in MelanctoÌ„s correlatiues whereof ye make mention in the ende of your booke of fayth and of promyse And that the cause whye we be iustified by faith sayth he not by charitie is because promise can not be receaued but by fayth And in this poynt they meruayl of the grossenes of our wit that vnderstande not the nature of correlatiues and se not howe a promise can onely be appreheÌ„ded by fayth and that is the grounde that moueth them to saye Onely faithe iustifieth And thus they reason Seinge our saluatioÌ„ dependeth vpoÌ„ goddes promise a promise can not be apprehended but by faith onely we must nedes saye only faith iustifieth And to make the matter playne they brynge in a similytude If one man promiseth an other xx.li howe can he to whome the promise is made apprehende the promise but onely by beleuynge him that promiseth And this is the newe scoole of Germany where sophistry is not banished but hath a newe garmente and is clothed with a pretence of simplicitie For in this teachynge is a meruelouse apparaunce of playnnes and throughlye considered conteynethe a meere deceyte And note well reader that thou mayest perceyue this iuggelinge sophistrye where it deceyueth the. It is not denyed but onely faythe apprehendeth the promyse therin is no controuersy but marke well this when god iustifieth man god ministreth mercy to vs which was the thing god promised to giue vs as the prophet zacharie prophecied god wold giue him self who is all mercy whervpon is grouÌ„ded oure saluation wherin we must coÌ„sidre distinctly a parte the promyse of god and the thynge by hym promysed whiche is mercy The promise is one the thinge conteined in the promise is an other As in their exaÌ„ple for I dare make no newe when one freÌ„d promiseth an other Goddes promyse of mercy sheweth the promyse to be the boÌ„dâ— mercye the thinge promised xx.li. the promise is the bonde the thing promysed is the xx.li In which example though I graunt that I apprehend my frendes promise with beleuing him yet I apprehende not that is conteined in my frendes promise with beleuing him for I appreheÌ„d that with my haÌ„des yf it be payed me And so although we apprehend gods promise with our belefe yet the exhibicion of the mercy of god which is the thinge coÌ„prehended in gods promyse we apprehend that with all such partes of vs of bodye and soule as be comforted and healed by that mercye And in the workynge of chrystes myracles the promysse of helthe in body and soule was receaued by fayth in the vnderstandynge lyghtened by God but the healthe was receaued in all the partes healed of body and soule Nowe if he wyll yet wrangle and saye that the promyse of god is mercye and god wyll surely fulfil his promyse So as he that apprehendeth the promyse apprehendeth also mercye I wyll not vary with him therein to saye that the promyse is for the certaine hope of the thing promised mercy For as our Ladye sayde in the spirite of prophecy Suscepit Israell puerum suuÌ„ recordatus misericordiae suae God hath taken to him Israel his seruaunt remembryng his mercy that is to say according to his mercifull promise which the nexte verse declareth Sicut locutus est c. yet ye shall note here a distinction in degre of mercye betwene the mercy in the mercyfull promise when our Lady sayth recordatus miseri cordiae suae the very receyuyng of Israel to his seruice which god doth in iustification of man for then he taketh Israel the beleuer that seeth god to his seruauÌ„t whiche is a further mercy and the very mercy promysed So as Israel apprehendeth the mercifull promyse by faith but beynge taken to seruyce receiueth the further mercy ê“mised in receauing a newe hart a new spirit which god createth in man with the gift of charite resuscitateth in man lyfe beyng al lyfe and charite hym selfe Wherefore we may not properly saye we apprehende iustification by faythe whiche is the exhibition of mercy promysed by god to iustifie man onlesse we wolde call the promise of god and the exhibition of the thinge promysed all one God wyl do assuredly that he promyseth yet his promyse the thynge promysed be distincte the promise the exhibitioÌ„ of the promise distinct but assuredly knit together without fayling for god can not faile yet disseuered in consideration of the scripture And herein is the sophistry in this newe scoole slythly to passe ouer and iuggle as this man speaketh of vnder bord from the promise to the exhibition of the thing promised which their sleight is not of the rude easelye espied bicause in common speach we vse sometime to signify by the worde promyse the thynge promysed and so we do when we saye we be saued by gods promisse meaninge his mercy promysed and yet be the promysse and mercy promysed diuers in coÌ„sideration of the thinge as afore As soone as man beleueth God procedeth to the fulfillynge of his promyse for his part and giueth vs a newe spirite and a newe harte and so iustifieth vs if we receiue it and assente by our free choice vnto it and