the sygh of the hart is his sinne put away in Christes bloud For Christes bloud purgeth euer and blesseth euer For Iohn sayth in the second of his first epistle This I write vnto you that ye sinne not And though any man sinne meaning of frailtie and so repent yet haue we an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ which is righteous and he it is that obteineth grace for our sinnes and Heb. vij it is written But this man meaning Christ because he lasteth or abideth euer hath an euerlasting priesthod Therefore is he able also euer to saue thē that come to God through hym seing he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. The Byshops therefore ought to blesse vs in preaching Christ and not to deceaue vs and to bring the curse of God vpon vs wyth wagging their handes ouer vs. To preache is their dutie onely and not to offer their feete to bee kissed or testicles or stones to be groped We feele also by experience that after the Popes Byshoppes or Cardinals blessing we are no otherwise disposed in our soules then before Let this be sufficient as concerning the sacramentes and ceremonies with this protestation that if any cā say better or improue this with Gods word no man shall be better content therewith then I. For I seeke nothing but the truth and to walke in the light I submit therefore this worke and all other that I haue made or shall make if God will that I shall more make vnto the iudgements not of them that furiously burne all truth but of them which are ready with Gods worde to correct if any thing be sayde amisse to further Gods worde I will talke a worde or two after the worldly wisdome with them and make an ende of this matter If the sacramentes iustifie as they say I vnderstand by iustifiyng forgeuenes of sinnes Then do they wrong vnto the sacraments in as much as they robbe the most part of them through confession of their effect of the cause wherfore they were ordeined For no man may receaue the body of Christ no mā may marry no man may be oyled or aneiled as they call it no man may receaue orders except he be fyrst shriuen Now when the sinnes be forgeuen by shrift afore hand there is nought left for the sacramentes to doe They will aunswere that at the least way they encrease grace and not the sacramētes onely but also hearing of masse matens and euensong and receauing of holy water holy bread and of the Bishops blessing and so forth by all ceremonies By grace I vnderstand the fauour of God and also the giftes and working of his spirite in vs as loue kyndnes patience obedience mercifulnes despising of worldly thynges peace concorde and such like If after thou hast heard so many masses matens and euensonges and after thou hast receaued holy bread holy water and the Byshops blessing or a Cardinals or the Popes if thou wilt be more kinde to thy neighbour and loue him better then before if thou be more obediēt vnto thy superiors more mercifull more ready to forgeue wrong done vnto thee more despisest the world and more a thyrst after spirituall thynges if after that a Priest hath taken orders he be lesse couetous then before if a wife after so many and oft pilgrimages be more chast more obedient vnto her husband more kynde to her maydes and other seruauntes if Gentlemen knightes Lordes and kinges and Emperours after they haue sayd so often dayly seruice wyth their Chappellaynes know more of Christ then before and can better skill to rule their tenauntes subiectes and realmes christenly then before and be content with their duties then do such thinges encrease grace if not it is a lie Whether it be so or no I report me to experience If they haue any other enterpretations of iustifiyng or grace I pray them to teach it me For I would gladly learne it Now let vs goe to our purpose agayne ¶ Of miracles and worshipping of Saintes ANtichrist shal not only come with lying signes and disguised wyth falshod but also wyth lying miracles and wonders saith Paule in the said place ij Thess ij All the true miracles which are of God are shewed as I aboue rehearsed to moue vs to heare Gods word and to stablishe our fayth therin and to confirme the truth of Gods promises that we might without all doubting beleue thē For Gods worde thorough fayth bringeth the spirite into our hartes and also life as Christ sayth Iohn vi The wordes which I speake are spirite and lyfe The worde also purgeth vs and clenseth vs as Christ sayth Iohn xv ye are cleane by the meanes of the word Paul sayth i. Timo. ij One God one Mediatour that is to say aduocate intercessor or an atonemaker betwene God man the man Christ Iesus which gaue him selfe a raunson for all men Peter sayth of Christ Actes iiij Neither is their health in any other neither yet also any other name geuen vnto men wherin we must be saued So now Christ is our peace our redemption or raunsom for our sinnes our righteousnes satisfactiō and all the promises of God are yea Amen in him ij Cor. i. And we for y t great and infinite loue whiche God hath to vs in Christ loue him agayn loue also his lawes loue one an other And the deedes whiche we hence forth doe do we not to make satisfaction or to obteine heauen but to succour our neighbour to tame y t flesh that we may waxe perfect and strong men in Christ and to be thankefull to God againe for his mercy and to glorifie his name COntrarywise the miracles of Antichrist are done to pull thee from the worde of God and from beleuyng his promises and from Christ and to put thy trust in a man or a ceremonie wherin Gods word is not As soone as Gods woorde is beleued the fayth spread abroad then sease the miracles of god But the miracles of Antichrist because they are wrought by the deuil to quench the fayth grow dayly more and more neither shall cease vntill the worldes end among them that beloue not Gods worde and promises Seest thou not how God loosed sent forth all the deuils in the old world among the Heathen or Gētiles And how the deuils wrought miracles spake to them in euery image Euen so shal the deuill woorke falshode by one craft or an other vntill the worldes end amōg them that beleue not Gods word For the iudgement and damnation of hym that hath no lust to heare the truth is to heare lyes and to be stablished and grounded therein through false miracles and he that will not see is worthy to be blind and he that biddeth the spirite of God go from him is worthy to be without him Paul Peter and all true Apostles preached Christ onely And the miracles did but confirme and stablish their preachyng and those
God and fayth of Christ and corrupt the text of the couenaunt with false gloses and are disobedient to God and therefore sâ—… deadly Oâ— this also ye see the difference betwene the lambes of true beleuers and betwene the vncleane swyne that follow carnall lustes fleshly libertie and the churlishe and hypocrâ—…e dogges Which for the blinde zeale of their owne righteousnes persecute the righteousnes of the fayth in Christes bloud The effeminate and careles swyne which coÌ„tinue in their fleshlines cease not to wallow theÌ„selues in their olde podell thinke that they beleue very well in Christes bloud but they are deceaued as thou mayst clearely perceaue because they feare not the damnation of euill workes nor loue the lawe of good workes and therefore haue no part in the promise The cruell and doggishe hypocrits which take vpon them to worke thinke they loue the lawe which yet they neuer sawe saue vnder a vayle But they be deceaued as thou mayst perceaue by that they beleue not in Christ for the forgeuenes of sinne Whereby also I meane that they beleue not thou mayst perceaue that they vnderstand not the lawe For if they vnderstoode the lawe it would eyther driue them to Christ or make them dispayre immediatly But the true beleuers beholde the lawe in her owne likenes and see the impossibilitie thereof to be fulfilled wyth naturall power and therefore flee to Christ for mercy grace and power and then of a very thankfulnes for the mercy receaued loue the lawe in her owne likenes and submit theÌ„selues to learne it and to profit therein and to do to morow that they can not do to day Ye see also the difference of all manner of faythes The fayth of the true beleuers is that God iustifieth or forgeueth and Christ deserueth it and the fayth or trust in Christes bloud receaueth it and certifieth the coÌ„science thereof and saueth and deliuereth her from feare of death and damnation And this is that we meane when we say fayth iustifieth that fayth I meane in Christ and not in our owne workes certifieth the conscience that our sinnes are forgeueÌ„ vs for Christes bloudes sake But the fayth of hypocrites is that God forgeueth and workes deserue it And that same false fayth in their owne workes receaueth the mercy promised to the merites of their owne workes and so Christ vtterly excluded And thus ye see that faith is the thing that to affirmed to iustifie of all partyes For faith in Christes bloud which is Gods promise quieteth the conscience of the true beleuers And a false fayth or trust in workes which is their owne fayning beguileth the blynde hypocrites for a season tyll God for the greatnes of their sinne when it is â—ull openeth their eyes then they dispayre But the swyne say God is so good that he wyll saue deuilles and all and damne no man perpetually whatsoeuer he do An other conclusion is this to beleue in Christ for the remission of sinnes and of a thankfulnes for that mercy to loue the lawe truely that is to say to loue God that is father of all and geueth all and Iesus Christ that is Lord of vs all and bought vs al with all our hartes soules power and might and our brethren for our fathers sake because they be created after his image and for our Lord and master Christes sake because they be the price of his bloud and to long for the lyfe to come because this lyfe cannot be fedde without sinne These â—…tes I say are the profession and religion of a Christen maÌ„ and the inward baptime of the hart signifyed by the outward washing of the bodye And they be that spirituall character badge or signe wherewith God thorouge hys spirite marketh all his immediatly and assoone as they be ioyned to Christ and made members of hys Church by true fayth The Church of Christ then is the multitude of all them that beleue in Christ for the remission of sinne and of a thankfulnes for that mercy loue the lawe of God purely and without gloses and of hate they haue to the sinne of this world long for the life to come This is the church that cannot erre dampnably nor any long tyme nor all of them but assoone as any question aryseth the truth of Gods promise stirreth vp one or other to teach them the truth of euery thing needefull to saluation out of Gods worde and lighteneth the hartes of the other true members to see the same and to consent thereto And as all they that haue their hartes washed wyth this inwarde baptyme of the sprite are of the church and haue the keyes of the scripture ye and of binding and lowsing and do not erre Euen so they that sinne of purpose wyll not heare when their faultes be tolde them but seeke liberties and priuilegies to sinne vnpunished and glose out the lawe of God and mainteine ceremonies traditions and customes to destroy the fayth of Christ the same be members of Sathan all their doctrine is poison Errour darcknes ye though they be Popes Byshoppes Abbotes Eurates and Doctoures of diuinitie and though they can rehearse all the scripture without booke and though they be seene in Greeke Ebrew and Latine ye and though they so preach Christ and the passion of Christ that they make the poore women weepe and howle agayne For when they come to the point that they should minister Christes passion vnto the saluation of our soules there they poyson all together and glose out the lawe that should make vs feele our saluation in Christ and driue vs in that poynt from Christ and teach vs to put our trust in our owne workes for the remission and satisfaction of our sinnes and in the Apish play of hypocrites which sell their merites in steede of Christes bloud passion â–ª â—o now deare reader to beleue in Christes bloud for the remission of sinnâ— and putchasing of all the good promises that helpe to the lyfe to come and to loue the law and to long for the life to come is the inward Baptisme of the soule the Baptisme that onely auayleth in the sight of God the new generation and image of Christ the onely keye also to binde and â—owse synners The touchstone to trye all doctrines The lanterne and light that scattereth and expelleth the mist darknes of all hypocrisie and a preseruatiue agaynst all errour and heresie The mother of all good workes The earnest of euerlastyng lyfe and title whereby we chalenge our inheritaunce And thoughe fayth in Christes bloude make the mariage betwene our soule and Christ is properly the Mariage garment yea and the signe Thau that defendeth vs from the sâ—…tyng and power of the euill aungels and is also the rocke whereon Christes Churche is built and whereon all that is built standeth against all weather of wynde and tempestes yet might the
and he will therto consider our mekenes and what soeuer chaunceth neuer taketh away hys mercy till we cast of the yoke of our profession first and runne away with vtter defiaunce that we will neuer come more at schole Then our stubburne and hard hartes mollifie waxe soft and in the confidēce and hope that we haue in Christ and his kindnes we go to God boldly as vnto our father and receaue life that is to say loue vnto God and vnto the law also That whiche we haue seene and heard we declare vnto you that ye may haue felowshyppe with vs and that our felowshyppe may be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ And these thynges we write vnto you that your ioye may be full To bryng vnto the felowshyp of God and Christ and of them that beleue in Christ is the finall intent of all the Scripture why it was giuen of God vnto man and the onely thyng which all true preachers seke wherby ye shall euer know and discerne the true word of God from all false and counterfayted doctrine of vayne traditions the true preacher from the wylie hypocrite We preache vnto you sayth Iohn y t euerlastyng lyfe which we haue heard and in hearyng receaued through fayth and are sure of it to draw you to vs out of the felowshyp that ye haue with the damned deuils in sinnefull lustes and ignoraunce of God for we seeke you and not yours as sayth Paul ij Cor. xij We loue you as our selues in God therfore wold haue you felowes and equall with vs build you vpon the foundation layd of the Apostles and Prophetes which is Christ ▪ Iesus and make you of the houshold of God for euer that ye and we felowes and brethren and coupled together in one spirit in one fayth and in one hope might haue our felowship thereby with God and become his sonnes heyres with Iesus Christ beyng his brethren and coheyres and to make your ioy ful through that glad tydinges as the aungell sayd vnto the shepheardes Luke ij Behold I shew you great ioye that shal be vnto all the people how that there is a Sauiour borne vnto you this day whiche is Christ the Lord. And these tydinges we bryng you with the worde of God onely which we receaued of his spirit and out of the mouth of his sonne as true messengers We preach not our selues but Christ our Lord and vs your seruauntes for hys sake we do not loue our selues to seke yours vnto vs that after we had with wiles robbed you of all ye haue we should exalte our selues ouer you separate our selues frō you and make our selues a seuerall kyngdome free and frāke raygnyng ouer you as heathen tyrauntes holdyng you in bondage to serue our lucre and lustes tanglyng your conscience with doctrine of man whiche draweth from God and Christ and fearing you with the bugge of excommunication agaynste Gods word Or if that serued not shakyng a sword at you And this is the tydinges whiche we haue heard of hym and declare vnto you that God is lyght and in hym is no darknes at all If we say that we haue felowshyp with hym and yet walke in darkenes we lye and do not the truth But and if we walke in light as he is in light then haue we felowshyp together and the bloud of Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne As the deuill is darknes and lyes so is God light and truth onely and there is no darknes of falshead consentyng to wickednes in hym And the brightnes of his light is his word and doctrine as the. C. and. xix Psalme sayth Thy worde is a lanterne vnto my feete a light to my pathes And Christe is the light that lightneth all men And the Apostles are called the light of the world because of the doctrine And all that knowe truth are light Ye were once darkenes sayth Paule Ephes v. but now light in the Lord walke therfore as the children of lyght And good workes are called the frutes of light And all that lyue in ignoraūce are called darknes as he sayth afterward he that hateth his brother walketh in darknes For if the light of the glorious Gospell of Christe dyd shyne in his hart he could not hate his brother By walking vnderstande consenting doing and working If then we walke in darcknes that is consent and worke wickednes and say we haue felowship with God we ly For to haue felowship with him is to knowe and consent and professe his doctrine in our hartes Now if the commaundementes of GOD bee written in our hartes our members can not but practise thē shew the fruite So whether light or darknes be in the hart it will appeare in y t walking For though our members be neuer so dead vnto vertue yet if our soules knowledge the truth consent vnto righteousnes we haue the sprite of life in vs. And Paule sayth Rom. viij If the spirite of him y t raysed vp Iesus from death be in you thē wil he y t raised vp Iesus frō death quicken your mortall bodies by the reasō of the spirit that dwelleth in you So that it is not possible for him that knoweth the truth consenteth thereto to continue in sinne And then finally if we haue the light in our harts and walke therein then we haue fellowship with God and are his sonnes and heires and are purged from all sinne through Christes bloud If we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and trueth is not in vs. If we think there is no sinne in vs we are beguiled and blinde and the light of Gods word is not in vs and eyther folow sinne as beastes without consciēce at all Or if we see the grosse sinnes as murther theft and adultery yet we haue hanged a vayle of false gloses vpon Moses face and see not the brightnes of the law how that it requireth of vs as pure an hart to God and as great loue vnto our neighbours as was in our sauiour Iesus ceaseth not before to condemne vs as sinners If we knowledge our sinnes he is faythfull and iust to forgeeue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrigh teousnes If we confesse our sinnes not in the preistes eare though that tradition restored vnto the right vse were not dānable but in our hartes to God with true repentaunce and fast beleife then is he faythfull to forgeue and to purge vs because of his mercifull truth and promise For he promised Abraham that in his seede all the worlde should be blessed from the curse of sinne And hath aboundantly renued his euerlasting mercy vnto vs in the new testament promising that our sinnes shall be forgeuen vs in Christes bloud if we repent and trust thereto If we say we haue not sinned we make him a lyer and hys woord is not in vs. For his
but pure sinne and of Christ grace onely which are out of measure contrary But the similitude or likenes standeth in the originall byrth and not in the vertue vice of the byrth So that as Adam is father of all sinne so is Christ father of all righteousnes And as all sinners spryng of Adam EueÌ„ so all righteous men and women spryng of Christ After the same maner is here the vnrighteous stuard an ensample vnto vs in his wisedome and diligence onely in that he prouided so wisely for him self that we with righteousnes should be as diligeÌ„t to prouide for our soules as he with vnrighteousnes prouided for hys body Likewise mayst thou soyle all other textes which sound as though it were betwene vs and GOD as it is in the world where the reward is more looked vpon then the labour yea where men hate the labour and worke falssy with the body and not with the hart and no longer then they are loked vppon that the labour may appeare outward onely WHen Christ sayth Math. v. Blessed are ye wheÌ„ they rayle on you and persecute you and say all maner euill sayinges agaynst you and yet lye and that for my sake reioyse be glad for your reward is great in heauen Thou mayest not imagine that our deedes deserue the ioy and glorie that shal be geuen vnto vs. For then Paul saith Rom. xi fauour were not fauor I caÌ„ not receaue it of fauour of the bounteous of God freely and by deseruyng of deedes also But beleue as the Gospell glad tydynges promises of God say vnto thee that for Christes bloudes sake onely through fayth God is at one with thee and thou receaued to mercy and art become the sonne of God and heire annexed with with Christ of al the goodnes of God the earnest wherof is the spirite of god poured into our hartes Of whiche thynges the deedes are witnesses and certifie our consciences that our fayth is vnfayned and that the right spirite of God is in vs. For if I patieÌ„tly suffer aduersitie and tribulation for conscience of God onely that is to say because I know GOD and testifie the truth then am I sure that God hath chosen me in Christ and for Christes sake and hath put in me his spirite as an earnest of his promises whose workyng I feele in myne hart the deedes bearyng witnes vnto the same Now is it Christes bloud only that deserued all the promises of God that which I suffer and do is partely the curyng healyng and mortifiyng of my members and killing of that originall poyson wherwith I was conceiued and borne that I might be altogether like Christ and partly the doyng of my dutie to my neighbour whose debter I am of all that I haue receiued of God to draw him to Christ with al suffring with all patience and euen with sheading my bloud for him not as an offering or merite for hys sinnes but as an ensample to prouoke hym Christes bloud onely putteth away all the sinne that euer was is or shal be from them that are elect and repent beleuyng the Gospell that is to say gods promises in Christ AGayn in the same 5. chapter loue your ennemies blesse them that curse you doe well to them that hate you and persecute you that ye may be the sonnes of your father whiche is in heaueÌ„ For he maketh his sunne shine vpon euill on good and sendeth his rayne vpon iust and vniust Not that our woorkes make vs the sonnes of God but testifie onely and certifie our consciences that we are the sonnes of God and that God hath chosen vs washed vs in christes bloud and hath put his spirite in vs. And it foloweth if ye loue them that loue you what reward haue ye do not the Publicanes euen the same and if ye shall haue fauour to your frendes onely what singuler thing do ye doe not the Publicanes euen the same ye shal be perfect therefore as your father whiche is in heauen is perfect That is to say if that ye do nothing but that the world doth and they which haue the spirite of the world wherby shall ye know that ye are the sonnes of God and beloued of God more then the world But and if ye counterfet and follow God in well doyng then no doubt it is a signe that the spirite of God is in you and also the fauour of God which is not in the world and that ye are inheritoures of all the promises of God and elect vnto the fellowship of the bloud of Christ ALso Math 6. Take heede to your almes that ye do iâ— not in the sight of men to the eutenâ— that ye would be sâ—ne of them or els haue ye no reward with your father which is in heauen Neither cause a truÌ„pet to be blowen afore thee wheÌ„ thou doost thine almes as the hipocrites do in the sinagoges and in the streetes to be glorified of the worlde but when thou doost thine almes â—et not thy lefte hande knowe what thy right hand doth y â— thy almes may be in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly This putteth vs in remembraunce of our duetie and sheweth what followeth good workes not that works deserue it but that the reward is layd vp for vs in store and we thereunto elect through Christes bloud which the workes testify For if we be worldlye minded and do our works as y â— world doth how shall we know that GOD hath chosen vs out of the world But if we worke freely without all maner worldly respect to shew mercy and to do our duetie to our neighbour and to be vnto him as God is to vs then are we sure y t the fauour mercy of God is vpon vs that we shal enioy all the good promises of god through Christ which hath made vs heyres thereof ALso in the same chapter it followeth When thou prayest be not as the hipocrites which loue to stand and pray in the sinagoges and in the corners of the streetes for to bee sene of men But when thou prayest enter into thy chamber and shut thy dore to praye to thy father which is in secrete and thy father whiche seeth in secrete shal reward thee openly And likewise when we fast teacheth Christe in the same place that we should behaue our selues that it appeare not vnto men how that we fast but vnto our father which is in secret our father which seeth in secret shall reward vs openly These two textes do but declare what followeth good woorkes for eternall lyfe commeth not by the deseruyng of workes but is sayth Paul in y â— 6. to y â— Rom. the gift of God through Iesus Christ Neither do our workes iustify vs. For except we were iustified by fayth which is our righteousnes had the sprite of God in vs to teach vs we could
How many are there of the same sort which thou cāst not make beleue that a thousand thinges are sin which God damneth for sinne all the scripture throughout As to bye as good cheepe as he can and to sell as deare as he can to rayse the market of corne and victuale for his owne vauntage without respect of his neighbor or of the poore of the common wealth and such like Moreouer how many hundred thousandes are there which when they haue sinned knowledge their sinnes yet trust in a balde ceremony or in a lowsy Fryers coate and merites or in the prayers of them that deuoure widowes houses and eateth the poore out of house and harbour in a thyng of hys owne imagination in a foolishe dreame and a false vision not in Christes bloud and in the truth that God hath sworne All these are faythlesse for they follow their owne righteousnes and are disobediēt vnto all maner righteousnes of God both vnto the righteousnes of Gods lawe wherewith he damneth all our deedes for though some of them see their sins for feare of payne yet had they rather that such deedes were no sinne and also vnto the righteousnes of the truth of God in his promises whereby he saueth all that repent and beleue them For though they beleue that Christ dyed yet beleue they not that he dyed for their sinnes and that hys death is a sufficient satisfaction for their sinnes and that God for hys sake will be a father vnto them and geue them power to resist sinne Paule sayth to the Romaynes in the x. chap. if thou confesse wyth thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord and beleue wyth thine hart that God raysed hym vp from death thou shalt be safe That is if thou beleue he raysed hym vp againe for thy saluation Many beleue that God is riche and almighty but not vnto themselues and that he he will be good vnto them and defend them and be their God Pharao for payne of the plague was compelled to confesse hys sinnes but had yet no power to submit hymselfe vnto y t will of God and to let the children of Israell goe and to loose so great profit for Gods pleasure As our Prelates confesse their sinnes saying though we be neuer so euill yet haue we the power And agayne the Scribes and the Pharises say they sate in Moyses seate do as they teach but not as they do thus confesse they that they are abhominable But to the second I aunswere if they sate on Christes sear they would preach Christes doctrine now preach they their owne traditions and therefore not to be heard If they preached Christ we ought to heare them though they were neuer so abhominable as they of themselues confesse and haue yet no power to amende neither to let loose Christes flocke to serue God in the spirit which they holde captiue compelling them to serue their false lyes The deuils felt the power of Christ and were cōpelled against their willes to confesse that he was the sonne of God but had no power to be contēt therewith neither to consent vnto the ordinaunce eternall councell of the euerlasting God as our Prelates feele the power of God agaynst them but yet haue no grace to geue roome vnto Christ because that they as the deuils nature is will themselues sitte in hys holy temple that is to witte the consciences of men ¶ Simon Magus beleued Acts. 8. with such a fayth as the deuils confessed Christ but had no right fayth as thou seest in the sayd chapter For he repented not consenting vnto the lawe of God Neither beleued the promises or longed for them but wondred onely at y ◠myracles which Philip wrought and because tha◠he himselfe in Philips presence had no power to vse his witchcrafte sorcery and arte magike wherewith he mocked deluded the wittes of y t people He would haue bought the gifte of God to haue solde it much dearer as his successours now do and not the successours of Simon Peter For were they Simon Peters successours they would preach Christ as he did but they are Simon Magus his successours of which Simō Peter well proued in y t secōd chapter of hys second epistle saying there were false Prophetes among the people meaning of the Iewes euen as there shal be false teachers or doctours among you which priuely shall bring in sectes damnable sectes is part taking as one holdeth of Fraunces another of Dominyck which thyng also Paule rebuketh 1. Corin. 1. and 3. euē denying the Lord that bought them for they will not be saued by Christ neyther suffer any man to preach hym to other And many shall follow their damnable wayes thou wilt say shall God suffer so many to goe out of the right wayes so long I aunswere many must folow their damnable wayes or els must Peter be a false Prophet by which the way of truth shal be euill spoken of as it is now at this present tyme for it is heresy to preach the truth and through couetousnes shall they wyth fayned wordes make merchaundise of you of their merchaundise and couetousnes it needeth not to make rehearsall for they that be blinde see it euidently Thus seest thou that Iames when he sayth faith without deedes is dead and as the body without the spirite is dead so is fayth without deedes and the deuils beleue that he meaneth not of the fayth trust that we haue in the truthe of Gods promises and his holy Testament made vnto vs in Christes bloud whiche fayth foloweth repentaunce and the consent of the hart vn-the lawe of God and maketh a man safe and setteth him at peace with god But speaketh of that false opinion and imagination wherewith some say I beleue that Christ was borne of a virgine and that he dyed and so forth That beleue they veryly and so strōgly that they are ready to slay who soeuer would say the contrary But they beleue not that Christ dyed for their sinnes and that his death hath peased the wrath of God and hath obtained for them all that God hath promised in the Scripture For how can they beleue that Christ dyed for their sinnes and that he is their onely and sufficiēt Sauiour seyng that they seeke other Sauiours of their owne imagination seyng that they feele not their sinnes neither repent except that some repent as I aboue sayd for feare of payne but for no loue nor consent vnto the law of god nor lōging that they haue for those good promises which he hath made them in Christes bloud If they repented and loued the lawe of God and longed for that helpe whiche God hath promised to giue to all that call on hym for Christes sake then veryly must Gods truth giue them power strength to do good workes when so euer occasion were giuen either must God be a false God But let God be true and euery
the commyng of the truth of Gods word as the night vanisheth away at the presence of day The childrē of Israell slew not those gyauntes but the power of God Gods truth promises as thou mayst see in Deut. So it is not we that shal destroy those gyauntes as thou mayst see by Paule ij Thess ij speakyng of our Ham Antichrist Whom the Lord shall destroy saith he with the spirite of his mouth that is by the wordes of truth and by the brightnes of his comming that is by the preachyng of his Gospell ANd as I haue sayd of allegories euen so it is of worldly similitudes which we make either whē we preach either when we expound the Scripture The similitudes proue nothyng but are made to expresse more playnly that which is contayned in the Scripture and to lead thee into the spirituall vnderstanding of the text As the similitude of Matrimony is taken to expresse the Mariage that is betwene Christ and our soules and what excedyng mercy we haue there wherof all the Scriptures make mention And the similitude of the members how euery one of them careth for other is taken to make thee feele what it is to loue thy neighbour as thy selfe That preacher therfore that bringeth a naked similitude to proue that which is contayned in no text of Scripture nor foloweth of a text count a deceauer a leader out of the way and a false Prophet and beware of his Philosophie and persuasions of mās wisedome as Paul i. Corinth ij sayth my wordes and my preachyng were not with entysing wordes persuasions of mans wisedome but in showyng of the spirit and power that is he preached not dreames confirming them with similitudes but Gods word confirmyng it with miracles and with working of the spirite the which made them feele euery thing in their hartes That your fayth sayth he should not stand in the wisedome of man but in the power of God For the reasons and similitudes of mans wisedome make no fayth but waueryng vncertaine opiniōs onely one draweth me this way with his argumēt another that way of what principle thou prouest blacke an other proueth white and so am I euer vncertaine as if thou tell me of a thyng done in a farre land and an other tell me the contrarie I wote not what to beleue But fayth is wrought by the power of God that is when Gods word is preached the spirite entereth thyne hart and maketh thy soule feele it and maketh thee so sure of it that neither aduersitie nor persecution nor death neither hell nor the powers of hell neither yet all the paynes of hell could ones preuayle agaynst thee or moue thee frō the sure rocke of Gods word that thou shouldest not beleue that which God hath sworne And Peter ij Pet. i. sayth we folowed not deceauable fables when we opened vnto you the power and commyng of our Lord Iesus Christ but with our eyes we saw his maiestie And agayne we haue sayth he a more sure word of prophesie wherunto if ye take hede as vnto a light shynyng in a darke place ye do well The word of prophesie was the old Testamēt which beareth record vnto Christ in euery place without which recorde the Apostles made neither similitudes nor argumēts of worldly witte Hereof seest thou that all the allegories similitudes persuasions argumentes which they bryng without Scripture to proue praying to Saintes Purgatory care confession and that God will heare thy prayer more in one place thē in another and that it is more meritorious to eate fish then flesh and that to disguise thy selfe put on this or that maner cote is more acceptable then to go as God hath made thee and that widowhode is better then matrimony and virginitie then widowhode and to proue the Assumption of our Lady and that she was borne without originall sinne yea with a kisse say some are but false doctrine Take an example how they proue that widowhode and virginitie excede matrimony they bryng this worldly similitude He that taketh most payne for a man deserueth most and to him a man is most bound so likewise must it be with God and so forth now the widow and virgine take more payne in resisting their lustes then the maryed wife therfore is their state holier First I say that in their owne sophistry a similitude is the worst and feblest argument that can be and proueth lest and soonest deceaueth Though that one sonne doe more seruice for hys father then an other yet is the father free and may with right reward thē all a like For though I had a thousand brethren and did more thē they all yet do I not my dutie The fathers and mothers also care most for the lest and weakest and them that can doe lest ye for the worst care they most and would spend not their goodes onely but also their bloud to bryng them to the right way And euen so is it of the kyngdome of Christ as thou mayst well see in the similitude of the riotous sonne Luke xv Moreouer Paul sayth i. Cor. vij It is better to marie then to burne For the person that burneth can not quietly serue God in as much as hys mynde is drawē away the thoughts of his hart occupyed with wonderfull and monstrous imaginations He can neither see nor heare nor read but that his wittes are rapt and he cleane from him selfe And agayne sayth he Circumcision is nothyng vncircumcision is nothyng but the kepyng of the cōmaundementes is all together Looke wherein thou canst best kepe the commaundemētes thether get thy selfe and therin abyde whether thou be widow wife or mayde and then hast thou all with God If we haue infirmities that draw vs from the lawes of God let vs cure them with the remedyes that God hath made If thou burne mary For God hath promised thee no chastitie as long as thou mayst vse the remedy that hee hath ordeyned no more then hee hath promised to slake thine honger without meate Now to aske of God more then he hath promised commeth of a false faith and is playne Idolatry and to desire a miracle where there is naturall remedy is temptyng of God And of payne takyng this wise vnderstand He that taketh payne to kepe the commaundementes of God is sure therby that he loueth God and that hee hath Gods spirite in hym And the more paine a man taketh I meane paciently and without grudgyng the more he loueth God and the perfecter hee is nearer vnto that health which y ◠soules of all Christen mē long for the more purged from the infirmitie and sinne that remaineth in the flesh but to loke for any other reward or promotion in heauen or in the life to come then that which God hath promised for Christes sake and which Christ hath deserued for vs with his payne takyng is abhominable in the sight of
maliciously resisted the open truth agaynst hys owne conscience sence the world began that euer I read For it is sinne agaynst y â— holy ghost which Christ saith shall neither be forgeueÌ„ here nor in the world to come whiche text may this wise be vnderstand that as that sinne shal be punished with euerlastyng daÌ„nation in the lyfe to come euen so shall it not escape vengeauÌ„ce here As thou â—eest in Iudas in Pharao in Balam and in all other tyrauntes whiche agaynst their consciences resisted the open truth of God So now the cause why our Prelates thus rage that moueth them to call M. More to helpe is not that they finde iust causes in the translation but because they haue lost their iugglyng and fayned termes wherewith Peter prophesied they should make marchaundise of the people ¶ Whether the Church were before the Gospell or the Gospell before the Church AN other doubt there is whether the Church or congregatioÌ„ be before the Gospell or the Gospell before the Church Which question is as hard to solue as whether the father be elder then the sonne or the sonne elder then his father For the whole Scripture and all beleuing hartes testifie that we are begotten through the word Wherfore if the word beget the congregatioÌ„ he that begetteth is before hym that is begotten then is the Gospell before the Church Paul also Rom. ix sayth how shall they call on him whom they beleue not And how shall they beleue without a preacher That is Christ must first be preached yer men can beleue in him And then it foloweth that the word of the preacher must be before the fayth of the beleuer And therfore in as much as the word is before the faith and faith maketh the congregation therfore is the word or Gospell before the congregation And agayne as the ayre is darke of it selfe receaueth all her light of the sonne euen so are all mens hartes of theÌ„selues darke with lyes and receaue all their truth of Gods word in that they consent therto And moreouer as the darke ayre geueth the sonne no light but contrarywise the light of the sonne in respect of the ayre is of it selfe and lighteneth the ayre purgeth it from darkenesse eueÌ„ so the lying hart of man can geue the word of God no truth but contrary wise the truth of Gods word is of her self and lighteneth the harts of the beleuers and maketh them true and clenseth them from lyes as thou readest Iohn xv ye be cleane by reason of the word Which is to be vnderstand in that the word had purged their harces from lyes from false opinions from thinking euill good and therfore from consentyng to sinne And Iohn xvij sanctifie them O father thorough thy truth And thy woorde is truth And thus thou seest that Gods truth dependeth not of man It is not true because man so sayth or admitteth it for true But man is true because he beleueth it testifieth and geueth witnesse in hys hart that it is true And Christ also sayth him selfe Iohn v. I receaue no witnesse of maÌ„ For if the multitude of maÌ„s witnesse might make ought true then were the doctrine of Mahomete truer then Christes ¶ Whether the Apostles left ought vnwritten that is of necessitie to be beleued BUt did not y â— Apostles teach ought by mouth that they wrot not I aunswere because that many taught one thyng and euery man the same in diuers places and vnto diuers people and confirmed euery sermoÌ„ wyth a sundry miracle therfore Christ his Apostles preached an â—…red thousaÌ„d sermons and did as many miracles which had bene superfluous to haue bene all written But the pith and substaunce in generall of euery thing necessary vnto our soules health both of what we ought to beleue and what we ought to do was written and of the miracles done to confirme it as many as were nedeful So that whatsoeuer we ought to beleue or do that same is written expresely or drawen out of that which is written For if I were bound to do or beleue vnder payne of the losse of my soule any thing that were written nor depeÌ„ded of that which is writteÌ„ what holpe me the scripture that is written And thereto in as much as Christ and all his Apostles warned vs that false prophetes shoulde come with false miracles euen to deceaue the elect if it were possible wherewith shoulde the true preacher confound the false except he brought true miracles to confound the false or els autenticke scripture of full authoritie already among the people Some man woulde aske how dyd God continue his congregation from Adam to Noe and froÌ„ Noe to Abraham and so to Moses without writing but with teaching from mouth to mouth I aunswere first that there was no scripture all the whyle they shall proue wheÌ„ our Lady hath a new sonne God taught Adam greater thynges then to write And that there was writing in the world long yer Abraham yea yer Noe do stories testifie Notwithstanding though there had bene no writing the preachers were euer prophetes glorious in doing of miracles wherwith they cofirmed their preaching And beyond that god wrote his testameÌ„t vnto them aâ—way both what to do and to beleue eueÌ„ in y e sacramentes For the sacrifices which God gaue Adams sonnes were no dumme popetrie or superstitious Mahometrie but signes of the testament of God And in them they red y e worde of God as we do in bookes and as we should do in our sacraments if the wicked Pope had not taken the significations away from vs as he hath robbed vs of the true sence of all the scripture The testament which God made with Noe that he woulde no more drowne the worlde with water he wrote in the sacrament of the rainebow And the appointment made betwene him and Abraham he wrote in the sacrament of circumcision And therefore sayd Steuen Act. vij he gaue them y â— testameÌ„t of circumcision Not that the outwarde circumcision was the whole testament but the sacrameÌ„t or signe there For circumcision preached Gods worde vnto theÌ„ as I haue in other places declared But in the tyme of Moyses when the congregation was encreased that they must haue many preachers also rulers temporall then all was receaued in scripture in so much that Christ and his Apostles might not haue bene beleued without scripture for all their miracles Wherefore in as much as Christes congregation is spred abroad into all the worlde much broader then Moses and in as much as we haue not the olde testament onely but also the new wherein all thinges are opened so richly and all fulfilled that before was promised in as much as there is no promise behinde of ought to be shewed more saue the resurrection yea and seyng that Christ and all the Apostles with all the Angels of
own of the which neuer lay man was partaker and with which they turne the end of all appointments vnto their owne honour and profite Couetousnes hath taught theÌ„ to bring in damnable sectes according vnto the prophecy of Peter and to corrupt the Scripture with false gloses to turne euery good ordinaunce that had a vertuous begynnyng vnto vicious ende The promocioÌ„s of the spiritualtie corrupt their mindes while they be yet in the shel and vnhatthed For they come thether but for couetousnes and to auoyd the crosse of Christ in the world except them that be compelled of theyr frendes or be so simple that they mark not their falshode beforehande Who knowing the truth louing it would put his head in the popes halter that so moseleth mens mouthes that they can not open them to defend any truthe at all When the temporall kinges were in their hye authoritie then the generall Counsell repressed the enormities of the spiritualtie But since the Pope cardinals and bishops were exalted the emperour and kings became their seruauntes they would suffer nought to be determined in their counsels that should reforme the worlde of their demilish pride insatiable couetousnes stincking lechery which may stand w t no godly vertue But the world which is not of God shall at the last haue an end with confusion and they onely abide that do y e will of the Father which will is that we beleeue in the Sonne and loue one an other Let them therfore that haue y e worlds good I might say the worldes God vse it but not loue it that they may be ready to bestow it at the pleasure of God And let them which haue it not desire it not for it blindeth the eyes of the seeing Seut 1â— But let them put their trust in God which shal not fayle them nor leaue them destitute of rayment and foode which Paule counselleth to be content with The ritch as Iames sayth persecute the true beleuers The 〈…〉 neuer stand forth openly for the 〈◊〉 of God If of x. thousand there 〈◊〉 Nichodemus it is 〈◊〉 great thing Little children it is now the last houre and as ye haue heard that Antichrist shoulde come euen so now are many Antichristes come already whereby we know that it is the last houre They went out of vs but were none of vs for had they bene of vs they had continued with vs. But that fortuned that it might appeare how they were not all of vs. Houre is here taken for tyme the last houre is as much to say as the last tyme. Though the Apostles might not know when the last day shal be how long the world should endure yet this was shewed them and vs by theÌ„ that Antichrist should first come not onely come but also prenayle and be receaued after a worldly maner and raigne ouer all and set vp a long continuyng kyngdome with damnable sectes and wonderfull kyndes of hypocrisie that is to say falshead cloked vnder a contrary pretence as testifieth Paule and also Peter Whiche Antichrist began with the Apostles and sue his doctrine among the doctrine of the Apostles preachyng many thynges as the Apostles dyd and addyng euer somwhat of his owne that the weeds might euer grow vp together with the corne Of which Iohn gathered a signe that the last day drew nye though he could not be sure how long it were therto Antichrist is one of the first that seeth the light and commeth and preacheth Christ a while and seeketh his glory in Christes Gospell But when hee eâ—pyeth that there will no glory cleane vnto that preachyng theÌ„ he getteth him to the coÌ„trary partie and professeth hym selfe an open enemy if hee can not disguise him selfe and hide the angle of his poysoned heresie vnder a bayte of true doctrine The Apostles were cleare eyed and espied Antichrist at once and put hym to flight and weeded out his doctrine quickly But wheÌ„ charitie waxed cold and the preachers began to seke them selues and to admit glory and honour of riches then Antichrist disguised him selfe after the fashion of a true Apostle and preached Christ wylyly bryngyng in now this tradition and now that to darkeÌ„ the doctrine of Christ and set vp innumerable ceremonies and Sacramentes and imagerie giuyng them significations at the first but at the last the significations layd a part preached the worke as an holy deede to iustifie and to put away sinne and to saue the soule that men should put their trust in woorkes in whatsoeuer was vnto his glory and profite and vnder the name of Christ ministred Christ out of all together and became head of the coÌ„gregation him selfe The Pope made a law of hys owne to rule his church by and put Christes out of the way All the Byshops swere vnto the Pope and all Curates vnto the Byshops but all forswere Christ and his doctrine But seing Iohn tooke a signe of the last day that he saw Antichrist begyn how nye ought we to thinke that it is whiche after viij hundreth yeares raignyng in prosperitie see it decay agayne and his falshead to be disclosed and him to be slayne with the spirite of the mouth of Christ that is with that old doctrine that proceded out of Christes mouth for Paule sayth wheÌ„ Antichrist is vttered theÌ„ commeth the end But ye haue anoyntyng of that holy and knowe all thyng I write not vnto you as though ye knewe not the truth but as vnto them that know it and how that no lye is of truth Christ in the Scripture is called the holy because he onely sanctifieth haloweth vs. And he is called Christ that is to say annoynted because he annoynteth our soules with y e holy ghost and with all the giftes of the same Ye are not annoynted with oyle in your bodyes but with the spirite of Christ in your soules which spirite teacheth you all truth in Christ and maketh you to iudge what is a lye and what truth and to know Christ from Antichrist For except he taught your soules with in the powring in of woordes at your cares were in vayne For they must be all taught of God Iohn vj. And the thyngs of God no man knoweth saue the spirite of God and the carnall man knoweth not the thinges of the spirite of God when contrary the spirituall that is annointed with the spirite iudgeth all thynges i. Cor. ij And therfore we are forbidden to call vs any Master vpon earth Math. xxiij seyng we haue all one Master now in heauen which onely teacheth vs with his spirite though by the administration and office of a faithfull preacher Whiche preacher yet can not make hys preachyng spryng in the hart no more then a sower can make his corne grow nor can say this man shall receaue and this not but soweth the word onely committeth the growyng to God whose spirite bretheth where
impossible is possible and easie to where the loue of Christ is beleued For it foloweth all that are borne of God ouercome the world that is to wete the deuill which is the ruler of the world and his disciples which haue their lust in hys gouernaunce cōsent to sinne both in body and soule and giue themselues to folow their lustes without resistence and their owne flesh which also cōsenteth to sinne do they ouercome with al that moueth to sinne By what victory Verely through fayth For if our soules be truly vnderset with sure hope and trust and continuall meditations of Christes loue shewed already and of succour helpe and assistence that is promised in his name and with the continuall memorie of their examples which in tymes past haue sought through fayth and ouercome thē were it impossible for the world with all his chinalrie to ouerthrow vs with any assault or with any ordinaunce that hee could shoote agaynst vs. For if y t fayth meditation were euer present in vs then loue thorough that fayth should easly ouercome what so euer peril thou couldest imagine Read in the Bible and see what conquestes fayth hath made both in doyng also sufferyng The xj chapter vnto the Hebrues ministreth the examples aboundauntly How mighty was Dauid when hee came to fight and how ouercame hee thorough fayth And how mightyer was he when he came to sufferyng as in the persecution of the kyng Saul In so much that when he had his most mortall enemy kyng Saul that twelfe yeares persecuted him against al right in his handes to haue done what hee would with him through faith he touched hym not nor suffred any man els to do though he was yet all his lyfe a man of warre and accustomed to murther and shedyng of bloud For he beleued that God should aduenge hym on his vnrighteous kyng vpō whom it was not lawfull to aduēge himselfe Who is it that ouercommeth the world but he that beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of God If to beleue that Iesus is Gods sonne be to ouercome the world then our Prelates vnderstand not what belief is which affirme that the best belefe and the worst mā in the world may stand together This is he that came by water and bloud Iesus Christ not by water onely but by water and bloud And it is the spirite that testifieth because the spirite is truth For there are three that beare witnesse in heauen The father the worde and the holy ghost And these three are one And there are three which beare recorde in earth the spirite water and bloud and these three are one Christ came with three witnesses water bloud and spirite He ordeined the Sacrament of Baptisme to be hys witnesse vnto vs. And he ordeined the Sacramēt of his bloud to be his witnes vnto vs. And he powreth his spirite into the harts of his to testifie and to make them feele that the testimonie of those two Sacramēts are true And the testimonie of these three is as it after foloweth that we haue euerlastyng life in the sonne of God And these iij. are one full witnes sufficiēt at the most that the law requireth whiche sayth ij or iij. at the most is one full sufficient witnes But alas we are ◅t taught to take the Sacramēts for witnesses but for imageseruice to fore the worke of them to God with such a minde as the old heathen offred sacrifices of beastes vnto their Gods So that what soeuer testifieth vnto vs that we haue euerlastyng lyfe in Christ that mouth haue they stopped with a leuended maunchet of their Pharisaicall gloses If we receaue the witnesse of mē the witnesse of God is greater For this is the witnesse that God hath borne of his sonne If the witnesse of men so they be iij. is to be receaued much more is the witnesse of God to be receaued Now the witnesse that these iij. water bloud spirite beare is the witnesse of God therfore the more to be beleued He that beleueth in the sonne of God hath witnes in him selfe And he that beleueth not God maketh him a lyer because he doth not beleue the witnesse that God hath testified of his sonne And this is the witnesse that God hath giuen vs eternall lyfe and this lyfe is in hys sonne He that hath the sonne hath lyfe And he that hath not the sonne of God hath not life The true beleuers haue the testimonie of God in their hartes they glorifie God witnessing that hee is true They haue the kingdome of God with in them and the temple of God within them and God in that temple haue the sonne of God lyfe through hym And in that temple they seke God and offer for their sinnes y e sacrifice of Christes bloud and the fatte of his mercies in the fire of their prayers and in the confidence of that sacrifice go in boldly to God their father But the vnbeleuers blaspheme God and make him false describyng him after the complection of their lyieng nature And because they be so full stuffed with lyes that they cā receaue nothing els they looke for the kyngdome of God in outward thynges and seeke God in a temple of stone where they offer their imageseruice and the fate of their holy dedes in confidence wherof they go into God and trust to haue euerlastyng lyfe And though the text testifieth that this lyfe is onely in the sonne yet they will come at no sonne shynyng but as vncleane byrdes hate the light These thynges haue I written vnto you that beleue in the name of the sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue euerlasting life that ye may beleue in the sonne of God They that haue the fayth of Christes Apostles know that they haue eternal lyfe For the spirtte testifieth vnto their spirites that they are y e sonnes of God Roma viij and receaued vnder grace Our Doctours say they can not know whether they be in the state of grace therefore they haue not the fayth of the Apostles And that they know it not is the cause whey they rayle on it This is the confidence that we haue in hym that if we aske ought accordyng to his will he heareth vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we knowe that we haue the petitions that we aske of hym Christ sayth Math. vij aske it shal be geuen you And Iohn in the. xvj chap. Whatsoeuer ye aske in my name he shall giue it you To aske in y t name of Iesu Christ accordyng to his will be both one and are nothyng elles but to aske the thynges contayned in the promises and Testamēt of God to vs warde that God wil be our father and care for vs both in body and in soule and if we sinne of frailtie repent forgiue vs and minister vs all thynges necessarie vnto this life kepe
