The parable of the Wycked Mammon ☞ Compiled in the yere of our Lorde M. d. xxxvi W. T. ¶ Romans iii. Chap. ☞ We holde that a man is iustified by fayth withoute the workes of the lawe ¶ Imprynted at Lodon by Ihon daye dwellyng in Sepulchres Paryshe at the signe of the ResurrectioÌ„ a litle aboue Holbourne CoÌ„duit M. d. xlvii ¶ Wyllyam Tindale otherwyse caled Hychins to the reader GRace and peace wyth all maner spiritual felyng and lyuinge wor thy of the knidnes of Christe be with the reader and with all that thrist the will of God Amen The cause why I set my name before this litle treatise haue not rather done it in the new testament is that then I fo lowed the councell of Christe whiche exhorteth men Matth. vi to do their good deades secretly and to be content with the conscience of welldoynge and that God seeth vs and pacyentâ—ye to a byde the rewarde of the last day which Christ hath purchased for vs and nowe would fayne haue done lykewyse but am compelled otherwyse to do ¶ Whyle I a bode a faythfull companion whiche nowe hathe taken another viage vpon him to preache Christ where I suppose he was neuer yet preached God which put in his hert thither to go sende his spirite wyth hym coÌ„forte him and bringe his purpose to good effecte one Willyam Roy a man soÌ„â—what craftye when he coÌ„meth vnto new acquayntaunce and before he be thorow knowen and namely when all is spent came vnto me and offered his helpe As longe as he hade no money somwhat I coulde rule hym but as soone as he had gotten hym money he became lyke hymselfe agayne Neuerthelesse I suffred all thynges tyll that was ended whiche I could not do alone without one both to wryte and to helpe me to compare the textes together Whan that was ended I toke my leaue and bad hym farewel for oure two lyues and as men say a daye longer After we were departed he wente and gat him new frendes whiche thynge to dooe he passeth all that euer I yet knewe And there when he had stored hym of money he gote hym to Argentyne where he professeth wonderful faculties and maketh bost of no smal thinges A yere after that and now xii Monethes before the pryntynge of this worke came one Ierome a brother of Grene whiche also throughe Wormes to Argentyne saiynge that he entended to be Christes disciple another whyle to kepe as nye as God woulde geue him grace the profession of his bap tysme and to get hys lyuynge with his handes and to lyue no lenger ydely and of the sweate and laboure of those captyues whiche they had taught not to beleue in Christ but in cut showes and russet coetes Whiche Ierom with all diligence I warned of Royes boldnesse and exhorted hym to be ware of hym and to walke quiyetly and with all pacience and longe sufferynge accordinge as wee haue Christ and his Apostles for an ensample whiche thynge he also promysed me Ne uerthelesse when he was comen to Argentyne willyam Roye whose tunge is able not only to make fooles sterke mad but also to deaceyue the wyseste that is at the fyrst syght and acquaintaunce gat hym to him and set him a worke to make rymes whyle he hym selfe translated adyaloge out of laten in to englyshe In whose prologe he promiseth more a great deale than I fere me he will euer paye Paul sayeth the seconde Epistel to Timothe the seconde Chapter the seruaunt of the Lord must not stryue but be peaceable vnto all men and ready to teach and one that can suffer the euell with mekenesse that can enforme theÌ„ that resist if God at any tyme will geue them repentauâ—ce for to knowe the trueth It be commeth not then the lordes seruaunt to vse raylynge rymes but Gods wordes whyche is the right weapon to slay sine vice and all iniquitie The scripture of God is good to teache and to improue ii Ti. iii. ii Tes. ii Paul speaking of Antichrist sayeth whom the Lorde shall destroye with y e sprete or breth of his mouth that is with the worde of God And. ii Corinthians tenth The weapens of our warre are not carnall thinges saieth he but mighty in God to cast downe strong holdes and so forth that is to destroye hye buyldinges of false doctryne The word of God is that day whereof Paul speaketh i. Cor. iii. whiche shall declare al thynges and the fyre whiche shall trye euery mans worke and consume false doc tryne with that swearde ought meÌ„ sharp ly to fight and not to rayle with foolysh rymes Let it not offende the y t soÌ„e