supposethe for the Hebrewe bokes haue it wrytten of thys maner in the syxt Chapiter of the Cantikles Reuertere Reuertere Schulamis the which wordes in englyshe be returne returne or turne agayne my peasyble churche and in the .7 chapiter what shall ye fynde in my peasyble churche but companyes of warryours spoken by thys terme Schulamis let hym haue hys churche the whiche he callethe Sunamis that is to say the synagoge of Antychryste myserable captyuate stony indurate we wel haue â—ures the whiche we cal Schulamis that is to saye the churche of god the spouse of true Scholomon which is by interprytacyon of Chryst that pesable kynge all whose souayours stronge ye most strongest be alwaye gyrded with the most persynge sworde of the worde of god for nyghtlye dreades Lantik 3. these souayours be made moste ware and wyse to the battelles into the coniuringe of Antychryst whom god him selfe hathe made truely wyse Ioh. 6. of whom the reprouable Aegipte Sodome Babylon be not able to suffer the leaste scyrmyge or lettynge lose nor neuer coulde Thys Trygaryus dothe saye that we threaten greate thynges but to whom or do we threteÌ„ our selues do not we rather open and declare the thretenynges of the dreadful power of god the which we be certyfyed of shall fall most greuous into the kyngedome of the sonne of perdycyon he dothe also saye that in bryngynge vp rumoures and sclanders we so perpetually be of one mynd that no man doutethe of it but we haue al one spirite I make answere that when we cal them wolues beastes antychristes we do not sclaÌ„der theÌ„ but shewe forth what the spirite doth iudge of theÌ„ by the testymonye of scryptures but it is not alonly in this one thinge that we be al of one mynde for we do dyssente almost in nothyng that the same spirite of god doth teach vs in the sayd word he dyd prophesy as Cayphas dyd ye euen agaynste his wyl nat dylygently markyng that we hade al one spirite although he wolde that his sainge shuldbe otherwayes vnderstaÌ„ded But nether be nor yet al his sinagoge iÌ„ any thing be of one mynde sauynge in thys that they haue all coniured agaynste god Chryst and his verite for what do we se in them perpetual stryfe of Thomystes Scotystes Occanistes of Nomynalles Realles Summeles and suche other of thys kynde stryuynge euen contrarye one to an other whereby is wel knowen that they haue nothynge comen with the doctryne of chryst the whiche is the doctryne of mekenes vnyte they be also strauÌ„ge from hys spirite he doth furthermore saye that we with a vayne glose of wordes do wrast and wrythe the holy scryptures into our owne seÌ„ce wher as we do subdewe our sence by all meanes into the seruyce of the scrypture of god and glory to be ouer comeÌ„ of the truth as any man may openly perceyue that shal loke vpon our commeÌ„taryes and also we do affyrme nothynge that is not proued by the open testymonye of the scripture what is the cause therfore that he dothe counte our exposycyons for vayne but that he is aboute with hys craftines to mocke haue in derysion all the scryptures of god wo be to the thou blynde iogeler for thy iudgment is at haÌ„de bycause thou arte not affrayed to count the testymonyes of god most hyest for vayne and folyshnes peraueÌ„ture thou doeste thynke the spirite of god to be coÌ„pared to thy doble craftynes ye warsse then a foxe but that shalt shortlye be destroyed with the power of the same spirite we wyll not cleaue to the counsel or phantyse of any man excepte it haue the testymonye of the scryptures of god in what thynge do we erre theÌ„ or what haue we reprouyd at any tyme that dothe agre with the scryptures of god or what other thinges shulde we receyue we do receyue the wryttinges of men that agre with the sayde scryptures not for the men but for the truth sake the word of truth ought to iudge who shulde haue wrytten ryghtfully / if they deny that we haue the truth let them improue our probatyons by the worde of god Tregaryus wyll do it he makethe argumente Pro and Contra Primo secundo et tertio c. we wyl heare this sainge the lorde speketh it to whose least iote of speaking ryghtly taken we gyue place but we openly accurse the sotletyes of Tregaryus and hys secte not bycause we be ignorant iÌ„ theÌ„ for we haue labored our selues in such sophestycal knottê but bycause it is wyked and agaynste the worde of god to entreate apoÌ„ the scryptures of faythe with suche contencyous argumentes nor we do not denye as he dothe impute to vs that the worde of god may not be expounded but we wolde not that this exposycyon shuldbe of the proper sence of any man althoughe he be learned and holy but of the sence of Chryst which is than so when we expounde scryptures by scryptures for as I haue spoken in many bokes it is impossyble that any man shuld ryghtuously expounde scryptures of hê owne sence or brayne And yet besydes thê Tregaryus hath added to a blasphemye agaynste the lorde that he supposythe there to be many goddes that can be no maner wayes erre the whiche doth perteyne alonly to god hym selfe the hyest and greatest besydes whom ther is no mo goddes for who but he is immutable so that he can not erre for all sayntes haue synne .i. concupiscence as longe as they lyue and say as is wrytten in the fyrste canonycall epistle of Iohan the fyrst Chapitre yf we shulde say that we haue no syn in vs we deceaue our selues and truthe is not in vs but for all that they do not worke iniquite or wekydnes for syn dothe not reygne in theÌ„ as is playnly declared Ro. 5. 6. he is afrayde also lest that he be iniuryous to the electe in the meanese soÌ„ blasphemyes the lorde god hathe no nede of our lyes no nor yet hê sayntes verely when god hath mercy of the synners or the iniuste and maketh of theÌ„ sayntes theyr vnrytousnes doth commende and laude the rytousnes of god Ro. 3. for verely from thensforthe hys iustyce apperythe more gloryous and he is manyfestly declaryd to be iuste true in hê sermones when he is cruell ouer the wekyd and the rebellyon not obseruyng his promyses is iudged he dothe fayne hym selfe to wryte for the church of god and yet dothe nothyng els but aledge the decrees of men / for that thinge that this crafty false prophete doth of the councelles he doth it so that he is about to subuert al the pryncyples of fayth I do confesse that he speaketh many thinges true chefly in the begynnynge but at the laste he doublethe his voyce of the churche her councelles wherby he maye more lyghtly surely powre out his poysoÌ„ but as I sayde in the begynnynge he is answeryd enoughe at al to his questyons of them afore
depryue any man the comunioÌ„ of the faythfull or lawefully denounce hym for suche one excepte fyrst it be ê‘feytly knoweÌ„ by testymonye of scrypture that he be depryuyd it of the lorde ⧠⧠♣ Euery churche of the faythfull and who so euer berythe rule as kynges prynces and offycers where as cause is may ye they ought do depÌ„ue theyr subiectes the outwarde company of the faythful that is they shall nat dwell with them or otherwyse kepe coÌ„pany ☞ The cause for the whiche many be depriued this outwarde comunyon is by adultery horehuÌ„tyng thefte vsure cursyng couytousenes cruelnes excesse and druÌ„kenes to be reproche to the churche of god 1. Corin. 5. and to be apostata from Christe is to speke agaynste the doctryne of mekenes and nat to sufre it As is euydent the seconde canonicall epystle of Iohan. ¶ No congregacyon of the faythful may lawfully other dreade or receyue the abhomynable costomes interditementes or decrees of the kyngedome of the pope for truely they can hurte them that beleue no maner wayes ☞ In case any man for thynges that agre with the worde of god or bicause he is rulyd by the worde be excomunicate cursyd or enterdyted of the pope or his it is turned to him iÌ„to the most precyouse and amyable blessynge for when they curse god blessythe Psal 108. and to those that loue god all thinges be wroght in goodnes Ro. 8. ¶ Of true goodworkes and the lawe of grace and the gospell and vertues of the faythfull Capi. 4. ALl though we be iustyfied alonly by fayth yet workes be necessarye ♣ Faythe is neuer with out true goodworkes for he hathe his effycacytie by loue ⧠⧠Trewe good workes be whatsoeuer is of faythe ye to eate to drynke to slepe so there be no excesse ⧠♣ what thynges that be nat prohibite by goddê worde may be done in fayth other may nat ☞ ♣ ☜ ☞ what so euer is nat of faithe is wicked though it apere outwardly good / iuste and holy Roma 4. ☞ Faythfull to do well haue no nede of decrees and tradycyons of men ⧠These be doctryne lawes and tradycyons of men that do nat consent with the scriptures of god or els they parteyne to them for the doctryne of man is lyeng bycause man is alyer Psalm 115. trewely the worde of the lorde is verytye Psalme 118. ♣ The lawe of god is suffycyent for faythfull whiche is the lawe of the spirite wrytten in theyr hertes Eisai 51. and Hiere 31. whose scriptures be the most suryst wytnes of the lorde Psal 18. 118. and the spirite dothe wryte in them the gospell of pease and euerlastynge healthe whiche is no other thynge but a surenes of the grace of god and remyssyon of syn by fayth in Christe and his truthe whiche whosoeuer preachythe purely is an euangelyst For the gospell is a gladde and good tydynges ☞ ⧠♣ ¶ For that same spirite dothe teache them all truthe Iohan. 