of in the boke of the causes of the blyndnes cÌ„ tracta 5. capi 12. ¶ The pope and other with hym that canonyse vsurpe that whiche is ê“pre to the alonly god that is to adscrybe and numbre his electe ¶ To adfyrme that the pope or any other men may canonyse the electe of god it is herysye bycause it dothe dissent from holy scrypture ♣ Alonly the electe whom god hathe adscrybed in the eternitie and numbre of his sayntes be of his churche But vnto they beleue they abyde without the churche ¶ For any man to be of the churche of god kynde condycyon age nacyon coloure of clothyng or deynteousnes or any other outwarde thynge nothiÌ„g profyteth As is playne Galath 3. Coloss 3. but syncere faythfull do admyt no outwarde thynge that dothe nat agre in all thynge with the worde of god ☞ wherof it foloweth that it is heresye to adfyrme that the pope cardynalles byshopes with all his kyngedome be of the churche of god which is meke all pure and holy Forthermore as I haue sayde it is iÌ„uisible .i. it maye nat be knowen surely by outwarde thynges althoughe it haue alway the externe workes of faythe for it dothe althyng of faythe whether it eate / drynke or any other thyng But that it dothe thys of faythe there is none but god and he beynge worker that seeth ¶ They that be of the coÌ„gregacyon / of the wycked / haue ofte workes aperyngly good / very ofte apere to the electe to be more holye for it / verely god knoweth that all theyr workes be euyll bycause they be nat of faythe ¶ Therfore of faythe / and infidelyte / good workes and euyll iuste / and iniuste / do come ¶ who so euer lyueth nat and worketh of this forsayde faythe / is of the company / and synagoge that is spoken of Psalmo 23. I haue hatyd the churche malygnant / and. Apocalip 2. I knowe theyr blasphemyes that saye they be Iues / and be nat / but be the synagoge of satane and agayne capitulo 3. beholde I shall gyue of the synagoge of satane that say they be Iues be nat ¶ Of this kynde / is the hole churche of the pope / it is so muche lesse that it shulde be / of the ympollutyd churche of god ¶ All that be of the synagoge / of the pope wyl be callyd ecclesiastycall / and there is no lye more open theÌ„ this If thou do referre this name to the churche of god / in a respecte they may be alonly callyd ecclesiasty call or spirituall to the churche of the deuyll ¶ Therfore bycause / the kyngedome of the pope / hathe nothyng comen / with the churche of god / as many as perteyne to hym / be the very chyldren of his worlde / veryly all other / if they be noble men or marchaÌ„tes artificers / or husbandemen / so that there be syncere faythe / in whiche they lyue / and worke / and dysseÌ„t from the kyngdome of the pope / be ecclesiastycall / and of the churche of god / to whoÌ„ these scismatikes haue done the most poysened iniury and wronge bycause they haue callyd them seculer and carnal or temporal / and they haue coÌ„maundyd with a hatefull pryde them selues to be callyd ecclesiasticall and spirituall ¶ Verely who so euer is of the churche of god is ecclesiastycall and spirituall / and dothe all thynges of fayth / whiche be spirituall ¶ The sinagoge / of the pope is more aduersary to Christe / then the turke / for the emperoure of trukes sofferyth faythfull that be in his landes / to lyue after the pure worde of god / whom these blynde enemyes of mekenes / dothe nat cease to reclame agaynst in the myddes of theyr blyndnes ¶ wherfore it were better for vs to lyue vnder the empyre of the turke / then the pope truely it is lawfull for faythfull to lyue vnder any prynce / so that Christ his worde be frely sufferid as it was lawful for the Isralites to lyue vnder Nabugodonosor Cyro Daryo Assuero the Romanes the AsseryeÌ„s cÌ„ ♣ From this forsayde synagoge there may none passe to the churche of god excepte he fyrste forsake the pope and his decrees for the pope and Christ be more contrary then fyre and water ☞ He is the very greate and true antechriste and all the tyrannes of hys kyngdome .i. cardinalles and byshopes cÌ„ they that do