walke inordinatly let not the wickednes of Iudas cause the to despise the doctryne of his felowes No man ought to thynke that SteueÌ„ was a false preacher because that Nicolas whiche was chosen felowe with hym Actu vi to ministre vnto the wydowes fell after in to greate heresies as histories make mencion Good and euell go alwayes together one can not be knowen with out the other Marke this also a boue al thynges that Antichriste is not an outward thynge that is to saye a man that shoulde sodenly appeare wyth wonders as oure fathers talked of hym No verely for Antichrist is a spiritual thing And is as much to saye as agaynst Christe that is one that preacheth â—â—lsâ— doctrine contraty to Christe Antichriste was in the olde Testament and foughte with the prophtes he was also in y e tyme of Christ and of the Apostles as thou rea dest in the epistels of Ihon and of Paul to the Corinthians and Galathians and other Epistles Antichriste is nowe and shall I dout not endure tyl the worldes ende But his nature is whan he is vttered and ouercome with the word of God to go out of the playe for a season and to disgyse hym selfe and then to come in agayn with a new name and new raymeÌ„t As thou seyst how Christ rebuketh the scrybes and the pharises in the Gospell which were very Antichristes saing wo be to you pharises for ye robbe widowes houses yee praye longe prayers vnder a coloure ye shut vp the kingdom of heaueÌ„ and suffer not them that woulde to enter â—â—â—â—e haue take awaye the key of knowledge ye make men breake gods commauÌ„ dementes with your tradicions ye begile the people with hypocrisie and such lyke Whiche thinges all oure prelates do but haue yet gotten them newe names and other garmeÌ„tes and weedes and are other wise dysgysed Ther is difference in the names betwene a pope a Cardinal a Bishoppe and so forth and to saye a scribe a pharisey a senâ—oure and so forth but the thynge is all one Euen so nowe wheÌ„ we haue vttered him he will chauÌ„ge him â—â—lfe ones more and turne himselfe in to 〈◊〉 angell of lyght ii Corin. xi Rede the place I exhorte the what so euer thou art that readest this and note it well
wyll nother turke nor saresonne nor the muste parte of vs do What so euer wee ymagin ryghtuous that must God admytte But Goddes ryghtuousnes wyll not our herte admytte Take an other en sample Let ther be to such as I speake of before and I promise both and the one because he fealeth not his disease cometh not So is it of Goddes promyses No man is holpe by them but synners that feale ther synnes morne and sorowe for them and râ—pente with at there herte For Iohn Baptiste wente before Christ and preached repentaunce that is he preached the lawe of God right and brought the people in to knowledge of them selues and vnto the fear of God and then sente them vnto Christe to be healed For in Christe and for hys sake only hath God promised to receyue vs vnto mercye to forgyne vs and to giue vs power to resiste sinne â–ª How shal God saue the when thou knowest not thie damnacion How shall Christe deliuer the from synne wheÌ„ thou wylt not knowledge thy synne Now I pray the how many thowsaÌ„des ar there of them that saye I beleue that Christ was borne of a virgin that he dyed that he rose agayne and so furth and thou canste not brynge theÌ„ in belefe that they haue any synne at all Howe many are there of the same sorte whyche thou canst not make beleue that a thousande thinges are sinne whyche God damneth for sinne all the scripture thorowe out As to bye as good chepe as he can and to sell as deare as he can to rayse the market of corne vitaile for his owne vauÌ„ntage withoute respecte of hys ueyboure or of the poore or of the commune wealth and such lyke Moreouer how mani hun drede thousandes are there whiche when they haue synned and knowledge there sinnes yet truste in a bald ceremonye or in a lowsie freris cocte and merites or in the praiers of theÌ„ that deuoure widowes howses and eate the poore out of howse and herboure in a thynge of his owne ymaginacion in a folish dream and a false vision and not in Christes bloude and in the trueth y t God hath sworne All these are faithâ—lesse for thei folowe ther owne ryghtuousnes and are disobediente vnto all maner ryghtousnes of God boeth vn to the ryghtuousnes of gods lawe where with he daÌ„neth al our dedes for thoughe some of them