no scruple to eate a puddyng though he se it prohybyted by all the lawes and by the apostles them selfe by the holy goost to wyth lyke wordes as they forbode fornycacyon And dyscharge as I say seeth he none but the tradycyon of the chyrche whyche when he dare byleâ—e in leuynge a thynge vndone that the scrypture so often coÌ„maundeth why dare he not byleue the tradycyon of the chyrche where it commaundeth a thynge to be done that the scrypture dothe not forbede but onely speketh not of it I wolde in lyke wyse fayne wyt of Tyndale whyther he thynke any parte of crysten people bounden at thys daye of necessyte to the wasshyng of the fete wherof Cryste at hys maunday gaue ensample and commaundement also not without a greate thretenynge vnto saynte Peter of losse of heuen but yf he suffred hym to wasshe his fete I dowte not but Tyndale thynketh hym selfe dyscharged of that bond and yet are the wordes of Crystes commaundement in that obseruaunce as playne as in the commaundement of the sacrament of the auter and longe was it vsed after in suche wyse and saynte Cypryane dyd in hys dayes reken it for a thynge necessary Now let Tyndale tell me wherby he knoweth hym selfe dyscharged of that wasshynge but by the spyryte of god abydyng in his chyrch And let hym then tell me whyche chyrche but hys catholyke chyrche For an vnknowen chyrche can tell hym nothynge and all other knowen chyrches besyde the catholyke be all knowen for heretykes Or ellys let Tyndale tell whyche of all them is the trew chyrch why rather that then any of all the remanaunt If the spyryte of god gouernynge the chyrche and ledynge it in to all trouth put vs not in surety and certaynte of the trouth how coud he be to vs as he is named paracletus that is a comforter yf we were lefte so comforteleâ—â—e that we were vncertayne whyther the hole chyrche were in damnable errour in stede of the ryght fayth Take awaye that spiryte fro the chyrche and howe can Tyndale excuse the apostles of theyr baptysynge in the name of Cryste onely when Cryste hadde hym selfe commaunded them to baptise in the name of the father and the sonne the holy goost How wyll he excuse saynt Poule for takynge awaye the circumcysyon whych god hadde byfore commaunded and sayde that yt sholde be his euerlastynge token and couenaunte and Cryste kepte it hym selfe and saynt Poule circumcyded Timothe hym selfe and yet afterwarde forbode yt how knew he when he shold do the tone and when the tother by bare ymagynacyons of hys owne mynde naye by that spiryte they knew yt whyche as yt ruled them so ruleth yt the chyrch in the necessary poyntes of fayth and euer shall vnto the worldes ende God proued wyll Tyndale saye theyr doctrine wyth myracles So doth he say I the doctryne of hys whole chyrche contynually For therin he wurketh miracles contynually and in all the chyrches of heretyques is there wroughte neuer one weneth Tyndale that our lorde hadde the cure of hys apostles whom he ordeyned for hys chyrche and that he hath no cure of hys chyrche for whome he made hys apostles And yf Tyndale lyste so precyâ—ely to lene to scrypture onely that he wyll not take the comen catholyque fayth for an interpretour he shall fynde it very hard to defende some suche poyntes as be not onely trew but be also suche as yf the chyrche wolde saye contrary yet wolde he say they were trewe For Tyndale setteth not so myche by baptysme but that he wyll agre that fayth iustyfyeth wythoute baptysme And yet take awaye the credence of the catolyque chyrch and he shall neuer be able whyle he lyueth so well to proue by scrypture that a martyr may be saued and broughte to heuen wythout baptysme but that these wordes of oure sauyour shall alwaye stande styll in his lyghte Nisi quis renatuâ— fâ—erit â—â— aqua spiritu sanâ—to noÌ„ potest introire in regnum dei who so be not borne agayne of the water and the spyryte can not enter into the kyngdome of heuen Now where as Tyndale techeth after his mayster Martine Luther that as often as a man onely repent though he be neuer in mynde to do penauÌ„ce nor be coÌ„fessed neyther hys onely fayth shall saue hym and geteth hym forthwyth full remyssyon both of synne and payne yf he wyll geue credence to the chyrche he shall fynde that fayth of hys full false And yf he wyll not geue credence to the chyrche but precysely stande to the scrypture then shall he fynde yet that fayth more false yf he wyll be bounden as precysely to the wordes hym selfe as he wolde bynde other men For he shall neuer be then so well able to proue that any man fallynge to dedely synne after crystendome ones hadde shal be by any repentaunâ—e restored agayne but that there wyll stande styll in his lyghte the wordes of the apostle sayenge when we wylfully synne after the knowledge of the trouthe hadde there is not nowe lefte vs any sacrifyce for synnes but a terryble expeccyon and lokynge for of iudgement and of fyerce and ragyouse fyre whyche shall consume the aduersaryes There wyll also stande in this lyghe these wordes of the apostle Heâ— â— yt is impossyble that they whyche haue ben ones illumyned and haue taâ—â—â— that heuenly gyfte and haue be made partetakers of the holy goost and haue tasted also the good worde of god and the vertues of the world to come and are fallen downe sholde be renewed agayn to penaunce crucyfyeng agayne for theyr owne parte the sonne of god and hauynge hym as in deâ—isyon If Tyndale say that he can so coÌ„stre these textes as they shall not hurte his heresyes I deny not the he so may do I can to so constre themâ— that they shall not hurte the trouth that is to wytte the catholyque fayth But yet this I saye that when he and I haue both done what we can yet who so lyste to holde that heresye agaynste his