him therof and of the foure hundred yeares that his posteritie should be in thraldome in Egypt of their deliueraunce and as Gedeon was certified by the signe of his Flese of the victory that God had promised him and as many other that beleued in God were certified by the signes that God gaue them of the promises which God made them Verely no maÌ„ For our Prelates which lay for them selues compelle intrare compell not vs to enter into any such feast nor will suffer any such meate to be set before vs for feare of ouerthrowyng the foundation of their false buildyng whereof springeth so great glory and profit vnto them which foundation to builde their lyes vpon they could neuer haue layd except they had first thrust this doctrine of our soules health cleane out of knowledge And as soone as they had blinded y â— light they became leaders in darkenesse and made of the Masse imageseruice so that the strauÌ„ge holy gestures and the straunge holy voyces and straunge holy vestures with all other straunge holy ceremonies must be meritorious workes to deserue loÌ„g life health riches honour fauour dignitie and aboundauÌ„ce of all that we haue sorsakyng our baptisme to arme vs from bearing of the crosse with Christ And they haue made of it a pill of two contrary operations so that the same medicine that preserueth our soules from purgatory doth purge the body of house laÌ„des rentes goods and money that it is made as bare as Iob and as baulde as a Cout And the light that rebuketh them they call seditious that it maketh the subiectes to rise against their Princes Which thing the hypocrites layed sometyme vnto the Prophetes as ye may see in the old TestameÌ„t And at last they layed it vnto Christes charge as ye may see in the Gospell and to the charge of the Apostles as ye may see in the Actes But at all such tymes the hypocrites them selues styrred vp such a sword to mainteine their falsehead that euermore a great part of the world perished through their owne mischeuous incensing and prouokyng Princes to battayle These hypocrites layd to Wickleâ—â—es charge and do yet that his doctrine caused insurrection but they to quench the truth of hys preachyng slew the right kyng and set vp iij. false kynges a row by which mischeuous sedition they caused halfe England to be slayne vp and brought the Realme into such ruine and desolatioÌ„ that M. More could say in his Vtopia that as Englishmen were wont to eate shepe euen so their shepe now eate vp them by whole Parishes at once besides other inconueniencies that he then saw And so the hipocrites say now likewise that gods word causeth insurrection but ye shall see shortly that these hypocrites them selues after their old wont and examples in queÌ„chyng y t truth that vttereth their iugglyng shall cause all realmes Christen to rise one agaynst an other and some agaynst them selues Ye shall see theÌ„ runne out before the yeare come about that whiche they haue bene in bruwyng as I haue marked aboue this dosen yeares c. ¶ This much I haue sayd because of them that deceaue you to geue you an occasion to iudge the spirites The Testament of master William Tracie Esquier expounded by William Tyndall Wherein thou shalt perceiue with what charitie the Chaunceler of Worceter burned when he tooke vp the dead carkasse and made ashes of it after it was buried 1535. ¶ To the Reader THou shalt vnderstaÌ„d most deare Reader that after William Tyndall was so Iudasly betrayed by an Englisheman a Scholer of Louayne whose name is Philippes there were certaine thinges of his doyng found which he had entended to haue put forth to the furtheraunce of Gods word amoÌ„g which was this Testament of M. Tracie expounded by him self whereunto was annexed the expositioÌ„ of the same of Iohn Frithes doyng and owne hand writyng whiche I haue caused to bee put in Printe to the intent that all the world should see how earnestly the Cannonistes and spirituall lawyers whiche be the chief rulers vnder Bishops in euery Dioces in so much that in euery Cathedrall Churche the Deane ChauÌ„celor and Archdeacon are coÌ„monly doctours or Bachelers of law do endeuour them selues iustly to iudge and spiritually to geue senteÌ„ce according to charitie vpon all the actes and dedes done of their Diocessanes after the exaÌ„ple of the Chaunceler of Worceter which after M. Tracie was buried of pure zeale loue hardly tooke vp the dead carkasse and burnt it wherefore he did it it shall euidently appeare to the Reader in this little treatise read it therfore I besech thee iudge the spirites of our spiritualitie and pray that the spirite of him that raised vp Christ may once inhabite them and mollifie their hartes and so illumine theÌ„ that they may both see and shew true light no loÌ„ger to resist God nor his truth AmeÌ„ The Testament it selfe In the name of God AmeÌ„ I William Tracie of Todyngton in the Countie of Gloceter Esquier make my TestameÌ„t and laste will as hereafter followeth ¶ First and before all other thyng I coÌ„mit me vnto God to his mercy trustyng without any doubt or mistrust that by his grace and the merites of Iesus Christ and by the vertue of his passioÌ„ and of his resurrection I haue shall haue remission of my sinnes and resurrectioÌ„ of body and soule accordyng as it is written Iob. xix I beleue that my redemer lyueth and that in the last day I shal rise out of the earth and in my flesh shall see my Sauiour this my hope is layd vp in my bosome And as touching the wealth of my soule the fayth y t I haue taken rehearsed is sufficient as I suppose wtout any other mans woorke or workes My grounde and my belefe is that there is but one God and one medaitour betwene God and man whiche is Iesus Christ So that I doe except none in heauen nor in earth to be my mediatour betwen me God but onely Iesus Christ all other be but petitioners in receiuyng of grace but none able to geue influence of grace And therfore will I bestow no part of my goodes for that intent that any man should say or do to helpe my soule for therein I trust onely to the promise of God he that beleueth is baptised shal be saued and he that beleueth not shal be damned Marke the last Chapter And touchyng the burying of my body it auayleth me not what be done therto wherein S. Augustine De cura agenda promortuis sayth that they are rather the solace of them that liue theÌ„ the wealth or coÌ„fort of theÌ„ that are departed and therfore I remit it onely to the discretion of myne executours And touchyng the distribution of my temporall goodes my purpose is by the grace of God to bestow them to be accepted as fruites of fayth So that I do not suppose that my merite be by good bestowyng of
lyfe and godly conuersation that both his teaching lyuing going togither as the one may edifie by doctrine so the other may profit by example First touching the birth and parentage of this blessed Martyre in Christ hée was borne in the edge of Wales and brought vp from a childe in the vniuersitie of Oxforde where hée by long continuance grew and encreased aswell in the knowledge of tongues and other liberall artes as especially in the knowlege of Scriptures whereunto his mind was singularly addicted Insomuch that hée liyng in Magdalene hall read priuelye to certaine studentes and felowes of Magdalene College some percell of Diuinitie instructing them in the knowlege and trueth of the Scriptures Whose maners also and conuersation being correspondent to the same were such that all they which knewe him reputed and estéemed him to bée a man of most verteous disposition and of a life vnspotted Thus hée in the vniuersitie of Oxford encreasyng more and more in learning and procéeding in degrées of the schooles spiyng his tyme remoued from thence to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge where after hée had likewise made his abode a certayne space and béeing now farther rypened in the knowledge of Gods worde leauing that vniuersitie also hée resorted to one M. Welshe a knyght of Glocester sheare and was there schoole master to his children and in very good fauour with his master This gentleman as hée kept a very good ordinary commonly at his table there resorted vnto him many tymes sondry Abbottes Deanes Archdeacons with other diuers Doctours and great beneficed men Who there togither with M. Tyndall sittyng at the same table did vse many tymes to enter communication and talke of learned men as of Luther and Erasmus and of diuerse controuersies and questions vpon the scripture At which time M. Tyndall as he was learned wel practised in Gods matters so he spared not to shew to them simply and playnely his iudgement in matters as he thought And when as they at that tyme did varie from Tyndall in opinions and iudgment he would shewe them the booke and lay playnely before them the open and manifest places of the scriptures to confute their errours and to confirme his sayinges And thus continued they for a season reasoning and contending togither diuers and sondry tymes till at the length they waxed wery of him and bare a secret grudge in their hartes against hym Not long after this it happened that certaine of these great Doctours had inuited M. Welshe and his wife to a banket where they had talke at will and pleasure vttering their blindnes and ignoraunce without any resistaunce or gayne saying Then M. Welshe and his wife comming home and calling for M. Tyndall beganne to reason with him about those matters wherof the Priestes had talked before at their banket M. Tyndall aunswering by Scriptures mainteyned the trueth reproued their false opinions Then sayd the Lady Welshe a stoute and wise woman as Tyndall him selfe reporteth well sayd she there was such a Doctour which may dispend a C. l. an other CC. l. and an other CCC poūdes And what were it reason thinke you that we should beléeue you before them M. Tyndall gaue her no aunswere at that tyme nor also after that because he saw it would not auayle he talked but litle in those matters At that tyme he was about the translation of a booke called Enchiridon militis Christiani Which being translated he delyuered to his Master and lady Who after they bad read and well perused the same the doctourly Prelates were no more so often called to the house nether had they the Chere nor countenaunce when they came as before they had which thing they well marking and perceiuing and supposing no lesse but it came by the meanes of Tyndall refrayned thē selues and at the last vtterly withdrewe them selues and came no more there As this grewe on the Priestes of the countrey clustering togither beganne to grudge and storme against Tyndall rayling at him in houses and other méeting places Of whom Tyndall him selfe in his first Prologue before the first booke of Moses testifieth in his owne wordes and reporteth that hée suffered much in that countrey by a sort of vnlearned Priestes being full rude and ignoraunt sayth hée God knoweth which haue séene no more Latyn then that onely which they reade in their Porteasses and Missalles which yet many of them can skarsely reade except it bée Albertus de Secretis mulierum in which yet though they bée neuer so sorely learned they pore daye and night and make notes therein and all to teach the mydwifes as they say and also an other booke called Lynwood a Booke of Constitutions to gather tythes mortuaryes Offeringes Customes and other pillage which they call not theirs but Gods part the duetie of holy Church to discharge their consciences with all For they are bound that they shall not deminishe but encrease all thinges to the vttermost of their powers which perteineth to holy Church Thus these blinde and rude Priestes flocking togither to the Alehouse for that was their preaching place raged and rayled against him affirming that his sayengs were heresy addyng moreouer vnto his sayenges of their owne heades more then euer hée spake and so accused him secretly to y t Chauncelour and other of the Bishops officers It folowed not long after this that there was a sitting of the Byshops Chaūcelour appointed and warning was geuen to the Priestes to apere amōgest whom M. Tyndall was warned to bée there And whether hée had any misdoubt by their threatenings or knowledge geuen him that they would lay some thinges to his charge it is vncerteyne But certaine this is as hée him selfe declareth that hée doubted their preuy accusations so that hée by the way in going thitherwardes cryed in his mynde hartely vnto God to geue him strength to stand fast in the trueth of his worde When the tyme came of his apperaunce before the Chaūcelour hée threatened him greuously reuiling and rating him as though hée had béene a dogg and layed to his charge many thinges whereof no accuser could yet bée brought forth as commonly their maner is not to bring forth the accuser notwithstanding that the Priestes of the countrye the same time were there present And thus M. Tyndall after those examinations escaping out of their handes departed home and returned to his Master againe There dwelt not farre of a certaine Doctour that had béene an olde Chauncelor before to a Bishop who had béene of olde famyliar acquaintaunce with M. Tyndall and also fauoured him well Vnto whom M. Tyndall went and opened his mynde vpon diuers questions of the Scripture For to him hée durst bée bolde to disclose his harte Vnto whom the Doctour sayd Doe you not knowe that the Pope is very Antechrist whom the Scripture speaketh of But béeware what you say for if you shall bée perceaued to bée of that opinion it will cost you your
life And said moreouer I haue beene an officer of his but I haue geuen it vp and defye him and all his workes Not long after M. Tyndall happened to bée in the company of a certeyne deuine recounted for a learned man and in commoning and disputing with him hée droue hym to that issue that the sayd great Doctour burst out into these blasphemous wordes and sayd we were better to bée without Gods lawe then the Popes M. Tyndall hearing this and beeing full of Godly zeale and not bearing that blasphemous saying replyed agayne and sayd I defie the Pope and all his lawes and farther added that if God spared him life ere many yeares hée would cause a boy that driueth the plough to know more of the Scripture then hée did After this the grudge of the Priestes encreasing still against Tyndall they neuer ceased barkiâ—g and rating at him and layd many sore thinges to his charge saying y â— hée was an heretick in sophistry an hereticke in logique and an hereticke in Diuinitie And sayd moreouer vnto him that hée bare hymself bolde of y â— GentlemeÌ„ there in y â— couÌ„try but notwithstanding shortly hée should bée otherwise talked withal To whom M. Tyndall auÌ„swering againe thus said it was not the place hée stuck vpoÌ„ hée was coÌ„teÌ„ted they should bring him into any countrey in all England geuing him x. l. a yeare to liue with and bynding him to no more but to teach children and to preach To bée short M. Tyndall beeing so molested and vexed in the countrey by y â— Priests was constrayned to leaue that Countrye and to séeke another place and so comming to M. Welshe hée desired him of his good will that hée might depart from hym saying thus vnto him Syr I perceaue I shall not bée suffered to tarye long here in this countrie neither shall you bée able though you woulde to kéepe mée out of the handes of the spiritualitie and also what displeasure might growe to you by kéeping mée God knoweth for the which I should bée right sory So that in fine M. Tyndall with y â— good will of his Master departed and eftsones came vp to London and there preached a while according as hée had done in the countrye béefore At length hée béethought hym selfe of Cutbert Tunstall then Byshop of London and especially for the great commendatioÌ„ of Erasmus Who in his annotations so extolleth him for his learning thus casting with him selfe that if hée might attayne into his seruice hée were a happy man And so comming to Syr Henry Gilforde the kinges Controller and bringing with hym an oration of Isocrates which hée had translated out of Gréeke into Englishe hée desyred him to speake to the sayd Byshop of London for hym which hée also did and willed him moreouer to write an Epistle to the Byshop and to goe him selfe with him which hée did likewise and deliuered his Epistle to a seruaunt of his named William Hebletwhait a man of his olde acquaintaunce But God who secretly disposed the course of things saw y â— was not best for Tyndals purpose nor for the profite of his Church and therefore gaue him to fynde litle fauour in the Bishops sight The aunswere of whome was this that his house was full hee had moe then hée could well fynde and aduised him to séeke in LondoÌ„ abroad where he sayd he could lacke no seruice c. And so he remayned in London the space almost of a yeare beholding and marking with him selfe the course of the world and especially y e Demeanour of the preachers how they boasted them selues set vp their auctoritie kingdome Beholding also the pompe of the Prelates with other thinges that greatly misliked him Insomuch as he vnderstoode not onely to be no roome in y e Bishops house for him to translate the new Testament but also that there was no place to doe it in all England And therefore fynding no place for his purpose within the Realme and hauing some ayde and prouision by Gods prouidence ministred vnto him by Humfrev Mommouth Merchaunt who after was both Shirife and Alderman of London and by certaine other good men he tooke his leaue of the Realme and departed into Germany Where the good man being inflamed with a tender care and zeale of his countrey refused no trauell or diligence how by all meanes possible to reduce his bretheren Countrymen of England to the same tast and vnderstanding of Gods holy worde and veritie which the Lorde had endued him withall Where vpon he considering in his minde partly also conferring with Iohn Frith thought with him selfe no way more to conduce thereunto then if the scripture were turned into the vulgare speeche that the poore people might also see the simple and playne worde of God For first he wisely casting in his minde perceiued by experieÌ„ce how that it was not possible to stablish the lay people in any trueth except the Scripture were so plainlye layd before their eyes in their mother tongue that they might see the processe order and meaning of y â— text For els whatsoeuer trueth should be taught them these enemies of the trueth would quench it agayne either with apparauÌ„t reasoÌ„s of Sophistrye and traditions of their awne making founded without all ground of Scripture Either els iugglyng with the text expounding it in such a sence as impossible it were to gather of the text if the right processe order and meaning thereof were seene Agayne right well he perceaued and considered this onely or most chiefly to be the cause of all mischiefe in the Church that the Scriptures of God were hydden from the peoples eyes For so long the abhominable doinges and Idolatries mainteyned by the Pharasaicall Clergie coulde not be espyed and therefore all their labour was with might aâ—d mayne to keepe it downe so that either it should not bee read at all or if it were they woulde darken the right sence with the myst of their Sophistry and so entangle them which rebuked or despised their abhominations with argumentes of philosophy and with worldly similitudes and apparant reasons of naturall wisedome and with wresting of Scripture vnto their awne purpose contrary vnto the processe order and meaning of the text would so delude them in deskanting vpon it with allegoryes and amaze them expounding it in many sences layed before the vnlearned laye people that though thou felt in thy heart and were sure that all were false that they sayd yet couldest thou not solue their subtile ryddells For these and such other considerations this good man was moued and no doubts styrred vp of God to translate the Scripture into his mother tongue for the publique vtilitie and profit of the simple vulgar people of his couÌ„trey First setting in hand with the new testament which he first translated about the yeare of our Lord. 1527. Aftrr y t he tooke in hand to translate the olde testament finishing the v. bookes
and comforte of the Scripture might haue hope That is the examples that are in the Scripture comfort vs in all our tribulations and make vs to put our trust in GOD and patiently to abide hys leysure And in the x. of the firste to the Corinthians hee bringeth in examples of the Scripture to feare vs and to bridle the fleshe that wee cast not the yoke of the lawe of God from of our neckes and fall to lustyng and doyng of euill So nowe the Scripture is a lyght sheweth as the true way both what to do what to hope for And a defeÌ„ce from all errour and a comforte in aduersitie that we dispaire not and feareth vs in prosperitie that we synne not Séeke therefore in the Scripture as thou readest it first the law what God commaundeth vs to do And secondarely the promises whiche God promiseth vs agayn namely in Christ Iesu our Lord. Then seeke examples first of comfort how God purgeth all them that submit themselues to walke in his wayes in the Purgatory of tribulation deliueryng them yet at the latter end and neuer sufferyng any of them to perishe that cleaue fast to hys promises And finally note the examples which are writteÌ„ to feare the flesh that we sinne not That is how God suffereth the vngodly and wicked sinners that resist God and refuse to folow him to continue in their wickednesse euer waxyng worse and worse vntill their sinne be so sore encreased and so abhominable that if they shuld loÌ„ger endure they would corrupt the very elect But for y e electes sake God sendeth them preachers Neuerthelesse they harden their hartes agaynste the truth and God destroyeth them vtterly and beginneth the world a new This comfort shalt thou euermore finde in the playne texte and litterall sense Neither is there any storye so homely so rude yea or so vyle as it semeth outward wherein is not excedyng great comforte And when some which seme to theÌ„ selues great clarkes say they wott not what more profite is in many gestes of the Scripture if they be read without an allegory then in a tale of Robenhode say thou that they were written for our consolation and comforte that we dispayre not if such like happen vnto vs. We be not holyer then Noe though he were once dronke Neither better beloued then Iacob though his owne sonne defyled his bead We be not holyer then Lot thoughe his daughters thorow ignoraunce deceaued hym nor peraduenture holier then those daughters Neither are we holyer then Dauid though he brake wedlocke and vpon the same committed abhominable murther All those men haue witnesse of the Scripture that they pleased God and were good meÌ„ both before that those things chaunced and also after Neuerlesse such thynges happened them for our example not that we should counterfeite their euill but if whyle wee fight with our selues enforsyng to walke in the law of God as they dyd we yet fall likewise that we despayre not but come agayne to the lawes of God and take better hold We read sence the tyme of Christes death of virgins y t haue bene brought vnto the common stues and there defiled and of Martyrs that haue bene bound and whores haue abused theyr bodyes Why The iudgementes of God are bottomlesse Such thynges chaunced partly for examples partely God thorow sinne healeth sinne Pride can neither be healed nor yet appeare but thorow such horrible deades Peraduenture they were of the popes sect and reioysed fleshly thinking that heauen came by dedes and not by Christ and that the outward dede iustifyed them and made theÌ„ holy and not the inward spirite receaued by fayth the consent of hart vnto the law of God As thou readest therfore thinke that euery sillable pertayneth to thine own selfe sucke out the pithe of the Scripture and arme thy selfe agaynst all assaultes First note with strong fayth the power of God in creatyng all of nought Then marke the greuous fall of Adam and of vs all in him thorow the light regardyng of the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God In the iiij Chapter God turneth hym vnto Abell and theÌ„ to his offeryng but not to Cain and hys offeryng Where thou seest that thoughe the dedes of the euil appeare outwardly as glorious as the dedes of y t good yet in the sight of God which looketh on the hart the deede is good because of the man and not the man good because of his deede In the vj. God sendeth Noe to preach to the wicked and geueth them space to repent they wax hard harted God bringeth them to nought And yet saueth Noe euen by y t same water by whiche he destroyed them Marke also what folowed the pride of the buildyng of the Tower of Babell Consider how God sendeth foorth Abraham out of his owne countey into a straunge land full of wicked people and gaue him but a bare promisse with him that would blesse him defende him Abraham beleued and that worde saued and deliuered him in all perilles so that we see how that maÌ„s life is not maintayned â—y bread onely as Christe sayth but much rather by beleuyng the promises of God Behold how soberly how circumspectly both AbrahaÌ„ and also Isaac behaued them selues among the infidels Abraham byeth that which might haue ben geuen him for nought to cut of occasions Isaac when his welles whiche he had digged were taken from him geueth rowme and resisteth not Moreouer they eare and sowe and fede their cattell and make confederations and and take perpetuall truce and doe all outward thinges Euen as they doe whiche haue no fayth for God hath not made vs to be idle in this world Euery man must worke godly truly to y t vttermost of the power that God hath geuen him and yet not trust therin but in Gods word or promise and God will worke with vs and bryng that we do to good effect And theÌ„ wheÌ„ our power will extende no further Gods promises will worke all alone How many thynges also resisted the promises of God to Iacob And yet Iacob coniureth God with hys owne promises saying O GOD of my father Abraham and GOD of my father Isaac O Lord which saydest vnto me returne vnto thine owne countrey and vnto the place were thou waste borne and I wil do thee good I am not worthy of the lest of those mercyes nor of that trouth whiche thou hast done to thy seruaunt I went out with a staffe and come home with two droues deliuer me out of the handes of my brother Esau for I feare him greatly c. And God deliuered him and will likewise all that call vnto his promises with a repentyng hart were they neuer so great sinnes Marke also the weake infirmities of the man He loueth one wife more then an other one sonne more then an other And see how God purgeth hym Esau threateneth hym Laban begyleth him The beloued wife is long baren
bynde hym hand and foote and to cast hym into vtter darkenes and to geue the talent vnto hym that had ten saying to all that haue more shall be geuen but from hym that hath not that he hath shal be taken from hym That is to say he that hath a good harte toward the word of god and to garnish it with godly liuyng and to testify it to other y e same shall increase daily more and more in the grace of Christ But he that loueth it not to lyue therafter and to edify other the same shall loose the grace of true knowledge be blinded agayne and euery day wax worse and worse and blynder and blynder tyll he be an vtter enemy of the worde of God and hys hart so hardened that it shall be impossible to conuert hym And Luke xij The seruaunte that knoweth hys maisters wyll and prepareth not hymselfe shall be beaten wyth many stripes That is shall haue greater damnation And Mat. 7. All that heare the worde of God and do not therafter build on sande that is as the foundation laid on sand can not resist violence of water but is vndermyned and ouerthrowne euen so the fayth of them that haue no lust nor loue to the law of God builded vpon y t sand of their owne imaginatiōs and not on the rocke of Gods word accordyng to hys couenauntes turneth to desperation in tyme of tribulatiō and when God commeth to iudge And the vineyard Mat. 21. planted and hyred out to the husbandmen that would not render to the Lorde of the fruit in due tyme and therfore was takē from them and hyred out to other doth confirme the same For Christe sayth to the Iewes the kingdome of heauē shal be taken from you and geuen to a nation that wyll bring forthe y t frutes therof as it is come to passe For the Iewes haue lost the spirituall knowledge of God of his cōmaundementes and also of all the scripture so that they can vnderstand nothyng godly And the dore is so locked vppe that all their knockyng is in vayne though many of them take great payn for gods sake And Luke 13. The figge tree that beareth no fruite is cōmaunded to be plucked vp And finally hereto pertayneth with infinyte other the terrible parable of the vncleane spirite Luke 11. which after hee is cast out when hee commeth and findeth hys house swept and garnished taketh to hym 7. worse then hymselfe and commeth entreth in and dwelleth there and so is y t ende of the man worse then the beginnyng The Iewes they had cleansed themselues with gods word from all outward idolatry and worshipping of idols But their hartes remayned styll faythlesse to godward and toward his mercy and truth and therfore without loue also lust to his law to their neighbours for hys sake and through false trust in their owne woorkes to which heresy the chylde of perdition the wicked bishop of Rome with hys lawyers hath broughte vs christen were more abhominable idolaters thē before and become ten tymes worse in the end then at the beginning For the first idolatry was soone spyed and easie to be rebuked of the Prophets by the Scripture But the latter is more subtill to beguile withall and an hundreth tymes of more difficultie to bee weeded out of mens hartes This also is a conclusion nothyng more certayne or more proued by the testimony and ensamples of the scripture that if any that fauoureth the worde of God be so weake that he can not chaste hys flesh hym wyll the lord chastice and scourge euery day sharper and sharper with tribulation and misfortune that nothyng shall prosper with him but all shall go against him what soeuer he taketh in hand will visite him with pouertie with sickenesses and diseases and shall plague him with plague vpon plague eche more lothsome terrible and fearefull then other till he be at vtter desiaunce with his flesh Let vs therefore that haue now at this tyme our eyes opened agayne through the tender mercy of GOD kepe a meane Let vs so put our trust in the mercy of GOD through Christ that we know it our duetie to kepe the law of GOD and to loue our neighbours for their fathers sake whiche created them and for their Lords sake which redemed them and bought thē so dearely with his bloud Lette vs walke in y t feare of God and haue our eyes open vnto both partes of Gods couenaunts beyng certified that none shal be partaker of the mercy saue hee that will fight against the flesh to kepe the lawe And let vs arme our selues with this remembraunce y t as Christs workes iustifie from sinne and set vs in the fauour of GOD so our owne dedes through workyng of the spirite of God helpe vs to continue in the fauour and the grace into which Christ hath brought vs and that we can no longer continue in fauour and grace then our hartes are to kepe the law Furthermore concernyng the lawe of God this is a generall conclusion that the whole lawe whether they be ceremonies sacrifices yea or Sacramentes either or preceptes of equitie betwene man and man throughout al degrees of the world all were geuē for our profite and necessitie onely not for any nede that God hath of our keping thē or y t his ioy is encreased therby or that the dede for the dede it selfe doth please him That is all that God requireth of vs whē we be at one with him and doe put our trust in him and loue him is that we loue euery man his neighbour to pity hym to haue compassion on him in all his needes and to be mercyfull vnto him This to be euen so Christ testifieth in the. vij of Math This is the lawe and the Prophetes That is to do as thou wouldst be done to accordyng I meane to the doctrine of the Scripture and not to do that thou wouldest not haue done to thee is all that the law requireth the Prophets And Paul to the Rom. xiij affirmeth also y t loue is that fulfillyng of the law and that he which loueth doth of his owne accorde all that the law requireth And. i. Tim. i. Paul sayth that the loue of a pure hart and good conscience and faith vnfayned is the end and fulfillyng of the law For faith vnfained in Christes bloud causeth y e to loue for Christes sake which loue is the pure loue onely the onely cause of a good conscience For then is the conscience pure whē the eye looketh to Christ in all her deedes to doe them for his sake and not for her owne singular aduaūtage or any other wicked purpose And Iohn both in hys Gospel and also Epistles speaketh neuer of any other law then to loue one an other purely affirmyng that we haue God him selfe dwellyng in vs all that GOD desireth if we loue one the other Seyng then that
Christes glad tydings first through openyng of the law to rebuke all thinges and to proue all thynges sinne that procede not of the spirite of faith in Christ and to proue all men sinners and children of wrath by inheritaunce and howe that to sinne is their nature and that by nature they can no otherwise doe then sinne and therewith to abate the pride of man and to bring him vnto the knowledge of him selfe and of his miserie wretchednes that he might desire helpe Euen so doth S. Paule and beginneth in the first Chapter to rebuke vnbelefe and grose sinnes which all men see as the Idolatrie and as the grose sinnes of the heathen were and as the sinnes now are of all them whiche liue in ignoraunce without fayth and without the fauour of GOD and sayth The wrath of GOD of heauen appeareth through the Gospell vpon all men for their vngodly vnholy lyuyng For though it be knowē and dayly vnderstād by the creatures that there is but one God yet is nature of herself with out the spirit and grace so corrupt and so poysoned that men neither can thanke him neither worship him neither geue him his due honor but blind thē selues and faule without ceasyng into worse case euen vntill they come vnto worshipping of Images workyng of shamefull sinnes whiche are abhominable and agaynst nature and moreuer suffer the shame vnrebuked in other hauing delectation and pleasure therein In the second Chapter he procedeth further and rebuketh all those holy people also whiche without lust and loue to the law liue wel outwardly in the face of the world and condemne other gladly as the nature of all hypocrites is to thinke them selues pure in respect of open sinners and yet hate the law inwardly and are full of couetousnes and enuy and of all vnclēnes Math. xxiij These are they whiche despise the goodnes of GOD and accordyng to the hardenes of their hartes heape together for thē selues the wrath of God Furthermore S. Paule as a true expounder of the law suffreth no man to be without sinne but declareth that all they are vnder sinne whiche of freewill and of nature will liue well suffreth them not to be better thē the open sinners yea he calleth them hard harted and such as can not repent In the thyrd Chapter he mingleth both together both the Iewes and the Gentiles and sayth that the one is as the other both sinners no difference betwene them saue in this onely that the Iewes had the word of God committed vnto them And though many of them beleued not thereon yet is Gods truth and promise thereby neither hurt nor minished And he taketh in his way and allegeth the saying of the 50. Psalme that God might abyde true in his wordes ouercome when he is iudged After that he returneth to his purpose agayn and proueth by the Scripture that all men without difference or exceptiō are sinners and that by the workes of the law no mā is iustified but that the law was geuen to vtter and to declare sinne onely Thē hee begynneth and sheweth the right way vnto righteousnes by what meanes mē must be made righteous and safe and sayth They are all sinners without prayse before God and must without their own deseruyng be made righteous throughe fayth in Christe which hath deserued such righteousnes for vs and is become vnto vs Gods mercystole for the remission of sinnes that are past thereby prouyng that christes righteousnes which commeth on vs through fayth helpeth vs onely whiche righteousnes sayth he is now declared through the Gospell was testified of before by the lawe of the Prophetes Furthermore sayth he the law is holpē and furthered thorough fayth thoughe that the workes therof with all their boast are brought to nought In the iiij Chapter after that now by the 3. first Chapters the sinnes are opened and the way of faith vnto rightuousnes layd he begynneth to aunswere vnto certain obiections and cauillations And first putteth forth those blinde reasons whiche commonly they that wil be iustified by their owne workes are wont to make when they heare that faith onely without workes iustifieth saying shall men do no good workes yea and if fayth onely iustifieth what nedeth a man to studie for to do good workes He putteth forth therfore Abraham for an ensample saying what did Abraham with his workes was all in vayne came his workes to no profite And so concludeth that Abraham without and before al workes was iustified and made righteous In so much that before the worke of Circumcisiō he was praysed of the Scripture and called righteous by his fayth onely Gene. xv So that he did not the worke of Circumcision for to bee holpen there by vnto righteousnesse whiche yet God commaunded hym to do was a good worke of obedience So in likewise no doubt none other workes helpe any thyng at all vnto a mās iustifiyng but as Abrahams Circumcisiō was an outward signe wherby he declared his righteousnes which he had by fayth and his obedience and readynes vnto the will of God euen so are all other good workes outward signes and outward frutes of fayth of the spirite which iustifie not a man but that a man is iustified already before god inwardly in the hart through faith and through the spirite purchased by Christes bloud Herewith now stablisheth S. Paul his doctrine of faith afore rehearsed in the thyrd Chapter and bringeth also testimony of Dauid in the xij Psalme whiche calleth a man blessed not of workes in that his sinne is not rekened and in that fayth is imputed for righteousnes though he abide not afterward without good workes when he is once iustified For we are iustified receiue the spirite for to do good workes neither were it otherwise possible to do good workes except we had first the spirite For howe is it possible to doe any thyng well in the sight of God while we are yet in captiuitie and bondage vnder the deuill and the deuill possesseth vs all together and holdeth our hartes so that we can not once consent vnto the will of God No man therfore can preuent the spirite in doyng good the spirite must first come and wake him out of his sleepe with the thunder of the law and feare him and shew him his miserable estate wretchednes and make him abhorre hate him selfe and to desire helpe and then comfort him agayne with the pleasaūt rayne of the Gospell that is to say with the sweete promises of God in Christ and stirre vp faith in him to beleue the promises then when he beleueth the promises as God was mercyfull to promise so is he true to fulfill them and wil geue him the spirite and strength both to loue the will of God to worke there after So see we that God onely whiche accordyng to the Scripture worketh
an infidell to see So likewise no doubt in the light of the cleare visiō of God we shal see things which now God will not haue knowen For pride euer accōpanieth hye knowledge but grace accompanyeth mekenes Let vs therfore giue diligence rather to do the will of GOD then to search his secretes whiche are not profitable for vs to know When we are thus reconciled to God made the frendes of GOD and heyres of eternall lyfe the spirite that GOD hath poured into vs testifieth that we may not lyue after our olde dedes of ignoraūce For how is it possible that we should repēt and abhorre them and yet haue lust to liue in them We are sure therfore that GOD hath created and made vs new in Christ put his spirite in vs that we should lyue a new lyfe whiche is the lyfe of good workes That thou mayst know what are good workes and the end and entent of good woorkes or wherfore good woorkes serue marke this that foloweth The lyfe of a Christen man is inward betwene hym and God and properly is the consent of the spirite to the will of God and to the honor of God And Gods honour is the finall end of all good workes Good workes are all thynges that are done within the lawes of God in which God is honored and for which thankes are geuen to God Fastyng is to absteine from surfeting or ouer much eatyng from dronkennes and care of the world as thou mayst read Luke xxj and the end of fastyng is to tame the body that the spirite may haue a free course to God and may quietly talke with God For ouer much eatyng and drinkyng and care of worldly busines presse downe the spirite choke her tangle her that she can not lift vp her selfe to GOD. Now he that fasteth for any other entent then to subdue the body that the spirite may wayte on God and freely exercise her selfe in the things of God the same is blind wotteth not what he doth erreth and shoteth at a wrong marke and his entent and imaginatiō is abhominable in the sight of GOD. When thou fastest from meate drinkest all day is that a Christen fast either to eate at one meale that were sufficient for foure A man at foure tymes may beare that he cā not at ones Som fast from meate and drinke and yet so tangle them selues in worldly busines that they can not once thinke on God Some abstaine from butter some from egges some frō all maner white meate some this day some that day some in the honor of this Saint some of that and euery mā for a sondry purpose Some for the toth ache some for the head ache for feuers pestilence for soden death for hangyng drounyng and to be deliuered from the paynes of hell Some are so mad that the fast one of the Thursdayes betwene the two S. Mary dayes in the worshyp of that Saint whose day is halowed betwene Christemas and Candelmas and that to be deliuered from the pestilence All those mē fast without cōscience of god without knowledge of y ◠true entent of fastyng and do no other then honor Saintes as the Gentiles and heathen worshyped their Idols are drowned in blyndnes and know not of the Testamēt that God hath made to māward in Christes bloud In God haue they neither hope nor confidence neither beleue hys promyses neyther know his will but are yet in captiuitie vnder the prince of darkenes WAtch is not onely to absteine frō sleepe but also to be circumspect and to cast all perils as a man should watch a Tower or a Castell We must remember that the snares of the deuill are infinite and innumerable and that euery momēt arise new temptations and that in all places mete vs fresh occasions Agaynst which we must prepare our selues and turne to God and cōplaine to hym and make our moue and desire hym of his mercy to be our shield our Tower our Castle and defence from all euill to put his strength in vs for without hym we can doe nought aboue all thynges we must call to minde what promises god hath made and what he hath sworne that he will do to vs for Christes sake and with strong fayth cleaue vnto them desire him of his mercy and for y ◠loue that he hath to Christ for his truthes sake to fulfil his promises If we thus cleane to God with strong fayth and beleue his wordes thē as sayth Paul j. Cor. x God is faithfull that he will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able or aboue our might y ◠is to say if we cleaue to his promises not to our owne fantasies imaginatiōs he will put might and power into vs that shal be stronger then all the temptation whiche he shall suffer to be agaynst vs. PRayer is a mournyng alōgyng a desire of the spirite to Godward for that whiche she lacketh as a sicke morneth and soroweth in his hart lōgyng for health Fayth euer prayeth For after that by fayth we are reconciled to God and haue receaued mercy and forgiuenes of God the spirit longeth and thyrsteth for strēgth to do the will of God and that God may be honoured his name halowed his pleasure will fulfilled The spirite wayteth and watcheth on the will of God and euer hath her owne fragilitie and weakenes before her eyes and when she seeth temptation and perill drawnye she turneth to God and to the testamēt that God hath made to all that beleue and trust in Christes bloud and desireth God for his mercy truth and for the loue he hath to Christ that he will fulfil his promise that he will succour helpe and giue vs strength and that he will sanctifie his name in vs fulfill his godly will in vs and that he wil not looke on our sinne and iniquitie but on his mercy on his truth and on the loue that he oweth to his sonne Christ and for his sake to keepe vs frō temptation that we be not ouercome and that he deliuer vs from euill and what soeuer moueth vs cōtrary to his godly will Moreouer of his owne experience he feeleth other mens neede and no lesse commendeth to God the infirmities of other then his owne knowing that there is no strēgth no help no succour but of God onely And as mercifull as he feeleth God in his hart to himselfe warde so mercifull is he to other and as greatly as he fealeth hys owne misery so great compassion hath he on other His neighbour is no lesse care to him then himselfe He feeleth his neighbours grief no lesse then his owne And whēsoeuer he seeth occasion he cānot but pray for his neighbour as well as for himselfe his nature is to seeke the honour of God in al men and to draw as much as in him is all men vnto God This is the lawe
is for Christes sake deceaueth him selfe and maketh a mocke of himselfe vnto the godles hipocrites infidels No man can serue two maisters God and Mammon that is to say wicked riches also Mathew vj. Thou must loue Christ aboue all thing but that doest thou not if thou be not ready to forsake all for hys sake if thou haue forsaken all for his sake then art thou sure that thou louest him Tribulation is our right baptisme and is signified by plunging into the water Wee that are baptized in the name of Christ sayth Paule Rom. vj. are baptized to dye with him The spirite through tribulation purgeth vs and killeth our fleshly witte our worldly vnderstādyng and belly wisedome and filleth vs full of the wisedome of God Tribulation is a blessing that commeth of God as witnesseth Christ Math. v. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes sake for theyrs is the kyngdome of heauen Is not this a comfortable word Who ought not rather to chuse and desire to be blessed w t Christ in a little tribulation then to be cursed perpetually with the world for a little pleasure Prosperitie is a right curse and a thing that God geueth vnto his enemies Wo be to you ritch sayth Christ Luke vj. loe ye haue your consolation wo be to you that are ful for ye shall hunger wo be to you that laugh for ye shall weepe wo be to you when men prayse you for so did theyr fathers vnto the false prophetes yea and so haue our fathers done vnto the false hypocrites The hipocrites with worldly preaching haue not gotten the prayse onely but euen the possessions also and the dominion and rule of the whole worlde Tribulation for righteousnes is not a blessing onely but also a gift that God geueth vnto none saue his speciall frendes The Apostles Act. v. reioyced that they were counted woorthy to suffer rebuke for Christes sake And Paule in the second epistle third chapter to Timothe sayth All that will liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecutiō And Philip. j. he sayth Vnto you it is geuen not onely to beleue in Christ but also to suffer for his sake Here seest thou that it is Gods gift to suffer for Christes sake And in the 1. Pet. 4. sayth Happy are ye if ye suffer for the name of Christ for the glorious spirite of God resteth in you Is it not an happy thing to be sure that thou art sealed with Gods spirite vnto euerlasting life And verily thou art sure therof if thou suffer patiently for his sake By suffring art thou sure but by persecuting canst thou neuer be sure For Paule Rom. 5. sayth Tribulation maketh feeling that is it maketh vs feele the goodnesse of God and his helpe and the working of his spirite 2. Cor. 12. the Lord sayd vnto Paul My grace is sufficiēt for thee for my strēgth is made perfect through weaknes Lo Christ is neuer strong in vs till we be weake As our strength abateth so groweth the strength of Christ in vs when we are cleane emptied of our own strength then are we ful of Christes strength looke how much of our owne strength remayneth in vs so much lacketh there of y ◠strength of Christ Therfore sayth Paule 2. Cor. 12. Very gladly will I reioyce in my weaknes that the strength of Christ may dwell in me therfore haue I delectation sayth Paule in infirmities in rebukes in need in persecutions and in anguish for Christes sake for when I am weake then am I strong Meaning that the weaknes of the fleshe is the strength of the spirite And by flesh vnderstand wit wisedome and all that is in a man before the spirite of God come and whatsoeuer springeth not of the spirite of God and of Gods woorde And of like testimonies is all the scripture full Behold God setteth before vs a blessing and also a curse A blessing verely and that a glorious and an euerlasting if we will suffer tribulatiō and aduersity with our Lord and sauiour Christ And an euerlasting curse if for a little pleasure sake we withdrawe our selues from the chastysing nurture of God wherewith he teacheth all his sonnes and fashioneth them after his godly will and maketh them perfect as he did Christ and maketh them apte and meete vessels to receiue his grace and hys spirite that they might perceaue and feele the exceeding mercy which we haue in Christ the innumerable blessinges and the vnspeakeable inheritance whereunto we are called and chosen and sealed in our sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whome be prayse for euer Amen Finally whome God chuseth to raigne euerlastingly with christ him sealeth he with his mighty spirite and poureth strength into his hart to suffer afflictiōs also with Christ for bearing witnesse vnto the truth And this is the difference betwene the children of God and of saluation and betwene the children of the deuyll and of damnation that the children of God haue power in theyr hartes to suffer for Gods worde which is theyr life and saluatiō their hope and trust and whereby they liue in the soule and spirite before God And the children of the deuyll in time of aduersity flye from Christ whome they followed faynedly theyr hartes not sealed with hys holy mighty spirite and gett them to the standerde of theyr right father the Deuyll and take his wages the pleasures of this world which ar the earnest of euerlasting damnation which conclusion the xij chap. to the Hebrues well confirmeth saying My sonne despise not thou the chasticing of the Lord neither faint whē thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loueth him he chasticeth yea he scourgeth euery sonne whome he receaueth To persecution and aduersitie for the truthes sake is Gods scourge and Gods rod and pertaineth vnto all his children indifferently for when he sayth he scourgeth euery sonne he maketh none exception Moreouer sayth the text If ye shall endure chasticing God offreth hymselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes what sonne is it that the father chasticeth not If ye be not vnder correction whereof all are partakers then are ye bastardes and not sonnes Forasmuch then as we must needes bee baptised in tribulations and through the red sea and a great and a fearefull wildernes a land of cruell Giantes into our naturall coūtrey ▪ yea and in asmuch as it is a playne earnest that there is no other way into the kingdome of life then through persecution sufferyng of payne of very death after the ensample of Christe therefore let vs arme our soules with the comforte of the Scriptures How that God is euer ready at hand in time of neede to helpe vs and how that such tyrants and persecutors are but gods scourge and his rod to chastice vs. And as the father hath alway in time of correction the rod fast in his hand so that the rod doth
nothing but as the father moueth it euen so hath God all tyrantes in hys hande and letteth them not do whatsoeuer they would but as much onely as he appoynteth them to do and as far forth as it is necessarye for vs. And as when the childe submitteth himselfe vnto hys fathers correction and nurture and humbleth himself altogether vnto the will of his father theÌ„ the rod is taken away euen so when we ar come vnto the knowledge of the right waye and haue forsaken our owne will and offer our selues cleane vnto the will of God to walke which way soeuer he will haue vs then turneth he the tyrantes or els if they enforce to persecute vs any further he putteth them out of the way according vnto the comfortable ensamples of the scripture Moreouer let vs arme our soules with the promises both of helpe and assistance and also of the glorious rewarde that followeth Great is your reward in heaueÌ„ sayth Christ Math. 5. And he that knowledgeth mee before men him will I knowledge before my father that is in heauen Math. 10. and Call on me in time of tribulation and I wyll deliuer thee Psal 65. and Beholde the eyes of the Lord are ouer them thet feare hym and ouer them that trust in hys mercy to deliuer theyr soules from death and to feede them in time of hunger Psal 46. And in Psal 47. sayth Dauid The Lorde is nygh them that are troubled in theyr hartes and the meeke in spirite will he saue The tribulations of the righteous are many and out of them all will the Lord deliuer them The Lord keepeth al the bones of them so that not one of theÌ„ shall be brused The Lord shal redeeme the soules of his seruauntes And of such like consolation are all the Psalmes full woulde to God when ye read them ye vnderstood them And Math. 10. When they deliuer you take no thought what ye shall say it shall be geuen you the same houre what ye shall say for it is not ye that speake but the spirite of your Father which speaketh in you The very heares of your heades are numbred saith Christ also Math. 10. If God care for our heares he much more careth for our soules which he hath sealed with his holy spirite Therefore sayth Peter 1. Pet. 4. Cast all your care vppon him for he careth for you And Paule 1. Cor. 10. sayeth God is true he wil not suffer you to be tempted aboue your might And Psal 71. Cast thy care vpon the Lord. Let thy care be to prepare thy selfe with all thy strength for to walke which way he will haue thee and to beleue that he will goe with thee assist thee and strengthen thee agaynst all tyraÌ„tes deliuer thee out of al tribulatioÌ„ But what way or by what meanes he will do it that committe vnto him and his godly pleasure and wisedome and cast that care vpon him And though it seeme neuer so vnlikely or neuer so impossible vnto naturall reason yet beleue stedfastly that he will do it and then shall he according to his olde vse chainge the course of the worlde euen in the twinckling of an eye and come sodenly vpon our Gyantes as a theefe in the night and coÌ„passe them in their wyles and worldly wisedome when they crye peace all is safe then shall theyr sorrowes beginne as the panges of a woman that traueileth with childe and then shall he destroy them and deliuer thee vnto the glorious prayse of hys mercy and truth Amen ANd as pertayning vnto them that despise Gods worde counting it as a phantasie or a dreame and to them also that for feare of a little persecution fall from it sette this before thyne eyes how God since the beginning of the world before a generall plague euer sent his true prophetes preachers of his word to warne the people and gaue them time to repent But they for the greatest part of theÌ„ hardened theyr hartes and persecuted the worde that was sent to saue them And then God destroyed them vtterly and tooke them cleane from the earth As thou seest what followed the preaching of Noe in y â— olde world what folowed the preaching of Loth among the Sodomites the preachyng of Moses and Aaron among the Egiptians and that sodenly against all possibilitie of mans witte Moreouer as ofte as the children of Israell fel from God to the worshipping of images he sent his prophets vnto them and they persecuted and waxed harde harted and then he sent them into all places of the world captiue Last of all he sent his owne sonne vnto them and they waxed more hard harted then euer before And see what a fearefull example of his wrath and cruel vengeance he hath made of them vnto all the worlde now almost fifteene hundred yeares Vnto the olde Brittaines also which dwelled where our natioÌ„ doth now preached Gildas and rebuked them of theyr wickednes and prophesied both vnto the spirituall as they will be called and vnto the lay men also what vengeaunce would follow except they repented But they waxed hard harted and God sente his plagues and pestilences among them and sent theyr enemies in vppon them on euery side destroyed them vtterly Marke also how Christ threateneth theÌ„ that forsake him for whatsoeuer cause it be whether for feare eyther for shame eyther for losse of honour frendes lyfe or goodes â–ª He that denyeth me before men him will I deâ—y before my father that is in heauen He that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me all thys he sayth Math. 10. And in Mark 8. he sayth Whosoeuer is ashamed of me or my wordes among this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the sonne of man be ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his father with his holy Angels And Luk. 9. also None that layeth his hande to the plowe and looketh backe is meete for the kingdome of heauen Neuerthelesse yet if any man haue resisted ignorantly as Paule did let him looke on the truth which Paule wrote after he came to knowledge Also if any man cleane against his hart but ouercome with the weaknes of the flesh for feare of persecution haue denied as Peter did or haue deliuered his booke or put it away secretly let him if he repente come again and take better hold and not dispayre or take it for a signe that God hath forsaken him for God ofttimes taketh hys strength euen froÌ„ his very elect wheÌ„ they either trust in theyr own strength or are negligent to call to him for his strength And that doth hee to teach theÌ„ to make theÌ„ feele that in that fire of tribulatioÌ„ for his wordes sake nothing can endure and abide saue his word and that streÌ„gth onely which he hath promised For the which strength he will haue vs to praye vnto him night and day wyth all
raigne ouer all and will obey no man If the father geue you ought of curtesie ye will cōpell the sonne to geue it violently whether he will or not by crafte of your owne lawes These deedes are against Christ When a whole parish of vs hyre a scholemaister to teach our children what reason is it that we shoulde be compelled to pay thys scholemaister his wages and he should haue licence to goe where he wil and to dwell in an other contrey and to leaue our children vntaught Doth not the pope so Haue we not geuen vp our tithes of curtesie vnto one for to teach vs Gods worde and commeth not the pope and compelleth vs to pay it violently to them that neuer teach Maketh he not one Parson which neuer commeth at vs yea one shall haue v. or vj. or as many as he can get and wotteth oftentimes where neuer one of them standeth Another is made Vicare to whom he geueth a dispensation to goe where he will and to set in a parishe priest which can but minister a sort of dumme ceremonies And he because he hath most labour and least profite polleth on hys part and fetteth here a masse peuy there a trentall yonder dirige money and for his beadroule with a confession peny and such like And thus are we neuer taught and are yet neuertheles compelled ye compelde to hyre many costly scholemasters These deedes are verely agaynst Christ Shall we therefore iudge you by your dedes as Christ commaundeth So are ye false Prophetes and the Disciples of Antechrist or agaynst Christ The Sermons which thou readest in the Actes of the Apostles and all that the Apostles preached were no doubt preached in the mother tongue Why then might they not be written in the mother tounge As if one of vs preach a good sermon why may it not be written Saint Hierome also translated the Bible into his mother tounge Why may not we also They will say it can not be translated into our tounge it is so rude It is not so rude as they are false lyers For the Greeke tounge agreeth more with the English then wyth the Latin And the properties of the Hebrue tounge agreeth a thousand tymes more wyth the Englishe then wyth the Latyn The maner of speaking is both one so that in a thousand places thou needest not but to trāslate it into the English worde for worde when thou must seeke a compasse in the Latin and yet shalt haue much worke to translate it welfauouredly so that it haue the same grace swetenesse sence pure vnderstanding with it in the Latin as it hath in the Hebrue A thousand partes better maye it be translated into the English thē into the Latin Yea and except my memory fayle me and that I haue forgotten what I red whē I was a childe thou shalt finde in the Englishe cronicle how that kyng Adelstone caused the holy Scripture to be translated into the tounge that then was in Englande and how the Prelates exhorted him thereunto Moreouer seyng that one of you euer preacheth contrary to an other and when two of you meete the one disputeth brauleth wyth the other as it were two scoldes And forasmuch as one holdeth this Doctor and an other that One foloweth Duns an other Saint Thomas an other Bonauenture Alexāder de hales Raymond Lyre Brygot Dorbell Holcot Gorram Trumbett Hugo de sancto victore De monte regio De noua uilla De media villa and such lyke out of nūber So that if thou haddest but of euery authour one booke thou couldest not pyle them vp in any ware house in London and euery authour is one contrary vnto an other In so great diuersitie of spirites how shall I know who lyeth and who sayeth truth Whereby shall I trye thē and iudge them Verely by Gods worde which onely is true But how shall I that do when thou wilt not let me see scripture Nay say they the scriptures is so harde that thou couldest neuer vnderstand it but by the Doctours That is I must measure the mete yarde by the cloth Here be twenty clothes of diuers lengthes of diuers bredthes How shall I be sure of the length of the mete yarde by them I suppose rather I must be first sure of the length of the mete yarde and thereby measure and iudge the clothes If I must first beleue the Doctour then is the Doctour first true and the truth of the scripture dependeth of hys truth so the truth of God springeth of the truth of man Thus Antechrist turneth the rotes of the trees vpwarde What is the cause that we damne some of Origenes workes and alowe some How know we that some is heresy and some not By the scripture I trow How know we that Saint Augustine which is the best or one of the best that euer wrote vpon the Scripture wrote many thynges amisse at the beginning as many other Doctours doe Verely by the Scriptures as he hymselfe well perceaued afterward when he looked more diligently vpon them and reuoked many thynges agayne He wrote of many thinges which he vnderstode not when he was newly conuerted yer he had throughly seene the Scriptures and folowed the opinions of Plato and the common perswasions of mans wisedom that were then famous They wyll say yet more shamefully that no man can vnderstād the Scriptures without Philautia that is to say Philosophy A man muste first bee well seene in Aristotle yer he cā vnderstand the Scripture say they Aristotles doctrine is that the worlde was wythout beginning and shall be wythout ende and that the first man neuer was and the last shall neuer be And that God doth all of necessitie neither careth what we doe neither wyll aske any accomptes of that we do Wythout thys doctrine how coulde we vnderstande the Scripture that sayth God created the world of nought and God worketh all thyng of hys free wyll and for a secret purpose that we shall all ryse agayne and that God will haue accomptes of all that we haue done in thys lyfe Aristotle sayth Geue a man a lawe and he hath power of hymselfe to doe or fulfill the lawe and becōmeth righteous wyth workyng righteously But Paule and all the scripture sayth that the lawe doth but vtter sinne onely and helpeth not Neyther hath any man power to doe the lawe tyll the spirite of God be geuen hym through fayth in Christ Is it not a madnes then to say that we coulde not vnderstand the Scripture wythout Aristotle Aristotles righteousnes and all hys vertues spring of mans free wyll And a Turke and euery Infidell and Idolater may be righteous and vertuous wyth that righteousnes those vertues Moreouer Aristotles felicitie and blessednes standeth in auoyding of all tribulatiōs and in riches health honour worship frendes and authoritie which felicitie pleaseth our spiritualty well
