spirit to lede them were siche as then thei were to harde for them to vnderstande and bere himself saynge when he came to y t harde poynâ as towchinge the worlde to be comnneed aÌd reproued of their false iugement to y â casting forth condempninge of the prynce therof at the prechinge of the gospel among the gentyles Anon he added saynge As touching these thinges yet haue I ma ny thingis to tell you which as now ye caÌ not bere but when y t same spirit of trouth come he shall lede you into al trowth By this former text whervpon that at More allegeth dependeth which for what enteÌt he leueth it out god knowth it is playne y t those trowthes were sich as then tha postles for their weakenes might not bere As if Cryste shulde haue tolde them then in their faynt faith heuynes y t thei shulde haue left prechinge to the iwes whom they rekened onely for goddis owne beloued peple haue turned to the gentyles whoÌ they rekened for haithen his enymes and non of his they coulde not haue borne this trowthe For euen aftir they had receyned the holy goste the beste of them stayed and douted at this poynte as their actis declare But as for Moris vnwryten verites as leÌ ton faste halowinge of bowes chalices ve stments crepinge to y e crosse c. I thinke if Cryst had then tolde them thei coulde haue borne them wel ynough for thei had borne harder saynges of him were acquaynted with harder ceremones prescribed them in Moses lawe nothinge offended at them Cryste in the same sermone a lytel be fore tolde them in general into what trouthe that spirit of trouth shulde lede them saynge He shal teche you and lede you into the knowlege of al thingis what so euer I haue tolde you if More yet wyl prease vpon me with his vnwryten verites affirminge that those were the thinges whiche he had tolde them thei could not yet bere them then do I desyer him to turne ouer the lefe into the. xv cap. And there shal hese y t cryste descended more specially vnto these trowthes saynge When y t counforter techer and defender shal come whom I shal sende you fro my father euen the spirit of trouthe which procedeth of my father he shal testifye of me Now M. More loke what difference is betwene this worde Me Him that sayde before in y e. xiiij cap. It is I y t am y e trowthe ye what if cryst him selfe be called omnis illa veritas that is to wit al that same trouth into whome he promysed his spirit to lede them verily the circunstance of the hole sermon so de clareth it and so do Iohan expowne it .i. Iohan .ij. Let this terme vniuersal Omnis therfore stande still collectiue in his place as myche to saye as shal lede you into al trouthe comprehended gathered togither in scripture of cryste which is y t most absolute perfayt trouth in whom al trowthe is contayned playe not the sophister therwith to distribute it so confusely to lappe yn your lyes vnder y â wydâ skirtis of omnis englyshng it as ye do saynge Euery trouth For so euery man maye se euidently your deuellisshe dryft There is difference betwene All and euery which both be signyfyed by this worde Omnis For theoghe y â pestelent plage in Exo. slew all their bestis so y t it is there wryten And Al y â bestis of Thegâpcions were deed yet was it false that euery one of their bestis were deed for y e next plage folowing was y â bothe man beste yet lyuing were fylled full of botâhes sores And when y â priestis Leuits tolde kynge Ezechie saynge Mundauimus om nem dâmum domini theâ ment not euery howse of y e lorde but all the wholl temple which was the only howse of y e lorde Ne ther is Omne malum verbum taken for euery yuel worde but for the worst y t men coude saye by them as you call vs now he retikes sedyciouse c. And so is Omnis ve ritas taken for y t moste excellent parfait trowthe euen cryste ful of grace verite of whose fullnes we all receyue the fauour of our heuenly father c. whom it haue pleased y â all parfait fulnes shulde verely fermely inhabit cryste nomore in figures aÌd shadwes He is called therfore altrowthe because y t al men y t euer wer or shalbe saued must be saued onely thorowe the knowlege of him as Paule testifieth saynge he wyll al men to be saued whether he be I we or geÌ tyle y t is to saye he wyll of them all bothe many to be brought vnto y e knowlege of this same so perfit trouth Cryste as Paule expowneth him self in y t place For all men to be saued is not els but to be brought into the knowlege of Cryste ¶ Cryste therfore sayde the holygoste shal testifye of me of me and not of my mothers assumpcion c. of me not of lenton faste of me not of halowinge of chalices vestments creping to crosses And as towchinge the perpetual virginite of our lady to be an vnwryten verite I meruel More forgote this comen Prouerbe It behoueth a lyer to haue a good memory for anon as he had affirmed it to be an vnwryten trouthe he forgote himself and goith aboute to proue it a wryten trouthe to \ expowninge non cognosco id est non cognoscam which is playne contradiccion in his owne wordê the same to be both wryten vnwryten as he take them Be lyke more mystruste hys brytle vnwrytein shore wolde yet vnderproppe it with scripture prouing his vnwryten verites to be wryten to Saynt Ierome was as conynge a clerke as wel sene in scripture as more aÌd wolde haue done as myche for our ladye as he sith noman now denye hir perpetual virginite especially when Heluidius layd so sore agenst him for the contrary and yet could not he proue it by scripture And Mores chirche this xv c. yere so stoutly spryted led into euery trowthe and trewe vnderstanding of scripture yet could not espye this one scripture to ma ke for hir but M. doctour More that olde holy vpholder protectour of the papistical Synagoge now at last endwed with hygher lerning and spryted with a deper spryte euen now comen forth out of purgatory blessyd be god hathe founde vs oute this vnwryten wryten verite lo. But let More beware lest he be not licked vp with the fla me of his owne coles with Nadab Abiu for fetchinge them els where then at y e auter of god as he commanded whiche because thei filled theyr sencers with strange coles were sodenly smytendowne dede brente with their owne fyer So nighe is the veÌ geaunce of god to fal vpon al men y t