nat dyssent froÌ„ hym be also antichristes ⧠Euen as it was necessarye to the blessyd angelles to theyr eternal helthe to dyssent from that fyrste angell apostata so to all that couit to be sauid it is necessary to be alyenat from the pope and his kiÌ„gdome orels they shall neuer truely knowe Christe and cleaue to his verytye with full herte wherfore they muste nedes peryshe at the laste ☞ ⧠♣ ⧠☜ ¶ Of the comunyon of sayntes of excomunicacion bulles of the son of perdycyon Capi. 3. The thyrde Chapitre ALl that be of the churche of god haue theyr comunion to gyther of one faythe one spirite one grace truthe iustice pease baptym and of al gyftes of the spirite ☞ Alonly by faythe they that beleue be partakers of all these For all the workes of god be in faythe ⧠♣ Bycause the kyngdome of the pope lyuys nat of faythe it can haue none of these it is so muche lesse that it can gyue them to other ☞ ⧠⧠It is heresye to afyrme that by the cursyd indulgences of the kyngedome of the pope the grace of god or remyssyon of al sines or of the thyrde or forthe or halfe parte or of one only synne is grauntyd ☞ ⧠♣ ☞ And the grace of god whiche is of faythe alonly be pÌ„seÌ„t al synnes be for gyuen nat ymputyd But if it be absent none is forgiuen but al ymputid ⧠Therfore nat one or some parte of syn is remytted but all to gether other remytted or holden For that maÌ„ is blessyd alonly whose iniquityes be forgyuen and coueryd and are nat ymputyd Psalm 31. so that if one syn be retayned yet dothe other remayne hatred and cursydnes ☞ ⧠♣ ♣ Bulles Iubylyes and all pardons of the kyngedome of the pope be no other thynge but dysceytfulnes dyuelysshe iuglyng sure nettes to drawe all the substance of the worlde cursyd marchandyse fedynge of the enemyes of god an abomynable inuencyon turnyng froÌ„ the syncere faythe of Christ alonly profytable to dystroye soules and noryshe satannes synagoge ⧠⧠who so euer dothe truste to these false bulles dothe nat perceyue that they be dystructyon he is blynde and shall neuer obtayne the grace of god by them or remissyon of one syn what so euer he dothe or gyuethe therfore ♣ Alonly god receyueth the electe of faythe to the aforsayde glory and comunyon of sayntes frome the whiche he alone makyth infideles straunge ☞ wherfore no man lyuyng neyther popes nor theyr byshopes nor all angelles and men togyther can
glory of god and helthe of soules I shall brefly intreate vpon with your hyghnes of those thynges that I copiously wrytte vpon to the moste noble lorde IOHAN Cardinal as they call it of Lotherynge what the Pope with hys Cardynalles Archebyshopes Byshopes Abbottes Chanones all other benefised men shall do leste they peryshe but may be sauyd For of truthe / all theyr hyghnes is of the dyuell Let them beware therfore / that they be nat euerlastiÌ„gly confoundyd / and peryshe For byshopes be alonly ê“phetes of truthe / and there shulde be so many byshopes as the multytude of people requyreth Ye and to confesse the truthe I can nat call your hyghnes a byshope excepte I shulde flatre and do agaynst my conscyence whiche is to be auoydyd of the faythfull euyn as the venyme of the serpent Aspis I coÌ„fesse you to be a prynce I knowe nat you to be a bysshoppe bycause you preache nat the gospell But it is nat in euery man to preache the gospel but of theÌ„ to whoÌ„ it is gyuen of the lorde for they muste be sende to it of him And these be the true byshopes of the churche of god Therfore dylygently endeuour your selfe that treâ—e byshopes may be encreasyd within your lordshyp Bysshopes may nat be lordes but alonlye doctours or teachers and seruauntes of the people of god It is iniury to a prynce to be callyd byshope ye and vtterly the moste greuous mockage if the thynge spoken be delygently examynyd wolde nat be thynke hym selfe deludyd that were callyd by a name nothyng 〈◊〉 for him whan any man is callyd â—â—shoâ—e what other thyng is it than to say beholde a preacher of the worde of god contynually preachyng the gospell hauyng knowledge of holy scripture teachiÌ„g the people