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
no place euen so is he not addict to any age or person but enspyreth where he will when he will and bring in for an example that he enspyred yong Timothy prouing thereby that the youth of it selfe is not to be despised but according to the learning which it bringeth and that therfore they may not despise my youth but first read what doctrine I bring and therafter to iudge it No more in this I proue not that I am enspyred and haue the spirite of God as Timothie had but onely proue that God may enspyre youth as he did Tymothe and that therefore ye ought first to read before you condemne for you know not who is enspyred and who not vntill you haue read theyr workes or séene theyr factes Thus you may sée that my wordes define not that all youth is enspired although some may be but I exhort that no man despise prophesies but proue all and approue that is good And to make the matter more playne I shall bring you an example out of Paule to the Hebrues which exhorteth them to hospitalitie for by that some men vnwares haue receaued Angels to harbour be not therefore vnmindfull of it Here Paule exhorteth you to hospitalitie and shewing you that by those meanes some men haue receaued angels into their house he would not haue you thinke y t all the gestes that you shall receaue shall be angels but some shall be leud losels And likewise I in exhorting you to read my booke and not despising my youth because that sometime God enspireth the yong would not haue you thinke that the bookes made of yong men which ye shall receaue shall be holesome doctrine but some men be lewd and vnfruitfull neuerthelesse euen as if they receaued not those gests they should also put away angels if any came So if you despise to read such bookes as be written by young men you may also fortune to despise them which are written by the inspiration of Christes spirit and therefore ye ought to read But be it in case I had indéed praised my selfe as I haue not and that I had sayd that I had the Spirite of God what inconuenience should folow thereof would you therof argue that my doctrine were false If that were a good argument then were Christes Doctrine false then were Paule a false prophet and our fayth nothing for Christ said to the Iewes that he was the light of the worlde And againe he sayd It is my Father that glorified me whome ye call your God Now if it had bene a sufficient argument to condemne hys doctrine because the world calleth it boasting thē should we haue beleued no truth at all Besides that Paul séemeth not a little to boast him selfe if men looke on it with a carnall eye for he sayth that he thincketh not him selfe inferiour vnto y t hyest Apostles and sayth againe that if they glory to be the ministers of Christ though he speake vnwisely he is more copious in labours in stripes aboue measure in prison more often often at the poynt of death c. Should we for these words thinke that his doctrine were not right Nayverely that doth not improue the doctrine but that it may be good holesome for a man may boast him selfe do well so he referre y t prayse to God from whom all goodnes commeth but be it in case that I should say that God of hys mere mercy and for the loue that he oweth me in Christ and hys bloud had geuen me hys spirite that I might be to his laude prayse to whom be thankes for euer Amen would you thinke that this were so greate a boastyng that the doctrine should be impayred therby Ah blinde guides I pray God geue you the light of vnderstandyng I beseche you brother Rastell be not discōtent with me if I aske you one question be ye a Christen man or no I am sure you will aunswere yes then if I brought you the text of Paule which sayth he that hath not y t spirite of God is none of his I pray you how will you auoyde it notwithstādyng if you wold auoyde y t text yet will I lay an other blocke in the way that you shal not be able to remoue and that is the saying of Paule 2. Corin. 13. Know ye not your selues that Christ is in you except ye be reprobate persons now how soeuer you would iudge of your selues I thinke verely that I am no such therfore whereas before I dyd not so write Now I certifie you that I am Christes cōclude what ye wil the day shall come that you shall surely know that so it is albeit in meane season I be reputed a laughyng stoke in this world for I know in whom I trust and he can not deceaue me Then bryngeth he against me that I say we haue bene long secluded frō the Scripture and also that our fore fathers haue not had y t light of Gods word opened vnto them I maruell what Rastell meaneth by bryngyng this for his purpose for I thinke it no boastyng of my selfe but if ye thinke that it be vntrue I thinke he is very blynde For what Scripture hath the poore commons bene admitted vnto euen til this day It hath bene hid and locked vp in a straunge tounge and from them that haue attayned the knowledge of that toung hath it bene locked with a thousand false gloses of Antichristes makyng and innumerable lawes And where I say our forefathers haue not had the light of Gods worde opened vnto them I meane that they haue not the Scripture in their owne mother toung that they might haue conferred these iugglyng mistes with the light of Gods word as the processe of my wordes can testifie which he hath holy left out but I besech the Christē reader once to read the place for my discharge and his confusion ye shall finde it in the secōd leafe of my booke And now he alledgeth agaynst me that I should say this iudge Christen reader what reasons Rastell hath brought and how he hath soluted thē for in my minde both his reasons and solutions are so childish and vnsauery so vnlearned and baren so full of faultes and phantasies that I rather pitie the mans déepe ignoraunce and blyndnes which hath so deceiued him selfe through Philosophie and naturall reason then I feare that he by his vayne probations should allure any man to consent vnto hym I thinke Rastell layeth not this agaynst me because I boast my selfe in these wordes And verely as touchyng the truth of those woordes I will adde thus much more vnto thē that I neuer wyst man y t was coūted wise whiche hath brought so slender reasons except he entended to destroy a thing which ye séeme to haue build And finally where as I exhorte all men to iudge and conferre the Scriptures which Syr Thomas
and a loud voyce hée cried Lord open the eyes of the King of Englande and then first he was with a halter strangled by the hangman and afterward consumed with fier In the yeare of our Lord. 1536. Such was the power of his doctryne and the sinceritie of his lyfe that during the tyme of his imprisonment which as aforesayd endured a yeare and a halfe hée conuerted his kéepers Daughter and other of his housholde Also such as were with him conuersaunt in the Castell reported of him that if hée were not a good Christian man they could not tell whom to trust The Procurour generall the Emperours attorney béeing there left this testemony of him that he was Homo doctus pius et bonus that is a learned a good and a godly man The worthy vertues doinges of this blessed martyr who for his painfull traueles and singular zeale to his countrey may be worthelye called in these our dayes an Apostle of England it were long to recite Amongest many other this one thing beecause it semeth worthy of remembraunce I thought good to shew vnto you There was at Andwarp on a tyme amongest a company of merchauntes as they were at supper a certaine iuggeler which thorough his Diabolicall inchauntmentes or Art Magicall woulde fetch all kinde of Vyandes and wine from any place they would and set it vpon the table incontinent before them with many other such lyke thinges The fame of this iuggeler being much talked of it chaunced that as M. Tyndall heard of it he desired certeine of the merchauntes that he also might be present at supper to sée him playe his partes And to be short the Supper was appoynted and the merchauntes with Tyndall were there present Then was the iuggler called foorth to play his feates and to shew his conning and after his wonted boldnes began to vtter all â—hat he coulde doe but all was in vayne At the last with his labour sweating and toyling when he sawe that nothing would goe forward but that all his inchauntmentes were voyde he was compelled openly to confesse that there was some man present at supper which disturbed and letted all his doinges So that a man euen in the martyrs of these our dayes can not lack the myracles of true fayth if myracles were now to be desired And here to ende and conclude this history with a fewe notes touching his priuate behauiour in dyet study and especially his charitable zeale and tender releuing of the poore Fyrst he was a man very frugall and spare of body a great student and earnest laborer namely in the setting forth of y â— Scriptures of God He reserued or halowed to hym selfe ij â–ª dayes in the weeke which he named his dayes of pastime and those dayes were Monday the first day in the weeke and Satterday the last day in the weeke On the Monday he visited all suche poore men and women as were fled out of England by reason of persecution into Antwarp and those well vnderstanding their good exercises and qualities he did very liberally comfort and relieue and in like maner prouided for the sicke and deseased persons On the Satterday he walked round about the towne in Antwarpe seeking out euery Corner and hole where he suspected any pooreperson to dwell as God knoweth there are many and where he found any to he well occupied and yet ouerburdened with children or els were aged or weake those also hée plentefully releued And thus he spent his ij dayes of pastime as he cauled them And truelye his Almose was very large and great and so it might well bee for his exhibition that he had yearely of the Englishe merchauntes was very much and that for the most part he bestowed vpon the poore as afore sayd The rest of the dayes in the weeke he gaue hym wholy to his booke where in most dillgently he traueled When the Sonday came then went he to some one merchaunts chamber or other whether came many other merchauntes and vnto them would he reade some one percell of Scripture eyther out of the olde testament or out of the new the which proceded so frutefully sweetely and gentely from him much like to the writing of S. Iohn the Euangelest that it was a heauenly comfort and ioy to the audieÌ„ce to heare him reade the scriptures and in likewise after dinner he spent an houre in the aforesayd maner He was a man without any spot or blemishe of rancor or malice full of mercy and compassion so that no man liuing was able to reprooue him of any kinde of sinne or cryme albeit his righteousnes and iustification depended not there vpon before God but onely vpon the bloud of Christ and his fayth vpon the same in the which fayth constantly he dyed as is sayd at Filforde and now resteth with the glorious campany of Christes Martyrs blessedly in the Lord who be blessed in all his saintes Amen And thus much of W. Tyndall Christes blessed seruaunt and Martyr Faultes escaped in the Printing Page 16. the 2. col in the margent after these wordes from the put to saluation in Christ. The same Page and same col in the next marginall note after put out in Christ from the beginning of the note Page 21. col 2. in the margent for adminition read admonition ¶ A Protestation made by William Tyndall touchyng the Resurrection of the bodyes and the state of the soules after this life Adstracted out of a Preface of his that he made to the new Testament which he set forth in the yeare 1534. COncernyug the resurrection I proteste before God and our sauiour Iesus Christ and before the vniuersall congregation that beléeueth in him that I beléeue according to the opeÌ„ and manifest Scriptures Catholicke faith that Christ is risen agayne in the flesh which he receaued of his mother the blessed virgine Mary and body wherein he died And that we shall all both good and bad rise both flesh and body and appeare togither before the iudgement seat of Christ to receaue euery man according to his déedes And that the bodies of all that beléeue and continue in the true faith of Christ shal be indewed with like immortalitie and glory as is the body of Christ And I protest before God our Sauiour Christ and all that beléeue in hym that I hold of the soules that are departed as much as may bée prooued by manifest and open Scripture and thinke the soules departed in the faith of Christ loue of the lawe of God to be in no worse case then the soule of Christ was from the tyme that he deliuered his spirite into the handes of his father vntill the resurrection of his body in glory and immortalitie Neuerthelesse I confesse openly that I am not perswaded that they be already in the full glory that Christ is in or the elect Angels of God are in Neither is it any article of my faith for if it so were I sée
his daughter is rauished his wife is defiled and that of his owne sonne Rahell dyeth Ioseph is taken away yea as he supposed rent of wild beastes And yet how glorious was his ende Note the weakenesse of his children yea and the sinne of them and how God thorow their owne wickednes saued them These examples teache vs that a man is not at once perfect the first day he begynneth to liue well They that be strong therefore must suffer with the weake helpe thē in vnity and peace one with an other vntill they be stronger Note what the brethren sayd when they were tached in Egypt we haue verely sinned sayd they agaynst our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when hee besought vs and would not heare him and therfore is this tribulation come vppon vs. By which example thou seest how that cōscience of euill doynges findeth men out at last But namely in tribulation and aduersitie there temptatiō and also desperatiō yea and the very paynes of hell finde vs out there there y t soule feeleth the fierce wrath of GOD and wisheth moūtaines to fall on her and to hyde her if it were possible from the angry face of God Marke also how great euils folow of howe litle an occasion Dina goeth but forth alone to see the daughters of the countrey and how great mischief and trouble foloweth Iacob loued but one sonne more then an other and howe greuous murther folowed in their hartes These are examples for our learnyng to teache vs to walke warely and circumspectly in y t world of weake people that we geue no man occasions of euill Finally see what GOD promised Ioseph in his dreames These promises accompanyed him alwayes and went downe with hym euen into the depe dongeon And brought hym vp agayne And neuer forsoke hym till all y t was promised was fulfilled These are examples writtē for our learnyng as Paule saith to teach vs to trust in God in the strōg fire of tribulation purgatory of our fleshe And that they whiche submitte them selues to folow GOD should note and marke such thynges for learnyng and comfort is the frute of the scripture cause why it was written And with such a purpose to read it is the way to euerlasting life and to those ioysul blessings that are promised vnto all nations in the seede of Abraham whiche seede is Iesus Christ our Lord to whom be honour and prayse for euer and vnto God our father thorow him Amen A Table expoundyng certayne wordes in the first booke of Moses called Genesis ABrech tender father or as some will how the knee Arke a shyppe made flat as it were a chest or cofer Bisse fine white whether it be silke or lynen Blesse Gods blessings are his gifts as in the first Chapter he blessed them saying grow and multiply and haue dominion c. And in the ix Chapter he blessed Noe and his sonnes and gaue them dominion ouer all beastes and authoritie to eat them And God blessed Abraham with cattell and other riches And Iacob desired Esau to receaue the blessing whiche he brought hym that is the present and gift God blessed y t vij day that is gaue it a preheminēce that men should rest therin from bodily labour and learne to know the wil of God his lawes and how to worke their workes godly all the weeke after God also blesseth all nations in Abrahams sede that is he turneth hys loue fauour vnto them and geueth them his spirite and knowledge of the true way and lust and power to walke therin and all for Christes sake Abrahams sonne Cain so is it writtē in Hebrue Notwithstandyng whether we call hym Cain or Caim it maketh no matter so we vnderstand the meanyng Euery land hath his maner that we cal Iohn the Welshmen call Euan the Dutch Haunce Such difference is betwene y t Ebrue Greke and Latine and that maketh them that translate out of the Ebrue varie in names from them that translate out of Latine or Greke Curse Gods curse is the takyng away of his benefites as God cursed y t earth and made it barren So now hunger dearth warre pestilence and such like are yet right curses signes of the wrath of God vnto the vnbeleuers but vnto thē that know Christ they are very blessings and that wholsome crosse and true purgatory of our flesh through which all must goe that will liue godly and be saued as thou readest Math. 5. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake c And Hebr. 11. The lord chastiseth whom he loueth and scourgeth all the children that he receaueth Eden pleasure Firmament the sky Fayth is the beleuyng of Gods promises and a sure trust in the goodnes and truth of God which fayth iustified Abrah Gen. 15. and was the mother of all his good workes whiche he afterafterward did for faith is the goodnes of all works in the sight of god Good workes are things of gods commaundement wrought in fayth And to sow a shoe at the commaundemēt of God to doe thy neighboure seruice withall with fayth to be saued by Christe as God promiseth vs is much better thē to build an abbey of thine owne imagination trusting to bee saued by the fained workes of hipocrites Iacob robbed Laban hys vncle Moses robbed the Egiptians And Abraham is aboute to slay and burne his own sonne and all are holye workes because they are wrought in fayth at Gods commaundement To steale robbe and murder are no holye workes before worldly people but vnto them that haue their trust in God they are holy when God commaundeth them What God commaundeth not getteth no rewarde with god Holy workes of mens imaginations receaue their rewarde here as Christ testisieth Math. 6. Howbeit of fayth and workes I haue spoken aboundantly in Mammon Let him that desireth more seeke there Grace fauour as Noe founde grace that is to say found fauour and loue Ham and Cam all one Iehouah is gods name neither is any creature so called and it is as much to say as one that is of himselfe and dependeth of nothing Moreouer as ofte as thou seest LORDE in greate letters except there be any error in the printing it is in Hebrue Iehouah thou that art or he that is Marshall in Hebrue he is called Sartabaim as thou wouldest say Lorde of the slaughter men And thoughe that Tabaim be taken for cookes in manye places for the cookes did slaye the beastes themselues in those days yet it may be taken for them that put men to execution also and that I thought it should here best signify in as muche as he had the ouersight of the kynges prison and the kyngs prisoners were they neuer so greate men were vnder his custodie therfore I cal him chief Marshal an officer as it were y t Lieuetenaunt of the tower or maister of the Marshalsey Slyme was their morter chap. 11. and slyme
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
for the professiō of our Baptisme or couenantes made betwene GOD and vs. As for an ensample Christ sayth Mat. v. Happy are the mercifull for they shall obtayne mercy Lo here GOD hath made a couenaunt with vs to be mercyfull vnto vs if we will be mercyfull one to an other so that the man whiche sheweth mercy vnto his neighbour may be bold to trust in GOD for mercy at all needes And contrarywise iudgement without mercy shal be to him that sheweth not mercy So now if he that sheweth no mercy trust in GOD for mercy his faith is carnall and worldly and but vayne presumption For God hath promised mercy onely to the mercyfull And therfore the mercyles haue not Gods word that they shall haue mercy but contrarywise that they shall haue iudgement without mercy And Math. vi If ye shall forgeue then theyr fautes your heauenly father shall forgeue you but and if ye shall not forgeue men their faultes no more shall your father forgeue you your faultes Here also by the vertue and strēgth of this couenaunt wherewith God of his mercy hath bounde him selfe to vs vnworthy he that forgeueth his neighbour may be bold when he returneth and amendeth to beleue and trust in GOD for remission of what soeuer he hath done amisse And contrarywise he that will not forgeue can not but dispayre of forgeuenesse in the end and feare iudgement without mercy The generall couenaunt wherin all other are comprehended included is this If we meke our selues to god to kepe all his lawes after the ensample of Christ then God hath bounde him selfe vnto vs to kepe and make good all y t mercies promised in Christ thoroughout all the Scripture All the whole law which was geuē to vtter our corrupt nature is comprehended in the tenne commaundementes And the ten commaundemēts are comprehended in these two loue God and thy neighbour And he that loueth his neighbour in GOD and Christ fulfilleth these two and consequently the ten and finally all the other Now if we loue our neighbours in God and Christ that is to witte if we be louyng kynde and mercyfull to them because God hath created them vnto his likenes and Christ hath redemed them and bought them with his bloud thē may we be bold to trust in God through Christ and his deseruing for all mercy For God hath promised and bounde him selfe to vs to shew vs all mercy and to be a father almighty to vs so that we shall not neede to feare the power of all our aduersaries Now if any mā that submitteth not him selfe to kepe the cōmaundements doe thinke that hee hath any faith in God the same mans fayth is vayne worldly damnable diuelish playne presumption as is aboue sayd and is no fayth that can iustify or be accepted before God And that is it that Iames meaneth in his Epistle For how can a man beleue sayth Paule without a preacher Rom. 10. Now read all the scripture and see where God sent any to preach mercy to any saue vnto them onely that repente and turne to God with all their hartes to kepe his commaundementes Vnto the disobedient that wil not turne is threatned wrath vengeance and damnation according to all the terrible actes and fearful ensamples of the Bible Faith now in God y t father through our Lord Iesus Christ accordyng to the couenauntes appointment made betwene God and vs is our saluatiō Wherfore I haue euer noted the couenantes in the margents also y t promises Moreouer where thou findest a promise and no couenaunt expressed therwith there must thou vnderstand a couenaunt that we when we be receyued to grace know it to be our duty to kepe the law As for an ensample when the scripture saith Mat. 7. Aske and it shall be geuen you seeke and ye shall fynde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you It is to be vnderstand if that when thy neighbour asketh seketh or knocketh to thee thou thē shew hym the same mercy which thou desirest of God then hath god bound him selfe to helpe thee agayne and els not Also ye see that two thynges are required to be in a christen mā The first is a stedfast fayth and trust in almighty God to obtayne all the mercy that he hath promised vs through y t deseruyng and merites of Christes bloude onely without all respect to our owne workes And the other is that we forsake euill and turne to GOD to kepe hys lawes and to fight agaynst our selues and our corrupt nature perpetually that we may do the will of God euery day better and better Thys haue I sayd most deare reader to warne thee least thou shouldst be deceyued and shouldest not onely read the scriptures in vayne and to no profite but also vnto thy greater damnation For the nature of gods worde is that whosoeuer read it or heare it reasoned and disputed before hym it wyll begin immediately to make hym euery day better and better till he be grown into a perfect man in y t knowledge of Christ and loue of the law of God or els make hym worse worse till he be hardened that he openly resist the spirit of god then blaspheme after the ensample of Pharao Coran Abiron Balam Iudas Symon Magus and such other This to bee euen so the woordes of Christ Iohn 3. do well confirme This is condemnation sayth he the light is come into the world but the men loued darkenes more then light for their deedes were euill Behold when the light of Gods worde commeth to a man whether he reade it or heare it preached or testified and he yet haue no loue therto to fashion his lyfe therafter but consenteth still vnto hys olde dedes of ignoraunce then beginneth hys iust damnation immediatly and he is henceforth without excuse in that he refused mercy offered hym for God offreth mercy vpon the conditiō that he will mende hys liuing but he wyll not come vnder the couenaunte And from that houre forward he waxech worse and worse God taking hys spirit of mercy and grace from him for his vnthankfulnes sake And Paul writeth Rom. 1. that the heathen because whē they knew god they had no lust to honour hym wyth godly liuing therfore God poured his wrath vpon them and tooke hys spirit from them and gaue thē vp to their hartes lustes to serue sinne from iniquitie to iniquitie till they were thorowly hardened and past repentance And Pharao because when y e word of God was in his countrey Gods people scattred throughout all his lād yet he neither loued thē nor it therfore God gaue hym vp and in takyng hys spirit of grace from hym so hardened hys hart with couetousnes that afterward no myracle could conuerte hym Hereunto pertaineth y t parable of the talentes Mat. 25. The Lord commaūdeth the talent to be taken away from the euill and slouthfull seruant and to
bynde hym hand and foote and to cast hym into vtter darkenes and to geue the talent vnto hym that had ten saying to all that haue more shall be geuen but from hym that hath not that he hath shal be taken from hym That is to say he that hath a good harte toward the word of god and to garnish it with godly liuyng and to testify it to other y e same shall increase daily more and more in the grace of Christ But he that loueth it not to lyue therafter and to edify other the same shall loose the grace of true knowledge be blinded agayne and euery day wax worse and worse and blynder and blynder tyll he be an vtter enemy of the worde of God and hys hart so hardened that it shall be impossible to conuert hym And Luke xij The seruaunte that knoweth hys maisters wyll and prepareth not hymselfe shall be beaten wyth many stripes That is shall haue greater damnation And Mat. 7. All that heare the worde of God and do not therafter build on sande that is as the foundation laid on sand can not resist violence of water but is vndermyned and ouerthrowne euen so the fayth of them that haue no lust nor loue to the law of God builded vpon y t sand of their owne imaginatiōs and not on the rocke of Gods word accordyng to hys couenauntes turneth to desperation in tyme of tribulatiō and when God commeth to iudge And the vineyard Mat. 21. planted and hyred out to the husbandmen that would not render to the Lorde of the fruit in due tyme and therfore was takē from them and hyred out to other doth confirme the same For Christe sayth to the Iewes the kingdome of heauē shal be taken from you and geuen to a nation that wyll bring forthe y t frutes therof as it is come to passe For the Iewes haue lost the spirituall knowledge of God of his cōmaundementes and also of all the scripture so that they can vnderstand nothyng godly And the dore is so locked vppe that all their knockyng is in vayne though many of them take great payn for gods sake And Luke 13. The figge tree that beareth no fruite is cōmaunded to be plucked vp And finally hereto pertayneth with infinyte other the terrible parable of the vncleane spirite Luke 11. which after hee is cast out when hee commeth and findeth hys house swept and garnished taketh to hym 7. worse then hymselfe and commeth entreth in and dwelleth there and so is y t ende of the man worse then the beginnyng The Iewes they had cleansed themselues with gods word from all outward idolatry and worshipping of idols But their hartes remayned styll faythlesse to godward and toward his mercy and truth and therfore without loue also lust to his law to their neighbours for hys sake and through false trust in their owne woorkes to which heresy the chylde of perdition the wicked bishop of Rome with hys lawyers hath broughte vs christen were more abhominable idolaters thē before and become ten tymes worse in the end then at the beginning For the first idolatry was soone spyed and easie to be rebuked of the Prophets by the Scripture But the latter is more subtill to beguile withall and an hundreth tymes of more difficultie to bee weeded out of mens hartes This also is a conclusion nothyng more certayne or more proued by the testimony and ensamples of the scripture that if any that fauoureth the worde of God be so weake that he can not chaste hys flesh hym wyll the lord chastice and scourge euery day sharper and sharper with tribulation and misfortune that nothyng shall prosper with him but all shall go against him what soeuer he taketh in hand will visite him with pouertie with sickenesses and diseases and shall plague him with plague vpon plague eche more lothsome terrible and fearefull then other till he be at vtter desiaunce with his flesh Let vs therefore that haue now at this tyme our eyes opened agayne through the tender mercy of GOD kepe a meane Let vs so put our trust in the mercy of GOD through Christ that we know it our duetie to kepe the law of GOD and to loue our neighbours for their fathers sake whiche created them and for their Lords sake which redemed them and bought thē so dearely with his bloud Lette vs walke in y t feare of God and haue our eyes open vnto both partes of Gods couenaunts beyng certified that none shal be partaker of the mercy saue hee that will fight against the flesh to kepe the lawe And let vs arme our selues with this remembraunce y t as Christs workes iustifie from sinne and set vs in the fauour of GOD so our owne dedes through workyng of the spirite of God helpe vs to continue in the fauour and the grace into which Christ hath brought vs and that we can no longer continue in fauour and grace then our hartes are to kepe the law Furthermore concernyng the lawe of God this is a generall conclusion that the whole lawe whether they be ceremonies sacrifices yea or Sacramentes either or preceptes of equitie betwene man and man throughout al degrees of the world all were geuē for our profite and necessitie onely not for any nede that God hath of our keping thē or y t his ioy is encreased therby or that the dede for the dede it selfe doth please him That is all that God requireth of vs whē we be at one with him and doe put our trust in him and loue him is that we loue euery man his neighbour to pity hym to haue compassion on him in all his needes and to be mercyfull vnto him This to be euen so Christ testifieth in the. vij of Math This is the lawe and the Prophetes That is to do as thou wouldst be done to accordyng I meane to the doctrine of the Scripture and not to do that thou wouldest not haue done to thee is all that the law requireth the Prophets And Paul to the Rom. xiij affirmeth also y t loue is that fulfillyng of the law and that he which loueth doth of his owne accorde all that the law requireth And. i. Tim. i. Paul sayth that the loue of a pure hart and good conscience and faith vnfayned is the end and fulfillyng of the law For faith vnfained in Christes bloud causeth y e to loue for Christes sake which loue is the pure loue onely the onely cause of a good conscience For then is the conscience pure whē the eye looketh to Christ in all her deedes to doe them for his sake and not for her owne singular aduaūtage or any other wicked purpose And Iohn both in hys Gospel and also Epistles speaketh neuer of any other law then to loue one an other purely affirmyng that we haue God him selfe dwellyng in vs all that GOD desireth if we loue one the other Seyng then that
fayth to God and loue and mercyfulnesse to our neighbours is all that y e law requireth therfore of necessitie the lawe must be vnderstand and interprete by them So that all inferiour lawes are to be kept obserued as lōg as they be seruaūts to faith and loue and then to be brokē immediatly if thorough any occasion they hurt either the fayth whiche we should haue to Godward in the confidence of Christes bloud or the loue whiche we owe to our neighbours for Christes sake And therfore when the blinde Phariseis murmured and grudged at him and his Disciples that they brake the Sabboth day and traditions of the elders and that he him self did eate with Publicanes and sinners he aunswered Math. ix allegyng Esayas y e Prophet Go rather and learne what this meaneth I require mercy and not sacrifice And Math. xij Oh that ye wist what this meaneth I require mercy and not sacrifice For onely loue and mercyfulnesse vnderstandeth the law and els nothyng And he that hath not that writtē in his hart shall neuer vnderstand the law no though al the angels of heauen went about to teache him And he that hath that grauen in his hart shal not onely vnderstand the law but also shall do of his owne inclinatiō all that is required of the law though neuer law had bene geuen as all mothers do of them selues without law vnto their children all that can be required by any law loue ouercommyng all payne grief tediousnesse or lothsomnesse and euen so no doubt if we had continued in our first state of innocencie we should euer haue fulfilled the law without compulsion of the law And bicause the law which is a doctrine throughe teachyng euery man his duetie doth vtter our corrupt nature is sufficiently described by Moses therfore is litle mention made therof in the new Testament saue of loue onely wherin all the law is included as seldome mētion is made of the new Testament in the old law saue here there are promises made vnto thē that Christ should come and blesse them deliuer them and that the Gospel and new Testamēt should be preached and published vnto all nations The Gospell is glad tidynges of mercy and grace and that our corrupt nature shal be healed again for christes sake and for the merites of his deseruynges onely Yet on that condition that we will turne to God to learne to keepe his lawes spiritually that is to say of loue for his sake will also suffer the curyng of our infirmities The new Testament is as much to say as a new couenaunt The old Testamēt is an old temporall couenaunt made betwene GOD and the carnall children of Abraham Isaac and Iacob otherwise called Israell vpon the deedes and the obseruing of a temporall law where the reward of the kepyng is temporall life and prosperitie in the land of Canaan and the breaking is rewarded with tēporall death and punishment But the new Testamēt is an euerlastyng couenaūt made vnto the children of GOD thorough faith in Christ vpon the deseruynges of Christ where eternall life is promised to all that beleue and death to all that are vnbeleuyng My deedes if I kepe the law are rewarded with temporall promises of this lyfe But if I beleue in Christ Christes deedes haue purchased for me the eternall promise of the euerlastyng lyfe If I cōmit nothyng worthy of death I deserue to my reward that no man kill me if I hurt no man I am worthy that no mā hurt me If I helpe my neighbour I am worthy that he helpe me agayn c. So that with outward deedes with whiche I serue other men I deserue that other men doe like to me in this world and they extēd no further But Christes dedes extende to lyfe euerlasting vnto all that beleue c. These be sufficient in this place concernyng the law and the Gospell new Testament old so that as there is but one God one Christ one faith one Baptisme euen so vnderstand thou that there is but one Gospell thoughe many write it and many preach it For all preache the same Christ bryng the same glad tidinges And therto Paules Epistles with the Gospell of Iohn and his first Epistle and the first Epistle of S. Peter are most pure Gospell and most playnly and richely describe the glory of the grace of Christe If ye require more of the law seke in the Prologue to the Romaines and in other places where it is sufficiently entreated of ¶ Repentaunce COncerning this word repētaunce or as they vsed penaunce the Hebrue hath in the old Testament generally Sob turne or be conuerted For which the translation that we take for S. Ieromes hath most part Conuerti to turne to be conuerted and somtime Agere poenitentiam And the Greeke in the newe Testament hath perpetually Metanoeo to turne in the hart and minde and to come to the right knowledge and to a mans right wit agayn For which Metanoeo s Ieromes trāslation hath sometime Ago poenitentiam I do repent sometime Poeniteo I repent sometime Poeniteor I am repentaunt sometyme Habeo poenitentiam I haue repentaunce sometyme Poenitet me it repenteth me And Erasmus vseth much this worde Resipisco I come to my selfe or to my right mynde againe And the very sence and signification both of the Hebrue also of the Greke word is to be conuerted and to turne to God with all the hart to know hys will to liue accordyng to his lawes and to be cured of our corrupt nature with the oyle of his spirite and wyne of obedience to his doctrine Whiche conuersion or turnyng if it be vnfayned these foure do accompany it and are included therin Confession not in the Priestes eare for that is but mans inuention but to God in the hart and before all the congregation of GOD how that we be sinners and sinnefull and that our whole nature is corrupt and inclined to sinne and all vnrighteousnes and therfore euill wicked and damnable and his law holy and iust by which our sinnefull nature is rebuked And also to our neighbours if we haue offended any person particularly Then contrition sorowfulnes that we be such damnable sinners and not only haue sinned but are wholy enclined to sinne still Thirdly fayth of which our old◠doctours haue made no mention at all in the description of their penaunce that God for Christes sake doth forgeue vs and receyue vs to mercy and is at one with vs and will heale our corrupt nature And fourthly satisfaction or amendes makyng not to god with holy workes but to my neighbour whom I haue hurt and the congregation of God whome I haue offended if any open crime be found in me and submittyng of a mans selfe vnto the congregation or churche of Christ and to the officers of the same to haue his lyfe corrected and gouerned henceforth of them
