testifinge it in vs that he is our God our father to vs an almighty helper and deliuerer and that we are receyued in to his favour by the dethe and meretis of his sonne Iesus Christe our saviour vpon the which beliefe aÌ„d assuered persuasion we love him so ernestly agene that we ceasse not the occasion and tyme offrede to fulfill his plesures in doinge the workes of loue or charite to our neghbours Of this lively faithe Paule speaketh alwayes which by love is mighty in operacion ad Gala. 5. and mente no more deade faithe in this his senteÌ„ce A man is iustified bi faithe theÌ„ he mente of a deade man wheÌ„ he alledged the prophete Abakuâ—saing the rightwise shal liue of his faithe for dede faith geueth no life ¶ To be iustifyed orto be made rightwyse before God by this faithe is nothinge els but to be absolued frome sinne of God to be forgeuen orto haue no sinne imputed vnto him of God ¶ The rightwysnes which is allowed before God that cometh of faithe is sometimes in scripture called his mercie or fauour towerd vs in vs wherby he is moued for Christis bloudis sake to promise vs forgeuenes And sometimes it is takeÌ„ for his truthe faithfulnes in the performiÌ„ge of his promise of this is he called iuste or rightwise faithful and true Vvâ—erfore the scripture comenly ioyneth these two wordes mercie Truthe or faithfulnes togither especially in the Psalmes as I noted in the argument of the. 89. Psalme and as Dauid praieth God in the. 31. Psal. to deliuer him for his rightwisnes sake that is for his mercies sake or for his truthes sake in the. 5. Psal. lorde ledemeforthe for thy rightwisnes sake The mercy wherby God is moued to promise vs his benefits goth before and his truthe in performinge feloweth nowe the maner of the scripture is to vse the one for the tother as the kingdome of heaueÌ„ for the gospel which gothe before is the knowlege of the waye to the kingdome and because of hearinge the worde cometh faith Ro. 10. therfore to heare in scripture is sometimes takeÌ„ for to beleue as Iohan in the. 6. Euery man that hath harde and is learned of my father cometh to me that is to saye euery man that beleueth on the father c. in the same ca. He that cometh to me shalnot hoÌ„ger which saing the sentence folowing expoundeth thus He that beleueth in me shal neuer thirste or shal be euer satisfied here to come to Christe whiche foloweth faith in him is taken for to beleue in him aÌ„d sometime that at gothe before is taken for that at foloweth as maye apere wel to them that are excercised in readiÌ„g of holy scripture as the keye of knowleg and the gospel ar al one for that one comeh of the tother Farthermore Paule in the. 9. .10 ca. to the Ro. iÌ„ the. 3. to the Philip. declareth two maner of rightwisnesses one he calleth the rightwisnes of the lawe or our owne rightwisnes the tother the rightwisnes of god or of faithe the rightwisnes of the the law is that at is goteÌ„ bi workes of the lawe the rightwisnes of faithe is that wherby God of his mercie rekeneth vs righwise for our faythe 's sake Outwarde workes shewe vs rightwise before the worlde but faithe iustifieth vs before God Abrahams vtwarde dede in obainge God and going forth to offer his sonne Isaac Genesis 22. and Iames. 2. was a testimony of his faith and declared him rightwise before men aftâ—r the rightwisnes of the lawe but his faith iustified hiÌ„ before God longe before yer Isaac was borne Gene. 15. Also we ar iustified before God only in that we ar chosen in Christe before the wolrde was created Ephe. 1. Of the whiche election aÌ„d iustificaâ—â—â— our faithe when god geueth it vs certifieth our hartes aftirwarde wheÌ„ our faith brekethforth iÌ„ to good workes for trwe faith caÌ„not be ydle than ar our workes a testimony before men of our faithe so that our faithe is a secrete and a suer persuaâ—ion to our selfe of our election before God and our workes that procede of faithe ar a testimony of our faith to the worlde of the which vtward workes the worlde iugeth vs rightwise aâ—tir the rightwisnes of the law But here let men take hede leste they despise the rightwisnee of faithe â—s heresie staÌ„de to the rightwisnes of their owne workes Of whoÌ„ thê° speaketh Paule Ro. 10. They ar ignoraÌ„t of the rightwisnes which is alowed before God go aboute to stableshe their owne rightwisnes wherfore they ar not vnder the righwisnes of God There Paule as I poynted you to before bringeth in Moses Leuiti 18. in Deutero 30. describinge these two rightwisnes as one coÌ„trarie to the tother of the whiche descripcioÌ„ I wil not here tarye rede the places aÌ„d Paules pistle to the Ro. to the Gala. vnderstande it if god wil geue it yowe This is therfore Paules sentence to the Romans in the thirde chapter Vve suppose that a man is iustified by faithe with oute the workes of the lawe vnderstanding it of iustificacion and of that rightwisnes that is of liuely faith aÌ„d alowed before God as I haue declared it before And for the probacioÌ„ of this sentence the Prophetes Christe his awne selfe and his Apostles spente al their labours and liues aÌ„d especially Paule labouring above al other to confirme it as it apereth in his pistles and especially in his pistle to the Romans Vvheryn he layed this sentence of the iustifyinge by faith at the beginninge as his principal proposition and chefe foundation grounded of the testimonie of Abakuâ— the Prophete Agenste the which proposicion the Iwe whiche sought for the rightwisnes of workes as nowe do the false Christen a non obiected saing as you do nowe If faith oÌ„ly iustifieth wherfore the is the lawe with so many good workes coÌ„maunded vs to fulfil it Paule answerthe By the lawe come men in to the knowledge of their sinnes And because ye shulde vnderstand that by the lawe he meÌ„te the moral lawe not the ceremonial He gaue exaÌ„ple iÌ„ the. 7. ca. of the moral law saiÌ„g I had not known that coÌ„cupisceÌ„se had beÌ„ sinne except the law had saide Thou shalnot luste And nowe therfore saith he Rom. 3. the rightwisnes of God is made manifeste with oute the lawe by the Gospel frome faith to faithe which rightwisnes was sometime preached of the Prophetes and proued by the testimony of the lawe And nowe aâ— men iustified frely by Goddis mercy and by the redempcion that is in Jesu Christe thorowe faith in his bloude c. Ro. 3. Then agene obiecteth the Iwe as nowe dothe the ChristeÌ„ in the beginniÌ„ge of the 4. ca. Vvhat theÌ„ shal we saye to AbrahaÌ„ our father aftir the flesshe what gote he bi his workes Vvas he not iustified bi them If Abraham saith Paule were iustified by his workes so hath he
wherof to reioyse but not before God And euen here is Iames question soluted Iaco. 2. sayng Abraham our father was he not iustified by his dedes when he wolde haue offred his sonne Isaac yes verely as here saith Paule he had to reioyse before men but not before God that is to saye he had that dede which iustified him aÌ„d declared him iuste vtwardly before men with the rightwisnes of the lawe for his obedience but as concerninge the rightwisnes of 〈◊〉 before God saith Paule AbrahaÌ„ beleued in God and it was rekened him for rightwisnes This is Paules firste argument to proue his principal proposicion which argument he taketh of the example of Abraham father of the peple of God In whom the forme of rightwismakinge was firste declared and setforthe for our example The seconde argumente Paule deduceth of the diffinicioÌ„ of thâ—s worde Vvas Rekened which standeth in the sayd autorite of Genesâ—s 15. and it signifieth a rekeninge a fre forgeuenes of a dutye which the dettour is not able to paye sainge To hiÌ„ that worketh is the rewarde not rekened of fauoure but of dutye And to him that worketh not but beleueth on hiÌ„ that iustifieth the vngodly Faith is rekened for rightwisnes faithe sayth he aÌ„d not workes euen as Dauid sayth Blessed is that man to whome the lorde rekeneth not his sinne he sayd not blessed is he that worketh but he to whoÌ„ God rekeneth not sinne that is to saye althoughe he be a sinner and not able to come oute of dette yet wil not God of his mercy reken it vnto hym ne laye it to his charge for that the penitent sinner beleueth that Christe made satisfaction for him aÌ„d payd the raunsome for it with his preciouse bloude And vpon this fre forgeuenes he sealed him a quitaunce with the seale of circumcision which was a