with the alonly pure worde of god attrybutynge to god hys due honour and prayse herberous or kepyng hospitalytie geuyng example of him selfe to other to folowe the gospell in lyuyng moste dylygent in redynge and expounding the scriptures and yet he hathe none of all these I wyll suffre euery man to call you a byshop which I wyll nat do my selfe leste I be iniuryous to you I well knowe that you be prynce of Lausane ye and I wolde that you shulde so playe the prynce that you wolde dylygently laboure to haue many true byshopes vnder you For verely euery paryshe ought to haue hys propre byshope the whiche shulde be chosen of the people and coÌ„fyrmed by the cominaltie of the churche of euery place and to do this thiÌ„g they haue no nede of letters rynges sealles tokeÌ„s and suche other of this kynde very muche vsyd clene coÌ„trary to the worde of god So longe they shulde be accountyd for byshopes as they preache moste purely the gospell of the kyngdome of god FroÌ„ the whiche if they swarue one iote and teache straunge doctryne they ought to be deposyd and put out of them by whoÌ„ they were electe and chosen that is to say of the comynaltie of the churche afore namyd and other more apte to be electe But of thys matter I haue spoken more at the large in an other place Therfore I wyll returne to our purpose of Tregarius He dyd wryte to your hyghnes supposyng you to be Fabiane where as you be Sebastiane as the letters beare wytnes gyuen to me by your owne handes wherin he goyth aboute to supprese and treade vnder fote the eternall veritie of god vnder the name as he hathe wrytten of Lutherane secte and vnder colour of zele towarde the church he rayleth the moste lyceÌ„tiously in to the truthe and that same churche â—ho is he at the leaste that ê‘ceiueth the thyngê of god that folowith Luther or sayeth I am of Luthers secte Luther is a man and therfore of hym selfe a lyer but if Luther or any other speake the veritie and truthe of god what is the cause that we do nat gyue place to the truthe whiche the holy ghoste dothe make open to vs by Luther For I praye you is it nat wrytten of suche men you be nat they that speake but the spirite of your father that spekith in you it is nothyng sauery nor pleasythe nat at all that some men do say and talke of the wysdome of god whiche is founde in Paules epistles they call it Paules philophie I do gyue place and beleue the wrytynges of Paule Petre IohaÌ„ Esaie Hieremie and other prophetes of god nat for them but for the spirite of god which dyd speake in them Luther hathe nat teachyd me nother hys wrytynges those thingê the which I haue knoweÌ„ by the gyfte of god in holy scriptures Yet for all that I coÌ„fesse me to knowe Luther ye and nat a lytle to haue profytyd thorugh hys company I know him to be the apostle and aungell of god that is to say sent of hym For it is inpossible that he shulde be sent but of him to haue wrytten those thynges that he hathe wrytteÌ„ that is the scriptures of truthe and euyn as it is nat to be condempnyd that Paule hathe wrytten bycause he was a man in lyke case nother Luthers wrytynges are to be coÌ„dempnid bycause he is a man For it is nat Luther but god that hathe wrytten and spoken in Luther But thê Tregarius to obtayne the fauour of Antichriste vnder the name of Luther dothe openly speake agaynste Christe and his viritie He dothe also vnder that name resyste the impollutyd scriptures of god all the prophetes and his louers and callythe them defenders of sectes causing great rumores repletynge the worlde with all vnquietnes Philistianes hauiÌ„g vaine and folyshe armoure mockers / and deceyuers / of this maner dothe rayle agaynste them with the moste opprobrious crimes Forthermore he dothe reproue them of vehemente and wycked zele / and saithe that they haue forgote the saieng of our sauyour Lerne of me for I am meke and humble in harte and agayne blesse them that say euyll of you / and praye for them that persecute you But nowe loke vpon the craftynes of this foxe ê‘auenture he is afrayde / leaste that