16. and is gouerner of them in euery thynge ⧠♣ It is heresye to say that scriptures of god be superfluous for they be necessarye that hyely that we maye be sure if those thyngê that be in our hertes be of god or no for by what reasoÌ„ as I haue sayde shulde we be more sure theÌ„ of the scriptures of god whiche be his testymonyes ⧠⧠☞ And althoughe we had nede of the same scriptures for witnese of truthe yet for all that euery sermon of the worde of god and all scripture is vnprofytable and in vayne excepte it be wryten in our hertes of the holy spirite whiche scripture of the spirite is the quicke voyce of god ☞ ♣ ☜ ⧠wherfore it is heresye to affyrme that there is any other quycke voyce of god necessary besydes thys and to suppresse his meruelouse testimonies Psalm 118. as many false prophetes do nowe adayes ⧠⧠⧠⧠⧠Therfore the testymonyes of god muste be preached and it is necessarye to be conuersant in them with all dylygence which who so euer dothe truly is verely blessid Psalm 1. and .118 but the fruyte of that preachyng and conuersacyon muste be lokyd for of the holy ghoste ☞ ⧠♣ ⧠☜ ☞ The pryncypall vse of those scriptures of god is that we maye serche in them the testymonyes of his godly wyll ☞ ⧠⧠☜ ☞ ⧠Verely the frute of them is that we beleuyng may be iustyfyed that is we may gette the grace of god and remyssyon of synnes ☞ ⧠♣ ♣ The grace of god is nat that qualyty that Sophesters call Habitus but the fauour and beneuolence of god hauynge vs free when we beleue hym and he hathe his grace that is kynde to hym ☞ ⧠♣ ⧠☜ ☞ Alonly by the merit of Christe we beleuyng in him and nothyng doutiÌ„g of his wordes we gette this grace for then we do receyue hys plentifulnes Iohan the fyrste chapitre ⧠Faythful receiued in to the grace of god by Christe haue togither by hiÌ„ that iustyce whiche hathe in it all parfytnes Of the whiche is spokeÌ„ Psal 71. Iustyce and aboundance of pease shal spryng in his dayes And Psalm 84. mercy and veritie haue mette him pease iustyce haue kyssed hym and also of this is spokeÌ„ Eisaie 53. in his science he beyng iuste shall iustify my seruantes very many ☞ ⧠⧠☜ ♣ Bycause therfore that faythefull haue all thynges in Christe it is superfluous curious and also dampnable to scarche so many partes kyndes and offyces of vertues as false Deuynes do for they that intende suche thyng be but curyouse for they put so many pertykeles that it is vnpossyble to remembre all as you may perceyue manyfestly iÌ„ the SuÌ„leles of Thomas ⧠Rede what god dothe coÌ„maunde and be ofte couersant in his scriptures and thou shalte be full of vertues all thoughe thou neuer knowe soo many names partê and offices as they putte ¶ Of the presthode of the faythefull and trewe mynysters of the churche that is byshopes and deacoÌ„s The fyfte Chapitre The fyfte Chapter BY the presthode of christ and mynysters of hys churche the preesthode of Aaron ministeryes of hys deacons be abrogat and put downe ♣ Chryste alone is the bye byshope and preste of the church Psalmo 109. Hebre. 5. and. 9. full of grace and truthe ♣ As many as beleue in hym be made pertakers of hys plentyfulnes Io. 1. and of hys oyntment that is of the holy goost Psalmo 44. O god the sone thy god the father hath oynted the with oyle of gladnes the spyryte makynge glade aboue thy felowes that is other faythful whiche be pertakers of thy plentyfulnes ♣ All faythful of both kyndes be consecrate into prestes by hym as Peter wryteth to all faythful 1. Pet. 2. you are a chosen generacyon a ryall presthode Apocalip 5. thou haste made vs kynges and prestes to our god and we shal reygne apon the erthe ♣ I do not call them seny ours by the greke worde Presbitri but
wyse to be made in a tonge vnknowen to the penitente ⧠✚ ♣ ⧠☞ For it is necessary that he vnderstande the worde wherby hys soule is to be comfortyd in the lorde to whom he muste nedes beleue ¶ Of sygnes of grace and remyssoyn of synnes ⧠BAptysme is to the faythefull as loÌ„ge as he lyueth the most surist sygne of grace and remyssyon of siÌ„nes for in al his lyfe he asking that is moste assurid by that signe all though it be receiuyd but ones ⧠For what so euer the faythful takyth as mortyfyeng crusyfyeng quotidiane spoylyng of the olde man be fyguryd in the plongynge out and in the water with the iudgement of the newe man Roma 6. ♣ Another sygne there is the table of the lorde which is to euery maÌ„ receyuyng it in fayth the moste suryst signe of grace and remyssyon of synnes ♣ Thys table is a memory of a sacryfyse ones offerid in the crosse and nat the sacryfyse ¶ For to affyrme that it is a sacryfise and that it shulde be sacryfyed of any man it is execrable wicked and abhomynable byfore the lorde and more of this in another place ♣ The thyrde sygne is the worde spoken of the churche or of any faythful sygnifieng grace and remyssyon of sinnes to be gyuen by him that amendith and asketh it in faythe ⧠These sygnes be the vesselles of grace as manye haue defynyd in the spirite of errour ☞ But sygnes do not brynge grace but the lorde Psalmo 83. It is not gyueÌ„ by signes but by fayth ¶ By fayth we be pertakers of al the gyftes of the holye goste ♣ Also these sygnes without faythe / be nothynge / whiche scolers saye of fayned thynges ☞ ⧠☞ ⧠¶ Paule saythe Ephe. 5. Chryst hath santyfyed his churche made it clene with the lauer of water by his worde verelye it is clensyd with the worde when it beleueth it of the which clensynge the lauer of water is a sygne he sayd not symply it is made clene with the lauer of water but put to by the worde that you maye knowe the makyng clene to be sygnifyed by the lauer ¶ whiche thou haste openly 1. Pe. 3. baptyme hath made vs safe not by the which fylth of the fleshe is put away / but it maketh that a good conscyence answeryth well to god by the resurrectyon of Iesus Chryste ♣ Althoughe that we get by the same alonlye faythe in Chryste grace full remyssyon of all our synnes yet god the hyest and greateste of the aboundance of hys goodnes hathe put to these sygnes to the greatter comforte of the faythefull whether any cases may be reseruyd WHat so euer the man of syn the son of perdycyon the pope with all his kyngdome haue reseruyd and kepte cases hath ben a faynynge of the deuyl so moch more hateful dampnable cursyd as it repugnethe euen contrarye to the eternall scryptures of god ♣ Nothynge at all may be reserued to the faythful that hathe all most plentyfully remytted to hym so that there can be no greater ♣ The church caÌ„ nether lose or bynde but after the worde of god by whoÌ„ she muste be gouerned in all thynge Of satysfaccyon and as they call it inioynynge of penaunce BYcause satysfaccyon for synnes dothe shewe a suffycyencye of deades by whoÌ„ euelles be restored which haue chauÌ„syd iÌ„ those synnes there is no maÌ„ that can outher gyue or do suffycient for theÌ„ it is wekyd that sophysters thynke that we can satysfye for them ¶ For nether with fastynge prayer nor almes or any other worke we be able to satysfye bycause these be not satisfaccions but frutes of true fayth for there is another satysfaccyoÌ„ with out all these ♣ There is one alone ful and true satysfaccyon for the synnes of all the world in whom we must nedes beleue made of the lorde Iesus Chryste ¶ Sines be sayde to be redemed with almes yf it be of fayth for they be redemyd of faythe of the gyuer and not for the almes it selfe ♣ The same iudgement is of fastynge and prayer and of al workes of fayth which be good bycause of true fayth ¶ whiche fayth beynge absent be but mere wekydnes and syn for all that is not of fayth is synne Roma 14. ♣ Of iogelyng spirites and doctryne of deuyls dyd it sprynge that many haue affyrmyd penaunce to be inioynyd ☞ For it can not be inioyned of man but gyueÌ„ of god to the siÌ„ner that he may truly be penytent for his synnes ♣ They call it folyshlye penaunce that these chapleyns haue costomyd to inioyne to him that telleth his synnes ☞ For theyr ought nothynge to be inioyned by cause Chryste is full satysfaccyon for all faythfull ⧠The penytent is to be comfortyd with the worde of god and to be monyshyd to true faythe and the workes of it for as it is sayde what so euer is not of faythe is hypocresye and syn ♣ Not that people shulde be losyd or that he cleuynge to this maner of confessyon shulde styke to vs as the prophetes of antychryste inioyne vs but we haue wrytten so of penaunce that al dreames and lyes of men put away and all crafty conueyance and greate burdens of the kyngedome of antychryste reiecte Chryste and the worde of truthe may reygne in euery place ♣ we haue spoken of penauÌ„ce those that perteyne to the scryptures of god in fewe wordes hauynge no regarde what the wyked synagoge of the kyngdome of antychryste in the spirite of errour hath otherwyse dyffyned for it is necessary for vs to flye his poyson for it can not be that we shal gyue place both to Chryst and Antychrist ♣ The conclusyon THe sum of christyanyte we haue breflye wrytten that is in .385 peradoxes or posycyons that thys boke myght be to bere in the handes of theÌ„ that desyreth it there was .ij. thiÌ„ges that mouyd me cheflye to do it fyrste there be very many that put forthe reprouable peradoxes as there was one Tregaryus by whome they be about to make the symple people straunge from the truth the other is that before the .ix. monethe at the noble cetye of Wetens the companye of antychryste was gatheryd agaynst me which mouyd me to styke vp many posytyons verely I put to them a huÌ„dreth and .xxvi. whoÌ„ I haue nowe increasyd to .385 let theÌ„ answere therfore yf they haue any thynge let not these blynde pharesyes stande iÌ„ theyr owne conceyte and legates and tyrantes of the sonne of perdicyon that for hê decre and lyke preachynge dyd make the noble wytnes of Chryste S Iohan castellane somtyme my welbelouyd brother the laste of all that is the 12. daye of the monethe of Ianuarye Anno. 1525. at Vuy a towne of lotherynge with fyer they made hym a martyr of Chryste but for hiÌ„ god shall fyght agaynste them and for one well rayse a thousande and yf they hade slayne me to Chryst hade vouchsafe thys glorye of martyrdome to me for me ten thousaÌ„de shulde ryse for surely antychryste with all hys kyngedome apostata shall falle to the glorye of the lorde Iesus Chryst and that with spirite of hys mouthe which with the father and the holye goste lyueth one god gloryous for euer more So be it WOo woo be to the thou purple whore / whore of Babylon that loueth the sygne of the rose coloryd beaste and to it empyre thou arte made drunke with the blode of prophetes sayntê and dothe call to the shedynge of the blode of the electe as it were to a feast of deÌ„tyes promysinge to thy assystentes grace and remyssyon of synnes with thy false iogelynge woo I saye to the for thou shalte be dystroyd for with the vyolence of a mylstone throwen into the see thou shalte be sende into the botome of hel and thou shalt be founde no more Apoca. 18. bycause the lorde hathe remembred the blode of hys electe whom thou haste slayne and whom thou hast deceyuyd to establyshe thy lyes and abhomynatyons and hathe alwaye trode vnder fode the veryte of our lorde Iesus Chryste for the which thou shalt be troden downe of it for euermore and the beaste that thou haste worshypped shall peryshe with the. So be it ¶ Let thys be done lorde Iesu come quyckly thy enemyes ouercome and reygne in vs. So be it The ende of thys collectyon of places of scrypture ☞ ⧠☜ ⧠⧠♣ ⧠♣ ☞ ☜
