do no good worke freely without respect of some profit either in this world or in the world to come neither coulde we haue spirituall ioye in oure hartes in time of affliction and mortifiyng of the flesh Good workes are called the fruites of the spirite Gal. 5. for the sprite worketh them in vs and sometyme fruites of righteousnes as in the second Epistle to the Cor. and 9. chapter before all workes therfore we must haue a righteousnes within the hart the mother of all workes frō whēce they spring The righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharises of them that haue y ◠spirite of this world is y t glorious shew outward shining of workes But Christ sayth to vs Mar. 5. except your righteousnes exceede the righteousnes of the scribes Pharises ye cānot enter into the kingdome of heauen It is righteousnes in y t world if a mā kyl not But a Christen perceiueth righteousnesse if he loue his enemy euen when he suffreth persecution and torment of him and the paines of death and mourneth more for his aduersaries blindnesse then for his owne payne and prayeth God to open his eyes and to forgeue hym his sinnes as dyd Steuen in the Actes of the Apostles the vij Chapter and Christ Luke xxiij A Christen considereth him selfe in the law of GOD and there putteth of him all maner righteousnes For the law suffereth no merites no deseruynges no righteousnes neither any mā to be iustified in the sight of God The law is spirituall and requireth y t hart and commaundements to be fulfilled with such loue and obedience as was in Christ If any fulfill all that is the will of God with such loue and obedience the same may be bold to sell pardons of his merites and els not A Christen therfore when he beholdeth hym selfe in the law putteth of all maner righteousnes deseruinges and merites and mekely and vnfaynedly knowledgeth his sinne miserie his captiuitie and bondage in the flesh his trespasse and gilte and is thereby blessed with the poure in spirite Math. v. Chap. Then he morneth in his hart because he is in such bondage that he can not do the will of God and is an hungred and a thyrst after righteousnes For righteousnesse I meane which springeth out of christes bloud for strength to do the wil of God And turneth him selfe to the promises of God desireth him for his great mercy and truth and for the bloud of hys sonne Christ to fulfill his promises to geue him strēgth And thus his spirit euer prayeth within him He fasteth also not one day for a weke or a Lent for an whole yeare but professeth in his hart a perpetuall sobernes to tame the flesh and to subdue the body to the spirite vntil he waxe strong in the spirite and grow ripe into a full righteousnes after the fulnes of Christ And because this fulnes happeneth not till the body be slayne by death a Christen is euer a sinner in the law and therfore fasteth and prayeth to God in the spirite the world seyng it not Yet in y ◠promises he is euer righteous thorough fayth in Christ and is sure that he is heire of all Gods promises the spirite which he hath receaued in earnest bearyng him witnes his hart also and his dedes testifying the same Marke this then To see inwardly that y t law of God is so spirituall that no flesh can fulfill it And then for to morne and sorrow and to desire yea to hunger and thyrst after strength to do the wil of God from the ground of the hart and notwithstandyng all the sutlety of the deuil weakenes and feblenes of the flesh and wondryng of the world to cleaue yet to y t promises of God and to beleue that for Christes bloud sake thou art receaued to the inheritaūce of eternall lyfe is a wonderfull thyng and a thyng that the world knoweth not of but who soeuer feleth that though he fall a thousand tymes in a day doth yet rise agayne a thousand tymes and is sure that the mercy of God is vpon hym IF ye forgeue othermen their trespasses your heauēly father shal forgeue you yours Mat. in the vj. Chap. if I forgeue God shall forgeue me not for my dedes sake but for his promises sake for his mercy truth and for the bloud of hys son Christ our Lord. And my forgeuing certifieth my spirite that God shal forgeue me yea y t he hath forgeuē me already For if I consent to y t will of God in my hart though thorough infirmitie and weakenes I can not do the will of GOD at all tymes moreouer though I can not do the wil of God so purely as the law requireth it of me yet if I see my faulte mekely knowledge my sinne wepyng in myne hart because I cā not do the will of God and thyrst after strēgth I am sure that y t sprite of God is in me his fauour vpon me For the world lusteth not to do the will of God neither soroweth because he can not though he sorrow some tyme for feare of y ◠paine that he beleueth shall folow He that hath the spirite of this world can not forgeue without amendes makyng or a greater vauntage If I forgeue now how cōmeth it veryly because I feele the mercy of God in me For as a man feeleth God to him selfe so is he to his neighbour I know by mine owne experience that all flesh is in bondage vnder sinne and cā not but sinne therfore am I mercyfull and desire God to loose the bondes of sinne euen in mine enemy GAther not treasure together in earth c. Math. vj. But gather you treasure in heauen c. Let not you◠hartes be glued to worldly thynges studie not to heape treasure vpon treasure and riches vpon riches but study to bestow well that whiche is gotten already and let your abundaunce succour the lacke and neede of the power which haue not Haue an eye to good workes to which if ye haue lust and also power to do them then are ye sure that the spirite of God is in you and ye in Christ elect to the reward of eternal life which foloweth good workes But looke that thine eye be single and robbe not Christ of his honour ascribe not that to y t deseruyng of thy workes which is geuen the freely by the merites of his bloud In Christ we are sonnes In Christ we are heires In Christ god chose vs and elected vs before the begynning of the world created vs a new by the word of the Gospell and put his spirite in vs for because we should do good workes A Christē man worketh because it is the will of his father onely If we do no good worke nor be mercyfull how is our lust therin If we haue no lust to do good workes how is Gods spirite in vs If the spirite of God
one sayth so and an other thus confirming their assertions with glorious persuasions of wisedome but not after the wisedome of God whiche reasons an other denyeth with cōtrary sophismes so riseth brauling about vayne wordes without all certaintie And now litle children abide in hym that when hee shall appeare we may haue confidence and not bee made ashamed of hym at hys commyng Here are ij thinges to be marked one if we cleaue vnto Christ after the doctrine of the Apostles and as they built vs vpon him we shall be bolde sure of our selues at his comming As a seruaunt which in his maisters absence doth onely his maisters commaūdements cannot be confounded at his comming home againe But and if we folow mens doctrine how can we be bold yea how should we not be ashamed with our teachers vnto whome thē he shall say whē they boast thē selues how y t they haue bene his vicars I know you not depart from me ye that haue wrought wickednes and vnder my name haue brought in damnable sectes and haue taught your disciples to beleue in other thinges then in me Now the summe of all that the Apostles taught and how they built vs vpon Christ is the new testament But the popes doctrine is not there found but improued Confounded therefore shall he be which witting and willing shutteth his eyes at the true light and openeth them to beleue his lyes An other thing is this all the scripture maketh mentiō of the resurrectiō comming againe of Christ that all men both they that go before and they that come after shall then receiue their rewardes together we are cōmaunded to looke euery houre for that day And what is done with the soules frō their departing their bodies vnto that day doth the Scripture make no mentiō saue onley that they rest in y e Lord in their faith Wherfore he that determineth ought of the state of them that be departed doth but teach the presumptuous imaginations of his owne braine neither can his doctrine be any article of our fayth What God doth with them is a secreat layd vp in the treasury of God And we ought to be patient being certefied of the scripture that they which dye in the fayth are at rest ought no more to search that secret thē to search y e houre of the resurrection whiche God hath put onely in his owne power But this remember that the whole nature of mā is poysoned infected with sinne And y e whole life of sinne must be mortefied And the roote of al sinne and first vice we were infect with is that we would be wise where God hath not taught vs as ye see how Eue would haue ben as God in the knowledge of good bad And therefore hath God hid many thinges in his power and commaunded that we shall search none of his secrets further then he hath opened them in his scripture to mortefy this poyson of all poysons the desire to appeare wise that we be ashamed to be ignoraunt in any thing at all Wherfore they that violently make articles of the fayth with out Gods woord are yet aliue in the roote of all sinne and vice and grow out of the deuill and not out of Christ And their articles are of the blindnes of the deuill and not of the light of Christ for Christes light hath testimonie of the scripture euery where If ye know that he is righteous know that all that woorke righteousnes are borne of him Our nature is to worke wickednes and so blinde therto that it can see no righteousnes And then it foloweth that we must be borne a new in Christ ere we can either do or yet know what is righteous And in him we must first be made righteous our selues ere we can worke righteous woorkes which conclusion is contrary vnto the Pope for he sayth that the woorkes do make the man righteous And Christes doctrine sayth that the man maketh the workes righteous A righteous man springeth out of righteous woorkes sayth the Popes doctrine Righteous works spring out of a righteous man and a righteous man springeth out of Christ sayth Christes doctrine The workes make y t man righteous which before was wicked sayth the Pope The woorkes declare that the man is righteous sayth Christes doctrine but the man was first made righteous in Christ and the spirite of Christ taught him what righteousnes was and healed his hart made him consent therto to haue his lust in righteousnes and to worke righteouslie Chap. 3. BEholde what loue the Father hath shewed vs that we shold be called the sonnes of god For this cause the worlde knoweth you not because it knoweth not him Dearely beloued now wee are the sonnes of God though yet it appeareth not what we shall be But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is The loue of God to vs ward is exceeding great in that he hath made vs his sonnes without al deseruing of vs and hath geuen vs his spirite through Christ to certifie our hartes thereof in that we feele that our trust is in God that our soules haue receaued health and power to loue the law of God which is a sure testimonie that we are sonnes vnder no damnation Neyther ought it to discourage vs or to make vs thinke we were lesse beloued because the world hateth vs and persecuteth vs for the world knoweth vs not Neyther any maruell for y t world could not know Christ him selfe for all his glorious commyng with miracles and benefits in healing the sicke and raysing the dead But for al the oppression of the world we are yet sure that we are Gods sonnes And in like maner though the glory that we shall be in appeare not yet we are sure that we shall be like him when he appeareth As darknes vanisheth away at the cōming of the sunne and the worlde receaueth a new fashion and is turned in to light and suddenly made glorious Euen so when he appeareth and we shall see him as he is we shal with the sight of him be chaunged into the glory of his image and made like him And then shall the world both know him and vs vnto their shame and confusion And all that haue thys hope in him purge thēselues as he is pure The fayth and hope of a Christen man are no dead idle or barren thinges but liuely woorkes and fruitfull For when the law through conscience of sinne hath slayne the soule thē hope and trust in Christes bloud thorough certefying of the conscience that the damnation of the law is taken away quickeneth hir agayne maketh hir to loue the law which is the purifying of the soule and hir life and seruing the law in the inner man And then the sayde giftes of hope and fayth stretch them selues forth vnto the members dead with
28. the auoyding of all threatenynges and curses of which thou readest likewyse euery where but specially in the two bookes aboue rehearsed and the auoiding of all punishment ordeyned for the transgressours of the law And the olde Testament was builte altogether vpoÌ„ the kepyng of the lawe and ceremonies and was the rewarde of kepyng them in this lyfe onely and reached no farther then this lyfe this world As thou readest Leuit. 18. A maÌ„ that doth them shall lyue therin which text Paule reherseth Rom. 10. Gal. 3. That is he that keepeth them shall haue his lyfe glorious according to all the promises and blessings of the law and shal auoyde both all temporal punishments of the law all the threatnynges and cursinges also For neyther the lawe of the tenne commaundementes nor yet the ceremonies iustified in the hart before God or purified vnto the lyfe to come In so much that Moses at his death euen fourtye yeares after the lawe and ceremonies were geuen complaineth saying God hath not geuen you an hart to vnderstande nor eyes to see nor eares to heare vnto this day As who shoulde haue sayd God hath geuen you ceremonies but ye knowe not the vse of them and hath geuen you a lawe but god hath not writen it in your hartes Wherfore serueth the law then if it geue vs no power to do the law Paul answereth them that it was geuen to vtter sinne onely and to make it appeare As a corosie is layd vnto an old sore not to heale it but to stirre it vp and make the disease alyue that a man myght feele in what â—eopardie he is how nye death and not aware and to make a way vnto the healing playster Euen so sayth Paul Gal. 3. The law was geuen bycause of transgression that is to make the sinne alyue that it might be felt and sene vntill the seede came vnto whome it was promised that is to saye vntill the children of fayth came or vntill Christ that sede in whom God promised Abraham that all natioÌ„s of the world should be blessed came That is the law was geuen to vtter sinne death damnation and cursse and to driue vs vnto Christ in whom forgeuenes lyfe iustifiyng and blessynges were promised that we might see so great loue of God to vs ward in Christ that we hence forth ouercome with kindnes might loue agayne and of loue kepe the commaundementes Now he that goeth about to quiet his conscieÌ„ce and to iustifie him selfe with the law doth but heale hys woundes with freatyng coroseis And hee that goeth aboute to purchase grace with ceremonies doth but sucke the ale pole to quench his thyrst in as much as the ceremonies were not geuen to iustifie the hart but to signifie the iustifiyng and forgeuenesse that is in Christes bloud Of the ceremonies that they iustifie not thou readest Hebr. x. It is impossible that sinne should be done away with the bloud of Oxen and Goates And of the law thou readest Galla. iij. If there had bene a lawe geuen that could haue quickened or geuen lyfe then had righteousnes or iustifiyng come by the lawe in deede Now the law not onely quickeneth not the hart but also woundeth it with conscience of sinne and ministreth death and damnation vnto her ij Cor. iij. So that she must nedes dye and be damned except she find other remedy So farre it is of that she is iustified or holpen by the law The new Testament is those euerlastyng promises whiche are made vs in Christ the Lorde throughout all the the Scriptures And that Testament is built on fayth and not in workes For it is not said of that Testament He that worketh shall lyue but he that beleueth shall lyue As thou readest Iohn iij. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne that none that beleue in hym should perishe but haue lyfe euerlastyng And when this Testament is preached and beleued the spirit entreth the hart and quickeneth it geueth it life iustifieth her The spirite also maketh the law a liuely thyng in the hart so that a man bringeth foorth good workes of his owne accord without compulsion of the lawe without feare of threatenynges or cursings yea and without all maner respect or loue vnto any teÌ„porall pleasure but of the very power of the spirite receiued thorough fayth as thou readest Iohn i. He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God in that they beleued on his name And of that power they worke so that he which hath the spirit of Christ is now no more a child he neither learneth nor worketh any loÌ„ger for payne of y t rod or for feare of bugges or pleasure of apples but doth all thynges of his owne courage As Christe sayeth Iohn vij He that beleueth on me shall haue riuers of liuyng waters flowyng out of hys belly That is all good workes and all giftes of grace sprynge out of hym naturally and by their owne accord Thou nedest not to wrest good woorkes out of hym as a man would wryng veriuce out of crabbes Nay they flowe naturally out of hym as sprynges out of rockes The new TestameÌ„t was euer euen from the begynnyng of the world For there were alwaies promises of Christ to come by fayth in which promises the elect were then iustified inwardly before God as outwardly before the world by kepyng of the law and ceremonies And in conclusion as thou seest blessynges or cursynges folowe the breaking or keping of the law of Moyses euen so naturally do the blessynges or cursynges folowe the breakyng of keping of the law of nature out of which spryng all our temporall lawes So that when the people kepe the temporall lawes of their land temporal prosperitie and all maner of such temporall blessynges as thou readest of in Moyses do accompany them and fall vpon them And contrarywise when they sinne vnpunished and when the rulers haue no respect vnto equitie or honestie then God sendeth his cursse among them as hunger dearth morein bannyng pestilence warre oppression with straunge and wonderful diseases and new kyndes of misfortune and euill lucke If any man aske me seing that faith iustifieth me why I worke I aunswere Loue coÌ„pelleth me For as loÌ„g as my soule feeleth what loue GOD hath shewed me in Christ I can not but loue God agayne and his wil and commaundements and of loue worke them hor can they seme hard vnto me I thinke not my selfe better for my woorkyng nor seeke heauen nor an higher place in heaueÌ„ bycause of it For a ChristiaÌ„ worketh to make his weake brother perfecter and not to seeke an higher place in heauen I compare not my selfe vnto hym that woorketh not No hee that worketh not to day shall haue grace to turne and to woorke to morow and in the meane tyme I pitie hym and pray for hym If I had wrought the will of
Christ which fulfilled the lawe for vs may euery parson that repenteth beleueth loue-eth the law and mourneth for streÌ„gth to fulfill it reioyce be he neuer so weake a sinner The two pence therefore and the credence that he left behynde him to bestowe more if neede were signifieth that he was euery where mercifull both present and absent without fayning cloking complayning or excusing and forsoke not his neighbour as long as he had nede Which example I pray God men may followe and let opera supererogationis alone MAry hath choseÌ„ a good part which shall not be taken from her Luk. x. She was first chosen of God and called by grace both to know her sin and also to heare the worde of fayth health and glad tidinges of mercy in Christ and fayth was geuen her to beleue the spirite of God loosed her hart from the bondage of sinne Then consented she to the will of God againe and aboue all thinges had delectation to heare the worde wherein she had obtayned euerlasting health and namely of his owne mouth which had purchased so great mercy for her God chuseth vs first and loueth vs first and openeth our eyes to see his exceeding aboundaunt loue to vs in Christ and then loue we agayne and accept his will aboue all thinges and serue him in that office whereunto he hath chosen vs. Sell that ye haue and geue almes And make you bagges which waxe not olde and treasure which faileth not in heauen Luke xij This such like are not spoken that we shoulde worke as hyrelinges in respect of rewarde and as though we shoulde obtayne heauen with merite For he saith a little afore feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to geue you a kingdome The kingdome commeth then of the good will of almighty God thorough Christ And such thinges are spoken partly to put vs in remembraunce of our dutie to be kynde agayne As is that saying let your light so shine before men that they seyng your good workes may glorifie your father which is in heaueÌ„ As who shoulde say if God hath geuen you so great giftes see ye be not vnthankefull but bestow them vnto his praise Some things are spoken to moue vs to put our trust in God as are these Beholde the Lyllies of the fielde Beholde the byrdes of the ayre If your children aske you bread will ye proffer them a stone and many such lyke Some are spoken to put vs in remeÌ„braunce to be sober to watch pray and to prepare our selues agaynst teÌ„ptations and that we should vnderstand and know how that temptations and occasion of euill come then most when they are least looked for least we should be carelesse and sure of our selues negligent and vnprepared Some thinges are spoken that we should feare the wonderfull and incoÌ„prehensible iudgementes of God lest we should presume Some to comfort vs that we dispayre not And for lyke causes are all the ensamples of the old TestameÌ„t In conclusion the scripture speaketh many thynges as the world speaketh But they may not be worldly vnderstand but ghostly and spiritually yea the spirite of God onely vnderstandeth them and where he is not there is not the vnderstandyng of the Scripture But vnfrutefull disputyng and braulyng about wordes The scripture sayth God seeth God heareth God smelleth God walketh God is with them God is not with them God is angry God is pleased God sendeth his spirite God taketh his spirite away and a thousande such like And yet is none of them true after the worldlye manner and as the wordes sound Read the second chapter of Paule to the Corinthians The naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges of God but the spirite of God onely and we sayth he haue receaued the spirite whiche is of God to vnderstand the thynges which are geuen vs of God For without the spirite it is impossible to vnderstand them Read also the viij to the Romaines They that are led with the spirite of God are the sonnes of GOD. Now the sonne knoweth his fathers will and the seruauÌ„t that hath not the spirite of Christ sayth Paule is none of his Likewise he that hath not the spirite of GOD is none of gods for it is both one spirite as thou mayst see in the same place Now he that is of God heareth the word of God Iohn viij and who is of God but he that hath the spirite of God Furthermore sayth he ye heare it not because ye are not of God that is ye haue no lust in the word of God for ye vnderstand it not that because his spirite is not in you For as much then as the Scripture is no thyng els but that which the spirite of GOD hath spoken by the Prophetes and Apostles can not be vnderstand but of the same spirite Let euery man pray to God to send him his spirite to loose him from his naturall blindnes and ignoraunce and to geue him vnderstandyng and feelyng of the thynges of God of the speakyng of the spirite of GOD. And marke this processe First we are damned of nature so coÌ„ceaued and borne as a Serpent is a SerpeÌ„t and a tode a tode a snake a snake by nature And as thou â—eest a youÌ„g child which hath pleasure in many thynges wherein is present death as in fire water and so foorth would slea hym selfe with a thousand deathes if he were not wayted vpon and kept therfro Euen so we if we should liue these thousaÌ„d yeares could in al that tyme delite in no other thing nor yet seeke any other thyng but that wherein is death of the soule Secondarily of the whole multitude of the nature of man whom God hath elect and chosen and to whom he hath appointed mercy and grace in Christ to them sendeth he his spirite whiche openeth their eyes sheweth them their miserie and bryngeth them vnto the knowledge of them selues so that they hate and abhorre them selues are astonyed and amased and at their wittes endes neither wot what to do or wher to seeke health Then lest they should flee from God by desperation he comforteth theÌ„ agayne with his swete promises in Christ certifieth their harts that for Christes sake they are receaued to mercy and their sinnes forgeueÌ„ and they elect and made the sonnes of GOD and heyres with Christ of eternall lyfe thus through fayth are they set at peace with God Now may not we axe why GOD chuseth one and not an other eyther think that God is vniust to damne vs afore we do any actual dede seyng that god hath power ouer all hys creatures of right to do with theÌ„ what he lyst or to make of euery one of them as he listeth Our darknes can not perceaue his light God wil be feared and not haue his secret iudgementes knowen Moreouer we by the light of fayth see a thousand thynges which are impossible to
and therefore loueth agayne is glad to do his fathers will and studieth to be thankefull The spirit of the worlde vnderstandeth not the speaking of God neither the spirite of the wise of thys worlde neyther the spirite of Philosophers neither y ◠spirite of Socrates of Plato or of Aristotles Ethikes as thou mayest see in the first and second chapter of the first to the Corint Though that many are not ashamed to rayle and blaspheme saying how shoulde he vnderstand the scripture seing he is no Philosopher neyther hath sene his metaphisike Moreouer they blaspheme saying how can he be a deuine and woteth not what is subiectum in theologia Neuertheles as a man without the spirite of Aristo tell or Philosophy may by the spirite of God vnderstand scripture Euen so by the spirite of God vnderstandeth he that god is to be sought in all the Scripture and in all thynges yet wotteth not what meaneth Subiectum in Theologia because it is a terme of their owne makyng If thou shouldest say to hym that hath y e spirite of god the loue of god is the kepyng of the cōmaundements to loue a mans neighbour is to shew mercy he would without arguyng or disputyng vnderstand how that of the loue of God springeth the keping of his cōmaundementes and of the loue to thy neighbour spryngeth mercy Now would Aristotle deny such speakyng a Duns man would make xx distinctions If thou shouldest say as sayth Iohn the 4. of his Epistle how can he that loueth not his neighbour whom he seeth loue God whom he seeth not Aristotle would say loe a mā must first loue his neighbour and thē God and out of the loue to thy neighbour spryngeth the loue to God But he that feeleth the working of the spirite of God and also from what vengeaunce the bloud of Christ hath deliuered hym vnderstandeth how that it is impossible to loue either father or mother sister brother neighbour or his owne selfe a right except it spryng out of the loue to God and perceaueth that the loue to a mans neighbour is a signe of the loue to God as good frute declareth a good tree and that the loue to a mās neighbour accompanieth and foloweth the loue of God as heate accōpanieth and foloweth fire Likewise whē the Scripture sayth Christ shall reward euery man at the resurrection or vprisyng againe accordyng to his dedes the spirite of Aristotles ethikes would say loe with y t multitude of good workes mayst thou must thou obtayne euerlastyng lyfe also a place in heauen hye or low accordyng as thou hast many or fewe good workes yet wotteth not what a good worke meaneth as Christ speaketh of good workes as he that seeth not the hart but outward things onely But he that hath Gods spirite vnderstandeth it He feeleth that good woorkes are nothyng but frutes of loue compassion mercyfulnes and of a tendernes of hart whiche a Christen hath to his neighbour and that loue springeth of that loue which he hath to god to his will commaundements and vnderstandeth also that the loue whiche man hath to God springeth of the infinite loue and bottomlesse mercy◠which God in Christ shewed first to vs as saith Iohn in the Epistle and Chap. aboue rehearsed In this sayth he appeared the loue of GOD to vs-ward bicause that God sent his onely begotten sonne into the world that we might liue thorough hym Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs sent his sonne to make agreement for our sinnes In conclusion a Christē mā feeleth that that vnspeakeable loue and mercy which god hath to vs that spirite which worketh all thinges that are wrought accordyng to the will of God and that loue wherewith we loue God that loue whiche we haue to our neighbour and that mercy and compassion which we shew on him also that eternal lyfe which is layd vp in store for vs in Christ are altogether the gift of God through Christes purchasyng If the Scripture sayd alwayes Christ shall reward thee accordyng to to thy fayth or accordyng to thy hope and trust thou hast in God or accordyng to the loue thou hast to god thy neighbour so were it true also as thou seest 1. Pet. 1. receauyng the end or reward of your faith y ◠health or saluatiō of your soules But y t spirituall things could not bee knowen saue by theyr workes as a tree can not be knowen but by her frute How could I know that I loued my neighbour if neuer occasion were giuen me to shew mercy vnto hym how should I know that I loued GOD if I neuer suffered for hys sake howe should I know that God loued me if there were no infirmitie temptation perill and ieoperdy whence God should deliuer me THere is no man that forsaketh house either father or mother either brethren or sisterne wife or children for the kyngdome of heauēs sake which shall not receaue much more in this world and in the world to come euerlastyng lyfe Luke xviij Here seest thou that a Christen man in all his woorkes hath respect to nothyng but vnto the glorie of god onely and to the mainteining of the truth of god and doth and leueth vndone all thynges of loue to the glory and honor of god onely as Christ teacheth in the Pater noster Moreouer when he sayth he shall receaue much more in this world of a truth yea he hath receaued much more already For except he had felt the infinite mercy goodnes loue and kindnes of God and the felowshyp of the bloud of Christ and the comfort of the spirite of Christ in his hart he could neuer haue forsakē any thyng for gods sake Notwithstāding as saith Mark. x. Who soeuer for Christes sake the gospels forsaketh house brethren or sisters c. He shall receaue an hundred fold houses brethren c. that is spiritually For Christ shal be all thynges vnto thee The aungels all Christen and who soeuer doth the will of the father shal be father mother sister brother vnto thee and all theirs shall be thyne And god shall take the care of thee minister all thynges vnto thee as long as thou sekest but his honour onely Moreouer if thou were Lord ouer all the world yea often worlde 's before thou knewest god yet was not thyne appetite quenched thou thyrstedest for more But if thou seeke his honour onely then shall he slake thy thyrst and thou shalt haue al that thou desirest and shal be content yea if thou dwell among insidels and among the most cruelest nation of the world yet shall he be a father vnto thee and shall defend thee as he did Abraham Isaac and Iacob all Saintes whose lyues thou readest in the Scripture For all that are past and gone before are but ensamples to strength our fayth and trust in the word of god It
is the same god and hath sworne to vs all that he sware vnto them and is as true as euer he was and therefore can not but fulfil his promises to vs as wel as he dyd to them if we beleue as they dyd The houre shal come when all they that are in the graues shall heare hys voyce that is to say Christes voyce shall come forth they that haue done good into the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done euil into the resurrection of damnation Iohn v. This all lyke textes declare what soloweth good workes and that our dedes shall testifie with vs or agaynst vs at that day and putteth vs in remembraunce to be diligent and feruent in doyng good Here by mayst thou not vnderstand that we obtayne the fauor of god and the inheritaunce of life thorough the merites of good workes as hyrelynges do their wages For then shouldest thou robbe Christ of whose fulnes we haue receaued fauour for fauour Ioh. i. that is gods fauour was so full in Christ that for his sake he geueth vs his fauour as affirmeth also Paule Ephe. i. he loued vs in his beloued by whom we haue sayth Paul redemptiō through his bloud and forgeuenes of sinnes The forgeuenes of sinnes then is our redēptiō in Christ and not y t reward of workes In whō sayth he in the same place hee chose vs before the makyng of y ◠world that is long before we dyd good workes Throughe fayth in Christ are we also the sonnes of god as thou readest Io. i. in that they beleued on his name he gaue them power to be the sonnes of god God with all his fulnes riches dwelleth in Christ and out of Christ must we fetch all thynges Thou readest also Iohn iij. he that beleueth on the sonne hath eternal life And he that beleueth not shall see no lyfe but the wrath of god abydeth vpon him Here seest thou that the wrath vengeance of God possesseth euery man till fayth come Fayth and trust in Christ expelleth the wrath of god and bringeth fauour y t spirite power to do good and euerlastyng lyfe Moreouer vntill Christ hath geuē thee light thou knowest not wherein stādeth the goodnes of thy workes vntill his spirite hath loosed thyne hart ▪ thou canst not consent vnto good woorkes All that is good in vs both wil and works commeth of the fauour of GOD through Christ to whom be the laude Amen IF any man will do his will he meaneth the will of the father he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of god or whether I speake of my selfe Iohn vij This text meaneth not that any man of his owne strength power and free will as they call it can do the will of god before he hath receaued the spirite and strength of Christ through sayth But here is ment that which is spokenin the thyrd of Iohn when Nicodemus marueiled how it were possible that a man should be borne agayn Christ aunswered that which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that whiche is borne of the spirite is spirite as who should say he that hath the spirite thorough fayth and is borne agayne and made a new in Christ vnderstandeth the thynges of the spirite and what he that is spirituall meaneth But he that is flesh and as Paul sayth i. Cor. ij a naturall man led of his blind reason onely can neuer ascend to the capacitie of the spirite And he geueth an ensāple saying the winde bloweth where he lysteth and thou hearest his voyce and wottest not whence he cōmeth nor whether he will So is euery mā that is borne of the spirite he that speaketh of the spirite can neuer be vnderstand of the naturall man which is but flesh and sauoreth no more thē thynges of y ◠flesh So here meaneth Christ if any man haue the spirite consenteth vnto the will of God this same at ones wotteth what I meane IF ye vnderstand these thinges happy are ye if ye do them Iohn xiij A Christen mans hart is with the wyll of God with the lawe and commaundementes of God and hongreth and thyrsteth after strength to fulfill them and mourneth day and night desiring God according to his promises for to geue him power to fulfill the will of God with loue and lust then testifieth his deede that he is blessed and that the spirite which blesseth vs in Christ is in hym and ministreth such strength The outward deede testifieth what is within vs as thou readest Iohn v. The deedes which I do testifie of me sayth Christ And Ioh. 13. hereby shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye loue one an other And Ioh. 14. he that hath my commaundements keepeth thē the same it is that loueth me And agayne he that loueth me keepeth my commaundementes and he that loueth me not keepeth not my cōmaundementes the outward deede testifiing of the inwarde hart And Ioh. xv If ye shall kepe my commaundemēts ye shall cōtinue in my loue as I kepe my fathers commaundemēt and continue in his loue That is as ye see the loue that I haue to my father in that I keepe his commaundementes so shal ye see the loue that ye haue to me in that ye kepe my commaundemētes Thou mayest not thinke that our deedes blesse vs first and that we preuent God and his grace in Christ as though we in our naturall giftes and beyng as we were borne in Adam looked on the lawe of God and of our owne strength fulfilled it and so be-became righteous and then with that righteousnes obtayned the fauour of God As Philosophers write of righteousnes and as the righteousnes of temporall lawe is where the lawe is satisfied with the hipocrisy of the outward deede For cōtrarie to y ◠readest thou Ioh. xv Ye haue not chosen me sayth Christ but I haue chosen you that ye goe and bring forth fruite and that your fruite remayne And in the same chapter I am a vine and ye the braunches and without me can ye do nothing With vs therefore so goeth it In Adam are we all as it were wilde crab trees of which God chuseth whom he will and plucketh them out of Adam and planteth them in the garden of his mercy and stocketh thē and grafteth the spirite of Christ in them which bringeth forth the fruite of the will of God which fruite testifieth that God hath blessed vs in Christ Note this also that as long as we liue we are yet partly carnall and fleshly notwithstāding that we are in Christ and though it be not imputed vnto vs for Christes sake for there abideth remaineth in vs yet of the olde Adam as it were the stocke of the crabe tree and euer among when occasion is geuen hym shoteth forth his braunches and leues budde blossome and fruit Against whom we must fight and subdue hym and chaynge all
miracles his wonders his mighty hand his stretched out arme and what he hath done for you hetherto He shall destroye them he shall take theyr hartes from them and make them feare and flye before you He shall storme them and stirre vp a tempest among them and scatter them and bring them to naught He hath sworne he is true he will fullfill the promises that he hath made vnto Abraham Isaac and Iacob This is written for our learning for verely he is a true God and is our God as well as theyres and his promises are with vs as well as with them and he presente with vs as well as he was with them If we aske we shal obtain if we knocke he will open if we seeke wee shall finde if we thyrst his truth shall fullfill our lust Christ is with vs vntill the worldes ende Math. y ◠last Let this little flock be bold therefore for if God be on our side what matter maketh it who be against vs be they byshops cardinalles popes or what so euer names they will Marke this also if God sende thee to the sea and promise to goe with thee and to bring thee safe to lande he will rayse vp a tempest agaynst thee to proue whether thou wilt abide by his worde and that thou mayst feele thy fayth and perceiue his goodnes For if it were alwayes fayre weather and thou neuer brought into such ieoperdy whēce his mercy onely deliuered thee thy fayth should be but a presumption and thou shouldest be euer vnthanckfull to God and mercilesse vnto thy neighbour If God promise ritches the way therto is pouertie Whom he loueth him he chasteneth whome he exalteth he casteth downe whome he saueth he damneth first he bringeth no man to heauen except he send him to hell first if he promise life he slayeth first when he buildeth he casteth all downe first he is no patcher he can not builde on an other mans foundation he will not woorke vntill all be past remedy and brought vnto such a case y ◠men may see how that his hand his power his mercy his goodnesse and trueth hath wrought all together he will let no man be partaker with him of hys prayse and glorye his workes are wonderful and contrary vnto mans workes Who euer sauing he deliuered his owne sonne his onely sonne hys deare sonne vnto the death and that for his enemies sake to winne his enemye to ouercomme him with loue that he might see loue and loue againe and of loue to do likewise to other men and to ouercome them with well doing Ioseph saw the Sunne and the Moone and xj starres worshipping him Neuerthelesse ere that came to passe God layed hym where he could neither see sunne nor moone neyther any starre of the skye and that many yeares and also vndeserued to norture him to humble to meeke and to teach him Gods wayes and to make him apt and meet for the roome and honor against he came to it that he might perceiue and feele that it came of God and that he might be strong in the spirite to minister it godly He promised the children of Israell a lande with riuers of milke and honny But brought them for the space of fourty yeares into a land where not onely riuers of mylke and honny were not but where so much as a drop of water was not to nourture them and to teach them as a father doth his sonne and to do them good at the latter ende and that they might be strong in their spirite soules to vse his giftes and benefites godly and after hys will He promised Dauid a kingdome and immediatly stirred vp king Saule against him to persecute him to hunt him as men do hares with greyhoundes and to ferret him out of euery hole that for the space of many yeares to tame him to meeke him to kill his lustes to make him feele other mens diseases to make him mercifull to make him vnderstand that he was made king to minister and to serue his brethren and that he shoulde not thincke that his subiectes were made to minister vnto his lustes and that it were lawfull for him to take away from them life goods at his pleasure Oh that our kinges were so nourtured how a dayes which our holy byshops teache of a farre other maner saying Your grace shal take your pleasure yea take what pleasure you list spare nothing we shall dispence with you we haue power we are Gods vicars and let vs alone with the realme we shall take payne for you and see that nothing be well your Grace shall but defende the fayth onely Let vs therefore looke diligently whereunto we are called that we deceaue not our selues We are called not to dispute as the popes disciples do but to dye with Christ that we may liue with him and to suffer with him that we may raigne with him We be called vnto a kingdome that must be wonne w t suffring only as a sicke man winneth health God is he that doth all thing for vs and fighteth for vs we do but suffer onely Christ sayth Iohn xx As my Father sent me so sende I you and Iohn xv If they persecute me then shall they persecute you and Christ sayth Math. x. I send you forth as sheepe among wolues The sheepe fight not but the shepheard fighteth for them and careth for them Be harmeles as Doues therfore saith Christ and wise as serpentes The doues imagine no defence nor seeke to auenge themselues The serpentes wisedome is to keepe his head and those partes wherein his life resteth Christ is our head and Gods word is that wherin our life resteth To cleaue therfore fast vnto Christ and vnto those promises which God hath made vs for his sake is our wisedome Beware of men sayth he for they shall deliuer you vp vnto theyr counsels and shall scourge you and ye shall be brought before rulers and kinges for my sake the brother shall betray or deliuer the brother to death and the father the sonne and the children shall rise against father and mother and put them to death Heare what Christ sayth more The disciple is not greater thē his master neyther the seruaunte greater or better then his Lorde if they haue called the goodman of the house Beelzebub how much rather shall they call his household seruants so And Luke xiiij sayth Christ Which of you disposed to builde a tower sitteth not downe fyrst and counteth the cost whether he haue sufficient to performe it lest when he hath layd the foundation and then not able to performe it al that behold it begin to mocke him saying this man beganne to builde and was not able to make an ende so likewise none of you that forsaketh not all that he hath can be my disciple Whosoeuer therefore casteth not this aforehand I must ieoberd life goods honor worship and al that there
Saint was great wyth God when he was aliue as it appeareth by the myracles which God shewed for him he must therfore be great now say they This reaâ—oÌ„ appeareth wisdome but it is very folishnes wyth God For the myracle was not shewed that thou should put thy trust in the Saint but in the worde which the saint preached which worde if thou beleuest would saue thee as God hath promysed and sworne would make thee also great wyth God as it dyd y e Saint If a maÌ„ haue a matter wyth a great man or a kyng he must goe fyrst vnto one of hys meane seruauntes and theÌ„ hyer and hyer till he come at the kyng This entising argumeÌ„t is but a blinde reason of mans witte It is not like in the kingdome of the worlde and in the kingdome of God and Christ With kynges for the most part we haue none acquaintaunce neither promise They be also most coÌ„monly mercilesse Moreouer if they promise they are yet meÌ„ as vnconstant as are other people as vntrue But with God if we haue beliefe we are accompted and haue an open way in vnto hym by the dore Christ which is neuer shutte but through vnbeliefe neither is there any porter to keepe any man out By him saith Paul Ephe. ij that is to say by Christ we haue an open way in vnto the father So are ye now no more straungers and forreiners sayth he but citizens wyth the Saintes and of the housholde of God God hath also made vs promises and hath sworne yea hath made a testament or a couenaunt and hath bounde hymselfe and hath sealed his obligation wyth Christes bloud and confirmed it wyth miracles He is also mercifull and kinde and coÌ„playneth that we wyll not come vnto hym He is mighty and able to performe that he promiseth He is true and can not be but true as he can not be but God Therefore is it not lyke with the kyng and God We be sinners say they God wyll not heare vs. Beholde how they flee from God as from a tyraunt mercilesse Whom a maÌ„ counteth most mercifull vnto hym he sonest flyeth But these teachers dare not come at God Why For they are y e childreÌ„ of Caine. If the Saintes loue whome God hateth then God and his Saints are deuided When thou prayest to y e saintes how doe they know except that God whom thou countest mercilesse tell them If God be so cruell and so hateth thee it is not likely that he wyll tell the Saintes that thou prayest vnto them When they say we be sinners I answere that Christ is no sinner saue a satisfaction and an offering for synne Take Christ froÌ„ the saintes and what are they What is Paule wythout Christ is he any thing saue a blasphemer a persecuter a murtherer and a shedder of Christen bloude But as soone as he came to Christ he was no more a sinner but a minister of righteousnes he went not to Rome to take penaunce vpon him but went preached vnto his brethren the same mercy which he had receaued free wythout doing penaunce or hiering of Saintes or of Monkes or Fryers Moreouer if it be Gods worde that thou shoulde put thy trust in the saintes merites or prayers then be bolde For Gods worde shall defend thee and saue thee If it be but thine owne reason then feare For God commaundeth by Moyses Deut. xij saying what I coÌ„maund you that obserue and do and put nothing to nor take ought therefro yea and Moses warneth straitly in an hundred places that we do that onely which God commaundeth and which seemeth good and righteous in hys sight and not in our owne sight For nothing bringeth the wrath of god so sone and so sore on a man as the idolatry of his owne imagination Last of all these arguments are contrary to the argumentes of Christ and of his Apostles Christ disputeth Luk. 11. saying If the sonne aske the father bread will he geue him a stone or if he aske him fish will he geue him a serpent and so forth If ye then saith he which are euill can geue good giftes to your children how much rather shall your heauenly father geue a good spirite vnto them that aske him And a little before in the same chapter he sayeth If a man came neuer so out of season to his neighbour to borow bread euen when he is in his chamber the dore shut and all his seruantes wyth him neuerthelesse yet if he continue knocking and praying he will rise and geue him asmuch as he nedeth though not for loue yet to be rid of him that he may haue rest As who should say what will God do if a man pray him seing that prayer ouercommeth an euill man Aske therfore sayth he and it shall be geuen you seeke and ye shal finde knocke and it shal be opened vnto you And Luke 18. he putteth forth the parable or similitude of the wicked Iudge which was ouercome with the importunate prayer of y e widow And concludeth saying Heare what the wicked Iudge did And shall not God aduenge his elect which cry vnto hym night and day Whether therefore we complaine of the intollerable oppression and persecution that we suffer or of the flesh that combreth resisteth the spirite God is mercifull to heare â—s to helpe vs. Seest thou not also how Christ cureth many and casteth out deuyls out of many vnspoken too how shall he not helpe if he be desired and spoken to When the old pharisies whose nature is to driue sinners from Christ asked Christ why he did eat with publicanes and sinners Christ aunswered that the whole neded not the phisition but the sicke that is he came to haue coÌ„uersation with sinners to heale theÌ„ He was a gift geueÌ„ vnto sinners and a treasure to pay theyr debtes And Christ sent the complayning and disdayning pharisies to the Prophet Oseas saying Go and learne what thys meaneth I desire or require mercy and not sacrifice As who should say Ye pharises loue sacrifice and offring for to feed that God your bellies withall but God commaundeth to be mercifull Sinners are euer captiues and a pray vnto the Pharises and hypocrites for to offer vnto theyr bellies to buy merites pardons and forgeuenes of sinnes of them And therefore feare they them away from Christe with argumentes of theyr belly wysedome For he that receaueth forgeuenes free of Christ wil buy no forgeuenes of them I came sayth Christ to call not the righteous but the sinners vnto repentaunce The pharisies are righteous and therefore haue no part with Christ neitheâ— need they for they are Gods themselues sauiours But sinners that repent partaine to Christ If we repent Christ hath made satisfaction for vs already God so loued the world that he gaue hys onely sonne that noue that beleue on him should perish but should haue euerlasting life For God sent not hys sonne
for the spedy preachyng of the Gospell among the heathen throughout the world Now Christ as he was promised so was he sent vnto the Iewes or Israelites And what by Christes preaching the Apostles after his resurrection there were innumerable Iewes conuerted haply an hundred thousand or mo in Ierusalem and Iewry and in the countreys about and abode still in the laÌ„d Then Paul rose vp and persecuted theÌ„ in IerusaleÌ„ and throughout all Iewry and Damasco slaying all that he could catch or making them for â—weare Christ For feare of which persecution they fled into all costes preached vnto the Iewes that were scattered prouing that Iesus was Christ the Sauiour of the world both by the scripture also by miracles so that a great part of the Iewes came to the fayth euery where and we heathen came in shortly after and part abode still in vnbelefe as vnto this day Now the Iewes beyng borne and bred vp rooted and noseld in ceremonyes as I haue shewed and as ye may better see in the. v. bookes of Moses if ye would read them could but wyth great difficultie depart from them as it is to see in all the Epistles of Paule how he fought agaynst them and in processe gat the vpper hand And therto the first that were christened and all the officers and Byshops of y â— church euen so much as y e great God of Rome were Iewes for the most part a great season And moreouer as Paule sayth Ro. ix not all that came of Israel are right Israelites neither are all they Abrahams sonnes that are AbrahaÌ„s seede why so because they followed not the steps of y â— faith of their graundfathers Euen so not all they that were called and also came vnto the mariage which God the father made betwene Christ his sonne all sinners brought theyr mariage garment with them that is to were true fayth wherwith we be maried vnto Christ and made his flesh his bloud and one spirit with hym his brethren and heyres with him and the sonnes of God also But many of theÌ„ to fulfill the saying of Christ that the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ which is the gospell is like a net that ketcheth good bad were driuen into the net and coÌ„pelled to coÌ„fesse that Iesus was Christ and that seede that was promised AbrahaÌ„ and Messias that should come not of any inward felyng that the spirite of God gaue them neyther of any louely consent that they had vnto the law of God that it was good mourning both because they had broken it and because also they had no power to fulfill it and therfore to obtayne mercy and power came to Christ and vnto the father thorow him with the hart of naturall children which receaue all thyng freely of their fathers bounteous liberalitie and of loue become seruauntes vnto their brethren for their fathers sake But were compelled onely with violence of the scripture which euery where bare witnesse vnto Christ and agreed vnto all that he did and ouercome also with the power of myracles that confirmed the same That is to say they came wyth a story faith a popish fayth a faithlesse faith and a fayned faith of their owne making and not as God in the scripture describeth the fayth so beleuing in Christ that they would be iustified by their owne deedes which is the denying of Christ As our Papistes beleue which more mad theÌ„ those Iewes beleue nothing by the reason of the scripture but onely that such a multitude consent thereto compelled wyth violence of sworde with falsifiyng of the scripture and fayned lyes Which multitude yet is not the fift part so many as they that consent vnto the lawe of Mahomet And therfore by their own argumentes the fayth of the Turkes is better then theirs And their fayth thereto may stand by their owne confession with all mischiefe as it well appeareth by them and with yeldyng themselues to worke all wickednesse with full delectation after the ensample of the faith of their father the deuil and without repenraunce and consent vnto the lawe of God that it is good And the popish also do so beleue in Christ and so will be his seruauntes that they will be bound vnto dumme ceremonies and dead workes putting their trust and confidence in them and hoping to be saued by them and ascribing vnto them the thanke of their saluation and righteousnes And therfore because as I sayd the Iewes ye and the Heathen to were so accustomed vnto ceremonies and because such a multitude came wyth a faithles fayth they went cleane coÌ„trary vnto the mynde of Paul and set vp ceremonies in the new testameÌ„t partly borowing them of Moses and partly imagening like as ye now see and called them sacraments that is to say signes as it is plaine in the stories the sacrament of holy water of holy fire holy bread holy salt and so forth And they gaue theÌ„ significations As holy water signified the sprincling of Christes bloud for our redemption which sacrament or signe though it seeme superstuous in as much as the sacrament of Christes body and bloud signifieth y e same dayly yet as loÌ„g as y e signification bode it hurted not And the kissing of the Pax was set vp to signifie that the peace of Christ shoulde be euer among vs one to loue an other after his ensample as the word it self well declareth For pax is as much to say as peace And as for confirmation it is no doubt but that it came this wise vp that this was the vse which the word it selfe well declareth We read in the stories that they which were conuerted vnto the fayth of the age of discretion were full taught in the law of God as right is and in the fayth of our sauiour Iesus yer they were baptised vppon the profession or promising to to keepe that law and faith were baptised And then for the sâ—ccour helpe of young children baptised before the age of discretion to know the lawe of God and fayth of Christ was confirmation instituted that they should not be alway ignoraunt and faythlesse but be taught the profession of their Baptim And this no doubt was the maner as we may well gather by probable coniectures and euident tokens when the children were of sixe or seuen yeares olde their elders brought them vnto the priest or Deacon in euery parish which officer taught the children what their baptim ment what they had professed therein that is to wete the law of God and their dutie vnto al degrees and the faith of our sauiour And then because it should not be neglect or left vndone an higher officer as the Archdeacon for it hath not bene as I suppose in the Byshops handes alway as now neither were it meete came about from parish to parishe at tymes conuenient And the Priestes brought the children vnto hym at xj
as we haue sinned be in sinne or do sinne or shal sinne so farforth must faith in Christes bloud iustifie vs onely and els nothing To loue is to be righteous so farforth as thou louest but not to make righteous nor to make peace To beleue in Christes bloud with a repēting hart is to make righteous and the onely makyng of peace and satisfaction to Godwarde And thus because termes be darcke to them that be not expert and exercised we alway set out our meaning wyth cleare ensamples reporting our selues vnto the hartes and consciences of all men M. The blasphemous wordes of Luther seme to signifie that both Iohn Baptiste and our Lady were sinners Tyndall Iohn Baptiste sayde to Christ Mat. 3. I had neede to be baptised of thee and commest thou to me Wherof did Iohn confesse that he had nede to be washed purged by Christ of his holynes and good deedes When Iohn saide beholde y e Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of y e worlde he was not of that sorte nor had any sinnes to be taken away at any time nor any part in Christs bloud which dyed for sinners onely Iohn came to restore all thyng sayth Christ That is he came to enterprete the law of God truely and to proue all fleshe sinners to send thē to Christ as Paul doth in the beginning of y e Romanes Which lawe if M. More coulde vnderstand how spirituall it is and what it requireth of vs he woulde not so dispute And if there were no imperfectnesse in our Ladies deedes why dyd Christ rebuke her Iohn 2. when he ought rather to haue honoured his mother and why did he make her secke him three dayes Chrisostomus dare say that our Lady was now and then taken with a little vayne glory She ioked for the promises of him that should come and blesse her from what She beleued to be saued by Christ from what This I graunt that our Lady Iohn Baptiste Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moses and many like did neuer consent to sinne to follow it But had the holy ghost from the beginning Neuer the later while they folowed the spirite and wrought their best yet chaunces met them by the way and temptations that made their woorkes come sometimes vnperfectly to passe as a potter that hath his craft neuer so wel meteth a chaunce now and then that maketh him fashion a pot a misse So that I thinke the perfectest of them all as we haue ensamples of some were compelled to say with Paul that good that I would I do not and that euill that I would not that I do I would not sweare on a booke that if our Lady had bene let slip as we other were and as hard apposed with as present death before her eyes that she would not haue denyed somethinges that she knew true ye but she was preserued by grace that she was not No but though she were kept by grace from y e outwarde deede yet if there were such wickednes in her fleshe she had sinne And the grace was that she knew it and was meeke to beleue in Christ to haue it forgeuen her and to be preserued that it should not bud forth Iohn the Euangelist when he was as holy as euer was Iohn the Baptist sayd if we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues Then he compareth fayth deedes together and will that fayth shoulde stand in no better seruice of right then deedes Yes for the deedes be examined by the lawe and therfore it is not inough to do them onely or to do thē with loue but I must do them wyth as great loue as Christ did for me and as I receaue a good deede at my nede But faith is vnder no lawe and therfore be she neuer so feeble she shall receaue according to the truth of the promiser M. What thing coulde we aske God of right because we beleue him Tyndall Verely all that he promiseth may we be bolde to aske of right and dutie and by good obligation More Ferman sayd that all workes be good inough in thē that god hath chosē Tyndall I am sure it is vntrue for their best be not good inough though God forgeueth them their euill of hys mercy at y e repentaunce of their harts Then he endeth in his schole doctrine contrary vnto all the scripture that God remitteth not the sinne of hys chosen people because that he hath chosen thē not of his mercy but of a towardnes that is more in one then in an other saying God saw before that Peter should repent and Iudas woulde dispaire and therefore chose Peter If God chose Peter because he did repent why chose he not Iudas to which repented as much as he knowledged his sinne and brought the money agayne O this blindnesse as God had wrought nothing in the repentaunce of Peter Sayde not Christ before that Peter should falle And sayd he not that he had prayed for him that he shoulde be holpe vppe agayne Christ prayed a strong prayer for Peter to helpe hym vp agayne and suffered a strong death thereto And before his death he committed them vnto his father saying I haue kept them in thy name and I depart keepe them now from euill Peter had a good hart to God and loued his lawe and beleued in Christ had the spirite of God in him which neuer left him for all his falle Peter sinned of no malice but of frailtie and sodaine feare of death And the goodnesse of God wrought his repentaunce and all the meanes by which he was brought vp againe at Christes requeste And Iudas was neuer good nor came to Christ for loue of his doctrine but of couetousnesse nor did euer beleue in Christ Iudas was by nature and birth as we all be heyre of the wrath of God in whome the deuill wrought his will and blinded his hart with ignoraunce In which ignorannce and blindnes he grew as he grew in age and fell deeper and deeper therein and thereby wrought all his wickednesse and the deuilles will and perished therin Frō which ignoraunce God purged Peter of his mercy and gaue him light and his spirite to gouerne him and not of any towardnesse that was in Peter of hys owne byrth but for the mercy that we haue in the birth of Christes death And how will M. More proue that God chuseth not of his goodnes but of our towardnes What good towardnes can he haue and endeuour that is altogether blinde and caryed away at the will of the deuill till the deuill be cast out Are we not robbed of all towardnes in Adam and be by nature made the children of sinne so that we sinne naturally and to sinne is our nature So that as now though we would do well the flesh yet sinneth naturally neither ceaseth to sinne but so farforth as it is kept vnder with