it is chewed the pleasanter it is and the more groundly it is searched the precioser thynges are found in it so great treasure of spirituall thinges lyeth hid therin I will therfore bestow my labour diligence thorow this little preface or prologue to prepare a way in therunto so farreforth as God shall geue me grace that it may be the better vnderstand of euery man for it hath ben hitherto euill darkened with gloses and wonderful dreames of sophisters that no man could spy out the intent and meanyng of it which neuerthelesse of it selfe is a bright lyght and sufficient to geue light vnto all the scripture First we must marke diligently the maner of speakyng of the Apostle and aboue all thing know what Paul meaneth by these wordes the Law sinne grace fayth righteousnes flesh sprite and such lyke or els read thou it neuer so ofte thou shalt but loose thy labor This word Lawe may not be vnderstand here after the common manner and to vse Pauls terme after the maner of men or after mans wayes that thou wouldest say the law here in this place were nothyng but learnyng which techeth what ought to be done and what ought not to be done as it goeth with mans law where the law is fulfilled with outward workes only though the harte be neuer so far of but God iudgeth after the grounde of the harte ye and the thoughtes and the secret mouinges of the mynde therfore hys law requireth the grounde of the hart and loue from the bottome therof and is not content with the outward worke onely but rebuketh those workes most of all which spryng not of loue from the ground and low bottome of the hart though they appeare outward neuer so honest and good as Christ in the gospell rebuketh the pharises aboue all other that were open sinners and calleth them hipocrites that is to say Simulars and paynted Sepulchers which Pharises yet liued no men so pure as pertayning to the outward dedes and workes of y t law ye and Paul in the third chapter of his epistle vnto the Philippiās confesseth of himselfe that as touching the lawe he was such a one as no man coulde complayne on and notwithstandyng was yet a murderer of the christen per secuted them and tormented them so sore that he compelled them to blaspheme Christ was altogether mercilesse as many which now fayne outward good workes are For this cause the 115. psalme calleth all men lyers because that no man kepeth the law from the ground of the harte neither can kepe it For all men are naturally inclyned vnto euill and hate the law we fynde in our selues vnlust and tediousnes to do good but lust and delectation to do euill Now where no free lust is to do good there the bottom of the hart fulfilleth not the law and there no doute is also sinne and wrathe deserued before GOD though there be neuer so great outwarde shew and apparance of honest liuing For this cause concludeth S. Paule in the second chapter that the Iewes all are sinners and transgressors of the law thoughe they make men beleue thorow hipocrisie of outward works how that they fulfill the law sayth that he onely whiche doth the law is righteous before God meanyng therby that no mā with outward workes fulfilleth the law Thou saith he to the Iewe teachest a mā should not breake wedlocke and yet breakest wedlocke thy selfe Wherin thou iudgest an other man therein condemnest thou thy selfe for thou thy selfe doest euen the very same thynges whiche thou iudgest As thoughe hee would say thou liuest outwardly well in the workes of the law and iudgest them that liue not so thou teachest other men and seest a mote in an other mās eie but art not ware of the beame that is in thyne owne eye For though thou keepe the lawe outwardly with works for feare of rebuke shame and punishment either for loue of reward vantage vayne glory yet doest thou all without lust and loue toward the law and haddest leuer a great deale otherwise do if thou diddest not feare the lawe ye inwardly in thine harte thou wouldest that there were no law no nor yet God the author and venger of the lawe if it were possible so paynefull it is vnto thee to haue thyne appetites refrayned and to bee kepte downe Wherfore then it is a playne conclusion that thou from the grounde and bottome of thyne hart art an enemy to the law What preuayleth it now that thou teachest an other man not to steale when thou thyne owne selfe art a thefe in thyne hart and outwardly wouldest fayne steale if thou durst though that the outward dedes abyde not alway behind with such hypocrites and dissimulers but breake forth among euen as an euill scabbe or a pocke can not alwayes be kept in with violence of medicine Thou teachest an other man but teachest not thy selfe ye thou w◅est not what thou teachest for thou vnderstadest not the law a right how that it can not be fulfilled and satisfied but with inward loue and affection much lesse can it be fulfilled with outward deedes and workes onely Moreouer the law encreaseth sinne as he sayth in the fift Chapter because that mā is an enemie to the law for as much as it requireth so many thinges cleane contrarie to his nature wherof he is not able to fulfill one pointe or title as the law requireth it And therfore are we more prouoked and haue greater lust to breake it For whiche causes sake he sayth in the seuenth Chapter that the lawe is spirituall as though he would say if the law wer fleshly and but mans doctrine it might be fulfilled satisfied and stilled with outward deedes But now is the law ghostly and no man fulfilleth it except that all that he doth spryng of loue from the bottome of the hart Such a new hart and lusty courage vnto the law ward canst thou neuer come by of thyne owne strength enforcement but by the operation and workyng of the spirite For the spirite of God onely maketh a man spirituall like vnto the law so that now hence forth hee doth nothyng of feare or for lucre or vantages sake or of vaine glory but of a free hart and of inward lust The law is spirituall and wil be both loued and fulfilled of a spirituall hart and therefore of necessitie requireth it the spirit that maketh a mans hart free and geueth him lust and courage vnto the law ward Where such a spirite is not there remaineth sinne grudging and hatred against the law which law neuerthelesse is good righteous and holy Acquaint thy selfe therfore with the maner of speakyng of the Apostle and let this now sticke fast in thyne hart that it is not both one to do the dedes and workes of the law and to fulfill the law The worke of y t law is what soeuer a man doth or
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
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
law is to driue to compell and to craue euen so the flesh driueth compelleth craueth and rageth agaynst the spirite and wil haue her lustes satisfied On the other side driueth the spirite crieth and fighteth against the flesh and will haue his lust satisfied And this strife dureth in vs as long as we liue in some more in some lesse as the spirite or the flesh is stronger the very man his owne selfe is both the spirite and the fleshe which fighteth with his owne self vntil sinne be vtterly slayne and he all together spirituall In the viij Chapter he comforteth such fighters that they dispayre not be cause of such fleshe either thinke that they are lesse in fauour with God And he shewed how that the sinne remaynyng in vs hurteth not for there is no daunger to them that are in Christ whiche walke not after the flesh but fight agaynst it And he expoundeth more largely what the nature of the flesh and of the spirit is and how the spirite commeth by Christ whiche spirite maketh vs spirituall tameth subdueth and mortifieth the flesh and certifieth vs that we are neuerthelesse the sonnes of God also beloued though that sinne rage neuer so much in vs so long as we folow the spirite and fight agaynst sinne to kill and mortifie it And because the chastisyng of the flesh the crosse and sufferyng are nothyng pleasaūt he comforteth vs in our passions and afflictions by the assistance of the spirite which maketh intercessiō to GOD for vs mightely with gronynges that passe mans vtteraunce mans speach can not comprehēd them and the creatures morne also with vs of great desire that they haue that we were loosed from sinne and corruption of the flesh So see we that these three Chapters the vj. vij viij do none othyng so much as to driue vs vnto the right worke of faith whiche is to kill the old man and mortifie the flesh In the. ix x. and. xj Chapters he treateth of Gods predestinatiō whēce it springeth all together whether we shall beleue or not beleue be loosed frō sinne or not be loosed By whiche predestinatiō our iustifiyng and saluatiō are cleane taken out of our hands and put in the hands of God onely which thyng is most necessary of all For we are so weake and so vncertaine that if it stode in vs there would of a truth no man be saued the deuill no doubt would deceaue vs. But now is God sure that his predestinatiō can not deceaue him neither can any man withstand or let him and therefore haue we hope and trust agaynst sinne But here must a marke be set vnto those vnquiet busie and hye climyng spirites how farre they shall go which first of all bryng hether their hye reasons and pregnaunt wittes and begyn first from an hye to search the bottomlesse secretes of Gods predestination whether they bee predestinate or not These must nedes either cast them selues down headlong into desperation or els commit thē selues to fre chaunce carelesse But folow thou the order of this Epistle and noosell thy selfe with Christ and learne to vnderstand what the law and y t Gospell meane and the office of both two that thou mayest in the one know thy selfe and how that thou hast of thy selfe no strength but to sinne in the other the grace of Christ and then see thou fight agaynst sinne and the flesh as the. vij first Chapters teach thee After that when thou art come to the viij Chapter art vnder the crosse and suffryng of tribulation the necessitie of prestination will waxe sweete and thou shalt well feele how precious a thyng it is For except thou haue borne the crosse of aduersitie and temptation hast felt thy selfe brought vnto the very brimme of desperation yea and vnto hell gates thou canst neuer medle with the sentēce of predestination without thyne owne harme without secret wrath and grudgyng in wardly agaynst God for otherwise it shall not be possible for thee to thinke that God is righteous iust Therefore must Adam be well mortified and the fleshely wytte brought vtterly to nought yet that thou mayest awaye with this thyng and drinke so strong wyne Take hede therefore vnto thy selfe that thou drinke not wyne while thou art yet but a sucklyng For euery learning hath her tyme measure age and in Christ is there a certaine childhode in whiche a man must be content with milke for a season vntill he waxe stronge and growe vp vnto a perfect man in Christ and be able to eate of more strong meate In the xij Chapter he geueth exhortations For this maner obserueth Paul in all his Epistles first he teacheth Christ and the fayth then exhorteth he to good workes and vnto continuall mortifiyng of the flesh So here teacheth he good workes in deede and the true seruyng of God and maketh all men Priestes to offer vp not money and beastes as the maner was in the tyme of the law but their own bodies with killyng and mortifiyng the lustes of the fleshe After that he describeth the outward conuersation of Christen men how they ought to behaue them selues in spirituall thinges how to teach preach and rule in the cōgregation of Christ to serue one an other to suffer all things patiently and to commit wreake and vengeaunce to God in conclusion how a Christen mā ought to behaue him selfe vnto all men to frend foe or whatsoeuer he be These are the right workes of a Christen mā whiche spryng out of fayth For fayth keepeth not holy day neither suffreth any man to be idle wheresoeuer she dwelleth In the. xiij he teacheth to honour the worldly and temporall sword For though that mans law and ordinaūce make not a man good before God neither iustifie him in the hart yet are they ordeined for the furtheraunce of the cōmon wealth to mainteine peace to punish the euill and to defend the good Therfore ought the good to honor the temporal sword and to haue it in reuerence though as concernyng them selues they neede it not but would abstaine from euill of their owne accord yea and do good without mans lawe but by the law of the spirite which gouerneth the hart and guideth it vnto all that is the will of God Finally he comprehendeth and knitteth vp all in loue Loue of her own nature bestoweth all that she hath and euen her own selfe on that whiche is loued Thou nedest not to bid a kynd mother to belouyng vnto her onely sonne much lesse spiritual loue which hath eyes geuen her of GOD nedeth mans law to teach her to do her duetie And as in y t begynnyng he did put forth Christ as the cause and author of our righteousnes and saluation euen so here setteth he hym forth as an ensample to counterfaite that as he hath done to vs euē so should we do one to an other In the xiiij Chapter he
this Epistle to haue bene written by any of the Apostles but haue also refused it all together as no Catholicke or godly epistle bicause of certaine textes written therin For first he sayth in the sixt it is impossible that they whiche were once lighted and haue tasted of the heauēly gift and were become partakers of the holye ghoste and haue tasted of the good worde of GOD and of the power of the worlde to come if they fall shoulde bee renewed agayne to repentaunce or conuersion And in the tenth it sayth if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull lookyng for iudgement and violent fyre whiche shall destroy the aduersaries And in the xij it saith that Esau found no way to repentaunce or conuersion no thoughe he sought it with teares Whiche textes say they sound that if a man sinne any more after he is once Baptised he can be no more forgeuen and that is contrary to all the Scripture and therefore to be refused to be Catholicke and godly Vnto whiche I aunswere if we should denye this Epistle for those textes sakes so should we deny first Mathew which in his xij Chapter affirmeth that he which blasphemeth the holy Ghost shall neither be forgiuen here nor in the world to come And then Marke which in his thyrd Chapiter sayth that he that blasphemeth the holy Ghost shal neuer haue forgiuenesse but shal be in daunger of eternall damnation And thirdly Luke which saith there shall be no remission to him that blasphemeth the spirite of God Moreouer Iohn in his first Epistle saith there is a sinne vnto death for which a man should not pray And ij Pet. ij saith if a man be fled from the vncleanesse of the world through the knowledge of our Sauiour Iesus Christ and then be wrapt in agayne his ende is worse then the beginnyng and that it had better for him neuer to haue knowen the truth And Paule ij Ti. iij. curseth Alexander the Copper-smith desiring the lord to reward him accordyng to his deedes Whiche is a signe that either y t Epistle should not be good or that Alexander had sinned past forgiuenesse no more to be prayed for Wherfore seyng no Scripture is of priuate interpretation but must be expounded accordyng to the generall Articles of our fayth and agreable to other open and euident textes confirmed or compared to lyke sentences why should we not vnderstand these places with like reuerēce as we do the other namely when all the remnaunt of the Epistle is so godly of so great learnyng The first place in the vj. Chapiter will no more then that they whiche know the truth and yet willingly refuse the light and chuse rather to dwell in darkenes and refuse Christ make a mocke of him as y ◠Pharisies which whē they were ouercome with Scripture miracles y ◠Christ was the very Messias yet had they such lust in iniquitie that they forsoke him persecuted him slewe him and did all the shame that could be imagined to him can not bee renued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth the Greeke to be conuerted that is to say such malicious vnkyndnesse which is none other then the blasphemyng of the holy Ghost deserueth that the spirite shall neuer come more at them to conuerte them whiche I beleue to be as true as any other text in all the Scripture And what is ment by that place in the tenth Chapter where he sayth if we sinne willingly after we haue receiued y t knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne is declared immediatly after For he maketh a comparison betwene Moses and Christ saying if he which despised Moses law dyed without mercy how much worse punishment is he worthy of that treadeth the sonne of God vnderfoote and counteth the bloud of the couenaunt by whiche bloud he was sanctified as an vnholy thyng blasphemeth the spirite of grace By which wordes it is manifest that he meaneth none other by the fore wordes then the sinne of blasphemy of the spirite For them that sinne of ignoraunce or infirmitie there is remedy but for him that knoweth the truthe and yet willingly yeldeth him selfe to sinne consenteth vnto the lyfe of sinne with soule and body had rather lye in sin then haue his poysoned nature healed by the helpe of the spirite of grace and maliciously persecuteth the truth for him I say there is no remedy the way to mercy is locked vp and the spirite is taken from him for his vnthankefulnesse sake no more to be geuen him Truthe it is if a mā can turne to God and beleue in Christ he must be forgiuen how deepe soeuer he hath sinned but that wil not be without the spirite and such blasphemers shall no more haue the spirite offred them Let euery man therefore feare God and beware that he yeld not him self to serue sinne but how oft soeuer he sinne let him be gyn agayne and fight a freshe and no doubt he shal at the last ouercome and in the meane tyme yet be vnder mercy for Christes sake because his hart worketh and would fayne be loused from vnder the bondage of sinne And there it sayth in the. xij Esau founde no way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee conuerted and reconciled vnto God and restored vnto his byrth right agayn though he sought it with teares that text must haue a spirituall eye For Esau in sellyng his byrthright despised not onely that temporall promotion that he should haue bene Lord ouer all his brethren and kyng of that countrey but he also refused the grace and mercy of GOD and the spirituall blessyng of Abrahā and Isaac and all y t mercy that is promised vs in Christ which should haue bene his seede Of this ye see that this Epistle ought no more to be refused for holy godly and Catholicke then the other autentike Scriptures Now therfore to come to our purpose agayne though this Epistle as it sayth in the sixt lay not the grounde of the fayth of Christ yet it buildeth cunnyngly thereon pure gold siluer and precious stones proueth the Priesthode of Christ with Scriptures ineuitable Moreouer there is no worke in all the Scripture that so playnly declareth the meanyng and significatiōs of the sacrifices ceremonies and figures of the old Testament as this Epistle in so much that if wilful blindnes malicious malice were not the cause this Epistle onely were enoughe to wede out of the hartes of the papistes that cankred heresie of iustifiyng of workes cōcernyng our Sacraments ceremonies and all maner traditions of their owne inuention And finally in that ye see in the tenth that he had bene in bondes and prison for Christes sake in y t he so mightely driueth all to Christ to be saued thorough him and so cared for the flocke of Christ that he both wrote and
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
conclusion not to bee doubted of that there must be first in the hart of a man before he do any good worke a greater and a preciouser thyng then all the good workes in the world to reconcile him to God to bryng the loue and fauour of God to him to make him loue God agayne to make him righteous and good in the sight of God to do a way his sinne to deliuer him and lose him out of that captiuitie where in he was conceaued and borne in whiche he could neither loue God neither the will of God Or els how can he worke any good woorke that should please God if there were not some supernaturall goodnes in him giuen of GOD freely where of the good worke must spryng euen as a sicke man must first be healed or made whole yer he can do the dedes of an whole man and as the blind man must first haue sight geuen him yer he can see and he that hath his feete in fetters giues or stockes must first be loosed or he can go walke or runne and euen as they whiche thou readest of in the Gospel that they were possessed of the deuils could not laude God till the deuils were cast out That precious thing which must be in the hart yer a man can worke any good worke is y ◠word of God which in the Gospell preacheth profereth bryngeth vnto all that repent and beleue the fauour of God in Christ Who soeuer heareth the word and beleueth it the same is thereby righteous and thereby is geuen hym the spirite of God which leadeth him vnto all that is the will of God and is loosed from the captiuitie and bondage of the deuill and his hart is free to loue God and hath lust to do the will of GOD. Therfore it is called the word of lyfe the word of grace the word of health the word of redemption the word of forgiuenes and the word of peace he that heareth it not or beleueth it not cā by no meanes be made righteous before God This confirmeth Peter in the xv of the Actes seyng that GOD through fayth doth purifie the hartes For of what nature so euer the word of God is of the same nature must the hartes be whiche beleue thereon and cleaue thereunto Now is the word liuyng pure righteous and true euen so maketh it the hartes of them that beleue theron IF it be sayd that Paul when he saith in the iij. to the Romaines no fleshe shal be or can be iustified by the deedes of the law meaneth it of the ceremonies or sacrifices it is an vntrue saying For it foloweth immediatly by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Now are they not the ceremonies that vtter sinne but the law of cōmaundementes In the iiij he sayth the law causeth wrath whiche can not bee vnderstand of the ceremonies for they were geuen to reconcile the people to God agayne after they had sinned If as they say the ceremonies which were geuen to purge sinne and to reconcile iustifie not neither blesse but temporally onely much more the law of commaundementes iustifieth not For that whiche proueth a man sick health him not neither doth the cause of wrath bring to fauour neither can that whiche damneth saue a man When the mother commaundeth her childe but euen to rocke the cradle it grudgeth the commaundement doth but vtter the poyson that lay hid and setteth him at bate with hys mother and maketh hym beleue shee loueth him not These commaundements also thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house thou shalt not lust desire or wishe after thy neighbours wife seruaunt mayde oxe or asse or what soeuer pertaineth vnto thy neyghbour geue me not power so to doe but vtter the poyson that is in me and damne me because I can not so do and proue that God is wrath with me seing that his wil and mine are so contrary Therefore sayth Paul Gal. iij. If there had ben geuen such a law that could haue geuen lyfe then no doubt righteousnes had come by the law but the Scripture concluded all vnder sinne sayth he that the promise might bee geuen vnto them that beleue through the fayth that is in Iesus Christ The promises when they are beleued are they that iustifie for they bring the spirite whiche looseth the hart giueth lust to the law and certifieth vs of y t good will of God vnto vs ward If we submit our selues vnto God desire him to heale vs he wil do it and will in the meane tyme because of the consent of y ◠hart vnto y ◠law count vs for full whole wil no more hate vs but pitie vs cherish vs be tender harted to vs loue vs as he doth Christ him selfe Christ is our redemer Sauiour peace attonement and satisfactiō and hath made amendes or satisfaction to Godward for all the sinne whiche they that repēt consentyng to the law and beleuyng the promises do haue done or shal do So that if through fragilitie we fall a thousand tymes in a day yet if we do repent agayne we haue alway mercy layd vp for vs in store in Iesus Christ our Lord. WHat shall we say then to those Scriptures whiche go so sore vpō good workes As we read Math. xxv I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate c. And such like Whiche all sound as though we should be iustified and accepted vnto the fauour of God in Christ through good workes To this I aunswere Many there are which whē they heare or read of fayth at once they cōsent therunto and haue a certaine imagination or opinion of fayth as when a man telleth a story or a thyng done in a straunge lande that pertayneth not to thē at all Which yet they heleue and tell as a true thyng And this imagination or opinion they call faith They thinke no further then that fayth is a thyng which standeth in their own power to haue as do other naturall workes whiche men worke but they feele no maner workyng of the spirite neither the terrible sentence of the law the fearefull iudgements of God the horrible damnation and captiuitie vnder Sathan Therefore as soone as they haue this opinion or imaginatiō in there hartes that sayth verely this doctrine semeth true I beleue it is euē so Then they thinke that the right fayth is there But afterward when they feele in them selues and also see in other that there is none alteration and that the workes folow not but that they are altogether euē as before and abide in their old estate then thinke they y t faith is not sufficient but that it must be some greater thing then fayth that should iustifie a man So faule they away from fayth agayne and crye saying fayth onely iustifieth not a man and maketh him acceptable to GOD. If thou aske them wherfore They aūswere see how many there are that beleue and yet do no more
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
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
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
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
raigne ouer all and will obey no man If the father geue you ought of curtesie ye will cōpell the sonne to geue it violently whether he will or not by crafte of your owne lawes These deedes are against Christ When a whole parish of vs hyre a scholemaister to teach our children what reason is it that we shoulde be compelled to pay thys scholemaister his wages and he should haue licence to goe where he wil and to dwell in an other contrey and to leaue our children vntaught Doth not the pope so Haue we not geuen vp our tithes of curtesie vnto one for to teach vs Gods worde and commeth not the pope and compelleth vs to pay it violently to them that neuer teach Maketh he not one Parson which neuer commeth at vs yea one shall haue v. or vj. or as many as he can get and wotteth oftentimes where neuer one of them standeth Another is made Vicare to whom he geueth a dispensation to goe where he will and to set in a parishe priest which can but minister a sort of dumme ceremonies And he because he hath most labour and least profite polleth on hys part and fetteth here a masse peuy there a trentall yonder dirige money and for his beadroule with a confession peny and such like And thus are we neuer taught and are yet neuertheles compelled ye compelde to hyre many costly scholemasters These deedes are verely agaynst Christ Shall we therefore iudge you by your dedes as Christ commaundeth So are ye false Prophetes and the Disciples of Antechrist or agaynst Christ The Sermons which thou readest in the Actes of the Apostles and all that the Apostles preached were no doubt preached in the mother tongue Why then might they not be written in the mother tounge As if one of vs preach a good sermon why may it not be written Saint Hierome also translated the Bible into his mother tounge Why may not we also They will say it can not be translated into our tounge it is so rude It is not so rude as they are false lyers For the Greeke tounge agreeth more with the English then wyth the Latin And the properties of the Hebrue tounge agreeth a thousand tymes more wyth the Englishe then wyth the Latyn The maner of speaking is both one so that in a thousand places thou needest not but to trāslate it into the English worde for worde when thou must seeke a compasse in the Latin and yet shalt haue much worke to translate it welfauouredly so that it haue the same grace swetenesse sence pure vnderstanding with it in the Latin as it hath in the Hebrue A thousand partes better maye it be translated into the English thē into the Latin Yea and except my memory fayle me and that I haue forgotten what I red whē I was a childe thou shalt finde in the Englishe cronicle how that kyng Adelstone caused the holy Scripture to be translated into the tounge that then was in Englande and how the Prelates exhorted him thereunto Moreouer seyng that one of you euer preacheth contrary to an other and when two of you meete the one disputeth brauleth wyth the other as it were two scoldes And forasmuch as one holdeth this Doctor and an other that One foloweth Duns an other Saint Thomas an other Bonauenture Alexāder de hales Raymond Lyre Brygot Dorbell Holcot Gorram Trumbett Hugo de sancto victore De monte regio De noua uilla De media villa and such lyke out of nūber So that if thou haddest but of euery authour one booke thou couldest not pyle them vp in any ware house in London and euery authour is one contrary vnto an other In so great diuersitie of spirites how shall I know who lyeth and who sayeth truth Whereby shall I trye thē and iudge them Verely by Gods worde which onely is true But how shall I that do when thou wilt not let me see scripture Nay say they the scriptures is so harde that thou couldest neuer vnderstand it but by the Doctours That is I must measure the mete yarde by the cloth Here be twenty clothes of diuers lengthes of diuers bredthes How shall I be sure of the length of the mete yarde by them I suppose rather I must be first sure of the length of the mete yarde and thereby measure and iudge the clothes If I must first beleue the Doctour then is the Doctour first true and the truth of the scripture dependeth of hys truth so the truth of God springeth of the truth of man Thus Antechrist turneth the rotes of the trees vpwarde What is the cause that we damne some of Origenes workes and alowe some How know we that some is heresy and some not By the scripture I trow How know we that Saint Augustine which is the best or one of the best that euer wrote vpon the Scripture wrote many thynges amisse at the beginning as many other Doctours doe Verely by the Scriptures as he hymselfe well perceaued afterward when he looked more diligently vpon them and reuoked many thynges agayne He wrote of many thinges which he vnderstode not when he was newly conuerted yer he had throughly seene the Scriptures and folowed the opinions of Plato and the common perswasions of mans wisedom that were then famous They wyll say yet more shamefully that no man can vnderstād the Scriptures without Philautia that is to say Philosophy A man muste first bee well seene in Aristotle yer he cā vnderstand the Scripture say they Aristotles doctrine is that the worlde was wythout beginning and shall be wythout ende and that the first man neuer was and the last shall neuer be And that God doth all of necessitie neither careth what we doe neither wyll aske any accomptes of that we do Wythout thys doctrine how coulde we vnderstande the Scripture that sayth God created the world of nought and God worketh all thyng of hys free wyll and for a secret purpose that we shall all ryse agayne and that God will haue accomptes of all that we haue done in thys lyfe Aristotle sayth Geue a man a lawe and he hath power of hymselfe to doe or fulfill the lawe and becōmeth righteous wyth workyng righteously But Paule and all the scripture sayth that the lawe doth but vtter sinne onely and helpeth not Neyther hath any man power to doe the lawe tyll the spirite of God be geuen hym through fayth in Christ Is it not a madnes then to say that we coulde not vnderstand the Scripture wythout Aristotle Aristotles righteousnes and all hys vertues spring of mans free wyll And a Turke and euery Infidell and Idolater may be righteous and vertuous wyth that righteousnes those vertues Moreouer Aristotles felicitie and blessednes standeth in auoyding of all tribulatiōs and in riches health honour worship frendes and authoritie which felicitie pleaseth our spiritualty well
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
that resiste shall receaue vnto themselues damnation Why For Gods worde is against them which will haue all men vnder the power of the temporall sworde For rulers are not to be feared for good woorkes but for euill Hereby seest thou that they that resiste the powers or seeke to bee exempt from their aucthoritie haue euil consciences and seeke libertie to sinne vnpunished and to be free from bearing payne wyth their brethren Wilt thou be without feare of the power So do well and thou shalt haue laude of the same that is to say of the ruler with good liuing ought y t spiritualtie to rid them selues frō feare of the tēporall sword not with craft and with blyndyng the kynges bryngyng the vengeaūce of God vpō them in purchasing licence to sinne vnpunished For he is the minister of God for thy wealth to defend thee from a thousand inconueniences from theeues murderers and them that would defile thy wife thy daughter and take from thee all that thou hast yea life and al if thou did resist Furthermore though he be the greatest tyraunt in the world yet is he vnto thee a great benefit of God and a thing wherfore thou oughtest to thanke God hyghly For it is better to haue somwhat then to be cleane stripte out of altogether it is better to pay the tenth then to loose all it is better to suffer one tyraunt then many and to suffer wrong of one then of euery mā Yea and it is better to haue a tyraunt vnto thy king then a shadow a passiue kyng that doth nought him selfe but suffer other to do with hym what they wil and to lead hym whether they list For a tyraūt though he do wrong vnto thee good yet he punisheth the euill and maketh all mē obey neither suffereth any mā to polle but himself onely A kyng that is soft as silke and effeminate that is to say turned vnto the nature of a woman what with his owne lustes whiche are as the longyng of a woman with child so that he can not resiste them and what with the wyly tyranny of thē that euer rule him shal be much more greuous vnto y t realme then a right tyraunt Read the Cronicles and thou shalt finde it euer so But if thou do euill thē feare For hee beareth not a sworde for nought For he is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on them that do euill If the office of Princes geuen thē of God be to take vengeaunce of euill doers then by this text and Gods word are all Princes damned euen as many as geue libertie or licence vnto the spiritualtie to sinne vnpunished and not onely to sinne vnpunished thē selues but also to opē sanctuaries priuileged places churchyardes S. Iohns hold yea and if they come to short vnto all these yet to setfoorth a neckeuerse to saue all maner trespassers frō the feare of the sword of the vengeaunce of God put in the handes of Princes to take vengeaunce on all such GOd requireth the law to be kept of all men let them keepe it for what soeuer purpose they will Wil they not keepe the law so vouchsafeth he not that they enioy this tēporall life Now are there three natures of men one all together beastly which in no wise receaue the law in their hartes but rise agaynst Princes and rulers when soeuer they are able to make their partie good These are signified by them that worshypped the golden calfe For Moses brake the tables of the law ere he came at them The second are not so beastly but receaue the law and vnto them the law commeth but they looke not Moses in the face For his countenaunce is to bright for them that is they vnderstād not that y ◠law is spirituall and requireth the hart They looke on the pleasure profite and promotiō that foloweth the kepyng of the law in respect of the reward keepe they the law outwardly with woorkes but not in the hart For if they might obteine like honour glorie promotion and dignitie and also auoyde all inconueniences if they broke the law so would they also breake the law and folow their lustes The thyrd are spirituall and looke Moses in the open face are as Paul sayth the secōd to the Romains a law vnto them selues haue the law written in their hartes by y t spirite of God These neede neither of kyng nor officers to driue them neither that any man profer thē any reward for to kepe the law For they do it naturally The first worke for feare of y ◠sword onely The second for reward The thyrd worke for loue frely They looke on the excedyng mercy loue kyndes which God hath shewed thē in Christ and therfore loue agayne and woorke frely Heauen they take of the free gift of God through Christes deseruyngs and hope without all maner doubtyng that GOD according to his promise wil in this world also defend them and do all thyng for them of hys goodnes and for Christes sake and not for any goodnes that is in them They consent vnto the law that it is holy and iust that all men ought to doe what soeuer God commaundeth for no other cause but because God cōmaundeth it And their great sorow is because that there is no strength in their members to do that which their hart lusteth to do and is a thyrst to do These of the last sorte keepe the law of their owne accorde and that in the hart and haue professed perpetuall warre against the lustes and appetites of the flesh til they be vtterly subdued yet not through their owne strength but knowyng and knowledgyng their weakenes cry euer for strength to god which hath promised assistance vnto al that call vpon him These folow God and are led of his spirite The other ij are led of lustes and appetites Lustes appetites are diuers and many and that in one mā yea and one lust contrarie to an other and the greatest lust carieth a man altogether away with him We are also chaunged from one lust vnto an other Otherwise are we disposed when we are children otherwise when we are youngmen and otherwise when we are old otherwise ouer euen and otherwise in the mornyng yea somtymes altered vj. tymes in an houre How fortuneth all this Because that the will of man foloweth the witte and is subiect vnto the witte as the witte erreth so doth the will and as the witte is in captiuitie so is the will neither is it possible that the will should be free where the witte is in bondage That thou mayst perceaue feele y t thyng in thine hart and not be a vayne sophister disputyng aboute woordes without perceauyng marke this The roote of all euil the greatest damnatiō and most terrible wrath vengeaunce of god that we are in is natural blindnes We are all out of the right
way euery mā his wayes One iudgeth this best an other that to be best Now is worldly witte nothyng els but craft sutletie to obteine that which we iudge falsly to be best As I erre in my witte so erre I in my wil. Whē I iudge that to be euill which in dede is good then hate I that which is good And when I suppose that good whiche is euill in deede then loue I euil As if I be persuaded and borne in hād that my most frende is myne enemy then hate I my best frend and if I be brought in belefe that my most enemy is my frend Thē loue I my most enemy Now when we say euery man hath his free wil to do what him lusteth I say verely that men do what they lust Notwithstandyng to folow lustes is not fredome but captiuitie bondage If God opē any mans wittes to make him feele in his hart that lustes and appetites are damnable and geue hym power to hate and resiste them then is he free euen with the fredome wherewith Christ maketh free and hath power to do the will of God Thou mayst hereby perceaue that all that is done in the world before the spirite of God come geueth vs light is damnable sinne and the more glorious the more damnable so that that which the world counteth most glorious is more damnable in the sight of GOD then that which the whore the thefe and the murderer do With blind reasons of worldly wisedome mayst thou chaunge y e myndes of youth and make them geue them selues to what thou wilt either for feare for prayse or for profite and yet doest but chaūge thē from one vice to an other As the persuasions of her frendes made Lucrece chast Lucrece beleued if she were a good huswife and chast that she should be most glorious that all the world would geue her honour prayse her She sought her own glory in her chastitie and not gods When she had lost her chastitie then counted she her selfe most abhominable in the sight of all men and for very payne and thought which she had not that she had displeased God but that she had lost her honour slew her selfe Looke how great her paine and sorrow was for the losse of her chastitie so great was her glorie and reioysing therein and so much despised she them that were otherwise and pitied them not Which pride God more abhorreth thē the whoredome of any whore Of like pride are all y e morall vertues of Aristotle Plato and Socrates and all the doctrine of the Philosophers the very Gods of our schole men In like maner is it for the most part of our most holy Religion For they of lyke imagination do thynges whiche they of Bedlem may see that they are but madnes They looke on the miracles which God did by the Saintes to moue the vnbeleuyng vnto the fayth and to confirme the trouth of his promises in Christ whereby all that beleue are made Saintes as thou seest in the last Chapter of Marke They preached sayth he euery where the Lord workyng with them and confirmyng their preachyng with miracles that folowed And in the fourth of the Actes the Disciples prayed that God would stretch forth his handes to doe miracles and wonders in the name of Iesus And Paul i. Corin. xiiij sayth that the miracle of speakyng with diuers tounges is but a signe for vnbeleuers and not for them that beleue These miracles turne they vnto an other purpose saying in their blynde hartes See what miracles God hath shewed for this Saint he must be verely great with GOD. And at once turne them selues from Gods word and put their trust and confidence in the Saint and his merites and make an Aduocate or rather a GOD of the Saint and of their blind imagination make a Testamēt or bond betwene the Saint and them the Testament of Christes bloud cleane forgotten They looke on the Saintes garmentes and lyues or rather lyes which men lye on the Saintes and this wise imagine in their hartes saying the Saint for wearyng such a garmēt and for such dedes is become so glorious in heauen If I do likewise so shall I be also They see not the fayth and trust whiche the Saintes had in Christ neither the the word of God whiche the Saintes preached neither the entent of the Saintes how that the Saintes dyd such thynges to tame their bodies and to be an ensample to the world and to teach that such thynges are to be despised which the world most wondreth at and magnifieth They see not also that some landes are so whote that a man can neither drinke wyne nor eate fleshe therein neither consider they the complexion of the Saintes and a thousand lyke thynges see they not So whē they haue killed their bodies and brought them in that case that scarce with any restauratiue they can recouer their health agayne yet had they leuer dye then to eate fleshe Why for they thinke I haue now this xx xxx or xl yeares eaten no flesh and haue obteined I doubt not by this tyme as hye a rowme as the best of them should I now loose that nay I had leuer dye and as Lucretia had leuer haue bene flayne if he had not bene to strong for her then to haue lost her glorie euen so had these They ascribe heauen vnto their imaginations and mad inuentions and receaue it not of the liberalitie of God by the merites and deseruynges of Christ He now that is renewed in Christ kepeth the law without any law written or compulsion of any ruler or officer saue by the ledyng of the spirite onely but the naturall man is entised and moued to keepe the law carnally with carnall reasons and worldly persuasions as for glorie honour riches and dignitie But the last remedy of all when all other fayle is feare Beate one the rest will absteine for feare as Moyses euer putteth in remembraunce saying kill stone burne So shall thou put euill from thee and all Israell shal heare and feare and shall no more do so If feare helpe not then will God that they be taken out of this life Kynges were ordeined then as I before sayd and the sword put in their handes to take vengeaunce of euill doers that other might feare and were not ordeined to fight one against an other or to rise agaynst the Emperour to defende the false authoritie of the Pope that very Antechrist Byshops they onely can minister the temporall sword their office the preachyng of Gods word layd a part which the wil neither do nor suffer any mā to do but slay with the temporall sword whiche they haue gotten out of the hand of all Princes them that would The preachyng of Gods word is hatefull and contrary vnto them Why For it is impossible to preach Christ except thou preach agaynst Antichrist that is to say