repentaunce and the chyrches penaunce to shall not lakke wordes wherwith he maye seme to suche as wyll sette the chyrche at naughte to maynteyne hys parte as well as we bothe maynteyne ours And therfore I say takynge awaye the credence from the catholyque knowen chyrche for no chyrche vnknowen can be byleued syth it can not be herd and all other knowen chyrches be false or ellys lette Tyndale as I haue often sayde tell me whyche of theym all is the trewe and why we sholde therin byleue hym the credence therfore as I saye taken from the catholyque knowen chyrche there can be no thynge sure but all thynge vncertayne both tradycyons of thapostles exposycyoÌ„s of scrypture and the very scrypture yt selfe to And vnto the tother syde yf the credence of the knowen catholyke chyrche abyde as it nedys muste abyde yf the scrypture abyde by whyche it is promysed by Cryst that hym self and
borne of new not of mortall seed but of immortall seedâ— by the worde of god whyche lyueth and lasteth euer what meaneth he other then that by our sauyour hym selfe whyche is the lyuynge worde of god that lyueth lasteth euerâ— we be borne agayn by the sacramentall water the sacramentall word whyche bothe he there vnderstandeth for he there expressely speketh of neyther nother but of the worde that is goddes sonne The wordes of saynt Iamys also Iâ—â—â—bi .1 that god of hys good wyll begate vs wyth the worde of trouth how proue these wordes that the water of baptysme serueth but for a sygne The worde of trouth sayth Tyndale is here vnderstanden the worde of â—ys promyse How proueth Tyndale that byâ—ause that Crystes promyses be trew muste it therfore nedys be that saynt Iamys in that place ment the worde of promyse as though there were no more trew of all that euer Cryste spake but onely of hys promyses why may not in that place the word of trouth wyth whyche god hath of hys good wyll bygoten vs be vnderstanden our sauyour Cryst hym selfe by whom god hath bygoten vs in dede and whych is the very trouth it selfe as hym selfe wytnesseth of hym selfe where he sayth Ego sum via veritas vita I am the waye the trouth and the lyfe Thus maye ye se that thys texte proueth Tyndales purpose nothynge at all But now suppose that the very wordes of saynt Iamys were that god had bygoten vs wyth the worde of hys promese what had thys made for the mater How had thys proued that the water and the sacramentall wordes were but bare sygnes tokens If saynt Iamys sayde that god had bygoten vs by hys goodnes do these wordes exclude all yâ— meanys that hys goodnes vsed towarde it If god wolde saye to Tyndale I haue brought yâ— in to thys world which thou doste now corrupte and I haue made the crystendom whyche thou gooste aboute to dystroye and I haue bydden the beware of hell in to whyche thou rennest a pace dyd he therin exclude Tyndalys father and hys mother and hys sacrameÌ„t of baptysme and the mynyster therof and the prechers and â—echers of the tother So ye maye playnly se that Tyndales â—extes serue no thynge at all to proue that the sacramentes serue but onely for sygnes Thys opynyon hath Tyndale taken of Luther whyche gyueth to the sacrament nothynge at all but he sayth that god gyueth all the grace by the fayth alone and not by the sacramentes any thynge at all Now the chyrche beleueth techeth that god hath not so bounden hym selfe to his sacramentes but that where he gyueth the gyfte of fayth to any that can not come to baptysme there he of hys power maye and of hys goodnes wyll gyue vnto that man the gyfte of such grace to come to heuyn without baptysme But where god gyueth grace by the baptysme there it is harde to set the baptysme at so short as to saye that it serueth but for a bare sygne and wythout the sygnyfycacyons preched at the font standeth in no more stede then a precher that precheth not Albe it that god maye cure a sore without a medycyne do a myracle in a mannys helth and that for the regarde of the maÌ„nys good fayth and hys truste in god yet yf it please god to hele hym by a plaster though hys fayth be the cause why god dothe it yet is the plaster a meane in the doynge and serueth not for a bare sygne And surely when our sauyour set thys order therin that who so were baptysed in water in the name of the father the son and the holy ghooste he sholde be saued and that excepte a man were borne agayne as well of the water as of the spyryte he sholde not entre in to the kyngdome of heuyn god set it to serue for a more effectuall thyng then for a bare sygne voyd of any frutefull effecte For thys were yet at the â—aiâ— wyse no lesse then yf a lord wolde say to a poore felow take the here thys badge or thys lyuery gowne of myne yf thou take it and were it I wyll take the for myn houshold seruaunt and in myne houshold gyue the meat and drynke wages or ellys yf thou were it not thou shalte not come wythin my dorys Thys lyuery gowne gyueth hym neyther meat nor money but yet it is more then a sygne that he shall haue it for the werynge therof helpeth hym to get it not of any nature of the lyuery but by hys lordes ordenaunce And so lyke wyse though it were trew that the sacramentes dyde nothynge worke in them selfe nor had no power in them selfe no more of god then of nature to purge clense the soule yet were it more then a bare token or sygne of grace in that it hath by goddys promyse hys owne specyall assystens whyche at the sacramentes mynystred doth infouÌ„de hys grace How be it many good vertuouse men hath there ben of olde that haue had yet a mych hygher estymacyon of the sacramentes then so and that haue thought that the sacrameÌ„tes haue not onely god by hys promyse assystente to purge the soule and to infunde hys grace but also that he hath vsed them therin as effectuall workyng instrumentes in the doynge therof by reason of a certeyne influens of hys power wherby he made them mete to worke in to the soule thorow the touch of the body And in to thys mynde they were ledde by the wordes of holy scrypture and partely for the excellence of the sacrameÌ„tes of the new law in respecte of the sacramentes of the olde law bytwene whych two kyndes of sacramentes semeth to be as greate dyfference as bytwene the two kyndes of the lawes them selfe and that is no lesse then bytwene fygures ymagys symylytudes or shadowes and the very thynges them selfe as sayth saynt Paule Omnia in figura contingebant â—â—is Corin. 