glory of god and helthe of soules I shall brefly intreate vpon with your hyghnes of those thynges that I copiously wrytte vpon to the moste noble lorde IOHAN Cardinal as they call it of Lotherynge what the Pope with hys Cardynalles Archebyshopes Byshopes Abbottes Chanones all other benefised men shall do leste they peryshe but may be sauyd For of truthe / all theyr hyghnes is of the dyuell Let them beware therfore / that they be nat euerlastiÌ„gly confoundyd / and peryshe For byshopes be alonly ê“phetes of truthe / and there shulde be so many byshopes as the multytude of people requyreth Ye and to confesse the truthe I can nat call your hyghnes a byshope excepte I shulde flatre and do agaynst my conscyence whiche is to be auoydyd of the faythfull euyn as the venyme of the serpent Aspis I coÌ„fesse you to be a prynce I knowe nat you to be a bysshoppe bycause you preache nat the gospell But it is nat in euery man to preache the gospel but of theÌ„ to whoÌ„ it is gyuen of the lorde for they muste be sende to it of him And these be the true byshopes of the churche of god Therfore dylygently endeuour your selfe that treâ—e byshopes may be encreasyd within your lordshyp Bysshopes may nat be lordes but alonlye doctours or teachers and seruauntes of the people of god It is iniury to a prynce to be callyd byshope ye and vtterly the moste greuous mockage if the thynge spoken be delygently examynyd wolde nat be thynke hym selfe deludyd that were callyd by a name nothyng 〈◊〉 for him whan any man is callyd â—â—shoâ—e what other thyng is it than to say beholde a preacher of the worde of god contynually preachyng the gospell hauyng knowledge of holy scripture teachiÌ„g the people with the alonly pure worde of god attrybutynge to god hys due honour and prayse herberous or kepyng hospitalytie geuyng example of him selfe to other to folowe the gospell in lyuyng moste dylygent in redynge and expounding the scriptures and yet he hathe none of all these I wyll suffre euery man to call you a byshop which I wyll nat do my selfe leste I be iniuryous to you I well knowe that you be prynce of Lausane ye and I wolde that you shulde so playe the prynce that you wolde dylygently laboure to haue many true byshopes vnder you For verely euery paryshe ought to haue hys propre byshope the whiche shulde be chosen of the people and coÌ„fyrmed by the cominaltie of the churche of euery place and to do this thiÌ„g they haue no nede of letters rynges sealles tokeÌ„s and suche other of this kynde very muche vsyd clene coÌ„trary to the worde of god So longe they shulde be accountyd for byshopes as they preache moste purely the gospell of the kyngdome of god FroÌ„ the whiche if they swarue one iote and teache straunge doctryne they ought to be deposyd and put out of them by whoÌ„ they were electe and chosen that is to say of the comynaltie of the churche afore namyd and other more apte to be electe But of thys matter I haue spoken more at the large in an other place Therfore I wyll returne to our purpose of Tregarius He dyd wryte to your hyghnes supposyng you to be Fabiane where as you be Sebastiane as the letters beare wytnes gyuen to me by your owne handes wherin he goyth aboute to supprese and treade vnder fote the eternall veritie of god vnder the name as he hathe wrytten of Lutherane secte and vnder colour of zele towarde the church he rayleth the moste lyceÌ„tiously in to the truthe and that same churche â—ho is he at the leaste that ê‘ceiueth the thyngê of god that folowith Luther or sayeth I am of Luthers secte Luther is a man and therfore of hym selfe a lyer but if Luther or any other speake the veritie and truthe of god what is the cause that we do nat gyue place to the truthe whiche the holy ghoste dothe make open to vs by Luther For I praye you is it nat wrytten of suche men you be nat they that speake but the spirite of your father that spekith in you it is nothyng sauery nor pleasythe nat at all that some men do say and talke of the wysdome of god whiche is founde in Paules epistles they call it Paules philophie I do gyue place and beleue the wrytynges of Paule Petre IohaÌ„ Esaie Hieremie and other prophetes of god nat for them but for the spirite of god which dyd speake in them Luther hathe nat teachyd me nother hys wrytynges those thingê the which I haue knoweÌ„ by the gyfte of god in holy scriptures Yet for all that I coÌ„fesse me to knowe Luther ye and nat a lytle to haue profytyd thorugh hys company I know him to be the apostle and aungell of god that is to say sent of hym For it is inpossible that he shulde be sent but of him to haue wrytten those thynges that he hathe wrytteÌ„ that is the scriptures of truthe and euyn as it is nat to be condempnyd that Paule hathe wrytten bycause he was a man in lyke case nother Luthers wrytynges are to be coÌ„dempnid bycause he is a man For it is nat Luther but god that hathe wrytten and spoken in Luther But thê Tregarius to obtayne the fauour of Antichriste vnder the name of Luther dothe openly speake agaynste Christe and his viritie He dothe also vnder that name resyste the impollutyd scriptures of god all the prophetes and his louers and callythe them defenders of sectes causing great rumores repletynge the worlde with all vnquietnes Philistianes hauiÌ„g vaine and folyshe armoure mockers / and deceyuers / of this maner dothe rayle agaynste them with the moste opprobrious crimes Forthermore he dothe reproue them of vehemente and wycked zele / and saithe that they haue forgote the saieng of our sauyour Lerne of me for I am meke and humble in harte and agayne blesse them that say euyll of you / and praye for them that persecute you But nowe loke vpon the craftynes of this foxe ê‘auenture he is afrayde / leaste that he shulde be put out and exilyd of antychrist / from the tyraÌ„nycall prouincialshype of his secte / for that cause / he so feruently defeÌ„dyth his parte / settyng at nought the worde of the lorde Nowe if he take this for a secte / to loue and teach the moste pure worde of god the whiche we doubte nat of we do couit and halfe this holy / necessary eternal and inuincible secte / and byfore hym and suche lyke / we wyll be of this secte / cleaue to it must surely / orels without remedy we shulde peryshe ê‘petually we be adhereÌ„tes and defeÌ„ders of thys eternall / heuenly / and deuyne secte / it is necessary / that we be tumultuous or bryngers vp of rumoures for it / agaynst the execrable / cursid / and abhomynable secte of antichriste For the worde of the lorde dothe burst vp carnal pease
/ dothe rayse vp the sworde very ofte in hym selfe / accordynge to the sayiÌ„g of the lorde I dyd nat come to sende pease / but a sworde Math .x. and it is wrytten Luke .2 that Christ is put in to the falle of the vnfaythefull in to resurrection of the faythfull and in to a sygne that shal be resysted and spoken agaynste of those vnfaythful if we shulde teache worldly thynges / beyng carnall and hypocrytes / they wolde nat resyst and ryse agaynst vs as they do but bycause we preache thingê coÌ„trary to the worlde the worlde hatyth vs / and callyth vs tumultuous / and sedecyous felowes Ye and byfore it Christe him selfe was a sower of euell sedes / a sclaunderer with wordes / a sedycyous felowe / an herityke a deceiuer a subuerter of the people / and an euyll doer Forthermore all that lyue mekely in Christe Iesu / and couyt so to do / suffre persecucyon of it 2. Timoth. 