commeth it that they will pay none at all But to pay tribute is a signe of subiectiō verely the cause why Christ payed was because he had an houshold and for the same cause payed Peter also For he had an house a shippe and nettes as thou readest in the Gospell But let vs go to Paul agayne Wherfore ye must needes obey not for feare of vengeaunce onely but also because of conscience That is though thou be so naughty as nowe many yeares our Pope and Prelates euery where are that thou nedest not to obeye the temporall sword for feare of vengeaunce yet must thou obey because of consciēce First because of thine owne conscience For though thou be able to resiste yet shalt thou neuer haue a good cōscience as lōg as Gods word law and ordinaunce are against thee Secondarily for thy neighbours conscience For though through craft and violence thou mightest escape and obteyne libertie or priuilege to be free from all maner dueties yet oughtest thou neither to sue or to seeke for any such thing neither yet admit or accept if it were profered lest thy fredome make thy weake brother to grudge rebell in that he seeth thee go emptie and he him selfe more ladē thy part also layd on his shoulders Seest thou not if a man fauour one sonne more then an other or one seruaunt more then an other how all the rest grudge and how loue peace and vnitie is broken What Christenly loue is in the to thy neighbour ward when thou canst finde in thyne hart to go vp and down empty by him all day long and see him ouer charged yea to fal vnder his burthen and yet wilt not once set to thyne hand to helpe him What good conscience cā there be among our spiritualtie to gather so great treasure together and with hypocrisie of their false learnyng to robbe almost euery man of house and landes and yet not therewith content but with all craft and wilenes to purchase so great liberties and exemptions from all maner bearyng with their brethren seekyng in Christ nothyng but lucre I passe ouer with silence how they teach Princes in euery lande to lade new exactions and tyranny on their subiectes more and more dayly neither for what purpose they do it say I. God I trust shall shortly disclose their iugglynge and bryng their falshode to light and lay a medecine to thē to make their scabbes breake out Neuerthelesse this I say that they haue robbed all Realmes not of Gods word onely but also of all wealth and prosperitie and haue driuen peace out of all landes withdrawen them selues from all obediēce to Princes and haue separated them selues from the lay men countyng thē viler thē dogges and haue set vp that great Idole the whore of Babylō Antichrist of Rome whom they call pope and haue conspired agaynst all common wealthes haue made them a seuerall kyngdome wherin it is lawfull vnpunished to woorke all abhomination In euery Parish haue they spyes and in euery great mans house and in euery tauerne and alchouse And thorough confessions knowe they all secretes so that no man may open his mouth to rebuke what soeuer they do but that he shal be shortly made an hereticke In all Coūcels is one of them yea the most part and chief rulers of the Councels are of them But of there Councell is no man Euen for this cause pay ye tribute that is to witt for consciences sake to thy neighbour and for the cause that foloweth For they are Gods Ministers seruyng for the same purpose Because God will so haue it we must obey We doe not looke if we haue Christes spirite in vs what is good profitable glorious and honorable for vs neither on our owne will but on Gods will onely Geue to euery man therefore his dutie tribute to whom tribute belongeth custome to whom custome is due feare to whō feare belongeth honour to whom honor perteineth That thou mightest feele the workyng of the spirite of God in thee and lest the bewtie of the deed should deceaue thee and make thee thinke that the law of God whiche is spirituall were contēt and fulfilled with the outward and bodyly dede it foloweth Owe nothyng to any mā but to loue one an other For he that loueth an other fulfilleth the law For these commaundementes thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not kill thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false witnes thou shalt not desire and so forth if there be any other commaūdement are all comprehended or contained in this saying loue thy neighbour therfore is loue the fulfillyng of the law Here hast thou sufficient agaynst all the sophisters workeholy iustifiers in the world which so magnifie their dedes The law is spirituall and requireth the hart is neuer fulfilled with the dede in the sight of god With y e dede thou fulfillest the law before the world liuest thereby that is y ◠enioyest this presēt life and auoydest the wrath and vengeaunce the death and punishment which the law threatneth to them that breake it But before God thou keepest the law if thou loue onely Now what shal make vs loue Verely that shall fayth do If thou behold how much God loueth thee in Christ and from what vengeaunce he hath deliuered thee for his sake and of what kyngdome he hath made thee heyre then shalt thou see cause inough to loue thy very enemie without respect of reward either in this lyfe or in the lyfe to come but because that God will so haue it and Christ hath deserued it Yet thou shouldest feele in thyne harte that all thy deedes to come are abundantly recompensed all ready in Christ Thou wilt say haply if loue fulfill the lawe then it iustifieth I say that that wherewith a man fulfilleth the law declareth hym iustified but that which geueth him wherewith to fulfill the law iustifieth hym By iustifiyng vnderstande the forgeuenesse of sinnes and the fauour of God Now sayth the text Roma x. the ende of the law or the cause wherfore the law was made is Christ to iustifie all that beleue That is the law is geuen to vtter sinne to kill the consciences to damne our deedes to bryng to repentaunce and to driue vnto Christ in whō God hath promised his fauour and forgeuenesse of sinne vnto all that repente and consent to the law that it is good If thou beleue the promises then doth Gods truth iustifie thee that is forgeueth thee and receaueth thee to fauour for Christes sake In a suretie wherof and to certifie thine hart he sealeth thee with the spirite Ephe. i. and. iiij And. ij Cor. v. sayth Paul whiche gaue vs his spirite in earnest How the spirite is geuen vs through Christ read the viij chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines and Gallat iij. and. ij Cor. iij. Neuerthelesse the spirit and his frutes
The dutie of Kynges and of the Iudges and Officers LEt Kynges if they had leuer be Christen in deede then so to be called geue themselues all together to the wealth of their Realmes after the ensample of Christ remembryng that the people are Gods not theirs ye are Christes inheritaunce and possession bought with his bloud The most despised person in his Realme is the kynges brother and felowmember with hym and equall with him in the kyngdome of God and of Christ Let him therfore not thinke him selfe to good to do thē seruice neither seke any other thing in them then a father seketh in his children yea then Christ sought in vs. Though that the kyng in the temporal regiment be in the rowme of God and representeth God him self and is with out all comparison better thē his subiectes yet let him put of that and become a brother doing and leauing vndone all thinges in respect of the common wealth that all men may see that he seketh nothing but the profet of his subiectes When a cause that requireth execution is brought before him then onely let him take y e person of God on him Then let him know no creature but heare all indifferently whether it be a straunger or one of his owne Realme the small as well as the great and iudge righteously for the iudgemēt is the Lordes Deut. i. In tyme of iudgement he is no minister in the kyngdome of Christ he preacheth no Gospell but the sharpe law of vengeance Let him take the holy iudges of the olde Testament for an example and namely Moses which in executing the law was mercylesse otherwise more then a mother vnto them neuer auengyng his owne wronges but suffering all thing bearing euery mans weakenes teaching warning exhorting and euer caryng for them and so tenderly loued them that he desired God either to forgeue them or to damne hym with them Let the iudges also priuatly when they haue put of the person of a iudge exhort with good counsell and warne the people helpe that they come not at Gods iudgemēt but the causes that are brought vnto them when they sit in Gods stede let them iudge and cōdemne y e trespasser vnder lawfull witnesses and not breake vp into the consciences of men after the example of Antichristes disciples and compell thē either to forsweare them selues by the almightie God and by the holy Gospell of his mercyfull promises or to testifie against them selues Which abhominatiō our Prelates learned of Cayphas Math. xxvj saying to Christ I adiure or charge thee in the name of the liuing God that thou tell vs whether thou be Christ the sonne of God Let that which is secret to God onely where of no profe cā be made nor lawfull witnesse brought abyde vnto the commyng of the Lord which shall opē all secretes If any malice breake forth that let them iudge onely For further authoritie hath God not geuen them Moyses Deut. xvij warneth iudges to kepe them vpright and to looke on no mans person that is that they preferre not the hye before the low the great before the small the rich before poore his acquaintaunce frende kinsman countrey man or one of his own nation before a straūger a frend or an aliant ye or one of their own faith before an infidell but that they looke on the cause onely to iudge indifferently For the rowme that they are in and the law that they execute are Gods which as he hath made all and is God of all and all are his sonnes euen so is he iudge ouer all and wil haue al iudged by his law indifferently and to haue the right of his law and will auenge the wrong done vnto the Turke or Sareson For though they be not vnder the euerlastyng Testament of God in Christ as few of vs which are called Christen be and euen no mo thē to whom God hath sent his promises and poured his spirite into their harts to beleue them and through fayth grauen lust in their hartes to fulfill the law of loue yet are they vnder the Testament of y e law naturall which is the lawes of euery land made for the common wealth there and for peace and vnite that one may lyue by an other In whiche lawes the infidels if they kepe them haue promises of worldly things Who soeuer therfore hyndreth a very infidell from the right of that law sinneth agaynst God and of him will God be auēged Moreouer Moyses warneth them that they receaue no giftes rewardes or bribes For those two pointes fauoryng of one person more then an other and receauyng rewardes peruerte all right and equitie and is y e onely pestilence of all iudges And the kynges warneth he that they haue not to many wiues lest their hartes turne away and that they read alway in the law of God to learne to feare him lest their hartes be lift vp aboue their brethren Which ij pointes wemen and pride the despising of their subiectes which are in very deed their owne brethren are the common pestilence of all Princes Read the stories and see The Shyriffes Bayly arauntes Constables and such like officers may let no man that hurteth his neighbour scape but that they bryng them before the iudges except they in the meane time agree with their neighbours and make them amendes Let Kinges defende their subiectes from the wronges of other natiōs but picke no quarels for euery trifle no let not our most holy father make them no more so dronkē with vayne names with cappes of maintenaunce and like bables as it were popetry for childrē to begger their Realmes and to murther their people for defendyng of our holy fathers tyrāny If a lawfull peace that standeth with Gods woorde be made betwene Prince and Prince and the name of God taken to recorde and the body of our Sauiour broken betwene them vppon the bonde whiche they haue made that peace or bonde can our holy father not dispence with neither lowse it with all the keyes he hath no veryly Christ can not breake it For he came not to breake the law but to fulfill it Math. v. If any man haue broken the law or a good ordinaunce and repent come to the rightway agayne then hath Christ power to forgeue hym but licence to breake the law cā he not geue much more his disciples and vicares as they call them selues can not do it The keyes wherof they so greatly bost them selues are no carnall things but spirituall and nothing els saue knowledge of the law and of the promises or Gospell if any man for lacke of spirituall feelyng desire authoritie of men let him read the old Doctours If any man desire authoritie of Scripture Christ sayth Luke xj woe be to you lawyers for ye haue takē away the key of knowledge ye enter not in your selues and them that come in ye forbyd that is
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
sermon at all they lie cleane contrary vnto this open truth Neither are they ashamed at all For why they walke altogether in darcknes ¶ Of Contrition COntrition and repētaunce are both one and nothyng els but a sorowful a mournyng hart And because that God hath promised mercy vnto a contrite hart that is to a sorowfull and repentyng hart they to beguile Gods word and to stablish their wicked tradition haue fayned that new word attrition saying thou canst not know whether thy sorrowe or repentaunce be contrition or attrition except thou be shreuen When thou art shreuen thē it is true contritiō Oh foxy Pharisay that is thy leuen of which Christ so diligētly bad vs beware Math. vj. And the very prophesie of Peter thorough couetousnes with fayned wordes shall they make marchaūdise of you ij Pet. ij with such gloses corrupt they Gods word to sit in the consciences of y ◠people to lead them captiue and to make a praye of thē byeng and sellyng their sinnes to satisfy their vnsatiable couetousnes Neuerthelesse the truth is when any man hath trespassed agaynst God If he repēt and knowledge his trespasse God promiseth him forgeuenesse without eare shrift If he that hath offended his neighbour repente and knowledge his fault askyng forgeuenes if his neighbour forgeue him God forgeueth him also by his holy promise Mat. xviij Likewise if he that sinneth openly when he is openly rebuked repent and turne then if the congregation forgeue hym God forgeueth him And so forth who soeuer repenteth and when he is rebuked knowledgeth his fault is forgeuē He also that doubteth or hath hys consciences tangled ought to open his minde vnto some faythfull brother that is learned and he shall geue hym faythful councell to helpe him withall To whom a man trespasseth vnto him he ought to confesse But to confesse my selfe vnto thee O Antichrist whom I haue not offended am I not bounde They of the old law had no confession in the eare Neither the Apostles nor they that folowed many hundred yeares after knew of any such whisperyng Wherby then was their attritiō turned vnto contrition yea why are we whiche Christ came to loose more bound thē the Iewes Yea and why are we more bounde without Scripture For Christ came not to make vs more bounde but to loose vs and to make a thousand thynges no sinne which before were sinne and are now become sinne agayne He left none other law with vs but the law of loue He loosed vs not frō Moyses to bynde vs vnto Antichristes eare God had not tyed Christ vnto Antichristes eare neither hath poured all his mercy in thether for it hath no recorde in the old Testament that Antichristes eare should be Propiciatorium that is to witte Gods mercy stole and that God should crepe into so narow a hole so that hee could no where els be founde Neither dyd God write his lawes neither yet hys holy promises in Antichristes eare but hath graued them with his holy spirite in the hartes of them that beleue that they might haue them alwayes ready at hand to be saued therby ¶ Satisfaction AS pertainyng vnto satisfactiō this wise vnderstād that he that loueth God hath a commaundement as S. Iohn sayth in the fourth Chap. of his first Epistle to loue his neighbour also whom if thou haue offended thou must make him amendes or satisfactiō or at the lest way if thou be not able aske him forgeuenes if he will haue mercy of God he is bound to forgeue thee If he will not yet God forgeueth thee if thou thus submit thy selfe But vnto Godward Christ is a perpetuall and an euerlastyng satisfaction for euermore As oft as thou fallest through frailtie repent come agayne and thou art safe welcome as y u mayst see by y e similitude of the riotous sonne Luke xv If thou be lopen out of sanctuary come in agayne If thou be fallen from the way of truth come thereto agayne and thou art safe if thou be gone astray come to y e folde againe the shepheard Christ shall saue thee yea and the aungels of heauen shal reioyce at thy commyng so farre it is of that any mā shal beate thee or chide thee If any Pharisey enuye thee grudge at thee or rayle vpon thee thy father shall make aunswere for thee as thou seist in the fore rehearsed likenes or parable Who soeuer therfore is gone out of the way by whatsoeuer chaūce it be let him come to his Baptisme agayne and vnto the profession therof and he shal be safe For though that the washyng of Baptisme be past yet the power therof that is to say y t word of God which Baptisme preacheth lasteth euer and saueth for euer As Paul is past and gone neuerthelesse y e word that Paul preached lasteth euer and saueth euer as many as come therto with a repentyng hart and a stedfast faith Hereby seest thou that when they make penaunce of repentaunce and cal it a Sacrament and deuide it into contrition confession and satisfaction they speake of their owne heades and lye falsely ¶ Absolution THeir absolution also iustifieth no man from sinne For with the hart do men beleue to be iustified with all sayth Paul Roma 10. that is through fayth and beleuyng the promises are we iustified as I haue sufficiently proued in other places with y ◠Scripture Fayth sayth Paul in the same place commeth by hearyng that is to say by hearyng the preacher that is sent from God and preacheth Gods promises Now when thou absoluest in Latine the vnlearned heareth not For how saith Paul i. Cor. xiiij when thou blessest in an vnknowen toung shall the vnlearned say Amen vnto thy thankes geuing for he wotteth not y u sayst So likewise the lay wotteth not whether thou loose or bynde or whether thou blesse or curse In like maner is it if the lay vnderstād Latine or though the Priest absolue in English For in hys absolution he rehearseth no promise of God but speaketh his owne wordes saying I by the authoritie of Peter and Paul absolue or loose thee from all thy sinnes Thou sayst so which art but a lying man and neuer more then now verely Thou sayst I forgeue thee thy sinnes and the Scripture Iohn the first that Christ onely forgeueth taketh away y e sinnes of the world And Paul and Peter and all the Apostles preache that all is forgeuen in Christ and for Christs sake Gods word onely looseth and thou in preachyng that mightest loose also and els not ¶ Who soeuer hath eares let him heare and let him that hath eyes see If any man loue to be blinde his blindnes on his owne head and not on mine THey alledge for thē selues the saying of Christ to Peter Math. xvj Whatsoeuer thou byndest on earth it shal be boūde what soeuer thou looseth and so forth Lo say they what soeuer we bynde what
soeuer we loose here is nothing excepted And an other text lay they of Christ in y e last of Mathew All power is geuen to me sayth Christ in heauen and in earth go therfore and preach c. Preachyng leaueth the Pope out and sayth loe all power is geuen me in heauen in earth And thereupon taketh vpon him temporall power aboue kyng and Emperour maketh lawes and byndeth them And like power taketh he ouer gods lawes and dispenseth with them at his lust makyng no sinne of that whiche God maketh sinne maketh sinne where God maketh none yea wypeth out Gods lawes cleane and maketh at his pleasure with him is lawful what he lusteth He bindeth where God looseth looseth where God bindeth He blesseth where GOD curseth and curseth where God blesseth He taketh authoritie also to bynde loose in Purgatory That permit I vnto him for it is a creature of his owne makyng He also byndeth the aungels For we read of Popes that haue commaūded the aungels to fet diuers out of Purgatory Howbeit I am not yet certified whether they obeyed or no. Vnderstand therrfore that to bynde and to loose is to preach the lawe of God and the Gospell or promises as thou mayst see in the third chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians Where Paule calleth the preaching of the law the ministration of death and damnation and the preaching of the promises then ministring of the spirite and of righteousnes For when the law is preached all men are found sinners and therefore damned and when the Gospell glad tydinges are preached then are all that repent and beleue founde righteous in Christ And so expounde it all the olde doctours Saint Hierome sayth vpon this text whatsoeuer thou bindest the Bishops and Priestes sayth he for lacke of vnderstanding take a litle presumption of the Phareseis vpon thē And thinke that they haue authoritie to bynde innocentes and to loose the wicked which thing our Pope and Byshops doe For they say the curse is to be feared be it right or wrōg Though thou haue not deserued yet if y e Pope curse thee thou art in perill of thy soule as they lie yea and though he be neuer fo wrongfully cursed he must be fayne to buy absolution But Saint Hierome sayth as y e Priest of the olde law made the lepers cleane or vncleane so byndeth and vnbyndeth the Priest of the new law The Priest there made no man a leper neither clensed any mā but God and the Priest iudged onely by Moyses law who was cleane who was vncleane whē they were brought vnto hym So here we haue the law of God to iudge what is sinne and what is not and who is bounde and who is not Moreouer if any man haue sinned yet if he repent and beleue the promise we are sure by Gods word that he is loosed forgeuen in Christ Other authoritie then this wise to preach haue the Priests not Christes Apostles had no other thē selues as it appeareth thoroughout all the new testamēt Therfore it is manifest that they haue not Saint Paule sayth i. Corinth xv When we say all thinges are vnder Christ he is to be excepted that put all vnder hym God the father is not vnder Christ but aboue Christ and Christes head i. Corinth vi Christ sayth Iohn xij I haue not spoken of myne owne head but my father which sent me gaue a commaundement what I should say and what I should speake What soeuer I speake therefore euen as my father bad me so I speake If Christ had a law what he should doe how happeneth it that the Pope so runneth at large lawlesse Though that all power were geuen vnto Christ in heauen and in earth Yet had he no power ouer his father nor yet to raigne temporally ouer temporall Princes but a commaundemēt to obey them How hath the Pope thē such temporall authoritie ouer king Emperour How hath he authoritie aboue Gods lawes and to cōmaunde the Angels the saintes and God himselfe Christes authoritie which he gaue to his Disciples was to preach the lawe and to bring sinners to repentaunce and then to preach vnto them the promises which the father had made vnto all men for his sake And the same to preach onely sent he his Apostles As a kyng sendeth forth his Iudges and geueth them his authoritie saying What ye doe that doe I. I geue you my full power Yet meaneth he not by that full power that they should destroy any towne or Citie or oppresse any mā or doe what they list or should raigne ouer the Lordes and Dukes of his Realme and ouer hys owne selfe But geueth them a lawe with them authoritie to bynde and loose as farforth as the law stretcheth and maketh mention that is to punishe the euill that doe wrong and to auenge y e poore that suffer wrong And so farre as the law stretcheth will the king defend his Iudge agaynst all men And as the tēporall iudges binde loose temporally so doe the pristes spiritually and no other wayes How be it by falshod and subtiltie the Pope reigneth vnder Christ as Cardinals and Byshops do vnder kinges lawlesse THe Pope say they absolueth or looseth a poena et culpa that is from the faulte or trespasse and from the payne due vnto the trespasse God if a man repent forgeueth the offence onely and not the paine also say they saue turneth the euerlasting payne vnto a temporall payne And appointeth seuē yeares in purgatory for euery deadly sinne But the Pope for money forgeueth both and hath more power thē God and is more mercifull thē God This doe I saith the Pope of my full power and of y e treasure of the Church of deseruinges of martyrs cōfessours and mērites of Christ First the merites of the Saintes did not saue themselues but were saued by Christes merites onely Secondarily God hath promised Christes merites vnto all that repent so that whosoeuer repenteth is immediatly heire of all Christes merites and beloued of God as Christ is How thē came this foule monster to be Lord ouer Christes merites so that he hath power to sell that which God geueth freely O dreamers yea O deuils and O venimous scorpians what poyson haue ye in your tayles O pestilēt leauen that so turneth the sweete bread of Christes doctrine into the bitternesse of gall The Friers runne in the same spirite and teach saying do good deedes and redeeme the paines y ◠abide you in purgatory yea geue vs somewhat to doe good workes for you And thus is sinne become the profitablest marchaundise in the worlde O the cruell wrath of God vpō vs because we loue not the truth For this is the damnation iudgement of God to send a false Prophet vnto him that wil not heare the truth I know you saith Christ
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
that we are holy righteous full of good deedes if y â— law be preached a right our righteousnes and good dedes vanish away as smoke in the winde and we are left damnable sinners onely And as thou seest how that Christ healeth not till Peter had wouÌ„ded and as an healyng plaister helpeth not till y â— corrosie hath troubled the wounde eueÌ„ so the Gospell helpeth not but wheÌ„ the law hath wouÌ„ded y e conscience and brought the sinner into y e knowledge of his sinne This allegory proueth nothyng neither caÌ„ do For it is not the Scripture but an exaÌ„ple or a similitude borowed of the Scripture to declare a text or a conclusion of the Scripture more expresly and to roote it and graue it in the hart For a similitude or an example doth printe a thing much deper in the wittes of a man then doth a plaine speakyng and leaueth behynd him as it were a stinge to pricke him forward and to awake him with all Moreouer if I could not proue with an open text that which the Allegory doth expresse then were the Allegory a thyng to bee gested at and of no greater value then a tale of Robyn hode This allegory as touching his first part is proued by Paul in ye. iij. chap. of his Epistle to the Romanes where he sayth The law causeth wrath And in y e vij chapter to the Romanes When the law or commaundement came sinne reuiued and I become dead And in the ij Epistle to the Cor. in the third chap. the law is called the minister of death and daÌ„nation c. And as concernyng the second part Paul sayth to the Rom. in the v. chap. In that we are iustified by faith we are at peace with God And in the ij Epistle to the CorinthiaÌ„s in the. iij. The Gospell is called the ministratioÌ„ of iustifying and of the spirite And Gala. iiij The spirite coÌ„meth by preaching of the faith c. This doth the litterall sence proue the allegory beare it as the foundatioÌ„ beareth the house And because that allegories proue nothyng therfore are they to be vsed soberly and seldome onely where the text offereth thee an allegory And of this maner as I aboue haue done doth Paul borow a similitude a figure or allegory of Genesis to expresse the nature of the law and of the Gospell and by Agar her sonne declareth the propertie of the law and of her bonde children which wil be iustified by deedes and by Sara and her sonne declareth the propertie of the Gospell and of her free children which are iustified by faith and how the children of the law which beleue in their workes persecute the children of the Gospel which beleue in the mercy and truth of God and in the Testament of his sonne Iesus our Lord. And likewise do we borow likenesses or allegories of the Scripture as of Pharao and Derode and of the Scribes and Phariseis to expresse our miserable captiuitie and persecution vnder Antichrist the Pope The greatest cause of which captiuitie and the decay of the fayth this blindnes wherin we now are sprang first of allegories For Origene and the doctours of his time drew all y e Scripture vnto allegories Whose ensample they that came after folowed so loÌ„g till at the last they forgat y â— order and processe of the text supposing that y e scripture serued but to faine allegories vppoÌ„ In somuch that twenty doctours expounde one text xx wayes as children make descant vpon playne song Then came our sophisters with theâ—â— Anagogicall and Chopologicall sence with an antetheme of halfe an inch out of whiche some of them drawe a threde of ix dayes long Yea thou shalt fynde inough that will preach Christ and proue what soeuer poynte of thee fayth that thou wilt as well out of a fabell of Ouide or any other Poet as out of S. Iohns Gospell or Paules Epistles Yea they are come vnto such blyndnes that they not onely say the litterall sence profiteth not but also that it is hurtful and noysome and killeth the soule Which damnable doctrine they proue by a text of Paule ij Corinth iij. Where he sayth the letter killeth but the spirit geueth life Lo say they the litterall sence killeth and the spirituall sence geueth life We must therfore say they seeke out some choplogicall sence Here learne what sophistrie is and how blind they are that thou mayest abhorre them and spue them out of thy stomake for euer Paule by the letter meaneth Moyses law which the processe of the text folowyng declareth more bright then the sunne But it is not their guise to looke on the order of any text but as they find it in their doctours so alledge they it and so vnderstaÌ„d it Paule maketh a comparisoÌ„ betwene the law and the Gospell calleth the law the letter because it was but letters grauen in two tables of cold stoâ—e For the law doth but kill and damne the consciences as long as there is no lust in the hart to doe that which the law commaundeth Contrary wise he calleth the Gospell the administration of the spirite of righteousnes or iustifying For wheÌ„ Christ is preached and the promises whiche God hath made in Christ are beleued the spirit entereth the hart and looseth the hart and geueth lust to do the law and maketh the law a liuely thyng in the hart Now as soone as the hart lusteth to do the law then are we righteous before God our sinnes forgeuen Neuerthelesse the law of the letter graued in stone and not in the hartes was so glorious and Moyses his face shone so bryght that the children of Israell could not behold his face for brightnes It was also geuen in thunder and lightning and terrible signes so that they for feare came to Moses desired him that he would speake to them let God speake no more Lest we dye sayd they If we heare him any more as thou mayst see Exod. xx Wherupon Paule maketh his comparison saying if the ministratioÌ„ of death thorough the letters figured in stones was glorious so that the childreÌ„ of Israell could not behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenaunce why shal not the administration of the spirite be glorious And agayne if the administration of damnation be glorious much more shall the administration of righteousnes excede in glory That is if the law that killeth sinners helpeth theÌ„ not to be glorious then the Gospel which pardoneth sinners and geueth them power to be the sonnes of God to ouer come sinne is much more glorious And the text that goeth before is as cleare For the holy Apostle Paule sayth ye Corinthians are our Epistle which is vnderstand and read of all men in that ye are knowen how that ye are the Epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written not with ynke as Moyses law but with the
spirite of the lyuing God not in tables of stone as the ten commaundementes but in the fleshy tables of the hart as who shuld say we writ not a dead law with inke and in parchemenâ— nor graue that which damned you in tables of stone but preache you that which bringeth the spirite of lyfe vnto your brestes which spirite writeth and graueth the law of loue in your hartes and geueth you lust to do the will of God And furthermore sayth he our ablenes coÌ„meth of God which hath made vs able to minister the new TestameÌ„t not of the letter y t is to say not of the law but of the spirite For the letter that is to say the law killeth but the spirite geueth life that is to say the spirite of God whiche entreth your hartes wheÌ„ ye beleue the glad tydinges that are preached you in Christe quickeneth your hartes and geueth you life lust and maketh you to do of loue and of your owne accorde without compulsioÌ„ that which the law compelled you to do and daÌ„ned you because ye could not doe with loue and lust and naturally Thus seest thou that the letter signifieth not the litterall sence and the spirite the spirituall sence And Rom. ij Paul vseth this terme Littera for the law And Rom. vij where he setteth it so playne that it the great wrath of God had not blinded them they could neuer haue stombled at it God is a spirite and all his wordes are spirituall His litterall sence is spituall and all his wordes are spiritual When thou readest Math. j. she shall beare a sonne thou shalt cal his name Iesus For he shall saue his people froÌ„ their sinnes This litteral sence is spiritual and euerlasting life vnto as many as beleue it And the litterall sence of these wordes Math. v. blessed are the mercyfull for they shall haue mercy are spirituall and life Wherby they that are mercyfull may of right by the truth and promise of God challenge mercy And like is it of these wordes Math. vj. If you forgeue othermen their sinnes your heauenly father shall forgeue you yours And so is it of all the promises of God Finally all gods wordes are spiritual if thou haue eyes of God to see the right meanyng of the text whereunto y â— Scripture perteyneth the final end and cause therof All the Scripture is either the promises and TestameÌ„t of God in Christ and stories perteining thereunto to strength thy faith either the law and stories perteining therto to feare thee from euil doing There is no story nor gest seme it neuer so simple or so vyle vnto the worlde but that thou shalt finde therein spirite and life and edifieng in the litterall sense For it is gods Scripture written for thy learnyng and comforte There is no cloute or tagge there that hath not precious reliques wrapt therein of fayth hope pacience and long sufferyng and of the truth of God and also of hys righteousnes Set before thee the storie of Ruben which defiled his fathers beo Marke what a crosse God suffered to fal on the necke of his elect Iacob CoÌ„sider first the shame among the heatheÌ„ when as yet there was no moe of the whole world within the Testament of God but he and his houshold I report me to our Prelates which sweare by their honor whether it were a crosse or no. Seest thou not how our wicked bylders rage because they see their bildynges burne now they are tryed by the fire of Gods word and how they stirre vp the whole world to quench the word of God for feare of loosing their honour Then what busines had he to pacifie his children Looke what a do he had at y â— defiling of his daughter Dina. And be thou sure that the brethren there were no more furious for the defiling of their sister then the sonnes heare for defiling of their mother Marke what folowed Ruben to feare other that they shame not their fathers and mothers He was cursed and lost the kyngdome and also the Priestdome and his tribe or generatioÌ„ was euer few in number as it appeareth in the stories of the Bible The adulterie of Dauid with Barsabe is an ensample not to moue vs to euill but if while we folow the way of righteousnes any chaunce driue vs aside that we despayre not For if we saw not such infirmities in Gods elect we which are so weake and fall so oft should vtterly dispaire thinke that God had cleane forsaken vs. It is therfore a sure and an vndoubted conclusion whether we be holy or vnholy we are all sinners But the differeÌ„ce is that Gods sinners consent not to their sinne They consent vnto the law that it is both holy and righteous and mourne to haue their sinne taken away But the deuils sinners consent vnto their sinne and would haue the law and hell taken away and are enemies vnto the righteousnes of God Likewise in the whomely gest of Noe when he was dronke and lay in his tente with hys priuy members open hast thou great edifyeng in the litteral sence Thou seest what became of the curied children of wicked Ham which saw his fathers priuie members and gested therof vnto his brethren Thou seest also what blessing fell on Sem and Iaphet which went backward and couered their fathers members saw them not And thirdly thou seest what infirmitie accompanieth Goâ—s elect be they neuer so holy which yet is not imputed vnto theÌ„ For the fayth trust they haue in God swalloweth vp all their sinnes Notwithstandyng this text offereth vs an apte and an hansome allegory or similitude to describe our wicked Ham Antichrist the Pope which many huÌ„dred yeares hath done all the shame that hart caÌ„ thinke vnto the priâ—ey meÌ„ber of God which is the word of promise or y â— word of faith as Paule calleth it Rom. x. and the Gospell and TestameÌ„t of Christ wherewith we are begotten as thou seest i. Peter i. and Iames. i. And as the cursed children of Ham grew into gyauntes so mightie and great that the children of Israell semed but greshoppers in respect of them so the cursed sonnes of our Ham the Pope his Cardinals Bysshops Abbots Monkes and Friers are become mighty gyauntes aboue all power and authoritie so that the children of faith in respect of them are much lesse then greshoppers They heape mountayne vppon mountayne will to heaueÌ„ by their own strength by away of their owne making not by the way Christ Neuer the latter those gyauÌ„tes for the wickednes abhominatioÌ„s which they had wrought did God vtterly destroy part of them by the childreÌ„ of Loth and part by the children of Esau and seuen nations of them by the children of Israell So no doubt shall he destroy these for like abhominations that shortly For their kyngdome is but the kyngdome of lyes and falshead which must needes perish at