worke with it which is the effectual receiuyng and the worthynes on our parte whereby we be iustified And note wel this that there must be on our parte a worthynes and therefore howe so euer ye wyll smyle at it The churcâ— hath alwaâ— labored in â—membraunâ—â— of gods pâ—mises to pâ— vs in remeâ—braunce oâ— our wortâ—nes it is a good prayer Ora pro nobis sancta dei genitrix ut digni efficia mur promissionibus christi In this prayer we call vpon our Ladye as a lyuely membre of christes misticall body to praye to god for vs and with vs that we maye be made worthy the promises of christ In which prayer we acknowledge and truely professe that the promises of god require in vs a worthynes For the promyses of god be not to all men withoute condition absolute for then all shulde be saued but onelye to suche as be worthy to enioye theÌ„ And of this worthynes the scripture speaketh the thyrde chapiter in the booke of wisedome â—sedome â—archeth seâ—nge them â—at be worâ—ye her sayenge god hath teÌ„pted them and founde them worthy him And Centurio in the gospell when he humblye wold haue auoyded the comminge of Christ into his house sayde Lorde I am not worthye that thou shouldeste entre into my house Nowe if we shall so presse the signification of this worde worthy as we meane somtime when we say Dignus est operarius mercede sua no man can be founde worthy the mercy of god but if we can be content in the vnderstandynge to absteyne from the extremite and take worthynes for metenes after gods acceptation then all such may be accompted worthy as coÌ„forme them selfe to goddes pleasure and vse suche giftes of god as whereby god maketh vs worthy both the
Christ which all are inuisible thynges hoped for But Winchester dreaming vs forth his new fained faith coupleth her to an externe knowledge of what maner a visible fulfylling I caÌ„ not tel you nor yet of what a fond confuse condicion nor yet of hym selfe expressed Ioyne thou thy faith to an outward visible bodely thinge and so it is neither faith nor hope Blessed are they that beleue se not Nowe muste Wyn. proue his condition with the fulfylling and knowledge thereof to be thinges inuisible hoped for as eternall life c. or elles his faith shal not be that fayth whiche Paule diffineth christe so often mencioneth in his gospell VvintonÌ„ IT may appeare in you euidently howe malyce maketh you blynd wheÌ„ rehersyng my wordes yet ye aske me whether fayth goeth before workes For when I saye as you reherse that the fulfyllynge of the condicion requireth fyrst knowledge what the condicion is and then that this knowledge is attayned by fayth do not I geue faith the fyrst place as the meane of knowledge what is the condicion which must nedes go before the fulfyllynge the fulfyllyng before thatteyning of the effecte In this place who is first saye you by myne owne wordes fayth or workes And yet ye saye by my proces workes go before when my wordes rehersed hitherto declare the contrary But ye were so pleasaunt in scoffinge that ye forgate the matter And these be the frutes of the spirite that vexeth you This is the milde meke sobrenes of your profession of christiane charitie I wyll aske you a question wakynge Is not all oure certeine knoweledge of gods wyl and pleasure by faith Some parte of your wordes semeth to saye yes when ye call it the certeinte of thinges inuisible And yet wheÌ„ ye say that I dreame an exâ—erne knoweledge of visible thinges with addicioÌ„ of these two wordes that is to say externe visible Ye say ye can not tel vs more of it And it is a world to se howe fondely ye talke for fayth in no sence can signify an externe knowledge which is only by the senses And where dydde I talke in my dreame of visible thinges speakynge of god and his wyll which be all inuisible and in gods wyll is coÌ„teyned the condicioÌ„ I speake of whiche after knowledge thereof as I saide muste be fulfylled and without knoweledge before can not be fulfilled As for your mangled argument to conferme the proufe ye promysse shall be more commodiously entreated afterwarde In this parte I shewe only howe ye wrangle with me take vpon you to improue that ye vnderstand not as by the rehersal of my next article shal appeare more plainly Ye reherse it thus Vvinch thyrde artycle This faith commeth of God this faith is a good gift It is good and profitable to me It is profitable to me to do well and to exercise this faith Ioye This faith so farre of flytted frome the inuisible iustyfycatyon whether it be the gyfte of God and profytable to Wynchester I doubte it but this I am sure of by Christes owne wordes that when Wynchester hathe done all that God commaunded hym whyche I dare saye he shall neuer do and so neuer fulfyll his condicion yet is he but a seruauÌ„t if he be not a lord vnprofitable I wolde aske Wynchester when he loketh and considereth fyrste theffecte of christes passion whether he beleued it or no If he did not beleue so was he then an infidell If he beleued it seinge it is