tokeÌ„ to hiÌ„ that he was iustified by his faith But we haue nowe a more suer aÌ„d liuelyer token of our right wismakinge by faithe for god hath confirmed vs in Christe he hath anoynted vs he hath coÌ„segned vs vnto him and geuen vs his holygost for an erneste of his promise to be iustified by faith 2. Cor. 1 and Ephe. 1. thus sayng Aftir that you harde the Gospel which is the worde of truth wheryn ye beleued ye were scaled with the holy spirit whiche is to vs as an ernest peny to be assuerde of our promised heretage whiche is purchesed vs by redempcion into the prayse of the glorie of God Mo argumentes Paule maketh in the same 4. cap. to the Romans for the probacion of his sentence espye them oute if you can and desyer God to geue you vnderstandinge Also ye shal knowe that Christe came not as a lawyer like Moses but he was the very redemer and reconcyler of the beleuers thorow his bloude into his fathers fauour and grace The lawe was geuen by Moses but remission of sinnes and the holygoste is geuen by Christe Iohan 1. ye that vnto all vpon al that beleue Ro. 1 Oh what consolacion is in this one place set forthe for feared and troubled conscienses suerly no tonge can expresse it for althoughe we wante good workes as we wante al for there is not one that doth good but we ar al sinners yet let vs beleue that for Christes sake we are receyued frely into our fathers grace This rightwisnes is set forth of his mercie for vs with oute the workes of the lawe wherfore suerly it were grete blasphemie agenst Christe and no lesse defilinge of his mercie seâ—te not to receyue the merites of his passion that is to saye the rightwisnes by faithe but to turne it into our sinful workes If â—ny man â–ª be he neuer so holy shuldbe iustified by his workes then had â—hriste saith Paule to the Galat. in the secoÌ„d chapter dyed in vaine for that same man let vs therfore receyue Christes rightwisnes nowe offred vs let vs truste to his rightwisnes and merets not to our owne nor yet to eny others for al our rightwisnesses saith I saie iÌ„ the. 64. chapter ar as the spotted and foure clothes of a menstruose It is verely â— grete blasphemie to refuse this suer and fre forgeuenes in Christes bloude ye aÌ„d a damâ—able thinge to 〈…〉 it as heresie and to seke for workes of our owne muencion vpon this hope and beliefe to deserue heuen and to be iustified by them For this article to â—e knowne Paule swet so sore in his pistles and laboured in hâ—s preachinâ—e But yet let not blinde carnal reason make this obiection agenste him saing If faithe withoute workes iustifieth then nede we not to do eny good workes Not so 〈◊〉 for by faithe therfore ar we iustified to thentente we shuld â–ª do good workes neuer ceasse and therfore Paule after that he had sufficiently proued his conclusion dyd serro in the. 12. 〈…〉 to the 〈…〉 good workes then euer we ar able to do 〈◊〉 worâ—es in their place and faith in hir place for if the workes ar not done of faith then are they sinne Rom. xiiij ¶ Nowe master prior because you or not gretly acqueynted with Paules doctrine althoughe he be your patrone and paynted at your gates because his argumeÌ„ts ar to highe for them that neuer felt faith nor yet tasted the fealinge of the spirite of faith iâ— the schole of the crosse I wil desceÌ„de with yowe into a more sensible demonstracion to proue Paules sainges trwe to daÌ„ne your opinioÌ„ Paule as he was going to persecute Christes chirche was smiten downe a murderer and rose agene a iustified man which yet had done no good workes but only beleued in Iesu Christ that smit him downe and spake vnto him ergo faith only iustified The yonge innocent newe Christined and departed I thinke you wil graunte is iustified but not bi his workes ergo The thefe that hanged by Christe was iustified vpon the crosse but not for eny workes that he ther did ergo for his faith only Wherfore sir me thinke ye were to hastye to iuge me a Lutherane and an heretique for affirming or holding eny saing of holy scripture which I knowe wel you vnderstand not aÌ„d to impute vnto me that whiche I neuer said and so preuely to accuse me where vpon to avoyde the cruel tiraÌ„nye of my lorde your reuerent spiritual father with his adherentes that yet fight agenste the lorde and his anoynted I was constrâ—yned to lese al that I had and to flee Syr stande yowe to your glisteringe good workes and glorâ—ouse merets beleuinge to be iustified and forgeueÌ„ for them not in Christes dethe and truste you to them if you wil â—or as for me which am an heretique and a Lutherâ—ne in your opinion I shall by Goddis grace feaâ—e with Iobe al my deades praye with Dauid O lorde I beseche the entre not into iugemeÌ„t with thy seruaunte but saue me deliuer me for thy rightwisnes sake not for mine