therof and our neighbours yea our enemies as our selues inwardly from the grounde of the hart because God hath made them after the likenesse of his owne image they are his sonnes as well as we and Christ hath bought them with his bloud and made them heyres of euerlastyng lyfe as well as vs And how we ought to do what soeuer God biddeth and absteine from what soeuer God forbiddeth with all loue and mekenes with a feruent and a burnyng lust from the center of the hart then begynneth the conscience to rage against the law and against God No sea be it neuer so great a tempest is so vnquiet For it is not possible for a naturall mā to cōsent to the law that it should be good or that God should be righteous which maketh the law in as much as it is contrary vnto hys nature and damneth him and all that he cā do neither sheweth him where to fetch helpe nor preacheth any mercy but onely setteth mā at variaunce with God as witnesseth Paule Rom. iiij and prouoketh hym and styrreth hym to rayle on God and to blaspheme him as a cruell tyraunt For it is not possible for a mā till he be borne agayne to thinke that God is righteous to make hym of so poyson a nature either for his own pleasure or for the sinne of an other man and to geue him a law that is impossible for him to do or to cōsent to his witte reason and will beyng so fast glued yea nayled and chayned vnto the will of the deuill Neither can any creature louse the bondes saue the bloud of Christ onely This is captiuitie and bondage whence Christ deliuered vs redemed and loused vs. His bloud his death his pacience in suffering rebukes and wronges his prayers and fastynges his mekenes and fulfillyng of the vttermost point of the law peased the wrath of God brought the fauour of God to vs agayne obteined that God should loue vs first and be our father and that a mercyfull father that will consider our infirmities and weakenes and wil geue vs his spirite agayn which was taken away in the fall of Adam to rule gouerne strength vs and to breake the bondes of Sathan wherein we were so straite bounde When Christ is thus wise preached the promises rehearsed which are contained in the Prophetes in the Psalmes and in diuers places of the fiue bookes of Moses which preachyng is called the Gospell or glad tydinges then the hartes of them which are elect and chosē begyn to waxe soft and melt at the bounteous mercy of God and kyndnes shewed of Christ For when the Euangelion is preached the spirite of God entreth into them which God hath ordeined and appoynted vnto eternall lyfe and openeth their inward eyes and worketh such belefe in them When the wofull consciences feele and tast how swete a thyng the bitter death of Christ is how mercyfull louing God is through Christes purchasyng and merites they begin to loue gayne and to consent to the law of God how that it is good and ought so to be and that God is righteous which made it and desire to fulfill the law euen as a sicke man desireth to be whole and are an hungred and thirst after more righteousnes and after more strength to fulfill the law more perfectly And in all that they do or omit and leaue vndone they seke Gods honour and his will with meekenesse euer condemnyng the vnperfectnes of their deedes by the law Now Christ standeth vs in double stede and vs serueth two maner wise First he is our redemer deliuerer reconciler mediator intercessor aduocate atturney soliciter our hope comfort shield protectiō defender strēgth health satisfaction and saluation His bloud his death all that he euer dyd is ours And Christ him self with all that he is or can do is ours His bloud shedyng and all that he dyd doth me as good seruice as though I my selfe had done it And God as great as he is is myne with all that he hath as an husband is his wiues through Christ and his purchasing Secondaryly after that we be ouercome with loue and kindnes and now seke to do the will of God which is a Christen mans nature Then haue we Christ an exāple to counterfeit as saith Christ him selfe in Iohn I haue geuen you an example And in an other Euāgelist he sayth He that wil be great among you shal be your seruaunt and Minister as the sonne of man came to minister and not to be ministred vnto And Paule sayth Counterfeit Christ And Peter sayth Christ dyed for you and left you an example to folow hys steppes What soeuer therefore fayth hath receaued of God through Christs bloud and deseruyng that same must loue shed out euery whit and bestow it on our neighbours vnto their profite yea and that though they be our enemyes By fayth we receaue of God and by loue we shed out agayne And that must we do frely after the example of Christ without any other respect saue our neighbours wealth onely neither looke for reward in earth nor yet in heauen for the deseruyng merites of our deedes as Friers preach though we know that good deedes are rewarded both in this lyfe and in the lyfe to come but of pure loue must we bestow our selues all that we haue all that we are able to do euen on our enemyes to bryng them to God consideryng nothyng but their wealth as Christ dyd ours Christ dyd not hys deedes to obteyne heauen therby that had bene a madnes heauē was his all ready he was heyre therof it was his by inheritaunce but dyd them frely for our sakes consideryng nothyng but our wealth and to bryng the fauour of God to vs agayne and vs to God As no naturall sonne that is his fathers heyre doth his fathers will because he would be heyre that he is already by byrth his father gaue him that yer hee was borne and is lother that he should go without it then he him selfe hath wit to be but of pure loue doth he that he doth And aske him why he doth any thing that he doth he aunswereth my father bade it is my fathers will it pleaseth my father Bond seruauntes worke for hyre Children for loue For their father with all he hath is theirs already So doth a Christen man frely all that he doth considereth nothyng but the will of God his neighbours wealth onely If I liue chaste I do it not to obteine heauen therby For then should I doe wrong to the bloud of Christ Christes bloud hath obteined me that Christes merites haue made me heyre therof He is both doore and way thether wardes Neither that I loke for an higher roume in heauē thē they shal haue which liue in wedlocke other thē a whore of the stewes if she repēt for that were the pride of Lucifer But frely to wayte on the Euangelion and
righteousnes our iustifying our redemption our attonement that hath appeased God and clenseth vs froÌ„ our sinnes and all in his bloud so that his bloud is the satisfaction onely And that thou mayst the better perceaue the falshead of our holy fathers fleshly imagination call to minde how that the Scripture sayth Iohn the iiij God is a spirite and must be worshypped in the spirite That is repentauÌ„ce fayth hope and loue toward his law and our neighbour for his sake is hys worshyp in the spirite And therefore whosoeuer woorshyppeth God with workes and referreth his woorkes to God to be a sacrifice vnto hym to appease hym as though hee delited in the worke for the woorkes sake the same maketh of God an image or idoll and is an image seruer and as wicked an Idolater as euer was any blynd heathen and serueth God after the imagination of his owne hart and is abhominable vnto god as thou seest in how many places God defieth the sacrifice of the children of Israell for the sayd imagination So that whosoeuer supposeth that his candle stickyng before an Image his puttyng a peny in the boxe his goyng a pilgrimage his fastyng his wolward goyng barefoote goyng his crowchyng knelyng and paine taking be sacrifice vnto God as though he delited in them as we in the gestures of Iack Napes is as blind as hee that gropeth for his way at none Gods worshyp is to loue hym for hys mercy of loue to bestow al our works vpon our neighbour for his sake and vpon the tamyng of our flesh that we sinne not agayne which should be the chiefest care of a Christen man whyle Christ careth for that that is once past and coÌ„mitted already whether before our profession or after For the conditions of the peace that is made betwen God vs in Christes bloud are these The law is set before vs vnto whiche if we consent and submit our selues to be scholers thereof then are not onely all our foresinnes forgiuen both Poena culpa with our holy fathers licence euer but also all our infirmities weaknes pronesse readynes and motions vnto sinne are pardoned and taken aworth and we translated froÌ„ vnder the damnation of the law which damneth as well those infirmities as the sinne that springeth of them and putteth vs vnder grace Rom. 7. So that we shall not henceforth as long as we forsake not our professioÌ„ be iudged by the rigorousnes of the law But chastised if we do amise as children that are vnder no law Now then if God in Christ pardon our infirmities by reasoÌ„ of which we cannot escape but that we shal now and theÌ„ sinne it foloweth that he must likewise pardon the actuall sinne whiche we do compelled of those infirmities in spite of our hartes and agaynst the will of the spirite For if thou pardon the sicknesse of the sicke then must thou pardoÌ„ the deeds which he doth or â—eueth vndone by the reason of his sicknesse If the madnes of a mad man be pardoned and vnder no law then if he murther in his madnesse he may not be slayne agayne If children within a certaine age are not vnder the law that flayeth theues then can ye not of right hang them though they steale What popishe pardoning were that Thys doth Paule Rom. 7. so confirme that all the world cannot quitch against it saying I consent vnto the law of God that it is good and fayne would I do it and yet haue I not alwayes power so to do but find an other thing in my flesh rehelling agaynst the will of my minde and leading me captine into sinne so that I cannot do that I wold doe but am compelled to doe that I would not If sayth he I do that I woulde not then I do it not but the sinne that dwelleth in me doth it And then sayth he Who shall deliuer me from this body of deathe in which I am bound prisoner agaynst my will Thankes be to God saith he through Iesus Christ our Lorde which hath conquered and ouercome sinne death and hell and hath put the damnation of the law out of the way vnto all that professe the law and beleue in him We be vnder the lawe to learne it and to fasshion our deedes as like as we can but not vnder the damnation of the lawe that we shoulde be damned though our deedes were not perfect as the law requireth or though of frailty we at a time breake it As children are vnder the law that they steale not but not vnder the damnation though they steale So that all they that are graffed into Christ to follow hys doctrine are vnder the law to learne it onely but are deliuered from feare of euerlasting death and hell and all the threatenings of the law and from conscience of sinne which feared vs from God And we are come into God thorough the confidence that we haue in Iesus Christ are as familiar bold with him as yong innocent children which haue no conscience of sinne are with their fathers and mothers or theÌ„ that nourishe them Which were vnpossible if God now as the pope painteth him did shake a rod at vs of vij yeares punishment as sharpe as the paynes of hel for euery trespace we do which trespace for the number of them were like to make our purgatory almost as long as hell seing we haue no Gods word that we shall be deliuered thence vntil we haue payd the last farthing And therefore could our conscience neuer be at rest nor be bolde and familier with God If ye say the Pope can deliuer my conscience from feare of purgatory as his poetry onely putteth me in feare and that by this text Whatsoeuer thou bindest on earth c. If thou this way vnderstand the text whatsoeuer thou being in earth losest any where then might he lose in hell and binde in heauen But why may not I take the text of Christ Ioh. 16. Whatsoeuer ye aske my Father in my name he will geue it you and desire forgeuenesse of all together in Christes name both a poena culpa and theÌ„ remayneth no such purgatory at all Howbeit the text of binding losing is but borowed speach how that after the similitude of worldly binding and losing locking and vnlocking the word of God truely preached doth binde and lose the conscience God sayth to Hieremias cap. 1. Behold I geue thee power ouer nations and kingdomes to plucke vp by the rootes and to shiuer in peeces to destroy and cast downe and to build and plante How did he destroy nations kingdomes and how did he build theÌ„ verily by preaching and prophecying What nation kingdome or citie he prophecyed to be ouerthrowne was so And what Citie he prophecyed to be built againe was so And what nation after they were brought into captiuity he prophecyed to be restored agayne were so And whome he prophecyed to perish perished
it is the gift of God and commeth not of workes lest any man should bost him selfe But we are his workemanshyp created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes vnto whiche God ordeined vs before that we shuld walke in them The text is playne we were stone dead and without lyfe or power to do or consent to good The whole nature of vs was captiue vnder the deuill and led at his will And we were as wicked as the deuill now is Except that hee now sinneth agayne the holy ghost and we consented vnto sinne with soule and body and hated the law of God But God of his grace onely quickened vs in Christ and raysed vs out of that death and made vs sit with Christ in heauenly thynges That is he set our hartes at rest and made vs sit fast in the lyfe of Christes doctrine and vnmoueable frō the loue of Christ And finally we are in this our second byrth Gods workemāshyp and creation in Christ so that as hee which is yet vnmade hath no life nor power to worke no more had we till we were made agayne in Christ The preachyng of mercy in Christ quickened our hartes through faith wrought by the spirit of Christ which God poured into our hartes yer we wist Dearely beloued if God so loued vs then ought we loue one an other If we felt the loue of God in Chrisles bloud we could not but loue agayne not onely God and Christ but also all that are bought with Christes bloud If we loue God for the pleasures that we receaue then loue we our selues But if we loue hym to do hym pleasure agayne that can we no otherwise do then in louing our neighbours for his sake them that are good to continue them in their goodnes them that are euill to draw them to good Loue is the instrument wherewith fayth maketh vs Gods sonnes fashioneth vs lyke the image of God and certifieth vs that we so are And therfore commaundeth Christ Math. v. Loue your enemyes Blesse thē that curse you pray for them that persecute you that ye may be the sonnes of your heauenly father whiche maketh his sunne rise ouer good and bad and sendeth his rayne vpon iust and vniust ye whiche made the sunne of his mercy shyne vpō vs and sent the rayne of the bloud of his deare and onely child vppon our soules to quicken vs and to make vs see loue to loue agayne No man hath at any tyme sene God If we loue one an other God dwelleth in vs and his loue is perfect in vs. Though we can not see God yet if we loue one an other we be sure that he abydeth in vs and that his loue is perfect in vs that is that we loue hym vnfaynedly For to loue God truly to giue him thankes is onely to loue our neighbour for his sake For vppon his person thou canst bestow no benefite And for as much as we neuer saw God let vs make no image of him nor doe hym any imageseruice after our own imagination but let vs go to the scripture that hath sene hym and there wete what fashion he is of and what seruice he wil be serued with Blind reason sayth God is a kerued post and wil be serued with a candle But Scripture sayth God is loue wil be serued with loue If thou loue thy neighbour thē art thou the image of God thy self and he dwelleth in the liuing temple of thine hart And thy louing of thy neighbour for hys sake is hys seruice and worshyp in the spirite and a cādle that burneth before hym in thyne hart and casteth out the light of good workes before the world draweth all to God and maketh his enemyes leaue their euill and come and worshyp him also Hereby we know that we abyde in him and he in vs. For he hath giuen vs of his spirite He that hath not Christes spirit the same is none of his Roma 8. If we haue the spirite of God then are we sure But how shall we know whether we haue the spirite Aske Iohn and he will say if we loue one an other And we haue sene and do testifie that the father hath sent hys sonne the sauiour of the worlde Whosoeuer confesseth that Iesus is the sonne of God in hym dwelleth God and he in God And we haue knowne and beleued the loue that God hath to vs. First the Apostles taught no fables but that they saw and receaued of God by the witnesse of his spirite Secondaryly Iohn ascēdeth vp stepe higher from loue to fayth and sayth he that be leueth that Iesus is Gods sonne hath God in hym And I doubt not but the Pope and his defēders will aunswere Iohn and say then the deuil hath God in hym and is also in God For other fayth then such as the deuill hath felt they neuer any But Iohn preuenteth them we haue knowē and beleued the loue that God hath to vs. That is we beleue not onely with story fayth as men beleue old Chronicles but we beleue the loue and mercy that GOD shewed vs and put our trust and confidence therein And so taketh Scripture belefe we beleue that Iesus is the sonne of God made man and slayne for our sinnes which is a tokē of great loue And that loue beleue we trust therto Where Paule sayth i. Cor. xij No man can cal Iesus Lord except the holy ghost had taught hym But thorough the holy ghost he meaneth not with the mouth onely but in the hart with vnfayned fayth putting his hope trust in the Lordshyp which he hath ouer sinne damnation hell and death For so could no man call Iesus Lord except the holy ghost had taught hym as Christ saith Math. xvi flesh bloud shewed thee not that But yet how shall I see my fayth I must come downe to loue agayne thence to the workes of loue yer I can see my faith Not alway but sometime thou shalt fecle thy fayth without the outward deede as in great aduersitie and persecution when the deuil assaulteth thee with desperation and layeth thy sinnes before thee would beare the in hād that God had cast the away and left the succourles for thy synnes sake Then commeth fayth forth with her shielde and turneth backe agayne the dartes of the deuill and aunswereth Nay for Iesus is y ◠sonne of God yea and my very God and my very Lord and hath takē away my sinnes all dānation And this trouble aduersitie which is come vpō me by settyng of thee and on of thy lymmes is onely to make me feele the mercy of my father and his power and helpe within in my soule and to slay the rest of the poyson which remaineth in the flesh God is loue and he that abydeth in loue abydeth in God and God in hym This haue we heard aboue and it is easie to be vnderstand Herefore is loue perfect with vs
it or to read in it To beleue that Iesus is Christe is to beleue in Christ that is to beleue earnestly and to put all thy trust therein and to lay the price of thy soule therupon that the sonne of Marie whom the aungell coÌ„maunded to be called Iesus because he shuld saue his people froÌ„ their sinnes is that Christ that Messias and that annoynted whiche God promised the fathers should come and blesse all nations and annoynt them with the oyle of his spirite with mercy and grace and to deliuer them froÌ„ death of their soules whiche is the consentyng to sinne and to make them a lyue with consentyng vnto the law of God and in certifiyng theÌ„ that they be the sonnes of God And to put the whole trust in all that he suffred in his fleshe for thy sake and in all promises of mercy that are in hym and that thou be full persuaded that there is no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men to be saued froÌ„ sinne by or to purchase forgiuenesse of the lest synne that euer was coÌ„mitted An other conclusion is this whosoeuer loueth God loueth all that beleue in God For all that loue hym that begetteth loue them that are begotten of him and all that beleue in God are begotten of God through that belefe and made his sonnes theÌ„ al that loue God loue all that beleue in God An other conclusion is this When we loue God and his law theÌ„ we loue the sonnes of God Which is this wise proued The loue of God is to keepe the law of God by the text before and after the law of GOD is to loue our neighbours therfore if we loue God in kepyng his lawes we must needes loue the sonnes of God But Iohn should seme to be a very negligeÌ„t disputer to many men in that he here certifieth vs of the loue of our neighbours by the loue of God when aboue hee certifieth vs that we loue God because we loue our neighbours Hee semeth to doe as I heard once a great Clerke in Oxford stand halfe an houre in a pulpit to proue that Christ was a true Prophet by the testimonie of Iohn Baptist and an other halfe houre to proue Iohn y t Baptist a true Prophet by the authoritie of Christ as we say claw me claw thee and as euery these might lightly proue him selfe a true man in bearyng recorde to an other as false as he and takyng recorde of the same agayne Which kynde of disputyng schole men call Petitiâ— prâ—ncipij the prouyng of two certaine thynges eche by the other and is no prouyng at all as our holy father proueth the authoritie of Scripture by hys decrees for the Scripture is not autentike but as his decrees admit it to make his decrees shyne and appeare glorious and to obtaine authoritie he allegeth the Scripture after his iugglyng maner to make fooles starke mad But it is not so here for both the demonstrations are certaine both the proffe of the loue of God and his law by the loue of my neighbour and the proofe of the loue of my neighbour by the loue of God and his law For wheÌ„ ij thynges are so ioyned together that they can not be separated then the presence of the one vttereth the presence of the other whether soeuer thou first seest As if I see fire I am sure that some thyng doth burne And if I smell burnyng I am certified of fire Euen so the loue of God is the cause why I loue my neighbour and my loue toward my neighbour is the effect of the loue of God And these two loues are euer inseperable so that whether soeuer I feele first the same certifieth me of the other Iohn calleth the loue of a maÌ„s neighbour the deedes of loue after the Hebrue speach as to helpe at neede For the deede declareth what the man is within Neither can my loue to God fayth be sene to the world saue thorough the workes And by the workes doth Christ commaunde vs to iudge So that if a maÌ„ haue euill workes and continueth therin he loueth not God nor knoweth God no though he call hym selfe master doctour or Gods vicare Neither vnderstandeth he Gods word for all his high diuinitie but is in all hys preachyng an hypocrite a false Prophet and a lyer though hys preachyng please the world neuer so well Neuerthelesse a man is certified that he loueth God yer he come at the worke by the testimonie of the spirite which is giueÌ„ him in earnest The spirite sayth Paule Roma viij testifieth vnto our spirite that we be the sonnes of God and then it testifieth that we beleue in God for thorough fayth are we sonnes And then it certifieth me that I loue God For fayth and loue are inseparable The spirite thorough fayth certifieth my conscience that my sinnes are forgiueÌ„ and I receaued vnder grace and made the very sonne of God and beloued of God And theÌ„ naturally myne hart breaketh out into the loue of God agayne I seke how to vtter my loue and to do God some pleasure And because I can neither do seruice or pleasure vnto his owne person my neighbour is set before me to do God seruice and pleasure in him to be to him as Christ is to me because he is my brother bought with Christs bloud as I am And I consent vnto that law and loue it yer I come at the dede and long after the dede And then wheÌ„ I loue my neighbour in the deede accordyng to this law I am sure that I loue hym truly Or els if I examined not my loue by this law I might be deceaued For some loue their neighbours for pleasure profite glorie and for their doyng seruice onely as our spiritualtie loue vs and of that blessed loue do their busie cure to keepe vs in darkenes which loue is a signe that a man hateth God and hys neighbour therto and loueth him selfe onely But Gods law is that I should absteine from myne owne pleasure and profite and become my neighbours seruaunt and bestow lyfe and goodes vpoÌ„ hym after the example of Christ Wherfore if I loue my neighbour out of the loue of Christ and after the example of hys law I am sure that I loue him truly And his commaundementes are not greuous For all that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde and this is the victory that ouercommeth the world eueÌ„ our faith To loue is not paynefull the commaundementes are but loue therfore they be not greuous because loue maketh the commaundements easie The seruice that a mother doth vnto her child is not greuous because she loueth it But if she should do the tenth part vnto one that she loued not her hart would brast for impacience Vnto a maÌ„ that fetleth not the loue of Christ it is as impossible to keepe the commaundementes as for a Camell to enter through the eye of a nedle But
in their Sacrament euery where which thing is not like but they would haue done if that opinion had thē bene a generall article of the fayth Neither was there any heresie or diuersitie of opinion or disputyng about the matter till the Pope had gathered a Councell to confirme this transubstāciation wherfore it is most likely that this opinion came vp by thē of latter dayes Furthermore all the law and Prophetes all the Christ dyd or can yet do is to bring vs to beleue in him and in God the father through him for the remissiō of sinnes to bryng vs vnto that whiche immediatly foloweth out of that belefe to loue our neighbours for hys sake as he loued vs. Wherfore if Christ did put his bodilie presence in the Sacrament and would we should beleue it It is done onely to bring vs to this fayth Now is this fayth no where lesse had then where that opinion is most strong neither so cruelly persecuted of Iew or Turke as of thē that most feruently defend that opiniō True fayth maketh a man to loue hys brother but that opinion maketh them to hate and slay their brethren that better beleue in Christ then they of that opinion do and that murther do they for feare of losyng that they haue gotten through that opinion Item they of this opiniō in stede of teachyng vs to beleue in Christ teach vs to serue Christe with bodily seruice which thing is nought els but Idolatry For they preach that all the ceremonies of the Masse are a seruice to God by reason of the bodily workes to obtayne forgeuenes of sinnes therby and to deserue merite therewith And yet Christ is now a spiritual substaunce with his father hauyng also a spirituall body and with the father to be worshypped in spirite onely And his seruice in the spirite is onely to beleue in hym for the remissiō of sinne to call vpon hym giue hym thankes to loue our neighbours for his sake Now all workes done to serue man and to bryng him to this poynt to put his trust in Christ are good acceptable to God but done for any other purpose they be Idolatry and Imageseruice and make God an Idole or bodily Image Agayne seyng the fayth of the Testament in Christes bloud is the lyfe of the righteous from the begynnyng of the world to the end and for as much as the Sacramēt was instituted onely to bryng to this lyfe Now when they which thinke not the body to be presēt in the Sacramēt haue by the preaching and confirmation of the Sacrament obtayned this lyfe or stedfast fayth in Christes bloud and by the dayly vse of the Sacrament are more more hardned therein and in the loue that springeth thereof What reasonable cause haue the contrary part whiche beleue the body present and bread turned into the very body as flesh bones her◠sinewes nayles all other as he was put on the crosse of length and quantitie I cannot tell what to rayle on vs as heretickes hate persecute and slay vs most cruelly as enemyes Christ sayth Qui contra me non est mecum est He that is not agaynst me is with me Now they that beleue in Christ for the remissiō of their sinnes and for his sake loue their foes are not Christes enemies Ergo they be on Christes side Why then should they that boast them selues to be Christes trendes slay thē Fayth in Christes bloud and in the father thorough him is Gods seruice in spirite And so haue they whiche beleue not the bodily presence serued God a long time and there to bene holpen by the Sacrament The other part fallen there from through beleuyng the body present seruyng God with bodily seruice which is Idolatrie and to make God an Idoll or Image in that they trust in the goodnes of their woorkes as they which serue tyrauntes not in the goodnes of God through trust in the bloud of Christ Ergo they that beleue not the bodily presence not a litle therto compelled through the wicked Idolatrie of the contrary belefe are not to be thought so euill as the other would haue them seme to be Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 13. that if a man had all other giftes that God can giue man and had not charitie to loue his neighbour it helpeth not For all other giftes and the remissiō in Christes bloud also are giuen hym of God to bryng hym to loue hys neighbour which thing had a mā hath all which not had a man hath nothyng And Phil. 2. how swetely and how vehemently cōiureth he them to draw all one way to be of one accorde one mynde or sentence And to do nothyng of strife or of vayne glory that is to say of hate or disdayne one of another or of affectiō to him selfe for to seme glorious but ech to preferre other through mekenes and to haue his opinion suspect and to feare least he hath not obtayned the vnderstandyng rather thē of presumption to his owne witte to despise hate the cōtrary party persecute as a tyraunt And in the thyrd of the same Paul sayth let as many as be perfect that is to say be truly taught and know the law truly and her office and the office and effect of fayth and know whiche be good workes before God and what the intent of them is let sayth he so serue as we be come procede in one rule that we may be of one accorde Now hetherto we be all come and this generall rule haue we gotten that fayth onely instifieth that is to say that the sinne is forgiuen onely for Christes sake againe that our duety is to loue our neighbours no lesse then Christ loued vs wherfore let vs procede forth in this rule exhort ech other to trust to Christ to loue ech other as Christ dyd and in this where in we all agree let vs bewise onely feruēt and striue who shal be greatest and go formost And in this which is not opened to all parties let vs be meeke sober and cold and keepe our wisedome secret to ourselues and abyde paciētly till God open it to other also The cause why the third part say that this worde is compelleth vs not to beleue the bodily presence of Christ to be there is this The Iewes say they are wont euer to name the memoriall and signes of thinges with the very name of the thyng signified that the very name might the better keepe the thyng in mynde As when Iacob Gene. 32. turned home agayne out of Mesopotamia saw the aūgels of God come agaynst hym hee called the place where he saw thē Mahanaim An host because his posteritie in tyme to come when they hard the field whiche was none host yet so called should aske why it was so named y t their elders might thereby haue an occasion to teach that Iacob saw there an host of
thē a mote in the sonne and that as lōg as great thicke as he stode before them If hee wereso mighty why is he not as mighty to make his bloud to bee alone and his body alone hys bloud body and soule were ech alone at his death and while the body lay in the sepulchre Finally Christ said this is my bloud that shal be shed Ergo it is true now this is my bloud that was shed Now the bloud of Hayles and the bloud that is in many other places men say is the bloud that was shed Ergo that bloud is in the Sacrament if any be but I am not bound to beleue or ought to affirme that the bloud that is at Hayles is anymate with the soule of Christ or that his body is there present Wherfore to auoid this endles braulyng whiche the deuils no doubt hath stirred vp to turne y t eyes of our soules frō the euerlastyng couenaūt made vs in Christes bloud body to nossell vs in Idolatry which is trust confidēce in false worshippyng of God to quēch first the faith to Christward and thē the loue due to our neighbour therfore me thinketh that the party y t hath professed y e faith of Christ the loue of his neighbour ought of denty to beare ech other as lōg as the other opiniō is not plaine wicked through false Idolatrie nor cōtrary to the saluation that is in Christ nor agaynst the opē manifest doctrine of Christ and his Apostles nor contrary to the generall articles of the fayth of the generall Churche of Christ which are confirmed with open Scripture In whiche articles neuer a true Church in any land dissenteth There be many textes of the Scripture therefore diuersly expounded of holy doctours takē in cōtrary sēces whē no text hath cōtrary sēces in dede or more thē one single sence yet that hurteth not neither are y e holy doctors therfore heretikes as the expositiō destroyeth not the faith in Christes blud nor is cōtrary to the opē scripture or general articles No more doth it hurt to say that the body bloud are not in the Sacramēt Neither doth it helpe to say they be there but hurt excedingly if ye inferre y t the soule is there to and that God must be there prayed to when as our kingdome is not on the earth euē so we ought not to direct our prayers to any God in earth but vp where our kyngdome is And whether our redemer sauiour is gone there sitteth on the right hand of his father to pray for vs to offer out prayers vnto his father to make thē for his sake acceptable neither ought he y t is bound vnder paine of dānatiō to loue his brother as Christ loued him to hate to persecute to slay his brother for blind zeale to any opiniō that neither letteth nor hindereth to saluatiō that is in Christ As they which pray to God in the Sacramēt not onely do but also through that opinion as they haue lost loue to their neighbours euen so haue they lost the true fayth in y t couenaūt made in Christes bloud and body Which couenaunt onely is y t which saueth And to testifis this was the sacramēt institute onely ¶ FINIS A Letter sent from William Tyndall vnto Iohn Frith being prisoner in the Tower of London THe grace and peace of God our father and of Iesus Christ our Lord be with you Amen Dearely beloued brother Iohn I haue heard say how that hypocrites nowe that they haue ouercome that great busines which letted thē at the least way haue brought it at a stay they returne to their old nature agayne The will of God be fulfilled and that which he hath ordeyned to be ere the world was made that come and his glory reigne ouer all Dearely beloued how euer the matter be commit your selfe wholy and onely vnto your most louing father most kinde Lorde and feare not men that threat nor trust men that speake fayre but trust him that is true of promise and able to make his worde good Your cause is Christes Gospell a light that must be fedde with the bloud of fayth The lampe must be dressed and snuffed dayly and that oyle poured in euery euening and morning that the light goe not out Though we be sinners yet is the cause right If when we be busteted for well doing we suffer paciently and endure that is acceptable to God for to that ende we are called For Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should follow his steps who did no sinne Hereby haue we perceaned loue that he layed downe his lyfe for vs Therefore we ought also to laye downe our liues for the brethern Reioice and be glad for great is your reward in heauen For we suffer with him that we may also be glorified with him Who shall chaunge our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to the working wherby he is able euen to subiect all thinges vnto hym Dearely beloued be of good courage and comfort your soule with the hope of this high reward and beare the Image of Christ in your mortall body that it may at his comming be made like to his immortall and folow the example of all your other dear brethren which chose to suffer in hope of a better resurrection Kéepe your conscience pure and vndefiled and say against that nothing Sticke at necessarie thinges and remēber the blasphemies of the enemies of Christ saying they finde none but that will abiure rather then suffer the extremitie Moreouer the death of thē that come againe after they haue once denyed thouh it be accepted with God and all that beléeue yet is it not glorious for the hipocrites say he must néedes dye denying helpeth not But might it haue holpen they would haue denyed fyue hundred tymes but seing it would not helpe them therefore of pure pride and mere malice togither they speake with their mouthes that their conscience knoweth false If you geue your selfe cast your selfe yelde your selfe commit your selfe wholy and onely to your louyng father then shall his power be in you and make you strong and that so strong that you shall féele no payne which should be to an other present death and his spirit shall speake in you and teach you what to aunswere according to his promise He shall set out his trueth by you wonderfully and worke for you aboue all that your hart can imagine Yea you are not yet dead though the hipocrites all with all they can make haue sworne your death Vna salus victis nullam sperare salutem To looke for no mans helpe bringeth the helpe of God to them that seeme to be ouercome in the eyes of the hipocrites Yea it shall make God to cary you through thicke and thinne for his truethes sake in
passion Peter was angry and rebuked Christ and thought earnestly that he had raued and not wist what he sayde as at another time when Christ was so feruently busied in healyng the people that he had no leisure to eat they went out to hold him supposing that he had bene beside hymselfe And one that cast out diuels in Christes name they forbade because he wayted not on them so glorious were they yet And though Christ taught alway to forgeue yet Peter after long goyng to schole asked whether men should forgeue seuen tymes thinkyng that viij tymes had bene to much And at the last supper Peter would haue dyed with christ but yet within few houres after he denyed him both cowardly and shamefully And after the same maner though he had so long heard that no man might auenge him self but rather turne the other cheeke to then to smite agayne yet when Christ was in takyng Peter asked whether it were lawful to smite with the sword and taried none aunswere but layed on rashly So that though when we come first vnto knowledge of the truth and the peace is made betwene God and vs and we loue his lawes and beleue and trust in him as in our father and haue good hartes vnto him and be borne a new in the spirite yet we are but childrē and young scholers weake and feble and must haue leysure to grow in the spirite in knowledge loue and in the ded◅ therof as young children must haue tyme to grow in their bodies And God our father and scholemaster feedeth vs and teacheth vs accorcordyng vnto the capacitie of our stomackes and maketh vs to grow and waxe perfect and fineth and trieth vs as gold in the fire of temptations and tribulations As Moyses witnesseth Deutero viij saying Remember all the way by whiche the Lord thy God caried thee this xl yeares in the wildernesse to humble thee and to tempte or prouoke thee y t it might be knowen what were in thine hart He brought thee into aduersitie and made thee an hungred then fed thee with Manna which neither thou nor yet thy fathers euer knew of to teach that man lyueth not by bread onely but by all that procedeth out of the mouth of GOD. For the promises of God are lyfe vnto all that cleaue vnto them muche more then breade and bodyly sustenaunce as the iourney of the children of Israell out of Egipt into the land promised them ministreth thee notable ensamples and that aboundantly as doth all the rest of the Bible also Howbeit it is impossible for flesh to beleue and to trust in the truth of Gods promises vntil he haue learned it in much tribulation after that God hath deliuered him out therof agayne God therefore to teach Ionas and to shew him his owne hart to make him perfect and to instruct vs also by his ensample sent him out of the lande of Israell where he was a Prophet to go among the heathen people and to the greatest and mightiest Citie of the world then called Niniue to preache that within xl dayes they should all perish for their sinnes and that the Citie should be ouerthrowen Whiche message the free will of Ionas had as much power to doe as the weakest harted womā in the world ▪ hath power if◅ were commaunde◅ to leape int◅e of lyuyng snakes and adders as happely if God had cōmaunded Sara to haue sacrificed her sonne Isaa◅ as he did Abraham she would haue disputed with him yer shee had done it or though she were strong enough yet many an holy Saint could not haue founde in their hartes but would haue runne away from the presence of the commaundement of God with Ionas if they had bene so strongly tempted For Ionas thought of this maner loe I am here a Prophet vnto Gods people the Israelites Whiche though they haue Gods worde testified vnto them dayly yet despise it and worshyp God vnder the likenesse of calues and after all maner fashions saue after hys owne word and therfore are of all nations the worst and most worthy of punishment And yet God for loue of fewe that are among them and for his names sake spareth and defendeth them How then should GOD take so cruel vengeaunce on so great a multitude of them to whō hys name was neuer preached to and therfore are not the tenth part so euill as these If I shall therfore go preach so shal I laye and shame my selfe and God thereto make them the more to dispise God and set the lesse by him and to bee the more cruell vnto his people And vpon that imagination he fled from the face or presence of God that is out of the coūtrey where God was worshipped in and from the prosecutyng of Gods commaundement and thought I will get me an other way among the heathen people and be no more a prophet but liue at rest and out of all combraunce Neuerthelesse the God of all mercy which careth fo◠his elect children turneth all vnto good to them and smiteth them to heale thē againe and killeth them to make them aliue agayne and playeth with them as a father doth some tyme with his young ignoraunt children and tempteth them and proueth them to make them see their owne hartes prouided for Ionas how all thinges should be When Ionas entred into the shyp he layd him down to slepe and to take his rest that is his conscience was tossed betwene the commaundement of God which sent him to Ninine and his fleshly wisedome that dissnaded counselled him the contrary and at the last preuailed against the commaundement and caryed him an other way as a shyp caught betwene two streames as Poetes faine the mother of Meliager to be betwen diuers affections while to aduenge her brothers death shee sought to slea her owne sonne Whereupon for very paine and tediousnes he lay down to slepe for to put the commaundement which so gnewe and fret his conscience out of mynde as the nature of all wicked is when they haue sinned a good to seke all meanes with riot reuell and pastime to driue the remembraūce of sinne out of their thoughtes or as Adam did to couer their nakednes with apornes of Pope holy workes But God awoke him out of his dreame set his sinnes before his face For when y t lot had caught Ionas then bee sure that his sinnes came to remembraunce agayne and that his cōscience raged no lesse then the waues of the Sea And then he thought that he onely was a sinner and the heathen that were in the shyp none in respect of him and thought also as veryly as he was fled from God that as veryly God had cast him away for the sight of the rodde maketh the naturall child not onely to see and to knowledge his faulte but also to forget all his fathers old mercy and kindnesse And then he confessed his sinne openly
and had yet leuer perishe alone then that the other should haue perished with him for his sake and so of very desperatiō to haue lyued any longer he bad cast him into the Sea betimes except they would be lost also To speake of lottes how farre forth they are lawfull is a light question First to vse them for the breakyng of strife as when parteners their goods as equally diuided as they can take euery man his part by lot to auoyde all suspition of disceitfulnesse and as the Apostles in the first of the Actes when they sought an other to succede Iudas the traitour and two persōs were presented then to breake strife and to satisfie all parties did cast lottes whether should be admitted desiryng God to temper them and to take whom he knew most mete seyng they wyste not whether to preferre or happely could not all agree on either is lawfull and in all like cases But to abuse them vnto the temptyng of God and to compell hym therewith to vtter thinges wherof we stand in doubt when we haue no commaundement of him so to do as these heathen here dyd though God turned it vnto his glorie can not be but euill The heathen shypmen astonyed at the sight of the miracle feared GOD prayed to him offered sacrifice and vowed vowes And I doubte not but that some of them or happely all came thereby vnto the true knowledge and true worshipping of GOD and were wonne to GOD in their soules And thus God which is infinite mercifull in all his wayes wrought their soules health out of the infirmitie of Ionas euen of his good wil and purpose and loue wherewith he loued them before the world was made not of chaunce as it appeareth vnto the eyes of the ignoraunt And that Ionas was three dayes and three nightes in the belye of hys fishe we can not therby proue vnto the Iewes and infideles or vnto any mā that Christ must therefore dye and bee buried and rise againe But we vse the ensample and likenesse to strength the fayth of the weake For he that beleueth the one cā not dout in the other in as much as the hand of GOD was no lesse mightie in preseruyng Ionas alyue agaynst all naturall possibilitie and in deliueryng him safe out of this fish then in raising vp Christ agayne out of his sepulchre And we may describe the power and vertue of the resurrection thereby as Christ him selfe boroweth the similitude therto Math. xij saying vnto the Iewes that came about him and desired a signe or a wōder from heauen to certifie them that he was Christ this euill and wedlocke breakyng nation whiche breake the wedlocke of faith wherwith they bee maried vnto God and beleue in their false woorkes seke a signe but there shall no signe bee geuen them saue the signe of the Prophet Ionas For as Ionas was three dayes and three nightes in the bely of the Whale euen so shall the sonne of mā be three dayes three nightes in the hart of the earth Which was a watch word as we say and a sharpe threatenynge vnto the Iewes and as much to say as thus ye hard harted Iewes seke a signe loe this shal be your signe as Ionas was raised out of the sepulchre of his fishe and then sent vnto the Niniuites to preach that they should perish euen so shall I rise againe out of my sepulchre and come and preach repentaunce vnto you See therfore when ye see the signe that ye repent or els ye shal surely perishe and not escape For though the infirmities whiche ye now see in my flesh be a let vnto your fathers ye shall then be without excuse when ye see so great a miracle and so great power of God shed out vpon you And so Christ came agayne after the resurrection in his spirite and preached repentaunce vnto them by the mouth of his Apostles and Disciples and with miracles of the holy Ghost And all that repented not perished shortly after the rest caried awaye captiue into all quarters of the world for an example as ye see vnto this day And in like maner since the worlde began where soeuer repentaunce was offered and not receaued their GOD tooke cruell vengeaunce immediatly as ye see in the floude of Noe in the ouerthrowynge of Sodome and Gomorra and all the countrey about and as ye see of Egypt of the Amorites Cananites and afterward of the very Israelites and then at the last of the Iewes to and of the Assirians Babilonians and so throughout all the impeires of the world Gildas preached repentaunce vnto the old Britaines that inhabited England they repented not and therfore God sent in their enemies vpon them on euery side and destroyed them vp and gaue the land vnto other nations And greate vengeaunce hath bene taken in that lande for synne since that tyme. Wicleffe preached repentaunce vnto our fathers not long since they repented not for their harts were indurate and their eyes blinded with their own Pope holy righteousnesse wherewith they had made their soules gay against the receiuing agayne of the wicked spirite that bringeth seuen worse thē him selfe with him and maketh the later ende worse then the begynnyng for in open synnes there is hope of repentaunce but in holye hypocrisie none at all But what folowed they slew their true and right kyng and set vp three wrong kynges arowe vnder which all the noble bloud was slayne vp and halfe the commons thereto what in Fraunce and what with their owne sword in fightyng among them selues for the crowne and the Cities and Townes decayed and the lande brought halfe into a wildernesse in respect of that it was before And now Christe to preache repentaūce is risē yet once agayn out of his sepulchre in which y t Pope had buried him kept him downe with his pillars polars all disguisinges of hipocrisy with gyle wiles falshode with the sword of all Princes whiche he had blinded with his false marchaūdise And as I doubt not of the ensamples that are past so am I sure that great wrath will follow except repentaunce turne it backe againe cease it When Ionas had bene in the fishes bely a space and the rage of his conscience was somewhat quieted and swaged he come to him selfe againe and had receaued a litle hope the qualmes and panges of desperation which went ouer his hart halfe ouercome he prayed as he maketh mention in the text saying Ionas prayed vnto the Lord his GOD out of the bely of the fish But the wordes of that prayer are not here set The prayer that here standeth in the text is the prayer of prayse and thankesgeuyng which he prayed and wrote when hee was escaped and past all ieopardie In the end of which prayer he saith I will sacrifice with the voyce of thankesgeuyng and pay that I
outward thing euen so seeke within thy hart the plaister of mercy the promises of forgeuenes in our Sauiour Iesus Christ accordyng vnto all the ensamples of mercy y t are gone before And with Ionas let them that wait on vanities and seke God here and there and in euery temple saue in their hartes go and seke thou the testament of God in thyne harte For in thyne hart is the word of the law in thine hart is the word of faith in the promises of mercy in Iesus Christ So that if thou confesse with a repentyng hart and knowledge and surely beleue that Iesus is Lord ouer all sinne thou art safe And finally when the rage of thy conscience is ceased and quieted with fast faith in the promises of mercy thē offer with Ionas the offring of prayse and thankesgeuyng and pay the vowe of thy Baptisme that God onely saueth of his onely mercy and goodnes that is beleue stedsastly and preach cōstātly that it is God onely that smiteth and GOD onely that healeth ascribyng the cause of thy tribulation vnto thyne owne sinne and the cause of thy deliuerance vnto y t mercy of god And beware of the leuen that sayth we haue power in our free will before the preaching of the Gospel to deserue grace to kepe the law of congruite or god to bee vnrighteous And say with Iohn in the first that as the law was geuen by Moses euen so grace to fulfill it is geuen by Christ And when they say our deedes with grace deserue heauen say thou with Paule Rom. vj that euerlastyng lyfe is the gift of GOD thorough Iesus Christe our Lorde and that we be made sonnes by fayth Iohn i. And therefore heires of GOD with Christ Rom. viij And say that we receaue all of God through faith that foloweth repentaunce and that we doe not our workes vnto God but either vnto our selues to slay the sinne that remaineth in the fleshe and to waxe perfect either vnto our neighbours which do as much for vs agayne in other thynges And when a man excedeth in giftes of grace let him vnderstand that they be geuen him as well for his weake brethren as for him self as though all the bread be committed vnto the panter yet for his felowes with him whiche geue thee thankes vnto their Lord and recompence the panter agayn with other kynde of seruice in their offices And when they say that Christ hath made no satisfaction for the sinne we do after our Baptisme say thou with the doctrine of Paule that in our Baptisme we receaue the merites of Christes death through repentaunce faith of which two Baptisme is y t signe And though when we sinne of frailtie after our Baptisme we receaue the signe no more yet we be renewed agayne through repentance and fayth in Christes bloud of which twaine y t signe of Baptisme euen continued among vs in Baptising our young childrē doth euer kepe vs in mind call vs backe again vnto our profession if we begon astray promiseth vs forgeuenesse Neither cā actual sinne be washed away with our workes but with Christes bloud neither can there be any other sacrifice or satisfaction to Godward for them saue christes bloud For as much as we can do no workes vnto God but receiue only of his mercy with our repenting faith through Iesus Christ our lord and only sauiour vnto whom and vnto God our father thorowe hym and vnto his holy spirite y t onely purgeth sanctifieth and washeth vs in the innocent bloude of our redemption be prayse for euer Amen The Prologue vppon the Gospell of S. Mathew by M. William Tyndall HEre hast thou mostdere reader the new Testamēt or couenaunt made with vs of GOD in Christes bloud Whiche I haue looked ouer agayne now at the last with all diligence compared it vnto the Greke haue weeded out of it many fautes which lacke of helpe at the begynning and ouersight did sow therein If ought seme chaunged or not altogether agreyng with the Greeke let the finder of the faute consider the Hebrue phrase or maner of speache left in the Greeke wordes Whose preterperfectence and presentence is oft both one the futuretence is the optatiue mode also the futuretence oft y t imperatiue mode in the actiue voyce in the passiue euer Likewise person for person number for number and interrogatiō for a cōditionall and such lyke is with the Hebruesa common vsage I haue also in many places set light in the margent to vnderstand the text by If any mā finde fautes either with the translation or ought beside which is easier for many to do then so well to haue translated it thē selues of their owne pregnante wittes at the beginnyng without an ensāple to the same it shal be lawfull to trāslate it them selues and to put what they lust thereto It I shall perceaue either by my selfe or by information of other y t ought be escaped me or might more playnly be translated I will shortly after cause it to be amended Howbeit in many places me thinketh it better to put a declaration in the margent then to runne to farre from the text And in many places where the text semeth at the first choppe hard to be vnderstād yet the circumstaunces before and after and often readyng together make it plaine inough Moreouer because the kyngdome of heauen which is the Scripture and word of GOD may be so locked vp that he which readeth or heareth it can not vnderstand it as Christ testifieth how that the Scribes and Phariseis had so shut it vp Math. xxiij and had taken awaye the keye of knowledge Luke xj that y t Iewes which thought them selues within were yet so locked out and are to this day that they can vnderstand no sentence of the Scripture vnto their saluation though they cā rehearse the textes euery where and dispute therof as subtely as the Popish Doctours of Dunces darke learnyng whiche with their sophistry serned vs as the Phariseis did y t Iewes Therfore that I might be found faith full to my father and Lord in distributyng vnto my brethren and felowes of one faith their due and necessary fode so dressing it and seasonyng it that the weake stomackes may receiue it also and be the better for it I thought it my dutie most deare reader to warne thee before and to shew thee the right way in and to geue thee the true keye to open it with all and to arme thee agaynst false Prophetes and malicious hypocrites whose perpetuall studie is to blind the scripture with gloses and there to locke it vp where it should saue thee soule to make vs shoote at a wrōg marke to put our trust in those thinges that profite their bellyes onely and slea our soules The right way yea and the onely way to vnderstand the Scripture vnto saluation is that we earnestly and aboue all thyng search
can doe of his owne free will of his owne proper strength and enforcing Notwithstandyng thoughe there be neuer so great workyng yet as long as their remaineth in the hart vnlust tediousnes grudgyng grief payne lothsâ—nnes compulsion toward the law so long are all the workes vnprofitable lost ye and damnable in the sight of God This meaneth Paule in the iij. Chapter where he sayth by the dedes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustified in the sight of God Hereby perceauest thou that those sophisters are but disceauers whiche teach that a man may and must prepare him selfe to grace and to the fauour of god with good workes How caÌ„ they prepare them selues vnto the fauour of God to that whiche is good when them selues can do no good no can not once thinke a good thought or consent to do good the deuill possessing their hartes myndes thoughtes captiue at his pleasure CaÌ„ those workes please GOD thinkest thou whiche are done with grief payne and tediousnes with an euill will with a contrary and a grudgyng mynde O holy saint Prosperous how mightely with the Scripture of Paule diddest thou confound this heresie twelue hundred yeares a goe or therupon To fulfill the law is to do y t workes therof and what soeuer the lawe commaundeth with loue lust and inward affection and delectation and to lyue godly and well freely willyngly and without compulsion of the lawe euen as thoughe there were no lawe at all Such lust and free libertie to loue the law commeth onely by the workyng of the spirite in the hart as hee sayth in the first Chapter Now is the spirite none otherwise geuen then by fayth onely in that we beleue the promises of God without waueryng how that God is true and will fulfill all hys good promises toward vs for Christes blondes sake as it is playne in the first Chapter I am not ashamed sayth Paule of Christes glad tydynges for it is the power of GOD vnto saluation to as many as beleue for at once and together euen as we beleue the glad tydynges preached to vs the holy ghost entreth into our hartes and looseth the bondes of the deuill whiche before possessed our hartes in captiuitie and held them that we could haue no lust to y t will of God in the law and as the spirite commeth by fayth onely euen so fayth commeth by hearyng the word or glad tidynges of God when Christ is preached how that hee is Gods sonne and man also dead and risen againe for our sakes as he sayth in the thyrd fourth and tenth Chapters All our iustifying then commeth of faith and faith and the spirite come of God and not of vs. Hereof commeth it that fayth onely iustifieth maketh righteous and fulfilleth the law for it bringeth the spirit through Christes deseruinges the spirite bringeth lust looseth the hart maketh him free setteth hym at libertie and geueth him strength to worke the deedes of the lawe with loue euen as the law requireth then at the last out of the same fayth so workyng in the hart spryng all good workes by their owne accorde That meaneth he in the thyrd Chapter for after he hath cast away the workes of the law so that he soundeth as though he would breake and disanulle the law through fayth he aunswereth to that might bee layd agaynst saying we destroy not the law through fayth but mayntaine further or stablish the law through fayth that is to say we fulfill the law thorough fayth Sinne in the Scripture is not called that outward worke onely committed by the body but all the whole busines and what so euer accompanyeth moueth or stirreth vnto the outward deede and that whence the workes spring as vnbelefe pronenes and readynes vnto the deede in the grounde of the hart with all the powers affections and appetites wherwith we can but sinne so that we say that a man then sinneth when he is caried awaye headlong into sinne all together as much as he is of that poyson inclination and corrupt nature wherein hee was conceiued and borne For there is none outward sinne committed except a maÌ„ be caried away all together with life soule hart body lust and mynde thereunto The Scripture loketh singularly vnto the hart vnto the roote and originall fountaine of all synne which is vnbelefe in the bottom of the hart For as fayth onely iustifieth and bryngeth the spirit and lust vnto the outward good workes Euen so vnbelefe onely damneth and keepeth out the spirit prouoketh the flesh and styrreth vp lust vnto the euill outwarde works as it fortuned to Adam Euâ— in Paradise Gene. 3. For this cause Christ calleth synne vnbelefe and that notablie in the. 16. of Iohn the spirite sayth he shall rebuke the world of sinne because they beleue not in me Wherefore then before all good workes as good frutes there must needes be fayth in the hart whence they spryng and before all bad deedes as bad frutes there must nedes be vnbelief in the hart as in the roote fountain pith and streÌ„gth of all sinne whiche vnbelefe is called the head of the Serpent and of the old Dragon which the womans seede Christ must treade vnderfoote as it was promised vnto Adam Grace and gift haue this difference Grace properly is Gods fauour beneuolence or kynd minde which of his owne selfe without deseruyng of vs he beareth to vs whereby he was moued and inclined to geue Christ vnto vs with all his other giftes of grace Gift is y t holy ghost and his working which hee poureth into the hartes of them on whoÌ„ he hath mercy and whoÌ„ he fauoureth Though the giftes the spirit encrease in vs dayly haue not yet their ful perfection ye and though there remaine in vs yet euill lustes synne which fight agaynst the sprite as he sayth here in the 7. chapter and in the 5. to the Galath and as it was spoken before in the 3. chapter of Gen. of the debate betwene y â— womans sede the seed of y t serpent yet neuertheles gods fauour is so great and so strong ouer vs for Christes sake that we are counted for full whole and perfect before God For Gods fauour towarde vs deuideth not her selfe encreasyng a little and a little as do the giftes but receiueth vs whole altogether in ful loue for Christes sake our intercessour and mediator and because y t the giftes of the sprite the battell betwene the sprite and euill lustes are begonne in vs already Of this now vnderstandest thou the 7. chapter where Paul accuseth hymselfe as a sinner and yet in the 8. chapter sayeth there is no damnation to them that are in Christ and that because of the spirite and because the giftes of the sprite are begonne in vs. Sinners we are because the fleshe is not full killed and mortified Neuertheles in as muche as we beleue in