the promysed forgyuenes of synnes in Christes bloud whether beleued he it to be effectuouse to hym selfe or only to other men If to other and not to hym selfe so is his faythe and the deuylles faythe all one If he beleued his owne synnes to be forgyuen thereby so was he iustified by faith onelye ere any other condicion was knowen or spoken of or elles he muste make christ a lyer which sayeth As thou beleuest so come it to the. WheÌ„ Iairus desyred Christ to come helpe his doughter and in Christes commynge Iairus his seruaunt mette him saienge Desease not Christe out mayster no further for your doughter is deade What sayde Christ Sayde he not to hym feare not Beleue only and she shall be safe These same wordes onely beleue stande bothe in Marke and Luke What condicion elles then fayth onely in Christes promysse can Wynchester fynde to enioye the effecte of Christes passion Christ all condicions elles set a syde only faith mencioned saide Thy fayth hath saued the. What condicion elles then faith dydde Chryste requyre of the chyldes father prayenge hym to caste the euyll spyryte oute of his sonne Added he any thynge elles then faithe sayenge If thou canste beleue all thynges are possible to the beleuer Awaye Wynchester with your confuse comberouse condycyon fonde fulfyllynges and your craftie knowledge and abuse not the preciouse gyfte of fayth to serue your synful affectes to proue your blasphemouse coÌ„clusion But yet perchauÌ„ce Wynchester wyll aunswere to my former questyon that when he beholdeth the forgyuenes of his synnes in Christes passyon he seeth also therwith his condicion well be it so Then aske I hym whether the forgyuenesse of his synnes there beholden and hym selfe hearynge Chryste callynge and cryeng Comme vnto me Wynchester laden with synnes and I shall ease the whether I saye it is moore profitable for hym by fayth to sette holde â–ª of the forgyuenes of his synnes nowe offered hym by christ that can not lye or to tarye and sende him worde that he wyll fyrste knowe and fulfyll his condicion A wyse man wolde thynke it moost profitable to sette holde firste by faith vpon his iustificacion frely now offered hym and to take the thynge certeyne and present rather then so precyous a gyfte neglected to labour in an vncertayne condycyon For yf his condicion be the workes of the lawe as he wyll not denye it whiche it is impossible for any flessh to fulfyll as Paule affirmeth and al our best workes are infected with Adams byrth poison stayned lyke the sycke womans clothes as Isai saith And if Wynchester I say tary tyl he hathe fulfylled his condicion he shall come to short of his iustification in Christ For ere he beginneth to ful fyll the condicion he is disobedient to christes callinge and refuseth the forgiuenes of his sinnes of which vnfaith fâ—ll disobedience what so euer dede foloweth it is synne yea and that a greuouse synne as Samuel exaggerateth it vnto kinge Saule albeit he dyd it as they say of a good intent Vvynto HItherto I haue touched your blynde malyce to improue my wordes onely because they were myne For they haue no thinge in them but that myght be spoken of one that wold mainteine your owne opinion Neyther Barnes ne his scoolefelowe dyd euer varye with me in them For they be principilles so true and euident as they can haue no contradiction of hym that is not vnshamefast And when I say this fayth commeth
realme sowing most pestilēt heresies yea and that wittyngly whiche is the synne agenst the holy gost whiche when all synnes be they right greuous shal be forgeuen yet shall this your vngodlye impiete be neuer forgeuen Vvin. Yet Vvin ix article YOu say that fayth is thassueraunce of the promyse of forgeuenes of sin̄es Ioye If faith be that same certitude and assured persuasion as Paule saith assuring you of your iustification why then adde you your vncertayne condiciō waueryng vpon your sinfull works which as they be vnstable vnperfit sinne so can they neuer make you a quyet trāquyl conscience nor certify you of your iustificatiō God so sayeng Thou labourest in the multitude of thine own wayes and yet thoughteste thou them neuer enoughe Adde no condycyon on your behalfe therfore oh Wyn. into your owne condempnaciō Christ neuer taught you to beleue vpon a condicion but saide symply and playnelye Beleue and thou art saued Adde not to goddes worde lest ye be condempned for a lyer Wynch tolde Martyne Bucere that he and his wolde not receyue the doctours as Wyn. wolde I coulde brynge Austen Hierom Origene and many other autentyk writers agenst hym selfe but let vs see whether he wyll beleue this one doctor saint Ambrose thus writing vppon the first epistle to the Corrinthes saienge This thinge is constituted of god that who so beleue in christe he is saued without any worke only by faith frely receiuinge the remission of hys sinnes What can be spoken more plainlye Nowe make an ende Wyn. and conclude your arrogant articles Vvinton̄ AS for your talke in the lawe it is not