be geuen to the laitie to impugne the rites and liberties of the Church And that they doubted nothing heereof in the good nature conscience of their soueraigne Lord and King In the end it was aunswered to them in the behalfe of the king that hys minde intent was not to unpugne the customes of the church The Sonday following the bishops assembled themselues againe before the king at Uicenas where the Lorde Bishop of Eduen repealed their last supposition with the last aunswere made vnto them in the behalfe by the King when the Byshop of Byturien had geuen them to vnderstand how the king willed them not to feare For that they should suffer no hinderance or damage in his time yea and wold defend them to their rights and customes because it should not be said that he would geue ensample to other to impugne the Church assuring them that euen the Kinges grace hym willed so to declare vnto them The sayde Lord Byshop of Senon in the name of the whole prelates gaue humble thankes to the King therefore and the sayde B. of Senon beseeched that such proclamations which were made to the preindice of the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction myght be repealed called in Heereunto the king himselfe answered wyth his owne mouth that they were not published at his commandement neither did he know of them nor ratifie them Thirdly the Bishop proposed that those abuses which the temporaltie complained of should be so ordered reformed that euery man should be wel contented therwt. Last of all he beseeched the kings highnesse that he would of his gracious goodnesse geue them a more comfortable fuller answere Then answered the lord Peter in the name of the king That if the prelates and bishops would see reformatiō of those things which were to be amēded wheraboutes he would take respect betweene this and Christmas next folowing his grace would innouate nothing in the meane season And if in the foresaide space they woulde not correct reforme that which was amisse hys maiestie wold appoynt such order and remedy that shuld be acceptable both to God and hys subiectes After thys the Prelates had leaue of the king to depart and went home ¶ A briefe recapitulation of the Byshops answere wyth certaine notes answering to his Popish reasons vnto the Reader THe aunswere of Byshoppe Eduen in the name of the other Prelates to the Oration and Articles before obiected by the Lorde Peter consisteth in two partes Fyrst in declaring the seate due to God Secondly the honour due to the king Wherof the first is the feare of God he sayeth consisteth in three things 1. In geuing to God 2. In honoring his ministers 3. In restoring that which hath bene taken away c. The 2. which is the honouring of the king he sayeth consisteth in a double sort that is In wordes onely wherein is flattery And in deede which againe he deuideth in 4. members First when a man cousaileth a king to that whereby his dominion is loued 2. When the king is counsailed to that whereby his honour and excellencie is not diminihed 3. Thirdly when
Christ for helpe then it is ryght nowe For it is fulfilled that God sayde by Isay the Prophet ye riseth vp erlich to follow drunkennesse and to drinke till it be euen the harpe and other minstrelsies beeth in your feastes and wine But the woorke of God ye ne beholdeth not ne taketh no kepe to the workes of his handes And therfore my people is take prisoner for they ne had no cunning And the noble men of my people deyeden for hunger and the multitude of my people weren dry for thirst and therefore hel hath drawen abroade theyr soule and hath yopened hys mouth wythout any ende And estsoones sayeth Isay the Prophet The worde is floten away and the highnesse of the people is ymade sicke and the earth is infecte of his wonnyers for they haue broken my lawes and ychaunged my right and han destroyed mine euerlastynge bonde and forward betwene them me And therfore cursing shal deuour the earth and they that wonneth on the erthly shallen done sinne And therefore the earth tilyars shullen waxe woode and fewe men shullen cen yleft vpon the earth And yet sayth Isay the Prophet this sayeth God for as much as this people nigheth me with their mouth glorifieth me with their lippes and their hart is farre from me And they han ydrad more mens commandement then mine and more draw to their doctrines then mine Therefore will I make a great wondring vnto this people wisedome shall perish away from wise men and vnderstanding of ready men shall be yhid And so it seemeth that an other saying of Isay is fulfilled there as God bad hym goe teach the people and sayd go forth and say to this people eares haue ye and vnderstaÌ„d ye not and eyes ye haue and sight ne know ye not Make blinde the hart of this people make their eares heauy and close their eyen least he see with his eyen and yheare with his eares and vnderstand with his hart and by yturned and ych heale him of his sicknes And Isay sayd to God how long Lord shall this be And God sayd For to that the cities ben desolate withouten a wonnier and an house withouten a man Here is mychel nede for to make sorow to cry to our Lord Iesu Christ hertilich for helpe and for succour that hee wole forgeue vs our sinnes and geue vs grace and coÌ„ning to seruen him better here after And God of his endles mercy geue vs grace and coÌ„ning trulich to tellen which is Christes law in helping of mens soules for we beth lewde men and sinfull men and vnconning and if he woll be our helpe and our succour we shullen wel perfourme our purpose And blessed be our Lorde God that hideth his wisdome from wise men and fro ready men and teacheth it to small children as Christ teacheth in the Gospell Christen men haue a law to keepe the which lawe hath twe parties Beleue in Christ that is God is the foundmeÌ„t of their law and vpon this foundement as he sayde to Peter and the gospel beareth witnes he woll byelden his Churche and thys is the first party of Christes law The secoÌ„d party of this law beth Christes commaundements that beth written in the gospel and more verilich in Christen mens hartes And as touching the beleue we beleuen that Christ is God and that there ne is no God but he We beleuen neuertheles that in the Godhead there bene three persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and all these three persons ben one God and not many Gods and all they beth ylich mighty ylich good and ylich wise and euer haue bene and euer shullen ben We beleuen this God made the worlde of nought and man he made after hys owne likenesse in Paradise that was a land of blisse and gaue him that land foâ— hys heritage and bad him that he should not eate the tree of knowledge of good and euil that was a midde Paradise Then the deuell that was fallen out of heauen for his pride had enuie to man and by a false suggestion he made man eate of this tree and breake the commaundement of God and tho was man ouercome of the deuill and so he lost his heritage and was put out therof into the world that was a land of trauel and of sorow vnder the feendes thraldome to be punished for his trespasse There man followed wickednes and sinne and God for the sinne of man sent aâ—sloud into this world and drownd all mankind saue eight soules And after this flud he let meÌ„ multiply in the world and so he assaled whether man dread him or loued him among other he found a man that hight Abraham this man he prooued whether he loued him and drad him and bad hym that he should offeren Isaac his sonne vppon an hill and Abraham as a true seruaunt fulfilled his Lords commaundement and for this buxumnes and truth God sware vnto Abraham that he would multiply his seede as the grauell in the sea and as the starres of heauen and he behight to him and to his heires the lande of behest for heritage for euer gif they wolden ben his true seruauntes and keepe his hests And God held him forward for Isaac Abrahams sonne begat Iacob and Esau and of Iacob that is ycleped Israel comen Gods people that he chose to be his seruaunt and to whome he behight the land of behest This people was in great thraldome in Egypt vnder Pharao that was king of Egypt and they crâ—eden to God that he should deliueren them out of that thraldome and so he did for he sent to Pharao Moses and his brother Aaron and bad him deliuer his people to done him sacrifice and to fore Pharao he made Moses done many wonders or that Pharao wold deliuer his people and at the last by might he deliuered his people out of thraldom and led them through a desert toward the lande of behest and there he gaue them a lawe that they shulden lyuen after when they comen into their countrey and in their way thither ward the ten commaundements God wrote himself in two tables of stone the remnaunt of the lawe he taught them by Moses his seruaunt how they shoulden do euery chone to other and gif they trespassed againe the law he ordeined how they shoulden be punished Also hee taught them what maner sacrifices they should doe to him and he chose him a people to ben his priestes that was Aaron and his children to done sacrifices in the tabernacle and afterwarde in the temple also He chese him the remnant of the children of Leuy to ben seruauntes in the tabernacle to the priestes and he sayde When ye come into the lande of behest the children of Leuy they shullen haue none heritage amoÌ„gst their brethren for I would be their part their heritage they shullen serue me in the tabernacle by dayes and by nighâ—es and he
steede and benemen thee thy woorship and thy sacrifice and durst maken the people woorship them as gods The Sauter telles that God ne wole not in the day of dome demen men for bodiliche sacrifices Holocaustes But God sayth yeld to me sacrifice of herying and yeld to God thine auowes and clepe me in the day of tribulation and ych wole defend thee and thou shalt worship me The heryeng of God standeth in 3 things In louing God ouer al other things In dreading God ouer al other things In trusting in God ouer all other things These 3 poyntes Christ teacheth in the gospell But I trowe men louen him but a little For who so loueth Christ he wole kepen his wordes But men holden his wordes for heresie and folye and kepeth mennes wordes Also men dreden more men mens lawes and their cursings then Christ and his lawes and his cursings Also men hopen more in men and mens helpes than they doe in Christ and in his helpe And thus hath hee that setteth in Gods stede by no men God these three horâ—ings maketh men louen him and his lawes more then Christ and Christes law and dreden him also And there as the people shulden yeelde to God their vowes he sayth he hath power to assoylen them of theyr avowes and so this sacrifice he nemeth awayâ— from God And there as the people shoulde cry to God in the day of tribulation he letteth them of their cryeng to God and byne meth God that worship This day of tribulation is whan man is fallen thorowe sinne into the deuils seruice and than we shuldes cry to God after help and axen forgeuenes of our sinne and make great sorow for our sinne and ben in fâ—ll will to do so no more ne none other sinne and that our Lord God wole forgeuen vs our sinne maken our soule clene For his mercy is endlesse But Lord here men haue by nomen thee much worshyp For men seyn that thou ne might not cleane assoylen vs of our sinne But if we knowlegen our sinnes to priests taken of them a penance for our sinne gif we mowen speake with them A Lord thou forgaue somtime Peter his sinnes and also Mary Magdaleine and many other many sinfull men without shriuing to priests taking penance of priests for their sinnes And Lord thou art as mighty now as thou were that time but gif any man haue bynomen thee thy might And we lewed men beleuen that there nys no man of so great power and gif any man maketh him selfe of so great power he heigheth himselfe aboue God And S. Paul speaketh of one that sitteth in the temple of God highten him aboue God and gif any such be he is a false Christ. But hereto seyn priests that wheÌ„ Christ made cleane leprous men he bade them goe and shewe them to priests And therefore they seyn that it is a commandement of Christ that a man should shewen his sinne to priests For as they seyn lepre in the olde lawe betokeneth sinne in this new lawe A Lorde God whether thine Apostles knew not thy meaning as well as men done nowe And gif they hadden yknow that thou haddest coÌ„manded men to shriuen them to priests and they ne taught not that commandement to the people me thinketh they hadden ben to blame But I trow they knewen wel that it was none of thy commaundements ne nedeful to heale of mans soule And as me thinketh the law of lepre is nothing to the purpose of shriuing for priestes in the olde law hadden certain poynts and tokens to know whether a man were leprous or not and gif they were leprous they hadden power to putten them away from other cleane men for to that they weren cleane then they hadden power to receiuen him among his brethren and offeren for him a sacrifice to God This nis nothing to the purpose of shriuing For there nis but one priest that is Christ that may knowe in certaine the lepre of the soule Ne no priest may make the soul cleane of her sinne but Christ that is priest after Melchisedekes order ne no priest here beneath may ywit for certaine whether a man be cleane of hys sinne or cleane assoyled but gif God tell it him by reuelation Ne God ordeined not that his priestes should set men a penance for their sinne after the quantitie of the sinne but this is mannes ordinaunce and it may well be that there commeth good thereof But I wote well that God is much vnworshipped thereby For men trust more in his absolutions and in his yeres of grace than in Christes absolutions and therby is the people much appaired For now the sorow a man should make for his sinne is put away by this shrift and a man is more bold to do sinne for trust of thys shrift and of this bodilich penance An other mischiefe is that the people is ybrought into thys beleefe that one priest hath a greater power to assoylen a man of his sinne and clennere then an other priest hath An other mischiefe is this that some priest may assoylen them both of sinne and paine and in this they taken them a power that Christ granted no man in earth ne he ne vsed it nought on earth himselfe An other mischiefe is that these priestes sellen forgeuenes of mens sinnes and absolutions for money and this is an heresie accursed that is ycleped simonie and all thilke priestes that axeth price for graunting of spirituall grace beth by holy lawes depriued of their priesthode and thilke that assenteth to this heresy And be they ware for Helyse the prophet toke no mony of Naaman when he was made cleane of his lepre but Giesi his seruant and therefore * the lepree of Naaman abode with him and wyth his heires euermore after Here is much matter of sorow to see the people thus far ylad away from God and worshupen a fals god in earth that by might and by strength hath ydone away the great sacrifice of God out of his temple of which mischiefe and discomfort Daniel maketh mention and Christ beareth thereof witnes in the gospell Who that readeth it vnderstand it Thus we haue ytold apertie how he that saith he sitteth in Christs stede binemeth Christ his worship and his sacrifice of his people and maketh the people worshepen him as a God on earth Cry we to God and knowledge we our sinnes euerichone to other as S. Iames teacheth and pray we hartilich to God euerichone for other then we shulen hopen forgeuenes of our sinnes For God that is endles in mercy sayth that he ne wil not a sinful mans death but that he be turned from his sin liuen And therfore when he came downe to saue mankinde he gaue vs a lawe of loue and of mercy and bade gif a man do a trespas amend him priuilich and gif he
priest haddeÌ„ their part of sacrifices and the first bygeten beastes and other things as the lawe telleth And Lorde S. Paul thy seruant sayth that the order of the priesthode of Aaron ceased in Christes comming and the lawe of that priesthode For Christ was end of sacrifices yoffered vpoÌ„ the crosse to the father of heauen to bring man out of sinne and become himself a priest of Melchisedeks order For he was both king priest without beginning and end and both the priesthoode of Aaron and also the law of that priesthode ben ychaunged in the comming of Christ. And S. Paul sayth it is reproued for it broghâ— no man to perfection For bloude of gotes ne of other beastes ne might done away sinne for to that Christ shad his bloud A Lord Iesu wether thou ordenest an order of priests to offreÌ„ in the auter thy flesh and thy bloude to bringen men out of sinne and also out of peine And whether thou geue them alonelych a power to eat thy flesh and thy bloud and wether none other man may eate thy flesh and thy bloud with outen leue of priestes Lord we beleeuen that thy flesh is verey meate and thy bloude verey drinke and who eateth thy flesh and drinketh thy bloud dwelleth in thee and thou in him and who that eateth this bread shall liue without end But Lord thine disciples sayd this is an hard worde but thou answerest them and seidest When yee seeth mans soone stiuen vp there hee was rather the spirite is that maketh you liue the wordes that yche haue spoken to you ben spirite life Lord yblessed more thou be for in this worde thou teachest vs that hee that kepeth thy wordes and doth after them eateth thy fleshe and drinketh thy bloude and hath an euerlasting life in thee And for we shoulden haue minde of thys liuing thou gauest vs the sacrament of thy flesh and bloud in forme of bred and wine at thy supper before that thou shouldest suffer thy death and tooke bread in thine hand and saidest take ye this and eate it for it is my body and thou tookest wine and blessedest it and sayde thys is the bloud of a new and an euerlasting testament that shall be shed for many men in forgeuenes of sinnes as oft as ye haue done doo ye this in minde of me A Lord thou ne bede not thine disciples makeÌ„ this a sacrifice to bring men out of paines gif a priest offred thy body in the alter but thou bede them go and fullen all the folke in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost in forgeuenes of their sinnes and teache ye them to keepe those thynges that ych haue coÌ„manded you And Lord thine disciples ne ordeined not priests principallich to make thy body in sacrament but for to teach the people and good husbandmen that well gouern their housholds both wiues children their meiny they ordeind to be priests to teachen other men the law of Christ both in worde in dede they liuedein as true Christen men euery day they eaten Christes body and drinken his bloude to the sustenance of liuing of theyr soules and otherwhiles they tooken the sacrament of his body in forme of bread and wine in mind of our Lord Iesu Christ. But all this is turned vpse downe for now who so will liuen as thou taughtest he shal ben holden a foole And gif he speake thy teaching he shal ben holden an heretick accursed Lord yhaue no lâ—nger wonder hereof for so they seiden to thee wheÌ„ thou wer here some time And therefore wee moten take in pacience theyr wordes of blasphemy as thou didest thy selfe or els we weren to blame And truelych Lord I trowe that if thou were nowe in the world and taughtest as thou diddest some time thou shuldest ben done to death For thy teaching is damned for heresy of wise men of the world and then moten they nedes ben heretickes that teachen thy lore and all they also that trauelen to liue thereafter And therfore Lord gif it be thy wil helpe thine vnkunning lewde seruaunts that wolen by their power and their kunning helpe to destroy sinne Leue Lorde sithe thou madest woman in helpe of man in a more fraile degree then man is to be gouerned by mans reason What perfection of charity is in these priests and in men of religion that haue forsaken spoushod that thou ordeinedst in Paradise betwixt man and woman for perfection to forsaken traueile and liuen in ease by other mens traueile For they mow not do bodilich workes for defouling of their handes with whom they touchen thy precious body in the aulter Leue Lorde gif good men forsaken the company of woman nedes they moten haue the gouernaile of man then moteÌ„ they ben ycoupled with shrewes and therfore thy spoushode that thou madest in clennes from sinne it is nowe ychaunged into liking of the flesh And Lord this is a great mischiefe vnto thy people And young priestes and men of religion for defaulte of wiues maken many women horen and drawen through their euell ensample many other men to sinne and the ease that they liuen in and their welfare is a great cause of this mischiefe And Lord me thinketh that these ben quaint orders of religion and none of thy sect that wolen taken horen whilke God forfendes and forsaken wiues that God ne forfendeth not And forsaKen trauail that God commaunds and geuen their selfe to idlenes that is the mother of all noughtines And Lorde Mary thy blessed mother and Ioseph touched oftentimes thy body and wroughten with their honds and liueden in as much clennes of soule as our priestes done nowe and touched thy body and thou touchedest them in their soules And Lorde our hope is that thou goen not out of a poore mans soule that traueileth for his liuelode with his handes For Lord our beliefe is that thine house is mans soul that thou madest after thine owne likenes But Lord God men maketh nowe great stonen houses full of glasen windowes and clepeth thilke thine houses and Churches And they setten in these houses Mawmets of stockes and stones and to fore them they knelen priuilich apert and maken their prayers and all this they sayen is thy woorship and a great herieng to thee A Lorde thou forbiddest sometime to make suche Mawmetes and who that had yworshipped such had be woorthy to be deeade Lorde in the Gospell thou sayst that true heriers of God ne herieth him not in that hil beside Samarie ne in Hierusalem neyther but true heriers of God herieth him in spirite and in trueth And Lord God what herying is it to bilden thee a church of dead stones and robben thy quicke Churches of their body liche lyueloode Lord God what heryeng is it to cloth mawmets of stockes and of stones in siluer and in golde and
in other good colours And Lorde I see thine image gone in colde and in here in clothes all to broken without shone and hosen an hungred and a thâ—ust Lorde what heryenge is it to teende tapers and torches before blinde mawmets that mowen not I seyen And hide thee that art our light and our lanterne towarde heauen and put thee vnder a bushell that for darkenes we ne may not seene our way towarde blisse Lorde what heryenge is it to kneele tofore mawmetes that mowe not yheren and worshepen them with preyers and maken thine quicke images knele before them and asken of them absolutions and blessings and worshupen them as gods and putten thy quicke images in thraldom and in traueil euermore as bestes in colde and in heate and in feeble fare to finden them in liking of the world Lord what herieng is it to fetch deed mennes bones out of the ground there as they shulden kindelich roten and shrinen them in golde and in siluer And suffren thy quicke bones of thine images to rot in prison for default of clothingh And suffren also thy quicke images to perish for default of sustenaunce and rooten in the hoore house in abhominable lecherie Some become theeues and robbers and manquellers that mighten ben y holpen with the golde and siluer that hongeth about deed mens bones and other blind mawmetes of stockes and stones ¶ Lorde here ben great abhominations that thou shewdist to Ezechiel thy Prophet that priests done in thy temple yet they clepen that thine heryenge But leue Lorde me thinketh that thâ—y louen thee litle that thus defoulen thy quick images worshippen blinde mawmetes And Lord an other great mischiefe there is now in the world an hunger that Amos thy Prophet speaketh of that there shal comen an honger in the earth not of bread ne thrust of drinke but of hearing of Gods worde And thy sheepe woulden be refreshed but their shepheards taken of thy shepe their liuelode as tythings c. and liuen them selfe thereby where them liketh Of such shepheardes thou speaketh by Ezechiel thy Prophet and seist wo to the shepheards of Israel that feden them selfe for the flockes of sheepe shoulden ben yfed of their shepheardes but yee eaten the milke and clothen you with their wolfe and the fat sheepe ye slow and my flocke ye ne fede not the sicke shepe ye ne healed not thilke that weren to broken yee ne knit not together thilke that perished ye ne brought not againe but ye ratled them with sternship and with power And so the shepe be sprad abroad in deuouring of all the beasts of the feelde And Ieremie the Prophet sayeth wo to the shepehards that disparseâ—h abroad and â—eareth the flocke of my lesewe ¶ A Lorde thou were a good shepheard for thou puttest thy soul for thy sheep but lord thou teldest that thilke that comé not in by the dore ben night theues day theues and a these as thou seest coÌ„meth not but for to steale to sleine to destroy And Zachary the prophet sayth that thou wouldest reren vp a shepherde vnkunning that ne wol not hele thy shepe that beth sick ne seek thilke that beth lost Apon his arme is a swerd and vpon his right eye his arme shall waxe dry and his right eye shall lese his light O Lorde helpe for thy shepe beth at great mischiefe in the shepheards defaute But Lord ther commeth hired men they ne fedden not thy shede in thy plenteous lesew but feeden thy sheep with sweueÌ„s and false miracles tales But at thy trewth they ne comen not For Lord I trowe thou sendest them neuer For haue they hire of thy sheep they ne careth but little of the feding and the keping of thy shepe Lord of these hired men speaketh Ieremy the Prophet and thou seyst that woorde by him I ne sende them not and they ronne bliue I ne speake vnto them and they propheciden For if they hadden stonden in my couÌ„sel and they had made my words knoweÌ„ to the puple ich wold haue turned them away from their yuell way and from their wicked thoughtes For Lorde thou seyst that thy woordes ben as fire and as an hammer breaking stones And Lord thou saist Lo I to these Prophetes meeting sweuens of lesing that haue ytolde her sweuens and haue begyled my puple in their lesing in their fals miracles when I neither sent ne bede them And these haue profitet nothing to my puple And as Ieremie sayth from the lest to the mest all they studien couetise and from the Prophet to the priest all they done gyle A Lord here is mych mischief matere of sorow yet there is more For gif a lewed man wold teach thy people trewth of thy words as he is y holde by the commaundement of charite he shal be forboden and put in prison gif he do it And so Lord thilk that haue the key of conning haue y lockt the trewth of thy teaching vnder many wardes yhid it from thy children But Lorde sith thy teaching is y come from heauen aboue our hope is that with thy grace it shall breaken these wardes and showe hym to thy puple to kele both the hunger and the thrust of the soule And then shal no shepheard ner no fals hiridman begile thy puple no more For by thy law I wryte as thou hightest some time that from the left to the mest all they shullen knowen thy wil and weten howe they shullen please thee euer more in certaine And leue Lord gif it be thy will helpe at thys nede for there is none helpe but in thee Thus Lord by him that maketh himselfe thy viker in earth is thy commaundement of loue to thee our brethren ybroken both to him and to thy puple But Lorde God mercy and pacience that beth tweyne of thy commandements beth destroyed and thy puple hath forsake mercy For Lord Dauid in the Sauter sayth Blessed beth they that done dome and rightfulnes in euerich time O Lord thou hast itaught vs as rightfulnes of heauen hast ybeden vs forgeuen our brethren as oft as they trespassen against vs. And Lord thine olde lawe of iustice was that such harme as a man did his brother such he should suffer by the law as eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth But Christ made an end of this law that one brother should not desire wracke of an other but not that he would that sinne shoulde ben vnpunished for thereto hath he ordained Kinges and Dukes and other lewde officers vnder them whilke as S. Paule sayth ne carien not the swerd in vaine for they ben the ministers of God and wrakers to wrath to them that euil done And thus hath Christ ymade an ende of this olde lawe that one brother may not suen an other himselfe for that to wreken without sinne for breaking