1â— all thynge vnto them came in fygures Then syth the sacramentes of the olde law had god by hys promyse assysteÌ„t wyth them in remyssyon of synnes Leuiti 4.5 6 as by the playne wordes of many places of scrypture doth appere it semed to those olde holy vertuouse doctours that the sacramentes of the new law for the preemynence ouer them sholde of goddys especyall influens haue some effectuall vertue force and power as an instrument of god in the workynge therof To whyche mynde they haue ben moued not onely for the cause afore remembred but also as I sayd before for that the very wordes of holy scrypture semen to lede them to it when they redde in the actes Aâ—tâ—um .8 that by the puttynge of the apostles handes vppon them that were crystened the holy gooste forthwyth came in to them and by myracle shewed hym selfe by theyr spekyng in dyuers tonges And when they redde saynt Paule wrytyng to Tymothee 1. Timoth. 4 Neglecte not that grace
sure that thys newe fayth of Luther Tyndall and frere Huskyn is very fonde and false and that theyr mouthes are all out of taaste syth that from Chrystes dethe hytherto all holy men all good people all true chrysten nacyons haue sauored alwaye those meatys to be good and holsome whyche these fonde felowes affyrme now to be bytter peryllous meate and haue alwayes affyrmed for vnsauery meate and euyll suche as now these mad men affyrme to be well seasoned good haue alwayes hytherto reputed for shamefull and fylthy lechery the flesshly cowplyng to gether of freres and nonnes that these losels now do boldely put forth auowe for good and lawfull matrymonye If Tyndall graunte that I say trewe in this then shall he be fayne to graunte that the wordes whyche he allegeth agaynst vs spoken by the mouthe of our sauyoure be not spoken agayst vs that byleue as all Chrystes chyrche hath byleued euer hytherto but that they be spokeÌ„ agaynst hym selfe and his felowys that byleue the contrary And on the other syde yf Tyndall deny me thys and wyll saye that all good men and goddes electes haue alwaye byleued as he hys felowes do teache and that they haue alwaye taught and done the same let Tyndall then tell vs one good honest maÌ„ what speke we of honest man let hym tell vs of ony one so very a starke rybawlde in all this .xv. C. yere afore Luthers dayes and hys that euer taught that it was lawfull for a frere to wedde a nunne If Tyndall shewe you not thys as I wotte well he can not â—â— Tyndale taketh here saiÌ„t Poule at his pleasure For saiÌ„t Poâ—le speketh not there of bâ—rne agayne nor new created wyth yâ— spyryt but that senâ—uall meÌ„ as those that be carnalâ— coÌ„tenciouse be not mete for the perfit doctrine of spyrituall ieuelacioÌ„s and theâ— by that place Tyndales spirytualâ— sâ—rte be not spirytuall nor mete veâ—â—els to receyue gyue â—ut the doctâ—ine of yâ— spyrite for there be no people so carnall so â—â—tâ—cicâ—se as they than be ye very sure that sythe euery holy man before hys dayes hathe taught the contrary and hath had yt in detestacyoÌ„ he now defendeth yt for good agaynst all good men that hath bene euer synnys Crystes dayes to hys owne how holy a tale so euer he tell you besyde how so euer he paynt yt wyth scrypture wrythen and wrested owte of all good course ye may be sure ynoughe that hys doctryne ys for all that very starke noughte in dede and that he meanyth no good and that yf he beleue as he teacheth as I verely beleue he doth not hys fayth ys very false Tyndall ☞ And thys same is it that Paule saythe in the seconde chapter of the fyrste epystle to the Corynthians how that the naturall man that ys not borne agayne and created a new wyth the spyryte of god be he neuer so grete a phylosopher neuer so well seene in the lawe neuer so sore studyed in the scrypture as we haue ensamples in the pharysies yet he can not vnderstond the thynges of the spyryte of god but sayth he the spyrytuall iudgeth all thynges his spyryte sercheth the depe secretis of god so that what so euer god commaundeth hym to doo Saynte Poule in that place spekyth nâ—t of eny serche that spirytuall meÌ„ shuld make of the cause of godd is coÌ„mauÌ„dementis but Tyndall fayneth yâ— thing to finde by yâ— seâ—che of yâ— cause some dyscharge of the coÌ„maundmeÌ„t he neuer leueth serchyng tyll he come at the botom the pyth the quycke the lyfe the spyryte the marye and very cause why and iudgeth all thynge More ye consyder well that Tyndall in these wordes wolde ye shulde wene that these folke of whom saynt Poule speketh in that place be such as can not sauour the doctryne of Luther frere Huskyn and hym But then consyder agayn vppone whome hys wordes fall For ye dowte not nor hym selfe can not denye but that hys doctryne ys farre frome the taste of saynt Austeyne saynt HieroÌ„e saynt Ambrose saynt Cypryan saynt Gregory and all those olde holy doctours of Crystes chyrche vnto Luthers dayes and hys or els as I sayd let hym tell me whyche of all theym dyd not abhorre that a preste shulde wedde a nunne And therfore thus ye se that by Tyndalys holy tale there were none of all them were they neuer