goddis holy scripture neglecte be not a frayde to brynge in strange doctryne mennis dremes vnwryten trouthes into crystischirch as now hath more taken in hande bothe to sence mennis soulis with his deuelissh doctryne to burne as many as will not beleue his lyes But returne we into the waye The holy goste is called the spirit of trouthe in dede but of what trouth verely not of euery trouthe to lede vs therynto as mo re mynseth it but he is the spirit onely of y t trouthe which sayd I am the trouth he is the spirit of this trouth of all trowthes y t concerne him his doctrine religion and faith contayned in the lawe prophetis and testaments And into this trouth contayninge al trowthes concerning his glory and our saluacion the spirit is promysed to lede y e electe ye that by no nother waye then by the same waye y â sayd I am y â waye Into this waye to be led so forthe into this trowth prayd the prophete saynge The lorde be merciful and graciouse vnto vs he moâghe shewe vs his face y t his waye not Mores wyked wayes might be knowne thorow out y â worlde his saluacion amon ge al folke Also he prayed in a nother place saynge Lorde lede me into thy waye y â I might walke in thy trowthe not in Mo ris vnwryten verites for al the wayes of y e lorde ar mercy verite but All y e wayes of More ar cruel tyrany subtyl false hed All the wayes of the lorde ar mercy verite saith the prophete vnto thez y t seke his testaments testimonies for the two testa ments testisyâ of him not Mores vnwry ten vanites It is a trowth y t thames ebbethe floweth trwe y â y â sonne ryseth in y â east \ and y t euery hole body is greter then eche of y â singler partes ther of into y e whiche verites euen y â vngodly be led by theyr eyes not by y e holy goste nomore than he neded to haue led thapostles into thassum pcion of our lady they than beinge present lokinge vpon hir taken vp if she were as sumpte as I shal shew you here after It is trewe y t one had made y â boke of y â Suppli cacion of beggers And y â M. Mok playd y â proctour of purgatory creping forth gro ning out his Supplicacion of soules But yet into these trouthes did not y â holy goste lede any man for into y e trouth y t y â Suppli cacion of beggers was wryten who wrote it More saith himselfe in his supplicacion of soules y t y â deuyl led him wherfore it is not the spirit of trouth y t leadeth into euery trouth for ther be some trouthes as they be vnworthy the holy gostis ledinge so be ther some agayne so aperte vnto our ey es eares y t thei nede not his ledinge of y â which kinde of trouthes reken not his lyes be all Mores vnwryten trouthes which he sayeth be of necessite to be beleued whan cryste therfore repeted so ofte y e spirite of trouth had sayd before I am y â waye the trouthe y â lyfe y t y â spirit shulde testifie of him selfe he dothe declare into what trouthes he shulde lede them euen into him selfe siche as concerne him the fontayne beginninge ende of al trowthes and not into siche trowthes into whiche our eyes senses lede vs but into siche as he is the spirite of the sercher very techer of And therfor Paul speking of y e êfant wysedome of god coÌcerning y e red empcioÌ of man by y e deth of cryste which wysdom lay yet hyd froÌ y e gentiles fro many of y e Iwes to so y â nother eye sawe it nor eare harde it nor harte coude think it was to one foles hnes to y e tother sclawnderous yet god at laste reueled it by his spirit of trowthe led y â apostles in to it which els wolde neuer haue beleued y t y e Gospel shulde haue ben preched to y â geÌtyls And eueÌ this is one of those harde poyntis wherfore cryst sayd yet haue I many thinges to tell you which ye cannot now bere but whaÌ y t spirit of trouth come he shal lede you into al trouth of wh ich I saye eueÌ this y t y e kyngdome of cryste shulde be enlarged his gospel preched thorowt amoÌg al y e geÌtils was y e chefiste as y e pistles of Paule beinge y â doctour precher sente vnto thez playnly declare especially his pistle to y e Ephesens where this place of Iohn is expowned at large Foâ it is the spirit y â sercheth all siche depe mysteris as Paule there cal this trouth both in his pistle to y e Ephesens also to y e Corinthes sa ynge God hath reueled it vs by his spirit for y e spirit ensetcheth al thingis eueÌ y e depe misterys of God â is to wyt as concerning y â matter y â ther Paul entreteth of as y â creacion y â fal redeÌpcion of maÌ whither he be Iwe or geÌtyle by crystis deth very god maÌ For as noman knowth y â mynde plesures of god but y â spirit of god so euery maÌ sercheth theÌ but in vayne saue onely y e spirit of god The spirit of trouth therfore sercheth vs oute y â mysteris secretes of god which we by our owne senses corrupt na ture cannot attayne to nor coÌprehende in our hartis by natural reasoÌ nether yet any natural wytte can vnderstande We haue not receyued y e spirit of y â world but y e spirit which is of god saith Paule y t we myght know what thinges ar geuen vs of cryst y â is to weit eueÌ crist hiself y â most absolut ve rite saluacion lyfe ⪠petual thorow hi which is made of god our wysedome rightwys nes holynes redeÌpcioÌ vnto this euaÌgelik verite secret wysdom of god loked Dauid in y â vi vers of y â li. Psal. these giftis we preche saith paul not w t wordis which maÌ nis wysdoÌ paynted eloqueÌs teche but w t sich wordis as y â holy gost recheth layngfor th expowning spiritual thingis vnto the spiritual childârn Now I praye you what spiritual poynt is there in Mores vnwryteÌ verites as to halow vestmeÌtis chalices c. what nedeth here any spiritual exposici on or laynge forth of so carnal sensible ceremones euery natural wittâd w t his comeÌ sensis maye perceue moris vnwryten verites se them to to be starke vayne vanites ⪠But the natural wyse man perceyueth not those thinges y â are of the spirit of God c. ¶ But nowe let vs se one