Christ and haue the earnest and beginning of the sprite God is so louyng fauourable vnto vs that he will not looke on such sinne neither wil counte it as sinne but will deale with vs accordyng to our belief in Christ and according to his promises which he hath sworne to vs vntyll the sinne be full slayne and mortified by death Faythe is not mans opinion and dreame as some imagine and fayne when they heare the story of the Gospell but when they see that there follow no good workes nor amendment of liuyng though they heare ye can bable many thyngs of fayth then they fall from the right way and say fayth onely iustifieth not a man must haue good workes also if he will be righteous and safe The cause is when they heare the gospell or glad tidinges they fayne of their owne strength certaine imaginations and thoughtes in their hartes saying I haue heard the gospell I remember the story loe I beleue and that they counte right fayth which neuerthelesse as it is but mans imagination and faining euen so profiteth it not neither followe there any good workes or amendmēt of liuing But right fayth is a thing wrought by the holy ghost in vs which chaungeth vs turneth vs into a new nature and begetteth vs a new in God and maketh vs the sonnes of god as thou readest in the first of Iohn and killeth the olde Adam and maketh vs altogether new in the hart mynde wyll lust and in all our affectiōs and powers of the soule and bringeth the holye gost with her Fayth is a liuely thing mighty in working valiant strong euer doyng euer fruitfull so that it is vnpossible that he whiche is endued therwith should not worke alwayes good workes without ceasing He asketh not whether good workes are to be done or not but hath done them already ere mention be made of them is alway doing for such is his nature for quicke fayth in hys hart and liuely mouyng of the sprite driue hym and stirre hym therunto Whosoeuer doth not good woorkes is an vnbeleuyng person faithles loketh roūd about him groping after faith good works woteth not what faith or good workes meane though he bable neuer so many thinges of faith good workes Fayth is then a liuely and a stedfast trust in the fauour of God wherewith we commit our selues altogether vnto god that trust is so surely grounded and sticketh so fast in our hartes that a mā would not once doubt of it though he should die a thousand tymes therefore And suche trust wrought by the holy gost through faith maketh a man glad lusty chereful true harted vnto God and vnto all creatures By the meanes wherof willingly and without compulsion he is glad and redy to do good to euery man to do seruice to euery man to suffer all thinges y t god may be loued and praysed which hath geuen hym such grace so that it is impossible to separate good workes from fayth euen as it is impossible to separate heat and burning from fire Therfore take hede to thy selfe and beware of thyne owne fantasies and imaginations which to iudge of fayth good workes wyll seme wyse when in dede they are starke blind and of all things most foolish Pray God that he wyll vouchsafe to worke faith in thine hart or els shalte thou remayne euermore faythlesse fayne thou imagine thou enforce thou wrastle with thy self and do what thou wilt or canst Righteousnes is euen such faythe and is called Gods righteousnesse or righteousnes that is of value before God For it is gods gift and it altereth a man and chaungeth him into a new spiritual nature and maketh him free and liberall to pay euery man his duety For through fayth a mā is purged of his sinnes and obteyneth luste vnto the law of God whereby he geueth God hys honor and payeth hym that he oweth hym and vnto men he doth seruice willingly wherwith soeuer he can and payeth euery man his duety Such righteousnes can nature freewill and our owne strength neuer bring to passe for as no man can geue himselfe faith so can he not take away vnbeliefe how then can he take away any sinne at all Wherefore all is false hipocrisie sinne whatsoeuer is done without fayth or in vnbeliefe as it is euident in the 14. chapter vnto the Romains though it appeare neuer so glorious or beautiful outwardes Fleshe and sprite mayest thou not here vnderstand as though flesh were onely that which pertayneth vnto vnchastitie and the spirite that which inwardly pertayneth to the harte but Paul calleth flesh here as Christ doth Iohn 3. All that is borne of fleshe that is to witte the whole man with lyfe soule body wit will reason whatsoeuer he is or doth within and without because that these all and all that is in man study after the worlde and the flesh Call fleshe therfore whatsoeuer as long as we are without y t spirite of GOD we thinke or speake of God of fayth of good workes and of spirituall matters Call fleshe also all works which are done without grace and without the working of the sprite howsoeuer good holy and spirituall they seeme to be as thou mayest proue by the 5. chapter vnto the Galathians where Paule numbreth worshipping of idoles witchcraft enuy and hate among the dedes of the flesh and by the 8. vnto the Romaines where he sayth that the law by the reason of the fleshe is weake which is not vnderstand of vnchastitie onely but of all sinnes and most specially of vnbeliefe which is a vice most spirituall and grounde of all synnes And as thou callest him whiche is not renewed with the spirit and borne agayne in Christ flesh all his dedes euen the very motions of his hart and minde his learning doctrine and contemplation of hye thinges his preaching teaching and study in the Scripture buildyng of Churches foundyng of Abbeyes geuing of almes Masse mattēs what soeuer he doth though it seme spiritual and after the lawes of God So contrarywise call him spirituall which is renewed in Christ and all his deedes whiche spryng of fayth seme they neuer so grose as the washyng of the Disciples feete done by Christ and Peters fishing after the resurrection yea and al the dedes of matrimony are pure spiritual if they procede of faith and what soeuer is done with in the lawes of God though it be wrought by the body as the very wiping of shooes and such like how soeuer grose they appeare outward With out such vnderstādyng of these wordes canst thou neuer vnderstand this Epistle of Paule neither any other place in the holy Scripture Take hede therfore for who soeuer vnderstādeth these wordes otherwise the same vnderstādeth not Paule what soeuer he be Now will we prepare our selues vnto the Epistle For as much as it becommeth the preacher of
Christes glad tydings first through openyng of the law to rebuke all thinges and to proue all thynges sinne that procede not of the spirite of faith in Christ and to proue all men sinners and children of wrath by inheritaunce and howe that to sinne is their nature and that by nature they can no otherwise doe then sinne and therewith to abate the pride of man and to bring him vnto the knowledge of him selfe and of his miserie wretchednes that he might desire helpe Euen so doth S. Paule and beginneth in the first Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and grose sinnes which all men see as the Idolatrie and as the grose sinnes of the heathen were and as the sinnes now are of all them whiche liue in ignoraunce without fayth and without the fauour of GOD and sayth The wrath of GOD of heauen appeareth through the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodly vnholy lyuyng For though it be knowē and dayly vnderstād by the creatures that there is but one God yet is nature of herself with out the spirit and grace so corrupt and so poysoned that men neither can thanke him neither worship him neither geue him his due honor but blind thē selues and faule without ceasyng into worse case euen vntill they come vnto worshipping of Images workyng of shamefull sinnes whiche are abhominable and agaynst nature and moreuer suffer the shame vnrebuked in other hauing delectation and pleasure therein In the second Chapter he procedeth further and rebuketh all those holy people also whiche without lust and loue to the law liue wel outwardly in the face of the world and condemne other gladly as the nature of all hypocrites is to thinke them selues pure in respect of open sinners and yet hate the law inwardly and are full of couetousnes and enuy and of all vnclēnes Math. xxiij These are they whiche despise the goodnes of GOD and accordyng to the hardenes of their hartes heape together for thē selues the wrath of God Furthermore S. Paule as a true expounder of the law suffreth no man to be without sinne but declareth that all they are vnder sinne whiche of freewill and of nature will liue well suffreth them not to be better thē the open sinners yea he calleth them hard harted and such as can not repent In the thyrd Chapter he mingleth both together both the Iewes and the Gentiles and sayth that the one is as the other both sinners no difference betwene them saue in this onely that the Iewes had the word of God committed vnto them And though many of them beleued not thereon yet is Gods truth and promise thereby neither hurt nor minished And he taketh in his way and allegeth the saying of the 50. Psalme that God might abyde true in his wordes ouercome when he is iudged After that he returneth to his purpose agayn and proueth by the Scripture that all men without difference or exceptiō are sinners and that by the workes of the law no mā is iustified but that the law was geuen to vtter and to declare sinne onely Thē hee begynneth and sheweth the right way vnto righteousnes by what meanes mē must be made righteous and safe and sayth They are all sinners without prayse before God and must without their own deseruyng be made righteous throughe fayth in Christe which hath deserued such righteousnes for vs and is become vnto vs Gods mercystole for the remission of sinnes that are past thereby prouyng that christes righteousnes which commeth on vs through fayth helpeth vs onely whiche righteousnes sayth he is now declared through the Gospell was testified of before by the lawe of the Prophetes Furthermore sayth he the law is holpē and furthered thorough fayth thoughe that the workes therof with all their boast are brought to nought In the iiij Chapter after that now by the 3. first Chapters the sinnes are opened and the way of faith vnto rightuousnes layd he begynneth to aunswere vnto certain obiections and cauillations And first putteth forth those blinde reasons whiche commonly they that wil be iustified by their owne workes are wont to make when they heare that faith onely without workes iustifieth saying shall men do no good workes yea and if fayth onely iustifieth what nedeth a man to studie for to do good workes He putteth forth therfore Abraham for an ensample saying what did Abraham with his workes was all in vayne came his workes to no profite And so concludeth that Abraham without and before al workes was iustified and made righteous In so much that before the worke of Circumcisiō he was praysed of the Scripture and called righteous by his fayth onely Gene. xv So that he did not the worke of Circumcision for to bee holpen there by vnto righteousnesse whiche yet God commaunded hym to do was a good worke of obedience So in likewise no doubt none other workes helpe any thyng at all vnto a mās iustifiyng but as Abrahams Circumcisiō was an outward signe wherby he declared his righteousnes which he had by fayth and his obedience and readynes vnto the will of God euen so are all other good workes outward signes and outward frutes of fayth of the spirite which iustifie not a man but that a man is iustified already before god inwardly in the hart through faith and through the spirite purchased by Christes bloud Herewith now stablisheth S. Paul his doctrine of faith afore rehearsed in the thyrd Chapter and bringeth also testimony of Dauid in the xij Psalme whiche calleth a man blessed not of workes in that his sinne is not rekened and in that fayth is imputed for righteousnes though he abide not afterward without good workes when he is once iustified For we are iustified receiue the spirite for to do good workes neither were it otherwise possible to do good workes except we had first the spirite For howe is it possible to doe any thyng well in the sight of God while we are yet in captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuill and the deuill possesseth vs all together and holdeth our hartes so that we can not once consent vnto the will of God No man therfore can preuent the spirite in doyng good the spirite must first come and wake him out of his sleepe with the thunder of the law and feare him and shew him his miserable estate wretchednes and make him abhorre hate him selfe and to desire helpe and then comfort him agayne with the pleasaūt rayne of the Gospell that is to say with the sweete promises of God in Christ and stirre vp faith in him to beleue the promises then when he beleueth the promises as God was mercyfull to promise so is he true to fulfill them and wil geue him the spirite and strength both to loue the will of God to worke there after So see we that God onely whiche accordyng to the Scripture worketh
proued to be the enemyes of God and that we hate him For how can we be at peace with God and loue hym seing we are conceiued and borne vnder the power of the deuill and are his possession and kingdome his captiues and bondmen and ledde at his wyll he holdeth our hartes so that it is impossible for vs to consent to the wil of God much more is it impossible for a man to fulfill the lawe of his owne strength and power seyng that we are by birth and of nature the heires of eternall damnation As sayth Paul Ephe 2. We sayth he are by nature the children of wrath Whiche thyng the lawe doth but vtter onely and helpeth vs not yea requireth impossible thynges of vs. The lawe when it commaūdeth that thou shalt not lust geueth thee not power so to doe but damneth thee because thou caust not so do IF thou wilte therefore bee at peace with God and loue him thou must turne to the promises of God and to y t Gospell which is called of Paul in the place before rehearsed to the Corinthians the ministration of righteousnes and of the spirite For fayth bringeth pardō and forgeuenes freely purchased by Christes bloud and bringeth also the sprite the sprite looseth the bondes of the deuill and setteth vs at libertie For where the sprite of the Lord is there is libertie sayth Paule in the same place to the Corinthians that is to say there the harte is free and hath power to loue the will of God there the hart mourneth that he cannot loue inough Now is that consent of y t hart vnto the law of God eternall life yea though there bee no power yet in the members to fulfill it Let euery man therfore accordyng to Paules councell in the 6. chapter to the Eph. arme himselfe with y t armour of god that is to vnderstand with gods promises aboue all thing sayeth he take vnto you the shield of fayth wherewyth ye may be able to quenche all the fierye dartes of the wicked that ye may be able to resist in the euill day of temptation and namely at the houre of death See therfore thou haue Gods promises in thyne hart and that thou beleue them without waueryng when temptation ariseth and the deuill layeth the law thy dedes agaynst thee aunswere him with the promises and turne to God and confesse thy selfe to hym and say it is euenso or els howe could he be mercifull but remember that he is the God of mercy of truth and cannot but fulfil his promises Also remember that hys sonnes bloud is stronger then all the synnes and wickednes of the whole world and therewith quiet thy self and therunto commit thy selfe and blesse thy selfe in all temptation namely at the houre of death with that holy cādle Or els perishest thou though thou hast a thou sand holy candels about thee a C. ton of holy water a shipfull of pardones a clothe sacke full of Friers coates and all the ceremonies in the world and al the good workes deseruings and merites of all the men in the worlde bee they or were they neuer so holy Gods worde onely lasteth for euer and that which he hath sworne doth abide whē all other thynges perish So long as thou findest any consent in thyne hart vnto the law of God that it is righteous and good and also displesure that thou canst not fulfill it dispayre not neither doubt but that Gods spirit is in thee and that thou art chosen for Christes sake to the inheritaunce of eternall lyfe And agayne Rom. 3. We suppose that a man is iustified through fayth without the deedes of the lawe And likewyse Rom. 4. We say y t sayth was reckoned to Abraham for righteousnes Also Romaynes v. seyng that we are iustified through fayth we are at peace with God Also Roma 10. With the hart doth a man beleue to be made righteous Also Gal 3. Receiued ye the spirite by the deeds of the law or by hearyng of the fayth Doth he which ministreth the sprite vnto you worketh miracles among you do it of the deedes of the law or by hearyng of faith Euen as Abraham beleued god it was reckoned to hym for righteousnes Vnderstand therfore saith he that the children of fayth are the children of Abraham For the Scripture saw before that God would iustify the heathen or Gentiles by fayth shewed before glad tidings vnto Abraham in thy sede shall all nations be blessed Wherfore they which are of fayth are blessed that is to witte made righteous with righteous Abraham For as many as are of the deedes of the law are vnder curse For it is written saith he Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the lawe to fulfill them Item Gala. ij where he resisted Peter in the face he sayth We whiche are Iewes by nation and not sinners of the Gentiles know that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the law but by the fayth of Iesus Christ and haue therfore beleued on Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the fayth of Christ and not by the deedes of the law for by the deedes of the law shall no flesh be iustified Item in the same place he sayth touchyng y t I now liue I lyue in y e fayth of the sonne of God which loued me and gaue him selfe for me I despise not the grace of GOD. For if righteousnes come by y e law thē is Christ dead in vayne And of such like ensamples are all the Epistles of Paul full Marke how Paule laboreth with him selfe to expresse the excedyng misteryes of fayth in the epistle to the Ephesians and in the Epistle to the Collossians Of these and many such like textes are we sure that the forgiuenes of sinnes and iustifying is appropriate vnto faith onely without the addyng to of workes Take for the also the similitude that Christ maketh Math. vij A good tree bringeth forth good frute And a bad tree bringeth forth bad frute There seest thou that the frute maketh not the tree good but the tree the frute that the tree must afore hand be good or be made good yer it can bryng forth good frute As he also sayth Math. xij either make the tre good and his frute good also either make the tree bad and hys frute bad also How can ye speake wel while ye your selues are euil So likewise is this true and nothyng more true that a mā before all good workes must first be good and that it is impossible that workes should make hym good if he were not good before yet he did good workes For this is Christes principle as we say a generall rule How can ye speake well while ye are euill so likewise how can ye do good while ye are euill This is therfore a playne and a sure
then they did before These are they whiche Iudas in his Epistle calleth dreamers which deceaue themselues with their owne fantasies For what other thing is their imagination which they call fayth then a dreamyng of the fayth and an opinion of their owne imagination wrought without the grace of God These must nedes be worse at the latter end thē at the begynnyng These are the old vessels that rent when new wyne is poured into them Math. ix that is they heare Gods word but hold it not and therfore waxe worse then they were before But the right fayth spryngeth not of mans fantasie neither is it in any mās power to obtaine it but is all together the pure gift of God poured into vs freely without all maner doyng of vs without deseruing and merites yea and without sekyng for of vs. And is as sayth Paul in the second to the Ephesians euen Gods gift and grace purchased through Christ Therfore is it mighty in operation full of vertue and euer working which also renueth a man and begetteth him a fresh altereth him chaungeth hym and turneth him altogether into a new nature and conuersation so that a man feeleth hys hart all together altered chaunged and farre otherwise disposed then before hath power to loue that whiche before he could not but hate and deliteth in that which before he abhorred and hateth that which before he could not but loue And it setteth the soule at libertie and maketh her free to folow the will of God and doth to the soule euen as health doth vnto the body after that a man is pined and wasted away with a long sokyng disease the legges cannot beare hym he cannot lift vp his handes to helpe hymself his taste is corrupt suger is bitter in hys mouth his stomacke abhorreth longyng after slibbersause and swashe at which a whole stomacke is readye to cast hys gorge When helth commeth she changeth and altereth hym cleane geueth hym strength in all hys members lust to do of his owne accord that which before he could not do neither could suffer that any mā exhorted hym to do and hath now lust in holesome thynges and hys members are free and at libertie and haue power to do of their owne accorde all thinges which belong to an whole man to do which afore they had no power to do but were in captiuitie and bondage So likewise in all thyng doth right fayth to the soule The sprite of God accompanieth fayth bringeth with her light wherwith a man beholdeth hymselfe in the lawe of God and seeth his miserable bondage and captiuitie and humbleth himselfe and abhorreth himselfe she bringeth Gods promises of all good thinges in Christ God worketh with his worde and in his worde And as his worde is preached fayth rooteth her selfe in the hartes of the elect and as faith entreth and the worde of God is beleued the power of God looseth the hart from the captiuitie and bondage vnder sinne and knitteth and coupleth him to God and to the wyll of God altereth hym chaungeth hym cleane fashioneth and forgeth hym a new geueth hym power to loue and to doe that whiche before was vnpossible for hym eyther to loue or do and turneth hym into a new nature so y t he loueth that which he before hated and hateth that which he before loued and is cleane altered chaunged and contrary disposed and is knit and coupled fast to Gods will and naturally bringeth forthe good workes that is to say that which God commaundeth to do and not thinges of hys owne imagination And that doth he of hys owne accorde as a tree bringeth forth fruit of her own accord And as thou needest not to bid a tree to bryng forth fruite so is there no law put vnto hym that beleueth and is iustified through fayth as sayth Paul in the first Epistle to Timothie the fyrst chapter Neither is it nedeful for the law of god is written graued in his harte and his pleasure is therein And as without commaundement but euē of hys owne nature he eateth drincketh seeth heareth talketh goeth euē so of his owne nature without coaction or compulsion of y t law bringeth he forth good workes And as a whole man when he is a thurst tarieth but for drinke and when he hungreth abideth but for meate and then drinketh and eateth naturally euē so is y e faithfull euer a thurst an hungred after the will of God and tarieth but for occasion And whensoeuer an occasion is geuen he worketh naturally the wyll of God For this blessing is geuen to all them that trust in Christes bloud that they thrust and hunger to do gods wyll He that hath not this fayth is but an vnprofitable babler of faith and workes and wotteth neither what he bableth nor what he meaneth or wherunto his wordes pertayne For he feeleth not the power of faith nor y e working of the spirite in his hart but enterpreteth the scriptures which speake of fayth and workes after hys owne blynd reason folish fantasies not of any feeling that he hath in his hart as a man rehearseth a tale of an other mans mouth and wotteth not whether it be so or no as he sayth nor hath any experience of y t thing it selfe Now doth the scripture ascribe both fayth workes not to vs but to God only to whom they belong onely and to whō they are appropriate whose gifte they are and the proper worke of his spirit Is it not a frowarde and peruerse blindnes to teach how a man can do nothing of his owne selfe and yet presumptuously take vpō them the greatest and hyest worke of God euen to make fayth in themselues of their own power and of their owne false imagination and thoughtes Therfore I say we must dispayre of our selues pray God as christes apostles did to geue vs fayth to encrease our fayth When we haue that we neede no other thing more For she bringeth the spirite with her and he not onely teacheth vs all thinges but worketh them also mightely in vs and carieth vs through aduersitie persecution death and hel vnto heauen and euerlasting lyfe MArke diligently therfore seing we are come to answer The Scripture because of such dreames and fayned faythes sake vseth such manner of speakinges of workes not that a man should therby be made good to Godwarde or iustified but to declare vnto other and to take of other the differēce betwene false fayned fayth and ryght fayth For where right fayth is there bringeth she forthe good workes if there followe not good workes it is no doubt but a dreame and an opinion or fained fayth Wherfore looke as the fruit maketh not the tree good but declareth and testifieth outwardlye that the tree is good as Christ sayeth euery tree is knowen by his fruite euen so shall ye know the right fayth by her fruite Take for an
and good to such or such a poore man he biddeth him not there with to be made mercifull kinde and good but to testifie and declare the goodnes that is in him already with the outward deede that it may breake out to y t profite of other and that other may feele it which haue nede therof After the same maner shalt thou enterprete the Scriptures whiche make mention of workes that God therby wil that we shew forth that goodnes which we haue receaued by fayth and let it breake forth and come to the profite of other that the false fayth may be knowē and weded out by the rootes For God geueth no mā his grace that he should let it lye stil and do no good with all but that he should encrease it and multiplie it with lendyng it to other and with open declaryng of it with the outward workes prouoke draw other to God As Christ sayth in Mathew the v. Chapter let your light so shine in the sight of men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Or els were it as a treasure digged in the ground and hid wisedome in whiche what profite is there Moreouer there with the goodnes fauour and giftes of God which are in thee not onely shal be knowen vnto other but also vnto thyne owne selfe and thou shal be sure that thy fayth is right and that the true spirite of God is in thee and that thou art called and chosen of God vnto eternall lyfe and loosed frō the bondes of Sathā whose captiue thou wast as Peter exhorteth in y t first of his second Epistle through good workes to make our callyng and election wherewith we are called and chosen of God sure For how dare a man presume to thinke that his fayth is right and that Gods fauour is on him and that Gods spirite is in hym when hee feeleth not the workyng of the spirite neither him selfe disposed to any godly thyng Thou canst neuer know or be sure of thy fayth but by the workes if workes folow not yea and that of loue without lokyng after any reward thou mayst be sure that thy fayth is but a dreame and not right euen the same that Iames called in his Epistle the second Chapter dead faith and not iustifiyng Abraham through workes Genesis xxij was sure of his fayth to be right and that the true feare of God was in him when he had offered his sonne as the Scripture sayth Now know I that thou fearest God that is to say Now is it opē and manifest that thou fearest God in as much as thou hast not spared thy onely sonne for my sake SO now by this abyde sure and fast that a mā inwardly in the hart and before God is righteous good thorough fayth onely before all workes Notwithstandyng yet outwardly and openly before the people ye and before himselfe is he righteous through the worke that is he knoweth and is sure through the outward worke that he is a true beleuer and in the fauour of GOD and righteous and good thorough the mercy of GOD that thou mayst cal the one an open and an outward righteousnes the other an inward righteousnes of the hart so yet that thou vnderstand by the outward righteousnes no other thyng saue the frute that foloweth and a declaryng of the inward iustifying and righteousnes of the hart and not that it maketh a man righteous before God but that he must be first righteous before hym in the hart Euen as thou mayst cal the frute of the tree the outward goodnes of the tree whiche foloweth and vttereth the inward naturall goodnes of the tree This meaneth Iames in hys Epistle where he sayth fayth without workes is dead that is if workes follow not it is a sure an euidēt signe that there is no fayth in the hart but a dead imagination and dreame whiche they falsly call fayth Of the same wise is this saying of Christ to be vnderstande Make you frendes of the vnrighteous Mammō that is shew your fayth openly and what ye are within in the harte with outward geuing and bestowyng your goodes on the poore that ye may obtayn frendes that is that the poore on whome thou hast shewed mercy may at the day of iudgement testify witnesse of thy good woorkes That thy fayth and what thou waste within in thy harte before God may there appeare by thy fruites openly vnto all men For vnto the right beleuyng shal all thinges be comfortable and vnto consolation at that terrible day And contrariwyse vnto the vnbeleuing all thing shall be vnto desperation and confusion and euery man shall be iudged openly and outwardly in the presence of all men accordyng to their dedes and workes So that not without a cause thou mayest call them thy frendes which testifye at that daye of thee that thou liuedst as a true and a right Christen man and folowedst the steppes of Christe in shewyng mercy as no doubt he doth which feleth God merciful in his hart And by y t workes is the fayth knowen that it was right and perfect For the outward workes can neuer please God nor make frend except they spring of fayth Forasmuch as Christ himselfe Math. 6. and 7. disaloweth and casteth away the woorkes of the Pharises yea prophesiyng and workyng of miracles and castyng out of deuils which we count and esteeme for very excellent vertues Yet make they no frendes with their woorkes whyle their hartes are false vnpure and their eye double Now wythout fayth is no harte true or eye single so that we are compelled to confesse that the workes make not a mā righteous or good but that the hart must first be righteous good ereany good worke proceede thence SEcondarily all good workes must be done free with a single eye with out respect of any thing and that no profite be sought therby That commaundeth Christ where he fayth Mat. 10. freely haue ye receyued freely geue agayne For looke as Christ with all his workes did not deserue heauē for that was hys already but did vs seruice therewith and neither looked nor sought his owne profite but our profite and the honour of God the father only Euen so we with all our workes may not seke our own profite neither in this worlde nor in heauen but must and ought freely to worke to honoure God withall and without all maner respecte seeke our neighboures profite and do hym seruice That meaneth Paul Phil. 2. saying Be minded as Christ was which beyng in the shape of God equall vnto God and euen very God layd that a part that is to say hid it And tooke on hym the forme and fashion of a seruaunt That is as concerning himself he had inough that he was full had all plentuousnesse of the Godhed and in all his workes sought our profite became our seruaunt The cause
is forasmuch as faythe iustifieth and putteth away sinne in the sight of God bringeth lyfe health and the fauour of God maketh vs the heyres of God poureth the spirite of God into our soules and filleth vs with all godly fulnes in Christ it wer to great a shame rebuke and wronge vnto the fayth ye to christes bloud if a man would worke any thyng to purchase that wherwith fayth hath indued hym already and God hath geuen hym freely Euen as Christ had done rebuke and shame vnto hymselfe if he would haue done good workes and wrought to haue bene made thereby Gods sonne and heyre ouer all which thing he was alredy Now doth fayth make vs the sonnes or childrē of god Iohn 1. he gaue them might or power to be y t sonnes of God in that they beleued on his name If we be sonnes so are we also heires Roma viij and Gala. iiij How can or ought we then to worke for to purchase that inheritaunce withall whereof we are heyres already by fayth What shall we say thē to those scriptures whiche sound as though a man should do good workes and lyue well for heauens sake or eternall reward As these are make you frendes of the vnrighteous Mammon And Math. vij Gather you treasures together in heauen Also Math. xix If thou wilt enter into lyfe keepe the commaundementes and such like This say I that they whiche vnderstand not neither feele in their hartes what fayth meaneth talke and thinke of the reward euen as they do of the worke neither suppose they y t a man ought to worke but in a respect to the reward For they imagine that it is in the kyngdome of Christ as it is in the world among mē that they must deserue heauen with their good woorkes Howbeit their thoughtes are but dreames and false imaginations Of these men speaketh Malachias Chap. i. who is it among you that shutteth a doore for my pleasure for nought y t is without respect of reward These are seruauntes that seke gaynes and vauntage hyrelinges day labourers whiche here on earth receaue their rewardes as the Phariseis with their prayers and fastynges Math. v. But on this wise goeth it with heauen with euerlastyng lyfe and eternall reward likewise as good workes naturally folow fayth as it is aboue rehearsed so that thou nedest not to commaunde a true beleuer to worke or to compel him with any law for it is vnpossible that he should not worke he taryeth but for an occasion he is euer disposed of him selfe thou nedest but to put him in remembraunce and that to know the false fayth from the true Euen so naturally doth eternall lyfe folow faith and good liuing without sekyng for is impossible that it should not come though no mā thought there on Yet is it rehearsed in y ◠Scripture alledged and promised to know the difference betwene a false beleuer and a true beleuer and that euery man may know what foloweth good liuyng naturally and of it selfe without takyng thought for it Take a grosse ensample Hell that is euerlastyng death is threatned vnto sinners and yet foloweth it sinne naturally without sekyng for For no mā doth euill to be damned therfore but had rather auoyde it Yet there the one foloweth the other naturally though no man told or warned him of it yet should the sinner finde it and feele it Neuerthelesse it is therfore threatned that men may know what foloweth euill liuyng Now then as after euill liuyng foloweth his reward vnsought for euen so after good liuing foloweth his reward naturally vnsought for or vnthought vpon Euen as when thou drinkest wine be it good or bad the tast foloweth of it selfe thoughe thou therfore drinke it not Yet testifieth the Scripture and it is true that we are by inheritaunce heyres of damnation and that ere we be borne we are vessels of the wrath of God full of that poyson whence naturally all synnes spring and wherewith we can not but sinne which thyng the dedes that folow whē we behold our selues in the glasse of the law of God do declare vtter kill our consciences show vs what we were and wist not of it certifieth vs that we are heyres of damnatiō For if we were of God we should cleaue to God and lust after the wil of God But now our dedes compared to the law declare y ◠contrary by our dedes we see our selues both what we be and what our end shall be So now thou seest that lyfe eternall and all good thynges are promised vnto fayth and belefe so that he that beleueth on Christ shal be safe Christes bloud hath purchased life for vs hath made vs the heyres of god so that heauen commeth by Christes bloud If thou wouldest obtaine heauē with the merites and deseruinges of thine own woorkes so dyddest thou wrong yea and shamedest the bloud of Christ and vnto thee were Christ dead in vayne Now is the true beleuer heyre of God by Christes deseruynges yea and in Christ was predestinate and ordeined vnto eternall life before the world began And when the Gospel is preached vnto vs we beleue the mercy of God and in beleuyng we receaue the spirite of God which is the earnest of eternal lyfe and we are in eternal life already feele already in our hartes the swetnes therof and are ouercome with the kyndnes of God and Christ and therfore loue the will of God and of loue are ready to woorke freely and not to obtaine that which is geuen vs freely and whereof we are heyres already Now when Christ sayth Make you frendes of vnrighteous Mammon Gather you treasure together in heauen and such like Thou seest that the meanyng and entent is no other but that thou shouldest do good so will it folow of it selfe naturally without sekyng takyng of thought that thou shalt find frendes and treasure in heauē and receaue a reward So let thyne eye be single and looke vnto good lyuyng onely and take no thought for y t reward But be content For as much as thou knowest and art sure that the reward all thyng contained in gods promises folow good liuyng naturally and thy good workes do but testifie onely and certifie thee that the spirite of God is in thee whom thou hast receaued in earnest of Gods truth and that thou art heyre of all the goodnes of God and that all good thynges are thyne already purchased by Christes bloud and layd vp in store against that day when euery man shall receaue according to his dedes that is according as his dedes declare and testifie what he is or was For they that looke vnto the reward are slow false suttle and crafty workers and loue the reward more thē the worke yea hate the labour yea hate God which commaūdeth the labour and are wery both of the commaundement and also
but pure sinne and of Christ grace onely which are out of measure contrary But the similitude or likenes standeth in the originall byrth and not in the vertue vice of the byrth So that as Adam is father of all sinne so is Christ father of all righteousnes And as all sinners spryng of Adam EueÌ„ so all righteous men and women spryng of Christ After the same maner is here the vnrighteous stuard an ensample vnto vs in his wisedome and diligence onely in that he prouided so wisely for him self that we with righteousnes should be as diligeÌ„t to prouide for our soules as he with vnrighteousnes prouided for hys body Likewise mayst thou soyle all other textes which sound as though it were betwene vs and GOD as it is in the world where the reward is more looked vpon then the labour yea where men hate the labour and worke falssy with the body and not with the hart and no longer then they are loked vppon that the labour may appeare outward onely WHen Christ sayth Math. v. Blessed are ye wheÌ„ they rayle on you and persecute you and say all maner euill sayinges agaynst you and yet lye and that for my sake reioyse be glad for your reward is great in heauen Thou mayest not imagine that our deedes deserue the ioy and glorie that shal be geuen vnto vs. For then Paul saith Rom. xi fauour were not fauor I caÌ„ not receaue it of fauour of the bounteous of God freely and by deseruyng of deedes also But beleue as the Gospell glad tydynges promises of God say vnto thee that for Christes bloudes sake onely through fayth God is at one with thee and thou receaued to mercy and art become the sonne of God and heire annexed with with Christ of al the goodnes of God the earnest wherof is the spirite of god poured into our hartes Of whiche thynges the deedes are witnesses and certifie our consciences that our fayth is vnfayned and that the right spirite of God is in vs. For if I patieÌ„tly suffer aduersitie and tribulation for conscience of God onely that is to say because I know GOD and testifie the truth then am I sure that God hath chosen me in Christ and for Christes sake and hath put in me his spirite as an earnest of his promises whose workyng I feele in myne hart the deedes bearyng witnes vnto the same Now is it Christes bloud only that deserued all the promises of God that which I suffer and do is partely the curyng healyng and mortifiyng of my members and killing of that originall poyson wherwith I was conceiued and borne that I might be altogether like Christ and partly the doyng of my dutie to my neighbour whose debter I am of all that I haue receiued of God to draw him to Christ with al suffring with all patience and euen with sheading my bloud for him not as an offering or merite for hys sinnes but as an ensample to prouoke hym Christes bloud onely putteth away all the sinne that euer was is or shal be from them that are elect and repent beleuyng the Gospell that is to say gods promises in Christ AGayn in the same 5. chapter loue your ennemies blesse them that curse you doe well to them that hate you and persecute you that ye may be the sonnes of your father whiche is in heaueÌ„ For he maketh his sunne shine vpon euill on good and sendeth his rayne vpon iust and vniust Not that our woorkes make vs the sonnes of God but testifie onely and certifie our consciences that we are the sonnes of God and that God hath chosen vs washed vs in christes bloud and hath put his spirite in vs. And it foloweth if ye loue them that loue you what reward haue ye do not the Publicanes euen the same and if ye shall haue fauour to your frendes onely what singuler thing do ye doe not the Publicanes euen the same ye shal be perfect therefore as your father whiche is in heauen is perfect That is to say if that ye do nothing but that the world doth and they which haue the spirite of the world wherby shall ye know that ye are the sonnes of God and beloued of God more then the world But and if ye counterfet and follow God in well doyng then no doubt it is a signe that the spirite of God is in you and also the fauour of God which is not in the world and that ye are inheritoures of all the promises of God and elect vnto the fellowship of the bloud of Christ ALso Math 6. Take heede to your almes that ye do iâ— not in the sight of men to the eutenâ— that ye would be sâ—ne of them or els haue ye no reward with your father which is in heauen Neither cause a truÌ„pet to be blowen afore thee wheÌ„ thou doost thine almes as the hipocrites do in the sinagoges and in the streetes to be glorified of the worlde but when thou doost thine almes â—et not thy lefte hande knowe what thy right hand doth y â— thy almes may be in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly This putteth vs in remembraunce of our duetie and sheweth what followeth good workes not that works deserue it but that the reward is layd vp for vs in store and we thereunto elect through Christes bloud which the workes testify For if we be worldlye minded and do our works as y â— world doth how shall we know that GOD hath chosen vs out of the world But if we worke freely without all maner worldly respect to shew mercy and to do our duetie to our neighbour and to be vnto him as God is to vs then are we sure y t the fauour mercy of God is vpon vs that we shal enioy all the good promises of god through Christ which hath made vs heyres thereof ALso in the same chapter it followeth When thou prayest be not as the hipocrites which loue to stand and pray in the sinagoges and in the corners of the streetes for to bee sene of men But when thou prayest enter into thy chamber and shut thy dore to praye to thy father which is in secrete and thy father whiche seeth in secrete shal reward thee openly And likewise when we fast teacheth Christe in the same place that we should behaue our selues that it appeare not vnto men how that we fast but vnto our father which is in secret our father which seeth in secret shall reward vs openly These two textes do but declare what followeth good woorkes for eternall lyfe commeth not by the deseruyng of workes but is sayth Paul in y â— 6. to y â— Rom. the gift of God through Iesus Christ Neither do our workes iustify vs. For except we were iustified by fayth which is our righteousnes had the sprite of God in vs to teach vs we could
be not in vs how are we his sonnes How are we his heyres heyres annexed with Christ of the eternal life which is promised to all them that beleue in hym Now do our workes testifie and witnes what we are and what treasure is layd vp for vs in heauen so that our eye be single and looke vpon the commaundement without respect of any thing saue because it is Gods wil and that God desireth it of vs and Christ hath deserued that we do it Math. vij Not all they that say vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Though thou canst lande God with thy lippes and call Christ Lord and canst bable and talke of the scripture and knowest all the stories of the Bible Yet shalt thou thereby neuer know thyne election or whether thy fayth be right But if thou feele lust in thyne hart to the will of God and bringest forth the frutes therof then hast thou confidence and hope and thy dedes and also the spirite whence thy deedes spryng certifie thyne hart that thou shal enter yea art already entred into the kyngdome of heauen For it foloweth he that heareth the word and doth it buildeth his house vpō a rock and no tempest of temptations can ouerthrow it For the spirite of God is in his hart and comforteth him holdeth him fast to the rocke of the merites of Christes bloud in whom he is elect Nothyng is able to plucke hym out of the handes of God god is strōger then all things And contrarywise he that heareth the word doth it not buildeth on the sande of his own imagination euery tempest ouerthroweth his buildyng The cause is he hath not Gods spirite in him and therfore vnderstandeth it not a right neither worketh a right For no mā knoweth the thyngs of God sayeth Paul in the i. Epistle to the Corinthians in the second Chapter saue the spirite of God as no man knoweth what is in a mā but a mās spirite which is in him So then if the spirite be not in a man he worketh not the wil of GOD neither vnderstandeth it though he bable neuer so much of the scriptures Neuerthelesse such a mā may worke after his owne imagination but Gods wil can he not woorke he may offer sacrifice but to do mercy knoweth he not It is easy to say vnto christ Lord Lord but therby shalt thou neuer feele or be sure of the kyngdome of heauen But and if thou do the will of God thē art thou sure that Christ is thy Lord in dede that thou in him art also a Lord in y ◠thou felest thy selfe loosed and free frō the bondage of sinne and lusty and of power to do the will of God Where the spirite is there is feelyng For y t spirite maketh vs feele all thinges Where the spirite is not there is no feelyng but a vayne opinion or imagination A Phisitian serueth but for sicke men and that for such sicke mē as feele their sicknesses morne therfore and long for health Christ lykewise serueth but for sinners onely as feele there sinne and that for such sinners that sorrow and morne in theyr hartes for health Health is power or strength to fulfill the law or to keepe the commaundementes Now he that longeth for that health that is to say for to do the law of God is blessed in Christ and hath a promise that his lust shal be fulfilled that he shal be made whole Math. v. blessed are they which hunger thurst for righteousnes sake that is to fulfill the law for their lust shal be fulfilled This lōgyng and consent of the hart vnto the law of God is the woorkyng of the spirite whiche God hath poured into thine hart in earnest that y ◠mightest be sure y ◠God will fulfil all his promises that he hath made thee It is also the seale marke which God putteth on all men that he choseth vnto euerlastyng life So long as thou seest thy sinne and mornest consētest to the law longest though thou be neuer so weake yet the spirite shal kepe thee in all temptatiōs from desperatiō and certifie thyne hart that God for his trouth shall deliuer thee and saue thee yea by thy good dedes shalt thou be saued not whiche thou hast done but whiche Christ hath done for thee For Christ is thine and all his dedes are thy dedes Christ is in thee and thou in him knit together inseparably Neither canst thou be damned except Christ be dāned with thee Neither can Christ be saued except thou be saued with him Moreouer thy hart is good right holy and iust For thy hart is no enemy to the law but a frend a louer The law and thy hart are agreed and at one and therfore is God at one with thee The consent of the hart vnto the law is vnite and peace betwene God and man For he is not myne enemy whiche would fayne do me pleasure and morneth because he hath not wherewith Now he that opened thy disease vnto thee and made thee long for health shall as he hath promised heale thee and he that hath loosed thy hart shall at hys godly laysure lose thy members He that hath not the spirite hath no felyng neither lusteth or longeth after power to fulfil the law neither abhorreth the pleasures of sinne neither hath any more certainetie of the promises of God thē I haue of a tale of Robinhode or of some iest that a man telleth me was done at Rome An other man may lightly make me doubt or beleue the contrary seyng I haue no experience therof my selfe So is it of them that feele not the workyng of the spirite therfore in tyme of temptatiō the buildynges of their imaginations fall MAth x. He that receaueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet that is because he is a Prophet shall receaue the reward of a Prophet he y t geueth one of these litleones a cup of cold water to drinke in the name of a Disciple shall not lose hys reward Note this that a Prophet signifieth as well him that enterpreteth y e hard places of Scripture as him that prophesieth thyngs to come Now he that receaueth a Prophet a iust man or a Disciple shall haue the same or lyke reward that is to say shal haue the same eternall lyfe whiche is appointed for thē in Christes bloud merites For except thou were elect to y t same eternall lyfe haddest the same fayth and trust in God and the same spirite thou couldest neuer consent to their deedes and helpe them But thy dedes testifie what thou art certifie thy conscience that thou art receaued to mercy and sanctified in Christes passions and sufferynges and shalt hereafter with all them that folow God receaue the reward of eternall lyfe Of thy wordes
y u shalt be iustified of thy wordes thou shalt be condēned Mat. xij That is thy wordes as well as other deedes shal testifie with thee or agaynst thee at the day of iudgemēt Many there are whiche abstaine from the outward dedes of fornication and adulterie neuerthelesse reioyce to talke therof laugh their wordes laughter testifie against them that their hart is vnpure and they adulterers fornicatours in the sight of GOD. The toung and other signes oftymes vtter the malice of the hart though a mā for many causes abstaine his hand from the outward dede or act IF thou wilt enter into lyfe kepe the commaundements Math. xix First remember that when God commaundeth vs to do one thyng he doth it not therfore because that we of our selues are able to do that he cōmaundeth but that by the law we might see know our horrible damnation and captiuitie vnder sinne and therfore should repēt and come to Christ receaue mercy the spirite of God to loose vs strength vs to make vs able to do Gods wil which is the law Now when he sayth if thou wilt enter into lyfe kepe the cōmaundementes is as much to say as he that kepeth the commaundementes is entred into life for except a mā haue first the spirite of lyfe in hym by Christes purchasyng it is impossible for him to kepe the commaundements or that his hart should be loose or at libertie to lust after them for of nature we are enemyes to the law of God As touching that Christ saith afterward if thou wilt be perfect go and sell thy substaūce and geue it to the poore he sayth it not as who should say that there were any greater perfection then to kepe the law of God for that is all perfection but to shew the other hys blindnes which saw not that the law is spirituall and requireth y t hart But because he was not knowyng that he had hurt any man with the outward deede he supposed that he loued his neighbour as him selfe But when he was bydde to shew the deedes of loue and geue of hys aboundaunce to them that neded he departed mournyng Whiche is an euiēdt tokē that he loued not his neighbour as well as him self For if he had neede hym selfe it would not haue greued hym to haue receaued succour of an other man Moreouer he sawe not that it was murther theft that a man should haue aboundaunce of riches lying by hym and not to shew mercy therewith and kyndly to succour hys neighbours neede God hath geuen one man riches to helpe an other at nede If thy neighbour nede thou helpe him not beyng able thou withholdest his dutie from hym and art a thefe before God That also that Christ saith how that it is harder for a rich man who loueth his riches so that he can not find in his hart liberally and freely to helpe the poore and nedy to enter into the kingdome of heauen then a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle declareth that he was not entred into the kingdome of heauen that is to say eternall life But he that kepeth the commaundementes is entred into life he hath life and the spirite of life in him THis kinde of deuils goeth not out but by prayer fasting Math. 27. Not that the deuill is cast out by merites of fasting or praying For he sayth before that for theyr vnbelefes sake they coulde not cast him out It is faith no doubte that casteth out the deuils and fayth it is that fasteth and prayeth Fayth hath the promises of God wher unto she cleaueth and in all thinges thyrsteth the honour of God She fasteth to subdue the body vnto the spirit that the prayer be not let and that the spirite may quietly talke with God she also whensoeuer oportunitie is geuen prayeth God to fulfil his promises vnto his prayse glory And God which is mercifull in promising and true to fullfill them casteth out the deuils and doth all that fayth desireth and satisfyeth her thyrste COme ye blessed of my Father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde for I was a thirst and ye gaue me drincke c. Math. xxv Not that a man with works delerueth eternal life as a work man or labourer his hyre or wages Thou readest in the text that the kingdome was prepared for vs from the beginning of the worlde And we are blessed sanctified In Christes bloud are we blessed from that bitter curse damnable captiuitie vnder sin wherein we were borne and conceiued And Christes spirite is poured into vs to bring foorth good woorkes and our workes are the fruites of the spirite the kingdome is the deseruing of Christes bloud and so is fayth and the spirite and good workes also Notwithstanding the kingdome foloweth good workes and good workes testify that we are heyres thereof and at the day of iudgement shall they testify for the elect vnto theyr comfort and glory and to the confusion of the vngodly vnbeleeuing and faythlesse sinners which had not trust in the worde of Gods promises nor luste to the will of God but were caryed of the spirite of theyr father the deuill vnto all abhomination to worke wickednes with all lust delectation and gredienes MAny sinnes are forgeuen her for she loueth much Luk. vij Not that loue was cause of forgeuenes of sinnes But contrariwise the forgeuenes of sinnes caused loue as it foloweth to whō lesse was forgeuen y ◠same loueth lesse And afore he commended the iudgement of Simon which aunswered that he loueth most to whom most was forgeuen and also sayde at the last thy fayth hath saued thee or made thee safe goe in peace We can not loue except we see some benefite and kyndenes As long as we looke on the lawe of God onely where we see but sinne and damnation and the wrath of God vpon vs yea where we were damned afore we were borne we can not loue God No we can not but hate him as a tyraunt vnrighteous vniust and flee from hym as did Caine. But when the Gospell that glad tidinges and ioyfull promises are preached how that in Christ God loueth vs first forgeueth vs and hath mercy on vs then loue we againe and the deedes of our loue declare our fayth This is the maner of speaking as we say Sommer is nie for the trees blossome Nowe is the blossomyng of the trees not the cause y t sommer draweth nie but the drawyng ni◠of sommer is the cause of y e blossoms and the blossomes put vs in remembraunce that sommer is at hand So Christ here teacheth Simō by the feruentnes of loue in the outward dedes to see a strong faith within whence so great loue springeth As y ◠maner is to say do your charitie shew your charitie do a deede of charitie
shewe your mercy do a deede of mercy meanyng thereby y t our deedes declare how we loue our neighbours how much we haue compassion on theÌ„ at their neede Moreouer it is not possible to loue except we see a cause Except we see in our hartes y t loue kyndnes of God to vs warde in Christ our Lord it is not possible to loue God aright We say also he that loueth not my dogge loueth not me Nor that a maÌ„ should loue my dogge first But if a man loued me the loue wherewith he loueth me would compell him to loue my dogge though the dogge deserued it not yea though the dogge had done him a displeasure yet if he loued me the same loue would refrayne hym from reuenging himselfe and cause him to referre the vengeaunce vnto me Such speakinges finde we in scripture Iohn in the fourth of hys first epistle sayth He that saith I loue God and yet bateth his brother is a lyar For how can he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth loue God whom he seeth not This is not spoken that a man should first loue hys brother and then God but as it foloweth For this commaundement haue we of hym that he which loueth God should loue his brother also To loue my neighbour is the commaundemeÌ„t which commaundement he that loueth not loueth not GOD The keeping of the commaundemeÌ„t declareth what loue I haue to God If I loued God purely nothing that my neighbour coulde do were able to make me eyther to hate him eyther to take vengeaunce on hym my selfe seing that God hath coÌ„maunded me to loue him to remitte all veÌ„geaunce vnto hym Marke now how much I loue the coÌ„maundement so much I loue God how much I loue God so much beleue I that he is mercifull kynde and good yea and a father vnto me for Christes sake how much I beleue that God is mercifull vnto me and that he will for Christes sake fulfill all his promises vnto me so much I see my sinnes so much do my sins greue me so much do I repent and sorrow that I sinne so much displeaseth me that poyson that moueth me to sinne and so greatly desire I to be healed So now by the naturall order first I see my sinne then I repeÌ„t and sorrow then beleue I Gods promises that he is mercifull vnto me and forgeueth me and will heale me at the last then loue I and then I prepare my selfe to the commaundement THis do and thou shalt liue Luc. x. that is to say loue thy Lord God with all thy hart with all thy soule with all thy strength and with all thy mynde and thy neighbour as thy self As who should say if thou do this or though thou canst not do it yet if thou â—ealest lust thereunto and thy spirite sigheth mourneth and longeth after strength to do it take a signe and euident token thereby that the spirite of life is in thee and that thou art electe to life euerlasting by Christes bloude whose gift and purchase is thy fayth and that spirite that worketh the will of God in thee whose gift also are thy deedes or rather the deedes of the spirite of christ and not thine and whose gift is the reward of eternal life which foloweth good workes It followeth also in the same place of Luke When he shoulde departe he plucked out two pence and gaue them to the host and sayde vnto him Take the charge or cure of him and what soeuer thou spendest more I wil recompeÌ„ce it thee at my coÌ„ming agayne Remember this is a parable and a parable may not be expounded worde by worde but the intent of the similitude must be sought out onely in the whole parable The intent of the similitude is to shew to whom a man is a neighbour or who is a mans neighbour which is both one what is to loue a mans neighbour as him selfe The Samaritane holpe him and shewed mercy as long as he was present and when he could be no longer present he left his money behind him and if that were not sufficient he left his credence to make good the rest and forsoke him not as long as y â— other had need TheÌ„ sayd Christ goe thou and do likewise that is without difference or respectioÌ„ of persons whosoeuer needeth thy helpe him count thy neighbour his neighbor be thou and shew mercy on him as long as he nedeth thy succour and that is to loue a mans neighbour as him selfe Neighbour is a word of loue and signifieth that a man shoulde be euer nigh and at hand and ready to helpe in tune of neede They that will enterpret parables worde by worde fall into straights oft-times whence they can not rid themselues And preach lyes in stead of the truth as do they whiche enterpret by the ij pence the old testament and the new and by that which is bestowed Opera supererogationis howbeit Superarrogantia were a meeter terme that is to say deedes which are more then the law requireth deeds of perfection and of liberalitie which a man is not bouÌ„d to do but of his free will And for them he shal haue an higher place in heauen and may geue to other of his merites or of whiche the pope after his deathe may geue pardons from the paines of purgatorye Against whiche exposition I aunswere first a greater perfection then the law is there not A greater perfection then to loue God and his will which is the commaundementes with all thine hart with all thy soule with all thy strength with all thy minde is there none And to loue a mans neighbour as himselfe is like the same It is a wonderfull loue wherewith a man loueth himselfe As glad as I woulde be to receiue pardon of mine owne life if I had deserued death so glad ought I to be to defend my neighboures life without respect of my life or of my good A man ought neither to spare his goods nor yet himselfe for his brothers sake after the ensample of Christ 1. Iohn 3. Herein sayth he perceiue we loue in that he y t is to say Christ gaue his life for vs. We ought therefore to bestowe our liues for the brethren Nowe sayeth Christ Iohn xv There is no greater loue then that a man bestow his life for his frend Moreouer no man caÌ„ fulfil the law For Iohn sayth i. Chapter of the said epistle if we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and truth is not in vs. If we knowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and righteous to forgeue vs our sinnes and to purge vs from all iniquitie And in the Pater noster also we say father forgeue vs our sins Now if we be all sinners none fulfilleth the lawe For he that fulfilleth the lawe is no sinner In the lawe may neither Peter nor Paule nor any other creature saue Christ onely reioyce In the bloud of