so gret philosophers neuer so well seen in the law neuer so sore studyed in scrypture that cowlde vnderstonde the thynges of the spyryte of god bycause they were but naturall men not borne agayne nor created a newe wyth the spyryte of god How knoweth Tyndale that none of all these that hathe bene aduersaryes to his doctrine that is to wytte of all good men that euer were in crystendome syth Cryste was borne vnto Tyndalys tyme was borne agayne or newe created wyth the spyryte of god Howe hym selfe vnderstandeth his hyghe spirytuall wordes I wote nere but I wote well that all those holy fathers were reputed for good crysten and I wene they were all baptized and borne agayne of water and the spyryte as our sauyour sayd vnto Nychodemus after that they lyued well and spyrytually and dyed well and spyrytually as apperyth by theyr bookes and hystoryes wryâ—en of theyr lyues and myracles shewed for them of god afâ—er theyr dethys And vnto suche symple groce carnall peopell as we be these thynges seme well to shewe that they were borne agayne of god new created wyth his spyrite and so by Tyndalys owne tale shold seme able to vnderstande the thynges of the spyryte of god But yet wyll Tyndale none of that For he lyketh not theyr iudgement but he sayth that the spyrytuall iudgeth all thynges And where as saynte Paule in the place alledged by Tyndale sayth that the holy goost the spyryte of god sercheth euen the depe thynges of god by cause that vnto that holy spyryte whych is god there is nothynge of god vnknowen Tyndale taketh that hygh power vnto his wurshâ—ppefull spirytuall sorte sayeÌ„g the spyrituall iudgeth all thâ—nges and his spyryte sercheth the depe secretys of god And with this not satisfyed he amplifyteh and enhaunceth theyr holy serche vppon heyth and sayth that the spyryte of theyr spirytuall sorte serche the depe secretys of god so far that what so euer god commaundeth them to do they neuer leue serchynge tyll they come at the botome the pyth the quycke the lyfe the spiryte the mary and very cause why and so iudge all thynge what an hepe of hyghe vehement wordes hath Tyndale here heped vp to gyther who wolde not wene that he were wyth some holy medytacyon caryed vp in Ennoke and Helyas chare But yet good crysten reder for all his holy tale remember agayne the frere and the nunne Luther and hys wyfe Tyndales owne mayster and maystres the chyeff hed author of his hygh spyrytuall fayth For Lutherye wote
well yf Tyndale and his felowes be spyrytuall electys must as theyr fyrst author of theyr new spyrytuall secte be nedys one of the very chyef Let not therfore Tyndall good reder wyth his gay gloryouse wordes carye you so fast so far away but that ye remembre to pull hym bakke by the sleue a lytle and aske hym whyther his owne hyghe spirytuall doctour mayster Martyne Luther hym selfe beynge specyally borne agayne new created of the spyryte whom god in many places of holy scrypture hath commaunded to kepe his vowe made of chastyte when he then so far contrarye there vnto toke out of relygyon a spouse of Cryste wedded her hym selfe in reproche of wedloke called her his wyfe and made her his harlot and in doble despyte of maryage and relygyon both lyueth wyth her openly and lyeth wyth her nyghtly in shamefull inceste and abominable bycherye dothe he the whyle after Tyndalys hyghe wordes serche the depe secretys and neuer leue serchynge tyll he come to the botome the pyth the quycke the lyfe the spyryte the mary and the very cause of that commaundement why and so iudgeth all thynge Thus good reders examyne hym and then shall ye perceyue how fondly suche an hyghe pure spyrytuall processe accordeth wyth such a baas fowle fleshly lyuyng But Tyndale hath an hope that whyle he paynteth his prologe wyth such gay colours of spirytuall vertue there can no man in the meane whyle remember and consyder what vngracious frute theyr deceytfull doctryne false fayth bryngeth forth And therfore to carye the reder farther of from the remembrauÌ„ce therof he letteth goo by theyr fylthy lechery and holyly speketh of loue Tyndale Take an example in the great commaundement loue god with all thyn harte the spyrytuall sercheth the cause and lokâ—â—h on the benesytys of god and so coÌ„ceyueth loue in hys harte More In thys example of the great commaundemeÌ„t of louyng of god there can lacke no causes but wythout any farre serche there offer them selfe I now at hande except men wil fully wyll forget them But yet all be yt that in many thynges a man may peraduenture well and with frute enserche the cause of goddes coÌ„maundementys yet may the spyryte of a man that were as spirytuall as Tyndale is or Luther eyther and take frere Huskyn to them go some tyme to far in the serchyng of the depe secretys of god and wade so farre therin that he shall fynde these wordes of holy scripture true Proâ—er 25 He that is that the sercher of the maiestye shall be oppressyd of the glorye and he shall fynde the depe secretis of god so depe that the secrete botome wyll not be founde oute for hym and specyally in that thyng in which Tyndall and his felowes be as I shall hereafter shew you moste presumptuously besye that is in goddys fynall electis predestinatys wherof saynt Paule cryeth hymself Râ—â— 11 O altitudo diuitiaruÌ„ sapientiae sciâ—tiae deiâ— O yâ— heâ—th and depenes of the ryches of the wysedome science of god And as for that that Tyndall sayth that what so euer god commauÌ„deth the spyrytuall man to do he neuer 〈◊〉 serchynge tyll he come at the botome the pyth the quycks the lyffe the spyryte the maryâ— and the very cause whyâ— and iudgeth all thynges I say as I sayd byfore it may peradueÌ„ture in some thynges do well to consyder the causes of goddes commaundement so