in arcalme it is a comen saynge New lordis new lawes and so new iugementis therfor iugement may be englesshed some tyme mutacion and change as Cryste sayd Into iugement am I come into this worlde y â thei y t se not shuld sâ and thei y t se shulde be blynde That is I am come to make a change It was a mer ãâ¦ã ouse change â y e blynde borne shulde se and y e quyke eyed pharisayes so wel lerned shulde be made starke blynde Also Nowe sayd Câyste is y â iugement of this worlde y â is to wytte this worlde shalbe now changed Why so for y e prince therof shalbe cast forthe y â is y e deuil shalbe caste forth and Cr yste shal come yn I sawe sayd Cryste Satan fallinge downe frome heuen lyke a lyghteninge at whose fall Cryst was exalted unto the kyngdome ouer al this worlde for a stronger armed hath met w t him and ouercome him c. Nowe ye se the change of these princes wherof foloweth y â change of this worlde Vnder Satan the gentyles worshiped stockis and stones and the Iwes stode vpon their workis vnder cryste we worshipe god the father in spirit y t is to saye in verite and hope for saluacioÌ for our faith in Cryste that same verite But wherby came this alteracion and so graciouse a change verely thorow the prechinge of the gospel of the kyngdome that is thorowe the prechinge of Cryst Isaye thus prophecyinge I shal enryche him w t my spirit and he shal preche iugemente vnto the gentylis that is to saye my gospel of the kingdome of heuen at whose prechinge the worlde shal be altered and changed into a better state and thei shal discerne and iuge this change to be godly for the prince of this worlde shalbe casteforthe and discerned to be a contrary prince vnto Cryste and that by the worde that tryeth all thinges And now because More will saye that this matter and iugemente pertaynâd to the Iwes onely and not to vs althoughe we be gentylis but of a nother worlde than it was than He shal knowe that w t yn this xij yere ther hath ben a grete alteracion and yet continue the and shalbe yet at greter muta cion than we loke fore which mutacion be gaâe and continueth at the preching of the pure gospel and translating of it into al lan guegis by this worde of god now reuyuâd and spred so brode we iuge and disceâne the pope the prince of this worldâ for he is more carnal and worldely than the worl de it selfe to be y â very Anticryste and we se him nowe w e More and their faccion in castinge forth and that by the mighty worde of god and thei shalbe slayne w t the breath of goddis mouthe But the worlde whose prince the pope and his secte are of whom More is yet one iuge that the gospel that thus altereth this worlde is heresye and the cause of sâdicion and Anticrist and his faccion to be the chirch of god aÌd the very poore chirche of the electe whom thei burne to be herityques But awake ye Anticristis oute of your wykednes For y â holygoste is now comen w t his worde wr yten to dispute to reason to reken w t you to rebuke and conuince you for this peruerse iugement For it is Anticryst I tell ⪠you aÌd not the hed of Crystis chirch euen the pope the prince of this worlde now espyed de cerned by goddis worde and shalbe cast forth of his kingdome shortely ¶ Now let vs se what foloweth Mores texte that if by that circumstance yet we maye gather more lyght in to these truthes It foloweth for he shal not speke of him selfe but he shal speke whatso euer he hath harde and tell you the thinges to come The father had spoken to the worlde by the fathers Moses and prophetis whose wordis were writen the holy gost had har de them and now shulde speke them cryste also had spoken them but yet were thei not vnderstanden the gospel shulde be preched amonge the gentils aftir crystis ascen sion this the spirit shulde teche them and so he shulde glorifye me sayd cryste and not any other creature as More wolde haue bowes belles water and asshes halowed glorifyed by leding into these trouthes for he shal râceyue of my worde teche it you wher cryst therfor left in teching his disciples euen at those so harde poyntes y â thei coude not yet bere theÌ ther begane y â holy gost w t theÌ agen aftir crystes asceÌsion But first because cryst sayd he wold be fro them a lytel whyle and then come agene as after his resurreccion sithe he was so diligent louinge a Master continually applyinge his scolers whom he had now taken in hand to teche yet left yn ignorance as touching those harde poyntis which thei coude not then bere before hiâ deth takinge them for the and preparing them into the schole of the holy goste let vs se what communicaci on he had with them and what doctrine he taught them Although I know that Mo re here seweth to a nother tayle for thus al legeth he the texte saynge when the spirit of trouth shal come he shal lede you into euery trouth Euery trowth sayâh more aÌd not al trouth so fayne wolde he here lappyn his lyes to And put you in remembran ce of al that I my selfe haue or wolde saye vnto you c. Which is not there folowing that texte but More patcheth it to of his owne because he wolde deduce a false dedu ccion of a false supposicion for than deduceth he thus saynge And sith he sayd not the holy gost shal wryt vnto you al thingis nor shal wryte you al trouthe but shal lede you into al trouthe we deduce therevpon that the beleife wher ynto the spirit of god ledeth vs and planteth it in our harte is as good and as suer to saluacion w tout any writinge at al as if it were wryten This is Mores wyse deduccion Lo. The holygost led them into al trouthe ergo al those trouthes be not wryten cryst sayd not the holy gost shal wryte them ergo they were nether wryten in y â olde nor yet aftyrwarde in y e newe testement lyke argumentis More maketh in other places God promysed to wryte his lawe in their hartis ergo the lawe was not wryten in bokes what a blyn de Phaâysaye is this But turne we agayne into y e waye ¶ Cryste after his resurreccion notwithstandinge so many lessons and warninges befoâe had of his spiritual kingdome redempcion to be sprede into amonge the Iwes and gentylis both yet fyndinge his disciples in their olde douteful wekenes ignorance and hardnes of beleif y t is to wit euen in y e same state where he left them whan he sayd As concerninge these thingis yet haue I many