of charity But this charity Lord hath thy vicar ybroke and says that we sinnen but gif we suen for our right And we se I wote that thou taughtest vs sometime to geue our mantell also euer that we shoulden suen for our coate And so Lord beleueÌ„ we that we ben ybounden to don by thy law that is all charitye officers duty is to defenden vs from thilke theuery though we coÌ„plainen not But lord thy law is turned vpsedown A Lord what dome is it to sleane a theefe that take a maÌ„s cattell away from hym and suffren a spousebreaker to liue and a lecherour that killeth a womans soule And yet thy lawe stoned the â—pousebreakers and leachours and let the theeues liuen and haue other punishment A Lord what dome is it to sleane a these for stealing of a hors and to let him liue vnpunished to maintaine him that robbeth thy poore people of their liuelod and the soule of his foodeâ— Lorde it was neuer thy dome to sayen that a man is an heretike and cursed for breaking of mans lawe and demen hym for a good man for breaking thine hestes Lord what dome is it to curse a lewd man if he smite a priest and not curse a priest that smiteth a lewed man and leeseth hys charitie Lord what dome is it to curse the lewd people for tythings and not curse the parson that robbeth the people of tythings and teacheth them not Gods lawe but feedeth them with painting of stone walles and songs of Latin that the people knowen not Lord what dome is it to punish the poore maÌ„ for his trespas and suffer the rich to continue in his sin for a quantity of mony Lord what dome is it to slaine an vncunning lewed man for his sinne and suffer a priest other a clerke that doth the same sin scape a liue Lord the sinne of the priest or of the cleark is greater trespasse then it is of a lewd vncunning man and greater ensample of wickednes to the common people Lord what maner people be we that neither keep thy domes and thy rightfulnes of the old testament that was a law of drede nor thy domes and thy rightfulnes of thy new testament that is a law of loue and of mercy but haue an other law and taken out of both thy lawes that is liking to vs and remnaunt of heathen mennes lawes and Lord this is a great mischiefe O Lord thou sayest in thy law deme ye not and ye should not be demed for the same mesure that ye meten to other men men shall meten to you againeward And Lord thou sayst that by their worke we should know them And by what we knowe that thou commaunded vs not to demen mens thoughts nor their workes that were not agaynst thy law expresly And yet Lord he that saith he is thy vicar will demen our thoughtes and aske vs what we thinke not of the Lord of thy hestes for they caren little for them but of him and of his whilke they sate aboue thine and maken vs accusen our selfe or els they willen accursen vs for our accusers mowen we not knowne And Lord thou sayest in thyne olde law that vnder two witnes at the least or three shoulde stand euery matter And that the witnes shoulden euer be the first that shoulden helpe to kill them And when the schribes and the Pharises some tymes brought before thee a woman that was itake in spouse breaking and exeden of the a dome thou didst write on the earth and then thou gaue this dom He that is without sinne throw first at her a stone and Lord they went forth away from thee and the woman thou forgaue the woman her trespasse and bad her go forth and sinne no more Sweete Lord if the priestes tooke keepe to thy dome they would be agast to demen men as they done O Lord if one of them breake a commaundement of thy law he will axe mercy of thee and not a peine that is due for the sinne for peyne of death were to little O Lord how daren they demen any man to the death for breaking of theyr lawes other assent to such law for breaking of thy law they will set penaunce or pardon them and mayntayne them as oft as they trespassen But Lorde if a man ones breake theyr lawes or speake agaynst them he may done penaunce but ones and after be burnt Trulych Lord thou sayst but if euery of vs forgeue other his trespasse thy father will not forgeuen vs our sinnes And Lord when thou honge on the crosse thou prayedâ—t to thy father to haue mercy on thine enemies And yet the sain Lord that they demen no man to the death for the sain they ne mowen by their law demen any man to the death A leeue Lord euen so saden theyr forefathers the phariseis that it ne was not lawfull for them to kill any man And yet they bidden Pilate to done thee to the death agaynst his owne conscience for he wold gladly haue iquitte thee but for that they threatened him with the Emperour and broughten agaynst thee false witnesse also And he was an heathen man ¶ O Lord how much truer dome was there in Pilate that was an heathen iustice then in our kinges and iustices that woulden demen to the death and berne in the fire him that the Priests deliueren vnto them withouten witnes or prefe For Pilate ne would not demen thee for that the Phariseis sayden that gif thou ne had dest not bene a misdoer we ne would not deliuer him vnto thee for to they broughten in theyr false witnesse agaynst thee But Lord as thou saydest sometime that it should ben lighter at domes day to Tyro and to Sydon and Gomorra than to the cities where thou wrought wonders and miracles so I dred it shall be more light to Pilate in the dome then to our kinges and domes men that so demen without witnesse and prefe For Lord to demen thy folke for heretickes is to holden thee an hereticke and to brenneÌ„ them is to brennen thee for thou saydest to Paule when he persecuted thy people Saule Saule wherefore persecutest thou me in the dome thou shalt say that ye haue done to the left of mine ye haue done to me Thus Lord is thy mercy iustice foredone by him that sayth he is thy vicar in earth for he neither keepeth it himselfe nor nill not suffer other to do it ¶ The third commaundement that is patience and sufferance is also ibroken by this vicar Lord thou biddest sufferen both wroÌ„ges and strokes withouten againstanding and so thou diddest thy selfe to geuen vs ensample to sufferen of our brethren For suffering nourisheth loue and agaynstandeth debate All thy lawes is loue or els the thing that draweth to loue ¶ But Lord men teachen that men shoulden pleten for their right and fighten also therefore and els they seyn men ben in perill
is a mannour of worshipping of false Gods to breake thy hestes For who that loueth thee ouer all thinges and dreadeth thee also he nole for nothing breake thyne hestes O Lord gif breaking of thine hestes be heryeng of false gods I trow that he maketh the people breake thyne hestes and commaundeth that his hestes ben kept of the people maketh himselfe a false GOD on earth as Nabuchodonosor did some tyme that was king of Babilon But Lord we forsaken such false Gods and beleuen that ther ne ben no mo Gods then thou And though thou suffer vs a while to bene in disease for knowledging of thee we thanken thee wyth our hart for it is a token that thou louest vs to â—â—uen vs in thys world some penaunce for our trespas Lord in the old law thy true seruauntes tooke the death for they would not eaten swynes fleshe that thou haddest forbid them to eat O Lord what truth is in vs to eaten vncleene mete of the soule that thou hast forbid Lord thou sayst he that doth sinne is seruaunt of sinne and then he that lyeth in forswearing hymselfe is seruaunt of lesing and then he is seruaunt to the deuill that is a lyer and father of lesinges And Lord thou sayst no man may serue two Lordes at ones O Lord then euery lyer for the tyme that he lyeth other forsweareth himselfe and forsaketh thy seruice for drede of hys bodyly death and becommeth the deuils seruaunte O Lord what truth is in him that clepeth himselfe seruaunt of thy seruantes in his doing he maketh him a Lord of thy seruauntes Lord thou were both Lord and maister and so thou sayd thy selfe but yet in thy warkes thou were as a seruaunt Lord this was a great truth and a great meeknes but Lord bid thou thy seruaunts that they should not haue Lordship ouer theyr brethren Lord thou saydst kings of the heatheÌ„ men han Lordship ouer their subiectes and they that vse their power be cleped well doers But Lord thou saydst it shoulde not be so amongest thy seruantes But he that were most should be as a seruaunt Thou Lorde thou taughtest thy disciples to be meeke Lord in the old law thy seruauntes durst haue no Lordship of theyr brethren but if that thou bid them And yet they should not doe to theyr brethren as they did to thrailes that serued them But they should doe to theyr brethren that were theyr seruauntes as to theyr owne brethren For all they were Abrahams Children And at a certaine tyme they should let theyr brethren passe from them in all freedome but if they would wilfullich abiden still in seruice O Lord thou gaue vs in thy comming a law of perfect loue is token of loue thou clepedst thy selfe our brother And to make vs perfect in loue thou bid that we shoulde clepe to vs no father vpon earth but thy father of heauen we should cleape our father Alas Lord how violently our brethren and thy childreÌ„ ben now put in bodily thraldome and in despite as beastes euermore in greeuous trauell to finde proude men in ease But Lord if we take this defoule and this disease in pacience and in meeknes and kepe thine hests we hope to be free And Lord geue our brethren grace to come out of thraldome of sinne that they fal in through the desiring and vsage of Lordship vpon theyr brethren And Lord thie priestes in the old law had no Lordships among theyr brethren but houses and pastures for theyr beastes but Lord our priestes nowe haue great Lordship and put theyr brethren in greater thraldome then lewed men that be Lordes Thus is meekenesse forsaken Lord thou biddest in the Gospell that when a man is bid to the feast he should sit in the lowest place and then he may be set hyer with worship when the Lord of the feast beholdeth how his gestes fitteth Lord it is drede that they that sit now in the hyest place should be bidd in tyme comming fit beneath And that will be shame and vileny for them And it is they saying those that hyeth himselfe shuld be lowed and those that loweth themselues should be an heyghed O Lord thou biddest in thy Gospell to beware of the Pharaseis for it is a poynt of pryde contrary to meekenesse And Lord thou sayst that they loue the first sittinges at supper and also the principall chaires in churches and greetings in cheeping and to be cleped maysters of men And Lord thou sayest be ye not cleped maisters for one is your maister and that is Christ and all ye be brethren And clepe ye to you no father vpon earth for one is your father that is in heauen O Lord this is a blessed lesson to teach men to be meke But Lord he that clepeth himself thy vicar on earth he clepeth himselfe father of fathers agaynst thy forbidding And all those worships thou hast forbad He approueth them and maketh them maisters to many that teach thy people their owne teaching and leaue thy teaching that is nedefull and hiden it by quainte gloses from thy lewd people and feede thy people with sweuens that they mete and tales that doth little profit but much harme to the people But Lorde these glosers obiecte that they desire not the state of mastry to be worshipped therby but to profit the more to thy people wheÌ„ they preach thy word For as they seggeÌ„ the people will beleue more the preaching of a maister that hath taken a state of schole then the preaching of an other man that hath not take the state of maistry ¶ Lorde whether it bee any neede that maysters beren witnes to thy teaching that it is true and good O Lord whether may any maister mowe by his estate of maisterie that thou hast forboden drawe any man from his sinne rather then an other man that is not a maister ne wole bee none for it is forboden him in thy Gospell Lord thou sendest to maysters to preach thy people and thou knowledgist in the Gospel to thy father that he hath hid his wisedome from wise men and redy men and shewed it to litle Children And Lord maisters of the law hylden thy teaching foly and seiden that thou wouldest destroy the people with thy teaching Trulich Lord so these maisters seggeth now for they haue written many bookes agaynst thy teaching that is truth so the prophecie of Ieremy is fulfilled when he sayth Truelich the false points maisters of the law hath wrought leasing And now is the time come that S. Paul speaketh of where he sayth time shal come when men shall not susteine wholesome teaching But they shullen gather to hepe maisters with hutching eares and from trueth they shullen turnen away their hearing and turnen them to tales that maisters haue maked to showne their maistry and their wisedome ¶ And Lord a man shall beleue more a mans workes then hys words the dede sheweth well of these
him maketh him a false Christ Antichrist For who may be more agens Christ than he that in his wordes maketh himselfe Christes vicar in earth And in hys werkes vndoth the ordinaunce of Christ and maketh men byleueÌ„ that it is needful to the heale of mens soules to byleuen that he is Christes vicar in earth And what euer he byndeth in earth is ybounden in heauen vnder this colour he vndoth Christes law and maketh men alwayes to kepen his law and hestes And thus men may yseene that he is agenst Christ and therefore he is Antichrist that maketh men worshupen him as a God on earth as the the proud K. Nabugodonosor did somtime that was K. of Babylon And therfore we lewed men that knowne not God but thee Iesu Christ beleuen in thee that art our God and our king and our Christ and thy lawes And forsaken Antichrist and Nabugodonosor that is false God and a false Christ and hys lawes that ben contrary to thy preaching And Lord strength thou vs agenst our enemies For they ben about to maken vs forsaken thee and thy lawe other elles to putten vs to death O Lord onlich in thee is our trust to helpe vs in this mischiefe for thy great goodnes that is withouten end Lord thou he taughtest not thy disciples to assoylen men of her sinne and setten them a penaunce for their sinne in fasting ne in prayeng ne other almous dede ne thy selfe ne thy disciples vseden no such power here on earth For Lord thou forgeue men their sinnes and bede him sinne no more And thy disciples fulleden men 〈◊〉 name in forgeuenesse of her sinnes Nor they toke no such power vpon them as our priestes dare now And Lord thou ne affoâ—tedest no man both of his sinne and of his peyne that was dew for his sinne ne thou grauntedst no man such power here on earth And Lord me thinketh that gif there were a purgatorye and any earthliche man had power to deliueren sinfull men from the peynes of Purgatory he shoulde and he were in charitie sauen euerich man that were in waye of saluation from thilke peynes sith they make them greater then anye bodeliche peynes of thys world Also gif the Bishop of Rome had such a power he himselfe should neuer comen in purgatory ne in hell And sith we see well that he ne hath no power to kepen himselfe ne other men nother out of these bodilych peynes of the world and he may goe to hell for his sinne as an other man may I ne by leue not that he hath so great power to assoylen men of their sinne as he taketh vpon hym abouen all other men And I trowe that in this he higheth hymself aboue God As touching the selling of Byshopricks personages I trow it be a poynt of falsehed For agenst Gods ordinaunce he robbeth poore men of a porcion of theyr sustenaunce and selleth it other geueth it to finde proud men in idâ—enes that done the lewd puplelitell profite but much harme as we told before Thus ben thy commaundementes of treweth of meekenes and of poore nesse vndone by him that clepeth himselfe thy vicar here vppon earth A Lord thou gaue vs a commaundement of chastice that is aforsaking of fleshlich lustes For thou broughtest vs to a liuing of soule that is ygouerned by the word For Lord thou ordeinedist woman more frele than man to ben ygouerned by mans rule his help to please thee kepe thine hests Ne thou ne ordeinedist that a man should desire the company of a woman and maken her his wife to lyuen with her in hys lustis as a swyne doth or a hors And his wife ne like him not to his lustes Lord thou ne gaue not a man leaue to departen hym from his wyfe and taken hym an other But Lord thy mariage is a common accord betwene man woman to lyuen together to theyr liues ende and in thy seruice eyther the better for others helpe and thilke that thus ben ycome together bene ioyned by thee and thilke that God ioyneth may no man depart But Lord thou sayest that gif a man see a woman to coueten her than he doth with the woman lecherye in his hart And so Lord gif a man desire his wife in couetise of such lustes and not to flye from whoredome his weddins is lechery ne thou ne ioynest them not together Thus was Raguels doughter ywedded to seuen husbandes that the deuill instrangled But Toby tooke her to lyue with her in clennes and brynging vp of her children in thy worship and on him the deuill ne had no power For the wedding was I maked in God for God and through God A Lord the people is farre ygo from this maner of wedding For now men weddeÌ„ theyr wyues for fairenes other for riches or some such other fleshlich lustes And Lord so it preueth by theÌ„ for the most part For a man shall not finde two wedded in a lande where the husband loues the wife and the wife is buxum to the man as they shoulden after thy law of maryage But other the maÌ„ loues not his wife or the wife is not buxum to her man And thus Lord is the rule of prefe that neuer fayleth no preue whether it be done by thee or no. And Lord all this mischiefe is common among thy people for that they knowe not thy worde but theyr shepheardes and hyred men sedden them with their * sweuens and leasinges And Lord where they shoulden gon before vs in the field they seggen theyr order is so holy for thy mariage And Lord he that calleth himselfe thy vicar vpon earth will not suffren priestes to taken them wiues for that is agaynst hys law But Lord he will dispensen with them to kepen horen for a certayne somme of mony And Lord all horedome is forfended in thy law And Lord thou neuer forfendest priestes their wiues ner thy Apostles neyther And well I wote in our land priestes hadden wiues vntill Anselmus dayes in the yeare of our Lord God a leueÌ„ hundred and twenty and nyne as Huntingdon writes And Lord this makes people for the most part beleuen that lechery is no sinne Therefore we lewd men prayen thee that thou wolt send vs shepheardes of thine owne that wolen feeden thy flocke in thy lesewe and gon before theÌ„selfe and so written thy law in our harts that from the least to the most all they mayen knowne thee And Lord geue our king and his Lordes hart to defenden thy true shepheardes and thy sheepe from out of the wolues mouthes and grace to know thee that art the true Christ the sonne of thy heauenly father from the Antichrist that is the sonne of pride And Lorde geue vs thy poore sheepe patience and strength to suffer for thy law the cruelnes of the mischieuous Wolues And Lord as thou hast promised shorten these dayes
began greatly to multiply and spread vnto whome this Bakenthorpe was euer a great enemye Whose steppes the scholler also following began to do the like Such was the capacitie and dexteritie of this Fizraf that he being commended to king Edward the 3. was promoted to him first to be Archdeacon of Lichfield then to be the commissary of the vniuersitie of Oxford At length to be Archbishop of Armach in Ireland He being Archbishop vppon a time had cause to come vp to London At what time here in the said citty of London was contention betweene the Friers and the clergie about preaching and hearing confessions c. Whereupon this Armachanus being requested to preach made 7. or 8. sermons Wherein he propounded 9. conclusions agaynst the Friers for the which he was cited vp by the Friers before this pope Innocent the 6. to appeare And so he did who before the face of the pope valiantly defended both in preaching in writing the same conclusions therein stood constantly vnto the death as the wordes of Iohn Wickliffe in his Trialogo do well testifie in this wise Ab Anglorum Episcopis conductus Armachanus nouem in Auinione conclusiones coram Innocentio 6. suorum Cerdinalium coetu contra fratrum mendicitatem audacter publicauit verbóque ac scriptis ad mortem vsque defendit The like also testifieth of him Waldenus in fasciso zizianniorum Also Volateranus reporteth the same Gulielmus Botonerus testifying of him in like maner saith that Armachanus first reproued begging Friers for hearing the confessions of professed nonnes without licence of their superiours and also of maryed women without knowledge of their husbandes What daungers and troubles he susteyned by his persecutors and howe miraculously the Lord deliuered him from their handes In so muche that they meeting him in the open streetes and in cleare day light yet had no power to see him nor to apprehend hym In what perill of theeues and searchers he was in and yet the Lord deliuered him yea and caused his mony being take from him to be restored againe to him by portions in time of his necessitie and famine Also from what dangers of the kinges officers which comming with the kings letters layd all the hauens for him yet howe the Lord Iesus deliuered him shewing him by what wayes how to escape them Moreouer what appeales were layd agaynst hym to the number of 16. and yet how the Lord gaue him to triumph ouer al his enemies How the Lord also taught him brought him out of the profound vanities of Aristotles subtlety to the study of the Scriptures of God All this with muche more he himselfe expresseth in a certaine prayer or confession made to Christ Iesus our Lord in which he describeth almost the whole history of his owne life Whiche prayer I haue to shewe in old written hand and hereafter Christ willing intēd as time serueth to publish the same The beginning of the prayer in latin is this Tibi laus tibi gloria tibi gratiarum actio Iesu pijssime Iesu potentissime Iesu dulcissime qui dixisti Ego sum via veritas vita Via sine deuio veritas sine nubilo vita sine termino Quod tute viam mihi oftendisti Tute veritatem me docuiste Et tute vitā mihi promisisti Via eras mihi in exilio Veritas eras in consilio Et vita eris mihi in premio With the rest that followeth in the foresayd prayer Thus what were the troubles of this good man and how he was cited vp by the Friers to the P. you haue partly heard Nowe what were his reasons and argumentes wherwith he defendeth his cause in the popes presence followeth to be declared For the tractation whereof firste I must put the reader in remēbrauce of the controuersie mētioned before in the story of Guliel de sancto de Amore. Pag. 322. Also in the story of the vniuersitie of Paris contending against the Friers pag. 392. For so long did this controuersie continue in the Churche from the yeare 1240. whē the Oxford men began fies◠to stand against the Fryers to the time of this Armachanus that is to the yeare 1360. and after this time yet more encreased So it pleased the secret prouidence of God for what cause he best knoweth to suffer his Churche to be entangled and exercised sometimes with matters and controuersies of no great importance Eyther to keepe the vanitie of mens wits thus occupyed frō idlenes or els to prepare their mindes by these smaller matters to the consideration and searching out of other thinges more graue and weighty Like as nowe in these our Queenes dayes we see what tragidies be raysed vp in Englād about formes fashions of ministers wearinges what troubles grow what placing and displacing there is about the same Euen so at this time happened the like stirre about the liberties and priuilegies of the Friers which not a little troubled and occupied al the churches Diuines almost through Christendome The whiche controuersie to the intent it may better be vnderstanded all the circumstances therof being explayned we will first begyn from the originall and foundation of the matter to declare by order and course of yeres vpon what occasion this variance first rising in continuance of time increased multiplide in gathering more matter and brast out at length to this tumultuous contention among learned men Concerning therfore this present matter first it is to be vnderstand that in the yeare of our Lord. 1215. vnder pope Innocent the 3. was called a generall coūcell at Laterane mentioned before Pag. 253. in the dayes of king Iohn Iu the which councell among many other thinges was constituted a certaine law or Canon beginning Omnis vtriusque sexus c. the tenour of which canon in English is thus Be it decreed that euery faythfull Christian both man and woman comming to the yeares of discretion shall confesse hymselfe alone of all his sinnes to the priest of hys own proper parish once in the yeare at least and that he shall endeuour by hys owne self to fulfil the penance whēsoeuer he receiueth the sacrament of Eucharistie at least at the time of Easter Vnlesse by the assent of his Minister vpon some reasonable cause to abstayne for the time Otherwise dooing let him both lacke the communion of the Churche being aliue and Christian buriall when he is dead Wherefore be it decreed that this wholesome constitution shal be published accustomably in Churches to the end that no man of ignorance or of blindnes make to himselfe a cloke of excuse And if any shall confesse himselfe to any other priest then of his owne parishe vpon any iust cause let him aske and obtayne first licence of his owne priest Other els the Priest to haue no power to hinde him or to loose him c. In the time of this Innocentius and of this Laterane councell
Wherefore afterward he tasted and suffred much aduersity trouble And not long after in the yeare of our Lord sayth he 1372. he wrote vnto the Byshop of Rome that he should not by any meanes entermeddle any more wtin his kingdom as touching the reseruation or distribution of benefices and that all such by shops as were vnder hys dominion should enioy their former and ancieÌ„t liberty and be confirmed of theyr Metropolitanes as hath ben accustomed in tunes past c. Thus much wryteth CaxtoÌ„ But as touching the iust number of the yere and time we will not be very curious or carefull about at this present Thys is out of all doubt that at what time all the worlde was in most desperate and vile estate that the lamentable ignorance and darknes of God his truth had ouershadowed the whole earth this man stepped forth like a valiant champioÌ„ vnto whom it may iustly be applyed that is spoken in the boke called Ecclesiasticus of one Simon the sonne of Onias Euen as the morning star being in the middest of a cloud as the Moone being ful in her course and as the bryght beames of the Sunne so doeth he shine and glister in the temple and Church of God Thus doth almighty God continually succor helpe wheÌ„ all thinges are in dispaire being alwaies according to the Prophecye of the Psalme a helper in tyme of need The which thing neuer more playnely appeared then in these latter dayes and extreme age of the Church when as the whole state condition not onely of worldly things but also of Religion was depraued and corrupted That like as the disease named Lethargus among the Phisâ—uons euen so the state religion amongst the Diuines was past al mens helpe and remedy The onely name of Christ remayned amongest Christians but his true liuely doctrine was as farre vnknowne vnto the most part as his name was coÌ„mon vnto al men As touching fayth coÌ„solation the end vse of the law the office of Christ of our impotency and weaknes of the holy ghost of the greatnes strength of sinne of true works of grace and free iustification of liberty of a Christian man wherein consisteth and resteth the summe and matter of our profession there was no mention or any word almost spokeÌ„ of Scripture learning diuinity was knowne but vnto a few that in the scholes onely there also turned coÌ„uerted almost al into sophistry In stead of Peter Paule men occupyed theyr time in studying Aquinas and Scotus and the maister of senteÌ„ce The worlde leauing forsaking the liuely power of Gods spirituall word and doctrine was altogether led and blinded with outward ceremonies humaine traditions wherein the whole scope in a maner of all christian perfection did consist depend In these was all the hope of obteining saluation fully fixed hereunto all thynges were attributed In so much that scarcely any other thyng was sene in the temples or Churches taught or spoken of in sermoÌ„s or finally inteÌ„ded or gone about in theyr whole life but only heaping vp of certain shadowed ceremonies vpon ceremonies neither was there any end of theyr heaping The people were taught to worship no other thing but that which they did see and did see almost nothing whiche they did not worship The Church being degenerated from the true Apostolick institutioÌ„ aboue al measure reseruing onely the name of the Apostolick Church but farre from the truth thereof in very deede did fall into all kinde of extreme tyranny where as the pouerty and simplicity of Christ was chauÌ„ged into cruelty and abhomination of life In stead of the Apostolicke giftes and continuall labours and trauelles slouthfulnes ambitioÌ„ was crept in amongst the priests Besides all this there arose sprong vp a thousand sortes and fashions of straunge religions being the onely root well head of all superstitioÌ„ How great abuses and deprauations were crept into the Sacramentes at what tyme they were compelled to worship similitudes and signes of thinges for the very things themselues and to adore such things as were instituted and ordeined onely for memorials Finally what thing was there in the whole state of Christen religion so sincere so sound and pure which was not defiled and spotted with some kind of superstitioÌ„ Besides this with how many bondes snares of dayly new fangled ceremonies the sely consciences of men redeemed by Christ to liberty were snared and snarled In so much that there could be no great differeÌ„ce almost perceiued betwene Christianitie and Iuishnes saue onely the name of Christ so that the state and condition of the Iewes might seeme somwhat more tolerable then ours There was nothing sought for out of the true fountaines but out of the dirty pudles of the Philistians The christian people were wholy caried away as it were by the noses with mere decrees and constitutions of men euen whether as pleased the bishops to lead them and not as Christes will did direct them All the whole world was filled and ouerwhelmed with errours and darknesse And no great maruell for why the simple and vnlearned people being far from all knowledge of the holy Scripture thought it sufficient inough for them to know onely these things whych were deliuered them by their pastors and shepheards and they on the other part taught in a maner nothing els but such things as came foorth of the Court of Rome Whereof the most part tended to the profite of their order more then to the glory of Christ. The Christian faith was esteemed or counted none other thing then but that euery man should know that Christ once suffred that is to say that all men should know and vnderstand that thing which the deuils theÌ„selues also knew Hypocrisie was counted for wonderful holines All men were so addict vnto outward shewes that euen they theÌ„selues which professed that most absolute singular knowledge of the scriptures scarsly did vnderstaÌ„d or know any other thing And thys euideÌ„tly did appere not only in the common sort of doctâ—urs and teachers but also in the very heades and captaines of the Church whose whole religion and holines consisted in a maner in the obseruing of dayes meates and garments and such like rethorical circumstances as of place time person c. Hereof sprang so many sorts fashions of vestures and garments so many differences of colours meates with so many pilgrimages to seuerall places as though f. Iames at Compostella could do that which Christ could not do at Canterbury Or els that God were not of like power strength in euery place or could not be found but being sought for by running gadding hether and thether Thus the holines of the whole yere was traÌ„sported and put of vnto the Lent season No countrey or land was counted holy but onely Palestina where Christ had walked himselfe wyth his corporall feete Such was the blindnes of