this threatning and forbidding the laye people to reade the Scripture is not for loue of your soules which they care for as the Foxe both for the Geesse is euident and clearer then the Sunne in as much as they permitte and suffer you to read Robbin Hode Beuis of Hampton Hercules Hector and Troylus with a thousand histories and fables of loue and wantones and of rybaudry as filthy as hart can thinke to corrupt the mindes of youth withall cleane contrary to the doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles For Paule Ephes v. sayth see that fornication and all vncleannes or couetousnes be not once named amonge you as it becommeth Saintes neither filthines neither foolishe talking nor gesting whiche are not comely For this ye knowe that no whoremonger either vncleane person or couetous person which is the worshipper of images hath any enheritaunce in the kyngdome of Christ and of God And after sayth he thorough such thyngs commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of vnbeliefe Now seyng they permitte you freely to reade those thynges which corrupte your myndes and robbe you of the kingdome of God and Christ and bring the wrath of God vpon you how is this forbidding for loue of your soules A thousand reasons moe might be made as thou mayst see in Paraclesis Erasmi in his preface to the paraphasis of Mathew vnto which they should be cōpelled to holde their peace or to geue shamefull aunsweres But I hope that these are sufficient vnto them that thyrst the truth God for his mercy and truth shall well open them moe yea and other secretes of hys Godly wisedome if they be diligent to cry vnto him which grace graunt God Amen ¶ The Prologue vnto the booke FOr asmuch as our holy Prelates and our ghostly religious which ought to defēd gods word speake euil of it and do all the shame they cā to it rayle on it beare their captiues in hād that it causeth insurrectiō teacheth the people to disobey their heades gouernours moueth thē to rise against their Princes and to make all common and to make hauoke of other mēs goodes therfore haue I made this litle treatise that foloweth cōteinyng all obedience that is of god In which who soeuer readeth it shal easly perceaue not the cōtrary onely that they lye but also the very cause of such blasphemy and what stirreth thē so furiously to rage and to belye the truth Howbeit it is no new thyng vnto the word of God to be rayled vpon neither is this the first tyme that hypocrites haue ascribed to Gods worde the vengeaunce where of they thē selues were euer cause For the hypocrites with their false doctrine and Idolatry haue euermore ledde the wrath and vengeaunce of God vpon the people so sore that God could no lēger forbeare nor differre his punishmēt Yet God which is alwayes mercyfull before he would take vengeaūce hath euer sent hys true Prophetes and true Preachers to warne the people that they might repent But the people for the most part and namely the heades and rulers through comfort and persuadyng of the hyopcrites haue euer waxed more hard harted then before and haue persecuted the word of God and his Prophetes Thē God whiche is also righteous hath alwayes poured his plagues vppon them without delay Which plagues the hypocrites ascribe vnto Gods word saying see what mischeue is come vpō vs sence this new learnyng came vp and this new sect and this newe doctrine This seest thou Hieremias xliiij Where the people cryed to goe to their old Idolatry agayne saying sence we left it we haue bene in all necessitie and haue bene consumed with warre and hunger But the Prophet aunswered them that their Idolatry wēt vnto the hart of God so that he could no lenger suffer the maliciousnes of theyr owne imaginations or inuētions that the cause of all such mischieues was because they would not heare the voyce of the Lord and walke in his law ordinaunces and testimonies The Scribes and the Phariseis layd also to Christes charge Luke xxiij that be moued the people to sedition And sayd to Pylate we haue found this felow peruertyng the people and forbiddyng to pay tribute to Caesar and sayth that he is Christ a kyng And agayne in the same Chapter hee moueth the people sayd they teachyng throughout Iury and began at Galile euen to this place So likewise layd they to the Apostles charge as thou mayst see in the Actes S. Cyprian also and S. Augustine and many other mo made workes in defence of the word of God against such blasphemies So that thou mayst see how that it is no new thyng but an old and accustomed thyng with the hypocrites to wyte Gods word and the true Preachers of all the mischieue which their lying doctrine is the very cause of Neuer the later in very dede after the preachyng of Gods worde because it is not truly receaued God sendeth great trouble into the world partly to auenge hym selfe of the tyrauntes and persecutours of his worde and partly to destroye those worldly people whiche make of Gods word nothyng but a cloke of their fleshly libertie They are not all good that folow the Gospell Christ Math. xiij like neth the kyngdome of heauen vnto a net cast in the Sea that katcheth fishes both good and bad The kyngdome of heauen is the preachyng of the Gospell vnto which come both good and bad But the good are fewe Christ calleth them therfore a litle flocke Luke xij For they are euer few that come to the Gospell of a true entent seekyng therin nothyng but the glorye and prayse of God and offering thē selues frely and willingly to take aduersitie with Christe for the Gospels sake and for bearyng recorde vnto the truth that al men may heare it The greatest nomber come and euer came and folowed euen Christ hym selfe for a worldly purpose As thou mayst well see Iohn vj. howe that almost fiue thousand folowed Christ and would also haue made hym a kyng because he had well fedde them Whom he rebuked saying ye seke me not because ye saw the miracles But because ye eat of the bread and were filled and droue them away from him with hard preachyng Euen so now as euer the most parte seke libertie They be glad when they heare the vnsatiable couetousnes of the spiritualitie rebuked When they heare their falsehood and wiles vttered When tyrāny and oppressiō is preached against When they heare how kynges and all officers should rule christenly and brotherly seke no other thyng saue the wealth of their subiectes and when they heare that they haue no such authoritie of God so to pylle and polle as they doe and to raise vp taxes and gatherynges to maynteine their phantasies and to make warre they wote not for what cause And therefore because the heades will not so rule will they
wherewith y ◠hart is purified as fayth hope loue pacience long sufferyng and obedience could neuer be sene without outward experience For if thou were not brought sometime into combraunce whence God onely could deliuer thee thou shouldest neuer see thy fayth yea except thou foughtest sometyme agaynst desperation hell death sinne and powers of this worlde for thy faythe 's sake thou shouldest neuer know true fayth from a dreame Except thy brother now and then offended thee thou couldest not know whether thy loue were Godly For a Turke is not angre till he be hurt and offended but it thou loue him that doth thee euill then is thy loue of God likewise if thy rulers were alway kinde thou shouldest not know whether thyne obedience were pure or no but if thou canst paciently obeye euill rulers in all thyngs that is not to the dishonour of God and when thou hurtest not thy neighbours then art thou sure that Gods spirite worketh in thee and that thy fayth is no dreame nor any false imagination Therfore counceleth Paule Rom. xij recompense to no man euill And on your part haue peace with all men Dearely beloued auenge not your selues but geue rowme vnto the wrath of God For it is written vengeaunce is myne and I will reward sayth the Lord. Therfore if thy enemie hungre feede hym If he thurst geue hym drinke For in so doyng thou shalt heape coales of fire on his heed that is thou shalt kindle loue in him Be not ouercome of euil that is let not an other mans wickednesse make thee wicked also But ouercome euill with good that is with softenes kindnesse and all pacience winne him euen as God with kindnesse wonue thee THe law was geuē in thūder lightenyng fire smoke and the voyce of a trumpet and terrible sight Exod. xx So that the people quaked for feare and stode a farre of saying to Moyses Speake thou to vs and we wil heare let not the Lord speake vnto vs left we dye No eare if it be awaked and vnderstandeth the meanyng is able to abide the voice of the law except the promises of mercy be by That thunder except the rayne of mercy be ioyned with it destroyeth all and buildeth not The law is a witnesse agaynst vs and testifieth that God abhorreth the the sinnes that are in vs and vs for our sinnes sake In like maner when God gaue the people of Israell a kyng it thundred and rained that y ◠people feared so sore that they cryed to Samuell for to pray for them that they should not dye i. Reg. xij As the law is a terrible thing euen so is the kyng For he is ordeined to take vengeaunce and hath a sword in his hād and not pecockes feethers Feare him therfore and looke on hym as thou wouldest looke on a sharpe sword that hanged ouer thy head by an heare Heades and gouerners are ordeined of God and are euen the gifte of God whether they be good or bad And what soeuer is done vnto vs by them y t doth God be it good or bad If they be euill why are they euill verely for our wickednesse sake are they euill Because that whē they were good we would not receaue that goodnesse of the hand of God and be thankefull submitting our selues vnto his lawes and ordinaunces but abused the goodnesse of God vnto our sensuall beastly lustes Therefore doth God make hys scorge of them and turne them vnto wilde beastes cōtrary to the nature of their names and offices euen into Lyons Beares Foxes and vncleane Swine to auenge himselfe of our vnnaturall and blind vnkindnesse and of our rebellious disobedience In the Cvj. Psalme thou readest he destroyed the riuers and dryed vp the springes of water and turned y t fruitfull land into barennesse for the wickednesse of the inhabiters therein Whē the children of Israell had forgotten God in Egipt God moued the hartes of the Egiptians to hate them and to subdue them with craft and wilynes Psal Ciiij and Deuteronomiun iij. Moyses rehearseth saying God was angry wyth me for your sakes so that the wrath of God fell on Moyses for the wickednesse of the people And in the secōd Chap. of the second booke of kynges God was angry with the people and moued Dauid to number them when Ioab and the other Lords wondred why hee would haue them numbred and because they feared lest some euil should folow disswaded the kyng yet it holpe not God so hardened his hart in his purpose to haue an occasion to slay the wicked people Euill rulers then are a signe that God is angry and wroth with vs. Is it not a great wrath and vengeaunce that the father and mother should hate their children euen their flesh and their bloud or that an husband should be vnkinde vnto his wife or a master vnto the seruaunt that wayteth on his profite or the Lordes and Kynges should be tyrauntes vnto their subiectes and tenauntes which pay them tribute tolle custome and rente laboring and toyling to finde them in honour and to mainteine them in their estate is not this a fearefull iudgemēt of God and a cruell wrath that the very Prelates and shepheardes of our soules whiche were wont to feede Christes flocke with Christs doctrine and to walke before them in lyuyng there after and to geue their lyues for them to their ensample and edifiyng and to strengthē their weake faythes are now so sore chaunged that if they smell that one of their flocke as they now cal them and no lenger Christes do but once long or desire for the true knowledge of Christ they will slay hym burnyng him with fire most cruelly What is the cause of this and that they also teach false doctrine confirmyng it with lyes veryly it is the hād of God to auenge the wickednes of them that haue no loue nor lust vnto the truth of God when it is preached but reioyse in vnrighteousnes As thou maist see in the second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians Where he speaketh of the comming of Antichrist Whos 's commyng shal be sayth he by the workyng of Sathan with all miracles signes and wonders which are but lyes and in all deceanable vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receaued not any loue to the truth to haue bene saued Therefore shall God send them strong delusion to beleue lyes Marke how God to auenge his truth sendeth to the vnthankefull false doctrine and false miracles to confirme them and to harden their harts in the false way that afterward it shall not be possible for them to admitte the truth As thou seest in Exod. vij and viij how God suffered false miracles to be shewed in y t sight of Pharao to harden his hart that he should not beleue the truth in as much as hys sorcerers turned their roddes into Serpēts and turned water into bloud and made frogges by their inchauntment so thought he
Disciples hee aunswered The blind see the lepers are clensed the dead arise againe c. meanyng that if I do the workes which are prophesied that Christ should do when he coÌ„meth why doubt ye whether I be hee or no as who should say aske y â— scripture whether I be Christ or no not my selfe How happeneth it then that our Prelates wil not come to the light also that we may see whether their workes be wrought in GOD or no Why feare they to let the â—ay men see what they do Why make they all their examinations in darkenes Why examine they not their causes of heresie openly as the lay men do their fellous and murtherers Wherefore did Christ and his Apostles also warne vs so diligently of Antichrist and of false Prophetes that should come Because that we should slomber or sleepe carelesse or rather that we should looke in the light of the Scripture with all diligeÌ„ce to spie them when they came and not to suffer our selues to be disceaued and led out of y â— way Iohn biddeth iudge the spirites Whereby shall we iudge them but by the Scripture How shalt thou know whether the Prophet be true or false or whether hee speake Gods word of his owne head if thou wilt not see the Scriptures Why sayd Dauid in the second Psalme be learned ye that iudge the earth lest the Lord be angry with you and ye perish froÌ„ the right way A terrible warnyng verely yea and looke on the stories well thou shalt finde very few kinges sence the beginning of the world that haue not perished from the right way and that because they would not be learned The Emperour and Kynges are nothyng now a dayes but euen hangmen vnto the Pope and Byshops to kill whosoeuer they condemne without any more a do as Pylate was vnto the Scribes and Phariseis and the hye Byshops to hang Christ For as those Prelates aunswered Pylate wheÌ„ he asked what he had done if he were not an euill doer we would not haue brought him vnto thee As who should say we are to holy to do any thyng amisse y u mayst beleue vs well inough yea and his bloude on our heades sayd they kill him hardly we will beare the charge our soules for thyne we haue also a law by which he ought to dye for he calleth him selfe Gods sonne Euen so say our Prelates he ought to dye by our lawes he speaketh agaynst the Church And your grace is sworne to defend the liberties and ordinaunces of the Church and to maynteine our most holy fathers authoritie our soules for yours ye shall do a meritorious dede therin Neuertheles as Pylate escaped not the iudgement of God euen so is it to be feared lest our temporall powers shall not Wherfore be learned ye that iudge the earth lest the Lord be angry with you and ye perish from the right way Who slew the Prophetes Who slew Christ Who slew his Apostles Who the martirs and all the righteous that euer were slayne The kynges and the temporall sword at the request of the false Prophetes They deserued such murther to do and to haue their part with y e hypocrites because they would not be learned and see the truth them selues Wherfore suffered y â— Prophets because they rebuked the hypocrites which beguiled the world and namely Princes and rulers and taught them to put their trust in thynges of vanitie and not in Gods word And taught them to do such deedes of mercy as were profitable vnto no man but vnto the false Prophetes them selues onely makyng marchauÌ„dise of Gods word wherfore slew they Christ euen for rebuking the hipocrites because he said wo be to you Scribes and Phariseis hypocrites for ye shut vp the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ before men Math. xxiij that is as it is writteÌ„ Luke xj ye haue taken away the keye of knowledge The law of God whiche is the keye wherewith men bynde and the promises which are the keyes wherewith men loose haue our hypocrites also taken away They will suffer no man to know Gods word but burne it and make heresie of it yea and because the people begyn to smell their falsehode they make it treason to the kyng and breakyng of the kynges peace to haue so much as their Pater noster in English And in stede of Gods law they bynde w t their owne law And in stede of Gods promises they lose iustifye with pardons and ceremonies which they them selues haue imagined for their owne profite They preach it were better for thee to eate fleshe on good Friday then to hate thy neighbour but let any man eate flesh but on a Saterday or breake any other tradition of theirs and he shal be bounde not losed till hee haue payd the vtter most farthing either with shame most vyle or death most cruell but hate thy neighbour as much as thou wilt and thou shalt haue no rebuke of them yea robbe him murther him and theÌ„ come to them and welcome They haue a saÌ„ctuary for thee to saue thee yea and a neckuerse if thou canst but read a litle Latinly though it be neuer so soryly so that y â— be ready to receaue y â— beastes marke They care for no vnderstandyng it is inough if thou canst rowle vp a payre of Mattens or an Euensong and mumble a few ceremonies And because they be rebuked this they rage Be learned therefore ye that iudge y â— world lest God be angry with you and ye perish from the right way Wo be to you scribes and phariseis ypocrites sayth Christ Math. xriij for ye deudure widdowes houses vnder a coulor of long prayer Our hypocrites robbe not the widdowes onely but Knight Squyre Lord Duke Kyng and Emperour and euen the whole world vnder the same couloure teaching the people to trust in their prayers and not in Christ for whose sake God hath forgeuen all the synne of the whole worlde vnto as many as repeÌ„t and beleue They feare theÌ„ with purgatory and promyse to pray perpetually least the laÌ„des should euer returne home agayne vnto the right heyres What hast thou bought with robbyng thy heyres or wyth geuing the hypocrites that which thou robbest of other men Perpetuall prayer Yea perpetuall payne For they appoint thee no tyme of deliueraunce their prayers are so mighty The Pope for money can empty purgatory when he will It is verely purgatory For it purgeth and maketh cleane riddaunce yea it is hel For it deuoureth all thynges Hys fatherhode sendeth them to heauen with scala coeli that is wyth a ladder to scale the walles For by the dore Christ wil they not let them come in That dore haue they stopped vp and that because ye should buye ladders of them For some they pray dayly which gaue theÌ„ perpetuities and yet make Saintes of them receauing offeringes in theyr names and
that is to say of maÌ„s righteousnes and of holy dedes which man hath imagined to please God to be saued by without Gods worde and beside the testameÌ„t that God hath made in Christ If Christ had not rebuked y t Phareseis because they taught the people to beleue in their traditions and holynes and in offeringes that came to their auantage and that they taught the widowes and theÌ„ that had their frendes dead to beleue in their prayers that through their prayers the dead should be saued and thorough that meanes robbed them both of their goodes and also of the testament and promises that God had made to all that repented in Christ to come he might haue bene vncrucified vnto this day If Saint Paule also had not preached against circumcision that it iustified not and that vowes offeringes and ceremonies iustified not and that righteousnes and forgeuenes of sinnes came not by any deseruing of our deedes but by faith or beleuing y e promises of God and by the deseruing merites of Christ onely he might haue liued vnto this houre Likewise if we preached not against pride couetousnes lechery extorcion vsury symony and against the euill lyuing both of the spiritualtie as well of the temporalitie and against inclosings of parkes reising of rent and fines and of the carying out of wolle out of the realme we might endure long enough But toutch the scabbe of hipocrisie or popeholynes and goe about to vtter their false doctrine wherewith they reigne as Gods in the hart and consciences of men and robbe them not of landes goodes and authoritie onely but also of the testament of God and saluation that is in Christ then helpeth thee neither Gods worde nor yet if thou diddist miracles but that thou art not an heretike onely and hast the deuill within thee but also a breaker of the kinges peace and a traytor But let vs returne vnto our lying sygnes agayne WHat signifieth that the Prelates are so bloudy and clothed in red that they be ready euery houre to suffer martyrdome for the testimony of Gods worde Is that also not a false signe When no man dare for them once open his mouth to aske a question of Gods worde because they are ready to burne him What signifieth the pollaxes that are borne before hye Legates A Latere What so euer false signe they make of them I care not but of this I am sure that as the olde hypocrites when they had slayne Christ set pollaxes to keepe him in his sâ—pulcre that he should not rise againe eueÌ„ so haue our hypocrites buried the testament that God made vnto vs in Christes bloud and to kepe it downe that it rise not againe is all their studie wherof these pollaxes are the very signe Is not that shepardes hoke the Bishopes crose a false signe Is not that white rochette that the Byshops and Chanons weare so like a Nunne and so effeminatly a false signe What other thinges are their sandals gloues myters all the whole pompe of their disguising then false signes in which Paule prophesied that they shoulde come And as Christ warned vs to beware of wolues in lambes skinnes bad vs looke rather vnto their fruites and deedes then to wonder at theyr disguisinges Runne throughout all our holy religious and thou shalt finde them likewise all clothed in falshod ¶ Of the sacramentes FOrasmuch as we be come to signes we wil speake a word or two of the signes which God hath ordeined that is to say of the sacramentes which Christ left amongest vs for our comfort that we may walke in light and in truth in feling of the power of God For he that walketh in y â— day stumbleth not when contrariwise he that walketh in the night stumbleth Ioh. xi And they that walke in darknes wote not whether they goe Ioh. xij This worde sacrament is as much to say as an holy signe and representeth alway some promise of God As in the olde Testament God ordeined that the raynebowe should represent and signifie vnto all men an oth that God sware to Noe to all men after hym that he woulde no more drowne the worlde thorough water ¶ The sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ SO the Sacrament of the body and bloude of Christ hath a promise annexed which the Priest should declare in the Englishe tounge This is my body that is broken for you This is my bloud that is shed for many vnto the forgeuenesse of sinnes This do in remeÌ„brance of me sayth Christ Luk. 22. And 1. Cor. 11. If when thou seest the SacrameÌ„t or eatest his body or drinckest his bloud thou haue thys promise fast in thine hart that his body was slayne and his bloud shed for thy sins and beleuest it so art thou saued and iustified thereby If not so helpeth it thee not though thou hearest a thousand masses in a day or though thou doest nothing els all thy life long then eate his body or drinke his bloude no more theÌ„ it should helpe thee in a dead thyrst to beholde a bushe at a tauerne dore if thou knewest not thereby that there were wine within to be sold◠¶ Baptime BAptime hath also his worde and promise which the Priest ought to to teach the people and Christen them in the Englishe tounge and not to play y â— popengay with Credo say ye â—olo say ye and Baptismum say ye for there ought to be no mumming in such a matter The Priest before he baptiseth asketh saying beleuest thou in God the father almighty and in his sonne Iesus Christ and in the holy ghost and that the congregation of Christ is holy And they say yea Then the Priest vppon thys fayth baptiseth the childe in y â— name of the father and of y t sonne and of the holy ghost for the forgeuenes of sinnes as Peter saith Act. ij The washing without the worde helpeth not but through the worde it purifieth and clenseth vs. As thou readest Ephe. v. How Christ clenseth the congregation in the fountayne of water through the worde The word is the promise that God hath made Now as a preacher in preaching the worde of God saueth the hearers that beleue so doth the washing in that it preacheth and representeth vnto vs the promise that God hath made vnto vs in Christ The washing preacheth vnto vs that we are cleÌ„sed with Christes bloudshedding which was an offering and a satisfaction for the sinne of all that repent and beleue consenting and submitting themselues vnto the will of God The plunging into the water signifieth that we die and are buried with Christ as concerning the olde life of sinne which is Adam And the pulling out againe signifieth that we rise againe with Christ in a newe life full of the holy ghost which shall teach vs guide vs worke the will of God in vs as thou seest Rom. vj. Of wedlocke MAtrimony or wedlocke is
Iohn v. that ye haue not the loue of God in you I am come in my fathers name and ye receaue me not if an other shall come in his own name him shall ye receaue This doth God auenge him selfe on the malicious hartes whiche haue no loue to his truth All the promises of God haue they either wypte cleane out or thus leauened them with open lyes to stablishe their confession with all And to kepe vs from knowledge of the truth they do all thyng in Latin They pray in Latin they Christen in Latine they blesse in Latine they geue absolution in Latin onely curse they in the English toung Wherein they take vpon them greater authoritie then euer God gaue them For in their curses as they call them with booke bell and candle they commaūde God and Christ and the aungels and all Saintes to curse them curie them God say they father sonne and holy ghost curse them virgine Mary c. O ye abommable Who gaue you authoritie to commaūde God to curse God commaundeth you to blesse and ye cōmaunde him to curse Blesse them that persecute you blesse but curse not saith S. Paul Roma xij What tyranny wil these not vse ouer men which presume and take vpon them to be Lordes ouer God and to commaunde him If God shall curse any man who shall blesse and make him better No man can amende him selfe except God poure his spirite vnto him Haue we not a commaundemēt to loue our neighbour as our selues How can I loue him and curse him also Iames sayth it is not possible that blessing cursing should come both out of one mouth Christ cōmaundeth Math. v. saying loue your enemies Blesse them that curse you Do good to them that hate you Pray for them that do you wrong and persecute you that ye may be the children of your heauenly father In the marches of Wales it is the maner if any man haue an Oxe or a Cow stollē he commeth to the Curate and desireth him to curse the stealer And he commaundeth the Parish to geue him euery man Gods curse and his Gods curse myne haue he sayth euery man in the Parish O mercyfull God what is blasphemy if this be not blasphemy shamyng of the doctrine of Christ Vnderstand therfore the power of excommunication is this If any man sinne openly and amendeth not when he is warned then ought he to be rebuked openly before all the Parish And the Priest ought to proue by the Scripture that all such haue no part with Christ For Christ serueth not but for them that loue the law of God and consent that it is good holy and righteous And repēt sorrowing mournyng for power and strength to fulfill it And all the parish ought to be warned to auoyde the company of all such and to take them as heathen people This is not done that he should perish but to saue him to make him ashamed to kill the lustes of the flesh that the spirite might come vnto the knowledge of truth And we ought to pitie hym and to haue compassion on him and with all diligence to pray vnto God for him to geue him grace to repent and to come to the right way agayne and not to vse such tyranny ouer God and man commaūdyng God to curse And if he repent we ought with all mercy to receaue him in agayn This mayst thou see Mat. xviij and. i. Cor. v. and ij Cor. ij ¶ Confirmation IF confirmation haue a promise then it iustifieth as farre as the promise extendeth If it haue no promise then is it not of GOD as the Byshops be not The Apostles and Ministers of God preach Gods word and Gods signes or Sacramentes signifie Gods word also and put vs in remēbraunce of the promises which God hath made vnto vs in Christ Contrarywise Antichristes Byshops preach not their Sacramentes speake not but as the disguised Byshops mum so are their superstitious Sacramentes domme After that the Byshops had left preachyng then fayned they this domme ceremonie of cōfirmation to haue somwhat at the lest way whereby they myght raigne ouer theyr Dioceses They reserued vnto them selues also the Christenyng of Belles and coniuring or hallowyng of Churches and Churchyardes and of Altares and superaltares and holowyng of Chalices and so forth what soeuer is of honor or profite Which cōfirmation and the other coniurations also they haue now committed to their Suffragans because they them selues haue no leysure to minister such things for their lustes and pleasures and aboundance of all thinges and for the combraunce that they haue in the kynges matters and businesse of the Realme One kepeth the priuey seale an other y ◠great seale the thyrd is confessour that is to say a priuey traytor and a secreat Iudas he is President of the Princes Counsaile he is an Ambassadour an other sort of the Kynges secret Counsaile Wo is vnto the Realmes where they are of y t counsell As profitable are they verely vnto the Realmes with their Counsell as the Wolues vnto the Shepe or the Foxes vnto the Geese They will say that the holy Ghost is geuen thorough such ceremonies If God had so promised so should it be but Paule saith Galat. iij. that the spirite is receaued thorough preaching of the fayth And Actes tenth while Peter preached the faith the holy Ghost fell on Cornelius and on hys houshold How shall we say then to that which they will lay against vs in the eight chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Where Peter and Iohn put their handes on the Samaritans and the holy Ghost came I say that by putting or with putting or as they put their handes on them the holy Ghost came Neuerthelesse the putting on of the hāds did neither helpe nor hinder For the text sayth they prayed for them that they might receaue the holy ghost God had made the Apostles a promise that he woulde wyth such miracles cōfirme their preaching and mou◠other to the fayth Mar. the last The Apostles therefore beleued and prayed God to fulfill his promise and God for his truthes sake euen so did So was it the prayer of fayth that brought the holy Ghost as thou mayst see also in the last of Iames. If any man be sicke saith Iames call the elders of the congregation and let them pray ouer hym annointing hym with oyle in the name of the Lord and the prayer of fayth shall heale the sicke Where a promise is there is fayth bolde to pray and God true to geue her her petition Putting on of the handes is an indifferent thing For the holy Ghost came by preaching of the fayth and myracles were done at the prayer of fayth as well without putting on of the hands as with as thou seest in many places Putting on of the hands was the maner of that nation as it was to rent their clothes
Christ or entende to restore the Kynges agayne vnto their duties and right and to the rowme and authoritie which they haue of God and of shadowes to make theÌ„ Kynges in deede to put the world in his order agayne then the Kynges deliuer their swordes and authoritie vnto the hypocrites to â—lay him So dronken are they with the wine of the whore ¶ The text that foloweth in Paule wil they happely lay to my charge and others How shall they preach except they be sent sayth Paul in the sayd x. to the Romaines We wil they say the Pope Cardinals and Byshoppes all authority is ours The Scripture perteineth vnto vs and is our possession And we haue a law that who soeuer presume to preach without the authoritie of the Bishops is excommunicate in the deede doyng Whence therefore hast thou thine authoritie wil they say The old Phariseis had the Scripture in captiuitie likewise and asked Christ by what authoritie doest thou these thynges as who should say We are phariseis thou art none of our order nor hast authoritie of vs. Christ asked them an other question and so will I do our hypocrites Who seÌ„t you God Nay hee that is sent of God speaketh Gods word Iohn iij. Now speake ye not Gods worde nor any thyng saue your own lawes made cleane contrary vnto Gods worde Christes Apostles preached Christ not them selues He that is of the truth preacheth the truth Now ye preach nothyng but lyes and therefore are of the deuill the father of all lyes of hym are ye sent And as for mine authoritie or who sent me I report me vnto my workes as Christ Iohn v. and. x. If Gods word beare recorde that I say truth why should any man doubt but that God the father of truth and of lyght hath sent me as the father of lyes of darknes hath sent you and that the spirite of truth and of light is with me as the spirite of lyes and of darkenes is with you By this meanes thou wilt that euery man be a preacher will they say Nay verely For GOD will that not and therfore will I it not no more then I would that euery man of London were Mayre of London or euery man of the Realme Kyng therof God is not the author of dissention and strife but of vnitie and peace and of good order I will therefore that where a congregation is gathered together in Christ one be chosen after the rule of Paul and that hee onely preach and els no maÌ„ openly but that euery man teach hys houshold after the same doctrine But if the preacher preach false then whosoeuers harte God moueth to the same it shal be law full to rebuke and improue the false teacher with the cleare and manifest Scripture and that same is no doubt a true Prophet sent of GOD. For the Scripture is gods and theirs that beleue and not the false Prophet SAcrament is then as much to say as an holy signe And the Sacramentes which Christ ordeined preach Gods word vnto vs and therfore iustifie and minister the spirite to them that beleue as Paul thorough preachyng the Gospell was a minister of righteousnes of the spirite vnto all that beleued his preachyng Domme ceremonies are no Sacramentes but superstitiousnes Christes SacrameÌ„ts preach the fayth of Christ as his Apostles did thereby iustifie Antichristes domme ceremonies preach not y â— fayth that is in Christ as his Apostles our Byshops and Cardinals do not But as Antichristes Bishops are ordeined to kill who soeuer preach the true faith of Christ so are his ceremonies ordeined to quench the faith which Christes SacrameÌ„tes preach And hereby maist thou knowe the difference betwene Christes signes or Sacramentes and Antichristes signes or ceremonyes that Christes signes speake and Antichristes be domme Hereby seest thou what is to be thought of all other ceremonies as halowed water bread salt bowes belles waxe ashes and so forth and all other disguisinges and Apesplay and of all maner coniurations as the coniuring of church and churchyardes and of alter stones such like Where no promise of God is there can be no fayth nor iustifiyng nor forgeuenes of sinnes For it is more then madnes to looke for any thing of god saue that he hath promised How farre he hath promised so farre is he boduÌ„ to them that beleue and further not To haue a fayth therefore or a trust in any thing where god hath not promised is plaine idolatry and a worshipping of thyne own imagination in stede of God Let vs see the pith of a ceremony or two to iudge the rest by In coniuring of holy water they pray that whosoeuer be sprinckled therewith may receaue health as well of body as of soule and likewise in makyng holy bread and so forth in the coniurations of other ceremonies Now we see by dayly experience that halfe their prayer is vnheard For no man receaueth health of body thereby No more of likelihode do they of soule Yea we see also by experience that no man receaueth health of soule thereby For no man by sprinckling himselfe with holy water and wyth eating holy bread is more mercifull then before or forgeueth wrong or becommeth at one with his enemy or is more patient and lesse couetous and so forth Which are the sure tokens of the soule health They preach also that the wagging of the Byshops hand ouer vs blesseth vs and putteth away our sinnes Are these workes not against Christ How can they do more shame vnto Christes bloud For if the wagging of the Byshops hand ouer me be so precious a thyng in the sight of God that I am thereby blessed how then am I full blessed wyth all spirituall blessinge in Christ as Paul saith Ephe. j Or if my sinnes be full done away in Christ how remayneth there any to be done away by such phantasies The Apostles knew no wayes to put away sin or to blesse vs but by preaching Christ Paule sayth Gal. ij If righteousnes come by the law then Christ dyed in vayne So dispute I here If blessing come by the wagging of the Byshops hand then dyed Christ in vayne and his death blesseth vs not And a little afore sayth Paule if while we seeke to be iustified by Christ we be yet found sinners so that we must be iustified by the law or ceremonies is not Christ then a minister of sinne So dispute I here If while we seeke to be blessed in Christ we are yet vnblessed and must be blessed by the wagging of the Byshoppes hand what haue we then of Christ but curse Thou wilt say When we come first to the fayth then Christ forgeueth vs and blesseth vs. But the sinnes which we afterward commit are forgeuen vs through such thinges I aunswere If any man repent truely and come to the fayth and put hys trust in Christ theÌ„ as oft as he sinneth of frayltie at
spirite of the lyuing God not in tables of stone as the ten commaundementes but in the fleshy tables of the hart as who shuld say we writ not a dead law with inke and in parchemenâ— nor graue that which damned you in tables of stone but preache you that which bringeth the spirite of lyfe vnto your brestes which spirite writeth and graueth the law of loue in your hartes and geueth you lust to do the will of God And furthermore sayth he our ablenes coÌ„meth of God which hath made vs able to minister the new TestameÌ„t not of the letter y t is to say not of the law but of the spirite For the letter that is to say the law killeth but the spirite geueth life that is to say the spirite of God whiche entreth your hartes wheÌ„ ye beleue the glad tydinges that are preached you in Christe quickeneth your hartes and geueth you life lust and maketh you to do of loue and of your owne accorde without compulsioÌ„ that which the law compelled you to do and daÌ„ned you because ye could not doe with loue and lust and naturally Thus seest thou that the letter signifieth not the litterall sence and the spirite the spirituall sence And Rom. ij Paul vseth this terme Littera for the law And Rom. vij where he setteth it so playne that it the great wrath of God had not blinded them they could neuer haue stombled at it God is a spirite and all his wordes are spirituall His litterall sence is spituall and all his wordes are spiritual When thou readest Math. j. she shall beare a sonne thou shalt cal his name Iesus For he shall saue his people froÌ„ their sinnes This litteral sence is spiritual and euerlasting life vnto as many as beleue it And the litterall sence of these wordes Math. v. blessed are the mercyfull for they shall haue mercy are spirituall and life Wherby they that are mercyfull may of right by the truth and promise of God challenge mercy And like is it of these wordes Math. vj. If you forgeue othermen their sinnes your heauenly father shall forgeue you yours And so is it of all the promises of God Finally all gods wordes are spiritual if thou haue eyes of God to see the right meanyng of the text whereunto y â— Scripture perteyneth the final end and cause therof All the Scripture is either the promises and TestameÌ„t of God in Christ and stories perteining thereunto to strength thy faith either the law and stories perteining therto to feare thee from euil doing There is no story nor gest seme it neuer so simple or so vyle vnto the worlde but that thou shalt finde therein spirite and life and edifieng in the litterall sense For it is gods Scripture written for thy learnyng and comforte There is no cloute or tagge there that hath not precious reliques wrapt therein of fayth hope pacience and long sufferyng and of the truth of God and also of hys righteousnes Set before thee the storie of Ruben which defiled his fathers beo Marke what a crosse God suffered to fal on the necke of his elect Iacob CoÌ„sider first the shame among the heatheÌ„ when as yet there was no moe of the whole world within the Testament of God but he and his houshold I report me to our Prelates which sweare by their honor whether it were a crosse or no. Seest thou not how our wicked bylders rage because they see their bildynges burne now they are tryed by the fire of Gods word and how they stirre vp the whole world to quench the word of God for feare of loosing their honour Then what busines had he to pacifie his children Looke what a do he had at y â— defiling of his daughter Dina. And be thou sure that the brethren there were no more furious for the defiling of their sister then the sonnes heare for defiling of their mother Marke what folowed Ruben to feare other that they shame not their fathers and mothers He was cursed and lost the kyngdome and also the Priestdome and his tribe or generatioÌ„ was euer few in number as it appeareth in the stories of the Bible The adulterie of Dauid with Barsabe is an ensample not to moue vs to euill but if while we folow the way of righteousnes any chaunce driue vs aside that we despayre not For if we saw not such infirmities in Gods elect we which are so weake and fall so oft should vtterly dispaire thinke that God had cleane forsaken vs. It is therfore a sure and an vndoubted conclusion whether we be holy or vnholy we are all sinners But the differeÌ„ce is that Gods sinners consent not to their sinne They consent vnto the law that it is both holy and righteous and mourne to haue their sinne taken away But the deuils sinners consent vnto their sinne and would haue the law and hell taken away and are enemies vnto the righteousnes of God Likewise in the whomely gest of Noe when he was dronke and lay in his tente with hys priuy members open hast thou great edifyeng in the litteral sence Thou seest what became of the curied children of wicked Ham which saw his fathers priuie members and gested therof vnto his brethren Thou seest also what blessing fell on Sem and Iaphet which went backward and couered their fathers members saw them not And thirdly thou seest what infirmitie accompanieth Goâ—s elect be they neuer so holy which yet is not imputed vnto theÌ„ For the fayth trust they haue in God swalloweth vp all their sinnes Notwithstandyng this text offereth vs an apte and an hansome allegory or similitude to describe our wicked Ham Antichrist the Pope which many huÌ„dred yeares hath done all the shame that hart caÌ„ thinke vnto the priâ—ey meÌ„ber of God which is the word of promise or y â— word of faith as Paule calleth it Rom. x. and the Gospell and TestameÌ„t of Christ wherewith we are begotten as thou seest i. Peter i. and Iames. i. And as the cursed children of Ham grew into gyauntes so mightie and great that the children of Israell semed but greshoppers in respect of them so the cursed sonnes of our Ham the Pope his Cardinals Bysshops Abbots Monkes and Friers are become mighty gyauntes aboue all power and authoritie so that the children of faith in respect of them are much lesse then greshoppers They heape mountayne vppon mountayne will to heaueÌ„ by their own strength by away of their owne making not by the way Christ Neuer the latter those gyauÌ„tes for the wickednes abhominatioÌ„s which they had wrought did God vtterly destroy part of them by the childreÌ„ of Loth and part by the children of Esau and seuen nations of them by the children of Israell So no doubt shall he destroy these for like abhominations that shortly For their kyngdome is but the kyngdome of lyes and falshead which must needes perish at
fathers fathers of theÌ„ that are past And as we feele our fathers so dyd they that are past feele their fathers neither were there in the world any other fathers then such as we both see and feele this many hundred yeares as their Decrees beare recorde and the stories and Chronicles well testifie If Gods word appeared any where they agreed all agaynst it When they had brought that a sleepe then stroue they one with an other about their owne traditions and one Pope condemned an others Decrees and were sometyme ij yea thre Popes at once And one Bishop went to law with an other and one cursed an other for their owne fantasies such things as they had falsly gotteÌ„ And the greatest Samts are they that most defeÌ„ded the liberties of the church as they call it which they falsly gote with blynding kings neither had the world any rest this many hundred yeares for reformyng of Friers and Monkes and ceasyng of schismes that were among our Clergy And as for the holy Doctours as Augustine Hierome Cyprian Chrisostomus and Bede will they not heare If they wrote any thyng negligently as they were men that drawe they cleane contrary to their meanyng and therof triumphe they Those Doctours knew of none authoritie that one Byshop should haue aboue another neither thought or once dreamed that euer any such should be or of any such whisperyng or of Pardons or scouryng of Purgatory as they haue fayned And when they cry miracles miracles remember that God hath made an euerlasting Testament with vs in Christes bloud against which we may receaue no miracles no neither y â— preachyng of Paule him selfe if he came agayn by his own teaching to the Galathians neither yet the preachyng of the aungels of heauen Wherefore either they are no miracles but they haue fayned theÌ„ as is the miracle that S. Peter halowed Westminster or els if there be miracles that confirme doctrine contrary to Gods word theÌ„ are they done of the deuill as the mayd of Ipswich of Kent to proue vs whether we will cleane last to Gods word and to deceaue them that haue no loue to the truth of Gods word nor lust to walke in his lawes And for as much as they to deceaue with all arme them selues against theÌ„ with argumentes and periÌ„nasions of fleshly wisedome with worldly similitudes with shadowes with false Allegories with false expositions of the Scripture contrary vnto the liuyng practising of Christ and the Apostles with lyes and false miracles with false names domne ceremonies with disguising of hypocrisie with the authorities of the fathers and last of all with the violence of the temporall sworde therfore do thou contrariwise arme thy selfe to defende thee with all as Paule teacheth in the last chapter to y â— Ephesians Gyrde on thee the sworde of the spirite which is Gods word and take to thee the shilde of fayth which is not to beleue a â—ate of Robynhode or Gestus Romanorum or of the Chronicles but to beleue Gods woorde that â—asteth euer And when the Pope with his falshead chalengeth temporall authoritie aboue King and Emperour set before thee y â— xxv chapter of S. Math. Where Christ commanudeth Peter to put vp his sword And set before thee Paul ij Cor. x. Where he sayth the weapons of of our warre are not carnall thynges but myghty in God to bryng all vnderstandyng in captiuitie vnder the obedience of Christ that is the weapoÌ„s are Gods word and doctrine and not swordes of yron and stele set before thee the doctrine of Christ and of hys Apostles and their practise And when the Pope chalengeth anthoritie ouer his fellow Byshops and ouer all the congregation of Christ by successioÌ„ of Peter set before thee y â— first of the Actes where Peter for all hys authoritie put no man in the rowme of Iudas but all the Apostles chose two indifferently and cast lottes desiring God to temper them that the lot might fall on y e most ablest And Actes viij the Apostles sent Peter and in the xi call him to rekening and to geue accomptes of that he hath done And when the Popes law coÌ„maundeth saying though that the Pope liue neuer so wickedly and draw with hym through his euill ensample innumerable thousaÌ„des vnto hell yet see that no man presume to rebuke him for he is head ouer all and no man ouer him set before thee Gallates ij Where Paule rebuketh Peter openly And see how both to the CorinthiaÌ„s and also to the Galathians he will haue no superiour but Gods word hee that could teach better by Gods worde And because when he rehearsed his preachyng and hys doynges vnto the hygh Apostles they could improue nothyng therfore will he be equall with the best And when the Friers say they do more theÌ„ their dutie wheÌ„ they preach and more theÌ„ they are bound to to say our seruice are we bouÌ„d say they and that is our dutie to preach is more then we are bound to Set thou before thee how that Christes bloud shedyng hath bounde vs to loue one an other withall our might and to do the vttermost of our power one to an other And Paul sayth i. Cor. ix Wo be vnto me if I preach not yea wo is vnto him y â— hath wherewith to helpe his neighbour and to make him better and do it not If they thinke it more then their dutie to preache Christ vnto you then they thinke it more then their dutie to pray that ye should come to the knowledge of Christ And therefore it is no maruell though they take so great labour yea and so great wages also to kepe you still in darkenes And when they crye furiously hold the heretikes vnto the wall and if they will not reuoke burne them without any more a do reason not with theÌ„ it is an Article condeÌ„ned by the fathers Set thou before thee the saying of Peter i. Pet. iij. To all that aske you be ready to geue an aunswere of the hope that is in you and that with mekenes The fathers of the Iewes and the Bishops whiche had as great authoritie ouer them as ours haue ouer vs condemned Christ his doctrine If it be inough to say the fathers haue condeÌ„ned it theÌ„ are y â— Iewes to beholdeÌ„ excused yea they are yet in the right way and we in the false But if the Iewes be bound to loke in the Scripture and to see whether their fathers haue done right or wrong then are we likewise bound to looke in the Scripture whether our fathers haue done right or wrong and ought to beleue nothyng without a reason of the Scripture and authoritie of Gods word And of this maner defend thy selfe agaynst all maner wickednes of our spirites armed alway with Gods woorde with a strong and a stedfast fayth thereunto Without Gods word do nothing And to his word adde nothyng neither pull any
of their heauenly father confirmed with y ◠bloud of their Lord Christ For vnto them it is harder to enter into y ◠kingdome of heauen then for a camel to enter through y ◠eye of an nedle Mar. 10. No they haue no part in the kyngdome of Christ God Ephe. v. Therefore is it euident why Christ so diligētly warneth all his to beware of couetousnesse and why hee admitteth none to be his Disciples except he first forsake all together For there was neuer couetouse person true yet either to God or man If a couetous mā be chosē to preach Gods word he is a false Prophet immediatly If he be of the lay sorte so ioyneth he him self vnto the false Prophetes to persecute the truth Couetousnesse is not onely aboue all other lustes those thornes that choke y t word of God in them that possesse it But it is also a deadly enemy to all that interprete Gods word truly All other vices though they laugh thē to scorne that talke godly yet they can suffer thē to lyue and to dwell in the countrey But couetousnes cannot rest as long as there is one that cleaueth to Gods word in all the land Take hede to thy preacher therfore and be sure if he be couetous and gape for promotion that he is a false Prophet leaueneth the Scripture for all his crying fathers fathers holy Church and fiften hūdred yeares and for all his other holy pretenses Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted This mournyng is also in the spirite and no kinne to the sowre lokyng of hipocrites nor to the impaciēt weywardnesse of those fleshely which euer whyne and complayne that the world is naught because they cānot obtayne and enioy their lustes therin Neither forbiddeth it alwayes to be mery and and to laugh make good chere now and then to forget sorrow that ouermuch heauynesse swalow not a man cleane vp For the wise man sayth sorow hath cost many their lyues And Prouer. xvij an heauy spirite drieth vp the bones And Paule commaundeth Philip. iiij to reioyse euer And Roma xij he sayth reioyse with them that reioyse and sorow with thē that sorow and wepe with them that wepe which seme two contraries This mourning is that crosse without which was neuer any Disciple of Christ or euer shal be For of what soeuer state or degree thou be in this world if thou professe y ◠Gospell there foloweth the a crosse as warmenesse accompanieth the sonne shynyng vnder which thy spirite shall grone and mourne secretly not onely because the world and thyne owne flesh carie thee away cleane cōtrary to the purpose of thyne hart But also to see and behold the wretchednesse misfortunes of thy brethrē for which because thou louest them as well as thy selfe thou shalt mourne and sorow no lesse thē for thy selfe Though thou be King or Emperour yet if thou knowest Christ and God through Christ and entendest to walke in the fight of God and to minister thyne office truly thou shalt to kepe iustice with all be compelled to do dayly that which thou art no lesse loth to do then if thou shouldest cut of arme hand or any other member of thyne owne body yea and if thou wilt folow the right way and neither turne on the right hand nor on the left thou shalt haue immediatly thine own subiectes thyne owne seruauntes thyne owne Lordes thyne own coūsellours and thyne owne Prophetes thereto agaynst thee Vnto whose froward malice and stubburnesse thou shalt be cōpelled to permitte a thousand thynges agaynst thy conscience not able to resiste them at whiche thyne hart shall blede inwardly and shalt sawse thy swete soppes which the world weneth thou hast with sorowes mough and still mournyng studyeng either alone or els with a few frēdes secretly night and day and sighing to God for helpe to mitigate the furious frowardnesse of them whō thou art not able to with stand that all go not after the will of the vngodly What was Dauid cōpelled to suffer all the dayes of his lyfe of his own seruauntes the sonnes of Seruia Beside the mischaūces of his own children And how was our king Iohn forsaken of his owne Lordes when he would haue put a good and godly reformatiō in his owne land How was Henry the secōd compassed in lyke maner of his own Prelates whom he had promoted of nought with the secrete conspiracie of some of his own temporal Lordes with thē I spare to speake of y e mournyng of the true preachers the poore cōmon people which haue none other helpe but the secret hand of God and the word of his promise But they shal be cōforted of all their tribulatiō and their sorrow shal be turned into ioye and that infinite euerlastyng in the lyfe to come Neither are they without comfort here in this world for Christ hath promised to sēd them a comfortour to be with them for euer the spirite of trouth whiche the world knoweth not Iohn xiiij And they reioyse in hope of the comfort to come Rom. xij And they ouercome through fayth as it is written Hebr. xj the Saintes through fayth ouercame kyngdomes obtained the promises And. i. Iohn v. this is the victorie that ouercōmeth the world euē our faith But the blind world neither seeth our comfort nor our trust in God nor how God thorough faith in his word helpeth vs maketh vs ouercome How ouercome they wilt thou say that be alwayes persecuted and euer slayne verely in euery battaile some of them that wynne the field be slayne yet they leaue the victorie vnto their deare frēdes for whose sakes they toke the fight vppon them and therfore are conquerours seyng they obtayne their purpose maynteine that they fought for The cursed riche of this worlde whiche haue their ioye and comfort in their riches haue sence the begynnyng fought agaynst them to wede thē out of the worlde But yet in vayne For though they haue alwayes slayne som yet those that were slayne wanne the victory for their brethren with death euer increased the nūber of them And though they semed to dye in the sight of the foolish yet they are in peace and haue obtayned that euerlastyng kyngdome for which they fought And beside all this when God plagueth the world for their sinne these y ◠mourne and sorrow are marked with the signe of Thau in their foreheades and saued from the plague that they perish not with the wicked as thou seest Ezech. ix as Lot was deliuered frō among the Sodomites And contrariwise cursed are they that laugh now ▪ that is to say which haue their ioy solace and comfort in their riches for they shall sorrow and weepe Luke vj. And as it was answered the rich man Luke xvj sonne remember how that thou receauedst thy good dayes in thy life tyme and Lazarus likewise euill