his blode pourged our consciences from de dely workis to thentent we shulde serue the lyuing God not ceasse from his serui ce Awake therfore ye aduersaryes of the faith repenteye in tyme leste y â greuouse hayle storme thretened you of Isaye Iere mye with so heuy heapâs of myscheif bur dens bere yow down sodenly taken away Beconuerted to Cryste your sufficient hole sauioure if ye can so beleue him Sweat no lenger for the vnderproppinge of your false chirche vnder y e pretence of y â catholik chirche of Cryste which was cal led in tholde testament y â stone or rocke wherupon euen there god bylded his chirch in the faith of him to come as in y e new called the hed kornerd stone vpon whom the same bylding yet continueth euermore vpoÌ one spiritual fowndacion neuer vpoÌ pro phane popes carnal cardinallis blynde bisshops prowde priestis monkis fryers c. It was grownded vpon faith in cryst his woâde not vpon y e popis faith and his tradicions vnworthy to be wryten It was planted in y â blode of martyrs orned w t loue peace not vpon tyrannouse blodesheders swyft vnto al myschefe It was layed lo wein mekenes ignominy pouertye c. not exalted w t pryde vayn glory ryches di gnites worldly honour w t al maner of viciouse welthynes It was set vpon y â fowndacion of thapostles prophetis saith Paule euen vpoÌ y â same ouermost hed kornerd stone Iesus Cryst no nother then this fouÌ dacion no man maye laye in him to be reared vp to be y e holy temple of God framed togither w t loue whose vtwarde badges markis to be known by is y e pure preching faithful layngforth of goddis wryteÌ wor de y â dewe administracion of y â holy sacraments as baptisme y â lordis souper y â wor thy frutis of repentance innocencye of lyuing constancy pacience in persecucion glad beringe of Crystis crosse folowinge him These w t other markis set in y â .x. ca. of Mat. are y â tokens of crystis chirche aÌd not glitering glory tyrany power delusions of y â devil euen Moris holy maydens miracles of ypswych kent whiche nowe thanked be God be come to lyght markê worthy siche a chirche as he bildeth ad defendeth so falsely tymber correspondent sich a worke instruments apte for sich a ker uer conuenient kouârs for sich a cuppe Kynge Salomon y e two women stryuinge before him for the lyuinge chylde as nowe hath done longe the trwe false chyrche for the lyuing worde for this name owre holy mocher y â chirche y â one oppressinge hir chylde preuely in y â night fetching awaye y e tother womans quyk chylde hir own deed left in y â place vnder her syde to trye out y â very motherly affectis natural pââye called for his swerde pretendinge to haue deuyded y â quyk chylde in two aÌd to geue ether of them eche y â halfe but here begane the very mothers very harte to ble de here he drewforth y â very mothers very affectis y e false mother kryinge let nether of vs haue it but deuyde it c. And hath not More his chirch oppressed queÌ ched labored to burne banisshe y â worde of God stolne it from y â trwe mother sa ynge we be y e mother y e holy chirche we cannot erre the worde y â trw vnderstanding interpretacion therof all perteyn to vs. what shift and importune labours haue thei made falsely to condempne presone persecute burne the innocent lambes aÌd very chylderne of the very mother the chirche Agayne consyder when this mayde of Courtamsirete was espied of y e trw chirche to be a seducer w thir perniciouse couÌ sellers supporters auerting y â people froÌ goddis worship vnto delusions lyes ido latrye worthy all dethe by goddis lawes yet hath not y â very mother thirsted their blode as haue done hither to y e wother bloudsoupers but onely she desyereth thez to acknowlege theirsynnes repentance laboure to restore them into the very folde and flok off cryste âo crysten reder of the present Frutes off these .ij. chirches maist y â clerelyer decernothe trwe chirche from the false then in reding al Moris longe bablynge deuilisshe bokis wheryn he sweteth so sore to proue himselfe his blody blynd bisshops with their draffe to be the catholik chirch that cannot erre But let vs now go shoue a waye Moris shores wherwith he hath so proêly vnderpropped his chirch ¶ M. More to dâyue vs from the scriptu re as thoughe it were for our saluacion in sufficient to minisshe and to depresse thautorite therof to aâaunce lyftvp the vngodly glorye of his Anticristen Synagoge is not ashamed to affirme and wryte That thapostles left oute certayn vnwryten veri tes necessary for our saluacion whiche necessary trowthes if ye lyst to haue a taste of thei be these lo recyted in the. ccc ix ccc x. faces of his thirde boke called The confutacion First our ladys perpetual virgini te hir assumpcion prayhge to sayntis the knowlege that theâ praye for vs holy lenton faste the changing of Saterdaye into sondaye halowing of chaliceâ vesâments pascall taper holy water with diuerse other thinges By these tradicions of the ho ly spirit saith more hath the chirche also knowlege howe to consecrate how to say masse and what thinge to praye for and to desyer theryn by this we haue knowlege to do reuerence to the images of holy saintis of our sauiour to ctepe to his crosse c. âo these necessary for owr saluacion vnwryten verites we must feche at more his chirche y t cannot erre Into y â whiche vnwryten trouthes to proue y t y e holy gost did lede thapostles y t y e apostles delyuered them by mouth to more his chirche More tereth out this text of Ioan sayng y t y e holygost shulde lede them into euery trouthe Note here crysten reder the peste lent purpose false peruerting of y e scriptu re which this man here vseth in alleging this text as thou seist him peruerte this text so doth he al other And suerly I cannot tell whether this man thus abuse these wordis of Cryst of ignorance or of a set malyciouse purpose wetingly to impugne the trwth and so conmit y t greuouse irremissible synne agenst the holygost for which saynt Iohan byddeth vs not to pray If More be so sene in scripture as he maketh him self and did rede but one lyue before next this same text vnderstode it theÌ is it playne y t he doth willingly wetingly synne agenst the spirit of trouth For there is it manyfest y t these trowthes into which he promysed his