se ther sinnes for feare of payne yet had thei leuer that such deades were no synne and also vnto the rightuousnes of the trueth of God in his promyses where by he sayeth all that repent and beleue them For though they beleue that Christe dyde yet beleue the not that he dyed for threir sinnes that hys death is a suffcieÌ„te satisfacion for there sinnes and that God for his sake wilbe a father vnto them and geue them powere to resiste sinne Paule sayth to the Romains in the. x. Chapter if thou coÌ„fesse with thi mouth that Iesus is the lorde and beleue wythe thyne herte that god raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe That is if thou beleue y t he reysed hym vp againe for thy saluacion Many beleue that God is rich and almyghtye but not vnto them selues and that he welbe good to them and defende them and be their God Pharaâ— for payne of y e plage was compelled to confesse his sinnes but hadde yet no powere to submytte hym selfe vnto the wyll of God and to lette the chylder of Israell go and to loose so greate porfet for Gods pleasur As oure prelates confesse there sinnes sayenge though we be neuer so euill yet haue we the power And agayne the scribes and the pharises say they sate in Moises seate do as they teach but not as they do Thus confesse they that they are abhomynnable But to the secoÌ„de I answere if they sate on Christes seate they woulde preachr Christes doctryne now preach they their owne tradicions and therfore not to be hearde If they preached Christ we ought to here them thought they were neuer so abhominable as thei of them selues confesse and haue yet no power to a mende nether to let lowese Christes flocke to serue God in the spirite whiche they hold captiue compellinge them to serue theyre false lyes The diuils fealte the power of Christe and were compelled against thâ—ir wylles to confesse that he was the sonne of God but had no power to be contente therewith nether to consente vnto the or dinaunce and eternall cowncell of the euerlasting God as oure prelates feale the power of God against them but yet haue no grace to geue rowme vnto Christe because that they as the diuils nature is wyll them selues sitte in his only temple that is to wete the consciences of men ¶ SimoÌ„ magê° beleued Actes viii with such a faith as the diuils coÌ„fessed Christ but had no righte fayth as thou seyst in the sayd Chapter For he repented not consentinge vnto the lawe of God Nether beleued the promyses or longed for them but wondred only at the myracles whiche Philippe wroughte and because that he hym selfe in Philippes presence had no power to vse his wychcrafte sorcery and art magike where with he mocked and deluded the wytes of the people he woulde haue bought the gyft of God to haue sold it muche dearer as hys successiours now do and not y e succestoures of Simon Peter For were they Simon Peters successours they woulde preâ—che Christ as hedyd but they are Symon magusses successiours of whyche Simon Peter well prophesied in the seconde Chapter of his seconde Epistle sainge there were fals prophettes amonge the people meaninge of the. Ieues euen as there shalbe false teachers or doctours a monge you which priuely shall brynge in sectes damnable Sectes is partetakyng as one holdeth of frauces a nother of domynyck whiche thinge also Paule rebuketh i. Corinthi i â–ª and â–ª iii. Euen denienge the Lorde that bought them for they wyll not be saued by Christe nether suffer any maÌ„ to preach him to other And mani shal folowe their damnable wayes Thou wylt saye shall God suffer so mani to go out of the right wayes so longe I answere many muste folowe their damnble wayes or else must Peter be a false prophete by whiche the waye of trueth shalbe euyl spoken of as it is nowe at this presente tyme. For it is heresye to preache y e trueth and thorowe couetuousnes shal thei w t fayned wordes make merchaundyse of you of theyr merchaundyse and couetuousnes it neadeth not to make rehersall for they that be blinde se it euidently Thus seest thou that Iames when he sayeth fayth withoute deades is deade and as the body wyth oute the spiryte is deade so is fayth without deades and the deuyls beleue that he meaneth not of the fayth and truste that wee haue in the treueth of Gods promises and in his holy testamente made vnto vs in Christes bloude whyche fayth foloweth