an infidell to see So likewise no doubt in the light of the cleare visiō of God we shal see things which now God will not haue knowen For pride euer accōpanieth hye knowledge but grace accompanyeth mekenes Let vs therfore giue diligence rather to do the will of GOD then to search his secretes whiche are not profitable for vs to know When we are thus reconciled to God made the frendes of GOD and heyres of eternall lyfe the spirite that GOD hath poured into vs testifieth that we may not lyue after our olde dedes of ignoraūce For how is it possible that we should repēt and abhorre them and yet haue lust to liue in them We are sure therfore that GOD hath created and made vs new in Christ put his spirite in vs that we should lyue a new lyfe whiche is the lyfe of good workes That thou mayst know what are good workes and the end and entent of good woorkes or wherfore good woorkes serue marke this that foloweth The lyfe of a Christen man is inward betwene hym and God and properly is the consent of the spirite to the will of God and to the honor of God And Gods honour is the finall end of all good workes Good workes are all thynges that are done within the lawes of God in which God is honored and for which thankes are geuen to God Fastyng is to absteine from surfeting or ouer much eatyng from dronkennes and care of the world as thou mayst read Luke xxj and the end of fastyng is to tame the body that the spirite may haue a free course to God and may quietly talke with God For ouer much eatyng and drinkyng and care of worldly busines presse downe the spirite choke her tangle her that she can not lift vp her selfe to GOD. Now he that fasteth for any other entent then to subdue the body that the spirite may wayte on God and freely exercise her selfe in the things of God the same is blind wotteth not what he doth erreth and shoteth at a wrong marke and his entent and imaginatiō is abhominable in the sight of GOD. When thou fastest from meate drinkest all day is that a Christen fast either to eate at one meale that were sufficient for foure A man at foure tymes may beare that he cā not at ones Som fast from meate and drinke and yet so tangle them selues in worldly busines that they can not once thinke on God Some abstaine from butter some from egges some frō all maner white meate some this day some that day some in the honor of this Saint some of that and euery mā for a sondry purpose Some for the toth ache some for the head ache for feuers pestilence for soden death for hangyng drounyng and to be deliuered from the paynes of hell Some are so mad that the fast one of the Thursdayes betwene the two S. Mary dayes in the worshyp of that Saint whose day is halowed betwene Christemas and Candelmas and that to be deliuered from the pestilence All those mē fast without cōscience of god without knowledge of y ◠true entent of fastyng and do no other then honor Saintes as the Gentiles and heathen worshyped their Idols are drowned in blyndnes and know not of the Testamēt that God hath made to māward in Christes bloud In God haue they neither hope nor confidence neither beleue hys promyses neyther know his will but are yet in captiuitie vnder the prince of darkenes WAtch is not onely to absteine frō sleepe but also to be circumspect and to cast all perils as a man should watch a Tower or a Castell We must remember that the snares of the deuill are infinite and innumerable and that euery momēt arise new temptations and that in all places mete vs fresh occasions Agaynst which we must prepare our selues and turne to God and cōplaine to hym and make our moue and desire hym of his mercy to be our shield our Tower our Castle and defence from all euill to put his strength in vs for without hym we can doe nought aboue all thynges we must call to minde what promises god hath made and what he hath sworne that he will do to vs for Christes sake and with strong fayth cleaue vnto them desire him of his mercy and for y ◠loue that he hath to Christ for his truthes sake to fulfil his promises If we thus cleane to God with strong fayth and beleue his wordes thē as sayth Paul j. Cor. x God is faithfull that he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able or aboue our might y ◠is to say if we cleaue to his promises not to our owne fantasies imaginatiōs he will put might and power into vs that shal be stronger then all the temptation whiche he shall suffer to be agaynst vs. PRayer is a mournyng alōgyng a desire of the spirite to Godward for that whiche she lacketh as a sicke morneth and soroweth in his hart lōgyng for health Fayth euer prayeth For after that by fayth we are reconciled to God and haue receaued mercy and forgiuenes of God the spirit longeth and thyrsteth for strēgth to do the will of God and that God may be honoured his name halowed his pleasure will fulfilled The spirite wayteth and watcheth on the will of God and euer hath her owne fragilitie and weakenes before her eyes and when she seeth temptation and perill drawnye she turneth to God and to the testamēt that God hath made to all that beleue and trust in Christes bloud and desireth God for his mercy truth and for the loue he hath to Christ that he will fulfil his promise that he will succour helpe and giue vs strength and that he will sanctifie his name in vs fulfill his godly will in vs and that he wil not looke on our sinne and iniquitie but on his mercy on his truth and on the loue that he oweth to his sonne Christ and for his sake to keepe vs frō temptation that we be not ouercome and that he deliuer vs from euill and what soeuer moueth vs cōtrary to his godly will Moreouer of his owne experience he feeleth other mens neede and no lesse commendeth to God the infirmities of other then his owne knowing that there is no strēgth no help no succour but of God onely And as mercifull as he feeleth God in his hart to himselfe warde so mercifull is he to other and as greatly as he fealeth hys owne misery so great compassion hath he on other His neighbour is no lesse care to him then himselfe He feeleth his neighbours grief no lesse then his owne And whēsoeuer he seeth occasion he cānot but pray for his neighbour as well as for himselfe his nature is to seeke the honour of God in al men and to draw as much as in him is all men vnto God This is the lawe
ther he looketh with what hart thou workest and not what thou workest how thou acceptest the degree that he hath put thee in not of what degree thou art whether thou be an Apostle or a shoemaker Set this ensample before thine eyes Thou art a kechinpage and washest thy masters dishes an other is an Apostle and preacheth the word of God Of this Apostle harke what Paule sayth in the. 2. Corinth ix If I preach sayth he I haue nought to reioyce in for necessitie is put vnto me as who should say God hath made me so woe is vnto me if I preach not If I do it willingly sayth he then haue I my reward that is then am I sure that Gods spirite is me and that I am elect to eternall lyfe If I do it agaynst my will an office is committed vnto me that is if I do it not of loue to God but to get a liuyng thereby for a worldly purpose and had rather otherwayes lyue then do I that office which GOD hath put me in and yet please not God my selfe Note now if this Apostle preach not as many do not whiche not onely make them selues Apostles but also compell men to take thē for greater then Apostles yea for greater thē Christ him selfe thē wo is vnto him that is his damnation is iust If he preach his hart not right yet ministreth he the office that GOD hath put him in and they that haue the spirite of God heare the voyce of God yea though he speake in an Asse More ouer how soeuer he preacheth he hath not to reioyce in that he preacheth But and if he preach willyngly with a true hart and of conscience to God then hath he his reward that is then feeleth he the earnest of eternall lyfe the woorkyng of the spirite of God in hym And as he feeleth Gods goodnes and mercy so be thou sure he feeleth his owne infirmitie weakenes vnworthynes and morneth and knowledgeth his sinne in that the hart will not arise to worke with that full lust loue that is in Christ our Lord. And neuertheles is yet at peace with God through faith and trust in Christ Iesu For the earnest of the spirite that worketh in him testifieth and beareth witnes vnto his hart that God hath chosen him and that his grace shall suffice him whiche grace is now not idle in hym In hys woorkes putteth he no trust Now thou that ministrest in the kechen art but a kechenpage receauest all thyng of the hand of God knowest that God hath put thee in that office submittest thy selfe to his wil and seruest thy master not as a man but as Christ him selfe with a pure hart accordyng as Paule teacheth vs puttest thy trust in God and with hym sekest thy reward Moreouer there is not a good dede done but thy hart reioyceth therein yea when thou hearest that the word of God is preached by this Apostle and seest the people turne to God thou consentest vnto the deede thyne hart breaketh out in ioy springeth and leapeth in thy brest that God is honored And in thyne hart doest the same that y ◠Apostle doth and happely with greater delectatiō and a more feruent spirite Now he that receaueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shal receaue the reward of a Prophet Math. x. that is he that consenteth to the dede of a Prophet and maintaineth it the same hath the same spirite earnest of euerlastyng lyfe whiche the Prophete hath and is elect as the Prophet is Now if thou compare dede to dede there is difference betwixt washyng of dishes and preachyng of the word of God but as touchyng to please God none at all For neither that nor this pleaseth but as farforth as God hath chosen a man hath put his spirite in hym and purified his hart by fayth and trust in Christ Let euery man therefore wayte on the office wherein Christ hath put hym and therin serue his brethren If he be of low degree let him paciently therin abyde till God promote him and exalte hym hyer Let kyngs and head ofcers seke Christ in their offices ministre peace and quietnes vnto the brethren punish sinne and that with mercy euen with the same sorow and grief of mynde as they would cut of a finger or ioynte a legge or arme of their own body if there were such disease in them that either they must be cut of or els all the body must perish Let euery man of what soeuer craft or occupation he be of whether bruer baker tayler vitailer merchaunt or husbandman referre his craft and occupation vnto the commō wealth and serue hys brethren as hee would doe Christ him selfe Let him bye and sell truly and not set dice on his brethren so sheweth he mercy and his occupation pleaseth God And when thou receauest money for thy labour or ware thou receauest thy dutie For wherein so euer thou minister to thy brethren thy brethren are dettours to geue thee wherewith to mainteine thy selfe and houshold And let your superfluities succour the poore of whiche sort shall euer be some in all townes and cities and villages and that I suppose the greatest nūber Remēber that we are members of one body ought to minister one to an other mercifully And remember that whatsoeuer we haue it is geuen vs of God to bestow it on our brethren Let him that eateth eate and geue God thankes onely let not thy meate pull thine hart from God And let him that drinketh do likewise Let him y t hath a wife geue God thākes for his liberty onely let not thy wife withdraw thine hart from God and then pleasest thou God and hast the worde of God for thee And in all thinges looke on the worde of God and therein put thy trust and not in a visure in a disguised garment and a cut shooe Seeke the worde of God in all thinges and without the worde of God do nothing though it appeare neuer so glorious What soeuer is done without the worde of God that count idolatry The kingdome of heauen is within vs. Luk. xvij Wonder therefore at no monstrous shape nor at any outward thyng without the worde For the world was neuer drawen from God but with an outward shewe and glorious appearaunce and shining of hipocrisy and of fayned and visured fasting praying watching singing offering sacrificing halowing of superstitious ceremonies and monstrous disguising Take this for an ensample Iohn Baptist which had testimony of Christ and of the Gospell that there neuer rose a greater among wemens children with his fasting watching praying rayment and strāight liuing deceaued the Iewes and brought them in doubt whether Iohn were very Christ or not and yet no Scripture or miracle testifiyng it so greatly y ◠blinde nature of man loketh on the outwarde shining of workes and regardeth not the inwarde word which speaketh to the hart
nothing but as the father moueth it euen so hath God all tyrantes in hys hande and letteth them not do whatsoeuer they would but as much onely as he appoynteth them to do and as far forth as it is necessarye for vs. And as when the childe submitteth himselfe vnto hys fathers correction and nurture and humbleth himself altogether vnto the will of his father theÌ„ the rod is taken away euen so when we ar come vnto the knowledge of the right waye and haue forsaken our owne will and offer our selues cleane vnto the will of God to walke which way soeuer he will haue vs then turneth he the tyrantes or els if they enforce to persecute vs any further he putteth them out of the way according vnto the comfortable ensamples of the scripture Moreouer let vs arme our soules with the promises both of helpe and assistance and also of the glorious rewarde that followeth Great is your reward in heaueÌ„ sayth Christ Math. 5. And he that knowledgeth mee before men him will I knowledge before my father that is in heauen Math. 10. and Call on me in time of tribulation and I wyll deliuer thee Psal 65. and Beholde the eyes of the Lord are ouer them thet feare hym and ouer them that trust in hys mercy to deliuer theyr soules from death and to feede them in time of hunger Psal 46. And in Psal 47. sayth Dauid The Lorde is nygh them that are troubled in theyr hartes and the meeke in spirite will he saue The tribulations of the righteous are many and out of them all will the Lord deliuer them The Lord keepeth al the bones of them so that not one of theÌ„ shall be brused The Lord shal redeeme the soules of his seruauntes And of such like consolation are all the Psalmes full woulde to God when ye read them ye vnderstood them And Math. 10. When they deliuer you take no thought what ye shall say it shall be geuen you the same houre what ye shall say for it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your Father which speaketh in you The very heares of your heades are numbred saith Christ also Math. 10. If God care for our heares he much more careth for our soules which he hath sealed with his holy spirite Therefore sayth Peter 1. Pet. 4. Cast all your care vppon him for he careth for you And Paule 1. Cor. 10. sayeth God is true he wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue your might And Psal 71. Cast thy care vpon the Lord. Let thy care be to prepare thy selfe with all thy strength for to walke which way he will haue thee and to beleue that he will goe with thee assist thee and strengthen thee agaynst all tyraÌ„tes deliuer thee out of al tribulatioÌ„ But what way or by what meanes he will do it that committe vnto him and his godly pleasure and wisedome and cast that care vpon him And though it seeme neuer so vnlikely or neuer so impossible vnto naturall reason yet beleue stedfastly that he will do it and then shall he according to his olde vse chainge the course of the worlde euen in the twinckling of an eye and come sodenly vpon our Gyantes as a theefe in the night and coÌ„passe them in their wyles and worldly wisedome when they crye peace all is safe then shall theyr sorrowes beginne as the panges of a woman that traueileth with childe and then shall he destroy them and deliuer thee vnto the glorious prayse of hys mercy and truth Amen ANd as pertayning vnto them that despise Gods worde counting it as a phantasie or a dreame and to them also that for feare of a little persecution fall from it sette this before thyne eyes how God since the beginning of the world before a generall plague euer sent his true prophetes preachers of his word to warne the people and gaue them time to repent But they for the greatest part of theÌ„ hardened theyr hartes and persecuted the worde that was sent to saue them And then God destroyed them vtterly and tooke them cleane from the earth As thou seest what followed the preaching of Noe in y â— olde world what folowed the preaching of Loth among the Sodomites the preachyng of Moses and Aaron among the Egiptians and that sodenly against all possibilitie of mans witte Moreouer as ofte as the children of Israell fel from God to the worshipping of images he sent his prophets vnto them and they persecuted and waxed harde harted and then he sent them into all places of the world captiue Last of all he sent his owne sonne vnto them and they waxed more hard harted then euer before And see what a fearefull example of his wrath and cruel vengeance he hath made of them vnto all the worlde now almost fifteene hundred yeares Vnto the olde Brittaines also which dwelled where our natioÌ„ doth now preached Gildas and rebuked them of theyr wickednes and prophesied both vnto the spirituall as they will be called and vnto the lay men also what vengeaunce would follow except they repented But they waxed hard harted and God sente his plagues and pestilences among them and sent theyr enemies in vppon them on euery side destroyed them vtterly Marke also how Christ threateneth theÌ„ that forsake him for whatsoeuer cause it be whether for feare eyther for shame eyther for losse of honour frendes lyfe or goodes â–ª He that denyeth me before men him will I deâ—y before my father that is in heauen He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me all thys he sayth Math. 10. And in Mark 8. he sayth Whosoeuer is ashamed of me or my wordes among this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with his holy Angels And Luk. 9. also None that layeth his hande to the plowe and looketh backe is meete for the kingdome of heauen Neuerthelesse yet if any man haue resisted ignorantly as Paule did let him looke on the truth which Paule wrote after he came to knowledge Also if any man cleane against his hart but ouercome with the weaknes of the flesh for feare of persecution haue denied as Peter did or haue deliuered his booke or put it away secretly let him if he repente come again and take better hold and not dispayre or take it for a signe that God hath forsaken him for God ofttimes taketh hys strength euen froÌ„ his very elect wheÌ„ they either trust in theyr own strength or are negligent to call to him for his strength And that doth hee to teach theÌ„ to make theÌ„ feele that in that fire of tribulatioÌ„ for his wordes sake nothing can endure and abide saue his word and that streÌ„gth onely which he hath promised For the which strength he will haue vs to praye vnto him night and day wyth all
Now without these and a thousand such lyke pointes couldest thou not vnderstand Scripture which sayth that righteousnes commeth by Christ and not of mans will and how that vertues are the fruites and the gift of Gods spirite and that Christ blesseth vs in tribulations persecution and aduersitie How I say couldest thou vnderstaÌ„d the scripture without Philosophy in as much as Paule in the second to the Collossians warned them to beware least any man should spoyle them that is to say robbe them of their fayth in Christ thorough Philosophy and deceitful vanities and thorough the traditions of men and ordinaunces after y e world not after Christ â–ª By this meanes then thou wilt that no man teach an other but that euery man take the Scripture and learne by hymselfe Nay verely so say I not Neuerthelesse seyng that ye wyll not teach if any man thyrst for the truth and read the Scripture by hymselfe desiring God to open the dore of knowledge vnto him god for his truthes sake wil and must teach hym Howbeit my meaning is that as a mayster teacheth his prentice to know all the poyntes of the mete yarde first how many inches how many feete and the halfe yarde the quarter and the nayle and then teacheth him to mete other things therby euen so will I that ye teach the people Gods lawe and what obedience God requireth of vs vnto father and mother mayster Lord King and all superiours and wyth what frendly loue he commaundeth one to loue an other And teach them to know that naturall vename and byrth poyson which moueth the very harts of vs to rebell against the ordinaunces and will of God and proue that no man is righteous in the sight of God but that we are all damned by the lawe And then wheÌ„ thou hast meeked them and feared them wyth the lawe teache them the testament and promises which God hath made vnto vs in Christ and how much he loueth vs in Christ And teach them the principles and the ground of the fayth and what the sacramentes signifie and then shall the spirite worke wyth thy preaching make theÌ„ feele So would it come to passe that as we know by naturall wit what followeth of a true principle of naturall reasoÌ„ eueÌ„ so by y e principles of y e fayth by y â— plaine scriptures by the circumstaÌ„ces of the text should we iudge all meÌ„s exposition and all mens doctrine and should receaue the best and refuse the worst I woulde haue you to teach them also the properties and maner of speakinges of the scripture and how to expound prouerbes and similitudes And then if they goe abroad and walke by the fieldes and medowes of all maner doctours and Philosophers they coulde catch no harme They should discerne the poyson from the hoonny and bring home nothyng but that which is holsome But now do ye cleane contrary ye driue them from Gods worde and will let no man come therto vntil he haue ben two yeres maister of art First they nosel them in sophistry and in benefundatum And there corrupt they their iudgementes with apparent argumeÌ„ts and wyth alleaging vnto them textes of Logike of naturall Pâ—…ia of metaphisike and morall Philosophy of all maner bookes of Aristotle and of all maner Doctours which they yet neuer sawe Moreouer one holdeth this an other that One is reall an other nominall What wonderfull dreames haue they of their Predicamentes vniuersales second intentions Quidities Hecseities and Relatiues And whether Species sundata in chimerae be â—…aspecies And whether this proposition be true 〈◊〉 eus est aliquid Whether eus be â—quiuocum or 〈…〉 â—ns is a voyce onely say some Ens is 〈…〉 saith an other and descendeth into ens creaâ—… â–ª and into eâ—s increatum per modâ—s inâ—…sâ—…os wheÌ„ they haue this wise brauled viij x. or xij or moo yeares and after that their iudgementes are vtterly corrupt then they beginne their diuinitie Not at the scripture but euery man taketh a sundry Doctour which Doctours are as sundry and as diuers the one coÌ„trary vnto the other as there are diuers fashions and monstrous shapes none like an other among our secres of religion Euery religion euery vniuersitie and almost euery man hath a sundry diuinitie Now what soeuer opinions euery man fyndeth wyth his Doctour that is his Gospel and that onely is true with him and that holdeth he all his life long and euery man to maintaine his Doctour with all corrupteth the Scripture fashioneth it after his owne imagination as a Potter doth his claye Of what text thou prouest hell will an other proue purgatory an other Lymbo pâ—trum and an other the assumption of our Lady And an other shall proue of the same text that an Ape hath a tayle And of what texte the Graye Fryer proueth that our Lady was without originall sinne of the same shall the blacke Fryer proue that she was conceaued in originall sinne And all this do they wyth apparent reasons with false similitudes and likenesses and with argumentes and perswasions of mans wisedome Now there is no other diuisioÌ„n or heresy in the world saue maÌ„s wisedome and when mans folishe wisedome interpreteth the scripture Mans wisedome â—â—atereth diuideth and maketh sectes while the wisedome of one is that a white coate is best to serue God in an other saith a black an other a graye an other a blew And while one saith that God will heare your prayer in this place an other saith in that place And while one saith this place is holyer and an other that place is holyer and this religion is holyer then that and this Saint is greater with God then that an hundred thousand like thinges Mans wisedome is plaine idolatry neither is there any other idolatry theÌ„ to imagine of God after mans wisdome God is not mans imagination but that onely which he saith of himselfe God is nothyng but hys law and his promises that is to say that which he biddeth thee to doe and that which he biddeth thee beleue and hope God is but his worde as Christ sayth Iohn 8. I am that I say vnto you that is to say that which I preach am I. My words are spirite and life God is that onely which he testifieth of himselfe and to imagine any other thing of God then that is damnable idolatry Therefore saith the 118. Psalme Happy are they which search y â— testimonies of the Lord that is to say that which God testifieth and witnesseth vnto vs. But how shall I that doe when ye will not let me haue his testimonies or witnesses in a touÌ„ge which I vnderstand Will ye resist God Will ye forbid hym to geue hys spirite vnto the laye as well vnto you Hath he not made y e English tounge Why forbidde ye hym to speake in the Englishe tounge then as well as in the Latine Fynally that
also no longer obey but resiste and rise agaynst their euill heades And one wicked destroyeth an other Yet is Gods word not the cause of this neither yet the preachers For though that Christ hym selfe taught all obedience how that it is not lawfull to resiste wrong but for the officer that is appointed thereunto and howe a man must loue his very enemy pray for them that persecute him and blesse them that curse hym and how that all vengeaunce must bee remitted to God and that a man must forgeue if hee wil be forgeuen of God Yet the people for the most part receaued it not They were euer ready to rise and to fight For euer when the Scribes and Phariseis wēt about to take Christ they were afraide of the people Not on the holy day sayde they Math. xxvj lest any rumour aryse among the people And Math. xxi They would haue takē him but they feared the people And Luke xx Christe asked the Phariseis a question vnto whiche they durst not aūswere lest the people should haue stoned them Last of all for as much as the very Disciples and Apostles of Christ after so lōg hearyng of Christes doctrine were yet ready to fight for Christe cleane agaynst Christes teachyng As Peter Math. xxvi drew his sword but he was rebuked And Luke ix Iames and Iohn would haue had fire to come from heauen to cōsume the Samaritanes and to auenge the iniury of Christe but were likewise rebuked if Christes Disciples were so long carnall what wonder is it if we be not all perfect the first daye Yea in as much as we bee taught euen of very babes to kil a Turke to slea a Iewe to burne an hereticke to fight for the liberties and right of the Church as they cal it yea and in asmuch as wee are brought in belefe if wee shed the bloud of our euen Christen or if the sonne shed the bloud of hys father that begat hym for the defence not of the Popes Godhead onely but also for what so euer cause it bee yea though it be for no cause but that his holynes commaundeth it onely that we deserue as much as Christ deserued for vs when he dyed on the crosse or if we be slaine in the quarel that our soules goe nay flye to heauen and be there ere our bloud be cold In as much I saye as we haue sucked in suche bloudy imaginatiōs into the bottome of our harts euen with our mothers milke and haue ben so long hardened therein what wonder were it if while we be yet young in Christ we thought that it were lawful to fight for the true word of god Yea and though a man were throughly persuaded that it were not lawful to resist his kyng thoughe he would wrongfully take away lyfe and goodes Yet might he thinke that it were lawful to resist the hipocrites and to rise not agaynst his kyng but with his kyng to deliuer his kyng out of bondage and captiuitie wherin the hipocrites hold hym with wyles and falsehode so that no man may bee suffered to come at him to tell him the trouth This seest thou that it is the bloudy doctrine of the Pope which causeth disobedience rebellion and insurrectiō For hee teacheth to sight and to defende hys traditions and what soeuer he dreameth with fire water and sworde and to disobey Father Mother Master Lorde Kyng and Emperour Yea and to inuade what so euer lād or natiō that will not receaue and admit his Godhead Where the peaceable doctrine of Christe teacheth to obey and to suffer for the word of God to remit the vengeaunce and the defense of the word to god which is mighty and able to defende it which also as soone as the worde is once openly preached and testified or witnessed vnto the world and when he hath geuen them a season to repent is ready at once to take vengeaunce of his enemies and shoteth arrowes with heades dipte in deadly poyson at them and poureth hys plagues from heauen downe vpon them and sendeth the moren and pestilence among them and sinketh the Cities of them and maketh the earth swalow them and cōpasseth them in their wyles and taketh them in theyr owne trappes and snares and casteth thē into the pittes whiche they digged for other men and sendeth them a dasyng in in the head and vtterly destroyeth them with their owne suttle councell Prepare thy mynde therefore vnto this litle treatise and read it discretly and iudge it indifferently and when I alledge any Scripture loke thou on the text whether I interprete it right whiche thou shalt easely perceaue by the circumstance and processe of thē if thou make Christ the foundation and ground and build all on him and referrest all to hym and findest also that the expositiō agreeth vnto the common Articles of the faith and opē scriptures And GOD the father of mercy whiche for hys truthes sake raysed our Sauiour Christ vp agayne to iustifie vs geue thee hys spirite to iudge what is righteous in his eyes and geue the strength to abyde by it and to mayntayne it withall patience and long sufferyng vnto the example and edifying of his congregation and glory of his name Amen The obedience of all degrees proued by Gods word and first of children vnto theyr elders GOd which worketh all in all thynges for a secrete iudgement and purpose and for hys godly pleasure prouided an houre that thy father and mother should come together to make thee throughe them He was present with thee in thy mothers wombe and fashioned thee brethed lyfe into thee and for y t great loue he had vnto thee prouided milke in thy mothers brestes for thee agaynst thou were borne moued also thy father and mother and all other to loue thee to pitie thee and to care for thee And as he made thee through them so hath he cast thee vnder the power authoritie of them to obeye and serue them in his stede saying honor thy father and mother Exo. xx Which is not to be vnderstand in bowyng the knee and puttyng of the cappe onely but that thou loue them with al thyne hart and feare and drede them and wayte on their commaundementes and seke their worshyp pleasure will and profite in all thynges and geue thy life for them counting them worthy of all honour remembryng that thou art theyr good and possession that thou owest vnto thē thine owne selfe and all thou art able yea and more then thou art able to doe Vnderstand also that what soeuer thou doest vnto thē be it good or bad thou doest vnto God Whē thou pleasest them y ◠pleasest god whē thou displeasest thē thou displeasest God whē they are angry with thee god is angry w t thee neither is it possible for thee to come vnto y ◠fauour of God againe no though all the aūgels of heauē pray for thee vntil thou
wherewith y ◠hart is purified as fayth hope loue pacience long sufferyng and obedience could neuer be sene without outward experience For if thou were not brought sometime into combraunce whence God onely could deliuer thee thou shouldest neuer see thy fayth yea except thou foughtest sometyme agaynst desperation hell death sinne and powers of this worlde for thy faythe 's sake thou shouldest neuer know true fayth from a dreame Except thy brother now and then offended thee thou couldest not know whether thy loue were Godly For a Turke is not angre till he be hurt and offended but it thou loue him that doth thee euill then is thy loue of God likewise if thy rulers were alway kinde thou shouldest not know whether thyne obedience were pure or no but if thou canst paciently obeye euill rulers in all thyngs that is not to the dishonour of God and when thou hurtest not thy neighbours then art thou sure that Gods spirite worketh in thee and that thy fayth is no dreame nor any false imagination Therfore counceleth Paule Rom. xij recompense to no man euill And on your part haue peace with all men Dearely beloued auenge not your selues but geue rowme vnto the wrath of God For it is written vengeaunce is myne and I will reward sayth the Lord. Therfore if thy enemie hungre feede hym If he thurst geue hym drinke For in so doyng thou shalt heape coales of fire on his heed that is thou shalt kindle loue in him Be not ouercome of euil that is let not an other mans wickednesse make thee wicked also But ouercome euill with good that is with softenes kindnesse and all pacience winne him euen as God with kindnesse wonue thee THe law was geuē in thūder lightenyng fire smoke and the voyce of a trumpet and terrible sight Exod. xx So that the people quaked for feare and stode a farre of saying to Moyses Speake thou to vs and we wil heare let not the Lord speake vnto vs left we dye No eare if it be awaked and vnderstandeth the meanyng is able to abide the voice of the law except the promises of mercy be by That thunder except the rayne of mercy be ioyned with it destroyeth all and buildeth not The law is a witnesse agaynst vs and testifieth that God abhorreth the the sinnes that are in vs and vs for our sinnes sake In like maner when God gaue the people of Israell a kyng it thundred and rained that y ◠people feared so sore that they cryed to Samuell for to pray for them that they should not dye i. Reg. xij As the law is a terrible thing euen so is the kyng For he is ordeined to take vengeaunce and hath a sword in his hād and not pecockes feethers Feare him therfore and looke on hym as thou wouldest looke on a sharpe sword that hanged ouer thy head by an heare Heades and gouerners are ordeined of God and are euen the gifte of God whether they be good or bad And what soeuer is done vnto vs by them y t doth God be it good or bad If they be euill why are they euill verely for our wickednesse sake are they euill Because that whē they were good we would not receaue that goodnesse of the hand of God and be thankefull submitting our selues vnto his lawes and ordinaunces but abused the goodnesse of God vnto our sensuall beastly lustes Therefore doth God make hys scorge of them and turne them vnto wilde beastes cōtrary to the nature of their names and offices euen into Lyons Beares Foxes and vncleane Swine to auenge himselfe of our vnnaturall and blind vnkindnesse and of our rebellious disobedience In the Cvj. Psalme thou readest he destroyed the riuers and dryed vp the springes of water and turned y t fruitfull land into barennesse for the wickednesse of the inhabiters therein Whē the children of Israell had forgotten God in Egipt God moued the hartes of the Egiptians to hate them and to subdue them with craft and wilynes Psal Ciiij and Deuteronomiun iij. Moyses rehearseth saying God was angry wyth me for your sakes so that the wrath of God fell on Moyses for the wickednesse of the people And in the secōd Chap. of the second booke of kynges God was angry with the people and moued Dauid to number them when Ioab and the other Lords wondred why hee would haue them numbred and because they feared lest some euil should folow disswaded the kyng yet it holpe not God so hardened his hart in his purpose to haue an occasion to slay the wicked people Euill rulers then are a signe that God is angry and wroth with vs. Is it not a great wrath and vengeaunce that the father and mother should hate their children euen their flesh and their bloud or that an husband should be vnkinde vnto his wife or a master vnto the seruaunt that wayteth on his profite or the Lordes and Kynges should be tyrauntes vnto their subiectes and tenauntes which pay them tribute tolle custome and rente laboring and toyling to finde them in honour and to mainteine them in their estate is not this a fearefull iudgemēt of God and a cruell wrath that the very Prelates and shepheardes of our soules whiche were wont to feede Christes flocke with Christs doctrine and to walke before them in lyuyng there after and to geue their lyues for them to their ensample and edifiyng and to strengthē their weake faythes are now so sore chaunged that if they smell that one of their flocke as they now cal them and no lenger Christes do but once long or desire for the true knowledge of Christ they will slay hym burnyng him with fire most cruelly What is the cause of this and that they also teach false doctrine confirmyng it with lyes veryly it is the hād of God to auenge the wickednes of them that haue no loue nor lust vnto the truth of God when it is preached but reioyse in vnrighteousnes As thou maist see in the second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians Where he speaketh of the comming of Antichrist Whos 's commyng shal be sayth he by the workyng of Sathan with all miracles signes and wonders which are but lyes and in all deceanable vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receaued not any loue to the truth to haue bene saued Therefore shall God send them strong delusion to beleue lyes Marke how God to auenge his truth sendeth to the vnthankefull false doctrine and false miracles to confirme them and to harden their harts in the false way that afterward it shall not be possible for them to admitte the truth As thou seest in Exod. vij and viij how God suffered false miracles to be shewed in y t sight of Pharao to harden his hart that he should not beleue the truth in as much as hys sorcerers turned their roddes into Serpēts and turned water into bloud and made frogges by their inchauntment so thought he
ceremonies or to lead them out of the waye with superstitiousnes of disguiled hypocrisie vnto which ful knowledge are the spirituall officers ordeined to bring them Ephes iiij So farre it is away that Christes Apostles should geue them traditions of blind ceremonies without signification or of whiche no man should know the reason as Rochester whiche loueth shadowes and darkenes lyeth on them God stoppe his blasphemous mouth Consider also how studiously Rochester alledgeth Origene both for his Pope and also to stablish his blind ceremonies with all which Origene of all heretickes is condemned to be the greatest He is an auncient Doctour sayth he yea and to whō in this point great fayth is to be geuen yea verely Aristotle and Plato and euen very Robynhode is to beleued in such a point that so greatly mainteineth our holy fathers authoritie and all his disguisinges Last of all as once a craftie theefe whē he was espied and folowed cryed vnto the people Stoppe the thefe stop the thefe And as many to begyn with all cast first in an other mans teth that which he feareth should be layd to his owne charge euen so Rochester layeth to Martin Luthers charge the slaying murtheryng of Christen men because they will not beleue in his doctrine which thing Rochester and his brethrē haue not ceased to do now certein hundred yeares with such malice that whē they be dead theyrage burnyng their bodies of which some they them selues of lickelyhode killed before secretly And because that all the worlde knoweth that Martin Luther slayeth no mā but killeth onely with the spirituall sword the word of God such cankred cōsciences as Rochester hath Neither persecuteth but suffereth persecution yet Rochester with a goodly Argument proueth that he would do it if he could And marke I pray you what an Oratour he is and how vehemently he persuadeth it Martin Luther hath burned the Popes decretals a manifest signe sayth he that he would haue burnt the Popes holines also if he had had him A like Argument which I suppose to be rather true I make Rochester and his holy brethrē haue burnt Christes Testament an euident signe verely that they woulde haue burnt Christ him selfe also if they had had him I had almost verely left out the chiefest point of all Rochester both abhominable and shamelesse yea sterke mad with pure malice and so adased in the braines with spite that he cā not ouercome the truth that he seeth not or rather careth not what he sayth in the ende of his first destruction I would say instructiō as he calleth it intēding to proue that we are iustified thorouh holy workes alleageth halfe a texte of Paule of the fift to the Galathians as his maner is to iuggle and cōuey craftely fides per dilectionem operans Which texte he thys wise Englisheth fayth which is wrought by loue and maketh a verbe passiue of a verbe deponent Rochester will haue loue to goe before and fayth to spring out of loue Thus Antichrist turneth the rotes of the tree vpward I must first loue a bitter medicine after Rochesters doctrine and then beleue that it is wholsome When by naturall reason I first hate a bitter medicine vntill I be brought in belief of the phisition that it is holesome that the bitternes shall heale me and then afterward loue it of that beliefe Doth the childe loue the father first thē beleue that he is his sonne or heire or rather because he knoweth that he is his sonne or heire and beloued therfore loueth agayne Iohn sayth in the third of his first epistle See what loue the father hath shewed vpon vs that we should be called his sonnes Because we are sonnes therefore loue we Now by fayth are we sonnes as Iohn sayth in the fyrst chapter of his Gospel He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God in that they beleued on hys name And Paule sayth in the thyrd chapter of hys Epistle to the Galathians we are all the sonnes of God by the faith which is in Iesus Christ And Iohn in the sayd chapter of hys epistle sayth Hereby perceaue we loue that he gaue hys life for vs. We coulde see no loue nor cause to loue agayne except that we beleued that he dyed for vs and that we were saued thorough his death And in the chapter folowing sayth Iohn Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to make agreement for our sinnes So God sent not hys sonne for any loue that we had to hym but of the loue that he had to vs sent he hys sonne that we myght so loue loue agayne Paule lykewise in the 8. chapter to the Romaynes after that he hath declared the infinite loue of God to vs ward in that he spared not hys owne sonne but gaue hym for vs cryeth out saying who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall persecution shall a sworde c. No sayth he I am sure that no creature shall separate vs from the loue of God that is in Christ Iesus our Lord as who should say we see so great loue in God to vs warde in Christes death that though all misfortune should fall on vs we can not but loue agayne Now how know we that God loueth vs verely by fayth So therefore though Rochester be a beast faythlesse yet ought naturall reason to haue taught hym that loue springeth out of fayth and knowledge and not fayth and knowledge out of loue But let vs see the text Paule sayth thus In Christ Iesu neither circumcision is any thyng worth nor incircumcision but fayth which worketh thorow loue or which thorow loue is strōg or mighty in working not which is wrought by loue as the iuggler sayth Faith that loueth Gods cōmaundemēts iustitieth a mā If thou beleue gods promises in christ and loue his commaūdementes then art thou safe If thou loue y e commaūdemēt then art thou sure y ◠thy fayth is vnfained that gods spirit is in thee How fayth iustifieth before God in the hart how loue springeth of fayth and compelleth vs to worke and how the workes iustifie before the worlde testifie what we are certifie vs that our fayth is vnfayned and that y e right spirit of God is in vs see in my booke of y e iustifiyng of faith and there shalt thou see all thyng aboundantly Also of the controuersie betwene Paul and Iames see there Neuer the later whē Rochester sayth if faith onely iustified then both the deuils and also sinners that lie still in sinne should be saued hys argument is not worth a strawe For neyther the deuils nor yet sinners that continue in sinne of purpose delectation haue any such fayth as Paul speaketh of For Paules fayth is to beleue Gods promises Fayth sayth he Rom. x. cōmeth by hearing and hearing commeth by the worde of God And
groweth dayly in the operations workes therof ¶ Of Confession COnfession is diuers One foloweth true fayth insparably And is the confessing and knowledging with the mouth wherein we put our trust and confideÌ„ce As when we say our Credo confessing that we trust in God the father almighty and in his truth promises in his sonne Iesus our Lord and in his merites and deseruinges in the holy Ghost and in his power assistance and guiding This confession is necessary vnto all men that wyll be saued For Christ saith Mathew x. he that denyeth me before men hym will I deny before my father that is in heauen And of this confession sayth the holy Apostle Paule in the x. chapter The beliefe of the hart iustifieth and to knowledge wyth the mouth maketh a man safe This is a wonderfull text for our Philosophers or rather sophisters our worldly wyse enemies to the wisdome of God our deepe profounde welles wythout water our cloudes wythout moysture of rayne that is to say naturall soules without the sprite of God and feeling of godly thynges To iustifie and to make safe are both one thing And to confesse with the mouth is a good worke and the frute of a true fayth as all other workes are If thou repent and beleue the promises then Gods truth iustifieth thee that is forgeueth thee thy sinnes and sealeth thee with hys holy spirite and maketh thee heyre of euerlastyng lyfe through Christes deseruinges Now if thou haue true fayth so seest thou the exceeding and infinite loue and mercy which God hath shewed thee freely in Christ then must thou needes loue agayne and loue can not but compell thee to worke and boldly to confesse knowledge thy Lord Christ and the trust which thou hast in his word And this knowledge maketh thee safe that is declareth that thou art safe already certifieth thine hart and maketh thee feele that thy fayth is right and that Gods spirite is in thee as all other good workes doe For if when it commeth vnto the point thou hast no lust to worke nor power to confesse how couldest thou presume to thinke that Gods sprite were in thee An other confession is there which goeth before saith and accompanieth repentaunce For who so euer repenteth doth knowledge his sinnes in his hart And who soeuer doth knowledge his sinnes receaueth forgenenes as â—ayth Iohn in the first of his first Epistle If we knowledge our sinnes he is faythfull and iust to forgeue vs out sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes that is because he hath promised he must for his truthes sake doe it This confession is necessary all our liues long as is repentaunce And as thou vnderstandest of repentaunce so vnderstand of this confession for it is likewise included in the sacrament of Baptime For we alwayes repent and alwayes knowledge or coÌ„fesse our sinnes vnto God and yet dispayre not but remember that we are washed in in Christes bloud which thing our baptime doth represeÌ„t and signifie vnto vs. Shrift in the eare is verely a worke of Sathan and that the â—alsest that euer was wrought and that most hath deuoured the fayth It began among the Greekes and was not as it is now to reckeÌ„ all a maÌ„s sinnes in the priestes eare but to aske couÌ„cell of such doubtes as men had as thou mayst see in S. Hierome and in other authors Neither went they to Priestes onely which were very fewe at that tyme no moe then preached the worde of God for this so great vantage in so many masses saying was not yet founde but went indifferently where they saw a good and a learned man And for because of a litle knauery which a DeacoÌ„ at Constantinople plaide thorough coÌ„fession with one of the chiefe wiues of the citie it was layde downe agayne But we Antichristes possession the more knauery we see growe thereby dayly the more we stablishe it A christen man is a spirituall thing and hath Gods word in his hart and gods spirite to certifie him of all thing He is not bound to come to any eare And as for the reasons which they make are but persuasions of mans wisedome First as perteining vnto the keyes maner of bynding and loosing is eough aboue rehearsed in other places Thou maist also see how the Apostles vsed them in the Actes and in Paules Epistles how at the preaching of fayth the spirite came and certified their harts that they were iustified thorough beleuing the promises When a man feeleth that his hart consenteth vnto the law of God and feeleth hymselfe meeke pacient curteous and mercifull to hys neighbour altered and fashioned like vnto Christ why shoulde he doubt but that God hath forgeuen him and chosen him and put his spirite in hym though he neuer cromme hys sinne into the priestes eare One blynde reason haue they saying How shall the Priest vnbynde loose and forgeue the sinne which he knoweth not How did the Apostles The Scripture forsake they and runne vnto their blinde reasons and draw the Scripture vnto a carnall purpose When I haue tolde thee in thyne eare all that I haue done my life long in order and with all circumstances after the shamefullest maner what caÌ„st thou doe more then preach me the promises saying if thou repent beleue Gods truth shall saue thee for Christes sake Thou seest not myne hart thou knowest not whether I repent or no neyther whether I consent to the law that it is holy righteous and good Moreouer whether I beleue the promises or no is also vnknowen to thee If thou preach the law and the promises as the Apostles did so should they that God hath chosen repent and beleue and be saued euen now as well as then How be it Antichrist must know all secretes to stablish his kingdom to worke his misteries withall They bryng also for them the storie of the x. lepers whiche is written in the. xvij Chapter of Luke Here marke their falsehoode and learne to knowe them for euer The fourtene Sonday after the feast of the Trinitie the begynnyng of the vij leâ—…n is the sayd Gospell and the viij the ix lessons with the rest of the seuenth is the exposition of Bede vpon the sayd Gospell Where saith Bede of all that Christ healed of what so euer disease it were he sent none vnto the Priestes but the lepers And by the lepers enterpreteth the folowers of false doctrine onely which the spirituall officers and the learned men of the congregation ought to examine and rebuke their learning with Gods word and to warne the congregation to beware of them Which if they were afterward healed by the grace of Christ ought to come before the coÌ„gregation and there openly confesse theyr true fayth But all other vices saith he doth God heale within in the conscience Though they this wise reade at mattens yet at hie masse if they haue any
Christ or entende to restore the Kynges agayne vnto their duties and right and to the rowme and authoritie which they haue of God and of shadowes to make theÌ„ Kynges in deede to put the world in his order agayne then the Kynges deliuer their swordes and authoritie vnto the hypocrites to â—lay him So dronken are they with the wine of the whore ¶ The text that foloweth in Paule wil they happely lay to my charge and others How shall they preach except they be sent sayth Paul in the sayd x. to the Romaines We wil they say the Pope Cardinals and Byshoppes all authority is ours The Scripture perteineth vnto vs and is our possession And we haue a law that who soeuer presume to preach without the authoritie of the Bishops is excommunicate in the deede doyng Whence therefore hast thou thine authoritie wil they say The old Phariseis had the Scripture in captiuitie likewise and asked Christ by what authoritie doest thou these thynges as who should say We are phariseis thou art none of our order nor hast authoritie of vs. Christ asked them an other question and so will I do our hypocrites Who seÌ„t you God Nay hee that is sent of God speaketh Gods word Iohn iij. Now speake ye not Gods worde nor any thyng saue your own lawes made cleane contrary vnto Gods worde Christes Apostles preached Christ not them selues He that is of the truth preacheth the truth Now ye preach nothyng but lyes and therefore are of the deuill the father of all lyes of hym are ye sent And as for mine authoritie or who sent me I report me vnto my workes as Christ Iohn v. and. x. If Gods word beare recorde that I say truth why should any man doubt but that God the father of truth and of lyght hath sent me as the father of lyes of darknes hath sent you and that the spirite of truth and of light is with me as the spirite of lyes and of darkenes is with you By this meanes thou wilt that euery man be a preacher will they say Nay verely For GOD will that not and therfore will I it not no more then I would that euery man of London were Mayre of London or euery man of the Realme Kyng therof God is not the author of dissention and strife but of vnitie and peace and of good order I will therefore that where a congregation is gathered together in Christ one be chosen after the rule of Paul and that hee onely preach and els no maÌ„ openly but that euery man teach hys houshold after the same doctrine But if the preacher preach false then whosoeuers harte God moueth to the same it shal be law full to rebuke and improue the false teacher with the cleare and manifest Scripture and that same is no doubt a true Prophet sent of GOD. For the Scripture is gods and theirs that beleue and not the false Prophet SAcrament is then as much to say as an holy signe And the Sacramentes which Christ ordeined preach Gods word vnto vs and therfore iustifie and minister the spirite to them that beleue as Paul thorough preachyng the Gospell was a minister of righteousnes of the spirite vnto all that beleued his preachyng Domme ceremonies are no Sacramentes but superstitiousnes Christes SacrameÌ„ts preach the fayth of Christ as his Apostles did thereby iustifie Antichristes domme ceremonies preach not y â— fayth that is in Christ as his Apostles our Byshops and Cardinals do not But as Antichristes Bishops are ordeined to kill who soeuer preach the true faith of Christ so are his ceremonies ordeined to quench the faith which Christes SacrameÌ„tes preach And hereby maist thou knowe the difference betwene Christes signes or Sacramentes and Antichristes signes or ceremonyes that Christes signes speake and Antichristes be domme Hereby seest thou what is to be thought of all other ceremonies as halowed water bread salt bowes belles waxe ashes and so forth and all other disguisinges and Apesplay and of all maner coniurations as the coniuring of church and churchyardes and of alter stones such like Where no promise of God is there can be no fayth nor iustifiyng nor forgeuenes of sinnes For it is more then madnes to looke for any thing of god saue that he hath promised How farre he hath promised so farre is he boduÌ„ to them that beleue and further not To haue a fayth therefore or a trust in any thing where god hath not promised is plaine idolatry and a worshipping of thyne own imagination in stede of God Let vs see the pith of a ceremony or two to iudge the rest by In coniuring of holy water they pray that whosoeuer be sprinckled therewith may receaue health as well of body as of soule and likewise in makyng holy bread and so forth in the coniurations of other ceremonies Now we see by dayly experience that halfe their prayer is vnheard For no man receaueth health of body thereby No more of likelihode do they of soule Yea we see also by experience that no man receaueth health of soule thereby For no man by sprinckling himselfe with holy water and wyth eating holy bread is more mercifull then before or forgeueth wrong or becommeth at one with his enemy or is more patient and lesse couetous and so forth Which are the sure tokens of the soule health They preach also that the wagging of the Byshops hand ouer vs blesseth vs and putteth away our sinnes Are these workes not against Christ How can they do more shame vnto Christes bloud For if the wagging of the Byshops hand ouer me be so precious a thyng in the sight of God that I am thereby blessed how then am I full blessed wyth all spirituall blessinge in Christ as Paul saith Ephe. j Or if my sinnes be full done away in Christ how remayneth there any to be done away by such phantasies The Apostles knew no wayes to put away sin or to blesse vs but by preaching Christ Paule sayth Gal. ij If righteousnes come by the law then Christ dyed in vayne So dispute I here If blessing come by the wagging of the Byshops hand then dyed Christ in vayne and his death blesseth vs not And a little afore sayth Paule if while we seeke to be iustified by Christ we be yet found sinners so that we must be iustified by the law or ceremonies is not Christ then a minister of sinne So dispute I here If while we seeke to be blessed in Christ we are yet vnblessed and must be blessed by the wagging of the Byshoppes hand what haue we then of Christ but curse Thou wilt say When we come first to the fayth then Christ forgeueth vs and blesseth vs. But the sinnes which we afterward commit are forgeuen vs through such thinges I aunswere If any man repent truely and come to the fayth and put hys trust in Christ theÌ„ as oft as he sinneth of frayltie at
into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saued He that beleueth on him shall not be damned but he that beeleeueth not is damned alreadye Iohn iij. Paule Rom. 5. sayth Because we are iustifyed through fayth we are at peace with God through our lord Iesus Christ that is because that God which can not lye hath promised and sworne to be mercyfull vnto vs and to forgeue vs for Christes sake we beleue and are at peace in our consciences we run not hither and thither for pardon we trust not in thys fryer nor that monke neyther in any thing saue in the woord of God onely As a childe when his father threateneth him for his faâ—t hath neuer rest til he heare the worde of mercy and forgeuenes of his fathers mouth againe but assone as he heareth his father say Goe thy wayes do me no more so I forgeue thee this fault then is his hart at rest then is he at peace then runneth he to no man to make intercession for him Neyther though there come any false marchant saying what wilt thou geue me and I will obtayne pardon of thy father for thee Will he suffer him selfe to be beguiled No he will not buy of a wilie fox that which his father hath geuen him freely It foloweth God setteth out hys loue that he hath to vs. that is he maketh it appeare that men may perceiue loue if they be not more then stocke blinde In asmuch sayth Paule as while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for vs. Much more now sayth he seeing we are iustifyed by hys bloud shall we be preserued from wrath thorough him for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of hys sonne much more seeing we are reconciled we shall be preserued by hys life As who should say If God loued vs when we knew him not much more loueth he vs now we know him If he were mercifull to vs while we hated his Lawe how much more mercifull will he be now seeing we loue it and desire strength to fulfill it And in the viij he argueth If God spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not wyth him geue vs all thinges also Christ prayed Iohn xvij not for the Apostles onely but also for as many as should beleue through theyr preaching and was heard whatsoeuer we aske in his name the Father geueth vs Iohn xvi Christ is also as mercifull as the saintes Why go we not straight way vnto him Verely because we feale not the mercy of God neyther beleue his truthe God will at the least way say they heare vs the sooner for the saintes sake Then loueth he the saintes better then Christ and his own truth Heareth he vs for the saintes sake so heareth he vs not for his mercye For merites and mercye can not stand together Finally if thou put any trust in thine owne deedes or in the deedes of any other man of any saint then minishest thou the truth mercy and goodnes of God For if God looke vnto thy workes or vnto the workes of any other man or goodnes of the saint then doth he not all thinges of pure mercy and of his goodnesse and for the truthes sake which he hath sworne in Christ Now sayth Paule Tit. 3. Not of the righteous deedes which we did but of his mercy saued he vs. Our blinde disputers will say If our good deedes iustify vs not if God looke not on our good deedes neither regard them nor loue vs the better for them what need we to do good dedes I aunswer God looketh on our good deedes and loueth them yet loueth vs not for their sakes God loueth vs first in Christ of his goodnes and mercy and poureth his spirit into vs and geueth vs power to do good dedes And because he loueth vs he loueth our good deedes yea because he loueth vs he forgeueth vs our euill dedes which we do of frailtie and not of purpose or for the nonce Our good dedes do but testifie onely that we are iustifyed and beloued For except we were beloued and had Gods spirite we could neyther do nor yet consent vnto any good deed Antichrist turneth the rootes of the trees vpwarde He maketh the goodnes of God the braunches and our goodnes the rootes We must be first good after Antichristes doctrine and moue God and compell him to be good againe for our goodnesses sake so must Gods goodnesse spring out of our goodnes Nay verely Gods goodnesse is the root of al goodnes and our goodnes if we haue any springeth out of his goodnes Prayer OF Prayer and good deedes and of the order of loue or charitie I haue aboundantly written in my booke of the iustifying of fayth Neuer the later that thou maist see what the prayers and good workes of our monkes and friers and of other ghostly people are worth I will speake a woord or two and make an end Paule sayth Gal. 3. All ye are the sonnes of God through fayth in Iesu Christ for all ye that are baptized haue put Christ on you that is ye are become Christ himself There is no Iew sayth he neither Greeke neither bond nor free neither man nor woman but ye are all one thing in Christ Iesu In Christ there is neither french nor english but the frenchman is the englishmans owne selfe and the english the frenchmans owne self In Christ there is neither father nor sonne neyther maister nor seruaunt neyther husband nor wife neither king nor subiect but the father is the sonnes selfe and the sonne the fathers owne selfe and the king is the subiects owne self and the subiect is the kinges own self and so fourth I am thou â—hy selfe and thou art I my selfe and can be no nearer of kyn We are all the sonnes of God all Christes seruauntes bought with hys bloud and euery man to other Christ his owne selfe And Col. 3 Ye haue put on the new man which is tenned in the knowledge of God after the image of him that made him that is to say Christ where is sayth he neyther Greke nor Iew circumcision nor vncircumcision barbarous or Scithian bond or free but Christ is all in all thinges I loue thée not now because thou art my father and hast done so much for me or my mother and hast borne me and geuen me sucke of thy brestes for so do Iewes and saracens but because of the greate loue that Christ hath shewed me I serue thee not because thou art my maister or my king for hope of rewarde or feare of payne but for the loue of Christ for the children of fayth are vnder no law as thou seest in the Epistles to the Romanes to the Galathians in the first to Timothe but are free The spirit of Christ hath writteÌ„ the liuely law of loue in their hartes whiche driueth theÌ„ to worke of theyr owne
the commyng of the truth of Gods word as the night vanisheth away at the presence of day The childrē of Israell slew not those gyauntes but the power of God Gods truth promises as thou mayst see in Deut. So it is not we that shal destroy those gyauntes as thou mayst see by Paule ij Thess ij speakyng of our Ham Antichrist Whom the Lord shall destroy saith he with the spirite of his mouth that is by the wordes of truth and by the brightnes of his comming that is by the preachyng of his Gospell ANd as I haue sayd of allegories euen so it is of worldly similitudes which we make either whē we preach either when we expound the Scripture The similitudes proue nothyng but are made to expresse more playnly that which is contayned in the Scripture and to lead thee into the spirituall vnderstanding of the text As the similitude of Matrimony is taken to expresse the Mariage that is betwene Christ and our soules and what excedyng mercy we haue there wherof all the Scriptures make mention And the similitude of the members how euery one of them careth for other is taken to make thee feele what it is to loue thy neighbour as thy selfe That preacher therfore that bringeth a naked similitude to proue that which is contayned in no text of Scripture nor foloweth of a text count a deceauer a leader out of the way and a false Prophet and beware of his Philosophie and persuasions of mās wisedome as Paul i. Corinth ij sayth my wordes and my preachyng were not with entysing wordes persuasions of mans wisedome but in showyng of the spirit and power that is he preached not dreames confirming them with similitudes but Gods word confirmyng it with miracles and with working of the spirite the which made them feele euery thing in their hartes That your fayth sayth he should not stand in the wisedome of man but in the power of God For the reasons and similitudes of mans wisedome make no fayth but waueryng vncertaine opiniōs onely one draweth me this way with his argumēt another that way of what principle thou prouest blacke an other proueth white and so am I euer vncertaine as if thou tell me of a thyng done in a farre land and an other tell me the contrarie I wote not what to beleue But fayth is wrought by the power of God that is when Gods word is preached the spirite entereth thyne hart and maketh thy soule feele it and maketh thee so sure of it that neither aduersitie nor persecution nor death neither hell nor the powers of hell neither yet all the paynes of hell could ones preuayle agaynst thee or moue thee frō the sure rocke of Gods word that thou shouldest not beleue that which God hath sworne And Peter ij Pet. i. sayth we folowed not deceauable fables when we opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lord Iesus Christ but with our eyes we saw his maiestie And agayne we haue sayth he a more sure word of prophesie wherunto if ye take hede as vnto a light shynyng in a darke place ye do well The word of prophesie was the old Testamēt which beareth record vnto Christ in euery place without which recorde the Apostles made neither similitudes nor argumēts of worldly witte Hereof seest thou that all the allegories similitudes persuasions argumentes which they bryng without Scripture to proue praying to Saintes Purgatory care confession and that God will heare thy prayer more in one place thē in another and that it is more meritorious to eate fish then flesh and that to disguise thy selfe put on this or that maner cote is more acceptable then to go as God hath made thee and that widowhode is better then matrimony and virginitie then widowhode and to proue the Assumption of our Lady and that she was borne without originall sinne yea with a kisse say some are but false doctrine Take an example how they proue that widowhode and virginitie excede matrimony they bryng this worldly similitude He that taketh most payne for a man deserueth most and to him a man is most bound so likewise must it be with God and so forth now the widow and virgine take more payne in resisting their lustes then the maryed wife therfore is their state holier First I say that in their owne sophistry a similitude is the worst and feblest argument that can be and proueth lest and soonest deceaueth Though that one sonne doe more seruice for hys father then an other yet is the father free and may with right reward thē all a like For though I had a thousand brethren and did more thē they all yet do I not my dutie The fathers and mothers also care most for the lest and weakest and them that can doe lest ye for the worst care they most and would spend not their goodes onely but also their bloud to bryng them to the right way And euen so is it of the kyngdome of Christ as thou mayst well see in the similitude of the riotous sonne Luke xv Moreouer Paul sayth i. Cor. vij It is better to marie then to burne For the person that burneth can not quietly serue God in as much as hys mynde is drawē away the thoughts of his hart occupyed with wonderfull and monstrous imaginations He can neither see nor heare nor read but that his wittes are rapt and he cleane from him selfe And agayne sayth he Circumcision is nothyng vncircumcision is nothyng but the kepyng of the cōmaundementes is all together Looke wherein thou canst best kepe the commaundemētes thether get thy selfe and therin abyde whether thou be widow wife or mayde and then hast thou all with God If we haue infirmities that draw vs from the lawes of God let vs cure them with the remedyes that God hath made If thou burne mary For God hath promised thee no chastitie as long as thou mayst vse the remedy that hee hath ordeyned no more then hee hath promised to slake thine honger without meate Now to aske of God more then he hath promised commeth of a false faith and is playne Idolatry and to desire a miracle where there is naturall remedy is temptyng of God And of payne takyng this wise vnderstand He that taketh payne to kepe the commaundementes of God is sure therby that he loueth God and that hee hath Gods spirite in hym And the more paine a man taketh I meane paciently and without grudgyng the more he loueth God and the perfecter hee is nearer vnto that health which y ◠soules of all Christen mē long for the more purged from the infirmitie and sinne that remaineth in the flesh but to loke for any other reward or promotion in heauen or in the life to come then that which God hath promised for Christes sake and which Christ hath deserued for vs with his payne takyng is abhominable in the sight of