desire to liue euer here and a gredines of worldly voluptuousnesse And vnto all such is the Scripture locked vp and made impossible to vnderstand They may reade it and rehearse the stories thereof and dispute of it as the turkes may and as we may of the turkes lawe And they may sucke pride hipocrisye and all maner of poyson there out to slaye their owne soules and to put stombling blockes in other mennes wayes to thrust them from the truth and get such learnyng therin as in Aristotles Ethikes and morall philosophy and in the preceptes of olde philosophers But it is impossible for them to apply one sentence thereof to their soules health for to fashion their liues thereby for to please God or to make them loue the lawe or vnderstand it either to feele the power of Christes death and might of his resurrection and swetnes of the life to come So that they euer remayne carnall and fleshly as thou hast an ensample of the Scribes Phariseis and Iewes in the new testament An other conclusion is this of them that beleue in Christ for the remission of sinne and loue the law are a thousand degrees and not so few one perfecter or weaker thē another of which a great sort are so feble that they cā neither go forward in their profession purpose nor yet stand except they be holpe and borke of their strōger brethren and tended as young childrē are by the care of their fathers and mothers And therfore doth God commaund the elder to care for the younger As Paule teacheth Rom. xv saying we that be stronger ought to beare the feblenes of the weaker And Gala. vj. brethren if any man be caught in any fault ye that be spirituall and are growen in knowledge and haue gottē the victory of your flesh teach such with the spirite of softenes not callyng them heretickes at the first choppe threatenyng them with fier and fagottes But alter alterius onera portate sayth he sic adimplebitis legē Christi That is to saye beare eche others burthen so shall ye fulfill the law of Christ Euen so veryly shall ye fulfill the lawe of Christ and not with smityng your brethren and puttyng stomblyng blockes before theyr weake feete and killyng theyr consciences and makyng them more afrayde of shadowes and bugges then to breake theyr fathers commaundementes and to trust in wordes of winde and vanitie more then in theyr fathers promise And for their sakes also he hath ordeyned rulers both spirituall and temporall to teach them and exhorte them to warne them and to keepe occasions from them that with custome of synne they fall not from their profession Now when they that take vpon them to be the elder brethren are become hypocrites and turned to wily Foxes and cruell wolues and fierce Lyons and the officers be waxen euill and seruauntes to Mammon ministryng their offices for their owne lucre onely and not for the profite of their brethren but fauouryng all vices whereby they may haue a vauntage Then is God compelled of his fatherly pitie to scourge his weake hym selfe with pouertie oppression wrong losse daunger and with a thousand maner of diseases to bryng them agayne if they be fallen and to kepe their hartes fast to their profession So that diligentibus Deum omnia cooperantur in bonum Roma viij They that loue God that is to say the law of God for that is to loue God vnto them god turneth all to the best and scourgeth them with the lustes of their owne weakenes to theyr owne saluation An other conclusion is this God receaueth both perfite and weake in lyke grace for Christes sake as a father receaueth all hys children both small and great in lyke loue He receaueth them to be his sonnes and maketh a couenaunt with them to beare theyr weakenes for Christes sake till they be waxen stronger and how often soeuer they fall yet to forgeue them if they will turne agayn and neuer to cast of any till he yeld him selfe to sinne and take sinnes part and for affection and lust to sinne fight agaynst his owne professiō to destroy it And he correcteth and chastiseth his children euer at home with the rodde of mercy and loue to make thē better but he bryngeth them not forth to be iudged after the condemnation of the law An other conclusion is this euery man is two men flesh and spirite Which so fight perpetually one agaynst an other that a man must go either backe or forward and can not stand long in on state If the spirit ouercome the temptation then is she stronger and the flesh weaker But and if the fleshe get a custome then is the spirite none otherwise oppressed of the flesh then as though she had a mountaine vpon her backe and as we sometyme in our dreames thinke we beare heuyer then a milstone on our breastes or when we dreame now and then that we would runne away for feare our legges seme heauyer then leade Euen so is the spirite oppressed and ouer laden of the flesh through custome that she struggeleth and striueth to get vp and to breake lowse in vayne vntil the God of mercy which heareth her grone through Iesus Christ come and lowse her with his power and put his crosse of tribulation on the backe of the flesh to keepe her downe to minish her strength and to mortifie her Wherfore euery man must haue his crosse to nayle his fleshe to for the mortifieng of her Now if thou be not strong inough and discrete thereto to take vp thy crosse thy selfe and to tame thy fleshe with prayer and fastyng watchyng deedes of mercy holy meditations and readyng the Scripture and with bodely labour and in withdrawyng all maner of pleasures from the flesh and with exercises contrary to the vices which thou markest thy body most enclined to and with absteinyng from all that courage the flesh agaynst the spirite as readyng of wanton bookes wanton communication foolish iestyng and effeminate thoughtes and talkyng of couetousnes whiche Paule forbyddeth Ephe. v. and magnifieng of worldly promotions And takest I say vp such a crosse by thyne owne selfe or by the counsell of other that are better learned and exercised then thou Then must God put his crosse of aduersitie vpon thee For we must haue euery man his crosse in this world or be damned with the world Of this ye see the difference betwene the sinne of them that beleue in y ◠bloud of Christ for the remission of sinne and consent and submit themselues vnto the lawe and the sin of them that yelde themselues vnto sinne to serue it c. The first sinne vnder grace and their sinnes are veniall that is to say forgeueable The other sinne vnder the lawe vnder the damnation of the lawe and fight for a great part of them agaynst grace against the spirite of grace agaynst the law of
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
no vnrighteousnesse in hym that is to say he will do hys masters message truly and not alter it Where contrarywise he that seeketh his owne glory will be false wheÌ„ he is sent and wil alter his masters message to turne his masters glory vnto his owne selfe Euen so did the Scribes and Phariseis alter the woorde of God for their own profite glory And when Gods word is altered with false gloses it is no more Gods worde As when God sayth loue thy neighbour thou puttest to thy leueÌ„ and sayest if my neighbour do me no hurt nor say me any I am bound to loue him but not to geue him at his neede my goodes which I haue gotteÌ„ with my sore labour Now this is thy law and not Gods Gods law is pure and single loue thy neighbour whether he be good or bad And by loue god meaneth to helpe at nede Now when God byddeth thee to get thy liuyng and somwhat ouer to helpe him that cannot or at a tyme hath not wherewith to helpe him selfe if thou xxx or xl with thee get you to wildernesse not onely helpe not your neighbours but also robbe a great number of two or three thousand pouÌ„d yearely how loue ye your neighbours Such men helpe the world with prayer thou wilt say to me Thou were better to say they robbe y â— world with their hypocrisie say I to thee and it is truth in dede that they so do For if I sticke vp to the middle in the myre like to perish without present helpe and thou stand by and wilt not succour me but knelest downe and prayest wil God heare the prayers of such an hipocrite God biddeth thee so to loue me that thou put thy selfe in ieopardie to helpe me and that thyne hart while thy body laboureth do pray and trust in God that he will assiste thee through thee to saue me An hypocrite that will put neither body nor goodes in perill for to helpe me at my neede loueth me not neither hath compassion on me therfore hys hart caÌ„ not pray though he wagge his lippes neuer so much It is written Iohn ix If a man be a worshipper of God and do his wil which is the true worshyp him God heareth Now the will of God is that we loue one an other to helpe at nede And such louers he heareth not suttle hypocrites As loue maketh thee helpe me at my nede so when it is past thy power to helpe it maketh thee pray to God Euen so where is no loue to make thee take bodely paine w t me there is no loue y â— maketh thee pray for me But thy prayer is in deede foâ—…y bely which y â— louest What were the scribes and Phariseys The scribes besides that they were Phariseys as I suppose were also officers as are our Byshoppes Chauncellers Comistaries Archdeacones and Officialles And the Phariseys were religious men which had professed not as now one dominicke the other Fraunces an other Barnardes rules But euen to holde the very law of God with prayer fastyng and almeâ—â—eedes and were the flower and persection of all the Iewes as Saint Paule reioyseth of himselfe Phil. iiâ— saying I was an Ebrue and concernyng the law a Pharisey and concerning the righteousnes of the lawe I was faultlesse They were more honorable then any secte of the Monkes with vs whether obseruauÌ„t or Ancre or whatsoeuer other be had in price These might much better haue reioysed to haue beene the true Church and to haue had the spirite of God that they coulde not haue erred then they whom all the world seeth neither to keepe Gods lawes nor mans nor yet that deuilles lawe of their owne makyng For God had made them of y â— olde testameÌ„t as great promises that he would be their God and that hys spirite and all grace shoulde be wyth them if they kept his lawes as he hath made to vs. Now seing they kept the vttermost iote of the lawe in the sight of the worlde and were faultlesse and seyng thereto that God hath promised neither vs nor them ought at all but vppon the profession of keepyng hys lawes whether were more lyke to be the right church and to be taught of the spirite of God that they coulde not erre those Phariseys or ours Might not the generall councelles of those the things there decreed without scripture seeme to be of as great auctoritie as the generall councelles of ours the thynges there ordained and decreed both cleane without also against Gods worde Might not the ceremonies which those had added to the ceremonies of Moses seeme to be as holy and as well to please God as the ceremonies of ours The thynges which they added to the ceremonies of Moses were of y â— same kynde as those ceremonies were and no more to be rebuked then the ceremonies of Moses As for an ensample if Moses bad washe a table or a dishe when an vncleane worme had crept thereon the Phariseys did washe the table wyth a were cloute before euery refection least any vncleane thyng had touched them vnwares to all men as we put vnto our tythes a mortuary for all forgotteÌ„ tythes What was then the wickednesse of the Phariseys verely the leuen of their gloses to y â— morall lawes by which they corrupted the coÌ„maundementes and made them no more Gods and their false faith in the ceremonies that the bare worke was a sacrifice and a seruice to God the significations loste and the opinion of false righteousnesse in their prayers fastinges and almesoâ—edes that such workes did iustifie a man before God and not that God forgeueth sinne of his mere mercy if a man beleue repent and promise to do his vttermost to sinne no more When these thus sate in the hartes of the people with the opinion of vertue holinesse and righteousnesse and their lawe the lawe of God their workes workes coÌ„maunded by God and confirmed by all his prophets as prayer fasting and alâ—nesdeede they looked vppon as the Church of God that coulde not erre and finally they themselues eyther euery where were the chiefe rulers or so sate in the harts of the rulers that their worde was beleued to be the worde of God What other thyng coulde it be to preach agaynst all such and to coÌ„dempne their righteousnes for the most dampnable sinne that can be then to seeme to goe about to destroy the lawe and the prophetes What other thyng can such a preacher seeme to be before the blynde worlde then an hereticke scismaticke seditious possessed wyth the deuyll worthy of shame most vile and death most cruell And yet these must be first rebuked and their false righteousnesse detected yer thou mayst preach against open sinners Or els if thou shouldest conuert an open sinner froÌ„ hys euill lyuing thou shouldest make hym nyne hundred times worse theÌ„ before For he would at
That fayth haue they in theyr owne workes onely But the true hearers vnderstand the lawe as Christ interpreteth it here and feele thereby theyr righteous damnation and runne to Christ for succour and for remission of all their sinnes that are past and for all the sinne which chaunce thorough infirmities shall compel theÌ„ to do for remission of that the law is to stronge for their weake nature And upon that they consent to the lawe loue it and professe it to fulfill it to the vttermost of their power and then go to and worke Faith or confidence in Christes bloud without helpe and before the workes of the law bringeth all maner of remission of sinnes satisfaction Faith is mother of loue fayth accompanieth loue in all her workes to fulfill as much as there lacketh in our doing the lawe of that perfect loue which Christ had to his father and vs in his fulfilling of the law for vs. Now when we be reconciled then is loue fayth together our righteousnesse our keeping the lawe our continuing our proceeding forwarde in the grace which we stand in our bringing to the euerlasting sauing and euerlasting life And the woorkes be esteemed of God according to the loue of the hart If the woorkes be great loue little and colde then the woorkes be regarded thereafter of God If the workes be small and loue much and feruent the workes be taken for great of God And it came to passe that when Iesus had ended these sayinges the people were astonied at his doctrine for he taught them as one hauing power and not as the Scribes The Scribes and Phariseyes had thrust vp the sworde of the woorde of God into a scabbarde or shethe of gloses and therein had knit it fast that it coulde neither sticke nor cut teaching dead workes without fayth and loue which are the life and the whole goodnes of all workes and the onely thing why they please God And therefore their audience abode euer carnall and fleshly mynded without faith to God and loue to their neighbours Christes wordes were spirit life Ioh. vi That is to say they ministred spirite and life and entred into the hart and grated on the conscience and thorow preaching the lawe made the hearers perceaue their duties euen what loue they ought to God what to man and the right dampnation of all them that had not the loue of God and man written in their hartes and thorow preaching of fayth made all that consented to the lawe of God fele the mercy of God in Christ and certified them of their saluation For the worde of God is a two edged sworde that pearceth and deuideth the spirite and soule of man a sonder Heb. 〈◊〉 A man before the preaching of Godes woorde is but one man all fleshe the soule consenting vnto the lustes of the fleshe to follow them But the sworde of the worde of God where it taketh effect diuideth a man in two and serteth him at variaunce against his own selfe The fleshe haling one way and the spirite drawing another the fleshe raging to follow lustes and the spirite calling backe agayne to follow the lawe and will of God A man all the while â—e consenteth to the flesh before he be borne again in Christ is called soule or carnall But whe he is renued in Christ through y t word of lyâ—e and hath the loue of God and of hys neighbor and the fayth of Christ written in his hart he is called spirite or spirituall The Lord of all mercy send vs preachers with power that is to say 〈◊〉 expounders of the worde of God and speakers to the hart of man and deliuer vs from Scribes Phariseyes hypocrites and all false Prophetes Amen An aunswere vnto Syr Thomas Mores Dialogue made by William Tyndall 1530. ☞ First he declareth what the Church is and geueth a reason of certaine wordes which Master More rebuketh in the translation of the new Testament ¶ After that he aunswereth particularly vnto euery Chapter which semeth to haue any appearaunce of truth thorough all his foure bookes ¶ Awake thou that slepest and stand vp from death and Christ shall geue the light Ephesians 5. THe grace of our Lord the light of his spirite to see to iudge true repeÌ„taunce towardeâ— Gods lâ—we a fast fayth in the mercyfull prâ—…es y â— are in our sauiour Christ serueÌ„t loue toward thy neighbour after the exaÌ„ple of Christ his Saints be with thee O Reader with all that loue the truth loÌ„g for the redemption of Gods elect Amen Our Sauiour I esus in the 16. of Iohn at his last Supper when he tooke his leaue of his Disciples warned them saying the holy Ghost shall come and rebuke the world of iudgemeÌ„t That is he shall rebuke the world for lacke of true iudgement and discretion to iudge and shall proue that the tast of theyr mouthes is corrupt so that they iudge swete to be sowre and sowre to be swete the eyes to be blynd so that they thinke that to be the verâ— seruice of God which is but a blynd superstition for zeale of which yet they persecute the true seruice of God and that they iudge to be the lawe of God whiche is but a false imagination of a corrupt iudgement for blynd affection of whiche yet they persecute the true law of God and them that kepe it And this same it is that Paul sayth 1. Corinth ij how that the naturall man that is not borne agayne and created a new with the spirite of God be he neuer so great a Philosopher neuer so well sene in the law neuer so sore studied in the Scripture as we haue examples in the Phariseis yet hee cannot vnderstaÌ„d the thynges of the spirite of God but sayth he the spirituall iudgeth all thyngs and hys spirâ—e searcheth the deepe secretes of God so that what soeuer God commauÌ„deth hym to do he neuer leaueth searchyng till he come at the bottome the pith the quicke the lyâ—e the sâ—… the mâ—â—ow very cause why and iudgeth all thyng Take an example in the great commaundement loue God with all thyne hart y t spirituall searcheth the cause and looketh on the benefites of God and so conceaueth loue in his hart And when he is commaunded to obey the powers and rulers of the world hee looketh on the benefites which God sheweth the world through them and therefore doth it gladly And when hee â–ª is commauÌ„ded to loue his neighbour as hym selfe he searcheth that his neighbour is created of God and bought with Christes bloud and so forth and therefore he loueth hym out of his hart and if he be euill forheareth hym and with all loue and pacience draweth hym to good as elder brethren wayte on the youÌ„ger and serue them and suffer them when they will not come they speake fayre flatter and geue some gaye thyng and
promise fayre and so drawe them and â—…te them not but if they may in no wise be holpe referre the punishment to the father and mother and so foorth And by these iudgeth he all other lawes of God and vnderstaÌ„deth the true vse and meanyng of them And by these vnderstandeth he in the lawes of man whiche are right and which tyranny If God should coÌ„maunde hym to drinke no wine as he commauÌ„ded in the olde testament that the priestes should not when they ministred in the temple and forbad diuerse meaâ—es the spirituall because he knoweth that man is Lord ouer all other creatures they his seruauntes made to be at his pleasure and that it is not commaunded for the wyue or meate it selfe that man should be in bondage vnto his owne seruaunt the inferiour creature ceaseth not to search the cause And when he findeth it that it is to tame the fleshe and that he be alway sober he obeyeth gladly and yet not so superstitiously that the tyme of his disease he would not drinke wine in y e way of a medicine to recouer his health as Dauid eat of the halowed bread and as Moses for necessitie left the children of Israell vncircumcised xl yeares where of likelyhoode some dyed vncircumcised and were yet thought to be in no worse case then they that were circumcised as the children that dyed within the viij day were counted in as good case as they that were circuÌ„cised which ensamples might teach vs many thinges if there were spirite in vs. And likewise of the holy day he knoweth that the day is seruaunt to man and therfore when he findeth that it is done because he should not be let from hearing the worde of God he obeyeth gladly and yet not so superstitiously that he would not helpe his neighbour on the holy day and let the sermoÌ„ alone for one day or that he would not worke on the holyday neede requiring it at such tyme as men be not wont to be at church and so throughout all lawes And euen likewise in all ceremonies and sacramentes he searcheth the significations will not serue â—he visible thinges It is as good to him that the priest say Masse in his gowne as in his other apparell if they teach him not somewhat and that his soule be edified thereby And as soone will he gape while thou puttest sande as holy salt in his mouth if thou shew hym no reason thereof He had as lefe be sâ—â—ered wyth vnhalowed butter as annointed wyth charmed oyle if his soule be not taught to vnderstand somewhat thereby and so forth But the world captiuateth his wit and about the law of God maketh him wonderfull imaginations vnto which he so fast cleaueth that ten Iohn Baptistes were not able to dispute them out of his head He beleueth that he loueth God because he is ready to kill a Turke for his sake that beleueth better in God then he whom God also commaundeth vs to loue and to leaue nothyng vnsought to winne him vnto the knowledge of the truth though with the losse of our â—â—ues He supposeth that he loueth his neighbour as much as he is bounde if he be not actually angry with him whom yet he will not helpe freely with an halfepenny but for a vauntage or vayneglory or for a worldly purpose If any man haue displeased him he keepeth his malice in and will not chafe him selfe about it till he see an occasion to aueÌ„ge it craftely and thinketh that well inough And the rulers of the world he obeyeth thinketh he when he flattereth them and blindeth them with giftes and corrupteth the officers with rewardes and â—eguiâ—th the lawe with cautels and subtilties And because the loue of God and of hys neighbour which is the spirite and the life of all lawes wherfore all lawes are made is not written in his hart therefore in all inferiour â—awes and in all worldly ordinaunces is he betell blinde If he be commaunded to absteyne from wine that will he obserue vnto the death to as the Charterhouse MoÌ„kes had leuer dye then eate fleshe and as for the sobernesse and chastising of the members will he not looke for but will poure male bere of the strongest without measure and heat them with spices and so forth And the holyday will he keepe so straight that if he meete a sâ—ee in his bed he dare not kill her not once regarde wherfore the holyday was ordayned to seeke for Gods worde and so forth in all lawes And in ceremonies and sacramentes there he captiuateth his witte vnderstanding to obey holy Church without asking what they meane or desiring to know but onely careth for the keeping and looketh euer wyth a payre of narrow eyes and wyth all hys spectacles vppon them lest ought be lefte out For if the priest shoulde say Masse baptise or heare confession without a stole about his necke he would thinke all were marred and doubt whether he had power to consecrate and thinke that the vertue of the Masse were lost and the childe not well baptised or not baptised at all and that his absolution were not worth a mite He had leuer that the Byshop should wag two fingers ouer him then that an other man should say God saue him and so forth Wherfore beloued reader in as much as the holy ghost rebuketh the worlde for lacke of iudgement and in as much also as their ignorauÌ„ce is without excuse before whose faces inough is set to iudge by if they woulde open their eyes to see and not captiuate their vnderstanding to beleue lyes and in as much as the spirituall iudgeth all thing euen the very bottome of Gods secretes that is to say the causes of the thinges which God commaundeth how much more ought we to iudge our holy fathers secretes not to be as an Oxe or an Asse without vnderstanding Iudge therfore reader whether the Pope with his be the Church whether their authoritie bee aboue the Scripture whether all they teach without Scripture be equall with the Scripture whether they haue erred and not onely whether they can And against the myst of their sophistry take the examples that are past in the old Testament authentike stories and the present practise whiche thou seest before thyne eyes Iudge whether it be possible that any good should come out of their domme ceremonies Sacramentes into thy soule Iudge their penaunce pilgrimages pardons purgatorie praying to postes domme blessynges domme absolutioÌ„s their domme pateryng and howlyng their domme straunge holy gestures with all their domme disguisinges their satisfactioÌ„s and iustifyinges And because thou findest them false in so many thynges trust them in nothyng but iudge theÌ„ in all thinges Marke at the last the practise of our fleshly spiritualtie and their wayes by whiche they haue walked aboue eight hundred yeares how they stablish their lyes first wtth falsifiyng the Scripture
for the electe onely in whose hartes God hath written hys lawe with his holy spirite and geuen them a feeling faith of the mercy that is in Christ Iesu our Lord. ¶ Why Tindall vsed this worde congregation rather theÌ„ church in the translation of the new Testament WHerefore in as much as the clergy as the nature of those hard indurat AdamaÌ„tstones is to draw all to them had appropriat vnto themselues the terme that of right is common vnto all the whole congregation of them that beleue in Christ wyth their false and subtil wyles had beguiled and mocked the people brought them into the ignoraunce of the word making theÌ„ vnderstand by this worde church nothing but the shauen flocke of them that shore the whole worlde therefore in the translation of the new Testament where I found this word Ecclesia I enterpreted it by thys word congregation Euen therfore did I it and not of any mischeuous mynde or purpose to stablâ—she heresie as master More vntruely reporteth of me in hys Dialoge where he rayleth on y t translation of the new Testament And when M. More sayth that this word Church is knowen wel inough I report me vnto the conscieÌ„ces of all the land whether he say truth or other wise or whether the lay people vnderstand by Church the whole multitude of all that professe Christ or the iugglyng spirites onely And wheÌ„ he saith that congregation is a more generall terme if it were it hurteth not For the circumstance doth euer tell what coÌ„gregation is ment Neuerthelesse yet sayth he not the truth For whersoeuer I may say a congregation there may I say a Church also as the Church of the deuill the Church of Sathan the Church of wretches y t Church of wickedmen the Churche of lyers and a Church of Turkes therto For M. More must graunt if he will haue Ecclesia translated throughout all the new Testament by this woorde Church that Church is as commoÌ„ as Ecclesia Now is Ecclesia a Greeke word and was in vse before the tyme of the Apostles and taken for a coÌ„gregation among the heatheÌ„ where was no congregation of God or of Christ And also Lucas him selfe vseth Ecclesia for a Church or congregation of heathen people thrise in one Chapter eueÌ„ in the xix of the Actes where Demetrius the goldsmith or siluersmith had gathered a company agaynst Paule for preachyng agaynst Images Howbeit M. More hath so long vsed â–ª his figures of Poetry that I suppose wheÌ„ he erreth most he now by the reason oâ— a long custome beleueth himself that he sayth most true Or els as the wise people which when they daunce naked in nettes beleue that no man seeth them euen so M. More thinketh that his errours be so subtilly couched that no man can espy them So blinde he counteth all other men in comparison of his great vnderstandyng But charitably I exhorte him in Christ to take hede for though Iudas were wilier then his felowes to get lucre yet he proued not most wise at y t last end Neither though Balam the false Prophet had a cleare sight to bryng y â— curse of God vpon the childreÌ„ of Israell for honours sake yet his couetousnesse did so blind his prophesie that he could not see his owne end Let therfore M. More and his coÌ„pany awake be tymes ere euer their sinne be ripe lest y e voyce of their wickednesse ascenoâ— vp and awake God out of his slepe to loke vpoÌ„ them and to how his eares vnto theyr cursed blasphemies agaynst the open truth and to send his haruest men and mowares of vengeaunce to repe it But how happeth it that M. More hath not contended in likewise against hys derelyng Erasmus all this longe while Doth not he chauÌ„ge this word Ecclesia into congregatioÌ„ and that not seldome in the new TestameÌ„t peraduenture he oweth him fauour because he made Moria in hys house Whiche booke if it were in English theÌ„ should euery man see how that he then was farre otherwise mynded then he now writeth But verely I thinke that as Iudas betrayd not Christ for any loue that he had vnto the hyghe Priestes Scribes and Phariseis but onely to come by that wherfore he thirsted eueÌ„ so M. More as there are tokens euideÌ„t wrote not these bookes for any affectioÌ„ that he bare vnto the spiritualty or vnto the opinions which he so barely defeÌ„deth but to obtaine onely that which he was an hungred for I pray God that he eate not to hastly lest he be chokeo at the latter end but that he repeÌ„t and resist not the spirite of God which openeth light vnto the worlde ¶ Why he vseth this woorde Elder and not Priest AN other thyng which he rebuketh is that I interprete this Greeke worde Presbiteros by this worde Senior Of a truth Senior is no very good Englishe though Senior and Iuniot be vsed in the vniuersities but there came no better in my mynde at that tyme. Howbeit I spied my fault since long yer M. More tolde it me and haue â—…ded it in all the woorkes which I sens made and call it an Elder And in that he maketh hereâ—ie of it to call Presbiteros an Elder he condemneth their owne old Latin text of heresie also which they vse yet dayly myâ—â—…ch and haue vsed I suppose this I suppose this run huÌ„dred yeares For that text doth 〈…〉 an elder likewise In the. 1. Pet. 5. â—…s standeth it in y e Latin text Seâ—…ores qui in vobis sunt obsecro ego conâ—… pascite qui in vobis est gregem Chriâ—… 〈…〉 elders that are among you I 〈…〉 which am an elder also that ye sedâ—… flocke of Christ which is among 〈…〉 There is Presbyteros calle◠〈…〉 And in y t he sayth fede Chrisâ—… he meaneth euen the Ministeâ—… chosen to teach the people to 〈…〉 them in Gods word no â—ay 〈…〉 And in the 2. Epâ—stâ—e of Ioh◠〈…〉 text Senior electae Dominae 〈…〉 The elder vnto the eleâ—t Lady 〈…〉 her children And in the 〈…〉 Iohn Senior Gaâ—o dilecto 〈…〉 vnto the beloued Gaiâ—s In these 〈…〉 pistles Presbyteros is calleâ— an 〈…〉 And in the xx of the Actes y â— text sâ—… Paule sent for maiores natu Eccleâ—… 〈…〉 elders in byrth of the congregation or Church and sayd vnto them take 〈…〉 vnto your selues vnto y â— whoâ—e 〈◊〉 ouer which the holy ghosâ— hath 〈…〉 you Episcopos ad regendum Eccleâ—… Dei Byshops ouerâ—caâ—s to 〈…〉 the Church of God There is â—…teros called an Elder in byrth 〈…〉 same immediately called a 〈…〉 ouersear to declare what pâ—… ment Hereof ye see that I haue 〈…〉 more erred then their owne text 〈…〉 they haue vsed sence the scripture waâ— first in the Latin â—oung and that their owne text vnderstandeth by Presbyâ—eros nothyng saue an Elder And they were called
him in their dedes as fast as they can runne The Turkes being in number fiue tymes moe then we are knowledge one God and beleue many thinges of God moued onely by the authoritie of their elders and presume that God will not let so great a multitude erre so long tyme. And yet they haue erred and bene faithlesse these eight hundred yeares And the Iewes beleue this day as much as the carnall sort of them euer beleued moued also by the authoritie of their elders onely and thinke that it is impossible for them to erre being Abrahams seede and the childrē of them to whom the promises of all that we beleue were made And yet they haue erred and bene faythlesse this xv hundred yeares And we of like blindnesse beleue onely by the authoritie of our elders and of like pride thinke that we can not erre beyng such a multitude And yet we see how God in the old Testament did let the great multitude erre reseruyng alway a litle flocke to call the other backe againe and to testifie vnto them the right way ¶ How this word Church hath a double interpretation THis is therfore a sure cōclusion as Paule sayth Rom. ix that not all they that are of Israell are Israelites neither because they be Abrahās sede are they all Abrahams childrē but they onely that folow the faith of Abraham Euen so now none of them that beleue with their mouthes moued with the authority of their elders onely that is none of thē that beleue with M. Mores fayth the Popes fayth and the deuils fayth which may stand as M. More cōfesseth with all maner abhominatiōs haue the right fayth of Christ or are of his Church But they onely that repēt feele that the law is good And haue the law of God written in their harts and the fayth of our Sauiour Iesus euen with the spirite of God There is a carnali Israell a spirituall There is Isaac and Ismaell Iacob Esau And Ismaell persecuted Isaac Esau Iacob the fleshly the spiritual Wher of Paul complayned in his tyme persecuted of his carnall brethrē as we do in our tyme and as the elect euer dyd shall do till the worldes end What a multitude came out of Egypt vnder Moses of which the Scripture testifyeth that they beleued moued by y ◠miracles of Moses as Symon magus beleued by the reason of Philippes miracles Actes viij Neuerthelesse the Scripture testifieth that vj. hundred thousād of those beleuers perished thorough vnbelief and left their carcasses in the wildernesse and neuer entred into the land that was promised them And euen so shal the children of M. Mores faythlesse faith made by the persuation of mā leap short of the test which our Sauiour Iesus is risē vnto And therfore let them embrace this present world as they do whose children they are though they hate so to be called And hereby ye see that it is a playne an euident conclusiō as bright as the sunne shynyng that the truth of Gods word dependeth not of the truth of the congregation And therfore when thou art asked why thou beleuest that thou shalt be saued thorough Christ and of such like principles of our fayth aunswere thou wottest and felest that it is true And when he asketh how thou knowest that it is true aunswere because it is written in thyne hart And if he aske who wrote it aūswere the spirite of God And if he aske how thou came first by it tell him whether by readyng in bookes or hearyng it preached as by an outward instrumēt but that inwardly thou wast taught by y ◠spirite of God And if he aske whether thou beleuest it not because it is written in bookes or because the Priestes so preach aunswere no not now but onely because it is writtē in thyne hart and because the spirite of God so preacheth and so testifieth vnto thy soule And say though at the beginning thou wast moued by readyng or preachyng as the Samaritans were by y ◠wordes of the woman yet now thou beleuest it not therfore any lēger but onely because thou hast heard it of the spirite of God and read it written in thine hart And concernyng outward teachyng we alledge for vs Scripture elder thē any Church that was this xiiij hundred yeares and old antenticke stories which they had brought a slepe where with we confounde their lyes Remēber ye not how in our owne tyme of all that taught Grammer in England not one vnderstode the Latin toung how came we thē by the Latin toung agayne not by them though we learned certaine rules principles of them by which we were moued had an occasion to seke further but out of the old authours Euen so we seke vp old antiquities out of whiche we learne and not of our Church though we receaued many principles of our Church at the begynnyng but more falsehead then truth It hath pleased God of his exceding loue wherewith he loued vs in Christ as Paul sayth before the worlde was made and whē we were dead in sinne and his enemies in that we did cōsent to sinne and to liue euill to write with his spirite ij conclusions in our harts by which we vnderstād all thyng that is to were the fayth of Christ and the loue of our neighbours For whosoeuer feleth the iust damnation of sinne and the forgeuenes and mercy that is in Christes bloud for all that repent forsake it and come and beleue in that mercy the same onely knoweth how God is to be honoured and worshipped and can iudge betwene true seruing of God in the spirite and false Image seruing of God with workes ▪ And y e same knoweth that sacramētes signes ceremonies and bodely things can be no seruice to God in his person but memorials vnto men and a remēbraunce of the testament wherewyth God is serued in the spirite And he that feeleth not that is blynde in hys soule and of our holy fathers generation and maketh God an Image a creature worshippeth him with bodely seruice And on the other side he that loueth his neighbour as himselfe vnderstandeth all lawes and cā iudge betwene good and euil right wrong godly and vngodly in all conuersation deedes lawes bargaines couenaunces ordinaunces and decrees of men and knoweth the office of euery degree and the due honour of euery person And he that hath not that writen in his hart is popishe and of y ◠spiritualtie which vnderstādeth nothing saue his own honour his own profite what is good for himself onely and when he is as he would be thinketh y ◠all the world is as it should be ¶ Of worshipping and what is to be vnderstand by the worde COncerning worshipping or honouring which two termes are both one M. More bringeth forth a difference a distinction or diuision of Greke wordes
neighbour and the order of our iustifying saluation for as much as all such thynges were played before the peoples faces dayly in the ceremonies euery child wist the meanyng but got them vnto allegories faynyng them euery maÌ„ after his owne brayne without rule all most on euery silable and from thence vnto disputyng and wastyng their braynes about wordes not attending the significations vntill at the last the laye people had lost the meanyng of the ceremonies the Prelates the vnderstandyng of the playne text and of the Greke Latin and specially of the Hebrue whiche is most of nede to be knowen and of all phrases the proper maner of speakynges and borowed speach of the Hebrues Remember ye not how within this xxx yeares and farre lesse and yet dureth vnto this day the old barkyng curres Dunces disciples lyke draffe called Scotistes the children of darkenesse raged in euery pulpit agaynst Greke Latin and Hebrue and what sorrow the Scholemasters that taught the true Latin toung had with them some beatyng the pulpit with theyr fistes for madnesse roaryng out with open and somyng mouth that if there were but one Tirence or Virgil in the world and that same in their fleues a fire before them they would burne them therein though it should cost theÌ„ their liues affirming that all good learnyng decayed was vtterly lost sence men gaue them vnto the Latin touÌ„g yea I day say that there be xx thousand Priests Curates this day in England and not so few that caÌ„ not geue you the right English vnto this text in the Pater noster fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo in terra aunswere therto And assoone as the signification of the ceremonies was lost and the priestes preached Christ no longer then the common people began to wax mad out of their mindes vpon the ceremonies And that trust and confidence which the ceremonies preached to be geuen vnto Gods worde and Christes bloud that same they turned vnto the ceremonie it selfe as though a man were so mad to forget that the bushe at the tauerne dore did signisse wine to be solde within but would beleue that y â— bushe it selfe would quench his thirste And so they became seruauntes vnto y â— ceremonies ascribing their iustifying and saluation vnto them supposyng that it was nothing else to be a christeÌ„ man then to serue ceremonies him most christen that most serued them contrary wise him that was not Popishe and ceremoniall no christeÌ„ man at all For I pray you for what cause worship we our spiritualtie so highly or wherefore thinke we their prayers better then the poore laye mens then for their disguisings and ceremonies yea and what other vertue see we in y â— holiest of them then to waite vppon dumme superstitious ceremonies Yea and how coÌ„meth it that a poore laye man hauing wife and xx children and not able to finde them though all his neighbours know his necessitie shal not get with begging for Christes sake in a long sommers day inough to fynde them two dayes honestly when if a disguised monster come he shall wyth an houres lying in the pulpit get inough to finde thirty or forty sturdy lubbers a moneth long of which y â— weakest shall be as strong in the belly when he commeth vnto the manger as the mightâ—est porter in y â— weyhouse or best courser that is in y â— kynges stable Is there any other cause then disguising and ceremonies For y e deedes of the ceremonies we count better theÌ„ the deedes which God coÌ„maundeth to be done to our neighbour at hys nede who thinketh it as good a deede to feede the poore as to sticke vp a candle before a post or as to sprinckle himself with holy water Neither is it possible to be otherwise as long as the signification is lost For what other thyng can the people thinke then that such deedes be ordeyned of God and because as it is euident they serue not our neighbours neede to be referred vnto y e person of God and he though he be aspirite yet serued therewyth And then he can not but forth on dispute in his blynde reason that as god is greater then man so is that deede that is appointed to serue God greater then that which serueth man And then when it is not possible to thinke them ordeyned for nought what can I other wise thinke then that they were ordeyned to iustitie and that I should be holy therby according to the popes doctrine as though God were better pleased when I sprinkle my selfe with water or set vp a candle before a block then if I fed or clothed or holpe at his neede him whom he so tenderly loueth that he gaue his owne sonne vnto the death for hym and commaunded me to loue him as my selfe And when the people beganne to run that way the prelaces were glad and holpe to heue after with subtill allegories and falsifying the scripture went and halowed the ceremonies to make them more worshipfull that the laye people should haue them in greater estimation honour and to be afrayde to touch them for reuerence vnto the holy charme that was sayd ouer them and affirmed also that Christes death had purchased such grace vnto y â— ceremonies to forgeue sinne and to iustifie O monster Christes death purchased grace for mans soule to repent of euill and to beleue in Christ for remission of sinne and to loue the lawe of God his neighbour as himselfe which is the true worshipping of god in the spirite and he dyed not to purchase such honour vnto vnseÌ„sible thinges that maÌ„ to his dishonour should do them honourable seruice receaue his saluation of them This I haue declared vnto you y t ye might see and feele euery thing sensibly For I entend not to leade you in darcknesse Neyther though twise ij Cranes make not iiij wilde Gees woulde I therefore that he shoulde beleue that twise two made not foure Neither entend I to proue vnto you that Paules steple is the cause why Temmes is broke in about Erith or y â— Teinterden steple is the cause of the decay of Sandwich hauen as M. More iesteth Neuerthelesse this I woulde were perswaded vnto you as it is true that the building of theÌ„ and such like thorow y â— false fayth that we haue in them is the decay of all the hauens in England of al the cities townes hye wayes and shortly of the whole common wealth For since these false monsters crope vp into our consciences and robbed vs of the knowledge of our sauiour Christ makyng vs beleue in such popeholy workes and to thinke that there was none other way vnto heauen we haue not ceassed to build theÌ„ abbeyes cloysters coledges Chauntries and cathedrall churches with hye steples striuing and enuying one an other who shoulde do most And as