cure they might wel see hiÌ„ obserue it into their owne coÌ„demnacion if they did other wise accuse hiÌ„ as eny transgressour therof as they dyd not with standinge at the laste their owne consciencis witnesinge agenste them And euen of the violeÌ„t wrestinge and false interpretinge of this one texte to serue for our spiritual belyes and their ambiciouse impery men maye gather and see plainly many other placis and textis of holy scripture to be like wise peruerted and torne in to their tradicions But God avenge deliuer once his pure holy worde frome the captiuite of these pestelent skorners gloriouse glosing hipocritis Amen ¶ Of pilgrimages and worshiping of Images THen you saye that I wolde haue men in derision that wente on pilgrimage for what cause it came not then into your minde loke you can call the cause yet into your minde who tolde you this for I can tell you full well aÌ„d who coÌ„spired with you to obserue me to write my sainges to coÌ„ceyue siche secrete letters but the lorde will se to it avenge Exo. 5. Sir I mocked theÌ„ not but he that sitteth in heauen hath theÌ„ in derisioÌ„ It is the lorde that scornethe theÌ„ Psal. 2. and that worthely because they forsake him the liuinge god alone for all sufficient and euer ready to helpe all that call vpon him in faith and verite and will runne aftir straunge goddes into hilles wodes and solitary places there to worshipe stockes stones ye pataueÌ„ture to do worse thinges of maÌ„nes making Ar not these men to be laughed at or rather to be lamented that maye aÌ„d oughte to worshipe god at home in their chamber and yet will farsake wife childerne and housholde whose presens they behoue and spende both bodye and goodes in longe and wearye trauelinges to fall downe and worshipe a stocke or a stone made with mannis hande Are not these the people scatred so brode thorowe al the lande of Egypte to seke chaffe Exodi in the 5. chapter Reade the seconde precepte as it standeth Exodi in the. 20. chapter reade the lawe the Prophetes and the newe testament and loke howe greuously God threateneth these godgoers aÌ„d saincte sekers that shulde have but one God him only to honour and to serue as Christ testified in the. 4. chapter of Mattheu and that in spirit and truthe euen at home in their hartes StaÌ„de it not writen Exodi in the. 22. chapter He that offereth to eny Goddis that is to saye vnto eny image save vnto the lorde only let him dye with oute redemption He abhorred straunge goddes so sore that he forbade his people to name them Exod. in the. 23. Chapter Heare what I saie saith in the .65 chapter I haue stretched forth my handes al this longe time paste vnto a nacion that forsaketh me and seketh straunge goddes which nacion gothe not the right waye that is to saye not aftir my minde and commaundementes Vvhich nacion exaspereth and angreth me beynge present and yet go they forth to offre in groues and wodes doinge sacrifices there at autares of stone sittinge and knelinge by toumbes and shrynes sleaping in chirches full of images let the schole men excuse this falling dome before Images kissinge of their fete kneling praing holding vp of haÌ„des steking vp of candles and geuinge them giftes c. callinge for their helpe in sikenes aÌ„d perel making their vowes vnto them Let them cloke their worshipe with Dulia and Hyperdulia and yet shal it be Idololatria when they haue made the beste for them that they can God will not be worshiped with our inuencions but as he him selfe hath commaunded he forbode euen the making of Images For he se that they shulde steale a waye his worshipe Thus