or two of Mores vnwryten verites Firste as for the per petual virginite of our lady I neuer dou ted therof before ether I knewe or harde of Mores chirche or harde Mores probacion expowninge non cognosco for non cog noscam no I neuer yet harde any man do ute therof but yet is it not a trewthe neces sary for our saluacion no more than it was necessary for Abrahams Isaakis others electâ of y â olde testameÌtis saluacion which neuer harde therof And as for our ladys assumpcion it is an vnwryten trowthe in dede not contayned as more saith in holy scripture nether a trwthe concerning cryst nor pertayninge to our saluacion For wh ither she was assumpte or not yet be we ne thelesse redemed by crystis dethe besydis this if she had ben assumpte to heuen body soule y â apostles lokynge on she letinge fall amonge them hir girdle bâdis as Mores chirche fableth so had they not neded y â spirites serchinge nor ledinge into thys truth for their owne eyes shulde haue certi ââed thez And to tel you y â very trowth of this vnwryten verite Saynt Ierome who me More his chirch take for their autour of this truthe saith playnly in his sermon of hir assumpcioÌ if it be his which is deuided into hirlegende on y â day That she was buryed in y â vayle of Iosaphat he seynge hir graue but nothing in it but how what âyme or of whome saithe he hir bodye was taken thence or whother it be transâosed or wether she be rysen we caÌnot tell And before he saithe Many of vs doute whither she was assumpte togither w t hir body or whither she went hir waye hir bo dy here left behynde hir of this vnwryten legende Lo wheryn in it is dowted both of y â autor verite sith thautor him selfe doâteth More his chirch fetched their vnwryten trouth wold thrust it in to vs am ong our articles of our faith w t his newe vnwryteÌ articles as he goth about to byld vs a new chirch so wold he prech vs a new gospel wryte vs a new crede set vs vp a âew a nother sauiour besydes cryst Forthermore as for praynge to sayntes worshi ping of stockis stones as it is vngodlynes â playne Idolatry so is it no testimony of Cryst nor necessary trwthe but playne agenst goddis âorde saynge Thy lorde God shalt thou worship him onely shalt thow honour cleue to And agene Ther is no man y â pâayeth calleth to a saynte but he sheweth hiÌself to beleue truste in y e same saynt Paule saynge How shal they cal vpoÌ any in whoÌ they beleue not Cryst is oure meane intercessour onely betwene God our father vs a sufficient aduocate continually w t y e holy gost making intercessioÌ w t sighes vnspekable before y e father for vs. To forbere flesshe âte fysshe to faste lentoÌ were not so harde poyntes to the apostles but thei coude haue borne them at crystis mouth as wel as y â other Iwes did beare si che harder ceremones at Moses mouthe y â was but man onely To faste lent as it testifieth me not criste so is it no article necessary of my faith for if I or any man wold so fast it as to beleue to be saued for y â dede doing thaÌwer cryst deed for vs in vayne by thes iug thou his âother vnwryteÌ vanites ¶ Yet for a more clere vnderstandinge of this text The holy gost shal lede you into al trouth let vs toÌlider what goth before what foloweth y â we may se perfitly what truthes these were \ to decerue theÌ froÌ Mo ris lyes aÌd to beginne ye shal vnderstande crysteÌ reders y â this is Mores pesteleÌt pro perte in alleging scriptures to furnessh his heresyes First slegth holy to snatchout ate xt of y e hole sentence y e wordis befor folo wing wherof y e trew vnderstaÌding depeÌde th preuely of a poyson purpose lefte clene out ⪠T haÌ seweth he to a false glose of his o wn shaping so a false supposicioÌ once lay de \ he procedeth to frame fynesshe his de niiâissh drift here ther in his deduccioÌ stre wing his processe w t lordly checks tauntis mockes lyes colours of his owne wonte retryk But thou shalt first note for y â espy ing out of this vngodly deceyte serpeÌtine fraude for y e very truth of y e text so torne maÌgled what thing y e autor enteÌdeth che ifely in y t processe cha ⪠holepistle or gospel wheryn thou êcase redest then loke how he referreth euery argumeÌt sayng to his purpose because y â autor diuerteth mak eth a digressioÌ froÌ his principal enteÌt some thing incideÌtly offred to his mynde marke werhe gothforth wer he returneth to his purpose neuer lat y â principal enteÌt of hiÌ prefixed to which al y e processe teÌdeth go fro thy mynd obserue also diligeÌtly y e vse of his wordis maner of spech what his wordê signifye ThaÌ al y e processe so scatred gather thou togither coÌfer frame euery ête to y â ende entent y t y e Autor purposed And thâ shalt thouse both thissame conferring framing togither of these sentencis not onely to be y e light in derknes y e exposicion of all thinfallible rule of y e truthe but also the very tryed tryacle agenst y e vyrulent venome of al heritiques y t in so tering rending out scripture falsely glose violently wrest blasphemously abuse y â holygostis wordis to stablessh their heresyes As More wold by this texte of Cryste whan y e spirit of trouth shal come c. proue stablesshe y t y â apostles left aught vnwryten c. Here therfore first shalte thow restore this text into his owne place agene Iohan. xvi And theÌ loke wher y t processe began and what cryste entended in it And to helpe thy labours Begyn at y â xiij cha Wher thou shalt se y â cryst consydering y e olde passouer remembred y e newe wheryn also he shulde bodely passe out of this worlde to his father for by his godhed he was euer present with him there shalt thou se what loue he did bere to his derebeloued disciples the sowper ended what homble seruice he dyd thez in ââasshing their fete agayne what an vnlouing towche one of them shulde shew him so y t at laste he prepared vnto his purpose begane his sermone vnto them almoste in the ende of the cha saynge My sweet son nes yet a lytel whyle am I with you ye shal also seke me as I tolde the Iwes but whother I go ye may not come c. Here they perceyuing that he wolde departe fro them were ful heuy which heuynes came by