consequently absolue any man confessing hys faulte being contrite and penitent for the same 16. It is lawfull for kinges in causes licenced by the lawe to take away the temporalties from the spiritualty sinning habitualiter that is which continue in the custome of sinne and will not amend 17. Whether they be temporall Lordes or any other men whatsoeuer they be which haue endowed any Churche with temporalties It is lawfull for them to take away the same temporalties as it were by way of medicine for to auoyd sinne notwithstanding any excommunication or other ecclesiasticall censure for so much as they are not geuen but vnder a condition 18. An ecclesiasticall minister and also the Byshop of Rome may lawfully be rebuked of his subiectes and for the profite of the Church be accused eyther of the Clergy or of the Laitie These letters with the articles inclosed being thus receiued from the pope the bishops tooke no litle hart thinking and fully determining with themselues and that in open profession before their prouinciall Councell that all maner respectes offeare or fauour set apart no person neither high nor low should let them neither woulde they be seduced by the intreaty of any mā nor by any threatnings or rewards but that in this cause they would execute most surely vpright iustice and equitie yea albeit presēt danger of life should follow therupon But these so fierce brags stout promise with the subtile practises of these Byshops which thought them so sure before the Lord against whō no determination of mans counsaile can prenayle by a small occasion did lightly confound ouerthrowe For the day of examination being come a certayn personage of the princes court yet of no great noble byrth named Lewes Clifford entring in among the Byshops commaunded them that they shold not proceed with any diffinitiue sentence against Iohn Wickliffe With which wordes all they were so amased and their combes so cut that as in the story is mentioned they became so mute and speachlesse as men hauing not one word in their month to answere And thus by the wonderous worke of God his prouidence escaped Iohn Wickliffe the second time out of the Byshops hands and was by them clearely dismissed vppon his declaration made of his articles as anone shall follow Moreouer here is not to be passed ouer how at the same tyme and in the sayd Chappell of the Archb. at Lamheth where the byshops were sitting vpon Iohn Wickliffe the story writing of the doing therof addeth these wordes saying Non dico ciues tantùm Londinenses sed viles ipsius ciuitatis se impudenter ingerere praesumpserunt in eandem capellam verba facere pro eodem istud negotium impedire confisi vt reor de ipsorum praemissa negligentia praelatorum c. That is I say not onely that the Citizens of London but also the vile abiectes of the Citty presumed to be so bold in that same Chappell at Lamheth where the Byshops were sitting vppon Iohn Wickliffe both to entreat for him and also to let and stoppe the same matter trusting as I suppose vpon the negligence which they sawe before in the Byshops c. Ouer and beside here is not to be forgotten how the sayd Iohn Wickliffe the same time of his examination offered and exhibited vnto the Bishops in writing a protestation with a declaration or exposition of his owne minde vpon the sayd his articles the effect whereof here followeth The protestation of Iohn Wickliffe FIrst I protest as I haue often before done that I doe minde and intend with my whole hart by the grace of God to be a true Christian and as long as breath shal remayne in me to professe and defend the law of Christ. And if it shall happen that through ignoraunce or otherwise I shall fayle therein I desire my Lord God of pardon forgeuenes And now againe as before also I do reuoke and make retractation most hūbly submitting my selfe vnder the correction of our holy mother the church And for somuch as the sentence of my fayth whiche I haue holden in the scholes and els where is reported euen by children more ouer it is caried by children euen vnto Rome Therefore left my deare beloued brethren should take any offence by me I wil set forth in writing the sentēce and Articles for the which I am nowe accused and impeached the whiche also euen vnto the death I will defend As I beleeue all Christians ought to doe and specially the Bysh. of Rome and all other priestes and ministers of the Church For I do vnderstand the conclusions after the sense and maner of speaking of the scriptures and holy doctours the whiche I am ready to expound And if they shall be found contrary vnto the faith I am ready to reuoke and speedily to call them backe agayne An exposition vpon the conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe exhibited by him to the Byshop ALl the race of mankinde here in earth beside Christ hath no power simply to ordayne that Peter c. This conclusion of it selfe is euident for as much as it is not in mans power to stop the cōming of Christ to hys finall iudgement but he must needes come according to the article of our Creede to iudge both the quick and the dead And then as the scripture teacheth shall surcease all ciuill and politicke rule here I vnderstand the temporall and secular dominion pertaining to men here dwelling in this mortall life For so doe the Philosophers speake of ciuill dominion And although the thing which is terminable hath an end is called sometimes perpetuall yet because in holy scripture and in vse of the Church and in the bookes of Philosophers most commonly that is takē to be perpetuall which hath no ende of tyme hereafter to come according to the which sense the Church singeth Gloria Patri c. nunc perpetuum I also after the same signification do take here this woorde perpetually and so is this conclusion consonant to the principles of the Scripture that it is not in mans power to ordayne the course and voyage of the Church here perpetually to last 2. God can not geue to any man c. ¶ To the second conclusion I aunswere vnderstanding ciuil dominion as in the conclusion before And so I hold that God first by his ordinate power cannot geue to any person ciuil dominion here for euer Secondly by his absolute power it is not probable for hym so to doe For so much as he cānot euer detaine his spouse in perpetual prison of thys life nor alwayes deferre the finall beatitude of hys Church 3. To the third conclusion Many wrytings or chartes inuented by men as touching perpetual hereditage ciuile be vnpossible The verity of this conclusion is incident For we must not canonize all maner of Charts what soeuer as Catholicke or vniuersal for then it were not lawful by any meanes to take away
adultery for feare of excommunication of men are already excommunicated of God Ergo the first part of the Article is true The Antecedent is proued for our sauior in the 8. of Marke sayth thus He that acknowledgeth me and my wordes in this wicked and adulterous generation the sonne of man shall also acknowledge and confesse him when he shall come in the glorye of his Father with his Aungels Therefore he that shall coÌ„fesse Christ and these wordes of Christ Math. 5. you haue heard that it was sayd to them in olde time thou shalt not commit adulterye But I say vnto you that euery one which shall beholde a woman to lust after her he hath already committed adultery with her in his heart Hee I say that shall confesse these thinges before an adoulterous Bishop with his chiefe Prelates the which perchaunce are the wicked and adoulterous generation the sonne of man shall also acknowledge him when he shall come in the glory of his Father and so consequently is he blessed CoÌ„trary wise he which for the feare of excoÌ„munication of men will not confesse Christ and his words before the sinneful and adoulterous generation is accursed The consequent holdeth by the wordes of Christ. Luk. 9. He that is ashamed of me and my wordes him shall the sonne of man be ashamed of when he shall come in his maiesty and in the glory of his Father and his holy Aungels pronouncing that which is spoken Math. 25. Verely I say vnto you I know you not go you cursed into euerlasting fire Also our Sauiour Iesu Christ did not omitt or leaue of the preaching of the kingdome of God for any pretended excommunication of the Bishops Scribes and Pharisies So likewise his true and humble Priestes ought not to omit theyr preaching for any pretensed excommunication of men the consequent holdeth by the saying of Christ. Iohn 15. be ye mindfull of the words which I haue spoken vnto you the seruaunt is not greater then his master If they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also The Antecedent is apparant by the saying of Saynt Iohn in his 9. chapter Euen now the Iewes had conspired that whosoeuer did confesse him to be Christ shoulde be excommunicate And likewise Iohn 7. Whether did any of the Princes or rulers or any of the Phareseis beleue in him But this people which knoweth not the law are accursed Also the humble and iust ministers of God ought not vnder payne of sinne to cease from the fruitfull preaching of the law of God for any vniust excommunicatioÌ„ or vnlawfull commaundement and it is proued thus the humble and iust ministers of Christ ought to obey theyr Prelates in such thinges as are not contrary to God as all the holy Doctors and such as are learned in the Lawe of God do wholy with one consent affirme And forsomuch as an vniust excommunication and vnlawfull commauÌ„dement are agaynst God therefore the iust and true ministers of God ought not to obey such vnlawfull excommunication and commaundements and consequently ought not to cease for them from the fruitefull preaching of the Gospell of our Lord Iesu Christ. But ought boldely and gladly to preach the same For so muche as the Lord doth comfort them in the 5. of Mathew saying thus blessed and happye are ye when as men doe curse you and persecute you and speake all kinde of euill against you making lies and slaunders vpon you for my sake reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen Also euery Minister hauing power geuen him from aboue to preach the Gospell he hath the same geuen vnto him for the edefying of the Church and not for the destruction of the same As the Apostle saith 2. Corinth 10. But euery one leauing of the preaching of the Gospell for feare of any pretensed excommunication of men he shoulde frustrate the power geueÌ„ him for the edefying of the Church And therfore in so doing should sinne agaynst God and his church And consequently ought rather to chuse not to cease from preaching for â—eare of any such excommunicatioÌ„ least that he be excommunicate of our Lord Iesu Christ. Item set case that the Pope doth commauÌ„d that there shall be no preachinge in any place then the Ministers of Christ leauing of theyr preaching for feare of the Popes curse are already excommunicated of God It is euident for so much as they haue neglected the commaundement of God for the commaundement of men And this case is possible For by what reason the Pope may commaunde vnder payne of excoÌ„munication that there shal be no preaching in any place neither in the parish Churches by the same reason he may command that no man should preach in any place The first part is euident by the prohibition of Pope Alexander who in his bull did prohibite to preach the word of God vnto the people in Chappels although the sayde Chappels were confirmed by the priuiledge of the Sea apostolicke The which Bull the Lord Subincon Archbyshop of Prage with his Canons obteyned By these aforesayd the first part of the Article is euideÌ„t which is this that all Priestes omitting the preaching of the woorde of God for feare of the excommunication of men are already excommunicate The seconde part of the Article is this that all they which doe omitte the hearing of the woorde of God for feare of the excommunication of men are alreadye excommunicate And it is proued thus all such as neglect the coÌ„maundementes of God are excommunicate But they whiche neglect the hearing of the word of God for the excommunication of men are they which neglect the commaundementes of God Therfore they which omit the hearing of the word of God for the excommunication of men are already excommunicate The Maior is apparant by the 118. Psalme Cursed be they which decline from thy commaundementes And the Minor is euident by the second supposition which sayth that the hearing of the word of God is commaunded vnto the people This is confirmed al such as omit the necessary mean vnto saluation are excommunicate but such as omitte the hearing of the woorde of God for the excommunication by men be such as do omit the necessary mean vnto saluation Therefore in so doing they are excommunicate The consequent is playne The Maior is made euideÌ„t by this That all suche as do omit the necessary meane vnto saluation doe also neglect theyr saluation and so are out of the way of saluation and be excommunicated of God The Minor appeareth hereby that to heare the word of God is the meane more necessary vnto saluation as the apostle doth proue in his 10. chapter to the Romains How sayth he shall they beleue on him whoÌ„ they neuer heard of And how shal they heare without a preacher And by by after the Apostle inferreth vnto the purpose That sayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Item what so euer is done contrary
the simple Also they shall instantly preache wythout deuotion or example of the Martyrs and shall detract the seculer princes taking away the sacraments of the church from the true pastors receiuing almes of the poore diseased and miserable and also associating them selues with the common people hauing familiaritie with women instructing them howe they shall deceiue their husbandes and friendes by their flatterye and deceitfull wordes and rob their husbandes to geue it vnto them for they will take all these stollen and euill gotten and say geue it vnto vs and we will pray for you so that they beyng curious to hide other mens faultes doe vtterly forget their owne and alas they will receiue all thinges of rouers pickers spoylers theeues and robbers of sacrilegious persons vserers adulterers Heretikes Schismatikes Apostataies whores and baudes of noble men periurers merchantes false iudges souldiours tyrantes princes of such as liue contrary to the law and of many peruers and wicked men following the persuasion of the deuil the sweetnes of sinne a delicate and transitory life and fulnes euen vnto eternall damnation All these things shall manifestly appeare in them vnto all people and they day by day shal waxe more wicked and hard hearted whē as their wickednes and disceits shal be found out then shall theyr gifts cease and then shal they go about their houses hungry as mad dogs loking down vpon the earth drawing in their necks as doues that they might bee satisfied with bread then shall the people crye out vpon them Woe be vnto you ye miserable children of sorow the worlde hath seduced you the deuil hath brideled your mouthes your flesh is frayle and your heartes without sauour your mindes haue bene vnstedfast and your eyes delighted in much vanitie and folly your daintie bellies desire delicate meates Your feete swift to runne vnto mischief remember when you were apparantly blessed yet enuious poore but rich simple mightie deuout flatterers vnfaithfull betrayers peruerse detracters holy hipocrites subuerters of the truth ouermuch vpright proude vnshamefast vnstedfast teachers delicate marters confessours for gaine meeke slaunderers religious couetous humble proud pitifull hard harted liers pleasant flatterers peace makers persecutors oppressors of the poore bringing in new sects newly inuented of your selues mercifull wicked louers of the world sellers of pardons spoylers of benefices vnprofitable orators sedicious cōspirators dronkards desirers of honor maintainers of mischiefe robbers of the worlde vnsaciable preachers men pleasers seducers of women and sowers of discorde for Moyses the glorious prophet spake very well of you in his song A people without coūcel or vnderstanding would to God they did know vnderstand and foresee the end You haue builded vp an high and when you could ascend no hier then did you fall euen as Symon Magus whom God ouerthrew and did strike with a cruel plage so you likewise thorowe your false doctrine naughtines lies detractions and wickednes are come to ruine and the people shall say vnto them goe yee teachers of wickednesse subuerters of the truth brethren of the Sunamitie fathers of heresies false apostles which haue fained your selues to followe the life of the Apostles and yet haue not fulfilled it in no part sonnes of iniquitie we wil not follow the knowledge of your waies for pride presumption hath deceiued you and insaciable cōcupiscence hath subuerted your erroneous hearts And whē as yet would ascēd hier thē was mete or comely for you by the iust iudgement of God you are fallen backe into perpetual opprobry and shame Thys blessed Hildegardis whose prophecy this is flourished about the yeare of our Lord a 1546. as it is wrytten in Martins chronicles Also Hugo in his second boke of sacraments in the 2. parte 3. chapter and 7. sayth the laity forsomuch as they entermedle wyth earthly matters necessary vnto an earthly life they are the least part of the body of Christ. And the clergy for so much as they doe dispose those things which pertaine vnto a spirituall life are as it were the right side of the body of Christ and afterward interpreting both these partes him selfe he sayeth A spirituall man ought to haue nothing but such as pertaineth vnto God vnto whom it is appoynted to be sustained by the tithes and oblations whych are offered vnto God But vnto the Christian and faithfull laietie the possession of the earth is graunted and vnto the cleargie the hole charge of spiritual matters is committed as it was in the old Testament And in his 7. chapter he declareth howe that certaine things are geuen vnto the Church of Christ by the deuotion of the faithfull the power and authority of the seculer power reserued least there might happen any confusion For so much as God him selfe cannot alow no disordered thing Wherupon oftētimes the worldly princes do graunt the bare vse of the church and oftentimes vse and power to exercise iustice which the clergy cannot exercise by any Ecclesiasticall minister or any one person of the clergy Notwithstāding they may haue certain lay persōs ministers vnto that office But in such sort sayeth he that they do acknowledge the power which they haue to come from the seculer prince or ruler and that they do vnderstand their possessions can neuer be alternate away from the kings power but if that necessity or reason doe require the same possessions in all such case of necessity do owe him obeisance and seruice For like as the kings power ought not to turne away the defence or sauegarde which he oweth vnto other so likewise the possessions obtained and possessed by the clergy according to the duty and homage which is due vnto the patronage of the kings power cannot by right be denied Thus much wryteth Hugo In the third acte the same yeare after the feast of S. Vitis as touching Tithes c. ¶ Tithes are pure almes VPon this article it is to be noted that for so much as almes is a worke of mercy as S. Augustine Chrysostome and others do ioyntly affirme and that mercy according to Lincolniensis minde for the present is a loue or desire to helpe the miserable out of his misery and for so much as the misery of mankinde is double that is to say spirituall and bodily the whiche is the want or taking away of the good and the goodes of man is eyther the goodes of the soule or of the body And the goods of the soule is double That is to say the lighting of the minde the vprightnes of affection the misery of the soule is also double as the darcknes of ignorance and a froward and wilfull sweruing from the truth And both the goodes of the soule are wont to be comprehended vnder one title of name that is to say wisdom and both the miseries of the soule vnder the name of follie Wherupon all the hole goodnes of the soule is wisdom and all the hole misery thereof is ignoraunce the miseries of the
that lower curates haue not here power of binding assoiling by mean of pope and bishop but of Christ without mony And ther fore neither pope ne bishop may reuoke such maner power for time and place at her will Thus sayd I not but not for thy it seemes me thus that no man should graunt any thing after his owne will ghostly ne bodily But euerich man should be wel aduiser that he graunt nothing but if it be the will of God that he so graunt it And it is no doubt that ne God grauntes by meane persons as does Antichrist to torment Christes people Vnde Ioh. 19. ait Pilatus Nessis quia potestatem habeo dimittere te Et Christus Non haberes potestatem aduersum me vllam nisi esset tibi datum desuper The 8. article that our bishop puts me to is this that I should say that the pope may not grauÌ„t such maner indulgence of yeares for there shall not be so many yeres vnto yâ— day of doome as hene conteined in his buls or in the Popes indulgences wherof it folowes that indulgences bene not so much worth as they semen and bene preached This article I sayd not thus but I say that the Pope may graunt indulgences written in his letter of yeres all so farre forth that he may graunt him in Gods law so farre to graunt and farther not yeares may he graunt no moe then God hath set Yf indulgence ben forgeuenes of sinne I wot wel all onely God forgeues sinne Yf it be releasing of paines in Purgatory ordeiner of God if God haue bidden him release so many or ordeined that be should release so many he may then release him if it be in his own disposing to release whom him likes how much then he may destroy Purgatory and let none come there and release his owne payne as charity wottes So it semes he may be liker to be saued if himselfe list If any go to Purgatory theÌ„ it semes he full fayles charitye If Bulles bene the indulgence that men bringen from the Court then ben they not so much worth as they costen there for lightly they might be lost drenched or brend or a rat might eateÌ„ them his indulgence then were lost Therefore sir haue me excuser I know not these termes teach me these termes by Goddes law and truely I will learne hem The 9. Article is this that I should haue sayde that it is not in the popes power to grauÌ„t to any man doing penaunce remission from payne ne from blame Leude I am but this Article sayd I not thus leudly But thus I say that sithen it is onely due to God to geue and to graunt plenary remission from paines froÌ„ blame that what euer he be Pope or other that presumptuously mistakes vpoÌ„ him that power that is onely due to God in that in as much as in him is he makes himselfe Christ blasphemeth in God as Lucifer did when he sayd Ascendam ero similis altissimo Farther I say if the Pope holde men of armes in mainteining his temporalties Lordship to venge him on hem that gilten offenden him and geues remissioÌ„ to fight to slay hem that contraryen hem as men sayden he did by the bishop of Norwich not putting his swerd into his sheath as God commaunded Peter Mitte c. he is Antichristus for he dos contrary to the commaundements of Iesus that bad Peter forgeue to his brother seueÌ„ty sithe seuen sithe Si peccauerit in me frater meus quotiens demittam ei Septies c. Et Christus non dico tibi septies sed septuagesies septies The 10. Article is this that our Bishoppe puts to me that I should haue sayd that a man geuing his almes to any man after his dome not hauing neede sinnes in so geuing This article sothly I sayd not in these termes But of this matter I haue spoken will with protestation made before on this wise that it is medefull to geue almes to ich man that asketh it bodely or ghostly but not to geue to ich shameles begger strong mighty of body to get his lifeloode leuefull will not in what degree so he be men oweÌ„ not to geue it to such a one that he vnreasonably asketh for if he geue it to him wittingly he sins as fautor of his idlenes Vnde Sap. 12. Si benefeceris scito cui benefeceris erit gloria in bonis tuis multa The 11. Article is this that is put to me that I shoulde haue sayd that it is not in the power of any prelate of what euer priuate Religion to graunt letters of the good deeds of her order ne such benefices grauntet profits not to hele of soules to hem that they ben grauntet to I said neuer thus iâ—â—hese termes but thus I say with protestation that prelates of priuate religion moweÌ„ grauÌ„t letters of the good deedes of her order But the gostly mede that comes of good deedes they mow not graunt for that is onely propriet to God And if they blinde the people in misbeliefe for her worldlye winning wittingly behetting hem of her owne grauÌ„t gostly medes in heauen by her letters and her seale vncertaine who shall be damned but make the people bolder to sinne by trust of her praiers hit is none heal to the soules but harmes to that one to that other For God shall yeld to echone after here werkes Ipse reddet vnicuique secundum opera suaâ— The 12. Article is this that our Bishops puts to me that I mony times and oft haue come he sayes to a desert woode cleped Derwaldswode of his dioces and there in a Chappell not hallowed but accurset*shepherds hulke by mine own folly he sayes haue presumed to sing but rather to curse in contempt of the keyes Hereto I say that this is falsly put vpoÌ„ me of hem that told you this For it is a chappell where a priest sings certaine dayes in the yeare with great solemnity and certes I neuer song therein seth I was borne into this world The 13. Article is this that I should also presume to sing in an vnhallowet Chappell that stondes in the parke of Newton besides the town of Leyntwardy of this same Dioces Truely I wot not where the place stondes The 14. Article is this that I should say that no man owes to sweare for any thing but simply withouteÌ„ oth to affirme or to deny and if he sweare he sinnes This article sayd I not that I haue minde of in thys maner But oft I haue sayd and yet will that men should not sweare by any creature by the law of God and that no man should sweare in idel as wel nigh al the people vseth therfore me thinkes it is no neede to comfort the people in swearing For from