3. God dothe coÌ„maunde vs also / of Tregarius / and suche other men of that secte / whiche no doubte pertayne to the abhomynable courte of that purple whore of Babylon / mother of all fornicatyon / in the eyghtenthe Chapitre of the reuelacions of saynt IohaÌ„ sayeng Go from her my people / and be nat parttakers of her synnes / and receyue nat of her plages / for her dampnable synnes haue come to heaueÌ„ / and the lord hathe remembryd her iniquities / rewarde her euyn as she rewardyd you / and gyue her double according to her workes and powre in double in the same cuppe / which she filled vnto you asmuche as she glorified in her selfe / and lyued wantonly / so muche powre you in for her of punyshement / and sorowe This wycked whore iÌ„ tyme past hathe fylled to vs her abhominacioÌ„s / in the golden cuppe / of the worde of god For she hathe confyrmyd her tyrannyes / by placys of scripture / falsly vnderstaÌ„dyd / and vnder the most holy name of Christe / she hathe outragyd / aboue that at man can speake / euyn agaynste Christe him selfe Verely god wyll that we giue doble to her in that cuppe .i. better thyngê then that druÌ„ke whore that is to saye / that we do nat fyll to other nowe after the trutâ—e receyuyd / the abhominable / and â—ynkiÌ„g dunge of the wysdome of the fleshe / inuencyons of men But muche more prâ—cyous thingê / the whiche do aâ—â—â—e with the golden cuppe of the wâ—â—â—e of god that is to say the spirite truthe of the lettre by whoÌ„ is openly knoweÌ„ that these iugelers be antichristes scismatykes heretykes chyldren of perdicion and men of syn To whose preceptes bycause we do obey / and gyue place they name vs to be sclanderers repleting al the worlde ful of rumours and horyble crymes But I myght moue thys questyon to them in what thynge do we erre I pray you do nat they with an indurat harte resyst / and speake agaynst the truthe Ye and that same truthe it selfe doth name his enemyes in euery place / wolues / Foxes Beares / Lyones / Dogges / Leoperdes / wylde beastes / false prophettes / pseudo apostles roten sedes vnfaythfull hypocrites folishe cowerdes nat hearing the voyce of theyr lorde god a baren howse the churche malignant the synagoge of Satan the generacioÌ„ of the lordes furye apostaticall gentyles hauynge the fronte of the greate whore the fruyte and generatyon of Vipers the counsell of the wycked Dragones the kynde of the serpente Aspis deafe and stopyng theyr eares the ennemyes of the lorde a wycked couent the tabernacles of synnes the sede of Chaname Egypte Sodome euyl trees and vnfruitful mokers that say to men sayeng wyll nat you to see / speake pleasauÌ„t thynges to our eares take hede of our errours let holy Israell cease from our syght the blacke tayles of smokye bronddes ydolles blynde studientes the generacyon of Cain wycked and adulterous deceyuable workemen felowes of theuys effemynate deserte chyldren false doctoures whose god is theyr belye and glorie in theyr confusyon the tasters of earthly thynges theues of innocentes and wydoes and dothe name theÌ„ that resyste and speake agaynste the doctryne of mekenes with suche names of this kynde which of vs coulde euer attayne to suche a vehemence of speakyng that in confoundyng the reprouable we might obtayne one parte of the pythye rebukyng that is fouÌ„de agaynste them in holy scrypture And peraduenture Tregarius wyll reprehende the holy ghoste and say that he dothe fyl the worlde ful of hatred and malyce / bycause that suche names / shulde be putte in holy scripture or at the leaste saye that these be contrarye to Christe when he saythe Lerne of me c And agayne saye well by them that saye euyll by you c the whiche as we haue sayde he dyd aledge agaynst vs. But what is the cause that he dyd nat take hede also of the word that folowythe you of men that saye euyll by vs we muste speake well but nat of them that speake euyll by the lorde Iesus Christe and his verytye No nor yet we maye nat make lyes to say well by any man For and a man myght be bolde with you is this well sayde to saye that Magister noster the noble doctour Tregarius a good seruande of Christ and dothe well in suppressynge the churche and worde of god for the synagoge of Antychriste and lyes of men Or is it lawfull for me to wryte the reuerende father in god Prouyncial of the Augustyne freers by the hyer Germanye is a good oratour and can wryte very well for the counselles of the Pope hys Cardynalles and Byshopes and with a noble profe openly declarith that the Synagoge of the Pope is the trewe church of god am nat I rather bouÌ„de to speake playnly after the worde of god saye thys foxe thys wolfe this falsse prophete is aboute to turne the people frome the sermones of truthe to the lyes of antychrist and couytith to bryng the prynce of Lausane the noble gentyles of Heluetia from god and hys Christe and wolde that they shulde alway perseuer and continewe in darkenes of errours in the whiche we haue be drownyd so longe season and hathe nat one iota of scripture to confyrme those thynges that he adfyrmythe in hys lyeng wherof he muste nedes fal For he can neuer withstaÌ„de the myghty worde of the Lorde the whiche he so sore reclamyth agaynst of whom he shal be confoundyd trodeÌ„ downe and consumyd Ye and if there were innumerable thousandes of the prophettes of Baalle with this Tregarius they shal be dystroyed and fall from the syde of theÌ„ that loue teach the pure worde One Helias one prophete of the lorde shall ouercome and dystroye theÌ„ all although they wolde resyste with playne batayle and crye howle in theyr deÌ„nes but in case that he thynke hym selfe nat worthye thys name as to be callyd a foxe or a wolfe let hym
do none of these aforesayde for we be coÌ„straynyd to it by the word of god for all that be of this secte are to be publyshed to the people of god / that they maye beware of them leste they be deceyuyd Thys blynde doctoure callythe vs Phylystianes wearyng vayne and folyshe armoure and of this maner this blasphemer railith and wonderythe I wolde to god that he were nat a blasphemar agaynst the spirite of god and wolde nat speake wittingly agaynst his coÌ„science with what armoure do we resyste these enemyes of Christe and hys worde Is it nat the eternal scriptures of god and this iugeler callythe them vayne and folyshe But what is the cause that he was nat present at this laste conflycte or disputation at Argentine where he myght haue be sure to haue dysputyd with the Byshopes of the same Cytie we wyl gladly giue our selues to deth if we be ouercome and conuicte where as if he were coÌ„uicte he shulde sustein no dauÌ„ger at al. but he wolde nat that the people shulde knowe hys lyes the whiche had be dysclosyd in dede if he had dysputyd ye or to speake near the marke if he had be preseÌ„t at the sayde conflicte or dysputacyon the symple people haue the iudgement of the spirite aboue al suche proude bugges the whiche we call Magistrinostri bycause they loue the worde of god the which the other be about to suppresse tread downe For is it nat wrytten Thou hast made me wyse ouer myne enemies thorowe thy coÌ„mauÌ„dmentes for it is to me euerlastiÌ„g I do perceiue aboue all that teache me bycause thy testymonies be my studye I vnderstande aboue olde men bycause I haue searchyd thy commaundmentes the hundrethe .xviij. Psalme Forthermore froÌ„ these sage and wyse men god doth hyde his mysteries the which he doth vouchesafe to reuele and open to the yonge lytle ones they knowe and perceyue thys lyterature and attrybute very muche to it therfore they do nat entre in to the lordes power verely these other be admytted into the sayd powers and feareful iudgemeÌ„t of god For verely there is none although he be lernyd that is admytted to the inteligence of the scriptures of god but euyn he that dothe attrybute or gyue nothynge at all to the scyence or wyt of man towarde the vnderstandyng of theÌ„ but al only to the spirite of truthe These meÌ„ wyl nat that the lytle flocke of Christe shulde iudge of his voyce and it perteyneth most chefely to theÌ„ For be nat they the shepe of Christâ— he theyr shepeherde but there is one voyce alone of this shepherde or pastor which doth hyely please his shepe without any other And they knowe heare his saide voyce Iohan .x. It is also sayde to them proue you the spirites if they be of god or nat whiche they do ê“ue knowe by the scripturê of god the which is the only most sure testimony to proue if the voycê of theÌ„ the teache be of god or nat also Psal 18 .118 Esa 8. they he callyd testimonies or witnes let thê Tregariê° with all his secte outrage as much as they wil and denye the worde of the lorde that is to saye that the companye of the faythful to be apte iudgê of the worde for wtout doubte he shal shortly slyde downe fale bycause he goyth aboute it with stafe made of rede of the shadowe of Aegypte of the dreames of men If god be with vs who is agaiÌ„ste vs Let nat thys hartles knyght ouer boldely promyse to him selfe the vyctorie I saye yet agayne he shall fale be confoundyd we be nat aboute this thorowe our selues but thorowe the stone that is our faythe by Christ couyteth to subuerte this lyeng and wyckednes He hath his hedde antichrist to whom he dothe attrybute and gyue more then to Christe and to whom he dothe cleaue with all his harte the veritie and truthe of Christe setaparte wherfore we of necessitie muste nedes hate him accordyng to the sayenge of Dauyd Psalme 118. I haue hatyd the wycked and Psalme 138. Dyd nat I hate lorde them that hatyd the was mouyd ouer thy enemyes I dyd hate them with a parfecte hatred and they were made enemyes to me wherfore nowe in the meane seasoÌ„ let him couÌ„te vs for mockers bycause we be apostata from Antychryst cursse him lest that we shulde be apostata from chryst and let hym opprobryoully speake agaynst vs what he wyl for we glorye for them al byfore the lorde of whoÌ„ his destructyon is at hande bycause that baren tre is not abasshed to couÌ„te the sayers of truth for mockers for no other thiÌ„g but bycause they speake the truth / as who saye / the truthe it selfe were a mockage Thys wyked man wyll not be ouercome of the truth of the which we glorye in the lorde to be conuycte for we our selues in tymes paste dyd walke iÌ„ the spirite of errour but nowe the veryte of god hathe ouercome vs by the which god hath delyueryd vs ye and dayly doth delyuer vs froÌ„ the most greuous darckenes of ignorance and erroures whome we do instantly pray that he wyl make perfyte the thynges whiche he hath begonne in vs we wyl not be conuycte of the decrees of men by whom he is coÌ„uycte and most shamfully straungelyd as I very well knowe so that in the thynges of god he maye be confutyd of innumerable chyldren and husbande men for it is to wyt that the most vyctorous word of god which they loue is able to preueyle agaynste a hundreth thousande suche as Lregaryus is if our armour be nat inuyctoryous as he denyethe them to be lette hym condescende or come forth and proue howe inuyctoryous they be but he doth warre iÌ„ horses and charyotes that is to say with the sotletyes of men verelye we warre in the name and worde of our lorde god in the whiche we despyse hym and all that warre agaynste vs he dothe also say that the Churche is not so destytute namely in thys golden tyme that she shulde not haue her warryours truely thê myght be a sainge of blynde Byarde oh howe nobly doth he know what the churche is and who be her warryours he supposethe the church to be that whiche countethe the wyse men of the worlde to be her sodyours as who shulde say it were not wrytteÌ„ I wyl destroy the wysdome of that wyse and wyl cast away the vnderstandinge of the prudent where is the wyse where is the scrybe where is the searcher of thys worlde hathe not god made the wysdome of thys worlde folyshenes 1. Corinthy 1. these be not the soudyours of the churche of god but the symple pure meke that with all theyr hartê cleaue to the worde of god most hyest of suche that be of thys kynde the frunte of the greate warre of our churche which is peasyble is ordyned the whiche is called by the Hebrewe terme Schulamitis and not Sunamitis as be