yt be done moderately and wyth reuerence But many suche spyrituall persones as Tyndale is and Luther and frere Huskyn so be wonte to reason and serche the cause of goddes commaundementys wyth them selfe as kynge Saul dyd or bytwene the dyuell and theâ—m selfe as our mother Eue dyd Râ—â—â—â— 1◠〈◊〉 â— that they fall vppon fallacyes and false causes whereby lyke as Saul was deceyued in sauynge of the bestes for sacryfyce whych bestes god hadde prâ—cysely commaunded hym to destroy and Eue was so by gyled that she thought she myght well ete the apple whyche god hadde precysely commaunded her to forbere so doth I say to these men that ar in this new fashyon spyrytuall the dyuell theyr euyll spyryte and them selfe wyth theyr incessaunte serche fynde out salfe causes wherof they take occasyon to breke the commaundementys of god whyche commaundementys other good seely symple soules wythoute any serche obserue As for ensample lo where as god hath in holy scrypture euydently commauÌ„ded Psal. â— 5 Ecc.c. 5 Esaiae 19 Ionae 2 that who so make a vowe shall performe and kepe yt as is wryteÌ„ by the holy Psalmiste Uowe ye and pay your vowes to our lorde and where as our blessyd lady thought her self bounde therto all the holy sayntes synnys Cristes dayes vnto Tyndals tyme haue without any varyance written affyrmed the same not onely they but also all crysten people both good badde haue this .xv. C. yerâ— abhorted as an abominabyle moÌ„ster and accompted yt in comen talkynge for suche a prodigyouse cryme that euer monke or frere shold wedde an nuÌ„ne as they thought shold neuer happen in crystendome therfore haue alway iested that Antecryste sholde be borne betwene a frere and a nuÌ„ne these new spirytuall men haue now Luther Tyndall and frere Huskyn and the dyuell to gyther so longe enserched the cause of thys commaundement of god by whych euery man is coÌ„maunded to kepe his vowe that they haue with longe serche fouÌ„den oute at laste that monkes freres and nunnes be not bounden by that commaundement at all but may for all theyr vowe lawfully runne out of relygyon and lye to gyther when they lyste and call theyr fylthy lechery good and lawfull wedloke And thus lo good reder these newe spyrytuall men wyth theyr depe serche interprete and expowne holy scripture and fynde oute therin suche godly vertues as this is whych the olde holy doctours coulde neuer fynde therin for lacke of grace by lykelyhod for we se well they lacked no wyt had as mych lernynge as these men haue and ten tymes more to and dyd theyr dylygence to but they were as yt semyth but naturall onely not borne agayne nor created of newe wyth the spyryte of god as Luther is and Tyndale frere Huskyn and hys felowes Take ensample sayth Tyndale in the great commaundement loue god wyth all thyne harte the spyrytuall serchyth the cause and loketh on the benefytes of god and so conceyueth loue in his harte In these wordes I lay no fawte But all be yt a man myghte assygne other causes of our loue towarde god then Tyndale doth as for ensample his owne excellent nature and goodnes of yt selfe worthy â—to be loued lauded and honored of vs though we shold yf yt were possyble receyue to oure selfe no benefyte at his hande at all yet I very well alow the cause that Tyndale allegeth that is to wytte the consyderacyon of the great benefytys of god yt is a cause of loue
But Tyndale wold now that we shold for the whyle forget all that he and his mayster wryteth ellys where and hym selfe in many placys after in this same boke and that we sholde onely marke these holy louyng wordes that he wryteth here in his present prologe in whych he sayth that they whych be spirytuall do neuer smyte theyr yonger brothereÌ„ that ys to saye suche as be not in fayth and vertue growen vp as they be nor wyll not wyth them come forwarde therin but be euyll and wyll be no better but the spyritualles as theyr elder brothereÌ„ doth flater them and promyse fayre and gyue them gay thynges and so draweth them forward in grace and fynally yf that wyll not helpe them then the spirytuall elder brother referreth theyr punyshement to the father and the mother that is as he meaneth to all myghty god for yf he ment vnto theyr rulers so yt is all redy for none other hath authoryte to correcte and punysse And hys mynde he hath declared in that byhalfe in sundry placys that non man shold in any wyse pursue and punysh any maÌ„ specyally for any heresye for he that pursueth any man is no spyrytuall man I let passe here that after this waye the worlde all be yt that yt be badde ynough all redye wold yet wax then mich worse and I passe ouer also that as well all wyse men as all good men and holy scripture also yt selfe is open and playne to the contrarye And I wyll for the whyle no more but aske of Tyndale whether he accompte the pope the clergy and the temporall prynces for menne borne agayne and renewed with the spyryte of god and therby spyrytuall or not If he reken them for suche theÌ„ by hys owne rule they can and do very well iudge all thynge and so sholde he then thynke that the thynges that they do be well done for he sayth hym selfe that the spirytualles do serche the botome of goddes commaundementes and fulfyll them gladly Now yf he say that they be not the spyrytualles but such as Luther is and frere Huskyn and hym selfe suche other as so serche the causes that they care not as Tyndale sayth after whyther the preste saye masse in hys gowne or in hys cope and wyll as sone gape for sande as holy salte and had as lyefe be smered with vnhalowed butter as enoynted wyth charmed oyle excepte men can tell them the causes whyche they saye that no man can and therfore they mocke and ieste therat nowe yf thys theyr sorte be as Tyndale sayth