the olde vnto the young namely men of holy Church breken his hest and few Bishoppes pursuen hem therfore The 15. Article is this that I shoulde haue taught to true men of Christ that on no maner they should worship the Image of him that was done on the crosse or the Image of the blessed mayd his mother or of other Sayntes into honor and worship of the same ordeinet in the minde of them And oft sithes the worshipper of such Image he has reprouet saying and strongly affirming that Church men sinnen and done Idolatry This conclusion haue I not sayd in these termes But this I say with protestation that God commaūdes in his law in diuers places Exod. 20. Leuit. 19. 26. Deut. 5. 7. Tobiae 1. Baruc. 6.2 ad Corin. 10. Esay 45. Iere. 2.6.8 10.22 vltimo Sapient 13. 14. 15. Mac. 5. Threnorum 4. postremo that men should not worshippē grauen Images that ben werkes of mens handes And also he bids that mē should not make to hem grauen Images in likenesse of the thinges that bene in heauen to that end to worshippen hem sethen neither God ne Christ by his manhood gaue neuer commaundement to make thes Images ne expresse counsell ne his Apostles in all his law ne to worship such that bene made But wel I wote that by mens owne relation that haue misbeleuet in hem that many mē sinnen in manmetry worshipping such dead Images Notforthy to tho men bene Images good to whom they bene but kalēdars and through the sight of hem they knowen the better and worshippen oft God and his Saints And to such mē they done harme that settē her hope and trust in hem or done any worship to hem agaynst Gods law his hest Vnde ait Gregorius in Registro libro 10. in Epistola ad Serenum Episcopum Si quis imagines facere voluerit minimè prohibe adorare omnino prohibe Sed hoc solicitè fraternitas tua admoneat vt ex visione rei gestae ardorem compunctionis percipiant vt in adoratione totius trinitatis prosternantur These conclusions poyntes and articles that I haue vnder protestation in this booke affirmed I will stand by hem and maintayne hem with the grace of almighty god to the time that the cōtrary be prouet dewly by Gods law And this protestation I make for my fayth and my beliefe as I did the beginning that whensoeuer this worshipfull or any other Christē man shewes me verayly by gods law the contrary of this I will holy forsake hem and take me to the veray trouth and better vnderstanding of wiser men redy to be amended by the law of Iesu Christ and be a true Christen man faythfull sonne of holy church And of these I beseech you all bere witnes where ye commen Subsequenter vero quia fide dignorum relatione recepimus quod idem Gulielmus Swinderby latitabat quo minus posset in propria person a citari ipsum Gulielmum vijs modis per Edictum publicum ad instar albi praetoris in Ecclesia nostra cathedrali Herfordensi parochialibus ecclesijs de Kington Croste Whitney nostrae diocesis vbi idem Gulielmus solebat commorari citari fecimus prout quemadmodum in modo citatorio continetur cuius tenor sequitur in haec verba ¶ The Citation IOhn by Gods permission Byshop of Hereford to his deare sons our Deane of Leamster to the persons of Croft Almaly and Whitney and also to the Vicars of Kingston Iardersley Wiggemore and Monmouth Clifford and of S. Iohns aultar in our cathedrall Church of Hereford and to the rest of the Deanes Parsons Vicars Chapleines parish Priestes and to other whosoeuer in any place are appoynted through our city and dioces of Hereford sendeth greeting grace and benediction We bid and commaund charging you straitly in the vertue of holy obedience that you cite or cause to be cited peremptorily and vnder the payne of excommunication William Swinderby pretending himselfe to be a Priest That he appeare before vs or our Commissaryes the 20. day of this present moneth of Iuly at North Lodebury within our dioces which the continuance of the dayes following in other places also to be assigned vnto him if it be expedient till such thinges as haue bene and shall be layde agaynst him be fully discussed to aunswere more at large to certayne positions and articles touching the Catholicke fayth and the holy mother Churches determination that haue bene exhibited and ministred vnto the sayd William And to see and heare also many thinges that haue openly in indgement before vs and a great number of faythfull Christians by him bene euen in writing confessed to be condemned as hereticall false schismaticall and erroneous And to see and heare positions and Articles denied by the sayd William to be proued by faythfull witnesses and other lawfull trials against the sayd William And to receiue for his false hereticall erroneous and schismaticall doctrine that iustice shall appoynt or els to shew causes why the premisses shoulde not bee done And if the sayd William lieth priuely or els cannot be so cited in his proper person we will that in your Churches when most people shall then come together to diuine seruice you opēly with a loud voyce and that may be vnderstanded cause the said William peremptorely to be cited vnto the premisses certifying the same William that whether he shall appeare the day and place appointed or no we notwithstanding will proceed vnto the premisses agaynst the sayd William according to the canonicall decrees by forme of law in the absence or contumacy of the sayde William notwitstanding We will moreouer if the sayd William shall appeare at the sayd day and place as is aforesayde before vs frendly heare him and honestly and fauorably as farre as we may with Gods leaue deale with him graunting free licence to come and to go for his naturall liberty without any hurt either in body or goods And see that you fully certify vs of the thinges that you or any of you shall do about the execution of this our commaundement and that by your letters patentes signed with your seale autenticall geuing also faythsully to the sayde William or to his lawfull Proctor if he require it a copye of this our present commaundement Geuen at our house of Whitburne vnder our seale the fift day of the moneth of Iuly in the yeare of our Lord. 1391. ¶ The act of the first day On Thursday the xx of Iuly in that yeare of the Lord aforesaid We in the parish church of North Lidebury afore sayd about 6 of the clocke sitting in iudgement after that it was reported vnto vs how the foresayd Williā was personally taken and lawfully cited Caused the sayd William then and there openly in iudgement to be called out to do heare and receiue such thinges wherto he was afore cited to do otherwise
obserued Christ hath fulfilled the lawes morall of the old testament because that the morals and iudicials were ordained that one person should not do iniury to an other that euery man should haue paid him that is hys Now they that are in charity wil do no iniury to others neither do they take other mens goodes away from them Nay it seeketh not her owne things For charitie seeketh not the things that be her owne Wherfore much lesse by a stronger reason it ought not to seke for other mens goods And wheÌ„ as the iudicials morals were ordained Christ did not by the workes of the law iustifie the beleuers in him but by grace iustified them froÌ„ their sins And so did Christ fulfill that by grace that the lawe could not by iustice Paule to the Romaines declareth in a godly discourse and to the Galath likewise that none shall be iustified by the workes of the lawe but by grace in the faith of Iesu Christ. As for the morals ceremonies of the lawe as circumcision sacrifices for offence and for sinnes first fruites tenthes 〈◊〉 diuers sortes of washings the sprinkling of bloud the sprinkling of ashes abstaining from vnclean meats whych are ordeined for the sanctifying and clensing of the people froÌ„ sinne no nor yet the praiers of the priests neither the preachings of the prophets could clense a man from his sin For death raigned euen from Adam to Moises and sinne from Moises to Christ as Paule declareth to the Romaines in the 5. chapter But Christ willing to haue mercy and not sacrifice being a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech an high Priest of good things to come did neither by the bloud of goats or calues but by his owne bloud enter in once vnto the holy places when as euerlasting redemption was founde neither did Iesus enter into the holy places that were made wyth handes which are the examples of true thynges but into the very heauen that now he may appeare before the countenaunce of God for vs. Nor yet he did so that he should offer vp himselfe oftentimes as the high Byshop entred into the holy place euery yeere with straunge bloud for otherwise he must nedes haue suffred oftentimes sithens the beginning of the world but now in the latter end of the world hath he once appeared by his owne sacrifice for the destruction of sinne And like as it is decreed for men once to die and after that commeth iudgement euen so was Christ once offred vp to coÌ„sume away the sinnes of many The second time shall hee appeare without sinne to the saluation of such as looke for him For the law hauing a shadow of good things to come and not the very image or substaunce it selfe of the things can neuer by those sacrifices which they offer of one selfe same sort continually yere by yere make them perfect that come vnto her Otherwise men would leaue of offring because that those worshyps being once clensed should haue no more prâ—â—â—e of conscience for sinne afterwardes But in them is their remembrance made of sinnes euery yere For it is impossible that by the bloud of goats bulles sinnes should be taken away Wherfore he entring into the world doth say as for sacrifice and offring thou woldst not haue but a body hast thou framed vnto mee And sacrifices for sinne haue not pleased thee then said I behold I come In the head or principall part of the booke it is wrytten of me that I should do thy wil O God Wherfore he said before that sacrifices oblations and burnt offerings and that for sinne thou wouldest not haue neyther were those thyngs pleasaÌ„t to thee whych are offred according to the law then sayd I behold I come that I may do thy wil O God He taketh away the first that he may stablish that that folowed In whych will we are sanctified and made holy by the offering vp of the body of Iesus Christ ones And verely euery Priest is ready euery day ministring oftentimes offring the self same sacrifices which neuer can take away sinnes But this man offering one sacrifice for sinnes doth for euer and euer sit at Gods right haÌ„d looking for the rest to come till that hys enemies be placed to be his footestoole For with one offering hath hee for euer made perfect those that be sanctified By which thinges it plainly appeareth that Christ by one offring hath clensed hys from their sinnes who could not be clensed from the same by all the ceremonies of the law and so did fulfill that which the priesthoode of the law could not Wherfore onely the morals and iudicials he fulfilled by the lawe of charitie and by grace and the ceremonials by one offering vp of hys body in the aultar of the crosse And so it is plaine that Christ fulfilled the whole lawe Wherfore sithens that the holy things of the law were a shadowe of those things that were to come in the time of grace it were meete that all those thynges should vtterly cease amongest Christians which should either be against charity or the grace of Christ. Although in the time of the lawe they were lawfull and not vtterly contrary to it but were figures of perfections in Christes faith yet it were meete that they should cease at the comming of the perfection whych they did prefigurate as circumcision the eating of the paschal lambe and other ceremonial points of the law Wherupon also Paul to the Hebrues the 7. chapter sayeth thus If therfore the making vp of the perfection of all was by the Leuiticall priesthode for the people receiued the law vnder hym why was it necessary besides that an other Priest should rise vp after the order of Melchisedech not be called after the order of Aaronâ— For wheÌ„ the Priesthode is remoued it must needes be that the lawe also be remoued For he in whom these things are spokeÌ„ is of an other tribe of which none stoode present at the aulter Because it is manifest that our Lorde had hys offspring of Iuda in which tribe Moises spake nothing of the Priests And besides this it is manifest if according to the order of Melchisedech there doe rise vp an other Priest which was not made according to the law of the carnal commaundement but according to the power of the life that cannot be losed For thus he beareth witnes that thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech so that the coÌ„mandement that went before is disalowed for the weakenes vnprofitablenesse thereof For the lawe hath brought no body to perfection By which things it appeareth that Christ making an end of the priesthode of Aaron doth also make vp a full end of the law belonging to that Priesthode Wherupon I maruell that your learned men doe say that Christen folkes are bound to this small ceremonie of the paiment of tithes and care nothing at all
in vs. If we confesse our sinnes God is faythfull and iust he will remit them and clense vs from all our iniquities If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyar and his word is not vs. My welbeloued children this I write vnto you that ye sinne not but if any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes onely but for the sinnes of the whole world Therfore we ought to confesse our selues chiefly vnto God euen froÌ„ the hart for that he chieflye doth remit sinnes without whose absolution litle auaileth the absolutioÌ„ of man This kinde of confession is profitable and good The authors of the Canons say that although auricular confession made vnto the Priest be not expresly taught by Christ yet say they it is taught in that saying which Christ said vnto them diseased of the leprosy whom he coÌ„mauÌ„ded Go your wayes shewe yourselues vnto the Priestes because as they say the law of clensing lepers which was geuen by Moyses signified the confession of sinnes vnto the Priest And wheras Christ commauÌ„ded the lepers to shew themselues vnto the Priestes they say that Christ ment that those that were vncleane with the leper of sinne should shew theyr sinnes vnto the Priestes by auricular confession I maruell much at the authors of the Canons for euen from the beginning of their decres vnto the end they grounde theyr sayings vpoÌ„ the old law which was the law of sinne and death and not as witnesseth Paule vpon the words of Christ which are spirite life Christ sayth the wordâ—s which I speake vnto you are the spirit and life They grouÌ„â— theyr sayings in the shadow of the law and not in the light of Christ. For euery euill doer hateth the light commâ—th not into it that his deeds be not reproued but he that doth the truth commeth into the light that his workes may be openly sene because they are done in God Joh. 3. Now let vs passe to the words that Christ spake to the leper Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean And Iesus stretching forth his hand touched him saying I will be thou cleane and straight wayes he was cleansed of hys leper And Iesus sayd vnto him See thou tell no man but go and shew thy selfe to the Priest and offer the gyft that Moyses coÌ„maunded for a witnesse of these thinges This Gospell witnesseth playnely that the diseased of lepers were clensed onely by Christ and not by the Priests neither did Christ commaund the leper to shew himselfe vnto the priestes for any helpe of cleansing that he should receiue of the Priestes but to fulfill the law of Moyses in offering a sacrifice for his clensing for a testimony vnto the Priestes who alwayes of enuy accused Christ as a transgressour of the law For if Christ after he had clensed the leper had licensed him to communicate with others that were cleane before he had shewed himselfe clensed vnto the Priests theÌ„ might the Priestes haue accused Christ as a transgressour of the law Because it was a precept of the law that the leper after he was cleansed shoulde shewe himselfe vnto the Priestes And they had signes in the booke of law whereby they might iudge whether he were truely cleÌ„sed or no. And if he were clensed then would the Priestes offer a gift for his clensing And if he were not cleansed then would they segregate him froÌ„ the company of others that were cleane Seing euery figure ought to be assimuled vnto the thyng that is figured I pray you then what agreement is there betwene the clensing of lepers by the law the confession of sinnes By that law the Priest knew better whether he were leprouse then he himselfe that had the leper In coÌ„fession the priest knew not the sinnes of him that was confessed but by his owne confession In that law the Priest did not cleÌ„se the leprouse How now therfore ought the priests to clense sinners from their sinne that without theÌ„ they cannot be clensed In this law the Priest had certein signes by the which he could certaynly know whether a maÌ„ were clensed froÌ„ his leper or not In confession the Priest is not certaine of the clensing of sinnes because he is ignoraunt of his contrition He knoweth not also whether he will not sinne any more without the which contrition and graunting to sinne no more God hath not absolued any sinner And if God hath not absolued a man without doubt then is he not made cleane And how then is confession figured vnder that law Doubtlesse so it seemeth to me vnder the correction of them that can iudge better in the matter that this law beareth rather a figure of excommunication reconciliation of him that hath bene obstinate in his sinne is reconciled agayne For so it appeareth by the processe of the Gospell that when as the sinner doth not amend for the priuate correction of his brother nor for the correction of two or three neither yet for the publick correction of the whole Church Then is he to be counted as an Ethnike a Publicane as a certayn Leper to be auoyded out of the company of all men Which sinner notwithstanding if hee shall yet repent is then to be reconciled because he is then clensed from his obstinacy But he which pretendeth himselfe to be the chiefe vicar of Christ and the high Priest sayth that he hath power to absolue A poena culpa Which I doe not finde how it is founded in the scripture but that of his owne authority he enioyneth to sinners penance for their sinnes And grauÌ„t that froÌ„ their sinnes he may well absolue them yet froÌ„ the payn which they call a poena he doth not simply absolue as in his indulgences he promiseth But if he were in charitye and had such power as he preteÌ„deth he would suffer none to lie in Purgatory for sinne forsomuch as that payn doth farre exceed all other payne which here we suffer What maÌ„ is there being in charity but if he see his brother to be tormeÌ„ted in this world if he may he will helpe him and deliuer him Much more ought the Pope theÌ„ to deliuer out of paynes of Purgatorye indifferently as well rich as poore And if he sel to the rich his indulgeÌ„ces double wife yea triple wise he seduceth them First in promising to deliuer theÌ„ out of the payne from wheÌ„ce he doth not neither is able to deliuer theÌ„ And so maketh theÌ„ falsly to beleue that which they ought not to beleue SecoÌ„dly he deceiueth theÌ„ of their mony which he taketh for his indulgence Thirdly he seduceth them in this that he promising to deliuer them froÌ„ payne doth induce theÌ„ into greuous punishment in deed for the heresy of simony which both of theÌ„ do coÌ„mit therefore are worthy
the law was iustified for by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified Galat. 2. And agayne in the same epistle cap. 3. that by the lawe no man is iustified before God it is manifest for the iust man shall liue by his fayth the law is not of fayth but whosoeuer hath the workes therof shal liue in them And agayn in the same chap. If the law had bene geuen which might haue iustified then our righteousnesse had come by the law But the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise might be sure by the fayth of Iesu Christ to all beleuers Moreouer before that fayth came they were kept and concluded all vnder the law vntill the comming of that fayth whiche was to be reuealed For the law was our schoolemaister in Christ Iesu that we should be iustified by fayth Also the sayd Paul Rom. 5. sayth that the law entred in the meane time whereby that sinne might more abound Where then sinne hath more abounded there hath also grace superaboūded that like as sinne hath raigned vnto death so that grace might raigne also by righteousnes vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Whereby it is manifest that by the fayth which we haue in Christ beleuing him to be the true sonne of God which came downe from heauen to redeme vs from sinne we are iustified from sinne and so do liue by him which is the true breade and meat of the soule And the bread which Christ gaue is his flesh geuen for the life of the world Iohn 6. For he being God came downe from heauen and being true carnall man did suffer in the flesh for our sinnes which in his diuinity he could not suffer Wherefore like as we beleue by our fayth that he is true God so must we also beleue that he is a true man And then do we eate the bread of heauen and the fleshe of Christ. And if we beleue that he did voluntarily shed hys bloud for our redemption then do we drinke his bloud And thus except we eate the flesh of the sonne of man and shall drinke his bloud we haue not eternall life in vs. Because the flesh of Christ verily is meate and hys bloud is drinke in deed and whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his bloud abideth in Christ Christ in him Ioh. ca. 6. And as in this world that soules of the faythfull liue and are refreshed spiritually with this heauenly bread and with the flesh and bloud of christ So in the world to come the same shall liue eternally in heauen refreshed with the deity of Iesus Christ as touching the most principall part therof that is to wit intellectū For as much as this bread of heauē in that it is God hath in it selfe all delectable pleasātnes And as touching the intelligible powers of the same as well exteriour as interior they are refreshed with the flesh that is to say with the humanitye of Iesus Christ which is as a queene standing on the right hand of God decked with a golden robe of diuers coulours for this queen of heauen alone by the word of God is exalted aboue the company of all the angels that by her all our corporal power intellectiue may fully be refreshed as is our spirituall intelligence with the beholding of the deity of Iesus Christ and euen as the Aungels shall we be fully satisfied And in the memory of this double refectiō present in this world and in the world to come hath Christ geuen vnto vs for eternal blessednes the Sacrament of his body and bloud in the substaunce of breade and wine as it appeareth in Mathew chapter 26. As the disciples sat at supper Iesus tooke bread and blessed it brake it gaue it vnto his disciples and sayd Take eate this is my bodye And he tooke the cup and thanked and gaue it them saying Drinke ye all of this this is my bloud of the new Testament which shall be shed for many for the remission of sinnes And Luke in his Gospell chap. 22. or this matter thus writeth And after he had taken the bread he gaue thankes he brake it and gaue it vnto them saying Thys is my body whyche shall be geuen for you doe you this in my remembraunce In like maner he tooke the cup after supper saying Thys is the cup of the new testament in my bloud which shall be shed for you That Christ said this is my body in shewing to them the bread I firmely beleue know that it is true That Christ for so much as he is God is the very trueth it selfe and by consequence all that he sayth is true And I beleue that the very same was his body in such wise as he willed it to be his body for in that he is almighty he hath done what so euer pleased him And as in Cane of Galile he chaunged the water into wine really so that after the transubstantiation it was wine and not water so when he sayd This is my body If he would haue had the breade really to be transubstātiated into his very body so that after this chaunging it should haue bene his naturall body not bread as it was before I know that it must needes haue beene so But I finde not in the Scripture that hys will was to haue any such reall transubstantiation or mutation And as the Lord God omnipotent in his perfectiō essential being the sonne of God doth exceed the most purest creature and yet when it pleased him he took vpō him our nature remaining really God as he was before was really made man so that after this assumpting of our substaūce he was really very God very man Euē so if he would when he sayd This is my body He could make this to be his body really the bread still really remayning as it was before For lesse is the difference of the essence betwene bread and the body of a man then betwene the deity humanity because that of the bread is naturally made the body of a man Of the bread is made bloud of the bloud naturall seede and of naturall seede the naturall substaunce of man is ingendred But in that that God became man This is an action supernatural Wherefore he that could make one man to be very God and very mā could if he would make one thing to be really very bread his very body But I do not finde it expresly in the Scripture that he would any such Identitye or coniunction to be made And as Christ sayd I am very bread not chaunging his essence or being into the essence or substaunce of bread but was the sayde Christ which he was before really and yet bread by a similitude or figuratiue speech So if he would it might be that when he sayd This is my body That this should really haue bene the bread as it was before and