e sufficiency and perfitfulnes of y â scripture proued agenste More for Dauid here compareth y â scripture to a plentuouse suffi cient paslure vnto y e which Paule loked i. Cor. iij. whan he sayd I nouresshed you vp w t mylke as yonge infantes in cryste not w t faste mete for ye might not yet beare it Thou haste sprede me a table sayde Dauid in y â presence of my aduersaryes meaninge y e scripture where standeth forth meate for aâ maner meÌnis mouthes no nother wyse tâan y t Manna in wyldernes fallen fâoÌ heueÌ satisfyed euery man sufficiently and sauoured what so euer he wolde eate Cryste him self recyted y e scriptures for y e confyrmacyon of his sermons He expowned them and wolde not haue y e Iwes to beleue him with out their testimony Paule almoste wryteth nothinge but y e scriptures and expownerh them And shal we beleue More w t his bysshops at their bare wordis If thei wol de chalenge and adscrybe to their selfe this pryuilege and honour aboue cryste and his apostles so declare thei them selfe to be y t same sonne of perdicion y t sitteth in y â temple of God lokynge for an honour euen to be borne vp w t sich a worshype as cryst him selfe neuer loked fore Sed spirituoris sui interficiet eum dominus But y e lorde shall slaye him with the breath of his mowthe AMEN ¶ A nother texte More allegeth for th is his heresy taken oute of Paule Cetera cum venero ipse disponam as for other thinges I shal set in ordyr whan I come Whiche thinges Paule myght haue wryten to them as he did and yet come neuer at them more or if he had come yet might he haue set thinges in oâdyr w toute any preching or if he had preched yet might he ha ue preched y e same gospel which he had pre ched them before whiche he preched vnto al y e gentiles and confirmed it by y e testimo ny of scriptures But y e very truthe crysten reder is this Paule was amonge y e Corin thes a yere and. vi monethes ere he wrote them these wordis Cetera cum venero c. And what gospel he preched them y â whyle for their conuersion and saluacion he af firmethe 1. Corint ij saynge Bretherne whan I came vnto yow I came not withe hyghe eloquence of speche reasoninge my matter with mannis wysedome when I preched yow the testimony of God marâe wel this the testimony of God whiche is the scripture that testifye and preche god For I professed myselfe than beinge w t you nothing els to knowe but Iâsus Cryste that he was crucified And agayne thus wâyteth he Brotherne I put you in myn de of my gospel that I preched yow which ye receyued in whiche ye stande by which ye are saued c. where it is pâayne by y â wo rdis folowing that his gospell is the very same that Cryst taught ââs disciples at his departinge and agâne aftir his resurrecci on euen the very same into whiche as into al trouthe the holy goste led them For as thââ were al enstrââte and led of one spi rit so agreâd theâ al vpon one Gospel one trouthe euen cryste the very fountayne of al trouthe to bâ preched for the saluacion both of the Iââes and geÌtyls And this gospel saith Paule in the samecha was wryâân longe â fore in the scriptures and pr omysed in the scripturis by the prophetis Also Paule consyderinge that it was no le sse labour to defende his flocke then to beget them sith so many false prophetis creptyn after him to seduce them he did wry te them his Pistles not to teche them any other faithe then thei had firste receyued by his prechinge but to confirme them in the same and to defende them from the fal se prophâtis doctryne saynge I wryte these thinges vnto you to moneshe you as my dere childerne for haue ye neuer so manye techers yet haue ye not many fathers for it was I that begote yow in Cryste by the gospel And as for the matters that Paul sayd he wolde dispose and oâdir at his cominge If ye begyn and rede the Pistle till ye come to this place ye shal se what conten sion and disorder what was oute of frame amonge them and howe there Paule wro te vnto them these thinges to be redressed by expresse scripture orels by the rules lefte in scripture that is to wyt by faith aÌd loue and at laste he cominge vnto a grete disorder and fawâe in eatinge the lordis sowper whiche whan he had rebuked and shewed them the very vse therof to be eaten yn the memoryall and rememberaunce of hys dethe he addid therto\ in y â later ende of y e cap. as for other thinges concerning this sowper saith Ierome I shal set in ordyr whan I come Nowe to set in ordyr is not here to preche them necessary trwthes for their saluacion as Mo re fayuethe For these had he preched and wryten them longe and ofte before all that yere and an halfe prechinge with them his Gospel of whiche he wryteth in y â xv cap. thus which Gospel ye receyued and yet abyde still in it by whiche ye haue your saluacion where it is playâ y t this Gospel wryten was suffcient for their saluacion aÌd it is not trewe y t euery necessary truthe for our saluacion shulde not be conteyned in y â scripture And muche more ought More to be ashamed if he were not paste shame so falsely to allege and to wreste this scripture for his porpose For after this Paule wrote them his seconde Pistle where yn y â firste cap. he excuseth himselfe w t many wordis y â he coudâ not come to them as he promysed in y â first Pistle wherfore as forsiche thingis which he partely promysed to set in ordyr he heâe writeth them as y â reconcylyng of y â Corinthean y â hâd maryed his stepmother whom âe iâ y â v. âa of his firstâ Pistle commanded to be taken oute of y â congregacion w t many other thingis as euery diligent reder of y â ij Pistle maye clerely perceyue But here by ââaye of coÌ municacion I wolde aske M. More whan Paule came agene to y â Corinthes to preche them these other necessary trouthes coÌ tayned in this worde Cetera c. For I wil denye y t euer Paule came there aftyr by y â waye of communicacion And if he came not there then preched he not them And because he coude not come accordinge vnto his promyse he wrote them this seconde Pistle to counforte to confirme and to defende them agânste those false prechers y â went aboute to seduce them and to destroye y â he had âyâded where yn as euery reder maye se he disposed and ordered perfitly by his wrytinge althinges y t