named It dothe greaue me sore / moste noble prynce to make answere to the wekydnes of thê deceyuer I wold but alonly gyue you warnynge that you with al dilygence shulde flee and auoyde the poyson of hym and suche other for you must do so of necessyte if you wyl play the true prince / or els it is impossible that you shulde be sauyd / nowe perceyue / I do thys with a greate hope / remembryng our olde amytye / the whiche in tymes passed / you dyd vouchsafe apon me / of the noble mynde of your good lordshyppe / I wyl not go aboute to oynte your hede with oyle of a synner / the burden is great that oppressythe you take hede therfore lest you peryshe vnder it / take hede also that you haue vnder you / true chrysten people / and that chryste may regyne in them / for then you shall cheflye play the true prince / when you chefly gyue delygence / that Chryst maye be a prynce in your subiectes / take hede also that the most pure worde of god may be preached to you banyshe from your landes / al false prophetes / wolues suche maner of marchande meÌ„ / I wolde that you shulde perfytlye knowe / that if youre people peryshe your soule shal be for theyres ye if it be thorowe your cause if ther peryshe but one / pryncypally beware of al hoded men / for al they / excepte a fewe / haue coniured agaynst god / and hê chryst / but aboue al other take hede of these for they are to be flede of you that glory them selues wykedly / with the tytle of obseruantes / execrable to all Chrystyanes / for theyr ypocrysye hathe lede very many / ye almost innumerable to death / I pray god the hyest and best / that they maye shortly be expulsyd / the courtes of al princes / by lytle and lytle it is hyely necessary that you extyncte / put downe / the tyrannes of the kyngdome of Antychryst .i. these dysceytfulnes of perdons ydolatry of sayntes that slepe / the offycyalles courtes / cursyd costomes / by no meanes to be permytted of Chrystyanes the outragiousnes of sectes with al such other then conceaue in your mynde that you wyl haue holy scryptures in your haÌ„des stody vpon theÌ„ nyght day the holy gost wyl teache and enforme you / by what meanes all thyngê shal be wel orderyd withiÌ„ your kyngdome for yf you deny the word of god to the people they ought not to obeye you for they be the shepe of Christ they wyl be fedde with the meate of his holy worde therfore al the people of the faythful maye saye to theyr princes / rulers ye they be bounde to make coÌ„gregatyons for it and say / we wyl heare the worde of our lorde god we wyll not heare the decrees lawes of the pope / we wyl not yeâ—ecreralles of these glosing sophysters the which yf prynces / or rulers wyll denye them when they wylbe taken for faythful the sayde people may depryue them theyr kyngdomes / lordshypes / the people be subiecte / in al thinges to princes rulers / sauynge those thinges / that be against the worde of god / or that they shulde not haue the worde of god preached / let your hyghnes gyue place to the truthe / and god shal encrease you in althynges / establyshe your kyngdome I was aduertysed of late that bycause a certeyne minyster as we cal it a prest despysynge that decre of antychryst prefarryng the precepte of god is maryed to a wyfe / for the which he is taken prisoner of a certeyne tyrante thorowe your consente they do saye that he doth persecute him to deathe / take hede that you consent not to any man for your soule shuldbe for his he hathe done a thynge necessary which god hathe commaunded to al that can not absteyne as I haue copyouslye opened in my boke of matrymony and euedeÌ„tly proued it To the most chrysteÌ„ Kynge of Fraunce the whiche I dyd put forth because of my owne mariage for I am maryed altho the synagoge of the son of perdicyon was madde at it for we must rather obeye god then man god hath coÌ„maunded matrimony to euery man that can not abstayne the pope prohibyteth and maketh ypocrytes to whom shuld we gyue place not to god the lorde dyd make no distynctyon betwyxte the layealtye and the clargye the coÌ„maundement is general perteyning to euery maÌ„ of euery state ye and if your highnes wyl beleue the truthe take a wyfe and by your exmaple you shal destroy this cursed decre of antychryste for when he dyd commaunde to the Clargy chastyte of lyuynge contrarye to the worde of god he dyd multyply al maner of lecherye and to speke the truthe thys reprouable order is spronge of no other thing but of dysceytfull spirites doctryne of deuylles as you maye playnly perceyue the first of Tim 4. the same iudgement is of the prohybyting of meattes iÌ„ the same place very copyously I hade no space nor tyme to wryt many thinges to you therfore I haue brefly made answere to that wyked Tregaryus wherin I haue putte moch good councel bycause this deceyuer goeth about falsly to instructe you of the authoryte of the couÌ„celles of the church of the which matter we hade comunycatyon very oft in your palace I shal also adde to .385 Paradoxes or coÌ„clusyons / concludynge another thiÌ„ge then Tregaryus hathe teached I do also make redy my selfe to answere to them al where so euer it shal be eyther in Germanye or in Fraunce or where so euer they wyl so that they wyll heare me not go about to put me to deathe vn harde I wyl dyspute the matter openly if the counsel be holdeÌ„ in FraÌ„ce and wyl no other iudges but the most pure worde of god and all that iudge syncerely after it bycause it is no otherwyse lawefull in case they ouercome me with the worde of god and proue that I dyssent from the truthe in those thynges that I shall affyrme by the same worde let them order me as they thynke it beste and yf they be conuycte I wyl not that they shulde be in danger of the least heare of theyr hede but alonly let glory be gyuen to the truthe wherfore I beseche youre Lordeshyppe to accepte thys treatyse of Paradoxes or conclusyons compendyouslye concludynge almost all what soo euer dothe perteyne to Chrystyanytye / and doo not dysdayne my dewetye towarde your hyghenes / and perauenture God the greatteste / and moste hye wyl graunte that I may shortlye put forthe vnder your name some thinge more exelent peace and grace of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste and ioye of the holye gost be with your noble lordship and with al youre people So be it ⧠The fyrste Chapitre ¶ The cause of the greate blyndnes of the worlde whiche hathe coÌ„tinued so longe tyme by what meanes the
verytye of scriptures of god hathe be hydde and suppressyd Capi. i. The Paradoxes OF Christ and his apostles the same veryte truthe was diligently preached whiche nowe is opened agayne with his gyfte and spirite They dyd preache the moste pure worde of god with the same siÌ„cerenes that it was reuelyd shew yd of god nat admyxted with proude phylosophy chyding sophymes dreames decrees tradycyons of meÌ„ne and to do the same we our selues be aboute and couit with all our hertes ¶ For it is vnpossible that any man shulde perceiue the scriptures of god by carnal wysdome as S. Paule dothe say in his fyrst epystle to the Corinthians the .2 chapitre sayeng god hathe made them open by his spirite for the spirite sercheth althynges ye the botome of godes secretes ⧠¶ Verely the alonly spirite of god is the moste lawfull interpreter of scriptures and most surely dothe iudge of the secretes of god .i. Corinthians 2. the thyngê of god no man knoweth but the spirite of god ☞ ⧠¶ who so euer dothe preache and expounde the scriptures nat of this spirite powres forth his dreames lyes for he is then carnall nat perceiuyng those thyngê that be of the spirite of god for they seme but folyshenes to him wherfore he can nat ê‘ceiue that as I haue sayde they be taken in spirite 1. Corin. 