fathers fathers of theÌ„ that are past And as we feele our fathers so dyd they that are past feele their fathers neither were there in the world any other fathers then such as we both see and feele this many hundred yeares as their Decrees beare recorde and the stories and Chronicles well testifie If Gods word appeared any where they agreed all agaynst it When they had brought that a sleepe then stroue they one with an other about their owne traditions and one Pope condemned an others Decrees and were sometyme ij yea thre Popes at once And one Bishop went to law with an other and one cursed an other for their owne fantasies such things as they had falsly gotteÌ„ And the greatest Samts are they that most defeÌ„ded the liberties of the church as they call it which they falsly gote with blynding kings neither had the world any rest this many hundred yeares for reformyng of Friers and Monkes and ceasyng of schismes that were among our Clergy And as for the holy Doctours as Augustine Hierome Cyprian Chrisostomus and Bede will they not heare If they wrote any thyng negligently as they were men that drawe they cleane contrary to their meanyng and therof triumphe they Those Doctours knew of none authoritie that one Byshop should haue aboue another neither thought or once dreamed that euer any such should be or of any such whisperyng or of Pardons or scouryng of Purgatory as they haue fayned And when they cry miracles miracles remember that God hath made an euerlasting Testament with vs in Christes bloud against which we may receaue no miracles no neither y â— preachyng of Paule him selfe if he came agayn by his own teaching to the Galathians neither yet the preachyng of the aungels of heauen Wherefore either they are no miracles but they haue fayned theÌ„ as is the miracle that S. Peter halowed Westminster or els if there be miracles that confirme doctrine contrary to Gods word theÌ„ are they done of the deuill as the mayd of Ipswich of Kent to proue vs whether we will cleane last to Gods word and to deceaue them that haue no loue to the truth of Gods word nor lust to walke in his lawes And for as much as they to deceaue with all arme them selues against theÌ„ with argumentes and periÌ„nasions of fleshly wisedome with worldly similitudes with shadowes with false Allegories with false expositions of the Scripture contrary vnto the liuyng practising of Christ and the Apostles with lyes and false miracles with false names domne ceremonies with disguising of hypocrisie with the authorities of the fathers and last of all with the violence of the temporall sworde therfore do thou contrariwise arme thy selfe to defende thee with all as Paule teacheth in the last chapter to y â— Ephesians Gyrde on thee the sworde of the spirite which is Gods word and take to thee the shilde of fayth which is not to beleue a â—ate of Robynhode or Gestus Romanorum or of the Chronicles but to beleue Gods woorde that â—asteth euer And when the Pope with his falshead chalengeth temporall authoritie aboue King and Emperour set before thee y â— xxv chapter of S. Math. Where Christ commanudeth Peter to put vp his sword And set before thee Paul ij Cor. x. Where he sayth the weapons of of our warre are not carnall thynges but myghty in God to bryng all vnderstandyng in captiuitie vnder the obedience of Christ that is the weapoÌ„s are Gods word and doctrine and not swordes of yron and stele set before thee the doctrine of Christ and of hys Apostles and their practise And when the Pope chalengeth anthoritie ouer his fellow Byshops and ouer all the congregation of Christ by successioÌ„ of Peter set before thee y â— first of the Actes where Peter for all hys authoritie put no man in the rowme of Iudas but all the Apostles chose two indifferently and cast lottes desiring God to temper them that the lot might fall on y e most ablest And Actes viij the Apostles sent Peter and in the xi call him to rekening and to geue accomptes of that he hath done And when the Popes law coÌ„maundeth saying though that the Pope liue neuer so wickedly and draw with hym through his euill ensample innumerable thousaÌ„des vnto hell yet see that no man presume to rebuke him for he is head ouer all and no man ouer him set before thee Gallates ij Where Paule rebuketh Peter openly And see how both to the CorinthiaÌ„s and also to the Galathians he will haue no superiour but Gods word hee that could teach better by Gods worde And because when he rehearsed his preachyng and hys doynges vnto the hygh Apostles they could improue nothyng therfore will he be equall with the best And when the Friers say they do more theÌ„ their dutie wheÌ„ they preach and more theÌ„ they are bound to to say our seruice are we bouÌ„d say they and that is our dutie to preach is more then we are bound to Set thou before thee how that Christes bloud shedyng hath bounde vs to loue one an other withall our might and to do the vttermost of our power one to an other And Paul sayth i. Cor. ix Wo be vnto me if I preach not yea wo is vnto him y â— hath wherewith to helpe his neighbour and to make him better and do it not If they thinke it more then their dutie to preache Christ vnto you then they thinke it more then their dutie to pray that ye should come to the knowledge of Christ And therefore it is no maruell though they take so great labour yea and so great wages also to kepe you still in darkenes And when they crye furiously hold the heretikes vnto the wall and if they will not reuoke burne them without any more a do reason not with theÌ„ it is an Article condeÌ„ned by the fathers Set thou before thee the saying of Peter i. Pet. iij. To all that aske you be ready to geue an aunswere of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes The fathers of the Iewes and the Bishops whiche had as great authoritie ouer them as ours haue ouer vs condemned Christ his doctrine If it be inough to say the fathers haue condeÌ„ned it theÌ„ are y â— Iewes to beholdeÌ„ excused yea they are yet in the right way and we in the false But if the Iewes be bound to loke in the Scripture and to see whether their fathers haue done right or wrong then are we likewise bound to looke in the Scripture whether our fathers haue done right or wrong and ought to beleue nothyng without a reason of the Scripture and authoritie of Gods word And of this maner defend thy selfe agaynst all maner wickednes of our spirites armed alway with Gods woorde with a strong and a stedfast fayth thereunto Without Gods word do nothing And to his word adde nothyng neither pull any
profession of the fayth in Christes bloud and of the loue to the law and longyng for the lyfe to come be called all these thynges were malyce and froward vnderstandyng away because that where one of them is there be all three and where all are not there is none of them And because that the one is knowen by the other is impossible to know any of them truly and not be deceaued but in respect and comparison of the other For if thou wilt be sure that thy faith be perfect then examine thy selfe whether thou loue the law And in lyke maner if thou wilt knowe whether thou loue the lawe aright then examine thy selfe whether thou beleue in Christ onely for the remission of sinne and obtayning the promises made in the Scripture And euen so compare thy hope of the lyfe to come vnto fayth and loue and to hatyng the sinne of this lyfe whiche hate the loue to the law engendereth in thee And if they accompanie not one another all thre together then be sure that all is but hypocrisie If you say seyng fayth loue and hope be three vertues inseperable Ergo fayth onely iustifieth not I answere though they be inseperable yet they haue seperable and sundry offices as it is aboue sayd of the lawe fayth Fayth onely which is a sure â—nd an vndoubted trust in Christ and in the father thorow hym certifieth the conscience that the sinne is forgeuen and the dampnation and impossibilitie of the lawe taken away as it is aboue rehearsed in the conditions of the couenaunt And wyth such perswasions mollesieth the hart and maketh her loue God agayne and his lawe And as oft as we sinne faith onely kepeth that we forsake not our profession and that loue vtterly quench not and hope fayle and onely maketh the peace agayne For a true beleuer trusteth in Christ onely and not in his owne workes or ought els for the remission of sinne And the office of loue is to powre out agayne the same goodnes that she hath receaued of God vppon her neighbour and to be to hym as she feleth Christ to her selfe The office of loue onely is to haue compassion and to beare with her neighbour the burthen of his infirmities And as it is writteÌ„ 1. Pet. 4. Operit multitudinem peccatorum couereth the multitude of sinnes That is to say considereth the infirmities and enterpreteth all to the best and taketh for no sinne at all a thousand thinges of which the least were inough if a man loued not to go to law for to trouble vnquiet an whole towne and sometyme an whole realme or two And the office of hope is to comfort in aduersitie and make patient that we faint not and fall downe vnder the crosse or cast it oâ—… our backes And thus ye see that these three inseperable in this life haue yet seperable and sundry offices and effectes as heate drith beyng inseperable in the fyer haue yet their seperable operations For the drith onely expelleth the moystnes of all that is consumed by fyer and heat onely destroyeth the coldenes For drith and colde may stand together and so may heate and moystnes It is not all one to say the dryth onely and the dryth that is alone nor all one to say fayth onely and fayth that is alone Go to then and desire God to print this profession in thyne hart and to encrease it dayly more and more that thou mayst be full shapeÌ„ like vnto the image of Christ in knowledge and loue and meeke thy selfe creepe lowe by the grounde and cleaue fast to the rocke of this profession and tye to thy shippe this anker of fayth in Christes bloud wyth the gable of loue to cast it out against all tâ—…pests and so set vp thy sayle and get thee to the mayne sea of Gods worde And reade here the wordes of Christ with this exposition folowing and thou shalt see the lawe fayth and workes restored eche to his right vse and true meaning And therto the cleare difference betwene the spirituall regiment the temporall and shalt haue an entraunce and opeÌ„ way into the rest of all the scripture Wherein and in all other thinges the spirite of veritie guide thee and thyne vnderstandyng Amen ¶ The fift Chapter of Mathew WHen he saw the people he went vp into a mouÌ„taine and sat him downe and his Disciples came to hym and he opened his mouth and taught them saying Blessed be the poore in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen CHrist here in his first Sermon begynneth to restore the law of the ten commanndements vnto her right vnderstandyng agaynst the Scribes and Phariseis which were hipocrites false Prophetes and false preachers had corrupt the scripture with the leauen of their gloses And it is not without a great mysterie that Christ beginneth his preachyng at pouertie in spirite which is neither beggerie nor agaynst the possessing of richesse But a vertue coÌ„trarie to the vice of couetousnesse the inordinate desire and loue of richesse and puttyng trust in richesse Riches is the gift of God geuen maÌ„ to mayntaine y â— degrees of this world and therefore not euill yea and some must be poore and some rich if we shal haue an order in this world And God our father deuideth richesse and pouertie among his childreÌ„ accordyng to his godly pleasure and wisedome And as richesse doth not exclude the from the blessing so doth not pouertie certifie thee But to put thy trust in the liuyng god maketh y â— heyre therof For if thou trust in the liuing God TheÌ„ if thou be poore thou couetest not to be rich for thou art certified y â— thy father shall minister vnto thee fode raymeÌ„t and be thy defeÌ„der if thou haue riches thou knowest that they be but vanitie and that as thou broughtest them not into the world so shalt thou not carie them out and that as they be thyne to day so may they be an other mans to morow and that the fauour of God onely both gaue and also kepeth thee them and not thy wisedome or power and that they neither ought els caÌ„ helpe at nede saue the good will of thy heauenly father onely Happy and blessed then are the poore in spirite that is to say the rich that haue not their confidence nor consolation in the vanitie of their richesse and the poore that desire not inordinatly to be riche but haue their trust in the liuyng God for fode and raymeÌ„t and for all that partayneth either to the body or the soule for theirs is the kyngdome of heauen And contrarywise vnhappy accursed and that with the first depest of all curses are the rich in spirite that is to say the couetous that beyng riche trust in their richesse or beyng poore long for the consolation of richesse and comfort not their soules with the promises
of their heauenly father confirmed with y ◠bloud of their Lord Christ For vnto them it is harder to enter into y ◠kingdome of heauen then for a camel to enter through y ◠eye of an nedle Mar. 10. No they haue no part in the kyngdome of Christ God Ephe. v. Therefore is it euident why Christ so diligētly warneth all his to beware of couetousnesse and why hee admitteth none to be his Disciples except he first forsake all together For there was neuer couetouse person true yet either to God or man If a couetous mā be chosē to preach Gods word he is a false Prophet immediatly If he be of the lay sorte so ioyneth he him self vnto the false Prophetes to persecute the truth Couetousnesse is not onely aboue all other lustes those thornes that choke y t word of God in them that possesse it But it is also a deadly enemy to all that interprete Gods word truly All other vices though they laugh thē to scorne that talke godly yet they can suffer thē to lyue and to dwell in the countrey But couetousnes cannot rest as long as there is one that cleaueth to Gods word in all the land Take hede to thy preacher therfore and be sure if he be couetous and gape for promotion that he is a false Prophet leaueneth the Scripture for all his crying fathers fathers holy Church and fiften hūdred yeares and for all his other holy pretenses Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted This mournyng is also in the spirite and no kinne to the sowre lokyng of hipocrites nor to the impaciēt weywardnesse of those fleshely which euer whyne and complayne that the world is naught because they cānot obtayne and enioy their lustes therin Neither forbiddeth it alwayes to be mery and and to laugh make good chere now and then to forget sorrow that ouermuch heauynesse swalow not a man cleane vp For the wise man sayth sorow hath cost many their lyues And Prouer. xvij an heauy spirite drieth vp the bones And Paule commaundeth Philip. iiij to reioyse euer And Roma xij he sayth reioyse with them that reioyse and sorow with thē that sorow and wepe with them that wepe which seme two contraries This mourning is that crosse without which was neuer any Disciple of Christ or euer shal be For of what soeuer state or degree thou be in this world if thou professe y ◠Gospell there foloweth the a crosse as warmenesse accompanieth the sonne shynyng vnder which thy spirite shall grone and mourne secretly not onely because the world and thyne owne flesh carie thee away cleane cōtrary to the purpose of thyne hart But also to see and behold the wretchednesse misfortunes of thy brethrē for which because thou louest them as well as thy selfe thou shalt mourne and sorow no lesse thē for thy selfe Though thou be King or Emperour yet if thou knowest Christ and God through Christ and entendest to walke in the fight of God and to minister thyne office truly thou shalt to kepe iustice with all be compelled to do dayly that which thou art no lesse loth to do then if thou shouldest cut of arme hand or any other member of thyne owne body yea and if thou wilt folow the right way and neither turne on the right hand nor on the left thou shalt haue immediatly thine own subiectes thyne owne seruauntes thyne owne Lordes thyne own coūsellours and thyne owne Prophetes thereto agaynst thee Vnto whose froward malice and stubburnesse thou shalt be cōpelled to permitte a thousand thynges agaynst thy conscience not able to resiste them at whiche thyne hart shall blede inwardly and shalt sawse thy swete soppes which the world weneth thou hast with sorowes mough and still mournyng studyeng either alone or els with a few frēdes secretly night and day and sighing to God for helpe to mitigate the furious frowardnesse of them whō thou art not able to with stand that all go not after the will of the vngodly What was Dauid cōpelled to suffer all the dayes of his lyfe of his own seruauntes the sonnes of Seruia Beside the mischaūces of his own children And how was our king Iohn forsaken of his owne Lordes when he would haue put a good and godly reformatiō in his owne land How was Henry the secōd compassed in lyke maner of his own Prelates whom he had promoted of nought with the secrete conspiracie of some of his own temporal Lordes with thē I spare to speake of y e mournyng of the true preachers the poore cōmon people which haue none other helpe but the secret hand of God and the word of his promise But they shal be cōforted of all their tribulatiō and their sorrow shal be turned into ioye and that infinite euerlastyng in the lyfe to come Neither are they without comfort here in this world for Christ hath promised to sēd them a comfortour to be with them for euer the spirite of trouth whiche the world knoweth not Iohn xiiij And they reioyse in hope of the comfort to come Rom. xij And they ouercome through fayth as it is written Hebr. xj the Saintes through fayth ouercame kyngdomes obtained the promises And. i. Iohn v. this is the victorie that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith But the blind world neither seeth our comfort nor our trust in God nor how God thorough faith in his word helpeth vs maketh vs ouercome How ouercome they wilt thou say that be alwayes persecuted and euer slayne verely in euery battaile some of them that wynne the field be slayne yet they leaue the victorie vnto their deare frēdes for whose sakes they toke the fight vppon them and therfore are conquerours seyng they obtayne their purpose maynteine that they fought for The cursed riche of this worlde whiche haue their ioye and comfort in their riches haue sence the begynnyng fought agaynst them to wede thē out of the worlde But yet in vayne For though they haue alwayes slayne som yet those that were slayne wanne the victory for their brethren with death euer increased the nūber of them And though they semed to dye in the sight of the foolish yet they are in peace and haue obtayned that euerlastyng kyngdome for which they fought And beside all this when God plagueth the world for their sinne these y ◠mourne and sorrow are marked with the signe of Thau in their foreheades and saued from the plague that they perish not with the wicked as thou seest Ezech. ix as Lot was deliuered frō among the Sodomites And contrariwise cursed are they that laugh now ▪ that is to say which haue their ioy solace and comfort in their riches for they shall sorrow and weepe Luke vj. And as it was answered the rich man Luke xvj sonne remember how that thou receauedst thy good dayes in thy life tyme and Lazarus likewise euill
sought helpe either for theÌ„selues or for their neighboures and trusted in the promyse of God would so comfort the soule and courage y â— hart that the body though it were halfe dead and more woulde reuiue and be lusty agayne and the labour woulde be short and easy as for an ensample if thou weâ—e so oppresied that thou were weaâ—y of thy life and weÌ„ttest to the kyng for helpe and haddest sped thy spirits would so reioyce that thy bodye woulde receaue her strength agayne and be as lusty as euer it was eueÌ„ so the promises of God worke ioy aboue all measure where they beleued in the hart But our hierlinges haue no Gods woorde but trust in the multitude of wordes length of bablyng and payne of body as bond seruauntes Neither know they any other vertue to be in prayer as ye may see by the ordinaunces of all foundations King Henry the fift built Syon and the Charterhouse of Shene on the other side of the water of such a manner that lippe labour may neuer cease For when the Fryers of Sion ryng out the NuÌ„nes beginne And when the Nunnes ring out of seruice the Monkes on the other side beginne And wheÌ„ they ring out the Fryers beginne agayne and vexe themselues night and day take payne for Gods sake for which God must geue them heauen Yea I haue knowen of some yer this that for very payne and tediousnes haue bidden the Deuill take their founders They call Lent the holyest tyme of the yeare but wherin is that holines verely in multitude of wordes and tedious leÌ„gth of the seruice For let theÌ„ beginne at sixe and it will be twelue or they can ende In which time they be so wearied that by the tyme they haue dined they haue lust to nothing saue to sleepe And in the ende of all they thinke no farther then that God must rewarde their payne And if y u aske how they know it They will aunswere he must reward it or be vnrighteous Now god looketh not on the paine of the prayer but on thy faith in his promise goodnes neither yet on the multitude of thy wordes or long habling For he knoweth thy matter better then thou thy selfe And though the Iewes and the heathen were so foolishe thorough their vnbeliefe to bable many words yet were they neuer so madde as to mâ—mble and buze out woordes that they vnderstoode not Thou wilt say what matter maketh it if I speake wordes which I vnderstand not or if I pray not at all seing God knoweth my matter all ready I aunswere he will haue thee to open thine hart to him to enforme and edifie thine owne selfe That thou mightest know how all goodnes is of him to put thy trust and confidence in hym and to flie to him in time of neede and to be thankfull and to loue him and obey his coÌ„maundementes and turne and be coÌ„uerted vnto thy Lord God and not to runne wilde as the vngodly do which know not the benefites of God and therefore be vnthankfull to obey hys commaundementes And that thou mayst know how what to pray he geueth thee a short instruction and ensample saying after this maner pray O our father which art in heaueÌ„ First thou must goe to him as a mercifull father which of his owne goodnes and fatherly loue that he beareth to thee is ready to do more for thee then thou caÌ„st desire though thou haue no merites But because he is thy father onely if thou wilt turne henceforth submitte thy selfe to learne to do hys wyll Honoured be thy name Honoured and praysed be thy name or honoured and praysed be thou for to honour God and to honour y t name of God is all one And to honour the name of God is to dread him to loue hym and to keepe hys commaundementes For wheÌ„ a childe obeyeth his father he honoureth and prayseth hys father and when he is rebellions and disobedient he dishonoureth hys father This is then the vnderstandyng meaning of it O father seing thou art father ouer all powre out thy spirite vppon all flesh and make all men to feare and dread loue thee as their father in keeping thy commaundementes to honour thee and thy holy name Thy kingdome come That is seyng thou art kyng ouer all make all to know thee make the kynges and rulers which are but thy substitutes to commaunde nothyng but according to thy worde and to them make all subiectes obey Thy will be fulfilled in earth as it is in heauen This is all one with that goeth before For as much then as thou art father and kyng ouer all and all we thy children brethren among our selues make vs all as obedient to seeke and to do thy will as the Aungelles do in heauen Make that no man seeke hys owne will but all thine But if thou withdraw thyne haÌ„d to tempt thy children that the rulers coÌ„maunde ought contrary to thy will then make the subiectes to stand fast by thy worde to offer themselues to suffer all extremitie rather then to obey Finally when we pray to thee in our temptations and aduersities desiring thee of whatsoeuer thyng it be and meane truely yet if thou which knowest all seest a better way to thy glory and our profite then thy will be and not ours As thy sonne Iesus gaue vs an ensample when he desired if it had bene possible that that cuppe of bitter death might haue departed froÌ„ hym saying yet not as I will but as thou wilt Geue vs our dayly bread By bread is vnderstoode all maner of sustinaunce in the Ebrue speach yea and here is vnderstand therby all that pertayneth vnto the necessitie of thys life If we haue bread there is dearth of nothing y t can pinch namely in that land Geue vs our dayly bread Geue vs all that the necessitie of this life dayly requireth Geue it vs day by day as we nede it We desire not to haue store for many yeares to exclude all necessitie of praying to thee and to be as it were out of thy daunger and to forget thee But minister it day by day that we may dayly feele thy benefites and neuer forget thee Or if thou geue vs aboundaunce aboue that we desire then geue vs an hart to vse it and to bestow it for that purpose thou gauest it and to deale with our neighbours and not to loue it inordinatly But to thinke that it is thyne and that thou mayst take it away euery houre and that we be content that thou so do ac thy pleasure and so euer to haue it but for dayly bread Forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue our trespassers Because he knoweth that our nature is so weake that we cannot but sinne dayly therefore he teacheth vs dayly to repeÌ„t and to reconcile our selues together and dayly to aske God forgeuenesse Seing he coÌ„maundeth vs to aske we
may behold so to do and to beleue that he will forgeue vs. No maÌ„ therfore nedeth to dispayre that can repent and aske forgeuenesse how euer so deepe he hath sinned And me thinketh if we looked somewhat nerer to this text we neded not to make the Pope so great a God for his pardons For Christ which is a man to be beleued sheweth vs here a more sure way yea and that a sensible way by which we may feele that we be pardoned and our sinnes forgeuen We can haue no experieÌ„ce of the popes thyngs whether they be so or no. He can with all his pardons deliuer no man of any Purgatorie that God putteth vs vnto in this world He caÌ„ not blesse or heale any man so much as of a poore agew or totheach which diseases yet by hys owne confession God putteth on vs to purge vs from sinne But where we cannot see feele or haue any experience at all that it so is there is hee mightie If I were come whom out of a land where neuer maÌ„ was before and were sure neuer maÌ„ should come I might tel as many wonders as Master More doth of Vtopia and no man could rebuke me But here Christ maketh thee sure of pardon for if thou canst forgeue thy brother God hath bound him selfe to forgeue thee What if no man haue sinned agaynst me That were hard in this lyfe neuerthelesse yet if that profession be in thyne hart that y u knowest that it is thy dutie to forgeue thy brother for thy fathers sake and art obedient to thy fathers ordinaunce and wouldest forgeue if any of thy brethreÌ„ had offended thee and did aske thee forgeuenesse Then hast thou that same spirit which God desireth to be in the. Marke what Christ sayth aboue in the begynnyng of the fift chap. Blessed be the mercyfull for they shall haue mercy Doest thou pitie thy brethen that sinne and doest thy best to amend theÌ„ that thy fathers name may be honoured TheÌ„ hast thou that whereby thou art sure of mercy as soone as thou desirest it And agayne Blessed be the peace makers for they shall be Gods children Lo if there be any variaunce among thy brethren that one haue offended the other do thy best to set theÌ„ at one and thou hast the same thing that God desireth of thee and for which he hathe bound himselfe forgeue thee Leade vs not into temptation That is let vs not slippe out of thy lease but hold vs fast geue vs not vp nor cease to gouerne vs nor take thy spirite from vs. For as an hounde can not but folow his game when he seeth it before him if he be lowse so can we not but fall into sinne when occasioÌ„ is geuen vs if thou withdraw thine hand from vs. Lead vs not into temptatioÌ„ Let no temptation fall vpon vs greater then thine helpe in vs But be thou stroÌ„ger in vs then the temptation thou sendest or lettest come vppon vs. Lead vs not into teÌ„ptations Father though we be negligent yea and vnthankfull and disobedieÌ„t to thy true Prophetes yet let not the deuill lowse vpon vs to deceaue vs with his false Prophetes and to harden vs in the way in which we gladly walke as thou diddest Pharao with the false miracles of his sorcerers as thine Apostle Paule threateneth vs. ij Thes ij A litle threde holdeth a strong man where he gladly is A litle pullyng draweth a maÌ„ whether he gladly goeth A litle wynde dryneth a great shyp with the streame A light persuasion is inough to make a lecherous maÌ„ beleue that fornication is no sinne And an angry maÌ„ that it is lawfull to adueÌ„ge him selfe and so forth by all the corrupt nature of man A litle miracle is able to consirme and harden a man in that opinion and saith which his blind reason beleueth all ready A few false miracles were sufficiâ—t to persuade the couetousnesse of Pharao and his gredynesse to hold the children of Israell in boÌ„dage for their seruice that thy true miracles shewed by Moyses for their deliuerauÌ„ce were not of thee But of the same kynd and done by the same craft as were the miracles of his sorcerers and so to harden his hart Euen so father if thou geue vs ouer for our vnkyndnesse seyng the blynd nature of man deliteth in euill and is ready to beleue lyes a litle thyng is inough to make them that loue thee all ready not to walke in thy truth and therfore neuer able to vnderstand thy sonnes doctrine Iohn vij But for to beleue y t fayninges of our most holy father all is superstitions Poperie and inuisible blessinges and to hardeÌ„ them there in As a stone cast vp into y â— ayre can neither go any higher neither yee there abyde wheÌ„ the power of the hurler ceaseth to driue it Euen so father seyng our corrupt nature can but go downeward onely and the deuill and the world driueth therto y â— same waye how can we procede further in vertue or stand there in if thy power cease in vs. Leade vs not therfore O mercyful father into temptation nor cease at any tyme to gouerne vs. Now seyng the God of al mercy which knoweth thine infirmitie commaundeth thee to pray in all temptation and aduersitie and hath promised to helpe if thou trust in him what excuse is it to say wheÌ„ thou hast sinned I could not stand of my selfe when his power was ready to helpe thee if thou haddest asked But deliuer vs from euill First as aboue let vs not fall into temptation Secondarely if we be fallen as who liueth and falleth neuer for neuer to fall were inough to make a maÌ„ as euill as Lucifer and to beleue that he stode by his owne power If therfore we be fallen euen to the bottome how so euer deepe it be put in thine arme after for it is long strong inough and plucke vs out agayne Thirdly deliuer vs froÌ„ euill plucke vs out of the flesh and the world and the power of the deuill and place vs in thy kyngdome where we be past all ieopardy and where we can not sinne any more For the kingdome and the power and the glorie is thyne for euer Amen Because that thou onely art y â— king and all other but substitutes And because all power is thyne and all other mens power but borowed of thee therfore ought all honour and obedience to be thyne of right as chief Lord and none to be geuen other men but onely for the office they hold of thee Neither ought any creature to seeke any more in this world then to be a brother till thou haue put him in office theÌ„ if brotherlynesse will not helpe whiche he ought first to proue let hym execute thy power Neither may any maÌ„ take authoritie of him selfe till God haue choseÌ„ him that is to were til he be chosen by the ordinauÌ„ce that God hath set in y â— world to rule it Finally
coÌ„sent of many As if one tolde me that the turke had wonne a citie and I beleued it moued with the honestie of the man Now if there come an other that seemeth more honest or that hath better perswasions that it is not so I thinke immediatly that he lyed and lose my fayth agayne And a feeling fayth is as if a man were there present when it was wonne and there were wounded and had there lost all that he had and were taken prisoner there also That man should so beleue that all y e worlde could not turne him from hys fayth Euen likewise if my mother had blowen on her finger and tolde me that the fire woulde burne me I shoulde haue beleued her with an historicall fayth as we beleue the stories of the world because I thought she woulde not haue mocked me And so I should haue done if she had tolde me that the fire had bene cold and would not haue burned but assoone as I had put my finger in the fire I should haue beleued not by reason of her but wyth a feeling faith so that she could not haue perswaded me afterward the contrary So now with an historicall fayth I may beleue that y â— scripture is gods by the teaching of them so I should haue done though they had tolde me that Roben Hode had bene the scripture of God Which fayth is but an opinion and therfore abideth euer frutlesse and falleth away if a more glorious reason be made vnto me or if the preacher liue contrary But of a feeling fayth it is written Iohn vi They shall be all taught of God That is God shall write it in their harts with his holy spirite And Paule also testifieth Rom. 8. the spirite beareth record vnto our spirit that we be the sonnes of God And thys fayth is none opinion but a sure feling and therefore euer fruitfull Neyther hangeth it of the honesty of the preacher but of the power of God and of the spirite and therefore if all the preachers of the world would goe about to perswade the contrary it would not preuayle no more theÌ„ though they would make me beleue the tire were colde after that I had put my finger therein Of this ye haue an ensample Ioh. 4. of the Samaritanish wife which left her pitcher and went into the citie and sayd come see a man that hath tolde me al that euer I did is not he Christ And many of the Samaritanes beleued because of the saying of the womaÌ„ how that he had tolde her all that euer she did and went out vnto him desired him to come in which fayth was but an opinion and no fayth that could haue lasted or haue brought out fruit but when they had heard Christ the spirite wrought and made them feele Wherupon they came vnto the womaÌ„ and sayd we beleue not now because of thy saying but because we haue heard our selues and know that he is Christ the sauiour of the worlde For Christes preaching was with power and spirite that maketh a maÌ„ feele and know and worke to and not as the Scribes and Pharisies preached and as ours make a man ready to cast hys gorge to heare them raue and rage as mad men And therefore sayth y â— scripture cursed is he that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme that is to say hys strength And euen so cursed is he that hath none other beliefe but because men so say Cursed were he y â— had none other why to beleue theÌ„ that I so say And euen so cursed is he that beleueth only because y â— Pope so saith and so forth thoroughout all the men in the worlde ¶ The fayth that dependeth of an other mans mouth is weake IF I haue none other feeling in my fayth then because a man so sayth then is my fayth faithles and fruitles For if I haue none other seeling that lecherie is sinne then that the Pope so preacheth whom I see before my face set vp in Rome a stewes of xx or xxx thousand whores taking of euery pece tribute yearly and his Byshops with all other his disciples folowing the ensample mightely and the Pope therewith not content but to set vp thereto a stewes of young boyes agaynst nature the committers of which sinne be burnt at a stake among the Turkes as Moses also commaundeth in hys lawe And the Pope also to forbid all the spiritualtie a multitude of xl or l. huÌ„dred thousand to mary and to geue them licence to keepe euery man hys whore who so will If I say I haue none other feeling in my fayth that lechery is sinne theÌ„ this maÌ„s preaching I thinke my fayth should be to weake to beare much fruite How coulde I beleue a man that would say he loued me if all hys deedes were contrary I coulde not beleue God himselfe that he loued me if in all my tribulations I had of him none other comfort then those bare wordes And in like maner if I had none other feeling in my fayth that couetousnes were sinne then that the spiritualtie so sayth my fayth coulde be but weake and faintie when I see how y â— Pope with wiles hath thrust downe the Emperour and how the Byshops and Prelates be cropt vp an hye in all regions aboue their kynges and haue made them a seuerall kyngdome and haue gotten into their handes almost the one halfe of euery realme which they deuide among theÌ„selues geuyng no lay man any part with them heaping vp Byshopprike vpon Byshopprike promotion vpon promotion benefice vpon benefice with vnions and tot quottes robbing in euery parishe the soules of their â—oode and the poore of their due sustenaunce yea and some preaching that it were lesse sinne 〈◊〉 haue two wiues then two benifices but while they be yet young and hoâ—â— and therefore thinke couetousnes greater sinne theÌ„ lechery which same wheÌ„ they be waxed elder and their coÌ„plâ—â—tion somewhat altered thinke that couetousnes is as small a sinne as lechery and therfore take all that commeth And if any man cast their preachyng in their tethes they answere that they be better learned and haue seue further If I say I haue no other felyng that couetousnes is sinne then y e preaching of these holy fathers my fayth were built but vpoÌ„ a weake rocke or rather on the soft â—and And therfore our defenders do right well to some out their owne shame and to vtter the secrete thoughtes of their harâ—es For as they write so they beleue Other felyng of the lawes of God and fayth of Christ haue they none then that theyr God the Pope so sayth And therfore as the Pope preacheth wyth his moâ—th onely eueÌ„ so beleue they with their mouth onely whatsoeuer he preacheth without more a doe be it neuer so abhominable and in their hartes consent vnto all their fathers wickednes and folow
and to follow the ensample of the Saint is but an exhorting to serue Images and so are ye Image seruers that is Idolaters And finally the more deuotion men haue vnto such deedes the lesse they haue vnto Gods commaundement in so much that they which be most wont to offer to Images to shew them be so colde in offering to the poore that they wyll scarce geue them the scrappes which must els be geuen dogges or their olde shone if they may haue new bromes for them ¶ Pilgrimages TO speake of pilgrimages I say that a Christian man so that hee leaue nothyng vndone at home that he is bounde to do is free to go whether hee will onely after the doctrine of the Lord whose seruaunt he is and not his owne If he go and visite the poore the sicke and the prisoner it is wel done and a worke that God commaundeth If hee goe to this or that place to heare a Sermon or because hys mynde is not quyet at home or if because hys harte is to muche occupied on his worldly businesses by the reasons of occasions at home he get him into a more quiet and still place where hys minde is more abstract and pulled from worldly thoughtes it is well done And in all these places if whatsoeuer it be whether liuely preaching ceremony relique or Image stirre vp his hart to God and preach the worde of God and the ensample of our Sauiour Iesus more in one place then in an other that he thether go I am content And yet he bideth a Lord and the thinges serue hym and he not them Now whether his entēt be so or no his deedes will testifie as his vertuous gouerning of his house and louing demeanour towarde his neighbours yea and Gods worde wil be alway in his hart and in hys mouth he euery day perfecter thē other For there can nothing edifie mans soule saue that which preacheth hym Gods worde Onely the worde of god worketh the health of the soule And whatsomeuer preacheth hym that can not but make him perfecter But to beleue that God wyll be sought more in one place then in an other or that God will heare thee more in one place then in an other or more where the Image is then where it is not is a false faith and Idolatrie or Image seruice For first God dwelleth not in temples made with hands Act. xvij Item Steuen dyed for the contrary and proued it by the prophetes Act. vij And Salomon in the viij of the third of the kynges when he had built his temple testified the same and that he had not built it for god to dwel in yea and that God dwelleth not in the earth but that he should out of heauen heare the prayers of thē that prayed there And the Prophetes dyd often testifie vnto the people that had such a false fayth that God dwelt in the temple that he dwelt not there Moreouer God in his Testament byndeth hym selfe vnto no place nor yet the But speaketh generally concernyng where and when saying Psalme xlix in the day of the tribulation thou shalt call on me and I will deliuer thee thou shalt glorifie me He setteth neither place nor tyme. But wheresoeuer and when soeuer so that the prayer of Iob vppon the donghill was as good as Paules in the temple And when our Sauiour sayth Iohn xvj What soeuer ye aske my father in my name I will geue it you he sayth not in this or that place or this or that day but wheresoeuer and when soeuer as well in the fieldes as in the towne and on the Mōday as on the Sonday God is a spirit and wil be worshypped in the spirite Iohn iiij That is though he be presēt euery where yet he dwelleth liuely gloriously in y e myndes of aūgels onely hartes of men that loue his lawes and trust in his promises And wheresoeuer God findeth such an hart there he heareth the prayer in all places and tymes indifferently So that the outward place neither helpeth or hindreth except as I sayd that a mans mynde be more quiet and still from the rage of wordly businesses or that some thyng styre vp the word of God and example of our Sauiour more in one place then in an other ¶ Whence Idolatrie or image seruice spryngeth NOw that thou mayst see whence all this Idolatrie or image seruice is sprong marke a litle and then I will aunswere vnto the Arguments whiche these Image seruers make agaynst the open truth All the ceremonies ornamentes and sacrifices of the old Testament were Sacramentes That is to wete signes preaching vnto the people one thing or an other As circumcision preached vnto them that God had chosē them to be his people and that he would be their God defend them and encrease and multiplie them and keepe them in that land and blesse the fruites of the earth all their possessiōs And on the other side it preached how that they had promised God agayne to kepe his commaundemēts ceremonies and ordinaunces Now whē they saw their young children circumcised if they cōsented vnto the appointement made betwene God and them moued by the preachyng of that same then were they iustified therby Howbeit the dede in it selfe the cuttyng of of y t foreskyn of the manchilds priuey member iustified them not nor was a satisfactiō for the childes sinnes but the preachyng onely did iustifie thē that receaued the fayth therof For it was a badge geuē indifferently aswell vnto them that neuer cōsented in theyr hartes vnto Gods law as vnto the elect in whose hartes the law was written And that this was the meanyng of Circumcision may be proued many wayes But namely by Paul Rom. 2. where he sayth circumcision is much worth if thou keepe the lawe whose signe it was and els not And Rom. iij. where he sayth that God did iustifie the circumcised of faith whose signe it was on the other side and els not And the Paschall lambe was a memoriall of their deliueraunce out of Egipt onely and no satisfaction or offering for sinne And the offering of their first fruits preached how they had receaued all such fruites of the hand of God and that it was God that gaue them that land and that kept them in it and that did blesse make their fruites grow In token wherof as vnto a Lord roiall they brought him the first ripe frutes of their haruest Which remēbrance as long as it abode in their harces it moued thē to loue God againe their neighbour for hys sake as he so oft desired them And out of this ceremony was fette the blessing of our new ripe fruits for like purpose though we haue lost the signification And their other offerings as y t sacrices of Dones Turtles Lambes kiddes sheepe Calues Goates and Oxen were no satisfactions for sinne but onely a signe
for the deedes that pertayne vnto our neighbours and vnto the common wealth we haue not regarded at all as thynges which seemed no holy workes or such as God woulde not once looke vppon And therfore we left them vnsene to vntill they were past remedy or past our power to remedy thē in as much as our slowbellies with their false blessinges had iugled away from vs that wherwith they might haue bene holpen in due season So that y ◠silly poore man though he had haply no wisdome to expresse hys mynde or y t he durst not or y ◠M. More fashioneth his tale as he doth other mens to lest out the truth sawe that neither Goodwinsandes nor any other cause alleaged was the decay of Sandwich hauen so much as that the people had no lust to mainteyne the common wealth for blynde deuotion which they haue to popeholy workes ¶ The solutions and answeres vnto M. Mores first booke IN the first chapter to beginne the booke wythal to bring you good lucke and to geue you a say or a taste what truth shall follow he fayneth a letter sent from no man The second Chapter In the second chapter besides that it is vntrue this vse to haue bene euer since the tyme of the Apostles he maketh many sophisticall reasons about worshipping of saintes reliques and Images yet declareth not w t what maner worship but iuggleth with the terme in comune as he doth with this worde church and this worde fayth when the wordes haue diuers significations for all faithes are not one maner fayth and so forth and therefore he beguileth a mans vnderstanding As if a man sayd the boyes will was good to haue geuen his father a blow and an other woulde inferre that a good will coulde be no sinne and conclude that a man might lawfully smite hys father Now is good will taken in one sence in the maior and in an other in y ◠minor to vse schollers termes therfore the conclusion doth mocke a mās wit Then disputeth he the seruaunt is honoured for the masters sake and what is done to the poore is done to Christ as the popishe shall once feele for their so robbing them And the xii Apostles shall haue their seates sitte and iudge with Christ as shal all that here preach hym truely as they dyd and Mary that powred the ointment on Christes head before hys passion hath her memoriall and therefore we ought to set candles before Images First I aske hym by what rule hys argument holdeth And secondarily I answere that the true worshipping of Saintes is their memoriall to follow them as they did Christ And that honour we geue them and so do not ye papists but folow the steppes of your father the Pope as he doth the steppes of his father the deuill And as for sticking vp of candles I aunswere that God is a spirite and in the spirit must be worshipped only Faith to his promises and loue to his lawes and longing for the life that is in his sonne are his due honour and seruice All bodyly seruice must be referred vnto our selues and not vnto the person of God immediatly All outwarde thynges which we receaue of God are geuē vs. to take our partes with thankes and to bestow the rest vppon our neyghbours For God vseth no such thynges in his owne person but created thē for to gene thē vs that we shoulde thanke hym and not to receaue them of vs to thanke vs for that were our praise and not his Fasting watching wolward goyng pilgrimage and all bodely exercise must be referred vnto y t taming of the fleshe onely For as god deliteth not in y ◠tast of meat drinke or in the sight of golde or siluer no more doth he in my fast and such like that I should referre them vnto hys person to do him a pleasure withall For God in himselfe is as good as he can be hath all the delectation that he cā haue And the refore to wish that God were better then be is or had more pleasure then he hath is of a worldly imagination And all the spirites that be in heauē are in as good case as they can be and haue all the delectation they can haue and therefore to wishe them in better case or to studie to do them more pleasure then they haue is fleshly mynded popishnes The pleasure of them that be in heauen is that we harken to god and keepe his commaundementes which when we do they haue all the pleasure that they can haue in vs. If in this life I suffer hell gladly to win my brother to folow God how much more if I were in heauen should I reioyce that he so did If in thys worlde when I haue neede of my neighbour by the reason of myne infirmities yet I seke nought of him saue his wealth onely what other thing should I seke of hym if I were in heauen where he can do me no seruice nor I vse any pleasure that he can do me THe deuill desired to haue his imaginations worshipped as God his popishe children desire the same compell men so to honour them and of their deuelishe nature describe they both God and his Saintes And therfore I say all such fleshly imaginations as to fast the wensday in the worship of S. Iohn or of S. Katerine or what Saint it be or to fast Sayntes eues or to go a pilgrimage vnto their images or to offer to them to do them pleasure thinkyng therby to obteyne their fauour and to make special adnocates of them as a man would winne the fauour of an other with presentes and giftes and thinking that if we did it not they would be angry are playne Idolatry image seruice for the saint deliteth in no such And when thou stickest vp a candle before the image thou mightest with as good reason make an holow bely in the image and powre in meate and drincke For as the Saint neither eateth nor drinketh so hath he no bodyly eyes to delyte in the light of a candle An other is this God geueth not the promises that are in Christ for bodyly seruice but of his mercy onely vn to his owne glorie Yea and of the fathers goodnesse do all naturall childrē receaue Aske a litle boy who gaue him his gay coate he aūswereth his father Aske him why and he annswereth because he is his father and loueth hym and because he is his sonne Aske hym whether his father loue hym and he sayth yea Aske him how he knoweth it and he sayth because he geueth me this or that Aske him whether he loue his father he sayth yea Aske him why he sayth for his father loueth hym and geueth him all thing Aske him why he worketh he aunswereth his father wil so haue it Aske him why his father geneth not such and such boyes coates to Nay saith he they be not
â— little flock To put away thy sinnes Nay brethreÌ„ god forbid that ye should so thinke Christes bloud onely washeth away the sinnes of all that repent and beleue Fire salt water bread oyle be bodely thynges geuen vnto man for his necessitie and to helpe hys brother wyth and God that is a spirit cannot be serued therwyth Neyther can such thynges enter into the soule to purge her For Gods worde onely is her purgation No say they are not such thynges halowed And say we not in the halowing of them that who soeuer is sprinkled wyth the water or eateth of the bread shall receaue health of soule and body Sir the blessinges promised vnto Abraham for all nations are in Christ and out of his bloud we must fet them and his word is the bread salt water of our soules God hath geueÌ„ you no power to geue thorow your charmes such vertue vnto vnseÌ„sible creatures which he hath halowed himselfe made them all cleane for the bodely vse of them that beleue thorow his word of promise and permission and our thankes geuing God sayth if thou beleue Saint Ihons gospell thou shalt be saued and not for y e bearyng of it about thee with so many crosses or for the obseruing of any such obseruaunces God for thy bitter passion rore they out by by what an hereticke is this I tel thee that holy church neede to alleadge no scripture for them for they haue the holy Ghost which inspireth theÌ„ euer secretly so y t they can not erre whatsoeuer they say do or ordayne What wilt thou dispise the blessed Sacramentes of holy church wherewyth God hath bene serued this xv hundred yeare ye verely this v. thousaÌ„d yeres euen since Cain hetherto and shall endure vnto the worldes end among theÌ„ that haue no loue vnto the truth to be saued thereby thou art a strong hereticke and worthy to be burnt And theÌ„ he is excommunicat out of the church If y t little flocke feare not that bugge then they goe straight vnto the king And it like your grace perilous people and seditious and euen inough to destroy your realme if ye see not to them betimes They be so obstinat tough that they wyll not be conuerted and rebellious agaynst God and the ordinaunces of hys holy church And how much more shal they so be against your grace if they encrease and grow to a multitude They wyll peruert all and surely make new lawes and eyther subdue your grace vnto them or ryse agaynst you And theÌ„ goeth a part of y t little flocke to pot and the rest scatter Thus hath it euer bene and shall euer â—e let no man therefore deceaue hymselfe An aunswere to M. Mores second booke IN the first Chapter ye may not try the doctrine of the spiritualtie by the Scripture But what they say that beleue vndoubtedly and by that try the Scripture And if thou finde the playne contrary in the Scripture thou mayst not beleue the Scripture but seke a Glose and an allegorie to make them agree As wheÌ„ the pope sayth ye be iustified by the woorkes of the ceremonies and Sacramentes and so forth and the Scripture sayth that we be iustified at the repentauÌ„ce of the hart through Christes bloud The first is true playne as the pope sayth it and as it standeth in his text but the secoÌ„d is false as it appeareth vnto thine vnderstandyng and the literall sence that killeth Thou must therfore beleue the Pope and for Christes doctrine seeke an allegorie and a mysticall sence that is thou must leaue the cleare light and walke in the miste And yet Christ and his Apostles for all their miracles required not to be beleued without scripture as thou mayst see Iohn v. and Act. xvij and by their diligent alledgyng of Scripture through out all the new Testament And in the end he sayth for his pleasure that we knowledge that no man may minister SacrameÌ„ts but he that is deriuede out of the Pope Howbeit this we knowledge that no man could minister Sacramentes without signification which are no Sacramentes saue such as are of the Popes generation The iij. Chapter IN the third Chapter in the Chapter folowyng he vttereth how fleshly mynded he is and how beastly he imagineth of God as Paule sayth 1. Cor. 2. the naturall man can not vnder stand the thyngs of the spirite of God He thinketh of God as he doth of hys Cardinall that he is a monster pleased when men flatter him if of whatsoeuer frailtie it be men breake his coÌ„maundementes he is theÌ„ ragyng mad as the Pope is seketh to be venged Nay God is euer fatherly minded toward the elect meÌ„bers of his Church He loued them yer the world began in Christ Ephe. 1. He loueth theÌ„ while they be yet euill his enemies in their hartes yer they be come vnto y â— knowledge of his sonne Christ and yer his law be written in their hartes as a father loueth his young sonne while he is yet euill yer it know the fathers law to consent therto And after they be once actually of his Church and the law of God faith of Christ written in their hartes their hartes neuer sinne any more though as Paul sayth Rom. vij the flesh doth in them that the spirit would not And when they sinne of frailtie God ceaseth not to loue them still though he â—e angry to put a crosse of tribulatioÌ„s vpon their backes to purge them and to subdue the flesh vnto the spirite or to all to breake their consciences with threatnyng of the law and to feare theÌ„ with hell As a father when his sonne offeÌ„deth him feareth him with the rod but hateth him not God did not hate Paule when he persecuted but had layd vp mercy for hym in store though he was angry with him to scourge him and to teach him better Neither were those things layd on his backe which he after suffered to make satisfaction for his foresinnes but onely to serue his brethren and to keepe the flesh vnder Neither did God hate Dauid when he had sinned though he was angry with hym Neither did he after suffer to make satisfactioÌ„ to God for his old sinnes but to kepe his flesh vnder to keepe him in mekenesse and to be an example for our learnyng The iiij Chapter IN the fourth sayth he if the Churche were an vnknoweÌ„ coÌ„pany how should the infidels if they longed for the fayth come thereby O whether wandereth a fleshly mynde as though we first sought out God Nay God kitoweth his and seketh them out sendeth his messengers vnto them geueth them an hart to vnderstand Did the heatheÌ„ or any nation seke Christ Nay Christ sought them and sent his Apostles vnto them As thou seest in the storyes from the begynnyng of the world and as the parables and similitudes of the
loueth the lawes of God and vseth y e power that he hath of god well and referreth hys will and his deedes vnto the honour of God commeth of the mercy of God which hath opened his wittes and shewed him light to see the goodnes and righteousnes of the lawe of God and the way that is in Christ to fulfill it wherby he loueth it naturally and trusteth to do it Why doth God open one mans eyes not an others Paule Rom. ix forbiddeth to aske why For it is to deepe for mās capacitie God we see is honoured therby and his mercy set out and the more seene in the vessels of mercy But the popishe can suffer God to haue no secret hid to himselfe They haue searched to come to the botome of hys botomlesse wisdome and because they cā not attayne to that secrete and be to proude to let it alone and to graunt themselues ignoraūt with the Apostle that knew no other then Gods glory in the elect they go and set vp freewill with the heathen philosophers and say that a mans freewill is the cause why God chuseth one and not an other cōtrary vnto all the scripture Paul saith it commeth not of the will nor of the deede but of the mercy of God And they say that euery man hath at y e least way power in his freewill to deserue that power shoulde be geuen hym of god to kepe the law But the scripture testifieth that Christ hath deserued for y ◠elect euen thē whē they hated God that their eyes should be opened to see the goodnes of the lawe of God and the way to fulfill it and forgeuenes of all that is passed wherby they be drawen to loue it and to hate sinne I aske the popishe one question whether the will can preuent a mans witte and make the witte see the righteousnesse of the lawe and the way to fulfill it in Christ If I must first see the reason why yer I can loue how shall I with my will do that good thing that I know not of how shall I thanke God for the mercy that is layde vp for me in Christ yer I beleue it For I must beleue the mercy yer I can loue the worke Now fayth commeth not of our frewill but is the grace of God geuen vs by grace yer there be any will in our hartes to do the lawe of God And why God geueth it not euery man I can geue no reckoning of his iudgementes But well I wot I neuer deserued it nor prepared my self vnto it but ranne an other way cleane contrary in my blyndnesse and sought not that way but he sought me and found me out and shewed it me and therwith drew me to him And I bow the knees of mine hart vnto god night and day that he will shew it all other men And I suffer all that I can to be a seruaunt to open their eyes For well I wot they can not see of themselues before God haue preuēted them wyth hys grace For Paule saith Phil. i. he that began a good worke in you shall continue or bring it vnto a full ende so that God must beginue to worke in vs. And Phil. ij God it is that worketh both the willing and also bringing to passe And it must needes be for God must open mine eyes and shew me somewhat and make me see the goodnesse of it to draw me to hym yer I can loue consent or haue any actuall will to come And when I am willing he must assiste me and helpe to tame my fleshe and to ouercome the occasions of the worlde and the power of the fendes God therfore hath a special care for his elect in so much that he will shorten y e wicked dayes for their sakes in which no man if they should continue might endure And Paule suffereth all for the electe ij Timothy ij And Gods sure foundation standeth sayth Paule God knoweth hys So that refuse the truth who shall God will keepe a nūber of his mercy and call them out of blindnesse to testifie the truth vnto the rest that their damnation may be with out excuse The Turke the Iew and the Popish build vpon frewill ascribe theyr iustifying vnto their woorkes The Turke when he hath synned runneth to the purifyinges or ceremonies of Mahomet and the Iew to the ceremonies of Moses and the Pope vnto his owne ceremonies to fet forgeuenesse of their sinnes And the Christen goeth thorough repentaunce towarde the law vnto the fayth that is in Christes bloud And the Pope saith that the ceremonies of Moyses iustified not compelled with the woordes of Paule And how then should his iustifie Moyses Sacramentes were but signes of promises of fayth by which fayth the beleuers are iustified and euen so be Christes also And now because the Iewes haue put out the significations of their Sacraments and put their trust in the workes of them therfore they be Idolaters and so is the Pope for like purpose The Pope sayth that Christ dyed not for vs but for the Sacramentes to geue them power to iustifie O Antichrist The xj Chapter HIs xj chapter is as true as his story of Vtopia all his other Poetrie He meaneth Doctour Ferman person of Hony lane Whō after they had hādled after their secret maner and disputed with secretly and had made him sweare that he should not vtter how he was dealt with as they haue made many other then they contriued a maner of disputatiōs had with him with such oppositions aunswearynges and argumentes as should serue onely to set forth their purpose As M. More thoroughout all his booke maketh quoth he to dispute and moue questions after such a maner as he can soyle them or make them appeare soyled and maketh him graunt where he lysteth and at the last to be concluded and lad whether M. More will haue him Wherfore I wil not rehearse all the arguments for it were to long and is also not to be beleued that he so made them or so disputed with them but that they added and pulled away fayned as they liste as their guise is But I will declare in light that which M. More ruffeleth vp in darkenesse that ye may see their falshead First if ye were not false hypocrites why had ye not disputed openly with him that the world might haue heard and borne recorde that that whiche ye now say of him were true what cause is there that the lay people might not as well haue heard his wordes of hys own mouth as read them of your writyng except ye were iugglyng spirites that walke in darknesse When M. More sayth the Church teacheth that men should not trust in theyr workes it is false if he meane y e Popes Church For they teach a man to trust in domme ceremonies Sacramētes in penaūce and all maner workes that come them to profite whiche yet helpe