the spyrytuall and therby the elder brothern then wyll we say to Tyndale and aske hym why do not you Tyndale and your spyrytuall felowes accordynge to your owne wordes here loue out of your hartes the pope the cardynals the clergye the prynces the people and so forth beynge as your younger brothern not yet borne agayne and why do you not forbere them wyth all loue and pacyence so forth Tyndale taketh greâ—â—â—â—easuâ—e in often bryngynge in theâ—e wordes And so forth and wayte on them and serue them and suffer them and so forth and when they wyll not wyth you come forth why do you not then speke them fayre and flater them and promyse them fayre and so forth and so drawe them forth and so forth And yf that for aâ—l thys they wyll not come forth why do you not then referre the punysshement to the father and mother and smyte them not but contrary to your owne wordes vse at your yoÌ„ger brothern to laughe theÌ„ to skorne to mocke to ieste to checke to chyde to brawle rybaldously to rayle callynge them apyshe peuysshe popysshe iuglers theues murderers bloodsupers tormentours and traytours Pylatys Cayphaas Herodys Annaas Antecrystes Iudaas hypochrytes mokenmongers pryapystes idolatres horemaysters and sodomytes abomynable shameles stark madde and faythlesse bestes hangemen martyr quellers and Cryste kyllers serpentes scorpyons dremers and very dyuels fynally wyth such venemouse wordes and other malyciouse wayes the wurste that the dyuell and you deuyse to gether bysely put forth youre payne to sow debate dyssencion scysmes stryfe and sedycion and cause your spyrytuall people that ys to wyt the elder brothern borne agayne of the spirite to ryse and rebell agaynst your yonger brothern but naturall yet and not borne agayne and the tone parte to smyte kyll the tother by thousandys on a daye as ye haue done in Almayne prouidynge alway that your selfs the chyeff captayns and authours of such sedycion and rebelliouse bloodshed gate vp vppon some hyll in the meane whyle and stonde and loke vppon sure safe a syde halfe out of all gonshotâ— and com not at hand strokes in no wise but serue for trompetours with the blaste of youre wordes and vngracyous wrytynges to kyndâ—e them call vppon and set them all a worke and yf yt walke on youre syde then to gaude and glory and yf yt go agaynste you your parte go to wrake then slynk awaye fro the felde and make as ye cam not there nor neuer enteÌ„ded harme nor meÌ„t any such mater or as your mayster dyd in Almayne to put your selfe out of suspycyon crye to the coÌ„trary parte to kyll them downe hande smothe whom your owne wordes raysed vp and synfully set a worke And lo thus hath Tyndale coÌ„nyngly declared the grete commaundement of loue and by hym selfe and his felowes as ye se so louyngly put in vre that they wolde helpe the tother parte to all the myschyefe they myghte and wolde that on the tother syde what so euer they do them self be it neuer so myscheuouse no man sholde ones chyde them nor gyue fowle wordes but in theyr deuylyshe dedys forbere styll suffer them and take them then â—s younger brothern lytell babys vntaught and gyue them fayre wordes and pretye proper gere ratylles cokbelles and gay goldeÌ„ shone and yf the wantons wyll not lerne yet but byte scratche theyr felowes bete not the babys yet in no wyse but go and tell theyr mother and so forth And when Tyndale hath thus connyngly declared the greate commauÌ„dement of loue and hath so spyrytually set it out to the shew then concludeth he well worshypfully that by thys commaundement of loue in suche a wyse waye vnderstanden his spyrytuall sorte iudgeth all the lawes of god and vnderstande the true vse of them and by the same in lykewyse vnderstande they all the lawes of man which are ryght and whych tyranny For by thys then vnderstande that for the loue that they bere to theyr own wyll euery glose that they gyue them selfe is the ryght meanyng of the worde of god and all that all other holy men haue wryten is but fantasyes and false And in mennis law to let them bete other men for saynge trueth were well ordeyned and ryghte but any man to chyde onys any of theym for a hondred heresyes that were vtter wronge and no lawfull law but
wythout synne But now they haue seen and yet haue hated both me and my father Thus haue I clerely shewed you that where Tyndale wolde haue yt seme that goddes worde alone alwaye clenseth mennys soules from false fayth he teacheth in that a false fayth for the myracles many tymys helpe to the clensynge of mennys soules And lette Tyndale stykke well to thys poynt for I entende shortely to shew by this that the miracles wrought in Crystes chyrche clerely reproue all the false fayth that he his mayster all theyr whole hondred sectes that are theyr ofsprynges preachen But fyrst where Tyndale sayth that goddes worde ys trew layth therfore the .xvii. of saynt IonÌ„ no man sayth nay to yâ— And where he sayth forther yâ— goddê trewth dependeth not of maÌ„nys word we wyll graute hym this mych more to then he loketh for For I say ferther that the trouth of god dependeth not vppon goddes owne worde neyther but is absolutely trew in yt self without any dependauÌ„ce vppon hys word at all And as yt is trew that Tyndale sayth that goddes trewth is not trew bycause man so sayth so is this trew also that goddes trewth is not trew bycause god so sayth But on the totheâ— syde lykewyse as this argument or coÌ„secucyon is trew god sayth that who so byleue not his chyrch is to be takeÌ„ as a paynem ergo that thyng is trew so is thys consecucyon trew Crystes chyrch â—ayth the who so breke hys vow of chastyte synnetâ— dedely who so holdeth yt for lefull holdeth an heresye eâ—go these two thyâ—ges be trew and yet is neyther the â—â—yeâ—â— of