he shulde be put out and exilyd of antychrist / from the tyraÌ„nycall prouincialshype of his secte / for that cause / he so feruently defeÌ„dyth his parte / settyng at nought the worde of the lorde Nowe if he take this for a secte / to loue and teach the moste pure worde of god the whiche we doubte nat of we do couit and halfe this holy / necessary eternal and inuincible secte / and byfore hym and suche lyke / we wyll be of this secte / cleaue to it must surely / orels without remedy we shulde peryshe ê‘petually we be adhereÌ„tes and defeÌ„ders of thys eternall / heuenly / and deuyne secte / it is necessary / that we be tumultuous or bryngers vp of rumoures for it / agaynst the execrable / cursid / and abhomynable secte of antichriste For the worde of the lorde dothe burst vp carnal pease
/ dothe rayse vp the sworde very ofte in hym selfe / accordynge to the sayiÌ„g of the lorde I dyd nat come to sende pease / but a sworde Math .x. and it is wrytten Luke .2 that Christ is put in to the falle of the vnfaythefull in to resurrection of the faythfull and in to a sygne that shal be resysted and spoken agaynste of those vnfaythful if we shulde teache worldly thynges / beyng carnall and hypocrytes / they wolde nat resyst and ryse agaynst vs as they do but bycause we preache thingê coÌ„trary to the worlde the worlde hatyth vs / and callyth vs tumultuous / and sedecyous felowes Ye and byfore it Christe him selfe was a sower of euell sedes / a sclaunderer with wordes / a sedycyous felowe / an herityke a deceiuer a subuerter of the people / and an euyll doer Forthermore all that lyue mekely in Christe Iesu / and couyt so to do / suffre persecucyon of it 2. Timoth. 3. God dothe coÌ„maunde vs also / of Tregarius / and suche other men of that secte / whiche no doubte pertayne to the abhomynable courte of that purple whore of Babylon / mother of all fornicatyon / in the eyghtenthe Chapitre of the reuelacions of saynt IohaÌ„ sayeng Go from her my people / and be nat parttakers of her synnes / and receyue nat of her plages / for her dampnable synnes haue come to heaueÌ„ / and the lord hathe remembryd her iniquities / rewarde her euyn as she rewardyd you / and gyue her double according to her workes and powre in double in the same cuppe / which she filled vnto you asmuche as she glorified in her selfe / and lyued wantonly / so muche powre you in for her of punyshement / and sorowe This wycked whore iÌ„ tyme past hathe fylled to vs her abhominacioÌ„s / in the golden cuppe / of the worde of god For she hathe confyrmyd her tyrannyes / by placys of scripture / falsly vnderstaÌ„dyd / and vnder the most holy name of Christe / she hathe outragyd / aboue that at man can speake / euyn agaynste Christe him selfe Verely god wyll that we giue doble to her in that cuppe .i. better thyngê then that druÌ„ke whore that is to saye / that we do nat fyll to other nowe after the trutâ—e receyuyd / the abhominable / and â—ynkiÌ„g dunge of the wysdome of the fleshe / inuencyons of men But muche more prâ—cyous thingê / the whiche do aâ—â—â—e with the golden cuppe of the wâ—â—â—e of god that is to say the spirite truthe of the lettre by whoÌ„ is openly knoweÌ„ that these iugelers be antichristes scismatykes heretykes chyldren of perdicion and men of syn To whose preceptes bycause we do obey / and gyue place they name vs to be sclanderers repleting al the worlde ful of rumours and horyble crymes But I myght moue thys questyon to them in what thynge do we erre I pray you do nat they with an indurat harte resyst / and speake agaynst the truthe Ye and that same truthe it selfe doth name his enemyes in euery place / wolues / Foxes Beares / Lyones / Dogges / Leoperdes / wylde beastes / false prophettes / pseudo apostles roten sedes vnfaythfull hypocrites folishe cowerdes nat hearing the voyce of theyr lorde god a baren howse the churche malignant the synagoge of Satan the generacioÌ„ of the lordes furye apostaticall gentyles hauynge the fronte of the greate whore the fruyte and generatyon of Vipers the counsell of the