bringeth he in the perpetuall virginitie of our Lady which though it be neuer so true is yet none article of our fayth to be saued by But we beleue it with a story fayth because we see no cause reasonable to thinke the contrary And when he sayth many misteries are yet to be opened as the commyng of Antichrist Nay verely the babe is knowne well inough and all the tokens spide in him which the scripture describeth hym by And when he alleageth Paules traditions to the Thessalo to proue hys phantasie I haue answered Rochester in the obedience that his traditions were the Gospell that he preached And when he alleageth Paule to the Corin. I say that Paule neuer knew of this word Masse Neither can any man gather thereof any straunge holy gestures but the playne contrary and that there was no other vse there then to breake the bread amōg them at supper as Christ did And therefore he calleth it Christes supper and not Masse There was learned y ◠maner of consecration A great doubt as though we coulde not gather of the scripture how to do it And of the water that the Priest mingleth wyth the wyne A great doubt also and a perilois case if it were left out For either it was done to slake the heate of the wine or put to after as a ceremony to signifie that as the water is chaunged into wine so are we chaunged thorow sayth as it were into Christ and are one wyth him how be it all is to their owne shame that ought shoulde be done or vsed among vs Christen whereof no man wist the meaning For if I vnderstand not the meaning it helpeth me not 1. Cor. 14. and as experience reacheth But if our shepherdes had bene as well willing to feede as to shere we had needed no such dispicience nor they to haue burnt so many as they haue And as for that he alleageth out of the Epistle of James for the iustifying of workes I haue aunswered in the Mammon against which he can not hisse and will speake more in the iiij booke And as for the Saboth a great matter we be Lordes ouer the Saboth may yet chaunge it into the monday or or any other day as we see neede or may make euery tenth day holy daye onely if we see a cause why we may make two euery weeke if it were expedient and one not inongh to teach y ◠people Neither was there any cause to chaunge it from the Saterday then to put difference betwene vs and the Iewes and least we should become seruanntes vnto the day after their superstition Neyther needed we any holyday at all if the people myght be taught without it And when he asketh by what scripture we know that a womā may christen I answere if baptim be so necessary as they make it then loue thy neighbour as thy selfe doth teach women to baptise in tyme of neede yea and to teach to rule their husbandes to if they be besides them selues And when he sayth that of likelihode the laye people vnderstoode the Gospell of Iohn and Paules Epistles better then great Clarkes now I answere the more shame is theirs How be it there be ij causes why the one is their diligent shering and an other they deny the iustifying of fayth wherof both Paule and Iohn do entreate almost of nothyng els if the signification of our baptim which is the lawe of God fayth of Christ were expounded truely vnto vs y t scripture would be easie to all that exercised themselues therin And sir in as much as the prelates care so little for the losse of y t vnderstanding of the Scripture and to teach y ◠people how happeneth it that they care so sore for a balde ceremonie which y ◠significatiō lost though Christ hymfelse had institute it we coulde not obserue without a false faith and without hurtyng of our soules And finally to rocke vs a sleepe with all he sayth that he shall neuer speede well that will seeke in the scripture whether our Prelates teach vs a true fayth though ten preach ech contrary to other in one day And yet Christ for all his miracles sendeth vs to y t scripture And for all Paules miracles the Iewes studyed the scripture the deligenterly to see whether it were as he sayd or no. How be it he meaneth that such cā not speede well because the prelates will burne them except M. More helpe them and make them forsweare Christ before hand The xxvii chapter IN the xxvij he bringeth Paule exhorting to agree and to tell all one tale in the fayth which can not be saith M. More except one beleue by the reasō of an other Yes verely we all beleue y e the fire is hot and yet not by the reasō of an other and that with a more surer knowledge then if we beleued it y ◠one by the tellyng of an other And euē so they that haue the law of God written in their hartes and are taught of y t spirite to know sinne and to abhorre it and to feele the power of the resurrection of Christ beleue much surer then they that haue none other certeintie of their fayth then the Popes preachyng confirmed with so godly liuing And it is not vnknowne to M. More that the churches of late dayes and the churches now beyng haue determined thynges in one case the one contrary to the other in such wise that he can not deny but the one hath or doth erre the which case I could shew hym if I so were mynded The olde Popes Cardinalles and Byshops sayd ye to the thyng that I meane whereunto these that now raigne say nay Now syr if you gather a generall counsell for the matter the churches of Fraunce and Italy will not beleue the Churches of Spayne and Douchland because they so say but will aske how they proue it Neyther will Louayne beleue Paris because they say that they can not erre but wyl heare first their probation Also how shall we know that the olde Pope and hys Prelates erred because these that are now so say When y t olde Pope liued we were as much bounde to beleue that he could not erre as we be now that this can not wherefore you must graunt me that God must shew a myracle for the tone parte or els they must bring autētike scripture Now syr God hath made hys last euerlasting testament so that all is open and no more behynde then the appearyng of Christ againe And because he wyll not stirre vp euery day a new prophet with a new miracle to cōfirme new doctrine or to call agayne the olde that was forgotten therefore were all thinges necessary to saluation comprehended in scripture euer to endure By which scripture the counsels generall and not by open miracles haue cōcluded such thynges as
all wayes and done thy best to hew them and to make them frame thou must be fayne to cast them out wyth the Turkes and Iewes to serue God wyth the image seruice of their owne false workes Of these and such like textes and of the similitudes that Christ maketh in the Gospell of the kyngdome of heauen it appeareth that though the holy ghost be in the chosen and teacheth them all truth in Christ to put their trust in hym so that they cannot erre therein yet whyle the worlde standeth God shall neuer haue a church that shal eyther persecute or be vnpersecuted them selues any season after the fashion of y ◠Pope But there shall be in the church a fleshly seede of Abraham and a spirituall a Cain and an Abell an Ismael and an Isaac an Esan and a Iacob as I haue sayd a worker and a beleuer a great multitude of them that be called and a small flocke of them that be elect and chosen And the fleshly shall persecute the spirituall as Cain did Abel and Ismaell Isaac so forth and the great multitude shall persecute y ◠small little flocke and Antichrist wil be euer the best christen man SO now the church of God is double a fleshly and a spirituall the one will be and is not the other is may not be so be called but must be called a Lutheran an hereticke and such like Vnderstand therefore that God when he calleth a congregation vnto hys name sendeth forth his messēgers to call generally which messengers bring in a great multitude amased and astonied wyth myracles and power of the reasōs which the preachers make and therewyth be compelled to cōfesse that there is but one God of power might aboue all that Christ is God and man and borne of a virgine and a thousand other thynges And thē the great multitude that is called and not chosen when they haue gotten thys fayth common as wel to the deuils as them more strongly persuaded vnto the deuils then vnto them then they go vnto their owne imaginations saying we may no longer serue Idoles but God that is but one And the maner of seruice they fet out of their owne braynes and not of the worde of God and serue God wyth bodely seruice as they did in tymes past their Idoles their hartes seruing their owne lustes still And one will serue hym in white an other in blacke an other in grey an other in pyed And an other to do God a pleasure withall will be sure that his show shall haue two or three good thicke soles vnder and wyll cut hym aboue so that in sommer whyle the weather is hot thou mayst see hys bare fote in winter hys socke They wyll be shorne and shauen and Saduces that is to say righteous and Phariseis that is seperated in fashions frō all other men Yea and they wyll consecrat thēselues altogether vnto God and wyll annoint their handes and halow them as the chalice from al maner lay vses so that they may serue neither father nor mother maister Lord or Prince for poluting thēselues but must wayte on God onely to gather vp hys rentes tythes offeringes all other duties And all the sacrifice that come they cōsume in the altar of their bellies and make Calil of it that is a sacrifice that no mā may haue part of They beleue that there is a God But as they can not loue hys lawes so they haue no power to beleue in hym But they put their trust and confidence in their owne workes and by their own workes they will be saued as the rich of this world whē they sue vnto great men hope with giftes and presentes to obtayne their causes Neither other seruing of God know they saue such as their eyes may see and their bellyes feele And of very zeale they will be Gods vicars and prescribe a maner vnto other and after what fashiō they shall serue God and compell thē therto for the auoyding of Idolatry as thou seest in the Phariseis But little flocke as soone as he is perswaded that there is a God he rūneth not vnto hys owne imaginatiōs but vnto the messēger that called hym and of hym asketh how he shall serue God As litle Paul Act. ix whē Christ had ouerthrowen him and caught him in hys net asked saying Lord what wilt thou that I do And as the multitude that were cōuerted Act. 2. asked of the Apostles what they shoulde do And the preacher setteth the lawe of God before them and they offer their hartes to haue it written therein consenting that it is good and righteous And because they haue runne cleane contrary vnto that good law they sorrow mourne and because also their bodyes and flesh are otherwise disposed But the preacher comforteth them and sheweth thē the testamēt of Christes bloud how that for his sake all y ◠is done is forgeuē and all their weaknes shal be taken in worth vntil they be stronger onely if they repent wyll submit themselues to be scholers and learne to keepe this law And a little flocke receaueth thys testament in hys hart and in it walketh serueth God in the spirit And from henceforth all is Christ wyth hym and Christ is his he is Christes All that he receaueth he receaueth of Christ and all that he doth he doth to Christ Father mother maister Lord and Prince are Christes vnto hym and as Christ he serueth them wyth all loue Hys wife children seruauntes and subiectes are Christ vnto hym and he teacheth them to serue Christ and not hymselfe and hys lustes And if he receaue any good thyng of mā he thāketh god in Christ which moued the mans hart And his neighbour he serueth as Christ in all hys neede of such thynges as God hath lent because that all degrees are bought as he is with Christes bloud And he wil not be saued for seruing hys brethrē neither promiseth his brethren heauē for seruyng hym But heauen iustifying forgeuenes all gyftes of grace and all that is promised them they receaue of Christ and by hys merites freely And of y t which they haue receaued of Christ they serue ech other freely as one hand doth the other seekyng for their seruice no more thē one hand doth of an other ech the others health wealth helpe ayde succour to assiste one an other in the way of Christ And God they serue in the spirit only in loue hope faith and dread When the great multitude that be called and not chosen Cain Ismaell Esau carnall Israell that serue God night and day wyth bodely seruice and holy workes such as they were wont to serue their Idoles withall beholde little flocke that they come not forth in the seruice of god they rore out where are thou Why commest thou not forth and takest holy water Wherfore saith y
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
Gospell declare And when he sayth he neuer founde nor heard of any of vs but that he would forsweare to saue his lyfe Aunswere the more wrath of God wil light on them that so cruelly delite to torment them and so craftely to beguile the weake Neuerthelesse yet it is vntrue For he hath heard of Sir Thomas Hitton whō the Byshops of Rochester and Caunterbury slew at Maydstone and of many y t suffered in Braband Holand at Colen and in all quarters of Dutchland and do dayly And when he sayth that their Church hath many Martyrs let hym shewe me one that dyed for pardons and Purgatory that the Pope hath fayned and let him take the mastrie And what a do maketh he that we say there is a Church that sinneth not that there is no man but that he sinneth whiche are yet both true We read i. Iohn iij. he that is borne of God sinneth not And Ephes v. men loue your wiues as the Lord doth the Churche and gaue him selfe for her to sanctifie her and to clense her in the fountaine of water through the word and to make her a glorious Church vnto hym selfe without spot or wrincle And i. Iohn i. If we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and make him a lyer and hys word is not in vs. M. More also wil not vnderstand that the Church is some time taken for the elect onely whiche haue the law of God written in their hartes fayth to be saued through Christ written there also Which same for all that say with Paule that good which I would that do I not But that euill which I hate that do I so it is not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in my flesh And Gala. v. the flesh lusteth cōtrary to y e spirit the spirit cōtrary to y ◠flesh so that these two fightyng betwene thē selues ye can not do what ye would For they neuer consent that sinne is good nor hate y ◠law nor cease to fight against the flesh but assoone as they be fallen rise and fight a fresh And that the Church is some tyme taken for the cōmō rascal of all that beleue whether with the mouth onely carnally with out spirite neither louyng the law in their harts nor feelyng the mercy that is in Christ but either runne all together at riot or keepe the law with cautels and expositions of their owne faynyng and yet not of loue but for feare of hell as the theues do for feare of the galowes make recompence to God for their sinnes with holy dedes He also will not vnderstand that there be two maner faythes one that is the fayth of the elect which purgeth them of all their sinnes for euer As ye see Iohn xv ye be cleane sayth Christ by the reason of the word that is thorough beleuyng Christs doctrine And Iohn i. he gaue them power to be the sonnes of God through beleuyng in his name And Iohn iij. he that beleueth the sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe a thousand like textes And an other of them that be called and neuer electe As the faith of Iudas of Symon Magus of the deuill and of the Pope In whose hartes the law of God is not written as it appeareth by their workes And therfore when they beleue many thynges of Christ yet whē they come vnto the saluation that is in his bloud they be but Iewes and Turkes forsake Christ and runne vnto the iustifying of ceremonies with the Iewes Turkes And therefore they remayne euer in sinne within in their hartes Where the elect hauing the law written in their brestes leuyng it in theyr spirites sinne there neuer but without in the flesh Agaynst whiche sinne they fight continually and minishe it dayly with the helpe of the spirite thorough prayer fasting and seruing their neighbours louyngly with all maner seruice out of the law that is writtē in their harts And their hope of forgeuenesse is in Christ onely through his bloud and not in ceremonies The v. Chapter ANd vnto hys v. Chapter I answere by the Pope the scripture is hid and brought into ignoraunce the true sence corrupt And by thē that ye call heretickes we know the scripture and the true sence thereof And I say that the Pope keepeth the scripture as did y e Phariseis to make marchaundise of it And agayne that the heretickes become out of you as out of the Scribes and Phariseis came the Apostles and Christ himselfe Iohn Baptist and that they be plucked out of you and graffed in Christ and built vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes And in the end when he sayth that the heretickes be fallen out of Christes misticall body which is the Pope and hys I aunswere that ye be a misticall body and walke in the mist and wyll not come at the light and the heretikes be departed out of your mist and walke in the cleare light of Gods worde The vj. Chapter IN the vj. he sayth that the heretikes be all nought for they all periure and abiure He yet saith vntrue Many abyde vnto the death Many for theyr weakenesse are kept out of your hāds Many for their ouer much boldnesse in their owne strength be deliuered into your handes and fall in the fleshe their hartes abiding still in the truth as Peter and thousandes did after repent and be no lesse Christen thē before though ye haue them in derision vnto your owne damnation And many because they come to Christ for fleshly liberty and not for loue of the truth fall as it becommeth them vnder your handes as Iudas and Balam which at the beginning take Christes parte but afterward when they fynde eyther losse or no vauntage they get them vnto the contrary part and are by profession the most cruell enemyes and subtellest persecuters of the truth Looke Maister More and reade and marke well The vij Chapter IN the vij he sayth that he hath holy Saintes and holy counsels on hys side Name the Saintes proue it Name the counselles and the holy Prelates thereof Thou shalt shew me none other Popes or Cardinals then such as we haue now that will obey neyther God nor mā or any law made by God or man but compell all men to follow them strengthning their kyngdome wyth the multitude of all misdoers He sayth also that good and bad worship Saintes the good well and the bad euill How cōmeth it then that ye shew not the difference and teach to do it well I see but one fashion among all the popishe And finally he sayth he is not boun◠to answere vnto the reasons and scriptures that are layde agaynst them It is inough to proue their part that it is a common custome and that such a multitude do it and so by his doctrine the Turkes are in the right way The viij Chapter
coÌ„myng of Christ as it is to see in the Gospell contrary vnto M. Mores deceitfull Poetry And agayn God reserued hym a litle flocke euer in Israell and had euer Prophets there some time openly and some time in persecution that euery man must hide hym selfe and keepe hys fayth secret and euen in the houses of the euill kynges both of Iewry and also of Israell he had good people and that among the hyghe officers but secretly as Nicodemus among the Phariseis So that the very Churche was euery where ofttymes in captiuitie and persecution vnder their brethren as we bee vnder ours in the kyngdome of the Pope Then he putteth no ieopardy to worshpp an vnconsecrated hoste But with what worshyp men should woorshyp the consecrated doth he not teach neither the vse of that Sacrament or any other nor how ought may be worshipped but teacheth onely that all thynges may be worshypped and sheweth not the right worshyp from the false Then he noteth Paul 1. Cor. 1. how he exhorteth vs to agree onely but not on the truth or on the good but onely to agree a great multitude together O this deepe blindnesse Dyd not Paule first teach them the true way And did hee not instruct them a new in the true way and in the said Epistle rebuke the false confidence that they had in men the cause of all their dissention and all errours that were among them Then he sayth the Iewes had Saintes in honour as the Patriarkes and Prophetes We teach to dishonour none But the Iewes prayed to none More Christ rebuked not the Phariseis for garnishyng the sepulchres of the Prophetes but for that they folowed the coÌ„ditions of theÌ„ that slew them Tyndale Yes and for their false trust in suche woorkes as we do you And ye Syr thinke that ye deserue heauen in worshyppyng the Saintes bones and be as ready to slea them that beleue teach and lyue as the Saintes dyd as your fathers were to slea theÌ„ besides that ye worshyp Saintes that folowed Christ after the example of your holy Cardinall of whom I doubt not but that ye will make a God in processe of tyme also Then repeateth he for forgettyng how Eliseus bones raised vp a dead body That was to confirme his preachyng onely For the Israelites as wicked as they were neither prayed to hym neither kissed his bones nor offered nor sticked vppe candels before hym Whiche thyng if they had done in the kyngdoÌ„e of y â— Iewes I doubt not but that some good kyng wold haue burnt his bones to ashes as wel as the brasen Serpent that was as great a relique as dead bones And Christ shewed miracles at the findyng of the crosse That was to stablish the faith of Christes death and that it should be a memory of his death not that we shuld trust in the wood as we do For which false abuse y t whole land where Christ dyd his miracles is destroyed Then he alledgeth the woman that was healed through touching of Christes coate because we should worshyppe it When Christ sayd her fayth hath made her whole not in the coate but in Christ And the miracle was shewed to prouoke to the worshyppyng of the preachyng and not of the coate Though to kepe the coate reuerently in the memoriall of the deede to prouoke vnto the fayth of Christ were not euill of it selfe And Paule by your doctrine sent hys napkin to heale y t sicke that meÌ„ should shrine his sneueled napkin and not to beleue his preachyng The x. Chapter THe x. chapter of Saint Walary is meete for the auctor and his worshipfull doctrine The xi Chapter IN the xi he iuggleth wyth thys misticall terme Latria I answere God is no vayne name but signifieth one that is almighty all mercifull all true and good which he that beleueth will goe to God to hys promises and Testament and not follow his owne imaginations as M. Mores doctrine teacheth He sayth that bodely seruice is not Latria No but bodely seruice done referred vnto hym â–ª which is a spirite is Idololatria He trusteth that men know the Image from the Saint I aske M. More why God did hide Moses body diuers other The Iewes would haue knowen y t Moses had not bene God and that Moses bones had not bene Moses And they knew that the braseÌ„ serpent was not God and that y t golden calues were not God that wod and stone were not God But Syr there is euer a false imagination by The world because they can not worship God in the spirite to repent of euill and to loue the lawe and to beleue that he wyll helpe at al neede therfore runne they vnto their owne imaginations and thinke that God for such seruice as they do to Images will fulfill their worldly desires for godly caÌ„ they nought desire Now God is a spirite and wil be worshipped in hys woorde onely which is spirituall and wil haue no bodely seruice And the ceremonies of the olde law he set vp to signifie his word onely and to keepe the people in mynde of hys testament So that he which obserueth any ceremony of any other purpose is an Idolater that is an Image seruer And when he sayth if men aske women whether it were our Lady of Walsingam or Ipswich that was saluted of Gabriel or that stoode by Christ when he hung on the crosse they wyll say neyther nother Then I aske hym what meaneth it that they say our Lady of Walsingam pray for me our Lady of Ipswich pray for me our Lady of WilsdoÌ„ pray for me in so much y â— some which recken theÌ„selues no small fooles make them roules of halfe an houre long to pray after that maner And they that so pray thou mayst â—e sure meane our Lady that stoode by the crosse and her that was saluted therto Then he rehearseth many abuses and how that womeÌ„ sing songes of ribaudry in processions in cathedral churches vnto which abhominatioÌ„s yet our holy church that caÌ„not erre coÌ„sent wyth full delectatioÌ„ For on the one side they will not amende the abuse And on the other side they haue hyred M. More to proue with his sophistry that y e things ought not to be put downe Then he bringeth in how the wilde Irish and the Welch pray when they go to steale And asketh whether because they abuse prayer we should put all praying downe Nay M. More it is not like Prayer is Gods commaundement where fayth is there must prayer needes be cannot be away How be it thynges that are but mens traditions and all indifferent thynges which we may be as well without as wyth may well be put downe for their dishonouring of God thorow y â— abuse We haue turned kissing in the Church into the Pax. We haue put downe watching all night in the church on saintes eues for
desperation and partly that he fall not into hate of his father and of his commaundement thereto and thinke that his father is a tyraunt and his law but tyranny M. More seleth with his good endeuour inspiration together that a man may haue the best fayth coupled with the worst lyfe and with consentyng to sinne And I feele that it is impossible to beleue truly except a maÌ„ repent and that it is impossible to trust in y â— mercy y â— is in Christ or to fele it but y â— a man must immediatly loue God his commaundementes and therfore disagree disconsent vnto the fleshe and be at bate therewith and fight agaynst it And I feele that euery soule that loueth y â— law and hateth his fleshe and beleueth in Christes bloud hath his sinnes which he committed and payne which he deserued in haryng the law and consentyng vnto his flesh forgeuen him by that fayth And I feele that the frailtie of the flesh agaynst whiche a beleuyng soule lighteth to subdue it is also forgeuen and not rekened or imputed for sinne all the tyme of our curyng as a kynde father and mother reken not or impute the imposuÌ„bilitie of their youÌ„g children to consent vnto their law and as when the children be of age and consent theÌ„ they reken not nor impute the impossibilitie of the flesh to folow it immediatly but take al a worth and loue them no lesse but rather more tenderly then their old and perfect children that do their commaundemeÌ„tes so long as they go to schole learne such thynges as their fathers mothers set theÌ„ to And I beleue that euery soule that repeÌ„teth beleueth and loueth the law is thorough that fayth a member of Christes Churche and pure without spot or wrincle as Paule affirmeth Ephe. v. And it is an Article of my beleffe that Christes elect Church is holy and pure without sinne and euery meÌ„ber of the same thorow faith in Christ and that they be in the full fauour of God And I feele that the vncleanesse of the soule is but the consent vnto sin and vnto the fleshe And therefore I feele that euery soule that beleueth and consenteth vnto the lawe and here in this life hateth his flesh and the lustes therof and doth his best to driue sinne out of his flesh and for hate of the sinne gladly departeth from his flesh when he is dead and the lustes of the fleshe slaine with death needeth not as it were bodely tormenting to be purged of that wherof he is quit already And therfore if ought remaine it is out to be taught and not to be beaten And I feele that euery soule that beareth fruit in Christ shal be purged of the father to beare more fruit day by day as it is written Ioh. xv not in the Popes Purgatory where no man feeleth it but here in this life such fruit as is vnto his neighbours profite so that he which hath his hope in Christ purgeth himselfe here as Christ is pure 1. Ioh. 3. and that euer yet the bloud of Iesus onely doth purge vs of all our â—…s for the imperfectnes of our woorkes And I feele that the forgeuenes of sinnes is to remitte mercifully the payne that I haue deserued And I do beleue that the payne that I here suffer in my fleshe is to keepe the body vnder and to serue my neighbour and not to make satsfaction vnto god for the sore sinses And therfore when the Pope describeth God after his couetous complexion and when M. More feleth by inspiration and captiuating his wittes vnto the Pope that God forgeueth the euerlasting payne and will yet punish me a thousand yeares in the Popes purgatory that leauen sauoreth not in my mouth I vnderstand my fathers wordes as they sound and after the most mercifull maner and not after the Popes leauen and M. Mores captining his wittes to beleue that euery Poetes fable is a true story There is no father here that punisheth his sonne to purge hym when he is purged already and hath vtterly forsaken sinne and euâ—â—l and hath submitted himselfe vnto his fathers doctrine For to punishe a man that hath forsaken sinne of his owne accorde is not to purge him but to satisfie the lust of a tyrant Neyther ought it to be called Purgatory but a Iayle oftormenting and a satisfactory And when the Pope sayth it is done to satisfie the righteousnes as a iudge I say we that beleue haue no iudge of him but a father neither shal we come into iudgemeÌ„t as Christ hath promised vs but are receaued vnder grace mercy and forgeuenes Shew the Pope a litle money and God is so mercifull that there is no Purgatory And why is not the fire out as well if I offer for me the bloud of Christ If Christ hath deserued all for me who gaue the Pope might to keepe part of his deseruinges from me and to buy sell Christes merites to make marchaundise ouer vs wyth fayned wordes And thus as M. More feleth that y â— Pope is holy church I feele that he is Antichrist And as my feeling can be no proofe to him no more caÌ„ his wyth all his captiuating his wittes to beleue phantasies be vnto me wherefore if he haue no other probation to proue that the Pope is holy church then that his hart so agreeth vnto hys learning he ought of no right to coÌ„pell with sword vnto his sect How be it there are euer two maner people that will cleaue vnto God a fleshly and a spirituall The spirituall which be of God shall heare Gods woorde and the children of the truth shall consent vnto the truth And contrary the fleshly and children of falshead and of the deuill whose harts be full of lyes shall naturally consent vnto lyes as young children though they haue eate themselues as good as dead with fruit yet will not nor caÌ„ beleue him that telleth them that such fruit is nought but him that prayseth them wyll they heare and eate themselues starcke dead because their harts be full of lyes and they iudge all thinges as they appeare vnto the eyes And the fleshly mynded assoone as he beleueth of God as much as the deuill doth he hath inough and goeth to and serueth God with bodely seruice as he before serued his Idoles and after his owne imaginacion and not in the spirite in louing his lawes and beleuing his promises or longing for them no if he myght euer liue in the fleshe he would neuer desire them And God must do for him againe not what he hath promised but what he lusteth And his brother y â— serueth God in y e spirit according to Gods word hym will the carnall beast persecute So that he which will godly liue must suffer persecution vnto the worldes end according vnto the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles and according vnto the
to hurt my neighbour and to shame y t doctrine of Christ And in like maner if I had forsworne flesh al the world had bound me yet if necessitie require it of me to saue my life or my health I ought to breake it And againe though I had sworne chastitie and the cōmon wealth or the necessitie of an other required the contrary I must breake it But on the one side of all that euer burnt in the Popes chastitie he neuer gaue priest licence to take wife but to keepe whores onely And on the other side all that vow any vow do it for the thing it selfe as though it were as I sayd seruice or sacrifice to God that had delite in the deede as young children haue in Apples and that for that deede they shall haue an higher roome in heauē then their neighbours which is the Idolatry of the heathen whē he ought to bestow his vow vppon hys neighbour to bryng him to heauen not to enuie him to seeke thereby an higher roome not caring whether his neighbour come thether or no. And finally to burne and not to vse the naturall remedy that God hath made is but to tempt God as in all other thinges But if God haue brought thee into a straite and haue therto takē the naturall remedy from thee then to resiste and to crie vnto God for helpe to suffer is a signe y t thou louest Gods lawes And to loue Gods law is to be sure that thou art Gods childe elect to mercy For in all his children onely he writeth that token And then he sayth euery man hath his choyce whether he will be Priest or no. But what nettes and snares doth Antichrist lay for them First his false doctrine where with the Elders beguiled cōpell their children and sacrifice them to burne in the Popes chastitie with no other mynde then those olde Idolaters sacrificed their children vnto the false God Moloch so that they thinke by the merites of their childrens burning after the Popes false doctrine to please god and to get heauen cleane ignoraunt of the testament made in Christes bloud Then what a multitude are blinded and drawen into the net with the baite of promotion honour dignitie pleasures freedome and libertie to sinne to do all mischiefe vnpunished things which all euill that feare not God do desire And what a number brought vp idely vnto xx and aboue then put their heades in his halter because they haue no other crast to get their liuinges not because they can liue chast Also some liue chast at xxiiij which same burne at xxx And that to be true dayly experience teacheth and good naturall causes there be And thē looke on the Apostles learning and ordinaunce When one or two young wydowes had brokē their chastitie he would neuer after let any moe bee chosen of the same age How commeth it then that the Pope for so many hundred thousandes that miscary will neither breake the ordinaunce or mitigat it or let any goe backe but if any burne sendeth them vnto the shame of Christes doctrine and offending and hurt of hys Church neuer vnto the lawfull remedie of mariage And when M. More calleth it heresie to thinke that the maried were as pleasaunt to God as the vnmaryed he is surely an hereticke that thinketh the cōtrary Christes kingdom is neither meate nor drinke nor husband nor wife nor widow nor virgine but the keepyng of the commaundementes and seruing of a mans neighbour louingly by the doctrine of S. Paul where not to eate helpeth me to keepe the commmaūdementes better then to eate there it is better not to eate then to eate And where to eate helpeth me to keepe the commaundementes and to do my dutie vnto my neighbour there it is better to eate then not to eate And in like case where to be without a wife helpeth more to keepe the cōmaundemētes and to serue a mans neighboure there it is better to be vnmaryed then maried and where a wife helpeth to keepe the commaundementes better then to be without there it is better to haue a wife then to be wythout That hart onely which is ready to do or let vndone all thinges for his neighbours sake is a pleasaunt thing in the sight of God And when he will haue the Priestes to liue chast for reuerence of the Sacramentes it is deuillishe doctrine hauing the similitude of godlines but the pith marow is away If he meane water oyle salt and such like then is y ◠wyfe with her body and all her vses in the lawes of God incomparable purer holyer If he meane the sacrament of Christes body I aunswere that the handes defile not the man nor ought that goeth thorow the handes be they neuer so vnwashed by the testimony of Christ and much lesse can they then defile Christ Moreouer the Priest toucheth not Christes naturall body wyth his handes by your owne doctrine nor seeth it with his eyes nor breaketh it wyth hys fingers nor eateth it wyth hys mouth nor chāmeth it with his teeth nor drinketh his bloud with his lippes for Christ is impassible But he that repenteth toward the lawe of God and at the sight of the sacrament or of the breaking feling eating chamming or drinking calleth to remembraunce the death of Christ his body breaking and bloud shedding for our sinnes and all his passion the same eateth our Sauiours body and drinketh his bloud thorow fayth onely receaueth forgeuenes of all his sinnes therby and other not And all that haue not this doctrine of the Sacrament come therto in vaine And therfore there is no more cause that he which sayth the Masse should liue chast then he that heareth it or he that ministreth the Sacramēt then he that receaueth it It is to me great maruell that vnlawfull whoredome couetousnes and extortion can not defile their handes as well as law full matrimonye Curssed therefore be their deuillishe doctrine wyth false appearing godlines the fruit and power away out of the hartes of all Christen men And when he bringeth the ensample of the heathen I prayse him For the heathen because they could not vnderstand God spiritually to serue hym in the spirit to beleue in him and to loue his lawes therfore they turned hys glory vnto an Image and serued hym after their owne imagination with bodely seruice as the whole kingdome of the Pope doth hauing lesse power to serue hym in spirite then the Turkes For when the heathē made an Image of the axes or feuers and sacrificed ther to they knew that y e Image was not the feuers but vnder y e similitude of y e Image they worshipped the power of God which plagued them with the feuers with bodely seruice as the Pope doth aboue all the Idolaters that euer were in the worlde As when we paint Saint Machael weying the soules
things that do to thy brother whom thou hast offended and vnto God offer the repeÌ„taunce of thine hart and the satisfaction of Christes bloud M. Tyndall saith that the confessour vttereth the confessions of them that be rich But yet we see that both rich and poore keepe whores openly without paying peny Tyndall If they be very rich they be suffered because they may be good defenders of the spiritualty and if they be very poore because they haue no money to pay or els they fine with one or other secretly More Vppon that lye Tyndall buildeth the destruction of the sacrament of penaunce Tyndall Sacrament is a signe signifiyng what I should do or beleue or both As Baptim is the signe of repeÌ„taunce signifiyng that I must repent of euill and beleue to be saued therfroÌ„ by the bloud of Christ Now Syr in your penaunce describe vs which is y e signe and the outward sacrament and what is the thing that â–ª I must do or beleue and then we will ensearch whether it may be a sacrament or no. More Tyndall saith that confession is the worst inuention that euer was Tyndall As ye fashion it meane I and of that filthy priapishe confession which ye spew in the eare wherewyth ye exclude y e forgeuenes that is in Christes bloud for all that repent and beleue therein and make the people beleue that their sinnes be neuer forgeuen vntill they be shriuen vnto the Priest and theÌ„ for no other cause saue that they haue there tolde them and for the holy deedes to come which the confessour hath enioyned them more proâ—itable ofttimes for himselfe then any man els More Neuer man had grace to spie that before Tyndall Tyndall Yes very many For many nacions neuer receaued it And the Greekes when they had proued it and saw the baudery that folowed of it put it downe agayne For which cause and to know all secretes and to leade the consciences captiue the Pope falsely maintaineth it M. What fruit would then come of penaunce Tyndall â–ª Of your iugglyng terme penaunce I can not affirme But of repentaunce would come this fruit that no man that had it should sinne wyllingly but euery man should continually fight against his fleshe More He teacheth that the sacrament hath no vertue at all but by faith onely Tynd. The fayth of a repeÌ„ting soule in Christes bloude doth iustifie onely And the sacrameÌ„t standeth in as good stead as a liuely preacher And as the preacher iustifieth me not but my faith in the doctrine euen so the signe iustifieth not but the faith in the promise which the sacrament signifieth preacheth And to preach is all the vertue of the sacrament And where the sacramentes preach not there they haue no vertue at all And sir we teach not as ye do to beleue in the sacrament or in holy church but to beleue the sacrament and holy church More He teacheth that fayth suffiseth vnto saluation without good workes Tyndall The Scripture sayth that assoone as a man repenteth of euill beleueth in Christes bloud he obtayneth mercy immediatly because he should loue God and of that loue do good woorkes and that he tarieth not in sinne stil till he haue done good workes and then is first forgeuen for hys workes sake as the Pope beareth his in hand excluding the vertue of Christes bloud For a man must be first reconciled vnto God by Christ and in Gods fauour yer his workes can be good and pleasaunt in the sight of god But we say not as some damnably lye on vs that we should do euill to be iustified by faith as thou maist see Rom. iij. how they sayde of the Apostles for like preaching M. He calleth it sacrilege to please god with good workes Tyndall To referre the worke vnto the person of God to buy out thy sin therewith is to make an Idole of god or a creature But if thou referâ—e thy worke vnto thy neighbours profite or taming of thine owne fleshe then thou pleasest God therwith More Item that a man can do no good woorke Tyndall It is false But he sayth a man can do no good woorke till he beleue that his sinnes be forgeuen hym in Christ and till he loue Gods lawe and haue obtayned grace to woorke with And then sayth he that we caÌ„ not do our workes so perfectly by the reason of our corrupte fleshe but that there is some imperâ—ectnes therein as in the workes of them that be not their craftes master Which is yet not reckoned because they do their good willes and be scholers goe to schole to learne to do better M. Item that the good and righteous man sinneth alway in doing well Tyndall In all his woorkes there lacketh somewhat and is a faulte vntil he do theÌ„ with as great loue vnto his neighbour as Christ did for him and as long as there is more resistaunce in his flesh then was in Christes or lesse hope in God and then no lenger M. Item that no sinne damneth a man saue vnbeleffe Tyndall What soeuer a man hath done if he repent and beleue in Christ it is forgeuen him And so it foloweth that no sinne daÌ„neth saue there where there is no belefe M. Item that we haue no frewill to do ought therewith though the grace of God be ioined therto and that God doth all in vs both good and bad and we doe but suffer as waxe doth of the workemaÌ„ Tyndall First where hee affirmeth that we say our will is not free to doe good and to helpe to compel the members when God hath geuen vs grace to loue his lawes is false But we say that we haue no frewill to captiuate our wittes and vnderstandyng for to beleue the pope in what soeuer he saith without reason geuing when we find in the Scripture contrary testimonie and see in hym so great falsehead and deedes so abhominable and thereto all the signes by which the Scripture teacheth vs to know Antichrist And we affirme that we haue no frewill to preuent God his grace before grace prepare our selues thereto neither caÌ„ we consent vnto God before grace be come For vntil god haue preueÌ„ted vs powred y e spirit of his grace into our soules to loue his lawes and hath graueÌ„ theÌ„ in our harts by the outward ministration of his true preacher and inward workyng of his spirite or by inspiratioÌ„ onely we know noâ— God as he is to be knowen nor feele y e good nesse or any swetnesse in his law How then can we consent thereto â–ª Sayth not the text that we can do no good while we be euill and they which seke glorie and to clyme in honour aboue their brethren can not beleue the truth and that whores theues murtherers extortioners such like haue no parte