the chyrche the cause of the trewth of these two nor the sayeng of Criste the cause of the trewth of the tother But lykewyse as yâ— I 〈◊〉 syt yt must nedes be that he sytteth whyle I se hym syt bâ—â—â—use I could not se hym sytte but yf he â—atte in dede yet he sytteth not bycause I se hym sythe for 〈◊〉 sholde though I saw hym not 〈…〉 vppon the trouth of hys dede For though the worde of god can not be but trew syth yf the thynge were not trew god yâ— is the trewth wolde not saye yt yet is the thynge trew that god speketh not bycause it is trewly spokeÌ„ but bycause it is trewly done For treuth was the thynge in yt selfe treuth yt sholde haue bene all had yt neuer be spoken And thys I saye is trewe touchynge the wordes and proposycyons by whiche god any thynge telleth to his creatures by wrytyng or wythout leste Tyndale make vs here some sophystycacyon as though I spake of the great worde of god wherby all thynge is made the sonne of god hym self one egalâ— god wyth hys father and theyr holy spiryte If Tyndale aske vs now wherof serueth then the treuth of goddes wordes I saye that yt serueth to make knowen or byleued amonge vs the treuth of goddes dede For when god sayth who so byleueth and is baptyzed and lyueth well after or doth penaunce for his synne shall for hys fayth good workes be hyghly rewarded in heuen though thys shall not be trew bycause god sayth yt but bycause he wyll dot yt nor he dothe yt not bycause he wyll saye yt but he sayth yt bycause he wyll do it yet hath he ordeyned that his worde shall be the way by whiche that trouth shal be shewed vs and that myracles ioyned vnto hys worde sholde make vs perceyue that yt is his worde whereby wyth reason we muste nedeâ— be bounden to byleue yt and it beyng byleued we â—e by reason â—â—unden to obey yt And this yâ— therfore the waye that god hath taken from the begyâ—nynge that is to wyt he hath from the begynnyng ioyned hys word with woÌ„derfull workes to make his word perceyued for hys awne Thus 〈◊〉 he in euâ—ry age before the comyng of Cryste Thus dyd he in Cryste hym selfe whose wordes he proued by hys wonderfull workes as hym selfe sayth in the .xv. of saint IohnÌ„ Thus dyd â—e also by his blessed apostles whose doctâ—â—ne he 〈◊〉 by 〈…〉 And thus hath he done 〈…〉 For likewyse as when he sent his owne sonne 〈…〉 hym and hys doctryne decla 〈…〉 selfe suche as he was â— god made hym do myra 〈◊〉 〈…〉 then euer any dyd amonge 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the sent his apostles 〈…〉 that Cryste dyd the countrees to whome they were sent wolde haue went that they had lyed and fayned suche fables them selfe therfore Cryste caused them to do myracles in his name before the people as god caused Moyses to do before Pharao And when the world was turned to hym and that apostles were not sent about then was the chyrch of euery tyme the apostle to suche as were borâ—e and came in to yâ— worlde in theyr tyme of whome suche as lyued and remayned after theyr tyme were in theyr stede lefte for the apostle that sholde teche preche to those other that sholde be borne in to the worlde in theyr tyme and so forth from age to age And for bycause that they whyche from tyme to tyme come in to thys worlde new borne fyrste of theyr flesshely father and mother and after of god and theyr mother holy chyrche by the water and the spyryte sholde be sure that theyr sayde mother the chyrche is Crystes apostle and techeth them the trewe doctryne neyther deceyueth them wyth false scrypture as doth the congregacyon of turkes nor with false tradycyons as do the synagoges of iewes nor wyth false exposycions as do the false chyrches of heretykes he causeth hys chyrche to do myracles styll in euery age and to be dyscerned and knowen by the plentuouse workyng of goddys wonders by hym selfe wrought therin so many and so grete that no man can be ignoraunt theâ—â—f but he that wyll neyther se nor here or is so desperate and so sore set in an obstynate malyce that he wyll to the deuyll wyllyngly by doyng now as the iewes dyd of olde and as Tyndale now doth of new ascrybynge the myracles wrought by the goodnes of god to be done in goddes chyrch by the power of the deuyll And yet when Tyndale is so 〈◊〉 to tell vs thus he toâ—cheth nothyng thys poynte â—hyche I layed agaynst hym in my dyaloge that yf hys lyâ— were 〈◊〉 in then sholdâ—â— folow that of so maâ—â— false chyrcheâ—â—f false heretikes 〈◊〉 shold some suche myracles be wrought as well as 〈◊〉 syth yf that oure chyrche were a false chyrche it 〈…〉 one of the many And yf he wyll saye that 〈…〉 the greatest and the falseste and therfore â—alse 〈◊〉 therin 〈…〉 they stretche from heuyn to hell they haue not yet amonge 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 myracle done greate nor small neyther by god nor deuyll And thys I shew you for the order of the thynge that ye maye perceyiâ—e that the trewth of god is â—ustyfyed in it selfe and dependeth not vppon hys worde nor hys worde is not the cause of hys trewth but by