wycked Dragones the kynde of the serpente Aspis deafe and stopyng theyr eares the ennemyes of the lorde a wycked couent the tabernacles of synnes the sede of Chaname Egypte Sodome euyl trees and vnfruitful mokers that say to men sayeng wyll nat you to see / speake pleasauÌ„t thynges to our eares take hede of our errours let holy Israell cease from our syght the blacke tayles of smokye bronddes ydolles blynde studientes the generacyon of Cain wycked and adulterous deceyuable workemen felowes of theuys effemynate deserte chyldren false doctoures whose god is theyr belye and glorie in theyr confusyon the tasters of earthly thynges theues of innocentes and wydoes and dothe name theÌ„ that resyste and speake agaynste the doctryne of mekenes with suche names of this kynde which of vs coulde euer attayne to suche a vehemence of speakyng that in confoundyng the reprouable we might obtayne one parte of the pythye rebukyng that is fouÌ„de agaynste them in holy scrypture And peraduenture Tregarius wyll reprehende the holy ghoste and say that he dothe fyl the worlde ful of hatred and malyce / bycause that suche names / shulde be putte in holy scripture or at the leaste saye that these be contrarye to Christe when he saythe Lerne of me c And agayne saye well by them that saye euyll by you c the whiche as we haue sayde he dyd aledge agaynst vs. But what is the cause that he dyd nat take hede also of the word that folowythe you of men that saye euyll by vs we muste speake well but nat of them that speake euyll by the lorde Iesus Christe and his verytye No nor yet we maye nat make lyes to say well by any man For and a man myght be bolde with you is this well sayde to saye that Magister noster the noble doctour Tregarius a good seruande of Christ and dothe well in suppressynge the churche and worde of god for the synagoge of Antychriste and lyes of men Or is it lawfull for me to wryte the reuerende father in god Prouyncial of the Augustyne freers by the hyer Germanye is a good oratour and can wryte very well for the counselles of the Pope hys Cardynalles and Byshopes and with a noble profe openly declarith that the Synagoge of the Pope is the trewe church of god am nat I rather bouÌ„de to speake playnly after the worde of god saye thys foxe thys wolfe this falsse prophete is aboute to turne the people frome the sermones of truthe to the lyes of antychrist and couytith to bryng the prynce of Lausane the noble gentyles of Heluetia from god and hys Christe and wolde that they shulde alway perseuer and continewe in darkenes of errours in the whiche we haue be drownyd so longe season and hathe nat one iota of scripture to confyrme those thynges that he adfyrmythe in hys lyeng wherof he muste nedes fal For he can neuer withstaÌ„de the myghty worde of the Lorde the whiche he so sore reclamyth agaynst of whom he shal be confoundyd trodeÌ„ downe and consumyd Ye and if there were innumerable thousandes of the prophettes of Baalle with this Tregarius they shal be dystroyed and fall from the syde of theÌ„ that loue teach the pure worde One Helias one prophete of the lorde shall ouercome and dystroye theÌ„ all although they wolde resyste with playne batayle and crye howle in theyr deÌ„nes but in case that he thynke hym selfe nat worthye thys name as to be callyd a foxe or a wolfe let hym
depryue any man the comunioÌ„ of the faythfull or lawefully denounce hym for suche one excepte fyrst it be ê‘feytly knoweÌ„ by testymonye of scrypture that he be depryuyd it of the lorde ⧠⧠♣ Euery churche of the faythfull and who so euer berythe rule as kynges prynces and offycers where as cause is may ye they ought do depÌ„ue theyr subiectes the outwarde company of the faythful that is they shall nat dwell with them or otherwyse kepe coÌ„pany ☞ The cause for the whiche many be depriued this outwarde comunyon is by adultery horehuÌ„tyng thefte vsure cursyng couytousenes cruelnes excesse and druÌ„kenes to be reproche to the churche of god 1. Corin. 