flesh of Christ and his bloud Whereupon the veritye himself said vnto his Disciples This is sayth he my flesh which is geuen for the life of the world and to speake yet more maruellously this is none other flesh thē that which was borne of the virgin Mary suffered vpon the crosse and rose out of the sepulchre See how far this chapter differeth from the first And in the chapter which beginneth Ego Berengarius c. This is the confession which Berengarius himselfe cōfessed touching this Sacrament and his confession is of the church allowed I confesse sayth Berengarius that the bread and wine which is layd vpon the aultar after the consecration is not onely a Sacrament but also that it is the very body bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ And the same not onely sensually to be a Sacrament but also verely to be handled with the Priestes hands and to be broken and chewed with the teeth of faythfull men This confession doubtlesse is hereticall for why if the body of Christ be in the Sacrament as of the Church it is so determined it is there then Multiplicatiuè and so indiuisibiliter wherfore not sensualiter And if it be there indiuisibiliter that is in such sort as it cannot be deuided or separated then can it not be touched felt broken nor with the teeth of men chewed The writers of this time and age do affirme that if by the negligence of the Priest the Sacrament be so negligētly left that a Mouse or any other beast or vermine eate the same then they say that the Sacrament returneth agayne into the nature and substaūce of bread Wherby they must nedes confesse that a miracle is as wel wrought by the negligence of the Priest as first there was made by the consecration of the Priest in making the Sacrament For either by the eating of the Mouse the body of Christ is transubstantiated into the nature of bread which is a transubstantiatiō supernaturall Or els of nothing by creation is this bread produced And therfore either of these operations is miraculous to be maruelled at Now cōsidering the disagreing opinions of the Doctors and for the absurdities which follow I beleue with Paule that the bread which we break is the participation of the body of Christ and as Christ sayth that the bread is made the body of Christ for a memorial and remembraunce of him And in such sort as Christ willed the same to be his body in the same maner sort do I beleue it to be his body But whether women may make the body of Christ minister vnto the people or whether that Priests be deuided frō the lay people for their knowledge preeminence sanctity of life or els by externall signes onely Also whether the signe of consure and other externall signes of holines in Priestes be signes of Antichrist and his charecters or els introduced taught by our Lord Iesus Christ consequently it remayneth next to speake of vnto the faythfull sort according to the proces of the holy Scripture first of the three kindes of the Priestes I remember that I haue read the first of them to be Aaronicall legall temporall The second to be eternall and regall according to the order of Melchisedech The third to be a Christian. The first of these ceased at the comming of Christ for that as S. Paule to the Hebrues sayth The Priesthood of Aaron was trāslated to the Priesthood of the order of Melchisedech The legall sort of Priestes of Aaron were separate from the rest of the people by kinred office and inheritance By kinred for that the children of Aaron onely were Priestes By office for that it onely pertayned to them to offer sacrifice for the sinnes of the people and to instruct the people in the precepts and ceremonies of the law By inheritaunce because the Lord was their portiō of inheritaūce neither had they any other inheritaunce amongest theyr brethren but those thinges which were offered vnto the Lord as the first fruits parts of the sacrifices and vowes except places for their mansion houses for them and theirs as appeareth by the processe of Moyses law The Priesthood of Christ did much differre from this Priesthood as Paule doth witnes to the Hebrues chapter 1.8.9.10 First in kinred because that our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ came of the stocke and tribe of Iuda of whiche tribe none had to do with the aultar and in which tribe nothing at all was spoken of the Priestes of Moses The second for that other were made Priestes without their othe taken but he by an othe by him which sayd The Lord swore and it shall not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Thirdly by durability for that many of thē were made Priests but during the terme of their liues but he for that he remaineth for euer hath an eternall Priesthood Wherfore he is able to saue vs for euer hauing by himself accesse vnto God which euer liueth to make intercession for vs. The law made also such men Priestes as had infirmities but Sermo that is the word which according to the law is the eternall sonne and perfect by an othe The Priesthood of Christ also did differ frō the Priesthood of Aaron and the law in the matter of the sacrifice in the place of sacrificing In the matter of the sacrifice because they did vse in theyr sacrifices straunge bodyes of the matter of their sacrifices and did shed straūge bloud for the expiation of sinnes But he offering himself vnto God his father for vs shed his owne bloud for the remission of our sinnes In the place of sacrificing because that they did offer theyr sacrifice in the tabernacle or temple But Christ suffering death without the gates of the City offered himselfe vpon the aultar of the crosse to God his father there shed his precious bloud In his supping chamber also hee blessed the bread and cōsecrated the same for his body the wine which was in the cup he also cōsecrated for his bloud deliuering the same to his Apostles to be done for a commemoration and remembraunce of his incarnation passion Neither did Iesus enter into the sāctuary made with mans hands which be examples figures of true things but entred into heauē it selfe that he might appeare before the maiesty of God for vs. Neither doth he offer himself oftētimes as the chief priest in the sanctuary did euery yeare with straunge bloud for then should he often times haue suffered from the beginning but now once for all in the latter end of the world to destroy sinne by his peace offering hath he entred And euen as it is decreed that mā once shal dye and then commeth the iudgement so Christ hath bene once offered to take away the sinnes of many The second time he shall appeare without sinne to them
that looke for him to their saluation For the lawe hauing a shadowe of good thinges to come can neuer by the Image it selfe of thinges which euery yeare without ceasing they offer by such sacrifices make those perfect that come therunto for otherwise that offering should haue ceased Because that such worshippers being once cleansed from theyr sinnes should haue no more conscience of sinne But in these commemoratioÌ„ is made euery yere of sinne for it is impossible that by the bloud of Goates and Calues sinnes should be purged and taken away Therfore comming into the world he sayd Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not haue but a body hast thou geuen me peace offeringes for sinne haue not pleased thee Then sayd I behold I come In the volume of the booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will O God Saying as aboue because thou wouldest haue no sacrifices nor burnt offeringes for sinne neyther doest thou take pleasure in those things that are offered according to the law Then sayd I behold I come that I may doe thy will O God He taketh away the first to stablishe that which followeth In which will we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Iesus Christ once for all And euery priest is ready dayly ministring and oftentimes affering like sacrifices which can neuer take away sinnes But this Iesus offering one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for euermore on the right hand of God expecting the time tyll his enemies be made his footstoole For by his owne onely oblation hath he consummated for euermore those that are sanctified All these places haue I recited which Paule writeth for the better vnderstanding and declaration of those thinges I meane to speak By all which it appeareth manifestly how the Priesthood of Christ differeth from the legall priesthood of Aaron and by the same also appeareth how the same differeth from all other priesthood Christian that immitateth Christ. For the properties of the priesthood of Christ aboue recited are founde in no other Priest but in Christ alone Of the third priesthood that is the Christian priesthood Christ by expresse wordes speaketh but litle to make any difference betwene the priests and the rest of the people neither yet doth vse this name of Sacerdos or praesbiter in the Gospell But some he calleth disciples some apostels whom he sent to baptise to preach in his name to do miracles He calleth them the salt of the earth in which the name of wisedome is ment and he calleth them the light of the world by which good liuing is signified For he sayth So let your light so shine before meÌ„ that they may see your good workes and glorify your father which is in heauen And Paule speaking of the Priestes to Timothe and Titus seemeth not to mee to make any diuersity betwixt the Priestes and the other people but in that he woulde haue them to surmount other in knowledge and perfection of life But the fourth priesthood is the Romaine priesthood brought in by the Church of Rome which Churche maketh a distinction betwene the clergy and the lay people after that the clergy is deuided into sundry degrees as appeareth in the decretals This distinction of the clergy from the laitye with the consure of clerkes began in the time of * Anacletus as it doth appeare in the Chronicles The degrees of the clergy were afterward inuedted distincted by their offices and there was no ascentioÌ„ to the degree of the priesthood but by inferior orders and degrees But in the primitiue churche it was not so for immediately after tht conuersion of some of theÌ„ to the fayth baptisme receiued they were priests bishops made as appeareth by Ananias whom Marcus made of a taylor or shomaker to be a bishop And of many others it was in like case done according to the traditions of the church of Rome Priests are ordeined to offer sacrifices to make supplication and prayers and to blesse sanctify The oblation of the priesthood onely to Priestes as they say is congruent whose duties are vpon the aultar to offer for the sinnes of the people the Lords body which is coÌ„secrated of bread Of which saying I haue great maruell considering S. Paule his wordes to the Hebrues before recited If Christ offering for our sinnes one oblation for euermore sitteth on the right hand of God and wyth that one oblation hath coÌ„suÌ„mated for euermore those that are sanctified If Christ euermore sitteth on the right hand of God to make intercession for vs what neede he to leaue here any sacrifice for our sinnes of the Priestes to be dayly offered I do not finde in the scriptures of God nor of his Apostles that the body of Christ ought to be made a sacrifice for sinne but onely as a Sacrament and commemoration of the sacrifice passed whiche Christ offered vpon the aultar of the crosse for our sinnes For it is an absurditye to say that Christ is now euery day really offered as a sacrifice vpon the aultar by the Priestes for then the Priestes should really crucify him vpoÌ„ the aultar which is a thing of no Christian to be beleeued But euen as in his supper his body his bloud he deliuered to his Disciples in memorial of his body that should be crucified on the morrow for our sinnes So after his asceÌ„tion did his Apostles vse the same when they brake bread in euery house for a SacrameÌ„t and not for a sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. And by this meanes were they put in remembraunce of the great loue of Christ who so entirelye loued vs that willinglye he suffered the death for vs for the remission of our sinnes And thus did they offer theÌ„selues to God by loue being ready to suffer death for the confession of his name and for the sauing health of theyr brethren fulfilling the new commaundement of Christ which sayd vnto them A new coÌ„mauÌ„dement do I geue vnto you that you loue one another as I haue loued you But wheÌ„ loue began to waxe cold or rather to be frosen for cold thorow the anguish anxiety of persecution for the name of Christ then Priests did vse the flesh and bloud of Christ in â—â—tad of a sacrifice And because many of them feared death some of them fled into solitarye places not daring to geue themselues a sacrifice by death vnto God through the confession of his name sauing health of theyr brethreÌ„ Some other worshipped Idols fearing death as did also the chiefe Bishop of Rome and many other mo in diuers places of the world And thus it came to passe as that which was ordeined and instituted for a memoriall of the one onely sacrifice was altered for want of loue into the realitye of the sacrifice it selfe ¶ After these thinges thus discussed he inferreth consequently vpon the same an other briefe tractation of women
to them these lordships or landes seing God from the beginning hath hated all extortion in his burnt sacrifices Not euerye one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he which doth the will of my father which is in heauē And agayne not the hearers of the law but the doers of the law shall be iustified If therefore the words of him that prayth do not deliuer himselfe from sinne nor frō the payne of sinne how do they deliuer other men from sinne or frō the payne of sinne when no man prayth more earnestly for an other man thē for himselfe Therfore many are deceiued in buying or selling of prayers as in the buying of pardons that they might be deliuered from payne whē as commonly they pay dearer for the prayers of the proud vicious prelates thēfor the prayers of deuout women and deuout men of the laye people But out of doubt God doth not regard the person of him that prayth neither the place in which he praith nor his apparell nor the curiousnes of his prayer but the humility and godlye affection of him that prayeth Did not the Pharisy and the Publican goe vp into the temple to pray The Publicans prayer for his humility and godly affection is heard But the Pharisies prayer for his pride arrogancy is contempned Cōsider that neither the person nor the place nor the state nor the curiousnes of his prayer doth helpe the Pharisye Because the Publicane not thinking himselfe worthy to lift vp his eies vnto heauen for the multitude of his sinnes saying O God be mercifull vnto me a sinner is iustified dy his humility and his praier is heart But the Pharisy boasting in his righteousnes is despised because God thrusteth downe the proud and exalteth the humble and those that be meek The rich glotton also that was clothed with purple and silke fared euery day daintely prayd vnto Abraham and is not heard but is buryed in paynes and torments of hell fire But Lazarus whiche lay begging at his gate being full of sores is placed in the bosome of Abraham Behold that neither the riches of his apparell nor the deliciousnesse of his banquets or the gorgiousnes of his estate neither the aboundance of his riches doth helpe any thing to prefer the prayers or petitiōs of the rich glotten nor yet diminishe his tormentes because that mighty men in their mightines shal suffer torments mightely How dare any man by cōposition demaund or receiue any thing of an other man for his prayers If he beleue that he can by his praier deliuer his brother frō greuous paine he is boūd by charity to relieue his brother with his prayers although he be not hired thereunto but and if he will not pray vnles he be hyred thē hath he no loue at al. What therfore helpeth his prayer which abideth not in charitie Therfore let him first take compassion of himselfe by praier that he may come into charitie and then he shal bee the better able to helpe others If he beleeue not or that he standeth in doubt to be able to deliuer his brother by his praier wherfore doth he make with him an assured bargayn taketh his mony and yet knoweth not whether he shall relieue him euer a whit the more or not from his paine I feare least the words of the Prophet are fulfilled saying From the least to the most al mē applye themselues to couetousnes and from the Prophet to the Priest all woorke deceitfully For the poore priests excuse themselues of such bargaining and selling of their praiers saying The yong cock learneth to crow of the olde cocke For sayeth he thou maist see that the Pope himselfe in stalling of Bishops Abbots taketh the first frutes In the placing or bestowing of benefices he alwaies taketh somwhat specially if the benefices be great Also he selleth pardōs or bulles and to speake more plaine he taketh mony for them Bishops in geuing orders in hallowing churches churchyards do take mony In ecclesiastical correction they take mony for the mitigation of penance In the greuous offences of cōuict persons mony is required caused to be payed Abbots Monkes other religious men that haue possessiō wil receiue no mā into their fraternitie or make thē partakers of their spiritual suffrages vnles he bestow somewhat vpon them or promise them somewhat Curates vicars hauing sufficient liuings by the tithes of their paryshioners yet in dirges and yeares myndes in hearing confessions in weddinges buryings do require haue money The Fryers also of the fower orders of beggers which think thēselues to be the most perfitest men of the Church do take mony for their praiers confessions buryings of the dead and when they preach they beleue that they shal haue eyther money or some other thyng worthy money Wherfore then be the poore priests blamed ought not they to bee held excused although they take money for their praiers by cōpositiō Truly me thinketh that this excuse by other mens sins doth not excuse thē forasmuch as to heap one mischief vpon anothers head is no sufficiēt discharge I would to God that al the buyers sellers of spiritual suffrages would with the eyes of their harte beholde the ruine of the great Citie and the fall of Babylon and that which they shall saye after that fall Doth not the Prophet say And the merchaunts of the earth shall weepe and mourne for her because no man shall buy anye more their marchandise that is their marchandise of gold and siluer and of precious stone and of pearle and of silke and purple And again he sayth And the marchaunts which were made riche by her shall stand alouse for feare of her tormentes weeping mourning and saying Alas Alas that Citie Babylon that great Citie whych was woont to weare purple whitesilke crim sin gold pearle and precious stone because that in one hour al those ryches are come to nought And agayne And they cast dust vppon their heads and cryed out weping and mourning and saying Alas Alas that great and mightie Citie Babilon by whom al such as had shippes vpon the sea were made riche by her rewards Because that in one houre she is become desolate This Babilon this great Citie is the Citie of Rome as it appeareth by the processe of the Apostle Because the aungel which shewed vnto Saint Iohn the destructiō of the mightie harlot sitting vpon many waters with whō the kinges of the earth haue committed fornication and al they which dwell vpon the earth are made dronke with the wyne of her whoredome sayd vnto him And the woman which thou sawest is the great citie which hath dominion aboue kings c. And in dede in the daies of Saint Iohn the whole world was subiect to the temporall Empire of the Citie of Rome and afterwardes it was subiect to the spiritual Empire or dominion of the same
in them from argument to argument with pro contra till that they wot not where they are vnderstand not theÌ„selues But the shame that these proude Sophisters haue to yelde them to men and before men maketh theÌ„ oft fooles and to be concluded shamefully before God ¶ And the archb said to me I purpose not to oblige thee to the subtle arguments of clerks since thou art vnable therto but I purpose to make thee obey to the determination of holy Church ☞ And I sayd sir by open euidence and great witnesse a M. yeare after the incarnation of Christ the determination which I haue here before you rehearsed was accept of holy Church as sufficient to the saluation of all them that would beleue it faythfully and work thereafter charitably But Sir the determination of this matter whiche was brought in since the fiend was loosed by Frier Thomas agayne specially calling the most worshipfull SacrameÌ„t of Christes owne body an accident without subiect whiche terme since I know not that Gods lawe approueth it in this matter I dare not grauÌ„t but vtterly I deny to make this Friers sentence or any such other my beliefe do with me God what thou wilt ¶ And the Archb. sayd to me Wel wel thou shalt say otherwise or that I leaue thee But what sayest thou to this second point that is recorded agaynst thee by worthy men of Shrewsbury saying that thou preachedst there that Images ought not to be worshipped in any wise ☞ And I sayd Syr I preached neuer thus nor through gods grace I wil not any time consent to think nor to say thus neyther priuily nor apertly For lo the Lord witnesseth by Moses that the thinges which he made were right good and so then they were and yet they are shal be good and worshipfull in theyr kind And therfore to the end that God made them to they are al praisable and worshipful specially man that was made after the image likenesse of God is full worshipfull in hys kinde yea this holy image that is man God worshippeth And herefore euery man should worship other in kinde and also for heauenly vertues that meÌ„ vse charitably And also I say wood tin gold siluer or any other matter that images are made of al these creatures are worshipful in their kinde and to the end that God made them for But the caruing casting payntyng of an imagery made within mans haÌ„d albeit that this doyng be accept of man of highest state and dignitie ordayned of them to be a Calender to lend men that neyther can nor will be learned to know God in hys word neyther by his creatures nor by hys wonderfull diuers workings Yet this imagery ought not to be worshipped in fourme nor in the likenes of mans craft Neuerthelesse that euery matter the paynters paynt with since it is Gods creature ought to be worshipped in the kinde and to the ende that God made and ordayned it to serue man ¶ Then the Archbishop sayd to me I graunt well that no body ought to doe worship to any suche images for themselues But a crucifixe ought to be worshipped for the passion of Christ that is paynted therein and so brought there through to mans mind and thus the images of the blessed Trinitie and of the Virgine Mary Christes mother and other images of sayntes ought to be worshipped For loe earthly kinges and Lordes which vse to send theyr letters ensealed with their armes or with theyr priuy signet to them that are with them are worshipped of these men For when these men receiue theyr Lordes letters in whiche they see and know the willes and biddinges of the Lords in worship of theyr Lordes they doe off theyr caps to these letters Why not them since in Images made wyth mans hande we may read and knowe many diuers thinges of GOD and of hys Sayntes shall we not worship their images ☞ And I sayd within my foresaid protestation I say that these worldly vsages of temporal lawes that ye speak now of may be done in case without sinne But this is no similitude to worshippe Images made by mans hande since that Moyses Dauid Solomon Baruch and other saints in the Bible forbid so playnely the worshipping of suche Images ¶ Then the archbishop sayd to me Leud losell in the olde law before that Christ tooke mankinde was no likenes of any person of the trinitie neither shewed to man nor known of man But nowe since Christ became man it is lefull to haue Images to shew hys manhoode Yea though many men which are right great Clerkes other also held it an errour to paynt the Trinitie I say it is well done to make and to paynt the Trinitie in images For it is great moouing of deuotion to men to haue and to behold the Trinitie and other images of saints carued cast paynted For beyond the sea are the best paynters that euer I saw And sirs I tell you this is their maner and it is a good maner WheÌ„ that an Image maker shall carue cast in molde or paint any Images he shall go to a Priest shriue him as clean as if he should then dye and take penance and make some certayne vowe of fasting or of praying or pilgrimages doing praying the Priest specially to pray for him that he may haue grace to make a fayre and a deuout Image ☞ And I sayd Sir I doubt not if these paynters that ye speake of or any other painters vnderstoode truly the text of Moyses of Dauid of yâ— wise man of Baruch and of other saints and doctors These painters should be moued to shrine theÌ„ to God with ful inward sorowe of hart taking vpon them to do right sharpe penaÌ„ce for the sinful vaine craâ—t of painting caruing or casting they had vsed Promising God faithfully neuer to do so after knowledging openly before al men their reprouable learning And also sir these priests that shrine as you do say painters enioine theÌ„ to do penance pray for their speede promisyng to theÌ„ helpe of their prayers for to be curious in their sinful crafts sinne herein more greuously then the painters For these priests do comfort and geue them counsail to do that thing which of great pain yea vnder yâ— pain of gods curse they should vtterly forbid them For certes sir if the wonderful working of God the holy liuing teachyng of Christ and of his Apostles and Prophetes were made knowen to the people by holy liuing true and busy reaching of priests these thinges sir were sufficient bookes and Kalenders to know God by his Saynts without any images made with mans hand But certes the vicious liuing of priests and their couetousnes are chiefe cause of this errour and all other viciousnes that raygneth amoÌ„g the people ¶ Then the Archbish. sayd vnto me I hold thee a vicious Priest and a curst
interpreted ghostly For al those figures are called vertues and grace with which vertues men should please god praise hys name For S. Paul sayth al such things befell to them in figure Therfore sir I vnderstād that the letter of this psalme of Dauid and of such other Psalmes and sentences doth slay them that take thē now litterally This sentence as I vnderstand sir Christ approueth himself putting out y◠minstrels or that he would quicken the dead damsell ¶ And the Archb. said to me Lend losel is it not lefull to vs to haue Organes in the church for to worship there withall God And I sayd ye sir by mans ordinance But by the ordinance of God a good sermon to the peoples vnderstāding were mekil more pleasant to God ☞ And the Archb. said that Organes and good delectable songs quickned sharpened more mēs wits then should any sermon ¶ But I saide sir lusty men worldly louers delite and couet trauail to haue al their wittes quickned sharpened with diuers sensible solace But al the the faythful louers and followers of Christ haue al their delite to heare gods word and to vnderstand it truely and to worke therafter faithfully and continually For no doubt to dread to offēd God and to loue to please him in all things quickneth and sharpeneth all the wittes of Christs chosen people and ableth them so to grace that they ioy greatly to withdrawe their eares and al their wits and members frō al worldly delite and from all fleshly solace For S. Ierome as I thinke sayth No body may ioy with this world raigne with Christ. ☞ And the Archb. as if he had ben displeased with mine aunswer said to his clerks What gesse ye that this Idiot wyll speak there wher he hath no dread since he speaketh thus now here in my presence Wel wel by God thou shalt bee ordayned for And then he spake to me al angerly WHat saiest thou to this fourth point that is certified against thee preaching openly boldly in Shrewsbury that priests haue no title to tithes And I sayd Sir I named there no worde of tythes in my preaching But more then a month after that I was arested there in prison a man came to mee into the pryson asking me what I sayd of tythes And I sayd to him Sir in this towne are many clerkes and priests of which some are called religious mē though many of them be seculars Therefore aske ye of them this question And thys man sayd to me Syr our Prelates say that we also are obliged to pay our tithes of all thinges that renue to vs and that they are accursed that withdraw anye part wittingly fro them of their tythes And I sayd sir to that man as with my protestation I say now before you that I wonder that any priest dare say men to be accursed without the ground of Gods word And the man said Syr our priests say that they curse men thus by authoritie of Gods law And I said Sir I know not where this sentence of cursing is authorised now in the Bible And therefore syr I pray you that ye will aske the most cunning clerke of this town that yee may know wher this sentēce of cursing thē that tithe not is now writtē in gods law for if it were writtē there I wold right gladly be learned wher But shortly this mā would not go fro me to aske this questiō of an other body But required me there as I would aunswer before God if in this case that cursing of priests were lawfull approued of God And shortly herewith came to my mind the learning of S. Peter teaching priests specially to halowe the Lord Christ in their harts being euermore redy as farre as in them is to aunswer thorough faith and hope to thē that aske of them a reason And this lesson Peter teacheth men to vse with a meeke spirit with dread of the Lord. Wherefore sir I said to this man in this wise In the old law which ended not fully till the time that Christ rose vp againe from death to life God cōmanded tithes to be giuen to the Leuits for the great busines and daily trauaile that perteined to their office But priests because their trauel was mekil more easy light then was the office of the Leuits God ordeined y◠priests should take for their liuelode to do their office the tenth part of those tithes that were giuen to the Leuits But now I said in the new law neither Christ nor any of his apostles tooke tithes of the people nor cōmanded the people to pay tithes neither to Priests nor to deacons But Christ taught the people to do almes that is works of mercy to poore needie men of surplus that is superfluous of their temporall goods which they had more then them needed reasonably to their necessarie liueloode And thus I sayde not of tithes but of pure almes of the people Christ liued and his Apostles when they were so busy in preaching of the word of God to the people y◠they might not trauell otherwise for to get their liueloode But after Christes ascension and when the Apostles had receiued the holy Ghost they trauayled wyth their hands for to get their liuelode whē that they might thus do for busy preaching Therefore by example of himselfe S. Paule teacheth al the priestes of Chryst for to trauaile with their hand when for busy teaching of the people they might thus do And thus all these Priests whose priesthode God accepteth now or will accept or did in the Apostles time and after their discease wil do to the worlds end But as Cisterciensis telleth in the thousand yeare of our Lord Iesus Christ. 211. yeare one Pope the x. Gregory ordeined new tithes first to be geuen to priestes now in the new law But Saint Paule in his tyme whose trace or example all Priestes of God enforce them to follow seing the couetousnes that was among the people desiring to destroy the soule sinne through the grace of God true vertuous liuing and example of himselfe wrote taught all priestes for to follow him as he followed Christ pacyently willingly and gladly in hygh pouerty Wherefore Paule sayth thus The Lord hath ordeyned that they that preach the Gospell shall lyue of the Gospel But we saith Paul that couet and busye vs to be faythfull followers of Christ vse not this power For lo as Paul witnesseth afterward when he was full poore and needy preaching among the people he was not chargeous vnto them but wyth hys handes he trauayled not onely to get his owne lyuing but also the lyuing of other poore and needye creatures And since the people was neuer so couetous nor so auarous I gesse as they are nowe It were good counsell that al priests toke hede to this heauenly learning of Paul following him herein wilful pouerty nothyng chargyng the