not vnto repentaunce nor to fayth nor to loue a mans neighbour M. More declareth the meanyng of no sentence hee describeth the proper signification of no word nor the difference of the significatioÌ„s of any terme but runneth foorth confusedly in vnknowen wordes and generall termes And where one word hath many significations he maketh a man some tyme beleue that many thynges are but one thyng and some tyme he leadeth from one signification vnto an other mocketh a mans wittes As he iuggleth with this terme Church makyng vs in the begynnyng vnderstand all that beleue and in the conclusion the Priestes onely He telleth not the office of the law he describeth not his penauÌ„ce nor the vertue therof or vse he declareth no Sacrament nor what they meane nor the vse nor wherin the frute of coÌ„fession standeth nor whence the power of the absolution commeth nor wherin it resteth nor what iustifying meaneth nor the order nor sheweth any diuersitie of faythes as though all faiths were one fayth and one thyng Marke therfore the way toward iustifying or forgeuenesse of sinne is the law God causeth the law to be preached vnto vs writeth it in our harts and maketh vs by good reasons feele that the law is good and ought to bee kept and that they which keepe it not are worthy to be damned And on the other side I fele that there is no power in me to kepe the law wherupon it would shortly folow that I should dispaire if I were not shortly hoâ—pe But God which hath begon to cure me and hath layde that corosy vnto my sores goeth forth in his cure and setteth hys sonne Iesus before me and all his passions and death and sayth to me this is my deare sonne and he hath prayed for thee hath suffred all this for thee and for his sake I will forgeue thee all that thou hast done agaynst this good lawe and I will heale thy flesh teach thee to kepe this law if y â— wilt learne And I will beare with thee take all a worth that thou doest till thou caust do better And in the meane season not withstandyng thy weakenesse I will yet loue thee no lesse then I do the aungels in heauen so thou wilt be diligent to learne And I will assiste thee and keepe thee and defend thee and be thy shielde and care for thee And the hart here beginneth to mollifie and waxe soft to receaue health and beleueth the mercy of God and in beleuyng is saued froÌ„ the feare of euerlastyng death and made sure of euerlastyng life and then beyng ouercome with this kindnesse begynneth to loue agayne and to submitte her selfe vnto the law of God to learne them and to walke in them Note now the order first God geueth me light to see the goodnesse and righteousnesse of the law myne own sinne and vnrighteousnesse Out of whiche knowledge spryngeth repentaunce Now repentaunce teacheth me not that the law is good and I euill but a light that the spirite of God hath geuen me out of whiche light repentaunce springeth Then the same spirite woorketh in myne hart trust and confidence to beleue the mercy of God and his truth that he will do as hee hath promised Whiche beleffe saueth me And immediatly out of that trust spryngeth loue toward the law of God agayne And what soeuer a man worketh of any other loue theÌ„ this it pleaseth not God nor is that loue godly Now loue doth not receaue this mercy but fayth onely out of whiche fayth loue springeth by which loue I power out agayn vpon my neighbour that goodnesse which I haue receaued of God by fayth Hereof ye see that I caÌ„ not be iustified without repentauÌ„ce and yet repentaunce iustifieth me not And hereof ye see that I can not haue a fayth to be iustified and saued except loue spryng therof immediatly and yet loue iustifieth me not before God For my naturall loue to God agayne doth not make me first see feele the kyndnesse of God in Christ but fayth thorough preachyng For we loue not God first to coÌ„pell him to loue agayn but he loued vs first gaue his sonne for vs that we might see loue and loue agayne sayth S. Iohn in his first Epistle Which loue of God to vs ward we receaue by Christ thorough fayth sayth Paule And this example haue I set out for them in diuers places but their blynd Popish eyes haue no power to see it couetousnesse hath so blynded them And when we say faith onely iustifieth vs that is to say receaueth the mercy wherewith God iustifieth vs and forgeueth vs we meane not fayth whiche hath no repentaunce and fayth whiche hath no loue vnto the lawes of God agayne and vnto good workes as wicked hypocrites falsly belye vs. For how theÌ„ should we suffer as we do all misery to cal the blind and ignorauÌ„t vnto repentaunce good workes which now do but consent vnto all euill and study mischief all day long for all their preachyng their iustifying of good woorkes Let M. More improue this with his sophistrie and set foorth his owne doctrine that we may see the reason of it and walke in light Hereof ye see what fayth it is that iustifieth vs. The fayth in Christes bloud of a repentyng hart toward the law doth iustifie vs onely and not all maner faythes Ye must vnderstaÌ„d therfore that ye may see to come out of Mores blynd maze how that there be many faythes and that all faythes be not one faith though they be al called with on generall name There is a story faith without feelyng in the hart wher with I may beleue the whole story of the Bible yet not set myne hart earnestly thereto takyng it for the fode of my soule to learne to beleue and trust God to loue him dread him and feare him by the doctrine and examples ther of but to seme learned to know the story to dispute and make marchaundise after as we haue exaÌ„ples ynough And the fayth wherewith a man doth miracles is an other gift then the faith of a repeÌ„tyng hart to be saued through Christes bloud and the one no kynne to the other though M. More would haue them so appeare Neither is the deuils fayth the Popes fayth wherwith they beleue that there is a God that Christ is all the story of the Bible and may yet stond with all wickednesse and full coÌ„sent to euil kynne vnto the fayth of them that hate euill and repent of their misdeedes and knowledge their sinnes and be fled with full hope and trust of mercy vnto the bloud of Christ And when he sayth if fayth certifie our hartes that we bee in the fauonr of God and our sinnes forgeuen become good yer we do good workes as the tree must be first good yer it bring forth good fruite by Christes doctrine theÌ„ we make
thou feâ—e theÌ„ and that thine hart mourne for them and that with al thy power thou helpe to amende them and cease not to crye to God for theÌ„ neither day nor night and that thou let nothing be founde in thee that any man may rebuke but whatsoeuer thou teachest them that â—e thou and that thou be not a Wolfe in a Lambes skinne as our holy â—ather y e Pope is which commeth vnto vs in a name of hypocrisie and in the â—…e of curssed Cham or Ham calling hymselfe Seruus seruorum the seruaunt of all seruauntes and is yet founde tyrannus tyraâ—norum of all tyrauntes y e most cruell This is to receaue young children in Christes name and to receaue young children in Christes name is to beare rule in the kingdome of Christ Thus ye see that Christes kingdome is all together spirituall and the bearing of rule in it is cleane coÌ„trary vnto the bearing of rule temporally Wherfore none that beareth rule in it may haue any temporall iurisdiction or minister any temporall office that requireth violence to compell withall ¶ Peter was not greater then the other Apostles by any authoritie geuen him of Christ THey saye that Peter was chiefe of the Apostles verely as Appeâ—â—â—s was called chief of Painters for his excellent cunninge aboue other euen so Peter may be called chiefe of the Apostles for his actiuitie and boldnes aboue the other but that Peter had any auctoritie or rule ouer his brethren and felow Apostles is false and contrary to y e scripture Christ forbad it the last euen before his passion and in diuers tunes before and taught alway the contrary as I haue rehearsed Thou wilt say thou caust not see how there should be any good order in that kyngdome where none were better then other and where the superior had not a lawe and authoritie to compell the inferior with violeÌ„ce The worlde truely can see no other way to rule then with violence For there no man absteineth from euil but for feare because the loue of righteousnes is not written in their hartes And therefore the Popes kingdome is of the world For there one sorte are your grace your holines your fatherhode An other my Lord Byshop my Lord Abbot my Lord Pryor An other master Doctour Father Bachelar mayster Parson maister Vicar and at the last commeth in simple syr Iohn And euery man raigneth ouer other wyth might and haue euery ruler his prison his iayler his chaynes his tormentes euen so much as the Fryers obâ—eruauntes obserue that rule and compell euery man other with violeÌ„ce aboue the cruelnesse of the heathen tyrauntes so that what commeth once in may neuer out for feare of telling taâ—es out of schole They rule ouer the bodye with violence and compell 〈◊〉 whether the harte will or not to obserue thinges of their owne making But in the kingdome of God it is contrary For the spirite that bringeth them thether maketh them wilâ—ing and geueth them lust vnto the law of God loue coÌ„pelleth them to worke and loue maketh euerty maÌ„s good all that he can do coÌ„mune vnto his neighbours nede And as euery maÌ„ is stroÌ„g in that kyngdome so loue compelleth him to take the weake by the hand and to helpe hym and to take him that can not go vppon his shoulders and beare him And so to do seruice vnto the weaker is to beare rule in that kingdome And because Peter did excede the other Apostles in ferueÌ„t seruice toward his brethren therefore is â—e called noâ— in the Scripture but in the vse of speakyng the chiefest of the Apostles not that he had any dominion ouer them Of which truth thou mayst see also the practise in the Actes of the Apostles after the resurrection For when Peter had bene and preached in the house of Cornelius an heathen maÌ„ the other that were Circumcised chode him because he had bene in an vncircumcised mans house had eaten with him for it was forbidden in the law neither wist they yet that the heathen should be called And Peter was fayne to geue accountes vnto them which is no token of superioritie and to shew them how he was warned of the holy ghost so to do Actes xj And Actes xv when a CouÌ„cell was gathered of the Apostles and disciples about the Circumcision of the heatheÌ„ Peter brought forth not his commauÌ„dement and the authoritie of his Vicarshyp but the miracle that the holy ghost had shewed for the heathen how at y â— preachyng of the Gospell the holy ghost had lighted vppon them and purified â—heir hartes through fayth and therefore proued that they ought not to be Circumcised And Paule and Barnabas brought soorth the miracles also that God had shewed by them among the heathen through preachyng of saith And then Iames brought soorth a prophecie of the olde Testament for the sayd part And therewith the aduersaries gaue ouer their hold and they coÌ„cluded with one assent by the authoritie of the scripture and of the holy ghost that the heathen should not be Circumcised not by the commaundement of Peter vnder payne of cursing excommunicatioÌ„ 〈◊〉 interditing and like bugges to make fooles and children afrayed withall And Actes viij Peter was sent of the other Apostles vnto the Samaritanes whiche is an euident token that he had no iurisdiction ouer them for then they could not haue sent him But rather as the truth is that the congregation had authoritie ouer him ouer all other priuate persones to admitte them for ministers and send them forth to preach whether so euer the spirite of God moued them and as they saw occasion And in the Epistle vnto the Galathians thou seest also how Paule corrected Peter when he walked not the straight way after the truth of the Gospel So now thou seest that in the kingdome of Christ and in his Churche or congregation and in his couÌ„sels the ruler is the Scripture approued through the miracles of the holy ghost and men be seruauntes onely and Christ is the head and we all brethren And wheÌ„ we call men our heades that we do not be cause they be shorne or shauen or because of their names Parson Vicare Byshop Pope But onely because of the word whiche they preach If they erre froÌ„ the word theÌ„ may whosoeuer God moueth his hart play Paule and correct hym If he will not obey the Scripture then haue his brethren authoritie by the Scripture to put hym downe and send hym out of Christes Church among the heretickes whiche preferre their false doctrine aboue the true word of Christ ¶ How the Gospell punisheth trespassers and how by the Gospell we ought to go to law with our aduersaries THough that they of Christes coÌ„gregation be all willyng yet because that the most paâ—t is alway weake because also that the occasions of the world be euer many and great in so much that
to auoyde the trouble of the world and occasions that might plucke me there from and to serue my brother with all euen as one hand helpeth an other or one member an other because one feeleth an others grief the payne of the one is the payne of the other What soeuer is done to the lest of vs whether it be good or bad it is done to Christ and what soeuer is done to my brother if I be a Christen mā that same is done to me Neither doth my brothers payne greue me lesse then myne owne Neither reioyse I lesse at his wealth then at mine own if I loue hym as well and asmuch as my selfe as the law cōmaundeth me If it were not so how sayth Paule let hym that reioyseth reioyse in the Lord that is to say Christ whiche is Lord ouer all creatures I◠my merites obteined me heauē or a hygher place there then had I wherein I might reioyse besides the Lord. Here see ye the nature of the law the nature of the Euangelion How the law is the key that byndeth and damneth all men and the Euangelion is the keye that loseth them agayne The law goeth before and the Euangelion foloweth When a preacher preacheth the law he byndeth all consciences and when he preacheth the Gospell he looseth them agayn These two salues I meane the law and the Gospell vseth god his preacher to heale cure sinners with all The law driueth out the disease and maketh it appeare and is a sharpe salue and a freatyng corsey killeth the dead flesh and louseth and draweth the sores out by the rootes all corruption It pulleth from a man the trust and confidence that he hath in him selfe in his owne workes merites deseruinges and ceremonies and robbeth him of all his righteousnesse and maketh him poore It killeth him sendeth hym downe to hell and bryngeth him to vtter desperation and prepareth y e way of the Lord as it is written of Iohn the Baptist For it is not possible that Christ should come to a man as long as he trusteth in him self or in any worldly thyng or hath any righteousnesse of his own or riches of holy workes Then commeth the Euāgelion a more gentle paster which soupleth and swageth the woundes of the cōscience and bringeth health It bringeth the spirite of God which loseth the bondes of Sathā and coupleth vs to God and his will through strong fayth and feruent loue with bondes to strong for the deuill the world or any creature to lose them And the poore wretched sinner feeleth so great mercy loue kyndnes in God that he is sure in hym selfe how that it is not possible that God should forsake him or withdraw hys mercy and loue from hym And boldly cryeth out with Paul saying Who shall separate vs from the loue that GOD loueth vs withall That is to say what shall make me beleue that God loueth me not Shall tribulation Anguish Persecution Shal hūger Nakednes Shal sword Nay I am sure that neither death nor lyfe neither aungell neither rule nor power neither present thynges nor thinges to come neither hygh nor low neither any creature is able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. In all such tribulations a Christen man perceaueth that God is his father and loueth hym euen as he loued Christ when he shed his bloud on the crosse Finally as before when I was bond to the deuill and his will I wrought all maner euill and wickednes not for hells sake which is the reward of sinne but because I was heyre of hell by byrth and bondage to the deuill dyd I euill For I could none otherwise do to do sinne was my nature Euen so now since I am coupled to GOD by Christes bloud do I well not for heauens sake which is yet the reward of wel doyng but because I am heyre of heauen by grace and Christes purchasyng haue the spirite of God I do good frely for so is my nature As a good tree bryngeth forth good frute and an euill tree euill frute By the frutes shal ye know what the tree is A mās dedes declare what he is within but make him neither good nor bad though after we be created a new by the spirite doctrine of Christ we waxe perfecter alwaye with woorkyng accordyng to the doctrine and not with blynd woorkes of our owne imagining We must be first euill yer we doe euill as a Serpent is first poysoned yer he poyson We must be also good yer we do good as the fire must be first hoate yer it heate an other thyng Take an example As those blynd and deaffe which are cured in the Gospell could not see nor heare till Christ had geuen them sight hearyng and those sicke could not do the dedes of an whole man till Christ had geuen them health So can no man do good in his soule till Christ haue losed hym out of the bondes of Sathan and haue geuē him wherewith to do good yea first haue powred into hym that selfe good thing which he shedeth forth afterward on other Whatsoeuer is our owne is sinne Whatsoeuer is aboue that is Christes gift purches doyng and working He bought it of his father dearely with his bloud yea with his most bitter death and gaue his lyfe for it What soeuer good thyng is in vs that is geuen vs frely without our deseruyng or merites for Christes bloudes sake That we desire to folow y t will of God it is the gift of Christes bloud That we now hate the deuils will whereunto we were so fast locked and could not but loue it is also the gift of Christes bloud vnto whom belongeth the prayse and honour of our good dedes and not vnto vs. Our deedes do vs three maner seruice First they certifie vs that we are heyres of euerlastyng life And that the spirite of God whiche is the earnest therof is in vs in that our hartes consent vnto the law of God and we haue power in our mēbers to do it though imperfectly And secondarily we tame the fleshe therewith and kill the sinne that remayneth yet in vs waxe dayly perfecter and perfecter in the spirite therewith kepe that the lustes choke not the word of God that is sowen in vs nor quench the giftes and working of the spirite and that we lose not the spirite agayne And thirdly we do our dutie vnto our neighbour therewith helpe their necessitie vnto our own cōfort also and draw all mē vnto the honoryng and praysing of God And whosoeuer excelleth in the giftes of grace let the same thinke that they be geuen hym as much to do hys brother seruice as for his owne selfe as much for the loue whiche God hath to the weake as vnto him vnto whom God geueth such giftes And he that withdraweth ought that he hath from hys neighbours neede robbeth
hee listeth and maketh the grounde of whose hart he lusteth fruteful and chooseth whom he will at his own pleasure and for no other cause knowen vnto any man Who is a lyer but he that denyeth that Iesus is Christ The same is Antichrist that denyeth the father and the sonne For asmuch as Antichrist and Christ are two contraries the study of Antichrist is to quēch the name of Christ how can the Pope his sectes be Antichrist when they all preach Christ How was say I agayne to thee Pelagius whose doctrine the Pope defendeth in the hyghest degree Antichrist and all other heretickes Verely Syr the Pope seketh hym selfe as all heretickes dyd and abuseth the name of Christ to gather offeringes tithes and rētes in his name to bestow them vnto his owne honour and not Christes and to bryng the conscience of the people into captiuitie vnder hym through superstitious feare as though he had such authoritie giuen hym of Christ And euery sillable that hath a soūde as though it made for his purpose that he expoundeth falsly and fleshly and therwith iuggleth bewitcheth the eares of the people maketh them his owne possession to beleue what hym lusteth as though it made no matter to them whether hee preached true or false so they beleue and do as he biddeth them But all the textes that shew his dutie to do he putteth out of the way and all the textes therto that set the consciences at libertie in Christ proue our saluation to be in Christ onely And with Pelagius hee preacheth the iustifying of workes whiche is the denying of Christ He preacheth a false bynding and losing with eare confession whiche is not in the trust and confidence of Christes bloud shedyng He preacheth the false penaūce of dedes not to tame the flesh that we sinne no more but to make satisfaction to redeme the sinne that is past Which what other cā it be saue the denying of Christ whiche is the onely redemption of sinne He maketh of the workes of the ceremonyes which were wont to be lignes and remembraunces of thinges to be beleued or done image seruice vnto God hys Saintes whiche are spirites to purchase with the merites of them what soeuer the blynd soule imagineth whiche all are the denying of Christ For if thou wilt receaue any annoyntyng of grace or mercy any whence saue of hym he is no longer Christ vnto thee Christ is called Iesus a Sauiour he is called Christus kyng annoynted ouer all men of whom they must hold and whose benefite must all they haue He is called Emanuel God is with vs. For he onely maketh God our God our strength power sword and shield shortly our father He is called Sanctus that is holy that haloweth sanctifieth and blesseth all natiōs And these be his names for euer be no names of hypocrisie as we some time call him Thomas Curteis which is but a churle and as we call them Curates whiche care for their Parishes as the Wolfe for the flocke and them Byshops that are ouersears which will so ouer see that they will suffer nought to be prosperous saue their owne cōmō wealth as some call them selues dead which liue in all voluptuousnes and as some call them selues poore without hauing any thing proper and yet lyue in all aboundance and as they shaue and disguise them selues with garmentes and ornamentes to signifie euer a contrary thyng then that they be Nay Christ is no hypocrite or disguised that playeth a part in a play and representeth a person or state which he is not But is alway that his name signifieth he is euer a Sauiour euer annyonteth with grace euer maketh God with vs and euer sāctifieth Neither is there any other to saue and sanctifie frō sinne or annointe with grace or to set God at one with men And these thynges which his name signifie doth he euer vnto all that haue trust confidence in his bloud assone as they repēt of the sinne whiche they desire to be saued and sanctified from Now though the Pope his sectes giue Christe these names yet in that they robbe hym of the effect and take the significations of his names vnto them selues and make of hym but an hypocrite as they them selues be they be right Antichristes and deny both the father and sonne For they deny the witnesse that the father bare vnto his sonne and depriue the sonne of all the power and glory that hys father gaue hym Whosoeuer denyeth the sonne the same hath not the father For no man knoweth the father but the sonne to whom the sonne sheweth hym Math. xj Moreouer if thou knowe not the mercy that God hath shewed thee in Christ thou canst not know hym as a father Thou mayst wel besides Christ know hym as a tyraunt And thou mayst know hym by his woorkes as the old Philosophers did that there is a God but thou canst neither beleue in his mercy nor loue his lawes which is his onely worship in the spirite saue by Christ Let therefore abide in you that which ye heard at the beginning If that which ye heard at the beginning shall remayne in you then shall ye continue in the Sonne and in the Father And this is the promise that he hath promised vs euerlasting life If we abide in thold doctrine which the Apostles taught and harken to no new then abide we in the Sonne for vpon the Sonne build they vs and in the Father thorough confidence in the Sonne are heires of euerlasting life These thinges haue I written vn to you because of them that deceiue you And the anointing that ye receiued of him dwelleth in you and ye need not that any man teache you but as that annoynting teacheth you of all thinges and is true and is no lye Euen as it hath taught you so abide therein When a true preacher preacheth the spirite entreth the hartes of the elect and maketh them feele the righteousnes of the law of God and by the law the poyson of their corrupt nature and thence leadeth them thorough repentaunce vnto the mercy that is in Christes bloud and as an oyntment healeth the body euē so the spirite through confidence and trust in Christes bloud healeth the soule and maketh her loue the law of God and therfore is called annoynting or an oyntment and may well be signified by the oyle of our sacrament But outward oyle can neyther heale the soule nor make her feele saue as a signe or as a bush at a tauern dore quencheth a mans thirst neither is it a thing to put trust in Let vs ther fore folow the teaching of the spirite which we haue receiued as Paule sayeth an earnest to certifie our hartes and to make vs feele the thinges of God and not cleaue to the traditions of men in which is no feeling but that
he breake his fathers cōmaundementes though he be not vnder damnatiō yet is he euer child and rebuked and now then lasshed with the rod by the reason wherof he is neuer bold in his fathers presence But y t childe that kepeth his fathers commaūdements is sure of himselfe and bolde in his fathers presence to speake aske what he will They that minister well get them good degree and great confidēce in the fayth that is in Christ Iesu sayth Paule 1. Tim. 3. He that worketh is bold before God and man For hys conscience accuseth hym not within neither haue wee ought to wyte hym withall or to cast in his teeth And as without the sight of the woorkes Iacob the Apostle can not see thy fayth Iaco. 2. no more shalt thou euer be sure or bold before God or man But if our hartes condemne vs God is greater then our hart and knoweth all thyng If our conscience accuse vs of sinne God is so great and so mightie that it can not be hid Dearely beloued if our hartes condemne vs not then we trust to Godward And whatsoeuer wee aske that shall we receaue of him because we keepe his commaundementes and do the thynges whiche are pleasaunt in his sight Kepyng of the commaundementes maketh a man see his fayth and to bee bold therein And fayth when it is without conscience of sinne goeth into God boldly and is strong and mighty in prayer to coniure God by all hys mercyes therewith obtayneth what soeuer hee asketh of all his promises And the text sayth because we kepe his commaundementes Yea verely hys commaundemētes make vs bold But the keepyng of mens traditions and domine ceremonies make vs not bold before God nor certifie our conscience that our faith is vnfayned Thou shalt not know by sprynkling thy selfe with holy water nor kyssing the pax nor with takyng asshes or though thou were annoynted with all the oyle in Thames strete that thy fayth is sure But and if thou couldest finde in thyne hart to bestowe both lyfe and goodes vpon thy neighbour in a iust cause and hast proued it then art thou sure that thou louest Christ and feelest that thou hast thy trust in his bloud And this is his commaundemēt that wee beleue in his sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commaundement Fayth is the first and also the roote of all commaundementes And out of fayth spryngeth loue and out of loue workes And when I breake any commaundemēt I sinne agaynst loue For had I loued I had not done it And when I sinne agaynst loue I sinne agaynst fayth For had I earnestly and with a full trust remembred the mercy that Christ hath shewed me I must haue loued Wherefore when we haue broken any commaundement there is no other way to bee restored agayne thē to go through repētaunce vnto our fayth agayne and aske mercy for Christes sake And assoone as we haue receaued faith that our sinne is forgiuen wee shall immediatly loue the commaundemēt agayne and through loue receaue power to worke And he that keepeth his commaundemētes abideth in him and he in hym And hereby we knowe that there dwelleth in vs of hys spirite which he gaue vs. Through the woorkes we are sure that we continue in Christ and Christ in vs and that his spirite dwelleth in vs. For his spirite it is that kepeth vs in fayth and through fayth in loue and through loue in workes The fourth Chapter DEarely beloued beleue not euery spirit but proue the spirits whether they bee of God For many false Prophetes are gone out into the world Spirites are taken here for preachers because of the preachyng or doctrine which if it be good is of the spirite of God and if it be euill of the spirite of the deuill Now ought we not to beleue euery mans doctrine vnaduisedly or condeinne any mans preachyng yer it be heard and sene what it is But a Christen mās part is to examine iudge trie it whether it be true or no. Quench not the spirit saith Paul i. Thess the last Neither despise prophesiynges but proue all thyng and kepe that whiche is good Destroy not the giftes of the spirite of God but trie whether they be of God and good for the edifiyng of his congregation and keepe that whiche is good and refuse that whiche is euill And suffer euery person that hath any gift of God to serue God therin in his degree and estate after a Christen maner and a due order Why shall we try the doctrines Verely for there bee many false Prophetes abroad already We told you before that Antichrist should come as our master Christ told vs that he shuld come But now I certify you that Antichristes kyngdome is begon already And his Disciples are gone out to preache Trie therefore all doctrine wherewith shall we trie it with the doctrine of the Apostles and with the Scripture which is the touchstone ye and because ye loue compendiousnes ye shall haue a short rule to trie them with all Hereby knowe ye the spirite of God Euery spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the fleshe is of God And euery spirite that cōfesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God And the same is that spirite of Antichrist of whō ye haue heard that he should come And euen now he is in the world already Whatsoeuer opinion any member of Antichrist holdeth the ground of all his doctrine is to destroy this article of our fayth that Christ is come in the flesh For though the most part of all heretickes confesse that Christ is come in the flesh after their maner yet they deny that he is come as the Scripture testifieth the Apostles preached hym to be come The whole study of the deuill and all his members is to destroy the hope and trust that we should haue in Christes flesh and in those thynges which he suffered for vs in his flesh in the Testament and promises of mercy which are made vs in his flesh For the scripture testifieth that Christ hath taken away the sinne of the world in his flesh and that the same houre that he yelded vp his spirite into the hands of his father hee had full purged and made full satisfaction for all the sinnes of the world So that all the sinne of the worlde both before his passion and after must be put away through repentaunce toward the law and fayth and trust in his bloud without respect of any other satisfactiō sacrifice or worke For if I once sinne the law rebuketh my consciēce and setteth variaunce betwene God and me And I shal neuer be at peace with God agayne vntill I haue heard the voyce of hys mouth how that my sinne is forgiuen me for Christes bloud sake And assoone as I that beleue I am at peace with God Rom. v. and loue his law agayne and of loue
worke And that Christ hath done this seruice in his flesh deny all the members of Antichrist And hereby thou shalt know them All doctrine that buildeth thee vpon Christ to put thy trust and confidence in his bloud is of God and true doctrine And all doctrine that withdraweth thyne hope and trust froÌ„ Christ is of the deuill and the doctrine of Antichrist Examine y â— Pope by this rule and thou shalt finde that all hee doth is to the destructioÌ„ of this article He wresteth all the Scriptures setteth them cleane agaynst the woll to destroy this article He ministreth the very Sacramentes of Christ vnto the destruction of this article and so doth he all other ceremonies and his absolution penaunce purgatorie dispensations pardoÌ„s vowes with all disguisings The Pope preacheth that Christ is come to do away sinnes yet not in the flesh but in water salt oyle caÌ„dles bowes asshes friers coates and monkes cowles and in the vowes of theÌ„ that forâ—were matrunonie to keepe whores and swere beggerie to possesse all the treasure riches wealth pleasures of the world and haue vowed obedience to disobey with authoritie all the lawes both of God and man For in these hypocritish and false sacrifices teacheth he vs to trust for the forgiuenes of sinnes not in Christes flesh Ye are of God litle childreÌ„ and haue ouercome them For greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world He that dwelleth in you and worketh in you through fayth is greater then he whiche dwelleth and worketh in them through vnbelefe And in hys strength ye abyde by your profession and coÌ„fesse your Lord Iesus how that he is come in the flesh and hath purged the sinne of all that beleue in his flesh And through that fayth ye ouercome them in the very tormentes of death So that neither their iugglinges neither their pleasures neither their thretnynges or their tormentes or the very death wherewith they slay your bodies can preuayle agaynst you They be of the world and therfore they speake of the world and the world atteÌ„deth vnto them We bee of God and hee that knoweth God heareth vs. And he that is not of God heareth vs not And hereby we know the spirit of truth and the spirite of errour There be and euer shal be two generations in the world one of the deuill which naturally hearken vnto the false Apostles of the deuill because they speake so agreable vnto their naturall complection And an other of God which hearken vnto the true Apostles of God consent vnto their doctrine And this is a sure rule to indge spirites with all that we indge them to haue the spirite of truth which hearkeÌ„ vnto y t true doctrine of Christes Apostles them to haue the spirite of errour which hearken vnto worldly and deuilish doctrine abhorryng the preathing of the Apostles And looke hether the Popes doctrine bee worldly or no if pride and couetousnes be worldly yea and secherie to For what other is all his doctrine then of benefices promotions dignities byshoprikes cardinallshyps vicarages parsonages prebendes chaunge of bishoprikes and resignyng of benefices of vnions pluralities totquots and that which coÌ„meth once into their handes may not out agayn yea and of whores and concubines and of captiuyng of consciences for couetousnes all that hearken to that doctrine abhorre the doctrine of the Apostles and persecute it and them that preach it Dearely beloued let vs loue one an other for loue is of God And all that loue are borne of God and knowe God And he that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue Iohn singeth his old song agayne and teacheth an infallible and sure token which we may see and feele at our fingers endes and therby be out of all doubt that our fayth is vnfayned and that we knowe God and be borne of God and that we hearkeÌ„ vnto the doctrine of the Apostles purely and godly not of any curiositie to seke glorie and honour therein vnto our selues to make a cloke therof to couer our couetousnes and filthy lustes Whiche token is if we loue one an other For the loue of a mans neighbour vnfaynedly spryngeth out of the vnfayned knowledge of God in Christes bloud By which knowledge we be borne of God loue God and our neighbours for his sake And so he that loueth hys neighbour vnfaynedly is sure of him selfe that he knoweth God and is of God vnfaynedly And contrarywise he that loueth not knoweth not God For God in Christes bloud is such a loue that if a man saw it it were impossible that he should not breake out into the loue of God agayne of his neighbour for his sake Herein appeared the loue of God vnto vs warde because God seÌ„t his onely sonne into the world that we should liue through hym Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent hys sonne a satisfaction for our synnes If a man had once felt within in his conscience the fierce wrath of God towarde sinners and the terrible most cruell damnation that the law threatneth and then beheld with the eyes of a strong fayth the mercy fauour and grace the takyng away of the damnation of the law and restoryng agayne of life frely offred vs in Christs bloud he should perceaue loue and so much the more that it was shewed vs when we were sinners and enemies to God Roma 5. and that without all deseruyngs without our endeuouryng enforcyng and preparyng our selues and without all good motions qualities properties of our frewill But when our hartes were as dead vnto all good workyng as the meÌ„bers of him whose soule is departed whiche thyng to proue and to stoppe the blasphemous mouthes of all our aduersaries I will of innumerable textes rehearse one in the beginnyng of the second chapter to the Ephes where Paule sayth thus Ye were dead in trespasse sinne in which ye walked accordyng to the course of the world and after the gouernour that ruleth in the ayre the spirite that worketh in the children of vnbelefe amoÌ„g which we also had our conuersation in tyme past in the lustes of our flesh and fulfilled the lustes of the fleshe and of the mynde so that the fleshe and the mynde were agreed both to sinne and the mynde consented as well as the flesh and were by nature the children of wrath as well as other But God beyng rich in mercy through the great loue wherwith he loued vs euen wheÌ„ we were dead in sinne hath quickened vs with Christ for by grace are ye saued and with hym hath raysed vs vp and with him hath made vs sit in heauenly thynges through Iesus Christ for to shew in tyme to come the exceding riches of his grace in kyndnes to vs ward in Iesus Christ For by grace are ye saued through fayth that not of your selues for
impossible is possible and easie to where the loue of Christ is beleued For it foloweth all that are borne of God ouercome the world that is to wete the deuill which is the ruler of the world and his disciples which haue their lust in hys gouernaunce cōsent to sinne both in body and soule and giue themselues to folow their lustes without resistence and their owne flesh which also cōsenteth to sinne do they ouercome with al that moueth to sinne By what victory Verely through fayth For if our soules be truly vnderset with sure hope and trust and continuall meditations of Christes loue shewed already and of succour helpe and assistence that is promised in his name and with the continuall memorie of their examples which in tymes past haue sought through fayth and ouercome thē were it impossible for the world with all his chinalrie to ouerthrow vs with any assault or with any ordinaunce that hee could shoote agaynst vs. For if y t fayth meditation were euer present in vs then loue thorough that fayth should easly ouercome what so euer peril thou couldest imagine Read in the Bible and see what conquestes fayth hath made both in doyng also sufferyng The xj chapter vnto the Hebrues ministreth the examples aboundauntly How mighty was Dauid when hee came to fight and how ouercame hee thorough fayth And how mightyer was he when he came to sufferyng as in the persecution of the kyng Saul In so much that when he had his most mortall enemy kyng Saul that twelfe yeares persecuted him against al right in his handes to haue done what hee would with him through faith he touched hym not nor suffred any man els to do though he was yet all his lyfe a man of warre and accustomed to murther and shedyng of bloud For he beleued that God should aduenge hym on his vnrighteous kyng vpō whom it was not lawfull to aduēge himselfe Who is it that ouercommeth the world but he that beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God If to beleue that Iesus is Gods sonne be to ouercome the world then our Prelates vnderstand not what belief is which affirme that the best belefe and the worst mā in the world may stand together This is he that came by water and bloud Iesus Christ not by water onely but by water and bloud And it is the spirite that testifieth because the spirite is truth For there are three that beare witnesse in heauen The father the worde and the holy ghost And these three are one And there are three which beare recorde in earth the spirite water and bloud and these three are one Christ came with three witnesses water bloud and spirite He ordeined the Sacrament of Baptisme to be hys witnesse vnto vs. And he ordeined the Sacramēt of his bloud to be his witnes vnto vs. And he powreth his spirite into the harts of his to testifie and to make them feele that the testimonie of those two Sacramēts are true And the testimonie of these three is as it after foloweth that we haue euerlastyng life in the sonne of God And these iij. are one full witnes sufficiēt at the most that the law requireth whiche sayth ij or iij. at the most is one full sufficient witnes But alas we are ◅t taught to take the Sacramēts for witnesses but for imageseruice to fore the worke of them to God with such a minde as the old heathen offred sacrifices of beastes vnto their Gods So that what soeuer testifieth vnto vs that we haue euerlastyng lyfe in Christ that mouth haue they stopped with a leuended maunchet of their Pharisaicall gloses If we receaue the witnesse of mē the witnesse of God is greater For this is the witnesse that God hath borne of his sonne If the witnesse of men so they be iij. is to be receaued much more is the witnesse of God to be receaued Now the witnesse that these iij. water bloud spirite beare is the witnesse of God therfore the more to be beleued He that beleueth in the sonne of God hath witnes in him selfe And he that beleueth not God maketh him a lyer because he doth not beleue the witnesse that God hath testified of his sonne And this is the witnesse that God hath giuen vs eternall lyfe and this lyfe is in hys sonne He that hath the sonne hath lyfe And he that hath not the sonne of God hath not life The true beleuers haue the testimonie of God in their hartes they glorifie God witnessing that hee is true They haue the kingdome of God with in them and the temple of God within them and God in that temple haue the sonne of God lyfe through hym And in that temple they seke God and offer for their sinnes y e sacrifice of Christes bloud and the fatte of his mercies in the fire of their prayers and in the confidence of that sacrifice go in boldly to God their father But the vnbeleuers blaspheme God and make him false describyng him after the complection of their lyieng nature And because they be so full stuffed with lyes that they cā receaue nothing els they looke for the kyngdome of God in outward thynges and seeke God in a temple of stone where they offer their imageseruice and the fate of their holy dedes in confidence wherof they go into God and trust to haue euerlastyng lyfe And though the text testifieth that this lyfe is onely in the sonne yet they will come at no sonne shynyng but as vncleane byrdes hate the light These thynges haue I written vnto you that beleue in the name of the sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue euerlasting life that ye may beleue in the sonne of God They that haue the fayth of Christes Apostles know that they haue eternal lyfe For the spirtte testifieth vnto their spirites that they are y e sonnes of God Roma viij and receaued vnder grace Our Doctours say they can not know whether they be in the state of grace therefore they haue not the fayth of the Apostles And that they know it not is the cause whey they rayle on it This is the confidence that we haue in hym that if we aske ought accordyng to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we knowe that we haue the petitions that we aske of hym Christ sayth Math. vij aske it shal be geuen you And Iohn in the. xvj chap. Whatsoeuer ye aske in my name he shall giue it you To aske in y t name of Iesu Christ accordyng to his will be both one and are nothyng elles but to aske the thynges contayned in the promises and Testamēt of God to vs warde that God wil be our father and care for vs both in body and in soule and if we sinne of frailtie repent forgiue vs and minister vs all thynges necessarie vnto this life kepe
saued By which wordes he declareth euidently that he meaneth that faith that is in the promise made vpon the appointmeÌ„t betwene God and vs that we should kepe his law to the vttermost of our power that is he that beleueth in Christ for the remission of sinne and is Baptised to do the will of Christ and to kepe his law of loue to mortify the flesh that man shal be saued and so is the imagination of these swyne that will not leaue wallowyng theÌ„ selues in euery myre and puddell cleane excluded for God neuer made promise but vpon an appointment or couenaunt vnder whiche who soeuer wil not come can be no partaker of the promise True fayth in Christ geueth power to loue the law of God for it is written Iohn the first He gaue them power to be the sonnes of God in that they beleue in his name Now to be the sonne of God is to loue righteousnes and hate vnrighteousnes and so to be like thy father Hast thou then no power to loue the law so hast thou no fayth in Christes bloud And Rom. iij. We set vp or mainteine the law thorough fayth why so for the preachyng of fayth ministreth the spirit Gala. iij. And ij Cor. iij. And the spirite lowseth the bandes of Sathan geueth power to loue the law and also to do it For sayth Paul Rom. viij if the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus dwell in you then will he that raysed vp Iesus quickeÌ„ your mortall bodyes by the meanes of his spirite dwelling in you A well wilt thou say if I must professe the law and worke Ergo fayth alone saueth me not Be not deceaued with sophistrie but withdraw thyne eares from wordes and consider the thyng in thyne hart Fayth iustifieth thee that is bringeth remission of all sinnes and setteth thee in the state of grace before all workes and getteth thee power to worke yer thou couldest worke but if thou wilt not go backe agayne but continue in grace and come to that saluation and glorious resurrection of Christ thou must worke and ioyne workes to thy fayth in will and dede to if thou haue tyme and leasure and as oft as thou fallest set thee on thy fayth agayn without helpe of workes And although when thou art reconciled restored to grace woorkes be required yet is not that reconcilyng and grace the benefite of the workes that folow but cleane contrary that forgeuenes of thy sinnes and restoryng to fauour deserue the workes that folow Though wheÌ„ the kyng after that sentence of death is geuen vpoÌ„ a murtherer hath pardoned hym at the request of some of his frendes workes be required of him that he hencefoorth kepe the kynges lawes if he will continue in his graces fauour in which he now standeth yet the benefite of his lyfe procedeth not of the deseruyng of the workes that folow but of the kynges goodnes and fauour of his freÌ„des yea and that benefite and gift of his life deserue the workes that folow Though the father chastise the child yet is the child no lesse bounde to obey and to do the will of the father If when the father pardoneth it the workes that folow deserue that fauour then must the woorkes that folowed the correction haue deserued fauour also and then was the father vnrighteous to chastise it All what soeuer thou art able to do to please God with all is thy duty to do though thou haddest neuer sinned if it be thy dutie how can it then be the deseruyng of the mercy and grace that weÌ„t before Now that mercy was the benefite of God thy father through the deseruing of y t Lord Christ which hath bought thee with y â— price of his bloud And agayne when he sayth that he purposeth to bestow his good to be accepted as fruites of faith it is euident that hee meaneth that lyuyng fayth which professeth the law of God and is the mother of all good workes yea and nurse therto An other caâ—illation whiche they might make in the second part where he admitteth no other mediatour but Christe onely nor will geue of hys goodes to bynde any man to any fayned obseruaunce for the helpe of hys soule wheÌ„ he were whole in the kingdome of Christ cleane deliuered both body and soule from the dominion of Sathan as the Scripture testifieth all that dye in Christ to be is this they will say that he held that none should pray for him saue Christ and that we be not bound to pray one for an other nor ought to desire the prayers of an other man that he excludeth in that he sayth all other be but petitioners By which wordes he plainly coÌ„fesseth that other may and ought for to pray and that we may and ought to desire other to pray for vs but meaneth that we may not put our trust and confidence in their prayer as though they gaue of them selues that which they desire for vs in their petitions and so geue them the thankes ascribe to their merites that which is geuen vs in the name of our master Christ at the deseruynges of his bloud Christ is my Lord hath deserued and also obteined power to geue me all that can be desired for me And al that other desire for me this is desired in Christes name geueÌ„ at the merites of his bloud All the honour then trust confideÌ„ce and thankes perteyne to him also Some will haply say how should I desire an other to pray for me and not trust to his prayer Verely euen as I desire my neighbour to helpe me at my neede and yet trust not to him Christ hath commauÌ„ded vs to loue ech other Now when I go or desire helpe I put my trust in God and complaine to God first and say Loe father I go to my brother to aske helpe in thy name prepare the hart of him agaynst I come that hee may pitie me and helpe me for thy sake c. Now if my brother remember his duty helpe me I receaued it of God and geue God the thankes which moued the hart of my brother gaue my brother a courage to helpe me wherwith to do it and so hath holpe me by my brother And I loue my brother agayne and say Loe father I went to my brother in thy name and he hath holpe me for thy sake wherfore O father be thou as mercyful to him at his nede as he hath ben to me for thy sake at my nede Loe now as my brother dyd his dutie when he holpe me so do I my dutie when I praye for hym agayne and as I might not haue put my trust and coÌ„fidence in my brothers helpe so may he not in my prayers I am sure that God will helpe me by his promise but am not sure that my brother wil helpe me though it be his dutie so am I sure that God will heare me what soeuer I aske
spite of all the enemies of his trueth There falleth not an heare till his houre be come and when his houre is come necessitie caryeth vs hence though we be not willing But if we be willing then haue we a reward and thanke Feare not threatning therfore neither be ouercome with sweete wordes with which twayne the hipocrites shall assayle you Neither let the perswasions of worldly wisedome beare rule in your hart No though they be your frendes that counsayle you Let Bilney be a warning to you Let not their visure beguile your eyes Let not your body saint He that endureth to the ende shall be saued If the payne be aboue your strength remember Whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name I will geue it you And pray to your father in that name and he will ease your payne or shorten it The Lord of peace of hope and of fayth be with you Amen William Tyndall TWo haue suffered in Antwarpe In die sancta Crucis vnto the great glory of the Gospell foure at Riselles in Flaunders and at Luke hath there one at the least suffered and all ni y e same day At Roan in Fraunce they persecute And at Paris are fiue doctours taken for the Gospell Sée you are not alone Be cherefull and remember that among the hard harted in England there is a number reserued by grace for whose sakes if neede be you must be ready to suffer Syr if you may write how short so euer it be forget it not that we may knowe how it goeth with you for our hartes ease The Lord be yet agayne with you with all his plenteousnes and fill you y e you flow ouer Amen If when you haue read this you may send it to Adrian doe I pray you that he may know how that our hart is with you George Ioye at Candelmasse being at Barrow Printed two leaues of Genesis in a greate forme and sent one Copy to the King and an other to the newe Quéene with a letter to N. for to deliuer them and to purchase liceÌ„ce y e he might so goe through all the Bible Out of that is sprong the noyse of the new Bible and out of that is the greate séeking for Englishe bookes at all Printers Booke bynders in Antwarpe and for an English Priest y e shoulde Printe This chaunced the ix day of May. Syr your wife is well content with the will of God and would not for her sake haue y e glory of God hindred William Tyndall An other notable and worthy Letter of maister William Tyndall sent to the sayd Iohn Frith vnder the name of Iacob ¶ The grace of our Sauiour Iesus his pacience mekenes humblenes circumspection and wisedome be with your hart Amen DEarely beloued brother Iacob myne hartes desire in our Sauiour Iesus is that you arme your selfe with pacieÌ„ce and be cold sober wise and circumspect that you keepe you alow by the ground auoydyng hygh questions that passe the common capacitie But expounde the law truly and open the vayle of Moses to condemne all flesh and proue all meÌ„ sinners and all deedes vnder the law before mercy haue taken away the condeÌ„nation ther of to be sinne and damnable And then as a faythfull Minister set abroch the mercy of our Lord Iesus and let the wounded coÌ„sciences drinke of the water of him And then shall your preachyng be with power and not as the doctrine of the hypocrites and the spirite of God shall worke with you and all coÌ„sciences shall beare recorde vnto you feele y t it is so And all doctrine that casteth a miste on those two to shadow and hyde them I meane the law of God and mercy of Christ that resist you withall your power Sacraments without significatioÌ„ refuse If they put significations to them receiue them if you see it may helpe though it bee not necessarie Of the presence of Christes body in the Sacrament medle as litle as you can that there appeare no diuision amoÌ„g vs. Barnes will be whote agaynst you The Saxons be â—ore on the affirmatiue whether constant or obstiuate I omit it to God Philippe Melancton is sayd to be with the French king There be in Antwerpe that say they saw him come into Paris with an c. and l. horses and that they spake with hym If the Frenchmen receiue the worde of God hee will plant the affirmatiue in them George Ioye would haue put foorth a treatise of the matter but I haue stopt hym as yet what he will doe if he get money I wotte not I beleue he wold make many reasoÌ„s litle seruyng to the purpose My mynde is that nothyng be put forth till we heare how you shal haue spede I would haue the right vse preached and the presence to be an indiffereÌ„t thyng till the matter might be reasoned in peace at laysure of both parties If you be required shew the phrases of the Scripture and let them talke what they will For as to beleue y t God is euery where hurteth no maÌ„ that worshyp him no where but within in the hart in spirite and verity eueÌ„ so to beleue that the body of Christ is euery where though it can not be proued hurteth no man that worshippeth hym no where saue in the fayth of hys Gospell You perceiue my minde how beit if God shew you otherwise it is free for you to do as he moueth you I gessed long ago that God would send a dasing into the head of the spiritualtie to be catched theÌ„ selues in their owne subtiltie and I trust it is come to passe And now me thinketh I smel a counsayle to be takeÌ„ litle for their profites in time to come But you must vnderstand that it is not of a pure hart for loue of the truth but to aduenge theÌ„ selues and to eate the Whores flesh to suck the marow of her bones Wherfore cleaue fast to the rocke of the helpe of God commit the end of all things to hym and if God shall call you that you may then vse the wisedome of the worldly as farre as you perceiue the glory of God may come therof refuse it not and euer among thrust in that the Scripture may bee in the mother toung and learning set vp in the Vniuersities But and if ought be required contrary to the glory of God and hys Christ theÌ„ stand fast and commit your selfe to God and bee not ouercome of mens persuasions which happely shal say we see no other way to bryng in the truth Brother Iacob beloued in my hart there lyueth not in whom I haue so good hope and trust and in whoÌ„ myne hart reioyseth and my soule comforteth her selfe as in you not the thousand part so much for your learnyng and what other giftes els you haue as that you wil crepe alow by the ground and walke in those thinges that the conscience
be their God The lambe that was but the signe was called the passeouer and yet was not the lambe the passyng ouer but the signe onely excityng and monishing them to remember that deliueraūce by the aungell pasling by the Israelites in Egypt sinityng the Egyptians And sith this trope or maner of spech the Scripture did vse with so great grace in the old rites and ceremonies that figured our Sacramētes why may it not with like grace for that analogie and proper congruence of the figures with their verities vse the same phrase and maner of spech in their verities If the Scripture called the signe the thyng in Circumcision the passeouer why should we be offended with the same spech in our Baptisme in the Lordes Supper Sith such maner of spech haue no lesse grace and fulnes here then there to bryng the thyng signified into our hartes by such outward sensible signes For when that signe of Circumcision was giuen the child thē were they certified as an outword token may certifie that the child was of the people of Israell And therfore did the signes thē as they do now beare the names of thyngs which they signified as the lambe eaten in the passeouer was called the sacrifice the selfe passeouer none otherwise then in our new passeouer that is the Lordes supper the bread brokē c. is called the body of Christ the wyne poured forth and distributed to ech mā the bloud of Christ because the bread so broken and dealt signifieth vnto the receiuers and putteth them in remembraunce of the sacrifice of his body on the aulter of the crosse and of his bloud poured foorth for our redemption So that this maner of spech in the administration and vse of the Supper of our Lord to say This is my body this is my bloud is asmuch to say as this signifieth my body this signifieth my bloud Which Supper is here celebrated to put vs in remēbraunce of Christes death and to excite vs to thankes giuyng Neither let it offend thee O Christen reader That est is taken for significat that is to say This is that is as much to say as this signifieth that For this is a commō maner of spech in many places of Scripture and also in our mother toūg as whē we see many pictures or images which ye know well are but signes to represent the bodyes whom they be made lyke yet we say of the Image of our Lady This is our Lord and of S. Katheriue this is S. Katherine yet do they but represent and signify vs our Lady or S. Katherine And as it is writtē The in braūches are three dayes The thre baskets are three dayes which was not els but they signified three dayes Also in the xxviij chapter Iacob sayd This stone whiche I haue set vp an ende shal be Gods house which stone yet was neuer Gods house nor neuer shal be but onely did signifie gods house to be builded in that same place Agayne Pharao dreamed to haue sene vij faire fat Oxē eftsoones vij poore lene Oxē which Ioseph expoundyng sayd The vij fat Oxē are vij plētuous yeares in which phrase or maner of spech euery mā sith that the Oxē were no yeares but they signified such yeares Maruell not therfore though est likewise in this sentēce Hoc est corpus meum be taken for significat as much to say as this signifieth my body And yet for because the Scriptures conferred together expounde them selfe as sayth S. Austen And Peter That we haue before a firme and sure prophetical spech vnto which if we attend as vnto a light set vp in a darke place we do well I shall shew you a like phrase in Ezechiell where the destruction of Ierusalem was thus figured God commaundyng Ezechiell to take a sword as sharpe as a raser and shaue of his head and beard and then take a certain waight of the heares deuided into three partes The one he should burne in the middes of the Citie An other he should cut roūd about and cast the thyrd vp into the wynde c. which done he sayd Thus sayth the Lord God This is Ierusalem Which act and dede so done was not Ierusalem But it signified and preached vnto the beholders of it Ierusalem to be destroyed none otherwise thē the breakyng and distributing of the bread and wyne called Christes body and bloud signifieth and preacheth vs the death of Christ the figure and signe bearyng the name of the thyng signified as in the Prophetes spech saying This is Ierusalem which dyd but signifie Ierusalem When Christ dyd breath into his Disciples saying Take ye the holy ghost the same breath was not the holy ghost but signified and represented them the holy ghost with a thousand lyke maner of spech in the Scripture In the old passeouer thankes were giuen for the slaughter of the first begotten wherein the kynges posteritie of Egypt fell away The Hebrues spared passeouer and deliuered But in the new passeouer thankes were giuen that the onely begotten sonne of the most highest was crucified wherby all faythfull are spared passed ouer and not smittē with the sword of damnation but deliuered and saued in the lambes bloud that hath takē away the sinne of the world In the old passeouer The lambe or feast is called the Lordes passeouer and yet was neither the lambe nor the feast his passyng ouer but the signe and commemoration of his passyng by And euē so is it now in the new Supper of our Lord. It is there called the body of our Lord not that there is any thing wherin his very naturall body is contayned so long and brode as it hāged on the crosse for so is it ascended into heauē and sitteth on the right hād of the father but that thyng that is there done in that Supper as the breakyng and dealyng and eatyng of the bread and the whole like action of the wine signifieth representeth and putteth into our harts by the spirite of faith this cōmemoration ioyfull remēbraunce so to geue thankes for that inestimable benefite of our redemption wherin we see with the eye of our fayth presently his body broken his bloud shed for our sinnes This is no small Sacrament nor yet irreuerētly to be entreated but it is the most glorious and hyghest Sacramēt with all reuerence and thankes geuyng to be ministred vsed receiued preached solemnely in the face of the congregation to be celebrated of whose holy administration and vse I shall peraduenture speake in the end of this Supper But in the meane season Christen reader let these sensible signes signifie and represent hys death and print it in thy hart geuyng thankes incessantly vnto God the father for so incomparable a benefite that hath giuē thee his owne onely so dearely beloued sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ to dye for thy sinnes yea and that