said he Isaie in the. 42. chapter I am he that is called the lorde which geue not my glory to eny other creature nether yet my prayse to eny karuen Images Except you be ashamed of your stockes and â–ª Idoles in wodes and hilles in whom you delighted and leaue your groues and gardens which ye chose for your selues you shal be like okes whole leaues fall a vaye and like a garden with oute water For the glistering glorie of these Images shal be turned into stubble and the makers of them in to sparkes of fyer and both of them shal be burnte vp to gither noman quenchinge them Isaye in the firste chapter Reade him also in the ende of the seconde chapter And heare what the Prophet Baruch saith of these Idolotres in the. 6. cap. Thâ—yr goddes verely haue goldeÌ„ crownes vpon their heades frome whom the prestes fetche golde and silâ—er and bestowe it vpon their selues Also they geue of the same golde and Iwels to hores and make â—aye their harlettes their with and aftir that these harlettes have oâ—â—rede them agene they reâ—â—â—ave them and decke their goddis with the same And yet ar not these goddis cleane frome rouste â—â—wormes althoughe they be kouereâ— aÌ„d dect with purple they must wype a waye the duste frome theyr faces for their houses ar full of duste c. Reade the. 44. Chapter of Isaye AT laste you put your most ReuereÌ„de father in minde for forgeting saing But I besech your lordship that no creature may know that I or eny of mine do shew you of these thiÌ„gis for theÌ„ I shal lese the fauour of many iÌ„ my countrye c. Oh yuel fauourde oules backis night rauens that thus feare the light O negociuÌ„ perambulaÌ„s in tenebris O preuey pâ—yson walkiÌ„ge in derkenes Fered you men more then god Had you leuer lese the fauour of God then of men Is this the zele you bare to gods worde Had you leuer let it lye stil strangled with heresie then you shuldbe disclosed aÌ„d lese the fauour of meÌ„ What ChristeÌ„ maÌ„ wolde with drawe you his fauour for avenginge gods truthe frome heresie These ar the godly spirituall that take so grete paine in persecuting presoning putting to deth with so grete labours study the poore innocent soules membres of Christe for the pure zele they haue to god to his worde secretly they dare accâ—â—se but not opeÌ„ly In dâ—rkenes dare they staÌ„de shoteforthe their arows dipped in venome but not in the light They thinke to make the truthe a lyer which saith in his gospel there is nothinge so secrâ—etly done but it shal be disclosed But it is your owne glorie your own honour and ydle belis â—uste thaâ— you seke â—ont for so gredely and not to deliuer Gods truth from heresies for it is his trwe worlâ— the very liuely meÌ„bres of his poore chirch that you yet persecute so cruelly Vvhich abhominable blindnes if you wil not knowe repent you at so many daily exhortacions warningis thretening is by Goddis own worde both in Latine aÌ„d in Englisshe so mercifull offred you loke for no nother but the vengeaunce and wrath of god now hanging ouer your headis shortly to be powerd downe â—â—pon you Plages daily ar sent into your kingdome and euen the Popis hed which is Antichriste is now broken Babilon is fallen in dede and all hir karuen and grauen goddis ar braste ageÌ„st the grounde I saie in the. 21. chapter Fle you therfore out of Babilon aÌ„d let euery man saue his life Ieremie in the. 51. chapter For there ar many thingis that threten an heuy fall change to your Popishe kingdome TheÌ„ lorde of powrs hath decrede to abate the pride of all stoutenes to pluk downe all the grete gloriouse of therthe I saie in the. 23. chapter It is the worde of God I tell you yet agene that thei and you persecute so cruelly It is Christe whoÌ„ you fight agenst invayne so vlindely and it is the breath of his mouth that is to saie his almighty worde that shall destroye you But wherfore wolde you not that eny creature shuld knowe that you accused me Verely Christe declareth the cause in the thirde chapter of Iohan saing Men loued the derkenes more then the light because their workis were euil for euery man that both euil hateth the light nether cometh he to the light leste his werkis be reproued God be praysed which