with his gyftes of truth and learnynge that vnderstandyng wolde serue to wype out all but that is not the sence of the scripture wherein is declared what man is destitute of god and lefte to hym selfe Mannes corrupt nature not illuminate nor directed by goddes grace deliteth in vayne thinges erreth wandereth loueth fansies seketh that hath no substaunce or beinge in it selfe and is therefor vayne and counterfayt and so a lye All wisdome all truth all vertue is of god without god man is blynded with vanities and lyes but our sauiour christ hath for our sake ouercome the deuyll destroyed death rysen for our iustificacion and ascendinge into heauen hath geuen gyftes to men and sent the spirite of truthe to be amonges vs whereby man is able to knowe the truthe confesse it vtter it to the edification of other agaynst which sort of men the scripture is alleged out of purpose to say he is a lyer because he is a maÌ„ And herein those that so improue all men generally they forgette that them selfe that so speake be men also and then by the general reprofe of men in their mouthe they proue them selfe to lye Mentiens is â—he name of a â—ophisme calâ—ed in greke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 parte of â—hâ— speach destroyeth an â—thâ—r of the â—me speach and if that be so theÌ„ that other men saye is truth speakynge contrary to them and thus the matter is brought in a circle to a confusion by a sophisticall speache called menciens by eche mans mistrust to an other and eche one there fore callyng an other lyer For if I wyl improue the doctryne of them that haue wrytten because some dissente from them howe shoulde any newe man require hym selfe to be beleued dissentinge from theÌ„ also mary no saith the Anabaptist and beleue not me withoute I brynge scripture Nor beleue not me sayeth the Sacramentary withoute I brynge scrypture Beleue not me sayeth the Arriane without I brynge scripture Vho flyeth most buselye to scripture Beleue not me sayeth Ioye withoute I brynge scrypture There was neuer heretique but bosted scripture as all the Iewes bosted Abraham for theyr father and scripture by goddes sufferauÌ„ce is subiecte to mannes peruersitie and is to good men Odor uite ad uitam and to euyll men Odor mortis ad mortem Scrypture is a swete pure flowre Scripturâ— of it self all truh whereof spyders gather poyson and bees honye As thou arte that cryeste for scrypture so shalte thou gather of scrypture Goo thyther instructed with holsome doctryne and there thou shalte se it confyrmed Goo thyther infecte with malycyouse opynyons and there thou shalte wrythe oute matter wherewyth to maynteyne them And so the deuyll dydde when he tempted Christ thence he fetched his armour wherwith to fight with christ And so do all heretiques to fyght with the churche As for the disseÌ„tion betwne the fathers of the churche in exposicions of scriptures hath not arrisen of purpose to impugne anye true catholyke doctryne but for defence of that hath ben impugned by malicious heretiques Amonge symple deuout men eche text semed to beare witnes to euery truth â—he simpliciâ— of tholde â—thers not â—ing with â—ritiques and where good men with good men entreated the matter so the conclusion were catholyke and true they semed not ouer curious to searche out the propre textes for confirmacion of that they affirmed not for necligence but for declaracion of the perfite beleue in the matter whiche when it beganne to be impugned of euyl men good men for defence of truth were fayne so to considre what they sayd or graunted as they gaue thereby none aduauntage to the aduersarie who studieth onely to inuade and violate the truthe Saynt Austen in contencion with the Maniches was very precyse for free wyll whiche they impugned and with the Pelagians was precise in defence of grace whiche they impugned and for defence of the truth whiche he sawe brought in daunger fought with scriptures lyke a stoute champion as Dauyd with his stones to ouerthrowe Golias wherin howe so euer saynt Austen dissented from the rest it is not to be accoÌ„pted as a disagremente in any truth necessarye for our edification but as the feate of a wyse warriar for defence of truth to eschue such occasion as noughtie men wold gather for the subuersion of the truth And in this wyse good men learned maye humblye disagre with a deuoute intente to defende the truth whyche we ought not so peruersly to take as though all suche good mens labours and trauailes in thexposicion of scriptures were to be contempned and as though eche man by hym selfe alone coulde vnderstande