5. and to be apostata from Christe is to speke agaynste the doctryne of mekenes and nat to sufre it As is euydent the seconde canonicall epystle of Iohan. ¶ No congregacyon of the faythful may lawfully other dreade or receyue the abhomynable costomes interditementes or decrees of the kyngedome of the pope for truely they can hurte them that beleue no maner wayes ☞ In case any man for thynges that agre with the worde of god or bicause he is rulyd by the worde be excomunicate cursyd or enterdyted of the pope or his it is turned to him iÌ„to the most precyouse and amyable blessynge for when they curse god blessythe Psal 108. and to those that loue god all thinges be wroght in goodnes Ro. 8. ¶ Of true goodworkes and the lawe of grace and the gospell and vertues of the faythfull Capi. 4. ALl though we be iustyfied alonly by fayth yet workes be necessarye ♣ Faythe is neuer with out true goodworkes for he hathe his effycacytie by loue ⧠⧠Trewe good workes be whatsoeuer is of faythe ye to eate to drynke to slepe so there be no excesse ⧠♣ what thynges that be nat prohibite by goddê worde may be done in fayth other may nat ☞ ♣ ☜ ☞ what so euer is nat of faithe is wicked though it apere outwardly good / iuste and holy Roma 4. ☞ Faythfull to do well haue no nede of decrees and tradycyons of men ⧠These be doctryne lawes and tradycyons of men that do nat consent with the scriptures of god or els they parteyne to them for the doctryne of man is lyeng bycause man is alyer Psalm 115. trewely the worde of the lorde is verytye Psalme 118. ♣ The lawe of god is suffycyent for faythfull whiche is the lawe of the spirite wrytten in theyr hertes Eisai 51. and Hiere 31. whose scriptures be the most suryst wytnes of the lorde Psal 18. 118. and the spirite dothe wryte in them the gospell of pease and euerlastynge healthe whiche is no other thynge but a surenes of the grace of god and remyssyon of syn by fayth in Christe and his truthe whiche whosoeuer preachythe purely is an euangelyst For the gospell is a gladde and good tydynges ☞ ⧠♣ ¶ For that same spirite dothe teache them all truthe Iohan. 16. and is gouerner of them in euery thynge ⧠♣ It is heresye to say that scriptures of god be superfluous for they be necessarye that hyely that we maye be sure if those thyngê that be in our hertes be of god or no for by what reasoÌ„ as I haue sayde shulde we be more sure theÌ„ of the scriptures of god whiche be his testymonyes ⧠⧠☞ And althoughe we had nede of the same scriptures for witnese of truthe yet for all that euery sermon of the worde of god and all scripture is vnprofytable and in vayne excepte it be wryten in our hertes of the holy spirite whiche scripture of the spirite is the quicke voyce of god ☞ ♣ ☜ ⧠wherfore it is heresye to affyrme that there is any other quycke voyce of god necessary besydes thys and to suppresse his meruelouse testimonies Psalm 118. as many false prophetes do nowe adayes ⧠⧠⧠⧠⧠Therfore the testymonyes of god muste be preached and it is necessarye to be conuersant in them with all dylygence which who so euer dothe truly is verely blessid Psalm 1. and .118 but the fruyte of that preachyng and conuersacyon muste be lokyd for of the holy ghoste ☞ ⧠♣ ⧠☜ ☞ The pryncypall vse of those scriptures of god is that we maye serche in them the testymonyes of his godly wyll ☞ ⧠⧠☜ ☞ ⧠Verely the frute of them is that we beleuyng may be iustyfyed that is we may gette the grace of god and remyssyon of synnes ☞ ⧠♣ ♣ The grace of god is nat that qualyty that Sophesters call Habitus but the fauour and beneuolence of god hauynge vs free when we beleue hym and he hathe his grace that is kynde to hym ☞ ⧠♣ ⧠☜ ☞ Alonly by the merit of Christe we beleuyng in him and nothyng doutiÌ„g of his wordes we gette this grace for then we do receyue hys plentifulnes Iohan the fyrste chapitre ⧠Faythful receiued in to the grace of god by Christe haue togither by hiÌ„ that iustyce whiche hathe in it all parfytnes Of the whiche is spokeÌ„ Psal 71. Iustyce and aboundance of pease shal spryng in his dayes And Psalm 84. mercy and veritie haue mette him pease iustyce haue kyssed hym