2. ☞ ⧠⧠☜ ♣ God hathe gyuen to vs the moste surest testimonie of his spirite that is to say his scriptures by whom is wel knowen who dothe iudge rytiously or no. so scripture is called a witnes or testimonie Esaie 8. the Psalme 18. and very ofte in the .118 Psalme ⧠⧠Euery exposicion of any place of scripture whiche dothe dyssent from no other place of the same scripture is of the spirite of god but if it do dissent in one iote it is nat of the holy ghoste but commeth of the lyeng and folyshe sense of men for euery man of hym selfe is a lyer Psalmus 115. ♣ Hat longe after the apostles dayes Doctours began to expouÌ„de the most spirituall scriptures of god agaynste theyr propre nature and ordre of god whiche had openid theÌ„ after the wysdome of the flesshe moste vayne phylosophy admyxtinge them dayly with theyr reê“uable soteltyes sophymes ☞ By what meanes it came to passe that they were depriued the equal iudgement of god and true intellygence of scriptures and blyndyd euery day more then other so that by the multitude of sophymes and carnall inuencyons the lyght of euerlastyng verytye and truethe was vtterly hydde ⧠wherof the moste pure textes of scripture were forgotten and inuentoures feynours and dreamars were receyuyd as chydyng / Sophesters / Scotystes / Thomystes / Occanystes Summystes / and suche other ⧠☞ After that mannes wysdome and proude phylosophy was admytted to the exposycyon of scriptures of god whiche is inpossyble to it for it peruertyth the germane and true sense of it and we fall in to the moste rude and ieoperdouse confusyon of blyndenes ygnorance and erroures that almoste there shuldbe none that walkyth nat in lyenge ☞ ⧠♣ ⧠☜ ⧠Also nat longe after the apostles tyme vnto these happy dayes hathe be the very worldes of blyndnes and darkenes but nowe the nyght darknes be gone and the amyable daye of verytie and truthe is at hande ♣ It is heresye to say that to coÌ„uicte heretykes we hadde nede of sophistical soteltyes or mannes phylosophy for veryly god is neuer knoweÌ„ by theÌ„ nor they by hym bycause no man may stryue for god and hys veryte bycause it is contrary to God Forther more the wysdome of this worlde is dystroyed ouercome and reproued with the alonly and moste pure worde of the crosse 1. Cor. 2. and the chapitre folowyng Paule dothe saye that he dyd nat come to the Corynthyans in eloqueÌ„ce of speakyng or wysdome but that he might open and shewe the testymonye of Christ Iesu and many thynges of thys matter in the same place ☞ ⧠♣ ⧠☜ ☞ They that beleue by eloquence so phymes philosophy and suche other wordes of mannes wysdome to teache Christe wyl that our faythe be in wysdome of men whiche is inpossyble at the leaste of true faythe whiche is nat but of the worde of the crosse and open shewynge of the spirite power of god 1. Corynthyans 2. ☞ ⧠♣ In all the ieoperdouse tyme of erroure and darkenes we were herytykes sysmatikes from Christe and his verytie and drowned in the most greuouse erroures whiche we coulde nat perceyue of our selues for bycause the alonly iudgement of the flesshe that dothe neuer condempne it selfe but is alway aboute to ordayne it ye aboue god was then receiued dyd please and men dyd cleaue to it whiche god dothe hyghly abhorre ☞ ⧠♣ ⧠The lyeng and reprouable sense and iudgement of the flesshe then reyâ—yng after that and contrary to goddes worde was inuentyd the supercylyous and proude state of the pope his cardynalles and bysshopes and what soeuer dothe perteyne to the apostatate kyngdome as be the monastycall sectes indulgences of yeres dayes from pena culpa cÌ„ decrees and rules of men vsurpyng of rythes fyrste frutes and oblacyons inquisitours .i. ê“tectoures of this heryticall iniquitie promocyons of false deuynes scoles of decrees and such other of thys kynde execreable feynynges of the dyuell by the whiche vnto the tyme apoynted that is vnto the tyme that the iniquities of this kyngdome of the sonne of perdicyon was endyd the same kyngdome was establysshed ♣ The surest and moste euident sygne that this greate blyndenes hathe so longe endured is that inueÌ„cions tradycyons and decrees of men were regardid and setby more than the moste holy lawe of god and bycause the pure textes and sense of the byble were almoste clene extyncte and putte our of memory besydes that in theyr exposicyon euery man dyd folowe the dreames and feynynges of hys harte and nat theyr true and germane sense nat the marke of the euerlastynge spirite and dyd glory with hys inuencyons so that there was none that myght be acountyd any thynge worthe at all in mynistery of the worde but such a ruâ—ler of whom might be sayde Beholde here a goodly preacher a noble plaâ—e with his newe inueÌ„cions in preachiÌ„g and wrytyng he is copyous moues mery conceites in euery place that is as muche to say as derysyoÌ„ and mockage of the holy ministery of the gospell and to be brefe the bysshopes apostles and prophetes of god were nat serchyd for But Antychristê and theyr synagoges whiche with theyr inueÌ„cyons with one brethe can prouoke men bothe to laughe and wepe vomyte a hundreth allegaciones pratyng and preachyng to the people decrees and lawes of men customes and deades of many yeres examples and dreames of olde wyues monstrous lyes of the kyngedome of Antychriste ypocrytes deceyuers lyers nat wyllyng to orden the iustyce of god but the iustyce of the flesshe and of theyr sectes and of
Roma 4. in the 33. Psalme Blessyd be they whose iniquities be forgyueÌ„ and whose synnes be coueryd blessid is that man to whoÌ„ the lorde hathe nat imputyd syn cÌ„ If these electe shulde lyue nowe no doubte but they wolde gyue place to the truthe ¶ For all that the electe do oftymes erre yet do they all say as is wrytten the .118 Psalme I haue erryd as a shepe that hathe peryshed but for all that they were neuer brought into errour for they do neuer consent to it lest they peryshe in it they do alwaye so erre that they say Lorde my herte is redy my herte is redy verely they be alway redy if they were teachyd to forsake all erroures ☞ who soeuer couyteth to be parttaker of the truthe nowe openid agayne muste nedes confesse al to haue ben in errour For iuggelers in spirite and doctryne of dyuelles haue preueyled in these worldes of darkenes in the moste horryble iudgement of god For so god had predestynate afore the bygynninge that in them shulde be tyme power of darkenes of the kyndome of antychryste ♣ And although this was chefely begonne in that tyme the pope couyted ysurped the primacye of the worlde byshopes nat coÌ„tent with theyr calle but wolde be prynces and rulers yet in the aposteles tyme the mysterye of iÌ„iquite was wrought in false apostles and false bretherne as you maye perceyue 2. Thessa 2 and .1 Iohanis 4. ☞ They that can nat take the mysteryes of euerlastynge truthe but wyll peryshe perpetually let them beware that they condempne them nat For who can condempne the thinges that he perceyueth nat and be without syn let hym humiliat hym selfe before the lorde and confesse hys ignorance whiche if he do in verytie with out doute he shall optayne hys desyre for the mysteryes of god be hydde frome them that loueth carnall wysdome and truste to it and be openyd to the meke and chyldren Math. xj Lu. x. ¶ Of the holy churche of god and reprouable synagoge of Sathan of canonysynge and inuocacyon of sayntes ☞ The seconde Chapitre ☜ The seconde Chapitre THe churche of God is the vnyuersytie of all sayntes and them that be predestinate whiche haue ben from the beginnyng of the worlde and shall be to the ende Ecclesia is a greke worde callyd in laten Congregatio in englyshe a congregation company or churche ¶ They be sayntes that be translatid from prophane or worldly thynges to godly and spirituall thynges made holy and consecratyd to god That thiÌ„g is callyd holy iÌ„ scripture that is nat comune but seperate to god so those thiÌ„gê were callyd holy in tymes paste that were offeryd in the temple of god and then they were sanctyfyed wheÌ„ they were offeryd and so we pray let thy name be santyfyed That is we pray that thy name that is to say thy fame may be knowen and beleued of al men alone to excell all other and may be countyd for suche a one as in very dede it is And that all men may confesse that there is no prophane or comen thynge in the but that thou arte alone holy / good / iuste / myghty / euerlastyng / nat hauyng another god lyke to the in thy maiesty ♣ what so euer is of faythe is a holye thynge and iuste and he that workes / and lyueth so of faythe is a saynte / ryghtwyse and what so euer is nat of fayth is prophane and synne Roma 14. and they that do suche thynges be vniuste / worldly / and vnclnee ¶ He dothe lyue / and worke / of fayth that dothe al thyng with a sure truste of goddes goodnes beleuyng in hym that he shall receyue grace / and that nat by his owne meryte / but by the meryte of Christe and his hye goodnes ¶ To lyue of faythe / and worke of it or in the name of the lorde or to hys glorye / be taken all for one thynge in holy scrypture ♣ Faythe is in euery worde of god / whiche is fulfylled by the meryte of Christe and veryte of him that promiseth it / and it truly is nat virtuall / habytuall / or abydynge as Sophesters put But actuall / true / hole / syncere / sanctifieth quickeneth iustifieth the beleuer Abacuc .2 a iuste man lyueth of faythe Roma 5. we beynge iustified of faythe let vs haue peace and againe Ro. 3. Galt 2. euery maÌ„ shall nat be iustified of workê but of fayth ¶ All true faythfull be sayntes / and therfore Paule wrytyng to the faytheful callyth theÌ„ saiÌ„tes Ephe. j. Col. j. ♣ The churche of god is inuisible and spirituall as faythe is verely no man excepte he haue it by reuelacyon can surely defyne of other if they be of it although there be many sygnes as is if any man wyll be ruled in al thyngê with the worde of god and professe Christe in his actes For it is wryten the prayse of him in the coÌ„gregacyon of his sayntes Psalm 149. I do nat say them that be of the churche of god to be inuisible but the churche is called inuisible bycause it is nat knowen by vysible and corporall thynges ¶ For when the worde of the lorde is preachyd moste purely it is neuer voyde without frute but worketh all thyng to which it is seÌ„de of the lorde Esa 55. wherfore whersoeuer it is so preachyd it is certayne that there be some that be of the churche of god in whom it bryngeth forthe frute but we can nat specyally shewe one of them ♣ The pope ye with al his kyngdome with hym can nat surely shewe one electe or saynte therfore they can canonyse none or aâ—scrybe them in the nuÌ„bre of fayntes for alonly god knowith whiche be his 2. Timoth. 2. and those to whom his wyll is to reuelate ♣ Electe haue no nede nor wyll nat at all any other canonyser be sydes hym that dothe adscrybe them in the euerlastynge numbre of hys sayntes and boke of them that do lyue ♣ Therfore all sayntes do hyely abhorre the canonysyng of the pope bycause it is no other thyng then a feynyng of the dyuell a stronge huntyng a multyplycatyon of ydolles deceyuyng of the worlde a turnynge frome the alonly Christe our true and moste suffycyent medyatour besyde whome god wyll none For all though god is to be praysed in his sayntê Psal 115. Yet they be not our aduocates wherfore we ought nat to call vpon them ♣ For that man Iesus Christe the medyatour of god and meÌ„ne 1. Timo. 2. is our aduocate and a mercyfulnes for our synnes 1. Iohannis 1. ¶ The holy mother of god and all sayntes do abhorre aboue that at can be spoken and hate vowes and pylgrymages to theyr sepulchres and buyldynge of chapelles and ydolles and suche other of this kynde by cause by these the people be turned frome syncere truste in god and his Christ of al meruels and wonders as â—el of these as of all other lyke I haue spoken