like as at the beginninge he drewforth the light of derkenes now causeth the truthe to comforth thorow your false opinions and letters Amen your spirituall father was negligent in kepinge your letters Maledictus â—omo quâ— confidit in homine carnem facit brachium suum Ieremie in the. 17. Chapter ¶ Nowe Master Priour if you canne declare your opinions otherwise and confirme them by holy scripture trulye and purely vnderstonden shewe forth your minde in the name of God and I shall gladly make answer agen ther vnto but in the meane ceason as right is and besemeth euery christeÌ„ I submitte this my answer to your letters vnto the tyrall of Boddis worde and to his chirch that canne and wil iuge it aftir the scripture by the spirit of God Qui miscreatur benedicat tibi Iliuminet vultum suum super te vt cognoscas in terra viam suam in omnibus gentibus salutare suum Amen ¶ yours to his litel powr George Ioye ¶ The storie of my state aftir the Bishop had receaued the priours lettres ON the Saterdaye sevennyght before aduent sondaye the yeare of our Lorde M.D.XXVII there were letters sent as frome the Cardinall by on of his officers to Cambridge delyuerde to the vice Canceller called Doctour Eadmonds master of Peter college where I was then felawe In whiche letters he was commaunded to sende me vp to appere at Vvestmynster the wedensdaye folowinge at .ix. of the clok with Bâ—lney and Arture for certayne erroneus opinions c. Our master sent for me on the morowe in to the coÌ„trye and I came to him on the mondaye He shewed me the letters I red them and sawe the Cardinals signe manuall subscribed in great letters and his scale I gote me horse when it snewed and was colde and came to Londen so to Vvest mynster not longe aftir my hower when Bilney and Arture were in examinacion Vvhich thinge when I harde of and knew but those two poore shepe emonge so many cruell wolâ—â—s I was not ouer hastye to thruste in emoÌ„ge them for there was
me wherby you might thê° Judaâ—ly betraye me so do your spiritual father other sich a secrete sacrifice Suerly I had neuer beleued although it was tolde me of mani that you had thê° accused me had I not sene your own hande which letters I wolde haue winked at as I do yet at other mennis false reportis on me if I had bene but giltye al thiÌ„ges as I am not whiche you do iÌ„pute vnto me iÌ„ theÌ„ I wolde haue let your letters lye stil in derkenes aftir your desyer Or if they had ben but oÌ„ly harmfull vnto my bodie name which I am bounde to defende yet I wolde haue suffred softe sileÌ„cs pacieÌ„s to haue ben my patrones defends before god neuer to haue aÌ„swerd you coÌ„fortiÌ„ge my selfe in my god the god of al counfort now expulsed my natiue laÌ„de thorow your letters lesinge my poore liuiÌ„g forsakiÌ„g al my kiÌ„ne frendes being iÌ„ grete pouertye kare in the which al you haue sette me for that I wold awoided the cruel tiraÌ„nye of your spiritual father of other incenste by your letters I wolde I saye haue conforted my selfe and do daily as god geueth me grace with this one coÌ„fortable saiÌ„g of my sauiour Mat. 5. Blessed or you when men caste rebukes aÌ„d sclaunderouse reuilinges vpoÌ„ you persecutiÌ„g you and reporte al maner of euel agenst you belyinge you for my sake Reioyse be glad for grete is your rewarde in heaueÌ„ This one senteÌ„ce is enough to answer for me to coÌ„forte me agenst al sclaunders and false reportis and euen agenst your letters as touchinge my persone fame But in that your letters opinioÌ„s ar sclaunderouse blasphemouse agenst god his truthe I maye not suffer them to be bidde in derkenes as you desyerd your moste Reuerend father to kepe them Wherfore I shal by goddis grace auenge delyuer his truthe frome your false opinioÌ„s that by his true worde that yet if thê° it wolde please god to opeÌ„ your eyes shewe you his truthe cal you to repeÌ„tauÌ„ce ¶ First you saye that one opinion was that I helde that as grete as large powr to binde to lose was geuen of god to a simple preste as to a byshope or to the bishope of Rome which is more Which enteÌ„t opinion you saye I proued by these wordis of Christ saing Go your ways in to the worlde aÌ„d preache the Gospel c. for as