and also of this is spokeÌ„ Eisaie 53. in his science he beyng iuste shall iustify my seruantes very many ☞ ⧠⧠☜ ♣ Bycause therfore that faythefull haue all thynges in Christe it is superfluous curious and also dampnable to scarche so many partes kyndes and offyces of vertues as false Deuynes do for they that intende suche thyng be but curyouse for they put so many pertykeles that it is vnpossyble to remembre all as you may perceyue manyfestly iÌ„ the SuÌ„leles of Thomas ⧠Rede what god dothe coÌ„maunde and be ofte couersant in his scriptures and thou shalte be full of vertues all thoughe thou neuer knowe soo many names partê and offices as they putte ¶ Of the presthode of the faythefull and trewe mynysters of the churche that is byshopes and deacoÌ„s The fyfte Chapitre The fyfte Chapter BY the presthode of christ and mynysters of hys churche the preesthode of Aaron ministeryes of hys deacons be abrogat and put downe ♣ Chryste alone is the bye byshope and preste of the church Psalmo 109. Hebre. 5. and. 9. full of grace and truthe ♣ As many as beleue in hym be made pertakers of hys plentyfulnes Io. 1. and of hys oyntment that is of the holy goost Psalmo 44. O god the sone thy god the father hath oynted the with oyle of gladnes the spyryte makynge glade aboue thy felowes that is other faythful whiche be pertakers of thy plentyfulnes ♣ All faythful of both kyndes be consecrate into prestes by hym as Peter wryteth to all faythful 1. Pet. 2. you are a chosen generacyon a ryall presthode Apocalip 5. thou haste made vs kynges and prestes to our god and we shal reygne apon the erthe ♣ I do not call them seny ours by the greke worde Presbitri but
and gospellers they be made of Belzebub Sathan that is of nought worse and moste hatefull to god ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ ⧠Aboue all the cloystures of the Mynorytes ought to be scolles of the professyon of the gospell for Chryste commaunded to saynt Frauncys that they shulde lyue after the forme of the holy gospel whiche I haue prouyd in the coÌ„mentaries of theyr rule Cap. 1. ✚ Princes and rulers of theyr offyce ought dylygently to watche that the goynge forthe of all cloysters myght be free and by al meanes so to do that they whiche yet tary in cloysters lyue subiecte and be dylygently instructyd with the alonlye worde of god or els what shal these cloysters be but chafe ringe houses and bonde houses of the deuyl these laste 18. posytyons and other belongyng to monastycal secte I haue declaryd in my coÌ„mentarye into the rule of the minorytes more largely whose deutye is to iudge of the voyce of the lernyd / yf he be of god / and by what we be assuryd / also of wekyd vnyuersytes Capi. 12. IT dothe belonge to the church of god / to iudge of the voyce of all that teache / yf it be of god / whiche we haue proued openly in other bokes chefly in the cantykles of Solomon / the voyce of my well beloued cÌ„ Capitu. 2. and. 5. to what the churche of god is is declaryd within ♣ For of the worde of god / they aloÌ„ly can iudge that haue the spirite of christ whose deuty is to iudge of hye thingê 1. Corinthi 2. ☞ ✚ ♣ ⧠☜ ¶ It is heresye to affyrme / that the spirite of Chryste is not in the faythfull for he is in them / and they walke and vnderstande after hym by whome they mortifye the deades of the fleshe and lyue and crye in hym abba Pater and he gyuethe a testymonye to theyr spirite that they be children heyres of god hayres annexyd with chryste he axethe for vs with teres vnable to be spoken of and makyth intercessyoÌ„ for sayntes after god whiche Paule speketh of moste ceposlye Roma 8. ♣ Furthermore it is theÌ„ knowen that any man iudgethe of the spirite when he goeth aboute hys iudgement with open testimonyes of scrypture for the scryptures of god be the moste sureste testimonyes of the iudgementes of hê spirite as I haue sayde verye ofte ✚ whiche scryptures who so euer denyeth to be necessarye can no otherwayes affyrme the surenes of hê saynges bycause those alone be the sure testymonyes of god ☞ ♣ ⧠¶ Therfore they