the reason of their ignorance and vnbeleife for alâeit they had confessed him some tyme before to be both God and man yet now whan the bronte oftentacion was at hande thei were with out both knowlege faith in him so litell did it profit them his bodely presence Than did Criste to dely uer them from their heuynes and to set them in a perfe it beleife go forth with his ser mone saynge in the. xiiij cap. let not yowr hartes be thus trowbled with heuynes If ye beleue in god ye beleue in me c. For all his entent was to lede them into the beleif of him bothe god and man euen that moste absolute trouth And whaÌ thei harde him mynde agayne his goynge awaye baringe them in hande that they knewe whother he wente and the waye to Thomas to declare their ignorance answerd that they ke new nether whother he wente nor yet the waye And than cryste sayd he was the waye the trowthe and the lyfe at laste cold them that he wold sende them the holy go ste his spirit the spirit of trouthe a counforter a defender and techer to them in his bodyly absence and that this spirit of trouth shulde testifie of him whiche called him selfe that trowth the tyme wil not suffer to expende and to compare euery parte of this sermone continuing vnto thende of the xvij cha wherfore I leue this labour vnto the câysten reder whom I beseche that spirit of trowth to lede by the same waye that ther is prefixed into that trouth that cryst ther did set before their eyes \ into whome whan thei are led thei are led into all trowthe But breifly the entente of cryst was to setle and to confirme them in the beleife of himself ere he wente his waye and for their counforte to sende them that counfâr ter techer and defender euân his spirit of trowthe whiche whan hâ shulde come he shulde reason rebukâ and conuince y e worlde of synne of rightwisnes and of iugment And bâcause More saith y â ââindal wresteth thâse word is as falsely agenst him self his chirche as y â deuyl did y e scripture agenste Ciysâe saynge y â y e worlde here is takeÌ for the Iwes and paynems I shal declare th is worde Worlde for Moris confusion as cryst taketh it in y e cap. before for siche vngodly whom y e worlde fauoreth and laugheth vpon which hate his members and pe rsecute him and his worde in them euen for More and his chirche y e bisshops their faccion whom there is none more vayn glorious worldly and wyked The worlde is here they y t beleue not y t Iesus Criste is our sufficient satisfaccion red empcion rightwysnes and y t faith in him onely saueth not that there is no nother name by whome we maye be saued than Iesus Crist but beleue to be iustifyed by workis and iâge falsely of god and his worde whose glyteringe rightwysnes and false iugement y â holy gost here this daye rebuketh of this secte pharisaââcal is More and his chirch and ar and shalbe rekened resoned w t rebuked and conuineed of y e Holygoste were thei cry stened an C. tymes For this Gospel was wryten as well to rebuke vs as ether Iwe or paynem He shal rebuke y e worlde of iuge ment for y e prince of this world is eueÌ now sayd Cryste discerned And euen here is y e principal wherof cryst was mouâd to set to these wordis Adhec multa habâo que vo bis dicam c. as concerninge these forsayde iij. poyntis and especially y e last I haue yet many thinges sayd cryste to tel you but ye cannot now bere them But whan y t spirit euen y e spirit of trouth shal come he shal le de you into al trowth for y e vnderstanding therfore of this laste poynt whervpon dependeth Mores texte whiche he so falsely wresteth ⪠ye shal know y â it was prophecyed and figurâd vâry ofte y â y e gentyles shuld be called into Crystis chirche and his gospell preched to al nacions his kingdome shuld be dilated and enlarged vnto the vttermo ste costes of therthe which vnto y t tyme was contayned but in Iuda and Israel a litel angle of y e worlde of this prophecye rede Isaye and y â Psalmes Aske of me sayd the father to cryste and I shal geue y e y e gentyles for thy heretagâ ye shal also consyder y e corrupt iugement of y e Iwes in this cause beleuinge y â thei onely were goddis peple y t god onely was their god not y e god of y e gentylis to thei reâened and iuged y e gentyles do yet as we do them godlesse swyne and heithen how âdis In so miche that they iuged his gospel neuer to be preched amonge vs and of this opinion wer eueÌ y â beste of y â apostles and y â aftir y e holygost was comen some of them stoke so sore to their ceremones of y â lawe as circuncisioÌ c. y t thei thought after y t y e gentyles were called to y â gospel yet coude thei not be saued vnlesse thei had ben circuncysed to Also after y e Peter was monesshed by a vision y â he shulde not doute to preche y e gospel to y e geÌ tyles and receiue Cornelius w t his famylye y t were gentilis and baptize them yet to se what both he and Paule sufferd of y e Iwes for preching y e gospel to y e gentyles ye may knowe howe corrupt their iugement was As concerninge this mater therfore Cryst sayd I haue many thinges to tell you whiche ye cannot now beare c. It was nowe I ensuer yow an harde poynte for them to haue beleued y t thei their self shulde preche y e gospel to y e gentils and forsake their own nacion y e Iwes vnto whom Cryste had sayd warninge them before whan he sent th em to preche y â thei shulde not come amon ge y e gentylis c. For to receyue this trouthe and to preche y â gospel into among the gentylis it requyred a grete gyfte and an highe spirit euen y e conuersion of Paule his feruent spirit and laboures aboue all y â other apostles And then compare theis hercules labours of Paule and of y e other apostles in this cause vnto Moris vnwryten vanytes as halowinge of vestmentis chalices and crepinge to y â crosse and rede Paulis pistles and especially ad Ephesios as light as More maketh it and consyder how sore he sweteth and laboreth this har de trowthe Now for y e declaracion of y e wor dis of y â texte wher standeth this woâde Iâ dicium which comenly signifieth IugemeÌt and discrecion howe be it because one thin ge foloweth of a nother as at the contrary iugement of diuerse rulers there foloweth mutacions and changes