of in the boke of the causes of the blyndnes cÌ„ tracta 5. capi 12. ¶ The pope and other with hym that canonyse vsurpe that whiche is ê“pre to the alonly god that is to adscrybe and numbre his electe ¶ To adfyrme that the pope or any other men may canonyse the electe of god it is herysye bycause it dothe dissent from holy scrypture ♣ Alonly the electe whom god hathe adscrybed in the eternitie and numbre of his sayntes be of his churche But vnto they beleue they abyde without the churche ¶ For any man to be of the churche of god kynde condycyon age nacyon coloure of clothyng or deynteousnes or any other outwarde thynge nothiÌ„g profyteth As is playne Galath 3. Coloss 3. but syncere faythfull do admyt no outwarde thynge that dothe nat agre in all thynge with the worde of god ☞ wherof it foloweth that it is heresye to adfyrme that the pope cardynalles byshopes with all his kyngedome be of the churche of god which is meke all pure and holy Forthermore as I haue sayde it is iÌ„uisible .i. it maye nat be knowen surely by outwarde thynges althoughe it haue alway the externe workes of faythe for it dothe althyng of faythe whether it eate / drynke or any other thyng But that it dothe thys of faythe there is none but god and he beynge worker that seeth ¶ They that be of the coÌ„gregacyon / of the wycked / haue ofte workes aperyngly good / very ofte apere to the electe to be more holye for it / verely god knoweth that all theyr workes be euyll bycause they be nat of faythe ¶ Therfore of faythe / and infidelyte / good workes and euyll iuste / and iniuste / do come ¶ who so euer lyueth nat and worketh of this forsayde faythe / is of the company / and synagoge that is spoken of Psalmo 23. I haue hatyd the churche malygnant / and. Apocalip 2. I knowe theyr blasphemyes that saye they be Iues / and be nat / but be the synagoge of satane and agayne capitulo 3. beholde I shall gyue of the synagoge of satane that say they be Iues be nat ¶ Of this kynde / is the hole churche of the pope / it is so muche lesse that it shulde be / of the ympollutyd churche of god ¶ All that be of the synagoge / of the pope wyl be callyd ecclesiastycall / and there is no lye more open theÌ„ this If thou do referre this name to the churche of god / in a respecte they may be alonly callyd ecclesiasty call or spirituall to the churche of the deuyll ¶ Therfore bycause / the kyngedome of the pope / hathe nothyng comen / with the churche of god / as many as perteyne to hym / be the very chyldren of his worlde / veryly all other / if they be noble men or marchaÌ„tes artificers / or husbandemen / so that there be syncere faythe / in whiche they lyue / and worke / and dysseÌ„t from the kyngdome of the pope / be ecclesiastycall / and of the churche of god / to whoÌ„ these scismatikes haue done the most poysened iniury and wronge bycause they haue callyd them seculer and carnal or temporal / and they haue coÌ„maundyd with a hatefull pryde them selues to be callyd ecclesiasticall and spirituall ¶ Verely who so euer is of the churche of god is ecclesiastycall and spirituall / and dothe all thynges of fayth / whiche be spirituall ¶ The sinagoge / of the pope is more aduersary to Christe / then the turke / for the emperoure of trukes sofferyth faythfull that be in his landes / to lyue after the pure worde of god / whom these blynde enemyes of mekenes / dothe nat cease to reclame agaynst in the myddes of theyr blyndnes ¶ wherfore it were better for vs to lyue vnder the empyre of the turke / then the pope truely it is lawfull for faythfull to lyue vnder any prynce / so that Christ his worde be frely sufferid as it was lawful for the Isralites to lyue vnder Nabugodonosor Cyro Daryo Assuero the Romanes the AsseryeÌ„s cÌ„ ♣ From this forsayde synagoge there may none passe to the churche of god excepte he fyrste forsake the pope and his decrees for the pope and Christ be more contrary then fyre and water ☞ He is the very greate and true antechriste and all the tyrannes of hys kyngdome .i. cardinalles and byshopes cÌ„ they that do nat dyssent froÌ„ hym be also antichristes ⧠Euen as it was necessarye to the blessyd angelles to theyr eternal helthe to dyssent from that fyrste angell apostata so to all that couit to be sauid it is necessary to be alyenat from the pope and his kiÌ„gdome orels they shall neuer truely knowe Christe and cleaue to his verytye with full herte wherfore they muste nedes peryshe at the laste ☞ ⧠♣ ⧠☜ ¶ Of the comunyon of sayntes of excomunicacion bulles of the son of perdycyon Capi. 3. The thyrde Chapitre ALl that be of the churche of god haue theyr comunion to gyther of one faythe one spirite one grace truthe iustice pease baptym and of al gyftes of the spirite ☞ Alonly by faythe they that beleue be partakers of all these For all the workes of god be in faythe ⧠♣ Bycause the kyngdome of the pope lyuys nat of faythe it can haue none of these it is so muche lesse that it can gyue them to other ☞ ⧠⧠It is heresye to afyrme that by the cursyd indulgences of the kyngedome of the pope the grace of god or remyssyon of al sines or of the thyrde or forthe or halfe parte or of one only synne is grauntyd ☞ ⧠♣ ☞ And the grace of god whiche is of faythe alonly be pÌ„seÌ„t al synnes be for gyuen nat ymputyd But if it be absent none is forgiuen but al ymputid ⧠Therfore nat one or some parte of syn is remytted but all to gether other remytted or holden For that maÌ„ is blessyd alonly whose iniquityes be forgyuen and coueryd and are nat ymputyd Psalm 31. so that if one syn be retayned yet dothe other remayne hatred and cursydnes ☞ ⧠♣ ♣ Bulles Iubylyes and all pardons of the kyngedome of the pope be no other thynge but dysceytfulnes dyuelysshe iuglyng sure nettes to drawe all the substance of the worlde cursyd marchandyse fedynge of the enemyes of god an abomynable inuencyon turnyng froÌ„ the syncere faythe of Christ alonly profytable to dystroye soules and noryshe satannes synagoge ⧠⧠who so euer dothe truste to these false bulles dothe nat perceyue that they be dystructyon he is blynde and shall neuer obtayne the grace of god by them or remissyon of one syn what so euer he dothe or gyuethe therfore ♣ Alonly god receyueth the electe of faythe to the aforsayde glory and comunyon of sayntes frome the whiche he alone makyth infideles straunge ☞ wherfore no man lyuyng neyther popes nor theyr byshopes nor all angelles and men togyther can
Saserdotes whiche we call prestes for Presbiter is a greke worde and sygnifythe a senyour or elder and is proper to the hye mynysters of the churche as byshoppes or preachers of the worde of god Sacerdos whiche we call a prest is who so euer is sacrated to god by faythe ¶ Euery true senyour .i. euery true mynyster of the worde is a preste but euery preeste is not a senyour or mynyster ♣ The pope with all hys byshoppes and all the worlde together can not make one prest of the churche of god for it is alonely goddes offyce which dothe sanctyfye hys electe in faythe / and dothe cōsecrate them into prestes for hym selfe ¶ Presthode of the kyngdome of the pope was inuented of men / without the testymonye of the worde of god / came forthe by the strenthe and eyde of the deuell ¶ Prestes of that kyngdome can not be prestes of the kyngdome of Chryst except firste they do forsake the presthode of the pope .i. they shal not trust or attrybute any thynge to him / altho for the tyme they admyt many thynges for the infyrmytye of other ¶ In place of mynysters of the lawe as prestes and leuites / there be alonly two kyndes of mynysters vnder the gospell / byshoppes / and deacons ¶ Euery syncere mynyster of godes / worde / is called in scrypture by these names / fyrste an ouerseer Ezechiel 3. secōdly / a prophet 1. Cor. 14. therdly an euaungelyste of the gospell that he preacheth / Eisaie 41. I shall gyue Hyerusalem an euaungelest Ephe. 4. other truly euaungelistes it is sayd 2. Tymo 4. do the worke of an euaungelyst and. Actes 21. entrynge into the house of Phylyp the euaūgelyst therfore / Mathew / Marke / Luke / Iohā be not alonly euaungelystes / but all true preachers of the scryptures of god / fourthely ecclesyastycal .i. apreacher Ecclesia i. the church is a congregacyon therfore he that rulythe hyt with the worde is called a preacher / fyftely a seniour or elder .i. Tymo 5. senyours that gouerne wel be worthy double honour / and also / agaynst the senyour syxthely a byshope that is an ouerseer .i. Tymoth 3. a byshope must be fautles / and to Tytum 1. a byshope must be without blame / and Act. 10. the holy goost hath mayde you byshopes seuenthely an apostle / for apostle is a messenger and sente / and cometh of the greke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sygnyfyth to sende that is necessarye for the mynysters of goddes worde / to be hys aposteles that is to be sente of hym Rom. 10. howe shuld they preache except they be sente / but some be greate apostles and some lesse 2. cor 11. Also that you may knowe the office of a bishope apostle to be both one / when Peter Actes 1. sayde that some man muste be desyred into thys mynysterye and offyce of an apostle / from which Iudas was exyled he dyd aledge this place of Dauyd and hys byshoppryke another shal possesse ¶ You may gather therfore / because neyther the pope / nor byshoppes / or tyrantes / of his kyngedome haue any of these afore sayde / they