worth an hawe for it is besides the matter and before aūswered my sayenges ye can not improue sauynge that ye saye I may not adde to gods word whervnto I wyll aunswer that I adde not but only marke and note what gods worde conteineth And when I se so many tymes yf required of vs I knowe none other englysshe name to signifie what that is A discussio◠what is adding to god◠worde but a condicion And here let vs dyscusse what we shall cal addyng to gods worde If ye cal thinuencion of a newe worde whereby to discerne what is written in scripture as I or you vnderstand it an addicion to gods worde then do you and all your secte offende in deuysynge the wordes office and correlatiue to signify what fayth doth and howe it apprehendeth the promyse whiche I thynke the spirite wold not suffre you to do if it were addynge to goddes worde Moreouer I thynke ye call not addyng to goddes worde thaddynge of an other language wherein to expres gods worde by other syllables thē it was first spokē in For then were the world on both partes in a great offence being gods worde translate into so many tōgues nothing like the original tongues of greke or Hebrue Whereby appeareth that beynge the true sense kepte hole and entier the letters and sillables maye be altered withoute daunger as the language requyreth without any contradiction of this texte for not addynge to goddes worde Furthermore yf thexplayninge and openinge of scripture with mo wordes in the same language with similitudes also to giue more light to the true sense ye meane to declare were adding to gods worde I am sure ye wolde not haue trauailed so much in thexposicions of scriptures as ye haue doone in youre sundrye bokes And speciallye where ye make a drinking of christes holly supper ne haue vsed the similitude ye haue done of the sonne and fier for declaration of the secrete workynge of fayth alone yf ye had taken that for addynge to goddes word When ye rayle of me vncharitablye and deuyse for your purpose that is not true we can not cal that adding to gods word that is all besides it and contrarye to goddes word When I saye to you that it is pitie to see the giftes of learnynge in you and many other so abused and abhominacion most detestable to se the pretēce of gods worde to couer so many deuelyshe and detestable wordes of sclaūder malice myschief and heresy wyll you saye that I adde to goddes word herein bicause it is not there directlye spoken of you ye can not truely For albeit it be not specially wrytten of you yet because of a generall warraunt of scripture that we maye saye and wryte that is truth and edyfieth ye can not say I adde herein vnto gods worde but accordynge to goddes worde saye truthe And so likewise in euery other iuste honest and holy thynge Who then doth adde to goddes worde Only he that calleth scripture whiche is not scripture or reporteth the sence of gods scripture amisse For such one frameth hym selfe an ydol in his own fansy and worshippeth it for gods truth falsely Suche men adde to gods worde and reporte not god truely and therefore as the texte sayth shall be condempned as lyers And this is the true vnderstandynge of this texte broughte in by you Adde not to goddes worde Whyche I haue harde manye tymes vsed lyke a keye to cleue logges and therfore haue discoursed thunderstandynge of it As for the sayeng of saint Ambrose maketh nothing agaynst myne article For in the begynnynge when the contention was betwene christe Moyses lawe by faith was signified hole christ and by workes the lawe of Moyses and in this strife where fayth and workes stoode in contencion one against a nother the speache onely fayth was spoken of that good faith only to exclude Moyses lawe with the receyuynge or not receyuyng wherof christendome was troubled For els onely did neuer exclude the familiar companye of faythe with charitie that stode of the same side that faith doth And so you youre selfe vnderstande it that charitie is there and not excluded And the precyse wordes wtout any worke exclude onelye the workes of the lawe for the workes of receyuynge and vsynge the giftes of fayth loue must nedes be there as is before declared And nowe to the article that foloweth in youre boke whiche article ye call myne and I am very glad so to take it it foloweth thus Vvin. x. article A man beynge in deadly synne maye haue grace to do the workes of penaūce whereby he maye attayne to his iustification Ioye And I say the contrarye That a man beynge in deedly synne maye haue no grace to do the workes of penaunce as I feare me it wyll be verified of Win. hym selfe But the Lorde conuerte him ones so that all men maye se his open frutes of repentaunce for his greuous persecution of Chrystes membres and heare hym openly with teares recanting his false doctrine wherby he hath seduced many a symple soule This is lo his doctrine A man must do the workes of penaunce before he be iustified and so by suche workes merite and deserue his iustification and forgyuenes of synnes Here thou seest christen reader that suche a man hath no nede of Christes death but for such men sayth Paule Christ is