the fewer yf the doctryne were in them to But now let vs se whyther of vs two playe the false iugeler I that tell you that euery necessary poynt of bylefe is not wryten in saynt IohnÌ„s gospell or Tyndale that wolde make you wene that what so euer ye fynde not wryteÌ„ there ye were not bounden to take it for any necessary poynt of fayth For ellys yf Tyndale wolde grauÌ„te that saynt IohnÌ„ had not wryten in dede euery necessary poynt of fayth then is it as good for Tyndale that saynt IohnÌ„ say so as that in dede it be so Let vs therfore leue disputyng vppon the word and loke vppon the dede and se whyther it be so or not If a man seke amonge the other euangelystes he shall fynd mo necessary thynges then one lefte out in saynt IohnÌ„ and in eche of them somwhat that some other hath And yf a man loke ferther in the boke of fayth wryten in the hartes of Cristes hole catholyke chyrche he shall fynde some thynges that none of them all hath wryten and yet necessary poyntes of fayth as I haue shewed you samples and shall But now bycause of Tyndale let vs take some one And what thyng rather then the last souper of Cryste hys mauÌ„dye with hys apostles in whych he instytuted the blessed sacrament of the auter hys owne blessed body and blode Is this no necessary poynt of fayth Tyndale can not deny it for a necessary poynt of fayth though it were but of hys owne false fayth agreynge wyth Luther Huskyn or zuinglius And he can not saye that saynte IohnÌ„ speketh any thynge therof specyally not of the instytucyon Nor he can not saye that saynt IohnÌ„ speketh any thyng of the sacrament at all syth that hys secte expressely denyeth that saynt IohnÌ„ ment the sacrament in hys wordes where he speketh expressely thereof in the .vi. chapyter of hys gospell And thus ye se howe wysely Tyndale sykketh wyth me in the sentence of saynte IohnÌ„s wordes when the thynge that I entende thereby is proued by his dede And yet bycause Tyndale wyll nothynge alowe but the word if he pull frome that word of saynt IohnÌ„ I shall proue hym the same purpose by the worde of saynte IohnÌ„s mayster our sauyour Cryste hym selfe and saynte IohnÌ„ shall bere me recorde that yt was Cryste that sayed yt For oure sauyour lo as wytnesseth saynte IohnÌ„ in the .xvi. chapiter Iohan. 16 sayed vnto his dyscyples hym selfe I haue yet many thynges to saye to you but ye can not bere them now but when that the spyryte of trewth ys come he shall teache you all trewth Lo here ye here our sauyour saye hym selfe that he lefte and wolde leue some thynges and that great thynges and therfore of lykelyhed necessarye that they sholde not here tyll after his passyon that the holy goost sholde come and teache them and well ye wote that saynte IohnÌ„ endeth his boke byfore And therfore as for thys authoryte of saynte IohnÌ„ that I layed in my dialoge Tyndales answere wherin he calleth me a iugler hath not yet iugled awaye the force but hath by his false caste of iuglynge fetely conuayed hym self out of the fryenge panne fayre into the fyre where as I shew in my dyaloge that yt is not wryten in scrypture that our ladye was a perpetuall virgyne and yet yt is a necessarye poynt to be byleued This is his answere thereto Tyndale And how bryngeth he in the perpetuall virgynite of our lady whych though yt be neuer so trew is yet none artycle of our fayth to be saued by but we byleue yt wyth a storye fayth bycause we se no cause resonable to thynke the contrarye More By this answere yt appereth well that god be thanked he fyndeth not yet the peoples deuocyon so farre falleÌ„ from our lady that he dare be bolde to saye all that he thynketh For ellys he wolde saye more then he doth And lyke as he forbedeth folke to pray to her and specially mysselyketh her deuowt antem of Salue regina so wolde he not fayle yf he saw the people frame all after hys fantasye to blaspheme her in this mater of a nother fashion as other of his felowes haue done byfore his dayes But now for the meane whyle he is contente that men may thynke them selfe at lybertye to byleue it or not byleue yt as they lyste as a thynge of no necessyte to be byleued vppoÌ„ saluacyon of our soules And full well he woteth that though he say now that he can se no reason why to thynke the contrary yet if he could bryng vs ones in the mynde that there is no parell therin he myght afterward well inough tell vs when he wolde the contrarye and saye that wyth better lokynge theron he hath now founden that Eluidius other elder heretyques of the same sewte sayde therin very well and that reason and scrypture is wyth them and that saynt Austayne and saynte Hierome all the remanauÌ„t say wrong bycause theyr parte is not wryten in scrypture This wyll not Tyndale herafter let to say when he lyst yf he maye make vs wene in the meane whyle that we maye chuse whyther we wyll byleue thys poynt or not But I saye that in that poynte Tyndale sayeth wronge For in any suche thynge as we be bounden to byleue yf I byleue yt in dede yet byleue therwyth that I maye lawfully chuse whether I wyll byleue yt or not I saye that in so byleuynge I byleue nought nor my bylyefe shall not serue me Then saye I farther that this artycle is suche that we be boundeÌ„ to byleue yt For he that byleueth yt not is an hâ—retyque as yt playnely appereth hoth by saynt Austayn in his boke to quod vult deus and by saynte Hierome in hys boke agaynste Heluidius and by the other holy sayntes and martyrs who as saynt Hierome saynt Austayne reherse dyd wryte agaynste heretykes byfore called them Antidichomarians that is to say Maries aduersaryes Then say I fynally that for as mych as it well playne appereth that all those holy coÌ„nynge men and blessed sayntes therwyth all the whole catholyke chyrch bysyde haue euer hytherto taken the perpetuall virginyte of our blessed lady for so sure a poynte of crysten fayth and bylyefe that they haue euer condemned the contrary for an heresye and then syth yâ— artycle is not in holy scrypture wryten but that the wordes of scrypture not well vnderstanden seme to say the contrary I may do agaynst Tindale his felowes well and fully coÌ„clude that there is some thynge necessary to be byleued and yet is not writen in scripture And so to my secund argument ye fynde his answere fonde For as for his story fayth wyth onely whych he sayth we byleue this poynt I shall touche yt I trust in â—uch wyse his felynge fayth ther wyth when I come thereto that euery man shall fele wyth hys fyngers endes that