that be of the church of god that is to say symple and meke yee plowe men and artyfycers that syncerely beleue in god and be the shepe of chryst may iudge of the voyce of theyr pastor yf it be in those doctoures or not ☞ ☜ ☞ ♣ ♣ ♣ ✚ Verelye they that be not of that church can not iudge of it but rather abhore and hate it bycause it is aduersarye to theyr sense that is to say the fleshe by whiche they be ruled ♣ For any man to iudge of the worde it helpeth not to haue be many yeres at Parryse or other vnyuersityes or to haue stodyed the tongues excepte the holye gooste be presente ♣ Vnyuersyties that haue be of many yeres stryue clene agaynst the worde of God ☞ ✚ ☜ ⧠♣ ⧠☞ Promotyons of deuynes whiche they hunt for doth engeÌ„dre nothinge but pryde and be full of couetousnes and vanyte and is a certen gentyles maner for what so euer is of goddes worde yf monye be brought quyckely there is a tytle grauntyd and doctoures neuer teachynge and ofte tymes the most foles be promotyd wherfore they be abhomynable to god ⧠¶ And the lorde forbade hê apostles / that they shulde be made maysters Math. 23. no doute but he wolde haue them maysters and teachers of the people .i. that they myght teache hys scriptures but he wolde not that they shulde hunt for the vayne and proude tytles nor wolde not that they shuld teach any thyng but vnder hê seruyce ✚ There is no man almoste that teachethe more vnhappely the scryptures of god then these pompos bugges and ydolles of the worlde ☞ ♣ ⧠♣ Yf any man be worthye the mynysterye of god I wolde counsel that he shulde fyrste be chosen of other deuynes mete that he may be sende to any place and that the companye of the faythefull shulde pray for hym and yf he haue it let hiÌ„ gyue to the nedy and pore people and make them a feast accordynge to the gospell not as they do nowe a dayes to gyue cappes gloues or make greate coste of feastes to ryche men and full belyes that the same day they begyn to professe the gospell they do openlye agaynste the gospell for in truthe all these be abhomynatyon byfore the lorde ¶ Yf al cloystures of the worlde that withiÌ„ or nye to cetyes were as I sayd a lytle before the scoles of the worde of god so that the superstecioÌ„ of clothing were not obseruyd mans tradicions for we caÌ„ not serue both God Baal the worde of god the worde of men ✚ Prynces and rulers yf they wyll iustlye rule let them take hede aboue al thynge that Chryste maye rule his people also let them make scoles in euery place for chyldren and maydes in whoÌ„ they may be wel instructe iÌ„ the worde of god and honeste laboures lerne to dreade loue our lorde Iesu Chryst to whom with the father and the holy goste be honour worshyppe and empyre for euer more .. So be it Of the partes as they cal it of penaunce Cap. 13. THe partes of holy true penaunce is not confessyon coÌ„trytyon satysfaccyon but the actes of a true penytente of faythe without satysfaccyon ¶ whiche be necessarye to helthe but not as sophysters saye ☞ ♣ ⧠True satysfaccyoÌ„ iÌ„ so much as it is iÌ„ the merites of Christe alonly can be no perte of penauÌ„ce nor act of the penyteÌ„t ✚ But it is the hyest rewarde which we that beleue syncerely in chryste haue by hys meryte ⧠♣ ⧠♣ The inseperable seruaunte of true and necessarye penauÌ„ce is pure fayth for these the sauyour ioyned to gether saynge be penytent beleue the gospel ♣ This necessarye fayth is not to beleue this or that promise but so to beleue them all that we doute in no promyse of god no not in the leaste as is that he stedefastlye cleaue to goddes promyse iÌ„ which he hath promysyd to al faithful grace remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes by christ as ofte as they axe it iÌ„ faythe thê is the gospel to whoÌ„ we must beleue ¶ True penaunce can neuer be wtout true fayth nor sayth is neuer without grace and the spirite of truthe also affectyons and true good workes what true penaunce is PEnaunce that the kyngdome of the pope preacheth teacheth is wykyd cursyd and lyenge to the lorde for it is nothinge lesse then