inconuenience men haue deuised to say now I beleue not Luther nor Melancton nor Bewcer nor Suinglius nor Ioye nor Turnor And call them for the tyme knaues for Maledictus qui confidâ—t in homine but I beleue ê™ he goddes holy wordes which can not lye as men do And shall I not beleue the wordes of the byble I knowe what edifiethe me thankes be to the lorde of his gyfte my conscyence telleth me what is good and no man shall bringe me from that god teacheth me by his holye spirite Nowe yâ— wyll aske me And is not this well saide Verelye if man were neuer deceyued in the true sence of gods worde and were assured that god in dede taught him by his holye spirite the aunswere were graue but when so many errours are arrisen in the sence of goddes holy worde and the deuyll maye and hath transformed him selfe into the aungell of lyght suche speach in communycacyon is besydes the purpose For men doute not whether goddes holye worde is to be beleued but what is the sence of goddes holye worde And the maner of speache aforesaide beinge so precise serueth rather as ashes to couer fier to kepe an error close then with sobre communication eche man mistrustinge his owne learninge to trye out what other men whose spirite is commeÌ„ded vnto vs haue by one consent lefte written and testified what they vnderstande in the matter Mary you maister Ioye I praye you pardonne me for yf god hath so made you of his secrete counsel that ye can tel what christ thought as ye haue before arrogantly affyrmed ye may speake for so much with more aucthorytie then anye other But let vs considre ones agayne your And I say the contrary for albeit ye saye so in summe yet when ye declare your selfe afterwarde some wolde conster ye sayde otherwyse and that whether ye wyll or no ye agree with me For when ye call penaunce a turnynge to God youre sayenge implyeth that before suche a man as turneth by penaunce dydde by goddes callynge turne that man was out of gods fauour not iustified but turned from God and after that by grace turneth whyche ye call penaunce So as if ye maye be so vnderstanded ye saye that a man beynge a synner maye haue grace to turne The differeÌ„ce yf we vnderstande you thus betwene you and me is that you expresse the worke of penaunce whyche ye call turnynge And I speake of the worke of penaunce in general and yet I haue not contended with you what be the workes of penauÌ„ce And for ought I here of you in the workes of penaunce I shall not contende with you muche but agre with you for all this bablynge that turninge to god is the worke of penaunce so it be a hole turne whereof scripture speaketh with a mannes hole harte in fastinge wepynge and waylynge and as the church hath declared our turnynge shuld be and not halfe a turne as some of your scole teache and amonges all your turnyng Turnor whom god turne into the right waye But afterwarde ye handle your turninge otherwyse wyll so vnderstande your turninge as a synner shulde be iustified before he doth turne wherein you turne the matter so aboute as it is inexplicable for by you a sinner turneth not as your speache purporteth but a man that was a synner now beleuing and iustified hauing his synnes forgeueÌ„ turneth and so he that is turned all ready in iustificacion yet remaynyng thaÌ„ turneth agayn in penaunce and then the seconde turninge shulde be from god yf the turninge in iustificacion were to god as it muste neads be for in remyssyon of synne and iustificacion god turneth man to him And so the playne man whom ye take vpon you to teache playnly wolde vnderstand it For when ye say that a sinner before his turnyng by penaunce beleueth and is iustified that is one turne where he was before from god now to be towardes hym And then if there be yet after a turnynge againe in penaunce that turnynge must nedes be from god For a seconde turne muste nedes be contrarye to the fyrste as a simple man aunswered when one told him the world was turned Then ê™ he all is well for I harde my graundfather saye in his tyme the worlde was turned And then the worlde was nought And therfore by the seconde turne he concludeth it shulde be good For in two turnes one succedinge a nother yf the first be one waye the seconde is a nother And yet you wolde haue a synner fyrst iustified by fayth wherein he is turned to god and then turne by penaunce If ye wolde call me nowe Pelagian bycause I shuld speake as thoughe man myghte turne of him selfe withoute belefe then I wolde saye ye spake as besemethe the person ye mainteyne I haue learned and therafter speake that a sinner can not turne without the grace of god which god dystributeth by degrees as the soÌ„ne sheweth her selfe in the morninge in whom there is encrease by successe tyl the sonne come to the highest at noon Men fall sodenly downe the hyll from god but they be drawen vp the hyll to hym by degrees And the