spread abrode in holy church now adayes among priestes we shul wel wit that they come not all to the folde of Christ by Christes clepping for to profite but by other wayes to get them worldly welth and this is the cause of lesing of soules that Christ bought so deare and of many errours among the people and therefore it is iwrit in the booke of mourning where the prophet speaketh thus to God Tre 1. The enemy hath put his hand to all things desyrable to him for he hath let lawles folke enter into the sanctuary of the which thou hadst commaunded that they should not enter into the church This enemy is Sathanas as his name sowneth that hath put his hande to all that him liketh What sinne I pray you will the fiend haue sow on men that nis now yvsed In what plentie is now pride enuy wrath and couetise Whan were they so great as they be now and so of all other sinnes And why trowest thou But for there be a lawles people entred into thy sanctuarie that neither keepe in hemselfe the law of God ne konne teachen other And to euery such saith God by the prophet Ose 4. For that thou hast put away cunning I shall put thee away that thou shal vse no priesthoode to me Lo that God expresly heere in holy writte forbiddeth men to take the state of pristhoode on them but they haue cunning that needeth them Thou than that canst neither rule thy selfe ne other after the lawe of God beware how thou wilt answer to God at his dreadfull dome when he shall say to thee that which I tooke to my theame Yeld the reckening of thy baily how thou hast entred The second question that euery curate and prelate of holye Chirch shall aunswer to is this How hast thou ruled That is to say the soules of thy suggets and the goods of poore men Geue now thine acounte First how thou hast gouerned gods folke that were take thee to keepe Whether art thou an herde or an hired man that doost all for loue of bodelich hi e As a father or as a Wolfe that eaten his sheepe and keepeth them nought Say whome thou hast turned from his cursed liuing by thy deuout preaching Whome hast thou taught the law of God that was earst vncunning Ther shal ben heard a greuous accusing of fatherles children and a hard aledging that priests haue liueden by their wages and not done away their sins Yelde also rekoning how thou hast ruled and spended the goodes of poore men Harke what S. Bernard saith Dreade clarkes dreade the ministers of the Church the which ben in the place of saintes that they do so wickedly nought holding them apayd with such wages that were sufficient to them That ouerplus that needy men shuld be sustained by they be not ashamed to wast in the house of their pride and leachery and withholden to themselfe wickedly and cursedly that which should be the lifeloode of poore men With double wickednes truly they sinne First for they reeuen other mens goods and faith they misuse holy things in their vanities and in their filthes Euery such Bayly therefore beware for anone to the last far thing he shall recken with Christ. Trowest thou not then that thou ne shalt be disalowed of God of that thou hast mispended in in feeding of fat Palfreys of hounds of Haukes and if it so be that is worst of all on lecherous women Heare what is sayd of suche They had led their dayes in wealths And in a poynt they bene gone down into hell Think therefore I rede thee that thou shalt yelde reckening of thy bayly The third question that this baily shal aunswer to is this How hast thou lyued What light of holynes hast thou shewed in thy liuing to the people or what mirrour hast thou ben of holynes to them Geue now thy reconing how thou hast liued as a priest or as a leude man as a man or as a beast That is to wonder truelye how the lyfe of priestes is chaunged They be clothen as knights they speaken as vnhonestly as carels other of wynnyng as Marchaunts They riden as princes and al that is thus spended is of the goodes of poore men and of Christs heretage Therfore saith an holy doctor The clay of Egypt was tough and stinking and medled with bloud The slates were harde to bee vndoe for they were baked with fire of couetise and with the light of lust In this trauayleth riche men in this they wake a wayting poore men In these trauaileth prelates that ben to much blent with to much shining of riches that make them houses lyke churches in greatnes that with diuers pointries coloren their chambers that with diuers clothinges of colours make images gay but the poore mā for default of clothes beggeth and with an empty wombe cryeth at the doore And if I shall the foth say saith this doctor oft tyme poore men be robbed for to clothe the trees and stones Of such speaketh the Prophet Howe art thou here or as who art thou Here thou art occupying the place of Peter and of Poule or of Thomas or of Martine But how as Iudas among the Apostles as Symon Magus among the disciples as a candle now queinte that stincheth all the house in steede of a light lanterne as a smoke that blindeth mens eyen in place of cleane fire If thou contrarye thus the forme of liuing that Christ and his disciples left to priests Lo what saith the prophet Ieremye They haue entred and they haue had and nought ben obedient They hauen with false title or with their false and corrupt intention had poore mens goodes to their misusing and they haue not bee obedient to the lawe of God in their owen liuing Therefore it is writ that the hardest dome shall fall on such An hard dome for they haue misentred An harder dome for they haue misruled And the hardest dome for they haue so cursedlie liued Thinke therefore I rede how thou wilte giue reckning of thy bayly The second Bayliff that accounteth at this dome for himselfe and also for other is he that keping hath of any communite as kings princes Maiers and Shireues and iustices And these shull also answer to the same three questions The first question how hast thou hentred that is to say into thine office Other for help of the people to destroy falshed and forthren treuth other for desire of winning or worldly worship If thou take such an office more for thine owne worldly profite than for helpe of the comunite thou art a tirant as the pholosopher seith For it is to feare least there bene too many that desiren suche states that they may the rather oppresse thilke that they hateth and take giftes to spare to punish thilke that hauen trespassed and so maketh them parteners of their sinnes And many such when they ben so high they reck nought that they beeth
bee damned with her We haue erred fro the waye of trouth and rightwisnes light haue not shined to vs and the sonne of vnderstonding haue not resen to vs we haue be made weery in euerich way of wickednes and of lust and haue gone hard wayes but the wayes of God we knew nought what hath pride profited to vs or the boast of riches what hath it brought to vs All this is as a shadow of death and we mow now shew no token of holynes in our wickednes we be wasted away Thinke therefore I read that thou shalt yelde rekening of thy bayly Here endeth the first part of this Sermon and beginneth the second part IN which secoÌ„d part with the helpe of God I will shew first who shall clepe vs to this recKenyng Afterward to fore what iudge we shall reckyn and last what punishyng shall be do to them that ben found false seruauntes and wicked and what reward shall be gyue to them that be founde good and true For the first ye shall wetoen that there shall be twey domes The first doome anone after the departyng of body and of soule an this shall be speciall And of this rekenyng or doome speaketh the Gospell of Luke The second reckenyng or doome shal be anone after the generall resurrection shal be vniuersal And of this is to spekeÌ„ in the Gospel To the first euery man shal be cleped after other as the wolrde passeth To the secunde shall comeo togedre in the stroke of an eye all mankynde To the first men shal be cleped with three sumners other Sergeauntes the firstlis sicknesse the second is age and the third is death the first warneth the second thretneth and the third taketh This is a kyndly order but otherwise it fayleth for sume we seeth dyeth that neuer wist what was sicknes ne age as children that ben sodenly slayne And sume ye the most part that deyeth now a dayes deyeth byfore her kynde agee of deeth therefore I say that the first that clepeth to this speciall reckning is sicknes that followeth all mankind so that euery man hath it and sum is sicknesse that sume men haueth but nought all Yet the first sickenesse is double for sume is withinne in the mightes of the soule and sume is without in feblenes of the bodie that needis mo be stroyed whan time by hem selfe is cause of corruption as Philosophie sayth that thereby feblenes and sicknes And so may we see hereby though that a man shut out of the house of hys hart all maner of worldlie and fleshlie thoughtes yet vnneth shall a man for ought that he can doo thinke on God onelie the space of o Pater noster but that some other thing that is passing entreth into the soule and draweth her from contemplation But O Lorde God what seekenes is this an heuie burden on the sonnes of Adam that on fowle moock and fen of the world we may thinke long ynow But on that the soule should most delectation haue by kinde mow we nought thinke so little a space but if the cokle enter among the whete Of this seekenes speaketh Poule where he sayth I see a lawe in my limmes fighting agenes the lawe of my sprite and taking me into the law of sinne So that it fares by vs as by a man that would looke ageyns the sun and may nought do it long for nothing And forsoth that is for no default that is in the sunne for she is most cleere in her selfe and so by reason best should be seyn but it is for feblenes of mans eye Ryght so syth Adam our first fader was put out of Paradyse all hys offpring haue ben thus sicke as the Prophet seyth Our fadres haue eat a bitter grape and the teeth of the children be wexe an edge The second sicknes that is commune to all mankind commyth of feblenes of the body as hunger and thorst cold and heate sorow werines and many other as Iob. 18. sayth A man that is ibore of a woman liuing a little whyle is fulfilled with many miseases Yet there is other sicknes that commeth to some men but not to all as Lepvr Palsey Feuer Dropsie Blindnes and many other as it was seyden to the people of Israell in holy writ But thou keepe the commaundements that be writ in this booke God shal echen the sicknes of thee and of thy seede great sickenes and long abiding Yet yee shall vnderstond that God sendeth other while such sicknes to good men and other while to shrewes To good men God doth it for two causes and that is sooth Of sicknes I wol to be vnderstond also of all maner of tribulations The first cause for they shold alway euer know that they haue none perfection of them selfe but of God onely and to echen theyr meekenes And thus sayth Poule least the greatnes of reuelations rere me vp into pride is giuen a pricke of my fleshe the Aungell of Sathanas to smite me on the necke wherefore I haue thrise prayed God that he shuld go fro me and he answered me My grace is suffisant to thee for vertue is fulfilled in sicknes where on thus sayn the glose The fend axing Iob to be tempted was herd of God and nought the Apostle axing his temptation to be remoued God herd him that shuld be damned and he herd nought him that he shuld saue For oft the sick maÌ„ axit many things of the leche that he wol not geue him that is for to make him whole of sicknes Also God sendeth Saincts oft sicknes poâ—â—ution to giue vs sinfull wretches example of patience For if he suffer his Saincts to haue such tribulation in this world and they thankin him thereof much more wretchis that God sendeth not the hundred aparty of their sorowe shulden beare it meekely sith we haue diserued a thousand so much as they haueth Whereof Tobie that one day whan he was wery of byrying of poore men the which shulden haue ley vnburyed and haue be etene of houndis and foules as caraynes of other vnreasonable bestes whan for werynesse he had leide him to reste through Goddis sufferaunce the swallowes that bredden aboue on his hous maden ordure into his eyen and he wexet blind Thus it is writ of this temptation for soth Therefore God suffered to come to him that to them that comen after shuld be geuen ensample of pacience as by the temptation of holie Iob. For sith from his childhod euermore he drede God and euer kept his hestes He was not agreeued ayenst God that the misthiefe of blindnesse fell to him but vnmoueable dwelled in the dread of God thanking him all the dayes of his life Lo that holy writ sayth expresly that God suffered this holie man to haue that sicknes to geue them that should come after him ensample of pacience Also other whyle God sendeth syckenes and tribulation to wicked men and for two causes
dreggis dwellen byneth and the cliere wyne houeth aboue Than shall Christ axe rekenyng of the deedes of mercy reprouyng false Christen men for the leuyng of them rehearsing the deedes of the same and other truth is by the which his trewe seruauntes than folowed hym than shulle thike false seruauntes goe with the deuill whom they haue serued in the earth then swallowyng into the endlesse fire And rightfull men shullen goe into euerlastyng lyfe than shall be fulfilled that is written in the booke of priuitees Woe woe woe to hem that dwellen in the earth Woe to the paynyme that gafe that worshyp to dead Images wrought of mans handes and to other creatures that hee shuld haue gone to GOD that him wrought Woe to the Iewe that trusteth so muchil in the ould law than shall he see Maries sonne deemyng the world whō he despised and set on the Crosse Woe to the false Christen man that knew the will of his Lord and fulfilled it nought Also woe for sinne of thinkyng to thee that thou hast shyt out the meine of God that is mynde of his Passion holy contemplation of his goodnesse and memorie of his benefites fro the chaumber of thine herte and hast made it an house of swyn and a den of theeues by vncleane thoughtes and delites As thou here hast sperd God out of thine hert so he shall spere thee out of heauen Thou hast herberwid the meine of the fiend and with them in hell thou shall thou shalt euer abide woe also for sinne of speach for thou might nought open they foule and stynkyng mouth with the whiche thou hast spoken vnhonesty cursyng fraude deceite leasinges forswearyng scornyng and backebityng to prayse God in the felowshyp of Saintes For louyng is nought comynlych in mouthes of sinners For in the whiche gif thou haddest kept thy mouth cleane thou shouldest haue songen in felowshyp of Aungels this blessed song Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Domenus Deus omnipotens Holy holy holy Lord God almighty Than yellyng and weepyng thou shalt cry in company of deuils Ve Ge Ge quante sunt tenebrae Woe woe wo how great beth these darkenes wo also for sinne of deede Thou hast bene proud thy pryde shall be drawen to hell as Esay sayth or thou hast bene brent wyth enuye of the deuill Enuy entred into the world and they shoulden folowen him that ben on hys syde as Salomon sayth Or thou hast be stirred with wrath and euerich man that beareth wrath to hys brethren is gilty in dome as Christ in the Gospell sayth of Mathew Or thou hast be slowe to good deedes myssawe shall come to thee as a wayfaring man and thy pouert as a man iarmed as the booke of Prouerbes sayth Or thou hast haunted lechery glotonye or couetise That forsoth wete ye that euerych auouterer or vncleane man that is a gloton other chynch shall neuer haue heritage in the Realme of Christ and of God as Poule sayth But fire brimstone and the spirit of tempests that is the fiend of hell shulen be a partie of their payne as it is written in the Psaulter when these damned men bee in this woe they shulen syng thys reufull song that is ywritten in the booke of mourning The ioye of our hart is a go our quier is turned into wo the crowne of our heade is fallen vs fro Alas for synne that we haue do But ioye and ioye and ioye to them that be saued Ioy in God ioy in them selfe ioy in other that ben saued Also ioy for theyr trauayle is brought to so gracious an end Ioy for they scaped the payne of hell ioy fore theyr blisse that they han in the sight of God Cui sit honor gloria in secula seculorum Amen And thus much concerning this worthie and fruitfull Sermon whych as by the auncienines of the phrase seemeth to be preached much about the time of Iohn Wicklesse so I thought heere by the occasion of William Thorpes examination best to place the same for the apt coherence both of the spirit and of the matter Especially hauing before our eyes the publique vtilitie of the Reader to whome by the studious reading thereof might rise plentifull matter of true Christian information both of the wholesome fearing of God and of the right guiding of euery Christian mans life Wherevnto I thought good to anexe further in our story after the examination of William Thorpe and the martyrdome of William Sawtrey and of Iohn Badby thus described as ye haue heard which was about the yeare 1409. By the way here is to be considered at least to be admonished that al this while the schisme in the church of Rome did yet continue and so endured till the councell of Constance which was in whole the space of xxix yeres The origine whereof as was sayd page 000. first began at Urbanus 5. which Urbanus being dead an 1389. next folowed Pope Boniface the 9. who sate 14. yeares He in selling his pardons was so impudent and so past shame that he brought the keyes of Peter as sayth Platina in contempt After hym succeeded Innocentius 7. and sate 2. yeares who being dead the Cardinals consulting together and seeing the foule enormitie and inconuenience growing vpon this contentious schisme in their Church of Rome minding to prouide some remedie for the same after the best deuise they could in their conclaue where they were assembled for a new election of the Pope tooke this order promising among themselues with solemne vow made to God to Mary the blessed virgine to Peter and Paule and to all the blessed company of saints That if any of them within the colledge or without the colledge should be called to that high place of Apostolicall preeminence he should effectuously renounce the iurisdiction and title of his Popedome if or whensoeuer the cōtrary Pope for the time being would in like maner renounce his place and title and his Cardinals in like maner to cōdescend to the other Cardinals of Rome So that both these two colledges of Cardinals agreeing together one chiefe byshop might be chosen and takē out of them both to be made the true Pope Prouided moreouer that none should seeke any releasement or absolution from the sayd promise vow and bond once passed among them Unto al which things furthermore euery one subscribed with his hande These things thus prefixed and ratified vpon the same they proceeded to the election In whych was chosen Gregorius the xii who the same day of hys election in the presence of all the cardinals confirmed the vow sacrament and promise made subscribing the same with his hand in forme as followeth And I Gregorie thys day being the last of Nouember in the yeare of our Lorde 1407. chosen and elected for bishop of Rome do sweare vowe and promise confirme all the premisses aboue contained c. Thys being done shortly after he was crowned being of the age of 80. yeares As
saying If the blinde lead the blinde both fall into the ditch The 13. Article God doth suspend of himselfe euery wicked Prelate from his ministery while he is actually in sinne for by that meanes that he is in deadly sinne he doth offend and sinne whatsoeuer he do and consequeÌ„tly is forbâ—dden so to do therefore also is he suspended from his ministery The aunswere This is proued as touching suspension from dignitie by Osee the iiij chapter and Esay and Malachy the first And Paule in the 1. Corinthians 11. chapter suspendeth all such as be sinnefull or in any greeuous crime or offence from the eating of the bodye of the Lord and the drinking of his bloud and consequently suspendeth all sinneful Prelates from the ministration of the reuerent Sacrament And God doth suspend the wicked and sinnefull from the declaration of his righteousnesse Psalme 49. For so much then as to suspend in effect is to prohibite the ministery or any other good thing for the offence sake or as the new lawes do terme or cal it to interdict or forbidde It is manifest by the Scriptures afore rehearsed that God doth prohibite the sinnefull being in sinne to exercise or vse theyr ministerye or office whiche by Gods commaundement ought to be exercised without offence Whereupon he sayth by Esay the Prophet ye that cary the vessels of the Lord be ye clensed and made cleane And to the Corinthians it is sayd Let all thinges be done with loue and charity c. The same thing also is coÌ„maunded by diuers and sundry Canons the which I haue alleged in my treatise The 14. Article The aunswere which he made to the 25. Article in prison suffiseth for this that is to say that the Clergye for theyr owne preferment and exaltation doth supplant and vndermine the lay people doth increase and multiply theyr couetousnes cloaketh and defendeth theyr malice and wickednes and prepareth away for Antichrist The first part he proueth by experience by the example of Peter de Luna which named himselfe Benedict by the example of Angelus Coriarius which named himselfe Gregory the 12. and also by the example of Iohn 23. Likewise by the xiij and xxiiij of Ezechiel and out of Gregory which sayth what shal be come of the flock when the shepheardes themselues are become wolues c. Also out of Osee Miche and other of the Prophets and many places of S. Barnard The second part is proued by the 8. chapter of Ieremy Gregory in his 17. Homely and S. Barnard vpon the Canonicals The third part of this Article is also proued by experience for who defendeth the wickednes of any schisme but onely the Clergy alledging Scriptures and bringing reasons therfore Who excuseth Simony but onely the Clergy likewise couetousnes in heaping together many benefices luxuriousnes and fornication For how many of the Clergy is there now a dayes which do say it is no deadly sinne alledging albeit disorderly the saying of Genesis increase and multiply Hereby also is the 4. part of the Article easily verified For the way of Antichrist is wickednesse and sinne of the which the Apostle speaketh to the Thessalonians Gregory in his register Pastorall and moralls Also S. Barnard vpon the Canonicalles playnely sayth wicked and euyll Priestes prepare the way for Antichrist The 15. Article Iohn Hus doth openly teach and affirme that these conclusions aforesayd are true The aunswere is manifest by that which I haue afore written For some of these propositions I did write and publishe other some my enemy did fayne now adding then diminishing and taking away now falsely ascribing and imputing the whole proposition vnto me the which thing the commissioners themselues did confesse before me Whome I desired for the false iuuention and fayning of those Articles that they would punish those whom they theÌ„selues knew and confessed to be mine enemies The 16. Article Hereby also it appeareth that it is not true which they haue affirmed in the article followyng that is to say that all the aforesayd conclusions be false erronious seditious and such as do weaken and make feeble the power and strength of the Churche inuented contrary to the holy Scriptures and the Churche But if there be any such I am ready most humbly to reuoke and recant the same The 17. Article There was also an obiection made agaynst me as touching the Treatises whiche I wrote agaynst Paletz and Stanislaus de Znoyma The which I desired for Gods sake they might be openly read in the audience of the whole Councell and sayd that I notwithstanding my former protestation would willingly submit my selfe to the iudgement of the whole Councell The 18. article There was also an other article obiected agaynst me in this forme Item Iohn Husse sayd and preached that he shoulde goe to Constance and if so be that for any maner of cause he shoulde be forced to recant that he had before taught yet notwithstanding he neuer purposed to doe it with his minde for so much as what so euer he had before taught was pure and true and the sounde doctrine of Christ. The aunswere This article is full of lyes to the inuenter whereof I suppose the Lord sayth thus All the day long thou hast imagined mischiefe and wickednesse and with thy toung as with a sharpe rasour thou hast wrought deccypte Thou hast delighted and loued rather to talke of wickednesse and mischiefe then of equity and iustice Uerely I do graunt that I left behinde me a certayne epistle to be read vnto the people the which did conteine that all such as did wey and consider my carefull labors and trauelles should pray for me and stedfastly perseuere and continue in the doctrine of our Lord Iesu Christ knowing for a certainty that I neuer taught them any such errours as mine enemies do impute or ascribe vnto me and if it should happen that I were ouercome by false witnesse they shoulde not be vexed or troubled in their mindes but stedfastlye continue in the truth The 19. Article Last it was obiected agaynst me that after I was come into Constance I did write vnto the Kingdome of Boheme that the Pope and the Emperour receiued me honourablye and sent vnto me two Byshoppes to make agreement betweene me and them and that thys seemeth to be wrytten by me to thys ende and purpose that they shoulde confirme and establishe me and my hearers in the errours whiche I had preached and taught in Boheme Thys Article is falsely alledged euen from the beginning For how manifestly false should I haue written that the pope the Emperour did honour me when as otherwise I had written before that as yet we knew not where the Emperour was and before the Emperour himselfe came vnto Constance I was by the space of 3. weekes in pryson And to wryte that I was honoured by my imprisonment the people of the kingdome of Boheme would repute the