hapned sithens kyng Richard the second his death to this Realme 207. a Entent of fastyng 229. b Entent of our â—eedes is all 217. b Epiphanius cut downe Images 325. b Erasmus 304. a. fauoured of More 251. a. partiall in iudgement 2. a Error may be saued 258. b Error of couetousnes 230. b Estulphus king of Lombardy 348. b Etymologie of this word Euangelion 378. a Euangelion called the new Testament 378. a Eucharistia 467. b Euerlastyng lyfe to whoÌ„ due 390. b Euill rulers not to be refused 119. a. signe of Gods wrath 118. b. whole some medecines 119. b Euill Priestes their prayers prosits not 300. a Euill outward to be auoyded 22. a. must bee recompensed with goodnes 413. a. Examples for our learnyng 5. a. of loue 332. a. of two poore men 94. b Examples very profitable 30. b. and 259. a Example of false expoundyng Scriptures 173. a. how to vnderstand ij regimentes 211. b Examples euill and their vse 4. a. of acceptable dedes before God 243. b Examination of consciences must go before the receipt of the Lordes Supper 472. b Exceptions in bowes 21. b Exempt from Christ who 403. b Exhortation generall to all people 376. a Experience is in the aged 345. b Exposition of the Pater noster 222. a. of this word seuen tymes 17. b Ezechias 299. b. face of y e law 383. b F. FAyth 42. a. 225. b. 16. a. 8. a. 226. b â–ª truly defined 42. b Fayth iustifieth expounded 187. a 225. b. 64. b. iustifieth before all workes 45. b. apprehendeth iustification 330. a. sufficient to iustifie vs. 431. b. and 62. a Faith that worketh not iustifieth not 333. b. 331. b. and. 303. a. 432. in Christs bloud onely iustifieth 336. a. onely bringeth to Christ 17. a. vnder no law 336. b. accompted to vs for righteousnes 63. b. in Christ fulfilleth the law 91. b Faith how it iustifieth compendiously declared 433. b Fayth eateth and drinketh Christes body and bloud spiritually 464. a Fayth in Gods promise saued the Iewes 12. b Fayth apprehendeth Christ 457. b Faith apprehendeth Christes death 418. a Fayth in Christ bryngeth to saluation 80. b Fayth loue and charitie thre sisters 286. b. casteth out deuils fasteth and prayeth 77. a. prayeth in all places 93. b. the lyfe of the righteous 463. b. expelleth Gods wrath Not idiâ— 430. b. chief part of penaunce 398. a Faith and charitie ioyneth with true prayer 82. a Faith y e fouÌ„datioÌ„ of Christes church 357. a. the holy candle wherwith to blesse vs at the houre of death 62. b â–ª foloweth repentaunce 18. b. styrred vp in Gods people 22. b. confirmed by ceremonies 12. b Fayth required of the Iewes 457. b God respecteth in prayer 221. and 239. b. bryngeth forth fruites of her selfe 65. b â–ª maketh vs gods sonnes 89. b. accompanyed with Gods spirit 64. b. maketh deedes of the law glorious 94. a. how it bringeth forth fruites 63. b. without fruites vayne 33. b Fayth maketh vs Gods heyres 67. b. 69. b. 419. b. maketh woorkes acceptable 335. b. knowen by her fruites â–ª 66. a. of two sortes 266. b. 294. lost through allegories 168. a Fayth of woorkes is darknes 232. b. contrary to the law in operations 184. b. cannot appeare without workes 225. a Fayth of the called not of the elect 294. b. coÌ„meth not by freewill 329. b. without fruite is a dreame 65. a Fayth and woorkes come not of our selues 66. a Fayth false and fained 42. b. without Gods promise is Idolatry 156. b Faith our victory 190. b. Gods gift 65. a. onely receaueth grace 45. b. the surest sheild 4. b. the roote of al goodnes 130. a. bryngeth lyfe 62. a Gods gift 329. b. possesseth Gods spirite 67. b. idle without workes 55. a. her power 225. a. vniteth vs to Christ 93. b Fayth feelyng 266. b. true and liuely 42. b. in Christes bloud 395. b. and 307. a. bryngeth loue 32. a. 117. a. 225. a. the mother of loue 419. a Fayth what it bredeth 246. b Faythfull haue all thynges of God 435. a. are in good state 448. b. though they slip yet fall not 259 b Faythles mans prayer 93. b Faythfull and vnfaythfull sinne diuersly 412. a Faythfull frutes 95. a False Prophetes who 241. b. how knowen 245. b. proue vnwritten verityes by similitudes 170. b. teach vs to trust in Saintes 158. b False worshipping 271. a. of martirs 333. a. delusions 285. a. miracles 119. a False prayer is paynfull 221. a False doctrine neuer persecuted 301. a False Popish bookes 3. 4. a False preachers are murtherers 306. a Falsehode not all spyed in one day 326. b Fall of the Pope from God 302. a Fall of Adam made vs slaues to the deuill 381. b Fanon 277 â–ª b Fastyng 21. a. 228. a â–ª and 242. b Fastyng truly what 275. a true vse thereof 81. a. 227. a. which required of God 204. b Fastyng not onely in eatyng drinkyng 228. a Fasting papal is hipocriticall 229. b Fast superstitious which 81. a Father not knowen but by the sonne 405. a Feare 114. b. 418. b Feare of God not taught by y â— spiritualty but feare of traditioÌ„s 141. a Fâ—astyng fastes 229. b Fightyng slaying and loue may all be vsed at one instant to our enemyes 212 â–ª b Figures by Christ borowed of the old Testament 14. b Figuratiue speaches vsed in Scriptures 469. b Filthynes of the hart 193. a. of Popish doctrine 411. b Firye piller 283. a First fruites 273 b Fisher 182. b. his shameles iuggling 116 a Fish and flesh all one in heauen 313. b Fiue Doctours apprehended at Paris for the Gospell 454. b Flappe 277 â–ª b Flappes of the Albe 277 â–ª b Flesh described 43. b. how to be vnderstode in Scriptures 43. a. sinneth all generally 258. a. enemy to man 442. a Flesh and spirite what 43. a. 186. b. contrary 48. a Fleshe of Christe howe signified by bread 459. a Fleshe and bloud of Christ of whom eaten and dronke 458. a. b Fleshly Church 291. b Fleshly persecute the spiritual 268. a Fleshly minded voyde of iudgement 297 a Fleshly reasons for woorshyppyng Saintes 160. a Fleshly man sauoureth not spirituall thynges 90. a Fond saying 310. a Fond reasons of More 337. a Foolish Imaginations 274. a Forbyddyng of Mariage 312. a Forgiuenes 358. a Force of good workes 15. a Fountaine of true righteousnesse is Christes bloud 74. a Free wil. 113. b. 321. a. and 328. b. preuenteth not grace 321. a. ouerthrew our forefathers 16. a Freedome 113. a. from sinne and the law 46. b Free from the law who 46. b Free gift and desert are coÌ„trary 19. b Free Chappels 136. a Frenchmen 365. a French kyng 182. b. made a Monke 348. b. helped forward the Pope 348. a Friers 151. a. 292. b Frier Forest 366. a Frier Bongey 366. b Friers not bound to preach 277. a Friers and Monkes shoulde not preach 164. b Fruites of fayth and woorkes 45. b. of our loue
towardes God 22. b. of ignoraunce 277. a Fulnes of all goodnes Christ 424. a Fulfillyng the law what 240. b. obtayned by fayth 44. b Foundations of man feeble 92. a Foundation of loue 416. a. of the old Testament 9. b. of Abbeyes and Purgatory 309. a Fury of the Popish Clergy 93. a G. GAine ioyned with payne easeth the same 361. a Gainefull Gospell loued of shaue lynges 406. b Geldyng of Priestes 317. b Generation of two sortes 415. b Generation of Serpentes 340. b George Ioy writeth to the kyng for licence to traÌ„slate the Bible 454. b Gildas 28. a. a preacher and a Prophet 101. a Gift what it is 42. a Giftes of grace our brothers aswell as ours 384. b Giltles nede no pardon 318. b Glory 200. b Glorious names of the Popes Clergy their estimation 140. b Gloses 200. a. Pharisaicall 264. b God described 431. a. what he is 104 a spirite 294 b. inuisible 417. a. what he requireth 26. a. onely to be beleued 22. b. geueth all thyngs 24. b. alwayes most gracious 119. b. defendeth his doctrine hym selfe 97. a. teacheth vs if man wil not 103. b. seeketh vs. 294. a. pardoneth vs of his mercy 74. b. draweth vs to Christ 458. a. heareth prayer at all tymes 20. b. receiueth the humble 85. b. worketh by grace in vs before repentauÌ„ce come 321. b. biddeth vs be bold with hym 297. b. rewardeth all obedience 110. a. mercyfull to the ignoraunt 377. a. forgeueth our frailty 293. b. reserueth a litle flocke 298. a. what worke he requireth 457. a. maketh vs blessed in Christ 90. b God is light 392. a. the chief Phisitian 297. a. can not lye 170. b. in whom dwellyng 417. b. how rightly serued 86. a. how truly worshypped 180. a. whoÌ„ he receiueth 101. a God who he will plague 35. b. poureth vengeaunce vpon the vnrepeÌ„taunt 28. a. aduengeth his doctrine 106. b. aduengeth disobedience 107 b. and 110. a. plagueth hys enemies and helpeth his seruauÌ„tes 7. b. will not be tempted 171. a God forbyddeth Images 8. b. lyke him selfe euery where 282. a God who he reiecteth 25. a. taketh away the wicked 111. a. warneth before he strike 105. a. destroyeth one wicked by an other 110. b. punisher of secret sinnes the kyng of open 122. b God worketh backward 98. a. no lyer 462. a God worketh vppon all creatures as he will 80. b. respecteth not persoÌ„s 122. a. a iust iudge ouer kyng all degrees 142. a. onely taketh vengeaunce on the kyng 111. a. how he is at one with vs. 72. b. burdened with his promises 4. b God sometymes weakeneth his elect and why 101. a. scourgeth whom he loueth 8. a and 186. a. trieth hys childrens fayth 98. a. is fatherly to his elect 293. b. kepeth a litle flocke 268. a God first loued vs. 88. b. and 333. b. fighteth for vs. 98. b. receiueth vs for Christes sake 42. a. worketh in vs by faith 415. b. loueth vs not for our works sake 162. b. to vs as we shuld be to our neighbour 73. b. stroÌ„ger theÌ„ all his enemyes 98. a. defeÌ„der of all estates 341. b. pardoÌ„neth all simple for Christes sake 346. a God in the name of Iesus must be called vpon in all aduersities 425. b. reioyceth in an acceptable receiuer asmuch as in a liberall geuer 244. b Gods will is we shoulde doe good workes 75. a Gods childreÌ„ cannot sinne 423. b. his loue howe to be vnderstode in vs. 89. a. his promise reacheth to all Abrahams posterity 437. b. his promises are all comfort 100. a. his fauour at what tyme from vs. 34. b. his two Testamentes 9. b Gods spirite 392. a. where it is 41. a his word may not be altered 23. a. his gentle correctioÌ„ 287. b. his children vnder chastising 100. a. hys forgiuenes 395. a. his goodnes to mankynd 234. a. his glory set forth by true miracles 475. a. his kyndnes moueth vs to loue hym 67. b. his mercy styrreth vp fayth in vs. 45. a. his generall couenaunt with vs. 33. b. his word pith of all goodnes 290 â—a not the cause of euill 105. b. ought to iudge 14. a. how to vnderstand the same 142. a. must season all thynges 121. b. must be heard and done 75. a Gods spirite hath spoken the Scriptures 80. a. his truth worketh woÌ„ders 97. b. fighteth for vs. 98. a Gods grace must be exercised in vs. 68. a. his Sacramentes preach his promises 162. a. his promise saueth vs. 52. a. his mercy saueth vs. 45. a. his mercy toward the penitent 22. a Gods promises iustifie 51. b. his promises in Christ belong onely to the penitent 31. a. his will sought out onely of a true Christian 102. a Gods worde sighteth agaynst hypocrites 97. b. persecuted 97. a. hys Churche called heretickes 291. a. his true church who are 268. a. his true seruice 217. a Gods workes supernatural 21. b. his omnipotency not to curiously to be dealt withall 462. b. his presence in all places alike 287. a. his wonderfull care for his 164. a Goods 212. b Good woorkes where 78. a. where true fayth is 45. b. and 55. b Good woorkes how farre forth they please God 54. a. significations of true fayth 44. b. fruites of fayth 45. b Good men may erre and not be damned 300. a Goodnes must be shewed to euill persons 71. a Gospel 36. b. 387. a. what it signifieth 127. a. comforteth 77. b. promised by the Prophetes 378. a. a true touchstone 3. a. the ministration of of righteousnes 62. a. why writteÌ„ of the Apostles 288. b Gospell and the Popes doctrine differ 475. b. slaundered by Papistes 320. b Gothes 351. b Gouernement of Gods Ministers 344. a Goyng to law 212. b Grace what 157. b. how to be vnderstode 42. a Grace truth come through Christ 199. b. receiued onely by fayth 45. b. continueth by keepyng the law 185. b Grammarians vnderstand not Latin 268. b Grecians 303. a. refuse the Popes tyranny 347. b Gregory 325. b Gregory the fifth ibidem Greuous sinne not rebuked 426. b Grosse worshyppyng of God 424. b H. HAm and the Pope like 170. a Handy craftes commaunded by God 244. a Hatred 204. a. and 404. a Hart must ioyne with prayer 239. a. worshyppeth God 284. a Hart of man Gods true temple 87. b Hart containeth the word of the law and Christes promises 31. b Headynes â—90 b Heathen repent at Ionas preachyng 30. b. moued by miracles to know God 27. a Hearyng the word causeth repeÌ„tance 321. b Hearyng Gods worde prouoked by true miracles 284. a Heauen commeth by Christ 112. b Heires of God by sayth 257. b Helizeus 281. b Helpe commeth al from aboue 433. a Helpe towarde our neighbour must be in a readynes 78. b Hell foloweth euill workes as good workes folow fayth 70. a Henry the second 190. a Henry the fourth set vp 28. b Henry the fifth 28. b. a great conquerour 366. a Henry the vi 28. b. and 366. b Heresie
that ensue his steppes yet let them surely reken vppon it for there is no doubt but all whiche will deuoutly lyue in Christ must suffer persecution for whom the Lord loueth he correcteth and scourgeth euery child that he receaueth for what child is that whom the father chastiseth not If ye be not vnder correction of which we are all partakers theÌ„ are ye bastardes and not children Neuertheles we may not suppose that our most louyng father should do that because he reioiseth in our bloud or punishment but he doth it for our singular profite that we may be partakers of holynes and that the remnaunt of sinne whiche through the frayltie of our meÌ„bers rebell agaynst the spirite will causing our workes to go vnparfectly forwardes may somedel be suppressed lest they should subdue vs and reigne ouer vs as I haue sufficiently declared in the Epistle of my booke whiche intreateth of Purgatory to the which I remit theÌ„ that desire to be further instructed in this matter Of these thynges God had geuen me the speculation before and now it hath pleased hym to put in vre and practise vpon me I euer thought and yet doe thinke that to walke after Gods word would cost me my life at one tyme or an other And albeit that the kynges grace should take me into his fauour and not to suffer the bloudy Edomites to haue their pleasures vpon me yet will I not thinke that I am escaped but that God hath onely differred it for a season to the intent that I should woorke somewhat that he hath appointed me to do and so to vse me vnto his glory And I beseche all the faythfull followers of the Lord to arme them selues with the same supposition markyng theÌ„ selues with the signe of the crosse not from the crosse as the superstitious multitude doth but rather to the crosse in token that they be euer readye willingly to receaue the crosse when it shall please God to lay it vpon them The day that it coÌ„meth not counte it cleare wonne geuyng thankes to the Lord which hath kept it from you And then when it commeth it shall nothing dismay you for it is no new thing but eueÌ„ that which ye haue continually looked for And doubt not but that god which is faythfull shall not suffer you to be tempted aboue that which ye are able to beare but shall euer send some occasion by the which ye shall stand stedfast for either he shall blind the eyes of your enemies and diminish theyr tyrannous power or els when he hath suffred them to do theyr best and that the Dragon hath cast a whole floudde of waters after you he shall cause euen the very earth to open hir mouth and swalow them vp So faith full is he and careful to ease vs what time the vexation should be too heauy for vs. He shall send a Ioseph before you against ye shall come into Egypt yea he shal so prouide for you that ye shall haue an hundred fathers for one an huÌ„dred mothers for one an hundred houses for one and that in thys lyfe as I haue proued by experience And after this life euerlasting ioy wyth Christ our Sauiour Not withstandyng sith this stedfastnes commeth not of our selues for as S. Austen sayth there was neuer man so weake or frayle no not the greatest offender that euer lyued but that euery man of hys owne nature should be as frayle and committe as great enormities except he were kept from it by the spirite power of God I beseche you brethren in the Lord Iesu Christe and for the loue of hys spirite to pray with me that we may be vessels to his laude prayse what tyme soeuer it pleaseth hym to call vpon vs. The father of glory giue vs the spirite of wisedome vnderstandyng and knowledge and lighten the eyes of our mynde that we may know hys wayes praysing the Lord eternally If it please any of our brethren to write vnto vs of any such doubtes as peraduenture may be founde in our bookes it should be very acceptable vnto vs and as I trust not vnfrutefull for them For I will endeuour my selfe to satisfie theÌ„ in all poyntes by Gods grace To whom I committe to be gouerned and defended for euer Amen Iohn Frith the prisoner of Iesu Christ at all tymes abydyng his pleasure A treatise made by the sayd Iohn Frith whiles he was prisoner in the Tower of London Anno. M. D. xxxij called a Myrrour or glasse to know thy selfe I Was desired of a faith full frende to whom I am so much bound that he might lawfully haue commaunded me that I would make him a litle treatise by the which he might be somewhat instructed to knowe himselfe and so geue God thanckes for the benefites which he hath so aboundantly poured vpon him This thing I tooke vpon me very gladly partly to fulfill his right wise request which I trust shall be to the great profite of Christes flocke and partly to declare what I thinke both of my selfe and of all other Herein may all men sée what they haue receaued of God and how they ought to bestow the talent that is coÌ„mitted vnto them which if you note well it will cause you to say with the wise man Salomon Vaiuersa vanitas omnis homo viuens that is Euery maÌ„ liuing is nothing but vanitie which also the Prophet Dauid confirmeth saying If all men liuing were pondered in one ballance and vanitie hanged in the ballaunce agaynst them it should quite way them downe and be heauier then all they As by example if a man prayse a very foole and thinke his witte good and profounde then is that person in déede more foole theÌ„ the other And eueÌ„ so uÌ„th maÌ„ doth prayse and commende riches honour beautie strength and such other vaine and transitorie things which are but as a dreame and vanishe lyke a flower in the fielde when a man shoulde haue moste néede of them it foloweth well that he hymselfe is more vayne then those thyngs whych are but vanitie For if it were possyble that thou shuldest haue al these things an hundreth yeare continually wythout any trouble or aduersitie as neuer man had yet were it but a vaine dreame if it be compared vnto that euerlasting lyfe whych is prepared for Christes electe and faythfull followers So that all flesh is as hay and all hys glory lyke a flower of the hay is withered and the flower fallen but God and his worde endure for euer Therfore let not the wyse man reioyse in his wisedom neither y e strong man in hys strengthe nor the ryche in hys riches But he that reioyseth let hym reioyse in the Lord to whome be all honor praise without end Amen The first Chapter That all goodnesse commeth of God and all câ—… o. ourselues THe Philosophers to 〈◊〉 God had enspired 〈…〉 of truthe knowledged
naturall reasons be not worth the reasoning I will alledge you some moe to sée what you can say to them First euery sacrament is the signe of an holy thyng but the sacrament of the altar is a sacrament as all faythfull meÌ„ confesse ergo it must follow that the sacrament of the altar is the signe of an holy thyng Now if it be the signe of an holy thyng then it is not the holy thyng it selfe which it doth signifie and represent Why shoulde we then feare to call that bread a figure that is to say a sacrament of that holy body of our Lord and Sauiour 2. Besides that I woulde know of what necessitie or profite hys fleshe must be present in the sacrament For the presence of hys fleshe can no more profite vs then doth the remeÌ„brance of hys body but thys remembraunce may as well be done by the sacrameÌ„t as though hys bodye were present And therefore â—ith God and nature make nought in vayne it followeth coÌ„sequently y t his naturall flesh is not there but onely a memoriall therof 3. Furthermore the end and finall cause of a thyng is euer better then those thynges which are prouided for the end as the house is better then the lyme stone and timber which are prouided for the house but the ende and finall cause of the sacrament is the remembraunce of Christes body and thereupon it must followe that if the sacrament be hys naturall bodye that the remembraunce of Christes body should be better then hys body it selfe Which thyng is to be abhorred of all faythfull men 4. It were fondnes to fayne that the soule did otherwise eate then do the Angels in heauen and their meate is only the Ioy and delectation that they haue of God and of his glory and euen so doth the soule which is here vpon the earth eate through fayth the body of Christ which is in heauen For it deliteth and reioyceth whiles it vnderstandeth through fayth that Christ hath taken our sinnes vpon him and pacified the fathers wrath Neyther it is necessarie that for that or for this cause that his flesh should be present For a man may as well loue and reioyce in the thing which is from him not present as though it were present by hym of that manner 5. Moreouer the bread is Christes body euen as y e breaking of y e bread is the death of his body Now the breaking of bread at the maundy is not the very death of Christes body but onely a representatioÌ„ oâ— the same al be it the minde through fayth doth spirituallye behold his very death euen likewise that naturall bread is not the very body of our Lord but only a sacrament signe memoriall or representation of this same albeit through the monision therof y e mynde through fayth doth spiritually behold the very body And surely therof if a man be faythfull the sprite of God worketh in his hart very swéetely at his communion 6. Finally it was not lawfull to eate or drinke the bloud not onely of man but also of a brute beaste and the Apostels them selues moued by y e rule of Charitie did institute y â— meÌ„ should abstayne from bloud somewhat sauâ— ring the infirmitie of y â— Iewes Now if the Apostels had taught as ye do that in the sacrament his very fleshe and bloud is eaten and dronke with the téeth and mouth of faythfull and vnfaythfull what could haue bene a greater occasion to haue excluded the Iewes from Christes fayth euen at once Thinke you that Apostles would not haue bene to scrupulous to haue dronkeÌ„ his very bloud seing it was so playne agaynst Moses lawe if they had vnderstand hym so grossely as ye do Peter had a cloth sent downe from heauen in which were all manner of beastes forbidden by y e law and was commaunded to slay eate them And he aunswered God forbid for I neuer eate any vncleane thing meaning therby that he neuer eate any thing forbidden by the law Wherof it must néedes follow that either he neuer receiâ—ed the sacrameÌ„t whiche is playne false or elles that hee more spiritually vnderstode the wordes of Christes maundie then ye falslye fayne For it was plainely forbidden by the law to eate or drinke any maner of bloud And I know but one reason that they haue which they count insoluble how â—e it by Godes grace we shall sone auoyde it There reason is this Paule sayth he that eateth and drinketh this sacrament vnworthely shall be gilty of the body and bloud of the Lord. Now say they how should they be gilty of the Lords body and bloud which receiue it vnworthely except it were the very body and bloud of the Lord This argument I say is very weake and slender For I can shew many examples by the which it may be dissolued for he that despiseth the kinges seale or letters offendeth agaynst his owne person and yet the letter or seale is not his owne person He that violently plucketh downe his graces armes or breaketh his broade seale with a furious minde or violence committeth treason against his owne person And yet his armes and broad seale are not his owne person He that clippeth the kings coyne committeth treason against y e kynges person and the common wealth and yet the mony is neither his graces person nor the common wealth And therfore your argumeÌ„t is but weake and slender For euen as a man doth offende against the princes person by dispising his armes seale or letters So doth a man offend agaynst Christes body and bloud by abusing the sacrament of his body and bloud although he be not there present as y e kinges person is not present in his armes seale or letters Besides that S. Paule saith that euery man which prayeth or prophecieth with couered hed shameth his hed and his hed is Christ shall we therfore Imagin that Christ is naturallye in euery mans hed as your argument coÌ„cludeth For soth that were a prety phantasie Finally S. Austen sayth y â— he doth no lesse sinne which negligently heareth y e worde of God then doth the other whiche vnworthely receiueth y e sacrament of Christes body bloud Now if this be true then is your reason not worth a rishe For Christes naturall body is not in y e word which is preached as all men knowe And yet he sinneth no lesse that negligently heareth it then doth he that vnworthely receiueth the sacrament And thus you see their insoluble argument easely dissolued ¶ But now must this yong man consider againe that him selfe confesseth that the cause for which him selfe sayth that Christ in so saying did so meane is because that if he should haue ment so it was impossible to God to bring his meaning about that is to say that Christes body might be in two places at once And therfore but if he proue that thing impossible for God to doe els he
to hys Disciples the signe of his bloud 129 Christes body is neither materiall bread nor drinke 131 Christ hys body occupyeth one place onely 137 Christ as touchyng his Godhead is in all places 139 Christ his body is in one place onely 147 Christ is eaten with fayth and not with the teeth 157 Christ calleth hym selfe bread 159 Church cannot erre sayth Rochester 56 Contradictories cannot bee true 26 Corruption when it entred into the Church 116 CorinthiaÌ„s how they came togither to eate the Supper of the Lord. 162 D. DEath is terrible to all flesh 34 Dead persons can neither doe good nor euill 53 Doctours haue erred in many thynges 53 Doctours proue that there is bread in the Sacrament 165 Dippyng in water and liftyng vp agayne what it meaneth 93 E. EXample of the Alepolle 113 Epitome of Frithes booke of the Supper of the Lord. 164 F. FAyth in Christ is our righteousnes 28 Fayth is not procured by violence 57 Fayth is the gift of God 58 Fayth is the spirituall eatyng of Christ in the Sacrament 108 Fayth that saued our fathers the same now saueth vs. 109 Fayth eateth Christ ioyfully 143 Fayth in Christes bloud consecrateth the Sacrament 153 Faythfull and vnfaythfull doe not â—ate a lyke 161 False Antichristes 154 Feare maketh fayth no fayth 5â— Fier of Purgatory is of great force 50 Flesh may not reioyce in the gifts of nature but must feare and tremble 89 Flesh of Christ doth profite nothing and yet it doth profite 123. 140 Foundation of Frithes treatise of the Sacrament 108 Frith why hee wrote agaynst Purgatory 4 Frithes conclusion agaynst Rastals booke 32 Frithes aunswere to Syr Thomas More 32 Frithes iudgement vppon the booke of the Machabees 40 Frith and More doe not agree 42 Frithes opinion of Christes death read it for it is excellent 48 Frithes aunswere to the Byshop of Rochester 51 Frithes Bulwarke against Rastall 60 Frith a good player at the tennyce 62 Frith handleth Rastall gentely 63 Frith a true Martyr of Christ 65 Frithes aunswere to Rastals second chapter 66 Frith a good scholer 68. 69 Frithes aunswere to Rastals thyrde chapter 69 Frithes iudgement vppon Tracyes last will and testament 77 Frithes letter to the congregation 81 Frithes mirrour or glasse wherein a man may learne to know him selfe 83 Frithes mirrour or glasse wherein behold the efficacie of the Sacrament of Baptisme 90 Frithes auÌ„swere to Master Mores first booke of the Sacrament 107 Frith met with false brethren 114 Frithes offer to the Clergy 115 Frithes earnest zeale 115 Frith feareth not death 115 Frith is no hasty iudge 150 Frith hath great modestie 156 Frithes prayer 157 Frith doth playnly declare his doctrine is the Sacrament 168 G. GErmanes beleeue the presence of the body but worshyp it not 167 Glasse that representeth the face is not the face 146 God hath left vs two Purgatoryes 5 God is to bee honored of all creatures 13 God forgeueth our sinnes for Christes sake 14 God neither the better nor the worsse for our doynges 15 God can not bee agaynst hym selfe 48 God is sayd to bee almighty because there is no superiour power aboue hym that hee can doe all thynges that hee will 145 God is so vnited to the manhode of Christ that they make but one person 169 Gods honour consisteth not in our seruice 13 Gods word is the touchstone to trye all doctrine 53 Gods worde is the keye of knowledge 58 Gods spirite is not bounde to any place 91 Gods Church what it is 92 Good bad are of the seÌ„sible church 93 Gods Churche is without spot or wrincle 93 Godfathers and Godmothers and their charge 96 God cannot doe all thynges 142 Good woorkes are to bee done because God commaundeth them to bee done 28 Good workes are the frutes of fayth 74 Good workes doe mortifie our members 75 Good woorkes are profitable to our neighbour 75 Good giftes geuen to vs of God why they are geuen 85. 86 Goodnes is of God and all euill of our selues 83 Grace is the gift of God 76 H. HEauen and hell is expressed in the Scripture but no word of Purgatory 54 Hell there is none to them that are in Christ Iesu 72 Hell is ordeyned for such as feare not God 72 Heresie what it is 50 I. IEwes slayne for Idolatry 38. Institution of the SacrameÌ„t 157. 163. Iudas Machabeus beleueth the resurrection 39. Iudas Machabeus profitable to the Papes cleargie 39. Iustification freely excludeth purgatory 10. K. KEyes how they were geuen to Peter and Paule 58. L. LAwe of God and lawe of man doe greatly differ 19. Lazarus 20. M. MAn why hee was made 13. Manna was to the Iewes the same that the Sacrament is to vs. 110. 118. Maundy of remembraunce 159. Ministers must bee circumspect 96. Miracles how the true are tryed froÌ„ the false 154. More and Rochester cannot agree 30. 36. 56. Mores false and fond argument 33. More vnderstandeth not the Scripture 35. More proued to be an insipient 40. More a quarelling brabler 144. More a confused interpreter of the Scriptures 41. More a procter for purgatory 42. More a subtile Sophister 46. 137. More and his purgatory confuted and confounded 50. Mores Poetry 84. 137. More a trifeling mocker 120. More hath a chekmate 121. More pretely nipped 122. More a subtile Poet. 137. More an ignoraunt procter for the clergie 144. More daunsing naked in a net thinketh himselfe inuisible 84. More harpeth on a wroÌ„g string 148 More and Frith dispute two things 149. More a popishe and malicious tyrant 156. N. NAturall reason not mete to reason against Scripture 13. Nature teacheth vs that there is both bread and wine in the Sacrament 165. O. OBstinate persons 95. Oecolampadius dyed of a Canker 118. Opinion of Frith 164. 165. 166. Opinion of the Prelates 164. 165. 166. P. PAule prophesieth of the latter tymes 116. Papistes imagined a purgatory for themselues 5. Papistes corrupte the Scriptures 126. Papistes say that no promise or couenant ought to be kept with heretiques 155. Parables proue nothing 54. Paradise what Christ ment by that worde 138 Paschall Lambe compared with the Sacrament of Christes bodie 157 158. Philip his maner of Baptisme 95. Pope is mercilesse if there be a purgatory 6. Pope is the Deuils vicar 59. Pope selleth Christes merites for money 11. Pope is Antichrist 59. Prayers and good deedes how they helpe 49. Prayers for the dead are vayne 52. Prayers made by Iohn Frith 157. Purgatory pickepursse 17. Purgatory a phantasie of mannes imagination 17. 27. Purgatory on the earth 18. Purgatory there is none 21. 27. Purgatory is in many places 21. Purgatory can not feare vs from sinne 25. Purgatory is needlesse 29. 31. Purgatory quite excluded 45. Purgatory and pardons haue beene good marchaundise for the Pope and his clergie 58. R. RAstalles dialogues what they conteyned 7. Rastall followeth More 7. 8. Rastall clearely and quicklye confounded 8. 9. Rastalles lyes 13. 14. Rastalles
that Christen men were not bounde to abstayne from bodely labour by that commaundement for it was so geuen to the Iewes And if we were bound to abstayne from bodely labour by that commaundement then was the kinges grace and all his councell my Lorde Cardinall and all his counsell in the waye of damnation For they cause men to carye their stuffe on the holy day what daye so euer it bée whan they will remoue At this reason all my Lordes were astonied and wist not what to say they were loth to cōdemne my Lord Cardinals grace seing he was so holy a prelate of Christes church and that facte they coulde not deneye Wherfore at y e last my Lorde of Rochester remembred hym selfe and obiected in this maner A goodly reason I will make you a like reason The byshop of Winchester suffered y e stues Ergo the stues bée lawfull At this reason I ineruayled much For I perceyued that it was as lawfull for our noble Prince to carye stuffe on the holy day which is not agaynst y e word of god as it is for an harlot of y e stnes to liue in open whordome which is against the worde of God And yet my Lords the byshops of their greate charitie and of their innumerable spirituall treasure suffereth agaynst their conscience both to bée done Briefely it were to longe to recite all the vncharitable maner that they dyd vse with me And yet earnestly I must bée condemned poore man for an heretyke But I will recyte the saying of doctours for me y e men may sée how shamefully I haue erred Saynt Hierome sayth Therfore bée certine dayes assigned that we should come togither not that that daye in the whiche we come togither is holyer then an other but all dayes bée like and equall And Christ is not alonely crucified in Parasceden and risen onlye on the sonday but the day of resurrection is alwayes and alwayes may we eate of our Lordes fleshe c. Here S. Hierome sayth y e selfe words y e I spake And of these wordes was I moued to speake as God doth knowe Also S. Augustine sayth we must obserue the sabboth day not y e we should recken our selfe not to labour but that all thinge that we doe worke well muste haue an intention to the euerlasting rest Wherfore we must obserue the holy day not by corporall idlenes and vnto the letter but spiritually must we rest from vyces and concupisences wherfore among all the ten commaundementes that of the sabboth daye is alonely commaunded to bée figuratiuely obserued c. Also Tertullyan The Carnall circumcision is put away and extincted at his time So likewise the obseruation of the sabboth day is declared to bée for a tyme for we must kéepe y e sabboth day not alonely the seuenth day but at all tymes as Esay sayth c. But here my Lorde of Rochester sayde fyrste that I vnderstode not Tertulian secōdarily that hée was an heretike But I passe ouer myne aūswere for this is but a Lordly worde and hée could none otherwise saue his honour but yet stādeth my scripture fast And S. Hierome and S. Augustine also their owne law whose wordes be these It is come vnto me that certaine men which bée of an euill spirite haue sowen certaine euill thinges among you and contrary to the holy faith so that they doe forbid that men should worke on the Sabboth day The whiche men what other thyng shall we call them but the preachers of Antichrist the which Antichrist shall make the Sabboth day and the Sonday bée kept from all maner of worke c. This law clearely declareth you to bée Antichristes this is more then I sayd I haue great marueile that the Byshop of Bathe beyng so mighty a Lord in condemning of heretickes was not learned in this law seyng it is his owne facultie NOw dare no mā preach y e truth and the very Gospell of God in especiall they that bée féeble and fearefull But I trust yea and I pray to God that it may shortly come that false and manifest errours may bée plainely shewed There bée certaine men like conditioned to dogges if there bee any man that is not theyr countryman or that they loue not or know not say any thing agaynst them then cry they an hereticke an hereticke ad ignem ad ignem These bée the dogges that feare true preachers What heresie finde you in this article I doe thinke that you doe féele my prayer to bée heards For doubtles there bée many shamefull errours now manifestly opened that at those dayes had béene heresie to haue touched them WEe make nowe a dayes many Martyrs I trust wée shall haue many moe shortly For the viritie coulde neuer bée preached playnely but persecution did follow Here did my Lord of Bathe inquire of mée if I reckoned them for martyrs that were burnte at Bruselles I answered that I knewe not their cause wherefore they died but I reckoned as many men to bée martyrs as were persecuted and dyed for the worde of God but hée saide hée woulde make mée to frye for this How thinke you by this holy prelate was not this a charitable argument to refell myne aunswere with But this was the strongest argument that euer they vsed And paraduenture I may sée the day that this argument may bée made against them THese lawes these lawyers these Iusticiares that say that a man may lawfully aske his owne good afore a Iudge and contende in iudgement haue destroyed all patience deuotion and faith in Christen people On this article hangeth also y e nexte THis pleading in iudgement is manifestly against the Gospell Luk. 12. Homo quis constituit iudicē And contrary to S. Paule Iam omnino delictum est c. Myne aduersaries most vncharitably layde these two articles against mée as though I had condempned the lawemaker lawe and execution thereof whan I onely spake agaynst the vnchariblenes of some mē which rather séeke vengeaunce of their brethren than any right or helpe of the lawe Nor I speake not against all lawyers or against any for pleading iustly after the forme of the lawe but onely against those which taught men that they were bounde to prosicute the vttermost of the lawe vnder the paine of deadly sinne were the man neuer so poore and vnlike to pay the debte Against these two persons spake I and against none other For it is not nor neuer was mine intent to forbid suing at the lawe for I doe know very well that maiestratus is of God Ergo it must néedes followe that all lawes hauing probable reasons of nature made to conserue a common wealth must also bée allowed of God for lawes bée a parte of the power that is instituted of God Moreouer S. Paule doth appeale to the Emperour which is also pars litis And that hée coulde not doe if suing were
expounde this texte Now doth hée plainly shewe that sayth alonely hath the vertue in him to iustifie and bringeth Abacuk saying Of faith and not of the law shal a righteous maÌ„ lyue Hée addeth well afore God for afore man peraduenture they shal be reckened righteous that sticke to the lawe but not afore God c. Here haue you Sola onely And also that this holy iustification is afore God and after his iudgemeÌ„t not after mens iudgementes Wherfore glory as much as you caÌ„ of your good workes They can not alonely iustifie you but also they bée of no valure but damnable and very sinne if there bée no fayth So farre are they from helping to iustification Thys doth S. Augustine witnesse in these wordes Those same workes that bée done afore fayth though they séeme vnto men laudable yet are they but vayne and I doe iudge them as great strength and as swift running out of the way Wherfore let no man couÌ„t his good workes before fayth where as faith is not there is no good work the intention maketh a good worke but fayth doth guide thee inteÌ„tion c. Here S. Augustine condemneth all your good workes afore fayth sayth that they bée nothing worth but vain and thinges out of the way How can such thynges helpe to iustification Marke also how that your good intention wherupon you boast that you doe so many good workes by can not helpe you for hée is blynde and knoweth not what to doe though he stand well in his owne conceite with out fayth which is his guide So that all thinges afore fayth are but very blindnes But as soone as fayth commeth hée doth both iustifie and also maketh the works good which were afore sinne But let vs sée what Saint Barnarde sayth of good workes I doe abhorre sayth hée whatsoeuer thyng is of mée Except paradueÌ„ture that that be myne which God hath made me hys By grace hath hée iustified mée fréely and by that hath hée deliuered mée from the bondage of sinne Thou hast not choseÌ„ me sayth Christ but I haue chosen thée nor I found any merites in thée that might moue me to chose thée but I preuented all thy merites Wherefore thus by faith haue I maryed thée vnto me and not by the woorkes of the law I haue maryed the also in iustice but not in the iustice of the lawe but in the iustice which is of fayth Now this remayneth that thou doest iudge a ryght iudgment betwéene thée and mée Geue thou iudgment wherein that I haue maried thée where it is open that thy merites dyd not come betwéene but my pleasure and will c. S. Barnarde doth despise all hys good workes and taketh hym onely to grace but you stycke partly to your good workes and not onelye to grace Had S. Barnarde no good workes to stycke to Marke that S. Barnarde is Gods child fréely by grace which can not bée if workes doe helpe lesse or more Was hée not a christened man Had hée no workes of the new law as you call them I thinke yes And yet hée sayth y e there was no merites nor any goodnes but that we were fréely chosen Wherfore hée prouoked you all such as you be to iudge righteously betwéene God and you the which hath preueÌ„ted all your goodnes and that of his owne will and of hys owne pleasure How can hée finde any goodnes that preuenteth all goodnes So that here haue you clearely that good workes of y e law or morall good woorkes as you fayne doe nothing helpe to iustificatioÌ„ afore God for they bée preueÌ„ted of iustification This is also well proued by Saint Augustines sayinge Wherfore these thinges considered and declared after the strength that it hath pleased God to geue vs we doe gather that a man can not bée iustified by the preceptes of good liuing that is not by the lawe of workes but by y e law of fayth not by the letter but by the spirite not by merites of workes but by frée grace c. Here you this not by merites of workes but by frée grace what call you frée grace but without al things sauyng graâ—e what call you not of workes but y â— workes helpe nothing For if workes did helpe then would hée not say not of workes but not of workes onelye but part of workes part of faith but hée excludeth workes fully onely Agayne the same thing that purchaseth vs remission of our sinnes doth also purchase iustificatioÌ„ For iustificatioÌ„ is nothing but remission of sins Now fayth purchaseth vs remissioÌ„ Ergo by faith we ar iustified Nowe that fayth doth purchase remission of sinnes it is well proued by this article of our fayth Credo remissionem peccatorum I beléeue remission of sinnes Now if I haue not this remission for fayth then fayth deceiueth mée for I doe beléeue onely because I woulde haue remission of sinnes What néedeth me to beléeue remission of sinnes if I may deserue it by workes Also our mayster Christ declareth openly y e no manner of works what so euer they bée can iustifye afore God These bée his wordes wheÌ„ you haue done all thinges that bée commaunded you yet saye that wee are vnprofitable seruauntes If you bée vnprofitable then bée you not iustified And if you can not bée iustified when you haue done all thinges how will you bée iustified When you doe in a maner nothing and specially of those thinges that bée commaunded you wherefore this is playne y e our workes can not helpe vs to iustification For wheÌ„ we haue done all things yet we are vnprofitable But let vs proue this by an open example I put this case my Lordes vnto you I speake that our noble prince would call you all before him and say My Lordes so it is that it hath pleased vs to cal you vnto the spiritual dignitie of Byshops to make you of our counsell and Lordes of our Realme and also of our parlameÌ„t Now wold we know of you which of you all hath deserued it or reckeneth hym selfe worthy by his deseruing les or more of this dignity What will you say to this What will you aunswere to the Kynges grace Is there one amonge you all that dare be so bolde as to say to the kinges grace that he hath not geuen it vnto hym fréely but that hée hath done the king so faythfull seruice that he was bouÌ„d to geue it vnto him Yea and that of his deseruinge If there were one that were so proude as to say this thinke you that y e kings grace woulde not laye to his charge how that hée had not done halfe his duetie but were rather bound to doe ten tymes as much more and yet the Kinges grace were not bouÌ„d to geue hym a bysshopricke for hée had done but his duetye and not all that Now if your good workes and all your faythfull seruice bée not able to deserue a
byshopryke of the kinges grace How will you bée able by your workes to deserue heauen and iustification before the king of all kynges When you haue aunswered to this before the kinges grace then come and dispute with God the iustification of your workes and yet shall they bée farre vnlike Wherfore I conclud of these scriptures and of these doctours that the fayth that we haue in Christ Iesus and his blessed bloude doth onely and sufficiently iustifie vs béefore God without the helpe of any workes And though y e all scripture bee no thing els but a holle probacion of this article that is alonely a perfect commeÌ„dation and a prayse of Christ and of his blessed merites that hée hath deserued for vs yet will I passe ouer to bryng in any moe places For they y e are not coÌ„teÌ„t with these scriptures wyll not bée satisfied nor yet content to geue al onely glory to God though I brought in all the newe testament Yea Christ hym selfe could not satisfie them if hee were here no nor yet though heauen and earth and all creatures therin were nothyng els but probations of this article it would not helpe Wherefore I let such infidels passe and leue them to the iudgement of God alonely certifieng them of this one thyng that is infallible how the day shall come that it shall repent them yea and that sorer then I can either write or thinke that they did not beléeue the lest pricke of this holy article But vnto our purpose The very true way of iustification is this First commeth God for the loue of Christe Iesus alonely of his mere mercy and geueth vs fréely the gift of fayth wherby we doe beleeue God his holy word and sticke fast vnto the promises of God and beléeue that though heauen and earth and all that is in them should perish and come to nought yet God shall bée founde true in his promises for this faythe 's sake bée we the elect children of God This is not such a fayth as men dreame when they beléeue that there is one God and beléeue that hée is eternall beléeue also that hée made the worlde of naught yea and beléeue that the Gospell is true and all thing that God speaketh must bée true and fulfilled with other such thynges This I say is not the fayth that wée bée iustified by for deuils and infidels haue this fayth â—and also wée may attayne to these thynges by strength of reason But the fayth that shall iustifie vs must bée of an other maner of strength for it must come from heauen and not from the strength of reason It must also make mée beléeue that God the maker of heauen and earth is not alonely a father but also my father yea and that thorow the fauour that Christ hath purchased mée from the whiche fauour neither heauen nor earth tribulation nor persecution death nor hell can deuide mée But to this sticke I fast that hée is not alonely my father but also a mercifull father yea and that vnto mée mercifull and so mercifull that hée will not impute my sinnes vnto mée though they bée neuer so great so long as I hang on the blessed bloud of Christ Iesus and sinne not of malice but of frailtie and of no pleasure Hée is also a lyberall father yea and that vnto mée liberall which will not alonely promise mée all thynges but also géeue them me whether they bée necessary to the body or to y e soule Hée is also not alonely lyberall but myghty to performe all thynges that hée promyseth vnto mée Briefely this fayth maketh mée to hang clearely of God and of his blessed promyses made in Christ and in his swéete and precious bloud and not to feare death nor any affliction nor persecution nor tribulation but to despise all these thynges and not alonely these but to despise also myne own lyfe for Christes sake Finally of a fleshely beast it maketh mée a spirituall man of a damnable child it maketh mée a heauenly sonne of a seruaunt of the deuill it maketh mée a frée maÌ„ of Gods both deliuered from the lawe from sinne from death from the deuill and from all myserie that might hurt mée My Lordes this is the fayth that doth iustifie and that wée do preach And because it is geuen from heauen into our hartes by the spirite of God therfore it can bée no idle thing But it must néedes do all maner of things y e bée to the honour of God and also to the profite of our neighbour In so much that at all tymes necessary it must néedes worke well also bryng forth all good workes that may bée to the profite and helping of any man But these workes bée not done to iustifie the man but a iust man must néedes doe them Not vnto his profite but alonely to other mens profites euen as our maister Christ suffered hunger and thyrste and persecution and tooke great labours in preaching of his worde yea and also suffered death All these thinges I say did hée not to further or to profite himselfe but for our merites and for our profite So likewise doth a iust man his workes And as a good trée in tyme of the yeare bryngeth forth good Apples not to make hym good for hée is good afore nor yet this apple is not to his profite but vnto other mens notwithstanding y e good nature that is in hym muste néedes bring it forth So likewise the iust man must néedes doe good workes not by them to bée iustified but alonely in them to serue his brother for hée hath no néede of them as concerning his iustification Wherfore now here haue you the very true cause of iustification that is fayth alonely And also the very true way and maner of doynge good workes And how that no man can doe good workes but a iustified man as our maister Christ sayth Eyther make the trée good and then his fruite good or els the trée euill and his fruit euill for a good trée must néedes bring forth good fruite and a badde euyll fruite But now let mée aunswere to the Scriptures and to the reasons that they bring to prooue that workes doe iustifie First commeth the fleshly and dampnable reason and shée sayth If wée bée iustified alonely by fayth what néede wée to doe any good workes what néede wée to crucifie or mortifie our fleshe for all these wil not profite vs and wée shall bée saued though wée doe none of theÌ„ all Thus did blinde reason dispute with Saint Paule when that hée had proued that God of his mercy had deliuered vs fréely from the damnable bondage of the law Anone hée iudged that he might do what hée would for hée was no loÌ„ger vnder the law To this S. Paule auÌ„swereth y â— if wée obey vnto y â— workes of sinne then are we the seruauntes of sinne if we obey to the workes of iustice
experience what fréewill is able to doe without God Behold man was made good by his fréewil was hée made an euill mā Whē shall an euill mā by his free-will forsakyng God make a mā good hée béeyng good could not kéepe hym selfe good and now that hee is euill shall hee make hym selfe good when that hée was good hée kepte not him selfe good and now that hee is euill shall hee say I make my selfe good c. Here is the very strength of free-will by his strength are wée made miserable and that doth experience learne And yet wée boaste fréewill S. Augustine calleth it cursed fréewil and will wée call it blessed fréewill Is not this a goodly fréedome and great power to bryng vs to this euerlasting miserie This is our bonum conatum and facere qoud in ce est and preparare se ad graciam with other dampnable dreames that wée haue whose conclusions are nothing els but to bryng vs to dampnation You sée S. Augustines words bée so plaine that no mā can auoide them Also S. Paule saith The wisdome of the fleshe is enemy to God it is not subiecte vnto y e law nor cā bee for they that serue y t fleshe can not please God And hée that hath not the spirite of Christ the same mā is none of his for the selfe spirit beareth witnes to our spirite that wée be the children of God Here haue you plainely that the wisdome of y t fleshe is the very enemy against God It cā not bée saide but by wisedome he vnderstandeth the best thyng that is in man for better thē wisdome cā there nothing bée and yet that is enemy to God for it is but fleshe and all that is in man without the spirite of God And that S. Paule declareth when hée saych hée that hath not the spirite of Christ the same man is not Christes Here is playne that will reasō wisdome hart or whatsoeuer thing y ◠is in man without the spirit of God is but fleshe and can not bée obedient Hée sayth not he wyll not but he can not hée hath no might hée hath no power let hym intende his best doe all y t lyeth in hym with all his might all his power yet can it not please God for it is but all fleshe But here M. Duns will make a distinction and say that fleshe is takē here for fleshely desires onely and voluptuousnes not for the desires of the soule nor for the electiō of y t will I woulde know what part of man it is that desireth or that coueteth thys voluptuousnes It is not the bones nor the sinowes nor the fleshe that hangeth thereon but it is the highest parte of man the very soule of man hée is the grounde and auctor of all conscupisence take away hym and there remayneth no voluptuousnes Therefore S. Paule declareth hym and hys operation when hée caulleth it the wisdome of the fleshe But I woulde gladly know what hée vnderstandeth by vncleane desires and by voluptuousnes If hée vnderstand euill cogitations as aduoutry fornications manslaughter thefte couetousnes deceite vncleanes blasphemy pride and foolishnes If hée call these volupousnes these bée they that come from the hart of man and bée chosen by the election of the will as our M. Christ doth clearely declare Mark vij Yea and that from the very bottome of the hart Can they inuent any other vncleanely desires thē these And these come not from the bones nor from the sinowes but frō the very ground of the hart and these bée all hys desires and other hath hée none of hym selfe Wherefore these dreamers dreame they wot not what and speake that they vnderstand not For all that is in man harte soule fleshe and bone c. wyth all theyr workes is but fleshe excepte the spirite of God bée there Euery man hath a soule but by that is hée not Christes for thē Infidels were Christes but the spirite of Christ maketh hym Christes and the spirite of God géeueth witnes to our spirite that we bée the children of God Our spirite géeueth no witnes to himself that hée is Christes for then were the spirite of God frustrate Wherefore let our spirite as well as hée can studye hys beste to apply hymselfe to goodnes after the vttermost of his power and yet is it but wisdome of the fleshe and hath no witnes of God yea it is but an enemy and it must néedes bée sinne For S. Augustine sayth Hée that féedeth without mée féedeth agaynst mée c. Marke how hée sayth agaynst mée Wherefore all that fréewill can doe without grace is but sinne Marke also that Paule did write vnto the Iewes yea and to the best of them which did studye to doe good workes yea and that the best workes that were the workes of the lawe and yet all these bée caulleth but fleshe and declareth openly that all these good workes coulde not helpe them yet no doubt but that the Iewes dyd as much as lay in theyr fréewyll to doe to come to the fauour of God yet it helped not for all was but wisedome of the fleshe and enemy to God Also S. Paule sayth If you mortifie the déedes of the fleshe by the spirite you shall liue You will not recken that S. Paule doth iudge the spirite of God necessary to kyll the desires of the fleshe that is of the syndwes or of the bones or of any other thyng that is in man beside the spirite of man for that were but a small thyng yea it were but frustrate to set the spirite of God to kylle these thynges for the spirite of man can kill them yea and also rule them For after your owne Philosophers the spirite of man is the ruler and the guider of all the woorkes that bée done by the body Wherefore the spirite of God must bée hee that shall kyll the disease of our spirite the whiche is the most spirituall thyng in vs and yet is it but fleshe afore God For if there were any power in hym hye or lowe to kyll hys desires then were it but voyde to call the spirite of God to helpe But let vs heare what S. Augustine sayth on this texte if you mortifie your fleshe c. Thou wylte say that can my wyll doe that can my fréewill doe What wyll what maner of fréewil except that hée guide thée thou fallest excepte hée lyfte thée vp thou lyest styll How canst thou then doe it by thy spirite séeing that y t Apostle sayth As many as bée ledde by the spirite of God bée the children of God Wilte thou doe of thy selfe Wilte thou bée ledde of thyne owne selfe to mortifie the déedes of the fleshe what will it profite thee For if thou bée not an Epicure thou shalt bée a Stoicke Whether thou bée bée an Epicure or a Stoicke thou shalte not bée amonge the children of God For they that bée
image leape to your worme eaten Gods yea you haue burnt many a poore mā for speakyng against these dumme Idolles But tell me when all the Byshops in England did vexe or trouble any man for speakyng or for doyng yea or for destroying this very true Image of GOD they had rather destroy it them selues then it should bée vndestroyed Let the kynges bookes bée searched throughout the Realme and there shall bée no small number founde of these Images that bée troubled and vexed and cast in prison for trifles yea and vtterly vndone by the Byshops and by their Priestes yet wil they bée y t honourers of Images yea and that to the honour of God and of all holy Saintes Is not this against all wisedome yea is it not agaynst nature and yet no man may tell it Also the same doctour in an other place What thing is there so wicked so vnthākfull as to receaue a benefyte of God and to geue thankes vnto stockes and stones wherfore wake and vnderstād your health c. How thinke you are you not vnthankfull vnto God of whō you haue receiued all thing and for them you thanke your worme eaten Gods farthermore S. Augustine sayth Let vs not loue any visible spectakilles lest by erring from the veritie and by louing shadowes we be brought in to darknes let vs haue no deuocyon to our phantesies It is better to haue a trew thing what so euer it be then all māner of thinges that may be fayned at our owne pleasure c. Bée not your idols visible spectakles Bée they any other thinges then shadowes and yet you will loue them honour them Aunswere to Saint Augustine You Infydels haue not we a lyuing God and will you bring vs from hym to dead stockes Also S. Hierome Be it knowen vnto the Kyng c. the properties of the wordes be to be marked that he he sayth we will not worship thy gods nor yet honour thy image for neither of both be come the seruauntes of God to doe c. Here haue you that neyther worshipping nor honouring belōgeth to Images But now to y t worshiping of saints which hath a greater shadowe of holynes then these dumme Gods haue In primis you say that sayntes must pray for vs and bée mediators to God for vs that by them wée may bée able to receiue our petition This is Richardes opynion De media villa there can not a thing bée inuented by y t craft of the deuyll that may bée a greater blasphemye or more derogation to Christ and his blessed bloud then this is For if Saintes bée necessary to bée mediatours for vs then is Christ vnsufficient for phylosophers did neuer put ij causes where as one was sufficient and if any thing bée geuen vs of God for sayntes sakes then bée not all thinges geuē for Christes sake y t which is plainely against S. Paules saying God for vs all hath geuen his sonne and shall he not geue Vs all things with him Let euery christ en man iudge what a blasphemy that is But let vs prooue that Christe is all onely our mediator S. Paule sayth There is one mediatour between God and man the mā Christ Iesus the which hath geuen him selfe for the redemption of all men Marke that hée sayth one medyatour betwéen God and man Where there is but one there can no sayntes come in Moreouer sayntes bée men therefore they must haue a mediatour for them selues and then they can not be mediatours for other men Farthermore the mediator between God and man is cauled Christ Iesus Now is there any saynt that hath this name if there bée none that hath the name then is there none that can vsurpe this office without blaspheming of Christ Farthermore hée hath redéemed vs onely without the helpe of saints and why shal hée not bée onely mediatour without saintes is not redemptiō the chief acte of a mediatour Also the holy ghost sayth He shall bee called Emanuell the which is as much to say as God with vs what is this God with vs is hée with vs but as one man is with an other And as my cote is with my backe Nav hée is an other wayes with vs That is to redéeme vs to saue vs to kéepe vs to defend vs from all euell yea and is with vs that is hée is on our syde he holdeth with vs hée speaketh for vs hée excuseth vs hée maketh our cause good briefly hée obtayneth all thinges for vs. Of what saynct can this be spoken What doe sayntes now for vs Also S. Iohn sayth If a mā doe sinne we haue an aduocate by the father Christ Iesus what is this hée is our aduocate to the father and here bée none assigned but Christ Iesus and by hym haue we onely remission of our synnes Now what shall the Saintes obtaine for vs what shall they desire for vs if our sinnes bée remitted then hath the father of heauen no displeasure agaynst vs what shall they then pray for vs Also S. Paule sayth The spirite of God maketh intercession mightyly for vs with mighty desires that cā not bee expressed with toung Marke how the spirite of God desireth and prayeth for vs and that no man should recken that we had néede of other mediatours hée sayth that hée prayeth mightyly for vs and with great feruēcie that it can not bée expressed Now is not hée able to obtaine all things for vs and hath taken this office on him for vs it were doubtles a great rebuke to him that Saintes should bée set in his steade ioined w t him in his office as though hée were vnsufficient You thinke to doe saints a great honour when you make them Godes and set thē in Christs steade but you can not doe them a great dishonour nor displeasure for they will bée but Saintes and no Gods yea that by Christes helpe not by their owne Also S. Paule faith Christ sitteth on the right hād of the father the whiche doth also praye for vs marke that hée prayeth for vs can the father of heauē deny any thyng of his prayer Doth not hée aske all thinges necessarie for vs And as Scripture sayth He is our wisedome he is our iustice he is our satisfactiō and our redemption made of God Now what resteth for Saintes to aske what will you desire more then wisedome iustice sanctificatiō and redemption all these hath Christ obteined for vs yea and hée alonely thereunto was ordeined of God which of all the Saintes can say that but hée if all saintes all the world would say the contrary yet hée him selfe stādeth fast against them all cōdēneth them for lyars blasphemers saying No man commeth to the father but by me note these wordes First he saith no man c. Ergo as many as euer shall come to the father of heauen bée here cōteined then addeth