thingis mo to tel you which ye cannot now bere c. rebuked them saynge O foles and dull harted to bele ue al those thingis meaninge y â verites aÌd trouthes which he wolde haue then taught them before whiche the prophetes haue spoken of me Here apereth it playnly y t those trouthes that cryste there mente into whiche the spirit shulde lede them and More maketh them vnwryten verites shulde be siche as were wryten in the prophetis So that this texte The holy goste shal lede you into al trouthes is as miche to saye as into al trouthes wryten of Cryst before in the lawe prophetis and Psalmis This is the vndouted trouth of the texte For Cryst the same daye aperinge vnto his disciples and beginning at the same lesson where he lefte with them before his dethe sayd These are the wordes whiche I spake vnto you whan I was yet with you that it shulde be necessarye al thinges wryten in the lawe of Moses prophetis and psalmes to be fulfulled of me of me saithe he and not of any other And here as IoaÌ saith he breathinge vpon them saynge take the holygoste thei receyued the first frutes and foretaste of the spirit with y e truthes by a lytel lytel to be led into theÌ as he once had promysed them but aftyr their capacite and weakenes he here lyke a wyse master toke them euer forth from vnder y e ceremones and letter of Moses preparing them to y e spirit trouth of the gospel thaÌ saith Luke opened he their hartis myndis y t thei might vnderstande the scriptures y e scriptures saith Luke not Moris vnwryten verites said to theÌ Thus thus is it wryteÌ not thus sayd I w tout wryting Now marke wel crysten reder y t at folouth y u shalt se al y e truthes y t y e holygost lede theÌ into It behoued cryst saith he to suffer to ryse froÌ deth y e third day repeÌtaÌce remissioÌ of sinnes to be preched vnder his name into among al y e geÌtils Now coÌfer thes wordis to those so breifely knyt vp Iohan. xvi aftyr which he sayd as coÌcerning these yet haue I many thiÌges to tel you c. for albeit \ it was harde for their weaknes to bere y e forme of our redeÌpcioÌ by his deth resurreccioÌ y e calling in of y e geÌtils into his chirch yet was this point thaÌ so straÌge y t yet for al this lesson to \ it coude not synke into their hartis this preching sayd he shal be gyn at IerusaleÌ Your selues shalbe y e witnesses of these wordis y t is your selues shal prech theÌ If al this wil not yet satisfy Mo resvnsanery mouth we wil go farther eueÌ to Wytsonday wher y e holygost y t promise was fully performed y â verites lyk as here expressed wherinto thei wer led ⪠where as sone as thei were enspyred set a fyer w t y â spirit and led into these trouthes thei coâ de not longe hold their tonges but prechââ them by by euen as the spirit led them into them all And now are we in the sueresâ waye to trye oute this matter and in a nother maner deduâcion than More deduceth vs. And first note y â Cryste hauinge respecte vnto their imbeâilite and weaknes to bere these trouthes and to professe them openly and also puttinge them in remembe tance of their owne infirmite sayd ye shall receyue strengthe aftir y â y â holy gost come into you and ye shal preche me not only in Ierusalem but also in all Iudea Samaria ye and euen vnto y e vttermoste coostes of y â ââthe by whiche he mente amonge y e gentyles Nowe turne we ouer y â leif to y e. n. ca. of y â Actis of y â Apostlis and there shal we seplainly howe all this sayd before w t their sermons to thorow y e actis and y e pistles of Paule agre togither one place euermoâe confirminge and declaringe another For there did Peter w t y â xi as sone as y e spirite had led them into these trouthes \ stand vp in Ierusalem for it was prophecyed and tol de them before y t there thei shulde begynne to preche these verites and firste y â false opinion of the Iâââ beleuinge y â disciples to haue ben droncken taken awaye he tolde them constantly prechinge euen as Cryste had taught them before immediately after âis resurreccion whan thei were yet ful wâke Luke xxiiij That this same man whoÌ thei had put to dethe was Iesus Cryste seâite from god y e father and geuen them to wyn them w t doctrine and myracles whom by y e ferme decre and fore knowlege of y e father so betrayd and delyuerde vp when ye had receyued at y e handis of y e vngodlye ye ââucyfyed and slewe whom god y e father losed fro y â bondis of dethe and stered vp agene c. Now good Crysten reder rede al y e processe and communicacion y t Cryste had w t these his disciples before he sand yet haue I many thingis as touching these poyntes c. Into which y e holy gost shal lede you when he come and compare them vnto the verites y â Cryst opened them as sone as he was rysen and proued it them by scriptures and especially in y e Psalmes And then loke here now in this sermone folowinge whose substance Luke reciteth and consyder whither these be not y â same trouthes ye and y t sufficient trouthes whome whoso receyue and beleue as y e ende and conclusioÌ of the sermone testifieth playnly ar saued Loke and if al these trouthes be not plentâ ously and constantly confirmed w t the scrip tures Thei here affirmed his ascension bâ scriptures and also to sit on his fathers ââ ghthande ye and euen here sayd thei in the firste hâete of the spirit That this promyse of cryste was made both to the Iwes to their childerne and to al that are a farre to by which wordis taken of the prophete I ⪠say ⪠Paule descrybed the gentyls Thei preched now constantly that this same was that sead and frute of Dauid so ofte prom ysed in the lawe and prophetis and that now he thus exalted by the righthande of the father the promyse of the holy gost ob tayned of him he hath powered forth eueÌ this that you now se and here Note these laste wordis wel se and here what sawe thei what harde thei els but the verites in to whiche he promysed the spirit to lede th em of whiche the firste is That this man Iesus of Nazareth was geuen them of the father this verite was wryten in the prophetis and Cryste tolde them to that he was come from the father secondarily Peter and the. xi