degrees of helth be signified in the miracle of christ of the blynde man to whome christ restored not his perfit syghte at ones but by degrees We preache to meÌ„ to rise in the mornÃng orto iam sole for Vanum est ante lucem surgere and ye bydde men lye styll whyle it be noon that the sonne be at the highest this causeth your fonde stoicall scoole of extremities whiche admytteth no meane I haue bene somewhat mery with you for my owne relefe beinge vexed and weried with your fond talke whiche is suche as maketh onely a coÌ„fusion of that ye speake of without frute or edifienge And yet I can not pretermytte to note somewhat in your iustification which ye declare thus Ioye Now let vs se the order of our iustification before god accordynge to the scriptures Firste sayth Paule we are chosen of god in Chryst before the foundacion of the worlde was layde And when we be borne anewe of the spirite we are called to receyue fayth Ioan. i. and .i. Ioan. v. which gyfte of faith certifyeth vs of our election geuynge vs the knowlege of god the father in and by Christe Whiche knowledge as nothynge can be sayd breiflyer so is there nothynge more excellent sweter more full and perfit holsomer more comfortable and ioyouse For when I knowe god the father in Christe by the holy gost I knowe these .iii. persons to be the onely one God the most hygh goodnes hauynge his beinge of him self and all other creatures to haue their being lyfe and mouynge of hym euen that one alone my very lyuynge God for me and for all sufficient mercyful benygne louyng almyghty to me my delyuerer defender and keper longe suffring iust true my presente sauyoure and forgeuer of my synnes gyuynge me frelye for Christes sake eternall lyfe and beatitude In
this knoweledge of my celestial father am I fermly persuaded Christ Iesu his onelye sonne both god and mā to be sente for my sake into this worlde to be the annoynted Messyas kynge and preiste to be my gouerner delyuerer auenger defender my heade redemer by hys passyon medyatoure my clensinge sacrifyce once for me and for all faythfull for euer offred vp on the crosse my onelye intercessoure nowe into heuen ascended my holynes myne expiacion my rightwisenes helth way lyfe and satysfaccyon satisfyinge my fathers iustice for my sinnes neuer to be imputed to me for my onelye faythes sake daylye iustifienge and absoluinge me contynuallye reuyuynge me wyth his holy spyryte anoyntyng me wyth the grace of the holye gooste so that nowe I by hys mercye and grace being in christe his electe might walke dayly in good workes pleasynge my celestiall father vnto this knowledge and beleef he calleth all his chosen for whome he hath forseene predestined and chosen them hath he called by his worde and creacyon of this world vnto this faith and knoweledge and whome he thus called the same hathe he iustyfyed and whome he hath iustyfyed them hath he glorified Vvinton̄ IN the processe of your iustification fyrst ye say saint Paule sayth we be chosen of God in Chryste before the foundacyon of the worlde was layde whyche be the wordes of the appostle And here ye make a true entrye Then ye saye that in the fyrst chapter of saynt Iohn̄s gospell and the fyrst epystle the fyfte chapter of saynte Iohn̄ it is conteyned that when we be borne anewe of the spyryte we are called to receyue faith If you can iustifie this to be true I wyll not further impugne youre iustification But your allegation of this scripture is lyke the spellynge of a yonge strypelynge I ones went about to teach to reade He wolde neades spell backewarde A.b. he spelled it Ba. and B.A. Ab. The scripture ye allege saith He that beleueth is borne of god ye say we be borne of god to receiue beleefe Scripture placeth fayth in ordre before the byrthe not in prioritye of tyme but in natural order And ye place it after as it were also in the distaunce of tyme. The wordes of the scrypture in the gospell of saynte Iohn̄ be that so manye as receyue Chryste haue power gyuen them to be the sonnes of god suche as beleue in his name who be not borne of the bloodes nor the wyll of man but be borne of god By this texte to be the sonne of god faith muste neades go before The wordes of the epystle be these Euerye man that beleuethe that Iesus is Christe is borne of god Is not faith placed here in the order of the text before the birth as a declaration whereby to know what is signified by this to be borne of god that is to saye to beleue that Iesus is christ Not to beleue in tongue as saynt Iohn̄ sayth but to beleue in workinge that is beleued Christe teachinge Nichodemus oure regeneration seconde natiuitie of god sayeth Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua spiritu sancto non potest introire in regnum dei Whiche natiuitie is ministred in the sacrament of baptisme And in thactes of thappostles when the Enuche desired to be partaker of this regeneration to be borne of god and sayde Here is water what letteth me to be baptised Phillyppe sayde to the Enuche