and expound scriptures in the true sense whiche asseueracion howe true it is the prodigiouse and monstruouse opinions whiche haue ben and be at this daye gathered of scryptures do declare wherein as god dyd in the buyldynge of the towre of Babylon to depresse that arrogant enterpryse confounde the vnderstandynge in one tunge ConfusioÌ„ of â—nderstaÌ„ding wiâ—h multitude of dyâ—erse strauÌ„ge opinions and deuyded it into many So in this tyme when eche man with a gaye pretence of resortynge to the scriptures and to the fountayne withoute the teachynge and instruction of other catholique men do arrogantly enterprise to builde them selfe a knowledge to reache to gods secretes one catholyque faythe is deuyded into as manye sundry opinions persuasions as was the one tunge at the building of the towre of Babel into diuers languages And therfore we must remembre althoughe scrypture be the foundacion and grounde of al truth yet it is darke and obscure to senses vnexercysed and god geueth not all the spirite of prophecye and yet god hath geuen it in his church to many who haue left it testified in their labours not so as sometyme they shewe not them selfes as men and to speake of theÌ„ selfe and therefore muste be so warelye and yet reuerently redde but so as their consonaunce and agremente togyther in the matter of doctryne where they agree may leade vs to considre the more certaynlye the truth in scrypture and those good men not vpon euerye alteration one from an other to be reiect or contemned of vs as lyers as men wolde nowe a daies haue it bearynge euerye man in hande that he maye so he vnderstande englysshe lerne him selfe alone whiche is the deuylles persuasion to spercle that is gathered and where we be a congregacyon to make eche man wander froÌ„ his felow eche man onely to beleue him self And therevpon to folow as you mayster Ioye teach afterwarde to be sayde to eche man As thou beleuest so be it to the and so the churche to be in no place a churche as anye polityque bodye neyther the churche of Englande ne the churche of Fraunce to be vnite within theÌ„ selfes in gouernemente and whervnto by scripture mens desperate faultes should be toulde neither in the hole to be vnite in sacramentes and true
vs in that when we were synners christ wolde dye for vs muche more therefore nowe we beinge iustified in his bloude shall be preserued by hym from wrath What faithfull herte towched with this incomparable loue out of fayth knoweledge is not humbled with feare and confession of his synnes to god and is not heuye and repentaunte detesting his synnes saieng Shall I any more commyt that thinge whiche hath broughte this my so louynge a sauyour to so shamefull and paynefull a passion This is oure faith which cleaueth to the mooste certayne promyse of god and not to Wynch waueryng vnstable condicion This is our faith and substaunciall certitude the most ferme persuasion without any wauerynge of the merciable free forgeuenes and gracyous absolucyon of oure sinnes by the promyse of our father celestial in christes bloud hath her own proper correlatiue the promyse of god euer correspondent and not Win. knowledge of the fulfillynge of his condiciō This is the forme of oure iustification by fayth onely whiche attributeth all glorye to god as dyd Abraham and his chylderne and as many as haue vnfaynedly receyued christes gospell But let Wyn. worke on styll his wycked workes vnto thattaynement of his pharisaicall iustification before men vntyll the axe nowe bent vnto his rotis he be sodenly smiten downe of god For Passur must be turned as Ieremy sayth into Pauor his arrogant vpclymyng extollynge of him selfe aboue god must haue a shamefull soden fearfull fall These arrogant articles maye be well called the false articles of Winchesters false faith and not of christs faith For Christ confirmed his articles euermore with the law and prophetes but Win. bringeth not one worde of god for him to proue his Wherfore let them be his owne articles armed wyth his owne proud autoritie For we may not beleue hym thus exaltynge hym selfe aboue Christe whiche euer alleged the scryptures for his doctrine to be confyrmed we may not beleue my Lorde vicare generall for his high lordely supercilious pharisaicall lookes Wherefore if this Gardiner will seme to be learned lette him aunswer now with goddes worde and not dispute with poore men in his fetters and presons with his fumisshe threates fyery fagottes presonyng and persecutyng the pore innocent membres of christ for weldoinge purely frelye faithfullye preachinge goddes worde castinge of