to be perfect But no precept to bynde vnder payne of sinne And so by that meanes not onely they that spake true but also they that lyed to deceaue were compelled to sweare and to confirme their wordes with othes if they would be beleued But Christ bringeth light and salt to the texte which the Phariâ—eis had darckened and corrupt with the stynkyng myst of their sophistrie and forbiddeth to sweare at all either by God or any creature of Gods for thou canst sweare by none othe at all except the dishonour shall redound vnto y e name of God If thou sweare by God it is so or by God I wil do this or that the meanyng is that thou makest God iudge to aduenge it of thee if it be not as thou sayest or if thou shalt not do as thou promisest Now if truth be not in thy woordes thou shamest thyne heauenly father and testifiest that thou beleuest that he is no righteous iudge nor wil aduenge vnrighteousnesse but that he is wicked as thou art and conseÌ„teth and laugheth at thee while thou deceauest thy brother as well created after the likenesse of God and as deare bought with the precious bloude of Christ as thou And thus through thee a wicked sonne is the name of thy father dishonoured and his law not feared nor hys promises beleued And when thou swearest by the Gospell booke or Bible the meanyng is that God if thon lye shall not fulfill vnto thee the promises of mercy there in written But contrarywise to bryng vpoÌ„ thee all the cursses plagues veÌ„geance therin threatned vnto y e disobedient euill doers And euen so when thou swearest by any creature as by bread or salt the meanyng is that thou desirest that the creatour therof shall aduenge it of thee if thou lye c. Wher fore our dealyng ought to be so substaÌ„tiall that our wordes might be beleued without an othe Our wordes are the signes of the truth of our hartes in which ought to be pure and single loue toward thy brother for what soeuer proceedeth not of loue is damnable Now falsehead to deceaue him pure loue can not stand together It can not therfore be but damnable sinne to deceaue thy brother with lying though y u adde no othe to thy woordes Much more damnable is it then to deceaue to adde an othe therto c. Howbeit all maner of swearyng is not here forbydden no more then all maner of killyng wheÌ„ the coÌ„maundement saith kill not for iudges and rulers must kill EueÌ„ so ought they wheÌ„ they put any man in office to take an othe of him that he shal be true faithfull and diligent therein And of their subiectes it is lawfull to take othes of all that offer theÌ„ selues to beare witnesse But if the superiour would compel the inferiour to sweare that should be to the dishonour of God or hurting of an innocent the inferiour ought rather to dye then to sweare Neither ought a iudge to coÌ„pell a man to swere agaynst him self that he make him not sinne forsweare Wherof it is inough spoken in an other place But here is forbidden swearyng betwene neighbour neighbour and in all our priuate busynesse and dayly communicatioÌ„ For customable swearyng though we lyed not doth robbe the name of God of his due reuerence feare And in our dayly coÌ„munication businesse one with an other is so much vanitie of wordes that we can not but in many thyngs lye which to confirme with an othe though we beguile not is to take the name of God in vayne vnreuerently agaynst the second precept Now to lye for the entent to beguile is damnable of it self how much more then to abuse the holy name of God thereto and to call to God for vengeaunce vpon thyne owne selfe Many cases yet there chaunce dayly betwene man and man in which charitie compelleth to sweare as if I know that my neighbour is falsely sclaundered I am bound to report the truth and may lawfully sweare yea am bounde if it neede and that though not before a iudge And vnto y â— weake where ye and nay haue lost their credence thorow the multitude of lyers a man may lawfully sweare to put them out of doubt Which yet commeth of y â— euill of them that abuse their language to deceaue withall Finally to sweare to do euill is dampnable and to performe that is double damnation Herodes oth made him not innocent and giltlesse of the death of Iohn the Baptist though the hipocrite had not knowen what his wiues daughter would haue asked And wheÌ„ men say a kings worde must stand that is trouth if his oth or promise be lawfull expedient In all our promises it is to be added if God will if there be no lawfull â—et And though it be not added it is to be interprete as added As if I borow thy sworde and by the houre I promise to bring it thee agayne thou be beside thy selfe If I promise to pay by a certaine day and be in the meane tyme robbed or decayed by chaunce that I cannot performe it I am not forsworne if myne hart ment truely when I promised And many like cases there be of which are touched in other places To lye also and to dissemble is not alway sinne Dauid 1. Reg. 27. tolde kyng Achis the Philistine that he had robbed hys owne people the Iewes when he had bene a rouing among the Amalekites and had flayne man woman and childe for telling tales And yet was that lye no more sinne then it was to destroy the Amalekytes those deadly enemies of the fayth of one almighty God Neither sinned Cusai Dauids trusty frend 2. Reg. 17. in fayning and beguilyng Absolon but pleased God highly To beare a sicke man in hand that wholesome bitter medicine is swete to make hym drinke it it is the dutie of charitie and no sinne To perswade hym that pursueth hys neighbour to hurt hym or slay hym that hys neighbour is gone an other contrary way is the duty of euery Christen man by the law of charitie and no sinne no though I confirmed it with an othe But to lye for to deceaue and hurt that is dampnable onely c. Ye haue heard how it is sayde an eye for an eye a toth for a toth But I say vnto you that ye withstand not wrong But if a maÌ„ geue thee a blow on the right cheeke turne to him the other also And if any man will goe to lawe with thee and take away thy coate let hym haue thy clocke thereto And if any maÌ„ compell thee to goe a mile goe with him twaine Geue to him that asketh and from hym that would borow turne not away Christ here enteÌ„deth not to disanull the temporall regiment and to forbid rulers to punishe euill doers no more then he ment to destroy matrimony when he forbad to lust and to couet
the merites of their fasting as though they had done more then inough for themselues and of that marchaundise haue gotten all they haue and haue brought the knowledge of Christes bloude cleane into darcknesse And last of all what shall I say of the open idolatry of innumerable fastes of saint Brandons fast Saint Patrickes fast of 4. holy Fridayes of Saint Antonies betwene Saint Maries dayes of our Lady fast either vij yeare the same day that her day falleth on in March and then beginne or one yeare with bread and water and all for what purposes ye know well inough and of such like I trowe ten thousand in the worlde And who hath rebuked them See that ye gather not treasure vppon the earth where rust and mothes corrupt and where theues breake vp and steale But gather you treasure in heauen where neither rust nor mothes corrupt and where theeues neither breake vp not steale For where your treasure is there will be your hartes also Note the goodly order of Christes preaching First he restored the true vnderstanding of the lawe then y e true intent of the workes And here consequently he rebuketh the mortall foe sworne enemy both of true doctrine and true liuing which is couetousnes the roote of all euill sayth Paule 1. Tim. 6. Couetousnes is Image seruice Col. 3. It maketh men to erre frō the faith 1. Tim. 6. It hath no part in the kingdome of Christ God Ephe. 5. Couetousnes hardened the hart of Pharad that the fayth of the miracles of God could not sinke into it Couetousnes did make Balam which knew all y e truth of God to hate it to geue the most pestilent and poysonfull coūcell against it that hart could imagine euen for to destroy it if it had bene possible Couetousnes taught the false prophetes in the olde testament to interpret the law of God falsely and to peruert the meaning and entent of all the sacrifices and ceremonies and to slea y e true preachers that rebuked thē And with their false perswasions they did leade all the kinges of Israell out of the right way and the most part of the kynges of Iuda also And Peter in the second chapter of his second Epistle prophesieth that there should be false teachers among vs that shoulde follow the way of Balā that is to say for couetousnes persecute the truth thorow couetousnes with fained wordes to make marchaundise of the people and to bring in dampnable sectes to And here ye haue an infallible rule that where couetousnes is there is no truth no though they call themselues the church and say thereto that they cānot erre Couetousnes kept Iudas stil in vnbeliefe though he saw and did also many miracles in the name of Christ and compelled him to sell hym to the Scribes and Phariseis for couetousnes is a thyng merciles Couetousnes made the Phariseis to lye on Christ to persecute hym and falsely to accuse hym And it made Pilat though he founde hym an innocent yet to slay him It caused Herode to persecute Christ yet in his cradell Couetousnes maketh hipocrites to persecute y e truth against their owne consciences and to lye to Princes that the true preachers moue sedition and make their subiects to rise against them and the sayd couetousnes maketh the Princes to beleue their wicked perswasions and to lēde their swordes to shed innocent bloud Finally couetousnes maketh many whom the truth pleaseth at the beginning to cast it vp againe and to be afterward the most cruell enemies therof after the ensample of Symon Magus Act. 8. Yea and after the ensample of Sir Thomas More K. which knew the truth and for couetousnes forsooke it agayne and conspired first with the Cardinall to deceaue y e kyng and to leade hym in darcknes And afterwarde when the light was sprong vpon them and had driuen thē cleane out of the scripture and had deliuered it out of their tyranny and had expelled the darcke stinking miste of their deuelish gloses and had wiped away the cobwebbes which those poysoned spiders had spread vpon the face of the cleare text so that the spiritualtie as they call themselues were ashamed of their part as shamelesse as they be yet for all that couetousnes blynded the eyes of that glering Foxe more more and hardened his hart agaynst y e truth with the confidence of his painted Poetry babbling eloquence and iuggeling arguments of subtill sophistry grounded on his vnwritten verities as true and as autentike as hys story of Vtopia Paule therefore biddeth Timothy to charge the rich to beleue in the liuing god and not in their vncertaine riches for it is impossible for a couetous Idolater or Image seruer that trusteth in the dead God of his riches to put hys trust in the lyuing God One misery is that they which here gather lay vp cannot tell for whom An other is rust canker mothes and a thousād misfortunes beside theues extortioners oppressors mighty tirants to y e which y e rich be euer a pray And though they prosper to y e end outwardly yet feare euer guaweth their hartes inwardly And at the houre of death they know feele that they haue gathered naught then sorrow they and are like one that dreameth of riches and in the morning when he findeth nought is heauy and sory for the remēbraunce of the pleasaunt dreame And finally when they be most loth to die and hope to liue long thē they perishe sodainly after the ensample of y e rich man which entended to make him larger barnes and store houses Happy therfore is he that layeth vp treasure in heauen and is rich in faith and good workes for the rewarde thereto promised shall God kepe sure for him no man can take it away Here is not forbidden to haue riches But to loue it to trust in it and to be carefull for it For God hath promised to care for vs and to geue vs inough to keepe that which is gotten if we will care to keepe his commaundementes Whatsoeuer office or degree thou art in in this world do the dutie of thine office diligently and trust in God let hym care If thou be an husband man eare and sow and husband thy ground and let God alone for the rest he will care to make it grow plenteously and to send seasonable weather to haue it in and will prouide thee a good market to sell ▪ c. In like maner if thou be a kyng do the office of a king and receaue the duties of the kyng and let God care to keepe thee in thy kingdome His sauour shall do more for thee thē a thousand millions of golde and so of all other He that hath but a little and is sure that God shall keepe both him it is richer then he which hath thousandes and hath none other hope thē that he and it must be kept wyth hys owne care and
masters of one mynde one will might a man serue for if one wil one mynde and one accorde be in twenty then are they all but one master And two masters where one is vnder the other and a substitute may a man serue For the seruice of the inferiour is the coÌ„maundement of the superiour As to serue obey Father Mother Husband Master and Lord is Gods commaundement But and if the inferiour be of a contrary will to the superiour commauÌ„de any contrary thing then mayst thou not obey For now they be two coÌ„trary masters So God and Mammon are two coÌ„trary masters yea two contrary Gods and of contrary commaundementes God sayth I thy Lord God am but one me shalt y u serue alone that is y u shalt loue me with all thyne hart or with thyne whole hart with all thy soule with all thy might Thou shalt neither serue obey or loue any thyng saue me and that I byd thee that as farre and no further then I byd thee And Mammon sayth the same For Mammon wil be a God also and serued and loued alone God sayth see thou loue thy neighbour that thou labour with thine haÌ„ds to get thy liuyng and somewhat aboue to helpe him MaÌ„mon sayth he is called thy neighbour because he is nye thee Now who is so nye thee as thy self Ergo proximus esto tibi that is loue thy selfe make lewde and vyle wretches to labour diligently to get thee as much as thou mayst and some scrappes aboue for them selues Or wilt thou be perfect Then disguist thy selfe and put on a gray coate a blacke or a pyed geue thy selfe to deuotion despise the world and take a couetous I would say a contemplatiue life vpon thee Tell the people how hoate Purgatorie is and what paynes there must be suffered for small fantes And then geue mercyfully a thousaÌ„d folde for one spirituall for temporall geue heauen and take but house and land and foolish temporall thynges God sayth iudge truly betwene thy brethren and therefore take no giftes Mammon sayth it is good maner and apoynt of curtesie to take that is offered And he that geueth thee loueth thee better then such a churâ—…e that geueth thee naught yea thou arâ— more bound to fauour his cause God sayth fell and geue almose Mammon sayth lay vp to haue inough to mainteyne thyne estate and to defeÌ„d thee from thyne enemyes and to serue thee in thyne age c. For as much then as God Mammon be two so contrary masters that whosoeuer will serue God must geue vp Mammon and all that will serue MammoÌ„ must forsake God it foloweth that they which are the sworne seruauÌ„ts of Mammon and haue his holy spirite and are his faithfull Church are not the true seruaunts of God nor haue his spirite of truth in them or can be his true Church Moreouer seing that God Mammon be so contrary that Gods worde is death in Mammons eare his doctrine poyson in Mammons mouth it foloweth that if the ministers of Gods word do fauour Mammon they will so fashion their speach so sound their wordes that they may be pleasaunt in the eares of Mammon Finally alonely to haue richesse is not to be the seruauÌ„t of Mammon but to loue it and cleaâ—e to it in thyne hart For if thou haue goods onely to maintâ—ine the office whiche God hath put thee in of the rest to helpe thy neighbours nede so art thou Lord ouer thy Mammon and not his seruaunt Of theÌ„ that be rich how shalt thou know the master of Mammon from the seruaunt verely first by the gettyng secondarely when his poore neighbour complaineth if he be Mammons seruaunt Mammon wil shut vp his hart and make hym without compassion Thirdly the crosse of Christ will trye them the one from the other For wheÌ„ persecution ariseth for the word then will the true seruaunt of Christ byd Mammon â—dew And the faithfull seruaunt of Mammon will vtter his hypocrisie and not onely renounce the doctrine of Christ but also be a cruel a sharpe persecuter therof to put away all surmise and that his fidelitie which he hath in his master Mammon map openly appeare Therfore I say vnto you care not for your lyues what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke neither for your bodyes what ye shall put on Is not the lyfe more then meate and the body more then the rayment He that bundeth a costely house eueÌ„ to the tylyng will not leaue there and lose so great cost for so small a trifle more No more will he that gaue thee so precious a soule so bewtifull a body let either of them perish agayne before y e day for so small a thnig as foode or rayment God neuer made mouth but he made meate for it nor body but he made rayment also Howbeit MaÌ„mon blindeth our eyes so that we can neither see nor iudge a right Behold the foules of the ayre how they sow not neither reape nor gather into storehouses and yet your heauenly father fedeth them And are not ye farre better then they Which of you with takyng thought is able to put one cubite vnto his stature He that careth for y â— least of his creatures will much more care for y t greatest The byrdes of the ayre and beasts preach all to vs that we should leaue caring and put our trust in our father But Mammon hath made vs so dull and so cleane without capacitie that none example or argument be it neuer so vehement caÌ„ enter the wittes of vs to make vs see or iudge a right Finally what a madnes it is to take so great thought for fode or rayment when the wealth health life of thy body and all together is out of thy power If all the world were thyne thou couldest not make thy selfe one inche leÌ„ger nor that thy stomacke shall disgeste the meate that thou puttest into it No thou art not sure that that whiche thou puttest into thy mouth shall go through thee or whether it shall choke thee Thou canst not make when thou lyest or sittest down that thou shalt arise agayn or when thou slepest that thou shalt awake agayne or that thou shouldest liue one houre loÌ„ger So that he which cared for thee when thou couldest not care must care for thee still or els thou shouldest perish And he will not care for thee to thy soules profite if thou mistrust him and care for thy selfe And for rayment why take ye thought Behold the lylies of the field how they grow they labour not neither spynne And yet I say to you that euen Salomon in all his glorie was not apparelled lyke one of them Wherefore if the grasse whiche is to day in the fieldes and to morow shal be cast into the furnace God so clothe howe much more shal he do the same vnto you O ye of litle fayth
bynde vpon earth shall be bounde in heauen see frendes these be not our wordes but our master Christes And they shall do myracies in Christes name therto to confirme the false doctrine which they preach in his name O fearefull and terrible iudgement of almighty God and senteÌ„ce of extreme rigorousnes vpon all that loue not the truth when it is preached them that God to aduenge himselfe of their vnkyndnesse shall sende them so strong delusions that doctrine should be preached vnto them in the name of Christ and made seeme to follow out of hys wordes and be confirmed with myracies done in calling vpon the name of Christ to hardeÌ„ their harts in the faith of lyes according to the prophesie of Paule to the Thessalonians in the second Epistle An other of their sheepes coates is that they shall in euery sermon preach mightely agaynst the Scribes Phariseyes against Faustus and Pelagian with such like hereticks which yet neuer preached other doctrine then they themselues do And more of their clothing is they shall preach that Christ preached almost prayer and fasting and professe obedience pouertie and chastitie workes that our Sauiour Christ both preached and did Finally they be holy church and cannot erre But they be within rauening wolnes They preach to other steale not yet they themselues robbe God of hys honour and take from him the prayse and profite of all their doctrine and of all their workes They robbe y t lawe of God of her mighty power wherewith she driueth all men to Christ and make her so weake that the feble free will of man is not able to wrestle with her without calling to Christ for help They haue robbed Christ of all hys merites and clothed themselues therewith They haue robbed the soule of man of the bread of her life the fayth and trust in Christes bloud and haue fedde her with the shales and coddes of the hope in their merites and confidence in their good workes They haue robbed the workes coÌ„maunded by God of the entent purpose that they were ordeined for And with their obedience they haue drawen themselues from vnder the obedience of all Princes and temporall lawes with their pouertie they haue robbed all nations and kyngdomes and so with their wilfull pouertie haue enriched themselues and haue made the commons poore with their chastitie they haue filled all the worlde full of whores and sodomites thinking to please God more highly with keeping of an whore then an honest chast wife If they say it is not truth then all the worlde knoweth they lye for if a priest mary an honest wife they punishe hym immediatly and say he is an hainous hereticke as though matrimony were abhominable But if he keepe a whore then is he a good chast childe of their holy father the Pope whose ensample they follow and I warrant hym sing Masse on the next day after as well as he did before without eyther persecution or excommunication such are the lawes of their vnchast I would say their owne chast father If thou professe obedience why ruÌ„nest thou from father mother maister and ruler which God biddeth thee to obey to be a Fryer If thou obey why obeyest thou not the king and his law by whom God defendeth thee both in lyfe and goodes and all thy great possessions If thou professe pouertie what doest thou with the landes of Gentlemen Squyres Knightes Barons Erles and Dukes What shoulde a Lordes brother be a beggers seruauÌ„t or what should a begger ride with thre or foure score horses wayting on hym Is it meete that a man of noble byrth and y â— right heyre of the landes which thou possessest should be thyne horsekeeper thou being a begger If ye professe chastitie why desire ye aboue all other men the company of women What do ye with whores openly in many countreyes and wyth secrete dispensations to keepe Concubines Why corrupt ye so much other mens wiues and why be there so many sodomites among you Your charitie is mercilesse to the rest of the world to whom ye may geue nought agayne and onely liberall to your selues as is y e charitie of theues thirty or fourty of you together in one denne among which yet are not many that loue three of his neighbours hartely Your fasting maketh you as full and as fat as your hydes can holde beside that ye haue a dispensation of your holy father for your fasting Your prayer is but pattering without all affection your singing is but roaring to stretch out your mawes as do your othee gestures and rising at midnight to make the meate sinke to the bottome of the stomacke that he may haue perfect digestion and be ready to deuour a freshe against the next refection Ye shal know them by their fruites First thornes beare no grapes nor bryers figges Also if thou see goodly blossomes in them and thinkest there to haue figges grapes or any fruit for the sustenaunce or comfort of man goe to theÌ„ in time of neede and thou shalt finde nought at all Thou shalt finde forsouth I haue no goodes nor any thing proper or that is myne owne It is the couentes I were a theefe if I gaue it my father whatsoeuer neede he had It is Saint Edmundes patrimony Saint Albons patrimony S. Edwardes patrimony the goodes of holy church it may not be minished nor occupied vpon laye and prophane vses The king of the realme for all that he defendeth them aboue al other yet getteth he nought what neede so euer he haue saue then onely when he must spend on their causes aâ— that they geue with all that he can get beside of his poore commons If the king will attempt to take ought from them by the aucthoritie of his office for the defence of the realme Or if any man wil entreat them other wise then they lust themselues by what law or right it be they turne to thornes and bryers and waxe atonce rougher then a hedgehogge and will sprinkle them wyth the holy water of their malidictions as thicke as hayle and breath out the lightening of excommunication vpon them and so consume them to pouder Moreouer a corrupt tree can beare no good fruite That is where they haue fruite that semeth to be good goe to and proue it and thou shalt finde it rotten or the karnell eaten out and that it is but as a hollow â—â—tâ— For fayth in Christ that we and all our workes done within the compasse of the lawe of God be accepted to God for his sake is the kernell the sweetenesse and the pleasaunt beutie of al our workes in the sight of God As it is written Ioh. vi this is the worke of God that ye beleue in him whom he hath sent This faith is a worke which God not onely worketh in vs but also hath therein pleasure and delectatioÌ„ and in all other for that faithes sake Faith is
their obedience they destroy the obedience that God ordayned in this world desireth no other With their pouerty they destroy the pouertie of the spirit which Christ taught onely whiche is onely not to loue worldly goodes With their fast they destroy the fast which God commaundeth that is a perpetuall sobernesse to tame the fleshe With their patteryng prayer they destroy the prayer taught by God whiche is either thankes or desiryng helpe with fayth trust that God heareth me Their holynesse is to forbyd y t God ordeined to be receaued with thankes giuyng as meate matrimony And their owne workes they maintayne let Gods decay Breake theirs they persecute to the death But breake Gods and they either looke through the fingers or els geue thee a flappe with a Foxe tayle for a litle money There is none order among them that is so perfect but that they haue a prison more cruell theÌ„ any iayle of theues and murtherers And if one of their brethren commit fornication or adultery in the world he finisheth his penaunce therin in three Wekes or a moneth and then is sent to an other place of the same religion But if he attempt to put of the holy habite he commeth neuer out is so straytly dioted therto that it is meruell if he liue a yeare beside other cruell murther that hath bene found among them and yet is this shamefull dyoting of theirs murther cruell inough Be not deceaued with visions nor yet with miracles But go to iudge their workes for the spiritual iudgeth all thinges sayth Paule i. Cor. ij Who is that spirituall not such as we now call men of holy Church But all that haue the true interpretation of the law written in their harts The right fayth of Christ and the true inteÌ„t of workes which God byddeth vs worke he is spirituall and iudged all thinges and is iudged of no man Not all that say to me Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen But he that fulfilleth the will of my father which is in heauen Many will say vnto me at that day Lord Lord dyd we not prophesie in thy name and in thy name cast out deuils and dyd we not in thy name many miracles Then will I confesse vnto theÌ„ I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquitie This doublyng of Lord hath vehemency and betokeneth that they which shal be excluded are such as thinke theÌ„ selues better and perfitter then other men and to deserue heauen with holy workes not for them selues onely but also for other And by that they prophesied by which thou mayst vnderstand the interpretyng of Scripture and by that they cast out deuils did miracles in Christes name and for all that they are yet workes of wickednesse and do not the will of the father which is in heauen it is playne that they be false Prophetes and euen the same of which Christ warned before And now for as much as Christ and his Apostles warne vs that such shall come and describe vs the fashions of their visures Christes name holy Church holy fathers and xv hundred yeares with Scripture and miracles and commaunde vs to turne our eyes from their visures and consider their frutes and cut them vp and loke with in whether they be sound in the core kernell or no and geue vs a rule to try them by is it excuse good inough to say God will not let so great a multitude erre I will folow the most part and beleue as my fathers dyd and as the preachers teach and will not busie my selfe chose them the faute is theirs and not ours God shall not lay it to our charge if we erre Where such wordes be there are the false Prophetes all ready For where no loue to the truth is there are y â— false Prophetes where such wordes be there to be no loue to y e truth is plame Ergo where such woordes be there be the false Prophetes in their full swyng by Paules rule ij Thessa ij An other conclusion where no loue to the truth is there be false Prophetes The greatest of the world haue least loue to the truth Ergo the false Prophetes be the Chaplaines of the greatest which may with the sword compel the rest As the kynges of Israell compelled to worshyp the golden Calues And by false Prophetes vnderstand falâ—e teachers as Peter calleth them and wycked expounders of the Scripture Who soeuer heareth these words of me and doth them I will lyken him vnto a wise man that built hys house vppon a rocke and there fell a rayne and the floudes came and the windes blew and beate vppon that house but it fell not for it was grounded vpon a rocke And all that heare of me these wordes and do them not shal be lykened vnto a foolishe man that buylt his house vpon the sand and there fell a rayne and the floudes came and the windes blâ—w and dashed vpon that house and it fell and the fall therof was great Christ hath two sortes of hearers of which neither of them do there after The one wil be saued by fayth of theyr owne makyng without workes The other with workes of their owne makyng without faith The first are those voluptuous which haue yelded them selues vp to sinne saying tushe God is mercyfull Christ dyed for vs that must saue vs onely for we cannot but sinne without resistaÌ„ce The second are the hypocrites which will deserue all with theyr owne imagined woorkes onely And of fayth they haue no other experience saue that it is a litle meritorious where it is paynefull to be beleued As that Christ was borne of a virgin and that he came not out the way that other children do he no that were a great inconuenience but aboue vnder her arme yet made no hole though he had a very naturall body as other meÌ„ haue and that there is no bread in the Sacrament nor wyne though the fiue wittes say all ye And the meritorious payne of this belefe is so heauy to them that except they had fayned them a thousand wise similitudes and lowsye lykenesses and as many madde reasoÌ„s to stay them with all and to helpe to captiuate their vnderstandyng they were like to cast all of their backes And the onely refuge of a great many to keepe in that fayth is to cast it out of their myndes not to thinke vpon it As though they forgeue not yet it they put the displeasure out of their myndes and thinke not of it til a good occasion be geueÌ„ to adueÌ„ge it they thinke they loue their neighbour well inough all the while and be in good charge And the fayth of the best of them is but like theyr fayth in other worldly stories But the fayth which is trust and confidence to be saued and to haue their sinnes forgeuen by Christ which was so borne haue they not at all
for the electe onely in whose hartes God hath written hys lawe with his holy spirite and geuen them a feeling faith of the mercy that is in Christ Iesu our Lord. ¶ Why Tindall vsed this worde congregation rather theÌ„ church in the translation of the new Testament WHerefore in as much as the clergy as the nature of those hard indurat AdamaÌ„tstones is to draw all to them had appropriat vnto themselues the terme that of right is common vnto all the whole congregation of them that beleue in Christ wyth their false and subtil wyles had beguiled and mocked the people brought them into the ignoraunce of the word making theÌ„ vnderstand by this worde church nothing but the shauen flocke of them that shore the whole worlde therefore in the translation of the new Testament where I found this word Ecclesia I enterpreted it by thys word congregation Euen therfore did I it and not of any mischeuous mynde or purpose to stablâ—she heresie as master More vntruely reporteth of me in hys Dialoge where he rayleth on y t translation of the new Testament And when M. More sayth that this word Church is knowen wel inough I report me vnto the conscieÌ„ces of all the land whether he say truth or other wise or whether the lay people vnderstand by Church the whole multitude of all that professe Christ or the iugglyng spirites onely And wheÌ„ he saith that congregation is a more generall terme if it were it hurteth not For the circumstance doth euer tell what coÌ„gregation is ment Neuerthelesse yet sayth he not the truth For whersoeuer I may say a congregation there may I say a Church also as the Church of the deuill the Church of Sathan the Church of wretches y t Church of wickedmen the Churche of lyers and a Church of Turkes therto For M. More must graunt if he will haue Ecclesia translated throughout all the new Testament by this woorde Church that Church is as commoÌ„ as Ecclesia Now is Ecclesia a Greeke word and was in vse before the tyme of the Apostles and taken for a coÌ„gregation among the heatheÌ„ where was no congregation of God or of Christ And also Lucas him selfe vseth Ecclesia for a Church or congregation of heathen people thrise in one Chapter eueÌ„ in the xix of the Actes where Demetrius the goldsmith or siluersmith had gathered a company agaynst Paule for preachyng agaynst Images Howbeit M. More hath so long vsed â–ª his figures of Poetry that I suppose wheÌ„ he erreth most he now by the reason oâ— a long custome beleueth himself that he sayth most true Or els as the wise people which when they daunce naked in nettes beleue that no man seeth them euen so M. More thinketh that his errours be so subtilly couched that no man can espy them So blinde he counteth all other men in comparison of his great vnderstandyng But charitably I exhorte him in Christ to take hede for though Iudas were wilier then his felowes to get lucre yet he proued not most wise at y t last end Neither though Balam the false Prophet had a cleare sight to bryng y â— curse of God vpon the childreÌ„ of Israell for honours sake yet his couetousnesse did so blind his prophesie that he could not see his owne end Let therfore M. More and his coÌ„pany awake be tymes ere euer their sinne be ripe lest y e voyce of their wickednesse ascenoâ— vp and awake God out of his slepe to loke vpoÌ„ them and to how his eares vnto theyr cursed blasphemies agaynst the open truth and to send his haruest men and mowares of vengeaunce to repe it But how happeth it that M. More hath not contended in likewise against hys derelyng Erasmus all this longe while Doth not he chauÌ„ge this word Ecclesia into congregatioÌ„ and that not seldome in the new TestameÌ„t peraduenture he oweth him fauour because he made Moria in hys house Whiche booke if it were in English theÌ„ should euery man see how that he then was farre otherwise mynded then he now writeth But verely I thinke that as Iudas betrayd not Christ for any loue that he had vnto the hyghe Priestes Scribes and Phariseis but onely to come by that wherfore he thirsted eueÌ„ so M. More as there are tokens euideÌ„t wrote not these bookes for any affectioÌ„ that he bare vnto the spiritualty or vnto the opinions which he so barely defeÌ„deth but to obtaine onely that which he was an hungred for I pray God that he eate not to hastly lest he be chokeo at the latter end but that he repeÌ„t and resist not the spirite of God which openeth light vnto the worlde ¶ Why he vseth this woorde Elder and not Priest AN other thyng which he rebuketh is that I interprete this Greeke worde Presbiteros by this worde Senior Of a truth Senior is no very good Englishe though Senior and Iuniot be vsed in the vniuersities but there came no better in my mynde at that tyme. Howbeit I spied my fault since long yer M. More tolde it me and haue â—…ded it in all the woorkes which I sens made and call it an Elder And in that he maketh hereâ—ie of it to call Presbiteros an Elder he condemneth their owne old Latin text of heresie also which they vse yet dayly myâ—â—…ch and haue vsed I suppose this I suppose this run huÌ„dred yeares For that text doth 〈…〉 an elder likewise In the. 1. Pet. 5. â—…s standeth it in y e Latin text Seâ—…ores qui in vobis sunt obsecro ego conâ—… pascite qui in vobis est gregem Chriâ—… 〈…〉 elders that are among you I 〈…〉 which am an elder also that ye sedâ—… flocke of Christ which is among 〈…〉 There is Presbyteros calle◠〈…〉 And in y t he sayth fede Chrisâ—… he meaneth euen the Ministeâ—… chosen to teach the people to 〈…〉 them in Gods word no â—ay 〈…〉 And in the 2. Epâ—stâ—e of Ioh◠〈…〉 text Senior electae Dominae 〈…〉 The elder vnto the eleâ—t Lady 〈…〉 her children And in the 〈…〉 Iohn Senior Gaâ—o dilecto 〈…〉 vnto the beloued Gaiâ—s In these 〈…〉 pistles Presbyteros is calleâ— an 〈…〉 And in the xx of the Actes y â— text sâ—… Paule sent for maiores natu Eccleâ—… 〈…〉 elders in byrth of the congregation or Church and sayd vnto them take 〈…〉 vnto your selues vnto y â— whoâ—e 〈◊〉 ouer which the holy ghosâ— hath 〈…〉 you Episcopos ad regendum Eccleâ—… Dei Byshops ouerâ—caâ—s to 〈…〉 the Church of God There is â—…teros called an Elder in byrth 〈…〉 same immediately called a 〈…〉 ouersear to declare what pâ—… ment Hereof ye see that I haue 〈…〉 more erred then their owne text 〈…〉 they haue vsed sence the scripture waâ— first in the Latin â—oung and that their owne text vnderstandeth by Presbyâ—eros nothyng saue an Elder And they were called
goeth vnto God and vnto the inheritaunce of all his riches testifie all the Apostles and Prophetes all the Scripture with signes and miracles and all y t bloud of Martyrs And who soeuer goeth vnto God and vnto forgeuenesse of sinnes or saluation by any other way then this the same is an hereticke out of the rightway not of Christes Church For this knowledge maketh a man of y e Church And the Church is Christes body Collos i. and euery person of the Church is a member of Christ Ephes 5. Now it is no meÌ„ber of Christ that hath not Christs spirit in it Rom. viij as it is no part of me or member of my body wherein my soule is not present and quickeneth it And then if a man be none of Christes he is not of his Church ¶ How a true member of Christes Church sinneth not and how he is yet a sinner FUrthermore he that hath this fayth can not sinne and therfore can not be deceaued with damnable errours For by this fayth we be as I sayd borne of God Now he that is borne of God can not sinne for his seed dwel leth in him he can not therfore sinne because he is borne of God i. Iohn iij. which seede is the holy ghost that kepeth a mans hart from consenting vnto sinne And therfore it is a false conclusioÌ„ that M. More holdeth how that a maÌ„ may haue a right faith ioyned with all kyndes of abhomination sinne And yet euery member of Christes congregation is a sinner and synneth dayly some more and some lesse For it is written i. Iohn i. if we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues the truth is not in vs. And agayne if we say we haue not sinned we make hym a liar and his word is not in vs. And Paul Rom. vij sayth that good which I would that do I not but that euill which I would not that do I. So it is not I that do it sayth he but sinne that dwelleth in me Thus are we sinners and no sinners No sinners if thou looke vnto the profession of our hartes toward the law of God on our repentaunce and sorow that we haue both because we haue sinned and also because we be yet full of sinne still and vnto the promises of mercy in our Sauiour Christ and vnto our fayth Sinners are we if thou loke vnto the frail tie of our flesh which is as the weakenesse of one that is newly recouered out of a great disease by y â— reason wher of our dedes are imperfect And by the reason wherof also when occasions be great we fall into horrible dedes and the frute of the sinne which remaineth in our meÌ„bers breaketh out Notwithstanding yet the spirite leaueth vs not but rebuketh vs bryngeth vs home agayne vnto our profession so that we neuer cast of the yocke of God froÌ„ our neckes neither yeld vp our selues vnto sinne for to serue it but fight a fresh and begyn a new battaile ¶ How a Christen man can not erre and how he may yet erre ANd as they sinne not so they erre not And on the other side as they sinne so they erre but neuer vnto death and damnation For they neuer sinne of purpose nor hold any errour maliciously sinnyng against the holy ghost but of weakenesse infirmitie As good obedient childreÌ„ though they loue their fathers commaundements yet breake them oft by the reason of their weakenesse And as they can not yeld them selues bond vnto sinne to serue it eueÌ„ so they can not erre in any thyng that should be agaynst the promises which are in Christ And in other thynges their errours be not vnto damnation though they be neuer so great because they hold them not maliciously As now if some when they read in the new Testament of Christs brethren would thinke that they were our Ladyes children after the byrth of Christ because they know not the vse of speakyng of the Scripture or of the Hebrues how that â—ye kinsineÌ„ be called brethren or happely they might be Iosephes children by some first wife neither can haue any to teach him for tyraÌ„ny that is so great yet could it not hurte him though he dyed therein because it hurteth not the redeÌ„ption that is in Christes bloud For though she had none but Christ I am therfore neuer the more saued neither yet y e lesse though she had had And in such lyke an hundred that plucke not a mans faith from Christ they might erre and yet be neuerthelesse saued no though the contrary were written in the Gospell For as in other sinnes as soone as they be rebuked they repent euen so here assoone as they were better taught they should immediatly knowledge their errour and not resiste But they which maliciously maynteine opinions agaynst the Scripture or that y t caÌ„ not be proued by the Scripture or such as make no matter vnto the Scripture and saluation that is in Christ whether they be true or no and for the blind zeale of them make sectes breakyng y t vnitie of Christes Church for whose sake they ought to suffer all thyng and rise agaynst their neighbours whom they ought to loue as them selues to sleâ— them such men I say are fallen from Christ and make an Idole of their opinions For except they put trust in such opinions and thought them necessarie vnto saluatioÌ„ or with a cankred conscience went about to deceaue for some filthy purpose they would neuer breake the vnitie of fayth or yet slea their brethren Now is this a playne conclusion that both they y t trust in their own works and they also y t put confidence in theyr owne opinions be fallen from Christ and erre from the way of fayth that is in Christes bloud therfore are none of Christes Church because they be not built vpon the rocke of fayth ¶ Fayth is euer assayled and fought with all MOreouer this our fayth which we haue in Christ is euer fought agaynst euer assayled beaten at with besperation not when we sinne only but also in all temptations of aduersitie into which God bringeth vs to nurtour vs and to shew vs our owne hartes the hipocrisie false thoughtes that there lye hid our almost no fayth at all and as little loue euen theÌ„ haply when we thought our selues most perfect of all For when temptations come we can not stand when we haue sinned fayth is feeble when wrong is done vs we can not forgeue in sickenesse in losse of goodes and in all tribulations we be impatient when our neighbour needeth our helpe that We must depart with hym of ours then loue is colde And thus we learne and feele that there is no goodnes nor yet power to do good but of God onely And in all such teÌ„ptatioÌ„s our fayth perisheth not vtterly neither our loue and consent vnto the lawe of God But they
Pope hath made a playne decree in which he commaundeth saying though y e Pope sinne neuer so greuously and draw with him to hell by his ensaÌ„ple thousaÌ„des innumerable yet let no man be so hardy to rebuke him For he is head ouerall none ouer him Distinct 〈◊〉 Si Papa And Paule saith Rom. xiij let euery soule obey the hyer powers that are ordeyned to punishe sinne The Pope will not nor let any of his And Paule chargeth 1. Cor. 5. if he that is a brother be an whorekeeper a dronkard couetous an extortioner or a rayler and so forth that we haue no felowship with him No not so much as to eate in his company But the Pope with violence compelleth vs to haue such in honour to receaue the sacrameÌ„tes of them to heare their Masses and to beleue all they say and yet they will not let vs see whether they say truth or no. And he compelleth x. parishes to pay their tithes and offeringes vnto one such to goe and ruÌ„ne at riote at their cost and to do nought therefore And a thousande such like doth the Pope contrary vnto Christes doctrine ¶ The argumentes wherewith the Pope woulde proue hymselfe the church are solued NOtwithstanding because as they be all shauen they be all shamelesse to affirme that they be the right church and can not erre though all the world seeth that not one of theÌ„ is in the right way and that they haue with vtter defiaunce forsaken both the doctrine and liuing of Christ of all his Apostles let vs see the sophistry wherwith they would perswade it One of their high reasons is this The Church say they was before y â— heretikes y â— heretikes came euer out of the church and left it And they were before all them which they now call heretikes and Lutherans and the Lutherans came out of them c. Wherefore they be the right church and the other heretikes in dede as they be called Well I will likewise dispute First the right church was vnder Moses and Aaron and so forth in whose rowmes sat the Scribes Phariseis and hye priestes in the tyme of Christ And they were before Christ And Christ and his Apostles came out of them and departed from theÌ„ and left them Wherfore the Scribes Phariseis and hye priestes were the right Church and Christ and hys Apostles and disciples heretikes and a dampnable secte And so the Iewes are yet in the right way and we in errour And of truth if their blynde reason be good theÌ„ is this argumeÌ„t so to For they be like are both one thing But in as much as the kingdome of God standeth not in wordes as Paul sayth 1. Cor. 4. but in power therefore looke vnto the marow and pith of the thinges selfe and let vayne woordes passe Vnder Abraham Isaac Iacob was the church great in fayth and small in number And as it encreased in number so it decreased in fayth vntill y â— tyme of Moses And out of those vnbeleuers God stirred vp Moses brought â—heÌ„ vnto y â— faith right agayne And Moses left a glorious Churche both in faith cleauing vnto the word of God and deliuered them vnto Iosuah Eleazer Phineas and Caleb But assone as the generation of theÌ„ that saw the miracles of God were dead they fell to Idolatrie immediatly as thou seest in the Bible And god when he had deliuered them into captiuitie for to chastice their wickednesse stirred them vp a Prophet euermore to call them vnto his testameÌ„t againe And so he did well me an hundred tymes I suppose yer Christ came for they neuer bode any space in the right fayth And against the comming of Christ the Scribes Phariseis Caiphas Anna and the Elders were crept vp into the seat of Moses AaroÌ„ and the holy Prophetes Patriarkes and suceded them linially and had the scripture of God but euen in captiuitie to make marchaundise of it and to abuse it vnto their owne glory and profite And though they kept the people from outward Idolatrie of worshipping of Images with the Heathen yet they brought them into a worse inward Idolatrie of a false fayth trust in their owne deedes and in vaine traditions of their owne fayning And had put out the significatioÌ„s of all y â— ceremonies and sacramentes of the olde testameÌ„t and taught the people to beleue in the workes selfe and had corrupt the scripture with false gloses As y â— maist see in the Gospell how Christ warneth his Disciples to beware of y t leauen of y â— Phariseis which was their false doctrine gloses And in another place he rebuked the Scribes and the Phariseis saying wo be to theÌ„ because they had taken away the key of knowledge and had shut vp the kingdome of heauen and neither would enter in themselues nor suffer theÌ„ that would How had they shut it vp verely with their traditions and false gloses which they had sowed to y â— scripture in plaine places and in the taking away y â— meaning of the ceremonies and sacrifices and teaching to beleue in the worke And our hipocrites are in like maner crept vp into the seat of Christ and of his Apostles by succession not to do the deedes of Christ and his Apostles but for lucre onely as the nature of the wily Foxe is to get him an hole made with a nother beastes labour and to make marchaundise of the people with fayned wordes as Peter warned vs before and to do according as Christ and all his Apostles prophesied how they should beguyle and leade out of the right way all theÌ„ that had no loue to follow and liue after the truth And in like maner haue they corrupt the Scripture and blynded the right way with their owne constitutions with traditions of duÌ„me ceremonies with takyng away the significations of the sacramentes to make vs beleue in the worke of the sacramentes fyrst whereby they might the better make vs beleue in works of their setting vp afterward and with false gloses which they haue patched to the Scripture in playne places to destroy the litterall sence for to set vp a false fayned sence of allegories when there is none such And thereby they haue stopt vp the gates of heaueÌ„ the true knowledge of Christ and haue made their own belâ—es the dore For thorow their bellies must thou creepe and theâ—e leaue all that fall behynde thee And such blynde reasons as oures make against vs made they agaynst Christ saying Abraham is our father we be Moses disciples how knoweth he the vnderstanding of the Scripture seing he neuer learned of any of vs onely the cursed vnlearned people that know not the scripture beleue in hym Looke whether any of the rulers or Phariseis do beleue in hym Wherefore the scripture truely vnderstode after the playneâ— places and generall articles of y t fayth which
him in their dedes as fast as they can runne The Turkes being in number fiue tymes moe then we are knowledge one God and beleue many thinges of God moued onely by the authoritie of their elders and presume that God will not let so great a multitude erre so long tyme. And yet they haue erred and bene faithlesse these eight hundred yeares And the Iewes beleue this day as much as the carnall sort of them euer beleued moued also by the authoritie of their elders onely and thinke that it is impossible for them to erre being Abrahams seede and the childrē of them to whom the promises of all that we beleue were made And yet they haue erred and bene faythlesse this xv hundred yeares And we of like blindnesse beleue onely by the authoritie of our elders and of like pride thinke that we can not erre beyng such a multitude And yet we see how God in the old Testament did let the great multitude erre reseruyng alway a litle flocke to call the other backe againe and to testifie vnto them the right way ¶ How this word Church hath a double interpretation THis is therfore a sure cōclusion as Paule sayth Rom. ix that not all they that are of Israell are Israelites neither because they be Abrahās sede are they all Abrahams childrē but they onely that folow the faith of Abraham Euen so now none of them that beleue with their mouthes moued with the authority of their elders onely that is none of thē that beleue with M. Mores fayth the Popes fayth and the deuils fayth which may stand as M. More cōfesseth with all maner abhominatiōs haue the right fayth of Christ or are of his Church But they onely that repēt feele that the law is good And haue the law of God written in their harts and the fayth of our Sauiour Iesus euen with the spirite of God There is a carnali Israell a spirituall There is Isaac and Ismaell Iacob Esau And Ismaell persecuted Isaac Esau Iacob the fleshly the spiritual Wher of Paul complayned in his tyme persecuted of his carnall brethrē as we do in our tyme and as the elect euer dyd shall do till the worldes end What a multitude came out of Egypt vnder Moses of which the Scripture testifyeth that they beleued moued by y ◠miracles of Moses as Symon magus beleued by the reason of Philippes miracles Actes viij Neuerthelesse the Scripture testifieth that vj. hundred thousād of those beleuers perished thorough vnbelief and left their carcasses in the wildernesse and neuer entred into the land that was promised them And euen so shal the children of M. Mores faythlesse faith made by the persuation of mā leap short of the test which our Sauiour Iesus is risē vnto And therfore let them embrace this present world as they do whose children they are though they hate so to be called And hereby ye see that it is a playne an euident conclusiō as bright as the sunne shynyng that the truth of Gods word dependeth not of the truth of the congregation And therfore when thou art asked why thou beleuest that thou shalt be saued thorough Christ and of such like principles of our fayth aunswere thou wottest and felest that it is true And when he asketh how thou knowest that it is true aunswere because it is written in thyne hart And if he aske who wrote it aūswere the spirite of God And if he aske how thou came first by it tell him whether by readyng in bookes or hearyng it preached as by an outward instrumēt but that inwardly thou wast taught by y ◠spirite of God And if he aske whether thou beleuest it not because it is written in bookes or because the Priestes so preach aunswere no not now but onely because it is writtē in thyne hart and because the spirite of God so preacheth and so testifieth vnto thy soule And say though at the beginning thou wast moued by readyng or preachyng as the Samaritans were by y ◠wordes of the woman yet now thou beleuest it not therfore any lēger but onely because thou hast heard it of the spirite of God and read it written in thine hart And concernyng outward teachyng we alledge for vs Scripture elder thē any Church that was this xiiij hundred yeares and old antenticke stories which they had brought a slepe where with we confounde their lyes Remēber ye not how in our owne tyme of all that taught Grammer in England not one vnderstode the Latin toung how came we thē by the Latin toung agayne not by them though we learned certaine rules principles of them by which we were moued had an occasion to seke further but out of the old authours Euen so we seke vp old antiquities out of whiche we learne and not of our Church though we receaued many principles of our Church at the begynnyng but more falsehead then truth It hath pleased God of his exceding loue wherewith he loued vs in Christ as Paul sayth before the worlde was made and whē we were dead in sinne and his enemies in that we did cōsent to sinne and to liue euill to write with his spirite ij conclusions in our harts by which we vnderstād all thyng that is to were the fayth of Christ and the loue of our neighbours For whosoeuer feleth the iust damnation of sinne and the forgeuenes and mercy that is in Christes bloud for all that repent forsake it and come and beleue in that mercy the same onely knoweth how God is to be honoured and worshipped and can iudge betwene true seruing of God in the spirite and false Image seruing of God with workes ▪ And y e same knoweth that sacramētes signes ceremonies and bodely things can be no seruice to God in his person but memorials vnto men and a remēbraunce of the testament wherewyth God is serued in the spirite And he that feeleth not that is blynde in hys soule and of our holy fathers generation and maketh God an Image a creature worshippeth him with bodely seruice And on the other side he that loueth his neighbour as himselfe vnderstandeth all lawes and cā iudge betwene good and euil right wrong godly and vngodly in all conuersation deedes lawes bargaines couenaunces ordinaunces and decrees of men and knoweth the office of euery degree and the due honour of euery person And he that hath not that writen in his hart is popishe and of y ◠spiritualtie which vnderstādeth nothing saue his own honour his own profite what is good for himself onely and when he is as he would be thinketh y ◠all the world is as it should be ¶ Of worshipping and what is to be vnderstand by the worde COncerning worshipping or honouring which two termes are both one M. More bringeth forth a difference a distinction or diuision of Greke wordes
or xii yeare olde before they were admitted to receaue the sacrameÌ„t of Christes body haply And he apposed them of the lawe of God and fayth of Christ asked them whether they thought that lawe good and whether their hartes were to follow it And they aunswered yea And he apposed them in the articles of our fayth and asked them whether they put their hop and trust in Christ to be saued thorow his death and merites And they answered ye TheÌ„ coÌ„firmed he their baptim saying I confirme you that is I denounce and declare by the authoritie of Gods worde and doctrine of Christ that ye be truely baptised within in your hartes and in your spirites thorow prosessing the lawe of God and the faith of our sauiour Iesu which your outwarde baptim doth signifie and therupon I put this crosse in your foreheades that ye goe and fight agaynst the deuill the world and the flesh vnder the standard of our Sauiour in the name of the father the sonne the holy ghost AmeÌ„ Which maner I would to God for his tender mercy were in vse this day But after that the deuil was broken lowse and the Byshops began to purchase and the Deaâ—…s to scratch all to them and the spiritualtie to clime an hygh then because the labour seâ—… to tedious and paynfull to appose the children one by one they asked the Priests that presented theÌ„ onely whether the children were taught the professioÌ„ of their Baptisme And they aunswered yâ—â— And so vpon their wordes they confirmed theÌ„ without apposing So wheÌ„ they no lenger apposed them the Priests no lenger taught them but committed the charge to their Godfather and Godmothers and they to the father and mother dischargyng them selues by their owne authoritie within halfe an houre And the father mother taught theÌ„ a monstrous Latin Pater noster and an Aue and a Crede Which gibbresh euery Popâ—…iaye speaketh with a sundry pronunciation and fashion so that one Pater noster semeth as many languages almost as there be tounges that speake it Howbeit it is all one as loÌ„g as they vnderstand it not And in processe as the ignoraunce grew they brought them to confirmation straight from Baptisme so that now oftymes they be volowed and bishoped both in one day that is we be confirmed in blindnesse to be kept from knowledge for euer And thus are we come into this damnable ignoraunce and fierce wrath of God through our owne deseruyng because when the truth was told vs we had no loue therto And to declare the full and set wrath of God vpon vs our Prelates whom we haue exalted ouer vs to whom we haue geuen almost all we had haue persuaded the wordly Princes to whoÌ„ we haue submitted our selues and geueÌ„ vp our power to deuour vs vp body soule and to kepe vs downe in darkenesse with violence of sword and with all falsehead and guile In so much that if any do but lift vp his nose to smell after the truth they swap him in the face with a fire brande to seng hys smellyng or if he open one of his eyes once to looke toward y â— light of gods word they bleare daze his sight with their false iugglyng so that if it were possible though he were Gods elect he could not but be kept down and perish for lacke of knowledge of the truth And in like maner because Christ had institute the Sacrament of his body and bloud to kepe vs in remembrauÌ„ce of his body breaking blud sheding for our sinnes therfore went they and set vp this fashioÌ„ of the Masse and ordeined Sacramentes in the ornamentes thereof to signifie and expresse all the rest of his passioÌ„ The amice on the head is the kercheue that Christ was blynd folded with when the souldiours buffeted him and mocked hym saying prophecie vnto vs who smote thee But now it may wel signifie that he that putteth it on is blynd and hath professed to leade vs after him in darkenesse according vnto the beginnyng of his play And the flappe theron is the crowne of thorne And the albe is the white garment that Herode put on him saying he was a foole because he held his peace and would not auÌ„swere him And the ij flappes on the sleues and the other ij on the albe beneath ouer agaynst his fete behind and before are the. iiij nayles And the fanon on his hand the cord that his haÌ„des were bound with And the stole the rope wherwith he was bound vnto the piller when he was scorged And the corporiscloth the sindon wherin he was buried and the altare is the crosse or haply the graue and so forth And the casting abroad of his hands the splaying of Christ vpon the crosse And the light and sticking vp of candles bearyng of candles or tapers in procession happly signified this text Math. v. ye be the light of the world and let your light so shyne before meÌ„ that they may see your good workes glorifie your father which is in heauen And the salt signifieth the wisedome of Christes doctrine and that we should therewith salt our dedes and do nothing without the authoritie of Gods word So that in one thing or other what in the garmeÌ„tes and what in the gestures all his playde in so much that before he will go to Masse he wil be sure to sell hym lest Iudases part should be left out And so throughout all the SacrameÌ„ts ceremonies or signes iij. words of one signification there were significations vnto them at the beginning And so long as it was vnderstaÌ„d what was ment by them and they dyd but serue the people and preach one thyng or an other vnto them they hurted not greatly though that the free seruaunt of Christ ought not to be brought violently into captiuitie vnder the boÌ„dage of traditions of men As S. Augustine complayneth in his dayes how that the condition and state of the Iewes was more easy then the ChristiaÌ„s vnder traditions so sore had the tyranny of the shepheardes inuaded the flocke all ready in those dayes And theÌ„ what iust cause haue we to coÌ„plaine our captiuitie now vnto whose yocke from that tyme hetherto enen xij hundred yeares long hath euer somwhat more waight bene added to for to keepe vs bowne and to confirme vs in blyndnesse howbeit as long as the significatioÌ„s bode they hurted not the soule though they were paynefull vnto the body Neuerthelesse I impute this our greuous fal into so extreme and horrible blyndnesse wherin we are so deepe and so deadly brought a slepe vnto no thyng so much as vnto the multitude of ceremonies For assoone as the Prelates had set vp such a rable of ceremonies they thonght it superflnous to preach the playne text any longer and the law of God faith of Christ loue toward our