He exhorteth therfore euery man to take heade what he byldeth vpon and boroweth a similitude of y e goldsmith whyche tryeth hys metalles wyth fyre saienge that the fyer that is the iud gement of the scripture shall trye euery mans worke that is euery mans preach inge and doctrine Yf ani bylde vpon the fundacion layde of Paule I meane Iesus Christ golde syluer or precious stone whyche are all one thynge and signifye true doctrine whyche when it is examinined the scripture aloweth then shall he haue his rewarde that is he shall be sure that his lerning is of God and that Goddes spirite is in him and that he shal haue the rewarde that Christe hath purchased for hym On the other syde if any maÌ„ bylde theron tymbre heye or stubble which are alone and signifie doctrine of mans ymaginacion tradicyons and fantasics whiche standeth not with Christe when they are examyned and iudged by the scripture he shall suffer damage but shalbe saued hym selfe yet as it were tho rowe fyre that is it shalbe paynefull vnto hym that he hath lost his laboure and to se hys byldinge perishe notwythstandinge if he repente and enbrace the truth in Christe he shall obtayne mercy and be saued But if Paule were now a lyue and woulde defende hys owne learnige he shoulde be tried thorowe fyre not thorow fyre of the iudgemeÌ„t of scripture for y e iyght men now vtterly refuse but by the popes law and with fyre of fagottes WE muste all appere before the iudgement seate of Christ for to receyue euery man accordinge to the deades of his body ii Corin. v. As thy deades testifie of the so shal thi rewarde be Thi deades be euyl then is the wrath of God vpon the and thyne herte is euill and so shall thy rewarde be if thou repente not Feare therfore and crie to god for grace that thou maist loue his lawes And wheÌ„ thou louest them cease not tyll thou haue optayned power of God to fulfyll them so shalt thou be sure that a good rewarde shal folowe Whiche rewarde not thye deades but Christes hath purchaised for the whose purchasinge also is that lust whiche thou haste to Goddes lawe and that myght where with y u fulfyllest them Remember also that a rewarde is rather called that whiche is giuen frely theÌ„ that whiche is deserued That whiche is deser ued is called if thou wilt gyue hym hys tyght name heyre or wages A rewarde is gyuen frely to prouoke vnto loue and to make frendes Remenbre that whatso euer good thinge any maÌ„ doeth that shall he receyue of y e Lord. Ephes. vi Remembring that ye shall receiue of the Lord the rewarde of enheritaunce Collossens iii. These tow textes are excedinge playne Paul meaneth as Peter doeth i. Peter ii y t seruauÌ„tes should obey theyr masters with all ther hertes and wyth good wyll though they were neuer so euyll Yea he will that all that are vnder power obeye euen of herte and of conscience to God be cause God will haue it so be y e rulers neuer so wicked The childerne must obeye father and mother bee they neuer so cruel or vnkynde lyke wyse the wife hyr husbonde the seruaunte hys master the subiectes and communes their Lorde or kinge Why For ye serue the Lorde say th he in the thryde to the Coll. We are Christes and Christe hath bought vs as thou readest Ro. xiiii i. Cori. vi i. Peter i. Christe is oure Lorde and we hts possion and his also is the commaundement Now ought not the crueluesse and churlishnesse of father mother of husboud master Lorde or kinge cause vs to hate the commaundemente of oure so kynde a Lorde Christe Whiche spared not hys bloude for oure sakes whyche also hath purchaysed for vs wyth hys bloude the rewarde of eternall lyfe whiche lyfe shall folowe the pacience of good leuinge and wher vnto oure good deades testifie that we are chosen Forthermor we are so carnal that if the rulers be good we can not knowe whether we kepe the commaundement for y e loue that we haue to Christ and to God thorowe him or no. But and if thou canste fynde in thyne herte to do good vnto hym that rewardeth the evyll agayne then art thou sure that the same spirite is in the that is in Christe And it foloweth in the same Chap to the Clolossians He y t doeth wronge shal receyue for the wronge that he hath done That is God shall auenge the aboundantly whiche seeth what wronge is doene vnto the and yet sufâ—reth it for a tyme that thou myghtest feale thy pacyence and the workynge of hys spirite in the