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
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
y t beleued thē frō y t vengeaunce of the law And in the new Testament is oft made mention of the law to cōdemne them which beleue not the promises Moreouer the law and Gospell may neuer be separate for the Gospel and promises serue but for troubled consciences which are brought to desperation and feele the paynes of hell and death vnder the law and are in captiuitie and bondage vnder the law In all my dedes I must haue the law before me to condemne myne vnperfectnes For all that I do be I neuer so perfect is yet damnable sinne when it is compared to the law whiche requireth the ground and bottome of myne hart I must therefore haue alwayes the law in my sight that I may be meke in the spirite and giue God all the laude and prayse ascribyng to him all righteousnes and to my selfe al vnrighteousnes and sinne I must also haue the promises before myne eyes that I dispayre not in which promises I see the mercy fauour and good will of God vpon me in the bloud of hys sonne Christ which hath made satisfaction for myne vnperfectnes and fulfilled for me that which I could not do Here may ye perceaue that two maner of people are sore deceaued First they whiche iustifie them selues with outward dedes in that they abstayne outwardly frō that which the law forbiddeth and do outwardly that which the law commaundeth They compare them selues to open sinners and in respect of them iustifie them selues condemning the open sinners They set a vayle on Moyses face and see not how the law requireth loue from the bottome of the hart and that loue onely is the fulfilling of the law If they dyd they would not condemne their neighbours Loue hydeth the multitude of sinnes sayth S. Peter in his first Epistle For whom I loue from the deepe bottome grounde of myne hart him condemne I not neither recken his sinnes but suffer his weakenes infirmitie as a mother the weakenes of her sonne vntill he grow vp into a perfect man Those also are deceaued which with out all feare of God geue them selues vnto all maner vices with ful consent and full delectation hauyng no respect to the law of God vnder whose vengeaunce they are locked vp in captiuitic but say God is mercyfull Christ dyed for vs supposing that such dreaming imaginatiō is that fayth which is so greatly cōmended in holy Scripture Nay that is not faith but rather a folish blind opinion springing of their owne corrupt nature and is not geuē them of the spirite of God but rather of the spirite of the deuill whose fayth now a dayes the Popish compare and make equall vnto the best trust confidence and belefe that a repenting soule can haue in the bloud of our Sauiour Iesus vnto their owne confusion shame vtteryng what they are with in But true faith is as sayth the Apostle Paule the gift of God and is geuē to sinners after the law hath passed vppon them and hath brought their consciences vnto the brim of desperation and sorowes of hell They that haue this right faith consēt to the law that it is righteous and good and iustifie God which made the law and haue delectation in the law notwithstanding that they cā not fulfill it as they would for their weakenes and they abhorre what soeuer the law forbiddeth though they can not all wayes auoyde it And their great sorrow is because they can not fulfill the will of God in the law and the spirite that is in them cryeth to God night day for strength and helpe with teares as sayth Paul that can not be expressed with toung Of which thinges the belefe of our Popish or of their father whom they so magnifie for his strong faith hath none experience at all The first that is to say he whiche iustifieth him selfe with his outward deedes consenteth not to the law inward neither hath delectation therin ye he would rather that no such law were So iustifieth he not God but hateth him as a tyraunt neither careth he for the promises but will with his owne strength be sauiour of him selfe no wise glorifieth he God though he seme outward to do The second that is to say the sensuall person as a voluptuous swyne neither feareth God in his law neither is thankefull to him for his promises and mercy which is set foorth in Christ to all them that beleue The right Christen man consenteth to the law that it is righteous and iustifieth God in the law for he affirmeth that God is righteous and iust which is author of the law he beleueth the promises of God iustifieth God iudgyng him true and beleuyng that he will fulfill his promises with the law he condemneth him selfe and all his dedes and geueth all the prayse to God He beleueth the promises and ascribeth all truth to God thus euery where iustifieth he God and prayseth God By nature through the fall of Adam are we the children of wrath heyres of the vengeaunce of God by byrth yea and from our conceptiō And we haue our felowship with the damned deuils vnder the power of darkenes and rule of Sathan while we are yet in our mothers wombes and though we shewe not forth the frutes of sinne as soone as we be borne yet are we full of the naturall poyson whereof all sinnefull deedes spryng and can not but sinne outwardes be we neuer so young as soone as we be able to woorke if occasion be geuen for our nature is to do sinne as is the nature of a Serpent to stynge And as Serpent yet young or yet vnbrought forth is full of poyson and can not afterward when the tyme is come and occasion geuen but bryng foorth the frutes therof And as an adder a tode or a snake is hated of man not for the euill that it hath done but for the poyson that is in it and hurt which it can not but do so are we hated of God for that naturall poyson which is cōceaued and borne with vs before we do any outward euill And as the euil which a venemous worme doth maketh it not a Serpent but because it is a venemous worme doth it euill and poysoneth and as the frute maketh not the tree euill but because it is an euill tree therfore bryngeth it foorth euill frute when the season of frute is Euen so do not our euill dedes make vsfirst euill though ignorance blindnes through euill workyng hardeneth vs in euill maketh vs worse and worse but because that of nature we are euill therefore we both thinke and do euill and are vnder vengeaūce vnder the law conuict to eternal damnation by the law and are contrary to the will of God in all our will and in all thynges consent to the will of the tende By grace that is to say by fauour we are plucked out of Adā the ground of all euill and
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
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
enforce the contrary and euer fight thereagaynst and hope to sinne no more And thus repentaunce and fayth begyn at our Baptisme and first professing the lawes of God and cōtinue vnto our liues end and grow as we grow in the spirite For the perfecter we be the greater is our repentaūce the strōger our faith And thus as the spirit doctrine on Gods part repentaūce fayth in our part beget vs a new in Christ euen so they make vs grow waxe perfect saue vs vnto the ende neuer leaue vs vntill all sinne be put of and we cleane purified and full formed fashioned after the similitude lickenes of the perfectnes of our Sauiour Iesus whose gift all is And finally to know y t what soeuer good thyng is in vs that same is y t gift of grace and therfore not of deseruyng though many things be geuen of God through our diligence in workyng his lawes chastising our bodyes and in praying for thē beleuyng his promises which els should not be geuen vs yet our working deserueth not y ◠gifts no more thē the diligēce of a marchaūt in seekyng a good shyppe bringeth the goods safe to lād though such diligēce doth now thē helpe therto But whē we beleue in God and then do all that is in our might not tempt him then is God true to abyde by his promise to helpe vs and performe alone when our strength is past These thynges I say to know is to haue all the scripture vnlocked opened before thee so that if thou wilt go in read thou canst not but vnderstād And in these thinges to be ignoraūt is to haue all the Scripture locked vp so that y e more thou readest it the blinder thou art the more contrarietie thou findest in it the more tāgled art thou therin canst no where through For if thou adde a glose in one place in an other it will not serue And therfore because we be neuer taught the profession of our Baptisme we remaine alwayes vnlearned as well the spiritualtie for all their great clergy high scholes as we say as the lay people And now because the lay and vnlearned people are taught these first principles of our professiō therfore they read the scripture vnderstand and delite therin And our gret pillers of holy church which haue nailed a vaile of false gloses on Moses face to corrupt the true vnderstanding of his law can not come in And therfore barke say y t scripture maketh heretickes it is not possible for them to vnderstand it in the English because they thē selues do not in Latin And of pure malice that they cā not haue their will they slea their brethren for their faith they haue in our sauiour therw t vtter their bloudy woluish tyrāny and what they be within whose disciples Herewith reader be cōmitted vnto the grace of our sauiour Iesus vnto whō and God our father thorough hym be prayse for euer and for euer Amen The exposition of the first Epistle of S. Iohn set forth by M. William Tyndall in the yeare of our Lord. 1531. Septemb. Except a man haue the profession of his baptisme in his hart he can not vnderstand the Scripture ¶ The Prologue AS a man can by no meanes read except he be first taught the letters of the crosserow euen so it is vnpossible for a man of whatsoeuer degree or name he bee off to vnderstande ought in the Scripture vnto the honour of God and health of his soule except he be first taught the profession of his baptisme haue it also written in his hart Which profession standeth in ij thinges The one is the knowledge of God vnderstanding it spiritually as Christ expoundeth it Math. v. vj. and vij so that the roote and life of all lawes be this Loue thy Lord God with all thyne hart all thy soule and all thy might and thy neighbour as thy selfe for his sake and that loue onely is the fulfilling of the law as Paule teacheth and that whatsoeuer deed we do and not of that loue that same fulfilleth no law in the sight of God And the other is to know the promises of mercy which are in our Sauiour Christ vnderstanding them also purely without all leuen after the mercifullest fashiō as Scripture soundeth them and after al fatherly loue and kindenes of God vnto all that repent toward the law and beleue in Christ And to haue this profession written in thyne hart is to cōsent vnto the law that it is righteous and good and to loue it in thyne hart and to submit thy selfe thereunto for to learne it and to rule and square al thy deedes therby thē to beleue in Christ that for his sake all thy sinnes which thou diddest before the knowledge of this profession are forgeeuen thee clearly both a poena culpa to vse the popes termes and that for none other satisfaction to Godwarde then Christes bloud and euen so that all the sinne which we do after this knowledge eyther of chaunce ignoraunce infirmitie negligence or prouoked and ouercome of the flesh is forgeuen vs like wise both Poena culpa through repentaunce and fayth in Christ without our satisfaction of workes to Godwarde Notwithstanding we being all sonnes of one God and seruauntes of one Christ must agree among our selues and he that hath offended must meekly knowledge his fault and offer himself to make amendes vnto the vtmost of his poure and if he haue not wherewith aske forgeuenesse for Christs sake the other is bound to forgeue him Neither with out reconsiling himself vnto his brother may any man be at the first receiued vnto the profession of Christes fayth nor continue therin nor be receaued in againe if he be for his open offences put thereout For how can a man loue his neighbour as well as himself and be sory that he hath hurt him except he should offer himself to make amendes And we must from henceforth walke in the life of penaunce if ye will haue it so called and after the doctrine of Christ euery man tame his flesh with prayer fasting and the continuall meditations of Christes penaunce and passions for vs and of the holy saintes and with such abstinence and kinde of liuing as euery man thincketh most meete for his cōplexion the yonger confessing their infirmities to the elder discreter and better learned and asking their aduise and holesome counsell for the repressing of their diseases but all to tame the fleshe and to serue thy neighbour without any superstious minde But to Godward is there no satisfactiō saue fayth in Christes bloud out of a repenting hart For our outwarde deedes can not be referred vnto God to do him seruice in his owne person and to helpe him or make him better therewith We can do no more wyth them were they
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
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
naturall lust consent and custome to sinne and quickeneth them and purgeth them with the holesome penaunce of Christes doctrine make them serue the law outward and beare holesome frute of loue vnto the profect of their neighbours according to Christes loue vnto vs. For if the spirite of Christ with whiche God annoynteth vs and maketh vs kynges and sealeth vs and maketh vs his sure and seuerall kyngdome whiche he giueth vs in earnest 2. Cor. 1. And with whiche hee chaungeth vs into the Image of Christ 2. Cor. 4. dwell in our soules through fayth the same spirite can not but quicken the members also make them fruteful Rom. viij Wherfore the fayth and hope of the Pope whiche by their owne confession may stand with all wickednes and consent vnto all euill be without repentaunce toward Gods lawe as it appeareth by their three capitall sinnes touched of Iohn a litle aboue pride couetousnes and lecherie are no true fayth and hope but vayne wordes and visures onely accordyng to his other disguisyng and names of hypocrisie All that committe sinne committe vnrighteousnes for sinne is vnrighteousnes That the English calleth here vnrighteousnes the Greeke calleth Anomia vnlawfulnes or breakyng y t law So that all sinne is breaking of Gods law onely the traÌ„sgression of Gods law is sinne Now all Gods lawes are contained in these two pointes beleue in Christ and loue thy neighbour And these two poyntes are the interpretyng and expoundyng of all lawes so that whatsoeuer edifieth in faith and loue is to be kept as loÌ„g as it so doth And whatsoeuer hurteth faith or loue is to bee broken immediatly though Kyng Emperour Pope or an AuÌ„gell commaunde it And all indifferent thynges that neither helpe nor hurt fayth and loue are whole in the hands of Father Mother Master Lord and Prince So that if they will sinne agaynst God and ouerlade our backes we may well runne away if we can escape but not aduenge ouer selues But and if they will breake into thy conscience as the Pope doth with his dome traditions and fayth to do this saueth thy soule and to leaue it vndone loseth thy soule theÌ„ defie them as the workes of Antichrist for they make thee synne agaynst the fayth that is in Christes bloud by which onely thy soule is saued and for lacke of that onely daÌ„ned And howe loue breaketh the law take an example It is a good law that meÌ„ come to the Church on the Sondayes to heare Gods worde and to receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in remembrauÌ„ce of his benefites and so to strengthen thy soule for to walke in his loue and in the loue of our neighbour for his sake c. yet if my father mother or any other that requireth my helpe bee sicke I breake that good commaundement to do my dutie to myne elders or my neighbour And thus all lawes are vnder loue giue roome to loue And loue interpreteth them yea and breaketh them at a time though God hymselfe coÌ„maunde them For loue is Lord ouer al lawes And ye know that he appeared to take away our sinnes and there is no sinne in him Christ dyed not alone to purchasse pardon for our foresinnes but also to sâ—ay all sinne and the life of sinne in our members For all we that are Baptised in the name of Christ sayth Paule Rom. 6. are Baptised to dye with hym concernyng sinne and that as he after his resurrection dyeth no more so we after our Baptisme should walke in a new life and sinne no more Our meÌ„bers are crucified with him in all that pertayneth vnto the lyfe of sinne And if in Christ be no sinne then how can therbe wilfull sinne in the fayth that is in hym or in the quicke members that through fayth grow out of hym Euery man therefore that hath the true fayth of Christ purgeth hym selfe as he is pure All that abyde in him sinne not And al that sinne haue neither sene him nor knowen him As there is no sinne in Christ the stocke so can there be none in y e quicke members that lyue and grow in hym by fayth And they that giue them selues to sinne haue neither sene knoweÌ„ or felt by fayth y â— mercy that is in hym Our holy father then which forbiddeth Matrimonie and giueth his Disciples licences with his holy blessing to kepe whores and pluralities vnions and totquots to robbe the Parishes hath neither sene nor knowen Christ no more haue his Disciples that consent vnto his iniquitie And if they know him not they caÌ„ not truly describe him vnto vs. It foloweth then that their preachyng is but hypocrisie Litle children let no man beguile you He that worketh righteousnes is righteous as he is righteous Iudge men by their deedes For whosoeuer hath the light of God in his soule he will let his light shyne that men shall see his good woorkes And therfore where ye see not the righteousnes of woorkes in the members outward there be sure is no righteousnes of fayth in the hart in ward Let no man mocke you with vayne wordes Whosoeuer preacheth Christ in worde deede him take for Christes Vicare And them that would proue them selues his Vicares with Sophistrie and when it is come to the poynte make a sword onely their mighty arguments and liue coÌ„trary to all his doctrine and in all their preachinges blaspheme and rayle on his blessed bloud take for the Vicares of Antichrist He that sinneth is of the deuill for the deuill sinneth from the begynneth But for this cause appeared the sonne of God Euen to destroy the woorkes of the deuill All that are borne of God do no sinne for his seede abideth in them and they can not sinne because they be borne of God And hereby are the sonnes of God knowen and also the sonnes of the deuill God and the deuill are two contrary fathers two contrary fountaines and two contrary causes the one of all goodnes the other of all euil And they that do euill are borne of the deuill and first euil by that byrth yer they do euil For yer a man do any euill outward of purpose he conceaued that euill first in his mynde and coÌ„sented vnto it and so was euil in his hart yer he wrought euill and yer he conceiued euill in hys hart he was borne of the deuil and had receaued of his seede and nature By the reason of which nature seede and byrth he worketh euill naturally and caÌ„ do no other As Christ saith Iohn 8. ye are of your father the deuill therefore will do the lustes of your father And on the other side they that do good are first borne of God and receaue of his nature seede and by the reason of that nature and seede are first good yer they do good by y t same rule And Christ which is coÌ„trary to the deuill
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
in Christes name by his promise but am not sure that my brother will pray for me or that he hath a good hart to God No. But the Saintes in heauen cānot but pray and be hard no more can the Saintes in earth but pray and he heard neither Moses Samuell Dauid Noye Elias Elizeus Esayas Daniell and all the Prophetes prayed and were heard yet was none of those wicked that would not put their trust in God accordyng to their doctrine and preachyng partaker of their prayers in the end And as damnable as it is for the poore to trust in the riches of the richest vpon earth so damnable is it also to leaue the couenaunt made in Christes bloud and to trust in the saint of heauē They that be in heauē know the elect that trust in Christes bloud professe the law of God and for them onely pray and these wicked Idolaters whiche haue no trust in the couenaunt of God nor serue God in the spirite nor in the Gospell of Christes bloud but after their blind Imagination chosing them eueryman a sondry Saint to be their Mediatour to trust to and to be saued by their merites do the Saintes abhorre and defie And their prayers and offeringes are to the Saintes as acceptable and pleasaunt as was the prayer and the offeryng of Symon Magus to Peter Act. viij Moreouer the Saintes in their most combraunce are most comforted most able to comfort other as Paule testifieth i. Cor. i. In so much that S. Stephen and S. Iames prayed for them that slue them S. Martine preached comforted his desperate brethren euen vnto the last breath likewise as stories make mention dyd innumerable mo Yea and I haue knowen of simple vnlearned persons that of some that were great sinners which at the houre of death haue fallen flat on the bloud of Christ and geuen no rowme to other mens either prayers or preachynges but haue as strongly trusted in Christes bloud as euer dyd Peter or Paul and haue therto preached it to other exhorted other so mightly that an aungell of heauen could not mende them Who then should resiste God that he might not geue the same grace to M. Tracie which was a learned man and better sene in the workes of S. Austē xx yeare before hee dyed then euer I knew Doccour in England but that hee must then faint and shrincke whē most neede is to be strong feare the Popes Purgatory trust to the prayer of Priestes dearely payd for I dare say that he prayed for the Priestes whē he dyed that God would conuert a great many of them and if hee had knowen of any good man amōg them that had neded he would haue geuen and if hee had knowen of any lacke of priestes he would haue geuē to mainteine moe But now sence there be mo then inough haue more then euery man a sufficient liuyng how should he haue geuē them but to hyre their prayers of pure mistrust in Christs bloud If robbyng of widowes houses vnder pretence of long prayers be damnable Math. xxiij Then is it damnable also for widowes to suffer them selues to be robbed by the long pattering of hypocrites through mistrust in Christes bloud yea and is it not damnable to mainteine such abhomination Now when this dāuation is spread ouer all how can we geue thē that haue inough already or how can they that haue inough already take more vnder the name of praying not harden the people more in this dāuable damnation And concernyng the burieng of his body he allegeth S. Austen neither is there any man thinke I so mad to affirme that the outward pompe of the body should helpe the soule Moreouer what greater signe of infidelitie is there then to care at the tyme of death with what pompe the carkasse shal be caried to the graue He denieth not but that a Christen man should be honorablie buried namely for the honour and hope of the resurrection and therefore committed that care to his deare executours his sonne and his wife which he wist would in that part do sufficiēt leaue nothyng of the vse of the countrey vndone but the abuse And that best awyng of a great part of his goodes while be yet lyued vppon the poore to be thankefull for the mercy receiued without bying and sellyng with God that is without byndyng those poore vnto any other appointed prayers then God hath bound vs already one to pray for an other one to helpe an other as he hath helped vs but paciently abidyng for the blessynges that God hath appoynted vnto all maner good workes trustyng faythfully to his promise thanking as ye may see by his wordes the bloud of Christ for the reward promised to hys woorkes and not the goodnes of the workes as though he had done more then his dutie or all that And assigned by writyng vnto whom an other part should be distrubuted and geuyng the rest to hys executours that no strife should be whiche executours were by right the heyres of all that was left to thē These things I say are signes euident not onely of a good Christen mā but also of a perfect Christen man and of such a one as needed not to be agast and desperate for feare of the paynfull paynes of Purgatory whiche who so feareth as they fayne it can not but vtterly abhorre death seyng that Christ is there no longer thy Lord after he hath brought thee thether but art excluded from his satisfaction and must satisfie for thy selfe alone and that with sufferyng payne onely or els taryeng the satisfieng of them that shall neuer satisfie inough for them selues or gapyng for the Popes pardons whiche haue so great doubtes and daungers what in the mynde and intent of the graunter and what in the purchaser yer they can be truly obteyned with all due circumstaūces and much lesse certitude that they haue any authoritie at all Paule thristed to be dissolued to be with Christ Stephen desired Christ to take his spirite the Prophetes also desired God to take their soules from them and all the Saintes went with a lusty courage to death neither fearyng or teachyng vs to feare any such crudelitie Where hath the Churche then gotten authoritie to binde vs from beyng so perfite from hauyng any such fayth in the goodnes of God our Father and Lorde Christ and to make such perfitues and fayth of all heresies the greatest Salomō saith in the xxx of his Prouerbes three things are insaciable and the fourth sayth neuer It is inough But there is a fift called dame anarice with as greedy a gutte as meltyng a maw as wyde a throate as gapyng a mouth and with as rauenyng teeth as the best which the more she eateth the hongryer she is An vnquiet euill neuer at rest a blynd monster and a surmisyng beast fearyng at the fall of euery leafe Quid non mortalia pectora
taught and vnderstand and receiued a right Hereof ye see also that as the Hebrues wrote their stories in couenaūts and signes giuyng their signes such names as could not but keepe them in mynde so God the father dyd follow the example of the people or they followyng hym and commaunded hys promises couenaunts and prophecies to be written in gestures signes and ceremonies geuyng them names that could not but kepe his couenauntes in mynde Euen so Christ wrote the couenaunt of his body bloud in bread and wine geuyng thē that name that ought to keepe couenaunt in remembraunce And hereof ye see that our Sacraments are bodyes of stories onely and that there is none other vertue in thē thē to testifie and exhibite to the senses and vnderstanding the couenauntes promises made in Christs bloud And here ye see that where the Sacramēts or ceremonies are not rightly vnderstād there they be cleane vnprofitable And as the Circumcisiō in the flesh their hartes still vncircumcised hating the law of God and beleuyng in their owne imaginations were Circumcised to their damnation And as the Baptised in the fleshe onely the hart still vncleane neither beleuyng in Christ for the forgeuenes of their sinnes neither louyng their neighbour for Christes sake are Baptised also vnto their greater damnatiō For though God haue right to al mē because he hath created and made mā yet to all such persons by reason of the signe and badge and of their owne cōsent graunt and promise he hath more right to the callyng of them to the keepyng of his law if they trust in hym onely or to damne them bicause when they know their duety or might if they would the signe mouyng them and giuyng them an occasiō to aske the rather and yet do it not Euē so all that come to the Sacrament for any other purpose then it was ordeined and instituted for that is to say to seke absotion of their sinnes with a set purpose to sinne no more as nigh as they 〈…〉 to cal to me 〈◊〉 y e benefite of the passiō of Christ with y t meditatiō to weaken the flesh to strēgth the spirite Agaynst her to giue thankes agayne that is to say to call to mynde how much hee is bounde to loue his neighbour to helpe his neede and to 〈◊〉 his infirmitie and to forgeue him 〈◊〉 haue offended and desire forgeuenes promising to amēde whereunto Christ bindeth all that wil be partakers of his bloud All such as are not thus prepared come to their greater damnation I passe ouer with silence the wicked 〈◊〉 damnable doctrine of these seruauntes of Mammon whiche for lucre peruert the true vse of the Sacrament and hide it from the people for theyr gayne teachyng it to be a sacrifice instituted of God to helpe the soules of the dead in Purgatorie and that it wil make men rich and bring them to such promotion as Christ neuer promised his Disciples but forbad it them Some will say This Sacrament needed not Baptisme is inough Baptisme is a receiuyng into Religiō and there is the couenauntes made what we shall do and what we shall haue And baptisme is a signe wherby God hath right to vs and we to God and to Christ and wherby euery man hath right to call other to do their dueties and to rebuke them that will not Neither our saluation so greatly standeth in that or any other Sacrament that we could not be saued without them by preachyng the word onely Neuerthelesse God hath written his will to haue his benefites kept in memorie to his glorie and our benefite and namely this benefite of all benefites wherin onely the pith of our saluation resteth therfore though the effect of it be signified by Baptisme and though we be baptised to beleue in y t death of Christ and to dye with him by the mortifieng of the flesh yet doth this Sacrament through y t rehearsing of the couenaūt and breakyng of the bread and powryng out of wine much more lyuely expresse the whole storie kept it better in memorie by dayly repeatyng therof and hath more might and vehemencie to heale the conscience stong with fresh sinne For the nature of mā is so weake so feble and so frayle that he can not but sinne as there is no mā that liueth and sinneth not And when he is so fallen then the law looketh vpon him with so terrible a countenaunce so thundereth in hys eares that he dare not abide but turneth his backe and to go but the enemie still assayleth him on the other side to persuade him that GOD hath cast him away saying they that be Gods haue power to kepe his law thou hast not but breakest them Ergo thou art a cast away a damned creature and hell gapeth and setteth opē her mouth to deuoure him the flesh also wrestleth with the spirit to kepe him down and to take prisoner and to stoppe his mouth that he crie no more vpon her that she might sinne at pleasure without all feare The careles swyne that consent vnto sinne feele not these thinges neither the hypocrites that haue put a visard on their face of the law and make her looke with such a coūtenaunce as pleaseth thē but the poore folkes that haue the eyes open and consent and fayne would do the law they feele that can not be expressed with toung Neither is there liuyng any man that feeleth the vertue and power of the bloud of Christ whiche hath not first felt the strong paynes of hell Seyng then that this mā is so sicke so prone and ready to fall and so cruelly inuaded whē he hath sinned of the feende the flesh and the law that he is oft put to flight and feared and made to runne away from his father Therfore hath the God of all mercy and of his infinite pitie and bottomlesse compassion set vp this Sacrament as a signe on an high hill whence it may be sene on euery side a farre and neare to call againe them that be fled and runne away And with this Sacramēt he as it were clocketh to them as an henne doth for her chickens together them vnder the wynges of his mercy And hath commaunded his Sacrament to be had in continuall vse to put them in mynde of mercy layd vp for them in Christes bloud and to witnesse and testifie it vnto them and to be the seale therof For the Sacrament doth much more vehemētly print lyuely the fayth and make it sinke down into the hart then do bare wordes onely As a man is more sure of that he heareth seeth feeleth smelleth and tasteth then that he heareth onely Now when the wordes of the Testament and promises are spoken ouer the bread This is my body that shal be broken for you This is my bloud that shal be shed for you they confirme the faith but much
full satisfaction for our sinnes 50. b. his body not naturally in the Sacrament 469. b. how he is in many places and how not at one instant 461. b. his bloud blesseth vs from curse of the law 77. a. he consecrated no bread 465. b. satisfied for our sinnes after afore Baptisme 32. a. sacrificed once for all 310. b. he boroweth figures of the old Testament and why 14. b. his prayer is heard praying for vs. 401. b. his treasures who vnderstand not 69. b Christ why not embraced 162. a. dishonored 18. a. vnder the temporall sword 115. b. a vayne name in respect of the Popes name 127. a. hys prophesie must be fulfilled how terrible soeuer it be 132. b. he prophesied why Antichrist should come 151. b. not tyed to Antichristes eare 149. a. not disguised 408. a. accused of insurrection 105. a. his prophesie fulfilled in the papistes 132. a. commaundeth Scriptures to be searched 102. a. alloweth allegories aptly applyed 467. a. onely fulfilleth the law 40. a Chrisostome calleth the Sacrament a signe of Christes body 474. b. his saying of our Lady 336. b Christian man onely suffreth 119. b. receiueth ibid. hath Christes spirite 83. b. how farre bosid to suffer 327 a. wherunto called 98. b. what requisite for hym 34. a. seketh Christes honor 292. a. seeketh his saluation onely of Christ 292. a. seeketh to Christ 329. b Christian loue of whō reiected 116. b Christian patience 260. a Christian doctrine sufficiently conteyned in Paule to the Romanes 49. b Christian kyng who 349. b Christenyng of Belles 152. a Churche 200. a. what it is 257. a. 〈◊〉 word of diuerse significatiōs 249. a. without sinne 294. a. contayneth good euill 291. a. a place of prayer 282. b. why first ordeyned 87. b. cannot erre 360. a Church of God how taken in Scripture 250. a. repugnaunt to Gods law erreth 201. b. hath a double signification 291. a. why translated into this word congregation 250. b Churche must yeld a reason of theyr doctrine 288. a. Papall persecuteth neuer suffreth 289. b. erreth if the Pope be head therof 375. a Church carnall sinneth 294. b Churlishnes 290. b Churchwardēs their office in tymes past 373. b Cyprian 332. b Circumcision 273. a. a figure of baptisme 467. b. the seale of Gods couenaunt with vs. 437. a. not vsed in xl yeares 248. a. without fayth auayleth not 441. a Circumspect Prelates 369. b Citations 134. b Ciuile orders for fastyng 136. a Clergy 339. a Clergy of the Pope 293. a. are lyers 341. b. robbe God of all honor 165 b. secret conspiratours 363. a. murtherers 341. a. persecutours 262. a Clergy discharged 374. b Climyng vp of the Pope 347. b Cloister loue is bely loue 164. b Comparisō betwen Ionas Christ 27. b. contrariety betwene Christ the Pope 353. b. betwene the olde passeouer Christes last Supper 467. b Comparison betwene Thomas Becket and Thomas Wolsey 361. b Competent liuyng sufficient 20. a. it cōmeth by folowyng Christ 235. b Compassion for Christes sake must be shewed 84. b Commodities folowyng couetouse rich men 231. a Common wealth 23. a Common goodes 346. a Compulsion that Priests should put away their wiues 314. a Comminalty what to bee required of by the Prince 179. b Common saying of Papistes 360. b Comfort agaynst desperation 4. a Commaundementes of whom kept 76. b Comfort agaynst carnall weakenes 454. a Condemnation not vnder three witnesses 23. a Condemnation of the law 57. a Confirmation of childrē 276. b. how it came first into the Church 276. a Congregatiō how vnderstode 205. b it must order vs. 441. a. what perteineth to them 358. b Confession 115. a. 290. b. 173. a Confession the nurse of treason 155. b. what an intolerable burden 140 a. robbeth the Sacramentes 157. b. stablisheth the Popes kingdome 180. b Confessiō due to them whō we haue offended 148. b Confession with repentaunce 392. b. knowledgeth her sinnes hartly to God 147. a Confessiō of thy fayth in Christ with out carnall feare assureth thee of saluation 147. a Conquest of the world what 405. a Conquestes of fayth 421. b Conscience how pacified ibid. b Conscience accuseth not the worker 413. b Consciēces must be examined before the communion be receiued 472. b Consideratiō of two thinges in Sacramentes 468. a Constancy 454. a Constantines gift fayned 356. a Correction of God a token of loue 25. a Corpors ecloth 277. b Contemners of the law who 380. a Contempt of the world 7. b Contempt or loue shewed to Christ as to our brethren 163. a Contentes of the old Testamēt and new 377. b Controuersies concernyng saluation to be stode vnto 1454. a. betwene Iames and Paule 130. b Continuaunce to the end in the Gospell maketh vs blessed 52. b Conuersation of Christ and his Apostles to be considered in expoūdyng Scriptures 172. b Couenaunt of God 186. b. to be kept with hym 23. a. a sure absolution 224. a Couenaunt of Gods promise 432. a. of hys bindyng him selfe to vs. 224 ▪ b. of the Iewes 436. a Couent 192. b Couetousnes 189. b. 267. b. 290. b. 205. b Couetousnes a plague 230. a. blyndeth our eyes 406. a. blindeth Religion 19. b. blyndeth the spiritualtie 107. b. roote of all euill 215. b Couetousnes bewrayeth a false Prophet 189. b. maketh a false prophet 231. b. the end of false doctrine 173. a. of Prelates decayed Christendome 346. a. of shauelynges must not be restrayned 406. a Councels 295. a. general 314. b. how they should conclude 288. a. put downe all Images in Grece 323. b Councell of Papistes dānable 108. a Craft of the Pope 369. b. of his Legates 366. b. of Prelates 135. a. of hypocrites 134. a Crosse 186. b. 219. a. 326. a Crosse borne in procession 135. a Crosse of Christe purgeth all vices 165. a. foloweth a true Christian 209. a Crueltie of Papistes 309. b. 363. b Curse 110. a Curse of God vppon law breakers 23. b Curse of the Pope a fearefull bugge 150. a Cursed who 195. b Cursyng the meanyng therof 174. b Curiositie reproueth 23. b. to be auoyded 409. b Curiositie in searching Gods secrets 329. a Custome of walshe people 152. b Cut of from Christ who 165. a Cup of Christes bloud what 443. b Cup of Christ the deuill how they differre 472. a. and b. D. DAmnation of Princes 112. a Damnation not due to them that are in Christ 42. a Darkenes 232. b. of the Popes doctrine 232. b Darknes caused through couetousnes 232. a Dauid 260. a. would not aduenge hym selfe 110. b. slue not Saule why 111. a Dauncyng in Paris 375. b Dayly bread expounded 222. b Dayly vse of the Sacramentes commaunded by God 442. a Deacon 345. b. what it signifieth his office 133. b Deacons how admitted of the Apostles 146. a. their office in the primitiue Church 345. b Deacons were the first corruption of the Church 346. b Deacons of Christ and of the Pope differre 310.