article collected seuerally by theÌ„ selues I haue therefore accordyng to my simple skill gathered this Epitome and haue added also thereunto foure other articles translated into Englishe out of hys Booke De Doctorum Sententijs whiche bee confirmed in the lyke sorte onely by bare testimonyes of scriptures fathers couÌ„cels lawes Which foure articles and the treatise beefore of the originall of the Masse were omitted in hys English workes But as for all the other testimonies in his booke De DoctoruÌ„ Sententijs hee hath in this volume of his workes dispersedly alleaged most of them to his purpose as hee had occasion which by this Epitome folowing thou mayest perceaue Now hast thou gentle reader to consider of these auncient testimonyes desiring thee for the coÌ„firming and establishyng of thy doubtfull conscience to compare these sayinges of Doctors holy fathers and of the Popes own law vnto the saying of the Pope and his Papisticall byshops that bee in these latter dayes and to their late practises where their power is or hath beene receaued and then geeue sentence howe they doe agree If they doe accorde then is it lyke they bee of the true Church whereof these holy fathers were But if they agree not then mayest thou suspect that they haue gone astray and that the deuill hath transfigured hym selfe into an Aungell of light and that they are his ministers Who notwithstandyng haue fashioned them selues as though they were the ministers of righteousnes whose end shall bee accordyng to their deedes ¶ That faith onely iustifieth AMbrose sayth they are iustefyed freely for they doeing nothing nor nothing deseruing all onely by fayth are iustefied by the gyft of God Fol. 230. col 1. Ambrose sayth It was so decreed of God that after the lawe hee should require vnto saluation all onely the fayth of grace hee sayth that they bee blessed of whom God hath determined wtont labour without all manner of obseruation all onely by fayth that they shall bee iustefyed before God Blessed are they whose sinnes are forgeuen Clearely they are blessed vnto whoÌ„ without labour or without any worke their iniquities bee remitted and their synnes couered and no manner of workes required of them but all onely that they should beleeue 231. col 1 Athanasyus sayth there are two maner of faythes one is iustefying as y t of the which it is spoken thy fayth hath saued thee An other is cauled the gift of God whereby myracles bee done of the which it is written if you haue fayth as a graine of mustard seede 241. col 1. Athanasyus sayth Nowe doth the Apostle playnely showe that fayth all onely hath vertue in hym to iustifie and bryngeth Abacuke saying of fayth and not of the law shall a righteous man lyue Hee addeth well beefore God for beefore man peraduenture they shall bee reckened righteous that sticke to the law but not beefore God c. 233. col 1 Augustine saith those same workes y t bee done beefore fayth thoughe they seeme vnto men laudable are yet but vayne and I doe iudge them as great strength and swift running out of the way Wherefore let no man count his good workes before fayth where as fayth is not there is no good worke the ententioÌ„ maketh a good worke but fayth doth guide the entention c. 233. col 2 Augustine sayth we doe gather that a man can not bee iustefyed by the preceptes of good lyuing that is not by y t lawe of workes but by that lawe of faith not by the letter but by the sprite not by the merites of workes but by free grace 234. col 1 Augustine sayth S. Paule affirmeth that a man may bee iustifyed by fayth without any works goyng before iustifycation but when a man is iustifyed by fayth how can hee but worke well though y t he before working nothinge righteously is now come to the iustifycation of fayth not by merytes of good workes but by the grace of God the which grace in hym now can not bee Idle seeing that now thorow loue hee worketh well And if hee depart out of this worlde after that hee beleeueth the iustifycation of fayth abydeth by hym not by his workes going before iustifycation for by his merites came hee not vnto that iusteficatioÌ„ but by grace nor by his workes that followe iustefycation for hee is not suffered to lyue in this lyfe Wherfore Paule and Iames are not contrary for Paule speaketh of the workes that goe beefore fayth and Iames speaketh of the woorkes that followe the iustefycation of fayth 238. col 1 Augustine expoundinge the texte of y t Apostle Roma 2. The doers of the law must bee iustifyed sayth so must it bee vnderstoode that we may know that they can no otherwise bee the doers of of the law except they bee fyrst iustifyed not that iustifycation belongeth to the doers but that iustifycation doth proceede of all manner of doeing 240. col 1 Barnarde sayth I doe abhorre what so euer thinge is of mee except peraduenture that that bee myne that God hath made mee his By grace hath hee iustifyed mee freely and by that hath hee deliuered mee from the bondage of synne Thou hast not chosen me saith Christ but I haue chosen thee nor I found any merites in thee that might moue mee to chuse thee but I preuented all thy merytes Wherefore thus by fayth I haue maried thee vnto me and not by the workes of the lawe I haue maried thee also in iustice but not in the iustice of the lawe but in that iustice which is of fayth 233. col 2 Popes law sayth Cornelius centuno being a heathen man was iustifyed by the gift of the holy Ghost 240. col 2 ¶ What the Church is and who bee thereof and whereby men may know her AVgustine saith of Christ is y e church made fayre fyrst was shee fylthy in synnes afterward by pardon and by grace was shee made fayre 244. col 1 Augustine sayth The holy church are we but I doâ— not say we as one should say we that bée here alonely that heare 〈◊〉 now but as many as bee here faith full Christen men in this Church that is to say in this Citie as many as bee in this region as many as bee beyond the Sea c. 245. col 1 Lyranus sayth The Church doth notâ—stand in men by reason of spirituall power or secular dignities For many Princes and many Popes other inferiour persons haue swarued from the fayth Wherefore that Church doth stand in those persons in whom is the true knowledge and coÌ„fession of faith and of veritie c. 245. col 1 Augustine sayth The whole Church sayth forgeue vs our sinnes wherfore sheâ— hath spottes and wrinckles but by knowledgyng of them her wrinckles bee extended and stretched out by knowledgyng her spottes are washed away 246. col 1 Augustine sayth Our holy mother the Churche throughout all the world
you doe honour in sensible thinges And maketh you to beleeue that you bee not wicked when you hurt sensible and reasonable men c. 346. col 1 Clement sayth also in an other place What thing is there so wicked and vnthankfull as to receaue a benefyte of God and to geue thankes vnto stocks and stones Wherfore wake and vnderstand your health c. 346. col 2 Augustine sayth Let vs not loue any visible spectacles least by erring from the veritie and by louing shadowes we bee brought into darknes let vs haue no deuocion to our phantasies It is better to haue a trew thing what so euer it bee then all maner of thinges y t may bee fayned at our owne pleasure c. 346. col 2 Hierome Bee it knowē vnto y e King c. The properties of the wordes be to bee marked that hee sayth We will not worship thy Gods nor yet honour thy Image for neither of both become the seruauntes of God to doe c. 346. col 2 God for vs all hath geuen his sonne shall he not geue vs all thinges with hym 347. col 1 There is one mediatour between God and man the man Christ Iesus the which hath geuen him selfe for the redemption of all men 347. col 1 S. Iohn sayth If a man doe sinne we haue an aduocate by the father Christ Iesus 347. col 2 S. Paule sayth The spirite of God maketh intercession mightely for vs with mightie desires that can not be expressed with toung c. 347. col 2 Also S. Paule sayth Christ sitteth on the right hande of the father the which doth also praye for vs. c. 347. col 2 Paule sayth Hee is our wisedome he is our satisfaction and our redemption made of God c. 347. col 2 S. Iohn sayth No man commeth to the father but by mee c. 348. col 1 S. Iohn sayth I am the way onely in the father c. 348. col 1 S. Iohn also sayth Whatsoeuer you aske in my name the father shall geue it you c. 348. col 1 S. Iames sayth All good giftes commeth from the father of lyght 348. col 2 Dauid sayth When I am troubled I will cry vnto the Lord and hee will helpe me c. 349. col 1 Dauid sayth My helpe is of God that hath made heauen and earth 349. col 1 Augustine sayth Let vs haue no deuotion in honoryng of dead men for if they liued wel they may not bee counted for such men as to desire such honours but they will that God shall bee honored of vs by whose lightenyng they reioyce that we are made companions of their glory Wherfore saintes must bee honored by folowyng them but not by honoryng them of deuotion c. 349. col 2 That man was forbydden of the aungell to worship hym but alonely to worshyp one God c. 350. col 1 Chrisostome sayth Doost thou see this womā which was vnworthy but by her perseueraunce was made worthy wilt thou learne also that we praying vnto God in our owne persons doe more profite thē when other men doe pray for vs. This woman did cry and the disciples came and prayed him that hee would speed her for she cryeth on vs. But to them hee aunswered I am not sent but vnto the sheepe which are perished of y e house of Israell But when shee came her selfe and dyd perseuer crying and saying Yes Lord for the whelpes doe eate the crūmes that fall from their maisters tables thē dyd hee geue her the benefite and sayd bee it vnto thee as thou wilt Doost thou not see how hee dyd repell her when other men prayed for her but whē shee came her selfe and cryed hee did graūt her Vnto them hee sayd I am not sent but vnto the lost sheepe But vnto the woman hee sayth bee it vnto thee as thou wilt c. 350. col 1 Also Chrisostome sayth We haue no neede of Patrōs before God nor neede of much processe to speake fayre vnto other men but though thou bee alone and wantest a patron but prayest God by thy selfe yet for all that shalt thou haue thy desire God doth not so lightly graunt when other men pray for vs as when we pray our selues yea though we be full of sinnes c. 350. col 1 Ambrose sayth Men are wont to vse this miserable excusation that by these thynges may wee come to God as we may come to y e kyng by Earles I aunswere wee doe come vnto the Kyng by the meanes of Dukes and Earles because that the kyng is a mā and knoweth not to whom hee may commit the common wealth but vnto God from whom nothyng cā bee hid hee knoweth all mens merites wee neede no spokesmā nor no mediatour but alonely a deuoute mynde c. 354. col 1 ¶ That Councels may erre PAnormitanus sayth That Councels may erre as they haue erred as concernyng that contract of Matrimony Inter raptorem raptā the saying of S. Hierome was afterward preferred aboue the statuteof the Councell as it is proued 36. q. 2. Tria for in things cōcernyng the faith is the saying of a priuat persō to bee preferred before the saying of the pope if hee haue better reasōs scriptures of the new of the old Testamēt for him then y e Pope Nor it can not helpe to say that the Councell can not erre because that Christ dyd pray for his Church that her fayth should not fayle ▪ For I aunswere to this that though the generall Councell doe represent the whole vniuersall Church neuertheles in very deede there is not the very vniuersall Church but representatiue For the vniuersall Church standeth in the election of all faythfull men and all fayth full men of the world make that vniuersall Churche whose head and spouse is Christ Iesus and the Pope is but the Vicare of Christ and not the very head of the Churche this is the Church that cā not erre c. 248. col 1 Augustine sayth Those Councels that bee gathered in euery Prouince must without doubt geue place to the authoritie of the full Councels whiche bee gathered of all Christendome and also those full counsels oft tymes must bee amended by the full counsels that come after if any thing bee opened by any experience that was afore shut and if any thing bee knowen that was hidden And this may bee done without any shadow of superstitious pride with out any boasted Arrogancy without any contention of malicious enuy but with holy meekenes with holy peace and with Christen charitye c. 248. col 2 ¶ That the spiritualty is subiect to temporall power and lawes and ought not to resiste by violence THe holy Church of God hath no sworde but the spirituall sword w t the which shee doth not kill but quicken c. 191. col 2
Likewise blessed S. Ambrose sayth willingly will I neuer forsake you but if I bee compelled I may not resist I may sorow I may wepe I may waile Agaynst weapons agaynst souldiers agaynst the Bothans my teares are my weapons For such thinges bee the defence of a Priest otherwise ought I not nor may not resist c. 191. col 2 ¶ Testimonyes proouyng also the same taken out of his first Edition Fol. 15. and 16. ORygene vpon this text Omnis anima sayth on this maner All maner of synnes that God wold haue punished hee would haue them punished not by the byshops and rulers of the Church but by the Iudges of the worlde c. The mediatour betweene God and man Christ Iesus hath deuided the offices of both powers into their proper actes and into distincte dygnities willing by his owne medicinall meekenes that mens hartes should bee lyfted vp and not with mans pride agayne to be drowned in these inferior thinges so that Christen Emperours as concerning eternall lyfe should haue neede of Byshops likewise the Byshops for the course all onely of these temporal goodes should vse the Emperours lawes so that y t spirituall acâ—… should be distincted from the worldly courses and hee that should serue God should not wrappe hym selfe in worldly busynesses ¶ That the true obseruation of the sabaoth consisteth not onely in abstaining from bodely labours and that to a Christen maÌ„ euery day is the Sabaoth and not onely the seuenth day HIerome sayth Therefore be certaine dayes assigned y t we should come to gither not that that day in the which we come togither is holier theÌ„ an other but all dayes be lyke and equall And Christ is not all onely crucifyed in Parasceden and risen onely on the sonday but the day of resurrection is alwayes and alwayes may we eate of our lords fleshe c. 206. col 2 Augustine sayth we must obserue the sabboth day not that we should recken our self not to labour but that all thing that we doe worke well must haue an intention to the euerlastyng rest Wherfore we must obserue the holy day not by corporall idlenes and vnto the letter but spiritually must we rest from vyces and concupiscences wherfore among all the ten commaundementes that of the Sabboth day is all onely coÌ„mauÌ„ded to be figuratiuely obserued c. 206. col 2 Also Tertullian sayth The carnall Circumcision is put away and extincted at his tyme. So likewise the obseruation of the Sabboth day is declared to bee for a tyme for we must keepe the Sabboth day not alonely the seuenth day but at all times as Esay sayth c. 206. col 2 Augustine sayth It is come vnto me that certaine men whiche bee of an euill spirite haue sowen certaine euill thynges among you and contrary to the holy fayth so that they doe forbyd that men shoulde worke on the Sabboth day The whiche men what other thyng shall we call them but the preachers of Antichrist the whiche Antichrist shall make the Sabboth day and the sonday bee keept from all maner of worke c. 207. col 1 ¶ Testimonies procayng the same article translated out of hys booke De Doctorum Sententijs ANd it shall come to passe that from Moone to his Moone from Sabboth to his Sabboth all flesh shall come to worshyp before me c. For the sonne of man is also Lord of the sabboth c. Let no man therefore iudge you in meate or in drinke or in part of an holy daye or of the new moone or of the saboth dayes c. You obserue dayes times moneths and yeares c. ¶ S. Ambrose ad Irenae Epist. 72. The Iewes were commaunded to celebrate the holy sabboth one day in the weeke that they should bee subiect to no burthen because they being losed from worldly busines I would they had so passed that they might not cary with theÌ„ no burthen of greuous sinnes vnto the euerlasting sabboth of y e world to come Let the synagoge of y t Iewes obserue the day Let the church obserue it to immortalytie In the lawe therefore was a portion in the Gospell is the perfection c. ¶ S. Augustine de spiritu lit cap. 14. Because whosoeuer obserueth that day hither vnto as the letter soundeth hee iudgeth carnally ¶ S. Augustine ad Bonifa lib. 3. Cap. 4. contra 2. Epist Pelagia For if Christe hath taken from vs that greuous yoke of many obseruances that we should not be carnally circumcised that wee should not offer sacrifice for our sinnes that on the sabboth of the seuenth day wee shoulde not abstayne from necessary busines other such lyke if we obserue them being spiritually vnderstand and setting a syde all shadowes signifying the true lyght of those things Let vs take heed whether we shall therefore say that it pertayneth not vnto vs which is written that whatsoeuer one findeth of an other mans hee restore it agayne to hym that lost it and many other such like preceptes where by we learne to liue well and godly and especially that Decaloge which is contayned in the ij tables of stone the carnall obseruation of the sabboth onely excepted which signifieth a spirituall sanctification and rest c. ¶ S. Augustine vpon S. Paules epistle to the Galath First must a man know y t the works of the law bee of too sortes For they partly consist in sacramentes partly in morrall preceptes Vnto the sacramentes are referred the circumcision of the flesh the temporall sabboth the new moone the sacrifices and all such lyke innumerable obseruances Vnto morall preceptes are referred these Thou shalt not slaye Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not beare false witnesse and such other lyke ¶ S. Augustine vpon Iohn Tractat. 17. Take vp thy bed c. Here is a manyfest corporall worke of y t body done not the healing onely of the body but a playne bodely worke That Christians ought not to seeke spitfull reuengement by extremitie of the law NOw is there vtterly sinne among you sayth Paul because you go to law one with an other why rather suffer you not wrong why rather suffer ye not your selues to bee robbed Also our maister sayth If any man will sue at the lawe and take thy coate froÌ„ thee let hym haue thy cloke also 208. col 2 Athanasius on this texte of Saint Paule sayth There is vtterly sinne among you that is to say It is to your condemnation and to your ignominie that you doe exercise iudicials among you Wherefore doe you not rather suffer wrong c. 209. col 1 Also S. Hierome sayth It is â—inne vnto you that you doe agaynst the com maundement of Christ that you haue iudgementes among you the which ought alwayes to keepe peace yea though it were with the losse of your temporall goods Wherefore doe you not rather suffer wrong Where
iustifieth The cause why W. Tyndall put his name to some bokes left it out in some William Roye a falâ—e Disciple Ierome a brother of Grenewich 2. Timo. 2. 2. Timo. 3. 2. Thess 2. 2. Cor. 10. 1. Cor 3. Actes 6. Antechrist what it is Scribes Phariseis were very Antechristes The properties of Antechrist 2. Cor. 11. Antechrist hath bene among vs a loÌ„g tyme. Iohn 〈◊〉 Antechrist accompteth it treason to bee acquainted w t Christ Galâ— 4. Luke 16. Math. 2â—… 2. Timo. 3. 1. Cor. 1 â–ª and. 2. Roma 10 â–ª Faith onely iustifieth Roma 1. Faith bringeth lyfe The law bryngeth death 1. Cor. 3. Ephe. 2. The Gospell is the ministratioÌ„ of righteousnes Resiste the deuill with the shield of fayth Faith is y â— holy canâ—de wherewith we must blesse our selues at y â— last houre Roma 3. Roma 4. Fayth is accompted to vs for righteousnes Gal. 3. The children of fayth are the children of Abraham Gal. 2. Fayth only iustifieth vs. Math. 7. Mat. â—2 A principle taught by Christ Fayth beyng ioyned with the worde of God bringeth forth good fruit Acts. 15. The law cannot iustify vs. Gal. 3. Fayth in christes promises doth iustify vs. Christ is the store-house of mercy for vs. The definition of true fayth Faith that bringeth not forth fruite is but a dreame Mat. 9. Faith is the gift of God Ephe. 2. The spirite of God accompanieth Faith Fayth of her selfe bringeth forth good frutes that is good workes True fayth is not with out good workes True fayth and good workes are the gift of God and come not of our selues The difference betwene false fayth and right faith As the tree is knowen by his fruit â—o right fayth is knowen by her fruit Example The frutes of fayth A differeÌ„ce betwene true faith fained faith Rome 9. Backeward disputations The kindnes of God moueth vs to loue god Fayth onely maketh vs the sonnes and heires of God Faith possesseth the spirite of God Workes declare fayth and Gods goodnes Goddes grace is to be exercised in vs. Where true fayth is good workes folow Gene. 2. The outward righteousnes the inward righteousnes what they are Outward workes declare where true fayth is Good workes are witnesses for vs before God Math. vi vij Math. 10. We must of duety do good workes without hope of reward Fayth maketh vs the sonnes and children of God Roma 8. Gala. 4. Math. 7. Math. 19. They that seeke heauâ— for theyr workes are such as vnderstand not the treasures of Christ Math. v. As good workes naturally folow fayth So eternal life foloweth fayth good lyuyng As good workes folow faith So hell foloweth euil workes Of our selues we are the vessels of y â— wrath of God and the heyres of daÌ„natioÌ„ To beleue in Christ is saluatioÌ„ To seeke heauen by good workes were to derogate the dignitie of the bloud of Christ All that is good is purchased for vs by Christ Sainteâ— can â—ot helpe vs in to heauen Math. â—5 1. Pet. 4. How â—â—e may make frendes of the wycked Mammon To do good to such as 〈…〉 is â—…able Rom. 9. All our righteouscommeth â—â—â—ely from Christ Mammon what it is Esay 61. Prou. 3. Ephe. 5. The dayes are called euil because euill men vse them We are bound by the law of nature to helpe our needye neighbour The vnrighteous Stuard who it is Christ is the father of all righteousnes Math. 5. For Christes bloud sake onely through fayth God is at one with vs. Christes bloud onely putteth away all sinne We must follow 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 â—oâ—ng Math. 〈◊〉 We may not do good worken to be praysed of the world We must 〈◊〉 to our neighbour â—s God is to vs. 〈◊〉 seeke to be praysed of men Rom. 6. Faith 〈◊〉 lâ— in 〈◊〉 vs and no good â—…e can be done without Faith Good workes are the 〈◊〉 of Faith 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Act. 7. Luke 23. True righteousnes springeth out of Christes bloud True fasting what it 〈◊〉 No fleshe can fulfill the lawe We cannot deserue forgeuenes of God but he of hys mercy pardoneth vs. Mat. 〈◊〉 A true bestowing of almes In Christ we are all in all We must do good workes because it is Gods will that we should do them We must heare the word of God and 〈◊〉 1. Ceâ— 2. Christ is our onely Phisitian to heale 〈◊〉 deliuer vs of our sins Christ is our ankerhold to saluation A Prophet what hee is Math. 12. The absteinyng from sinne outwardly is but hypocrisie Math. 19. To beleue vnfaynedly in Christ is to kepe the coÌ„maundementes The law is spirituall and requireth the hart If the rich helpe not y â— poore in their nede they are but theues before god Math. 27. Faith casteth our deuils Faith fasteth Faith prayeth Math. 25. In Christes bloud we are blessed from y â— curse of the law Luke 7. The law condeÌ„neth The Gosspell coÌ„forteth maketh vs saâ—e Certaine phrases of spech expounded Iohn 4. Where perfect loue to God is there are all good workes Luke 10. What it is to loue god withall our hart c. The true vnderstandyng of a parable We must euer be ready to helpe our neighbour Iohn 3. Iohn 15. 1. Iohn 1. Workes that the Papistes called workes more then the lawe requireth Luke 10. Luke 12. Whatsoeuer we haue we receaue it of the mercy goodnes of God The great diuersitie maner of the speaking of the Scriptures The sayinges of the Scriptures may not be grossely vnderstaÌ„d The naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges of God Rom. 8. Iohn 8. The scripture is nothing els but that which the spirit of God hath spoken By Faith in Christ we are brought to the state of saluation God worketh his owne will with all his creatures If we beleue in god we must put of the olde man his works Good workes what they are and to what ende they serue Fasting the true vse thereof true fasting what it is Supersticious fasting Supersticious watching True watching Prayer what it iâ— True prayer True prayer is not without faith charitie Math. 5. He that repenteth his sinne is no sinner before God How we should pray for our neighbour Rom. 9. Christ is our righteousnes Loue amoÌ„g Christen meÌ„ maketh all thynges common Mans ImaginatioÌ„ cannot alter the law of god neither make it more or lesse Almesâ— what it is 1. Pet. 1. 1. Iohn 〈◊〉 He that is mercyfull hath the spirite of God Rom. 〈◊〉 Loue seketh not her owne profite 2. Cor. 12. Christ is all in all thynges Euery one must care for their owne housholdes First looke to thyne owne houshold and then to the poore We must for christes sake shew our coÌ„passion charitie to all men so far as our habilitie will extend Good workes what they arâ— 2. Cor. 9. We must do good workes yet put no trust in them God is no accepter of persons but receaueth all that submit them selues vnto him Math. â—0 As all
coÌ„maundementes 48. Gallat 6. Purgatory is nedelesse 49. Eccle. 14. Some imagine Purgatory to be a place of satisfaction 50 Apoca. 14 The dead that dye in the Lorde are blessed and therfore are not in Purgatory Esay 57. Sapien. 3. The coÌ„clusioÌ„ of Iohn Frith agaynst Rastels booke M. More begynneth pitifully Frith Purgatory in 400. yeare after Christ was neither beleued as an article of y t fayth nor yet for an vndoubted truth 1. Cor. 3. S. Austen doubted of Purgatory Roma 4. M. More much deceaued in the accomptyng of hys M. More M. Mores second reason Frith M. More maketh a false and fond argument Iohn Frith ameÌ„deth M. Mores argument Iohn Frith proueth the negatiue to be true Iohn 3. Rastell had his argumentes froÌ„ M. More M. More Ezechias Frith 4. Kinges 2 Esay 38. A question to Master More A very apt similitude Math. 26. M. More Frith 1. Kynges 2 M. More here semeth to be ignoraunt in the Hebrue toung Gene. 42. M. More 〈◊〉 of the maner of the speakyng of the Prophetes The Lord doth kill rayse again Iohn 11. Psal 78. â—hen God saith he killeth doth quicken againe what the meanyng therof is Daniell 3. A true interpretatioÌ„ of Scripture A foule fault in M. More M. More Zacharie Frith Zacharie 9 Psal 66. More and Rochester can not agree How the sauyng of the Prophete Zachary is to be vnderstand Roma 5. An obiectioÌ„ and aunswere therunto A question to master More A true and plaine exposition of the prophet Zachary M. More Machabeus Sore spoâ—… of M. More Frith 2 Mach. 12 The bokes of the Machabees are not in the Canon of y t Hebrues 〈◊〉 The meaning true exposition of the Machabees touching purgatory 〈◊〉 The slaughter of the Iewes was is for idolatry Deutro 7. Iudas Machabeus was deceaued in hys sacrifice 〈◊〉 Deut. 12. 4 By Christes death all sacrifices ceased 5 Heb. 〈◊〉 No sacrifice caÌ„ take away sinne but onely the sacrifice made by Christ 6 The holiest men haue fallen The example of Iudas Machabeus is profitable to y e church and therfore it must be folowed 7. Gallat 6. Actes 15. Rastell 8. The scholemeÌ„ say that in the tyme of the olde Testament there was no Purgatory 9. A declaration of the meanyng of Iudas Machabeus in offeryng hys sacrifice for the dead Deut. 7. Iudas Machabeus thought of no Purgatory M. More is like to be proued an insipient Iohn Frithes iudgement of y â— bookes of the Machabees M. More 1. Iohn 5. DesperatioÌ„ and impenitency are damnable sinners Frith 1. Iohn 5. M. More is confuse in the interpretation of the scriptures Marke 3. What blasphemy and sin against the holy ghost â—s The pure vnderstanding M. More Apoca. 5. Note Frith 〈◊〉 and More doth not agree A â–ª true exposition of the Scripture M More Frith More purposely corrupteth the sence of the Scripture More falsely descaÌ„teth vppon the Scriptures M. More a proctour for Purgatory M. More 1. Cor. 3. M. More would faine proue a purgatory Fâ—ith He shal laboreth much in Gods by 〈◊〉 nyard shall receaue much c. What it is to builde on gold siluer or precious stone What it is to buyld on wood haye or stubble Cyprian How euery mans work is tryed by fire Wordes figuratiuely spoken M. More Math. 12. Frith A subtile sophisme There is no remissioÌ„ of sinnes after this lyfe Marke 3. M. More Math. 12. Frith M. More doth quyte ouerthrow hym selfe Here by M. Mores argument Purgatory is quyte excluded M. More M. More is a subtill Sophister Esay 8. Truth is not to bee sought of the dead Luke 16. 1. Kinge â—3 An apparition of a spirite moued to certeine of Oxford M. More his solution of the two former reasons Frith M. More his argument is false Christ sayth M. Mâ—â—e 〈…〉 second reason Fâ—ith God caÌ„not be against himselfe Mâ— More Frith A penny offred into S. Dominickes boxe worketh great matter Note what veâ—… is in a pâ—…y M. More Frith Ioh. Frith declareth his opinion of Christes death How mens prayers good dedes do help one an other M. More Frith It is better not to beleue that which the scripture aloweth not theÌ„ to make a fayth where we should not M. More Frith What is heresie M. More is a sore iudge M. More The fire of purgatory is a meruellous hot fire Frith Beholde here the force of the fire of purgatory M. More fully aunswered to all that he can say for purgatory M. More was the Byshop of Rochesters Disciple Rochester the first patrone of Purgatory Rochester The Byshop of Rochesters owne wordes Frith Sectes of heretickes 1. Cor. 3. Actes 15. S. Austen S. Austen sheweth what hee thought of Purgatory Saint Ambrose S. Ambrose sheweth his opinioÌ„ of Purgatory Saint Hierome Eccle. 9. All suffrages prayers good dedes done for the dead are in vayne 1. 2. The dead can neither do good or euil nor increase in vertue 3 The sayinges of the Doctors are no farther to be credited then they agree with y t scripture Rochester The doctors haue erred in many thinges The worde of God is the touchstone tryeth all of all doctrine S. Austine S. Austen read old auctors and would also haue all meÌ„ read his workes Rochester Luc. 16. Parables in y t scripture proue nothing but only open and expound dark and hard thinges By Moses and the prophetes is meant the old Testament Rochester Frith There is but ii places after this life that is heauen and hell Abrahams bosome what it signifieth The elect are faithful the faythful are elect Abrahams bosome can proue no purgatory To rest in peace is not to lye in tormentes 1. Iohn 1. A good conclusion against purgatory Christes death hath ouercomâ—â— our death turned it into life Rochester Math. 12. Frith If there be any purgatory it must be after domesday for before there can be none Faythfull Vnfaythfull Men. Rochester Psal 66. Frith Zacharie 9 Rochester More agree not A true interpretatioÌ„ of the 66. Psalme More and Rochester caÌ„not agree Soules in purgatory caÌ„not offer Oxen nor goates in sacrifice Rochester Frith The chirch sayth Rochester meaning the popes church can not erre Luke 14. Frith The parable of Luke 14. truly interpreted How men should be compelled to beleue Christ was meeke and gentle and no tyrannous schole master Luke 9. Paul sayth he had no power ouer their fayth 1. Cor. 12. Fayth is not procured by violence but is the mere onely of gift of God Feare maketh fayth no fayth at all Fayth is first the gift of God and procedeth from the hart which may not be compelled Rochester Pardons Rochester sayth herein very truly and yet was not ware of it Purgatory and pardoÌ„s haue bene goodly marchaundise for the clergye Rochester Frith The kayes Luke 11. The kay of knowledge is the word of God Apoc. 3. Math. 16. Iohn 20. Luke 24. How christ gaue the kayes to Peter and the rest of the
all in all thinges woorketh a mans iustifiyng saluation and health yea poureth fayth belefe lust to loue Gods will strength to fulfill the same into vs euen as water is poured into a vessell and that of his good will and purpose and not of our deseruynges and merites Gods mercy in promising and truth in fulfilling his promises saueth vs and not we ourselues and therfore is al laude prayse glory to be geuen vnto God for his mercy and truth and not vnto vs for our merites and deseruynges After that he stretcheth hys example out agaynst all other good workes of the law and coÌ„cludeth that the Iewes can not be Arahams heyres because of bloud and kinred onely and much lesse by the workes of the law but must inherite Abrahams fayth if they wil be the right heyres of Abraham for as much as Abraham before the law both of Moses also of Circumcision was through faith made righteous and called the father of all them that beleue not of them that worke Moreouer the law causeth wrath in as much as no maÌ„ can fulfill it with loue and lust and as longe as such grudgyng hate and indignation agaynst the law remayneth in the hart and is not takeÌ„ away by the sprite that commeth by fayth so long no doubt the workes of the law declare euideÌ„tly that the wrath of god is vpon vs and not fauour wherfore fayth only receyueth the grace promised vnto Abraham And these ensamples were not written for Abrahams sake onely sayth he but for oures also to whom if we beleue fayth shall be reckened lykewise for ryghteousnesse as he sayth in the end of the chapter In the 5. chapter he commendeth the fruit and workes of faith as are peace reioycing in the conscience inwarde loue to God and maÌ„ moreouer boldnesse trust confidence and a strong a lusty mynd and stedfast hope in tribulation and suffering For all such follow where the right fayth is for the aboundant graces sake and giftes of the sprite which god hath geuen vs in Christ in that he suffred hym to die for vs yet his enemies Now haue we then that fayth only before all workes iustifieth and that it followeth not yet therfore that a man should do no good workes but that y t right shapeÌ„ workes abide not behind but accompany fayth euen as brightnesse doth the sunne and are called of Paul the fruites of the sprite Where y t spirite is there it is alwayes sommer and there are alwayes good fruites that is to say good workes This is Paules order that good works spring of the sprite y e spirit commeth by fayth and faythe commeth by hearyng the worde of God when the glad tidings and promises which God hath made vnto vs in Christ are preached truely and receiued in the ground of the hart with out waueryng or doubâ—ing after that the law hath passed vpon vs and hath damned our consciences Where the worde of God is preached purely and receiued in the hart there is faith the spirit of God there are also good workes of necessitie whensoeuer occasioÌ„ is geueÌ„ Where Gods word is not purely preached but mens dreames traditions imaginations inuentioÌ„s ceremonies superstition there is no fayth and consequently no spirite that commeth of GOD and where Gods spirite is not there can bee no good workes euen as where an apple tree is not there can grow no apples but there is vnbeliefe the diuels sprite and euill workes Of this Gods sprite and hys fruites haue our holy hipocrites not once knowen neither yet tasted how swete they are though they fayne many good workes of their own imaginatioÌ„ to be iustified withal in which is not one cromme of true fayth or spiritual loue or of inward ioy peace and quietnes of conscience for as much as they haue not the worde of GOD for them that such workes please GOD but they are euen the rotten fruites of a rotten tree After that he breaketh forth and runneth at large sheweth whence both sinne and righteousnesse death and life come And he compareth Adam and Christ together thus wise reasonyng and disputyng that Christ must nedes come as a seconde Adam to make vs heyres of his righteousnesse through a new spiritual birth without our deseruinges Euen as the first Adam made vs heyres of synne through the bodily generation without oure deseruyng Wherby it is euidently knowne and proued to the vttermost that no man can bryng himselfe out of synne vnto righteousnesse no more then he could haue withstaÌ„d that he was borne bodily And y t is proued herewith for as much as y t very law of God which of right should haue helped if any thyng could haue holpeÌ„ not onely came and brought no helpe with her but also encreased synne because that the euil and poisoned nature is offeÌ„ded and vtterly displeased with the law and y t more she is forbid by the lawe the more is she prouoked and set a fyre to fulfill satisfie her lustes By the law then we see clearely that we must needes haue Christ to iustify vs with his grace to helpe nature In the vi he setteth forthe the chiefe and principall worke of fayth the battayle of the sprite agaynst the fleshe how the sprite laboureth and enforceth to kyll the remnaunt of sinne and lust which remayne in the fleshe after our iustifiyng And this chapiter teacheth vs that we are not so free from sinne through fayth that we should henceforth go vp and down idle carelesse sure of our selues as thoughe there were now no more synne in vs. Yes there is sinne remayning in vs but it is not reckoned because of fayth and of the sprite which fyght agaynste it Wherefore we haue inough to doe all our lyues long to tame our bodies and to compell the members to obey the sprite and not the appetites that therby we myght be like vnto christes death and resurrection and might fulfill our baptisme which signifieth the mortifiyng of sinnes and the new lyfe of grace For this battayle ceaseth not in vs vntill the last breath and vntyll that sinne be vtterly slayne by the deth of the body This thyng I meane to tame the body and so forth we are able to doe sayth he seyng we are vnder grace not vnder the lawe What it is not to be vnder the lawe he himselfe expoundeth For not to be vnder the lawe is not so to be vnderstand that euery maÌ„ may do what hym lusteth But not to be vnder the law is to haue a fre hart renewed with the sprite so that thou hast lust inwardly of thine owne accorde to do that which the lawe commaundeth without compulsion yea though there were no law For grace that is to say gods fauour bringeth vs the sprite maketh vs loue the lawe so is there now no more sinne neither is the law now any more
agaynst vs but at one agreed with vs and we with it But to be vnder the law is to deale with the workes of the law and to worke without the sprite and grace for so long no doubt sinne raigneth in vs through the law that is to say the lawe declareth y t wee are vnder sinne and that sinne hath power and dominion ouer vs seyng we can not fulfill the law namely within in the hart for as much as no man of nature fauoureth the law consenteth therunto and deliteth therein which thyng is exceedyng great synne that we cannot consent to the law which law is nothyng els saue the will of God This is the right freedome and libertie from sinne and from the lawe whereof he writeth vnto the ende of this chapter that it is a freedom to do good onely with lust and to liue well without compulsion of the law Wherfore this freedome is a spirituall freedome which destroyeth not the lawe but ministreth that which the law requireth and wherwith the law is fulfilled that is to vnderstand luste and loue wherewith the law is stilled and accuseth vs no more compelleth vs no more neither hath ought to craue of vs any more Euen as thoughe thou were in debt to an other man and wer not able to pay two maner of wayes mightest thou be losed One way if he would require nothyng of thee and break thine obligation An other way if some other good man woulde paye for thee and geue thee as muche as thou mightest satisfie thyne obligation with all On this wyse hath Christe made vs fre from the law therfore is this no wylde fleshly libertie y t should do nought but that doth all thynges and is free from the crauyng and debt of the law In the seuenth he confirmeth y t same with a similitude of the state of matrimony As whē the husband dyeth the wyfe is at her libertie and the one losed and departed from the other not that the woman should not haue power to mary vnto an other man but rather now first of all is she free hath power to mary vnto an other man which she could not do before till she was loosed from her first husband Euen so are our consciences bound and in daunger to the law vnder olde Adam as long as he liueth in vs for the law declareth y t our hartes are bound and that we cannot disconsent from hym but when he is mortified killed by the sprite then is the conscience free and at libertie not so that the conscience shall now nought doe but nowe first of all cleaueth vnto an other that is to witte Christ and bringeth forth the fruites of lyfe So now to be vnder the lawe is not to be able to fulfill the law but to be detter to it and not able to pay that which the lawe requireth And to be lose from the lawe is to fulfill it and to pay that which the lawe demaundeth so that it can now henceforth aske thee nought Consequently Paul declareth more largely the nature of synne and of the law how that through the law synne reuiueth moueth her selfe and gathereth strength For the olde man and corrupt nature the more he is forbidden and kept vnder of the law is the more offended and displesed therwith for as much as he cannot pay y t which is required of the lawe For synne is his nature and of himselfe he cannot but sinne Therefore is the law death to hym torment and martirdom Not that the lawe is euill but because that the euill nature can not suffer y t which is good cannot abyde that the law should require of him any good thing like as a sicke mā cannot suffer that a man should desire of hym to runne to leape and to doe other deedes of an whole man For which cause S. Paule concludeth that where the law is vnderstand and perceiued in the best wise there it doth no more but vtter synne bryng vs vnto the knowledge of our selues and therby kyl vs and make vs bond vnto eternall damnation and detters of the euerlastyng wrath of God euen as he well feeleth and vnderstandeth whose conscience is truely touched of the law In such daunger were we ere the law came that we knew not what sinne ment neither yet knowe we the wrath of God vppon sinners tyll the law had vttered it So seest thou that a man must haue some other thyng ye a greater and a more mighty thing the the law to make hym righteous safe They that vnderstand not the law on this wise are blinde and go to worke presumptuously supposing to satisfie the law with workes For they know not that the law requireth a free a willing a lusty and a louing hart Therfore they see not Moses right in y t face the vayle hangeth betwene and hideth his face so that they can not behold the glorie of his countenaunce how that the law is spiritual and requireth the hart I may of myne own strength refraine that I do myne enemy no hurt but to loue him with all myne hart to put awaye wrath cleane out of my mind cā I not of mine own strength I maye refuse money of myne owne strength but to put away loue vnto riches out of myne hart can I not do of myne owne strength To abstaine from adultery as concernyng the outward dede can I doe of myne owne strēgth but not to desire in mine hart is as vnpossible vnto me as is to chose whether I will hungre or thrust and yet so the law requireth Wherfore of a mans owne strength is the law neuer fulfilled we must haue therunto Gods fauour and his spirite purchased by Christes bloud Neuerthelesse when I saye a man may do many things outwardly clean agaynst his hart we must vnderstand y ◠mā is but driuen of diuers appetites and the greatest appetite ouercōmeth the lesse and carieth the mā away violently with her As when I desire vengeaunce and feare also the incōuenience that is like to folowe if feare bee greater I abstaine if the appetite that desireth vengeaunce be greater I can not but prosecute the dede as we see by experiēce in many murtherers theeues which though they be brought into neuer so great perill of death yet after they haue escaped do euen the same agayne And common women prosecute their lustes because feare shame are away when other whiche haue the same appetites in their hartes abstaine at the lest way outwardly or worke secretly beyng ouercome of feare and of shame and so likewise is it of all other appetites Furthermore he declared how the spirite and the flesh fight together in one man and maketh an ensample of him self that we might learne to know that worke a right I meane to kill sinne in our selues He calleth both the spirit and also the flesh a law because that like as the nature of Gods
When they sent to Iohn asking him whether he were Christ he denied it When they asked him what he was and what he sayd of himselfe he aunswered not I am he that watcheth prayeth drinketh no wine nor strong drinke eateth neyther fishe nor fleshe but liue wyth wilde hony and Grashoppers and weare a coate of camels heare and a gyrdle of a skinne but sayd I am a voyce of a cryar My voyce onely pertaineth to you Those outward things which ye wonder at pertayne to my selfe onely vnto the taming of my bodye To you am I a voyce onely and that which I preach My preaching if it be receaued into a penitent or repenting hart shall teach you how to liue and please God according as God shall shed out his grace on euery man Iohn preached repentaunce saying prepare y ◠Lordes way and make his pathes straight The Lordes way is repentaunce and not hipocrisy of mans imagination inuention It is not possible y t the Lord Christ should come to a man except he know himselfe and his sinne truely repent Make his pathes straight the pathes are the lawe if thou vnderstād it a right as God hath geuen it Christ sayth in the xvij of Mat. Helias shall first come that is shall come before Christ and restore all things meaning of Iohn Baptist Iohn Baptist did restore the law and the Scripture vnto the right sence vnderstanding which the Pharises partly had darckned and made of none effect thorough their owne traditions Math. xv where Christ rebuketh them saying why transgresse ye the commaundementes of God thorough your traditions and partly had corrupt it with gloses and false interpretations that no mā could vnderstand it Wherefore Christ rebuketh them Mat. 23. saying wo be to you Pharises hipocrites which shut vp the kingdome of heauen before mē ye enter not your selues neither suffer them that come to enter in and partly did beguile the people and blinde their eyes in disguising themselues as thou readest in the same 23. chap. how they made broade and large Philacteries and did all their workes to be seene of men that the people should wonder at their disguisinges and visuring of themselues otherwise then God had made them and partly mocked them with hipocrisy of false holines in fasting praying and almes geuing Mat. 6. and this did they for lucre to be in authoritie to sitte in the consciences of people and to be counted as God him selfe that people shoulde trust in their holynes and not in God as thou readest in the place aboue rehearsed Mat. 23. wo be to you Pharises hipocrites which deuoure widowes houses vnder a colour of long prayer Counterfet therfore nothing without y t worde of God whē thou vnderstandest that it shall teach thee all thinges how to applie outwarde thinges and whereunto to referre them Beware of thy good entent good mynde good affection or zeale as they call it Peter of a good minde and of a good affection or zeale chidde Christ Math. 16. because he sayde that he must goe to Hierusalem and there be slayne But Christ called him Satan for his labour a name that belongeth to the deuil And sayde that he perceaued not godly thinges but worldly Of a good entent and of a feruēt affection to Christ the sonnes of Zededei would haue had fire to come downe from heauen to consume the Samaritans Luk. 9. But Christ rebuked them saying that they wist not of what sprite they were that is that they vnderstoode not how that they were altogether worldly fleshly mynded Peter smote Malchus of a good zeale but Christ condemned his deede The very Iewes of a good entēt and of a good zeale slew Christ and persecuted the Apostles as Paule beareth them recorde Rom. x. I beare them recorde sayth he that they haue a feruent mynde to Godward but not according to knowledge It is an other thing then to do of a good minde and to do of knowledge Labour for knowledge that thou mayest know Gods will and what he would haue thee to doe Our mynde entent and affection or zeale are blinde and all that we do of them is damned of god and for that cause hath God made a testament betwene him and vs wherin is cōteyned both what he would haue vs to do and what he would haue vs to aske of him See therefore that thou do nothing to please God withall but that he commaundeth neither aske any thing of him but that he hath promised thee The Iewes also as it appeareth Act. vij slew Steuē of a good zeale because he proued by the scripture that God dwelleth not in Churches or temples made wyth handes The Churches at the beginning were ordeyned that the people shoulde thether resorte to heare the word of God there preached onely and not for the vse wherein they now are The temple wherein God will be worshipped is the hart of man For God is a spirite sayth Christ Ioh. 4. and will be worshipped in y t spirite in truth that is when a penitent hart consenteth vnto the lawe of God and with a strong fayth lōgeth for the promises of God So is God honored on al sides in that we count him righteous in all his lawes and ordinaunces and also trust in all his promises Other worshipping of God is there none except we make an Idoll of him IT shal be recompensed thee at the rising agayne of the righteous Lu. xiiij Reade the text before and thou shalt perceaue that Christ doth here that same that he doth Math. v. that is he putteth vs in remembraunce of our dutie that we be to the poore as Christ is to vs and also teacheth vs how that we can neuer know whether our loue be right and whether it spring of Christ or no as long as we are but kinde to them onely which do as much for vs againe But and we be mercifull to the poore for conscience to God and of compassion and harty loue which compassion loue spring of the loue we haue to God in Christ for the pure mercy and loue that he hath shewed on vs then haue we a sure token that we are beloued of God and washed in Christes bloud and elect by Christes deseruing vnto eternall life The scripture speaketh as a father doth to his young sonne do this or that and then will I loue thee yet the father loueth his sonne first and studieth with all his power and witte to ouercome his childe with loue and with kindnes to make him do that which is comely honest and good for it selfe A kynde father and mother loue their children euen when they are euill that they would shed their bloud to make them better and to bring thē into the right way And a naturall childe studieth not to obtayne his fathers loue with workes but considereth with what loue his father loueth him with all
a state or a degree ordeined of God and an office wherein the husband serueth the wife and the wife the husband It was ordeined for a remedy and to encrease the worlde and for the man to helpe the woman and the woman the man with all loue and kyndnes and not to signifie any promise that euer I heard or redde of in y ◠scripture Therfore ought it not to be called a Sacrament It hath a promise that we sinne not in that state if a man receaue hys wise as a gift geuen to him of God the wife her husband likewise as all maner meates and drinkes haue a promise that we sinne not if we vse them measurably with thankes geuing If they call matrimony a Sacrament because the scripture vseth the similitude of matrimonie to expresse the mariage or wedlocke that is betwene vs and Christ For as a woman though she be neuer so poore yet when she is maried is as rich as her husband euen so we whē we repent and beleue the promises of God in Christ though we be neuer so poore sinners yet are as rich as Christ all his merits are ours with all that he hath If for that cause they call it a sacrament so will I musterde seede leuen a net keyes bread water and a thousand other things which Christ and the Prophetes and all the scripture vse to expresse the kingdome of heauen and Gods worde wythall They prayse wedlocke wyth their mouth and say it is an holy thyng as it is verely but had leuer be sanctified wyth an whore then to come wythin the sanctuary ¶ Of Order SUbdeacon Deacō Priest Byshop Cardinall Patriarch and Pope be names of offices and seruice or should be and not Sacraments There is no promise coupled therwith If they minister their offices truly it is a signe that Christes spirite is in them if not that the deuill is in them Are these all Sacramentes or which one of them Or what thyng in them is that holy signe or Sacrament The shauyng or the annoynting What also is the promise that is signified thereby But what word printeth in them that charact that spirituall seale O dreamers and naturall beastes without the seale of the spirite of God but sealed with the marke of the beast and with cankred consciences There is a word called in Latine Sacerdos in Greeke Hiercus in Hebrue Cohan that is a Minister an officer a sacrificer or a Priest as Aaron was a Priest and sacrificed for the people and was a mediator betwen God them And in the English should it haue had some other name then Priest But Antichrist hath deceaued vs with vnknowen and straūge termes to bring vs into confusion and superstitious blyndnes Of that maner is Christ a Priest for euer and all we Priests thorough hym and neede no more of any such Priest on earth to be a meane for vs vnto god For Christ hath brought vs all into the inner temple within the vayle or forehanging and vnto the mercy stoole of God And hath coupled vs vnto God where we offer euery man for himselfe y e desires petitions of his hart sacrifice and kil the lustes appetits of his flesh with prayer fasting all maner godly liuing An other worde is there in Greeke called Presbiter in latin Senior in englishe an elder and is nothing but an officer to teach and not to be a mediator betwene God and vs. This nedeth no annointing of man They o◠y t olde testament were annointed with oyle to signifie the annointing of Christ and of vs thorough Christ with the holy ghost This wise is no man Priest but he that is chosen saue as in time of necessitie euery parson Christeneth so may euery man teach his wife housholde and the wife her children So in time of neede if I see my brother sinne I may betwene hym and me rebuke him and damne his deede by the lawe of God And may also comfort them that are in dispayre with the promises of God and saue them if they beleue By a Priest then in the new testament vnderstand nothing but an elder to teach the younger and to bring thē vnto the full knowledge and vnderstanding of Christ and to minister the Sacramentes which Christ ordeyned which is also nothyng but to preach Christes promises And by them that geue all their studie to quench the light of truth and to holde the people in darcknes vnderstand the disciples of Sathan and messengers of Antichrist what soeuer names they haue or what soeuer they call themselues And as concerning that our spiritualtie as they will be called make themselues holyer then the lay people and take so great landes and goodes to pray for them and promise them pardons and forgeuenes of sinnes or absolution without preachyng of Christes promises is falsehode and the woorkyng of Antichrist and as I haue sayd the rauenyng of those wolues which Paul Act. xx prophesied should come after hys departyng not sparyng the flocke Their doctrine is that marchaundise wherof Peter speaketh saying through coueteousnes shall they with fayned wordes make marchaundise of you ij Pet. ij And their reasons wherewith they proue their doctrine are as sayth Paul i. Timo. vj. superfluous disputynges arguynges or braulyngs of mē with corrupt mindes and destitute of truth whiche thinke that lucre is godlynes But Christ sayth Math. vij by their frutes shalt thou know them that is by their filthy couetousnes and shamelesse ambition and dronken desire of honor contrary vnto the example doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles Christ sayd to Peter the last Chapter of Iohn Fede my sheepe and not shere thy flocke And Pet. sayth i. Pet. v. Not being Lordes ouer the Parishes but these shere and are become Lordes Paul saith ij Cor. ij Not that we be Lordes ouer your faith but these will be Lordes compel vs to beleue what soeuer they lust without any witnes of Scripture yea cleane contrary to the Scripture whē the opē text rebuketh it Paul sayth it is better to geue thē to receaue Act. xx But these do nothyng in the world but lay snares to katch and receaue what so euer cōmeth as it were the gapyng mouth of hell And. ij Cor. xij I seeke not yours but you but these seeke not you to Christ but yours to thē selues and therfore lest their dedes should be rebuked will not come at the light Neuerthelesse the truth is that we are all equally beloued in Christ and God hath sworne to all indifferently According therfore as euery man beleueth Gods promises longeth for thē and is diligent to pray vnto GOD to fulfill them so is his prayer heard and as good is the prayer of a cobler as of a Cardinall and of a bocher as of a Byshop the blessing of a baker that knoweth the truth is as good as the blessyng of our most holy father the Pope And
by blessing vnderstand not the wagging of the popes or Bishops hand ouer thyne head but prayer as when we say God make thee a good man Christ put his spirite in thee or geue thee grace and power to walke in the truth to folow hys coÌ„mauÌ„dementes c. As Rebeccas frendes blessed her wheÌ„ she departed Gene. xxiiij saying Thou art our sister grow vnto thousand thousandes and thy seede possesse the gates of their enemies And as Isaac blessed Iacob Gene. xxvij saying God geue thee of the dew of heauen and of the fatnes of the earth aboundaunce of corne wyne and oyle c. And Gene. xxviij Almighty God blesse thee and make thee grow and multiply thee that thou mayst be a great multitude of people and geue to thee and to thy seede after thee the blessings of Abraham that thou mayst possesse the land wherin thou art a strauÌ„ger which he promised to thy graundfather and such lyke Last of all one singular doubt they haue what maketh the Priest the annoynting or puttyng on of the handes or what other ceremonie or what wordes About which they braule and scolde one ready to teare out an others throte One sayth this an other that but they caÌ„ not agree Neither caÌ„ any of them make so strong a reason which an other can not improue For they are all out of the way and without the spirite of God to iudge spirituall things Howbeit to this I auÌ„swere that wheÌ„ Christ called xij vp into the mouÌ„taine and chose them then immediatly without any annointing or ceremony were they his Apostles that is to witte ministers chosen to be sent to preach his Testament vnto all the whole world And after the resurrection wheÌ„ he had opened their wittes and geuen them knowledge to vnderstand the secretes of hys Testament how to bynde loose and what he would haue theÌ„ to do in all thynges then he sent them forth with a commaundemeÌ„t to preach and bynde the vnbeleuyng that continue in sinne and to loose the beleuyng that repent And that commaundemeÌ„t or charge made theÌ„ Byshops priestes Popes and all thyng If they say that Christ made theÌ„ priestes at his Maundey or last Supper when he sayd do this in the remembrauÌ„ce of me I aunswere though the Apostles wist not then what hee ment yet I will not striue nor say that agaynst Neuer the latter the commaundement and the charge which he gaue them made theÌ„ Priestes And Actes the first when Mathias was choseÌ„ by lotte it is not to be douted but that the Apostles after their common maner prayed for him that God would geue him grace to minister his office truely and put their handes on him and exhorted him and gaue him charge to be diligent faithfull and then was he as great as the best And Actes vj. When the Disciples that beleued had chosen vj. Deacons to minister to the widdowes the Apostles prayed and put their handes on them and admitted them without more adde Their putting on of hands was not after the maner of the dome blessing of our holy byshops with two fingers but they spake vnto them and tolde them their dutie and gaue them a charge and warned them to be faythfull in the Lordes busines as we chuse temporall officers and read their duty to them and they promise to be faythfull ministers and then are admitted Neither is there any other maner or ceremonie at all required in makyng of our spirituall officers then to chuse an able person and theÌ„ to rehearse him his dutie and geue him his charge and so to put him in his rowme And as for that other solemne doubte as they call it whether Iudas was a Priest or no I care not what he then was but of this I am sure that he is now not onely Priest but also Byshop Cardinall and Pope ¶ Of Penaunce PEnaunce is a word of their owne forgyng to disceaue vs with all as many other are In the Scripture we finde panitentia repentaunce Agite poenitentiam do repent Poeniteat vos let it repeÌ„t you Metanoyte in Greeke forthinke yo or let it forthinke you Of repentaunce they haue made penaunce to blinde the people and to make them thinke that they must take payne and do some holy dedes to make satisfaction for their sinnes namely such as they enioyue them As thou mayst see in the Cronicles when great kynges and tyrauntes which with violence of sword conquered other kynges landes and slew all that came to hand came to them selues and had conscience of their wicked dedes then the Byshops coupled them not to Christ but vnto the Pope and preached the Pope vnto them and made them to submit them selues and also their realmes vnto the holy father the Pope and to take penaunce as they call it that is to say such iniunctions as the Pope and Bishops would commaund them to do to build Abbays to endote them with liuelode to be prayed for for euer and to geue them exemptions and priuilege and licence to do what the lust vnpunished Repentaunce goeth before faith and prepareth the way to Christ and to the promises For Christ commeth not but vnto them that see their sinnes in the law and repent Repentaunce that is to say this mornyng and sorrow of the hart lasteth all our liues long For we finde our selues all our liues long to weake for Gods law and therfore sorrow morne longyng for strength Repentaunce is no Sacrament as faith hope loue and knowledge of a mans sinnes are not to be called Sacramentes For they are spirituall and inuisible Now must a Sacrament be an outward signe that may be sene to signifie to represent and to put a man in remeÌ„braunce of some spirituall promise which can not be sene but by faith onely Repentaunce and all the good dedes which accompanie repentaunce to slay the lustes of the fleshe are signified by Baptisme For Paule sayth Roma vj. as it is aboue rehearsed Remember ye not saith he that all we whiche are baptised in the name of Christ Iesus are baptised to dye with him we are buryed with him in Baptisme for to dye that is to kil the lustes and the rebellion which remayneth in the flesh And after that he sayth ye are dead as concernyng sinne but lyue vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. If thou looke on the profession of our harts and on the spirit and forgeuenes which we haue receaued thorough Christes merites we are full dead but if thou looke on the rebellion of the flesh we do but begyn to dye and to be baptised that is to drowne and quench the lustes and are full baptised at the last minute of death And as coÌ„cernyng the workyng of the spirite we begyn to lyue grow euery day more and more both in knowledge and also in Godly lyuyng accordyng as the lustes abate As a child receaueth yeâ—ull soule at the first day yet