be not of the churche of god ouerseers / prophetes euaungelystes / preachers / senyoures / byshoppes / or aposteles / excepte you ioyne thys terme false to euery one of them ¶ Cetyes and townes which haue no pastore / symply preachynge the moste pure worde of god / haue no byshope / senyour / preacher / or euaungelyste / of Iesu Chryste ¶ In many cetyes / all that be of the reprouable synagoge of antychryste / perceyuinge that the immaculate worde of god settes openly forth theyr abhomynacyon / they do so hate them / and dreade leste any true mynyster of the worde shuld be harde of the people / that assone as any commeth / before he can open hys mouthe they go aboute to stope hym / whiche I haue proued my selfe very ofte / specyally in the noble cetye of Wetens in the whiche god hath delyuered me ofte from the handes of antychrystes sekyng my soule ¶ There was in that cety / that tyme a holy byshope of god / nowe a blessed martyr witnes of Christ saynt Iohā castellanc / whome for the testymonye of truthe the apostate kyngedome of the sone of perdycyon vehemently hatynge / when they coulde not hurt him in the cetye / they brought to passe / by treason / that he shuld go forthe of the cetye and he so banyshed they toke hī prysoner by by afore the .9 monthe whome Anthony abbot with a false procter / many false pharysyes were aboute to brynge hym to that passe / that he shulde denye Chryste and hys veryte But the holy champyon of god perseuered immouable / and was neuer ouer come / the lorde confyrminge his breste with hys spirite / then they moued ī theyr reprouable myndes / the last of all that is the .12 day of Ianuarye Anno .1525 at vuy a towne of lotheringe the same Iohan reioysynge and beynge glade in the lorde / not warned before of it / but led to execucyō / when that he wolde not recante into the fauoure of antychryste they made him a gloryous merter of Chryst / with most cruel tormētes of fyre whō they dyd couet to extyncte / they crouned with a incomperable dyedeme of glorye / euen agaynst theyr wylles so that if it were lawefull to call apon sayntes he were to be named no lesse then Peter or Paule other aposteles / but there is one aduocate and our mediator the lorde Iesus Chryste I haue brought thys paradox that we maye gloryfye this saynt Iohan in the lorde and the lorde in hī / and also that hys burners and bochers / may se theyr fautes / and most greuous cryme / and may amende lest they perishe / the lord Iesus Chryst make them of Saules / Paules / that is of the enemyes of Chryste and hys truth / his frendes and of persecuters defenders and his preachers ¶ There is nor cā be no true bishope of the churche of Iesu Chryste / but a pure and euaungelycall preacher / for other proude blowen pompes bugges of the kyngedome of the pope be nothynge lesse then byshoppes In euery cety / towne / village there ought to be many byshoppes .i. euaungelystes or preachers / after the quantyte of places multytude of people ¶ Yf many peryshes be so great / that one byshope is not suffycient for thē / let thē be deuyded / and to euery parte a byshoppe assygned / these two conclusions I haue expounded in my exposycyon of the rule of the Mynorytes Capitulo 15. ¶ It is necessary for bishoppes to be sēt and called of god / and that I haue proued in the same 15. Chapi of the same enarracyō ī the boke of callynge ¶ It is the most greuous cryme / and by no menes to be sufferyd / that many chyldren
then hys chaplens whiche be all heresye because they repugne to the most opeÌ„ textes of scripture for if you loke apon those that be spoken of it Mat. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. and. 1. Cor. 11. you shall pleynly perceyue thys to be the table of god whiche you maye not sacrefice but eate and drynke and to be the newe Testament of whom the scryptures be instrumentes in whome the grace of god and remission of synnes is promysyd of whome they that beleue be pertakers and bothe kindes to be gyuen to all that haue proued them selues whether they beleue in the promesse of god and at the laste by thê takynge to shewe the lordes deathe vntyll he come to iudegement .i. to remember be a memoryal of his death to them that beleue for so ofte doth he dye to them with the most surest signe that is to saye the frute of his deathe is geuen to them as ofte as they eate thys breade and drynke thys bloude in faythe ☞ ⧠♣ ♣ whosoeuer is pertaker of this table in fayth is made a member of Chryst and eateth his fleshe and drynketh hê bloude Iohan. 6. to the which he that goethe without faythe eateth drynketh his iudgement makynge no difference of the lordes bodye ♣ ♣ ♣ To serche here more cureouslye theÌ„ the symplenes of the texte wyllyth is abomynable before the lorde ♣ The superstecyousnes is not to be suffred to kepe the breade of the lord in the tabernacles of the faythfull it was not ordayned of the lorde to be kepyd so or borne aboute so poÌ„poslye but that it myght be eaten ⧠✚ ♣ And for that cause lette syncere euaungelystes prouyde that it be not kepyd for that kepynge is besyde the order of god for truly then the breade is to be santyfyed with the worde of god whoÌ„ it is to be taken what houre soeuer it be and what soeuer the heresye of Antychryste hathe otherwyse dyffyned and we saye the same of the cuppe that both must be gyuen to gyther ♣ we do not saye that this table is to be mynystred to chyldren or they that beleue not but vtterlye to all that can beleue in the promyse of god ♣ It is the deuty of byshoppes to order them dylygentlye that they maye knowe what this holy feast is and not to receyue to it all that puttes him selfe to it but theÌ„ whoÌ„ they haue instructe or do not doute to be well instructe ⧠The hye preparacyon is that any man beynge thrystye or hongry go to it .i. that he confesse with al his harte that he hath nede of the grace of god and remissyon of synnes and beleue to goddes promyse that beinge pertaker of this table he shall obteyne hys desyer by the meryte of the passyon of Christ of whoÌ„ this feast is a memorye ⧠Althoughe thys holye feast and also baptysme be moste sure sygnes to the faythful of the grace of god to be hade yet without these sygnes euery faythefull beleuynge the truthe perceyueth the same as apereth in many places of scrypture ☞ ⧠¶ And for that cause it perteyneth to the aboundance of goddes worshype that he hathe put these sygnes to the more copyous coÌ„forte of the faythful of whom I haue spoken more cheflye in the boke of the causes of the blindnes cÌ„ Tracta 5. Capitulo 7. and. 8 ¶ Augustyne and other sayntes and the Mayster of sentences 12. Dystyn 4. do not affyrme thys table to be properly a sacrifyce but so to be called so of some bycause it is a memorye of a sacryfyce ones offeryd on the crosse ¶ But as the memorye of a thinge is not the thynge nor the memorye of golde or a person is not golde or the person soo nor the memorye of the sacryfyce is the sacryfyce ☞ ♣ ⧠♣ It was an execrable faynynge of the deuell to make of thys swetest testament of euerlasting helthe a sacryfyce of the kingdome of Antychryste wherof is spronge vsurye marchandyse fayres and innumerable errores aboute the masse by the whiche innumerable haue peryshed slowe belyes be fatted and sette out ⧠¶ It is laweful no more to the faythfull to sacrefyce Chryste then to kyll hiÌ„ but alonly to worshyppe the memorye of hys deathe in faythe in pertakynge of hys table ☞ ☞ All that nowe the truthe openyd agayne sacryfyce Chryste do alwaye synne moste greuouslye ✚ Therfore yf any man in any place to auoyd the offeÌ„ce of many be coÌ„straynyd to say masse let him leaue out al that that maketh mencyon of a sacryfyce priÌ„cipally the CanoÌ„ except the wordê of buÌ„dictioÌ„ froÌ„ thê place Qui pridie cÌ„ ♣ And let him take hede that neyther for that nor if he haue lefte out any other thynge as the manyple stole c. that he be prykyd in hys conscyence as for one offence knowynge that the faythful is not bounde to the tradycyoÌ„s of men but is free yet because of the weake these outwarde thynges are not in euery place to be lefte out ⧠whiche yf it make agaynste thy conscyence it edefyethe to hell fyer and yf it folowe a wauerynge conscyence synneth lette hym therfore put away thy wauerynge conscyence and for that axe lyghtenynge of the lorde ♣ Neyther for quyke nor for deade it is laweful to offer Chryste neyther in the sacrament nor otherwyse for he hathe offered hym selfe ones for all ☞ All foundacyons of masses yeres myndes cryenge of the quere and all suche that be done in the kyngedome of the pope be hylye abhomynable to god besydes that they be for the more part vsury what so euer the son of perdycyon in a certen wauerynge hathe otherwyse dyffyned a thynge vtterly aduersarye to the worde of god grantyng to hys synagoge Chryst prohybytythe vsury Luke .6 lende one to another trustynge for no auauntage whiche thys man of synne hath made lawefull / and what is it that he dare not dyffyne agaynste the immaculate scriptures of god so that any thyng may come to the tresorye of hê kyngdome ♣ In a dysceytfull spyryte / and doctryne of deuyls / was purgatorye feynyd as many mo were ☞ ⧠⧠✚ Therof hathe the deceyuynge of the worlde cheflye come / and the cursyd fayres of the kingdome of the pope ✚ I praye you let the kyngedome of the pope answere / from what thynges shulde a maÌ„ be purged to be sauyd / not alonlye from synnes ☞ ⧠☜ ✚ But alonly by fayth in Chryst we be purged from them / and iustyfyed / not with fyre / water / sworde / laboure / or any other externe thynge / nor with the prayers of any saynte as I haue proued Luke .1 and Cantico .1 ✚ Althoughe he that is iustyfyed of faythe / workethe many good workes / for faythe hathe her strength by loue Galat. 5. and is neuer seperate from good workes / yf it be true ✚ If by fyer / the prayers of other / any laboure or worke / we be purâ—yd / and iustyfyed /