his blodhoundes into euery citie and towne to hunt out the christen simple sely flocke of christ as he of late made Wyllyam Castelyn Gouerner of the marchaunt aduenteres at Anwerpe cheiflye to hunt out such as purely and frely write and set forth bookes vnto the glory of god edifienge of christes churche and to warne men of Wynch false doctrine For this Gouerner of other men whiche coulde neuer wel gouerne hym selfe is more mete to rowe in a galey or to holde the plough then to gouerne so worshiple and honeste a company But the lorde is a lyue and heareth of these Moabites pride and blode thirstinge he seeth their secrete wiked counsels and heareth their bostinge proude crakes their supercilyous arrogancy is well knowne vnto me sayth the Lorde but yet for all their luciferine pride promotyng and extolling them selues and one an other to serue their traitourouse turnes and mutuall mischeif yet shall they neuer bringe about their wicked enforcementes For it is God that deposeth such myghtye mischeuouse from their seates and exalteth the humble It is the lorde that skatereth their wiked counsels trappeth them in theyr owne pride blodye cogitacions But let all christen kinges and Prynces beware howe they geue their swerde into suche popisshe prelates handes lest the innocent bloude be-required of god at their handes to whome be praise for euer Amen Truth it is that he whiche knoweth nether the father nor christ shall neuer beleue Christ to be an hole perfyt and sufficient sauyour and forgeuer of synnes but he shall wynde in this croked condicion of Wyn. and deuyde his iustificacion part if he geue not all to workes and part to god as did the Iewes and nowe the Turkes and suche like heithen miscreauntes whiche neuer knew god the father in by christ yea they shall deuyse and imagyn in their own opinions for true faith haue they none such workes for goddes honour as thē selues thinke to make most for a great kynges honour as to be accompanied with many men fetched in with many torches candels at none daye lyghted to hym whiche is the very lyght it selfe These blinde worshippers wyll make god an image thereby to worship him whiche idollatrye the seconde commaundement vtterlye forbyddeth They wyll worshyp him with golde perle precious stones veluete clothe of golde c. They sence synge rynge hym in with belles as they were wont to do the bishops They pipe hym vp with orgaynes all the costly pleasaunt externe rites and ceremonies as sencinge processions that can be deuysed for to please great men they vse the same to worshyppe god withall when Christ sayde God my father is a spirite and in spirite and truth wyl he be worshipped ▪ yea these wordly wicked blind Bisshops are so farre caste away for their wickednes turned vp of god into their owne hertes lustes and into a reprobate dampned mynde that they know not god fro man mortal Oh good god what mynde may this be Verelye Paule expresseth it and the cause whye god worthelye thus casteth them vp sayenge What so euer men oughte to know of god the same hath god shewed them as his almyghtye power godbeade yea that by the creacion creatures of the worlde if they wolde diligently and humblye loke vpon and expend them so that they be without any excuse of anye ignoraunce But when god had geuen Wynche this knoweledge of hym then yet he worshypped nor glorified hym not as god but as he wolde worshyppe anye other worldlye prince with outwarde rites and ceremonies neither doth he geue him thankes but sheweth his owne vaine curiosite and curiouse vanite in his owne reasonynge and disputinge for goddes moost glorious honour in so much that he hath nowe blindened his owne ignorant herte and wherein he thought to haue done moost wisely for gods worshyp and glorye there doth he mooste folyshlye and cruellye shewynge hym selfe a very foole as Paule saith turnynge vp the worshyppe of god incorruptible through his owne imaginacions to worshyppe hym after his owne fonde deuises And for this cause hath god thus cast him vp through his owne hertes lustes into al maner prodigious and beastlye fylthynes receiuinge into hym selfe the worthye rewarde of his owne erroure And forbicause sayeth Paule he doth sette at naughte so presente knoweledge of god nowe opened vnto hym and to all other that wyll embrace christ and his word therefore doth God turne him vp into this detestable opinion of his owne false iustification into so lothelye and abhominable reprobate bloudye mynde that in prisoninge persecuting fagottyng burnynge and slayeng
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