were in them determined as stories make meÌ„tion And by the same fcripture we know which counsels were true which false And by the same scripture shall we if any new question arâ—…e determine it also Abraham answered the rich man they haue Moses and the Prophets let theÌ„ heare them and sayd not they haue the Scribes and the Phariseis whom they should heare preachyng out of the seate of their owne doctrine wythout scripture And when he alleageth he that heareth you heareth me and if any man heare not the church take hym for an heathen concluding that we must beleue whosoeuer is shauen in all that he affirmeth without scripture or myracle I would fayne know in what figure that silogismus is made Christes disciples taught Christes doctrine confirming it with miracles that it might be knowen for Gods and not theirs And euen so must the Church that I wyll beleue shew a myracle or bryng autentike scripture that is come from the Apostles which consirmed it with myracles The xxix Chapter IN the xxix he alleageth that Christ sayd not the holy ghost shall write but shall teach It is not the vse to say the holy ghost writeth but inspireth y â— writer I maruayle that he had not brought as many of hys brethren do Mathew in the last where Christ coÌ„maunded the Apostles to go and teach all nations and sayd not write I auswere that this precept loue thy neighbour as thy selfe and God aboue all thyng went wyth the Apostles coÌ„pelled them to seeke Gods honour in vs and to seeke all meanes to continue the fayth vnto the worldes ende Now the Apostles knew before that heresies shoulde come and therefore wrote that it myght be a remedie against heresies as it well appeareth Iohn xx Where he sayth these are written that ye beleue and thorow beliefe haue lyfe And in the second of his fyrst Epistle he sayth these I write because of them that deceaue you And Paule and Peter therto warne vs in many places Wherfore it is manifest that the same loue compelled them to leaue nothyng vnwritten that should be necessarily required and that if it were left out should hurt the soule And in the last chapter to make all fast he bringeth in the kynges grace how he confuted Martin Luther with this conclusion y e Church can not erre where vnto I will make none aunswere for feare to displease his grace neuerthelesse because Martin could not soyle it if his grace looke well vpoÌ„ the matter he shall finde that God hath assoyled it for him in a case of his own And vppon that M. More concludeth his first booke that what soeuer the Church that is to were the pope his broode say it is Gods worde though it be not written nor confirmed with miracle nor yet good liuing yea and though they say to day this and to morow the contrary all is good inough and Gods word yea and though one Pope condemne an other ix or x. Popes arow with all their workes for he retickes as it is to see in the stories yet all is right and none errour And thus good night and good rest Christ is brought a slepe layde in his graue and the doore sealed to and the men of armes about the graue to keepe hym downe with polaxes For that is the siâ— rest argument to helpe at nede and to be rid of these babblyng heretikes that so barke at the holy spiritualtie with y t Scripture beyng thereto wretches of no repuration neither Cardinals nor Bishops nor yet great beneficed men yea and without torquottes and pluralities hauyng no hold but the very Scripture whereunto they cleaue as burres so fast that they can not bee pulied away saue with very syngyng them of ¶ A sure token that the Pope is Antichrist ANd though vnto all the argumeÌ„ts and persuasions whiche he would blind vs with to beleue that the Pope with his sect were the right Churche and that God for the multitude will not suffer them erre we were so simple that we saw not the suttiltie of the Argumentes nor had wordes to solâ—e theÌ„ with but our bare fayth in our hartes yet we be sure and so sure that we can therein not be decâ—aued and do both seele and see that the conclusion is false and the contrary true For first Peter sayth ij Pet. ij there shall be false teachers amoÌ„g you which shal secretly bring in damnable sectes denying the Lord that bought them and many shall folow their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth shal be euill spoken of and with fayned wordes they shall make marchaundise ouer you Now saith Paule Rom. iij. the law speaketh vnto theÌ„ that are vnder the law And euen so this is spokeÌ„ of theÌ„ that professe the name of Christ Now the Pope hath x. thousand sectes â—ropen in as pied in their consciences as in their coates settyng vp a thousand maner of workes to be saued by which is the denying of Christ And we see many and all most all together folow their damnable wayes And in that Peter sayd that they shall rayle blaspheme the truth it foloweth that there shal be a litle flocke reserued by the haÌ„d of God to testifie the truth vnto them or els how could they rayle on it And it foloweth that those raylers shal be the mightier part in the world or els they durst not do it Now what truth in Christ doth not the Pope rebuke and in settyng vp false woorkes denie all together And as for their fayued wordes where findest thou in all the Scripture Purgatory shrift penaunce pardon poena culpa hyperdoulia and a thousand fayned termes mo And as for their marchaundise looke whether they sell not all Gods lawes and also their owne and all sinne and all Christes merites and all that a maÌ„ can thinke To one he selleth the faulte onely and to an other the fault and the payne to and purgeth his purse of his money and his braynes of his wittes and maketh him so beastly that he can vnderstand no godly thyng And Christ sayth Math. xxiiij there shall false annoynted arise and shew signes and wonders that is they shall shew miracles so preuayle that if it were possible the elect should be brought out of the true way And these false annoynted by the same rule of Paule and in that Christ sayth also that they shall come in his name must be in the Church of Christ and of them that shal call theÌ„ selues Christen and shall shew their wonders before the elect and be a sore temptation vnto them to bryng theÌ„ out of the way And y e elect whiche 〈◊〉 few in comparison of them that be called and come faynedly shall among that great multitude bee kepte by the mighty hand of God agaynst all naturall possibilitie So that the Church very elert shall neuer be such
Gospell declare And when he sayth he neuer founde nor heard of any of vs but that he would forsweare to saue his lyfe Aunswere the more wrath of God wil light on them that so cruelly delite to torment them and so craftely to beguile the weake Neuerthelesse yet it is vntrue For he hath heard of Sir Thomas Hitton whō the Byshops of Rochester and Caunterbury slew at Maydstone and of many y t suffered in Braband Holand at Colen and in all quarters of Dutchland and do dayly And when he sayth that their Church hath many Martyrs let hym shewe me one that dyed for pardons and Purgatory that the Pope hath fayned and let him take the mastrie And what a do maketh he that we say there is a Church that sinneth not that there is no man but that he sinneth whiche are yet both true We read i. Iohn iij. he that is borne of God sinneth not And Ephes v. men loue your wiues as the Lord doth the Churche and gaue him selfe for her to sanctifie her and to clense her in the fountaine of water through the word and to make her a glorious Church vnto hym selfe without spot or wrincle And i. Iohn i. If we say we haue no sinne we deceaue our selues and make him a lyer and hys word is not in vs. M. More also wil not vnderstand that the Church is some time taken for the elect onely whiche haue the law of God written in their hartes fayth to be saued through Christ written there also Which same for all that say with Paule that good which I would that do I not But that euill which I hate that do I so it is not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in my flesh And Gala. v. the flesh lusteth cōtrary to y e spirit the spirit cōtrary to y ◠flesh so that these two fightyng betwene thē selues ye can not do what ye would For they neuer consent that sinne is good nor hate y ◠law nor cease to fight against the flesh but assoone as they be fallen rise and fight a fresh And that the Church is some tyme taken for the cōmō rascal of all that beleue whether with the mouth onely carnally with out spirite neither louyng the law in their harts nor feelyng the mercy that is in Christ but either runne all together at riot or keepe the law with cautels and expositions of their owne faynyng and yet not of loue but for feare of hell as the theues do for feare of the galowes make recompence to God for their sinnes with holy dedes He also will not vnderstand that there be two maner faythes one that is the fayth of the elect which purgeth them of all their sinnes for euer As ye see Iohn xv ye be cleane sayth Christ by the reason of the word that is thorough beleuyng Christs doctrine And Iohn i. he gaue them power to be the sonnes of God through beleuyng in his name And Iohn iij. he that beleueth the sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe a thousand like textes And an other of them that be called and neuer electe As the faith of Iudas of Symon Magus of the deuill and of the Pope In whose hartes the law of God is not written as it appeareth by their workes And therfore when they beleue many thynges of Christ yet whē they come vnto the saluation that is in his bloud they be but Iewes and Turkes forsake Christ and runne vnto the iustifying of ceremonies with the Iewes Turkes And therefore they remayne euer in sinne within in their hartes Where the elect hauing the law written in their brestes leuyng it in theyr spirites sinne there neuer but without in the flesh Agaynst whiche sinne they fight continually and minishe it dayly with the helpe of the spirite thorough prayer fasting and seruing their neighbours louyngly with all maner seruice out of the law that is writtē in their harts And their hope of forgeuenesse is in Christ onely through his bloud and not in ceremonies The v. Chapter ANd vnto hys v. Chapter I answere by the Pope the scripture is hid and brought into ignoraunce the true sence corrupt And by thē that ye call heretickes we know the scripture and the true sence thereof And I say that the Pope keepeth the scripture as did y e Phariseis to make marchaundise of it And agayne that the heretickes become out of you as out of the Scribes and Phariseis came the Apostles and Christ himselfe Iohn Baptist and that they be plucked out of you and graffed in Christ and built vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes And in the end when he sayth that the heretickes be fallen out of Christes misticall body which is the Pope and hys I aunswere that ye be a misticall body and walke in the mist and wyll not come at the light and the heretikes be departed out of your mist and walke in the cleare light of Gods worde The vj. Chapter IN the vj. he sayth that the heretikes be all nought for they all periure and abiure He yet saith vntrue Many abyde vnto the death Many for theyr weakenesse are kept out of your hāds Many for their ouer much boldnesse in their owne strength be deliuered into your handes and fall in the fleshe their hartes abiding still in the truth as Peter and thousandes did after repent and be no lesse Christen thē before though ye haue them in derision vnto your owne damnation And many because they come to Christ for fleshly liberty and not for loue of the truth fall as it becommeth them vnder your handes as Iudas and Balam which at the beginning take Christes parte but afterward when they fynde eyther losse or no vauntage they get them vnto the contrary part and are by profession the most cruell enemyes and subtellest persecuters of the truth Looke Maister More and reade and marke well The vij Chapter IN the vij he sayth that he hath holy Saintes and holy counsels on hys side Name the Saintes proue it Name the counselles and the holy Prelates thereof Thou shalt shew me none other Popes or Cardinals then such as we haue now that will obey neyther God nor mā or any law made by God or man but compell all men to follow them strengthning their kyngdome wyth the multitude of all misdoers He sayth also that good and bad worship Saintes the good well and the bad euill How cōmeth it then that ye shew not the difference and teach to do it well I see but one fashion among all the popishe And finally he sayth he is not boun◠to answere vnto the reasons and scriptures that are layde agaynst them It is inough to proue their part that it is a common custome and that such a multitude do it and so by his doctrine the Turkes are in the right way The viij Chapter
Christ and their brethren for his sake and do all thyng for their sakes onely not once thinking of heauen when they worke but on their brethrens neede When they suffer themselues aboue might then they comfort their soule with the remeÌ„braunce of heauen that this wretchednes shall haue an ende and we shall haue a thousand folde pleasures and rewardes in heauen not for the merites of our deseruings but geuen vs freely for Christes And he that hath y t loue hath the right faith and he that hath y t faith hath the right loue For I caÌ„ not loue my neighbour for Christes sake except I first beleue that I haue receaued such mercy of Christ Nor can I beleue that I haue receaued such mercy of Christ but that I must loue my neighbour for his sake seing that he so instantly desireth me And when he alleageth S. Iames it is aunswered him in the Mammon and S. Augustine answereth hym And S. Iames expoundeth himselfe For he saith in the first chapter God which begatte vs of his owne will wyth the worde of truth which worde of truth is his promises of mercy and forgeuenesse in our Sauiour Iesus by which he begat vs gaue vs life and made vs a new creature thorow a fast faith And Iames goeth and rebuketh the opinion and false fayth of them that thinke it inough to be saued by if they beleue that there is but one god that Christ was borne of a virgine and a thousand things which a man may beleue and yet not beleue in Christ to be saued from sinne thorow him And that Iames speaketh of another faith then at the beginning appeareth by his ensample The deuils haue faith saith he yea but the deuilles haue no faith that can repent of euil or to beleue in Christ to be saued thorow him or that caÌ„ loue God and worke his wil of loue Now Paule speaketh of a fayth that is in Christes bloude to be saued thereby which worketh immediatly thorough loue of the benefite receaued And Iames at the beginning speaketh of a fayth that bydeth trying saying the trying of your faith worketh or caâ—seth pacience But the faith of the deuilles will bide no trying for they will not woorke Gods will because they loue him not And in like maner is it of the fayth of them that repent not or that thinke themselues without sinne For except a maÌ„ feele out of what daunger Christ hath deliuered hym he can not loue the worke And therfore Iames sayth right that no such fayth that will not woorke can iustifie a man And when Paule saith faith onely iustifieth And Iames that a man is iustified by woorkes and not by fayth onely there is great differeÌ„ce betwene Paules onely and Iames onely For Paules onely is to be vnderstand that faith iustifieth in the harte and before God without helpe of workes yea yer I can worke For I must receaue life thorow faith to worke wiâ—h yer I can worke But Iames onely is thys wise to be vnderstand that faith doth not so iustifie that nothyng iustifieth saue fayth For deedes do iustifie also But faith iustifieth in the hart and before God and the deedes before the worlde onely and maketh the other seene as ye may see by the scripture For Paul sayth Rom iiij it AbrahaÌ„ haue woorkes he hath whereof to reioyce but not before god For if AbrahaÌ„ had receaued those promises of deseruing then had it ben AbrahaÌ„s prayse not gods as thou mayst see in the text neither had God shewed AbrahaÌ„ mercy and grace but had onely geuen hym his dutie and deseruyng But in that Abraham receaued all the mercy that was shewed hym frely through fayth out of the deseruynges of the seed that was promised him as thou mayst see by Genesis by the Gospell of Iohn where Christ testifieth that Abraham saw his day and reioyced and of that ioy no doubt wrought it is gods prayse and the glory of his mercy And the same mayst thou see by Iames when he sayth Abraham offered his sonne so was the Scripture fulfilled that Abraham beleued it was rekened him for righteousnesse and he was thereby made Gods frend How was it fulfilled before God Nay it was fulfilled before God many yeares before and he was Gods frend many yeares before euen from the first appointement that was made betwene God and hym Abraham receaued promises of all mercy beleued and trusted God and went wrought out of that fayth But it was fulfilled before vs which can not see the hart as Iames saith I wil shew thee my faith out of my workes and as the aungell said to AbrahaÌ„ now I know that thou dreadest God Not but that he knew it before but for vs spake he that whiche can see nought in Abraham more then in other men saue by his workes And what workes ment Iames verely the workes of mercy As if a brother or a sister lacke rayment or sustenaunce and ye be not moued to compassion nor feele their diseases what fayth haue ye then No fayth be sure that feeleth the mercy that is in Christ For they that feele that be mercyfull agayne thankefull But looke on the workes of our spiritualitie which will not onely be iustified with workes before the worlde but also before God They haue had all ChristeÌ„dome to rule this viij hundred yeares and as they onely be annointed in the head so haue they onely bene Kyng and Emperour and haue had all power in their hands and haue bene the doers onely and the leders of those shadowes that haue had the name of Princes and haue led them whether they would haue brethed into their braynes what they lysted And they haue wrought the world out of peace and vnitie and euery man out of his wellfare and are become alone well at ease onely free onely at libertie onely haue all thyng onely do nought therefore onely laye on other meÌ„s backes beare nought theÌ„ selues And the good woorkes of them that wrought out of fayth and gaue theyr goods landes to finde the poore theÌ„ deuoure they also alone And what workes preach they Onely that are to them profitable wherbey they raigne in mens coÌ„sciences as God to offer to geue to be prayed for to be deliuered out of Purgatory and to redeme your sinne of them and to worshyp ceremonies and to be shryuen and so forth And when M. More is come to him selfe and sayth the first fayth and the first iustifying is geuen vs without our deseruyng God be thanked and I would fayne that he would describe me what he meaneth by the second iustifying I know no more to do then wheÌ„ I haue receaued all mercy and all forgeuenesse of Christ frely to go and powre out the same vpon my neighbour M. Dauid lost not his fayth when hee committed adultery Tyndall No and therfore he could not
empyre of Rome ordeined that the right and power to chose the Pope should be his and that no Byshop should bee consecrate till he had obtained of hym both consent and the ornamentes of a Byshop also whiche they now bye of the Pope vnder payne of cursyng and to be deliuered vnto blacke SathaÌ„ the deuill and losse of goodes Dist lxiij And Leo the third whiche succeded Adrian confirmed the same and crowned Charles Emperour of Rome for like seruice done vnto him And then there was appoyntmeÌ„t made betwene the Emperoures of Constantinople and of Rome and the places assigned how farre the borders of either Empire shuld reach And thus of one Empyre was made twayne And therfore the Empire of CoÌ„stantinople for lacke of helpe was shortly after subdued of the Turkes The sayd Leo also called Charles the most Christen kyng because of hys good seruice which title the kynges of Fraunce vse vnto this day though many of them bee neuer so vnchristened As the last Leo called our kyng the defender of the fayth And as this Pope Clemens calleth the Duke of Buâ—lder the eldest sonne of y t holy sea of Rome for no other vertue nor propertie that any man can know saue that hee hath bene all his â—yte a pickequarâ—ll and a cruell and an vnrighteous bloudshedder as his father that sitteth in that holy sea is So now aboue seuen hundred yeares to be a ChristeÌ„ kyng is to fight for the Pope and most Christen that most fighteth and sleath most men for his pleasure This Charles was a great conquerour that is to say a great tyraunt ouercame many natioÌ„s with the sword and as the Turke compelleth vs vnto his fayth so he coÌ„pelled theÌ„ with violence vnto the faith of Christ say the stories But alas Christes fayth whereunto the holy Ghost onely draweth mens hartes thorough preachyng the worde of truth and holy liuyng accordyng therto he knew not but vnto the Pope hee subdued them and vnto this superstitious Idolatrie whiche we vse cleane contrary vnto the Scripture Moreouer at the request and great desyre of his mother hee maryed the daughter of Desiderius kyng of Lombardy but after one yeare vnto the great displeasure of his mother he put her away agayne but not without the false sutiltie of the Pope thou mayst be sure neither without his dispensation For howe could Charles haue made warre for the Popes pleasure with Desiderius her father and haue thrust hym out of his kingdome and banished his sonne for euer deuiding his kingdome betwene him and the pope as long as she had bene his wife And therfore the Pope with his authoritie of bynding and losyng losed the bondes of that Matrimony as he hath many other sence and dayly doth for lyke purposes to the entent that he would with the sword of the Frenche kyng put the kyngdome of Lombardy that was somewhat to nye him out of the way by the reason of whose kings hys fatherhode could not raygne alone nor assigne or sell the Byshopprikes of Italy to whom he lusted and at his pleasure The sayd Charles also kept iiij concubines and lay with two of his own daughters therto And though he wist howe y t it was not vnknowne yet his lustes being greater theÌ„ great Charles he would not wete nor yet refrayne And beyond all that the saying is y t in his old age a whore had so bewitched him with a ryng and a pearle in it and I wotte not what imagerie grauen therein that he went a saâ—te after her as a dogge after a bitche and the dotehead was beside him selfe whole out of his mynde in so much that wheÌ„ the whore was dead he could not departe from the dead corps but caused it to be enbaâ—…ed to be caryed with him whether soeuer he went so that al the world wondered at him till at the last his Lordes accombred with carying her from place to place and ashamed that so old a man so great an Emperour and such a most Christen kyng on whom whose dedes euery mans eyes were set should dote on a dead whore toke counsell what should be y e cause And it was coÌ„cluded that it must nedes be by enchauntement TheÌ„ they went vnto the Cophyne and opened it and sought and found this ring on her finger which one of the Lordes tooke of and put it on his owne finger WheÌ„ the ring was of he commaunded to burye her regardyng her no longer Neuerthelesse he cast a phantasie vnto this Lord and began to dote as fast on him so that he might neuer be out of sight But where our Charles was there must that Lord also be and what Charles did that must he be priuey vnto vntill that this Lord perceauyng that it came because of this enchaunted ring for very payne and tediousnesse tooke and cast it into a well at Acon in Douchland And after that the ryng was in the well the Emperour coulde neuer depart from the towne but in the â—ayd place where the ring was cast though it were a foule marresse yet he built a goodly monastery in the worship of our Lady and thether brought reliques from whence he coulde gette them and pardoÌ„s to sanctifie y e place to make it more haunted And there he lyeth is a Saint as right is For he did for Christes Vicar as much as the great Turcke for Mahomete but to saue his holines that he might be canonised for a Saint they fayne in hys life that his abiding there so continually was for the hotte bathes sakes which â—e there AFter Charlemayne Lewes y e mylde was Emperour which was a very patient man another Phocas and another pray for the Pope and so meke and softe that scarcely he coulde be angry at any thing at all When our holy fathers had seene his water and spyed what complexion he was they chose Steuen the 4. of that name Pope without his knowledge and bad him neyther good morrow nor good euen nor once God speede about the matter against their owne graunt vnto his father for his good seruice And his softnes was yet somewhat displeased therwith in as much as the election of the Pope pertayned vnto his right But the Pope sent Embassadours wrote all the excuses that he coulde and came after him selfe to Fraunce to him and peaced him and crowned hym there Emperour and passed the tyme a season with him and they became very familiar together After that they chose Paschalis Pope of the same maner which Paschalis sent immediatly Legates vnto the Emperour softe Lewes excusing hymselfe saying that it was not his faulte but that the clergie and the commoÌ„ people had drawne him thereto with violence against his will Then the Emperour was content for that once bad they should no more do so but that the olde ordinaunce ought to
manifest that they kepe not Gods coÌ„mauÌ„dementes nor be in state of grace but of all vngratiousnes Our Doctours know not whether they be in state of grace Our doctours kepe mens coÌ„mauÌ„dements Ergo meÌ„s commaundemeÌ„tes certifie not that we be in state of grace Though thou haue a deuotion to sticke vp a candle before a post and so forth yet thou canst neuer be sure thereby that thou art in the fauour of God But if thou haue deuotion to helpe thy brother in all his misfortunes because hee is the image of God and price of Christes bloud then thy denotioÌ„ certifieth the that thou art in the fauour of God or state of grace He that sayth I knowe hym and yet keepeth not hys commaundementes is a lyer and the truth is not in hym When our Phariseis say do as we byd you and not as we do they testifie that they keepe not Gods commauÌ„dementes vnto whiche testimonie our eyes also beare recorde And they that keepe not Gods commaundementes be lyers haue no truth in them And then when they preach they caÌ„ not but preache lyes And then though they preach Christ they preach hym falslie vnto their fleshsly vauÌ„tage and not our soules health And for as much as we may haue no felowshyp with theÌ„ that kepe not Gods commaundementes i. Cor. v. and in as much as all such are false Prophetes voyde of all truth it foloweth that we ought to geue our Doctours none audience though their defenders stode by them with theyr swoordes drawen but rather to laye downe our heades and stretch foorth our neckes to be slayne He that keepeth his woorde in hym verely is the loue of God perfect and hereby knowe we that we are in hym That is he that keepeth his commaundemeÌ„tes loueth vnfainedly and is therby sure that he is in God For to be in God is to beleue in y â— mercy of God And to beleue in mercy is cause of loue loue cause of workyng And therefore hee that worketh for Gods sake is sure that he loueth and that hee trusteth in God which is to be in God or in Christ And as by wilfull keping of the commaundemeÌ„t we be sure that we loue God and beleue in God euen so thorough wilfull breakyng of them we may bee sure that we neither loue nor beleue in him and therfore that we be not in hym He that sayth he abydeth in him ought to walke as he walked All that be Baptised in Christ are washed in hym to put of pride wrath hate and enuie with all their old conuersatioÌ„ by which they oppressed theyr neighbours and haue promised to become euery man euen as Christ hym selfe vnto his brethren in loue kyndnes both in word deede They therfore whiche resist Christes Testament and will not let it be knowen walke in the Testament of the Pope with vnions pluralities and totquots some one of them robbyng x. parishes of the tenth of all their yearely increase and withdrawing from them Gods word the foode of their soules and from the poore their dayly sustenaunce whiche ought to haue their part in the tythes and other rentes when the preacher other necessarie Ministers haue out their partes a due and lawfull stipend are not in Christ For Christ neither so walked not so taught Brethren I write no newe commaundement vnto you but an old commaundement which ye had at the begynnyng For an olde commaundement is the word which ye heard from the begynnyng I write no new precept but onely put you in remembraunce of that old which was taught you when ye were first Baptised in Christ to loue eche other as he did you Which is an old coÌ„maundement and was giueÌ„ at the begynnyng of the world and hath euer since bene writteÌ„ in the hart of all that put their hope in God Agayne a new commaundemeÌ„t I write vnto you whiche is true in him and also in you for the darkenesse is past and the true light now shyneth The deuill hath sowen his darknes in the field where this commaundemeÌ„t should grow and the weeds of mens traditioÌ„s had ouergrowen the corne of this old coÌ„maundement so that it was antiquate cleane out of knowledge But Christ y t light of all true doctrine now shyneth hath scatered the darknesse and plucked vp the weeds by the rootes restored this old commauÌ„dement agayne And in hym it is a true commaundement for he loued truly And in you it is a true commaundement for ye for his sake loue one an other truly also And by the reason of this renewyng it is called a new commaundement as it is now called new learnyng may well so be for it hath lyen long in darknes and that in such darknes that many be shryned for holy Saintes whose dedes liuing wheÌ„ thou lookest vpon them in the light of this old doctrine that now shyneth agayne out of darknes are more abhominable then the deedes and liuyng of him whiche of late for all his exaltyng his throne and swearyng by his highe honour and for the worshyp of his hat and glory of his precious shoes when hee was payned with the coliâ—ke of an euill conscience hauyng no other shift because his soule could finde no other issue tooke him self a medicine 〈◊〉 emitâ—erâ—t spiritum per posteriora He that sayth hee is in the light and yet hateth hys brother is in darknesse For whosoeuer feleth his owne daÌ„nation vnder the law beleueth in the mercy that is in Christ the same caÌ„ not but loue Christ and his neighbour for his sake And therefore hee that hateth his brother for any offence done to him the same seith not what Christe hath done for him but is in darkenes still He that loueth his brother abydeth in the light and there is none offendyng in hym Abydeth in the light that is continueth in the knowledge of Christ And there is none offending in him that is First he will willingly do nothyng either in word or in dede that shal offeÌ„de his brother For loue will not let hym And secondarily if ought bee done or sayd that may be well done or sayd he taketh it to the best and is not offeÌ„ded And thus ye see that the knowledge of Christ is cause of all goodnesse and the igoraunce of Christ cause of all euill And so the doctrine of theÌ„ is not false whiche say that fayth in Christ is roote of all godly vertue and the cause of kepyng the commaundementes where sayth is there to be no sinne nor damnation and that say vnbelefe to be the mother of all vice and cause of breakyng the commaundementes and to keepe men in sinne and daÌ„nation onely as fayth onely loseth vs thence And he that hateth hys brother is in darkenesse and walketh in darkenesse and knoweth not whether he goeth For darkenesse hath blynded his eyes He that hateth his brother is in the
ignoraunce of Christ and of his owne sinne and without repentaunce faith that his sinnes be forgeuen him in Christ and therefore is mercilesse vnto hys brother whom Christ commaunded him to pitie and loue And in that ignoraunce he walketh that is worketh euill and loueth the thinges of the worlde and seeketh in them the lustes of the â—lesh which are the quenching of the spirite and death of the soule for loue of them hateth his brother And this ignoraunce of Christ which is vnbeleef is the cause of all the wickednes that we do vnto our brethren I write vnto you little children that your sinnes are forgeuen you for hys names sake I write vnto you fathers that ye know him that was from the beginning I write vnto you yong men how that ye haue ouercome the wicked I write vnto you that are yong in the fayth and yet weake and therefore fall now and then how that your sinnes are forgeuen you as soone as ye repent and reconcile your selues vnto your brethren whom ye haue offended euen for his names sake onely and not for our owne deedes whether afore or after or for any other mans deedes or satisfaction saue for his onely I write vnto you that are fathers in the doctrine of God to teach other how that ye know him that was from the begynnyng is no new thing though he newly receaued our nature And through knowledge of him which is the onely light and the dore vnto the knowledge of God ye are become fathers in the Scriptures Or els ye had neuer vnderstand it though ye had studied neuer so much as it appeareth by the indurate Iewes and also by oure owne new Pharisies which persecute the scripture and the true sence therof because they be drowned in the ignoraunce of Christ as their deedes and contrary liuing well testifie I write vnto you yong meÌ„ that are strong in suffering persecutions and fight for your profession not with the sword but with suffering how that ye haue ouercome that wicked which poisoned the world at the beginning and yet woorketh in the children of darcknesse and vnbeleefe and that in beleuing the woorde of truth as it foloweth anone after I write vnto you yong children howe that ye knowe the Father I write vnto you fathers howe that ye know him that was from the beginning I write vnto you young men that ye be strong and the woorde of God dwelleth in you and that ye haue ouercomme the wicked I write vnto you yong children how that ye know the Father whome yee loue thorough knowledge of the Sonne or els you had neuer knowne him as a father but as a Iudge and a tyrant and had hated him I write vn to you fathers as before howe ye are fathers of all trueth in knowing the Sonne Or els ye had euer continued in darknesse remedilesse I write vnto you youÌ„g men how y t ye are strong and that your strength is the word of God which dwelleth in your brest through fayth in which ye haue ouercome the wicked deuill and all his pompe as it foloweth chapt v. this is the victorye that ouercommeth the world euen our fayth Loue not the worlde nor the thinges that are in the worlde If a man loue the worlde the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the worlde as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pride of good are not of the Father but are of the world And the worlde vanisheth away and the lust thereof But he that doth the will of God abideth euer The loue of the world quencheth the loue of God Balaam for the loue of the world closed his eyes at the cleare light which he well saw For loue of the world the olde Pharisies blasphemed the holy Ghost and persecuted the maniâ—est truth which they coulde not improue For loue of the world many are this day fallen away and many which stood on the truthes side and defended it a while for loue of the worlde haue gotten them vnto the contrarye parte and are become the Popes mamalukes are waxed the most wicked â—…s vnto the truth and most cruel agaynst it They know the truth but they loue the worlde And when they espyed the truth could not stand wysh the honoures which they sought in the world they hated it deadly and both wittingly and willingly persecuted it sinning against the holy Ghost Which sinne shall not escape here vnpunished as it shall not be without damnation in the world to come but shall haue an ende here with confusion and shame as had the glory of our right reuerend father in God Thomas Wolfse late cardinall and legate a latere c. whome after his shitten death as the saying is his owne seruauntes which before exalted his glory haue sent to hel with grace and priuiledge By the lust of the flesh is vnderstaÌ„d lechery whiche maketh a man altogether a swine and by the lust of the eyes is vnderstoode couetousnes which is the roote of all euil and maketh â—o erre from the fayth 1. Tim. vlâ— And then followeth pride whiche three are the world and captaines ouer all other vices and occasions of all mischief And if pride couetousnes and lechery be the world as S. Iohn sayth then turne your eyes vnto the spiritualtie vnto the pope cardinals bishops aâ—bates and all other prelates and see whether suche dignities bee not the world and whether the way to them be not also the world To get the olde abbats treasure I thinke it be the readiest way to be the newe How fewe come by promotion except they buy it or serue long for it or both To be wel skilled in war and in polling to maintaine war and lustes and to be a good ambassadour is the onely way to a bishopricke or to pay truely for it See whether pluralities vnions totquets and chainging the lesse benefice bysshoprike for the greater for the contrary chainge I trow was neuer â—ene may be without couetousnes pride And then if such thinges be the world and the world not of God how is our spiritualtie of God If pride be seking of glory and they that seeke glory can not beleue Ioh. 5. How can our spiritualty beleue in Christ If couetousnes turne men from the fayth how are our spiritualty in the fayth If Christ when the deuill proferred hym the kyngdomes of the world and the glorie thereof refused them as thynges vnpossible to stande with hys kyngdome whiche is not of the worlde of whom are our spiritualtie whiche haue receyued them If couetousnes be a traytour and taught Iudas to sell his maister how should he not in so long time teache oure spiritualtie the same craft namely when they be of all kinges secretes and the ambassadours of their secretes and haue thereto thoroughout al ChristeÌ„dome a secret couÌ„sell of their
came to destroy the workes of the deuill in vs to giue vs a new byrth a new nature and to sow new seede in vs that we should by the reasoÌ„ of that byrth sinne no more For the seede of that byrth that is to wete the spirite of God and the liuely seede of his word sowen in our hartes kepeth our harts that we can not consent to sinne as the seede of the deuill holdeth the hartes of his that they can not consent to good This is coÌ„trary vnto the Pope in two poyntes in one that he sayth that our good deedes make vs first good and teacheth vs not to beleue in Christes bloud there to be washed made first good And in an other that he sayth God choseth vs first for our good qualites properties and for the enforcement and good endeuour of our frewill What good endeuour is there where the deuill possesseth the whole hart that it can consent to no good And finally there is great difference betwene the sinne of them that beleue in Christ vnfaynedly and the sinne of them that beleue not For they that beleue sinne not of purpose and of coÌ„sent to wickednesse that it is good castyng and compassyng afore hand without grudge of coÌ„science to bryng their purpose about As ye see our hypocrites haue vexed all Christendome this xx yeares to bryng a little lust to effect Their fathers conceiued mischief viij hundreth yeares ago And the sonnes consent vnto the same haue no power to depart therefrom And therfore their sinne is deuilishe and vnder the damnation of the law But if he that beleueth sinne he doth it not of purpose or that he consenteth vnto the life of sinne But of infirmitie chauÌ„ce and some great temptation that hath ouercome him And therefore his sinne is veniall and vnder mercy and grace though it be murther theft or adulterie and not vnder the daÌ„nation of the law So that his father shall scourge hym but not cast hym away or damne hym Marke in the sinne of Saule of Dauid Saule euer excused his sinne and could not but persecute the will of God And Dauid confessed his sinne with great repentauÌ„ce at the first warnyng whensoeuer he forgot him selfe All that worke not righteousnes are not of God Nor hee that loueth not his brother For this is the tydinges which ye heard at the begynnyg that we should loue one an other and not be as Cain which was of the deuill and slew his brother And wherefore slew he him for his deedes were euill and hys brothers righteous Maruell not my brethren thoughe the worlde hate you The law of righteousnes is that we loue one an other as Christ loued vs and he that hath not this law liuyng in his hart and when the tyme is bringeth not forth the frutes therof the same is not of God but of the deuill whose byrth and properties of the same ye see described in Cain how he resisted God and persecuted the childreÌ„ of God for their belefe workes therof And as ye see in Cain and his brother Abell so shall it euer continue betwene the children of God and of the deuill vnto the worldes ende Wonder not therefore thoughe the worlde hate you We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren He that loueth not his brother abydeth in death All that hate theyr brethren are murtherers and ye know that no murtherer hath eternall lyfe abydyng in hym If thou loue thy brother in Christ and art ready to do to suffer for him as Christ dyd for thee then thou art sure thereby that thou art the sonne of God and heyre of life and deliuered froÌ„ death and damnation So haue Christen men signes to know whether they be in the state of grace or no. And on the other side he that hath no power to loue his brethren may be sure that he is in the state of death and damnation An other is this let euery man looke vpoÌ„ his hart and be sure that he which hateth his brother hath slayne hym before God is a murtherer And murtherers shal not obteine the kingdome of God Gala. 5. But are Caines brethren and the deuils children and are heyres of death and euer vnder damnation Compare the regiment of the spiritualtie which haue had the temperall sword in their handes now aboue viij hundreth yeares vnto this doctrine of Iohn Iudge whether they haue led vs truely after the steppes of Christes doctrine Hereby we are assured of loue because hee left his lyfe for vs and therfore ought we to leaue our lyues for our brethren He then that hath the substaunce of the worlde and seith his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion froÌ„ him how dwelleth the loue of God in hym If we felt the loue of Christes death it would sure set our hart on fire to loue hym agayne and our brethren for his sake and should neuer cease to sâ—ay our resisting members vntill we could not onely be wel content that our brethren were in a more prosperous state then we but also vntill we could blesse them wheâ—â— they curse vs and pray for them when they persecute vs and to suffer death for theÌ„ to testifie the worde of their soules health vnto them and with loue to ouercome them and to wynne them vnto Christ If now euery Christen man ought to haue this rule of his profession before his eyes to learne it that hee should loue his brother as Christ dyd hym to depart with his lyfe for his brothers example how farre are they of from good scholers that can not finde in their hartes to depart with a litle of the aboundaunce superfluitie of their temporall goodes to helpe their neighbours neede My litle children let vs not loue in worde nor with the toung but with the dede and of a truth For thereby we know that we be of the truth and so shall we certifie our hartes in his sight If we haue power to worke then doth the worke certefie our hartes that our fayth in Christ and loue to God and our neighbour for his sake are vnfayned and that we are true children and no hypocrites And then are we bold in our coÌ„science before God And this is it that Peter meaneth 2. Pet. 1. where he biddeth vs minister in our fayth vertue godly liuing and all maner of good workes and therewith to make our vocation and election or our calling add chosing sure For the sight of the worke doth certify vs that God hath called vs and chosen vs vnto grace and mercy But and if when the time of woorking is come I fly and haue no power to worke then will our conscience accuse vs of sinne and transgressioÌ„ within the hart before God and so for feare of the rodde we dare not be bolde but draw backe and stand alooâ—e Let a childe haue neuer so mercifull a father yet if
cogis auri sacrafames What doth not that holy hunger compell them that loue this world inordinatly to committe might that deuils belye be once full truth should haue audience and wordes be constcued a right and takeÌ„ in the same sence as they be ment Though it seme not impossible haply that there might be a place where the soules might be kept for a space to be taught and instruct yet that there should be fitch a Iayle as they Iangle and such fashions as they fayne is playne impossible and repugnaunt to the Scripture for when a man is traÌ„slated veterly out of the kyngdome of Sathan and so confirmed in grace that he can not sinne so burnyng in loue that his lust can not be plucked from Gods will and beyng partaker with vs of all the promises of God and vnder the commaundemeÌ„tes what could be denyed hym in that deepe innocencie of hys most kynde father that hath left no mercy vnpromised and askyng it thereto in the name of his sonne Iesus the child of his hartes lust whiche is our Lord hath left no mercy vndeserued for vs namely when GOD hath sworne that he will put of righteousnes and be to vs a father and that of all mercy and hath slayne his most deare sonne Iesus to confirme hys othe Finally seyng that Christes loue taketh all to the best and nothing is here that may not be wel vnderstanded the circumstances declaryng in what sence all was ment they ought to haue interpreted in charitably if ought had bene founde doubtefull or seemyng to sound amysse Moreouer if any thyng had ben therin that could not haue ben taken well yet their part had bene to haue interprete it as spoken of idlenes of the head by the reason of sickenesse for as much as the man was vertuous wise and well learned and of good fame and report and sounde in the fayth whyle he was a lyue But if they say he was suspect when he was a lyue then is their doyng so much the worsse and to bee thought that they feared hys doctrine when hee was a lyue and mistrusted their owne part their conscieÌ„ces testifyeng to them that he held no other doctrine theÌ„ that was true seyng they then neither spake nor wrote agaynst him nor brought hym to any examinatioÌ„ Besides that some mery felowes will thinke that they ought first to haue sent to him to wyt whether he would haue reuoked yet they had so despitefully burnt the dead body that could not aunswere for it selfe nor interprete his wordes how he ment them namely the man beyng of so worshypfull and auncieÌ„t a bloud But here will I make at end desiryng y t reader to loke on this thing with indifferent eyes and iudge whether I haue expouÌ„ded the wordes of this TestameÌ„t as they should seme to signifie or not iudge also whether the maker therof seme not by his worke both vertuous and godly whiche if it so bee thinke that he was the worsse bycause the dead body was burnt to ashes but rather learne to know the great desyre that hypocrites haue to finde one craft or other to dase the truth with cause it to be counted for heresie of the simple and vnlearned people whiche are so ignoraunt they can not spye theyr sutteltie it must nedes be heresie that toucheth any thyng their rotten byle they wil haue it so who soeuer say nay onely the eternall God must be prayed to night day to amende them in whose power it onely lyeth Who also graunt theÌ„ once earnestly to thirst his true doctrine contained in the sweete and pure fountaines of hys Scriptures and in his pathes to direct their wayes AMEN Here endeth the Exposition of Master Tracies will by William Tyndall ¶ A frutefull and godly treatise expressing the right institution and vsage of the Sacramentes of Baptisme and the Sacrament of the body and bloud of our Sauiour Iesu Christ Compiled by William Tyndall TO vnderstaÌ„d the pith of y â— SacrameÌ„tes how they came vp the very meanyng of them we must consider diligently the maners fashions of the Hebrues which were a people of great grauitie sadnesse and earnest in all their doynges if any notable thyng chaunced among them so that they not onely wrote but also set vp pillers and markes diuers signes to testifie the same vnto their posteritie and named the places where the thynges were done with such names as could not but keepe the dedes in memorie As Iacob called the place where he saw God face to face Pheniell that is Gods face And the place where the Egyptians mourned for Iacob seueÌ„ dayes the people of the countrey called Abell Miram that is the lamentation of the Egyptians to the intent that such names should kepe the gestes and stories in minde And likewise in all their couenaunts they not onely promised one to another and sware theron but also set vp signes and tokens therof and gaue the places names to keepe the thyng in minde And they vsed therto such circumstaunces protestations solemne fashions and ceremonies to confirme the coâ—enauÌ„tes and to testifie that they were made with great earnest aduise and deliberation to the intent that it should be to much shame and to much abhomination both before God and man to breake them euer after As Abraham Genes 21. when he made a couenaunt of peace with Abimeleck kyng of the Philistines after they had eaten and dronke together and sworne hee put seuen Lambes by them selues and Abimelecke receiued them of his hand to testifie that he there had digged a certaine well and that the right therof pertained to hym And he called the well Beer Seba the well of Swearyng or the well of seneÌ„ because of the oth of the seueÌ„ lambes and by that title did Abraham his children chalenge it many hundred yeares after And when Iacob Laban made a coueâ—aunt together Genes 31. they cast vp an heape of stones in witnesse and called it Giliad the heape of witnesse and they bound ech other for theÌ„ and their posteritie that neither part should passe the heape to the others countreyward to hurt or conquer their land and Laban bouÌ„d Iacob also that he should take no other wiues besides his daughters to vexe them And of all that couenaunt they made that heape a witnes calling it the witnesseheape that their children should enquire the cause of the name their father should declare vnto them the history And such fashions as they vse among them selues did God also vse to themward in all his notable dedes whether of mercy in deliueryng them or of wrath in punishing their disobedience and traÌ„sgression in all his promises to them and couenauntes made betwene them and hym As when after the generall floude God made a couenaunt with Noe and all mankind also withall liuing creatures that he would no more drowne the world he gaue them the
was and how such ceremonies came vp and whence they had their begynnyng and what the frute thereof is and what is therin to be sought And though this were inough so that I might here wel cease yet because the vnquiet scrupulous and superstitious nature of man wholy giuen to Idolatrie hath styrred vp such traditions about this one Sacrament most specially I cannot but speake therof somewhat more and declare what my conscience thinketh in this matter Ye shall vnderstand therfore that there is great dissention and three opinions about the woordes of Christ where he sayth in pronouncyng the testament ouer the bread This is my body And in pronouncyng it ouer the wyne This is my bloud One part say that these woordes This is my body This is my bloud compell vs to beleue vnder payne of damnation that the bread and wyne are chaunged into the very body and bloud of Christ really As the water at Cana Galilee was turned into very wyne The second part sayth we be not bound to beleue that bread and wyne are chaunged but onely that his body and bloud are there presently The thyrd say we be bound by these woordes onely to beleue that Christes body was broken and hys bloudshed for the remissiō of our sinnes and that there is no other satisfaction for sinne then the death and passion of Christ The first say these woordes This is my body This is my bloud compell vs to beleue that thynges there shewed are the very body and bloud of Christ really But bread and wyne say they cannot be Christes naturall body ther fore the bread and wyne are chaunged turned altered and transubstantiated into the very body bloud of Christ And they of this opinion haue busied them selues in seekyng subtilties and similitudes to proue how the very body and bloud might be there vnder the similitude of bread and wine onely the very bread and wyne beyng thus trāsubstantiated And these men haue ben so occupyed in slaying all that wil not captiue their wits to beleue them that they neuer taught nor vnderstode that the Sacrament is an absolution to all that therby beleue in the body bloud of Christ The second part graunt with the first that the wordes compel vs to beleue that the things shewed in the Sacrament are the very body and bloud of Christ But where the first say bread and wine cannot be the very body and bloud of Christ There they vary and dissent from them affirming that bread and wine may and also is Christes body really and very bloud of Christ and say that it is as true to say that bread is Christes body and that wyne is hys bloud as it is true to say Christ beyng a very mā is also very God And they say as the Godhead and manhode in Christ are in such maner coupled togegether that mā is very God and God very man Euen so the very body and the bread are so coupled that it is as true to say that bread is the body of Christ and the bloud so annexed there with the wyne that it is euen as true to say that the wyne is Christes bloud The first though they haue slayne so many in and for the defence of their opinion yet they are ready to receiue the second sort to fellowshyp not greatly striuyng with them or abhorryng the presence of bread and wyne with the very body and bloud so that they yee by that meanes may keepe hym there still and hope to sell hym as deare as before and also some to bye hym and not to minish the price The thyrd sort affirme that the wordes meane no more but onely that we beleue by the thyngs that are there shewed that Christes body was brokē and his bloud shed for our sinnes if we will forsake our sinnes turne to God to kepe his law And they say that these sayinges This is my body and This is my bloud shewyng bread wyne are true as Christ meant them and as the people of that countrey to whō Christ spake were accustomed to vnderstand such wordes and as the Scripture vseth in a thousand places to speake As when one of vs sayth I haue dronke a cup of good wyne that saying is true as the mā meant that he dranke wyne onely and not the cup whiche wordes happely in some other nations eares would sound that he dranke the cuppe And as when we say of a child This is such a mans very face the wordes are true as the maner of our land is to vnderstand them that the face of the one is very like the other And as whē we say he gaue me his fayth and hys truth in my hand the wordes are true as we vnderstand them that he stroke handes with me or gaue earnest in signe or token that he would byde by his promise For the fayth of a mā doth alway rest in his soule and cannot be giuen out though we giues signes and tokens of them Euen so say they we haue a thousād examples in the Scripture where signes are named with names of thynges signified by them As Iacob called the place where hee saw the Lord face to face Phenyell that is Gods face when he saw the Lord face to face Now it is true to say of that field that it is Gods face though it be not his very face The same field was so called to signifie that Iacob there saw God face to face The chief hold and principall ancre that the two first haue is these words This is my body This is my bloud Vnto these the third aunswereth as is aboue sayd other textes they alledge for them selues whiche not onely do not strength their cause but rather make it worse As in y e sixt of Iohn which they draw and wrest to the carnall and flesh ly eating of Christes body in y e mouth when it onely meaneth of this eatyng by fayth For when Christ sayd except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of mā and drinke hys bloud ye haue no lyfe in you This cannot be vnderstanded of the Sacrament For Abraham had life and all the old holy fathers Christes mother Elizabeth Zacharias Iohn Baptist Symeon Anna and all the Apostles had lyfe already by fayth in Christ Of which not one had eatē hys flesh and dronke his bloud with theyr bodily mouthes But truth it is that the righteous liueth by his fayth Ergo to beleue and trust in Christes bloud is the eatyng that there was meant as the texte well proueth if they say we graunt that life commeth by faith but we all that beleue must be Baptised to keepe the law and to keepe the couenaunt in mynde Euen so all that lyueth by fayth must receiue the Sacrament I aunswere The Sacrament is a confirmation to weake consciences and in no wise to be despised howbeit many haue lyued by fayth in the wildernes whiche in 20. 30.