to haue had diuers prophetical reuelations shewed to him of God Certaine of which his letters and predictions I thought here vnderneath to insert in such sort as neither in reciting all I will ouercharge the volume too much nor yet in reciting of none I wil be so brief but that the reader may haue some taste and take some profit of the Christian wrytings and doings of this blessed man Firste beginning with the letter of the Lorde Clum concerning the safeconduct of Iohn Hus. A letter of the Lorde Iohn de Clum concerning the safeconduict of Iohn Hus. TO all and singulare that shall see and heare these presentes I Iohn de Clum doe it to vnderstande howe maister Iohn Hus Bacheler of diuinitie vnder the safeconduicte and protection of the renowned prince and Lorde Sigismund of Romaines semper Augustus and king of Hungarie c. My gracious Lorde and vnder the protection defence and safegarde of the holy Empire of Rome hauing the letters patent of the said my Lorde king of Romaines c. came vnto Constance to render a full counte of hys faith in publicke audience to al that would require the same This the saide M. Iohn Hus in this Imperiall Citie of Constance vnder the safeconduict of the said my Lord king of Romaines hath bene and yet is deteined And although the Pope with the Cardinalles haue bene seriously required by solemne Ambassadours of the sayd my Lord king of Romaines c. in the kings name behalfe that the said maister Iohn Hus should be set at libertye and be restored vnto me yet notwythstanding they haue and yet do refuse hitherto to set him at liberty to the great coÌ„tempt derogation of the safeconduct of the king of the safegard and protection of the Empire or Emperial maiestie Wherefore I Iohn aforesaide in the name of the king do here publish and make it known that the apprehending and deteining of the sayde M. Iohn Hus was done wholy against the wil of the fornamed king of Romains my Lord seeing it is done in the contempt of the safeconducte of hys subiects and of the protection of the Empire because that the sayde my Lord was then absent farre from Constance and if he had ben there present woulde neuer haue permitted the same And when hee shall come it is to be doubted of no man but that hee for this great iniury and contempt of this safeconducte done to him to the Empire wil greuously be molested for the same Geuen at CoÌ„stance in the day of the natiuitie of the Lord 1414. ¶ In this instrument aboue prefixed note gentle reader 3. things First the goodnes of this gentle Lord Iohn de Clum being so feruent and zelous in the cause of Iohn Husse or rather in the cause of Christ. Secondly the safeconduct graunted vnto the sayde I. Hus vnder the faith and protection of the Emperor and of the Empire Thirdly here is to be sene the contempt and rebellion of these proud prelates in disobeying the authority of their high Magistrate who contrary to his safeconduct geuen and the mind of the Emperor did arest and imprison this good man before the comming of the sayd Emperor before that Iohn Hus was heard Let vs nowe as we haue promised adioyne some of the epistles of this godly man An Epistle of Iohn Hus vnto the people of Prage in his owne vulgare speeche GRace and peace from our Lorde Iesus Christ that you being deliuered from sinne may walke in his grace and may growe in all modesty and vertue and after this may enioy eternall life Derely beloued I beseeche you which walke after the law of God that you cast not away the care of the saluatioÌ„ of your soules wheÌ„ as you hearing the word of God are premonished wisely to vnderstand that you be not deceiued by fals apostles which do not reprehend the sinnes of men but rather doe extenuate and diminish them which flatter the priests and doe not shewe to the people their offences which magnify themselues boast their own workes and maruelously extol their owne worthines but follow not Christ in his humility in pouerty in the crosse and other manifold afflictions Of whome our merciful sauiour did premonish vs before saying false Christes and fals Prophets shal rise and shall deceiue many And when he had forewarned his welbeloued disciples he said vnto them beware and take hede of false Prophets which come to you in shepes clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues ye shal know them by their fruits And truth it is that the faithful of Christ haue much neede diligently to beware and take hede vnto themselues For as our sauiour himselfe doth say the elect also if it were possible shal be brought into error Wherefore my welbeloued be circumspect and watchful that ye be not circumuented with the crafty trains of the deuil And the more circumspect ye ought to be for that antichrist laboureth the more to trouble you The last iudgement is nere at hande death shal swallow vp many but to the electe children of God the kingdome of God draweth nere because for them he gaue his own body Feare not death loue together one an other perseuere in vnderstanding the good wil of God without ceasing Let the terrible horrible day of iudgement be alwaies before your eies that you sinne not and also the ioy of eternal life wherunto you must endeuor Furthermore let the passion of our sauioure be neuer out of youre minds that you may bear with him for him gladly whatsoeuer shal be laid vpon you For if you shal consider well in your mindes his crosse afflictions nothing shal be greuous vnto you patiently you shal geue place to tribulations cursings rebukes stripes and prisonment and shal not dout to geue your liues moreouer for his holy truth if nede require Knowe ye welbeloued that antichrist being stirred vp against you deuiseth diuers persecutions And many he hath not hurte no not the least heire of their heads as by mine owne example I can testify although hee hathe ben vehemently incensed against me Wherefore I desire you all with your praiers to make intercessioÌ„ for me to the lord to geue me intelligence sufferance patâ—ence and constancie that I neuer swarue from his diuine verity He hath brought me now to Constance In all my iourney openly and manifestly I haue not feared to vtter my name as becommeth the seruant of God In no place I kept my selfe secrete nor vsed any dissimulation But neuer did I finde in any place more pestilent and manifest ennemies then at Constance Which enemies neither should I haue had there had it not ben for certain of our owne Bohemians hypocrites deceiuers who for benefits receiued and stirred vp with couetousnes with boasting and bragging haue perswaded the people that I weÌ„t about to seduce them out of the right way But I am in good hope that through the mercy of our God and
shoulde not exclude sinne but so to grant it that by the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ and of his true spouse the Church it may be lawfull profitable healthfull vnto those which worthely receiue the same Also as touching that which was spoken by the said Bohemians of the punishing of offences that it is in Scriptures how that God oftētimes stirreth vp the harts of priuate persons to the correction punishing of sinnes and so it should seeme lawfull vnto the inferiours to correct and punish their superiours they answered alledging the text of S. Augustin in the xxiij decree He that striketh wicked men in that they are wicked hath cause of death against them is the minister of God but he which without any publike administratiō or office murdereth or maimeth any wicked theefe sacrilegious adulterous or periured person or any other offender shall be iudged as an homicide and so much the more sharply in that he feared not to abuse vsurpe the power not graunted him of God and truly this City woulde take it much more greuously if any priuate man should attempt to punish an offēder set vp a gallowes in the streate and there hang him then if one man should kill another in brawle or quarell They alledged also other textes of S. Ambrose S. Hierome agreeable to y◠same They said that no mā doubteth that the law of God is duly holily appointed and therein is simply writtē thou shalt not steale And notwtstanding by the commandement of God the childrē of Israell caried away the goods of the Egyptians which they had borowed of thē Also in the same law it is plainely writtē thou shalt do no murther Wherupon S. Austen in his first booke De Ciuitate Dei proueth that it is not lawful for any mā to kill himselfe and whē as he maketh example of Sampson he answereth with these words when as God commandeth doth affirme himselfe to command wythout any doubt who is he that will call obedience sinne or who will accuse the obedience to God Here in this proposition you haue the words of S. Austen for an answer But let euery man well foresee if God do commaund or that he do intimate the commandemēt without any circumstances and let him proue the spirites whether they be of God But in suche cases there are no lawes to be geuen neither are they much to be talked of for therby there should easely occasiō rise to make seditiō for the inferiours to rise against the superiours For whē any man had stollen any thing or killed any mā he would say that he was moued thereunto by the spirite of God but without manifest proofe therof he should be punished Againe they sayd that there were certaine cases wherein the Laity had power ouer the Clergy It was answered that there were certaine cases in the law wherein the Laity hath power ouer the Cleargy and oftentimes ouer Cardinals For if the Pope being dead the Cardinals would not enter that Cōclaue to elect a new Pope the king prince or other Lord or secular power may compel them but in these cases he is now no priuate person but vseth his iurisdiction by the authority of the law The like is to be vnderstand of all other cases expressed in the law They said further that no common law hath any right or iustice except Gods law do allow the same It was answered that no common law hath right or iustice if it be against the law of God for because the law of God is the rule of all other lawes But there is great cūning and knowledge in applieng the rule to that which is made by the rule for oftentimes it seemeth that there is diuersitie in the thing made by the rule when there is none in deede but the default is in the applieng because the rule is not duely applied to the thing made by it As touching the Article of preaching the word of God it was moued that oftentimes some Prelates thorough their owne enuie and malice without any reasonable cause do inhibite a good and meete Preacher that preacheth Catholickely and well Aunswer was made how that they vnderstood well inough that the abuse of certaine Prelates which did inordinately behaue themselues gaue a great occasion of those troubles Also that they neuer heard of any such cōplaints in those parties but that the Prelates do fauour good preachers and stirre them vp to preach by intreaty fauour promotiō In al such cases there are remedies already prouided by the law for when any mā is so prohibited to vse his right he hath remedy to appeale and if he do trust his appeale to be iust he may vse his right all violēce both of the spirituall and secular power set apart for the end of the matter shall declare if he had iust cause to appeale Then shal be declared that the superiour hath done euill in prohibiting the pleantiue iustly in doyng and the superiour for his vniust prohibition shal be punished But if he be iustly prohibited and that through his temeritie he do cōtemne the iust cōmaundement of his superiour he is worthy to be punished with condigne punishment Where it was moued cōcerning the third Article whether it were lawfull for the Ecclesiasticall Prelates to exercise in their proper person the actes of secular dominiō hereunto it was aunswered that if by this word actes of secular dominion are vnderstand actes whiche a secular Lord may do or exercise then is it to be sayd that a Prelate may lawfully exercise some such actes in his proper person as to sell to paune or pledge to infeofe by maner and forme ordeined by law but there are some actes which it is not lawfull for them to exercise in their proper person but ought to haue afterward a Uicegerent or Proctor to doe the same whereupon there is prohition made in the law in the Rubrike Ne clerus vel Monachus secularibus negotijs se immisceat in alijs rebus It was also moued whether that coactiue power whiche ought to be exercised by a Steward c. be in the handes of an Ecclesiasticall Prelate Whereunto Iohn Polomair aūswered that this question presupposeth an other wherof there are diuers opinions amōgest the Doctours in whose power the dominion of the Church should be and furthermore whether the actiōs be in the person of the tutor or proctor or if they be not in their person notwithstandyng by the constitutiō of any actor or proctor whose exercising of those actions do geue authoritie vnto the actor or proctor they be with other difficulties whereof it is not needefull to speake at this present But for somuch as he was vrged to say his opinion he sayd that to such as had either leysure or pleasure in disputation would argue agaynst him he would be cōtēted to geue the choise to
done in the premisses at the day and place aforesayd or that he which hath so executed our commaundement do so certifie vs by his letters Dated at our Manour of Lambeth the xxij day of October an 1457 and in the 4. yeare of our translation This citation being directed the Byshop vpon the sūmon thereof was brought or rather came before the iudges and Bishops vnto Lambeth where the foresaid Thomas the Archbishop with his doctors and Lawyers were gathered together in the Archbishops Court. In which conuention also the Duke of Buckingham was present accōpanyed with the Bishop of Rochester and of Lyncolne What were the opiniōs and articles agaynst him obiected after in his reuocatiou shall be specified In his answering for himselfe in such a company of the Popes frendes albeit he coulde not preuayle notwithstanding he stoutly defending himselfe declared many thinges worthye great commendation of learning if learning agaynste power coulde haue preuayled But they on the contrary part with all labor and trauel extended themselues either to reduce him or els to cōfound him As here lacked no blustring wordes of terrour and threatning so also many fayre flattering wordes and gentle persuasions were admixt with al. Briefely to make a short narration of a long and busy trauers here was no stone lefte vnturned no wayes vnprooued eyther by fayre meanes to entreat him or by terrible manasses to terrifye his mind till at the length he being vanquished and ouercome by the bishops began to faynt and gaue ouer Wherupon by by a recantation was put vnto him by the Byshops which he should declare before the people The copy of which his recantation here foloweth ¶ The forme and maner of the retractation of Reynold Pecocke IN the name of God Amen Before you the most reuered Father in Christ and Lorde the Lorde Thomas by the grace of God Archbishop of Canterbury priuate of England and Legate of the Apostolicke sea I Reynolde Pecock vnworthy Bishop of Chichester do purely willyngly simply and absolutely cōfesse and acknowledge that I in times past that is to say by the space of these 20. yeares last past and more haue otherwise conceiued holdē taught and written as touching the Sacramentes and the Articles of the fayth then the holy Church of Rome and vniuersall Church and also that I haue made written published and set forth many diuers pernitious doctrines bookes workes writings heresyes contrary and agaynst the true Catholicke and Apostolicke fayth contayning in them errours cōtrary to the Catholicke fayth especially these errours and heresies here vnder written 1. First of all that we are not bounde by the necessitye of fayth to beleue that our Lord Iesus Christ after his death descended into hell 2. Item that it is not necessarye to saluation to beleeue in the holy Catholicke Church 3. Item that it is not necessary to saluation to beleue the communion of Sayntes 4. Item that it is not necessary to saluation to affirme the body materially in the Sacrament 5. Item that the vniuersall Churche may erre in matters which perteyne vnto fayth 6. Item that it is not necessary vnto saluation to beleue that that which euery generall Councell doth vniuersally ordeine approue or determine should necessaryly for the helpe of our fayth and the saluation of soules be approued and holden of all faythfull Christians Wherfore I Reynold Pecocke wretched sinner which haue long walked in darckenesse and now by the merciful disposition and ordinaunce of God am reduced brought agayne vnto the light and way of truth and restored vnto the vnity of our holy mother the Church renoūce and forsake all errors and heresyes aforesayd Notwithstanding godly reader it is not to be beleued that Pecocke did so geue ouer these opinions howsoeuer the wordes of the recantation pretend For it is a pollicy play of the bishops that when they do subdue or ouercome any mā they cary him whither they list as it were a yoūg Stere by the nose and frame out his words for him before hand as it were for a Parate what he should speake vnto the people not according to his owne will but after theyr lust and fantasy Neither is it to be doubted but that thys Bishop repented him afterward of his recantation which may easely be iudged hereby because he was committed agayn into prison deteined captiue where as it is vncertaine whether he was oppressed with priuy and secret tyranny and there obteined the crown of Martyrdom or no. The Dictionary of Thomas Gascoigne I haue not in my handes present But if credite be to be geuen to such as haue to vs alledged the booke this we may finde in the 8. Century of Iohn Bale chapter 19. that the sayd Thomas Gascoigne in his third part of his sayd dictionary writing of Reinold Pecocke maketh declaration of his articles cōteining in them matter of sore heresy First saith he Reynold Pecock at Paules crosse preached openly that the office of a Christen Prelate chiefly aboue all other things is to preach the word of God That mans reason is not to be preferred before the Scriptures of the old and new Testament That the vse of Sacraments as they be now handled is worse then the vse of the lawe of nature That Byshops which buy theyr admissions of the Bishop of Rome do sinne That no man is bound to beleue and obey the determination of the Churche of Rome Also that the riches of Bishops by inheritage are the goods of the poore Item that the Apostles themselues personally were not the makers of the Creed that in the same Creede once was not the Article he went downe to hell Item that of the foure senses of the Scripture none is to be taken but the very first and proper sense Also that he gaue litle estimation in some poyntes to the authority of the olde Doctors Item that he condemned the wilfull begging of the Friers as a thing idle and needles This out of Thomas Gascoigne Leland also adding this moreouer sayth that he not contented to folow the Catholicke sentence of the Churche in interpreting of the Scripture did not thinke soundly as he iudged it of the holy Eucharist At length for these and suche other Articles the sayde Reynold Pecocke was condemned for an hereticke by the Archbishops and Bishops of Rosse Lyncolne and Winchester with other diuines moe Wherupon he being driuē to his recantation was notwithstanding deteyned still in prison Where some say that he was priuily made away by death Halle addeth that some say his opinions to bee that spirituall persons by Gods lawe ought to haue no temporall possessions Other write that he sayde that personall tithes were not due by Gods lawe But whatsoeuer the cause was he was caused at Paules Crosse to abiure and all his bookes brent and he himselfe kepte in his owne house during his naturall life I maruell that Polydore of this extremity of
maruell considering that he had slaine his brother Theodosius before at home moreouer liued in incestious matrimony also being inclined to certayne new sects could not abide the coÌ„trary teachers but slew theÌ„ which admonished him thereof The sayd Constans going afterward to Italy was also ouercome of the Lumbardes c. the Saracens after this victory spoyled also Rhodes Although these cursed Saracens in these theyr greate victories conquests were not without domesticall seditions and deuisions among themselues yet the princes of the Saracens being called then Sultans had in theyr possession the gouernment of Syria Egypt Affrike of a great part of Asia about the terme of 400. yeares till at length the Saracen king which ruled in Persia fighting agaynst the Saracene of Babilon sought ayde of the Turkes to fight with him agaynst the Sultane of Babilon The which Turks by litle and litle surprised vpoÌ„ the Sultan of Persia not long after putting him out of place vsurped the king dome of Persia which afterward went further as ye shall heare the Lord willing And this is the first beginning of the Turkes dominion These Turkes after they had thus ouercome great couÌ„tryes and prouinces and made their power large mighty both in Asia and Europa begaÌ„ to deuide theyr kingdoÌ„es countryes amongest themselues But when they coulde not agree but with deadly war contended for the boundes of those kingdomes and dominions in the meane tyme 4. of the principall families conquering and subduing all the rest parted the whole Empyre amongst theÌ„selues And yet they also not so contented fell to such cruell hatred conteÌ„tion warre and slaughter no doubt by the iust iudgement of God against his blasphemous enemies that there was no end thereof vntill the remnant of the auncient Turkes was vtterly rooted out For it is euident that there are fewe nowe remayning which are Turkes in deed by birth and bloud and that the state of that great empyre is not upholdeÌ„ but by the strength anâ— power of souldyors which haue bene Christians and now are turned to Mahumetes Religion so that euen theyr owne naturall language is now out of vse amongest them sauing in certayne families of theyr nobility and geÌ„tlemen These foure familyes aboue mentioned with theyr Captaynes and armyes about the yeare of our Lorde 1330 went raging throughout all Asia and Europa and euery one of them conquered some parte of the countryes where they passed The causes of these great inuasioÌ„s and victoryes were the dissention and discorde falsehoode idlenesse vnconstancy greedy auarice lacke of trueth and fidelity among Christian men of al states and degrees both high and low For by the wilfull defection and backesliding of the Christians the Turkish power did exceedingly encrease in that many â—rsiring the licentious life liberty of war allured with the prosperous successe of thynges forsooke the Churche of God and made themselues bond slaues to Mahumet and his deuilish sect bâ—th because that fleshly liberty is delighting to all men and partly also because as fortune fauoreth so commonly the willes of men enclyne And agayne suche as be prophane and without the feare of God whereof there is an infinite number in the Church in all ages are wont commonlye to iudge of Religion according to the successe of realmes and kingdomes For if any not onelye for the variety of opinions but also for the diuersitye of euentes and fortune amongest men haue inquired and doe inquire whether there be any Churche of God distyncte from other nations what it is and where it is especially for so muche as the greatest part of men bothe in the olde time when as the foure Monarchyes flourished in order was ignoraunt of this doctrine whiche is peculier to the Churche alone and nowe also the barbarity of Mahumet preuayleth raigneth in the moste part of the worlde And how standeth this with mans reason that a small number both miserable and also feebled and broken with manye battayles shoulde be regarded and loued of God and the other flourishing in all wealth prosperity victoryes authority and power should be reiected and despised of God seing there is no power and authoritye but by the ordynaunce of God Albeit therefore the power of the Turkes hath bene for these two hundreth yeares of greater force then any other Monarchy of the world besides yet is there no Imperiall dignity to be estemed in that Turkish tyraÌ„ny but amongest those nations onely where the heauenly doctrine of the Gospell is preached other disciplines necessary for the Churche of God the common life of man mayntayned and regarded where the lawes of God other honest and ciuil ordinaunces agreable to the same doe flourish and reigne where lawful iudgement is exercised where vertue is honoured and rewarded where sinne and wickednes is punished where honest familyes are mayntayned and defended These thinges are not regarded amongest the Turkes the enemies of the sonne of God and all lawfull Empyres because they dissolue and reiect all godly focietyes honest discipline good lawes policyes righteous iudgemeÌ„ts the ordinaunce of matrimony and godly familyes For what hath the Empyre of the Turkes bene hetherto but moste deadly cruell and perpetuall warre to worke all mischief destruction and desolation to subuert good lawes Cityes kingdomes policies and to enlarge theyr cruell power dominion The stay and strength whereof is not loue and fauour proceeding of vertue and iustice as in lawefull and well gouerned Empyres but feare violence oppression swarmes and infinite thousandes of barbarous and most wicked people ministers of Satans malice fury Whiche kinde of dominion and tyranny hath bene condeÌ„ned by the voyce of God many yeares agoe the â—â—stimonyes wherof the Lord would haue to remayne in the Church least the godly being moued with the power successe therof should fall away and forsake the sonne of God Wherefore let vs not seâ—ke for any Imperiall state in that barbarity but let vs be thankefull acknowledge the great benefite of God for that he hath reserued to vs certayne remnaunts of the Romayn Empyre And let vs call vpon him dayly with harty petitions and grones wyth zeale and loue to the house of God that this Turkish power ioined with the malice of Sathan against the sonne of God preuayle not agaynst the poore congregations litle remnant of his Churche as it hath hitherto done agaynste those strong and noble christian kingdoms and churches were now we see the Turkish tyranny to raigne SathaÌ„ to haue taken full possession Whose state was once farre better then ours is now and more like to continue without such horrible ouerthrowes and desolation Oh that we might foresee a litle the great daunger that hangeth ouer our heades For though the Turke semeth to be farre of yet doe we nourishe within our brestes at home that maye soone cause vs to feele his cruell hand and worse if worse may be
the yeare abouesaid 1375. Although touching the precise points of yeares and times it is not for vs greatly to be exquisite therein but yet where diligence and studious meditation may helpe to knowledge I would not wish negligence to be a pretence to ignorāce And thus much for the times of Antiochus and his felowes Now what cruelty this Antiochus exercised against the people of God it is manifest in the history of the Machabees where we reade that this Antiochus in the eight yeare of his reigne in his second comming to Hierusalem first gaue forth in commaundement that all the Iewes should relinquish the law of Moses and worship the Idole of Iupiter Olimpius which he set vp in the temple of Hierusalem The bookes of Moses and of the Prophetes he burned He set garrisons of souldiours to warde the Idole In the Citie of Hierusalem he caused the feastes and reuels of Bacchus to be kept full of all filthe and wickednes Olde men women and virgines such as woulde not leaue the lawe of Moses with cruell tormentes he murthered The mothers that would not circumcise theyr children he slue The children that were circumcised hee hanged vp by the neckes The temple he spoiled wasted The aultar of God and candlesticke of gold with the other ornaments and furniture of the temple partly he cast out partly be caried away Contrary to the lawe of God he caused them to offer and to eate Swines fleshe Great murther and slaughter he made of the people causing thē either to leaue their lawe or to lose their liues Among whome besides many other with cruell tormentes he put to death a godly mother with her vij sonnes sending hys cruell proclamations through all the land that whosoeuer kept the obseruauncies of the Sabboth and other rites of the lawe and refused to cōdescend to his abhominations should be executed By reason whereof the Citie of Hierusalem was left voide and desolate of all good mē but there was a great nūber that were contented to follow obey his Idolatrous proceedings and to flatter with the king became enemies vnto ther brethren Briefly no kind of calamity nor face of miserie could be shewed in any place which was not there sene Of the tiranny of this Antiochus it is historied at large in the book of Machabees And Daniell prophesieng before of the same declareth that the people of the Iewes deserued no lesse for their sins and transgressions By consent of all writers this Antiochus beareth a figure of the great Antichrist which was to folow in the latter end of the world and is already come worketh what he can agaynst vs Although as S. Iohn sayth there haue bene and be many Antichristes as parts and members of the body of Antichrist which are forerūners yet to speake of the head principall Antichrist great enemy of Christs Church he is to come in the latter end of the world at what tyme shall be such tribulation as neuer was sene before Whereby is ment no doubt the Turke prefigured by this Antiochus By this Antichrist I do also meane all such which followyng the same doctrine of the Turkes thinke to be saued by their workes and demerites not by their fayth onely in the sonne of God of what title and professiō els soeuer they be especially if they vse the like force violence for the same as he doth c. Of the tyranny of this Antiochus aforesayd and of the tribulations of the Church in the latter tymes both of the Iewes Church and also of the Christian Church to come let vs beare consider the words of Daniell in xj chap. also in his vij chap. Prophecying of y◠same as foloweth He shall returne and freat agaynst the holy couenaunt so shall he do he shall euen returne and haue intelligence with them that forsake the holy couenaunt And armes shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the Sanctuary of strength and shall take away the dayly sacrifice and they shall set vp the abhominable desolation And such as wickedly breake the couenaunt shall flatter with him deceitfully but the people that doe know their God shall preuayle and prosper And they that vnderstand among the people shall instruct many yet they shall fall by sword and by flame by captiuitie and by spoyle many dayes Now when they shall fall they shal be holpen with a little helpe but many shall cleane vnto them faynedly And some of them of vnderstandyng shall fall to be tryed and to be purged and to make them white till the tyme be out for there is a tyme appointed And the kyng shall doe what him lyst he shall exalte himselfe and magnifie himselfe agaynst all that is God and shall speake marueilous thynges agaynst the God of Gods and shall prospere till the wrath be accomplished for the determination is made Neither shall he regard the God of his Fathers nor the desires of womē nor care for any God for he shall magnifie himselfe aboue all But in his place shall he honour the God Mauzzim and the God whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold and with siluer and with precious stones and pleasaunt thynges Thus shall he doe in the holdes of Mauzzim with a straunge God whom he shall acknowledge he shall increase his glory and shall cause them to rule ouer many and shall diuide the land for gayne And at the end of tyme shall the kyng of the South push at him and the kyng of the North shall come agaynst hym lyke a whirle wynde with charets and with horsemen and with many shyppes and he shall enter into the countreys and shall ouerflow and passe thorough He shall enter also into the pleasaunt land and many countreys shal be ouerthrowen but these shall escape out of his hand euen Edom and Moab and the chief of the children of Ammon He shall stretch for his handes also vppon the countreys and the land of Egypt shall not escape But he shal haue power ouer the treasures of gold and of siluer ouer al the precious thynges of Egypt and of the Libians and of the blacke Mores where he shall passe But the tydynges out of the East and the North shall trouble him therfore he shall go forth with great wrath to destroy and roote out many And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace betweene the Seas in the glorious holy mountaine yet he shall come to his end and none shall help him To this place of Daniell aboue prefixed might also be added the Prophesie of the said Daniell written in the vij chapter and much tending to the like effect where he intreating of his vision of foure beastes whiche signifie the foure Monarchies and speaking now of the fourth Monarchie hath these words After this I saw in the visions by night and behold the fourth beast was grimme and horrible and maruelous strong It had great yron