â–ª and bee made perfet Therfore see that thou not once desire vengeaunce but remitte all vengaunce vnto God as Christ dyd Whiche Sayth Peter i. Pet. ii when he was reuiled reuiled not agayne nether thretned wheÌ„ he suffered Unto such obedience vnto suche pacience vnto suche a pore herte and vnto suche fealyuge is Pauls meanynge to brynge all men and not vnto the vayne disputinge of them that ascribe so hye a place in heauen vnto theire pylde merites Whiche as they feale not the workinge of Goddes spirite so obey they no man Yf the kynge do vnto them but righte they wyll interdite the hole realme curse excomunycate and sende downe far beneth y e botome of hel as they haue brought the peole oute of theyr wyttes and made them madde to beleue THy prayers and almes are come vp in to remeraunce in the presence of God in the tenth Chap â–ª of y e Actes That is God forgeteth the not thought he come not at the fyrste callynge he loketh on and beholdeth thy praier and almes Prayer cometh from the hert God loketh fyrst on the herte As thou readist Genesis iiii God behelde or loked fyrst on Abell and then on his offerynge Yf the herte be vn pure the deade verily playseth not as thou seest in Cain Marke the order In the beginnynge of the Chap. thou redest ther was a certayn maÌ„ named Cornâ—lius which feared god gaue much almes and prayed God alwaye He feared God that is he tremblede and quakede to breake the commaundementes of God Then praied he all waye Prayer is the frute affecte deade or acte of fayth and is no thinge but the longynge of the herte for tho thinges which a maÌ„ lacketh whiche god hath promised to geue him He doeth also almes Almes is the frute effecte or deade of compassiou and pitie which we haue to our neibour Oh what a glorious fayth and a ryght is y t whych so trusteth God beleueth his promises that she fea reth to breake his commauÌ„dementes and is also merciful vnto hyr neiboure This is that faith where of thou readest name ly in Peter Paul and Iohn that we are there by bouth iustifyed and saued And who so euer ymageneth any other fayth deceyueth him selfe and is a vaine
repenttaunce and the consente of the herte vnto the lawe of God and maketh a man safe and setteth him at peace with God â—ut speaketh of that false opinion and ymagynacyon where wyth some saye I beleue that Christe was borne of a virgine and that he dyed and so furth That beleue they veryly and so strongely that thei are readye to sley whosoeuer would saye the contraye But they beleue not that Christe dyed for theire sinnes and that his death hath pleased the wrath of God and hath obtayned for them all that God hath promysed in the scriptuer For how can they beleue that Christ died for theyre sinnes and that he is theyre only and sufficiente sauioure seynge that they seke othre sauiours of ther owne ymaginacion and seynge that they feale not theyre synnes neyther repente excepte that some repeÌ„te as I aboue sayd for feare of payne â–ª but for no loue nor consente vnto the lawe of God nor loÌ„ging that they haue for those good promises whiche he hath made theÌ„ in Christes bloude Yf thei repented and loued the lawe of God and longed for that helpe whyche God hath promysed to gyue to all that call on him for Christes sake then vâ—tily muste Goddes tryeth gyue them powere to do good workes when so euer occasion were giuen either must God be a fals God But let God be true and euery maÌ„ a lyer as scripture sayeth For the trueth of God lasteth euer to whom only be all honor and glory for euer Amen ¶ A short rehearsall or suÌ„me of this present treatyse of iustification by fayth Fayth the mother of all good workes iustifieth vs before we can brynge forth any good work as the husbond marieth hys wyfe before he can haue any lawful chyldren by her Forther more the husbonde maryeth not hys wyfe that she shoulde continue vnfrutefull as before and as she was in the state of virginitie wherein it was impossyble for hyre to beare frute but contrary wyse to make her frutefull euen so fayth iustifieth vs not that is to saye maryeth vs not to God that we shoulde contynue vnfruteful as before but that he shoulde put the sede of his holy spirite in vs as Saynte Iohn in hys fyrst epistle caleth it and to make vs frutefull For Paule sayth Ephesi ii By grace are ye made safe thorowe fayth and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God