my father hath sente me so sende I you c. Syr firste ye shal knowe that what so euer the scripture affirmeth I holde it for no opinioÌ„ but I beleue it to be true for there is grete difference betwene faith opinioÌ„ And as for these textis which you saye that I alledged to proue my entent loke you whether they make for your opinion of bindinge and losinge in secrete confession aftir your vnderstaÌ„dinge or rather to pertaine to the open preachinge of the worde of God And turne to Mark in the. 16. Chap. loke whether this your texte Quia sicut misit me pater c. foloweth as you allege it Ite in munduÌ„ vniuersum with a coniunction causale as you falsely bringe it in to shewe the cause of the senteÌ„ce before But turne to Iohan cap. 20. there shal you se it stande with oute a Quia as a propositioÌ„ first propounded of Christ in a coÌ„parison or similitude aÌ„d aftirwarde there disposed the coÌ„parison declared both in the geuinge of the holygost aÌ„d powr to forgyue aÌ„d to holde sinnes Nether dyd I allege these textis as you do at rovers so confusely confoundinge one Euangelist with a nother to confute your false opinion nor yet added I eny scilicetiu plurali numero for Solomon warneth Prouer bioruÌ„ 30. that we adde nothinge to goddis worde leste we be reproued founde lyers And Christe spake his wordes in the plural noÌ„bir at the geuinge of his kayes to al his apostles as ye maye se Ioh. 20 with oute eny scilicet if you knowe a verbe of the plural noumbir frome the singulare But I passe ouer your ignoraÌ„ce and shal prepare me to confirme the truthe into the coÌ„futacion of your false opinions of the which The firste is that a bishope or the bishope of Rome by whoÌ„ you vnderstande the Pope hath a greter larger powr to binde and to lose geuen them of god then a simple preste That the truthe of goddis worde might be deliuerde frome your false opinions aud losed frome your violente wrestinge of holy scripture that it apereth verily by your opinion that you knowe not what Christe ment bi the keyes of the kingdome of heauen nether yet what is vnderstandeÌ„ bi binding losing ye shal knowe that when Christe asked his disciples Matt. 16. WhoÌ„ saie you that I am Peter as the mouth of theÌ„ al answered that thinge which thei al beleued eueÌ„ thê° Thou arte Christe the sonne of the liuinge God That thei al beleued thê° as Peter openly confessed the texte folowinge declareth For euen contenently he warned not only Peter but al them whoÌ„ he asked the question that thei shulde not tell eny maÌ„ that he was Jesus Christe This Johan declareth in the. 6. chap. Vhere Christe asked his disciples And wil you go awaye to Peter answerde as the mouthe for them all Lorde to whom shal we go thou haste the wordis of euerlastiÌ„ge life we beleue he said not I beleue aloneâ—â— knowe that thou arte Christe the sonne of the liuinge god Here Peter answerd for theÌ„ al the same thinge that he coÌ„fessed Mat. 16. vpoÌ„ this therfore so faithful a knowlege beliefe sene in theÌ„ all he promised theÌ„ Mat. 16. the keyes of the kiÌ„gdome of heauen for where he sawe like faith there wolde he geue like office And as Bede saith in the Homelie of the same texte VvheÌ„ al were asked in general Peter alone for al answerde so that the same thinge that Christe answerd Peter he answerde to them al in Peter saing Blessed arte thou Simon bar iona c. aÌ„d to the shal I geue the keyes of the kiÌ„gdome of heaueÌ„ that what so euer thou shalt lose iÌ„ the erthe it shal be losed in heauen And what so euer thou shalt binde in earth it shal be bounde in heaueÌ„ That he promised theÌ„ al these keyes it is manifeste in the performinge of theÌ„ Johan 20. ca. Vvhere it is tolde when these keyes here promised were geuen to whoÌ„ they were geuen and what he ment bi theÌ„ Mark in the. 16. Luc in the. 24. both to telling the same storie They were geuen the same daye that Christe rose frome dethe at the caveninge the disciples gatherd togyther in an house for feare the dores shitto theÌ„ vnto whom Christe entred in saluting them saing Peace be with you But firste let vs se what christe meÌ„t by these keyes your opinion is that these keyes â—r the autorite or power