spite of all the enemies of his trueth There falleth not an heare till his houre be come and when his houre is come necessitie caryeth vs hence though we be not willing But if we be willing then haue we a reward and thanke Feare not threatning therfore neither be ouercome with sweete wordes with which twayne the hipocrites shall assayle you Neither let the perswasions of worldly wisedome beare rule in your hart No though they be your frendes that counsayle you Let Bilney be a warning to you Let not their visure beguile your eyes Let not your body saint He that endureth to the ende shall be saued If the payne be aboue your strength remember Whatsoeuer you shall aske in my name I will geue it you And pray to your father in that name and he will ease your payne or shorten it The Lord of peace of hope and of fayth be with you Amen William Tyndall TWo haue suffered in Antwarpe In die sancta Crucis vnto the great glory of the Gospell foure at Riselles in Flaunders and at Luke hath there one at the least suffered and all ni y e same day At Roan in Fraunce they persecute And at Paris are fiue doctours taken for the Gospell Sée you are not alone Be cherefull and remember that among the hard harted in England there is a number reserued by grace for whose sakes if neede be you must be ready to suffer Syr if you may write how short so euer it be forget it not that we may knowe how it goeth with you for our hartes ease The Lord be yet agayne with you with all his plenteousnes and fill you y e you flow ouer Amen If when you haue read this you may send it to Adrian doe I pray you that he may know how that our hart is with you George Ioye at Candelmasse being at Barrow Printed two leaues of Genesis in a greate forme and sent one Copy to the King and an other to the newe Quéene with a letter to N. for to deliuer them and to purchase liceÌ„ce y e he might so goe through all the Bible Out of that is sprong the noyse of the new Bible and out of that is the greate séeking for Englishe bookes at all Printers Booke bynders in Antwarpe and for an English Priest y e shoulde Printe This chaunced the ix day of May. Syr your wife is well content with the will of God and would not for her sake haue y e glory of God hindred William Tyndall An other notable and worthy Letter of maister William Tyndall sent to the sayd Iohn Frith vnder the name of Iacob ¶ The grace of our Sauiour Iesus his pacience mekenes humblenes circumspection and wisedome be with your hart Amen DEarely beloued brother Iacob myne hartes desire in our Sauiour Iesus is that you arme your selfe with pacieÌ„ce and be cold sober wise and circumspect that you keepe you alow by the ground auoydyng hygh questions that passe the common capacitie But expounde the law truly and open the vayle of Moses to condemne all flesh and proue all meÌ„ sinners and all deedes vnder the law before mercy haue taken away the condeÌ„nation ther of to be sinne and damnable And then as a faythfull Minister set abroch the mercy of our Lord Iesus and let the wounded coÌ„sciences drinke of the water of him And then shall your preachyng be with power and not as the doctrine of the hypocrites and the spirite of God shall worke with you and all coÌ„sciences shall beare recorde vnto you feele y t it is so And all doctrine that casteth a miste on those two to shadow and hyde them I meane the law of God and mercy of Christ that resist you withall your power Sacraments without significatioÌ„ refuse If they put significations to them receiue them if you see it may helpe though it bee not necessarie Of the presence of Christes body in the Sacrament medle as litle as you can that there appeare no diuision amoÌ„g vs. Barnes will be whote agaynst you The Saxons be â—ore on the affirmatiue whether constant or obstiuate I omit it to God Philippe Melancton is sayd to be with the French king There be in Antwerpe that say they saw him come into Paris with an c. and l. horses and that they spake with hym If the Frenchmen receiue the worde of God hee will plant the affirmatiue in them George Ioye would haue put foorth a treatise of the matter but I haue stopt hym as yet what he will doe if he get money I wotte not I beleue he wold make many reasoÌ„s litle seruyng to the purpose My mynde is that nothyng be put forth till we heare how you shal haue spede I would haue the right vse preached and the presence to be an indiffereÌ„t thyng till the matter might be reasoned in peace at laysure of both parties If you be required shew the phrases of the Scripture and let them talke what they will For as to beleue y t God is euery where hurteth no maÌ„ that worshyp him no where but within in the hart in spirite and verity eueÌ„ so to beleue that the body of Christ is euery where though it can not be proued hurteth no man that worshippeth hym no where saue in the fayth of hys Gospell You perceiue my minde how beit if God shew you otherwise it is free for you to do as he moueth you I gessed long ago that God would send a dasing into the head of the spiritualtie to be catched theÌ„ selues in their owne subtiltie and I trust it is come to passe And now me thinketh I smel a counsayle to be takeÌ„ litle for their profites in time to come But you must vnderstand that it is not of a pure hart for loue of the truth but to aduenge theÌ„ selues and to eate the Whores flesh to suck the marow of her bones Wherfore cleaue fast to the rocke of the helpe of God commit the end of all things to hym and if God shall call you that you may then vse the wisedome of the worldly as farre as you perceiue the glory of God may come therof refuse it not and euer among thrust in that the Scripture may bee in the mother toung and learning set vp in the Vniuersities But and if ought be required contrary to the glory of God and hys Christ theÌ„ stand fast and commit your selfe to God and bee not ouercome of mens persuasions which happely shal say we see no other way to bryng in the truth Brother Iacob beloued in my hart there lyueth not in whom I haue so good hope and trust and in whoÌ„ myne hart reioyseth and my soule comforteth her selfe as in you not the thousand part so much for your learnyng and what other giftes els you haue as that you wil crepe alow by the ground and walke in those thinges that the conscience
flesh to eate it is soluted euen when he gaue his body to be broken his bloud to be shed And we eate and drinke it in deede wheÌ„ we beleue stedfastly that hee dyed for the remission of our sinnes Austen and Tertullian to witnesse But here maketh More his argument agaynst the young man Because the Iewes maruelleâ— at this saying My flesh is very meate and my bloud drinke And not at this I am the dore and the very vyne therefore this text sayth he My flesh is c. must be vnderstand after the litterall sence that is to wirte eueÌ„ as the carnall Iewes vnderstode it murmuring at it beyng offended goyng their wayes froÌ„ Christ for their so carnall vnderstandyng therof And the other textes I am the dore c. must be vnderstand in an Allegory and spituall sence because his hearers maruelled nothyng at the maner of the speach Loe Christen Reader here hast thou not a â—ast but a great tunne full of Mores mischief and pernicious peruertyng of Gods holy worde and as thou seist him here falsely pestilently destroy the pure sence of Gods worde so doth hee in all other places of hys bookes First where he sayth they marueiled at this Christes saying My flesh is very meate c. that is not so neither is there any such worde in the text except More will expounde Murmurabant idest mirabantur they murmured that is to say they marueiled as he expouÌ„deth Oportet idest expedit conuenit He must dye or it behoueth him to dye that is to say it was expedient and of good coÌ„gruence that he should dye c. Thus this Poete may make a man to signifie an Asse blacke white to blere the simple eyes But yet for his Lordly pleasure let vs graunt him that they murmured is as much to say as they meruayled because perchaunce the one may folow at the other And then do I aske him whether Christes Disciples and his Apostles heard â—im not vnderstode him not when he sayd I am the doore and the vyne and when hee sayd My flesh c. If he say no or nay the Scripture is playne agaynst him If he say yea or yes then yea doe I aske hym whether his Disciples and Apostles thus hearyng and vnderstandyng hys woordes in all these three Chapters wondered and meruayled as More sayth or murmuâ—ed as hath the text at their maisters speech What thinke ye More must aunswere here Here may ye see whether this old holy vpholder of the Popes Churche is brought euen to be taken in his owne trappe For the Disciples and his Apostles neither murmured nor merâ—ayled nor yet were offended w t this their maister Christes wordes and maner of speech for they wâ—…ainted with such phâ—…red their maister Christ when hâ—â—…e will ye also go hence frâ—me â–ª Lord sayd they to whom shall we goe thou hast the wordes of euerlastyng lyâ—e and we beleue that thou arâ—… sonne of the liuyng God Lo M. More they neither meruailed nor murmured And why For because as ye say theâ— vnderstode iâ— in an Allegory 〈◊〉 â—â—d perceiued well that hee meant not of hys materiall â—ody to bee eaten with their teeth but he meant 〈◊〉 of him selfe to be beleued to be very God and very man hauing flesh and bloud as they had and yet was he â—he sonne of the liuyng God This belefe gathered they of all hys spirituall sayinges as hym selfe expounded his own wordes saying My flesh profiteth nothyng meanyng to be eaten but it is the spirite that giueth this life And the wordes that I speake vnto you are spirite and lyfe so that who so beleue my flesh to be crucified and broken and my bloud to be shed for his sinnes he eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud and hath lyfe euerlastyng And this is the lyfe wherewith the righteous lyue euen by fayth The second argument of More AFter this text thus wisely proued to be vnderstand in the litterall sence with carnall Iewes and not in the Allegorike or spirituall sense with Christ his Apostles the whole suÌ„me of Mores confutation of the young maÌ„ standeth vpon this Argument 〈◊〉 Posse ad Esse That is to witte God may do it Ergâ— it is done Christ may make his body in many or in all places at once Ergo it is in many or in all places at once Which maner of argumentation how false and naught it is euery sophister and euery man that hath witte perceiueth A like argument God may shew More the truth and call him to repentaunce as he did Paul for persecutyng his Church Ergo More is conuerted to God Or God may let him run of an indurate hart with Pharao and at last take an open and soden vengeaunce vppon him for persecutyng hys worde and burnyng his poore members Ergo it is done already M. More must firste proue it vs by expresse wordes of holy Scripture and not by hys owne vnwritten dreames that Christes body is in many places or in all places at once and then though our reason can not reach it yet our fayth measured and directed with the worde of fayth will both reach it receiue it and hold it fast to not because it is possible to God and impossible to reason but bicause the written woorde of our fayth sayth it But wheÌ„ we read Gods wordes in mo then xx places contrary that his body should be here More must giue vs leue to beleue his vnwritten vanities verities I should say at laysure Here mayst thou see Christen reader wherefore More would so fayne make thee beleue that the Apostles left out certeine thynges vnwritten of necessitie to be beleued eueÌ„ to stablish the Popes kyngdome which standeth of Mores vnwritten vanities As of the presence of Christes body and makyng therof in the bread Of Purgatory of inuocation of Saintes worshyppyng of stones and stockes pilgrimages halowyng of bowes and belles and crepyng to the crosse c. If ye will beleue what so euer More can fayne without the Scripture then caÌ„ this Poete faine you an other Church theÌ„ Christes and that ye must beleue it what so euer it teacheth you for he hath fained to that it caÌ„ not erre though ye see it erre and fight agaynst it selfe a thousand rymes Yea if it tell you blacke is white good is bad and the deuill is God yet must ye beleue it or els be burned as heretikes But let vs returne to our purpose To dispute of Gods almighty absolute power what God may do with his body it is great folie and no lesse presumption to More sith the Pope whiche is no whole God but halfe a God by their owne decrees haue decreed no man to dispute of his power But Christen Reader be thou content to know that Gods wil his word and his power be all one and repugne not And neither willeth he nor may not do any thing includyng
where one I pray ye but also done by the commoÌ„ course of nature here in earth If they be done by the common course of nature so be they no miracles And some thynges made also by mans hand As one face beholded in diuers glasses and euery peece of one glasse broken into twenty c. Lorde how this pontiâ—icall Poete playeth his part Bicause as he saith we see many faces in many glasses therefore may one body be in many places as though euery shadow and similitude representing the body were a bodely substauÌ„ce But I aske More when hee seeth hys owne face in so many glasses whether all those faces that appeare in the glasses be his owne very faces hauing bodely substaunce skynne fleshe bone as hath that face which hath his very mouth nose eyen c. wherewith he faceth vs out the truth thus falsely with lyes And if they be all his very faces then in very deede there is one body in many places and he him selfe beareth as many faces in one hode But accordyng to his purpose eueÌ„ as they be no very faces nor those so many voyces sownes and similitudes multiplied in the ayre betwene the glasses or other obiect the body as the Philosopher proueth by naturall reason be no very bodyes no more is it Christes very body as they would make thee beleue in the bread in so many places at once But the bread broken and eaten in the Supper monisheth and putteth vs in remembraunce of his death and so exciteth vs to thankes giuyng to lande and prayse for the benefite of our redemption and thus wee there haue Christ present in the inward eye and sight of our fayth We eate his body and drinke hys bloud that is we beleue surely that hys bodye was crucified for our sinnes and hys bloud shed for our saluation At last note Christen reader that M. More in the third booke of his confutation of Tyndall the. CCxlix side to proue S. Iohns Gospell vnperfit and insufficient for leauing out of so necessary a point of our faith as he calleth the last Supper of Christ his MauÌ„dy sayth that Iohn speake nothyng at all of this SacrameÌ„t And now see againe in these his letters agaynst Frith how him selfe bringeth in Iohn the vj. chap. to impugne Frithes writyng and to make all for the Sacrament eueÌ„ thus My flesh is verely meate my bloud drinke Belike the man had there ouer shotte hym selfe foule the young man here causing him to put on his spectacles and poore better and more wisely with his old eyen vpoÌ„ S. Iohns Gospel to finde that thing there now written which before he would haue made one of his vnwritten verities As yet if he looke narowly hee shall espy that him self hath proued vs by Scripture in the xxxvij leafe of his Dialogue of quoth he and quoth I our Ladies perpetuall virginitie expoundyng non cogâ—osco id est non cognoscam whiche now written vnwritten veritie hee numbereth a litle before among his vnwritteÌ„ vanities Thus may ye see how this old holy vpholder of the popes church hys woordes fight agaynst him selfe into his own confusion in findyng vs forth his vnwritten written vanities verities I should say But returne we vnto the exposition of S. Iohn When the Iewes would not vnderstand the spirituall saying of the eating of Christes flesh and drinkyng of hys bloud so oft and so playnely declared he gaue them a strong stripe and made them more blynd for they so deserued it such are the secrete iudgementes of God addyng vnto all hys sayinges thus who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him These wordes were spoken vnto these vnbeleuers into their farther obstinatioÌ„ but vnto the faithfull for theyr better instruction Now gather of this the contrary say who so eateth not my fleshe and drinketh not my bloud abydeth not in me nor I in him and ioyne this to the foresayd sentence Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of maÌ„ drinke hys bloud ye haue no lyfe in you let it neuer fal froÌ„ thy minde Christen reader that faith is the lyfe of the righteous and that Christ is this lyuyng bread whom thou eatest that is to say in whoÌ„ thou beleuest For if our Papistes take eatyng drinkyng here bodely as to eate the naturall body of Christ vnder the forme of bread and to drinke hys bloud vnder the forme of wyne theÌ„ must all young children that neuer came to Gods borde departed all laye men that neuer drancke hys bloud be damned By loue we abyde in God and hee in vs loue foloweth faith in the order of our vnderstanding and not in order of succession of tyme if thou lookest vpon the selfe giftes and not on their fruites So that principally by faith wherby we cleaue to Gods goodnes and mercy we abide in God and God in vs as declare his wordes folowyng saying as the liuyng father sent me so liue I by my father And euen so he that eateth me shall lyue bycause of me or for my sake My father sent me whose will in all thinges I obey for I am his sonne And euen soverely must they that eate me that is beleue in me forme and fashion them after my exaÌ„ple mortifying their flesh chaunging their liuing or els they eate me in vayne and dissemble theyr belief For I am not come to redeme y t world onely but also to chaunge theyr lyfe They therefore that beleue in me shall traÌ„sforme their life after my example doctrine not after any mans traditioÌ„s This is the bread y t came froÌ„ heaueÌ„ as the effect it selfe declareth whoÌ„ who so eateth shall lyue euer But he y t eateth bodely bread lyueth not euer as ye may see of your fathers y t eate MaÌ„na yet are they dead It is not therfore any materiall bread nor bodely foode that may geue you life eternall These wordes did not onely offende them that hated Christ but also some of hys Disciples They were offended sayd the text and not merueyled as More trifleth out the truth which said This is an hard saying who may here this These Disciples yet stoke no lesse in Christes visible fleshe and in the barke of his wordes then did the other Iewes and as doth now More beleuing him to haue had spoken of his naturall body to be eaten with their teth Which offence Christ seyng sayd doth this offend you what then will ye say if ye see the sonne of maÌ„ ascend thether where he was before If it offend you to eate my flesh while I am here it shal much more offend you to eate it when my body shal be gone out of your sight ascended into heauen there sittyng on the right hand of my father vntill I come again as I weÌ„t that is to iudgement Here might Christ haue instructed his disciples in the truth of the
but inuisible and still bodely present hee would neuer haue couered hym selfe with the cloude shewyng them and testifying also by those ij men his very bodely AsceÌ„tion out of their sightes We may not make of hys very bodely AscentioÌ„ such an inuisible iugglyng cast as our Papistes fayne Fashionyng and fayning Christ a body now inuisible now in many places at once theÌ„ so great and yet in so litle a place not decerned of any of our senses now glorified now vnglorified now passible and then impassible and I wote neare what they imagine and make of their maker and all without any woorde yea cleane agaynst all the wordes of holy Scripture For surely in this their imagination and so saying they bryng in a fresh the heresie of that great heretike Marcian which said that Christ tooke but a phantasticall body And so was neither verely borne nor suffered nor rose nor ascended verely neither was he very man Which heresie Tertulian confuteth Christ toke verely our nature such a passible and mortall body as we beare about with vs saue that he was without all maner of synne In such a body he suffered verely and rose agayne from death in such a glorified body now immortall c. as euery one of vs shall ryse at the generall iudgement It is appropried onely to hys Godhead to be euery where and not to bee circumscribed nor conteined in no one place And as for our Papistes prophane voyde voyces his body to be in many places at once indifinitiue incircumscriptiue non per modum quaÌ„ti neque localiter c. which includeth in it selfe contradiction of which Paule warned Timothe callyng them the oppositions of a false named science for that theyr Scholasticall Diuinitie must make obiections agaynst euery truth be it neuer so playne with pro contra whiche science many that professe it sayth Paul haue erred from the fayth as for this contention and battayle about wordes profitable for nothyng els but to subuert the hearers I care not for them For I haue the almighty testimony of the euerlastyng word of God ready to soyle all theyr madde and vnreasonable reasons to wype them cleane away and to turne them into their own confession And for bycause they hold them so fast by Paule I shall loose theyr hold expoundyng the Lordes Supper after Paule which addeth immediatly vnto the cup this y t Luke there left foorth Doe ye this into my remembraunce This doth Paule repete so ofte to put vs in minde that these thankes giuing and Supper is the coÌ„memoration and the memoriall of Christes death Wherfore after all hee repeteth it yet agayne the thyrde tyme saying So oft as ye shall eate this bread hee calleth it still bread euen after the Popes consecration and drinke the cuppe he sayth not drinke this bloude see that ye gyue thaÌ„kes be ioyous and preach the death of the Lord for so much signifieth Anâ—â—â—ciate in this place vntill hee come that is to say froÌ„ the tyme of his death and Ascention vntill hee come agayne to iudgement Furthermore sayeth Paule who so eateth this bread he calleth it still bread or drinke of the cuppe of the Lord vnworthely is giltie of the body and bloud of the Lord. The body and bloud of the Lorde Paule calleth here the congregation assembled together to eate the Lordes Supper For they are his body and bloud which are redemed with his body and bloud as he said in the x. chapter before The cup of thankes giuyng whiche we receiue with thaÌ„kes is it not the felowshyp of the bloud of Christ The bread whiche we breake is it not the felowshyp of the body of Christ For we beyng many together are one bread and one body Loe here Paule expoundyng hym selfe vseth the same forme of spech that is vsed in these woordes This is my body takyng is for signifieth We are one bread one body that is to say we are signified by one loafe of bread to be one body he sheweth the cause addyng because we be all partakers of one lofe or peece of bread And in the xij chapter folowing he sayth plainly ye be the body of Christ and his particular members and in the first to the Ephesians God dyd set Christ to be the head ouer all vnto hys congregation whiche is his body c. And bicause the comparison in the x. chapter betwene the Lordes borde and his cup and the deuils borde and his cup do declare this matter I shall recite Paules wordes saying ye may not drinke the cup of the Lord and the cuppe of the deuill both together Ye may not bee partakers of the Lordes borde the deuils borde both at once The deuils borde and hys cuppe was not his body and bloud but the earing and drinkyng before their images and Idols as dyd the heathen in the worshyppe and thankes of theyr Gods Of the which thyng thou mayst gather what Paul meant by the Lordes borde and his cuppe Now let vs returne to Paule in the xâ— chapter They eate this bread and drinke of this cup vnworthely that come not vnto this borde with such faith and loue as they professed at their Baptisme They eate vnworthely that thrust them selues in among this congregation hauyng not the loue that this SacrameÌ„t and signe of vnity teacheth and signifieth Which maner of people Paule in y e same chapter rebuketh and bendeth all his Sermon agaynst them for that they were conteÌ„tious and came together not for the better but for the woorse So that their commyng together which should haue bene a token of fayth and loue was turned into the occasion and matter of disscution and strife bycause euery man dyd eate as Paule sayth hys owne supper and not the Lordes supper wherein the bread and drinke is common as well to the poore as to the riche But here the rich disdayned the poore and would not tarye for them So that some as the rich went theyr way dronken and full and the poore departed hungry and dry whiche was a token of no equall distribution of the bread and drinke and that the rich contemned the poore and so became sclauÌ„derous and giltie of the body bloud of Christ that is to witte of the poore congregation redemed with Christes body and bloud Thus they that came together appearyng to haue had that loue whiche the Supper signified and had it not vttered them selues by this conteÌ„tious and vnlouyng dealyng not to be members of Christes body but rather giltie and hurtfull vnto them As if a souldier of our aduersaries part shoulde come in among vs with our Lordes badge hauyng not that hart fayth and loue to our captaine that we haue we would if we espyed it by any token take him for a spye and betrayer rather then one of vs. Let a man therefore sayth Paule proue him selfe well before whether he hath this fayth to Christ
loue to God and his neighbour which all he professed at Baptisme and this Supper signified and so come in among the congregation to eate of this bread drinke of this cup he calleth it still bread and wyne neither his body nor bloud For he that eateth drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh hys owne damnation bycause he discerneth not the Lordes body He calleth still the Lordes body the congregation redemed with Christes body as he dyd before and also in the chapter folowyng fetching his analogie and similitude at the naturall body In which although there be diuers members one excelling an other one inferiour vyler and more cōtemptible then an other yet may not the body want them but must couer them reuerently and hold them in honour Agayn in the body though there be diuers members of diuers offices yet is there no discorde among them but euery member bee it neuer so low and vyle yet doth it minister and serue an other and all together hold vp and helpe the whole body This consideratiō with these cōparisons so eloquently so plenteously so liuely doth Paule set forth in that xij chap. that no mā cādesire any more And all to bryng vs into the consideration and discretion of the body of Christ which is his congregation without whiche consideration and discretion if we thrust our selues in with his signe and recognisance faynedly we be but hypocrites and eate and drinke our owne iudgement For this cause many are sicke among you and many are a slepe that is are dead Here it semeth some plage to haue bencast vppon the Corinthians for this abuse in the eatyng of the Lordes Supper For both the law the Prophetes threatened vs plagues as pestilence famine and sword for our sinnes For if we had iudged our soules that is if we had diligently examined our owne liuyng repented we should not haue ben iudged that is to say punished of y t Lord. But while we be punished we be corrected of the Lord lest we should be condemned with the world Wherfore my brethren when ye come together to eate tary one for an other Here is the cause of all this dissention wherfore Paule rebuketh them But here might some of them obiect tell Paul Syr we come thether hungry and may not tary so long wherunto Paul aunswereth as he dyd before saying Haue ye not houses to eate drinke in Do ye contemne the cōgregation of God and shame them that haue none Here he calleth the poore the church of God whom afterward he called the body of the Lord and now at last he sayth If any mā be so hūgry let him eate somewhat at home and so delay his hunger that he may the better tary for the pore lest ye come together vnto your condemnation And as for other thynges I shall dispose and set in order when I come These other thynges were concerning this Supper and such as were out of frame among them whiche if ye read the whole Epistle are easie to see that they were no necessary truthes for their saluation For all such truthes Paule had preached them before and written them to Neither were these other thinges Lent Fast the Assumption of our Lady halowyng of bowes Belles and Ashes halowyng of Vestimentes and crepyng to the Crosse with such other vnwritten vanities as M. More lysteth to lest and tryful out the truth Now haue ye the very pure sense of these Christs wordes this is my body that is to say This signifieth or representeth my body takyng Est for significat As M. More hym selfe vttered it in his Dialogue put forth in William Barlowes name recityng the opinions of Oecolampadius and Zwinglius saying this is my body is as much to say as this signifieth my body where he saith that Oecolampadius alledgeth for hym Tertulian Chrisostome and Austen but falsely sometyme addyng more to their wordes sometyme takyng away from theyr sentēces Which saying is playne false and hee belyeth the man now departed for first his incomparable learnyng and verye spirituall iudgement would not suffer hym to be ignoraunt in the vnderstandyng of these old holy Doctours whom I dare say he vnder stode as well as More And his couscience and faythfulnes would not suffer hym falsely to peruert them as M. More belyeth and peruerteth Christ Paule and all holy Scripture And if this mā had thus dealt with these Doctours sayinges Luther agaynst whom he did cōtende in this matter would not haue left it vntold hym But Christē reader to put thee out of doubt haue here these doctours own wordes both in Latine and Englishe And first heare Tertulian where thou must first vnderstād that there was an hereticke called Marcion saying that Christ tooke not to hym the very body of man but an imagiued and a phantasticall body to put of and on when he lysted and so not to haue ben borne verely of the virgine Mary nor yet to haue suffered verely death c. agaynst whom thus writeth Tertulian in hys fourth booke Professus itaque se concupiscentia concupisse edere pascha vt suum acceptum panem distributum Discipulis corpus suuni illum fecit hoc est corpus meum dicendo id est figura corporis mei Figura autem non fuisset nisi veritatis esset corpus Caeterū vacua res quod est phantasma figuram capere non posset Whiche wordes are thus in English spoken of Christ Whiche acknowledgyng hym selfe with how feruent desire he longed to eate the passeouer as his bread taken and distributyng to his Disciples made it his body saying This is my body that is to say the figure of my body For figure had it bene none except it were a very body For a voyde thyng which is a phantasie can receaue no figure Here it is playne that this is my body after the old holy Doctour is as much to say as this is the figure or signe that representeth or signifieth my body Also thus sayeth Austen Lex dicit non esse manducandū sanguinem quod anima sit sanguis Quod lex dicit sanguis est anima esse positum dicimus sicut alia multa penè omnia Scripturarum illarum Sacramenta signis figuris plena futurae predicationis quae iam per Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum declarata est c. Possum etiam interpretari praeceptum illud in signo esse positum Non enim dubitauit Dominus dicere Hoc est corpus meum quum signum daret corporis sui Sic est enim sanguis anima quomodo petra erat Christus Nec tamen quum haec diceret ait petra significabat Christum sed ait petra erat Christus Quae rursus ne carnaliter acciperetur spiritualem illam vocat id est spiritualiter intelligi docet Whiche woordes be thus in English The law sayeth that bloud should not be eatē because the life is
make aunswere to thus Supper of the Lorde bringyng â—o â—or them their vnwritteÌ„ wordes dedes dreames for we haue compelled More with shame to flitte froÌ„ the Scripture strewed with their vame straunge termes which Paul damneth and geueth Timothe warning of I shall by gods grace so set the almighty word of God against them that all Christen shall see falshead and deceite in this SacrameÌ„t and so disclose theyr deuilish doctrine and fleighty iugglyng that all that can read Englishe shall see the trouth of Gods word openly beare downe their vnwritten lyes For it is verely the thyng that I desire euen to be written agaynst in this matter for I haue the solutions of all theyr obiections ready And know right well that the more they styrre this Sacrament the broder shall theyr lyes be spread the more shal theyr falsehead appeare and the more gloriously shall the trouth triumph as it is to see this day by long contention in this same and other lyke Articles which the Papistes haue so long abused and how More hys lyes vtter the truth euery day more and more For had he not come beggyng for the Clergy from Purgatory with his supplication of soules and Rastel and Rochester had they not so wysely played theyr partes Purgatory peraduenture had serued them yet another yeare neither had it so soone haue bene quenched nor the poore soule and Proctour there bene with his bloudy Byshop ChristeÌ„â—atte so farre coniured into hys owne Vtopia with a sachell about hys necke to gather for the proude Priestes in Synagoga Papistica When Christ was ascended into heauen and had sent his Apostles the spirite of truth to leade them into all truth perteinyng vnto our saluation euen â—nto hym that sayd I am the truth of whiche truth hee instructed them after his resurrection Luke xxiiij and they had preached the same truth nowe at IerusaleÌ„ Actes ij at which preachyng there were that receiued their wordes and were Baptised about iij. M. hys Apostles remembryng how their maistâ—â— Christ at his last Supper did institute and leaue them this holy Sacrament of his body and bloud to be celeâ—â—ated and done in his remembraunce among such as had receiued his Gospell were Baptised had professed hys fayth and would perseuer in his Religion dyd now in this first congregation celebrate the Lordes Supper breakyng the bread and eatyng it as Christ dyd teach them which Supper Luke and Paule called afterward the breakyng of the bread As Actes ij saying That they which gladly had now received Peters acte were baptised were perseuering in the doctrine of the Apostles and in the communioÌ„ and in the breakyng of the bread and in prayer whiche Sacrament was now a token of the perseueraunce in theyr Christen Religion now professed Of this breakyng of bread Luke writyng of Paule commyng vnto Troades sayth also that their vpon a Sabboth day when the Disciples were come together vnto the breakyng of the bread Paule made a Germon duryng to mydnight c. And that this was no common nor prophane vse but an heauenly Sacrament and a reuerent rite and vsage the circumstaunces of the action declare both in Luke and Paule shewyngit to be the very institutioÌ„ that Christ ordeyned at his Supper Paule thus recitynge this breakyng of the breake saying The bread whiche we breade is it not the felowshyp of the body of Christ y t is to say doth it not signifie vs to be the body of Christ that is hys congregation and people as doth the wordes folowyng declare Paule addyng the cause saying For we beyng many are all together siguified by the one loafe to be one body for that we be partakers of the same bread Also before he calleth in the same Supper the cup of thankes geuyng the felowshyp of the bloud of Christ that is to say the congregation redemed with Christes bloud The holy Sacrament therefore would God it were restored vnto the pure vse as y e Apostles vsed in it their tyme. Would God the secular princes which should be the very pastours and head rulers of their congregations coÌ„mitted vnto their cure would first coÌ„maunde or suffer the true preachers of Gods woorde to preache the Gospell purely and playnly with discrete libertie and constitute ouer eche particulare Parish such Curates as caÌ„ and would preach the word and that once or twise in the Weeke appoyntyng vnto theyr flocke certeyne dayes after their discretion and zeale to Godward to come together to celebrate the Lordes Supper At the which assemble the Curate would propone and declare them first this texte of Paule i. Corinthians xj So oft as ye shall eate this bread and drinke of this cuppe see that ye be ioyous prayse and giue thankes preachyng the death of the Lord c. whiche declared and euery one exhorted to prayer he would preach them purely Christ to haue dyed and bene offered vpon the altare of the Crosse for theyr redemption whiche onely oblation to be sufficieÌ„t sacrifice to peace the fathers wrath and to purge all the sinnes of the world Then to excite them with humble diligence euery man vnto the knowledge of hym selfe hys sinnes and to beleue and trust to the forgyuenesse in Christes bloud and for this so incomparable benefite of our redemption whiche were sold bondemen to sinne to geue thankes vnto God the father for so mercyfull a deliueraunce through the death of Iesu Christ euery one some singyng and some saying deuoutly one or other Psalme or prayer of thankes gyuyng in the mother toung Then the bread and wyne set before them in the face of the Churche vpon the table of the Lord purely and honesty layed let hym declare to the people the significations of those sensible signes what the action and deede moueth teacheth and exhorteth them vnto and that the bread and wyne be no prophane common signes but holy Sacramentes reuerently to be considered and receiued with a depe fayth and remembraunce of Christes death and of the shedyng of his bloud for our sinnes those sensible thynges to represente vs the very body and bloude of Christ so that while euery man beholdeth with his corporall eye those sensible Sacraments the inward eye of his fayth may see beleue stedfastly Christ offred and dying vppon the Crosse for his sinnes how his body was broken and his bloud shed for vs and hath giuen hym selfe whole for vs hym selfe to be all ours and what soeuer he dyd to serue vs as to bee made for vs of hys father our righteousnes our wisedome holynesse redemption satisfaction c. Then let this preacher exhort them louyngly to draw neare vnto this table of the Lord and that not onely bodely but also their hartes purged by fayth garnished with loue and innoceney euery man to forgyue eche other vnfaynedly and to expresse or at least wise to endeuour them to folow that loue whiche Christ dyd set before our
Christes Church 345. b Officer not the priuate person must aduenge 191. a Offryng dayes and priuey tithes 136. a ffrings what they meant 204. a. of ripe fruites 424. b. at first masses of Priestes 336. b. maintaine Po Opish miracles 159. b ffenders open openly to be rebuked 345. a Old translation 318. b Old commaundement what 403. b Old ceremonies preachers to the people 273. a Old Pharisaicall practise now practised by Papistes 340. a Old â—estament wherupon built 9. b Old man must be put of 80. b Old Adam byndâ—tl â–ª our consciences 47. a Opinions Popish waueryng how bred 329. a. and 170. b Opinions iij. touchyng the Sacrament of the last Supper 445. a Oppresâ—ion of sure doctrine 289. a Opportunitie 455. a. and b Orders 322. a. in teachyng 103. b. of iustifiyng 330. b. of Scholemen ouerthwart 103. b. of S. Paules doctrine 43. b Orders how euery man may preach and how not 198. a. Papall compared with orders Apostolical 354. b compared with Christes doctrine 353. b Ordinaries hangmen to the faithfull 319. a Ordinaunce of rulers 186. a Ornamentes 273. b Originall of good workes whence 10. b Oth of a witnes may be taken 309. b. vnlawfull may be broken 137. a agaynst charitie to be broken 315. b Otho kyng of Saxons 252. a Ouercommers of the world who 421. a Ouerthrow of our forefathers was freewill 16. a Oules and Papistes alike in abhorryng light 1. b Outward Popery is the worshyp of the vnfaythfull 422. b Outward signes required of Christ by the Iewes 457. b Outward deede fulfilleth not the law 117. a Outward oyle not auaylable 409. a P. PAce an Ambassadour 372. a Paâ—…e taking how delightsome to God 229. a Paphnutius his opinion concernyng mariage 317. b Papisticall schole doctrine corrupteth youth 103. b Papisticall Doctours repugnaunt 102. b. their argumentes 88. a. their gloses conâ—uted 474. b. their workes 79. a Papistes caÌ„ do miracles 300. b. teach with the mouth onely 267. b still purge their patientes 166. a. of the carnall opinion of the Iewes 459. b. cannot abide Scripture 287. b. 319. a. wrest the Scriptures 466. b. perâ—ert the Scripture ibid. suppressors of Scriptures 1. b. walke in shadowes 125. a Papistes great iugglers 201. a. persecutours 448. b. furious agaynst their aduersaries 447. a. persecutyng tyrauntes 319. b. blousheders 363. b. children of this world 268. b throw downe Kynges and Emperours â—27 a. heare not Christes voyce 126. b. fruites of their earthly Gods 126. b. why they will not haue Scriptures in English 128. a. preach woorkes for their owne profite 334. b. trust in workes as they should in Christ 246. a Papistes and Phariseis make sinne of no sinne 29. b Papistes will louse nothyng 305. a. forecasters of perils 370. a. make no accompt of periury 376. a. abolish the true doctrine of Sacramentes 422. a. enemyes to all good learning 278. a. know all other meÌ„s counsell 102. a Papistes haue a way of their owne to heauen 170. a. their malicious pratyng 475. b. haue robbeâ— many realmes of the Gospel and all goodnes 116. b. Churchtheiues 20. a. winne what others loose 165. b Papistes abuse the Sacramentes 13 b. agaynst the Popes lawes 341. a. hate Scriptures as oules do light 1. b. their contrary preachyng 102. b locke vp the Scripture that they onely may expounde the same 23. b. their grounde for vnwritten verities 473. b. cannot expounde their ceremonies 131. b. sworne to theyr wicked liuyng 305. a Papistes and peripatetiques theyr doctrine 88. b Parable how to vnderstaÌ„d it 78. b. of the Samaritane expounded 285. b Parcialitie in Erasmus 2. a Parcialitie in a preacher for feare of persecutioÌ„ odious 196. b. in iudges is wicked 122. b Pardons 173. a Pardons surer then the Popes pardon 223. a Parentes to vs in Gods stede 107. a how they trye their childrens loue 12. a Parish Priest 102. b Parliament 314. b. at Bury 363. b Paschall lambe 282. a. 273. b. figured the Lordes Supper 468. a. how spiritually fulfilled in Gods kyngdome 440. a Paschall lambe and Christes death compared together 440. a Patience in sufferyng 454. a. bryngeth libertie 119. a Paule 103. a. a persecutour 39. b. 275. a. a carefull preacher 402. a. describeth the Pope 290. a. aunswereth the Papistes concernyng iustification 44. knew not Masse 287. a. preached Christ and not him self 391. b. how he rebuketh hypocrites 44. a. condemneth all hypocrisie ibid. no preacher of worldly wisedome 170. b. gaue faythfull counsâ—… without vexyng mens consciences 129. a. teacheth mariage of Priests 312. b. calleth the Sacrament bread after the consecration 472. a. a fatherly instructor to Timothy 252. rebuked Peter to his face 344. b. his Epistles are the Gospell 127. a his traditions were the doctrine of the Gospell 286. b. the order of hys doctrine 43. b Paule and Peter equals 359. a. aboue Peter in Apostleshyp 126. a. his Apostleship how proued 126. a Paul excommunicated but Papistes burne 339. b. lacked Ministers 109. a. retayned not Onesâ—…us froÌ„ his master 109. a Pax. 276. a Peace makyng 193. b Peace of conscience 194. b Pelagius his heresie 407. b Penaunce 426. b. profitable to Papistes 254. a. abused by shauelyngs 397. b Penaunce put for repentauÌ„ce 146. a People of two sortes deceiued 379. b People why called to the teÌ„ple 282. a People beleue in the worke without the promise 153. a Persecution for the truth obtayneth lyfe 190 b Persecution of Papistes 195. a. at Rysellâ—s in Flaunders At Saint Luke 454. b Persecutors of the spirituall 308. a. of the word threatned 100. b Perfect Christians in no daunger 48. a Perfect kepyng of the law 40. a Perfection 216. b. ioyned with repentaunce and strong fayth 386. b Performance of mans pretense not of hym selfe but of God 17. a. of an euill oth double sinne 209. a Persuasions of Papistes 448. a. of hypocrites 341. b Partakers of Gods promise professe the law 185. a Pestilence of Princes what 123. a Peter his patrimonie 124. b. was neuer scholer in the Arches 135. b Peter rebuked openly of Paule 344. b Peter and Iohn their puttyng on of handes 152. b Peter shewed Gods power 344. a. called chief of the Apostles why 343. b. in what respect so called ibidem preached but so doth not the Pope 357. a. practised his keyes 123. b. sent to preach in Samaria 344. a. preached playne Scripture 170. b. his seat and his keyes are his doctrine 359. a. his seate Christes Gospell ibid. his submission to his brethren 344. a. prophesieth of the popes spiritualtie Epist 2. cap. 2. 55. a. his fayth strong 261. a. his possessions 352. a Pety pillage 136. a Phariseis applyed all to their deedes 205. condemned of Christ 17. a Phariseis nearer the true Churche then Papistes 201 b Phariseis rebuked 17. a. agree with Papistes in doctrine 17. b. clense their soules with theyr owne workes 30. a. their actes all outward 202. b. their freewill 16. b Pharao confessed his
in lawe whom he did so valiauntly fight withall and confounde that he connerted Rastall to his part Then he was â—â—ryed to Lambith before the Bishop of Caunterburie and afterward to Croydon where was present StepheÌ„ Gardiner Bishop of Winchester who had béene his tutor in Cambridge as aforesayd and séemed to owe vnto him greate loue and fauour but in the stéede thereof he found in the ende his great malice and tyrannye and last of all he was called before the Bishoppes in a Common assemblye at London where he so costantly defended him selfe that he had preuailed if he might haue bene heard as indéed he was not The order of his iudgment with the maner of his examinatioÌ„ and Articles which were obiected agaynst him are comprised and set forth by himselfe in a letter written to his frendes which letter also is imprinted and set forth in this booke After sentence geuen against him by the Byshop of London he was delyuered to the Maior Shirifes of the sayd Citie Syr Stephen pecocke a simple man being then Maior and forth with he was committed to new gate where he was put into y e Dungeon vnder the sayd Gate and laden with Boltes and Irons as many as he could beare and his necke with a Coler of Iron made fast to a post so that he could neyther stand vpright nor stoupe downe yet was he there continually occupied in writing of diuerse thinges namely with a candell both day and night for there came none other light into that place And in this case he remayned iij. or iiij dayes and then was from thence caried into Smithféelde y e iiij day of Iuly 1533. where with great pacience and constancy he suffered that most hâ—lly and cruell death of burning And when the fyer was set on the faggottes he embraced the same in his Armes and with all pacience commytted his spirite vnto almighty God But this one thing is yet to bee remembred that he being bounde to the stake with an other good Martyr which was a very simple young man named Andrew Hewet there was present one Doctour Cooke that was person of the Church called Allhalowes in hony lane scituate in the myddes of Chepesyde And the sayd Cooke made an open exclamation and admonished the people that they should in no wise pray for them no more then they would doe for a dogg At which wordes Frith smyling desired the Lord to forgeue him But the vngodly and vncharitable wordes of the sayd Doctour did not a litle offende the people And thus for the testimony of the true doctrine of Christ which the sayd Frith sealed with his bloud the day and yeare afore sayd he dyed in the xxiiij yeare of his age as some saye but his parentes reported in the xxx yeare of his age IOHN FRITH VNTO the Christen Reader GRace and peace bee with thee ChristeÌ„ reader I am sure there are many that will much meruell couÌ„t it a great presumptioÌ„ that I beyng so young and of so small learnyng dare attempt to dispute this matter against these thre personages of the which nuÌ„ber two that is to say my Lord of Rochester and Sir Thomas More are auncient men both of great witte and dignitie Notwithstanding I will desire theÌ„ paciently to heare myne aunswere not aduertisyng who speaketh the wordes but rather what is sayd And as coÌ„cernyng myne youth let them remember what Paule monisheth i. Timot. iiij willyng that Timotheus should instruct the coÌ„gregration and that no maÌ„ should despise his youth for as the spirite of God is bound to no place cueÌ„ so is he not addict to any age or person but inspireth when hee will and where he will makyng the young to see visioÌ„s and espye the truth and the elders to dreame dreames and to wander in phantasies Actes 2. Ioel. 2. And as touchyng my learnyng I must nedes acknowledge as the truth is very small neuerthelesse that litle as I am bound haue I determined by Gods grace to bestow to the edifying of Christes congregation which I pray god to encrease in the knowledge of his word I would not that any man should admit my wordes or learnyng except they will stande with the Scripture and be approued therby Lay them to the touchstone and trye them with Gods word If they be found false and counterfaite then damne them and I shall also reuoke them with all myne hart But if the Scripture allow them that you can not deny but it so is then resist not y e doctrine of God but knowledge your ignoraunce and seduction and returne gladly into the right way For if you caÌ„ not improue it by Gods word and yet of an hate and malicious mynde that you beare to the truth labour to resist it condemne it that it should not spread I ensure you your sinne is irremissible and euen agaynst the holy ghost and the bloud of them that perish for fault of instruction shal be required on your handes Peraduenture some of you will say your fathers old progenitours â–ª with many holy men and Doctours haue so beleued that therfore you will abyde by the old I aunswere The wayes iudgementes of God are meruelous who knoweth whether God haue suffred his elect to erre and be seduced for a season to the entent that the vnfaithfull which would not beleue the truth but had pleasure in iniquity might stoÌ„ble at their errour into their vtter confusion and ruine Although a man be neuer so faythfull and holy yet is there much imperfectioÌ„ in him as long as he is included in this mortall body how be it it is not imputed vnto him but through y e fayth in Christes bloud who lye pacified and forgeuen And therfore it is not sure that we folow their exteour workes or other imaginatioÌ„s but let vs euer coÌ„ferre them vnto the pure word of God and as the Scripture testifieth so let vs receaue them My Lord of Rochester doth testifie him selfe writyng vpon the xviij Article that there are many pointes both of the Gospels and other Scriptures which are now discussed more diligeÌ„tly and more clearely vnderstand then they haue bene in tymes past And addeth furthermore that there are diuerse places in Scripture yet some deale darke which he doubteth not but that they shal be more open and light vnto our posteritie for why shal we dispaire of that saith he sith that the Scripture is for that entent left with vs that it may be vnderstaÌ„d of vs exactly and to the vttermost point Of this may you euidently perceaue that the old fathers and holy Doctours haue not sene all the truth But somewhat is also left through the high prouision of God to be discussed of their successours And therfore is it not mete that we straight wayes cleaue vnto their wordes with out any further ensearchyng the scriptures but we must examine all thyngs by the
Scriptures although S. Paule or Peter should preach it vnto vs as we see experience Actes xvij that whē Paule preached the audience dayly searched the Scriptures whether it were as he sayd But you haue bene of long continuance secluded from the scriptures whiche is cause of such grosse errours as ye are now fallen in so that ye could neither search them nor yet once looke on them Alas what blindnes doth occupy our eyes Are ye so childish to beleue that the same worde whiche hath made the vnfaythfull and heretickes faythfull and Christen in tymes past is nowe so farre altered that it should cause the faythfull and Christen to become heretickes I praye God open your eyes Howbeit wee may nowe well tast at our fingers endes that we haue long bene in that miserable case that Paule prophesied vppon vs. ij Thes ij that God hath sent vs strong delusions because we would not receaue y e knowledge of the truth what greater delusion can we haue then to thinke that the very woorde of God whiche was written for our comforte which is the very fode and sustenaunce of our soules whiche is the sure metyarde and perfect touchstone that iudgeth and examineth all thynges to thinke I saye that this wholesome worde should be our poyson and condemnation And all be it our forefathers haue lyued without it and receaued all for truth that our Prelates belyes haue imagined yet is not theyr fault ours a like although I can not excuse their ignoraunce but that it is sinne before the face of God for they had not the light of Gods word opened vnto thē Nowe sith we haue the light declared vnto vs and yet will procede in blynd ignorauncie and not conferre and examine these iugglyng mistes with the light of Gods word our ignoraunce is wilfull and without excuse Suffer therefore all thynges what soeuer they be to be tryed and examined by the Scripture If they be true then shall the Scripture doe them no hurt but stablish and strēgthen them for the Scripture discloseth nothyng but falsehead and cōdemneth nothyng but that is damnable And now to descend vnto our matter and disputation whiche is of Purgatory I shall shew you what occasiō I had to take it in hand I wrote a letter vnto a certaine frende in England desiryng hym instantly to send me certaine bookes which I though necessary for my vse and were not to be gotten in these parties as the Chronicles Syr Thomas Mores booke agaynst the Supplication of Beggers and certein other These bookes I receaued vpon S. Thomas day before Christmasse the yeare of our Sauiour a. M. ccccc xxx with a letter written in this forme Sir I haue sent you such bokes as you wrote for and one moe of Rastels makyng wherin he goeth about to proue Purgatory by naturall Philosophie whiche thyng quoth he I thinke be more easie to do thē to proue it by any good Scripture c. This stuffe receaued I was meruelously desirous and tickled to see what reasons he brought for his probations And in the begynnyng and Prologe of the booke he set seuen reasons which he sayd that fonde felowes alledged for thē to proue that there could be no Purgatory And in deede they are very fonde that would deny Purgatory if there were no better Argumentes to confute it then hee assigneth But by Gods grace I will propounde vij times seuen which shal haue such pith that their paineful purgatory shall not bee able to abyde the worst of them for these seuē that Rastell assigneth are not worth one Beane When I had read and well pondered these reasons I thought that hee should sharpely haue confuted thē as he might full well haue done specially sith they were but of his owne imagination Neuerthesse when I came vnto his solutions I founde not one but it had certaine poyntes repugnaūt vnto the Scripture vnto which our reason must euer be obediēt yea and also they were extremely iniurious vnto Christ and his precious bloud Then left I him read Syr Thomas Mores booke to see what Scripture might bee brought for that purpose and after that made I diligēt enquire to come by my Lord of Rochesters booke which also writeth on the same matter and when I had well examined their reasons and had sene the order and processe of the Scriptures whiche they alledged I founde that clearely verified whiche Aulus Gellius sayeth that it were a great deale better for a man to bee sharpely rebuked yea and openly to haue his faultes published of his enemy then to bee coldly and slenderly praysed of his frende For a mans enemy ensearcheth narrowly and gathereth together all that he can imagine and so accuseth a man more of a fumous heate then of any veritie and therfore the audience if they be wise consider his woordes therafter and so geue very small credence or els none vnto them But if a mans frende before audience doe prayse hym slenderly and coldly it is an argument that the person is very faultie for a frende beholdeth all qualities and circumstaunces his byrth bringyng vp what feates hee hath done all hys lyfe long yea and applieth many thynges vnto his frendes prayse whiche serue but sinally for it for he will leane nothing behynd that may be imagined to employ his frendes fame and honour Now if in all these pointes he can not colour out a glorious apparant laud but is compelled for lacke of matter to prayse his frēd slenderly then if the audiēce be wise they may soone cōiecture that he is no prayse worthy also may well doubt whether that small prayse which he gaue him be true or not Euē so when I had read these bookes of Syr Thomas More and my Lord of Rochester and saw the small probations slender reasons that those two witty and learned men had brought to confirme Purgatory considering also that they are the chiefest frendes proctours and patrones therof and that they had applied many reasons and Scriptures for their purpose for lacke of matter that rather made against them yea and not that onely but also that they dissented betwene them selues in their probations for M. More sayth that there is no water in Purgatory And my Lord of Rochester sayth that there is water Master More sayth that the ministers of the punishmēt are deuils And my Lord of Rochester sayth that the ministers of the punishment are aungels Master More sayth that both the grace and charitie of them that lye in the paynes of Purgatory are increased My Lord of Rochester saith that the soules in Purgatory obtain there neither more fayth nor grace nor charitie then they brought in with them These thynges cōsidered it made mine hart yerne and fully to cōsent that this their paynefull Purgatory was but a vayne imagination and that it hath of long time but deceaued the people and milked them from their
also coueteth to counterfayte his kinsmaÌ„ although the beames of his braines be nothyng so radiaunt nor his coÌ„ueyaunce so commendable in the eyes of the wise Notwithstandyng this Rastell hath enterprised to dilate this matter and hath diuided it into three Dialoges imaginyng that two men dispute this matter by natural reason and Philosophie secludyng Christ and all Scripture The one of them that should dispute this matter he calleth Gingemen fayneth hym to be a Turke and of Mahometes law The second he nameth Comingo an Almany of Christes fayth And he maketh the Turke to teach the Christen maÌ„ what he should beleue The first Dialoge goeth about to proue by reason that there is a God which is mercyfull and righteous The second entendeth to proue that the soule of a man is immortall Agaynst these two Dialogues I will not dispute partly because this treatise should not be ouer long and tedious and partly because that those twoo poyntes which he there laboureth to proue are such as no Christen man will deny although many of his probations are so slender that they may well be improued but as concerning his thyrd Dialogue wherin he would proue Purgatory it is wholly iniurious vnto the bloude of Christe and the destruction of all Christen fayth if men were so mad as to beleue his vayne persuasions And therfore I thought expedient to coÌ„pare this third Dialoge with all the deceitfull reasons vnto the true light and pure worde of God that at the least Rastell hym selfe might perceiue his owne blind ignoraunce and returne agayne into the right way And if any man haue bene deceiued through his booke as I trust there are but few except they bee very ignoraunt that they may repent with hym and glorifie GOD for his inestimable mercy which hath sent his light into this world to disclose and expell theyr darke and blynd ignorauncy that they may see his wayes and walke in them praysing the Lord eternally Amen The first Booke whiche is an aunswere vnto Rastelles Dialogue THere is no man as I thinke that hath a naturall wytte but hee will graunt me that this booke of Rastels making is either true or false If it be false theÌ„ how so euer it séeme to agrée with naturall reason it is not to be allowed if it be true then must we approue it Naturall reason must bee ruled by Scripture If naturall reason conclude agaynst the Scripture so is it false but if it be agréeyng to Scripture then is it to be heard Of this may I conclude that if Rastels booke be agréeyng to Scripture then is it true and to be allowed if it determine coÌ„trary to the Scripture then is it false and to bee abhorred how soeuer it séeme to agrée with naturall reason Now is there no Christen maÌ„ but hee beleueth surely that if Christ had not dyed for our sinnes we should all haue bene damned perpetually neuer haue entred into the ioyes of heauen whiche thyng is easie to be proued for Paule sayth Rom. 5. As thorough one maÌ„s sinne that is AdaÌ„ ensued death in all meÌ„ vnto condeÌ„natioÌ„ Euen so thorough one mans righteousnes which is Christ came righteousnes in al men vnto y e iustification of lyfe Also Iohn xi It is necessary that one man dye for the people that all the people perishe not so that we had ben condemned and had perished perpetually if Christ had not dyed for vs. But Rastel with his Turke Gingemin excludeth Christ and knoweth not of his death wherfore al y t reasoÌ„s that they can make vnto domesday caÌ„ neuer proue Purgatory except they imagine y â— we must first go to Purgatory and then after to hell for this is a playne coÌ„clusioÌ„ that without Christ whom they exclude we can neuer come to heauen what fondnes were it then to inuent a Purgatory Now may you sée that Rastels booke is fully aunswered and lieth already in the dyrte and that his thyrd Dialogue is all false and iniurious vnto the bloud of Christ As for the first and second Dialogue although there be some errours both agaynst Diuinitie and all good Philosophy yet wil I passe them ouer for they are not so blasphemous agaynst God and his Christe as the thyrd is Notwithstandyng I will not thus leaue his booke although I might full well but I will declare vnto you what solutions he maketh to these seueÌ„ weake reasons which he hath propounded hym selfe for hee auoydeth them so slenderly that if a man had any doubte of Purgatory before it would make hym sweare on a booke that there were none at all Besides that it hath not one solutioÌ„ but there are in it certaine pointes repugnauÌ„t vnto Scripture so that it is greate shame that any Christen man should Printe it and much more shame that it should be Printed with the kynges priuilege The first and chiefest reason that moueth this man yea and all other to affirme Purgatory is this whiche he putteth both in the first Chapter of his third Dialogue and also in y â— last Man sayth he is made to serue and honour God now if man be negligent about the commaundements of God and committe some veniall sinne for which he ought to be punished by the iustice of God dye sodenly without repentaunce and haue not made sufficieÌ„t satisfactioÌ„ vnto God here in the worlde hys soule ought neither immediatly to come into the glorious place of heauen because it is somewhat defouled with sinne neither ought it to go to hell vnto eternal daÌ„natioÌ„ but by al good order of iustice that soule must bee purged in an other place to make satisfactioÌ„ for those offences that it may afterward â—ee receiued into the glorious place of heaueÌ„ And so by the iustice of God there must nedes be a Purgatory Forsoth this reason hath some apperaunce of truth and the similitude of wisedome howbeit in déede it is nothyng but mans imagination and phantasie For if we compare it vnto Gods word then vanisheth it away But we regarde not the word of the Lord and therfore chaunceth eueÌ„ the same thyng vnto vs that happened before vnto the children of Israell Psal 81. My people regarded not my voyce and Israell gaue no bede vnto me therfore let I them go after the appetites of their owne harts They shall wander in their owne imaginations Now what goe they about in this their inuention and imaginatioÌ„ of Purgatory but to ponder the iustice of God in the balance of maÌ„s iustice saying It is no reason that we should enter into heauen which haue not here satisfied vnto God for our iniquitie except that we should be tormeÌ„ted and purified in an other place We were surely in euill takyng if God were of mans coÌ„plection which remitteth the fault and reserueth the payne Nay nay Christ is not gredy to be auenged He thirsteth not after our bloud but suffered all