If thou beleuest with all thy hart thou maiest And thenuche aunswered I beleue Iesus Christe to be the sonne of god And so was thenuche baptised whiche forme of baptisme the church obserueth styl in the christeninge of Infants offred to christ in the fayth catholique of their parentes And accordinge to this declaration the wordes of saynt Iohn̄s epistle be that eche man who beleueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of god not excludinge the sacrament of baptisme but declaringe that the foundacion of our regeneracion is this fayth where saynt Iohn̄ in a fewe wordes reuerentlye foldeth vp the hole misterye of oure fayth By your interpretacion ye wold haue men firste borne the chyldren o◠god then to receiue faith But Philyp expoundeth it that we receiue fayth to be borne the childrē of god therfore requireth it before the regeneracion semblable in other matters scripture preacheth penaunce to obteine remissiō of sinne and ye teache remission of sinne wherby to come to penaunce Scripture saith we do not forgiue our neighbour god will not forgiue vs. You teach that god must fyrste forgiue vs then we to forgiue our neighbour Christ calleth vs to him to be vnburdened of our synne And ye teach that we be vnburdened of our synne or we come at him And so throughly ye teach christ backward Scripture neuer taught him after that sort yet ye call vpon other for scripture and then ye wyll haue scripture playne as it is written to be vnderstāded streight of al men at the fyrst readynge whiche bearyng in hande of playnnes with a desyre that mans curiouse nature hathe to knowledge or for wante therof to be seen to haue knowlege the nūber that readeth after you saythe they vnderstand as ye do And yf suche one can say onely fayth iustifieth and a prieste is a knaue the masse is not in scripture and an Image is an idole ye prayse so much the lorde in hym and reioyse so muche as in a proselite that ye make hym runne through the scripture in thicke and thinne euen tyll he commeth to predestination and further to gods prouidence that some be so blynded at the last as they call al in doubte Ye be your selfe blynde in malice and take vpon you to be leaders of the blynd and so tumble al together in the pyt of errour with the miserable destruction of soule and body Let vs returne agayn to the scripture ye haue brought in which ye say signifieth that whē we be borne a new of the spirit we be called to receyue faith The wordes of the scripture be Eche man that beleueth that Iesus is christ is borne of god If ye wolde herein resort to grāmer and say This part is onlye to Ioye tha◠did before or pose me in my gramme◠bycause natus est is written in the preterperfitence and credit is writen in the presentence and thervpon fansy that natus est must be before credit I must aunswer you agayn by grāmer that the preterperfitens in laten signifieth the presentens as wel as the pretertēs for philophers affirme by reason of the cōtinuall mouing that tyme euer passeth nothing is properly presēt but only god And for declaraciō that the pretertence signifieth the presēt euery verbe passiue and deponēte boroweth in his preterperfittens of the verbe substantiue to ioyne with his participle both est and fuit so as natus est is properly the present perfittens and natus fuit the preterperfittens Now if the translation had been natus fuit then
the grammer wold somwhat haue holpe to wrangle with al And I wold then haue resorted only to the declaracion of Philippe to the Enuche which Philip was no papiste nor lawer as I wolde haue resorted also to christes wordes Qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit which placeth faith before baptisme the sacrament of byrth of the spirite as ye speake in newe englyssh and of the holly goost as the olde englisshe turned it and of god as the scripture by you broughte in speakethe it And I doubte not but Christ thoughte in these wordes euen as he spake bycause ye meddle with christes thoughtes and accordynge thereunto with the same ordre instructed Philippe to baptise thenuche And yet ones againe to your scripture that alloweth not your reporte of it The scripture is Euerye man that beleueth Iesus is chryste is borne of god This hath the same sence that saint Paule spake in other wordes No man can say or speake our lorde Iesu christe but in the holly ghost when saint Peter also confessed christ to be the sonne of god Christe saide that flesshe and bloude had not reueled that vnto him but his father that is in heauen And so in this place Euerye man that beleueth Iesus to be christ hath that beleue of god which hauing of god is spokeÌ„ in the termes of byrth of god He is borne of god to signifie the sacrameÌ„t of baptisme wherin we be regenerate of water and the holy ghost after christes teachinge whome God badde vs heare and therewith beware of you that teache christe not as ye haue learned in scripture but after your owne ymaginations For when there maye be anye resemblaunce in