and commeth not of the workes lest any man shoulde boast him selfe For we are his workeman shippe created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes which God hath ordeyned that we shoulde walke in them â— BE not offeÌ„ded most dere Reader that diuers thynges are ouersene thorowe neglygence in thys litle treatise For verely the chaunce was such that I maruayle y t it is so wel as it is Moreouer it becometh the boke e uâ—n so to come as a morner and in vyle apparayle to wayte on hâ—s master which sheweth him selfe nowe agayne not in honoure and glory as betwene Moses and Hâ—ly as but in rebuke and shame as betwene two mortherars to trye hys true frendes and to proue whether there by any fayth on the erth Wyth Gods word ought a man to rebuke wikednes and false doctrine and not wyth raylyng times Antichryst Antichryst is as much to sai as agaynst Chryst and is nothyng but a â—recher of false doctryne Antichrist was euer Antichrist whâ— he is spied goeth oute of the playe and disguyseth hym selfe and then commeth in agayne Antychrist is a spiritual thing and cannot be sene but in the syght of gods word The prelates â—auea burning â—eale to theyr â—hyldren Trye all doetryne hy Goddes worde They geue mo re fayth to Aristotle then to Christ. The lawe is death and the promyses lyfe The law whaÌ„ it is preached geueth no power to fulfyll the same The consentynge vnto the lawe with the hert is eternal lyfe A manne must haue soÌ„e good nes in his hert before be bring furth good workes The lawe vttereth sinne setteh vs at de bate The promises iustifie Olde vesselleâ— that 〈…〉 is put 〈…〉 Matâ—… The office of fayth â–ª The office of workes The talent Math. xxv Why he called them frendes â–ª Good workes muste be done frely Mammon Who is the steward The signe of Gods fauour Wythout we be iustified we can not worke frely Good workes are called the frute of y e spirite and ryght wysnes What is the ryghtuousnes of scribes â–ª and pharises The law must be fulfilled spiritually and w t obedience as Christ hath done A christen wheÌ„ he praieth abideth sticketh fast to Gods promises By coÌ„sentyng vnto the wyll of God knowledging our faulte mekely we be assured of the spirite of God Wherfore the beleuinge forgeueth with y t which aboundeth of â—ure necessary fode ought 〈◊〉 to sustaine the nedy Not onely to speake of the Gospel is accepted before God but to lyue after the Gospel Wher the spirit of God is not there can not a maÌ„ work accordynge to Gods will What health is to saye Christes merites are ours No man can consent to the deades of the lawe except he be chosen Excepte a maÌ„ haue y e spirite of life it is impossible for him to kepe y e coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes â–ª The greatest perfection He that wyth draweth from hys negboure the whyche is his can not come to heauen Faith casteth out deuels and doth such lyke miracles The kyngdoÌ„e of heauen is prepared for y e faythful â–ª ergo theyr workes do not deserue it As longe as we see the law we caÌ„ not loue Christe but when we se y e gospel then re ioyce we An exaÌ„ple for declaracion of inward deeds An example of loue to warde our neghbour The kepynge of y e commauÌ„dement declareth outr loue toward God A goodly order of perfecti on If we do but lust it is a sign that the spirit is in vs. A parable can not be ex pouned in al poâ—â—tes but y e seÌ„â—â— onely What neighbour signifieth There is no greater perfec tion than the lawe No man fullfylleth the lawe What y e two pence be â—oken What the parte was y t Marye hadde chosen Scriptur speketh to vs dineâ—s wayes where the spirit is not ther is no vnderstaÌ„ dynge of scrip ture It is impossible to vnderstand the scripture without the spirite of God Pray y e spirit to leuse you from your natural blindnes and to gyue you vnderstan dyng of spiritual thynges Marke the or dre of Goddes workes He that is recoÌ„ciled to God muste not liue after the olde lustes of iogno raunce Good works Fastynge The cause of fastynge What watch signifieth In al tentacioÌ„ we must cal vpon God What prayer is The condicioÌ„s and propreties of prayer Lette the sam mind be in yon that was in Ie su Christ which c. One to praye for au other In what hour the sinner sigh eth I shal hear hym The loue of God to châ—â—ste is infâ—â—t â–ª Who is rightuouse Loue