be we come vnto the seueÌ„th reason which is in the. xiiij chap. The argumeÌ„t is this God is the very owner of all and thy neighbour hath no propertie but as a seruauÌ„t to God as but to make accompt to God Therfore when thou doest an offence to God and to thy neyghbour wheÌ„ God forgeueth it thou nedest no other satisfactioÌ„ vnto thy neighbour And to stablish his reasoÌ„ hée bringeth in a stmilitude which is nothing to y e purpose The similitude is this I put case thou haue a seruaunt whom thou puttest in trust to occupy for thee to make bargaynes chaunge and sell to thy vse to take bondes and agayn to make acquitaunces and releases in hys own name If this seruaunt sell part of thy ware and take an obligation for the payment of xx pounde if thou afterward knowyng of this either for loue or some other cause wilt make vnto the sayd debtour a cleare release I suppose no maÌ„ will deny but that this debtour is fully discharged of this xx pounde and is not bounde by any iustice to make any satisfaction either vnto thy seruaunt or to any other man For thou art the very owner therof and thy seruaunt had but the occupation as to geue the accoumptes therof This similitude can not well be applyed vnto God man For albeit it is true that all our substaunce pertaineth vnto God as it is writteÌ„ Agge ij Gold is myne and siluer is myne yet hath not God geuen it vs to occupy it for his profite and vse as the seruaunt doth for his master but onely that we should vse his giftes for y e profite of our neighbour and to y e vse of the coÌ„gregation i. Cor. xij And where as he induceth that when God forgeueth vs whiche is the principall part y t thou néedest no other satisfaction to â—hy neighbour I aunswere that God forgeueth no maÌ„ which had offended his neighbour vnlesse that he make satisfaction vnto his neighbour if he be able but if he be not able yet is he bound to knowledge his faulte vnto his neighbour and then is hys neighbour bound vnder the payne of damnatioÌ„ to forgeue him so that God neuer forgeueth vntyll thy neyghbour be pacified in case the cryme extende vnto thy neighbour This soluteth â—oth the reason and also improueth the similitude Now let vs declare his solution God of him selfe hath two powers One is an absolute power and an other is an ordinary power The absolute power is the authoritie that God hath ouer all thing in the world by that he may geue to euery creature what pleaseth him and also forgeue euery offence done by any creature at his pleasure without any cause And by this may he forgeue both the crime done towardes him selfe and also towards my neighbour But by his ordinary power hee doth euery thyng by order of iustice and equitie And by this can he not forgeue the offence done to him and my neyghbour without satisfaction Now would I fayne wete whether Rastel imagine y e God by his absolute power may saue y e vnfaithful daÌ„ne the faithfull If he say nay then may I coÌ„clude y e Rastels diffinition is false where he saith that god by his absolute power may geue to euery creature what pleaseth him and also forgeue euery offence done by any creature at his pleasure without any cause If he say yea theÌ„ must I coÌ„clude that God hath power to do contrary to hys Scripture for the Scripture saith that he that beleueth and is Baptized shal be saued but â—e that beleueth not shal be condemned Mark xvi Now if he graunt me that he hath power to do against his scripture â—â—th his Scripture is the truth his own word then must it néedes folow y e he hath power to doe agaynst his truth consequeÌ„tly he hath power to be false and so to sinne And sith â—â—th hee hath power agaynste hys owne word and that word is his sonne theÌ„ must we graunt hym power agaynst hys sonne euen to make hym a lyer where he sayth in the foresayd texte Mark xvi And sith hys sonne is God then hath God power to doe agaynst God and so can not his kingdome indure Math. xij Furthermore if I might be bold w t Rastel I wold aske him this questioÌ„ whether God haue not an absolute iustice as well as an absolute power If God haue also an absolute iustiee then can not his absolute power preuayle vntil his absolute iustice be fully counterpesed And so is it false that Rastell begynneth withall that God by his absolute power may forgeue euery offence at his pleasure without any cause For as I sayd his absolute iustice must néedes be satisfied fully counterpesed If Rastell dare say that God hath an absolute power and no absolute iustice then taketh he his pleasure in déede For if he make one Nocionall in God greater then an other by this word Nocionall which y e Scholemen vse I would you should vnderstand the goodnes wisedome power iustice and mercy of God c. then shall he make a dissentioÌ„ in God and imagine that one Nocionall subdueth an other yea and besides that sith eche one of these Nocionals is very God for the power of God is nothyng but God hym selfe and the iustice of God is nothyng but God hym selfe so forth of all the other then if his power were greater then his iustice it shuld folow y e God were greater theÌ„ God consequeÌ„tly we should haue a great God and a litle God and moe Gods then one such reuell maketh Rastel with his Turke But the Christen beleue that one power of God is no greater then an other and that hys power is not aboue hys iustice neither hys iustice aboue hys mercy c. And so may you sée that Rastels imagination of Gods absolute power is but very childish and vnsauery For he hath no power agaynst his Scripture and hym selfe Thus finish his seuen reasons with their solutions But yet that his worke should loÌ„g indure all tempestes and stormes he addeth a batelment and weather stone to auoyde and shote of the rayne for feare it should soke in and make his buildyng decay And ther with concludeth his booke To beleue sayth hee that there were no Purgatory to purge and punish our sinnes after we be departed should put away that drede of God from the most part of the people and geue them boldnes to commit offences and sinnes And agayne if the people should beleue that they neuer neede to make any satisfaction nor restitution to their neighbours for the wronges done vnto them they should neuer force nor care what iniuries extortions theftes robberies and murthers they did Finally if they beleued that such a light repeÌ„taunce should be sufficient without any other satisfaction to be made it should be an occasion to destroy all
Christen for they beleue that we are fallē from all truth and vtterly dāned But they thinke that there is a Purgatory for them selues wherin they shal be purged punished vntill they haue made full satisfactiō for their sinnes committed but that is false for neither Turkes Saracenes Paynimes nor Iewes whiche beleue not in Christ haue or euer shall enter into any Purgatory but they are all dāned wretches because they beleue not in Iesu Christ Iohn 3. Now sith they be deceaued for they haue no Purgatory but are all damned as many as beleue not Alas what blindnes is that to argue that we must folow them which are both blynd and out of the right way After this disputeth he by naturall reason that there must be a Purgatory his disputation continueth a leafe and an halfe out of the which Rastell tooke all his booke And so are all his apparent reasons disclosed before agaynst Rastell Then begynneth he with the Scripture on this maner IT semeth very probable and likely that the good kyng Ezechias for no other cause wept at the warning of his death geuen him by the Prophet but onely for the feare of Purgatory The story is written 4. Kinges 2. And Esay 38. Exechias was sicke vnto the death And Esay the Prophete and sonne of Amos came vnto him saying this sayth the Lord dispose thy house for thou shalt dye and not liue He turned his face vnto the wall and prayed the Lord saying I beseche thée Lord remember I pray thée how I haue walked before thée in truth and in a perfite hart haue done that thyng which is pleasaunt acceptable before thée Then Ezechias wept with great cryeng these are the wordes of the text We cā not perceaue by the text that he was a great sinner but rather the contrary for he sayth that hee had walked before the Lorde in truth and in a perfite hart hath done that thyng which is pleasaunt and acceptable before the Lord. And therfore it is nothyng lyke that hee should feare Purgatory neither yet hell Thou wilt peraduēture aske me if he wept not for feare of Purgatory why did he then wepe I will also aske you a question and then will I shew you my minde Christ dyd not onely wepe but feared so sore that he sweat like droppes of bloud runnyng downe vppon the earth whiche was more then to wepe Now if I should aske you why Christ feared sweate so sore what would you aūswere me that it was for feare of the paynes of Purgatory forsooth he that would so aunswere should be laughed to scorne of all the world as he were well worthy Wherfore was it then Verely euen for feare of death as it playnly appeareth after for he prayed vnto his Father saying my father if it be possible let this death passe fro me Math. xxvj So fearefull a thyng is death euen vnto the most purest flesh And euen the same cause will I assigne in Ezechias that he wept for feare of death and not for Purgatory Now procedeth he further promiseth to proue it by playne euident textes as it is very needefull for the text that hee alledged before is somewhat to farre wrested and yet will it not serue him Haue ye not sayth he the wordes of Scripture written in the booke of the kynges Dominus deducit ad in feros reducit Our Lord bryngeth folke down into hell and bringeth them thence agayne But they that bee in that where damned soules be they be neuer deliuered thence againe Wherfore it appeareth well that they whō God deliuereth and bryngeth thence agayne be in that part of hell that is Purgatory This texte is written in the first booke of the kynges and in the second chapter and they are the wordes of Anna which sayth The Lord doth kill quickē againe he ledeth downe into hell bryngeth agayne Here he thinketh to haue good hold But surely his hold will fayle hym for in this one text hee sheweth him selfe twise ignoraunt First because he knoweth not that the Hebrue word Sheol doth not signifie hell but a graue or a pitte that is digged As it is written Gene. 42. Si quid aduersitatis acciderit ei in terra ad quam pergitis deducetis canos meos cum dolore ad inferos that is if any euill chaūce vnto my sonne Beniamin in the lād whether you go you shall bryng down myne hoore heares with sorow vnto my graue not vnto hell nor yet vnto Purgatory for he thought neither to go to hell nor Purgatory for his sonne but thought that he should dye for sorrow if his sonne had any mischaunce Besides that he is cleane ignoraūt of the cōmon maner of all Prophetes which for y e most part in all Psalmes Hymnes and other songes of prayse as this is make the first ende of the verse to expounde the last and the last to expounde the first He that obserueth this rule shall vnderstand very much in the Scripture although hee be ignoraunt in the Hebrue So doth this place full well expounde it selfe without any imagination of Purgatory Conferre the first part of y e verse vnto the last and you shall easely perceaue it The first part of the halfe verse is this The Lord doth kill and that expoūdeth the other halfe of this verse where she sayth hee leadeth downe to hell so that in this place to kill and to leade downe to hell is all one thing And likewise in the second part of the halfe verse to quicken agayne and bryng agayne is all one thyng Now if any man be superstitious that hée dare not vnderstand this thyng as figurately spoken then may he verifie it vpon them that God raysed from naturall death as he did Lazarus Iohn xj And all beit no man can deny but that this sence is good and that the text may so be vnderstād yet in my minde we shal go more nye vnto the very and pure truth if we expounde it thus The Lord doth kill and quickē agayne he leadeth downe to hell and bringeth agayne that is hee bryngeth men into extreme affliction and miserie whiche is signified by death and hell and after turneth not hys face vnto them and maketh them to folow hym And to this well agréeth the. 78. Psalme that speaketh of the children of Israel which figure his elect Church and congregation Theyr yeares passed ouer in perpetuall trouble whē he destroyed or killed them then they sought hym they turned and besought him busely He meaneth not here that he had first killed them by temporal death and after their death made them to séeke hym but that he had wrapped them in extreme afflictions and perpetuall troubles and that he sore scourged them whē they brake his cōmaundements yet after turned his mercyfull face vnto hym Finally if you will haue the pure vnderstādyng of this place Note
him The wordes of Mathew are these I tell you that of euery idle woord that men speake shall they yéeld a reckoning in the day of iudgement but that leaueth he out full craftely Now let vs reason of thys text By the reckoning is vnderstood a punishment for the sinne as maister More sayth himself and thys reckoning shall be vppon the day of dome ergo then this punishment for sinne can not be before the day of dome but either vpon or els after the day of dome For God will not first punish them and then after reckon with them to punyshe them a new And so is purgatory quite excluded For all they that euer imagined any purgatory do put it before the iudgement for when Christ commeth to iudgement then ceaseth purgatory as they all consent neyther is there any prayer or suffrage which at that time can do any helpe at all And so hath master More by thys text geuen him selfe a proper fall Here may you sée how strong hys reasons are and what wil happen to him that taketh in hand to defend the falshode agaynst the truth of Goddes woord for hys reasons make more agaynst him then wysh him You may well know that if hys matter had ben any thing lykely he would haue coloured it of an other fashion But sith such a patrone so greatly commended for his conueyance wisedome handleth this matter so flenderly you may well mistrust hys cause Thys is the last reason grounded of Scripture wherwith he hath laboured to proue purgatory And after thys reason he reckeneth vp the doctours and sayth for his pleasure that al make for him but as touching the doctoures I will make a sufficient aunswer in the third part which is agaynst my Lorde of Rochester Thus he leaueth the Scripture which he hath full vnmanerly handled and now endeuoureth himselfe to proue his purpose by some probable reasons And first he bringeth in hys old argument that the church can not erre to the which reason I néede not to aunswer for William Tyndall hath declared aboundantly in a treatise which by Goddes grace you shall shortly haue what the church is and also that it both may erre doth erre if the pope and his adherents be the church as M. More imagineth AFter thys he confirmeth hys fantasie with phantasticall apparitions saying that there haue in euery country and in euery age apparitions bene had and well knowne testified by which men haue had sufficient reuelation and proofe of purgatorye Howe many haue by Gods most gracious fauour appeared to theyr freendes after theyr death and shewed themselues holpen and deliuered thence by pilgrimages almesdeedes prayer c. If they say that these be lyes then they be much worse then their master Luther himselfe for he consenteth in his sermons that many such apparitions bee true and they be true then must there needes be a purgatory Here playeth master More the suttle sophister and would deceiue men wyth a fallace which lyeth in thys woorde true so that when he sayeth that such apparitions be true thys sentence may be taken two maner of wayes One that it is true that such phantasticall apparitions do appeare to diuers and that I thinke no man be so folish but he will graunt him And yet in déede are they no soules but very deuils that so appeare to delude men that they should fall frō the the fayth of Christ and make a God of their owne workes trustyng to be saued thereby But to suppose this true that they are the soules of Purgatory which so appeare is very fonde false and agaynst all Scripture for Esay sayth shall we go from the quicke vnto the dead that is shall we enquire of the dead and beleue them in such pointes as cōcerne our wealth Nay sayth he but vnto the law witnes that is vnto God and his word And so are we monished by Esay in the. 8. that we beleue no such phantasies we are commaūded by the law of God that we enquire not of the dead not for the truth for God abhorreth it Deut. xviij Besides that the parable of the rich man and Lazarus doth vtterly condemne all such apparitions that they are no soules which appeare but very deuils For when the rich man desired that Lazarus might go warne his brethrē that they should not come into that place of payne Abrahā aunswered that they had Moses and the Prophetes addyng also that if they beleued not them then would they not beleue although one should rise agayne and tell it them And so may I conclude that it were in vayne to send them any such apparitions of soules that in very déede there are no soules sent of God but that they are verely deuils whiche come to delude the people to withdraw them from Christ Furthermore all men graunt that the appearyng of Samuell was but an illusion of the deuill thou shalt finde the story i. Reg. xxviij It is not long sith such a question was moued in Oxford the thing was this there was a poore man of the coūtrey whiche was sore troubled with such apparitions for there came a thyng to him which desired him to go certaine pilgrymages and to do certaine other ceremonies whereby it sayd that it should be deliuered from innumerable torments which it now suffered The poore man beleued that this thyng sayd truth and dyd as it commaunded Notwithstandyng it came so often vnto him that what with labour and what with feare the mā was almost besides him selfe and then was hee sent to Oxford to aske counsell what was best to bee done The question was moued to one Doctour Nicolas and hee affirmed by by that it was no soule but the very deuill and that he should no more folow the fendes appetite Then was it moued to D. Kyngton and he affirmed the same Finally they enquyred of D. Roper what his minde was therin he sayd that he would looke on his booke and when he had looked his pleasure he gaue this aunswere Let him alone a while quoth he and I warraunt you that this felow shall either hang him selfe or drowne hym selfe or come to some other mischief Thus determined these men whiche are a great deale to superstitious to dissent from any of the old Doctours yea or els from their owne Scholemen And yet would M. More make vs beleue that they were very soules that by such ceremonies they might be deliuered Now commeth M. More to solute those two reasons that were brought agaynst Purgatory in the Supplication of Beggers which was y t whole occasion of his booke And marke how slender his solutiōs are The first reason is this If there were any Purgatory out of which the Pope might deliuer one soule by hys pardon then may he by the same authoritie deliuer many and if he may deliuer many then may he deliuer them all The second reason is this
Now let vs consider your foresayd causes ponder whether your booke haue or may do any such good as you say pretended whether it haue conuerted those sortes of people or els be any thyng lykely to do such a fact And first let vs sée what it profiteth y t first sort which are infidels not beleuyng in Christ nor his scripture Our sauiour Christ sayth he that beleueth is not damned Iohn Baptist confirmeth the same saying he that beleueth in y e sonne hath euerlastyng lyfe but he that beleueth not in the sonne shal not sée life but the wrath of God abydeth vpon hym Here it is euidēt not by my exposition but by the consent of all Christen men that those infidels are damned for what entent then should Rastell teach them that there is a Purgatory without Christ ther is no way but dānation as scripture all faythfull men testifie Then would I know by what way he wold persuade that there were a Purgatory which should be away a meane to saluation and not to damnatiō for thē which beleue not in Christ This I am sure of and I thinke Rastell be leueth it also that the infideles shall neuer come in it though there were one This you may sée that his first cause is very vayne and that if they dyd beleue it they were in déede deceyued Now let vs procéede vnto the second sort of people which beleue in Christ and his scripture and yet misconstrue it expoundyng it after theyr own willes And let vs sée what frute they take of this booke what it profiteth them we shall finde that it lesse serueth these men then the first for if this men beleue in Christ and in hys Scripture then is it not possible that they should receaue or admitte that thyng which is agaynst the Scripture both by the exposition of them selues of all the world For this is both agaynst Scripture and all faithfull mē that there should be any way to health if we exclude Christ and hys Scripture And sith Purgatory is counted away to health he that would go about to proue it secludyng Christ and Scripture is agaynst Scripture and all faythfull men Besides that if they be so obstinate that they will not receaue the verye Scripture but expounde it after their own willes wrest it after the same then wil they much lesse receaue your booke which is so playne agaynst scripture therfore if you would thinke that they could bee tamed by your booke which notwithstandyng so wresteth Scripture then may I very wel lyken you to hym that hath a wilde horse to tame which when he perceiueth that hee can not hold hym with a scoktishe snafle will yet labour to breake him with a rootē twine threde So that I can espye no maner of profite that cā come of your booke if you can alledge no better causes then you yet shew but that it had bene a great deale better vnwritten And brother Rastel where you say that I auaunce boast my selfe much more then becommeth me and that I detract and slaūder my neighbours that I prouoke all men that read my booke rather to vyce then to vertue with such other thynges as ye lay to my charge I trust I shall declare my inconuenience and geue you a sufficient aunswere ¶ An aunswere to Rastels first chapter which reproueth me for boastyng my selfe IN the first chapter of this booke Rastell laboureth to proue that I am sore ouer séene in laudyng boastyng my selfe that I lyke my selfe so well that he is sure that other men do lyke me the lesse and that he feareth that God will therfore lyke me fauour me rather the worse then the better Here he iuggeleth wyth me and would make me beleue that he tossed me mine own ball agayne but when I beholde it I perceaue it to be none of mine for he hath cut out all that shoulde make for me so that he hath geuen it cleane an other shape then euer I entended that it should haue as it appeareth by hys writing which rehearseth my words in this maner I am sure there are many that maruell that I being so yong dare attempt to dispute thys matter agaynst these thrée persons But my wordes are these I am sure that there are many that will much maruell that I being so yong and of so smal learning dare dispute this matter c. Here Rastell leaueth out the wordes and of so small learning for if he had put that in he had bewrayed himselfe For I thincke no man so mad as to say that he which sayeth himselfe to be both yong and of small learning shoulde prayse and boaste hym selfe Also immediatly after the wordes of hys first allegation I say on thys maner And as touching my lerning I must needes acknowledge as the truth is that it is very small which I thinke is but a base boasting and anone after I say I would not that any man should admit my wordes or learning except they will stand wyth the scripture and be approued therby Lay them to the touchstone and trye them with Gods word if they be found false and contrary then damne them and I also shall reuoke them with all mine hart c. Finally I exhorted them to read my booke not aduertising who speaketh the wordes but rather what is spoken by which wordes you might well see that I entended not to boast my selfe and all this haue I written and be left it out euē in the first page as he calleth it wherin he reporteth that I boast my selfe Notwithstanding one thing doth sore vexe him that I should recite the Epistle of S. Paule wherby he saith I would haue men beleue that I had the spirite of God and thinke that though I be young that I sée visions and espye the truth and that myne elders haue dreamed dreames and wandered in phantasies Thys he recounteth to be a great boast and that thys one place shoulde winne him the fielde whereunto I aunswer that indéede my wordes do not proue that thing which you séeme so surely to gather of them but my wordes do argue on this maner that no man ought to condemne a thing before he read it and then to geue sentence and because you séeme ignoraunt in the matter I shall declare it vnto you and how it standeth It is a coulour of Rhetorike and is called Auantopodosis that is to saye An aunswere to an obiection that a man might haue here made on thys maner thou grauntest thy self yong and of so small learnyng doost thou then thinke that we shall once read or regard thy booke specially sith it is written against auncient mē both of great wit dignity To these two pointes I aunswer preuenting theyr obiection that they should not despise it because of my youth for as the spirite of God is bound to
no place euen so is he not addict to any age or person but enspyreth where he will when he will and bring in for an example that he enspyred yong Timothy prouing thereby that the youth of it selfe is not to be despised but according to the learning which it bringeth and that therfore they may not despise my youth but first read what doctrine I bring and therafter to iudge it No more in this I proue not that I am enspyred and haue the spirite of God as Timothie had but onely proue that God may enspyre youth as he did Tymothe and that therefore ye ought first to read before you condemne for you know not who is enspyred and who not vntill you haue read theyr workes or séene theyr factes Thus you may sée that my wordes define not that all youth is enspired although some may be but I exhort that no man despise prophesies but proue all and approue that is good And to make the matter more playne I shall bring you an example out of Paule to the Hebrues which exhorteth them to hospitalitie for by that some men vnwares haue receaued Angels to harbour be not therefore vnmindfull of it Here Paule exhorteth you to hospitalitie and shewing you that by those meanes some men haue receaued angels into their house he would not haue you thinke y t all the gestes that you shall receaue shall be angels but some shall be leud losels And likewise I in exhorting you to read my booke and not despising my youth because that sometime God enspireth the yong would not haue you thinke that the bookes made of yong men which ye shall receaue shall be holesome doctrine but some men be lewd and vnfruitfull neuerthelesse euen as if they receaued not those gests they should also put away angels if any came So if you despise to read such bookes as be written by young men you may also fortune to despise them which are written by the inspiration of Christes spirit and therefore ye ought to read But be it in case I had indéed praised my selfe as I haue not and that I had sayd that I had the Spirite of God what inconuenience should folow thereof would you therof argue that my doctrine were false If that were a good argument then were Christes Doctrine false then were Paule a false prophet and our fayth nothing for Christ said to the Iewes that he was the light of the worlde And againe he sayd It is my Father that glorified me whome ye call your God Now if it had bene a sufficient argument to condemne hys doctrine because the world calleth it boasting thē should we haue beleued no truth at all Besides that Paul séemeth not a little to boast him selfe if men looke on it with a carnall eye for he sayth that he thincketh not him selfe inferiour vnto y t hyest Apostles and sayth againe that if they glory to be the ministers of Christ though he speake vnwisely he is more copious in labours in stripes aboue measure in prison more often often at the poynt of death c. Should we for these words thinke that his doctrine were not right Nayverely that doth not improue the doctrine but that it may be good holesome for a man may boast him selfe do well so he referre y t prayse to God from whom all goodnes commeth but be it in case that I should say that God of hys mere mercy and for the loue that he oweth me in Christ and hys bloud had geuen me hys spirite that I might be to his laude prayse to whom be thankes for euer Amen would you thinke that this were so greate a boastyng that the doctrine should be impayred therby Ah blinde guides I pray God geue you the light of vnderstandyng I beseche you brother Rastell be not discōtent with me if I aske you one question be ye a Christen man or no I am sure you will aunswere yes then if I brought you the text of Paule which sayth he that hath not y t spirite of God is none of his I pray you how will you auoyde it notwithstādyng if you wold auoyde y t text yet will I lay an other blocke in the way that you shal not be able to remoue and that is the saying of Paule 2. Corin. 13. Know ye not your selues that Christ is in you except ye be reprobate persons now how soeuer you would iudge of your selues I thinke verely that I am no such therfore whereas before I dyd not so write Now I certifie you that I am Christes cōclude what ye wil the day shall come that you shall surely know that so it is albeit in meane season I be reputed a laughyng stoke in this world for I know in whom I trust and he can not deceaue me Then bryngeth he against me that I say we haue bene long secluded frō the Scripture and also that our fore fathers haue not had y t light of Gods word opened vnto them I maruell what Rastell meaneth by bryngyng this for his purpose for I thinke it no boastyng of my selfe but if ye thinke that it be vntrue I thinke he is very blynde For what Scripture hath the poore commons bene admitted vnto euen til this day It hath bene hid and locked vp in a straunge tounge and from them that haue attayned the knowledge of that toung hath it bene locked with a thousand false gloses of Antichristes makyng and innumerable lawes And where I say our forefathers haue not had the light of Gods worde opened vnto them I meane that they haue not the Scripture in their owne mother toung that they might haue conferred these iugglyng mistes with the light of Gods word as the processe of my wordes can testifie which he hath holy left out but I besech the Christē reader once to read the place for my discharge and his confusion ye shall finde it in the secōd leafe of my booke And now he alledgeth agaynst me that I should say this iudge Christen reader what reasons Rastell hath brought and how he hath soluted thē for in my minde both his reasons and solutions are so childish and vnsauery so vnlearned and baren so full of faultes and phantasies that I rather pitie the mans déepe ignoraunce and blyndnes which hath so deceiued him selfe through Philosophie and naturall reason then I feare that he by his vayne probations should allure any man to consent vnto hym I thinke Rastell layeth not this agaynst me because I boast my selfe in these wordes And verely as touchyng the truth of those woordes I will adde thus much more vnto thē that I neuer wyst man y t was coūted wise whiche hath brought so slender reasons except he entended to destroy a thing which ye séeme to haue build And finally where as I exhorte all men to iudge and conferre the Scriptures which Syr Thomas
and if the righteous turn from his righteousnes and do iniquitie he shall die although thou shewe it hym not he shall die in hys sin but I wyll require his bloude at thy hand Take hede you curates vnto your charge and let no man excuse himselfe thorough ignoraunce FINIS Antithesis wherin are compared together Christes actes and the Popes gathered by Iohn Frith and annexed vnto the Reuelation of Antichrist which he translated 1529. ¶ Antithesis WE haue annexed Christen Reader vnto the end of the ReuelatioÌ„ a little treatise after the maner of an Epitome and shorte rehearsall of all thynges that examined more diligeÌ„tly in the aforesayd booke wherein their false and cloked hipocrisie is aboundantly opened by the compairing of Christes actes and theirs together for Christes rule can not bee deceauable whiche sayth that we should know theÌ„ by their workes for Paule saith that such false Apostles are wicked workers which be transfigured into Christes Apostles And no maruell for Sathan hym selfe is some tyme transfigured into an aungell of light therefore it is no great thyng if that his ministers do take vpon them a similitude as though they were the ministers of iustice whose ende shal be accordyng to their workes Christen men should marke such and flye away from theÌ„ for such serue not Christ but their owne bellyes And by sweete preachynges and flattering wordes deceaue the hartes of the innoceÌ„tes And euen as Iannes and Iambres withstode Moses euen so these resiste the truth men they are of corrupt myndes and lewed as concernyng the fayth but they shall preuayle no lenger for their madnesse shal be vttered vnto all meÌ„ as theirs was Thus the people be blynded fallyng into vnbelefe And are deceaued thorough the sleghty conueyaunce of Antichrist and his adherents Saint Iohn said that there were many Antichristes in his time no wonder if now be mo howbeit by their workes they shal be knoweÌ„ and also by their wordes for they shall contrary Christ both in lyfe learnyng whom they professe to folow Nowe let vs consider Popes Cardinalles Byshops Suffraganes Archdeacons Deacons Officials Persons Abbotes with Deans and Friers Sumners Pardoners and these Papal Notaries take hede to Monkes Chanons Ankers and He remites Nunnes and Sisters and marke how they folow Christ We will chiefly touch the head whiche is the Pope although it may be verified through all his members First CHrist was poore saying The Foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of maÌ„ hath not whereon to lay his head The Pope and his adherents are rich for the Pope sayth Rome is myne Sicilia is myne Corsica is myne c. And his adherentes haue also frutefull possessions this euery man knoweth 2. Christ was méeke and lowe and forsooke this worldly glory and fled alone vnto the mountaynes when the people woulde haue made him a kyng Saying my kingdome is not of this worlde The Pope is full high and proud saying I am a Lorde of both the realmes earthly and heauenly and the Emperour is my subiect This witnesseth his lawe Di. 96. ca. Si imperator 3 Christ full lowly and méekely washed his disciples féete The Pope sayth the Emperours and kynges shall knele and kysse my féete and is not ashamed to expresse it in the lawe ca. CuÌ„ olim de priuil ele 4. Christ came not to be serued but to serue takyng vpon him the similitude of a seruaunt humbling hymselfe and made himselfe of no reputation to serue vs. The Pope will be serued and sayth it were a shame if he shoulde so humble himselfe Dist 86. ca. Quando necessitas 5. Christ went on his féete with hys disciples both in wette and dry heat and cold to teach the people as it is euident through the Gospels The Popes and Byshops will kéepe their féete ful cleane with shoes of gold and siluer Sith with precious stones and will not preach them selues but say it is sufficient to cause other to preach cap. Inter ceteram de offic Iuor After this maner might the Turke be Pope also 6. Christ wold not suffer that doues shéepe oxen for the offeryng should be sold in the teÌ„ple of God but draue out the buyers sellers with whipes The Pope and Byshops suffer chapmen in the Church that minister the Sacramentes for money dayly vnto the common people And they geue great pardon vnto it that they may be partakers of the wynnyng to maynteine theyr cradles and other necessaryes with all this may you sée dayly 7. Christ saith ye haue it for nothing therfore shall you geue it for nothing The Pope hath Iudas mynde for you get nothyng of hym without money for he selleth both prayer preachyng 8. Christ sate at meate among hys Disciples ful lowly and poorely Not requiryng the hyghest seate The Pope sitteth full high in a curious throne and will be serued gloriously with long knéelyng and meÌ„ to kerue his morssels w t iagged coates blasphemyng God with othes many other vices as we may sée dayly 9. Christ was in hilles with wepyng and praying and walked in desert féedyng many thousandes both with meate and preachyng The Pope sitteth in hys Castels towers with minstrelsie laughter And the hungry poore shall sit at the gate he will not serue them hym selfe for shame he thinketh it were 10. Christ lay and slept in a boate on the hard bordes and had to his chamberlaynes but fishers crying to hym vppon the Sea in the tempest when they were a feard to perish The Pope sléepeth full soft easely and no man may awake hym vntil he haue slept inough for his chamberlaynes shal be ready with Marshals and vshers to kéepe his hall and chamber from noyse And the portar at the gate to kéepe out the poore Their Lord they will not awake 11. Christ fasted sought the frute on the trée when he was hungry and founde none theron The Pope hath great prouision at Cities and Townes to get him of the best that may be founde well dressed and dayntely to make digestion with spicery sawces and siropes coloured out of kynde 12. Christ lay in a stable with few clothes betwixt an oxe and an Asse for the place was narrowe The Pope in rich chambers with quiltes curtaines carpettes and quishâ—ons spread all about with swéete smelles and paynted walles 13. Christ chose to hym poore men and commaunded them to be simple as doues The Pope choseth subtile meÌ„ and crafty full of pride or els they are not méete for hym 14. Christ rode simply on an Asse had twelue that folowed him a foote all about The Pope on a mule or a white palfray much hygher then hys master dyd And hath many mo then twelue folowyng hym on horsebacke with swoordes and bucklers as it were to battaile 15. Christ bade hys Disciples to go into all
are infinite other thynges wherein hee contrarieth Christ in so much that if it be diligētly examined I thinke there is no word that Christ spake but the other hath taught or made a law agaynst it Howbeit for to auoyde tediousnes we shall leaue them vnto your owne iudgement for they are soone searched out espyed Iudge Christē reader all these things with a simple eye be not parcially addict to the one nor to the other But Iudge them by the Scripture And knowledge that to be the truth which Gods word doth alow auoydyng all other doctrine for it springeth of Sathan be not ashamed to confesse poore Christ and to take him for thy head before these rauenous Wolues for then shall he cōfesse thée agayn before his father the aungelles in heauen Then shalt thou bee inheritour with Iesu Christe And the faythfull sonne of thy father whiche is in heauen to whom be all glory eternally Amen ¶ Here endeth the Antithesis betwene Christe and the Pope A booke made by Iohn Frith prisoner in the Tower of London aunsweryng vnto M. Mores letter which he wrote against the first litle treatise that Iohn Frith made concernyng the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ vnto which booke are added in the ende the articles of hys examination before the Bishops of London Winchester and Lyncolne in Paules Churche at London for which Iohn Frith was condemned and after burned in Smithfield without Newgate the fourth day of Iuly Anno. 1533. ¶ The Preface of this booke GRace and increase of knowledge from God the father through our Lorde Iesus Christ be with the Christen reader and with all them that loue the Lord vnfaynedly Amen I chaunced beyng in these parties to be in company with a Christen brother which for his commēdable conuersation and sober behauiour might better be a Byshop then many that weare miters if the rule of S. Paule were regarded in their election This brother after much communication desired to know my mynde as touchyng the Sacrament of the body and bloud of our sauiour Christ Which thing I opened vnto hym accordyng to the gift that God had geuen me First I proued vnto hym that it was no article of our fayth necessary to be beleued vnder payne of damnation Then I declared that Christ had a naturall body euen as myne is sauyng sinne and that it could no more bee in two places at once thē myne cā Thirdly I shewed him that it was not necessarie that the wordes should so be vnderstand as they sound But that it might be a phrase of Scripture as there are innumerable After that I shewed him certaine phrases and maner of speakynges And that it was well vsed in our English toung and finally I recited after what maner they might receiue it according to Christes institutiō not fearyng the froward alteration that the Priests vse contrary to the first forme and institution When I had sufficiently published my mynde hee desired me to entitle the sūme of my wordes and write them for hym because they seemed ouerlong to be well reteined in memorie And albeit I was loth to take the matter in hand yet to fulfill his instant intercession I tooke vpon me to touche this terrible tragedie and wrote a treatise whiche beside my paynfull imprisonmēt is like to purchase me most cruell death which I am ready and glad to receiue with the spirite and inward man although the fleshe be frayle when soeuer it shall please God to lay it vpon me Notwithstādyng to say the truth I wrote it not to the intēt that it should haue ben published For then I would haue touched the matter more earnestly and haue written as well of the spirituall eating drinking which is of necessitie as I dyd of the carnall which is not so necessarie For the treatise that I made was not expedient for all men albeit it were sufficient for them whom I tooke in hand to instruct For they knew the spirituall and necessarie eatyng and drinkyng of his body bloud which is not receiued with the teth and bellye but with the eares and faith and onely neded instructiō in the outward eating whiche thing I therfore onely declared But now it is cōmon abroad and in many mēs mouthes in so much that M. More whiche of late hath busied hym selfe to medle in all such matters of what zeale I will not define hath sore labored to confute it but some mē thinke that he is ashamed of his part and for that cause doth so diligently suppresse the woorke whiche he printed For I my selfe saw the worke in Print in my Lord of Winchesters house vpon S. Stephens day last past But neither I neither all the frēdes I could make might attaine any copie but onely one written copie whiche as it seemed was drawen out in great hast notwithstandyng I can not well iudge what the cause should bee that his boke is kept so secret But this I am right sure of that he neuer touched the foundation that my treatise was builded vpon And therefore sith my foundation standeth so sure and inuincible for els I thinke verely he would sore haue laboured to haue vndermined it I will thereupon builde a litle more and also declare that his ordinaūce is to slender to breake it downe although it were set vppon a woorse foundation ¶ The foundation of that litle treatise was that it is no article of our fayth necessary to be beleued vnder payne of damnation that the Sacrament should be the naturall body of Christ which thyng is proued on this maner FIrste we must all acknowledge that it is no article of our fayth which can saue vs nor which we are bound to beleue vnder the paine of eternal damnation For if I should beleue that hys very naturall body both flesh and bloud were naturally in the bread and wine that should not saue me seyng many beleue that and receiue it to their damnation for it is not his presence in the bread that can saue me but his presence in my hart through faith in his bloud which hath washed out my sinnes and pacified y t fathers wrath toward me And agayne if I doe not beleue his bodely presence in the bread and wyne that shall not damne me but the absence out of my hart thorough vnbelefe Now if they would here obiect that though it be truth that the absēce out of the bread could not damne vs yet are we bounde to beleue it because of gods word which who beleueth not as much as in him lyeth maketh God a lyer And therfore of an obstinate mynde not to beleue hys word may be an occasion of damnation To this we may answere that we beleue Gods worde and knowledge that it is true but in this we dissent whether it be true in the sence that we take it in or in the sence that ye take it in And we say agayne that though
and had not receiued it And of this carnall minde were many mo Bushoppes a great while as are now the bohemes whom he after disprayseth and yet expoundeth the text as they doo but afterward they loked more spiritually vpon the matter and confessed their ignorance as I trust M. More will but now will I shew you S. Austens minde vppon this text which shall helpe for the exposition of all this matter S. Austen in the third boke De Doctrina Christiana the 16. chapiter teaching how we shall know the tropes figures allegories phrases of the scripture sayth Si autem flagitium aut facinus iubere videntur figuratiua locutio est Nisi maÌ„ducaueritis inquit carneÌ„ filij hominis et biberitis eius sanguinem not habebitis uitam in vobis Facinus vel flagitium videtur iubere Figura est ergo precipieÌ„s passionis dominicae esse commicandum et suauiter atque vtiliter in memoria recondendum quod pro nobis caro eius crucifixa vul nerata sit That is to say when soeuer the scripture or Christ semeth to commaund any foule or wicked thing then must that text be taken figuratiuely that as it is a phrase allegorie and manner of speaking and must be vnderstand spiritually and not after the letter Except sayth Christ ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye shall haue no life in you He semeth sayth S. Austen to commauÌ„de a foule a wicked thing It is therfore a figure commaunding vs to be partakers of his passion and sweetlye and profitablye to print in our mynde that his fleshe was crucified and wounded for vs. This truth thankes be to God doth S. Austen declare vnto vs which thing beside the opening of this text against M. Mores mynde doth plainely shew what he thought in the wordes of christes supper For sith he called it a foule a wicked thing to eate his fleshe then may you soone perceiue that he thought it was as foule as wicked a thing to eate his body seing his body is flesh and then consequently it shall follow y â— eyther this worde eate where Christ sayd take this and eate it must be taken spiritually or els that this saying of Christ this is my bodie must be figuratiuely spokeÌ„ but this worde eate is taken after the letter for they did in déede eate the bred therfore it must néedes folowe that this sentence this is my body must bee figuratiuely spoken Or els is S. Austen not to be approued in this place which thing our Byshops I thinke will not say nay Besides that S. Austen sayth Quando loquebatur dominus noster Iesus Christus de corpore suo nisi inquit quis manducauerit carnem meam â—iberit sanguinem meum non habebit in sevitam Caro enim mea vere est cibus sanguis meus vere est potus intellectus spiritualis credentem saluum facit quia litera occidit spiritus est qui viuificat That is to say When our Lord Iesus Christ spake of hys body except quod he a man eate my fleshe and drinke my bloud he shall haue no life in hym self for my flesh is very meat and my bloud is very drinke The spirituall vnderstandyng saueth hym that beleueth for the letter killeth but the spirite quickneth Here may you playnly perceaue that thys texte must onely be taken spiritually For he sayth that to take it after the letter it kylleth and profiteth nothyng at all and therfore I wonder that we haue bene led so long in thys grosse errour Thys saying doth y â— famous clarke Origine confirme saying Agnosce quod figurae sunt quae in voluminibus Domini scriptae sunt ideo tanquam spirituales non tanquam carnales examinate intelligite quae dicuntur Si enim secuÌ„dum literam sequaris hoc ipsum quod dictum est Nisi manducaueritis carnem c. occidit haec litera That is to say Marke y e they are figures which are written in the Scripture of God and therefore examine them as spirituall men and not as carnall and vnderstand those thinges that are spoken For if thou followe after the letter thys thyng that is spoken except ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man and drinke hys bloud you can haue no life in you thys letter kylleth Alas deare brethren why should any man be offended with thys doctrine sith it is approued so plainly by such auncient and holy fathers Againe S. Austen sayth Qui manducat carnem meam bibit meum sanguinem in me manet ego in illo Hoc est ergo manducare illam escam illum bibere potum in Christo manere illum manentem in se habere ac per hoc quinoÌ„ manet in Christo in quo non manet Christus proculdubio non manducat eius carnem nec bibit sanguinem etiam si tantaerei sacramentum ad iudicium sibi maÌ„ducet bibit That is to say He that eateth my flesh drynketh my bloud abydeth in me and I in hym Thys is therfore the eatyng of that meate and drinkyng of that bloud to abyde in Christ and haue hym abyding in vs. And therefore he that abydeth not in Christ and in whom Christ abydeth not without doubt he eateth not hys flesh nor drinketh not hys bloud although he eate and drinke the sacrament of so great a thyng vnto hys damnation And euen y â— same wordes hath Bede vppon the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10. Thys one place is sufficient for to proue my purpose though he sayd not one word more For here he doth playnly determine that he which abydeth not in Christ that is to say he y e is wicked or vnfaythfull doth not eate hys flesh nor drinke hys bloud although he eate and drinke the Sacrament of so great a thyng And so must it néedes follow that the Sacrament is not the very naturall body of Christ For then the vnfaythfull should eate hys flesh seing he eateth the sacrament of hys body But that doth S. Austen denye wherfore it must néedes followe that it is but onely a token of a remembrance and a signe of hys body breakyng and a representation of hys passion that we might kéepe hys facte in memory and geue him thankes for his tender loue and kindenes which when we were hys enemyes tooke vpon hym to suffer most vyle death to reconcile vs vnto hys father and make vs hys frendes Thys saying hath S. Austen in an other place also where he writeth on thys maner Qui non in me manet in quo ego non maneo non se dicat aut existimet manducare corpus meum aut bibere sanguineÌ„ meum Non it aque manent in Christo qui non sunt eius membra non sunt autem membra Christi qui se faciunt meÌ„bra meretricis That is to say He that abydeth
not signifie such a necessitie as excludeth all possibilitie yet in thys place it doth so signifie as the contrary Antithesis doth euidently expresse And where ye say that he speaketh nothing of the sacrament I would ye should sticke still to that saying For thys is playne that he speaketh of his naturall body and therefore if hee speake not of y e sacrament then haue you concluded that the sacrament is not hys naturall body the contrary whereof you would haue meÌ„ beleue Thus haue I shewed euidence both where he shall finde the wordes of S. Austen and also that I haue rightly alleaged them Notwithstandyng sith he maketh so much of hys paynted sheth I shall alleage hym more authoritye that Christes naturall body is in one place onely Which thyng proued doth vtterly conclude y t the SacrameÌ„t is not his naturall body but only a memoriall and a representation of the same And first let vs sée S. Austens mynde S. Austen writyng vnto Dardanus doth playnly proue that the naturall body of Christ must néedes be in one place only and also y t his soule can bée but in one place at once The occasioÌ„ of his Epistle is this Dardanus dyd write vnto S. Austen for the expositioÌ„ of those wordes that Christ spake vn to the theefe saying This day shalt thou be w t me in Paradise and wist not how he should vnderstaÌ„d it whether Christ meÌ„t that the théefe should be in Paradise with Christes soule or with his body or with his Godhead Thereupon S. Austen writeth that as touchyng Christes body that day it was in the sepulchre And saith that it was not Paradise although it were in a gardeÌ„ that he was buryed For Christ he sayth ment of a place of ioy And that was not sayth S. Austen in hys sepulchre And as for Christes soule it was that day in hel and no man will say that Paradise was there Wherefore sayth S. Austen the text must néedes bee vnderstand that Christ spake it of his Godhead Now marke this Argument of S. Austen and ye shall sée my purpose playnly proued For seing he erpoundeth this text vpoÌ„ Christes Godhead because his manhode as touching the body was in the graue and as touchyng his soule was in hell you may soone perceiue that S. Austen thought that whilest his body was in y e graue it was not in Paradise to because his soule was in hell it could not be in paradise also And therfore he verâ—o fieth the text vppon his diuinitie For if he had thought that Christes body or soule might haue bene in diuerse places at once hee would not haue sayd that the text must néedes be vnderstand of his diuinitie but it might full well yea much better haue ben vnderstand of his manhode Marke well this place which doth determine the doubt of this matter Notwithstandyng the faythfull father leaueth not the matter on this fashion but also taketh away such sonde imaginations as would cause men to surmise that Christes body should be in moe places at once then one For he saith Cauendum est ne it a diuinitatem astruamus hominis vt veritateÌ„ auser amus corporis Non est autem consequens vt quod in Deo est it a sit vbique Nam de nobis veracissime Scriptura dicit quod in illo viuimus mouemur sumus Nec tameÌ„ sicut ille vbique sumus sed aliter homo ille in Deo quoniaÌ„ aliter Deus in illo homine proprio quodam singulari modo Vna enim persona Deus homo est vtrumque est vnus Christus Iesus vibque per id quod Deus est in coelo autem per id quod homo That is to say we must beware that we doe not so affirme the diuinitie of the man that we take away the truth of his body For it foloweth not that the thyng whiche is in God should be in euery place as God is For the Scripture doth truly testifie on vs that we lyue moue and be in hym And yet are we not in euery place as he is Howbeit that man is otherwise in God and God otherwise in that man by a certaine peculiar and singular way For God and maÌ„ is one person and both of them one Christ Iesu whiche is in euery place in that he is God and in heauen in that he is maÌ„ Here S. Austen doth say that if we should grauÌ„t Christ to be in all places as touchyng his manhode we should take awaye the truth of his body For though his manhode be in God and God in hys manhode yet it foloweth not that it should bee in euery place as God is And after hee concludeth that as touchyng hys Godhead hee is in euery place and as touchyng his manhode hee is in heauen What néede he to make these woordes and Antithesis but because hee thought verely that though hys Godhead were in euery place yet his manhode was in heauen onely But yet this holy Doctour goeth further so that they may be ashamed of their party and sayth Secundum hominem namque in terra erat non in coelo vbi nunc est quando dicebat nemo ascendit in coeluÌ„ nisi qui descendit de coelo filius hominis qui est in coelo That is to say as touching his manhod he was in the earth and not in heauen where he now is when he sayd no man ascendeth into heauen but he y e descended from heauen the sonne of man which is in heaueÌ„ Now I trust you will be content and let the truth spred For I am sure it is not possible for you to auoyde it for he sayeth that as touching his manhode he was in the earth and not in heauen when he spake those wordes so proued that he was not in mo places at once then onely one place For els yf S. Austen had thought y e he could haue bene in mo places at once then one with his body then might he not haue sayd that he was in earth and not in heauen For then a man might sone haue deluded hym haue sayde you can not tell for he may be in euery place But they that so thinke after S. Austens mynde do take away y e truth of his naturall body and make it a very phantasticall body from the which heresie God deliuer his faythfull Besides this S. Austen doth saye Christum Dominum nostrum vnigenitum DEI â—ilium equaleÌ„ patri eundemque hominis filium quo maior est pater vbique totum presentem esse non dubites tanquam Deum in eodem templâ— DEI esse verum DE VM in aliena parte coeli propter corpo ris modum That is to say doubt not but that Christ our Lord the onely begotten sonne of God equall to the Father and the same being the sonne of man wherin the father is greater is hole present in all places as
euē it that I sayd before that it was not possible to stand with the processe of the Scripture which we haue receaued And now hys mastership hath graunted it hym selfe which you may be sure he would not haue done if hee coulde otherwyse auoyde it And here you may see how sore I haue ouerséene my selfe God forbid that any man should be the more prone ready to beleue this yong man in this greate matter because he sayth in the beginning that he will bring all men to a concord a quietnes of conscience for he bringeth men to the worst kinde of quietnes that may be deuised when he telleth vs as he doth that euery man in this matter may without perell beleue which way he list Euery man may in euery matter without any counsell sone set hym self at rest if he list to take that way and to beleue as he list him selfe care not how But and if that way had bene sure S. Paule would neuer haue shewed that many were in perill of sicknes and death to For lacke of discerning reuerently the body of our Lord in that sacrament when they came to receiue hym When Christ should depart this world and go to his Father he gaue his desciples a commaundement that they should loue ech other saying by this shall all men knowe that ye are my disciples if you loue ech other as I haue loued you This rule of charitie wolde I not haue broken which notwithstanding is often in Ieopardie among faythfull folke for this sacrament of vnitie This thing considered I thought necessarie to aduertise both parties to saue this rule of charitie and proued in y e first chapter of my treatise that it was no article of the fayth necessary to be beleued vnder payne of damnatiō and therfore that they were to blame that would be contencious for the matter For sith it is no article of the fayth that may lawfully dissent without all Ieoperdye néede not to breake the rule of charitye but rather to receiue the other like pore brethren As by example Some thinke that the mariage betwéene our most redoubted prince Quéene Katerine is lawfull may stand with y ◠lawes of God some thinke that it is vnlawfull and ought to be disanulled now if we should for this matter breake the rule of charitie and euery man hate his neighbour that would not thinke as he doth then were we greatly to blame and in Ieoperdie of condemnation This I say I proued in y e first chapter against which More maketh no busines and improueth it not whereby you may soone gather that it is very true For els sith his mastership so laboureth in these other pointes he would not haue left y ◠vntouched you may be sure This is the concorde that I woulde bring them vnto And as touching quietnes of conscience I haue knowne manye that haue sore bene combred with it And among all A certaine master of arte which died in Oxford confessed vpon his death bed that he had wept lying in his bed an hundreth nyghtes within one yeares space because he coulde not beleue it Now if he had knowne it had bene no necessarye article what comfort quietnes should it haue bene vnto hym Furthermore euery man can not so quiet him selfe as M. More Imagineth For there are many that thinke them selues no small fooles which when they haue receiued some foolish superstition eyther by their owne Imagination or by beleuing their gossepes gospel and olde wiues tales by and by thinke the contrary to be deadly sinne and vtterly forbidden by Christes Gospell As by example I know an house of Religion wherein is a person that thinketh it deadly sinne to go ouer a strawe if it lye a crosse And if their be on the pauement any paynted picture or any Image grauen on a dead mans graue he will not tread vpon it although he should goe a forelong about What is this but vayne superstition wherewith the conscience is combred and corrupted May not this be wéeded out with the word of God shewing hym that it is none article of the fayth so to thinke then to tell hym that it is not forbidden by the scripture and that it is no sinne Now albeit his conscience be so cankerd that the rust will not be rubbed out yet with Gods grace some other whom he hath enfecte with the same may come agayne to Gods word and be cured full well which shoulde neuer haue bene able to quiet thēselues And likewise there are some which beleue as your superstitious hartes haue informed them and these can not quiet thēselues because they beleue y e you haue fet your doctrine out of scripture But when it is proued to them and they them selues perceiue that scripture sayth not so then can they not be content to thinke the contrary and iudge it no sinne at all And as touching S. Paule suerely ye take hym wrong for I will shew you what processe he taketh and how he is to be vnderstode but because it is not possible to finishe it in fewe words I shall deferre it vnto y e bokes ende and then I shall declare hym at large And what a facion is this to say that we may beleue if we list that there is the very body of our Lord in dede and then to tell vs for a truth that such a fayth is impossible to be true For God him selfe can neuer bring it about to make his body be there Yf a man take the bare wordes of Christ and of simplicitie be deceiued and thinke that his very body be in y e sacrament present to their téeth that eate it I dare not say that he sinneth therein but will referre the matter vnto Gods iudgement and yet without doubt I dare say he is deceaued As by example If a man deceaued by the literall sense would think that men should preach to fishes as Saint Fraunces did because Christ bad his disciples goe preach to all creatures yet would not I thinke y t he sinned therein but will referre hym vnto Gods Iudgment But yet I wene euery woman that hath any wit will say that he was deceiued I am very sure that the olde holy doctours which beleued Christes body and bloud to be there and so taught other to beleue as by there bookes playnly doth apere if they had thought eyther that it could not be there or that it was not ther in dede they would not for all the good in this world haue written as they haue done For would those holy men wene you haue taught that men be bound to beleue that the very body and bloud of Christ is there if thē selues thought they were not bound there to woulde they make men honoure and worship that thing as the very body bloud of Christ which them selues thought were not it this geare is to childish to