grouÌ„ded and stablished in the fayth are in hys â—ight without faulte for their sinnes are not imputed vnto them but forgeuen through Christes bloud wherfore of necessitie I must conclude that no faythfull shall euer come there Euery man that departeth this world is either faithfull or vnfaithful if he be faithful then commeth he not there as y e foresaid argumeÌ„t proueth And if he be vnfaythfull theÌ„ commeth he neuer in Purgatory but is all ready damned Iohn iij. Marke the last Now if neither â—aythfull nor vnfaithfull enter into it then should it be in vayne but there is nothyng made in vaine wherfore I must conclude that there is no such Purgatory Paule sayth he that spared not his owne sonne but deliuered him for vs all how shal he not with him geue vs all thynges also who shall lay any thyng to the charge of Gods chosen Roma viij Forsooth Lord God our prelates lay so sore vnto their charge that they would haue them broyle in Purgatory But Lord be our protectour for it is thou that iustifiest vs hast fréely geuen vs all thynge with him Roma viij Paule sayth the law of the spirite wherein is lyfe through Christ Iesu hath deliuered me from the lawe of sinne and death Roma viij Seyng we be so deliuered what nâ—…de vs seke an other deliueraunce specially â—ith they make it so paynefull Sâ—yng we are on y e maner deliuered how â—hauÌ„ceth it that we are taken prisoners agayne vnder sinne that we must be purged a fresh by the fire of Purgatory I pray God geue vs grace that we may be purged froÌ„ this our blynd ignoraunce thorough hys spirite of knowledge that we may perceaue how it is Iesus Christ that purgeth our sinnes and hath deliuered vs thorough his bloudshedyng So should we geue hym the prayse whiche hath deserued it And not be so vnkind vnto hym as we now be Paule sayth y e there is no condeÌ„natioÌ„ to them which are in Christ Iesu Roma 8. But if we continue firme stable in Christ vnto the end theÌ„ shall we be saued Math. 24. what néedeth theÌ„ purgatory yea what should purgatory doe Is not Christ sufficient theÌ„ is our faith in vayne And if he be sufficient theÌ„ is Purgatory in vayne Paule sayth if you be iustified by the law then is Christ dead in vayne Now if the lawe beyng good iust and holy Roma vij And euen of Gods owne makyng caÌ„ not iustifie vs thinkest thou to be iustified by fryenge in Purgatory They that are the chief patrones and proctours of Purgatory do fayne it for no other intent but to purgeeuill workes and to be as a penaunce to supply the good workes whiche we lacked beyng in this world But all this can not bryng vs into heaueÌ„ For then were Christ dead in vayne And of this haue we euident examples Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid and all holy Prophetes were excluded from heauen vntill Christe had suffered death this all men testifie But if good workes or penaunce could haue brought them to heauen they should not haue taryed out of it so loÌ„g Therfore I may conclude that it is but vanitie to imagine a Purgatory for to purge euill workes and supply good For as I haue shewed that holpe not the Patriarches Peraduenture thou wilt say vnto me shall I then do no good workes I aunswere yes Thou wilt aske me wherfore I aunswere thou must do them because God hath commauÌ„ded them Thou wilt say for what intent hath he commaunded them I aunswere because thou art liuing in this world and must nedes haue conuersation with men therfore hath God appointed â—hée what thou shalt doe to the profite of thy neighbour and tamyng of thy flesh As Paule testifieth Ephes 2. we are his worke made in Christ Iesu to good woorkes whiche woorkes God hath prepared that we should walke in them These workes God would haue vs doe that the vnfaythfull might sée the godly and vertuous conuersation of his faythfull thereby be compelled to glorifie our father whiche is in heauen Math. v. And so are they both profitable for thy neighbour and also a testimonie vnto thée by the which meÌ„ may know that thou art the right sonne of thy heaueÌ„ly father and a very Christe vnto thy neighbour and euen as our heauenly father gaue his Christ vnto vs not for any profit that he should haue ther by but onely for our profite likewise y â— shouldest do all thy good workes not hauing respect what coÌ„modities thou shalt haue of it but euer attendyng through charitie the wealth and profite of thy neighbour Thou wilt yet obiect then sée I no great profite that I shall haue by them I aunswere what wouldest y â— haue First Christ is geuen thée fréely and with him hast thou all thinges He is thy wisedome righteousnes halowyng and redemption i. Cor. i. by him art thou made inheritour of God and felowheyre with Christ Roma viij This is fréely geuen thée with Christ before thou wast borne thorough the fauour and election of God whiche election was done before the foundations of the world were cast Ephes i. Now were thou very fonde and vnkynde if thou thoughtest to purchase by thy workes the thyng which is already geueÌ„ thée Therefore must thou do thy workes with a single eye hauyng neither respect vnto the ioyes of heaueÌ„ neither yet to the paynes of hell but onely do them for the profite of thy neighbour as God commaundeth thée and let him a lone with the residue To this well agréeth Paule Ephe. 2. saying by grace are ye made safe through fayth and that commeth not of your selues but it is y t gift of God coÌ„meth not of workes lest any man should boast him selfe Loe here sayth Paule playnly that our saluatioÌ„ is the gift of God coÌ„meth not of workes if it come not of workes then are we worse then mad to fayne a Purgatory For the chiefest operation of that should be but to supply the woorkes which we haue not accomplished beyng in this body Paule sayth Roma xi The remnaunt which are left at this time are through the election of grace If it be through grace theÌ„ is it not by workes for then grace were no grace Or if it be for the workes sake so is it not of fauour and grace accordyng to that which he wrote before Roma iiij If AbrahaÌ„ sayth Paul were iustified by his workes then may he reioyse but not before God But what sayth the Scripture Abraham beleued God that was imputed vnto hym for righteousnes for he that worketh receaueth his reward not of fauour but of dutye Now if it be duty then nedeth he not to thanke God but rather him selfe for theÌ„ God geueth him nothing but that which is his owne of dutye Where is then the prayse
is written Abac. ij the righteous man lyueth by his fayth And Roma v. because we are iustified by fayth we are at peace with God thorough our Lord Iesus Christ c. WheÌ„ these faithfull or righteous departe theÌ„ sayth this text that they are fooles which thinke them to be in payne or affliction for it affirmeth that they are in peace Now sith their Purgatory whiche they imagine is payne and affliction and yet fayne that the righteous onely shal enter into it after their death then are they fooles that suppose there is a Purgatory or els this text can not be true For what entent will God haue vs tormented in Purgatory to make satisfaction for our sinnes verely theÌ„ is Christ dead in vayne as we haue often proued before But thinke you not rather that our purgation should be to encrease our fayth or grace or charitie for these thrée couer the multitude of sinnes no verely we can not fayne a purgatory for any such cause For fayth springeth by hearing of the word Roma x. But the Pope sendeth theÌ„ no preachers thether Ergo theyr fayth can not there be encreased And agayne payne ingendreth and kyndleth hate against God and not loue or charitie Furthermore My Lord of Rochester is coÌ„pelled to graunt that the soules in Purgatorye obtayne there neither more fayth nor grace nor charitie then they brought in with them and so can I sée no reasonable cause why there should be a purgatory Neuerthelesse M. More sayth that both their grace and charitie is encreased And so may you perceaue that lyes can neuer agrée how wyttie so euer they be that fayne and cloke them For in some poyntes they shall be founde contrary so that at the length they may be disclosed when thou hast no power to accomplish the outward fact For the wiseman sayth Prou. xxiij sonne geue me God is fully pacified with thy will thy hart Now if thy will be vpright and so that thou haue a desire to fulfill the law then doth God reken that will vnto thée for the full fact If then through the frayltie of thy members thou fall into sinne thou mayest well say with the Apostle Roma vâ—j The good that I would doe that do I not that is I haue a will and desire to fulfill the law of God not to displease my heauenly father yet that I do not But the euill which I hate that do I that is I do committe sinne whiche in déede I hate Now if I hate the sinne whiche I do then loue I the law of God whiche forbiddeth sinne and do consent vnto this law that it is good righteous and holy And so the sinne whiche I hate and yet commit it thorough the frayltie of my members is not imputed or rekened vnto me for sinne Neither will S. Paule graunt that it is I which do that sinne but he sayd I haue a will to doe good but I can not performe that will For I do not that good which I would but the euill whiche I would not that do I. Now if I doe that thyng whiche I would not do then is it not I that do it but the sinne that dwelleth with in me I delight in the law of God with myne inward man that is with my will and minde which is renued with the spirite of God but I sée an other law in my members which rebelleth agaynst the law of my mynde and maketh me bonde vnto the law of sinne which is in my members So that I my selfe in my will and mynde do obey the law of God hatyng sinne as the law coÌ„maundeth me and not consentyng vnto it in my mynde will but in my flesh and members I serue the law of sinne for the frayltie of my members compelleth me to sinne Rom. 7. As by example if I sée a poore man whiche is not of abilitie to do me any pleasure and neuertheles doth all his diligence to séeke my fauour would with hart and mynde geue me some acceptable preseÌ„t if he were of power beyng also sory that hee can not performe his will â—nd mynde towardes me Now if there be any point of humanitie or gentlenesse in me I will count this man for my frende and accept his good will as well as though he had in dede performed his wil. For his habilitie extendeth no further If his power were better better should I haue Euen so sith we are not of power and habilitie to performe the law of God and yet beare a good hart towardes God and his law lamentyng our imbecillitie that we can do him no further pleasure then will God recount vs not as his enemyes but as his deare children and beloued frendes Neither will hee afterward thrust vs into Purgatory but as a tender father pardon vs our trespasses and accept our good will for the full déede S. Paule exhorteth vs Gal. vj. that we worke well while we haue tyme for what soeuer a man doth sow that shall he réepe by this may we euidently perceaue that hée shall not receaue according to his doing or sufferyng in an other world and therfore caÌ„ there be no Purgatory The wiseman sayth Eccle. xiiij worke righteousnes before thy death for after this lyfe there is no méete that is to say succour to bee founde There are some which wil vnderstaÌ„d this place also the text in the xlviij argument on this maner that there should be no place of deseruyng but yet there may well bee a place of punishment But this solution besides that it is not grounded on Scripture is very slender For I pray you wherfore should their inuention of Purgatory serue but to bee a place of purgyng punishment and penaunce by the which the soule should make satisfaction that it might so deserue to enter into the rest of heauen Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from heÌ„ce forward yea truly sayth the spirite that they may rest froÌ„ their labours But theyr workes folow with them This text they vse in theyr soule masses as thoughe it made for Purgatory But surely me thinketh that it maketh much against them For let vs enquire of all the proctours and fautours of Purgatory whether y â— soules that must be prayed for are departed in the Lord or not And they must néedes aunswere that they are departed in the Lord for the vnfaithfull which dye not in the Lord must not be prayed for And therfore must they be vpright Christen soules which are tormeÌ„ted for the other are all damned Now sayth the text that all such dead as dye in the Lord are blessed but what blessednesse were that to broyle in Purgatory And if they would here fayne a glose as their maner is when they are in a straite euer to séeke a startyng hole say that they are blessed because they are in a good hope
wyll helpe hym to be deliuered from hys ennemie and then warreth vppon hym a freshe what tyme the faithfull man is brought to the knowledge of God and beléeueth in Chryst and hath his will and mynde renued with the spryte of God that consenteth to the lawe of God that is good ryghteous and holy and beginneth to loue the lawe and hath a will and a desire to fulfill the lawe of God and not to despyse hys heauenly father and looke howe much he loueth the lawe countyng it ryghtwise and holye Euen so muche doth he hate synne whych the lawe forbiddeth and abhoreth it in hys heart and inward man and then albeit the outwarde man and rebellious membres do at time beséege him and take hym captyue vnder synne yet doth not the inward man consent that thys synne is good and the lawe naught whych forbyddeth it neyther dothe the heart delighte in thys same synne neyther can it delyght in suche synne bycause the spirite of God testyfieth vnto hym that it is abhomynable in the syghte of God and then fyghteth the inwarde man agaynste the outwarde wyth faythe prayer almose déedes and fastyng and laboureth to subdue the membres lamenting that he hath bene ouercome bycause he feareth to displease God hys father and desyreth him for the bloud of hys sonne Christe that he will forgeue that whych is past and hys diligence that he taketh in tamyng hys membres is not recompēce towards God for the sinne that is paste but to subdue the fleshe y t he synne no more thys rebellion had Paule Rom. 7. saying that he dyd not that good thing whych he would but the euill whych he hated that he did that is he did not fulfil y t good lawe of God as hys hart will and inwarde man desyred but dyd the euill as touchyng hys fleshe and outwarde man whych he hated and so he synned with hys outwarde man then howe is thys true that he that committeth synne is of the Deuill and he that is of God committeth no synne was not Paule of God yes verely and all be it he committeth synne wyth his membres outwarde man yet he sinned not for he saythe If I doe that thyng that I hate then is it not I that doe it but the synne that dwelleth in me and euen lykewyse the faythfull folowers of Christ commit no synne for they hate it and if they fortune to be entangled wyth synne it is not they that doe it as Paule saith but the synne that dwelleth in them which God hathe left to exercise them as he left y t Philistians to exercise and nurtoure the children of Israell and if the remnauntes of sinne fortune at anye time to looke aloft and begin to raigne then he sendeth some crosse of aduersitie or sicknesse to helpe to suppresse them And thus shall it be as long as we liue but when we be once deade then oure members rebell no more and then néedeth neyther purgatorie nor anye other crosse for the outwarde man is turned into vanitie and our inwarde mā was euer pure thorow beléeuing the worde of God and neuer consented to sinne and néedeth nother purgatorie in this world nor in the world to come but only for subduing the outward man and therfore after this lyfe he shall neuer haue any purgatorie Marke well what I say and reade it againe for more shall reade it then shall vnderstande it but he that hathe eares let hym heare The seconde erroure that Rastell layeth to my charge is that I wold bring the people in belefe that repentance of a man helpeth not for the remission of his sinne IN prouing this second error against me Rastel taketh so great paynes that he is almoste besydes hym selfe For he saith that I would make men beléeue that it forceth not whether they sinne or no. Why so brother Rastel verely because I allege S. Iohn S. Paule Erechiell and Hieremie to quenche the hotte fire of purgatorie and allege no aucthorities to proue good woorks whervnto I answer as I did before that it is nothing to my purpose for the prouyng of good workes doth neither make for purgatorie nor against it I coulde haue alleaged all those textes if I had entended my selfe to proue that I shoulde doe good woorkes which I neuer knewe christen man denie but as touchyng my matter it is nothyng to the purpose and as well he mighte haue improued me bicause I bryng in no textes to proue that the father of heauē is god or to proue that whych neuer manne doubted of notwithstanding if Rastel had indifferent eyes I spake sufficiently of good woorkes in the. 34. argument against hys dialoge let all men read the place and iudge Rastel taketh the matter very gréeuously that I attempt to allege howe S. Iohn S. Paul send vs to Christ and then adde that we know no other to take away sinne but only Christe and because I adde this worde only therfore he thinketh that I cleane destroy repentance whereunto I aunswere that I added not thys woorde only for naught but I did it by the authoritie of S. Iohn which saith if we walke in the lighte as he is in the lyght we haue felowship with eche other and in the bloud of Iesu Christe hys sonne purifyeth vs frō all sinne wherupon I say that for vs which are in the lyght hys bloud only is sufficient but for your christen men whych continue still in sinne and walke in darkenesse after theyr father the Deuill muste some other meanes be founde or else they shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen But bicause I will be short let Rastell note that I fynde two manner of repentance one is without faith and is suche a repentaunce as Iudas and Rastels christen men which continue still in sinne haue at the latter ende which dothe rather purchace them an halter then the remission of sinnes An other repentance foloweth iustification and remissiō of sinnes and is a florishing frute of faith for when by faith we do perceiue the fauor and kindnesse that our louing father hath shewed vs in his sonne Chryst Iesu and that he hathe reconcyled vs vnto hymselfe by the bloude of hys sonne Thē begin we to loue him the more we hate the body of sinne and lamēt and be sory that our membres are so fraile that they can not fulfil the lawe of God and so in mourning and bewayling our infirmitie it causeth vs to abstaine from bothe meat drinke and all worldly pleasures which is is the pure fasting that we talke of but you vnderstande it not and thys repentaunce commeth not to purge the sinnes which is cōmitted before but only taketh an occasyon by the sinnes before committed to knowe what poyson there remained in oure sleshe and séeketh all meanes to make vs hate this body of sinne and to subdue it wyth all manner of works that God
for it is better to mary then to burne The Pope sayth all monkes Fryers and Nunnes shall vowe and sweare chastitie be it geuen them or not my Priestes also shall not be wedded but as for to kéepe whores and rauishe other mens daughters wiues shal be dispensed withall I will sée no such thinges for my Byshoppes haue yearely great mony by it like as baudes be wont to haue 57. Christ sayth all meates that maÌ„ taketh with thankes staineth not the soule for all things are pure to them that are pure The Pope sayth he that eateth egges butter or fleshe in these dayes that I haue commauÌ„ded to be fasted doth not onely stayne his soule wyth sinne but also is to be denounced an hereticke Dist 4. ca. Statuimus This agréeth with Christ euen as the lyght doth with the darcknes And yet haue we bene thus blynded long that we could neuer perceaue this Antichrist till now in the last dayes 58. Christ sayd vnto his Disciples that you bynde in earth shal be bouÌ„de in heauen and that you lose in earth shal be losed in heauen The Pope chalengeth greater authoritie for he will lose soules out of Purgatory and commaunde the angels to fetch them out and all for money without money you get nothing 59. Christ sayth wheÌ„ you haue done all thynges that I haue commaunded you yet say that you are vnprofitable seruauntes The Pope sayth do those thynges that I commauÌ„d thée and take a sure conscience vnto thée that thou art a iust and a religious maÌ„ and that thou hast deserued heaueÌ„ And as for I myselfe If I do wrong in euery thyng 〈◊〉 bring many thousandes with me into damnation yet shall no man rebuke me but cal me the most holiest father Dist. 40. ca. Si Papa 60. Christ teacheth vs to fulfill the woorkes of mercy to the poore euer commendyng mercy aboue offerings and sacrifice The Pope teacheth vs to geue our money for pardons masses diriges to images and Churches so that we may offer vnto their bellyes And he that sayth it is better to geue our charitie to the poore as Christ sayth is counted halfe an hereticke because he goeth aboute to marre the Popes market 61. Christe suffered death for our sinnes and arose for our iustification or els we all should haue perished The Pope sayth if thou bye my pardoÌ„ or els be buried in a gray Friers coate thou must néedes be saued so that Christ hath suffered in vayne sith a Friers coate will saue a man 62. Christ onely is our mediatour which maketh vnite betwixt hys father vs howbeit the prayer of a iust man is very good and profitable The Pope sayth The greatest power and saluation next to Christ is myne Dist 60. cap. Si Papa I maruell then why he is so curious to cause vs to worship the Saintes y â— are a sléepe And not rather hym selfe sith he chalengeth a greater power then euer they dyd while they lyued 63. Christ sayth who soeuer breake one of my lest coÌ„maundementes shal be called the lest that is to say none in the kyngdome of heauen The Pope sayth what pertaineth his law vnto me I am subiect to no lawes 25. q. 1. cap. Omnia therefore doth the Pope but seldome right And is alwayes agaynst right yea and agaynst his owne lawes as often as men do bryng hym money for that loueth he aboue all thynges 64. Christes law is fulfilled through charitie The Popes law is fulfilled by money if thou haue no money to geue them thou shalt carye a fagot though thou offende not money them they sée thée not do what thou wilt 65. Christ is the head of the Church as the Apostle doth testifie And also the stone whereon the Church is builded And this Church is the coÌ„gregation of the faythfull and the very body of Christ The Pope sayth I am the head of the Church Dist 19. cap. Enim vero And the seate of Rome is the stone wheron the Church is builded Dist 19. Ita Dominus Can any thyng be more contrary vnto the honour and glory of God then thus to dispoyle hym of his kyngdome whiche he so dearely hath bought shedyng his precious bloud for it 66. Christes law whiche is the holy Scripture came by the inspiryng of the holy ghost whiche dyd infuse it aboundauntly into the hartes of the Apostles and of the same spirite hath it his enduraunce and interpretation The Pope sayth I am Lord of the Scripture to alow and disalow it for of me doth it take his full authoritie ca â–ª Si omnes And for a token of this is the Scripture of Christ layd vnder his féete when he is at Masse 67. Christes Apostle sayth that a Byshop ought to be so well learned that he with the Scripture be able to ouercome all them that be agaynst the fayth The Pope and Byshops will dispute in Scripture with no man but cast them first in prison and proper engynes they haue inueÌ„ted to wring their fingers so sore that the bloude shall braste out at their fingers endes they pyne them and scourge theÌ„ with infinite other tormeÌ„tes payning theÌ„ to forsake the truth And after make them sweare on a booke that they shal tell no man of it thus cruelly do they entreate them against iustice And if they can not subdue them to theyr willes then do they committe them vnto y e seculare power to be burned 68. Christes accusation and cause why he was condemned vnto death was writteÌ„ ouer his head in Hebrew Gréeke Latine that all men might know the cause this was an argument that they vsed iustice although they condemned him vniustly sithe men might sée the offence and iudgement ioyned together The Pope and Byshoppes condemne men and committe them vnto the seculare power that they shold execute the sentence But this is a mischeuous abomination that they will not suffer the seculare power to know the cause why they put men to death worshipfull dis diuines Master Doctor O you gentle nobilitie ponder this matter indifferently Beware how you do execution except you know the cause why Thinke you the bloude shall not be requyred on you if for an others pleasure you destroy the worke of God They will say vnto you as the Iewes sayde vnto Pilate concerning Christ If he were not an euill doer we would not haue deliuered him vnto you Trust not their wordes for no doubt they are lyers know the cause your selues and heare the matter vnfaynedly Thinke you they woulde not let you know the cause and iudgement if they did iustice and not tyrannye Be therefore no longer â—oyes to theÌ„ which ought to be your seruauntes God hath geueÌ„ you his spirite grace and vnderstanding hide not the talent that God hath geuen you but do your diligence to sée iustice executed secluding all tyranny for that is your office appoynted you of
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
but also his blessed worde all that longeth to hym Take awaye Christes word and what remayneth béehynde of Christ nothing at all I pray you my Lorde to whome was this worde fyrst preached to whome was this written all onely to priestes and not vnto lay men yea was it not written to all the worlde yes truely Wherby will you conuerte a Turke or an Infidell not by holy Scripture When they bée conuerted what wil you learne them what wyll you géeue them to reade any other thing then holy Scripture I thinke nay Now will you make your owne countreymen your owne citizens your owne subiectes yea your owne brethren redéemed with Christes blessed bloud worsse then Iewes and Infidels But there is no reason nor no brotherhod nor no Christen charitie that can mooue you or that can helpe you for you are so blynded and so obstinate against Christ that you had rather all the worlde shoulde perishe then his doctrine shoulde bee brought to light but I doe promyse you if God doe spare mée lyfe and géeue mée grace I shall so set it out if you doe not reuoke it that it shall bée to your vtter shame and confusion finde the best remedye that you can I doe beléeue stedfastly that god is mightier then you and I doe recken and faythfully beléeue that you are ten tymes worsse then the greate Turke for hée regardeth no more but rule and dominiō in this worlde and you are not therewyth content but you will also rule ouer mēs consconsciences yea and oppresse Christ and his holy worde and blaspheme and condemne his worde Was it not a holy connsell of the Chaunceler of London to counsell a certaine marchaunt to buye Robyn hoode for his seruauntes to read What should they doe wyth vitas patrum and with bookes of holy Scripture Also the same Chauncelour sayde to an other man what findest thou in the Gospell but a story what good canst thou take there out O Lord God where art thou why sléepest thou why sufferest thou this blasphemy Thou hast defended thy Prophetes with wild fire from heauen and wilt thou suffer thy onely fonne and thy heauenly word thus to bée despised and to bée reckened but as a story of Robin hoode Rise vp good Lorde Rise vp thy enemyes doe preuayle Thy enemyes doe multiplye shew thy power defend thy glory It is thy contumely and not ours what haue we to doe with it but alonely to thy glory Reuenge this cause or thy enemyes shall recken it not to bée thy cause O thou eternall God thoughe our sinnes haue deserued this yet looke on thy name yet looke on thy veritie Sée howe thou art mocked Sée how thou art blasphemed yea that by them that haue taken on them to defend thy glory But now heauenly father séeyng that thou hast so suffered it yet for the glory of thy name geue some man strength to defend it or els shalt thou bée clearely taken out of the hartes of all men Wherefore most gracious Lord of thy mercy and grace I beséech thée that I may haue the strength to defend thy godly word to thy glory and honour and to the vtter confusion of thy mortall enemyes Helpe good Lorde helpe and I shall not feare a thousande of thyne enemyes In thy name will I begyn to defend this cause First commeth thy faythfull seruaunt Moses true and iust in all thy workes and hée commaundeth faithfully truely with great threatnings that man woman and child should diligently read thy holy word saying Set your harts on all my wordes the which that I doe testifie vnto you this day that you may commaunde them vnto your children to kéepe to doe to fulfill all thynges that bée written in the booke of this law Marke how hée commaūded them to learne their children all thynges that bée written in this booke and so to learne thē that they might kéepe and fulfill all things that were written in y t booke Moses made nothing of secretnes will you make secretes therin how shall men fulfill those wordes that they knowe not How can men knowe the very true way of God haue not the word of God is not all our knowledge therin The Prophet sayth thy word is a lanterne vnto my féete and a light vnto my pathes Hée calleth it a lanterne and light yea and that vnto all men and you call it but a story darkenes and a thyng of secretnes yea and occasion of heresie how can the occasion of darknes geue light how can a lanterne bée a thing of secretnes how can the veritie of God bée occasion of heresie The holy Prophet sayth blessed is the man that setteth his delectation in the will of God and his meditation in Gods law night and day Here sayeth the spirite of God that men bee blessed that study the word of God and you say that men bée heretickes for studying of it How doth the spirite of God and you agrée Also S. Paule commaundeth vs to receiue the helmet of health and the sword of the spirite the whiche is the worde of God I pray you to whom doth hée here speake to Priestes onely How many of your Priestes dyd hée knowe yea was not this Epistle written to the whole Churche of the Ephesians And dyd not they read it were not they lay men and why shall not our lay men read that they red Moreouer doth not Paule call it the sword of the spirite is it not lawfull for lay men to haue the spirit of God Or is the spirite of God not frée but bound alonely to you Also S. Iohn sayth if any man come to you bring not this doctrine receiue him not into your house nor yet salute hym Here the holy ghost would we should haue no other doctrine but holy scripture and you will take it alonely from vs. Furthermore this was written vnto a woman and to her children and you will y t no other man wyfe nor childe shall reade it But if we should receiue your Priestes into our houses after this rule I thinke we should not bée greatly cōbered with them for their are few of them that haue this word Also our M. Christ saith vnto the pharesies search you scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life Our Maister sent the Pharisies to scriptures and you forbyd Christen men to reade them who had a worse sprite then they and yet they iudged better of holy scriptures thē you doe For they iudged to haue lyfe in thē you iudge to haue heresyes in thē so that you bée ten tymes worse to scriptures thē euer were they Also Paule saith all scripture geuen by insperation of God is profitable to teach to improoue to enforme io enstruct in righteousnes that the man of God may bée perfect and prepared vnto all good workes You will not denye but but scripture is geuē vs of God Ergo
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
Tyndall vpon the Gospell of Luke The Prologue of W. Tyndall vpon the Gospell of Iohn The epistle to the Romaynes to the excellentest part of the new Testament Here you must note these wordes law sinne c. Law how it is to be vnderstand The law of God requireth the bottom of our hartes S. Paul was a great persecutor of the christians If we be not willing to do good then doth sinne raign in vs. No man can fulfill the law but Christ onely The pâ—â—e and perfect kepyng of the law is to do the â—aâ—e of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 but oâ— inward loue The law encreaseth sinne The law is spiritual The spirite of god maketh a maÌ„ spirituall The law is good righteous and holy Workes of the law the fulfilling of the law are two things By the workes of the law no man can be iustified As the law is spiritual so it must be fulfilled spiritually Where true fayth is there is the spirit of God Our iustification is by fayth in Christ Out of true fayth springeth all good workeâ— Oâ—synne Sinne what it is Sinne in y â— scripture is chiefly called vnbe liefe Grace how it is vnderstand in the scriptures Gift what it is God for Christes sake receaueth vs. There is no damnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ Faith what it is False and fained faith True faith is liuely Fayth is not idle The true definition of fayth Good workeâ— cannot be separate from true fayth Righteousnes how it is to be vnderstaÌ„d Flesh spirite what they are â—ow to vnderstand them How this word fleshe is to be vnderstand in the Scripture Increduâ—â—tie is the chief of all sinnes Fleshe is here well described What soâ—euer procedeth of faith is spirituall A necessary and profitable instruction for all preachers The maner of S. PauÌ„les doctrine Nature is so blinde that we caÌ„not see nor vnderstand the goodnes of God hys mercy shewed vnto vs in Christ Iesu hys â—owne S. Paule coÌ„demneth all hipocrisiâ— How S. Paul rebuketh hypocrites The difference betwene the Iewe the Gentile All men are sinners The waye howe wee must bee made righteous Faith obteineth the fulfillyng of the law S. Paule auÌ„swereth to the caueling question that our Papistes vse agaynst iustificatioÌ„ of faith onely Good workes are ouâ— ward signes of true fayth Wee are first iustified theÌ„ foloweth good workes Gods mercy moueth vs to fayth in his promises so that God in al things worketh our iustification Gods mercy saueth vs and not we our selues If we lack Abrahams fayth we cannot be Abrahams children Fayth onely receaueth the grace that coÌ„meth by Abraham The frutes workes of fayth Fayth before all workes iustifieth Good workes are the fruites of fayth Where true fayth is there are good workes Where fayth lacketh there is all euill workes As by â—â—aÌ„ came sinne so by Christ came saluation The principall work of faith and the battaile betwen the spirite and the flesh What it is not to be vnder the law What it is to be vnder the lawe The right fredome libertie froÌ„ sinne and from the law Example Our consciences bound and in daunger to the lawe by olde Adam so loÌ„g as he liueth in vs. The law requireth of vs that which we cannot pay The law doth vtter and declare what sinne is What wâ— may do of our selues and what we may not do Where feare and shame is away there all wickednes is committed The fleshe is contrary to the sprite The sprite lusteth contrary to the flesh There is no daunger to theÌ„ that are in Christ The right worke of fayth is to mortify the flesh Predestiâ—… cion is in the handes of God How farre we may proceede in predestination Predestinâ—tion is not rashly to be disputed of Which are good workes mete to be done Loue is y â— fulfilling of the law We must deale louingly with our weake brethren The weaknes of our brethren is to be considered In the epistle to the Romaines is conteyned a sufficient doctrine for a Christen man Beware of the traditious of men This epistle declareth it self Weake and yong consciences as to be stubborne for the last shal receiue the equall reward with the first Loue fulfilleth the law It is the parte of a good shepherd to veÌ„ture hys lyfe for hys sheepe tribulatioÌ„ for the Gospell sake maketh vs sure of eternall lyfe All that repent are iustified thorough saith by Christ and not by workes The law condeÌ„neth but the beleuyng of Gods promises iustifieth In sekyng any other satisfaction theÌ„ Christ we beceauâ— our selues Hereby are we warned that workes saue vs not but the word that is the promise Mannes righteousnes zeale or imagination without Gods worde is odious For fayth when it is preached bringeth y e spirite and power to fulfill the law Who so hath a pure fayth can not but abouÌ„d with good workes Not the receauyng of the Gospel but the coÌ„tinuaunce to the latter ende maketh vs blessed He meaneth therby lest they should fall from the worde they had already receaued PatieÌ„ce in persecution for Christs sake rewarded with y â— crowne of euerlasting ioy and felicitie Hereby haue we euident signes that the latter day is at hand The office of a bishop The Pope his Prelates are here playnly set forth for what Christ loosed freely the Pope did bynd it to lose it agayne for money Vertuous Byshops are worthy double honor Byshops must be vigilant in their vocationâ— This hath already ben fulfilled in our spiritualtie What maner a man a Byshop or Curate ought to be Good deedes please god so farre foorth as they are applied to the kepyng of the commaundements but Christ onely iustifieth Christ is all to a Christen man MeÌ„ ought to rule theyr wiues with godâ— word To watch is not onely to abstaine from slepe but also to auoyde all occasions that may drawe vs to sinne As god reioyceth not in the dede it selfe â–ª so doth he not in â—…dle faith without works Good workes are a shew of our fayth as the fruit is of the tree He prophesieth of the popes spiritualtie The condition of the worlde shall waxe worse and worse Where 〈◊〉 true fayth is there are also good workes Christes bloud purchaseth forgeuenes of sinnes and not mans workes Whether this were Paules epistle or no great learned men haue doubted Some deny it to haue bene written by anye Apostle and refuse it as not Catholike A solution of the former doubts This not to be denied to be Paules Epistle Mercy is locked vp from hym which wilfully yeldeth his body 〈◊〉 soule to sinne No place in the scripture so plainly describeth the significations figures of the olde testament as this epistle doth This epistle for that it agreeth with the rest of the scripture ought to be of equal authoritie with the other This epistle is to be taken as holy scripture The papistes alleage this text for their purpose thorough misunderstandyng the same Fayth only
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