the rude consyderacyon of the symple man meete to agree with youre peruerse interpretacyon ye do easelye seduce hym to allowe youre fansye As in this text when ye reade he that beleueth Iesus is Chryste is borne of god ye cause the rude man to note fyrste a byrthe of god and then a beleuynge and somewhat lyke therevnto We in common speache saye he that foloweth me is my seruaunte In this speache is a playne vnderstandynge that the man was my seruaunte before he folowed me So as the resemblaunce of thys speache to the other of scrypture In englyâ— speches thâ— seme of oâ— fashion is great diueâ—te of senseâ— causeth symple folke easelye to agree to youre exposicion that by that texte of scrypture it shoulde appeare that a man is firste borne of God before he beleuethe bycause the one speache is lyke the other And when the vnlearned by you be ledde into this errour then the pryde of a presumptuouse knoweledge makethe them obstinatelye to defende it and call all other knoweledge whereby they shoulde be rydde of theyr erroure iugglynge and sophistrye mannes inuentions and suche other peuysshe wordes as men be encombred to heare onlesse they wolde make gods worde the matter of the deuylles stryfe Thinke me not tediouse good reader that I tarye in this matter to open and shewe howe one fashyon of speache in englysshe receyueth diuerse interpretacion by reason of the ordre of the matter that is knytte togither For when I saye he that foloweth me is my seruaunt the speache importeth that he was my seruaunt before he folowed me But in an other matter knytte in the same fasshyon of speache when I saye he that couenaunteth to serue me is my seruaunt this speach signifieth not that he was before my seruaunte and then couenauÌ„ted but that by this couenaunt he is made nowe my seruaunt and was not before In the other speache he was my seruaunte or he folowed me and in this laste speache we must vnderstande that he dydde couenaunte or he were my seruaunte And what reason of dyuersitie in these two Marye in the fyrste speache I ioyne that is oute of all kinde of causes to theffecte as to folowe me is no cause to be my seruaunte but rather ensueth of seruyce But in the seconde I ioyne a kynde of cause with the effecte And then I maye not saye the effecte was before the cause and therefore in asmuche as a couenaunt is of the kind of causes to make hym my seruaunte I maye not by the lyke fasshion of speache deceaue my selfe and say bycause in the one speache it was not true where I sayde he that folowethe me is my seruaunte that he was my seruaunte before he folowed me I muste therefore in this speache he that couenaunteth to serue me is my seruaunte saye also that he was my seruaunte before he couenaunted with me Nowe bycause in the speache of scrypture whiche is Eche man that beleueth Iesus to be christ is borne of god there is ioyned of the kinde of causes that is to saye to beleue with the effecte whyche is to be borne of god I may not saye we be borne of god or we beleue but that we beleue or we be borne of god And this resembleth that englyshe speache before declared He that couenauÌ„teth to serue me is my seruaunte But if the scripture were thus He that shal be saued is borne of god the vnderstandynge muste needes be that we be borne of god or we be saued For this is like the other speache in englysshe he that foloweth me is my seruaunt whiche implieth that he was my seruaunt or he folowed me whiche diuerse consideration arriseth vppon the diuersitie of placynge theffecte before the cause or the cause before the effecte And he that dothe not marke this maye easelye saye an horsemyll for a mylhorse and in the mystakynge of the sence of the scryptures all heresyes be grounded they that be in that darkenes subuerted in theyr iudgement can not abyde the lyghte of the truthe and meanes to dyscerne it but be learned to abhorre that shoulde cleare the matter and call their darkenes lyght and the verye lyght darkenes But good reader consydre agayne and againe what Ioye gathereth of the scrypture howe vntruelye he gathereth it and by what sleyght he conueieth it into the heades of the ignoraunte that take hym for a greate mayster He sayeth we be borne of god and so called to receyue beleefe where in deede we be called to receiue belefe wherwith but not with it alone but with it as foundacion to be borne of god For he that is borne of god we shall not saye he is called to receyue faith but in his byrthe of god hath receyued it all readye wythoute whyche he is not borne of God For fide purificat deus cordaâ— as saynte Paule saith and yet you wolde teache that mens hartes were purified by byrth in god or they receyued faith For if a maÌ„ be borne of god olde Adam is cast away the weight of synne is vnladen mans state is recreate and renued Et quod natum est ex spiritu spiritus est and yet by you man is broughte to this state or he knoweth god for hitherto he is but called to receiue faith by your teachinge whereby