king to kéepe thys contracte But yet you were not so content but afterward you found the meanes that this good kyng was poysoned by a traytorous Monke of Swinested because he should say that hée would make a halfepeny loafe worth xx shillinges if hée liued a yeare For the whiche word your holy Monke was moued and went and confessed hym selfe to the Abbot how that he would poyson the king for thys and the one deuill as good as the other the holy traytor absolued the holy murtherer before the déede was done and for thys holy murtherer is there founded v. masses for euer This is the blessed obedience of your holy Church How would you cry how would you yaulpe if wée had handled a gentlemans dogge on this fashion but you can call vs poore men traytors and in the meane season you bring both king kingdome into seruitude and bondage What is treason if this bée no treason to bring so honourable a kinge and hys lande into such bondage and compell hym to receiue his naturall and frée kingdome of such a vyllayne and lymme of y e deuell What can bée said or thought to defend this matter you haue not all onely done wrong to the kinge but vnto the yongest childe y e lyeth in the cradell y e which by your meanes is bonde And thinke it not sufficient to say that it is not your déede for first you are the children of these fathers and you haue alwayes alowed this acte This hath béene blased blowen preached and cryed out and all your bookes full of this matter and many a true mans bloud hath béene shed for speaking agaynst thys And yet was there neuer none of you y e did euer preach against this damnable facte but with full consent with full agréement both in worde déede and in wrytyng you haue alowed this treason Therfore I take you for the auctors as well as your forefathers I would not speake how dampnable it is to institute masses for a willing traytor and murtherer there was neuer no learninge that could allow this But there is no remedy hée that dyes agaynst his king and for the maintayning of your treason must néedes bée a saynt if masses blessinges and myracles wil helpe for all these bée at your commaundement to geue where you list So that we pore men must bée accused of insurrection and treason and we must bere al the blame we must bée driuen out of y e realme we must bée burned for it and as God knoweth there is no people vnder heauen that more abhorreth and with earnester hart resisteth more diligenly doth preach agaynst disobedience then we doe Yea I dare say boldely let all your bookes bée serched that were written this 500. years all they shall not declare the auctorite of a prince and the true obedience towarde hym as one of our litle bookes shall doe that bee condemned by you for heresy and all this will not helpe vs. But as for you you may preach you may wryte you may doe you maye sweare against your Princes and also assoyle all other men of their obedience towardes their princes You may compell princes to bée sworne to you and yet are you children of obedience and good christen men And if ye dye for this doctrine then is there no remedy but you must bée saintes and rather then fayle ye shall doe myracles To proue this I will tell you of a holy saynt of yours of whom your legend and cronicles maketh mencyon hys name as ye call him is s Germayne So it chaunced y e in the tyme of king Vortiger he came into England into a place where the king lay desired for hym his company lodging The king because hée kept no cōmō Inne would not receiue hym So hée departed very angerly and went to the kinges Neteherdes house and there desired lodginge and meate and drinke for hym and his companye The Neteherde was contēt to lodge him but hée sayd hée had no meate for hym sauyng a yong calfe that stode suckyng of the damme by the crybbe The byshop commaunded the calfe to bée slayne and to bée drest brought afore hym and hée and his company eate it vp and after commaunded the bones of the calfe to bée gathered togither and put in the calues skinne agayne and to bée layde in the cribbe by the damme and by and by y e calfe starte vp aliue agayne The next day the byshop went to king Vortiger reprooued him merueilous straightly because hée would not lodge hym and sayde that hée was vnworthey to bée kyng and therefore deposed hym made his Neteherde kyng in hys stede Of the which Neteherde as y e cronicles maketh mension came afterward many kings This is writen by one called Petrus de netalibus the which writeth the liues of all saintes I thinke no man will binde mée to proue this thing a lye but yet it must bee preached taught in your church it must bée writtē in holy saints liues hée must bée a saynt that did it and why because hée deposed a king and set in a Neteherde These shamefull and abhominable thinges doe you prayse and alowe and in the meane season condemne vs for heretickes and for traytours And if we chaunce moued by the abhomynablenes of your doctrine to geue you but one euyll worde then all the world rekoneth vs vncharitable But as for my parte I take God to recorde afore whome I shall bée saued or damned that though you haue done mée shamefull wronge and intollerable violēce yet with your owne persons am I neuer displeased nor angry but agaynst that horrible deuyll y e dwelleth in you that is the causer auctor and mayntayner of such abhominable doctrine that is against God and his blessed worde agaynst hym I say is my quarell and agaynst hym doe I striue this is the truth let men take my wordes as they will Is it not abhominable thinke you so shamfully to depose princes so to rebuke them so to handle them to compell them to bée sworne to you and to holde their lands of you to bée your ministers to the greate dishonour of the liuyng God and blaspheming of his blessed worde and to the great dispight of all noble potentates Ye remember the facte that is declared in your lawe of the noble Emperour Friderike and that wretch Innocent the fourth the thing was this The Pope by y e reasō of certayne complaintes made by the Emperours enemyes cited the Emperour to appeare at Rome and because the Emperour would not appeare he cursed hym with booke bell and candell and afterwarde deposed hym and commaunded the electours to chose an other This is the cause of your lawe briefely But your text declareth certayne artycles agaynst the Emperour which bée these The first that hée had sworne to kéepe peace with y e church of Rome which oth hée brake sayth y e
bee and as you haue wel deserued that I should bée I could so set out this matter that all mē should spytte at you but I will vse my selfe charitable toward you and if the matter had not béene so haynously and so violently hādled of you I would not haue geuen you one ill woorde But now let no man require of me that I should vnto such an abhominable detestable deuill as hath brought in this wicked and shamefull learnyng and maners put of my cappe make low curtesie and geue fayre wordes and say God geue you good morow syr deuill how fare you I am glad of your welfare and prosperity your Lordship doth rule very graciously and all men prayseth you I doubte not but God shall prosper you I say let no man require this of me for I am and will bée so taken for his mortall enemy whersoeuer I doe finde hym whether hée bée Lord or Byshop sauing peraduenture if I spye hym dwelling in a Byshoppe I wyll not hādle him with so rough wordes for the weaknes of certayne men as I would if I founde him in an other place It were not vncharitable if I recited here by name the innocent bloud that you haue shed in my time for the speaking against your vnlawfull doctrine Alas what fault coulde ye sinde in good mayster Bylney whō ye haue cast away so violently I dare say there is not one among you that knew hym but must commende and prayse his vertuous lyuinge And though you had founde him with a litle faulte the which I thinke and hée were now aliue should be no faulte alas would you cast away so cruelly so good a man and so true a mā both to God and to his kyng But I will returne agayne to my purpose and shewe an other example how you haue learned and taught to set kings and kingdomes togither by y e eares for the maintenance of your dignities and doctrines Pope Vrban the vj. which was chosē in the yeare of our Lord 1378. by sedition violence of Romaines which would haue no Cardinall of Fraunce because they woulde the Pope shoulde bee resident in Rome This Vrban I say deuising how to mayntaine his secte and part agaynst his aduersary which was called Clement of whose side y e kyng of Fraūce helde sent to the kyng of England Ed. the 3. the which as than was not well content with the Frenche kyng certayne Bulles contaynyng cleane remission a poena a culpa for all them that would wage battayle against the kyng of Fraunce against them that were of Clementes side And because the kyng and his Lords shoulde bée the willinger to take battayle on them hée sent a commaundement to the Byshops to rayse of the spiritualtie a taxe for to pay the souldiours wyth Moreouer because the Duke of Lancaster had a tytle to the kyngdome of Castell the which helde of Clementes side therefore y e Pope graunted that part of this money should also bée deliuered to hym if hée would wage battayle agaynst y e kyng of Castell promysing hym also that hée would styrre the kyng of Portyngale which than had also varyaunce with the sayde kyng of Castelll to warre agaynst the sayd kyng and to the mayntaynyng of his warre hée would graūt y t kyng of Portyngale a demy of his spiritualty thorow all his Realme How much was gathered in Portyngale our stories maketh no mension but in London and in the diocese was gathered a tūne of golde and in the whole realme of England was gathered xxv C. M. frankes whiche makes in Englishe money CC. lxxvij M. vij C. lxxvij 〈◊〉 And because this money was gathered of y e spiritualitie and by their diligence therefore the Pope ordayned Henry Spenser the Byshop of Norwych to bée the chiefe captayne of this warre but or euer the Pope coulde brynge this matter to passe he sent to y e king to his Lordes and to his Byshoppes xxx Bulles So that at the last thys foresayd Byshop of Norwyche was sent foorth with a greate number of men in the wages of the Church And the Duke of Lankester likewise agaynst the kyng of Castell Theyr oth was geuen them to fight agaynst no man nor countrey that helde with Pope Vrban And our chronicle saith that Pope Vrban would haue made peace betwene the Frēch king and ours at the last How thinke you is not this a pretie practise to set men together by the eares and than to make them beleeue that he woulde make a peace Fyrst we must haue cleane remission to fight and thā wée shall bée curssed as blacke as a potte if wée will make no peace And why because the Pope hath hys purpose Is not this a goodly packyng of spirituall men Is not here goodly obedience taught toward Princes Bée not mens soules well fed wyth thys doctrine Bée not these good fathers that thus watcheth nyght and daye for y t cure and charge that they haue of mens soules Marke how charitable and liberall that the holy Fathers bée in distributing of Christes merites Euery man that fighteth in his cause shall haue cleane remission a pena a culpa and must néedes bée the childe of saluation Let Christ say and doe what hée can for the holye Church hath so determined And that no man shoulde doubt of it there bée xxx Bulles graunted and that vnder leade And the Church of Rome can not erre for the spirituall lawe sayth what the sea of Rome doth approue that must néedes bée allowed and that that she reproueth must bée of no strength Likewise in an other place So must the decrées of the sea of Rome bée accepted as though they were spoken by the godly voyce of Peter hymselfe Agaynst these thinges dare I not speake for I would fayne bee taken for a Christen man but yet I muste bee so bolde to speake one worde the truth is the deuill himselfe hath blowen out these presumptuous voyces And yet mē must set both life soule on these wordes For there bée xxx Bulles of leade to confirme the matter And that is a weightye thynge But when kyng Iohn our naturall prince shoulde haue had of the pyed Mōkes for the defēce of this realme but a small summe of money Than was there neuer a Bull to gette nor yet one Byshop in Englād to preach on his side But now CC. M. pound gathered in one Lent and a greate deale more for the maintainaūce of y e pope his holy flesh Was not this a marueilous subiectiō that we should suffer our selues so lightly to bée moued to geue not onely so greate a sūme of money but also to send forth in the defence of such a wicked person our naturall brethren kinsemen and countreymen I dare say of my conscience that in fiue hūdred yeares there was not such a summe of money so lightly graunted were the cause neuer so great vnto our right naturall and
could vsed all maner of cruelnes to haue destroyed mée Neuertheles at y e last hée deliuered mée y â— roole for to reade TheÌ„ was all y e people y â— stoode there called to heare me For in y e other iij. dayes was there no man suffered to heare one worde that I spake So after their commaundement that was geuen mée I red it adding nothing to it nor saying one word that might make for myne excuse supposing that I should haue founde the Byshoppes the better After this I was commaunded to subscribe to it to make a crosse on it Then was I commaunded to goe knéele downe before the Byshop of Bathe and to require absolution of hym but hée woulde not assoyle mée except I woulde first sweare that I woulde fulfill the penaunce that hée shoulde enioyne to mée So did I sweare not yet suspectinge but theâ—e men had had some cromme of charitie within them But when I had sworne then enioyned hée mée that I should returne that nyght agayne to pryson And the nexte day which was Fastingam Sonday I should doe open penaunce at Paules And that the worlde shoulde thynke that I was a marueylous haynous heretyke the Cardinall came the next day with all y e pompe and pride that hée could make to Paules church and all to bring mée poore soule out of consayte And moreouer were there commaunded to come all y e byshops that were at London and all the abbots dwelling in London that dyd weare miters in so much that the prior of S. Mary spittell and an other moncke which I thinke was of Tower hill were there also in their myters And to set the matter more forth that the world should perfectly know perceiue that the spirituall fathers had determined my matter substancially The byshop of Rochester must preach there the same day and all his sermon was agaynst Lutherians as though they had coÌ„uicted me for one The which of truth and afore God was as farre from those thinges as any man could bée sauing that I was no tyraÌ„t nor no persecutour of Gods worde And all this gorgyous fasing with myters and crostaues abbotts and priors were done but to blinde the people and to outface mée God amend all thinges that is amysse I had béene well content to haue suffered all these thinges so I might haue come to a charitable end But I must returne agayne after this to prison there remayne tyll my Lord Cardinals farther pleasure The which pleasure I did abide fyrst and last â–ª 2. yeares and thrée quarters yet could neuer bée at any poynt with theÌ„ For I sent vnto y â— byshop of London that was then certayne worshipfull men of the Cyty of LoÌ„don whose names bée these Mayster Lambert which hath béene Maior M. Raynold which hath béene shreue M. Palmer M. Petyt M. Iones and M. Pernell And desyred these men in the way of charitie to goe to the Byshop of London and to desire him to bée good and gracious vnto mée And if I had offended I would bée glad to make amends asmuch as hée should reasonably require of mée Desiring hym to shew theÌ„ what hée would of his charitie require me to doe they for to bée bound vnto hym y e I would kéepe it This they dyd But what aunswer y e they had of hym they bée men aliue for the most part they can tell And amongst all other maister Petit sayd vnto the byshop Alas my Lorde it is a petuous case If a man come in the daunger of your lawe there is no remedy to helpe hym out Yes saydâ— the byshop What is that sayd maister Petyt This is a yong man hath good frendes which would bée right lothe to haue him cast away wherefore if there bée any remedy deuise you it and we wil bée bound for him At this the byshop was astonyed and sayde at the last that hée would speake to my Lorde Cardinal for mée Then these meÌ„ offered him to goe with him and to bée bounde for mée Hée sayde it should not néede But neuertheles hée spake so vnto them or they departed that wheÌ„ they came home there was not one of them that durst geue mée so much bread meat as hée durst geue his dog nor yet speake one word to mée Immediatelye after this the byshop founde y e meanes that I was sent to northaÌ„pton there to remayne as in a perpetuall prison Thus most gracious prince haue they handled me your poore Oratour I beseche your highnes to bée good and gracious vnto mée iudge if this bée charitable dealyng thus to coÌ„demne mée for an heretyke not to shew mee the poynt wherefore But euen with a violent tyrannye to compeil mée to doe confesse what they will or els to bée put to death And if there bée any of them yet y e will come forth and proue any of these articles heresye I will not refuse to suffer any payne that your grace shall iudge me worthy Thus our Lord Iesus Christe preserue your noble grace euermore Amen Onely fayth iustifieth before God NOw if your grace doe not take vppon you to heare the disputation the probation of this article out of the grouÌ„d of the holy Scripture my Lordes the Bishops will condeÌ„ne it afore they read it as their maner is to doe with all thynges that pleaseth them not and which they vnderstand not and then crye they heresy heresie an hereticke an hereticke hée ought not to bée heard for his matters bée condemned by the Church by his holy fathers and by all long customes and by all maner of lawes Vnto whom with your graces fauour I make this auÌ„swere I would know of them if all these things that they haue reckened can ouercome Christ and his holy worde or set the holy ghost to schole And if they can not why should not I then bée heards that doe require it in the name of Christ and also bryng for me his holy worde the holy fathers which haue vnderstand Gods worde as I doe Therfore though they will not heare me yet must they néedes heare them In holy Scripture Christ is nothing els but a Sauiour a redéemer a iustifier a perfect peace maker betwene God and man This testimony dyd y e aungell geue of him in these wordes Hée shall saue his people from theyr sinnes And also S. Paule Christ is made our righteousnes our satisfaction and our redemption Moreouer the Prophet witnesseth the same saying For the wretchednes of my people haue I striken him So that here haue we Christ with his properties Now if we wil truly coÌ„fesse Christ then must we grauÌ„t with our hartes that Christ is all our iustice all our redemption all our wisedome all our holynes all alonely the purchaser of grace alonly y e peace maker betwéene God and man Briefely all goodnes that we haue y e it is of hym by him and for his
damnation to rewarde Briefly her meditations and her thoughtes are heauenly and all that shée doth is spirituall For shée can not erre shée cleaueth so fast to the worde of God that is the veritie And for this cause S. Paule calleth her the piller and grounde of truth not that shée is so sure of and in her owne strength but that shée sticketh so fast to the lyuyng God and to hys blessed worde that is the very true Church that is scattered thorow all the worlde and is neyther bounde to person by the reason of dignitie nor yet to any place by the reason of fayned holynes but shée is a frée thynge thorow all the worlde as S. Augustine doth witnesse in these wordes The holy Church are wée but I doe not say as one should say wée that bée here alonely that heare mée now but as many as be here faythfull Christened mē in this Church that is to say in thys Citye as many as bée in thys region as many as bée beyonde the sea as many as bée in all the worlde for from the rysing of the sunne till the goyng down is the name of God praysed so is the holy Church our mother c. Here haue you playnely that the holy Church is the congregation of faythfull men wheresoeuer they bée in the worlde And neyther the Pope nor yet hys Cardinalles bée more this Church or of thys Church then the poorest man in earth For this church standeth alonely in the spirituall faith of Christ Iesus and not in dignities nor honours of the worlde as Liranus doth declare in these wordes The Church doth not stand in men by reason of spirituall power or secular dignities For many Princes and many Popes and other inferiour persons haue swerned frō the fayth Wherfore that Church doth stand in those persons in whome is the true knowledge and confession of fayth and of veritie c. O my Lordes what will you say to Lyra I haue great maruayle that you burne hym not It is hye tyme to condemne hym for an heretike for hée speaketh agaynst your lawe xxiiij q. 1. Quodcunque Where as your glose declareth that God suffereth not the church of Rome for to erre And Lyra sayth playnely that many popes haue erred and also that the Church standeth not in dignitie but in confession of Christ and of hys blessed veritie But now here wyll bée obiected that I fayne such a Church as our Logitions doe intentionem secundam that is a thyng y t is no where Where shall a man finde a Church that is so pure and so cleane that hath neyther spot nor wrinckle in her and that is wythout all sinne séeyng that all men must of trueth saye forgéeue vs our trespasse And if any man say bée hée neuer so righteous that hée hath no sinne thē is hee a lyer and there is no veritie in hym To thys I aunswere that thys holy Church hath sin in her yet is shée pure and cleane Marke S. Paules wordes Christe hath geuen hymselfe for her that hée might make her glorious So that the cleannes of this holy church is the mercy of God toward her thorow Christ for whose sake he layeth nothing to her charge yea and if any other person woulde hée is ready to géeue her his cleanes and to let her by fayth clayme of right hys purenes for her owne For betwéene them all is common as betwéene man and wyfe So that if the Church looke on her owne merites and of her owne workes shée is full of sinne and must néedes say demitte mihi debita The which shée néeded not to say if shée had none But if shée referre her selfe vnto the merites of her blessed husbande Christ Iesus and to the cleanes that shée hath in hys bloud thē is shée without spotte For by the reason that shée sticketh by fayth so fast vnto her husband Christ and doth abyde in confession of her sinne requireth mercy for them therfore is there nothing layde to her charge but all thyng is forgéeuen her And therefore sayth S. Paule there is no damnation vnto them that bée in Christ Iesu And that this may bée the playner I wyll bryng you S. Augustines wordes the which was vexed of the Donatistes wyth thys same reason that is layd agaynst mée hys wordes bée these The whole Church sayth forgéeue vs our sinnes wherefore shée hath spottes and wrinckles but by knowledging of them her wrinckles bée extended and stretched out by knowledging her spottes are washed away The church abydeth in prayer that shée myght bée clēsed by knowledging of her sinnes As lōg as we liue hereso standeth it and when wée shall departe out of thys bodye all such thynges bée forgéeuen to euery mā wherfore by thys meane y ◠church of God is in the treasures of God wythout spotte and wrinckles and therefore here doe wée not lyue wythout sinne but wee shall passe from hence wythout sinne c. Here haue you clearely that the church of God is clensed and purified by Christ for knowledgyng of her sinnes and not by her owne purenes Wherefore such a church there must néedes bée though that y e carnall eye can not sée her nor fleshly reason can iudge of her Wherefore wée beléeue thys article by fayth that holy church is a communion or felow shyp of holy men and know it not by séeyng or féelyng as wée doe the felowshyp of Drapers or mercers for then were it none article of the faith And it is playne that all your exterior signes wyth all your holy ornamentes as your holy myters your holy crossestaues your holy pyllers polaxis your holy red gloues your holy ouches and your holy rynges your holy annoynted fingers your holy vestmentes your holy challices and your holy golden showes yea take also to helpe you S. Thomas of Canterburyes holy showe wyth all the holy bootes of holy Monkes and all these togither can not make one crumme of holynes in you nor helpe you one pricke forward that you may bée wythin thys church For if these thynges coulde helpe then were it no mastery to make an Asse to bée of the church of God But our holy mother the Church hath an other holynes that commeth from God the father thorough the swéete bloud of his blessed sonne Iesus Christ in whom is all her confidence and trust Vnto whom she sticketh onely by sted fast fayth by whose purenes shee is also pure in that that she doth confesse her vnclennes for shee beléeueth stedfastly that she hath an aduocate for her sinne to y e father of heauen which is Christ Iesus and hée is the satisfaction for her sinnes hée of his mercy not of her merites hath chosen her for to bée his and because she is his therfore must she bée cleane so long as she abideth in him This is well declared in S. Iohn where our master Christe is
sacred Now let euery Christen maÌ„ iudge whether it bée better or surer to follow the Pope hauing none auctoritie for hym and béeyng also but one maÌ„ then to follow thys holy Counsel hauyng for it the auctoritie of the holy Apostles and of other blessed men Finally marke how that this blessed counsell doth depose all those that doth priuate Priestes from the companye of a lawfull wyfe Out of the which doth follow that the Pope all hys adherentes bée ipso iurâ— deposed And if they reâ—… their errour they bée excoÌ„municated Wherfore I conclude out of this counsell that Priestes may lawfully haue wiues Wée haue also euen there these wordes It is open that neither Deacons nor subdeacons ought to bée forbidden from maryage c. If thys bée not playne I can not tell what is playne Wherfore Gracianus concludeth that whether hée bée Priest Deacon subdeacon hée may lawfully vse matrimony If men will not bée content wyth these sayinges I can not tell what will satisfie them Reasonable men ought not to fight both agaynst God and man But yet let vs goe farther and sée what the Popes lawe sayth more Innocent the thirde writeth in his decretalles on thys maner Those Priestes that after the maner of the countrey hath not forsaken the coniunctioÌ„ of maryage if they doe breake their wedlocke ought greuously to bée punished séeyng that they may vse lawfully matrimony Marke how that this was the maner of certayne countryes that Priestes might mary Therefore it must néedes follow that Priestes matrimony is not forbidden by Gods lawe And if it bée not forbidden â—p Gods lawe what charitie is in the Pope to compell meÌ„ so violently vnto the thyng y t which God hath not bounde theÌ„ to Is it not a cruell thyng for the Pope to burne a man as an hereticke because that hée kéepeth not his commanndement and lyueth not in open whoredome Why doth hée not commaunde hym as well neyther to hunger nor yet to thyrst And if hée eyther hunger or thyrst why doth hée not forbid hym to eate and to drinke It is as much in our power to vowe chastitie and to kéepe it if wée haue not the gift of God as it is to vowe that wée wyll neyther hunger nor thyrst for they are both inclinations of nature implanted of God For as Cicero sayth and also the Emperour in hys lawe wée are naturally inclined vnto the coniunction that is in matrimony for cause of propagation And it is as much in our handes neyther to hunger nor to thyrst as it is to chaunge this naturall inclination And as wée when wée are hungry and thirsty caÌ„ not abstayne from eatyng and drinking no more can wée kéepe our chastitie notwythstanding our vowe if God haue not geuen vs the gyft MeÌ„ may here please somthyng theÌ„selues and stand in theyr owne conseyte say how they can inuent many remedies to kéepe their chastitie by But I dare say they woulde not for all the clothes that belongeth to their backes that the purenes and cleannes of their hartes were writteÌ„ in great letters set vp on y t church dore Wherfore I woulde desire meÌ„ to bée contented and to set aside all hipocrisie and speake the trueth as it is written in theyr hartes for God wyll not bée deceaued nor yet mocked And doubtles if I coulde not shewe infinite examples how that Priestes neyther doe nor yet caÌ„ kéepe theyr chastitie meÌ„ myght well blame mée for mouyng thys article But now séeyng that theyr lyuyng doth testifie my doctrine and that to y t great offence and sclaunder of Christes holy Church and also to the great rebuke and shame of many a good mans childe yea finally to the dampnation of many a deare soule Mée thynke men ought to bée conteÌ„t and to thaÌ„ke mée for takyng of so great labours for deliueraunce of theyr soules and also for mayntenauÌ„ce of honesty and and good morall vertue according to Gods lawe and mans lawe But let vs procéede farther to prooue thys matter The maister of the senteÌ„ces wryteth on thys maner Our weakenes is prone to fall into filthynes but it is helped wyth honest maryage And the thyng that is vnto whole men an offeÌ„ce is vnto sicke meÌ„ a remedy Marke how the M. of the Sentences sayth that wée are ready to fall into filthynes And how that maryage is an honest remedy How can men then after theyr owne learning condemne mariage as no honest thyng séeyng that theyr owne Clarkes cauleth it honest Moreouer the mayster of the SenteÌ„ces will that both perfect and vnperfect may vse this honest thyng for to the first it is an offeÌ„ce to the other it is a necessary remedy Iesus how woulde men cry agaynst vs poore men if they had halfe so much against vs as wée haue agaynst them But our Lorde sende them hys grace and molisie theyr hartes Amen We haue also in the Popes law a title De filijs Presbyterorum in the which there bée many chapters written to the Byshops of Englande as concernyng Priestes children Wherfore it is to hée supposed that Priests had then wyues And if they had theÌ„ why may they not now By what authoritie are our Priests now more compelled then they were Haue our Priestes nowe more articles of theyr fayth then they had But yet here wil bée sayd that the Popes law speaketh of bastardes and not of lawfull children Mée thynketh that this same is not charitably aunswered for here they doe accuse of fornication many an honest Priest agaynst whom they haue alonely but a light supposition For they that made this aunswere knew not those men nor yet theyr lyuyng And the text speaketh but of Priestes children not of bastardes Farthermore by this solution is many an honest man defamed for to â—ée a bastaâ—d the whiche is an euill name and me thinke vncharitably layd by these men vnto their charges Wherefore note that these men doth sore defame priesthode that agaynst the order of charitie that had rather graunt all these Priestes that the law speaketh of which is no small noÌ„ber for to bée breakers of theyr vow and to bée open whoremaisters yea and also theyr children to bée bastardes rather then they would grauÌ„t that those Priestes had lawfull wyues The which were neither agaynst honesty nor yet the order of priesthode Wherfore if I shoulde thus haue defamed Priestes theyr children men would â—ore haue beene greued with me yea I am afrayde that some men will bée displeased with me alonely bycause I doe write agaynst those priestes whoÌ„ I know of surety to bée naught if hauyng of children can testifie it But what will they say to y t popes law in the same place whose wordes bée these Thou doest aske of vs saith the Pope to the Byshop of Cassell whether that these men that hath Priestes to theyr fathers may bée promoted to holy orders or not
persecutour 250 Church truely declared 253. 254. 256 Counsailes haue erred and may erre 255 Councell of Constance forbad the Sacrament in both hyndes 302 Coūcell of Nice thought it meete for a Byshop to haue a wife 320 D. DAyes are no one better nor higher then an other 206 Doctours of the law geue euill counsayle 208 E. ENemy to a true mā is a theef 189 Extreme law is extreme miustice 208 F. FAyth onely iustifieth 226. 235 Fayth without workes iustifieth 228 Fayth is accompted for righteousnes 231 Fayth in Christ attayneth saluation 231 Fayth bryngeth forth good workes 236 Fayth that bryngeth forth frute is the fayth that iustifieth 238 Fayth iustifieth before God good workes declare our iustification to the world 239 Faythes are of two sortes 241 Fayth that iustifieth is geuen vs frely of God 241 Faythfull beleeuers in Christes merites are the right holy Churche of God 244 Faythfull congregation cannot erre 247 Fayth is the mere gift of God 277 Fisher Bishop of Rochester sworne to the Pope 197 Flocke of Christ is litle 247 Fleshly reason refoned frowardly 270 Fridericke the Emper our deposed 191 Freewill of man without Gods grace can doe no good 266. 267. 268 Freewill without grace is sinne 269. 270 Freewill wherein it consisteth 276 Frutes of fayth 235 G. GErmayne a Popes Sainte a straunge hystory 190 George Stafford a learned man 221 God onely is omnipotent and almightie 351 God is to bee obeyed before men 295 God doth wōderfully worke to saue his flocke ibidem Gods commaundements are impossible to our nature to bee kept 272 Gods mercy is the onely cause of our saluation 179 Good counsaile geuē to the Bishops 215 Good workes what goodnes is in them 229 Good workes cannot deserue remission of sinnes 235 Good workes are to be done though they iustifie not 237 Good workes are the frutes of good fayth 249 God disposeth his mercy to whom it pleaseth him 278 Gospell preachyng is no cause of insurrection 184 Gospell profitable to England 194 Grace without deseruyng 224 Grace findeth our hartes stony 273 H. HErode kept his brothers wise 188 Hipocrisie abhominable 189 Holy dayes why they were ordeyned 205 Holy Church truely defined 243 Holy church that is the true church of God is to the worlde inuisible 244 Holy Church is the grounde and piller of trueth 245 Holy Church is built vpon the Apostles and Prophetes 250 I. IAcob is elected and Esau reiected 178 Idols and Images described 344 Idols Images are all one ibidem Ignoraunce made vs worshyppe stockes and stones 341 Images are neither to bee honored nor worshypped 340 Image of God is thy poore Christian brother 345 Images or Idols are not the workers of any miracles 345 Insurrections whereof they came 192 Indifferent thynges are to bee obeyed 298 Iohn kyng of Englād cruelly handled by the Clergy of England 189 Iustification is not by the lawe of of workes but by the law of fayth 234 Iustification how it commeth 236 Iustified personnes cannot abstayne from doyng of good workes 240 K. Kynges ought not to bee deposed though they bee wicked 187 Kyng Iohn was cruelly handled of the Clergy of England 189 Kyng Iohn poysoned 189 Kynges brought by violence vnder the Popes foote 195 Kynges of the kyngdome of heauen what they are 257. 258 Keyes of Christ abused by the Byshops 262. 263 L. LAw why it was geuen 275 Liberties of holy Churche may not bee impugned 217 Losing and byndyng what it is 259 M. MAn is Lord ouer all creatures 274 Mans dominion restreyned 275 Man is the lyuely and true Image of God 346 Mariage of Priestes is allowed of God 317 Mariage hath a greater crosse then virginitie 313 Mariage of Priestes is neither agaynst Gods law nor mans law 328 Mariage is all one beefore Priesthode and after Priesthode 336 Masse made of many patches 357 Masse welbeloued of the Papistes for gaynes sake ibidem Ministers of the Churche ought to bee no Lordes 262 Money is the popes best marchaūt 265 Monkes of the Charterhouse and their superstition 299 Mores holy Church are the Pope Cardinals and Byshops 252 Moses chayre what it is 297 N. NAturall reason is a blynde iudge of the Scriptures 307 Naturally all men desire Mariage 323 O. OBedience to the higher powers taught by Christ and his Apoles 185 Obedience to the Prince wee owe with our bodyes and to God with our soules 300 Officers are Byshops hangmē 211 Offendours of the common weale may not breake prison but paciently suffer that the law doth determine 293 Orders in the Clergy hath two significations 202 Othe the Byshoppes made to the Pope 195 Othe to the Pope last made by the Byshops 200 P. PApistes and Schoolemen peruert the Scriptures 180 ▪ Papistes charge the Preachers of Gods word with heresie 185 Papistes teach disobedience to Princes 185. 186 Papistes shamelesse doynges 186 Papistes and Protestantes wherin they differre 191 Papiste is an vnnaturall subiect agaynst hys soueraigne Lord and Lady 202 Papistes are arrogant and proude 209 Papistes are craftie iugglers 223 Papistes crueltie 225 Papistes are trappers of innocents 223 Papistes are tyrantes 224 Papistes are blasphemers of Gods holy word 286 Papistes preach lyes 287 Papistes and S. Paule are contrary 285 Papistes are the norishers of ignoraunce and darknes 290 Papistes finde faulte with gnattes and swalow Camelles 308 Papistes make blynd reasons 308. 309 Papistes carnall reasons 351 Papistes worshyppers of stockes and stones 352 Papistes blynd and malicious 353 Papistes foolish arguments soluted 354 Paule dispenseth with vnlawfull vowes 314 Peter the Apostle had a wife 325 Petition of Doct. Barnes to kyng Henry the viij 205 Philip the Euangelist was maryed 325 Popes depose kynges 186 Popes shamelesse arrogancy and tyranny ibidem Popes dispense with othes that subiectes make of obedience to theyr Princes 188 Popes procurers of warre and destruction of people 193 Pope agaynst Pope one cursing an other ibidem Popes alter the Byshops othes as semeth best for their purpose 195 Popes and their lewdenes truely described 197 Pope how hee cōmeth by the name of Lord. ibidem Pope Clement excōmunicated kyng Henry the viij 198 Popes what maner of men they are that are chosē to that dignitie 199 Pope Clement the sonne of a Curtisan ibidem Pope a monstruous hypocrite 198 Pope and hys lawes agree not 199 Popes are not chosen after Sainte Paules rule ibidem Power of kynges is immediatly of God 202 Popes Saintes worke straūge miracles 190 Pope absolueth all rebellion agaynst Princes but pardoneth none that hath beene agaynst hym selfe 201 Popes regalles ibidem Pope calleth Councelles as it pleaseth hym 202 Pope hath libertie to say do◠what hee list 204 Popes pardōs haue beene good marchaundise in England 212 Pope may not bee controlled of any man 213 Popish law is tyrannous 218. 219. 220 Pope and the true holy church how farre they differre 242 Pope and his maners agreeth nothyng with the holy Church ibidē Pope
dedes are acceptable to God that are done in fayth so no deede to allowed good in Gods sight howe glorious to the world soeuer it appeare if it be without fayth Euery maÌ„ to walke truly in his vocatioÌ„ is the right seruice of God We must be mercyfull one to an other Luke 17. Ipocrites are vayne glorious in in all theyr workes True preachers must preach repentaunce Math. 17. Math. 17. Math. 〈◊〉 The maner doctrine of hipocrites Math. 6. Math. 23. Math. 16. Luke 9. Rom. 10. No zeale without knowledge 〈◊〉 good Churches why they were first ordeyned The true Temple of God is the hart of maÌ„ Luke 14. Math. 5. The manet of the speaking of the Scripture The wise of this world doe not vnderstand the speaking of God in his scriptures The Papistes argumentes Aristotles and Papistes doctrine Good workes are the fruites of loue God first loued vs and not 〈◊〉 hym How we vnderstand the loue of God to be in vs. Luke 18. Whosoeuer for Christen sake loseth any thing shâ—l receiue an huÌ„dreth folde If we once possesse Christ by faith then haue we all in all and are content with that we haue Here note what foloweth of good workes Iohn 〈◊〉 By faith in Christ we are made the sonnes of God Iohn 3. Faith doth expell the wrath of God Iohn 7. 1. Cor. 2. The naturall man which is but fleshe sauoureth not those thinges that are of the spirite Iohn 13. Iohn 5. Iohn 14. We are blessed by God onely in Christ our sauiour and not by our workes Iohn 15. We must wrestle with our olde man that we may put oâ— Christ Mat. 13. Roma 1. Roma 8. Our best workes are damnable in the sight of god with out Christ Christ is our hope righteousnes Let no maÌ„ despayre but put his hope in Christ and he shal be safe Roma 2. No man can fulfill y e law but hee that beleueth in Christ 1. Cor. 2. Christ is y e sure foundation Mans fouÌ„dation is feble 2. Cor. 5. Christ rewardeth his owne workes in vs. Ephe. 6. Collos 3. We must obey the magistrates because God will haue it so Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Pet. 1. A good lesson to teach vs to know when we haue the spirite of God â—emit all vengeauÌ„ce to God The fury of the Popish Clergie Actes 10 Prayer is the frute of fayth Liuely â—ayth to not without workes Fayth maketh vs at one with God Fayth prayeth always and in all places The prayer of a faithfull man Iaco â–ª Iames. 3. Fayth is y â— goodnes of all y â— deedes that are done within the law of God Iaco. 3. An example Turkes haue no fayth 〈…〉 know then is a God An example Sinnes that are acâ—empted no sinnes Faithlesse fruites Rom. 10. Pharao confessed his sinnes The deuils confessed Christ to be the sonne of God Simon Magus fayth 2. Pet. 2. 〈◊〉 Cor. 1. 3. An Epitome or briefe recitall of that which is entreated of before The nature of Gods word is to be persecuted The Pope is receaued and receaueth and per secuteth Loue of the world is hatred of God and his holy Gospell God defendeth his doctrine hym selfe Gods word sighteth agaynst hipocrites Nowe our master Christ was entreatedâ— The craft oâ— the hypocrites Gods truth worketh wâ— ders maketh the wisedome of the hypocrites foolishnes The captiuitie of the Israelitâ—â— vnder 〈…〉 If 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 who can be 〈…〉 If God be with vs who can be against vs Pharao sâ—aieth the men children How Moses comforteth the Israelites Gods truth fighteth for vs. God tryeth the fayth of his children God worketh backward Ioseph Israelites Dauid How Bishops instruct kings Wherunto a christian is called Our fighting is to suffer while God fighteth for vs. The wisedome of the Serpent He maketh a mocke of him selfe that casteth not the ende â—re he begin How is the Pope â—ure whiche taketh all for Christes sake but forsaketh nought Tribulation is ouâ— Baptisme Tribulation is a blessing Prosperitie is a curse Tribulation in the gift of God Wherby the are the pope and byshops sure The weakeâ— to the world the stronger to Christ Weakenes of the flesh a the strength of the spirite Flesh In ij things we are put to our choisâ— The differeÌ„ce betwen the children of God of the deuill The deuils wages All Gods children are vnder chasticing Which way go the Byshops to heauen then The tyraÌ„tes haue not power to doe what they would The promises of God are comfortable yea they are all comfort A Christen mans care The despisers persecutors they that fall froÌ„ the word are threatened Nâ—… Loth. Moses and Aaron The Prophetes Christ â—…ildas â—hey be spiâ—…tuall that 〈◊〉 deâ—ilishe â—…r the deâ—…ll is a spiâ—…tâ— We must in no case deny Christ God receaueth them that come agayne Why God letteth hys elect fall That the Scripture ought to bee in the English toung Whette thâ— on thy children that is exercise thy children in them and put them 〈◊〉 â—re No nor syâ— Iohn hys ghostly children Holy dayes Our Schole masters take great wages but teach not Why the preachers are not beloued when they saye trouth The curates wotte not what a Bible meaneth The Priests vnderstand â—o Latin Search the Scriptures Agaynste Christ is knowen by his dedes A seuerall kyngdome Seuerall lawes What christ lowseth â—rely the Pope byndeth to lowse it agayne for money A secret couÌ„sayle Person Vicare Parishe Priest The propâ—…ties of the Hebrue toung agree with the English Kyng Adelston Contrary preachyng Contrary Doctours Antechrist turneth the rootes of the tree vpward The Scripture is the triall of all doctrine the right touch stone Philosophy Aristotle Scripture Aristotle Paul Aristotle 〈◊〉 Philosophy Paul When no man will teach if we desire â–ª God will teach The order of teachyng The disorder or ouer thwarâ— order of our 〈◊〉 men The schole doctrine 〈◊〉 they call 〈◊〉 corrupteth the iudgementes oâ— youth 〈…〉 〈…〉 Yet in this they all agree that no 〈…〉 is saued 〈…〉 â–ª 〈…〉 〈◊〉 thâ—… 〈…〉 â—…er â–ª and that tâ—e Pope 〈…〉 Câ—…st 〈◊〉 me 〈…〉 to who 〈◊〉 will and take them â—â—om whom 〈◊〉 will 〈◊〉 ye 〈…〉 〈◊〉 simi 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Place 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—…s wise 〈◊〉 â—s 〈◊〉 â—olâ—tâ—y â—hat â—…od 〈◊〉 Then thinke the papistes their wicked lyfe will shew it selfe to theyr shame and confusion The Pope licenced the people to read say what they would saue the truth But the one forbiddeth not theyr pompe and beâ—â—y cheate as the other doth Prelates not professors but pâ—…phaners of Gods word The obedieÌ„ce of moÌ„â—… not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tâ—ey 〈◊〉 noâ— of 〈…〉 but 〈…〉 〈◊〉 sayuyng The hyppocrites lay that to Gods worde which they themselues oâ—e cause of God warneth ere he strike WheÌ„ God punisheth â—ooâ—…ry of the hipocrites then say they that new learning is the cause thereof Christ was 〈◊〉 of â—…tion Why trouble foloweth the preaching of the Gospell Christes flocke a little flocke As our Prelates
contrary The mayde of Kent The mayde of Ipswich 〈◊〉 the mayde of KeÌ„t were both false dissembling haâ—â—â—tes The mayd of Kent Such as were possessed with deuils fled froÌ„ Christ A false delusion to bryng vs to Idolatry S. Bartholomew Our Lady dyd the mayde of Kent small pleasure Orestes Traditâ—… Allegory â–ª A true exposition of the parable of the â—aâ—…tan All that God hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the rootes Byshops should be seruaunted and not Lordes Actes 15. The Pope will not obey princes though God haue commaunded hym so to do TraditioÌ„s Christes burthen is easie and gentle Math. 5. ☞ The salt of our Prelates iâ— vnâ—…ery Fayth loue charitie arâ— iij. sisters We must beleue neither to much nor yet litle We are promised all thinges for our Sauiour Christes sake â–ª not for the Saintes Iohn 21. The virginitie of our Lady Antichrist is knowen Paules traditions were the doctrine of the Gospel Christes Supper not Masse The consecration Water mixed with the wyne 1. Cor. 14. Iustification of workes Saboth The Saboth day holy dayes are made for be not â—…e for theÌ„ Why women Baptise Why the Prelates vnderstand not the Scripture A good tale if it were long enough Ye can not spede well if ye trye the doctrine of our Prelates by the Scripture All beleue in God that haue the lawe written in their hartâ— The Churche must shewe a reason of theyr doctrine Popes may not be beleued without Scripture Corusailes ought to conclude eccordyng to the Scriptures Luke 16. Luke 10. Math. 18. Math. 〈◊〉 The cause why the Apostles wrote the Gospels Iohn 20. 1. Iohn 2. The Pope and hys Cardinals erred in K. Henry the â—ights case M. Mores conclusion â–ª ☜ The furest way to oppresse true doctrine is to say the preachers fall The Pope is 〈◊〉 â—…st 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. Rom. 3. A swarme of sectes set vp by the Pope The Pope by setting vp of false workes denieth the truth of gods word The Pope selleth sinne and paine all that 〈◊〉 be solde Math. 24 â–ª The popish church are 〈◊〉 but no sufferes 1. Cor. 10. The church of Chriâ—… euer persecuted 2. Thess 〈◊〉 The church of Antichrist is the false church â–ª and euer y e greater number The Pope is a deuelishe blasphemer of God The Pope is aboue kyng and Emperor The Pope persecuteth the word of God S. Paule describeth the Pope his in their coâ—ters Gods worde is y t power and pith of all goodnes Confession Loue is of theÌ„selues Couetous Hye mynded Proude Raylers Disobedient Vnthankefull Vngodly â–ª Churlishe Promise breaketh Accusâ—rs Headyâ— Leuyng lustes Appearaunce of godlynesse The Pope and his are mighty iugglers ☞ In the Churche shall there be for euer both good and euill This word Church is taken ij maner wayes The spirituall Churche of God are called LutheraÌ„s and heretickes The fleshly Churche serue God with workes of their owne Friers ☜ The blasing of hypocrites Calil is a sacrifice that no mâ— may haue any parte therof The small flocke of Christ commeth to the word and promises of God Actes 9. Actes 2. Christ onely is the perfect coÌ„forteâ— of the Christian ☞ The Christian maÌ„ in all thinges seketh â—he honour of Christ The Christian selâ—eth his saluatioÌ„ onely in Christ A pretye 〈◊〉 nâ—â—thesis betwen the Popes Churche Christes litle flocke ☜ The Popish church auÌ„swereth The litle flocke The Popes church The maner oâ— y t Popes cleargie Little flock gâ—â—th euer to wracke The Pope 〈…〉 be â—â—â—d by scripture by scripture must be iudged 〈◊〉 ☞ Iohn 5. None can minister the Sacramentes superâ—…ly but the Popes generation 1. Cor. 2. The naturall carnall man sauoreth not the thinge that be of God Rom. 5. God is fatherly to his elect members Rom. 7. Iâ— we sinne of frailtie God is mercifull ready to forgeue The new life doth tame the fleshe and serue her neighbour â–ª God seketh vs and we not hym More a lying papist Sir Thomas Hitton The Pope hath no martyrs 1. Iohn 3. There is a church that sinneth not The churh is double Gal. 5. The carnall church sinneth Two maner faithes Iohn 15. The â—aith of them that be called â–ª but not elect The Pope hideth the scripture The heretikes be fallen out of the mist Why many â—all Councels ☜ Saintes Luke 1â—… Luke 7. Christ dyâ— such seruice as all the Saintes could not do 1. Cor. 3. We may not trust to Saintes Prayer to Saintes is a great superstition Before Christ we vsed not to pray to Saintes M. More destroyeth the resurrection Math. 2â— 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes 4. The more trust we haue in Saintes the lesse we haue in Christ Phisitions We must first call vppon God then sende for the phisition The fleshly mynded caÌ„not iudge the thinges that be of God 1. Cor. 3. More driueth from God Heb. 4. Iohn 1â— Ephes 2. We may be bolde to â—â—sort to god for he â—…leth vs so to do M. More is against the Popes profite Purgatory â–ª 〈◊〉 purgatory visible and a purgatory inâ—â—sible Canonisâ—… How you may know who be Saintes in heauen King Henry of Windsore A straunge doctrine to pray to him for helpe that is dead damned The Israelites were â—o in number theÌ„ the Iewes The Iewes committed Idolatry God euer reserueth a litle flocke More feareth not to worship an vncoÌ„secrated hosâ—e 1. Cor. 1. We must first know the true way then agree in the same Christ rebuked the false trust the Iewes had in their wil works The myracles done by the prophetes and Apostles was to coÌ„firme their doctrine Christ made the woman whole and not hys coate Miracles were done for the confirmation of doctrine A filthy chapter Latriâ— Moses Moses â–ª bones The brasen Serpent God is a spirite and wil be worshipped spiritually The Idolatrouâ— persoÌ„ worshippeth the Image for y t Saint Processionâ— though they be abused may not be put downe Wilde Irishe Welch meÌ„ Many thinges are altered for the abuses sake Ezechâ—as The true preaching of Gods worde remoueth theft and an other wickednes ☞ A good maÌ„ may erre yet not be dampned Thâ— myracles of Saintes confirme mans imaginations There were no doctours neither Apostles that did myracles to establishe the worshipping of â—amages Witches where true doctrine is set forth â–ª there needeth no myracle ☜ Let y â— Papistes for lacke of scriptures come torch and do miracles Gods worâ— to y â— touchstone to triâ— myracles The â—ectes in y â— popists church are almost innumerable Mahomets doctrine hath preuailed these viij hundred yeares The cause of false miracles Where the Scripture is there nedeth no miracles The preachers of the worde of God nede no miracles False docctrine was neuer persecuted The Papistes are ashamed of their LegeÌ„d of lyes The deuill hath holpeÌ„ Popes to their dignities The cause why the Turkes Iewes caâ— not come to to the truth Popish doctrine nedeth miracles but Christes
doctrine nedeth not now of miracles for it was confirmed by Christ with myracles Math. 24. The Pope commeth 〈◊〉 Christes name with false miracles The preachers of gods word confirmed the same with miracles whyle they were alyue God suffeâ—eth such as haue no loue to hys truth to be deceaued with lying miracles Why the Pope tell In the Popish church all miracles are wrought by dead Saintes S. Thomas of CaÌ„terbury Thomas de Aquino Dunce ☜ Miracles Our fayth may not be grounded onely vpon miracles but vpon the worde of God Math. 1â— Iohn 21. The Apostles of Christe knew no such authoritie as the Pope now vsurpeth What iâ— there had bene no scripture Grekes God to 〈…〉 â—…de heresâ—… caused the scriptures to be written â–ª Noe. What faith â—…th Where true faith is there is repentauÌ„ce and ameÌ„dment of 〈◊〉 ☜ Abraham The elderâ— did erre The elders in y e time of the Iewes did erre The Scribes Phariseis and Elders did erre The scripture was aucthorised by true myracles False bookes set forth by the Papistes Erasmus The true church teacheth nothing but that which the scripture proueth and mainteineth The Pope hideth the scripture The Papistes hide y e scripture The scripture is the cause why men beleue y â— scripture The Papistes docctrine is nâ—â— to be beleued wiihouâ— scripture Why the 〈◊〉 is not to be beleued wtout scripture why he is not the true church The doctrine of the Papistes hath bene 〈◊〉 resisted by y e scripture What thinges 〈◊〉 finde in scripture Rom. 〈◊〉 1. Cor. â— 1. Cor. 2. Iohn 5. Iohn 7. Heb. 8. The Papistes will neither by Gods lawe nor mans refraine froÌ„ their wicked liuyng Iohn 10. The Papistes will lose nothing that belongeth to them Christ deliuered the Iewes out of errour ☜ None haue more care of the scripture then those that beleue it not M. More reasoneth agaynst himselfe ☜ Actes 13. Iohn 8. They that preach not Christ truty are murtherers The end of hipocrites Predestination Balam Wit must first shew a cause and then will is sturted to worke More feeleth Purgatory Popish doe trine concernyng Purgatory The pope how he can both forgeue and receiue sinne Tyndall feeleth Purgatory Iohn 15. Iohn 13. Bodyly payne purgeth the body and not y e soule M. More â—o of an euil opinion Faith in Châ—… 〈◊〉 purchaseth forgâ—… of sinne Ephe. 5. There is no purgatory for hym that dyeth repentâ—unt beleueth Iohn 15. 1. Iohn 〈◊〉 Payne of sinne 〈◊〉 popes 〈◊〉 Purgatory prâ—… to y â— Pope Purgatory to a tormenting Iayle as y â— Pope maketh it Money dispatcheth Purgatory The Pope is Antichrist The fleshly children do naturally consent vnto lyes The fleshly mynded can neuer consent vnto Gods law The fleshly persecute them of the spirite The true church is not w t out a signe of a miracle to proue that it is Gods church The popes life doctrine is more wicked theÌ„ the Turkes all y e heatheÌ„ that euer were Euticus Actes 3. All glory and honour is to be geuen to the name of Iesu Iudges Deut. 17. Purgatory to the foundation of Abbeyes Colledges c. M. More is a commoÌ„â—ester and a scouÌ„er ☞ The Papistes are cruell and vnmercyfull Sweryng The oth of a witnes may be taken but no maÌ„ may be coÌ„pelled to sweare be a witnes A godly lesson M. More is a lyer The Papistes are obstinate will not repent Iudas Prayers of an euill Priest profite not A fond saying To minister SacrameÌ„ts with out signification is to be lead in darkenesse Sacrifice Heb. 10. Christes body in the SacrameÌ„t is not carnall but spirituall Christe was sacrificed on the crosse once for all More Deacons Tyndall Christes Deaâ—…s and the pâ—â—eâ— Deacons differ much More Priestes Tyndall More Tyndall 1. Iohn 4. M. Mores fayth was a common fayth More Tyndall More Tyndall As good no lawe as a law not executed Age is to be preferred before â—outh The chast vnchastirie of the Papistes is abhominable both to God and man S. Hierome The Pope iudgeth no sinne to bee sinne and sinne to be no sinne A Priest by the Popes order may haue a whore but not a wife Rom. 14. Mores doctrine is superstitious 1. Tim. 4. The Pope forbiddeth mariage Apparant godlynesse why the Priest may not haue y â— secoÌ„d wife Christes benefites toward vs are figured by matrimony We were Idolaters when we came to Christ S. Paules doctrine is that priests shuld haue wiues Widowes More is a scoâ—fer The office of the wâ—ddowes in y e primatine church Rom. 13 â–ª Young widowes were forbiddeÌ„ to minister in the commoÌ„ seruice Fishe no better then fleshe nor fleshe no better then fishe in the kingdame of Christ 〈◊〉 ☞ Tyndall More Tyndall Three lyes at â—…ce 〈…〉 Priestes must be endued wyth vertue and honesty Generall counsell Parlâ—…ment The 〈◊〉 vsed both in generall to â–ª â—…es and also 〈◊〉 parliamentes A practise vsed in all counsayles and Parlamentes The spiritualtie make heretickes of them that resist theyr power and will Why Priestes may haue no wyues The chastitie of the â—â—ergy pertâ—â—neth to the tempoâ—…ie as much as to the spiritualtie Vowes No oth is to be kept that is agaynst charitie or necessitie The popes snares 〈◊〉 2. 3. 4. 5. Tyndall doth here playnly proue More an hereticke That is euer best that moueth man to the kepyng of Gods commaundementes ☜ Deuilish doctrine Math. 15. Christes natural body is not in the Sacrament The Sacrament of the body 〈◊〉 bloud of Christ how it must be receiued ☞ S. Michael wayeth 〈◊〉 soules The true seruice of God what it is Whether it were best that priestes were gelded ☜ Leuit. 10. More Tyndall Paphnutius More had two wiues therefore was Bigamus More Tyndall The Pope a cruell tyraâ—nt More Tyndall The spiritualtie would not haue the scripture in Englishe Hunne More Horsey Tyndall If we be not giltie we neede no pardon More woulde excuse the murther of Hunne Hunne ☜ More Tyndall Doetour Lolet Olde translation More was a subtill Poet. The hauyng of the Scripture in English is vtterly agaynst the myndes of the Popish Clergie More Tyndall The scripture was first deliuered to the pâ—opâ—e in their vulgere toung More Tyndall More Tyndall The ordinaâ—… are hangmeÌ„ to such as desire the knowledge of the scripture None can vnderstand the Scripture except he knewe Christ to be his iustification More Tyndall More Tyndall Eare confession and pardons were neuer confirmed by miracle More Tyndall The Popish spiritualitie are tyrâ—unts persecutors More Tyndall Pope forbiddeth matrimony the eatyng of meates The wicked monstrous doynges of the Pope More Tyndall More Tyndall More Tyndall All Sacramentes teach vs what to do or what to beleue More Tyndall Eare confession destroyeth the beneâ—ite of Christes bloud More Tyndall More Tyndall RepeÌ„tauÌ„ce More Tyndall SacrameÌ„t More Fayth Tyndall The Pâ—pistes aâ—â— slaundâ—â—â—s of the Gospell More Woâ—… Tyndall â–ª More Tyndall We can do no
bloud Which precepte of the lawe and bycause that bloud is lyfe we affirme it to be set like as many other almost innumerable sacramentes of those Scriptures full of signes and figures of the preachyng to come whiche now is declared by our Lord Iesu Christ c. And I may interprete that precept to bee layed in a signe For the Lord doubted not to say This is my body when hee gaue the signe of his body And euen so is the bloud lyfe and the stone was Christ And yet when he sayd these wordes he sayd not the stone signified Christ but he sayd the stone was Christ whiche lest they should be taken carnally hee calleth it spirituall that is to say he teacheth it to bee vnderstand spiritually Where is now Mores litteral sense and materiall meate Now shall ye heare Chrisostome Nihil sensibile tradidit Christus licet dederit panem vinum non quod panis vinum non sint sensibilia sed quod in illis mentem haerere noluit Nam in suum corpus quod est panis vitae subuehit dicens Hoc est corpus meum perinde ac dicat Hoc licet panis sit significat tamen tibi corpus Thus it is in Englishe Christ geuyng bread and wyne gaue no sensible thyng not that bread and wine be not sensible but that he would not our mynde to sticke still in them For hee lifted vs vp into hys bodye which is the bread of lyfe saying This is my body as though he should say Though this be but bread yet it signifieth vnto thee my body Now iudge thou ChristeÌ„ reader whether M. More reporteth right of this maÌ„ that alledgeth these holy Doctours or no. Now haue ye the pure vnderstandyng of the wordes of the Lordes supper confirmed with the old holy Doctours That this is my body is as much to say as this signifieth my body And this is my bloud is this signifieth my bloud But yet was there neuer such maner of speaking in the scripture This is that that is to say This is conuerted and transubstanciated into that Or this is conteined in that the thyng conuerted and chaunged kepyng still her forme qualities quantities c. As to say This is my body that is to say This bread is conuerted into my body the bread abydyng still in his fashion tast colour waight c. For Christ when hee conuerted water into wyne dyd not leaue the fourme colour and tast still in the water For so had it bene no chaungyng But let our couetous conuerters choppe and chaunge bread and wyne till we there feele see tast neither bread nor wyne and then will we beleue them so they bryng for them the word of God For as for their false iugglyng we feele it at our fingers ende we see it had we but halfe an eye we tast it at our touÌ„gs end and know it with all our wyttes and vnderstandyng so manifestly that we perceiued them openly long agoe to be the very Antichristes of whom Christ and his Apostles warned vs to come in this last tyme. And if they say That this conuersion is made by miracles Then must euery one of them as hee say a Masse make vs many a miracle the very markes of M. Mores Churche For it is oue great miracle that Christs body should come so sodenly inuisible and so oft out of heauen and that such a miracle as the worde of God neuer knew An other that so great a body should be conteyned in so litle a place and that one body should be at once in so many places and two bodyes in one place An other that it is eaten neither the cater feelyng it nor the body eaten sufferyng nor feelyng the teeth of the eater With as many moe maruelous like miracles or rather absurdities of the bread and wyne that there must be the forme colour tast wayght broken c. and yet neither to be bread nor wyne in our belefe except we will be burned of theÌ„ bycause we beleue not their iugglyng castes O mischieuous miracle makers O cruell conuerters O bloudy butchers But hearke Christen reader and I shall learne thee to knowe Christes playne and true miracles from the sleighty iuggling of these crafty coÌ„neyers Christ would neuer haue done miracle had men beleued hym onely by hys woordes but when hee sayd first these wordes This is my body no maÌ„ doubted at them no man was in any vnbeleue of them wherfore these wordes must needes bee playne single and pure without miracle as these The iij. braunches are thre dayes without any subtile transubstantiation such insensible conuersion or any false miracle Christ wrought all his miracles for the glory of God to declare hym selfe both God and man so that all Christes miracles were coÌ„prehended vnder mans sences or commoÌ„ wyttes which bryng in such knowledge vnto the vnderstaÌ„dyng As when he chaunged water into wyne the miracle was first receiued with the sight open at the eye tasted with the mouth and so conuayed vnto the vnderstandyng And now though we neither see nor tast that miracle yet we heare it see it read it and so vnderstaÌ„d that it was once a miracle done of Christ wheÌ„ he restored the sight to the blynd healed the lame clensed the leprose reared the dead all was seen heard and so comprehended vnder our most swete senses that his very enemyes were compelled to coufesse them for miracles But our miracle makers that make dayly so oft and so many are so farre from this cleare poynt that their miracles in this matter be not neither shal be coÌ„tained nor compreheÌ„ded vnder any of our fiue wittes but they rather delude and deceyue both sight tast feelyng hearyng and smellyng ye our fayth and vnderstandyng to Beware therefore of these mischieuous miracle makers for theyr owne glory and profite and will kill thee to if thou beleuest not their lyes Beware I say of those Marchauntes that will sell the wares which they will not suffer thee to see nor to tast nor to touch but when they shewe the white thou must beleue it is blacke If they geue the bread thou must beleue it without any word of thy fayth that it is Christes body and that of their owne makyng If thou tast see and feele it bread yet thou must say it is none though the Scripture calleth it bread xx tymes Beware beware I say of Antichrist whose commyng sayth Paule He is come alredy sayth Iohn now are there many Antichristes shall be after the workyng of Sathan with an almighty power with false signes and wouders lying miracles with all deceite of vnrighteousnes c. To be to curious in so playne a Sacrament and signe to cauill Christes cleare wordes with sophisticall soâ—…mes and to tryfull out the truth with tauntes and mockes as M. More doth is no Christen maner And if our Papistes and Scholasticall Sophisâ—â—râ— will obiect and