do not take their vocation to seke Gods glory and honour but to liue easilie promote themselues to dignitie Libertie God destroyeth one wicked with an other Gods word is not the cause of euill Christes Disciples were long weake and worldly mynded What the Popes doctrine causeth he coÌ„maundeth murther The popes doctrine is bloudy Christes doctrine to peaceable God auengeth hys doctrine him selfe How a maÌ„ ought to behaue him selfe in readyng of doctours and also in the Scripture Our fathers and mothers are to vs in Gods stede What wee doe to our fathers mothers that we do to God The reward of obedience The reward of disobedience God auengeth disobedience hym selfe though the officer will not Mariage couetousnes maketh our spiritualitie that they cannot see that which a Turke is ashamed of Get her with child say they so shall thy cause bee best Gods commaundementes breake they throughe their owne traditions Money maketh marchaundise Iugglers Mariage altereth the degree of nature The husband is 〈◊〉 the wife in gods stede In sufferynge wronges patieÌ„tly â—e folow the steppes of Christ The master is vnto the seruanÌ„t in Gods stede Our spiritualtie retayne mens seruauntes not to honour God but their traditions and ceremonies onely Christes doctrine the Popes differre If thy master please thee not shaue thy selfe a Monke a Frier or a Priest To obey no man is a spirituall thyng Rom. 13. Kyngs are chosen to suppresse the wicked support the good An â—pte similitude Iudges are called Gods Blessyng Curse God rewardeth aâ— obedience though no maÌ„ els do God auengeth all disobedience though no maÌ„ els do VeÌ„geance is Gods Dauid God destroyeth one wicked by an other God prouideth a meanes to take the euil out of the way when they haue fulfilled their wickednes Why Dauid slewe not Saul The kyng 〈◊〉 in the roâ—â—â—e of god in this world The kyng must be reserued vnto the vengeaunce of God It iâ— not lawfull for a Christen subiect to resiste hys Prince though he be an heathen man Kynges must make accompt of their doynges onely to God The kyng hath no power but to his damnation to priuiledge the spiritualtie to sinne vnpunished A king is a great benefite though he be neuer so euill Princes are ordeined to pâ—uill doâ—rs The damnation of Princes Sanctuaries Neckeuerse Three natures What it is to looke Moyses in the face Heauen commeth by Christ A Christen man seketh no more but Gods will Lustes Freâ—ill Worldly witte The will is bond and â—ed Fredome All is sinne that springeth not of the spirite of God and all that is not done in the light of Gods worde So do our spiritualtie in all their workes True miracles are wrought to coÌ„firme the preaching and not the God head of the preacher Our hypocrites are blinde The religious looke vpon the out side onely The sprituall man The naturall man Feate is the last â—emedy Kinges defend y â— false authoritie of the pope their office punishing of sinne loyd apart Bishoppes minister the kinges dutie their owne layde apart yea they persecute their owne office Kynges do but waite on y â— Popes pleasure The iugling of the Pope Bishops of Almany Mylane Byshops of Fraunce A cappe of maintenaunce Most Christen kyng Defendre of the Popes Fayth The eldest sonne of the holy 〈◊〉 Blâ—â—â—ng of armes The English Bysshops The falsehode of the Bishops O a cruell and an abhominable example of tyranny iudge them by theyr dedes saith Christ The whore of BabyloÌ„ Confession Not Peter onely but Christ also was vnder the temporall sword The kings sinne in geuing exeÌ„ptions the Prelates in receauyng them When the spiritualitie payeth tribute Shameles iugglers They make no conscieÌ„ce at any euill doyng They care for theyr neighbours as y â— wolfe doth for the shepe The euill ensample of the spiritualtie causeth the lay to beleue that they are not bound to obey There is no ChristeÌ„ loue in theÌ„ What purpose euen to flatter the princes that they may abuse their authoritie to sleâ— who soeuer beleueth 〈◊〉 Christ and to mainteine the Pope Confessiâ— Prelates know all mens secretes 〈…〉 man theâ—… â—oue fulfilleth the law before God not the outward dede Agaynste workemen The deede fulfilleth the law before the world Faith maketh a man to loue Iustifiyng The office or dutie of the law The beleuyng of Gods promises iustifieth The spirite and the inward vertues are knowen by the outward dede Ouercome thyne enemy with well doing The law The kyng Rulers are Gods gift Why the rulers are euill Euill rulers are a signe that God is angry with vs. Why the Prelates are so wicked The cause of false miracles is that we haue no lust vnto the truth The right way to came of bondage Euill rulers ought not to be resisted God is alwayes one alwayes true alwayes mercifull and excludeth no maÌ„ from his promises A Christâ— man doth but suffer onely Euill rulers are wholesome medicines A Christen man receaueth How profitable aduersitie is The greatest sinner is righteous in Christ and the promises And the perfectest and holyest is a sinner in the lawe the fleshe Rigour in parentes towardes their chilchildren is to be eschued The right bringing vp of children The destruction marring of children The maryage of children without conâ—… of their parenâ—es is vnlawfull In Christ we are all seruaunts and he that hath knowledge is bounde MeÌ„ ought to rule their wiues by Gods worde Why the man is stronger then the woman Teach thy seruaunt to know Christ and after Christes doctrine deale with hym Do all thyng with Gods worde Landlordes should raise no rentes nor bring vp new customes God gaue â—he earth to men Landlordes should withstand the worng of the Tenauntes There is no respect of person afore God Moyses Iudges O tyranny to compell a man to accuse himselfe Our Prelates learned of Cayphas Secret sinnes pertayne vnto God to punishe and open sinnes vnto the kyng ☜ Parcialitie in Iudges is wicked Parcialitie bribe takyng is the pestilence of Iudges ☞ Women pride and coÌ„tempt of subiectes are the pestilence of Princes Vayne names The holy father lonseth peace and vmâ—â—e trace trâ—uth and aâ— honesty What the keyes arâ— why they are so called The keyes are promised The keyes are payde To bynde and loose Repentaunce and forgeuenes come by preachyng Peter practiseth his keyes The popes authoritie is to preach gods word onely Beware of the net and of the leuen and of the counterfet keyes of our holy father Not w t an hereticke sayth the Pope Vnlawfull vowes or othes men are commaunded to breake Byshops Behold the face of the Pope and of the Byshops in this glasse Peters patrimonie The popes authoritie is improued Byshops haue captiued Gods word with theyr owne decrees Rochester They walke in shadowes Aaron is euery true preacher Aaron representeth Christ Aaron addeth nothyng to Moses law The Apostles preached not Peter but Christ Paule is greater thaÌ„ hye
and of his Apostles and iudge their fruites What blessing meaneth The commaundement maketh Priestes Putting on of haÌ„ds What Iudas is now A point of practise ☞ Repentaunce Repentaunce is signified by Baptime ☜ One confession is to knowledge wherein thou puttest thy trust If when tyrauntes oppose thee thou haue power to confesse then art thou sure that thou art sate An other confession is to knowledge thy sinnes in 〈…〉 vnto God Shrift Shrift was put downe for knauery among the Greekes But is stablished theâ— by among vs. How a maÌ„ shall know that 〈◊〉 sinnes are forgeuen Blind reason to their guide and not Gods spirite Learne to know them for they are verely lepers in theyr hartes AttritioÌ„ is of the leues of the phariseis Whom a man offendeth 〈◊〉 must hee confesse It hath no recorde in 〈◊〉 y â— Scripture that God shuld crepe in hyde him 〈◊〉 in Antichristes eare Christ is 〈◊〉 euerlastyng satisfaction Baptisme â—…steth eâ—er Of byndyng and loosing and of the Popes authoritie or power The Pope chalengeth power not ouer man onely but ouer God also Purgatory is the Popes creature he may therfore be bold there The Pope bindeth the aungels The true byndyng loosing S. Hierome agaynst Bishops and Priestes The curse is to bee feared The right maner of loosing ☜ Christ vnderstode this texte all power is geueÌ„ me in heauen in earth also vsed it farre other wise then the Pope ☜ What authoritie Christ gaue hys Apostles The right byndyng loosyng How the Pope reigneth vnder Christ A poena et a culia is a proper breaâ—… The Pope is more mightie more mercifull for money theÌ„ God is for the death of his onely sonne The merites of saintes The merites of Christ The Pope selleth that which God geueth frely Fryers Sinne is y â— best marchaundise that is Christ prophesied of Antichrist and tolde why he shoulde come The promises are either put out or leauened and why All is in Latin The Pope commaundeth God to curse A custome that is vsed in the marches of waies Gods sacramentes preach Gods promises The popes sacraments are dumme Christening of belles Why SuffragaÌ„s are ordeined The Byshops deuide all among theÌ„ Ceremonies bring not the holy Ghost Putting on of haÌ„ds Prayer of fayth doth the miracles The â—…ting on oâ— hands doth neither helpe nor hinder What soeuer is not of fayth is sinne The latine tounge destroyeth the sayth That the worke without y â— promise saueth is unproued The prople beleue in y â— worke without y â— prâ—…e Volowâ—…g ☜ The worke saueth not but the worde that is to say 〈◊〉 promise ☜ Workes be they neuer so glorious iustifie not In all thing they leaue ouâ— the promises How farre forth the deede is acceptable to God Our prayers acceptable according to our fayth ouâ— deedes according to the measure of loue A ChristeÌ„ maÌ„ nedeth not to go a pilgrimage to be saued therby Saluation is with in vs. Confession ☞ Byshops worke there treason thorough confession Kynges be sworne to the bishops and not the Byshops vnto the kynges How shall they preach except they be sent is expounded Howe to know who is sent of God and who is not No man may preach but he that is called sent of god ☜ The difference betwene true Sacraments and false A sayth without Gods promise is idolatrie The Byshops blessing How the Apostles blessed vs. RepentaÌ„ce and sure fayth in in Christ purgeth our sinnes The protestation of the author Confession robbeth the Sacraments and maketh theÌ„ frutelesse What grace is Howe to knowe what iustifieth and what not or what bringeth grace and what not With their Chaplayns quoth hee God geue grace their Chaplayns at the last make them not so mad to say seruice alone while they True miracles draw to Christ The effect and force of our good deedes False miracles driue from Christ He that teacheth to trust in a saint is a false Prophet What he should pray that prayeth for his neighbour The 〈…〉 be 〈◊〉 and not deceaued The spiriâ—… pray not that we might come to y â— knowledge of Christ The 〈◊〉 are but an enâ—… 〈◊〉 Offerings cause of the miracles God y â— father fulfilleth his promises to vs for Christes sake not for the merites of saintes as y â— Papistes taught All such Martyrs are the popes martyrs not Gods For martyr signifieth a witnes bearer now is he not Gods witnes that testifieth not his worde The reasons which they make for y â— worshipping of Saintes are solued It is not like wyth kynges and God Christ is no sinner Nothyng bringeth a man sooner to confusioÌ„ then the Idolatry of his owne imaginatioÌ„ â—hrist is a 〈◊〉 geue to â—…rs God loueth mercy Hypocrites loue oâ—â—eâ—ynges We are at peace in our consciences when we beleue constantly ouâ— sinnes are remitted throughe Iesus Christ Why we come not to Christ God looketh on our good dedes Intichrist turneth the rootes of the trees vnword In Christâ— we are one as good as an other equally beloued indifferently heard Christ is all to a Christen man The childreÌ„ of faith worke of loue and nede no law to coÌ„pâ—ll them We are all Christes seruauntes and serue Christ The contempt or loue we shewe one to another the same shewe we to Christ Christ knoweth nothyng worldly 〈◊〉 not his â—…ry mother As long as Christ abydeth so loÌ„g a Christen maÌ„ loueth Money byndeth not Christâ— people to pray God careth for his The bely to a God cause of all vnto our spiritualty â—â—ll is of the bely nothyng of Christ Christes loue forget teth her selfe but Monkes loue thinketh on the bely Friers and Monkes ought not to preach Christ is the whole cause why God loueth vs. Howe to know that we are Goddes sonnes The lawe is y â— mark yea and the touch stone where w t we ought to trye our selues see how farre â—orth we are purged Our byrth poyson that remayneth in vs. resisteth the spirite ☞ The right crosse of Christ Hee that loueth not the law hateth sin hath no part with Christ Howe to try the do â–ª ctrine of our spiritualtie If the prayers merites of our religious men purge our lustes then are they of value and els not ☞ What the spiritualtis taketh away with their prayers WheÌ„ other wept they sing and wheÌ„ other loose they wynne All is of Purgatory â—…ese Phisitions geue none other medicines saue purgations onely Allegory what it signifieth The scripture hath but one sence â—oroweâ—â—peach â–ª ☜ The right vse of allegories Allegories are no sense of Scripture ☞ Allegories proue nothyng If thou câ— not proue the allegory with an open text then is it false doctrine The litterall sense proueth the allegory They thâ—â— iustifie theÌ„ selues by their workes are the bond children of the law The fayth was lost thorough Allegories Chopologicall sophisters Poetry is as good diuinitie as the Scripture to our schole
men The litterall sense killeth say sophisters The letter killeth expound this To loue the law is righteousnes The litterall sense is spirituall What is to be sought in y â— Scripture and in the litteâ—… sense The story of Ruben Swearâ— they by their honour thâ—â— are they not ready to suffer shame for Christes sake The adultery of Dauid The difference betwen gods sinners the deuils Nos The Pope is likened to Ham. They will to heauen by away of their owne makyng The vse of similitudes A similitude without Scripture is a sure token of a false Prophet Paul preached not worldly wisedome Similitudes and reasons of mans wisdome make no faith but waueryng opinions onely Goddes word maketh surâ— fayth for God can not lye Peter preached not fables and false similitudes but the playne Scripture ☞ Schole do 〈◊〉 Similitudes are no good argumentes among the sophisters owne selfe We must â—ure our in 〈…〉 with the remedies that God hath ordeined not tempt god What 〈…〉 ☞ ☜ In expoundyng of the Scripture we must haue a respect vnto the liuyng and practising of Christ and of his Apostles and Prophetes The scripture was geuen to leade vs vnto Christ ☞ Settes or orders Couetousnes desire of honour is the ende of all false doctrine and that which false prophets seke Purgatory Pardons Praying to saintes Confession An example of false expouÌ„ding y â— scriptures Christ the â—ayth and Gods word is the rocke and not the Pope The auctority of Peters successour â—o but to preach That expositioÌ„ to false which is agaynst thâ— oâ—en scripture or agaynst thâ— practising of Christ and of hys Apostles Binding 〈◊〉 lowsing is one power What Iesus signifieth What bynding meaneth What cursing meaneth What lowsing meaneth ☜ The Pope is Robyn goodfelow Of our selues we can performe nothâ—ng further theÌ„ God â—…ll geue vs power Another example To sit on Christes seaâ—e is to preach and confesse Christ Christ rebuked desire of preheminence in his Disciples but the Pope chalengeth it aboue all men as hyâ—… owne inheritaunce Fathers fathers Miracles miracles The womaÌ„ of Lemster was a solempne miracle The armour of the spiritualtie The armour of a Christe maÌ„ is Gods word and fayth ☜ Gods woorde about all mens iudge mentes Fryers be not bound to preach How God ought to be serued In Christ to rest of conscience onely Do good deedes and trust in Christ Gods worde is the rule of childreÌ„ seruauntes wyues subiectes â—o please God â—o to beleue hys promises to loue hys commaundementes He that will aueÌ„ge robbeth God of his honour How 〈◊〉 soeuer the kyng is 〈…〉 vnto thâ—… great gift of God The Pope hath a law that none of his sprites may be suerty The kyng is but a seruaunt to execute the lawes of God How farre a kyng ought to seeke at his commons handes Note 4 Confession The manifolde enormities which their auricular confession did breede The Pope and his chapteyns were the fountaines of all euils in spiritualâ— regiment or teÌ„porall Vnder an outwarde pretence of Gods honor the poâ—â—â— Clergie procured their owne dignitie The keepyng down of Gods word promoted the Popes spiritualties honour The Byshop of Rochester as a fit paterna to 〈…〉 â—ll y ◠〈…〉 aâ—… The cause why kings coulde not come to the knowledge of y â— truth Miracles are done by fayth and not by ceremonies The vse of Allegories The vse of similitudes â–ª To digge the welles of AbrahaÌ„ is to open and to make plaine the scriptures which is the kingdome of God Abrahams welles The kingdome of heauen what it 〈◊〉 Moses face The keye what it is The lawe is the way that leadeth to Christ Lawe what her office is The law 〈…〉 â—â—reth sinne condemneth our deedes drinketh vs to Christ Moses 〈◊〉 the law but Christ onely geueth grace to do it and vnderstand it aright The 〈◊〉 serâ—ent Num. 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈…〉 contraâ—… peâ—acioâ—s The 〈◊〉 â—ure 〈◊〉 is looked vp Christ is the doore the way and foundation of all the Scriptures When by gloses of out owne imaginacioÌ„ we darken the cleare text of gods word theÌ„ is the Scripture locked by from vs. Christ vsed 〈◊〉 temporal regiment Christ is a gâ—… geuen onely to theÌ„ that loue the law and professe it He that professeth not the law hath 〈…〉 in the promises Workes do not iustifie 2. Cor. 〈◊〉 The law By keepyng the lawe we continue in grace Fayth loue and hope are insepararable in this lyfe They that loue not the law cannot vnderstand the Scripture to saluation Care How God careth for the weake By bearyng eche other weakenes we fulfil the lawe of Christ Rulers why they were ordayned Why God scourgeth hys The conditions of the couenaunt Flesh and spirite Crosse Euill lustes and affections are to be purged with the crosse of Christ To sinne vnder grace and to 〈◊〉 vnder the lawe Lambes Swyne Dogges Swyre haue â—o fayth Dogges loue not the lawe True fayth to coupled with loue to the lawe The difference of faythes and how it is to be vnderstoode fayth iustifieth Fayth of hipocrites fayth of 〈◊〉 The â—ight baptâ—… The church of Christ Whosoeuer derogate any thyng froÌ„ the 〈◊〉 of Christ are not of the church They that haue not the lawe writeâ— in their harts â–ª caÌ„not vnderstand the passion of Christ to saluation A 〈◊〉 re peting What the inward baptisme of the soule iâ— Thau Faith â—ope and charitie are inseperable Faith hope and charitie are knowen one by the other The office of fayth The office of loue The office of hope The anker of our saluation is perfect faith in Christes bloud 1. Pouerth in spirite Riches Neither riches or pouertie exclude or assure vs of Gods blessing Who are poore in spirite is here pithely declared Riche in spirite Couetousnes is a thyng contraris to the worde of God and to the ministers of the same By couetousnes is a false Prophet chiefly knowen 2. Some cry the world is nought not â—or their owne and others iniquitie but for waywardnes they caÌ„ not enioye theyr owne lusles Godlye mournyng As warmeth accoÌ„panieth the sâ—nne so foloweth the crosse a true Christian man K. Iohn Henry the second The promise of Goddes word is y â— coÌ„fort of y â— afflicted in this world for Christs sake Faith is our victory By persecution and death for y â— truthes sake we obteine lyfe get the victory The mourners for righteousnes are saued when God taketh vengeance on y â— vnright 〈◊〉 wise 3. Mekenes possesseth the earth Referre y â— reuenge of thy cause to the Magistrate whoÌ„ God appointeth to forbyd such violence Hundred folde The priuat person may not aduenge but the officer must 4. Righteousnesse How this word righteousnes ought here to be vnderstode Monkes Monkes why they runne into Religion Luc. vi Monkes be cursed 5. To be mercyful what it is how manye wayes mercy may be shewed Monkes Couent Oâ—le Holy oyle must bee aduenged Zeale
doctrine nedeth not now of miracles for it was confirmed by Christ with myracles Math. 24. The Pope commeth 〈◊〉 Christes name with false miracles The preachers of gods word confirmed the same with miracles whyle they were alyue God suffeâ—eth such as haue no loue to hys truth to be deceaued with lying miracles Why the Pope tell In the Popish church all miracles are wrought by dead Saintes S. Thomas of CaÌ„terbury Thomas de Aquino Dunce ☜ Miracles Our fayth may not be grounded onely vpon miracles but vpon the worde of God Math. 1â— Iohn 21. The Apostles of Christe knew no such authoritie as the Pope now vsurpeth What iâ— there had bene no scripture Grekes God to 〈…〉 â—…de heresâ—… caused the scriptures to be written â–ª Noe. What faith â—…th Where true faith is there is repentauÌ„ce and ameÌ„dment of 〈◊〉 ☜ Abraham The elderâ— did erre The elders in y e time of the Iewes did erre The Scribes Phariseis and Elders did erre The scripture was aucthorised by true myracles False bookes set forth by the Papistes Erasmus The true church teacheth nothing but that which the scripture proueth and mainteineth The Pope hideth the scripture The Papistes hide y e scripture The scripture is the cause why men beleue y â— scripture The Papistes docctrine is nâ—â— to be beleued wiihouâ— scripture Why the 〈◊〉 is not to be beleued wtout scripture why he is not the true church The doctrine of the Papistes hath bene 〈◊〉 resisted by y e scripture What thinges 〈◊〉 finde in scripture Rom. 〈◊〉 1. Cor. â— 1. Cor. 2. Iohn 5. Iohn 7. Heb. 8. The Papistes will neither by Gods lawe nor mans refraine froÌ„ their wicked liuyng Iohn 10. The Papistes will lose nothing that belongeth to them Christ deliuered the Iewes out of errour ☜ None haue more care of the scripture then those that beleue it not M. More reasoneth agaynst himselfe ☜ Actes 13. Iohn 8. They that preach not Christ truty are murtherers The end of hipocrites Predestination Balam Wit must first shew a cause and then will is sturted to worke More feeleth Purgatory Popish doe trine concernyng Purgatory The pope how he can both forgeue and receiue sinne Tyndall feeleth Purgatory Iohn 15. Iohn 13. Bodyly payne purgeth the body and not y e soule M. More â—o of an euil opinion Faith in Châ—… 〈◊〉 purchaseth forgâ—… of sinne Ephe. 5. There is no purgatory for hym that dyeth repentâ—unt beleueth Iohn 15. 1. Iohn 〈◊〉 Payne of sinne 〈◊〉 popes 〈◊〉 Purgatory prâ—… to y â— Pope Purgatory to a tormenting Iayle as y â— Pope maketh it Money dispatcheth Purgatory The Pope is Antichrist The fleshly children do naturally consent vnto lyes The fleshly mynded can neuer consent vnto Gods law The fleshly persecute them of the spirite The true church is not w t out a signe of a miracle to proue that it is Gods church The popes life doctrine is more wicked theÌ„ the Turkes all y e heatheÌ„ that euer were Euticus Actes 3. All glory and honour is to be geuen to the name of Iesu Iudges Deut. 17. Purgatory to the foundation of Abbeyes Colledges c. M. More is a commoÌ„â—ester and a scouÌ„er ☞ The Papistes are cruell and vnmercyfull Sweryng The oth of a witnes may be taken but no maÌ„ may be coÌ„pelled to sweare be a witnes A godly lesson M. More is a lyer The Papistes are obstinate will not repent Iudas Prayers of an euill Priest profite not A fond saying To minister SacrameÌ„ts with out signification is to be lead in darkenesse Sacrifice Heb. 10. Christes body in the SacrameÌ„t is not carnall but spirituall Christe was sacrificed on the crosse once for all More Deacons Tyndall Christes Deaâ—…s and the pâ—â—eâ— Deacons differ much More Priestes Tyndall More Tyndall 1. Iohn 4. M. Mores fayth was a common fayth More Tyndall More Tyndall As good no lawe as a law not executed Age is to be preferred before â—outh The chast vnchastirie of the Papistes is abhominable both to God and man S. Hierome The Pope iudgeth no sinne to bee sinne and sinne to be no sinne A Priest by the Popes order may haue a whore but not a wife Rom. 14. Mores doctrine is superstitious 1. Tim. 4. The Pope forbiddeth mariage Apparant godlynesse why the Priest may not haue y â— secoÌ„d wife Christes benefites toward vs are figured by matrimony We were Idolaters when we came to Christ S. Paules doctrine is that priests shuld haue wiues Widowes More is a scoâ—fer The office of the wâ—ddowes in y e primatine church Rom. 13 â–ª Young widowes were forbiddeÌ„ to minister in the commoÌ„ seruice Fishe no better then fleshe nor fleshe no better then fishe in the kingdame of Christ 〈◊〉 ☞ Tyndall More Tyndall Three lyes at â—…ce 〈…〉 Priestes must be endued wyth vertue and honesty Generall counsell Parlâ—…ment The 〈◊〉 vsed both in generall to â–ª â—…es and also 〈◊〉 parliamentes A practise vsed in all counsayles and Parlamentes The spiritualtie make heretickes of them that resist theyr power and will Why Priestes may haue no wyues The chastitie of the â—â—ergy pertâ—â—neth to the tempoâ—…ie as much as to the spiritualtie Vowes No oth is to be kept that is agaynst charitie or necessitie The popes snares 〈◊〉 2. 3. 4. 5. Tyndall doth here playnly proue More an hereticke That is euer best that moueth man to the kepyng of Gods commaundementes ☜ Deuilish doctrine Math. 15. Christes natural body is not in the Sacrament The Sacrament of the body 〈◊〉 bloud of Christ how it must be receiued ☞ S. Michael wayeth 〈◊〉 soules The true seruice of God what it is Whether it were best that priestes were gelded ☜ Leuit. 10. More Tyndall Paphnutius More had two wiues therefore was Bigamus More Tyndall The Pope a cruell tyraâ—nt More Tyndall The spiritualtie would not haue the scripture in Englishe Hunne More Horsey Tyndall If we be not giltie we neede no pardon More woulde excuse the murther of Hunne Hunne ☜ More Tyndall Doetour Lolet Olde translation More was a subtill Poet. The hauyng of the Scripture in English is vtterly agaynst the myndes of the Popish Clergie More Tyndall The scripture was first deliuered to the pâ—opâ—e in their vulgere toung More Tyndall More Tyndall The ordinaâ—… are hangmeÌ„ to such as desire the knowledge of the scripture None can vnderstand the Scripture except he knewe Christ to be his iustification More Tyndall More Tyndall Eare confession and pardons were neuer confirmed by miracle More Tyndall The Popish spiritualitie are tyrâ—unts persecutors More Tyndall Pope forbiddeth matrimony the eatyng of meates The wicked monstrous doynges of the Pope More Tyndall More Tyndall More Tyndall All Sacramentes teach vs what to do or what to beleue More Tyndall Eare confession destroyeth the beneâ—ite of Christes bloud More Tyndall More Tyndall RepeÌ„tauÌ„ce More Tyndall SacrameÌ„t More Fayth Tyndall The Pâ—pistes aâ—â— slaundâ—â—â—s of the Gospell More Woâ—… Tyndall â–ª More Tyndall We can do no
Christ is accompted to vs for righteousnes We are saued by grace and not by workes of the law The Pope when any man offendeth him falleth to cursing Workes can be no satisfaction for sinne to Godward God is a spirite and must be worshipped in y t spirite Popish workes Gods worship God doth pardon and forgeue all our sinnes whatsoeuer they are for Christes sake Christes victory The popes purgatory is terrible Binde and lose Note this text Bynding losing is by the true preachyng of Gods Word We must struggle striue with sinne How penauÌ„ce came vp Purgatory How the Pope and hys shauelyngs haue abused penaunce Here was Purgatory kindled The deâ—…nition of penaunce made by the Papistes Fayth is the chiefest part of penaunce Our workes can make no satisfaction but onely faith in Christes bloud The practise marcheuÌ„dise of the Pope his Clergy Vowes of Religion Worshyppyng of Saintes The Pope and his Clergy setteth vp Idolatry The true worshipping of saintes Good lessons are to be learned of y â— saints The true worshipping of saintes is to folow their life and doctrine If we harken to the voyce of God he is mighty and of power to helpe vs. We must do good for euill A popish imaginatioâ—â— Aduourâ—es Idolatry God hath promised to geue vs whatsoeuer we aske in Christes name for Christes sake Saints caÌ„ not help vs The saints were not saued by their â—…ne merites but by Christes merites We must humble our selues to the mercy of almighty God The Angels serue vs. To choose saintes to be our aduacates is mere idolatry Christ is the way life that leadeth vs to saluation Howe Christ prayeth for vs Christ is a kyng and hath power him selfe to forgeue vs and to receaue vs vnto hym selfe All the blessed company of heaueÌ„ reioyse and are glad to haue vs to be with them that we might loye together Christ prayeth for vs and hys prayer is heard Imageseruice is abhorred of God God hateth superstition Churches were or deined for preachyng and callyng on the name of God Christe hath made a chaunge with vs for he hath taken vpon him all our sinnes and grauÌ„ted vs his mercy and giftes of grace loue maketh all thynges common S. Paule was a louyng and carefull preacher A good saying of S. Paule The state of grace They that keepe the coÌ„maundementes are in the state of grace When we do good to our neighbour then we may be assured that we are in the state of grace A sure argument to know false Prophetes by To be in God is to beleue in the mercy of God A rule to know whether we loue God or loue him not They that be enemies to the Testament of Christ and are teachers of mans 〈◊〉 tions are not in Christ And old coÌ„maundement is the woorde which ye heard from the begynnyng Siâ— transit gloriâ—â—uÌ„â—… This was Cardinall wolsey He that hateâ—h hys brother is in darknes and seâ—th not Christ To abyde in the light is to abyde in 〈◊〉 knowledge of Christ Faith in Christ is the roote of all goodnes He that hateth hys brother is in ignoraunce IgnorauÌ„ce When we haue offended our brother if we reconcile our selues vnto hym agayne theÌ„ are our sinnes forgeuen We can not know the father but by the sonne Fayth in Christ ouer commeth the worlde â—â—arice or couetousnes The loue of y â— worlde 〈◊〉 many from Christ Thomas Wolâ—… lâ—â—â— Cardinall of England Lechery Couetousnes Pride Compare the worldâ— to the pope Cardinals â–ª c. and you shall finde them to bee the world Pride â–ª Couetousnes Note The proâ—…tions of the spiritualitie corrupt their myndes Popes and Bishops will suffer nothyng that shall restrayne their pride and couetousnes Riches and couetousnes blyudeth the eyes of the 〈◊〉 Houre Antichrist The worldings loue the Gospell so longes it bryngeth gayne The Papistes poudred the doctrine of Christ w t theyr dreggeâ— The Pope hath put Christ froÌ„ his rule gouernement Antichrist hath bene long among vs. Christ onely is called holy Annoynted The carnall man knoweth not the thinges of the spirite of God Antichrist who it is The Pope captiuateth the vnderstandyng of all meÌ„ with his superstitious rites and ceremonies Pelagius heresie Iesus Christus Emanuel Sanctus Thomas Curteise a churle Dead men Poore meÌ„ Christ is no disguised person The Pope and his shanelynges are right Antichrists To know God The Apostles doctrine ought we to abide by Annoyntyng Outward oyle auayleth nothyng We must cleaue to the doctrine of the Apostles A fore saying to all hypocrites and teachers of false doctrine We must beleue the resurrectioÌ„ not to be curious to vnderstand the state of the soules departed where they are nor what they do The doctrine of the Pope is cleane contrary to Christes doctrine The thyrd Chapter The world could not knowe Christ The world shall know Christ A Christen mans faith and hope are not idle The fayth of a Christen man The popes fayth What sinne is The suÌ„me of Gods law Loue breaketh the law We are baptised to dye with Christ concernyng sinne The filthynes of the Popes doctrine Where true fayth is there procedeth good workes He that preacheth Christ in worde and deede hym take for Christes vicare The man is first euil The maÌ„ is first good The Popes doctrine The faythful and vnfaithfull sinne diuersly We must recompence euill with goodnes Good â—orkes declare where good sayth is Fayth is the roote of all commaundementes Spirites We may not beleue euery doctrine that is taught and preached but we must first examine it with the touch stone of Gods word and so either receaue it or reiect it The triall of all doctrine Antichrist will not coÌ„fesse that Christ 〈◊〉 come in the flesh Doctrine that is of God Doctrine that is of the deuill The Popes doctrine of Christ God is the worker in vs by fayth that we haue in 〈◊〉 Two generations in the world The Popes doctrine is worldly He that loueth God is borne of God The founteâ—ne of loue God first loued vs before we could loue hym Ephesâ— Herein appeareth the great and louing mercy of almightte God toward vs when we were yet sinuers Loue maketh vs the sonnes of God No man hath sene God The scripture hath sene God By this badge of loue we are knoweÌ„ to haue the spirite of God He that be leueth that Iesus to Gods sonne hath God in hym Fayth taketh hold of Christes death and deseruyng Loue maketh the faythfull Christian man to be bold Loue. Feare If we loue ouâ— brethreÌ„ theÌ„ are we carefull for them The more we loue God the more diligent we are to do his will Where perfect loue is there is no feare Fayth is the mother of loue A sure rule If we loue God we must do his commaundements his commaundement is to loue our neyghbours Fayth maketh vs Gods sonnes What it is to beleue that Iesus is Christ Iesus the true Messias and the
Now let vs consider your foresayd causes ponder whether your booke haue or may do any such good as you say pretended whether it haue conuerted those sortes of people or els be any thyng lykely to do such a fact And first let vs sée what it profiteth y t first sort which are infidels not beleuyng in Christ nor his scripture Our sauiour Christ sayth he that beleueth is not damned Iohn Baptist confirmeth the same saying he that beleueth in y e sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe but he that beleueth not in the sonne shal not sée life but the wrath of God abydeth vpon hym Here it is euidēt not by my exposition but by the consent of all Christen men that those infidels are damned for what entent then should Rastell teach them that there is a Purgatory without Christ ther is no way but dānation as scripture all faythfull men testifie Then would I know by what way he wold persuade that there were a Purgatory which should be away a meane to saluation and not to damnatiō for thē which beleue not in Christ This I am sure of and I thinke Rastell be leueth it also that the infideles shall neuer come in it though there were one This you may sée that his first cause is very vayne and that if they dyd beleue it they were in déede deceyued Now let vs procéede vnto the second sort of people which beleue in Christ and his scripture and yet misconstrue it expoundyng it after theyr own willes And let vs sée what frute they take of this booke what it profiteth them we shall finde that it lesse serueth these men then the first for if this men beleue in Christ and in hys Scripture then is it not possible that they should receaue or admitte that thyng which is agaynst the Scripture both by the exposition of them selues of all the world For this is both agaynst Scripture and all faithfull mē that there should be any way to health if we exclude Christ and hys Scripture And sith Purgatory is counted away to health he that would go about to proue it secludyng Christ and Scripture is agaynst Scripture and all faythfull men Besides that if they be so obstinate that they will not receaue the verye Scripture but expounde it after their own willes wrest it after the same then wil they much lesse receaue your booke which is so playne agaynst scripture therfore if you would thinke that they could bee tamed by your booke which notwithstandyng so wresteth Scripture then may I very wel lyken you to hym that hath a wilde horse to tame which when he perceiueth that hee can not hold hym with a scoktishe snafle will yet labour to breake him with a rootē twine threde So that I can espye no maner of profite that cā come of your booke if you can alledge no better causes then you yet shew but that it had bene a great deale better vnwritten And brother Rastel where you say that I auaunce boast my selfe much more then becommeth me and that I detract and slaūder my neighbours that I prouoke all men that read my booke rather to vyce then to vertue with such other thynges as ye lay to my charge I trust I shall declare my inconuenience and geue you a sufficient aunswere ¶ An aunswere to Rastels first chapter which reproueth me for boastyng my selfe IN the first chapter of this booke Rastell laboureth to proue that I am sore ouer séene in laudyng boastyng my selfe that I lyke my selfe so well that he is sure that other men do lyke me the lesse and that he feareth that God will therfore lyke me fauour me rather the worse then the better Here he iuggeleth wyth me and would make me beleue that he tossed me mine own ball agayne but when I beholde it I perceaue it to be none of mine for he hath cut out all that shoulde make for me so that he hath geuen it cleane an other shape then euer I entended that it should haue as it appeareth by hys writing which rehearseth my words in this maner I am sure there are many that maruell that I being so yong dare attempt to dispute thys matter agaynst these thrée persons But my wordes are these I am sure that there are many that will much maruell that I being so yong and of so smal learning dare dispute this matter c. Here Rastell leaueth out the wordes and of so small learning for if he had put that in he had bewrayed himselfe For I thincke no man so mad as to say that he which sayeth himselfe to be both yong and of small learning shoulde prayse and boaste hym selfe Also immediatly after the wordes of hys first allegation I say on thys maner And as touching my lerning I must needes acknowledge as the truth is that it is very small which I thinke is but a base boasting and anone after I say I would not that any man should admit my wordes or learning except they will stand wyth the scripture and be approued therby Lay them to the touchstone and trye them with Gods word if they be found false and contrary then damne them and I also shall reuoke them with all mine hart c. Finally I exhorted them to read my booke not aduertising who speaketh the wordes but rather what is spoken by which wordes you might well see that I entended not to boast my selfe and all this haue I written and be left it out euē in the first page as he calleth it wherin he reporteth that I boast my selfe Notwithstanding one thing doth sore vexe him that I should recite the Epistle of S. Paule wherby he saith I would haue men beleue that I had the spirite of God and thinke that though I be young that I sée visions and espye the truth and that myne elders haue dreamed dreames and wandered in phantasies Thys he recounteth to be a great boast and that thys one place shoulde winne him the fielde whereunto I aunswer that indéede my wordes do not proue that thing which you séeme so surely to gather of them but my wordes do argue on this maner that no man ought to condemne a thing before he read it and then to geue sentence and because you séeme ignoraunt in the matter I shall declare it vnto you and how it standeth It is a coulour of Rhetorike and is called Auantopodosis that is to saye An aunswere to an obiection that a man might haue here made on thys maner thou grauntest thy self yong and of so small learnyng doost thou then thinke that we shall once read or regard thy booke specially sith it is written against auncient mē both of great wit dignity To these two pointes I aunswer preuenting theyr obiection that they should not despise it because of my youth for as the spirite of God is bound to