the obiection before moued Ex Concil Calced cap. 28. Certayne demaundes for the Papistes to answere vnto An argument prouing the Popes of this latter Church of Rome not to be successours of Peter A false consequent of the Papistes Aunswere to this consequent Succession Apostolicall double wise to be considered Testimonies alledged for the principalitie of the Pope Aunswere by a distinction Caput and Princeps haue a double vnderstanding How Peter is Princeps Apostolorum Princeps eloqueÌ„tiae Cicero Princeps Philosophorum Cratippus Petrus Princeps Coryphaeus Apostolorum Causes 13. of aduauncing the sea of Rome This latter Church of Rome differing from the first Church of Rome in forme of gouernement Howe the Church of Christ ought to be gouerned Preposterous gouernement of the Church by the pope A comparisoÌ„ betwene the kingdom of this world and the kingdome of the Pope Seculer Nobillitie compared with ecclesiasticall Nobâ—lâ—tie Ciuile Magistrates coâ—pared with Ecclesiasticall Officers of the temperall court compared with the officers of the spirâ—tuall Court Glory coÌ„pared Power coÌ„pared Richâ—s compared Subtletie compared The difference betweene the Popes regiment and the order of the primitiue Church 2. Cor. 10. Ephes. 6. 1. Tim. 1. The armour proper to Churchmen Horrible abuse of excommunication in the Popes Church The Popes gouerning in matters to them not pertayning The corrupt doctrine of the Popes Church examined and detected The false image of the Popes Church No comfort nor saluation in the Popes doctrine now taught The scope and summe of the Pope doctrine whether it tendeth Papistes neuer lightly afflicted in conscience deepely An horrible thing to thinke of God without Christ. Luther The right fayth of the olde Romanes Cornelius a Romane first baptised of all the Gentiles The church of Rome hath lost the liquor wherewith it was first seasoned The Galathians almost gone froÌ„ fayth in Sainct Paules time 1. Tim. 4. A briefe suÌ„me of S. Paules doctrine deliuered to the Gentiles Saluation by mercy onely and not by merites All fleshe concluded vnder sinne Difference betweene the law and the gospell Iusticia dei Iusticia propria The righteousnesse of God and the righteousnes of man howe they differ in Scripture A true christian knoweth nothing but Christ crucified All men condemned by one All men saued by one Originall sinne originall iustice Rom. 5. Ephes. 2. Itaque iam non es seruus sed filius Gal. 4. Heb. 4. 1. Cor. 3. The glorious state of Christian libertie and spirituall freedome in Christ Iesu. Gal. 4. Colos. 2. Dayes and tymes indifferent Meates indifferent with thaÌ„ksgeuing Mariage lawfull for all men One sacrifice for sinne no more Heb. 9. The vse of the holye communion in auncient tyme of the primitiue church No mo Sacramentes mentioned in S. Paule but the Lordes supper and baptisme The authoritie and office of the ciuill Magistrates The office and aucthoritie of Byshops how farre it doth extend An other brief recapitulation of S. Paules doctrine reduced to fiue poynts Iohn 3. The great mercy of God in Christ. Rom. 5. 2. Cor. 5. Ephes. 2. Rom. 4. Tit. 3. The glory and Maiestye of Christ Iesus set forth in Sainct Paule Ephes. 4. Phil. 2. Colos. 1. Iohn 5. Iohn 13. Iohn 17. Math. vlt. 2. Cor. 1. The 3. braunch The vertue and effect of Christs death and what exceeding benefites proceede thereof Ephes. 1. Esay 53. Collos. 1. Rom. 5. 2. Timo. 1. Heb. 2. Rom. 5. Gal. 3. Ephes. 2. 1. Iohn 2. 2. Cor. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Ephes 3. Collos. 2. Rom. 4. Colos. 2. The fourth braunch Fayth onely the meane cause of saluation and nothing els Phil. 3. The righteousnes of the law The righteousnesse of the gospell Rom. 9. The places of S. Paul Rom. 3. expounded Rom. 3. The righteousnesse of fayth why it is called Gods righteousnes Rom. 3. A lesson out of S. Paules doctrine of all Christians to be obserued Rom. 9. Act. 10. Saluation commeth onely by fayth Math. 16. Luke 19. Luc. 7. Luc. 23. Luc. 28. That which is lost by the law is recouered by fayth Luc. 18. Math. 9. Iohn 14. Iohn 14. Iohn 15. Iohn 6. Act. 26. Act. 10. Mat. vlt. Iohn 14. The writinges of S. Paule full of the name of Christ Iesus Belief onely in Christ saueth Act. 16. The personall cause of saluation The instrumentall cause How fayth iustifieth Christ the onely obiect of faith which iustifieth Example of the brason Serpent What fayth is by Sainct Paule Rom. 10. Faith onely Diuers sorts of beleuing The Turkes fayth The Iewes fayth Euery truth may be beleued but the beleuing of euery trueth saueth not The Papists fayth Onely Hope and charitie be no partes of our iustification nor causes to make the merites of Christ ours The causes of our saluation distincted The causes of our saluation distincted Grace and mercy Election Vocation Christes passion Christian fayth The meaning and cause why fayth onely iustifieth All workes of man excluded from the glory of iustifiyng Ephes. 2. Tit. 3. 2. Timot. 1 Gal. 2. Rom. 4. The exclusiues and negatiues of S. Paule to be marked The fift braunch The true vse and end of good workes Good workes iustifie not but follow the iustified Luke 17. Fayth iustifieth three manner of wayes The office of fayth and the office of the law compared together The workes of man be imparfect and therefore haue nothing to doe with iustification Gal. 2. Deffection of fayth in the Church of Rome A vew of the Popes Catholicke Church The Church of Rome degenerated agayne almost to new paganisme The Popes Church onely in wordes Catholicke in deed heathenish The Religion of the Popes Church proceedeth contrary to the working of the holy Ghost The Church of Rome pretentendeth a fayre face of Religion but is voyd of the efâ—ect therof The old Phariseis and the latter Church of Romanes compared together The Popes Church vnder the name of the Catholicke Church persecuteth the true Catholicke Church of Christ. Contayne generall principles and rules gathered of the scriptures Gene 3. Gen. 12. Deut. 4. Leuit. 18. Gal. 3. Deut. 27. Gal. 3. Deut. 6. Luc. 4. Esay 64. Esay 11.65 Osee. 6. 1. Reg. 15. Rom. 3. Rom. 10. Math. vlt. Gal. 2. Ephes. 2. Heb. 9. Rom. 14. Heb. 11. 1. Tim. 1. 1. Iohn 2. Gal. 5. 2. Cor. 1. Rom. 13. The errours hereâ—ies and absurdities in the popes doctrine The meanes of applying Christes merites vnto vs by the Popes doctrine The taking away of this Article of fayth onely to iustifie is the roote of great inconuenience in Christes Church No heresie to be coÌ„pared to the heresie of Papistes The first inconuenieÌ„ce No condition limitted of God to man for saluation but one Hieroni. in Epist. ad Gal. cap. 1. The 2. incoÌ„uenience What hurt commeth into the Church by taking away the Article of iustification The third inconuenience Obiection of the Papistes aunswered The Papistes doe teach the mercye of God to be vncertayne Mercy of God made certayne by
hys owne promises Saluation standeth sure and certayne by Gods promise The place of S. Paule Rom. 4. expounded The 4. inconuenience The 4. principle aboue recited broken Ex Lindano in Epitome doctrinae Euangelicae The first errour of the Papistes touching good workes Hosius in 2. tom confessionis Cap. 1. The second errour of the Papistes in the doctrine of good workes Fayth the roote and cause of good workes Workes are not to be called good but by reason of fayth The office of fayth to iustifie The effect of fayth to bring forth good workes Fides per dilectioneÌ„ operans Gal. 5. The 3. errour of the Papistes touching the end of the law good works The end of the law and good workes peruerted Thom. Aquinas Hosius in 2. tom conses Cap. 1. The diuers opinions of their Catholicke Papistes how faith iustifieth The Popes doctrine agaynst the principles of Scripture The 4. errour of the Papistes touching the imperfection of man in satisfiyng the perfection of the law Agaynst the pâ—inciples of Scripture Precepteâ— and Counsayles Workes of supererogation Mens traditions preferred before the workes of Gods law Agaynst the principle of Scripture Erroneous doctrine of the latter Church of Rome concerning 〈◊〉 Original sinne 〈◊〉 it is Fomes peccati Concupiscentia Original sinne â—â—â—nuated False doctrine of the latter Church of Rome touching penaunce Contrition Confession Satisfaction True doctrine of repentaunce by the scripture Partes of repentance 1. Contrition 2. Fayth 3. New obedience The blinde ignoraunce of the popes Church in not distincting the law from the Gospel A Babilonicall confusion in the Popes doctrine What difference the Papistes put betwene Moses and Christ. Papistes make the Gospell a new law Papistes deuide the law into the law of nature the law of Moses and the lawe of Christ. The Popes Churche blinde in the office of Christ. The time of the law and time of the Gospell distincted Malediction of the law ceaseth in Christ. The vse of the law remayneth Christ and the law can not raygne together Ephes. 4. The power of the law is for a time The power of Christ is eternall Rom. 8. Colos. 2. The malediction of the law geueth place to Christ. The curse of the law is crucified and shall neuer rise agayne Rom. 7. Rom. 6. To be vnder the law and vnder grace expounded What is to be vnder grace Psal. 31. Act. 10. One remedy for remission of sins and no more Auriculer confession no remedy for remission of sinnes Remission of sinnes standeth vpon a generall cause and not particular The law crucifieâ— by Christ. 〈◊〉 meaneth Obiection Aunsâ—â—â— The cause of remission eueâ— one and perpetuall The promise of remission euer perpetuall Remission of sinnes freely promised without limitation of time or number The meanes whereby remission is promised is onely fayth The wordes of promise free and absolute Act. 10. Mans infirmitie impayreth not the grace of Christ but augmenteth it 2. Cor. 12. Rom. 5. Foure thinges concurre in remissioÌ„ of sinnes The Popes errours touching remission of sinnes detected What inconuenience riseth for Jacke of distinction betweene the law and the Gospell Erroneous doctrine of the papistes concerning free will Meritum de congruo Meritum de incongruo False doctrine concerning inuocation Mediator of intercession Mediator of saluation Christ a continuall Mediator by the doctrine of S. Paule Rom. 8. Christ onely being our Mediator of saluation what needeth any other Mediation of Sainctes Saluation falsely attributed to the blessed Virgine Idolatrous adoration of Reliques and Sacramentes Prophanation of the Lordes Supper False mâ—lting by Masses False doctrine touching Sacramentes The number Caâ—â—e finall The operation The application of Sacramentâ— Errours and abuses in Baptisme Baptising of Belles False doctrine of the Popes Churche concerning the Lordes Supper Idolatry coÌ„mitted to the Sacrament The Sacrament turned to an Idole ChauÌ„ging Worshiping Offering Eating Burning the body of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar Absurdities and errours of the popes Churche touching Matrimony 1. Cor. 7. 1. Tim. 3. 1. Tim. 4. Leuit. 18. Single life be it neuer so impure preferred before Matrimony The third part of christendome stopt by the Popes law to marry the Popes doctrine agaynst Priestes maryage and their Children The third part of the yeare exempted froÌ„ the mariage Mariage within the fift or sixt degree by the Popes law Gossippes inhibited to marry by the Popes law What inconueniences come by restrayning of mariage The corrupt doctrine of the Popes Churche concerning ciuile rulers and magistrates Rom. 13. The Phantasies and Antiques of the popes Churche concerning Purgatory Ex Thom. Mono alijs Manifest defection of the Popes Church from the olde fayth of Rome Contrarietie betweene the Religion of Christ and of the Pope briefly noted Christes doctrine is wholly spirituall No outward thing is required in Christes doctrine to make a Christen man but onely Baptisme and the Lordes Supper All doctrine of the Pope standeth onely in outward things A Christen man defined after the Popes doctrine Corporall exercise serueth to small profite Two thinges in this history chiefly to be noted The world The kingdome of Christ in this world The visible Church The Church of Christ deuided in two sortes of people Euseb. Lib. 1. cap. 1. Gods punishment for refusing the Gospel Tiberius Casar moueth the Senate to haue Christ receaued Christ refused of the Senate of Rome The vayne cause why the Senate of Rome refused Christ. Tertul. Apol. cap. 5. Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 3. The Senate and Citie of Rome plagued for refusing of Christ. Ex Suet. in vitae Tiberij Christ suffereth and riseth agayne An. 34. Sainct Paul conuerted An. 35. An. 39. Caesar. Caligula Caligula commaunded hys image to be set vp in the Temple of Hierusalem The abhomination of desolation standing in the holye place Herode miserably dyed in banishment Gayphas deposed An. 43. Ex Gotfrido Viterbiensi part 25 Claudius Nero. An. 56. Domitius Nero. The horrible wickednes and crueltie of Nero. Peter and Paule suffered for Christ. An. 69. Vespasian Emperour and Titus his sonne The destruction of the Iewes A note for all Realmes to marke The Romanes in contemning Christ punished by their owne Emperours Examples of the 〈◊〉 plague of God vpon the Romaine Emperours persecuting and resisting Christ till the time of Constantine Tiberius 〈…〉 Neâ—â— Galbe Ottho Vitelius Titus Domitian Commedus Pertinax Iulianas Seueras Gera. Bassianus Macrinus Deadâ—nerus Helagabâ—lus Alexande Seuerus Maximinus Maximus Barbinus Gordianus Philippus Decius Gallus Volusianus Aemilianus Varelianus Galienus Aurelianus Tacitus Florinus Probus Carus Dioclesianus Maximianus Galerius Maximinus Maxentius Licinius Brittaines Gildas Wickliefe and hys bookes condemned and brent for an heriticke after hys death Gods benefites toward England A caueat for England S. Steuen the first ring leader of all Christes Martyrs S Iames the Apostle brother of Iohn Martyred Act. 12. Hist. Eccle. lib. 2. cap. 9. Ex clemente Septimae Hypolyposeon A notable conuersion of a
it giueth to the church Peter not the cause of Ananias death Actes 3. Ioh. 1â— Like a pulled Heâ—â—e Math. 16. The Popes vsurped power falâ—â— founded vpon scriptures Dist. 9. â—â— Iâ—a Demâ—nus â—â—cter The place of Christ geâ—â—ng the keyes to Peter Mat. 16 â—â—tly expounded Math. 18. Iohn 20. Christ oneâ—â— the head of the church 1. Cor. 3. Galat. 2. Aâ—â—s â— The thirde errour Other Apostles had the power to bynd and to loose as Peter had Actes 2. Romans 1. Peter ruled 3. Churches Actes 1. Actes 2. Acts 3.4.5 Peter gouerned the Church at Ierusalem 4. years before he gouerned Antioche Galatians 2. The keyes of Christes kyngdome Absolution Three things required in popish absolution Contrition Confession Satisfaction Two things required on his part that geueth popish absolution Deâ—ret de â—oenitenâ—â—â— Iohn 3. Iohn 5. Math. 25. The saintes shal iudge with Christ. Corinth 4. Iohn 20. The ministeriall power to remit sin belongeth as well to one priest as to an other The keyes of the kingdome of heauen The keyes mistaken in the Pope Chanonâ— Fayth and hope be the keyes of heauen 2 Cor. 15. Iohn 12. Children departing before baptismâ—â— condemned Auriculer confession Iames 5. Deâ—eni◠〈◊〉 cap. multiplex misericordia dei 〈◊〉 53. Iohn 1. Confession â—â—to God â—â—ticular confession â—â—truely â—â—ounded â—â—on the â—â—pture â—â—ke 17. The autors of the Canon law reproued Iohn 3. Luke 5. The story of the leapers expounded to make â—othing for â—uticular confession The clensing of the leprey the clensing of the priest in auricâ—â— lar confession agree not The popes power in absoluing from sinnes not founded in scripture The pope can absolue none from punishment The pope in his pardons deceaueth men 3. maner of wayes The pope promising pardons for sinne induceth men to sinne in simony Deadly sinne and debte The pope saith he can remitte the debte to God And yet can not remitte the debte to maÌ„ The pope harder to pardon a priest leauing his matters vnsaid then for breaking the commaundemeÌ„t of God Absolution to be sought at the handes of God onely Ex regist latÃno Episc. Herford Notes Examples declaring what warres hath bene stirred vp by popes Iohn 6. Galath â— Iustification by fayth and not by the law Rom. 5. Iohn 6. True eating of Christ is true beleuing in him Eating of the flesh of Christ what it is Math. 26. Luke 22. This is my body expouÌ„ded Note well gentle Reader Bread by similitude Bread substantially and the body Sacramentally The bread which the Lord gaue entreth not into the bodies but the body which he gaue entreth into the mindes of the disciples Paule calleth it materiall bread Note reader The vayne prayer of the priestes at their Masse The people greatly deceued in the sacrameÌ„t The priestes seeke their owne honor in their transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ Marke here ye good priestes The makers of the Canon law contrary to theÌ„selues De consec 2. cap. Prima quidem inquit De consec dist 2 cap. Omnia quaecunque voluit Contrarietie in the popes Canons De consecrat dist 2. cap. Ego Berengarius The recantation of Berengarius is hereticall The Sacrament left by the priestes negligence to be eateÌ„ of a mouse returneth againe from body to bread Whether externall signes in a priest be the signe of Antichrist or els be grounded vpon Christ. Three orders or sortes of priestes 1. Aaronicall 2 Eternall 3. Christian. Leuiticall priestes deuided from the people by kindred office and inheritance The priesthoode of Christ differeth from the Leuiticall priesthoode how and wherein 1. In kindrede 2. In othe taking 3. In durabilitie 4. In maâ—â—â— of 〈◊〉 5. In place of sacrificing The law bringeth none to perfection The priesthoode of Christ differeth from all other priesthood The third priesthoode The name of Sacerdos or priest not vsed in the new Testament of Christ. The fourthe priesthoode which is the Romane priesthoode The office of priestes after the popes order The body of Christ not left to be a sacrifice for sinne but onely for a Sacrament How the memoriall of the sacrament came to the realtie of the sacrifice it selfe The order and office of prayer The Lordes prayer Math. 6. The aâ—tes of Necromancie Southsaying with craftes how froÌ„ whoÌ„ they came Against exorcising of Priestes Coniuring or halowing in the popish church Holy water coniured Exorcistae The absurditie abhominatioÌ„ in the popish exorcismes detected Where was the popes holy water then in the great pestilence in the tyme of K. Edward 3. Iames. 4. Remish coniurers The good lyfe of a priest a great matter to deale in Gods matters The prayer of a vitious priest little anay leth before God Remembraunce of Christes passion needeth not to God but to man Priestes more bound to lay Masse coÌ„maded by man then to preaching commaÌ„ded of God Spirituall fornication Ieronymus Whether priests may bargen to sing for soules departed Ieronymus Selling of prayer abhominable Religious men and women deuourers of wydowes houses Praying for soules in Purgatory Euil gotten laÌ„des as euil bestowed for praying for soules in Purgatory Bying and sellyng of prayers in the Popes Church Bying and selling of pardons ParsoÌ„ place apparell curiositie or eloquence of prayer not regarded of God The prayer of the pharisie and of the PublicaÌ„e coÌ„pared Prayer that doth more for money then for charitie disproued Selling of pardons Selling of orders Selling of church halowinges Selling of discipline Selling of fraternitie Selling of Ditiges yere mindes confessions weddinges buriynges Selling of Sermons c. Example to be taken by the fall of Babylon The citie of Rome Babilon Apoc. 18 The temporall dominioÌ„ of the citie of Rome The spirituall dominioÌ„ of the citie of Rome The fourth beast in the prophesie of Daniel meaneth Rome The beast with 7. heades in the A poc signifieth Rome The feete of the Image in the dreame of Nabuchodonozar signifieth Rome The beast with two hornes lyke the Lambe signifieth the spirituall dominion of Rome Iesus is Christ two maner of wayes as King and priest The double sword of the Pope The Bish. of Rome secketh to be worshipped as God The commaundementes of the pope more regarded then Christes In euery Sacrament 2. thinges conteyned Caueat emptor The rewardes of the beast The number of the name of the beast Dux cleri Martinus poenitenliarius Mo wicked popes then Emperours Matters of Idolatry Images Othes how far they are tollerable Whether temporall goods may be taken away from ecclesiasticall persons offending Popes take from Emperours their benefactors temporall dominion when they offend Ergo much more may Emperours take from popes temporall dominion wheÌ„ they offend A prophecie of Walter Brute that temporall goods shall be taken away froÌ„ the clergie for the multitude of their sinnes Walter Brute againe commanded to aâ—peare Byshops â—â—tors â—â—h 10. Bachelors â— divinitie â— monkes â— Doctors â—lars sitâ—â—â— vppon Walter Bâ—re Nicholas Herford but also present The Wriâ—â—ges of Walter 〈◊〉 ex 〈◊〉 The tenor
leue not his sinne amend him before witnes and gif he ne amendeth not men should tel to the church and gif he ne amendeth not than men shuld shone his company as a publicane or a man that is misbeleued and this lawe was yfigured in the law of lepre who that readeth it he may see the sooth But Lord God he that sitteth in thy stede hath vndo thy lawe of mercy and of loue Lord thou biddest loue enemies as our self as thou shewest in the gospell there as the Samaritane had mercy on the Iewe. And thou biddest vs also prayen for them that cursen vs and that defamen vs pursuen vs to death And so Lorde thou didst thine apostles also But he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar on earth and head of thy church he hath vndone thy lawe of loue and mercy For gif we speaken of louing our ennemies hâ— teacheth vs to fight with our enemies that Christ hath forboden He curseth and desireth vengeance to them that so doth to hym Gif any man pursueth him hee curseth him that it is a sorowe a Christen man to hearen the cursinges that they maken and blasphemies in such cursing Of what thing that I know I may beare true witnes But gif we speake of louing of our brethren this is vndone by him that sayth he is Godsvicar in earth For Christ in the gospell biddeth vs that we shoulden clepen vs no father vpon earth But clepen God our father to maken vs loue perfitlich together And he clepeth himself father of fathers maketh many religions to euerich a father But whether is loue and charity encreased by these fathers and by their religions or els ymade lesse For a Friar ne loueth not a monke ne a secular man neither nor yet one frier a nother that is not of the order and it is againward A Lord me thinketh that there is litle perfection in these religions For Lorde what charity hauen such men of religion that knowen how they mown against and sin and fleen away froÌ„ their brethren that ben more vncuÌ„ning then they ben suffren them to trauelen in the world withouten their couÌ„cell as beastes Trulich Lorde me thinketh that there is but litle charity and then is there litle perfection Lorde God when thou were on earth thou were among sinful men to drawen them from sin thy disciples also And Lord I trow thou ne grauÌ„test not one maÌ„ more kuÌ„ning then an other al for himself and I wote wel that lewd meÌ„ that ben laborers ne trauel not alonlich for himself Lord our belief is that thou ne wer not of the world ne thy teaching neither ne thy seruantes that liueden after thy teaching But all they forsaken the world and so euery christen man must But Lorde whether thou taughtest menne forsake their brethrens companie and trauell of the worlde to liuen in ease and in rest and out of trouble and anger of the worlde by their brethrens trauell and so forsaken the world A Lord thou ne taughtest not a maÌ„ to forsaken a pore estate and trauel to ben afterward a Lord of his brethren or ben a lords fellow and dwelling with Lords as doth men of these new religions Lord thou ne taughtest not men of thy religion thus to forsake the world to liuen in perfection by them selfe in ease and by other mens trauell But Lord they sayen they ben ybound to thy seruise and seruen thee both night and day in singing their prayers both for themselfe and for other men that done them good both quicke and dead and some of them gone about to teach thy people when they hauen leisure A Lord gif they ben thy seruauntes whose seruaunts ben we that cannot preyen as they done And when thou were heere on earth for our nede thou taughtest thy seruauntes to preyen thy father priuilich and shortlich And gif there had beene a better maner of praying I trowe thou wouldest haue taught it in helpe of thy peâ—ple And Lorde thou reprouest hypocrites that preyen in long preyer and in open places to ben yholden holy men And thou seyst in the gospel wo to you Pharisees hypocrits And lord thou ne chargedest not thy seruaunts with such maner seruice But thou seest in the gospel that the Pharises worshopeÌ„ thee with their lippes and their hart is farre from thee For they chargen more mens traditions than thy commaundements And Lord we lewed men han a beleefe that thy goodnesse is endles and gif we keepen thine hestes than ben we thy true seruauntes And though we preyen thee but a litle shortlich thou wilt thinken on vs and grauÌ„ten vs that vs nedeth for so thou behighted vs somtime And Lord I trowe that pray a man neuer so many quaint prayers gif he ne kepe not thine hests he is not thy good seruaunt But gif he keepe thine hestes than he is thy good seruaunt and so me thinketh Lorde that praying of long prayers ne is not the seruice that thou desirest but keping of thine heftes and than a lewd man may serue God as wel as a man of religion though that the Plowman ne may not haue so muche siluer for his prayer as men of religion For they kunnen not so wel preisen their prayers as these other chapmen But Lorde our hope is that our prayers be neuer the worse though it be not so wel solde as other mens prayers Lorde Ezechiel the Prophet sayth that whan he spake to the people thy words they turned thy words into songs into tales And so Lord men done now they singin merilich thy words and that singing they clepen thy seruice But Lord I trow that the best singers he herieth thee not most But he that fulfilleth thy wordes he herieth thee full well though he wepe more then sing And I trow that weping for breaking of thy commandements be more pleasing seruice to thee than the singing of thy words And wold God that men would serue him in sorow for their sinnes and that they shoulden afterward seruen thee in mirth For Christ sayth yblessed ben they that maken sorow for they shoulden ben yconforted And woe to them that ben merry and haue theyr comfort in this world And Christ sayd that the world should ioyen hys seruaÌ„ts shulden be sory but their sorow shuld be turned into ioy A Lord he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar vpon earth hath y ordained an order of priestes to doe thy seruice in church to fore thy lewd people in singing matens euensong masse And therfore hee chargeth lewde men in paine of cursing to bryng to hys priests tithyngs and offerings to finden his priests and he clepeth that Gods part due to priests that seruen him in church But Lord in the olde law the tithings of the lewde people ne were not due to priestes but to that other childer of Leuie that ferueden thee in the temple and the